7/30/05 ~ 2:10 AM

On Thursday I finally opened my Tales of Symphonia game that has been collecting dust on my DVD rack. I always wanted to play it so bad but I never felt the need to take it out. Well I'm glad I finally did. Tales of Symphonia is awesome. The field is a bit weird, but the anime cut scenes are amazing! I must have played it for 3 hours straight on Thursday.

 

  7/30/05 ~ 2:13 AM(edited)

My favorite shojo manga at this point is called Hana Kimi. I actually found it by mistake when I was browsing mangas online. Currently 12 volumes are out with the 13th coming in August and the 14th in October. I've read all the volumes so far and I like it a lot. If your into hilarious school drama this is for you.



It really is a very funny manga. You come to like Mizuki and all the rest of the characters really fast. The story is great, and is still expanding to over 13 volumes! Yay Hana Kimi!






 





 


Now a bit on shojo. (gleam) Out of regular shojo titles from Viz Media, (link in previous paragraph) my favorite is between Hana Kimi and Hot Gimmick. Both of them have a lot of volumes to their names; Hot Gimmick still going on its 12th volume, and Hana Kimi on its 13th. I already talked a bit about Hana Kimi, so here's a bit on Hot Gimmick.

Released by : Viz (Shojo)
Released date : October 2003
Age Rating : Older Teen
Romance
Comedy
Drama


Hot Gimmick really is a great manga. Not only about the relationships, Hot Gimmick has a lot of mystery and hardship as the plot progresses. At first seeing this manga online, I didn't think much of it. I thought I would try the first volume when I was buying some other manga, and right after the first couple pages, honestly, I was hooked. It's not just the story but the art of Miki Aihara is really amazing. I really love art, so when I get a manga with an art style I really like, I can't get enough of it. The characters are great too. Even the ones who seem dysfunctional you come to like. At first I hated how controlling Ryoki was, but you really do change your mind a lot throughout the series which I think is a great achievement on the author's part. (I love his glasses)

    The one thing I can stand about this manga though, is that almost every single volume ended in a cliff hanger. I wanted to rip my hair out. The story was so good, I'd get to the end of the volume in the blink of an eye and end up having to wait another two months for the next volume. Unfortunately I picked up this series on its premiere about when the second volume was coming out. Oh man... all that pain from those cliff hangers. So people just picking it up now have the luxury of being able to get all the volumes without the wait, but that also makes the series go by faster which I'm kind of happy it didn't for me. (Believe me if you buy one you better have more money! ^_^)









 


Like I said before though, I probably get most of my titles from Shojo Beat now. I really like all of them so it's hard to pick favorites, but I'll show you three that really left an impression on me. First, Meru Puri.

Released by : Viz (Shojo Beat)
Released date : June 2005
Age Rating : Teen
Comedy
Drama
Romance
Fantasy

All high-school freshman Airi Hoshina ever wanted was to someday live in a cozy home with a loving husband and find joy in the little things in life. As a result, she makes it her daily mission to get to school on time because school legend has it that the longer one's non-tardy streak is, the better boyfriend one will find. But just when her daily routine is working like clockwork, an occurrence of fairytale proportions threatens to disrupt her grand plan.

On the way to school one morning, Airi drops her mirror - one that had been passed down to her through generations - and suddenly finds herself in a bizarre situation. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to meet Aram, a little boy from a magical kingdom, to have emerged from the mirror in the short time it took her to track it down!

Once again, It didn't think I should pick this one up just from the description. I'm sure glad I did though. The story line is awesome, how he turns from young to old in darkness. I usually like stories with a bit of fantasy, so this one was a plus for me. All the characters are great; like the brother of Aram, whose hilarious, and I really like Aram and Airi. This manga probably has as much comedy as romance, so don't let it fool you. (All Shojo Beat titles have some sort of relationship, if you're into that) This is another title that really got me from the illustrations as well. Like Hot Gimmick, I was really craving to get the next volumes time and again.
   
The only downside to this manga is it's only 4 volumes long which upset me a bit after I was done. It might have been possible for the author to stretch out the story, but you do still get a lot from it. I'd definitely recommend it, it's a sight to see.








Released by : Viz (Shojo Beat)
Released date : November 2005
Age Rating : Older Teen
Drama
Romance

Nana Komatsu is a young woman who's endured an unending string of boyfriend problems. Moving to Tokyo, she's hoping to take control of her life and put all those messy misadventures behind her. She's looking for love and she's hoping to find it in the big city.

Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is cool, confident, and focused. She swaggers into town and proceeds to kick down doors to Tokyo's underground punk scene. She's got a dream and won't give up until she becomes Japan's number one rock'n'roll superstar.

This is a story of two 20-year-old women who share the same name. Even though they come from completely different backgrounds, they somehow meet and become best friends. The world of Nana is a world exploding with love, fashion, gossip, and all-night parties.


At first, I asked, "What kind of title is "Nana"?", since that most nearly means grandmother here, but in Japan that's a popular name for a girl. I read other reviews for this online, and I thought I'd try it and probably like it. The first volume is half and half of each of their stories and how they're heading to Tokyo. They don't really meet until the second volume so I would suggest buying both if you want to start it.

 Even though Nana Komatsu is a bit of a cry baby, I do like her character. I really like the other Nana, Nana Osaki. She's really kool and seems to have her heart set in place. The art in Nana is really nice too. The story definitely left an impression on me since it really has some problems people have to deal with. The story gets a bit...interesting at times... but its a sensitive story for both of them that goes together well.

Definitely give this manga a try. There's only three volumes out now, with the next one coming in October. It's a bit of a wait... but it's worth it.







Released by : Viz (Shojo Beat)
Released date : November 29 2005
Age Rating : Teen
Action/Adventure
Drama
Romance

All that matters to 15-year-old Nobara Sumiyoshi is volleyball-she's an awesome player with big-time ambitions. But sometimes it seems like a girl just can't get a break in the competitive world of high school volleyball.

Nobara's family wants her to inherit the role of "young mistress", serving rich patrons at her family's old fashioned Japanese restaurant. No thanks! When Nobara transfers to Crimson Field High School, known for its top notch volleyball team, it turns out that her mother will stoop to dirty tricks to keep her daughter off the court. With assistance from her feisty Aunt Momoko, who's got some connections at Crimson Field, Nobara decides to start playing offense.

I think that Crimson Hero is definitely my favorite Shojo Beat title so far. The art in it is amazing. I love Nobara's strength and her passion for volleyball. She's one of those girls who chose to be on the boyish side, and is always upstaged by her cute younger sister. She ends up rooming in the boys volleyball dorm to get away from her household and meets the team that's suppressing her. It's tough to get back a girls team that was always seen as a weakness at school, and with Nobara's mother constantly stopping her from high up, it's a miracle Nobara can even continue playing.

I love this story! It's really fun to read and I can't wait to get the next volume. Two are out so far with the next one coming in August. Check it out! Also, Mitsuba Takanashi released another manga before this published with CMX. It's called The Devil Does Exist and I recommend that too. It's pretty awesome.


You can get any of these titles at Shojo Beat.





 


Man the only bad thing about summer is all the thunderstorms. We're getting a pretty bad one right now. I feel bad for my cat cause thunderstorms scare her out of her mind. The funny thing is, she goes to our bathroom for cover cause she thinks its the safest place in the house. It probably is, cause there's no windows. It's amazing how smart animals can be sometimes. Well my cats at least are really intelligent, they almost scare me. Well anyway, on a note more related to topic....

This is another manga from Shojo Beat I really like.

Released by : Viz (Shojo Beat)
Released date : Jul 05 2005
Age Rating : Older Teens
Action/Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Romance

When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father's translation of "The Universe of the Four Gods," she is instead literally sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors!

In her first encounter, she meets the mysterious outlaw Limdo, one of the Celestial Warriors who has a tattoo of the Chinese character for "woman" on his chest. As it turns out, it's there for a good reason: Limdo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but also transform into a woman! Caught up in pursuit, because Limdo is regarded an outlaw, Takiko falls in with the bowman Chamka, who is hunting Limdo. Chamka regards Takiko an outlaw as well, but they eventually become traveling companions, for it seems Chamka is one of the seven Celestial Warriors as well...

This exciting prequel to the best-selling fantasy series Fushigi Yugi tells the story of the very first priestess of "The Four Gods"---the Preistess of Genbu!

Unfortunately I haven't read or seen the first Fushigi Yugi. I've seen bits of clips from the anime, but that's about it. (it looks hilarious) Genbu Kaiden is awesome. Limdo and Chamka are a hilarious pair, bringing a lot of comedy into the manga. What I really love about this manga is the fantasy. The celestial warriors powers are awesome, as are the other characters they meet along the way. I've always liked the power of wind, so it was cool seeing one of the main characters with it.... even if he has to transform into a woman to use it. (^-^)



This is a really pretty image I found for Genbu Kaiden. Click on it to enlarge it.







 


Oh no I'm starting to slack off again. I've been having a good streak of adding stuff to my site, but I realized I also have summer homework to do, so I've been reading a bit for that. I actually re-read the first volume of Meru Puri today. It's still good, but I'm a bit scared that I'm getting a little too bored with summer. -.-

Well instead of showin' off a manga this time, I've been waiting for the next Dvd of an anime I really like that's coming in the mail tomorrow. It's called Kaleido Star and I'd like to talk about it.

Released by : ADV Films
Released date : May 11 2004 (in America)
Age Rating : 12+

"Sora is an ordinary girl with an extraordinary dream - she wants to be a Kaleido Star!

The Kaleido Stage is a circus extravaganza with death defying stunts, flying trapeze artists, and magical clowns. The top performers of the Kaleido Stage are a handful of super acrobats known as Kaleido Stars. When sixteen-year-old Sora Naegino arrives in the U.S. with little more than her dreams in tow, she has a chance encounter with a mysterious man who immediately recognizes her potential for the stage. Sora can't believe her luck when the stranger turns out to be Kalos, owner of the Kaleido Stage. But things are never really that easy, and Sora will have to turn cartwheels to get past the power of Kaleido Stage diva named Layla.

Prepare yourself for high-flying excitement, and jaw dropping beauty as you enter the world of Kaleido Stage." ~Dvd back


Kaleido Star is an anime that really amazes me. Besides having the entertainment like really watching a circus, you're following a young girl's story behind the stage and what she has to go through to reach the top. And when I say "like really watching a circus," I mean it. The flips and stunts they do in the anime are very well drawn and life-like. Some of the stuff they come up with is ingenius and stunning. If you like to watch the circus, you'll love Kaleido Star. You don't have to worry about the performers falling either cause it's just an anime. (I know I always do when watching the real performers do stunts.)

Try it out^.^ definitely two thumbs up. Also, the whole Kaleido Star series is close to 50 episodes long. The first part of it up to episode 26 is already out. ADV Films gave it a bit of a break, but they started the second half of the series recently; Kaleido Star New Wings. So if your a fan of the first half and didn't know, or your new to this series and want to try it out, there's a helpful insight for you.^.^






 


I just finished watching the series Peacemaker from ADV Films. Man was that a good anime but the ending is a bit open-ended.

Released by : ADV Films
Released date : October 12 2004 (in America)
Age Rating : 15+

"For 15-year-old Tetsunosuke Ichimura, childhood innocence has given way to a blinding thirst for revenge. Haunted by the vicious slaying of his parents, he decides to seek out the Shinsengumi. An elite group of swordsmen sworn to protect the capital, the Shinsengumi are engaged in a brutal conflict with the Choshu rebels, the same ruthless killers who murdered Tetsu’s parents. In the name of justice—and against the will of his older brother—Tetsu desperately hopes to join the Shinsengumi.

But an incident late one night forces him to face reality. The Shinsengumi show themselves capable of the same brutality as his parents’ murderers. Wading through a sea of espionage, intrigue, and flowing blood, the young boy must decide to shed his humanity and become a demon of the Shinsengumi, or to relinquish his hatred and become a Peacemaker in the spirit of his father." ~ADV Peacemaker site.

The anime is also a..uh bit bloody, so I don't think the rating is too high, even though I think some 13 and 14-year-olds could handle it. Besides all the cool sword fights, there's a lot of really funny parts throughout the episodes. The anime is well rounded and the art in some scenes is stunning.

Check out the trailer from advfilms.com
 





 


Ooooh man. I just finished adding the Dn Angel Wallpapers to my site. That section is huge now. Man, that's really a lot harder than people think. My eyes are literally soar and it's not even that late yet. I had to do all the thumbnails, and make sure all the images were in 1024 x 768, 800 x 600 format. You should thank me for that. Well anyway, now I get to do the fun part! Check if all the links work!!! Yaaaaaaay!........(I also just discovered these smileys....yes I know html code but can't see the smiley button.) Man, after I'm done with the links I'm reading some manga to wake me up.
<--That's how I feel right now(I always like to have my entries with images)

Oh and good news! I fully switched to this host now, so I can have lots of media. Download heaven! Always come back cause I'm still working on my Anime videos and mp3 section.









 


Man the summer is going by way too fast. Well it doesn't help that I've been waking up around twelve in the afternoon. I've finally been able to put all my video downloads on the site since I got more web space, and I'm almost done with it. I'm working hard so make sure you stick around. As for an anime topic... I found out that the manga series Nana (which I talked about in a previous entry) is out as an anime in Japan! Darn those japanese!^o^ I even saw the opening for it too and it looked just like the manga. I really hope it comes out in America.

As for manga, since I'm even boring myself here a bit, I'll show you another Shojo Beat title I like.

Released by : Viz (Shojo Beat)
Released date : April 2006
Age Rating : Teen
Comedy
Drama
Romance

Kippei Katakura is a 17-year-old playboy who spends his time chasing girls, careless of their feelings. But when his 5-year-old cousin Yuzuyu comes to live with his family after her mother's sudden disappearance, Kippei gets to know Yuzuyu and starts to understand how she feels. He also begins to realize that all girls were like Yuzuyu once...

Kippei has a lot to figure out, like what to make for Yuzuyu's lunch and how to drop her off at kindergarten while still getting to school on time. Kippei is enjoying his time with Yuzuyu, but not everyone is happy about it. The girls at school miss their "quality time" with Kippei, and one decides to play a dirty trick to get him back.


Aishiteruze Baby.... yea try saying that three times fast. I can barely type it. It means "I Love You" Baby in Japanese. Well first when I saw this in the book store it completely took me off guard. Don't get me wrong, the romance isn't with him and the kid. But the fact that Kippei's character seemed so play-boyish at first, didn't really get my enthusiasm; but that was only a couple page turns in the bookstore. I decided to give it a try and I was surprised by how cute it actually was. Yuzuyu is adorable. And after I got past about half the first volume I definetly changed my mind. Kippei really wasn't bad at all. He actually seemed more like a big brother. The situations in the book are really cute too and surprisingly really touching sometimes. If you like stories like Baby & Me or sibling situations, you should definitely look Aish-it-er-uze (whew got it) over! (imagine saying that every time to the person you liked...Yeesh!)
 
(I've heard that the anime in Japan came first.)







 
I was so excited I almost didn't believe it. I had to read it again kinda like the lottery. Well anyway, if you want proof go to adultswim.com. Their schedule is crazy with like every show and episode number till like mid-December. I'm even happier it's on Adult Swim rather than Toonami. That way it won't be as cut like what happened to Naruto. Here's the proof if you don't feel like going to the site.







 






 

Lately, I've been getting into the Japanese band UVERworld. Maybe some of you have heard of them. They sing the theme songs for some animes, such as D-tecnoLife (the second opening for Bleach), Colors of the Heart (the third opening for Blood +),  and CHANCE! ( a song featured in the Bleach soundtrack). I really like the band. As you can see, I have some of their songs on my site. They seem to be pretty popular in Japan, which is another reason I wish I lived there..(sigh) oh well. But anyway, if you have the time, or you're looking for a new band to get into, give them a listen. Their songs are quite satisfying. ^.^ (SORA is a pretty awesome song too)

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I am so excited. I just went to log into my site using the freewebs server login, and my site was featured in their sample site rotation! I'm such a geek I sware, but that made me so happy. Being recognized out of 17 million sites, even if it was by chance, ah, that made my day. If you have an outrageous amount of time on your hands and want to see what I'm talking about, go to freewebs.com, don't log in or anything, and watch the rotation. The 6th-8th image on there is my homepage!^.^

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