Promo Vid status: RELEASED.

Hopefully, it’ll be like the manga. I kind of like Frau.

That Sword of Uruk had already started. I’m so out of touch.

Wow. In the time I haven’t posted, WordPress has gone and gotten some kind of new outfit. All these new buttons blow away my mind~

Anyhow, Happy 2009 to everyone! I thought I’d use the occasion to present my phony resolutions list – “list”, as in “I say these things, but I will never get around to doing them, probably”. It’s such a shame, really, but things never go the way you want them to when you’re lazy.

First things first.

Reasons why I haven’t written anything lately…

• The month of December was incredibly busy (finals finals finals)
• I’m back in California for break (and being here makes me even more lazy. I just lie around listening to stuff like the Red Hot Chili Peppers – Especially in Michigan)
• Instead of reading manga/watching anime, Cyanide & Happiness has been occupying my day (check them out – click the comic)

• I’m so far behind in several series that it’s such a hassle to write all of them in one go now
• … And writing just becomes a chore when you blog episodically.

Resolutions for 2009

• I actually want to finish Kuroshitsuji.

• …and if not Kuroshitsuji, at least one anime.
• Get around to visiting different blogs. Regretfully, I STILL haven’t taken Lelangir’s wise advice…
• Get around to visiting other forums (I still feel guilty for not being around VJutsu much, which reminds me: they have uploaded new crazy things to their forum, so please check it out! I can’t get their animation to work out, but they have this cool Bootleg Busters video.  Now, even if you’re really busy, just check out their video for M12’s cool voice! I just realized, the team’s from Australia~)

• And finally, figure out what I want to do with blogging. It provides a lot of food for thought.

Last Thoughts

Happy 2009 once again! What are your resolutions?

Ah.. I can feel my laziness begin to settle in again. You can also use it to blame my reluctance to organize my thoughts in this post…

This is long overdue. To those who have waited: I apologize.

Our blogroll is ever growing and changing, which is not a bad thing at all – I expected this to happen. What makes it different, is what I believed was going to happen: that each of us would find different sites to read and eventually add them to the list.

However, there are a couple things that I think are a little off here, if I were to use that mentality:

• I underestimate the amount of time I have to go to different sites, and the amount of time the other girls’ have
• I don’t know where to start: there are a BAJILLION blogs out there to visit

So where does the solution come in?

Solution: To be honest (not that I wasn’t before), I will now say explicitly that I am a.. howdoyoutermit.. a “blog whore”?

Anyhow, to say it straight and plain: The basic rule I hold right now is if you add us, we will add you.

Maybe this isn’t the best way to do it, because I haven’t really been in touch with the authors of the blogs and wonderful places – but heck, it’s a start. Of course, that idea of the annotated blogroll is always there. I don’t know for sure yet though, because I feel like we (or well, at least ME), I am not familiar with enough of the blogs and the authors yet to write one.

Getting out of the grimy stuffs – I want to introduce a few of the places in particular:

Otaku Complex

• Run by Asch, who I met recently (a couple of months ago?), Otaku Complex covers a wide range of anime, games, music, and whatever else comes to mind when you think “Japanese media”. Asch is also looking for new writers to help out, so if you’re interested, check out his post (just click the picture), and leave him an email. And even if you aren’t interested in writing, just drop by to check out the blog – it’s only a click away.

VJutsu

• What makes VJutsu so interesting is the fact that it’s NOT a blog, but a forum. Although fairly new, VJutsu, I’m sure, will get big in the future. So check it out! M12 takes on the task of running this place, and his words can sum up what this forum was created for:

VJutsu revolves around multimedia and interactivity. We’re planning to upload audio dramas, run Q&A sessions with our mascot, host gaming sessions, and more. Reading pages upon pages of text? No thanks – let’s get interactive!

So if you’ve got a few minutes to spare, check out these places!

Happy Thanksgiving! While you’re busy eating that good food, think of Index as well.

I’m finally catching up on all the posts I owe to people, so here’s the first one on To Aru Majutsu no Index.

*Because I think that writing five different episode summaries is rather superfluous, this post has turned out the way you see it.

Index

Sensei (Sorry, forgot her name)

Touma and Index

And finally, Misaka-chan (?)

… who has been rather elusive in the anime, but shows up more in the manga.

Thoughts

• Anime takes a different turn – apparently it isn’t following the manga accurately, but we’ll probably see more of Misaka later anyway..
• Caught up with To Aru Majutsu no Index (even though I cheated a little)
• Next post coming up in a day or two!

Random fact I realized about my love for Sebastian after reading the manga: my favorite part of his body is his perfectly-sculpted back. It’s broad, but thin. And just way too beautiful.

Weird, yes, but I’ve neglected my precious butler for too long.

So it has occurred to me that I’ve missed four episodes of Kuroshitsuji. Regrettably, yes, but I dislike sitting here and writing summaries for each, so I sort of lumped my thoughts together for these episodes.

Episode Three

To be completely honest (not that I wasn’t before), I never watched this episode. I’ve read about it, and it’s about Ciel’s fiancee and the importance of the ring he wears. I don’t quite remember, but it was supposedly passed from generation to generation after so many deaths. (Perhaps it signifies some kind of relationship with the Queen?) I don’t really know, but honestly, I really don’t think the ring will be of much importance. Anyhow, Sebby progressively gets scarier and scarier every episode. Makes me wonder whether he really cares for Ciel, or just likes being a pawn in Ciel’s game, for amusement.

Episode Four – Six

These episodes comprise the “Jack the Ripper” Arc, and an introduction to Madam Red, Ciel’s aunt. Not much happens in episode four except for the hunt of Jack the Ripper, which also includes amazing footage of Ciel cross dressing as a Madam Red’s niece.

… and a little of this…

…and a little of that…

I’m kidding. It’s Ciel trying to fit into a corset.

As we cross into episode five, things pick up and we are introduces to the real Jack the Ripper – Madam Red and her butler Greil, who is in reality, a death God. The whole story behind Madam Red is introduced – she loved Ciel’s father, who told her she looked beautiful with red hair and red clothes. However, he instead got married to Madam Red’s sister. Madam Red thought she could live with this, and married another man and got pregnant. However, after her husband getting killed and her losing her baby in an accident, Madam Red was devastated. Upset that prostitutes wanted her to get rid of their babies, Madam Red decided to kill them with the help of the shinigami, Greil.

Upon sharing her secret, Madam Red decides to kill Ciel. However, she cannot because Ciel is the child of her sister and the man she loved. Because of her hesistation, Greil kills her. After her death, Ciel orders Sebby to kill Greil.

Does anyone else get the beejeebies from those haunting voices that always play when Sebby turns evil?

The outcome of the battle becomes apparent in episode six.

But alas, Sebby doesn’t have his revenge as the sexiest Death God shows up and takes Greil away.

I’m serious. If you look like William T Spears (exact features please), contact me.

Anyhow, Spears takes Griel back to Shinigami Headquarters for disobeying rules of killing random people and using an unrecorded weapon (ie, his chainsaw). Thus the case of Jack the Ripper is solved. The rest of the episode is of Ciel adorning his aunt’s funeral with a red dress and red flowers. The next few scenes are too deep for me now to understand (it’s 3:30 in the morning), but just know that even if Ciel does the all the dirty work and has to kill to reach his goals, Sebastian will stand by his side throughout. At least this is what I understood, from the gist of things. Really beautiful ending, however. It parallels to a game of chess, and coupled with the music where a child sings in the background makes it such a beautiful scene. Watch it. I’ve included the quote from Sebby, even if you don’t.

That’s how it has to be! You should use your pawns in the best way possibly and keep struggling to live on, using the madam, myself, and all the other pawns within your reach. Even if the empty shells of pawns pile up beneath the throne, once the king is gone, the game is over. … If you wish, I will follow you, no matter where you go. Even if the throne crumbles and the brilliant crown rusts, even if the empty shells of pawns pile up and we rest upon their decaying bodies, I will lie beside your small form.

[and I add from the manga..] … Until I hear the words “Check Mate”.

I’m out – goodnight!

PS. Lolis (as I promised several people *coughShincough*) in the near future.

I haven’t written on Casshern Sins, To Aru Majutsu no Index, or Kuroshitsuji lately, and I know I also promised to write other posts here and there as well. I’ll rectify this, and I apologize cause the workload has been really big as of late.

In the meantime, I had to let the world know about this chapter. Even after going through all that distress and drama and following it for so long, it seems that Ai Yazawa really isn’t going to make any fans happy. I won’t explicitly state what has happened, but there are spoilers in reading these, so beware.

…

But even after all the crying, I still believe this manga is one of the best in showing how life isn’t fair at all, and how reality can be a bitch. Sucks, doesn’t it? Even so, I encourage people to read this.

What say the British?

Seriously, this episode was way too exaggerated that all I can do is laugh and give you screenshots. Watch it for yourself, cause Sebastian really outdoes himself. Of course, I’m not complaining.

A relative? More like Hitler. (Don’t have a screenshot of Madam Red, but she’ll play a bigger role later.) Next, a series of Sebastian’s FEATS.

He really is an akuma shitsuji.

And then a series of bondage and BL shots for the fujoshis.

Although if I were Ciel, I wouldn’t mind being held like that. ;]

And the search for the perfect Butler still continues …

… For not enough screen time last episode? In truth, I was expecting Kaori to show off her moves.

But in reality, it wasn’t filled with as much action as I expected.

In fact, it was more like this.

…

And don’t forget these cute little mug shots.

And one of Index too~

Thoughts

The episode was a little slow. I don’t blame the directors though, because I thought the manga itself was a little slow in parts.

And as much as I think these pictures are cute, I definitely would love to see more of Kaori. Sorry – Index and Sensei are cute as hell, but hotter/more gorgeous girls like Kaori definitely catch my attention! If I were a guy, that is.

Until next week~

Food for thought? You decide.

It’s episode three of Casshern Sins, and Death just somehow seems to be following everyone who gets entangled with Casshern. However, unlike the previous episodes, this one is touching and bittersweet. Even though Akoes, a human introduced this time, is only around Casshern for a little while, he imparts an important and last message to Casshern.

Not quite.

Our protagonist is overwhelmed by the massacre of the robot village in the last episode, and along comes Akoes. Although not wanting anyone to get closer to him for fear of their deaths being cause by him, Casshern tells Akoes to leave him alone. Akoes doesn’t, and somehow worms his way into Casshern’s “heart” (how ironic) by making fun of Casshern, saying that he [Akoes] is already dead.

Akoes does have some really good insight. He tells Casshern that humans are in-efficient life forms (in the world THEY live in). However, he doesn’t say this in anger, but instead seems to have come to terms with this. In fact, later on, he tells Casshern that he sympathizes with robots, because they can’t have some parts of life that humans are privileged to.

Casshern questions this, asking Akoes why he contradicted the statement he just said a while ago. Akoes smiles and says, “Humans are always contradictions. Might as well enjoy it. That’s enough.”

After hanging out with Akoes for a while, Casshern opens up to this human. He tells Akoes that he has committed a great sin and that he continues to have this frustration in not understanding anything about himself and what he has done. Akoes tells him what’s done is done, and that anyone can make a mistake. Either way, that sin won’t disappear, and there is no need in worrying over it. Akoes, who has committed crimes in the past also, tells Casshern there is no use in running from his sins.

Where do I end up after I’ve run, and kept running? Where have I run to? And what for? To live? Why am I alive? To Run? What in the hell am I, then? No one understands that.

And Casshern’s response is surprising. For a robot, that is.

Casshern decides to let Friender kill him, after deciding to stop running from his sins. Friender chooses not to, and thus becomes Casshern’s companion.

Akoes decides to leave the journey, in search of the robot community in the previous episode. Of course, this is only an excuse. In the end, we learn of Akoes’ fate.

Akoes, who was looking for a place to die, leaves one last sentence for Casshern.

Life is full of things you don’t understand.

Thoughts

In the end, who is superior? Robots or humans? That’s what I wanted to write about.

…

But I guess it doesn’t matter.

See you next week with Episode Four.