Monthly Archives: June 2012

Anime Review: Eureka Seven

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Generally I’m not privy to long anime series. I tend to stay away from anime that has no foreseeable ending (they still haven’t found One Piece yet?!) because, really, anime is a medium for telling stories, and some stories just don’t know when to end. On both sides of the spectrum, I’ve seen anime that could have immensely benefited from a longer run, such as the scant 6-episode Murder Princess, and others that could have immensely benefited from a trim, like Romeo X Juliet, which is an amazing 12-episode series stretched into a good 24-episode series.http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumbs/Eureka-Seven-Episode-32.jpg

I applied my Three-Episode Rule to Eureka Seven (pronounced “Euu-wreck-ah” as it turns out) and was instantly drawn into it, but it was a daunting 50-episode commitment that I wasn’t ready to undertake. Now, after multiple recommendations (and a 40% off sale on Yonge Street’s 1,000,000 Comix Store) I finally took the time to watch Eureka Seven in its entirety. Upon finishing the series, I’d say that Eureka Seven is one of the few anime that can justify a 50-episode run. Continue reading →

Aliens, Alternate Dimensions, and Allah

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There’s a moment in the movie Paul where Paul, an extra terrestrial, says something to the effect of “My existence alone disproves every Abrahamic religion.” If there was ever a moment in my life for a Spock-like eyebrow raise, that was it. The assumption the screenwriters of Paul made is that if it turns out we are not alone in the universe, that other intelligent beings exist in the cosmos, then religion—God, even— will become obsolete. However, this simply isn’t true. Continue reading →

Islamic Art & Architecture in Brief – Part III: Architecture

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Read Part I: Arabesque

Read Part II: Calligraphy

One could easily say that Architecture is the most recognizable form of art in Islam.

Now, any piece of architecture is a work of both beauty and practicality, but Islamic architecture includes a third dimension: spirituality. This goes back to the idea that for Muslims there is no separation between secular and spiritual; both are one.

Islamic architecture is a combination of all the elements I’ve spoken of earlier, and many more. All of these elements are used in conjunction to draw the viewer’s attention to God and God’s oneness. Verses throughout the Quran speak of this oneness and emphasise its importance. Islamic art and architecture celebrate this using Quranic script throughout architecture. Continue reading →