Harry Potter

Like I said from the previous post, I still haven't watched the last Deathly Hallows movie. I just thought that after watching that, I'd rehash all the movies and post the things I wished were in the films that were in the books. That seems like a fun thing to do.

boo!!!

Still haven't watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2!

loli galore

So I finally watched the animes I dled last week. I'm a bit lazy right now so I'm not going to be adding screen caps in this entry like I did previously with Sacred Seven and Ikoku Meiro no Croisée. Before I get on with it though, just wanted to mention something I noticed with this season's anime. There are a lot of loli characters with the new set of animes and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about that. That aside, I'm just going to dive into this and get on with the reviews of the anime I posted last time plus three more that I just recently dled.

(Production I.G is best known for works like Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire, and FLCL. Clamp is best known for Magic Knight Rayearth, Card Captor Sakura, and xxxHolic)

So, there was speculation whether or not the Saya here was the same as the Saya from Blood+. That being said, "Can I watch this without having watched Blood+?" Yes, you can. In fact, if I didn't know anything about Blood+, I wouldn't have known to compare them. They're similar in a sense that she's fighting those Teropterid beasts and Saya's amazingly adept at killing these monsters even though she appears clumsy and ditzy in the day. Also, the characters are so Clamp-like that it's hard not too compare them with previous Clamp characters. And, for those Clamp veterans, you also won't be able to help yourselves and notice that the girls actually have boobs! 

It's tempting to go off tangent so I have to now force myself to recall what I actually liked from this anime. First off, the animation is pretty good. With a pair like Production I.G and Clamp, it's easy to see why. Too little was actually shown about the characters making it hard for me to decide if I like anybody yet so I'm saving that for the next two episodes. The fight scene was great. Lots of blood and kick ass moves. Other than that, nothing but curiosity would pull me back to watch this again. It's great and all, but I'm hoping that it won't end up as a total let down.

(Feel studio is best known for anime titles like Honey and Clover, Da Capo, and Kissxsis)

*sigh* Let me summarize this whole episode. Boy has mother and sister who are addicted to martial-arts/wrestling leaving him to be their punching bag causing him some serious trauma and fear against women. Once in school, daughter of the principal is introduced with a butler. Boy later finds out butler is a woman. Blackmail ensues to keep gender of butler under wraps and there you have it. Thinking back on it, I'm somewhat irritated at watching this. When a person's bored, he/she hopes for nothing but entertainment when he/she decides to watch something. This episode left a lot to be desired. It's predictability and overuse of plot is making me rethink on continuing with this anime but I'm giving it two more episodes before completely deciding if I should drop this or not. 

(Bones is best known for Wolf's Rain, Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha, and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Whenever Bones releases an anime, I find myself attracted to their art style and animation with plot coming afterwards. This was no different. Plus, what interested me more was finding the two lead characters looking so different from the image up there with Shion looking younger with brown hair and Nezumi with a more ratty (no pun intended) appearance to him. Admittedly, the whole futuristic thing leaves me a bit cautious as to where this might lead but with the first episode giving off an even paced story-telling, I don't mind sitting back and finding out where this show is going to lead. 

The plot does intimidate for those against anything sci-fi and even the interactions of the characters seem to give a lot of foreshadowing even on the first episode. From all the anime I watched from Bones, intricate plot twists are the norm. So, if you're against drama, complicated political intrigue, and character death, I suggest not watching this. Then again, I just might be predicting what's not there. Watch at your own risk.

(A-1 is best known for Fairy Tail, Working!!, and Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai)

The setup of the first episode goes very similar to the game. Personally, I wouldn't know since I've never played it before but if you've played enough RPG and whatnot, you'll understand what I mean. The episode starts off with a brief introductory spiel about Idols (as in Japanese superstars). Then, from there, the show goes off on a series of character introductions of the talents working under a certain agency. The whole thing was done in a cameraman's POV and you get a certain feel of how the talents are going about their training as future idols. 

Though the episode was somehow off-putting for me, it still made me watch it out of curiosity. To be honest though, if this series continues in that particular POV styled editing, then I probably won't continue to watch it. Actually, even if it wasn't, the plot isn't something I'm interested in and there's a high possibility of this show being dropped. For those who like 'kawaii' characters though, you gotta see this.

(Production I.G is best known for works like Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire, and FLCL.)

I like this. I've read the manga and it brings me great joy to find that the characters are drawn exactly like how they look like in the manga. The art actually works for the story and seeing how similar it is to the original work makes it easier to watch this. Without having watched three episodes of this anime, I am sure I'll be continuing to see this without further encouragement. Though the animation style is a bit odd, the plot really is sweet.

(A-1 is best known for Fairy Tail, Working!!, and Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai)

DROPPED. I couldn't. I really couldn't stomach watching this. Lots of bishies, sure, but I just gave up. First few minutes of it and I just stopped the whole thing. Sorry. If you like reverse harem types, go ahead. If you liked La Corda d'Oro, then go ahead. As for me, I'm out.

(Zexcs is best known for: Kamichu!, Rental Magica, and My-HiMe)

Let me start by saying this. I really dislike anime with characters having neon colored hair and other pastel colored themes. Not enough shadows and the colors just make everything seem ridiculous. Just to get things straight, I don't hate pastel colors in an anime but the overuse of it is just irritating. I got that vibe when watching this anime. BUT, surprisingly, I actually liked it. For a somewhat loli-type anime, this has lots of blood and gore and this is just the first episode! That, for me, is reason enough to continue this. The characters still need a bit of work but the plot seems promising. If you're squeamish against violent scenes, then don't watch this anime. If you're not, go for it. You might end up liking it too.

(JC Staff is best known for: Shakugan no Shana, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun and Kaichou wa Maid-sama!)

Beware! This anime is 40+ minutes long and heavy on the drama. It's not for kids. There's no porn or anything but the issues are kind of adult so I highly discourage the kids on watching this. As far as crime-drama goes, this was ok. I just felt a bit shortchanged at the end. The mystery the "NEET detective" was solving was getting so hyped up every minute of the episode that once I finally got to the end, it wasn't all that great. I was expecting more hoopla but the big reveal was just...bleh. The characters didn't seem to mesh well together, the females mainly bullies, and the male protagonist a pushover. That's not entirely true but that's what I got from the episode. I hope it gets better though. I had high expectations for this anime and I'm disappointed it fell short. Here's to hoping!

(AIC PLUS+ is best known for: Nyan Koi!, Ah! My Goddess, and co-produced Seto no Hanayome with Gonzo)

Lots of females and female cat persons. That's what I thought at first but it wasn't that bad. Despite all my critique of bad and good, I'm actually easily entertained. The surplus of all the cuteness in this anime was enough incentive for me to see this. Again, for those who love 'kawaii' things, watch this. It's lighthearted and it's enough to make a person smile. The lightheartedness of it makes it easy to have all the numerous characters to be introduced and still not feel overwhelmed. Besides, this is the type of anime that does not involve much thinking. It's a nice change to all those animes with a serious plot. 

Finally, there goes my shortened review of all nine episodes I watched recently. Currently waiting for a few more new ones. Oh, and before I forget to mention, Sacred Seven seems to have redeemed itself. The plot is promising and the action just gets better. I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm looking forward to the next episode. Combat butler and maids aside, it's actually quite good.

That's all :D

teaser

The Dark Knight Rises - teaser poster

Need I say more?

huwat?

 Haven't been going online for the past few days and was surprised and frustrated at the number of new animes that came out while I was away. Now, I'm downloading six new shows and hopefully would get a chance to like at least one of them.

(Production I.G is best known for works like Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire, and FLCL. Clamp is best known for Magic Knight Rayearth, Card Captor Sakura, and xxxHolic)

 (Feel studio is best known for anime titles like Honey and Clover, Da Capo, and Kissxsis)

 (Bones is best known for Wolf's Rain, Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha, and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

 (A-1 is best known for Fairy Tail, Working!!, and Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai)

(Production I.G is best known for works like Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire, and FLCL. Clamp is best known for Magic Knight Rayearth, Card Captor Sakura, and xxxHolic) 

(A-1 is best known for Fairy Tail, Working!!, and Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai)

The net's slow today. Nevertheless, hope the downloads finish soon so that I could watch these animes already.

why bother writing if nobody even reads it?

It's therapeutic? It's like I'm reading to entertain myself. What's so bad about that?

new anime

I make it a point to watch new anime whenever it comes out. This season's line-up is just starting to pop up and I don't really check out everything. Just those that seem promising to alleviate from the boredom. Yesterday, there were two titles that I checked out.

First it was this:

Yeah, the picture alone should have discouraged me but I gave it the benefit of the doubt since it was made by Sunrise (just so you know: they're mostly responsible for the Gundam franchise). So, okay, dled it and watched it.

Typical pretty boy. Reminds me of the Code Geass characters. This is Tandoji the protagonist of the story.

That dude there is the bad guy. What is he and what does he do? Well, he's a stone statue that goes after these gems of power and takes it for itself. He beams people with the powerful stare of the medusa head he's holding and turns people into stone. So, it's fine right? I don't mind. But then, things turn strange.

Friggin' maids start to block off the road! Obviously, only a high-powered, rich individual can afford such a luxury. So, enter rich girl with combat-esque butler!

Yeah, you get the picture. Ok, sorry. I might be getting off tangent here. To be honest, I don't really know what to say about this anime. It's painfully predictable, easily forgotten, and just silly. The animation was good, of course - what with Sunrise being the makers - but the story leaves a lot to be desired. Going to give this one three more episodes before I decide if I should just give up on this. First episode was a big disappointment.

(Redeeming quality perhaps? You should be the judge of that.)

The next anime I saw was more promising. 

The setting alone won me over. I love period pieces. The network that decided to take on this project did animes like Shugo Chara, Gene Shaft, and Fairy Tail. This anime is based on the manga of the same title and story. If you love France during the 1800s like I do, this will be something to enjoy just to see the sights alone.

The setting of the story revolves around a shopping district where the ironwork shop owned by one of the protagonists is located.

The backdrops in the anime are so picturesque that it helps that the characters are drawn simply. The blending of the two only helps along with the story. But, for me, the highlight of this episode was when Yune, one of the stars of the series, is introduced.

Kawaii!! She looks like a doll. Even the people in the anime think she looks like a doll. Meanwhile, the lead guy is a young man by the name of Claude.

I don't want to get too into it in fear of causing too much spoilers. Suffice it to say, the first episode was a lighthearted introduction into the characters' lives. It's really nice to watch their interactions with each other. The cultural differences of the two even play a major role in the story. Sad to say that I haven't read the manga counterpart of this so I can't give you a comparison between the two but that will soon be remedied.

This anime has a nice, downplayed feel to it compared to other real-life-genre animes probably because of the era of the story. Everything is slow-paced and somewhat genial and if you don't want much action but would settle more for the drama, I think this would be a good show to check out.

just watching telly

Turned on the television this morning and suddenly found myself curiously watching a dokyu in HBO titled Trekker. Obviously, it's about Star Trek fans and the ST conventions, paraphernalia, and whatnot. Mostly they showed Trekky fans (hardcore ones at that) going about their daily lives in their Trekky uniforms. I bet when some people watched that, they thought, "Man, these guys need to get a life" or "Wow, weirdos." For me, I thought they were SO COOL. The dedication and time they put into it are amazing. I can't imagine showing my devotion to something I love like that. Then again, when I think of Supernatural, I would LOVE to go to a convention all rock salt, holy water, and sawed off shotgun ready and be done with it. That would just be epic.

happy dorks

This was taken during this summer's PGA worship camp. Hope the gif works :s

chit-chatting

I had a good dose of whispered conversations with two of my friends today. Or rather, last night. To be more accurate, just a few hours ago. Anyway, not gonna be writing down what we talked about but just wanted to say that I felt that next time I have to make an effort to be the one to share stories instead. It's not because I feel a sense of self-importance. It's just that, it doesn't feel right that I know so much about them but they don't know much about me. They even hinted that it was my turn to tell them something about my life.

Note to self: Make an effort.

Dean Winchester

So, I came across something a fan posted about Dean Winchester's looks being downplayed by the TV network and that they want him to be more rugged and not so pretty.

Pictures of Dean from Season 1

Pictures of Dean from Season 6

Frown more pronounced, face looking angrier, but still looking oh-so-gorgeous. He can't help it. Teeth more gritted, Dean Winchester goes on about trying to save a post apocalyptic world with his brother, Sam. I hardly think that looks should matter with things that hectic and complicated. Either way, I don't really care. Still love Dean.

one of the reasons why i love Supernatural

It's not so much as Jensen crying but what he says in an interview regarding it.

Jensen: A lot of times, the emotional stuff happens in the middle of the scene, so you can’t start out like that (crying); you have to get there at some point during the scene. I don’t know, it’s something I’ve luckily been able to do. I can’t do it all the time, but when I can, for some reason, whenever it happens, sometimes it’s just the one tear. In fact, the camera guys on the show, they call it, “The OPT” which is, “The One Perfect Tear”

Gotta love all those behind the scene jokes :-D

I CAN'T EVEN...!!!

Just saw this today! I can't even describe just how happy I am right now. Sam, Dean, and even unhinged Castiel -- I miss you guys! WOOOOHOOOO!

 Oh, and let's not forget Dean's number one sweetheart

Season 7!!!

oh, look what i found!

Scouring through my hard drive and found old works I did and some pictures I edited.

Did this for a friend. Wanted to say happy birthday but in a more personal way. Since he was a big fan of V, I edited this picture from the movie and made it look like the one from the graphic novel. Had to search for a lot of words that started with 'v' just for the greeting. Didn't even realize until I gave it to him that I used the word 'vivacity' twice. For shame.

This one is from the anime...agh. It's just so long. Ok, here's the title Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai, or, as I fondly call it, Ano Hana. The flower at the end is a bit pitiful. Was too lazy to fix it. This is from the last episode. This scene made cry. I hate crying.

Dean Winchester and Mary Campbell, or rather, Mary Winchester. This if from the third episode of the fourth season of Supernatural. Gotta say it, just love Dean. I really do.

A gif I made of the Marauders taunting Snape from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. There's an error there somewhere that I am not going to point out. 

Another Harry Potter inspired work. This is from the sixth book. My first draft of the gif.

Other works:

I'll be leaving it at that for now.