Miscellaneous

30-Day Song Challenge Day 3: Songs That Make You Laugh

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Unless it’s something in the lyrics specifically, I don’t find songs by themselves very humorous. Now, soundtracks and openings on the hand, have a different context that goes with them. Call me a cheater, sure, but the songs that I chose today are ones that rely on visuals to go with them. All three are kinda quirky, so I can understand cracking a smile, but the first thing that comes to mind when I hear these songs is not the words, but scenes from the show or opening sequence. If you’ve seen these anime before, then maybe you’ll spill a laugh or two as you remember the hilarious moments!

Negima!?: “Heiwa na Toki” by Kei Haneoka 

Negima!? “Motsu to Shichimi” by Kei Haneoka 

Negima!? “Chupa Kenbushitsu” by Kei Haneoka 

Hells yeah, we got more Negima!? up in here, but these three soundtrack tunes come from the franchise’s second season (the obvious better of the two)! I lumped all three of these songs together because they all carry the same hilarity: either it’s quest for the chupacabra, Motsu and Shichimi being Motsu and Shichimi appropriately, or someone just FAILED. This anime was the first one I ever watched, and to this day I occasionally plug a few episodes in just to hear this soundtrack and shoot out explosive chuckles 😀

“Zannenkei Rinjinbu” by Tomodachi Tsukuritai

Have you seen Haganai? It’s absurd, and totally awesome in all aspects! Comedy is great, themes are on point, and it’s relatable. This is the first season’s opening, and I’ll never forget watching this show for the first time! My favorite part of the song itself is the verse part, and of course, it’s not just because the main girls’ jugs are pressed up against the screen and it’s dripping wet and hot and sooo sexy EHERM, I slipped a bit there. But seriously, I do like that part in the vocals ;). Besides the fact that it belongs to hysterical show, why does the opening make me laugh? Easy, it’s Rika at 0:34 shakin’ her ass to “mousou nara baibaibai shinyuu nara inai nai nai.”

HA-HA-HA-HA-HA I hope you shared a laugh with me and bonus points if you recognized the scenes when those Negima!? tracks played! I should probably stop picking so many songs, but it’s so easy to just toss in another one, ya know? Have a great new week, and until tomorrow, this has been

– Takuto, your host

30-Day Song Challenge Day 2: Songs That Helps You Clear Your Head

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It was quite hard to come up with a match for this one, considering that each song that I listen to only ushers in waves of feels and memories. So after a bit of browsing, I finally remembered an inspiring tune or two that fit the bill. I can’t deny the fact that both of these songs carry so much sweet reminiscing for me, but it’s a different kind of recollection; they’re not necessarily heavy in the heart, but open in the mind, if that makes any sense at all. Whenever I boot up some soundtracks to listen to, they’re the first I pick because they don’t drag me into a state of senseless staring, but clear up my thoughts and bring a cloudless sky into view. I hone in on whatever I happen to be doing, open up my head, and focus 100% on my mission (which is usually just searching the web -__-). Anything prior to my moment with these songs becomes irrelevant, and that can be especially helpful after a busy week. Enjoy ~!

Maoyū Maō Yūsha Main Theme: “Beyond the Hill” by Takeshi Hama

Do you remember Maoyu? It’s a charming show, isn’t it? I came across this song in the depths of YouTube and thought, yeah, this is pretty neat, OOH it’s an anime, too?! Slowly but surely, I realized that this was not the main theme, waiting all 11 or 12 episodes just for this song to be heard in the background. It finally did play, I honestly can’t remember when, but it was only once. 😦 And though we never truly got beyond that hill, I still found closure in this song’s low violin and flute swing.

Log Horizon Main Theme: “Log Horizon” by Yasuharu Takanashi

First off, let me just announce that Log Horizon‘s OST is one of THE BEST SOUNDTRACKS TO EXIST FOR ANIME EVER. But this song, man, I can’t even express how epic it is. When this song plays, my game face is on, and be prepared to lose all ya damn hit points!! I could go on and on about this one track, but you should just go watch the anime to capture all of Shiroe’s legendary-ness. Awesome show, brilliant anthem!

And those are two songs that I listen to for an open mind. Both fantasy songs, too, so maybe it’s something about that type of music that gets me? As a person involved in music, they’re definitely the most fun to play, that’s for sure! Until tomorrow, this has been

– Takuto, your LV 90 host

30-Day Song Challenge Day 1: Songs That Makes You Happy

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“Happy Material” by The Class of 2-A’s Voice Actresses

What would be a better way to start a happy day than “Happy Material?” This is Negima!‘s first opening theme, and it’s several variations are sung by the different cast members from Negi Springfield’s giant ass bouncy harem EHERM, ‘class.’ Exploding with energy and positive vibes, there are few songs that rival “Happy Material’s” joy! I frequently listen to this tune, the 31 Girl’s version, in fact, while I sweep away dust bunnies and I clean my room.

“Susume→Tomorrow” (ススメ→トゥモロウ)” by µ’s

Ahh, my favorite Love Live! song evahhh! It’s the first thing we hear when the show starts, and sadly it’s not heard after that. 😦 But it left such an impact that, yes, it was the kick that made me want to finish the rest of the series. I use it as an alarm in the morning on occasion, but I have to turn it off as soon as possible before the girls bust out after Honoka’s sweeeet solo!

And these were just two of the many, many songs that make me happy! They’re both quite energetic, which is part of the reason I smile and lighten up after an extensive, exhausting day. Have an amazing Friday :D, and until tomorrow, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Takuto Officially Accepts the 30-Day Song Challenge!

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[Challenge Starting Date: August 14, 2015]

[Challenge Completion Date: September 13, 2015]

Ever since I started blogging last year, I’ve noticed the “30-day . . . whatever” whispered in hushed tones, and it’s about time I jump aboard the fun! The great aniblogger and life style guru Fujinsei recently accepted this challenge, but she did so leaving a back door cracked open for anyone else who wanted to join her. Whether these things are self-assigned or not I’m not sure, but I do have to thank her for welcoming any soul to join, and for reminding me of the other things I can post on my blog besides some shoddy reviews 🙂

Like she, because I post anime-related musings (and only listen to anime music, no judging), I will be sticking to Japanese songs and anime soundtracks (DON’T BE SURPRISED IF I PICK MORE THAN ONE hehe).

Here is the complete challenge (click to view each day):

Day 1: A song that makes you happy
Day 2: A song that helps you clear your head
Day 3: A song that makes you laugh
Day 4: A song that reminds you of something sad
Day 5: A song that has a new meaning to you every time you hear it
Day 6: A song you can always relate to
Day 7: A song that holds a lot of meaning to you
Day 8: A song that makes you cry
Day 9: A song that makes you want to dance
Day 10: A song that annoys you
Day 11: A song that reminds you of summer
Day 12: A song that reminds you of your best friend
Day 13: A song you sing to in the shower
Day 14: A song you liked when you were younger
Day 15: A song people wouldn’t expect you to like
Day 16: A song that is your guilty pleasure
Day 17: A song you like hearing live
Day 18: A song you have as your ringtone/want to be your ringtone
Day 19: A song you’re currently obsessed with
Day 20: A song from a new album you are waiting for to come out
Day 21: A song you want to dance to at your wedding
Day 22: A song that you haven’t listened to in a while
Day 23: A cover song that you like
Day 24: A song that makes you angry
Day 25: An acoustic song you love
Day 26: A song by your favorite band
Day 27: A song you make fun of
Day 28: A song that reminds you of your boyfriend/girlfriend (if you don’t have one, make one up)
Day 29: A song currently stuck in your head
Day 30: A song that would be the theme song to a TV show about your life

So I am supposed to chuck out 30 posts in 30 days? I think I got this, in fact, it’s gonna be a blast! To spread the word, or if you are also looking for a daring way to pass the time, I’d be more than happy if you joined me on this challenge! I will be putting out the first day tomorrow, or Friday, August 14. This will be the beginning of a splendid journey, hehe! For those also interested, I am currently drafting my Nagi-Asu review and a new “Café Talk,” so stay tuned for those. Until next time, or tomorrow, actually :D, this has been

– Takuto, your host

The Liebster Still Lingers (Liebster Award)

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Konbanwa, minna, today I bring you my last nomination from the Liebster Award’s returning wave. The nomination was granted to me by a blogger buddy whom, though I’ve just met, have already had great conversations with. Marvelously Mismatched is her blog name and she recently wrote about her exhausting 5-hour dress shopping nightmare. I could tell you the rest, but you’d do yourself a good chuckle if you read it for yourself here.

Since this thing has already been in circulation for a while, and because I’m in a little bit of a hurry to catch a dinner with friends, I thought I would just answer her questions and provide eleven random facts. I hope that doesn’t disappoint anybody ;_;

    1. What is the weirdest thing someone has ever said to you?

Hmm, that depends . . . I don’t really keep track of this stuff either. If we’re not considering the context of the conversation, I think memes are pretty weird things to spouted on by people. A classmate of mine during class has also given me some quotes from various hentai as compliments, thinking that I wouldn’t know what she was saying . . . yeah . . . I’ll leave those out to avoid further cheek blushing o_o

    2. What would be the last thing you did if the world was going to end?

If we’re saying that planet Earth would just simply explooodde . . . I could say sit around with my family like cornered mice and pray for divine intervention, but why be boring? Time permitting, I’d watch the ends of The End of Evangelion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Steins;Gate in that order. Yep, I sound like one crazy ********

    3. White chocolate or milk chocolate?

White with cereal and meals, chocolate as a snack. Done.

    4. If you could make any character come to life who would it be and why?

Anime only? Kyubey, hehehehe, let’s all become magical girls together.

    5. What’s one thing you can’t live without?

Besides the necessities, cause duh, but my iPad, which is the vault of my mind and the seal of my heart’s desires . . . we’re joined at the hip. 🙂

    6. What character most resembles you?

Ahh, this question returns. I’ll say Shu Ouma for now.

    7. Do you have a pet peeve and if so what is it?

So I have a small anime collection (which is steadily growing, mind you) that I probably treasure more than a newborn child. Whenever some filthy casual just comes along latches their talons on a $70 collector’s box, ripping it off the shelf as the paper on the bottom of the box scratches and fades away, I absolutely snap. Please ask next time, and gently slide the DVD out – we’re not in any hurry, I mean, it’s not like the world is ending or anything . . .

    8. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live?

Either in a fancy apartment or a mansion here in the U.S., Europe, or Japan. That’s considering having the language fluent and being able to blend into the crowds well. >.<

    9. Are you a cat or dog person?

Cats, we’ve talked about this my blogger friends.

    10. What’s the most embracing (do you mean embarrassing?) thing that’s ever happened to you?

I mean, my life right now is one big slapstick comedy, so everything I do is embarrassing yet pretty normal 😀

    11. What is something or somethings you’ve never done but want to?

HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL WITH TONS OF SUBSCRIBERS! It sounds like a bucket of fun, but man, do I have the guts . . . ?

And now I have eleven random facts about me:

  1. I made a buttercream frosted cake for a mini summer/anime party with my siblings and it was gone within two days. This was three days ago -_-
  2. I prefer real-life conversations where the other party asks me the questions.
  3. I love to swim, even though I’m quite mediocre
  4. Watching video games has always been enjoyable for me, but playing them, meh.
  5. My birthday is rapidly approaching . . . kinda 😀
  6. I have two cats, one gray, one orange
  7. I’m currently reading Ethan Frome as a summer reading for school and so far, I die a little inside each time I turn a page.
  8. One of my favorite book series is the Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan. I read all 12 books and have not come across anything better so far.
  9. I meet with a small RPG group every other Friday or so at my house. I’m the DM, wooot!
  10. I carry around this 4 foot-ish bamboo stick that my mom bought at ACE Hardware for absolutely no reason
  11. I played Beyblade when I was in middle school – A true metal fight blader at heart!

And that’s all there is! Thank you Marvelously Mismatched for the nomination. I’m glad you think my blog is worthy of the award. Hopefully my not nominating other bloggers doesn’t throw off the balance of the universe 🙂 I’ll keep it quick, so until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

I Broke the System (Liebster Award Follow-up)

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So after I wrote up my last Liebster Nomination post by One Stop for all EnterTainmenT, I thought, huh, this felt a lot shorter than my first ever Liebster Nomination. Turns out it was shorter – a whole segment shorter, might I add. On HimAwARi’s award rules, it’s missing the “11 facts about you” part (either that or I copied it wrong), so today, I will be filling you all in with random stuff about me.

And of course, this is not an excuse to ‘not write’ reviews . . . 🙂

1. Lines annoy me, but crowds make me cringe.

2. I just finished performing for a friend-of-my-mom’s wedding. My bro, sis, and myself played classical pieces as a quartet trio. It went well.

3. There’s nothing better than watching anime during a nice long rain . . . to bad it NEVER showers where I’m at.

4. Although Negima!? and Steins;Gate among a few others got me into anime, it was A Certain Scientific Railgun that gave my watching the momentum I needed to continue.

5. I am actually quite young, but I feel so, so old.

6. YouTube is equivalent to oxygen at this point, in that I consume it every day and honestly can’t live without it.

7. Have you ever online shopped, added a sh*t ton of items to your cart, glanced at the total, laughed, then exited out? That’s my life right there.

8. According to my ratchet anime list that, by the way, contains the all of the shows I have watched and the season I watched them in (because I think the season reflects the mood or something), I am watching anime number 99, Nagi-Asu. I plan on celebrating with my 100th, but I’m not sure how yet . . .

9. Though I haven’t done it enough to truly say, I have enjoyed my cosplay experience thus far. Something about putting on a costume and acting as your favorite character(s) pleases me. I mean, we should all try to have fun, right?

10. I will be watching the Madoka Magica: Rebellion dub today because I bought it on Blu-ray because I AM A DIEHARD FAN AND WILL PAY $40 FOR THIS FILM. 😀

11. Lately, I have been doing (or die trying) to fit in light morning exercises to, ahem, “stay in shape.” I looked fine before, if I do say so myself, but I think these ‘workouts’ have been slowly helping . . . yeah, helping me become exhausted.

That’s all for now! For my nominees, you can either add on these 11 facts to your posts and rules or just forget about them – sorry for the forgetfulness and for breaking the system, but in a way it wasn’t entirely my fault. I just knew that something was missing! Haha, till next time everyone.

– Takuto, your host

ALDNOAH.ZERO Episodes 1-6 English Dub Thoughts

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Konnichiwa, minna, today I’m here with a totally unscripted (script?) post regarding Aniplex of America’s [ridiculously overpriced] first volume of the sci-fi mecha drama anime about space wars, ALDNOAH.ZERO. Their first volume contains episodes 1-6 on DVD with an all-new English dub. Before we have a look at the cast, you can read my season one and two reviews for more background on the series by clicking on them and/or go watch the show yourself for free over on Crunchyroll!

You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for a U.S. release of this show . . .

Art book available in the Limited Edition release.

Our main man Inaho Kaizuka is voiced by Max Mittelman. He’s fairly new to voice acting if I am correct, but he brings a fresh breath to the nearly-silent protagonist. Natsuki Hanae did a fine job, don’t get me wrong! But Mittelman uses a little more expression when he speaks, and that means all the world considering that Inaho acts like a pre-recorded message. So far so good!

The passionate drama bomb Slaine Troyard is voiced by Zach Aguilar, another newbie, I think. His intense breathing and airy voice try to compensate for Kensho Ono’s higher pitched, younger sound, but it’s still not as good as the Japanese dub. The acting was great, his voice was just too low. I should add that by episode 6, his voice really grew on me, and I just hope that in the second set he finally feels comfortable with his role.

Erika Harlacher does a fine job at capturing Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia‘s allure. Sometimes it sounds as if she’s holding back too much air, but I don’t know if that was an acting issue or the sound setup. Solid nevertheless.

Since those are the main three characters, I’ll just list the minors with a brief reaction:

Christina Vee as Rayet Areash – OMG it’s Homura Akemi *heavy breathing*

Erica Mendez as Inko Amifumi – She didn’t sound like Ryuko, but most definitely a rising star in voice acting

Bryce Papenbrook as Calm Craftman – Man, Papenbrook can pull off the best young “fiery” guy-friend voice ever, awesome!

Christine Marie Cabanos as Nina Klein – “Right or left or right or left or . . .” not too shabby, high voice matches character

Bobby Thong as Okisuke Mikuni – Gets sucked up in the first 5 minutes, good I guess

Erica Lindbeck as Yuki Kaizuka – She does a great older sister, like damn 😉

Matt Mercer as Lt. Marito – The last time I heard Mattew was actually in person at a con, so hehehe makes a good alcoholic

Ethan Murray as Soma Yagarai – Yep, he sounds like a doctor to me

Julie Ann Taylor as Darzana Magbaredge – She’s ironically missing that low edge like in the Japanese, but still a nice performance

Trina Loo as Kaoru Mizusaki – Not much to say here other than she’s Magbaredge’s b*tch

Sandy Fox as Eddelrittuo – *gasps, shreeks* come here you tiny little cute puffy servant you, wait, you didn’t read that

Lex Lang as Count Cruhteo – Wow, we need this guy more often! So majestic, so bold

Kirk Thornton as Count Saazbaum – Another powerful voice, one of my favorites to listen to!

Todd Haberkorn as Trillram – YESSS WE NEED MORE SASSY HABERKORN

Patrick Seitz as Vlad – This and Trillram were probably the best rolls cast, that rich gurgly low voice is what more actors should strive for

Kyle McCarley as Kisaki Matsuribi – Very similar to Inaho’s boring dialect, only not as memorable

Lucien Dodge as Yutaro Tsumugi – I honestly didn’t realize how much of a pervert this character was until I watched this English dub *glasses gleam*

Alan Lee as Shigo Kakei – I mean, he’s a background character, what can you expect

Carrie Keranen as Countess Femieanne – It was racking my brain as I watched the whole episode, but then it dawned on me. ALL HAIL LADY SATSUKI! She’s also Mami Tomoe, which I didn’t realize. Fabulous acting!

Geoffrey Chalmers as Rayregalia Vers Rayvers – He nailed the old king voice for sure, well done

Below is the English Dub Trailer Aniplex posted a while back. See it for yourself!

And here is their cheesy little yet humerous English Cast Promotional video announcing their presence at the 2015 Anime Expo. Dorky as it was, it made me realize something: There are actually two heroes of the story; two different eyes to watch the show through. Remembering this makes me want to rewrite my reviews, or revisit the franchise in a future post because I enjoy it so much. 😀

As you can see, I am really pleased with how the English dub was executed! Besides Slaine’s slightly low voice, everyone else was pretty well cast. Now I have to wait until October for the second set to be released . . .  that’s an awful long wait 😦 I hope they decide to dub the second season, despite it’s disappointment, as I’d love to watch it all over again! I do think that the set is worth picking up for hardcore fans of the series, despite the DVD being $30 for only six episodes. It was so much fun watching an episode each night before I went to sleep . . and now it’s over. Thanks for reading this rather different post! Did you enjoy a step away from reviews? How do you think the A.Z English dub fares compared to the Japanese? Personally, I thought it was much better/easier to watch in English. Channel your thoughts to the comments below, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Bringin’ It Back (Liebster Award)

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Hi all, I couldn’t have been happier to, after finishing my lengthy Code Geass review, be celebrated with a nomination. It’s the Liebster Award, it has come back again . . . WOOT! Today’s nomination comes from HimAwARi of One Stop for all EnterTainmenT who if I am correct just started up their blog in June. Though still early, there are a few notable top anime lists for certain genres, a couple reviews, and some other life posts for you all to check out on their blog. Keep up the great work, and thank you so much for this nomination!

Now let’s get these questions rollin’:

          1. Favorite YouTuber

Dammit. Alright, I’ll have to go with Slightly Otaku. They are a zany trio of anime fans that unbox anime. The three are hilarious, and function best when they’re all there, but due to a recent hospital fee(s), they’ve had to cut back and sell off a few. I recently bought a Psycho-Pass limited edition box from Adrian, the one who owns the collection, to support his channel. I think they’re back in business now! Even though videos aren’t put up often, I still have been getting kick outta them for what, 2.5 years now? They’re fantastic, and you should join their 3,224 subscribers as soon as you can for instant hilarity!

          2. Cats or Dogs?

Cats. Most dogs just . . . bother me.

          3. Most favorite anime opening or ending song.

Wow, you’re really on a roll, aren’t you? Hehe, naw, just kidding. At this exact moment, I can’t stop listening to Kalafina’s “Heavenly Blue.” It’s the opening for ALDNOAH.ZERO.

          4. Most favorite quote

This one’s actually from an anime which I’m sure you’ve all heard of: Ouran High School Host Club. In one episode, the observant Kyoya -senpai goes on to explain the pros of having different personas at the Host Club, to which he remarks, “It’s all about variety.” I’ve taken this quote to heart ever since I noticed it the second time around, and have applied it to trying new, different things.

          5. An anime/manga/movie character you resemble the most. (not physical features)

At this moment and probably for the foreseeable future, Shu Ouma. Introverted, creative with music, and usually thrown into mayhem when he’d rather be alone . . . unless he’s quietly in the club room with a cute girl . . .

          6. Most favorite soundtrack.

Right now, since everything seems to be temporary with me, I’ve still got the kicks from Code Geass‘s orchestral epicness! I’ve been listening to this thing with a few friends as we played some RPG. Fantastic stuff ~

          7.  Swords or Guns?

It depends, really. Mami Tomoe – bring out the gun fight! Sinon, you too! But then you got Kirito and Tales of franchise. Hmm, I’ll have to go with guns for now . . . I mean, swords . . . sure . . .

          8. How were you introduced to anime?

Like the Otaku Judge said, “we have porn to thank for my love of anime.” For a better “grasp” on the situation, read here.

          9. Which is your favorite sports?

Swimming. I’m on the small team where I live and it’s pretty fun.

          10. On a range of 1-10 rate on how much you socialize with people.

I’d say I’m a solid 5. Come up and chat with me and we’re all fine and dandy, but I won’t go out of my way and force myself into conversation if I don’t have to.

          11. Which genre do you prefer the most?

Do I prefer? Well, I prefer any anime that actually gives me a complete god damn story at this point xD! But I tend to lean towards that mind-blowing or set in a dystopia.

Now for the nominees. Since I’ve already nominated people in the past, I’ve just got a few, and here they are:

UEM!

Otaku Rui

The Huge Anime Fan

British Otaku

mirrorpurple

If you’ve already been nominated and you’re on the list, no problem, just comment below with a link to your Liebster Award Nomination post because I want to read it! For everyone, if there is a question here that you feel the need to answer, feel free – comment away! 🙂

Questions for my nominees (again, you can simply comment below with an answer to one if you have already been nominated):

1. What do you think of mecha anime?

2. What is one trope in anime that you haven’t got tired of yet?

3. *gasps* The wind just flipped her skirt up, what do you do?!

4. Magic or science, anime-wise?

5. What is one club in an anime that you wish you could be a member of?

6. Current favorite anime OP/ED?

7. What is one of your favorite endings to a movie/anime/game/book?

8. If you could travel back in time and give yourself a piece of advice, what would it be?

9. Suppose you had an infinite amount of time to rewatch one anime, what would you choose?

10. How often do you read manga?

11. If this café served actual beverages/food by an anime character to you, what would you order and from whom??

Official Rules of the Liebster Award:

If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:

  • Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.
  • Display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”.
  • Answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
  • Nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers.
  • Create a new list of 11 questions for the blogger to answer.
  • List these rules in your post (You can copy and paste from here.) Once you have written and published it, you then have to:
  • Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!).

Thank you so much HimAwARi for allowing me to reflect with this nomination – I wouldn’t be writing this post if It weren’t for you :D! I hope you all enjoyed reading, stay awesome, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

It’s Real Neat to Have Blogger Friends (Real Neat Blog Award)

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Hello all! Just when I was thinking of how dull my reviews can be at times, JekoJeko over at UEM! reminded me of my creativity in the form of a nomination – The Real Neat Blog Award! So regardless of the ceiling-high stack of reviews I still have to write, I will take this little break graciously. Thank you very much, JekoJeko.

UEM! brings forth tiny details hidden in anime and intricately weaves them with “unfettered and unnecessary opinions” to form truly thought-provoking posts. But whether it’s Christian beliefs, first impressions or great biased reviews, JekoJeko always manages to keep me wanting more content, and isn’t that the goal of a blogger? UEM! is a new key Aniblogger site in the community, and you should do yourself the favor by following them around (click here)!

JekoJeko asked seven questions as part of the award criteria, and here are my answers:

  1. Who or what got you to start watching your first anime?

I watched Ghibli movies, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Beyblade, and Yu-Gi-Oh all prior to my first anime, but I do not count them since at the time, I did not know they were anime, nor what anime even was.

Sadly, I didn’t have a buddy to get me into anime 😦 so I have been a lone wolf up until recently. What got me into anime was actually an incredibly embarrassing, cheek-burning question: What is hentai? After a totally appropriate Google search, I found Negima!? the Spring and Summer OVAs, and though they are nowhere close to actual hentai, the magic comedy and youth aspects made me crave more! I wrote a whole story about it here if you want more depth.

  1. What do you think is your most controversial opinion about anime/manga?

Honestly speaking, probably that The End of Evangelion is one of the most transformative and fresh breath-inducing films I’ve ever seen, and that the series is just as spectacular. It’s been one of the most controversial opinions to bomb the anime chat rooms and forums since 1997, but I think its messages of rebirth through death are inspiring (no, I’m not going to do anything crazy). I’m just saying, you can’t deny the weird vibes you get when Lilith Rei initiates the Human Instrumentality Project.

Also controversial, I think in order to start the Fate anime franchise you should start with Fate/Zero. There, I said it. Haters go hate.

  1. What song do you wish could be an anime opening or ending?

What a fun question! Let’s see, any Train songs like “Drive By” or “Mermaid” fit the bill for a fun show in my opinion. They’re upbeat and pretty catchy. I like it when folk, Irish, or classical music is reprised for anime to enhance the mood, so maybe something like that?

  1. Has a show ever impacted your beliefs or values in an important way?

Anything by Kyoto Animation has made me realize how delicate relationships and lives themselves are, and that life is so much more interesting with others. Additionally, works like Chu-2, Beyond the Boundary, and Free! showed me how literally beautiful and vast the world is. Every small vase on a windowsill; every miniscule patch of grass growing through the cracks of concrete; every scrunched little alley big enough for one only one car to pass through, so the other person pulls over, gets out and waves to the other like all’s right with the world, allowing them to pass first; every charming, wooden, traditional Japanese home as well as modern homes; All of it is present in KyoAni works, which taught me to be most of all humble.

  1. What’s the most exciting thing you’ve been a part of?

For most of my childhood, my siblings and were a band that performed Irish, fiddling, classical, and even pop music for organization banquets and meetings. In fact, we’ll play for a friend’s wedding in August. Though there have been rough times, it was at the very least thrilling in multiple ways, probably the highlight of excitement for my childhood. 🙂

Last year, high school, I formed a small orchestral group that performed at seasonal concerts and various ceremonies. We played pieces that I had written myself, which was an incredible honor to do so with my friends! I couldn’t thank people enough for the waves of positive feedback and standing ovations we have received! There were too many late nights of writing, though, so for now, we are on hold.

  1. Which show do you wish your life was more like?

“Honestly any show. Anything. I am so boring.”

I’ve always thought that life was boring, that I’m the kid in class waiting for the mass murderer to show up and blow up the entire school, to which I escape, meet a cool boy/girl, and we fight off the villain. That or the apocalypse. But then I started to realize, unless I’m the one receiving the mysterious powers or magical strengths, it would be a huge inconvenience and a horrible thing to wait through. I mean, my family and friends could die!

So now, like most everyone, I seek out the slice-of-life route. Perhaps Free! because I am in swimming, or even Kokoro Connect like Keatle had said in his nomination because of the close bonds with friends. I’ll live an enchanting yet ordinary high school life – ideal for anime . . .

But I’ll always be expecting something to happen, something to shake up the world.

Anything.

  1. What’s your biggest goal in life, and how do you plan to achieve it?

Ahh jeez, here’s the big question. What to do with my life? Well, I want to be successful and happy at the same time, but I do not know how to do that – yet. I haven’t settled on a career, but if it could involve anime in some way, that’d be great. I’m sorry I can’t answer this yet, but I’ll work hard and keep looking forward now!

Here are a few people that I’d like to pass the nomination on to, as I think you all have “Real Neat” blogs. I’d be thrilled if you accept the award!! (I’ve been trying to look for people who haven’t already been nominated that deserve it, and there’s a whole slew of you that are awesome :D)

In the Cubbyhole

Curious Stars

The Huge Anime Fan

Viewer’s Discretion is Advised

Shay-shay’s Anime Blog

Jamie Talks Anime

Chibi Majo

Entertainment Review Project

UNOTAKU

Let’s Talk Anime

mirrorpurple

FUJINSEI

Now for my seven questions I’d love to ask these amazing people:

  1. Are you absolutely content with your blog? Do you plan to add any new segments or features soon?
  2. Have you ever considered creating a YouTube channel?
  3. Do you find yourself reading more manga, playing more games, or watching more anime?
  4. What is the first anime that you recommend to a new person, considering that they are cool with any genre and episode length
  5. Do you prefer to buy anime limited or standard edition, if any?
  6. Borrowing this one from JekoJeko, which show do you wish your life was more like?
  7. What is one anime that you will defend to your death, if any, regardless of its understandable flaws?

Here are the rules for the Real Neat Blog Award. If you choose to accept, please leave a comment below with a link to your post so that I may read it!

  1. Put the award logo in your Blog
  2. Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you
  3. Thank the people who nominated you, linking their blogs
  4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, liking their blogs
  5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog)
  6. Ask the bloggers 7 new questions

That was tons of fun, but it’s over now :(. A thanks to JekoJeko one last time, because otherwise I’d still be swamped in the lost, unsaid words of future reviews! I hope you have enjoyed reading and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

We All Have Dreams (Infinity Dreams Award)

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Hi all, how’s your summer so far? Mine is lazy and hot, but I manage to squeeze a lot of fun outta it! A week ago (I know, I apologize for being so behind >.<), I received a wonderful little WordPress notification from Lovely of “Words & Wisdom” which included a nomination for the Infinity Dreams Award (that’s a lot of W’s). She blogs about her life with passion and writes reflective reviews of drama, anime, movies and books. She’s incredibly sweet and coincidently, “lovely!” Thank you so much Lovely for the nomination, and all of you should go follow her if you haven’t already (click here).

She gave me a little run down of the rules and such, so for my nommies I have written up a little rubric. Hope this helps:

– Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their site

– Write seven of your biggest dreams and talk about them as you see fit

– Nominate other bloggers you think should receive the award

Alright! Seven dreams, here we go!

1. To be socially rich.

Not like hanging out with rich snobs or having money spilling out of my awfully-dry pockets (though that could help!), what I mean is to have surplus of people to be friends with. I want so many friends in life that I’ll appreciate quite time alone as a sweet little award every now and then rather than going out be my treat!!

2. To be a well-known blogger/writer.

This is a dream that both Lovely and I happen to share, and hopefully we both make it (fingers crossed)! While she is determined that blogging is what she was born to do, I’m still waiting in the long line of future decisions and goals. I don’t know what I want to pursue career-wise, but one thing I know is true: I will not take a boring and tedious office job if I can strike it famous blogging. Then again, who wouldn’t? I still juggle the idea of starting a YouTube channel to review anime and such, but I always hesitate on taking it up because “what if I’m boring and/or am super slow with content??” Scary ~

3. To travel places.

Another dream we have in common. Now with this, I can confirm that I was meant to scour the whole wide world, and if I could, space travel would be amazing too! Where I live, life and landscape is so flat – can I at least get some city life? More local coffee shops or a better mall? Sheesh. C’mon, let’s go travel! To quote Kaori Makishima from Oreimo (Saori’s older sister), “My home is my base of operations for adventuring throughout the world” or something like that.

4. To always love anime as a hobby.

People always tend to swap between hobbies when they see more interesting things or are sick of the old hobby. I don’t blame them, it’s just a human thing. But I always want to love anime! I hope I continue to support it and it continues to support me with memorable stories and relatable characters. Such a fascinating media that I have made a home out of, to bad not everyone can appreciate it, but there are also those who try – that makes me happy, too 🙂

5. To be financially supportive of myself, my hobbies, and future individuals/family.

This one’s kinda a “no duh” dream, but it is something that rings in the back of my brain. What if the job I stick with doesn’t pay much, but I am happy? Is that good enough? It can be a terrifying thought, which is why it is a dream of mine.

6. To be happy with my future and any career I take up.

Going hand-in-hand with the last one, I want to earn money AND be happy with going to work. Last thing I want is that office job . . . oh God no. It’s a continuous yet true gag I chuckle about. With my job, I want to be creative, unique, and feel needed/satisfied with myself, and that can usually only stem from an enjoyable occupation.

7. To have Esper powers like teleporting and controlling electricity.

(inner Railgun child resonate!!)

7. To be successful and memorable.

As necessary as failure is to develop other skills, I do mostly want to be successful. I want to leave behind treasures for others when I’m gone, whether it’s a novel, a business, a family, art, a song, heck, even my own anime (TRUE BIGGEST DREAM RIGHT HERE FOLKS)! The last thing I want besides that office job is to fade away without a trace. That’s just sad and ultimately a waste and a disappointment in my eyes. Go out with a bang, and leave behind the greatest gifts, ya know!?!

Now to my nommies . . . by the blogger power invested in me, “I am the bone of my sword,” and by Kyubey’s supervision, I wish to rewrite the laws of the universe, becoming Takukami in the process, and award the Infinity Dreams Award to . . .

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY FOLLOWERS! Café-goers, rise up and realize your potential as a member of the Survey Corp and let us awaken Eva Unit-01 Together!! We all have dreams, and if you’re following me, I hope your dreams come true, too. But remember, you are the only one who can make your dreams come true, so work hard! Thanks to Lovely one last time, and be sure to send me a link to your nominations, as I would love to read them! Until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host