Nodame Cantabile
There's a couple different adaptation of Nodame Cantabile beside the original manga, including two anime (Chapter Japan & Paris), one Japanese drama (Chapter Japan), and one Japanese drama special (Chapter Paris). My pilgrimage started with the manga, then the drama, then the first anime, then the drama special, and then the second anime. While each medium has its strengths and weaknesses, this is one of the few works that actually excel in all versions.
I don't consider myself musical, especially when it comes to playing any musical instrument, but Nodame Cantabile easily opens the door to classical music for me. The manga orchestrates an interesting cast of characters with a fascinating story line to make up a unique melody. Even with all the classical music terms and names, it's attractive rather than intimidating. Of course, being a romanticist, the relationship between Nodame and Chiaki is one of the main driving forces for me as well. XD
While the manga is loaded with knowledge of great composers and music pieces, it lacks the audio component which is critical for a music-themed work. The anime and drama may not adhere to the original as closely, but it's invaluable to be able to see the characters come to live and hear the music. Instead of names consisted of letters and numbers that mean nothing to me (e.g. Etude Op.10-4 in A flat major), I can immerse myself in the melody and just enjoy the experience.
The drama version was quite intense, with deliberate gag and comical effects. I had a bit of trouble adjusting from the princely image of Chiaki in the manga to a real person, but Tamaki Hiroshi pulled off the prestige bearing rather nicely. Ueno Juuri's Nodame was so dramatic that she almost overshadowed Kawasumi Ayako's Nodame in the first anime. The biggest point going for the drama version for me was actually Takenaka Naoto's Milch, which the anime's Milch just couldn't compare.
The anime version is close to the original art style and uses a soft palette and lighting. The quality is pretty consistent and the instrument playing seems genuine to me. The second anime season, Chapter Paris, retains the same level of quality but at the same time also employs CG rendering for a lot of the conducting scenes and flowery effects, which I'm not particularly fond of. Seamless implementation of 3D CG into a 2D art medium with a harmonious result is very difficult, but Chapter Paris is within tolerable range for me.
Chapter Paris has a much smaller cast, so the seiyuu's acting skill becomes critical. Nodame has calmed down quite a bit and grown more mature in Chapter Paris, and Kawasumi Ayako really shines as Nodame here. Seki Tomokazu is exceptional as usual, and Itou Shizuka and Matsukaze Masaya are great as supporting characters.
Due to the time constraint, both the drama special (total about 5 hours) and the second anime (total about 4 hours) have to omit quite a lot of scenes and details and focus on different aspects. In this respect, while the drama special version is lively and entertaining, it pales when compared to the anime version for me. My brother would probably think otherwise, though, as he usually prefer story-driven than character-driven stuff.
All in all, I highly recommend Nodame Cantabile and all its adaptation for anyone whether music is your thing or not.
Why hasn't anyone licensed the anime yet? orz
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
I consider myself a newbie when it comes to Vocaloid. While I probably haven't even listened to 0.1% of all the Vocaloid songs out there, there's a couple that I really like and go back to from time to time. ココロ is one of them, and the 悪ノ series by 悪ノP is another.
悪ノ娘(Aku no Musume/Wicked Girl) depicts a princess who ascends the throne at the young age of 14 and rules over her kingdom with spoiled and selfish tyranny, and how she meets her end. Despite the cruelness of the subject, the song style is rather light-hearted with a quick tempo, as if putting on a stage play at a local comedy theatre.
I'm sure the series wouldn't have touched so many people's heart if not for 悪ノ召使(Aku no Meshitsukai/Wicked Servant), the companion song that tells the same story from the view point of the servant with the same face that's only mentioned once in 悪ノ娘. As it turns out, the twins were forced to separate when they were little, resulting in the heartless nature in the princess. The lost twin is brought back to her, but as a servant who does the biddings of the princess, no matter how sinful it is. At the end, he switches roles with the princess and dies at the guillotine disguised as her. She is his other half, and he loves her dearly, to the point of dying for her.
At the communion today, the pastor reminded us once again that Jesus loves us so much that he died for us. Len (the servant) is willing to die for Rin (the princess) because they are twin siblings. Jesus is not related to us by nature, yet He loves us and gives His all to us, so that we can be clean and be free.
In リグレットメッセージ(Regret Message, not written by 悪ノP), Rin thinks back to what Len had done for her and regrets her actions, but Len won't be back again. Jesus, on the other hand, rose from the dead after three days! When I do something wrong or stupid, it's not too late to repent and change, and Jesus is there for me every step of the way.
It's kind of hard to lay out in words what went through my mind when I heard those words from the pastor this morning and mentally made a comparison with Len in 悪ノ召使. I think this is one of the reasons why I like the song so much, to see the great display of love.
On the topic of 悪ノ召使, here are some PV that I mylisted. These two are chorus projects, and I especially love the second one, 悪ノ召使 -Classical version-【ミニ合唱】Project Edition. I couldn't help but tear up when Len sings T__T
On the subject of parallel comparison, I found Re_birthday and one of its PV just now (yes, I've been listening to the 悪ノ series on Niconico while writing this). Another uncunning resemblance! Len, alone in a dark space and chained down by the blood and tears from people he's wronged, is condemned by his sins. Then one day, the dark space opens up a crack and lets in a small light, freeing him from the chains and giving him a second chance. Sounds like every born again Christian's path, eh?
I think Re_birthday links up the trilogy (悪ノ娘、悪ノ召使、リグレットメッセージ) very nicely and completes the 悪ノ series along with ぜんまい仕掛けの子守唄(Zenmaijikake no Komoriuta/Clockwork Lullaby). こんな素敵なシリーズありがとう、悪ノP氏!(Thank you for this wonderful series, Aku no P-san!)
悪ノ娘(Aku no Musume/Wicked Girl) depicts a princess who ascends the throne at the young age of 14 and rules over her kingdom with spoiled and selfish tyranny, and how she meets her end. Despite the cruelness of the subject, the song style is rather light-hearted with a quick tempo, as if putting on a stage play at a local comedy theatre.
I'm sure the series wouldn't have touched so many people's heart if not for 悪ノ召使(Aku no Meshitsukai/Wicked Servant), the companion song that tells the same story from the view point of the servant with the same face that's only mentioned once in 悪ノ娘. As it turns out, the twins were forced to separate when they were little, resulting in the heartless nature in the princess. The lost twin is brought back to her, but as a servant who does the biddings of the princess, no matter how sinful it is. At the end, he switches roles with the princess and dies at the guillotine disguised as her. She is his other half, and he loves her dearly, to the point of dying for her.
At the communion today, the pastor reminded us once again that Jesus loves us so much that he died for us. Len (the servant) is willing to die for Rin (the princess) because they are twin siblings. Jesus is not related to us by nature, yet He loves us and gives His all to us, so that we can be clean and be free.
In リグレットメッセージ(Regret Message, not written by 悪ノP), Rin thinks back to what Len had done for her and regrets her actions, but Len won't be back again. Jesus, on the other hand, rose from the dead after three days! When I do something wrong or stupid, it's not too late to repent and change, and Jesus is there for me every step of the way.
It's kind of hard to lay out in words what went through my mind when I heard those words from the pastor this morning and mentally made a comparison with Len in 悪ノ召使. I think this is one of the reasons why I like the song so much, to see the great display of love.
On the topic of 悪ノ召使, here are some PV that I mylisted. These two are chorus projects, and I especially love the second one, 悪ノ召使 -Classical version-【ミニ合唱】Project Edition. I couldn't help but tear up when Len sings T__T
On the subject of parallel comparison, I found Re_birthday and one of its PV just now (yes, I've been listening to the 悪ノ series on Niconico while writing this). Another uncunning resemblance! Len, alone in a dark space and chained down by the blood and tears from people he's wronged, is condemned by his sins. Then one day, the dark space opens up a crack and lets in a small light, freeing him from the chains and giving him a second chance. Sounds like every born again Christian's path, eh?
I think Re_birthday links up the trilogy (悪ノ娘、悪ノ召使、リグレットメッセージ) very nicely and completes the 悪ノ series along with ぜんまい仕掛けの子守唄(Zenmaijikake no Komoriuta/Clockwork Lullaby). こんな素敵なシリーズありがとう、悪ノP氏!(Thank you for this wonderful series, Aku no P-san!)
Friday, February 06, 2009
I had a chance to go to Vancouver Downtown the other day, and what was supposed to be a side excursion to knowledge turned out to be another shopping trip. Not that I'm complaining. XD
Before departing on my journey to venture into the unknown and scary territory of Vancouver Downtown, I did a quick search on Google Maps for Japanese book stores, hoping to locate the one tipped off to me by the girl at Sakura Media. Well, the result rendered two possibilities within walking distance, Sophia Books and Book Off. I went to Sophia first because that seemed to be the less likely one (I always leave the best for later) and, as expected, walked out empty-handed. I did see a volume of the Kyouran Kazoku novel series, but I didn't get it. It's not quite my cup of tea.
Then I walked into Book Off and knew, right that instant, that I just hit the jackpot! Not only did the store offer a wide selection of books and manga in Japanese with great prices, but also Japanese music and DVD, and even console game software. And it's 20% off everything in the store, with the exception of the $2 items, during the whole month of February!
After about two hours or so, I re-emerged into the night with a big and heavy bag of loot and a thinner wallet. I would have grabbed more stuff, but I was taking the transit that day so it was best to keep the luggage relatively light.
To keep the long story short, here's a list of what I got:
CD
- Sound Horizon: 5th Story Roman (the most expensive purchase of the day, but absolutely worth every single penny! I didn't even imagine I can get it outside Japan without ordering online!)
- Sound Horizon: Shounen wa Tsurugi o
- Atari Kousuke: Kizuna/Natsu Yuuzora
- Atari Kousuke: Hana
- Utsunomiya Takashi: easy attraction
- Kamen Rider Kabuto OP Single: NEXT LEVEL
- Sousei no Aquarion OP Single: Sousei no Aquarion (the seiyuu version is superb!)
- db songbook featuring Kuwashima Houko
- Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest IV
Books
- Library War
- Library Civil War
- Library Crisis
- Favorite (darn the American spelling...) Japanese-English dictionary
Yup, I finally went and got a Japanese dictionary. The Rikaichan add-on is awesome, but it's much more convenient to use a paper dictionary while reading a book. Maybe that will motivate me to start rolling the novel translation project I've been planning forever. Speaking of which, I might switch my target from the Saiunkoku Monogatari series to the Library War series... We'll see.
Yeah, I went in to look for manga, but I ended up not buying any 'cause I already grabbed so many things. Maybe next time, whenever that will be.
I was really tempted to buy the anime DVD there, but they're Region 2 DVD... :(
Their DS game selection was rather small compared to the other consoles, but at least they are in Japanese! Too bad I already bought Dragon Quest IV; I rather play it in Japanese than in English. Ah well, at least now I know where I can get a few of the Japanese games. I had to put two DS games back to the shelf because I was trying to keep my next month's credit card bill down after my anime spending last month. CT, FF III, and DQ IV are probably enough to keep me busy until next year anyway.
All in all, it was a fruitful day. The only disappointment was that the Japanese eatery I was planning to have lunch at was no longer there. Granted, it was at least a good four years or so since I last went there. The sushi cafe express I ended up going was relatively cheap (man, one has to go broke eating out in Downtown all the time), and the food was not bad. Not the best place to chat and relax with friends, though.
I think all I have left to buy is the Gundam 0080 DVD from Sakura Media and hopefully AIR TV if they have it (gotta use those coupons!), and I'll be good with my ACG shopping for a long time. Until chance leads me into either Sakura Media or Book Off again, that is. I can't decide whether it's a curse or a blessing to be living so far away from everywhere... =v=
Before departing on my journey to venture into the unknown and scary territory of Vancouver Downtown, I did a quick search on Google Maps for Japanese book stores, hoping to locate the one tipped off to me by the girl at Sakura Media. Well, the result rendered two possibilities within walking distance, Sophia Books and Book Off. I went to Sophia first because that seemed to be the less likely one (I always leave the best for later) and, as expected, walked out empty-handed. I did see a volume of the Kyouran Kazoku novel series, but I didn't get it. It's not quite my cup of tea.
Then I walked into Book Off and knew, right that instant, that I just hit the jackpot! Not only did the store offer a wide selection of books and manga in Japanese with great prices, but also Japanese music and DVD, and even console game software. And it's 20% off everything in the store, with the exception of the $2 items, during the whole month of February!
After about two hours or so, I re-emerged into the night with a big and heavy bag of loot and a thinner wallet. I would have grabbed more stuff, but I was taking the transit that day so it was best to keep the luggage relatively light.
To keep the long story short, here's a list of what I got:
CD
- Sound Horizon: 5th Story Roman (the most expensive purchase of the day, but absolutely worth every single penny! I didn't even imagine I can get it outside Japan without ordering online!)
- Sound Horizon: Shounen wa Tsurugi o
- Atari Kousuke: Kizuna/Natsu Yuuzora
- Atari Kousuke: Hana
- Utsunomiya Takashi: easy attraction
- Kamen Rider Kabuto OP Single: NEXT LEVEL
- Sousei no Aquarion OP Single: Sousei no Aquarion (the seiyuu version is superb!)
- db songbook featuring Kuwashima Houko
- Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest IV
Books
- Library War
- Library Civil War
- Library Crisis
- Favorite (darn the American spelling...) Japanese-English dictionary
Yup, I finally went and got a Japanese dictionary. The Rikaichan add-on is awesome, but it's much more convenient to use a paper dictionary while reading a book. Maybe that will motivate me to start rolling the novel translation project I've been planning forever. Speaking of which, I might switch my target from the Saiunkoku Monogatari series to the Library War series... We'll see.
Yeah, I went in to look for manga, but I ended up not buying any 'cause I already grabbed so many things. Maybe next time, whenever that will be.
I was really tempted to buy the anime DVD there, but they're Region 2 DVD... :(
Their DS game selection was rather small compared to the other consoles, but at least they are in Japanese! Too bad I already bought Dragon Quest IV; I rather play it in Japanese than in English. Ah well, at least now I know where I can get a few of the Japanese games. I had to put two DS games back to the shelf because I was trying to keep my next month's credit card bill down after my anime spending last month. CT, FF III, and DQ IV are probably enough to keep me busy until next year anyway.
All in all, it was a fruitful day. The only disappointment was that the Japanese eatery I was planning to have lunch at was no longer there. Granted, it was at least a good four years or so since I last went there. The sushi cafe express I ended up going was relatively cheap (man, one has to go broke eating out in Downtown all the time), and the food was not bad. Not the best place to chat and relax with friends, though.
I think all I have left to buy is the Gundam 0080 DVD from Sakura Media and hopefully AIR TV if they have it (gotta use those coupons!), and I'll be good with my ACG shopping for a long time. Until chance leads me into either Sakura Media or Book Off again, that is. I can't decide whether it's a curse or a blessing to be living so far away from everywhere... =v=
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
I just got my credit card bill for last month and it was a big one as expected, thanks to all the Christmas shopping I did. My next bill probably won't be as costly, but it would likely be a good sum as well, thanks to the anime shopping trip I took today.
As mentioned before, I was hesitant about getting the Aquarion DVD set because of its price and the lack of Part 1. Well, I checked online and found that said missing item was available at the Burnaby Best Buy. After some struggle, I succumbed to my inner collector's thirst and got Part 2 not long after the post. But it's not until today, roughly one month later, that I finally went and got Part 1.
Aquarion Part 1 was what I set out to get today, but I ended up buying over $200 (after tax) worth of stuff. I will have to tighten my belt for the next month or so to make up for this...
Anyhow, after an interesting drive through the sea of fog, I arrived at my first stop, Crystal Mall. It's probably no secret that most of the DVDs there are bootlegs, so my main objective there was plamo rather than media. The ones I'm looking for are not out yet so I was really just browsing. I was also planning to ambush friend L at her work but I missed their closing hour...
There's quite a few Three Kingdoms themed SD Gundam plamo at the stores, including the clear colour versions. I was tempted to get the peach orchard oath 3-in-1 set, but I already have the Ryubi Gundam, so I settled for the Koumei & Chouun set. There were three stores selling the set, all with different prices. Luckily, I got it from the cheapest one. :)
Next stop was Best Buy, the original destination for the trip. I had asked friend L's colleague, who lives just a block away from there, to get the Aquarion Part 1 for me, but she couldn't find it even with the help of the store associate. I already checked last night to make sure it's still showing as in stock and went straight to the anime section and snatched it off the shelf today. Took me less than 10 minutes to retreat out of there. XD
My last stop was the infamous maze that has never failed to trap me every time I went there, Metropolis/Metrotown Centre. Friend D once mentioned to me that Sakura Media had moved from Crystal Mall to Metropolis, so I decided to take a look, thinking that they should have legit media since they're now selling in Metro. Little did I know that the place would be a black hole for my hard earned cash...
Less than five minutes after I walked in, I almost coughed out a Sir Borden for three volumes of Mobile Suit Gundam Illustration World. I held off on those and decided to browse the whole store first. I almost grabbed Guren Type-2 but stopped myself as I am waiting for Guren SEITEN (and Lancelot Albion). The Royal coating version of Vincent was very tempting as well, but the price was enough to pull me back out. The store was playing O2 while I was contemplating the plamo purchase. What coincidence. XD
Then I noticed the wall of anime DVDs... One of the store clerks approached me and led me to Code Geass as requested. They only had Part 2 and are waiting for more shipment of Part 1. I was ecstatic at first as I was going to order Code Geass from Amazon, then I saw their price tag and put it back. The first digit was double that of Amazon's. I'll just order them as planned...
My best find for the day was the Argento Soma DVD set that I've been looking forever for and was planning to order online along with Code Geass! Again, their price tag was higher than that of Amazon's, but this time the difference was within acceptable range so I still bought it there. I also got the Infinite Ryvius DVD set and almost grabbed the Kenran Butousai DVD set and the Gundam 0080 set.
They have a fairly sizeable selection of manga, but they're all in English. The girl tipped me off of a Japanese book store in Downtown, but I don't think I'll be able to make it due to the distance. Today was, as far as I can recall, my second trip to the other side of the bridge after I left Mepos last summer. Downtown? I go there maybe once every two years or so. I think I'll stick with Iwase for my Japanese reading needs.
They don't have membership currently but they give out coupons for the following month, $2 for every $25 spend. I guess I'm going back there next month. Should I go for the art book or the DVD? Ah, the decisions...
As mentioned before, I was hesitant about getting the Aquarion DVD set because of its price and the lack of Part 1. Well, I checked online and found that said missing item was available at the Burnaby Best Buy. After some struggle, I succumbed to my inner collector's thirst and got Part 2 not long after the post. But it's not until today, roughly one month later, that I finally went and got Part 1.
Aquarion Part 1 was what I set out to get today, but I ended up buying over $200 (after tax) worth of stuff. I will have to tighten my belt for the next month or so to make up for this...
Anyhow, after an interesting drive through the sea of fog, I arrived at my first stop, Crystal Mall. It's probably no secret that most of the DVDs there are bootlegs, so my main objective there was plamo rather than media. The ones I'm looking for are not out yet so I was really just browsing. I was also planning to ambush friend L at her work but I missed their closing hour...
There's quite a few Three Kingdoms themed SD Gundam plamo at the stores, including the clear colour versions. I was tempted to get the peach orchard oath 3-in-1 set, but I already have the Ryubi Gundam, so I settled for the Koumei & Chouun set. There were three stores selling the set, all with different prices. Luckily, I got it from the cheapest one. :)
Next stop was Best Buy, the original destination for the trip. I had asked friend L's colleague, who lives just a block away from there, to get the Aquarion Part 1 for me, but she couldn't find it even with the help of the store associate. I already checked last night to make sure it's still showing as in stock and went straight to the anime section and snatched it off the shelf today. Took me less than 10 minutes to retreat out of there. XD
My last stop was the infamous maze that has never failed to trap me every time I went there, Metropolis/Metrotown Centre. Friend D once mentioned to me that Sakura Media had moved from Crystal Mall to Metropolis, so I decided to take a look, thinking that they should have legit media since they're now selling in Metro. Little did I know that the place would be a black hole for my hard earned cash...
Less than five minutes after I walked in, I almost coughed out a Sir Borden for three volumes of Mobile Suit Gundam Illustration World. I held off on those and decided to browse the whole store first. I almost grabbed Guren Type-2 but stopped myself as I am waiting for Guren SEITEN (and Lancelot Albion). The Royal coating version of Vincent was very tempting as well, but the price was enough to pull me back out. The store was playing O2 while I was contemplating the plamo purchase. What coincidence. XD
Then I noticed the wall of anime DVDs... One of the store clerks approached me and led me to Code Geass as requested. They only had Part 2 and are waiting for more shipment of Part 1. I was ecstatic at first as I was going to order Code Geass from Amazon, then I saw their price tag and put it back. The first digit was double that of Amazon's. I'll just order them as planned...
My best find for the day was the Argento Soma DVD set that I've been looking forever for and was planning to order online along with Code Geass! Again, their price tag was higher than that of Amazon's, but this time the difference was within acceptable range so I still bought it there. I also got the Infinite Ryvius DVD set and almost grabbed the Kenran Butousai DVD set and the Gundam 0080 set.
They have a fairly sizeable selection of manga, but they're all in English. The girl tipped me off of a Japanese book store in Downtown, but I don't think I'll be able to make it due to the distance. Today was, as far as I can recall, my second trip to the other side of the bridge after I left Mepos last summer. Downtown? I go there maybe once every two years or so. I think I'll stick with Iwase for my Japanese reading needs.
They don't have membership currently but they give out coupons for the following month, $2 for every $25 spend. I guess I'm going back there next month. Should I go for the art book or the DVD? Ah, the decisions...
Monday, January 05, 2009
Hello 2009!
First of all, let's have a moment of silence for the melting and shrinking snow that's been with us for the past month or so... There.
I'll miss those pinkish night sky until they loom over us again in the 2009/2010 winter. As long as the snow doesn't compromise the road condition when I need to go out, that is.
Too bad it was ridiculously cold when the snow accumulation reached its highest so I didn't take a picture. Now that it's starting to melt, I have no interest in recording its slow and painful death.
We broke the record for snow fall in December for Surrey, btw.
Because of the snow, we cancelled our different agenda and stayed home. Mum wanted to rent a movie but didn't have anything in mind. I voted for Wall-E, but bro pushed hard for Transformer, so we ended up with Transformer.
Bro and I had some hearty good laughs throughout the movie, though I had to keep explaining to Mum 'cause she was lost from the beginning and was still confused at the end. I especially love the scene when the main guy (sorry, forgot his name already) was demanded whether he was user so and so, and where item number so and so was. I also burst out laughing not five minutes into the film when the narration, with a low grave voice, mentioned the Cube. Nice name for such a supposedly powerful object. XD
Other than the eBay and robotic jokes, I found Transformer to be all right. The CG rendering and action is pretty awesome, though the fighting scenes between the robots can be a bit too fast paced to follow. And to untrained eyes such as Mum's, she had difficulty distinguishing the individual units unless they're in the vehicle mode.
Bro loved the movie and lauded it as the best movie of the year (2007?) I still think Wall-E would be better. I'm too used to robots fighting for peace/domination/destruction to get excited about Transformer, which is one of the reasons why I voted for Wall-E. I don't usually feel the attraction very often when watching commercials, but I did for Wall-E. It might not beat Fireball in the 3D robot-themed category in my mind, but I have high expectation for it.
Maybe I should just go buy the DVD?
After my last post in December, I went and bought Puzzle Quest the next day for my Guren. I also managed to get a copy of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy III after numerous searches around town. The World Ends With You, unfortunately, is still out of sight.
Bought New Super Mario Bros yesterday 'cause I haven't got any platformer game yet. Bro didn't seem too interested in it and wanted a Naruto fighting game instead. Not a chance, man. Buy it yourself.
Anyhow, I started Puzzle Quest right away and also got bro into it. I chose a knight and named him Fenir to go with the background setting, while bro went with a wizard and named him Naruto. He beat the game two days ago and complained about the difficulty of the last boss. At the end, he had to adjust the game level to easy because he just couldn't win under the normal level. I beat the last boss yesterday in my first try right in his room, causing an appalled cry from him. Then I used his character and fought the last boss using the Choose An Opponent feature, and I beat him in one try as well under the normal level setting. This earned an indignant grunt and a weak excuse from bro. 甘いな、おとうとよ。XD
Since I plan to finish the NES version of DQ IV first, I had Chrono Trigger and FF III to choose from for my next game. I finally went with Chrono Trigger. Listening to its soundtrack has that effect on people.
So I'm now reliving a precious part of my gaming history. Knowing the story development didn't take away the fun of playing, and it's priceless to be able to see those memorable character and monster sprites moving about on the screen. The OP movie (from the PS version?) is very nice, too. I'm having a blast with Chrono Trigger! :D
First of all, let's have a moment of silence for the melting and shrinking snow that's been with us for the past month or so... There.
I'll miss those pinkish night sky until they loom over us again in the 2009/2010 winter. As long as the snow doesn't compromise the road condition when I need to go out, that is.
Too bad it was ridiculously cold when the snow accumulation reached its highest so I didn't take a picture. Now that it's starting to melt, I have no interest in recording its slow and painful death.
We broke the record for snow fall in December for Surrey, btw.
Because of the snow, we cancelled our different agenda and stayed home. Mum wanted to rent a movie but didn't have anything in mind. I voted for Wall-E, but bro pushed hard for Transformer, so we ended up with Transformer.
Bro and I had some hearty good laughs throughout the movie, though I had to keep explaining to Mum 'cause she was lost from the beginning and was still confused at the end. I especially love the scene when the main guy (sorry, forgot his name already) was demanded whether he was user so and so, and where item number so and so was. I also burst out laughing not five minutes into the film when the narration, with a low grave voice, mentioned the Cube. Nice name for such a supposedly powerful object. XD
Other than the eBay and robotic jokes, I found Transformer to be all right. The CG rendering and action is pretty awesome, though the fighting scenes between the robots can be a bit too fast paced to follow. And to untrained eyes such as Mum's, she had difficulty distinguishing the individual units unless they're in the vehicle mode.
Bro loved the movie and lauded it as the best movie of the year (2007?) I still think Wall-E would be better. I'm too used to robots fighting for peace/domination/destruction to get excited about Transformer, which is one of the reasons why I voted for Wall-E. I don't usually feel the attraction very often when watching commercials, but I did for Wall-E. It might not beat Fireball in the 3D robot-themed category in my mind, but I have high expectation for it.
Maybe I should just go buy the DVD?
After my last post in December, I went and bought Puzzle Quest the next day for my Guren. I also managed to get a copy of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy III after numerous searches around town. The World Ends With You, unfortunately, is still out of sight.
Bought New Super Mario Bros yesterday 'cause I haven't got any platformer game yet. Bro didn't seem too interested in it and wanted a Naruto fighting game instead. Not a chance, man. Buy it yourself.
Anyhow, I started Puzzle Quest right away and also got bro into it. I chose a knight and named him Fenir to go with the background setting, while bro went with a wizard and named him Naruto. He beat the game two days ago and complained about the difficulty of the last boss. At the end, he had to adjust the game level to easy because he just couldn't win under the normal level. I beat the last boss yesterday in my first try right in his room, causing an appalled cry from him. Then I used his character and fought the last boss using the Choose An Opponent feature, and I beat him in one try as well under the normal level setting. This earned an indignant grunt and a weak excuse from bro. 甘いな、おとうとよ。XD
Since I plan to finish the NES version of DQ IV first, I had Chrono Trigger and FF III to choose from for my next game. I finally went with Chrono Trigger. Listening to its soundtrack has that effect on people.
So I'm now reliving a precious part of my gaming history. Knowing the story development didn't take away the fun of playing, and it's priceless to be able to see those memorable character and monster sprites moving about on the screen. The OP movie (from the PS version?) is very nice, too. I'm having a blast with Chrono Trigger! :D
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Burrrrr. It was 3°C when I left home this morning so I didn't think of wearing a scarf or a thicker jacket. I regretted it the second I walked out the door when I got off work. The forecasted flurries didn't happen (it's been pushed to tomorrow morning), but the strong and bone chilling December wind was blowing snow dusts all over the place.
It was in this fine weather that I braved myself and ventured on my quest for my very first DS game. Yes, I finally plunged in and got myself a DS.
The seal hasn't been broken yet, but it's already got a name: Guren (紅蓮). You can probably guess its colouring from the name. Out of the three colours that we carry (silver, cobalt & black, crimson & black), this one immediately caught my eyes as it reminded me of the Guren from Code Geass (Guren/Kallen & Black Knights/Zero, get it?) Yeah, bro just laughed dryly after hearing my reasoning behind the name. He had no idea what I was talking about, except that it involved Code Geass, a title I recited often to him.
I dropped by London Drugs first to see what anime titles they have since I haven't been there in a long time. They actually have a pretty good selection, including the first set of Gurren Lagann and Seirei no Moribito, both of which I haven't watched but have heard praises for. I'll probably start watching those two soon so I can get the DVDs if I like the series before they get bought by someone else.
Best Buy was, as expected, swamped. No one in the anime section, though. I was tempted to buy the second part of Aquarion, but the price tag of $45 for two discs set me off. I ain't paying 90 bucks for a 26-episode series unless I really like it. Sousei no Aquarion is a good show in many aspects, just not enough to justify the cost for me, especially when there's no part one and thus I'll have to hunt around for it. If they have both parts in stock, it might be a different story. That's what happened with Evangelion. I enjoy the series but it's not even in my top 20, but the complete series was there in a box set with a good and fancy box at a reasonable price, so I bought it right then and there.
Anyhow, I put Aquarion back to the shelf and strode into the video game section. It was really crowded. I saw more store associates in this area than we have for the department for the whole day today...
Before this little excursion, I had a couple titles in mind for my Guren so it didn't take me too long. My first choice, Chrono Trigger, was not available this side of the country yet. My third choice, Final Fantasy III, was no longer available in any Best Buy across the country (I thought I saw a copy just a week or so ago...) My fourth choice, The World Ends With You, was also nowhere to be seen. So I ended up with only my second choice, Dragon Quest IV. I want to finish the NES version first though, so it might be a while before I actually get around to play it. Puzzle Quest seems interesting. I might get it to fill the gap.
It's -4°C now. The numbers I see in the forecast for next week are all in the minus. I think it's time to get the muffler out. I should probably change my pyjama to the winter set while I'm at it, eh?
It was in this fine weather that I braved myself and ventured on my quest for my very first DS game. Yes, I finally plunged in and got myself a DS.
The seal hasn't been broken yet, but it's already got a name: Guren (紅蓮). You can probably guess its colouring from the name. Out of the three colours that we carry (silver, cobalt & black, crimson & black), this one immediately caught my eyes as it reminded me of the Guren from Code Geass (Guren/Kallen & Black Knights/Zero, get it?) Yeah, bro just laughed dryly after hearing my reasoning behind the name. He had no idea what I was talking about, except that it involved Code Geass, a title I recited often to him.
I dropped by London Drugs first to see what anime titles they have since I haven't been there in a long time. They actually have a pretty good selection, including the first set of Gurren Lagann and Seirei no Moribito, both of which I haven't watched but have heard praises for. I'll probably start watching those two soon so I can get the DVDs if I like the series before they get bought by someone else.
Best Buy was, as expected, swamped. No one in the anime section, though. I was tempted to buy the second part of Aquarion, but the price tag of $45 for two discs set me off. I ain't paying 90 bucks for a 26-episode series unless I really like it. Sousei no Aquarion is a good show in many aspects, just not enough to justify the cost for me, especially when there's no part one and thus I'll have to hunt around for it. If they have both parts in stock, it might be a different story. That's what happened with Evangelion. I enjoy the series but it's not even in my top 20, but the complete series was there in a box set with a good and fancy box at a reasonable price, so I bought it right then and there.
Anyhow, I put Aquarion back to the shelf and strode into the video game section. It was really crowded. I saw more store associates in this area than we have for the department for the whole day today...
Before this little excursion, I had a couple titles in mind for my Guren so it didn't take me too long. My first choice, Chrono Trigger, was not available this side of the country yet. My third choice, Final Fantasy III, was no longer available in any Best Buy across the country (I thought I saw a copy just a week or so ago...) My fourth choice, The World Ends With You, was also nowhere to be seen. So I ended up with only my second choice, Dragon Quest IV. I want to finish the NES version first though, so it might be a while before I actually get around to play it. Puzzle Quest seems interesting. I might get it to fill the gap.
It's -4°C now. The numbers I see in the forecast for next week are all in the minus. I think it's time to get the muffler out. I should probably change my pyjama to the winter set while I'm at it, eh?
Monday, December 08, 2008
Due to an unexplainable impulse, I grabbed the ひぐらしのなく頃に series and finished it in three days. I was really regretting it by the second episode and even considered deleting everything and pretending this never happened. But I persevered and prevailed.
I've known about this series and its popularity for a long time, but I also knew that the show is full of grotesque murders and collapsing personalities. That's why I didn't watch it. Ironically, I'm familiar with its songs and have even listened to one of the drama CD's before. Maybe that's what piqued my interest at last.
The first chapter was really scary and creepy, which almost caused me to drop the series. Things got less creepy with each progressing chapter, but the goriness remained. This is easily more bloody than the second last episode of Neuro and I doubt there's anything that can top this (not that I would want to watch it), except for maybe the rumoured School Days.
I was somewhat confused throughout the question arc, but the Time Killing Chapter allowed me to digest and think over the various cycles of events. It gave me some ideas and prepared me better when the answer arc started. Things are slowly being revealed, but there's still many mysteries shrouded around the village and its people. I await to see the truth and real keys in breaking the curse and solving the secrets.
On a side note, when I mentioned to bro that I was watching a really scary show, he brushed it aside because it's an anime. Dear brother, you said that because you haven't seen enough anime to know what the medium can do. It's precisely because it's an anime that it is able to achieve the effect. Those bestial and sadistic facial expressions and acts are not something that can be acted out by human so easily. アニメだからこそ怖いんだ、我が弟よ。
I've known about this series and its popularity for a long time, but I also knew that the show is full of grotesque murders and collapsing personalities. That's why I didn't watch it. Ironically, I'm familiar with its songs and have even listened to one of the drama CD's before. Maybe that's what piqued my interest at last.
The first chapter was really scary and creepy, which almost caused me to drop the series. Things got less creepy with each progressing chapter, but the goriness remained. This is easily more bloody than the second last episode of Neuro and I doubt there's anything that can top this (not that I would want to watch it), except for maybe the rumoured School Days.
I was somewhat confused throughout the question arc, but the Time Killing Chapter allowed me to digest and think over the various cycles of events. It gave me some ideas and prepared me better when the answer arc started. Things are slowly being revealed, but there's still many mysteries shrouded around the village and its people. I await to see the truth and real keys in breaking the curse and solving the secrets.
On a side note, when I mentioned to bro that I was watching a really scary show, he brushed it aside because it's an anime. Dear brother, you said that because you haven't seen enough anime to know what the medium can do. It's precisely because it's an anime that it is able to achieve the effect. Those bestial and sadistic facial expressions and acts are not something that can be acted out by human so easily. アニメだからこそ怖いんだ、我が弟よ。
Monday, December 01, 2008
Finished watching World Destruction 世界撲滅の六人 two days ago and thought I'd spell out some of my thoughts on the show. The show is based on the game World Destruction 導かれし意思, which I know nothing about along with the manga version, so I'll only focus on the anime version.
I was kind of skeptical about the story at first, but the seiyuu cast was too heavy for me to miss so I decided to give it a try. The art and character design is not quite my style, but I find the animal designs likeable. The setting isn't anything new, and the do-good tasks the group ended up with every time are rather typical for an RPG type show.
But I enjoyed the show despite the flaws. The episodic format, when done right, can be gratifying and attractive. The supporting characters in the episodes also displayed great development, which added to the enjoyment of the show. I especially liked the black bear (Char vs Amuro seiyuu neta!XD) and No.28 (another view on robot with kokoro!)
As for the story, I had a hunch about the connection between Kyrie and the destruct code very early in the series so the plot twist wasn't that much of a surprise for me. Being a tie-up title with the game, the anime only has time to address one or two main plot lines and very briefly touch on the other ones. While the subtitle indicates six people, much of the background and stories behind the four beside Kyrie and Morte are not explored. I'm interested in Lia and Naja's plot line if there's one, seeing how Lia is the last survivor of the dragon race and Naja is a half between human and beastman. Agan must also have an interesting story, living the life of a transport ship captain. ちょっと残念。
This series reminded me of Shining Tears X Wind a lot. Both are based on SEGA games, and both have a loaded seiyuu cast. While Shining Tears X Wind's seiyuu cast is heavier than that of World Destruction for me (It's got Kuwashima Houko and Ishida Akira, 'nuff said), World Destruction features a younger group (in terms of seniority) in average.
At the moment, the majority of the seiyuu I like are still from the 'previous generation', but the number of the younger seiyuu is slowly increasing. Miyano Mamoru and Ono Daisuke are two of the new male seiyuu I've taken notice as of late. I have high expectation for the two.
Speaking of seiyuu, I'm watching 宇宙のステルヴィア(Stellvia of the Universe) right now and find the seiyuu cast to be on the heavy side as well. I'm not familiar with Onaka Ai so I didn't pay much attention to her. Then when she said どうぞ to the bearded man on the shuttle, it suddenly hit me: 風子だ！
I only got through the Fuuko arc in the CLANNAD anime not too long ago, so her voice still lingers in my mind. And yeah, my eyes sweated a lot watching the Fuuko chapter. （つД`） I should find time to finish the CLANNAD anime. No doubt my eyes will sweat more.
I was kind of skeptical about the story at first, but the seiyuu cast was too heavy for me to miss so I decided to give it a try. The art and character design is not quite my style, but I find the animal designs likeable. The setting isn't anything new, and the do-good tasks the group ended up with every time are rather typical for an RPG type show.
But I enjoyed the show despite the flaws. The episodic format, when done right, can be gratifying and attractive. The supporting characters in the episodes also displayed great development, which added to the enjoyment of the show. I especially liked the black bear (Char vs Amuro seiyuu neta!XD) and No.28 (another view on robot with kokoro!)
As for the story, I had a hunch about the connection between Kyrie and the destruct code very early in the series so the plot twist wasn't that much of a surprise for me. Being a tie-up title with the game, the anime only has time to address one or two main plot lines and very briefly touch on the other ones. While the subtitle indicates six people, much of the background and stories behind the four beside Kyrie and Morte are not explored. I'm interested in Lia and Naja's plot line if there's one, seeing how Lia is the last survivor of the dragon race and Naja is a half between human and beastman. Agan must also have an interesting story, living the life of a transport ship captain. ちょっと残念。
This series reminded me of Shining Tears X Wind a lot. Both are based on SEGA games, and both have a loaded seiyuu cast. While Shining Tears X Wind's seiyuu cast is heavier than that of World Destruction for me (It's got Kuwashima Houko and Ishida Akira, 'nuff said), World Destruction features a younger group (in terms of seniority) in average.
At the moment, the majority of the seiyuu I like are still from the 'previous generation', but the number of the younger seiyuu is slowly increasing. Miyano Mamoru and Ono Daisuke are two of the new male seiyuu I've taken notice as of late. I have high expectation for the two.
Speaking of seiyuu, I'm watching 宇宙のステルヴィア(Stellvia of the Universe) right now and find the seiyuu cast to be on the heavy side as well. I'm not familiar with Onaka Ai so I didn't pay much attention to her. Then when she said どうぞ to the bearded man on the shuttle, it suddenly hit me: 風子だ！
I only got through the Fuuko arc in the CLANNAD anime not too long ago, so her voice still lingers in my mind. And yeah, my eyes sweated a lot watching the Fuuko chapter. （つД`） I should find time to finish the CLANNAD anime. No doubt my eyes will sweat more.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
I'm usually pretty lazy when it comes to change of habit, so my list of Firefox add-ons haven't grown or changed much over the years. Recently, as I find myself doing quite a bit of reading online, I started looking around for language add-ons to help me stay lazy without having to resort to using a dictionary for word definitions. Here's an update on what my add-ons list is consisted of:
[Context Search 0.4.3]
An old timer that I've used since the Mozilla days. Still use it quite often.
[Converter 0.7.1]
There's been no update for version 0.7 since I migrated to Firefox 3, but when I searched for it on the add-ons site, there it is! Just got it back a few days ago and haven't the chance to use it yet, but my list cannot be complete without it. :)
[DicionarySearch 3.0.0]
Another old timer. My usage of it has decreased lately due to Rikaichan and FetchImi, but it's still useful. I'll probably set the English and Japanese dictionary entries I have now to Wikipedia or something when I have time.
[FetchImi 0.9.5]
My latest addition to the list. I was originally looking for a English dictionary add-on that will allow me to look up definition without leaving the tab. Finding none suitable for my need, I found this one. While it's still in the experimental stage, this English-to-Japanese add-on is likely the most heavily used add-on on the list since its installation. Now if only the pronunciation hot key isn't set to a single alphabet and thus conflicts with my search-text-when-typing setting, it would be perfect.
[MeasureIt 0.3.8]
I haven't used this one in a loooong time, but it's so small that having it there doesn't bother. Just in case I want to play around someday.
[NoScript 1.8.2.8]
I actually don't use this very often and only installed it to stop pop-ups for two particular sites. I might remove this if I cease to visit the said sites regularly.
[Personas for Firefox 1.0a6]
Same Groovy Blue for me since I started using Personas last year. The server seems to be unstable at times lately and causes my Firefox to revert back to the default skin (which is pale green due to my Windows setting), but I don't see myself changing to an actual theme any time soon.
[Pronounce 1.1]
A little add-on I put in to help me with word pronunciation. The thing is, I have music playing most of the time so it doesn't get used as often as I hope. I can't read the pronunciation key, btw, which explains why I suck at pronunciation.
[ReminderFox 1.8]
I haven't gone to the library in the longest time (cry) so this has been reduced to a mere bill payment reminder...
[Rikaichan 1.04]
My trusty companion when I visit Japanese websites. Its slick interface and efficiency was what spurred me to find a counterpart for English. An absolute must have for me.
[text/plain 1.1.9.1]
Another old timer. I used it quite often back when I on Niconico a lot. Very useful and light.
[Niconico Douga Downloader 0.5]
This is compatible with the Summer version of Niconico. Not sure if it works with the current Fall version. I haven't the chance nor time to go on Niconico since I got back to work two months ago... >__<
And there we have it, a list of a total of 12 add-ons. I think the list is pretty complete to accommodate whatever I may be doing online. I don't really want to install too many add-ons and drag my Firefox down. Let's keep the number down! :)
[Context Search 0.4.3]
An old timer that I've used since the Mozilla days. Still use it quite often.
[Converter 0.7.1]
There's been no update for version 0.7 since I migrated to Firefox 3, but when I searched for it on the add-ons site, there it is! Just got it back a few days ago and haven't the chance to use it yet, but my list cannot be complete without it. :)
[DicionarySearch 3.0.0]
Another old timer. My usage of it has decreased lately due to Rikaichan and FetchImi, but it's still useful. I'll probably set the English and Japanese dictionary entries I have now to Wikipedia or something when I have time.
[FetchImi 0.9.5]
My latest addition to the list. I was originally looking for a English dictionary add-on that will allow me to look up definition without leaving the tab. Finding none suitable for my need, I found this one. While it's still in the experimental stage, this English-to-Japanese add-on is likely the most heavily used add-on on the list since its installation. Now if only the pronunciation hot key isn't set to a single alphabet and thus conflicts with my search-text-when-typing setting, it would be perfect.
[MeasureIt 0.3.8]
I haven't used this one in a loooong time, but it's so small that having it there doesn't bother. Just in case I want to play around someday.
[NoScript 1.8.2.8]
I actually don't use this very often and only installed it to stop pop-ups for two particular sites. I might remove this if I cease to visit the said sites regularly.
[Personas for Firefox 1.0a6]
Same Groovy Blue for me since I started using Personas last year. The server seems to be unstable at times lately and causes my Firefox to revert back to the default skin (which is pale green due to my Windows setting), but I don't see myself changing to an actual theme any time soon.
[Pronounce 1.1]
A little add-on I put in to help me with word pronunciation. The thing is, I have music playing most of the time so it doesn't get used as often as I hope. I can't read the pronunciation key, btw, which explains why I suck at pronunciation.
[ReminderFox 1.8]
I haven't gone to the library in the longest time (cry) so this has been reduced to a mere bill payment reminder...
[Rikaichan 1.04]
My trusty companion when I visit Japanese websites. Its slick interface and efficiency was what spurred me to find a counterpart for English. An absolute must have for me.
[text/plain 1.1.9.1]
Another old timer. I used it quite often back when I on Niconico a lot. Very useful and light.
[Niconico Douga Downloader 0.5]
This is compatible with the Summer version of Niconico. Not sure if it works with the current Fall version. I haven't the chance nor time to go on Niconico since I got back to work two months ago... >__<
And there we have it, a list of a total of 12 add-ons. I think the list is pretty complete to accommodate whatever I may be doing online. I don't really want to install too many add-ons and drag my Firefox down. Let's keep the number down! :)
Saturday, November 08, 2008
It's been a month since the new shows started. I've picked out 10 or so shows for this season but haven't the chance to watch too many of them. As usual, there's a few must-watch ones that I save up for later when I have time. For this season, it's Gundam 00 S2, CLANNAD AFTER STORY (I was hesitant since it's Nagisa-centric, but I decided to go for it anyway), Tales of the Abyss, Tytania, and Nodame Cantabile Paris.
Here's some thoughts on what I've seen so far for this season.
伯爵と妖精 (Hakushaku to Yousei) ep.1
I'm not terribly interested in the theme and only decided to pick up the show for the seiyuu; it's not often that I get to hear Midorikawa Hikaru as the male lead. The art is suitable for the story but too generic for me. I'll continue to watch this for the seiyuu and maybe see how the story turns out.
夜桜四重奏 (Yozakura Quartet) ep.1-2
I'm vaguely interested in the theme and decided to try the show out. Not familiar with the lead male and female seiyuu, but the cast seems pretty good and this is my first time hearing Fujita Saki not as Hatsune Miku. XD The art is clean and the pastel colour palette is pleasing to the eyes. The story seems promising. I'll be watching this.
黒執事 (Kuroshitsugi) ep.1-3
I read the first chapter of the manga at Iwase when they put it out as sample some time ago. Since it was grouped together with other maid and butler titles on the shelf, I didn't suspect it to be much different. I realized it's not that simple ten seconds into the anime. The art is good and the cast is great. Sakamoto Maaya is so good with her young boy act that I almost didn't recognize her. I'll be watching this.
喰霊-零- (Ga-Rei Zero) ep.1-3
I was anticipating this since I've read the first five volumes of the manga, then I realized that this is more like a prequel to the manga, hence the zero in the title. I was kind of lost while watching the first episode until the last few minutes, when Yomi showed up and killed everyone within seconds. I'm not familiar with Mizuhara Kaoru and not a fan of Chihara Minori's acting, but the cast is not bad, especially with Wakamoto Norio in the mix. I'm watching this one for sure.
Skip Beat! ep.1-5
I enjoy the manga so I immediately picked up this series when I found out that Miyano Mamoru and Konishi Katsuyuki are playing the male leads. The art is below average and has a dated look, but at least the human proportion is not so bad as the manga. Judging from the length of the still ongoing manga, the anime probably won't go far enough to touch on Kyouko's romance prospect (I vote for Sho x Kyouko, btw). I'll be watching this.
黒塚-KUROZUKA- ep.1-3
I decided to watch this when I found out Miyano Mamoru and Park Romi as the lead seiyuu, even though I knew nothing else about the show. The show turned out to be rather dark and, once you get past the confusing time jump, the setting changed to futuristic ruins which reminded me of the 2300 A.D. epoch in Chrono Trigger. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Kuwashima Houko as well as a few other seiyuu, which makes this show heavy on the seiyuu cast for me. I'm still not very clear on everything, but I'll find out by continue watching.
魍魎の匣 ep.1
This one was confusing from start to finish for me. While the seiyuu cast seems on the heavy side and the character design is done by CLAMP, the theme and overall tone is too creepy for me. As a general rule, I don't do horror or brutality genre. I didn't see any element in the first episode that would prompt me to continue, so I'm dropping this one.
Here's some thoughts on what I've seen so far for this season.
伯爵と妖精 (Hakushaku to Yousei) ep.1
I'm not terribly interested in the theme and only decided to pick up the show for the seiyuu; it's not often that I get to hear Midorikawa Hikaru as the male lead. The art is suitable for the story but too generic for me. I'll continue to watch this for the seiyuu and maybe see how the story turns out.
夜桜四重奏 (Yozakura Quartet) ep.1-2
I'm vaguely interested in the theme and decided to try the show out. Not familiar with the lead male and female seiyuu, but the cast seems pretty good and this is my first time hearing Fujita Saki not as Hatsune Miku. XD The art is clean and the pastel colour palette is pleasing to the eyes. The story seems promising. I'll be watching this.
黒執事 (Kuroshitsugi) ep.1-3
I read the first chapter of the manga at Iwase when they put it out as sample some time ago. Since it was grouped together with other maid and butler titles on the shelf, I didn't suspect it to be much different. I realized it's not that simple ten seconds into the anime. The art is good and the cast is great. Sakamoto Maaya is so good with her young boy act that I almost didn't recognize her. I'll be watching this.
喰霊-零- (Ga-Rei Zero) ep.1-3
I was anticipating this since I've read the first five volumes of the manga, then I realized that this is more like a prequel to the manga, hence the zero in the title. I was kind of lost while watching the first episode until the last few minutes, when Yomi showed up and killed everyone within seconds. I'm not familiar with Mizuhara Kaoru and not a fan of Chihara Minori's acting, but the cast is not bad, especially with Wakamoto Norio in the mix. I'm watching this one for sure.
Skip Beat! ep.1-5
I enjoy the manga so I immediately picked up this series when I found out that Miyano Mamoru and Konishi Katsuyuki are playing the male leads. The art is below average and has a dated look, but at least the human proportion is not so bad as the manga. Judging from the length of the still ongoing manga, the anime probably won't go far enough to touch on Kyouko's romance prospect (I vote for Sho x Kyouko, btw). I'll be watching this.
黒塚-KUROZUKA- ep.1-3
I decided to watch this when I found out Miyano Mamoru and Park Romi as the lead seiyuu, even though I knew nothing else about the show. The show turned out to be rather dark and, once you get past the confusing time jump, the setting changed to futuristic ruins which reminded me of the 2300 A.D. epoch in Chrono Trigger. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Kuwashima Houko as well as a few other seiyuu, which makes this show heavy on the seiyuu cast for me. I'm still not very clear on everything, but I'll find out by continue watching.
魍魎の匣 ep.1
This one was confusing from start to finish for me. While the seiyuu cast seems on the heavy side and the character design is done by CLAMP, the theme and overall tone is too creepy for me. As a general rule, I don't do horror or brutality genre. I didn't see any element in the first episode that would prompt me to continue, so I'm dropping this one.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Man! That was one of the biggest scares I've had in quite some time.
Being cheap and poor as I am, I've always just used the free Zone Alarm and AVG for my internet security. I had the chance to get a copy of Norton Internet Security through a vendor training program but was too lazy to bother. Anything involving a system restart is usually frowned upon by moi. That's how lazy I am. Plus, I try not to bog down my four-and-a-half-year-old Coordinator with too much stuff. Try being the keyword here.
After hearing one of my colleagues praising the speed and leanness of the new 2009 Norton, I decided to give it a try last night. With the product key in hand, I downloaded the trial and started the installation. It immediately detected AVG and Zone Alarm and asked me to remove them first, which I complied. Then as soon as NIS kicked in, I lost my internet connection.
No matter how many times I rebooted or tried different things (I even went back to a previous restore point), I could not get it to work and get a proper ip address. Some searches online (with bro's Midori) led me to the Norton removal tool. You can imagine what went through my head when I learned that Norton actually provides a tool to completely remove their product from the system. Exactly.
Anyhow, I used the tool and cleaned all traces of Norton from Coordinator and just turned on the Windows Firewall. By this time, it was already late and I was nodding during the process. So with a heavy heart, I went to bed.
BTW, it was around 2am when I gave up. The system didn't pop up with the time change notification so I was a bit unsure as to whether I should set my alarm clock an hour earlier or later. Thankfully, Little Black's notification came up (yay for Windows 95!). Little Black's been living at a faster pace (about 30 minutes faster) for quite a few years now, but the hour was all I needed to determine the correct time.
It was a little difficult for me to focus during the Sunday service since I was always going over the few hands I had left to try. At last I had to throw in the towel and leave the matter in God's hand in prayer.
With much anxiety, I returned home and settled in front of the computer. My stubborn nature refused to give up, so I re-enabled the LAN and waited. Lo and behold, the Gmail notification bubbles popped up! I'm online again! I'm baaaaaack! XD
I tried installing just the Norton AntiVirus after getting back my connection, but it asked me to remove Zone Alarm so I just cancelled the installation. If you're an anti-virus program, stay an anti-virus program and stop meddling in my choice of firewall program, damn it! Lesson of the day? I'm sticking with my Zone Alarm and AVG.
I still have two extra sets of product keys for the NIS and NAV. Having had to go through the ordeal makes me hesitant to try putting it on Mum's computer, as much as she needs it. We'll see. I don't suppose most people would be as 'lucky' as I was, so it's probably safe to give them out. I hope.
Being cheap and poor as I am, I've always just used the free Zone Alarm and AVG for my internet security. I had the chance to get a copy of Norton Internet Security through a vendor training program but was too lazy to bother. Anything involving a system restart is usually frowned upon by moi. That's how lazy I am. Plus, I try not to bog down my four-and-a-half-year-old Coordinator with too much stuff. Try being the keyword here.
After hearing one of my colleagues praising the speed and leanness of the new 2009 Norton, I decided to give it a try last night. With the product key in hand, I downloaded the trial and started the installation. It immediately detected AVG and Zone Alarm and asked me to remove them first, which I complied. Then as soon as NIS kicked in, I lost my internet connection.
No matter how many times I rebooted or tried different things (I even went back to a previous restore point), I could not get it to work and get a proper ip address. Some searches online (with bro's Midori) led me to the Norton removal tool. You can imagine what went through my head when I learned that Norton actually provides a tool to completely remove their product from the system. Exactly.
Anyhow, I used the tool and cleaned all traces of Norton from Coordinator and just turned on the Windows Firewall. By this time, it was already late and I was nodding during the process. So with a heavy heart, I went to bed.
BTW, it was around 2am when I gave up. The system didn't pop up with the time change notification so I was a bit unsure as to whether I should set my alarm clock an hour earlier or later. Thankfully, Little Black's notification came up (yay for Windows 95!). Little Black's been living at a faster pace (about 30 minutes faster) for quite a few years now, but the hour was all I needed to determine the correct time.
It was a little difficult for me to focus during the Sunday service since I was always going over the few hands I had left to try. At last I had to throw in the towel and leave the matter in God's hand in prayer.
With much anxiety, I returned home and settled in front of the computer. My stubborn nature refused to give up, so I re-enabled the LAN and waited. Lo and behold, the Gmail notification bubbles popped up! I'm online again! I'm baaaaaack! XD
I tried installing just the Norton AntiVirus after getting back my connection, but it asked me to remove Zone Alarm so I just cancelled the installation. If you're an anti-virus program, stay an anti-virus program and stop meddling in my choice of firewall program, damn it! Lesson of the day? I'm sticking with my Zone Alarm and AVG.
I still have two extra sets of product keys for the NIS and NAV. Having had to go through the ordeal makes me hesitant to try putting it on Mum's computer, as much as she needs it. We'll see. I don't suppose most people would be as 'lucky' as I was, so it's probably safe to give them out. I hope.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
I just rewatched the last few episodes of Code Geass R2, followed by the video of the special viewing session of the 1st episode in Japan. As this was my second time watching the scenes, I was able to concentrate more on the details and made my own conclusion on the matter of Lelouch. Despite what a lot of people speculate, I believe that Lelouch is indeed gone.
Some people think that C.C. might have transferred her Code to Lelouch, which would enable him to be immortal and recover from any fatal wounds. While this theory has its merit, those who held the Code came back to life shortly after 'death', as shown in C.C., V.V., and Charles' cases. Even if Lelouch was feigning death after his resurrection for the sake of the plan, there's no way Kallen and the others wouldn't try saving him and would thus discover the act.
But from Kallen's monologue at the end, it sounded as if she was reporting to someone from the past in honour of his memory. While her tone was not heavy, she betrayed her emotion for a moment when she suppressed a soft sob. If Lelouch was still alive, even if he was to go far away and she wasn't able to ever see him again, she wouldn't have talked like that. After all, she was devoted to him and loved him with all her heart and being.
Then there's Suzaku. If Lelouch were to survive the Zero Requiem, then there was no need for Suzaku to be Zero for the rest of his life in punishment. Lelouch could just be Zero and not be separated from Nunnally, and he wouldn't have to entrust everything to Suzaku. Suzaku had hated and pursued Lelouch ever since the tragedy of Euphemia. His hatred for Zero was so deep that it affected his personality and methods, yet he became the Knight of Zero and willingly be Lelouch's sword. If Lelouch's life were spared at the end, even if it led the world to a hopeful future, Suzaku would not have forgave Lelouch nor himself. It's because of Lelouch's determination and readiness (覚悟) to destroy the world and himself that Suzaku accepted Lelouch's final Geass and killed his best friend with his own hands. 彼の涙に偽りはなかった。(There was no deceit in his tears.)
Lastly there's the matter of C.C. and the mysterious wagon driver. Some claim that the black-haired driver was Lelouch, and that C.C.'s words implied that Lelouch was not alone because the two of them were together. As much as I stared repeatedly at that scene, I wasn't able to see a single strand of black hair (or any hair at all, for that matter) on the driver. While it's suspicious that the driver should cover himself thus, I'd like to think it's merely the staff playing with us.
As for the meaning of C.C.'s words and final head gesture, I think she's referring to the bonds (絆) that Lelouch had formed with other people. In the eyes of the world, Lelouch was a terrible tyrant wanting to control the world with fear and terror. But in the eyes of those in the know, Lelouch was more gentle and kind than anyone. C.C. was also freed from her eternal chains of repeating sadness thanked to Lelouch. Even though Lelouch was willing to be the Evil King (魔王) and should be in hell, the pureness of his heart made her look up to the heavens because that's where he deserved to be.
Unless the staff makes an official statement regarding Lelouch's fate, this controversy will likely continue to be debated by fans. Personally, I want to believe that Lelouch is dead. If not, I would feel cheated (Give me back my tears!), and it would make the story that much less meaningful.
While watching the 1st episode in the special viewing session video, I noticed that Kallen was not on the list of Black Knights executives that's either arrested or wanted, despite her status as the captain of the Zero Squad. I can only think of one explanation for this: Suzaku didn't sell Kallen out at the end of the 1st season.
The relationship between Suzaku and Kallen is one of the most complicated in the series. On the one hand, they are fellow classmates and have interacted with each other in the peaceful environment known as the Ashford Academy. On the other hand, their different views separate their paths to opposing factions even though they are both 'Japanese', and the two of them have fought head-to-head on the battle fields many times. While Kallen considers Suzaku a betrayer of Japanese and would rather not come in contact with him, Suzaku always take Kallen's feelings into consideration and try to persuade her in a peaceful way. I am a strong supporter of Lelouch x Kallen (maybe some Gino x Kallen) and don't see the potential in Suzaku x Kellen, but after all that they have been through, I believe it's possible for a strong bond and friendship to blossom between them.
On a somewhat unrelated note, I was playing the tokuten CD for the Clover no Kuni no Alice (クローバの国のアリス) game last night when I came across the character type survey. In the description of Blood's personality, the word pretending to be bad (偽悪) popped out at me. That's exactly what Lelouch was doing. The pronunciation of 偽悪, gi-a-ku, is also close to that of Geass, gi-a-su. No, I don't think there's any actual connection between the two words. I'm just in my weird thinking mode again. XD
Some people think that C.C. might have transferred her Code to Lelouch, which would enable him to be immortal and recover from any fatal wounds. While this theory has its merit, those who held the Code came back to life shortly after 'death', as shown in C.C., V.V., and Charles' cases. Even if Lelouch was feigning death after his resurrection for the sake of the plan, there's no way Kallen and the others wouldn't try saving him and would thus discover the act.
But from Kallen's monologue at the end, it sounded as if she was reporting to someone from the past in honour of his memory. While her tone was not heavy, she betrayed her emotion for a moment when she suppressed a soft sob. If Lelouch was still alive, even if he was to go far away and she wasn't able to ever see him again, she wouldn't have talked like that. After all, she was devoted to him and loved him with all her heart and being.
Then there's Suzaku. If Lelouch were to survive the Zero Requiem, then there was no need for Suzaku to be Zero for the rest of his life in punishment. Lelouch could just be Zero and not be separated from Nunnally, and he wouldn't have to entrust everything to Suzaku. Suzaku had hated and pursued Lelouch ever since the tragedy of Euphemia. His hatred for Zero was so deep that it affected his personality and methods, yet he became the Knight of Zero and willingly be Lelouch's sword. If Lelouch's life were spared at the end, even if it led the world to a hopeful future, Suzaku would not have forgave Lelouch nor himself. It's because of Lelouch's determination and readiness (覚悟) to destroy the world and himself that Suzaku accepted Lelouch's final Geass and killed his best friend with his own hands. 彼の涙に偽りはなかった。(There was no deceit in his tears.)
Lastly there's the matter of C.C. and the mysterious wagon driver. Some claim that the black-haired driver was Lelouch, and that C.C.'s words implied that Lelouch was not alone because the two of them were together. As much as I stared repeatedly at that scene, I wasn't able to see a single strand of black hair (or any hair at all, for that matter) on the driver. While it's suspicious that the driver should cover himself thus, I'd like to think it's merely the staff playing with us.
As for the meaning of C.C.'s words and final head gesture, I think she's referring to the bonds (絆) that Lelouch had formed with other people. In the eyes of the world, Lelouch was a terrible tyrant wanting to control the world with fear and terror. But in the eyes of those in the know, Lelouch was more gentle and kind than anyone. C.C. was also freed from her eternal chains of repeating sadness thanked to Lelouch. Even though Lelouch was willing to be the Evil King (魔王) and should be in hell, the pureness of his heart made her look up to the heavens because that's where he deserved to be.
Unless the staff makes an official statement regarding Lelouch's fate, this controversy will likely continue to be debated by fans. Personally, I want to believe that Lelouch is dead. If not, I would feel cheated (Give me back my tears!), and it would make the story that much less meaningful.
While watching the 1st episode in the special viewing session video, I noticed that Kallen was not on the list of Black Knights executives that's either arrested or wanted, despite her status as the captain of the Zero Squad. I can only think of one explanation for this: Suzaku didn't sell Kallen out at the end of the 1st season.
The relationship between Suzaku and Kallen is one of the most complicated in the series. On the one hand, they are fellow classmates and have interacted with each other in the peaceful environment known as the Ashford Academy. On the other hand, their different views separate their paths to opposing factions even though they are both 'Japanese', and the two of them have fought head-to-head on the battle fields many times. While Kallen considers Suzaku a betrayer of Japanese and would rather not come in contact with him, Suzaku always take Kallen's feelings into consideration and try to persuade her in a peaceful way. I am a strong supporter of Lelouch x Kallen (maybe some Gino x Kallen) and don't see the potential in Suzaku x Kellen, but after all that they have been through, I believe it's possible for a strong bond and friendship to blossom between them.
On a somewhat unrelated note, I was playing the tokuten CD for the Clover no Kuni no Alice (クローバの国のアリス) game last night when I came across the character type survey. In the description of Blood's personality, the word pretending to be bad (偽悪) popped out at me. That's exactly what Lelouch was doing. The pronunciation of 偽悪, gi-a-ku, is also close to that of Geass, gi-a-su. No, I don't think there's any actual connection between the two words. I'm just in my weird thinking mode again. XD
Sunday, October 05, 2008
October has arrived, which means that the fall shows are either aired or will soon be airing. I think it's a good time to briefly review the shows I've finished since my last batch.
S・A～スペシャル・エー～ (Special A)
I haven't been following the manga for a long time, but what I've already read cover all the parts from the anime so there wasn't really any surprise for me. Not much to say about this series except that it's OK and entertaining. For me, the best thing going for it is Fukuyama Jun. I'm slowly accepting Goto Yuuko, too.
ゼロの使い魔～三美姫の輪舞～ (Zero no Tsukaima ~Princess no Rondo~)
I've never read the original novel so I can only judge from the anime. This series is light entertainment for me, with elements of comedy, romance, and some action. To be frank, I was a bit touched by the final scenes at the end of the 2nd season (until Saito returned and got wacked by Louise, that is), but I didn't really get the same feeling watching the 3rd season. There's also very minimal character development in this season in terms of feelings and personal growth. I'm guessing a good portion of the episodes is just for setting up the next season, where the real conspiracy will roll into action? Yeah, I'll still be watching the 4th season when it comes out.
Blassreiter
The plot turned a 180 after the destruction of XAT since I last wrote about it. Given the theme of the show, I expected Amanda to be the sole survivor to the very end, so having Marek there as well was a surprise for me. The style of the boss battle was the old relay type with the protagonist as the last baton, but it was pretty fired up. I was a bit disappointed that Joseph didn't express any special feeling toward Amanda, but having him appeared on Amanda's bike (OK, so it used to be his) via the something care system at the end mended that a little. XD
It's an interesting experience following the series on YouTube. While the viewing numbers are not too bad, I don't think the DVD will sell very well. As I had mentioned before, I wouldn't have watched the show if it weren't for the seiyuu. While there are some great scenes (episode 12!), the theme and the overall tone is rather dark and ominous, which might not be enjoyable for the majority of the anime fan base here in North America. Maybe the Tower of Druaga will sell better? But then again, I feel that the Tower of Druaga contains a lot of elements closer to the taste of Japanese, while Blassreiter leans more toward the Western style so it's hard to say. I could be wrong.
Monochrome Factor
The show is pretty formulaic at best and down right boring at worst. The only saving grace for it really is theunnecessarily heavy seiyuu cast. Seriously, I'd have dropped the show after a few episodes if it weren't for the seiyuu. Only recommended if you're into seiyuu.
コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュR2 (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2)
...I'm still somewhat speechless after finishing the last six episodes in one sitting last night. I'm also having slight difficulty adjusting my mood to watch anything else since. It's been a very long time since I'm so moved by an original anime (not based on an existing work). Elaborate settings, attractive designs (excluding most of the mecha), superb directing and story board, beautiful music and insert songs, plot twists that compliment each other and come back in a full circle, intense action, gripping sentiments, deep character development, and an excellent seiyuu cast. Together, all of these weaved a very impressive and emotional tale.
何なんだろう、この切ない思いは。目から汗が！しかも何度でも...
All I can say now is that Code Geass has officially climbed onto my list of top 5 anime. BestBuy Canada better picks up the title soon, or else I'm going across the border to get the DVDs. -__-
S・A～スペシャル・エー～ (Special A)
I haven't been following the manga for a long time, but what I've already read cover all the parts from the anime so there wasn't really any surprise for me. Not much to say about this series except that it's OK and entertaining. For me, the best thing going for it is Fukuyama Jun. I'm slowly accepting Goto Yuuko, too.
ゼロの使い魔～三美姫の輪舞～ (Zero no Tsukaima ~Princess no Rondo~)
I've never read the original novel so I can only judge from the anime. This series is light entertainment for me, with elements of comedy, romance, and some action. To be frank, I was a bit touched by the final scenes at the end of the 2nd season (until Saito returned and got wacked by Louise, that is), but I didn't really get the same feeling watching the 3rd season. There's also very minimal character development in this season in terms of feelings and personal growth. I'm guessing a good portion of the episodes is just for setting up the next season, where the real conspiracy will roll into action? Yeah, I'll still be watching the 4th season when it comes out.
Blassreiter
The plot turned a 180 after the destruction of XAT since I last wrote about it. Given the theme of the show, I expected Amanda to be the sole survivor to the very end, so having Marek there as well was a surprise for me. The style of the boss battle was the old relay type with the protagonist as the last baton, but it was pretty fired up. I was a bit disappointed that Joseph didn't express any special feeling toward Amanda, but having him appeared on Amanda's bike (OK, so it used to be his) via the something care system at the end mended that a little. XD
It's an interesting experience following the series on YouTube. While the viewing numbers are not too bad, I don't think the DVD will sell very well. As I had mentioned before, I wouldn't have watched the show if it weren't for the seiyuu. While there are some great scenes (episode 12!), the theme and the overall tone is rather dark and ominous, which might not be enjoyable for the majority of the anime fan base here in North America. Maybe the Tower of Druaga will sell better? But then again, I feel that the Tower of Druaga contains a lot of elements closer to the taste of Japanese, while Blassreiter leans more toward the Western style so it's hard to say. I could be wrong.
Monochrome Factor
The show is pretty formulaic at best and down right boring at worst. The only saving grace for it really is the
コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュR2 (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2)
...I'm still somewhat speechless after finishing the last six episodes in one sitting last night. I'm also having slight difficulty adjusting my mood to watch anything else since. It's been a very long time since I'm so moved by an original anime (not based on an existing work). Elaborate settings, attractive designs (excluding most of the mecha), superb directing and story board, beautiful music and insert songs, plot twists that compliment each other and come back in a full circle, intense action, gripping sentiments, deep character development, and an excellent seiyuu cast. Together, all of these weaved a very impressive and emotional tale.
何なんだろう、この切ない思いは。目から汗が！しかも何度でも...
All I can say now is that Code Geass has officially climbed onto my list of top 5 anime. BestBuy Canada better picks up the title soon, or else I'm going across the border to get the DVDs. -__-
Monday, September 15, 2008
It's no secret that I am a huge anime fan, but I also watch shows with real people in them. Recently I finished a couple of Japanese dramas and thought I'd share some thoughts on them.
[CHANGE]
I was intrigued by the theme and the lead actor Kimura Takuya and decided to watch this. The world of Japanese politics is obviously not a subject I'm familiar with, but the show makes it so that the audience can learn and understand it better along with the protagonist Asakura Keita. The show is a human drama with politics, conspiracy, comradeship, and romance.
It's moving to see Asakura touching people's lives and walking toward the goal of making Japan a citizen ruled nation, with his honesty and willingness as well as his gradually increasing group of trusty allies. The ending puts things back to square one, yet turns a new page in Japan's political history. What an ending. A great show indeed.
[クロサギ]
I picked up this show randomly without knowing what it's about, and it wasn't too bad. The lead actor Yamashita Tomohisa was a new face for me, but I've seen the two female leads from other shows before. Given the show's theme and nature, it's full of mind boggling frauds and countering swindles. It also centres around the conflicting emotions of the two converse leads.
With the original manga still on-going, it's expected to have an unresolved ending. At least the two were given the chance to face their feelings and reaffirm their resolution on what they want to do, so it's all good.
[Tomorrow～陽はまたのぼる～]
I actually picked up this show because I was impressed with Kanno Miho in the Hatarakiman drama. That, and I recognized the name Takenouchi Yutaka from Long Vacation (possibly my brother's favourite Japanese drama), and I've always enjoyed medical dramas. Nothing really conjures deep consideration like life and death matters do. And I was not one bit disappointed by the show.
The episodes dealt with various issues, including personal, family, and even municipal. I was moved to tears quite a few times, and the ending theme song Hikari always seemed to play at the right time to intensify the emotions. I really liked the climax at the end and how it brought everything together in a full circle and connected with the beginning. The cast as well as the town were able to overcome their difficulties and stood up strong at the end, just as the title implies. Excellent drama. Strongly recommended.
[Code Blue-ドクターヘリ緊急救命-]
Another medical drama I picked up along with Tomorrow. Code Blue deals with emergency cases and has a more serious aspect on the capacity and limit of medicine when it comes to people's lives. While Tomorrow has a wider cast (hospital staff & townspeople) and doesn't dwell on the issues of the main characters for too long, Code Blue has a narrower cast of medical staff and focuses on the progress and development of the main characters.
The official pairing seems to lean toward Aizawa x Shiraishi, but I prefer Aizawa x Hiyama. Shiraishi feels too much of a 'good girl' and hasn't grown much by the end IMO. Hiyama, on the other hand, has developed nicely and doesn't hesitate to show her care and passion. One funny thing was that I didn't realize Aizawa was played by Yamashita Tomohisa. He looked and felt so different from his role in Kurosagi; I wouldn't have suspected him being the same person at all if I didn't accidentally match the name with Kurosaki one day. I blamed it on the hair. XD
It may just be a coincidence, but I've found that unless romance is a main focus of the show, the male and female leads are rarely together by the end of the show. Oh well. It's fine with me as long as the main theme, be it politics or medical or whatever, is properly explored. I guess it leaves more room for imagination for the audience and fanfic writers...
I don't follow Japanese drama so I don't know what's in line for the next season. Considering that October marks the start of a huge season for anime, I probably won't have time for Japanese drama. Just from glancing over the list of the new anime, I've already decided on at least 8 as must watch and 5 more as considering...
[CHANGE]
I was intrigued by the theme and the lead actor Kimura Takuya and decided to watch this. The world of Japanese politics is obviously not a subject I'm familiar with, but the show makes it so that the audience can learn and understand it better along with the protagonist Asakura Keita. The show is a human drama with politics, conspiracy, comradeship, and romance.
It's moving to see Asakura touching people's lives and walking toward the goal of making Japan a citizen ruled nation, with his honesty and willingness as well as his gradually increasing group of trusty allies. The ending puts things back to square one, yet turns a new page in Japan's political history. What an ending. A great show indeed.
[クロサギ]
I picked up this show randomly without knowing what it's about, and it wasn't too bad. The lead actor Yamashita Tomohisa was a new face for me, but I've seen the two female leads from other shows before. Given the show's theme and nature, it's full of mind boggling frauds and countering swindles. It also centres around the conflicting emotions of the two converse leads.
With the original manga still on-going, it's expected to have an unresolved ending. At least the two were given the chance to face their feelings and reaffirm their resolution on what they want to do, so it's all good.
[Tomorrow～陽はまたのぼる～]
I actually picked up this show because I was impressed with Kanno Miho in the Hatarakiman drama. That, and I recognized the name Takenouchi Yutaka from Long Vacation (possibly my brother's favourite Japanese drama), and I've always enjoyed medical dramas. Nothing really conjures deep consideration like life and death matters do. And I was not one bit disappointed by the show.
The episodes dealt with various issues, including personal, family, and even municipal. I was moved to tears quite a few times, and the ending theme song Hikari always seemed to play at the right time to intensify the emotions. I really liked the climax at the end and how it brought everything together in a full circle and connected with the beginning. The cast as well as the town were able to overcome their difficulties and stood up strong at the end, just as the title implies. Excellent drama. Strongly recommended.
[Code Blue-ドクターヘリ緊急救命-]
Another medical drama I picked up along with Tomorrow. Code Blue deals with emergency cases and has a more serious aspect on the capacity and limit of medicine when it comes to people's lives. While Tomorrow has a wider cast (hospital staff & townspeople) and doesn't dwell on the issues of the main characters for too long, Code Blue has a narrower cast of medical staff and focuses on the progress and development of the main characters.
The official pairing seems to lean toward Aizawa x Shiraishi, but I prefer Aizawa x Hiyama. Shiraishi feels too much of a 'good girl' and hasn't grown much by the end IMO. Hiyama, on the other hand, has developed nicely and doesn't hesitate to show her care and passion. One funny thing was that I didn't realize Aizawa was played by Yamashita Tomohisa. He looked and felt so different from his role in Kurosagi; I wouldn't have suspected him being the same person at all if I didn't accidentally match the name with Kurosaki one day. I blamed it on the hair. XD
It may just be a coincidence, but I've found that unless romance is a main focus of the show, the male and female leads are rarely together by the end of the show. Oh well. It's fine with me as long as the main theme, be it politics or medical or whatever, is properly explored. I guess it leaves more room for imagination for the audience and fanfic writers...
I don't follow Japanese drama so I don't know what's in line for the next season. Considering that October marks the start of a huge season for anime, I probably won't have time for Japanese drama. Just from glancing over the list of the new anime, I've already decided on at least 8 as must watch and 5 more as considering...
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
劇場版BLEACH The DiamondDust Rebellion もう一つの氷輪丸
I've been waiting to see this ever since news of it came out in 2007 and I was very excited when I managed to get the high quality raw last night. I couldn't get the Japanese subtitle to display but that didn't prevent me from enjoying the movie. And I was not disappointed.
Unlike the first movie, which a lot of people choose to ignore and pretend it never happened (myself included), this second instalment keeps the new cast and original content to a minimum and has everyone in character. This can easily fall within the Bleach universe and not feel out of place. In fact, it offers another glimpse into the past of the child prodigy, as well as the significance of the monarch and the way Soul Society runs.
Hitsugaya is one of my favourite characters in Bleach (Park Romi being one of the reasons). Despite his captain status, he is younger than most cast and is still learning and going through adolescence. Yet because of his strength and intelligence, he walks side by side with other leaders and carries the 10th Squad on his small shoulders. Being the sane voice and often judges the situation with a cool and informed air, he is not one to reveal his inner pains and is eager to take the responsibility and the blame. There's likely other burdens hidden in his heart, but at least with the resolution of the royal seal incident, the child captain can be at peace knowing that he and Kusaka were still friends forever.
As for other characters, most people have a reasonable amount of screen time depending on their roles and get to show off their skills in battles. The enemy boss isn't terribly strong; just big and have swarms of regenerating hollows. I like how everyone plays a part in the final battle. It's pretty hot blooded, to say the least. Ikkaku even bankaied! That makes it four shinigami knowing his secret now. I really think Rukia is the second strongest in her squad after all these battles. Oh, and I just had to laugh when I saw Mayuri's bankai helping to suppress the berserk spirit sphere from expanding. XD
There's three new characters for the movie, but there's only one new seiyuu, Ishida Akira (my favourite male seiyuu!). Yin and Yang are voiced by the captain and the vice captain of the 4th Squad. Some kind of conspiracy? XD Ah well, it's not the first time they have one seiyuu doing multiple characters. There's already Shuuhei/Keigo, Tousen/Isshin, and Karin/Nemu.
The art isn't quite consistent throughout the film, especially with the profile shots, but it's not too prominent. The music is fitting as expected, although I don't care too much about the theme song. Over all, I liked the movie a lot. Now if they'll just hurry up with the DVD release this side of the Pacific... and have BestBuy or London Drugs pick up the title! I've had enough of the pathetic state of anime presence in our local stores.
On a last note, I saw the trailer for the next Bleach movie, Fade to Black 君の名を呼ぶ, and I really really want to see it. The spot light is finally shining on our dear Rukia! But I suppose the DVD won't be out until around this time next year... orz
I've been waiting to see this ever since news of it came out in 2007 and I was very excited when I managed to get the high quality raw last night. I couldn't get the Japanese subtitle to display but that didn't prevent me from enjoying the movie. And I was not disappointed.
Unlike the first movie, which a lot of people choose to ignore and pretend it never happened (myself included), this second instalment keeps the new cast and original content to a minimum and has everyone in character. This can easily fall within the Bleach universe and not feel out of place. In fact, it offers another glimpse into the past of the child prodigy, as well as the significance of the monarch and the way Soul Society runs.
Hitsugaya is one of my favourite characters in Bleach (Park Romi being one of the reasons). Despite his captain status, he is younger than most cast and is still learning and going through adolescence. Yet because of his strength and intelligence, he walks side by side with other leaders and carries the 10th Squad on his small shoulders. Being the sane voice and often judges the situation with a cool and informed air, he is not one to reveal his inner pains and is eager to take the responsibility and the blame. There's likely other burdens hidden in his heart, but at least with the resolution of the royal seal incident, the child captain can be at peace knowing that he and Kusaka were still friends forever.
As for other characters, most people have a reasonable amount of screen time depending on their roles and get to show off their skills in battles. The enemy boss isn't terribly strong; just big and have swarms of regenerating hollows. I like how everyone plays a part in the final battle. It's pretty hot blooded, to say the least. Ikkaku even bankaied! That makes it four shinigami knowing his secret now. I really think Rukia is the second strongest in her squad after all these battles. Oh, and I just had to laugh when I saw Mayuri's bankai helping to suppress the berserk spirit sphere from expanding. XD
There's three new characters for the movie, but there's only one new seiyuu, Ishida Akira (my favourite male seiyuu!). Yin and Yang are voiced by the captain and the vice captain of the 4th Squad. Some kind of conspiracy? XD Ah well, it's not the first time they have one seiyuu doing multiple characters. There's already Shuuhei/Keigo, Tousen/Isshin, and Karin/Nemu.
The art isn't quite consistent throughout the film, especially with the profile shots, but it's not too prominent. The music is fitting as expected, although I don't care too much about the theme song. Over all, I liked the movie a lot. Now if they'll just hurry up with the DVD release this side of the Pacific... and have BestBuy or London Drugs pick up the title! I've had enough of the pathetic state of anime presence in our local stores.
On a last note, I saw the trailer for the next Bleach movie, Fade to Black 君の名を呼ぶ, and I really really want to see it. The spot light is finally shining on our dear Rukia! But I suppose the DVD won't be out until around this time next year... orz
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
機動戦士ガンダム0080 ポケットの中の戦争 (Mobile Suit Gundam 0080 War in the Pocket). As expected from a UC Gundam series, this 1989 OVA stands up to time and still leaves an impression.
I haven't seen very many Gundam, but War in the Pocket struck me as a unique work. Not only was the protagonist an 11-year-old civilian and remained a non-combatant at the end, but the battles also occurred in a peaceful neutral colony where the residents mainly view wars as gossips materials. Despite the casualties and destruction caused by the Cyclops Squad in an attempt to seize/destroy Gundam NT-1, most of the people of Side 6 went on business as usual when the One Year War ended and didn't give it much thought.
Except for Al, who experienced first hand the tragedy of war and what it could bring. I think it's fair to say that War in the Pocket is a story of maturity through the coldness of war. It was Al in War in the Pocket, but it could as well be anyone.
To be frank, I didn't like Al at all in the beginning and found him to be a brat at first. Loud, nosy, self-centred, eager to prove himself, complete with a hero worship mentality. Through that fateful night of the attack, the lies and burst bubbles revealed by Bernie, and lastly the final strikes by the Zaku and the Gundam, the boy was forced to grow up and shoulder the consciousness of the cost of peace which was too heavy for his young mind.
While it's not uncommon to have people from opposing sides being attracting to each other, I think this is the first time I've seen it ended like it did here. Without knowing the truth of the final battle, that the colony would be nuked if the Gundam isn't destroyed and that the battleship equipped with the nuclear warhead was apprehended, both stood their grounds and threaded down the path they believed in. And at the end, neither knew the identity of each other. It's tragic that Bernie died in battle when there was no longer need for him to fight, but I think the irony only served to emphasize the cruelty of war.
Due to the age of this thing, I wasn't expect to recognize any seiyuu, but I managed to pinpoint 林原めぐみ(Hayashibara Megumi) and 秋元羊介(Akimoto Yousuke). I was suspicious of Bernie's seiyuu, but I'm not familiar with 辻谷耕史(Tsujitani Kouji)'s younger voice so I missed it. The biggest shock was when I saw 浪川大輔(Namikawa Daisuke)'s name in the credit as the CV of Al. After learning that Shinji from Evangelion was voiced by Ogata Megumi, I was convinced that all young boys were voiced by female seiyuus, and I thought it's the same for Al. I'd have never guessed. It's not even similar to Eigetsu's voice, which is the youngest I've heard Namikawa-san so far! That's really something.
On a last note, it may be just me, but I find 美樹本晴彦(Mikimoto Haruhiko) and 安彦良和(Yasuhiko Yoshikazu)'s character designs to be much better suited for a Gundam series than all the post-2000 ones. But who am I to talk? I haven't seen enough Gundam...
Next Gundam series on schedule: Gundam 00. Probably won't be able to finish it before the 2nd season airs, but I'll see where I can get.
I haven't seen very many Gundam, but War in the Pocket struck me as a unique work. Not only was the protagonist an 11-year-old civilian and remained a non-combatant at the end, but the battles also occurred in a peaceful neutral colony where the residents mainly view wars as gossips materials. Despite the casualties and destruction caused by the Cyclops Squad in an attempt to seize/destroy Gundam NT-1, most of the people of Side 6 went on business as usual when the One Year War ended and didn't give it much thought.
Except for Al, who experienced first hand the tragedy of war and what it could bring. I think it's fair to say that War in the Pocket is a story of maturity through the coldness of war. It was Al in War in the Pocket, but it could as well be anyone.
To be frank, I didn't like Al at all in the beginning and found him to be a brat at first. Loud, nosy, self-centred, eager to prove himself, complete with a hero worship mentality. Through that fateful night of the attack, the lies and burst bubbles revealed by Bernie, and lastly the final strikes by the Zaku and the Gundam, the boy was forced to grow up and shoulder the consciousness of the cost of peace which was too heavy for his young mind.
While it's not uncommon to have people from opposing sides being attracting to each other, I think this is the first time I've seen it ended like it did here. Without knowing the truth of the final battle, that the colony would be nuked if the Gundam isn't destroyed and that the battleship equipped with the nuclear warhead was apprehended, both stood their grounds and threaded down the path they believed in. And at the end, neither knew the identity of each other. It's tragic that Bernie died in battle when there was no longer need for him to fight, but I think the irony only served to emphasize the cruelty of war.
Due to the age of this thing, I wasn't expect to recognize any seiyuu, but I managed to pinpoint 林原めぐみ(Hayashibara Megumi) and 秋元羊介(Akimoto Yousuke). I was suspicious of Bernie's seiyuu, but I'm not familiar with 辻谷耕史(Tsujitani Kouji)'s younger voice so I missed it. The biggest shock was when I saw 浪川大輔(Namikawa Daisuke)'s name in the credit as the CV of Al. After learning that Shinji from Evangelion was voiced by Ogata Megumi, I was convinced that all young boys were voiced by female seiyuus, and I thought it's the same for Al. I'd have never guessed. It's not even similar to Eigetsu's voice, which is the youngest I've heard Namikawa-san so far! That's really something.
On a last note, it may be just me, but I find 美樹本晴彦(Mikimoto Haruhiko) and 安彦良和(Yasuhiko Yoshikazu)'s character designs to be much better suited for a Gundam series than all the post-2000 ones. But who am I to talk? I haven't seen enough Gundam...
Next Gundam series on schedule: Gundam 00. Probably won't be able to finish it before the 2nd season airs, but I'll see where I can get.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
I've been back from the 5-day Yellowstone bus trip for a while now, but I've been lazy uploading the photos. I finally got it up a few days ago but didn't finish adding the captions until now.
Here's mine. And here's some of what my brother took. I didn't bother adding the captions for his batch. Too much work...
Now I can go back being lazy. XD
Here's mine. And here's some of what my brother took. I didn't bother adding the captions for his batch. Too much work...
Now I can go back being lazy. XD
Saturday, August 30, 2008
I'm usually pretty easy going except on some occasions, where I can be stupidly stubborn. The グリムス(gremz) blog widget happens to be one such occasion.
Actually, I was about to give up the whole thing when I accidentally stumbled upon a Blogger blog with the gremz widget. Surely there has to be a way for this to work. So I filled out the web form (in Japanese) yesterday regarding the matter. This morning I got a reply from the gremz web management team (in English, since I mentioned that I'm from Canada).
It seems that Blogger is indeed not supported and the person referred me to FeedBurner. That's what I did and it worked! The only downside is that since I had to use the FeedBurner URL as the blog URL, clicking on the tree or the Paw Wow link on the gremz website takes one to the blog feed instead of the actual site. Ah well, it's not as if I'm trying to get people to come through gremz. *shrug*
So my little gremz tree has sprouted today! Hopefully it'll grow to be tall and strong. :D
There's also グリムスキーワード, where if you input グリムス and an eco-related keyword that matches the gremz database, there would be special effect added to the tree. I'm assuming the keyword to be in Japanese, though, so I probably won't be able to see the specials... :(
Actually, I was about to give up the whole thing when I accidentally stumbled upon a Blogger blog with the gremz widget. Surely there has to be a way for this to work. So I filled out the web form (in Japanese) yesterday regarding the matter. This morning I got a reply from the gremz web management team (in English, since I mentioned that I'm from Canada).
It seems that Blogger is indeed not supported and the person referred me to FeedBurner. That's what I did and it worked! The only downside is that since I had to use the FeedBurner URL as the blog URL, clicking on the tree or the Paw Wow link on the gremz website takes one to the blog feed instead of the actual site. Ah well, it's not as if I'm trying to get people to come through gremz. *shrug*
So my little gremz tree has sprouted today! Hopefully it'll grow to be tall and strong. :D
There's also グリムスキーワード, where if you input グリムス and an eco-related keyword that matches the gremz database, there would be special effect added to the tree. I'm assuming the keyword to be in Japanese, though, so I probably won't be able to see the specials... :(
Friday, August 29, 2008
Blogger doesn't seem to be very popular at all with the Japanese, so I was forced to give up the wonderful グリムス(gremz) blog widget because it's not supported. I looked around for a bit more but couldn't find anything similar. Tsk.
As typical for me, I strayed after the futile effort and ended up bringing back a completely different widget. I present you, 真・フルみっくすプレーヤー!
This is my first time adding a blog widget so I was a bit nervous, but it was actually quite painless and easy to do. I only picked a handful of songs that I've heard from the list of available tracks. Apparently there are more songs on the way, so I'll update the playlist as well (if I remember).
To play, just pick a song and click on it. I think some of them are not full tracks, but the playlist should be enough to give you a sense of what the Vocaloids have to offer. #1-37 are Hatsune Miku, #38-54 are KAITO, #55-67 are Kagamine Rin/Len, #68-69 are Kamui Gakupo, and #70-71 are MEIKO.
As typical for me, I strayed after the futile effort and ended up bringing back a completely different widget. I present you, 真・フルみっくすプレーヤー!
This is my first time adding a blog widget so I was a bit nervous, but it was actually quite painless and easy to do. I only picked a handful of songs that I've heard from the list of available tracks. Apparently there are more songs on the way, so I'll update the playlist as well (if I remember).
To play, just pick a song and click on it. I think some of them are not full tracks, but the playlist should be enough to give you a sense of what the Vocaloids have to offer. #1-37 are Hatsune Miku, #38-54 are KAITO, #55-67 are Kagamine Rin/Len, #68-69 are Kamui Gakupo, and #70-71 are MEIKO.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
5-day Yellowstone bus trip.
Well, actually we only got to visit Yellowstone for one day. The other four days were spent mainly on the road. It's cheaper to go on a bus tour (as opposed to taking the plane), but it's also way time consuming...
There's so much to talk about, I'm not going to write them all out. I'll upload the photos, along with the ones my brother took, to Picasa later and just post the link.
For now, some brief thoughts and miscellaneous stuff not captured in the photos:
- The group consisted of 30 people including the three of us. Most were young families with little kids. Yeah, I'm not the most patient when it comes to kids, but I managed. Only 6 out of 30 spoke Mandarin, so the tour guide was in Cantonese mode a lot of the time.
- The tour guide spoke Cantonese and translated in heavy accented Mandarin from time to time. Mum can understand some Cantonese and asked the people across from us if she really wanted to know what the guy was talking about. Bro just ignored him most of the time. I strained so much trying to understand/guess what he was saying, I'm still hearing Cantonese in my head. Not good. Must watch more anime or Japanese drama to rid the problem.
- The whole thing felt kind of rushed, which is understandable considering the long distance covered each day and the number of people in the group. But the trip would have been better if we didn't have to waste time on shopping and get to stay in Yellowstone longer. A lot of the people in the group would probably disagree, though. The trip was supposed to be a Yellowstone tour, but in fact we were only there for less than a day. Disappointing. :(
- The sun was bright and the weather dry and hot, making it difficult for my camera to take pictures of things on the other side of the bus windows due to reflections. It's really a shame. I wanted to take picture of the bisons and the landscape. But I think the shutter time of my 2+ years camera is still too long to really capture the moments on the moving bus. Orz
- Mum and many other people have lamented on the loss of Yellowstone's charm due to the 1988 fire. I'm actually not too concerned about that. For me, Yellowstone's beauty lies in its geology and geography. Vegetation is a necessity for the animals, not an attraction. Forest will grow back, but the geology and geography won't return once altered.
- Got a chance to drop by BestBuy during the 'shopping time' and the anime section just blew me away. Look at all those box sets! That's cheating, man! Why do they get twice as much selection and options!? I really regretted not bringing my card with me down there. Orz
- I'm usually pretty tolerant when it comes to food, but I think I ate better when I worked at Staples (regular diets of Tim Horton's and McDonald's) than during most of the trip. I don't want to see another Arby's or some lame buffet...
- Movies shown on the bus: Night at the Museum, The Battle of Red Cliff (赤壁), a documentary about the 1988 Yellowstone fires, a documentary drama Supervolcano, Eight Below (2nd time viewing for me, but I still teared up)
- I brought along the first volume of Saiunkoku Monogatari, but Mum scolded me every time I pulled it out from my bag on the bus. I only managed to finish two chapters. Since the title and author's name are in kanji, I don't think anyone realized that the book is in Japanese.
Well, actually we only got to visit Yellowstone for one day. The other four days were spent mainly on the road. It's cheaper to go on a bus tour (as opposed to taking the plane), but it's also way time consuming...
There's so much to talk about, I'm not going to write them all out. I'll upload the photos, along with the ones my brother took, to Picasa later and just post the link.
For now, some brief thoughts and miscellaneous stuff not captured in the photos:
- The group consisted of 30 people including the three of us. Most were young families with little kids. Yeah, I'm not the most patient when it comes to kids, but I managed. Only 6 out of 30 spoke Mandarin, so the tour guide was in Cantonese mode a lot of the time.
- The tour guide spoke Cantonese and translated in heavy accented Mandarin from time to time. Mum can understand some Cantonese and asked the people across from us if she really wanted to know what the guy was talking about. Bro just ignored him most of the time. I strained so much trying to understand/guess what he was saying, I'm still hearing Cantonese in my head. Not good. Must watch more anime or Japanese drama to rid the problem.
- The whole thing felt kind of rushed, which is understandable considering the long distance covered each day and the number of people in the group. But the trip would have been better if we didn't have to waste time on shopping and get to stay in Yellowstone longer. A lot of the people in the group would probably disagree, though. The trip was supposed to be a Yellowstone tour, but in fact we were only there for less than a day. Disappointing. :(
- The sun was bright and the weather dry and hot, making it difficult for my camera to take pictures of things on the other side of the bus windows due to reflections. It's really a shame. I wanted to take picture of the bisons and the landscape. But I think the shutter time of my 2+ years camera is still too long to really capture the moments on the moving bus. Orz
- Mum and many other people have lamented on the loss of Yellowstone's charm due to the 1988 fire. I'm actually not too concerned about that. For me, Yellowstone's beauty lies in its geology and geography. Vegetation is a necessity for the animals, not an attraction. Forest will grow back, but the geology and geography won't return once altered.
- Got a chance to drop by BestBuy during the 'shopping time' and the anime section just blew me away. Look at all those box sets! That's cheating, man! Why do they get twice as much selection and options!? I really regretted not bringing my card with me down there. Orz
- I'm usually pretty tolerant when it comes to food, but I think I ate better when I worked at Staples (regular diets of Tim Horton's and McDonald's) than during most of the trip. I don't want to see another Arby's or some lame buffet...
- Movies shown on the bus: Night at the Museum, The Battle of Red Cliff (赤壁), a documentary about the 1988 Yellowstone fires, a documentary drama Supervolcano, Eight Below (2nd time viewing for me, but I still teared up)
- I brought along the first volume of Saiunkoku Monogatari, but Mum scolded me every time I pulled it out from my bag on the bus. I only managed to finish two chapters. Since the title and author's name are in kanji, I don't think anyone realized that the book is in Japanese.
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