Blog 209 > Keion, Krypton & Destruction
July 6th, 2009 | 43 Comments »
Are you? Are you ready, my Tyrannical Toyboxers? Ready to get wet with a brand-new blast of mega-splashes and mega-smashes? A brand-new weekly tidal-wave of keionic lolitas, kryptonite rivals and nomadic roommates? With another drenching downpour of 100-plus pics? Haha, well, I guess you don’t have many choices, do you? Time to weather the rainbow-colored lightning, feel the ground-pounding thunder, or get out of the rain! But whatever you do, it’s time for another mega-cast attack to begin!
Part 1 of 3 > Kenshin, K-On & Modern Lolification
Am I seeing things? Or are anime stories featuring more and more high-school girls than ever before? After stumbling across and completing over 150 anime titles-or-seasons over the last 3 years, it definitely feels that way. Not that there’s anything wrong with teenaged girls. But perhaps too many? In too many stories? I mean, like the saying goes, too much of a good thing can~~ Kill it? Ruin it? Make it boring?~~ Wait-wait-wait. Forget I asked. Looking back in my past mega-casts, I already answered these questions with a speculative, “Yes, yes and yes.”
For instance, from my Blog 195, Part 1 (Propaganda, Pop Anime & Clannad):
You know where I’m heading, don’t you? As anime gravitates more and more towards commercially-safe “pop anime”, the view of its own culture tends to get skewed. For good or for ill. In American “pop music”, songs seem to reflect an idealized (or demonized) view of life, love and relationships. And American pop performers are both loved and hated for it. Likewise, in Japanese “pop anime”, shows seem to reflect an idealized or supernatural view of Japanese life, love and relationships. One might say, this view has evolved to the point where social concerns, such as xenophobia, misogyny and pedophilia are not simply down-played or over-looked, but often portrayed in playful comedic terms. As if Japan never had a problem with foreigners, women or young girls. We continue to see an endless string of moe maids, kawaii catgirls and lolicon character designs. And anime is both loved and hated throughout the world for it. So while this animated form of entertainment may not be feeding any political battle, one could argue that “pop anime” may still represent a defensive form of propaganda in a cultural war against other gradually-imported cultures. How Japanese life *should* be. How the Japanese *should* live. But like I said, propaganda or not, intentional or not, superficial or not, that’s the definition of “popular”, isn’t it?
Then from my Blog 197, Part 1 (Pop Anime, Otaku Power & Taro Aso):
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!
…
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!
Finally, from my Blog 204, Part 1 (Omens of the Otakulypse):
But is it still good? Is such exponential growth leading to exponential decay?
Hmm, maybe it’s just me and my imagination. So let me ask you this. Does anyone else see any signs? Does anyone else feel the four corners of the otakusphere beginning to vibrate, rumble and crumble? Perhaps the warning signs of an otaku apocalypse? Omens of an oncoming otakulypse?
…
Well, there you have it. The first four “Omens of the Otakulypse”. The spreading perception of twisted otaku by fellow otaku. A perception from not simply outside the otakuspheric community, but within it as well. Am I imagining things? Or are these the first few signs of things to come? I wouldn’t be surprised if the next few years witnessed the rabid rise of politically-driven witch-hunts which severely restricted the production (via higher risk and lower profit) of not only Japanese games, but anime, manga and figures as well. Saddened. But not surprised.
Indeed. Seems like an evolving cocktail of idealized life-and-love, economic otaku-power, and an intensifying otakusphere, is stirring and swirling and spiraling through the modern “lolification” of pop anime. Not only that. We haven’t even touched upon the “lolification” of the hentai universe. Not that I planned to. Maybe next time.
Whew. Having said that, let’s splash ourselves with 2 more anime series I’ve managed to finish in the last 4 weeks: “Rurouni Kenshin – Season 3 (1997)” [27] and “K-On! (2009)” [28]. Yup, a total of 28 completed anime titles-or-seasons so far this year!
Rurouni Kenshin – Season 3 (1997) [27]. On 24 June, I completed my 27th anime title-or-season of the year. Season 3 (of 3) with 33 episodes. Wow. Building upon the 27 episodes of Season 1 (4 of 5 stars), and the 35 episodes of Season 2 (5 of 5 stars), the continuing tale of a repentant samurai among hoodlums and bandits follows his final paths through random obstacles and adversaries. While his clashes aren’t as breath-taking or death-defying as those in the previous season, they are still entertaining and electric. This time, the sword-slashing saga earns a solid 4 of 5 stars! Since I already posted a ton of soul-searching wallpapers back in Blog 197, Part 3 (Gundam, Tsubasa, Kenshin & Coil), here’s a romantic reminder below, haha.
K-On! (2009) [28]. On 04 July, I completed my 28th anime title-or-season of the year. Original season with 13 episodes. Awww. Since many of us have already seen it, posted excessively-weekly reviews about it, fallen in love with it or plummeted into hate from it, I’ll go ahead and present my speed-review right now, lol. While exceptionally delightful, dazzling or dramatic short-seasons can only shatter a maximum of 4 of 5 stars, “K-On!” lazily but gently steals an amusing 3 of 5 stars. Awww. To reminisce, here are a few weekly stops along memory lane, hehe.
Here’s an Episode-1 excerpt from my Blog 196, Part 1 (Trends, Slaves & Shiny New Things):
Hahaha, wow! In the last few days, the brand-new high-school comedy anime K-On!, produced by Kyoto Animation (KyoAni), has stormed and flooded the otaku scene! Not only on Danny Choo’s website, but also on Sankaku Complex (NSFW)! While the premiere episode pinched all of the cute, clever and captivating points of a memorable “pop anime” series (not unlike KyoAni’s “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” and “Lucky Star”), is “K-On!” really anything new or different from what we’ve all seen before? Hehe, probably not. But who really cares, right? As long as it’s cute, clever and captivating, lol.
Here’s an Episode-2 excerpt from my Blog 197, Part 1 (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!
Here’s an Episode-3 excerpt from my Blog 198, Part 4 (Featured Otaku Posts of the Week) in response to Angry Mimi-chan’s infamous “K-On Sucks (rant rant rant)” post on Wednesday, 15 April 2009:
@Mimi-chan: Yeah, I’ve mentioned on my blog that there seems to be nothing new. Each of them seems like clones of characters we’ve all seen before. But there’s nothing wrong with that! Nothing wrong with cute and cuddly! I’m just surprised at all the hype that this is something earth-shatteringly different. Simply because it comes from KyoAni? ^_^;
P.S. Due to a challenge, I just started “Akikan”. Haha, in just one episode, the over-the-top concept has already made me laugh out loud more than “K-On”!
Here’s an Episode-4 excerpt from my Blog 199, Part 2 (Mimi, Mio, Mugi & Miyuki):
Well, if you’ve been following my sidebar comments on the latest anime smash “K-On!” (2009) by KyoAni, you already have an idea of my paradoxical impressed-yet-unimpressed assessment over the last 3 weeks, hehe. Here’s a quick summary to refresh your anime-numbed minds, lol.
…
So while the series has been adorably amusing and memorably moe thus far, I still don’t sense the “earth-shattering” newness or understand the “mind-blowing” hysteria within the otaku community. Well, not yet, lol. If anything, the otaku-powered pop-anime mentality seems to be a forceful factor in fueling the fervor! So much so that one unexpected turn-of-events has been Mimi-chan‘s mind-lashing shift from rants to raves!
In fact, under this light, “Akikan” isn’t earth-shattering either, lol. It may be outlandishly nonsensical and skin-baringly hysterical, but one could categorize it as another “high-school magical-girl fish-out-of-water comedy” manufactured from the ever-addictive pop-anime assembly-line! Hehe, right? But that’s okay. Whether it’s new or old, memorable or forgettable, entertainment is entertainment!
Here’s an Episode-5 excerpt from my Blog 200, Part 2 (Can Any Anime Really Be Stupid?):
Finally! After four weeks of being fuzzily amused by the cute-and-cuddly high-school-girl comedy “K-On!”, the fifth week finally lifted the series to “Lucky Star” wonderment! And do you know what did it? Do you? The teacher! The hilariously passive-yet-powerful Jekyll-yet-Hyde character of Yamanaka Sawako-sensei! Sawako-sensei was the missing ingredient! Reminiscent of the powerful-yet-pitiful anime shop manager, Anizawa Meito-san in “Lucky Star”, haha. Yes, indeed. Episode 5 of “K-On!” finally redeemed the series, lol… But to be clear, the series was *never* stupid.
Then again, can any anime really be stupid?
Of course, let’s not forget Angry Mimi-chan’s diverse reactions, ranging from her Episode-6 post “Good Job Mio-On! I Approve!!!” (08 May 2009) to her Episode-9 post “Why Why Why Do You Like K-on?!?!?!?!” (02 June 2009), hahaha. Nevertheless, to celebrate the heartfelt conclusion of “K-On!”, here are 39 of the biggest and brightest wallpapers I can find, ranging from a respectable 1200px resolution to a monster 6500px resolution!
For this first batch, I chose those wallpapers which depict the original-anime artwork as much or as closely as possible. Yeah, I guess I’m a purist that way, lol. So for the first wallpaper, ahh, here’s “afternoon tea time” with Mio-chan (left), Ritsu-chan (center-top), Tsumugi-chan (right) and Yui-chan (center-bottom). Based on the corner text, this appears to be the original artwork.
Haha, cute V-signs by the gang. Again, the corner text seems to point to original artwork.
Here’s a smaller version without the corner text.
This time, a different background. The sunset lighting doesn’t match, but it’s sooo pretty.
Yui-chan checking out Mio-chan’s fingers, lol.
Time for some broom-guitars and eraser-drums!
Awww, a cute break between rock sessions. This seems to be the original composition.
Then here’s the close-up of the above.
Ahh, the sky’s the limit!
Wow. Whether or not this rendered ocean is part of the original artwork, the splashing and lighting effect is incredible! Feel free to enlarge this scene!
Now, in this close-up, the background is slightly different, so maybe this one might be the original.
Ahh, another beach-time close-up.
Yet another beach break! I love the air-tube lighting! But Yui-chan’s left hand isn’t so pretty, lol.
Haha, another session of broom-guitars! If you look closely in the lower-left corner, someone did a poor job of painting over the original text. At least, that shows it’s the original art, lol.
Yet another example of poor painting over the original text. In this case, I had to clean up a bit of white text in the lower-left corner of blue sky.
Aww, Mio-chan in “moe” mode, lol.
Oops, wait, I meant Azusa-chan in “moe” mode, lol.
A-ha, a bit of text in the upper-left corner suggests original artwork! Meanwhile, Yui-chan, Ui-chan, Azusa-chan and Mio-chan take another break to go shopping.
Awww, the responsible Ui-chan caring for her careless sis Yui-chan.
Time for two more supporting-cast members! Tsumugi-chan is joined by Nodoka-chan, while Ritsu-chan is joined by Sawako-chan. There’s just something about glasses, isn’t there?
Ah, another original shot of the five-gal J-pop band, lol.
Got yukata? Got taiyaki? Happy Belated Tanabata (07 July), everyone!
Haha, another heated snack attack! Looks like original artwork to me! Damn, 5800px!
Here’s a slightly smaller 3300px version without all the cool text, lol.
Whoa, a monster 4100px wallpaper featuring the “moe-maid” girls and Sawako-chan.
Here’s a slightly smaller 1900px version with header-and-footer style!
Wow, a massive 6400px wallpaper with the original text! Got cat ears?
Here’s the same one without the text. LOL, notice the forgotten “25″ in the corner?
Now, for this second batch, I chose those wallpapers which not-as-closely depict the original artwork, but still just-as-fondly caught my eye or heart. Awww. Can’t forget Yui-chan flying out the door! Nice vector work!
Another impressive piece of vector art!
Somehow, I don’t seem to like the name bubbles or flying musical symbols, lol.
Wow, amazing design and perspective! But shouldn’t the reflection line up straight?
Another clever concept! Nice design!
Lovely vector art! Although the girls lack depth or weight or shadow against the grass.
Nice simple style! But perhaps too simple or flat. And 1200px is too small, lol.
Ah, another nice neon design! Again, the background is too flat, lol.
Wow. Lovely use of black, white and color! Striking!
Awww, while not in the style of the original anime, an impressive monochromatic design!
Finally, here’s a “notable” derivative based on the monochromatic design above, lol.
Whoa! That was a pretty wet-and-wild ride along memory stream! Although some of you might be asking yourself, “Why is he spending so much time celebrating a 3-star anime?” Yeah, that’s true, you might have a point. Nonetheless, it was still a fun ride through “modern lolification”, haha. Besides, I did the same thing with “Chaos;Head (2008)” [26] when I gave it 3 of 5 stars too, lol.
Part 2 of 3 > Smallville, Krypton & The Daily Planet
Smallville – Season 8 (2008). Splash! Smash! From the world of Japanese high-school girls, we crash into the rippling planet of American live-action superheroes! On 03 July, I completed the 8th season of “Smallville”, with 22 episodes. Wow. While I didn’t watch the 1st season when the show first aired in 2001, ever since I was exposed to it in 2003 or so, I’ve been a solid fan and have seen every episode of every season, lol. Consistently, 4 to 5 stars each season! So what about this latest 8th season? I’d have to give it a less-than-bullet-proof but heroic 4 of 5 stars! Probably due to the departure of Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). Oddly, or perhaps, not so oddly, the most emotional episodes featured Lana’s brief return as Clark Kent’s (Tom Welling’s) long-time ex-girlfriend. Spectacular. To celebrate, here are a stack of high-resolution images and promo shots from Season 8 and earlier.
Ahhh, the signature opening title of the show!
Extra! Extra! The brilliant cast of Season 8! Feel free to enlarge the high-res shot!
The gorgeous Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and the superhuman Clark Kent (Tom Welling).
Once again, the mild-mannered Clark Kent (Tom Welling).
The breath-taking Lois Lane (Erica Durance).
The tireless Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore).
The fiesty Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack).
The carefree Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley).
The enigmatic Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman).
Lastly, the fierce Davis Bloome (Samuel Witwer).
Another shot of the cast of Season 8.
Now here are a handful of promo images from (I believe) Season 6. Once more, the superhuman Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and the gorgeous Lois Lane (Erica Durance).
The sultry Lois Lane (Erica Durance).
Clark Kent (Tom Welling), Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley).
The striking Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) and the devious Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum).
The mesmerizing Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk).
The luminous Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk).
That’s all for “Smallville – Season 8″ (2008), my Tenacious Toyboxers! I can’t wait for “Season 9″, haha. Just like “Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles – Season 2″ (2008) two weeks ago, it’s nice to watch some live-action sci-fi to take a refreshing break from the endless string of high-school anime, lol. Most refreshing.
Part 3 of 3 > Lisa, Moving Out & Materialistic Destruction
Destruction! Obstruction! While nobody should have to apologize for postponed blog posts or delayed blog comments, let me just say that this past week was an exercise in professional pressure! In other words, getting all of my technical documentation ready for the major software release on Tuesday, 07 July, meant having it completed by Thursday, 02 July (since Friday, 03 July was the observed holiday for Saturday, 04 July, or Independence Day in the U.S.). So the holiday weekend of 04-05 July was a welcome break. So to speak. Why? Because my roommate (and ex-sis-in-law) Lisa picked this particular weekend to start packing all of her crap~~ oops, I mean, belongings~~ from my entire house. Yup, in preparation for moving in with her newest boyfriend, lol. Yup, after 18 months, she’s moving out! So to capture and commemorate this blessed event, here are (I believe) 49 shots of Lisa’s weekend packing, lol.
Here’s Lisa at her makeshift workstation.
A wider perspective with her old wedding dress in the foreground.
A taller perspective with her old wedding dress in the foreground.
Heyyy, Guiness, old buddy!
Yup, Guiness the Menace in a state of disarray, lol.
Don’t ask me how, but she’s wearing her underwear inside-out!
Hmm, I’m not sure if she’s checking Facebook or printing out packing labels.
Ah, just another day in the life of xJAYMANx, lol.
Guiness’s new soccer-ball toy is awesome!
But not as awesome as my plaid shorts!
Guiness the Menace in a state of confusion, lol.
Guiness, you shall fail.
Guiness in a state of epic failure, lol.
Ahh, aren’t you glad you don’t have to suffer this destructive scene in brilliant color? Enlarged?
Yup, sepia is genius. Genius, I say!
Haha, Lisa just can’t help the spotlight. Even if it’s in a junkyard heap.
Junkyard Heap, Pose #2.
Junkyard Heap, Pose #3.
Junkyard Heap, Pose #4.
The amusement of watching someone else pack, haha.
LOL, Guiness the Menace in a state of boredom.
Lisa in a state of confusion?
LOL, gotta love Guiness’s bandana neckerchief!
Guiness in a state of rest and relaxation, lol.
Hey, what’s going on?
Ahh, another example of the monochromatic brilliance of sepia?
Monochromatic Brilliance, Pose #2.
Monochromatic Brilliance, Pose #3.
Lisa begins to widen her path of materialistic destruction, lol.
Cool. So to speak. One of my favorite compositions of the night. Love the lighting! Enlarge it!
The last shot of Saturday night, 04 July. Although technically, she finally gave up at 1am, lol.
Argh. The first shot of Sunday morning, 05 July. The junkyard heap is still there.
A repeated shot with brighter background lighting.
Whew. Materialistic Destruction, Scene #1.
Materialistic Destruction, Scene #2.
Materialistic Destruction, Scene #3. Reverse angle.
Materialistic Destruction, Scene #4. Reverse angle. Love the sepia!
Lisa finally begins to dismember the stand-alone fabric closet, lol.
Ah, the stand-alone closet. A bitter reminder of her last boyfriend?
Dismembering the closet like dismembering her last boyfriend, lol.
Will the dismemberment ever end?
Gahhh, too many parts and pieces!
As long as you don’t stab yourself by accident, Lisa, lol.
Endless Dismemberment, Pose #7.
Endless Dismemberment, Pose #8.
Are we there yet?
Heyyy, Guiness! Don’t slobber all over Lisa’s doll! Awww.
Awww, Lisa forgives you.
Finally, my newest glass-desk setup. Just added the new lower-tier keyboard glass and higher-tier Figma glass yesterday. So shiny!
Whew, that was exhausting. The clutter. The noise. The Guiness, lol. And I didn’t even do any packing or moving myself. Argh, only 2 days done, probably 5-7 episodes to go! Help! Oh well. If you’re curious or interested, here are some previous photoshoots of my desk area back in my Blog 178 (December 2008) and Blog 169 (October 2008). Sepia not included.
Well, my Ticklish Toyboxers! Another week has come and gone! Another mega-cast, another mega-splash! I hope you didn’t get too wet with the brand-new tidal-blast of keionic lolitas, kryptonite rivals and nomadic roommates, haha. I hope you didn’t get too drenched with the downpour of 100-plus pics. In any case, let’s thank the rainbow-colored lightning, the ground-pounding thunder, as well as the gleaming guest-starring girls who graced my mega-cast! Thank you, Yui-chan, Mio-chan, Ritsu-chan, Tsumugi-chan, Azusa-chan, Ui-chan, Nodoka-chan, Sawako-chan, Kaoru-chan, Lois Lane, Chloe Sullivan, Tess Mercer, Lana Lang, and Lisa! Are we there yet?
Till next broadcast. Peace. Out.
Final Flashback
Got yukata? Got taiyaki? Happy Belated Tanabata (07 July), everyone!
.post-meta {list-style: none; } .post-meta-key {list-style: none; } li { list-style-type: square; text-align: left; }
July 7th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
K-ON really killed my expectations towards the end. It started off brilliantly, then as it slowly progressed through the final 4 episodes, it kind of feel dragged out. It feels more like it’s been forced to finish just like that. That’s what really pulled me.
Don’t get me wrong; I love K-ON, but it just killed my love for it the way it ended. Okay, so they performed at the high-school festival. But, that’s it? It just kinda…fizzles out, you know what I mean?
I guess too much moe doesn’t really kill anything the love that many has for them. But, I guess it’s true when you say that the moeness and lolicon goodness is getting out of hand. Then again, people nowadays think that moe/lolicon is the personification of anime itself! Wrong they might be, but perceptions are there for people to look and follow! ^^
Smallville is still around, mate? What was the reason I didn’t watch Smallville again…hmm, maybe because I don’t have any reason not to watch it! ^^ Seems like the build up is quite good for a series of this caliber, but somehow I’ve lost all hope for TV series (ever since Heroes, Ugly Betty and Prison Break just killed my love for them). Oh well, at least I can still drown myself in anime series?
July 7th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
@xJaymanx: We dont celebrate Independance Day really, love the movie. I just though I’d jump on the Independance bandwagon and just say happy so-and-so day. Since there are americans who read my blog(I think lol)
That is ALOT of K-On! moe. Much Mio Moe.
SMALLVILLE!!! RAWG!!! :sob: Jimmy…:sob: WHYYYYY??!!! But I spose… cos the Jimmy in ‘Lois & Clark’
meimi132´s last blog > Which anime opening themes can you sing off by heart?
July 7th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
@J85-man: Heyyy, dude! What’s up? Did you send a Facebook request recently? Wasn’t sure if it was you or not, lol… Ahh, that’s a thing. I never really had any expectations for “K-On” in any direction. But it didn’t surprise me either. Hence the 3 stars. But I hope you didn’t “spoil* the ending for anybody, lol… Ahh, interesting. So it’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy. If certain folks believe that “moe-lolicon” is the personification of pop anime, and that’s what the Japanese anime industry is gonna give them!
Haha, yeah, “Smallville” is still quite the saga! Luckily, I didn’t get pulled into “Heroes” or “Prison Break” yet. I mean, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” is different since it has the founding film trilogy. Similarly, the “BSG” spin-off prequel “Caprica” should be coming soon. As well as the new “Doctor Who” which has its own lengthy history. But other than these, I don’t usually get dragged into any new sci-fi live-action universes. But Japanese live-action, that’s totally different, lol.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
@ Jayman: Yeah, I did sent you the request. And if you see from my “About Page” at my blog, it’s exactly the same photo that I used there. So, you really can’t missed it! ^^
Maybe because the hype was there, that I too began to believe it. Utterly, I was disappointed. I placed my hopes to high on a series that I ended up regretting it. The same can be said of Tears to Tiara. The hype was definitely there, but after some time I’ve given up on it.
Luckily, Haruhi wasn’t on my high expectation list. The love of Haruhi just died for me two years ago. With all the mis-hype and such, I’m just looking at the general public that KyoAni is just driving these people mad with what they are doing. That’s why I wasn’t so resentful with what’s happening between EP12 – EP14! ^^
My friend once told me that to like anime is to be a lolicon/moe-lover. I disagree with what he mentioned, but he justifiably said that many characters depict such features. I said, “LET MOE RULE THE WORLDZ!” and that is that. He didn’t mentioned a hint of otakuism anymore lol…
And I thought you were the sci-fi guy. I remember you preaching your love for Battlestar many moons ago, so I reckon you will still be in it. Again, I shouldn’t put my expectation too high if I ever want to watch Smallville. I know that the hype is there, but I just gotta put myself in its perspective.
p/s: I received your thanks of the recommendation to Dennou Coil. If there is any other recommendations you want, then don’t hesitate to ask!
pp/s: I’ve changed my blog link, it’s now the direct domain link. ^^
ppp/s: Already replied to your comment, thanks for the heads up! Really helped me a lot there… ^^
jusuchin85´s last blog > What Happened While I Was Gone…
July 7th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I was an extremely big fan of the Rurouni Kenshin series back in the day when I was purchasing a dvd copy for roughly $30 for only 4 episodes, maybe 5 if I was lucky. Then, I watched the OVA and realized how horrible Kaoru was and how she just pales in comparison to Tomoe and got extremely put off. I am very close to finishing the series as I was in the final arc for the anime version.
I watched 5 minutes of K-On! to check out what the hype was all about and soon became disinterested shortly afterwards. I plan on finishing it at a time undetermined at this point, haha. On the other hand, I did enjoy what little I watched of Akikan before I got sidetracked.
How do you feel about Lisa moving out? Is it a welcome breath of fresh air for you or are you dreading every second of it?
Time to go off and vegetate and replenish energy for more work-related drama and crap.
Jem´s last blog > 1 year and 478 figures later…
July 7th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
K-ON is totally beyond my expectation in many ways, which I cannot explain in word. Maybe hand signs would help.
By the way, can ya add my banner? here’s the banner http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn170/nanogt/ryo-banner-468.jpg. As for url is http://ryobase.com
RyoBase´s last blog > Plants Vs. Zombies: The review!
July 7th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
@J85-man: Ah, cool. Unfortunately, your blog is giving me slooooowwwww problems. Can’t even access it yet, so I’ll take your word for it, lol. Ah, I try to ignore any hype by avoiding the news and watching other anime simultaneously. I don’t even know what you’re talking about with KyoAni and Haruhi and Ep12-Ep14. But that’s the point. Don’t tell me! And I’ll be spared the headache, lol.
Ah, moe, whatever, lol. As for sci-fi, I think I know what you mean. While “Galactica” and “Terminator” are heavy military sci-fi, “Smallville” is kinda light superhero sci-fi. But it’s still sci-fi nonetheless. In fact, tons of anime is “light sci-fi”. I mean, “Gurren Lagann” is a great superhero comparison, isn’t it?… Haha, no need to wait for my asking, go ahead and recommend! Hey, no problem. Although like I said, your blog URL is still damn slow. Thinking of switching providers?
@Jem-chan: Yeah, I think I know what you mean. But each love-interest kinda represents the style of their respective anime. Tomoe represents Kenshin’s darker, more tragic side, while Kaoru represents lighter, more hopeful side. And oftentimes, the darker side is the more profound and more fascinating direction… Yeah, about 50% of “K-On!” is powered by hype. If “Akikan” was driven by the same level of hype, it would’ve skyrocketed past “Haruhi” by now, lol.
Whoa, great question. Haven’t had time to think about it. But I anticipate the depression caused by the end of one era, and the initial hope caused by the start of a new era. I can’t say I’m dreading anything, because she’s been great. Luckily, Guiness will likely need an alternate place to visit occasionally, so Lisa won’t totally drop off the map. Yeah, I’ll miss the underwear chats and Guiness antics. But dread hasn’t appeared yet. Thanx for asking. Sorry about all the work-related drama-crap. If you ever need a room, you know where to find one! ^_~
@RyoBase-man: Which hand sign? The V-sign? LOL… Ah, done, banner added. In my random rotation and “About” page. Thanx!
July 7th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
HI JAY! 8D I finally found my way back to the toyboxx! Sorry, I got kidnapped by pirates and some ninjas finally rescued me.
I don’t remember much about the third season of Kenshin other than it was a jumble of stories. Wasn’t the last arc about some sort of…water magic thing? O_o
Ahh look at all that stuff being packed up. And lol at Guiness’s crazy antics. :P I love your setup! It would be great to have a glass workspace since it makes everything look so clear and neat, but unfortunately, I’m so messy that no one will ever be able to tell it was glass in the first place. Just clutter everywhere lol
Coco the Bean´s last blog > Cosplay Finished! + Pre AX post
July 8th, 2009 at 2:06 am
@ Jayman: I didn’t really notice slowdowns at my end. Maybe it’s because the connection over here in Malaysia is quite bad, which affects a number of people. I can’t access your blog the whole of last night until after a few refreshes. Even Twitter is slowing down on me T.T . I might change providers later on; need to look through the possible options that are there…
I guess the hype comes in when many people follow through the original media and then (knowing that the original is going to be adapted into its anime counterpart) began talking more and more about it. I guess this can be seen from many comrades’ blogs or through Twitter (if you are into it). Can’t escape from it, but it’s a safer bet to ignore it, like you mentioned… ^^
Guess I’m not really a fan of sci-fi enough to understand what it truly means lol! But, once I get into the mood, then I’ll delve into it much more. Gurren Lagann was a really an anti-hero series for me. It started off as a typical mecha anime, but suddenly it turned to a whole sci-fi spectacle that redefine the word “EPIC”. Much like how Evangelion did 14 years ago…
More recommendations to come! Just wait for it, and I’ll let you know what’s good for you to watch!
jusuchin85´s last blog > What Happened While I Was Gone…
July 8th, 2009 at 3:35 am
Ooh, Smallville. I’m watching it on TV… Season 6, I think. When I found out (From Wiki) that Rosenbaum and Kreuk didn’t do season 8, I was shocked… probably because I’ve become so used to seeing them.
Ah, Tomoe- her liaison with Kenshin is one of the epic romances in anime for me. Like Jem, I preferred Tomoe over Kaoru. Kaoru just couldn’t live up to those standards, haha. Still, she did well:)
aprilius20´s last blog > Attention Please: Eat this and Forget
July 8th, 2009 at 7:54 am
@Coco-chan: {Laughs out loud} Hahahaha, that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all week! But now I’m suspicious who these pirates and ninja are! Ah, very good! Yeah, the last arc was a battle between the Water clan and the Wind clan. In fact, could this be the inspirational seed for the creation of “Naruto”? Very-very similar stuff. Impressive memory!… Awww, thanx. Hahaha, yeah, if all the glass is cluttered up with clutter, it kinda defeats the purpose of a glass setup!!! {LOL again} Haha, you’re probably just as hopeless as Lisa. That’s another one that made me laugh out loud. Especially here in the office! Whew, that hit the spot, lol.
@J85-man: Oh wow, didn’t know the connection over there was that bad. Your blog seems to be the only one I’ve had trouble with. Even 5-6 months ago! But yeah, I don’t seem to get infected easily by all the hype. Maybe because I’m not subscribed to hundreds of blogs, or because I’m not a Twitter addict. Or most of all, probably because I just don’t have the time! Not just from work, but I’d rather spend more time watching anime or sci-fi, than scanning all of the otaku blogs I can possibly find… Haha, “Gurren Lagann” anti-hero? No way! Definitely heroic! Or maybe I should clarify my definition of “anti-hero”. I see “anti-hero” when the main character (or hero) is hated by the society within the story. For example, if Batman is hated by the world. Or if Lelouch is hated by the world. Was Simon hated by the world? Hmm, I suppose he was at certain points. Yeah, “Gurren Lagann” was definitely a galactically-epic story. But not quite revolutionary compared to other anime, lol.
@A20-man: Heyyy, I’m surprised! Didn’t think you were a fan of American sci-fi much, lol. But yeah, Lex Luthor and Lana Lang were two of my favorite characters! Oddly, Tomoe-chan could compare to the enigmatic Lana, while Kaoru-chan could compare to the bubbly Lois Lane. Obviously, the double-edged Kenshin would mirror the double-lifed Clark Kent, haha.
July 8th, 2009 at 11:29 am
*making a hand sign* Now you understand what I mean? *making another hand sign* This is what I felt about K-ON! I bet you have understand me now. Or do you need an assistant?
July 8th, 2009 at 11:31 am
@jay oh noes! how can forget to say “thank you” to you.
RyoBase´s last blog > Plants Vs. Zombies: The review!
July 8th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@RyoBase-man: You’re welcome!… But *which* hand sign? There are hundreds of hand-signs! V-sign? “Hello” sign? “Thumbs up” sign?
Anyone care to help? A20? J85? What’s RyoBase talking about? ^_^
July 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
@ Jayman: Ah, if that’s the case, then it’s definitely the server issue! I’ll call my service provider and ask them to troubleshoot the situation. Thanks for reporting! ^^
Maybe that’s the reason why I’m affected. I’m following many members over at Twitter and have a number of blogs on my Google Reader, so that probably explains the hype surfacing around. Then again, I believe my hype ends up with me watching the first episode and judging it, or by reading what are the other comrades’ impressions on the series. That will sway my decision on whether to drop the series or start watching it. Apparently, that didn’t happen to Gurren Lagann though lol…
Speaking of Gurren Lagann, I think the description of it being an “anti-hero” series surfaced while watching Viral and Simon being hated by the public even after how much good they have done. Oh well, either way it’s still epic. It didn’t really revolutionised the industry much like how much Akira, GitS and Evangelion did, but it settle one thing: that sometimes, Sunday morning shows are not as kiddie-like as what many may concur! ^^
jusuchin85´s last blog > What Happened While I Was Gone…
July 8th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
@J85-man: No-no, I’m not talking about us the viewers hating the characters, I’m talking about the fictional society *WITHIN* the story hating these characters. I definitely remember when the city learned the truth and began to hate the older Simon, right? Just like the fictional citizens of the world *WITHIN* Code Geass hating Lelouch, etc. At least, that’s my view of “anti-hero”. Meanwhile, a normal “hero” is when the fictional citizens *WITHIN* that story cheers the main character, like Superman.
P.S. Wait a sec. I just re-read your comment. Did you mean “the public” as Simon’s public? Sorry if I misunderstood!
July 8th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
@ Jayman: Lol, wrong interpretation dude! But anyways, at least you get my drift! ^^
I didn’t get Ryo’s drift though. Might be some sort of hand sign which says that K-ON! is not really his cup of tea? Then again, I might be wrong!
Oh yeah… Transformers 2? Maybe in your perspective, you *might* like it. I didn’t though. Might be because my perception of movies have changed greatly. Now when I go to the movies, I expect the director to tell me the story in its glory. Unlike before, where I can be awed by spectacle after spectacle. That’s why I love the Watchmen movie, but many didn’t! ^^ Oh well, like you always say: “To each his own”…
jusuchin85´s last blog > What Happened While I Was Gone…
July 9th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Haha, surprised? The first comics I read were, I think, besides Doraemon- Spidey or the X-Men. Biased towards Marvel, lol. Clark as Kenshin,etc? That works, I suppose… parallels everywhere, if you care to look for them. Wouldn’t really work outside of ‘Smallville’ though, since Clark didn’t really ‘sin’ or anything (unlike Kenshin as Battousai).
Um, handsign? The ‘kira’ sign, I suppose? No idea, really.
aprilius20´s last blog > Attention Please: Eat this and Forget
July 9th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
@J85-man: Man, I still have to watch a ton of movies: “Star Trek”, “Watchmen” (loved the original comic back in high school), “Transformers 2″, and so on. Then again, it’s not like I’m missing anything anyway, when there’s tons of anime and J-drama to watch too, lol.
@A20-man: True, Clark didn’t technically sin. But he still feels “responsible” for the death, destruction, and ongoing kryptonite infection caused by the original meteor shower upon his arrival. So yeah, he caused it all. That’s the weight on his shoulders. In terms of “Kenshin”, that’s the metaphorical “X” on his cheek.
Hmm, don’t know about the “kira” sign either. Quite befuddling.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
“When I go crazy, will you still call me superman~~”
I still haven’t watched K-On. But you know, those episode reviews might be a way of 1. inviting discussion about the episode, 2. something for people to do in the intervening week, 3. or an interesting way of analysing the highs and lows of the series. Like a survey I did once where I had to move the cursor over a bar in response to how much I liked the advert. (Most of it was at the ‘repulsed’ section for that ad, sadly enough. XD)
Hmm..the..uh..different art in K-On is what first kinda put me off it. XD But wow, great collection of walls. =) So much so that maybe the title of the post will now be ‘Keion MASSIVE WALL POST, Krypton & Destruction’ to me. -noddles sagely- ^^
Omg, Smallville is up to S8?! I’m undecided as to whether I should watch it..got a bit tired of it, heh. Plus no moar Kreuk and Rosenbaum. :( :( Tom Welling does look all grown-up, though, haha. And I swear, Durance looks more hot now. ._. Oh, it’s probably the hair. I think I prefer her as a brunette. XD
Guiness is kewt. ^^ And that’s some chaotic packing! Reminds me I should tidy my room..zoar.
jenn´s last blog > Ai Hime vol 1-3 [End] – Groan, forbidden love shoujo again?
July 10th, 2009 at 1:42 am
Eh? Did the meteor shower happen in the old comics? But yeah, if you meant that in light of the Smallville series timeline, then Clark does feel like he needs to clean up. Don’t think that happened in the old comics, though.
@Kris: Now that you mention it, Lois really does look different- had me wondering who that was for a while. Yup, she does look better as a brunette:)
aprilius20´s last blog > Gundam 00: Gravure Idols, Rock Bands, and Scrap Metal
July 10th, 2009 at 7:38 am
@Jenn-chan: Hehe, pretty good song! Sadly, I think that’s “Three Doors Down” only good hit, lol. Well, at least to me… Oh, I’m not saying fans should stop doing weekly episodic reviews, I’m just giving my perspective of why I don’t do them. True, obviously a series can go through highs and lows. But that’s also my point, in the end, I can’t really give a decent review until the final *end*, lol. Haha, yeah, I can see how animation style can be throw people off. But that’s also a *good* thing. All anime *shouldn’t* be identical cookie-cutters. Assuming that’s what you meant. Aww, thanx! If it ain’t an awesome wall, then I ain’t posting it! And the higher the resolution, the better!
Yup, “Smallville – Season 8″ with “Season 9″ coming soon! While Rosenbaum left, and while Kreuk only made a brief-but-cool multi-episode guest appearance, it’s still a solid show! Plus Durance continues to be a hot breath of fresh air, lol. Especially, if you want to be entertained by super-attractive live-action characters once in a while, haha… Instead of cleaning one’s room, hihihi. ^o^
@A20-man: Ahh, I don’t care too much about the original old comics, lol. But using “meteor rocks” to explain the freaky newfound powers in random earthbound humans, both heroic and vilainous, was a stroke of Luthorian genius! Which means all human-born superheroes were created by a single event, the arrival of Kal-El via a Kryptonite meteor storm. Genius!
P.S. I think you meant Jenn-chan, not Kris-chan, lol.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:43 am
@ Jayman: Your watchlist is never ending, I presume? lol Every week I can see a weekly post of anime struts in your post, plus a dosage of dramas and series. There’s still time to catch what you have missed, so just wait away man ^^
All I can say about Watchmen is that it is pure gold. Only thing that griped me was that Zack Snyder copied the whole script to the very bones. Well, minus the “Black Freighter” part… He made the movie with a perception that every member of the audience are expected to read the graphic novel first to understand the plot. I remember watching the movie with 10 others of my friends, and out of this lot only 2 of us enjoyed it! Maybe because they take the concept of a “superhero” movie a little too deeply. They wanted men in spandex fighting criminals with super powers and stuff, and all they ended up with was a whole conspiracy theory behind the government + superhero! I guess this sort of movie is not for everyone lol…
jusuchin85´s last blog > Another World -Kyou Arc-
July 10th, 2009 at 10:47 am
@jay seems like you really do need an assistant. Walk to the at&t store, ask them for a Samsung Jack, and there is your assistant. Ozzy Osbourne is even recommended it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTkgwT4sP2g
If still not helps then let me use my psychic power, which send my brain wave power through my pc screen and goes directly to your brain.
RyoBase´s last blog > Plants Vs. Zombies: The review!
July 10th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
LOL, my bad. Normally I type out comments in notepad, but this time I just typed it down here- I suppose my brain got a little scrambled while scrolling up and down^^;
As for the Kryptonite Meteor shower, I suppose it was a good thing that the US didn’t have a missile shield back then, eh? I’m not sure if there is one now, but meh. If there was one though, would it be ‘bye bye, Supes’, before he even landed? ^^;
aprilius20´s last blog > Gundam 00: Gravure Idols, Rock Bands, and Scrap Metal
July 11th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Ahaha, how could you confuse me and Kris. XD (She’s cooler! ^^)
Nuo, Three Doors Down had Here Without You as well! “I’m here without you, baby! But you’re still with me in my dreams…and tonight, it’s only you and me..” Normally I object to use of ‘baby’ in songs, but I didn’t mind this one. =)
Ahh, I thought you were saying you didn’t understand why people did them (episodics)! Haha. Uh, nah, I didn’t like K-On’s art. :P I haven’t watched much of it, yet, though, so will see how it goes when I catch up. I don’t actually mind cookie-cutter, haha, as long as it’s good art/plotful, of course.
Lol I’m still wading through House with niisama. Somehow Hugh Laurie looks startlingly-attractive sometimes. >.> (I don’t usually go for older men. :P)
@jusuchin85: That’s bizarre! I enjoyed Watchmen, and I’ve never read the graphic novels. (As a predominantly-I-like-pretty-art-manga reader, I don’t know if I want to, either. XD) I’ve heard it’s good, though, and yeah, it’s a reflection of society and the dark side of people more than a ‘superhero flick’. And maybe my friends are nerds who -have- read the graphic novels, cos I heard mostly good things about it…XD
jenn´s last blog > Ai Hime vol 1-3 [End] – Groan, forbidden love shoujo again?
July 11th, 2009 at 4:45 am
Man…your new desk is ultra sexy I’m really jealous. Also I have on occasion accidentally put on undies inside out and not noticed until part way through the day. I haven’t seen K-On! yet but I get the impression it’s a series that’s right up my alley and will ease the pain of Lucky Star ending. I say that because those characters seem to be loveable in a way that reminds me of Lucky Star, we’ll see if that’s still my opinion after I’ve seen the series.
Sorry its been AGES since I last posted! I love you blog so much but I don’t get to visit as often as I’d like. For some reason I just don’t touch the computer much when I’m at home. Computer = Tool of Procrastination at work. I don’t think I’ve been to Danny’s site in months for that same reason, well not quite the same. Work blocks Danny, but with you…you’re just too much for Internet Explorer. I’ve never met a man so big that internet explorer can’t handle him! OOOHH lame sexual innuendo I know but I love that corny humor.
PS – Took my latest desktop image from you, thanks!
lovelyduckie´s last blog > Wall Scrolls and Candy Haul!
July 11th, 2009 at 5:02 am
Oh hell I’m sorry for the double comment but I forgot a couple things I wanted to say!
I can’t remember how many seasons Kenshin has but I’d love to see your thoughts on the series once it’s done. I really liked the series at first but I became a bit less into it as the story progressed and then thought it took an extremely interesting turn at the end! I recently read the entire manga series and I think I prefer this series in manga form but it’s hard for me to tell because I watched the anime too many years ago to draw a clear comparison between the two in my head. But the Samurai X OVAs were amazing, I loved those the best.
As for Smallville I’m not really fan because I’ve never really been a fan of Superman. I don’t know why but I just can’t get into his plights in any form (live action TV series, the movies, the cartoon) quite like I can with say X-Men or Batman.
lovelyduckie´s last blog > Wall Scrolls and Candy Haul!
July 11th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
@J85-man: Yup, my “infinite list” never ends. I mean, it’s not even a list anymore. It’s a growing and growing stack of burned DVDs gathering dust on my shelf!… Ahh, so if the spirit of the graphic novel is maintained, including all the layers of conspiracy, then I might have to download “Watchmen” after all! LOL!
@RyoBase-man: Gahhh, I give up. If you can’t tell me which “sign”, then forget it. I’ll assume you meant the V-sign, since that’s what the “K-On” girls do all the time anyway.
@A20-man: No worries. You tend to argue more with Kris-chan, so it’s understandable, lol… Nahhh, there’s no “true” missile shield. Whether you meant the fictional “Smallville” world or the real world back then. At least, not in terms of an impenetrable force field or energy field. Instead, the “shield” would, at most, be a less-reliable rocket-to-rocket defense. But you’re right, if one existed, a shield powerful enough to repel meteors would bounce the kryptonite and his ship somewhere else. Probably to Japan, lol. I wonder if Godzilla was born of kryptonite?
@Jenn-chan: Didn’t you know? I think A20-man confuses all the female Toyboxers here, lol. Then again, sometimes A20-man and J85-man confuse me with their usernames! Hmmm, those songs don’t ring a bell. Thankfully!… Ahh, no-no, I definitely understand why bloggers do them (because they enjoy the anime and like to flaunt that enjoyment, hehe), but I also wonder if they honestly understand the potential spoilage and damage they might do to readers who haven’t seen the anime yet! I mean, for me, personally, if I see episode reviews week-after-week of an anime I haven’t seen yet, then I tend to avoid those posts. So maybe lots of others avoid the week-after-week spoilage too!… Meanwhile, I don’t need to flaunt my enjoyment week-after-week with the same anime title. So after I finish a series, I simply do a single one-or-few-sentence speed-review with a bunch of screencaps or wallpapers. Sometimes fake captions, lol. That’s about it. Makes sense?… Hehe, is Hugh Laurie that Dr. House guy? Hehe, maybe you’re attractive to the strange intellectual type, lol.
@Duckie-chan: Aww, thanx! If you want, I can take more ultra-sexy glass-desk photos and keep them in color? Of course, I’ll have to clear away all the random bills and statements and notepads which keep multiplying every so often, lol… Haha, really? Inside-out undies? But I mean, isn’t that the point of the tag or label? Although I think Lisa did it because she was too exhausted or too absent-minded at the time, lol… Oh, definitely, I agree. If you loved “Lucky Star”, then “K-On!” would probably ease that pain. I think tons of fans would agree with you too. In fact, in my Blog 199, I made a character-to-character comparison between the two series, lol.
Awww, thanx again for the kind words. Wait, hold on, yup, I’m all warm-and-fuzzy now, lol. But I haven’t forgotten you. Haven’t forgotten your Gothloli Rei and Asuka, and your tons of figure bins, and your move to a new home. Hehe, I admit, it’s comments like yours and Kris-chan’s, Jenn-chan’s, Jem-chan’s and all my other Toyboxers that makes it tougher and tougher to say that I blog only for myself, lol. Sometimes the icing is better than the cake itself, right? Hahaha, it wouldn’t be sexual innuendo if it wasn’t lame and corny! But I wonder if I’m “too big” for all the icing too. Umm, should we try whipped cream? Haha, you’re welcome! But wait, what do you mean by “took desktop image from me”? Doesn’t make sense, lol.
Ahh, “Kenshin” ends after 3 seasons and 95 episodes! Didn’t I state 3 of 3 seasons above? Hmm, I don’t usually give full thoughts beyond my “speed-reviews” in order to minimize spoilage with newbies, but I can try in my comments. For me, Season 1 was good, Season 2 was great, then Season 3 was back to good. I haven’t read the manga, but I’ve heard that the manga definitely outshines the anime. As for the OVAs, I’ve only seen the 2-hour “Trust & Betrayal” prequel. Here’s my speed-review from the same Blog 199 link: “I must say that this darker more-intense interpretation of “Rurouni Kenshin” is still wrenching in its blood-stained layers of tragedy. Wow, a fearless 4 of 5 stars!”… But overall, I think I prefer the longer more-developed seasons than the all-too-brief all-too-dark 2-hour OVA. At the risk of spoilage for others, which “interesting turn” did you mean?
Ahh, I don’t really like the classic “Superman” icon either, lol. “Batman” is okay (though Heath Ledger was great). “X-Men” never stuck. Which is why I love this pre-Superman “Smallville”. Forget about the “Superman” films or TV crap. No campy tights or capes. No mention of “super” at all. With “Smallville”, it’s subtler and cleverer, a regular guy that just happens to have powers. Not to mention the incredible depth of real characters and actors. But I won’t go any further. You might get addicted. Even I can’t believe I got addicted, lol. Besides, you’ve got a full plate of live-action J-drama to prepare for, don’t you? ^.^
July 12th, 2009 at 1:37 am
I think it’s mostly due to the default toybox gravatar icon thingy. As for Smallville, both real and fictional worlds, since they tend to overlap. A shield, eh? For some reason I started thinking of a giant tennis racquet^^;;
aprilius20´s last blog > DaiCon ‘09: Not so ‘Dai’(大) after all
July 12th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
@jay I was using SWAT hand signs but forget the hand signs, they’re old-fashioned. Now I’m sending my electrical brain wave to you. So you should be able to understand me at this moment while you’re reading my comment.
RyoBase´s last blog > How well do you know Brüno.
July 13th, 2009 at 5:19 am
@A20-man: Ahh, no problem. Tennis racquet? I have no clue how you conjured that idea, lol. But don’t worry, at least, it’s not as bad as RyoBase-man’s boggling comments about “hand signs”.
@RyoBase-man: Umm, “SWAT” hand signs? Yeah, right. So how the hell was I supposed to figure out “SWAT” from the term “hand signs”. That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard, dude. It’s like trying to figure out “spaghetti” from the word “food”. Dumb.
July 14th, 2009 at 12:39 am
@ Jenn: It’s true that some like the dark genre and the conspiracies behind it, but most of them expect it to be a superhero flick! They wanted to see men in spandex fighting criminals and saving the world stuff. When they didn’t have that, how disappointed they were… Oh well. At least it still have its cult followers (like me and Jayman lol)!
@ Jayman: Well, it does follow the graphic novel intensely (minus The Black Freighter story; that was released on BR and DVD days after the premiere). The only difference is the ending. So, apart from that (despite the ending), it really did stick to its customary conspiracy theories. Really a sight to watch!
jusuchin85´s last blog > An Addiction To Twitter
July 14th, 2009 at 7:26 am
*** Start of Possible “Watchmen” Spoilers! ***
@J85-man: Wow, man! I just watched “WATCHMEN” over the weekend, and I was most impressed! If I had never read the original comic, I imagine I might’ve given 4 of 5 stars (which is also my “official” rating). But from the perspective of one who’s read it, I’d have to give it 5 of 5 stars! The scenes brought back all the old high school memories and images. As for the altered ending, it’s much *cleaner* logically. Without the weirdness. But perhaps too clean. They should’ve shown more of the unimaginable destruction, instead of a simple flash of light. Too clean. Should’ve been more ugly, more grotesque, more lifeless bodies laying in the streets. Should’ve reminded us more of 9/11. (In a way, the comic eerily foresaw 9/11.) Instead of an abstract vanishing act. I mean, the film did everything else, right? Except that. Oh well, lol. Still impressive.
*** End of Possible “Watchmen” Spoilers! ***
July 14th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
***Still in “Watchmen Spoilers!”***
@ Jayman: The film covered every arc perfectly. I think the same way as you. When I watched the movie, I realised that some aspects have to be adjusted to cater for the modern logical sense. Then again, they should make the whole destruction much more…futile. I remember reading the graphic novel, and upon reaching the end, I was having the “Oh shi… That is UBER destruction on a wide scale!” expression. Yeah, they should have done that. But nothing’s perfect, right? It’s still impressive in my books!
Have you watched “The Black Freighter” already?
***End of “Watchmen Spoilers!”***
jusuchin85´s last blog > An Addiction To Twitter
July 14th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
@J85-man: Nope, not yet. Just added it to my BitTorrent list now, lol.
July 19th, 2009 at 3:31 am
In Kenshin those darker twists are actually part of the original story, the OVAs are part of the manga. Although I think the change in animation style really has a profound effect on the dark/sad aspect of it all. I felt the kick of sadness better from the anime then the manga. Damn so you did see 3/3 seasons? I even scrolled up to make sure you didn’t before I posted! You’re a sneak I bet you edited your blog! As for K-On! I FINALLY started, I’m only 2 episodes in and it’s real cute. But every time the long haired blonde character is on screen my mind screams “It’s Miyuki from Lucky Star!”.
Also you should know that you don’t blog for yourself…we own you…and you better not ever forget it! From your blog and all its images we could easily figure out exactly where you live.
lovelyduckie´s last blog > Chroche (AR Tonelico 2) Max Factory
July 19th, 2009 at 8:58 am
@Duckie-chan: Ah, true… Season 2 definitely touched upon Kenshin’s dark and defining childhood, upon which the first OVA expanded. But I’d say, it wasn’t so much the OVA animation style, as much as its lack of humor, which intensified the darkness and heaviness of its emotion… LOL, what? Heyyy, I adore your comments, but I’ll ignore your “sneak” or “liar” jabs. For now, hehe. I mean, come on? Why edit anything when I already linked my speed-reviews for Season 1 (Blog 184) and Season 2 (Blog 197) via my respective speed-ratings in bold! So it’s not my fault if you didn’t scroll enough! Oops, wait a sec, ouch, gotta catch my breath. That jab hurt my pride more than I expected, lol… Yup, Tsumugi is Miyuki! In fact, what’d you think of my “K-On” versus “Lucky Star” comparison? Maybe 2 episodes is too soon to judge yet? But you’re right, it’s cute-and-cuddly.
Hahaha, own me? Ahh, if anything, perhaps my female readers do. Maybe I should call all of you my “Toybox Dominatrixes”. Especially if you feel the need to own your own butlers or slaves, lol. Now, I don’t remember if you lived in California or Philadelphia or elsewhere, but Vegas can never be too far away. The more, the merrier, right?
July 22nd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
“Dismembering the closet like dismembering her last boyfriend, lol.”
I lol-ed at that as well. Sounds sexy and vicious at the same time in a metaphorical sense. XD
Jem´s last blog > [Really] Post E3 Haul
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
@Jem-chan: Hahaha, you pick out the most curious tidbits! Sadly, everything is now pretty much moved out. ^_~
August 2nd, 2009 at 4:44 am
Watched K-On! The series was cute, I liked it. Wasn’t in my top 40 favorite series for me but it was a nice experience.
lovelyduckie´s last blog > A Quick Haul Post
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
@Duckie-chan: Haha, agreed! Welcome to the “K-On is Just OK!” club. Let’s hope there isn’t a Season 2, lol. >_<;
August 9th, 2009 at 10:13 am
@Meimi-chan: Oh wow, I’m so sorry I didn’t see your comment last month! I finally found it after doing some blog cleaning! Haha, no worries about “Independence Day”. With Will Smith, right? If I remember right, it was pretty rockin’! Hehe, yeah, despite my 3-stars, I figured I can still appreciate what other fans see in “K-On!”, lol. Thus, the “moe” flood! As for “Smallville 8″, whoa! Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert! Hahaha! Though I never did watch much of the original “Lois & Clark” TV series, lol.