Petit Yume

Ouran High School Host Club #14 - Puppy Eyes!

2006-07-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

Moe Moe Ouran vol. 8 - Glasses Edition

Episode 14 of Ouran adapts Chapter 16 of the manga, in which the president of the newspaper club investigates the Host Club. The paper is little more than a tabloid, and the club is in danger of being shut down if circulation doesn't improve (the only people buying it currently are the two other club members.) He decides to investigate the Host Club, looking for a scandal. There's also a second, secret motivation, to bring down Tamaki, whom the club president blames for all his problems.

Puppy Eyes

We get plenty of Tamaki this week; showing off his innocent side. In many ways, Tamaki is a big kid making up for lost time. He believes that clubs are about making a family, which is due in part to his lonely childhood. When we get flashbacks of how Tamaki invited the other Host Club members to join, it's incredibly touching. I just about cried.

Mr. Bunny wants you to join the Host Club.

My favorite parts of the episode are when Tamaki makes 'puppy eyes'. He even does little 'wan-wan' noises. I loved the scene where the Host Club members find Tamaki and Haruhi in the gazebo; both of them have puppy faces.

Puppy Eyes 2.0

I also liked Haruhi's reaction when she found out that the Suoh family runs Ouran. The 'crank' noises as she turned her head were great, and her expression was priceless.

Say WHAT!?

Mamotte! Lollipop #1 - Protect me from the cliches!

2006-07-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

No pictures this time, since I deleted the episode as soon as I finished watching it.

A girl accidentally swallows a pearl used in a magical test. Everyone who's taking the test is after the pearl, and they plan to get it back, even if it means killing the girl who swallowed it. Two bishounen, Zero and Ichi, decide to protect her from the other students.

What was an interesting concept is ruined by mediocre execution. The main character is "Shoujo Heroine 101" material, and her 'protectors' are as flat as cardboard. As for the mascot character, once again, it's by-the-book design. I also found the thing's personality to be annoying. Heck, everyone in this anime annoys me.

Final Verdict:
With annoying characters and cliches abound, I have no plans to watch anymore of this anime.

PowerPuff Girls Z #1 - Now with new and improved Chemical Z!

2006-07-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

Demashita! PowerPuff Girls Z

PowerPuff Girls Z is a lot of fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is a good thing. Although a lot has been changed from the original American show, it's still the PowerPuff Girls. Battles are fought with physical attacks (albeit with weapons); collateral damage is high, and the Mayor is still hopeless. The original characters return, along with a few new ones.

I hope they have insurance.

This episode was divided into two parts. The first part was a standard "stop Mojo(jojo)'s evil plan!" scenario. Highlights include Mojo asking for the PPG's autograph, and a mid-battle break for ice-cream (w/ onscreen text telling us what flavors they ordered.) Part two introduces the girls in civilian form, and tells the origins of the PPGs and the villains.

Can I have your autograph?

My favorite flavor is chocolate fudge.

Who ya gonna call? PPGZ!

The Return: Spring 2006 Wrap-up & Summer 2006 Preview

2006-07-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Moving went pretty well, although I'm still without TV and a phone line. I've missed a few weeks of blogging Ouran and xxxHOLiC, but I will get to them sometime soon. For today, it's my Spring favorites, and info on what shows I'm following this season.

Spring 2006 - Best of Anime

Best New Anime: Ouran High School Host Club
Best Female Character: Haruhi Fujioka
Best Male Character: Tamaki Suoh
Best OP: Ouran High School Host Club
Best ED: The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi
Biggest Surprise: Ouran High School Host Club
Biggest Disappointment: .hack//roots

Ouran FTW

Ouran is the big winner this season. I hadn't even heard of the series before the blogs started recommending it, but it now one of my favorite anime. If it hadn't been for the sheer awesomeness of that other Haruhi show's ED, Ouran would have had a clean sweep.

A lot of the shows I'd been looking forward to turned out to be real disappointments. The only series of my original "must watch" list that remains is xxxHOLiC, and even it didn't fully live up to my expectations. (I decided to wait on the second season of Tsubasa because I didn't finish the first one before it was licensed.) I'm thankful for unexpected gems like Ouran and Good Witch of the West.

Summer 2006 - Shows I Plan to Watch

I might try out some other series, but these are the main ones I'm interested in.

PowerPuff Girls Z - I enjoyed the original series, and I'm a sucker for magical girls.
Mamotte! Lollipop - It looks cute, so I want to try it.
Bokura ga Ita - Shoujo romance, directed by the guy who did the Fruits Basket and Kodocha anime.
Angelique - Based on a dating sim for girls? Definite guilty pleasure material.

Updates, or the lack there of...

2006-06-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

Moving in progress.

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to blog much over the last few weeks due to events in real life. I'll be busy for the rest of June, because I'm moving (Yay! No more living with my parents!) If possible, I'll make a few entries, but Petit Yume is officially on hiatus until the beginning of July.

Enjoy the rest of June!

On the Subject of AMVs

2006-06-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

I make AMVs, and like watching those made by other people. However, a lot of AMVs make mistakes that prevent me from enjoying them. What can creators do to make their AMVs better? Below is a list of suggestions for creating a good AMV.

Ojamajo_LimePie's Guide to Good AMVs

Rule 1: Clean Source Footage (aka "I can't stop reading the subs at the bottom!")
You want your video source to be as clean as possible; fansubs just won't cut it. Subtitles on the bottom of the screen distract the viewer, not to mention that they look sloppy. The best option is to rip footage directly from the commercial DVD. If the anime is available your country, you have no excuse not to do this. Even if you don't own the series, you can rent the discs and rip from them. For newer shows or those that don't have a local release, search for raws to download. As a last resort, crop the subtitles out of fansub footage (make sure all footage is cropped by the same amount, see Rule 4.)

Rule 2: Originality (aka "No, I don't want to see your Advent Children 'My Immortal' AMV.")
It gets boring when every AMV seems to use the same anime/music combination. Viewers will pass over an AMV if the idea has already been done to death. However, if you do want to use an anime/music combo that's been done before, make sure it has something special to offer that the other AMVs of its type don't.

Rule 3: Diversity (aka "Don't use 'Moonlight Densetsu' for a Sailormoon AMV.")
Using a song from the same series as the video footage is boring. Some also see it as a sign of a 'newbie'. Mix it up a little.

Rule 4: Aspect Ratio (aka "Is this supposed to be 16:9 or 4:3?")
Keep the same aspect ratio (widescreen vs. fullscreen) and video size throughout the whole AMV. When using source materials that have both, decide on one aspect ratio and crop the video that has uses the other ratio (top and bottom for widescreen, sides for fullscreen.) Don't just resize the video; it looks bad when stretched, and even worse when squashed. Make sure that the width and height of all your clips match before creating the AMV.

Rule 5: Synch (aka "That clip is there, why?")
Synching footage to music is what AMVs are all about. There are two kinds of synch: beat synch and lyric synch. Beat synch is timing the footage to the musical cues of the song; lyric synch is matching what's going on in the video with the lyrics of the song. AMVs don't necessarily need lyric synch, but beat synch is important. Don't just throw in clips with no regard to timing; make sure they match the music.

Rule 6: Editing Programs (aka "Windows Movie Maker is the Devil!")
The title pretty much sums it up. There are much better editors out there (both free ones and those that cost money.)

For more indepth AMV-related information, visit AnimeMusicVideos.org

xxxHOLiC #8 - Contract

2006-06-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Help, I'm surrounded by crazy people!

One word describes this episode: creepy. A cautionary tale, the legend of the monkey paw has been scaring people for ages, and xxxHOLiC's version delivers with style. The teacher ignores the multiple warnings, believing herself to be special. This is a classic "pride cometh before the fall" situation. And when she falls; she falls hard.

Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it.

I was glad that the anime didn't soften the ending, like it did with the lying woman. The story would lose its impact without the element of death, both that of the unnamed woman and the main character. xxxHOLiC is a horror manga at its core, and the anime staff needs to remember that.

There's something about Himawari.

Yuuko has warned Watanuki that it isn't necessarily good luck that he likes Himawari. There's definitely something up with her. The seal shouldn't have broken just by someone touching it. Is Himawari unaware of her power, or is it something more sinister? I have no idea.

Yuuko is NOT a morning person.

Ouran High School Host Club #8 - During Which I Squeal Like A Fangirl

2006-05-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

Everyone Loves Haruhi

Is it possible? Has this passed Episode 4 as my favorite? I do believe it has. The inner-TamakixHaruhi fangirl was squealing almost constantly this time.

How romantic!

The Host Club takes a trip to the beach. Unfortunately, a Host's work is never done; Tamaki had Kyouya invite customers along, in order to keep everyone from seeing Haruhi in a swimsuit. A little bit overprotective, aren't we, Tamaki? When some guys start to harass the Host Club's guests, Haruhi steps in to stop it. She isn't quite up to the task, and Tamaki ends up saving her. They get in an argument, with Tamaki saying that a lone girl shouldn't be fighting guys. The fight ends with Tamaki refusing to speak to Haruhi until she apologizes.

Got crab?

At dinner, the mood is rather tense, due to the continuing silence between Haruhi and Tamaki. Haruhi does enjoy her crab, though. She can't figure out why Tamaki is so upset; it doesn't matter that she's a girl, does it? Tamaki is annoyed that she doesn't understand, and leaves the table. The other Hosts tell Haruhi that they're also concerned, because they're her friends and they worry about her. Haruhi finally gets it, and says she's sorry.

A moment of reflection.

Nature calls and Haruhi rushes to the nearest bathroom. When she comes out, she finds that she's in Kyouya's room. Haruhi apologizes to Kyouya for worrying him, but he says that he wasn't worried. He's sending flowers to the girls who were harassed, and Haruhi offers to pay for them. Kyouya dims the lights and suggests that Haruhi might pay with her body. Then he does the classic "fling her onto the bed and kneel over her" thing, but Haruhi is unfazed. She merely responds that he wouldn't really force himself on her, because there was no merit to it. Haruhi knows that Kyouya is just doing it to prove Tamaki's point.

Shocking, isn't it?

Just then, Tamaki walks in. Seeing the two of them in the room with the lights dimmed, Tamaki jumps into his "Papa" mode and demands to know what has been going on. Kyouya leaves, and Haruhi tells Tamaki that absolutely nothing happened. He doesn't believe her, and starts to walk out. Haruhi grabs his shirt to keep him from leave. A rumble of thunder is heard, and Haruhi starts freaking out. It seems that her weakness is thunderstorms. She excuses herself, and starts to climb into a wardrobe. Ever since she was little, Haruhi would hide during thunderstorms. Tamaki realizes that Haruhi was raised to rely on herself. He opens the wardrobe doors and tells Haruhi that he'll always be there for her. Haruhi flings herself into Tamaki's arms (insert fangirl squeal!) When the rest of the Host Club finds them, Tamaki has blindfolded Haruhi, and given her earplugs. His efforts to help Haruhi make it through the storm are misconstrued by the others to be some kind of SM thing, since they don't know about Haruhi's fear. Poor Tamaki.

Everyone Loves Haruhi, Part 2

Wow, I did a full episode summary. There was just too much in this episode to limit it to one paragraph. This episode puts drama center stage, but still has plenty of great laughs. Haruhi and the crabs completely cracked me up. The music extremely well scored, especially during the serious scenes. They wrote out the part with Nekozawa, but it wasn't the focus of the story. I think the episode would have been overcrowded if he'd made his cameo, and it might have messed up the pacing. No Renge this time, either.

I'll always be there for you.

I love Tamaki when he's serious (I love him when he's a goofball, too), and he's being serious for most of the episode. His love for Haruhi is so sweet, even if the ways in which he expresses it are odd. While I'm not opposed to other pairings (and rather like MorixHaruhi) TamakixHaruhi is my Ouran OTP. As such, this episode was heavenly for me. My favorite moment was when Haruhi threw herself into Tamaki's arms during the thunderstorm. It was just so beautiful.

Ouran High School Host Club #6-7 - Of Brats and Pools

2006-05-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I let myself get behind on blogging Ouran. I'd like to say I don't know why, but I do; I procrastinate. If I don't blog the episode as soon as I finish watching it, I'll put it aside and never get around to actually doing it. But I can't forgive myself if I do that to Ouran, since I love it so much.

Without further ado, Ouran High School Host Club episodes six and seven:

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Episode 6

Haruhi in disguise. Moe desu!

A brat begs become Tamaki's apprentice in the ways of the Host, but runs away when his training doesn't go so well. The Host Club investigates, and finds out that the reason the boy wanted to be a host was to get close to a girl he liked. She was moving to Germany soon, and he wanted to do something for her. Thanks to Tamaki, he's able to perform a piano duet with her before she moves.

A piano for two.

This episode wasn't as funny as usual, but it was still good. Afterall, an off-day for Ouran is comparable to a good day for most anime. Tamaki's speach about being a man rather than a Host was great. It's so rare that he takes anything seriously.

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Episode 7

Haruhi in a swimsuit!

The Host Club visits a soon-to-be-opened jungle pool complex owned by Kyouya's family. When Honey accidentally gets swept away, everyone splits up and searchs for him. Haruhi is with Mori, who isn't quite his usual self. Without Honey, Mori is lost. Honey is found (or, rather, finds them) in time to thwart a case of mistaken identity. After the incident, Haruhi finds out that Mori and Honey are related; the Morinozuka family served the Haninozuka family in the past, and the two clans were united in marriage a few generations ago. Mori feels that he must protect his friend.

The odd couple.

Mori actually got some decent screentime this episode! He even spoke! Although I'm more of a TamakixHaruhi fan, the MorixHaruhi scenes in this episode were really cute. Tarzan Honey was just so adorable, but I'm biased since he is my favorite male Host (Haruhi>everyone else.) I loved Renge-sama's cosplay. She's my favorite minor character, and I'm glad that she's getting extra appearances in the anime version. In short: Episode 7 = 'teh win.'

xxxHOLiC #7 - Hydrangea

2006-05-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

After taking a break from the supernatural last week, this episode brings the spirits back in full force. Watanuki is asked (more like ORDERED) by a rain spirit to "save her." Who is "she", and why does Doumeki need to come along? Moreover, what's with the ribbons?

I just adore the rain spirit. She's got usch a kick-butt attitude, and knows how to swing an umbrella like nobody's business. The corkscrew pigtails are also a plus in my book. I'd like to see more of her in future episodes.

The scenes under the hydrangea did a pretty good job of being creepy. They're not quite scary, but they give you a feeling of uneasiness. You know something is wrong. I was impressed by how they represented the hydrangea's voice. The sparks of light and the voice that changed pitch every word gave it an unearthly feeling. When Watanuki woke up holding hands with the skeleton, I got a lump in my throat.

Yuuko's outfit in the last few scenes is just fabulous. I want her wardrobe!

Three, three, three posts in one!

2006-05-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

I've been rather busy the last couple of weeks, and in doing so, missed blogging the 5th NANA episode. Sorry about that. I take care of that now, along with a few other interesting notes.

NANA #5

We get the rest of Nana O's backstory in this episode. It really tugged at my emotions; the train scene nearly brought me to tears. I loved how the animators used color (or lack there of) in the flashbacks.

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$600!?

The price for the PS3 is absolutely ridiculous! No way am I going to shell out $600 for just a console, even though that's where most of the Japanese RPGs will be. I'll definately buy one eventually, but not before it sees a few price drop. I guess I'll only be getting a Wii this year.

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12K Novels Licensed!

Tokyopop has announced that it has the rights to the Twelve Kingdoms novel series. Finally! I don't know how I'm going survive until next March, though.

xxxHOLiC #6 - Indulgence

2006-05-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Even Yuuko gets hangovers.

Today, Yuuko helps a woman addicted to the internet. No spirits involved, just human obsession. We got a cool Lupin III reference with the bat.

The root of all evil?

The issue of computer addiction applies to me. I'm not to the point where the lady in the story is, but I get jittery if I'm away from the computer for more than a few days. Most of that comes from thinking about how many emails and forum posts I'm going to have to read when I get back. I prefer not to be on the computer all day, so I hate taking the extra time sorting through the backlog. Still, I do spend upwards of five hours on the internet on an average day. That probably a little overboard.

Should I cut back? Probably.

Will I cut back? No.

The End

Spring 2006 Anime - Midterms

2006-05-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Spring 2006 anime season has been full of surprises. Of the four new shows I'm following, I'd only intended on watching one of them. Most of the shows I'd been planning to watch either turned out disappointing or haven't been subbed (although the latter isn't really a good excuse, since I can understand basic Japanese fairly well.) Let's see what I have been watching this spring...

#1 - Ouran High School Host Club

This is my favorite show of the season, and currently resides at #7 on my all-time favorite anime list. What I love most about Ouran is how it pokes fun at cliches of anime and its' fandom. Haruhi is a very down-to-earth heroine, honest to the point of being almost tactless (although she never means any harm.) Forget Suzumiya, Haruhi Fujioka is god!

#2 - xxxHOLiC

While it may not quite live up to the uber-high standards set by the manga, the xxxHOLiC anime is very good. Yuuko's such a great character. One minute she's all mysterious, the next she's teasing Watanuki and acting like a big kid (albeit one with an addiction to sake.) The only minor complaint I have about the series is that the Tsubasa crossover was cut. Still, xxxHOLiC can stand on its' own two feet just fine.

#3 - Good Witch of the West {Astrea Testament}

Good Witch was a pleasant surprise this season. I always love a good fantasy series, and this one delivers with its' combination of fairytale-like setting and intrigue. It's also got a strong, smart female lead, which makes me love the series even more.

#4 - NANA

Wow, the main characters are actually close to my own age. I'm just so used to child/teen characters due to the type of series I normally watch. This is a nice change. While my circumstances are very different than those of both Nanas, I can relate to what it feels like to be a woman at that age. And the music just rocks!

Versailles no Bara - Classic Shoujo At It's Best

2006-05-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

"Bara wa bara wa..." Dang, the OP is catchy!

I spent the weekend marathoning Versailles no Bara (The Rose of Versailles), the classic shoujo anime from 1979. It tells the story of Oscar, a woman raised as a man who becomes the captain of the French Royal Guards during the rule of Louis XVI. Oscar is a fictional character, but the anime depicts many of the real events that lead to the French Revolution. While the animation is ancient, and the story tends to dip into melodrama, it's so compelling that you just can't stop watching.

It's a shame that the series was never translated into English. I can somewhat understand why Versailles no Bara wasn't brought over when it was new; there's drinking, blood, suicide, infidelity and references to prostitution. Not the kind of stuff that the PTA would like. Now that it's old, no North American anime distributors would touch the series. This is a great loss for fandom, since it's one of the great classics of anime.

In short, Versailles no Bara is an excellent series that everyone should see. Don't miss out on a classic.

'Oscar... OSCAR!!!" Melodrama banzai!

xxxHOLic #5 - Shiritori

2006-05-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Don't you just wanna give him a big hug?

This week's (or should I say, last week's) episode moved along at a leasurely pace. With the exception of the shiritori scene, the general atmosphere was calm and somewhat nostalgic. I enjoyed sitting back and watching the episode take its course. Not everything has to move at a mile a minute.

We're introduced to the kitsune (foxes), who are some of my favorite side characters in the series. The little kitsune was adorable in his shyness; I just wanted to give him a big hug. Hopefully, they'll be back in future episodes.

Ouran High School Host Club #5 - In Which There Is Much Sibling Rivalry

2006-05-06T19:24:00.000-07:00

A comment from Haruhi sparks an argument between Hikaru and Kaoru. Chaos Insues...

We get some more character development for the twins in this episode. Tamaki can't hog all the camera time, although I'm sure he'd like to do just that. I'm impatiently waiting for Honey's turn in the spotlight, since he's my second favorite (Haruhi>everyone else.)

Ojamajo LimePie's Top 5 Moments of Episode 5:

Renge's Cameo

The girl knows how to make an entrance, what with the rotating platform and roses. Did I mention that Renge is my favorite supporting character? She's a hilarious send-up of the stereotypical fangirl.

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Tamaki's Fear of Beelzenef

The Black Magic Club's President has a voodoo doll named Beelzenef, of which Tamaki is terrified. He thinks it put a curse on him since, after he stepped on it once, he couldn't understand any of the writing on his exam. What really happened was that he ended up in a Greek language class by accident.

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Haruhi's Reaction to High Class Food

Looking at Haruhi's face as she tastes Hikaru's lunch makes me go all 'moe' inside.

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The Twins' Throwing Match

They have a couple different ones during the episode, but my favorite is the cafeteria scene. Honey, Mori, and even Tamaki get tossed back and forth like inanimate objects is great. Especially the look on Mori's face.

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Haruhi Snaps

Haruhi is generally level-headed and calm, so it's fun to see her lose her temper. Knocking the twins upside the head isn't really out of control, but it's as close as Haruhi gets.

This concludes "Ojamajo LimePie's Top 5 Moments of Episode 5". Please wait until the ride has come to a complete stop before proceding to the exit.

The Melancholy of Anime Blogging

2006-05-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

The hot topic among anime blogs this week is how a lot of anime blogs, new and old, lack originality. They post multi-paragraph episode summaries, screencaps, and only include a few sentences of opinion at the end of their entries. I've realized that Petit Yume is guilty of doing just that. I'm part of the problem.

I'm going to try some new things to make this a blog worth visiting:

First, the long summaries are going to be cut. By the time anyone gets around to reading this, they'll have already read summaries somewhere else. Besides, I don't even like writing summaries.
Second, there needs to me more of my own opinion in what I write. What makes a blog unique is the perspective from which it's written.
Third, I need to mix things up. Not every post needs to follow the same format. I can use lists, essays, pictures, etc. to make Petit Yume more fun to read. Also, I'll try to post more often than just when new episodes need reviewed.

Wish me luck!

Ouran High School Host Club #4 - The Invasion of the Female Manager

2006-05-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Wai~~~~! Episode 4 is finally out! And it's a good one.

Summary

Renge is a game otaku who's obsessed with the dating sim, Uki-Doki Memorial. More specifically, obsessed with the character Miyabi, whom Kyouya resembles. When her father brings home a picture taken at a business party with Kyouya's family, Renge thinks that Kyouya is Miyabi in the flesh. This prompts her to leave her home in Paris and head to Japan. She storms the Host Club and declares that Kyouya is now her fiance.

After worming her way into being the Host Club's 'manager', Renge insists that the hosts change their personalities, to have more of a 'shadowy' side. Kyouya is fine, of course, because Renge thinks that his personality is the same as the game character's (she couldn't be more wrong.) The problem is that, with the exception of Tamaki, they dislike being 'in character.' This is most evident with Honey, who just can't be a bully. He starts crying and apologizing when Renge makes him act mean to Haruhi.

While shooting a movie starring the Host Club's new personalities, she insists that two other students play the villains because their parents are Yakuza (mafia.) Said students don't like the idea, and lash out. Haruhi protects Renge, and tells her that you can't typecast people just because of who their parents are. Renge still doesn't get it.

Tamaki looks over to see what the all commotion is, and sees that Haruhi is crying. He slams one of the guys into the wall and demands to know who hurt Haruhi. She stops him; Haruhi is only crying because she lost her contact. Renge cuts in, asking if her film crew got all of that. It's the perfect end scene for her movie. But it's not to be; Kyouya smashes the camera's lens. He can't allow the any footage of club members being violent. Renge is upset; Miyabi wouldn't do that. Haruhi points out that Kyouya isn't Miyabi; Renge should get to know the real people, not just push them into stereotypes.

The next day, the girls at the Host Club are all excited about the new 'Host Club Movie'. It turns out that Kyouya saved the film and released it, minus the violent bit. When Renge comes in, the hosts asks her if she's returning to France. She says no; she's found a new love. And that love is Haruhi!

Comments:

Renge-chan is so funny! She's the epitome of fangirldom, complete with high pitched squeal. The scary thing is that I know people who act like this in real life.

This episode has a bunch of great in-jokes and references. Uki-Doki Memorial is a parody of Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side, a real dating sim. There's also references to 'otaku', 'moe', and the 'seme/uke' archetype. I love it when anime makes fun of its cliches, something that Ouran does frequently.

Four episode in, and still no drop in animation quality. Way to go, Bones! Ouran is one of the most beautiful shows of the season thanks to great art direction, and the smooth animation makes it even better. I hope the rest of the series keeps it up.

I can't wait for the next episode with the twins' fight.

xxxHOLiC #4 - Divination

2006-05-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

Summary

The episode begins with Watanuki and Himawari eating a picnic lunch together. To Watanuki's disappointment, Doumeki is there too (in the last episode, Watanuki agreed to making Doumeki's lunches, in return for his help with the exorcism.) Himawari brings out a fortune telling book, and asks for the guys' birthdays. When it turns out that Doumeki's birthday falls on Girls' Day, Watanuki teases him. Himawari thinks it's cute. This sends Watanuki into despair. He 'revives' after Himawari says that she and Watanuki have compatible sun signs.

Watanuki is in a good mood when he arrives at Yuuko's shop. When he tells Yuuko about the fortune, though, she brings him back down to Earth. The compatibility fortune only looked at sun signs; there are several other things that need to be taken into account to get a truly accurate reading. Yuuko decides to take Watanuki to see a real medium.

When they arrive at the first fortune teller's place, Yuuko remarks that something is wrong. Still, they go in to see the medium. There are forms on the table to be filled out with questions about name, date of birth, etc. Before the fortune teller begins, she remarks that Mokona is a cute doll. Watanuki is impressed with how accurate the medium is, but Yuuko is decidedly not. As they leave, Yuuko asks what the weather will be like. The fortune teller says that the weatherman predicted clear weather.

After they leave, Watanuki is asked by Yuuko why he was so impressed. She explains to him that the way that fortune teller worked was by asking questions that could go either way, then making her further 'predictions' based on what the client tells her in response to generic questions. The client believes that the medium knows all, but in reality the client is the one answering their own questions.

Yuuko still wants Watanuki to see a real medium. She turns her handkerchief into a butterfly, which they follow until they reach an old house. Watanuki wonders if they're in the right place, since there isn't a sign. An old women comes out of the house and said that she'd been waiting for them. She seems to be an old friend of Yuuko. The woman comes over to greet Watanuki and Mokona (she somehow knows that he's a living being), and tells Watanuki that it must be hard for him to be without parents. Watanuki is shocked that she knows that.

They all go inside and sit down at a table. The old woman asks for Watanuki's name. He asks if that's information for predicting his fortune. Actually, the medium just wanted to know what to call him. A bowl of sand with a pendulum is brought out. Watanuki and the woman put their hands onto a pair of handles, and the pendulum start drawing in the sand. The divination has begun.

The medium tells Watanuki that his parents are resting in peace. Watanuki is relieved to hear that; he'd been really worried about it. When the pendulum stops moving, we see that it's drawn a butterfly. Butterflies are a sign of change, and Watanuki's change has already begun. As a fee for the divination, she asks Watanuki to cook something with sake. Watanuki says that it hardly seems valuable enough, but old woman remarks that a home-cooked meal that's made with love is very valuable.

While Watanuki is in the kitchen, the old woman tells Yuuko that she is what started the change. Yuuko asks the medium what the weather will be, and the woman responds that it should clear up by the time they go home (it had started raining while they were inside.)

On the way home, Watanuki says that he wishes the old woman would have told him more about his relationship with Himawari. Yuuko tells him absolutely not. She comments that a medium can answer one's questions but they can't determine everything about the future. Then Yuuko suggests they go drinking.

Comments
That was a bloody long summary. Maybe I should cut back to just a paragraph outlining the general theme of the episode.

I really enjoyed this episode. Of the four I've seen, this is probably my favorite. There plenty of Yuuko screentime, which makes my really happy. Yuuko's just one of the coolest characters ever.

Dropped & Picked-up

2006-04-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'm dropping .hack/Roots and Strawberry Panic for the moment, due to my busy scheduale. While I enjoy both shows, there are other series I prefer to spend my limited time on.

I've also picked up a new series, Good Witch of the West. I was enchanted by the fantasy setting and references to classic Fairy Tales. If the first episode is anything to judge by, this could be one of the best titles of the season. Currently, I don't have plans to blog individual episodes of the series, but that may change in the future.

NANA #4 - Hachi's End :: Nana's Beginning

2006-04-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Summary

The first half of the episode finishes off Hachi's backstory. Hachi and Shouji find each other on the street and return to the hotel. They reconcile and become lovers. Shouji goes to Tokyo, while Nana stays behind and saves up money to join him once he's gotten into college.

Part two of the episode is the beginning of Nana Oosaki's story. Nana is a highschool drop-out who sings in a band named Black Stones. She lives with her lover, Ren, who's also a band member. We learn in a flashback that Nana was abandoned by her mother at the age of four, and was raised by her grandmother. Nana was never allowed to wear pink or red, because it might tempt men.

The Christmas after Nana's grandmother died, Nana bought herself a red dress with the money she'd saved from working. She went to a concert with one of her friends, and there she met Ren for the first time. Ren was also abandoned as a child; he was found in an old warehouse when he was a baby. He still lives in the warehouse.

Back in the present, Nana and Ren have sex. Afterwards, Ren tells her that he's going to Tokyo, and that Nana can do as she likes. End of episode.

Comments

I can see why NANA is running late at night, what with it being so open about sexual matters. The sex scenes aren't hentai by any means, but they aren't dancing around the fact. It's rather refreshing for the anime to tell it like it is.

We finally finished Hachi's backstory! Not that I dislike Hachi or anything, but I'd already read those chapters in manga form. I hadn't read the manga for Nana Oosaki (referred to as 'Nana' from now on) and her past. Of the two Nanas, I think I like this one more.

Afro Gunso wa A-FU-RO!

2006-04-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

I just saw the first 5 episodes of Keroro Gunso (Sergeant Frog), and it's so funny. The show is about an alien frog named Keroro. He's been sent to Pekopon (Earth) as an advanced unit to prepare for the planet's upcoming invasion. Unfortunately, he's found by a pair of kids, and ends up as the family's maid. To make matters worse, his superiors decide not to invade Earth and leave Keroro behind. They also abandon the remaining four members of Keroro's team, who are on Earth.

Keroro Gunso is a wacky, slice-of-life comedy. It's silly that the leader of an invading force is a house-keeping frog whose greater love is building Gundam models. We've met two other members of his team so far: Tamama, the bubbly Private with a dangerous split-personality; and Corporal Giroro, a warrior who still plans for the invasion. Then there's the family Keroro is staying with. The mother thinks it's cool that they have an alien guest; the son, Fuyuki, thinks of Keroro as his friend; but the daughter, Natsumi, dislikes Keroro and treats him badly. Poor Keroro.

This is a great series, with tons of in-jokes about other anime, especially Gundam. Very recommend if you want a good laugh. And who can resist the ending, with an afro-wearing Keroro and his team members disco dancing?

Sugar Sugar Rune #9 - A Green Heart Is Something You Give

2006-04-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Akira prepares a big meal, because his dad is coming home from overseas. Then he gets a phone call. It seems that the sea is too stormy for the ferry to run. His dad can't make it home tonight.

The next day, Akira stays home from school and Chocolat is asked to deliver a paper to his house. She doesn't really want to, but Vanilla suggests that visiting him might be a good way to get a heart. Along with some of Akira's friends, the girls set out for his house. Chocolat even stops along the way to pick up ingredients to cook him a meal.

When they arrive, Akira isn't there. He rides up on skateboards. It turns out that Akira wasn't sick; he'd been searching for his dog the whole time. Chocolat's heart-getting plan changes to helping finding Hiroshi (the dog.) We learn that Akira's father has been overseas for a long time, and Hiroshi is his only company.

They find Hiroshi's collar by a pond, and Akira gets worried that he might have drowned. By now, Chocolat really wants to find the dog; it's not just a heart-getting strategy. She rounds up more of her classmates and they form a search party. Still, no one can find Hiroshi. Akira is sure that he's dead, and collapses. It turns out that he was sick, but couldn't rest without knowing where Hiroshi was. Chocolat and Vanilla combine their magic, and ask that Akira can see Hiroshi one more time. Suddenly, Akira goes zooming off into the sky. Vanilla is worried that if Hiroshi is dead, they might have sent Akira to Heaven (very cute!) The girls give chase and end up all the way across town.

Akira breaks down, and Chocolat tries to comfort him. Then we hear a bark; Hiroshi is alive after all! It turns out that he'd been waiting all that time at the ferry dock. Just then, the ferry comes in. Akira and his dad are reunited. He thanks Chocolat, and his heart glows green. A green heart is one of friendship. Chocolat happily takes it, and says that of all the hearts she's taken, she likes the green one best.

Comments:

Sugar Sugar Rune! Choco Rune!

I do love this show. Episode 9 has has some great silly faces, especially from Vanilla. I wish I could post pictures, but I can't take caps from an mp4 file. Chocolat gets some good character development in this episode; showing that she does care about people, and not just about getting hearts from them. Although helping Akira was originally a heart-getting plan, by the end Chocolat was doing it because she really cared. It was also niced that they developed Akira as more than the "alien-obsessed boy."

Candybar Doll

2006-04-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

I just love the Candybar Dollmaker. Here's a doll I made of myself.

Anime Spring 2006 - What I'm Watching

2006-04-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

Must Watch

Ouran High School Host Club - In my opinion, the best show of the season. It's cute, funny, and did I mention absolutely gorgeous? The characters play off each other very well, with Haruhi there to provide a certain amount of sanity amidst the club's over-the-top members.

xxxHOLiC - Yeah for more CLAMP! xxxHOLiC is one of my favorite manga, so I'm happy to see it become an anime. Sadly, the Tsubasa crossover was cut, but the series stands alone fine without it. The art style takes a bit to get used to, taking the already elongated character designs and seeming to stretch them even further.

NANA - I'd read the first chapter of the manga, and felt rather 'meh' about it. Now I might have to go back and give it another chance, because the anime is excellent. I think getting to see both Nana's in the first episode helped, giving me a better idea of what the series is about. Also, NANA has the best OP song of the season.

Also Watching

Strawberry Panic - It's mindless yuri fluff, but not everything has to live up to MariMite (from which this show borrows heavily.) I enjoy it for what it is, fluff.

.hack//Roots - I've only seen the first episode so far (I have to wait for non-MKV files, since I just can't figure them out), but it's pretty entertaining. I'm a fan of the franchise, so I'll continue watching. It's too bad Kajiura-san isn't doing the music, the soundtrack is mediocre in comparison to .hack//SIGN.

Carry-Overs From Earlier Seasons

Futari wa Precure Max Heart - Yes, I like PreCure. Considering how much of the series' merchadise I bought at SakuraCon, I really like PreCure. Even though it's not very original, it's a lot of fun. Nagisa and Honoka are pretty cool characters, and they've got great yuri subtext. Plus, I just love the maho-shoujo genre.

Sugar Sugar Rune - Another magical girl series. Two best friends compete by gathering hearts(feelings of like/love) to become queen of the Magical World; a fairly standard plot. But Chocolat is different than your average magical girl. It seems that back home, the standard way of making friends is through being loud and intimidating; needless to say "Do what I say, or I'll whip your butt!" isn't the best way to introduce yourself in class. The other characters are great, too, but it's Chocolat's attitude that keeps me coming back.

Bloggity-blog-blog...

2006-04-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

Fact #1: I've never kept a blog updated for more than a couple of weeks.

Fact #2: My life is exceedingly boring.

Fact #3: I'm doing this anyway.

I have no idea why I'm starting a blog, considering that I'm horrible at these kinds of things. I've never been one for journals and such. But I'm willing to try again.

Coming up with a name was a pain in the butt. My old, abandoned blog was called 'Random Lime', but I wanted to start completely fresh. Other ideas for a name include 'Otaku no Baka' and 'Majokai' (an Ojamajo Doremi reference.) I finally settled on 'Petit Yume'. Yeah, it's kind of cliche, but it's very cute. I like cute.