Unwanted Commentary

After a long anxious wait we finally finished the Berserk saga yesterday. What began as an impulse grab at the local video store had slowly sucked us, if not into the heart of at least the borders of, the anime subculture. As our adventure had lead us through volume 5, we had discovered from the guy at the video store that volume 6 would be coming out on May 27, but we probably wouldn't be able to rent it for a month or so. With that depressing information I felt fairly resigned to go out and buy the damn DVD, such was our lust for the conclusion to a riveting, violent series. As the 27th came and went we made a few forays into the Movie Trading Company, but their anime section pretty much womped. The video store guy had spoken true and volume 6 eluded our grasp. Amazon.com definitely had it, but I've, somewhat ironically, never been a fan of ordering things online, something to do with instant gratification or perhaps that primeval need to hunt things.

So Sunday we made the jaunt to a Mall, this was a radical step, as I rarely go to malls based on several rational, though mostly irrational, phobias and social what-have-you's. I bravely dove in, and strode head up and chin out into the thick of it, damn the torpedoes, seeking the Sun Coast video merchant. Fortune would seem to smile on us, for fate is an odd mistress and what began as a simple quest took on a life of its own.

After aimless roaming in the labyrinth of commercialism we accepted defeat and consulted the Mall directory, our desire for conclusions knew no shame. A few moments of deciphering the archaic numbering and color scheme we plotted a course to our destination, which fortunately involved a short ride up the escalator. We entered the store, I deftly found the anime section strangely positioned near the front of the store. As that shock dissipated another erupted in my face, it was a large anime section near the front of the store. As hope swelled I began to feel as if things were nearing the "to-good-to-be-true" threshold.

My preconceived notions of anime being relegated to the black sub-basement of the store where odd people dressed in Goth clothing chittered and clicked over small boxes with nymp-like school girls on the cover were reeling at this point. But before I knew it I stood basking in the glistening wall of the Japanese animation. As my furtive search began, as I eagerly sought out the B titles I heard the call of the store clerk, "may I help you?"

"Should I dare risk it?", I thought. Do I want to actually admit, not only to myself, but to others nearby (strangers mind you, but it was all the same at this point) that I was an anime fan by asking the store clerk for help? Could I find it on my own? Would they be out and could I keep hope alive for a few more brief moments before crushing defeat swept over me?

I decided to confront my demons and dove in; I had already gone too far to shore up now. I told her what I was looking for. At that first fragile inception of the gamble things seemed to instantly go bleak as I told her I was looking for Berserk 6. I'm not sure how it transpired at this point, it all seemed strangely surreal. As the words, "I don't think we have…" began to escape from her lips my eyes caught sight of that grotesque red box. Familiarization caught hold, could this be it or was it another volume deceiving and mocking me?

After a few double checks I discovered it was indeed Volume 6, the final revelations of the series. Oh joy, trumpets sounded and lights descended from heaven as the store clerk told me that they had been consistently sold out as they came in and how lucky we were. It was even on sale…score!

What transpired afterwards was a glimpse into the wide possibilities of anime. Another store clerk tried to recommend some other titles for newly assimilated anime fans, but he had trouble. The fact that our entry point had been the Berserk series seemed to throw him off, but he managed a few ideas. We we're shown a magazine chocked full of anime goodness, complete with a DVD, but the $10 price tag was too much. Another patron of the anime section offered up what he considered a good series. My eyes widend at this point, a box with nymph-like school girls! They did exist, but this was no Goth clad weirdo! He was desperate looking, middle-aged, white man. I wasn't sure what to think, it was all too much to handle. Information overload was beginning to set in.

Desperation to pay and leave was beginning to crawl over the wife and I as we delicately began to pry ourselves out of this world. Finally the credit card was brandished, scanned, receipts were signed, a bag was stuffed with our booty and we left the store flush with victory. We had been faced full force with things we weren't quite yet to confront, but it had been an exhilarating experience, full of comedy, horror and drama. We're still not sure how far we're willing to admit this anime fandom, but we've finished our Berserk journey and perhaps, just perhaps, we may go for one of those recommendations. We'll see.