Freedom to Read and Compare

Geez, guys, lay off Akiko. This past Kanon episode has caused the blogosphere to form two camps: those that believe that the crash was emotive and point to the real-life crash that everyone seemed to instantly find, and those that laughed at the crash because Akiko was crushed and "disappeared". I am planted firmly in the former camp and think the latter is just trying to get attention for contrariness, for the record, but honestly, this is getting out of hand. I'm almost missing the Nayuki conspiracy theories.

So I couldn't take it anymore and checked out the back covers of a few of the Galaxy Angel manga I'm missing (I never seem to get the right ones so I'm stuck on number four). Let me say that it's very apt that the anime was a parody of adaptation decay. If you don't want to be spoiled, skip to the next paragraph, but apparently Chitose comes in early, Eonia stays around through Moonlit Lovers and beats out the Val-Fasq conspiracy (which, I guess, is probably for the best because they cut out the entire Eternal Lovers arc), Chitose actually turns evil, and who knows what else. Am I buying it? Course I am! Especially since I heard the newly released GAII manga does the characters a lot of justice. A few of my friends that hated Rico on principle now love her to bits, so it can't be that bad.

Happy Freedom to Read Week! In celebration, read something that was banned for a stupid reason.

I found a Sailor Moon RP that can best be described as "magical girl gang war". This is not about that.

I did bring Makoto to school today, but I don't want to bother my computer-illiterate self with learning how to connect to the school's protected server. So I am again typing this on a genuine school computer. My own just came along to play games in Japanese.

In Yes! Precure 5 news, Retasu (well, technically Retasu's benign plant-powered clone, Akimoto Komachi) transformed last weekend. So she's got a shield spell. I guess it's so they can write filler about her guarding, like, buried treasure or something. Also, her hair is too big. I guess they wanted to disguise her clone origins. In any case, can her "earth-shaking rage" control the water?

(Note to new readers: just because I like to equate Akimoto Komachi and Midorikawa Retasu does not mean that I condone in any way the practice of calling all group magical girl series knockoffs. In fact, I despise this practice and cringe whenever I see someone mouthing off about "another Sailor Moon clone". Komachi is Retasu, and to an extent, if Minto and Zakuro were to have a child it would be Karen. But this does not mean that I am condemning the show or the characters. So just please shut up about me being a hypocrite.)

Mint, yes. Cure, if healer counts. I just didn't have any images of Komachi or Retasu.

I try to review Secret Ambition

You've probably heard about this one, too, but someone uploaded a live performance of the StrikerS OP. Still, I'm obliged to blog about it, because if you didn't know, I like Mizuki Nana, and just about everyone in this community likes Nanoha. So on to reviewing it.

I like it. Which is a good sign, considering I hated Eternal Blaze at the beginning of A's, but really liked it near the end. For some reason, it reminds me of a Gundam song, but considering all the comparisons between Nanoha and insert-mecha-series-here, it's a good thing. Someone in the chatbox (I forget who, as I was probably half asleep at the time) said it sounded "more like an OP than a pop song used as one". Thinking about it, I have to agree. It sounds more mature than the previous songs, fitting with the ten-year aging of the protagonists. I can't tell if the clapping in the background is from the audience or actually part of the song, but it really adds to it. It's not glaringly "missing something" like I thought Eternal Blaze was when I first heard it, and the beginning reminds me of Brave Phoenix, my favourite Nanoha song.

This is the only video I could find that uses the song. Putting the previous season's OP animation over it, now that's original. Sorry.

I debated using a different picture because I've already used a Nanoha picture on this page, but... no.

Breaking news: I am NOT disillusioned and retiring!

Fresh out of responding to yet another fanfic reader that yes, it is Hwang Bu-ling, I learned that The Third had been licensed... with another Haruhi-esque viral marketing campaign. Come on, you guys. It was cool with Haruhi. With Rozen Maiden, people were a bit wary. Now it's just silly. Next time someone picks up a good show and tries to have some fun with it, it won't be cool anymore.

So I'm replaying the first Galaxy Angel game. I still don't understand everything because I suck, but at least I get enough to have found all the Shiva CGs last time I played it through. Now to just remember how I did it. I know it was in Forte's thread, so I'll try to play that one next...

What's with everyone getting all depressed lately? The tired aura is just floating around and sinking everybody down. There needs to be something fun to do to get everybody's spirits up. Besides complaining about licenses, because apparently that's getting old. Maybe it's seasonal affective disorder. And the fact that not many people like this winter's shows. In any case, I wish you all the best and some sanity back.

In happier news, Urara's transformation goes between cool and ridiculous. This could cheer anyone up.

I really need to stop using the same series over and over for the pictures.

How to eat your Nozomi

Okay, so I've finally got some half-decent internet back. That means more fluid posts instead of posts for the sake of living! Yay! To start, I'll share something amusing: Edible Nozomi. For all your breakfast needs. There was a Mai, a Saki and a Michiru, too, that I've seen. I wonder if there's an Urara or Karen, their colours are the only ones I'm not allergic to. How would you make them, anyway? They look like they're made of icing. Does anybody know?

Also, just when you thought that the joke about the Haruhi character albums was over, it lives again. At least there's an end to them (and a pretty fun end, too), at least until Shoushitsu airs. I can't get Ryouko 2.0's "Fixed Mind" out of my head for some reason, even though it's probably the least catchy song and certainly the least energetic. Now if I could track down the ones I don't have...

So Tokyopop changed around their ratings system. Good enough, considering the headlines (at least around here) warning parents whose kids buy manga that one 10-year-old was caught being a pervert. Now if they'd just put that money towards, I don't know, decent translations! Their localization attempts are hideous (have you ever seen an ojousama command her teammates to "bust a move, girl"? You will), their marketing is cheesy, they mix up text boxes, remove honourifics, can't decide which romanization system to use between volumes, and snap up too many titles at once. The shounen titles get treated significantly better than the shoujo, but they all get subjected to this fearsome horror. Geh.

Also, Funimation is the NA release anime market share leader of the year, again. Credit where it's due, although-- do I even have anything from them? I don't remember right now.

In response to the last post, my Skype is sana.jisushi; if you are not a French stalker, feel free to bother me. Maybe then the ratio will be settled.

And apparently another season of Onegai My Melody was just announced now. Way to be late, guys.

Dear Tokyopop: her name is Hwang Bu-Ling.

Skype, Makoto and whatever news I could scrape together

You've probably heard, but Geneon's gotten hold of Karin. The only DVD of theirs that I have is the first Fate/stay night, that I can remember, and I'm too lazy to check right now. It was decent, save for Sakura's grating English voice. That reminds me, I should probably see Karin. A bunch of my friends like it, anyway. Maybe I'll mooch the manga off someone.

You have no idea how much of a pain it is to code when Makoto has turned Japanese again. What can I say, I had an urge to play a couple games.

I need to find some way to prevent random French people annoying me on Skype. Then again, maybe it's a sign that I need to add people or something. The amount of legit messages I get on there is vastly disproportionate to the French stalkers.

Wow, something that isn't the same old series over and over.

How bored am I...

Hey, I really like Negima!?. Someone must agree with me. Then again, it's not the first time I've been the only one to like something.

Also. Inspired by the asosbrigade videos and monumentally bored, I started downloading Power Rangers In Space. You can all berate me now.

Because I used a Haruhi picture last time.