Dagger

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sweet Pie [/i] [B][COLOR=coral]Dubbing is not that bad, I understand. Come on... Imagine you are the seiyuu and someone else just go there dubbed your voice and [B]HE[/B] instantly become known to the people watching it and not the [B]ORIGINAL[/B] seiyuu. Give them a credit...[/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] I'm confused as to what your complaint is. Could you please clarify for me? Are you saying that dub VAs end up taking the credit which should rightfully go to a series' original seiyuus? If so-- First of all, I've never heard of any case in which a seiyuu was somehow offended or angered by the fact that some non-Japanese fans listened to a dub, rather than his or her acting. English VAs may not always be as good as Japanese seiyuus, but they do the same [i]work[/i], and they, too, deserve credit for that. If not, then I apologize in advance for misinterpreting your argument. ~Dagger~

Eh. I realize that this is all in good fun, but I really don't have much faith in the predictions of kabalarians.com. Anime names are often chosen specifically to evoke a certain emotion, recall an old legend, or to give the viewer cause to make assumptions about a particular character. Take Knives, since he was already mentioned--doesn't his very name imply a certain brutality and ruthlessness? In the show RahXephon, many enemies are called by musical terms (such as falsetto and sforzando). These naturally have something to do with the specific enemy's nature. Likewise, Gundam Wing features numerous characters whose names are related to various numbers (I verified this by way of theOtaku.com ^_^). "Une" means one. "Duo" means two. "Trowa" means three, and so on. Does this shed light upon those people's personalities? Not necessairily, but it makes for some interesting speculation. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Lrb [/i] [B][size=1][color=teal]I still say the first movie they made (instead of Fellowship) should've been The Hobbit. Then continued it from there. So we'd be seeing Two Towers THIS year and Return of the King NEXT year. Besides each movie would have a litle better graphics due to they went ahead one year in the future. ^_~ But that didn't happen so I hope they make The Hobbit a movie. (But real life). -Lrb[/size][/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Actually, all three films were made over the same 18-month period (disregarding a few occasional reshoots in subsequent years). So even if Peter Jackson had decided to make The Hobbit before the LotR trilogy, it wouldn't have had much of an effect on the movies' graphics. Personally, in terms of FX, I'd rather have consistency than visible improvement. Although I'd love to see a film of The Hobbit, I'm afraid that it would seem a little anticlimactic, especially after the splendor of RotK. ~Dagger~

I've only watched four episodes, but Last Exile is already among the best shows I've ever seen. It's a little slow to open up, and its first few episodes focus more on character development than plot advancement. Nevertheless, LE's good qualities by far outweigh these minor complaints. For one thing, LE's music is incredibly good (like Fujimiya mentioned). I'd say that its soundtrack is nearly on par with that of RahXephon, another amazing series. I love the opening and ending songs; they combine techno beats and a rich, medieval sound with beautiful vocals--a very winning combination, to say the least. The background music reminds me strongly of .hack//SIGN's, although I find that Last Exile's music tends to be less repetitive. The visuals are [i]astounding[/i]. I'd advise those of you who are interested in this show to go ahead and see it for yourselves, as my descriptions really can't do it justice. Even CG-heavy battle scenes look magnificient. Last Exile promises to be a truly epic show. I'm a little disappointed that the DVDs are being released on a bi-monthly basis; I don't like having to wait that long in order to get my Last Exile fix. ^_~ ~Dagger~

OOC: Okay, I'm having a little trouble following everyone's posts, so correct me if I say anything wrong. Thanks in advance. By the way, if anyone's looking for information or whatnot, Lavie's shop would be a good place to go. ********************** Lavie sneezed as she stepped into the musty store, but smiled cheerfully as she waved at her employer. She yanked a black cord from her pocket and tied her hair back in a long, neat braid before hanging her jacket over a rickety old hat-stand. "Good morning!" she called. "Any customers yet?" The owner scowled and continued to pore over his calculations. "Not a one, m'dear," he growled, glaring balefully at the empty doorway. "What are you waiting for?" "Right." Lavie saluted cheekily and marched away into the used-books section, sneezing again when the scent of disintegrating pages hit her nose. "Oh my, what a mess." The bookshelves were packed with old volumes of every shape and size. The floor, meanwhile, was crowded with crates of slightly newer manuscripts, and a torn page occasionally drifted through the dust-filled air. Lavie sighed, placing her hands on her hips, and set to work. Over the past few days, she had been attempting to organize all the books alphabetically, but many of them lacked an identifiable author. "Well," she muttered, "I've got eight hours to fix this, and there's no time like the present."

On weekdays, I go to bed at midnight and wake up at around 6:00 in the morning. I usually have enough energy to make it through the day, but there are times when I sleep through classes or skip sports practice because I feel too tired and apathetic. This is, of course, entirely my own fault--after years of fighting with my parents over bedtimes, I'm glad that they've decided to let [i]me[/i] determine how much sleep I get. On the weekends, I tend to stay up later (but not much later than 3:00), and wake up at approximately 8:00 or 9:00. I often have things to do on Saturday and Sunday morning--irritating though that is--and I don't think I'd be capable of sleeping in, after training myself to roll out of bed at 6:00. During the crew season, I have to wake up at 4:00 in order to attend practices at 5:25. So when March rolls around, I'll definitely make an effort to get more sleep. ~Dagger~

Haha, mal--I saw [i]so[/i] much gay subtext in Return of the King. [spoiler]Towards the end, when Frodo was departing for the Gray Havens, I really believed that he was about to kiss Sam. The same goes for Legolas and Aragorn: during Arwen's grand arrival, the first person the camera cut to was Legolas--and because of his attractive silvery clothing, I initially thought he was wearing a wedding dress. Not to mention Pippin and Merry....[/spoiler]^_^;;; But more seriously, I was so happy that Pippin and Merry had their chance to grow and develop. This time around, they were there for more than just comic relief (something which can't be said of poor Gimli). Within the movies, those two hobbits just may be my favorite characters. And Legolas's awesome stunt--obligatory though it was--did indeed rock. ~Dagger~

I'm [i]incredibly[/i] excited about Advent Children, and I do hope it'll provide a satisfactory sequel to one of the greatest RPGs ever made. XxmagentaxX, you mentioned that a Kingdom Hearts anime is currently in the process of being made. As a fan of the game, I'd be very interested in hearing more about this. Could you provide any further information (or perhaps links to some sites)? Had you not said that, Kingdom Hearts would have been my second choice, after Final Fantasy VII. I think it would translate very well to anime form, although I'd hope that the Japanese artists would collaborate with Disney character designers in order to perfect the necessary blend of anime and American animation. In my opinion, the game itself was actually pretty weak, but I loved its characters (and particularly the fact that some of my favorite people from old FFs made cameos). ~Dagger~

Maia bit her lip as she watched Serrac walk away across the deck. "At least it'll give us something to think about," she said quietly. Luthian glanced down at her, mildly surprised. She sounded oddly subdued--more so than he would have expected, even in the aftermath of Serrac's revelations. "Yes, it'll certainly do that." "This may end up sounding a bit stupid," Maia continued hurriedly, jumping on his words. "But after what he told us, I think it'd be best if I didn't keep it to myself." Shrai'i calmly scanned the horizon, her eyes sweeping the glittering sea as she spoke. "Care to explain?" The redhead's coat had been tied firmly around her waist, but she now undid its sleeves and rummaged about within the heavy folds of fabric until she produced her rather battered sketchbook. "I drew this from a dream," she said reluctantly, flicking through the sheets of paper until she landed upon a dark charcoal drawing, one that consumed the entirety of two pages. Luthian glanced curiously over Maia's shoulder. "A dream? Hey, that looks almost like--" "Ma'Uriith," Shrai'i cut in. Her lips tightened as she stared at the sketch; the formerly elegant buildings were caught up in what seemed to be a veritable inferno, captured so skillfully that the flames seemed to shift beneath her gaze. ***************** OOC: A short post, yes, but I really wanted to hurry up and show my continued support for this RPG.

I haven't seen Outlaw Star in several years, so I don't remember it very well. I do recall liking the show, and Gene in particular; it's easy to follow and provides a good combination of action, comedy and romance. At the same time, Outlaw Star adheres too closely to many anime stereotypes--the fact that its main characters are planet-hopping bounty hunters naturally leads one to compare it to Cowboy Bebop. Outlaw Star ends up looking less than stellar when contrasted with such a skillfully done show. But it's nevertheless a fairly good example of the space opera genre, and I really enjoyed watching its love story unfold. ~Dagger~

Hittokiri, it's hard for a person not to take offense when you say that their work is terrible. ^_^;; Anyway, Legacy, I like your poem's concept. It's rather amusing to imagine how all the different Final Fantasy characters would interact, and some of the situations that you described are really quite cute. However, I'd recommend establishing a more rigid poetic meter, so that the individual stanzas flow more easily. Also, the various "hey!"s are unnecessary; they only serve to distract from the rhyme scheme. ~Dagger~

Karma, all of your remarks about my last poem are completely spot-on. I'd noticed the same problems, but couldn't quite put them into words. It made me very happy that you commented--I've read your reviews of other people's work, and you always manage to come up with really insightful observations. I try to vary the style in which my poems are written; I suppose that my "voice" (or whatever one would call it) comes out more easily in prose, so I do most of my experimentation in the form of poetry. [b]Song for a Miner[/b] The pulse of hammers pounding is A drumbeat in my coursing blood. So I invoke the dreaded flood? Rain down and melt this land of mine To barrenness and purity, Erase my love and wash it clean as Snow from azure skies unseen. ~Dagger~

No matter how the series turns out (although I certainly hope that I'll like its ending), I think I'll believe it to have been worth my money. I just finished watching the fifth DVD, which contains episodes 17-19. Episode 19 was quite simply the most beautifully scripted and directed segment of any anime I've ever seen, except perhaps for the half-hour OAV [i]Voices of a Distant Star[/i]. [spoiler]I had [i]not[/i] been expecting Hiroko or Mamoru to make a comeback, and it really threw me off to see that their blood had turned blue. Even when I think I have it all figured it out, RahXephon manages to remain thoroughly unpredictable. Hiroko's final words were so painful, and so incredibly powerful; I can't even imagine where Ayato got the strength to stand up and walk away from her fallen body. That episode begins calmly and slowly and then builds to a very tense, dramatic climax. I was extremely impressed by the skill with which it had been crafted. I also can't imagine that RahXephon will have a happy ending. It seems virtually impossible, especially since there are only six episodes left.[/spoiler] ~Dagger~

mal, I can almost guarantee that you'll love RotK. My only advice is to go ahead and be excited--but try to keep your expectations from soaring [i]too[/i] high. After all, isn't it better to be pleasantly surprised (rather than simply satisfied)? Charles, as a fan of the books, I felt gratified that Peter Jackson decided to follow each character's individual story to its finish. At the same time, there were several moments at which the movie could have come to a natural finish [spoiler](especially after Frodo and the elves sail off into the sunset)[/spoiler], and yet didn't. But this is really a very small complaint, and like you, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Return of the King. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by MillieFan [/i] [B]What do people think here about Milly/Meryl as a pairing? I mean, I've seen it written a few times, really well (an old fic by "Ang Griffen" called "Elaboration On A Ballad") and so bad it almost made me throw up (almost all the other times). I honestly think it *could* work, however I'm not a really big shoujo ai fan as a woman so. . . [/B][/QUOTE] I'm a girl, and I like shoujo-ai...... ;P Anyway, I think that they would make an adorable couple. Trigun's unique charm lies mostly in the way that its characters play off of one another. Milly and Meryl's slightly dysfunctional friendship exemplifies this quality perfectly--although their conversations are usually more humorous than serious, I can definitely see their easy rapport evolving into love. Plus, they'd look really cute together. ^_~ If you think about it, Milly/Meryl is a fairly realistic pairing. The two women are already best friends, and they clearly trust in and care for each another. Milly's main love interest [spoiler]dies[/spoiler], while Meryl's is destined to [spoiler]outlive her by several centuries (at the very least).[/spoiler] So there's really nothing keeping them from getting together. ~Dagger~

Mitch, out of all your poems (well, out of those which I've had the opportunity to read), "Fog" is definitely my favorite. I can't quite say why, but it has a certain soft, sorrowful beauty that I find really appealing. Anyway.... Gentle contradiction-- That's what a woman is, courtesy and hands clasped behind her back. Gentility in her kisses, her cool and conscious eyes, her innocuous smile. Kill me kindly, Kate, it's not as though I know you. It's not as though-- Gentle interruption, skin against skin, a knowledgeable touch arm-in-arm with feigned innocence. That's what she is; that's what I've gleaned from veiled lashes and the obscurity of silence.

Teammayhem, I've always thought that the Trigun theme song sounds rather Aerosmith-esque.... I suppose it's just something about its guitar riffs. Although the Trigun OP isn't one of my favorites, I appreciate the fact that it's almost purely instrumental. The vast majority of anime opening and ending songs feature some form of vocal work. While singing is all and well, it isn't necessary, and I often grow tired of hearing the same voice each time I sit down to watch a particular show. ~Dagger~

I would personally love to see Final Fantasy VII made into a twenty-six episode anime show. Although this would probably never happen, I'm sure that such a show would have a built-in fan base, not to mention an obscenely large budget. I've always felt that the game's second and third discs aren't nearly so well plotted as its first, so it'd be nice if its storyline was expanded. Final Fantasy VII has many of the elements of a great anime: drama, a compelling and interesting premise, action, and engaging characters. Although some of these characters aren't very well developed during the actual game, they're certainly well-loved, and--if properly done--a TV series would give them their chance to shine. Okay, so my last statement ended up sounding incredibly corny, but you know what I mean. ^_~ ~Dagger~

I've already been to Return of the King (it was fantastic!), but I'm planning on seeing it at [i]least[/i] two more times. Since The Last Samurai has such gorgeous cinematography--not to mention Tom Cruise--I might also want to watch it in theaters again. Although I'm not entirely sure when Cold Mountain (starring Nicole Kidman and Jude Law) is supposed to be released, I'm certainly interested in seeing it. I never got around to reading the book, so I may force myself to do that first. ~Dagger~

It's great that you want to improve. Here are some tips: 1. If it's at all possible, try to avoid stretching or distorting the stock images. Banners are much more attractive when everything seems to be in proportion. Rather than attempting to include the entire original picture in your banner, crop it--or at least reduce the resolution so that it ends up being smaller. 2. I like the fact that you try to make creative borders, so keep up the good work. 3. Anti-alias or blur your text. The fonts that you've been using appear very jagged, and this distracts the viewer's attention from the actual banner. This is especially true of your recent AMG banner; the rough-edged words simply don't look right against such a soft, pretty background. Just remember--the more banners you make, the better you'll get. ~Dagger~

Teenage characters? Oh, I usually make them very tall and slender--shoujo-esque, in other words. Here's a super-quick (albeit slightly bizarre) headshot that I had to draw for a French project. My goal was to make the guy look old, gaunt, and mildly glum, which is why I put a modified version of Picasso's "Tragedy" in the background. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Fujimiya [/i] [B]Talk about shoujo revolution. It's quite ironic in my opinion. All the show justifies is the impossibility of such a revolution. Look at her pink hair for goodness sakes. Japan has yet to see a real "femme forte" (strong woman for those that don't read French). But hey, at least she's hot! (Ok ok...fans don't kill me ;P) [/B][/QUOTE] Oh, no worries. I'm not going to kill you. ^_~ I [i]am[/i] curious as to what Utena's pink hair has to do with her strength (or lack thereof, depending on one's opinion). In Revolutionary Girl Utena, pink hair isn't solely a feminine characteristic--I believe that a major male character in the second arc (which I haven't seen yet, so I may be incorrect) has similarly colored hair. If you meant that her hair color is simply unnatural and you were presenting it as an example of the show's surrealism, well, the vast majority of anime (not to mention fantasy in general) is far from realistic. By what standards do you judge strength? Utena clearly possesses the physical fortitude to out-fence older and more experienced swordsmen. I would argue that her unflagging determination to become a prince and to defend the weak shows that she is also mentally strong. ~Dagger~

Lying in darkness, so deep in bed, he wished that he'd never sat up other nights staring blank-eyed at the ceiling as his lips caressed the sweet syllables of her name. She was not worth the desperate ache, his hard-won battle, or even the poignant beauty he had learned to perceive in sorrow. Perception is everything--no, perspective-- it was hard to pluck clear thoughts from the mess she'd left within his head, a dire mishmash that now amounted to nothing but wishful thinking and apathy.

Actually, many of the newer anime series and OAVs sport some pretty impressive animation. Only Last Exile's animation might truly be classified as cinema-quality, but other recent shows--such as RahXephon--are nevertheless far more attractive and dynamic than older works. OAVs in general tend to be very well animated. For example, take Read or Die, a three-episode OAV. It's a little short on plot, but it manages to incorporate a decent amount of character development, and its action sequences are pure eye candy. This title is definitely worth owning, if only for its quirky, visually enthralling fight scenes. ~Dagger~

duorocks17, [spoiler]Eowyn fought the Witch King of Angmar[/spoiler]. Yeah, that scene was pretty darn awesome. [spoiler]I agree with you about Pippin. It made me incredibly happy that they were able to incorporate some singing into the film, since songs are featured so prominently in Tolkien's books. I was quite relieved to see that they didn't botch it. Billy Boyd's voice is simply gorgeous. I also enjoyed the part where Aragorn sings--I'm not sure whether the vocalist was actually Viggo Mortensen or not, but either way, that scene was really effective.[/spoiler] Return of the King wasn't that much longer than FotR or TTT, and yet it felt so much grander in scope. Did anyone else get the sense that it seemed to encompass far more material than either of the previous movies? ~Dagger~