Journey into Mystery

soy sauce

Happy belated new year? Welp, there are still 360 days left counting today, so it's not like I'm too late. LJ wouldn't open to me on the 31st and 1st, and I didn't want to post without a crosspost.

Two things, then. I've seen people still doing yearly scrapbooks and lists to keep track of what they'll check on 2013. I always do that kind of post and I forget to edit them later, and then at end of year memes I'm like WAIT WHAT BUT I WATCHED MORE SHIT so I'll do a new approach this year. I'm keeping track of progress on shows and books and stuff with cloud apps. And since it's easier to make it look pretty there, I'm making a log of finished stuff in a sideblog :D

The other one is the yeeeeeeear in reviewwwwwww meeeeeeeeme.

( It's full of pain )

What am I looking forward to for 2013? Fuck if I know. There's Marvel stuff I'm interested in (and fearing it, in Young Avengers' case). Maybe I'll finish a video game or get a console; I think my brother is eying the Vita and P4G. There's a lot of stuff to catch up in my HDD and DVD collection too. So I have more to bite that I can chew, so it's just a matter of what and when to jump into. I need new fandoms urgently because I miss having an OTP.

Go to your archives/calendar, take the first post you made each month and write the first line of each in your post. This is your year in review.

( I bet it's going to be boring )

Now let's talk fandom for a bit, if I may.

i. Yesterday the anime of Kuragehime ended. As it obviously couldn't conclude the main conflict in one episode (mind you, not even in the manga is resolved), they went with a cheap copout that sort of annuls most things the main characters have been working on and it leaves some plotlines too open. Except for this episode, which did adapt well the few parts that were adapted, I do like the anime. They did what they could, but they couldn't finish it well for the lack of time. It's a pity about some parts that couldn't make it to the anime, like ( cutting for tiny manga spoiler )

But that's okay because I found the raws of volume 6 and spoiled myself on what they really did next. I love that Mayaya (my favorite Amars, NGL) had this much spotlight. And my biggest issue with Shu/Tsukimi is gone now, although I still like her better with Kuranosuke.

I wish scanlations could come out faster. Now how do I get my fix?

ii. I also read Afterschool Charisma, and my god is it a mindfuck and I really need to know what happens next D: It also made me realize that EVERYTHING WITH CLONES GETS MINDFUCK-Y. And full of weird issues. This series' premise is basically Let's Clone Historical Figures (As Teen Bishounen And Bishoujo) And Put Them In a Psychological Thriller, so the combination of clones + thriller + conspiracies = MINDFUCK x 10. This is pretty much the anti-Tales of the Abyss approach, where the story tells you that clones must become their own person. In ASC, we have clones wanting to, but not being allowed by the system as they're not even thought as real human beings with rights. Everyone is "disposable" and if they wish to be individuals, they must be replaced. It's quite depressing even without the menace on their heads.

But still, this manga is a damn good seinen if you like that genre and mindfuck (or Weird Al's "I Think I'm a Clone Now"). Of course, you have to switch off your brain to the bishie and forget how the original people really looked like, or you'll die of an ulcer. Some people are pretty much unrecognizable until they tell you who they are, so you're warned.

iii. I immediately read Kame Odoru (I am a Turtle) in the same website of the former, to rinse the taste of impending doom. I do love 4 koma comedy with animals and silliness, so it was a good 10-minute waste. That turtle is so fucking cute!

Wow, no one has commented on the new extended trailer for the Tethe'alla OVAs? Well, there you go! And there's also this piece of crack where even (especially) Genis joins the dork club. And the girls are all like "whut" at the guys. There's also one of Lloyd and Zelos' seiyuus having silly freetalk.

Man, animators really dislike Regal or something.

Also, heads up! Someone uploaded the first chapter of Ôoku on Mangafox! At last, scans of that manga. I really hope this person continues at least for the rest of that volume.

What else? I'm up to date with Durarara!! and while it's good I still prefer Baccano! and its characters a lot more. Yet I'm still watching because I really like Celty and the twists are not bad at all.

I also finished Le Chevalier D'Eon since it was a while since I last watched something with lulzy historical butchery. How I call this series, "European name-dropping French Revolution with Bible voodoo"~ But really, the whole craziness of it all makes the WTF finale worth it. Oh, and Takahiro Sakurai uses his panty-wetting Stupid Sexy Medicine Seller voice here!! (Meaning that I hate myself a little for finding Robespierre so hot. The voice helps a lot.)

...This post was random!

happy new year! ♥

I'll break the deredere to say thank you, for being around. I know I'm a lousy friend, but this was a shitty year and without you guys or fandom, it would've been even more sucktacular. You make me feel less lonelier, so gracias.

Now let's try to recap this past year a bit. This is completely subjective, of course.

( Randomness )

I want to send my hate to whoever created Osu!. Dude, I didn't need a customizable Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan for PC with gazillion songs available. Oh God why whyyyy.

Apart from carpal destruction, I cleaned up my room today, yay! Because my shelves were a mess, I was lacking space, and I just had to send my Tsubaholic volumes to a cardbox in the basement for my own sanity. Aaaaah, so much better! I also had to store several other series, for instance Fruits Basket, to get free way for my ongoing collections.

I took pictures of the stuff I kept in my room, just in case someone cares.

( Picspam: my bedroom and the manga/books I keep close )

Posted the Natsume Yuujinchou screencaps here. It took a lot of work to upload them, but if this means people making good icons then I'll be satisfied.

I think I should screencap more stuff since it's so easy with the batch function. I might do Mushishi and/or Kino since I have the DVDs. What do you guys think?

I hope FMA is out early this month. The anime hype and seeing Hughes is strongly reminding me of the epicness to come in this issue. Asgdfghafdhg.

I'm also really pumped for Tsuioku no Jade, which will be out around the 24th. I swear, if nobody is scanning the magazine raw, I'll cry. I want to see this so bad.

...So basically, it all comes down to Colonel Badass fest. In both fandoms.

And now for that "pick 5 icons and I'll explain them meme".

( I'm having déjà-vu; didn't I do a couple of these more than once already? )

Assorted comments on manga I read today.

• Kobato 13(.A?): I couldn't understand a thing! Now, crypticness is fun and I like it, especially when I can go back and reread when I know what it was all about. But when it comes to the animal-shaped characters, they just become almost unintelligible. All I got from there was that ( are these spoilers? )
  . Anyway, it's kind of bizarre that I'm following this manga for the plushies' plot, whatever that is.


• Vinland Saga 52: ...Holy crap. Now, that's losing your head. *rimshot* I just... What the hell, Askeladd. What the fucking hell. I hope the next chapter doesn't take a million years to scanlate.


• Historie 52: So far I'm enjoying Eumenes' adventures in Macedonia. And how he's more OMG LIBRARY than anything else (if anyone reading this has slash goggles, must've been disappointed that right after meeting Alexander, Eumenes is all "what an interesting place with interesting people ~AND THE LIBRARY~ ♥"). Have I mentioned the big crush I have on Eumenes? So awesome.


• Ouran 69: OMG, it's the return of Stupid Dork Tamaki! Now with 30% more misunderstanding and annoyance! I swear I LOL'd through the whole chapter. It just felt like an old chapter and all. I wonder if next month they'll bring out the cliffhanger about Kyouya's shady discovery, or they'll skip the drama for a while and return to humorous shenanigans on Haruhi's birthday. The so-called love triangle is coming more as humoristic than anything so far.


• Saint Young Men 5: ...I never said I read this, did I. It feels so wrong, but it's so cracky. And this chapter was just hilarious. Jesus' blog! Practically everything Buddha said! Death Note reference! The animals outside! Between this one and Ouran, I had my LULZ quota for the weekend :Db

Yay, there are new chapters of Historie in Onemanga! It's been months!

( Cut to spare you guys who don't give a fuck, and yes there are spoilers )

Now if only there were scanlations or even text translations of Vinland Saga...

You know that kind of days when stuff (and others) keep getting in the way of everything? You crouch and then bump on your forehead with the corner of a furniture piece (it still hurts, btw). There are long queues for every bus you take, and they take more time to get to the stop -also, it's freezing. There's people on the snack bending machine when normally there isn't. A chair is in the middle of the library hallway and you gotta take a detour. The cleaning ladies are in the restroom just when you're going inside. There's a higher rate of people crossing or stopping in front of you while you walk. And when you finally get home, the front door of the building won't open on the first try. Add some mental clumsiness in general.

The day cockblocked me. Seriously.

Happier things. How about things I've checked out recently?

Michiko to Hatchin: Actually, I thought the three episodes they had been released were good, old-school fun. The action scenes are entertaining, just like Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo's (making the comparison on purpose because it's the same creator/studio or something). The location and character design are much refreshing, but then again remember I'm Caribbean South American and might be biased (go figure). But yeah, it's fun to watch. Don't expect a lot of sense, I mean, remember Cowboy Bebop before it got sort of a plot? Hell, MtH has MORE plot than Bebop. More or less like Champloo, I suppose. Also, kickass ladies, which is a huge plus.

I can't get over the fact Michiko's last name is Malandro, however XDDDD *knows maybe no one will get it* I know, in Brazilian it means something different, but the Venezuelan seems... sort of adequate.

To explain the next two series: Lack of XXXHOLiC and no more chapters/episodes of supernatural manganime I dig in my system. Desperate measures to fill the gap with random "kid who can see youkai" manga. (Is it January yet? I want moar Natsume)

Nurarihyon no Mago: Saw it on the small fandoms comm and gave it a try. Actually, it's also a shounen. Not bad, yet nothing spectacular. The main character, cliché as he can be, is cute as a button and sort of hot in his am-I-suddenly-reading-DNAngel night form; however, I was more interested in the very minor characters themselves, especially the youkai (Yuki-onna is adorable). I guess it's okay to pass the time, but nothing impressive so far. The grandpa should have more screentime. Also, karasu tengu so cute~

Hyakkiyakou Shou: Oh, I like the art style, it's different and more realistic. So far I've read only two volumes but the stories are pretty good, more tending to horror than fluffy slice of life. I must say, to be honest, that the only big flaw I find is that the main character, Ritsu, is feeling dull to me. He just helps because is there, he lacks personality and motivation. However, when it comes to characters, Blue Spirit is cool. The grandpa should have more flashback screentime. Also, karasu tengu so cute~

I shouldn't won't be able to check them out soon because I do have an exam on the 10th, but here it goes. Recommend me anime, manga, TV shows you think I might like. No matter how old they are. Mind you, I might even prefer old stuff to boring new series. Hell, if you want even throw series you don't think I might like anyway but you love a lot. This is your chance to poke me or change my mind on things.

The only restriction is length. When it comes to shounen or American TV, please don't rec lengthy, ongoing fandoms. Right now I'm looking for autoconclusive series. Long manga is fine, though, but notice I've already given a chance to several long Jump series I ended up dropping out of boredom (Bleach, DGM, KHR).

My preferred genres are comedy, supernatural, fantasy, historic/mythological, suspense, horror, or just quirky crap. I prefer interesting plots or characters over prettiness of animation/actors. I will accept romance as long as it's set in one or more of the genres above girls crossdressing is guilty pleasure; if it's BL I'm not taking seme/uke stereotypes, if it's het or yuri I won't enjoy mushy saccharine (and in any, I won't like abusive couples or hatesex). Anyway, in doubt there's a list of fandoms I loved in my profile. Or just ignore it and throw things at me.

( List of stuff I plan to watch/read after final )