5/27/09

[Anime News] Eureka seveN: Pocketfull of Rainbows

Fans of the hit anime Eureka seveN (which played several times through on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim line-up) have something to rejoice about ever since April 25 2009 rolled around- a movie entitled Eureka seveN: Pocket Full of Rainbows was released in Tokyo's Theatre Shinjuku, Osaka's Theatre Umeda, and other theatres throughout it's release during 2009's Golden Week.

I'm a HUGE fan of the Eureka seveN anime, so I'm really shocked that I forgot about the movie release!!! I'll definantly be watching this once I find a sub or when the english dub is released (I'll most likely watch it in Japanese with subtitles because I don't like the english voices).

4/13/09

What I'm reading/ Have to read [as of 4/13/2009]

[MANGA/Manwha]
-On my Bookshelf-
Amazing Agent Luna [omnibus #1]
Dorothy of OZ [v.1-4]
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion [v.2]
Pheonix Wright: Ace Attourny [the Miles Edgeworth files]
Hot Gimmick [Viz Big #1]
Solanin
With the Light [v.10-12]
Nora [v.1&2]
S.A. [v.2]
-Online-
07-Ghost
1/2 Prince
Air Gear
Akumetsu
Bakuman
Black God
Blue Ramun
Deadman Wonderland
D.N.Angel
Dogs- Bullets and Carnage
Elfen Lied
Ga-Rei
Karakuri Odette
Kodomo no Omocha
Hanatsuki Hime
Hoshi wa Utau
Hyakko
Lament of the Lamb
Love Monster
Lovely Complex
Lucu Lucu
Midori no Hibi
Midnight Secretary
Otaku no Musume-san
Pandora Hearts
Piano no Mori
Ressentiment
Shinobi Life
Shugo Chara
S.P.Y.
Tora Dora
Toraware no Minoue
Tsubasa: Resevior Chronicle
Vampire Knight

[Light Novels]
Ballad of a Shinigame #2
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion [Stage -0- Entrance]
Missing: Letter od Misfortune
Haruhi #1
[Novels]
Blue Bloods
City of Bones
City of Ashes
Ironside
Med`Center: Virus and Flood
Midnighters: Touching Darkness
Midnighters: Blue Noon
Paper Towns
Pendragon: The Pilgrims of Rayne
Pendragon: Raven Rise
The Host
The Hunger Games

[Spring 09 Anime] Preview (aka 'mini-reviews') [pt.1]

Basquash 1&2:
I wanted to watch this series wayy before I even knew about 80% of the Spring 2009 anime line-up. Many people wanted to emidiatly pass this one by, then the trailer came out. I was already convienced to watch this before the trailer, but after the trailer I checked veoh every day to see when the first episode would be out (subbed, of course). This one is defiantly aimed at boys, but the story between the main guy and his sister adds some female appeal (this is really evidant in episode two which has much less boob jiggle. The jiggle in episode one was a little too much). I love love love loveee the opening and ending themes plus the visuals. The overall animation is pretty sweet and the background music is not half bad. This anime has a Michiko to Hatchin mixed with Tekkonkinkreet (aka Black and White) feel, which is a really good thing. I'm already hooked on this anime two episodes in! You can bet Akia will keep watching this one untill the end (unless something really stupid occurs that ruins the feel of this anime). I reccomend both males and femals watch this despite the overly male aimed episode 1. Episode 2 adds some really good story and character development. The visuals have been constant in the first two episodes which is a big help to the appeal of this type of anime.
K-ON 1:
=.= Not much to say about this one. When I first saw a picture for this anime, I emidiatly was hoping for something remotely Haruhi-esque (the picture certainly gave the girls a Haruhi anime look!) but it turned out to be pretty... lame. The music, which is suppose to be the focus of this anime, is lacking and the characters are pretty bland. It seems like it'll be a Hyakko type series, but I'm not too sure if I'll watch all of this one like I am for Hyakko (3 episodes to go). I try to give every anime I watch 3 episodes, but I'm not too sure if I can stand to watch this one that long. Who knows, maybe episode 2 is a whole heck of a lot better? It's already on my external hard drive, waiting to be watched.... hmm. I don't really reccomend this one based on the first episode. I'll let you know who I reccomend it too after another episode or so. OR I'll be waiting untill I-studios does it's select 4 spring 09 anime preview anime for an episode of the Ogenki podcast... I'm seriously hoping that this is not one of the choices >.<
Eden of the East 1:
I was already anticipating this anime simply because of the manga-ka that designed the characters!! boy was I amazed! The opening theme and visuals is one of my favorites from this season! You have to watch this simply to see that (or you could cheat and search for the Eden of the East op on veoh/youtube). Ok, don't watch this just for that because then you won't pay attention to the wacked out story and awsome spoken english! There was only one engrish word, and that was 'die' (was said like 'you wana da!?' which made me laugh; hard). Other than that, the english was top notch! Most anime that tries to have english ends up being engrish, which is painful to english speaking ears. The main character being naked for a majority of the first half was brillliiiannntly done! I was in no way incomfetable because he is just too awsome of a character. I realize my mini-review of this is just me spouting random things, but that's the best I can do becuase there wasn't much story revealed in episode 1. BUT I don't care because this anime is already one of my favorites! It's too awsome for anyone, male or female, to pass up. I mean, heck, EPISODE 1 IS SET IN WASHINGTON DC, AT THE WHITE HOUSE! What can be cooler than that!? Bishies or moe girls!? *psh* I think not.
Tayutama -Kiss on my Diety- 1:
We has... a munk -.- That in itself already ruined this for me. I had enough of monks because of Inuyasha! Then there's the matter of these kawii spirits who are suppose to be evil, but even though they are acting evil, the evil acts don't look evil... *sigh* I usually love ergo based anime, but this is just too ridiculous! Every girl has too over the top hair... but the boy doesn't look like every other guy who gets every girl type... which is only a small plus to this negative anime. In episode 1, you can already tell this anime has 'need to protect' syndrome and a Tayu that comes to live on earth with the main guy tells him she'll be his wife! Rizelmine and many other anime has already done this D: This is definantly a moe type anime, which I would be ok with if there was a decent story but this seems like a mix of a few storys that have been buried already. I'll give it about 2 more episodes, but what I've heard about episode two does not give me much hope. I'm not going to bother reccomending this to anyone right now.
Hanasakeru Seishounen 1:
Since this anime has the look of The Wallflower, I didn't want to watch it. Strike that, I still don't want to watch it! ...but I have made it my goal to give most of the spring anime a chance so I don't miss out on a diamond that everyone else pushed to the trash pile without knowing. So far, based on one episode, this one has little potential- but that is more than Tayutama! Also the main girl is in love with her leapord who died. And then there is the matter of fate going into effect in this girls life. Anime that involves fate usually ends up as bland as time goes on >.<
Asura Cryin':
At first, I really did not know what to expect from this anime other than the guy can see a girl who is a ghost (and this ghost happens to be able to change clothes). As episode 1 went on, I was introduced to an anime that feels like it'll be a mix of Fate//Stay Night and Chaos;HEAD- two ergo based anime I liked. Then... mecha appears and the episode ends! What. The. FURBY D: I'm actually interested. This could be interesting.
Natsu no Arashi 1:
The opening and ending themes as well as visuals make this anime seem like one from the late 80s, early 90s. It turns out this is a magical girl anime with a time traveling twist... that's comedy. There was, in all honesty, only one part that made me laugh- Jun's girly voice. And, that was only a small chuckle utterd from my lips.

4/12/09

Manga[as of Easter 2009]

[MANGA]
[c]= complete (meaning I own all of the series)
Aishiteruze Baby [vol.1-4]
Amazing Agent Luna [Omnibus #1= vol.1-3]
Angelic Layer [vol.2]
Black Cat [vol.1&2]
Bleach [vol.1-20]
Buso Renkin [vol.1&2]
Cardcaptor Sakura [vol.1]
Cardcaptor Sakura: Master of the Clow [vol.1&2]
Chronicles of the Cursed Sword [vol.1-6]
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion [vol.1&2]
D.N.Angel [vol.1-11]
Densha Otoko [vol.1]
Dorothy of OZ [vol.1-4]
Dragon Drive [vol.1-12]
Dramacon [vol.1-3][c]
Eyeshield 21 [vol.1-3]
Fall in love like a Comic [vol.1&2][c]
Fruits Basket [vol.1-22]
Full Moon wo Saghishite [vol.1-3]
Gentlemens Alliance Cross [vol.1]
Hayate the Combat Butler [vol.1&2]
Honey & Clover [vol.1-3]
Hot Gimmick [omnibus #1= vol.1-3]
Kingdom Hearts [vol.1-4][c]
Kingdom Hearts II [vol.1&2]
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories [vol.1]
Kitchen Princess [vol.1-8]
Konkon Ko Kon [vol.1]
Kurogane Communication [vol.1]
Magic Knight Rayearth II [vol.1]
Megaman [vol.1]
Meru Puri: Marchen Prince [vol.1&2]
Negima! [vol.9]
Nora [vol.1&2]
Ourian High School Host Club [vol.1-3]
Paradise Kiss [vol.1]
Pheonix Wright: Ace Attoruney [vol.1&2]
Pita-ten [vo.1-8][c]
Planet Ladder [vol.1-3]
Princess AI [vol.1-3][c]
Princess AI: The Prisim of Midnight Dawn [vol.1]
Pixie Pop [vol.1-3][c]
Rave Master [vol.1&2]
RE:Play [vol.1&2]
Rozen Maiden [vol.1&2]
S.A. [vol.1&2]
Sgt. Frog [omnibus #1= vol.1-3]
Shaolin Sisters [vol.1]
Shiki Tsukai [vol.1]
Solanin [viz signature ed][c]
Stellvia [vol.1&2][c]
Tokyo Mew Mew [vol.1-7][c]
Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode [vol.1&2][c]
Trigun [vol.1]
Tsubasa: Resevior Chronicle [omnibus #1= vol.1-3; 7]
Tsubasa: Those with Wings [vol.1]
Wallflower [vol.1]
Wild Ones [vol.1]
Wolf's Rain [vol.1&2][c]
xxxHolic [omnibus #1= vol.1-3; 6]
:Totals:
Omnibuses'= 5
Volumes= 201
Complete Collections= 11
:Type Totals/ Cost (w/o tax):
-Tokyopop-
$9.99x85= $849.15
$10.99x2= $21.98
$14.99x1= $14.99
$12.99x1= $12.99
$5.99x4= $29.95
Overall Total= $929.06
-Viz (Shounen Jump, Shoujo Beat, ect.)-
$7.95= $318
$8.99= $188.79
$9.99x4= $39.96
$17.99x2= $35.98
Overall Total= $582.73
-Del Rey-
$10.95x13= $142.35
$12.95x2= $25.9
$14.99x2= $29.98
Overall Total= $198.23
-Other-
Udon
$11.95x4= $47.8
DrMaster
$9.95x2= $19.9
Bandai Entertainment
$9.99x2= $19.98
SevenSeas
$11.99x1= $11.99
Dark Horse
$14.95x1= $14.95
CMX
$9.99x1= $9.99
Broccoli
$9.99x1= $9.99
Go! Comi
$10.99x1= $10.99
Overall Total= $145.59
Final MANGA Total: $1855.61
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This is the total for manga I've bought (and been given) since I diligently started buying manga in the 8th grade. In 7th grade, I only owned Tokyo Mew Mew v2, Rave Master v1 and Cardcaptor Sakura v1. I started buying manga when my allowance was bumped up from $7 a month to $10. My first purchase was Fruits Basket v1. For about a year, Fruits Basket was all I bought with my allowance- I'd ask for other manga such as Bleach and Tokyo Mew Mew for my birthday and Christmas.
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My Bleach collection started with my friend at the time using some of her b-day money to buy volume 1 for me. My D.N.Angel collection started when I asked my sister to buy me volume 1- she ended up getting me volumes 1&2 because of a box set Tokyopop has released at the time.

4/7/09

[Anime] Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai

I was already in love with the Munto OVAs.
When I heard that Munto was getting a TV adaptation, I practically lost my voice from squealing with joy. Here's the deal, Akia does not often squeal with joy even for anime. In fact, I rarely squeal for anything even if it is awsome; but anything Munto deserves some squeals. Sadly, my squeals became less frequent as I watched Munto TV (that's the short title; the full title is Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai) only to realise the bulk of this anime was just the OVAs with better quality images- rerenders with some extra footage. As a Munto fan before the TV series premiered, I was hoping for some more NEW footage; not some remastered ones with a few extra scenes. I had to watch about 6 episodes to even get to the point where the continued story kicked in only to be slapped in the face with the last episode being number 9 (which was an extremly rushed episode). I was really enjoying the continued story! Good thing there is a movie coming out as the conclusion. I'm assuming that since it is a movie that the Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai Movie will be longer than the hour long OVAs that started the series.

I posted this here instead of writting a review first because I just finished watching Munto TV about 30 mins ago. I was extremly dissapointed with the ending....

[read my review of Munto TV here]
(my review will be posted on that blog when I finish it)
{you can enjoy reviews of other series' while you wait}
~Contact Info~
email: snuggumsuggums[at]yahoo[dot]com
[twitter][I-Studios]

3/27/09

[weeaboobies] Just had to...(3/27/2009vers)

So, I've been listening to this Japan-fan podcast called weeaboobies (the Yotsuba&! button is a link to the site)... and I saw some list on their site about having to be 4 of this list to be a weeaboob:

if you have more than four japanese/anime posters on your wall [check]
if you have an internet alias that ends with chan, kun, san, sama, senpai or sensei [check]
if you say “tadaima” when you arrive home [check- i do. just not all the time because my parents and sister (one of the two) gives me a look]
if you answer your phone by saying “moshi moshi” [check- isnt it spelled "mushi mushi"?] if you wear a kimono at any time. even as a joke.
if you have a shirt that says otaku. or anime fan.
if you own this button
or if your clothing has anime characters at all on them, or anime references [check- I even made a Kon/ chibi Uryu and chibi Renji shirt]
if you refer to your siblings as “nee-san/chan” or “nii-san/chan”
or your mom & dad as “oka-san” or “otou-san”
or your cat as “kawaii neko-chan”
or your friend as “kawaii neko-chan”
if you own a pair of cat ears of any kind [check]
if you use any japanese word in conversation (i.e. kawaii, baka, chinchin, hai, etc.) [check]
if you freak out at the sight of pocky [check]
if you suddenly craved a pocky stick since you saw it typed out [check]
if you actually HAVE a box of pocky at your side
if the only word you can read in japanese is “ai” because of gaara’s dumb symbol
if 90% of your music is japanese (even more weeaboo if it’s just anime music)
if you host an anime podcast [I will... VERY SOON. *cough*istudios link*cough]
if any of the following pictures make your panties wet (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11)
if you just saved any of those pictures
extra points - if you already have any of those pictures
if you say “believe it” more than once a week
if you eat your food with chopsticks ever (even ramen especially ramen)
if you’ve tried to learn japanese [check... plan to go back to it]
if you’ve spoken japanese frequently
if you’ve corrected someone’s pronunciation of a japanese word [check >.<]
if you’re getting mad that i haven’t capitalized “japan” or “japanese” at all
if you’ve been to an anime convention
if you own any naruto merchandise whatsoever [check- shirts]
or inuyasha, or bleach, or death note [check- bleach]
if you’ve made an AMV [check- more than one]
if you own a katana or a shinjuku (that’s japanese for shuriken, lolol) [check-maybe: does a homemade one count?]
if you type with any of the following faces: ^^ ^_^ *w* :3 T-T @o@ n_n UwU =^w^= [check]
if you’ve danced the caramelldansen in public before
if you haven’t yet, but are waiting for the perfect moment to dance it in public [check- at AWA15]
if you own a gaia account [check- 3]
if you think you’re lolita
if you cosplay at all. poorly or well. [check]
if 90% of your clothing was bought from hot topic
if you’ve taken 5+ pictures with you making a peace sign
if your myspace has even ONE japanese word on it [check- i think]
if you’ve ever fangirled over an anime character [check- gara and uryu]
if the only thing you read is manga and fanfiction
if you can think of something else to add to this list [check- you have no idea]

As you can see.... I over qualify in my opinion. Pretty soon (come september 2009) I can check off much more of these including the con one.

[Life Post] An Akia Update [#19]

For complete up to date-ness on what I'm doing, follow me on Twitter (I joined Twitter before it because a cult along the lines of Myspace and Facebook, so I'm awsome. Another reason for you to follow me. lol): twitter.com/akiachan
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"UWAA! What has Akia been up to since spring break (even though her spring break ended last friday)!?"
Me: =.= Did you just say 'uwaa' becuase that is a very anime-ish way to begin a question. I approve *two thumbs up* I'll definantly tell you what I've been up to just becuase you asked in that awsome way! ...and because I'm surprized at how much went on this last week.
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The most recent manga art I posted on my DA is this one! This is Akia, the character who I've developed the most in anything I've written or drawn. I'm not even remotly kidding because she's a character I originally developed half way through 8th grade which was 4 years ago 0_0


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So, as you can probably tell by the begining of my blog, this past week was my first week back from my week long spring break (all you Soccoro dist. school peps who have 2 weeks and a day *evil glare*) which, if you read the previous Akia Update, was a very productive/ busy week for me... which never happen on a past spring break of mine. Well, to my surprize, it was 9wks testing week. Let me explaine what this "9wks testing" is to high school students who have no such system. My school, Eastwood, has every class give their students a major test at the end of a 9wk period- in the school year there are 4 of these periods. These tests, from freshmen year through jr, are on top of a major standardized test called TAKS that is required by Texas law to be given. Also in the jr year, my school pays for it's students to take the SAT. I happened to be lucky because this year they also payed for the seniors- meaning I got to take it twice for free. I've seen most of my 9wks testing grades; just not my Dual Credit Texas Polotics and Dual Credit English IV (I know which answers I got right and wrong, but have not seen a number grade). Overall, I like most of my 9wks test grades because I have been getting 75+ on most of my quizzes and tests (other than Art) so to see the 80s I've recieved was a sigh of relief. A huge sigh.

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:I-studios:

[link]
Ah, I-studios is like... my reason for living or at least a major part. =D
Currently, I've been given the task of editing and putting together the E-zine "JA NE" (japanese art, news and entertainment). My first issue, March 2009, is up on the site. Click on the above link to go to the I-studios homepage. There, you will see links to the various projects going on. I used to semi-run the Twitter account and update the blog, but Driger has told me he would take care of that along with Shadow in order for me to focus on improving JA NE. Also, I'll be part of the first podcast episode of an anime review show called "Here's Ogenki Desu-ka?". We (as in, Domo, Driger and I) will be recording on Monday March 30 2009 an episode where we give an in depth disscussion/review of the anime ToraDora and a small review of the first five episodes of Minami-ka Okaeri. Be sure to keep tabs on the site and follow the Twitter to know when this will be released. Also, I-studios is looking for new members! Send an email to itadakimasu21@gmail.com if you are interested in joining.

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There are tons of other things that happened this week, like my quitting the Jenny Craig program and making the final descision to attend UTEP for a degree in Business while taking writting and art classes on the side, but I don't feel like going into detail so you'll just have to read this entire paragraph... if it can even be considerd a paragraph. Heheh. First, I did quit the Jenny program for two reasons: 1) I'm not losing weight and 2) in 2 months, my parents will not be paying for it anymore and I can't afford it while going to college. My dad finally finished filling out the FAFSA for me, and that's when I made my descision to attend UTEP for a business degree. In Art, I was painting a sun for an art auction that is to raise money for charity while working on an image for printmaking. The method my class is using is carving linoliumn tiles (bsaically, unfinished floor tiles). I'll most likely post a scan of the print on my DeviantArt page once I have one printed. Um... listed to the 15 ep of "Imprint" today (it's a Twilight podcast) and really enjoyed it. Hrm.... read like 5 pages of Ballad of a Shinigami #2, took The Host to one two days but didn't read any of it, and today I took City of Bones only to read two pages further than what I read about 5 months ago. I'm now going to end this blog and go read some more City of Bones.