animemiz’s scribblings..

Okay one of the things I do online is to go and read of other blogs, and I noticed this as an interesting point, with the self-defined Otaku Danny Choo’s site is something I occasionally like to go to, and to see that Brad Rice was the guest editor for a week, that was kinda interesting.. and wanted to share some random thoughts.I kinda lurked there, more so than on Japanator, since commeting is something that I am working on.

Last year when I went to the New York Anime Festival, I attended this panel regarding about Anime and Manga Journalism, and I saw Brad Rice there, I thought he said the same thing he spoke about when he wrote about blogging, and what makes a good writer. Trying to have a voice, now that is kinda difficult. I myself had have that issue, but then I see that other bloggers talk about issues on writing.

Then another aspect that he wrote about in this entry. In regards to Hollywood bringing over any anime to film, Death Note should have a good chance, given its already live action treatment with its three Japanese movies already.. and if what he said about Sunrise being really strict with Cowboy Bebop, they better. That is another live action treatment I really have high hopes for unlike the treatment for Full Metal Panic.

His experiences on speaking Japanese here and here, is kinda of like reading this blog for me. I am going to probably have some more regrets about learning Japanese as what Koji Oe said. I am quite worried at the moment, given that my trip to Japan is fast approaching. If I can make it without my mom nagging me to pack, then all is good at the moment. Still I realized that as the time comes, I will have to take Japan as it comes. I probably won’t be that prepared to go, but since I did that leap – rather have the travel experiences to make it more handy for my will on learning Japanese, which I am sad to say that among many of my female friends like Aya, 801megane, Silent Death, Hinano, my attempts is actually not the best. A lot of things intimidate me, and learning Japanese formally is one of the top ones. Life goal is for me to actually be able to read a Japanese manga without being too old and feeble.

Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-up Bird Chronicle is also on my giantic mental list of book to read. I know it is somewhere in my apartment, but if I can find a space to display all my books, then I wouldn’t have to have live in this cramped NYC apt for years now do I?  I call this apartment a black hole, where I lose everything I buy into it. If I can find AJ Jacobs book before Book Expo, then I don’t need to go buy an extra copy then!

Exercise - something that is greatly needed in a lot of people’s lives. Now if there was more reason to get off your ass to walk – then the power be with you. Of course it is easier for a lot of people to write excuses, like self  than head out. I kinda wish that I didn’t chicken like I did last summer at Governor’s Island, with the option to bike. I still do wonder if there is a better option for leanring how to bike, without a need for training wheels. >_<

This is a self-imposed writing rant that I am complaining on my hobby blog, but yes my frustration has no bounds. With the GRE test to be taken within a week’s time. I have not studied for that test, rather I have been figuratively tearing my hair out, and losing sleep. Okay my sleeping habits are regularly shit and out the window. All because of this one paper to hand into one of my library school professor by the first week of May. Seeing that it is Spring break now, the best time to write any darn paper right?

Wrong!

I see the same patterns over and over again, I truly question my skills at formal writing, and want to rant about this to the world! I know I can research fine, I have done that time and time again, but I always question my ability to not cite everything in sight that makes my writing a stumbling block! Informally, and writing news article I am good at, but I turn into such a gibbering ninny, that it is not a fun thing. I can only now feel a headache and an ulcer coming on.

I need to send a draft quickly to one of my friends to read, and look over – but why the fuck do I always do that! Dig myself into a ditch and stall for the last possible minute!! Frustrations and agony!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am going to go change that darn topic again!!!!!

Okay this morning as I woke, up I noticed that Twitter was talking about it. Not really knowing the details I didn’t pay it much heed, and went on a Sunday walk with my family and friends in Central Park.

Fast forward to now.. as I checked my Google Reader, my friend 801megane shared this news with me, and as I got all in arms about it… Tiamat also said this.. so the thing blew pretty over, but I figure I can chim in some late thoughts.

This situation reminded me of a filtering thing, that someone probably thought it would protect the eyes of the “children” a bit more, with filtering the materials in question. That is censorship thought, and for people who censor without much warning, must be stoned and then hung out to be feathered and tar!

Trying to censor the web in a place like the United States, and that is not like China blocking the web should just be arrested for violating freedom of speech. It will piss off a lot of people, and that is a big no no in my book. If there is such concern about internet, then it is the responsibility of people in charge of the young to moderate… and as I see now. Amazon will probably back away from this, or face repercussion.

Good thing I ordered my latest Dale Lazarov art book recently, although yesterday as I was searching for Manly a book that I purchased from Amazon, it didn’t show up exactly, until I typed in the author’s name. Today as I search for the same book thought, it came up under the category of books. I was wondering what was happening, but until the “glitch” can be fixed.. we’ll see what happens.

Oh yep there is a link to explaining what the tag #amazonfail means. Thanks also to @moritheil and @Tiamats_reviews for filling me in on this issue some more.. ahhh the power of networking is really cool!

Okay.. that is it..!!!! I don’t know whether or not to be peeved or not.. but what the hell… blushing lolitas!!!!!!!!!!!! Is that suppose to be funny!!!!

There has been that stream of gaming anime ever since Hikaru no Go with Go, Shion no Ou with Shougi, and while there is the Akagi with mah jong, this is the first time I think I saw school type animes with trying to make the game popular.

Personally I love to play mah jong with my friends, while we don’t follow the rules… it is kinda interesting to watch this anime.

I just don’t know if I will be able to handle the blushing girls any more than I have to… there is also some fan service that I see in this one, that makes me wondering if I can handle the kawaii girls, that Japanese otaku’s seem to favor or not.

Okay.. spent a while typing up this review for JLHLS, so I will cross post it over here…. since there are some reasons why I would do that.

One: This is a series that I find myself thinking every anime lover should at least try to see.. this is akin to people getting into either Lucky Star or The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Those are two series, that for the life of me -cannot get into. But to enjoy this slice of life anime, has its own rewards.

Two: This is a book I would try to give JP, next time I see him or Hinano. I saw that he had the other book in this series, and so as a fan of this series, would think that this book would have a better home. I blame the librarian in me, and with the way that my mom is constanly harping on me to get rid of books, what can I say – more space for other books!

Three: It is a rare occasion that I would even make the mention of my real name, unless I think the whole world is a stalker bunch. But my feveret desire to pitch this as a Genshiken fan must have – knows no bounds.

I could have easily thrown out the Japanator link, since my review is kinda late.. but with JLHLS’s easy schedule, and my identity as a reveiwer myself – there are times that I must roll up my sleeves to get on that soapbox.

Another thought on my mind is a response to Ask John via the Anime Nation blog. I read his blog on my google reader, and while there are sometimes of his posts that make me roll my eyes, and think of less polite things to mentally say, some of his posts make me want to get on a post, case in point, this recent post he wrote.

Obviously the question is from an American viewer who is worried about the trend of watching Japanese Animation in America on television, and John surely hits on the fact that so many anime bloggers, have blogged about the recent seasons of anime.

One thing I would have to say, is probably what I see with the recent release of Naruto. Not everyone is a Naruto fan, so I can only count my lucky stars that there are online fansubs for series I would prefer to watch. I am also willing to drop everything to watch anime raw if need be. To be a fan imo means more than having to remain in a comfort zone to see something.

But is there a necessity to try and reassure the public that Japanese animation will not be going away anytime soon? As a fan of Japanese animation, has it gotten to the point of not being able to search for the right answers on the internet.

I believe that if there is a way to see animation via Cable means, like watching it on that Japanese Animation cable channel, DVD releases from Funimation, Viz, or even the fansub releases, then that should be okay.

I can also recall two – three years where I took some break from Japanese animation, but as a fan – there is the fact that if you like something – then it shouldn’t go away as much as you think there is. One of my friends was saying that, even if there was something else that comes in place of loving more – then there are things that could push you back into loving something. I think the comparision is this, if watching a sports team, have a constant losing streak, then as a fan would you not pay attention to them as much? I don’t believe that is the case, but if you believe that your love of anime is drying up, then pay attention to something else?

Well been sick for the past week or so with a really bad cold. Got caught in the rain without an umbrella. That was not fun. Couldn’t breathe for about two days. No motivation whatsoever to write, but feeling slightly better now, so figure I’ll do a post.

I have not watched much anime, except for marathoning thru old series like Air, Gurren Laggen or catching up with what I can with Kurokami…so other than exasperated annoyed feelings for Gurren Laggen, and something like wow for Air.  Kurokami has some potntial, whereas Rideback was such a disappointing thing. I downloaded the series, but will watch the anime later..when I get the mood. It is turning out to be  a series where the beginning had so much promise and other things got in the way to make the series drop off my rader. Military aspects make me think of some other things, and to try and rationalize Zac Efferon as the live action version of Souske in Full Metal Panic makes me think of other blood red things.

Oh, and have been playing more of Princess Waltz, which is an eroge visual novel, and I actually apreciate the plot of this game, it does not need the hentai parts in the game. Probably afterI finish the game, will do a more extensive review of the game.

I did reading up on the blogs so, and noticed this post by Peter Payne recently. What is Normal?

Normal is normal was my first thought. To not stand out is another aspect…. and being part of a group is a great thing are another thought I have. Normal is also built on the ideas to be similar to peers around you, so this is a very subjective thing.

Because Japanese culture is so small in geography space, and as a culture – they are pretty homogenous it is hard to try and picture waht is normal according to American standards. Maybe looking at the white man, and seeing what their ideas of fun is. But that doesn’t seem to be the case for other people…. wear the same fashion? But then you might be called a copy cat? Wearing professional clothes, but be called bland?? Is it the best thing to try and fit within a narrow frame of mind then?

I think that if you do things you like the best, and then see if there are similarities between you and others?

Being individualistic is a democratic ideal, that trying to pin point the American aspect of what is normal makes it strange. Rambling thoughts here… probably still not the best of thoughts, but definitely making some effort to write something.