Hi,

First off, I just wanted to say that my screen name "Fujisawas Sake" makes reference to one of my favorite anime characters Mr. Fujisawa from the Japanese animated series "El-Hazard". He loves Sake, as I do, and is the ultimate teacher, party animal, and part-time superhero.

That being said, I am also a huge anime fan, and I find numerous references to cephalopods in Japanese animation. Sometimes they are the villains, sometimes props, and sometimes end up being the source of comic relief. In the series "Cardcaptor Sakura" two magical creatures have a hilarious fight over "tako yaki", or fried octopus. The series "Hand Maid May" has one of the characters with a pet squid that uses his eyes and siphon to convey his emotional state. Also, a friend of mine sent me a picture of an 18th century Japanese statue showing a maiden apparently romancing an octopus... :shock:

Closer to home, one of the Powerpuff Girls, Bubbles, has a stuffed octopus named "Octi", and "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" featured a giant ceph guarding the dwarf city of Moria. Even an early issue of the comic book "The Tick" had Tick fighting off an invasion of octos.

Yep, cephs will one day rule the planet, according to the Discovery Channel. That's right, Cthulu is calling collect, and we have to accept the charges. So let us welcome our molluscan overlords a few million years early! Shrimp cocktail, anyone? :wink:

So, has anyone else seen any signs of the oncoming cephalopod dominion?

Soon to be an Archi's Thanksgiving Turkey,

John

Konichiwa John!

Mmmmm, warm sake in one of those little Japanese cups.... :wine: (OK, so it's the wrong color -- I just click on the emoticons, I don't design 'em!)

I too am an anime fan, though not as well-informed as you. I received a Pokémon education for several years via my son (who still occasionally sneaks a peek at the cartoon, though he'd never admit it to his friends). I know there are at least two critters in the Poké-menagerie who qualify as cephs: Tentacool and Tentacruel (one of them evolves from the other, though I'm not sure which is which).

HAND MAID MAY sounds cute -- where does one see that, on cable or rental video or what? Off-topic for a bit, I have enjoyed other (non-ceph) anime films such as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, PRINCESS MONONOKE, and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE. Also, several years ago, I used to watch subtitled cartoons on the Japanese UHF channel that were quite imaginative -- IKKYU-SAN, CAPTAIN HARLOCK, and GALAXY EXPRESS (I'm not sure of that last title, but it was something about a train that traveled from planet to planet).

I posted an earlier message on the old board regarding the plethora of netsukes depicting mermaids and/or women in flagrante delicto with cephs. I never got any replies -- I suppose no one wanted to touch the topic with a ten-foot hectocotylus :wink: Anyway, I assume that in Japanese culture the imagery represents fertility or phallic symbolism. Either that, or the Japanese are just plain kinky....

A while ago I myself purchased a neat little ceph netsuke for cheap on eBay. It is G-rated, though -- a beautiful Archi, about 2.5" long, with intricately entangled legs, hand-carved from a single piece of wood. I put a black silk cord through its openings so I can wear it as a pendant.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about the "oncoming cephalopod dominion." Cthulhu is coming, and boy, is he steamed! Now is the time to jump on the bandwagon -- familiarize yourself with your candidate's platform, spread the word, and if you're lucky, you will be eaten last!

http://www.cthulhu.org/cthulhu/positions.html

Not even the cherubic Pikachu will be immune to his ghastly influence:

http://www.gamespy.com/comics/kovalic/pokethulhu/

Remember, forewarned is forearmed -- or, in this case, ten-armed.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

Tani the Terrible

Good to see other anime fans! Personally my favorite is Serial Experiments Lain, altho I don't think there are any ceph references in it. My passion for all things ceph related doesn't extend to tentacular hentai, however. I think I mentioned this in a thread a long time ago, but anyone who is a fan of cyberpunk will be happy with the hyper-cuttlefish near the end of Rudy Rucker's second to last book Spaceland. (as anime fans and scifi fans tend to crosspollinate a bit)

Cthulhu Fhtagn!

Iä! Iä! :cthulhu:

Tani,

Wow! Yeah, I have a pretty big anime collection myself, and I am a big fan of the work of Leji Matsumoto ("Galaxy Express 999", "Captain Harlock"), and of Hiyao Miyazaki ("Tonari no Totoro", "Kiki's Delivery Service", "Princess Mononoke")... Totoro is my favorite animated film.

Sedusa,

Nope, no tentacle hentai here! :P I have heard of it, but I'm not sure I want to see it.... :lol: I also have the "Lain" box set, and the series is always fun to discuss.

Tintenfisch,

huh? :shock: :lol:

Tintenfisch,

huh? :shock: :lol:

That's the way (uh huh uh huh) I like it...

I was just voicing Cthulhu enthusiasm, since I'm not really qualified to talk about Anime in any informed manner. Although I did like Princess Mononoke. :)

I was just voicing Cthulhu enthusiasm, since I'm not really qualified to talk about Anime in any informed manner. Although I did like Princess Mononoke. :)

Isn't that pronounced encthusiasm? :cthulhu:

PRINCESS MONONOKE was beautiful, but I'm still not sure I understood the plot. I do remember that it featured a threatening beast resembling a rhino made completely of tentacles....

OMG, Tani, get out of my brain! :lol: I had that exact thought after typing 'Cthulhu enthusiasm' and thought... nah... but I'm glad you said it after all. ;)

ok, so where does one get ahold of some of these films? I have not seen any of them and now you have got me interested. Might I rent them at Blockbuster or some other video store or are they more obscure?

There's some good anime at most video stores (at least here in california), and with the advent of dvd thankfully there is the dual language option on almost every disc (one had to put up with bad dubbing in most video stores when vhs was the dominant medium, as most of the stores would only buy the dubbed version... subtitles are the true way!) But be advised that there is some crummy anime out there as well, as there is in all genres of entertainment. I would suggest:

Akira (classic, revolutionary near future anime. rather mature)
Ghost In The Shell (another visually revolutionary anime. mature as well)
Princess Mononoke (this one would be suitable for kids)
Serial Experiments Lain (yay! my favorite, but definitely for those who like things strange and trippy)
Perfect Blue (another trippy one)
Mobile Suit Gundam (the movies... the original series, not gundam wing, changed the giant robot genre)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (an interesting psuedo-occult take on the giant robot genre as a storytelling vehicle for a boy's struggle for acceptance and self worth)

These are just the beginning and just the ones that I personally would start someone off with (and I'm a mid-20's male, so bear that in mind re: my selections... not many fuzzy animals or cute stuff in my picks altho I can appreciate those as well)

I know that the website www.jlist.com has a ton of anime available for sale, as well as other Japanese items - some of which are squid flavored snack foods! :P

A fellow otaku friend of mine convinced me to try dried Ika snacks one time and now I cringe every time I pass them in the grocery store....

The actual dried squids are sort of gross, but I have found squid flavored cracker type things to be rather tasty, this may, however, be tied into my toungues desire for anything salty. Yum! :P

Well, I used to like calamari when I was a kid. I'm sure that it's gonna be tough to avoid eating cephs while I am in thailand, unless in my phrasebook I can piece together "there's no squid, octopus, or cuttlefish in this, is there?"

Heads up... Another interesting anime, though not directly ceph: The new Miyazaki film "Spirited Away" is out on Disc and VHS. Its definitely worth watching, and I could swear that some of the spirits who inhabit that world are cephs, cnidarians, or some other sea beastie...

Sushi and Sake,

John

Fujisawa-san,

This is one of the goofiest Japanese squid characters (http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~osa_uno/) I have ever seen.

Though neither anime nor manga, Viras, enemy of Gamera, (http://www.shrineofgamera.com/showa_viras.html) remains one of the greatest of all Japanese monster squids:

Viras frightened me as a child. Probably explains a few things.

:goofysca:

Clem

Sweet! Thanks for the link! I K A R Y O ! ! !

Domo!! :P

John

Mecha-ika! (http://www.susuki.sakura.ne.jp/~kamataro/hu/pri_gallery/mecha/ika.html)


:shock:

MECHA-IKA!

GREAT SQUID OF ID!! THAT'S A BIG CEPH!!

John

Any relation to Jambi on PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE?

"Mecha lekka high mecha heinie ho
Mecha lekka high mecha heinie ho"

:boat:

"Oh, an Archi never does no harm,
He just does as he pleases,
But he always remembers to wash his arms
So he don't get no diseases!"

Ms. Yvonne
The Most Beautiful Squid in the World

Wow, the soap bill Archi must have....

Thanks for all the anime squid information!

Sushi and Sake,

John

There are definitely a few ceph-gods in Miyazaki's "Spirited Away." A really big one can be seen luxuriating in an herbal bath, tentacles hanging over the lip of the tub. In the copious amounts of food served to the guests at the bath-house, there's no tako or ika to be seen; presumably, the staff doesn't want to offend the guests.

IMHO, anyone wanting an introduction to anime can start with "Spirited Away." Extraordinary stuff.

Clem
(No-Face) :yinyang:

There are definitely a few ceph-gods in Miyazaki's "Spirited Away." A really big one can be seen luxuriating in an herbal bath, tentacles hanging over the lip of the tub. In the copious amounts of food served to the guests at the bath-house, there's no tako or ika to be seen; presumably, the staff doesn't want to offend the guests.

IMHO, anyone wanting an introduction to anime can start with "Spirited Away." Extraordinary stuff.

Clem
(No-Face) :yinyang:

SPIRITED AWAY was the best animated feature I have ever seen -- I'm saving up to buy my own copy. It contains some scenes which are so enigmatic and melancholy that they cannot be explained, yet they haunt the mind of the viewer constantly (e.g., the shadowy spirits gliding about the deserted marketplace, the arachnid "furnace man" tenderly placing a blanket on Chihiro, the ghostly sunset train-trip to Zeniba's home). Definitely not just a kids' film.

Oh, and No-Face -- please don't eat any frogs in the bath house, you know it makes you a little crazy. :bugout:

Most respectfully,
Taningia-san

Obligatory Squiddage :arrow: :meso: :squid: :nautilus: :octopus:

Oh, and No-Face -- please don't eat any frogs in the bath house, you know it makes you a little crazy.

I'll behave myself.

Now, here's an anime girl in a bikini, posing at the beach with a friendly ceph. (http://www3.yomogi.or.jp/hobby/Works/works_and_support.html)

Meanwhile, one man's attempt to replicate the cartoon image in real-life backfires. A traumatic childhood memory is born. (http://www.ne.jp/asahi/utagame/love/01cook.006.html)

Clem

That anime girl with the "squid"? I have no idea, but I sure hope its not a hentai... :lol:

Thanks for the info... Now, if only I could read more Kanji!

John

That anime girl with the "squid"? I have no idea, but I sure hope its not a hentai... :lol:

John, I hope it isn't a "tentacle" hentai, either. That stuff is just plain wrong. Doesn't matter if it was inspired by imagery in old watercolors. Wrong then, wrong now.

I'm sure that little tyke on the beach would agree.

Clem

Meanwhile, one man's attempt to replicate the cartoon image in real-life backfires. A traumatic childhood memory is born:

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/utagame/love/01cook.006.html

Clem[/quote]

Yikes, you can hear the little one saying "Do I really have to eat that?"

Melissa

Now, here's an anime girl in a bikini, posing at the beach with a friendly ceph:

http://www3.yomogi.or.jp/hobby/Works/works_and_support.html

Clem

I think she's cute -- reminds me of my feisty little Hagen-Renaker Mermaid, for whom I've been trying to get an equally cute little Hagen-Renaker Octo-pal ever since I missed bidding on one in an eBay auction.

Come to think of it, if anyone happens to find the latter on sale online, and notifies me of it promptly, will earn my profound gratitude and an extra bucket of Purina Cephalopod Chow at feeding time.

So it be written, so it be done!
The Divine Ms. D

i was going to mention it in octosimpsons, but given his style and apparent major influences, i decided on here.... you can usually find either octos or various amorphous and tentacled critters in genndy tartakovsky's work (samurai jack, dexters lab, etc)


:cthulhu: :heart: :beer:

Yes! I am a big Tartakovsky fan... Waiting for Dexter to come to DVD!! :lol:

Here's a fine bit of ceph-signage in Osaka, Japan.

http://www.urbanhipster.com/photos/japan/images/octopus.jpg

Cool sign! Is the place a restaurant, fish store, or what?

Taningia

Taningia,

According to the caption on the source page (http://www.urbanhipster.com/photos/japan/default.html), it's a restaurant in Osaka. From another site, we get a different (and much smaller) view:

http://carla.acad.umn.edu/VPA/japanese/imgpg/thumbnails/food03.gif

Meanwhile, up in snowy Hokkaido, the town of Otaru is watched over by "The Happy Octopus," (http://cgsd.com/rlatham/Otaru/HAPPYOctopus640.jpg) another gourmand.

Clem

Oh!

My new niece absolutely loves the Australian program "The Wiggles"... It turns out that the Wiggles have a giant octopus friend that sings and dances with them.

Oh, and Krin, I finally got around to reading your post about Cowboy Bebop. That is my favorite anime series and the crown jewel of my box set collection (I have the very rare box set, plus the movie and an original sound track).

Oh well... any more worldwide ceph sightings? Please let me know!

John

Oh well... any more worldwide ceph sightings? Please let me know!
Hello John,

First, I'm grateful to you for mentioning "The Wiggles." I caught a glimpse of it months ago, saw an octopus performing a scary-bad children's rap number and decided it was an hallucination. Thank you for proving otherwise.

Are you, by any chance, a fan of "My Neighbor Totoro?" Some wag has gone and produced his own variation on the theme, "My Neighbor Cthulhu." (http://www.estarcion.com/kaleja/tonari_no_cthulhu.jpg)

Elsewhere in the anime realm, Masamune Shirow, creator of "Ghost in the Shell," has a nifty logo:

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=1517

Clem

Hmmm....

See, I don't know what to make of that... :)

"Tonari no Totoro" is my favorite anime film, but that is SOOO HILARIOUS I can't help but laugh my head off!

As for "The Wiggles".... Well.... Its a helluva lot less sedate than "Teletubbies", and a lot more intellectually challenging...

Sushi and Sake,

John

Nope, no tentacle hentai here! :P I have heard of it, but I'm not sure I want to see it.... :lol:

Ah well I suppose I should own up to having researched this topic (from a purely socilogical/historic point of view you understand) and thrown my findings together here:

[Webmaster Edit, 12/29: Link removed, nice try though :-)... Contact Emperor via PM if you're interested in the link... interesting, but the contents are too adult to be displayed here pubically... :police: ]

It largely revolves around Hokusai's "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" (largely as there was a big flap over David Laity's interpretation of the picture recently) and I have found examples of netsuke (kimono toggles) and small statues going back to the 16th century. Apart from the 18th century woodcut (which some may find rude/distrubing) there isn't actually any proper tentacle porn on the page (although I do link to some of the main sites - although I wouldn't recommend anyone start digging too far in that direction as it gets unpleasant quickly).

Ah well I knew I'd end up throwing this link in here at some point and never being able to darken the Tonmo doorstep ;)

Now where did I leave my coat?

Emps

Emps.

Wow... dude, you've been censored! :lol:

Interesting thought though... So you think that hentai has a more mytho-historical root? That actually would make an interesting psychology paper, though a weird one...

Oh, and I saw another octo ... this time on Animal Planet's "The Most Extreme"...

Sushi and Sake,

John

Wow... dude, you've been censored!

LOL - probably for the best ;)

Interesting thought though... So you think that hentai has a more mytho-historical root? That actually would make an interesting psychology paper, though a weird one...

Thats an interesting question and one that I haven't really found an answer to. I've read all sorts of theories about its origin (like its somehow the product of having to nuclear bombs dropped on them - clearly the antiquity of this rules that out if nothing else will) and it may just be 'different strokes for different folks' (there are very specific reasons for its use in hentai which has strict rules about what can and be can't shown). The Japanese often do things that seem weird/amusing at first (and often third) glance but I'm sure they look on some of our practices with a raised eyebrow. If I had to guess I'd suggest that it might be due to Christianity (as opposed to Shinto, etc.) taking us further from our natural roots where a blurring between the lines of people and animals was more understood. Shamans communicate with animals and often turn into them and pre-Christian myths (in particular those around Zeus, esp. Leda and the Swan.) deal with these kinds of topics.

[edit: Its worth noting that all the original woodcuts and statues date to the Edo Period (1600-1868) which saw an upsurge in nationalism and a big return to Shinto]

Emps

Another big anime fan. Although I would not recomend Hand Maid May, it has a cute squid robot but the series its self is part of the Herem genre (ie one guy half dozen girls) and not a good example at that.

here is a link to the squid
http://www.wonderfarm.co.jp/hand-maid/sakuhin/mayicon/j-ikariya.gif

Anything by Miyazaki is great, each film is good in its own special way. I suggest people try to get their hands on Porco Rosa amazing film. The most fun of all of his movies.

Other recomended series
Crest of the Stars, well done hard science fiction, although I have heard very bad things about the English Dubbed version.
Haibane Renmei- New series done by the guy who made Lain. Is an interesting series. No where near as much of a trip like Lain but still good.
Slayers: Fantasy Anime Comedy series, very fun. The main character is a Sorceress who happens to be one of the most powerful in the world and has no qualms about using her power. There are movies and I think the first and I know the fifth movie deal with Cephs, all of the movies exept for the fifth are prequils to the TV series.

Hiya!

See, I liked hand Maid May, only because I thought it was funny. But you're right; I think innuendo comedies are pretty trite and cliche in anime, and ones like "Strawberry Eggs" and "Dual" are better.

I am also a big fan of Haibane Renmei, and I'm glad to hear of someone else who is familiar with it. As far as Miyazaki and Isao Takahara (Studio Ghibli in general) are concerned I have seen every film except for "Howl's Moving Castle", which isn't scheduled for release until July.

Overall, my favorite anime series of all was "Cowboy Bebop".

Always fun to see another anime fan!

Sushi and Sake,

John

P.S.... "House Fly"? Very cool!

Ah, anime! We may be getting a little OT here, but I have recently gotten into the genre and IMHO Miyazaki's crown jewel is SPIRITED AWAY. It is exquisite and has become my favorite animated feature of all time.

Lately I have been watching INUYASHA and RUROUNI KENSHIN on the Cartoon Network, too.

Emperor, please PM me that link which was censored (I can certify that I am 2 x 21, plus 11 :D ). I find the topic quite interesting, and I agree with your conclusion that the roots of tentacle hentai are in the ancient Japanese imagery of women/mermaids mating with cephs, though I find the modern version crude and often sadistic. I believe the image is a Shinto fertility symbol, as I doubt if anyone (least of all cephs themselves!) has ever figured out a way to actually do it! In fact, there is an entire thread on this topic -- I believe under the title "Mucho Bizarreness" -- on the Members' Forum, so if you are not yet a member that might be a good incentive to join!

Konichiwa and Happy New Year,
Tani

Emperor, please PM me that link which was censored (I can certify that I am 2 x 21, plus 11 :D ). I find the topic quite interesting, and I agree with your conclusion that the roots of tentacle hentai are in the ancient Japanese imagery of women/mermaids mating with cephs, though I find the modern version crude and often sadistic. I believe the image is a Shinto fertility symbol, as I doubt if anyone (least of all cephs themselves!) has ever figured out a way to actually do it! In fact, there is an entire thread on this topic -- I believe under the title "Mucho Bizarreness" -- on the Members' Forum, so if you are not yet a member that might be a good incentive to join!

I think 2 x 21 + 11 should about do ;) PM away.

The modern version is vile (anyone, at least of non-Japanese decent, who enjoys it has to have something deeply wrong with them) but it does make more sense (especially the nearly mainstream nature of it - I watch a BBC News 24 report on it and you can just pick i up in ordinary comic shops and I believe it makes an appearance in 'Legend of the Overfiend' which was massive) when seen in the light of:

1. The hentai guidelines which don't allow male genitals in cartoons.

2. The 'priming' of the society due to the blurring of line between human and animal that underpins animisim (that is a mainstay of Shinto).

So it can't be shrugged off with a 'only in Japan'.

However, it is still really extreme because it breaks one of our few remaining taboos in the West and combines it with a cephalopod which adds brings in elements of something 'alien'/other. As the Japanese are reliant on the fertility of the sea (and it is "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife") you can see why it was an important aspect. I haven't read anywhere if this based on early legends or stories but I suspect it must have great antiquity and I wouldn't be suprised if there have been scholarly investigations of this in Japanese but thats where the language barrier gets in the way but I am happy to leave it at that point as at least it now makes sense (even if it is still repellent).

Emps

Here's an interesting sidenote: Ever notice that H.R. Geiger's "Alien" (from the 1979 movie) had tentacles? Its had four hose-like tentacles that jutted out from its dorsal section.

I think that there may be some nod to deep-seated fears of the unknown when it comes to octos and how they (and their various body parts) are portrayed in popular culture. I think we get weirded out when we consider the idea that these animals, mollouscs at that, can show so much intelligence and overall potential.

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

John

John,

Before Giger became involved with "Alien," the filmmakers envisaged the first-stage creature, the Facehugger, as an octopus-like creature. The "pipes" on the adult creature's back served an important visual function, as they broke-up the humanoid outlines of the Alien (and obscured the fact that it was a man in a rubber suit). Unsurprisingly, Giger's work has long been esteemed by Japanese audiences.

Clem

Clem,

WOW!! Thank you! I was five when "Alien" was released in theatres, and even though I wasn't allowed to see it, I saw this two foot high Alien action figure that scared the hell outta me. For six years these creatures dominated my nightmares until my borther took me to see the sequel "Aliens" in 1986. That got rid of my fear, and to this day those creatures are my favorite horror movie monsters, and the only movie creatures to ever scare me. So any background on them is much appreciated.

Facehuggers and Xenomorphs,

John

I remember the whip/tentacle like appendages in the second, but dont recall them in the first... as soon as i get home (next day or two) ill have to watch the three together to compare [i try my best to ignore the existance of the fourth, much like Rocky V], since i think i vaguely recall that they made modifications between movies....

The things in the back are hard... they are not tenticles. They are horns or things that are used to stick to walls/help camoflage.

here is a pic of the origonal face hugger
http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~DBJacobson/facehugger.jpg

Here is a link to the script
http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/alien_shooting.html

::edit::
They don't have tentacles in the final draft, they just have very prehensile tails. But in the first draft it had tenticles with claws at the end, this was before Geiger drew up the design.

Hello MuscaDomestica,

Thank you for posting the link to that ol' Facehugger concept. Credit for that drawing goes to Mr. Ron Cobb, who was responsible for designing the humans' spacecraft in "Alien," the Nostromo. Cobb also played a major role in shaping the look of "Star Wars," and designed the Nazis' flying wing in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Clem

and designed the Nazis' flying wing in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."


i had always heard that the Yb-49 was ripped off from a German wwii bomber design circa 44/45....since the movies were set pre-war, wouldnt it just be a natural step to simply make them propeller driven? of course this is off topic.... as for the aliens, i could swear i remember some type of thing whipping around behind them as they detached, unless it was just the tail..... what about the design of the Queen in the second, any tentacular appendages there?

i had always heard that the Yb-49 was ripped off from a German wwii bomber design circa 44/45....since the movies were set pre-war, wouldnt it just be a natural step to simply make them propeller driven?

As a bit of non-ceph trivia, the German Horten brothers designed a whole series of flying wings most of which were propeller driven. They culminated in the jet-powered Horten IX which crashed on its maiden flight sometime early in 1945. Lippisch also designed plenty of flying wings though I can't remember if any were actually built or not. I don't think the Raiders flying wing was based on any specific design but a German-looking amalgam of designs; there certainly were none in operational service before or during the war.

Ceph.

Horten is the design of whose name i couldnt come up with.... thanks and yes, none were made.....

Squid octo tank octopus first :)

WK, here are some interesting photos of the Horten IX today:

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/1999/02/stuff_eng_detail_hoix.htm

Lippisch also designed plenty of flying wings though I can't remember if any were actually built or not.
:nofeet:

Phil,

The closest Lippisch came to fielding a practical wing was the DM-1 glider, a delta plan-form that was the progenitor for a planned series of coal-fueled ramjet interceptors. The DM-1 behaved very well during tow-tests. Technically, it was not a true flying-wing because it incorporated a massive vertical stabilizer and rudder.

To view Dr. Lippisch demonstrating the handling characteristics of the DM-1, CLICK HERE. (http://www.hikone-st.co.jp/tako/anime.gif)

:wink:

Clem

LOL! Thanks Clem!

I wonder if he really looked like that?

:thumbsup:

I wonder if he really looked like that?
Phil,

Dr. Lippisch? No. But have you ever taken a close look at Reimar Horten?

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=1553

:lol:

:lol: Excellent. :notworth:

No wonder the Germans were so far ahead of the Allies in technology.... they learned to harnass the power of the pre-eminent ceph brains of the world....

There's a show called Sealab 2021 and in one episode "Happy Cake" an Squid plays a significant role.... it was rather protective of a Happy Cake Oven (Easy Bake knock off)

Another animated squid!

On the cartoon network show "Family Guy" they had a scene where there's a rather annoyed looking giant squid in the kitchen. Peter (the husband) suggests ignoring a problem the way they ignore the squid.

Sushi and Sake,

John

Good call - I love Family guy but must have missed this:

http://www.planet-familyguy.com/characters/capsule.asp?id=121

[edit: From the transcipt:

Peter: Oh, no, no, no, no, I'm not gonna see a doctor, Lois. The healthiest thing we can do is ignore this and pretend it doesn't exist... just like we do with the squid!

I suspect this one hasn't been broadcast on this side of the pond yet]

Emps

And I suspect we have all felt like this with computers:

http://www.cadzow.com.au/Software/support.htm

Emps

theres apparently a british band out there that has a ceph in their video.... the first time i saw it, i thought it was some old 80s video, but apparently not... the band is called the darkness and in "i believe in a thing called love" features a big space squid attacking a spaceship and being fought off with lightning coming from the band's instruments.... :shock:

very odd....

WhiteKiboko: I've seen it - its a bit like a space octopus thingy.

Anyway I was looking for something else and stumbled across this - scroll down to Red Fang - magazine cover attached. I believe it was a species of super intelligent squid (like the Krakens in 'The Engines of Light' series):

http://www.2000ad.org/thrillpower/2kad6.html

Emps

just saw the preview for this spring's Hellboy... a large tentacle type thing grabs ron perlman...

just saw the preview for this spring's Hellboy... a large tentacle type thing grabs ron perlman...

WK,

Huzzah. What movie was the trailer attached to?

"Hellboy" is based on the superb series of comics created by Mike Mignola, and published by Dark Horse comics. Monster cephs and cousins to Cthulhu make regular appearances in the comics. In "Squid of Man," a one-shot co-authored with Bill Wray, Mignola introduced Squidman, a humanoid teuthid created by one Dr. Plankton Tidepool, Rogue Ichthyologist. Sadly, Squidman turned out to be sexually incompatible with his ersatz mate, Lobsterwoman.

:goofysca:

Clem

It was on a show called, i think, Coming Attractions

Hellboy trailer can be found here:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/hellboy/

I was just sitting their thinking now where is the..........

Looks good.

Emps

Hey Emps, that looks kickin'! I'll be looking forward to seeing it.

BTW, last month I went to an anime festival where they showed the first episode of a series called ANGELIC LAYER. In one comic scene, a scientist threatens his annoying assistant with punishment by "ten minutes with an Octopus in your pants". He then whips out a small Octo (which he just happens to have on hand) and.... well, stuffs it in the guy's pants. The next few scenes are accompanied by the assistant writhing around in the background, presumably trying to rid himself of the unwanted "fashion accessory". Strange stuff.

Tani

In one comic scene, a scientist threatens his annoying assistant with punishment by "ten minutes with an Octopus in your pants."
Taningia,

:roflmao:

The more I hear about that sort of thing, and see the related imagery in anime and art, the more I wonder: did someone in Japan do something like that, once?

Clem

The more I hear about that sort of thing, and see the related imagery in anime and art, the more I wonder: did someone in Japan do something like that, once?


Hey, ya never can tell -- remember, we are talking about a culture in which Tentacle Hentai is a major subgenre. [Refer to our discussion on the "Mucho Bizarreness" thread in the Members' Forum]

Ink-identally, along the same lines, there was another very funny reference in a Japanese live-action episode of SAILOR MOON (yes, they really produced them) shown at the same anime festival, but.... uh.... I can't exactly repeat it on this thread. Maybe later I'll post it to that "Mucho Bizarreness" thread so all of us over-18 types can get into an in-depth discussion of its profound psycho-cultural implications. Or at least have a good story to e-mail our weirdo netpals.

:heee:
Burukuren no Ta Ninja

Well just saw a later episode of Rune Solder Louie a fun but rather genric anime fantasy series. In one of the later episodes the main character gets turned into a squidman for a good chunk of the episode and can't do anything but run around screaming "Ika!" it was kind of surreal.

Maybe later I'll post it to that "Mucho Bizarreness" thread so all of us over-18 types can get into an in-depth discussion of its profound psycho-cultural implications.

no such luck.... TONMO is completely all ages... :|

Maybe later I'll post it to that "Mucho Bizarreness" thread so all of us over-18 types can get into an in-depth discussion of its profound psycho-cultural implications.

no such luck.... TONMO is completely all ages... :|

Huh?? If you look, you will see that the "Mucho Bizarreness" thread was essentially a discussion of Tentacle Hentai and its origins in early Japanese culture. Nobody bothered to censor it, and I certainly hope that policy will continue because as I recall the Supporters' Forum was only for 18 and over. As long as the discussion is intelligent, mature, and relevant to our spectrum of topics, I see no reason why the discussion cannot continue.

As for the quote I referred to, it contains no obscenity and the only reason I'm not posting it here is that the topic of Tentacle Hentai is one which I feel should remain on an over-18 forum. So I will post it to the aforementioned thread, and let the Supporters Forum members be the judge.

That's fair, isn't it?

Tani

Supporters Forum is no longer 18+..... hence no luck :| If you search, you wont find it after a search....

Re Supporters' Forum:

I was not aware of that, but I think that's a shame because IMHO it is very relevant to the whole subject of Cephs in art, both traditional and contemporary.

All right, then: If anyone out there who is over 18 would like to have an intelligent, mature discussion of the psychological, cultural, mythological and artistic origins of Tentacle Hentai, in NONpornographic language, I would invite them to PM me. GENUINE DISCUSSION ONLY! ANY OBSCENE, NASTY, OR STUPID PMs WILL BE REPORTED TO THE SITEOWNER.

Is that specific enough? Hope so.

(Any further discussion can now continue offlist.)

PS to Clem: Domo Arigato, I love it! :D

ANY OBSCENE, NASTY, OR STUPID PMs WILL BE REPORTED TO THE SITEOWNER.
Goodness, that sounds serious. :mrgreen:

I think the Supporter's Forum might be an appropriate place for such discussion, so long as all of the guidelines you cite in your post above are honored in the thread.

I think the Supporter's Forum might be an appropriate place for such discussion, so long as all of the guidelines you cite in your post above are honored in the thread.

Thanks, Tony, but perhaps you and WK should discuss this with each other first and then let me know what you decide, because you seem to have a difference of opinion about it and I don't want to step on anyone's toes.

In the meantime, my offlist discussion suggestion remains good....

Tani

you certainly wont step on my toes.... if tony says its good to go, i say fire away....

:) Tani,

I don't think I disagree with WK, he's just observing the fact that yes, I did pull the "you must be 18 years old to become a TONMO.com Supporter" restriction a couple of months back. I also did remove the "Mucho Bizarreness" thread, since there was an embedded (or attached? can't remember) photo that was explicit.

What I'm saying here is that if you can keep such discussions within the guidelines you mention, with links OUT to the materials you refer to, then I think the Supporter's Forum is a fair place to do it. And my decision trumps WK's. :P

I'm acknowledging that you make a good point that there is legitimate discussion to be had there. If anyone is capable of conducting such a discussion, you're it! So I welcome it within your stated guidelines, just to let you know... but you're of course welcome to keep it via PM if you like! Thanks for your sensitivity to it... :thumbsup:

saw a clip of a powerpuff girls where there was two or three octos or octo type creatures... there was some giant fugu monster too... i guess it was because they were in the little tokyo section of their town.... due to this cheap pizza place down the road from me, ive seen a couple eps of fairly oddparents.... havent seen any cephs yet but its not a bad little cartoon...

apparently, theres a show in devlopment entitled "Squidbillies"

I think this fits in here - from some old comics I stumbled across:

Octopus: Wonderworld Comics #30 (Fox). A true misfit with 3 arms and an apish fanged face, this man devoted himself to becoming the number one gang-leader. A mirrored invention that would fire an aimed electrically charged blast when it caught a ray of light allowed him to weak havoc against his rivals. The beam almost spelled an end to the hero called the Flame, causing him to reveal his identity and source of powers to his girlfriend Linda so that she might carry on as Flame Girl. However, the Flame does not die and the two heroes battle the Octopus and his gang. The Octopus is set aflame during the battle and he flees into the garage which then blows to kingdom come.

Octopus II: Target Comics. Bald master criminal that was decked out in a mask and a shirt (robe?) with an octopus on the cover. Fought the T-Men (agents of the Treasury Dept).

http://www.geocities.com/cash_gorman/k-zvillains.index.html

Emps

I posted an earlier message on the old board regarding the plethora of netsukes depicting mermaids and/or women in flagrante delicto with cephs. I never got any replies -- I suppose no one wanted to touch the topic with a ten-foot hectocotylus :wink: Anyway, I assume that in Japanese culture the imagery represents fertility or phallic symbolism. Either that, or the Japanese are just plain kinky....

A while ago I myself purchased a neat little ceph netsuke for cheap on eBay. It is G-rated, though -- a beautiful Archi, about 2.5" long, with intricately entangled legs, hand-carved from a single piece of wood. I put a black silk cord through its openings so I can wear it as a pendant.

As well as the more 'daring' netsuke (I have seen such ones dating back to the 1600s as well as the modern ones) I came across this chap today (its all work safe):

http://www.fareastasianart.com/stores/ICHIBAN/items/195647/item195647fareastasianart.html

He dates form the Meiji period which ended the Tokugawa era/Edo period (so presumably it dates to the end of the 19th century or the start of the 20th). I doubt anyone has a spare $500 lying around to buy it but there are quite a few nice pictures.

Emps

This sun, nov 7 should be the US debut of "Squidbillies" on Cartoon Network.... I think its done by the SeaLab 2021 people so it should be rather ummm interesting....

i'm thinking that the Squidbillies pilot must've crashed and burned in spectacular fashion (i'm talking Poochinski caliber here people)...... havent heard a single thing about them since my last post...... :shock:

i'm patiently waiting for a ceph in a favorite though, since i've gotten hooked on "Venture Brothers"....... if anyone involved with the show is reading, even an occasional tentacle or maybe a third tier villian, and I'll gladly tout the show even more.... :D

Venture brothers? I am out of the loop on this one...where is this at?

Adult Swim, Mon-Wed at Midnight....

think you might enjoy it.....

i'm patiently waiting for a ceph in a favorite though, since i've gotten hooked on "Venture Brothers"....... if anyone involved with the show is reading, even an occasional tentacle or maybe a third tier villian, and I'll gladly tout the show even more.... :D

Show's freakin' hilarious, I think there was one in the pirate ghost episode, I'm probably wrong though.

Go Team Venture!
:roflmao:

Midnight? Ooff...hopefully I will get a tvo this christmas...waaay past my hours of staying up !

I didn't see this thread till now.. anyway, better late than never. :)

I post to say that I have some ANIME episodes (AVI format), different
shows: eg. DBZ, Galaxy Angels, GundamX, Chans Ribbon and more.

If anyone wants copies I'd be happy to upload to wherever works for u.

atticus finch

in 'family guy' the episode where peter is a tobacco spokesman, theres a stuff purple octo on stewie's shelf....

Then there's the apocalypse episode where Stewie turns into a half-octopus mutant!

Incidentally, the pirate ghost episode of Venture Brothers featured a giant clam, but I saw no other molluscs. Terrific show!

sorry if i wasn't supposed to bump this topic. (some forums have rules against bumping topics more than a week old.) i spotted some ceph refrences in my (translated) ranma 1/2 mangas.

if you don't understand the story, i suggest reading this (http://www.animeinfo.org/featured/ranma/ranmastory.html). it should give you a basic idea.

obligatory censorship warning: please note that ranma 1/2 is rated T+ (for older teens). the manga and anime themselves contain nudity and mild alcohol/drug use, but i *think* you should be okay with that site. and no, it's not tentacle hentai.

and now, on with the refrences...

-a female octopus becomes smitten with happosai (one of the characters) at the end of the "love pill" story. (don't ask)
-in the "hinako intro" story, hinako-sensei (another character) is spotted eating tako-yaki, in front of a cart that says "osaka style takoyaki". as a side note, said cart has a cute octo logo.
-there is a short storyline revolving around a rogue octopus pot. (again, it might be better not to ask...)
-there is a spring-of-drowned-octopus in jusenkyo. taro (another character) uses it to add tentacles to his already-motley cursed form.

wish i could provide scans, but i don't understand my scanner at all.

oops.

it was "taste of osaka takoyaki".

my mistake.

edit: what? you mean there's an edit button? :oops:
don't mind me, i'm just going to go bang my head against a wall...

Heads Up!

New Shinchiro Watanabe show "Samurai Champloo" has some amazing cephalopod and marine Japanese-style artwork in the beginning credits.

John

in an episode of american dad, the father describes sex as "an octopus squatting on your brain"

in an episode of american dad, the father describes sex as "an octopus squatting on your brain"

:shock:

J

in the 'spooky fish' episode of south park, there's a demonic octo among the critters at the Indian Burial Ground Pet Store...