tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37553663393565960722024-03-16T02:21:42.572-05:00Anime-zing Funtime BlogAn anime blog with a dash of manga enthusiasm!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-53050628128266702992015-04-08T22:44:00.001-05:002015-04-08T22:44:38.895-05:00Quick Review of 2014 and 2015 Thus FarYup. Was gone again. Yup. Same excuses. Here is a little what happened.<br />
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Honestly, anime took a bit of a back seat in the past year. I think for people that have hobbies, this will happen sometimes. I hit the video gaming scene much more than anime, getting more into collecting, importing games, and looking for some rare, fun games to play. I don't know what happened, but I lost some interest in anime. Maybe it was because of some lack luster seasons. I'm looking at my hummingbird feed (Someone needs to fix those scrobblers *insert disappointed emoticon here*) and not much is registered on it. I know I definitely watched some things, but it has been a pretty quiet year.<br />
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Last spring I went to the Anime Central convention which is easily the biggest one I've ever been to. I went with some friends and it was a great time. I saw a ton of interesting things, went to some actual industry panels, and also got to check out the awesomeness that is Mitsuwa, a Japanese grocery store with a food court and other smaller stores inside. If you ever get a chance to go near one, you should do so!<br />
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I recently got a PS Vita. Why is that special, you ask? Because of the wealth of JRPGs on the system. I have not been big into the genre, but there are some titles that did pique my interest. I finally got to experience Persona 4 which a lot of people have raved about. You can now count me in for people that are excited for Persona 5 coming out this year.<br />
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My weekly group has also continued to meet which has been a positive note in my life. We have moved more towards gaming more than anime, but its a lot of fun hanging with people that have the same interests as myself in a local scope. <br />
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Shameless self promotion<br />
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We recently started a website and forum, so if you or someone you know lives in the southwest portion of Missouri, in or near the Springfield area, please come visit us at our <a href="http://springfieldgenshiken.doodlekit.com/" target="_blank">site</a> or talk with us on our <a href="http://springfieldgenshiken.freeforums.org/" target="_blank">forum</a>.<br />
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End shameless self promotion<br />
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This year so far has been a quiet one. I did start collecting some trading cards based on anime series so...that's a thing. My figure collection is growing, which is again a thing.<br />
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I've not been abusing Crunchyroll enough, but I'm hoping to change that since there is really nothing I care to watch on TV nowadays. Assuming I get the gumption to, I'll make a post of the series I've watched so far for this spring. Its up to...I think 7 or 8 series, some I'm sure I'll end up dropping, but that is more than what I watched the past few seasons. I also found a couple from the last couple of years worth watching as well, so things are looking up.<br />
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I'm not going to claim to be making a return to blogging. That will blow up in my face. I have plans to update the freaking banner again and hopefully do a Spring 2015 roundup post. Plans. Please forgive me (T.T)<br />
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Finally, how freaking cool is it that we're getting 3 cours of the second Durarara series. 24-ish more episodes to go. So glad it is getting the sequel is aptly deserves.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-21171593559372142592014-04-13T01:19:00.001-05:002014-04-13T01:19:31.074-05:00Spring 2014 Season SpotlightsWatching new anime as a simulcast is much like a mixed bag. If you haven't read the manga or light novel of a series, you may not realize what is in store for you. I, being the awesome dude that I am, don't read that much, so that leaves me being blindsided by series I thought I would enjoy not being as good and series I expected to be mediocre actually earns my interests more. So I wanted to jot down my thoughts on various series I have seen from this season so far and whether I will be watching more.<br />
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<b><u>Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara(If Her Flag Breaks)</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgNehWun9QG1NhXa1eieratJufAnUJfYedNJ8IK3IcQ0PCCgWDLrzlD7Da272BD_IMg4VMC5SVn8K-OHKcXOiEgeFVyDwNchs8-60TA2mG8bZJ2lJqr4HYZROp5DFy2If6jFYSJ_EJQPs/s1600/flag4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgNehWun9QG1NhXa1eieratJufAnUJfYedNJ8IK3IcQ0PCCgWDLrzlD7Da272BD_IMg4VMC5SVn8K-OHKcXOiEgeFVyDwNchs8-60TA2mG8bZJ2lJqr4HYZROp5DFy2If6jFYSJ_EJQPs/s1600/flag4.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe a tiny person thought she was Everest?</td></tr>
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The first new series I checked out was If Her Flag Breaks which I expected to be something in the style of The World God Only Knows and My Mental Choices are Completely Interfering with my School Romantic Comedy (Seriously, couldn't shorten the title a tiny bit there?) and in all actuality...that is how this series is shaping up so far. However, unlike other series that I will be getting to that tires the genre it is going for, so far this series has captured my attention, though I am not sure if it will be something I will watch through the end or not. The series is about a boy names Sota <strike>Hotate</strike> Hatate that has an uncanny ability to see "flags" appear above the heads of people at certain times. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a flag is usually an event that can trigger the flow of a game, usually meant for visual novels. So if girl A starts to talk to you about her past, a "friendship" flag may appear which is determined by your actions. If it is a success, she becomes your friend. If not, an angel will appear and rip off your head with the spinal cord attached. Tru fax. Hatate can sense these flags in real life including ones for friendship, romance, and death. A girl named Nanami Bladefield, a real-life princess of an impoverished country notices Hatate's weird behavior and finds out his secret. He does not sense any flags on here, no friendship, no romance, and no death. He tells her that when people get close to him, then horrible fates will befall them. Akane Mahogasawa is the first we see him interact with him that has some serious flag action. Despite his attempts to break all of her friendship flags, she just keeps growing new ones. I won't spoil any further, but there is also a twist at the end that I didn't expect which makes me intrigued about what will happen next. Unfortunately, this series definitely reeks of the harem persuasion, especially with the ending of the first episode, and while all harems aren't bad, few have been done well. Despite that, I can't wait to see the next few episodes.<br />
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<b><u>Magica Wars</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBp2Ja7HlCEzBH7J66YwyiDiLTMsJkSel-MPGOds-yYzBXiHCjrA7_tNuMZMqIfI39gppDrjIlhhIbH09MMeHaXS6H_f68UyFlhIoq5qd9TZkO0EPWQH6RP_6uiAdaoJ3hfoqDEBgePhKP/s1600/Magica+Wars.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBp2Ja7HlCEzBH7J66YwyiDiLTMsJkSel-MPGOds-yYzBXiHCjrA7_tNuMZMqIfI39gppDrjIlhhIbH09MMeHaXS6H_f68UyFlhIoq5qd9TZkO0EPWQH6RP_6uiAdaoJ3hfoqDEBgePhKP/s1600/Magica+Wars.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, purple crowds confuse me too</td></tr>
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Oh Gainax, how I love what you do sometimes. Unfortunately, I can't really comment much on what I've seen because this series only has 4 minute episodes and only one has been out as of this writing. Magica Wars is a series where the prefectures of Japan are personified with Magical Girls. So think Hetalia, but with more action, more women, and way more localized Japanese stereotypes...I would imagine. That being said, a quarter of the episode was the intro theme song. If this is in all the episodes, then we're talking more like 3 minute episodes. At least with Tonari no Seki Kun (which is still airing and still kicking it, in my opinion) the intro is much shorter, to accommodate with the shorter air time. Maybe it is a one time thing, which sucks since this was our intro to the series. Although honestly, that is my lone complaint thus far. The animation is fantastic and stylish and the episode went from action to comedy effortlessly. I look forward to more.<br />
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<b><u>No Game No Life</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl1HOSCm2hxcE017g6rDZaxpWIimNeEBYEoqd3tWCP3CF22EPzx0d1Gg3BrS-3W0uFHON1peH39VnjZL8q2IPtKaJn155lJfg9uhyphenhyphenNRVTp-HVfwtmlk1crlE-9NskBHaSLEvNjIUcJxU-/s1600/No-Game-No-Life-anime-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl1HOSCm2hxcE017g6rDZaxpWIimNeEBYEoqd3tWCP3CF22EPzx0d1Gg3BrS-3W0uFHON1peH39VnjZL8q2IPtKaJn155lJfg9uhyphenhyphenNRVTp-HVfwtmlk1crlE-9NskBHaSLEvNjIUcJxU-/s1600/No-Game-No-Life-anime-007.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Konata 2.0</td></tr>
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With most series, I try to do the "three episode test", meaning I give the series three episodes before I decide whether I will keep watching. Three chances to draw me in. In the case of No Game No Life, I may not even make it to three episodes. Like I mentioned on If Her Flag Breaks, you can tell what No Game No Life is trying to tap in to. We get it, Sword Art Online was a great experience and was the king of anime for a season. When companies see success with the genre, they try to go with something similar. Remember when Haruhi Suzumiya was the big kid on the block? What happened after that? There was a rise in school-based comedy and series focusing on moe. Since Sword Art Online and Accel World was a hit, others have tried to follow like Log Horizon and No Game No Life. I'm simply not convinced that this will be a series worth investing my time. The series is about Sora and Shiro, a brother and sister that are major gamers and basically have no life. Seriously, every negative stereotype of gamers are highlighted in the first third of the episode. Tired of this sucky life, they are swept into a world where everything is determined by games. World borders, disputes over cattle, people arguing over the finale of How I Met Your Mother, all conflicts are settled with games. Since the gaming wunderkinds are in this world, they just rock at everything, making Sora a horribly cocky, unlikable protagonist. Oh, and you have to keep reminding yourself that Shiro is only 11, despite the adult tones, references to her breasts, panty shots, and that kind of stuff. Actually, after writing that, I'm pretty certain I'm going to just drop this series, It isn't worth my time, or really anyone else's. If you want a good series about gamers in a fantasy world, check out any of the other series I mentioned in here.<br />
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<b><u>The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsnVtx1Q3TrtRMoszscm7d744A3n8CrQqu-3GYaYzwW1CKZcYGAuB1b_MPEEuXUR4RI4nNfZouLz284eEiRa30i-XCbq-nfjuH-daP2I2CGRc9y-mzBhoKcpCAu_jjaACKwnWDcAZL3ZN/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsnVtx1Q3TrtRMoszscm7d744A3n8CrQqu-3GYaYzwW1CKZcYGAuB1b_MPEEuXUR4RI4nNfZouLz284eEiRa30i-XCbq-nfjuH-daP2I2CGRc9y-mzBhoKcpCAu_jjaACKwnWDcAZL3ZN/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hope kohai will notice me!</td></tr>
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What happens when you have two boys and three girls share a dormitory? Why slice-of-life hilarity of course! The series with the name that should be shorter is about Usa, a regular high schooler that just wants a quiet, normal life while stalking a girl he has the hots for at first glance. When he arrives at the complex, he finds out that said girl, Ritsu Kawai, lives there, he realizes that he can have a chance to date her. In addition to him, a masochist named Shirosaki, a bitter, raunchy lady named Nishikino, and a hidden demonic girl named Watanabe also live on the premises, as well as the elderly landlord Sumiko. Everyone has a distinct personality, but I have this feeling that the series is probably going to delve deeper into their characters. How much you want to bet that most of these weirdos has some kind of heartbreaking past? It just feels like a cookie cutter series so far which isn't the worst thing in the world, I'm just not sure how it is going to stick out with the other multitudes of romantic slice-of-life comedies out there.<br />
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<b><u>The World is Still Beautiful</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBP06qb0FiaY2o2zxK-q14uPTd5ah5ll5YS6oD9k5kNV0zDo-LVRMmqaF7YWPgTs5xG3VW67_U90Qsh8KTCjscDZfGHc5nJQmj-qR_x7UZIfVGYTTwzjclvxv_LS5I5oofT3v69lRYHR3/s1600/32209-worldisstillbeautifulheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBP06qb0FiaY2o2zxK-q14uPTd5ah5ll5YS6oD9k5kNV0zDo-LVRMmqaF7YWPgTs5xG3VW67_U90Qsh8KTCjscDZfGHc5nJQmj-qR_x7UZIfVGYTTwzjclvxv_LS5I5oofT3v69lRYHR3/s1600/32209-worldisstillbeautifulheader.jpg" height="143" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every time I hear Nike, I think "Just Do It" </td></tr>
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I had no idea what to expect from this one, but after seeing the reviewers of the interwebs praising it highly, I figured that I would give it a shot, and I'm glad I did. The series centers around a young princess named Nike, who has control over wind and rain. She is being sent to a place called the Sun Kingdom to be taken as a bride to the king, Livius, who also is very young. Nike tries to get Livius to see the beauty of the world which will enable her to bring the rain to the Sun Kingdom which hasn't seen a shower in decades. Livius, despite being young, is a pretty bitter and lifeless person that has had the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, so he is a great antithesis to Nike. The series is animated well, has a fantastic soundtrack, and tells a compelling story of a princess that is trying to get a cynical boy to see that the world is still beautiful. See what I did there? Hey, I never said I was original!<br />
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<b><u>One Week Friends</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nYHn5jghgm3YkyFr9XCz5KwaihmHw5sgNBC275LixVEv6qQf4IU7Nv_IhmiFM9k7CL_DX3LjR4aW3eWBSkkmu3rjh2lhG691iWitLC9LFrAt1XoJxaX_2XbBfFiZ6p7MbiVRGrir0DTx/s1600/One-Week-Friends-Image-0018.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nYHn5jghgm3YkyFr9XCz5KwaihmHw5sgNBC275LixVEv6qQf4IU7Nv_IhmiFM9k7CL_DX3LjR4aW3eWBSkkmu3rjh2lhG691iWitLC9LFrAt1XoJxaX_2XbBfFiZ6p7MbiVRGrir0DTx/s1600/One-Week-Friends-Image-0018.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaori's a crepe-er</td></tr>
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Reading the description of the series, I knew how this series was going to present itself and that it is probably going to be one of those series that is going to be all about the feels. That pretty much hits the nail on the head. One Week Friends is about a boy named Yuki and a girl named Kaori and the budding friendship between the two, or so it would seem. Kaori suffers from a mental condition after a car accident that causes her to forget about any pleasant memories or friends every Monday. So the first episode is already pretty heart breaking to see. Yuki is obsessed with making Kaori his friend, and while she starts off with her defenses up, she eventually warms up to him and the two share some nice conversations together. She becomes distant again and he asks her why, and she tells him about her condition. When Monday rolls around Yuki strikes up a conversation with her and she responds with cold, expression-less eyes that indicates that she did, in fact, forget about last week. It has a pretty tragic feel to it, though Yuki decides that no matter what, he is going to figure out how they can be friends, even if it means asking her to he his friend every week. It is a touching story that has promise, but also is moving. I can see this series getting pretty tragic, though we'll have to wait and see about that. I was excited about this series before it aired, and the first episode has me wanting more.<br />
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That concludes my Spring 2014 roundup thus far. I haven't seen many other series that catches my attention, and I may not end up watching all of these the entire way through, but at least I found more potential with this season than I did with the winter season. These series, minus No Game No Life, plus Tonari no Seki Kun, means that my spring will be full of all kinds of interesting stories, and given that I'm down to about two series I still watch on TV currently, it isn't a moment too soon.<br />
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What are you watching this spring? Let me know in the comments.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-3659386061176647952014-03-01T11:33:00.001-06:002014-03-03T10:51:03.255-06:00Hummingbird - Another Anime Management SiteThe other day I was introduced to a site called <a href="http://hummingbird.me/" target="_blank">Hummingbird</a>. Like MyAnimeList, it is a place where you can review series you've seen, find recommendations, and discuss anime with other users. It has a small user base, but so far I've been impressed with the user experience as far as the site and app are concerned. I don't know if it will catch on or not, but I've enjoyed it. You can also supposedly find more series geared to your tastes based on what you've seen and rated, so for someone like me that is a major plus. Also, if you have used MyAnimeList for a while and don't feel like re-entering that information, Hummingbird tells you how to download your series from MyAnimeList and upload it to their site. It will automatically add the series you marked on there which is really convenient.<br />
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I added an account as well as a non-comprehensive list of series I've seen as well as my thoughts on a majority of them. You can view it and add me <a href="http://hummingbird.me/users/allengator" target="_blank">there</a>.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-42633816324362343412014-01-16T21:52:00.001-06:002014-01-16T23:19:49.459-06:00The Animezing Blog Is Back! For Today! + Anime I've Been WatchingI'll admit it, I suck. Updating a blog, unlike a few years ago, is almost a tedious task for me given my current job and schedule. I was honestly planning an audio blog type thing for here and as usual plans fell through. I have the equipment, just not the time. I am not going to promise anything. No regular schedule, no promises of another entry, nothing like that. I'll update when I can. I hope it is more frequent than...*looks at previous entry*...about once a year, so here's to that!<br />
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The past year has been a tough one on me as far as anime is concerned. Honestly, I'm wondering if I am slowly losing interest in the hobby. Don't get me wrong, I love what I've seen and still think some series can rival that of American television, but my intake has slowed down significantly. This has been partly due to, again, my busy schedule, where I barely have time for regular television let alone extra things like anime. Last year was probably my slowest year as far as watching and obtaining new titles, though if the start of this year is any indication, I'm on a rebound. The con circuit has also been a bit tiresome. I still enjoy my
conventions, just not the way I used to. Also, due to some schedule
changes, I may be going to fewer this year, but we'll see. The plan
right now is Visioncon in late February, which isn't a full on anime
con, but has a neato anime department that I'll actually be helping out
with this year, possibly Naka-kon (best con I went to last year), and if things work out, ACEN. <br />
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One thing that has helped is a local anime club that started in my area this past fall. I'll have to post about it later.<br />
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Rats. There I go promising future post things again. <br />
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So that has been 2013 in review. One thing that happened was that I got a year subscription to both Crunchyroll and Funimation Elite. I'll talk more about Funimation Elite down the road (Another future post allusion. CRAP!), but I have been watching quite a bit on Crunchyroll. Some may have noticed that I usually prefer dubbed to subbed anime. This is mainly because of my lack of wanting to read actual text while watching moving pictures, but also I can multitask when I hear English explain things for me. The transition to subbed anime hasn't been perfect, but I can handle it for what Crunchyroll offers, which is plenty of simulcasts of current series in Japan. I've actually been impressed with the service and have been following what series I can and catching up with others. Here is a short list of what I have been watching:<br />
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<u><b>Golden Time</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymunVK9wa0LbbVngtIyghSCbwlqmLfO8elLSQnOmqw84qZEB09McvE_Da9on-yUsXmMeQpPmyaz28aFFhHyuzmgr9j2c_5AMc0U-AxQXOdWkxMB-7EIg7WPUG4dyIfLKl49Up1hTC6OLX/s1600/golden-time-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymunVK9wa0LbbVngtIyghSCbwlqmLfO8elLSQnOmqw84qZEB09McvE_Da9on-yUsXmMeQpPmyaz28aFFhHyuzmgr9j2c_5AMc0U-AxQXOdWkxMB-7EIg7WPUG4dyIfLKl49Up1hTC6OLX/s1600/golden-time-2.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Am I being creepy enough yet?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I'm about to mention in another preview, I don't like to watch series based on who wrote or direct it. Just because the person that wrote Sgt. Frog wrote another series does not mean the next one will be as good or better. Each series stands on its own legs. That being said, the writer that brought us Toradora has given us Golden Time. This is a romantic comedy drama mix that is about two people in love. The girl is a crazy stalker and the boy lost his memory and used to love another girl that goes to the same college. Yeah, yay, love triangles and all that garbage. The series has actually gotten to the point where I don't root for any of the characters (except 2D Kun) or particular couples (Other than rooting against Linda...she is too socially idiotic and that's coming from ME). It is just interesting seeing them interact with one another. It isn't the best series I've seen, not even the best in the past couple of years, but I still set time to catch each episode as it comes out. So for whatever reason, this series has me hooked. If I had to guess why, it would be because of the characters and development of their personalities probably. Definitely worth a check out!<br />
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<u><b>Attack on Titan</b></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXxXYK5LoUQwGNDUaHe9RLZh6ABYIUmayhJ5zaF_MVGk-hS5HVi2C1fZTLnsZeEEfgqtVH9qyyZDGUndtnnJZNC55PMS_VvRV-74Gb-ziKv_fqwrDvEHZcC0BxBLbc70m_8iiLK1DH3Rx/s1600/E0jRxNQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXxXYK5LoUQwGNDUaHe9RLZh6ABYIUmayhJ5zaF_MVGk-hS5HVi2C1fZTLnsZeEEfgqtVH9qyyZDGUndtnnJZNC55PMS_VvRV-74Gb-ziKv_fqwrDvEHZcC0BxBLbc70m_8iiLK1DH3Rx/s1600/E0jRxNQ.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is the best representative pic of the series</td></tr>
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Yes, the series people will not shut up about. Honestly, I have not watched the whole series yet, only the first half...and the recap episode. I will say this, I <i>get</i> why the series is as popular as it is, and I can see why it is so hyped. The story is impressive, but I think my expectation for it was too high. You see, the bad thing about hyping the series is when people like me get around to watching it, they leave a little disappointed. It honestly feels more like a flavor of the season kind of show and the popularity for it will wane just like it has for series before it, like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Spice and Wolf. I could be wrong and it may be the next big series like Fullmetal Alchemist or One Piece, but I weirdly doubt that. As for my current opinion of the series, I like it, I just don't love it. It is merely fine. I LOVE the first opening like any breathing entity should, I really liked the art style with the black outlines for characters, but the story and atmosphere just hasn't done it for me. This is another series where I don't like most of the characters, but that's fine. I prefer the mythology of the Titans, but the series focuses more on humanity trying to survive and the <strike>douchebags</strike> soldiers that defend them I call the series a mix of Spiderman, Fullmetal Alchemist, and zombie apocalypse. I'll eventually get to the second half, just not right now.<br />
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<u><b> Non Non Biyori</b></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRD1VXKkAHNE60LUQZ41hufhLwzw_aIAFnL7V547sQ8_w_Y8swLw-2dWNJvo8xXgXsHJkOSgoHJHOvmc6TLL-cHJtvpYT9UQOy4QVz_NRHkCMRDx_w8KjpREnh44bIQ_gV5cJ8yZeCv19/s1600/HorribleSubs-Non-Non-Biyori-01-720p.mkv_snapshot_02.42_2013.10.07_22.06.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRD1VXKkAHNE60LUQZ41hufhLwzw_aIAFnL7V547sQ8_w_Y8swLw-2dWNJvo8xXgXsHJkOSgoHJHOvmc6TLL-cHJtvpYT9UQOy4QVz_NRHkCMRDx_w8KjpREnh44bIQ_gV5cJ8yZeCv19/s1600/HorribleSubs-Non-Non-Biyori-01-720p.mkv_snapshot_02.42_2013.10.07_22.06.12.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely not a mascot character</td></tr>
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Where do I begin? Ok, maybe I have no right to judge this series just yet since I've only seen one episode, but I just don't get it. I'll try my best to give it the benefit of the doubt but so far it is one of the worst series I've seen the past couple of years. Not to paint with a broad brush, but the series is balls-tastically boring. I spent most of the episode watching the timer, wondering when it would end. The series focuses on four girls that live in the sparsely populated country, to the point where they and a nondescript male are the only ones at the local school. They are all in different grades, they walk through the country, quiet happens....and....they talk. Honestly, this series so far seems like the supermodel of anime. It looks shiny and pretty, but it lacks substance. The episode was sprinkled with forgettable jokes, and layered with quiet contemplation. I get that maybe they are trying to convey a quiet countryside, but I live in the middle of nowhere. It is boring here. It was boring watching this. I'll try it again when I recover from my experience, but it isn't looking good at all. <br />
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<u><b>Engaged to the Unidentified</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjr64Fox1I0TD_8MIXIMxCCr1Sgx9Pldx0Ubzf5Hn4d02ZC6BWnZku1CAEh7oORd9_GpyCqKA28eepCJGdnSebGuRvFkCnbYAi7djOh9VWynjgqe7L4sU_LDs2mnbsr8E4ft0tzE9B9p7y/s1600/vlcsnap-2014-01-12-20h17m52s240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjr64Fox1I0TD_8MIXIMxCCr1Sgx9Pldx0Ubzf5Hn4d02ZC6BWnZku1CAEh7oORd9_GpyCqKA28eepCJGdnSebGuRvFkCnbYAi7djOh9VWynjgqe7L4sU_LDs2mnbsr8E4ft0tzE9B9p7y/s1600/vlcsnap-2014-01-12-20h17m52s240.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, I was wondering if you have directions to the emo convention?</td></tr>
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So far I have enjoyed this series. Much like Golden Time, it isn't spectacular in any stretch of the imagination, but at least it tries to be entertaining, and it actually is at times. The series follows a girl who just turns 16, and the same day a boy and his sister move into her house, the former being picked as her future husband by her deceased grandfather. He basically has no presence. I don't mean that in a "he is a ghoooooost" kind of way, but in a "wow, I totally forgot he was there" kind of way. He sits in the background, no one notices him, not even his fiance, and the few moments he does do something, it is hilariously awkward. His sister clearly steals the show by being the bratty "I will not let my big brother marry this wench!" stereotype. It has all be done before, but that isn't a bad thing. The first episode got my attention, and now I await more. Hilarious, cute, and slice of life in parts which for me is pretty much a slam dunk.<br />
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<u><b>Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time </b></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3jbaxzCXGhVs_JUVUu9sT3Z9UzI8il-Yo8b9KG5ST6SioCmeyGMPudSZMlghNFOhac6_ByRZE7Zsnvpg_cutHdX33AYPlS1gJ8dOrGcHVr4hgWq_mkmTCjN6p1cK2x9f1Do69if-rm2T/s1600/tonari-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3jbaxzCXGhVs_JUVUu9sT3Z9UzI8il-Yo8b9KG5ST6SioCmeyGMPudSZMlghNFOhac6_ByRZE7Zsnvpg_cutHdX33AYPlS1gJ8dOrGcHVr4hgWq_mkmTCjN6p1cK2x9f1Do69if-rm2T/s1600/tonari-2.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This isn't even my final form!</td></tr>
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Evidently there is a trend in anime to have shorter series. Instead of the traditional half hour series, more are adapting a more Hetalia-like approach and offering episodes of less than 10 minutes of length. While I'm not fond of the trend, if there was going to be an argument for this, Tonari no Seki-kun would be a good argument for it. The series is simple. It is about Seki, a boy that likes to waste time during class lectures with odd hobbies and his foil, Yokoi. She seems to be the only one that notices that he is not paying attention and ends up distracting her with his exploits. The first two episodes have been good, with one about falling dominoes and the other about Shogi turning into a samurai period piece. The series so far has a defined pattern. Seki starts with a regular object or hobby, it goes out of proportion, Yokoi notices and either gets in trouble from the teacher or gets sucked in to Seki's nonsense. The series doesn't seem like it will go much beyond that, but it is the simplicity of the set up that I enjoy. You know where it will end up, you just end up enjoying the journey more. This probably wouldn't work as a full fledged series as three of these in a row would be tiresome, so the 7 minute episodes are actually perfect for what it offers. I look forward to more in the weeks to come.<br />
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<u><b>Hozuki no Reitetsu</b></u><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBtmW8U69wf6azkh9iBMbRRVotWVvQFW5rC7K_L0AusEuIfTTg5pkCUjLrpYVYwxcA72OEHgM4sOPz9fnltiUItdiX6CZz85UsMVMtp0EZLFTqXAtxQlb47Fxk4_mVhTnD2Vy__oU92vI/s1600/Hozuki_no_reitetsu_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBtmW8U69wf6azkh9iBMbRRVotWVvQFW5rC7K_L0AusEuIfTTg5pkCUjLrpYVYwxcA72OEHgM4sOPz9fnltiUItdiX6CZz85UsMVMtp0EZLFTqXAtxQlb47Fxk4_mVhTnD2Vy__oU92vI/s1600/Hozuki_no_reitetsu_1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He isn't staring at an aquarium. Trust me on this.</td></tr>
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This has been the surprise of the season so far. The series is essentially about a demon supervisor that works in Japanese hell. You see, there are different kinds of hell, some specific to Europe, some to animal torturers, and some for perverts. Hozuki, the supervisor, is a dead-pan, unimpressed, unable to have his jimmies rustled kind of demon, and he has to put up with all the characters in hell, including the King Enma who seems like a demonic King Dedede. The series is probably not for newbies to anime or Japanese culture, but it still manages to get laughs out, if you are in to the deadpan kind of humor. The first half of the first episode involves Peach boy and his animal companions. Do you not know who Peach boy is? Well, the humor may be lost on you some. Did you know that Ayer's rock is referred to as the bellybutton of the Earth? That is how demons describe it. Hozuki may end up being one of the toughest characters to come out in a while. Satan, the European hell leader give Japanese hell a visit, planning on overruling it when he gets a chance, is completely scared witless by Hozuki just because of his collected nature and the fact that he mispelled Santa as Satan in his recipe. Satan runs away yelling for God to save him. That is the kind of power Hozuki has. He made Satan himself screaming for God's help. That alone makes this series worth watching for a while.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_sULTivmPCq6hdowR_mtiJW0wmf5r8lDk-f__GUj9-QyFvFkronloUsEoMSxnzRYZWwyO8vMSO7LdZtgl5q9IRaw09htXtlDVqlQ7lL_6lx-ARXe-A83xQtdwwRR8oP3o9QYQIe8tf3z/s1600/Watamote+-+01+-+Large+04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_sULTivmPCq6hdowR_mtiJW0wmf5r8lDk-f__GUj9-QyFvFkronloUsEoMSxnzRYZWwyO8vMSO7LdZtgl5q9IRaw09htXtlDVqlQ7lL_6lx-ARXe-A83xQtdwwRR8oP3o9QYQIe8tf3z/s1600/Watamote+-+01+-+Large+04.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The emo convention is right here!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That is it for now. I'm also hoping to catch Watamote and see if I can stand that series or not. It is next on my list.<br />
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So that has been the past couple of months for me. It feels great to be back in to the hobby like this again. I hope there will be more to report on in the near future. As for now, this is my lot, and I'm fine with that. What recent series have you been watching?<br />
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There, I think that oughta do it for the year.<br />
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The AllengatorAllengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-32019668349697777342013-01-21T23:07:00.000-06:002013-03-30T10:30:25.906-05:00Plans for 2013Believe it or not, I'm typing this entry up over a number of days.With 2012 gone and 2013 beginning, this means that we should evaluate our lives and take stock in things we need to improve on and do those things to make ourselves better people. At least that is what most people do. I don't fall into the category of people who do New Years resolutions or anything to that effect. Life is a continual improvement process and we should take every opportunity and not just because the calendar happens to roll around to another year.That being said, one thing I do is I think about things I am going to look forward to this year. Last year was filled with some surprises, like me deciding to break out of my shell and visit honest to goodness anime cons, even outside my home state. Another surprise was a convention happening locally (I'll need to blog about it....yeah...). So I can never guess what will happen in a year, but I do know some things I will be participating in. So without further adieu, here are my plans, both in RL and anime I plan to watch.<br />
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I started this entry in January...sad :(<br />
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- Going to at least a couple of cons this year. I am planning on going back to Tokyo in Tulsa, and one other one at least. I'll be skipping Arkansas Anime Festival this year because a different con, one that isn't exclusive to anime, is going on and it may be my one chance to meet some actors, so that will be going on instead.<br />
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- I have a huge backlog of anime to watch, including A Certain Magical Index, A Certain Scientific Railgun, C - Control, and...ugh...K-ON!! Also, Digimon series 2 and 3 are being released this year. <br />
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- As far as new stuff, I'm going to watch Sword Art Online and Maoyu. Others may be worth watching. Who knows?<br />
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- I'm planning on getting a figure this year. We'll see how that goes.<br />
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And those are just a summary of my plans this year. It may not sound like much to the typical anime fan, but given my other interests and free time, this will keep me busy for a while.<br />
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Also, I want to talk about the future of this blog. Obviously I'm having a bad time updating this guy. The main reason is because I got out of practice, lack of free time, and I hate typing after work. So things will be slightly different from here on out. Until I have better motivation to update this thing with words I type, I'm going to use words I say. That's right, I'm going to start uploading audio files to this blog! I used to do this on my old blog, so I'm going to need some time to relearn how to talk on my computer and also find a better audio player. I'm hoping, not promising, that this will allow me to update this blog more often. I can't tell you when this will start, but keep an eye on this blog over the next month for updates!<br />
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So that's it, my plans fo 2013. I hope you are planning an awesome year as well. See you guys later!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-29838091778477286092012-12-16T17:40:00.002-06:002012-12-16T17:44:15.725-06:00How Visiual Novel Anime Series Affected My View of Steins;GateSteins;Gate wasn't as good as people said it was.<br />
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Controversial way to begin this blog post, but I stand by that statement. Disclaimer: This is my opinion, and I'm entitled to it. You don't have to agree or disagree with it. While I was disappointed, I do think that Steins;Gate is one of the better series I've seen in the past year which says something, so don't take this as a OMG, HE THINKS STEINS;GATE IS THE WORST!!!! HE MUST DIE!!!!! It is a good series. I just feel it isn't as phenomenal as people make it out to be.<br />
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The main reason I didn't enjoy this series as much probably has to do with other visual novel series I have seen over the years. To anyone who hasn't seen or watched any of these, you should probably stop reading here, partially for potential spoilers, partially because you will have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7Bpq6Dbs9kck-HpyP6jkhw3etMCC-dr-Gxvz3YCcSsvl5_5iDZA56FUvaiyymWjGWkPEnoGQCxD_1mNmps8wpsw6nju1XU_EcbzfVh8MGDd4EGeApdxnzlPNH2JngXSMGdO0rHie5B0G/s1600/kanon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7Bpq6Dbs9kck-HpyP6jkhw3etMCC-dr-Gxvz3YCcSsvl5_5iDZA56FUvaiyymWjGWkPEnoGQCxD_1mNmps8wpsw6nju1XU_EcbzfVh8MGDd4EGeApdxnzlPNH2JngXSMGdO0rHie5B0G/s1600/kanon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gosh, their eyes ARE far apart...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I think of visual novel series, I, like most people, think of Key visual novel anime. They have brought us such classics like Air, Kanon, and Clannad. Whenever you talk about series based off of games, these are typically the ones that come to mind for most fans of anime. Kanon was the first one I watched and at the time, I thought it was a masterpiece. Since then I've been exposed to more series and tropes, and while I still think it is a pretty good series, I wouldn't go as far as to say it is a masterpiece. My feelings for these series, though, isn't what this article is about.<br />
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After watching both Kanon and most of Clannad (I still can't watch it past the "everyone is depressed and dies saga. Yes, I know it turns out alright, but man...waaaaaay too much emotion going on there.), I found that the series seem to be formulaic, meaning that the characters, plot setup, and feel of the series began to get predictable.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnpdzbTRcW-gcnRA5omtYh1kM-6rgI74RUQx0Ob7FoHfGzPk6-CEvR6owoATmfNoWxHuycHOQ2ebcwZZ31RWSUXdvdT7F6uIRj3ll-dBIFxgniOLEgZ1FiTkM_TiKhHly8mZjqbj62ySl/s1600/Clannad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnpdzbTRcW-gcnRA5omtYh1kM-6rgI74RUQx0Ob7FoHfGzPk6-CEvR6owoATmfNoWxHuycHOQ2ebcwZZ31RWSUXdvdT7F6uIRj3ll-dBIFxgniOLEgZ1FiTkM_TiKhHly8mZjqbj62ySl/s320/Clannad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again with the eyes. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.</td></tr>
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Sadly, over time, this started to bleed over into other series as well. There have been some questionable series, like Happy Lesson, where after seeing a couple of episodes, I knew where this was going to go. Ai Kora was also a bit ruined because each girl had a specific body part and eventually had her own storyline. Every time a series comes around that is harem-esque, I have to ask myself, "Is this a visual novel series?". I think I have this wiring in my brain that tried to logically figure out series before the episodes actually happen. Sometimes I would be surprised, sometimes it would end up ruining a series for me. Unfortunately, that happened to Steins;Gate for me.<br />
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I greatly enjoyed the first half of the series. It had a great blend of science fiction, action, suspense, nerd humor, and conspiracy theory in it. Episode twelve, where the series was split up for American release, ended on a cliffhanger that had me wanting more. Sure, it wasn't the best I've ever seen, but for what it was, it was good.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QMZqReifgNg1PnOuxkY9HDzLY_S_IgjNjL5Pdx8JRlk73abzx_-BAcUFZHQIKxMKMTNqlLpdnd_fx8oXEitxJuZFTy1hSaJ4ciVYg00bKNBAdsJzVDVbb5Q7o0EppRrPjcUmTiGdA-Fa/s1600/steinsgate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QMZqReifgNg1PnOuxkY9HDzLY_S_IgjNjL5Pdx8JRlk73abzx_-BAcUFZHQIKxMKMTNqlLpdnd_fx8oXEitxJuZFTy1hSaJ4ciVYg00bKNBAdsJzVDVbb5Q7o0EppRrPjcUmTiGdA-Fa/s320/steinsgate.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eyes aren't as bad here. Man, I need to focus on something else.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I kept myself unspoiled of the plot, but began to conjecture when the second half of the series was on its way to my home. I started to think about the characters. The main character is a self-proclaimed mad scientist. A girl who is ditsy, but kind always hangs around. A girl who is initially cold, but warms up joined the group. Some dude that is into hacking that had little to no relation to the girls was there too. A time jumper, male wanting to change genders, girl who communicates mainly through text messages, cafe girl....man. Why does this sound familiar? Why are there so many women? Why is there just the main character and his friend who is a perv, but seems disjointed from the story...<br />
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That's when it hit me. This sounded fairly close to Clannad, in a few ways. All the women seem to be connected to the time device, all were somehow affected by the messages...I began to wonder. Then I got the second half and while it was good, it sadly confirmed my fear. In order to get a good ending to the series, each of the original messages needed to be negated. How is this accomplished? Through each girl/confused male getting her/his own storyline!!!!<br />
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Though the series tried to throw a few curve balls, I couldn't help but feel like this was, though not Key or a romance story, a visual novel series. It started off so good. A lot of excellent potential. In the end, it was thrown away to predictable storylines, plot, and sadly, a diminished experience for me. Again, the series is good, it just was more transparent with the plot device than I hoped.<br />
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Yes, I know there are differences between Key series and Steins;Gate. Romance isn't the motivating factor, the main male character isn't as two dimensional as the others, it had a good ending. The problem came when the plot unfolded, and I correctly predicted several "twists" without knowing the plot in advance. It is like playing the New Super Mario Bros Games. Formulaic. Predictable. Diminished experience.<br />
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So that is why I feel Steins;Gate isn't the megaton series most say it is. Again, it is very good, and I encourage anyone to check it out. I'm just saying because of my nature, the experience was ruined for me. I was hoping for more original setups and advances in plot. That is my honest opinion, and please remember it is just an opinion. A few other things bothered me about this series as well, but that was the main contributor to my disillusionment of the series. Keep an open mind, and form your own thoughts. That is today's lesson.<br />
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Now on to The World God Only Knows. Going from series that was supposed to be original to one that makes fun of series based off of dating sims. I'm in the perfect mood for that.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-12579752897739092462012-12-16T03:19:00.001-06:002012-12-16T03:20:55.873-06:00A Long Awaited Return to the Anime-zing Funtime BlogI won't waste time with excuses or personal messages on here. This is a blog about anime, manga, and Japanese culture and will keep it as such. True, I put my personal spin and opinions on it, but this is, by definition, a single topic blog. I'm not planning on moving to Tumblr anytime soon. Too weird for me to catch on yet.<br />
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First off, Anime Vacation is happening! It is just a week away and I am seriously stoked to see the event. Several great guests are lined up including Samurai Dan (He's been at every convention I've gone to, not that I'm complaining. Really entertaining guest!), Greggo and his game shows that I saw at Motaku, Samantha Inoue-Harte, whom I've seen at Visioncon a few years ago, and last but not least on this particular list, Carrie Savage! I'm still majorly concerned about attendance, but my hope is that is goes well. I should be there barring medical or personal emergencies.<br />
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As far as my viewership of anime, I haven't been watching as much with broadcast TV taking up what time I have. I do plan on watching plenty during the winter hiatus of those shows, so I'll have more to talk about. I've watched the recently released Digimon Season 1 set and Steins;Gate. I have talked about my history of anime, so watching the series was just me scratching that nostalgic thing called childhood. Steins;Gate I'm honestly conflicted about. I feel compelled to write a review on it. Maybe in the future, assuming world lines are jumped to and fro.<br />
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My wallet is also hurting because of the deals I've gotten on anime. I've bought a lot of series I would not have gotten had it been for the sales. I actually blind bought a little series called Read or Die. I've heard a lot of great things about it, and hopefully I am not let down.<br />
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I'm also getting a plethora of series I pre-ordered from several months ago. I'm really excited to watch Shakugan no Shana II and The World God Only Knows. I'm hoping to watch the latter this week and the former over my holiday time off. I have a huge backlog of sets to watch. Hopefully I can get them in soon!<br />
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I hope to see some of you at Vacation Anime this weekend! Will be posting again in the future that hopefully isn't Dystopian.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-455953846997227272012-09-03T00:07:00.000-05:002012-09-03T00:07:56.482-05:00Vacation Anime?First, before I get into the meat of this post, I just wanted to say I totally jinxed myself when I said "Work shouldn't be as demanding in the coming weeks" because I've had to spend several late nights trying to get deliverables to clients, and I was told the coming weeks are going to demand more time. So THAT'S why I'm paid with salary and not by the hour. This has seriously impeded my anime, video game, and just plain free time since Motaku. Le Sigh.<br />
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Anyways, an interesting development is taking place the past week as far as anime is concerned. As you read from my previous post, I wasn't really planning to go to any more cons this year. The only ones that might happen are A2F - Fall edition, and G.A.M.E., though the latter is a gaming convention and not so much an anime con, which is why I haven't mentioned it on here. I doubt I'll be going to A2F this November because it will be a busy time, and there might be a new toy coming out that I will rather spend time with. Also, I think I'm supposed to be in Virginia for a week sometime soon for work, possibly, so those are the reasons I might not go to the fall festival. Unless they have a guest I'm dying to see, I will probably skip it and just return in the spring for the next one. If I decide to go, I'll definitely let you guys know.<br />
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However, that interesting development I teased in the previous paragraph without talking about it thus making it a poor first sentence for said paragraph that I'm too lazy to fix, is that there is going to be another attempt at an anime con locally! As I have <a href="http://www.animezingblog.com/2012/02/frustrations-of-anime-fan-lack-of-local.html" target="_blank">previously posted</a>, a couple years ago there was a push to get not only one, but two anime conventions in the Ozarks, but sadly they both went by the wayside over time. I had lost hope that just trying to get an anime social group started in the greater Springfield area would be impossible. Then, on the Facebook group I am a part of, someone posted about an upcoming anime con in the area.<br />
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I was not getting my hopes up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkF4fz8eEQtQ5DR-qKDvnBok484Kr32UulX-fWztHkfJr-TsCS_xiLpoVM2mSUosa3OPzLcvxyjVHptj7aT3QVz8VKWbvD8unKR77jg8xw8YH0fdFoz-4glTdbIjj6_Gbbuz8MDcfIUsZ/s1600/vacation+anime+flyerb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkF4fz8eEQtQ5DR-qKDvnBok484Kr32UulX-fWztHkfJr-TsCS_xiLpoVM2mSUosa3OPzLcvxyjVHptj7aT3QVz8VKWbvD8unKR77jg8xw8YH0fdFoz-4glTdbIjj6_Gbbuz8MDcfIUsZ/s400/vacation+anime+flyerb.jpg" title="" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will it happen?</td></tr>
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So after doing some research, I found <a href="http://vacationanime.com/" target="_blank">this guy</a>. Honestly...I'm shocked. Something strikes me as odd about this convention. One, is that I have not heard about it until now. There are no listings for it on con sites, it does not come up in search engine results easily, and no one really seemed to know anything about it, even in those who seem more connected than I am with local events. Why is it being kept in the dark? Why isn't it listed anywhere? I would think the con would want word of mouth to spread, but oddly enough, not much is being said, which raises my suspicions of it happening at all. Two, are the dates, December 21-23. I know I'm new to the con scene, so let me ask this: Why is it on the weekend just days before Christmas? Won't it make it difficult to lock in guests? Also, the winter weather down here can be unpredictable, so there could be a risk of bad driving weather. I know that seems to be an odd issue to bring up, but consider this. This will be the first iteration of the con if it happens, and say that some bad weather happens that impedes traffic and prevents people from showing up. If the con doesn't pull in attendees, then the likelihood of it happening again are slim. Don't get me wrong, I want to see it succeed, but this concerns me a little bit.<br />
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Interestingly enough, going off the news feed, this looks like it may be partnered with the same folks who do A2F. The reason I suspect this is two fold. First, the same guests seems to be lined up for both events, and secondly, the same name seems to be adding the news items on both sites. Am I overthinking this a little? Sure. But I'm hoping my investigative skills will pan out lucratively some day.<br />
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So all in all, I want to see this happen. Am I holding my breath? No. When it gets to be a couple of weeks before the con, I will start getting excited. It has gotten this close to a con in the area before and I've gotten burned, so I'm going to see if it happens. If it does, you bet your sweet grits I will be there! Here's hoping.<br />
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Anyone involved with the con or has more info on it, could you let me or others know? I will do my best to keep up to date on the news for the event!<br />
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<br />Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-47333025880081598372012-08-11T15:16:00.000-05:002012-08-11T15:16:01.575-05:00Motaku Madness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JvkUn5TCMY-8pp1Jd8MtJqMWhAkA0Wris88ST8WosZS0x9WdeVFrHEc5jya0ALJJDutOlDgKcvVZiIV72J4OH9P3vdcixc8JopgdcT_uLFLTVSAeNllL1YZw1y7h-sv2kKA5dE-vZu4T/s1600/motaku.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JvkUn5TCMY-8pp1Jd8MtJqMWhAkA0Wris88ST8WosZS0x9WdeVFrHEc5jya0ALJJDutOlDgKcvVZiIV72J4OH9P3vdcixc8JopgdcT_uLFLTVSAeNllL1YZw1y7h-sv2kKA5dE-vZu4T/s640/motaku.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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So as I mentioned in my last post, I am heading to Motaku, an anime convention in Kansas City next weekend on Friday and Saturday. So far it doesn't look like it will be as frantic as Tokyo in Tulsa was (not complaining, just an observation. That weekend was exhausting to say the least), but it should be fun. Even though I live in Missouri, I haven't been to Kansas City in a couple of years, so this will be fun and interesting. Voice actors Chris Cason and Tia Ballard will be there, so I'm getting some things to be signed by the both of them. There aren't a lot of panels I am planning on going to until I see some more information on a few I'm on the fence with, so at least I won't be running around like a chicken with my head cut off like Tokyo in Tulsa.<br />
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Funny fact, the hotel where Motaku is being hosted and I'm staying at is the same hotel I stayed at for a national competition called Skills USA. At least I know where some places to eat are located, and I know there is a semi-sweet arcade downstairs.<br />
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One thing I really need to post on is the conventions I went to this year. Arkansas Anime Festival, Tokyo in Tulsa, and now Motaku. Sadly, Motaku is my last planned con to go to this year, and probably won't be going to another con until February (Might go to one in October, but the anime section there is small. It is more of a gaming convention). So at least I'll have time to write these up before next year's wave of cons happens.<br />
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I'm also not planning on going to all the same cons again next year. I will probably drop either Motaku or Arkansas Anime Festival for another one somewhere else. My goal is to go to as many different ones as possible before I get tied down with adult responsibilities. I also know there is a fall Arkansas Anime Festival con in the fall, but I doubt I will be able to make it, unless they manage to lock a guest in that I actually really want to meet (Seriously, if any cons have Luci Christian, Leah Clark, Kari Whalgren, or a few others "on my list" I will definitely change my mind). I am looking into other nearby venues to get my social geek on.<br />
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So Hopefully you can expect some neat-o posts on my convention experiences in the future on here. Thankfully work will be a little less demanding for a spell, so I will hopefully be able to commit more time for anime and posting on here.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-5385671109015633882012-07-11T22:16:00.001-05:002012-07-11T22:16:52.069-05:00Anime Cooling Off PeriodAnd four months later guess who still remembered he had an anime blog?<br />
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This guy, that's who.<br />
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So I have been completely sidetracked with life lately. Work has been claiming more free hours than I would like, and when I get home from programming, blogging is one of the last things I want to do, to be honest. But on top of that, I've not had much to talk about in the realm of anime, mainly because I haven't watched any in a while.<br />
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"Wait? I thought you were an anime freak!", you say.<br />
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Well, I am, to some extent. It's just a couple of things have been keeping me from enjoying anime series. One, no one is really releasing any I particularly care for, and two, I recently invested in Netflix, and while it has a nice anime section, I'm more concerned about watching previous episodes of Top Gear than I am in watching a so-so series. <br />
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You see, I know some fans are very gun-ho on anime, practically making it a way of life instead of a hobby, but I am more of a hobbyist. I collect series and manga as I see fit, and the same goes for watching anime. Don't get me wrong, I still love anime more than I do many other things, but I have interests outside of anime as well. I've recently gotten back into retro gaming. I plugged my N64 back to life after a 10+ year slumber, and I have been spending more time on that than my Wii. It's funny how hobbies work. One time I'll be massively into Mario Party, the next I'll be deeply immersed in a JRPG or modern reinterpretation of a classic series.<br />
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Same goes with anime. I go through hot periods, and cold periods. This has been a cold period, probably the longest since I've started the hobby. Again, I account for work and other distractions keeping me from enjoying it as much as I used to, but that is the nature of the beast. I'm hoping for things to simmer down soon so I can reclaim some time I've desperately needed the past month.<br />
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That being said, I'm sure I'll be back into the swing of things before you know it. I have the rest of Madoka Magica that I have somehow kept myself from being spoiled on, and I recently acquired the last Hetalia set as well as Fractile, as well as the first half of the second series of a particular popular girl band that irritates me to death. Seriously, have you seen my Twitter comments yet? (Come to think of it, it was the last thing I watched before I slowed down my intake...Now it all makes sense...)<br />
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I'm hoping to get some quality time in this weekend, because the next month will be madness. Work will be on my case until the end of the month, more than likely, especially since I'm going for some certification. However, next weekend, the 20th - 22nd, I will be attending Tokyo in Tulsa, then August 18th - 20th I will be going to Motaku in Kansas City. So at the very least I am still vying for the social interaction that goes with conventions, and I am very much looking forward to those events.<br />
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So that being said, I'm hoping to make some posts on here in the future, but they may be a few and far between. Don't give up on me, 'k?<br />
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With that, I bid you goodbye until the next entry!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-81622401632891977582012-03-13T22:16:00.000-05:002012-03-13T22:16:37.025-05:00Going to A2FSo I will be going to the Arkansas Anime Festival (Hereto after known as A2F) this weekend. I'll be at the event Friday and Saturday and will be hanging out with some friends and going to some panels. I'm looking over the schedules now and am making an attack plan. If you're there, give me a shout here or on Twitter and perhaps a meet up could be arranged. I will be sure to give you as full of a report as soon as I can.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZ8qMQ-SuyQbASg9K7Mf5LrobUnyPYmhI0bT7cfnIGec3krnSP_g8hS8VQYwlAwPy-Rrif0IHk65g06U6nKWL59cGK2jfc8Z-cElJXpVtOqnHmRlpWDuEA-EDEEHxI-NDOlGlTOxQUQ46/s1600/boygirldresscolorflat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZ8qMQ-SuyQbASg9K7Mf5LrobUnyPYmhI0bT7cfnIGec3krnSP_g8hS8VQYwlAwPy-Rrif0IHk65g06U6nKWL59cGK2jfc8Z-cElJXpVtOqnHmRlpWDuEA-EDEEHxI-NDOlGlTOxQUQ46/s400/boygirldresscolorflat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the few images from the A2F website. A fox boy groping a feminine pocky-loving elf?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Also, I am planning on attending Tokyo in Tulsa in July and Motaku in August this year. I'm finally trying to get out and socialize more. Now if I could only get that local club to work out.<br />
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I'm also watching Okamisan and Her Seven Companions and if I can get the time, I will post a review. The next few days will be busy, so we'll see what pans out. Hopefully pics and stories to follow!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-28439531127584303772012-03-04T13:56:00.002-06:002012-03-04T13:56:37.820-06:00New Banner!Not that this really qualifies as a full blown entry or that it even needs one, but I thought I would let you know that I changed the banner image on the top of the screen because I changed some width properties of the blog and it just didn't look right after that. I added all different characters and series this time, and somehow I made it look busier than before.<br />
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So what series are being represented on the banner and for bonus points, what are the names of the characters on it?Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-52563395392508337692012-03-04T00:30:00.000-06:002012-03-04T00:30:21.722-06:00Stuff I Checked Out LatelySo I wanted to talk about some series I have watched lately. My thoughts on any of these alone don't warrant an entire entry yet, but I think I can stretch these out enough to make it worth one entry.<br />
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First I want to talk about is Fairy Tail. I just received my volume 4 copy and watched it all in one part. This one closes out the Tower of Heaven story arc (Thank freaking goodness. Too much emo kids in that one) and the entire Fantasia/Loxas Takeover story arc which I found more engaging. In fact, I found I prefer the arcs that take place in Magnolia rather than ones that don't.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UHCqUTQ7HsJPNaSSn8kHaQ-CH-3FNK4NBRVXAAAH5SidS2l89uWvaMztgpDp5pH9uYFkvDBKrPDFFQsBX4Q697oYgOOAcc0g1RfsBqb10saanf9pOyS6lXyPYAYU47we1IWXXhayAPln/s1600/Laxus_fury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UHCqUTQ7HsJPNaSSn8kHaQ-CH-3FNK4NBRVXAAAH5SidS2l89uWvaMztgpDp5pH9uYFkvDBKrPDFFQsBX4Q697oYgOOAcc0g1RfsBqb10saanf9pOyS6lXyPYAYU47we1IWXXhayAPln/s640/Laxus_fury.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I won't make the obvious Super Saiyan comparison to Dragonball here, but I will imply that he looks seriously constipated here.</td></tr>
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Volume four is the last volume planned for now from Funimation and I sincerely hope more is on the way. Despite some of my preconceived notions about typical Shonen Jump series being generic and predictable, it is fun to watch. The story arcs are nice and contained as well as not being completely necessary to watch. I can skip that stupid moon rain arc if I wanted to and not really be affected by the rest of the mythology of the series.<br />
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However, I do have some reservations about the series as well. For one thing, it is like a typical Shonen Jump series in several aspects. Some episodes focus a ton on the combat aspect of the series, and every time it seems to push the characters to their limit. Also, the last arc includes a tournament of sorts, which also screams typical Shonen title. Looking ahead, I know there is just more of the same coming down the pike, but I can tolerate it, for now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrUfi91UapyebqDeasTPP_8XQKdPbbMkEweNeD-gqjTywxQSIikmUJ2_6KKVdLHKXRD7-c9XeRNkajg_0hvuzLMSq0Rf_RC4cO_8eGmqclfXHrI0tmM01qLcZWywWVJ6UMneIMA06VhsW/s1600/Laxus_Fairy_Law.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrUfi91UapyebqDeasTPP_8XQKdPbbMkEweNeD-gqjTywxQSIikmUJ2_6KKVdLHKXRD7-c9XeRNkajg_0hvuzLMSq0Rf_RC4cO_8eGmqclfXHrI0tmM01qLcZWywWVJ6UMneIMA06VhsW/s400/Laxus_Fairy_Law.jpg" width="385" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's like they are begging me to make a Dragonball reference here, but instead I'll sing a line from a favorite AC/DC song of mine. "I've got big balls, they're such big balls.,,"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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All in all, I say give the series a shot and see for yourself if you like it. It does borrow a lot from Shonen titles, so that can either be a plus or minus depending on your preferences. I actually can't stand series like Bleach, Dragonball, One Piece and the like, but I can see me getting more volumes of this series should they come out.<br />
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Next is a series I think a lot of people on both sides of the giant puddle are crazy about. I landed the first Limited Edition run of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and holy monkey was there a lot of stuff in that set. Now as for the series itself, it is the first third of the series and honestly it seems a little slow in a few places. Now I preface that by saying that I saw the first four episodes subbed before this was released so there wasn't much in the way of new things aside from a shiny English Dub and extras, and I have yet to see the final eight episodes and have kept myself vigilant in being non-spoiled about what happens, so the next volume may get a better appraisal than just a mention.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j71zvTtVLN5uNtr2OsJtWJ4ZXN_OUraXzuWfKvevE2CDLVLRx8FqFB8IPvW4_GjTUtrRENCSxaE2SyJiW-nPg173YDMFfjh2-pJm61kWMhmEkqUpToLvc7gjm2FyCxdd44sS6VmOOGH-/s1600/353585-mahou_shoujo_madoka_magica___04___large_preview_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j71zvTtVLN5uNtr2OsJtWJ4ZXN_OUraXzuWfKvevE2CDLVLRx8FqFB8IPvW4_GjTUtrRENCSxaE2SyJiW-nPg173YDMFfjh2-pJm61kWMhmEkqUpToLvc7gjm2FyCxdd44sS6VmOOGH-/s640/353585-mahou_shoujo_madoka_magica___04___large_preview_01.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Character art by Jin Kobayashi, creator of School Rumble, a personal favorite series of mine. I literally squeed when I saw this.</td></tr>
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The items in the limited edition are well worth the money, in my opinion. All preview images in postcard form (seriously, what numbskull would use those?), double-sided poster, a nice booklet with extra comics, illustrations, sketches, and notes from the director of the series. Also, a soundtrack was offered in the package that has several key pieces of background music from the series. My main complaint would be the lack of opening and closing credit music, but we'll either get that later or not at all. Also, there isn't much in the way of extras on the DVD/Blu-Ray. I wasn't expecting much, but footage from stateside events or something from Aniplex USA would have been a nice addition. The dub is decent, but nothing to write home about. The series itself, so far, is excellent. It is easy to tell how it got a nice foothold in anime fandom and I make the analogy that what Watchman did to the Superhero comic genre Madoka Magica did to the Magical Girl anime genre. Trust me, there is much more than meets the eye with this series. If you aren't hooked by the end of episode three, then you make me sad :(<br />
<br />
I was disappointed when I heard Bandai was not going to be releasing a series I looked forward to watching called Nichijou. If you were a fan of Azumanga Daioh and/or Pani Poni Dash, then you HAVE TO CHECK OUT THIS SERIES! It is school comedy/slice of life at its finest. The series involves a group of girls in a high school who all have some kind of quirk, but try to live lives as normally as they can anyways. One is a robot with a crank sticking out her back, another is basically Tomo from Azumanga Daioh, another is like Ichijo (the class rep) from Pani Poni Dash, and the final member is a girl who likes to draw Yaoi manga, but otherwise is the most level-headed of all the characters of the series. There is also a professor who is actually a kid (Becky from Pani Poni Dash) and a talking cat (Um...Pani Poni again?), as well as a large supporting character list that would take too long to type out.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJsUmPOTzj8W5CSsgG90WSvYDZgJzp9j4XVoYtPY5xM8v-GYAQgynt3JysAkl24tzZDeoOOSwrlYeNfVaMorgx3wtBSH3vGN3VN2TMmp4pNWtBHVMsW-4ibQ7QnqMfIv_W0qJjU6_xAH5/s1600/nichijou-png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJsUmPOTzj8W5CSsgG90WSvYDZgJzp9j4XVoYtPY5xM8v-GYAQgynt3JysAkl24tzZDeoOOSwrlYeNfVaMorgx3wtBSH3vGN3VN2TMmp4pNWtBHVMsW-4ibQ7QnqMfIv_W0qJjU6_xAH5/s400/nichijou-png.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The main cast at the dump. Why? Because someone can draw it, that's why!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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The series is funny, unpredictable, and quite surreal at times. Sometimes I will be watching a segment on the show and will be saying "What the crap?". It can screw with your mind several times but if you are in the right mood, it can be a lot of fun. I've been conservative about watching this, only a couple episodes per day most of the time, and that seems just right. I have a feeling that this series is not one to marathon all the way through. The episodes are just a bunch of skits put together and there isn't a continuity that the show follows. It is just like a sitcom in which anyone can jump in at any time and enjoy the series.<br />
<br />
The artwork and animation are superb. Don't let the simplicity of the picture fool you. Kyoto Animation did a fantastic job keeping the series style simple, yet complex when the script calls for it. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfF7HqZm_vA&feature=related" target="_blank">Just check out either of the opening sequences</a> (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUzNLayMrJk" target="_blank">Especially this one</a>) to see what the animation is like for this series. The background music is orchestral and a welcome addition compared to the dullness some series use. The plot is not really engaging and once in a while is quite predictable for a seasoned veteran that watches this type of series, thus my suggestion to watch it in small chunks. Also, SOMEONE LICENSE THIS SERIES IN AMERICA! PLEASE!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVESG6RPoSJvkRZV-afMSgVQbvtYbzGBXAGdpFSnYmWZoeol8a5CmlPD3NXFt1p6ZNmsZOH7o6yjUIAHHWabPBqlOSTvqYGxqCfbmaXWGICBwwjsRsa1rJJRLfW_luVaypu-tq7Qf75027/s1600/key_art_okamisan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVESG6RPoSJvkRZV-afMSgVQbvtYbzGBXAGdpFSnYmWZoeol8a5CmlPD3NXFt1p6ZNmsZOH7o6yjUIAHHWabPBqlOSTvqYGxqCfbmaXWGICBwwjsRsa1rJJRLfW_luVaypu-tq7Qf75027/s640/key_art_okamisan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairy tales and moe. This really should not have caught my attention, but it did.</td></tr>
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Finally, I blind bought another series (Madoka Magica volumes 2 and 3 are a leap of faith for me) called Okami-san and her Seven Companions, an anime series that spoofs classic fairy tales (Almost spelled it "tail" there since I'm used to talking about Fairy Tail. *Sigh*). The series seems interesting enough to warrant a look. I saw the first episode subbed when Funimation simulcasted it and enjoyed myself quite a bit. They recently released a few minutes of an episode and Brina Palencia is voicing Okami-san while Luci Christian (hands down one of my absolute favorite voice actresses) will be the snarky narrator. If that isn't a recipe for success, then I'm completely off my rocker. Don't worry, a lot of people accuse me of that. I look forward to my copy coming soon.<br />
<br />
And that's it for recent anime activities from myself. What have you checked out lately?Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-60190888400642955922012-02-20T10:24:00.001-06:002012-02-20T10:24:48.395-06:00Frustrations of an Anime Fan - Lack of Local ActivitiesI want to do a regular column on a blog I infrequently update. I know, lots of sense being made here, right? The column is called "Frustrations of an Anime Fan" and will tackle topics as I see fit, from fandom to elitists from close mindedness from the general public to close mindedness in the industry, and much more. I'm hoping you will read these and start some feedback.<br />
<hr />
I am a introvert by nature. My happenings don't revolve on a ton of people being around me or going to popular places. Bars are out of the question since I don't drink and can't carry on a proper conversation with the crowds of people yelling at each other. The same problem can be with clubs, parties, and raves. Coffee shops just don't have much of a fun atmosphere as it does a hipster one with libraries being its unattractive mother. Arcades have essentially all but died except for the museum-type ones. It just sucks for a virile young man in modern America trying to even make a few friends.<br />
<br />
Last year, being tired of the same old, I went to a convention that some of my friends told me about at college. Being the introvert I am, I had heard of it from before and just never went, but I decided that I am a full fledged geek and that I would fit in just fine. That weekend was one of the best ones I've had. I met so many different people, new friends, and found out my hobbies of games and anime weren't as obscure as I thought. The convention I am talking about is your generic sci-fi, geek gathering spot. Not a lot of one thing (table-top gaming, art show, media rooms, anime room, video game room), but enough to thoroughly entertain one's self for the length of the convention. Sure, I'm not (yet, who knows) LARPing or and of the table-top gaming things, but I do enjoy cartoons, anime, cosplay, among other things.<br />
<br />
I befriended the anime chair at the convention and we talk from time to time. For a con in the middle of southwest Missouri, he does a great job finding things to watch and do. He even managed to get Stephanie Young to speak and do an autograph signing this year. That's pretty big for a smaller operation than Comic-Con. However, one thing that has hindered any real activity or growth is the fact that the convention is not an anime convention. Imagine a full-fledged anime convention. Voice actor speeches, cosplay dating, art show purely with anime themes, anime video games, and many other things. It just doesn't belong to a generic convention. So for the venue, it works.<br />
<br />
Just for a little background for those who don't know me, I live in southwest Missouri also known as the Ozarks, probably the belt buckle of the Bible belt. The small town I live in only has a Wal*Mart Supercenter to really hang out. A bigger metro city is where the generic convention takes place. It has most major chain stores, a thriving urban/downtown area, and lots of people. It is actually the city where I work five days a week, and when I get off, I can go shop somewhere that is not a former employer of mine.<br />
<br />
One thing I really want to see in the next few years is a primary anime convention take place in the Ozarks. I have an itch to meet local people and rave about our favorite series, have intellectual conversations behind deeper meanings of some series, and just discover some new things to check out and make new local friends who I can hit up from time to time and have an anime viewing night or something. Sure, I know this is all idealistic, but I think it still could be attainable.<br />
<br />
Last year we had two anime conventions try to start up in the area. For whatever reason, both of these eventually folded and neither happened. You can imagine my disappointment when I found out that neither would be happening. So close, yet so far. It seems like nothing is going to happen here for a while. Right now, the closest anime convention is 100+ miles away and it looks like I will be forced to go to one of those to get my con fix.<br />
<br />
One of the conventions still remains as a social group on a popular social networking website. However, unless there is another convention going on or someone talks about a major motion picture or series coming out, the group seems stagnant. The other convention has a message board that still works and there were so few posts on it. I also look at the convention that is in operation now and see the same thing, not much activity on there. You would think geeks would want more social interactions online than that.<br />
<br />
I also did some research for groups, clubs, anything anime related in a 50 mile radius that I could join or meet with once in a while. Nothing. There was a group a couple years ago, and another a couple years before that, but now? Nothing. No groups, no meet ups, no clubs outside of high school and college-exclusive clubs. Nothing. Is anime that unpopular down here? I really can't believe it, but either that is the truth, or people aren't stepping up to the plate. The only way I found out about these conventions is because of either Internet specific research or word of mouth which is hard to come by nowadays. Is there a group I don't know about that is hiding under a rock? Am I the only one that experiences this?<br />
<br />
One solution would be "Allengator, if you are so passionate about local social anime functions, then why don't you make one yourself?" Good question. I am not a leader. I am not a planner. I am horrible with money. I don't like making calls or talking to people I don't know. I am just not that person. I am a follower. I am a (lack of a better term) cheerleader. I am that stupid mascot that dresses up as a cow in front of an electronics store that you don't like. I tell all my friends about events and conventions going on. That's all I feel comfortable doing. Have me on your side, and I will fight for you, just don't make me in charge of the whole shebang.<br />
<br />
So yes, I'm frustrated that nothing is going on here. Another convention is trying to make a mark down here, however it is a furry convention, and while I have my own opinion on the subject of that area of fandom, it makes me wonder. Can a furry convention really succeed where multiple anime conventions failed? I thought that furries were a more niche market than anime fans, so what gives? I wish the convention good luck on becoming a reality, truly wish it the best, and I'm sorry for this logic, but if a local furry convention makes it before a local anime convention does, I will be saddened.<br />
<br />
So speak. What can someone do to get a local anime group to become a reality? How about an anime convention? Anyone from the Ozarks want to see something happen? Hit me up and we can talk about it.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-51528962785008889042012-01-13T22:13:00.000-06:002012-01-13T22:13:21.557-06:00And For More Sad NewsThe American anime industry seems to be getting itself in more trouble. Since the last post, things just seem to snowball more and more.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82HeyWrh8_MyrfArUf7mBGXWeLErNFviFNuMLVzpcagyElg5q6AUxz5qA419zbvN6xjv4rDCFShp0j2v0cAUv6L5PI1K0yl3zpAeUgA0sLnJbvMgNJTITNLG8yzAIt7hufF_KiKquIbNb/s1600/key_art_media_blasters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82HeyWrh8_MyrfArUf7mBGXWeLErNFviFNuMLVzpcagyElg5q6AUxz5qA419zbvN6xjv4rDCFShp0j2v0cAUv6L5PI1K0yl3zpAeUgA0sLnJbvMgNJTITNLG8yzAIt7hufF_KiKquIbNb/s400/key_art_media_blasters.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Strategy or on its way out?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
First, Media Blasters is laying off 60% of their staff, and according to the latest <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anncast/2012-01-13" target="_blank">ANNCast</a> that 100% of their production team has been let go, meaning either that they aren't planning on staying around for too much longer, or that they are planning to outsource the production to another team which, unless there is some kind of digital strategy involved, or any strategy actually, will end up like Bandai. I'm sorry for being such a downer, but this is reality, and you don't come to this blog to sugarcoat news.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEa8Mu-Q10bOwShwMU28YEKWry0sY2xXpWN6fTOjp696l5aPPLvYCNozJeU_HFOpc4xwUWE8RyvRDpvaQZdB5bcC4Mh6x6g-G1id3aSfMd6xL4w-nX5f0Mc6rCBbn-SxCubALVMunLv3N/s1600/SFvsFuni.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEa8Mu-Q10bOwShwMU28YEKWry0sY2xXpWN6fTOjp696l5aPPLvYCNozJeU_HFOpc4xwUWE8RyvRDpvaQZdB5bcC4Mh6x6g-G1id3aSfMd6xL4w-nX5f0Mc6rCBbn-SxCubALVMunLv3N/s640/SFvsFuni.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is five minutes of PAINT.NET. Totally worth it.</td></tr>
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Second, just when things couldn't get worse, two of the bigger North American distributors are coming after each other. Funimation is suing Sentai/Section23/other random companies that used to be ADV. According to Funimation, Neo-ADV as I like to call them, owe them around 8 million dollars back before the discombobulation of ADV. It's a complicated legal matter, but I feel I should chime in my two cents. <br />
<br />
In my opinion, Neo-ADV dodged the law by exploiting a loophole, basically dodging creditors by breaking up into smaller companies. Seriously, they are fooling no one (Section 23 is the actual law they exploited to get out of their mess). While this has allowed them to stay in the American market and license some nice anime series, I think that some kind of justice deserves to be brought to them. Now, I am not siding with Funimation nor am I against Neo-ADV, but I think that the companies that got the short end of the deal, Japanese anime companies, distributors, and the like, should get some sense of justice from this oversight. <br />
<br />
However, it doesn't matter whose side you are on. In the end, this is not good for anyone, especially the fans. Imagine if Funimation wins this (I give them better odds between the two). This could be the final nail in the coffin that is Neo-ADV, or plain old ADV. Then that will leave restructured Media Blasters, Funimation, and Viz, as well as higher end distributors NIS, Aniplex, and assorted others. If it comes down to Viz vs Funimation, then again this means less titles to be released, more chances to the anime industry in America becoming a monopoly, and in the end, us getting fewer titles legally and Japan passing on opportunities of giving their titles a chance over here.<br />
<br />
Perhaps Neo-ADV can split up again as another company... <br />
<br />
In the end, this news isn't good for anyone. Not for the people losing jobs, not for their families, not for the fans. 2012 has been one bad year thus far. Let's hope for a better rest of the year.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-64435932239852093372012-01-02T18:34:00.002-06:002012-01-02T18:34:49.781-06:00FATALITY: Bandai Entertainment Gets Knocked OutThis really is sad news, but <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-01-02/bandai-entertainment-to-stop-releasing-new-dvds-bds-manga" target="_blank">according to Anime News Network</a> Bandai Entertainment plans on stopping distribution of DVDs, Blu-Rays, and Manga, plus it does not plan to grab any more licenses. I feel mixed on this news.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nCH36msXJk0C6xS-gWdHHp4Z4sd5avo4aF4VSlyD1d5A477lhbFA4SSNw14TUV2ALfLqArri7dnhGnb3h38lgCuqIG3ixa7Bhc5Brz0a04hlMTaa0S1wm89I19awSxm7leifVmra9b9h/s1600/bandailogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nCH36msXJk0C6xS-gWdHHp4Z4sd5avo4aF4VSlyD1d5A477lhbFA4SSNw14TUV2ALfLqArri7dnhGnb3h38lgCuqIG3ixa7Bhc5Brz0a04hlMTaa0S1wm89I19awSxm7leifVmra9b9h/s320/bandailogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More like, Ban-died. Get it?</td></tr>
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First, the jerk reaction. THIS IS COSMIC JUSTICE FOR THE SCREW UP OF HAYATE THE COMBAT BUTLER! I'm sorry, but the fact is that Bandai just never got the hang of doing non-single disc volume releases and right now is not a good time for a company to do that. I am a budget anime collector and it just seems impractical for me to purchase a single disc for the same amount I could get a partial or whole series. Then again, this could be applied to any R1 anime company that isn't Funimation or Section 23. So the question is what is the difference between Bandai and say....Viz...or Media Blasters?<br />
<br />
I really don't have an answer for that. I am looking at the price of Bleach DVDs and they seem to be $50 for 10 episodes. Squid Girl is 6 episodes for $25. Madoka Magica is $40 for 4 episodes. *grumble* Hayate the Combat Butler is $40 for 7 episodes. So pricing, while it is a gripe, probably isn't the problem.<br />
<br />
Releases weren't too bad. Par for the course, really. Roughly released volumes every other month, just like everyone else. True, sometimes titles may have been delayed, but we've all been there. Media Blasters actually has a worse track record than Bandai, in my opinion.<br />
<br />
The only real difference I can see is dubbing, but heaven forbid that I should even insinuate that this attributed to Bandai's problems. (hint hint: I think it didn't help things)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMZEC8Ln4BqDHCtHPNByY86yiAG0GpjYhQkDijJYQLR0Uw3SDfSt-hqzHED4fH7_yuoQp1a8W7AmyL20zI-3McG2HKQBfyHsw7IMq7GRsx4YG8BK-l3-rEkBTtIgPvzTUeCau4SntTiQP/s1600/Hayate_Logo_Manga.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMZEC8Ln4BqDHCtHPNByY86yiAG0GpjYhQkDijJYQLR0Uw3SDfSt-hqzHED4fH7_yuoQp1a8W7AmyL20zI-3McG2HKQBfyHsw7IMq7GRsx4YG8BK-l3-rEkBTtIgPvzTUeCau4SntTiQP/s320/Hayate_Logo_Manga.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And yes, still so, so bitter about this.</td></tr>
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So, what else could it be? Perhaps the series they licensed just weren't popular enough. Let's see: Haruhi, Lucky Star, tons of Gundam, K-ON, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Code Geass...I could go on and on. So the hits are there. Sure, there are some flops, but overall not a bad lineup. People screamed for K-On, people praised Haruhi, people lusted for Gundam....actually, that sounds really really wrong. <br />
<br />
Honestly, you can't really pinpoint one exact problem that caused this to happen. However, here is a short list, perhaps I can elaborate on it later, on what I think caused this:<br />
<br />
1) Started subbing more series<br />
2) Delayed series box sets way longer than they should<br />
3) Pricing model was pretty bad<br />
4) Virtually no digital presence (iTunes, Amazon, hulu, proprietary video site)<br />
5) Slacking off on advertising<br />
6) Japanese parent company can make Bandai seem redundant.<br />
7) Few television deals<br />
8) And I can't stress this enough. PIRACY.<br />
<br />
So one big problem was presence. The more presence you have with an audience, the more they remember you. Look at Funimation. How many times have you seen banners for their series on any given website compared to Bandai? A lot more. More advertisements, more presence, give customers more reasons to not illegally watch series. Funimation several times puts out an episode or two of a series online, for free, to show people a series. This has caused me to buy series like Eden of the East and Baccano. If you don't offer some form of streaming in this day and age, you are really shooting yourself in the foot.<br />
<br />
Also, anyone who even casually pays attention to the American anime industry should have seen this coming long ago. When Bandai started to push more subbed-only releases out the door, when Bang-Zoom employees started to work more with Funimation, when the Bandai online store closed its doors, when they screwed up Hayate, when fewer series was being licensed, when the Lucky Star OVA was subbed, when they decided to license Boo Boo Kaga Boo manga series...this wad inevitable. Bandai was showing distress signs for years and now it has come to a head.<br />
<br />
Now putting the analyst away in me, I will offer this. This sucks. There are no two ways about it. Even though Bandai was my favorite punching bag, I have to admit that I am saddened by one less licensor out there. Now it will be up to the other companies if we ever want to see more Gundam, or K-ON, (or Hayate to get a box set, HINT HINT). Also, this is going to affect a lot of people and jobs. I'm not just talking the people that work at Bandai Entertainment, but also for the companies that helped with distribution. Bang Zoom was a major Bandai supporter so losing that anime chunk will mean less work for voice actors and producers. Also, Bandai was involved with some manga series which...well, I personally won't miss, but I know others will. Now we won't get the gag series of Lucky Star's Kagami turning into a chibi pig which...is sort of a relief (seriously, aside from die-hard fans, who would buy that? I'm a pretty big Lucky Star fan and even I think that premise is too ridiculous to check out.) Also Gosick which I looked at a few days ago and really wanted to see. Now my only hope is someone rescuing it.<br />
<br />
In the end, I will miss Bandai, and this sucks for people in the American anime industry and fans alike. I also have to switch from picking on Bandai to picking on Media Blasters because...well, they aren't much better and if I were to put money on another American distributor biting the dust, it would be them, not that I wish that at all.<br />
<br />
While you are just fading away and not outright leaving the industry, I still feel like I can end this post with a cliche trope:<br />
<br />
R.I.P. BandaiAllengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-51912006207661321192011-10-16T13:55:00.001-05:002011-10-16T13:55:54.655-05:00Somewhat of a New Blogging SystemYes, another entry about this blog. I normally wouldn't divulge in posts of this nature since this is a more hobbyist blog, but this is more of a heads up.<br />
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Things are still a little hectic in my personal life, changing jobs, trying to be social, being an adult, and so on. While they are settling down more, it is becoming harder to blog on here. No, I'm not giving up or even going on a hiatus, but a couple of small changes are going to happen. First off, I will be suspending "Poll of the Week" and "This Week's Watch" for the foreseeable future. As much as I love telling you how my week went as far as anime watching is concerned, it has been tough keeping up with a consistent schedule. I would love to bring these back in the future, and I may still do them from time to time, but I'm not going to force myself to do them every week. I have off weeks like anyone who is into anime has, and I hate to just type "Didn't watch squat this week. Kthnxbai.", so this will be easier. I will try to do better with my Twitter habits when I watch something. The past week has pretty much just been Sgt. Frog again, if you wanted to know.<br />
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Polls I am going to try to keep up, but they just may not get changed on a weekly basis. It may be a day or two before I switch them. Again, just follow me on Twitter to know when a new one is up.<br />
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Part of the reason I am doing this is because of my new job, which I do enjoy. It is typing and staring at a screen all day, and when you get home, the last thing you want to do is to type and stare at a screen. Some days I feel like doing it more, but some days I just want to drain my brain on a show or anime. It comes and goes. So updates will be sporadic for now, there is no question for that, but I will try to get at least one update on here a week. Either favorite this page, follow me on Twitter, RSS this page, or whatever you prefer, because the fun will keep coming.<br />
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Again, another plea to the viewers out there. If you would like to contribute articles, opinions, suggest things, or even participate in a possible podcast, please let me know. Also, don't be shy about commenting on here. I would love to see some more activity on here.<br />
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So there you have it. That is what is going on. If you have thoughts, share them below. Until then, I know the next entry will be about a certain company releasing a certain highly anticipated magical girl show.Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-76900924349559039752011-10-09T01:19:00.000-05:002011-10-09T01:19:28.847-05:00No Usual Posts This WeekSorry guys, but I'm going to have to skip the poll and "this week's watch" this week. I've been busier than normal with job swapping, car hunting, car fixing, and other things. I've been watching Sgt. Frog in my spare time, so that could have been the show for "This Week's Watch", but I just don't have time to dedicate even one of those entries. Expect more in the coming week or two when all this goes back to normal. Sorry about all this!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-51536987993399239992011-10-02T12:00:00.000-05:002011-10-02T12:00:01.562-05:00This Week's Watch: 9/25 - 10/1This past week I decided to check out some new shows since my list of upcoming releases that I want is quite short. I wanted to see if any new shows were worth checking out. I checked out Heaven's Lost Property, but that show was a bit to ecchi for my taste. I also got the first part to Squid Girl and enjoyed it. However, I checked out another series that I now have a new interest in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2rE7YGT8YuxQCrA8vVMfWZmHb96NUoilXc7_jRWZf1xkddZOlpa-Mjt65rTAAfdVeqzh7i4d3XioGugmp0nPrFQCAUHQttS0t3XgXriVwSVtG0VupcgbOg47iMOoXak1BvI5J36p6-Bi/s1600/fairy+tail+wallpapers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2rE7YGT8YuxQCrA8vVMfWZmHb96NUoilXc7_jRWZf1xkddZOlpa-Mjt65rTAAfdVeqzh7i4d3XioGugmp0nPrFQCAUHQttS0t3XgXriVwSVtG0VupcgbOg47iMOoXak1BvI5J36p6-Bi/s400/fairy+tail+wallpapers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At first, I thought Natsu (Pink hair, on left) was a girl. My bad.</td></tr>
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Fairy Tail is a genre I don't care for, which is magical adventure. The series sounds like the basic plot to every MMORPG ever. There are wizards and they all belong to various guilds. These guilds are where wizards share info and get jobs that will give them money. So yeah. It's like every MMORPG ever. While the plot isn't the most engaging (at least as far as I have gone), the episodes are actually quite fun. You have Natsu, the fire-breathing dragon human thingy who gets motion sickness, Lucy, the new girl who uses keys to unlock guardians that help her, and happy, the flying cat who says "Aye" a lot. The episodes have a nice blend between action, humor, and intrigue that makes me want to see what's around the corner. I have seen the first five episodes and ordered the first two parts on DVD, so if that isn't a sign that I have hopes for this series, then nothing does.<br />
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So what good stuff did you check out this week? Comment below and let us know!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-11782012114088722872011-10-01T21:03:00.001-05:002011-10-01T21:03:35.769-05:00Poll of the Week: Realistic or Not?This week's poll is all about realism in anime. I am not talking plot-wise, but animation-wise. Some people prefer their anime to be super realistic, the Japanese look more Japanese and everything is perfectly to scale. <br />
Others like the chibi, hypersexualized, moe, or just cartoonish styles more. So the question is, which way do you like it? Do you prefer the more detailed, realistic looking anime, or the stylized, unrealistic anime. Click on the poll and comment on your choice!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-3705629042294936602011-09-30T12:00:00.000-05:002011-09-30T12:00:05.744-05:00Squid Girl: ImpressionsI recently got Media Blaster's dubbed version of Squid Girl (Shinryaku! Ika Musume) in the mail and thought I could spend an entry talking about my thoughts on the show and the dub.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeef4fWp2SPpOOETsPIXz3u9HDcuO6Iejbz2GUvDzCjNYtq_umPrfLwro23-Nw_XjuJiuOUlEOLEF0Fq8cZfEVOi-XnBBFVTvRTpZU-LMaI606tNvEnVLxqzKRDXT3QiVLlLJV6yGzEME/s1600/Squid-Girl-One.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeef4fWp2SPpOOETsPIXz3u9HDcuO6Iejbz2GUvDzCjNYtq_umPrfLwro23-Nw_XjuJiuOUlEOLEF0Fq8cZfEVOi-XnBBFVTvRTpZU-LMaI606tNvEnVLxqzKRDXT3QiVLlLJV6yGzEME/s400/Squid-Girl-One.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cutest world invader if there ever was one.</td></tr>
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Honestly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when purchasing this show. I watched one episode subbed when it first came out and thought "You know, there is NO way this will be licensed over here. Too much Japanese wordplay in action." I enjoyed the episode, but forgot about the series because I did not want to get my hopes up. Lo and behold, a few months ago Media Blasters of all licensors decide to not only release Squid Girl stateside, but also give it a dub proper.<br />
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Now as for the release itself. Media Blasters decided to go the "split" route with the release and break off the series into two six-episode installments. I would have preferred a complete series release, but for some odd reason I am OK with this, perhaps because of another R1 licensor whose releases I feel....well, they've been well documented. Oddly enough, they decided to put it into two discs instead of one. One disc holds four episodes, the other holds two. Curious choice if you ask me. Squid girl isn't exactly a visual masterpiece and doesn't require hi-definition to enjoy. Everything could have been crammed into one disc, but it takes up the same space so I guess a complaint would be moot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QneMHIo8qj4fCCJW3feRl9kkoChpSe6pDryoX8yoBsq3ru94ZevKuNbSFZCBcvrgK3tOawIQMYT955vr8jivH145gp4uWp2pfVI4h6usHO7E06BoDwj69JrEOOz_mWzenCAo5MsyvoY1/s1600/screenshot-20.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QneMHIo8qj4fCCJW3feRl9kkoChpSe6pDryoX8yoBsq3ru94ZevKuNbSFZCBcvrgK3tOawIQMYT955vr8jivH145gp4uWp2pfVI4h6usHO7E06BoDwj69JrEOOz_mWzenCAo5MsyvoY1/s400/screenshot-20.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squids ralph ink. This isn't Panty and Stocking, you know.</td></tr>
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Visually, the series is bright, vibrant, and simple. I know most people see this as a bad point, but I actually enjoy this type of animation the most. Sometimes I think anime is trying to move more towards animation that just doesn't feel very anime-like. Anime, in my opinion, needs to be a simple affair, without all the full-motion, 1000 frames per second that it seems to be going towards. There is a beauty in simplicity.<br />
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The dub cast comprises mostly of new talents. While it would have been nice to see a cast with more familiar voices, the job does get done. There are some rough patches and it takes a couple episodes to get used to the voices and...um...wordplay, but my ears weren't offended like they have in the past. The dub isn't great, but it works and does get better as the series progresses.<br />
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As for the script...here's the thing. As I mentioned earlier, the original Japanese script depends some on wordplay, and most jokes just don't translate well. Funimation responds to these challenges by making up their own jokes, ala Sgt. Frog and Oh! Edo Rocket, sometimes out and out saying "You know those jokes don't translate over here". With Squid Girl they try to do their own English puns which sometimes work and sometimes don't. Ink-vasion isn't bad, but "Con-squid-ilations" is more than a stretch. Also, it NEVER LETS UP. I don't think Squid Girl had more than a handful of lines that didn't involve some kind of attempt at wordplay. So in all honesty, this series is best taken in small doses. Its not bad, but it does get repetitive.<br />
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All that being said, I am looking forward to part two coming out soon. I wouldn't say I'm waiting for it with baited breath like I am for other series, like Hetalia and Sgt. Frog, but I can say I wasn't completely repulsed by it. It isn't the funniest (Or should I say 'fin'iest?) series out there, but it is cute and full of charm, so I would say at least check it out!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-54562067849621487072011-09-29T21:42:00.000-05:002011-09-29T21:42:09.718-05:00Animezing Blog's Future StuffHello all! Maybe Hi-nii is more appropriate. You know, like Akira from Lucky Star? Yes?<br />
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Anyways, as you can tell, things have been a bit slow going on here the past couple of weeks. I just want to say that I'm hoping this will change soon. I really love anime and I love blogging, but I do my best to not bring my personal life into this blog if it isn't anime related.<br />
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I am going to be going through some major changes in my personal life (good changes! (I hope)) here in a couple weeks and I am not entirely sure what that means in terms of this blog. It's not going away, that's for sure, but I am uncertain if I will be able to post as often as I would like to. Ideally, I would prefer to update multiple times a week, maybe even day, but with changes comes more responsibility and with more responsibility comes less free time to tinker on this blog. I can't promise anything, but in a couple weeks you may be seeing a different form of updating on here, possibly. I could be wrong and things will go as well as I want them too, but again, I cannot promise anything. I think I will have a better idea of how things will be in a month's time. I should be able to at least update a couple times a week, maybe three if I'm lucky. <br />
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I'll try to crank more quality entries out the next couple of weeks that will hopefully tide you over until things settle down. <br />
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Also, slight sidebar, I would love to have a co-author or two on this blog who can update along with me. It could be a fun opportunity and a chance for people to see your craft as a writer or journalist. Let me know either in comments or with email and we can go forward from there!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-87503455498049248502011-09-26T23:05:00.004-05:002011-09-26T23:06:00.160-05:00This Week's Watch: 9/18 - 9/24Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, but I'm having some Internet connectivity problems the last couple of days and it doesn't seem to be an end in sight.<br />
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Last week was almost a washout as far as watching anime goes, but I finally got to watching a series on Friday and Saturday, so I can talk about that!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soul is on the cutting edge of Kishin killing.</td></tr>
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This isn't actually the first time I have watched Soul Eater, but it's not a re-watch either. I started watching the series but stopped a little over half way through and either got distracted or lost interest. The same thing happened twice with Fullmetal Alchemist, so I decided to try it out again and make it through the entire thing. I'm about 3/4 the way through and I just can't seem to get as excited as I was at the beginning of the series. Some series has this lull in the middle where it's either filler or not as exciting as the first or last part. That's not to say I don't like it, but I think cutting about 10 or so episodes of this series would have been a good call.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Death the Kid uses the same weapons I favor in Counter-Strike: Source!</td></tr>
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What I love about Soul Eater is the style. It look like an anime with some Tim Burton influences. The colors and animation are bright and vibrant and it is hard to look away while the show is being played. I'm super surprised there hasn't been a TV deal with this series over here because I think it would kill, no pun intended.<br />
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So that was my week, what did you see this week? Comment below!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-24997536805388538922011-09-24T13:10:00.001-05:002011-09-24T13:10:29.090-05:00Poll of the Week: Movies Vs. Series Vs. OVAsThis is a poll all about length. How long do you enjoy your series? Do you prefer the movie, the series, or the OVA way of telling the story? Vote and comment below!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3755366339356596072.post-76955208250197076612011-09-18T13:05:00.002-05:002011-09-18T13:05:23.108-05:00This Week's Watch: 9/11 - 9/17Another week with little anime watching. I spent most of the week asleep or with my head in a tissue. I did manage to watch my weekly episode of Durarara with my chat group last night, but that's it. Not all weeks are winners, but I have a couple of promising leads for this week, I hope.<br />
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So please tell me your week was filled with more anime than mine. PLEASE!Allengatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12011163828074676547noreply@blogger.com0