Wednesday, September 28, 2005

   Sleep? ... What's that?
Bwaha. I feel like an AMV banner. Gee, I wonder why.

Well, I wasn't feeling too great all day. My stomach hurt so badly it felt like I was going to implode, or something of the sort. Gruesome. So I didn't eat all day and went to bed early (11pm. Yes. That is early.) but ended up waking up no more than two hours later. Why? Because I'm so used to fuctioning of two hours, three hours of sleep that it's physically impossible for me to sleep any longer than that. *sigh* My internal clock is so screwy.

Anyway, from about 2:30am I've been downloading anime music videos. I started with a few random animes, anything with a song from Savage Garden. But then I got drawn in by a specific anime and changed my search to that.

It was Full Moon wo Sagashite. There's something about this series that really draws me in.

"While the beginning of it seems to be all fun and games, Full Moon wo Sagashite is moving drama. The latter half of the series is full of heart-wrenching moments, and the endearing cast of characters truly shines throughout it all."

I quote from a website. But it seems to be true. *has only seen clips from the anime from numerous AMVs* >< But I am reading the manga! Waiting anxiously for volume three, I am.

Anyway, I'm too blurry minded to come up with my own summary and whatnot *knows the entire storyline, spite of seeing none and reading very little* so I'm just going to give you the webbie that I think explains it best, with minimum spoilers. xP You see, it's okay for my to ruin the series for myself. But I hate to ruin it for others.

http://www.animeacademy.com/finalrevdisplay.php?id=106

I quote again. "Even with an emotional roller coaster of a final quarter, a great story and some solid music, I still hesitate to recommend Full Moon wo Sagashite because most of it is simply depressing. If you do watch this series, make sure you have a hankie available; you will be using it."

This I do not agree with! x/ I love emotional animes! I love animes that leave me helplessly sobbing at the end. (Like some episodes of Fushigi Yugi T_T I still cry over them when I watch them. Sometimes all I need is a picture.) To me, this is what makes an anime a masterpiece. Any "cartoon" with characters made of nothing but color pixels that can leave someone crying and hiccuping at the end has got to be something great.

So please. Don't take that last quote to heart. -_-; When the series is finally released to America (whenever that is), I highly reccomend you give it a chance. Until then, read the manga. Like me. x)

~Myste

Note: If you're going to spoil the series for yourself, go to www.animemusicvideos.org, Super search, Full Moon wo Sagashite, and just download all of them. o_o They're all so great. >_<

Now. Now I must sleep. *cough* Yeah right.
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Sunday, September 25, 2005

   Mythical Detective Loki
Well for the September cernterfold in my Newtype USA magazine, I was surprised to see not only a male character, but a fully clothes male character. If any of you readign this subscribe to this magazine, you'd know all too well the centerfolds are normally guy-targested. xP Not too great for me, but there are a few good ones from time to time.

Anyway. The character featured on the centerfold was a young Loki, from Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok. I loved the look of it, so I read a little more in depth about the series, and it really caught my attention.

I could be totally wrong, but my perspective of the storyline I've merged with the Anime Network summary. But see, I thought it was a little short... So yeah. Read on.

This series seems to revolve, character wise, around the gods of mythology. Anyone familiar with such would know Loki is the Norse God of Mischief. There are also appearances by such as Thor the Thunder God and so forth.

Loki though has been exiled to the human world for what was apparently was a bad joke. Along with being exiled, he’s forced to take the form of a child. What could be worse, right? Well, this guy seems to make light of the situation.

The maturity of an older teen portrayed in a little boy is too cute for me. The appeal is just too much. ^^; Oh, I'm so hopeless.

ANYWAY. He’s told the only way he can get back to the world of the gods is if he can collect auras of evil that take over human hearts, and so to do this he runs a detective agency. Funny. A child running a detective agency. Of course he has help. Loki is soon joined by a human girl named Mayura who is a maniac for mysteries, a bit of a compulsive obsessive if you ask me, but she helps in her own way.

However, soon other Norse gods begin to appear, and most have the intent to assassinate Loki for reasons unclear.

----

In ym oppinion so far, judging by a single solitary episode (#2. Hey, you can't blame me. It hasn't been released to the public yet!) I think its more of a cutsey kind of anime. But amongst that, there is a deeper, darker plot intended for the more observational and older audience as well as the younger group that may be tuning in.

The characters are awsome. I love them already. Thor is great. X3 But I absolutely adore Loki, child-like form as well as his regular 17-19 whatever form.

The voices could have been matched a little better though. It's not something you're going to be pulling your hair out for during every episode, but it is quite annoying until you get used to them. For example. What I've heard of older Loki's voice, its very scratchy and kind of... uh... shrill? =/ And as for wehn he's younger, its done by a woman. And in my oppinion, its sickeningly obvious. I can usually define the differences between an actual man's voice and a woman tryign to pass, but this one I think my baby cousin could point out to me if I asked her to look for it.

Thor... Eh. I dunno. His voice isn't too bad. (Note that I am callign him Thor so not to give away any anime spoilers. Figure it out on your own.) It could be better, but it would eb a lot worse. So I'm not complaining.

Lastly, I'd like to bring attention to Yamino. Excuse me if my spelling is off. He. Is. Awsome. x3 Green hair. Glasses. A bit of a spaz. But he's great. That's all i'm gonan tell you about him though, yet again for the sake of spoiling it for people.

I'd have to give this anime a 4.9/5. It's just so great in my eyes. If this changes, which it probably will, I might come and change this. But perhaps not.

I love writing anime reviews. x3 I'm so easily entertained sometimes.

But to finish it up, I hope you check out the anime. It's being released mid October, so when the 15th or so rolls around start keeping an eye out for it. It is highly! recommended.

~Myste
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Wednesday, August 31, 2005

   Wow, a little happy face thingy. When was the last time you saw one of those?! ^_^
Soooooo. I had yet another icky day. What is it with August? It's gotta have something against me this year. Thankfully its over. >< In about two hours that is. Hopefully September will be a bit better.

(Currently Playing: Greenday - Wake Me Up When September Ends)

What I'm going to do for this entry is make a top ten list (or whatever it happens to reach) of the hottest semi-new animes out there. Keep in mind this will be based upon my tastes, so if you buy something and don't like it, don't blam it on me. :x A friend of mine asked though, so I decided hey, why not. So here goes.


1. Spiral - Considered: Suspense, Mystery - Rating: 4 3/4 out of 5.
I actually just finished the anime last night. See, I can't give anything about the ending away, but I will tell you to watch the commentary on the last episode. I want to meet those people. <3 But how'd I get off on that leaf? The anime was different from many you see today. In some episodes it was like I was watching CSI or Law and Order, but with that japanese twist and several times more exciting. It amazed me the intelligence displayed in that anime. You'll actually be learning while you watch. It's an interesting display of wits with constant challenges of the mind. And if you like explosions and bombs, there's a lot of that too. x3
The story is about the younger brother of this uber-sucessful guy. One day the brother (Ayumu) gets a call from his elder sibling (Kiyotaka) saying that he's going to pursue the mystery of the blade children, and the call ends. Little did Ayumu know, when a girl is almost murdered in his own school and he's framed as the prime suspect, he was following directly in his brother's footsteps. Before long Ayumu finds himself wrapped tightly in the same mystery which caused his brother's disappearance. With help from a nosey school mate who always happens to have the right information at the right time, can he suceed his brother and gain confidence in himself? And what about these blade children, will the mystery unfold as time carries? Only one way to find out. =D

2. Fruits Basket - Considered: Cutsey with a twist! - Rating: It doesn't even compare to the manga, but still very good. 4/5.
Okay, this is definately a shojo targeted anime. The Sohma family has been placed under a curse for as long as any of the members can remember. When their bodies are placed under extreme stress, or they are hugged by a member of the oposite sex, they turn in to one of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and a thirteenth as the cat who has a bit extra under the tough exterior. I'd recommend it to anyone of any age, male or female. ^_^ Though the girls are more likely to enjoy it.
Anyway, the voices fit each and every character to perfection, the characteristics to each is very rounded and individual. While the anime takes on a lot of a comedic scene, there are some very serious twists and turns on the rollercoaster of Furuba. Discover things about the Zodiac members and be puzzled by the mysterious ambiance given off by Akito along with Tohru as she is suddenly thrust in to a situation unimaginable. And then when you are left in the dust with no answers at the end of the anime, turn to the manga. x)

3. Kodacha - Considered: Cutsey to the max, but utterly hillarious. - Rating: I'll have to hold off. I've only seen one DVD, but so far it's great. x3 I love it!
Meet eleven year old Sana. She plays in a popular TV sitcom know as "Child's Play" and has recently entered the sixth grade. Stuck up movie star in average situations type thing? Not quite. Her school isn't exactly ordinary, or at least not her classroom. The boys are completely out of control, being lead like a pack of dogs (or monkeys, as they put it in the anime) by the head honcho around that place; Akito. Their poor teacher is put under tortures from smoke bombs to paint guns, and not even her trusty Mr. (Crap I forget his name) can help her. Why? Akito has something on the teachers. Blackmail. Such a dirty trick.
The group hates anyone who opposes them, going to extreme levels to keep their pride in tact. But when a member of the band thinks its gone too far, he helps Sana get a bit of blackmail of her own of the one and only Akito! The Monkey King! (don't ask) Though while doing so, she finds out life for Akito isn't as fruitiful as one would have guessed. With poor Akito at Sana's every command, the boys rallying against their former leader, and Sana's habbit to spontaneously burst in to song, get swept away by the hillarious comedy for all ages: KODACHA!
Might I add the voices are very well picked, aside from Akito. Jerry Jewel (also the voice of Kyo Sohma) is a bit too mature sounding for an eleven year old, but you'll grow to love him in spite of it. And for all you female anime fans out there, Sana's got an awfully hot agent with an awfully smooth voice. xP (Yay for Rei!) But considering how I haven't seem more than four episodes myself, I can't really say much more. ^_^ I'm expecting it to get very interesting between Sana's wavering emotions toward Akito as well as his family problems... We'll just have to find out together this time. ^^

4. The Place Promised in Our Early Days - Considered: Love story meets the SciFi Channel - Raiting: 4 1/2 out of 5.
This is the story about three friends, and spands over several years of their lives. It's about relationships between friends, between first loves, and how those relationships carry in to their futures. It's a very dramatic movie, certainly something I would suggest for an older audience, and without doubt not a thing to watch while you're multi-tasking. I can't give much away, so you'll just have to see for yourself.

5. Ai Yori Aoshi - Considered: Emotional Love Story, by far - Rating: Depends on which series you're talking about. The first, totally awsome. Couldn't have loved it more. The second, eh, so-so. It would have been much better if they'd have actually gotten somewhere. Unfortunately, I have to drag down the rating because of this. It's a shame, but still. It's made it to my recommendation list. That's gotta be something, huh? 3 1/2 out of 5.

This anime revolves around your every day college student, Kaoru Hanabishi. Nothing unusual about him, aside from the fact that he's got a number of attractive young women after his heart, living in the same mansion with all of them, carrying on a relationship with his "landlord" that no one can know about for the sake of the most important kimono making factory in all of Tokyo, and probably all of Japan, AND all of this is placed with the magnitude of a shady and painful past. It left more than emotional scars over Kaoru's heart, but he has quite a few physical suveniors as well.
It begin when he an his childhood sweetheart (from an arranged marriage which was later cut off when Kaoru left the Hanabishi House) have a chance encounter on a bus. Aoi is in search of the only man she's had feelings for her entire life, and after a discouraging revelation and a kind invite into his home, she discovers a picture revealing the identities of the two. She is thrilled, and very persistant upon becomign his wife. But Kaoru is no more than a mere commoner, barely making it by in a small apartment, living alone with nothing to offer her. Of course, Daddy cannot allow his only daughter to move in to such a low social stature, but cannot overlook the happiness of her either. With a bit of encouragement and a watchful eye, Kaoru and Aoi are permitted to live together and provided a fancy Western -That would be us Amaericans x3- style mansion. (Though note, not under the same roof. More like the same yard.) Along the way they pick up some straglers, and this is where the love triangles begin.
Understand, I can't even begin to explain this. Imagine the raw emotion from your first love, the tenderness of each moment, and the uncertainties of every move. Then mix it in to a secret relationship, doused with many complex obstacles in the path ahead. But don't stop there. Keep in mind the two have had past experinces with eachother, and were once engaged in an arrangement for marriage. ( Thoguh they were both rather young) The intensity of their love is just completely beyond words.
Perhaps I'm getting a bit over my head here. At the time, I could very much relate to the events in the anime, but that's a chapter of my own past I'd rather not get involved with. So perhaps I enjoyed it much more than you would, but like everything else, there's only one way to find out.


Okay, so we only made it to five. But still, those are some awsome animes up there, even though the last one isn't exactly new. You gotta check 'em out though, don't just take my word for it. Note, none of these are presented on television. You'll have to go out and buy them. I'm a proud supporter of Media Play. Why? Because the people who work there know me by name. ;)

But that's all for now. I had fun writing it. ^_^ Maybe again sometime.


-Myste


P.S. I want my Newtype Magazine! Walden Books (now Boarders) might have stopped carrying it. ;_;
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Friday, August 26, 2005

Lately...
Ah... I don't know what it is. Lately though, Ive just been really down. Thing's changed other than school begining, but that's not enough to depress me.

Right now, fireworks are booming. Fireworks... Usually for happy occasions. It's just dragging me down farther, because I'm far from happy. I'm just goign to assume the Steelers won the game and that's why they're celebrating. Why else?

Anyway though...

Feh. I don't know where I'm goign with this. I don't nkow why I'm writing it to begin with.

Maybe I'm just overwhelmed. Maybe my brain is malfunctioning. Damn, I with those fireworks would stop.

Perhaps it would help if I put on mroe upbeat music. Playing now is Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends.

Have you seen that music video? Talk about emotional. It actually made me cry. Not the first time, not the second time, the third time. Guess its true what they say, third time's the charm?

Oh well... I need someone to talk to right now. Someone to take my mind off of whatever's bothering me.

It bugs me most that I don't even know what it is. Just a constant throb. It's not in the pit of my stomach, not in my throat, but somewhere inbetween. My heart maybe... But it has no reason to hurt.

*sneezes* Fireworks stopped.

Now its just quiet...
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Tuesday, July 12, 2005

   Kennywood!
Went to Kennywood yesterday. It was actually a lot of fun. I had quite a few chances to to earlier in the year, but I wanted to wait for my nephew to get in town and go with him. ^_^; Yes, the same evil, twisted, demented, sadistic Michael. But I'm staring to enjoy his company. He's still that hideously annoying little boy, but I guess some maturity is begining to show through. Very little, but nonetheless.

Anyway, we had a great time.

There were a few times when I was hit with a tinge of pain, caused by certain sights that I really can't list because of some of the people who actually read this. Wouldn't want to put any ideas in their heads. =x

There was also I time where I thought I was going to be stuck at Kennywood for hours. See, I've ridden the Phantom's Revenge numerous times before, but when Michael wanted to go on it with me, for some reason I couldn't bring myself to go. It terrified me. So my sister went with him, and I waited for them at the entrance to Lost Kennywood. (which by the way, you can see the tracks from) So I browsed around in the giftshop, bought a few things, and went outside to wait for them.

You can almost always hear the rumble of that thing. So five minutes later when it fell completely silent, I knew something was wrong. Looked up, and there was the cart. Stuck. With people in it. Then people started walking out of the line saying things like "I can't believe they closed it" or "I'm glad I wasn't on it when it broke down." So I run to the exit and ask the guy if he saw Michael and Christina (they're kinda hard to miss) get off, and he said he hadn't.

So there I am, freaking out. n_n; Poor paranoid me. I run back to where you can see the cart, and there's another lady there freaking out, so we freak out together.

Then Michael comes hurling out of the gift shop.
Me: "....Oh." So they weren't stuck up there. But as it turns out, They had gotten off directly before it got stuck. Few more people, and they would have been up there.

About 20 minutes after it stopped moving, they got the thing running again and everyone got off okay.

So those were my 2005 adventures of Kennywood. So much more entertaining than last year, where I went with someone who I later discovered didn't ride anything. -_- Ah well.

Toodle-loo.

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