Today's Oz Political Cartoon, Overseas Edition

Technically, this is not today's cartoon, as it's from a few weeks ago. But our man in Japan, Michael-Sensei, sent me another Oz-themed cartoon from the ''Japan Times'', the largest English-language newspaper there. No, I don't know the context, but yeah, it's pretty Ozzy, isn't it?

This week's Oz Political Cartoon, Overseas Division

It's been a while since we heard from our man in Japan, Michael-sensei. But he has the word of a cartoon that The Japan Times ran earlier this week. So go take a look at www.japantimes.co.jp/life/cartoons.html, look at "Dahl's Japan", and click on June 26, 2011. That will open up a new window with the cartoon in it. As Michael says, "I'm not so certain I even understand it but it is well drawn."

And now the show is over...

It's been a year, but I've finally finished watching the old cartoon series The Wonderful Wizard of Oz this afternoon. This was a series that was originally made in Japan, but the English version was put together by Cinar, and for some reason decided to totally disguise its roots as an anime. It was originally shown on premium cable channels in the '80s, so I never got a chance to watch it then, and for some reason, it's never been released complete on DVD in English (although it is available in other languages). I've seen some of the compilation movies, named after the books the storyline is based on (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, and The Emerald City of Oz), but I still wanted to see the whole show. When Jaroo started streaming it online, I figured that was my chance — until I found they were about thirty episodes in, and they only kept episodes up for a few weeks at a time! Ah, but I am a patient Oz fan, and figured it would eventually start over again — which it did last year at about this time. So I started watching, and enjoyed myself. There are fifty-two episodes in the series, and they put up a new one each week, so it took a year to watch the whole show. Episode 52 went up today, and now I guess I have to find something else to watch every week.

Despite the differences, and some of the limited animation, I liked the designs for the characters, and I really grew to enjoy most of their voices. The show started off as a pretty straightforward adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, but about two-thirds of the way through the animators started taking a few liberties. You know something is up when Mombi and Tip show up right after the Wicked Witch of the West is melted! Yes, they set up the events of the later books (they also had an encounter with the nomes on the way to Glinda's). The China Country was different, and the Hammerheads got a major reinterpretation. Then, after Dorothy got home, she ends up in Oz again, accompanying Tip in the events of The Land of Oz! Those of us who know the book know this is wrong, of course, but it actually worked all right, and she felt like part of the story. Surprisingly, Ozma was left behind at Princess Lulu's in Ev for the events of Ozma of Oz, and Billina had only a small part. Then the show almost went its own way with The Emerald City of Oz, but enough of the original story was there as to at least be recognizable.

So, yes, now I can say I've seen it, and I'm not unhappy about that. And with the series ended, that means that they're very likely going to start at the beginning again next week. So, if you want to do the same thing, go to www.jaroo.com/shows/about/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz, bookmark the page, and be sure to watch for a new episode every Wednesday.

Today's Oz cartoon, overseas division

My big backer in Japan, Michael-sensei, found an editorial cartoon in The Japan Times that might be of interest. It's a little complicated to get to it, so pay attention. First, go to The Japan Times's cartoon page (don't worry, this is the big English-language paper there, you'll be able to read it just fine). Then, under "Dahl's Japan", click on the window for August 29, 2010. It should be real obvious which one it is from the thumbnail. This will open a new window with the cartoon in it. And can I just say that Roger Dahl draws a cute Dorothy? No? Okay, forget I brought it up. The cartoon would make more sense, I suppose, if I knew more about Japan's new organ transplant law...

Oz in Japan

Michael Jones, a Canadian sensei living in Japan, is a major pop culture collector. His blog chronicles his efforts to find all kinds of Japanese kitsch. And one of his interests is The Wizard of Oz.* So on his post yesterday, he chronicles a version of Ozu no Mahotsukai that he found on his latest scavenging trip. It's cute, it's very Japanese, and it's something you may want to take a look at. So if you haven't taken a look already, feel free to do so now.

* Yes, I've asked him about the Shonen Santa no Daibouken series. No, he hasn't had any luck, either.

Today's Oz comic, Japanese politics division

Okay, here's one I'd never have found on my own. Thanks to regular reader Michael-sensei, however, we have a little glimpse into the current jockeying for position by Japanese political parties — er, I think. Fortunately for most of us, it's in English. It's a little convoluted to get there, so bear with me. First, go to this page on the Japan Times website. Then, on the lefthand column of Roger Dahl's editorial cartoons, scroll down to October 1, 2009. Click, and a new window will open. Ha ha ha, that LDP!

Santa Claus in Japan

One of the great unknown mysteries of Ozian fandom has been the early '90s Japanese anime series based on L. Frank Baum's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Nobody — at least on this side of the Atlantic — has been able to track it down or learn much about it. So it helps to have a fan in Japan, I guess. Michael-sensei, a Canadian teaching English over there, has also tracked down some interesting Oz stuff over there, and today on his blog posted about Shonen Santa no Daiboken with a lot more info than I've ever seen on it before. No, he hasn't found it yet, but he's on the hunt. I just hope he'll manage to get a copy to me somehow, too...