Category Archives: Anime Titles

Blog 006 > Slice Of Their Life

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Yukino and Arima from Kare Kano
Kare Kano | Image from Google Search

ah, just finished another slice-of-life high-school dramedy… the profoundly insightful and timeless 1998-1999 series “kare kano” a.k.a. “his and her circumstances“… and widely regarded as one of the most-beloved love stories in anime history… revolving around a teenage girl named Yukino and teenage boy named Arima who both wear “model student” masks to hide their darker inner selves… but as a result of an accidental encounter, they realize in hesitation and shock that they can finally let go of their facades… while the second half of the series kind of lost momentum, the emotional depth and power of the first half more than makes up for it… as well as the fitting use of piano and stringed music… 5 of 5 stars!

Blog 005 > Heartfelt Figures

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Finally! I finally found the time to correctly batch-automate in Adobe Photoshop so that my photos all have “xJAYMANx_toybox” in the lower-left corner. This time, my most-recent photoshoot from November 18th. Here are 25 photos of 1/8-scale “Multi” (green) and “Akari” (red) from “To Heart“, a gentle slice-of-life high-school series with only the slightest of sci-fi elements (e.g. Multi the android). I also tried something different for the photoshoot background, a simple outdoor-style scene instead of a character-focused wallpaper. I think it turned out nicely!

Click for all 25 >>

Blog 004 > Wild-West Meets Wild-East

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xjaymanx_grenadier_01sm.jpg
Grenadier | Image from Google Search

just a little anime update… a couple days ago, friday, finished the 12-episode action-comedy “grenadier“… centered on a blond-haired full-figured sharp-shooting wanderer of the wild-western retro-futuristic japanese empire… not bad (3 of 5 stars), but a nice heart-warming conclusion… meanwhile, i’m keeping active with “air gear” (almost done, 20 of 25), “kare kano” (almost done, 23 of 26), and “naruto” (just started, up to 9)… also just started “nanaka 6/17” (2 of 12), a cute yet touching series about a bright but cold girl who loses her 17-year-old memories and reverts to her former bubbly 6-year-old self!… hence the title!… what will those anime/manga creators think of next? lol ^_^

post 426 ~ thanksgiving weekend (test post)

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Tsubasa & Hikaru from Figure 17
Figure 17 ~ Tsubasa & Hikaru | Image from Google Search

on late-thursday, very-early-friday, finished the rarely-known yet unexpectedly powerful and heartfelt slice-of-life drama “figure 17” (5 stars), in which a shy 10-year-old girl moves from the city to the country with her widowed dad, grows accustomed to her new life and new school, and one night, something falls from the sky which thrusts her into a secret high-tech life of fighting and killing deadly creatures… all while living the country life of a 10-year-old schoolgirl, with both uplifting daydreams and tearful tragedies, as best as she can with her newly-created “twin sister”… in fact, this series affected me so much that my depression returned temporarily since that day… my chat with anna helped me to smile… on saturday, also finished the hilarious high-school-meets-yakuza comedy “gokusen” (4 stars)… in addition to these, i’ve been actively watching “air gear” (13 of 25 so far; 4 stars), “eureka seven” (36 of 50 so far; 5 stars), and “kare kano (his and her circumstances)” (20 of 26 so far; 5 stars)… TONS of emotions in these… or rather, perhaps my situation has made me more sensitive to feeling these emotions…

oh yeah, on friday, received my “lara croft in wet suit” figure (from my post 424)… NICE! ;)))

post 421 ~ newest article ;)

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post 421 ~ ah, my newest article for LVO.org… enjoy! ;)))

Eclair and Lumiere from Kiddy Grade
Photo 1 by xJAYMANx | Click for more

Making the Grade!

To be or not to be elegant? That’s the difference between Eclair and Lumiere from the sci-fi-mystery action series Kiddy Grade. But together as a team, this dynamic duo packs a powerful cybernetically-enhanced punch!

Released in January 2006 as a combination package, both 1/7-scale PVC figures were intricately sculpted by the world-famous Monsieur Bome and just-as-finely manufactured by Kaiyodo. At a height of 8 1/2 inches, the more-voluptuous gun-toting Eclair poses playfully in her skimpy-yet-stylish blood-red dress. Meanwhile, at just over 7 inches, the more-childlike more-refined Lumiere stands gracefully with her wineglass in hand. Both renditions are incredibly detailed from their colorful bows to their unique hair curls to their hand-held accessories.

With matching G.O.T.T. (Galactic Organization of Trade and Tariffs) bases, these two are nearly flawless when stacked against other figures at the same scale. Even the price is nothing to whine about — an extremely affordable $30-35 USD for the pair — at such a high level of quality. So do Eclair and Lumiere make the grade? Without question, they pass with beverage-bubbling lipstick-flying colors!

To peek at more photos, click here.

post 415 ~ over the weekend

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post 415 ~ over the weekend…

ah, even with the extra hour over the weekend, i still felt busy or that i didn’t have enough time to do what i wanted… burning more downloads onto DVD, printing more wallpapers for my DVD-case covers, trying out my Canon EOS 350D Digital Rebel XT, working on my “otaku merchandising” article, catching up page-by-page on my magazines, starting my letter to Anouck (afterwards, i’ll start one to Anna), even resisting the urge to cut some tiresome LJ’ers from my list… AND not only that, DAMN, tons of anime!… whether i was sampling an episode, starting or continuing a series, here are the 16 titles i was able to watch… from dramatic to humorous to mediocre:

Black Blood Brothers, Eureka Seven, Giant Robo, Gokusen, Gun Parade March, His and Her Circumstances, Ichigo Mashimaro (Strawberry Marshmallow), Jinki Extend, Kujibiki Unbalance, Le Chevalier D’Eon, NANA, Nana: Seven of Seven, Negima!? (Alternate Storytelling), Pia Carrot, Shakugan no Shana, Space Pirate Mito

meanwhile, here’s my first post for the LasVegasOtaku.org role-playing fiction “Firefly-Class Bebop“, a multiple-writer story based on a mix of the sci-fi “Firefly” and anime “Cowboy Bebop”…

Continue reading →

post 413 ~ more japanese TV

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“fruits basket” (anime; 2001-2)


“you’re under arrest” (live-action; 2002)
“NANA” (anime; 2006)–>

 post 413 ~ more japanese TV, hehe ;)

  • fruits basket ~ last night, finally finished the 26-episode series via netflix!… and WOW, i never would’ve guessed that i’d find myself so fond of yet ANOTHER (seemingly stereotypical) high-school-teenaged story (like “shuffle” or “negima”)… but like many of these anime series, what starts out as funny and cute — emotively hooking you and forging bonds with the characters — then dramatically evolves into a darker drama, exploring the more profound depths of the characters and interrelations… here, the concluding 3 episodes were simply powerful… so what i initially and instinctively assigned as 4 stars rightfully earned 5 of 5 stars!…
  • you’re under arrest ~ last night, finished this too!… just 9 live-action episodes based on the comedy-action anime… and yeah, the acting was pretty cheesy… but perhaps that’s what made it lovable as well… sad to say bye to “miyuki” and “natsumi” and “nakajima” after such a short run… 4 stars!
  • NANA ~ finally!!!… after about a month, the newest download finally made available… episode 22’s new opening theme rocked!… and once again, everything — humor and drama and twists and music — were all packed again into yet another half hour… according to wikipedia, there are a total of 26 episodes, and so far #22 will be the 24th episode (including 11.5 and 21.5), so only two more shows for this 5-star season… a continuing second season is definitely likely, i hope!… lol, can’t wait!

post 407 ~ sunday break from anime?

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“lady vengeance” (2005)


“ultraviolet” (2006)


“my sassy girl” (2001)

 post 407 ~ a big sunday break from anime?.. yup, that’s right folks!… spent a lazy sunday watching FIVE downloaded titles!

  • 1 – what the [bleep] do we know (2004) ~ following a recommendation from , i decided to check out this part-documentary part-fiction film… so this morning, i watched it (apparently this AVI only contained the first 45 minutes of the full-length; later i’ll download another but unsplit file)… but after those 45 minutes, while it was entertaining, it still felt like another PBS “nature of the universe” science show, or maybe i saw it already… in any case, there wasn’t anything new about quantum theory… just a bunch of advocates with the same egocentric attitude as ancient scientists who once thought the earth was the center of the universe… so while “nowunraveling” gave it TWO stars, i might give it THREE because i like the actress Marlee Matlin, and of course, Armin “Quark” Shimerman…
    • side note 1 ~ i’m now beginning to think that the number of possible parallel realities can NEVER be completely infinite or completely dependent upon human observation, just as the space and time in the universe aren’t infinite… that is, mathematical probabilities are only a guide, not the reality… and just as subatomic particles can pop into and fade away like bubbles from this reality (as hawking wrote), so should the highly-improbable parallel universes fade away, and new ones pop into existence in their place…
    • side note 2 ~ just a note on “infinities”… since my “math fair” project in elementary school, i’ve known that there are multiple orders of infinity, not just one kind… for example, the infinity of possible points on a line segment is “lesser” than the infinity of possible line segments/paths within a 2D area… which in turn, is “lesser” than the infinity of line segments/paths within a 3D volume… this is due to the lack of “one-to-one correspondence” among these orders of infinity… so in terms of parallel realities, i perceive the possibilites NOT as the infinite number of points on a line that stretches infinitely long in both directions, BUT on the “lesser order” of infinite number of points within a defined line of limited length A-to-B… and even then, not an infinite number of points…
  • 2 – [sympathy for] lady vengeance (2005) ~ finally found time to watch this korean film!… with a pretty leading lady, and the ever-tortured Choi Min-sik to play the primary antagonist… beautiful cinematography and some shocking moments, but afterwards, the film left me unsatisfied… if anything, the sublime vivaldi-like soundtrack was the best element of the film… just as beautiful as the MP3s i acquired more than 12 months ago!… THREE stars…
  • 3 – ultraviolet (2006) ~ again, finally found time to watch the rest of this sci-fi flick… hmmm, while the gravity-defying matrix-style martial arts and slick “sky captain”-like comic-book look were definitely eye-catching, the story was pretty flimsy… it’s one of those movies that makes me think that, as tantalizingly super-sexy as she can be, Milla Jovovich should’ve stuck with singing… fortunately, “the fifth element” saves her… again… THREE stars…
  • 4 – my sassy girl (2001) ~ yet again, finally watched this korean romantic-comedy!… a cute leading lady, and awkward leading guy… with some funny moments, some fiction-within-a-fiction action moments, some tender moments, and a warm-and-fuzzy goosebumps conclusion… between THREE and FOUR stars, haven’t decided yet ;)
  • 5 – you’re under arrest (2002) ~ based on the popular action-comedy anime series, finally watched episode 1 of 10 japanese live-action parts… with the stunningly beautiful Misaki Ito as “natsumi”… hmmm, but unlike the anime, “miyuki” seems more forceful and impulsive than “natsumi”, who didn’t seem to get her fair share of important dialogue… nonetheless, THREE stars so far…

post 405 ~ noein, quantum, and parallel theory…

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“noein”		 post 405 ~ noein, quantum, and parallel theory…

  • xjaymanx’s crash course in quantum theory ~ lol, don’t be afraid, i’ll do the best i can from high-school and college memory…

    okay, on the common everyday macroscopic scale, matter and existence could be considered “absolute”… in other words, if we see a ball bouncing along the street, you can turn around and reasonably expect it to continue bouncing behind your back… and conventional Newtonian laws (as well as extended Einsteinian/relativistic laws) of physics would apply without fail…

    however, on the subatomic or quantum level, matter and existence are not so absolute… for the simple reason that any attempt to observe them affects the outcome… that is, since the act of observation (where light is made up of photons) is on the same subatomic scale as the bouncing particles you are trying to observe in the first place, those photons would hit/interfere/affect the “certain” outcome of those particles (hence, the “uncertainty principle”)…

    using the “bouncing ball” metaphor, if you tried to see the ball, this time, you would only observe an infinite fog of possible bounces and paths, where nothing would be certain… since direct observation is impossible in ascertaining the absolute state of particles, they are described (for lack of a better way) in terms of mathematical “probabilities”… in other words, if one outcome/existence cannot be ascertained, then ALL outcomes/existences must also exist (in terms of probabilities)…

    inevitably, such a titanic contradiction between these two contradictory descriptions of the universe (macroscopic vs. quantum) even rattled Einstein and gave birth to his famous anti-quantum exclamation: “God doesn’t play dice with the universe”… consequently in the decades since, one attempt to resolve this seeming contradiction is the “many worlds” or “parallel universe” theory/interpretation…

    in a nutshell, it allows for the “certainty” of an outcome on the “observable” macro scale, while simultaneously permitting the “uncertainty” of probabilities on the “unobservable” quantum scale… in other words, while we live in one “ascertainable” universe, ALL other parallel universes must also exist as probabilities…

    but one thing that most profoundly emerges from this interpretation, is that the nature of the universe is suddenly and undeniably dependent upon the role of human observation/consciousness/awareness and its power to define an outcome/existence/reality…

  • noein ~ i bring this up because i just finished watching the anime series “noein”… and it uses quantum and parallel theories with such incredible story-telling skill!… there are many references to quantum theory including Schrodinger’s dead (and also simultaneously NOT dead) cat, as well as Einstein’s dice quote… and all without bogging the story down… on the contrary, along with its symphonically-epic soundtrack, the warm nostalgia of childhood memories, and the emotional pain of possible realities, “noein” earns FIVE STARS…

post 404 ~ snapshot of post 361

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post 404 ~ WOW, it’s been 3 months since i started these ever-updated anime lists on post 361… so just for my own purpose, i thought i’d take a static snapshot of post 361, as of today…

  • DONE LIST – ANIME:

    May-June
    +++++ Ah! My Goddess (Season 1: 1-24) – Finished.
    +++++ Gankutsuou: Count of Monte Cristo (1-24) – Finished.
    ++++ Midori Days (1-13) – Finished 6/10.
    +++++ My HiME (Mai HiME) (1-26) – Finished 6/14.
    +++ Mahoromatic (Season 1: 1-12) – Finished 6/15.
    ++++ Fate Stay Night (1-24) – Finished 6/18.
    ++++ Samurai 7 (1-26) – Finished 6/18.
    ++++ Mahoromatic (Season 2: 1-14) – Finished 6/20.
    +++ Please Teacher! (1-13) – Finished 6/22 via Netflix.
    +++++ Trinity Blood (1-24) – Finished 6/25 (Marathon Sunday!).
    ++++ Full Metal Panic (Second Raid: 1-13) – Finished 6/28.
    July
    +++ Speed Grapher (1-24) – Finished 7/4.
    +++ Fushigi Yuugi – Season 1 (1-26) – Finished 7/8.
    +++++ Shuffle! (1-24) – Finished 7/16.
    ++++ Kasimasi (Girl Meets Girl: 1-12) – Finished 7/22.
    ++++ Ikki Tousen (1-13) – Finished 7/22 via Netflix.
    +++ Haibane-Renmei (1-13) – Finished 7/30.
    August
    +++++ Mai Otome (1-26) – Finished 8/8.
    ++++ Onegai (Please) Twins (1-13) – Finished 8/9.
    ++ F3 (Hentai: 1-3) – Finished 8/9.
    +++++ Negima! (1-26) – Finished 8/11.
    +++ To Heart (1-13) – Finished 8/20.
    ++++ You’re Under Arrest – S1 (1-26 of 52) – Finished first half 8/29.
    ++++ To Heart – Season 2 (1-13) – Finished 8/30.
    September
    ++++ Tenjho Tenge (1-24) – Finished 9/4.
    +++ Paradise Kiss (1-12) – Finished 9/9.
    ++++ IGPX – Season 1 (1-13) – Finished 9/12.
    ++++ Sunabouzu (Desert Punk: 1-24) – Finished 9/16 via Netflix.
    ++++ Scrapped Princess (1-24) – Finished 9/19.
    +++++ You’re Under Arrest – S1 (1-51) – Finished 9/19.
    +++++ Solty Rei (1-24) – Finished 9/24.
    +++++ Blood+ (1-50) – Finished 9/25.

  • DOING LIST – ANIME:

    [watching an incomplete series or download]
    +++++ Ah! My Goddess (Season 2: 1-18 of 24?) – Thru Ep. 15.
    ++ Air Gear (1-3 of ?) – Thru Ep. 1.
    o Black Blood Brothers (1-2 of ?) – Not yet.
    +++++ Ergo Proxy (1-21 of ?) – Thru Ep. 21. *Active*
    +++ Hellsing Ultimate (1-2 of 10) – Thru Vol. 1.
    ++ Karas (1-3 of 6) – Thru Ep. 3.
    +++++ NANA (1-21.5 of ?) – Thru Ep. 21.5.

    [watching a completed series and download]
    o Azumanga Daioh (1-26) – Not yet.
    ++++ Black Lagoon (1-12) – Thru Ep. 3.
    +++ Daphne in the Brilliant Blue (1-24) – Thru Ep. 4.
    +++ Densha Otoko (Train Man: 1-12) – Thru Ep. 2.
    +++ Eureka Seven (1-50) – Thru Ep. 6.
    +++ Fushigi Yuugi – Season 2 (27-52) – Thru Ep. 27.
    ++++ Fruits Basket (1-26) – Thru Ep. 10 via Netflix. *Active*
    +++ Ichigo Mashimaro (Strawberry Marshmallow: 1-12) – Thru Ep. 1.
    +++ Jigoku Shoujo (1-26) – Thru Ep. 2.
    +++ Jinki Extend (1-12) – Thru Ep. 2.
    ++ Madlax (1-26) – Thru Ep. 4 via Netflix.
    ++ Mars Daybreak (1-26) – Thru Ep. 3.
    +++ Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (1-14) – Thru Ep. 1.
    ++++ Noein (1-24) – Thru Ep. 18. *Active*
    ++++ Planetes (1-26) – Thru Ep. 2.
    o Rozen Maiden – S1 (1-12) – Not yet.
    o Rozen Maiden – Traumend (1-12) – Not yet.
    o Shakugan no Shana (1-24) – Not yet.
    o You’re Under Arrest – S2 (1-26) – Not yet.

post 403 ~ nankurunaisa!

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“saya & hagi” from BLOOD+

 post 403 ~ some random japanese and filipino stuff…

  • BLOOD+ ~ i finished watching this anime a couple days ago… but last night, after burning/archiving the last two episodes 49 and 50 of “BLOOD+” onto disc, i tested them on the big TV like i always do, but then i let myself be transported back to its world by watching parts of them again… such a tearful yet hopeful conclusion…

    in fact, the entire 50-episode series was such an utterly well-crafted and sublime anime, visually, musically, emotionally… so much so that it has become my #1 anime, even above “ghost in the shell” and “wolf’s rain”… and as its overall idea, nankurunaisa! (everything will work out in the end!)

  • visit to my old job ~ yesterday, before work, chatted with vanessa… how she’s still swamped as always, still looking for another job, and how the others are depressed as their boss piles more work onto them… so i decided to visit and maybe cheer them up, despite her “warning” that it wasn’t worth the trip, LOL…

    well, i did, got there at about 10:30am, and the cramped old office has hardly changed, hahaha… kiyomi and don were still there, the main developers who’ve been there since before i started there 3 years ago… plus even more wires, cables and instruments growing on their cubicles!

    hahaha, tried out my japanese with kiyomi… she asked how, and i said tons of anime!… “tadaima” (i’m back!), “baka” (idiot, fool), “itadakimasu” (i will receive! said before meals) and “itekimasu” (i’m leaving, i’m off!) and “ja ne” (see you later!)… so that was fun… talked with the others, how things were going, met the new tech writer (another new one!)…

    when vanessa finally off the phone, we chatted about the upcoming birthday for her soon-6-yr-old son tristan… showed her the ZipZaps radio-controlled matchbox car i was thinking of giving, but she said there were too many parts! and it would quickly get broken! haha… so she suggested a DVD like “curious george” or “cars” or “ice age” or something with dinosaurs or astronomy… typical smart kid!…

    i also pointed out how the others were smiling, didn’t seem depressed, but she said they weren’t trying to be, but you could tell in general… talked about the filipino food planned for the party: “lumpia” (kinda like mini egg rolls), “adobo” (like a chicken stew/gumbo), but LOL, no “balut” (cooked duck embryo still in its eggshell) which i loved as a kid… lastly, i offered to help with any document-related stuff, she could email the office guidelines draft to me if she needed to… and sadly, at about 11:30am, it was time for me to go to work, lol…

  • nankurunaisa! ~ i’ve told vanessa and morgaine how some things seem to be a battle of “guilt” versus “regret”… the “guilt” of NOT doing enough for others… and the “regret” of NOT doing the things you want for yourself… sometimes you can’t let family or friends or bosses or coworkers or others become too much of a responsibility that you feel so guilty not doing things for them… sometimes you gotta live for yourself…

    yeah, easier said than done, but “regret over oneself” can be much WORSE than the “guilt over others”… the key idea is: can you TRUST others to be able to take care of themselves? without having to look over their shoulder?… if you can, then you can smile more easily and happily in life…

    nankurunaisa!… everything will work out in the end!

  • p.s. the “unfair” issue at LasVegasOtaku.org has also been straightened out… just a simple matter of word choice and individual differences in etiquette…

post 400 ~ going all the rei!

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post 400 ~ hey, my 400th post!!!… so below is my second submission to the LasVegasOtaku.org Subarashii blog/zine… or visit the site itself to see the article there… enjoy!

Rei Ayanami from Evangelion. Click to enlarge.		 Preview: Going All the Rei!

If you’re a figure collector, or even if you’re not, you’re probably tired of seeing the seemingly endless versions of Rei and Asuka from the classic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. But that feeling may soon change!

Coming this November, a stunning new GothLoli Rei Ayanami will be available for your collecting pleasure. Sculpted by Suzu (Atomic-bom) and manufactured by Amie-Grand, this eye-catcher depicts a demurely kneeling Rei in a frilly white choker and top, as well as a leathery black skirt and stockings. At an impressively detailed 1/6 scale, Rei kneels at nearly 7-inches tall.

However, the sturdier polystone resin pushes her price to a blue-hair-raising $110-120 USD. Is she worth it? Well, if you’re a die-hard fan of Evangelion, GothLoli culture, or both — and can maybe skip meals for a few weeks — Rei might very well be!

post 396 ~ saber in black!

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“saber” from “fate/hollow ataraxia”
without skirt or sword

with full dress and sword
post 396 ~ saber in black!… yup, last week, received yet another rendition of “saber”… this time, 1/8-scale in her black goth-loli (gothic-lolita) dress… back in march-april 2006, SHE was the first figure i fell in love with, enough to finally BUY, before i ever knew who “saber” was, and before i ever started my figure collection (now numbering 14!!!)