Finally got round to watching Red Beard (Akahige). I feel fulfilled.

Over the weekend, I picked up some old anime VCDs for cheap. The first two Patlabor movies and Bubblegum Crisis 2040. I have no idea when I will get around to watching those.

I've always had a soft spot for Patlabor, which unfortunately is an extremely underrated series outside Japan. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that there're no babes (the main protagonist is a tomboy and actually looks like one), no fancy dogfights and no fanservice. Instead, the series deals with the everyday efforts of policemen -- albeit policemen who get to pilot giant mecha -- in 20th Century Tokyo. It deals with their personal lives, with inter-unit politics, and with the simple but difficult matter of just getting along with your colleagues. Then throw in a shadowy conspiracy for some added punch -- it is anime after all.

The Patlabor movies were directed by Oshii Mamoru. I don't care if the picture quality sucks -- I love his work. Which reminds me that I should get around to reading that Kerberos Panzer Cop manga someday. Yeah, someday :p