Cardcaptor Sakura 【HD Rewatch】 36

DREAMING DREAMING

そして扉が…

ひらくよ~

I realize that it’s already April 2nd in Japan, but since it’s still Sakura’s birthday/CLAMP Day here at least, I should get off my lazy bum and continue with these posts!

Now that our little detour in Hong Kong is over and done with, the second season blogging of Cardcaptor Sakura is finally underway. Whereas the first season is pretty hefty (35 episodes!), this is actually relatively short – it’s just comprised of the very tail-end of the Clow Card arc, and let’s just say that the second season of CCS is as “long” as one average anime series (one cour, 11~12 episodes).

Cancerous Ship Girls Rant: The Expansion

Image Credit: 蒼天空 from Pixiv

…Illness when writing that mess aside, I don’t think it needed to be any clearer for comprehension.

I was going to do another Cardcaptor Sakura post or a Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works post, but in light of certain reactions to my previous Kantai Collection post from denizens of the anime community’s infamous cesspool (I say “the”, but in actuality, there are quite a few of them – pick your poison) repeatedly missing the point, I feel the need to clarify more than a few things for others who might also misunderstand the context.

(The real reason is mostly because cramming for midterms in college sucks, and I’m finding an excuse to procrastinate and letting out stress.)

Cardcaptor Sakura 【HD Rewatch】 THE MOVIE

Sakura goes to Hong Kong!

When we last left off on my rewatch-blog of Cardcaptor Sakura, the first season of the series had concluded with Sakura enjoying her final moments of Christmas day.

In the original television broadcast of Cardcaptor Sakura, the anime was put on-hold until April 6, 1999 for its second season. Gekijouban: Cardcaptor Sakura didn’t premiere in theaters until after the second season had ended and Sakura captured all the Clow Cards (the movie premiered in theaters on August 21, 1999). However, the plot of the film clearly takes place around/between episodes 35 and 36 (it’s winter vacation in Tomoeda and Meiling is still around), so for the purposes of the re-blog, I’m placing it before the second season.

Happy Belated Halloween! (Project Zero/Fatal Frame)

Big giant NO

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! Though more than a day late, I felt compelled to honor the horror festivities we had this season using this humble little Japanophile blog of mine in some way or another. Rather than diving into some bizzarro horror manga by the likes of Itou Junji and such, I’ve decided to ramble a bit about one of my favorite Japanese survival horror video game series that I find myself playing every October: 零 (Zero), otherwise known as Project Zero in Europe and Fatal Frame in the United States.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie [Shinpen]: The Rebellion Story

The suffering continues…

My interest in actively discussing Puella Magi Madoka Magica died down significantly during the past couple of years. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the original anime series and enjoyed watching both of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Beginning Story and the Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Everlasting Story films, but I wasn’t a crazy enough fan for the series in the vein of, say, Neon Genesis Evangelion that I was super excited with seeing the same story played over again. Especially since (for example), unlike Rebuild of Evangelion‘s constant divergences that make it clear that it’s a new story/continuation, the first two Madoka movies were just recaps of the same 12 episodes of the anime series. There was nothing really new to talk about aside from the spin-off materials, so the wait for Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Rebellion Story was killer because I really wanted to know what was gonna happen after the TV anime’s conclusion.

That said, I was really excited to see this film. Partly because (again) “YAY, NEW MADOKA CONTENT“, and also, I had this feeling that Gen Urobutcher wasn’t exactly finished messing with the audience. I’ve described the original anime as a series with no shock absorbers, and I went in expecting this to be the same case. I thought I was prepared for the inevitable shock, whatever it was.

But I was wrong. I let my guard down. 「残念だったね。」

The worst figurine of all time

DAT FACE

Yeeeeeeeeah, the European Collector’s Edition of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy totally isn’t worth being jealous over. What was Square Enix thinking when they decided to bundle this monstrosity among the other goodies? Couldn’t they have gotten Figma? Or maybe even Alter? Square Enix, here’s some advice: what looks to be equivalent to a Chinese knock-off isn’t worth the extra expense. Poor European fans.

[SPOILER]

THIS is a figure (now if only I could find one of Elise, then all would be swell).[/SPOILER]

So yeah, in other news, I’m pretty hyped for Bravely Default: Flying Fairy coming out in America next month. I may or may not get it at launch depending on my finances. I still haven’t bought The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds yet, after all…

Do I dare watch “Free!”?

OH DEAR GOD WHAT

Now, as some of my readers might know, I have no problems with watching shows aimed at a more feminine fanbase. In fact, I love them as much as more testosterone-ridden GAR shows that are on my list (Samurai Champloo, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, GaoGaiGar, etc.)

But this. This is different.

This is very different. A bunch of shirtless, muscular well-toned sexy men cutting loose in the pool. I suppose the plot is about swimming? Because when I was in high school, I know very well what went on in the locker rooms after a day of swimming. For all I know, the plot could be about that as well.

So, what do you guys suggest? Is Free! worth watching? Will I be the same after I watch it? Is this a break-through from Kyoto Animation in terms of revolutionizing swimming and what it means to swim?

( ?´_ゝ｀) Yes? No? Replies from males and females are all welcome. Telling me why you like it without spoilers would be helpful as well.

(And yes, I’m well-aware of the true reason why a handful of people watch this show, I’m just giving it the benefit of the doubt and most likely pay for it because of my open-minded personality.)

Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san (Thoughts and Impressions)

Another series to get out of the way before I write about the current anime season – friggin’ mermaids on an acid trip, twelve minutes each week.

There’s really only one way to describe this show, and that is: insane humor.

Fanime 2013 Overall Experience (and the horrors of Yaoi Bingo)

No, we didn’t go to the maid cafe. T_T

Truth be told, I was looking forward to going to Anime Expo 2013 during the earlier parts of the year – going to Fanime again this year was somewhat of a last minute thing. We ended up not having enough funds to afford going to LA and spending our time at the convention as pre-registered members. Fanime’s always fun, so I didn’t mind much. However, it did sour the experience in another way. Since we couldn’t book a room at the Marriott, Hilton, or any other nearby hotels this year (by the time we decided to go to Fanime again, all the reservations were full), we had to book a room at a motel called the “Hotel Elan” (yes, they call themselves a hotel) which was somewhat of a distance away from the San Jose Convention Center. It wasn’t too bad of a place nor was it miles away, but it was still far enough (approximately one mile) that we had to walk over there and take the bus every morning. We never got to the con at the earliest possible time, and since the neighborhood was pretty damn dangerous, we never stayed out too late. From now on, we’re definitely making plans for Fanime every year except when we’re 100% sure we’re going to another con.

Duel Savior: Kaede (Puppies are adorable!)

Quiet, Calm, Deadly. The Ninja, Kaede.

The dark types are such fun sometimes. The evil looks in their eyes, the dark stoic deadpan in their voice, the ungodly fear that she might just kill you before you manage to break through the evil fog of emotions. All this goes into a rather intense emotional experience as you work stone by stone, piece by piece and tear by painful tear to get to her heart, leaving you with a lot of satisfaction and manly( or womanly) tears at the end when you finally see that smile you’ve been yearning for.

So, with that in mind, let’s talk about someone completely different!