tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34131471065785609592024-03-05T19:37:07.510-08:00THE ANOINTED GEEKAnime recommendations, character spotlights, rants, and more!!AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-54040490997251724302020-11-28T12:00:00.001-08:002020-11-28T12:18:08.424-08:00Falling in Love with Comic Books (Again)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cwW7fmHJYdkxiw7veL39rWsapKUMBRQI_l62rZSkKY8FYrH0HWMtK9XVykimA20ZyksYO25L_xoo9DCcRnDE0I2K_1DOKCOlWKGC-8giFmuzPkES3adS42Pzucnlqe793qRwOHnLvKHo/w400-h206/Falling+in+Love+with+Comic+Books+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before anime, I was obsessed with comic book superheroes...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's been awhile since I've written anything about anime. I haven't published anything on this blog since February. But that doesn't mean that I haven't been itching to get back into writing and blogging for a awhile, in fact I've been bouncing around several ideas for blog posts in my head, waiting for just the right time to return.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But I couldn't figure out what "the right time" would be, so I decided that I'd just throw something out there and hope it'd get the blogging ball rolling. Unfortunately, I have not really been watching anime for awhile now and in order to write about anime, I have to watch some anime. So if I haven't been watching any anime, just what am I supposed to write about?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, I haven't had time to watch anime, but I have been spending a lot of my free time indulging in an old passion, and that would be superhero comic books. As a little kid, I grew up watching cartoons like <i>Justice League</i> and <i>Batman Beyond</i>, and movies like <i>Spider-Man </i>and <i>Hulk</i>, and eventually that love for costumed characters led me to the source of those stories: comic books.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Like a lot of geeks, I felt such a sense of awe and amazement when I first discovered the world of comic book superheroes. Sure, I knew about characters like Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman, but Captain Marvel, Daredevil, and the Green Lantern were so new to me, and with every new character it was like being introduced to another mysterious and wonderful world.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Throughout high school, I would pick up comic book omnibuses from the library and every other week, I'd get new issues of <i>Green Lantern Corps</i> or <i>Batman and Robin</i> from my local comic book store. And no matter how much of this culture that I consumed, there was plenty more to discover and discuss.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By the time I got to college, I didn't have much time to read comic books, probably because I had plenty of reading material to go through for classes and assignments. However, my love of superheroes didn't diminish since almost every year there was a superhero movie making millions of dollars, but this probably isn't news to anyone. It was also during college, that I started watching anime and a new passion was born. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was so in love with anime that I decided to contribute to this community by writing content on this blog about popular anime and related topics. For over a year, I was writing posts on a regular basis. At least, I was until I got a full-time job and it became harder to figure out when I'd have time to write, especially with such a sporadic schedule. And then when I wanted to write about anime, I couldn't figure out what anime to write about since I didn't even have time to watch anything.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And that's when I fell back into the world of comic books and superheroes. With anime, I have to sit down for a good chunk of time and pay attention in order to enjoy the story and animation, meaning that if I had to get up and work or anything besides sitting and watching, I'd miss out on something or just ruin the experience. But with comic books, I was able to read at my own pace and if anything interrupted my reading, my experience wouldn't really be tarnished. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then with apps like Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe, I could even bring along my comic books to work. And not only that, but I pretty much had an unlimited supply of content to read and enjoy in my free time. I could enjoy some of my favorite stories and series like <i>Batman: Dark Victory</i> and <i>Ultimate Spider-Man</i>, or I could find new favorites like <i>Ms. Marvel </i>and <i>Green Lanterns</i>. It's honestly fantastic.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I just love these stories and characters that I had to talk about it. And because we're still dealing with Covid-19, there are only so many people that I can talk to, so writing makes it easier. So going forward, I do want to regularly write more content for this blog, and it just won't be anime content, but also thoughts on comic books stories and other geeky subjects. Afterall, I am the <i>anointed geek</i>!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-75409690044642876062020-02-14T13:00:00.000-08:002020-02-14T16:15:03.566-08:00Anime Recommendation: Weathering with You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEeJ3aXk85MSpBus1t3oxHHml4dLTkUaARJ0vKMfqPNrUVQX5Pr3Q4KTbaSgz5IXzq5lNkeHO1W4RTOIo21Gov8XmltP7XVmBQauKkJedeLp98SywNEL2xAsCioBBhQMhVO-OvWVI9Oq_/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+Weathering+with+You+-+Pic+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEeJ3aXk85MSpBus1t3oxHHml4dLTkUaARJ0vKMfqPNrUVQX5Pr3Q4KTbaSgz5IXzq5lNkeHO1W4RTOIo21Gov8XmltP7XVmBQauKkJedeLp98SywNEL2xAsCioBBhQMhVO-OvWVI9Oq_/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+Weathering+with+You+-+Pic+001.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have a Happy Valentine's Day no matter the weather!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">So early this year, <i>Weathering with You</i> came out in the US and it was apparently a huge hit in the anime community. I say apparently because I did not immediately watch it when the hype was at it's highest, but knowing the success and popularity of director Makoto Shinkai, I had a feeling that the hype was justified. However, I had never seen any of Shinkai's previous films, not even the hit <i>Your Name</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So a couple weeks ago, I had a day off from work, nothing to do, and my local movie theater had a showing for <i>Weathering with You</i>. I got myself a ticket and was completely amazed by <i>Weathering with You</i> and understood why so many people were talking about this movie. I mean, besides being a gorgeous anime, it's just such a magical story and a sweet love story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I haven't had much time for blogging so I never got around to fanboying about <i>Weathering with You. </i>However, today is Valentine's Day and people are in a lovey-dovey mood, so why not take advantage of this opportunity and share what I love about <i>Weathering with You</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>Weathering with You</i>, or <i>Tenki no Ko</i>, is about a high school runaway Hodoka Morishima trying to make a living for himself and just survive in Tokyo. Eventually, he finds employment as an assistant for a small publishing company and comes across the legend of a "Sunshine Girl", a girl with the power to ward away bad weather and make the day sunny. Hodoka meets the real "Sunshine Girl", Hina Amano, and the two go into business together making people's days nice and bright.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, what I really liked about <i>Weathering with You</i> is how the story shifts throughout the film from being stormy and somber to being fun and colorful. When the story introduces Hodoka struggling to survive on his own, there's a kind of gloomy mood hanging over every scene. But when Hodoka finds a job and meets Hina, everthing becomes cheerful. It's like a dream that Hodoka has to awaken from and fight to get back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Besides the fantasy and tone of <i>Weathering with You</i>, I especially enjoyed the love story between Hodoka and Hina and the theme of self-sacrifice. I won't spoil anything, but in a lot of stories, especially in shounen anime, self-sacrifice for the greater good is seen as noble and just. In <i>Weathering with You</i>, self-sacrifice is challenged and can be summed up in the line, "I love you more than the blue sky."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now that I got that all out of my system, please see <i>Weathering with You </i>if you haven't already seen it. I thought it was a movie that I could live without watching but now I'm just in love with it. And if you have seen <i>Weathering with You</i>, let me know what you thought about it. And with that, I hope you're all having a nice Valentine's Day with some loved ones or some romance anime!</span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-14739507543299871132019-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:002019-12-20T23:17:15.807-08:0012 Days of Anime: Shamiko from The Demon Girl Next Door<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRJFFlgBNP5j90doa8_a1D2mRo1McrAWH9nodEd9t_9DuQcUqxTuGrHJIE6uy1SZ8H9SUCnEXnS55RcC2qQy_nFcPYCnMXNHpArAxaH427oB148uquLXu2J5jaqJtjiLwJwHvu6GzXCF-/s1600/Shamiko+from+The+Demon+Girl+Next+Door+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRJFFlgBNP5j90doa8_a1D2mRo1McrAWH9nodEd9t_9DuQcUqxTuGrHJIE6uy1SZ8H9SUCnEXnS55RcC2qQy_nFcPYCnMXNHpArAxaH427oB148uquLXu2J5jaqJtjiLwJwHvu6GzXCF-/s400/Shamiko+from+The+Demon+Girl+Next+Door+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another adorable demon girl that stole my heart this year!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">Just like Mao from <i>Endro!</i>, Shami--, I mean, Yuuko is pretty bad at being a demon girl, if not worse. Despite being cursed and thrust into a destiny where she has to murderize a magical girl, Yuuko ends up being indebted to a magical girl and regularly trains alongside her natural enemy. But that's okay!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrDRUXdvuNGe6i9vTFEvs7ljyV-1ICJgHmscHO-Ftwsh6cJOwE7UkcYeF7QH7tRaY7DhdJ0gurAKuKTq_4L4SywZRES_OdABoeSV9Kn1SpVwepgyiVlc97IcwONbvdPPOGIzaW76SkoQw/s1600/The+Demon+Girl+Next+Door+-+Pic+018.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrDRUXdvuNGe6i9vTFEvs7ljyV-1ICJgHmscHO-Ftwsh6cJOwE7UkcYeF7QH7tRaY7DhdJ0gurAKuKTq_4L4SywZRES_OdABoeSV9Kn1SpVwepgyiVlc97IcwONbvdPPOGIzaW76SkoQw/s400/The+Demon+Girl+Next+Door+-+Pic+018.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Even though Shamiko is constantly being "tricked" into helping a magical girl and befriending her, Shamiko doesn't give up despite losing sight of her goal for a few brief moments. At the end of every lost battle, Shamiko quiveringly declares, "Don't think this means you've won!!", and is determined to challenge the magical girl some other day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But it is probably important to note that Shamiko is a bit of a weakling and a coward...okay, maybe more than a bit. Even if she's on a mission to battle and destroy a magical girl, Shamiko is immediately intimidated and assumes that she's going to be chucked into outer space or vaporized in an instant. But that's part of what makes her an adorable demon girl.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHagqf5gbHQQlocCn6AJeHTiOaTvvakg0gRmONmJAX_kDBl5BQe-AocLCka92G44QMIB8S9emG2S66K1eKxBzrJdGE5OnaSgTSHoL-rKYyuFqO5cgyk-22BO_pwW-7Xt41CjJEREo1EmP/s1600/The+Demon+Girl+Next+Door+-+Pic+040.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHagqf5gbHQQlocCn6AJeHTiOaTvvakg0gRmONmJAX_kDBl5BQe-AocLCka92G44QMIB8S9emG2S66K1eKxBzrJdGE5OnaSgTSHoL-rKYyuFqO5cgyk-22BO_pwW-7Xt41CjJEREo1EmP/s400/The+Demon+Girl+Next+Door+-+Pic+040.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Shamiko may be a huge failure when it comes to be an evil villainous, she succeeds at being a good friend. Sure, that may have nothing to do with her primary goal, but it's what makes her character so endearing. She's enthusiastic and (eventually) does her best at whatever task she's given, so when it comes to helping those in need, even magical girls, she's the best friend anyone could ask for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If Mao wasn't enough to fulfill your need of cute anime demon girls, check out Shamiko, I mean, Yuuko, from <i>The Demon Girl Next Door</i>. </span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-59095971168899517112019-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:002019-12-19T21:59:36.691-08:0012 Days of Anime: Ao from Ao-chan Can't Study<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfXW_WEnwP9GRHGEpXSe7w5OW3PyXLjGGDZEBr3IJ4IBaQfiJ-CXDI4FBzoc9UkvQ1mtvZVW1Aibyqt_DdAvTnqtSpFqu8Oy9WefepbZJxUi8WFqQf1Zc9yjcPk5a1iW4RbSHhKETVdgV/s1600/Ao+from+Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfXW_WEnwP9GRHGEpXSe7w5OW3PyXLjGGDZEBr3IJ4IBaQfiJ-CXDI4FBzoc9UkvQ1mtvZVW1Aibyqt_DdAvTnqtSpFqu8Oy9WefepbZJxUi8WFqQf1Zc9yjcPk5a1iW4RbSHhKETVdgV/s400/Ao+from+Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She just wants to focus on her exams...</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">I guess you can say that I have a type when it comes to anime girls...well, I have several types. Obviously, I love cute anime girls but I especially like cute anime girls that get all flustered and goofy when it comes to things like love and feelings. Ao is definitely one of those kind of anime girls.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZYtnNvbJBQ6fyjB3OvzZAfAyt-8kCW7dneityVw46RzYOgmbCwrbASxt1jJWykJ9mVwpjEltLp2Tg052acxmTuT_bxstxdfDrSbzj0459XvSwOTuqik5L4MqPshae2TmYmfS8P-KwpfT/s1600/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+015.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZYtnNvbJBQ6fyjB3OvzZAfAyt-8kCW7dneityVw46RzYOgmbCwrbASxt1jJWykJ9mVwpjEltLp2Tg052acxmTuT_bxstxdfDrSbzj0459XvSwOTuqik5L4MqPshae2TmYmfS8P-KwpfT/s400/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+015.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When a guy shows her affection, Ao can't help but think that he must of some kind of lewd intentions and then she just can't stop thinking about sex even if it's something that she hates. Though for a girl who hates all things lewd, she does have a very active imagination. And behind her tsundere facade, Ao is a girl that does want attention and affection, at least from the one boy that she likes. She even gets jealous at the idea that he might be interested in someone else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Like Kaguya from <i>Kaguya-sama: Love is War</i>, Ao is an intelligent girl that sometimes overthinks things to the point of ridiculousness and is also pretty clueless about the simplest of things. She's a mature young woman on the outside, but is actually a pretty foolish child.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeqoCzahW_UWaHSwRwH3Ue4mu9gdvrl-kuKRadjhuHKfoz55WNaBCPAYUQ-ojyIUkFL380X_rvcD6KPLVwycCLhkQjnSYzPd8hR5zc36hQFt24MuQFX-hk8H5bH0RQ-aQpCS-R8Tu5X9c/s1600/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+044.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeqoCzahW_UWaHSwRwH3Ue4mu9gdvrl-kuKRadjhuHKfoz55WNaBCPAYUQ-ojyIUkFL380X_rvcD6KPLVwycCLhkQjnSYzPd8hR5zc36hQFt24MuQFX-hk8H5bH0RQ-aQpCS-R8Tu5X9c/s400/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+044.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">But what I especially like about Ao, and that made her stand out among many of the other characters from this year, are her very unique expressions. Like any other anime girl, Ao is cute with her bright colored hair and even cuter when she pouts or blushes, but I really love her blank, confused, and sad faces that really show off how she feels inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So if you're looking for an anime girl that is lost when it comes to love and has some pretty hilarious faces, Ao-chan is your girl! And if you're looking for an anime that you can binge through pretty quickly this Christmas, go ahead and check out <i>Ao-chan Can't Study</i>.</span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-20840818643941573632019-12-18T10:00:00.000-08:002019-12-18T18:11:12.450-08:0012 Days of Anime: Toi from Sarazanmai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeDBeQzzIqaQJFpxczISnguIPvsW0hFZx3LSJzJWcC1-7C0CsIVWZmo-14ffl_MtF1d2S6nEniJie50aHm9l_cUWTAOgdt99OTciMwb38aw7uA5_NhwhiIU1vUI9wrnfFltMy4nYQnfA4/s1600/Toi+from+Sarazanmai+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeDBeQzzIqaQJFpxczISnguIPvsW0hFZx3LSJzJWcC1-7C0CsIVWZmo-14ffl_MtF1d2S6nEniJie50aHm9l_cUWTAOgdt99OTciMwb38aw7uA5_NhwhiIU1vUI9wrnfFltMy4nYQnfA4/s320/Toi+from+Sarazanmai+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He just wants to save his big brother.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sarazanmai</i> is an anime with plenty of good boys, but for me, Toi Kuji is the best boy. Stories about family, and especially stories about siblings, always get me right in the feels, so it's no surprise that Toi really stuck out to me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02tmRa6pf12_jrxHsFQf6ZVPDUtWCfSLwfRj8zOay7Mpuuckv4TkksHKLd5yXJRofONVTAiYHlUcYljN_i7fglABc6xFRYUWHa08-B9Y0_ta6lkW7ObCUTg8uohp0THP7KX8ietMHp_Ta/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+031.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02tmRa6pf12_jrxHsFQf6ZVPDUtWCfSLwfRj8zOay7Mpuuckv4TkksHKLd5yXJRofONVTAiYHlUcYljN_i7fglABc6xFRYUWHa08-B9Y0_ta6lkW7ObCUTg8uohp0THP7KX8ietMHp_Ta/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+031.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When Toi is first introduced, he's a delinquent trying to break into a car. It isn't much longer that we find out he grows and sells pot and that his older brother is some kind of gangster. And on top of all that, he wants to takes the dishes of fate for himself, stealing a wish from Kazuki who wants to use the wish to help his younger brother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But beneath that "bad boy" and criminal exterior, Toi is actually a sweet and innocent kid. He loves soccer and gave it up so that he could run off and help his older brother. While Kazuki and Enta start off as strangers that just annoy him, they quickly become his best friends. Toi proves to have a huge heart.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzwj7LDZqU9ijDO4VpymHEIvVtijruZh126MhxXIWQyKjyhssZHw9djLex5jdIGG9AGXLgMvRMRDzFlC7b2oX5mwLEYHJPQwu1UAzuYerZI5yy1e4IaZFm8yKEiBVGHodmV3DHni-4rHL/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+113.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzwj7LDZqU9ijDO4VpymHEIvVtijruZh126MhxXIWQyKjyhssZHw9djLex5jdIGG9AGXLgMvRMRDzFlC7b2oX5mwLEYHJPQwu1UAzuYerZI5yy1e4IaZFm8yKEiBVGHodmV3DHni-4rHL/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+113.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">While I like tragic endings and don't mind when a character ends up someplace bad, I'm happy that Toi found happiness despite the misfortunes that were thrown his way. Though my favorite episode of the series was probably the one that ended with Toi losing that which was most important to him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're looking for a complex character with a tough exterior and soft interior, Toi is the guy you've been looking for and I suggest you give <i>Sarazanmai </i>a watch!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-53119229481745406682019-12-17T09:00:00.000-08:002019-12-17T09:00:09.793-08:0012 Days of Anime: Bocchi from Hitoribocchi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6HoUGD4gWM3xvDxH_S2Y64fUrgMlMoSLEJrrEImn5hIsDeeI0AxISMUGAOOynEkYfioQroPx7K8er14NF-x7xnJhhU4jDAchFZLj6MWbqXrHaCKcaJWkSDsNKLEONrB6H_QBgFW_B6e2/s1600/Bocchi+from+Hitoribocci+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6HoUGD4gWM3xvDxH_S2Y64fUrgMlMoSLEJrrEImn5hIsDeeI0AxISMUGAOOynEkYfioQroPx7K8er14NF-x7xnJhhU4jDAchFZLj6MWbqXrHaCKcaJWkSDsNKLEONrB6H_QBgFW_B6e2/s400/Bocchi+from+Hitoribocci+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Same, Bocchi...same...</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">Probably one of the most relatable characters from this year was Bocchi Hitori from <i>Hitoribocchi</i>. She's shy, anxious, maybe a bit eccentric, and she just really wants to make friends. You just can't help but cheer her on as she slowly but surely introduces herself to her classmates and eventually becomes friends with them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYabPhi5Af6QgRzStZ75tsTeYXcXCeeESxSVLa4U3Ae8xhqToBVz9FjVKQ2ZxTctZ4qooTpWJLjH0E7GMaUrxo850gcI9jaOU4tWwXdvhtOeu0p4_olib5Gfw8sFRcccX_JU5ZPYGKIeud/s1600/Hitoribocchi+-+Pic+018.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYabPhi5Af6QgRzStZ75tsTeYXcXCeeESxSVLa4U3Ae8xhqToBVz9FjVKQ2ZxTctZ4qooTpWJLjH0E7GMaUrxo850gcI9jaOU4tWwXdvhtOeu0p4_olib5Gfw8sFRcccX_JU5ZPYGKIeud/s400/Hitoribocchi+-+Pic+018.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">In Bocchi's first year of middle school, she's on a mission to become friends with her entire class in order to fulfill a promise/challenge from her only childhood friend. Even though she puts all her effort to try and get into a class where she's the only student, and she makes every excuse to not talk to any of her classmates, Bocchi still musters up all her strength to talk to someone. It's probably all that effort and mental exertion that causes Bocchi to pass out whenever she makes a new friend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bocchi is a nervous wreck and a crybaby, but she's determined to get stronger. While there are some that define strength as being able to live and work without the help of others, Bocchi finds strength through the friends that she makes. By the end of the series, Bocchi goes from being just an anxious middle school student to a ninja master on the path to buying the school.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVfWWtmuzzwEv_WKqnEAp7zzohQv4Uo8t18p8uYaSQbbNJX77-mW4HMJKv4FO5bM2iZu88GACo7r2KFOLtxnB07CGXqP-bCiEnOGrybcSrmQvF_pNeiAG16A9UnU8ue7lvqG6ALuk_GoK/s1600/Hitoribocchi+-+Pic+091.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVfWWtmuzzwEv_WKqnEAp7zzohQv4Uo8t18p8uYaSQbbNJX77-mW4HMJKv4FO5bM2iZu88GACo7r2KFOLtxnB07CGXqP-bCiEnOGrybcSrmQvF_pNeiAG16A9UnU8ue7lvqG6ALuk_GoK/s400/Hitoribocchi+-+Pic+091.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Bocchi is an example that anyone can make friends and that it really isn't that hard to just say "hello" and get to know someone new. Even if she's not relateble to the more extroverted in the anime community, she's still hilarious and will make you laugh with her goofy sweetness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're looking for an anime to watch with friends, old and new, maybe check out <i>Hitoribocchi </i>and enjoy the antics of Bocchi and all her friends. Wa ha ha!!</span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-85351325984821750702019-12-16T09:30:00.000-08:002019-12-16T09:30:04.819-08:0012 Days of Anime: Mao from Endro!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojdljjQzESZLMyUq0oZDIneiPLyKVpAPsk4npCb8paW9mSmQIRZ39KK17y1KVP9QT1ZPUZ-oakObgRqELy2oh1aAuj2h1dvVsYWHm_WT44VVYiiMnAFXMiibGV1Q4Nxq_k18miLeFm3L-/s1600/Mao+from+Endro%2521+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojdljjQzESZLMyUq0oZDIneiPLyKVpAPsk4npCb8paW9mSmQIRZ39KK17y1KVP9QT1ZPUZ-oakObgRqELy2oh1aAuj2h1dvVsYWHm_WT44VVYiiMnAFXMiibGV1Q4Nxq_k18miLeFm3L-/s400/Mao+from+Endro%2521+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The cutest demon lord you'll ever meet!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">If you've never seen the slice of life fantasy <i>Endro!</i>, you could probably guess why the demon lord Mao is one of my favorite characters from this year. Just look at her! She's adorable! She's like a little baby devil! She couldn't possibly be a threat to anyone...well, she could but she chooses not to be the bad guy that she's born to be.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF74CYbogcNctTS_esxmSBpWD6G_SGnSGbnwUjPAuUT0UaCyOW4BzJMdjJKJL2P-H4bmBcorZEHV7aM-yw0IDtfEgZC-2k0tUIac75EzYkxRQjsLeZsggjeRh46_dDkuWg5L4cm3n_QHy/s1600/ENDRO%2521+-+Pic+006.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF74CYbogcNctTS_esxmSBpWD6G_SGnSGbnwUjPAuUT0UaCyOW4BzJMdjJKJL2P-H4bmBcorZEHV7aM-yw0IDtfEgZC-2k0tUIac75EzYkxRQjsLeZsggjeRh46_dDkuWg5L4cm3n_QHy/s400/ENDRO%2521+-+Pic+006.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Okay, so despite her compact and baby appearance, Mao is a legit demon lord that is reincarnated to battle with and ultimately be defeated by a hero. She may be small but she is probably stronger than any mage or warrior that might challenge her, and she can take the form of what most people imagine when they hear "demon lord".</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But it isn't her role as a villain that made her stand out to me. Because the hero that was supposed to defeat her made a big mistake, Mao was sent back in time to before the chosen hero knew they were supposed to become a hero. So the fun-sized demon schemed to prevent the hero from ever realizing their destiny and Mao became a teacher and an adventurer school. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG_E-tCZwcoHK-k9xkHvrWJpJ6ir2Di75JkC3dqa91RCpW5gq9NeX747rI7g_nnyabZ32Fst11YplYg-R_BtJuBO2IqsaLifGiV3OGNvZQ6-USog0nqDEh5AlzAmUwg3yqHqpRdrjOUVY/s1600/ENDRO%2521+-+Pic+063.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG_E-tCZwcoHK-k9xkHvrWJpJ6ir2Di75JkC3dqa91RCpW5gq9NeX747rI7g_nnyabZ32Fst11YplYg-R_BtJuBO2IqsaLifGiV3OGNvZQ6-USog0nqDEh5AlzAmUwg3yqHqpRdrjOUVY/s400/ENDRO%2521+-+Pic+063.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">At first, she was really serious about trying to create obstacles to stop and defeat the hero, but instead Mao helped the hero find their sword and get stronger. Eventually, Mao even lost focus from her original goal and embraced her job as a teacher and even became a friend to the hero. Despite being a demon lord, Mao fell in love with her new life where she had friends that cared about her and where she would fall into comedic antics with her students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mao stole my heart and even though she's a demon lord, I doubt that she'd break it. If you're like me and think Mao's adorableness rivals that of Baby Yoda, I'd suggest you chill out with <i>Endro!</i> and have a laugh or two.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-51313185863789855402019-12-15T10:00:00.000-08:002019-12-15T10:53:43.432-08:0012 Days of Anime: Kaguya from Kaguya-sama: Love is War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWcsGejUamW6CDRzGgeCRW0UXD8MCuwtCpGzScm58E3lXZGCBDh-8lJgcmTIDYFujGxHYuDhTscCSdpZLf6PdIgW_aXXjxEm3ecJf2DV8vZTsIqSPPtT5q-E7VxklB-hZiZPAItXOqmgs/s1600/Kaguya+from+Kaguya-sama+Love+is+War+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWcsGejUamW6CDRzGgeCRW0UXD8MCuwtCpGzScm58E3lXZGCBDh-8lJgcmTIDYFujGxHYuDhTscCSdpZLf6PdIgW_aXXjxEm3ecJf2DV8vZTsIqSPPtT5q-E7VxklB-hZiZPAItXOqmgs/s400/Kaguya+from+Kaguya-sama+Love+is+War+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">She's brilliant, charming...and she's hopelessly in love.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Kaguya-sama: Love is War </i>was one of the hottest anime to come out this year and while the supporting character Chika Fujiwara stole everyone's hearts, I think that the main character Kaguya Shinomiya is just as charming and adorable...if not more so. Now I could make this post comparing Chika and Kaguya, but I don't wanna make it seem like I think Chika is a bad character. I really like Chika, but I want to shine the spotlight on Kaguya for the day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFH0IBsqWM6GvyeedjRMCaJXxHZJbwnt4yUvuz3cbJ0JDVf-Xf0xwC775FuqLbx0-dPW23L8q4wo5io4UY6694_R_4IicVFTbi6bgEOiJ2I89SacGN6rhUXAY1yrWTPmqIJE_cLS7AySa5/s1600/Kaguya-sama+Love+is+War+-+Pic+041.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFH0IBsqWM6GvyeedjRMCaJXxHZJbwnt4yUvuz3cbJ0JDVf-Xf0xwC775FuqLbx0-dPW23L8q4wo5io4UY6694_R_4IicVFTbi6bgEOiJ2I89SacGN6rhUXAY1yrWTPmqIJE_cLS7AySa5/s400/Kaguya-sama+Love+is+War+-+Pic+041.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So what is it about Kaguya that made her one of my favorite characters of 2019? First off, Kaguya and I have a lot in common. We both come off as cold and distant to others, though hopefully I don't come off as a serial killer like Kaguya seems to the student council treasurer, Ishigami. Also like Kaguya, I don't always know how to express my affection and will come up with schemes to try and get my significant other to be all lovey-dovey so I don't have to...and like Kaguya it doesn't really work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kaguya also has a very cute design that can be interpreted in many different ways. On one hand, she can be seen as an intelligent and innocent school girl, which is a part of her character. Other times, she can be seen as a ruthless and sadistic criminal, which she might be. And she can also become a flustered and ridiculous goofball. All of that is a part of her character and it shows in her design and expressions throughout the series.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcQQvi0sZZSH4M8I8xWV4Ha9LSjHRBCaGGQN2oYuWz_Qs3e3_w7ywZFgBF9EBHOD9gu9BkB9oe7fmkT9-oxUQnsZiTnf_p64ylBfxyB1WHPup-C-WQSOJYDYqXGv8ts4aiWcELo49H2N6/s1600/Kaguya-sama+Love+is+War+-+Pic+058.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcQQvi0sZZSH4M8I8xWV4Ha9LSjHRBCaGGQN2oYuWz_Qs3e3_w7ywZFgBF9EBHOD9gu9BkB9oe7fmkT9-oxUQnsZiTnf_p64ylBfxyB1WHPup-C-WQSOJYDYqXGv8ts4aiWcELo49H2N6/s400/Kaguya-sama+Love+is+War+-+Pic+058.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">But what really made me fall in love with Kaguya Shinomiya as a character was her desire to have friends and someone to love her. Sure, <i>Kaguya-sama: Love is War</i> is a romantic comedy and Kaguya's romance and antics with the student council president, Miyuki Shirogane, is the focus, but at the heart of Kaguya, she just really wants friends. As a girl neglected by her wealthy father, she's a bit cold hearted and holds herself as superior to others, but at the end of the day, Kaguya really wants someone to love her, whether it be friends to go shopping with, or a boyfriend who will take her to see fireworks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kaguya Shinomiya is a fantastic character that I love and I look forward to seeing her return in the second season of the anime. She's tragic, hilarious, and relatable. If you want to know why I'm hyping her up so much, I highly advise that you watch <i>Kaguya-sama: Love is War.</i> Even if you don't fall in love with Kaguya, I'm sure you'll find some goofy character to call your favorite.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-64537920974818512042019-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:002019-12-14T10:27:15.193-08:0012 Days of Anime: Emma from The Promised Neverland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxojNgfCpdrFo-rE0dTigXfVFT97BHy9bsbBdO4MFnLLxbFacbPxwzkeEhQOWUI9NunqVqrgIOjzm3lsS4FnffMQ_WiA09ieaZbi6_9CsMAguoZPRhHeI787Vpn6cZL6RdBjj8PM-Fw9F/s1600/Emma+from+The+Promised+Neverland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxojNgfCpdrFo-rE0dTigXfVFT97BHy9bsbBdO4MFnLLxbFacbPxwzkeEhQOWUI9NunqVqrgIOjzm3lsS4FnffMQ_WiA09ieaZbi6_9CsMAguoZPRhHeI787Vpn6cZL6RdBjj8PM-Fw9F/s400/Emma+from+The+Promised+Neverland.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She won't give up on her family! No matter what!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrlt3ImUgqzj_Nc6YtabSY7usoXQDKRnjauiizzZPylKMdQ9RGUxAmYbUdY1xpFnYHARz6gj36iH0xvTxk8ZT6waNulyO4udwgD_IVvUC6_or0F2w-Pc2EaUBWiDmQow3WlJ6-yBL3oLEH/s1600/The+Promised+Neverland+-+Pic+018.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrlt3ImUgqzj_Nc6YtabSY7usoXQDKRnjauiizzZPylKMdQ9RGUxAmYbUdY1xpFnYHARz6gj36iH0xvTxk8ZT6waNulyO4udwgD_IVvUC6_or0F2w-Pc2EaUBWiDmQow3WlJ6-yBL3oLEH/s400/The+Promised+Neverland+-+Pic+018.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Emma was probably one of my favorite characters from anime this year, and probably one of my favorite fictional characters of all time! But what is it about Emma that made her stand out among the hundreds of anime characters that came on the scene this year? Was it her plucky attitude and A+ smile? Was it her optimism and ahoge that just won't quit? Or was it something more?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The answer: Definitely something more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Like many protagonists in horror stories, Emma is desperate to escape the clutches of a monster and avoid a grisly fate. However, there is a lot that makes Emma unique among heroes in the horror genre. The most obvious thing is that Emma is a child. Sure, she's a genius and mature for her age, but she's still a child with childlike desires and dreams. She just really wants to ride a giraffe.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4itx_oBvbRMNm86VAiGt8JbY_35Qd8tXrAWK_nH_OIdutwWLEHAYOp16Xk7qriMEpEcEfoH8zlQgtt3Y22xBqrUIlK1Emivur1IZdAFehSSMI9h-DYAcSJcLAVTUui2RURvmMiJrVHGlB/s1600/The+Promised+Neverland+-+Pic+080.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4itx_oBvbRMNm86VAiGt8JbY_35Qd8tXrAWK_nH_OIdutwWLEHAYOp16Xk7qriMEpEcEfoH8zlQgtt3Y22xBqrUIlK1Emivur1IZdAFehSSMI9h-DYAcSJcLAVTUui2RURvmMiJrVHGlB/s400/The+Promised+Neverland+-+Pic+080.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Despite being a child though, Emma is forced into a situation where she has to fight and (maybe) survive, or submit and definitely perish. Being a hero, Emma fights for her life, but also for the lives of the brothers and sisters that she's grown up with at Grace Field House. But unlike a lot of other shounen heroes, Emma relies more on her mind than her athletic ability, though she is plenty fast and strong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even though there are huge obstacles that stand in her way, and sacrifice seems inevitable, Emma refuses to compromise her ideals and promises to save everyone. She has a large heart and is stubborn enough that she will do everything in her power to protect those that she loves. While that does sound foolish, it just means that Emma has to think harder and far outside the box in order to realize her dreams.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86hO04DHi4IzKwN77IsN1vrtYqv-nviE2u1_FdJsQ7MnS1-1VeZaLr_4AzSHfEtcM56HMVumF4zHpyY4vgxD9-euDo4rO5ZcTpmCYMnP7DthWvH9teCr3l6vRmbtbFibnKNmNw-76QRnU/s1600/The+Promised+Neverland+-+Pic+056.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86hO04DHi4IzKwN77IsN1vrtYqv-nviE2u1_FdJsQ7MnS1-1VeZaLr_4AzSHfEtcM56HMVumF4zHpyY4vgxD9-euDo4rO5ZcTpmCYMnP7DthWvH9teCr3l6vRmbtbFibnKNmNw-76QRnU/s400/The+Promised+Neverland+-+Pic+056.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is for that determination and love for her family that made me fall in love with Emma and made her one of my favorite characters from this year. If you still haven't watched <i>The Promised Neverland</i>, I ask that you check it out for Emma. Maybe watch it on Christmas day. It sure is an anime for the whole family.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-48696680246450793282019-12-01T16:52:00.002-08:002019-12-01T16:54:13.632-08:00Time for Another 12 Days of Anime!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAdoVHO849cCsoJx4-m6hQQcoJU5tmEgKXsho6TxBPHNXWEEkoVm_-d9AW4xdtjoSQYEgivZAh4KypcihWtRy3zOIl1glaoQ63Fs1CpM-B84A76p_9zHQ75s6gP-ZGfo38Ep-Eizsf5ZR/s1600/12+Days+of+Anime+2019+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAdoVHO849cCsoJx4-m6hQQcoJU5tmEgKXsho6TxBPHNXWEEkoVm_-d9AW4xdtjoSQYEgivZAh4KypcihWtRy3zOIl1glaoQ63Fs1CpM-B84A76p_9zHQ75s6gP-ZGfo38Ep-Eizsf5ZR/s400/12+Days+of+Anime+2019+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Time to spread some holiday cheer throughout the anime community!!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">Hmm...I really have not been keeping up with blogging lately, but that's okay! I'm going to get serious and join my fellow AniBloggers, AniTubers, and other anime content creators, in spreading some joy and sharing memories through the 12 Days of Anime!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So this will be my second year of taking on the challenge of the 12 Days of Anime and I'm grateful to Bibi of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHOXpfQBqVWWjqOV_opCqaQ">Bibi's World</a> for hosting this holiday event. Last year, I got involved because I thought it would be something fun to do with my blog and that it would get me to write a little more than usual. In the end, the event introduced me to a lot of great and friendly content creators that inspire me as an AniBlogger!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Like last year, I plan to write twelve posts highlighting twelve anime characters from this year that really made an impact on me and the anime community. But before I get to writing and posting, let me share some important links if anyone else is interested in joining the 12 Days of Anime!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Bibi's video on How to join the 12 Days of Anime:</u></span><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKOBPWgh7GU"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKOBPWgh7GU</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Registration Form: </u></span><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrqeO9MV8IwGAzyQMciB2jnVr2bBjC9zhFBAu8CHxm1z5QhQ/viewform"><span style="font-size: large;">https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrqeO9MV8IwGAzyQMciB2jnVr2bBjC9zhFBAu8CHxm1z5QhQ/viewform</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Database:</u></span><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BJIcufRd1qGs9dq-4Eyq2cn6s0eUo8oBGYStSP8zY6U/edit?usp=sharing"><span style="font-size: large;">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BJIcufRd1qGs9dq-4Eyq2cn6s0eUo8oBGYStSP8zY6U/edit?usp=sharing</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Survival Pack: </u></span><br />
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vet01wsgiejc8bj/AADM_ZG1mkD0JhfDGHBdnNDRa?dl=0"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vet01wsgiejc8bj/AADM_ZG1mkD0JhfDGHBdnNDRa?dl=0</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, that's all I got to say for now. I should probably get to writing now instead of putting it all off to the last minute...but I also kinda want to take a quick nap. Anyway, I'm happy to be taking on this challenge again and I look forward to seeing everyone else's posts and videos!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-29557458057930752412019-10-26T15:00:00.000-07:002019-10-26T16:02:24.782-07:00Anime Recommendation: Ao-chan Can't Study!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcyahye8LYqdKzNIx8wITrsfEYVYkCwDOtFzl36kB-OO3TK_tbLuAB27g_qMCaPaxdus_sEnszGnW9-GrsbRO6nWTBHfZQK4F1seOddA4ijkWsg8G7qv-zpThXTOg-qvfwkha2WzrjavR/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcyahye8LYqdKzNIx8wITrsfEYVYkCwDOtFzl36kB-OO3TK_tbLuAB27g_qMCaPaxdus_sEnszGnW9-GrsbRO6nWTBHfZQK4F1seOddA4ijkWsg8G7qv-zpThXTOg-qvfwkha2WzrjavR/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't you hate it when your mind wanders and you can't help but think about...thi<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">ngs </span></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SlCoW9LKU99wVdX-aQkwTsdoQVAPKIqG-RpumkT9mstw1IlMpzyx58cfQKl-iAJCrXly1Z4Ve0Hxd7y9X_rJNgW_yL8UP9ySVYR-A-CT5muWoDa8LMsl9ZIJqx1vUtbkUzmPzt807TJm/s1600/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SlCoW9LKU99wVdX-aQkwTsdoQVAPKIqG-RpumkT9mstw1IlMpzyx58cfQKl-iAJCrXly1Z4Ve0Hxd7y9X_rJNgW_yL8UP9ySVYR-A-CT5muWoDa8LMsl9ZIJqx1vUtbkUzmPzt807TJm/s400/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Ao-chan Can't Study </i>is about a high school girl, Ao Horie, who is very serious about studying and doing well in school, and she is absolutely disgusted by boys who only seem to think about sex. </span><span style="font-size: large;">However, when Takumi Kijima, one of the more popular guys from her school, admits to liking Ao, she suddenly can't focus on school because all she can think about is sex. From there, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Ao-chan Can't Study</i><span style="font-size: large;"> turns into a high school romantic comedy with Ao trying to figuring out the difference between lust and true love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With that kind of premise, I went into this anime thinking it was going to be a comedy with nothing but lewd jokes and fanservice, and there is plenty to fit it into the ecchi category. But I think what surprised me the most about <i>Ao-chan Can't Study</i> is that it is also a sweet and charming romance anime that was actually kind of touching.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSpiDTwY2OYTBv846rycWY-TdPIga0lQSVt5rZt898bXDaxnJIMOwqQiPyyNiqc93WvEeRSUNlM9tlX-l2iDHuC2PB9WHR3PtJLKZk9eWTSQA2uTsqq321H92b3L6dv-EbEqKnQpvH9lQ/s1600/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+102.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSpiDTwY2OYTBv846rycWY-TdPIga0lQSVt5rZt898bXDaxnJIMOwqQiPyyNiqc93WvEeRSUNlM9tlX-l2iDHuC2PB9WHR3PtJLKZk9eWTSQA2uTsqq321H92b3L6dv-EbEqKnQpvH9lQ/s400/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+102.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sure, I don't think that <i>Ao-Chan Can't Study </i>is one of the best romance anime among series like <i>Toradora!</i>, <i>Clannad</i>, and <i>Bloom into You</i>, but I think it is still a series that will make you go "Aw, that's cute" more than once. Obviously, the main couple will make or break a romance anime, and I think Ao and Kijima are a truly cute couple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ao is a bit stern and doesn't really concern herself with relationships of any kind, but she is also easily flustered, has a wild imagination, and is also kind of clumsy. Kijima is a pretty boy who gets a lot of attention from other girls, but he's not fooling around with every girl he meets, and he's actually pretty innocent when it comes to things relating to sex.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoYsDNJR9t7CA4IWTbkNjHvGizdmWZgo0jERmVEVNLrRhmp-EZq07-wPPqhg_wWo048rPXTbRBQMWe6QgeJ4zGW6vzgQmrojDb5ZkGpJ1_3vgw-bgjJvsZpfCs6o7Gw5D8E_8krceKNDS/s1600/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+049.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoYsDNJR9t7CA4IWTbkNjHvGizdmWZgo0jERmVEVNLrRhmp-EZq07-wPPqhg_wWo048rPXTbRBQMWe6QgeJ4zGW6vzgQmrojDb5ZkGpJ1_3vgw-bgjJvsZpfCs6o7Gw5D8E_8krceKNDS/s400/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+049.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Part of the joy of <i>Ao-chan Can't Study</i>, is watching Ao nervously and foolishly try and figure out her feelings for Kijima. And then there's Kijima who can be a typical dense love interest who doesn't understand why Ao is so flustered and when other girls try to steal him away. Based on my last anime recommendation on <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i>, I guess you can say that I have a fondness for love stories where characters are so awkward that they don't get romance and love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And another part of <i>Ao-chan Can't Study</i> that I found so much fun were Ao's reaction faces. Throughout the series, there are plenty examples of Ao making blank, confused and lovestrucked faces that are perfect for reaction images and memes. I would suggest checking out this anime for that reason alone.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXX0ir3cMvWI9SN1U3RjRZLtRI3Dt-S3Mjl4aXAD_IawUwgIprLOhKxY9uk9TGbTVtIsX3MxG8PmmMRMXNdhutcUxo0bzndMF_TQIkthVtYeanXD_Z4eylicz7n7D2gTSw7SvSteop9OyW/s1600/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+060.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXX0ir3cMvWI9SN1U3RjRZLtRI3Dt-S3Mjl4aXAD_IawUwgIprLOhKxY9uk9TGbTVtIsX3MxG8PmmMRMXNdhutcUxo0bzndMF_TQIkthVtYeanXD_Z4eylicz7n7D2gTSw7SvSteop9OyW/s400/Ao-chan+Can%2527t+Study+-+Pic+060.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So if you're looking for an ecchi romantic comedy about a foolish genius who doesn't understand love, or maybe you're just looking for some hilarious reaction images for when you're meme-ing with friends, I suggest you give <i>Ao-chan Can't Study </i>a chance. It's also a pretty short series, with each episode being only several minutes long. If you've already seen <i>Ao-Chan Can't Study</i>, let me know what you thought and feel free to suggest any of your favorite romantic comedies.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-43093338777542525292019-10-19T15:00:00.000-07:002019-10-19T19:40:59.052-07:00Anime Recommendation: O Maidens in your Savage Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy92nsQEUs40-h_GS5aRB5NEGBzzBeQO4Z2Ygx1x8Mxj7t2b_dKT33PWzyeFqVw2pOIjOtwLZX3C2I4ZL0ELu4i4bx6mdjmFD-Q2erbeYCyBJNz4O0HEclxVRF86cpyt59aaS_I4OZ_KZh/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+O+Maidens+in+your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy92nsQEUs40-h_GS5aRB5NEGBzzBeQO4Z2Ygx1x8Mxj7t2b_dKT33PWzyeFqVw2pOIjOtwLZX3C2I4ZL0ELu4i4bx6mdjmFD-Q2erbeYCyBJNz4O0HEclxVRF86cpyt59aaS_I4OZ_KZh/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+O+Maidens+in+your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Train! Train!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9FdTUSFIhVarBn3jPEq24GJFOMX5GASl2bu3p8_KbSYtYILhyWSEcQVVihjOWAV1oxD6O8dh8PKES6TWdK7k8wqXZA0f5TIDDKwX3jjFYR_KU3Y24DpO6uj2WZcriM-tN4P_5WGsX1M6/s1600/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+008.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9FdTUSFIhVarBn3jPEq24GJFOMX5GASl2bu3p8_KbSYtYILhyWSEcQVVihjOWAV1oxD6O8dh8PKES6TWdK7k8wqXZA0f5TIDDKwX3jjFYR_KU3Y24DpO6uj2WZcriM-tN4P_5WGsX1M6/s400/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+008.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i> came out last Summer season, I was someone who believed that it could potentially be the Anime of the Year. The first few episodes were fantastic and I I had a feeling that I was in for something really special...but then it took a turn and I felt uncomfortable. Not only did I feel uncomfortable, but I was getting concerned that the message the series was trying to communicate might be problematic and disgusting. By the end of the series, I am glad that it didn't end with anything disturbing or gross, but was actually kind of heartwarming.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So while I'm not really sure if I'd call <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season </i>the best anime of the year, it was definitely a highlight of the Summer. With that being said, let's get into what I initially liked about the series, what made me feel uncomfortable, and why I kept watching even after things started to get a little controversial.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQZJrU7qyFrVNRjvLPS8evn5yO-6mrRLEuppM05dbYb_CW5Oc2uDpDzVC69lVXTDcOg5qXZ_mVa7yryxxViHi1SbWU3YOSIoXDcgO4lxBKY3_IF5MT7V2FYtVLIZAbdh-Ml8H4pH4o0qP/s1600/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+058.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQZJrU7qyFrVNRjvLPS8evn5yO-6mrRLEuppM05dbYb_CW5Oc2uDpDzVC69lVXTDcOg5qXZ_mVa7yryxxViHi1SbWU3YOSIoXDcgO4lxBKY3_IF5MT7V2FYtVLIZAbdh-Ml8H4pH4o0qP/s400/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+058.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i>, or <i>Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo</i>, is about a group of girls in a high school literature club as they start to think more about sex and relationships. The main character is Kazusa Onodera, who has quietly been falling in love with her childhood friend and wonders if he's been thinking about sex and other "dirty" things. Along with Kazusa, there is Rika Sonezaki, who thinks all relationships are impure and gross; Hitoha Hongou, who wants to have sex in order to write a realistic erotic novel; Momoka Sudou, who wonders why she's never really liked boys; and Niina Sugawara, who comes off as mature and brings up the topic of sex to her friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So with that premise and those characters, <i>O Maidens</i> explores romance, relationships, and sexuality through these young girls who practically have no knowledge on these topics. It's both sweet and funny to see these girls awkwardly struggle with these things. They often overthink things and get further away from the relationships that they want, or confuse one feeling for another. And I really liked that about <i>O Maidens</i> and I was looking forward to a very deep story with some laughs and tears along the way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecJ2bX2-Pk-woYuCrnOvlJGGw6JZwLJGMsAdIs00f1huVzV2MpK57thbbgUpNFZc3cU_z_UQIK28cdeOfS2IePk1DEKWlFLfqyYidGCta_QqgxyCNZZipQgAPKty52Oxl6UAP0dHP6HEN/s1600/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+055.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecJ2bX2-Pk-woYuCrnOvlJGGw6JZwLJGMsAdIs00f1huVzV2MpK57thbbgUpNFZc3cU_z_UQIK28cdeOfS2IePk1DEKWlFLfqyYidGCta_QqgxyCNZZipQgAPKty52Oxl6UAP0dHP6HEN/s400/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+055.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then the really gross stuff came in and kinda spoiled the show a little. As the series progresses, it's revealed that Niina has feelings for her old acting teacher, who would fondle her when she was a little girl. Obviously, this guy was grooming Niina and whenever he's shown, he's framed as being shady and monstrous. But there were just a few moments where it seemed like maybe <i>O Maidens</i> was defending their relationship as something that's just different from the norm and I know that some people dropped the show when these kinda things were suggested. In the end, the show did not condone pedophilia and sexual predators. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, there was also another storyline going on that was not as dark, but still kinda off-putting, to say the least. So Hitoha is a high school girl who has been pressured by her editor to write erotic fiction but she's mocked because her writing comes off as childish, like she's never actually had sex, which she hasn't. Hitoha has been having sexual conversations with a stranger to improve her writing, but when she takes things a step further, Hitoha finds out that the stranger is actually her teacher. I won't go anymore into it to avoid spoilers, but it's kinda uncomfortable.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_N7_BOdfT1k8L75G06XZ8cknlZDa4jfZIUrMuY7vxmwELLErXgzL0rY0DsUb2aK4Mdv8mc9XIZwie50X3vbTU2AIHOxOVvGD7bYWaSNKVz99FAYrr0WRdpgnD8WNwxapkvR5EnW22SFb/s1600/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+023.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_N7_BOdfT1k8L75G06XZ8cknlZDa4jfZIUrMuY7vxmwELLErXgzL0rY0DsUb2aK4Mdv8mc9XIZwie50X3vbTU2AIHOxOVvGD7bYWaSNKVz99FAYrr0WRdpgnD8WNwxapkvR5EnW22SFb/s400/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+023.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Honestly, these two storylines are good reasons to not get into this series and I probably would have dropped it if this was all <i>O Maidens</i> had to offer. Fortunately, there was another storyline that I really <i>really</i> loved. Rika is disgusted by her classmates who are involved in relationships and partake in lewd behavior, she prefers the romances and affairs she finds in literature. But when a boy confesses his love to her, Rika is flustered, her world becomes sunshine and flowers, and she doesn't know how to carry herself after looking at her love-stricken classmates with such disdain for so long. I found Rika's storyline to be really sweet and would have been perfectly okay if <i>O Maidens</i> was just about Rika falling in love. And her budding friendship with a gyaru at her school was also nice and I wish there was a little more of that in the anime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Momoka's storyline was also great. It had some happy and funny moments, but also some sad and heartbreaking moments, but nothing that really put me off. While I can't really relate to her as a character, I was invested in seeing the journey of this young girl learning that she doesn't have to fall in love with boys, and that loving another girl is normal and wonderful. Momoka was just a great character and was another reason that kept me coming back every week.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCbqNxX3wD68PamWB0VK2wZjxcjxWZBySvu2EaT4YBkhg7U9yoHMUxVk3-gv8UxIybJGMcQyg8pB55JTMG_Ehxyx6xwLLMfwRzEwvwb2H_kB9C7f6T2bqCpiCEEwo167u7HsgFB4KXDj9/s1600/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+060.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCbqNxX3wD68PamWB0VK2wZjxcjxWZBySvu2EaT4YBkhg7U9yoHMUxVk3-gv8UxIybJGMcQyg8pB55JTMG_Ehxyx6xwLLMfwRzEwvwb2H_kB9C7f6T2bqCpiCEEwo167u7HsgFB4KXDj9/s400/O+Maidens+In+Your+Savage+Season+-+Pic+060.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So while <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i> could be a bit problematic and definitely uncomfortable, I thought that it was still a really great series. It was dramatic but also funny. It could get dark and a little depressing, but it was also sweet and one of those shows that makes you smile. I think that because the characters were endearing, that it was easy to invest in them as they stumbled through this new chapter of their young lives. I wanted to applaud and cheer when they found happiness, and I shook my head in disappointment when they messed up and took a step in the wrong direction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So if you're looking for an anime that's a roller coaster of emotions, I recommend checking out <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i>. And if you did watch <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i>, let me know what you thought of it. And if you know of similar anime that might better deal with some of the topics from this series, go ahead and recommend them to me.</span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-34947731911332749192019-10-18T14:00:00.000-07:002019-10-18T17:57:10.413-07:00I'm Failing at AniBlogging!! (but not for long)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkohVYmCUl5Z43UoPvh5CT-z5Cn3E09X03OMR2pKC8pKfIW6wMBE2dcg6DjaK2FyV6JKUAyqNs_e3qdjjr7-nJpzudbHtpSCmHp98Q_iFOtYNCwcrdyx8nNZQtocn2X-UhhEl1XU1x0Xr/s1600/AniBlogging+Fail+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkohVYmCUl5Z43UoPvh5CT-z5Cn3E09X03OMR2pKC8pKfIW6wMBE2dcg6DjaK2FyV6JKUAyqNs_e3qdjjr7-nJpzudbHtpSCmHp98Q_iFOtYNCwcrdyx8nNZQtocn2X-UhhEl1XU1x0Xr/s400/AniBlogging+Fail+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I've gotten so busy that I haven't found much time to watch anime.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">It wasn't too long ago that I was a college student trying to balance classes, homework, part-time jobs, and a social life. It seemed like everyday I had a packed schedule with very little wiggle room, and when I was able to be flexible with my schedule, it meant I could squeeze some other event or task in that place. But no matter how busy I was, I could almost always find time to catch up with anime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course I didn't have time to watch everything and I still had a pretty long "Plan To Watch List", but I was at least up to date on the hottest shows of the season and could watch at least an episode of something everyday. And since I was paying for a subscription to Crunchyroll, I was encouraged to watch anime, or else my money was going to waste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now that I'm out of school with a full-time job, I don't have much time to watch anime, and when I do find some free time, I usually want to spend it resting or spending time with friends and family. On the one hand, it's great to have a job and make money that I can spend on fast food, and I don't regret enjoying my loved ones, but I do miss watching anime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We're just a couple weeks into this Fall anime season and I barely know what's even out right now. I'm still in the middle of some shows from the Summer season. And on top of all that, because I haven't really been watching much anime, I don't really haven't been able to create content for this blog. What used to be a blog with content every week, I've only published six posts since the end of May.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And if this is becoming a little too much of a "Woe is me" kinda post, don't worry. There is more I want to do besides whine and complain. I also wanna applaud and give my respect to the other AniBloggers and content creators with full-time jobs that are able to find time to watch anime and create content on a regular basis. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance everything but I am in awe of my peers in this community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With that being said, I'm going to try and get out of this blogging rut that I've found myself in for the past few months. I'm going to put more effort into writing something every week. So that may mean my next few blog posts are't going to be of the highest quality or may be on anime series that are far from relevant. But I gotta get back into the habit of writing and I'm hoping that after writing a few "meh" blog posts, I'll slowly get back to writing posts that I can be proud of on a regular basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don't know what my future as an AniBlogger is going to be, but I do know that I'm not going to give up on being the Anointed Geek so easily. Expect a new "Anime Recommendation" tomorrow and every weekend that follows. I promise that it'll be interesting, to say the least.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-51928039271678204222019-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:002019-09-21T09:00:03.754-07:00Anime Recommendation: Promare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHWsSHEL9Ad6eZxpECvM95fd-TUO9B9hoOoqoZXQF7Heeh9IrhIIxHXtiFecfYTR-JLCrKfARTIiYDdTLegqc3Ib4HGq-RiFJSraZC5xFTQpWFhl0060ral7Yyi-nxMxIfiRfTmNVcYfn/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+Promare+-+Pic+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHWsSHEL9Ad6eZxpECvM95fd-TUO9B9hoOoqoZXQF7Heeh9IrhIIxHXtiFecfYTR-JLCrKfARTIiYDdTLegqc3Ib4HGq-RiFJSraZC5xFTQpWFhl0060ral7Yyi-nxMxIfiRfTmNVcYfn/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+Promare+-+Pic+001.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Promare has saved anime!! Studio Trigger has done it again!!!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">I'll never stop saying it: I love Studio Trigger! I'm pretty sure I've made that declaration on every post that I've made about a Trigger anime. <i>Kill la Kill</i>, <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>, <i>SSSS.Gridman</i>...I treasure these series. I even hold a mess like <i>Darling in the Franxx</i> close to my heart. So it's probably no surprise to anyone that I loved Studio Trigger and Hiroyuki Imaishi's film, <i>Promare.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even before the movie came out and all I had was some brief clips and images, I was already enamored with the mystery of <i>Promare</i>. I was especially fascinated with the character designs. There was Galo Thymos, a macho firefighter and Kamina-look-a-like, and there was Lio Fotia, an elegant and intimidating leather-clad biker. They looked so different but also complimented each other really well. They were obviously rivals but I was still looking forward to how there dynamic played out on the big screen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So a few days ago, I actually got a chance to check out <i>Promare </i>in theaters and I was not disappointed...well, maybe I was let down by one thing. Don't worry, I won't spoil anything (even though I really wanna fanboy about a few moments)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Promare</i> takes place in a world where some people suddenly combust and generate intense flames. These people are called the Burnish and only want to be left alone to burn as they please in peace. Obviously the fires started by the Burnish put people in danger and it is up to team Burning Rescue to put out the infernos, save civilians, and fight against a "terrorist" group called Mad Burnish. Galo is a hotshot hero of Burning Rescue and Lio Fotia is the revolutionary leader of Mad Burnish. The film starts with the first confrontation between Galo and Lio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I really don't think I can get more into the plot without getting into spoiler territory so I'm going to hold myself back and just talk about what I liked about <i>Promare</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The soundtrack was great! I know that a lot of people in the anime community are fans of Hiroyuki Sawano and I also enjoy his work. With that being said, I think his work on <i>Promare </i>is some of his best, or at least, it really stands out and is something special. It not only sets the mood, but it's a soundtrack that is just perfect for <i>Promare</i>, I don't know how else to describe it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also really <i>really</i> loved how this is a truly Trigger anime. The "Nonsense is how we roll" line from <i>Kill la Kill</i> is the best way to describe Studio Trigger and <i>Promare</i> embraces that philosophy. Literally, anything can happen at any moment and just when you're getting ready to rest, something explodes and you're thrown back into the action. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My only problem with <i>Promare</i> is that I wanted more by the end of it. I just wanted to learn more about some of the side characters, explore more of this new world, and see more of Galo and Lio's relationship. While I loved the movie, I wouldn't have minded if <i>Promare</i> was a 24 episode series like <i>Kill la Kill</i>. Besides that, I really can't complain about <i>Promare</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you love Studio Trigger and haven't seen <i>Promare </i>yet, drop everything and find a place to watch it rightaway. If you've never seen a Trigger anime and want to know what all the hype is about, <i>Promare</i> is a good example of Trigger-craziness. If you have seen <i>Promare</i>, go ahead and let me know what you loved about the movie and what was your favorite moment!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-37633162013681956062019-09-02T11:00:00.000-07:002019-09-02T11:00:03.857-07:00My Early Thoughts on One Piece<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLZ4Yob0RWPv_NJUhgq_hyemynxxQzgblPp1veZ1wSIpmLgmerfe0E7jgkYxJZmB1STt9PfTVU_RRiJheJVofc1l2UcJ0HoqKhLz8-8FxsX53g7s11bD05nZNr27zWTzBHffyFnLov48-/s1600/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLZ4Yob0RWPv_NJUhgq_hyemynxxQzgblPp1veZ1wSIpmLgmerfe0E7jgkYxJZmB1STt9PfTVU_RRiJheJVofc1l2UcJ0HoqKhLz8-8FxsX53g7s11bD05nZNr27zWTzBHffyFnLov48-/s400/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+001.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I now understand why <i>One Piece </i>is such a popular manga with over 900 chapters!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">It's been awhile since I've written a blog post and that's because I'm still getting used to my current job. Whenever I have a day off, I'm just so tired that I want to sleep and there's only so much I can do in the little free time that I have. I've barely even had time to watch anime.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnAvwLorUhku7F9loHNmx4X1g2qfMb8CWEgXG9elir8KXdN6By7LKkxYbFiXJ5vCeetCQiVMy7aD6TGbQSo8i69b5LJb-r_-djLBiKZbqO0KnckFmyn9eblZYuZosfS1-zEc42w9kd6RG/s1600/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1094" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnAvwLorUhku7F9loHNmx4X1g2qfMb8CWEgXG9elir8KXdN6By7LKkxYbFiXJ5vCeetCQiVMy7aD6TGbQSo8i69b5LJb-r_-djLBiKZbqO0KnckFmyn9eblZYuZosfS1-zEc42w9kd6RG/s400/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+002.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">But it's not all bad. I've been able to do a lot of reading at work and besides reading <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i>, I decided to give the famous <i>One Piece </i>a chance. I've never watched the anime and before reading the manga, I knew very little about the shounen series. I knew that <i>One Piece</i> is one of the "Big Three" along with <i>Naruto</i> and <i>Bleach</i>, I knew the names of a few characters, and I knew that it was one of the longest running shounen titles for a good reason.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So after a few weeks of work, I'm over 100 chapters into the series...what do I think? To be completely honest, I love <i>One Piece </i>and I just have to talk about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In case you've never heard of <i>One Piece</i> and have no clue what it's about, let me give you just a brief synopsis. As a boy, Monkey D. Luffy idolized his friend and mentor, pirate "Red Haired" Shanks, and wanted to become a pirate just like Shanks. Luffy accidentally ate "Devil Fruit" and gained the ability to stretch like a rubber band. Grown, he goes off on a journey to assemble a pirate crew, find the legendary treasure called "One Piece", and become the "King of the Pirates".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFOFSkvChm_PJkb5wWf2995-AHt-mefpSvOKabKCxTtLoMMu4jNhyilxIRgSgt2J5WIVGfU_m-2__kAryW5NRw6pOUiKYUxC6kcsHDX_4mvgobxMvhPQkSlbjBd1PucnsuiidqAH7w69E/s1600/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1293" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFOFSkvChm_PJkb5wWf2995-AHt-mefpSvOKabKCxTtLoMMu4jNhyilxIRgSgt2J5WIVGfU_m-2__kAryW5NRw6pOUiKYUxC6kcsHDX_4mvgobxMvhPQkSlbjBd1PucnsuiidqAH7w69E/s400/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+003.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Like a lot of shounen protagonists, Luffy is charismatic, cheerful, and determined to achieve his dreams and help his friends. It's his loyalty to his friends (and those who he's chosen as his friends) that really got me on Luffy's side. Like when Luffy is betrayed by the navigator Nami, he's still willing to help her out of trouble because he's already decided that she's a part of his crew and his friend, not matter what she's done. He may be foolish, but I got a lot of respect for Luffy's loyalty and love for his pirate crew and friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that brings me to another reason why I really like <i>One Piece</i> and that's the feelings that it hits me with every several chapters. Discovering the tragic backstory of some of these characters, witnessing their devotion for the people they love, and and just feeling their pure anger and frustration is just awesome. I have to give credit to creator Eiichiro Oda for writing and drawing a series that has made me want to laugh, cry, rage, and everything in between. I don't think any other shounen series has given me so many different feels.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ70vd1_fuzyf6ctzd093BcXcQRuDqHwR-iIhH8P5MZICaWlF71XhWZWJ26JN1YMr6a145delkATqZXwdqrcHLcxKFlVhP_58Q6OyZM1esIacfHVl2yDp-d8vjgi8PTWmzyBlf0z7SlURG/s1600/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1413" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ70vd1_fuzyf6ctzd093BcXcQRuDqHwR-iIhH8P5MZICaWlF71XhWZWJ26JN1YMr6a145delkATqZXwdqrcHLcxKFlVhP_58Q6OyZM1esIacfHVl2yDp-d8vjgi8PTWmzyBlf0z7SlURG/s400/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+004.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">But what I really like about <i>One Piece</i> is how the main cast of characters are all pursuing incredible dreams that are seemingly impossible. Luffy starts out with nothing more than a little raft but he wants to become the "King of the Pirates". Zolo is just a pirate bounty hunter but he's determined to become the world's greatest swordsman. And Nami is a thief who steals from other pirates, but she wants to navigate and create a map of the entire world. Even though there are deadly obstacles in their path, the characters still dream of greatness and will not let anything stand in the way of their dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It reminds me of what I used to say to people back when I was a freshman in college. I would tell almost everyone who asked about my major and career goals that I wanted to become one of the greatest writers in the world. Even though I knew very little about writing and English literature, I still wanted to achieve something fantastic.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunX1KR_torGU9L6cebbJp4d1dAgPikxE6UfgbvLsJJV3oR3usV4aCL70_WBSmwnAiD3wbZqpGLcOkg4sD0PQSsHOjI_YWUT-2TSWiQuMUGqzrqiBAinRR3ZYUOwVqdrvG53T6hP-xmlj1/s1600/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1220" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunX1KR_torGU9L6cebbJp4d1dAgPikxE6UfgbvLsJJV3oR3usV4aCL70_WBSmwnAiD3wbZqpGLcOkg4sD0PQSsHOjI_YWUT-2TSWiQuMUGqzrqiBAinRR3ZYUOwVqdrvG53T6hP-xmlj1/s400/Early+Thoughts+on+One+Piece+-+Pic+005.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Reading <i>One Piece</i> reminds me of that foolish passion I used to have and it sparked it again. Even though I have very little free time and I know that my writing skills pale in comparison to others, I still want to believe that I'll one day be a great writer who everyone knows about. I guess you can say that I want to be "King of the Writers" and I thank Luffy and <i>One Piece </i>for reminding me of my dream.</span><br />
<br />AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-27833167188230847652019-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:002019-08-12T10:50:23.982-07:00My Early Thoughts on Hunter X Hunter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnmnpltj9pFuf_4z8hbq20DU5n2wuR8EkNbMOHfhjhSAbSw8OSwCEhWBsZSS0E1hxzGwoRqJ3ReYaOYDZrYyCN6IZX1MGy5CnQ6xhW9po_oxsacR5KLqmoqc410Ikm9ZqGHr6V3kNCmRe/s1600/Early+Thoughts+on+Hunter+x+Hunter+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnmnpltj9pFuf_4z8hbq20DU5n2wuR8EkNbMOHfhjhSAbSw8OSwCEhWBsZSS0E1hxzGwoRqJ3ReYaOYDZrYyCN6IZX1MGy5CnQ6xhW9po_oxsacR5KLqmoqc410Ikm9ZqGHr6V3kNCmRe/s400/Early+Thoughts+on+Hunter+x+Hunter+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've nearly halfway through the 2011 anime and I have some thoughts...</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">So awhile back, a friend and I were just hanging out and talking about anime and we ended up on the subject of shounen anime. We were comparing different shounen protagonists and trying to figure out what qualities a series has to have in order to be considered shounen and we started talking about <i>Hunter X Hunter</i>. Neither of us had ever watched either versions of the anime or read the manga, but we were both pretty familiar with the series and it's reputation in the anime community.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiyEU_BgrcCdC54rJlD7pTURHvkGmJWyeQ6pYC_BZO4rhvmILWPULG5ls3vKekwvj7jKA3KDxYnZLaf5zjyi2GWdJO2-xh3exFt32qY_sAZWEHzWwOpqCFJJ9df2nUyQR89_yrE72Vmhv/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+023.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiyEU_BgrcCdC54rJlD7pTURHvkGmJWyeQ6pYC_BZO4rhvmILWPULG5ls3vKekwvj7jKA3KDxYnZLaf5zjyi2GWdJO2-xh3exFt32qY_sAZWEHzWwOpqCFJJ9df2nUyQR89_yrE72Vmhv/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+023.png" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">We knew that many fans considered it to be a subversion of shounen anime, or at the very least, a darker shounen. We also knew that there are many fans who consider <i>Hunter X Hunter</i> to be one of the best shounen anime out there, if not one of the best anime of all time. So going into the series, we both had very high expectations.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB_zoHomjAidHiPoAcjPNtKe8aoDaE4s1bffVg8LB4WyW9TM-OaU5Cq212UpX6BBqJ3DiraszfTdVJM8cs3W5VIh_eJW25ZF-Z-0qAl-Xs7u6Ug2ShUUwx8BTLp5inrgrzSRqqwuFk-ON/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+013.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB_zoHomjAidHiPoAcjPNtKe8aoDaE4s1bffVg8LB4WyW9TM-OaU5Cq212UpX6BBqJ3DiraszfTdVJM8cs3W5VIh_eJW25ZF-Z-0qAl-Xs7u6Ug2ShUUwx8BTLp5inrgrzSRqqwuFk-ON/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+013.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">After watching the first few episodes, my friend and I agreed that <i>Hunter X Hunter</i> was pretty good, good enough that we would keep watching, but we also didn't get the hype. From the first few episodes, it seemed like <i>Hunter X Hunter</i> was a pretty standard shounen like <i>Naruto</i> or <i>My Hero Academia</i>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0IIdYFN0TrFNB6RyCSGyT4to4vR13o6M_sd3cyivHLivJ1OwegvYBf9SkaI7-pI-iKZQ90UGisJvH1-axpo6j2P3DN0PyP_zV7j5zvSH0Bao27uOeImzsrKBWd_sU-X1nzHGoBN7MN1F/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+003.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0IIdYFN0TrFNB6RyCSGyT4to4vR13o6M_sd3cyivHLivJ1OwegvYBf9SkaI7-pI-iKZQ90UGisJvH1-axpo6j2P3DN0PyP_zV7j5zvSH0Bao27uOeImzsrKBWd_sU-X1nzHGoBN7MN1F/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+003.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The only thing that seemed a little odd was that the main character, Gon, seemed to be a troubled child who was unaware that he was a troubled child. His father was a hunter who abandoned Gon at a young age, and at the start of the series, Gon wants to become a hunter to find the dad who left him. With a backstory like that, I would have guessed that Gon would be angsty or emotionally distraught, but instead he's happy go-lucky and innocent. Gon reminded me of Goku from the original <i>Dragon Ball</i>, except I was just constantly waiting for Gon to snap.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ46uIVCRc4aPyGsZ3wIJY8l65E3Y_N_6ifTFKNnFqfMzQ42St3hqTmonMeS3SDFPGvoCPCZVtl1QYqQH9cVr8xB_NPPvNZHupXEWe0q295MYBSPpoTN-Vtr8pFB0jwHlu1KglJrrzSbq/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+044.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ46uIVCRc4aPyGsZ3wIJY8l65E3Y_N_6ifTFKNnFqfMzQ42St3hqTmonMeS3SDFPGvoCPCZVtl1QYqQH9cVr8xB_NPPvNZHupXEWe0q295MYBSPpoTN-Vtr8pFB0jwHlu1KglJrrzSbq/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+044.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The other thing that seemed kind of odd from the beginning was the world itself. I couldn't tell what kind of era the story was taking place during, nor did I understand what role hunters played in this world, or what the laws were in the world. Everyone's fashion sense was extremely different so I still don't know what era the world is in. Hunters seem to be able to do whatever they really want with little to no restrictions. It seemed like actual police officers existed in the world, but people are just killing each other during tournaments with no legal consequences.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-CsSdefyWStSBO0P-AunPwAk3_2XP-LrPSl900JbeBEUSeHqLX9TYJId7nU3cVPUtbLDyOcUlU966np9nOz2Wk6WctZch_lY4ProGIx6eY9C2_k2aO8J9cTLlxiVLcOCVipYZj85cxXq/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+039.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-CsSdefyWStSBO0P-AunPwAk3_2XP-LrPSl900JbeBEUSeHqLX9TYJId7nU3cVPUtbLDyOcUlU966np9nOz2Wk6WctZch_lY4ProGIx6eY9C2_k2aO8J9cTLlxiVLcOCVipYZj85cxXq/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+039.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Besides all that, I can say that I like <i>Hunter X Hunter</i> so far. I find Gon and Killua's friendship really endearing, despite the fact that Gon is reckless and a bit naive and that Killua is the son from a family of skilled assassins. Gon still has a charm to him and it's admirable how dedicated he is to his friends. And Killua is a good boy at heart, even if murder comes a little too easily to him. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY12oANz7RA2mkg2DmvsJ-2aOaeNR6N1jHRMEO3pYkvHtweRyVV-mUA8eydDTPH92LA0FivrspWZrxKJb1W8jwu6JlUtluLNPFhd2pqNZHesl6wLGGqMP6yQefi2VDnzOOewEdtCuw6pT/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+026.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY12oANz7RA2mkg2DmvsJ-2aOaeNR6N1jHRMEO3pYkvHtweRyVV-mUA8eydDTPH92LA0FivrspWZrxKJb1W8jwu6JlUtluLNPFhd2pqNZHesl6wLGGqMP6yQefi2VDnzOOewEdtCuw6pT/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+026.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then there's Leorio and Kurapika who act as responsible parental figures to the two boys. Both make logical choices, even though Leorio may not always think things completely through and even though Kurapika can be triggered by a sense of righteous vengeance. The four characters all have flaws but their friendship makes up for those weaknesses.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MbQs64PRM7_dWLrf2PfBBlinyXvmc3_Mvknn4lDBXsWPR4oG48DybPQZJ3mB90fODhNhhxty9uXy0t-BcF9pcZSb_OxLJEu320GsrSf4025S91xZAzMly4stqJf9DhSJfThEuR7fLdYI/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+041.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MbQs64PRM7_dWLrf2PfBBlinyXvmc3_Mvknn4lDBXsWPR4oG48DybPQZJ3mB90fODhNhhxty9uXy0t-BcF9pcZSb_OxLJEu320GsrSf4025S91xZAzMly4stqJf9DhSJfThEuR7fLdYI/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+041.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The other thing that I really like about <i>Hunter X Hunter</i> so far are the villains, or the antagonists. Probably the most iconic is Hisoka. Before watching <i>Hunter X Hunter</i>, I've probably seen more images of Hisoka than Gon. He has his own kind of charm. Like obviously he's evil, or at least, not a good guy, but there's still something really cool about him. Maybe it's his very stoic personality, or maybe it's his nonchalance towards fighting and killing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3a7_P6LH6oNqD-jg-g7TtteBroU4D-YF5OoMBwykLe_lmJWaP6rWbCHpbRAd48gDuLDl-hbLq2ovNspAoi9nf1KnErDFQihVxMtcHEK2n6pjQ7kuCmgJAqr2DNNVuUOBd3Xqe_fb_ESI/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+080.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3a7_P6LH6oNqD-jg-g7TtteBroU4D-YF5OoMBwykLe_lmJWaP6rWbCHpbRAd48gDuLDl-hbLq2ovNspAoi9nf1KnErDFQihVxMtcHEK2n6pjQ7kuCmgJAqr2DNNVuUOBd3Xqe_fb_ESI/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+080.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">And along with Hisoka, the Phantom Troupe and their leader Chrollo Lucilfer have really interested me. While Chrollo is not as cool as Hisoka, he's mysterious enough to get my attention. I want to know more about his motivations and why he's such an indiscriminate killer. And I think the fact that he's voiced by Mamoru Miyano also makes him a really cool character to me. I'm really looking forward to seeing his return as I go further into <i>Hunter X Hunter</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkn0OOYY8J7wZuehx7OkD_AlNYevVBYqEtgJ2crCgAHRtampD6or6dmdLNLZf2kELZxm5gSXsGr1ld_Y-IO-Y15Ks7KBUhDU_WX2ZIe-yYu33GNnFowjIoe0xF6HAb58T-TfJb9YkLyPj/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+076.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkn0OOYY8J7wZuehx7OkD_AlNYevVBYqEtgJ2crCgAHRtampD6or6dmdLNLZf2kELZxm5gSXsGr1ld_Y-IO-Y15Ks7KBUhDU_WX2ZIe-yYu33GNnFowjIoe0xF6HAb58T-TfJb9YkLyPj/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+076.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">And I just love the Phantom Troupe, they're like a twisted (but not by a lot) version of Gon and his friends. Sure, they're all killers and thieves who steal and kill because no one can really stop them, but they're also friends who care about each other. Even though members can be easily replaced, they're still willing to go to extreme lengths just to avenge their fallen comrades and rescue their kidnapped friends. Among anime villains, the Phantom Troupe are some of the most interesting.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSSW1RWwyAAldFERFCQ_t4wYrWIKFQrWMQFwiEFOnB-t3FL2-QYpf8q3pcCcBzuKsxL3NQCmNL13lRedsY-PNiHlomHfp9w33wYiFJ6RSRUp2dcIb3_FCQno67ZhkdNRZe_8qlzsfdIZt/s1600/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+061.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSSW1RWwyAAldFERFCQ_t4wYrWIKFQrWMQFwiEFOnB-t3FL2-QYpf8q3pcCcBzuKsxL3NQCmNL13lRedsY-PNiHlomHfp9w33wYiFJ6RSRUp2dcIb3_FCQno67ZhkdNRZe_8qlzsfdIZt/s400/Hunter+X+Hunter+-+Pic+061.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">With all that being said and now that I'm just about to enter the Greed Island Arc with my friend, I can now see why so many fans love this series. I can imagine <i>Hunter X Hunter</i> becoming one of my most favorite anime by the time that I get to the end of it. However, I think my own preferences don't put it higher than other shounen that I've seen and read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love American superhero comic books and have dreamed of being a hero since I was a kid, thus I am in love with <i>My Hero Academia</i>. I just started reading another popular shounen title and am starting to obsess over it. So right now, I like <i>Hunter X Hunter</i>, but I'm not in love with it just yet.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-78798499205929288302019-07-30T16:30:00.000-07:002019-07-30T16:45:10.283-07:00Space is the Place: Studio Trigger and the Wonders of Outer Space!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXR6FB6dgchgexPzjNJpu2GHRFnnseRm1Wdpk262yVGAPnDRYA0GySOV10UXz72nfQFRi4k8emha9Pwkl86v5LGKSUTWNuLLU0fmu73ma2e4b2gg5KjKWIFTvpX-l15s7JWnvv9RujJxyZ/s1600/AJ+Final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1000" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXR6FB6dgchgexPzjNJpu2GHRFnnseRm1Wdpk262yVGAPnDRYA0GySOV10UXz72nfQFRi4k8emha9Pwkl86v5LGKSUTWNuLLU0fmu73ma2e4b2gg5KjKWIFTvpX-l15s7JWnvv9RujJxyZ/s400/AJ+Final.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to a planet where nonsense is how we roll!!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">So when I agreed to participate in the "<a href="https://mechanicalanimereviews.com/2019/07/21/space-is-the-place-tour-launch-post/">Space is the Place</a>" blog tour, I really didn't have a clear idea on what I wanted to write about. I just knew that it was either going to involve <i>Kill la Kill</i>, <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>, or <i>Darling in the Franxx</i>...so I decided that I would just write about all of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I feel very differently about each of these anime, and I think that they all are trying to convey different messages to their audience. But what the three anime have in common is that they're all from Studio Trigger and the main characters end up in space at some point...but why? Why do the characters end up in space? Why couldn't these stories take place on the ground that we call earth?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think it's because space is open to so many different kinds of stories and because there is so much that we don't understand about outer space and our universe, it means that almost anything is possible among the stars. And that potential for imagination and creativity has always fascinated me since I was a kid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before I got into anime, and I think before I got into superheroes and comic books, I was in love with <i>Star Wars</i>. No matter what anyone says, I loved <i>The Phantom Menace</i> as a small child and I remember being hyped up when I saw the first trailers and commercials for <i>Attack of the Clones</i>. Lightsabers, battle droids, clone troopers, Jedi, Sith...I was so obsessed with everything <i>Star Wars</i> as a kid (and still am now).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And when it came to superheroes, my absolute favorite has almost always been the Green Lantern. <i>Blackest Night</i> was one of the first comic book story arcs that I was reading every issue as it was coming out. Zombie superheroes...in SPACE!! Aliens of all shapes and sizes, battling it out with power rings and constructs made out of light. I still think all that is cool!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm starting to fanboy a lot, so let me get back to my point...space is awesome because almost anything is possible. That also means that evil and supervillains can take almost any form, no matter how goofy or outlandish. In <i>Kill la Kill</i>, it's life fibers, living clothing, that threaten to consume the earth and all of humanity. In <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>, there is a Blackholiean that is committed to stealing valuable things...for some reason or no reason at all. And then in <i>Darling in the Franxx</i>, there is VIRM, a hive mind that is determined to achieve "peace" by assimilating beings into their hive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you know me, then you can probably figure that I don't love all of these antagonists *cough* *cough* VIRM *cough*, but I do like the challenge they give to their respective protagonists. They are seemingly omnipotent foes with abilities beyond anything that can be found on earth...and that's because they're not from earth. They can only be found out there in space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And there is another thing that can be found out among the stars of the Trigger-verse...and that would be change. In anime like <i>Kill la Kill</i>, <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>, and <i>Darling in the Franxx</i>, character undergo a dramatic transformation after a series of trials and struggles. In <i>Kill la Kill</i>, Ryuko unlocks the true power of herself and Senketsu. In <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>, Luluco becomes Trigger-chan and saves the city of Ogikubo. And in <i>Darling in the Franxx</i>, Hiro saves Zero Two and she transforms into a giant bride-mecha. It is in the wonder of space, anything can happen and characters can unlock their true potential.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now all of that goes to support my original point and that's that space is awesome, especially in anime and fiction. While all kinds of storytellers use the backdrop of outer space to tell all kinds of fascinating and unique stories, I think that the staff of Studio Trigger do a great job at going all out and telling really strange and incredible stories that are larger than life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's about all I have to say on the topic of Studio Trigger and outer space. Thank you to <a href="https://mechanicalanimereviews.com/">Scott from Mechanical Anime Reviews</a> for starting the "Space is the Place" blog tour and for including me. Thank you to <a href="https://katthemovies.wordpress.com/">K from K at the Movies</a> for creating an awesome header image of my own planet and the great "Space is the Place" banner. Be sure to check out <a href="https://drunkenanimeblog.com/">Irina from I Drink and Watch Anime</a> for her post on the <a href="https://drunkenanimeblog.com/2019/07/29/space-is-the-place-blog-tour-wherever-you-go-there-you-are-with-gurren-lagann/">wonders of space in Gurren Lagann</a>. And tomorrow, be sure to check out Scott's addition to the "Space is the Place" blog tour, a post on <i>The Irresponsible Captain Tylor</i>.</span><br />
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AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-74068626009566051472019-07-28T12:00:00.000-07:002019-07-28T12:00:04.993-07:00Four Anime I'm Watching in Summer 2019!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdJUFqSJeW2TBs-bZlYDYe7DKmIjUId0Lub_vTrm_wysCTYDlLqRmSLHUzCJOzJ1hH8b1qjuB-NxfhVgNICHLczSA4rqWdi7WknQlTFL7FJTGrO9BbkuAWOQWQvJ3qqFA2pW8rNn_Cre1/s1600/Four+Anime+I%2527m+Watching+-+Summer+2019+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdJUFqSJeW2TBs-bZlYDYe7DKmIjUId0Lub_vTrm_wysCTYDlLqRmSLHUzCJOzJ1hH8b1qjuB-NxfhVgNICHLczSA4rqWdi7WknQlTFL7FJTGrO9BbkuAWOQWQvJ3qqFA2pW8rNn_Cre1/s400/Four+Anime+I%2527m+Watching+-+Summer+2019+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Demon Girls! High School Girls! And a Magical Teacher!!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">We're already a few weeks into this Summer season of anime and I have not had enough time to write about my first impressions of the season. It feels a little late for me to be write about my thoughts on all the new shows when, at this point, it seems like everyone's kind of figured out what they like and don't like. So I'm going to do something a little different. I wanna just share the four shows from this season that have hooked me and that I'm probably going to be following regularly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll also add that another reason why I'm not writing a full rundown of the Summer anime season is because I don't really care to write about a lot of the shows that are out right now. Even the popular ones like <i>Dr. Stone </i>and <i>Fire Force</i>. I don't think their bad, I'm just not really into them right now and there's a big chance that I'm going to fall behind really quick. So I'm just going to make the most of my time this anime season and focus on just a few shows that I really <i>really</i> like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So...let's get this list started!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Demon Girl Next Door</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yuuko is just a regular girl, maybe a bit stupid and weak, but she's not very special in any way, at least until one of her ancestor's turns her into a demon girl. As a demon girl, Yuuko has to find and "murderize" a magical girl in order to save her family from poverty...or something like that. <i>The Demon Girl Next Door</i> isn't a magical girl series that's dark and intense like <i>Madoka Magica</i>. It's more of a slice of life comedy about a demon girl that's terrible at being a supervillain. She's clumsy and is easily tricked by the magical girl who just so happens to her school, and instead of being hellbent on defeating the magical girl, Yuuko is more likely going to end up as the magical girl's friend. <i>The Demon Girl Next Door</i> is a cute series that makes me laugh, especially with how nonchalant all the characters are with the magical girl and demon girl shenanigans. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lord El-Melloi II Case Files: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Fate/Zero</i> is one of my favorite anime of all time, and one of my favorite characters from that series is Waver Velvet. During the Holy Grail War, Waver was a cowardly and weak boy out of his depth among the other mages and heroic spirits...and I'm glad to see he hasn't changed much as a grown man. Of course, he's not as cowardly anymore, and he acts stoic and firm, but there are moments that show he's still the same naive boy from <i>Fate/Zero</i>. It's good to be back with this character in <i>Lord El-Melloi II Case Files</i>, but putting nostaligia aside, this is still a really interesting monster of the week type of series with Waver, now known as Lord El-Melloi II, solving different magical mysteries and fighting against monsters and other mages. I'm also interested in learning more about Waver's apprentice, Gray. There seems to be some kind of mystery with her backstory or something.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Wasteful Days of High School Girls</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Azumanga Daioh</i>, <i>Nichijou</i>, <i>Yuru Yuri</i>, <i>Asobi Asobase</i>...I'm a fan of comedy series that are focused on the daily antics of a group of girls in school. I think that <i>Wasteful Days of High School Girls</i> is a hilarious anime and I literally burst out laughing from almost every gag. This series isn't really about anything. Each episode is just a bunch of brief skits that are usually sparked by the character known as "Baka" causing trouble for her classmates and friends. How do I even describe the humor of <i>Wasteful Days of High School Girls</i>? The jokes can either be about the girls sitting around talking about the importance of hair, or about how a girl known as "Loli" has trouble shopping for groceries for her grandmother. If you liked <i>Daily Lives of High School Boys</i>, you'll probably love this series...but you'd probably figure that out just from looking at the titles of the two anime.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">O Maidens in Your Savage Season</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If I had time for only one anime this season, it would be for <i>O Maidens in Your Savage Season</i>. I am already considering this series for Anime of the Year, and I think that there's a good chance that it will end up being one of my favorites. A group of girls in a high school literature club are never the same when the topic of sex is brought up during one of their meetings. It's almost all they can think about as they embark on a journey to understand sexuality and relationships. This series is funny, it's sad, it's dramatic, and it's so good. I'm so invested in the lives of these girls as they stumble through life and sometimes make dumb and naive decisions trying to understand sex and romance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So those are all the anime that I'm really invested in this summer season. If I find more free time, I'll probably try to catch up with shows like <i>Dr. Stone</i>, <i>Fire Force</i>, and maybe even <i>Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target</i> <i>Attack</i>, but for now, these four anime have my attention. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Go ahead and let me know what anime you're watching and loving this season, or try to convince me to pick up another show. I can be persuaded into squeezing another anime into my schedule if I hear that it's really <i>really</i> good.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-48508177534975200782019-07-21T13:28:00.000-07:002019-07-21T22:31:36.872-07:00Thank You, KyoAni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs08NVVVLOJDI7vYUEul_PLmR_RF7UHbAURpGNh5_8vALBPs1YG41cQyvblQ8zSoNQ8kq6xwNUyPGlEdybvSffUs6fdnhTdq2PDbTfzRoXikaZgblpue9TXNv_d6iEzb8h2eYWlsZ-mUPu/s1600/Thanks+KyoAni+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs08NVVVLOJDI7vYUEul_PLmR_RF7UHbAURpGNh5_8vALBPs1YG41cQyvblQ8zSoNQ8kq6xwNUyPGlEdybvSffUs6fdnhTdq2PDbTfzRoXikaZgblpue9TXNv_d6iEzb8h2eYWlsZ-mUPu/s400/Thanks+KyoAni+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You've given me anime that have made me laugh, cry, and feel every imaginable emotion! </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">In this last week, Kyoto Animation suffered a terrible arson attack that killed and injured many at the studio. Not only was this an awful and despicable act, but to have happened to a studio like Kyoto Animation - responsible for producing so many beloved and cherished anime series - it was difficult to comprehend and process for many in the anime community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the positive side, fans stepped up and contributed over one million dollars to a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kyoani-heal">GoFundMe </a>created by Sentai Filmworks to hopefully help Kyoto Animation heal and get back on their feet. And all over social media, I've been reading posts from fans reminiscing about their favorite KyoAni shows and moments, declaring their love for the studio, and sharing the difference that Kyoto Animation has had on their life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I can honestly say, that Kyoto Animation has had a very positive impact on my life. Not only do I adore their shows for being achievements in storytelling and animation, but a lot of their shows have lingered in my mind and heart and have helped me grow as a person...three that immediately come to mind are <i>K-On!</i>, <i>Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid</i>, and <i>Violet Evergarden</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqtXV1cctr-mP6v5jIDO6d-pkhEfLBFGhO6HyV4OvQg4opeI6WoZYtcDpoOx8eqwEGNKx0L7iB99k0CRgbqq-UEJ67G-UcL5hO9bmF_H5LSCT0aAS5ouhs_qKFvnI46mRfC-5YzzFdjtT/s1600/K-On+-+Pic+021.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqtXV1cctr-mP6v5jIDO6d-pkhEfLBFGhO6HyV4OvQg4opeI6WoZYtcDpoOx8eqwEGNKx0L7iB99k0CRgbqq-UEJ67G-UcL5hO9bmF_H5LSCT0aAS5ouhs_qKFvnI46mRfC-5YzzFdjtT/s400/K-On+-+Pic+021.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">While I didn't love <i>K-On!</i> the first time I watched it, since I was disappointed that "music" anime turned out to be almost nothing but cute girls drinking tea and eating cake, it is definitely one of my favorite slice of life anime. If anything, <i>K-On! </i>showed me the joys of slice of life anime and the moe genre. It also reminds me of why I like hanging out with my own friends. We don't have to be working towards accomplishing some epic goal together, but we can just have fun by sitting around, eating food, and watching anime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then there's <i>Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid</i>. Not only do I find it to be a warm slice of life comedy that can make me laugh and melt my heart at the same time, but it was a really eye-opening experience for me. Growing up in a Christian household, I did not always have the most progressive view towards same-sex couples and the LGBT community, and I'm disappointed in my younger self for that. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hkCcTkTMuuo42_vT4Al7w4ZDZOYlE5PZX73ZtZnMGi2FToXoq83GKBrVj0rkyQ4ArmjiR0sv6IS5JZwTwnoWygGvn1UBWhigUZcn3doXpDDiZ560GwhZfjhnosFyJ5E_6KvrTpQCzNlL/s1600/Miss+Kobayashi%2527s+Dragon+Maid+-+Pic+37.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hkCcTkTMuuo42_vT4Al7w4ZDZOYlE5PZX73ZtZnMGi2FToXoq83GKBrVj0rkyQ4ArmjiR0sv6IS5JZwTwnoWygGvn1UBWhigUZcn3doXpDDiZ560GwhZfjhnosFyJ5E_6KvrTpQCzNlL/s400/Miss+Kobayashi%2527s+Dragon+Maid+-+Pic+37.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Making friends who were gay and trans did help improve my views and pushed me to be a better ally, but <i>Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid</i> also played a part. The relationship between Kobayashi and Tohru was sweet even if it was a bit hilarious and over the top at times, and the way they both worked together to raise Kanna was adorable. <i>Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid</i> reminded me that families don't all look the same, and I shouldn't ever judge others just because I may not understand them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Violet Evergarden </i>had a different impact on me...it proved that I'm really a soft crybaby at heart. When this series first came out, I remember hearing that a lot of people were let down by the story and characters even if the animation and art was gorgeous. That disappointed me because I was really hoping for another great anime from KyoAni...and then I watched it for myself and was quickly blown away.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwlpmDhMnNn3ktBt7hpv1R1WZebXuvR6B9xhyxzU4xEB0pMlOX-SDeatBglkca_EkcvPbDdT4mpttaJiWyukvsC8pCB9-NPM6GzbokvN2URhMFYUH73meizOz9XU1FqtgU9O5ceA6nsJw/s1600/Violet+Evergarden+-+Pic+036.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwlpmDhMnNn3ktBt7hpv1R1WZebXuvR6B9xhyxzU4xEB0pMlOX-SDeatBglkca_EkcvPbDdT4mpttaJiWyukvsC8pCB9-NPM6GzbokvN2URhMFYUH73meizOz9XU1FqtgU9O5ceA6nsJw/s400/Violet+Evergarden+-+Pic+036.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Violet Evergarden</i> was a beautiful story about love, whether it be romantic love, love between family and friends, or connecting with those who are distant. Episode 10 will always stand out to me, and so far, it has never failed to make me cry. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't watch it on Netflix, I won't spoil it for you here. <i>Violet Evergarden</i> is proof that good storytelling can make you feel almost anything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And Kyoto Animation has been responsible for so many series that have impacted and are beloved by so many in the anime community. I'm always seeing <i>Hibike! Euphonium</i> on my twitter feed, almost everyone knows the sadness of <i>Clannad</i>, and almost everyone can agree that <i>Nichijou</i> is one of the best comedy anime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So while many in the anime community will be mourning this tragedy for awhile, it is also important to remember that Kyoto Animation will recover. It probably won't be soon, but they will, and I will be one of the many who will be ready to declare my love for whatever they come out with next!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-44236768422364693052019-07-13T13:30:00.000-07:002019-07-13T18:11:13.664-07:00Best Boy: Sugimoto from Golden Kamuy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEG-kVIPWTiHIRiBbLkQIfi-4AqyQkczxFJa0m-Y-jGBV17r1JcYIlDHPoNpQBp2yAcPDgpmKHxrbYbUEsbGx9V80b15CxYuMi1mP-l_t5o1MWlKAh9mvi8-CDoF9I7zbfocR5cVHTosp/s1600/Best+Boy+-+Sugimoto+from+Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEG-kVIPWTiHIRiBbLkQIfi-4AqyQkczxFJa0m-Y-jGBV17r1JcYIlDHPoNpQBp2yAcPDgpmKHxrbYbUEsbGx9V80b15CxYuMi1mP-l_t5o1MWlKAh9mvi8-CDoF9I7zbfocR5cVHTosp/s400/Best+Boy+-+Sugimoto+from+Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Golden Kamuy </i>is getting a third season, so why not highlight the Immortal Sugimoto!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyBoX30kmPY40AUvbSWGF9hVS9xzm78MeHGVTCG06xhLGwOL49qVwb8k_FYr24o4YOTubUJvuHbokVz2cmlqjch3G3lCyt1_u5A7OQUjFuSCYFwI8rajTkdun58nsiIykfPplWbGublGo/s1600/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyBoX30kmPY40AUvbSWGF9hVS9xzm78MeHGVTCG06xhLGwOL49qVwb8k_FYr24o4YOTubUJvuHbokVz2cmlqjch3G3lCyt1_u5A7OQUjFuSCYFwI8rajTkdun58nsiIykfPplWbGublGo/s400/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+22.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">It was announced during AX last week that the underrated seinen anime <i>Golden Kamuy</i> would be getting a third season, and I am very happy to hear that news. I think that <i>Golden Kamuy</i> is a fun series with a cast of quirky and tragic characters and I love it. While <i>Golden Kamuy</i> has many characters that are worth highlighting and fanboying over, I want to use this post to explain why the main character, Sugimoto, is such a fantastic character!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYIYiT9q0BCP7FNsx0-1tqBGPsCOE0wtVklnz_OCQ0rKp6w9nqLz1iobiN5ltUkQVACMpDwdovKV7liweDHRYZ3MBm4yH4SXi5lc-r-gjSOYC3JoDtjVPXoYl-TqSRw8ocednVAGspJKL/s1600/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+07.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYIYiT9q0BCP7FNsx0-1tqBGPsCOE0wtVklnz_OCQ0rKp6w9nqLz1iobiN5ltUkQVACMpDwdovKV7liweDHRYZ3MBm4yH4SXi5lc-r-gjSOYC3JoDtjVPXoYl-TqSRw8ocednVAGspJKL/s400/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+07.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Saichi Sugimoto is a soldier. At the beginning of the series, Sugimoto is introduced at the Battle of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War. And he's not just any soldier. Sugimoto is aggressive and determined to survive. While bullets fall from the sky and bodies pile up, Sugimoto fights like a mad demon and doesn't falter to any attack, earning him the nickname "The Immortal" Sugimoto.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl1e8ymyZzcOVkhIUzMzIMh_02rHXvRzV36lQRE76OM5QwbIHYBxt44rornATlk57f1laE-NPb0rkZghnA_lHRvWOc_8d2FcvQS1QN1qqHWzLdGVge6swhZPxE9tGuO13w4Yqd9GRPuc0/s1600/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl1e8ymyZzcOVkhIUzMzIMh_02rHXvRzV36lQRE76OM5QwbIHYBxt44rornATlk57f1laE-NPb0rkZghnA_lHRvWOc_8d2FcvQS1QN1qqHWzLdGVge6swhZPxE9tGuO13w4Yqd9GRPuc0/s400/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+11.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So from an introduction like that, one would presume that Sugimoto is some kind of mindless brute who goes on a crusade to commit more violence. But that's actually pretty far from the truth...kinda. The initial reason Sugimoto joins the Ainu girl, Asirpa, on a quest to find stolen Ainu gold is because he wants to fulfill a promise to one of his fallen comrades and provide for the man's family. Sugimoto is a man with a heart for people and wants to do right by others. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWE5qnhl1wYM3qdNOhTGkOdEzlcqA-B-VNdfqoxkaGW2GoVUf3c9OuFNCOJ4aD0ddRjfydcfkGP9LN6MpK2FL-QSF-JtYCbx8Kkc8r6JYiF-Em50OyNO7MmPhEYZkhA9T3yVDC9iKKbac/s1600/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+30.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWE5qnhl1wYM3qdNOhTGkOdEzlcqA-B-VNdfqoxkaGW2GoVUf3c9OuFNCOJ4aD0ddRjfydcfkGP9LN6MpK2FL-QSF-JtYCbx8Kkc8r6JYiF-Em50OyNO7MmPhEYZkhA9T3yVDC9iKKbac/s400/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+30.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Even while adventuring with Asirpa, Sugimoto's focus changes and he becomes something of a protector to the young girl. While she's fully capable of taking care of herself and often has to teach Sugimoto how to live off the land, he does all that he can to protect her from men who are more violent and cruel than himself. In fact, Sugimoto wants to keep Asirpa from becoming a killer like himself and the people that they encounter on their journey.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU1cZ3qa6TmiB-6rgOIErad1gaJ3riDlfgR42Q81t0vJJYEPazmnv2BhAvA3LRsUqS4dWCemufsrfh0UOqXKqw4zL6i_elVRlAJTxa-Mhq4sj8qeQLsc2Au2Pw7xVi_aONgRo-YSsmok8/s1600/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+052.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU1cZ3qa6TmiB-6rgOIErad1gaJ3riDlfgR42Q81t0vJJYEPazmnv2BhAvA3LRsUqS4dWCemufsrfh0UOqXKqw4zL6i_elVRlAJTxa-Mhq4sj8qeQLsc2Au2Pw7xVi_aONgRo-YSsmok8/s400/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+052.png" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">And yes, even though he's no longer in the military, Sugimoto is still very much a soldier and is capable of incredible violence. There are plenty of moments where he comes off as more of a monster than a heroic defender, but those actions don't really define the man called "Immortal Sugimoto". When I think of Sugimoto, I think of a goofy guy who is still a child at heart, willing to learn about different cultures, and at his happiest when he's eating a delicious meal. It's that soft side of Sugimoto that really makes him an interesting and compelling character.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc2nt9pbiyPOrNWwWp0Lw-1OHueHbsvDDjwTom16BeYNxb1XGlt9oBAfm_n7Rn8HRiB8EPkWbUSZYwVL02FejyvOF_zI_cbOnp9J4T1zSGF75iQrK5EPzwkvpVDGtsqENkkpJzKtbl1OQ/s1600/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+049.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc2nt9pbiyPOrNWwWp0Lw-1OHueHbsvDDjwTom16BeYNxb1XGlt9oBAfm_n7Rn8HRiB8EPkWbUSZYwVL02FejyvOF_zI_cbOnp9J4T1zSGF75iQrK5EPzwkvpVDGtsqENkkpJzKtbl1OQ/s400/Golden+Kamuy+-+Pic+049.png" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">So if you haven't already, I implore you to check out <i>Golden Kamuy</i>. It's a really fun series with quirky and complex characters that will both make you laugh and want to cry. And a lot of the heart and charm of this anime comes from Saichi Sugimoto. I really want this series to get more love and attention so that as time goes on and characters are lost and forgotten, the "Immortal Sugimoto" will live on!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-62781419279576686642019-06-29T09:30:00.000-07:002019-06-29T21:13:28.380-07:00Anime Recommendation: Sarazanmai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgs15h1g_8wCW67wXzOnCPl7tlhhjgBZldfpz04V9BN9VcN_znBeIht7I8JAk5VBr1-Gjs85g5HNsXFsdrotOq2ZGulLie2r2k87dC1ba3H-W7-20rRTcFVZVUp_ad2ts3TDhS3KwLnIn/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+Sarazanmai+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgs15h1g_8wCW67wXzOnCPl7tlhhjgBZldfpz04V9BN9VcN_znBeIht7I8JAk5VBr1-Gjs85g5HNsXFsdrotOq2ZGulLie2r2k87dC1ba3H-W7-20rRTcFVZVUp_ad2ts3TDhS3KwLnIn/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+Sarazanmai+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been awhile since I've written anything, but I just had to write something about SARAZANMAI!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Revolutionary Girl Utena</i> and <i>Mawaru Penguindrum</i> are two of my favorite anime and they are two series from the mind of director Kunihiko Ikuhara. The anime that he creates are not only hilariously absurd but they're also terrifyingly real. In <i>Revolutionary Girl Utena</i>, he tells a story that challenges traditional gender roles and explores toxic masculinity in between episodes of sword duels that take place in the sky and a girl laying eggs and turning into a cow. And now in <i>Sarazanmai</i>, Ikuhara tells the story of three young boys who learn the value of connecting with others while they turn into frog-like creatures that fight zombies and otters.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNTP-w80PRS-ldwHbKOAs6lZ608ah2uTzQeqBDkUjSwFf1c2oHxU23Hkozd8kEwILi2MiOV8lW5DYO4-xZ51kiYp5B-CxclWdKPccYBPnwvfPaT7DmKrWVQQsBfbAmQmmZmffSvqfMo54/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+023.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNTP-w80PRS-ldwHbKOAs6lZ608ah2uTzQeqBDkUjSwFf1c2oHxU23Hkozd8kEwILi2MiOV8lW5DYO4-xZ51kiYp5B-CxclWdKPccYBPnwvfPaT7DmKrWVQQsBfbAmQmmZmffSvqfMo54/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+023.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Let me expand on that because there is a lot more to <i>Sarazanmai</i> then that one sentence. This is an anime about three main characters, each with their own struggles and desires. The first boy to be introduced is Kazuki Yasaka. He's just a middle school student with a seemingly average life. He used to be a pretty good soccer player, has a best friend, and lives with his little brother. But Kazuki is carrying around a secret...he dresses up as famous idol in order to make his little brother happy through playful text messages and selfies. It's a little strange, but Kazuki is scared of others learning his secret and will go to any length to continue this act for his brother.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_KaN2OpRvJWCJyT-Q0f0ogPI704YtucKTH9f_yA3-xSRvf4PwvS9FceahkLEJglHwszKaEpS_JdNwZQSG1FzXesm3pQnoHoBhZ4G2Gd3tse0-d90Z-_PuszC8yqmZTWsd1XVcMpimekP/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+009.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_KaN2OpRvJWCJyT-Q0f0ogPI704YtucKTH9f_yA3-xSRvf4PwvS9FceahkLEJglHwszKaEpS_JdNwZQSG1FzXesm3pQnoHoBhZ4G2Gd3tse0-d90Z-_PuszC8yqmZTWsd1XVcMpimekP/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+009.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">And Kazuki's best friend also has a secret of his own. Enta Jinnai is the other half of a golden duo, but after Kazuki quits soccer, Enta's left alone. He is a dedicated friend who wants to get closer to Kazuki and find out why he's abandoned his passion and has become less happy. Enta will go to almost any length for his friend, and why? Because Enta is in love with him, even though Kazuki is too dense to realize it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxqnzKuQO_HkfZUvnmIS-Ls9j7yhTuKUQfJR465u7XpOad00Mg0P-BGxHj7ehBdj9P3Z3ZWif0hcMMozQ-CXXgUrSjaldL6NWrXGckUoGLTmSVt-sY8Ixv02OEbQXgC0OCfcdtrS23TyZ/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+031.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxqnzKuQO_HkfZUvnmIS-Ls9j7yhTuKUQfJR465u7XpOad00Mg0P-BGxHj7ehBdj9P3Z3ZWif0hcMMozQ-CXXgUrSjaldL6NWrXGckUoGLTmSVt-sY8Ixv02OEbQXgC0OCfcdtrS23TyZ/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+031.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally there is Toi Kuji, and in my opinion, he's probably the most well-adjusted of the boys even though he's got a messed up backstory. His parents died when he was young and his big brother is a gangster on the run after a murder. Toi has given up his dreams and acts like a tough guy in order to runaway from it all with his brother. Like the other two boys, Toi will go to any length for the one person that's special in his life. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhm4emcjvo-lpidw39Xg-wb8B1xmV9yzps5cATf3DqZS2yIEqkPc6P8SnPDBpPOqUsDdFLrsFIgHwjtbwte5M1u7EUll1CnhH-TUKmqzruMatCqaTnJJaNXaB4sStdZ4fhtVwMh7tCJ8ke/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+054.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhm4emcjvo-lpidw39Xg-wb8B1xmV9yzps5cATf3DqZS2yIEqkPc6P8SnPDBpPOqUsDdFLrsFIgHwjtbwte5M1u7EUll1CnhH-TUKmqzruMatCqaTnJJaNXaB4sStdZ4fhtVwMh7tCJ8ke/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+054.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">With characters with these kinds of motivations, <i>Sarazanm-ai</i> sounds like it could be a pretty serious and emotional drama, which it is...but it also gets weird. The boys end up getting turned into kappas, mythical creatures that pull the desire out of people's anuses, in order to protect their desires. So there are two cops who serve an evil otter by creating zombies that feed on people's desires and the three boys have to turn into kappas to steal back the desire from the zombies' butts. And all this happens along with brief musical numbers and moments that leave you going, "what?"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Cf9HMtrk5dRXKTXdx7hykuNcebwE7BNClvL78fyaHyDzcH3Oe0OsuVAGNnxejz8zp8hrwuo7FiJ6l78LUFBAfqKQqCLTXjPMgQmzs6hlKWlf6X1KXjPL9yEdZLuZYJRZr_phoVdACRNh/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+089.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Cf9HMtrk5dRXKTXdx7hykuNcebwE7BNClvL78fyaHyDzcH3Oe0OsuVAGNnxejz8zp8hrwuo7FiJ6l78LUFBAfqKQqCLTXjPMgQmzs6hlKWlf6X1KXjPL9yEdZLuZYJRZr_phoVdACRNh/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+089.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">But once you get over the weirdness of <i>Sarazanmai</i>, I think that you'll find yourself truly invested in the lives of these three boys. You want them to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true with the people that they love. You'll shake your head and cry when they're stupidity and foolishness pushes them further away from happiness. That's how I felt after almost every episode of <i>Sarazanmai </i>and I loved it all.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOIOx6s7YbZeuwVzqjN8sRppQH6E5gSPO22qycY1-dlTAml2V0lYGjdVQqySCe4pPvuNm9TvAoAyF0ORfAu7DlSurvHK0UgWS5nj4f4vuV59v0_0CIAKoUavOfygtT_S3lp3nWoXjgtI7/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+044.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOIOx6s7YbZeuwVzqjN8sRppQH6E5gSPO22qycY1-dlTAml2V0lYGjdVQqySCe4pPvuNm9TvAoAyF0ORfAu7DlSurvHK0UgWS5nj4f4vuV59v0_0CIAKoUavOfygtT_S3lp3nWoXjgtI7/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+044.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are two issues that I do have with the series that I think were kind of resolved in the end. The first is that there are a lot of repetitive scenes with the boys transforming into kappas and fighting zombies, and the cops doing a brief dance before turning people into otter zombies. It can get a little obnoxious, but those scenes go away for the most part halfway through the series. My second issues are the cop characters, Mabu and Reo. I really didn't know their motivations as antagonists and I really didn't care about them...but then the last two episodes changed all of that. I now think that they were one of the best parts of this series. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2IQ4jT6D3ONb3YXepmjTvX5DgopeYw-0rrG1kcTEybo2SbKjCboMp4tLT9PhtUeXNfod678IPALsIXtrPrpwhPmDA8LCqfwjR1-pSmHUvwQQQXCq43MgSHISFAeENiWODX5RlUEqUjpZ/s1600/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+092.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2IQ4jT6D3ONb3YXepmjTvX5DgopeYw-0rrG1kcTEybo2SbKjCboMp4tLT9PhtUeXNfod678IPALsIXtrPrpwhPmDA8LCqfwjR1-pSmHUvwQQQXCq43MgSHISFAeENiWODX5RlUEqUjpZ/s400/Sarazanmai+-+Pic+092.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So with all that being said, I think that <i>Sarazanmai</i> is a great series to check out if you're looking for a deep and meaningful story about friendship or desire and despair. If you're just looking for something weird to make you laugh and maybe cry, definitely check this series out. While this may not be Ikuhara's best anime, I do love this series and I think it may be my favorite anime of this year...maybe <i>The Promised Neverland </i>might be better in my opinion. If you've already watched <i>Sarazanmai</i>, let me know what you thought about it and if you know of other strange anime, feel free to recommend them!</span><br />
<br />AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-83140396944729617862019-06-05T15:00:00.000-07:002019-06-05T16:05:43.420-07:00The Problem with Ranking Anime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E7gQMm8nKBi7xWrlMUvO_9QUNkCMjCEaA1AVFfMse2NaFtRTOZXtzGcN8CwmXU63rDF0GnAtpVaNQWV0WQFfOx0KS50NYU1mMHErMOLzMYvbHZl0irUeWi-ufdq9sn_Wa5vvRAC3Y1_V/s1600/Ranking+Anime+-+Pic+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E7gQMm8nKBi7xWrlMUvO_9QUNkCMjCEaA1AVFfMse2NaFtRTOZXtzGcN8CwmXU63rDF0GnAtpVaNQWV0WQFfOx0KS50NYU1mMHErMOLzMYvbHZl0irUeWi-ufdq9sn_Wa5vvRAC3Y1_V/s400/Ranking+Anime+-+Pic+02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Is one anime better than another?</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">Okay, so "problem" is an overstatement. I don't think that ranking anime or tier lists are a huge problem within the anime community like gatekeeping or offensive memes. By "problem", I mean something more like sitting through a drive-thru for almost a half hour and then having no idea what you want to order as you pull up to the speaker. It's a problem that may be a small inconvenience in the moment but really isn't going to significantly change anyone's life.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZtgtgmXoCBpKVG5HV4bnIMsu233kDR8UC2uK67Fm1GHma4cY95Anzugx1PVp-8bvBgNlmpGdGKVVyXMtZbv7bhih3jsw4RqIXWb1nhnJf_Z0IQOsrFJJ948zyEkQCDwsLYC3Szf23M91/s1600/Skull-face+Bookseller+Honda-san+-+Pic+05.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZtgtgmXoCBpKVG5HV4bnIMsu233kDR8UC2uK67Fm1GHma4cY95Anzugx1PVp-8bvBgNlmpGdGKVVyXMtZbv7bhih3jsw4RqIXWb1nhnJf_Z0IQOsrFJJ948zyEkQCDwsLYC3Szf23M91/s400/Skull-face+Bookseller+Honda-san+-+Pic+05.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">And this is more of a personal problem. It's possible that no one else really has any trouble ranking their top 10 favorite anime or making tier lists. Maybe I'm the only person who has to spend an entire day weighing and analyzing my choices before putting one series or character above another.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJvfQC07bppzeX33PWpechyfBViKK0QNLWJ0ZxfTXqPCeF4f7W1w4OaC5fPK1inmJ_BOiR_3cJFWyZlOhMRTK6bayX9T7SbjQEt8uenZIqduuNYyhyphenhyphenCFgCEvRLhyphenhyphenVmnSINX8wlfPsvZFj/s1600/Moe+Tier+List+-+Pic+001.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Tier lists have been kind of a meme for the past month or so and within the anime community it seems that almost everyone has created a list ranking their favorite series and characters. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJvfQC07bppzeX33PWpechyfBViKK0QNLWJ0ZxfTXqPCeF4f7W1w4OaC5fPK1inmJ_BOiR_3cJFWyZlOhMRTK6bayX9T7SbjQEt8uenZIqduuNYyhyphenhyphenCFgCEvRLhyphenhyphenVmnSINX8wlfPsvZFj/s1600/Moe+Tier+List+-+Pic+001.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="731" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJvfQC07bppzeX33PWpechyfBViKK0QNLWJ0ZxfTXqPCeF4f7W1w4OaC5fPK1inmJ_BOiR_3cJFWyZlOhMRTK6bayX9T7SbjQEt8uenZIqduuNYyhyphenhyphenCFgCEvRLhyphenhyphenVmnSINX8wlfPsvZFj/s400/Moe+Tier+List+-+Pic+001.png" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I decided to make my own tier list and rank anime that can be described as "Cute Girls Doing Cute Things", but I'm not sure if I'm entirely satisfied with it. With some series, I can easily tell you how it stands compared to other series. Like I know that I consider <i>Comic Girls</i> to be a much better show than <i>Wataten!</i>, but I'm not really sure if <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i> is better than <i>Comic Girls</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Comic Girls </i>and <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i> both have casts of cute girls with ambitious dreams, but the tone and style is drastically different. <i>Comic Girls </i>is a lot more colorful and playful. While it's telling a story about girls working hard in order to achieve their dreams, it's also trying to make the viewer laugh from beginning to end. <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i> looks different and is set in a world that's less cartoony and more real. It's playful but it is also dramatic and inspiring. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So the question is: do I prefer laughing or feeling inspired? I guess it depends when you ask me. There are times when I'm in a desperate need of a laugh and other times I need to be inspired and motivated. In other words, sometimes I love <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i>, and other times I love <i>Comic Girls</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mIxiyAsKc05uVKHHR81oIzTMrnDSSmNduSYHj584UNwkIwD1uLmiDM0vXSPyhCSJdQlinQ5gEdXDqHhHqaXcNTTnvQC1wYGmvJzMQSo0RK31s3jISTGFy3cFHe0vyi_UxOp2cDYCv1-h/s1600/Best+Girl+Tier+List+-+Pic+001.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="732" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mIxiyAsKc05uVKHHR81oIzTMrnDSSmNduSYHj584UNwkIwD1uLmiDM0vXSPyhCSJdQlinQ5gEdXDqHhHqaXcNTTnvQC1wYGmvJzMQSo0RK31s3jISTGFy3cFHe0vyi_UxOp2cDYCv1-h/s400/Best+Girl+Tier+List+-+Pic+001.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So it's not easy for me to rank my favorite anime, even by genre, but maybe it's easier for me to choose one character over another. Unfortunately, that's not the case. I decided to make a tier list of Best Girls from the past few years and while I think it was a little easier to make, I'm also not sure if I judged the characters fairly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For example, I chose Aqua from <i>Konosuba </i>as an S-Class Best Girl. She's a useless goddess that's almost always whining or drinking. I think she's hilarious and one of the best parts of <i>Konosuba</i>, but if she was real I would probably instantly hate her. I also ranked Emma from <i>The Promised Neverland</i> as an S-Class Best Girl, but not because she can make me laugh. I put Emma so high on the list because the way that she fights for her family and ideals is inspiring. Emma is the kind of anime hero that I would want to become. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpl8qYrHBQZoZBhKFnvbJ4LKBFp-PAYfhBPLCYAH2ahMoirsuDhb76nxQfgteXJJMaZVAQWTEUACPcaFjqQxvjwX9p7ZADbMpmkGPonENZ17H3528Lwcgfflx0sMIfXrTT9gM5qxrt_lc/s1600/Darling+in+the+Franxx+-+Pic+16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpl8qYrHBQZoZBhKFnvbJ4LKBFp-PAYfhBPLCYAH2ahMoirsuDhb76nxQfgteXJJMaZVAQWTEUACPcaFjqQxvjwX9p7ZADbMpmkGPonENZ17H3528Lwcgfflx0sMIfXrTT9gM5qxrt_lc/s400/Darling+in+the+Franxx+-+Pic+16.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">For me, when it comes to stories and anime, I have trouble choosing favorites. Part of it probably has to do with the way I find something to love in any series. There are not many anime that I can point at and tell you that I hated it. Even <i>Darling in the Franxx</i>, which I use as an example of a bad and disappointing series pretty often; I still loved the adventure of watching it weekly and would probably watch it again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I guess there really isn't a point that I want to make in this post. I just want to share and warn that if you ask me for my favorite anime or favorite character, I probably won't be able to choose just one. And I'll probably change my answer if you ask me the next day. I just love anime and these characters so much that I want all of them to get the attention and praise that they deserve...which is why every blog post that I write can be summarized as "This anime is SOOOOO COOOOOOL!! You need to watch it!!!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-75163215379468026112019-05-31T15:30:00.000-07:002019-05-31T15:34:13.199-07:00Anime Recommendation: When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnozX3q9czZ6JFh7EHuxUqv23TCPRJ72CzgebopaP_LzLglNuID4lgWYEDROXDA6T6jkfkhYa2Tu8n-2XtGgRXgdFN1Pj28j9lHhzc5NK_f-g7rNIDMVpOfAcJ6F9vbFFMyfBl6P5zhVO/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Commonplace+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1500" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnozX3q9czZ6JFh7EHuxUqv23TCPRJ72CzgebopaP_LzLglNuID4lgWYEDROXDA6T6jkfkhYa2Tu8n-2XtGgRXgdFN1Pj28j9lHhzc5NK_f-g7rNIDMVpOfAcJ6F9vbFFMyfBl6P5zhVO/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Commonplace+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another slice-of-life harem anime...but with supernatural powers!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">I'm on a mission to watch every anime from Studio Trigger! I think that plenty of folks in the anime community at least recognize Trigger's more popular series like <i>Kill la Kill </i>and <i>Inferno Cop</i>, and before diving into the Trigger-verse, I was already a fan of <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>, <i>Little Witch Academia</i>, and <i>SSSS.Gridman</i>. For the most part, I love Studio Trigger and the anime that they produce, especially anything from Hiroyuki Imaishi or Akira Amemiya.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyJEpwoIgOb1y-x1G0Q10fOtVLagZhmEfMGheJNwVKXqj6M_G64OSKqVItbI2Nu8pTOTUOo9VIayaHtEZVARVrDNU6WwPnVvAD1dbnGWl5At3JpaXgVH8mYQoY7zageHCC2YI29gc9CZY/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+049.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyJEpwoIgOb1y-x1G0Q10fOtVLagZhmEfMGheJNwVKXqj6M_G64OSKqVItbI2Nu8pTOTUOo9VIayaHtEZVARVrDNU6WwPnVvAD1dbnGWl5At3JpaXgVH8mYQoY7zageHCC2YI29gc9CZY/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+049.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Recently, I've completed one series from Studio Trigger that I really wouldn't think is a Trigger anime if I didn't already know, and that is <i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace</i>, or <i>Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de</i>. Pretty cool title. It sounds like it'll be something ridiculously exciting like <i>Kill la Kill</i> or <i>Space Patrol Luluco</i>. Going into it, I was expecting super-powered antics with mages and monsters in a school setting.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCLJ-3o5v75PAFr5JpiT2aoTqjEcxfV79YKokK2VSBArZNAlcX86VJx4mJzWP_bi3sj7W1lmQEOX_cycqV-fLmumsUZ3cL1pFjLkoFH62IXSQPnjjopEfKXn5SAQ6xMVmLZlbux-HLi_o/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+09.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCLJ-3o5v75PAFr5JpiT2aoTqjEcxfV79YKokK2VSBArZNAlcX86VJx4mJzWP_bi3sj7W1lmQEOX_cycqV-fLmumsUZ3cL1pFjLkoFH62IXSQPnjjopEfKXn5SAQ6xMVmLZlbux-HLi_o/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+09.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">But that's not what <i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace</i> is about at all. It's actually about a literature club made up of some high school kids (and an elementary school student) who suddenly get super powers and just spend their days playing around with their new abilities. And because these kids consist of one guy and several girls, all of the girls are secretly in love with the guy and trying to win his affection. Meanwhile there is some kind of "Fairy War" going on that the main cast gets mixed up with for a little bit, but it really doesn't have to do with the main story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace</i> is a slice-of-life harem anime, so if you're looking for cool action scenes with super-powered drama, this isn't the anime for you. I'm actually not a fan of harem anime because most of the time the humor is lewd and starts to get tedious. But even more than that, I end up getting attached to all the girls and I want them all to end up with the guy of their dreams even though he's usually unbelievable dense. Fortunately, <i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace</i> doesn't have a lot of ecchi jokes and it's more about the friendship between the characters rather than romance.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYdlR2S7MkjUXVSCbeAfrxZ5ZGYZMcroYV58jq08HoUF-GynWJEGMNXzPRaeFZFlzLghyf0cG97kQjpeMR7b7Do2aS9kBG_sg03sUYvg7IryvI9xeEJtImJmNJt_gDIEjSrCX1E2vdw3A/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+043.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYdlR2S7MkjUXVSCbeAfrxZ5ZGYZMcroYV58jq08HoUF-GynWJEGMNXzPRaeFZFlzLghyf0cG97kQjpeMR7b7Do2aS9kBG_sg03sUYvg7IryvI9xeEJtImJmNJt_gDIEjSrCX1E2vdw3A/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+043.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So because this is a harem anime, I think that the best way for me to sell it is by highlighting the main girls pining for the chuunibyou lead, Jurai Andou. The first is Tomoya Kanzaki who ends up with the ability "Closed Clock" which allows her to freeze time so that she can move things around and make it seem like she's vanished or teleported in an instant. Like Jurai, Tomoya is also a bit of a chuunibyou but is embarrassed by that fact and tries to hide her interests from the others in the literature club.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivbQ9WFoZeaKC-DMnDtLJTVtSp734_-Z8r0_-ALQUnR4gf5Lbv-6Oh7wdE5FI128ac1QmR9CkqGKkTP6PZzrS8WnGPXe8JcoAdlL3DX5G_DJiWAajU68OKEHjrTCOktZuQEpAVgdagetn/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+057.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivbQ9WFoZeaKC-DMnDtLJTVtSp734_-Z8r0_-ALQUnR4gf5Lbv-6Oh7wdE5FI128ac1QmR9CkqGKkTP6PZzrS8WnGPXe8JcoAdlL3DX5G_DJiWAajU68OKEHjrTCOktZuQEpAVgdagetn/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+057.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">There is also Jurai's childhood friend, Hatoko Kushikawa, who is close to being my favorite and really got me in the feels at one point. She has the power "Over Element" which lets her manipulate basic elements like water, fire, earth, and air. Even though she's Jurai's oldest friend, Hatoko really doesn't get his chuunibyou interests. None of it makes sense to her and it all sounds contradictory, but she still makes an effort to listen and remember all of his nonsense.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhZ-3ixo_Ms3kowooCoawTQDgTOgTJQRxKhpAH-aZYxU7aYA9kxkXXzEN07f1izRlq7E8b3HCDfCrPLapG0pZAux-6UvhUz-yiNOkd-geSxEj8Rl3pjNjTBxP4zK75tc8RjPiXzTD63Lu/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhZ-3ixo_Ms3kowooCoawTQDgTOgTJQRxKhpAH-aZYxU7aYA9kxkXXzEN07f1izRlq7E8b3HCDfCrPLapG0pZAux-6UvhUz-yiNOkd-geSxEj8Rl3pjNjTBxP4zK75tc8RjPiXzTD63Lu/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1LAkwtUxNkVlFtLmRwIkq1Ql-7iFqdDRna5PJtHqGyw4qf4m9PWQD4vN9395KQxOzkOxgCOJqvNDBNmNi9nfN8-UCE4JjnGmdu-v-vI8ycb32YuQxx_Y4SiKs1gk7PVIDENhs9ICiIMw/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">The elementary school student is Chifuyu Himeki and she just likes hanging out with high schoolers instead of kids her own age, though she does have one friend, Cookie, that really cares for her. Chifuyu has the power "World Create" and can use it to create anything, whether it be costumes, portals through space, or robots. She also has a crush on Jurai who fortunately sees her as a little sister and does what he can to make sure she's happy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrOaDHuWR8aIkNL0DfcpAZguvYMgp6JUN71ry7qsBe8L93Yk8gaippNKYfjgCn2xTcC7R_ujOqHBkfnLarFYuGMOlGO7smrd78WzJeweP-gteh3MbU7kzeKtiMR4elEb4krTGnR66qZpx/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+026.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrOaDHuWR8aIkNL0DfcpAZguvYMgp6JUN71ry7qsBe8L93Yk8gaippNKYfjgCn2xTcC7R_ujOqHBkfnLarFYuGMOlGO7smrd78WzJeweP-gteh3MbU7kzeKtiMR4elEb4krTGnR66qZpx/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+026.png" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">The final member of the literature club is Sayumi Takanashi, the club president and the most mature of the group. She's responsible and is very much an "onee-san" type character, especially since she does have a younger sister who makes an appearance at one point. Sayumi's power is "Root of Origins" which can return anything to it's original state. So clothes that have become dirtied can become clean with just a touch, and any bruises or cuts can be instantly healed. And like the other girls, Sayumi is in love with her foolish club member, Jurai.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI8lTxcubj5dzVMh3cb_2dOlt_45oKSYr6oWZvLIBnDlG3wJwI6G8O3c-vREshM-SJBBmu5Tl7sL5cBTq831Bl4zE0rhBwc-WEBmgavNUQR4BqpL06vwHLcnTtPjPHhAcPTdVZVVYjkCo/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+041.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI8lTxcubj5dzVMh3cb_2dOlt_45oKSYr6oWZvLIBnDlG3wJwI6G8O3c-vREshM-SJBBmu5Tl7sL5cBTq831Bl4zE0rhBwc-WEBmgavNUQR4BqpL06vwHLcnTtPjPHhAcPTdVZVVYjkCo/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+041.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So then which of these lovely ladies is my favorite and deserves the title "Best Girl". None of them, because from the beginning I quickly fell in love with school's student council president, Mirei Kudou. She's a "do things by the book" and "follow the rules" kind of girl who is always ready to reprimand the literature club, but actually just wants to get closer to them and make friends. Also when she misunderstands and thinks that Jurai's confessed his love to her, she quickly falls head over heels for him and she proves to be adorable. Definitely my favorite character from this series and I wish she was more involved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">At this point, I should probably go into Jurai Andou's character and highlight what makes him special...but he is just the protagonist and in a harem anime, fans come for the girls. And honestly, he's just a chuunibyou otaku who really loves his friends but is too dense to see that they're all in love with him. There's nothing too special about him.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aRwoQAq1I7PlZLQQ_wCmC_pKkcvEQ58gIhSYWaC8pOFqZPQ0NYZF3N9mdcBonkKrbwbK3p5xl4AR4QDXDfIOpwxlLXRPLdxAIIayCue-riH6A1F3KYpQZSgSviJKYWZ8-4lf7AaJYqaK/s1600/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+035.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aRwoQAq1I7PlZLQQ_wCmC_pKkcvEQ58gIhSYWaC8pOFqZPQ0NYZF3N9mdcBonkKrbwbK3p5xl4AR4QDXDfIOpwxlLXRPLdxAIIayCue-riH6A1F3KYpQZSgSviJKYWZ8-4lf7AaJYqaK/s400/When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Common+Place+-+Pic+035.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">What I do want to get into is how <i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace</i> has two stories going on throughout the series. There is the main story about the girls trying to win the heart of Jurai, and then there is a side story about a "Fairy War" and these superhumans fighting against one another. The side story is really not the focus of the anime and even though it sounds interesting, it's pushed off to the side too much for me to care. Maybe it's more important in the light novel that this anime is based off of, but I really wish it wasn't brought up at all in the anime.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmFH-ph6hg3QsV3MVVHrD8Wp2e1-9yl9P8xbYifu6TfQN0wMxX6DbyACeV79YxQhVvyV0_BLWokYhDbDo2fHvpQARiBLw0gYMtv79UpZt7jFboRCM-BNItSxrOKrFtpHfGmFWip-ZAEi8/s1600/Anime+Recommendation+-+When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Commonplace+-+Pic+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmFH-ph6hg3QsV3MVVHrD8Wp2e1-9yl9P8xbYifu6TfQN0wMxX6DbyACeV79YxQhVvyV0_BLWokYhDbDo2fHvpQARiBLw0gYMtv79UpZt7jFboRCM-BNItSxrOKrFtpHfGmFWip-ZAEi8/s400/Anime+Recommendation+-+When+Supernatural+Battles+Become+Commonplace+-+Pic+02.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So because of the really vague "Fairy War", the lack of episodes with Mirei Kudou, and for being a harem anime that toys with my emotions, I have to rate it as a 7/10. It's not bad and I do think it has an interesting spice for being a slice-of-life harem anime, but it teases that it will do more and it doesn't. And it also didn't make me want to binge watch it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But if you're a Trigger completionist like me, then I suggest you watch <i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace </i>right away. At the very least, it is a fun and relaxing show that is just a little disappointing towards the end. However, it is still very amusing and has a couple really touching moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you've already seen <i>When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace</i>, let me know what you though of it. Also, feel free to recommend me other Trigger anime or other harem anime that involve super-powered characters.</span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-75531158567743948962019-05-26T13:22:00.000-07:002019-05-26T16:54:42.625-07:00How is Anime in Spring 2019?!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrD0aAy0-tug5ATA4nMnWwHp_Azder3ofr7BsPxTWiZsGt-oXvAswDTuZS9uX4SxK9eTRPZPwZOgm3YFWcw5ZmiTqS96wsGup6QqKKKFhnho39yxPLCD_A9iEzCKiIC-m8rMM3NOSvcYiX/s1600/Thoughts+on+Spring+Anime+2019+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrD0aAy0-tug5ATA4nMnWwHp_Azder3ofr7BsPxTWiZsGt-oXvAswDTuZS9uX4SxK9eTRPZPwZOgm3YFWcw5ZmiTqS96wsGup6QqKKKFhnho39yxPLCD_A9iEzCKiIC-m8rMM3NOSvcYiX/s400/Thoughts+on+Spring+Anime+2019+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm actually keeping up with a lot more anime this season compared to last!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">I keep hearing fans say that this season of anime is a little weaker than previous seasons and I disagree. I think that this Spring season has a lot more shows that appeal more to my tastes. I'm a fan of comedies and I like shows with cute anime girls. This season there are a lot of shows like that. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What did I drop?</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS-rE8HotWpobgRoiMPkZFycP8yTZ9jaBCXYuvKj6ZnLQvaVOoY7kDW01sscyLNDbFi3s078hgkgo3H8wBa56yhMBeciiDBtrNl4myE-2iU_omgok5pAv7x21mca1uBo0xTup7-pWOeNU/s1600/Thoughts+on+Spring+Anime+2019+-+Pic+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS-rE8HotWpobgRoiMPkZFycP8yTZ9jaBCXYuvKj6ZnLQvaVOoY7kDW01sscyLNDbFi3s078hgkgo3H8wBa56yhMBeciiDBtrNl4myE-2iU_omgok5pAv7x21mca1uBo0xTup7-pWOeNU/s400/Thoughts+on+Spring+Anime+2019+-+Pic+02.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">There have been a few disappointments this Spring season. Of course, there are always going to be one or two shows that just aren't for me, but there also some shows that I was actually really hyped for that just didn't hook me. <i>Joshi Kausei</i> and <i>Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki</i> seem like they'd be perfect for me. Unfortunately, I didn't find the silent humor of <i>Joshi Kausei</i> to be that funny and the jokes in <i>Yatogame-chan</i> just flew over my head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Going into this season, I was really excited about <i>Cinderella Nine</i>. Even though I've never played the mobile game that it's based off of, I did enjoy the YouTube videos with Kizuna Ai and <i>Cinderella Nine </i>character Tsubasa Arihara. But the anime itself just wasn't that interesting...but I may get back into it at a later time. And then there is <i>Fairy Gone</i>: an action anime that had a lot of hype going for it. With a name like <i>Fairy Gone</i>, I was sure that it was going to be magical and awesome. Instead I found it to be kinda meh.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What Am I Still Watching?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are actually quite a few shows that I'm watching this Spring season, but I really want to highlight just a few. Now that we're in the middle of the season, these are the anime that I am confident that I won't be dropping anytime soon.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fruits Basket</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know that a lot of people already loved the original <i>Fruits Basket </i>anime, so there was always a chance that I'd go into this over-hyped reboot and not get it. Fortunately, that is far from the case with this anime. I love Tohru and I just want her to be happy. I love both Kyo and Yuki, and I don't think I'd be too mad if Tohru ended up with one instead of the other. I also really like Kagura and I want to see more of her in the future. I think that <i>Fruits Basket</i> is definitely a contender for anime of the season.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Senryu Girl</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This anime is just adorable and sweet, exactly what I want from my anime. Even though she can only speak through poems, Nanako is adorable and I want her to be happy with her "thug" boyfriend. The shy artist Kino Yakobe is also just as cute, and so is the fortune teller Tao Hanakai, and so is...Ah! <i>Senryu Girl</i> has so many adorable and hilarious characters. I also appreciate the lewder jokes. And because the episodes are short, I never feel like they drag on or get boring.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Hitoribocchi</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This season just keeps getting cuter! <i>Hitoribocchi </i>is about a shy middle school student on a mission to become friends with everyone in her class. This anime is both adorable and relatable to anyone who's socially awkward and shy. Throughout every episode, I'm either laughing, going "aw...", or just nodding and saying, "same". And Bocchi's friends are also just as great. I love them all, especially her ninja-obsessed "weeb" friend. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sarazanmai</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">On it's surface, </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Sarazanmai</i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> is an anime with a lot of strange and homoerotic imagery along with some brief and repetitive musical numbers. And I think that's not an inaccurate description, but </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Sarazanmai</i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> is also about exploring how we connect with our friends and family. It offers a glimpse into the barriers we put up to keep others out, the secrets we keep that make it hard for others to connect with us, and the lengths that we'll go to in order to please the ones we want to connect with. I love most Ikuhara anime and even though this anime has more cute boys than cute girls, it's still one of my favorites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's all I really have to say about this season. It's coming to an end pretty soon, but I'm enjoying the ride so far. Before we start prepping for the Summer season, let me know how you're feeling about this Spring season. What anime do you love? What anime do you hate? What anime do you think I should give a second chance?</span><br />
<br />AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3413147106578560959.post-46361692616983704812019-05-24T16:30:00.000-07:002019-05-24T16:30:02.479-07:00That Moment When an Anime Becomes a Favorite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5igqDqVAUQenlq1ZlwxbSLONfYlq3G3qrbAbwhMXg6ZjSZb6ze-wLKd_O00b6txmLbCoib7sfr7IdPbrr5OXjBO8BC5pE0KfuJLmxXxJxnWKaIpBF4dZyqCTRVQzLXCerIZO2pNRFfN9/s1600/Discovering+a+Favorite+Anime+-+Pic+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5igqDqVAUQenlq1ZlwxbSLONfYlq3G3qrbAbwhMXg6ZjSZb6ze-wLKd_O00b6txmLbCoib7sfr7IdPbrr5OXjBO8BC5pE0KfuJLmxXxJxnWKaIpBF4dZyqCTRVQzLXCerIZO2pNRFfN9/s400/Discovering+a+Favorite+Anime+-+Pic+01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's a great feeling when you realize you're in love with an anime...</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">It may not be much of a surprise, but a lot of people in the anime community love anime. While it's a meme to call anime trash, there are many stories and series that are beloved within the medium of anime. Every season, I am introduced to a barrage of new anime and every now and then friends will recommend me other series that I should check out. More often than not, I'm able to get some kind of enjoyment from the shows that I watch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But every so often, I start watching an anime and I start to feel something special. It may be that I connect with a character, or a scene leaves me in awe, but I just get the feeling that I am witnessing something spectacular. It's in that moment that an anime becomes a favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Everyone has a favorite anime. Some people can immediately tell you their absolute favorite series and some may give you their top five if they think about it for a few minutes. But as start to watch more and more anime, you eventually find a few series that stand out as favorites. From here, I can analyze specifically what an anime tends to bring to the table in order to become a favorite...but I don't want to do that today. I just want to celebrate that single moment when an anime becomes a favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In January of 2018, I remember watching <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i> for the first time. The winter season had just started and <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i> was one of the first anime to air. I really didn't know what to expect going into the anime. It was an original series so there were no manga readers to hype it up. But in that opening scene, I watched Mari Tamaki wake up and then start crying because she felt like she was wasting her youth. From that one scene, I started to feel something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe it was the slow pace and the absence of music, or maybe it was the way that Mari was genuinely sad that her youth was finite, but from that scene I got a feeling that I had found an anime that would become my favorite. After every episode, I was on the brink of tears cheering on the girls as they pursued their adventure. I was telling everyone who would listen that <i>A Place Further than the Universe</i> was the best anime of the year...and the year had barely started.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes it doesn't take much for an anime to become someone's favorite. Sometimes you just know within the first few minutes and you just can't contain your excitement. And then there are times when an anime doesn't immediately strike you as special. It's not bad, but it doesn't seem to be phenomenal. There are anime that don't immediately grab you and declare that they are a force to be reckoned with. They linger around and slowly demonstrate their value before becoming a favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Revue Starlight</i> came out in the summer of 2018 and even though it wasn't a huge hit in the anime community, it left it's mark for a niche audience. I mean an anime about stage girls battling it out with swords and spears on a living stage while a talking giraffe watches is sure to make some kind of impact. It definitely caught my attention. I liked <i>Revue Starlight</i>...but it was not a favorite for me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiS4-wgV3kMj81dUX1yMA7bm8f3Z3Z2XqVz_rI1iYELWBrjr46lPvJNfUdrKmlSusZv6QmIIx1xHClL7jQNLpbmiE1I5po54gwDMKQyz1Xl4QyLwXOn5q8uL7KD2OeFXnLOQJaFRuIZ9OK/s1600/Revue+Starlight+-+Pic+050.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiS4-wgV3kMj81dUX1yMA7bm8f3Z3Z2XqVz_rI1iYELWBrjr46lPvJNfUdrKmlSusZv6QmIIx1xHClL7jQNLpbmiE1I5po54gwDMKQyz1Xl4QyLwXOn5q8uL7KD2OeFXnLOQJaFRuIZ9OK/s400/Revue+Starlight+-+Pic+050.png" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Revue Starlight</i> was an anime that I loved watching as it was airing, and there were characters that I loved. Mahiru and Nana's story arcs were great. But in the end, I didn't really feel attached to it...and that's fine. Not every anime is going to be a masterpiece to everyone. (And maybe I was disappointed that no one ended up getting stabbed)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But as time went on, there were moments that made me think more about <i>Revue Starlight</i>. Maybe I'd see a post about it on Twitter or I'd be talking with a friend about my favorite "sword girls" and I'd mention <i>Revue Starlight</i>. It's an anime that just rattled around in my head and it started to grow on me. I've even been playing the new <i>Revue Starlight</i> gacha game and it reminded me how much I love those stage girls. It took time, but I would definitely call <i>Revue Starlight </i>one of my favorite anime series.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So there are some anime series that just hit you hard and become instant favorites and then there are some that require time to think about before they reveal their brilliance. But however it happens, it's such a good feeling. While I like watching anime, talking about anime with friends, and engaging with the anime community, it's awesome to find a new show to hype up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We're currently in the middle of this year's Spring season and there's an anime that has stolen my heart. Ever since I watched <i>Penguindrum</i>, I've been a fan of Kunihiko Ikuhara and I've been eagerly awaiting his latest anime <i>Sarazanmai</i>. I had a feeling that I was going to like it, but so far I am loving it. I never would have thought that an anime about kappas pulling desire out of zombies' butts would hit me so hard in the feels. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But seriously, that is what makes watching anime and discovering a favorite anime such a special feeling. Sometimes, you just don't know when you're going to find that diamond in the rough. It's what makes being an anime fan almost magical. I think at this point, you get the feeling that I'm talking about and I'm sure you've felt it a couple times yourself. If so, let me know what made you fall in love with your favorite anime, or tell me about a series that you didn't expect to love.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>AJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06237762925131981121noreply@blogger.com0