was one of those bands that made me want to buy their CD after hearing no more than one of their songs.
And I did.
...Usually, that sort of thing ends horribly for me, but I've so far been pretty pleased with my purchase of their 5th Maxi Single
(named for the song that introduced me to them). Besides, I mean, I got it for only 3 bucks.
Some 2 years after the release of that CD, they're still rockin'.
....
..For those of you out there unfamiliar with the band, I would probably compare them to the cheerful pop-punkish sound to that of PuffyAmiYumi. If you want to go a littler further, I'd say they were perhaps even more similar to bands like The★Scanty, or even Flow... with a female lead singer. Truly a brand of music that takes a more sophisticated tatste to truly appreciate.
But anyhow, on with the album. Most likely not as good as their last super duper 2-Disc album they released last year (
), but still vey enjoyable. There was something about it that sort of irked me, however, and I didn't really notice it until I was listening to it for the second time. If I was to have one gripe with the CD, I think it would be in that overall, they seem to have lost some energy...
Of course, this is is pretty understandable -- a lot of bands eventually mellow out with time, but it was the slightly ska-like feel of the songs like
(yeah, I know.) that initially drew me to the band. ..I say this, even though
(a song with a MUCH more toned down feel) is perhaps my favorite of theirs.
But with a new CD comes a new feel right? Of course. Plus, they've only gone a little soft. Shaka is still Shaka is still Shaka.
I especially liked the songs Parade, BYAM., kaleidoscope, and mommy's back? to name a few, which is more than enough songs to make this CD something worth recommending, and a keeper.
If you never heard SHAKALABBITS, give them a try why duncha.
13.
Mai Otome ep. 3
Mai Otome... is a title with a weird name. Even weirder than its predecessor, which is quite a feat. I'm given the choice to call it either Mai Otome, My Otome, My Z-Hime, Mai Z-Hime, 舞乙HiME, and probably a half dozen more things.
...so I just wrote the one that came to my mind first. And that's what it will be.
I'm sure all those other names are acceptable. If not, then, what do I care.
But as I was going to say, Mai Otome is actually a title I've been wanting to blog about since the first episode. Like a number of people, I've been anticipating it even before the fact that it existed became official, and have even gone to the manga (which was released a month or two beforehand) to but catch a glimpse of the story.
Yeah....yeah, that was a mistake.
But anyhoo, I've never been able to blog about it until now due to the fact that I've never had much time (geez, it's like every post I make has something to do with me not having enough time. I'm such a whiner).
Now, however, I'm regretting my dismissing this show up until episode 3 because I think this post will be mostly about this show's flaws so far. I'm sorry... orz
After watching the first episode of this show, I noted on the AniSu boards that I thought that this show
probably wasn't going to be as good as Mai Hime, but vowed that that was going to be the last time I compared the two. Now, unfortunately, I think I have to go back on that.
Quit being the same show, damnit!I think I'm much different from a lot of people when I say that. In the first episode, a number of people welcomed the return of the older charcters -- even the minor ones (such as the return of Chubbsy McGardener). But to be honest, that sort of thing made me cringe just a bit. I was, however, very happy with the show's differences, such as how different Mashiro is (after knowing her in roles like Mashiro and Fumi (Mai Hime), and Honoka (Pretty Cure), I wouldn't have guessed Yukana had so much range), and how the ambiguously gay duo of Aoi and Chie were separated into different kingdoms. I also liked how most of the first episode focused mostly on the "new" characters Arika and Nina. And I of course didn't even mind the Akane action we got and most likely will be getting for a while in future episodes, since in Mai Hime, she was stuck in a room for the majority of the show. Plus, I just really like Junko Iwao.
However, now with episode 3 upon us, the similarites are really starting to pile up. We already knew that Shizuru and Natsuki are of course still a "pair", but also, Yukino still appears to be Haruka's shadow (I was hoping they'd be separated as well..) and there's even a new Kazuya for Akane to go ga-ga over. This may just be me, but I think it would have been a lot more interesting if Akane in fact DIDN'T like Kazu-kun this time around, or at least had some sort of "hmph!"-ish tsundere going on. ANYTHING that would have not given me a "huh, haven't I seen this before..?" feeling. I don't necesarilly mind all of these old characters returning perse, but I'd really like for this show to pay more attention to how it's NOT Mai Hime.
Also, there's another thing I'd like to gripe about. It's a little different, however, and to be honest I'm a little ashamed to say it since this is REALLY comparing to two shows, but I'mma gonna do it anyway.
Mai > Arika
There's something about Arika that rubs me the wrong way. Mai at the very least seemed a little more appealing as the reluctant hero that had her own problems to deal with besides fighting monsters. Akira however, with her "I'll never give up!"'s and her "I have to save everyone!"'s and her "I'm going to be a ----" rather makes her a little generic... and more like something out of Pokemon.
(..The entire show seems a bit more shounen now that I think about it...)
Of course I still like Arika, though, and think it's still too soon to judge her so harshly, but I really hope that her character will be fleshed out a little more soon, and maybe give us a little more backstory on her... and NOT the kind where the show is force-feeding us the fact that she's most likely a princess.
So let's hope that her grandmother was actually a robot or something... that used to beat her.
In conclusion, I've noticed that this entry was hardly very informative about the episode itself, was it? Oh well, I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Forgive me for berating the show so much. I of course still enjoy it, and I know I'll still most likely watch it to the end, fucked up batshit crazy last episode or not.
The next Mai Otome episode review I do will be a happy one. Promise.
Labels: Mai Otome
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Thursday, October 20, 2005
ARIA -The Animation- OP Single
More songs should have string accompaniment. Or at least real instruments more often. That would, like, totally be awesome. It was that type of thing that made Maaya Sakamoto songs so great (when she was still with Kanno, anyway).
You know, I'm a firm believer that although most of what we hear on the radio today, or what most of the western and westernizing world consider "popular" music is full of synthesizers and effects and electric guitars and other such whatnots, I still think there's a part in everyone that longs for the simple orchestral instruments the world has known for centuries. And I think that whenever an artist decides to incorporate even perhaps simply a piano or lone violin into their song (and does it well), it has the potential to become incredibly successful. I mean at least, that's my reasoning for why that song by Vanessa Carlton a few years back was so popular..
But anyway, that was a tangent. Ignore it.
What the hell was I going to talk about? Oh yes.
Well, it feels like it's been forever since I first started to religiously mark off the days on my calendar until I could get my hands on some Aria music, but at last I can finally listen to
Undine, the opening song of this show, in its full length and to my leisure.
This is the first song from
Makino Yui I've heard, I think, and though I of course think her voice is lovely and a wonderful choice, I believe the real star of the show here is the arrangement by Miss
Mina Kubota. ..Which is a name I've never heard before. And it makes me VERY curious...
Anyhow, I offer people who like either of the songs on the single the songs to give the karaoke versions a chance as well. Yeah, I know, I usually ignore it too.
Unless I want to sing karaoke...
...but, y'know, it's not like ...I really do that..
*ahem*
The lyrics to Undine are beautiful, as well. Here, have them. Maybe a tanslation later.
EDIT: added the translation (the hell took me so long to do that), also fixed some points in the lyrics. Also, I'm starting to like the c/w song
Symphony more and more each time I hear it. ..though the karaoke version sounds like something you hear after award shows...
Undine
(Japanese Version)
頬をなでる 優しい風
波音に 揺られて
体の中 ほどけてゆくよ
目を閉じて 見えてくる
風の行く道が
さあ 漕ぎ出そう 光る波へ
笑顔が すぐ こぼれる
ねえ 伝えよう このときめき
風にのって あなたのもとへ
行くわ ウンディーネ
風が凪いで 振り返れば
夕映えに 照らされ
心までも 染まってゆくよ
見上げれば 響きだす
星たちの歌が
さあ 漕ぎ出そう 遥か未来(あす)へ
水面に 夢 広がる
ねえ 見つけよう まだ知らない
宝物を あなたと一緒に
探そう ウンディーネ
澄み渡る空へと 鳥が羽ばたくよ
いつも見慣れてた 景色なのに
こんなに愛しく 思えるなんて…
|
Undine
(Romaji Version)
hoho wo naderu yasashii kaze
namioto ni yurarete
karada no naka hodoketeyuku yo
me wo tojite mietekuru
kaze no yukumichi ga
saa, kogidasou hikaru nami e
egao ga sugu koboreru
nee tsutaeyou kono tokimeki
kaze ni notte anata no moto e
yuku wa UNDINE
kaze ga naide furikaereba
yubae ni terasare
kokoro made mo somatteyuku yo
miagereba hibikidasu
hoshi-tachi no uta ga
saa, kogidasou haruka asu e
minamo ni yume hirogaru
nee, mitsukeyou mada shiranai
takaramono wo anata to issho ni
sagasou UNDINE
sumi wataru sora e to tori ga habataku yo
itsumo minareteta keshiki na no ni
konna ni itoshiku omoeru nante...
|
Undine(English version)
while shaking with the sound of the waves,
the gentle breeze that grazes my cheek
comes apart within me
I close my eyes and I see
the path the wind is blowing
so let's row towards the shimmering waves
with an overflowing smile
and I will tell you all about the way my chest throbbed
while riding the wind, and will return to you
as an Undine
As the wind begins to die down, I look back and
see that the setting sun has reached
even my heart and dyed it its color
I look up and begin to hear the stars'
echoing melody
and so let's row to that far-off tomorrow
where our dreams spread over the water's suface
and let's find that still unknown treasure
that you and I are searching for
together as Undines
and the birds fly towards the clear sky
and I realize how this always familiar scenery
has become so precious to me...
Labels: ARIA, Music
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Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Jigoku Shoujo ep. 2
Today's subject:
Takamura Ryoko- pull the thread, and the person you hate will go to hell.- ( ﾟ∀ﾟ)
- however, you will go too.- (; ﾟдﾟ)
All good things come with a catch.
Just like the last episode, Ai meets up with the grudge holder, gives them that talk, and then eventually deals with their persecutor. Formulaic, but still very enjoyable.
This epiosde managed to be a little bit scarier than the last in my opinion, thanks to an extemely creepy stalker. However, in turn the animation budget went down a couple pegs. Refer to this entry's first line.
We first meet Takamura Ryoko, a second year highschool student, whimpering like a baby and accessing
Jigoku Tsuushin. She's apparently been receiving disturbing phone calls from a stalker and she wants him gone. I also think Ai Shimizu does a pretty good job at her. Though that's probably because this is like, the first serious role I've ever heard her do.
To get the back story on this girl and her unfortunate love life, Ai and her band of merry men listen to Ryoko's story like something out of Law and Order (I really didn't get why they should care, but whatever). She should feel lucky, however. Some girls would kill to receive a box full of dead bugs from a heavy breathing admirer. Get off your high horse already.
But all kidding aside, once again, I feel bad for the ultimately condemned subject of this episode. ..Who apparently becomes something along the lines of a "black seal" ("keiaku kokuin" to be exact, I believe), which reminds me of Haibane Renmei now that I think about. But now I digress..
I mean, in this episode, Ryoko only pulled the thread around the doll's neck to save her life -- surely she doesn't deseve to be sent to hell for that! But I guess a curse is a curse.. however, I hope there might be a way this is resolved..
Speaking of which, so far we've only seen the black straw doll be used, which is apparently the old dude (Wanyuudou), I wonder if Bone Lady or Ren's doll forms will ever be put into use (colors red and blue, respectively) and if so, would there be a different effect..?
I doubt it. Why would there be? But then again, the series still young..
But anyhow, I've gone on too long about this ep, and I've got a Physics lab to complete...
Did I mention we get to see Bone Lady in a nurse outfit? 'Cause we do.
Labels: Misc
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Monday, October 10, 2005
Let's try this again...
Wow, bandwidth has really become an issue with this site. Didn't think that would happen so soon.. ^^;
I'll have to move it. I'll probably do so before or around Thanksgiving -- whenever I get the time. I'll probably stay on blogspot, though. I'm still
sorta lazy.
For the time being, however, please excuse the mess... orz
Labels: Misc
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Sunday, October 09, 2005
Gokujou Seitokai ep. 26
(Warning: This entry contains SPOILERS!)seriously.
I don't think this blog would be complete if I don't blog about the last episode of this show.
So I will.
Read the rest!
First of all, let me say zOMG! I found the budget!!1!
Now, let me add that this episode was great, especially when compared to the utter insanity and "YOU THINK WE WERE CRAZY BEFORE?! LOLOL"-ness that was episode 25. I believe that's the sort of thing that happens when an anime spends too much time with filler episodes. Let it be a lesson to the rest of you anime makers out there.
Secondly, I still don't understand Pucchan. I just don't get it. Maybe I missed something, but I still have no idea why he's a puppet. Oh well, maybe that's for the best.
As for the rest of the episode, it was basically tying up other loose ends such as Kanade's ties to her superiors, and Seina's connection to the Jinguuji conglomerate. And of course, showing even more of Rino's ESP powers (that has to get annoying eventually..).
In the end, there was a throw back to the last half of the second episode (one of the best), only with all of the animators working on it ths time. Very sentimental. Very Cute. Very Gokujou.
(and that was very lame. I know.)
minty introspection:
And so it's over. But of course it isn't really, seeing as Kanade is now the school director, with Seina as an assistant...oh, and Cyndi's there too, for..some reason.
Additionally, Nanaho's the new Gokujou Seitokai pres (no surprises there), Kuon's remains the vice pres, and taking over Nanaho's old spot is Kaori...though I kinda thought it would be nice if Sayuri was there, with Kaori taking over the spot when Rino became president...
yeah..
Speaking of which, I was hoping there would be more development between those two. From episodes 1, 4, and 8, it really seemed like they were actually trying to set something up between Kaori and Rino.. but then it all sort of fizzled with the wave of filer episodes and eps focusing on more minor characters. Which of course wasn't necesarilly a bad thing, however it did mean characters like Sayuri, Kaori and sometimes even Rino got little more than 1 line an epsiode.
Which reminds me! What about that gunshot in episode 16? Kaori had an odd cameo right after it occurred, that seemed to foreshadow to something. Something they never got to. That being said, we still don't know wht happened to her parents. Unless we were given that scene and left to put the pieces together.
Or maybe they just died because it was convenient. Whatever.
Either way, I still think I enjoyed Gokujou Seitokai overall. The characters were lovable, and they will indeed be missed. So you better come up with a OVA, Konami. Or else. I ain't playing no dating sim.
Labels: Gokujou Seitokai
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