Otaben

Kaichou wa Maid-sama Anime vs. Manga

2010-04-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

There's something about shoujo manga that seems to make it difficult to translate over to a proper anime. For some reason, the art looks stiffer, the romance scenes aren't as romancy, and in general I don't get the same doki doki feeling I get from reading the manga. In the anime, the only thing actually animated was Usui's scarf blowing in the wind. Really. Skip Beat! had the same

Skip Beat! Ch. 153 - Dangerous Mission Get!

2010-02-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

And now we continue with the story arc that sent me into fits of happiness a few weeks ago. Deliciously insane Cain Heel. owo Kyoko asks Cain if he's Ren, and then two of them have a staredown in which he seems to get increasingly angry. He scares her so badly that she loses her strength and falls to the ground, after which he merely walks off. Kyoko finally regains her strength after fifteen

Skip Beat Ch. 152 - I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

2010-02-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Skip Beat, I know I was unkind. You went through a rough patch, and I wasn't there for you. I didn't have any patience. Even when the storm calmed, I left you alone. But I'm writing to say that I'm sorry. I want you back in my life, baby. Can you ever forgive me for abandoning you? Kyoko, Moko, and Chiori are spending a moody afternoon comparing their newest Love Me tasks. While Moko and

Liar Game Season 02 - Manga Comparison (+Movie Preview)

2010-01-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

Well, second season of Liar Game is over. And oh my. The writers really managed to piece something interesting together, although it's not without a few confusing moments and holes. Thankfully, rather than invent entirely new content, the writers lifted things from previous manga chapters and Roots of A. Spoilers lie within. Obviously. Round "four" of the drama was merely the manga's revival

Durara Ep. 01 - Headless Horseman, but Cuter

2010-01-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

It's like Baccano! except the first episode makes sense (and it has an extra exclamation point). That is a good thing. Durara!!, the first show this season that I actually feel like talking about, is another one of those stories with five thousand characters in it. The art and opening definitely give off that Baccano! feel, but the story manages to stand on its own. We're introduced to (or warned

Liar Game 2 Ep. 01 - Everything is still really dark and stuff.

2009-11-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Well, the Liar Game drama is back after a two year break. Fans of the first season will be happy to see that not much has changed. The cast all find their characters quickly, the set still looks like an abandoned night club, and the mysteries still abound. The first season ending with our team winning Round 3 handily, and this season begins with an ominous invitation to Round 4 that no one seems

Gamble Fish - Manga Review

2009-10-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

Great scot, what the flying snet am I reading? It's like the illegitimate child of Liar Game and the My HiME manga, but without the charm of either of its parents. And yet I keep coming back. ::sigh:: Gamble Fish is a manga about some dude named Tom who's a sneaky gambler. He plays mind games with people and likes to swindle them out of their money. So since he's such a dashing sort of dude, he

Liar Game 0 Drama in October

2009-10-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

So, Fuji TV is tossing out a little something to pacify all the crazy Liar Game fans waiting for season 2 in November. This month, they'll be streaming "Liar Game 0" which is apparently a spinoff that takes place seven years before the LG tournament. The plot has not been revealed, but manga fans are sure to think of Roots of A, the Liar Game prequel featuring Akiyama's college life. Whether or

Shugo Chara Ch. 45 - Amu in Rainbowland

2009-10-05T17:42:00.001-07:00

You know, I'm actually kinda impressed that they managed to crank out more than 100 episodes based on a mere 40 or so chapters worth of story. Then again, I think a lot of us would have been happier if they had just waited and stuck to the script. But either way, the manga has wrapped up the main story where the anime has finally finished (until next season, at least) with the vs. Easter story

Skip Beat! Ch. 147 - All's well that ends well.

2009-10-04T16:56:00.000-07:00

I was less than pleased with the previous chapter, especially Ren's actions. But as my astute readers wisely said, Ren's actions were probably the smartest move to make. And this chapter proves it. Ren manages to convince Kyoko that a kiss is only really a kiss if it's with someone you love, and anything else doesn't even matter. So whatever it was that happened with Sho is just an insignificant

Skip Beat Ch. 146 - : (

2009-09-19T01:49:00.000-07:00

Spoiler: I am disappointed. I mean...really? We came all this way for this? ::sigh:: Spoilers lurk within. Not like I care. So we left off in the last chapter with the super drama buster DUN DUN DUN of Sho giving Kyoko a super kiss. Kyoko tries to wrestle away from him, but it looks more like she's sharing a passionate kiss with him instead. An very angry Ren approaches, but Kyoko finally manages

Bloody Monday - Manga Re-Review

2009-09-17T23:25:00.000-07:00

I already reviewed Bloody Monday, but the story has since advanced a good deal so I shall offer my new and improved* opinion. When we last left our heroes, they were a spunky gang of kids fighting a dark and evil organization. Little has changed on that front, except the organization has many new members (including Jesus <- not really, he just looks like him), there are spies on the side of the

Skip Beat Ch. 145 - OH SNET SPOILERS!

2009-08-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

AHHHHHH!!! Despite my constant raving about this series, I am not a shoujo fan. I hate all the drama. But THIS. THIS drama is delicious! Ohhhh...it's wonderful. Spoilers abound inside, so brace yourselves. Sho brings Kyoko a beautiful bouquet made of all the things that she loves. Not just flowers, but tons of pearls and princess-y things. Kyoko can't help but adore it. Sho drops the bouquet in

Skip Beat Ch. 144 - Why do you be so GOOD?

2009-08-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's times like this that I hope the Skip Beat anime gets picked up for more seasons. I would absolutely love to see this arc animated. The delicious day is finally here, all the players are in position...let the drama begin! Sho is sinking deeper and deeper into despair at the thought of Kyoko and Reino together. His manager suggests that he just admit that he likes Kyoko, but when he denies it,

Orange Yane no Chiisana Ie - Manga Review

2009-08-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

This manga makes me hate women. And I am one. Troublesome, indeed. Shotarou is a hard worker with a great family. That is, until his wife gets tired of the fact that he never comes home and asks for a divorce. He buys a new house hoping to win her over again, but when he gets there he finds a beautiful woman and her two daughters there. The woman, Natchi recently divorced her husband for cheating

Skip Beat! Ch. 143 - Make it STOOOP

2009-07-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

I'm dying here. Every chapter seems like it's shorter than the last, and there's still no sign of Ren. AHHHH! When will the fans finally get their juicy romance? Sho and Reino have a confrontation over Kyoko, and Reino implies that Kyoko made her chocolates out of love. Sho becomes furious, as he can't even imagine that Kyoko would fall for a guy like Reino. Before she can set the record straight

Soul Eater Trailer - First glimpse of the English Dub

2009-07-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

All you lucky punks who went to AX already got to see this, but now the rest of us are finally able to see the first Soul Eater trailer from FUNimation. Definitely a marked improvement over the Media Factory trailer that looks more like a documentary than a trailer. Plus, we finally get our first sample of the official English dub. If you don't recognize Soul's voice, there's a good reason for

Shugo Chara Ep. 91 - Manly Basketball Playing

2009-07-11T04:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging Shugo Chara lately, because really...nothing's been happening. Until now. That's right kids, Rhythm hatched! Kukai stops by the Guardian's place to show off his manliness for no apparent reason through and arm-wrestling competition with Nagi. Amu notices that Nagi's egg is reacting to the display of manly power. Flashbacks occur of Nagihiko as Nadeshiko and how he always

Umineko Ep. 02 - Lots of people talk, then die.

2009-07-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

The first episode moved pretty quickly. The second episode...did not. Lots and lots of talking occurred, which I'm sure is totally important and relevant and fascinating. But it took awhile. Of course, some of the talking from the original was actually cut out, so I really can't complain too much. Maria reads a letter from Beatrice saying that she's going to take everything unless someone can

GAR - Evolving multiplayer top down shooter

2009-07-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's pretty rare for me to talk about video games, especially ones not out of Japan. But Galactic Arms Race caught my eye for a couple reasons. First, the acronym is GAR, which makes me giggle quietly to myself. Second, it's a top down shooter with "evolving weapons." The game generates new weapons based on the type of weapons that the player prefers to use.It's an interesting concept, and it got

So, who wants to be a voice actor?

2009-07-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

It's the same question that shows up at every voice actor panel. Perhaps you've asked it yourself. How can I be a voice actor? Will I get scouted by posting fandubs on YouTube (answer: no). Well, worry no more. Voice Actor Kick Start is here to answer all your questions. VAKS is a collaboration of many professional voice actors (including yours truly). In includes articles, podcasts, and most

Umineko no Naku Koro ni Ep. 01

2009-07-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

So this is pretty much the only anime series I've been anticipating for this season, although I will doubtless check out others. This episode pretty much sets up the deserted island, the feuding family grabbing for inheritance money, and a mysterious witch and her curse, and a creepy little girl who seems to be able to talk to her. Unlike Higurashi, Umineko fits a lot more of the standard "

Skip Beat! Ch. 142 - I can't take it anymore!

2009-06-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

The drama never ends! MAN, this author really knows how to drag things out. Kyoko is carrying Reino's chocolates with her when she happens to drop one. Ren and Yashiro both catch sight of it, but Kyoko tells them it wasn't anything. Yashiro noticed that "hatred" was written on it, so he assumes that the chocolate must be for Shou. He's sure that Ren noticed the same thing, and he notices that Ren

Code: Breaker - Manga Review

2009-06-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

When I first started reading Code: Breaker, I gave it a less than glowing review, frustrated by the repetitive plot and lack of interesting character interaction. I would like to retract that statement now. While the opening arcs remain frustrating, the latest arcs (along with the introduction of new characters) are well worth the read.Rei is only the sixth of six code:breakers. The introduction

Skip Beat! Ch. 141 - The Night Before

2009-06-09T23:56:00.000-07:00

Soooo close! And more delicious drama abounds. Shou is still distraught at the thought of Kyoko and Reino together, and talking with his manager only confirms his suspicion that the two are secretly dating. He's especially angry because he thinks Ren is better suited as a rival and he can't understand why Kyoko would go for someone like Reino.Meanwhile, it's revealed that Reino has kidnapped one

A-KON 20 Report 02 - Fresh to Death New

2009-06-04T23:23:00.000-07:00

Because cosplayers are all about cutting edge and first in. Okay, not really. But still. With something as big as A-KON, you're bound to run into a few crazy people who are cosplaying from something that's currently airing in Japan.Like this fellow, who was happy to learn that someone else does, in fact, watch Sengoku Basara.Okay, using Shugo Chara is a kinda cheatish, since it's been airing for

A-KON 20 Report 01 - Nifty Cosplay

2009-06-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was A-KON 20, and I had the pleasure of attending. As usual, I spent most of my time running around snapping pictures of cosplayers. Here are a few that I found to have particularly impressive construction:Mushrooms from Disney's Fantasia (thanks yafurichao). They're crazy cute.Gilgamesh. According to him, he worked on this in a bar.A huge crowd of people followed these guys all over

Skip Beat! Ch. 140 - The day before...

2009-05-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

It's the day before Valentine's Day, and delicious, delicious drama abounds. One of Moko's castmates is constantly harassing her even though she has no interest in him. Hiou comes to her rescue, and she's visibly pleased to see him. She decides she wants to make chocolates for him as thanks, but she doesn't know how, so she asks Kyoko to teach her. Kyoko is thrilled at the idea of spending time

Marie to Gali Ep. 08 - Radioactive Onsen

2009-05-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

Marie Curie takes Marika to her hot springs for a relaxing day off. There, she tells Marika that the hot springs are heated using radiation (GREAT SCOT THEY'RE ALL GONNA DIE). Galileo is scanning the city with his telescope when he spies the two ladies bathing. Marika feels as if she's being watched, and Marie Curie uses her ninja skills to find Gali and send a radioactive pickle flying into his

Meitantei no Okite Ep. 01 - Locked Room Murder

2009-05-14T22:41:00.001-07:00

I recently stumbled upon a new Japanese drama that parodies the ever popular detective drama. The title literally means "conditions for a great detective," and the story follows the "great detective" Tenkaichi as he solves mysteries under preset conditions of a detective story (like an incompetent police chief, a pretty female rookie, village legends, locked rooms, etc.). The story is a very

Marie to Gali Ep. 07 - Genius Envy

2009-05-13T10:33:00.001-07:00

Leonardo DaVinci stops by Marie Curie's house and he and Galileo get into an argument. Marie tells Marika that since the two are both geniuses, they don't get along very well. Apparently, Leo is also a lolicon. As soon as he lays his eyes on Marika, he asks to paint a picture of her. She says yes, as long as her pet can come. Gali goes along to make sure that no trouble happens. While painting,

Marie to Gali Ep. 06 - Eureka!

2009-05-08T11:48:00.001-07:00

Galileo takes Marika to a beautiful temple, but she's disappointed to find that it's just another restaurant - this time, for oden. The owner of the restaurant, Archimedes is having trouble making ends meet. He has no customers, and the debt collection guys are knocking down his door (and shooting missiles through it). He gives them both some daikon, and Gali is angry that Mari gets a larger

Don't Laugh - English Lesson

2009-05-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

I've been watching a lot of Japanese gameshows lately. I don't know why; it's a sickness. This is a very old clip, but still pretty funny for what it is. It's from a show called Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende. In this portion, a set of guys is forced to pretend to be high school students watching an English video lesson. Anyone who laughs during the game will be punished with a beating.--

Shugo Chara Chapter 40 - WHAT!?

2009-05-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

This post is spoilerrific. At the end of the last chapter, Amu, Ikuto, and Tadase were getting ready to hop onto the special elevator that leads directly to Gozen's chambers. Amu asks what sort of person Gozen is, but Ikuto doesn't know. Gozen has always been hidden, and he can't even be sure if it's male or female. They find Gozen's throne, but all that's left there is a voice changer. They

Free Comic Book Day

2009-05-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Today is free comic book day, so head to your nearest comic book store and get yourself some free comics. : ) Viz is getting in on the action, releasing chapter zero of Ultimo, the Stan Lee - Hiroyuki Takei collaboration. I already blogged my thoughts on chapter zero, but it sure is nice to have it legally and free. Plus I have a nice mini-poster of a super GAR manga version of Stan Lee. I have

Katawa Shoujo Act 1 (Visual Novel Review)

2009-04-30T09:32:00.001-07:00

The OELVN community is highly active, yet surprisingly quiet. Most projects tend to slip by in the night, but the very ambitious Katawa Shoujo has a lot of hype outside of the community, probably due to the fact that it was initially born on 4chan. Only the first act has been released, but it's a pretty solid piece of work on its own.You play as Hisao Nakai, a teen boy with a congential heart

Marie to Gali Ep. 05 - Love Coil

2009-04-29T10:57:00.001-07:00

Marika is having nightmares that are keeping her from being able to sleep. In at attempt to help her out, Gali takes her to a ramen stand (again?). The guy who runs the stand apparently doubles as a DJ called M. C. J and his ramen stand is also a hot spot night club. He sings an song entitled "Love Coil" which is a song about diodes and electricity. It also involves the right hand rule. The song

FUNimation Licenses Heat Guy J (Probably)

2009-04-28T13:44:00.001-07:00

I mentioned previously that FUNimation had been hinting at a new acquisition. Well, from the image clue posted today (see above), it's very likely "Heat Guy J" although there are no promises or press releases yet. It's a "rescue" license, so it's a little bit disappointing, as I'm sure we were all waiting for them to announce something new and fresh. I'm still surprised they haven't announced

FUNimation hints at new license and streaming Soul Eater

2009-04-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many of you actually bother to read the FUNimation blog, but it's a good resource for anyone looking for some hints and inside information if you're willing to dig. This post hints that Soul Eater episodes might be available for streaming sometime.More importantly, this post hints at a new license announcement in the near future. I know there's one show they're recording for that

Liar Game Season 2 and Movie!

2009-04-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. ^o^ The Liar Game drama is getting a second season, and there's going to be a theatrical release. This is good news. According to ANN, the drama and movie will keep the original cast. The first season of Liar Game was pretty good for the most part, although the third round wound up deviating quite a bit from the manga. In fact, I think they actually won the third round (which

FUNimation Simulcasts Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~

2009-04-23T08:10:00.001-07:00

And in a sudden and surprising move (well, they hinted at it a few days go), FUNimation will be begin simulcasting Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ today, posting the first four episodes in their video portal at 10:30 CDT (which means it'll probably be up by the time you read this).I haven't watched it, but I guess I will, provided that the site isn't completely overrun by people watching the

Marie to Gali Ep. 04 - Radioactive Ramen

2009-04-22T11:32:00.001-07:00

Galileo takes Marika to a ramen shop that looks more like a yakuza hangout than an eatery. The ramen in the shop is heated using microwaves (you see, the microwaves excite the water molecules, causing them to heat up). Mari isn't too impressed with the ramen, so the gang leader/ramen chef serves her the house special. The noodles in it move up and down in a wave formation, the same way that radio

Skip Beat! Ch. 139 - Pre-Valentine's Day

2009-04-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

Mimori (from Shou's Angel PV) reappears to give him chocolates, but he's as cold as usual. Her career is advancing nicely (she's going to be a Gravure Idol), but he has no interest in her at all. Meanwhile, Kyoko is in a state of despair because she doesn't have a birthday give for Ren. Everyone tells her isn't not her fault, since the magazine she got his birth date from published faulty

Arisa - Manga Firstlook

2009-04-20T11:20:00.001-07:00

Arisa is the latest series by shoujo manga author Natsumi Andou. I really enjoyed some of her previous works (Zodiac P.I. and Kitchen Princess), so I went into this one with high expectations for innocent high school girls, sweet boys, and lots of endearing romantic situations. Never have I been so pleased to have my expectations crushed. Tsubasa and Arisa are twins sisters who were separated

Anime! The Abridged Series Ep. 01 - Girly Girly Romance

2009-04-18T14:36:00.001-07:00

After a long slumber, miharaoujirou (of Casey & Friends) has posted another video. This one is not of the 2Kids variety, but rather a parody of the blisteringly popular abridged anime that seems to be running around YouTube these days. The first episode is a sendup of shoujo romance. The ending promises that there might be more in the future?--Ou-bentovar gaJsHost = (("https:" ==

Marie to Gali Ep. 03 - Pretty Boy Newton

2009-04-15T09:10:00.001-07:00

Mariko decides to search for a butler host club so she can have many beautiful men fawn over her. Galileo mistakes her interest for a muscle club and has a bizarre image of her eating meat an protein supplements to bulk up. However, Mari's bishonen radar just picked up a signal, and she floats off (literally) in search of her beautiful man. She finds Newton reading under a tree, and Galileo warns

Clever Stop Motion Film

2009-04-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

A friend pointed me in the direction of this video. It's a very nicely done piece of stop motion "animation" that utilizes stop motion images and a surrounding environment to create a very cool little piece. It's in Japanese, but you don't actually have to be able to read Japanese to understand what's going on. Very cool stuff.--Ou-bentovar gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "

K-ON Ep. 02 - Why isn't it that easy in real life?

2009-04-10T18:53:00.001-07:00

"Someone who can't even play guitar doesn't deserve a two thousand dollar Les Paul as their first guitar - especially not for only five hundred dollars of borrowed cash." So says mai kareshi (drummer and guitarist) who has been kind enough to watch K-ON with me. And while he definitely doesn't mind the moe overload, I think the DUMB overload is getting to him. Yui shops for a guitar, but her only

Ristorante Paradiso Ep. 01 - A Bizarre Soap Opera

2009-04-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's like Ouran but creepy because everyone is in their mid 40's or something. Forgive me lack of relevant screencaps - you probably know by now that I'm only in it for the food (unlike all the patrons of the restaurant). The restaurant staff is all male, and they all wear glasses because the owner's wife is big into that sort of thing. Apparently, the glasses fetish is pretty widespread, since

Marie to Gali Ep. 02 - Galileo is a Lolicon, Marie Curie is a Ninja

2009-04-07T20:17:00.001-07:00

Marika wakes up wondering where she is. She discovers her kind hostess is none other than Marie Curie, who lives just above Galileo. Gali the perv joins the ladies for tea, then goes out on the town with Mari. Mari just wants to go home, but the bridge is destroyed, so she's trapped on the island. Galileo points out other citizens of the island like Newton and Edison, but the only one that Mari

Skip Beat! Ch. 138 - Spring has Sprung!

2009-04-04T12:08:00.001-07:00

It's spring (but only in President Lory's mind). Rather, it's nearing Valentine's Day, a day of love that he adores with all his heart. Moko's manager tells her than she'll need to find a special someone to give chocolates too, or Lory will be sad. Since she's a member of the Love Me section, she'll likely be under even more scrutiny on the day of "love." Moko thinks that spending a lot of money

Shugo Chara Ep. 77 - Amu's First Date

2009-04-04T10:24:00.001-07:00

In this episode, Ikuto takes a hot, steamy shower. It hardly has anything to do with the plot, but I want more hits on my blog, so I'm adding hot, steamy, shower, and Ikuto to this post because I know some fangirl out there is googling those keywords RIGHT NOW. Anyway, the real thrust of the episode is that Tadase finally learns that Ikuto has been staying in Amu's bedroom. Unfortunately, he

Shugo Chara Ch. 39 - Capturing the Embryo

2009-04-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

When we last left our heroes, they were duking it on Tokyo Tower and Amu and Ikuto suddenly got some new transformations. As it turns out, only Amu's was actually a "new" transformation. Ikuto's Seven Sea's Treasure transformation was his original, but another "presence" inside of him was causing him to have a different transformation. So technically this is his pure version with Yoru.The X-eggs

Sengoku Basara Ep. 01 - Not the best History Lesson

2009-04-02T22:05:00.001-07:00

I would have blogged this squalid garden of manliness sooner, but I was busy watching lolis with guitars. Sengoku Basara is based on a video game which is loosely based on Japanese history. So loose, in fact, that the North American port removed all traces of Japanese history from the characters' back stories. However, if you're the sort of history nerd who charts out "Who would win in a battle?"

K-ON Ep. 01 - It's so CUTE

2009-04-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

Wow. My moe moe meter doesn't get set off very often, but K-ON managed to do it. As expected from KyoAni. Quick summary: Three girls form a music club/band in school. They need a fourth member, but the only person interested is a clumsy girl who doesn't even play an instrument. They let her in anyway. And I am so glad they did. While the girls don't do much to stray from the stereotypes (dojikko,

Marie to Gali Ep. 01 - Gravity (and levers?)

2009-04-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

The weirdness factor on this one is pretty high, but for some reason I really like it. Mari and Gali is some sort of science lesson "cleverly disguised" as the adventures of a gothloli, her pet stuffed animal, and Galileo Galilei. I don't know. It just works. Sorta. In this episode, Mariko moves to a new town and discovers a very strange tower that is not yet leaning. Her pet runs off, so she

Cookin' Idol Ai! Mai! Main! Ep. 01 - Cabbages and bad CG

2009-03-31T10:23:00.001-07:00

Yes, that is a picture of a unicorn pulling a lettuce carriage through outer space. And yes, that screencap is pretty indicative of the coherency of the entire episode. Quick summary: Main is an "adorable" little girl who's trying to become an idol. Except she has zero self confidence and overwhelming stage fright. Her manager tells her to think of lettuce during her idol competition, and she

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 76 - Secrets and Stuff

2009-03-29T08:09:00.001-07:00

Amu is dreaming happily about Tadase's confession, but when she wakes up, her happy mood is ruined by the fact that Ikuto is still sleeping in bed with her. At the Guardian meeting, Yaya and Rima notice that Amu and Tadase are being a little "rabu rabu," and the grill Amu about what's going on. After Amu escapes the interrogation, Nagihiko explains that last night he heard a mysterious note that

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 75 - Ramen! (and plot)

2009-03-21T10:03:00.001-07:00

We continue to advance the plot, Doki style. Utau shows up at Amu's house searching for Ikuto. Amu's afraid the jig is up and that Utau knows Ikuto is in her closet, but Utau is actually just asking for Amu's help to find him. Utau takes her to a ramen stand so they can talk. While there, Utau orders rice, and some kid named Conan Maruyama insults her taste, saying that she doesn't know how to

Shugo Chara Character Song Album Best!

2009-03-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

I've been anticipating this release for awhile, as it fulfills my desire for Amu character songs and (more importantly) a full version of Heartful Song. And it has "Best!" in the title, so surely it's a great release. I'm not really a musical genius or reviewer, but that doesn't stop me from having opinions. In fact, here are some opinions now:Nijiro Chara Change! - Amu's character song with

Skip Beat! Ch. 137 - Are we there yet?

2009-03-20T14:14:00.001-07:00

Spoilers lie within: Kyoko continues her conversation from the last chapter. Chiori says that it's weird for Kyoko to thank her for such a performance, and Kyoko says it's not the performance - it's what she did off stage. Chiori's actions like tearing up her Kyoko's nameplate or pushing her down the stairs helped to create Kyoko's "Natsu" character. Without Chiori's bullying, Kyoko wouldn't have

Mel Kano - Manga Review

2009-03-18T11:05:00.001-07:00

Relationships are sticky business - even moreso when the internet is involved. On the popular community site F.I.L. Gate, users Kakeru and HAL are the most adorable rabu rabu couple imaginable. However, their real world counterparts Shinjou and Haruka are rough, short-tempered, and violent. Their relationship is rocky at best unless they are busy emailing or texting each other adorable hearts and

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 74 - Just in time for White Day

2009-03-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

I have a Shugo Chara backlog, but from the looks of it, not much happens to the plot until 74, so I'm skipping ahead for now. Ladies, this is what (half of) you have been waiting for. Tadase finally confesses to Amu, like for reals. Not just his little crush on Amulet Heart or being friends. He asks outright if it's okay is he likes Amu and just Amu. And of course, Ikuto is hiding in her closet

Spring 2009 - It has Food

2009-03-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

Time for another exciting edition of "things I will probably be watching come Spring." FMA is on the list only because I won't be able to understand a thing all those kids at those conventions are talking about otherwise. As for the rest of the list, it's a little shorter this season. I have a job now. Go figure.Pandora HeartsAlice's Adventures in Wonderland is my favorite book of all time, so I

Liar Game - And why you should be reading it.

2009-03-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

I've already written about Liar Game, but it's been thirty chapters since I did, and now the story is really going places. Places that you want to be. Why? Because Akiyama is smarter and cooler than Light, Lelouch and that one Hiyama guy combined. Yes. I said it. And do you want to know why this is the case? Because he's not completely insane. That's right. A manipulative genius who doesn't want

Shugo Chara Ch. 38 - Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler

2009-03-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

The battle rages on. And by that, I mean that the flashback continues. Lots of angsty scenes and sad memories, because Ikuto is a sad, sad catboy. But that's okay. Because even though they don't get to see important stuff, we at least learn a little more about why he's moody (but not why he's interested in little girls). Dia decides to hatch again for some reason, and Amu transforms into Amulet

Choco Parfait - Manga Review

2009-03-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

I love food. I love it dearly. I especially adore cute foods (bento, sweets, snacks). So naturally a series with a name like "Choco Parfait" caught my attention. And to my delight, it was, in fact, about food and not some inane shoujo romance. Choco Parfait is a 4koma about two girls. One is the daughter of pâtissiers, the other the daughter of Japanese sweets makers. They have mini adventures

Starting a new Comic

2009-03-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

One of the things that has been keeping me busy as of late is my work on an original comic. I'm loathe to call it "manga" as my circle isn't Japanese at all, and while our style is obviously inspired by Japanese art, it certainly isn't manga. We finished our first page today, and I am very delighted by that fact. So I'm using this blog to show it off. I hope that you find our art enjoyable, and

Skip Beat Ch. 134-136 - Level 5 Torture

2009-02-27T09:56:00.001-08:00

Picking up from where we last left off, Kyoko suggests that Chiori's character should act as her "right hand" in bullying. When the director thinks that the Kaori character would be more suitable, Kyoko says that Kaori is too important, and she'd rather use someone disposable. During filming, she uses a fallen page from Chiori's diary to blackmail her, saying that if Chiori doesn't amuse her,

Lucky Star x Moyashimon

2009-02-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

Because everyone loves dancing microbes.--Ou-bentovar gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-4045058-1");pageTracker._initData();pageTracker._trackPageview();

Undead

2009-02-26T16:12:00.000-08:00

I've been dead for a couple months. This is a bad thing for something supposedly a daily blog. What happened? I moved. I apologize for the lack of warning, but I wasn't expecting it either. I have a lot of catching up to do. I've hardly seen anything this season at all. So tell me what you've been enjoying this season (if anything).var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https

Star Ocean 4 Site Updated

2009-01-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

The offiical SO4 site has been updated with plenty of new stuff including new characters, screen shots, video, and even a music player in the top right corner. The game is set to be released next month, and I am most definitely looking forward to it. The new characters include some that previously went unnamed in promo trailers and one girl named Welch Vineyard who carries a stick similar to the

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 65 - I'm slow.

2009-01-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

I'm a week behind. D: Anyway, this episode was pretty much an extended version of what happened in the manga. Yoru explains to Amu that Ikuto stole his violin back, but it's been having a strange effect on him. He was low on energy, so Yoru did a character transform and took him to Amu's place to stay. Amu's not too happy about that, but before she can do anything, Ami decides she wants to go

Maria Holic Ep. 01 - It's like yuri but completely not.

2008-12-31T10:54:00.000-08:00

Everyone and their dog has already blogged this already, so I'm not going to bother with a synopsis. All I can say is...AHAHAHAHAHAHHA. SHAFT, you guys are amazing. I'm an unashamed fan of traps, and Maria is a great twist on the average pretty face. This is definitely a show for the more hardcore otaku, though. There's just too much going on for it to make much sense elsewise, and while it's not

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 64 - I got a Catboy for New Years!

2008-12-27T14:23:00.001-08:00

Okay, I didn't get a catboy, but Amu did. More on that later. The guardians are enjoying their new year at the local shrine when they run into a couple of kids who are supposed to be doing entertainment. Rima takes entertainment very seriously and somehow winds up making everyone practice balancing balls on spinning umbrellas. Lulu appears and Amu happily introduces her to everyone else. To their

Konya mo Hitori de Nemurenai - Manga Review

2008-12-27T13:27:00.001-08:00

I Can't Sleep Alone. Eight shoujo horror stores = one satisfying read. I Can't Sleep Alone a collection of short horror stories by eight different manga-ka. As a shoujo collection, it deals with typical girl issues like family, falling in love, friendship, school, and beauty. But instead of the usual fluff, these stories have a much darker side. First love turns out very different from imagined,

Chibi Animation

2008-12-26T22:46:00.000-08:00

So uh...I animated something in Flash. It's not great, but since it's my first, I'm proud of it. ^_^;; It's just a couple seconds, and it probably doesn't make much sense, but I hope you guys think it's cute. It's based on a sketch by my brother, and voiced by the two of us.--Ou-bentovar gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape

Funi Day #4

2008-12-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Well, Funimation's new show a go-go finally announces a series not previously licensed in North America. I must confess, I'm surprised. From all the hints they hid around the site, none of them made me think that Nabari no Ou would be on the list. Most of the clues seem to be straightforward, but Nabari wasn't on it at all. Now I'm really curious to see what happens. Hopefully more new stuff.

Skip Beat Ep. 11 - The Adventures of Bo the Chicken

2008-12-24T17:49:00.000-08:00

Kyoko as Bo tries to exact revenge on Shou by putting him embarrassing situations, but he keeps finding a way to look cooler because of it. Through the show he starts to think that the chicken might be Kyoko since she's the only person who knows all his secrets and weaknesses. He tries to reveal her onstage and the two wind up in a fight. Kyoko is punished for it even thought Shou started the

Akikan Ep. 01 - D: Wat?

2008-12-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

A long time ago, I had this idea of a cute story about an average guy who found an old soda bottle and it transformed into a magical girl named Soda. Except, in my mind the story wasn't made of FAIL like this was. I couldn't even make it through the first half of the episode. The story was dumb, overly cliched, and the animation and music didn't do much to make up the difference. It's obvious

Skip Beat Chapter 133 - Right Arm of the Giant

2008-12-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

Not much happened in the previous chapter. Kyoko learned from Hikaru (from Bridge Rock) that Chiori was already a childhood star who got trapped in one role and wound up not being able to advance her career because of it. Chiori is now trying to make it in acting again, but no one even recognizes her anymore. Meanwhile, Chiori is wondering why Kyoko hasn't been trapped in the same way. The Mio

Funi's 10 Days of Anime #01 - Ikki Tousen? D:

2008-12-22T16:40:00.000-08:00

So today Funimation kicked off it's "New Show A-Go-Go" in which they'll be announcing ten new licenses in ten days. In what most people consider something of a disappointment, the first announcement is Ikki Tousen. However, there are still nine to go, and those who actually pay attention to anime out west are still trying to decipher the clues left behind. Funimation left clues scattered across

Star Ocean 4 Trailer - Translation Request

2008-12-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

Square Enix recently put out a very attractive trailer for the upcoming SO4 video game. While I do understand some of it, I'd be extremely grateful if someone with a greater knowledge of Japanese than I could take the time to translate the few lines of dialogue for me.--Ou-bentovar gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 63 - Happy Christmas!

2008-12-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas episode. Actually quite charming minus the ten worthless minutes near the end. Lulu's family is throwing a party, and Amu's family is invited (through Amu's mother's magazine connections). Lulu is shocked to see Amu at the party, but Amu doesn't know that Lulu is the one who's been causing all the riddle egg problems, so she's safe. Lulu even introduces her shugo chara to Amu. Lulu

Skip Beat Ep. 09-10 - The Blue Stone

2008-12-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

I usually wouldn't do a double episode post, but I'm very behind, and episode 09 wasn't that spectacular anyway. Kyouko manages to turn around the improv situation by using Angel's lines and making Angel use her lines instead. However, partway through Maria interrupts and beings arguing with Kyouko instead. In the end, Maria finally realizes that her father still loves her, but the other girls

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 62 - Rima vs. Nagihiko

2008-12-13T11:36:00.001-08:00

YES. Finally a worthwhile episode. That's the third one this season (the other two being 56 and 59). The guardians are cleaning up and they discover an old photograph with Nadeshiko in it. Rima is once again reminded that Nadeshiko and Amu are best friends, and she feels hurt. She's also threatened by Nagihiko's presence, as he's the "twin brother" of Nadeshiko. Amu notices that something is

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 61 - Sparklies!

2008-12-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

It's official. I'm behind on all anime this season. Partly due to my hectic job, and partly because I'm not as interested in what I'm watching. Shugo Chara is a good example of this. A new chara named Kiran appears and runs around doing good deeds to make people sparkle with happiness. The end. I wish I were making that up. It was a little cute at first, but it got old very quickly. I suppose I

Ice Revolution - Manga Firstlook

2008-12-02T21:29:00.000-08:00

So I've always liked figure skating, but I found Ginban Kaleidoscope a little bland. So with high hopes but no expectations, I took my first steps into chapter one of Ice Revolution. The lead, Masaki is the only girl in a dojo family. She's an expert in karate, winning one tournament after another, even though she's always competing among the guys. With a boyish personality and appearance, most

Pig Bride - Manwha Review

2008-12-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

With a name like Pig Bride, it's hard not be curious as to the content of the story. Si-Joon is the spoiled son of a wealthy politician. Unfortunately, it seems that due to his lineage, he must break a curse by marrying a girl so ugly that she hides her face behind a pig mask. As a child, he was coerced into agreeing to the marriage, and now that he's turned sixteen, his pig bride has come to

Darker than Black Funimation Dub

2008-11-29T11:40:00.000-08:00

A month or so ago, Funimation made the first three episodes of Darker than Black available for viewing online. I finally got around to giving it a watch. Yes, I am a slow bento.The vocal cast brings in a good performance for the most part. Jason sounds nothing like the original Hei, but his characterization works wonders, and it only took me a bit to get used to his rendition. I didn't get to

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 60 - I can predict this one...

2008-11-28T18:54:00.001-08:00

Blah. Another filler episode. ::sigh:: There's a girl at school who likes fortunetelling. It doesn't take a psychic to figure out that Lulu shows up. The girl transforms into Future Dream with the power to manipulate the luck of people. It's actually a pretty decent power, giving a lot of people bad luck, and increasing Amu's love luck to cause everyone around her to fall in love and stampede

Skip Beat Ep. 08 - Love Me ++

2008-11-28T17:55:00.001-08:00

Moko's back! YAY! After her last foray into acting, Kyoko has added Ren to her list of people to gain revenge on. She goes back to LME and is given a guide to all the acting classes she'll have to take, but it's very expensive. She runs into Kanae (the black-haired lady from episode 03). To her surprise, Kanae has been made the newest member of the Love Me section. When she asks what happened at

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

I packed a Thanksgiving bento. XD Because nothing says American holiday like a Japanese lunchbox filled with turkey, stuffing, green beans, mashed potato, and cranberries. Gotta say I'm thankful for quite a bit. One thing I'm really grateful for is all the support I've gotten on this blog. I'm sorry I haven't been more active in the community, and I'm honored that you guys would actually take the

Shugo Chara Doki Ep. 59 - Heartful Song

2008-11-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

What a sweet episode. Kinda a filler, but it was so nice and so worth it. MAN, this was great. Almost makes up for last week's debacle. Plus, it answered one of my very pressing questions about Ikuto. Utau is having her first live since she and Yukari split from Easter. Ever since the split, things have been a bit harder on her. Her latest performance was to draw a crowd for a local supermarket.

Skip Beat! Ep. 07 - Ruriko vs. Kyoko II

2008-11-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

Late post. -_- Anyway, this was a great episode. Kyoko really shines when she's acting. This episode picks up from the previous episode with Kyoko taking her turn to perform with Ren. When Kyoko kneels on the platform, her ankle begins to hurt even more. The pain is practically unbearable, and Ruriko is confident that Kyoko won't even be able to complete the scene. But as soon as the director

Skip Beat! Taiwanese Live Action

2008-11-21T13:30:00.001-08:00

The announcement came out a couple days ago, but I am a slow bento. It's been announced that the Skip Beat! manga will be converted into a Taiwanese drama. The two leading roles have been announced. Kyoko will be played by Ariel Lin, who has been in Taiwanese adaptions of Itzura na Kiss and Tokyo Juliet. Ren will be played by Jerry Yan, an actor made famous by his role in the Taiwanese adaptation

The bento I packed today (and some sushi)

2008-11-15T17:18:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy day, so I haven't had time to watch any new releases. But, I did pack this delicious looking (and tasting) bento. I usually like to spend time planning my bento and making all the different pieces, but since it was a busy day I just composed this one from leftovers and some store-bought food. But I guess technically that's the real point of a bento. It's meant to be a delicious

Shugo Chara Doki 58 - I want my twenty minutes back...

2008-11-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

Well, as indicated by last week's preview, this episode was utterly and completely useless. Completely. Not even a snippet of plot or subplot to make it worthwhile. Although admittedly, Yoru rapping was pretty funny. Ami decides she hates her parents because they won't buy a dollhouse for her, so she makes Amu take her to school. She then kidnaps Amu's charas for show and tell. When the other

Skip Beat! Ch. 131 - Chiorin's Attack

2008-11-13T17:32:00.001-08:00

Blah. Chiorin is so not a threat. Her evil twisty plots don't seem to be going anywhere. Chiorin changes her look to be more mature, knowing that it's not what the director wants. Her plan is to keep missing the direction so that she delays the filming, thus making everyone blame Kyoko for forcing her to change in the first place. That's...such a terrible plan. Seriously? You're going to do

Skip Beat Ep. 06 - Ruriko vs. Kyoko

2008-11-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

Things really start getting good now that Kyoko's actually doing some acting. Oh, and of course more Ren x Kyoko scenes are made of WIN. Ren carries Kyoko to the filming set princess-style, which sets Ruriko off. Ruriko tries to flirt with Ren, but he repels her with an insincere smile saying that he was tired of waiting. Ruriko decides to make trouble by leaving the set, knowing that since she's