Loud Ninjas and Chimera Ants

Every anime fan becomes accustomed to suspension of disbelief. Once we learn and accept the logic that runs a particular show, we can enjoy it without becoming hung up on little things. If we can’t believe in the logic, we may as well abandon the show for something more realistic... and most of us don’t center our entertainment on 2D Japanese shows because we’re looking for realism. 

Five school idols all fall for a plain, normal girl? Sounds logical.

A kid eats a fruit and becomes the stretchiest pirate around? Sure! Why not?

An orphan boy is allowed to live all by himself from a young age? Makes sense. 

Middle school kids have tennis moves an Olympian would envy? Okay.

Ninja and other fighting pros yell out their moves before doing them? Of course!

The crazy bunny, the penguin, and that other talking creature are Chimera Ants? Alright, if you say so... though they really don’t look at all like ants to me. 

Chimera Ants in episode 82 of Hunter x Hunter

It would be easy to criticize whoever came up with story and character design for expecting us to swallow some of the outlandish things they pull... but like I said, chances are that few, if any, of us came to anime because we wanted reality. It’s escape, a place to be enveloped in fantasy, whether that fantasy is wrapped as unlikely romance or shounen action. If you want reality, feel free to flip on the news. Personally, I’m going to stick with my Chimera Ants.

Mutta and Me: A Second Chance to Dream Big

In Space Brothers, aka Uchuu Kyoudai, Nanba Mutta
dreams of going to the moon and Mars.

My freshman year of high school, I interviewed a well-published author. No, I won’t tell you who she is. We had to write an essay about a career we wanted or something like that, and I chose writing. I researched what it took to write a novel, find an agent, get published, and various other things related to the profession. An interview was required, so I called an author whose books I’d read, a friend of a friend, and asked if we could meet. A lot of emotional energy went into that call. Phone calls petrified me, especially to strangers, and even more so when asking a favor. I actually cried before I managed to write a little script for myself and make the phone call.

After the interview, she gave me her card and offered to read my story and give advice. I didn’t take her up on the offer, of course; I was too shy.

At fourteen years old, I had one novel-length story written, an accomplished author’s contact information on my bulletin board, and family friends with connections in the publishing industry. I’d researched the industry well, and I wanted to become a writer. 

From an outside perspective, it seems like the situation was all lined up for me. All I needed to do was continue to practice, and I’d have a chance. Yet by the end of high school, I’d decided my writing was just a hobby. I decided I wasn’t cut out to write professionally, fiction or nonfiction, and that I wouldn’t be able to earn a living on it anyway. Better to choose a career easier to get into, like teaching. I dismissed professional writing as a childish dream, a phase I went through, and unpractical for me.

Everything was lined up for my dream, but I lacked the diligence and the courage to pursue it. 

Over a year ago, I met someone a lot like me. He doesn’t live in this time, the third dimension, or even reality. He’s older than me, and his interests are different. But I empathize with him in a way almost as big as his dream. His name is Nanba Mutta.


As a child, Mutta decided he wanted to be an astronaut. He and his little brother were captivated by space, and they spent their time researching and dreaming about it for years. His practical, oldest-child self kept him from being as passionate as his little brother, but he still had the dream, and his mind was well-suited for a future astronaut.

Mutta and his brother, Hibito, spent a lot of time at the tourist end of Japan’s space center program, JAXA, touring and listening to lectures until they could give the guide’s speeches themselves. Their passion was noticed and encouraged by the people who worked there, people with connections to the career they dreamed of. Separately, got to know an astronomer named Sharon so well, they called her “aunt.” They visited her and used her observatory. She taught them English, which would be needed if they went to NASA, and various things about space.

The Namba brothers had the support and connections they needed. They had the dream. They even have the developing skills that would push them toward their goal. Everything was lined up for them. Hibito took these opportunities and reached his dream. The older brother didn’t.

Like me, Mutta is a practical oldest sibling. He knew how hard it was to become an astronaut. As he passed through teenagehood, he decided that his dream was unrealistic. He was done getting his hopes up. Better to focus on school and getting a normal job. It hurt, but he stopped actively building his space knowledge and skills. He gave up before he really began.

Everything was lined up for his dream, but Mutta, like me, lacked the courage and confidence to pursue it. 

We’ve given up on our dream jobs, so what do we do? Mutta grew up and went to work at an auto company. His skills were useful there, but his boss wasn’t great and he wasn’t really happy. From the looks of it, he had to force himself to be there, and he clearly wasn’t cut out for office life. Good office workers don’t headbutt their boss, no matter what their boss says about their brother. 

Me? I’m not as far along in life as Mutta is, but I’ve settled for less than my dream. I received just as much praise from others for my bent toward teaching as for my writing. I enjoy helping people reach that “lightbulb” moment, and the problem solving as I find the best way make things click. So I decided to become a math teacher. I tutored my cousins. I registered as a math education major at school. I played up my love for math as an important part of my identity.

But I was pushing myself to fit a role that I didn’t feel good in. I liked math, but that’s because I like critical thinking, which I can use elsewhere, and I didn’t enjoy my homework like I once did. And the idea of being in charge of a classroom of minors from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. five days a week stressed me out. Actually, interacting with anyone outside of family that much stressed me out. I thought I’d outgrow this stress, but it became clear that while I was doing better, teaching in a classroom would not be peaceful for me. 

So I decided to explore business. Again, I have some skills that apply. I liked the idea of working with websites, information systems, online marketing, or helping businesses problem solve. But again, I was pushing myself to fit a “practical” mold, one that I didn’t feel called to. I was trying to push aside a dream I decided was ridiculous: being paid to write, research, make connections, and be alone for much of the work week.

I decided I would write as a hobby and serve God through simple interactions with people. I decided that my weaknesses in multitasking and my discomfort with “normal, boring” jobs were things that could be overcome. I decided good stewardship of the money God gave me meant choosing a career path that I perceived to have a better guarantee of return. I didn’t practice writing or problem solving with any level of diligence, though I did finish another novel. I didn’t even read very much for fun; I indulged myself with mind-numbing internet use instead. 

I talked about being a good steward of God’s money, but I pushed aside stewarding the other gifts He gave me. I said it would be lazy to focus on an unrealistic dream instead of challenging my weaknesses in practical fields... and ignored how lazy I was about fostering my ability to write, research, or problem solve. Look back at the last one and a half paragraphs and note how many times “I” was the subject, even when I was talking about God. I decided to choose a path that minimized my dreams because I didn’t have faith to wait for an answer from Him about where I should go. I made excuses to protect myself. I stopped trying to succeed beyond the status quo, because I was afraid of failure. I let my self confidence go... just like Mutta.

I didn’t expect to let myself dream impractically again. Neither did Mutta. But God, or the mangaka as the case may be, has a way of giving opportunities where none are expected.

Mutta studies hard for his second chance at his dream.

After headbutting his boss, Mutta was fired from the auto company and blacklisted. No one would hire him. He no longer fit in the career path he’d forced himself into. He was free to pursue something else. His family, especially his little brother, gave him the push he needed to do so. JAXA was accepting applications from potential astronauts, so his family sent in his application, giving him a second chance. Mutta found himself pursuing his dream, whether or not he had the confidence in himself. The higher-ups saw the same qualities in him that his brother knew would make him a fine astronaut. He’s now at NASA, making his dream a reality.

What about me? As I wrote in my last post, seeds have been planted, especially by one of my professors. I admire teachers and businesspeople, but that’s not who I am. I don’t believe that’s what God made me to be, although I’m willing to listen if He says I heard wrong (no, I don’t mean audibly, as wondrous as that would be). I’ve switched my major to undeclared, and my future beyond the bachelor’s degree is even hazier than that. But I’m beginning to think that my dream of using my thinking and writing, of not working in an office with people five days a week, can be a reality. I want to dedicate my gifts to God and follow Him into an uncharted future. I want to begin that future now.

Like Mutta, I have connections again. When I thought I’d be a business major, I was assigned a second academic advisor, one who, like my history professor, encouraged me to use the passion and talent God has given me. My advisor, whom I only met with once, didn’t discourage me from business, but he clearly doubted that field would fully use who I was, or satisfy me. He suggested I work on my own projects alongside school, and he connected me with a published author who works on campus. He showed me how many people would love to help me pursue writing if I wished.

I’m now about twenty years old. I have three novel length stories done, as rough as they may be, and two more book ideas, one of them non-fiction. I have connections at my school, people who love to help students nurture their talent and achieve their dreams. The contact information for a published author sits in my computer. 

Ep 2 of Space Brothers, after Mutta passes the written test
stage of application to JAXA

I’ve applied for “normal” summer jobs, and even had an interview, but no matter how hard I tried to convince myself I was a good applicant, both I and the employers knew otherwise. I’ve only been hired for odd jobs and for tutoring. I’m free to foster my dream, just as Mutta was when his “normal” job fell through.

So why haven’t I started? Why do I dawdle? Why don’t I jump gratefully to use the time and gifts God has given me? Why do I spend more time indulging in momentary pleasures than striving to glorify Him? Why won’t I act diligently with what I have?

I don’t know. But I’m determined to change, with His help. Everything is in place. I don’t want to wait until I’m Mutta’s age to pursue my dreams. I don’t want to push aside the opportunities my Hibitos and Sharons have presented me. This is my second chance to dream big. I have no excuse not to take it.

Space Brothers: Dreaming Big

Pico and Vince tell Rick that they can't keep their promise to pursue space with him (ep 59)

“It’s too big a dream for us,” Vince and Pico tell their friend Rick. They give up on their dreams of space for the more realistic future of working in the mine. That’s the smart thing to do. It’s what their fathers and teachers want.

We, the viewers, know that the dream isn’t too big for Vince and Pico. We speak through the screen, silently or aloud, telling the characters not to give up; the future is within their grasp. And when Rick dies, we know they’ll decide to follow the dream they shared with him. It’s just a matter of course. This is Space Brothers. According to the logic of the show, any characters we become close to will eventually follow their dreams. And we’ve already seen both Vince and Pico at NASA.

After 59 episodes of watching characters pursue their dreams of space, we may forget how courageous the decision actually is. There’s nothing wrong with working in a mine or any other “attainable” job. Sometimes, the important things a person accomplishes have less to do with their career and more to do with the way they interact with the people around them. But perhaps some of us settle for a path that’s not the best fit for our skills and hopes, because our dream job is just “unrealistic.” We don’t want to risk our time, money, and hope on a future that might not happen. We don’t want our pride to be crushed when we invest ourselves in something with no success for years. Better not to risk it. Better to leave the dreams for the rich, or the geniuses, or the lucky, or the charming... but not us. Not normal old us.

It’s not a matter of lacking courage, we tell ourselves. And perhaps this is true for most of us. We’re just being practical. It’s was just a child’s dream anyway, like wanting to be a pop star or something. 

But what if the dream is more than that?

In anime, they may say it’s destiny. It’s a matter of following your heart and finding yourself. It’s the place of happiness and fulfillment. It’s how you’ll contribute best to the world and yourself.

I’d go a step further. Sometimes, that dream, that place your talents and passion will be used best, is how you’re meant to glorify God.

Seeds have been planted in me this past year. My history professor, along with his partner literature professor, emphasized that we should use the gifts God has given us, even if that path doesn’t lead to a high salary. Denying what God has given us is denying the chance to glorify Him and live more fully.

A speaker in chapel last fall talked about deciding on certain paths in life. I talked to my roommate a bit about it, too. Sometimes, Christians assume that God’s plan for us doesn’t include our favorite skills and activities. A life following Him is never without sacrifice, but that sacrifice varies. Sometimes, the path we want aligns with God’s. He made us with our gifts; wouldn’t it be strange if He didn’t want us to use the very things He gave us? Of course, His plan for their use may differ from ours, and it may not be clear. But perhaps it is still our duty to improve on what He has given us, and to be ready to act when called.

More seeds were planted when my Bible professor asked us to focus on a passage of our choosing throughout spring semester. I chose part of Matthew 6, and I continue to return to the chapter now that summer has begun. Matthew quotes Jesus, who said that heaven is the safest place for our treasure to be... and, we can infer from his words, the safest place for our hearts. A few verses later, Jesus tells his audience, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Let me give you some context for these words: Jesus has just said that when we give to the poor or do some other righteous act, we shouldn’t seek attention for it. He’s warned us about the vulnerability of earthly treasure, and pointed out that we can’t serve both wealth and God. He’s told us not to worry about food or drink or clothes, since God can take care of us just fine. If we seek Him, things will fall in place. Jesus doesn’t claim it will be easy. In fact, in other places, He’s said we’ll have to give up quite a bit. He Himself suffered greatly on the cross and in the days leading up to it. Before that, He gave up His comfy, exalted place in heaven to come be a poor human carpenter’s son for thirty-odd years. But He did it all “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2), eyes on the prize, with God’s kingdom in mind. Jesus is accomplishing His dream. He’s done the impossible: beat death and bridged the gap between us and God. His dream is reality, and we have a chance to be a part of it.
  
No dream is “too big” for God, and He can use even the humblest of us to accomplish great things. I believe that... at least I think I do. From the way I’m acting, it doesn’t appear that I believe I can do anything. As I’ll write in my next post, I’m more like Vince and Pico before Rick’s death, or like Mutta in the first episode, than like Hibito or Rick. I recognize the gifts God has given me, and I know He can do much through me, but I’ve written my dreams off as just that: dreams and hobbies. Perhaps it’s time to step forward with a little more courage, and a little more faith. 

If I Had Shadow Clones, I Would...

I watched episode 311 of Naruto Shippuden yesterday. It wasn’t my favorite episode, since it wasn’t from the main plot (although, if a show is mostly fillers, backgrounds, and flashbacks, can we even call the actual story the “main” plot?). Plus the biggest conflict involved the old bathhouse tropes: peeping toms, body shape envy... you know the drill. It was also supposed to set up the Road to Ninja movie, which I’m in no hurry to watch anyway.

But I can’t complain too much. Shikamaru had a few lines, and I love that particular ninja. He’s so cool, and thoughtful... I love how he cleared his throat when he noticed his friends starting to talking about their moms wanting them home for dinner. No need to make Naruto feel lonelier about his ramen diet.

Anyway, there was a scene when poor Naruto was about to eat his instant ramen all alone on his day off. Bored, he decided to make two shadow clones to play a card game with him: winner would get the special limited edition ramen. Leave it to Naruto to garner both sympathy and amusement from the audience within a single second.

Some in the audience felt a third emotion, though: envy. We want shadow clones! One commenter said that if he had a shadow clone, he could both stay in bed and go to school. Sorry, pal, but that particular use of a clone has been dreamed about for decades. I’d like to hear other things people would do with shadow clones.

I can think of ten uses off the top of my head:

1. I’d have a real me to argue with when I nag myself to get homework done or go to bed. My shadow clone would literally drag me out from under my covers.
2. We could multitask in the kitchen and focus on more dishes at once... and talk to people without losing count of cups of flour.
3. I’d have a panel of Annalyns to talk with when I’m stuck with my writing. We could even role play, with each me being a different one of my characters, and another one writing down everything we did. That would be such a fun way to brainstorm!
4. I could play Boggle with myself, since my family won’t play me anymore.
5. My shadow clone could count how many reps of certain exercises I do, so I can focus on form and breathing.
6. I could get two more Twitter accounts with the same profile pictures and similar names, set my clones up on different devices, and argue with myself. I could do the same thing on Facebook. 
7. We’d play duets on the piano.
8. I could pretend I’ve found my long-lost twin, then, on April Fool’s Day, lock her up and announce to my friends that she’s under observation to make sure she’s not evil.
9. We could surround my dog when he runs off and refuses to come back in, instead of resorting to bribery.
10. I’d always have someone to unashamedly fangirl with about anime and otome games.

What would you do if you could conjure up shadow clones as easily as Naruto can? 

Me and Mutta: An Oldest Sibling's Pride

I started this post at the end of December and completely forgot about it. It’s been over five months since I wrote the first several paragraphs, and I’ve already learned more about contentment in the time that has passed. Yet I wanted to return to these thoughts, finish them, and share them before my next couple Space Brothers releated posts. Anything I add to what I wrote in December will be in [brackets], and what I take out will have a strikethrough. 

---

Lil Sis is growing up. I’m not going to tell you what prompted that statement; she’d kill me if I blabbed about her business to the world wide web. But it’s true. Sometimes, I forget she’s still in high school. Yes, she still acts her age on occassion, but in other ways, she’s really maturing. 

Lil Sis and I are very different. Our interests rarely coincide. She’s tried various instruments and eventually, thanks to a program at our high school, landed on guitar and voice. I stuck to piano lessons until high school, when I decided formal training was too much for me to balance (though I still enjoy playing). She tried cheerleading, but volleyball ended up being her sport. I prefer not to have big, hard, round things flying at me, and I didn’t pick up running until after high school. She thrives in the social sphere. I’m more comfortable in the blogosphere, and that only when I have the energy.

Young Hibito and Mutta, Space Brothers, Ep 1

While our differences can make conversation topics difficult, I am thankful Lil Sis and I have rarely pursued the same fields. I’m not sure I could handle the competition. I’m pretty sure she’d be like Namba Hibito from Space Brothers, while I, insecure and painfully practical, would be left behind like the older brother, Mutta.

Mutta has the same delusional idea that I’ve often had: the older sibling should always be one step ahead of the younger. That’s a pride issue that I’ve had to ask forgiveness for. When we were younger, I thought I always needed to be taller. For the sake of my pride, I put the idea behind me before she surpassed by height by two inches. I once thought I should graduate college two years before Lil Sis. For mental health reasons, I took a year off, so I’m only a year ahead now. I also wanted to get married and have kids before Lil Sis. It’s not like she’s engaged or anything, but at this rate, I won’t be surprised if she’s married years before anyone courts me (to me, courting means dating with a purpose, with God and family involved). Lil Sis is ahead of me socially, and I’m learning to accept that. 

Mutta, too, had to come to terms with his brother reaching his dreams long before him. In episode 30, I believe it was, when he’s at NASA waiting for Hibito to launch into space, Mutta compares his feelings to the uncertain weather of the day. He’s proud of his little brother, of course, but he’s also jealous. It’s a 50/50 split, and he can’t decide which way his feelings will go. 

I’d like to say I’ve never been jealous of my sister. I’ve told myself that several times. I’m a Christian and a supportive, loving older sister, so I can’t be jealous! But, if I’m honest with myself, jealousy pops into my heart at times. My sister is beautiful. I don’t consider myself unattractive (except perhaps in the morning), but I don’t quite have the same charasmatic looks and demeanor as Lil Sis. I’ve bypassed jealousy by saying that it’s inner beauty that counts, or that our looks are so different that we’re pretty in different ways (which is true enough: people are always surprised to find out that yes, we’re sisters, and no, we’re not step- or half- sisters). Lil Sis has an amazing voice. And it’s not bias speaking there; it took me a while to enjoy her singing myself, thanks to her purposefully annoying screech-singing when we were younger. [I, on the other hand, have a passable voice that’s usually on tune if the song is in the right range and I haven’t had too much milk or something else to clog my throat and the sun is the right position in the sky...].

Thankfully, I have my own strengths, areas where Lil Sis probably won’t surpass me. This could be a bad thing, depending on how you look at it, since it can feed my pride if I’m not careful.

Added 6/8/13: I don’t like it when I’m prideful. It twists how I view myself and others, keeps me from seeing things with a Godly persepective, and opens the door to unpleasant feeings, including jealousy on one end and contempt on the other. 

Ultimately, it’s about comparing myself to others, whether it’s Lil Sis or someone else. Using other imperfect people to measure myself is unpleasant and uneffective. Not only does it prevent me from being content with how God has made me, but it also keeps me from striving toward all God has for me. If I use Jesus as a measure, I find that I fall short in every way. In fact, everyone falls short the same amount. Any level of trait we have is nothing compared to the infinite goodness and power that Jesus has. And my nothing is neither better nor worse than Lil Sis’s nothing, or Namba Mutta’s nothing, or even yours. 

Like Mutta, I’m learning more about who I am, and I have less need to compare myself to Lil Sis or race her to our life goals. I’m taking my own path, at my own pace.

Pride is ugly, and I’ll always have to deal with it. Jealousy is just as ugly, and because of pride, harder to admit. I don’t want either of these to come between me and Lil Sis, let alone me and God. I’m so thankful that Lil Sis and I are overcoming our teen years and learning to be sisters, adults, and friends. I thankful that she loves me and doesn’t seem to be embarrassed of me in social situations, despite my past fears. And, pardon me for saying this, but I’m proud of her. Lil Sis is growing up. I was at school for much of her figurative growth spurt this past year, but I’m glad to be back and be a part of it. I continue to grow up myself, and it’s a joy as I continue to discover what’s in store for me and my loved ones. 

Phases of Fandom: Enjoying Cheesiness

*Peeks out of hole and waves shyly*

So, after chronically neglecting this place, completing my first year of college, finishing the rough draft of At His Whim, and very briefly considering abandoning the blog altogether, I return. I'm not I wasn't going to say much in this post. It's more an attempt to get the ball rolling again than anything else.

I do, however, want to say this: I'm noticing myself go through phases of anime fandom. So far, I can identify at least two, and I think (hope) I'm in a third one:

1. The Naruto Phase

Many, many new fans go through this phase, and some never seem to leave it. Don't get me wrong; I still follow Naruto Shippuden (barely... I'm really behind at the moment). And there's nothing wrong with loving it even decades after joining otakudom. But I'd consider shows like Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece to be gateway anime, along with The Wallflower and Ouran High School Host Club. When I first entered the anime world with Naruto, I did not know what fillers were (I miss that blissful ignorance). I had not seen enough anime to recognize cliches. Heavens, I wasn't even as aware of fan service back then! I was just happy to find that Japan, unlike the U.S., had a lot of shows with prolonged story lines. I soaked up all the new types of humor and culture, squealed like a fangirl (okay, I still do that), and started to learn the category names (thankfully, I didn't learn words like "hentai" and "yaoi" the hard way like some people did).

2. The Snob Phase

This is the phase I'm trying to leave. This phase is hyper-critical. By this point, I'd discovered glorious gems such as Gungrave, Baccano! and Miyazaki's films (why it took me so long to watch his work, I do not know). I became hyper-sensetive to cliches, started to read and even write a couple of reviews on Anime-Planet, and began to feel like I had to defend my love for Naruto. One of my reviews from near the beginning of this phase makes me cringe, it was so mean.

3. The Balanced Phase

I'm still trying to achieve this one, but I think I've made a step in the right direction: I just finished Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000%. Yes, it is as cheesy as the name sounds. But who cares? I used to love reverse harem style anime (especially before I realized that fan service can be aimed at girls just as well as at guys). I loved the idea of several young men caring about me. I can't enjoy these shows as purely as I once could. But worst case scenario, I can laugh. I can make a game of guessing which cliche way a character is going to respond in a cliche situation. And, if I try to clear my mind, I can almost feel the squeals and sighs coming on again.

From left to right: Height Complex, Personality Disorder, Special Secret, Enthusiastic Red, Sophisticated, Rich Flirt with Sob Story, and in front, with her back to us, Plain Pushover Girl. Ep 13 of Uta no Prince-sama. 

I'm not going to lower my standards. Now that Another, Gungrave, and other quality anime have graced my screen, shows like Uta no Prince-sama don't have the charm they once had for me. But I don't want to remain so snobby that I can't find joy in a Naruto filler like I used to. Most of these shows were made purely to entertain, not to be award-winning masterpieces. I want to learn to put aside my criticalness, sit back, relax, and let myself be entertained... even if the cheesiness itself is my entertainment.

Chihaya's Back! Me, on the Other Hand...

So, um... hi folks. I originally was going to just write about Chihayafuru, but the post ended up starting with me explaining myself. I've labeled the part where I actually get to the point of the post, if you want to skip to it...

I'm sitting here in my comfy chair, which we moved into my dorm room this semester, and realizing just how long it's been since I've posted. Or visited anyone else's anime blog, for that matter. I've gotten pretty out of the loop on the anime world, and I'm not sure that will change much anytime soon. I'm taking more credits this semester, and my academic advisor has suggested I do some independent research. I think I'm going to do it, once I've finished writing At His Whim (I'm about two chapters, possibly three, from the end!). So aniblogging will continue to take a side role for the time being. I wish I had the time to read more blogs (and watch the anime people are blogging about, so I could understand those blogs), but there's no way it's going to happen. I have to interact and keep up with real live people now, in addition to my homework. At least I'm still on Twitter...

That aside, I'm pretty excited right now. Justin of Organization Anti-Social Geniuses alerted me that the second season of Chihayafuru had finally started. Yes, I realize I should have learned about it long ago, but like I said, I'm out of the loop. I did, in passing, see a picture that said "Chihayafuru 2" on it, but it didn't really register. I was too busy scrolling to watch Hunter x Hunter and Space Brothers, the only two anime on my Anime-Planet watching list that I'm actually fairly caught up on. No, I don't want to talk about the 20 other anime staring forlornly at me from my watching list... or the ones on my stalled list. I'm busy, okay? And tired. And I'm finally about to finish At His Whim (now that I can barely stand to look at the first few chapters, since I've matured in both self and writing since I wrote them).

Anyway...

Chihaya, Taichi, and the rest of the karuta club are back!

I just watched the first episode, and I think this season might be even better than the last. Chihaya and the original five club members are second years now. We watched them grow a lot in the first season, and their growth is even more obvious when we meet their underclassmen. I love how confident Kana-chan is. She's become more of a leader than I would have expected when I met her in the first season. And Chihaya is just as in love with karuta as ever. Her desire to pass the torch on, while still continuing toward her own goal, is exactly what I'd expect from her. I can't help but love her enthusiasm.

I'm not extremely pleased with the entrance of this Hanano chick. She has no right to march into the karuta club, with no interest in the game, and set her sights on Taichi. He is her sempai, way out of her league, and not someone to be hunted like prey. Yet, I am a patient viewer. I will trust, for the time being, that the writers know what they're doing, and the drama will be tasteful. I hope she sees the light and starts to come to club for the game, not for him. I won't hold my breath, though.

Unfortunately, this is as far as this blog post goes. I'm sleep deprived, it's late, and I won't have time to try to lengthen this post tomorrow. I love these characters, and I look forward to seeing more of them. Hopefully I'll remember to make room to watch an episode every week!