some recent disappointments from japan

1) casshern - ok so the trailer probably gave me some unfairly high expectations but it's possible that i've never been so strongly disappointed after being so excited to see a movie

2) steamboy - otomo's first film since akira. coming to the states soon. haven't seen it yet but midnighteye has posted a pretty negative review.

with how things are shaping up, looks like the oshii + otomo + miyazaki triumvirate bum-rush of innocence + steamboy + howl's moving castle probably won't be enough to finally intergect anime into the north american mainstream. i, for one, am not complaining. remember when north america really messed up hong kong action cinema?