Kaze

It took twenty minutes for me to remember my log in and email, and I forgot what I was here for...

Been playing the Japanese version on/off, since its release in Japan. It's my favorite Versus game, I'd still be playing it if I had ARCADE STICKS FOR MY WII. But they're so difficult to get at stores. When my old roommate and I went out to get some sticks a while back, we visited four or so game stores. I think I got the bad end of that deal however, when we parted ways, he got the sticks. I really wish I had taken one... I haven't even dabbled in TvC besides training mode one time in these past two months, but I'm eager to see it released stateside. I'll finally have more people to play with, even if Karas will forever be broken. My favorite combination was Saki (the armored girl with the large rifle), and Jun the Swan.

I couldn't think of anything for my 100th post.....so.....I......puppies.

While I don't exactly have a comfort anime, I've found that watching Millennium Actress tends to raise my spirits randomly. I've watched it several times with different people, so it's probably my memories of watching with good friends and/or my sister that perk me up, as much as the film itself that make me consider this as a comforting anime to settle down with. Nothing else really comes to the surface for me.

[quote name='Kaze']Started watching [b]Mamono Hunter Yohko[/b], [b]Moihime Musou[/b], [b]Slayers Revolution[/b], and still need to finish [b]Blue Drop[/b].[/QUOTE] I haven't actually watched anything, or progressed any further in these series I mentioned last post. Instead, I randomly watched [b]Princess Tutu[/b]. I was just lounging at home, and thought "holy crap, I should really watch Princess Tutu". I just recalled watching the very end of the series at Otakon a couple years back with my buddy, and thinking how weird and interesting it was. Mind you, we walked in on the last disc, and didn't realize it untill I looked it up on Wikipedia (I brought my laptop into the Video Room...yeah, I looked up the anime while watching it. I'm one of [b]those guys[/b]). I appreciated this unique approach towards magical girl shows, it was kind of a refreshing change of pace for me. I enjoyed the music, the storybook approach towards progressing events, and the ballet dance-offs (wtf).

I wanted to, but he refused to give it to me. I don't think he found it as funny as me, ohhhhh well.

I hadn't been watching much anime recently, so the past week I've been going on a rampage playing catch-up. Just finished [b]Now and Then, Here and There[/b] - Totally did not expect the level of harshness that was in this anime, I was sucked into the story throughout. Wish it were more than thirteen episodes. Finished [b]Shoujo Kakumei Utena[/b] - Probably my favorite shoujo anime now. Just because of the state of startled bewilderment I was left in, after watching the show, and the movie (should not have watched the movie immediately after....). Watched [b]Black Lagoon: Second Barrage[/b] - It'd been a little while since I watched the first half of [b]Black Lagoon[/b], so watching [b]Second Barrage[/b] totally reaffirmed my love for this series, and blew me away. I am in love with these characters. Watched [b]The Sky Crawlers[/b] - Not much to say, movie is gorgeous, and I enjoyed the story. Want it to come to the U.S. soon, so I can watch it in theaters, and buy the DVD post-haste. Started watching [b]Mamono Hunter Yohko[/b], [b]Moihime Musou[/b], [b]Slayers Revolution[/b], and still need to finish [b]Blue Drop[/b].

I've owned the movie for a while now. I wasn't pleasantly surprised by how good it was, since I'd already heard plenty of positive feedback. I like the characters, and it's a pretty simple, and heartwarming story, with a solid ending. I'm definitely satisfied with my purchase. It's kinda funny though, on the day I bought this film, my friend ended up buying it for me as well and presented it to me on the same night. Simultaneous face palm.

Oh yeah, I really like Uninstall, she also does the ending theme Vermillion; she has a good voice. The tone of her songs definitely fit the anime in a fashion. Also, I can totally understand not being in any sort of hurry to watch something like this, Bokurano was on my list of anime for a while before I got around to it. It just doesn't have that look about it that grabs your attention enough to wanna check it out I think, but once you sit down and watch a couple of episodes (or just the first) you'll almost definitely get sucked into the story.

Just started reading Robert Jordan's [b]The Wheel of Time[/b] series. Finished [b]The Great Hunt[/b] a little over a week back, and am working my way through [b]The Dragon Reborn[/b] at the moment. I'm very much enjoying these novels, since I've been looking to get into a nice long series for a while now, and the WoT books meet my requirements perfectly. Other books I've read recently, or am waiting for follow-ups in the series on are [b]The Twelve Kingdoms [/b] (Fuyumi Ono) - [b]The Vast Spread of the Seas[/b]. This is the third novel in the series, out of six, but I have to wait for it to come to the US. It'll probably be a while before I can finish this series since the books need to be translated, but I'm looking forward to it. [b]Harry Potter[/b] (J.K. Rowling - books 5-7) - I finished the last few just before I started on WoT, and really enjoyed the read.

I never hear anyone talk about [b]Bokurano[/b], and none of my friends (all of whom watch anime), seem to know a thing about it. It began broadcast in Japan in 2007 I believe, and focuses on fifteen or so rapscallions on a school trip. To summarize, they are tricked into a contract which forces them to pilot a giant machine (which they label "Z-Earth"), to combat gigantic robots from another world (Evangelion). [spoiler]After the first battle, kid #1 abruptly drops dead as they are celebrating their victory, and they discover that after each battle; the pilot chosen for said battle will die. Win or lose. And if they refuse to pilot, it's game over for everyone.[/spoiler] It's not amazing, but Bokurano does a very good job of delving into the lives of these kids, and how they try to deal with their increasingly bleak situation. It's a grim series, and I personally enjoyed watching it a fair amount. - Another series I don't hear much about is [b]Neo Ranga[/b]. Another sorta-mech anime. Sorta, because it's more of an ancient monster than a machine. This show follows the three Shimabara sisters, who live together, with the eldest being the breadwinner. Everything's all peaceful until a young boy, from a South Pacific island called Barou visits them, and informs them that their long lost older brother (who vanished years before), has passed away. They are understandably shocked when they hear their brother married into the royal family of Barou, before he passed; and more when they find out that they are the new rulers of the island and have inherited a gigantic god. This show revolves around the conflict between the Shimabara sisters and the Japanese government, as tensions rise in Japan as citizens understandably fear the appearance of an 18 meter tall monster of unknown origins. It also focuses on their attempts to cope with their new kingship, the fact that the government is out to get them and their pet mech-monster, and how best to go about trying to fix their suddenly crumbling lives. I bought this a about year ago when it was released on DVD, here in the US, without knowing a single thing about. But I gotta say I really like this anime, and am glad to own it.

[b]Ranma 1/2[/b] - I'd [i]wuv[/i] to see a new version of Ranma. There's still plenty of material from the manga, that never got animated. Lots of good stuff, they never saw fit to add. They might work best as OVAs.... the Musk storyline, Yama Sen Ken/Umi Sen Ken storyline, the Phoenix people (why was this never animated?). They would all make great OVA episodes. They'd have been better ideas for movies than [i]Nihao My Concubine[/i] and [i]Big Trouble in Nekoron, China[/i]. The whole Herb storyline could've been a movie easily. I just miss Ranma ;_;

One of the first anime I can recall watching on cable years back. I remember when I saw it one morning, and I was like "guy with a bokken? **** yes! I am so there". After that I was like, "[i]glowing[/i] guy with a bokken? I wasn't serious last time, but this time I'm totally gonna be there". I think it still stands up as a solid watch after all these years. Certainly re-watchable for me.

Currently watching ~ Revolutionary Girl Utena (why have I never watched this crap? Old shoujo is so beastly...). It's one of those freaky looking old anime, with the complicated characters and plot that I never bothered to look into, until recently. Cross dressing? Girls that turn into cows? Swordfights with semi lesbian car racing interspersed in between? I'm glad I decided to watch. Haruhi (2009) - took a break at Endless Eight (....), intend to continue whenever. Though I love Haruhi. I even have the first novel (waiting on second novel to come out in hardcover). I even watched two episodes of Endless Eight, knowing full well that I was stupid. Now and Then, Here and There - I'm really getting into these older shows again. Though '99/2000 isn't too old, comparatively... Boy is spirited away to alternate universe of some sort after meeting freaky looking girl, and this new world he finds himself in has a massive shortage. Said world is at war because of said water shortage. I was really surprised at how relentless this anime is randomly. Good story, and I was more impressed because there was no previously existing manga for it to draw from. Looking forward to not being too lazy to finish watching. Blue Drop - Girl is shipped off to fancy all-girls school in Nowhere-ville, hates it, makes enemies with the most popular girl ever, and suddenly weirder things begin happening at an alarming rate. I liked how it started, and then said-weird things occur, and I kinda quit watching it. [Spoiler]The moment she meets miss-perfect, it seems like a beautiful friendship in the making, and once the girls shake hands; miss-perfect has a vision and starts choking her....lol what. Then our heroine tries telling people she was assaulted and everyone basically goes "nonsense, playa." And then the alien crap starts happening. Lesbian aliens!"[/spoiler] I'd like to finish watching it soon, just had to take a break because I was caught off guard. There's more, but my linux keeps crashing on me so I need to fight my laptop and not post for another year.

Otakon was pretty crucial last year. I just wish I had been able to do more.....all my friends were doing different things. Got torn between those things (even missed the Masquerade!) >.>. I'll make up for it at Ota'09~!

[font=Times New Roman]Currently watching.....[b]Mnemosyne[/b]. Story revolves around two immortal females (omg...what were their names?), running a little private investigation business. They're basically doing their own thing, solving their Scooby doo mysteries and mixing it up with the gangs that always seem to have invested interest with their clients. Speaking of cases, this is the most careless protagonist I've ever seen. She's like ergh I'm immortal! Guess I'd better just prove it by taking every bullet I can manage for absolutely no reason, though I totally have these badass fighting skills with my throwing knives, gotta keep my exp low so I don't level up. And she also has random lesbian moments with her partner who is immortal, but looks twelve. [Spoiler]And apparently the arch-nemesis of the immortal types (who can only be female) are creatures called Angels (all males). Immortal women are inexplicably drawn sexually to Angels, who are kinda like "heh heh heh" as they rub their hands together and reel them in. THEN EAT THEM. That last sentence wasn't meant to be in caps. But why backspace?[/spoiler] I definitely don't have a very solid view on what's transpiring, since I only watched two episodes. I'm taking my time, what with this being such a short anime. Currently reading.....[b]Crest of the Stars: Return to a Strange World[/b]. Third installment of a three part novel series by Mr. Hiroyuki Morioka. This series of novels spawned a manga ([b]Banner of the Stars[/b]) and anime ([b]Banner of the Stars[/b]). I haven't read the manga, and only saw like the first three episodes of the anime. However, that is because I'm awesome and decided to start with the books. And these are like BOOKLETS man. Each one is no longer than a manga (192-200). But they're very entertaining reads. The back and forth between the protagonists Jinto and Lafiel is awesomely funny to me. Also, the creator put an amazing amount of work and detail into the structure of the language that was constructed for this world. Also reading.....[b]Ressentiment[/b]. Going into this manga. I was kind of terrified. Feeling that trepidation 'cause the art was too raw and unrelentingly harsh. I'm almost done with this sucker now, and I'm not quite sure what to think of it yet. But it's without hesitation the harshest suckerpunch look at fandom I've seen, very amusing indeed. I don't have a lot to say on this anyhow, because I don't really want to talk about such a vastly terrifying work. Just finished - [b]Hatenko Yugi[/b] (ballin'), [b]Hajime no Ippo[/b] (eagerly anticipating continuation), [b]H2O: Footprints in the Sand[/b] (still going WTF), [b]Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed[/b] (quality story) Still working on - [b]Revolutionary Girl Utena[/b] (halfway done! Episode 21), [b]Mai-HiME[/b] (just started, might finish?), [b]Boogiepop Never Laughs[/b], [b]ToHeart[/b] (I love shoujo) Starting to read - [b]Tenjho Tenge[/b] (watched all of the anime, just started manga where it leaves off), NANA (when I buy more...doin' this legit) Sorry for typos, not really paying attention to typing.[/font]

Yeah, I'll miss Falcon kick recovery. What I'll really miss though is moonwalking. >.> I hope there are a bunch of neat little tricks to discover in Brawl as was the case with Melee.

Played this around a week ago.....I'm looking forward to it. I don't like that Jigglypuff's rest is weakened. When I used it in a match the person I hit survived it, partially because it's weaker and also because DI is easier in this game. I killed someone off the top with an up-air>rest at the start of a match though. It was hilarious. I also don't like that Falcon's knee is changed. The sweet spot is so difficult to hit now, that the main reason he was awesome is gone. I pulled off one actual knee in the span of an entire match. But it sure was cool. I'm looking forward to Brawl tournaments though. This game's already going to be broken.

I don't really have any merchandise beyond DVDs and manga. >_> I have a small figure from the Grow Lanser series that my sister gave me (kinda neat, I actually want the games now...). That's about all. Though this weekend I am attending Katsucon, so I will most likely be buying some things. Probably just more DVDs. >_> I'd really like some artbooks.

Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi ~ I didn't really start this too long ago, but I'm already up to episode forty six. I really enjoy the comedy, that mixed in with the martial arts kind of brings me back to Ranma 1/2. Couldn't stay away from this. It's like Ranma Saotome if he were a coward! Bokura no ~ Well, I WAS watching this. But I haven't seen a new episode in a while (on episode thirteen). I like how twisted it is. I'm assuming the manga is better though, so that's what I wanna get my hands on. School Days ~ This was recommended so I took a look today, and I'll most likely be watching more. Naruto ~ I feel really guilty watching this, because it's rapidly becoming crappier and crappier. But two of my friends watch it and every time they're together, they talk about it, so I went ahead and started myself on this. After catching up to the current episodes I very much regret ever starting. Neo Ranga ~ I own this one for no particular reason, and I pretty much watch one disc every few months? >_> Hikaru no Go ~ I started with the manga like, as soon as Shonen Jump brought it to the U.S., then started the anime this year....months ago; and haven't finished yet. Hey though! It made me start playing Go (sometimes)! That's like the point of the series. Which is all that matters. >_> Lovely Complex ~ Well, I got to episode ten, and then...stopped. >_> It was very funny, but for some reason I quit watching it. Kashimashi ~ I was watching this, then, I wasn't. Nothing against it, but I randomly switch anime. A lot. Akagi ~ Kinda sorta watching this. Air ~ It's On Demand, so I've been watching when they release a new episode. Even with dub I like it. Innocent Venus ~ Same as above. Future viewing: Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu? ~ I feel odd about waiting so long to buy this, since I've owned the first season for a...while now. Also have to buy The Second Raid. (Ranma 1/2) Big Trouble in Nekoron, China ~ Haven't seen it, I've just been waiting to buy it and I will by next week. (Ranma 1/2) Nihao My Concubine ~ Same as above. Crest of the Stars ~ I've seen like...the first few episodes, I think the first two discs of the series at my friend's house. I'll have to see the rest sometime. Hajime no Ippo ~ Never seen it, I'm gonna just buy the whole thing someday and then watch it. Sometimes I do that. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo ~ Gonna have to randomly buy it some day. Tenchi Muyo! (second half of the OVAs) ~ I just have to buy this someday. It's my pretend goal in life to own it. Moonlight Mile Lucky Star Mushishi I think that's it.

I'm not gonna look at that youtube video. >_> But I definitely want to see this. Sounds amazing. If I could watch it in theaters I'd be happy.

One time, on a trip to North Carolina with my friends, the trunk would not stay closed. It was decided that two of us would lay halfway in the trunk and hold it down until we got something to keep it relatively shut. We watched Strawberry Panic on my laptop for around an hour, so I can say it's a good distraction if you're ever...holding a trunk closed in a car and your arms are freezing.

[font=Times]So yeah...I just got in on this crazy convention thing. Last year was my first, Otakon. Amazing fun, went with my sister since it's held one bus trip from us every year (just didn't attend in previous years...). I'm not going to lie, I REALLY feel like a diaper head not having been to Otakon before 2006... When I live in Baltimore. >_> Last month or so I attended Katsucon in DC, but could only make the last day, good times though... I will be at Otakon in July and it'd be cool to meet OtakuBoards people; ignoring the fact that I've been on/off lurking for years. [/font]

[font=Times]I want to see this... But not until I can view it all at once. I have this problem, where I cannot watch a series if I don't have every episode of at least its first season (or in the case of an OVA: the entire OVA series). I need closure. My buddy has the first episode if I remember, and I smacked him in the face for suggesting that I watch it. >_>[/font]

[font=Times]They're both serious concerns, but I'd rather cure cancer. The idea behind solving hunger is much more simple (even if it has not been addressed very well at this point), so if I could magically cure one of those two problems; it'd be the more difficult of the two. Would you rather Manually turn a cow (with mad cow disease) into a hamburger, then be forced to eat every single burger/and/or food product you were able to make from its body Or Eat a hobo that just ate a sewer rat....in front of you[/font]