Den Den Town Revisited

So last weekend was my second visit to Osaka's otaku heaven, Den Den Town. *ignores the scoffing from those who've been to Akihabara* Purpose? Bored out of my wits on campus To seek out that Giant Gundam shop I can't believe I missed during my first visit (several weeks before). Not that I'm an actual Giant Robot fan or anything, I just had this nagging question in my mind which needed answering: HOW did I miss something so huge the first time around when the place is hardly a few streets long?

By walking on the wrong side of the street that's how ORZ. After asking someone and eventually finding the place, I realized that I had indeed passed by the shop previously... Only you can only see the ginormous billboard from the opposite side of the road *smacks forehead* My (non-otaku) friend who was accompanying me through the rain (the day I chose to go happened to be one of the lousiest in terms of weather) was slightly 'disappointed' because I 'somehow' gave him the impression that we were going to see a real-sized-god-knows-how-tall actual Gundam model towering over the surrounding buildings... (Okay, I admit I sort of had that some illusion in my mind ORZ)

Anyways, some fuzzy handphone pics to make this post seem like it actually has content!

For the fanboys.

Again for the fanboys (sorry fangirls, the BL shots I had turned out to be too fugly)

Obligatory maid pic (Yes, it's a terrible picture that seems to have a random stranger as the focus instead and you can hardly see the hardworking meidos, boo-hoo)

This place neither has melonpan nor that many books (Okay it has a whole 2 floors, since the upper floors were under renovation or something). Yet another one of the many places in this country you can browse for 'wholesome' 'literary and artistic works' while being surrounded by people staring intently at 2D boobies and the latest episodes of whatever's showing this season blaring down at you.

Too blur to actually make out the Minori (not to be confused with Minorin) autographs there. Remind me to actually bring out a camera next time... -_-"

And finally... My sad excuse of the day's 'stash' (and probably the actual reason I made this post :P) - 図書館危機　(Toshokan Kiki: Library CRISIS, like how awesome is that??), the third book in the Toshokan Sensou novel series snagged at a second-hand bookstore for half price (Yes, I'm a pitiful scrooge). It's in pretty good condition really - minus some discolouration on the jacket which I'm willing to overlook. But you know what would make this purchase even more awesome? If I could actually read it without having to look up half the words in each line -_-"

That, and if I actually had the first 2 books in my possession... (total and utter ORZ). Watch out usagijen, I'll catch up to you... Some day!

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Toshokan Sensou 6: No Laughing Matter

Doujou Atsushi is officially my favourite guy character this season. Sorry, Kogarashi :P

If I really had to summarize this episode, it would be along the lines of:

Iku and Komaki have to bring a [very important sci-fi?] book back to the library. They get attacked by the Media Communists along the way, and have to play hide and seek with them villains for a while. Iku and Komaki talk a lot and say a lot of things I can hardly understand. Komaki is shot in the leg. Iku starts shouting angrily at the guy who fired the shot only I haven’t a clue as to what she actually said (well, she was really really angry). They run and hide again. While Iku bandages Komaki’s wound, he laughs his signature laugh. Iku asks “How can you laugh in such a situation?” to which he responds with a flashback of how 'old Doujou’ once acted as Iku did. Back then a kid snuck into the library grounds, and some heartless and idiotic guard Media Communist asshole AIMED HIS GUN AT THE KID AND SHOT. WTFH???!!! The kid wasn’t hurt since the shot actually hit the ground near him, but BOY was old Doujou MAD, so he went effing berserk at them effing guards.

Nice ass? XD

Guns are for chumps!

Fortunately Genda and the rest of the Task Force crew also had some sense and joined in the fray to beat the crap out of those !@%&@$^ers. TAKE THAT YOU FREAKIN MINDLESS BASTARDS *ahem* After hiding the book on a train, Iku and Komaki give themselves up to them Communists (!$@#@$^*$). Doujou and Tezuka come in to rescue them. Fortunately, the Communists give up their plan to retrieve the book for some reason I didn’t catch. Doujou ALMOST goes berserk again with the head Communist when he saw Komaki’s wound, but he manages to control himself this time (while still retaining his inner GAR) - Komaki tells Iku to take notes. On the way back, Doujou realizes that Tezuka probably had something to do with whatever reason it was the Communists gave up, but again I don’t know what and why since my Japanese listening skills still suck. Iku reaches home to find a ronery Shibasaki asleep after leaving her 99 a bunch of calls on her phone. “Changes” (which is such an awesome ED song =D) starts playing…

So yes, I will have to watch the subs when they come out. Not that I mind at all :P (I do apologize to anyone who expected an actual usable summary, my raw watching skills are painfully inadequate for Toshokan Sensou, which is why I’ve been avoiding doing any sort of summary for all the previous episodes.) As usual, Impz is picking up the slack on the summary end so I'll point you over to THAT direction.

However, I do want to ask: What the hell is wrong with society in this season’s shows? How could you bully an obaa-san on a train? How can you even CONSIDER pointing a gun at a child? How could you go off to study in another country and not communicate with your bloody boyfriend for a whole bloody year and still come back and expect the buttsecks?? That entire scene with the guard slowly raising his gun at the child’s back REALLY made my blood reach yet another boiling point this season, how could he even CONSIDER doing that to a child, even if he was ‘just’ meaning to scare him by shooting at the ground beside him, that was just plain WRONG. I’m not even in the mood to properly rationalize the situation, the way I see it, Doujou was perfectly justified in laying the smack on that bloody effing goon – why if I were him I’d take that gun of his and stuff it up wherever I can find on his body and- !%@$%^@#(&&(#@^(&#&(*#&%)!&*# GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Besides the indignancy I felt towards the Media !@&^#ers, I fully enjoyed watching old Doujou’s acting on impulse and doing what he knows is right on instinct even if it’s not the most ‘mature’ way of settling things. Of course Genda stole a lot of the show when he joined in the fray (XD), but I’m definitely partial towards the Prince Doujou right now, and the point of that story was how old Doujou was very much like the present Iku, and it brings back the point from a few episodes ago of how he sees himself in Iku, so much so that he’s rabu rabu constantly concerned about her actions. Now we see that old Doujou has developed into his current (*coughs*Princely) self, while Iku too has been showing progress in her character without sacrificing her righteous nature - by extrapolation, it should only make sense that Iku follows the path Doujou has paved (and that the two will FINALLY get together?), so again, another great episode with the promise of more to come!

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A Happy Mothers Day - From Toshokan Sensou!

Brawn Before Brains XD

There's a lot to like about this episode (unless you're just into the gun-toting aspects of this show), most notedly how everyone chipped in to help Iku distract her parents from the dangerous aspects of her job without her having to ask them (well, Shibasaki had to be offered a good meal, but I would have done the same. What are friends for? :P) Guess it once more shows us the 'princely' of the guys on the show (And yes, I did notice that Iku's dad drinks that Prince beer this time around)

Shibasaki to the rescue (again)! The scene made me think of Mint and her costume fetish XD

"Call me 'otousan' " *winks*

Also, it just happens to be that second Sunday of May, so here's a shout-out to my dearest mom back home - HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! (Then again, I'll probably have to be as desperate as Iku to hide the existence of this blog from my own parents, so I'll just have to send that message through other means, lol) This goes out to all moms out there too, especially those who watch anime (Is there such a demographic?) And not forgetting those in anime as well, who are always wishing the best for their offspring like their real life counterparts (though the means by which they go round displaying it is by far more entertaining - think Itazura na Kiss and Kyouran Kazoku Nikki)

Iku's mom is the rather over-concerned type, the kind that fusses over their children choosing less orthodox and sometimes risky paths in life. It doesn't gel too well with Iku's somewhat brash and headstrong personality and her insistence in joining the Library Task Force, but I guess it's some sort of stereotype for daughters not to have the best relationships with their moms (or conversely, have ridiculously good 'BFF'-like ones). Though Iku's mom was later than her dad (never underestimate a man who drinks PRINCE!) in fully realizing the scope of their daughter's wishes and accepting them, to her credit we do see by the end of the ep that the romantic streak of Iku's is something she shared by mother and daughter - just see her instant delight upon hearing of her daughter's Prince Charming story ;P In the end Iku realizes that opening up to her parents earlier on would have been the right thing to do, as they turned out to be more understanding of their child than what she gives them credit for - which is often the case in real life.

It kinda reminds me of the time I 'dropped the bombshell' on my own parents about my wanting to study in Japan ("Of all places???" was what their reaction was along the lines of) - something they never saw coming despite knowing well enough that I waste most of my life away spend a lot of my time watching anime XD. Though they were rather against it at first, mostly because it seemed to them like one of my infamously spur of the moment impulse driven decisions - and concerning that 'all important' education no less - so I did have to show that I did actually put some thought into this (ZOMG SRSLY??). The rest is, as they say, history :D

(I'll probably have even more trouble convincing readers of this blog that it's NOT* because of anime that I'm actually here, so I won't even try =P

*Okay fine, not SOLELY... ;P I still have a personal wish to watch Mizuki Nana perform live to fulfill! A little too late for that this year though... Or is it...?)

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Toshokan Sensou 4 : Yes, we know it's unbelievable, so what?

The face of regret. (Hah! In your face! Look down on Kasahara will you!)

I wish I could say that I've been slacking on my anime watching/blogging these past few days because I've been out spending a superbly fun Golden Week holiday doing embarassingly gaijin-like things in overcrowded tourist spots... Only the furthest I've been to is a few blocks away for nabe at a senpai's place and the internet connection in the university's been rather foul to me the past few days so, yea, that's my lame excuse. Now onto the post!

As usual, actual summary at THAT, this time though, subs from Ocha!

The leg that pierced the heavens!!! *ducks rotten tomatoes for a joke that's so last year*

I think the major complaint about belief suspension required when watching Toshokan Sensou needs to be stopped. Yes we get it, the Media Communists, armed library forces, Hino's Massacre are all 'WTF' plot points. Yet the same people who point this out are the same people who actively enjoy this show - which really proves that it's that awesome! Or in slightly more pretentiously intelligent terms, the core unbelievability of the premise still manages to support a highly enjoyable story and still highlights more relatable themes (media censorship, war is bad, etch) - and isn't that what makes a good anime good? Also despite the media war being SRS BSNS as treated in the show, the show still manages to maintain a whimsical side to the whole deal - and finds a good balance between the two. Why, the show even has Komaki sniggering in the background of most scenes to represent both the cynical side of the viewer's mind that may still be rejecting the viability of the premise and the side that still thinks it's still a heck lot of fun to watch (Okay, so he's mostly sniggering at Kasahara and Doujou's antics, but aren't we all :P)

Anyways, enough of the SRS talk, on to screenshots and lame one-liners (so not ripping off blissmo and Nagato here :P)

KANA

Was it just me, or did Kasahara (or rather Inoue Marina) channel a lot of Kana this episode? :P I almost took her restaurant message for Shibasaki for real thinking that it was so KANA of her to say something like that XD (If there's one thing I managed thanks to the lack of a stable internet connection these past few days - past 10 o clock anyways - it's that I've finally started to catch up with most of my Winter Season watchlist that I stockpiled but strangely neglected once this new season began)

Hataraki Man - brought to you by Tanaka Rie

SHINKU (Hey, give Shibasaki some love too :P)

A bishie?? In my Library War?? How dare they... (Looking like Sagara there, Doujou)

Tis the season for more BL jokes...

Btw, the way they managed to perfectly execute the rescue scene somehow made me think of those airplane safety instruction demos that the stewardesses have to do, lol. Nice to see a job well done by the Task Force anyhow and Kasahara redeeming herself without resorting to being as flashy as I hoped expected (Brains > Brawn :P). What was flashy of course, was Genda's BUTT OUT COPS, WE'RE BUYING THE DAMNED LAND FOR THE POWER moment, but he does point out it's strategic merits: they can always build a new library there after the operation - and as anyone who's played Monopoly before knows, the more hotels libraries you have, the better!

Don't you just love it after an already awesome episode they end things off with something that just promises something interesting in the next one? Can't wait for this week's episode *coughsmore KasaharaXDoujoumomentscoughs* =P

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Spring 2008 (Not-Exactly-)Bishoujo Rankings

I was about to do yet another post continuing the trend of my previous 2 ones in a continuous bid to alienate male readers from this blog, but it seems that someone else has beaten me to the chase. So instead of a 'Spring 2008 Princely Rankings' of sorts like I initially planned, here's something else to highlight the obvious lack of goggly-eyed moe-incarnates from Kyoto Animation in a season of plain-looking-girls-next-door and where feminism would rule if not for Kanokon and To-LoveRU! (there are still a smattering of bishoujo around, but they're mostly from the shoujo animes and are being outnumbered by the manservice machines of Code Geass alone)


11) Crystal Blaze girls (Crystal Blaze) - Only applies to the girl with the scratchy voice really. I might have remembered their names if I was still watching this.

Blurry and hastily cropped screenshots aren't doing them any favours

10) Jinko and... Satomi, was it? (Itazura na Kiss) - What's this, side characters that don't steal the thunder from the main characters at all? *coughsSpecialAcoughs* Well in the next episode they (and the rest of the F class) seem to be getting a bit more attention, so I'll forgive them for now for not being on par as Nobu and gang in Lovely Complex.


9) Amachi Nanako (Himitsu) - Who? I just remember Nonaka Ai voicing her :P If I hadn't started watching Himitsu and realized that Maki was actually a guy (and voiced by Seki Tomokazu no less OTL), she would be here instead.


8) Midarezaki Gekka (Kyouran Kazoku Nikki) - She's 'voiced' by Satou Rina, so she counts?


7) Irie's Mom (Itazura na Kiss) - Not at all MILF material (thankfully), but her schemey-ness in bringing Kotoko and Irie together is pure win. (Plus points for cross-dressing the bugger as a kid XD)


6) Miderazaki Hyouka (Kyouran Kazoku Nikki) - Oh, it's a trap? (Just needed an excuse to put more KKN characters in so that I can finally remember all their names!)


6) Maka Alban (Soul Eater) - Can't say much about her since I've not watched past the 1st episode (despite it being on a convenient time slot on TV for me on Mondays... If only I wasn't busy watching anime everywhere else but my room -_-"). On the list for being a female protagonist on a shounen show, but isn't higher up because I'm not a fan of her seiyuu (though some praise her flat-ness as fitting the character *shrugs*).

So sue me for reusing pics, she's only had one scene so far -_-"

5) Nina (Code Geass) - R2 has made her look years older really. Probably the only female on Code Geass who could qualify for this list (post table hump anyways, and only if you're not into the meganekko-psycho-stalker thing)


4) Ahmey (Tower of Druaga) - More GAR than moe, but then again we had a bunch of Claymores in Saimoe last year too (Ahmey isn't Claymore-class yet, though). At least she's not one of the air-headed/bitchy/loli female characters in the show.


3) Midarezaki Kyouka (Kyouran Kazoku Nikki) - I'm not sure what megalomaniac cat girls do for feminism, but she makes a surprisingly 'good' (if unconventional) mother for a very unconventional family.

I just couldn't bring myself to crop Shibasaki from the pic

2) Kasahara Iku (Toshokan Sensou) - Tomboy 4tw? A lot of Toshokan Sensou is about Iku being beaten down by the harshness of the Library Task Force Doujo who really just cares too much about her :P and how she has to eventually rise above all that - but almost always after a lecture from Shibasaki only, and thanks to the OP sequence we see her shed tears at least once per episode so far. Hence, she's not a Kou Shuurei (Saiunkoku) in terms of being a feminist beacon in anime just yet. Hopefully the next episode where she has to protect against the Media Communists on her own sees her showing her true stuff (Princes be damned!). Plus points for protecting books =P


And finally...

The pigtails make me think Yumi from Marimite... Perhaps that's why I first thought it could be Ueda Kana voicing her instead of Mizuki Nana -_-"

1) Aihara Kotoko (Itazura na Kiss) - Perhaps if Itazura na Kiss didn't look as 'retro shoujo' as it did, Kotoko would be considered a bishoujo no contest. But what I absolutely love about her character (and why she's my number one female character this season) is that even in terms of anime characters, she may be rather plain looking somewhat plain acting, yet her human qualities more than redeem her. Sure she's head over heels in love with the biggest jerk in anime male leads since the last one Hirakawa Daisuke voiced, but she's not blinded by that fact alone and acknowledges it as it is. Early on she understands the futility of her situation after being rejected by Irie, and despite acting for the best by trying to move on, she later acknowledges the fact that it's not going to be that easy to forget about a crush you live under the same roof with. What I really love though, is how Kotoko refuses to just be a doormat to Irie's douchebag personality and does manage in her slightly clumsy way to still hold her own and put him in his place. She's human to me in the way that she's neither very mature (as her homework habits show) nor too flawed a character, making her an easily understandable character and a major factor to the appeal of the show (Also, Mizuki Nana =P)


Well that turned out to be more fun than I expected, maybe I should do these lame excuses for gimmick posts more often XD.

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Toshokan Sensou 3 : Am I blind or what?

I watched the raw for Toshokan Sensou 3 yesterday at least twice and though each time my brain duly noted the brand of the beer Doujou was drinking without much registration since it wasn't a pun on any actual real life brand as you'd usually find in anime (my personal favourite, Kyouya's Pineapple laptop in Ouran XD). I still can't believe that after my last post on Prince Charmings it still takes a comment on Impz's blog to note me of the possible significance of the damned drink, *smacks forehead* Whether or not it's a hint/confirmation of Doujou's actual status in the story is still up to speculation at this point, but you have to commend whomever's idea it was to slip the Prince motif all so clearly in front of us (and yet I still missed it - and this is why regular sleeping patterns are so important OTL). And usagijen's deep frying of Toshokan Sensou has ignited the Doujou X Iku shipper flame in me and has further increased my intentions of purchasing the source material the next time I see them novels manga (Japanese reading skills still not up to par) in a store! There goes the monies... T.T

P.S. This episode has people dying over books. And this is why Library Wars is SRS BSNSS!

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Junjou Romantica 3: Someday My Prince Will Come (Oh god that just sounds awfully wrong!)

I'm trying to keep this post short, since I'm starting to feel guilty as the only person in the 'study' room currently not actually studying (Okay, so I have my Physics book and electronic dictionary on the table, but neither of them are open -_-" Also reading 5 pages for homework has never been this difficult to me thanks to the horror that is kanji...)

Anyways, since I can't think of anything else to blog about right now and having taken up usagijen's raw watching advice and applying it on... Junjou Romantica of all things last night (instead of watching more Toshokan Sensou raw, I watched the sub of episode one instead, lol. Saiunkoku Monogatari was on TV too last night, but I've watched the episode before and keeping up with the dialogue when there's no pause button is difficult enough in a show that's not set in an ancient China-like setting -_-"), I might as well toss up another JR post since those seem to receive the most comments

This scene totally cracked me up with the cheesy line Nowaki used :"Hiro-san wa boku wo moratta!" (I'll be taking my man toy Hiro now if you don't mind) XD

Side note: Hiroki's voiced by Kentarou Itou and Nowaki by Nobutoshi Canna. For those like me before this who have no idea who these people are (and aren't likely to remember anyways), Nobutashi Canna also did Ryuuya in Air (for the fanboys) and Fushigi Yuugi's Tasuki (for the old school fangirls) as well as Saiunkoku's Tei Yuushun (which one was that again?). Kentarou Itou is La Corda's Tsuchiura (green haired soccer pianist-kun, but the fangirls know that), Saiunkoku's Ensei (possibly the only anime character I know who appears with and without facial hair at different times in the series) and for the fanboys(? I don't think so...) Soul Link's Shuhei (*urgh Soul Link*)

Anyways, there's one point about episode 3 that's bugging me a little (and no, it's not the compulsory buttsecks. Seriously though, if there's at least one buttsecks episode per episode, then like those guy friends I have who shamelessly proclaim to be desensitized to porn after after watching so much of it, I have a feeling that the same thing will happen to me with regards to 'subtext' by the end of JR -_-"). A ridiculously common feature of most BL stories is that it has to take extraordinary or downright ridiculous circumstances to get the guys to actually start loving/hating (love/hate being another common factor) on each other (See Gravitation) The current arc of JR exhibits this trend more than the previous one (though since this one doesn't start with raeping and leaves the subtext till after the romancing, its slightly more 'palatable' -_-").

With Hiroki and Nowaki, it takes a rocket (Hinano just had to turn it into p3n!s pump, LOL) and one look at Hiroki's sad-because-I-was-raepd-by-a-guy-who-pretended-I-was-someone-totally-else face before Nowaki decides that he's 'fallen in love with Hiroki at first sight' and wants to make him happy. A little too convenient, don't you think?

It kinda got me thinking about 'Prince Charming' syndrome in anime, where the (usually) female (that part doesn't apply in BL, obviously) protagonist yearns for that gangly Prince to come save her from her bitterly unromantic life. What I always find interesting is the different ways this theme has been played out in different show. Like in Utena and more recently Toshokan Sensou, the female leads decide after first encounters with their certain 'Prince Charmings' to not just sit around waiting and pining, but to go ahead and emulate their princes in a bid to become closer with the often mysterious entity that is the 'Prince'. Probably just as fantastical, but it's nice to know that they're putting some sort of effort into it rather than moping about in a park waiting for some random projectile to fall at their feet -_-" (Not as significant, the OP song to Rozen Maiden Traumend, Seishoujo Ryouiki has the line "I don't believe in a prince on a white horse". Makes me think of the new Code Geass OP sequence..)

But this deal about things happening conveniently to bring together couples is of course just a detail of fiction being fiction for the sake of a story. And BL is mostly catering to the imaginative fangirl crowd as opposed to actual guys who like guys (homo/bi/tri, what have you) anyways, so realism can go straight out the window in the hopes of bringing out that inner "KYAA, that was SOOO sweet!!! *hearts*" reaction in the viewer.

There's nothing wrong with all that I suppose. But I do wonder if one day perhaps we'll have a WTF BL show featuring a non-bishie male lead who spends his time in gay bars stalking prey... *shudders*

And one final point: Who sends flowers to a florist???

So much for a short post -_-"

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Can't think of a more interesting way to say "Random Spring Season Update"

It's suddenly become a weekly tradition for us not to get back to our dorms till 5 or 6 in the morning on Saturday mornings after staying up all of Friday night doing inane activities like... Not watching/blogging anime. Yes, I have screwed up priorities, blame it on the lack of sleep and the overdose of fried chicken I had today. First and last time I'm 'indulging' in that rip off that is 'KFC's all you can eat for one hour at only 1320yen' nearby. And no, I'm not having Pizza BHut any time soon either. Since I've not posted for a few days, and I don't have much concrete material on any one series to constitute a proper post, here's a random update post for which I failed to come up with a witty title to (as always).


After wildly random and immensely entertaining 2nd episodes, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki and Kamen no Maid Guy (yes, Kamen no Maid Guy. And for the record, I actually loved watching Magikano, so there :P) enter my watchlist at number 6 and 7 respectively, displacing everything from Nabari no Ou downwards downwards still and at more risk of being dropped. Which brings me too...


Special A still sucks may just be the first shoujo series I'll ever drop. Even if the first few jokes of the 3rd episode were actually funny, and Hikari doesn't look as anorexic anymore, it's still too WTF when her skinny limbs are able to destroy kitchen utensils -_-" And the cannonball onigiri joke was only funny in Keroro Gunsou. Right now it feels like I'll only be able to like Special A if they got rid of Hikari and Kei (and especially the student council guy)... which would make the show rather meaningless, wouldn't it? Though speaking of actually dropping series...

Huh? Cry-blah?

Dropping Crystal Blaze after second episode (where I literally zoned out halfway, but that was because it was late and I was tired). psgels assures us it's a solid show, and I kinda believe so... but if my guess is right, even if I do continue watching, it'll just end up being one of those shows where I go 'well I guess that was okay' in the end before forgetting that I've ever watched it in the first place. On the other hand...


I may actually continue watching Kaiba and Himitsu instead. Need subs though. And speaking of subs...


Toshokan Sensou has finally been subbed! *!!!Goes to rewatch episode!!!* Those who haven't caught a glimpse of it, go do so, NOW. Also...


Junjou Romantica has finally been subbed! *...nyeh, prefers snarky NicoVideo comments* Let's talk about something more interesting....


Itazura na Kiss, Code Geass, Allison to Lillia remain very much entertaining for their own individual reasons (which seem wildly divergent from one another, especially when it comes to Code Geass XD). I really should remind myself to watch Nabari no Ou and Tower of Druaga every week though... Probably not a good sign that I'm starting to forget about them already. But it happens when the awesome-r series stick to mind, like...


Kure-nai. I suppose any show that's able to make me feel some sort of emotion besides reducing me to laughter (intentionally or not) at a character must be good to some extent. I was totally with Murasaki over the Shinkurou being a doormat in the subway train thing. (on the other hand, I can totally understand why Shinkurou didn't fight back, but I was still furious at how low he forced himself to sink!) The last time I felt genuinely furious at an anime character was at Hachimaki in Planetes after he goes Jupiter. It's totally different from being absolutely appalled at a character like Shinji in Evangelion to the extent that it reduces the enjoyment of a show. Feeling both angry at a certain character's behavior and angry for the other characters who have to put up with it - in poor Murasaki's case, being rebuked and then lectured about society's rules in a way Mawari from Seto no Hanayome could never hope to achieve - isn't something that occurs too often with me, and having character conflict within the show that I can actually connect to, even if it brings out a form of negative emotion in me, and is something I'm actually grateful for. (Hey, this whole paragraph should've gotten its own post -_-"). And finally...


Penguin no Mondai (not to be confused with that other Penguin Musume show which I haven't/won't watch) is probably the most wildly inappropriate 'kids' entertainment' I've watched, ever. Okay, maybe I'm the only one who was fooled into thinking it's children's entertainment... And am I the only one who's watched this? Maybe I'm hallucinating...


I need to get some sleep now. The panda eyes I'm getting in real life or hardly becoming.

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Spring 2008 Ep 2 Impressions - Because ANYONE can do 1st Episode Impressions :P

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The following are 9 of the shows I'm definitely following this season... well, that 'definitely' applies more to the series further down the list (I kinda ranked them from "Nyeh" to "!!!!" based on 2 episodes) while the first few are at some sort of risk of being dropped. It's not a complete watchlist yet since I've not gotten to episode 2 of some of the other shows I intend to, but for a start here goes:


9. S.A. (Not very Special Anorexics) - Needs more TajimaTadashi
Honestly disappointed at how mediocre Special A is turning out to be. Atrocious OP btw, it makes Koi no Mikuru Densetsu sound like the pinnacle of anime music (I'm neither a Mikuru fan nor one who actually believes this). The comic timing isn't very good, the jokes feel rather stale already (most of the entertainment value is riding on the side characters of the S.A. class anyhow) and I don't really care for Kei and Hikari - their relationship is starting to look like an inferior KareKano (an unfair comparison seeing that KareKano's first 2 episodes were real good). Perhaps this feeling of disappointment can be attributed to how well it's shoujo counterpart this season is doing in comparison, but if S.A. can't stand on its own soon, I see no reason to continue watching aside from some form of 'shoujo loyalty' on my part.


8. Junjou Romantica - Obligatory 'a new challenger appears' + passionate 'subtext' episode.
So Junjou Romantica is travelling down the path of generic yaoi - and I'm following for the ride? Usami's such a possessive bitch while Misaki's seiyuu (Sakurai Takahiro) just makes the show seem like Kyou Kara Maou all over again (thankfully, Usami isn't even close to being as annoying as Wolfram is *urgh*), but the show still manages to stay absolutely hilarious (partly because of the Nico video comments. There was one that went : "You just realized this is BL???"). Like how everyone in uni avoids Misaki because they're somehow well informed about the fact that the person sending him to classes is a famous BL author (they must all be jealous closet fans XD). There is 'subtext' involved of course, but I'm willing to tolerate it if it comes after the romancing.

And yes, the OP is actually good (which puts this ahead of S.A. -_-"), and not in the cheesily gay-tastic way that Gakuen Heaven's was, LOL.


7. Tower of Druaga - Generic RPG adventure plot twists
Well, the hilarity of the first episode has been replaced by a somewhat generic RPG adventure story (Tip : If you're ever an eye-witness to a successful assassination, clear out of the way before someone points the finger at you *smacks forehead*) but thankfully that doesn't mean the show has gotten bad in any way. The characters have been revealed to be a rather interesting bunch after all (and not in the "I'm going back to my village to get married!" kind of way XD) so despite the fact that it's no longer anything like ep1, I'll still be watching this to see how it develops to the end.

And yes, while I'm at it, the OP sequence is my favourite this season =P


6. Nabari no Ou - Why should we care if you don't?
Again, another show I probably would pass on if not for the funny (as opposed to laughable) characters. And again, thank goodness Kugimiya Rie is voicing Rokujou, since otherwise there'd be a high chance she'd voice the blonde twintails girl -_-" Rokujou may be the 'king of apathy' but his sneaky devil antics make him more likeable than an annoying 'shounen' lead. The only thing I don't like so much is that the characters here are almost on the anorexic level of S.A., but I suppose ninjas need the speed and agility whereas pro wrestlers... Gah, why pro wrestlers at all S.A., why???


5. Allison & Lillia - Cosplay time?
Episode 2 of Allison to Lillia (though when does the 'Lillia' part come in?) has affirmed my liking of the show. When they crash landed into enemy territory it started feeling like Crest of the Stars again (just substitute Kawasumi Ayako's cool and spicy Lafiel with the equally awesome Mizuki Nana's Allison). Like Crest, I'm not in the show so much for the setting (since war sucks, but there you go) and more for the interaction between the leads (Crest of the Stars had some of the best banter and lines ever) but I do want to know where this adventure of Allison and Will's will (getting tongue-tied :S) be taking them.

Also the episode eyecatch is just plain adorable =P

Guess who's back...

4. Code Geass R2 - LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
You know, I could try thinking of purely sensible reasons to why I absolutely love watching Code Geass (Hmm... kick ass mechas, intriguing character depth, ZOMGWTFBBQ plot twists, CLAMP's gorgeous noodle bishie designs? *stiffles laughter*), but I'd rather just tune in every week and tune off my brain and LMAO at every new cheesy 'development' they throw at us, even if it is all recycled plots devices from the first season. (As to how shut off my brain is while watching, I'm probably the only person dense enough not to guess it was Rollo in that new fangled 'my mecha is better than yours!' Knightmare)

And though I'm curious as to what's become of Nunally, I really demand to know why Lloyd and Cecil are nowhere in sight still when even psycho Nina's made an appearance!


3. Itazura na Kiss - Nice BoatPics
Story and character wise, Itazura na Kiss doesn't attempt to be more complex than it should be, which is why it's succeeding remarkably well. Or maybe it seems that way since it's a more entertaining show than 'Special' A has been (come on anorexics, you better be proving this post wrong soon!). Kotoko and Irie may not be as 'aesthetically appealing' as Hikari and Kei (who should audition for Top Model not pro-wrestling!)but it just shows that even in a visual medium such as anime that substance takes precedence over looks (or should, at any rate). Everyone acts in an acceptably believable fashion which makes them likable, except Irie and his brother who are your token jerks, but that's a given. And I wish I never found out that that was once Itou Makoto's voice we're hearing since it's giving me the urge to go sharpen knives when I hear Irie talk now... Thankfully Mizuki Nana's (yes, it's really her!) Kotoko cancels that out =P

Also, real moms cross-dress their children! Just look at Yuri in Kyou Kara Maou XD

Probably one of the more misleading images to portray why this show is good.

2. Kure-nai - Don't worry, you're not a pedophile if you like this show after all... Well, not necessarily anyways.
I loved how episode 2 confirms that despite her lavish upbringing, Murasaki is in no way an annoyingly spoilt brat that at first glance one may expect her to be. Sure, she may not be a Chagum yet in terms of actual maturity, but she knows to take note of her own mistakes and act to correct them in her own child-like innocent (but not childish) way. Sawashiro Miyuki's portrayal of Shinkurou is also my favourite male character voiced by a female seiyuu this season :P (who would've though Kugimiya Rie would be 2nd?) The casual caring interaction between the two is of course one of the highlights of this show, and this somehow flows along with the darker more mysterious elements of the show. Definitely a keeper.


1. Toshokan Sensou - WHERE ARE THE SUBS????
Despite the fact that I felt mostly lost watching the first episode raw, I still ventured on to the 2nd when the lack of subs started leaving me in despair. It just shows I act on blind faith that Library Wars is just that awesome! Episode 2 was much easier to comprehend once you get the situation about the Media Communists (that's what I call them :P) and the Library Task Force (come on, you don't have to be a total book nerd to find that awesome!) and even when the banter gets technical, the gist of it still comes across. And though they're still bickering every episode, Doujo and Iku's relationship is actually developing in a positive direction (He's untsundere man enough to praise and support her) unlike... (okay, that's enough bashing S.A., it's only 2 episodes in after all -_-"). The surprise confession by Tezuka at the end though, throws an interesting wrench into the works. Thanks to Impz for the much needed summaries of course. Hopefully as the weeks progress my own Japanese comprehension skills improve enough to watch the raws competently (or subs finally get released!)


From my First Impression posts, there are certainly other show I'd like to follow this season, and if my schedule permits it I'll follow through with all of them. Otherwise, depending on how their 2nd/3rd episodes fare, I may have to switch out some of the series here with them and stick to under 10 series this time around. Wait, that's still a rather large number isn't it? Err... well, it's all for the sake of improving my Japanese, I guess!

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