So as usual, the LONG overdue link:
Timeless -Part 3-
This is the end of the LONG one-shot (damn, cut it out with the 'long' word already!) and I have to say that I am satisfied with how it goes. It feels sad even to me when I finished writing it, as the universe and setting is very vivid in my mind (pity my drawing skill is -100 points) but all good things has to end somehow. I have to let go of that and starts a new story, I know.
And that brings to the current situation, and starts the long (sorry, can't help it but use that adjective) rant. To make it easier, I divide it to parts, also to make it easier for my brain to re-arrange the thoughts.
Writing
I have a lot (and man it's a LOT) of drafts and prompts. For now I'm writing a 3-shot which I'm almost done for the first part. The reason of writing a 3-shot is simply because I want to return back to the time when I can write in the span of 7 pages of MS Word. Of course, making a story cut into 3 parts means it will become long as well, but I think it can organize my plot better.
Also, as much as I love writing Timeless I can't help but cringe at the thought of how my writing can easily pass 10 pages, a fact that rings true with how long my drafs/idea to be. There's this one story that I know will be long but when it reaches 16 pages with only half the characters introduced? That's a monster. =_=||
Alas, I know I'll finish that one, for I like the idea too much to drop it.
Still, it remind me again of how jealous I can be to people that can write a solid story with less words, something that I definitely don't have within me, I guess. Each people has their own style of writing anyway, so I'll stick with mine. ;)
Now if only I'll stop procrastinating too much. OTL
Manga.
I read a lot of manga and I developed this habit of downloading the manga instead of reading them online (which is not helping on my hard disk orz). Among the many titles I randomly read recently there are some that impressed me greatly, so I'll make some short (hopefully) recommendation of my top 3.
1) Mushishi
Thoughts:
I've heard about this for quite some time already but never got around on reading it. To my luck I found the link of this on some random blog and complete until the last volume, which is awesome. And damn the story is much more awesome than that! The quiet, almost silence atmosphere of the story and the simplistic art gives the story-telling a unique perspective and power, the depiction of realism in the behavior of the characters is deliciously stunning.
This is unquestionably one of the best manga ever written, and it now share the number 1 spot of my top manga list along with my all-time favorite Natsume Yuujinchou, simply because I can't choose. >.<
Mushishi won an Excellence Prize at the 2003 Japanese Media Arts Festival and the 2006 Kodansha Manga Award, and I have to say Urushibara Yuki-sensei deserves every one of it.
Verdict:
HIGHLY recommended. I'm currently torrent-ing down the anime, which can be found on most bloggers Best Anime of Last Decade list. Watching the first episode (the torrent is too slow so I downloaded the first episode on Megaupload >.<) it is clear that this is a masterpiece. Will write a recommendation post of it later (hopefully).
2) Aphorism
Thoughts:
This one had me screaming
The art is very detailed and unfortunately this may be unsettling to some though. If you can't handle some blood here and there, some body parts, organ, a lot of blood some place again...then you may want to skip this. The art makes the gore insanely clear for all to see, but definitely not the worst I've seen (Battle Royale, I'm looking at you).
The manga's out until chapter 12 (English scanlation) and I've been looking for the Japanese raw in vain (the only raw available is Chinese raw until chapter 31, and I don't think I can read the manga fill with nothing but kanji) so if you happen to know any place that has this in Japanese do tell! I'm dying to know what's happen next.
Verdict:
HIGHLY recommended. It's been awhile since I'm this excited for a shounen style manga.
3) 17
Thoughts:
I randomly downloaded the first chapter with an impression that this is just another shoujo manga. The art is decent, with sketchy lines and all, but I end up downloading the next next chapter, mostly because my impression changed 180 degree after the first chapter. And damn this manga is out to break my steel heart. The amount of angst and tragedy in this is outright depressing, and I had a hard time holding back the tears, which to my luck does not flow out (I'm at home after all, it'll be damn embarrassing to cry with my sisters around).
The manga's out until chapter 16 (only, I know, wait until you read it!) and I'm patiently waiting for the next release, which is a good thing, as I don't think I can handle the angst well while figuring out the kanji if I read the Japanese raw.
Verdict:
HIGHLY recommended. Mind you I'm not a big fan of shoujo manga, so this is a rare gem. Will be in my top manga list, unless the story ends up screwed somewhere later.
Summary.
I make this simple. Read all the title above. Full stop.
Anime.
I don't watch anime as much as I thought I will, as I spent more time on JLPT and writing instead, but that doesn't mean I don't watch any anime at all. There are a couple of titles that I finished and like so like the manga I'll simply (hopefully) write my thoughts on 3 of them.
1) The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi -1st season-
Thoughts:
I watched the second season first (somehow) and it manage to break my (somewhat) rule on not skipping through an episode of anime. Indeed, I never skip a second of an episode, except the OP and ED sometimes, but generally I take it to myself to watch it, no matter what, for the sake of the story or something, but abruptly the troll that is the Endless Eight just annoyed me too much that I just skip the whole thing.
So, I approached the first season with a somewhat wary feeling, despite my knowledge that it is different, and indeed I'm glad, and it brings back the no-skip-through-episode rule for me. The story is fun, and Kyon is made up of pure awesomness with his deadpan narration. The jumbled up episodes/timeline works well too, as I don't find it confusing. In fact, it makes it much more interesting! The art is great and the animation is pretty too.
Now I can say I understand why the fandom is kinda huge for the series. While I may not turn out to be a fanatic fan, the anime manage to make me interested in reading the light novel. :)
Verdict:
Worth watching. The story is great for 14 episode and Kyon is awesome.
2) The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi
Thoughts:
Continuing from the end of the first season, I watched the movie, which is said to be the best of the series (in fact I just watched this last night), and damn, the whole thing is epic. The animation is top notch, and the story is freaking solid for the whole 163 minutes (or 2 hours 43 minutes).
Verdict:
Damn worth watching. Especially now that I've finished the whole franchise, the movie is a somewhat perfect closure.
3) Lupin The III -The Castle of Cagliostro-
Thoughts:
I remembered watching this on local television long long time ago (elementary school maybe?). While I remembered next to nothing about the story, the ending scene and the title leaved a long lasting impression. As weird as it seems, I remembered the movie again after I watched the Lupin The III & Detective Conan TV Special, and proceeded to torrent it down, and wait for it to finish for 4 freaking months. The result is satisfactory, I say.
For a movie made on 1979, the animation is nice (I downloaded the BluRay version XD) but the plot and story pawns this. The whole thing is so solid and greatly written! This is a perfect example of oldies but goodies anime.
Verdict:
Damn worth watching. This is now on the second spot of my favorite anime movie behind Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
As for the anime Summer 2011 Season (which you can read my initial impression here) most of the OVAs are already out and I manage to watch 2 from my watching list.
1) Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? OVA
Thoughts:
The whole thing of the OVA is just plain stupid but having watching the first season (and liking it) I kinda expected it. Ayumu is still his adorable self and his friend is still a pervert, as usual. Basically the OVA is not one with plot whatsoever but it serves its purposes as being a filler. Now can't wait for the second season! XD
Verdict:
Worth watching. If only for Ayumu that is.
2) Katte ni Kaizou
Thoughts:
I'll say this straight. This is crap. I can't believe I spent my precious 30 minutes on a crap like that. The only reason I bear to watch it till the end is because of Kaizou's seiyuu, who keep me thinking 'I know this voice! But who?' the whole time. Turns out it's Takahiro Sakurai. What.
Verdict:
Definitely not worth watching. I'm still despairing over the fact that I watched this.
Summary
I'm still waiting for the Mushishi anime to finish torrent-ing and Natsume Yuujinchou-san to air. God knows what'll happen to me when the two awesomness are here. On a side note Kyon makes me loving Tomokazu Sugita's voice. Heck, I even watched the no-nonsense Splunker is a Teacher just because of him. What.
Summer
(Or basically life in general)
Summer is hot. Well, of course, everybody in the world knows that. Malaysia is not a 4 season country. That, everybody knows, too. So basically, when I say Summer, it refers to the hot weather.
I'm kinda used to hot weather, in general. I grew up in Dungun where beach is so near it took me only 10 minutes by bicycle from home, and Terengganu is basically hot most of the time, except when the monsoon comes and it rains non-stop till flood occurs, yeah, from one extreme to another. Labuan is hot, as the campus is right in front of the beach. Miri is hot, as the weather is unpredictable it can rain so suddenly, but mostly, yeah, it's hot. So generally, I'm not affected by the hot weather much.
So, when I woke up with a headache, a flu, and a sore throat all in a span of an overnight, it's not a good sign. Worse, that day is the hottest day I ever felt here this holiday, though it might just be me and my weak body.
True to my fear, that night the twin sisters of mine (who unfortunately, has a big mouth as well) go downstairs and told my parents, with synchronize rhythm and all;
"Sis got fever."
The 'editor' simply snickers as I facepalmed myself. Less than 2 minutes later both of them came up and again, with that same rhythm;
"Mom told you to take medicine."
Brilliant.
I don't have problem with medicine, really, it's just that I don't like taking it. Yeah, I know.
So that's Day 1.
Day 2, which is actually, yesterday, starts with the headache came back again full force, resulting in me being nauseous by evening, along with cold sweat and non-stop hiccup despite the weather being somewhat cooler than before. The sudden change of weather did not help me much, and to make matters more dramatic, it rained like what last night.
This morning, or Day 3, the headache had gone, to my relief, but the sore throat is still there, bringing me cough as well. Luckily the weather today is fine, not too hot and not cold either. By the time I'm typing this the fever is almost gone already though the throat is still hurting with every cough.
The concern now is my second sister starts having headache this evening, as well as the 'editor' having slight flu. Of course, both of them blamed me as 'the sickness-spreader' of something.
Not like I want that to happen.
So for now I'll be drinking LOTS of water so I hope you will do the same.
Being sick is not fun, I tell you.
~The still-suffering-from-sore-throat Heiji
Music of the Day: M&D - Close Ur Mouth
[The song is awesome enough to make me repeat it today, though Mew still holds most of the playlist. Heck, I don't even need to mention that, didn't I?]
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