James

[color=#808080]Uhh....hack//SIGN is the final story in the series, so to speak. There is talk of a second season, but I haven't heard anything on it. There is also talk that .hack//DUSK, the manga, will be made into an animated series. But as far as I know, there are no sequels to .hack//SIGN. Only prequels and side stories.[/color]

[color=#808080]Wow. That is absolutely amazing! It was looking great when you showed me your revisions...but all together, it looks fantastic. I think I've found my new wallpaper. lol The only issue I'd take with it would be the right-side glove...I guess I'd like it more if it blended into the darkness rather than cropping sharply. But that's just a personal preference. Otherwise, I'm thoroughly impressed. It's nice to see some really unique and original artwork popping up in this forum lately. ^_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Wow...very bizarre. I really like the variety here. And you've got quite a good variety of expressions on the characters' faces too, which is obviously really important for comic-type characters. My favourite is the guy in the middle, with the big robot. lol [/color]

[color=#808080]Even though you probably did the wrong thing (by going against what your parents wanted you to do), I also think that you were only doing what you felt was good and honest. So I don't think you were [i]too[/i] stupid. ~_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Okay; character list edited again. Welcome everyone. ^_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sara [/i] [B][size=1] It's...colorful. And goofy. Makes me smile. ^_^ ^_^; I don't even know why I made this banner really. I was just looking at a Billy Hatcher image and I felt like making one. It was a totally fast, random occurrance. lol I think I was inspired by an avatar on the Gaming-Age forums, which made me fall out of my chair with laughter. lol...just thinking about it makes me giggle... o_O EDIT: Here it is: [img]http://mywebpage.netscape.com/NumeralOneLoser/makaranim2.gif[/img] The words aren't funny at all in my opinion (I think it's worded badly)...but the image of the character playing the violin...and the closeup. LOL *continues laughing for days on end*[/color]

[color=#808080]If you use an image of that size, OtakuBoards software will simply block it automatically. So it won't work. You'll have to resize the image for it to show up in your siggy. Welcome to the boards, by the way. It seems like you've read the rules...which is good.[/color]

[color=#808080]Here I am again, with a new banner. ^_^; This one's nothing special, but I thought I'd put it up here anyway to show off. It's based on Billy Hatcher & The Giant Egg...which you might know about if you're a visitor to the Nintendo forum. It's a new game by Sonic Team for the GameCube. I like the visual style of it, so I thought I'd make a banner/avatar combo. Besides; it's always good to see a protaganist in a chicken suit. I can support that all the way. :D EDIT: Unfortunately I saved it incorrectly...so the transparency looks a bit bleh. It sucks. I might make another one like it later on. [/color]

[color=#808080]But is it an actual martial art with a real life history or is it something copied from an anime? lol[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Oradriel [/i] [B]Man... everyone takes martial arts that does not involve weapons T_T... guess Kenjutsu isn't as popular as karate, tae kwon do, judo, etc. etc... And digital... isn't judo and jujutsu the same thing? And what is mugendo? mugen = infinity so... way of infinity? dunno -_- [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]What on Earth is "Kenjutsu"? o_O And no, Judo and Jujitsu are no the same, as far as I know. Also, Kung Fu [i]does[/i] involve weaponry. We learned how to use nunchuku (I think that's how you spell it, but I forget...I've always found it to be a confusing word lol) and other light weapons. Of course, you're mostly using them as a kind of tool for balance. You're not [i]really[/i] using them to actually hurt people or something. Besides, who on Earth walks around with ancient Japanese weapons? lol. It's pretty infeasable to use those weapons and to rely on them for personal defense, for the most part.[/color]

[color=#808080]I agree that this is a cool idea. It kills two birds with one stone; you don't need some stupid massive long signature and you also have a banner. Very nice. Oh and -- I didn't make the robot. The image that it was a part of is the one image that I [i]didn't[/i] create, out of all the images I was showing you. The little robot thing (and the character in your avatar) are from Giftpia. But anyway, I really like the banner. It's clever. And I think it shows that your style isn't becoming boring in the least. ~_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Kung Fu is really good fun. And you don't need to be fit to begin; you become fit as you learn it. Kung Fu isn't really about physical strength, either. It's about graceful movement and intelligent response (in other words, knowing how to get yourself out of a situation if you're up against someone much bigger and stronger). I can't speak for karate, because I've never tried it...but I can imagine that various styles have some similarities.[/color]

[color=#808080]Here are a couple of new Mario Kart: Double Dash screens, courtesy of IGN:[/color] [img]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/kartdubbed1.jpg[/img] [img]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/kartdubbed2.jpg[/img]

[color=#808080]I took a few years of Kung Fu, which I stopped because of school commitments. And I took about a year of Ninjitsu; but I stopped that because I wanted to wait until high school was finished before continuing. As it happens, I've never actually returned.[/color]

[color=#808080]Well, Lotus cars do tend to look pretty good (in my opinion) -- and they are a certain type of car. Remember, they aren't meant to be comfortable and luxurious. They are sports cars...they are raw vehicles designed for speed and handling. And on both those counts, they're right up there with Ferrari. Even Ferrari doesn't pile on the luxuries like people may expect.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Nephroxide [/i] [B] I find it boring and frustrating for a minimum pay off. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]But are you really creating art for "pay off"? And what [i]is[/i] pay off? lol I mean, from what I can tell, everyone loves your pixel art. I'd call that a pay off of sorts, I guess. o_O I'm not saying you have to make pixel art if you don't want to (obviously you have to make whatever you're passionate about). I'm just saying that you're [i]good[/i] at it and it'd be a shame to never see anymore pixel art from you again. ^_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Just because of their looks? lol Lotus is a really strong car company. Just try driving the Elan or Elise and you'll change your mind pretty quick. ~_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Wow, what a tough decision. Both images are very high quality. ^_^ I have a bit of an "if" situation here. If the comet tails in Hittokiri's image are produced via some kind of filter/automated effect with little editing...then Kenji's would have to win. I find Kenji's to be the more "outwardly beautiful" image, I suppose. It doesn't depict anything specific -- maybe it depicts the intangible. But if Hittokiri produced those gorgeous asteroid tails by hand...then his art would have to win. I don't really find the rest of it terribly appealing, but the asteroid trails aren't just "trails"...they're very stylized and powerful. I love 'em.[/color]

[color=#808080]This is very good. The purple and grey go together. I don't see any problem with that. I have to agree with Semjaza though; I was really liking your pixel art a lot. It's quite different to anything you've done and it shows that you have a range of skills (and that you're not just a tutorial based artist).[/color]

[color=#808080]A sea of hills lay in front of them, as green and perfectly formed as giant emeralds. But, like much of The World, these hills were deceptive. Shizuko knew all too well. Shizuko and Jet continued walking for several minutes. Shizuko did not speak at all during this time and because of that, she was unwittingly making Jet feel nervous. But Shizuko herself was nervous; she wasn't used to playing with people outside her school. The land ahead was no longer as smoothe as the fields that lay behind. Rather, the trees were thickening and a forest was forming around them. Shizuko paused for a moment, which prompted a confused expression from Jet. "What is it?" he asked. "Engage your enemy radar. I don't like the forest," said Shizuko softly. Jet nodded and followed Shizuko's suggestion. The pair then continued, with Jet leading the way. Jet felt as though it was appropriate to walk ahead of Shizuko; perhaps in order to protect her. This was an instinctive move on Jet's part, as Shizuko's player model afforded the impression of weakness or fragility. But based on player level alone, it may very well have been appropriate for Shizuko to be walking ahead of Jet. The forest closed around them, like gaping arms of darkness. And now they were truly enveloped amongst tree branches and foliage, with only the odd ray of light penetrating the canopy from above. Nevertheless, the pair continued. Shizuko carefully avoided anything that might make her player model dirty, which Jet noticed (and which he was rather amused by). It seemed as though Shizuko was more concerned about getting her dress dirty than fighting monsters. Jet kept his eyes and ears open, focusing on the task at hand. But he could not help but wonder about Shizuko; her quiet yet determined nature was something he had not seen for quite some time in The World. Shizuko didn't seem to be the average teenage player, which prompted Jet to consider that she may very well be a lot older than himself. And with that, he also began wondering about Shizuko's real life persona. The forest's silence was occasionally broken by the sound of foliage under the shoes, or the occasional gust of wind overhead. But Jet felt certain that he could hear something else too. He stopped walking and looked around carefully. Jet turned to Shizuko, who had also stopped. "Do you hear anything?" he asked. Shizuko nodded. "Yes, I do. It's coming from the north." Jet nodded slowly and crept through the foliage with Shizuko in tow. And finally, he saw it; what looked like a large temple made from a deep reddish-brown rock. Its exterior was covered with elaborate engravings. And despite the fact that it was obviously a building, both Jet and Shizuko could not see any obvious entrance. The front of the building featured an enormous wall, which was oddly devoid of any markings whatsoever (unlike the rest of the structure). Shizuko approached it and ran her hand across it slowly. "That's strange," she muttered to herself. "What?" asked Jet from behind her. Shizuko turned around slowly. Her expression was one of absolute confusion. "The wall..." Jet cocked his head, as if prompting her to continue. "I can feel it with my hands," whispered Shizuko. Before Jet could answer, the ground beneath him began to shake violently. Both Jet and Shizuko fell backwards onto the soft grass below. Shizuko's expression remained one of confusion, as she could not feel the grass against her skin; only the temple wall had a definite tangible feeling. Jet stood up quickly and withdrew his sword. He held it up in a fighting stance and scanned the area rapidly. "Come on! What are you waiting for?" he called out. His voice echoed through the forest, but there was no reply. That, and the ground had stopped shaking. Shizuko was dusting herself off, as the sound that both had heard earlier became audible once more. But this time, it was louder. It sounded like a voice. Jet lowered his sword slowly. "What on Earth is that?!" Shizuko pointed to the wall at the front of the temple. And there, Jet saw the source of the noise. The wall was moving. It was rippling as though made of water. Concentric circles snaked their way over the smoothe surface in rhythum, becoming more pronounced and vibrant with each second. And suddenly, the waves toward the center began to move outward like some sort of fist; reaching for Jet and Shizuko. Jet and Shizuko backpedalled slightly, but continued to remain focused on the wall. The fist-shaped burst of water began changing its shape. Shizuko could see arms and a nose and a mouth...a female body, joined to the wall at the waist and reaching out toward Jet and Shizuko. "What the HELL is that?" cried Jet. He needed to make himself heard; the background sounds were increasing in volume. They sounded like a combination of chanting, hissing and violin chords. Shizuko covered her ears, but now she didn't need to; the noise had stopped. The woman in the wall was no longer reaching for them. Instead, she was looking directly at the pair of them. Her eyes shifted back and forth slowly, as though she were suspicious of them both. She appeared to be wearing some sort of odd gown and her hair didn't look like hair; it looked like dozens of human arms lodged directly into her head. But despite her bizarre physical appearance, the woman's face was quite attractive and pleasant. "Who are you?" asked Shizuko boldly. Boldly, because she was horrified of the image before her. The woman fixed her gaze on Shizuko and smiled.[/color][center][i] "I can see you laying there with your hair soaked in blood and a woman crying."[/center][/i] [color=#808080]Shizuko looked at Jet, whose eyes were fixed squarely on the bizarre woman. "What are you talking about?" asked Jet. The woman now fixed her gaze on Jet.[/color][center][i] "I can see you, falling. Always falling. And finally stopping abruptly, with your head and your body no longer connected."[/center][/i] [color=#808080]These cryptic messages made Jet angry. He waved his sword in the air as he spoke. "How dare you! You have no right to say such things! I'm going to fight you if you keep it up!" The woman smiled and closed her eyes. At almost the same exact time, her mouth opened -- and continued opening, forming a long verticle gap which almost touched the ground. As it opened, Jet and Shizuko could see shapes moving around inside. Shizuko took a step closer and saw it; the shapes were human bodies, writhing around in the enormous mouth. Shizuko held her hand to her mouth, as though she were going to vomit. As she did so, the bodies rose up from their fetal positions and reached out for her, emitting desperate cries for help. Shizuko backed away slowly, almost paralyzed with fear. Jet did the same. The enormous mouth returned to its original position and the woman smiled once more. It was a pleasant, comforting smile. And then, as suddenly as she had appeared, she began to receed into the wall from whence she came. It was over. Shizuko sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. She sobbed quietly to herself. Jet knelt in front of her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Shizuko...it's okay," he whispered. "It's over now. Let's go back to the grove and find a third player. Come on...it's just a game..." [i]"Just a game,"[/i] thought Shizuko.[/color]

[color=#808080]Kumomaru, let me point out a few things. Firstly, single word posting is against the rules. And so is double posting. Putting an image in your signature isn't very hard; just follow Sara's instructions. I think we've given you plenty of opportunity to follow the rules, so please...make an effort to do the right thing. Otherwise we will have to ban you.[/color]

[color=#808080]Well, I might as well provide a little update. I've just gotten the Plasma Beam. And I'm still really adoring Metroid Prime. I love the puzzle in the room just before the Plasma Beam -- it's very cool and a lot of fun. Climbing around the wall as a Spider Ball (with all the gaps and stuff) can be very hairraising at times. lol[/color]

[color=#808080]Now, now. I said the red tips are fine; but they look like the hair is dripping with blood. lol So, it's just a matter of blending it in with the rest of the hair. If Sara hadn't included red tips, I may have even suggested them. I think they look good. ~_^[/color]

[color=#808080]I like this one a lot. He looks like an anime Harry Potter type character. o_O I don't know about the red tips. It looks like someone dipped his hair in blood or something. I'm not actually opposed to the red tips as such, but I think that maybe they need to be blended in a little more with the rest of his hair or something. But other than that, it's very nice. Good shape overall and a good sense of tone on the clothing. Great stuff. ^_^[/color]

[color=#808080]You missed Knack the Weasel, I believe. (You know, the guy with the Aussie slouch hat). EDIT: Oops, you did have him there afterall. I saw "Fang" and not "Knack" lol. [/color] [quote][i]Originally posted by Xra:[/i] [b].(sorry if i've offended anyone who likes those shows)[/b][/quote] [color=#808080]You should also apologize for using the word "gay" as a derotagory term. I [i]really[/i] dislike that habit.[/color]