Hunchback Allusion in Samurai Champloo

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Spoilers.

Samurai Champloo picture image

Samurai Champloo

Samurai Champloo  is a highly regarded  anime from 2004. It takes place in an alternative Edo period of Japan as it has a hip-hop feel to it.  The show follows  Mugen, an impudent and freedom-loving vagrant swordsman; Jin, a composed and stoic rōnin; and Fuu, a brave girl who asks them to accompany her in her quest across Japan to find the “samurai who smells of sunflowers.”

Oniwakamaru, Samurai Champloo Redeye Reprisal picture image

Oniwakamaru, Samurai Champloo Redeye Reprisal

In episode two, entitled Redeye Reprisal, we get a situation that is very reminiscent of Hunchback. Won’t say it’s on purpose since the trope is common.  In the episode Fuu meets a very ugly man. The man who is called Oniwakamaru is liken to an ogre. He is described as bald, fat, tall, muscular man. He has a somewhat wrinkly face with a swollen right eye that appears closed and two scratch marks on the left side of his face. He is a bodyguard for Sasaki Ryujiro, who is mentally unstable and has zero issues with torture and murder. Oniwakamaru is actually very kind by the years of being ridicule make him lose control when people talk about him or see his face.

Oniwakamaru, Samurai Champloo Redeye Reprisal, picture image

Oniwakamaru, Samurai Champloo Redeye Reprisal

Fuu, the young pretty girl, gets kidnapped by Ryujiro. Fuu tells  Oniwakamaru that he isn’t scary to her but that he does have a sad look in his eyes. When Ryujiro is about to kill Fuu Oniwakamaru kills him instead because she was the only one not afraid to look at this face.

This seems very much in line with trope of the monster and the pretty girl but Oniwakamaru was working for the antagonist who kidnapped a girl. The girl showed him compassion and he dies for her. His looks are also very much like Quasimodo aside from the iconic hunch.  Again not saying this episode was intentional resembles Hunchback but it’s eerily reminiscent of the story.

Conqueror of Shamballa’s depiction of Romani

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Noah Dancing Fullmetal Alchemist; Conqueror of Shamballa picture image

Noah Dancing

I have been meaning to mention this movie for a long time, Conqueror of Shamballa which is based on the original Fullmetal Alchemist series (not to be confused with Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood which is different though both series are great in their ways.)

Anyway the reason I bring up Conqueror of Shamballa is because it has one of the most sensitive depiction of Romani I have see in a movie. Of course when I first saw the movie I haven’t finished watching Fullmetal Alchemist so the context of the real world and the fantasy world was lost on me. However the movie does refer to them as Roma and I believe they sing in the Roma language, I could be wrong (I really know next to nothing on Romani).

This isn’t the only depiction of Roma in Anime/Manga;
-There is a rumor that Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi stated that Sailor Pluto was Romani.
-In Blood+ it is speculated that Hagi is Romani.
-In Cowboy Bebop, Faye Valentine claims to be Romani, though this is dispelled in flashbacks,
-In Kaze to Ki no Uta, Serge Battour is the son of a Viscount and a Romani woman.

Conqueror of Shamballa does make one of the character, Noah explicitly a Romani.

Frollo loves Cats and Anime

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Frollo from the 1939 version loves anime kitty-cats

Frollo loves Anime Cats picture image

Frollo loves Anime Cats

For those of you who care the cats are from the following anime  Azumanga Daioh, Nyan Koi, Natsume Yuujinchou, School Rumble, Ramna 1/2 Sailor Moon, Nyanpire, Fushigi Yuugi, Sweet Home Chii, Jewel Pet, Nichjou, Hello Kitty, Full Moon wo Sagashite, Pokemon, Sankarea, Trigun, and My Neighbor Totoro.

 

 

 

 

A Notre Dame Reference in an anime

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In 2010, I saw the first few episodes of an anime called Blessings of the Campanella (Shukufuku no Campanella). I confess, I watch it mainly because of the word “Campanella” which can mean either a Free Standing Bell Tower like the Tower of Piza or Little Bell. So  I was surpise by the Hunchback of Notre Dame reference which many people have overlooked. (Looked though the comments no one mentioned it)

Meet Agnes Boulange.

Agnes Boulange from Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Agnes Boulange from Shukufuku no Campanella

 

Agnes is a street performer who performs more or less in front of a Cathedral that looks identical to Notre Dame de Paris.

Agnes Boulange from Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Agnes Boulange from Shukufuku no Campanella

Notre Dame de Paris depicted in Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Notre Dame de Paris depicted in Shukufuku no Campanella

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a street performer Agnes makes automatic puppets (automata) dance.  She even has a special puppet that can speak and takes money (Djali’s counterpart). This puppet is called Tango and it’s one of the few automata puppets that can speak (spoiler; there are like two).

Agnes with her dancing automata puppets Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Agnes with her dancing automata puppets Shukufuku no Campanella

Agnes and Tango Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Agnes and Tango Shukufuku no Campanella

Tango, Agnes' speaking automata puppet Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Tango, Agnes' speaking automata puppet Shukufuku no Campanella

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now for the sake clarification. Hunchback’s leading lady, Esmerlada, is a street performer who dances for the people outside of Notre Dame de Paris but for those who don’t know her birth name is Agnes. So to have a woman named Agnes performing infront of a building that is clearly Notre Dame de Paris is a clear reference to Victor Hugo’s book. The special peforming “animal” is  just a special bonus. Plus like goats, cats are associated with witches,  but I think it’s just meant to be a cute animal in the anime.

Agnes Boulange from Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Agnes Boulange from Shukufuku no Campanella

Esmeralda Illustration Image picture

19th century Illustration of Esmeralda

 

 

 

 

 

I also want to mention that within the context of the anime, the world is a Fantasy which takes place in a city called Ert’Aria and the characters’ name do not follow a cultural scheme. One’s name is English in origins, another Italian. Agnes is the french one.

The anime itself is not very good. It’s a Fantasy-Harem (one male and several females) but if you’re curious or just want to see the reference for yourself you can watch the first episode on youtube with Japanese subtitles. Watch Here

Oddly, it is not available on DVD (at least in the States) however if you’re interested in either the audio CDs or the video game.

 

Agnes performing with Tango and the dancing automata puppets Shukufuku no Campanella picture image

Agnes performing with Tango and the dancing automata puppets

Notre Dame de Paris and Ranma 1/2 AMV

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As I mentioned before I edit videos ( it’s a Hobby). Typically I make Anime Music Videos (AMV). In early 2010, My Sister and I made an AMV using Ranma 1/2 to Dechire from Notre Dame de Paris.  What do you need to know to fully enjoy this? Well the guy featured in this video  believes that the two girls are in love with him but they’re not, they hate him.

Please enjoy ^_^