Quarterly Review // Jan-April Wrap-Up - Hannah Latham

So far, I’ve spent all of 2021 in the exact same way I spent 2020: nestled up in a comfortable bubble of books, anime, and video games. Here’s a collection of some of my stand-outs so far. 

READ 

Dream Fossil - Satoshi Kon

In my endeavour to consume all things Kon, I was gifted his collection of short manga stories by my partner. Dream Fossil lays the foundations for Kon’s later work, complete with mind-twisting, dreamlike narratives that really show just how much his style and mind progressed over the years. I was particularly drawn to “Picnic”, written as part of a tribute to Akira, about an alternate version of Neo-Tokyo that partly exists underwater, and the collection’s final story, “Toriko”, which I desperately wish would have been adapted. Many of the stories bridge the gap between Kon’s heavier work, such as Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, and what would have been his most ‘lighthearted’ project, Dreaming Machine. Just as with all of his works, Dream Fossil left me feeling thoroughly appreciative of his ability to create such masterpieces, whilst also hanging heavy with the knowledge that we have all we ever will of them. 

From the Fatherland, With Love - Ryu Murakami 

I’ve been completely enamoured and repulsed by Ryu Murakami’s work since reading Coin Locker Babies, and his latest novel is no exception. Following a group of rag-tag rebels during an invasion of Japan by Korea, From the Fatherland, With Love reads like a critical alternate-reality full of both political and social conflict. 

God Emperor of Dune - Frank Herbert 

The main protagonist is a giant worm with a human face, what more needs to be said?

WATCHED 

Evangelion 1.1: You are (not) alone and Evangelion 2.2: You can (not) advance

I cannot begin to explain how long I have waited to watch the remake of Neon Genesis. Having watched the original back in 2016, I wanted to try and hold out until both 3.3 and 4.4 were released, but evidently I gave up. Not only do these movies really solidify why I love the original so much, but they offer something fresh and oftentimes completely out of nowhere. They have the same feelings of existential dread, sexual awkwardness, and religious overtones, but the ramped-up soundtrack and new scenes really go a long way to set them apart as a different series entirely. Much of 1.1 covers the original series’ first cour, with not much changes made other than here and there. For 2.2, however, I was absolutely blown away. The evolution of the Evas is taken to another level, and the overlay of music and the revelatory moment towards the end is a miasma of apocalyptic madness. 

PLAYED 

Nier Automata 

Nier: Automata is one of those games I’ve had on my radar for a while and never managed to pick up until recently. The soundtrack and environment is heartbreakingly desolate and beautiful, and the world itself, a place with almost no humans, is both empty and rich. In the same vein as Blade Runner, Nier Automata raises questions about what really constitutes humanity whilst pitting you against overly large robotic bosses. Adam and Eve, the story’s main antagonists, add yet another layer of complexity, dwelling as they are in their sterile, white, blockish worlds that strip the game to its core. For the replayability alone (Nier has 26 different endings and 3 distinct paths to play through), Nier would be worth accolades. With the release of the Nier Replicant remake, I’m thoroughly excited to delve into more that the series has to offer. 

Persona 5 Royal 

This game is undoubtedly a wild ride. Clocking in at around 160 hours of average playtime, I’m still only about a third of the way through. Following a group of high school students who are able to travel to the mind of corrupt, perverted, and criminal adults in order to ‘steal’ their inner hearts and change their behaviours, Persona 5 is thoroughly entertaining and twisted. What makes this game special is the friendships that are developed - Ryuji Sakamoto is absolutely precious and I will protect him with everything I have - in a way that makes them the central point to the whole narrative. 

LISTENED 

Grimes

I’ve enjoyed Grimes’ music for a while now - stumbling on ‘Oblivion’ years ago led me down a very dream-synth rabbit hole that had me circling back to the original herself. Her latest album, Miss Anthropocene, is an eclectic mix of ballads, heavier hitting than most of her earlier work. The enigma surrounding her personality and media presence just adds another dimension to her music. In a youtube documentary she stated that she has no particular care or like for anything of this earth, and that sums it up for simpler than I ever could. Grimes’ music is transportive and otherworldly, often leaving you in a trance-like state that makes you long for more. The fact that she writes, produces, and mixes most of her music makes her some kind of alien all-for-one, meaning everything she makes is inherently personal and for some reason still incredibly relatable. 

And just to get a general idea of what else I’ve been doing, here’s some honorary mentions of media consumed in Jan-April: Soul Eater, Jujutsu Kaisen, FFVII Remake, Night Film, Isle of Dogs, Owari no Seraph