So, you’re the supporter?

Wow,  it’s been forever…no excuses…well, I have some, but I won’t spew them here…

 

I’ve been watching a lot of anime lately, which is nice since I haven’t been able to much lately. There’s a lot of series I have to talk about; I’m currently watching Infinite Ryvius, FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Durarara!!, and the one I’m gonna talk about today: Eden of the East.

Now I haven’t finished the series yet  (it’s only 11 episodes long with a couple movies finishing the story apparently) so I don’t  have a full overview of the series, but I can say that I am crazy about it.

(I’m going to try to tip toe around spoilers here…and avoid major things so I look less stupid when I finish it)

The story follows Akira as he struggles to find his identity after having it wiped clean in the first episode. He is part of some kind of secret organization. Literally all he has is a bizarre cell phone and a robust memory for movies.

The second main character is Saki. A recent college graduate visiting the U.S. as a graduation trip meets Akira and is promptly saved after doing something stupid. She is a shy girl that really doesn’t have a plan for her life. She accompanies Akira in his quest with knowing about his ties to the organization.

 

The setting is mainly modern Japan. But this Japan is bizarre and disaffected to itself. Just a year before the beginning of the story 10 missiles struck the country in unpopulated areas, killing none, but still should be more important to it’s people than it seems to be. It’s even dubbed “Careless Monday” by the population.

 

So far, this show is terribly interesting…it has loads of mystery and excitement. It isn’t terribly lighr hearted, but it does pace very well and makes you want to come back for more after every episode. As an incredible bonus, the character designs are done by Umino Chika, the artist behind Honey and Clover (an anime/manga that I have previously posted about) so the characters are a pleasure to observe. The backgrounds and all of the minute details are so crisp, it really is a joy to look at, and would be a great show to have on blu ray….instead of watching it online like I do…

 

Also, blazinanime has sadly shuttered it doors, but I have found justdubs.net to be a more than worthy replacement

 

I can’t wait to finish all of it’s dubbed content and report back….hopefully it won’t be months this time..

And the song remains the same

It’s been around 4 months since I last updated…and I feel that’s a shame, so, I now have an app for this on my iPhone, so I’ll be updating more often now.

Let’s start with a couple changes, I’m now engaged…so that’s it for news, on to the usual.

I’ve taken up Dungeons and Dragons fairly recently and, let me tell you, it is outrageously fun. It’s the most imaginative, fun, and inclusive game I’ve ever played. It’s so much fun to see people take a real interest in their characters.

I suggest that anyone that likes board games or fun and has about five willing friends, play DnD. It’s worth it and not worth the stigma that it receives.

 

pu pu put your heads together

Good God, I haven’t updated in FOREVER…sorry, semester ended…and someone new kinda came into focus…anyway..

I just today discovered that there is a live action Honey and Clover! (Yes, that did require an exclamation point)

As I’ve previously posted, I really love H&C the anime and manga, it’s fun that their is an anime about art students like me. But this live action version might be better…I’m a couple episodes in right now, and I’m totally obsessed…

Here’s where I’ve been watching it, enjoy:

http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-drama/honey-and-clover-episode-1/6325

it’s that i can’t dance a single step

Hooh boy, I certainly haven’t been as up on this as I should be…but this semester is drilling me pretty good…and only getting worse. Bonus: I am doing fantastic work.

This is what I am currently obsessed with wise:

(Ignore the video, it’s pretty stupid…but the song more than makes up for that in its awesomeness)

like no one ever was

I am a huge Pokemon fan. I was at the proper age when it was first released in America and I haven’t been able to break free since. I’ve had at least two from every single generation, but my favourite remains Silver. I had Red before it, and played the devil out of it but the journey through Johto was my real love of the Pokemon world.

Well, Sunday was the release of the Johto remakes: HeartGold and SoulSilver. I obviously picked up SS and it is the best Pokemon game I have ever played. There is just a ton of awesome little changes like being able to interact with your lead Pokemon and have it follow you around and the touch pad heavy menus. I am in love with it….and I’m only two badges and 7 hours in (I have over 300 hours into Pearl)

I really do love Pokemon, it is definitely going to be one of the first shows I introduce to my kids.

This is my favourite opening to the series…and it’s for the season corresponding to HeartGold and SoulSilver:

dance to the radio

I am one of the few people on the planet that loves the Microsoft Zune. I’ve had iPods in the past, and have been generally happy with them, but there has always been a glaring problem with either the device or the software. 3+ years ago I switched to Zune because they made a red device (a pretty big deal to me) and I have been constantly satisfied with it. Well, a couple of months ago, my trusted 1st gen Zune, Amuro (all of my mobile devices are named after Gundam pilots) suffered an unfortunate accident and couldn’t be repaired, so a replacement was needed……and I replaced him with the greatest possible device…the Joy Division special edition Zune.

Only 500 of these magnificent Mp3 players were ever made (mine is 387 if you were curious) and I couldn’t be happier that I finally got one. I’ve posted before about my absolute love for Joy Division and this Zune is just the perfect compliment to that obsession. I have dubbed him Duo after my favourite pilot from Gundam Wing.

…I realize now that this whole post is really only to expel some of my excitement….whatever….

If you don’t have a Mac, I very strongly suggest getting a Zune. It is superior to the iPod, so if you spend as much time with your player as I do, the Zune is really for you.

some kind of wonderful

As the last post suggests, I am crazy for the 80′s…like obsessed and have been my whole life. Though I was only a baby when the decade ended, the themes and ideas of the 80′s have always struck a cord with me and I have previously posted about my love of the BratPack movies. Well, I have discovered a new Hughes masterpiece in Some Kind of Wonderful:

Some Kind of Wonderful follows Keith, a lower middle class high school student that works as a mechanic; He’s not popular at school but is a gifted artist, and his best friend is a tomboy named Watts. Watts is a (beautiful) tomboy, a drummer, and kind of a punk. and obviously in love with the oblivious Keith….and is completely adorable….and incredible.

The main plot of the movie follows Keith as his parents bug him about college, Watts hints at her affection, and he falls hard for Amanda Jones, the hottest and most popular (but still middle class) girl in school. As Keith works up the courage to ask her out, she suddenly becomes single, and much to Watts’ lament, the two go out. This triangle of surprisingly fleshed out characters carry a story about class structures in high school as well as (possibly even better than) John Hughes’ more popular works.

Though it doesn’t have any of the main BratPackers, Some Kind of Wonderful does star several actors that were secondary in the bigger films, and I think it’s a shame that this film isn’t as well know, the cast carries very well and they are a pleasure to watch on screen. I very strongly recommend this film.

will you call my name as you walk on by?

I love the 80′s…I know that it’s all super cliche now to love that decade, but I have for my entire life. I love everything about it, but my favourite parts are the brat pack/John Hughes movies and new wave music. As you probably know, John Hughes died last august and just recently, VH1 had a special memorial on their Critic’s Choice Movie Awards program; on this program, Death Cab for Cutie performed “Don’t You(Forget About Me)” the theme from Hughes’ classic film The Breakfast Club.

This cover has been catching quite a bit of flack from around the internet, but I absolutely adore it, I think it captures the feeling of the song perfectly.

Here it is, Death Cab for Cutie-Don’t You(Forget About Me)

(Sorry about the link, WP is being stupid)

I pretend to be cool

I am obsessed with this song for reasons I cannot explain, it’s not the kind of music I listen to at all…and I can almost guarantee that I wouldn’t listen to it if it were in english….

Thanks a lot Lauren, this has been clouding my thoughts for a full week now:

Brown Eyed Girls-Abracadabra

The one with the short hair and the shorts sets me on fire.

(I’ll post something real soon, possibly tomorrow…but right now, I am too sleeps)

you and I both know

I know I know, it’s been forever since I updated, but life is busy….and I’m kind of awesome. Both of those are facts. You can look them up.

Anyway, I have been re-watching the masterpiece that is Honey and Clover. It’s pretty rare that an anime is based around art students, but H&C is and it does it really well. Aside from the obviously ridiculous anime style moments, H&C is a touching story of love, friendship, loss, and  the trials of real life. The story centers around sophomore student Yuta as he struggles with being an artist, a poor college student and the outrageous antics of upperclassman Shinobu. The story is told in a very episodic format, with very little connections between the episodes at first, but as the series rolls along the characters and plots begin to weave together well.

As an art student myself, I enjoy watching these characters go through the same sort of things that I have to deal with in this strange life style I’ve chosen….I also love that Yuta discovers a lot about himself while on his bike…I do the same thing.

If you are an anime fan, art student, or both I strongly strongly suggest you watch Honey and Clover, the series is finished in both the original Japanese and the fantastic English dub. You will not be disappointed.