Superflat, Hideaki, and Chobits

[@bokkimi2528]

I understood exactly half of what was said in the video, yet it still was interesting

[@PauseandSelect]

Haha, thanks Alex.

[@TotallyRadicalShow]

God, this is such a weird, yet fascinating way to think about anime. Really opened my mind, great video!

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks Bobby.

[@CyanideBlizzard]

Really hoping that Lamarre will have time to make a return in the future. He's an absolute pleasure to listen to.

[@PauseandSelect]

I am glad you enjoyed the video. I've got another collaboration with him in the works so this will not be the last time you hear him.

[@McDudes]

yaay :D

[@sealsharp]

@@PauseandSelect 6 years later...did that happen? Which of the videos is it? ^_^

[@Arcanist_The]

@@sealsharpIDK but he is in the persona video.

[@AxolotldelaAnimacion]

In Chobits, I always read the "sex in relationships" message first and, for some reason, I let the technology aspect aside. Nice video, Joe.

[@PauseandSelect]

It's really fascinating, seeing how sex and technology play together in this situation.

[@cast6671]

I love how you don't have set schedules for videos. That gives you a lot of to put a great deal of effort in. Good job

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks Jax!

[@LybertyZ]

I have a lot of problems with Lamarre's assertions, but I love what you did with the editing to show examples, highlight the art, and 'present a visual narrative'!

[@Shiloh5887]

Did not disappoint with your second part. I especially like the way you've used the scenes to compare/contrast between the methods of miyazaki/anno/clamp, it came across much more clearly that way. So happy to see Chobits brought up too. Perhaps I just have a soft spot for it being one of my first mangas, but I always found it rather profound and under appreciated, and was never really able to articulate why. I imagine, as you stated, that part of it was due to Clamp's unique subversion of typical robogirl tropes to weave a much more introspective story on the genre, and on the very real possibility of computers and robots such as the 'persocoms' in our society.

[@PauseandSelect]

It is absolutely fascinating how the computer is so blatantly sexualized in Chobits and yet they are played as if there is no surface hystericization. Rather, all of this happens under the surface, "behind closed doors," and it all falls back to an essence of our being. It's a really fascinating piece of work.

[@MrCantStopTheRobot]

You make me realize though, how much I must learn from Anno in my future animation projects. It's been so long since I watched Eva, I'd forgotten why it penetrated and hypnotized me.

[@PauseandSelect]

Nice!

[@criticalhit009]

Really appreciate these videos for making Lamarre's arguments more accessible.

[@PauseandSelect]

Yo, thanks Critical! How's it going man?

[@criticalhit009]

Trying to finish my big research paper on the cross-cultural aesthetic exchange between Samurai Champloo and The Boondocks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@Aio-Project]

This video series is definitely going to change how i view animation. i’ve always gone into my media consumption and understanding with a musicians perspective and that was the first perspective that really got me into the minds of the artists behind anime and video games especially, but this video really helped shed light on some of the different animation traditions that really can help characterize different directors or even studios or genre specific animation tropes. i think language is sort of the other major frontier of understanding these works and the interplay of encoding thematic meaning in all three of these pathways of communication is probably why i love anime so much. Thank you for creating intelligible media analysis content for youtube. keep up the great work

[@angeladriano408]

I am so glad today is the day I chose to listen to this I really needed it, thanks for the hard work! And Lamarre is fantastic.

[@PauseandSelect]

I'm glad you like it!

[@angeladriano408]

Pause and Select :D !! Btw my first essay is on its way, I'm just having trouble because of mental and physical health reasons, along with my computer being very much dead. But your videos always encourage me to try a little harder. Hope you have a great week!

[@JACK123101]

Hell, the reason I first started to watch chobits was because my teenage brain saw a new ecchi robot harem show, but as I watched, there became so much more and in the end, ecchi fan service was the last thing on my mind. Til this day chobits remains one of the top anime for me. Great vid!

[@neitherworld]

This is amazing. Thank you so much for putting these thoughtful videos together!

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks MistressofDarkness!

[@hollyhandgrenade42]

Wow. I wouldn't mind more videos explaining the ideas and concepts talked about in this video. It just has so many aspects and moving parts that it's hard to see where and who all of the philosophies, history and art intersect or interact. Lacanian, Heideggerian, Cinematism and Anamatism [sic?] to name a few that would love to hear more about.

[@PauseandSelect]

Most of my other videos have touched upon these ideas, actually. Understanding Disaster 3 and 4 cover Lacan and Heidegger (respectively), and Cinematism and Animetism are covered in the first half of the Lamarre interview. I was pretty sure you watched that.

[@hollyhandgrenade42]

Oh! I believe my bad memory is showing. I'll go rewatch those. Thank you.

[@biogundam6541]

By far your most confusing video yet

[@PauseandSelect]

haha, nice!

[@eartianwerewolf]

Yeah it kind of reminds me of some of the reading I had to do in my seminar course, where it could be congested with terms that you have to try and pick apart..and some of them I still don't grasp totally. Like this one that talked about the difference in images of bodies being figural vs figurative....OH my godness...

[@jnru3ns4N3]

I love this channel and what it does for anime

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks King Wizard!

[@eartianwerewolf]

For anyone confused about his use of the word cartesian I think what it really means is a more dimensional perspective. (meaning mimicking the way the eye sees three dimensions on a flat surface- not dimensional in terms of intellectual depth,lol). Whereas others use imagery in a linear/ layering sort of way. Like stacking. (like superflat) . Old Japanese prints are a good example of this, because the images are all flat, but perspective is made by putting one thing on top of the other. It still has a visual sense of space to it, but it is arrived at differently. This is how I am understanding it anyway.

[@eartianwerewolf]

I understand too that it seems like he's also referring to a different....psychological quality that these two ways of putting together an image can have (that the use of these methods does something to the narrative itself) . I haven't totally picked that apart yet, have to admit. My background is more in painting, and I am more familiar with western art, but it makes me think of how in the early 20th century there was a boom of western art that focused on a more flattened way of putting together an image, and how radical that was at the time (of course it was influenced by Asian art) . I am trying to figure out what psychological (this may not be the right word) quality that has over a more three dimensional image. I do think it stresses the imageness of the picture , it sort of makes you hyper aware of what exactly the picture is .. And by being aware of the imageness of the picture, it seemed to have become much more possible to start deconstructing the image.. I don't know, lol I am just rambling, thinking.

[@breaktheboxgaming7902]

I could listen to this guy talk for days. He needs to make a youtube channel ASAP!!

[@PartyOfStrangers]

I had to watch this twice to understand it (though I don't think I even fully grasp the ideas). Nevertheless, it's sooo interesting how far you can take this psychological/analytical subtext for something like anime, which people would never even think was there. And his passionate interest in the topic is inspiring as well.

[@PauseandSelect]

It's very much something that teeters you on comprehension. It's one of those "OHH!" moments where everything falls into place once you get its fundamentals. Have you read The Anime Machine?

[@anime36O]

Thank you so much, for making this video

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks Lucas!

[@Holycrapitschad]

Pretty damn interesting. I would love to hear more from Lamarre in the future if the potential presents itself. Also Superflat Straya m8

[@PauseandSelect]

He's coming back... and that's really interesting.

[@McDudes]

I love these videos! I love this channel! Can't wait for even more content!

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks Mcdudes.

[@McDudes]

and thank you for making these videos :)

[@WalkingGirlKoi]

Well... While I do agree with Chobits definitely, Madoka's idea has been touched upon before. Not in the same themes of its nihilisim (which it does pretty well), but the question of if the idealized job of being a magical girl is really worth it. Ririka SOS's entire story revolved around a girl who gets powers that ultimately lead to her suffering a lot, just that there was no alien like Kyubey manipulating her to step into it. It's another Akitaro Daichi work in its manner of sadness, so it didn't surprise me. Anyway, nice video.

[@PauseandSelect]

I've been meaning to make a video on Ririka, since I will pretty much fellate anything made by Akitaro Daichi. I think Lamarre's comment on "what it does for" is not about being the first to do it, but being notable in its role as something that forced major shifts in thought, regardless of originality.

[@LogicalMayhem00]

you need about a million more subscribers!

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks!

[@ehoba]

wow, I didn't expect this series would be linked with the apocalypse video series.

[@PauseandSelect]

Slowly moving out of the apocalypse though, bit-by-bit, heh.

[@ehoba]

I almost finished subbing this part, but I'm wondering, if Elda is representing hysteria in Chobits, does it mean Freya is representing obsession in Chobits? I mean, is Lamarre implying that?

[@guilhermecarvalhodarosa]

Thanks thanks a lot!

[@Robersora]

I really have difficulties understanding what point(s) he is trying to make with all those observations. I hope part 3 will clarify all this build-up. Or I am just too dumb.

[@PauseandSelect]

It's one of those ideas that are really hard to grasp until you get its fundamental argument, and then it all clicks into place. Have you seen the first half?

[@Robersora]

Yes, I have.

[@krillissue]

I think there's a point in one of the videos where lamarre makes a clarification on the existence of lineages in japanese animation. That one way those lineages can be differentiated is in how each respective lineage relates to a cartesian perspective or western/eurocentric approach to the layering of an image. Something-something about chobits being a distinct departure from either Miyazaki's or Anno's. Something something sex and psychology and Chobits being transformative. The whole other point about chobits completely eluded me, but I haven't followed on the apocalypse video series. I'm dumb too

[@kevind5159]

I would love a video that further breaks down superflat and what you mean by "Exploded projection." You show a diagram of the wheel as you say, "[...]Objects in space of layers." But this didn't help to solidify my understanding in terms of its implementation within animation and how this actually contrasts with the Cartesian approach and the plethora of examples you gave in you Part 1 video.

[@deathdoor]

Before putting your interviewee to talk, tell us about what subject exactly he is being interviewed.

[@GilLiesHere]

Did you read the title?

[@PauseandSelect]

This is meant to be watched in conjunction with the first part of the interview. It also is split into the topics in the title of the video which are in order with when they're brought up in the interview. I hope this helps clear up the confusion you seemed to be having. Thanks for the feedback.

[@JustAWellwisher]

It's in conjunction with*. Really like your content, keep up the good work.

[@PauseandSelect]

Thanks Josh! Sorry about the conjunction-conjecture confusion, I actually do know the difference but WW2 Dragon (the guy who usually responds to comments) made that mess-up I am simply stating this because I think you and I can be great friends and we can have a catch later. I think you would be impressed with my speed.

[@deathdoor]

I'm familiar with the topics in this video, but... even so... your videos require a lot of prior knowledge from the audience, and often times we feel like we arrived in the middle of an argument and takes time to pick up the thread. What is being talked about and what wants to talk about. Despite knowing that Superflat is a thing that exist, how I relate Anno with it? Where comes Chobbits after it? I need some time to ponder this before hearing the thoughts of someone else. Understand? "Just saying" anyway.

[@mohamedshamam7902]

You deserve way more subs, the videos are really good :D Any video on 3-gatsu no lion later on after it ends? Also on 2nd ssn of shouwa genroku rakugo shinjuu?

[@dekaidoku]

I feel that all of this could have been explained clearly using simpler diction. Hell channels that talking about Bongomilism Gnosticism is better presented to the audience then this....

[@arminengaming]

This might be a selfish demand, but I would absolutely love it if future videos like this one where the voice of the speaker is not so clear have subtitles. I have a hearing impairment and sometimes struggled to even understand what he was saying. And the auto-captioning doesn't work at all obviously.

[@PauseandSelect]

I'll take that into consideration.

[@heyfaye5290]

pls do a vid on birdmen, even though it is sorta new, the ideas in it is pretty interesting

[@PauseandSelect]

I'll think about it.

[@monkeymouse]

The elephant in the room, what jumped out at me going through the manga of "chobitS", was the core difference between Anno and CLAMP: the very obvious question of gender. Anno will NEVER see the world and its inhabitants the way the members of CLAMP see it, and this difference is laid out in volume 7 of the manga as the mother of the two girl robots explains gender to the hero in a way that is essentially a manifesto for same-sex marriage, which is to say: removing sex from the picture. Actually, if sex is introduced, the girl robot will reboot and lose her memories--the very things which in CLAMP's paradigm give value to a relationship. For centuries men have written the rules about sex in society; we shouldn't be surprised that, when women rewrite the rules, as CLAMP does in so many works from X to CLAMP Campus Detectives to xxxHolic, a completely different picture emerges.

[@avasasono5772]

When Lammare mentioned how Evangelion, Madoka and Chobits introduced something new in the genre, in context of the Hegelian dialectic, would you say that they're the antitheses of their respective genres? Sorry if this sounds like complete nonsense to you, my understanding of these subjects are basic and surface level at best, and I am only a high school student. I do however find them very interesting! Also thank you for part 2 of the conversation, was highly anticipating it :D

[@PauseandSelect]

Hmmm, I'm not overly familiar with Hegelian dialectics, but how so would they become antitheses? That would imply there is a cohesive thesis upon which they then synthesize into a new thing, would it not?

[@avasasono5772]

I suppose the original thesis would be the collection of tropes that construct these genres, which those 3 anime as their antitheses seek to deconstruct, to put it perhaps in more familiar terms. I feel that this is quite relevant as Madoka especially has been subject of heavy debate as to whether it was a deconstruction or not of the thesis that is the magical girl genre. As to the synthesis, perhaps Flip Flappers recently took it a step further after Madoka. This all points to John Cawelti's formulaic history of genres, where he describes phases that genres undergo as such; classical > parody > deconstruction > reconstruction, wherein the classical is the original genre, deconstruction is a criticism of the genre and reconstruction is a rebirth of the genre post-deconstruction. I felt that this ran parallel to the Hegelian dialectic of thesis > antithesis > synthesis. Again, sorry if this seems like self indulgent rambling

[@albertoamoruso7711]

Can you report us which version of Fly to the moon is it?

[@PauseandSelect]

It's actually the normal version, IIRC. None of the later covers.

[@albertoamoruso7711]

Pause and Select thanks!

[@souta79]

Funny how you don't include School days not count it dark thing, The visual of school days and how they set thing off to happen in it animation from shot to shot is a masterpiece especially animation of horror shot that intentionally inserted in random episode of the show making hints that it will be tone of bad things gonna happen on top of the movement of characters on last ep show that the characters is really just a young people who don't know what to do by their animation. Eventhough its 10 years ago.

[@rengigihearts]

I'm new to this channel, fantastic stuff! I thought you'd analyze psycho pass!! please tell me you plan on doing it.

[@PauseandSelect]

Maybe...

[@MrCantStopTheRobot]

If only I had patience for Chobits, I might understand your whole point. I've watched and enjoyed some extremely slow movies, like 2001, The New World, and The Seventh Seal. Now I must find a good explanation for Chobits to give it merit, because as far as I could tell, the ideas in Chobits weren't very applicable to life. Or at least, the people who appreciate and identify with Chobits are emotionally removed or aloof from life or from society, in my experience.

[@PauseandSelect]

Well Lamarre's major argument is that Chobits is looking at how the body stands in for technology and how that becomes hystericized. Considering how we look at smartphones are parts of our being in this day and age, Chobits was tackling those questions with computers. The sexual dimension really brings forth the strangeness of this hystericization.

[@tabryis]

Psychoanalysis is pseudo sciencen

[@neocalder1228]

Which fly me to the moon cover is used?

[@neocalder1228]

It's Claire if anyone else is wondering.

[@ArilandoArilando]

Is girl robot a genre now?

[@PauseandSelect]

Haha, not sure.

[@scrowe5735]

lol lacaynian

[@ExoticMilkshake]

:)

[@PauseandSelect]

:)

[@Holycrapitschad]

:)

[@joseluissalazargallardo5750]

:)

[@toastyman111]

Great video, bad mic.

[@PauseandSelect]

Heh it's an interview. Most of them aren't gonna have good mics, so the only thing I can do is clean up the audio they give me to the best of my ability.