Summer Goals Update

It 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.

Anyway, here's an update on my reading, viewing, writing, etc. goals:

Summer Viewing: I still haven't continued Free! Eternal Summer. I plan to... but that's work 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 Daiya no Ace—and with Ore Monogatari. I'm also re-watching Hunter x Hunter (2011). Innocent Gon makes me smile, but when I think of what he goes through later... it's bittersweet.

Summer Reading: I'm still working on The Professor and the Madman. There were several pages, maybe a chapter, dedicated to the history of dictionaries. Yeah, it's pretty fun. No, that wasn't sarcastic.

Blogging: See first paragraph. But my column at Beneath the Tangles is going strong.

Fiction: 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.

Work: 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.

Volunteering: I'm over halfway done with the 120 hours I needed this summer!

Fixing sleep pattern: 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...

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. 

Thanks for reading! I hope your summers are going well. I know for some of you, it's probably just started. 

Summer Viewing: Ore Monogatari (eps 7-10)

Ore Monogatari, aka My Love Story!!,  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.

After the fifth episode, I wrote a post on Beneath the Tangles about sacrificial love'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 Ore Monogatari, both platonic and romantic, in a broader way.

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 get through them quickly 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:

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.

Takeo and Yamato: "Look, it's you!" "And you!"
Suna: "How are you guys seeing this?" (ep 7)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Takeo supports Suna outside the operating room (ep 9).

I love how these guys support each other.

The most recent episode wasn't as touching for me. It was sweet, but that's it. By now, I'm used to Ore Monogtari'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.

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 Hunter x Hunter as I get ready for bed. Hopefully I manage to turn it off before I fall asleep this time...

Swamped: Summer Viewing Edition

Family came over today (err... yesterday). I was going to scrap together a late Summer Viewing post about Ore Monogatari, but I'm tired, I have a long day coming up, and I just want to watch Hunter x Hunter until I go to sleep. So that's what I'm going to do.

I get nostalgic re-watching early Hunter x Hunter episodes. Gon was so lighthearted back then... this kid is dear to me.

By the way, I was pushed to re-watch HxH tonight partially thanks to the latest Top 5 + Guest post on Beneath the Tangles. This month, we listed our five favorite popular anime series... and Hunter x Hunter 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.

Have a good weekend!

Summer Viewing: Last Weekend's Sports Anime

I might need to change my approach to these Summer Viewing posts. I'm only following three anime with any level of consistency:

Kuroko's Basketball 3 (Saturday)
Baby Steps 2 (Sunday)
Daiya no Ace 2 (Monday)

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.

I could try catching up on Ore Monogatari or watch Free! Eternal Summer. 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.

For now, I'll just sort through my screenshots and try to remember what I was so excited about this past weekend...

There will be spoilers. Consider yourself warned.

Kuroko's Basketball 3

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.

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.

Baby Steps 2

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.

Daiya no Ace 2 (Ace of the Diamond)

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.

--

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 Kurobas 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: Working!!! (that is, season three of Working!!). I can't wait. There weren't any fun comedies of my type this season, and I feel a bit deprived.

Summer Viewing: Kuroko vs. Akashi

When 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 Free! Eternal Summer 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.

So what did I watch in the past week? Kuroko's Basketball 3, Baby Steps 2, and—because of all the fanart on Tumblr—the first episode of K (aka K Project).

I was several episodes behind on Kuroko's Basketball, 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 Kuroko's Basketball this week. There are spoilers, so consider yourself warned.

After Kuroko finishes telling the team about his experience playing under Akashi
at Teiko Middle School, they are eager to help him defeat his old captain (ep 16).

Episode 16 (66): 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."

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.

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.

Episode 17 (67): 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.

Anyway, the game against Rakuzan (Akashi's team) starts in this episode. I wrote down Akashi and Kuroko's brief conversation before the game.

"I am absolute. And Rakuzan always wins. Our basketball is absolute," says Akashi. Then he tells Kuroko, "Show me your basketball."

Kuroko responds, "No. I won't be showing you my basketball. It's our basketball."

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 he 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 our basketball," he means it it ways Akashi can't understand yet.

Episode 18 (68): 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.

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.

Meanwhile, Akashi has another trick up his sleeve: Mayuzumi, aka Kuroko 2.0.

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."

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.

Izuiki (Serin's "Eagle Eye") versus Akashi (and his "Emperor Eye") in ep 19. Akashi
is actually shorter than him, but he's pretty scary.

Episode 19 (69): You can find much of my response to this episode in my post on Beneath the Tangles, "Annalyn's Corner: Chihuahuas Fighting a Lion."

I'm excited for tomorrow's (today's) new episode! I expect Seirin will starting turning the game around. I firmly believe they will win, even thought they're 25 points behind. It's only halfway through the game, after all.

Summer Viewing: Free! Eternal Summer (ep 1)

Confession: I completely forgot to watch Free! Eternal Summer 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 Eternal Summer. I'm writing this while the first episode plays on my TV.

Okay... refresher on names (yes, the main boys have names usually associated with girls):

Iwatobi is the school most of the main characters go to.

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.

Makato is the motherly best friend. Backstroke. Team captain and club president.

Nagisa is the youthful face. Breaststroke. Treasury.

Rei is the newer swimmer who only knows butterfly. Secretary.

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:

Free! 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.

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.

For more about the first season, see my post Rewind: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club. To see my reactions as Eternal Summer unfolds, stay tuned here. It looks like this season begins the year after the first one.

Back to ep 1 of ES:

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?

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.

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.

I love the students' reactions when the boys pull off their jackets.

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 Chihayafuru 2). Heighten the drama, folks.

Their coach is Sasabe... cool, he owns the indoor swimming pool where the gang first met.

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.

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 Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!).

Anyway, it looks like they're already at a swim meet.

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...

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!"

Talking about future plans, dreams... and there's that faraway look in Haru's eyes.

Rin asks Haru and Makato what their plans are after graduation.
I know that look in Haru's eyes. I've seen it in countless anime characters
before. It means "I know my answer will disappoint you, so I'll
just keep quiet and look a little sad." We'll find out more later,
because drama.

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.

Yay! Ending theme! This was my favorite part last season. It's like a music video... thought not quite as fun this season.

I'm sorry, I just can't take this show seriously. I think TWWK wrote several posts about Eternal Summer over at Beneath the Tangles. Maybe I'll read those as I watch. It might help me stop scoffing during every dramatic part.

Summer Viewing: Daiya no Ace S2 Begins with Recaps and a New Challenge

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. 

Since I was swamped with homework throughout April, I waited to start watching Daiya no Ace Season 2 (Ace of the Diamond 2). 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.

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 Daiya no Ace 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.

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.

Fillers aside, the fourth and fifth episodes were good.

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.

Sawamura relaxes and begins his windup (ep 4).

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.

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 Yowapeda. I don't think he's a sadist (yet), and I don't think he's a victim of human experimentation (as I suspect of Midousuji), but there's a definite resemblance. And I don't like him.

In the meantime, Furuya is pitching well in the first game of the season, despite the rain. I try to support him, and I am 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.)

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.

---

There. I'm caught up with Daiya no Ace. I'll try to stay caught up with my sports anime this summer (Daiya no Ace 2, Kurobas, and Baby Steps 2). For next Friday... I think I'll try to get Free! Eternal Summer over with. Later this summer, I might catch up with Naruto and his comrades. Might. That's a bit ambitious.

Also: Last season, I enjoyed Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!, 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 Gintama fan). Beyond that, I just need something carefree to watch once a week.

Summer Break Blogging Plans

It'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.

My column at Beneath the Tangles 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. 

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 will 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.

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 fun things. 

1. I'll finally watch some of those anime I keep saying "I'll get around to" (Free: Eternal Summer, Psycho Pass, a few Miyazaki films...). Also, I'll get caught up and stay 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.

The sticky note on the shelf is for anime: old shows to try or to
finish, shows I'm already following, and shows to re-watch.

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 The Name of the Wind, 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. 

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. 

I know I won't get to read and write everything 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 tentative blogging schedule... I'll at least hold to it this week:

Wednesday (tomorrow/tonight): Summer Reading. First up is The Name of the Wind. It will be a very short post, I think.

Friday (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.

Monday afternoon: As usual, a post will go up in my corner at Beneath the Tangles.

We'll see how my volunteer hours and eventual job affect my plans in future weeks. 

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. 

Ramblings about Manga, Magical Love, and Crazy Akashi

Wow. 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.

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 all 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.

I'm now on the 15th chapter of Kiss Him, Not Me. 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 miss. Plus, the main character, Serinuma, lost a lot 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.

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.

Eventually, I'd like to read Attack on Titan and Space Brothers, 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.

Speaking of lighthearted, cheesy anime... I decided to keep watching Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!. 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.

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. Kuroko's Basketball 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.

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 not 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.

Also, you should never 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 all 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.

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.

---

Aaaannnd I rambled too long. I should have stopped after talking manga. I'd best scramble to do something responsible before bed.

Anyway, do you read manga on Crunchyroll? Are there any titles on there you recommend?

Also, if you watch Kurobas, do you have any thoughts now that we've finally watched Akashi play a game?

BtT—Annalyn's Corner: Free to Love

The 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.

Link: Annalyn's Corner: Free to Love

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!

Swamped: Changes, Magical Boys, Kuroko, and Other Thoughts

The Change is here! Last Monday, I started my weekly column at Beneath the Tangles. 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 might adapt from an essay, which might work better here than at BtT. But none of that is happening this week.

Instead, a few quick responses to the anime I've been watching lately...

Hakone Yumoto attacks the chikuwabu monster with a loving kick,
soon to be followed by love-powered magic. (ep 1)

I just watched the first episode of Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love! (aka Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!), 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 Lucky Star. And the chikuwabu (an oden ingredient) that came to life reminded me a little of the vegetables in Dai Mahou Touge.

It occurs to me that I've watched more magical girl parodies than magical girl anime that take themselves seriously.

Kuroko's Basketball 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...

Akashi orders his opponent to lower his head. Look at that shadowed
face and those feline eyes... (ep 5)

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.

I'm trudging through Log Horizon 2. 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.

I'm caught up on Daiya no Ace 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.

I just watched the first four episodes of Death Parade so that I could read Japesland's post 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."

I finally finished Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance). 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.

I'm also watching Shirobako and Durarara x2, but I've written enough for today. What's your favorite anime this season?

Post at Beneath the Tangles: Aiming for the Championships

I'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.

My first post is called "Aiming for the Championships." 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?”

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.

Rewind: Ping Pong The Animation

I have to be honest: I'm dragging my feet about this blog post. Ping Pong evokes neither excitement nor annoyance. Its style is unusual, but that's about all it has going for it. I wrote the following about Ping Pong back in May, when I was less than halfway through it:

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 ping pong? 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. 

Meet "Peco," Tsukimoto's friend. Also, meet Ping Pong's color
scheme. There are a few other colors, but they're all the same
faded tone. (Episode 1)

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. 

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.

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 Ping Pong yourself, you can find its Anime-Planet entry here. 

Update and Rambling

On Friday, at the end of my Rewind post, 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:

Kuroko's Basketball and Imitating Christ

I still haven't begun my column, but that, too, will come earlier than I originally planned. 

I have a lot of ideas rolling around my head and journal relating Kurobas and to sports anime in general. I'll try to break from that theme before long. I want BtT readers to know I do have a more well-rounded taste in anime... it's just that my time is limited, and I'm excited about Kuroko's Basketball 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, Kurobas fits into the first class. 

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 Jane Eyre, 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.

Rewind: Ouran High School Host Club

It's difficult to get very far in anime fandom without learning about Ouran High School Host Club. 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.

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:

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?"

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...

3. Note I said relatively 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.

4. Haruhi's dad is a cross dresser.

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.

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.

---

Could it be? Am I actually posting before midnight PST? How did that happen? Well... Remember how I said it would be a couple weeks 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. 

Rewind: Sword Art Online I & II

Sword Art Online has the potential for both great entertainment and great philosophical discussions. Unfortunately, SAO's inconsistent quality undermines its potential, and a lot of people don't take it seriously... including me.

In my opinion, Sword Art Online is a tricky anime to think and talk about. Here's why:

1. Sometimes, it can almost trick cynical folks into thinking it might be a good anime, or at least an enjoyable one. Then it takes a nosedive, letting down all fans with snobbish tendencies.

2. A lot of people love it, so when an anime newbie asks, "What do you think of Sword Art Online?" I have to watch my words. Seriously, that's one of the trickiest questions a newbie can ask me. On the one hand, I don't want them to think the anime fandom is exclusive and snobbish. I don't want to hurt their feelings, and I don't want to make anime-watching a chore full of critiquing. On the other hand, I want to give them an honest answer, which means I'd rather not sing SAO's praises.

3. SAO's frequent dips in quality allow cynical anime fans to ignore its strengths as a philosophical discussion starter.

Death Gun in SAO II, ep 12. Doesn't he look nice and creepy
and like something out of a Terminator 2? I like this shot.

First, let's talk about what I do like about SAO. The animation is nice—just about everyone will tell you that. But more importantly, there's action. There are sword fights, a cool main character... Some people complain about how Kirito is too powerful and doesn't have much room to grow as a swordsman. Me? I don't take issue with that. It boosts the entertainment value for me, and the entertainment value is pretty much the only reason I kept watching... well, that and I wanted to see what people were talking about.

The scenario is pretty clever, too, and not just because video games attract otaku. As I'll mention in the later part of this post, SAO explores "What If" questions that are relevant to philosophical and scientific questions today. For example: "If human experience is filtered through our neurological system, then what if we could hijack that system so people experience virtual reality as actual reality?" The last arc in SAO II has one of the best "What If" questions: "What if we could use virtual reality to help—and perhaps one day treat or even cure—chronically ill patients?"

Now, here's what I don't like about SAO:
I wrote about this in my post "Sword Art Online Confuses 'Shock' with 'Fitting Climax.' Again," as well as in a Tumblr post, so I'll confine my list of grievances to an actual, limited list.

1. Kirito and Asuna's relationship is often unbelievable. It feels like they were playing house in the first season's ALO arc. And in the GGO arc of SAO II, it's like they aren't really dating. Again, see the links above, especially the Tumblr one, for more ranting. Between writing those and complaining to my friend, I've ranted about their relationship too much already. Ugh...

2. Kirito's sister/cousin/whatever, who goes by Leafa online, has a crush on him, and it's not handled very well. It's clearly just there for some weird entertainment value, and it does not add any significant psychological conflict to the show. Oh, and Leafa's crush has apparently completely evaporated by SAO II.

3. There is gratuitous sexual harassment and abuse. I'm not saying it should be cut out entirely from the series. And it's not like it's in every episode or anything. But there's a difference between "shock" and "fitting climax," as I wrote in an earlier blog post.

Yuuki and Asuna in a safe version of ALO, just playing the game
and beating level bosses. Look at them. Do you see why I have a
hard time taking things seriously in ALO? (SAO II, ep 24)

4. The depth and seriousness in SAO is inconsistent. In the first arc, thousands of lives are at stake. Players must learn to navigate and beat this VRMMORPG in order to survive and escape back into the real world. In the second arc, Asuna is in very real trouble, and there are still many lives that need saving, but... the characters all become fairies, and I can't take them seriously. Plus, as important as Asuna is to many people in the audience, the stakes in this arc just aren't as high.

Then you get to the second season... the GGO arc is nice and dark. There's a murder mystery, and Kirito appears to wrestle with some post-traumatic stress. But after that, it's right back to a safe version of ALO, where Kirito and the gang go on a quest that's only slightly more exciting than the ones you go on in your typical MMORPG. Finally, the last arc is, in my opinion, of higher quality again—lives are not at stake, but the emotional conflict and character development are better than in much of the show.

I think that gives you a taste of SAO's inconsistent quality. I must repeat, though, that I did enjoy the last arc. And, in the last minutes of the last episode, Kirito and Asuna have a great conversation about the implications of virtual reality technology. Here's a brief quote from Kirito:

"I thought that the closer the real and virtual world got, the better the future would be. But the more the boundary between them blurs, the more it starts to trick people."

Yeah, Kirito is obviously much more than a simple swordsman-gamer or tech geek; he's gained some wisdom in his trials these past couple years. His conversation with Asuna is worth going back to, since it has applications to our world today and in the near future.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that SAO could have been amazing. From what I understand, the science fiction in this show is much more than just a gamer's fantasy. It's based partially on current predictions about humans, computers, and virtual reality. It opens questions about what the human experience is—How well could virtual reality mimic bodily reality? If we could program a virtual reality that would trick our senses into believing it to be true, if we could make ourselves feel like virtual experience was physical experience... would it be real?

There's another, related philosophical topic: what is the difference between humans and an AI like Yui? If the first question asks, "What is human experience?" then the second question asks, "What is human? What is a person?" Is a human just a biological computer? In that case, the main difference between Yui and Asuna is their hardware. But if a human is more than a biological computer, if people consist of both spirit/soul and body/brain, then Yui is not comparable to Asuna and Kirito. She appears to feel and act like a human/person, and perhaps the programming glitch makes her "think" she is a person... but she is, in fact, just a program, and only Asuna and Kirito's interpretation of her actions secure her a place as a full character.

In Sword Art Online, the line between the virtual and the real blurs. By the end, Kirito is figuring out how to get Yui into the real world. The characters rarely get into the philosophy and ethics of it, but it does happen on occasion. I do not remember them asking "What is human?" though, only "What is human experience?" and "How can virtual reality play a positive role—through medicine and entertainment—or negative role in our lives?"

All of these are important questions to ask. What do you believe about human life and personhood? About reality and human experience? I have to ask myself these questions, and then I have to ask one more: Does what I believe really match up with what the Bible says about human life and reality?

These are worldview questions. In other words, the answers to these questions play an important role in how you view yourself and the world around you.

In the last episode of SAO, Asuna's friend, Yuuki, prompts another important worldview question: "Why live if we're only going to die? What is life, and what is its purpose?" My answer is different than Yuuki and Asuna's answer, but that is for another post.

Kuroko's Basketball S3 Ep. 1: My Anticipation Bubbles

Sometimes, I let the fangirl in me run loose in a blog post. This is one of those times.

In case you weren't aware, I'm a big fan of Kuroko's Basketball (Kuroko no Basket). I talk about it so much, I've quit using its full name, and I mostly stick to Kurobas. When I heard that the next season of Kurobas would come out this winter, I was super excited. I tried not to let my hopes get too high, though, just in case Crunchyroll didn't get the right to stream the newest season.

Crunchyroll slowly unveiled their streaming list for this season, and Kurobas didn't show up. I grew worried. I gave up. I double-checked the release date—some sites said the season wouldn't air until March, so maybe I just had the air date wrong. Then I found out that the first episode was online. I hurried to Crunchyroll... no new Kurobas. My stomach dropped. My fears came true. If Crunchyroll didn't have the new season, then who would? Not Hulu, I was sure... though I checked just in case.

Then, I remembered the list of legal streaming sites Justin put together at Organization ASG back in July. Maybe, just maybe, one of the less popular sites would actually turn up something good... and yes, yes one did! Daisuki.net, we have just met, but I sincerely love you.

More than half of the episode was used to recap the last season. I didn't mind this at all—partially because I understand that it's been a year since season 2 aired... and partially because I love almost every minute of this series anyway, no matter how many times I've seen it.

Fangirling aside, there are two players I'd like to highlight in this post. One of them, I hate. The other, I fear. Both add to my already-bubbling anticipation.

First, meet the new enemy, Haizaki Shougo. Not opponent—enemy. I'm normally slow to judge characters, but this guy earned my hatred in less than a second. And yes, I use the word "hatred" very carefully. I've met plenty of athletic characters with bad attitudes, but I usually have to see them hurt my friends on the court before I add them to my "Hated Characters" list on Anime-Planet. Even then, I'm pretty forgiving toward the juvenilles.

Haizaki, however... ugh. I think this screenshot says it all:

Haizaki holds Alex by her neck after punching Himura (bottom left).
Kagami (right) has just caught up to them.

Himura Tatsuya, Kagami's childhood friend and rival, stood up for Alex when Haizaki hit on her. (Seriously, dude? Seriously? How disrespectful can you get? Not only is this sexual harrassment—she's an older woman! You disrespect women, you disrespect your elders, you disrespect humanity, you disrespect basketball... UGH.) I have a feeling Himura would do the same for any woman, but Alex is his and Kagami's mentor. This is personal. And if it's personal for these dear characters, then it's personal for me.

Remember, Haizaki behaves like this in uniform, right before his next game. If the authorities caught him, he'd probably be kicked out of the tournament. He doesn't care. He even states that he doesn't really like basketball. But he used to be on the same middle school team as the Generation of Miracles, and he'd like to take down at least one of his old teammates.

No one likes him. Aomine, Kuroko, and Kise all speak from experience when they say he is bad news. To make it worse, Kise's knee is apparently acting up. I have a sinking feeling that Haizaki is the type to take advantage of that.

Kise and Haisaki have a history. I completely agree with the sentiment
Kise expresses here, but I decided to censor the crudeness, since I'd
rather not worry about my readers' reactions.

Oh yeah, and Kuroko's old captain, the scary Akashi? He kicked Haisaki off the team back in middle school. That's a pretty significant testament to this guy's disposition.

Speaking of Akashi... I only caught brief glimpse of him in this episode. All he did was walk with his teammates, but that's enough to excite me. Over the past 50 episodes, I have learned to fear this small, pink-haired athlete. He's only had one significant scene, but his reputation precedes him. The entire Generation of Miracles clearly respects him. He has never lost a game—in one episode, someone said that winning is as natural to him as breathing. He doesn't slack of in practice, even though he's miles above most of his peers. And he became captain of his team even as a first-year. I have anticipated seeing him play for about 50 episodes, and I think I'll finally see him in action this season. Excuse me while I go squeal in excitement...

Akashi Seijuuro rises in the background of the ED sequence. Look
at those cat-like eyes... he scares me far more than Haisaki, and
in a very different way.

I really need to find a friend to watch this with. I love cheering, squealing, and jumping up and down on my own, but the real sports fans look like that have fun when they have friends to cheer with. Then again, I might not be quite as expressive if I had an audience. Maybe it's better this way.

My cheeks hurt from smiling. Goodness, I can be quite the fangirl at times. Time to calm down and go to sleep.

Rewind: Space Brothers

I underestimated Space Brothers (Uchuu Kyoudai) when it began airing in Spring 2012. The frame Crunchyroll used to represent the first episode looked annoying, perhaps even crude—at least to me. But others around the 'net seemed to like it, and the summary made it sound decent. So I gave it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Mutta and his dog Appo watch a rocket in one of the EDs.
Screenshot taken at the end of ep 85.

Here's what I wrote in my "first impressions" post that spring:

Space Brothers:
(1) Hey, this is pretty good...
(2) Go, big brother, go! As an older sibling myself, I identify with the main character wanting to stay ahead of his brother.
(3) It's not too late to follow your dreams. I believe in you, Mutta!
(4) Eh, predictable romance. Oh well. Hope it won't take away from achieve-dreams-in-space and brother angles.
(5) I'm really, really going to like this one.

Now that I've finished all 99 episodes, here's my response:

(1) Yep, it was pretty good.

(2) Sure enough, I continued to relate to Mutta, the main character, throughout the show. Sure, he's a Japanese man with a few years of career life under his belt, and I'm a young American woman in college. But we both are older siblings, and we both have pretty awesome little siblings. I wrote a post on the topic in June 2013.

(3) Dreams. That's another area where I relate with Mutta: we both gave up on our dreams at some point, and we both regained determination to pursue those dreams. (And then, for me anyway, a bigger dream)

(4) I wasn't thrilled with Mutta's crush, but it wasn't too intrusive... and it wasn't completely dismissed either. Altogether, they handled relationships pretty well.

(5) I did really, really like this one... for the first several dozen episodes. By the end, the excitement was pretty much gone.

Honestly, I'm impressed that a seinen show like this one reached 99 episodes. I expect that length for flashy shounen like Hunter x Hunter or Naruto, but this was a surprise. Space Brothers is not flashy. It's set in the near future, and it deals with outer space, but it doesn't really fit in the sci-fi genre. Still, it is very suspenseful at times, complete with literal cliffhangers. (I got a kick out of that.) It's heartwarming.(I'm a sucker for good familial relationships, especially between siblings.) It's relatable and promoted beneficial reflection for me. And it's often fun.

Still, the last several episodes—perhaps the last cour or even more—were relatively ineffective. I went months between episodes, and then I'd only watch a couple at a time. The ending didn't even feel like a proper ending. Sure, questions were answered, and loose ends were acknowledged... mostly. But goals weren't met. I realize that the manga is still ongoing, and perhaps no proper ending has been written just yet. But I can only react to what I've seen, and the anime ended weakly. There was no climax, no emotional high or low... just waiting for a big event that never appeared on screen.

Don't get me wrong. I greatly enjoyed most of the show, and I recommend it. It just lost my interest at the end. And part of that could be due to my own mood. My anime-watching habits can be finicky.

Replay: Top Ten Posts of 2014

Halfway through 2013, I committed to blogging at least once a week. So far, I've (barely) managed to keep that commitment... although I had to push the designated blogging day from Thursday to "sort

Three of this year's most popular posts are
also, at the time of this writing, the most
popular this week. It doesn't always happen
that way.

of Friday night, depending on where you live." Thus, 2014 represents my first full year of weekly blogging. In the past year, some new readers have popped up and said hello in comments. I want to thank all of you, no matter how long you've known about my little blogspot, for the time you've given to read my thoughts. It means a lot.

Anyway, here are 2014's ten most popular posts.

1. Sports Anime: The Favorites, the Blahs, and What Defines Them (May 21, 2014)

If you've stuck around my blog for very long, you know that I'm a sports anime fan. This post gives my (now outdated) ranking of sports anime, complete with explanations. I also included a list of qualities I look for in a good sports anime. Since I posted this, my rankings have changed a little. For example, I've re-watched Cross Game and Big Windup!, so I now remember how great those are. 

This post jumped in popularity thanks to Lauren at Otaku Journalist. She puts together weekly lists of geeky links. One week, she was searching for a sports anime-related link to include. She announced this on Twitter, I gave her a link to this post... and ta-da! Instant popularity. I knew Lauren's blog was popular, but the number of people who checked out this post gives me a better idea of just how popular she is. I'm thankful she decided to include my post among her links!

2. Rewind: Clannad (January 4, 2014) 

When I write Rewind posts, I often just reference my memories, old posts, or any recommendations I might have written on Anime-Planet. This time, I decided to change things up: I embedded my Tweets about Clannad into my post. People seemed to really like the result. My Tweets show my evolution from a skeptic to a fan. I wrote my post about Clannad After Story the same way, but it didn't gain the same kind of popularity.

3. Gon's Dark Version of Redemption (May 28, 2014)

Four of my post popular posts this year were about Hunter x Hunter. I guess that shouldn't be surprising. It's a great anime, and it just finished this past year. Plus, these were some of my deeper posts this year. "Gon's Dark Version of Redemption" has spoilers for episode 131. 

4. Divine(ish) Characters Clash in Hunter x Hunter (May 13, 2014)

5. Anime-Planet Just Got Even Better (February 28, 2014)

Anime-Planet teamed up with Crunchyroll, Hulu, and others, so we could watch anime without leaving A-P. I was pretty excited about the idea of my favorite anime websites teaming up. I haven't actually used the video streaming feature on Anime-Planet that much, but I liked the idea. And when my post was shared on the Anime-Planet Facebook page, I got a few more views than usual.

6. Hunter x Hunter and Moral Sides (May 7, 2014)

I'm no longer happy with this title, but it's too late to change it now, so oh well.

7. So Swamped, I Forgot to Post (April 19, 2014)

I'm reluctant to include this link. I watched incredulously as this post gained views. It's just a filler Swamped post. Doesn't even have a picture to search for in Google. Really, guys? Did you really want to read this? 

This is a screenshot of Killua, Gon, and Pitou during one of the most
memorable scenes of Hunter x Hunter. I won't explain, for fear of spoilers,
but this scene impressed me. (ep 116)

8. Despite Suspense Abuse, Hunter x Hunter Develops Well (February 26, 2014)

There was a point, at the very beginning of 2014, where I got annoyed with Hunter x Hunter's pacing. I felt that suspense was overused. Around episode 116, the anime seemed ready to pick up again, and I wrote this post.

9. An Introvert's Guide to Boundaries and Friendship Behavior (July 2, 2014)

The title of this post plays on an anime title, The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior. I'm glad this post was popular enough to land on this list. It was used as a talking point on Beneath the Tangles' second podcast. I had fun discussing both anime and introversion with Japesland and Kaze.

10. Rewind: Brother's Conflict (February 7, 2014)

Before you bother watching Brother's Conflict, read my post. Or read another review. Or at least consider these few sentences to be your warning.

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And that's it! I had honorable mentions, but I decided to leave them out. If you're interested in last year's top ten posts, click here.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Rewind: Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon is about a boring businessman who becomes a pirate. Not a One Piece-type pirate, but rather a more realistic, modern pirate who deals with scary crime syndicates.

I don't remember when I first watched Black Lagoon, but I remember why I like it: explosions, analytical main character, guns, some humor, fights, and general excitement. The main character, Rock, toughens up considerably throughout the series, although he never evolves into a gun-slinging strongman; that's Revy's role.

Meet Revy, the gunslinger that pulled Rock into the crime world. She
seems to be his opposite in every way: female, tough, bloodthirsty,
and less fond of clothes that cover a person's midriff. But her rough
character complements his analytical character very well. (pic from ep 1)

I think there's some rather interesting character development—I remember almost being impressed by some of Rock's dialogue. It's been too long to recall the details, though. And honestly? This anime isn't exactly profound.

As much as I enjoy the battles in Black Lagoon, not every aspect of this anime appeals to me. I can't write about it on this blog without a content warning. In addition to the swearing, violence, and crudeness, there are some seriously disturbing episodes, especially at the start of the second season (labeled The Second Barrage some places, but not so easily distinguished on Hulu).

I rewatched the first two episodes in order to get a screenshot. I forgot how fun this show can be, and I'd like to rewatch the entire first season. Unfortunately, I'm still way behind on other anime, and my Christmas break is quickly slipping away. I'll have to save this for another day.