Heavy Rain

"How far are you willing to go for love?"

This question is the center of Heavy Rain. One of the most stressful, upsetting, thought-provoking and GREATEST games I have ever played.

There is a serial killer on the loose. All the police know is that he kidnaps children and several days later they turn up dead, drowned in rain water, with an origami animal and an orchid on their chest. This time he takes a boy by the name of Shaun Mars. Will you be able to save him in time?

You play as four characters. Ethan Mars, the father of Shaun who has already lost one of his sons to a tragic accident. Ethan receives trials from the Origami Killer challenging him to see what he's willing to do to save his son.

Norman Jayden an FBI profiler called in to help with the case. Norman has special experimental glasses called ARI to help him investigate crime scenes and struggles with some problems of his own as throughout the game.

Madison Paige a photo-journalist who suffers from insomnia. She accidentally gets herself deeply involved with the case.

Scott Shelby a retired police officer who works as a private investigator. He's currently looking into

the origami killer case.

With these four characters you slowly unravel the story and work toward a common goal. Save Shaun Mars.

The most stressful thing about this game is that every decision you make effects the outcome. Your characters can die and the story will continue without them. Every choice you make matters. Every mistake counts.

There were so many moments in this game where I had to pause and really think about what I wanted to do. The choices they give you are extremely hard to make, and caused many heart-pounding, cold sweat inducing moments. And each time I finally made my decision I was terrified it was the wrong one and that;

a) I just got Shaun killed

or

b) I got one of my own characters killed.

The reason this game is so compelling is that it's very personal. From the moment you start playing you are put in these characters lives. You're not playing as a bystander, somehow the creators manage to pull you in and make you as much a part of the story as the characters. You feel the character's emotions. Their pain, their fear, their hesitation.

The visuals are gorgeous. As I played through this game I felt more like I was watching a movie instead of playing a video game. The body language is great, the voice acting believable. Every once in awhile something might look a little funny, but it's rare and quickly fixes itself as you move on.

There are a few downsides. I had the game freeze a couple times. Nothing a restart won't fix, and since the game autosaves you shouldn't be too far off where you were. Still frustrating nonetheless. If you're not a hardcore gamer the controls can be a tad frustrating at first (even set on easy.) However, like with everything, it gets much easier as you move on.

This has to be one of the most original games I've played in a long time. There isn't anything quite like it out there. I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys games with deep story lines, fans of psychological thrillers/mysteries, or someone looking for something completely different.

I have one other note. This game is not meant for children. Not only is there language, violence and sexual content, but the story itself is very deep and at times can be disturbing. It's not something to be taken lightly.

Till next time.

Durarara!!

I decided to watch Durarara!! when browsing around on my myanimelist account. I was reading about the show and I was pleased to find it was made by the same gentleman who wrote Baccano! another favorite show of mine. I saw the positive reviews and decided I'd give it a shot.

Hooo, boy. What a show it is. Like Baccano!, Durarara!! has no specific plot. It's not about one particular goal. It's about a whole pile of characters and each of their stories and when their paths cross how they change each others lives. (No matter how brief the encounter might be.)

The entire story takes place in a city called Ikebukuro. Tension is mounting between three gangs and an all out war is about to come to a head. There's a slasher on the loose attacking random victims, and there's the mysterious "black rider" who's rumoured to not have a head...

The show is full of quirky characters bursting with personality, and everyone has a secret. Friendly gang leaders, sadistic deal brokers, angry bartendars, underground doctors, etc, etc. What more could you want?? Even better is that the voice actors do a fantastic job. There wasn't one voice out of place in this set. From the first episode these guys charm you and you won't be able to stop until you reach the end.

My only complaint was with the art style. While I liked the art I got frustrated with the fact that all the faces looked the SAME. With such a diverse cast in personality and age, it would have been nice for original appearances to go along with it.

However, this complaint is small and not enough to change the fact that this is one of the most original anime I have ever watched. It easily became a favorite, and in my opinion, has a very high rewatch value. I love this way of storytelling. It's refreshing to not have a predictable rerun of some anime you saw some other time with the same plotline.

Not to mention there's no spoon feeding the story with inner monologue. Always a treat to have a break from that.

There was one minor let down in the storytelling. I wasn't satisfied with the ending. It felt a tad rushed and a little too perfect for me. There were some things they left in the air -- which suited the series. Something in the ending just didn't sit well with me.

This is just another small fault in my book. It was not nearly enough to change my high opinion of the show. The adventure from episode 1 was so enjoyable and so interesting that it makes it worth it even if the ending wasn't what you were looking for.

Overall I'd give Durarara!! and 8.5 out of 10. I'll definitely be checking out future stories by Ryohgo Narita.

Peace.

It LIVES.

I'm alive, I SWEAR! Wow, I totally and utterly failed. I talk about posting more and then go months without a peep on here. Well I'm BACK, and I'm going to try to do better. Not making any promises though. Last time I made a promise on here I died for quite some time.


Last time I was on here I mentioned a bunch of projects I was starting. None of them have gotten off the ground yet. The secret project (the one I planned with a friend) had to be put on the back burner for now. We both got really busy and haven't had the time to get it off the ground.

I haven't gotten around to making my book review youtube account either. I chickened out because I'm really not comfortable in front of the camera, but I'm still tempted to give it a shot.


There is LOTS I want to post about on here though -- so in the next couple days (HOPEFULLY) I'll be putting up posts about the following --

• White Collar (My latest obsession. Finished both seasons in 2 weeks.)



• Durarara!



• The Chrissy McMullen Mysteries by Lois Greiman



• The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross



• Heavy Rain (Yes, I finally got a ps3!)



• The Bewitching Mysteries by Madelyn Alt



• Criminal Minds Season 5



• Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

Those are just some of the things off the top of my head. I'm also seriously SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY pumped about the news of not only "Ace Attorney Investigations 2," (WOOHOO!) but the announcement for "Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright". I'm so very excited I can hardly contain myself!! If I wasn't getting the Nintendo 3DS before I most certainly am now! I DON'T WANT TO WAIT!!

If those two titles weren't enough to have me buzzing about like a crazed lunatic, the upcoming gaming forecast is so wonderful with titles like Ghost Trick, and Epic Mickey coming out in the Winter. And let's not forget about the impending Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword which looks FANTASTICAL.

Also, being that I was severely disappointed in the Kaichou wa Maid-sama anime I put it on hold. I don't know if I'm going to bother finishing it. I wasn't enjoying it at all. I'm currently watching an edited version of the Hellsing OVA's because a wonderful friend, who knows of my squeamish babyness about violence, spends what little free time she has editing out the freakishly violent bits. (Isn't that lovely of her?) I've only watched the first so far, but later this week we're watching the second and third. I LOVED the first. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest.

Like I mentioned above, in the time since I've last posted my brother and I bought a Ps3. I only have two games for it, Eternal Sonata (eh.) and Heavy Rain (FANTASTIC). I'm not a huge fan of M rated games (Heavy Rain being the only one I own) and I'm not overly fond of first person shooters/killing games so in some ways the system is wasted on me, but I was so thrilled with Heavy Rain that I can't regret the purchase.

I also invested in an upgrade for my lovely Kindle. Yes, that's right. I'm the proud owner of a Kindle 3. It was worth every penny. My old kindle was wonderful, but the upgrade has so many improvements! Mainly the screen just looks BETTER. It's so much clearer. Turning pages is quicker now too. The only thing I don't care for is the sliding power switch, but that's just a minor annoyance for me in particular.

One more thing, then I'm done with this post. I decided to start a tumblr account. I was playing with the idea for awhile and I finally caved. If you're interested check it out here.

Alright! That's everything for now. Hope you all had a ghoulishly merry Halloween!

I bid you adieu.

Image at the top found at Court-Records.net!

News, updates, ideas.

Since this post is totally boring have a picture of Claire Stanfield from Baccano! because he's adorable.



I felt like I should do a post explaining myself a bit. I haven't been posting much, and even though I don't know if anyone reads this I wanted to post explaining what I've been doing and what I'm planning on doing. I'm really proud of myself for keeping this active for as long as I have. I really enjoy blogging and I've learned a lot these past (almost) 2 years I've been doing this. (Holy crap, two years!) When I go back and read over past entries I'm happy to have them. I feel like I've grown as a person since I've begun this and I want to keep growing.


Anyway -- the reason my activeness has plummeted into barely a post a month is because of a couple things. First off, about 2 months ago I turned 18. (Wahoo!) Right after that a bunch of stuff happened at work and they decided to move me to the Passport office. They moved me right away and I started training. I also had to become certified which involved taking a 14 part test.


Since then I've been busy busy busy.


Besides that I have about 5 projects going on at once. A long time ago I mentioned a project that's still under wraps. My friend and I are still working on that, but I'm hoping that by mid-August we'll unveil it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm really excited about it!



I'm also planning on starting a book review account on youtube. I'm thinking about hooking a blog with it so that people who prefer to read reviews have that choice. I don't know -- I haven't decided yet. I don't know how comfortable I'll be in front of a camera.


I also want to talk about what I plan on doing with this blog. Lately I use it as a place to post my practice reviews. I love talking about the things I watch/read/whatever. I like reviewing but I also LOVE to speculate. I'm going to continue using this blog to talk about things I'm excited about, and to post some of my wild theories about the series I'm into. I'm hoping that things are calming down and that I'll have time to post here more.

So (hopefully) in the near future I'll get these projects kicked off and I'll start posting more often again. Patience, lovies, patience. ;)

Forgive My Fins

Normally I wouldn't read books like Forgive my Fins because when I read the description it sounded like something I wouldn't like. However, I read Tera Lynn Childs' other books (i.e. Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp) and enjoyed them so I figured I'd give this a shot. I love Tera Lynn Childs' way of writing. It's funny, cute, quirky, and just down-right FUN. I was feeling in the mood for something light and fluffy and this is just what I needed!

SO if you're looking for something soul-shatteringly deep then this book isn't for you. The plot might even be considered a tad shallow (not to use ocean puns!) but if you're up for a cute fluffy and light-hearted read then by all means pick it up!

The description goes as follows--

"Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned. "

Okay, okay. Cheesy, right? I know, but like I said. Tera Lynn Childs' has a way of making it work. As soon as you start reading you're pulled into Lily's world and you don't want to leave until you turn the last page. Her descriptions of the underwater kingdom of Thalassinia paints a beautiful image and left me wishing that it was a real place. The ocean slang was giggle worthy and a lot of fun. You could see how much creativity she put into it.

I really enjoyed Lily as a main character. She managed to be strong while still having her insecurities. She was headstrong and at times borderline selfish, and where that's not always a good thing this felt right. When you're in a situation that you don't want to be in -- especially with someone you don't like -- you won't act perfect. She wasn't a selfish brat throughout the book, she just had moments like anyone would and she acted human. I liked that Lily had flaws.

The other characters were interesting. Quince in particular was a lot of fun. I loved every scene involving him. The author definitely did a good job at portraying the hot bad boy neighbor.

However, Brody and Lily's best (human) friend, Shannen needed to be fleshed out more. They felt generic to me, like I could open any other young adult novel and find them there. Nothing sparked my attention and made me feel attached. One of them could have fallen off a cliff and I wouldn't have cared. (Okay, I might have cared a little for Shannen. You get my point.)

The mermaid magic was fun. I thought the "bond" was an interesting concept. Having someone being able to feel whatever your feeling is a cool idea. I also thought that making mermaids eyes sparkle when they cry was cute. It was a fun way to make it possible to tell that someone is crying in the ocean. I did want to know more about the magic, but the story was fine without it.

The one thing that bugged me about the story was that Lily being a mermaid was accepted very easily. (That's not a spoiler. Obviously, from the summary, someone finds out!) I don't know about you but if someone said to me, "Hey, just so you know I'm a mermaid." I'd brush it off with a "Yeah, right. Who are you kiddin'?" I felt like there was a bit of a cop out there, and it frustrated me. There should have been demands of proof, and less teenage drama.

Overall I really did enjoy the story. I've been overloading on murder mysteries and I felt like I needed something light-hearted and this was exactly what the doctor ordered. A perfect book to read over the Summer! I'd give it 4/5 stars. I will definitely be reading Fins are Forever.

Now all I need is for a hot guy on a motorcycle to move in next door....

Till next time~

Toradora!

I was horrified to realize I never did a post on Toradora! so it's 1:30 in the morning and I'm typing up a blog entry. GO ME! Haha!

Toradora! is a romantic comedy that would also fall under the slice of life category.

Probably one of the most unique romantic comedies I've watched in a long time, Toradora! manages to tug at your heart strings while being laugh out loud funny. The plot goes as follows;

Aisaka Taiga, a short girl who's violent nature has gotten her the nickname "The palmtop tiger," bumps into the schools mislabeled delinquent, Takasu Ryuuji, who's scary appearance has gotten himself to be rumored the schools most dangerous student. Some crazy events occur and the discovery is made that each of them is best friends with the others crush and so the agreement is made that they will help each other to gain their hearts desires.

The plot is the reason I kept putting off watching the show. I thought it sounded cliche' and borderline stupid. Then a friend of mine told me I **HAD** to watch it so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I'm really glad I did.

Where the plot sounds really silly, it's actually pretty cute. The characters are all really unique. Taiga is borderline awful throughout the whole series. She's brash, short tempered, bossy, and violent. Of course she has her charming qualities like her fierce loyalty, and as she grows throughout the story you start to sympathize with her. Ryuuji, being her complete opposite, is everything you don't expect him to be. Considerate, sweet, kind, shy, non-confrontational. They're both really easy characters to like.

The rest of the cast is a lot of fun. They're each different, and where there are a few predictable ones it doesn't take away from the show. Of course there's the rival of love for Taiga, and the best friends, but like I said. They all add to the show in their own way.

It's pretty obvious where the story goes. They each work towards their goals of getting their respectable love interests attention, and somewhere along the way they fall for each other. Even though the storyline is pretty predictable it doesn't make the journey any less interesting.

They throw a few curve balls into the plot. Things you might not see coming, or just silly things you didn't expect. I think it makes the series more enjoyable, and keeps you watching till the very end.

The art is really cute. It instantly made me think of "Zero no Tsukaima" with it's chibi-like style. The animation is pretty nice. Every once in awhile something will seem off, but it's nothing offensive to the eyes.

The voice acting is WONDERFUL. Minori, in particular, has a very unique way of speaking and her voice actress does a great job.

Basically the show is light hearted, fluffy, and fun. There will be moments where you will laugh out loud, and other moments where you'll feel like crying. The former more than the latter. I'd recommend this show to anyone who enjoys a good romantic comedy.

I'd give it a 4 out of 5.

Till next time~.

Kimi Ni Todoke (Anime)

So this review is for Kimi Ni Todoke (the anime not the manga.) which falls under the shoujo, romance, slice of life, comedy categories.

For the most part Kimi Ni Todoke followed the manga pretty closely. I'm really happy about that since I love the manga and I hate when it gets converted into anime and they suddenly veer off track. With where the show ended it seems like they were setting up for what I hope will be a Season 2. If not they left some major loose ends!

The story follows a high school girl named Sawako Kuronuma who struggles with being "heard" by her fellow classmates. Because of her gloomy appearance she gains the nickname "Sadako" and rumors float around about her being able to channel spirits and such. This leaves her with having no friends and most of her classmates won't approach her.

That is until the most popular guy in her grade, Kazehaya, starts talking to her. Suddenly Sawako finds herself in situations she doesn't know how to handle.

And so the love story begins....

Okay, I know. That sounds really cliche (and lame), and if I'm being honest, it is cliche'. The entire story is so adorable you might start puking rainbows. There are a lot of things that happen that are so predictable that it's almost painful, but there's something about this story that is really enjoyable.

One of the things I enjoy most about this series is the characters. Sawako in particular is a breath of fresh air. When I start a shojo series I'm usually expecting a headstrong female lead with strange quirks that come with the territory. Sawako is the complete opposite of most female leads. She's actually very weak and lets people push her around. Her goal is to be accepted by her classmates so she does anything to please them. She's also really naive and old fashioned. I really enjoy watching her character develop even if I find myself getting impatient with her.

The other characters are also really enjoyable. Ayane and Chizu's friendship with Sawako is fun to watch, and the growing love interest between Kazehaya and Sawako is always charming. One character to watch in particular would be Coach Pin. He really stands out to me and he's always good for a laugh.

Both the animation and the art in this series is lovely. Sometimes you'll see some awkward stuff (like a hand that seems too large) but I think that happens with every series. I really really like the way things are colored. It's simple and clean, and I like that.

Oh, and I have to give props to everyone having real hair colors. I'm glad I haven't seen a random blue haired fellow pop-up anywhere. That's nice for a change.

I'm not sure what makes this series stand out. I think part of the reason is that it's very easy to relate to. Sawako's situation isn't that strange, and in most cases, everyone has been in her shoe's before. Whether it's feeling alienated from a group of people, or just being uncomfortable and not knowing how to handle a situation.

On the romantic level of the story, Kazehaya and Sawako will drive you insane. This story progresses slowly. Sometimes the characters spend whole episodes dancing around each other and it's enough to make you want to scream. I don't really think anyone is that naive, but it's not enough to make you stop watching.

So if you're looking for an action-packed thriller with awesome weapons and crazy enemies... then this isn't for you. Kimi Ni Todoke is a slow progressing story that tugs at your heart-strings and makes you turn into a puddle of mush. If you like fluff, romance, shojo, slice of life, and general adorable-ness, give it a shot!

I'd give it 4/5 stars.

Till next time.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth

Oh my God. This game just about took over my life. Two years after playing Apollo Justice Ace Attorney we finally get a new installment into the series.

AHHHHHHHHH!

So not only has this game managed to respark my obsession with the Ace Attorney games, it also seems to have sparked my imagination. I've been drawing up a storm and I even wrote FANFICTION. Really bad fanfiction, but fanfiction nonetheless.

I reread the post I made way back in May about the game and it made me smile at how excited I was. Not that anything changed. I'm still excited and the game is over now. LOL.

Onward to the spazz-fest! I'll try to keep it spoiler free.

The first case was exactly what I expected from the Ace Attorney series. The first cases are always just a practice run with an awesome storyline. You won't bust your brain figuring it out but they're not so easy that it leaves veteran players bored. They're great introductions for both people who have never played the games and people who have. Even better is that we get to see Gumshoe -- and another familiar face! -- Maggey Byrd! She has a whole new design this time and she's looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself.

After playing the first case I came to the conclusion I LOVED playing as Edgeworth and seeing inside his mind. I found it hilarious that where Phoenix and Apollo had a "Court Record" and their respective devices to help them seek out the truth, Edgeworth gets an ORGANIZER and a LOGIC mode. Phoenix, Apollo, I love you but in comparison you really seem a little scatter-brained.

Case 2 -- So what do we get to see in case 2? Bondage Edgeworth. Yesssss!!!

There's a murder on a plane, and Edgeworth gets involved. Of course there's more to it than that, but that's the gist. Instantly we get carried away by a cast of crazy Ace Attorney witnesses/suspects/characters that instantly brought a smile to my face. We don't get introduced to any characters that stay with you throughout the game but this case is anything but boring and it sets up the rest of the game for an awesome plot.

Case 3-- Now here's where the meat is. Why do I say that? Well because...MORE BONDAGE EDGEWORTH, YAY. Ok, no. This is where our "Thief of Truth" comes bouncing into the scene. Kay Faraday.

If I'm going to be completely honest I thought I was going to hate Kay. I was nervous that the creators were just grasping at straws with a "Thief of Truth" (which sounded pretty lame at the time) that just happens to be a girl in a very short skirt. I was pleasantly surprised that I instantly fell in love with her. She definitely has the Maya/Ema/Trucy vibes. All of the series female side-kicks are teenagers with very strong personalities. Usually that would annoy me but the creators make them realistic enough and surprisingly, it doesn't feel like pedophilia. LOL

Not only do we get to meet the sunny personality of Kay, but we also meet Edgeworth's newest rival for the first time. An Interpol Agent Shi-Long Lang and his assistant Shih-na. Oh my god. Let me just say that Agent Lang instantly became one of my favorite characters. I love everything about him. His design, personality, his THEME MUSIC. I just about died. His assistant Shih-na is also an interesting character. Very mysterious, and all that.

So yes, Case 3, The Kidnapped Turnabout, is awesome. New characters pop in, and old ones flutter about throughout the case. One happens to be Ema Skye which just about had me bursting from happiness. I love seeing her develop throughout the series. In the first game she's 16, and by the time she becomes our lead detective in Apollo Justice she's 25. Seeing her grow up is a nice little extra on the side.

Case 4- FLASHBACK CASE. We are taken back in time to Edgeworth's prosecution debut! Wait, what?? We did that before?? No, silly. We were at his first trial. This was supposed to be his first case but everything went awry!

This competes with Case 5 (the final one) as my favorite. Not only do we get to see Edgeworth being adorably nervous and trying so hard to dress to impress but we also get to see 13 year old FRAZISKA VON KARMA. I'd say she was adorable but she'd whip me to pieces.

So why is this case so lovable? Well, besides Detective Badd, who is badass, and a great storyline that I can't say anything about for fear of spoiling, I got so much joy out of this case for the simple reason of the Franny and Edgey interaction. I knew that they thought of each other as siblings...kind of. But seeing them interact really gives you an idea of their relationship. I was hysterical at the banter when you examine the snack machine in the hallway of the court house.

This game not only gave a whole new dimension to Edgeworth, but also to Franziska Von Karma. In the other games they made a point to make a whip wielding bitchy prosecutor. They gave her some nice character development but still managed to make her seem rather...cold. So while poor Edgeworth had to deal with some lashings from her whippity whip we get to see some whole new sides to little Franny.

Okay phew. One more case, and what a case it is.

Case 5, Turnabout Ablaze is.....wow. Just wow. You switch between partnering up with Kay, and Franziska in this one. There's a lot of twists and turns and around the corner are some good lulz. There is so much that happens in this case...and as you reach the end it really explodes.

It's mind-meltingly fantastic. I'm not sure if it tops Justice for All's Farewell, My Turnabout, but man. It's good.

So, is this game a great addition to the series? Yes. Good stand alone game? Eh. I think people new to the series would enjoy it but would miss out on a lot of the humor when characters from the other games come into the scene. The incorporation of being able to move around freely at crime scenes is really nice. It gives a new element to the game that the just pointing and clicking at crime scenes didn't have. I really enjoyed the logic mode which involved tying bits of information to each other. It was nice to be following Edgeworth's train of thought most of the time.

I could go on and on forever. If you can't tell I really positively absolutely enjoyed this game to the fullest and I can't wait for the next release to the series. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long, but I don't think there is any information currently out about the next one.

Will I replay it? Most definitely.

Only downside? LACK OF PHOENIX. D:

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth was a wild ride and I loved it. I hope to see more of Agent Lang in the near future...(Creators please? Just a little??)

Lang Zi says: Till next time!

Updates

I keep putting off updating until I finish the Ace Attorney: Investigations game. I plan on doing a massive (and I mean MASSIVE) post on it as soon as I finish case 5.

Okay, so one whole month has passed. (Wow! So fast!) In that time my friend and I finished Ergo Proxy (Very disappointing) and Nodame Cantabile. I'll be doing posts about both of them later. By recommendation I started watching Toradora! last week and I'm up to episode 15. Really cute anime. I kept putting off starting it and now I'm glad that I finally did. It's adorable and good for a laugh.

Oh, and now my friend and I are watching the Aoi Bungaku Series. It's depressing but the animation is lovely. More on that later as well.

I find myself wondering about the anime with an exclamation point on the end of the title. Baccano!, Toradora!, there's another one but I can't remember how to spell it. Does that make the series seem more appealing to the watcher? Maybe it does...since obviously I tend to watch them. Hmm...

Video games I've, obviously, been playing (and drooling over) Ace Attorney: Investigations. Which is amazing. And I won't talk about anymore than that. But it's amazing. Did I say that already?

I haven't been reading much manga as of late. This past month has been really busy for me. I'm hoping after the next two weeks pass things will calm down a bit. I have, however, continued reading the updates on the series I already have started. Last night I read the latest chapter for Kaichou wa Maid-sama. If I'm being completely honest I'm starting to get bored with the series. I think the author is dragging the mystery of Usui out too long. I'm hoping she changes that soon because I'd be sad if the series starts to go downhill.

I'm still pumped about the anime being released in the Spring though!

Regular book-wise, I've been rereading Pride and Prejudice by the lovely Jane Austen (bow down fools), and I also started James Patterson's "First to Die". This is the first James Patterson book I've read (SHOCK!) and I'm not very far yet. I like his writing style a lot. I'm hoping I can jump into this book some more later in the week. I was in the mood for a good thriller after finishing up The Haunted Bookshop mysteries (which are wonderful). I miss Jack. ;___;

Oh, and just to state where I stand on American Idol -- Crystal and Lee are my American Idols. Period. No questions asked. I also like Andrew, Casey, and Lily.

Alright, so this post wasn't anything productive. Just an update on all the crap I entertain myself with.

Will post again in the near future. (I hope)

Sleep now.

Till next time, cupcakes!

Welcome to the NHK

Welcome to the NHK is a psychological shoujo anime that would fall into the slice of life, comedy, and romance categories.

The story follows Satou, a 22 year old college drop-out who has given into his fears and has become a hikikomori. (Hikikomori's are people who are so reclusive that they won't leave their own home, and in some cases have an extreme fear of doing so.) He believes everything to be a conspiracy, and that there is an organization behind it all. The NHK. (Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai) Which in reality, he has made up as an excuse for his own fears. He lives out his days in his apartment having conversations with his appliances and only going to get food at a convenience store late at night. That is until one day a girl and her Aunt knock on his door trying to sell something to him. That's when the girl decides to make him her project and cure him of his "disease".

And so the story begins...

I have to say this anime is one of the strangest shows I have ever watched. And that's saying something. This show can manage to draw you in, while still being completely ridiculous. I think what's so compelling about this show is that the characters are very real. Their emotions and short comings are things you see in real people. Of course it's anime so everything is over the top, but that's what makes it fun.

So you have the main character Satou who is a complete screw up and when he's not completely pitiable, he's being an ass. Then Misaki, the girl who decides that she's going to cure him. Misaki is one of the most fascinating characters you will run into in a series. There is a lot of mystery surrounding her past, and why she wants to help Satou. In fact you don't find out her ulterior motive for helping him until near the end.

Then there's Yamazaki, Satou's neighbor who also happened to be his junior in high school. Satou and Yamazaki shared a short incident in school together, and after finding out that they're neighbors become friends. Yamazaki becomes an important character in the series, and is probably the most likable.

The whole cast of characters in this show are original with strong personalities that complement each other. They all have their own quirks and flaws which really helps flesh them out. In fact most of the characters have more bad qualities than good which makes them seem more realistic.

You follow Satou through his whole journey starting with admitting he is, indeed, a hikikomori. Watching him struggle through his problems is a hilarious trip of it's own. Like, for example, when he's feeling anxiety about doing something his appliances gain faces and encourage him not to do it and that it's all a conspiracy planted by the NHK.

Another great thing about this show is that they're not afraid to make the characters look ugly. People aren't perfect, and they don't look perfect all the time either. You see Satou in so many stages as he works through his problems you feel like you personally know him, and even understand him.

And Satou isn't the only one with issues throughout the series. All the characters are struggling in their own way to find themselves and make a place in the world. All this is done while keeping a light and airy atmosphere. How they managed that I don't know, but it's very impressive and makes it a very enjoyable anime that you get a lot of laughs out of.

Now the animation isn't anything grand. There are times the faces look off and nothing is very detailed. It's so-so and could have been a lot better but it's nothing that should turn you away from the show. The facial expressions are over-exaggerated which makes them hilarious and the voice acting is superb. The soundtrack suits the show and helps make a lot of the scenes. Especially the ones between Satou and Yamazaki.

Overall I give Welcome to the NHK an 8/10. The story is fun but manages to keep a serious undertone about it. The comedy comes in at the perfect times and you're laughing more than you're not. I highly recommend it for people who enjoy a bit of drama and a whole lot of silliness.

Oh, and something interesting I learned after watching this was that hikikomoris actually exist. I had never heard of a hikikomori and I assumed it was made up for the show. I was reading a news article about it and it's actually really sad!

Anyway, that's all for tonight.

Till next time

I have no idea what to name this

Ahoy there! I'm feeling pretty dandy tonight so I thought maybe I'd pop on and dust off the cob-webs with a good old-fashioned post.

Ok, so as of late I've been using this place to post up my 'reviews' (if they can be called that) of shows/books/games etc, etc. There is a reason for that and it's still currently under wraps but bear with me. I need practice and this a good place to start. I still plan on posting up my over thought-out speculation of shows. I just haven't found any that are currently airing that need speculation. I'm keeping my eye out for any that might intrigue me.

Another thing I want to work on is making a nicer layout for this place. I've always thought it looked kind of junkie and boring. I just never sat down to try to figure it out. I'm hoping that by posting this it will force me into wanting to get it done. So we'll see.

The last couple posts I kept mentioning how I wanted to go to Setsucon. Sadly, my plans didn't work out and I had to skip for this year. However, I think it's almost a definite (almost) yes that I'll get to be at Otakon. Which is exciting! I'm already planning out what to do for cosplay. I want to have two ready, and while it's months away I feel like I need to get started so I'm going to have to set in stone which characters I want to do.

Alright, that's enough of that.

I'm almost finished with Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. I'm in the last temple and I'm going to try to finish that up this weekend. The only reason I haven't finished it already is because I couldn't wait any longer and I had my brother pick up Final Fantasy: Crystal Bearers for me. I know that the game itself is really short and probably isn't worth the $50 but I'm having so much fun that I can't regret buying it. The graphics are gorgeous and the gameplay is pretty nice. It took me a bit to get used to the controls but now it's no problem. I'll admit that the characters aren't anything earth shattering. They're all a bit cookie cutter and (at least where I'm at in the game) there isn't much depth to them. However, I LOVE the character's designs. I'm looking forward to playing the game some more in my free time.

My mom and I finished all the seasons of The Closer that were out on DVD so now we're going to be starting Psych. I seriously love The Closer. I think the characters are quirky, fun and extremely diverse. The character development over the seasons is some of the best character development I've seen. I also like that the lead character is a very believable strong female. She's not a genius, she can be very emotional, and she can be borderline awful at times. This is one of the only American television shows that I've felt like I could walk down the street and actually run into one of these characters. It's refreshing to see.

Anime and reading-wise not much has changed. I'm still watching Kimi ni Todoke, and I'll be finishing up Ergo Proxy with my friend this weekend. I'm finishing up the last book (that's currently out) in the Haunted Bookshop mysteries and I haven't added any new manga series to the never-ending list.

In other news my 8 gb Zune died after only owning it a little more than a year and a half. I was none too thrilled to have to fork out the cash to buy another one. This time I bought a three year warranty so they won't be able to pull the same shit again and now that I have my new one I have to confess I love it. It's a touch screen which is really spiffy, and now that all my music is back on it (and I upgraded to 16 gb's) I'm pretty happy. I named it Ranger.

I have to give Amazon some major props. I ordered it Thursday afternoon and I had in my hands on Friday morning. Amazon you are the shit and I will never doubt you. Take my soul.

Oh, and now our printer is dieing. It won't scan stuff anymore. LOL. ELECTRONIC HELL.

Alright, that's enough for now. I have to go stop the dogs from chewing on the wall.

Ciao~

2010

Happy New Year! Another year has passed already! I was rereading my post last year to see what I said and I realized that while 2008 had been such a joy for me, 2009 just...wasn't. I'm not going to go emo, and bore anyone with the details. I'm just saying that for me and my family this year has been a tough one.

But besides all the sad/bad things things there were a lot of good things that happened to me this year too.

The biggest one being that I got my first job, and while it's still a job and sometimes it's the last thing I feel like doing, I really truely love it. I'm overjoyed to work where I do and I don't think I'd be this happy anywhere else. So I'm very grateful.

I've also gotten into a lot of different series this past year that I love. The Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich being a huge one. Then there's Bones (was that only this year?), Criminal Minds, The Closer, and many more I might be forgetting.

Anime-wise I got to watch some series on my own, and I watched a lot with a great friend. Because of her I experienced Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo which I normally wouldn't have watched if I had been picking the series myself. I also fell in love with the show Baccano! I could list tons and tons of series I've watched and enjoyed but those are the few that I wanted to mention.

I've also read piles of manga this year. I think it was this year that High School Debut ended. It was also this year that I picked up on Dengeki Daisy, Kimi Ni Todoke, and Kaichou wa Maid-sama. I'm looking forward to continuing reading Faster than a Kiss, and Karin (whenever they update it) and all the other series I started.

In regular books (besides Stephanie plum) I've read great series like The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, Jaine Austen Mysteries, and the Dixie Hemmingway mysteries. This year I rediscovered how much I love the mystery genre. Not just computer games, but BOOKS. I was also disappointed that Young Adult books severely lack in the mystery genre. You can hardly find any! I also continue to enjoy the Morganville Vampire series, and anxiously await the next Kitty Kitty book by Michele Jaffe.

I can't think of any games that left a huge impact on me this year, but I continue to carry my fandoms of the Ace attorney games, Professor layton, and the Tales of series. Playing Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks was a great way to end the year. Especially since I think it was one of the best games of the year.

I really do feel like I've done a lot this year. I watched movies, had fun with my mom, drew, chatted with friends, grew apart from friends, and got to know new ones.

I joined websites, procrastinated, played games, saw plays, smiled, laughed, cried, grumped, joked, and just tried to enjoy what free time I had by doing what I love.

I have also gotten to experience the joys and woes of having puppies in the house. They have brought such joy into the house. There really isn't anything quite like a dog.

Now, I have a few resolutions for this year --

- Try to be more confident in myself and my abilities.

- Improve myself in the things I love. (i.e. drawing, AMV making, writing)

- Stop worrying so damn much.

- Keeping my room CLEAN. I MISS MY FLOOR!

Those are just some that I've been thinking about today.

And there are a few things I'm looking forward to this coming year. Later this month (if all works out) I'll be going to Setsucon. In February Ace Attorney: Investigations comes out. Kaichou wa Maid-Sama the anime will be premiering sometime in the Spring. I'm also planning on attending Otakon this Summer as well!

All in all, I feel like I have done a lot of growing and maturing this year. I'm far from being an adult, but I feel more grown up. And as much as I don't want to turn 18 later this year I'm not scared anymore.

Let's see what the future brings, yes?

Happy New Year...

2010, here we are.

Till next time