Author: Takuto

Millennium Actress & Our Obsession with the Chase || OWLS “Devotion”

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Chances are that if you were linked here from another blogger pal, then you might be new. To those first-timers, “Hi, I’m Takuto, welcome to my anime cafe!” For the OWLS blog tour’s third monthly topic of 2020, “Devotion,” I wanted to give special spotlight to a recently rescued and released anime film that I’m sure many fans of the early 2000s era might recognize: Satoshi Kon’s magnificent Millennium Actress!

When we talked about fandoms, we show our appreciation and support by buying merchandise, cosplaying, writing fanfiction and etc. In fact, our appreciation can end up looking like a sign of religious worship. For this month, we will be talking about how certain characters express devotion to others, objects, and values. We will also be discussing how devotion can turn into an unhealthy form of passion and obsession and the implications of that.

I’ve got an interesting angle for this one that I hope you guys will enjoy. Thanks Lyn for the prompt!

chiyoko rides

A brief discussion of the 2002 anime film “Millennium Actress,” animated by Madhouse, directed and based on the original story by Satoshi Kon and Sadayuki Murai. 

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

Have you ever been starstruck? You know, met or have worked with someone so cool, famous, or at least well-renowned in your area that you find yourself absolutely mesmerized by this person’s presence, their every word? Well, that was budding filmmaker Genya Tachibana to Ginei Studio’s star actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara, many decades ago.

Now, at the turn of the millennium, the legendary studio is set to be demolished. As an ex-employee, Genya decides to honor this occasion with a special commemorative documentary about Ms. Fujiwara herself. Having retired at the height of her career, the sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema has lived a reclusive life up in the mountains. With the hour now at his chance, an eager Genya cannot be more excited to place his lifelong idol back in the spotlight one last time.

As a young lover of film and the industry, Millennium Actress quickly won my heart. Navigating through over a thousand years of Japanese history, the film seamlessly bobs and weaves through entire eras by showcasing all of the major roles Chiyoko has played throughout her prominent career. Nearly an hour and a half of carefully crafted cuts and quick visual tricks culminate in an experience that is as unique as it is autobiographical and personal to this now very tired, very humble elderly woman.

Chiyoko’s narrative gracefully guides us through the three major periods of her life: adolescent fame, her blossoming teenage years, and her still-yet accomplished adulthood. Specifically, we see how a young girl’s early encounter with love shaped the rest of her life. Driven by romance and adventure yet saturated with the pains of drama and missed opportunities, Kon’s film—with Chiyoko’s character—lives on today to inspire an entirely new generation.

chiyoko elder

A Fateful Encounter Under a Full Moon

From samurai to spacesuits, Chiyoko Fujiwara has played them all throughout her fabled career. To call her a person of passion would be an understatement; very few actresses can embody the wide range of personalities appropriate for acting as a woman living in so many different historic eras, as well as so many countless roles. And yet, our “millennium actress” is capable of being the perfect heroine for all time! So what drove the idol of Genya’s dreams to become a master of her craft? Well, like it might happen for any of us: she fell in love. 

Before she became a household name, Chiyoko was caught in an incident which involved her helping an injured man. Although he supposedly may have been an “art thief” on the run, that didn’t stop childhood Chiyoko from being swept off her feet that fateful night. In their short time, they bond over simple life pleasures together, one of those being the moon.

Chiyoko looks up at the night sky, remarking how beautiful the full moon will be tomorrow. But the “man with the key” says that it is most beautiful now, for once the full moon is here, it only begins to wane. Whereas, it is under this this sky that you can spend the whole night looking forward to what the moon will become.

I think that this single, beautiful metaphor is representative of the entire film. I’m sure the mysterious man with the key who lives day-to-day may value this philosophy due to his risky occupation. But after her date with destiny, Chiyoko won’t ever be able to shake the man’s charm from her memory. In a long-winded and tiring search spanning a lifetime, Chiyoko scours all of Asia for any chance to reunite with the man. Even when she loses the one symbolic representation of their relationship—the key which unlocks “the most important thing”—she never stops longing for his love. She chases after him, and relentlessly so. After all, the chase kept her excited—-kept her living on the edge of love, forever—-and allowed her to feel eternally young at heart even as her hair grayed and memories began to fade.

chiyoko runs

It Was Never About the Destination

Hidden high up in this quiet mountain home is a thousand years of Japanese cinematic history just waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko’s deep reflections of the past take Genya and the viewer on an illusory journey through the saga of an actress’s career and her incredible filmography. As the actors in her life blend with the characters on screen, the tatami beneath their feet shifts from stage to stage, and the present completely blends with the past.

This is the extraordinary tale of a phenomenal actress who was so devoted to pursuing the love of her life that she stumbled through a legendary film career in the blink of an eye. Similarly, we also see how a fan’s positive and passionate devotion to his idol can lead to wondrous outcomes with the right intent behind them. Though the remarkable actress may have retired at the height of her career decades ago, Satoshi Kon’s directorial magic absolutely has you convinced that the curtain on her life’s stage has yet to fall.

chiyoko key

Does Chiyoko ever see the man with the key again? Well, does it really matter? If nothing else from this story, what we come to understand is that when we have our eyes set on only one thing in life, the meaning for everything else can start to fall from our view. Perhaps, just perhaps, we had what we really wanted all along. Like the night before a full moon, maybe the longing for some things—the journey itself—is more satisfying than the destination will ever be . . .

And so, as Genya presents an elderly Chiyoko with the very key she lost so many years ago, she at last finds what “the most important thing” to her was. After a long pursuit spanning a thousand years, it finally dawns on her that perhaps she was never in love with the man to begin with—she was just lost in the tremendous thrill of the great chase. 

chiyoko sakura

After all, it’s the chasing after him I really love. — Chiyoko

Afterword

Some beauty really is timeless. There’s so much cinematic and storytelling gold here that I could write a hundred—no, a thousand—posts on this film. I’m definitely glad I held off on this one for as long as I did, but even more so thankful to Eleven Arts and Shout! Factory for licensing this gorgeous film (the Blu-ray restoration is terrific)! Need I say more for now? Millennium Actress may just be the best film Satoshi Kon ever made, a certified “Caffe Mocha” for all those who know how I do things around here. But what are your thoughts on this timeless classic? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

This concludes my March 27th entry in the OWLS “Devotion” blog tour. My dear friend Mel (Mel in Anime Land) went right before me with a post on K-pop and idol culture that you can read right here! Now, look out for Megan (A Geeky Gal) with a post on one of my favorite romance anime, My Love Story!!, this coming Monday, March 30th! Thank you so much for reading, and until next time!

– Takuto

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe: A Thrilling Ride Through Space || Review

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A brief spoiler-free review of the young adult fiction novel “The Loneliest Girl in the Universe,” written by Lauren James, originally published in 2017 by HarperTeen.

Adrift in Space

Carrying with it the hope of humankind, The Infinity continues its noble trek through the blackness of space, despite all but one of its crew having died on board in a horrific accident years ago . . .

Although she bears the title of first child born in space, Romy Silvers only has connection to her therapist on Earth and her wits to occupy her as she drifts alone in deep space aboard The Infinity. But to her surprise, Romy’s mundane life in space suddenly picks up when she finds out that a new NASA ship, The Eternity, has set course to meet her on her long, lonesome journey to a new planet—and sooner than she ever could have anticipated.

While initially eager to unite with another of her kind, cryptic emails from both Earth and J, the friendly pilot of The Eternity, start to trigger anxiety-filled memories of the past and terrifying visions of the future. Perhaps, as she quickly realizes, there are worse things than being alone . . .

The Infinity is the biggest, most expensive scientific mission in history. I get to be the very first person to see the results. I’m so lucky. — Romy

A slow-build yet gripping sci-fi thriller with a sprinkling of romance throughout the journey, the plot of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe begins leisurely by showing us several chapters of Romy’s character and daily routine, but rapidly escalates in the last third of the novel (AKA the big plot twist part). To build this energy up, author Lauren James features a countdown system instead of traditional chapter titles or numbers, most beginning with “365 Days Until The Eternity Arrives,” then “364 Days . . .” and so on. 

The book’s printing is quite large and generously spaced out, making these 300 or so pages seem like they just fly by. It helps that James writes short chapters, most being no more than a couple pages. Like a series of diary entries strung together in one large narrative, we quickly get a feel for who Romy is, and why things like people—not the black abyss of space—scare her most of all. 

Finding Strength in the Darkness

Lemme begin by getting it out there: If you’re wanting a story with strong feminist energy and mental illness rep, this one’s all for you. Romy may only be sixteen years old, but given her scary close relationship with loneliness and anxiety, she’s one hell of a ship commander. I really appreciate the mental illness rep going on here. Romy’s severe anxiety doubles as both something she must learn to accept (or fight) AND a first-person story-telling trick: the unreliable narrator.

Sometimes we have to question whether the sights and sounds Romy experiences in the night are real terrors or nightmares stirred by her anxiety, and Lauren James handles the balance between the real and surreal with incredible deft and care. James has created a feminist character who’s stronger than she knows, and following her journey has me inspired to face some of my own fears with isolation and nihilism.

It’s hard to focus on the future when the past is so distracting. — Romy

One of Romy’s qualities that I absolutely commend is how—despite having the ability to spoil herself—she always puts the needs of The Infinity first. Always. It’s her ship, clearly, and she feels strongly for it just as how any of us would for our own children. When ship efficiency emails start to suggest that Romy observes using less electricity by turning out the lights early or conserve water by taking shorter showers to maintain ship’s water supply, she obliges, even if the message’s sender seems sketchy.

She knows that being the sole commander of The Infinity comes with it the responsibility to maintain the vessel; making necessary sacrifices is just one part of the job. This respect and care for her ship—her home—is no doubt a trait she inherited from her dutiful parents, especially her good-natured father whom Romy was especially close to. As the story unravels, we gradually find out how they met their end, as well as the understand the tragic events that occurred during Romy’s early childhood that led to her being alone.

My life is a gambling chip thrown carelessly across the universe in the hope it’ll land somewhere my descendants can survive. I represent the culmination of centuries of human achievement and exploration. But who cares if my name goes down in history, if no one remembers who I really am? — Romy

Thrilling to the Very End

If you couldn’t already tell, I had a blast getting to know Romy and speculating with James as to what interstellar travel may be like in the near-distant future. I also loved the messages of longing and learning to love yourself, even if that process can be slow, confusing, and often painful. While I had my suspicions about certain plot twists, I was completely thrown off by the exciting change of pace near the finale—what a fantastic ending! It makes me appreciate even more the 150-200 pages of careful build-up that Lauren James so meticulously crafted—and I was already enjoying the adventure since the first page!

For those looking for THE perfect solitude-vibes title during this quarantine we’re all under, I cannot recommend The Loneliest Girl in the Universe enough. Lauren James has laid out a carefully plotted journey beginning as early as the title itself. There’s also a lot of references to pop culture—including YouTube, Netflix, and even fanfiction communities—that help bring Romy and her situation to life.

Just know, though, that this isn’t your typical fluffy long-distance romance plot. Sometimes the story is uplifting and kind, but other times it’s really gonna try and scare ya—don’t underestimate that part. Intelligent, suspenseful, and deliberately cautious, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe is thrilling to the very end—even in its quietest moments.

loneliest girl insta

This voyage was never meant to be easy. It was meant to be important. — Romy

Afterword

Man, what a wonderful, terrifying, and weird little book this was. Special shoutout to Natalie (Book of Bee) over on YouTube for recommending it to her viewers—it was delightful! While not technically an anime or film, I’ll gladly welcome The Loneliest Girl in the Universe here as a certified “Caffe Mocha,” a rating reserved only for the best works! If you read this novel, PLEASE, tell me what you liked or disliked about it in the comments! Also, if you’ve got any recommendations that are similar to this one, be sure to leave those too. ‘Till next time!

– Takuto

Azur Lane: Ships, Sisterhood, & the Warring Seas || Review

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A brief spoiler-free review of the 12-episode fall 2019 anime “Azur Lane,” animated by Bibury Animation Studios, directed by Motoki Tanaka, and based on the popular side-scrolling shoot ’em up mobile game franchise of the same name.

Enterprise and eagle union

War is Bad, PERIODT. 

The “Sirens” came without warning, decimating any ship on the open seas with their overwhelming, technologically advanced arsenal. To combat the alien invaders, a divided humanity rose in complete unity for the first time, forming the Azur Lane. Armed in their alliance, Azur Lane powered through their mutual enemy with revolutionary improvements to modern warfare. However, opposing ideals in future confrontation with the Sirens caused the alliance to split in two: Eagle Union and Royal Navy with Azur Lane, and Sakura Empire and Iron Blood forming the Red Axis. 

Although these nations continue to skirmish with one another on the high seas, schemes of independent parties within the Red Axis working together with Siren technology to dominate the world threaten all of humanity. As one particular soldier comes to terms with her own personality and ambitions, however, the hope for reuniting humankind may be found in some ideals that even war cannot shake: empathy, camaraderie, and sisterhood. 

In an attempt to find duality, the series goes about telling the “war = bad” theme by contrasting the pleasantries of daily life in both Azur Lane and Sakura Empire with the frustrations of conflict on and off the battlefield. (Spoiler alert, fighting ain’t much fun no matter which side you’re on.) I think this speaks volumes about the series’ viewership, though, as my favorite parts were, in fact, the high energy combat scenes. Chalk it up to my obsession with ship fighting in general, but when the girls are geared up for war, the show promises to at least be halfway entertaining. Otherwise, the plot itself is full of generic motivations and reveals on both sides of the tide. 

akagi and kaga

Iron and Steel—But Make it Fashion

While I’m no stranger to cute girls fighting with heavy artillery ALA Strike Witches, Girls und Panzer, and basic knowledge of Kancolle, I am a newbie to the Azur Lane franchise. The series markets itself under the sci-fi action and military genres, but spends far too much time indulging in forced yuri shipping and awkward loli lewding. (I mean, these are anthropomorphic warship girls—you already know the kind of audience they were tailoring this franchise to.)

The fan service is clear and abundant (and not really my thing). But, the core premise of iconic and historical ships clashing in what is at least to say a “unique” fashion is actually quite cool. Thinking back, were it not for the eye-popping and abstract character designs, I might not have stumbled upon this title at all. Seeing how the various ship parts come together to form a semi-feasible battlesuit must’ve required some intense layout and design work—especially for the more elite warships—so props to the character designers on this one. These characters may already originate from the game, but to make these girls move AND not seem overly clunky, man, hats off to ya!

character designs azur lane

As for the characters themselves, this is where Azur Lane starts to sink. I get it that franchise adaptations don’t want to leave a single girl out, but WOW, they really did just try and shove every single major and minor character into this one. And it shows, because aside from the stoic “Grey Ghost” Enterprise herself (given life by Rachael Messer’s powerful performance in the dub) and her few close companions (namely the lovely Lindsay Seidel’s benevolent Belfast, and Jad Saxton’s elegant Illustrious), I couldn’t really tell you a think about any of these girls. The sidelining in this one is so bad that you could practically take out the entire Iron Blood faction and the story would be the same. 

Oh ok, I suppose Amber Lee Connors’ cunning and devilish Akagi is worth an applause, same for Dawn M. Bennett’s strong performance as Akagi’s dear sister, Kaga, and Mallorie Rodak’s low and majestic Prince of Wales. On the other hand, I particularly found ALL of the lolis to be more annoying than cute, save for Tia Ballard’s Laffey and Lara Woodhull’s Ayanami, although that wouldn’t be a fault of any of the voice actors so much as children just being, well, children. As a whole, the dub is quite enjoyable, and the accent work is a nice touch. 

Illustrious

A Strong Soundtrack *Almost* Saves the Day

Where the story tanks into generic territory, the production value of Azur Lane helps keep things interesting. You can clearly tell that a variety of talents handled the animation in this show, cause oh man, when it’s bad it’s so awkward to watch—but when it’s good, it’s badass, and that’s what I want to talk about here. The best fight scenes in Azur Lane are on par with Fate/Apocrypha levels of fluid sakuga. Episode 8 is a standout particularly for both the dramatic tone shift in the story and the serious, high-octane battles that take place on these warring seas. 

On the music side of things, I love battle anthems, and Azur Lane is FULL of them! The OST is the strongest unsung aspect of this adaptation, believe it or not. Lots of epic orchestral tracks cue the opening shots of war, and each of the nations have their own culturally appropriate couple of tracks to accompany their respective atmospheres, Sakura Empire’s Japanese-inspired melodies being my favorites. It’s a shame I couldn’t find credits for the composer on MAL, but I would assume these tracks also come from the mobile game. Lastly, the OP theme “graphite/diamond” is full of great energy, and is unmistakably characteristic of the wonderful May’n!

Enterprise finale

A Game of Hit and Miss

Depending on what you’re coming into this show for, Azur Lane may land hard or miss the mark entirely. I heard that even fans of the game didn’t care much for the anime, but that’s besides the point. However generic the story and cookie-cutter characters feel, there’s a lot of interesting things being done on the production side. Additionally, the themes of family being crazy and soldiers finding purpose in life beyond fighting will always be captivating ones for me. Overall, I found myself engaged with Azur Lane‘s unique character designs and soaring string melodies, so I’d say it was entertaining enough. As for being memorable? Meh, I couldn’t give a ship.

warships

The truth is . . . war never changes. It’s exactly the same, no matter which era it happens upon. — Enterprise

Afterword

I was actually going to skip reviewing this one, but it turns out that I had more to say about Azur Lane than I originally thought. I’m glad to be able to watch and review a show that was sitting on my backlog, even if it didn’t turn out to be “the greatest” series by any means. Heck, calling Azur Lane anything more than serviceable might be overdoing it, but I’m comfortable with giving the series the “Coffee” label, a humble rating for mediocre titles like this one. If you stopped at the docks to give Azur Lane a watch, be sure to let me know what you thought about it down in the comments! It’s nice to be back in the review space once again. I’ve got more in store, so until next time!

– Takuto

Expect the Unexpected: Social Distancing & Being Jobless || Update

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Hi all,

I almost don’t know where to begin. It’s been a wild past couple weeks (as I’m sure you all can attest to). Here’s what’s up . . .

School & Work

I got the announcement that my university would be officially shutting down on-campus classes for the remainder of the semester just a couple days ago, but that we would still meet for this week before transitioning to spring break. Well, things change, and now all classes are cancelled starting today, extending break another week. Naturally, the pool that I work at on campus also closed.

So yeah, just yesterday I was a full-time student with two part-time jobs. Today I’m out an education AND a job. Life’s gonna be a little different for a while.

To top it off, I’m in the process of prepping myself for grad school, which has been scary as hell. Why? Well, I’m basically jumping ship on psychology (still getting my BS) and pursuing a Master’s in English. Or at least, that’s the new plan. If I can get lucky, I’d love to do something in the fine arts, maybe screenwriting? Otherwise, I’ll eventually try and take on the editing and publishing world. Any advice for a panicking undergrad?? o___o

Film Journey

I haven’t let quarantine life stop me from trying to make the best out of this all. I’ve made it a mission to watch as many films (that I bought but never got around to) as I can, and it’s been so incredibly freeing and fulfilling to just be able to sit down and watch movie after movie.

Hopefully I can muster the energy to review some of these for you all, as there’s a LOT of underrated anime films out there that kinda just went under the radar.

I’m chronicling my film journey over on my Instagram (@takutoac) for anyone wanting to follow along! ^ . ^

Back to Reading

As with my slowly getting back to anime (primarily with films at the moment), I’m also gradually creeping back into reading my manga and light novels what with social distancing and all. I blind bought all these books and series, and it’s been pleasant reading all this stuff for once. I’ll try to share more of what I’ve been reading on Insta.

Making Music

I’ve found other ways to occupy my time, one being that I started a TikTok just for the heck of it. It’s been fun covering my favorite pop songs and playing around with video editing. I’ll have lots of time to film those now!

And of course, my love for BTS only continues to grow stronger. After three years, it feels weird to finally be collecting my favorite photo cards and albums. But in many more ways, I just feel happy I can celebrate these passions I’d held mostly hidden for years. I hope it’s not too annoying for you all. >.<

Cosplay Endeavors

With Naka-Kon (and pretty much all anime conventions) getting cancelled or postponed, I’ve been left with all this cosplay and no place to show it off at. Or maybe I do . . .

FOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM. It’s where I’ll be posting all my cosplay pics, in addition to the books I’ve been reading and the movies I’ve been watching!! I’ll try to get on here and blog more, but it just seems silly to publish a post with just pictures on it. BUT, if it’s something you’d really like to see here, I’m willing to make it happen. 🙂

In these long, lonely, quiet days ahead that we’re about to have, I’ll be reading, watching, and posting more than I ever have before. If you decide to stick around with me, I’d be eternally grateful. Heck, I already am, you guys are too awesome.

I’ve missed a lot in just a month, and I apologize. As I (we) get back into the swing of things, I look forward to seeing all the great work you all have been creating!

So, until the next post—whatever it may be—stay busy, and stay well! We got this!!

– Takuto

Takuto WILL be Attending Naka-Kon 2020!

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Hello all!

It seems that time is slipping through my fingers with each passing day. And yet, I have managed to find a little time for anime and cosplay still—at the cost of time spent blogging, that is. I’ll have a more formal update here at the end of March, but I suppose I should address the topic of this announcement first:

I WILL be attending Naka-Kon 2020 this weekend!

While school, life, and other fandoms have been on my mind lately, I won’t let that stop me from having a great weekend ahead. Oh yeah, and I’m gonna be cosplaying too!

I’ll for sure be cosplaying villager Eugeo from Sword Art Online: Alicization and Rantaro Amami from Danganronpa V3, with Shinra Kusakabe from Fire Force as a potential alternative (assuming I can finish the adjustments I’d like to make). I can’t wait to show off Eugeo’s Blue Rose Sword—it’s my first build with EVA foam, and I’m quite pleased with how it turned out. Pics will be coming soon (also, check out my Insta for more)!

As for guests, I hope to meet Amanda Celine Miller so she can sign my big Danganronpa art book for her fabulous Junko Enoshima performance (and potentially my Sailor Moon VIZ DVD for Sailor Jupiter). Zach Aguilar will also be present, so if I could get him to sign my second Aldnoah.Zero DVD for Slaine Troyard (as Max Mittleman signed for Inaho Kaizuka a couple years back), I’d be more than thrilled!

Again, a bigger update will be forthcoming from me, which will detail the simulcasts I’ve been watching (and what happened to my Valentine’s Day Gunbuster marathon . . . oops!). I hope the spring season has found everyone well, and until next time, thanks for stopping by!

– Takuto

Winter 2020 Simulcast Line Up (Better Late Than Never)

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Hello all,

I’m back with a quick update on what I’ve been following this season. It hasn’t been so much of a “bad” season as I just haven’t been in the mood for anime as of late. (Or rather, I haven’t found the perfect show to sink my fangs into and love unconditionally.) So, until I find that anime gem to bounce me back into the swing of things, I’ve found decent entertainment in what this winter 2020 season has to offer.

misaka and kongo

A Certain Scientific Railgun T

J.C.Staff | Streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation (Dub)

Ok, so I prefaced this post with “finding the right show to get me back into anime sort-of-thing,” and technically Railgun is it. You all probably know that I LOVE this franchise by now. Even though I haven’t reviewed any of Railgun or Index in the past (partially because I already know the reviews will be biased), I have talked at length about some of the reasons why I love this series.

Anyway, this title is a highly anticipated watch specifically because it’s always been one of my “anime production dreams” to have the entire Daihasei Festival/Level 6 Shift Arc animated in full J.C.Staff glory. Nearly SEVEN years after the explosive sequel we finally get the third, and I couldn’t be happier! There’s lots to look forward to in this newest installment, and with solid direction backing Misaka and the gang up (unlike what happened with Index III and Accelerator), I’m expecting this continuation to be truly electrifying. Thrilled to be back in the city of science!

id invaded episode 1

ID: INVADED

NAZ | Streaming on Funimation (Dub)

Now this is a peculiar one. While it’s uncharacteristic as is for me to hold of on watching Psycho-Pass 3 (don’t worry, I’ll get to it), it’s even more rare for me to start one of these sci-fi detective thrillers when I barely knew anything about the title before it aired. I’m not a cop show kind of guy. And yet, something about ID: INVADED‘s premise (where a dude essentially deep-dives into a killer’s subconscious to sort out the crime) has me honestly captivated. The character designs are a little wonk, but I trust Ei Aoki’s direction to lead us on the right path.

darwin's game episode 1

Darwin’s Game

Nexus | Streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation (Dub)

Survival game, CHECK. Creative rules involving phones, CHECK. Unique powers for each participant, CHECK. Now, if only the animation wasn’t so middle-of-the-road, we’d have ourselves here one the must-see show of the season. Darwin’s Game is hardly unique for its action/mystery/survival genre, but I’ll still love watching it anyway because I want to know what makes the game itself tick. The characters may be meekly interesting, but I wanna give this one a couple more episodes before passing any final judgments.

fate grand order babylonia goddess

Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front – Babylonia

CloverWorks | Streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation (Dub)

That just leaves Fate/Grand Order as this season’s only fall 2019 leftover. I’m such a Babylonia stan that I know I’ll enjoy the second half of this one, wherever the story goes. The animation is so fluid and sublime, the character designs are charming, the dialogue is witty and entertaining—what isn’t there to love about the Babylonia adaptation? Looking forward to the sakuga fest of a finale this second half will bring, as well as bearing witness to the end of an era—the time in human history where humans and gods part ways. It’s gonna be epic.

The following titles may be adopted as seasonal pick-ups: Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story, Haikyuu!!: To the Top, and Smile Down the Runway

It’s a short and sweet list, but one that’ll be manageable for me as school inevitably gets busier. What are you watching this season? If you had to recommend to me one title that’s not on this list, what would it be? Let me know in the comments! ‘Till next time, everyone!

– Takuto, your host

“What’s My Favorite ____?” Real Neat Blog Award || Keni’s Nomination

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Hello all!

I found myself here with a couple minutes to spare and figured I’d answer one of these tag posts. This Real Neat Blog Award comes from Keni (CrackerzAnime) whom I honestly haven’t interacted with much, but hope to get to know more of. I’m over a month late with this reply, but I hope you know I appreciate the nomination—Thank you Keni!

RULES:

The following is the rules for those who received and will receive the Real Neat Blog Award.

  • Display the Award logo
  • Thanks the blogger for the award
  • Answers the questions given from the one who nominated you
  • Nominate 7 to 10 bloggers
  • Ask them 7 questions

Since this award has already made its rounds several times within the past couple weeks, I’ll refrain from tagging anyone this time around!

Keni’s Questions:

1. Who is your favorite singer/artist?

Are you all sick of me plugging my love for BTS yet? Cause yeah, they’re my favorite. However, since the question seems to indicate a single vocal artist (and they are a septet of idols), I’ll go with Kanako Ito or Utada Hikaru. ASCA’s songs have also been making their way up my playlists list, though.

2. What are your goals for 2020? (can either be short or long term)

Easy one: 1) Read more posts. 2) Write more succinct posts. 3) Read and review more books. 4) Write more about me. 5) Build up my personal brand. I’ve outlined them in detail right here if you’re interested in my angle for 2020!

3. What are your 3 best anime of all-time?

Best specifically for me? Neon Genesis Evangelion, Fate/Zero, and Steins;Gate. Now, what has been best for anime’s history? Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. A basic answer, but you can’t deny the impact of these classics. Other favorites of mine include: Ghost in the Shell (all of it), Hyouka, Yuri!!! On ICE, KILL la KILL, Space Battleship Yamato 2199, Sailor Moon, A Certain Scientific Railgun, and Eden of the East. 

4. What are your thoughts on blogging BEFORE starting one vs AFTER? Did you debunk any myths made up in your head? etc…

This is such an intriguing question. Over the past five years I have been blogging, I’ve realized that this can often times feel like such a lonely sport. You really have to put yourself out there, and even when you think you’ve followed all the right people and have posted just the right content that’ll get you “views,” you still may wind up with only a handful of followers. BUT DON’T GIVE UP. If you do it solely for the “fame,” you’ll never make it. While I think it’s admirable to try to increase your blog’s traffic and success (heck, more power to ya), I think it’s perfectly fine to be content with having a small group of blogger friends. So long as you put good energy out there, good things will come your way in due time.

5. What are your most favorite and least favorite anime genre?

Least favorite: that harem fantasy school stuff. I’ve had just about enough of it. My favorite genre is sci-fi thriller. Anything with a battle royale/mystery element to it will also likely catch my attention. Psychological mysteries in general are just, oof, *chef’s kiss*.

6. Who is your current best waifu/husbando?

I don’t often think about waifus and husbandos, but if I had to pick . . . Fate‘s Saber as best waifu and Free!‘s Makoto Tachibana as best husbando. Yet another basic answer, I know. (But c’mon, those back muscles tho ~)

7. If you play video games, what is your favorite gaming genre? Name them!

As I’m sure many of you already know, I actually don’t play games that often! But I do enjoy a good night of Smash and Mario Kart. On a more serious note, I really love the post-apocalyptic aesthetic of Journey, Portal 2, and Nier: Automata. Each have this psychological mystery element to them that I just can’t ignore (and given my tastes in anime, imagine that LOL).

And that’s all Keni’s got for me! Thanks again for the nomination, and since I’m not nominating anyone myself, please feel free to provide your own answers to any of Keni’s questions in the comments. I’d love to read them! Speaking of reading, please check out my latest announcement for the return of the V-Day Sci-Fi special. Not sure if everyone was busy over the weekend or if I fudged with the publishing again (DOH!), but the post could really use some love. My thanks to those who give it a read. Until the next one, this has been

– Takuto, your host

The V-Day Sci-Fi Special Returns for 2020!

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Happy Valentine’s Day!!

It’s that joyous time of the year again, a season of love and spending time with the one you cherish most—or in my case, locking myself in my room and binging anime until the wee hours of the morning!

The mecha gods also bless the cycle with back-to-back giant robot franchises for this annual celebration. Can’t remember what we’ve done in the past? Here’s a refresher for ya!

2013 ~ Steins;Gate

2014 ~ Kokoro Connect (I think . . . )

2015 ~ Neon Genesis Evangelion

2016 ~ The Rose of Versailles

2017 ~ Ghost in the Shell

2018 ~ Haikyuu!!

2019 ~ RahXephon

And for this year, the big 20-20, we’ve got an extra special title on the menu. Give it up for . . . *drumroll~~~~~*

2020 ~ Gunbuster

YAY!!! There it is, my next adventure awaiting me ahead!! Guys, I’ve been holding off on this precious piece of Gainax history ever since watching the groundbreaking Evangelion as the V-Day feature for 2015. FIVE years later, Gainax takes the stage once again with a classic mecha title that I’m sure to enjoy with all my heart.

This year’s V-Day special will actually take place during next weekend, February 21-23, on account of the fact that I am busy performing at a Valentine’s Concert this weekend!

In terms of watching methods, fear not! I recently picked up all of the DVDs and Blu-rays I’ll need to marathon the Gunbuster franchise in the RightStuf holiday sale (with exception to the 1988 series, which I’ll hopefully find online) so everything will be viewed in the best quality that I could get a hold of. Oh yeah, we’re ready for this one.

So until next weekend, spend these next couple of days with the ones you love most. And if you’re rockin’ it single like many of us are, TREAT YO SELF, and use this holiday for some self-care—you deserve it!

Much love and chocolates from me~!

– Takuto

My BTS Clothing Collection + Try-On

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Hello all,

I’m here with something a bit different today. As you may know, I love online shopping of any kind. Naturally, this includes clothing, something which I barely talk about.

I like to think I’ve upped my fashion game for 2020, and with BTS barreling through every single major news headline out there as of late, I figured now’s the best time to show off my collection of BTS-inspired graphic tees, long-sleeved shirts, and hoodies!

Most of these items came (recently) from TeePublic, a popular fashion and apparel website that works with independent artists to print their lovely works on clothing, prints, stickers, mugs—you name it.

I spent the afternoon setting up the tripod and some lighting and did a little fashion shoot for today’s post. So yes, that is ME in the photos you see. I thought this would be a little more interesting than just me taking pics of clothing. Enjoy the haul/try-on!

We’ll begin with the hoodie since it’s the only one from Amazon. I’m not the biggest person in the world, but I had to size up to 3XL to get the loose fit that I wanted. The seller was super nice and flexible, though, so that made the process easier despite the hiccups. Anyway, it’s SUPER soft, and the print has stood up the wash test! I imagine it’ll fade soon, given enough time though. It’s my first white hoodie, so I love it for that, but the floral design (which mimics the Love Yourself: Tear album cover) on the sleeves is what really caught my eye. Love having the boys’ names printed on my back too! >.<

Onto the tees! This Map of the Soul: Persona-inspired logo design has me LIVING. I love simple shirts. You can’t tell cause I filtered the heck out of these (for art), but the bright pink design is actually printed on a very deep navy heather-colored shirt. Heather shirts look best on me, so all the short-sleeved shirts are printed on this material. 😛

“You can’t stop me lovin’ myself” when I wear this shirt, that’s for sure! Guys, GUYS, “Idol” is easily one of my top three favorite BTS songs (if such a list were to exist . . . which it doesn’t cause my brain would implode). I specifically requested for the design to be printed on a dark blue shirt because it matches the “Idol feat. Nicki Minaj” thumbnail. The bright yellow and red vibrantly contrasts against the backdrop, and if you love this artist’s style, you’ll love the next look . . .

We just HAD to do it to ’em. “Yeah, you makin’ me a boy with LOVE,” baby, and this shirt is just so much fun to wear. Again, I requested that this particular design be printed on a bright heather teal shirt to match the skies in the “Boy with Luv” thumbnail on YouTube. Really happy with how this one turned out. If the retro design seems familiar somehow, it’ll be no coincidence for you to know that this artist ALSO made the “Fly Me To The Moon” Eva-inspired tee that was featured in a holiday haul a little while ago. I’ll defs have to find the artist on social media!!

Long-sleeved shirts are IN, y’all, and this Wings shirt (with a design ripped right from the album’s own cover art) has me reliving the angsty days of “Awake,” “Lie,” and “Blood Sweat & Tears” like no other. Also “Mama”—how could I forget our beloved Hobi??

I love black clothing more than anything in the world, but sometimes ya just gotta have fun—and I find that a bold yellow is the best way to do that. Contrasting the purple font (also a decision I made to match the music video), the shirt features RM’s opening lines of “Idol” as the central design: “You can call me artist / You can call me idol.” The quote is so iconic, yet also celebrates the notion that fame can sometimes be a good thing, as it doesn’t always change the person beneath the shirt. 🙂

Last but not least is a return to black, my forte, with this simple long-sleeved Love Yourself shirt. (Yeesh, this one could’ve benefited from a good ironing. Oh well.) Yes, the design is printed with the pink-blue-white coloring that the album logo itself is done in. And yes, I DO love this shirt! Whether you’re a new ARMY, a hardcore fan, or even just a casual listener, I think this simple yet elegant design is perfect for anyone wanting to share their love of BTS and their music. ❤

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Will I be buying more BTS-inspired clothing in the future? Umm, duh. But for now, this is what I’ve got, and I have so much fun coordinating each of these colorful designs with my OOTD. Do you have any BTS apparel that you like showing off? Tag me on Insta with a photo or comment below!

I’ve bought off of TeePublic in the past for most of my anime shirts, so if this kind of thing is something you guys show interest in, I’ll definitely make a separate post for those! I hope you enjoyed this sort of try-on/lookbook with me, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

On British Literature & Fate: What it Means to be Remembered || OWLS “Legacy”

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Chances are that if you were linked here from another blogger pal, then you might be new. To those first-timers, “Hi, I’m Takuto, welcome to my anime cafe!” For the OWLS blog tour’s second monthly topic of 2020, “Legacy,” I’m gonna stand on the soapbox for a bit and just talk about my own experiences with the word, while also making  connections to some of my favorite stories, both in anime and literature.

We have mentors, teachers, coaches, and role models whose stories inspired us in some way. Even when these role models are gone, their stories will live on from generation to generation. For this month, we will be exploring stories that have inspired or taught us some important lessons about life.

This will be a shorter post, but hopefully one still with merit to it. Thanks Lyn for the prompt!

rider drinks

Of Legends and Lore

So I’m currently taking this Survey of British Literature class at uni and we just read (well for me reread) the old manuscript of Beowulf. In case you didn’t know, Beowulf is the titular protagonist of the oldest poem in English literature. Set in what is currently the areas between southern Sweden and Denmark, the folk epic recounts the tale of one of the world’s oldest documented heroes. Battle-brave, brazen, and bold, Beowulf is a champion all throughout his lifetime—and for his mighty deeds and charisma, his glory continues to live on well over 1,000 years as students are told and retold the story of bravery, loyalty, and honor.

Our society likes heroes. Typically, such figures like Beowulf (or anyone from the popular MCU) provide icons we can admire or stories to fall in love with. Beowulf defeats the wretched, demonic Grendel, slays the beast’s sea-witch of a mother, and even conquers a dragon—the very representation of the mythical and the divine—transcending his mortality at the tragic cost of his own life. In his last moments on earth, Beowulf performs this unbelievable feat, and is rewarded for his courage and virtue by becoming a figure forever enshrined in the hearts of his men. Truly, Beowulf is a hero.

Even if it’s not the most “stimulating” read, I enjoy this Old English poem a great deal. The timeless values of a warrior society often feel much easier to discern than the overtly emotionally-conflicted minds of, say, a Shakespeare work. At its core, Beowulf is a simple tale, yet one that imparts upon the reader a vision of the past—of whale-path waves crashing against the beaten rocky shore, and of powerful sailors that can command these swan-road seas on a whim. As we behold a man in his final hours transcend heroism from one thing to something else, we find that Beowulf embodies the changing spirit of this long-lost warrior society—as well as its very best parts.

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Knights of the Round

We flash forward a few centuries with a different set of morals and mindsets, but the same human heart, with the Arthurian legends. No more are people barbarians at sea; this is a time of knighthood, and with it comes refined honor and bravery, courtliness, gallantry towards women, and most of all, chivalry. Like most chivalric romance, Arthurian poetry employs the motif of a quest to tell its tales, which always comes in a familiar set of 3’s: a challenge, a journey, and a test.

Whether conquering an enemy’s castle for the sake of one’s kingdom or fighting off the nasty temptations of Morgan le Fay and at times even Britain’s own Queen Guinevere, upholding the virtues of a knight was certainly not the easiest task to accomplish. Courtly love can lead the men and women of this time to spiral into all kinds of romantic trouble, but the chivalric code must always be upheld. Stories like Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight perfectly illustrate the delicate balance between desire and doing what is right. 

knights of the round

Despite being some of the hardest Old English literature out there to decipher, endless fun can be had with Arthurian lore. Today, the names of King Arthur and his knights are often trivialized, which is saddening given how excruciatingly poignant the tragic irony of a given character’s betrayal or death can be.

Yet, when done justice, we get incredible works like those from Type-Moon’s Nasuverse, including the Fate/Grand Order mobile game, Yoshiyuki Asai’s Fate/Apocrypha, and Gen Urobuchi’s masterpiece of pseudo-historical fiction, Fate/Zero. Fate‘s portrayals of Artoria (Arthur) Pendragon, Lancelot, and Mordred are easily my favorite ones out there, as their combined cinematic lore is almost as deeply interwoven as the original legends themselves are.

I suppose having your name recorded in the history books is a form of immortality. But if that just means your name gets passed down for two thousand years and nothing else, I’d have preferred to have even a hundredth of that added to my actual life. — Rider, Fate/Zero

And while on the subject of past deeds influencing the present, seeing how intensely Alexander the Great (Iskandar) continues to influence young Waver Velvet’s life even a whole ten years after the Holy Grail War in The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II lends allegoric proof to the fact that history’s greatest heroes can especially impact our hearts with the legacies they leave behind.

rider and waver

Even Heroes Die

The tales of Beowulf and King Arthur’s knights have long-since been told. While we know they lived valiant lives, we’ve also come to understand that even heroes die. Unfortunately, we are past the time in which we can rely on a single hero. We can’t rely on just one person solely to be responsible for watching after us all. And so, we must become heroes in our own lives, even if our deeds often go unrewarded. We can choose to embody the fiery bravery of a warrior, the dutiful chivalry of a knight, or even some other code of honor that I didn’t discuss in this post.

We don’t have to be the strongest or the greatest. We can be weak heroes, for even a weak hero is still a hero. This sentiment is echoed in K-pop sensation BTS’s “Anpanman,” which describes the popular red bean bun mascot’s determination to help those who are closest to him, even if he’s no Batman or Superman.

Anpanman is the local hero in our own lives we can rely on time and time again. The best part is that we can be each other’s Anpanman, so long as we are willing to help those in our lives who need it most. We can be heroes, too. And just like those who inspired us to be great, our legacies can live on in the lives we touch, and maybe—just maybe—be remembered for a long time to come.

lancelot and the lake

Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you. — Shannon L. Adler

Afterword

For the first time, coming up with a single series to talk about proved more difficult than it should have. Maybe that is why I settled on this loose discussion over something current and relevant to my life: Brit lit. Or, perhaps, I had been wanting to talk about these famous knights and warriors from the days of old for a while now . . .

Regardless, I had one more quote running through my head as I was writing this: “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will” (Chuck Palahniuk). As a blogger, artist, and musician, all I can do is create things. And thus, even if this blog is the only thing even remotely memorable I can leave behind, I’d still be eternally grateful for the opportunity to share my words with people like you. Please, continue to chase after your dreams and your passions, for what you can share with others will only add to the stories they will share about you!

This concludes my February 8th entry in the OWLS “Legacy” blog tour. Megan (Nerd Rambles) went right before me with a post about the literature that has left an impact on her, which you can read right here! Now, look out for Aria (The AniManga Spellbook) with a post over the recently aired Magia Record anime on Tuesday, February 11th! Thank you so much for reading, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host