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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1996)
Cliff A. Hicks Japanese anime art action-filled Do you remember “Speed Racer”? You know, that strange style of art that, as a kid, looked nothing like any drawing you’d ever seen? Well, that’s an art form that has many names like Japanese animation, Japanime, manga ... But call it what you want; it’s still the same. mg eyes, action, numor ... amme. The very word brings pleasant images to my mind. Violence and comedy wrapped into one power package. There arc three artists/writers who have become the essence of anime. And here, to introduce you to the art of the far East, is a short guide of what’s good and what’s not. The most popular humor artist/ writer is Rumiko Takahashi, whose series “Ranma 1/2” has stirred more interest in anime than anything else in the past few years. She has a knack for creating lovable characters. Ranma, the main character in “Ranma 1 /2,” changes from a boy into a girl when he falls in cold water, and back again when he falls into hot wa ter. His father turns into a panda. His main rival (and also his best friend) turns into a pig. Sound confusing? Oh, it’s hysterical; you’ll love it. Another great scries by Takahashi is “Maison Ikoku.” Too lighthearted? Then you might try the works of Masamune Shirow, who created the legendary “Applcsccd,” a post-apocalypse series that is heavily laden with drama, war fare and a touch of humor. His most recent miniscries, “Ghost In The Shell,” is still gamering praise. Too serious, huh? Well, then try my personal favorite, Kenichi Sonoda. Sonoda blends action and adventure with cynical humor and wild hijinks. Handguns, grenades, car chases, drug smuggling, terrorists ... you name it, it’s in there. The first volume of his series, “Gunsmith Cats,” just ended. Gunsmith Cats is the story of two girls who run a firearms store in Chi cago. This is, of course, a front. One owner. Rally Vincent, is really a bounty hunter and a crack shot who knows just about everything involv ing weaponry. She also lies about her age to get her bounty hunter’s license. The other store operator is Minnie May, a girl in her mid-teens. She used to work as a prostitute, but now she lives with Rally. Now she works as the explosives expert. I am, because of the overwhelm ing number of people who read it, forced to mention “Akira.” Many people love “Akira,” but it doesn’t impress me at all. Other series to read include “Sanctuary,” “Dirty Pair” (but not the “Flash” stuff! Ick!), “Bubblegum Crisis” and collections such as “Orion” and more. With the immense volume of anime in print, how do you know what’s good and what’s not? Try some of my sug gestions and find out what you like, then ask. Comic World is the best place in Nebraska for anime in any form. Anime’s a big field, but it’s a blast. Literally. Hicks is a freshman news-editorial and English major and a Daily Nebraskan staff reporter. The roar of nature .ChistOFJherC.Payne poses by a couple of his paintings in the Gallery 9 Studio. The title of Payne’s exhibit is “TheWolfEMers ‘ Lincoln and Other Stories and features several animal paintings and landscapes. Payne’spaintings feature wildlife, Huskers By Patrick Hambrecht Senior Reporter Chris Payne’s paintings at Gal lery 9, 124 S. Ninth St., render the natural ferocity of all manner of wild animals, including eagles, dogs, wolves — and the Husker football team. “The football guys, you could call them wildlife, especially in this town,” Payne joked. The artist said the three expres sionist Husker paintings included in his “The Wolf Enters Lincoln and other Stories” show were inspired by the Nebraska football team’s repeat championship games. “It’s extra nice to be in a place where two years running, they’re the national champions.” Payne said. “It does well in the painting, the action, the contact of it. It’s kind of a heroic struggle.” Payne said he planned the foot ball paintings to be entirely abstract expressionist pieces, but then “started putting in the figurative thing, and it worked pretty well.” His paintings show the fluid mo tion and speed of football, captured in its moments of graceful combat and brutality. ' In “Blackshirt,” two Huskers rise into the air as they hoist a helpless member of the opposing team, just before they throw him on the ground. But the players show no sign of strain; they are a featureless, tire less wave of natural movement. Payne had another reason for his Husker football series, he said. “They were winning again, and I figured, maybe the wolf has some thing to do with that.” Hie wolf is a symbol that is found everywhere, Payne said. From his years working as a cowboy in rural California, Payne developed a love for wildlife and quickly became at tracted to wolves. But the individuals must figure out for themselves what his images of wolves mean, Payne said, Payne painted one set of wolf pic tures back to back, “The Wolf En ters Lincoln” and “The Wolf in Lin coln,” on an office divider. “A lot of people think of the lone wolf (and) think of artists that way,” Payne said. “But wolves work better in groups, in a family structure. But people still have this romantic image of the lone wolf.” “The Wolf Enters Lincoln and Other Stories” will show at Gallery 9 until March 31. Admission is free. ‘Autobody’ parodies sexes By Brian Priesman Staff Reporter What place does pornography have in society? How does pornog raphy change the image men have of women? And how does it change the image women have of them selves? These questions and more will be asked in the latest produc tion from the UNL Theater Department, “Miss Autobody.” “The play is not about pom ,” director Karen Libman said. “Miss Autobody uses pom and the subject of pom.” With such a serious subject, one might think that “Miss Autobody” is a drama. This isn’t the case, Libman said. “It’s a parody. It lampoons every thing,” she said. “Miss Autobody” tells the story of a group of feminist mechanics Movie Preview who lead the women of Pompomville in an attempt to thwart a scheme to show pornographic vid eos at a local bar. Originally conceived by the ac claimed Quebec theater troupe, les Folles Alliees, “Miss Autobody” parodies life by exaggerating sex and power. “The play is supposed to provoke and not preach,” Libman said. “There’s a line in the play where someone says: ‘No, not my mother, not my sister, not my life.’ That is somebody’s daughter, somebody’s sister, somebody’s mother maybe,” Libman said, “This is certainly not a black and white issue.” By using gender-bending, video and current events, “Miss Autobody” tries to challenge the audience into looking at our society and its norms of behavior, Libman said. “I think the play ultimately does challenge people to stop and take ac tion of some kind,” she said. The play explores in a cabaret like way the relationship between a husband and wife, the economic re alities for women, stripper bars and even a daughter whose dream is to play football for the Comhuskers. “Because it is a parody, it has tc be topical. All of the hockey jokes were changed to, you guessed it, football jokes,” Libman said. As a part of the production, Libman has organized a panel dis cussion entitled “What’s sex got to do with it?: Power and the politics of pornography.” The discussion* will be held March 13 at 3 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at the Temple Building. Pan elists include the Rev. Patsy Moore, Ann Hoschler from the Nebraska Task Force on Domestic Violence and Helen Moore from UNL’s soci ology department. “Miss Autobody” opens Thurs day night in the Studio Theatre at die Temple Building and will run Friday and Saturday and March 12 lb. All shows start at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the The ater Department Box Office and are $6 for students, $7 for faculty, staff and senior citizens and $9 for the public. “Miss Autobody” is recom mended for mature audiences. Pa trons under 18 years of age will not be admitted without a parent or guardian. Professor to honor Schubert By Emily Wray Staff Reporter A University of Illinois School of Music professor will be one step closer Friday to accomplishing a gargantuan task. Piano professor John Wustman will take that step when he goes on stage at Kimball Recital Hall for a concert Friday night. He will accompany five under graduate and graduate voice students from the University of Illinois in a concert featuring the works of 19th centuiy composer Franz Schubert. This concert is part of a seven year series that features all of Schubert’s 630 songs. Friday’s con cert will consist of about 20 of those songs. “He is presenting all the songs Schubert wrote in five programs a year,” said William Shomos, an as sistant professor of voice and opera atUNL. The series culminates in 1997, the 200th anniversary of Schubert’s See WUSTMAN on 13