For me, Princess Princess 11 was easily one of the best episodes in the series. Exploring the Sayaka sub-plot proved a winner with the kind of shoujo emotional plumbing that this series does so well. While family troubles may not exactly be very fresh in the list of teenage angsts, it was executed with a degree of realism, and relatively good animation (for this series), managing to showcase the strong bonds between the boys at the same time. More depth for the characters is always good. I've always felt that the comedy in this series isn't really its strongest suit; sure they may elicit a couple of chuckles, but the gags simply aren't as good as Haruhi or Ouran Host Club.

In between anime posts, perhaps it might be apt, with the recent death of an esteemed Singaporean poet, Arthur Yap, to showcase a poem of his, as well as that of another relatively unknown (to the masses) poet, Elizabeth Bishop.

Let's start with Arthur Yap first.

the mountains are hazy with timeless passivity
sprawling monotonously in the left-hand corner
while clouds diffuse and fill the entire top half
before bumping daintily into a bright red parakeet
perched suicide-like on a beautiful gnarled branch
arched by the weight of fruit and one ripe peach
hung a motionless inch from the gaping beak

here is transient beauty
caught in permanence
but of what avail is such perpentual unattainment?

i know the stupid bird can never eat the stupid peach

-Arthur Yap


For me this captures perfectly the quintessential Chinese watercolour painting. I hear echoes of Buddhism, of Keats, and even the way this might be phrased as a Singaporean reply to the Wordsworthian ideal of nature. The O'Henry-like ending, the triple juxtaposition of "transcient beauty", "permanence" and "perpetual attainment" in such close proximity, to name just a few, make this an excellent example of precision and craft.


Bishop is one of my favourite poets. She exemplifies the goal I strive for in my own poetry. From a review of a just-released collection of Bishop on NY Books:

"The enormous power of reticence—that is the great lesson of the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop," Octavio Paz said of her.

In "First Death in Novia Scotia", she approaches the sublime coupling of craft and subject matter, her formal mastery allowing her to, like storytellers of old, connect with her audience intimately in the way only verse can. The terse trimeter, the simple phrasing, mimic a child's innocence with the knowing craft of the adult.

And this isn't just a single hit. Most of her poems are such concise gems. What may initially seem like a cold, anonymous voice, one of her few faults if indeed it is one (due to her conscientious drafting and revision) turns out to be a passionate flow of emotions aided by her cerebral, word-trimming self.

Do yourself a favour. Google these poets, buy their books.

Spring anime so far

Tale of Saiunkoku / Saiunkoku Monogatari



Rating: A

Boasting Junni-Kokki-esque character designs, court intrigue and romance, and even opening and ending songs with that epic, old-world mood, this anime is a sure winner. Shuuei has to coax a reluctant emperor into politics, and yet, is all as it seems? More to come once more eps are subbed.

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi



Rating: A

Despite its fair share of detractors (c.f.: the mediocrity of suzumiya haruhi),
I have always rushed to download this anime with every new episode. Its unique blend of crazy humour coupled with magical impossibilities (aliens, time-travelers, and ESPs anyone?) remains mesmerizing through-out. Production values are good as well; the action sequences were a joy to watch, with enough references to other anime for any otaku to chuckle at.

Ouran High School



Rating: A

This is a comedy about a “commoner” cast into the elite echelons of the rich. Unabashedly, and without any pretensions or trying to be a jack of all trades (one of the criticisms of suzumiya haruhi), this anime adopted from shoujo manga (read: bishounens!) is definitely worth watching.

Fate / Stay Night

Rating: B+

The first 14 episodes were captivating, and the mini-climax in episode 14, sublime. The rest, however, were a let-down. The ending, while it did have a few nice touches, combining Arthurian mythology with Saber’s duty / ending, was mediocre. The episodes leading up to it were even weaker: Shirou and Saber’s time together, and their characterisation, felt rushed and clichéd, and the shounen action sequences were about as exciting as watching random flashes of magical projectiles fighting other random pinpricks of light. It makes you wish that they’d added some anecdotes from the game to flesh out the other characters (Lancer, Rin, etc). On the other hand, FSN did excel in the first few episodes for its mix of shounen action and back-story, though the production values were inconsistent.

The Third (Aoi Hitomi No Shoujo)



Rating: B

Anyone who’s watched Shana (the little red-haired heroine) will notice the striking resemblance to the series as the anime starts: a katana, a fatherly figure in the form of a machine, Bogie, and even supernatural powers. The way the heroine, Honaka, recites poetry (by a fake person) lends a unique touch to the anime, as well as a gravitas beyond her years to her youthful frame, although those fragments of poetry tend to be badly translated or in some cases, written; often more song lyric than poetry.
Action in this anime tends to be pedestrian, if not unrealistic (but you probably won’t spot the latter without some knowledge), like much other anime. Meaning the action’s only as bad as say, Naruto. Or even Gundam Seed. There is an interesting little display of elementary kicks and punches when she tries out her robot (PSP? Come on!), one wonders why they didn’t choose cooler moves. Perhaps that was the extent of the animators’ real martial arts knowledge.

There are, as always, hints of Honaka’s almost-magical powers to suck in viewers like me who can’t resist them, even knowing how clichéd they really are. The plot moves briskly enough, with some characterisation. The only death that occurs so far in 6 episodes I predicted at the end of episode 2, so it hardly had any real emotional impact for me. To be objective here, however, I was feeling cynical and sleepy when I watched this show, so perhaps your average viewer with her teddy bear still clutched to her would be suitably saddened by the first death.

Princess Princess



Rating: B

Art / animation: C

After having watched 9 eps, I’m not sure why I still watch this. It isn’t a remarkable comedy. Above-average even, at best. The premise of the whole show centres around bishounens, and their unique role in an elite all-boys’ school (though the elite part isn’t really touched on here). Given the title of “princess”, they brighten up the otherwise drab walls of Fujimori. Like most shoujo anime, characters are gradually fleshed out with each episode; there is an adherence to a chronological plot, but it exists mainly as a vehicle for the characters’ interaction, and the revealing of their pasts. Personally, having studied in all-boys’ schools for 10 years of my life (mind you, they were only day schools!), every episode of PP was lightened by nostalgic reminiscing. Fond memories of trusting friendship; a certain sense of brotherhood. The lives of the princesses share Dickensian hints of life in boarding school—just think of the flogging that used to be delivered to first-years, or the social interaction in dorms, giving the whole show a touch of realism. Despite all that, the suggestive ED sequences do become more than a little disturbing to any straight testosterone-charged male. I haven’t read the manga, so I don’t know what’s coming up; still, I sincerely hope that PP doesn’t go down that path. Somehow, youth and innocence shrivel up like moth-eaten husks when adult / unnatural love begins to intrude.