Pokemon Episode Pictures

Shelf Life Revolutionary War

I heard there are two anime series about economics this season, and I want to check them both out for my Unusual Manga Genres panel, where I talk a little about economics manga. One of them is /business partners are called Assets, while the duelists themselves are called… wait for it… Entrepreneurs (or 'Entre's' for short). Kimimaro's Asset is a cute demon-ish girl with long horns named Mashu. The duels are fought with money that translates into money in the real world; riches won in the game appear in one's bank account the next day. But losing duels also has real-life consequences, as Assets are symbolic of the player's future. A lost duel in the Financial District could mean your house burns down in real life. Or worse.

The richest players in the game use their fortunes in the real world to run companies, contribute to charities, or even sway global politics. Kimimaro quickly finds himself pitted against both close acquaintances and high rollers in duels with very painful outcomes.

It's not clear yet whether one can learn anything about economics from watching this show, but at least it's a thoughtful series that blends some smart ideas with an otherwise standard anime fighting show. The series' contemplations on money and power fall somewhere between in terms of pessimistic outlooks versus hope for the future of Japan. Control, like the aforementioned shows, seems to have grown thematically out of a fear of the current financial crisis (and/or Japan's ongoing lost 'decade'). That's kind of a weird theme for an anime series, but then, I like weird themes.

That said, so far I'm digging this show primarily for the designs. The Financial District mixes CG and 2D with bright surreal colors in an appealing way. I love the pointy-eyed Asset girls (Mashu and the similar-looking Q), who look a bit like fairies. Other Assets have some creative and creepy monster designs. Masakaki, a character who explains the game, looks like either a cracked out Mad Hatter or The Hitcher from The Mighty Boosh . The character design is so inspiring that I can't wait to see people DVDs to see if you, the reader, ought to buy this again.

Pokemon Episode 189: Moving Pictures

Ash and co are still on the road to Olivine City. Misty looks up at the storm clouds. She tells Ash and Brock that it’s getting dark, and asks if they think it’s going to rain. Ash says it sure looks like it. They then hear a camera shutter in some bushes. As they look over, they see Todd taking pictures of two Bellossom. Ash jumps out of the bushes, calling for him, but he trips and falls. Pikachu hits the ground and Todd takes a picture, and he also takes one of Ash hitting the ground. He laughs and tells Ash that those shots were perfect and to wait till they see their expressions. Ash replies weakly that he can’t wait. Brock and Misty walk up and tell Todd it’s good to see him. He says it’s good to see them to and he has been doing fine. Ash tells him it has been a while and there is a flashback of when they left each other. Ash and co headed to Cinnabar Island while Todd went to the mountains to take more Pokemon pictures. When the scene shifts back to the present, Misty asks Todd if he got a lot of good pictures. Todd pulls out a photo album and shows them a picture of a cute Bellsprout, a sad Gloom, a funny Weepinbell, and a happy Hoppip. Misty comments that Todd seems to be focusing on grass Pokemon, and he tells her he must have the most complete candid photo album of grass Pokemon out there. He then says what he really wants to shoot is the legendary Pokemon, Articuno. Ash looks in up in the pokedex and says that it would be neat if it was real. Todd says it is, and that some kids told him that villagers in the area have seen it around here. Ash and co decide to help Todd search for it. Suddenly it starts to snow and our heroes look up to see a bright light flying across the sky. Todd thinks it’s an Articuno and prepares to take a picture of it. Ash thinks it’s a meteor and it is coming straight at them. Ash dives and pushes Todd out of the way just as the thing crashes into the ground, leaving a huge crater. Todd says it definitely wasn’t an Articuno, and Ash looks to see a frozen Sunkern in the hole. He looks it up in the pokedex. Misty wonders why a Sunkern would fly through the sky and why it would be frozen. Brock says he doesn’t know, but they got to do something fast, so he wraps the Sunkern in a blanket and picks it up. Todd tells them how he saw a lodge up the hill, so they rush off. Team Rocket pop out the bushes.

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