The Mighty Hunter

I've wanted to write this short story for a while now, and finally got it done today. It's little more than a tidbit, but I wanted to share it with you....

 

The mighty hunter took a gulp of water and sighed, content with his day’s work. There would be much food on the table that night; he’d made sure of that. Nothing could compare to the satisfying feeling when the work was done, the food was cooking, and the home grounds were secure.

But something nagged at his senses. The hunter furrowed his brow and cocked his head. His senses were fine tuned from years of hunting, and there was no denying the buzzing in his ear; something was invading his hunting grounds.

The mighty hunter stood with a snarl and surveyed his weapons. His prize tool hung in a special place on the wall. Its handle gleamed, and its flat, flexible end promised impeccable service. A ferocious grin spread on his face. The invading creature would not know what hit it.

The hunter held his weapon with practiced ease. His eyes darted about, searching for the invader. He calmed his breathing and settled into the peaceful awareness of a predator hunting his prey. 

The hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and he spun around. There, not three yards away, sat his prey. The hunter stalked forward, careful not to disturb it. Had anyone been around, they would have marveled at his meticulous stealth. 

The creature before him remained completely oblivious to the danger. It cleaned its appendages, arrogantly believing itself safe, even on strange land. It hummed in peaceful satisfaction.

The mighty hunter closed the last few inches between him and his prey in a blink of an eye. He brought his weapon down with a snarl. The satisfying crunch of exoskeleton and guts assured the hunter of his kill.

He lifted his weapon and cleaned it, pleased with its effectiveness. A trap may have been easier, but it could not have matched the satisfaction of crushing his prey with his own strength. Sure, it was a bit… messy. But, thought the hunter as he disposed of the remains, cleaning up a trap would be messier. 

The mighty hunter hung his weapon with reverence and returned to his seat. He took another swig of water, still reveling in his successful hunt. No creature could invade his hunting grounds and get away with it. 

He gazed at the flyswatter on the wall, satisfied that, thanks to his hunting prowess, his house was blissfully insect-free.

Inspired by my dad, a mighty hunter in his own right. His serious approach to insects, be it a fly in the kitchen at home or a bee in Grandma's dining room at Thanksgiving, is impressive. Illustration by me. 

Neo Angelique Abyss - Five episodes in, and unimpressed

As I browse Crunchyroll and Hulu, I notice a rather annoying fact: shounen anime is far more available than shoujo. Don't get me wrong; I love quite a few shounen anime. Naruto holds a special place in my heart as the show that lured me into anime fandom. Death Note, The Prince of Tennis, and Hikaru no Go are favorites of mine as well. But I am, as you know, a girl, and I enjoy watching anime aimed at girls, young and old. In fact, I think it was shoujo anime that brought out the squealer and giggler in me. Skip Beat, The Wallflower, Aishiteruze Baby, and His and Her Circumstances are just four examples of shoujo anime that have captured me for hours on end.

Unfortunately, I've watched almost every freely-available shoujo anime series that appeals to me. My craving for shoujo has mounted over the last several months as I scourged Crunchyroll for a reverse harem, a fluffy romance, or anything non-magical-girl that fits into the shoujo category. Neo Angelique Abyss came across my radar several times. So I tried it - twice. Both times, the first episode neglected to impress me, and I wandered off to a different anime.

Today, many months after my last attempt to watch Neo Angelique Abyss, my shoujo cravings were at their highest. I decided to try it once more. This time, I went straight to the second episode. Now, after five episodes, I can safely say that I'm not impressed. Sure, the reverse harem elements of the anime play on my fantasies. I mean, what girl wouldn't want four or so strong, brave, handsome young men befriending and protecting her? Yet even the charms of a reverse harem barely keep my attention.

Angelique, the heroine, using her powers to heal (ep. 5)

The heroine, Angelique, reminds me of a girl from a bland harem aimed at guys: beautiful, sweet, selfless, and basically perfect. She has no outstanding character traits. She just happens to have an amazing power as a "Purifier." Sure, Angelique's kindness and bravery can be admirable. And, if this series is aimed at children, I suppose nothing else is required of her character. Yet I am not a child, and I find her personality rather bland.

The male characters don't stand out to me, either. Their personalities are nothing new, and their comedic scenes aren't as notable or frequent as they might be. And, considering that the reverse harem aspects of the show are the main reason I'm still watching, this is a problem. That's not to say, as of the fifth episode, that these characters are complete losses. I can't deny that the main male characters all seem to have some personal history and at least a bit of charm. Lein, for example, interests me. Of course, it's possible that's just because of his cool design and his intelligent, young professor character traits.

The plot has yet to impress me. So far, Angelique has just been gaining companions and fighting Thanatos (monster things). Perhaps, as the anime further unfolds, the plot will draw me further in. We'll see.

The animation is okay. The soundtrack is forgettable (at one point I almost turned on my own music, half forgetting that I'm not supposed to supplement anime with my own sound). So really, I'm all around unimpressed.

Yet I'll keep watching. If my opinions change, I'll blog about it. If not, I might still blog about it. For now, I'll just watch the next episode and hope it evolves into something a little more interesting.