Mistakes of Youth: The Blog (Powered by EXCELLENCE!)

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Now to make a post that’ll get no comments at all. Thank God for that, huh!

There’s a new Nadesico pachinker game that opened up in Akiba, and as such there’s been something of a Nadesico advertising blitz going around. Last time I was there with Nocturnesb there was a giant trunk driving around with Yurika’s and Ruri’s faces plastered on it, and today there was a cute woman outside of the station dressed as a Nerval employee handing out… what I assume is a fan.

Then, while looking for the Saki taco truck (it wasn’t there, guess it only appears on weekends) I ran into a guy handing out Nadesico tissues. A Nadesico DOUBLE DOSE. Man, I am sure getting to burning.

In my attempt to not spend any money at all with Comic Market approaching, I ended up buying things. Cheap things that I wouldn’t find this cheap ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, but still. I need  my doujinshi. I haven’t even paid for a Summer Wars ticket, yet!

These deals were too good to pass up, though.

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Newly acquired Sakura-tan wallscroll was stolengiven to me kindly by Seiya when I raided his house.

It took me about five or so hours on and off, but I’m finally done unpacking. Tomorrow is Poster Day. Thinking of putting up more big posters, leaving slightly less room for smaller Megami pinups. I’ll give priority to newer blood.

Fixed the face. Hopefully I won’t screw up cleaning it up!

I like where this is going, but I need to fix up some things. I’ll do that tomorrow between copying down every kanji I know 50 times, reviewing Japanese grammar and looking up various bits of vocab.

I’m not a real filmmaker like some of my friends are, nor have I studied film in any great detail. I have however seen Casablanca, and I know what both a pan and a tilt are, so I figure I’ll talk about filmish things in the context of Japanese animation.

There are few anime out there that stand out as really great in my eyes. More often than not, what pushes an anime from good to great is the direction. When I talk about direction, I’m talking about pacing, scene composition, the framing of shots, and things like that. Ever since I started watching anime, these aspects have always jumped out at me when they were really well done, and as a result I have turned into someone who talks out of their ass about things like shot framing, scene composition and pacing.

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Current
Casshern Sins: Great art direction but the writing is so boring. I’m pretty sure Casshern says JUST WHAT AM I in every fucking episode.
ChäoS;HEAd: It’s always super special! I like this one a lot.
Clannad ~After Story~: Hit and miss. Needs more Mei and/or baseball episodes.
ef – a tale of melodies: This is like a Shinbo show except not good.
Ga-Rei-ZERO: I mostly like it. Really dig the opening/ending tunes.
Golgo 13: ….
Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae: It’s like the writers on this show compete on who can write the crappiest episode.
Kannagi: Yamakan’s direction is great, and the production values are flawless, but the plot stuff lets it down.
Kemeko DX: Nice tits. Humour is hit or miss.
Kurogane no Linebarrels: This show is about man things like robots, tits and giant black men named JACK SMITH who cut airplanes in half.
Kyou no 5 no 2: I guess it’s fine but I still don’t know any of the character’s names.
Michiko to Hatchin: Uneven, but on the whole extremely well done.
Rosario + Vampire CAPU2: This show has moments of genius, actually. Moments of genius mixed with many moments of utter stupidity.
Shikabane Hime: Aka: This show is incredibly trashy, but it takes itself so seriously that I can’t help but take it seriously too. Gainax’s work also really helps it.
Tentai Senshi Sunred: Mostly funny. Some moments fall flat, but mostly funny.
To Aru Majutsu no Index: Pretty entertaining fluff after a string of terrible opening episodes. Let’s hope it stays this way!
Toradora!: I really like this, even though I can’t find a character to like. Taiga is almost cute, but she’s too violent.
Tytania: :V
Yozakura Quartet: This has a really shitty plot, but the direction is ok. Good voice acting, too.
Zettai Karen Children: Not as good as Hayate, but a thoroughly enjoyable year-long show.

Not Current
Windy Tales: Finishing this soon.

Reading
Hayate no Gotoku: Comic version is pretty good so far, but Kenjiro Hata is kind of a bad artist but works around his failings well.
Ikoku Meiro no Croisee: What? There’s only one volume so far? It’s been a year! Where’s volume two :(

I guess I’ll read more of the Tsukuyomi manga soon.