update

I Didn’t Feel Like Writing, That’s All!

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The title says it all, but woah, long time no see, right?

Hi all, it’s Takuto, the host here at my anime cafe (whenever I actually decide to show up)! Before I go into the details of my absence, I do hope you’ve been doing well, and an extended “How do you do?” to the few of you who even followed me recently during this past month. It’s crazy to think that people would even read, let alone follow a slacking blogger, and for that I thank you, and welcome you, too!

The reason I haven’t been here is simple: I just haven’t felt like writing, that’s all! Nothing new to any of us, since we all go through that phase. But I figured over a month was pushing it, and that since I’m sorta back in the game I’d stop by here.

But EVEN though I’m here, I still don’t feel much umph for writing. I’ve watched A LOT of anime during this past month, so my passion for anime definitely hasn’t gone anywhere (which is VERY GOOD considering that blogging hiatus can sometimes indicate lack of love for the topic)!! I’ve even done some gaming which I’D NEVER do unless I was really trying to run from something.

It was just that, once I finished watching a show or film, I didn’t want to talk about it. Guess you could call me lazy, haha, or perhaps not feeling like wanting to shove my most recently watched title under a friggin’ black light with the reviews and all.

Another thing that stopped me was actually just that—formatting and good writing. An awesome and very helpful aniblogger by the named of Seasoned Prattle writes what to me is insanely high-quality posts. One of my favorites is about my current flu—writing when you simply can’t. Another recent post was about what I started talking about, formatting and the like, and it got me thinking:

What is my format, and am I jealous of Prattle’s work?

To answer both, I’m still not sure, and heck yes, of course I am.

But that’s when I realized, like you do, that I should “focus on doing me rather than constantly comparing myself to others (props to Shay for that encouragement).” I also did a little looking into Prattle’s site and found out that “they” are actually a team of four, not just one person—do fact-check me on this one if you know more or if I’m wrong—which only goes to reinforce the idea that I shouldn’t be comparing myself to four minds in one entity. Still admire Prattle’s work, so if you do read this, keep it up!

On this little self-reflection journey, Prattle and Shay told us readers and viewers alike that, as content creators, we should generally stress less. I can stress less, sure. I think what put me off most during this month was thinking that I needed to write with correct formatting, good grammar, interesting word choice, original thoughts, etc. And while those are certainly things to strive for, if they keep putting you down, you might as well not be writing at all, right!?

If I keep criticizing myself so harshly, which prevents me from posting at all, then I’ll never post, simple as that.

So here’s what I’m going to do—and this is NOT necessarily recommendable, but sometimes there are things that are more important than the rules. I’m going to essentially “care less” when I write. Until I get off my feet and bring the traffic back to this cafe, I’ll write without regards to the laws of formal writing. I’ll write knowing that some works won’t be as polished as my others. I’ll say the things I want to say in fewer words, straight from the heart to you. All this and more, I’ll write because THERE ARE NO rules to blogging. I’ll just get it out there and talk about it with you, and we’ll be dandy again.

Then maybe, just maybe, when the healing is done and the bells have rang, I’ll get back to the “correct format” and “catchy wordplay.” To “quality writing” and “original thoughts.” If you can stick it out with me until then, it would be greatly appreciated.

So YES, more posts are coming. They might not be the prettiest, but at least I’ll still exist. 

I’ll be slowly catching up on comments from my OWLS posts, as well as reading from all of you. For the most part I’ve probably caught your posts on twitter if you promote yourself that way, but if not, give me time and I’ll be there! Three posts quickly coming up will be:

– What I’m watching (normal update w/seasonal stuff since I’m back in the game!)

– My July OWLS entry (stay tuned)

– My actual thoughts on the Ghost in the Shell Live Action

Whether it’s wanting to discuss a show, dissect some themes, or even share the things I’ve bought, I’ll just do it. To get myself out there, I’ll imagine it, I’ll speak it, and I’ll change, and we’ll see if it works. Wishing you all the best, and I’m excited to write for both you and me again soon! Till next time~!

– Takuto, your host

Saki

I’m Going to Naka-Kon THIS Weekend!

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Evening all, just a couple of heads up items you might be curious about!

  1. Yes, I’ve STILL got the damn stomach bug, but I’m trying not to let it bother me too much, especially for this weekend. It started on Monday and, four days later, you’d think it’d be gone–NOPE. I’ve found out that I generally feel a bit better when I keep moving around, so hopefully all of the walking this weekend keeps my stomach from folding in on itself. Speaking of . . .
  2. YES, this will be my third year at Naka-Kon, an anime/Japanese culture convention in Overland Park, Kansas. It’s kind of a smaller con, but it’s recently gained a ton of popularity within the last couple years. I’ll be leaving tomorrow (Friday) in the early afternoon and I’ll hopefully arrive there at the hotel sometime that evening. I also do this thing with my siblings (and parents since they’re actually somewhat interested in my hobbies), so I’ll be spending the entire weekend with them and all the crazy and colorful things we love.
  3. I’ll be meeting voice actors at the con! In an ideal world, I’ll walk away with a photo and a signature from Max Mittleman, Robbie Daymond, and David Vincent, who will, fingers crossed, sign my A Lull in the Sea blu-ray 1 (I’m bring Aldnoah.Zero‘s DVD 1 in case I get lucky :3), Sailor Moon Viz DVD 1, and Fate/Zero pin-up poster + KILL la KILL blu-ray LTD volume 1, respectively. And though he’s certainly no voice actor, I’ll hopefully run into Kausus from Otaku Gamer Zone while I’m out in the madness! That’ll be an exciting reunion!
  4. Yes, I do cosplay, just a little, though. I’ve revised my Mikaela Hyakuya (Seraph of the End) like tossing the cheap foam pieces the set came with and remaking those pieces out of nice wood with a fresh coat of metallic paint. Same with the little jingly gold thingies–I replaced the basic gold ones with translucent blue ones like he has in all the concept art. I’ve also trimmed the wig so it fits LOL. On the third day, I’ll just sport your typical Attack on Titan jacket but with Shinji Ikari’s plug suit head piece things. They’re neat. It’s a cool, casual mashup.
  5. What happened to my Ghost in the Shell marathon? Well, thanks to my being bedridden, it was put on a temporary hold for a few days. I’ve finished the first two films, the first season and its recap film, and I’ve started the first 3 episodes of 2nd Gig. Currently having a blast with it all, and I’ll likely review my favorite entries from the franchise as soon as I finish it all!
  6. As to other reviews, a Blast of Tempest and Grimgar review are both in the works, so between those, my OWLS involvement, the GitS marathon, and a convention haul, there’ll be much more activity here at the cafe than in the past few months!
  7. I’ve got a TON, TON, TON of catch-up to play once my spring break hits, so I’m sorry if I’ve delayed your lovely comments for what, like 2+ months now? YOU WILL NOT BE IGNORED, I PROMISE!

Thank you all for your continued support. Wishing you all a fun, safe weekend, whatever you may be doing, and send some of your magical healing powers my way for the tum-tum if you’ve got juice to spare. 😉 Happy early Friday, everyone!

– Takuto, your host

End of February Update 2/28/17

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So I failed the 4-post-per-month plan yet again, but the defeat doesn’t seem as crushing as it was last month. Perhaps that’s because of my involvement with the OWLS bloggers; having a set deadline for a hefty post keeps me on my toes. Plus, they are more fun to write for some reason, hehe. The update this month will be brief, but hey, at least I’m doing the end of February update at the actual end of February!

Recently Finished:

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash – I covered my recent love for this short series in the last update, and here it is again but in the finished bin! Looking back, I’m happy that Grimgar didn’t stray from its preface of presenting the struggles of daily life in a fantasy adventure setting. Things took an unexpected turn, however, and on top of food, clothing, and other basic utilities, our party had to deal with death. Finding ways to cope and properly honor those who have passed on occupied much of the middle block. Luckily, the party found their way back on the track and ended their quest with great, intense combat, leaving the series open to a continuation if one ever were to arise. I quite enjoyed Grimgar, and I’ll probably try to pick it up now that FUNimation has released pics of the limited edition, huehuehue. I just might have to write a review if anyone is interested in knowing more of my thoughts!

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Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence – As part of my Ghost in the Shell marathon week(s), this was the second entry to be completed. IT WAS NOT THAT BAD. Sheesh, everywhere you go, you have folks claiming that it was “too far up its own ass.” That quote was by the ANN podcast. I really enjoyed this film, I mean, not as much as the first, but still, it proved plenty interesting to say the least. The animation is gorgeous, the music complements the dingy atmosphere (that ending theme is soooo beautiful), and the premise offers enough to keep the viewer thinking, which is more than what Stand Alone Complex is currently giving me. I went ahead and picked it up on Amazon since FUNi recently rescued it and released it. When it gets here, I’ll rewatch a few bits then hopefully cover my thoughts in-depth later.

Currently Watching:

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – I’m not going to lie, SAC has so far been the most underwhelming entry in the franchise for me. I wasn’t even hooked until like episode 17 when the characters were trying to save bottles of wine–WINE for crying out loud! Maybe it’s just the way the characters converse that I’m not quite fully comprehending. I am watching the English dub (because YES Mary Elizabeth McGlynn AKA Viceroy Cornelia) if that makes any difference. The overarching “Laughing Man” plot has had its moments that completely gripped me, but there are too many government/political figures to remember, and that only adds to my confusion. Someone help, plz. I’ve got three episodes to go, so hopefully it all ties in by now, if not then by the “Laughing Man” recap movie, at least. The music is good, though, especially those first 15 or so seconds of the opening “Inner Universe.”

Between all this Ghost in the Shell, I don’t want to start anything not related to the franchise. Otherwise it wouldn’t be a marathon, right? I have Sailor Moon Crystal Set 2 on the way, as well as Innocence and GitS: The New Movie, so maybe I’ll hop into some sailor senshi awesomeness after Motoko’s done kicking all that cyber ass. Oh, isn’t set 2 of Sailor Moon S supposed to come out sometime in March? I already have set 1, so that’ll probably follow my Crystal session.

All of the releases lined up for this spring are absolute bliss: Steins;Gate the Movie, Crystal Season 2, Grimgar, One Punch Man, not to mention several others–the highlight of my entire year, however, has been the BLU-RAY RESCUE and even ENGLISH DUB of GOSICK set to come out in MAY. THIS. MAY. GOD I’M SO HAPPY I EVEN CRIED. What are you looking forward to picking up this spring?

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Also, how are the winter simulcasts, guys? I was going to watch Chaos;Child and Masamune-kun’s Revenge, but let me know if anything else out there is noteworthy. I plan to spend the afternoon reading all of the January and February OWLS blog tour posts, so be sure to check those out if you haven’t yet done so! I also plan to catch up on ALL of those comments you guys left. You know, time to be a responsible blogger for once, right? Haha, I will try to be super active this month, so until next time (hopefully soon), this has been

– Takuto, your host

The Delayed V-Day Sci-Fi Special!

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Hello! So I was recently SLAMMED with two full weekends of out-of-town nonsense, one of which I plan to discuss in a Cafe Talk soon. It’s become tradition as of around 2014 to set aside Valentine’s Day weekend, safeguard myself in my room with snacks, and not come out until I had marathoned a classic anime (typically pre-2000s). Previous items on the menu include:

2013 ~ Steins;Gate

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

2015 ~ Neon Genesis Evangelion

2016 ~ The Rose of Versailles

and now

2017 ~ Ghost in the Shell

Yup! Exciting, right? In the spirit of the upcoming new live action movie (that I’m so psyched for) along with the recent bluray releases of the films and series, I’ll be taking a trip through this entire classic anime franchise that arguably helped shape science fiction as we know it.

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Gosh how I love infographics. The crew over at FUNimation put together this one, and might I say how in-character it feels. 

Ghost in the Shell is a very hazy area in terms release order and technical chronology, such that the franchise has been divided into 3 separate universes–YES, the just pulled a Zelda on us, haha! After a few hours of researching different interpretations as to the order everything falls under, I’ve settled on the list below that I recorded on my wipe board (cause I am a list-nut):

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At this exact moment, I have already watched 1995, Innocence, and the first 6 episodes of Stand Alone Complex. Odds are that I’ll just skip 2.0 and Alternative Architecture since they are typically disregarded anyway.

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I even tweeted my excitement by making a themed wallpaper for my iPhone based on the live action poster 🙂

So yeah, that’s what has been on my mind lately. Within this month, you can hopefully expect a Cafe Talk about my swimming career and Free!, a review of Blast of Tempest, an OWLS post about Yuri!!! On ICE, a review of some parts of the GitS franchise, and lastly a monthly update. I’ll be reading through comments and catching up on several of your guys’ posts (especially the rest of the OWLS blog tour–I STILL haven’t read some of them!). Any words of wisdom from your Ghost in the Shell experience? What entry was your favorite part? I’ll admit, the two movies set the bar pretty high since I’m a thinker, and S.A.C. has yet to rope me in completely. Let me know, oh, and happy belated V-day!

With love,

– Takuto, your host

 

End of January Update 2/11/17

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NOOOO I’ve already failed the 4-post-per-month plan!!! (but how, it was so easy??)

So it’s already a week into February and I’m not gonna lie, not a whole lot of anime got watched within the first month of 2017. It’s gotten so bad that I haven’t even participated in any of the simulcasts airing this season, which is a shame since some of them actually intrigued me a good deal. Because so little was watched in January, I’m going to flip back to December and recap the anime shows and films that I watched then until now. Sound good? Let’s take a trip back in the past!

“Recently” Finished:

The Garden of Words – We’re starting off with the MOST BEAUTIFUL anime film I have ever seen!! I kid you not, the story isn’t necessarily brilliant and the run time is only 45 minutes, but it’s 45 minutes of pure atmosphere: luscious greenery and endless rainfall. Speaking of plot, I really like the punchline this Shinkai film–“A story of solitude and heartache that comes before love.” If you’ve somehow missed out on Garden, do check it out if slick animation is your thing. (I mean, who doesn’t like that?) Seriously, it’s short and heartwarming; a must for fans of the rain!

Pale Cocoon – This and the other short film below were extra features included with the Time of EVE: The Movie bluray, so of course I had to watch more of Yasuhiro Yoshiura’s work! This one is the length of a normal episode and centers on a young man in the future who works as an archive recoverer (so a historian). The huge theme on this one is that those who dwell too much in the past can be consumed in the present and risk losing wonderful things. Kinda confusing but really thought-provoking. I remember watching this a long time ago but not understanding it at all, so it’s nice to see how I’ve grown as an intelligent viewer.

Aquatic Language – Yup, this is 8 minutes of WTF anime. It’s a cartoonish short set in a cafe. Like Time of Eve, there are many interactions taking place between people, and half the fun is finding out how all of the conversations tie in together and reflect the main character, a boy with a broken heart. I’d give this one a skip if it weren’t 8 minutes and included with the others.

Sailor Moon Crystal Season I -Following my Viz rewatch of Sailor Moon and its sequel R, I finally decided to boot up “The Moonlight Legend Reborn,” Sailor Moon Crystal, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED all of it!!! Despite the popular opinion, I found Crystal to be a wonderful remake with a more straightforward and concise story. It retells Naoko Takeuchi’s tragedy as it was meant to be told, adding an entirely new layer of dramatic depth to the characters and their origins. In particular, Queen Beryl, the series’ antagonist, becomes a completely different woman clothed with misfortune. I even found myself enjoying the CG transformations, for each of them were beautiful in their own way! If you’re looking for the TRUE tale of the grim Dark Kingdom Arc, Crystal‘s first season has you covered!

Terror in Resonance – I’ve actually been holding onto this one for several months now having bought the LTD ED in a sale. At the time, I figured that this would be a grand winter show, so putting it on hold would be the wisest thing to do–boy, was I right! Though it gained immense popularity while it aired in 2014, if you haven’t heard about Zankyou no Terror, it’s about two boys who become terrorists to prove a point to their country regarding truth and justice–relevant themes to our current times, no? If I had to pick one from this list to recommend, Terror in Resonance is definitely the bomb.

Paprika – This little oddball took part in my Winter Movie Theater thing that I do with my siblings. The catch this time–I did not prewatch Paprika. Normally, I watch several shows/films and pick the ones worthy of their time (and my buying). Since I “knew” that Paprika was a classic and that I’d probably enjoy it, I went ahead and blindly picked it up for a super cheap price. Upon first watch . . . WHAT THE FRACK . . . but looking back while repeatedly listening to the OST, I found myself recalling all of its bold and subtle cues alike and appreciating the wackiness of its dreamlike presentation. It’ll be one of those shows that people won’t understand completely the first time through, so it’s a good thing I love rewatching anime!

Fafner: Dead Aggressor & Heaven and Earth The Movie – Fafner (SAVE edition) was another blind pickup from when Hastings went out of business (RIP). Why buy? It was dirt cheap, on bluray, and had a pretty cover. I don’t want to go into too much detail because YES, a review is on the way!! But if you’re wanting my direct opinion: The movie was everything I wanted out of the series and then some–the best Fafner has to offer. I’ve still yet to watch the new series that aired recently, but I plan to one of these days.

Children Who Chase Lost Voices – Woah, another blind pickup from the Sentai Filmworks sale that I figured I’d enjoy . . . and I did, to an extent, though. Don’t get me wrong, it’s gorgeous Shinkai animation, but the story feels so hollow and the fantasy world presented doesn’t feel very alive. The first half was amazing, the end was pretty decent, but everything in the middle was kind of a snooze fest. I much preferred The Garden of Words, but by all means, check it out if you have the extra time

Ghost in the Shell (1995) – The prequel to my next V-day marathon weekend begins with Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 sci-fi classic that shocked the world, Ghost in the Shell. For #TakutoMovieNight over on Twitter, I described it as “a wonderfully weird trip through the heart of anime science fiction.” Although that caption better suits Paprika, classics are classics. After viewing a 30-min analysis, I actually had to watch this film over again just to fully understand its depth–and even then, there’s still a lot GitS offers. Don’t just watch it, own it for a mere $8! I’m looking forward to exploring the entirety of the franchise this next weekend!

Blast of Tempest – Everyone saw this coming from my latest “Cafe Talk” regarding whether or not you research concepts as you’re watching a show. Check that out if you haven’t (yes, I’m a tad bit behind on the comments, but I’m working on it!). Inspired by both Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Tempest, this one’s all about mages, mysterious deaths, and magical trees–anime for ya. While I wasn’t “mind blown” by what the anime had in store, it had enough standout moments to pull a win for me. More to come on that in a review!

Spirited Away (rewatch) – A [non-anime-affiliated] friend of mine was recently given this Miyazaki masterpiece and fell completely in love with it. (Will they pursue other anime films?! Stay tuned.) With all this talk about Your Name and its surpassing the GOAT, I thought I’d waltz back to my childhood days and revisit the film. All I previously remembered from Spirited Away was a disgusting bath scene, a witch with a big head, and a scary floating mask man that ate people. Childhood scarred. But I still recall myself being enthralled by the atmosphere of the bath house. Years later, I didn’t actually realize just HOW GOOD this film really was–I mean, it’s incredible, almost breathtaking in its execution and representation of the OG hardworking individual and their work habits. Oh yeah, there’s romance, too, but it was Chihiro’s development into a stronger, more resilient person that drew me in all over again. Maybe I’ll write about how I was swept off my feet once again by Ghibli . . . or maybe I’ll go find another one to watch instead! >.<

Currently Watching:

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash – Heh heh, here’s the show I’m currently watching. A bit of a throwback to last year, Grimgar follows teenagers who wake up in a fantasy realm of magic and swords. They can’t remember their prior lives, but they do know one thing: they must survive by any means necessary. I like how the focus isn’t necessarily on kill or be killed (though that is quite prominent), but on other aspects of life. In these medieval days, they still need to acquire money to eat and sleep comfortably. I’m two episodes in and the slice-of-life mixed with the challenges hardships bring is what’s winning me. I just hope it doesn’t turn into some dumb adventure of good and evil later on. Did I mention what got me to start this series in the first place? Why, it was the stunning watercolor backgrounds and artwork!! It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen landscapes as subtly enchanting as these~!

And that about does it! Again, apologies for my lack of content after setting up such a seemingly simple resolution. I feel terrible for skipping over so many of your guys’ posts, but I WILL do my best to be more active. I also want to begin some simulcasts soon so the updates seem more relevant each month. Thank you for sticking around so long, and hey, we’re almost at 200 followers–now that’ll be a celebration!! My winter days are coming to an end. Emotions are rolling out like crazy weird as I transition into a different stage of my life [to be discussed in a future cafe talk soon]. Even though it’s still February, we just had a couple days of 60-70 degrees F weather AKA global warming is NOT a myth. Frick the non-believers. See you soon in the next post~!

– Takuto, your host

Image result for grimgar of ash and fantasy backgrounds

End of October Update 11/7/16

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*chiseled*

As everyone’s spook day festivities come to an end, so does the summer weather over here. Fall has finally set in, and times are busy, but that doesn’t stop me from making my rounds in the aniblogger community. Now for this past month’s recap–It’s update time!

Recently Finished:

The Ambition of Oda Nobuna – There was only one main reason I began watching this show. That is, the word “ambition.” It’s one of my favorite words. After being thoroughly intrigued by all of the Satsuki Kiryuin/Oda Nobunaga fan-interpretations, I decided to strike up a show with the legend’s name. And lo and behold, I hit a title with two of my needs! Despite it being another fan-service history mash-up with girls serving as ancient Japanese mascots, the show, surprisingly, had a lot to offer. More to come on that if I review it.

Sailor Moon R – My Sailor Moon marathon session continues in Viz’s re-release DVD sets. On October’s plate was R, the season of the rose–of romance. The web of deceit and falsehood continues to weave itself into complex net of twisted relationships. Invaders from distant planets and galaxies try to tear apart our star-crossed lovers, and the tragic legacy left by the evil Queen Beryl doesn’t help our heroes. It’s a bit harder to love, with all the new characters and revelations, but it’s still the same passionate Sailor Moon. Perhaps I’ll review each series if the soon-to-be-released S really gets my motivation going!

Shelter – Everyone saw (heard?) this little diddy floating around Twitter and YouTube. Because my opinion of it wasn’t very different from that of the masses (IT’S AWESOME), I won’t be doing a separate post over it. If you somehow missed this creative music video, I’ll leave it right here for ya! Shelter’s got a production history unlike any out there, and I hope we see projects like these more frequently in our future! Really neat stuff!

Shiki – This year, my Halloween break revolved around the spooky vampire fling that is Shiki. It failed to really “scare” me, but instead brought a whole slew of psychological realism surrounding skepticism in remote areas. Very peculiar and rife with internal conflicts regarding ethics and rational. I won’t speak more because I DO have a review forthcoming, but it was a spook day well spent.

The Empire of Corpses – The first Project Itou film stole the last day of my mini Halloween break–and boy was it nothing like I expected! From what I had picked up on, it was going to be a gorgeous film with a halfway decent plot. What I got, however, was an intriguing concept lost to cluster-fudge of jaw-dropping visuals. In other words, my eyes certainly got their exercise, but my brain still can’t seem to shake off the events of the film, particularly the climax. Up until the end, it was bloody fantastic. After that, hmm, more to come on the ending with a review [dedicated to blogger-buddy Crimson once again].

Currently Watching:

Izetta: The Last Witch – Oh boy, oh boy, it’s simulcast time–and is it just me or does this season seem like one of the better ones to come in recent years? Let me know what you think. But hey, my first hit-up for this fall was Izetta. I really, really like where it’s going. The most recent episodes, 4 and 5, showed us how the media can glorify anything–including a little girl who flies on a rifle.

Awakened from a cryo-like sleep, Izetta, the last little witch of her kind, is reunited with the princess of a distressed kingdom. Finé , our unfortunate heir, finds her trump card hidden with Izetta’s incredible powers. Set in an alternative pre-WWII world where magic runs deep within the Earth’s roots, Princess Finé must ally herself with whoever she can in order to save her poor country! Check it out on Crunchyroll streaming now!

Sound! Euphonium 2 – More Euphonium = a very happy Takuto. Having been more than satisfied with the first, Eupho has returned triumphantly in order to finish telling the tale of Kyoto’s Kitauji High School Band! I can’t spoil much since it is a sequel, but I did review the first a while back if you want to check that out here. If you loved the first, then the second will only bring you more of KyoAni’s topnotch animation and tightly-knit cast of characters. Five episodes in and still groovin’, Eupho 2 can also be found on Crunchyroll.

Yuri!!! On ICE – I have not felt this inspired to get active since back in 2013 when Free! Iwatobi Swim Club aired. WOW. THIS is easily my favorite title of the fall anime that I am following!!! Heck, I felt so emotionally charged that I had to write about the dramatic episode 3 in a post comparing our two lead characters which you can read RIGHT HERE! I thought I did a decent job on that post, too, so please feel free to share it with the YOI fandom ^.^

But if you didn’t know, the show follows Yuri Katsuki, a 23-year-old figure skater who was feeling a bit dried up with his season until his idol and world champion skater Viktor Nikiforov of Russia paid a visit to the family spa. But why would a star visit a rural Japanese hot springs? Why, to train Yuri himself, of course! Yuri!!! On ICE is about seeing your own reflection in others and finding the inspiration to help them out. In turn, you end up finding fresh motivation from their youth. Full of light-hearted moments that’ll just warm you to the core, Yuri!!! On ICE has proven that even with half of its season still not out yet, it’s definitely earned those three exclamation points–It’s Gonna MAKE HISTORY!!! NOW, seek out Crunchyroll my cafegoers!

Ranma 1/2 (Viz Set 3) – Viz describes this oddity better than anyone else has: “Things just can’t stay quiet at the Tendo Dojo.” I’m not going to describe Ranma  because I really shouldn’t have to. Boy gets hit with cold water: turns into girl. Doused again with hot water: she’s back to a he. Classic anime for ya. But it’s been one of my family’s favorites for years now, so set three here I come! I can tell you that its late 1989 quality has come a long way with its third season–that’s for sure!

Lostorage Incited WIXOSS – I’m a huge WIXOSS fanboy. Hopefully that wasn’t news to you. Naturally, I was so hyped to hear that one of my favorite “magical girl” series was getting a continuation in the same universe. Then it hit me–I haven’t seen the movie, selector destructed WIXOSS yet. Soooo, either I hunt for it online [and then, of course, support the official release later, geez] in order for me to continue, or I skip out this season. Not sure what I’ll do yet.

Outside of anime, fall has finally hit, WUAH! How I love the cool weather! Today it rained off and on from morning to evening, so I’m probably pushing my luck on future cloudy days *sighs*. Anyway, how was your spook day? Also, I’m dying to know what’s piled on your plate for this season of anime? Are you planning with Izetta and the crew, or perhaps are you practicing hard for Nationals with Kitauji? Either way, you’ll never be chill until you settle down with the Yuris. Yes. Both of them. They are sides of the same coin. I’ve even changed my Twitter name just for the spirit of things. I’m also suddenly interested in ice-skating. EHERM. ‘Till next we meet ~

– Takuto, your host

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Follow my Twitter @TakutoAnimeCafe AKA Taku!!! On ICE for all my latest shenanigans~!

TAKING A WEEK OFF | End of June Update 7/5/16

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Helloooo cafegoers, ’tis I, Takuto, and it would appear yet another month has slipped between our fingers. Seriously, what’s up with that? Summer is going by way too fast! U-PUPUPUPUPU

Have you noticed my presence gradually increasing behind the scenes with this past week? Yup, it’s not just your imagination. Inspiration just kind of hit me smack dab in the face and, well, here I am! I think most of that natural high can be contributed to all of the Anime Expo announcements made, my favorites of which I’ll list later. However, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to keep tabs on AX if it weren’t for all of you pressing me to get a GODDAMN TWITTER. So I did, and it’s great! I already feel at home, though I’m not sure if I should drop the “Anime Cafe” part on Twitter and just leave my name. Let me know.

Being on Twitter, I noticed that if I had anything brief to say, I said it there rather than in a blog post. That’s a good and a bad thing. Good because hey, whatever stupid in-the-moment things I have to say usually don’t require a full-on post. I’d like to keep the blog a little more cleaned up, so having a Twitter for small talk and catching up with you people is great.

The bad is obvious — Everyone now knows that I’m alive and kickin’, so why leave comments? I’m sure you all noticed that waaay before I did, but now instead of discouraging me, it’s done quite the opposite. I feel like I’m a part of the community that’s on the edge of excitement and new things coming out, but I also feel like I’m pumping out my own material with a blog. In other words, I can be social on two planes now, one is just for ‘work.’

But you all wanted an update right? Sounds good, I can deliver!

Recently Finished:

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – WHAT A SHOW! Watching this one was not only fun, but it felt educating in a way to see where KILL la KILL, a huge favorite of mine, sort of got its roots. It’s often wacky, and the battles are quite frequent, but that’s just shounen action anime, right? I could ramble on about its ups and downs, but why clutter the update when I did a whole review on the series RIGHT HERE!

The Lost Village – So I watched only 4 of the 2016 spring anime, and of those this was my  least favorite. Bad? Not necessarily . . . just a bit of an odd egg. It’s along the lines of “setting was awesome, concept was solid, but the execution of it was a bit rough.” There’s a good chance I’ll be writing a review on this one here soon, so stay tuned.

My Hero Academia – Last time I updated on this one I was about half way through. Having watched the last three episodes last night, I can confirm that this is indeed a fantastic show — And the prospect of a second season so soon makes me even happier, cause this first one just sort of ends. It’s a pleasant ending nevertheless, and it doesn’t fail to provide a solid story with quirky characters and exciting fights. Really happy with how this one turned out. Review on the way!

Absolute Duo – If you’re not familiar with FUNimation Entertainment’s YouTube account, then you might not know that they’ll frequently post episodes of shows that (I presume) didn’t do so hot in their airing phase, yet the plan to release anyway to make some greens. This was one of those shows and, oh my lands, was probably THE WORST anime I have ever seen!!! Loaded with tropes, bad animation, chicks that endlessly follow a shallow guy, and a story that is so unbelievable that it retracts the viewer from even calling it fiction, Absolute Duo is Absolute Shit. I’m not even going to dignify it with a review.

Seraph of the End: Battle in Nagoya – So I’m a huge Seraph fanboy. ‘Nuff said. I know this franchise is kind of stupid and that its first season in particular is pretty trashy, but after picking up on the manga series from the beginning, it has at least rocketed itself up into being one of the more entertaining franchises I have played with. Once I got my hands on the volumes that this sequel covers, I squealed like a girl when I also got to watch it play out in anime format, like pawns on a board, muahahaha! This second season was much more exciting than the first, having fixed many of the animation and soundtrack glitches that were omnipresent. It’s a series riddled with darkness at every turn, and that sometimes, we have to muddy our hands in that darkness to fight bigger nightmares. That ending though…It makes me so excited, yet so scared. Guess I just need to order volume 10 to find out if they did it right! Review might come your way, but don’t be surprised if it gets sidelined for a while.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (PS Vita game) – No, I didn’t play the game, nor do I even own a Vita. As several know, this summer season we’ll be getting TWO Danganronpas!!! One continues where the first series left off, the second being a prequel to the franchises second game, Goodbye Despair. So, in preparation of tangoing with despair once again (and having rewatched the first season with my siblings), I decided to flee to the YouTube game walkthroughs where 44 freakin’ hours of “NO, THAT’S NOT QUITE RIGHT!” stole my evenings. During this period, I decided to put the simulcasts I had been previously watching on hold, which is why I was missing for a while there. But it’s done now, and holy God is this the MOTHER OF ALL PLOT TWISTS. Seriously, the last three hours of gameplay are mindf*ck after mindf*ck until I couldn’t even see straight. Totally worth it though. I only wish they decided to adapt this instead of making a prequel. I mean, I’m not complaining — more Danganronpa is definitely a good thing. So hyped!!

Kizumonogatari (novel) – Having dabbed around in several different medias this past month, I can officially report that Kizumonogatari is my new favorite book!!!! Thanks to Seraph, my vampire phase couldn’t just end with manga, so it spread to light novel. And the Monogatari franchise of all things! This book is a thrill ride from beginning to end; a story of tragedy playing out on a school ground lit by the light of the moon; a tale of wounds inflicted, one onto her by him, the other done to him by her, both sharing this incredible burden and twisted fate. Brilliant tale, a masterpiece of supernatural-meets-school done right! Also, Vertical’s matte finish copy of it just feel so damn good in my hands, mhmm.

Currently Watching:

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – It’s interesting how sick people probably are about hearing the spring titles being mentioned, but hey, I still got three episodes to go! While I still think that episode 6 was the series’ highest point, the latter episodes were starting to pick up the pace a bit. Biba is simply an incredibly annoying character, manipulating Mumei like she’s some fodder of his. I already know that the series will end with a bang of beautiful animation thanks to ANN’s ‘reliable’ reports, but I want to explore that for myself. More exciting than the actual series though, did you all here that it’s getting released — and by Crunchyroll no less??!! I’m getting ahead of myself. Kabaneri still feels a bit lost, and I’m sure the end will not cover everything, but it’s been a hell of a ride — One clustered with glorious animation and music that’s hard to beat!

Kiznaiver – For me, nothing has changed much with this show. I still want to call it one of my “Top ten favorites,” even though I know it’s just a tad bit behind the others. With three episodes to go, it has reached lowest point so far, one where everyone has felt the pinnacle of their pain. Or at least it has me believe. I actually plan to rewatch this one from beginning to end BEFORE I give my final thoughts on it, for simulcasted isn’t the best way to watch Kiznaiver. The others just aren’t as sensitive as this one is. Loving everything that Trigger has done so far, and hoping that everyone pushes just a teensy-weensy bit more so that I can indeed let it go having watched a fantastic series.

2016 Summer Movie Theater Shows – We’ve gone through A Lull in the Sea, Girls und Panzer (recently wrote 5 reasons you should watch it here), Danganronpa, ef – a tale of memories and melodies, and Baccano! Currently about to start Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya. Being one lucky enough to show anime to his siblings, I am thankful that everything has gone fairly smoothly thus far. Everyone loved Nagi Asu, and Panzer seemed A-OK by the end. What really got the riled up was Danganronpa — Oh my, how they were thrilled by this one!! AGH, it makes me so happy! My sister even decided to, right after finishing, to recommend it to a friend and watch with them. It’s nice to know I’m doing my job, heh heh. While it was all well and good, they only thought ef – memories was fine, and they really didn’t care for melodies at all, which is sad, considering that they hold such a dear place in my heart. I guess not everyone will like everything you will *sighs*. Baccano! just sort of happened. They thought Isaac and Miria were the best part, haha, me too!

I’ll be starting up the summer anime soon after everything is finished and reviewed. There will be a separate post for that, so if you’re curious to see what I’ll be following, keep your eyes peeled. Same goes with my favorite announcements from AX 2016. I may not have gone, but everything was reported here on the home front, and boy, there are a lot of good things coming our way soon!!

Let’s see, what else . . . ah, home life. I’m not sure if many of you knew this, but I don’t blog on my own computer. During the school year, I get a rental one to do all of my posts, which is why you’ll actually see more of my reviews then. What am I typing on now then? Why, it’s our bomb-ass family laptop — The one that: can’t be unplugged without it shutting off, frequently overheats itself, has lost Google and instead uses some sketchy browser (we got Chrome tho), and finally, that half of us need to use all the darn time.

So life is stressful in that regard. If my dad decides to upgrade to an iPad soon (because he is starting to pick up on its convenience), I’ll graciously be inheriting his mini laptop, which is leaps and bounds ahead of what I currently use because it EHERM, ACTUALLY WORKS. Also, for WP’s privacy sake. Fingers crossed that this all goes down soon because, uff, I’m not sure how much more I can take.

I’ll be away from the 10th to the 16th of July

Lastly, I’ll be taking a week off due to a music camp that I really don’t want to go to, haha. You see, you can enter to win camp scholarships by recording a solo and the people picking yours. There’s only one rewarded to a camper who gets in for free, however . . . AND I’M THE FREAKING ONE WHO GOT IT. Damn my rotten luck! So now I’m out a week of pay from work AND a week of blogging, and instead I’ll be sitting in a stupid classroom like a domesticated animal being forced to re-audition to get a spot. Then, of course, there’s the whole week of activities that I didn’t want to do in the first place. Why, kami-sama, why?

That pretty much wraps up this lengthy update. I wasn’t expecting 2,000 words, hah! Sorry about that. I’m hoping that all of us Americans had a wonderful Independence day with lots of tasty food, good company, and explosions! Summer is hot as balls here, and being a lifeguard for 7-8 hours in a day doesn’t help that. I got a nice tan already though, so I guess entrance fee was paid for. Until my seasonal line up, favorite AX announcements, spring anime review, or whatever comes next, I hope you’re having a great day! See ya~!

– Takuto, your host

End of April/Mid-May Update 5/24/16

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Hello cafegoers, ’tis I, Takuto, with a hodgepodge of updates from this last April to now, the middle-end of May. Woah, it’s been that long?

Whew! So April was a pretty busy month – Well, just busy enough to hold up on an end-of-the-month update at least. Like most everyone on the planet, I was occupied with way too much school for my own good. Seriously, all this homework and you’re telling me it only counts for 20% of my total grade?? F this sh*t, and then these daily grade boosters mini quizzes with only 10 points, so if I score a 9/10 it’s still a B? What is wrong with this system (talking to you, math classes)??

I could go on, but you get the drift. School sucks. Homework sucks. Extracurricular activities are draining. And at the end of each day, the last thing I wanted to do was sit at my desk and write reviews. It’s not like I hate doing it – oh no – it’s that a certain level of creativity and time has to spent on each post – each sentence – so that it all flows together in a unique style. To muster that kind of technical level required for a half-decent post, in my experience, requires a nice long weekend, which was sadly few and far between. In the evening, I just want to watch, not write.

Then May comes alone, and by golly, don’t we all just love May? Who doesn’t enjoy the last-minute cram sessions for chapter tests followed by the study review for the FREAKIN’ final next week, or the hustling and bustling of obligatory graduation parties galore, or how about the short evenings spent stressing about summer jobs, more schooling, and when the HELL am I gonna get back on the blog? Good question. That’s why I occupied myself with a few pre-planned activities, which you will find below. It’s update time!

Recently Finished:

. . . Nothing, I’ve been pushing for more writing and reading. That and I have four lovely simulcasts to keep me hot and bothered. That’ll change this summer, just you wait.

Well, actually there are a couple of reviews for March anime I completed. Those are for Cowboy Bebop and Dimension W. I used a different stylistic approach to Bebop just to stand out of the crowd a bit more, and you guys seemed to enjoy it. I stuck to my more traditional approach with my DW rant, and that got just about the same solid reception, so I must be doing something right, haha. My awesome buddy Matthew of Matt-in-the-Hat and I are actually still talking about that one, so it’s never to late to hobnob with the cool guys 🙂

Click on either of their titles to read! I also appreciate those who took the time to check out my old Fairy Dance posts. That’s cool of you.

Currently Watching:

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – While I’m only five episodes in, I can officially say that even if the story goes under the rails, the plummet will be an exciting one. Being an original source (my favorite kind of anime) with only 12 episodes, it will probably wrap up leaving much of the history unexplained. I suppose that’s fine, because the conclusion will more than likely get me to the edge of my seat. At this point, I’m strongly tapping my foot to intense train action and Hiroyuki Sawano’s beats. And that opening, ooh, I think it’s one of Egoist’s best works yet! Kabaneri is still engaging, still epic, but lacking in direction.

Kiznaiver – This is one of those anime that I really want to call in my figurative “Top Ten,” but so far, it’s falling oh-so short. With five episodes watched, I think the biggest problem lies in the characters themselves, in that they’re only shells of the archetypes they belong to simply for the cause of contrasting each other, much like the seven deadly sins do. In theory, Kiznaiver should be great (I am especially captivated by the lead character’s personality for some reason, IDK, maybe it’s his hair, yeah, probably), but unless it really digs deep with its cast, it’ll be nothing more than another pretty piece recycling the same old themes.

My Hero Academia – So I just claimed that the downfall of Kiznaiver would be it’s tropish characters, but then there’s this little gem that is guilty of the same crime, yet gets away with it superbly. MHA is one of those go get ’em, feel good anime. It’s a cliché clash of heroes and an underdog, though it all works because Izuku, the main character, is such a keep-on-keepin’-on youngster, and that’s both heartwarming and exciting. Full of relatable feelings and flashy animation, six episodes is enough to judge that MHA is a good adaptation of its source material. It’s also, and I rarely use this word on action anime, cute.

The Lost Village – AKA Mayoiga, this is the odd egg in the batch of simulcasts this season. It’s really bad – like from a review perspective, the characters are complete one-lined garbage – yet it’s so fun to watch. Isn’t that what all anime strive to be? Fun? With six episodes in, I can’t tell if this anime is trying to pull my leg or be genuinely creepy. Whatever happens, it’s still engaging enough to pull me back each week. That alone is enough to give me a mini heart attack during the nights I watch.

But wait, THERE’S MORE!

As with my Revisit of Evangelion and In Defense of Fairy Dance, I recently tacked another HUGE project called the Heroic Spirit Manifesto or “Hero Week” for short. While I consider it a somewhat ‘failed’ project (huge gap in start and finish), it still was an undertaking that I was proud of accomplishing. If you’re interested in the following anime, click each title because I wrote my thoughts on each one in a specialized format with a heroism section specific to each show. Please enjoy these amazing anime to your heart’s content!

ERASED

One Punch Man

Yuki Yuna is a Hero

My Hero Academia

Café Talk Wrap-Up Segment

So what can we look forward to from me the rest of May? My comments. Lots, and lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of catching up to do on all of the posts you guys have written during my sporadic absences! Don’t expect a review anytime soon, as the only anime I am currently watching are simulcasts. I do, however, have a couple of café talks planned and even an unboxing post (ooh ooh~), so stay tuned for my gradual slide back into the community. I also got a summer job . . . outside . . . as a pool lifeguard. I already have mad sunburns on my shoulders from two days of training. Why do I hate myself? Hahaha, thanks for keeping my seat warm, like ya do, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

Oh yeah, Twitter? It will happen. Soon. Hopefully. Muah.

End of March Update 4/10/16

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Hello cafegoers! March was a big month for me. I finished all ongoing anime that I started way back in the winter and concluded my research over one particularly tedious project. With all slates wiped clean, it’s time to move on to bigger and better anime. But first, we must recap the cool things I finished! Onto the update!

Recently Finished:

Cowboy Bebop – We (my family) arranged a weekend solely dedicated to finishing this classic “space western.” Let’s just say we were in for a long (12 episodes) and emotional haul. The end was a bit underwhelming, yet at the same time being everything that I wanted from a show such as this. The manner in which the crew disperses towards the finale is a sort of wake-up call, like a reminder that this wasn’t the kind of story we’ve been really following. It left a depressing hole in my heart, but that’s not to say I wasn’t satisfied. More thoughts to come in a brief review!

Girls und Panzer – You might recall this lil’ title in a previous haul, but yeah, finally got around to watching it. While the dub was pretty cringy (probably the worst I’ve ever seen), I managed to love EVERY SINGLE MOMENT of this tanks-meet-chicks comedy. I marathoned it in like two or three days, actually! Review on the way!

Baccano! – Mhmm, that’s right, the mafia stopped by to tell me that my job wasn’t over. In just 16 episodes, I witnessed a ragtag chase in the back alleys of the Big Apple, the struggle for immortality by alchemists, and a chain of bloody, grisly murders aboard the continental train The Flying Pussyfoot (HAHA HE SAID PUSSY). This was one of the most confusing anime I have seen, but oh boy, does Baccano! do A LOT of things right! You can bet your sweet tuckus I’ll hit more on it in a future review!

Erased – This one kept me entertained until about the last two or three episodes. It tried – it really did – but I just found the end predictable and lackluster. The thriller vibe it upheld through the entire ride, however, was absolutely incredible. Erased was only the most-watched and reviewed show of the season, so if I do write a review, it’ll be brief like my Bebop one would be.

Dimension W – This was the greatest disappointment of the season for me. I came in expecting so much: It was the season’s only big sci-fi, FUNimation had a part in the anime’s production, and the premise was thoroughly invested in a futuristic concept. It was only natural to expect something grand to come from all of this, but the story fell so short so early on. After episode 6 or so, I lost interest. Don’t worry – I still finished it and plan to write a semi-rant/review.

Yuki Yuna is a Hero – Last but certainly not least is this seemingly innocent magical girl anime . . . Gosh, have there been any pure, fluffy magical girl anime since Madoka Magica? This one takes inspiration from its groundbreaking ‘predecessor’ by throwing all kinds of twists and turns in the typical magical girl system. As such, you can expect it to go from zero to one hundred come two-thirds into watching. I have many good (and iffy) things to say about Yuki Yuna coming soon, particularly why the show falls a tad bit short of PMMM!

Currently Watching:

One Punch Man – That’s right! Takuto finally gets around to the top hitter of last season AND possibly the best anime of 2015! Is it a man? Is it an egg? Is he bored with all things in life? Yes to all! I’m three episodes in, and so far it’s not half bad. Will I like it more than, say, Sound! Euphonium or Food Wars!? Hmm, probably not . . . but I’m very excited to see how the show will carry on without dulling its satire.

Simulcasts I plan to follow this spring:

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – HYPE HYPE HYPE ATTACK ON TITAN HYPE HYPE HYPE

Kiznaiver – It’s studio Trigger and it’s not Ninja Slayer. Need I say more?

My Hero Academia – THE REAL HYPE. Mainly watching this to know what all the buzz is.

Mayoiga – I’m a sucker for mysteries, and this one looks genuinely interesting. It also sounds sort of like a survival game, which is another trick to bait Takuto.

Any Sword Art Online fans out there? I wrote this humongous five-part comprehensive analysis over the first season’s second half, “Fairy Dance.” CLICK HERE for the series! Be warned, it’s quite wordy, but it’s so far THE hardest thing I’ve ever written for this blog. I had a blast writing all of it, and I encourage you to check it out if you’ve enjoyed my musings thus far!

Now that the “Fairy Dance” analysis is out of the way, I’ve been slowly working on a lot of new projects behind the scenes. Some involve just tackling new simulcasts, some just checking on previous popular shows, and some are secret. More to come on those later, hyuk-hyuk-hyuk.

I had the time of my life at Naka-Kon 2016! Click here for more!

I’ll also be testing out some new review formats, so be on the lookout for your favorite one and let me know! I normally clock in with 1,000 to 1,400 words per review, but I’d like to try writing these next few in under 900. Partial reasoning for this cut is to practice my wording, but another comes from the fact that most bloggers (and readers) prefer shorter posts. It’s rare to come across a person who enjoys 5,000+ words of analysis 🙂 so I want to try shorter, more meaningful posts! I’m sure we all know the struggles.

So yeah, that’s about it. I’ve been busy with music and academic competitions these past several weeks (studying, practicing, studying). As you can see, I have no problem fitting in time to watch anime. It’s just hard to get around to writing about it, publishing a post, reading other posts, commenting, then replying to everything – WAH! But I enjoy reading from you guys, and I definitely get motivational-boosters from reading the comments you leave. 😀

In other news, it’s getting much warmer here . . . so much so that some afternoons are unbearable, ugh. Why can’t we get more rain?? I’ll be up all night drafting reviews for the many shows that I want to talk about, so I better end things here. What shows did you recently complete that knocked your socks off? Y’all have a pleasant week, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

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