Spicy Marmalade

Let's Talk Dragon Age

2010-11-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

Hi there, remember me. No one is reading this anymore, but I have hopes that I can revive it by re-posting the links in a lot of places and making more actual posts. Which, I would do, if I were (a) doing anything interesting and (b) had time while doing said interesting things to write a post. Which brings us to now.

What have I been doing the last, oh, 3 years or so?

Not much...at least in the realms of things that need to be spoken of on this "nerd blog".

The last 2 months or so though.....I've been playing the super amazing EA/Bioware game Dragon Age: Origins!

I had been hearing about it from a good friend of mine for several months before I tried playing it. He had been playing the PC version and was downright hooked. As I generally respect his taste in most everything nerd related, and since the more I talked with him about this game the more I realized that the setting sounded amazing, he managed to convince me to play it. Now, I'm not a PC gamer. Never had been (with the exception of Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna when I was a senior in college and had nothing better to do). So, when I found out that this title had been released for the PS3, I (finally) decided to jump on it. And then it sat on the shelf for a while. Until the end of September, when I found myself all alone in the apartment for 2 and a half hours and didn't know what to do. So, I started a game of Dragon Age. And, since then, I've done almost nothing in my free time than play Dragon Age. Seriously...I've spent the waking hours of entire weekends playing this game. In fact, I've FINALLY started to see how people become so obsessed with WoW that they abandon their work and their families to play WoW. I've become a Dragon Age addict. I'm not afraid to admit it.

Now, I could tell you all about the setting and all about the story and things like that, but you could also just go to this website, and read more about this game than you probably ever want to know. What I WILL talk about is what REALLY got me into this game. The characters, and the amazing attention to detail on the dialogue that the game designers decided to write in. Seriously...the dialogue in this game is AMAZING. From the conversations options YOU can choose (each of which has the potential to lead to different paths/outcomes/endings.....bonus points for the game having SERIOUS re-play value....more on that later), to the HILARIOUS conversations your party members have while wandering around behind you, this game has GREAT dialogue. And most of the party members are ridiculously loveable (or hateable). Again, you can find a lot of detail on the characters and the dialogue on the wiki page for the game, but let me talk a little about some highlights.

1. Alistair. He's essentially a glorified altar boy, having been trained by the church to be a templar and control magic and mages. This makes me especially laugh since my main character on this playthrough is a mage. The game writes in romance options, and Alistair is definitely the goody-goody pretty boy that every girl dreams about as a child. (Ok, at least girls like me.) Being in a romance with Alistair is fun...it's....romantic. It's cute. And it's EXTREMELY AWKWARD....which makes for even more hilarity.

2. Leliana. She's another potential romanceable character....for a male lead AND a female lead. Yes, that's right, Bioware has made the EXTREMELY fantastic decision to finally go where few games dare to go. And they do it RIGHT. Very good news! Leliana has an interesting past, but she's recently joined the church and has become very pious. She comes to you saying she saw you in a vision from above and she thinks she's destined to join you. She's a really sweet girl, especially on the surface, but once you start uncovering her past, you learn that she's not always been the sweet church girl she is now. She's the kind of girl that, if you let her, will either be your lover, your best friend, or both.

3. Zevran. Zevran is, in my opinion, the most hilarious character in the game. He's an elven rogue assassin who is sent to kill you. He fails, and if you let him live, he'll join you. He was raised in a nearby country in a whorehouse and then taken in by the largest group of assassins in that country. He'll sleep with most anyone (male or female) and he'll likely pretty much start hitting on you from the moment you let him into the party. If you're in a relationship with either Alistair or Leliana and you start a romance with Zevran, bringing Zev along with either of those party members will incite HILARIOUS dialogue as they fight over you. Zevran also has the best one liners in the game. And...he's a terrible assassin and an even worse rogue. We'll talk about that in a later post where I post my favorite moments with all these characters. Just know.....Zev is a fricking riot.

4. Wynne. She's an old-lady mage who will come with you if you decide to help the circle of magi with something. She's always for doing the right thing, so if you want to be bad in this game, make sure you don't take Wynne with you to do it. Mostly, I like her because her dialogue with Alistair is some of the best in the entire game. I try to have them both in my party if I'm just wandering around an area because they will say THE BEST things to each other. Especially if you're in a relationship with Alistair.

There are other characters. Morrigan is the other romanceable character if you're a male only. She's fairly pivotal to the story line, but being a mage myself, I found more need for one of the rogues than for her. She and Alistair cannot stand each other. If you put them in a party together they will constantly argue. She also doesn't like Leliana very much, as Morrigan is extremely anti-church. Sten and Oghren are warrior characters. Oghren's dialogue can be funny at times as well. You also have a dog in the party and Sten and the dog interacting can be hilarious.

Last thing for now.....

This game is SERIOUSLY re-playable. For one thing, there are so many different types of character you can be, and each has a slightly different origin story. For another thing, you can make a lot of very pivotal decisions in conversations and in actions that will lead to very very very different outcomes. Also, who you decide to be in a romance with, if anyone, will have big impacts on the ending.

All in all.....this game is a serious win.

And I already know what type of character I'm playing next. And what type I'm playing the time after that......

Yes, It's Been Awhile and I Really Do Have Actual Posts to Write, but........

2009-10-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

If my good friends at Dane101 are going to be so good as to continue to interview me for articles on their site, I think I owe it to them to link you to it.

Soooooo....read about me talking about awesome geek things I'm doing this weekend in the greatest city in the upper midwest!

And, if you find yourself around......stop on by, eh?

I Can Has 感じ

2009-05-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the incredible wisdom of a man known to much of the world as Peso (who, btw, is responsible for one of the single greatest businesses I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with).......I've learned how to make Vista type in Kanji. AND....I've learned how to make Firefox tell me what said Kanji means.

Which, in turn, means..................that I'm going to be a lot more involved in the Japanese scene than I ever thought possible...................

And I can actually look up song lyrics when I don't understand what's being said.

And...........well, really, the possibilities are infinite, my internet friends.

This may progress from more of a hobby into a well-honed information gathering machine.

If I had something to say that required the use of Japanese, Kanji, or really....anything.....rest assured that I would do it.

Next time, Gadget. Next time.

AQUARIOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

So, thanks to FUNimation (no, seriously.....THANKS to FUNimation......), I've developed a bit of a weird addiction to the show Aquarion (AKA Genesis of Aquarion, but does it matter???). I'd watched I think the first two episodes "back in the day" (2005), but that was well before my GUNDAM days, so I just don't think I had quite the appreciation for ridiculous mecha shows at the time. It's not that I didn't like them, because I enjoyed RahXephon quite a bit, and Aquarion definitely draws more on elements of RahXephon and Evangelion than GUNDAM or Macross, but I guess I just wasn't in the mood to keep watching Aquarion at the time. And then I forgot about it..........

Last year when FUNimation sent us screeners for Geek.Kon, they sent us the ENTIRE box set of Aquarion. Which, in retrospect, is actually pretty neat......... But Mayama was all "ick" and I didn't remember enough about the show to question why he hated it, so I left it at that.

Fast forward to now.......FUNimation is showing Aquarion on their BADA$$ FUNimation free home video channel!!! So, I thought, I'm gonna watch this. Mostly since I feel like the website needs some diversity in the reviews, since I write them all and I tend to not WATCH shows that I know are going to suck.......who has the time for that? I had some time to kill before work on Friday morning and a new lappy just sitting here being ostentatiously red and looking at me, so I decided to see what I could see on the FUNimation channel. And alphabetically, Aquarion was first. So I watched the first episode. And I actually kinda liked it. I like the subtle yet not Biblical references it drops (like Eva) and I like the similarities to RahXephon, and I like that Yoko Kanno once again did an amazing job with the musical score. At the very least it intrigued me. It's certainly not without its flaws (over CG the mecha fight scenes much?!?!), but it's interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I've watched through episode 4 as of now (in like a day, really.....but spread out a bit). This is neat, because it's been awhile since I've been able to sit down at my computer and watch anime irrespective of things (especially since I'm not doing the fansub thing.....), but it's problematic in that it's really really nice outside and I should be outside. FUNi.........why couldn't you have released this in the dead of winter for those of us in the northern climes???

Well.......perhaps now I will go back to cleaning my house. Or watch more Aquarion..............

It's like this:
"Right. I've fallen into the one percent chance of being involved in an actual conspiracy." --Tatsuhiro Satou (Welcome to the NHK ep. 1)

By which, I mean:
"By airing funny anime, they are mass-producing anime otaku, and thus, are partly responsible for the emergence of such a significant number of NEETs." --Tatsuhiro Satou (Welcome to the NHK ep. 1)

But really, as soon as Mayama is done writing his paper, we're freaking going outside!!!!!!!!!!!

FUNimation Rocks my world

2009-04-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Minna!!!!!

Exciting news for fans of Fullmetal Alchemist!

Many of you may have heard that studio BONES has decided to re-make the FMA anime to follow the plotline of the manga more accurately. They will start the story from the beginning and stick to the (many would say) more exciting plot of the manga. The first episode aired in Japan on April 5.

FUNimation.....the holders of the rights to FMA in the US will also be licensing and distributing the new Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. BUT....more than that, they will stream it on their website starting at 12:00pm on APRIL 9.....just 4 days after the episode aired on TV in Japan.....and you can watch it there!!! This is revolutionary stuff, and I, for one, am very excited. If you're a fan of the FMA anime and haven't read the manga, I assure you that this new series will blow you away. If you have read the manga.....you already know we're in for a treat. You can find an article about this at Anime News Network by going to: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-04-03/funimation-to-stream-2009-fullmetal-alchemist-on-april-9

In further FUNimation rocks our world news............FUNimation has also partnered up with Veoh to bring us a lot of other titles for completely free.......see ANN: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2009-04-06/veoh-networks-inks-distribution-deal-with-funimation-entertainment. AND....they've partnered up with VIZ media to show some much awaited titles (NANA and Honey and Clover, anyone?!?!) to their FUNimation channel lineup in late spring. Those of you who get that channel.........I am very jealous of you. Very very jealous. More info at ANN: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-04-06/funimation-channel-adds-viz-anime-starting-late-spring

I continue to love FUNimation, because they continue to love us and the industry.

Shoujo to Start the Morning

2009-02-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

I read chapter 2 of Sand Chronicles (following chapters 1 & 2 of Honey and Clover) on the train this morning (LOL I'm SO behind in Shoujo Beat....).

It made me sad.

But happy sad. The kind of sad that Honey & Clover made me feel the first time I watched it. Not quite KGNE sad....nothing's lived up to THAT one yet.

That's all. It's a grey, overcast, rainy day....and I read sad manga. Way to rock.

Baccano!

2009-02-08T20:58:00.001-08:00

My Netflix wasn't coming through for me, so I used the magic of FUNimation's internet episode streaming to watch the first episode of Baccano! tonight. I really like it. The show has promise.

I'd heard people talk about this show from time to time, and it sounded like it had a lot of things that intrigue me. It's set in New York in the 1930's. It follows about 20 years (maybe more?) of gang wars in New York....as seen from the look back of two newspaper reporters. There are also 20 characters. Not kidding. The director uses the first part of the first episode to seemingly justify this......he has the reporters talking about the story and where it should start and who the main character should be and how hard it is to successfully follow so many characters. It was a bit weird, I admit....the way it was set up. But once we got past that and into the story, it was pretty great again. Right......I forgot to mention that most (if not all) of the 20 characters are immortals. Yes.....immortals, involved in gang wars in 1930's New York.

See....I heard the premise for this series and I thought.......it's hard for that to go wrong.

So far it doesn't. I mean, yes, it's hard to follow because there are so many characters. After one episode I have no hope of knowing who is who (excepting a few key characters). They also all have weird names. And of course, there are many story arcs going on at once. This show has a LOT going on. But it's done well. The art and setting and music are exactly what they should be to put you in the time that the story is taking place.....lots of jazz music, lots of muted browns and dark backgrounds and shadow. It's all well executed. Even the opening sequence is a perfect jazz/swing number while the still images of the characters flash by with their names next to them (everyone has weird names......Jaccuzzi is my favorite, I think). The end theme is.......well, it's an end theme. It's a nice slow J-pop ballad composed by Yuki Kajiura. It didn't do anything for me. I would rather have gotten more jazz or swing.

I'm not going to talk about the story or really get in depth at all, because I wouldn't do it justice at this point. Hopefully I'll be able to procure the first disc from Netflix very soon (though I think that if I like the first disc then I will likely buy this series the next time the FUNimation sale comes around).....once I watch enough to get a feel for the show, I'll bring you a more in-depth review. This is DEFINITELY a first impression only.

But! My first impression is that this show is something special compared to a lot of what we've been seeing lately. I'm worried about following what's going on......but it's been ok so far, and it seems like the director knows what he's doing, even though he hadn't really directed much else but Koi Kaze (not getting into that).

Stay tuned for more when Netflix brings it to me!

Also......use the FUNimation webstream! It gives you a nice look at the shows....and you can download to own for less money than you would pay for DVDs!

Night Head Genesis

2009-02-07T22:07:00.000-08:00

Is good. I think.

I'm still not entirely sure what it's deal is. But that's why I think it's good. It's not just handing me a cookie-cutter plot and/or making things very obvious for me. I like that. It's making me think a bit. I've only seen 3 episodes (Mayama was *tired* and wanted to go to bed....bah!), so obviously I don't know the whole deal with this show yet. But it's a thinking show. It's not quite a thinking show like, say, Noein is a thinking show (the theoretical physics.......), but it's a thinking show like Tokyo Majin is a thinking show. Though I've also only seen one disc of that, so I shouldn't really be making strong comparisons just yet.

I'll have a formal "first impressions" review on the website as soon as I finish disc one and have a formal first impression.....but I think I'm intrigued. It's definitely dark and twisted.....exploring the world of psychokinesis and psychic readings and all sorts of other stuff that humans can latently store up in the areas of their brains that aren't being used.

It's a bit slow moving though....so it's not for the instant gratification action anime fan. But it is for those who want to think about their show. Of which I am one.

Here are some that were NOT written by me:
Anime Planet Review
Star-Crossed Anime Blog
BasuGatsuBakuhatsu

Enjoy for now!!! This seems like it has the potential to be one of the better shows I've watched since ani-Thursdays with DragonSlippers!!!

Paradigm City's Top Negotiator.....

2009-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

It's my birfday, bitches!!!

For my birthday this year, I was going to honor the SECOND most important thing happening today by posting a photoshopped fan-art picture I've been meaning to make since November. But I'm not as good with Photoshop as I thought I was, so it's not done yet.

There are those that deem it offensive, insulting, and possibly in poor taste, as well. I deem it FULL OF WIN!!!! If you ask me......it would be an HONOR to be compared with the man in the photo.

BUT...it's not done yet, so I'll have to tell you about it for now. Ready???????

Take THIS photo:

And replace the persons depicted with our new President, VP, and Secretary of State.

And then we all sing.........ready, go!

"Big O, Big O!"

Paradigm City's top negotiator...........................

To quote: "Roger Smith (played by our newest President) is the series protagonist. As a Negotiator, his job entails finding a resolution for the troubles of the City of Amnesia. He'd negotiate almost anything for anyone, but he is a professional and expects the parties involved to behave professionally. When memories betray the people and force them to reawaken monstrosities of the city's past, Roger's only option is to fight back with a monstrosity of his own, the black megadeus Big O.

"Norman Burg (played by our newest Vice President) is Roger's butler. Forty years before the commencement of the story, Norman, like the rest of Paradigm, lost all memories from before that day, but he would not think twice before going once more unto the breach for his master. Resourceful and talented, he is also caretaker of the Big O. Norman's skills give him a purpose and a mission to accomplish for Roger.

"R. Dorothy Wayneright (played by our newest Secretary of State) is Roger's assistant. Introduced in Act:01 as Dorothy Soldano, daughter of rich industrialist Miguel Soldano, she is later revealed to be an android constructed by him. Her actual "father" would be Timothy Wayneright, the man who commissioned her construction and father of the real Dorothy Wayneright. To show her gratitude, and as a form of payment for Roger's help, she decides to move in with him and help out Norman with the chores."

Is it any coincidence that the show finished it's run on January 19, 2000??? Yes....but I'm pretending it isn't.

It's my birthday!!! I'm allowed to make ridiculous inferences!!!!

EVERYONE WATCH BIG O!!!!!!!! Roger Smith is an m-fing BADASS!

I've Finally Crossed Over

2009-01-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

The inevitable day that I swore would never happen has happened......I actually found a video game that I just don't want to ever stop playing.

Seriously. I played the same game for 12 hours yesterday. Stopping to eat dinner not because I was hungry, but because Mayama thought I should eat something. Same thing with sleeping. I had to MAKE myself do it. I had ALL SORTS of things to get done this weekend. And I did none of them. I just sat there. And played my game.

I even WANTED to watch the football game that was on. And the NCAA ACC Sunday night game. I did neither, even though they were on. I just sat there. And played.

What game is this??? Harvest Moon DS Cute.

I'm not sure if it's just THAT particular Harvest Moon game, or the idea of a farming/dating simulation game..........but I don't ever want to stop. EVER.

Maybe it's a good thing dating sims DON'T end up in the US. Maybe this is how Japan has so many hikkikomori NEET otaku kids.

A quote: "Right. I've fallen into the one percent chance of being involved in an actual conspiracy." --Tatsuhiro Satou (Welcome to the NHK ep. 1)

It's true.

I've failed at my mission.

Mai HiME!!!! That's how you spell it!

2009-01-10T13:19:00.001-08:00

I got this. Quizilla no longer seems to give me code to post....lame.

Your Result

Midori Sugiura
-- You are Midori Sugiura, funky and talkative, but also clever person. People tend to like you, and even if you have a completely opposite attitude, you never really want to hurt anyone.
Midori loves beer and never refuses from a good party.
As Midori you also have the duty of a HiME... --

In an attempt to play catch-up

2008-11-26T12:27:00.000-08:00

So, I have this list on the right-hand side of my blog that contains anime series I've been meaning to watch. I assure you all, that I am slowly making my way through it. SLOWLY.

That said, I've been doing what I can to watch Ai Yori Aoshi lately. I've reached disc 4 of 5 (meaning I watched the first 15 episodes) and it's still ok. It's not awesome. Just ok. I purchased it from Half-Price Books....so I didn't spend a lot of money on it. Which is good, because it's not worth a lot of money to me. It may have been better to just get it from Netflix and leave it at that. But I suppose it's ok this way, since then the convention circuits can watch it if they want to. It's a harem anime....which I always feel mildly disgusted at myself for liking. But this one at least is different. It's cute. I LIKE the main character...and he's not a skeevy perv. He remains dedicated and devoted to his girl of choice for the duration of the series. In fact, from the very beginning I knew he was different than other harem heroes.....BECAUSE HE WASN'T A HELPLESS DWEEBY LOSER!!! He was just a regular college kid doing regular college kid things trying not to get involved with his rich family who he upped and left, when he stopped to help this girl in the train station who seemed lost. And then he ended up with a childhood friend fiancee. And he actually liked her. And he was nice to her. And respectful. And he continues to be nice and respectful and loving to her.....even though all sorts of girls try to get him in all sorts of situations. It's great...because no matter what he does, Aoi (his fiancee) trusts that he's doing what he says he is and that he has no bad intentions.....AND IT'S TRUE!!! Thank the anime gods for Kaoru Hanabishi.

Further reviews at series end will be found on my website at Cranberry Jam--Anime Reviews (Ai Yori Aoshi)

It's totally no fun knowing stuff when you can't TELL anyone!!!

2008-11-25T08:35:00.000-08:00

OH EM EFF GEE you guys!!!!!

I read the latest chapter (78) of NANA today (I totally expected her to end this at chapter 77, but it doesn't look like it's ending any time soon). It's like a freaking addiction....I thought to myself before I was leaving this morning, "I wonder if the next chapter is translated yet. I shouldn't check because I'll read it and then it will skew my day. But if I don't check now I won't remember later. I'll check and then leave the page up." And I did. And then I read it. And at one point in those 35 pages I actually gasped, made a squeaky noise, and said, "No f*ing WAY!"...even though no one was home. THAT'S how good it was.

And now I want to talk about it with someone!!!!!!!! It's like when I read Fruits Basket 18 like 2 YEARS before it came out in the US and then I had to keep it all hush hush and I was like.....BUT I KNOW A SECRET!!!!!!!!!

If anyone out there has read NANA ch. 78.....leave me a message and we'll talk. Because OMG I want to talk!

Meme stuff...from LJ

2008-11-03T12:46:00.000-08:00

For those of you who only read one or the other....

* Post a list of up to 25 books/movies/anime/TV shows/video games/whatever that you've had an obsessive fannish love or interest in at some time in your life.
* Have your f-list guess your favorite character from each one.

1. FLCL
2. Dawson's Creek
3. Honey and Clover--Ayumi Yamada (guessed by Jackie)
4. Gravitation
5. Growlanser II
6. Full Metal Panic
7. Fullmetal Alchemist--Winry Rockbell (guessed by Jackie)
8. Saiyuki
9. The Dark is Rising Series
10. Neon Genesis Evangelion--Misato Katsuragi (guessed by Jackie)
11. NANA
12. Descendants of Darkness
13. X/1999
14. Cowboy Bebop
15. Hana Kimi
16. The Prince of Tennis
17. Boys Over Flowers
18. Gundam SEED
19. Donnie Darko
20. Almost Famous
21. Lord of the Rings
22. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
23. Great Expectations
24. Sensual Phrase
25. Ghost Hunt

I wanted to write a review for the website, but it's late and html takes too much time

2008-09-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

So I watched the first disc of .hack//SIGN tonight. While eating fajitas that I made with all the excess onions and peppers I got from my CSA quarter share, but that's not important. The premise of .hack (the whole MMORPG world and being mind-trapped in the game) seemed weird and not interesting to a person like me (being avidly outspoken about MMORPGs), but the music is done by Yuki Kajiura and is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL...giving this one of the best scores I've heard in a show in a LOOOOOOOONG time. In fact, there's an option on the DVD extras to just watch the episodes with no dialog and just the isolated score. Which would be interesting to do, but possibly only with the aid of mind-altering substances if you were trying to do it for any length of time...... In addition to the score, the character design was done by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto of Evangelion fame, and the screenplay was by Kazunori Ito who wrote Ghost in the Shell. So overall, I felt like this should be at least good to listen to and look at.

And it holds to that. The art, especially the backgrounds, is gorgeous, and there's this amazingly awesome music going on all the time. It's a really neat experience. And the character designs are pretty good, though not as revolutionarily awesome as I had hoped. But the story is weird. Just weird. I was actually laughing at it. It takes itself WAAAAAAY too seriously. I mean, I guess it might be better if I were someone who didn't think MMORPGs were a bane on society in the first place, but even then this show is 100% unbelievable. For one thing, they assume you know a lot about the premise of the series, what's going on, and the actual game it's based off of. I guess I largely assumed that we would start out with a little experience of the characters in the real world living their lives and then logging on to the game....but we don't. We're just in the game with no explanation as to who these people are, what they're doing, or really even what the point of the game is. I still don't think I know that last part. So, after this non-explanation, I'm supposed to believe that somehow our main character is just mind-locked into the game because he's not actually sitting at a computer console so he can't even hard reset to get out. It's fine, I guess, but it's not very believable. And then everyone seems to make a big fuss over it, and they try to capture him. And somehow he's got this crazy guardian thing that kills people who try to oppose him.....it's all a bit weird. And the dialog is horrendous and forced. I guess that's maybe the only appeal I can see to watching this with the isolated score......at least you won't have to listen to these people talk. Many people say that the negative criticism of this sort is because of the slow pacing and charater-driven storyline, but I generally like that sort of thing, and I really just find the dialog horrendous. I mean, I appreciate the fact that the story advances by the characters interacting through conversation, but if you're going to do that, at least make the conversation easy to listen to. It's pretty awful as it is.

Anyway, I'll watch more of it....though it seemed to take FOREVER to get through 5 episodes. I marginally care what happens to this kid and why he's stuck in this game. No harm in finding out....especially if I can listen to more of the awesome score.

Yay for NANA

2008-09-07T16:42:00.001-07:00

Which NANA character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Junko

For some reason all your friends, except your boyfriend, end up being like your own childs. Always taking care of them and yelling at them when they make mistakes, but you also give good advise and are a kind person who truly worries for those you love.
Don't change, everybody needs someone like you in their lives!

Junko

83%

Ren

67%

Nobu

67%

Takumi

58%

Reira

58%

Yasu

42%

Nana

42%

Shin

33%

Hachi

33%

Naoki

33%

Because I've been up since 4 and this seems interesting

2008-09-07T04:26:00.000-07:00

Not that I think any of you will do this, but a friend of mine had it on her blog and it seemed fun.

Pick a fandom, and I'll tell you which character(s) I would
1. bake cupcakes for:
2. trust with the keys to my car (if I had a car):
3. put thumbtacks on their chair:
4. have a crush on:
5. pack up and leave if they moved next door:
6. vote for President:
7. pick as my partner in a buddy movie:
8. pair up:
9. vote off the island and into the volcano:
10. wheedle into fixing my MP3 player:

That said....try to pick things I'm at least reasonably well-acquainted with. But go to town.

Here's another one! This one I will do without prompting from my non-readers.

1. Pick 10 of your favorite anime.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each anime.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Fill in the title once it's guessed.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions to answer!

1. What are you getting so excited about? Mixing it up means enjoying yourself at the beach. Licking refers to yummy soft serve ice cream. Banging means hustling at the mole-hitting game.
2. ~~Somehow, this has turned into a fighting anime.~~ Fruits Basket
3. ~~Native girl must stop!~~ FLCL
4. Lay off, I'm as normal as they come and this is a contest of freaks. What do you want me to do, fire my slingshot at him?
5. ~~Most things get better when I kick them...~~ Cowboy Bebop
6. A whole block, was it? An Island? Blowing people's mistakes out of proportion is so much fun, isn't it?
7. I saw the bulletin board, your underwear's pretty tacky.
8. Even if you're tall, scary is scary.
9. I'll wager the A-lunch on him not making it back.
10. I think it's alright. There's lots of soul in it. And we get to see up your skirt! (That's actually from the manga cause I couldn't find any quotes from the anime)

Ok kids....guess away.

AMV!!!!!

2008-05-23T05:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry I took so long to post this. It's actually been on YouTube for quite some time now. Regardless....here's our most recent AMV. Featuring The Prince of Tennis and yet another song by The Decemberists. We'll try to use a different band next time. Maybe.

Regardless....here it is! And it's silly.

Taking CLAMP quizzes!!!

2008-05-16T08:56:00.001-07:00

Mayama put this in the top 100 best things he's seen ever

2008-04-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Bob-san for passing this on. It's pretty awesome.

The Next One......featuring Adam Park

2008-04-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

At least I get to go to Wisconsin.

This weekend will be No Brand Convention in Eau Claire, WI. I'm mostly going because their biggest guest is a man near and dear to my heart....Mr. Johnny Yong Bosch (AKA Adam Park, the Black Ranger......oh yeah and a lot of voices for insignificant anime characters like Vash the Stampede and Kurosaki Ichigo). Being the fan of Power Rangers that I was in my youth (high school is still youth!), I knew I HAD to be there for this one. And then, I fortuitously managed to get myself a BECK record square signed by ALL the cast except Johnny Yong Bosch (he plays Saku, the drummer)....so now I will ask him to sign it, and the collection will be complete! And it will go back to looking gloriously down at the living room.

No Brand, from what I hear, is kind of a chilled out kinda con. Which will be good after the chaos of Detour, but a little weird in that I'm a bit worried about finding stuff to do. Which I don't think should be the case at an anime convention. At least not if you're someone like me. But we shall see......

Cosplay will be fun though. I'm going as Tezuka "Hot Guy" Kunimitsu (you know him, you love him):and Mayama will be Inui "Rec Specs" Sadaharu (only the non-uniform version. The version where he's helping coach the team):Our newest AMV will debut at No Brand as well, so we'll be able to upload it and post it here as soon as the con is over. Start getting excited now!!!!!

In other news, I've been working on getting some of the things that are on my list (displayed to the right on the main page), but I haven't had time to watch them because I've been getting ready for the con. Hopefully I'll be able to talk about them soon. It's come to my attention that a lot of the things on this list were Geneon titles.....which are now freaking hard to get for less than 60 dollars a pop. We're working on what we can.....Netflix will have to help with the rest. Thus far I've acquired Martian Successor Nadesico (discs 1 and 2), Daphne in the Brilliant Blue (disc 1), and The Legend of Black Heaven (complete). We also picked up the new Makoto Shinkai release 5 Centimeters per Second. I'm a big fan of Beyond the Clouds and Voices of a Distant Star, so I think this will also be good. I'm looking forward to ALL of those things. And to Code Geass starting on AdultSwim next weekend!!! Yay for taping stuff!!!

With that....I shall go to bed. And think about stuff I've forgotten to pack and need to remember tomorrow, and likely some form of a coming apocalypse.....since that's what I seem to do lately.

AnimeDetour has led me to this.....

2008-04-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

So, I came out of the convention with a renewed love interest in some series that I hadn't really been involved with for a while, but have a deep love for. Namely, X TV (and the associated manga). The thing with X is.....I really hate CLAMP (the manga circle responsible for X). Or at least, I think I hate CLAMP. I will say that their character design for pretty much everything but X and Tsubasa Chronicle (we'll get to that later) looks HIDEOUS to me. And then they're responsible for such things as Chobits, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Magic Knights Rayearth. Which are fine if they're your thing (I guess), but they certainly aren't mine. I dislike pretty much ALL magic girl, I'm not the biggest fan of mecha, and Chobits.................there aren't even WORDS for Chobits. But X......X is completely different. For starters, it doesn't involve any crazy, messed-up "Clamp world" or characters that you have to have seen their other shows to understand...which makes X much more stand-alone for me, and makes me able to watch it. The other thing is that the characters, while Clamp-y (that's a technical term), are rather nice to look at. One in particular..........In fact, one of the best looking boys in all of anime and manga.......Mr. Fuma Monou. He makes me happy. That and X is interesting......I mean, it's REALLY interesting. Dragons of Heaven vs. Dragons of Earth and the battle for the end of the world. Good stuff. And the main character is a total badass (at first, until he turns into an emo bitch about things). X is good stuff. So I spent some time at the con and after the con watching X and reading the X manga, and then I took a trip to Best Buy to see about getting the last volume of the FMA boxsets.....but..............FMA was $40, and I just didn't want to pay that much for it, so I looked around. And......the absolutely GORGEOUS artbox for Tsubasa Reservoir (I never remember which letters are supposed to be in caps, so I'm ignoring them) Chronicle that I had been admiring for about 9 months now was only 13 dollars. So I bought it......to support my friends in the industry. As I said before....I LOVE the art in Tsubasa. I think it's beautiful. And Kinya did the opening themes, and Yuki Kajiura did the music......I've ALWAYS wanted to watch Tsubasa, even though it IS CLAMP. Mayama kept telling me not to watch it because it was Clamp-y and jumped around between the Clamp worlds and brought in all sorts of characters from their other shows (I mean, the main female is really just a grown-up Cardcaptor Sakura) and I would get confused....so I never watched it. Until last night. And (granted after only one episode) I'm SO glad I bought it. The art, the music, everything is AMAZING........it's an extremely visually appealing show to watch, and I think the storyline has promise. I'm very happy with it right now. At the same time, Mayama bought the first disc of xxxHolic (which has nothing to do with porn). The art is EVER so Clamp-y (WHY WHY WHY WHY does the main character have like a 10 inch waist, a 40 inch inseam, and GIGANTIC feet and hands?), which makes it hard for me to watch, and it has these OBNOXIOUS little girl things that make me think about Chobits and want to hurt people. But the dialogue is funny and the story is a bit intriguing, so I'll keep trying to give it a go.

Bottom line here........I now own 3 things by CLAMP. It's a bit scary, but I'm happy to be expanding my world a bit more. Stay tuned for the official date of CLAMPFEST 2008 , where we will view all of these shows--plus whatever anyone else has by CLAMP--over the course of a weekend. I'm actually starting to get excited.

It's a crazy world

2008-04-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

I cross-posted again.....sorry.

A few updates really quickly in the midst of the whirlwind that is the week before a convention. And really.......the week before a convention that starts a long string of me not having weekends to myself, but that's neither here nor there I suppose. This weekend will be the prestigious AnimeDetour in scenic Bloomington, Minnesota......and it will be fun, although long days. And, since I'm on staff, it will require me to sacrifice my Thursday night for the good of the masses, as well, in that immediately following work tomorrow, I will proceed to the Ramada MoA (which is one of my favorite places in the world) for setting up of things. On the bright side, I'll get to meet with our elite guests.........a little perk for having to work my ass off while everyone else has fun. Although, I suppose, that's not necessarily true. I mean, I'm on marketing staff, so really all of my work has been done ever since the programming guide came out. Which means I mostly just get to enjoy myself at this con. And enjoy myself I will. I'm also a panelist yet again.....bringing the masses a bit deeper into the wonderful world of yaoi.....in a much less structured format that will likely include an always entertaining Greg Ayres.

But really, the point here is to introduce you all to the brand new me......the me who looks scarily like Hyde........even more so than before. O-to-san ga suki!!! (for a better finish start with Hyde) At any rate, it's for my costume for Detour, wherein Brian and I will be cosplaying Kei (Hyde)

and Shou (Gackt)

from the Emmy-nominated (in the WTF was Gackt thinking category) vampire film, Moon Child. Taiwanese gangster, future vampires even.

Therefore.............I cut off all my hair. That's right kids......all of it. And now, for the before and after (so you can make a comparison with just how scary much I look like Hyde..........

Pre-cut:

and....post-cut:

There you have it kids.........the craziest thing I've ever done for cosplay. Do I miss my hair??? Yes. Do I like my new hair??? Yes.

Bonus (sorta): It also doubles as short-haired Riza Hawkeye of FMA fame (at least for now), which would be great if I had bought the FMA military uniform from the Cospatio in Akihabara instead of my beloved Ouran Jacket.

The best shirt EVER

2008-03-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the cross posting between this site and my other site (for those of you reading both), but I felt like this should be brought to as wide of an audience as possible.

So Mayama got bored while I was putting away clothes and he started looking at things on the internet. Whilst there, he stumbled upon what I have now deemed to be the best T-shirt in the entire world. You can get it from Jinx.com and it looks like this:

Pretty damn sweet, eh???????

Happy Birthday Syusuke Fuji......

2008-02-29T19:34:00.000-08:00

.......now you are 6.

To commemorate the appropriately weird birthday of the tensai (and hot guy second in command) of Seishun Gakuen Tennis Club...........a photo collage of our very own "Squints".

And afterward.......a photo preview of our upcoming Prince of Tennis AMV.

Happy Birthday tennis prodigy squints!!!!!!!!!

And...........to preview the AMV........

Omedato tanjobi Fuji-san!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not Dir, but it will do

2008-02-14T05:33:00.001-08:00

That's all.

Hearts!

おとさんおめでとたんじょび!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-29T05:23:00.000-08:00

Which translates to: Oto-san, omedeto tanjobi. Which translates to Happy Birthday Oto-san. January 29th is Hyd-o oto-san's birthday!!! This year he's 39!!!!!!!!! And he still looks 26!!!! Anyway, for your enjoyment, the PV of one of the new songs (they released a new album, Kiss, in November.) I've pasted the words (in romaji, English, and Kanji) below, so you can read what this beautiful song is saying AND watch how pretty my to-san is!!!!!!

Enjoy your Hyde for today everyone!

Words are:

Romaji

nee konna katachi no deai shika nakatta no? kanashii ne
anata ni shindemo ayamete hoshiku mo nai onegai
unmei sae nomikomare shizumisou na umi e to

negai yo kaze ni notte yoake no kane wo narase yo
tori no you ni My wishes over their airspace
musuu no nami wo koe asu e tachimukau anata wo mamoritamae
My life I trade it for your pain
arasoi yo tomare!

nee hito wa doushite kurikaeshi ayamachi wo kasaneteku?
shinka shinai dare ni mo nagareru kono chi ga daikirai
honnou de sabakiau dare no demo nai daichi de

sumiwataru mirai ga kita nara kusabana mo heiki ni yadoru darou
My wishes over their airspace
dareka yuriokoshite warui yume kara samashite yo
kanau no nara My life I trade it for your pain
dore dake inoreba ten ni todoku?

ima asayake ga unabara to watashi wo utsusu

negai yo kaze ni notte yoake no kane wo narase yo
tori no you ni My wishes over their airspace
musuu no nami wo koe asu e tachimukau anata wo mamoritamae
My life I trade it for your pain
furimukazu habatake kono omoi wo hakonde ano sora wo tondeku
mirai wa dare ni mo uchiotosenai

English-

Hey, is it that I could only meet you in such a situation? It's sad.
Even should it cost my life, I don't want you to kill. Please...
The destiny is being engulfed deep into the sea

Please, ride on the wind and ring the daybreak's bell
Like a bird, my wishes over their airspace
Cross the countless waves. You are facing the future. Go to protect you now.
My life I trade in for your pain
Stop the fight now!

Hey, why do human beings keep repeating their sins?
I hate this blood that flows in everyone's body without any evolution.
Judging one another with their instincts, in this land that belongs to no one

If a clear future should come, even flowers can reside on the weapons.
My wishes over their airspace
Would someone please wake you up. Wake up from this nightmare now
If my dream should come true, My life I trade in for your pain
How long should I pray until it could reach the sky?

Now the first sunlight shines over the ocean and me

Please, ride on the wind and ring the daybreak's bell
Like a bird, my wishes over their airspace
Cross the countless waves. You are facing the future. Go to protect you now.
My life I trade in for your pain
Fly high without turning back, take this wish with you and fly across the sky
This future won't be brought down by anyone.

Kanji-

ねえこんな形の出逢いしかなかったの？悲しいね
あなたに死んでも殺めて欲しくも無いお願い
運命さえ飲み込まれ沈みそうな海へと

願いよ風に乗って夜明けの鐘を鳴らせよ
鳥のように My wishes over their airspace
無数の波を超え明日へ立ち向かうあなたを守りたまえ
My life I trade in for your pain
争いよ止まれ！

ねえ人はどうして繰り返し過ちを重ねてく？
進化しない誰にも流れるこの血が大嫌い
本能で裁き合う誰のでもない大地で

澄み渡る未来が来たなら草花も兵器に宿るだろう
My wishes over their airspace
誰か揺り起こして悪い夢から覚ましてよ
叶うのなら My life I trade in for your pain
どれだけ祈れば天に届く？

今朝焼けが海原と私を映す

願いよ風に乗って夜明けの鐘を鳴らせよ
鳥のように My wishes over their airspace
無数の波を超え明日へ立ち向かうあなたを守りたまえ
My life I trade in for your pain
振り向かず羽ばたけこの想いを運んであの空を飛んでく
未来は誰にも撃ち落とせない

Happy (Early) Birthday to Me!!

2008-01-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

For those of you reading this before Sunday.......pretend it's not Sunday yet. And that it's my birthday. Which gives me the right to do whatever I want.

And what I want is to say.................................................................

........................................................................HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!

Thank you.........Captain Kunimitsu "Hot Guy" Tezuka. You make everything a little bit better.

By Request

2008-01-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

For those of you out there wondering, here's a picture of cosplay.

Really, I've got a LOT of pictures of cosplay. All of them cataloged by event or character. And I have these ever so ambitious intentions to create a photo hosting site with all of them on, but come on, we all know I don't actually do anything.

In other news.....I've been watching TeniPuri a lot. We now own the first 50 episodes, so we're what, like a tenth of the way through buying the show. I exaggerate.....I hope. In reality I have no idea how many episodes there are. With my historical disdain for tennis, one might wonder how I've managed to be so obsessive about this show, and the answer is........it's actually really entertaining. It might help that the boys are pretty. OK, it definitely helps that the boys are pretty. It also helps that the main character is sassy. I like sassy characters. It doubly helps that because I think that there are too many characters to keep track of, I've just named them by a description of what they look like/act like (with the exception of the main character and the guy with the easy name) . Which makes watching the show fun when every time someone calls one of them by name, you replace it with the describer. A la......Captain Hot Guy. This works for their special moves, which often have their names in them (Hot Guy ZOOOOOONE!) as well. Also, we've created the Seigaku regulars team on our Wii Sports and frequently pair them against each other (or as doubles partners) in knock-down, drag-out WiiTennis (Wiinis) matches. Some of them (Ryoma, Rec Specs, Squints, and Hot Guy) are getting pretty good. Rec Specs is going to go pro soon I think. Also........the nature of 9 guys all playing that closely with each other (and the oh so subtle differences in their interactions in the manga) lend themselves nicely to yaoi doujinshi......... That's all I'll say on the subject.

We're making a Prince of Tennis AMV currently, though, which will hopefully be released at the beginning of April. It involves graphic design and the skillz in Adobe Premiere that I learned from the radio station. And it's silly. Get excited.

I, too, can create!

2007-12-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

Hey all. In my continued effort to be artistic, I've got two new projects for you to check out. One is the super awesome Anime Music Video that some of you may remember Mayama and I working on to premiere at Geek.Kon 2007. It's finally being hosted on the internet (in two places....YouTube and animemusicvideos.org) so I thought I'd take the liberty of embedding it here for you to watch. Because if you don't put it on your own blog, where DO you put it???

Anyway, the song is Grace Cathedral Hill by The Decemberists. The anime is FLCL. What we tried to do with this video is bring out the heart and soul of FLCL, beyond all the innuendo, the crazy randomness, the alien life forms, the giant robots, and use this especially artistically sad song to pull out the theme that runs strong through FLCL (which apparently a LOT of people can't see) about how much it sucks to grow up. This song is actually pretty sad (in that beautiful way that makes me happy) and so is FLCL when you get to its core. I've watched it enough times to get under the Gainax, wtf is going on, mask...and that show is a beautiful piece of animation.

So.........here is our first (in a hopefully long line of) indie rock AMV.

Second thing.......writing the text for the comic. I don't have a lot of it typed in, and I haven't even really started to think about the art, but it's Yukino and Mayama as we see ourselves in a shoujo comic about high school.......and we like it. You can read the text on the internet at keihime.livejournal.com

Pretty Boys on a Sunday

2007-11-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

I've been watching a lot of Ghost Hunt.....we'll get in to that later. But I was wondering to myself the other day, what am I going to watch after Ghost Hunt? And as I was updating the Bishonen of the month (and since Mayama turned on X for me to watch while I was sleeping the other day), I've decided that the answer will be......X TV. That's right.....I'm delving in to the frightening world of Clamp. But I will do it with beautiful, beautiful boys. And so, I took a pre-emptive quiz to find out who I'm most like. I like taking quizzes before I know anything about characters......it doesn't skew my answers. Anyway.....here's what I got. We'll see if it's true after I watch the series. But, check out the bishonen of the month this month if you like pretty emo boys like I do.

Which CLAMP X Dragon of Heaven are You?

You are Nekoi Yuzuriha.
Take this quiz!

Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

Ai Yazawa Makes Me Want to Be Friends With Art Students

2007-10-03T07:14:00.001-07:00

First Nana, now ParaKiss. Ok—so actually, the other way….first ParaKiss THEN Nana, but that’s not how I read them…..

So, I’ve come to the end of the first volume of a series oft mentioned by Mayama—Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa. I had scoffed at it for a long while, because the cover designs looked weird. And because it was about fashion design. FASHION DESIGN!!!! Come on here! Although, after spending a weekend lovingly (and poorly) hand-sewing together the shirt portion of my Haruhara Haruko costume for Geek.Kon this weekend, I’m realizing (once again) that I’m more artistic than I think I am. That is to say, I can copy a pre-existing design. But I digress…

After reading Nan monthly (or….whenever I got to it) in the ShojoBeat, I began to really get into it. I identified with the characters (both of them in some ways, but more Nana K. than Nana O.), it was a good story, it got inside my emotions….manga that can do that is manga I can get behind. And so, since I felt like I needed to prepare as much as possible for the shoujo manga panel I’m sitting on at Geek.Kon….I read ParaKiss volume 1. And oh boy has it gotten into my emotions. So, here I am, living in this big city….working downtown…in the heart of the urban jungle….and I’m reading about this regular girl who by chance runs into a group of fashion design students at the art college--a recurring locale in Yazawa-sensei’s manga--and how her world is changed. Now honestly, being here and working downtown Minneapolis was already making me want to dress/look/be more urban……more cool, more stylish, more sophisticated….more fashion channel, really. And now this. Now I want to be friends with exciting, weird, quirky, fashionable art students. Or something. I want to go out on the town. Meet people for tea in a café. Find the cool yet offbeat outfit at the thrift stores and dress myself totally….different. I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe it just means it’s time for a new haircut or something to start with. But from there….moving on to thinking about different ways I can combine the things I already have to somehow look less regular and more….hipster. In a way. I know that word has ALL SORTS of bad connotations to it….but I think it’s the one I need to use. Hopefully you understand. Making a new Yukino while still keeping the OLD Yukino. You know?

I’ll write a proper website review of this series too….I’m glad I picked it up. I’m sorry I hated on it for so long. Ai Yazawa, congratulations—you’ve once again stirred up things in me that are often left untouched. And I thank you for it.

Oh my GOD!!!!!!!!!

2007-09-18T20:41:00.001-07:00

I think I've orgasmed myself. To quote one of the fangirls in Kaikan Phrase....."He totally ruins my panties. I'm not kidding."

O-to-san!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And this is my favorite song....well some days it's my favorite....but it's definitely the one where his voice is the sexxxxxiest!!

And here's a URL to another one that I think is good. It's artsy, it fits the tone of the song REALLY well, and it's a song that I totally like. It's Suneohair, and it's the end theme from Hatchimitsu to Clover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICiXmSo5sUw

And....for more of my Hideto Takarai......doing what he does best and being pretty......go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzQn3JfeJcg

AAAHH! AAAHH!! GET IT OFF!! GET IT OFF!!

2007-08-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

Well. I've done it. And I've done it of my own accord. 'What is this blasphemy?', you ask (Ok, so you didn't, but it sounds better if you do). I've begun watching GUNDAM. Of all the dirty nerd things to do, I had to go and pick that one. I blame Anime Central. And the KMK. Ok, so the story is like this. I took a trip to a nice little anime gathering by the name of Anime Central in the great crappy city of Chicago, IL. Once there, I got really exciting for all the super amazingly awesome programming I was about to see.....AAAANNND I found out there wasn't much. At least not when we first arrived. So, the KMK really loves him his GUNDAM. So, we went to the "Tracing the ridiculous history of MSG throughout the years and a lot of stuff that people who don't care about MSG totally don't care about" panel. While I was standing in the back waiting for all the jokes I didn't get and references I didn't WANT to get to stop, the panelists began talking about Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. And I couldn't help but notice that for 2002 the animation certainly looked pretty. It seemed also like all the Gundam kids hated those series....which meant they were probably pretty ok for someone like me. Because, I dunno, *gasp* they might actually have deeper character relationships and storyline than just, "hey, lets beat the crap out of each other with these giant robots, okay?!" "Okay!!" I mean, I don't know, maybe GUNDAM isn't really like that, maybe I just think it is. I've been incorrectly biased before (once, but that was a long time ago, and we hardly ever speak of it). Regardless, I kept seeing this mysterious Gundam Seed Destiny at the Buy that is Best, and I found myself actually wanting to buy it. ME. I wanted to BUY GUNDAM!!! What is going ON with the world. When I talked to the KMK about it, he said it was ok, but it was mostly recycled animation, so it wasn't really worth it. It was at this point that I reminded him that if you've never actually SEEN the original animation, it's not really recycled in your eyes. He admitted the truth in that, and then agreed that it might be ok for me to watch. Thanks...GUNDAM kids can be so forgiving sometimes.

Regardless...Mayama and I ran into The Voice at said Buy that is Best, one day, and I was again looking at the MSGSD DVDs lamenting that they never have vol. 1 there (knowing that I probably shouldn't buy volume 1 even if they DID have it there) and he said to me that before watching GSD, I should first watch MSGS (That's Seed before Seed Destiny for those of you keeping score at home). Which is all fine and good, except that it means I now need to acquire even MORE DVDs. Gundam Seed is 10 discs long too....so that's great. But THEN.....doing what he does best....The Voice informs me that he has all of these DVDs that I need to obtain, and that I can obtain them from him and watch them at my leisure. And so....obtain them I have. And I've now begun watching (though I'm only on episode 4...it's slow going since I'm easing myself into it and it's hard to watch more than 2 episodes at a time. That and I have to wait for Mayama and I'm gathering quotes as we go, so I don't really like to watch it while eating since it's better to have a hand free). For my initial thoughts....please visit my review at: Cranberry Jam--Anime Review (Gundam Seed)

That's all for now. Time to do a mass quantity of web updates. PS. If anyone has any suggestions for who they'd like to see as Bishounen of the Month, fire them at me. I'm starting to run out of ideas.

Ashita.....Mitsuwa maaketo natsu matsuri!!!! Should be a good time. I'ma drink ramune, break a watermelon, and wear a yukata!

Yukino to the internets!

Lots of anime goodness........and video games too

2007-07-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so from the post title it sounds like I'm going to talk about a lot of things. And I have a lot of things I could talk about. But for now, let's start with the most recent thing I've seen..........Paprika.

I went to see this at the new, wanky, swanky, ridiculously overpriced Sundance 608 near my house. My only comment there is, if you're going to charge me $3 extra dollars for an "assigned seating fee" then maybe it would be easier if you just didn't have assigned seats. But.....I'm done with that, let's talk about anime. I have to admit, the thing I'm most familiar with of director Satoshi Kon's is Paranoia Agent (though I did watch Tokyo Godfathers once a rather long time ago when it was on my on-demand cable). He's definitely got a unique style, and it was once again evident in Paprika. The most noteable thing is this......character design isn't exactly PRETTY, but it is well done. One more thing to say on that subject is that it is amazingly well (more-or-less) hand drawn/colored/animated. That is to say that there are really not many (if any) studios out there that don't use computers to color their cels once they're drawn. BUT.....the biggest thing about movies/series done by Satoshi Kon is the storyline. Always slightly creepy or disconcerting, they really make you think. That said, I don't know that there's much I can say about this movie. I'm a believer that if they don't creep you out to no end (Paranoia Agent, I'm looking at you here), you really have to watch his stuff many times before you could claim to understand what it's all about. Maybe it's just me, but that's how I've felt every time. I can say a few things. I love the main character......I love that Megumi Hayashibara does her voice. I also love one of the male characters a lot, so I'm sad that he kinda lets me down in the end, while still sort of redeeming himself. The characters that end up together were TOTALLY not what I expected. But really, that's not the point of the movie. The point is that the "main character" male is trying to figure out why he has this weird dream that he keeps having.......and everyone else is trying to figure out why peoples' dreams are turning into real life, and exactly what is going on. I'm not sure exactly what was going on, but it was a good movie and you should go see it.

I've also been playing Wii lately....namely RedSteel (super stupid gameplay) and Resident Evil 4 "Wiidition". Don't know why I've been so into video games lately, but I'm sure Mayama will happily ride out my desire for games until it goes away.

In other news..........well, there's a lot going on, but I'm not sure I feel like talking about it. Besides, people are here now to cook onigiri and watch anime so it's time for me to go.

I'll try to remember to talk about other things sometime soon.

More......motto..motto..

2007-05-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

What kind of Anime Whore are you?

You are a total cute whore! If a 5 year old owns it you probably do to! tee hee isn't that too adorable!
Take this quiz!

Who's Your Anime Daddy?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

OMG YAY!!!! I got SUCH an awesome answer!!!!

What Ouran Host Club Host Are You?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

That was too obvious of a quiz.

Are you a Protagonist or Antagonist?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

This IS me we're talking about...

What's Your RahXephon Pitch?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.
I wouldn't have minded being Megu

What Yami no Matsuei Character Are You?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.
Tsuzuki is fine. Tatsumi is better.

Tennisu no Ojisama!!!!!

2007-05-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

The first thing you should know is that this series is by Shounen Jump. The second thing you should know is that it's about tennis. The third thing you should know is that it's on Toonami at 9:30 CT on Saturdays. The fourth thing you should know is that it's AWESOME. The fifth thing you should know is that I've made little to no effort to get to know the names of the characters, so I call them all by descriptors of their looks or personality.

With that. Here are my quiz answers.

The Hot Men.

What type of TeniPuri fan are you? (With Pictures! :O)

What Seigaku Regular Are You?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

EDITS (after obsessively watching this show under the guise of making an AMV):

The Yaoi Romance

What type of TeniPuri fan are you? (With Pictures! :O)

I dedicate this 100th post to one of the sexiest people I can think of........

2007-04-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

That might say it all really.

Ok, I'll come clean. I've got a really big thing for Colonel (/Lieutenant Colonel/Brigadier General/Private) Roy Mustang. Of Fullmetal Alchemist fame for those of you living under a rock. A rock where hotness and awesomeness don't reach. That said.....lately I've been OBSESSIVELY consuming FMA at ridiculously rapid rates. Not just because of Roy, because the show is awesome, but mostly because of Roy. What is it about him???? I don't know. He's kind of a douche actually. But...........man that sideways look he gives sometimes is enough to melt a girl's heart. For those of you who haven't met Roy, I suggest you take the time to do so. And after you do that....take some time to listen to his songs, which can only be found on the Fullmetal Alchemist Hagaren Character Songs Best Compilation produced by Aniplex. Once you hear those you'll never look at him the same. THAT I can promise you. Another thing I can promise you is that in Akihabara there exists a veritable shit ton of doujin featuring our military man. And a lot of that exists at my house. And THAT, my friends, makes for a very happy Yukino.

I have really very little to say in this post aside from publicly declaring my love. About the only things I can mention are conventions. 1. Anime Detour where I was Fujioka Haruhi and Mayama was Morinozuka Takashi from Ouran High School Host Club, 2. Anime Central (ACEN) where I will be Otonashi Saya (ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET RED EYE CONTACTS WITH A PRESCRIPTION ON THE CHEAP????? AND ON THE QUICK?????), Mayama will be Haji and Mayama's friend the KMK will be Miyagusuku Kai from Blood+ (There will also be Ouran at this one, as we're teaming up with the UW anime club for maximum nerding), and 3. Geek-Kon which will be in October, is planned in part by me, and will feature Mayama and I in an all Studio Gainax original feature that shouldn't be missed.

Shameless plug over....it's time for dinner and another date with sexy, sexy Roy Mustang. After....this final thought:

Which Fullmetal Alchemist Character are you?

Winry Rockbell
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Why I'm better than pretentious nerds

2007-02-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

BAH!!! Once again anime club has made me angry. I suppose no one should be surprised at that idea, but I'm just saying. It's about the copy of the Death Note movie (1) that I torrented. I too was surprised that I could find a copy that wasn't just a rip from the theater, since I knew that the DVD wasn't out anywhere yet, but the file was 1.08 GB in size and proclaimed itself to be HQ, so I thought I'd give it a try. And oh my gosh did it look beautiful. They weren't kidding in the least on the HQ angle....it's PRETTY. If this thing is a theater rip it's the most impressive theater rip of all times. Everyone should bow down in honor to the person that ripped it. I'm thinking it's either a TV rip or a DVD promo sneak-peek thing. It seems to have some sort of logo faintly in the upper right corner for most of the time, so that makes me think it's a promo/TV thing. The DVD comes out on White Day, so it's not completely unfeasible that someone could get their hands on a copy early and rip it and sub it. Nerd kids are tricky like that. Anyway, where I'm going with this is to the following:

Anime club. We were supposed to watch the movie this week, but thanks to my social life (that's right nerds.....I have a social life. Pay your respects to the club hot girl.) I have to leave before OVA time. Well, I'll be damned if the entire club is watching my Death Note on the projector before I get to, so I asked if we could switch the dates. To which one of the folk (we'll call her P-chan) had something to say. I'll ad-lib the conversation here:

P-chan: "The Death Note movie doesn't come out on DVD until next week anyway so you OBVIOUSLY can't have it and must have an inferior theater rip which OBVIOUSLY sucks so you should wait until it's actually out on DVD to show it to everyone because you shouldn't show them your inferior quality crap and act like you're cooler than me."

Me: "Umm...wait, when does it come out? Do you mean the SECOND movie?? I got a crappy theater rip of the second movie, but the one I have of the first one is really good quality so it doesn't seem like it's a theater rip. I don't know for sure though I guess."

P-chan: "Ummm......I LIVE in JAPAN. That obviously makes me better than you. And OBVIOUSLY means I know way more about the quality of the stuff you have than you do even though you've watched the rip you have before. It comes out in MARCH. So you OBVIOUSLY suck and I'm OBVIOUSLY AWESOME because I LIVE in JAPAN. Did I mention that I LIVE in JAPAN???? You're dumb."

That's about the gist of it. I kindly replied back once again about the quality of the video. If I didn't inexplicably like the club members too much to get kicked off the forums my next response to her would be "shove it up your ass, at least I don't look like a boy."

I need to listen to some J-Rock. Brilliant Green, I think I'm looking your way.

Yukino out

Finally....a song all about us

2007-01-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

lyrics - white & nerdy

Yay!!! "Cept I'm scary. I wish I was shonen.

2006-12-06T22:27:00.000-08:00

Are you a yaoi fangirl?

You're a SCARY yaoi fangirl.
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An Appropriate Title.....All Things Considered

2006-12-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant-Brian Down
Music Video Codes By Music Video Code

The Gift that Keeps on Giving.....Money......to me

2006-12-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

So. We've stumbled into a business venture my friends. And by we, I of course mean Mayama and I. And I of course mean that Mayama stumbled into it. By dumb luck, the same way he does most things. At any rate, until sometime on Sunday, we're the proud parents of a new fledgling PS3......the "Praystation". Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about. In case you're still not sure, let me provide you with a few literature sources to help you understand.

First.....my good friend and source of all information, Tycho Brahe:

"It had been my hope that the stratospheric budgets of this generation would represent the death of exclusivity, a sweet and credulous fantasy made even more unlikely by the capacities of wildly disparate storage mediums. After this E3, it became clear that it was the same old thing again, only now everything costs more. In some cases, a lot more. What I'm trying to say is that costs a lot.

By which I mean that I will never purchase a PS3 at the price they are asking for it. Let Gabriel be your jungle guide through that choked mess. His genetic weakness for consumer electronics means that he must shiver in autumnal midnight lines and haul his quarry home to savor bitter launch titles. I have no such defect.

I consider myself a person who games on the PC primarily, I own multiple consoles because I love games, but primarily because incestuous exclusivity arrangements necessitate it if I am to discuss with you the breadth of the medium. I am an observer of that scene. As such, I can with a glad heart make what I consider to be rational decisions about where a thousand dollars might go. I'm complaining about the US price, now - our friends in the old country are in for even more savage treament. No. It is very clear that they assume we will purchase whatever gunmetal loaf they flop down on the slab. With a song on my lips, I defy them.

I thought four hundred dollars was pretty fucked when we got our 360s. Indeed, I pretty much considered it the ceiling. It should be the ceiling. I'm aware there is a chart out there showing the price of all consoles adjusted for inflation, and where the PS3 lands in the matrix. This would be great if I were buying it with money I used to have, or perhaps spending valuable, inflation adjusted "Future Bucks."

(CW)TB out."

Next.....the good folks at Misinformer. Not that I'm intimately familiar with their works beyond this, but I'm pretty sure it says most of what I need to say on the subject. Granted, this is really really old. Everyone has seen it, but I will copy and paste it no less. Because I believe it needs a good re-reading now that we're actually "living in the moment".

"Without further ado, I proudly present my exclusive interview with Sony Computer Entertainment of Japan's Head of Top Secret Super Lucky Technology, Mr. Johnny Usohappyaku.

Sony: Herro. Thees isa Sony Compyooter Entatainment of Japan. Ret's talk, okay?

misinformer: Hello, what? Um... is this Mr. Usohappyaku? I just received a Playstation 3 in the mail, and I wanted to ask you about...

Sony: Ahh-so! You a super-rucky rucky man, you! We only senda one Praystation 3 to America fora sneek preview, and you at ign.com win rottery! Congraturatons!

mis: Actually this is misin... ign.com, yes. Hi there.

Sony: Herro?

mis: So Mr. Usohappyaku, I can't tell you how excited I am to have this machine in my hands. I could pee myself, I really could. Would you walk me through the new features of the PS3?

Sony: Ah yes. I ama so happy to help you, Mr. Potty man. The Praystation 3 is a super advanced machine of technology. It will confuse and amaze you two times. Rooka at the back of the machine.

mis: I've noticed there are a few thrillingly exotic looking integrated modules on this machine that I've never seen on any console before. What is this first one on the left here labeled "internet?"

Sony: Whaa? Are you a stupid man? It isa internet in the port!

mis: So you mean, you can plug a phone line into it, and play multi-player games online, like with the Dreamcast?

Sony: Dreamcast? Ha ha, funny stupid yankee! You dishonor me with your mention of this Dreamcast. The Praystation 3 does not connect to internet, Praystation 3 CONTAIN the internet. You prugga in the computer to the port, the internet isa all there. We copy it inside machine for fast access.

mis: Wait, so you're saying that you copied every single file on the internet into this box? That doesn't even make any sense! The internet is a constantly changing network of millions of individual machines. How does the PS3 update its so called "internet" if it has no connections to the real network?

Sony: Thasa right. No connections. Praystation 3 get internet from outerspace.

mis: And its power?

Sony: It run on love.

mis: What about the black device on the right labeled "MOD chip!"

Sony: Aaaieee. Why do we bother to label English if you are too stupid and dumb to read and understand!? It is a prug-in MOD chip.

mis: You mean that "game enhancer" that makes it possible to play illegal home-burned copies of games? I don't get it. Why would you make it possible to pirate your own games?

Sony: You Americans, you all are a stealing thief horde of Mongols! We thinking, if we cannot stop you to put irregal chip in machines, you just pay us for chip and we makea more money, right on. Prus, you need to pray all good games Japanese anyway.

mis: Dare I ask what the "Clapper" device built into the center is used for?

Sony: CRAP ON! *CRAP CRAP* CRAP OFF *CRAP CRAP* CRAP ON CRAP OFF, THE CRAPPER! HA HA!

The PS3's multi-media capabilities came through our tests with flying colors. The console not only played an old VHS tape of Perfect Strangers, but also The New Adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley for Gameboy, and a 1972 Clue board game.

mis: Of course. I assume in addition to helping old women turn off their televisions in the middle of the night, the Playstation 3 will also play CDs and DVDs like its antiquated predecessor, the Playstation 2?

Sony: DVD isa old news. The Praystation 3 pray any kind of media.

mis: Well besides DVDs and CDs, what other disc based media is there?

Sony: No, risten: ARR media. Not just disc. It pray DVD, it pray VHS, Beta, it pray SyQuest, it pray record, it pray 8 track, it pray EVERYTHING!

mis: So the PS3 is backwards compatible with all the ancient PS1 and classic PS2 titles?

Sony: Is PS1 and PS2 part of ARR MEDIA?

mis: Er... I suppose so.

Sony: Then it pray! How hard to understand is this, stupid fat man?

mis: Let's change gears and talk about the controller for a minute. This thing really looks fully kick ass! I counted 83 buttons on the device total. Considering the average human has only ten digits, doesn't that many inputs make gameplay almost completely impossible?

Sony: The Praystation 3 hava the most advanced controller ever made. Isa more advanced than controls for Concorde airplane! Its use require discipline and many hours of training with a master. You are young and impulsive. You are a weak germ. You are not worthy of the Praystation 3 controller.

mis: The spec sheet that came in the box claims that each controller costs in the neighborhood of 60,000 Yen. That's 500 dollars! Isn't that a little pricey?

Sony: Oh sure. You whine lazy American. What you build for 500 American dollars? Ford Focus? Ha ha ha!

mis: Touche. This controller does seem to have a lot of... for lack of a better word... crap all over it.

Sony: Ah, yes. Thanka you. The sides Praystation 3 controller have a infa-red frashright for night time playing of the games, prus a bottle opener for opening the beers.

mis: This is one of my favorite innovations of the console so far. If only you had integrated a toilet into the base unit, I'd never leave the couch!

Sony: You no funny. Isa bad scat joke number two. You no talk now no more. You are a suck.

mis: Sorry, my bad. Please continue.

Sony: The PS3 controller also have egg of Sirry Putty and a Rubber Ducky built in.

mis: Are they meant to specially interact with a certain game, like the Samba De Amigo maracas or something?

Sony: No. They just fun. Rubber Ducky, it goes squeek!

mis: There seems to be a mini-game built onto the right wing that's akin to the VMU on Dreamcast.

Sony: Ack! I will bury my fist of fury in your puny skull if you compare mighty PS3 to weak Dreamcast once more! Is not like VMU is better!

mis: How so?

Sony: Because it on console that not suck, that how! Ha ha!

mis: I see. The back of the controller sports a device that I've never seen anything like on any console before. Tell me a little more about JUMBO CLIP^TM technology.

Sony: Some machine, they make you buy extra strategy guide and memory card and game shark to use cheat code, but not a Praystation 3. We have a special input srot on controller that connect paper thin memory units to remember special codes and power ups.

mis: Well, that's totally amazing, not to mention completely retarded. Thank you very much for your time, Mr. Usohappyaku. It's been a pleasure talking with you. I'm going to lord this over my peers for the upcoming months until the PS3 comes out in the States, then for another six months as they all scramble to get their understocked machines from eBay for ludicrously inflated prices.

Sony: You are a great friend and ally. I wish you much happiness with new Praystation 3. For American you are not so stupid. Later jolly potato, see ya."

There you have it folks. And now.....I explain a bit more. Yes, yes there is a Praystation 3 sitting within an easy reach of my left hand right now. It's here. Right here. Sitting here. I contemplated taking it out and plugging the computer into it to see if it's internet is better than Charter's......not that that would be a terribly difficult feat. At any rate.....it's not staying. It was purchased from Best Buy, because they asked us if we wanted it. And really......right now, no, we don't. BUT...........the idiot nerds of the world out there mentioned by Tycho do. And they will pay us for it. On e-bay. Much much much monies. And then, the Rewards coupons will come to me in the mail. And I will get a free $10. And. With the monies we make. We will buy a TV. Also from Best Buy. And then we will get more reward bucks. And then we will get more free things. And by this I mean.....a Wii.....stupid name, infinitely more cost effective system. With.......more amazing game play. Anyone want to challenge me in a samurai showdown????? Yeah......didn't think so.

With love, laughter, and all the nerds' monies,
Yukino

WHEEEEE!!!!

2006-10-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

The answers were neat!

Which Gackt are you most like?

quiz by mcvarmazi

Could they BE more right!!!

2006-10-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

How to make a Yukino

Ingredients:

3 parts friendliness

3 parts arrogance

3 parts energy

Method:
Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Add a little fitness if desired!

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

OMF You guys Death Note movies

2006-10-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

Ok....so I've been reading this here little shonen jump manga (first one ever) called Death Note. It's about a regular, well, really really intelligent high school senior who's dad happens to be a high ranking police investigator, named Light. He finds this shinigami's note book, the Death Note, and discovers that whoever's name he writes in it will die in the way he specified. And so he has fun......killing all these criminals he sees on TV while being of the opinion that he is going to create a perfect society by doing so. He never even has any remorse. And then there's an uprising....and a HUGE investigation to find out who he is.....the mysterious Kira (Japanese for Killer). A creepy as all get out looking detective who no one knows and simply calls himself L takes the case and from there, L and Kira are in a crazy battle of reasoning.....and neither of them knows who the other one is. It's Jump so there are like a billion volumes according to my count while I was in Japan, and it's written for 12 year old boys so the story falls apart a LOT.......but it's somehow managed to subliminally suck out my mind. I'll try not to kill anyone, but if people I know start mysteriously dying of heart attacks, please put me in confinement.

Anyway....the main reason for this post was to tell you the exciting news that the ANIME comes out in Japan starting TUESDAY (which means we can expect fansubs within the month) AND that there are TWO live action MOVIES which look AWESOME and are done by Warner Brothers so we have a prayer that they will come out in some capacity in the states. I saw the trailers and they look awesome.....and so I will link you to them.

Death Note
The Last Name

DEATH NOTE!!!! Be excited...this series owns me right now.

NERDING!!! AT WORK!!!! INTERNET, I MISS YOU!!!!

2006-08-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

If You Ruled the Land . . . by wackyweasel

Your first name:

How you gained your rule:

Your title is:

Your Royal Sexyness

Your symbol is:

a crown, because, um, you wear one

You rule from:

a clear, crystalline palace, and change in the basement

At your side is:

your huge red dragon, Ringo

Your enforcers, troops, and guards are all:

centaurs! They should NOT be so hot . . . oh well!

Your most popular law is:

No more speakers on cars that rattle windows of homes

Your least popular law is:

Electro-shock collars for stupid people

Your worst enemy is:

um, the peasants you oppress?

Your popularity rating is:: 67%

Your chance of being overthrown is:: 98%

Quiz created with MemeGen!

JRock Murder! by i_am_wog
Username
You killed	Aiji [Pierrot]
With	a spatula
Because	you broke a nail
He said	"I'd sure like a soda"
You said	"My name is Mookie."
Did you get caught?	No

Quiz created with MemeGen!

Oh......that made me giggle. AND......it's probably right. If I were in Final Fantasy............................

I NEED to stop doing this at work.......cause I keep laughing. Good thing it's 4PM on a Friday and there are like 4 people here.

JROCK/JPOP FAMILY! by xhidex33

Name

Age

Your mother

You're adopted.. your mom is Shinya

Your father

Hyde

Your sister

Ueto Aya~aww

Your brother

Miyavi

Your lover

Yu~ki~

Your Secret Lover

You're too good for that

Your pet

Tetsu

How well your family gets along: 5%

Quiz created with MemeGen!

Dude....I wish Hyde was my dad. Then my dad would look like a girl. AND be badass. And Tetsu makes a wonderful pet.
This is fun

How will Jrock Kill You? by AristocraticIndigo
Your name
When this occurs	October 23, 2053
What you ended up doing:	Wearing 12" tall shoes
How it killed you	Falling down the stairs
Who ended up taking the blame	Hyde
How many other people have died this way	8,325,636

Quiz created with MemeGen!

See.....Hyde to-san is a sweetie!

For Which JRock Band Will You Kill? by daisuke_Yoshiki
User ID
Least Favorite Color
Reason	The met the band and told them you hated them.
Kill for	L'Arc~en~Ciel
Kill on	July 22, 2016
Number of People Killed	10

Quiz created with MemeGen!

OMG....how appropriate is THAT?!?!

Ok...I'm done for now.

Internet......I miss you.

Good thing I have such a supply of brand new awesome J-Rock to keep me going through those long, lonely, internetless nights.

To the US with love

2006-08-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well, my friends. In 24 hours I will be a mere quarter of the way into a 12 hour flight to the city of the future. That's right.....I'm going to Tokyo. And I'm terrified. I'm sure it will all be ok once I get there (except that we only marginally speak each other's languages and I have no idea what's going on) because Hagen will be there to fix it. Oh I'm so dependent. But man....I hate airplanes. AND I just moved, so even if I weren't trying to hope that I remembered everything I would be freaking out because I don't know where my things are located. Add to this....I'm leaving tomorrow from Chicago, via bus from Milwaukee, via bus in an hour and a half from Madison. GAAAAAAAAAAAAA. So....If I AM missing anything, I won't be able to get it from Madison. I can't even do the appropriate last minute check before I leave. It's leaving me terribly frightened that something is going to go wrong. And then there's the airport. Both navigating O'Hare International Terminal by myself (getting checked in, hoping my bags aren't too heavy and they're not going to let me take them on the plane, dealing with passports, security stuff, getting to where I need to go) AND trying to find Hagen in Tokyo m-fing Narita. In a place where NEITHER of us knows what's going on. Then getting the rail passes exchanged. Then getting to our hotel. I'm not as worried about that part because, again, Hagen will be in it too. And, as crazy as this one sounds, he's a much more calm and rational thinker than I am when he doesn't know what to do. He very rarely lets on that he doesn't know what to do....and he just seems to make sense. Whereas I......well....I freak out. As I am doing now. Very nervous......very very very nervous. Send up some whatever your equivalent of prayers are that it all works out and I get there and cruise the anime city. And also.....that it doesn't send my hopes and dreams and childish ideas crashing to oblivion.

I'll try to update if I can get to the net (which seems like it should be an easy thing to do in the city of the future...and if GiTS told me anything)...otherwise, analog writing of my thoughts will be done and posted later.

Sayonara English-speaking homeland......to the great beyond I go!

Updates

2006-07-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

I have so many f-ing things to do between work/school, finding living arrangements, packing, and finding someone to help me move that I don't even have time for anime. Seriously. Ask Mayama. We've just obtained 2 more Hot Clubs and 3 more Blood+'s that are burning a hole in his pocket. And I won't watch them with him.

I say. We need to expand our relationship beyond "hey let's watch anime." :-p

I did read Saiyuki Reload volume 1 today. It was the same old Saiyuki. Which is good. And there were a lot of hilarious things said. I think that sometime I shall buy it. But....today I bought the Gravitation novel instead. When I have time to read (ie on the plane to Japan) I'll let you know how it is. Though traditionally, novel versions of mangas.....not great. But....I'm very forgiving, especially when it comes to my yaoi, and that goes doubly for Gravi. I mean pretty much it's gonna go......is Yuki in it?? Does he say sweet things to Shuichi?? Ok....it's good.

Mori-sempai

2006-07-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about anime.

For real talk about it. I'm not doing a whole review....I just want to comment on a particular character. This being Takashi Morinozuka (Mori) of the delightfully hilarious and delicious show Ouran High School Host Club (Hot Club...Mayama made a GREAT typo one day. Great and ever so appropriate). Anyway. The entire premise of the show is based around extremely good looking boys. It makes me ever so jealous and covetous. I started out madly in love with the VP of the club (Kyouya Ootori...I think you'll see why. As an aside, he's one of the few bespectacled anime bishounen who I think looks better with his glasses OFF) but as we progress; as each episode ticks by, I fall more and more and more in love with Mori. Strong and EXTREMELY silent Mori. Ok....it started with the episode that he showed Haruhi (the girl...longish story, read the review) that he might actually like her. And from there, all I think is, Mori.........go for it buddy. But, he doesn't. He's too busy worrying about his cousin (Honey-sempai) to the point of masochism. No girl is EVER getting in there. Though, if one did, I'd wish for it to be Haruhi. I know it won't be though, if she's slated for anyone she's slated for Tamaki...the King, as it were. To which I say......if you're not gonna try to get to Mori, then move over and let ME get to Mori.

Seriously folks

2006-06-30T23:54:00.000-07:00

Good to know that other people are getting as tired of waiting for someone to sub episode 33 of Blood+ as I am. I mean, seriously here. 32 left us with a MAJOR cliffhanger and you people can't do anything with it for over a month now??? Plus time is of the essence as the series is getting licensed and will have to be taken down. I mean, I appreciate the work of the fan sub groups, but come on here.

Anyway. From the Blood+ forum threads at Shinsen subs forums. I like nerds with too much time on their hands. They get better as you go down the links list.

http://forum.shinsen-subs.org/index.php?a=topic&t=994&min=735&num=15#p7

http://forum.shinsen-subs.org/index.php?a=topic&t=994&min=750&num=15#p10

http://forum.shinsen-subs.org/index.php?a=topic&t=994&min=750&num=15#p11

http://forum.shinsen-subs.org/index.php?a=topic&t=994&min=765&num=15#p0

http://forum.shinsen-subs.org/index.php?a=topic&t=994&min=765&num=15#p3

No, no...nothing froze over...

2006-06-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!!! I'm posting!

I'm going to TRY to post more often on here. Truth is, random things just aren't happening. I like my job. I'm going to JAPAN!!!!! August 4th through the 14th. I promise to bring back presents. DOUJINSHI PRESENTS!!!!!!!! Yes yes, that's right. Also...if all goes well with placing calls to Japan we'll be going to something like the Japanese version of Warped Tour....Rock in Japan Fest (that link is in Japanese...get BabelFish to translate the webpage for you....now you see my pain and the "if all goes well" statement.) Mayama and I trying to decipher this maze of webpages written in foreign tongues is a slow and painful process. So...that's my doings. That and watching a lot of anime and buying/reading a lot of manga. Though spending has to slow significantly after my $1300 ticket purchase I'd say. Anyway.....if you want to know what's up on the anime/manga front....GO TO THE WEBPAGE!!! I've really been trying to fill in the missing links and review things. I try to update one new thing each day. Sometimes that works out, sometimes it doesn't. Not sure if I'm getting any better with html or not. Signs point to not, but it's fun. It's nowhere near where I want it to get....but please please please please read it. Jess....if you're reading this, link it on LOTW for me ok!!!!! I'm proud of it, and I hope that someday soonish it shall be a work of glory.

Series I'm watching and have recently reviewed or hope to soon review on the website.....Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers, Blood+, Ouran High School Host Club, School Rumble, Kyou Kara Maou!, Yakitate! Japan, Planetes.

Manga.....Aishiteruze Baby, Absolute Boyfriend, Planetes.

The red links go to the respective website pages I've made, the other ones go to info sites on the stuff cause I haven't reviewed it yet but it's in the queue. Manga reviews are COMPLETELY not even started, so I have to come up with a gameplan on that one...but it's getting put off.

Also....for the pretty boys fan. I've added a "Bishounen of the Month" feature...so.....that's exciting.

I haven't figured out how to make it so you can comment on things like on the blog (if anyone knows I'm a more than willing pupil), but I do have a guestbook, so you should write me nice things there.

Alright....shameless solicitation over......hi everyone, hope your summers are going well, someone call me and let's go have a drink or two sometime ok!!!!!

PA Wisdom

2006-05-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

Been catching up on my PA....things that amused/interested me:

"In reality, Microsoft's "win" is a composite of several factors, not the least of which is the haughty and ridiculous performance of their primary competitor."

"Remember how in KOTOR, the camera would show their face, and then it would show your face, and then it would show their face, and there were about five faces total for the entire universe? We put up with it because it was Star Wars, and it was well-written"

"did I mention that you can download new planets off Live? - they have essentially hot glued some of the most boring combat I've ever seen. It might just have been that performance wasn't quite there, but there was nothing visceral about this over-the-shoulder shooting. And just when I thought it couldn't feel more clunky or less satisfying, they showed us how I could pause the combat and then move each of my two teammates into open, exposed areas on either side of my enemies by giving each a separate, slow command. They're asking questions that Brothers in Arms or Full Spectrum Warrior have already answered, and with greater eloquence. I didn't think the combat in Knights of the Old Republic was particularly great, but then I had a customized lightsaber. I buy into the new universe, I really do want to go there. But that combat is definitely some Action Game 101 type shit, and we're past it."

"No less than four times over the course of our playing the Guilty Gear series did we realize that we had been playing it entirely wrong, that there was a game of greater subtlety beneath the grotesque and demonstrative exhibitions."

" I should tell you that, as a general rule, the games did not look amazing. The Cube was rarely made to sing as it did in Resident Evil 4 or Crystal Chronicles, but it was capable of bold feats that were rarely coaxed out of it."

"I am an observer of that scene. As such, I can with a glad heart make what I consider to be rational decisions about where a thousand dollars might go. I'm complaining about the US price, now - our friends in the old country are in for even more savage treament . No. It is very clear that they assume we will purchase whatever gunmetal loaf they flop down on the slab. With a song on my lips, I defy them."

"The question that comes up a lot in the office is how do you beat World of Warcraft? We think the answer is, fairly clearly, "With World of Starcraft" - but we've never been called particularly imaginative. The other way, it would appear, is to cast a net so wide it simply cannot be escaped."

There you have it folks......Thank you to Tycho of PA.

Yukino out.

All That Jazz

2006-05-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Alright….I’ve finally accomplished it! What is this "it" that I speak of. Seeing Cowboy Bebop’s ever elusive "Jupiter Jazz Part 2". Now Yukino, you may say, don’t you OWN all of Cowboy Bebop. And I say yes, yes I do. But only recently have I actually acquired it, and only recently have I begun sitting down with my newly acquired box set and watching the whole of it from the beginning. Mind you, all my talk of love of Bebop isn’t just words. I’ve seen ALL of it. EVERY SINGLE EPISODE except that one. Why?? I just don’t know. But well, now I have. And I must say……it disappointed me. Ok. I still love Spike. I will always love Spike. There is nothing in this whole entire world that can take away my love for Spike. But he lost a few badass points on this one. OKOKOK! Now I know that the reason for my letdown is that I DID see all the other episodes, most of them more than one time, and that it’s been about 4 years since I first saw the first half of this episode. I’ve been waiting for FOUR YEARS, playing out the many situations in my mind that my dearly beloved Spike Spiegel could have recovered from a point blank gun shot THIS TIME. This hidden mystery where I keep thinking to myself…….man, Spike is the most badass of all badasses. He recovered from gunshot AGAIN! And then (sorry to anyone who hasn’t seen this, maybe stop reading…..or stop reading anyway cause you haven’t seen Bebop and you should be taken and flogged.) I finally get to witness how my love got out of it…..and they open….and Spike is laying on the ground……..and I know he’s not dead……and then he moves……and I’m like SPIKE!!!!!!!!! And he says, "Tranquilizer guns." And I say….."WHAT?!?!?! That’s fucking it??? Screw you guys!!!" All hyped up….and he didn’t even fricking really get shot. What a letdown. I mean….as episodes go, it was a good episode, but Spike didn’t even get shot and here I had spent all these years thinking about how badass he was to recover from it. Had I not seen the rest of the show and without the knowledge of the fact that Spike IS in fact the most badass of badasses, I would probably not have checked myself when the thought "That’s not badass…..even I could do that shit." came into my head. I admit, I was actually a little mad for a few minutes. But, like I said, it’s cause I’d had it hyped for so long. It’s the same principle as how I didn’t think Eva was all that at first either. It’s just how it goes when legendary anime remains elusive for so long.

Spike, I still love you. You do enough other awesomely badass things to more than make up for the fact that just that one time you weren’t so much of a badass. I have no doubt that HAD they shot you with real bullets….you STILL would have come back to us.

Funny how things just slip away

2006-05-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

I just realized I haven't updated this since MARCH!!! Sorry. I'll be pretty bored, so....things nerdish may happen. Though many will just go straight to website. http://cranberryjam.bravehost.com

I can tell you with certainty that there's a Cowboy Bebop post in the near future. And a cosplay party on the weekend of the 19th. And possibly some FFIV-ing.

Stay tuned.

It Run on Love

2006-03-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

I don't understand MMO's.......just throwing that out there.

SOMEBODY play some damn Final Fantasy.....PLEASE!!!! Oh Playstation watching....I miss you. I mean....I could play you myself, but I don't want to. I'll be honest. If I'm gonna have anything to do with video games right now I want it to be parking my ass on a couch and watching someone burn through some hours of Playstation RPG action.

That's all I want out of life. Is that asking too much???

Doujinshi Conventions

2006-03-27T11:32:00.000-08:00

To quote our beloved Shuichi Shindou.....

DOUJINSHI CONVENTIONS?!

When Yuki says it it sounds like the name of the prettiest boy in a gay bar....like Genji or something. --Shuichi Shindou (Gravitation volume 6)

Anyway........today's Penny Arcade comic.....all I have to say is....if there ever were a PA for me, THIS is it.

I'm an RPG!!!

2006-03-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

So...now not only am I an anime but Mayama and I have decided to make my life into an RPG. Click on the post title or the Shonen Mystery Quest link in the sidebar to get there. Here's how this came about.........

(20:35:47) Mayama: amusing elementary school based anime that i downloaded the first ep for.
(20:36:09) Mayama: the 5th grade boy's analysis of his trying to talk to a girl
(20:36:21) Mayama: "Guess it's no good. Communication failed."
(20:36:21) Yukino: that sounds awesome
(20:36:25) Yukino: i could make one of those
(20:36:31) Mayama: haha yeah
(20:36:35) Mayama: it'd be funny
(20:36:54) Yukino: sk's analysis of trying to talk to boys
(20:36:55) Yukino: man
(20:36:57) Mayama: i need to figure out a way to get manga published, or recurit an artist and self publish
(20:36:58) Yukino: i should do it
(20:37:11) Mayama: i'd be interested in hearing your thoughts
(20:37:21) Yukino: from here on......it's on
(20:37:51) Mayama: if they aren't posted in some manner
(20:38:01) Mayama: i atleast deserve to be e-mailed the commentary
(20:38:49) Yukino: oh, you will
(20:38:51) Yukino: we're doing this
(20:39:09) Mayama: rock
(20:39:13) Yukino: i'ma write it in a notebook
(20:39:21) Mayama: tee hee
(20:39:22) Mayama: sweet
(20:39:32) Mayama: is there anything i could catalog and analyze
(20:39:33) Mayama: ?
(20:39:35) Yukino: hmmm
(20:39:38) Yukino: probably
(20:39:41) Yukino: i dunno
(20:39:44) Yukino: you're the schemer
(20:39:50) Yukino: help me scheme this through
(20:47:22) Yukino: shouldn't we have like...a goal
(20:47:58) Yukino: like......y'know, like the boy was trying to talk to the girl
(20:48:00) Yukino: and it failed
(20:48:11) Mayama: haha ok
(20:48:16) Yukino: shouldn't we go with....Yukinon tries to get to point X
(20:48:23) Yukino: mission status
(20:48:23) Mayama: yes
(20:48:25) Mayama: ok then
(20:48:33) Mayama: when you're hanging out
(20:48:39) Mayama: think of one thing you want to talk about
(20:48:47) Mayama: and bring it up no matter waht
(20:48:57) Yukino: ooh that's hard
(20:48:59) Mayama: it can be superficial....stuff regarding shojo
(20:49:03) Yukino: i have to think of conversation
(20:49:10) Yukino: hahaha
(20:49:18) Yukino: i'd love to do an analysis of me trying to explain shojo
(20:49:23) Mayama: or indepth....are you ever gonna ink?
(20:49:28) Yukino: haha
(20:49:29) Mayama: haha yeah it'd be great
(20:49:36) Mayama: but everytime you hang out
(20:49:41) Mayama: just one speficic thing
(20:49:43) Mayama: and try it
(20:49:48) Mayama: and then remeber and analyze
(20:59:41) Yukino: that's fun
(21:01:23) Mayama: mission 1
(21:01:44) Mayama: start time 3-27, report date 4-2
(21:01:46) Yukino:i'ma get my notebook
(21:01:50) Yukino: write it in.
(21:01:56) Mayama: good
(21:02:16) Mayama: the week of signs will be a week long series of side missions (or side quests if you will)
(21:02:21) Yukino: haha excellent
(21:02:30) Mayama: mayhaps will give you a special item if you successfully complete it
(21:02:38) Yukino: sweet!
(21:02:41) Mayama: excellent
(21:02:44) Han-kun: now i'm an RPG!
(21:02:48) Mayama: yep
(21:02:58) Mayama: you're the main character
(21:03:01) Yukino: ROCK
(21:03:03) Mayama: and i'm every last NPC
(21:03:09) Yukino: hee hee
(21:03:13) Mayama: good thing i got a shit ton of voices in my head
(21:03:18) Yukino: yep...it is
(21:03:32) Mayama: i'm sorry when you run into the ice cream loving 6 year old
(21:03:38) Mayama: he won't be much help
(21:03:41) Yukino: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
(21:11:36) Mayama: i'm amused
(21:11:57) Mayama: i'll give you something good on top of the signs side quest if you keep me entertained
(21:12:03) Yukino: yay!
(21:12:40) Mayama: :pat pat:
(21:12:54) Yukino: EEEEE
(21:13:05) Yukino: i'ma make the info like....i'm an rpg!
(21:14:32) Yukino: what's the title of this all
(21:15:37) Yukino: shouldnt we give it like a cool game title
(21:17:53) Mayama: Shonen Mystic Quest: The Kaiseki Interactions
(21:18:01) Mayama: is that nerdy enough?
(21:18:03) Yukino: Hee hee!!!
(21:18:05) Yukino: i like it
(21:20:14) Mayama: i should go eat lunch huh?
(21:20:17) Yukino: aww
(21:20:21) Yukino: yeah i suppose you should
(21:20:30) Yukino: i have to give a description of the game
(21:20:38) Mayama: haha ok
(21:20:43) Mayama: i trust you can do it
(21:20:51) Mayama: but drop it on the IM if you want input
(21:21:01) Mayama: i'll ponder stats, etc. while i eat
(21:21:05) Yukino: ok
(21:21:06) Mayama: be back in 20 or 30
(21:21:11) Yukino:i'll try to write in gamespeak
(21:21:15) Mayama: tee hee
(21:21:15) Mayama: good
(21:21:24) Mayama: :big old chu, just because:
(21:21:26) Yukino: aww
(21:21:28) Yukino: *chu*
(21:21:37) Mayama: see you again in a bit
(21:21:44) Yukino: yep!
(21:21:47) Yukino: have a good lunch
(21:21:53) Mayama: thanks!

Talking about Trigun and random shit......

2006-03-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

Mayama and I were talking like we've not talked in a long while over the AIM. It was good. He was helping me with Arima things. Mayama's a good guy like that. A really good guy. Anyway....I just want to paste in two lines of our conversation. That's it.

(22:31:50) Mayama: and legato is a fucker
(22:31:54) Yukino: haha yeah he is
(22:32:09) Mayama: if there's an anime villain that should be cock punched
(22:32:15) Yukino: it's SO legato
(22:32:20) Mayama: yep

Koyuki Tanaka.....HUG

2006-02-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

I know I know, it's manga scan day and I'm just now getting around to the Beck review. I had a test on Friday and quite a bit of stuff going on this weekend. As with most things (so as not to fall into the path of an otaku who's in too deep) I chose social life over nerding. And so, you just have to wait. Pretty sure no one cares anyway. But, whatever, let's talk Beck.

For the first time one of these books ended with me really really really wanting to read the next one and see what happens. Also, they really fleshed out the soundtrack in this book. They also really made me want to see how this all goes in the anime so I can officially see which song goes where. Ok. So we start with them playing a show. Apparently a crappy one and apparently Koyuki blames himself. Taira lost his "feeling". We'll come back to this later. Good quote from this part between Maho and Koyuki: M: "Ryusuke said you did good." K: "He meant Saku". Ok, but Ryusuke isn't gonna give up on Koyuki. As a matter of fact none of them are except stupid Taira. I'm actually really surprised at Chiba. I thought he would have a completely different personality than he really does. He's way better than I thought of him being. There are quite a few times that he totally comes through for Koyuki in a big way both here and in another instance later. Although it was Chiba (being the way I expected Chiba to be) who set things up for Koyuki to sing the new song that Ryusuke wrote. Chiba and the band think it's too depressing of a song to sing. The quote here: "Gimme a break, that depressing song? How am I supposed to sing that? I'm gonna search for personnel..." Oh Chiba. However, this opens the door for Koyuki to step in and timidly ask if he could sing it. And they let him. Although, this brings up a quandry. I wonder how in the anime they get around the fact that Ryusuke wrote the song in English and Koyuki definitely couldn't read it. This wasn't so much of an issue in the manga as they don't print the song words and they definitely don't make it very clear that the song is in english, but it is. Just curious to see how they did this in the anime. Also, the song is Sister (or Face by the band Sister in the soundtrack/anime) and Ryusuke wrote it for/about Maho. So it's only appropriate that Koyuki is singing it really as things between those two are progressing nicely....to the date stage even. The problem here is that while he's realizing that Koyuki is thinking of Maho in a swimsuit. He does that a lot....thinks of her in a swimsuit, thinks of her when they were swimming naked. Koyuki's got a crush. Only he STILL won't really admit it...stupid stupid boy. Any rate, so Koyuki sings and it's amazing...as we all figured. Which prompts another quote from Chiba (a more un-what I pictured Chiba-like quote from Chiba). The band is amazed, Chiba turns to Taira and says, "What do you think, anti-Koyuki-joining Taira-kun?" Oh...that made me laugh. Maybe I'm a dork. Ok ok I know....there's no need for a maybe. Any rate, Taira's "feeling" is back. Maybe they shoulda made HIM sing the Beatles "I've Got a Feeling" cover.

Of more interest is Koyuki running into bully supreme Rikiya when he's trying to get to his first show where he'll be singing. Of course Rikiya says something, then he breaks Koyuki's good luck pick from Maho. And FINALLY the kid tries to stand up for himself. As expected, he has no hope of winning. Enter Chiba coming through HUGE again. HUGE. This is SO not how I pictured Chiba. Chiba pretty much tries to take the fight, then HE starts losing, then the rest of the band gets in there. It was like...everyone stick up for Koyuki. It was an awesome band moment. I enjoyed it much. This ended with Rikiya recognizing Ryusuke from his last band....and then he calls him the "Japanese Jimmy Page" HAHAHAHAHA. Oh man.

More shows played, appearances by Dying Breed themselves. They too are amazed at Koyuki's voice. Good things happen. Taira quote: "Your singing was good, but your guitar went to shit." And just as I'm wondering where Izumi is, especially with all the Dying Breed action...there she is. And now Koyuki is in a predicament. And Izumi certainly doesn't help it at all by taking him swimsuit shopping and then swimming in the city pool on the year mark of when he went swimming there with Maho. She even ASKS about Maho. And then says, "Oh, well I guess I was too late to realize my own feelings." Poor poor poor poor Koyuki. He's had a thing for Izumi for SO long. And now he's got Maho and he's really starting to like her. But he figures NEITHER of them could like him. And now they both do.......and now I'm really really wanting to find out what happens in volume 6.

As usual, likes and dislikes....a short list this time.

Dislikes:
-WAY WAY WAY unneccessary pin-up pics of Maho to start the book.
-WAY WAY WAY too much of Maho in a swimsuit
-The teacher using sex appeal to get her STUDENTS to play in the school festival
-The Dying Breed song they sing is SO "Moon on the Water" and they manga SO calls it something else.
-Izumi being a STUPID GIRL and putting Koyuki in a terrible place

Likes:
-BAND!!!! Finally. And everyone loves Koyuki
-Koyuki and Maho's date...soooo cute. Though I'm glad he didn't get a cold.
-See above quotes
-WTF is Taira's job??? His uniform looks like some weird conglomeration of construction worker, crossing guard, and military
-The band (especially Chiba) loving Koyuki at last
-Saku's face never changes
-Koyuki uses the Momoko-sensei card to get Saitou-san to come to his show

Ok....that's Beck 5. Things are going nicely and I'm SOOOOOO hanging in suspense for a continuation of the relationship and to see how our poor boy gets out of his predicament in volume 6. But I'm a girl. If you're not into girly stuff the end will probably just make you want to stab something in your eye. But there is good rocking...so read this one anyway.

We're in the Band.....Beck 5

2006-02-17T04:29:00.000-08:00

Let me just get this out of the way right now; Stop making ridiculous pin-ups of Maho!! (the one at the beginning of chapter 13 is especially awful) Also stop drawing Momoko-sensei in way too much detail. Look she's a teacher, I don't care if she's the hot teacher, and I don't care if she's nipping out, I don't want to see it. Lastly, granted I can't draw anything, but please please please Mr. Sakuishi work on your mouths. Again, largely because of the mouth we have ridiculous to awful facial expressions. Ok glad we got that out of the way.

Beck Volume 5. Thank you lord the band is together and playing a show! It's time for Koyuki's debut. It's just that well...it doesn't go so well. The crowd isn't into it, and you can see Ray and Taira giving each other looks like, “Why did we ask this kid to play with us again?” Koyuki himself exclaims that he sucks while listening to a recording of the show. Fear not though salvation is around the corner! Koyuki gets a chance to sing a new song Ray is working on called “Sister” (this song is called “Face” on the Anime soundtrack). Koyuki's voice blows everyone away, and Taira has is good mojo feeling back so Koyuki and Saku are in the band for good. It's nice that finally after four and a third volumes that we finally have our band together. Don't take this to mean that the first four volumes are by any means a waste or filler. They are fairly vital for character development, and to set up the relationships amongst the different characters, it's just that you want Koyuki to get into the bad the whole time, and it's a relief that he finally is. From this point on the plot runs at an almost whirlwind pace. In the remaining 140 pages or so I don't think more than a dozen pages is given to any particular scene or plot point. This has both a good and a bad affect. The good being that, to an extent, we get to feel a little of Koyuki's sense that he is in a surreal and chaotic present, because his world is changing so rapidly. The flipside to this is there are some really quality scenes that I was dying to see more of, and I think to an extent lose a little of their emotional impact, because we get rushed through them.

Speaking of the plot this volume, especially towards the end suffers a lot from the painfully convenient plot devices that we encountered in the 2nd Volume. One glaring example of this is Koyuki feeling uneasy about one of Maho's rich English speaking school friends. He is a rich pretty boy and Koyuki wonders if he means anything to Maho at all. Conveniently three pages later Izumi-chan returns after a long absence of doing anything significant. On top of this she has just happened to recently broken up with her high school boyfriend. Blah! There are a couple more of these occurrences, but this is the most glaring example, and the one, that while it “fuels the plot”, annoys me the most. Also disappointing is Koyuki acting like a stupid stupid boy at the end of the volume.

All in all Beck 5 is a solid effort for advancing the plot and does do a good job of getting you involved emotionally (varying from pissed off annoyance to yay for Koyuki). The end too does a good job of setting up the next volume. It is still worth your time to read, and to continue to read the series, but it does suffer from some pacing issues, as well as some all too convenient plot devices.

Tereno Empireo Rapidmova Reakcii Armeo.

2006-02-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

It's great being a nerd. For more than just the obvious reasons. For the reason that there are now countless little things in life that no one notices that you find incredibly entertaining because it relates to something in your nerd realm. What I am talking about maybe some of you, my fellow nerds, may also not get. In which case. I am sorry. And watch RahXephon.

These are from the warzone-like construction site to build the new Bacteriology building across from Russell Labs. I see it every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And it makes me happy every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Also....the construction company truck has the license plate "TERRA3". That's priceless.

Separated at Birth.....or, Brian IS anime

2006-02-13T19:58:00.000-08:00

Well...I know it's manga scan day, but I've been noticing lately that since I've developed this regimental system where I actually try to use the blog to do productive things it gets kinda boring. So....I've made a website. It's not done yet. It's getting on done. This Saturday I'm taking a "Dreamweaver in a Day" class....4.5 hours of learning to build delicious websiteness. Then, when I get more time after this week of classes and exams and projects and homework......it will get even more done. There are a lot of pages linked to pages linked to pages....so it's sort of a tedious process in a lot of ways. Any rate.....the reason for all of this is that manga scans are now moved to the "Manga Scans and Bishounen" page (which will eventually feature "bishounen of the month" when I get it to that point) which you can find at http://cranberryjam.bravehost.com/mangascans.html

The links off the main page have no content yet. I hope they will soon. But if you want to see this week's scan, go there.

For now....I want to do a special Honey and Clover --SORRY the opening animation is in that....it's frightening--(a series which I've seen up to episode 8 of now and I like very very much---almost to the Fruits Basket level. The soundtrack is awesome too. I'll review it sometime....prolly when I'm done watching, or midway point) comparison segment. So....Mayama....my favorite character even though he's by far not the most entertaining....is my favorite because.........................

HE LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE BRIAN!!! You want proof........I shall give it to you.

I ask you...twins separated at birth???? Hagen's anime alter ego (HA...it ISN'T white Haru!!)??? Granted he ACTS nothing like Bri, but damned if he doesn't look like him. He looks like him so much that when Brian and I were watching an episode together where Mayama was a total jerk to Yamada (the girl that likes him) because he's in love with this older woman he works for....I actually got a little mad at Brian for it. It's THAT SIMILAR.....ok...look for yourselves.....

That's what I thought. And for good measure (even though Mayama isn't the kind of guy to ever GIVE the "gomen".......)

Thought you'd all enjoy that. Bri's anime twin. I heart them both.

Short, Sweet, Rambling....Beck 4 "Review"

2006-02-12T02:54:00.000-08:00

Beck 4. Well thank the lord that the band known as Beck finally is together. Now, having watched the anime I knew it was going to take awhile to develop, but still you can't help but want Koyuki to get in the band sooner. Oh yeah, so Koyuki finally gets to be in the band, at least for practice in this volume. Yes this also mean that Koyuki and Ray have made up. In fact at one point seeing Koyuki and Maho together he gives Koyuki a condom, just in case. This leads to one of the funnier parts of the book, so I'll spare you.

Actually with the exception of the seemingly mandatory Hyodou acts like a dick and bullies Koyuki most of the volume is truly amusing and has some great lines in it. In addition we get my favorite supporting character this volume, that being Saku. Why do I love Saku? The simple answer is he's a drummer, and drummers like to see drummers who are cool, even if it is in fiction. Also he's a really good guy, nice, friendly, stand up kind of person. Lastly the kid is permanently drawn with a grin and his eyes closed. How can you not like him?

The volume actually ends at a really good place, with Saku and Koyuki about to play their first show with Beck. Also the story line again seems to be heading somewhere rather than meandering through days and months. Which is good, because the story is actually good, and the characters themselves are great, but it's always better to see them doing something.

As SK mentioned the volume is not without its problems. The too gratuitous Maho and the saving a tea bag from the trash being the two ickiest. Also facial expressions are still bad. Though I think part of the reason is Sakuishi draws people's lips too big and in too much detail. Ok that's it for this time, I'll do better next time I promise.

I shall review Beck 4

2006-02-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Well, this book was about on par with the last book. Though we do get a bit more character development, a bit less beating on Koyuki, and a new loveable character.

Things are progressing nicely with the band, and now that Koyuki isn't terrified to face Ryusuke anymore the two of them are hanging out. After Saitou-san comes through again in a huge way and indefinitely loans Koyuki one of the most beautiful guitars ever made, the Gretsch Falcon (on the clause that Koyuki arrange more meetings between Saitou-san and Momoko-sensei introduced in last volume), Ryusuke even invites Koyuki to practice with his band at the studio. Maho and Ryusuke see that Koyuki has huge potential, but the other guys are a bit more skeptical. Don't worry though, the soundtrack tells me that they'll come around. The new character addition of Saku is great too. He's a third year like Koyuki, but he's a transfer student and he's not in Koyuki's class. Actually, Koyuki meets him because of a highly amusing set of circumstances involving having to come up with 50,000 yen in 3 days to pay for Rikiya's guitar that he broke (according to Hyodou). In order to do this, Koyuki uses the fact that Saitou-san likes his teacher to convince him to let Koyuki get rid of his porn magazine collection. After selling that Koyuki came up with 46,000 yen (that's a lot of porn) to pay Hyodou. He also got a tape of a very rare Dying Breed CD from Maho (that's a whole other set of hilarious events that will be mentioned later) to appease Hyodou. But....Koyuki decides to stand up for himself and when Hyodou isn't satisfied with 46,000 and gets the entire school to completely shun Koyuki, Koyuki gets pissed and goes to listen to the Dying Breed tape instead of giving it to Hyodou. This somehow leads to him accidentally broadcasting it over the school loudspeaker system....which of course he gets in trouble for, but everyone in the school loves. So now, Saku is his friend, and the two of them talk music all the time. When he takes Saku to the studio to see the band, Saku pretty much tells him that the drummer is holding them back, and that Chiba's vocals aren't very good, but he's got good presence. It was an amusing analysis of the band at least. And he was wearing a Rage Against the Machine shirt.....yet another Rage reference for a band that sounds like Rage. I believe Saku actually compares Ryusuke's guitar sound to Rage. Which he should. He should ACTUALLY compare the base to Rage, but comparing Ryusuke is good enough. Anyway.........Koyuki has a new friend, Todo (the drummer) quits the band and everyone thinks Beck will break up, Saku steps up to the plate. Koyuki somehow manages to save the day yet again.

On to Koyuki and Maho. These two are STILL funny. Koyuki might kinda be starting to get it. Though he's still got his thing for Izumi even though she's gone now and in high school. Funniest thing here is that the band is noticing that Koyuki and Maho are together a lot. At which point they tell Ryusuke that he might have a new brother in law soon. Ryusuke laughs, but his actions show that he's acknowledged this too. In that....he gives Koyuki a condom cause he's been hanging out with his sister a lot. This is HILARIOUS because it's Koyuki and he's SO not going to do anything. It also gets Koyuki into trouble later on when he's at Maho's house getting the Dying Breed tape and he accidentally drops the condom out of his pocket. And then she tries to beat him to death with a chair (I believe it was a chair). Oh silly awkward Koyuki. She forgives him though, and even goes to his swim tournament where Saitou-san uses her as bait and incentive for Koyuki to win his last race. If Koyuki wins he gets to make Maho do whatever he wants. So, at first Koyuki is swimming to make Saitou-san proud....but then he see's Maho (who's wearing a bikini for no good reason) and starts swimming for his goal. See, he's coming around to liking the girl.

Alright....well, that's done. Now...random things I liked and disliked:

Disliked:
-Koyuki testing guitars that he can't afford and playing the Gibson SG (which really does stand for "Solid Guitar") then deciding it's an "instant buy"...even though he can't buy it. I mean, you know you can't buy them....why go in. Though, I'd totally do it to...and I do. Go in to look at things you can't afford even though you know it will make you depressed. It's like Wayne's World where everytime they drove by the Strat in the window Wayne would get out of the car and look at it or play it. Yes, I just compared manga to Wayne's World.
-Saitou-san and the teacher. Kinda creepy.
-Hyodou....still a dick. Still don't like him
-The fact that I can pretty much see through their plot devices. ie they want you to think that Koyuki is gonna get another ass kicking......I know he won't. Things like that.
-Koyuki practicing karate on a tree because another guy asked Izumi out even though she didn't say yes and she asked Koyuki what he thought about it. OK...I understand that sucks, but still.
-Maho wearing a bikini to WATCH Koyuki's swim meet. And the gratuitous crotch shots that ensued. I know they did it to make the you win Maho part more of an incentive, but who wears a bikini to watch a swim meet when they aren't even getting in the damn pool. Put some clothes on.

Liked:
-Koyuki testing guitars that he can't afford and playing the Gibson SG (which really does stand for "Solid Guitar") then deciding it's an "instant buy"...even though he can't buy it. See above regarding the Wayne's World reference.
-Saitou-san's withdrawal when Koyuki takes away his porn AND cigarettes AND alcohol.
-Saitou-san giving K the Falcon...it's sorta like Koyuki got his Gibson.
-The first person Koyuki runs into (yes, he's running with a guitar again) when he gets the Falcon is Ryusuke...so he gets to show it off
-Ryusuke telling the band that Koyuki is playing with them
-Koyuki and Maho...a little more
-Ryusuke giving Koyuki a condom cause he's hanging out with his sister all the time
-Koyuki scheming on how to get money and convincing Saitou-san to let him sell the porn
-Maho beating Koyuki for having the condom that her brother gave him
-Maho calling Koyuki a "nutless wuss" even though I still don't know what he did to make her say that.
-Saku with the Rage shirt AND the Rage reference
-End dialogue between Koyuki and Ryusuke about Saku's drumming:
-R: "When I asked him, 'Do you play?' he said, 'A little'."
-K: "What's little about it?!"

Ok...Beck 4...things are happening. Good read. Finally we're putting together the band as I know it.....soon soon there will be awesome rocking.

This ends Beck 4 review.

Here is Greenwood!!! Here is awesome!!!

2006-02-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

Seriously people, this OVA/manga is AWESOME. Seriously read it. And buy the 6 ep OVA for like the 20 bucks it will cost you. Also.....this picture CUTE!!! These are our main characters (Hasukawa (Suka-chan) Kazuyo, and Kisaragi Shun). They're roommates in the dorm...at an all boys school. What's that, Shun's TOTALLY a girl??? Read/watch and find out what that's about!!! As for Suka-chan.....he pretty much just takes shit from EVERYONE. And hilarity ensues. Still doubtful....read the reviews, ask Brian Hagen.

HERE IS GREENWOOD!!!!!

A Slightly Triumphant Return

2006-02-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

Beck 3. Better. Although I don't think I'll sound like it was in my review....it was. I've just been coming off as really annoyed lately, even though I'm not. So. I'll start by telling you....I LIKED IT. It's worth a read. Ok..that said....here we go:

So, if you remember at the end of last volume Koyuki and Maho were swimming naked in the pool. This means that we start this volume with Koyuki and Maho still swimming naked in the pool. I like how the series is so continuous like that actually. A lot of time passes WITHIN each book, but they don't jump time from one book to another. It picks up EXACTLY where we left off. This is nice. Also, I was starting to wonder if each book was going to end with Koyuki and Maho hanging out while doing something kinda weird and singing "Moon on the Water", but it doesn't appear that way. Any rate, what we learn more of from this opening scene and throughout this book is how HUGE of a crush Maho has on Koyuki. And how HUGELY oblivious Koyuki is to it. If I may use an outside reference....this may supercede Saki/Kohsaka proportions. Or maybe not, but at least Kohsaka in his obliviousness ACTED as though he valued Saki. Not that Koyuki is capable of treating anyone like crap, he just totally thinks of Maho as just another person. Though it seems like MAYBE his thing for Izumi has gone away.

Speaking of Izumi....she's in this book like 3 times. She does nothing. There was little to no character development outside of Maho and Koyuki and the new guy they introduce, Hyodou (I know his name from the soundtrack, but I don't remember what song is his), who's really just a complete ass....and a petty one at that. I guess Chiba gets a LITTLE development, but not much. I mean, things HAPPEN, Ryusuke's band (BECK, remember) is recording and playing shows....but you don't really see that. The only thing you see of the band is like 4-6 page spreads of them rocking out. Which is ok, but in a manga doesn't really do anything for you. There aren't even lyrics on the pages...just pictures of them rocking. Now, I know it's hard to do this in a manga. Gravitation got around it by the fact that they hardly focused on the band actually performing in the manga. They just made mention of the performances and counted on the boy lovin' and the hilarious dialogue to get them through. And that worked for them, but Beck doesn't have that to fall on...so we endure 5 pages of slightly over the top facial expressions and Ryusuke looking like he's at the verge of orgasm. The other thing we see a lot of is Koyuki getting the shit kicked out of him by one person or the other. Usually having something to do with Hyodou. We also get to see Koyuki breaking even more guitars. Sometimes that kid does REALLY STUPID things. He's avoiding seeing Ryusuke until he gets the guitar fixed that he broke. Which entails him working for Saitou-san for more or less free for like the rest of his life. But it's cute really, and Koyuki defends Saitou-san in the face of all adversity, so he's being a loyal student and friend. Which I like. I also like that this means that when Maho drags him to Ryusuke's shows he goes in disguise. Which more or less looks like he's wearing full ninja dress. It makes me laugh every time. Anyway, the big thing here, which I did see coming, is that the guitar is fixed and immediately Koyuki takes off (running with the guitar again....he almost deserves to drop it again...idiot) to take it to Ryusuke and before he gets there it gets broken again. This time because he ran into Hyodou and his super bully friend Rikiya (Koyuki broke Rikiya's guitar too, but he broke it when Hyodou tackled him and Rikiya doesn't know cause Hyodou made Koyuki his servant to ensure that Rikiya doesn't find out). Hyodou wants to play the guitar....yeah, see where this goes. Only Hyodou doesn't break it, Rikiya breaks it cause he really really sucks and Koyuki was trying to hold in his laughter and failed. I've SO been there. So....now poor Koyuki is SUPER depressed and thinks he'll never see Ryusuke again. But....there is of course redemption. And it comes in the form of Minami Maho. So, we come back around to her.

Things I didn't like:
-Koyuki's facial expressions again.....TERRIBLE
-The story is moving REALLY SLOWLY. Like I know Koyuki eventually sings for Beck, but.....so far he sings with NO ONE.
-The substitute teacher the middle school music class gets.....too much information sometimes. Too much with the drawings. She's a TEACHER for the love of God.
-Hyodou
-Ryusuke's guitar with the bullet holes being named "Lucille". They BETTER explain that reference instead of making themselves look cool for coming up with that. It's sort of disgraceful if you don't honor the man.

Things that amused me:
-Return of Koyuki's pervy friend
-Scene 2 after Taira meets Chiba he goes to tell Eiji that he's joining Beck based on "intuition" and the "magic he's been searching for"---or Chiba, either one. This, of course, is going to cause the shit to hit the fan, cause why wouldn't it.
-Koyuki seems to finally have shaken that negative attitude that he'll never be anything important. This is good and kinda like me this semester, so I like it. However, him saying that makes you know that he's setting the tone for failure and/or complete misery. Enter Hyodou
-The "Kiyaki Against the Machine" band poster that's in the recording studio. This is funny, cause one of the bands in the anime TOTALLY sounds like Rage. Completely. Absolutely.
-Koyuki giving the "gomen" pose to the teacher when she asks him to take control of her class because she can't.
-Maho picking Koyuki up from school
-Koyuki in ninja-wear
-Maho in general

Ok...see, the positives outweigh the negatives. This was a good book. I'm now the proud owner of the anime on real DVD's instead of burned CD-R's so I think I should start watching it. Though I don't want it to skew my manga reviews. So maybe I'll hang on for like 20 more weeks while we review the manga........maybe not.

Beck 3

2006-02-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Beck volume 3 thank you for bouncing back. Yes some of the events are still a little contrived, but it has calmed down quite a bit. The major happenings in this volume include: Koyuki's continued estrangement from Ray, a new teacher (Momoko-sensei) for Koyuki and friends, Beck's first show, and bullying, bullying bullying.

The story starts to progress again, and in a direction that is entertaining and interesting. Granted to a certain extent it seems to be more of a school life story this time around, then a story about a band, it's still very good, and the band is not absent all together. Still it is strange that the character development in this particular volume has almost nothing to do with what previously appeared to be the primary supporting characters (Ray, Chiba, Taira, Eiji(the “villain”), Izumi, and Saitou-san). This is not to say that these characters don't get any pages, they do, it just that it seems that there presence is nothing more than a plot device. Yes there are two of Beck's shows, and all the band members have their bits of conversation, but it doesn't really seem to advance our understanding of the character. Thankfully there's a little bit with Maho (my first girl manga crush), and even though she kind of toys with Koyuki, it's cute that she likes him. So, who are the major players in this volume? Well obviously Koyuki, we get to see him develop a little bit. At the beginning he's working hard to make money to fix Ray's guitar, and refuses to see him until the guitar is fixed. This again shows Koyuki being a stand up guy. He's cute and you can't help but like him. Now the next part where you think you'd see some character development is from the new teacher Momoko-sensei, but this is not the case. Other than establishing the fact that she's young, a not very good new teacher, and a bit of a crybaby. The most character development is in the form of Hyodou, the new bully. So, basically for whatever reason Hyodou has decided that Koyuki has been too happy lately and sets out to more or less make his life hell. Yes, Hyodou is that much of an ass. There, as of yet, does not appear to be any deeper reason for his torturing of of poor cute hero. So, I guess from that view there isn't a ton of development of Hyodou, but he does take up a lot of pages.

A few things artwise that I just didn't like:

Ryusuke looks dumb, and unattractive with his hair pulled back, don't like it at all.
There are a few they went to far drawings involving Momoko-sensei.
Koyuki's facial expressions are still over the top and bad.

Now despite how it sounds I really did enjoy the volume. I read it pretty quick because I enjoyed it. I absolutely love Koyuki and Maho. The interactions between the characters really is very realistic and well done. Though it seems a little unfocused at times the story really is good. So, keep reading!

I don't know what's going on in this scan....but it's awesome

2006-01-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

Today...Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei). There's been a lot of talk of the undead between Brian and I lately (no small thanks to Alkaline Trio and their album Crimson). Any rate.....vampires, pretty pretty boys, Shinigami, the Ministry of Hades........this series has it going on.

With that, here's Shinigami Tsuzuki.......hot, sexy, cutting off limbs with meat cleavers:

Resuming "Normality"

2006-01-25T14:11:00.000-08:00

So, Brian was here since last Wednesday, so things didn't get done on the blog like they normally would. Let's pretend that we didn't skip a week of time and jump right back in to blog Wednesdays where I review a series I'm watching. Now, the last week was comprised of INTENSIVE NERDING with Brian. That said, I didn't really watch A series, per se, but rather a few episodes of a number of series. We did go to anime club on Saturday night for the series vote and one of the shows (which unfortunately got cut) seemed very potentially interesting. I'm in the process of acquiring the first 5 episodes, so when I do that and watch them I'll let you know what I think about it a little more. It could be possible that I still won't have a formal opinion after 5 eps, but I'll do what I can. Anyhow, the series in question is called Planetes and you can read a review by clicking on the series name above.

*NOTE*

I removed some of the content of this post. To see it, please go to my website at http://cranberryjam.bravehost.com/anime/comipa.html

Thanks....sorry for any confusion or hassle.

Inuyasha....Saiyuki???

2006-01-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

Umm...there was so a reference to the story of Saiyuki on Inuyasha just now. Freaked me out. I don't know what's going on, it was just in the background. There's some pig guy thing and he says something about being descended from one of the angels from the "journey to the west" and then he's like...my ancestor is Cho Hakkai. And I'm like, did I hear that right. And then they said it again. Then Kagome is like....duh, don't you know the Chinese story of priest Sanzo and his journey to the west......and then proceeds to tell the story behind Saiyuki.

Fuckin weird man. See what happens when I leave on Inuyasha. Now there are Saiyuki references (though I guess they aren't referencing Saiyuki, they're referencing the Chinese story). Still weird.

MLK..you know

2006-01-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, so manga scan Monday is manga scan Tuesday this week. I blame MLK day for screwing with my head.

I do promise a good scan for you this week though.......SAIYUKI!!!!!! A two-pager...In color no less (haha even though it's still a black and white image...it's on a glossy page in the manga....that counts). So, enjoy.....I'm off to finally MAKING the anime shirts I've talked about for so long.

Ok...and I acquired Dreamweaver by the power of magic as it were, so I'm beginning the long, arduous process of turning this blog into a real webpage so I can do even more exciting things. Stay tuned for updates...til then, same old nerd blog.

The Sophomore Slump if you will (and I will)

2006-01-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

So, I know Bri already alluded to most of the things I'm going to say, but....Beck volume 2 was a huge letdown compared to volume 1. I know I have hope in that what I've gleaned about the series things seem to redeem themselves ok, but....I think you'll find this review a bit more critical than most of my reviews. Here are my thoughts:

So, we start out with the rememberance that Koyuki had accidentally joined the swim team to cover up for his pervy friend (who ironically enough is nowhere to be seen). Thanks to this, he goes to the city pool to practice and meets supporting character #1 of the volume...Saitou-san. The only reason I knew at this point that Saitou-san would be rather important is that on the soundtrack there is a cover of another song on the soundtrack (which happens to be one of my favorites and many of you may know it simply as 'I got believe in you') where the artist is listed as "Saitou-san band feat. Koyuki Tanako and Minami Maho". So...this man is not the sort of person I picture as having a band. Or as the olympic swimmer that he supposedly was. He's a fat slob. And everyone at the pool tries to avoid him cause he's super hardcore about swimming. Poor Koyuki gets caught up with him and has to endure a brutal swim workout....and I definitely didn't like Saitou-san at this point either. Though he turns out to be completely harmless in real life and he totally saves Koyuki's ass after he breaks Ryusuke's guitar (which we will discuss now).

Post pool (and post Izumi's friend implying that Izumi likes Koyuki--they fuck with that boy so much) Izumi and Koyuki go see Ryusuke...cause that's what they do I guess. Ryusuke gives Koyuki this old beat up guitar in his closet. He claims he does this because Koyuki has been getting interested in all different kinds of music lately and he thought he might want to practice. I read it as Izumi and Maho's evil brainwashing of Ryusuke scheme to get Koyuki to be a rockstar. The brilliant foreshadowing here is Koyuki saying, "What I had no idea of at the time was that this guitar would be the source of a very big problem." It's also once again adorable that no matter what Ryusuke does Koyuki is completely enthralled. He's like a 5 year old seeing Mickey Mouse...I swear. So, he's all geared up to practice with his guitar and he realizes that he has no idea what the symbols in the book mean. Ok, so I remember a time in my life when I felt like that too...but it's seriously not that hard, this kid is SLOW. Anyway, this comes later, but....Koyuki breaks the guitar by dropping it off a bridge into the street while CHASING CICADAS!!! WTF?!?!?! Who the hell RUNS to catch CICADAS while holding a GUITAR???? You deserved to have it fall into the street! I don't blame him for thinking Ryusuke would be mad at him. What none of us knew was that this guitar was very special to Ryusuke cause it was given to him as a gift by the only person who befriended him when he too was a hapless idiot like Koyuki....very similar to how Ryusuke is befriending Koyuki now. So...yeah, Ryusuke is pissed and Koyuki is depressed (see quote: "I doubt if I'll ever grow up to be a normal adult.". Again the girls try to act on his behalf, but....

Ok...on to things I completely hated.....Why in the hell would there happen to be FOUR incredibly talented musicians along with a doofy, awkward, middle school kid at a bar league softball game??? You think you could have made that less believable??? Oh...Ryusuke needs to start a band....oh...here are a bunch of people. Oh, but his rival is here too and he's trying to scope the people too. Seriously, this is over the top. And speaking of over the top....facial expressions....WTF?? WAY WAY overboard. On ALL the characters this time.

Anyway, so...Saitou-san has this parrot that likes to sing with recordings of the Beatles live performances and he finds Koyuki with the broken guitar and he teaches him to play. They enter in the music fest. Here's where I have a slightly embarrassing story about myself to tell you. I already talked about Rocket Boys and Bri mentioned it in his review, so I won't really go into that...what I will talk about are Beatles songs.......So. There's a track on the soundtrack with Koyuki singing that's titled "I've Got a Feeling". It's what I refer to as one of the "Special Olympics" tracks where they make Koyuki sing in english even though the guy singing for him (and Koyuki's character in the anime) can't really speak english.....at all. But I really like that song. It's cute. Koyuki really tries to sing it...he tries really hard, and I've always been attached to it. So, I'm home one weekend and my mom (who LOVES the Beatles as all good young women in the 60's did) is watching this Paul McCartney concert on TV. I was in and out and I was talking to her and all of a sudden he starts singing this very same "I've Got a Feeling" song. And I look at mom and with very confused words managed to ask her where that song was from. She's like, "It's a Beatles song. I don't remember which album, one of the early-middle ones I think." I'm like, "Did I listen to it??" She says, "I don't know...why??" So I play her the track and she says something to the effect of "that sucked". And I laugh and say, "Yeah, well I didn't know it was a Beatles song or I would have thought that about it too." So yeah.....totally didn't know that was a Beatles song. I'm now one of THOSE people that I make fun of so much. I hang my head in shame.

Ok, so again we end with Koyuki and Maho singing "Moon on the Water"...this time while swimming naked in the city pool. Yay!

This ends my review. Still worth a read, give it time...it's not that bad. And the series will get better. Or well, it ought to. I don't imagine they would have made it into a successful anime if all the manga but book one sucked.

Beck 2, an Uninspired review for a Meh Volume

2006-01-12T16:45:00.001-08:00

So, Beck volume two was not nearly as grabbing as volume. That’s pretty much all there is to it. Even with one of my favorite supporting characters being introduced it just didn’t have that same feel as volume 1 did. Now the series if I recall correctly is 30 plus volumes so it’s expected that there will be some slow downs and parts that are not as captivating as other, but still it’s a bit of let down that it happens right at volume two.

Let’s start off with the bad. Manabu, jack ass pretty boy vocalist. Yes you can see him as just an arrogant lead singer with a big ego, but it seems more than a little obvious that they made him the type of jack ass he is so he could be the “jerk singer” in Eiji’s band. It’s fine I mean Sakuishi did a good job, I really do dislike Manabu, in fact I want someone to cock punch him, but I dunno just seems a little flat. The writing in general seemed a little week in this volume, not bad, just a little weak. Also bad again…the facial expressions. Koyuki especially, but even Ray and Chiba have some pretty bad and over the top ones drawn on them. Since most of the rest of the art is so realistic, it just kind of rubs me the wrong way. Oh lastly even though I like Saitou-san they went way too far on some of the drawings of him to make him a little bit of a creepy/perverted old man.

Now for the good. Saitou-san, despite how he is sometimes drawn, is a great supporting character. He’s funny, he’s quirky, and well he’s a supporter. He helps Koyuki out a lot, and has a great talking bird named Page. Also of amusement is the way in which Izumi-chan half likes and half plays with Koyuki. The poor kid doesn’t really stand a chance of ever figuring her out, but it’s funny. Plus, as a boy, sometimes I think that’s exactly how girls act, and it makes it all the easier to feel for Koyuki. He only makes a brief appearance but finally Chiba has arrived. Just based off this one volume it’s kind of hard to get a good feel for him, he seems a little girl crazy, but there’s hope that there’s more too him than that.

So, basically it’s still worth your time to read, but it’s not nearly as captivating as the first volume. If you think of it in terms of a 5 point scale; 4.5 for volume 1, 2.75 to 3 for volume 2.

Things that disappointed me compared to the anime. Ok now I know in the anime they didn’t use all the Beatles songs, because it would cost too much to get the rights to use. However, the made up band The Rocket Boys and their song “Follow Me” were awesome and it makes me sad that it wasn’t in the manga. Oh also the “Full Moon Sway” lyrics being way different again from the anime is a bit bothersome too.

Letting down the anime community

2006-01-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

So..according to schedule I'm supposed to post about a series I'm watching. However, I'm not really watching one. So.....I have nothing to report.

I'm a failure to all otaku-kind. I only work 4 hours a day and other than that I'm pretty much home....and I haven't been watching ANYTHING.

I did read books 4 and 5 of Here is Greenwood. Hilariously amusing as always. I liked that the "Here is Devilswood" episode from the OVA was included as a sidestory in the manga and immediately followed by the cultural fest where people did do plays, but not that play. It was a creative merging by the artisans of the 6 ep OVA that EVERYONE SHOULD BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's ridiculously cheap and hilariously entertaining. Also...I'm SO glad they chose to put the Devil's Wood story on the OVA. And I want it to be a real anime of it's own. I also like the expanding upon the characters and our look to the past interactions of Mitsuru and Shinobu and how they were enemies at first and are now partners in the same crimes. I think what amused me most was the guy that wanted to get between Suka-chan and his brother and get to his brother's wife. Haha...he managed to start a rumor that Kazuhiro was gay and he kept throwing shit at Suka-chan and making him think that Shinobu did it. I was laughing really hard. And I was reading it on the bus so this made it even funnier that I was laughing out loud. Oh...Yukie Nasu, thank you. I hope we can find volume 6 so that I can read 6 and 7 (I bought 7 when I found it but I still haven't found 6)....seriously people....get the OVA. And then you will want to read all the manga too. This series is pure hilarity all the time. There are pretty boys who pick on the new kid, there's the new kid who has a crush on his brother's wife and gets nosebleeds when he thinks about it, there's the boy who looks EXACTLY like a girl, there's the school nurse/older brother who just teases his brother (the new kid) all the time. And there are hilarious high school antics at the all boys school in the dorm. And sports fests and cultural fests galore. Simply hilarious.

Its Manga scan day!!!

2006-01-09T19:01:00.000-08:00

Today is not really a picture of a bishounen (ok...well it is, but that's not the focus)...it's hilarious. Maki Murakami is so freaking funny in her sidebars and random side comments that I had to share one of my favorites with you. She's always talking about video games (though not as much as Natsuki Takaya of Fruits Basket...but enough to amuse me), and so when she did a data profile for Eiri as though we were checking the status of a party member in an rpg.....I nearly peed myself the first time I read it. It's sorta hard to read as I'm none too great at scanning just yet, but I photoshopped it best I could and I hope you can at least appreciate the hilarity.

Also...Steph IMed me while I was photoshopping, and this is what we had to say on it. I love Steph so much....

Steph: hey sari, what's up?
Sari: nothing
Sari: photoshopping todays manga scan
Sari: cause its a lot of text and it's hard to read
Steph: yay photoshoping manga!
Sari: haha yeah
Sari: it's so nerdy
Sari: delightfully nerdy
Steph: lol yeah but its so awesome!!!!
Sari: oh....i know

And with that....here is today's hilarious manga scan!

Bri-kun, Yaoi con, and me dressing as a cross-dresser

2006-01-08T23:42:00.000-08:00

So...Bri and I had an amusing conversation about our cosplay for our more than probable trip to the next Yaoi-con wherever it may take us. I want to share it with you....as it ends well.

(01:31:06) Bri-kun: i still really wanna do hana-kimi
(01:31:08) Bri-kun: btw
(01:31:09) Han-kun: i know
(01:31:12) Han-kun: it will be cute
(01:31:31) Han-kun: sk as girl dressed as boy
(01:31:46) Bri-kun: haha yep
(01:31:49) Bri-kun: plus it's appropriate
(01:31:51) Han-kun: yeah
(01:31:52) Han-kun: it is
(01:32:20) Bri-kun: yes i am cross dressing, but i'm playing a cross dresser
(01:32:22) Bri-kun: so it's ok
(01:32:27) Han-kun: hahahaha yeah
(01:32:56) Han-kun: ahh i have a good history already
(01:33:05) Bri-kun: haha yeah?
(01:33:11) Han-kun: cosplay as boy who likes boys
(01:33:21) Han-kun: i mean....i like the same boys as him
(01:33:26) Han-kun: so really....what's the difference
(01:33:52) Bri-kun: haha true
(01:33:56) Han-kun: now cosplay as girl cross dressing as boy
(01:34:02) Han-kun: cause she likes a boy
(01:34:08) Bri-kun: haha yep
(01:34:12) Bri-kun: you're far ahead of me
(01:34:18) Bri-kun: i've only pulled off the pirate
(01:34:24) Han-kun: haha yeah
(01:34:30) Bri-kun: which while it was funny, wasn't really true cosplay
(01:34:36) Han-kun: yeah...well
(01:34:40) Han-kun: we will cosplay
(01:35:12) Han-kun: though if you're going on your bike trip then we cant do the hang out in madison and have our cosplay bbq before hagen goes back to schoo;
(01:35:18) Han-kun: jess and steph will be sad
(01:35:21) Bri-kun: hmmmm
(01:35:34) Bri-kun: maybe i'll have to change the dates
(01:35:40) Bri-kun: i'll figure it out
(01:35:42) Han-kun: ok
(01:36:10) Bri-kun: oh speaking of steph if the three of us go to yaoi con, we should see if she wants to either be the hot boy, your american friend, or the school nurse
(01:36:20) Han-kun: haha yeah
(01:36:35) Bri-kun: hot boy the best for the trio, school nurse the best for hilarity
(01:36:41) Han-kun: though she's not familiar with hana-kimi
(01:36:45) Han-kun: haha yeah
(01:36:48) Han-kun: steph as hot boy
(01:36:51) Han-kun: hee hee
(01:37:03) Bri-kun: yaoi con is traditionally in october
(01:37:06) Han-kun: yeah
(01:37:12) Bri-kun: we will start her on the first manga run
(01:37:17) Bri-kun: have her read hana kimi one
(01:37:22) Han-kun: haha yeah
(01:37:24) Han-kun: good good
(01:37:39) Han-kun: what the hell is my schedule that day
(01:37:42) Han-kun: i forgot
(01:37:48) Bri-kun: done at 3 something right?
(01:37:50) Han-kun: ok
(01:37:52) Han-kun: i dunno
(01:37:52) Bri-kun: then video games
(01:38:04) Bri-kun: then hagen sari perkins
(01:38:09) Bri-kun: steph aquisition and manga
(01:38:17) Han-kun: excellent
(01:39:06) Bri-kun: ok so here's the plan, grab hana-kimi hand it to steph: "Study up you're SK's hot boy. If you slip up I'm the confused closet case poised to swoop in, so don't drop the ball."
(01:39:21) Han-kun: HEE HEE
(01:39:22) Han-kun: yay
(01:40:24) Bri-kun: the best is it's almost true to how real life worked out
(01:40:35) Bri-kun: sans all the dress up
(01:40:38) Han-kun: haha yeah
(01:40:41) Han-kun: it really is
(01:41:06) Bri-kun: yay
(01:41:14) Bri-kun: we have our yaoi con team!
(01:41:19) Han-kun: who does sk love
(01:41:27) Han-kun: hooray!!! yaoi con!!!
(01:41:29) Bri-kun: bri-kun?
(01:41:39) Han-kun: steph and you make the best team i can think of
(01:41:44) Han-kun: you really are my anime team
(01:41:46) Bri-kun: haha yeah?
(01:41:51) Han-kun: yes,...bri-kun
(01:41:54) Bri-kun: yay!
(01:41:54) Han-kun: sk loves bri-kun
(01:42:08) Bri-kun: bri-kun loves sk too
(01:42:12) Han-kun: yay!
(01:42:15) Bri-kun: :-*
(01:42:22) Han-kun: :-*

So...there you have it. Hana-Kimi for Yaoi con. Also...I need to include the cute discussion of Japanese that we had later....KAWAII!!

(01:49:20) Bri-kun: :big big hugs: sk ore wa kimi suki dayo!
(01:49:32) Bri-kun: that gramar might be off sorry
(01:49:33) Han-kun: awwww
(01:49:38) Han-kun: its ok
(01:49:42) Han-kun: do you know what it says
(01:49:58) Han-kun: technically that is
(01:50:12) Bri-kun: no
(01:50:27) Bri-kun: not exactly
(01:50:34) Bri-kun: but i heard something close to that in anime
(01:50:42) Han-kun: haha ok
(01:50:50) Han-kun: well...ore wa
(01:51:02) Bri-kun: ok
(01:51:09) Bri-kun: ore is the boy I?
(01:51:15) Han-kun: yes.
(01:51:19) Han-kun: well close enough
(01:51:25) Bri-kun: ok
(01:52:45) Bri-kun: :nod nod:
(01:52:59) Han-kun: so it's this boy loves sk
(01:53:22) Bri-kun: haha ok
(01:53:25) Han-kun: loosely
(01:53:30) Bri-kun: and it's true
(01:53:32) Han-kun: kimi is you in the familiar or feminine
(01:53:33) Han-kun: i know
(01:53:54) Bri-kun: this boy, if we can call me a boy undoubtably for the moment, loves sk
(01:54:07) Han-kun: haha awwwwww
(01:54:29) Bri-kun: yay i got the laugh and the cute all at oncde!
(01:54:39) Bri-kun: sometimes i'm awesome
(01:55:11) Han-kun: you really are

Ok...I should stop before I embarass Hagen any more by posting his words on a public forum.

Daisuki!
Sari

Too too brilliantly perfect

2006-01-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

Ok...so it would be better if he were either a music professor or a med school professor, but I was doing a Google search for Hiroshi Nakano to find images for one of my many sideprojects, and I came across this page as #1 hit on the Google search.

Hiroshi Nakano.

I love it. I really really do. I didn't find any images of this guy though...if I do I'll post them.

Apparently our Hiro is also a boxer. As seen here.

Hiroshi again

Hiroshi....you look different than in your rockstar days.

This one begs the question....what IS the catch and throw mechanism.

Apparently also....Hiroshi Nakano does the voice for Ishikawa in GiTS SAC. As seen here:

Ishikawa
Seiyuu: Hiroshi Nakano

Ok...that's all for now. That got way more carried away than I wanted it to.

A non-wanky opinion of Beck 1

2006-01-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Alright....so below this is my review of the first volume of the Beck manga. It's pretty much pieced together from the notes I took while reading, so it will be disjointed and not flow clearly. And that's how I want it...

Volume 1 is the story of how Koyuki (Yukio) Tanaka, a middle schooler who feels that there's no excitement in his life, meets Ryusuke (Ray...apparently though they never say this in the manga so Brian confused me and made me think we were talking about other people named Ray) Minami who's sorta fresh from America and plays guitar in a rock band. The band is having problems though and in the end Ryusuke and his bandmate Eiji split and decide that they will compete to see who can make a better band.

Ok, now beyond the summary to my thoughts:

In the beginning, I really like that Koyuki wants to write an autobiography about his life, but thinks it's too boring to be interesting. This reminds me a lot of how I want to make a movie of my life and how I have various scenes and the soundtrack all in my head, but no one would make a movie of my life because I don't DO anything important to society that would bring me enough fame to warrant a movie. Even a made-for-TV movie. It's sad to think that really. It may also be sad that I constantly strive for fame and recognition, but we're not going to go into that side of things. However, as the story goes on you realize that yeah, Koyuki's life isn't exciting to the "real world", but he's a pretty tough kid underneath is shy and cute exterior. He's got some quite biography-worthy moments in his life. And when it comes down to it....so do I. And that's what keeps me going some days, so I hope Koyuki recognizes it too. I also like that whenever his friends go anywhere he generally tags along, but he never has any money. Which is so very much like me....as at least the majority of you reading this will know. So, this helped me get pretty attached to him. That and his shy, quiet adorability a la Shinji Ikari. For an example of this, when the hs kids take him to a bar he's so proper and quiet and shy about things while everyone else is getting drunk and just hanging out there. A good example is that one of the girls asks him why he isn't drinking and his reply is, "I am. This is my second oolong tea!" So cute. Beyond that, and Brian touched on this, there's a point after Koyuki helps an old lady that was being harrassed by Yakuza and then gets his shit kicked by them where he makes a comment about acting too far out of his social standing and how he will live by the rules of society from now on. This makes me think a lot about at least what I know about Japanese society and how different it is from ours. The fact that he feels that he was obviously in the wrong to help an old lady makes me a little sad in a lot of ways. Koyuki comes through a few more times helping people, and I think to myself....if he were "living by the rules of society" he wouldn't be doing nearly as much for these people and therefore wouldn't be nearly the person he is. Without knowing.....he's gaining support by defying the "rules of society".

On music....Koyuki is SO oblivious. His favorite singer is this jpop idol girl. Ok, so I have the soundtrack, which makes this manga a little better more than likely as I can actually envision what's going on. So it's funnier to know the songs when you hear him make the transition from liking Kuyinoshi Chiemi to The Dying Breed. Conversely, reading the manga is making the soundtracks make more sense...cause there are like 20 bands and everyone sings with everyone else and I have to admit I was confused while listening to it. But I do like it. I REALLY like the music in the series. It also amused me that after Ray and Izumi (the hot girl at Koyuki's school) were having a conversation about American and western music that Koyuki knew nothing about, he attempted to learn more and ended up reading about ridiculous American pop a la Celine Dion. When he finally does hear The Dying Breed (they're supposed to be all the rage in the American rock scene) he's overwhelmed by it and listens to it so much that he admits at the end that he memorized the words (more on this later in the "random things I liked section"). It's funny too that the Japanese kids on their encounters with the gaijin and other things try to speak English. This is one of those things that's even funnier if you know the soundtrack or the anime. But you get enough about it in the manga to make it amusing.

Overall, this book was really good and I'm really looking forward to reading more and getting more into the storyline. There are a lot of books in the series (23) so this thing keeps on going for a while. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes as far as the two bands and how Koyuki gets more involved (cause I know he does and I know the soundtrack)

Random things I liked:

Koyuki says to Ryusuke after Ryusuke thanks Koyuki for helping him and tells him how much he appreciated this time and how Koyuki helped his dog Beck: "It's just that lately, for a long time now, it seems like no one really cares or notices if I'm alive or not." That just made me think about the times I've felt like that and how much it meant to me just to have someone thank me for doing even the littlest thing for them. It makes you feel good and it makes you really really really grateful to that person, whether they know it or not. And the cycle turns.

Ryusuke reads shoujou manga because of his sister. Which is hilarious cause he kinda tries to be all like...I'm a rockstar, but then he reads shoujou. Like me....only I'm a girl.

Koyuki's reaction to hearing The Dying Breed: "It was only 10 seconds or so...until that point in time there was nothing in my heart that could approach Kuniyoshi Chiemi's stronghold..."

Koyuki's reaction to Ryusuke's band: "I don't know much about guitar playing, but they look SO COOL!" Haha yeah, they do. And I've SO been there before.

I like the random stoner rocker trying to give an analysis of the band. He amuses me greatly.

Koyuki gets scared by the hidden track on the CD. Hee hee.

Ryusuke setting Koyuki up to get food with his little sister is both cruel and ingenious at the same time. However, then Koyuki goes out with her and her friends and ends up thinking, yet again, that he's boring and no one will ever be interested in him. I've been here, I know some of the rest of you have too.

Ryusuke: "The most important focus of the band is the bass and drums." YES!!! It took me a while to get to this revelation, but YES!!!

Ok...this completes my review of Beck 1. Less wanky than Bri's, but less coherent and analytical as well. I'm being the girl for once.

Dusting off the English Major Wanking

2006-01-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

Beck, the manga by Harold Sakuishi, center around Tanaka Yukio(Koyuki) and Minami Ryusuke(Ray), and a world of music, bands, and people's lives So, how can a manga based on music actually work? Well...yes it can and quite well in fact. It can because it relies largely on it's characters and their emotions to convey meaning, and not what our ears would be hearing In fact in volume one there are only five instances where the audio aspect of music is missing; Koyuki unwinding to Kuniyoshi Chiemi, the brief scene at the Serial Mama show, the Dying Breed MD (DyBre a popular and influential American band), the four panels devoted to The Musicmans show, and Koyuki singing at the very end of the book. Even for these scenes lacking the audio doesn't much matter as the scenes largely, or atleast somewhat, deal more with the emotions brought on by the music, than what is actually being heard.

For those of you interested there is a Beck animated series where you can here the songs. It hasn't been licensed yet so you can use your BT and get out there and download the fansubs. Or, just go out on soulseek and download the soundtrack (there are two discs Beck and Keith).

The characters are really what make Beck. All the characters are solid and mostly realistic, even the supporting characters. The character's appearance also seems to fit them well. The perverted Tanabe with his almost buzz-cut, and catcher's mitt of a face, could just as easily be a peeping middle aged salary man, as a perverted junior high kid. Izumi-chan and Maho are both drawn in a way to give the pretty girl appeal, but also are distinct enough that they feel very real. Eiji, Taira, and Ray do not look like they should be doing anything but rocking. Lastly Koyuki looks like an average, unimpressive middle schooler. My only complaint about the art is that sometimes the expressions, especially Koyuki's facial expressions, can be a little over the top. It isn't bad or anything, just something that I felt didn't always fit.

Koyuki however is anything but average. Actually at first he's duller than average. In fact at first blush Koyuki seems like the last person you would want to read a story about. Thankfully as the story progresses we see Koyuki is every bit as mixed up and confused as any other 14 year old. He does want to do more than just be a warm body, but doesn't quite seem secure enough with himself to change his current situation. You really can't blame him, because the first time he tries to go out and do something (help an old lady he ends up getting thrashed by some punks. After this Koyuki thinks “I guess I stepped out of my place in society.” Note: we will revisit this in more depth later. Koyuki also shows his good heart on a few more occasions; helping Beck (a Frankenstein of dog parts and the series name sake), not ratting out Tanabe when it would have saved his ass, and standing up to three Gaijin to help his friends. Indeed in the case of the Gaijin he also shows some considerable balls. Koyuki though isn't all brash and dashing. He isn't either of those things, at all. He's just a small awkward kid (see scene with Maho and her friends) with a good heart. This leads to him being more cute than anything else, and he's still miles from cool. His initial taste in music is lame, and he can barely get a sentence out of his mouth sometimes.

Going back to the earlier quote. The quote when added to Koyuki's seeming awkwardness with dropping the kun and chan from Ryusuke and Maho, plus the scene where he's worried about calling Mit-chan, Mit-chan seems to establish some sort of pattern. From this we can see that Koyuki, despite his desires to live an exciting life, is actually a fairly reserved kid. Perhaps brought up by parents who were more traditional Koyuki has to battle a little bit with the behaviors that he has learned from home and what he desires his life to be like. Indeed his newly forming social circle seems to be taking up a side opposite of his apparent nature at the beginning. Izumi, Maho, and Ray are all more independent and casual people. They, especially Ray, seem to be opening a door to a place were Koyuki can embrace his desires for what he wants from life, and give him an opportunity to express himself. At this juncture though it does not appear that Koyuki has the skills or practice to fully embrace this. He is still reserved, still awkward, and above all still very confused. It will be interesting to see how this progresses.

The second main character in the series is Ray. Ray seems to be almost an opposite of Koyuki. With Ray we know what he wants to do, and to a certain extent we can see where it will take him. What we don't get with Ray however is the clarity of what type of person he is. Part of this is because we do not get narration or inner dialog from Ray. However, it extends beyond that. He at the same time seems to be a very nice and friendly person, yet cold and capable of being extremely emotionally distant. This dichotomy can be seen by how Ray acts when he is breaking up with the girl in the bar. He is anything but kind. He is blunt, cold, and while honest, he doesn't pull any punches. Yet a few minutes later he sticks his neck out to bail out Koyuki and his friends from the previously mentioned Gaijin. Further contradictions include it being mentioned that Ray is the son of a company president. However, we always see Ray borrowing money and apparently broke. Ont op of that he is only 16 yet living in an old run down fishing shack where he works. We know his passion for music, but nothing beyond that seems clear. Still, he is a likable character, and interesting, if not compelling.

Well, I'm looking forward to volume two. I'll try and do a little more actual plot analysis next time, instead of just talking about a couple characters and one odd tangent.

Eva light and what I still don't understand

2006-01-05T23:17:00.000-08:00

To see this post, go HERE

Yes yes...posting at work about virtually nothing

2006-01-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

I was reading my blog just now and I have come to the conclusion that I hate the way it looks (formatting wise) in internet explorer (which I only use at work, but I assume some people use all the time). The actual text area is too skinny and the links area is huge (though the links, description, and sidebar text don't even appear on my IE at work). And.....I'm having problems manipulating the html in the template to fix it.

Ahh yes, but I have no bosses and TNC doesn't pay me anyway, the University does, so I see no harm in rounding up my hours today about half an hour (I got a lot done actually) and going home and using my powers to fix it. I gave the computer a much needed rest, so it should be in it for the long haul with me. Though IE still moves slow. Yes yes....this seems the thing to do.

Also....no e-mail about my computer lab job yet. What's going on here people?? Come on University of Wisconsin Division of Information Technology.

Ahh....I still have to draft a letter to NRCS (and hope they remember my name for the future when I come and beg them for employment).......but I think that will be for tomorrow at work. I accomplished almost one whole task today with the exception of waiting for info from people I e-mailed to e-mail me back.

Stay tuned for what I think of RahXephon or a comparison with Eva and what I don't understand.

Attempting some structure

2006-01-05T00:40:00.000-08:00

It won't work of course, but I was contemplating trying to give structure to the blog. Like Mondays are pictures/scans day, Wednesdays are anime review days (when I get to watching something).....it won't work most likely, and it will take away all the interesting randomness of my life, but I think there ought still be random posts and musings. As that's the way my brain works. However! One thing I do know for sure is that we at Spicy Marmalade (that's right WE....welcome to my Bri who will be joining me on occasion for the new feature) are proud to bring you.......manga review Fridays by none other than the duke and duchess of anime, manga, and crazy schemes.......Brian Hagen and myself. Yes....as I am Master of the Universe and I have declared us the authority on such things........we will be giving you our opinions of things. Which will probably consist of Brian giving you actual literary analysis as best you can with manga (or at the very least well thought out and insightful analysis) while I talk about how it made me feel and which guy I think is the hottest. Ahh yes....such is my mind. First up for review.....BECK!!! Until they take the scans down from our online site that is.

Other things that may come up.....H2 (it's about baseball, and dear God do we love baseball. Put baseball together with anime and I think Bri-kun and I may be in heaven---or whatever it is we think heaven would be), and G Senjou Heaven's Door which has 2 volumes completed in scans and I have no idea what it's about as all I heard from Hagen was.....download it, it's only 2 volumes so far.

In anime news, since why not start today. Steph and I are close to finishing RahXephon and it was supposed to happen tonight, but it didn't (by tonight I mean Wednesday....because it may be 3AM here, but it's still Wednesday to me). So that will happen tomorrow, so you may get a 2 for 1 review this week. Today's review will be short though.

1. I've been rewatching Fruits Basket. (HAHA that review rocks. Completely agree on the comment about white snakes and the part at the end where they say if you don't like happy stories go watch Evangelion. Again...way to go THEM anime) I forget how amazing it is until I watch it start to finish instead of random episodes. It's SO CUTE though and it really does remind me of Brian and happy times. And whenever I hear the theme song I look out in my living room and remember sitting in that very same living room when it looked a bit different and being SO happy. And also...the more I watch, the more I love Shigure and Hatori. Hari (Hatori) is my new love I think. His episode (though one I used to not like very much) really makes me appreciate him. A lot. Hari's got a tough job and he's in a tough spot all the time. And so he has decided that he will remain emotionless so as not to get hurt again, but he doesn't want to be like that, he's just afraid of what will happen. Ok...so probably if you haven't watched this series none of it makes sense to you right now. But it really is amazing and the manga is even more amazing. And I still don't know if in the end Tohru will end up with Yuki or Kyo. And now I don't know which one I want her to end up with. At any rate, if you haven't had any experience with this series and you don't completely despise shoujou (not just the shoujou stereotype and not just because you think it makes you cool to not like shoujou) I recommend trying it. And remember that the first disc and sort of even the second disc are very cutsey and not a ton of character development in depth is done. The second half of that series really makes it what it is. And I love it for reasons that no one else besides my Kyo-kyo can understand, so if you don't love it like I do I understand. Just don't make fun of it or me because you don't like it. Because it means the world to me.

2. On a lighter and much more ridiculous note....Yakitate! Japan. It's about making bread. It sounds terrible probably and I know that Brian started watching this and then stopped after about half of the first season because he found it too ridiculous and weird, but I really like it. It does make me want to bake bread if I watch it for too long, and it's not something that I keep...it's a definite watch and delete series, but it is entertaining. Premise is that there's a kid (Azuma Kazuma) who likes to bake bread and is bent on creating a bread that can be associated with Japan (like there's french bread, and Italian bread)....which he calls Japan. Pan being the Japanese word for bread. Anyhow, when he's young he meets a baker who teaches him the art of bread, but then the baker moves to Tokyo to work for Pantasia which is the main bakery chain. Azuma goes to Tokyo to get a job at Pantasia, but he's pretty much an idiot who has special talent for bread and he ends up working at the Southern Tokyo branch which is a really small branch with the girl who owns it, another guy who pretends to be Azuma's rival but is really his friend, the crazy ass manager, and this random other guy who always gets left out. It's not a quality series by any means, but it is funny...very funny and Azuma is pretty much just ridiculous. And there is a lot of squaring off breadmaking competition. It's all in good fun. Check it out if you want......there's a hella lot of episodes, I just started the second season but I think the latest torrent I saw was at like 52 or something like that. I have NO IDEA how this series can go on that long, but I will keep casually watching as long as it holds my interest. I linked to some real reviews, so you can read the opinions of people who most likely think this stuff through way more than I do. And definitely articulate it better. (blogger note: the review link ISN'T great cause THEM didn't review it....and while I was finding that one I learned that they made this a video game for Nintendo DS and I want to play it but I don't have a DS so someone take pity on Hagen and I and find a way for us to play!!!)

Alright.....that's what I've got for the time being. I'll let you know what I think of RahXephon upon it's completion tomorrow. Probably. Friday will be Hagen and I with a review of volume 1 of Beck (which he already read) and likely some random side commentary and verbal bashing and abuse of one another through the use of text. All for the amusement of you, the reader.