Category: Weekly

The Week :: [missing]

Posted by Ryan A - April 28, 08

Hikari

Yea, well, this was expected. I missed posting on last week in review and the forecast for the coming week. Why is that?

Sadly, there will be no week in review, as I am looking forward. Finals created circumstances which tied me up, and also … I have a visitor. My visitor stands ~17cm high, and is a little white fluff ball neko. She is completely kawaii terror and hard love (I don’t understand purring while viciously trying to rip my thumbnails out)! Anyway, it’s been a while since I had a pet, and she doesn’t let me work efficiently (see Kurenai), but I’m getting into the flow.

Glance Back

As I said, I’ll just have to resume the weekly wrap-up next time, but mark this.

After stumbling in from today’s last final
I sat down and watched the latest episode xxxHOLiC Kei.

Insightful meaning in few words.

Forecast

There are merely a few seasonal episodes to experience before the rest of the week, but having seen S.A and Vampire Knight from last week, I’ll say that VK is entertaining but quite shallow, and S.A is getting better but slacking at the same time; just strolling. What makes me eager? I don’t know since uh, yea, still have to watch Library Wars, KKN, and Nabari no Ou, but I can’t go wrong with xxxHOLiC… can I?

Yuuko

I don’t think so…

Ryan A

note: I am taking my school intermission after 7 consecutive semesters, so I will hope to enjoy the Summer with backlog and seasonal adventures. Also, I usually mark my episodic experiences using melative reflections, I never understood the reasons I used AniDB to “list” and “mark” episodes I have seen, which now seems redundant (reflections kill two birds with one stone, experience is experience). Any episodes I had yet viewed in this post will wind up on the reflections shortly. ^^ Improved melative functionality soon.

Experience :: Twilight Seibei

Posted by Ryan A - April 23, 08

So this is Wednesday, I should be studying for my final in 5 horus. ANYWAY!

Experiences are the things we take with us in time. Media gives us experiences we may never encounter in our normal lives, and this is a good thing. Wednesday is experience day. Last week, I shared an experience in my post, Real Girls. Though it was not an anime or manga experience, I did see a relation in the midst, and that is what I want to do here. Take experiences (media or real) and see why I relate/d them to anime/manga. I don’t intend to just make things up, like it could be related this way. Rather… well you’ll see.

Short History

I began my fandom of anime and manga somewhere in 2002. Though I enjoyed the well known titles that had floated around the US (Akira, GiTS), I never took to the media, nor did I even know these things were peculiar (their own form of media); unaware, even to DBZ or anything on Cartoon Network, for six years. It just wasn’t in my world.

One way or another, Rurouni Kenshin, tha manga, caught my eye, a terrific story. Things began to roll, but for my immediate purpose, RK introduced me to the Meiji era, and also bits of curious and intriguing Japanese culture. Soon after RK, I ran into this film Twilight Seibei (たそがれ清兵衛, 2002), which was quite the contrary to RK in terms of mood, but very much related in substance; life during the Meiji.

Cover

Reflecting on the film, I was drawn into the era by the subtle display of “ordinary life.” There is a slight plotline, good conflict, great atmosphere, but I would classify it as slice-of-life more than anything. At the time, I never asked myself, what is slice-of-life, as I was unaware of such things, though it makes me wonder if I would see the film in different light. For my own reasons, I will say it would yield the same effect, but a rewatch over the Summer would be nice.

Yes, I enjoyed this film, and all it’s subtleties, but I was hoping for more action on my original intake; I was shounen lol. In my current state, the film has greater meaning, and does not need more than the two fight scenes contained. Seibei, the main character, is portrayed graciously, and though he is is nearly powerless in society, he is strong in life, and not soley for his wicked kodachi skils (slightly featured). He has respect for life, and things, he is a good father, but he is a normal man. He does not try to shine bright, but is brilliant all the same (ch24s2^^).

Manga has extensive variety, but sadly, it is hard to find these sort of main characters in the media. Unspecial and sincere, where are they? Would they be worth portraying, and/or could they even be portrayed without slice-of-life? If we look deep into an ordinary life, does still seem that ordinary?

Ryan A *pondering answers*

Note: Is it me, or are samurai tales are going out of fashion? Gothic appeal is up, samurai appeal is down. I wonder what Raimei would think…

Well It’s a Start

Posted by Ryan A - April 21, 08

yum

This is the first of my “weekly” posts, which are mostly about status; what was good last week and what am I looking forward to in the next 7 days.

Review

Looking back at my reflections for the week, I enjoyed. I think there is a good showing for Spring, despite appearing unattractive at first [and to many]. The shoujo feels naice, a little wobble in S.A, but the experience for newly premiered series (KKN, LibWars, 20 Faces) was intriguing?….

The Skinny

  • Library Wars in two strong episodes, great comedy, budding romance.
  • Kyouran Kazoku Nikki is ballistic, but I’m still skeptical in proceeding (as with 20 Faces).
  • xxxHOLiC Kei finished it’s first arc nicely, drenched in the tears of Zashiki Warashi, and an eyeball.
  • Nabari no Ou really begins to roll, with a cool, ashounen (like atypical) vibe and interesting characters. Killer e03!

Heroine Sampling

LW
VK
SA
NnO
KKN
xxx

Whoops, there’s a Yuuko sticking out ~~

Forecast

I need my shoujo! The slice-of-life flow of S.A is getting to me, and YUH, I *heart* vampires+goth, and can’t wait to see more fighting over books. I expect a decent showing this week, but it’s early Spring, and I’m on edge only for Nabari no Ou after killer ep03. Perhaps if I was watching Kurenai, which appears that it could go Black Lagoon at any moment while feeling like hearty slice-of-life and solid value, I would be urging for the next episode, but I’m being indecisive.

In any case, I feel good things coming (and no it doesn’t have the slightest relation to spankings).

Ryan A

Weekly Habits

Posted by Ryan A - April 19, 08

Nagisa

This past week was the last of regular class meetings, which means this coming week is exams, but after that I will be free, finally. While I’m not sure why I tortured myself, I have not had a “free summer” in 3 years, and 2007 was a year full of changes and burnout (personally).

Gladly, after this coming week, I will have 4 months vacation; long awaited and due, during which I will attempt an additional formatting of AloeDream. The proposed structure is as follows:

  • Monday weekly outlook/recap
  • Tuesday attraction
  • Wednesday experience
  • Thursday adventure
  • Friday hacks
  • Saturday relax [empty]
  • Sunday [empty] relax

It may seem tasky, but I don’t intend to make these posts wordy, simply brief directed entries. Now since we live in a global society, I realize that Saturday is not Saturday for all, but I believe that posting around 8-10pm (GMT-5) the night before means it will be there in the morning, and I think that’s what matters.

I haven’t embarked on anything as such, but this past week I did follow a similar format, minus the “week” posts. Anyway, it should be fun, and I will continue until I return to school in the Autumn.

Ryan A

note: Saturday is almost over, my relaxation was spent glancing around the various image hives for cute things. Maybe I’ll post about that later, since Sat/Sun is basically overlap. ~~

Real Girls

Posted by Ryan A - April 16, 08

Lars and Bianca

Yesterday, I spent the evening watching a movie with a couple family members. Lars and the Real Girl (imdb), reminded me [in premise] much of the debated escapist reality which general viewers, otaku, hikikomori, and NEET create in stimulation to mixing anime, manga, and life.

We have a presumed adult male who has a delusion about Bianca, a “Real Doll”. This entirely rang “Japan”, since we have all seen these love toys abundant on Mr. Choo’s and other sites. Unfortunately or not, the plot line soon sharply turns from any assumed building which had been taken place. Lars, though seemingly a hikikomori (but lacking the Japanese interest), is not, and his delusion about Bianca, is far from the notions one might get of another purchasing such a doll (pleasurezorz).

The film yields awkward, funny, and compelling moments, but it really makes these issues of escapist reality among anime fans seem quite feeble. It is an interesting watch that many could relate to, but not necessarily identify with, and I do recommend a viewing if one has the time and chance, as it is not entirely unrelated to the world of anime and manga.

Ryan A

In a related note, Ryan Gosling, the main actor, has appeared in also in The Notebook and Half Nelson. I recommend both, especial for HN’s slice-of-life appeal, and The Notebook’s heartwarming story.

Guppie Taiyaki

Posted by Ryan A - November 7, 06

[from the other night]
At this very moment, in my toaster oven, I am warming a taiyaki. I’m kinda sad it isn’t a full-size version, but I’ve not been able to find any places that sell this little treat around my area. So as usual, I made a trip to the oriental market, though I was on the lookout for taiyaki. (Inspired by tsubaki) I only found the frozen ones, but I’m okay with that. Here’s a pic, but just something I found online:

Seeing small nibblers eating taiyaki in Kanon is too cute not to try it. Yet, I’ve realized that I have no clue how to cook these things T_T. I put it on 300F and left it in for an undecided amount of time, hoping it comes out with a nice heat dispersion and just cool enough not to burn the tounge. While that’s cooking, I also picked up some Konnyaku so I could play with it. Hehe, only joshing. But soon after leaving the store I concluded that I have no idea what to do with it, and the store clerk wasn’t Japanese today. Thank you internet. I found a ‘traditional’ hot-pot recipe, oyster miso something. (BLACK MOON)

Scary good, and an addicting taste. I finished the guppie taiyaki #1, *puts another in the oven* Yea, I have to find a place that makes them. That would be nice, but unfortunately Central Florida doesn’t have a large Japanese community; the largest Asian populations is most likely Vietnamese, many awesome restaurants, but dunno about the taiyaki.

Mer, well it seems the best way to cook them is to put the oven on 300F (which is probably isn’t 300, cheap) and leave a taiyaki (straight from the freezer) in for 15-20 min. I also hear microwaving works, but I don’t have a microwave, or as my 100 year old gramps calls it, an “electron-wave”. Hey, matter is waves!

Ryan A