The first time I knew about the word was probably at the beginning of my anime adventure when people were discussing the anime Kodomo no Jikan. I thought, basically, it meant you liked little girls. Not my cup of tea, but well, I’m not religious or concerned with morals, so whatever floats your boat.
However, from that time on I’ve seen the definition of loli vary very much, something like the word tsundere.
But from that more narrow definition of “loli” as similar to the girls in Kodomo no Jikan, which can be to some extent morally questionable -at least if you are interested in morals – I am not-, you see that often “loli” means the “youngest girl in a show” or “younger than the main character”. Sometimes even weirder when Haruhi declares Mikuru to be a “loli” character although she has nothing I think that would make her a loli. Not even her personality should have anything to do with that. That is, while often the term “loli” is approached from almost the realm of the law -above all if you live in the US! (beware)-, which clearly admits no relative terms, this word is very, very vague. And I don’t meant the old trick of “she’s 18“
For example, in Minami-ke the “lolis” were Chiaki and her friends (11). In Clannad, however, the “loli” is Sunohara Mei, 13. Tabitha from Zero no Tsukaima is like 15 but defined as loli by some. Is the upper limit 15? 14? 13? 9? According to Haruka from Kanamemo, 15 (again notice the difference between the relative usage of it and the clear-cut definitions of some)
In Bakemonogatari we have 2 lolis: Mayoi and Nadeko (in fact it is Nadeko who inspired me to write this post)
Personally, I’m not interested in a 9 year old like Kokonoe Rin. But I find Nadeko hot. There’s a world of difference between Rin and Nadeko, I think. And although as a true otaku I don’t hold much interest in the 3D world, I must point out that in countries like Japan or Spain Nadeko or Mei are legal!
The scene and sentence that must have sold tens of thousands of DVDs
It’s not that I feel bad about reacting to Nadeko like Ararararagi and Kanbaru. Puh-lease. I’ve got no morals. It’s just words like “lolicon” (ロリコンa Japanese portmentau: lolita + complex) has negative connotations (a complex, an illness, something unnatural) while let’s face it, any male, as the Japanese euphemistically would say “healthy” (健康, meaning “having sexual desires”) wants a young (but beign able to bear offspring), healthy female so that his genes can triumph over the rest, to conquer and dominate.
Beginning where we were left off, The groups in the tunnel, Al’s a mess, parts fell of. May Chang figures something up, places all the files and makes a circle, Al tells them to connect the dots.
Kimberlee enters the tunnel, encounters Pride.
In a town, where Hohenheim is staying….And he was begging for food. Women takes him in, leaves using alchemy and heads down a tunnel. sees a track and lurking there was Pride. Who chases him.
Pride and Hohenheim have a little conversation, ends with father saying hohenheim.
Briggs is getting bombarded.
Next EP: something BIG is going to be dropped on EP 43… marcoh going to die?
Pictures: Where does this piece go? Finished! Play Connect the DOTS! Pride Back off! One piece away
Anime fans, movie goers and lovers of good food gather ’round for this tale of epic proportions! Well, it’s not that huge but it is something big for us local yokels.
FUNimation has announced that it has partnered up with Studio Movie Grill to bring to you, every second Tuesday of the month, Anime on the big screen!
Now, you don’t have to be otaku to understand what this means and to top it off: It’s free!
Great food, great entertainment and affordable prices. Yes, that sounds like a great idea!
I hope this appeals to you but as a bonus, and because I love both FUNimation and SMG, I’ll even let you check this out in case you missed it or didn’t care to look.
There’s a certain anime series from a few years back that I’ve been wanting to see turned into a live-action film. Whispers of an adaptation have surfaced now and again, but nothing concrete has ever come out of the rumour mill. (There was something a few months ago . . . nah, let’s not bring that up again, probably just another disappointment in the making.) Deprived of a real-world silver-screen version, from time to time I’d simply dive straight into the depths of my own imagination and conjure up images of what the film might look like, and play them at will in the world’s best theatre – the one sitting inside my head.
Naturally, I’d need an appropriate soundtrack playing in the background to complete the experience. For this, I turn to the limitless gold mine of AMVs on YouTube.
Here’s a selection of the pieces I usually listen to when “watching” the film. Ignore the anime/games featured in these AMVs – they have little or no relation to the series I have in mind. It’s the music that’s important.
This one is for the movie teaser.
This is for the first of the major battle scenes in the film.
This is for another combat scene – more a dogfight, actually.
This one doesn’t form a part of the film’s imagined soundtrack – but I’d use it to “create” an AMV featuring a coronation scene. (The one I have in mind is far removed from the one in the original anime series, though.)
Now for a few vital statistics. Language: Latin, with a few instances of written Greek. May be shown with subtitles. Will never be shown dubbed. Length: Approximately 9 hours. To be exhibited as a single unit without interruptions, or in three parts with two intermissions of one hour each – but always as a single feature presentation. The first theatre owner who breaks it up into three separate movies and runs them on different dates will be burned at the stake. Estimated budget: Haven’t the foggiest idea. It will be a costly enterprise – loads of CG and special effects especially for the battle scenes. Let’s peg it at USD 750 million and see if it will be enough to work with. (Cut a few corners by hiring eager anime club members as unpaid extras.)
There are a couple of hints embedded throughout this post that might (but are not guaranteed to) give some idea as to which series I’d like to see adapted into a live-action film. Nonetheless, I shall offer one final clue.
Da die meisten weder PayPal/Kreditkarte besitzen bekam ich wirklich zahlreiche Anfragen und Emails über Circle Lenses. Weil soviele auch fragten ob ich welche für sie bestellen könnte, möchte ich jetzt eine Sammelbestellung machen für leute aus Österreich, Deutschland und Schweiz. Es ist die kostengünstigte Methode, wenn man gleich sehr viele bestellt, weil da sowohl die Portokosten sehr günstig ausfallen und man dazu noch Rabatt kriegt. Außerdem hat der Shop bei dem ich jetzt bestelle eine Aktion bis zum 25.Februar, dass nochmal das ganze vergünstigt.
Ablauf wird folgender sein:
- Ihr schickt mir eine Email mit eurer Bestellung ( meine Email ist lexscandalous@hotmail.com )
- Ich brauche mindestens 15 Bestellungen ( also mindestens 15 Linsen zum bestellen ), bis ich endlich bestelle. ( Rabatt!!!!! Auf Linsen und Porto )
- Ich werde euch eine Bestätigungsmail schicken und meine Kontodaten ( ich möchte auf den Linsen nicht sitzen bleiben! Verständlich oder? )
- Ihr überweist mir das Geld für die Linsen ( bitte euren Namen im Zweck der Überweisung angeben )
- am 18.02.2010 werde ich dann bestellen.
- Laut dem Betreiber des Shops
( Your orders will be processed and shipped after we receive the lens from Korea Manufacturer. This may takes latest 2-3++ weeks after the payment to the Korea Manufacturer. Be prepared to wait up to 3-4 weeks. Please be patient if there happens to be a delay.)
- Sobald die Linsen da sind schicke ich diese umgehend an euch.
Also müsst ihr insgesammt mit ca. 5 Wochen rechnen.
Wem das zulange dauert, sollte vielleicht wo anders bestellen.
Ich habe den Preisgünstigsten Shop gefunden der direkt von Geo die Ware bezieht und Originalware liefert, also keine billigsdorfer Fake-Linsen die, die Augen kaputt machen.
Durch den Preisnachlass werden die Kosten ca. bei 18-28€ ( inkl. Porto ) liegen pro Paar.
Da ich ja selbstverständlich auch das alles noch von mir zu euch schicken muss.
HIER findet ihr die Liste der Linsen die verfügbar sind.
Ihr schickt mir eine Email mit: Vorname:
Nachnahme:
Adresse:
Postleitzahl:
Stadt:
Land:
Isso mesmo. A Bandai Channel liberou direitos para a transmissão de seis séries INTEIRAS de Gundam pelo Crunchyroll, AnimeNewsNetwork e no Youtube dos USA e Europa, DE GRAÇA a partir de 1º de fevereiro.
A transmissão é uma campanha promocional para o lançamento mundial de Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, como também alimentar os interesses da Bandai Namco de adquirir novos fãs de Gundam via streaming.
As séries a transmitir serão:
Mobile Suit Gundam Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Epic music scene is epic. Noel episode this week, although Kanata is the one who gets the most development.
On a rather rainy day, both Kanata and Noel are having problems: Kanata still can’t get the bugel playing down, and Noel is having a hard time getting Takemikazuchi’s sniper-system working properly. Coincidentally, both girls are tasked with going into town to pick up supplies later that day. Their first stop is a shop belonging to a women named Naomi. Naomi turns out to be the old lady who helped Kanata on the day she arrived in town. As they shuffle around town picking up the rest of the supplies, they run into a couple of orphans who are accompanied by Yumina (the nun who helped Kanata the previous episode). One of the orphans though runs off in anger, claiming he hates soldiers because of what happened to his parents.
Their last stop is a glasswork factory at the edge of town. There, Kanata is introduced to the glassmaker Carl. Carl is assisting Noel with trying to reproduce the optical lens sensor for the sniper-system, but they so far have had no luck. While waiting for Carl to finish, Noel tells Kanata that she loves machines, but she’s also aware that machines like the Takemikazuchi are capable of hurting countless people. Kanata counters by saying that the people behind the machines are scarier and that machines are capable for good in the hands of the right people, much like a musical instrument. Exhausted from working all night, Noel falls asleep during their talk. While Noel is sleeping, Kanata explains her problem about playing the trumpet to Carl and his assistant Maria. Carl offers a solution using glass as an example. He explains that he doesn’t shape the glass, but rather he lets the glass become the shape it wants to. He explains that instead of trying to force the song, Kanata should just let the trumpet make the sound it wants to. Motivated by this, Kanata goes out to the cliffs above the factory and tries playing the trumpet again. This time however, she’s finally able to play the trumpet correctly, subsequently waking Noel. The sound then makes Noel realize that she can use Kanata to match the sounds between the original lens and the copies, enabling them to match them up.
Back at base, Noel, Kanat,a and Kureha try the lens Kanata picked out, and it turns out to be the right one. This causes Noel to smile, which is the first time Kureha has ever seen her do that.
Well for such a Noel specific episode, Kanata once again stole the show. But that may be down to the type of charecter Noel is. I really hate to make the comparison, but Noel is a LOT like Nagato Yuki of the Suzumiya Haruhi series. The short, to-the-point way she speaks just screams Yuki to me. Although Noel is one-up on Yuki because she can actually smile (well that might change this February!). I know a lot of other people like Noel’s character, but for me? Meh. I was never into the Yuki Nagato type. Although it seems something traumatic happened in Noel’s past, so her supposed “apathy” may have more to it.
As for Kanata, I found it rather amusing that she was able to figure out her trumpet playing in like literally a minute. Seriously, if it was that easy we’d all be genius’! Well, you can’t compare anime to the real-world, and besides, at least it lead to that visually beautiful scene. My cover pic is one example, but there’s another (I love the clouds!):
As for the world itself, this episode pretty much confirms that this is indeed an era in the future, where humanity has sort of regressed from a technologically driven society. Carl makes an example about the Takemikazuchi’s lens, and how no matter what they do they can’t seem to replicate the way it was crafted. I found it amusing that Carl referred to the technology of the past as magic.
Also of note was the fact that Noel revealed to Kanata (who didnt know what a Dolphin was) that all the life in the seas has long died off. Hmmm!? Wow, that fact all but confirms that we are indeed dealing with a post-apocalyptic world. Also, while in Naomi’s shop, Naomi asks Noel if she (Kanata) knows about it, to which Noel replies no. IT? What were they referring to? Ah, these story-writers are so good at cock-teasing us! The more they reveal about the world, the more I want to know! I just hope that they can fit everything into the 13 episodes this series is getting.
Well, next weeks episode involves a hike, and “To the End of the World” is in the title, so I can only hope this means they’re taking a hike to no-mans land maybe?? Can’t wait either way!
Well, here we are, the girls from K-On! are back with this OVA. The story begins with the girls getting invited to perform their first outside of school concert on New Year’s Eve at Live House. Mio wants to put it to a vote, and she and Azusa vote no, but they get overruled 3-2 by the other girls.
The girls then pay a visit to Live House where they have to play an audition tape and fill out the application. The group is informed about the meeting and rehearsal schedule, and shown around the club.
After the tour of the club the girls return to Yui’s house where they discuss what songs they’ll play and what outfits they’ll wear. Should they where the cute uniforms from their first concert or the uniforms from their second show, or maybe have Sawako make them some new ones, but, in the end, Mio’s suggestion of just wearing their school uniforms wins out (good choice).
Later, Yui gives her sister Ui two tickets to the concert, and she also gives Nodoka a ticket to the show. When the girls show up on concert day they get to meet Ritsu’s friend from the band Love Crisis, she’s the one who got them the invite to the show. The K-On! girls see that Love Crisis is on a much more professional level, they have their own fliers, Logo, CD, and they’re even doing a future solo show. After attending the preshow meeting the girls find out that they’re the second band up, and they receive their backstage passes. Then the girls are given their setup sheet where they have to let the club know what type of lighting, backing tracks, and so forth, basically they don’t know what they’re doing, so Mio says keep it simple. But, the girls are overmatched so Yui borrows a filled out sheet from a more experienced group to use as a reference.
Once the paperwork is finished, the girls watch and listen to some of the other groups’ rehearsals, and admire their specialized equipment like special affects petals, and so forth. Back in the dressing room, we see that Mugi has brought along a supply of tea and snacks, and soon the other groups join them. Basically, all the girls talk about their love of music and their drive to keep playing.
Time passes quickly and Afternoon Tea Time is called to the stage for rehearsals. Once the girls take the stage they’re pretty confused and nervous, and their first attempt doesn’t go very well, actually it’s a disaster. The other girl groups give them some words of encouragement and they start over from the beginning.
Later, Yui meets Ui and her friends outside before the show, and they talk a bit. As the concert is starting Sawako shows up wearing her old clothes and she’s recognized by the club’s manager.
Afternoon Tea Time puts on a good show, and outside they’re greeted by Sawako, Nodoka, Ui, and her friend. Well, they tell them good job, and the girls thank Love Crisis for inviting them and they agree to play together in the future.
After the show, the girls all return to Yui’s house where Ui cooks for them. As the New Year approaches, everyone but Ritsu and Mio has crashed, they share a smile and a laugh about the other girls, and they soon join them in sleep.
At the crack of dawn Yui wakes everyone except Sawako, and Ui for the first sunrise of the New Year. While the other girls are initially grumpy then soon head outside and watch the sun come up together enjoying each other’s company at the start of a glorious new year. That’s all for this OAV.
Well, it’s been awhile since I watched an episode of K-On!, and this OAV reminded me why I loved the first season, and why I’m looking forward to the second season. To, me shows like K-On!, Lucky Star, Sky Girls, Rocket Girls, Aria, and so forth are not about the action, or the plot, but me enjoying the girls interacting with the other characters, situations, and the environment surrounding them. You can call these formulations Slice of Life, or call it Healing, or call it Moe; I really don’t give a shit, all I know is that I get enjoyment and relaxation from watching these types of series.
Overall, this episode of K-On! was a typical episode, nothing spectacular. The girls take a major step forward in their musical careers by getting invited to play outside the school for the first time and they take it about as seriously as everything else, not very. But, that’s not the point of the series; the whole point to this series is that we get to watch as the girls personal horizons are widened because of their friendship and the situations they’re placed in. As Mio says throughout the episode, it’s kind of nice to see how far they’ve come, and see all the new things they’re experienced because of their band. I don’t think that the girls are going to be professional musicians, but they’re filling a wonderful treasure chest of memories that someday when they’re older and life starts to run them down they can draw upon to make them smile; after all, you should treasure your youth.
Scar and the group come out of the tunnel that they’re heading to Briggs, they hear a sound… and it was Al stuck in the snow.
Back to Ed, Kimberlee looks to get away form him, uses Alchemy, then his henchmen[Chimera] comes.
[Commerical]
From the explosion that Kimberlee created, Ed moves away and finds himself some Dynamites, uses them and gets away from the Chimera. Later he sees Kimberlee and causes him to lose the Philosopher stone and cuts his alchemy circle[on his hand]. Little did Ed knew Kimberlee has one in his mouth, causes an explosion and Ed wakes up stabbed… causing him to fall and over to Al, he fell down as well.
Back to Ed, he saves the Chimera, which later returns by saving him
Next Ep; Hohem is also going through that tunnel, Bradley’s son[Pride] meets with Father[Homunculus]
Pictures:
Winry It goes… KABOOM! Ape and Lion! Slicing and Dicing Thats going to hurt… Returning the favor.
If you’re just joining us, the story starts here: http://authorofghostdance.wordpress.com/2010/01/01/ghost-dance-title-page/
Chapter Five–Of Ravens and Coyotes
The dream began as it always did: Linda was lying spread-eagled on the boulder by the brook in the snowy, silent hollow, one hand massaging her breast and the other stroking her womanhood. As she pleasured herself, her mind wandered.
So that Erwin, she thought, he’s pretty hot.
Slut!, she thought to herself. You love Frank. You love him, and he loves you.
Yeah, she replied, all of my love goes to Frank, but I’m just saying, Erwin is pretty hot.
He’s twelve years older than you. He’d be breaking the law just by offering himself to you.
No, he wouldn’t. The age of consent in Georgia is sixteen, and my birthday was months ago.
And then Linda had an orgasm. As soon as the waves of pleasure sweeping over her body receded, she started to feel lonesome. She was suddenly very aware that she’d been masturbating, instead of making love to Frank, and that she was alone. Totally alone. Even Ol’ Scratch was nowhere to be seen, and there was no sound but the snow-muffled babbling of the brook. All was silent, all was still. She was spooked.
To combat the growing lonesomeness, she decided to go exploring. She hopped off of the boulder and walked over to the brook, running cold, blue, and clear over its bed of stones worn smooth by thousands of years of the water’s action. She tramped down its bank, the sound of snow crunching under her big black boots pervading the still air.
After walking for what felt like hours, she stopped to look around. The scenery hadn’t changed, all was still dominated by black, leafless oaks and hickories stretching on into boulder-strewn eternity. Icy wasteland. Blasted heath. She sat down on a stone to rest. A flash of motion in the air caught her eye; a big black bird, a raven, with red eyes was soaring through the treetops. It perched on a branch, cocked its head, and stared at Linda.
Linda, grateful for the company, smiled at the bird and said, “Hi there! What’s your name?”
Quoth the raven, in a harsh but feminine rasp, “Nevermore!”
Linda rolled her eyes. The bird lept into the air and flew in circles around her, chanting:
“And the people—ah, the people—they that dwell up in the steeple all alone, and who tolling tolling tolling in that muffled monotone feel a glory in so rolling on the human heart a stone—they are neither man nor woman—they are neither brute nor human—they are ghouls!
“Brother’s shall fight and fell each other, and sisters’ sons shall kinship stain; hard is it on Earth, with mighty whoredom; axe-age, sword age, shields are cleft asunder, wind-age, wolf-age as the world plunges headlong; no man shall spare another!”
As the raven stopped, the wind started to pick up, there was another flash of motion, and the raven was pulled from the air. The trees were creaking and cracking in the growing wind, which was approaching hurricane force. Above Linda’s head, the raven and an enormous eagle were circling each other as if squaring off to fight. Linda woke up.
She shot awake with a gasp, shivering from the lingering cold. The digital clock on her nightstand told her that it was five o’clock in the morning. Somewhere far in the distance, toward the other side of the mountain, a coyote gave a mournful cry.
***
Frank had been awakened and couldn’t get back to sleep. A coyote in the woods was making a gawdawful racket and riling up all of the dogs in the area. The unseen Canis latrans would croon at the waxing moon high above, and every farm hound and rat-dog in the county would instinctively respond with a chorus of agitated barking. Frank put a pillow over his head in an attempt to drown out the noise. It didn’t help. The mournful howls, almost like banshee-cries, sounded like they were right outside of his window this time. He lifted the pillow off of his gulliver, looked, and was staring into two green eyes. No, they weren’t even eyes: They were orbs, radiant green spheres glowing with the intensity of Hell itself. Frank shouted. There was a yelp—like a scared puppy—, followed by a flash of motion, and the eyes disappeared. After a few silent minutes, the coyote-call came again. This time, it was followed by what sounded like the cawing of a crow or a raven. This call-and-response continued, as if the two animals were talking to each other, for a few minutes. Then there was a growl, followed by an angry squawk, followed by a whimper, followed by silence. After a while, the coyote called again from farther away. As the howl was muffled by the trees and drowned out by the barking dogs, Frank thought—was almost sure—that he could hear his name in it.
He glanced at the clock beside his bed—five o’clock in the morning. He’d have to get out of bed in three hours. With an angry and troubled sigh, he sank back into his pillow.
Baby I wanna be with you
I really wanna really wanna be with you
caz you’re my love, you’re my dear so
Trust me, trust me, trust me…
Yeah
I’m here soba ni iru kara
Call me boku ga iru kara
Trust me mou nanimo osore naide
My dear mienai ito de
Trust me tsunagatte iru kara
tada kanjite ite kono nukumori
chanto kikoete iru kimi no kokoro no koe
chiisa na fuan sae boku ga tsumi tooku ageru
nando mo tsukaetai kimi wa hitori janai
kawaru koto mo nai ai ha kitto koko ni aru
naite mirebaii tayotte mirebaii
sono subete wo uketomeru tokimeta
I’m here doko ni ittate
Call me hitotsu ni nareru
Trust me kono omoi hodo kenai kara
My dear kakaeta nimotsu
Trust me oroshite mirebaii
sou kimi no tame ni boku ga irunda
Baby I wanna be with you
Trust me, trust me, trust me…
dore hodo no kanashimi kimi ha takushite tano
dore hodo no omoi wo muri ni toji komete kittano
itami to hiki ka e ni te ni ireta tsuyosa wo
itsuka yasashisae kimi wa kaete yukkeru hazu
umawareteatte kowasareteatte
daichina no wa kimi rashiku mirukoto
I’m here tatoe sekai ga
Call me owaru doushidemo
Trust me tsunagu te o hanasanai kara
My dear itsuwareno nai
Trust me hinagi e aru ki dasou
sou kimi no tame ni boku ga irunda
I’m here soba ni iru kara
Call me boku ga iru kara
Trust me mou nanimo osore naide
My dear mienai ito de
Trust me tsunagatte iru kara
tada kanjite ite kono nukumori
[rap]Itsumade mou soba iru FOREVER
Mitsumate mou hanare nai NEVER EVER
Kimi ga IN LOVE WHATEVER YOU DO
Ne, boku ni oshiete WHATEVER YOU SAY
TODAY koto are ba subete norikomi
Moushi soredemo mouri nara ba CALL ME CALL ME
You my love, you my shine, you my dear
Sekai teki ni mawashite TRUST IN ME
Trust me…Baby…
naite mirebaii tayotte mirebaii
sono subete wo uketomeru tokimeta
I’m here doko ni ittate
Call me hitotsu ni nareru
Trust me kono omoi hodo kenai kara
My dear kakaeta nimotsu
Trust me oroshite mirebaii
sou kimi no tame ni boku ga irunda
I’m here soba ni iru kara
Call me boku ga iru kara
Trust me mou nanimo osore naide
My dear mienai ito de
Trust me tsunagatte iru kara
tada kanjite ite kono nukumori
With me mou harenai de
Give me kokoro wo kirai de
Feel me subete wo tsukae de
Yeah…
With me kotoba wa iranai
Give me mitsume maebaii
Feel me subete wo atsukete
Yeah…
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I hope no one minds if I do a little jig. Not only does The Null Set turn 2 years old today, I reach such an absurdly high milestone on the same day.
Just a little jig because it still feels like I have a long way to go before becoming a master blogger and too much celebration feels out-of-place. Instead, I feel deeply indebted to everyone that’s visited, read my posts, left comments, and continue to come back. I hesitate to thank any person in particular since I’ll invariably forget someone I should thank and, of course, there’s many people who read this blog anonymously that I’d thank if I knew their names. However, I don’t want to miss this chance to thank people like Kitsune, Janette, RP, Suguru, Zzeroparticle, Panther, FuyuMaiden, Canne and Steven Den Beste for frequently leaving comments and running interesting anime blogs themselves. And other commenter’s like dodo, ray, JayyG and all the people who have commented (for some reason) on my single post about Aang the Avatar.
As of this post, I have had 341 total posts, 500,236 views, 1131 comments, and 6828 spam comments.
My top day was 1,644 views on June 26,2009 and my top week was Dec 21-27 with 8,971 views.
Haruhi vs Gurren Lagann … 16,686 views Toradora Wallpapers … 14,277 views Gurren Lagann Wallpaper … 13,085 views Spring 2009 Anime Preview and Watchlist … 8,787 views The 5 Personal Most Influential (non-anime) Animation Shows … 8,739 views FLCL Series Review … 7,406 views Fall 2009 Anime Preview and Watchlist … 7,360 views
Reflections and resolutions
This year saw a redesign of The Null Set and a sprucing up my About page – which I’m pleased with the outcomes of both. And I don’t foresee changing the theme/layout in the coming year nor making many big changes.
In some ways I thought The Null Set took a step back this year because I didn’t post as often and I allowed my weekly anime post series to lapse and I didn’t offer as many wallpapers created by me this year and I let my completed anime in need of a series review pile to grow to large proportions. And I’ve let this depress me over the last couple months which has squelched a lot of the enthusiasm I have had towards blogging anime. However, over the last few days as I’ve watched the anniversary approach for The Null Set I realized that for all my perceived problems I’ve still gotten almost 400,000 hits during my second year and there’s people that keep coming back to read what I write. That’s something to be happy about and I feel re-energized.
Therefore, I pledge to try my level best to make the third year of The Null Set the best yet.
This episode was a K-ON! special, and was really much more of the same, as the series, which meant I laughed quite a lot, even though the series it’s self was not funny. It’s the type of episode I want to watch to cheer up, because the whole thing is cheery (even though it is also rather lame).
I’m a horrible person. After seemingly haven given up on a number of my former vices, I’ve inevitably relapsed back into my old habits. Right when my grades are the most crucial, and when my one sole ray of hope (The USC Resident Honors Program) heavily relies on my grades. More on that later. Right now, I want you (*points at YOU*) to focus on (*motions towards myself*) ME. Eheh.
Egotism, sadly, isn’t the least of my issues right now. It makes for a good starting point, though – an anchor (so to speak) that prevents me from drifting too far away from my intended topic. So, in my best Richard Gere imitation… “Shall We Dance?”
Eheh. Commence.
I’ve broken my personal resolution to ban all video games (Damn Maplestory) and anime from my life, amongst other things. That’s not to say that I didn’t watch any anime last year – the main difference resides in the TYPE of anime. Last year, the anime series I watched were as close to visual depictions of euphoria as animation could get. Those series incited feelings of relaxation and bliss within me… Feelings that I haven’t experienced in far too long. This year though, I’ve only found an abscess of profundity within all that I watch, effectively driving me into yet another contemplative period. I swear, there’s a worldwide conspiracy out to stifle my existence. In the typical fashion of modern-day “youth”, I’ve begun rebelling in opposition to this “enstranglement”. Somewhat.
Take, for instance, my new appreciation of the term “Youth in Rebellion”. Not only is it a newly-released movie starring Michael Cera, it’s also a mode of thinking that I’ve only recently come to understand. Before I delve further into that point there…
*Checks watch*.
WELL
It’s high time for some booze an anecdote.
Two years ago, during my foray into the Eastern United States coastline, I found myself dallying around Rockefeller Plaza, without a shit’s clue as to where I was in relation to the hotel I stayed at. ‘Twas wintertime, and couples walked every which way, immersed in the perceived idiosyncrasy of their relationships. When crossing a street, I found myself waiting at the curb with a rowdy quartet of teens… with dyed hair, uncomfortably constrictive jeans, nose-rings, and the like. At the time, to be honest, I was a tad bit frightened. These people, I thought, were tough New-Yorkians donning guyliner and pissed-at-the-world glowers.
Quite a frightening image. (/endsarcasm) But REALLY, I wondered why people would go to such extents. Then, the shortest male in the group said something along the lines of “… level 53 in Warcraft FTW…”
At the time, I stifled my laughter and dismissed the group of hooligans as just another crowd of geeky posers. Looking back now, there might be something else behind their radical dress and anti-conformist ways: The single-turbocharger of youthful rebellion.
Let’s begin with some basic automotive know-how-and-what-and-why. There are a few ways to get more power from a pre-existing engine. These are just a few that I care enough to list:
1. Give it greater displacement (That’s the Liters thingy they show you, like the 3.2-liter I6 in a BMW M Coupe). Basically, this relates to how big the pistons are.
2. De-restrict the engine. Would you run faster with your legs tied together? (Header replacements, ECU reflashes, etc. belong in this category)
3. Forced Induction. This goes off the principle that more oxygen (or denser oxygen) = more combustion = more movement by pistons = more crankshaft torquing = faster car. Simply put, more air needs to be sucked in somehow in order to make little cars go like stank. There are two main ways to do this – Super and Turbo charging. Supercharging is like bolting on a massive fan to your car. Power obtained through this method is usually very linear and direct, suitable for higher-end cars. Turbocharging is also like bolting a fan onto your car, but this fan is spun/powered by your exhaust gases. Therefore, turbo-ing is more efficient – BUT, the nature of turbochargers (reliance on exhaust gases) make them rather peaky and unstable with power delivery. There are methods to remedy this peaky power delivery, but that’s not important right now.
I’m comparing the burst of a youth’s energy to a primitive turbocharger. A peaky, unstable, jittery turbocharger with loose gaskets, that rattles occasionally, much like the highs and lows of adolescence.
When old men in films, on television, and in other forms of media refer to a “youthful energy”, I’ve always interpreted their quotes as references to the weakness that accompanies age.
I have erred.
I can no longer sleep at night – no indeedy. The daytime is constructively spent wasted in class, so night is the only true time when my mind opens up and frees itself. I play guitar like a madman now, I blast Jimi Hendrix alone in my car at lunch, and I can now remember my dreams (again).
Goddamnit, youth is so revolutionary. I feel like I’m up to anything – perhaps, fulfilling the counter-societal dreams that Sinclair Lewis’s “George F. Babbitt” failed to accomplish? Not so simple.
Currently, there’s an ongoing discrepancy between idealistic societal Tom, and runs-away-to-Seattle Tom.
See, the conformist Tom Bearnik-Hama (the former me) used to believe in a career in dentistry, and love, and steady marriages. I was, and still am not at liberty to claim those ideas as my own. I, myself, most definitely concluded that it MUST have been best for me to resign to a life in the dentistry office, making children cry and giving everyone sore jaws. However, I’ve come to conclude that my dental/mental career aspirations were, in part, immaculately conceived due to societal and parental pressures. AYE, I wanted to be rich. What’s the first relatively stable rich-job that I could think of? A doctor.
But even then, I had the common sense to catch myself and say: “No, doctoral professions ain’t for me.” That is, of course, before I had a number of small metal studs cemented onto my teeth.
Tetsuwan Atomu 鉄腕アトム ("Astro Boy"). Kyoto Station. November 2009.
.
I’m not a particularly big fan of “Atom Boy”. I remember the cartoons as a boy, but I was in the Loony Toons camp (Roadrunner, Bugs Bunny, etc.). I just like this photo (above) I took in front of Kyoto Station this past November and wanted to feature it here on LetsJapan.WordPress.Com .
Actually, a big, Hollywood-produced Astro Boy movie came out just a few months ago. I’m not sure how well it did at the box office. But I hope it did well. Donald Southerland voices the evil “President Stone”. Just saw Southerland — as “Oddball” ( Big Joe: “What are you doing?” Oddball: “I’m drinking wine and eating cheese, and catching some rays, you know.” – the other night on a 40th Anniversary showing of “Kelly’s Heroes”, one of the best. movies. ever. Anyway, Astro Boy (or, I should say, Testuwan Atomu – “Steeled Atom Boy“, sort of) real icon in Japan, and, as noted in a very comprehensive Wiki entry, the Astro Boy manga, then cartoons, were really the precursor to today’s anime, a billion $$$ industry and entertainment phenomenon. So that’s certainly saying something.
Kyoto Station. North Side, Central Entrance Astro Boy. November 2009.
At Kyoto station there are three, tall, information kiosks out in front. Be careful about telling someone that you plan on meeting them at the one with the Astro Boy / Tetsuwan Atomu on top: there are 2 topped by Astro Boy, and one topped by Kimba, whom I never liked (much, much too saccharine, even for me as a little kid).
~ Olivia enters into a room with Bradley…
-Flash back to hohenheim(Slave Number 2) talking to a black ball(“The Little one inside the Flask”)
- continues…
~Commerical [Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep]
-Continuing the conversation with the Flask, they head into the city talk more… begin their Alchemy, wakes up, walk out find the whole city dead(he became a homunculus) . But father… or was it Hohem?
~Hohemheim wakes up with Izumi there, Hubby leaves Izumi; Hohemheim kills Izumi.
Next Ep: they meet some Lion Chimera…thing.
Pictures: Flask and Hohemheim Little one Hohemheim Evil Grin Some guy Evil Smile Door of the truths open Transforming…de-materializing Father and Hoh
So it starts off with childhood friends with the class rep(F) and the class rep(A). Very cliched~
OH U AND UR FANTASIES
Since Class F is all complaining about their crappy tables, they decide to challenge Class A for their own chairs. Class A rep wants something in return from Class F. Haha I liked how Akihisa and Kouta start thinking of something appealing to their sorts.
Mikoto and Kuroko
Oh gawd I immediately thought this when she randomly appeared out of nowhere. @_@ Ugh, an annoying fangirl in the series… Great…. *facepalm* Well I hope she won’t be a huge bother to her since this isn’t To Aru.
TSUNDERE
I discovered a tsundere around these parts! :> Oh typical emotions…..
Trap!!!!!!
Haha I just lol’d at all the costumes and nosebleeds from the battle. Mostly from how the trapped dressed up in the round battles. Little miss perfect won the 2nd-to-last battle, so the last battle comes up to this: Class Rep A vs. Class Rep F. Instead of a battle, it becomes a test. Hence the title “Baka to Test~” Class A obviously won from the rep’s high test score.
MY OTP
So in the end, their tables were replaced with cardboard boxes. And the class A rep’s promise was actually go on a date with Class F rep. HAha this is getting too cliched. Well after that, there seems to be a love triangle between the idiot. I’m definitely rooting for the tsundere. I hope it doesn’t get too into the love triangle because this is about test and battles, not just love triangles.
Ah, that’s right, I’ve been wrapped up in so much Borderlands, I completely forgot to write about those 8-bit versions of Xyni, Rally and Phia that have been climbing up the left side.
This was a wee bit back and just for fun, I decided to use Axialis IconWorkshop to help reproduce my glory days of 8-bit icon production. 256 colors, 32 x 32 pixels, one goal; make something that is remotely recognizable.
I started off my pursuit of digital art making icons on my old Macintosh Quadra back in the day, aka, the Tempest, a hardcore data crunching machine that I’m sure my brother and I begged ample amounts for in public to persuade our parents to buy. Well, actually, it was just my brother, I just got it as a hand me down… an awesome hand me down. The delete key was gone and replaced with the back end of a pencil eraser, but outside of that, still good!
For icon designers on Mac, there was only one way to go, ResEdit. Those who’ve used it know it by the icon of a jack in the box head coming out of a computer and traumatizing your 12 year old-self. The horror threshold was a lot lower back then you see.
Since my roots were in icon design, I guess it more or less explains why I am OCD about my art and why every pixel has to be in place. I learned many valuable lessons though, like how to manually make gradients, highlights and what colors worked well together. More so than any other icons though, I remade Final Fantasy VI characters, in particular Terra. Man, I must have had a Terra mutation for every single conceivable notion. Santa Terra, Bunny Girl Terra, 4-Armed Terra, you name it.
I wonder if those files still exist anywhere. Probably buried in piles of floppies long, long ago. Might be better that they are, the past always looks better when you’re not living in it.
Shi-Kai: Ryuujin Jakka
- release command → “Banshou Issai Kaijin To Nase!” (“Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust!”)
Oldest and strongest heat based zanpakutou. It’s fire can burn anything in the soul world.
Ban-Kai: Unknown
Biography: CHARACTER HISTORY -
Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai is the Captain of Soul Society’s First Division, often referred to with the title of Captain General. General Yamamoto founded the shinigami academy about 2000 years before the story of Bleach began, and has used it to train many generations of Death Gods. Yamamoto was a teacher at this academy, and personally instructed Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake, both of which would go on to become Captains of the Gotei 13 themselves. Yamamoto admits to being proud of Ukitake and Kyoraku and that when they first became Captains of Soul Society, he boasted about them as though they were his own sons.
During the Soul Society Arc, Yamamoto spends much of the time organizing the other twelve Captains rather than doing things personally, but when Shunsui and Jushiro make the move to stop the execution of Rukia Kuchiki, their former teacher was the one to step up and face both of them on his own. Though appearing feeble and frail, he is perhaps the most powerful Captain of Soul Society, with possible exception to Aizen Sousuke.
At the end of the Arc, he has made peace with Ichigo and his companions, even allowing Orihime passage into Soul Society during her training with Rukia. He stays in contact with Captain Hitsugaya via a communication system set up in Orihime’s house, and has his Shinigami fight alongside Ichigo and his companions, even seeking them out while they were still in school.
PERSONALITY -
The embodiment of conviction, Yamamoto follows the laws and regultaions of Soul Society to the letter, and expects the same of others. He is not a man to tolerate insubordination, and is vocal with those who attempt to be such a way. He is wuick to anger in the face of possible betrayal, and appears rather ruthless in combat. When in a state of peace, he carries himself with an air of fragility, even to the point where he has fallen asleep standing while awaiting Shunsui Kyoraku’s arrival for a meeting.
ABILITIES -
Yamamoto possesses a powerful Reiatsu, capable of paralyzing Lieutenant Nanao Ise with a simply look. This later caused her to faint, and she had to be taken a safe distance away from the Captain General simply to regain her ability to breathe. He is also seen to be experienced in the art of Shunpo, though is not quite as fast as Shunsui or Ukitake, possibly due to his age.
His Zanapkutou is the most ancient one in Soul Society, as well as being the most powerful fire type. Ryujin Jakka (Flowing Blade like Flame) is activated by the command “Bansho Issai Kaijin to Nase” (Reduce the whole of creation to smoldering ashes), at which point the blade of the sword is transformed into fire. The aura of this weapon can disintegrate anything that Yamamoto waves the sword at, changing it into nothing more than into ash and engulfing the surrounding landscape in flames. Kyoraku and Ukitake, both high ;level Captains, can resist instant death at the hands of this weapon, but are still being injured by it’s presence.
Let me just tell you that Japanese animes are really awesome to watch. Just pick out the popular animes and start watching. You will continue watching them forever!
I have some list of favorite animes and I have mentioned their details in my another blog which is dedicated to posting download links for the anime episodes.
Wrinkles... even stuffed animals get them when they get older...
I’m a bit late as always with my Kobato post, but in order to keep the one post per day schedule, I’m posting it today. It’s quite an interesting episode, as more of the bigger plot gets revealed, Ioryogi’s background (and even his real name!) Enough to keep on reading I’d say!
We start the episode over night. Kobato and Ioryogi are snoozing peacefully and don’t notice that in the background, a familiar figure is keeping an eye on them. It’s Ginsei, who thinks Ioryogi looks pathetic in his stuffed animal form, something we all think actually.
He learned that trick from Rukia
The following morning, Kobato heads to the nursery as usual. As the kids greet her, Marina shows a ribbon to Kobato and asks her if she can tie it around Puppy-san. Kobato agrees and so, Ginsei’s statement is strengthened again.
I bet he'd be shedding manly tears by now;
Kobato enters the main office and greets Sayaka and Fujimoto. She places Ioryogi on a desk and heads off to duty. Fujimoto tells Sayaka he wonders why Kobato is so fond of the plush puppy.
At a complete different dimension, Mr Bear is having fun in his baumkuchen restaurant. He notices Ginsei’s presence without even seeing him, though maybe…he just reeks? Ginsei enters the store anyway and asks Mr Bear what Ioryogi is thinking nowadays. Mr Bear asks why Ginsei is asking him about that, but then starts explaining. He tells that they’re all inhabitants of the spirit world and that there are four worlds in total. The heavenly world, the human world, the underworld and the spirit world. The heavenly world is controlled by God, the underworld by the Devil and the spirit world by the King of Spirits. All of the named worlds are following the rule of nonaggression against eachother, however “Iorogi” started a war with heaven and got punished. The result of his punishment is the body he’s in now.
Ginsei got pissed when Mr Bear called “Iorogi” an idiot, Mr Bear quickly corrects himself by saying he’s just a “little” stupid. Mr Bear then continues saying that the true reason for Ioryogi starting the war was that he just had to have at all costs. Ginsei takes over then and says that Ioryogi wasn’t able to get it. Mr Bear says it would’ve been better if he just stole it like “the Devil’s brat”, but since he failed, he was punished including him and that stupid bird from some episodes ago too.
yeah just wait until season 2
Ginsei asks about “the girl’s” wish. Mr Bear tells him that she needs to fill a bottle with healed hearts of people in other to get her wish granted. After hearing that, Ginsei looks outside and disappears just when Mr Bear was about to treat him a piece of baumkuchen.
Back at the nursery, Puppy-san is tired of his ribbon and takes it off, unfortunately for him Sayaka enters just after and puts back on. Outside, Kobato is playing with whatshisname and suddenly gets called by Domoto. He tells her he needs to see Mr Cool. It’s his lucky day, cause Mr Cool appears right after though, with his usual cold shoulder attitude. Domoto wants him to come over to an important seminar, but Mr Cool doesn’t wanna go since he’s busy working. But, that’s not according to Sayaka’s will, she tells him to go since she and Kobato can take care of the nursery on their own. Surprisingly or not, he listens to Sayaka like a good loyal… dog.
It makes you wonder what those two do at night~
Once again Puppy-san gets rid of the annoying ribbon around his ear, once again he gets it tied back, this time by Mr Cool himself!! And while Kobato and Sayaka are keeping themselves busy with kids, Puppy-san tries to get rid of the ribbon…again. Problem is that Mr Cool tied it a bit too tight. At the end of the day, Kobato and Puppy-san head back. He’s quite shocked when Sayaka calls him Ioryogi-chan when leaving.
A bit later at the park, Ioryogi gets angry because of Kobato’s slacking attitude. He tells her that time is ticking faster than before and that she’s just filling her day helping at the nursery while she should actually be trying to fill up her bottle. He takes out Kobato’s bottle and says that if she doesn’t fill it, her wish won’t be granted.
Then suddenly, a wild Pokemon Ginsei appears! He jumps down towards Ioryogi, but the puppy blocks with meteor of destruction.
*Insert Red & Blue version opening theme here*
Ioryogi’s ribbon gets slashed away when Ginsei blocks his attack. The over-evolved rabbit suddenly switches targets and heads for Kobato, when Ioryogi protects her, he heads for the bottle. He takes it with him and leaves, Ioryogi chases him and leaves Kobato behind.
After the break, we see miss Angel walking through the park. While enjoying the infra-red environment, she notices Puppy-san and Ginsei running through the bushes.
A while later, the two stop at an open spot in the forest. Ginsei asks Ioryogi why he’s staying in “that” form in the human world for so long, Puppy-san asnwers that he has stuff to do.
Another scene switch, Zuisho, the stupid bird, arrives at the baumkuchen shop. He reports to Mr Bear that Ioryogi and Ginsei are fighting. Bear reacts kinda cold and hands a box to Zuisho saying he should give it to the loser as get-well present. Then he tells the bird that Ioryogi was the one who took Ginsei in and even gave him the name he carries now.
And now he's a Soifon too?!
Meanwhile, the two keep on fighting. Ioryogi tackles Ginsei, but gets a headache in return. Ginsei pins Ioryogi down and tells him he looks pathetic now, both in shape and name. We get to see a small flashback to understand what Ginsei means by that. Kobato is in it, trying to pronounce Iorogi. She keeps on failing and says Ioryogi all the time. Puppy-san gets angry, but then mis-pronounces his own name as Ioryogi.
Ioryogi orders Ginsei to give the bottle back, but Ginsei wants him to tell he’s coming back with him to the spirit world. Puppy-san however answers that he needs to take care of something and won’t go back until it’s over. Ginsei mentions that the old Ioryogi would leave Kobato and go back, but Puppy-san has changed just like Mr Bear said. Ginsei doesn’t wanna hear it though and kicks Puppy-san then says if the bottle is gone, she can’t make her wish come true.
But when he’s about to slash the bottle, Ioryogi begs him to give back the bottle. Ginsei is surprised and now also thinks back of Mr Bear’s words. Once again, he says that the old Puppy-san would’ve never begged for such a thing. He loses his will to fight and leaves the bottle, then leaves himself.
At the same time, Kobato is searching through the town. She suddenly bumps into Kohaku and tells her that Puppy-san disappeared. She tells Kobato that she saw him back in Sakura Park…
Why did I think of the line "OMG Lelouch is so slippery" here?
Meanwhile Puppy-san is trying to get back home, but gets stopped by Mr Cool crossing his path. He picks “it” up and pats the dust away, which seems to hurt quite a bit. A second later, Kobato appears calling out for Ioryogi. The get reunited and Kobato thanks Mr Cool for finding him.
A night, Ioryogi is enjoying his loser’s gift baumkuchen while Kobato thanks him for bringing back her bottle. Puppy-san goes tsundere and give Kobato a -200 for losing her bottle.
_
Thoughts :
It was amusing to see Kohaku’s fantasy, afterall the animal battle was heavy loaded.
Anyway, lots of new stuff was added today. The relationship between Ioryogi and Ginsei. They aren’t enemies, but rather… old friends. Ioryogi’s name is Iorogi… though Puppy-san is still easier. There are 4 special worlds, but kinda weird is that all of the beings in them look human, while only the human world is called “human”. Anyway, at least we’re getting somewhere now. I hope we keep on evolving more and more away from the “collecting” theme and head to a more “bigger plot” theme.
