tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45995699143271808482024-02-06T22:33:15.585-08:00Annalyn's ThoughtsExploring connections in anime, faith, and life. | This blog is RETIRED. I have opted to close the comments, rather than deal with filtering spam. You're welcome to look around, though. For more of my writing, or to contact me, you can explore the "About" and "Connect with Me" pages.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.comBlogger276125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-64826493465392356712016-01-04T17:33:00.000-08:002016-03-06T23:13:08.846-08:00A Long Overdue GoodbyeI haven't posted here since June. I started a long, sentimental goodbye post in the fall, but then I got distracted. So here I am.<br />
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<b>The short version:</b></h3>
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I'm officially done writing on this blog and officially done reading comments. If you want to check out more of my writing, see my column at <a href="http://www.beneaththetangles.com/" target="_blank">Beneath The Tangles</a>, where I write about anime and Christianity alongside a great team of fellow Christian anime fans.<br />
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<br /><b>The not-so-short version:</b> </h3>
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I started this blog in May 2008. I was a freshman in high school, not even 15 years old yet. A lot has changed in the past 7.6 years. I started to struggle with depression and anxiety and continued to struggle with them until after I graduated high school in 2011. I was a train wreck, so I took a year off before college—which I started in the fall of 2012, as a math education major.<br />
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After trying various classes and thinking through my talents and dreams, I became a creative writing major at the end of 2013 (creative writing—stories and poems—is the reason I started this blog in the first place, but I later doubted that writing could have a big place in my life). Earlier in 2013, I started my first weekly column, and I generally kept to my blogging schedule here until I started a column at Beneath the Tangles in February 2015.<br />
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About a month ago, in December 2015, I graduated from college with a major in Creative Writing and a minor in Biblical Studies. I didn't get a ceremony yet—I'm walking with my classmates in the spring—but I've completed my undergraduate studies.<br />
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It's time to officially move on from Annalyn's Thoughts. But to what?<br />
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I'm still aniblogging. I post weekly at Beneath the Tangles—my column is called <a href="http://www.beneaththetangles.com/category/columntype/annalyns-corner/" target="_blank">Annalyn's Corner</a>. I love being part of the staff there. You can hear some of the reasons why in the <a href="http://www.beneaththetangles.com/2015/12/31/the-tangles-anime-podcast-episode-17/" target="_blank">latest podcast</a>, if you want—it's easy to identify my voice, since the other four ladies at BtT weren't able to participate.<br />
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The links over on the "Connect with Me" page are still valid, too (as of this post, at least), so you can find me on Tumblr and Twitter if you want. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about my Facebook page for this blog. I might keep it going, just so I have a way to connect with Facebook folk and share my BtT blog posts without using my main account. We'll see.<br />
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Annalyn's Thoughts will always be dear to me, full of precious memories—like a combination of a physical location and a journal. I did a lot of growing up here, gained a lot of confidence, learned a lot... Someday, I may start a new blog. But I think it's important that, should that happen, it's a fresh start.<br />
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To those who have read my blog up until now: Thank you! I've really appreciated your support. It means a lot to me that you've taken time to read my writing and even comment on occasion. Thank you for your kind words over the years. Those of you who have commented are a part of some dear memories here, so special thanks to you.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-44100447405826292802015-06-20T00:05:00.000-07:002015-06-20T00:07:26.926-07:00Summer Goals UpdateIt turns out I can't balance work, volunteering, three weekly blog posts, a healthy lifestyle, and fiction writing. Go figure. I'm human, and my track record for balancing multiple things isn't great. I suspected this day would come, once I started my job. So I'm going to remove the column status for Summer Viewing and Summer Reading. When I have time, energy, and the material to write such posts, I'll do so. When I don't, I won't even bother with a Swamped post.<br />
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Anyway, here's an update on my reading, viewing, writing, etc. goals:<br />
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<b>Summer Viewing</b>: I still haven't continued <i>Free! Eternal Summer</i>. I plan to... but that's <i>work</i> to watch. I have to think in order to appreciate it, since appreciating it doesn't come naturally. I'm fairly caught up with all current sports anime—just a couple weeks behind on <i>Daiya no Ace</i>—and with <i>Ore Monogatari</i>. I'm also re-watching <i>Hunter x Hunter (2011)</i>. Innocent Gon makes me smile, but when I think of what he goes through later... it's bittersweet.</div>
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<b>Summer Reading</b>: I'm still working on <i>The Professor and the Madman</i>. There were several pages, maybe a chapter, dedicated to the history of dictionaries. Yeah, it's pretty fun. No, that wasn't sarcastic.</div>
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<b>Blogging</b>: See first paragraph. But my column at Beneath the Tangles is going strong.</div>
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<b>Fiction</b>: I was supposed to start revising my screenplay at the beginning of this week. I haven't touched it. I have, however, started brainstorming new story ideas... barely. Yeah, this is one reason I'm letting go of some blogging.</div>
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<b>Work</b>: I scoop a lot of ice cream, make a lot of milkshakes... my right wrist was starting to make me nervous with twinges, but I've been careful, and I think it will be fine.</div>
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<b>Volunteering</b>: I'm over halfway done with the 120 hours I needed this summer!</div>
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<b>Fixing sleep pattern</b>: hahahahahaha... I keep saying it will happen, but nope. And I accepted a coffee from my coworker earlier this evening... whoops. At this rate, next semester's 9:00 am classes are going to be really, really hard for me. I know I have over two months to change, but still...</div>
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So yeah. That's what I've been up to. I knew my goals were a bit too lofty, but it was worth a shot. I'll probably drop in for Summer Reading and Viewing posts from time to time—just not weekly anymore. </div>
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Thanks for reading! I hope your summers are going well. I know for some of you, it's probably just started. </div>
Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-46188408772038401402015-06-13T00:31:00.000-07:002015-06-13T00:31:03.046-07:00Summer Viewing: Ore Monogatari (eps 7-10)<i>Ore Monogatari, </i>aka<i> My Love Story!!</i>, is a sweet, romantic shoujo anime with a twist: the guy, not the girl, is the main character, and he's not the normal bishounen charmer.<br />
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After the fifth episode, I wrote a post on Beneath the Tangles about <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/05/11/annalyns-corner-sacrificial-love-in-ore-monogatari/" target="_blank">sacrificial love</a>'s huge role in this show. That's one big reason I enjoy it. But since then, I've come to enjoy the relationships in <i>Ore Monogatari</i>, both platonic and romantic, in a broader way.<br />
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I actually started this post last week, then decided I was too busy to finish it. So I have four episodes to cover, and I'll<strike> get through them quickly</strike> say something quick about 'em, I guess (I'm finishing this late Friday night/early Saturday morning, after a ten-hour shift, so I apologize for the distinct lack of care). Here are some highlights and opinions:<br />
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First, episode 7: The judo team asks Takeo to fill in for an injured member. They need help against their rival. Takeo, of course, agrees. He spends the month leading up to the match training... which means he doesn't get to spend time with his girlfriend, Yamato. She's very understanding and supportive. It's sweet.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUsVxvIxf5a4fCUCpDFoGuEXTChckWzJn7Y5uX_jrSasQiYusB0zq0dLHG9Omy3rW_OCtE0d7JYdDcnIea9JjBV3eCvjk7kjntsKHWT2-hL7H773-mYG4haDrFSY03-8l-e9COIu4Rp18/s1600/OreMono_07c.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUsVxvIxf5a4fCUCpDFoGuEXTChckWzJn7Y5uX_jrSasQiYusB0zq0dLHG9Omy3rW_OCtE0d7JYdDcnIea9JjBV3eCvjk7kjntsKHWT2-hL7H773-mYG4haDrFSY03-8l-e9COIu4Rp18/s320/OreMono_07c.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takeo and Yamato: "Look, it's you!" "And you!"<br />Suna: "How are you guys seeing this?" (ep 7)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Yamato gets more chances to talk alone with Takeo's best friend, Suna. She points out groups of stars that she thinks looks like Takeo. Then, when they're all together again after Takeo wins his match, he says the stars look like Yamato.<br />
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Some transition stuff must have happened in episode 8. I only have one screenshot from that one. I do know that Suna is quietly struggling at this point, and Takeo realizes it, but doesn't know what's going on.<br />
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Then there's episode 9... I really like this one. Suna confesses that his father is about to have heart surgery, and the rest of his family is out of the country. Takeo wants to be there, of course, but the surgery is on Yamato's birthday. With Suna's help, he's planned out the perfect day, and Suna insists he spend the day with Yamato, as planned.<br />
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At first, Takeo does take Yamato out. But he can't stay away. He has to support his best friend. So he tells Yamato what's going on and rushes to the hospital to be with Suna.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBYoEND2nNN1THesmQJmVWKaj0JFz983ija8_huVnlQ9Clu2SxLTPYEgZFsTA2E4ieKt3myyOF-lBOM2fbwlFZuHBNB0G1ivsKzXHfyd9eqi1IInwxDBk0OxdCRA8Y26oYxUQv0zIciuK/s1600/OreMono_09e.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBYoEND2nNN1THesmQJmVWKaj0JFz983ija8_huVnlQ9Clu2SxLTPYEgZFsTA2E4ieKt3myyOF-lBOM2fbwlFZuHBNB0G1ivsKzXHfyd9eqi1IInwxDBk0OxdCRA8Y26oYxUQv0zIciuK/s320/OreMono_09e.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takeo supports Suna outside the operating room (ep 9).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I love how these guys support each other.<br />
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The most recent episode wasn't as touching for me. It was sweet, but that's it. By now, I'm used to <i>Ore Monogtari</i>'s combination of typical shoujo and defiance against the genre. As always, I appreciate Takeo's love for Yamato, and his determination to keep her as safe as he can after they get lost in the woods. It's just not really anything new.<br />
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Okay. That's it for the week. I switched to typing with one hand because my entire right arm is sore from a long day serving ice cream and making shakes. I think I'm going to continue re-watching <i>Hunter x Hunter</i> as I get ready for bed. Hopefully I manage to turn it off before I fall asleep this time...Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-57130301933127802492015-06-10T23:58:00.001-07:002015-06-11T00:10:07.498-07:00Summer Reading: The Professor and the Madman (ch. 1-2)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nS7RsQXllNqog2YDlsivXV51asmrycoG-6Tu3xJ-ZTMl1eSKeUdq0hF9F5fM_-ER5Hf2TToDIxvOYof1avZuTNOdEUybuT_0C6tcw3vd_pbezR5jFiAbRpTGE1J2gs_7jOeArw5eM2wx/s1600/20150610_233122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nS7RsQXllNqog2YDlsivXV51asmrycoG-6Tu3xJ-ZTMl1eSKeUdq0hF9F5fM_-ER5Hf2TToDIxvOYof1avZuTNOdEUybuT_0C6tcw3vd_pbezR5jFiAbRpTGE1J2gs_7jOeArw5eM2wx/s320/20150610_233122.jpg" width="240" /></a>I've been volunteering in a thrift store's book section. Amazingly, I've only bought <strike>two</strike> three books (the number changed after I started this post) and brought home several free ones. One of them is <i>The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary</i> by Simon Winchester. Can you guess which part of the title caught my attention? Here's a hint: I'm an English major.<br />
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I think Winchester has spent too much time reading the <i>Oxford English Dictionary</i> (referred to as the OED from here on out), because he uses a lot of unfamiliar words. Seriously. I've been reading on the college level since long before college, and I do as much of the assigned reading as possible. My vocabulary isn't shabby. But Winchester throws in words like "louche" and "garroting" like everyone should know them.<br />
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<u>louche</u>: disreputable or sordid in a rakishly appealing way<br />
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<u>garroting</u>: present participle of "garrote," meaning to kill someone by strangulation, typically with a wire, cord, or iron collar<br />
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I've only read two chapters so far. The first begins with an excerpt of the OED's entry for "murder." It covers the incident that landed Dr. WC Minor in an asylum for the criminally insane. The second chapter has two epigraphs, excerpted from the entries for <i>polymath</i> ("A person of much or varied learning; one acquainted with various subjects of study") and <i>philology</i> ("Love of learning and literature; the study of literature, in a wide sense, including grammar, literary criticism and interpretation, the relation of literature and written records to history, etc.; literary or classical scholarship; polite learning"). This chapter focuses on Professor James Murray's life before his work as the lead editor of the OED. Murray didn't have much of a formal education, but he loved learning... to call him a "polymath" who learned for the sake of "philology" is an understatement. He was a nerd. The book doesn't say "nerd," of course. But in today's lingo, that's the best way to describe him. He knew Latin, of course. But he varied from fluent to familiar with all the Romance languages, as well as Dutch, Flemish, German, Danish. And he was quite capable in the realm of Anglo-Saxon and Moeso-Gothic as well. All that <i>before</i> he got higher education. If he lived 100 years later, I bet he'd be a Tolkien fan, fluent in Elvish and all derivatives, including the tongue of Mordor.<br />
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The second chapter also paused to recount the "protagonist" definition controversy. The OED said there could be multiple protagonists. In 1926, Fowler's <i>Modern English Usage</i> declared that "protagonist" could only be singular, and any instance of plural was absurd. The OED settled the matter over fifty years later, confirming that protagonist can, in fact, be pluralized. That's a relief, because <i>The Professor and the Madman</i> has two protagonists, as the title indicates.<br />
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I'm sensing that this author is a bit of a nerd, too. I'm a little out of my depth. It's like saying, "I'm a Naruto fan!" then meeting someone who knows a dozen jutsu hand signs and <i>all</i> the characters' names. Except with the English language.<br />
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This isn't as enjoyable as, say, a fantasy novel. But I still like it, and I'll keep puttering through it over the next week or two.<br />
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<i>P.S.: I referenced the OED in two of last year's posts. I wrote about the origins of the words "<a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2014/05/origins-geek.html" target="_blank">geek</a>" and "<a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2014/06/origins-nerd.html" target="_blank">nerd</a>." Thought it would be appropriate to link to those here, especially since they came from the homework assignment that introduced me to the OED.</i><br />
<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-43185487619662145032015-06-06T00:45:00.001-07:002015-06-06T00:45:45.924-07:00Swamped: Summer Viewing EditionFamily came over today (err... yesterday). I was going to scrap together a late Summer Viewing post about <i>Ore Monogatari</i>, but I'm tired, I have a long day coming up, and I just want to watch <i>Hunter x Hunter</i> until I go to sleep. So that's what I'm going to do.<br />
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I get nostalgic re-watching early <i>Hunter x Hunter</i> episodes. Gon was so lighthearted back then... this kid is dear to me.<br />
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By the way, I was pushed to re-watch HxH tonight partially thanks to the<a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/06/05/5-best-popular-anime-series/" target="_blank"> latest Top 5 + Guest</a> post on Beneath the Tangles. This month, we listed our five favorite popular anime series... and <i>Hunter x Hunter</i> was at the top of my list. Stop by BtT to see what other anime made our lists... it's certainly a longer post than you're getting from me tonight.<br />
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Have a good weekend!Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-21311309062738118032015-06-03T23:33:00.002-07:002015-06-03T23:35:31.814-07:00Summer Reading: Pause for Script-reading, Writing, and WorkI've mentioned that my summer reading list includes my classmates' plays and screenplays. As of today, I've finally finished... one. I was introduced to these characters in class, so I'm glad I finally found out what happened to them. And the screenwriter/classmate did not to take the cruelest course, so I only got a <i>little</i> teary (if you're reading this, friend, thank you for having mercy). She put the main character through some rough stuff.<br />
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My friends and I have decided that our creative writing education teaches us to kill and cause emotional trauma. We can be kind of mean to each other. There's another screenplay waiting in my inbox that I <i>know</i> will make me pout, because we already read a death scene in class.<br />
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I think I can read one more script tonight, or at least get a good start...<br />
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My other excuses for not reading an actual book this week:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I started my summer job last Thursday. I still have my volunteering, too.</li>
<li>I've spent time writing. I'm brainstorming my next big writing project. I have to hurry. I only have a couple weeks of freedom in which to solidify a new idea. Then, I start revising the draft I finished last week. I need to prioritize that, so I can make serious progress before school resumes.</li>
<li>Monday's blog post took several hours... okay, so it always takes a fair amount of time. But this one was different. Instead of writing about a single anime, I addressed <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/06/01/annalyns-corner-why-critical-thinking-is-vital-for-anime-fans/" target="_blank">why critical thinking is vital for anime fans</a>. It took longer than I expected.</li>
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Oh, but I did crack open a book about the Oxford English Dictionary's first editor and one of the key contributing writers. Apparently, this key writer did his work from an insane asylum. So that's interesting. Also, the epigraph to the first chapter was the OED entry for "murder" (or at least part of the entry—some of those entries are really, really long). This is going to be a fun read.<br />
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For those of you who aren't English majors: the OED is an extremely comprehensive dictionary that takes up several volumes (thankfully, there's an online version that I have access to during the school year). Definitions include the words' origins, how they've evolved, and more. If I remember right, the entry for "if" spanned more than a page.<br />
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Yes, I'm a nerd. But you knew that already.<br />
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Thank you for taking the time to read my rambles. My posts on this blog are increasingly low priority. Sorry about that. I might read the OED book and more Harry Potter by next week. Or I might choose to focus on these scripts. Either way, I'll check in.<br />
<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-54782827829894724382015-05-30T00:14:00.001-07:002015-05-30T14:25:00.361-07:00Summer Viewing: Last Weekend's Sports AnimeI might need to change my approach to these Summer Viewing posts. I'm only following three anime with any level of consistency:<br />
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<i>Kuroko's Basketball 3</i> (Saturday)<br />
<i>Baby Steps 2</i> (Sunday)<br />
<i>Daiya no Ace 2</i> (Monday)<br />
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By the time Friday comes around, the excitement from those three shows has worn off. I need a refresher on each episode. And I can't switch my posting day, because I already have my column at Beneath the Tangles every Monday.<br />
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I could try catching up on <i>Ore Monogatari</i> or watch <i>Free! Eternal Summer</i>. But the first airs mid-week, an inconvenient time to watch anything I want to think about. And the second is a chore. I hope to approach it with a more open mind this time, so I can complain less and appreciate more. But that takes brainwork, and my brain is busy.<br />
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For now, I'll just sort through my screenshots and try to remember what I was so excited about this past weekend...<br />
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There will be spoilers. Consider yourself warned.<br />
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<b>Kuroko's Basketball 3</b><br />
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At the end of ep 19 (59), Murasakibara said there was no way Seirin could win. I disagreed with him, of course. Sure, Kuroko was benched. But I still believe in him, Kagami, and the rest of the team. Now, in episode 20, Kuroko ends up back on the court.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpFzoPZaeceJYc1PF-0tEFXxe3lgxUbxB5CWoxw78jQxnmuveO3xkhHWLcvdvAwLSx1gZcu3_PA5oB6-Zu1JziiaSkM4HnYbvljqzg6TNVtO3NjwbpjBp28UoeZEwMm0lLxzMzgTm_G8e/s1600/Kuroko3_20.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpFzoPZaeceJYc1PF-0tEFXxe3lgxUbxB5CWoxw78jQxnmuveO3xkhHWLcvdvAwLSx1gZcu3_PA5oB6-Zu1JziiaSkM4HnYbvljqzg6TNVtO3NjwbpjBp28UoeZEwMm0lLxzMzgTm_G8e/s320/Kuroko3_20.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Meanwhile, the supposed Kuroko 2.0 (Mayuzumi?) loses his affectiveness and is downgraded to just another body on the court. Akashi still manages to use him, but at this point, it's extremely obvious that Akashi views him as a mere tool.<br />
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<b>Baby Steps 2</b><br />
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I have no screenshots from this one. I really, really like this show, but the visuals don't impress me. Still, even without screenshots' aid, I remember that Ei-chan played extremely well against his opponent. It's fun to watch him improve. He's methodical to a point that's unusual for a sports anime protagonist; usually guys like him are secondary characters, or at least share the spotlight with a more exuberant main character.<br />
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<b>Daiya no Ace 2</b> (<i>Ace of the Diamond</i>)<br />
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Team Seido prevailed. Sawamura contributed. But best of all? The Coach showed his strength, and the guy who plans to replace him is getting nervous. If Coach leads this team to the championships and decides not to leave them at season's end, the replacement might not happen. A lot of people, both fictional and non-fictional, are hoping for that. The wannabe replacement, who's criticized Coach's team-oriented approach to high school baseball, begins to understand why we're still so loyal.<br />
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--<br />
<br />
This post is a little later than I prefer, but oh well. I was enjoying my time with my family. In less than twelve hours, the next <i>Kurobas</i> will be up! I probably won't get a chance to watch it until tomorrow night, at the earliest. I have a full day planned. Summer vacation isn't as relaxing as it was in high school, so I can't watch much more anime than I do during the school year. I do, however, plan to follow another show when the summer season starts: <i>Working!!!</i> (that is, season three of <i>Working!!</i>). I can't wait. There weren't any fun comedies of my type this season, and I feel a bit deprived.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-20262825274585111262015-05-27T23:59:00.000-07:002015-05-27T23:59:06.824-07:00Summer Reading: The Wise Man's FearLast week, I said I should avoid reading until I finished my screenplay. But when I can borrow library eBooks without leaving my couch, the temptation can be overwhelming. So I did things backward: I borrowed Patrick Rothfuss's <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i>, finished all 1000 pages by Sunday night, and <i>then</i> finished my screenplay. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>The Wise Man's Fear</i> is the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicle and the sequel to <i>The Name of the Wind</i>. In this one, Kvothe finally travels far beyond the University, which means we learn more about the world Rothfuss has created. This includes...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
... Adem mercenaries and their country</div>
<div>
... Fairies, and not the cute kind (finally! we knew they were part of the story, because Bast is in the inn, but we didn't know at what point Kvothe started to believe in them)</div>
<div>
... other cultures and languages</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I should probably warn you that Kvothe didn't just learn the language, politics, and favored fighting styles of the cultures he visited; he also learned their views on sex... first hand. I sort of skimmed through those parts. I wouldn't say they were extremely explicit, but I wouldn't recommend it to my more sensitive teenage self, either. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I personally think the book wouldn't be hurt if those scenes were shaved down to something more PG. But the discussions about sex on a cultural level were interesting—Kvothe came from a more conservative culture than some that he visited. Meanwhile, here in the real word, conservative and liberal subcultures are at odds about sex, reproduction, and surrounding issues. <i>The Wise Man's Fear</i> may be an epic fantasy, but it's definitely a product of its time. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Since I fall on the more conservative side of the spectrum (for a more complex reason than "because the Bible says sex outside of marriage is a no-go," though God's Word would be reason enough), I could get too annoyed about Kvothe's... adventures and miss out on the story. Instead, I enjoy the insight into a decidedly non-Christian perspective. Don't misunderstand: I know that the characters' actions and words do not always represent the author's beliefs. The characters themselves disagree with each other. But I've stopped by Rothfuss's blog, and as much as I enjoy his writing, I won't be putting his posts on my church's overhead projector.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's almost midnight PST, so I'd better wrap this up: I still love the Kingkiller Chronicles, and I look forward to the third book. There is a shorter, related book about one of the Kvothe's friends, and I'll probably pick that up this summer. But other than that, I'll just wait patiently for Day Three of Kvothe's storytelling.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-13405884525944097362015-05-22T23:58:00.001-07:002015-05-23T00:00:35.799-07:00Summer Viewing: Kuroko vs. AkashiWhen anime first absorbed my attention, I started to neglect reading. I see why. Balancing multiple hobbies is like balancing multiple classes. When you throw family and work into the mix (two elements I did not have to balance during the school year), it's even more difficult. The past week slipped by before I realized it... and no, I haven't watched the next episode of <i>Free! Eternal Summer</i> yet. Though my attitude has improved a bit, and I'm sheepish about my disdain. I promise to be nicer whenever I get around to watching it.<br />
<br />
So what <i>did</i> I watch in the past week? <i>Kuroko's Basketball 3</i>, <i>Baby Steps 2</i>, and—because of all the fanart on Tumblr—the first episode of <i>K</i> (aka <i>K Project</i>).<br />
<br />
I was several episodes behind on <i>Kuroko's Basketball</i>, so I caught up this past weekend. As much as I love this show, I often forget how excited it makes me. When I finally do a mini marathon to catch up, there's a lot of squealing and giggling involved. This time, I was inspired enough to take notes, so I'll focus on <i>Kuroko's Basketball</i> this week. There are spoilers, so consider yourself warned.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AapVaUW81BhIOYzkdhp2rnTWRD3b5Sq5J9qIiNTjaoM86Vwzfmi-KWWYkxLYHX5FicrgXEGvG7S8aqsFAjuPacLbJBoQlIxMzdKmqjVRLZepzwIoj6CZorfwD4FAnOlALSLv73Q0Rver/s1600/Kuroko3_16d.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AapVaUW81BhIOYzkdhp2rnTWRD3b5Sq5J9qIiNTjaoM86Vwzfmi-KWWYkxLYHX5FicrgXEGvG7S8aqsFAjuPacLbJBoQlIxMzdKmqjVRLZepzwIoj6CZorfwD4FAnOlALSLv73Q0Rver/s400/Kuroko3_16d.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After Kuroko finishes telling the team about his experience playing under Akashi<br />
at Teiko Middle School, they are eager to help him defeat his old captain (ep 16).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Episode 16 (66)</b>: Akashi speaks about the Generation of Miracles' drive to compete and rise to victory. He says this is why they all went to different high schools: "Someone must come out ahead, to prove that we're driven to eliminate all others. Not by reason, but by instinct."<br />
<br />
In Akashi's twisted view, people are defined by power. It's only natural for the powerful to fight for the top position, crushing and ruling over the competition. He does not consider innate human dignity. Instead, he tends to his own dignity, basing it on athletic prowess and charisma (aka alpha dragon aura). And he expects other members of the Generation of Miracles to act similarly: fight ruthlessly, even against former friends, until someone comes to the top.<br />
<br />
Also, in this episode, we found out why Kuroko always wears those wristbands. I can't remember his friend's name, so I won't go into it right now.<br />
<br />
<b>Episode 17 (67)</b>: This episode begins with Hyuuga cutting Riko's hair in his dad's barbershop. This whole scene makes me really, really happy—until the end. He comes really close to asking her out... and then she sneezes. Poor Hyuuga.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the game against Rakuzan (Akashi's team) starts in this episode. I wrote down Akashi and Kuroko's brief conversation before the game.<br />
<br />
"I am absolute. And Rakuzan always wins. Our basketball is absolute," says Akashi. Then he tells Kuroko, "Show me your basketball."<br />
<br />
Kuroko responds, "No. I won't be showing you my basketball. It's our basketball."<br />
<br />
Wow. First of all, Akashi's god complex is showing again. Sure, he trusts in his team. But he implies that their basketball is only "absolute" because <i>he</i> is absolute. Kuroko makes no such claims. He values, respects, and trusts his teammates. He knows their strengths and weaknesses, but he does not measure their worth by them. He lets neither glory not competition cloud his relationship with them. He doesn't put himself above any of them, even those who stay on the bench. When he says "it's <i>our</i> basketball," he means it it ways Akashi can't understand yet.<br />
<br />
<b>Episode 18 (68)</b>: Kuroko's gained too many new skills. When he couldn't do anything but pass, it was easy for him to slip under the radar and use his Misdirection. But now, people know and love him. They recognizes his impressive shooting and dribbling skills, etc.<br />
<br />
Akashi scolds him: "By learning how to shine half-heartedly, you can no longer become the shadow." Ouch. After a bit, Riko has to pull him off the court.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Akashi has another trick up his sleeve: Mayuzumi, aka Kuroko 2.0.<br />
<br />
When Akashi started at Rakuzan, Mayuzumi wasn't even close to being a starter. In fact, he was in the equivalent of JV (junior varsity). And he was relatively content there. Akashi noticed his lack of presence, similar to Kuroko's. So he approached him, hoping to recruit him as a passing specialist. At first, Mayuzumi refused, saying, "I love myself. It would be boring to become a player specializing in passing the ball. I don't want to play in a game that badly. If I don't feel good, there's no meaning to playing basketball."<br />
<br />
Akashi liked that answer. Why? Probably because it's the opposite of what Kuroko would say. Unlike Kuroko, Mayuzumi wouldn't have any pesky concerns about his teammates. Plus, Mayuzumi has skills Kuroko didn't when Akashi recruited him: he can even shoot like a normal player. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgka7OyHoxRJCH3Xar4TWGcb6Qni4eLZVjlbMgN79deICJ2j0F0laOhnXd-Gc-s4PIPcRKB0-n_ClCdKGIXwS6zwCXTVBmBe3oGwRbxthiLJqDLQENlqOIa6pT91u3hrkrc3qwNElf5PN/s1600/Kuroko3_19d.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgka7OyHoxRJCH3Xar4TWGcb6Qni4eLZVjlbMgN79deICJ2j0F0laOhnXd-Gc-s4PIPcRKB0-n_ClCdKGIXwS6zwCXTVBmBe3oGwRbxthiLJqDLQENlqOIa6pT91u3hrkrc3qwNElf5PN/s400/Kuroko3_19d.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Izuiki (Serin's "Eagle Eye") versus Akashi (and his "Emperor Eye") in ep 19. Akashi<br />
is actually shorter than him, but he's pretty scary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Episode 19 (69)</b>: You can find much of my response to this episode in my post on Beneath the Tangles, "<a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/05/18/annalyns-corner-chihuahuas-fighting-a-lion/" target="_blank">Annalyn's Corner: Chihuahuas Fighting a Lion</a>."<br />
<br />
I'm excited for tomorrow's (today's) new episode! I expect Seirin will starting turning the game around. I firmly believe they <i>will</i> win, even thought they're 25 points behind. It's only halfway through the game, after all.<br />
<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-86488048917643782072015-05-20T23:59:00.002-07:002015-05-20T23:59:57.906-07:00Summer Reading: Harry Potter 2 & 3This will be a quick post. I've been really busy with volunteering (required for graduation) and applying to jobs. I needed to take tonight to just rest. And I really should stop myself from reading much more until I finish this draft of my screenplay. I "only" have to finish the resolution, but I'm guessing that means at <i>least</i> ten more pages (I'm already past 130!), and the procrastination has been awful.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div>
I did less reading in the past week: just <i>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</i>, followed by <i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</i>, which I'm close to finishing.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A few notes:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes, <i>The Prisoner of Azkaban</i> includes divination. I'm not particularly offended. I don't think Rowling is advocating divination—it's just part of the magic in the world she's created.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm still enjoying the Harry Potter books. They are a little formulatic, like a TV series: Harry starts the new school year, meets the new Defense from the Dark Arts teacher, clashes with Malfoy and Snape, plays Quidditch, learns a little more about Voldemart and his parents, and somehow solves a mystery that the adults couldn't solve themselves. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's all I'm going to say, because it's almost past my deadline. Hopefully next week's post will be longer... and hopefully my screenplay will be done, so I can let myself read more. </div>
Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-81726950045143662092015-05-15T23:56:00.003-07:002015-05-15T23:56:46.555-07:00Summer Viewing: Free! Eternal Summer (ep 1)Confession: I completely forgot to watch <i>Free! Eternal Summer</i> this past week. I'm starting to remember why it's so hard to mix being a bookworm with being an anime fan. So now, just one and a half hours before my personal deadline, I begin watching <i>Eternal Summer</i>. I'm writing this while the first episode plays on my TV.<br />
<br />
Okay... refresher on names (yes, the main boys have names usually associated with girls):<br />
<br />
Iwatobi is the school most of the main characters go to.<br />
<br />
Haruka (Haru) is the water-obsessed guy who swims freestyle. He's often found in the bathtub, with his swimsuit on, especially if he doesn't have access to a pool. He'll happily cook breakfast wearing just his swimsuit and his apron because, ya'know, fanservice. Also, he's the vice president of the club. His passion for swimming may be unmatched, but he's not exactly president material.<br />
<br />
Makato is the motherly best friend. Backstroke. Team captain and club president.<br />
<br />
Nagisa is the youthful face. Breaststroke. Treasury.<br />
<br />
Rei is the newer swimmer who only knows butterfly. Secretary.<br />
<br />
Matsuoka Rin is the shark toothed guy who spent time in Australia, and who I vaguely remember being a jerk last season... Ah, yes. I summarized the first season after I watched it. Here's an excerpt:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Free!</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> was all about the drama. Basically, four guys used to be friends. One of them, Rin, aspired to be an Olympic swimmer. Back in grade school, he knew the importance of camradarie, and he convinced the other three kids to be in a medley relay with him. Then he went off to Australia for middle school, to study at some academy with a great swimming program. He finally came back during the second year of high school... but not to the same team, or even the same school, as the other three boys.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">So, Rin was back in Japan, but he was kinda a callous jerk to his old buddies. He eventually joined one of their rival swimming teams, but he was still obsessed with being on the same team as his old friends. It was kinda like in TV shows where the girl is still totally in love with her ex, but gets a new boyfriend anyway, only to cheat on him with the ex... who also has a new significant other, so he's cheating, too.</span></blockquote>
For more about the first season, see my post <a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2014/08/rewind-free-iwatobi-swim-club.html" target="_blank">Rewind: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club</a>. To see my reactions as <i>Eternal Summer</i> unfolds, stay tuned here. It looks like this season begins the year after the first one.<br />
<br />
Back to ep 1 of ES:<br />
<br />
The Iwatobi crew visits Rin's school and has an impromptu race—as usual, it pretty much starts with Haru taking off his clothes (he always wears his swimsuit underneath) and preparing to dive in. While they're there, we find out that Rin is future captain of his swim team. He doesn't look too thrilled about it. Remind me... why isn't he switching schools?<br />
<br />
Oh, a character I forgot: Rin's little sister is the manager of the Iwatobi Swim club. I don't remember her first name, but I think it was boyish.<br />
<br />
Hey, look. She's introducing the club members to the school at the beginning of the term. Aaaand there go their shirts, leaving them just in their swimsuits. They declare their name, specialty stroke, and their "charm point" muscles, then strike a pose.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tkfpuZHO0X4-asZP5mFPgueNcbiVhQQwlFAEuTDE8WvfmGEQT_ft2APDiN1sfqyt4GE4lr9Aac2QF2fskyItYOued4eZNzgKo0klUxT6nJPw5jiUEY2J7HdFCRAZ6Zer9Spl02-TX1wf/s1600/Free!ES_01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tkfpuZHO0X4-asZP5mFPgueNcbiVhQQwlFAEuTDE8WvfmGEQT_ft2APDiN1sfqyt4GE4lr9Aac2QF2fskyItYOued4eZNzgKo0klUxT6nJPw5jiUEY2J7HdFCRAZ6Zer9Spl02-TX1wf/s320/Free!ES_01.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I <i>love</i> the students' reactions when the boys pull off their jackets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They're having trouble getting new members, of course. Might be partially because their pool is outside, and it's still too cold. The other reason? Dude, this is a club anime. We need the second years to worry about keeping the club next year, and we need Haru to feel sad about that lack of new swimmers (think <i>Chihayafuru 2</i>). Heighten the drama, folks.<br />
<br />
Their coach is Sasabe... cool, he owns the indoor swimming pool where the gang first met.<br />
<br />
There goes Haru's shirt again. And into the pool he dives... watched by a mysterious newbie whose face we don't get to see yet.<br />
<br />
Wait... Sasabe's first name is Goro? That makes me think of another cheesy boy-filled anime... that Goro owns a bathhouse with water from a hot spring, but he spends all his time chopping wood... this Goro owns the pool... I prefer wood-chopping Goro (from <i>Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!</i>).<br />
<br />
Anyway, it looks like they're already at a swim meet.<br />
<br />
Okay, Rin and Haru race! ... Haru's teammates call encouragments while rather sweet-arcade-ish music plays and Rin looks pretty in the water... Aww, that's sweet. They tied, setting a new record together. Then they high five...<br />
<br />
I'm sorry, after last season, I just can't take this seriously. I know, I know, I should try... but... but... the sappiness... the friendship... "oh"... cherry blossom pool... childhood dream... "you guys"...*emotional happy-tears*..."Rin-san, go ahead!"<br />
<br />
Talking about future plans, dreams... and there's that faraway look in Haru's eyes.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBnQmJ3qngKZQKbET2JetsydLgQVvzxvf7aV2GRdnzKBguS09_k6tnwZCaP4WOkmDTbn39d2NcNLF_4eKd4fKXK1E1TCEMFzDs-vG8hGEGuRC23qaSkudaKZ0V68S6Z-0qI5dLrnDEO5R/s1600/Free!ES_01b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBnQmJ3qngKZQKbET2JetsydLgQVvzxvf7aV2GRdnzKBguS09_k6tnwZCaP4WOkmDTbn39d2NcNLF_4eKd4fKXK1E1TCEMFzDs-vG8hGEGuRC23qaSkudaKZ0V68S6Z-0qI5dLrnDEO5R/s320/Free!ES_01b.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rin asks Haru and Makato what their plans are after graduation.<br />I know that look in Haru's eyes. I've seen it in countless anime characters<br />before. It means "I know my answer will disappoint you, so I'll<br />just keep quiet and look a little sad." We'll find out more later,<br />because drama.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We get a transfer-student and blast-from-Rin's-past, Sosuke. He joins Rin's class. There's no drama yet, but the look on their faces promises a backstory. <br />
<br />
Yay! Ending theme! This was my favorite part last season. It's like a music video... thought not quite as fun this season.<br />
<br />
I'm sorry, I just can't take this show seriously. I think TWWK wrote several posts about <i>Eternal Summer</i> over at Beneath the Tangles. Maybe I'll read those as I watch. It might help me stop scoffing during every dramatic part.<br />
<br />
<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-24327333083305400492015-05-13T23:58:00.001-07:002015-05-14T00:35:04.141-07:00The Name of the Wind (finished) and Harry Potter (Years 1-1.3)This is the second post in my "Summer Reading" column—the post title is too long without including the column title, so I think I'll leave it out from now on.<br />
<br />
I'm loving this reading-for-fun thing. The bookworm within me needed only a little encouragement to come out from her cave. Before I knew it, I was staying up all night and letting books distract me from responsibilities. In the past week, I think I've read almost 900 pages. Five years ago, that wouldn't have been a big deal, but that was before anime distracted me. Since then, I've only read a few just-for-fun books each year. I forgot how these pages can consume me. At 4:00 am, I can still be saying, "I'm not sleepy yet. Just one more page... and another... and another..." It's worse than YouTube videos.<br />
<br />
Anyway, this week's titles are <i>The Name of the Wind</i> and the ever-so-controversial <i>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</i>. I've also begun <i>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</i>.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMD95cnTyA7IVkT41ge2J3GENWGbObuqWvPJ-B2IWJeC08HJavU-YUbRQHKRK8k7XdbB3unNEkjCOptBv0dkNAS5XMixNLwzjAiBiEfDhOSGiQzfVPW3vyL4cze5UtbKaYgbHlhQbouud/s1600/20150513_233443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMD95cnTyA7IVkT41ge2J3GENWGbObuqWvPJ-B2IWJeC08HJavU-YUbRQHKRK8k7XdbB3unNEkjCOptBv0dkNAS5XMixNLwzjAiBiEfDhOSGiQzfVPW3vyL4cze5UtbKaYgbHlhQbouud/s320/20150513_233443.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This would be a much better picture if I had <i>The Name of the Wind</i><br />
in print. But I would have had to request it from another branch in<br />
our library system, and then wait. So I borrowed it via Kindle instead.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>I finished reading <i>The Name of the Wind</i> by Patrick Rothfuss</b> a few days ago. It was even better than I remembered. In addition to what I talked about <a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2015/05/summer-reading-name-of-wind-ch-1-6.html" target="_blank">last week</a>, here are a few more elements I enjoyed:<br />
<br />
- <i>The Name of the Wind</i> begins in third person, following the activities in the Waystone Inn. Then, as Kvothe tells his own story, the majority is in first person. Every now and then, he pauses his story, and we enjoy another chapter in third person. This arrangement enhances the intrigue. Kvothe's adventures clearly changed him, and we still don't know exactly how.<br />
<br />
- On a similar note, Kvothe makes an entertaining, interactive storyteller. Every now and then, he'll make a comment like, "If you're not a musician, I don't expect you to understand." When he says such things, I'm pulled back into the Waystone Inn for a moment, where I sit next to the Chronicler and Bast, listening to Kvothe tell his tale.<br />
<br />
- The magic in <i>The Name of the Wind</i> often draws from science. For example, Kvothe occasionally mentions that energy can neither be created nor destroyed—a law that my Physical Science professor mentioned a few dozen times last semester.<br />
<br />
- The poetic epilogue mirrors the prologue. It's not exactly the same, but it shares its rhythm and several lines.<br />
<br />
Now, I can't say I love <i>every</i> aspect of <i>The Name of the Wind</i>. I feel obligated to give a disclaimer: there's sexual innuendo, and it's clearly not written from a Christian worldview. Rothfuss's approach to his world's mythology is particularly interesting. He's developed myths that draw a bit from Christianity. Some stories about the great Tehlu remind me a lot of Jesus' life on Earth, though Tehlu's mercy and justice aren't nearly as magnificently executed. (No, I won't go into the details... you know that if I start, this post will become 1,000 words longer, and I don't have time for that. But if you've read this book, please feel free to comment about it.) In addition to the basic myths, there are superstitions. And the main character, Kvothe, is very skeptical about much of it.<br />
<br />
<i>The Name of the Wind</i> is only the first in the series. Kvothe will take three days to tell his story, and this book was only the first day's worth. The second book is already out, and I plan to request it at the library soon. I think Rothfuss is still working on the third book, but there is another, smaller, related book already out about one of the side characters—of course, I plan to read that this summer, too. All-in-all, Rothfuss has developed an interesting world populated with interesting characters, and I definitely recommend it to fans of fantasy.<br />
<br />
<b>Now, onto the second topic of the week: Harry Potter.</b> Some of you might be thinking: "Wow, Annalyn. Are you sure? I mean, that anime stuff is suspicious enough, but <i>Harry Potter</i>? I heard that good and bad get mixed up in that series. And that it promotes real witchcraft. And other stuff."<br />
<br />
Okay, I'm not exactly a Harry Potter expert. My parents didn't explicitly ban me from reading them when I was young. If I'd asked, I'm sure Dad would have given them a read and then let me at 'em. But I knew some of my friends weren't allowed to read it, so I didn't push the matter. Now, as a young adult, I'm starting to feel woefully uninformed. I'm a creative writing student who loves fantasy, and who has ties to various nerdy communities. One of my literature professors has made connections between Harry Potter and a book we read for class. I was one of few who has neither read them nor sat down to watch all the movies (though I <i>think</i> I've seen all or most of them at various points, mostly over my cousins' shoulders when I was living with them).<br />
<br />
For the accusations about morality: uh... sorry, but everyone I've talked to who's actually followed the entire series seems to disagree. You'd have a much better case against <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i>.<br />
<br />
For the quibbling about witchcraft and other religious matters: Go with your conscience with this one. But from what I've seen and read, the magic in the HP series has very little to do with real Wiccan or occult practices. And J.K. Rowling has repeatedly said that she is a Christian. Granted, she's no conservative. A quick glance at quotes on Wikipedia suggests she and I wouldn't see eye-to-eye on a few religious matters. But she most certainly isn't Wiccan (contrary to one rumor that I heard years ago).<br />
<br />
Now, a quick note on the books themselves: <i>Sorcerer's Stone</i> was fun. (Yes, I know it should be called <i>Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone</i>, and American publishers changed it. Since I'm already acquainted with alchemy and the philosopher's stone, thanks to <i>Fullmetal Alchemist</i>, the changed wording annoys me. But whatever.) It has a whimsical, story time feel. The Dursleys are absurdly cruel. I have to suspend my disbelief for them and for unreasonable teachers more than I do for the magic itself. I enjoy the world Rowling has created with wizards and muggles and their interactions. I worried that I'd find it lacking, since I just finished <i>The Name of the Wind</i>, but it's plenty entertaining.<br />
<br />
I started the second book, <i>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</i>, this evening. It, too, is entertaining. There's a bit too much recap of the first book for my taste, as if Rowling expected some readers to pick it up without reading its predecessor. But that's a minor annoyance. Unless I have some self-control, I might finish this tonight.<br />
<br />
<b>Next on my reading agenda:</b> the sequels to the two series mentioned herein. I probably should pick up one of the non-fictions on my To Read pile, too. Also, the plays and screenplays my Play Writing classmates are sending to me—of course, I won't write about those here. Actually, I need to finish my own screenplay... I think I'll be the last one to send mine out. I should probably set aside reading for a bit and work on writing instead.<br />
<br />
<b>Have you read <i>The Name of the Wind</i> or <i>Harry Potter</i>? </b>What do you think of them?Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-91819150609838472452015-05-08T22:55:00.000-07:002015-05-08T22:55:43.149-07:00Summer Viewing: Daiya no Ace S2 Begins with Recaps and a New Challenge<i>This begins my Summer Viewing column. There are several anime I want to follow, catch up on, or finally start this summer. These casual Friday posts will (hopefully) ensure that I watch what I say I'm going to watch. </i><br />
<br />
Since I was swamped with homework throughout April, I waited to start watching <i>Daiya no Ace Season 2</i> (<i>Ace of the Diamond 2</i>). Finally, yesterday, I got onto Crunchyroll... and found out that the first three episodes were recaps. I got through the first two last night, then saved the third for when I was washing dishes today.<br />
<br />
To be completely honest, the first recap episode did fill in memory gaps for me. I don't remember every detail of every game Team Seido plays. And I understand that, since <i>Daiya no Ace</i> switched time slots, there may be new viewers. But if that's the case, why did they only show the games? What about Sawamura's yips? The emotional development? Shouldn't new viewers know about these things? This is anime, not ESPN.<br />
<br />
But, like any seasoned anime fan, I know the proper response to recaps: build a bridge, and get over it (and maybe let a complaint slip on Twitter). Recaps and fillers happen. You either roll with them or become bitter and drop half of the long-running shows on your watching list.<br />
<br />
Fillers aside, the fourth and fifth episodes were good.<br />
<br />
Sawamura has regained a lot of his confidence, now that he's learned his outside pitch. He learns to relax, at least in practice, and uses just the right tension at just the right time. And he is adorable doing it... until that tense moment right as he pitches. Then he's fierce.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6G_L3xCq972q3n00-HmC7WeXv830MZ6uXd_UCzm2TBre0LW7aHZ-fY73sEcZmfJhu0eVq4Q1HgPTffDKuxBboY7NxmoUqJ64nE3K89qideQXJ0H7Gr13XpMWTJpIGKvwYvGXo17fIMfEy/s1600/DnA2_04b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6G_L3xCq972q3n00-HmC7WeXv830MZ6uXd_UCzm2TBre0LW7aHZ-fY73sEcZmfJhu0eVq4Q1HgPTffDKuxBboY7NxmoUqJ64nE3K89qideQXJ0H7Gr13XpMWTJpIGKvwYvGXo17fIMfEy/s320/DnA2_04b.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sawamura relaxes and begins his windup (ep 4).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As long as we're talking about Sawamura's adorableness... when he's practicing pitching, he asks the new coach (the one who intends to make Furuya the ace) to be the umpire. He calls the coach "Sergeant," and he is childishly welcoming and sincere... I thought for sure he'd soften this unpleasant character's heart, at least a little. But nope. The Sergeant's heart is ice. I bet he hates puppies, too.<br />
<br />
But the Sergeant isn't our only concern. The Fall tournament begins, and Seido's first opponent, Teito, is strong. In the past 27 (?) seasons, they've only failed to reach nationals twice. Their pitcher, Mukai, is an incredible freshman who already played in the summer nationals. And... Mukai is a narcissist. I mean, yeah, he's good, but he's a narcissist. And he does this weird thing with his tongue, which makes me suspect he's distantly related to Midousuji from <i>Yowapeda</i>. I don't <i>think</i> he's a sadist (yet), and I don't think he's a victim of human experimentation (<a href="http://ladyannalyn.tumblr.com/post/87877162500/that-creepy-character-on-yowapeda" target="_blank">as I suspect of Midousuji</a>), but there's a definite resemblance. And I don't like him.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, Furuya is pitching well in the first game of the season, despite the rain. I try to support him, and I <i>am</i> glad he's growing into a fine pitcher... but I want Sawamura to become the ace. Unless Furuya gets a terrible injury, I don't see that happening. The gap between them just keeps widening. I want both of these talented first years to succeed. Why did they have to come to the same high school? Why? (Because it brings more conflict to the plot, Annalyn. If you're emotionally torn, the writer succeeded.)<br />
<br />
I look forward to the next episode. They had to pause the game due to the rain (by the way, the animators used the rainy weather to create great visuals). This could break Furuya's focus. For his sake and the team's sake, I hope not. But... I'm hoping to see Sawamura in action in the next episode. It's time for him to get back on the mound in a tournament game and prove his worth to the Sergeant.<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
There. I'm caught up with <i>Daiya no Ace</i>. I'll try to stay caught up with my sports anime this summer (<i>Daiya no Ace 2</i>, <i>Kurobas</i>, and <i>Baby Steps 2</i>). For next Friday... I think I'll try to get <i>Free! Eternal Summer</i> over with. Later this summer, I might catch up with Naruto and his comrades. Might. That's a bit ambitious.<br />
<br />
Also: Last season, I enjoyed <i>Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!</i>, but I haven't found anything to fill my ridiculous comedy slot this season. Am I missing something? If you have any suggestions on a comedy to follow, I'd love to hear it. I prefer to avoid crudeness (I'm not a <i>Gintama </i>fan). Beyond that, I just need something carefree to watch once a week.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-38880359819020824662015-05-06T23:15:00.000-07:002015-05-06T23:15:17.750-07:00Summer Reading: The Name of the Wind (Ch. 1-6)In <a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2015/05/summer-break-blogging-plans.html" target="_blank">yesterday's post</a>, I told you about two summer blog columns: one for books, and one for anime. Both will be casual, much like my <a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/search/label/Rewind" target="_blank">Rewind</a> posts. I'm starting these summer columns to keep me accountable. But I hope you'll enjoy them, too. Maybe you'll decide to check out one of the books I'm reading... or maybe you know of a book I absolutely <i>must</i> bump up on my priority list.<br />
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~<br />
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I'm starting with Patrick Rothfuss's <i>The Name of the Wind—The Kingkiller Chronicle Day One</i>. I read it several years ago, before the sequels came out, and I loved it for the fun, excitement, and fantasy. Now, I'm reading it with a new level of appreciation. Literature classes have taught me to slow down and enjoy descriptions, to delight in wording and unique metaphors. Writing classes have taught me to notice voice and perspective, to think about pacing and characters. Last time I read <i>The Name of the Wind</i>, I didn't notice the details. I forgot <i>entirely</i> about the first six chapters. I don't think I'll forget again.<br />
<br />
The descriptions and wording in general make me happy. Look at the first two sentences:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It was night again. The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts."</blockquote>
Rothfuss spends the short prologue describing the three parts, and it's rather poetic. I'm certain some elements of it are symbolic, but this is not a school paper, so I'll refrain from delving too deep. Instead, I'll skip to the prologue's last sentence. "It" refers to the third silence:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die."</blockquote>
Whoosh. What a way to end that beautiful prologue! But the man to whom the third silence belongs is still young. His hair is "red as flame." Why would he be "waiting to die"? This is the first of many questions to cross my mind. <br />
<br />
In the first six chapters, we learn a little bit about the main character, known in the town Newarre (wait... "no where"? "New war"? Both? Hmm...) as "Kote": He has owned the Waystone Inn for about a year, and he's careful to keep the appearance of a "simple innkeeper." He's younger than thirty, but his experience makes him old, and he already has a student (who clearly comes from his pre-innkeeper days). His red hair and green eyes get brighter and dimmer. He has experience fighting nasty creatures that the smalltown folk would call "demons." It seems obvious that he is the "Kingkiller" mentioned in the book series' name. But he won't admit anything directly for almost 50 pages.<br />
<br />
Then, the Chronicler comes to town. He wasn't sure if he'd find the legendary man, but he came anyway, hoping to collect the story of Kvothe the Bloodless. At first, Kote refuses. He's a little angry. Chronicler could be putting him in danger, could reveal his identity and location. And his story apparently includes quite a bit of pain. But Chronicler is persuasive. Kote/Kvothe finally agrees, but on his terms: he will take three days to tell the story, starting the next morning.<br />
<br />
At the end of Chapter Six: "The Price of Remembering," a change occurs. Chronicler muses about Kote's unusual terms and explains them by saying, "You are Kvothe." After that, "the man who called himself Kote" smiled, and "a spark was kindling behind his eyes. He seemed taller." From then on, "Kote" is Kvothe.<br />
<br />
Names are important in <i>The Name of the Wind</i>—important to the main character, to the author, and thus to the readers. Kvothe chose the name "Kote" very carefully when he came to Newarre. I don't know what it means, and Behindthename.com was of no help, but hopefully I'll eventually learn its significance. But the names of things are important, too. Knowing something's name allows one to command it. I don't know the details yet.<br />
<br />
So far, the narration has been third person limited, almost third person dramatic at times. The narrator occasionally gives insight to characters' thoughts, but not word-for-word. And often, the action plays out like a movie, and we must interpret the images without hearing the characters' inner thoughts. The effect is just removed enough to be mysterious, but it's also inviting, warm. It seems to say, "If you stick around this inn for a while, I'll get that innkeeper to open up. Then you'll hear a better story than his patrons have ever told."<br />
<br />
Kvothe starts telling his story in Chapter 7, which I am about to read. This is where the <i>real</i> tale begins.<br />
<br />
~<br />
<br />
Coming up on my reading list:<br />
- Finish <i>The Name of the Wind</i><br />
- The first two <i>Harry Potter Books</i> (I reserved them at the library, so they have to be next)<br />
- The next installment of <i>The Kingkiller Chronicle</i>.<br />
- A non-fiction... maybe I'll start with <i>The Abolition of Man</i> by C.S. Lewis. It's thin—a good warm-up book.<br />
<br />
Have you read <i>The Name of the Wind</i>? Did you take time to notice all the cool images and descriptions? If you haven't, I hope you'll add it to your summer reading list. Then we can have fun talking about it together.<br />
<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-69626146135720367492015-05-05T23:59:00.001-07:002015-05-06T00:03:25.547-07:00Summer Break Blogging PlansIt's already been over two months since my last post here... wow. I haven't gone that long without posting on here since spring of 2013. But I can't say I feel bad. In the past few months, I've had plenty of writing projects to keep me busy.<br />
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My column at <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/" target="_blank">Beneath the Tangles</a> keeps me accountable to think more critically about anime and faith, and I enjoy it. I have a lot of freedom with where I take each post, but I usually end up going deep. On several occasions, my Saturday morning journal and prayer sessions have related to the next Monday's blog post. </div>
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In other news, I turned in Draft 0.9 of my screenplay last week. I can't quite consider it the first draft, since several scenes are still just outlines. But I <i>will</i> finish it in the next few weeks! Then I'll set it aside for a couple weeks to let it cool off before I start revisions. This project started as homework, but now that the semester's over, I can take it as far as I want. I think it might work better as a book, so I'll probably rework it into novel form, starting later this summer. I might start a prequel, too. Thanks to the prewriting homework, I know the main characters' parents' generation pretty well. They intrigue me. After all, they're the ones who let the kingdom fall into so much evil.</div>
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So, that's part of my plan for the summer. But I have other plans, too, and I think I'll use this blog to keep me accountable to them. I'm such a terrible procrastinator, I have to be kept accountable even to <i>fun</i> things. </div>
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1. I'll finally watch some of those anime I keep saying "I'll get around to" (<i>Free: Eternal Summer</i>, <i>Psycho Pass</i>, a few Miyazaki films...). Also, I'll get caught up and <i>stay</i> caught up on my sports anime (I had to let some of them go in order to focus on school). To that end, I hope to run a weekly column throughout break to keep me accountable. Maybe I'll title it "Anime Report." I'll tentatively schedule it for Fridays, but I can't set anything in stone until I know where and when I'll be working this summer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPPb9Eztti6xIPrXX7PHGpZoDNW3eICOeGIPvf5jMYiSDLClMh1yu5I02cMu-yoPiv3K-kL7_L796esCP5gvmFxIVdE3oTj12pzqP3R7CxWT9V_7JjpxjXUbYWW04NjIuKaRUKriNZBnl/s1600/20150505_230248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPPb9Eztti6xIPrXX7PHGpZoDNW3eICOeGIPvf5jMYiSDLClMh1yu5I02cMu-yoPiv3K-kL7_L796esCP5gvmFxIVdE3oTj12pzqP3R7CxWT9V_7JjpxjXUbYWW04NjIuKaRUKriNZBnl/s1600/20150505_230248.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sticky note on the shelf is for anime: old shows to try or to <br />
finish, shows I'm already following, and shows to re-watch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
2. I'm going to read. I already have two piles, labeled with sticky notes: "Summer Reading: Non-Fiction" and "Summer Reading: Fiction." The second sticky note also lists books I plan to check out from the library. Once such library book is <i>The Name of the Wind</i>, the first installation of the Kingkiller Chronicle. I just started re-reading it, and I plan to read its sequels. However, I need a little help re-awakening the bookworm in me. To that end, I'll start a weekly post series, in which I say something short about what I'm reading. </div>
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<br /></div>
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3. I will write fiction! In addition to expanding and revising the screenplay I wrote about above, I hope to start brainstorming a new long story (I'm not sure if it will be a screenplay or a novel). Maybe I'll come up with something more lighthearted this time. I'll also refine a short story I wrote for a different class this past semester... and look into contest possibilities. I should probably write another short story this summer, too. </div>
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I know I won't get to read and write<i> everything</i> I hope to. I need to get a job, after all, and I like to spend time with family. But I'll make a concerted effort, and blogging will help keep me accountable. So, here's a <b>tentative</b> blogging schedule... I'll at least hold to it this week:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Wednesday</b> (tomorrow/tonight): Summer Reading. First up is <i>The Name of the Wind</i>. It will be a very short post, I think.</div>
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<b>Friday</b> (maybe 7ish PST): Anime Report. Don't know what will go on there this week, but I suspect it will involve a sports anime or three.</div>
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<b>Monday</b> afternoon: As usual, a post will go up in my corner at Beneath the Tangles.</div>
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We'll see how my volunteer hours and eventual job affect my plans in future weeks. </div>
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What are your goals this summer? Do you have a to-read or to-watch list? Maybe we can plow through some of these titles together. </div>
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Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-80666518194015101042015-02-25T22:56:00.001-08:002015-02-25T22:56:58.406-08:00Writing Fantasy: Learning from a Younger MeThis post started as a Facebook status. I got shamefully distracted writing it, but I think I just helped myself a lot. If you snoop around this blog long enough, you'll find evidence (even excerpts) of all three of the complete stories I mention here.<br />
<br />
(TL;DR at end)<br />
<br />
Writing a Fantasy...<br />
<br />
<b>Age 14: </b>"So there's this kind, shy, princess who eventually gets kidnapped, and two guys (her best friend and a foreign prince) work to rescue her... but first, let's get a smaller conflict in there, to introduce the characters..."<br />
<br />
(Less than a year later, the story was finished at 65,000 words. I developed cultural stuff as necessary, mostly so I wouldn't forget what I'd imagined. It was just structured make believe. I wrote what I wanted to experience.)<br />
<br />
<b>Age 14 to 15:</b> "This seems like a cool place to start: A captive loner with special powers and a social, generous guy who turns out to be a prince. They'll start a revolution... These characters are funny together... this is great, like playing make believe!"<br />
<br />
(Started prologue in May, finished 50,000-word manuscript in October same year, with no deadlines or pressure. Developed characters and political climate as necessary and conducted some research on weaponry.)<br />
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<b>Age 17:</b> "Okay, this is a fun story idea. Let's play with some stereotypes, just for fun!"<br />
<br />
(Finished 130,000 words age 18, a year and nine months later, much more serious than when I began... It was set in our world, so I only had to work on developing a subculture, not a complete culture.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKtQL9BrAlYiUA0EF5y8zlcr2VRqyljostxJY-nrbuW1QbddFeh28V5Yg7QIFrqAg-rTS-xzlFRS8ziY3vomjYVAlx6hqckfpfiqXs0W1XazEblVBZ7OJyPwNF3h7XcmrxXnMrUcEFN1a/s1600/20150225_213348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKtQL9BrAlYiUA0EF5y8zlcr2VRqyljostxJY-nrbuW1QbddFeh28V5Yg7QIFrqAg-rTS-xzlFRS8ziY3vomjYVAlx6hqckfpfiqXs0W1XazEblVBZ7OJyPwNF3h7XcmrxXnMrUcEFN1a/s1600/20150225_213348.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a><b>Now, Age 21: </b>"This idea could be cool... alright, I've got a few short character bios down, and I don't think they're too flat. Their relationships aren't too boringly stereotypical, are they? What's the agricultural situation? Climate? Uh-oh, I don't know this kingdom's religious or moral history. The culture needs more roots. Do I want to use our months and days, or does this world need a different calendar? Should I base it, at least loosely, around a particular culture and date the weapons and clothing accordingly? But I don't have time to research that right now... Oh snap. WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?" (Started playing with ideas January, started rough draft last week, complete screenplay due end of April)<br />
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Actually, remembering how I wrote as a young teen helps me. Sure, looking back, the political and social structures could use some help, but that meant that I could focus on the characters and their main conflict. I didn't get distracted from that, and I had fun with the story. Was the plot itself fairly typical? Yeah. But the internal development in one of the characters worked pretty well, if I do say so myself, especially considering I was just 15 and undeveloped myself. My writing was immature, but I understood the basics about story development even then. I need to forget about the audience in my professor and classmates and just let myself play again. <br />
<br />
<b>TL;DR</b><br />
<br />
- As a young teen: "Yay fantasy, let's play with magic, adventure, and charming boys!"<br />
<br />
- As 21-year-old creative writing student: SNAP. WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?!<br />
<br />
- Wait, maybe young me had the right idea after all. Relax, write, and stop to brainstorm when necessary. You can go back and change things if you discover new things about your characters and the culture. Stop thinking about your professor and classmates and just play a bit, okay?<br />
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If I could write a novel at 14 years old, complete with all the basic structure of a decent story (albeit immature in content, character understanding, and writing style), then with my maturing skills, I can write a screenplay up to snuff for an undergraduate class... yes, even a fantasy screenplay.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-52334885909390895942015-02-21T00:08:00.001-08:002015-02-21T14:59:20.642-08:00Ramblings about Manga, Magical Love, and Crazy AkashiWow. It's Friday night again already? I know I don't have time for Rewind posts anymore, but I'm just not ready to let go. So I won't. Instead, let's talk... manga.<br />
<br />
I don't read manga very often, because it's not easy to get ahold of freely and legally. But Crunchyroll recently made their manga collection accessible to <i>all</i> premium members, including us just-anime members. Previously, most of the manga was only available for the all-access folk. So I downloaded the app on my phone and browsed the inventory.<br />
<br />
I'm now on the 15th chapter of <i>Kiss Him, Not Me</i>. I probably should be embarrassed admitting that, but it makes me laugh... a lot. At first, half the reason I laughed was its cheesier elements. I mean, it's a reverse harem manga, and that genre is hit-and-miss, but often <i>miss</i>. Plus, the main character, Serinuma, lost a <i>lot</i> of weight within a week while she mourned the death of her favorite anime character. There was never a chance I'd take this seriously... which is partly why I'm reading it.<br />
<br />
The heroine is a fujoshi who has four guys (and, it appears, one girl?!) fall in love with her. She fantasizes a lot about BL, something I usually avoid, but oh well. I identify with the rest of her otaku habits to at least some extent. And some of the guys are really cool. They don't just tolerate her otakudom—they start to learn more about the anime and manga she likes. One of them has been particularly great in recent chapters, borrowing manga after manga. Dream guy, right there. He's won me over. I still wouldn't call this an amazing manga, but I don't think I'll drop it anytime soon.<br />
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Eventually, I'd like to read <i>Attack on Titan</i> and <i>Space Brothers</i>, as well as some of the other serious and decent-looking manga available on Crunchyroll. But for now, I need humor. I have a lot on my plate, so I favor lighthearted anime and manga.<br />
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Speaking of lighthearted, cheesy anime... I decided to keep watching <i>Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!</i>. It's still fun. Some of its elements imply inappropriate humor, though. Like a lot of magical characters, the Defense Club boys use English words to describe their magical deeds. I'm 99.99% sure that the resulting puns are intentional and understood by most Japanese fans. For example, when the boys transform into their magical selves, Yumoto yells "Love Making!" —meaning, of course, that they're made into Magical Boys who defeat evil with the power of Love. Perfectly innocent love. Yeah. And I'm pretty sure that when the innocent, childish Yumoto cuddles Wombat (the alien who gave them their powers), it's supposed to look a bit like molestation—especially in episode 6. That, I'm not okay with. But obviously I'm not bothered enough to quit watching.<br />
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What else is going on in my anime world... Last Saturday, when I deluded myself into believing I didn't need to do homework, I watched several shows, both anime and not. <i>Kuroko's Basketball</i> continues to enthrall me. I know the new episode comes out in less than twelve hours, but let's return to episode 6 for a minute to talk about Akashi.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmRzhhffPGDwI6AEnJMPHa1ySjaAQuZ8qqZKB05M3e_o3-T0j8wnwIJYaNEmiFP20qRt-nT4tipGNoGlIdDYrGz7g89Ff4RSnsGpWhBH-O9uAq-oLyfEfrQjw4MOgInGMfXOHoMNPD-lH/s1600/Kuroko3_06e.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmRzhhffPGDwI6AEnJMPHa1ySjaAQuZ8qqZKB05M3e_o3-T0j8wnwIJYaNEmiFP20qRt-nT4tipGNoGlIdDYrGz7g89Ff4RSnsGpWhBH-O9uAq-oLyfEfrQjw4MOgInGMfXOHoMNPD-lH/s1600/Kuroko3_06e.png" height="181" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dude, you are not God. You're rich and talented, and you're doing a fine job of subjugating some of the greatest young basketball players in Japan, but you are <i>not</i> absolute. And I think Kuroko and Kagami will prove it to you. Somehow. Within the next 16 episodes, anime logic will humble you... I hope.<br />
<br />
Also, you should <i>never</i> promise to gouge your eyeballs out if you lose. What if something unexpected happened, like half your teammates twisted their ankles and had to be taken out? Or <i>all</i> of your opponents got into The Zone? Besides, that's just a nasty image. So chill, your majesty. You can inspire your subjects without getting gory.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFnSSzi-fDk7YvD9OSJEaRwJ0QU1u84QDfSoGYba0V4iWJ2QH-9oGyWjYa8pkSNZErxab_QrbiuTKY23oPstG5EstFwQPVaASiBELakWIRRo8bHWABJ365I9JcUpi__sJHXcucJqs0ENq/s1600/Kuroko3_06f.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFnSSzi-fDk7YvD9OSJEaRwJ0QU1u84QDfSoGYba0V4iWJ2QH-9oGyWjYa8pkSNZErxab_QrbiuTKY23oPstG5EstFwQPVaASiBELakWIRRo8bHWABJ365I9JcUpi__sJHXcucJqs0ENq/s1600/Kuroko3_06f.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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I like to imagine meeting Akashi in real life. He'd be a short sixteen-year-old... though he might just appear short compared to his teammates, it which he could be my height (about average for a woman). He has muscles, but he's still not a grown man. He'd look rather ridiculous in his pink hair, trying to bend me and my friends to his will. I might offer him a cookie, and if he stuck around, my big-sister-urges might eventually take over, and I'd start to meddle about how he treats Midorima and the rest.<br />
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---<br />
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Aaaannnd I rambled too long. I should have stopped after talking manga. I'd best scramble to do something responsible before bed.<br />
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Anyway, do you read manga on Crunchyroll? Are there any titles on there you recommend?<br />
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Also, if you watch <i>Kurobas</i>, do you have any thoughts now that we've finally watched Akashi play a game?<br />
<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-39221147775807992132015-02-16T23:59:00.000-08:002015-02-16T23:59:26.101-08:00BtT—Annalyn's Corner: Free to LoveThe second installment of my column at Beneath the Tangles is up! This week, I revisit Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth. Love and Freedom are important themes in Croisée. This got me thinking about the freedom Christians have, and how it affects our interactions with others.<br /><br />Link: <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/02/16/annalyns-corner-free-to-love">Annalyn's Corner: Free to Love</a><br /><br />I'm probably going to stop linking to Annalyn's Corner here. I already share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, and I'm usually pretty busy with homework on Mondays. If you want to keep up with my column at BtT, I hope you'll follow me on any of the media listed above, or, better yet, follow Beneath the Tangles!Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-83231115839964105912015-02-13T23:36:00.002-08:002015-02-13T23:36:47.970-08:00Swamped: Changes, Magical Boys, Kuroko, and Other ThoughtsThe Change is here! Last Monday, I started my weekly column at <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/" target="_blank">Beneath the Tangles</a>. I can't balance both that and my Rewind posts. In fact, I won't even call these other posts "Swamped" anymore. I might still write the occasional Rewind post, and I have one series I <i>might</i> adapt from an essay, which <i>might</i> work better here than at BtT. But none of that is happening this week.<br />
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Instead, a few quick responses to the anime I've been watching lately...<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGm1u_Rub8WgXE8Po-QTpp-GvHsVM_SAoaqh4j-BfG2MZXfiUy6MOY-mtfEpE_xuhgjjpBt7lbqjChv1msjkcvhfzuc0LRjJDzEH8fQXGwRTv0pmQ12f4r3aD4ZuOeTTELhWIVDUm2Jm1/s1600/CuteHighEarthDefense_01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGm1u_Rub8WgXE8Po-QTpp-GvHsVM_SAoaqh4j-BfG2MZXfiUy6MOY-mtfEpE_xuhgjjpBt7lbqjChv1msjkcvhfzuc0LRjJDzEH8fQXGwRTv0pmQ12f4r3aD4ZuOeTTELhWIVDUm2Jm1/s1600/CuteHighEarthDefense_01.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hakone Yumoto attacks the chikuwabu monster with a loving kick,<br />soon to be followed by love-powered magic. (ep 1)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I just watched the first episode of <i>Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love!</i> (aka <i>Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!)</i>, because I wanted to laugh. I went to the right anime. It's a parody of magical girl anime, and wow... those magical boys are downright ridiculous. I'm not sure if I'll watch more, but I had fun with the first episode. Their serious discussion about oden reminded me of food discussions in <i>Lucky Star</i>. And the chikuwabu (an oden ingredient) that came to life reminded me a little of the vegetables in <i>Dai Mahou Touge</i>.<br />
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It occurs to me that I've watched more magical girl <i>parodies</i> than magical girl anime that take themselves seriously.<br />
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<i>Kuroko's Basketball</i> continues to excite me. Also, I am still convinced that Akashi is secretly an alpha dragon. Or a vampire. He has hypnotic cat eyes. That's not natural! Anyway, this dude is scary. I kind of expected him to be a decent fellow, despite the scissors incident in the second season. Kuroko followed him for a long time, after all. But now...<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxaXsNIdek0ADAnc6peMOxI-mUhL_lcKkWH31swoCDgcYfom0GL_8YVMijeZj0YyqlrTdxAR1Dqr9Xjxb3SR4Ri2liYf9VTjhY-FbJCqMhz3kldcdZSyjg1bikGOJNkskxnETEbCdhc5i/s1600/Kuroko3_05e.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxaXsNIdek0ADAnc6peMOxI-mUhL_lcKkWH31swoCDgcYfom0GL_8YVMijeZj0YyqlrTdxAR1Dqr9Xjxb3SR4Ri2liYf9VTjhY-FbJCqMhz3kldcdZSyjg1bikGOJNkskxnETEbCdhc5i/s1600/Kuroko3_05e.png" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Akashi orders his opponent to lower his head. Look at that shadowed<br />face and those feline eyes... (ep 5)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Akashi, kiddo, you need an attitude adjustment. For your own good, I hope Kuroko and Kagami manage to defeat you. This whole "emperor" act won't fly in the workplace. Just saying.<br />
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I'm trudging through <i>Log Horizon 2</i>. I'm six episodes behind, and it'll be a while before I catch up. I really like the world building and the scenarios. I like learning more about the characters' RL pasts, too. But something about it just doesn't excite me. It's probably the pacing. I mean, one secondary character spent an entire episode reflecting on his past and then giving a speech about it—a long, stereotypical, rally-the-troops and reflect-on-our-friendship speech.<br />
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I'm caught up on <i>Daiya no Ace</i> again. My favorite thing about this show is the team and the way they rally together. Not much more for me to say on that front right now.<br />
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I just watched the first four episodes of <i>Death Parade</i> so that I could read <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/02/11/anime-today-when-anime-hits-home/" target="_blank">Japesland's post</a> about it at Beneath the Tangles. So far, I'm not a huge fan. But I'm intrigued by the way they portray human nature. Every episode, people are put into extreme circumstances, and their true nature comes out. The fear, deceit, suspicions, and warped self-images come to the forefront, and it can paint a disgusting picture (the husband in the first episode had a few particularly unflattering close-ups, involving sweat, tears, and saliva, I believe). As I watched, I thought, "Yep. This is what sin looks like." <br />
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I finally finished <i>Zankyou no Terror</i> (<i>Terror in Resonance</i>). I went a couple months between the tenth and eleventh episodes. It's a serious, rather dark anime, and I wanted a break from such things. But I still like it. The story and characters are intriguing, and my mind actively works to pull the puzzle pieces together. And the animation is great. If you watch the edges of the screen, you'll realize that "camera" is unsteady... in fact, it seems to be resonating with something, like the air after an explosion.<br />
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I'm also watching <i>Shirobako</i> and <i>Durarara x2</i>, but I've written enough for today. What's <i>your</i> favorite anime this season?<br />
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<br />Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-5935091561363596892015-02-09T15:44:00.000-08:002015-02-09T15:44:29.598-08:00Post at Beneath the Tangles: Aiming for the ChampionshipsI've begun my column at Beneath the Tangles! We're calling it "Annalyn's Corner." Yeah, I know—the name choice isn't a stellar example of creativity. But I like corners, both real and metaphorical. They're comfortable and make great thinking spots. And sometimes people join me in my corners, and that's nice, too.<br />
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My first post is called <a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/02/09/annalyns-corner-aiming-for-the-championship/" target="_blank">"Aiming for the Championships."</a> I want to aim high in many things, especially how I approach my faith. I'm inspired by sports anime characters, but there's one problem: I don't have their kind of focus. As I wrote this post, I asked, “How the blazes am I supposed to be a faithful, disciplined anything when the only thing I manage to do consistently is be late?”<br />
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Between sports anime and the Bible, I think I found the beginning of an answer. At the very least, I've felt a bit encouraged.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-29910965553844964872015-02-07T02:14:00.000-08:002015-02-07T02:14:56.875-08:00Rewind: Ping Pong The Animation<div>
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I have to be honest: I'm dragging my feet about this blog post. <i>Ping Pong</i> evokes neither excitement nor annoyance. Its style is unusual, but that's about all it has going for it. I wrote the following about <i>Ping Pong</i> <a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2014/05/sports-anime-favorites-blahs-and-what.html" target="_blank">back in May</a>, when I was less than halfway through it:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This is the oddball on my watching list. It's different in almost every way, starting with the visual style. Then there's the sport... who'd have thought you could make an interesting anime about </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">ping pong?</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">The characters are different, too. Tsukimoto (aka Smile), never smiles. He lacks aspiration, even though he's an amazing ping pong player. The supporting cast is a bit off-klter, too. This anime will never be my favorite, but I enjoy its uniqueness. </span></blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkmuby01jX55mA_In94xpfOOC19bt0Zub0oiik94ysW-gcmgBimHFu2UCI_wl9YmevvkBcTOBpS3HJ7tz1J8d8NLEX0MZ-pn2cRSOs6Ij-gkPhyphenhyphenVbmrx6MgX-bZGRfhNXT_kOFZG2KhGx/s1600/PingPong_ep01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkmuby01jX55mA_In94xpfOOC19bt0Zub0oiik94ysW-gcmgBimHFu2UCI_wl9YmevvkBcTOBpS3HJ7tz1J8d8NLEX0MZ-pn2cRSOs6Ij-gkPhyphenhyphenVbmrx6MgX-bZGRfhNXT_kOFZG2KhGx/s1600/PingPong_ep01.png" height="177" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet "Peco," Tsukimoto's friend. Also, meet Ping Pong's color<br />scheme. There are a few other colors, but they're all the same<br />faded tone. (Episode 1)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I repeat: the uniqueness is pretty much all I enjoyed. Sure, Tsukimoto's skill level was cool, and I appreciated the specifics about ping pong paddles and shoes—details like that add depth to an anime. Characters' fantasies and perspectives were shown in unique ways, too. </div>
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<div>
I guess the plot should have moved me at least a tiny bit. They addressed the balance of values such as loyalty, admiration, and competitiveness. But the anime felt fractured, and not just because of the visuals. The way it jumped between characters, settings, and even times... I never felt attached to a single character, never felt more than passive curiosity about their fate. To me, this anime was just an artistic experience with a soul I didn't care enough to grasp. This sounds harsh, I know, but it's true.</div>
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I wanted to get a different screenshot for this post, but my computer is lagging again, and it's getting late (or early, or... yeah). If you want more information or would like to check out <i>Ping Pong</i> yourself, you can find its Anime-Planet entry <a href="http://www.anime-planet.com/anime/ping-pong-the-animation" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-57423783286386559412015-02-01T17:28:00.000-08:002015-02-01T17:28:29.628-08:00Update and RamblingOn Friday, at the end of my <a href="rewind: Ouran High School Host Club" target="_blank">Rewind post</a>, I mentioned that I was writing a post for Beneath the Tangles. It went up yesterday. I just realized that I've linked to it on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr... but not here. So, allow me to remedy that:<div>
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<a href="http://beneaththetangles.com/2015/01/31/kurokos-basketball-and-imitating-christ/" target="_blank">Kuroko's Basketball and Imitating Christ</a></div>
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I still haven't begun my column, but that, too, will come earlier than I originally planned. </div>
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I have a lot of ideas rolling around my head and journal relating <i>Kurobas</i> and to sports anime in general. I'll try to break from that theme before long. I want BtT readers to know I <i>do</i> have a more well-rounded taste in anime... it's just that my time is limited, and I'm excited about <i>Kuroko's Basketball</i> right now. If I think about something long enough, either I bring it into the depths of my mind and heart, to mingle with faith and studies, or I grow bored and abandon it. Obviously, <i>Kurobas</i> fits into the first class. </div>
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But, for now, I must force my brain away from aniblogging and focus on studying. I have a lot of reading to catch up on, among other things. I've already spent some time today reading <i>Jane Eyre</i>, and I can hear Bronte's style echo in my mind. Her affect on my word choice may wear off soon, but I suspect it will affect the mood of my fictional writing for the duration of the semester, at the very least—and probably longer.</div>
Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-52885069411727984202015-01-30T23:44:00.001-08:002015-01-30T23:44:57.239-08:00Rewind: Ouran High School Host Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrNrXZTj9ftgbjr4dMpDHl06hq7yDVG9tnMJNUsfc_5011SOGisd_s1QvXWx99aooPW135CJ-wC32jU3RDThY-dUrcs5UeVE7-oge59vZfSTXb7fxoKtrORFrxsVIvPoVPSS8gRayez0T/s1600/OuranHighSchoolHostClub.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrNrXZTj9ftgbjr4dMpDHl06hq7yDVG9tnMJNUsfc_5011SOGisd_s1QvXWx99aooPW135CJ-wC32jU3RDThY-dUrcs5UeVE7-oge59vZfSTXb7fxoKtrORFrxsVIvPoVPSS8gRayez0T/s1600/OuranHighSchoolHostClub.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's difficult to get very far in anime fandom without learning about <i>Ouran High School Host Club</i>. This popular shoujo aired almost nine years ago and only lasted 26 episodes, but it still pops up in discussions and fanart from time to time. Why? There's decent character development as the characters mature socially and emotionally. But mostly, it's fun. Really, really fun.<br />
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There are several elements to OHSHC that could make certain conservatives squirm, though, especially in relation to gender and sexuality. I'm not going to examine these closely right now, but they're interesting to note:<br />
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1. Harhui, a girl, is mistaken for a guy. This is unintentional at first. But when she's pressed into service as a member of the host club, she must continue the charade. She doesn't mind too terribly. She doesn't consider gender (especially biologically) to be that important. When asked, she says, "What's important as a person is what's on the inside, right?"<br />
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2. They're in a host club. These boys aim to please girls... which mostly, it seems, meens making them squeal. It's relatively innocent, barely sexualized at all, but... Look, I like the idea of charming men paying attention to me. But when I try to picture myself in such an environment, it just doesn't feel right. Not to mention the ways it reminds me of certain seedy establishments...<br />
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3. Note I said <i>relatively</i> innocent. Apparently, a lot of yaoi fangirls frequent the host club. Kaoru and Hikaru take full advantage of that. These twin brothers have a close relationship anyway. But they put on a show of being lovers as well as brothers. Their guests swoon over it. Does their relationship really cross the line? Nope. Their facial expressions often tell the viewers their real feelings. It's amusing, actually. Still, their sexualized facade must be noted.<br />
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4. Haruhi's dad is a cross dresser.<br />
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5. The students from Lobelia Girls' Academy idealize both womanhood itself (as they see it) and relationships between women. Of course, like all the characters and character groups, they are extreme for comedic reasons.<br />
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I don't want to make a judgement or dive into theological stuff right now, though I think it's important to realize what messages OHSHC is sending. I do, however, find my reaction interesting. None of these elements ruffled me enough to impede my enjoyment.<br />
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<i>Could it be? Am I actually posting before midnight PST? How did that happen? Well... Remember how <a href="http://annalynspot.blogspot.com/2015/01/announcement-im-joining-beneath-tangles.html" target="_blank">I said it would be a couple weeks</a> before my first Beneath the Tangles post? It turns out that I can't wait that long. I'm writing something I'm excited about for BtT. I can't wait to get it finished and posted, but I wanted to make sure I got this done first. </i></div>
Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-40207994670349261052015-01-27T22:36:00.000-08:002015-01-27T22:36:15.866-08:00Announcement: I'm Joining Beneath the Tangles!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey there, folks!<div>
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Next month, I'm going to start writing regularly for <a href="http://beneaththetangles.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beneath the Tangles</a>. I am <i>really</i> excited about this. Seriously, you should have seen me walking around during the last couple days. Between agreeing to write for Beneath the Tangles and thinking about <i>Kuroko's Basketball</i>, I have been doing a <i>lot</i> of smiling... and giggling... and talking to any friend or family member who will listen.</div>
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I've written guests posts for Beneath the Tangles before, and in September, I even participated in their podcast. But this time, I'm signing on as a staff writer. I'll have a column (possibly biweekly, but I'm planning on weekly), and I'll be able to write at other times throughout the week as I have the time and inspiration. </div>
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<b>What does this mean for Annalyn's Thoughts?</b> </div>
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I'm going to shift my focus from this blog to Beneath the Tangles. My posts there will take priority. I will not abandon this blog entirely, but my regular Rewind/Swamped posts won't be as regular anymore. Eventually, they might trickle to a stop. It's not reasonable to expect myself to keep a schedule on <i>two</i> blogs... not if I want to maintain my GPA and sanity. </div>
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<b>What, exactly, will you write there?</b></div>
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I'm not bringing "Rewind" and "Swamped" over there, but other than that, it will be similar to what I write here. I'll write about anime and be myself while I do so... Though I'll probably take a little more time to edit, and I'll actually plan ahead. The change of scene will affect my topics a bit, but overall? I'm me, and anime is anime. </div>
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<b>When do the changes begin? </b></div>
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Our plan is for me to start my column at Beneath the Tangles by the last week of February. That means there's still almost a month before things really start to change. I'll remind you, both here and on social media, when the time comes. In the meantime, I will continue my Friday(ish) posts here.</div>
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<b>Why are you so excited about this?</b></div>
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First, because Beneath the Tangles, and TWWK/Charles in particular, encouraged and influenced me when I started aniblogging. Second, I admire the way TWWK and the rest engage online anime fans, both Christians and non-Christians, in conversation. I have been on the receiving end of that ministry. It's long been my prayer that, somehow, God could use my writings to minister to others to even a fraction of the extent that Beneath the Tangles has. So, obviously, I'm beyond excited and honored to step onto this blogging platform and write alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ.</div>
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A longer answer: </div>
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I can't imagine aniblogging without knowing about Beneath the Tangles. When I tell offline folk about what I do online, and why it's important to me, Beneath the Tangles inevitably comes up. It shows up in my essays, too—even one for Literary Criticism, since I practiced critiquing (analyzing and interacting with) anime long before I thought about critiquing written literature. </div>
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When I was seventeen, just beginning to explore the community of online anime fans, I started to write reviews and blog posts on Anime-Planet. I used what other people wrote on Anime-Planet as reference, and I learned a lot. But other A-P reviews didn't encourage me to bring my faith into how I thought about anime. I was starting to connect anime and my faith in my journalling time, but I was ready to for more. That's when I met TWWK in the A-P forums and started following Beneath the Tangles. </div>
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TWWK was the first person I found to model a Christian approach to anime and the online community. My pastors never brought up anime, forums, or blogs when they reached the application part of their sermons. My parents, who were (and still are) two of my most important models for the Christian walk, weren't online in the same way I was. I had to apply Biblical concepts to my new hobbies on my own. It wasn't entirely impossible, but it wasn't ideal, either. We are meant to work out our faith in community, to support each other, and to teach each other through both action and word. As a teen and a new aniblogger, I needed encouragement and examples. TWWK and Beneath the Tangles provided that. Plus, I discovered other Christian-based aniblogs through Beneath the Tangles. </div>
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Over the past four years, I've watched Beneath the Tangles grow. The site gained more bloggers, each bringing their own valuable insight to the table. The ministry extended across other media, too, such as Tumblr. Last August, Japesland, one of BtT's bloggers, started hosting "The Tangles" podcast once a month. Throughout all the changes, the folks at Beneath the Tangles continue to speak truth and love. I know I'm not the only one who has been both encouraged and challenged by what they have to say.</div>
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So yeah, that's why I'm so excited to join Beneath the Tangles. </div>
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Readers, thank you for sticking around. I know some of you just started reading my blog in the last couple months. The fact that you spend time reading my posts means a lot to me. I appreciate every one of you, and I've enjoyed connecting with each of you as you've commented or otherwise reached out to me. I'll keep posting <i>something</i> here at Annalyn's Thoughts, and I hope you'll stick with me through this transition. If you haven't already checked out Beneath the Tangles, then don't wait for my first post! You'll find a lot of great posts and resources over there, and I encourage you to check them out.</div>
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Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599569914327180848.post-45387965011199558362015-01-24T03:41:00.002-08:002015-01-24T03:41:54.667-08:00First Swamp of 2015You know what? I'm swamped. I tried to write about <i>Ouran High School Host Club</i>, but I kept getting distracted, and now it's even later than <i>my</i> normal time to shut things down. Sometimes, distraction just means I need more discipline. Sometimes, it's a sign that my brain needs a break, and it will take that break with or without my permission.<br />
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I'm in Playwriting/Screenwriting class right now, which is wonderful, but as a result, a lot of my creative energy has gone toward brainstorming for that class.<br />
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I'm also in Short Story Writing, which requires some creative energy, although we've had more reading than writing due lately.<br />
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Then there's Critique for Publication, a one-credit class, which also includes writing and thinking about writing.<br />
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... not to mention all of my other classes. One of them is Physical Science, which requires technical reading and a lot of brain power. I'm starting to get a sense for this semester's homework rhythm, but I'm not quite there yet. So I'm going to quit pretending to write a Rewind post and just go to bed. I have a lot to do <strike>tomorrow</strike> today, and I need at least a few hours of sleep in order to do it.<br />
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Thanks for reading, folks, and for understanding the gap between posts. I hope ya'll have a good weekend.<br />
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Oh, one question for you: are there any good comedy anime airing this season? I know, I barely have time to watch the anime that's continuing from last season, but I like to be aware of what comic relief is available.Annalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07213459031876667950noreply@blogger.com2