Anime or manga? Neither seem very interesting right now. Now that I’ve started back to school, I’m very bored on the weekends…. Really sad, isn’t it?

I want to watch some j-dramas, but the website I watch them at is repairing pretty much all of the series I want to watch, like Anna-san no Omame. I know this is totally unrelated to Japanese dramas and being an otaku (it seems like it), but I watched this amazing Korean horror movie last night, called “Dead Friend”. Pretty freaky stuff. It had a really twisted ending. I definitely recommend it. And oh my gosh, I just have to say this – the main actress, Kim Ha-Neul, is so beautiful. =O

Well anyhow, that’s it for now. I’m going to go try and find some dramas to watch~

~suicune

Well, I got to thinking. Since Ayu-pan, my real life BFF (*smirk* jk jk XD), is my main inspiration for this blog, becoming an otaku, and the phrase “natural otaku”, I thought it only right to include her in this blog. Seeing as she is helping me reach “natural otaku”-dom.

So please welcome Ayu-pan to the blog! She’ll be posting about whatever random anime/manga/Japanese stuff she wants, and yeah. Helping me keep track of my progress. XD (I make this sound like an epic journey, huh?)

I finally got around to finishing this manga. And now I feel oh, so crummy. Anime and manga lately have really been depressing me. This….This was just…. Terrible.

Spoilers ahead:

 

 

So, Chinatsu dies. He never gets to meet his twins. It turns out that I forgot the Japanese were fighting against the U.S. in the war, so then I felt kind of pissed off for feeling sorry for the people, since they were aiding an insane supremacist leader who has forever changed the world, along with being responsible for bombing Pearl Harbor, on Oahu…the island I call my HOME. (I don’t live there anymore, but grew up there) Yeah, but then Chinatsu died. And I was like, what the hell. This is….just garbage. This is too f***ing depressing for me to handle. =__=; I tend to say things are horrible when they make me feel really depressed. I love the story, just as I do with all horribly depressing movies/books/etc., but…the tragedy of such things just really keeps me from truly enjoying the story for what it is. I just can’t handle that much sadness. I know you’re supposed to enjoy a story for the way it played out, even though it may have a crappy or sad ending, but… I’m just very…. sensitive, I suppose. Not good with raw emotions.

So….this gets about a 4/10 from me. =_= Truth is, I was only reading it because the love between Chinatsu and Butterfly was so sweet and pure. And then he just had to die. That was …. *grumbles*. Waste of my time.

~suicune141

P.S. Please do not get the wrong idea from my statements about the Japanese’s position in World War II. I in no way resent the actions of the past, nor do I dislike the Japanese, Germans and other nations who opposed the U.S. in WWII for their such opposition, or for any reason. If you have a problem with my statement… Then you read into things a bit too much.

Here’s a little update as to what I’m looking forward to watching and reading.

ANIME
Clannad
[finish] Kanon 2002
Kanon 2006
Kare Kano
Kino no Tabi
Lovely Complex
NANA
Sola

MANGA
I-O-N
Kamichama Karin Chu
Lovely Complex
Miracle Girls (I read volume 1)
Short Sunzen
Socrates in Love
Ultra Cute (read volume 1, couldn’t find any other volumes)
Wanted
Yume Kira Dream Shoppe

NOVELS
Aya Kito’s diary (as in the basis of the J-drama “1 Litre of Tears”)
Socrates in Love

Here’s a new segment I like to call “Japanese Lessons with Ayu-pan”. As of, well, yesterday, my best friend (who you might know around WordPress as Ayu-pan) gladly agreed to teach me some Japanese. ^-^ After my brain could take no more, we called it quits…But I got to thinking, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep track of them on my blog. Plus, sometimes my attempts at translating are uh….interesting. (by that I mean hilarious XDD) So, without further ado, today’s lesson, which included adjective and verb concentration.
**Note: whenever I say “done!” it means I’ve given up, or am satisfied with my answer.**

Ayu-pan: So whaddya wanna learn today?
Suicune: Um…hmm. Adjectives. =] Or… verbs. Cuz that was funny. XD Same kinda stuff from yesterday. XD Encorporating “wo” and s***.
Ayu-pan: Adjects and verbs
Suicune: XD =] Mmkay. XD
Ayu-pan: Mieru ka? Kore ga… watashi no sonzai desu, dakara… onegai, wasurenaide!  -saved it XD
Suicune: Aww. Not that again. XD Umm…mieru…mieru.. Something? This… I don’t have….
 so… I’m sorry! Wasurenaide….  I remember that – it was used in STEP you. Umm…. I can hear Ayumi singing it now…. ugh… done! =_= This time, tell me what it means. Cuz I seriously give up. XD
Ayu-pan: Mieru ka? Kore ga… watashi no sonzai desu, dakara… onegai, wasurenaide! Can you see?
Suicune: …Dammit. XD
Ayu-pan: This is… my existence.
Suicune: oh
Ayu-pan: So… please don’t forget
Suicune: dammit. XD
Ayu-pan: Yes, it’s cheesy. But who cares?
Suicune: XDD
Ayu-pan: XD
Suicune: Meh. XDD Mmkay.
Ayu-pan: lmfao
Suicune: Well then, two more sentences and we’ll call it quits. =] ^-^
Ayu-pan: It’s like something you’d hear out of like… Xenosaga or something
Suicune: XDD Yeah, or like….. yeah. XD I can’t think of another example
Ayu-pan: Kono inochi no hana no youni chiru made wa, omae no soba ni iru. This time, I want you to pick out the verbs. XD Not really.
Suicune: Urgh. XD Okay… Kono = that, or this.
Ayu-pan: I just wanted to see what it’s like to sound like a teacher. Didn’t go so well.
Suicune: Inochi = life
Ayu-pan: XD
Suicune: That’s life’s flower… Flower’s… Oh! Oh! Your phrase! =D Until this life scatters apart like a flower, I will stay by your side. Hahaha. XD Isn’t it? Iru = verb. Chiru = verb. And… done! XD Was I right? Was I right? XDD I feel like I cheated somehow. XD
Ayu-pan: XD Chiru is a verb, yes.
Suicune: Ah okay. =]
Ayu-pan: Kono inochi no hana no youni
Suicune: … =T
Ayu-pan: Youni is a verb. Just breaking it down, but since you know it. Oh well. XD
Suicune: XD Oh, I got it? I didn’t know all the words.
Ayu-pan: Yeah. XD
Suicune: I just knew the first few, and figured it out. XD Gomen… XD
Ayu-pan: Until this life scatters apart like a flower, I will stay by your side…
Suicune: Mmkay, one more?
Ayu-pan: XD
Suicune: Yup. =]
Ayu-pan: XD Mmkay, let’s see…. Kimi ga tsuyoi ja nai. Watashi wa taoseru! Watashi wa Makenaizo!
Suicune: O_O Uhh… okay… XD Gawd. You like, expect me to know this?
Ayu-pan: XD It’s cheesy, no joke.
Suicune: XD. You…something.. not. I… am….. I… won’t be defeated! I will defeat you!
Ayu-pan: =O
Suicune: Done!
Ayu-pan: Good job
Suicune: XDD Okay… so… what’s the outcome? XD
Ayu-pan: You have the last two parts correct, just reversed, but correct.
Suicune: =]
Ayu-pan: And the first part was You are not strong. XD
Suicune: Ah, soka. XD So it’s “You are not strong. I will defeat you! I won’t be defeated!” ? XD I was just guessing, mainly. XD
Ayu-pan: Yeah. XD
Suicune: Wow. D: I did good! Arigatou gozaimasu~~~ sensei Ayu-pan! =D
Ayu-pan: O_o Kowaii o namae. XD
Suicune: … Uwah~ I’m scary? ;__; Scary name. Ohhh. XDD
Ayu-pan: XD

Air TV.

Ai Otsuka.

O… M… G.

Where have I been?

Last night, I started watching Air TV again for the first time in, well….3 years… My old friend had recommended it to me, but back then I wasn’t into anime as much as I am now, so I stopped watching halfway through the first episode. I’ve been thinking about watching it since then, but only last night did I put it into action. I don’t know why, really. I just did. I think it might have a little bit to do with my best friend’s anime influence over me – she, too had watched it and could not stop raving about it. Knowing that she’s about as picky about her anime as a food critic is about his, well, food… I couldn’t put it off forever. So last night I just watched it. I watched all the way through until episode 11, when I konked out at about 4:00 a.m…

I finished the last episode just a few hours ago, since… well, it’s freaking sad. ;__; I haven’t cried this much over a show since back in February, when I was watching the drama 1 Litre of Tears. And that, that is pretty heavy stuff, too. Especially since it’s based off of a true story… But! More on that later… Air TV is just a remarkable anime, with a complex set of characters whose mysterious personalities left me wondering. In just those few 12 episodes of the anime, I grew to adore the characters (how could you not, especially when there’s a dog named Potato that barks like a Pikachu! XD seriously)… and that’s why it was hard to watch this anime through to the end. I won’t spoil anything, but if you’re planning on watching this, just….be prepared to go through a whole box of tissues. D= And take my advice: don’t watch it when you’re super tired. It just makes it all even more sad. >_> *ahem* Well then…

As for Ai Otsuka….brilliant. I can’t believe I haven’t checked her out since before today. Since I started watching Air TV (yes, since the past 24 hours, for those that might be keeping track), I’ve been checking out J-pop singer Lia, who sung the two themes for it, as well as other KEY Projects anime, so I’ve heard. The same site I’ve been using to sample her music also has Ai Otsuka’s work. I’ve been curious about what her music is like, since I haven’t heard much about her at all. (Then again I am a beginner…) So I just downloaded her album LOVE LETTER. It is simply amazing so far.

My first Ai Otsuka song is Bye Bye, and that was a pretty catchy tune. Next I listened to LOVE LETTER. I’m really impressed… she has such a spectacular voice! And she plays the piano very well (I’ve already looked into that). D= Just another reason for me to practice piano even harder…. >_>

So, all in all, the past 24 hours have been great – I have a new favorite anime and two new favorite J-Pop singers. And now I’m going to go listen to the rest of her CD… Bye for now!

~suicune141

Okay, so tonight, for the first time in months, I picked up watching Death Note again. I began with the second episode and have reached the 6th already, but…. I just can’t watch anymore. It disgusts me to no end that the ‘hero’ of this story is a self-righteous, arrogant teenage boy who thinks of himself as god because he uses a shinigami’s Death Note notebook to kill criminals by the dozens. Sure, to some extent, that’s heroic… But not the god part. He’s talking about wanting full-on worship from the world, here. If that were the case in real life, I’d be like hell the f*** no. I’m not bowing down to some egotistical teenaged boy who may be a genius (but a sick, twisted one at that) just because he’s ridding the world of criminals.

The other thing, the main thing that ticks me off is the fact that he just loses touch with justice and starts killing innocent people just because they’re onto him. It took him no time at all to kill the decoy L that the real L planted for the TV broadcast. He’s either some twisted genius that uses his advanced logic and Death Note book to play around with people, or he’s on drugs, going through some massive puberty, and just happens to have a magical Death Note book to carry out his wishes. I wish it was the latter, so I could just laugh his petty actions off. XDD But sadly, this isn’t the case. (that was a long shot anyhow)

L is really what I’m watching Death Note for, at this point. His intelligence and logical thinking is really entertaining to see being played out in the investigation into ‘Kira’, and I love his little mannerisms and quirks. The fact that he isn’t blinded by what true justice is, and that criminals should all die horrid, brutal, gruesome deaths because they’ve committed rotten crimes is still unjust to begin with…. that’s a very good perspective on life. And if Light wants to be a freaking god with his Death Note, he should keep in mind that gods are supposedly forgiving gods who love people nonetheless. (says the atheist who only knows religion through a few years of private school…. XD) L exhibits a better understanding of life and forgiveness and can just differentiate from what’s right and wrong, on an unbiased level. Light should learn from him, not seethe from fury and wish he was freaking dead every waking minute of his life.

So, I want to ask anyone reading this – who do you think is the better of the two? Who did you support while watching and/or reading Death Note? Post your answers below. No matter the stance I have, I’m open to opposition to L. It’s your opinion, anyhow. =]

~suicune141

Just a small post – I went on iTunes last night and checked out their music videos, to see if there were any on sale, for $0.99 or $1.49 or something, and I found 17 pages worth of goodness. =O There were No Doubt videos, Black Eyed Peas videos, and….BoA videos. They had two of them for $1.49, and I bought the one that interested me the most – the video for Eat You Up. I LOVE THAT SONG. .__. Okay, I’m okay. XD

But yeah, so I got it, of course. And my gosh was it worth it. The choreography was awesome, the outfits BoA wore were really cool, and just the overall theme of the video was great.

I’ll embed a clip of it later, right now I gots some stuff to do. So, bye bye for now.

~suicune141

As you might know – probably not since I haven’t ranted about Fushigi Yuugi as much on this blog as I have to my friends – I love, love Fushigi Yuugi. It’s my current favorite anime – even though I’ve put if off for a while after accidentally finding some spoilers (;__;) – and I’ve been dying to read the manga.

Well, as you should know from an earlier post, I recently bought Fushigi Yuugi Vizbig Edition volume 1, and was super psyched about the find. It’s pretty awesome, it’s got full-color artwork in the back, taken from some of the original artbooks, and on the inside covers are the maps of the regions in which the story takes place. Have I already said that before? XD It’s possible. I’m just in love with the way Shoujo Beat/Viz Media has compiled the volumes.

So…guess what? A few days ago I got the second volume! =D Just a week ago I was so pissed, because I’d been waiting so long to get my hands on Fushigi Yuugi Vizbig volume 1, and by the time I got it, volume 2 had already been released. But now…it turned up at the same Border’s I got volume 1 at!

I’m also really excited because the next Vizbig volume of FY is slated to be released in early September! Shoujo Beat is really getting a move on with making and releasing the Vizbig volumes – as opposed to Tokyopop. Tokyopop’s making me even more mad. This is a little off-topic, I realize, but I checked the scheduled release date – as of now – for Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition volume 4, and it’s supposedly February of next year! And I got the 3rd Ultimate Edition sometime last year.

But anyhow. Enough Shoujo Beat favoritism. XD I feel like I’m advertising or something here, which I’m not trying to do. Just…advertising my adoration of the company. <3 Anyhow… XD

So yeah, I’m just really excited that I won’t have to wait so long for the volumes to be released. I’ll have the complete collection in no time. =]

If anyone’s interested, I might take some pictures of the volumes just to capture their awesomeness. XD Seriously. Even the spines of the books are pretty! D=

Well, until then, stay tuned.

~suicune141

Wow, it’s been quite a while. Or…only a few weeks? I have no clue – this summer is going by so slowly. @_@ But anyhow….

I’m back. I’ve taken a short leave of absence from blogging because of my stupid laptop….The battery and power cord both went kaput, and I only just got the new battery yesterday. I didn’t yet know that the power cord wasn’t working either, but thankfully my mom had a spare one that she doesn’t use… Anyhow! So yeah, I’m back.

I haven’t watched much anime, really, I’ve only read a little bit of manga, and yeah. So not much to write about, but still, expect some new posts soon. =] I’ll be posting about music, anime, manga, an anime convention & cosplaying, my current otaku level, and more, so stay tuned.

~suicune141