Fun In the Sun

It seems to have been a while since I've posted anything at all so after a few months hiatus, I've decided to dabble back into the wondrous world of blogging. To be fair, things were getting kind of hectic with exams, prize giving, and all that other crap that generally gets dragged along with the end of the year but since I'm officially on holiday now, you'll definitely be hearing much more from me.

Onto my latest geeky obsessions. After much procrastination, I've finally finished KHR or for those of you who aren't so familiar with it, Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
Warning: This post may contain slight spoilers


Sumary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katekyo_Hitman_Reborn

To be perfectly honest, the ending was a bit of a disappointment for me. After saving the world multiple times, beating up assorted nefarious villains, and experiencing all that he has, Tsuna still refuses to become the mafia boss. Hate to break it to you, but at this stage becoming the 10th (or the Neo-Primo) has pretty much been tattooed into your skull - come on, there are even people on Youtube making remixes of Gokudera calling you the Tenth.

Furthermore, I felt compared to all the suspense and building up, the ending was slightly anti-climatic. After the whole Arcobaleno curse conspiracy is revealed and Tsuna finally defeats Bermuda, they confront Checkerface/I-pin's noodle boss about the new way to keep the balance of the world and that he simply replies "Okay", I repeat "Okay". At this stage, you're sort of left wondering "Where the hell did my epic final boss battle go?!" The sad, sad truth is there is none. Yup, after all that effort, all they had to do was calmly negotiate with the not-so-evil-and-nefarious-alien-organiser who agrees just like that...

That said, overall I really enjoyed Hitman. My favourite arc was by far was the Future Arc. I guess I just felt that after Byakuran who has the ability to freaking correspond with his other selves from parallel worlds in all his wicked marshmallowness*, no one could really stand up to that.  The Shimon Arc was pretty fascinating and my second favourite arc. I thought it was really clever of Amano Akira to involve Vindice Prison in the duels for each character's 'pride' and the little glimpse of the Vongola Primo's memories that revealed the truth a little at a time. The only thing that really bugged me about that was Adelheids massive unproportional boobs. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against woman with large chests. I understand that the male readers deserve the occasional dose of eye candy/fanservice and there are plenty of busty women out there in real life. The only thing I have to say is, please, try to draw them more realistically. If her chest was that size in real life, there's no way the rest of her body could look like that without her suffering severe back pains - She would be much curvier. Adelheid is one hell of a kick ass character - it's a shame the art style wasn't really doing her justice.

 

 

 

 

The manga I started reading after I finished KHR was none other than Fairy Tail.

Summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_tail

 

Though I haven't actually read all that much from what I can gather, it's quite entertaining. My first reaction on seeing the cover was the remarkable similarity in drawing style to One Piece. I mean, I literally searched up the manga-ka to find out if it was by the same person (it's not). What really got me interested in this particular series was the whole concept of a mage guild. I liked that Fairy Tail was constantly wrecking havoc (with good intentions) and the mage council had no clue what to really do with them. However, the moment that really got me hooked was when Natsu got attacked by that monster with Taurus's axe. Then he literally melted the axe with his body temperature and freaking ate it. Over the years of reading manga, I've seen plenty of people catch axes with their bare hands, break axes with their bare hands, or even get gruesomely mutilated by an axe. Despite this, I had never seen anyone boss enough to eat an axe before reading Fairy Tail. Natsu, you gained my eternal respect at that moment.

 

Also, the amount of kick ass female characters is really nice. Erza takes a direct hit from a canon set to destroy the whole guild, survives, and proceeds to continue fighting a few minutes later. Juvia is like the love child of Suigetsu and Karin from Naruto - she has those hilarious stalker esque tendencies but can liquefy herself in less than seconds. Mirajane the motherly Aerith figure used to be a S-rank mage and Virgo, Lucy's stellar spirit in a maid costume can drill freaking holes through the ground by herself. I rest my case.

 

Listen to:

 

 

 

Mimic by Nightmare

 

Brief Summary: My most recent favourite J-rock band. I like the PV to begin with but the guitar solo is what really takes the cake. I love how melodic it is and the almost Egyptian hint in there. It also doesn't hurt that all the members are seriously talented, they actually formed their own band (Nightmare was made when the members were in high school) and Yomi can sing beautifully.

 

Revolution by Rin & Len

 

Why I like this: The beat. The intro is really interesting in how it starts off with very little going on and gradually builds up with the rhythm coming in. The artwork has a distinct charm and the guitar part has a really nice lazy, laid back feel.  Oh, did I mention Len RAPS in this song?

 

 

 

 

Moon Tiara Action! - Lessons from Sailor Moon

Perhaps it's considered a little old school nowadays, but Sailor Moon was the manga and anime that led to the creation basically every existing magical girl show. Tokyo Mew Mew, Pretty Cure, Mermaid Melody Pitchi Pitchi Pitch Pure the list goes on - and on. Entrancing the world with oh-so-deadly attacks ("Bubble Spray" and "Venus Love Me Chain!" being a few among the many) and the flaring mini skirts of their sailor fuku's that are probably not the most practical for fighting aliens - the Sailor Moon fandom is somewhat verging on an anime cult. However, there are a two valuable lessons we have learnt from this popular series..
Really.

1) Guys aren't the only ones who can kick ass.

Aside from the slightly cheesy lines, you have to give the Sailor Senshi credit - after all, they just SAVED PLANET EARTH FROM ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION MULTIPLE TIMES.. On top of this, they have exams, relationship problems, and still manage to run really fast in absurdly heeled boots. Let's face it, while Tuxedo Mask is useful and occasionally saves Usagi (Sailor Moon), when it comes down to the final battle, the girls are always the ones defeating the evil nemesis of all holy (?) evilness. It really makes you think, if Sailor Mercury can have time to run Jadeite over with a plane and still get straight A's what the hell am I doing with my life?

2) Being nice really does pay off.

What would have happened if Sailor Moon hadn't been nice enough to stop those boys from abusing a certain bald patched cat at the start of the series? Nothing, at all - that's what. Without saving Luna from those stupid brutes, she would never have discover Luna was a talking cat, she would never hear about her destiny, carry on with her normal life and Sailor V(enus) would be the lone warrior against Queen Beryl and probably get run over by a plane by Jaedite or something. If being nice got Usagi, a middle school student who got 30% on her tests, to the moon (literally) think about what it could do for you....

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On a completely different note, it was Kamui Gakupo's (the Vocaloid, that is) birthday yesterday! Though I'm pretty sure Vocaloids don't age, it doesn't give us any reason not to celebrate this event. For my part, I've decided to make a playlist of my favourite Gakupo songs.

Dr. Realist

Bite Size Summary: Tells the story of a somewhat pessimistic Doctor who is telling others of his philosophy onstage. I love how the song gets faster and faster as the Doctor gets more warped into his theories and then settle down again as he regains his self awareness.

Episode 0

Bite Size Summary: The winning entry of the a contest for composing a song with the Vocaloid "Gakupo". The prize was that Gackt, the famous voice donor, would sing this song. The introduction with the flute is amazing and overall it's truly deserving of it's title.

Dancing Samurai

Bite Size Summary: A cute song that tells the tale of a, well, dancing samurai. This was made by the same person who put together "Episode 0" if I'm correct. Rest assured, this is the version without the loincloth and Kaito wearing a horse head...

Soul Without Destination

Bite Size Summary: I couldn't find the translation of the lyrics in English, but it is a truly great song. The guitar and the drums are perfect together and I like the j-rock edge.

Battle of The Magnets

When "Magnet" was first released, the Vocaloid fan base was captivated by the somewhat scandalous song. Love it or hate it, Miku and Luka's love duet undeniably made an impact. Spawning numerous covers and rip off butterfly headphones on dubious online shopping sites, the influence is still stands strong to this day. The only question is: Which Magnet is the best Magnet?

Luka x Miku

Since this is the original song, it really works quite well. Personally, I don't ship this pairing though I can see the reason why people would because of the rival/friend dynamic that Miku and Luka have in practically every song. The lower voice of Luka matches Miku's higher voice beautifully and the only criticism I have is that this would sound a whole lot better if I wasn't drinking this really bitter orange juice.

Kaito x Gakupo

The funny thing is, I stumbled across this version before the original. I like the cute slide show of fan art in this particular PV which makes it different from the typical butterfly headphone and almost kissing image. One thing I dislike about this is that Gakupo sounds slightly more robotic but that's expected since he is a computer programme. It also helps that I'm a KaitoGakupo fangirl - I have this on my Ipod.

Rin x Len

The Rin and Len duo is always a popular pairing among the Vocaloid fandom so this cover was somewhat expected. This version is effective because of the similar voices (well, technically the same voice because they have the same voice donor) so they blend really well together. That said, the whole twincest thing is still sort of illegal... though I suppose Vocaloids don't really abide to the law considering the various murders and other nefarious deeds they commit.

Kaito x Len

While I like the artwork on this one, it kind of creeps me out. Not because Kaito is a bit older than Len or because they're both male... No, the thing that disturbs me is that Kaito sings higher than Len. That aside, I do like the interesting harmony in the chorus, it's really nice and adds a new element to a song that's been done so many times.

Meiko x Luka



As one of the less popular Vocaloids, some of Meiko's songs end up sounding quite robotic and forced - this is one of them. Though it's not really something she can change herself, it irritates me as it her cryptic way of singing in this one butchers what could have been a decent cover. Luka does a good job as always though.

Gakupo x Gumi

Yes guys, it is indeed Gakupo in the image despite his blue hair. I've always had a soft spot for Gumi because despite not being immensely popular like Miku, most of her songs are pretty good - also she can enunciate (with the exception of I-Fantasy). I like the harmonies between Gakupo's deeper voice and Gumi's higher voice and the interesting arrangement. The only thing I'm not really sold on is the Gakupo-who-looks-like-Kaito in the PV.

THE VERDICT:

To be fair, I haven't listed or listed all the possible 'Magnet' covers because it's almost impossible due to the number of pairings. Since Vocaloid songs are for the most part fanmade, that makes everything canon in an odd way so really, you can ship whoever you like. (Yes, even Ryoto the Melon with Big Al though I wouldn't recommend it.) Out of these six I've chosen, my favourite musically would have to be the Rin x Len version because their voices just blend together so naturally. Shipping wise, I still like the Kaito x Gakupo  the best because they are my favourite couple.

What do you think?

x Emiko Takada

I Choose You - Pikachu!

That simple sentence sitting innocently above my post is what started it all. Before I knew it, I was eagerly mouthing the words of the theme song, owned a Level 100 Swampert on Pokemon Ruby made for the Gameboy S.P. and dismissed playing "Mums and Dads" at morning tea in exchange for a game of "Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon". If I remember correctly, my best friend was Yami Yugi and I was Mudkip Seto Kaiba...

Now, 8 years later, I am an utter weirdo. I have committed various stupid but amusing deeds, (don't even mention the time when my friends tried to convince me to pretend to be Goku at the formal...) that don't always work out. I am the sort of person who shouts "Moon Tiara Action" when I hit a volleyball, I am the sarcastic friend who is sometimes an insensitive ass, I am a Narutard who knows the hand gestures for Izanagi.. but above all, I am an Otaku*.

This blog is basically a manifestation of all my geekiness. It will range from cosplay to anime reviews, deviantart searching to fanfiction, gaming recommendations to interesting j-rock songs.

So, without further ado here's my list of recommendations:

Music

- Himitsu Keisatsu/The Secret Police by Hatsune Miku

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkjTq_nHB90

Personally, this is one of my favourite Miku songs of all time. For starters, the upbeat introduction to this song is amazing with the chaotic engine starting in the background and the lyrics are amusing with a storyline. Miku doesn't sound freakishly robotic and there isn't any of that weird autotune-esque static you sometimes get in other songs. If I had to compare it to another Vocaloid song, it's style resembles "Matryshoka" a little in the sort of catastrophic vibe it gives off.

Interesting Fact: Kagamine Len resembles Mukuro from 'Katekyo Hitman Reborn!' in the original PV.

- Reila by The GazettE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCzhosjtmbM

Though this is one of the softer songs of The GazettE compared to others like 'Before I Decay' for instance, the quality does not drop at all. There seem to be a variety of rumours swirling around the story behind this songs. From what I've gathered the most popular rumour is that 'Reila' is supposed to be written about (the singer) Ruki's late girlfriend Leila who committed suicide. However, other stories state it was (the bassist)Reita's  girlfriend who did the deed while some fans even claim the song is about Reita and Ruki's forbidden love and they changed "Reita" to "Reila" so people wouldn't become suspicious...

Manga

- 1/2 Prince

 Summary (By MangaFox):

It is the year 2100 A.D. and humans have invented a virtual reality game called "Second Life". Feng Lan, due to a bet with her brother, vows to beat him in the game without using her feminine charm to attract others to help her. Thus, she becomes the first transgendered character in "Second Life" - in other words, she is the only person who has a gender in-game opposite from hers in real life. As her popularity rises due to her looks and bloodthirsty skills, can she keep her identity a secret from her loved ones and friends?

What I like about this:
The interesting thing about 1/2 Prince is that the main protagonist (who is a girl) is the strongest character. I don't mean in that 'I'm good at fighting but my brain cells get lost every time I pick up a sword and end up getting kidnapped' way either. No, I mean she literally beats the crap out of everyone. Half the time (no pun intended) she is the one saving the ass of her love interest(s) from the brink of death. Another good thing about 1/2 Prince is that it has a good mix of shoujo and shonen genre. With enough intense fight scenes to appeal to an action based audience yet retaining enough romance to also catch the interest of shoujo readers...  it's pretty well rounded. For those of you who focus on the plot above all else, I won't spoil things for you but I will say this: Don't let the gag scenes fool you, the plot twist is well worth the wait.

x Emiko Takada