Greetings, my Tantalizing Toyboxers! Another mega-week, another mega-post, lol. This week, our blade-blazing broadcast slashes at action-packed Japanese Prime Ministers, alluring otaku bloggers, appealing anime dramas, attractive martial-arts fighters, and amusing birthday antics! Okay, maybe just one Prime Minister, haha. Did I mention the piles and piles of eye-grabbing wallpapers? I didn’t? Well, now I did. But wait, I’m not joking about the alluring bloggers and attractive fighters. Or was it attractive bloggers and alluring fighters? LOL, doesn’t matter. Just pull up a chair and let the sword-shattering show begin…
Part 1 of 5 > Pop Anime, Otaku Power & Taro Aso
Hehe, tired of the endless posts and episodic reviews of “K-On!” yet? Ahh, the continuing power of market-powered pop-anime trends! I mean, it’s only the second week of “K-On!”. Does it make sense to review the first ten minutes of a two-hour film? Then the next ten minutes too? Then the next? Does a preview-review make sense when *everyone* is watching it anyway? Haha, just teasing! But look no further, my Tipsy Toyboxers! We’ve got some trendy anti-trend outbursts right here, lol. Right, Jem-chan?
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso
First of all, who’s Taro Aso? Well, Taro Aso is the current Prime Minister of Japan, of course! Secondly, what’s an “otaku”? Well, according to Wikipedia: “Otaku is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, and video games.” Precisely. In Japan, this term carries a darker more-derogatory connotation. But in essence, we’re describing a geek, lol. So what does Taro Aso have to do with otaku geeks? And why are we mentioning them? Well, my Trendy Toyboxers, do you remember my mega-post on Japanese “propaganda and pop anime” two weeks ago? Coincidentally within the last week, Prime Minister Aso presented a curious promise to build the Japanese economy via the otaku industry! No joke!
On 09 April, Anime New Network posted the following news item.
Prime Minister Asō: Anime, Manga Are Part of Japan’s Recovery
Japan’s head vows 500,000 new jobs through “soft power” in cultural exportsIn a Thursday evening press conference, Japanese Prime Minister Tarō Asō promised to add 4 million jobs in his country by 2020, with 500,000 coming from the country’s so-called “soft power” in anime, manga, and similar areas of culture. He also vowed that the country’s real gross domestic product will increase by 120 trillion yen (US$1.2 trillion) by 2020. According to Asō, the market for Japan’s cultural exports could worth 20 to 30 trillion yen (US$200-300 billion) if business opportunities are exploited. Japan’s cultural exports is one of the three pillars upon which Asō is relying for economic growth; the other two are a ‘low-carbon revolution” and a “society of health and longevity.”
Asō has faced low approval poll numbers almost since his ascension to Japan’s highest post last September. He told the audience at October’s 21st Tokyo International Film Festival, only half-jokingly, that he is apparently more well known in Japan for being a manga geek than prime minister. As he did when he was foreign minister, Asō has used anime as an example of cultural exchange in South Korea and Russia. However, Studio Ghibli co-founder and director Hayao Miyazaki has criticized Asō’s public emphasis on his manga reading and downplayed the use of Japanese entertainment to promote the country and to raise its youth.
Source: AFP, China View, Jji.com
The next day, on 10 April, Sankaku Complex (NSFW) posted a similar item.
Rozen Aso: Otaku Tourism Will Save Japan
Prime Minister “Rozen” Aso recently debuted his newest plan to shake Japan out of its economic doldrums: otaku tourism. With one notable exception, Aso’s new plan differed little from the tired promises made in past. Whilst his plan repeats oft mentioned commitments to an environmentally conscious economic strategy and promises to build a society friendly to the elderly, Aso also unveiled his determination to reinforce the country’s “soft power”.
Soft power is Aso’s euphemism for anime, manga and games, as well as Japanese fashion and similar.
By reinforcing the popularity of Japanese visual culture abroad, Aso hopes to bring foreign otaku by the millions to Japan to soak up the related culture and purchase anime-related goods directly at the source. Aso confidently predicted that the otaku tourist trade could burgeon to 20 to 30 trillion yen and generate 500,000 new jobs.
The Prime Minister set a target for drawing 20 million foreign visitors to Japan by 2020, more than doubling the current number of 8 million. Previous efforts to drastically increase tourism, such as the “Yokoso Japan” branding strategy, have met mixed results, but concentrated very strongly on traditional and very staid attractions such as onsen and ryokan, rather than the more modern appeal of Akiba maid sex parlors.
Source: Japan Today
So what do you think? Should we worry? I mean, if United States President Barack Obama ever proclaimed the benefits of building American “soft power” ~~ cartoons like “Superman” and “Batman”, comics like “Iron Man” and “Watchmen”, and the successful live-action film and music industries which have thrived from them ~~ as a major force in stimulating not only domestic businesses, but also the global economy, would we worry? LOL, who knows? President Obama isn’t Japanese, is he? Nevertheless, whether or not the world takes Prime Minister Aso seriously or less-than-seriously, the multi-billion-yen economic might of the otaku industry is nothing to sneeze at either!
Part 2 of 5 > Mimi, Jem & More Otaku Trends
Ahh, surfing from international economies to interpersonal idiosyncrasies, we continue to witness the ebb and flow of the web. The indefinite yet inevitable rising and falling waves of friends, enemies, bloggers, readers, posts and comments. As illustrated by the “angry loli” Mimi-chan and her less-certain or less-frequent future in the bubbling otaku blogosphere, this undeniable fact is highlighted once more. Here’s our brief chat from last week, edited for focus.
Mimi: hey Jay
Mimi: i just wanted to let you know that I might quit blogging
Mimi: yeah ;_;
Mimi: i just feel like blogging is no longer one of the things that i enjoy a lot
Mimi: i feel like it’s more of a hasslexJAYMANx: oh no, sorry to hear… but i can understand…
xJAYMANx: temporary or permanent?Mimi: i really don’t know
Mimi: i’m so sorry
Mimi: i feel like i’m betraying you
Mimi: by stopping
Mimi: i feel really badxJAYMANx: no no no, why?
Mimi: i hope that it won’t impact you in any way
xJAYMANx: i’ll miss ya of course, but u gotta do what u gotta do for yourself
xJAYMANx: mimi’s rage will still be around for a bit ^_^Mimi: aww
Mimi: alright
Mimi: thanks jay
Mimi: *hug*
Oddly enough, Mimi-chan returned Sunday night with several new posts, lol. While her reemergence is reassuring, the ebbing and flowing “nature of the net” is not unlike the rising and falling “nature of otaku trends”. Like I mentioned last week, the dual-edged delight and disappointment of “trends, slaves and shiny new things“, lol. Here’s my discussion with the “one and only” Jem-chan on that post.
Jem@Jay: I totally agree with what you said about trends. I try to be as current as possible in my hobbies because I just don’t want to have to deal with inflation later on. I will say that I am not susceptible to trends because people end up not being satisfied with commodities prompted by the trend at that time. It’s not that uncommon to have someone sell something because they realized they didn’t like it as much as they did or are prone to buying things because the general populace approves of said commodity. I can’t help but feel that people who are susceptible to trends are more often than not lacking in individuality and are weak-minded. There is probably a correlation with that and fanaticism,too. I have seen girls who don’t know crap about a series or form of media and they will instantaneously dive deep and don their expertise cap and mouth off a lot of nonsensical information. It’s good that you are intelligent, levelheaded and a logical person which doesn’t seem to be the criteria for most otaku, be it manga, video games, anime, etc.
Here’s my reply, hehe.
xJAYMANx@Jem-chan: True, the trouble with trends. Fortunately (or unfortunately), trivial things like mortgage payments and car insurance tend to outweigh urgent things like figure collections, lol. But even before then, I typically chose figures because I genuinely loved the character or anime, or loved the style and atmosphere of an outfit or pose, whether or not the anime existed. Not because I saw everyone else acquiring her, and didn’t want to be left out. That was rare. Yup, Figma Miku Hatsune, haha… But once I commit to buying a figure, I never think about selling or exchanging her again. Even the bootlegs. Live and learn. Stick to your guns. Commitment. Responsibility. Each figure represents a piece of you, your memory, your past. As if the figure chose you instead! Why erase that choice?
I mean, there’s nothing wrong with being weak-minded or weak-willed, once in a while. But all the time? Without knowing why? Now that’s a sure recipe for irresponsibility, lol… Hey Jem-chan, I gotta admit, I love the compliments. Yeah, “intelligent”, “level-headed” and “logical” have crossed my path more than once, along with “patient” and “perceptive”. But to say that most otaku don’t exhibit these qualities? Hmm, maybe they don’t seem to exist, because they’re simply too busy to blog! >_<;
Here’s her amusing follow-up, hehe.
Jem@Jay: Well, most blogs in general aren’t as intelligent sounding. I don’t mind randomness, but, doggone it, make it intelligent sounding in both diction and concept. People whose first language isn’t English are fine with me XD
For example, I’m into video game, too and used to do some game journalism for a small site. You have no idea the amount of people who are just unintelligent and can only articulate their thoughts of a game through biased, uninformed opinions coupled with the usual “geekgasm”. Ugh. Those people get shot first in the head if I ever encounter them on online death matches. For figures, I’ve seen a lot of really stupid, nonsensical information broadcasted in blogs that have you saying “Really?”
I do agree that being weak is a normal aspect for humankind, but all the time is just incessant, don’t you think?
Yeah, I only own Death Note nendoroid bootlegs because I was green at the earliest point of my collecting days last March. I have only replaced L. I think I will keep them and use them for experimentation. My little guinea pigs to test out color, shade and sculpt for when I want to get into resins and kits. I’m glad that you collect for you and nobody else. I am really into aestheticism and quality. I have bought figures before whose background I loathe, but I own them nonetheless. I am willing to separate my hatred for something if the quality is there to back it up. Same here. When I buy a figure or video game, it’s akin to a marriage for me and it’s for the long haul, baby! I make sure that my reasons for doing or buying something isn’t a byproduct of bandwagon influence. I think for us because we are so confident and sure of our decisions that our additions really are a reflection of our individualism, hence eliminating the need to get rid of something due to a fleeting whim. I take most “otaku” or collectors with a grain of salt as they are usually spouting off nonsense from their arse and are not genuine fans or collectors in any sense of the word.
Lol, well, I call it how I see it and you are not a dum-dum. XD Or how I usually phrase things of this nature in real life – “Jay is learn-ed”. I’ve been told those things as well. Great minds think alike ^^
Then here’s my final follow-up, hehe.
xJAYMANx@Jem-chan: {Nods} Ah, true, I get what you’re saying. But that’s the unalterable “nature of the net”, where folks and fans of random intelligence can voice their unique (or not-so-unique) perspectives without having some editor or professor or other authority approving (or disapproving) that voice… Of course, that’s where “we the readers” come in. To praise, pass by, or pound those nasty buggers, uh, I mean, bloggers into submission, hehe. And to welcome that same exact praise or pounding from other readers, right? But if their “nonsensical geekgasms” are weak, I’d simply pass them by… No harm done. But I wouldn’t mind seeing the harm done in your death matches!
{Raises eyebrows} Resin kits? Really? Wow, I’ve never really intended to explore that direction. So I’m impressed! {Nods} But that’s a great way to put it, “akin to a marriage”. And especially, “we are so confident and sure of our decisions”. Precisely. Even if my earliest choices were admittedly less certain or less confident, I’m still not gonna throw out a figure like she’s the metaphorical “persocom on the trash heap”. Yeah, whether or not she’s boxed away in the closet, she’s a piece of me, not a “fleeting whim”. Which is why I can’t understand so-called collectors who pre-order a full-dozen figures only to cancel half of them. Why? What’s in your head? Testing which way the otaku trend is blowing? LOL, kinda ridiculous.
So what does all of this mean? What does the unpredictable coming and going of otaku blogs have to do with the unforeseeable rising and falling of otaku trends? How do they relate to anything? Well, simply put, these are reflections of life, aren’t they? Having fun, of course. But not mindlessly falling for the mob mentality. Thinking and feeling for yourself. Trying to make wiser choices. Yet taking responsibility for the dumber choices too, lol. Not only with anime, manga, games and figures. But with bloggers and friends too. And when something or someone disappoints or disappears, keeping a level head as best as you can!
Part 3 of 5 > Gundam, Tsubasa, Kenshin & Coil
Okay, my Tyrannical Toyboxers, enough of the political and philosophical psycho-babble! Instead, let’s dive into 4 more anime titles-or-seasons I’ve managed to finish in the last few weeks! Since I’ve already praised Clannad After Story [11] recently, let’s splash ourselves with some “Mobile Suit Gundam” [10], “Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle – S1” [12], “Rurouni Kenshin – S2” [13], and “Dennou Coil” [14]. Yup, a total of 14 completed anime series so far this year!
Mobile Suit Gundam [10]. On 24-25 March, I completed my 10th anime title-or-season of the year. The original series, the last 19 of 43 (or 18 of 42) episodes. Now, to be clear, I decided to divide this classic into two parts because of the huge number of episodes, lol. I mean, these days, a typical full-season stretches 22-to-26 episodes, while a typical half-season sprints for 11-to-13 episodes. But once again, like the first half, the second half of the original “Gundam” manages to impress! Wow, the story still holds up after 30 years, earning 4 of 5 stars!
Having said that, I technically only watched 42 of the original 43 episodes. Why only 42? Well, according to Wikipedia, the English-dubbed release didn’t include the original 15th episode! So what I thought was the 15th was actually the 16th original episode. The 16th was actually the 17th. And so on. Until what I thought was the 42nd was actually the 43rd and final episode! But I’m too lazy to renumber everything in my previous posts, lol. In any case, a classic is a classic. And I finally completed it almost 3 decades after the original 07 April 1979 premiere broadcast date! To celebrate, here’s an amazing modern-day interpretation of the classic “RX-78 Gundam” design!
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle – S1 [12]. On 02 April, I completed my 12th anime title-or-season of the year. Season 1 (of 2) with 26 episodes. While the CLAMP-styled animation is gorgeous and the musical pieces are mesmerizing, the series seemed to lack pace. Dramatic scenes or stares or moments seemed to pause a few beats too long, lol. In that light, the drama felt somewhat lacking or stretched too thin. But beyond that, the characters are lovable and memorable. Still a decent 4 of 5 stars! So I don’t mind catching the next feather-filled season, hehe. Until then, here are 11 spectacular wallpapers for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
Rurouni Kenshin – S2 [13]. On 07 April, I completed my 13th anime title-or-season of the year. Season 2 (of 3) with 35 episodes. Double wow! Building upon the 27 episodes of Season 1 (4 of 5 stars), the continuing tale of a repentant samurai among hoodlums and bandits follows an even darker path through even more powerful enemies. This time, the sword-slashing saga earns 5 of 5 stars! Until I return for Season 3, here are 10 soul-searching wallpapers for your visual consumption. Itadakimasu!
Dennou Coil [14]. On 10-11 April, I completed my 14th anime title-or-season of the year. Original series with 26 episodes. Wow, thanx J85 for the recommendation! I mean, from the opening scenes of the opening episode, I was blown away! Double wow! From the brain-bending “augmented reality” (AR) concept to the vibrant multi-dimensional characters to the haunting musical compositions to the fluidly-and-realistically animated running sequences! Without doubt, one of the most-unexpected 5 of 5 stars of the year! For another celebration, here are 3 heart-warming wallpapers for your inter-dimensional memory cells, lol. Gotta love Densuke! He reminds me of my Guiness the Menace, hehe.
So there they are, my Tempted Toyboxers! Four more anime titles-or-seasons I’ve crossed off my “Infinite List”, lol. Assuming a steady rate of 14 anime every 4 months, that’s a decent pace of 42 titles-or-seasons completed by the end of the year. Not bad. But let’s try to hit 50, okay?
Part 4 of 5 > Flyers, Fighters & Christine Toledo [Part 4]
Next, from political-and-philosophical mayhem, to feather-and-sword-searching odysseys, we finally slash our way to another blade, Muay Thai (kickboxing) fighter Christine Toledo! It’s been too long, hasn’t it? Remember my anime-styled black-white art, full-color art, and experimental art last year? Here’s a sample to replenish your memory cells, hehe.
Here’s an intimidating photo of Christine enduring the desert heat, lol.
And here’s a less-intimidating photo of Christine and Melanie before the Muay Thai press conference at the Filipino “Cafe Moda” on Thursday, 24 July 2008.
Well, just a few days ago, on Friday, 10 April 2009, I finally finished the flyer for ALIAS Fight Wear featuring Christine and her fellow fighters! Nice, huh? I mean, am I lucky or what? Are all female martial-artists always so attractive? Not that I’m complaining or anything, hehe.
But more importantly, here’s the latest update on Christine and her #1 ranking! Go Christine! Yup, number-one, FTW!
Update on Christine Toledo
10 April 2009[1] World Ranking. The latest WIKBA rankings have been posted as of March 2009. Christine Toledo is currently ranked #1 in the world in the Super Flyweight (52 kg / 114 lbs) division. See rankings at WomenKickboxing.com.
[2] Featured Article. Christine Toledo is featured in the Muay Thaimes Magazine, Spring 2009 Issue. View the PDF article at ChristineToledo.com. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, order at MuayThaimes.com.
[3] Fight Schedule. Christine Toledo is scheduled to fight on May 30 in San Francisco, CA. An opponent is yet to be announced. For the latest updates, fight details, and ticket info, please check back at WorldCSC.com.
[4] For more info on Christine Toledo, visit ChristineToledo.com.
[5] For inquiries, please email CToledoPR@gmail.com.
But that’s not all! Next, we’ll see Christine at a Saturday birthday party for Melanie’s son. Why was I invited? I have no clue! Just kidding, lol.
Part 5 of 5 > Birthday Food, Fun & More Fighters
Huh? Part 5 already? Yup, food, fun and fighters! Yeah, over the weekend, on Saturday, 11 April 2009, I was fortunate enough to experience a full-fledged Filipino party, haha. Which is always rare for me! You see that, Jem-chan? I’m celebrating my lost Filipino heritage! Okay? Satisfied?
Here’s Melanie (meh-LAH-nee) who treated me to a Vietnamese lunch a couple weeks ago, lol.
Ah, the bright Vegas skies!
Damn, I should’ve brought my sunglasses from home!
Yup, couldn’t resist my first leap into the air-powered tent!
Wow, you really need some good balance on those air cushions, lol.
A wider shot. Haha, don’t you want one?
Pile on top of him!
Is that Crazy Sora?
Yup, there she is, haha!
After I hopped into the tent, she started following me around!
If I remember her mother Aiko correctly, Sora is only 2 years and 10 months old!
She was definitely crazy with energy!
Never stayed still for a moment, lol.
Ah, Melanie’s son getting ready to blow out the 9 candles!
Almost ready…
Just a few more seconds…
Hehe, top-ranked Muay Thai fighter Christine enjoys a moment with her phone, lol.
Melanie tries to get rid~~ oops, I mean, give away some more “Spider Man” cake!
A-ha! The birthday boy!
Say “Cheese!”
LOL, is that another gift he doesn’t want?
Huh? I’ve never heard of a “Bakugan” anime. Have you? Is that like “Pokemon”?
Ah, the golden-eyed feline!
Another pro fighter! Mixed-martial-artist Lynn! I don’t think she solved the puzzle, did she?
I think Lynn gave up, haha.
Ahh, can’t go wrong with a Nerf Blaster!
Well, unless you have to build it yourself, lol.
Hmm, how many boys does it take to build a Nerf Blaster?
Don’t blasters look great in blindingly-bright yellow? Yeah, right.
Well, not as great as a silver six-shooter! LOL, wait, Sora knows how to grip firearms already?
Christine and Lynn discussing fighters, I believe.
Waiting for the women’s mixed-martial-arts match between Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos and Hitomi Akano. Damn, it was pretty badly lop-sided. Couldn’t even call it a real match.
Ah, yes, the mind-bending puzzle Lynn tried to assemble!
First, you set the blue piece.
Then you position the yellow and orange pieces on either side.
Next, you align the purple and red pieces around those.
Finally, you slide and lock the green piece into the final slot!
Voila! Puzzle solved! The new cover of “Discover” magazine, hahaha.
Well, my Turquoise Toyboxers, that’s it! Like I said, another mega-week, another mega-post, lol. I hope you enjoyed the action-packed Japanese Prime Minister, alluring otaku bloggers, appealing anime dramas, attractive martial-arts fighters, and amusing birthday antics! They weren’t too entertaining, were they? Hehe, at least the plethora of wicked wallpapers caught your eye. Or maybe the attractive bloggers and alluring fighters? Haha, let’s thank Mimi-chan, Jem-chan, Sakura, Yasako, Aiko, Sora, Christine, Melanie and the rest of the female fighters for their graceful appearances. Dammit, you didn’t shatter your sword, did you?
Till next broadcast. Peace. Out.
Final Flashback
Kurogane: “Got blood?”
I hope that mimi does not quit blogging, her blog is fun to read. ANN made Aso look like an otaku should not run a country but in reality the anime thing is at the bottom of the list of plans to help Japan’s economy. I have been watching xxxholic on hulu, I forgot how great is CLAMPS work.
Otaku Dan´s last blog post > Figure Dusting
@Dan-man: Agreed. Hers is definitely a unique perspective. Always has been. But what happens, happens, right?… True, I’m sure being an otaku or even a semi-otaku isn’t on the top of Aso’s list, lol. But the fact that the otaku industry is specifically targeted in Japan’s economic strategy at all is still rather remarkable… Ahh, “xxxHolic”. There’s another title to add to my “Infinite List”. Yup, ever since CLAMP’s character designs in “Code Geass”, I began to prefer their style. But the “Chobits” anime never really followed their own design, did it?
Don’t really see anything wrong with ANN focusing on Rozen Aso’s Otaku plan… after all, anime is what they are supposed to focus on. I have this to say, though- It doesn’t seem like Japan will have another celebrity PM like Koizumi for many years to come. Where’s the next Lion-hair, I wonder?
Rurouni Kenshin? You just started watching it? Heresy! It’s dated, but still good, along with the OVAs. The three episode OVA on Kenshin’s past as Battousai is a masterpiece in my opinion, although it’s not 100% true to the original (About 96%, methinks, lol). Just stay away from the OVA on his future, that one is strictly non-canon, and Nobuhiro Watsuki himself wasn’t pleased with it. The manga, of course, is par excellence:)
Dennou Coil is great too, although I can’t stand little kids^^;; Wrote a review about it sometime back too. Great show with deep GitS like themes like ‘what is reality?’ but with plenty of fun moments too:3
aprilius20´s last blog post > Otaku Mime
Well, unfortunately the rest of the world is in an economic crisis too. So just because he wants to market Japan as an otaku tourist destination, doesn’t mean that any of those foreign otaku can even afford the trip, much less spend a lot of money when they get there.
Ah, you found some lovely Tsubasa papers! Hooray! *steals them*
Oh, I do agree with you on certain moments sometimes lasting a few beats longer than they should. It was very strange and kind of broke the momentum a couple of times, but I still think it’s a brilliant series.
Oooo, some sexy Kenshin pictures too. *glee*
I didn’t get anything written up for this week, despite a rather large backlog of things I want to talk about. My grandpa died Saturday, Sunday I had Easter family things, Monday I had jury duty, today I’m cleaning (or I’m about to anyway), tonight is D&D, tomorrow I need to catch up with the shows I’ve been recording (about to start watching Burst Angel and Mushi-Shi). I have one disc of Elfen Lied left. And I have a lot of manga to catch up on; last Trigun finally came out so I started over from vol. 1.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
Many many people missed Dennou Coil, which made it into my best of 2007. It was very much overlooked by the then-airing and more popular series such as Hayate no Gotoku!, Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, and even the underrated Darker than Black. It was one of the best series I ever saw, great animation, great ending, and more. Nice that you got round to finishing it.
Panther´s last blog post > Q2 Blog & Link Exchange
I admit to being one of those completely hung up on Hayate no Gotoku. I don’t think Dennou Coil was even on my radar that season.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@A20: Yeah, just started “Kenshin” this year. Yet with many things, including anime, “better late than never”, eh? I won’t get to the OVAs till after I finish Season 3, so hold the spoilage to a minimum, haha. Yup, another blogger Shagh mentioned the excellence of the manga. But nah, I’m more of an anime guy rather than a manga guy. Unless, of course, it’s “Battle Angel Alita” or “Hellsing”!… Agreed, “Dennou Coil” is spectacular. But why your annoyance with little kids? Another example of “too much silliness”? Haha, lighten up, dude. Like I mentioned before, gotta “unplug your pride” once in a while! ^_^
@Kris-chan: Heyyy, what’s up?… Ah, true, not just Japan. But then again, he’s gotta look like he’s doing something about it, making plans, etc. Just like any other political leader would… Hahaha, yeah, *infinitely* more stunning than the “Tsubasa” wallpapers u sent me! I mean, to tell the truth, some of those were just too tacky to post, hehe. Ugh. But u know what I mean. So feel free to steal them!… Yeah, but stretching a moment and breaking the momentum too often can get annoying. Quite annoying… Oh, I’m so sorry about the family stuff. Hope you’re okay. No need to write anything up if u need to take care of chores. Is “Mushishi” the one that looks like “Ghost Hound”? Never could finish “Elfen Lied” after the 4th episode. I wonder why, lol. But I keep hearing good things about “Trigun”. Yup, another title for my “Infinite List”! ^_~
@Panther: Hey man, thanx, it’s been a while! Yup, agreed. Like I told A20 above, “Dennou Coil” was spectacular. Yeah, being overlooked, I’m not surprised. When I post about “pop anime” and “otaku trends” like “K-On!”, that’s what I hint at. Big marketing. Big studios. Big names. Nothing wrong with big names. But then the “little guys” get overlooked. And spectacular gems are missed. Luckily, by “going against the grain”, we didn’t miss them, lol. So if u ever see Justin85 wandering around, tell him thanx for the recommendation!
@Kris-chan (again, lol): Hey, nothing wrong with “Hayate”. But I think there’s something definitely wrong with that talking Tama! LOL!
Heh, regarding trends…I generally hold off because things get cheaper after the fad’s died off. ._. Not really so with torrenting episodes, though?! XD Never thought about inflation… Speaking of inflation, aww, you got to go in the air castle! :P And Bakugan…my brother’s crazy about it. I suppose you could say it’s like Pokemon. The Chinese even did a live action version of it…sigh.
Congrats on the four series finished! I’m amazed…I generally watch 1 ep a day and even that’s too much. XD Sigh.
jenn´s last blog post > Saki 1 – Eye-Gleaming Yuri Mahjong!
@Jenn-chan: True, but doesn’t that typically take 6 to 12 months? Unless u include fashion. I mean, I’m still waiting for the maid fashion to die off, haha… Luckily for us, torrents can’t get any cheaper. So that’s good. But there’s just too many of them to watch! That’s not-so-good, lol… Ah, so that’s what it’s called! An air castle! Yup, I couldn’t resist. My first time. Only bounced a few minutes at a time, but when I “unplug my pride”, it’s pretty fun, lol… Hmm, I think I’ll pass on “Bakugan” for now. Especially if there’s a live-action version of it! That’s usually a bad sign. Haha, just kidding… Ah, thanx-thanx. Wow, really? Your blog gives the impression that u watch 4-5 episodes per day! As for myself, usually 3 episodes from various series per day. For example, “Akikan” for breakfast, “Maria Holic” for dinner, and “Naruto” for treadmill. Not bad, eh? ^_~
I haven’t seen Kenshin yet either, actually. Not the whole thing anyway. It was on Cartoon Network for a while; on Toonami I think, but I never caught the entire series. It’s on my Netflix queue though.
I don’t remember where I found most of those Tsubasa papers, but you’re right, some of them were eh. A lot of the good ones seems to be from aimepaper.net but they have a download limit or something, I don’t know. I got about 10 of them, and then it locked me out from downloading anything more saying I needed to contribute or something. :(
I don’t think I know what Ghost Hound is. Mushi-Shi is about a traveling Mushi Master who goes around helping people with Mushi problems. By getting rid of the ones possessing people, or causing harm, or helping Mushi themselves.
Elfen Lied is OK. At first it really feels like the entire show was designed just for the cheese cake. But the story that’s in there is decent enough. It may fall flat at the end, though. But there is an awful lot of nudity and bloody gore.
Trigun I haven’t seen in years. I really want a copy of it but it’s hard to find now. The manga is really great, though. There’s quite a bit more story in there, and the fight between Vash and Knives is completely different, and it carries on a LOT longer. Wolfwood is far more involved as well.
Also I love the tiger in Hayate. I think he’s hilarious. I seriously loved that show; will start watching the new season after I get through some other stuff.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@Kris-chan: Ahh, then I won’t mention “Kenshin” anymore, lol. I agree, from their size and style, those walls looked older, maybe a few years old. So of course, I’m happy to infuse a new set of refreshing “Tsubasa” shots into your collection. They’re pretty good, huh?… Well, without giving too much away, “Ghost Hound” deals with kids who can see odd creature-like spirits (or transport their own odd spirit forms) in another plane or dimension of existence. I seem to recall that the Mushi guy had white or silver hair?… As for “Elfen Lied”, when limbs started getting sliced off in slow motion, that kinda turned me off a bit, lol. Although I keep hearing that the unconventional mix of adorable cuteness and utter violence still manages to work. At least “Gunslinger Girl” didn’t show frame-by-frame dismemberment, lol… Actually, I think “Trigun” might be somewhere down my Netflix queue. I’m pretty sure. So I’ll get to it eventually!… As for “Hayate”, that talking tiger Tama is ridiculously funny! Especially when he accidentally breaks things and conjures the wrath of Maria the maid, haha. Actually, have u seen “Kyouran Kazoku Nikki” yet? If u thought “Hayate” was an anime on steroids, “Nikki” has a strikingly similar style, but it’s like “Hayate” on steroids! WTF! ^o^
Oops, sorry about my previous comment — I forgot to enter the antispam and got sent to the ‘copy your comment in case pressing back kills it’ page, which included the commentluv code as well. XD Please help edit the post and remove that bit or something? Thanks. :)
Yarh. I don’t mind waiting 6-12 months, I generally don’t spend much except on groceries anyway. XD Wha? I didn’t know you were into dressing up like a maid, Jay-san! :P Speaking of that, mom went to China and bought me another dress (last time she got me some gothloli/cosplay stuff)…she says it’s blue, white, and pink, and I’m vaguely-worrying about how it’ll look like. -wry- I also have a maid costume, though a brown one (so not the conventional black/white one) — it’s cute but I don’t think I’ll wear it out. ._.
And oh man, downloading results in so much backlog, yes. That was your first time on an air castle?! Gasp! It’s so much fun as a kid. :) Not so great as an adult, I’m a klutz so if there’re kids around I start getting worried I’ll squish them. XD
Wah, treadmill. So healthy. -lazy couch potato otaku here- XD Haha, nah, my blog is usually what I watch…and nothing more. That’s why it’s an ep a day — and sometimes I don’t even have time for that much. :( Maybe cos I’m always doing stuff on other windows, breaking up the watching experience just isn’t very nice..
jenn´s last blog post > Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo 14 – Enigmatic Pizza Dream
Heh, not really. It’s just that I can’t stand most kids, especially young boys. I think I have my younger cousins to blame for that… bunch of annoying little brats. Sigh. I’ve only started to watch shows starring kids, like Dennou Coil, which was good- then there’s Hotaru no Haka (The sister was sweet but the brother was, well, I might end up using some expletives for him so let’s skip this one…). Kids in anime are fine for me, especially the comedic element that they provide. But as for these kids in real life who pester me incessantly…><;;
As for Ruroken, my lips are sealed, I promise. Wouldn’t want to spoil the fun:)
@a20, Jay:
I don’t really like real life kids either. I get annoyed with their immaturity or something. Which is silly, because I guess they can’t help it. But kids these days seems so much more annoying and stupid than I remember, and I just think “WTF, I was never like that.”
I don’t have much sympathy for them, either, but that’s just because I’m mean. :)
I don’t think I was always like that. When I was in HS I would do recreation for children’s camps. So clearly I didn’t always hate the little buggers.
@Jay:
Yeah the Mushi-Shi guy has white hair and one eye. It seems pretty episodic so far, with no connecting main story (sort of like Kino’s Journey). He’s just wandering around and dealing with the Mushi right now. It’s kind of…slow and methodical, which is a nice change of pace.
I’m not really paying attention to whether the super cuteness and ultra violence fit well together or not in Elfen Lied. I’m just waiting to see if the story comes together efficiently. The actual story takes place in lots of flash back scenes, very slowly panned out through several episodes. The rest of it is kind of inconsequential. So I’m waiting to see if it will fall flat by its end. Last disc should come in today.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@Kris: High school kids? I was referring to those in elementary schools, but yeah, it seems like the majority of HS kids these days are rather frustrating. One case study would be my former HS- it’s pretty much the general consensus amongst us that once my batch left, the school just rotted away- all that remained were a bunch of rowdy wannabe gangster boys, shallow girls, and the like. No sympathy from me either- I don’t have much ‘love’ or ‘loyalty’ towards my old school… I actually find it rather amusing:p
Hehe, little buggers alright. They can be pleasant at times, but rarely so. It seems as if the older/younger they are the more annoying they get. It’s hard to find the median age where they’re just nice people I wouldn’t mind being harassed by every now and then.
aprilius20´s last blog post > 意味のない悔しさは止めましょう
@Jenn-chan: Hey, no worries, I cleaned up the slashes, but kept the “Double Luv”, hehe… But whah? Grocery fads? I thought u meant *normal* merchandising fads, lol. I mean, what kind of “Haruhi” tissues or “Code Geass” celery are u buying?… Heyyy! Who said that? Did u peek into my figure stash? Not particularly fond of the style either way, but I just see maids so *damn* much, lol. Now black-n-white “gothloli” style, that’s totally different! Though that’s kinda over-saturating the market too… Hmm, I’ll have to actually see u wear the blue-pink dress before making any proper visual-design assessment. Though I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a brown (or beige) maid costume before. Those actually exist? I guess they do… Hahaha, true-true about squishing! It was so funny when I dove into the castle, cuz Sora started following me! I mean, she’s tiny so I had to really be careful bouncing along the walls while she grabbed onto my leg or grabbed my wallet-chain!… Awww, I guess it depends on the couch, lol. But I try to pump-up the treadmill experience by watching more action-oriented anime like “Kenshin” or “Naruto”. So I kill two birds with one shuriken, eh? (I’d been walking on it for years, but finally decided that an hour takes too long to burn the same calories run-bike-alternating for just 20-25 minutes.) But besides that and eating, I can’t distract the experience too much. Or I’ll lose the story. Exactly. Not very nice.
@A20 & @Kris-chan: I’ll get to your over-sensitive comments shortly! Work is looming ominously like a trash-talking tiger, lol.
@a20:
No, no, no. Sorry. When ~I~ was in high school, I did rec for children’s camps. By “children” I mean the 6-11 year old range.
Though to be honest, I’m not too fond of kids in the HS age range, either. And I was only just there myself about 8 years ago. Basically it’s rare for me to get along with anyone under the age of 20 these days.
I have a cousin who lives near me who has FIVE kids. All under age 10, I’m pretty sure. I don’t know how they manage. I don’t even want ~one.~
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@A20: LOL, I guess I’ll keep “Hotaru” and “Ruroken” in mind as new candidates for my list.
@Kris-chan: Ahh, so the “Mushi-Shi” previews did feel like “Ghost Hound” after all. But episodic tends to be a good sign. Since it usually builds toward an interconnecting climax. Even “Kino” came together towards to the cyclical end. Haha, another title to keep in mind, lol. As for “Elfen Lied”, I get the feeling that it’s on its last legs (so to speak, lol). I won’t hold my breath!
@A20 & @Kris-chan: Ahh, kids, I see. Maybe I’m not so bothered by kids (let’s say, about 6-12 years) cuz I rarely see them. But even when I visit a friend who has kids, like this birthday party, I tend to play with them more than with the parents, lol. Kinda similar to pets and such, kids seem to follow me around!… Maybe I’m just inherently child-hearted or kid-minded or something. Or never lost it… But if I had to deal with them everyday? Hmm, that feels like a totally different situation. Almost parental. I mean, I’m barely managing with an 8-year-old Guiness the Menace and a 27-year-old ex-sister-in-law (yup, ex’s sister) who looks half her age! Actually, I’m exaggerating, they’re cool… But overall, I’m more patient than most, if u haven’t already guessed. With both anime and kids. Heyyy, that’s an intriguing metaphor! Anime as kids. Kids as anime. Cuz both of u hate more anime titles for their annoying “dumbness” or irritating “silliness” than I ever will, haha. ^o^
I just don’t know what to do with them. I’m not around children often. My fiancee has a son who is….10 or 11 years old, but he just sits around and plays video games all the time when he’s over here (every other weekend). All that really annoys me about him is that he’s completely spoiled and he doesn’t really have any manners or sense of responsibility. My father used to threaten me for burping (accidentally) at the table, so…needless to say I have pretty good manners. So it really bothers me that he has next to none.
I know part of the problem is that I have no patience. I used to have tons of patience. I lost it somewhere….. I think I was just having to deal with so many stupid people that my patience vanished. Now I’m just really cynical.
And other than that…I really just don’t know what to do with them. I don’t remember anything about just being a “kid.” I don’t think I was much of one, to be honest. My parents were very strict, and basically all I did was go to school and go to church, and do associated things.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@Kris-chan: Hmm, sorry about your fiancee’s son’s spoilage. Yeah, that’s a tough case to crack…
Curiously, from my perspective, “patience” only seems to apply if “pride” is still online and operational. For example, if I self-consciously cared about how adult I looked or acted, then “patience” mode needs to be active. And I must restrain my irritation… But like I tell Aprilius20 when I watch silly anime, if I simply “unplug my pride” and just dive into the air castle, or sit on the floor with the cat, assembling toy guns with the boys, or assembling the plastic puzzles for the girls, then “patience” just-as-simply disappears. Like I’m just one of the kids, lol. ^_~
yay! a birthday’s fun house. Anyway, I think I will try to watch Dennou Coil. So is it really good?
RyoBase´s last blog post > Tweenbots needs people who care about robots
@ǝsɐqoʎɹ: Haha. Wait, Jenn-chan called it an “air castle”. Which is it? Well, it’s hard to tell u what’s good, since I’m not sure what your anime preferences are. But if u can imagine “Ghost in the Shell: SAC” scaled down to the world of school kids, that might be one way to describe it. In that light, it’s amazing, lol.
@Kris: Oops, my bad- I kinda unwittingly stretched the ‘when I was in HS I did..’ part to your first paragraph. Well, what do you know? I’m turning 20 in… 4 days time, haha.
I don’t really remember much about my childhood either, just random things here and there. It’s like once I left ES for HS, everything started to fade, and in my second year of HS, I just woke up to the world.
@Jay: Maybe it has more to do with expectations. For example, with Akikan, I was expecting nothing, and therefore I got nothing.
But anime as kids? I suppose that would make Doraemon and it’s ilk elementary school kids, Dennou Coil kids reaching out to their tweens, and Akikan.. well, ah, I think I’ll skip that.
lol Jay, Ruroken is already IN your list… in fact, you’re watching it right now. Ruroken is actually Rurouni Kenshin:) As for Hotaru, it’s actually quite a good movie, but too much tragedy for me- an overdose of it, just like Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion’ featured too much violence for my tastes.
OMG bounce house! I use to love those as a kid. (Well, I still love them :D )
Those Kenshin wallpapers bring back fond memories. :3 I think I’ll set the Aoshi one for my current desktop.
I’ve been hearing so many good things about Dennou Coil. It’s about time I watch it.
Oh yeah, about K-on and trends. I’ll admit I’m getting a tad bit tired of seeing the show everywhere. I mean, look how huge the k-on/k-on! tags are on pixiv. http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu70/cocoeatsyou/k-on.png And Mio’s face pops up wherever I go on the anime/manga related parts of the internet.
Tsubasa’s manga counterpart is far superior in my eyes. Prettier too…
Dennou Coil out and out kicks ASS! One of the best things I watched last year for sure…. did you shed a little tear at the end for Densuke??
And I didn’t know that Mimi-chan was considering quitting blogging……oh…sad…
Oh, and Bakugan is one of the many anime that tried to copy Pokemon’s success over in the west. It involves little mecha-transforming marbles I believe… look cool… but doesn’t hold a candle to Pokemon….or Digimon…or Monster Rancher or Medabot or Beyblade lol…
Meimi132´s last blog post > Movie remakes & sequals I’d like to see…
And yaaaaaaaay Bouncy Castles!!! I love them……to bits.
Meimi132´s last blog post > Movie remakes & sequals I’d like to see…
@Meimi: Yeah, Densuke … was a real tear-jerker>.<
One of the rare occasions where I cried for a 2D non-human, hehe.
aprilius20´s last blog post > I turned my head and the ponytail I never knew I had whipped me
@A20: Haha, well, in my case, after your protestations, I expected “less than nothing”, and was utterly surprised when “Akikan” was actually “hilariously something”! LOL, what’s the deal? Pessimism versus optimism?… Nah-nah, sorry, I didn’t mean the metaphor in such chronological parallels. I meant “anime as kids” in terms of personality. “Dennou Coil” as more intellectual or philosophical, while “Akikan” is more rowdy or rambunctious, lol… Ah, sorry about “Ruroken”! Surprisingly, that’s the first time I’ve seen the title in contraction form, so I didn’t put 2 and 2 together very quickly. Plus, alongside another one-word title like “Akikan”, I assumed I hadn’t seen it either, lol.
@Coco-chan: Hehe, wait-wait, “air castle”, “fun house”, now “bounce house”? What the heck is the official name? Gahhh! But yeah, my first time. I finally see the light! A bouncy light indeed… Too bouncy for Aoshi’s tastes, me thinks. Feel free to steal, lol. And steal a few “Dennou Coil” wallpapers too. You’ll be glad u did, hehe… Yup, that’s what mean about those “pop anime” trends. Nothing wrong with it. I still enjoy “K-On” as it is. But sometimes the hype and “geekgasming” are inexplicably inundating. I mean, I may not travel the anime spheres as extensively as u, but I definitely get that vibe from the otaku blogs I do visit. Gotta endure the flood, withstand the tsunami!
***Dennou Coil Spoiler Alert, LOL***
@Meimi-chan: Heyyy, Meimi! Been a while! Where’ve ya been?… Yeah, I think I’ve heard about the superiority of the “Tsubasa” manga too. But luckily, I’m more of an anime guy than a manga guy, unless it’s “Battle Angel Alita” or “Hellsing”, lol…. Hahaha, not ass! “Dennou Coil” kicks Satchi!!! Awww, yeah, that last moment of the last episode caught me off guard with a tiny tear. Sad… Just as sad as the temporary news that Mimi-chan considered quitting. But fortunately, she returned over the weekend. So even if she comments less often, I think she’ll still post once in a while, lol. Which is always better than zero, right?… Ahhh, “Bakugan”! So that’s why the kids (and me) were all playing with little mecha-marbles that popped into transformable thingies! All makes sense now. Well, not really, lol. But here’s what I did: I rolled them onto those magnet cards so that they’d pop out in mid-roll, hahaha. Kinda amusing. Damn, which series was I supposed to start? Hehe, “Digimon”, right?… What? You call them “bouncy castles”? Did u see my “air castle” reply to Coco-chan? ^_~ P.S. Not only do I need to catch up on your posts, gotta start “Smallville – Season 8” and catch that new “Doctor Who – Planet of the Dead” special! Gahhh! ^o^
***Dennou Coil Spoiler Alert, LOL***
@A20: Haha, to reduce the spoilage, I edited your comment… Yeah, pretty sad. But it had to happen. ^_^
LOL, sorry about that, giving away such a huge spoiler^^;
Pessimism vs. optimism? Haha, I am quite pessimistic, actually- but I do enjoy it. Sounds odd, but it’s true. Now this cynical side of me is in direct conflict with my idealistic romanticism… walking box of paradoxes I be, hehe.
As for Ruroken, it’s actually how many Japanese, and to a certain extent, Rurouni-fanatics refer to the series. You know the Japanese, with their love of short-forms… just like the military and NASA love their acronyms:)
@a20:
Maybe pessimistic, cynical people with romantic sensibilities just have a natural distaste for children? Because I’m exactly the same way, lol.
And it doesn’t make ANY sense.
Also, I remember just about everything from HS, a little bit from Jr. High, but basically nothing prior to that except for a couple of key events. I remember nothing at all from before I was 4, though that’s probably nothing strange.
@jay:
I’m not sure if pride has anything to do with it. I’m just not that good at dealing with people. I can force politeness for a time, but after a while I get tired and my contempt starts to show through. One of the things that annoys me the most is when someone is talking to me, and it’s very obvious that there’s something they want to ask, but they keep babbling on with nonsense/small talk instead of getting to the point. It makes me mad and I get snappy pretty quick.
I’m a nice person, and if it’s someone (or something) I like, I’ll have a lot more patience. But I’m also a horrible liar, and I’m very blunt and honest.
It’s hard to say it’s just pride, when I read comics and watch cartoons, lol. It IS hard for me to just act silly or whatever. Like I probably wouldn’t have bothered to get into the air castle thing. I think I’m just exceedingly self conscious; it made it hard for me to study acting, too, because I’d get really nervous and self-conscious about acting certain ways, etc.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@A20 & @Kris-chan: Might as well reply to *both* of u, lol… Nah, I think I know where you’re both coming from. Basically, if it’s what I think u mean, idealistic enough to believe in romantically happy endings, but just cynical enough to believe it won’t happen to u, lol. Is that it? Well, been there, or rather, still there. Hehe, pretty common attitude, isn’t it? But I still have to figure out how it applies to *kids* though. Unless u see them as distractingly extraneous variables that have no place in this rather rigid optimism-pessimism formula? Haha.
Ah, Kris-chan, good point! Maybe I should divide “pride” into an internal “individual” component and an external “social” component. Maybe there’s better terminology too. But you’re right, being “self conscious” can mark the distinction. While I can “unplug my pride” in both situations, others might treat these differently… Hehe, true. Even nice pretty people can babble like an endless brook, so I know the feeling. But my solution is to cut in with a naturally flowing change-of-topic, lol… So would u read comics and watch cartoons in public? Don’t tell me it depends on the mix of people, haha. ^_~
@Jay, hmm, I may give it a try. I don’t really much like sci-fi anime but well I think it might not be bad as I imagine.
RyoBase´s last blog post > Tweenbots needs people who care about robots
I don’t know that they’re connected. But I may be so cynical and jaded that I just don’t understand the mind of a child anymore. I can say that I tend to ignore or brush off people who aren’t on the same intellectual level as I am, because it’s impossible for me to communicate with them. And, again, I’m lacking the patience. Haha, sorry I sound like a horrid person! I’m really quite nice.
I don’t have any problem with cartoons and comics. I had jury duty the other day, and in the room full of 1,000+ people, I was sitting there reading Trigun Maximum and playing Fire Emblem on my DS. So that doesn’t seem to be a problem with me.
Kris´s last blog post > Le Chevalier D’Eon
@Kris: I don’t know about ‘pessimistic, cynical people with romantic sensibilities’ having a natural distaste for kids, but with me I think it’s probably due to me having to entertain my own sister, which drains a lot of energy by itself, which renders me leaves me easily irritated by other kids.
Yup, coping with older, yet irritating people can be tiring, but it’s alright for me. Maybe it’s because they talk in a slightly more coherent fashion, minus the babbling, sound effects, and whatnot, but somehow I really don’t mind entertaining them- it’s actually quite fun to sound out a person, slowly taking ones time to gauge their character through random conversations.
@Jay: Haha, no problem with reading manga or gaming in public- most of my manga is in Japanese anyway, so no problems there. I draw the line at titles like Love Hina though:p
aprilius20´s last blog post > I turned my head and the ponytail I never knew I had whipped me
I remember reading about PM Taro Aso’s ideas. Would be pretty interesting to see if he manages to pull it off.
I’d presume that the otaku tourism industry would be fairly lucrative, but this is a belief predicated on assumption rather then hard numbers…
Snark´s last blog post > What I’m Watching
@RyoBase: Hehe, no worries. Unlike most shows, the first episode is a great introductory representation of the entire series. So if u don’t like it, u probably won’t like the rest. No harm done. Good luck, dude!
@Kris-chan: LOL, u almost sound elitist or snobbish! But I think I’m beginning to understand. Indeed, it seems u don’t have a problem… *until* they try to talk to u, lol. Then all the self-conscious walls and barriers rise into place. Like they’re not worth your time. Which I can understand. But can also be quite isolating. As if u have a deep fear of getting hurt or embarrassed or rejected, unless they fulfill a set of riskable criteria. Believe me, I was the ultra-shy Asian geek in elementary school, so I remember. Maybe I’ve been looking at it the wrong way. Maybe in social settings, it’s not a matter of “unplugging your pride” but rather “unplugging your fear”. Similar but not the same, lol.
@A20: Yeah, “energy” is another factor. That’s why I wondered if I would handle kids the same way on a 24-7 parent-like basis. But I don’t wanna find out, lol. If I’m more energetic or excitable, then it’s easier to cast away fear or pride, and act silly. But when I’m dead tired and ready to crash, I’m a little more reserved. Not necessarily more irritable, but less attentive. Less silly.
@Kris-chan & @A20: Haha, I guess that Minor in Psychology hasn’t been so useless after all! Just kidding. Ever since coming out of my shell during college (and even moreso during my one-time marriage), I’ve always been kinda curious and fascinated at how people behave, listening to their relationships, aspirations and depressions. Even now. Might explain why 90% of my friends (both online and offline) are female, haha.
@Snark: Heyyy, now here’s a name I recognize around the otakusphere! Welcome to the Toybox, fellow Toyboxer! Well, it depends on what Aso’s gonna pull, where he’s gonna pull it, and who he’s gonna pull it from, haha… Well, here’s an old 2005 article that I mentioned briefly in Blog 195. Depending on what otaku merchandise and services u include, the market in 2003 was on a scale of ¥2 trillion (US $18 billion). Who knows what it was in 2008? Maybe ¥3-5 trillion? So for 2020, Aso is aiming for an otaku target of ¥20-30 trillion (US $200-300 billion). Any way u cut it, that sounds pretty damn big. And if it doubles every 5 years, that isn’t unreasonable either, don’t u think?
@All: Okay folks, finally time for bed, lol. {Yawn}
Lol, I really should have tried to have had my way with a degree in psychol, huh? Definitely more useful than law, it seems^^; And as for the Rozen Aso Otaku Tourism Plan, I think I have a pretty good idea for him, hehe. Will put it out on my site once I’ve thought it out properly. G’nite then (3pm here though) ^-^
aprilius20´s last blog post > I turned my head and the ponytail I never knew I had whipped me
@Jay:
Well, I AM an elitist snob. I don’t deny that. But I’m a nice one!
But I think you pinned me pretty exactly. I am also very shy, and I do have a deep seeded fear of rejection. But I also have zero tolerance for stupidity and self-imposed ignorance. So if I start out thinking every person I meet is a moron, then I won’t be disappointed when it turns out they really are, eh? ^_^ Sorry, that’s really horrible, haha…. Anyway, I think it’s a mix of both for me. Fear of being rejected or embarrassed, but also an elitist mentality. And they probably go hand in hand. Anyway, yeah, I’m weird, lol.
@a20:
Lacking in energy? I think I understand. You’re just kind of drained so if some other kids come in it’s like “Oi, enough already.” Or, well, that’s how my mind would react, I think, lol.
I never have any energy anyway. I get quick, short bursts of adrenaline when I get really excited about something, and the rest of the time I’m just sort of in a daze. Oddly enough, it’s a very attuned daze; I’m remarkably observant even though I always look like I’m not paying attention to anything.
Kris´s last blog post > Things to do
@Kris, Mmm, it’s pretty much the same with me. Too tired to type out a constructive reply no thanks to a deadline looming close. Signing out, and hurrah for nice elitist snobs!
aprilius20´s last blog post > I turned my head and the ponytail I never knew I had whipped me
Yes, in with individualism and out with the trends. That is such a great post. Mmmmm, I see lot’s of sexy, filipino food. Damn you *shakes fist in anger* I am hoping that you ate enough that I can vicariously experience all that hearty filipino food. You are so funny, Jay! I couldn’t help but laugh at you taking a picture of yourself in the jumper. You must have been a giant to those children, haha.
I’ve forgotten how beautiful CLAMP work really is. The last thing I remember is Magic Knights Rayearth. Ah, what great memories! In terms of anime, I am at the last episode for Jigoku Shoujo: Mitsuganae and Shikabane no Hime. I am disappointed with the direction that Jigoku Shoujo has taken and keep returning to watch another season in hopes of trying to understand the plot. Shikabane no Hime is definitely an interesting show with lot’s of action in it. I am also watching Hajime no Ippo 2, Tytania, Queen’s Blade, and Rideback. I’ve got a bunch of other series that I started and just fell out of the loop with.
Rurouni Kenshin is so great, but after watching the OVA, I can’t help but feel that the anime has reduced Kenshin to a wimpier, goofier character. Plus, I can’t stand annoying girls like Kaoru when I know that Kenshin’s fiance, Tomoe, was a better match for him. Rurouni Kenshin does have a lot of sexy guys in it, though…haha.
Dennou Coil has always been on my radar ever since a particular figure from the series intrigued me. I, however, never ended up watching it in the end. I really *must* direct my mouse in the search field, type out “D-e-n-n-o-u C-o-i-l” and click on the link to watch it.
Jem´s last blog post > Mmmmmm Pork Loin Chops
@A20: Haha, degree in Psychology? To tell the truth, I don’t think those Psych classes helped. I probably would’ve turned out the same way, curious about what makes a girl “tick” or makes a relationship “tock”… As for being tired, this f*cking dog has been barking incessantly all f*cking Saturday morning. One of the few days I can sleep in till 10am, and the f*cking barking ruins it.
@Kris-chan: What? A nice elitist? Hehe, I’ll forgive an expanded definition of “nice”, lol. And forgive me if I can’t help digging deeper… But I wouldn’t be surprised if someone in the past really hurt u. And now, this is your defense to prevent that pain from ever happening again. Been there, done that. So it’s not so weird… And energy? I already mentioned the f*cking barking above, lol.
@Jem-chan: Ahh, Jem-chan, always a rare but welcome sight! Okay, maybe medium-rare, kinda like steak, lol. You know, I really should’ve taken close-ups of the food! But it slipped my mind. The shredded pork stuff on white rice was delicious! I don’t even know the names of the chicken thingies or dishes in the glass casseroles. But yeah, I think I ate enough for both of us, lol… What? You call it “jumper”? First, “air castle”, “fun house”, “bounce house”, now “jumper”? LOL, yeah, giant! Did u see my comment for Jenn-chan above? I told her: “Hahaha, true-true about squishing! It was so funny when I dove into the castle, cuz Sora started following me! I mean, she’s tiny so I had to really be careful bouncing along the walls while she grabbed onto my leg or grabbed my wallet-chain!” Haha… Ah, “Jigoku”. I tried the first few episodes, but I think I stalled from all the depressing stories. I just tried “Queen’s Blade” last night, but the really sh*tty subs really put me off. Ugh. Despite the slick fan service, nothing too special yet, lol… But on a positive note, I’m in the process of downloading the entire “RideBack” series. That one sounds intriguing. Oops, I’ll try not to get too spoiled with your Kenshin-Tomoe remarks. Luckily, I watched the first hour of the “Samurai X – Director’s Cut” last night too, lol. Definitely darker, more serious and more-graphically violent than the anime, or at least the 2 of 3 seasons I’ve seen so far. Hey, I think this is the first time I’ve heard u talk about “sexy guys” instead of “sexy girls” (figures), isn’t it?… Ah yes, “Dennou Coil” FTW! I didn’t even know a “Coil” figure existed. Which figure?
I think that Aso is actually on the right track.
Anime/Manga/Videogames and the related merchandise has seen a huge increase over the last years and brings in a pretty amount of cash.Of course you try to build up the industry and try to rehabilitate the economy that way.
Thats a simple business decision.Sure its Otaku Stuff we are talking about but still it makes money.He should have called it the promoting of visual Culture outside of Japan to boost the economy.Noone would have giggled about that ^^
In the end it wasnt his plan to rely on the visual culture anyways
God that Chat between you and Jem was depressing.I wish i could write like you two ^^
You could say that Blogging is just another one of those Otaku Trends that alot people tend to pick up and drop after a short time where they realize that they actually arent interested into it and juts followed the general consens.
Wont dive any deeper into the topic…Wont be able to bring down my thoughts in english anyway
I just primed my Resin Figure and it actually went pretty smooth…Now comes the hardest part: the airbrushing
Gratualtions Christine!
HAHA i just thought that if id be you id jump into the air powered tent and a few scrolls later you jump in!
Blowfish´s last blog post > Springtime Cleaning
@jay:
Someone hurt me? No, not really. More like the world itself kicked me in the ass. I’ve always been rather sarcastic and proud of my intelligence. But I grew up really sheltered in a small town. I went to church, I went to school, I went home. My parents were pretty strict. Then I went to college on the other side of the state (and remember Texas is HUGE), in a big city, and reality sort of hit me like a brick wall. In my small town home, I was one of the best of the best. 4th in my class, the best singer in my church choir, second chair flute, marching band section leader, I was the best on my church’s puppet team (and directed it for a little while), stage managed our UIL One Act play. I was above average, and I rarely failed with anything. Then I came to college and I was only mediocre; I went from a place where everyone knew me to a place where I barely existed; I kept failing at things.
Heh, sorry, I know it’s a totally pathetic sob story, so I don’t ever talk about it.
Kris´s last blog post > Afro Samurai
@FlyingBlow: Yeah, I guess we’ll see what happens. Hey, if u wanna get an idea of the market numbers, check out my reply to Snark above… Really? Depressing? Sorry, we wasn’t our intention. Well, at least, not mine, lol. You’ll have to ask Jem-chan about that! Then again, wouldn’t it be tougher if English isn’t your primary language? True, unless u blog or watch anime or collect figures for *yourself* and not because everyone else is doing it, u won’t find lasting enjoyment in it. But speaking of language, I think *u* are the one responsible for all the German flags visiting my site! Or maybe all the searches for “lolita”?… Good luck with the airbrushing! And thanx for Christine cheer. But I don’t get that last sentence, lol… What the heck do u mean by “a few scrolls later”?
@Kris-chan: {Nods} Ahh, sounds familiar. I was high-school salutatorian myself. And when I entered a college where pretty much everyone else was valedictorian or salutatorian, I too dropped into mediocrity. First, the School of Architecture. Grew dissatisfied and switched. Luckily, I managed to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, lol. But never finished my Master’s thesis, lol. Not great but not bad. Have I mentioned my marriage already? But I think it was destined to fail. After all, I feel freer now, almost as free as my college days. Then again, in economic times such as this, being independent or “single” can be harsh as well… I suppose I’m lucky I’m no longer as snobbish or elitist as I once was. At least I hope I’m not.^_~
@jay: lol, I guess he just wants your attention. Feel free to console yourself that I have classes even on weekends, for about 5-7 hours per day, and the commute is hell. I’d gladly trade with you for Guinnes, your bed, and some earplugs, haha!
@Blowfish: When I first read your comment I thought you wished you could write in a depressing manner^^; But your English seems pretty good already, anyway:)
@A20: Oops. No-no-no, not Guiness! Sorry, I meant this f*cking dog across the street. I saw a different car, so maybe the dog arrived with some visitors. Thankfully, no more barking. The visiting car seems to have gone too. Whew.
@Jay: Haha, epic misunderstanding there! Glad the pooch from hell is gone though:)
aprilius20´s last blog post > Paranoia left a message: happy birthday.
Mmmmm steak slathered with some Peppercorn A-1 sauce. I’ve heard of it referred to as a “jumper” and “bounce house”, but “jumper” was shorter to type out, lol. Hahaha, she was holding onto your wallet chain…she’s already learning how to be a female…kidding! In the Philippines, there are giant bounce castles with slides and obstacle courses. I’m not speaking personally because it’s been over 22 years, since I’ve last been over there.
Poor Blowfish because it wasn’t my intention, either. I don’t think it’s bad at all especially if English is not your primary language. English is not my primary language, since I wasn’t born in the stateside shores. Jigoku Shoujo has really spiraled into a lackluster series and I’m the dope *still* trying to make sense of it all. There is, however, a really nice ALTER Enma Ai figure even if the series has turned into bollocks. “Slick”, eh? Hehehe. It is a fan service type of anime that is borderline softcorn porn at times. The makers for QB are the same ones responsible for Ikkitousen and Ikkitousen definitely had some suggestive themes every now and again. I think whomever is subbing the episodes sucks. Period. Luckily for me, QB is one of those anime that subbing has little to no importance to feeding into my personal enjoyment. The gist of QB is that a bunch of scantily clad women want to be the Queen and will do a Battle Royale for it. Everything in-between is, more or less, just tantalizing filler until the girls kick each other’s asses. At least, that is how I am interpreting it and making up my own subs to go along with the rars, haha. I just appreciate sexy women wanting to do bodily damage to one another, but I wish there were more violence in it a la Berserk style, haha.
Shocker, ain’t it? There is too little of a supply of sexy men within the realm of anime, so all I have to go by is the sexy women. I think my sexy men are all in the video game world. Yes, the OVAs are so awesome. I cried during them.
Here’s a link (maybe not) to the Dennou Coil figure: Isako
Jem´s last blog post > Mmmmmm Pork Loin Chops
@Jay:
Ah, so you kind of know how it feels then! That’s comforting. I thought it might be hard to explain, because it really seems so silly sometimes.
I ran off to college thinking I’d get my musical theatre degree and go sing on Broadway in New York. Boy was I surprised when I found out there were so many people WAY better than me who already had tons more experience (from attending larger schools and living in larger cities). I actually ended up failing musical theory at the music school, because I’d never taken any sort of theory class before in my life. At the same time I realized I’d never pass aural skills because I couldn’t play the piano. So I had to leave the music department and switched to a plain Theatre Arts BA instead of the BFA in Musical Theatre I had planned on getting. I was just barely short of double majoring in English (I had the right amount of hours, but they were in the wrong kinds of classes), but ended up with a minor instead. Maybe I can go back and complete that some time? I’m not sure how that works….
Kris´s last blog post > Afro Samurai
….musical theory? Sorry, I meant music theory. I don’t think there’s such a thing as “musical theory.”
Kris´s last blog post > Afro Samurai