Arrietty Competition and Other Ramblings.

COMPETITION HAS NOW ENDED.  WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL.

EDIT: THIS COMPETITION IS NOW OPEN TO NON MEMBERS! (What are you waiting for? Read on for details!)

Today I present a very special surprise to all UWAnime, and affiliate members. Yes, that’s right, the “special surprise” mentioned in this post has finally come to fruition!

We have 10 in-season double passes to give away for the Perth Screening of Arrietty (Other names it has been known by are: The Borrower’s Arrietty, and Karigurashi no Arrietty). Prizes are courtesy of the good folks at Madman Entertainment, who are also responsible for bringing this movie to the big screen! Be sure to check out their page for all your anime needs!

Even if you don't win, you should go see this film anyway.

-Image from Arrietty.

About the Movie

This is a story of a family of “little” people.
Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical,
overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo, tiny 14-year-old Arrietty
lives with her equally tiny parents. The house is occupied by two old
ladies, who are absolutely unaware of the existence of their miniature
tenants. Arrietty and her family live by “borrowing.” Everything they
have, they borrow or make from the things they have borrowed.
Essentials like gas, water and food. Tables, chairs, cooking utensils.
And treats – a sugar cube here, a scrap of material there. But only a
little each time, so the ladies do not notice. A 12-year-old boy, Sho,
moves into the mansion while he waits for urgent medical treatment in
the city. Arrietty’s parents have always warned her: “Never let humans
see you.” Once seen, little people always have to move on. But the
adventurous Arrietty doesn’t listen, and Sho discovers her.

The two begin to confide in each other and, before long, a friendship
begins to blossom…

Trailer link.

Arrietty will be screening at Luna Leederville, Luna SX, Hoyts Carousel and Event Cinemas Innaloo from January 12 2012 (session times and locations subject to change). Check out a full list of cinema locations and session time links here.

Be sure to check out the rest of this post for a chance to win a double pass to see the latest creation from Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, and Studio Ghibli (the studio behind ‘Howls Moving Castle’, ‘My Neighbour Totoro’, ‘Ponyo’, and ‘Spirited Away’).

Nostalgic Ramblings from the UWAnime President

Anime movies have normally been given little coverage in Australia, with good reason, as foreign movies (yes, unfortunately that includes Anime) are not usually well received by a Western Audience. There are notable exceptions to this rule of course, however it simply is not worth the risk. This post will (hopefully) give you all an insight into all aspects of Anime films, from the hidden gems that have never made it to the big screen, to the blockbuster hits that have had a huge impact on the Western World.

The Hidden Gem

I could go on and on about why Kara no Kyoukai is amazing, and how Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha the Movie First is an example of how a franchise is a product of fan devotion. However, this category is devoted to the film that should be loved by western audiences, but just isn’t.

These films need just that little bit of STARRRLIIIGGHHTTT BREAKERRRRR!

-Image from Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha the Movie First.

Satoshi Kon. This Director doesn’t make you cry a river like Makoto Shinkai does, nor does he take you on an epic journey like Hayao Miyazaki. Instead, he is able to blow your mind, and take you on an emotional rollercoaster with what can simply be described as Masterpiece. Perfect Blue straps you into the chair, padlocks the chair to the floor, throws away the key, and launches you into space. It is one of those movies that you watch a second time immediately after to catch everything that you missed. The movie details the life of Mima Kirigoe, an idol working for the group ‘CHAM!’. However, as she grows more popular she gets her own personal stalker (yay!), and as her friends are murdered, she slowly loses the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy. If there was one film I would want to watch before the end of the world, this would be it. (read: There is a reason why I want to watch this film before I die… I wonder why ).

To this date, there has been no other film that has made me think as much as this one.

-Image from Perfect Blue

The Almost Mainstream

This category is a tough one, as there are films like the Rebuild of Evangelion that have a huge cult following of cult Anime fans, but haven’t really broken into the core Western Audience. To decide on a film that would best fit this category I looked at the films which I think haven’t quite broken through to reach wider Western Audiences.

These films dare to dream.

-Image from Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo

The power to travel through time… Leaping into the past, and changing things to make the present easier on oneself. However, changing the past can lead to drastic consequences. No, this isn’t sending D-mails because the Steins;Gate told you to. This is Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo aka The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. There are few movies that have had a huge emotional impact on me. This film is one of them. The film follows the life of Makoto Konno, who ‘leaps’ back through time to change the past for her own good. However, as we all know time travel sucks, and eventually she realises she has a huge impact on those she cares about. What ensues is a beautiful movie about the aspects of human nature, and the trials and tribulations of adolescence. This film is good; watch it.

Leaping past obscurity into the mainstream group.

-Image from The Girl That Leapt Through Time.

The ‘Critically Acclaimed Everywhere’

Loved by Japanese and Western Audiences, nothing much can be said about these films. The biggest culprit is Studio Ghibli, who have been able to create worlds that suck you in, and never let you go. Studio Ghibli is the ‘Disney’ of Japan, proving time, and time again that films are able to take the reader on an epic journey.

Showing Western Audiences that Japanese Anime can be just as 'Moving' as Disney.

-Image taken from Howls Moving Castle

There is one movie that I watched as a child, and that I will always remember as the movie which showed me just how awesome Anime Movies can be. This movie Spirited me Away to the land of spirits, and made me want to return. Spirited Away details the journey of Chihiro Ogino who is trapped in the land of spirits, and must find the courage within herself to save her parents, and return home. There is a reason why Walt Disney Pictures approaches Director Miyazaki to bring this film to Western Audiences. Winning the Avademy Awad for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, grossing over $274 million worldwide. I suspect many of you have seen this film, if you haven’t, stop reading this post and do so now. I was going to give you a screencap of Spirited Away, but I think the Japanese Walt Disney; Hayao Miyazaki, would be more fitting.

Genius.

-Image by Thomas Schulz, taken 31 August 2008.

Competition Details!

Thanks for reading this post, now to the one section everyone cares about: Your chance to win one of the 10 double in-season passes to see Arrietty in selected cinemas from 12th of January 2012 (session times and locations subject to change).

This competition will initially only be open to current normal members, and affiliate members of the UWA Anime Club (UWAnime). If you aren’t a member keep checking this post when I update it to allow for non-members to participate! (Note: there is no guarantee that non members will be given a chance to participate, it is dependent on the responses from current members).

EDIT: THIS COMPETITION IS NOW OPEN FOR EVERYONE (yes, that includes non-members!)

In order to win submit the answers to the following questions to uwanime[at]gmail.com. Winners will be chosen by random draw!

1. What is the name of UWAnime’s Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel? (hint: Look around this website).
2. What is the favourite Anime film of UWAnime’s current President? (hint: It can be found in this post).

As an extra bonus, leave a comment below detailing your favourite Anime film of all time, and receive another entry into the draw!

The subject line should be: “Arrietty Competition Entry“

When emailing uwanime[at]gmail.com be sure to include:

Name:

Member: (affiliated, normal or none), if affiliated please detail which organisation you are a part of.

Contact Email:

Contact Phone Number:

Answers to Questions:

Commenter Name: (if applicable, for the bonus entry).

________________________________________________

Winners will be notified by email, and contacted in relation to prize collection. The deadline for the Competition is December 31st.

The UWAnime Committee treats all information provided to us as Private and Confidential, we will not disclose this information to any other sources, unless required for Prize distribution. The UWAnime Committee reserves the right to cancel this competition at anytime. Participants must be current UWAnime or it’s affiliated members. The ten Winners will be drawn at random on December 31st at 12 noon AWST. Winners will be informed by email as soon as possible. If you enter improper information in the entry form and we cannot contact you, you will forfeit your prize. Only one entry per person. This offer has no cash value. The current UWAnime Committee is unable to participate in this promotion.

Good Luck to everyone that participates in this draw! If you are a non-member, be sure to check back regularly in case we open the competition for non members!

Even if you don’t win, you can still purchase tickets in the links from the bottom of this page. (Check out the Cinema near you!)

-Brian Wu (aka savagereborn and Savage1)

2012 UWAnime President

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