Hello.

Wong here.

My post on my other website which you should look at if you enjoy anime:

Anime 2012 / future forecast

O M G

offended, that was an update! Oh well, since I am clearly so popular, I will cave to the demands of my reader(s).

So anyway, It is currently approaching snow season in kanazawa, and so for this reason I have purchased some gumboots! They are long, shiny and black, and remind me of storm trooper shoes except not white. I guess this may be a good thing. I am quite looking forward to the snow as I believe it will be a welcome change from the rain (every day, at varying levels of strength between hail and spit). However, I am fearing the cold, and am at this moment wearing two layers of thermals on top and bottom (it is about 5 degrees outside i believe).

Three weeks of class have put me to sleep; summer semesters/intensive programs are kind of annoying because we had our midsem on tuesday after two weeks.... nevertheless my japanese is increasing in fluency especially speaking and listening. I can now hold semi conversations with my host family, though my vocab is still sadly lacking (still can't understand variety shows). despite these deficiencies we are holding a rapport such that they refer to me as "i-rin chan" and give me ocha all the time. YES!

Something strange about kanazawa is that apart from ramen/bakery/kare-/gyudon stores there are also many places selling icecream despite the undeniable coldness. There is also a lack of spicy food which makes me sad!!!!!! However the vending machines that are everywhere saved me in my first week when i got lost on buses all the time and it was raining and cold and there were wonderful hot drinks for 120yen. ^___^ They also have cigarette vending machines in approximately half quantity cf. drinks, which surprised me considering how much the japanese seem to value health (healthy food, surgical masks frequently seen).

Regarding kanazawa, it is kind of small but kenrokuen (third most beautiful garden in japan apparently) is ridiculously pretty and the general landscape is as well. Here is a picture of kenrokuen.


And here is a picture of a random street we were walking on the way to tea ceremony.



Red/yellow japanese maples and other deciduous trees are everywhere here. I <3 autumn!

sandwiches

I have been goaded into blogging by that subtle hint in alice's post from quite a while ago which i only just read because i have been in japan and busy being overly excited. However I am too silly to collect all my thoughts about japan atm, so here is a post i never published for some reason a while ago:

"are all i can think of right now : ( chicken and avocado ones, made by my mother/matt/jess, cut into small triangles or into fingers. holding them is like holding hands with a dangerous criminal, except in this situation you are the executioner. and in love! sandwiches, begone.

I saw vincent's reflection post and was inspired...except i think that 2010 was definitely the year of food for me, i do not recall being this food-obsessed in the past, or maybe it is just my current mood. okay, i lie. : ( 

if i were to describe this year in one word it would be: DRIFTING. not just because there has been more rain this year, and I stepped in it often, or anything. nor because I drank a lot of tea. no, it was the loss of my precious land, the land of IB, the ENTER (what is this new atar) that I clung to... cast out, made to walk the plank, I felt lost often, while consoling myself with familiar things like anime and cake. meanwhile i did many foolish things. nevertheless, it seems to have set into a pattern, possibly better than before, that i can accept. i still feel that i need to study harder, and be more socially responsible, but i'm not ashamed of myself, or anything. 

NEW YEAR GOALS
1. study harder/more
2. practise more
3. wear more accessories to be more accessible (er, i looked in my drawer and felt ashamed okay)
4. ditto makeup (must stop buying cheap eyeliner)"

Hmm. I indeed managed to practise more and study harder this year, however my accessories wearing has not really increased. Nor do i wear more makeup, shame on me, save for a few attempts at being scarlet-mouthed. This was sort of fun but also nervewracking as what if the lipstick smeared on things? I believe ryan found it exciting, though, as is predictable.

Today is 20degrees for a change. I was quite shocked when i saw the temperature because for the past week it's rained almost every day and been consistently cold, around 5-10 degrees. It also gets dark around 4pm often here, which is disconcerting (probably because no daylight saving?). Other than this I have free wifi in the place i am studying so YES!

Anyway, I will stop for now, i believe this post is long enough, and perhaps will post again?! who knows.

Manga which I wished were anime which really did become anime

Here are some manga which, at the time I read them, did not have anime adaptations, but now have announced anime adaptations:


EDIT 2/10/2011: 
Sword Art Online
Just recently, sword art online, a light novel which i have also have been reading, has been green lit for an anime...you can read it here



Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (OVA and Anime)

- nice art (same artist as Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko)
- funny (my sense of humour)
- pretty girls
- no continous plot (in the manga)
- plenty of other forms of media (translated audio cds, manga, light novels...)
- many notable voice actors
- harem
- stereotypical, and yet likeable characters (male protagonist is a bit of a kyon)

Sankarea (Anime)

- nice art (same artist as did Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō otherwise known as Umisho, which also got an anime (and which I've also read))
- pretty girl(s)
- nice plot
- romance

Nana to Kaoru(ecchi OVA and live action adaptation)
- investigate (by) yourself please.

Games which had no anime at time of playing but have an anime now:

Persona 4 (Anime)

- awesome music
- enjoyable characters (may change in anime adaptation)
- only played half, so cannot comment on story
- don't talk to people who have played the game, they will massive spoiler you.

Sono hanabira (short, adult OVA)
NO SEX VERSION BELOW (is why it's only 8 mins):

- yuri
- some character development but mostly sex. play the games for the 'plot'
- investigate (by) yourself please.

Anime which didn't have a sequel at the time I finished them but have a sequel now:

- Darker than Black (i didn't like the sequel though :S. still haven't watched OVAs)
- Working!! (sequel: Working`!!)
- Bakemonogatar (sequel: Nisemonogatari. Prequel, Kizumonogatari, also being adapted as a movie)
- Shinryaku!? Ika Musume
- Nyan Koi! (although not sure if i'll actually watch the sequel)
- more like Shakugan, hidamari, fate series not listed as sequels were expected.
Next time, look out for 'anime which do not have sequels but which should have sequels'.

tumbling girl

my tumblr, ask me some questions if you wish!



(youtube rolling girl for title reference)

Spring 2011 anime roundup

TL;DR try the ones I recommended. I tried to sort them from best to worst to unwatched, but this is not always true. If I update / add something it will jump to the top (assuming I like it).

placeholder for Yozakura Quartet: Hoshi no Umi OVA

For a more in-depth review of some of the anime listed here (nana to kaoru, nichijou, denpa onna, kaiji...) go to Analog Housu, the blog of the guy who formerly did that otaku webcomic


Honto ni Atta! Reibai Sensei (added 27/4/11)
TYPE: a comedy with a short attention span which is often about odd topics

This is a short flash anime. I'm putting this at the top because it's most likely to be the one you don't know about. It is in a similar style to Haiyouru! Nyaruani but seems more funny and seems to have more actual animation this time round. Runtime is 5 minutes with the ED so it doesn't hurt to try it.


Nichijou
TYPE: light hearted comedy with awesome animation

(Stylised) Animation is awesome, could watch this show just for that. It also makes me laugh, which not many anime are capable of doing. It remians pg as well (the way it looks), although surprised me with the random BL drawing in episode 2. Everyone must watch this, or at least try it! 5stars AA++++ WOULD WATCH AGAIN


Hana-Saku Iroha
TYPE: uplifting Drama/Comedy/Coming of age? story

Everyone seems to love this, and after the first ep, I didn't. But after watching the second ep, I can safely say i'll follow this series to the end, due to it's nice animation, liekable and developing characters, and (third statement makes my writing sound better). You should try this one as well, reader. EDIT2: watched third and fourth episode. whoever is writing this seems to have the same tastes as I found yuri and shibari in the same epsidode. BUT THAT ISN'T EVEN WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT.


Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
Type: lovely Shaft/Shinbo insanity. Think bakemonogatari but for normal people. see analoghousu link at the top for details.

I will probably stick with this series...need to see more episodes before I make a descision. Looks like i'll be in it for the characters rather than the plot, although the female main could turn out to be a yuki nagato (dislike).


Steins;Gate
I like it so far (i usually like science fiction stuff). The main charcter is already getting boring at episode 2, but I like the looks of the female character. Watching for plot, but also to see how the characters are (they are SOMEWHAT likeable)


Hen Zemi TV + OVAS
I love the art style, and sometimes the humor. It is entertaining on a shock level as well as genuinely entertaining/funny sometimes. The OVAS (2) which have been released are longer (~26mins) and contain far more sexually explicit content than the tv series. I wonder if ordinary people (not perverts like me) will understand the OVAs... TL;DR: watch it if you're into something a bit wierd!


Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera
I don't know of anyone who is watching this. This is a remake of an anime (which itself was probably an adaptation of a manga). Only got into it because of a review/preview I read on the net. It has pretty damn awesome retro animation, you should watch ep 1 just for that. Additionally, it is actually funny sometimes / has a fast pace so is entertaining. Reminds me of Panty and Stocking except without all the crudeness and crude humour (only a little bit of panty of stocking mind you). Not sure if i'll keep watching the whole seres but will at least watch the next one.

Tiger & Bunny
After watching the first few minutes, I wasn't too sure about this one. But after watching the first episode (which does not really contain a plot hook) I still want to watch the next one, to follow the story of the main chracter cause he seems like a good guy. No, really.

Astallote no Omocha!
EDIT: it's actually ok. Sorta like hayate no gotoku. ignore what i said earlier.

A Channel
watched first episode. not as good as I thought it would be, I didn't even like it despiteit's shoujo-ai undertones. As everyone else says, it reminds me of k-on and lucky star, except it doesn't seem quite as good as either (well I didn't like k-on that much to begin with..)

[C] – The Money of Soul and Possibility Control
Watched first ep. Really dislike it for some reason....the premise and the characters. Other people like it though, so you should give it a try. The ED is sorta nice looking though. I read somewhere they decoded the QR codes and they actually say somethign

30-sai no Hoken Taiiku
Watched the first episode. I didn't like the humor all that much. The main female character hasn't been properly introduced yet. I 'll probably know if I like it by the second episode.

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai
strange I haven't got this yet, it has already come out and looks like my kind of thing

Dog Days
apparetnly it has lots of boobies (starting from second ep) but I haven't seen them yet. I mean I haven't seen the first ep yet, not the boobies.

Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai
Quite itnersting, I have not read up on this so after watching the first episode I was a bit confused. It kept me entertained but for some not so good reasons, perhaps the panty shots and stupid situations. I rememeber the loli also. Need moar eps to make judgemebnt

Hidan no Aria
watched first episode. will probably not watch this at all, due to being somewhat stereotypical, and having a somewhat unlikeable premise for me. has kugiyama rie in it (i think) as a main character. you will probabyl like it if you like shonen, fighting, and kugiyama rie.


Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san TV
Ah, this. Well, I can tell you it has kugiyama rie although in a small side role. It also has biri biri (dono seiyuu's name) and vash from trigun as voice actors for main characters. It's short (12 mins). Try the first episode and see for yourself! I don't remember it being extremley funny, but it was entertaining, and I did not get bored.

Deadman Wonderland
One of the few series I have a love/hate relationship. Breaking it into parts should be easiest:

Music: fitting and non-generic. I like it.

Characters: generic and uninteresting after the first episode. The hot chick is hot though. and a g.

Plot/setting: Somewhat interesting but also somewhat insane...probably can't swallow it unless it's sprinkled with cocaine, which it isn't (cocaine = lovable characteres)

Direction: Not good, althuogh may have been a result following the manga too closely. It's hard to empathise with characters which you have had no time to build up a relationship with, unless you really know what you're doing. By the end of the first episode I wasn't very moved by what happened. I assume the directors would have had more character dev if they had infinite time to write the story

Art: not generic, but I don't love it either. I do have a thing for silver/white haired characters though.

Gintama 2
I only went through some of the original gintama so will probably never end up watching this until sometime inmy late 30s

MARIA†HOLIC 2 – Alive
watched the first ep, seems like more of the first season

Soft Tennis
attempted to watch the first episode but failed. will write more when I actualyl watch it

OVAS
Nana to Kaoru OVA
Only watch if you have read the mangas, otherwise it won't make much sense / you will have no relation to the charactesr (much like the sono hanabira OVA released a while ago). Additionally, as my friend said, the drawing style takes a bit of getting used to...

Ore no Imouto wa konna ni kawaii wake ga nai 13/14(hey, I nearly memorized it!)
If you want to learn how to say 'anal fuck' in japanese, watch it. I quite enjoyed 13 and 14, but as always some segments of these episodes were not so awesome (patchy enjoyment levels). Still worth watching if you're a fan of the series / are otaku enough.

Kämpfer: Für die Liebe - unwatched, didn't watch kampher

Highschool of the Dead OVA – Drifters of the Dead - unwatched. didn't watch highschol of the deade

ALSO TO NOTE:
Hoshi ni Negai wo Cold Body x Warm Heart
saw HOSHI ni NEgai wo part 1? Cold Body x Warm Heart. Was ok, especialy if you like sci-fi, however overall wasn't that good (and didn't contain THAT much real animation (as opposed to CG), understandable coming from a small studio). Something that you might show to your kids, maybe.TL;DR: plot not so good, but likebale in an odd way (lol tldr doesn't match actuall descrip)

UNWATCHED

Ao no Exorcist (Blue Exorcist) - unwatched

Jewelpet Sunshine - unwatched

Hato no Oyomesan - unwatched

Hyouge Mono - unwatched, might watch since it says it's seinen

Toriko (2011) - unwatched, supposed to be an insane comedy...i'll see

Tono to Issho: Gantai no Yabou - unwatched, never haerd of thisbefore...

Moshidora - unwatched

X-Men Anime - unwatched

Sket Dance - unwatched

Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi -unwatched

Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream - unwatched

Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi - unwatched

Seikon no Qwaser II - unwatched

Sengoku Otome – Momoiro Paradox - unwatched

Kaiji 2: Hakairoku Hen - unwatched

Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai II – The World God Only Knows II
saw some of the prequel, not enough to judge

fine

here is my astonishing update. 

lately i have been watching anime but not as much as ryan, who, having devoured honey and clover, k-on, mai-hime and minami-ke recently, is now almost through season two of kimi ni todoke. his method of marathoning I find frightening, anyway, I have been watching at my usual pace which is approximately 1 ep a day... after watching mai-hime for the third time while waiting for new eps of kimi ni todoke to come out, I finally decided to watch Toradora! This was a good decision, I LIKE IT, yay.

The weather has been EXTREMELY COLD of late. It is upsetting, and induces shameful showering habits. Do people try to take 4 minute showers using those timer things that were given out? I find it hard to stick to, but generally attempt. However it is SO COLD NOW, the allure of perfumed steam is too great. 

I also have too much bread. Does anyone want bread from breadtop? I can't resist taking it home but we can't eat that much...or rather, I am not sure if anyone would want to eat that much. @____@ : ( 

um. I wish i had other exciting things to say, but I don't really but here you go hungy, this quick post may fulfil your wishes i hope?! maybe wong will post immediately after this, and push this post down (excellent). 

oh dear

How shameful. i discovered two drafts from not so long ago, which were, for some reason, never published (nor finished). oh dear! anyway, here i am after much encouragement/prodding, to entertain and hopefully my audience retain. err. 

Recently I have been doing not much except spending a lot of time either with ryan, bread/cake or my jap textbook (and code geass r2 ♥ cc!) so i thought i would blog about some movies i've seen lately as i seem to have been watching many. 

in no particular order:

The Reader

This was a very emotionally distressing film, but one that i thought was excellent in its construction/execution! it was pretty also, and i thought the romance was quite beautiful, though others might feel it were inappropriate. anyway, it was very sad, but not in an overly gratuitous or irritating way. 

The Piano

This was also semi-distressing but more so in its general atmosphere rather than in specific events. also, the characters (particularly the protagonist/pianolady) were very peculiar! my general impression, if i were to translate the entire film into a single image, would be a tangled, thorny bush on bleak and blackened ground that produces startling red flowers. i liked this film quite a lot and i am not sure why! i suppose the music was also exciting - does anyone know "the heart asks pleasure first"? it is a piano piece (obviously) and is in the piano for leisure book series...anyway, the music (mostly solo piano, but with some string accompaniment) is all by michael nyman and contributes greatly to the atmosphere. i want to watch this movie again! i want to write more, but i will stop, it is silly.

Pan's Labyrinth

I am not sure what to say about this film. It was pretty, both visually and in storyline/characters, and seemed fairytale-like. ryan said it was magical-realism and i feel that it is quite similar in a way to books like chronicle of a death foretold, or house of spirits, but probably more enchanted/MAGICAL. hmm, the music was also okay, also, i wish to say that people who thought this film would scare me were very silly! goodness, it is only slightly gory, but the atmosphere is not conducive to great terror - it is too magical and not creepy enough. also, i did not think the characters were real people, sorry.

Les Choristes

YAY. this is a very nice film! the music is very pretty, it is a french film about shameful/delinquent boys who become choristers, except they are very young/small/cute/strangely good at singing! it is funny, and heartwarming. plus it is french, so is nice! ♥ i liked this film a lot, and would recommend it to EVERYONE.

Date Night

oh dear. tina fey is ♥♥ but i think i may be unused to comedies! also some people like steve carroll. anyway, this movie was quite funny i suppose, but also ridiculous, and kind of tiring to watch as well, because it was so hectic. anyway, i do like tina fey ♥

Tangled

Tangled! i probably don't have to say much about this one, since everyone's already seen it (i assume), except that i liked it, and she was cool, and had exciting hair, and i liked the lantern scene a lot. 

sigh. i hope this was interesting, and also everyone should watch 30 rock! ♥