Review of Otogi Zoshi: Vol. 4 Modern History

Introduction

Volume 4 of Otogi Zoshi is upon us, and it`s all change for this classy series from Manga Entertainment, in more ways than one. While the action shifts from the distant Heian period to the modern day, Manga Entertainment decide to tighten their belts and leave the extra features out of this volume. With just the episodes to enjoy, will Otogi Zoshi remain a classy product?

Otogi Zoshi is a 26 episode series that has an interesting premise. It`s a story told over a thousand years with the first half set during the Heian period of Japanese history, while these final thirteen episodes are set in the modern day. Coming from the powerhouse behind Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex that is Studio I.G., this is a tantalising title. With the Heian arc concluded, we shift to modern day Tokyo, where all the main characters have been reincarnated. For the last year since the disappearance of her brother Raiko, Hikaru has been struggling to come to terms with his loss, and to make ends meet has opened her house to lodgers. Among her tenants are photojournalist Tsuna, fortune-teller Urabe, and playboy Sadamitsu, who lives with his adopted son Kintaro. The final thirteen episodes conclude the generations spanning story, and the first four episodes are presented here.

14. Tokyo
In the middle of the worst heat wave Tokyo has seen in years, Hikaru remains intent on finding her brother. What she doesn`t expect is to see his face on a ghostly train when she accompanies Tsuna on a supernatural wild goose chase. Of course he didn`t see a thing. Back at home she discovers some of her brother`s old photographs, with an image of the phantom train that she saw. She becomes determined to track it down, but there is a red-haired stranger intent on thwarting her, warning that the world is teetering on the edge of oblivion.

15. Shinjuku
Tsuna remains sceptical about the photographs, as some depict events that never occurred. Hikaru stubbornly continues her search, focusing on a photo that leads her to a park in Shinjuku. As soon as she drops out of sight, Tsuna realises that he has to find her, and takes one of the photographs to Urabe for her insight. Meanwhile, Hikaru has encountered some homeless people who knew her brother, and who tell her of his study of an ancient shrine deep under the city. She decides to retrace his footsteps, and walks straight into a trap.

16. Shibakouen
When Hikaru sees the image of her brother`s face in the static on the television, Tsuna dusts off the old wives tale about how people can see the faces of the dead in the static. He also mentions that the Tokyo Tower, which transmits the signal, is built over a cemetery. So it`s off to Shiba Park, and the Tower to investigate, and Kintaro invites himself along. Looking through one of the observation telescopes at the tower, Hikaru spies her brother in the cemetery. There is definitely more to the cemetery than meets the eye. There`s a hole in time, and Kintaro wanders right in.

17. Kourakuen
Kintaro scores some tickets for the boxing, and persuades Sadamitsu to take him. It`s a bittersweet trip for Sadamitsu though, as it reawakens some painful memories. With rumours of a boxing tournament twenty years in the past being re-fought in the twilight hours at the Tokyodome in Kourakuen, those memories come back to vivid life.

Video

Otogi Zoshi is presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio and while compression artefacts are scarce, the transfer is clear, sharp and colourful. There is still moiré and shimmer over fine detail though. The animation, as you would expect from Production I.G is something quite special. For the modern era, all the characters have had a makeover, Hikaru has short hair and given the heat wave, has a preference for suitably brief clothing, Tsuna settles for jeans and a T-Shirt, while Sadamitsu looks like a pimp. There is once again a degree of stylisation, posterized photographs represent real life locations, but there is a greater degree of familiarity with the modern character and world designs. The animation seems to have gained a degree of fluidity over the Heian arc as well.

Audio

You can choose between DD 2.0, DD 5.1 and DTS soundtracks in both English and Japanese. I chose the Japanese 5.1 track and it`s a fairly decent surround track, with perhaps a slightly aggressive use of the rears. The English surround track is a tad more subdued by comparison, and as usual with recent anime releases, the dub is professional and easy to listen to. It`s all change for the themes, and the new opening is a catchy little tune that has the characters singing along to it in the opening sequence. The end theme of episode 13 now ends all the episodes. The incidental music has also changed from traditional to contemporary, although it still suits the story well.

The downside is dubtitles, which are subtitles that conform to the English dub. The first three volumes of Otogi Zoshi had subtitles translated directly from the Japanese dialogue, which makes the change in this volume all the more perplexing. On the bright side, the dub seems to conform to the Japanese dialogue quite closely, at least to my uneducated ears, so it isn`t one of those heinous efforts like Golgo. There are a few onscreen captions that pass by un-translated though, and dropping the ball on series continuity isn`t good.

Features

Strike Two! In an industry where anime usually only gets the token extra features that barely amount to textless credits and trailers, Otogi Zoshi really impressed with its copious, detailed and pertinent extra features. That trend ends here with volume 4.

I got a check disc, with Disc 1 printed on it, implying a Disc 2, but at the last minute, Manga Entertainment declined to release it. Go to the BBFC, and you`ll find 80 minutes of extras rated for this disc, more roundtable discussions, and more university lectures, but that is the only place you will see them mentioned in region 2. We get just the one disc, with the usual plethora of trailers.

I can understand Manga Entertainment`s dilemma, as Otogi Zoshi is not a smash hit on the order of Ghost In The Shell, and it may make sense to economise. And if all that you are interested in is the story, then there won`t be a problem with this disc. But committed fans will no doubt be disappointed with the lack of continuity in the releases, both in terms of the extras, and the subtitling. If significant numbers decide to import from Region 1 instead, that may cut further into sales in the UK, making the release of volumes 5 & 6 even more precarious.

Conclusion

Otogi Zoshi leaps forward in time by around a thousand years, and it`s like it`s a completely different show, both stylistically and thematically. The Heian arc was very formal, a little stilted, and had the look of a piece of artwork. The Modern era almost mirrors this, in giving its locations a contemporary photo-realistic look, and a more fluid and free flowing feel to the animation and dialogue. Also, whereas the earlier story was very much a mythic quest bound up with elements of the supernatural, the four episodes on this disc take their cue more from shows like the X-Files, as the protagonists investigate the strange occurrences around Tokyo. It`s a shift from fantasy to sci-fi that suits the change in period well.

As we have already encountered these characters, their reintroduction is almost glossed over in these episodes, but naturally there are differences to account for the change in era, both in terms of look and attitude. Of course Hikaru is no longer pretending to be male, and the formalised relationships are literally a thing of the past. Yet Tsuna is still Hikaru`s protector, if informally. Raiko was his upperclassman, and since his disappearance Tsuna has been keeping an eye out for Hikaru. Sadamitsu appears to be the least changed of the characters as he still has that playboy attitude, but his position in society seems to have suffered because of it. With the change in era, there is also much more humour to the proceedings, and the characters are wittier and more spontaneous.

It becomes apparent early on that the climactic events of the Heian arc have had lasting consequences down the centuries, consequences that are now coming to a head. It`s as if reality has been fractured, and something is leaking through the cracks. Hikaru seems alone in seeing visions of her brother, and naturally there is an enigmatic stranger warning her away. He`s bound to be playing a bigger part as the story progresses. Early on, it appears that Hikaru may be seeing things, and that Tsuna is just humouring his friend`s little sister, but as events progress, Kintaro and Sadamitsu get drawn into the bizarre occurrences. Urabe is conspicuous by her absence in these episodes, apart from a brief appearance to read Tsuna`s fortune.

Manga Entertainment have really dropped the ball with this series in the UK. The extra features are so strongly intertwined to the episodes that they complement each other perfectly. The Heian arc lectures were splendid in filling in the gaps in the historical period. In these modern arc episodes, the history of modern Tokyo plays a strong part in the storylines, and I`m sure the extra features would have reflected that too. Before you get up in arms about the dubtitles, I can`t stress enough how good the English dub is, and I felt no difference in watching these episodes compared to the earlier ones in that respect, aside from one brief pun filled news report. The only snags are that the onscreen text remains un-translated, and that the continuity for the DVD releases has been lost. If it`s only the story that you are interested in, only the episodes you are after, then this DVD will suffice. However, if you are after the whole Otogi Zoshi experience, then Region 1 beckons, and importing becomes your only option, unless Manga rectify this in a later boxset.

Otogi Zoshi has really changed up a gear with this modern arc. The contemporary setting provides an instant familiarity that the Heian arc lacked, and the story is faster paced. Whereas the earlier episodes were all about the overall quest for the Magatama beads, these four episodes, as well as contributing to the overall story, also tell their individual tales too, resulting in a denser, more rewarding watch. The mysteries are inviting, the stories engrossing and the show has become that much easier to enjoy. I still hope Volume 5 will get the works, but I would rather see the episodes, rather than not at all. Still, another smacked wrist for Manga Entertainment, who seem to be reliving some past demons of their own this year.