DOMO ARIGATO, MR. ROBOTO - ROBOT ANIMATION EXPO
If you're old enough like me (okay, not that old but in the thirties), you probably remember at least one robot animation (roboani) that you were weaned on as a kid, whether it's Doraemon or Mobile Suit Gundam. That's the special theme for TAF2007, and in in a designated area at the exhibition, four decades of roboani were on show.

Fifty-five shows were picked for this occassion and screened side by side, along with the related merchandise (manga, figurines, DVDs) that were on display.

The selection spanned generations and genres--from the black-and-white Eight Man (1963) to the latest roboani such as Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann (2007); from the much-loved Doraemon and Tetsuwan Atom to the more sophisticated Neon Genesis Evangelion and Code Geass.

It was a walk down memory lane, to see so many of the roboani that I loved as a kid and now follow as an adult. But it also showed just how far robot animation have progressed--not just in terms of style and animation techniques but also their themes and story concepts.

Also on display was a brief history on the roles robot played in science fiction magazines and films all over the world, and exhibits of robotic techonologies Japan developed through the years. Over at the TAF2007's anime theater, a few of these roboani titles were screened, including a movie edition of GAINAX's Topu wo Nerae 2! and Topu wo Nerae!.

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