Bleach is coming to an end?

I don’t know whether I should be rejoicing or crying at the fact that the long series will be coming to an end with a “final arc” as the manga declares. I was never a diehard fan to begin with but seeing the manga, and eventually the anime, reach its finale makes me feel somewhat forlorn as I would with any other long-running series that has at last come to an abrupt end. Though some arcs weren’t as great as the others, particularly with the anime and its seasonal fillers, Bleach undoubtedly had a brilliant cast of characters with each to his/her peculiar power and personality. Even the antagonists were to my liking as there were plenty who managed to earn my hatred for their twisted character and evil schemes to bring Soul Society, Kankura town and Ichigo and his gang to their downfall. This I will definitely miss.

But for now, I’ll like to see what this proclaimed “final arc” has got install for us. It would be a huge bummer if this series ended with a whimper and not a bang.

Plagued by the eternal question: what if?

NB: This is an old post by Jacqivarius prior to his retirement from the blog. It’s incomplete but comprehensible nevertheless. Think of it as a commemoration of sorts.

 
There is always a sense of liberation when doing the right thing, a satisfaction that arises only when you know for a certainty that you made the correct decision. And yet there is still doubt. Always there is doubt. Our lives are a culmination of mistakes. We brood on them and wonder “what if?”.

What if I hadn’t missed that test? What if I went to that party? What if I sought solace in the fact that I tried my best? What if I did try my best?

What if? What if? What if? What if? What if? What if? What if? What if? What if? What if?

We are plagued by the question. We are human because we are ever wrought by anger and sadness, lingering in the past, wallowing in our own self depreciation.

While watching the above video I began to contemplate my life. Sugimoto Kousuke’s works do that to you. I wonder if I will regret my lack of desire or perhaps my languid what of living. I’m sure that I will.

- Jacqivarius

An Introspective Look into the Demography of Inu X Boku SS: Shoujo or Shounen?

A repost from my other blog, Kirakuna.

Though its artistic style suggests otherwise, Inu x Boku SS is in fact “shounen”. Note the quotation marks. Originally targeted at male audiences interested in the romance genre without having to resort to the dramatic nature of shoujo anime – that, or the plenty of fan service that the show offers as lolis and a “big jug lesbian” are a big thumbs up – female fans have also grown to enjoy watching the series. After all, Inu x Boku SS incorporates a brilliant cast that’s sure to involve a variety of male and female characters in which both genders of the audience can see fit to their taste buds.

As a result, there have been arguments regarding the demography under which the series is classified. Is it shoujo or is it shounen? I’m not surprised that many fans tend to confuse the two since they can’t decide whether Inu x Boku SS is one or the other.

Confessions of a Fujoshi: Realism in fiction.

NB: Fujoshi (腐女子, lit. “rotten girl”) refers to female fans of manga and novels that feature romantic relationships between men.

I wasn’t always a fujoshi. Somewhere down the road it just happened; symptoms of fanaticism had stricken me after much exploration through the wonders of the internet like daggers of sharp icicles that eventually melt into your skin. With thanks to Mangafox, the cause of my incurable sickness, curiosity had gotten the better of me. But I wouldn’t say that it was for the worst.

I have to admit, there hasn’t been all that great stories under the shounen-ai/yaoi demography, particularly the latter. While there’s been a few that’s enjoyable, it’s the obvious lack of realism which leaves you craving for a different touch after reading pile upon pile of manga. Perhaps this is because the majority of yaoi mangaka are female hence series such as Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and the works of Minami Haruka, the supposed crème de la crème, are no better than generic story lines and spicy sex scenes. If the only difference between steamy smut-filled shoujo and yaoi is the gender of the love interests, then this is a lacking distinction.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: New Prince of Tennis – How to beat the shit out of your seniors

Well, you're the expert so lead the way!

My impressions of New Prince of Tennis in short? Chibisuke has gotten taller!! Jokes jokes; he has but that’s not it.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou 01 – How to pick up girls.

Despite being a surprising collaboration between Square Enix and Sunrise, Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou is as its titles suggests: the daily lives of high school boys. Confined in an all boys school, the three main protagonists Tadakuni, Hidenori and Yoshitake presents the crème de la crème of classic but corny pick up lines – the ones that you can find only in galge (bishoujo and ren’ai games) and manga. From “how to get a girlfriend” to “cross-dressing with your little sister’s clothes” and painful ghost stories, comedy doesn’t get any better than this. Watching this after Kill Me Baby makes me feel very refreshed. Thumbs up for the wonders of hormonal, teenage boys and their way of thinking.

Irrasshaimase to Yorozuya!

By shrutianime

From L-R- Shinpachi, Gintoki and Sadaharu chomping Kagura

To all those otaku who haven’t started drowning in Gintama land yet, I have two things to say; firstly, you’re missing out on one of the best anime out there and secondly, watch it now and come back to this post after that…NOW.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Kill Me Baby 01 – Anime that teaches you self-defence.

While the comedy isn’t as comparable as Nichijou, a twin-tailed assassin, a nonchalant ninja and an idiotic girl situated in the parameters of a high school life provides an appealing combination. Oh, and probably the tentacles shown in the OP too. But that’s just how comedy with the lack of a proper plot goes these days.