Dagger

Eh. I'm glad they've decided to take the series in a new direction.... but I can't say that I'm incredibly enthralled by the character designs. Do we really need yet [i]another[/i] blond male lead? Van reminds me of both Zidane and Tidus, and Ashe looks no different from Yuna or Rinoa. Well, appearances aren't everything, and at least both of the main characters are skimpily clad (rather than just the female). And it's nice to hear that they've chosen not to let the plot rely on one of the usual cliched love stories. Thank goodness. ~Dagger~

Here's my first and last entry: a Chobits banner, featuring the ever-lovely Chi. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Mitch [/i] [B][size=1] [i]Master and Commander[/i] here. I didn't like it too much. Russel Crowe did a good job, as is expected, but really, the movie was rather characterless, and plotless. The basis of what happened in the movie goes something like this: Guys on ship SS Surprise. Guys on ship SS Surprise are trying to catch ship called Archaeon. Guys on ship eventually meet up with Archaeon. Guys on ship do nothing. [spoiler] Okay, so they do capture the ship...but who cares?[/spoiler] Not to mention it moved [i]so[/i] damn slow. Seriously. I think a snail can make a plot and trail forty times better than this movie was moving. Add to this I cared less for the characters. Add to this it got really absurd at one point, it was to the point where [spoiler]2 characters were being killed off--and only one died[/spoiler], and I laughed because of this. I found it funny how abrupt and stupid the plot shifts were. It was also the most predictable piece of movie. You knew they'd eventually find the Archaeon. So why the hell watch slow-paced nothing just for that? Don't ask me either. Because I know I wouldn't. Some of the scenes were okay, but the entire beef of the movie really didn't make up for this. [spoiler] When the people on the Surprise [i]finally[/i] invade the Archaeon about 2 hours into the movie, then a bloody fight happens. Probably the best part of the whole thing, and still, it was pretty boring. The rest of the movie had bored me to tears as it was.[/spoiler] I don't know Perhaps I just don't like movies like this. It doesn't make you think. At all. Its characters reminded me of a tire--all black and rubbery, and mostly horridly acted. The plot twists reminded me of a too-early ######--it spasmed all over, and didn't taste as good as a long one that was captivating its whole time. Rating: 3.5/10.[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] I completely agree. During the first [spoiler]major death scene, I couldn't even tell who was dying.[/spoiler] Of course, I managed to figure it out eventually, but the director ended up devoting a great deal of drama to a character who, in the great scheme of things, really wasn't all that important. Actually, Master and Commander's main problem was that it lacked any kind of great scheme. The plot just sort of sat there. Even its fights failed to impress me--I'm tired of watching movies that use jerky camera motion and quick cuts to create a false sense of excitement. ~Dagger~

I saw Master and Commander on Saturday night. Perhaps I'm biased, since I really don't like Russell Crowe all that much, but I didn't think it was half so good as the hype had seemed to indicate it would be. The movie just seemed to lack.... a point. Very little happened, and the battle scenes were somewhat anticlimactic. Frankly, I believe that it would have fared much better if there had been at least one or two female characters. As it was, the plot had no direction whatsoever. Meh. Maybe I was just in a bad mood because I didn't get to watch The Matrix Revolutions. Overall: 5/10 ~Dagger~

I really, really love Gravitation's opening and ending songs. From the moment I first heard "Super Drive," I knew I was destined to become a fan of the series. It's extremely happy and uplifting, but doesn't contrast with the show's general mood (like Rurouni Kenshin's "Sobakasu"). Gravi's ending song, "Glaring Dream," always manages to calm me down--which is a good thing, especially since most of its episodes end on huge cliffhangers. ~Dagger~

I just bought the first volume of Demon Diary, and I can't wait to read the next. The series is funny and cute, with loveable characters, stunning artwork, and too many positive attributes to list. I only wish that it was longer--hopefully the next volume will contain more material. My mother is Korean, and since Demon Diary is a Korean manga, she's been translating the backround sound effects for me. I found it interesting that Korean manga doesn't read from right to left; I'm glad that Tokyopop didn't need to flip it, since the artwork is so lovely. The only thing which worries me is that the plot of each volume seems to have been written by a different author. Can any of you comment on this? Er..... yeah. In conclusion, Demon Diary rocks. It was pleasantly surprising that Eclipse turned out to be so [i]nice[/i]--I was expecting him to be a rather Yuki-esque character. ^__^ ~Dagger~

Alright, Belldandy, here's your first banner. It's a little plain. I made it before you returned my PM... so... yeah. Tell me if you want one of Kamui instead, and I'll be glad to make it. EDIT: Sure, Naru, I'll give it a shot. ^__^ ~Dagger~

I'm up for the challenge. ^_~ I've read the first two volumes of Gravitation and skimmed the first volume of FAKE. FAKE's artwork is [i]vastly[/i] better, although I'm not a huge fan of its character designs. However, I've heard that Gravitation's art improves drastically midway through the series, which should be nice to witness. I may be biased, since Gravi's characters are very near and dear to my heart (especially Shuichi-kun ^_^ ). I actually don't think that Yuki and Shuichi are any more predictable than Dee and Ryo; Yuki initially seems to be the typical cold bishounen, but he's really so much more. Same goes for chipper little Shuichi: no matter how much Yuki gives him, he never seems to be truly happy. He hides his fears with false optimism and a carefree attitude. Yuki, on the other hand, manages to remain perfectly calm in almost every situation--and then blows up over the smallest of annoyances. Despite his far superior intellect, he can't comprehend why Shuichi cares for him, and for all his apparent confidence, he knows that he has no idea what love truly is. Gravitation generally seems to be more light-hearted than FAKE.... though things do sometimes get a little angsty. One of my biggest reasons for reading Gravitation is its humor: Maki Murakami is a master of comedic timing. I'm not easily amused, but Gravitation cracks me up every time. That having been said, I'm very interested in reading FAKE, as soon as I manage to get my hands on some cash. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Demon Babe:) [/i] [B]First of all,I've never gotten this much attention on a post I made! (Even though I didn't) See, my sister and I are sharing the username "Demon Babe"and I am the so-called brain of the two of us and her weaker elements are around school so be a little more considerate:(! Beside the point did you happen to notice the time it was posted? 1:30 a.m.! Or around there. My sister's brain kind of falls asleep late at night. By the way she says,"Sorry if I affened anyone when I cracked on Sesshomaru, I was just looking for attention". One more thing, Dagger, you don't have to correct people to make yourself look cool. Sorry if I sound rude, but I am a deffenceive little sister! Demon Babe:) [/B][/QUOTE] I don't need to [i]try[/i] to make myself look cool, darling. It's actually quite effortless. I suppose coolness just comes to me naturally--if only we were all so fortunate. ^_~ All egotistical joking aside, you may want to tell your sister that ranting is not guaranteed to garner her positive attention. On topic: It would be fun to date Noriko (from the Gravitation manga). Okay, so she's a little bit old, but her personality really appeals to me. She's fun, energetic, intelligent, and outgoing. She also has a great deal of musical talent, and something of a penchant for skimpy clothing. I can't imagine ever getting tired of Noriko-chan. ~Dagger~

Ew, no. Asian women generally look terrible with perms (I'm speaking from experience; my poor dear mother once got one). To tell you the truth, most anime characters don't appear to be even [i]slightly[/i] Asian. And I can name plenty of anime females who don't have pin-straight hair. Don't fret about it; few character designs are intended to appear even mildly realistic. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Demon Babe:) [/i] [B]WHAT'S..........WRONG..........WITH...YOU..PEOPLE.? Sesshomaru IS NOT CUTE OR REMOTLY HANSOME WHAT DO ALL OF YOU PEOPLE HAVE HOLES FOR EYES?!!!!!! AM I THE ONLY SANE PERSON HERE,I MEAN THE SO-CALLED MAN WEARS MAKE-UP FOR HEAVEN SAKES HE'S A FRUIT.....A FRUIT I TELL YOU A FRUIT AND HE WOULDN'T GO OUT WITH ANY OF YOU BECAUSE HE ISN'T KIND,HE ISN'T CARING,AND MOST OF ALL HE HATES HUMANS(ecipt Rin) I hate to bother you with my ranting(ok mabe I don't) but I was outraged by the idiosety of more than half of you!! Don't even get me started on Koga and its spelled K-o-g-a not K-o-u-g-a idiots [/B][/QUOTE] I find it slightly amusing that in a rant about certain fans' supposed stupidity, you mispelled several words, including "remotely," "handsome," "except," and, of course, "idiocy." How deliciously ironic. I won't delve into the issue of your numerous grammatical errors, but I thought that I might advise you to focus on better manifesting your own intelligence before choosing to blindly insult the intellectual capabilities of others. The name "Kouga" may be spelled one of two ways: "Kouga," or "Koga." Both are more or less correct. Similarly, "Yusuke" may be spelled "Yuusuke." See my point? No translation is perfect. Why do you find it so offensive that some people think Sesshomaru is attractive? I don't really understand how this small matter could possibly inspire such vitriol. Different fans have different tastes. Honey, didn't your mother ever tell you that diversity is the spice of life? To get back on topic: There are three characters from Revolutionary Girl Utena whom I would very much love to date. 1. Utena: She's beautiful, smart, friendly, and independent. In fact, she's damn near perfect. Not to mention the fact that her boy's uniform is [i]very[/i] cute. 2. Anthy: Some might call her a doormat, but I've always seen Anthy as a very sympathetic character. Sweet and a little bit eccentric, she often goes out of her way to make others feel comfortable. I'd be happy to defend her, knowing that she'd never stand up for herself. 3. Touga: Touga may be the most attractive anime male in existence. He's manipulative, predatory, and more than a little mysterious, but those qualities only serve to add to his charm. ~Dagger~

Heh. There are times when it seems as though [i]everything[/i] causes cancer. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I know little about the potential health hazards presented by diet soda, so all I can do is recommend that you look it up on Google. Sorry. Hopefully, you'll be able to find a few reputable sites which deal with the subject matter in question. I doubt that a true correllation between diet soda and cancer has ever been scientifically established. But then, I could easily be wrong. ~Dagger~

For the briefest second, Anubis seemed almost startled. But then he smiled ruefully and leaned back against the cold stone wall, closing his eyes. "I'm surprised that you can even see them." Leile frowned, uncertain whether she ought to be offended or not. "What's that supposed to mean?" The mage held out his hand, palm upturned, and she saw the black dye crawl across his skin, forming countless graceful shapes and scripts. The motion was almost mesmerizing.... she was so [i]tired[/i]. It would be terribly easy to fall asleep in the dim, flickering firelight, though she feared what manner of dreams might visit her in this haunted city. "I suppose it can't hurt," Anubis said quietly. His half-smile vanished as he spoke. "The tattoos are spells. Because they're engraven into my very body, I've mastered them in ways which I would not otherwise have been able to." Aissa's eyes narrowed. She stared at him, fists clenching in spite of all her efforts, and commanded herself to remain silent. She could challenge him later. It was not a particularly harmful practice, as far as black magic went. But the fact that he had a healer's staff.... [i]What the...!?[/i] One of the tattoos was [i]dripping[/i] from his hands, pouring like liquid onto the ground. It slithered past Leile's feet, heading towards the fire. She didn't even seem to notice. Aissa blinked, confused and more than a little angry. "That's how you make illusions?" Leile asked. "Of course not," Anubis replied, smirking. "That power comes to me [i]naturally[/i]. Now, watch the fire." It hissed, sending sparks dancing upwards through the dark air. All three of them turned to gaze into the crackling flames. "If we're intending to wait here," he continued, "would you care for some entertainment?"

Your banner is really pretty gorgeous. Here's what I'd do: 1. Remove the glowing border/feathering/whatever from the image of Kirika. It makes her seem a little out of place. 2. Either decrease the brightness and increase the contrast of the Naruto characters' pictures, or do the reverse to that .hack//SIGN guy. His hat and hair are so intensely colored that they tend to be a little distracting. 3. Blur the Japanese characters a [i]tiny[/i] bit. The text is nearly perfect; it just needs to look a little smoother. You've done an awesome job. Nice work. ^__^ ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by James [/i] [B][color=#707875]Yubaba: Rhinoplasty. Dragon Ball Characters: A job, so that they stop wasting their time worrying about fighting. D: A very thick glove. Mimiru: A muzzle; her voice in the Japanese version is insanely annoying. That's all I can think of for now. ;)[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Hahaha..... James, you're a riot. ^_~ [b]Shuichi[/b]: A Yuki plushie. [b]Kurama[/b]: A couple of hair-care products, although I'm sure that he already has plenty. [b]Anthy[/b]: Self-defense lessons, and some goddamn confidence. [b]Mikage[/b]: Tickets to a piano concert. [b]Ayato[/b]: A new sketchpad. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by rttocs77 [/i] [B]What does SD mean? Want me to bring 7-13 and the OVAs monday? Are there any other differences in terms of character personalities that you can notice between the manga and the anime? [/B][/QUOTE] Yes! That would be FANTASTIC. ^__^ Hmm.... well, for one thing, the manga contains a [i]lot[/i] more sexual content than the anime. The first volume is listed as 13+; by the second volume, the rating has risen to 16+. Mika (Yuki's big sister) is a lot more aggressive in the manga. She refuses to take crap from anyone. In the first volume, when Yuki uses Shuichi to get her off his back, she becomes absolutely furious and storms off, telling him that she hates him. The same thing happens in the Gravitation anime (during episode 2, I think), but Mika only calls Yuki a fool before taking her leave. Oh, and neko's right about the meaning of "SD." ~Dagger~

I've only seen up until Episode 6..... *sobs* Gravitation is seriously the most addictive show I've ever had the good fortune to watch (thanks, Scott!). I also happen to own the first two volumes of the manga, and can safely say that both are excellent in their own right. I found it interesting how the anime's director chose to portray Yuki; he's a bit softer in the manga, and occasionally even goes SD. neko, is Gravitation really only twelve volumes long? I heard that it's still running in Japan, but that Maki Murakami decided to take a break (of undetermined length) from drawing it. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Kyo no Ryu [/i] [B]Hey Im not trying to start somethin. Im just afraid of what might happen to me if I room with a yaoi NO OFFENSE. N E way, on topic. Id never wanna room with Any Digimon. The big ones would destroy my house and the little ones..... I would grab them by the neck and just not let g until their eyes roll into te back of their head. [/B][/QUOTE] Sigh..... I'll respect mal's wishes by not commenting on that. But so you know, there's no such thing as "a yaoi." I would personally hate to room with Nanami, from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Pretty or not, she just may be the brattiest character [i]ever[/i] created, and I shudder to think of what the show's creator was on when he decided to give her even the tiniest supporting role. .....Then again, I might enjoy having the chance to deal her grievous bodily harm. ~Dagger~

I've always thought that "Crucify My Love" (a song by the wonderful group X-Japan) would be the perfect ending song for Yami no Matsuei. The show's actual ending song, while not inherently bad, has a harsh, guitar-driven sound that really clashes with the beautiful manga stills that are shown during the credits. "Crucify My Love" perfectly embodies the quiet desparation and angst that drive Yami no Matsuei's main characters, Tsuzuki and Hisoka. ~Dagger~

Are you serious? Cartoon Network has bought the rights to Witch Hunter Robin? *cue Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus* That's [i]wonderful[/i]. My faith in CN's judgment has finally been reaffirmed. I'm looking forward to Rave Masters as well, though I don't know much about it. Hopefully, they'll continue to acquire more promising new series. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by vegeta rocker [/i] [B]I mentioned in a poem i posted a few days agao that I used to mutilate myself. Well a friend made me promise to stop and I am having a rather hard time keeping the promise. I can't very well get rid of everything sharp, i go to an art school and constantly use x-acto knives and scissors. So thats out of the question. My question is, if anyone here has done this in the past, how did you stop? And do you really think this is such a big deal? I didn't think so but my friend convinced me it was, i still don't think so. I don't have a disorder, it's just something to do when i get really emotional or angry. So help me out. [/B][/QUOTE] I've had several friends (both male and female) who regularly cut themselves. Some had more serious psychological issues than others, but all were eventually diagnosed as being depressed. Cutting [i]is[/i] a big deal. It's not normal. It's certainly far from healthy. Any kind of self-mutilation serves to indicate that something is seriously wrong. Whether your problems are emotional or chemical (a mental illness would fall under the latter category), you need to stop, and seek help. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're not a medical professional. You can't claim with absolute certainty that you don't have a disorder. Anyway, would it be so terrible if you did? Take your cutting, your uncontrollable emotions, your anger--what if all of that was simply caused by a chemical imbalance, one which could easily be corrected through the proper combination of drugs? I don't envy your friend. It's [i]very[/i] difficult to be close to someone who cuts, or is depressed and suicidal. If you're in a bad mood and say something insensitive, you might inadvertently drive him/her to hurt him/herself. Best of luck with overcoming your habit. Once again, I strongly encourage you to see a professional. ~Dagger~

My family doesn't normally travel for Thanksgiving, but this year we'll be heading to another state in order to meet up with some distant relatives. Although large-scale reunions aren't exactly my favorite social activity, the food more than makes up for it. As holidays go, Thanksgiving is definitely among the more ironic. The European settlers had been starving to death, and were saved only by the Native Americans' generosity. They later chose to reward their benefactors by massacring them and seizing their land. Yes, those pilgrims were shining examples of humanity, neh? I don't usually eat Turkey for Thanksgiving.... my mother prefers to roast a nice brace of ducks. Very delicious. ~Dagger~

I honestly have no idea what to tell you. I'm not very good at being comforting, but I will say this: you're a wonderful person, and I know that you're strong enough to get through this. I'm so sorry. Please PM me if you ever want to talk about it, and in the meantime, just focus on getting through things day by day. Take care of yourself, Amity. ~Dagger~

This is a pretty cool idea, Nate--although it might be easier to judge if you created separate categories for anime, video games, etc. Count me in. ~Dagger~

Very nice. ^__^ Reduce the transparency of the central picture, and your banner will be just about perfect. I do like how Trowa's eyes are visible through Quatre, and vice versa; it's a clever touch that lends an extra bit of meaning to the image as a whole. I absolutely love the Latin text, but the quotes are rather hard to read. Overall, fantastic stuff. ~Dagger~