Summer activities and dial-up hell

Well, moving back home for the summer has put a cramp in my already sporadic blogging schedule. Here's what I've been up to. I'm currently addicted to Yakitate! Japan. A 69 episode series about bread. Yes, that's right, bread. Now before you start to wonder what could possibly make this show the least bit enjoyable, let me just assure you that it does NOT take itself seriously at all. In that respect, it's similar to Ouran High School Host Club and how that show makes fun of shoujo manga and anime clichés, so too does this series make fun of the shounen sports drama. It has everything from the outrageous skills of the hero, explained in this case by the existence of "solar hands" or hands that are warmer than normal which provide the perfect environment for yeast to ferment. There are even mysterious, masked bishounen and super powerful enemies who dedicate their lives to bread making. While this may seem like something more akin to a manga artist's drunken bet, something about this series just works. Among the ridiculous plot devices and unusual storyline is actually a very good series, where ethnic stereotypes abound. ;) Definitely recommended if you enjoy the occasional sports drama and enjoy stepping back and laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Also, two weeks ago marked my 5th consecutive trip to ACEN and the convention's own 10th anniversary. One of the things I picked up while there was Ichigo Mashimaro. Arguably one of the most moe series in existence. Check it out if you don't believe me. A disturbing note to those who read the manga, check out some of the chapter break pics, you may notice various Aphex Twin references there. Such as his logo on the girls' shirts. Come to find out, Basarui, the manga-ka is a big Aphex Twin fan. I think that just made the series a whole lot creepier.

I probably won't get to post any pictures until fall, or at least until after I start summer classes on June 18th. The pics and screen caps are just too hard on my 56k bandwidth, sorry.


As for other stuff I'm currently enjoying: Hayate no Gotoku (highly recommended and lolitastic), Nodame Cantabile (fun little romantic-comedy),
Naruto Shippuuden (Naruto is good again!), Manabi Straight! (need to get caught up. Also moeblobs.) , and finally I'm thoroughly enjoy a series called Ghost Hunt we're watching currently at the IU anime club. As a fan of shows like Most Haunted, this series is proving to be quite enjoyable.

Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated

Ok, I know I was going to blog something more than just one episode, but classes have gotten in the way. I'm going to shoot for another entry this week sometime.

For now, here's a summery of what I've been watching.
First off, I'm now caught up on Manabi Straight. As of episode 8, the plot has fully kicked in and the series has become sort of depressing. Episode 6, was the famous fanservice episode, which at the time didn't really jive with the rest of the show, but now is understandable considering how quickly the fun dropped off in the next two episodes. They were probably trying to keep the show from getting too serious.

I've started rewatching ARIA: the Natural, since it had been so long since I had seen any of it, that I had forgotten which episode I was ready for. This hasn't really been a problem, since I love the show so much and lately have needed a nice slow-paced series to help take my mind off things.

Today, I got to see the first episode of Nanoha StrikerS. For anyone who hasn't seen it (where have you been, living under a rock some place? ^_^), Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha is the story of a girl who becomes a magical girl who gains her powers from a magical ferret when a monster attacks...yada yada yada...enemy magical girl attacks...blah blah blah...search for pieces of power called "lost Logia"..."Hey where have I heard this before?" Is probably what you're thinking right about know, but this is where the plot takes a turn from the norm. Turns out the enemy magical girl is being controlled by her mother who is a nefarious space pirate. The Time and Space Administration Bureau steps in to handle the situation and our heroine, Nanoha, is caught in the middle. She joins the side of the Bureau to fight against their mutual enemy. Have i mentioned yet that both girls weapons are useful? None of this "moon tiara magic" crap for this series, it's all about the "Excelion Buster" attack that is basically an energy cannon. The heroine's weapon is a magical gun and her enemy's is a battle axe. Definitely a little different from the norm. And that is what Nanoha is all about. The sequel, Nanoha A's, is even better in my opinion, but the third incarnation, StrikerS, is, at least for the first episode, falling far short of the other two. It's focusing on new main characters and leaving the old favorites to simply watch from the sidelines. Also, the weapons are starting to fall to the levels of the previously mentioned "inferior" magical girl series. I mean, seriously, does a power gauntlet and roller skates even count as a weapon? Well, that's what one of the new girls has. The other only has a magical double-barreled pistol. I mean seriously. I haven't given up hope yet, but my loyalty is wavering.

That's all I have time for now. More later.

Hidamari Sketch Episode 1 "January 11th A Winter's Collage"

Tonight, to start things off, I watched the first episode of Hidamari Sketch. I overheard someone on my floor talking about it on Friday, so I decided to have a look for myself. And so far I like what I see.

The series is based off of a 4koma series much like Azumanga Daioh. The first episode starts off with the main character Yuno waking up and getting ready for school. We find out that she and her friends, Miyako (her energetic next door neighbor), Hiro (a nice girl, always worrying about her weight), and Sae (cool meganekko) all attend a nearby art school. Their teacher, Yoshinoya-sensei, is a cosplay fanatic and altogether fun in a very Yukari-like way (except she seems to actually enjoy teaching). Yuno and Co. all meet up and head to school and it is on the way, that we learn Yuno has a homework assignment due today that she forgot all about. She asks Yoshinoya-sensei for leniency and after receiving none, Yuno skips lunch to go home and finish her assignment which turns out to be a collage about her winter vacation. She gets it done just in time and on her way back to school it begins to snow. She hands in her assignment at the end of the day and collapses in the floor from hunger over skipping lunch. Miyako hands her a rice ball Hiro had saved her from her own lunch and she eats it hungrily. Then, Yuno and Miyako go outside to begin their assigned cleaning duties. By this time, however, the snow has piled up and the cleaning is put on hold in favor of playing in the snow! Finally, they return home at dusk and stop to visit Hiro to thank her for the rice ball earlier and are invited inside for snacks and to warm up under the Kotatsu. Yuno then tells her friends about her collage and they return home.

I'm happy with this series so far. It's not quite as slap-stick as Azumanga and not as weird as Pani Poni. It's a nice, pointless, cute show with no real plot in sight. Good way to brighten the mood of a melancholy day.

Here's a nice shot of Yuno with the title in the background.

These next shots are basically name cards for all the characters from the opening theme.

Yuno...


...Miyako...


...Hiro...


...and finally, Sae


First shot of Yuno as she gets ready for school (moe~)


Yuno's super-deformed look. Here she's just realized she forgot her homework.


A shot of their teacher, Yoshinoya-sensei. This series loves the active chalkboard much like Pani Poni Dash.


Miyako having a snowball fight with Yuno after school when they should be cleaning.


Miyako acting like a cat under the Kotatsu.
Nyo~~


Miyako's snow writing. Sae points out how she used the wrong "Peace" here.



One of the interesting things about this show is how it blends real-world objects into the animation. Like here on Miyako's desk.


A shot of the animation/live action contrast.


This, I believe, is Yuno's alarm clock. Still notice the real world contrast.
Notice the books on the shelf below the clock. ひだま and part of り ("Hidama" and part of "ri") is clearly legible here. More than likely this is the collection of "Hidamari Sketch" 4koma manga. Nice touch.

Well, that's all for now. I'll probably continue watching this series and see how it develops. Until next time.

Hello

I decided to make a dedicated blog just for anime blogging. This should keep things more organized and keep my anime reviews separate from my personal life. If you want to know what's up with me, personally, check out my other blog.

I'll start things off with my favorite types of shows and what I'm currently watching.

My favorite type of shows (and thus the sort of shows you should expect for me to blog) are generally comedies, slice-of-life series , and shoujo dramas. I do watch other types of anime, action and the like, but as far as my favorite, that would have to be basically any series with an intense moe feeling to it.

What I'm currently watching:

• Kanon (2006)
• Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!
• Aria: the Natural
• Gakuen Alice
• Naruto Shippuuden

Since I am an active IU undergraduate, I may not be able to keep up to date with every new episode, but I'll try as best I can. That's it for now. Expect reviews to follow.