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CAFÉ NOTICE | Aftermath of Being Logged in ALO

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Hello café-goers, how should I start this? Well, it’s evening here, so perhaps “Good evening, all!” or something to that effect. What I’m about to talk about is more on the serious side, but don’t worry, it’s that good kind of serious – that satisfactory seriousness that comes from adult praise, for instance. The topic? You read the title. I was logged into ALO for admittedly far too long, and you’ve probably realized that. Also, I lost a lot of you guys from my first anticipation post of the project, haha! What happened?!

I started to analyze Reki Kawahara’s Fairy Dance not by choice; I was sick and tired of nearly every goddamn anime fan beating up on SAO’s second half, and I had to change that by defending it as my sole right as a reviewer and a fan. We stick up for things we appreciate, see, and we also criticize the aspects that could’ve been better. But this was a defense series for the positive aspects, not the negative ones. I’m not saying Fairy Dance is pure gold – Oh gosh, no – but aren’t there other series out there begging to be picked apart like the literary vultures we are?

Now you probably think, “What about all those fans out there that praise SAO as the chief of all anime, huh? We must stop their ignorance!” Well, I agree, you can tear Sword Art Online limb from limb, whether that be the anime, the novels, or both, but the series’ problem is rooted in the the lead character himself, and sadly I can’t do much about that. However, I can point out a few of the cool tricks the series performed correctly. Hence, my motives for writing this.

This journey of 10,000 words starts with a single letter. Cheesy as it sounds, it is what it is. Clocking in at around 10,000 words altogether (parts I through this reflection), this is one of my greatest achievements as a blogger. A Word document this large is at risk of EXPLODING! Am I proud that I threw a sh*t ton of words on a page and called it an analysis? Not necessarily. I proclaim this to be one of my greatest achievements in blogging because this is my grandest collection of argumentative text on this blog. I dare say it means more to me than my reviews . . . This is a project I can look back on and actually feel really, really proud of the hours of work that went into this. I went into it thinking it would just be another review series. Hah, how little did I predict the longstanding effects it would come to have.

I realize this topic is taboo by bloggers, but here I go. “In Defense of Fairy Dance” had quite possibly one of the worst ‘statistical’ receptions on this blog – and THAT’S FINE. I believe it to be one of my highest of highs even though the number of likes and comments dictate it was one of my lowest of lows. It just means that you as a reader didn’t want to, well, read it, and that’s totally okay. Read what won’t waste your time, after all. That’s how I’ve always seen it. Just know that despite my efforts (and I don’t blame you AT ALL for not knowing the struggle), they ultimately mean so little, statistically. Thus, I’d like to extend my warmest thanks to those who stuck around, read, liked, commented – You know who you are. Thank you, it is an absolute joy reading your comments overflowing with your own responses and opinions!!!

If you’ve learned anything by now, it’s that Sword Art Online is a franchise rich with irony. Dramatic Irony ringin’ any bells? Gosh, we’ve beaten this horse quite dead. I won’t rattle on more, but I hope you’ve been able to take out this popular theme and apply it to other media. SAO doesn’t do anything particularly special with it; it just does a fantastic job working it into the story and characters. I also hope that, through reading this, you’ve been reinforced with the thought that “appearances aren’t everything.” Oh, it’s a juvenile theme, but one that applies itself here in many more ways than one.

Lastly, before I bow out of this enchanting land of fairies and bid the franchise farewell, I have one last lesson to reign it all in. You question, “What could possibly be more important than dramatic irony, Takuto???”

La vie est drôle

“Life is Funny,” eh?

You might recall this phrase rolling off the tongue of Ragyo Kiryuin from Kill la Kill, but its meaning is can be equally applied to the entirety of Sword Art Online.

A story of kids who finally get their hands on virtual reality, only to get trapped in it with death as the only escape.

How about when they finally do manage to return to the real world, and the main character’s lover has been relocated into another cage?

Or even when she gets out, and a mysterious marauder threatens to kill players in-game with one pull of his trigger?

Heck, even a girl struggling through terminal illness seeks refuge in the game world.

What about a blogger who expended his time, energy, and soul into a project that got less hits than his dinky little haul post? I think you get the picture.

When you look at it, life sure is funny, eh?

I’m using the wings I gained from ALfheim Online to soar to new heights. This experience has been troublesome, yet surprisingly a wake-up call much-delayed as well. I am still trying to work out a review format I am comfortable with, and this comprehensive review stuff has helped reduce my options (because at this point, I just can’t decide). Maybe now you’ll get to endorse yourself with tastier content. Or, perhaps, things could take a sour turn. Anything could happen, and so whatever does come our way, I’d like to reaffirm my thanks to all who have flown by my side during this journey. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t – I’m sure there’s a reason for your absence. Just know that we had a grand ol’ time here with dramatic irony, right fellows? Yeah, don’t answer that.

With more positive announcements on the horizon, I sincerely hope you have emerged as enlightened as I have! Keep on rolling with the punches, and until the next post, thank you very much for reading!

– Takuto, your host

Oh, before I leave, I’ll be dropping the headers for each section of the series below. You are encouraged to click on the image (if my computer’s not being fickle) to direct you to the page. Everything under “In Defense of Fairy Dance” will be compiled under the “Cafe Talk” section of the blog for future reference! 🙂

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Takuto’s Naka-Kon 2016 Haul and Recap!

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Greetings all, it’s haul time~! First, let’s briefly talk about the convention itself.

This year was by far Naka-Kon’s largest year for attendance. I believe it had about under 10,000 people per day, which is mind-boggling considering that last year, I believe there were 7,000 or 8,000 attendees. This was also the con’s greatest year for number of guests, of which, I got to personally meet many!

The majority of panels this year were headed by the guest voice actors, very similar to years past. That’s not to simply ‘cast’ them aside, though (hehe, puns). My favorite two panels were Erica Mendez’s “DON’T LOSE YOUR WAAAAY” and surprisingly, Karen Strassman’s “Accents, Dialects and Voice Acting.” With Erica, her touching person-to-person interactions and meaningful responses made for a very entertaining late-hour sit-in. My favorite of all panels I visited, Karen’s regarding dialects, was not only informational, but hilarious and crowd-involving. She clearly knows her way around the human voice (could’ve said mouth, but yeah, no). After asking her for her autograph, she asked me for a hug. We basically became best friends. 🙂

The vendor’s/dealer’s room, while it wasn’t a disappointment, could’ve been much better. I remember last year they had several “hundreds” of bins full of small anime figures. They were cheap in price and quality, but scrounging through those bins was a crap ton of fun. It was sad to see they weren’t there. Also, many of the artists were returners from last year, which was no surprise considering their talent, local access, and presumably, affordability. These artists had many of their same previous works, so there wasn’t a whole lot to look through in terms of art (not that they’re bad at all, heck no, we just had already seen many of them before).

In terms of technical aspects, I absolutely love the convenience of this smaller con being connected to the hotel we stayed at. Last year, like floor 18. This year, floor 7 (ah yeah, took like 30 sec to hit the ground floor). I had the entire map memorized by an hour into the night, and as such managing our time and making it into lines early enough was pud. Speaking of our arrival, we left just late enough to arrive at 9:30 PM, and entry time was 9:00 PM *facepalms* so we missed ALL of Friday’s activities. Yeah, it bites, but I still got to attend plenty of cool events, trust me!

But you came here for a haul post, didn’t you? Well then, let’s not keep you waiting!

*MIGHT NEED TO VIEW SLIDESHOWS IN BROWSER*

Saber Alter Prize Figure

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First up is this bad boy (woman, knight, spirit)! I’m actually not the biggest fan of Saber Alter, but I picked it up in a 2 for $45 deal. Initially, this was supposed to be that Asuka Langley Soryu I’ve proclaimed I’ve wanted for months now, and SHE WAS THERE, but after thinking, “Hey, let me scope out other prices here,” SHE WAS GONE!!! This was honestly the most stressful thing that happened to me. So instead, Saber came home with me, and I admit, she does look nice on my shelves. For being prize figure quality, this is clearly a grade B+ or even A figure. Solid build, nice metallic armor paint, though the hair lacks any shading. Minor details.

Eren Yeager Prize Figure

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I really like how this one turned out. This was the second prize figure in the 2 for $45 deal, and I’m more than happy how he turned out! The shading in the cloak’s ruffles is outstanding, and all of the paint details on the chest, jacket,boots, and leather skirt part are superbly done as well. I also dig the hair texture, though there is only a solid black layer over it. Details in the face, specifically the eyes, are crisp, much like Saber Alter’s. The only disappointments are the lazy paint-overs on the Wings of Freedom logo, in that the green was presumably just airbrushed over the cape without regard to the logo. This green mysteriously also shows up on the back of the jacket, so I’m not quite sure what happened here. Finally, the base is weak. Not in design, because it stands quite balanced, but in paint job and texture. Could’ve been better there, but for $45 dollars for TWO figures (my first “statue” figures, BTW!), I’m more than happy with everything. Eren sure is tall…

Pins: Chibi Souma and NERV

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If you might recall, I visited this same artist last year and bought a couple Log Horizon pins and an Attack on Titan one. I love this artists style, and seeing lil’ Souma eating away was a must-have for me (my sister bought two more so we could achieve the 3 for $5 deal). And that second one is just delightful for Eva fans like myself. It was only $2, and I plan to stick it on my bag at home! Love puns, love pins ^.^

Evangelion AT Field T-Shirt

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So without Asuka, I had to compensate somehow for my lack of Eva merch, and this T-shirt was my tipping point. In addition to getting my first figures, this is my first anime shirt! I “absolutely” love the classic, bright yellow-orange AT-field from the original over the print! It works phenomenally, and I cant’ wait to wear it around! Hopefully the print stays on for a looong time.

Wall Scrolls: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Negima!, and Kill la Kill (autographed)

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This one’s easy. An Eva wall scroll for only $10?? C’mon, that’s as cheap as they come! Also, it features one of my favorite franchises in artwork I have never seen before. BAM, its mine! As for Negima!, yeah, I just have a soft spot for the series. The sequel, as you might recall, was the first anime I ever watched, so finding merch for it was pretty rare. The last one is one of my favorite art pieces for Kill la Kill, so getting that one in scroll form was an instant hit with me. I also got Erica Mendez, the wonderful English VA for Ryuko to sign it ❤

AUTOGRAPHS

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Warning: Lots of Text Ahead! @_@

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I’ll just list my experiences with each VA below in sequential order:

Erica Mendez – This gal is as down-to-earth as you can get! She politely signed my LTD Vol. 1 release of Kill la Kill  and even signed the scroll above. I think I’ll leave pictures of us out for now, but yes, she even took one with my sister and I. While at her table, I asked her about what it was like to be in the Aldnoah.Zero dub, and she replied that it was her first-ever role in a mecha anime, so getting to voice a pilot was pretty exciting. Thought I’d ask her about something different just to stand out, hehe, so at her open Q&A panel, I asked her what it was like to voice a calmer role in contrast to Ryuko, like Akari Sakishima in A Lull in the Sea. Erica responded claiming that she never thought she’d qualify as having an “older sister” voice, so to do it so early on in her career was sheer joy. Playing calmer characters brings her to a different level of understanding, she says, and especially in a slice-of-life/drama-heavy series like this one. 

Austin Tindle – I DID NOT realize how big of a goofball this man was! Hah, his first panel, which was supposedly his serious one, was a joke, but I had a fair amount of fun sitting through and getting to know the voice behind Accelerator and Shu Ouma. At his autograph table, I asked him to draw what my void from Guilty Crown would look like upon merely meeting me for the first time. Thus, the “Badass gun” was born, and you can read about that XDD I sent my brother and sister with Index II and Railgun S, respectively, to get signed, as they wanted to meet him yet had nothing with them. After, we took a picture where he drew out my void. I’m such a dork, but it was hilarious!

Micah Solusod – Met this cool dude last year, and at his Q&A panel in 2015, I asked him what the most impactful moment in the RailDex franchise was, to which he responded correctly with the finale of the Sister’s Arc in Railgun S. So this year, I brought it up and told him about my meeting him last year (I was that self-proclaimed ‘RailDex kid’) and he remembered and was more than willing to fulfill the memory by signing my Railgun S part 2 DVD. Then we took a picture as “magical girls,” another ridiculous concoction from my stupid brain that made a lot of us laugh out loud! I also sent my brother with the same Index II and my sister with the Guilty Crown artbook. She, not knowing what to sign, brought up Austin’s idiotic doodle, to which Micah fired with his own drawing. Love this guy 😀

Karen Strassman – Coming in knowing her only as Kallen and Sola-Ui, this was otherwise a blind meet-up. We had extra time in our schedule to burn, so I suggested going to her dialect panel. BEST PANEL EVER! She’s such a compassionate, exciting, and generous person to be around, and after telling her so at her autograph table, she asked for a hug after signing my mini Fate/Zero pin-up and posing for a truly badass picture. I’ll never forget this woman for as long as I live!

Ayu Sakata – After re-reading the schedule of events the night before, I realized that Apphia Yu did NOT have an autograph booth set up (I only realized she had her own booth supporting her visual novel AFTER the con). Thus, she became the rare find of the day. My mom, who had caught her and taken a picture with her earlier that day, was willing to run around to her booth and have my Robotics;Notes part 1 and my brothers Airi art card signed. SHE DID BOTH, and upon my brother’s messaged request gave us a weather report (watch Robotics;Notes after Steins;Gate, both excellent anime with fantastic dubs). 71 degrees. Thanks mom XD

Greg Ayres – I also met this cheeky guy last year, but being in that”gotta catch them all” spirit, I went ahead and got a ticket for this last VA, and boy was it worth it. This guy is such a joy every time I’ve spoken to him, so this time, I brought the first DVD and show I had ever bought/seen for anime – Negima!?, the SAVE edition. I told him my story and how I got my brother and sister into anime with it, and I believe he was touched (or at least I was) because he gave me an extra-special message that I’ll hold close to heart, forever. I also got No.6 signed because he was mah boy Shion in it, and sent my sister with Kokoro Connect because she didn’t want to be awkward and have nothing. We took another picture, and that completed my 2016 VA-dex (Pokedex, anyone?)!!

The last thing I wanted to talk about was my cosplay of Mikaela Hyakuya – HUGE SUCCESS!!! Part of me wants to avoid pictures due to Internet security and stuff, but maybe if enough of you holler… Anyway, unlike last year, I had more people come up and as ME for a picture rather than me ask them. Can you believe that? Little ol’ me and my ugly mug, hah! It was so wonderful walking around as one of my current favorite characters, and I’m even more glad with the reception. Yes, I did buy it all (jeans, boots, and undershirt were mine), though I did have to modify a lot of the uniform and cloak accessories. Regardless, LOTS of cosplay experience was made, and it makes me want to try even harder next year – either make more props like swords and stuff, or even try make-up, who knows!

Thank you to ALL those who made this event so memorable and all-around wonderful! To the guest voice actors and actresses who followed through with my stupid requests and spent the time to chat with me, an EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS!! The con security was either body-guard-strict or bouncy and light-hearted, so I much preferred the latter of folks who volunteered with a NICE attitude. FINALLY, I want to thank Kausus of OtakuGamerZone and Crimson of MyFujoshiLife for capping this off as one of my most memorable years!! It was a pleasure – an honor – to meet such substantial figures in our small aniblogging community. I only wished we had more time set aside to sit down and chat, but we all came with our own groups so tension was high. Though brief, our meet-up was LEGENDARY, and hopefully next time (if there is one), we’ll have more time to revel in the experience. Was I the person you expected to meet?? We should talk!

If you read this to the end, thank you very, very much! I feel I’ve been so out of touch with the community as of late, but hopefully that’ll change. As always, I enjoy talking to you, so leave a like and comment below about your own recent con experiences or a simple hello! Anything cool you saw in my haul? VA autograph experiences? Let me have it all, and until next time everyone, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Takuto Goes to Naka-Kon 2016!

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That’s right lads, this is just a quick update that tomorrow I’ll be bound for Naka-Kon in Overland Park, KS. This will be my second visit there and I’m incredibly stoked to check out some anime merch (on the hunt for Asuka goodness), meet some of my favorite English voice actors *fingers crossed* (including but not limited to: Austin Tindle, Apphia Yu and Erica Mendez), and possibly meet up with some of you!! I know Crimson (MyFujoshiLife) and Kausus (OtakuGamerZone) will both be nerdin’ out, so it’d be cool if we met IRL. Look for a terrible Mikaela Hyakuya cosplayer, that’s me XD On the iffy side, I heard their autograph sessions are ticketed events now, so God, I hope that’s not a huge hindrance. Not too happy about that.  :/

But yeah, it’ll be a lot of fun – We’ll make it fun! This does mean I’ll be out for another 3 days (whoops!), but my Rose of Versailles review is nearly ready. After that, I’m on break for a week, so lots of time for blogging and catching up with you all. It’ll all be fine.

Just a quickie from me, have a wonderful weekend!!~

– Takuto

End of February Update 3/6/16

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A week into March and here I am with February’s recap! What did you expect? Me to show up on time? Haha. Hardly.

Anguish statements aside, hello everyone, I’m back. And I’m so glad to be here!! Remember me being sick in January? Well, Mr. Stomach-aches stopped by for no apparent reason other than to spread his good name, so that’s what has bugged me up the past several days (that and music/school-related happenings). It’ll be another slow week of recovery, so once again, apologies if I skip by most of your posts. I hate doing it, but it’s what I’ve gotta do to stay afloat.

As for updates, I can successfully say a fair amount has transpired this past February!

Recently Finished:

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth – There’s not much to say for this one that I haven’t already covered in my review (click me). It’s a nonsensical recap only meant for hardcore collectors/fans of the series, and as such is absolutely skip-able. On another note, YouTube recently did take down the “Canon in D” credit theme and WOW, that made me pretty ticked!

Evangelion 3.33: You Can (Not) Redo. – This was the crux of all psychological response this past month (my first-ever comprehensive review here!). Loaded with twists and turns that illogically fit in the current Rebuild story, it’s ultimately just a prequel to the beginning of the end. After waiting a whole year for its localization, I can soundly say that it was worth the wait, though. However, while I applaud the bold choices made in 3.33, I voice a lot of concern for not only the Rebuild series, but for the franchise as a whole (click here). The final film is really setting itself up with a huge-ass checklist of glossed-over history that I’m nearly positive won’t get touched on. And that’s the saddest part. Will it be worth the wait? At this point, only God knows.

Evangelion: until You come to me. –  You might recall this one being bunched together with another Eva short called Another Impact, but this was easily the more beneficial and emotional of the two. Looted with possible hints to the fourth film, it was a side project of Anno’s team that succeeded brilliantly. Read about it HERE and listen to someone’s breathtaking AMV with a different cover of “Danny Boy” attached to it HERE. I highly, HIGHLY recommend checking out both (honestly, the AMV is better)!

Asuka Langley Soryu AMV “Oh No!” by Marina & the Diamonds – Guilty Pleasure Alert! This came up on YouTube so being the lost lamb I was I clicked on it. BEST. ASUKA. AMV. EVER. The creator CLEARLY knows their cinematography, matching up the perfect scenes of our red-haired girl to this empowerment song. Call me crazy, but baby, I’m addicted! Click here to listen! 

The Rose of Versailles – My V-Day marathon finally concluded, totaling 40 episodes in two weeks for this historical shoujo classic! This anime offered oh-so very much to the famous anime tropes we’ve come to know and love/hate in many of today’s shoujo anime. Namely, the “strong woman” that is Lady Oscar, a bravado of devotion to loyalty and justice, while struggling against the cult of domesticity and finding love for the first time. Additionally, flashing through history once again with the French Revolution is a dark thing to leave behind. Am I glad it’s over? So very much so, yet it’s an adventure I’ll never quite be able to shake off for its strong impression. You can bet a review is coming soon!

Someone’s Gaze – This one’s a bit obscure, but once you hear it was directed by award-winning Makoto Shinkai, I’m sure you’ll leap for it, too! Not to mention, it’s only 7 MINUTES LONG AND IT CAN BE FOUND ON YOUTUBE! Now there’s no excuse to check it out! Shinkai’s works are famous for crunching an incredible amount of relatable scenarios and emotions into a small film run-time to create an overwhelming effect. While I’ve only seen this one and Voices of a Distant Star, I still highly recommend it. And once you’re finished, come back and let me know: Did you immediately call your dad first or cuddle with your cats after you watched? 🙂 CLICK HERE TO WATCH Someone’s Gaze!

Wolf Children (rewatch) – So I had stomach aches, my mom was taking care of me, spring has FINALLY arrived (how long it stays, who knows), cleaning the house – It’s time to rewatch Hosoda’s beautiful gift that is Wolf Children. My sister ended up joining me for the second half, and I got to say, this second time around was much better than when I initially watched it. Perhaps we become less critical when we watch things by ourselves, I have no clue, but it was a nice watch. Very nice. I think this sums up my week quite well, actually, kinda knockin’ me back on my feet. #growingupsucks

Sword Art Online Volume 4: Fairy Dance Part 2 – Okay, this one’s not an anime, but I FINALLY FINISHED MY SAO READING!! I’ve been doing this side research project on the franchised, mainly its difference between the infamous anime adaptation vs the original light novel interpretation of the Fairy Dance arc, and I can finally say I’ve concluded the note-taking part. Now it’s time to compile my efforts into my thesis and BAM put this sucker out on the blog! It’s come a looong way (doesn’t help that I’m a slow reader AND that it’s SAO) but within March, my mini-series will finally be released, and I hope you enjoy my analysis and efforts!

Currently Watching:

Cowboy Bebop – The Bebop train is ridiculously slow – thanks family. Since last month, only three more episodes have been covered. We’ve all just been so absorbed in our own schedules, but we have agreed to set aside next week towards finishing. We learned of Faye’s past (or lack thereof) and have also discovered the reason for Jet’s metal arm. There was also a nice episode about an old man who just wants to play chess. That was sweet.

Erased – Of the two simulcasts I am following, this one definitely steals the spotlight. Intense thriller vibes, sadistic characters, underlying mystery that’ll leave you holding your breath through the next episode, one mom so evil she’ll make you cringe and another mom so righteous you just wanna give her a big ol’ hug  – Erased has all of the good stuff, my attention included. Come next update, the show will have concluded, so I hope it pulls out everything its got for these next couple of weeks. I can’t wait for more!

Dimension W – I started off really enjoying the premise of this sci-fi. The balance between its decent main cast and episodic nature made for something I could just turn on each week, enjoy what I got, then dismiss it until next weekend. The show is starting to draw out its true intent – the focus shifting to these ‘coils’ – and it’s cause me to need to follow more intently. Is that a bad thing? Well, not necessarily, it just still leaves me scratching my head as to where it’s going sometimes. I’m sure Mira will eventually be leaving Kyouma as part of the plot or whatever, but other than that, I can’t say that I’m still gripped. A survival game/chase is beginning on Easter Island, the original root of coil experimentation (I think . . .), so that ought to be exciting. I just wish they didn’t add 10 new characters. Sheesh.

Currently Reading:

Seraph of the End (manga) – With SAO out of the fight, I can finally return to reading stuff I actually enjoy XD. I’ve read the first 1 and 1/2 volumes of the manga series and so far things are pretty static. The art style of the characters is really pleasant, as expressions are easily defined and the outfits are always cool. It is a little hard to envision the ruined world of Japan even with the drawings, though. The anime did a fair job at this, so I was hoping the manga would be even better, but my feelings remain mixed. Moreover, I just can’t wait to catch up to the anime’s second season and beyond, because while what I got in the first was O.K., it was enough to push me to uncover more. Also, sometimes this “trope trash” is a nice relief after revisiting the freakin’ French Revolution.

I once again would like to apologize for the lack of material lately. If I’m not busy, I’m suddenly ill, and vice versa. There was also a period after 3.33 where I just didn’t want to do much of anything. Ah feels ~ what crazy things. But do not fear, for I have the rest of my March posts all lined up . . . I just need to write them 😛 Haha, it’ll all be fine. How are all of you? Did you watch anything cool lately and want us to know? Drop a comment!

For those who stuck around until now, I HAVE been greatly considering creating a Twitter account for the blog to meet the demands of a certain group of kind folk!! The only thing holding me back is the fact that, yes, it’ll ultimately be another thing to add to the list of daily tasks. At the cost of building on friendships and making new ones (and attracting new cafe-goers, huehuehue) most of me thinks it’ll outweigh the pitfalls. We’ll just have to see! Until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Takuto Helped Back The Vision of Escaflowne Kickstarter!

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That’s right! I participated in my first ever “Kickstarter” program. Albeit a measly $15 patron, I’m still entitled to some pretty neat gifts (even though that’s not the main reason I participated, well, sorta). See below:

Watch the announcement for a groundbreaking new Kickstarter project for The Vision of Escaflowne–and join us in creating a new definitive dub of this classic that finally matches the uncut HD content!

Read more and back the Kickstarter today at http://funi.to/1n4Rq2a!

The uncut HD Japanese version of the classic anime The Vision of Escaflowne includes scenes that have never been seen in North America, meaning that English speakers have never experienced the show fully in dubbed format. Help make a fan-demanded complete dub finally a reality!

If you are at all interested in a Blu-ray/DVD re-release of this anime classic with never-before-seen-in-English scenes from the original Japanese release . . . Did I also mention a BRAND NEW ENGLISH DUB by FUNimation Entertainment? Then consider throwing a few bucks at this kid. It’s their first Kickstarter and mine as well, and I hope my $15 token helps bring the project closer to its steep $150,000 goal (even though they are well over 3/4 there.

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If you are interested, click below for more INFORMATION!

ANN’s post over the project

The Vision of Escaflowne Kickstarter itself

Being my first, I didn’t want to overspend, you know? But contributing even a little bit was thrilling, and I hope it pays off! Only the name The Vision of Escaflowne is familiar to me; I know virtually nothing about the franchise. Nevertheless, you can expect Takuto’s REAL NAME to appear on the on-disc credit listing if everything works like it should, haha!

Just thought I’d pop by with my thoughts. Support NOW while you can, as this Kickstarter is FLYING BY! Spend wisely ~

– Takuto, your host

 

Happy V-Day, “V” for Versailles, that is!

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HELLO cafe-goers, it’s Valentine’s day!! I hope you all are having a grand day, whether that’s spending time with that special sweetheart, relaxing with the fam, or crying to yourself as you watch anime and stuff your face with chocolates you bought on sale. Personally, I am tending to those last two options, but I won’t be crying because, in the strange annual spirit of V-Day, I plan to marathon an anime classic from the past! The previous menus have included:

2013 ~ Steins;Gate

2014 ~ Ouran High School Host Club/Gosick (couldn’t remember which)

2015 ~ Neon Genesis Evangelion

2016 ~ The Rose of Versailles

When I’m not chatting it up with my siblings, attempting to put together my thoughts on 3.33 (it’s coming soon, I swear!!), I’ll be attempting to knock this shojo classic out of the park! I picked it up for pretty cheap during a holiday sale, and thought, sure, what the heck – I only heard it was THE historical anime of the century! So yeah, hope you all have had a sweet day, and I promise, the conclusion to Eva-Week is on its way. See you all soon!

With love,

– Takuto, your host

The Revisit of Evangelion: We Have Begun Third Impact | Cafe Talk

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Ladies and gents, children of all ages, welcome to a very special week here in the cafe (and to another wonderful cafe talk!). One fateful year ago from this upcoming Valentine’s Day, I was (not) alone (click to read the backstory). I had previously spent the first two weeks of the month building up to this day: Canceling holiday meetups, telling my family “see ya,” leaving my girlfriend (HAH, no such thing exists now and then :/), and even preparing snacks. To what end? I was determined to introduce myself into the fantastical world of the (in)famous mecha anime Neon Genesis Evangelion (click on link for my thoughts!!!!!). Primarily, I just wanted to watch the Rebuild films, but seeing as I didn’t know what they were (and that they were just tempting me at the store since childhood), I thought I’d just sit through the series so that I could get to the meat.

Well, I got myself into much more than a robot fight, mind you.

I ABSOLUTELY fell in love with everything the franchise had to offer. For days-weeks-heck, this whole YEAR after, I spent my time endorsing myself into whatever I could get my grubby little paws on. I finally got to buy those two films, went eBay dumpster diving for the original Platinum litebox release of the series, and even dipped my toes in picking up that controversial movie we all love but don’t understand (some hate it for that mere factor): The End of Evangelion (click link for my cool thoughts on it!!!) . And you know what? I even got (well, my cool bro picked them up for me on a music trip of his :D) the last two volumes of the manga, 13 and 14, just to coincide my experience with the last volume’s release. That’s right. I’m edgy~

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I even formatted some pictures on Google (thank you respective artists) and printed posters!!! Wow, not sure if that’s cool or lame . . . I think I’m pretty cool . . . o_o

Flash forward one crazy year, and here I am again, (not) alone. But I have other plans for this V-Day which I’ll advertise in a future post. This week is Evangelion week in the cafe – Specifically, my “Revisit” (get it, Rebuild, Revival, “Revisit,” oh I am so damn clever) to the beloved Tokyo-3. After what, 3 or 4 years of waiting, coincidentally, FUNimation finally decided to release the third installment of the Rebuild franchise: Evangelion 3.33: You Can (Not) Redo. It was officially released this past Tuesday, February 2nd (yes, a fan such as myself had it on pre-order ;)), and in celebration of its release and my anniversary of uncovering the franchise for myself, I declared this Eva week, and spent a good chunk of Monday and Tuesday rewatching my favorite episodes (“The Day Tokyo-3 Stood Still”).

Aren’t you loving how this all pans out for me? Coincidence after coincidence, lucky me ~

Here is how the week’s been running so far, and will proceed as planned:

2/1 Monday – Rewatch favorite episodes of NGE between 1-13

2/2 Tuesday – Rewatch favorite episodes of NGE between 14-26

2/3 Wednesday – Rewatch Evangelion 1.11

2/4 Thursday – Rewatch Evangelion 2.22

2/5 Friday – Watch Death & Rebirth

2/6 Saturday – Watch Evangelion 3.33

2/7 Sunday – Rewatch Evangelion 3.33, with siblings (movie theater, click here for backstory)

You’re probably sittin’ there gagging, “Takuto, why bother with Death & Rebirth? Isn’t it just a sh*tty retelling of the series followed by the first episode of The End of Evangelion?” 

Why yes . . . well, apparently, I suppose? I never included D&R during the grand binge of ’15, so I’ve only been going by speculation. It’s time I grow a pair and see what I think, though, right? Can a true HUGE fan of the franchise say they love it to death if they haven’t absorbed all of it? That’s my thinking at this point, at least, so I paid the $15 bucks just to have it in my collection (because collecting is fun).

I’ve rambled enough! Won’t you join me on this epic conquest to reestablish, reaffirm, rekindle, and revisit this anime classic (gosh, one would think we were about to do something again, wouldn’t they, sheesh)??!! If not, well, the door’s right over there (just kiddin,’ go find another one of my reviews to munch on until the cool kids are done partying LOL)! I mean, we’ve been with each other since the beginning, so let’s finish the third lap on the track that has been etched in anime history: 3.33, here we come!! You can expect a review of both Death & Rebirth and Evangelion 3.33 at the end of the celebration, and hey, if you haven’t already checked out my old reviews of parts in the franchise, click on the links scattered above. They could sure use some lovin.’ 🙂

I’ve already changed my wallpapers, blocked out the world, and prepared tons of snacks. Oh wait, SHHHH, the movie is starting!!!!!!!!

We have begun Third Impact once again, everyone. Join me in this segue so the End. “The end of every world has a beginning, and this is (not) the world we thought we knew.” It’s time to Revisit and Redo.

– Takuto, your host

End of January Update 1/31/16

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Evening all, not really sure why I am doing an update as I LITERALLY watched and read NOTHING, but for consistency’s sake I thought it’d be better to get this out there . . . for anyone who cares. Let’s get to it!

Recently finished:

Diddly squat. I’ve been sick, busy, sick, and more sick.

Did I mention sick?

Currently watching:

Cowboy Bebop – Yep. Still watching this one. Remember how I decided to watch it with my family? Well, that probably wasn’t the best decision I’ve made, as none of us have matching schedules, and even if we do, I feel bad for kicking someone else off of the TV! Agh, at least it’s a grand show thus far. We’re exactly halfway through, so I expect the lighthearted bounty hunter trips to switch to some deep stuff pretty soon.

Boku dake ga Inai Machi (Erased) – If you’re not watching this this anime this season, you’re lying to yourself. Erased is about a boy (well, man in a boy body?) who is given the chance to (or kinda forced to) go back in time to save his mom and presumably a girl who died in his elementary school. I am two episodes in (gonna watch the third tonight >.<) and all I can say is WOW. Fast-paced, intense and consistent storytelling, and lovely animation provided by A1-Pictures (praise them “momma lips”). Yuki Kajiura’s music has yet to really stand out, but it supports what I’ve seen so far fairly well.

Dimension W – Yep, this is that other simulcast every anime fan and their grandma is following this season. Why am I? Well, aside it being science fiction, I am interested in its creation: FUNimation’s partnership in putting the production together. Admittedly, they only share a small part in the story department, but the production diaries they post on YouTube are very insightful. I’m not quite sure what the anime is about by episode two, nor where it’s headed, but I am nevertheless intrigued by what’s going on. The anime follows Kyouma, I think that is his name, and his job as a “Collector,” which involves retrieving energy-producing devices called “coils.”

Currently reading:

Sword Art Online Volume 4: Fairy Dance Part 2 – Still cracking through this one, over 1/4 done. Again, I put all reading and watching aside for a while, and I suppose this took the biggest blow. I’ll be picking back up on it soon, and plan to finish within the next week or two!

Last time I hinted as to my cosplay for spring convention(s), and while some of you will be disheartened to hear it is not Horn Skuld (Otaku Judge and Rocco B), it is still a beloved character from Seraph of the End. Everyone’s favorite blonde-headed vampire teen, Mikaela Hyakuya! I finally got the boots a few days ago, so everything’s pretty much set. All I need to do is trim the wig (or style it better), possibly find better pants, and decide whether or not to add light makeup just for eye effects and such. Not sure yet, though.

If you’ve already read my “I’ve been sick” post, then that’s all you need to know about me regarding the past two weeks. I do have the next 2 weeks of posts lined up, and all I have to do is write them (easier said than done, I realize, but oh well). We did add a new cafe-goer just yesterday, so a warm welcome to you and to all those returning ^.^ Thank you for your overwhelming support on my last update, by the way. It’s a lot easier to stand straight knowing an entire community of awesome friends is supporting your back, ya know? We gotta stick together during these rough times, haha! It’s cold yet oddly sunny where I’m at, but snow is on the horizon. Stay warm, everyone, and drink lots of hot chocolate and coffee – That’s what I’ll be doing! Alrighty, till next time everyone!

– Takuto, your host

So . . . I’ve Been Very Sick

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Evening all, it’s been quite a while since I’ve sat down here to talk. Well, just 2 weeks, actually, but in the blogging world that’s enough time to completely disconnect from all of you – And I am very sorry for this disconnection.

Title obviously explains my case. I’ve gone through the whole cycle: sore throat, burning eyes, runny nose, intense fever, chills, sinus pressure, the list goes on. To add to that, the more unusual symptoms include: digestive issues, body aches, and several 20-minute nose bleed sessions. And no, it doesn’t help when I have to swim on top of all of this, pulling calf and shoulder muscles left and right. At this point, it’s a pain in the ass to merely stand up straight, let alone run or swim . . . or even walk.

But I am recovering. Several of the pains I listed above have subsided. Another plus to that is being able to smell and taste my food again. Hah! Tasting sweets and sours again really makes the world go round. Now if only my body would quit aching and the nosebleeds would stop. Gosh, that’d be great.

But why else did I vanish from the community? The simple answer is needing the time to recover – Sleep. Guys, I don’t live the most stressful life on the planet, but damn, sometimes people need to chill – myself included. So that is what I did. I put anime to the side (save for my two simulcasts which I will talk about in my monthly update), set my Sword Art Online “Fairy Dance” research aside, cut my evening YouTube time short (if any), quit practicing the cello, asked my coach for a pardon during a few practices (which she totally understood), heck, I even stopped studying for school for a while there (but oddly enough, I still got great scores . . . yeah . . . stay in school kids).

Yet while all of this was swirling around my head, destroying my motivation and perseverance, I still had clung to one thing – one odd little thing: Charlotte. That’s right, the anime I reviewed a while back. I got into a vicious cycle of AMV watching, and came across someone’s description of the show:

“The superb story about comet dust, a gifted teen, and his promise.”

Damn, that’s powerful. They did a fine job with the video, too. But after listening to the contenders, the first I listened to ended up being my favorite. Now I want to share it with you. It’s apparently a [???Brazilian???] remix of a pretty emotional rock song. I’m normally not too into this kind of deep stuff, and you’ll probably think I am definitely misreading and misapplying these lyrics, but screw it – I’m feelin’ somethin’. The singer repeats:

Monster.
How should I feel?
Creatures lie here.
Looking through the window…

They probably apply to abuse or something serious like it, and I’m not trying to disrespect the song whatsoever, but I can’t help tying these words to myself, a metaphysical monster of sorts. In the flesh, I consider myself to be a pretty shelled person, the kind that take a bit of unwrapping to get to know on a personal level: intentions, desires, hopes, that stuff. It can be ugly to see someone so gilded walking through the halls. Am I gilded – a monster? So “How should I feel?” Well, that is the question. These creatures, be it deadlines, ambitions, daunting goals, and most obviously, people, lie here. And they are looking through the window of my mind, trying to pry it all open at the same bloody time. What results? I got pretty darn sick . . .  physically and most definitely, mentally. I’ve never been through depression. Is this what it feels like? Have I descended to the pit of my most suppressed pessimistic self? Or is this just me finally growing up? All of these negative thoughts plaguing my mind . . . wow, I just haven’t been feeling myself, more in Yuu’s shoes.

SPOILERS for anime, so please listen, but caution watching:

I’m sharing this song because I dare say that it helped me through it, and to show you the madness that’s been erupting before my face lately (also, it’s pretty catchy, proof that you DO NOT to understand what’s being said to emotions flowing). I’ve spent many hours with this song, and maybe you will, too. Also, I want to apologize to you, because once I post this little update, I have to move on, meaning I won’t be catching up on all of the posts that I missed. I feel ashamed to admit that not only as a blogger, but as a friend of all of you, but if I try to sift through everyone’s posts, I’m afraid I’d just be clicking the like button and moving on, rather than really having heart-to-heart conversations and analyzing reviews and whatnot. I am so sorry. Truly, I am ashamed. 

I want to end this on a positive note, so here’s the grand news: I PRE-ORDERED EVANGELION 3.33!!!!! Once it arrives, I’ll be a new man. Before I exit, I would like to extend my hands to those whom have just stumbled upon my blog and decided to hit that follow button. I’m normally not this distraught, but I am your host at my anime cafe. To those returning, as always, I am forever thankful. I’ve lined up the next few posts to make up for my absence, so I’ll see you all when I bounce back from . . . . all of this. Till then, this has been

– Takuto, your host