Ohisashiburi dane!

Sorry, I totally intended to make a post at least once a week, but it looks like with all the work that I've been doing that I failed to keep up with that intention. Anyway...

I had mentioned earlier that I was looking forward to seeing the second season of Cardfight Vanguard, but alas, I haven't found somewhere to watch it yet. Instead, to fuel my addiction, I've taken to playing the card game as well.

Right now, my deck is an Angel Feather deck (from Booster Set 6: Breaker of Limits). I haven't got much play in with it, but I hope to start playing more with my friends. I also have an Oracle Think Tank deck (the type of deck Misaki uses in the anime) though I don't have all the cards I want for it. I'm still missing the Tsukuyomi cards because they haven't been released in English yet.

Hopefully, as time goes by, Booster Set 3: Demonic Lord Invasion will be released in English so I can put the Tsukuyomi cards in and finally complete my deck. I hope to finally get to watch season 2 of the anime too.

Tasogare Otome x Amnesia

As I continued sampling other animes that have been released this spring, I came across Tasogare Otome x Amnesia. The story centers around a girl, Yuuko, who is a ghost haunting a school. She has no memory of her life or when and why she died. She simply haunts the school doing as she pleases.

Tasogare Otome x Amnesia

However, one day a boy Niiya Teiichi eventually comes across her. They become friends and set up a paranormal investigation group to help investigate Yuuko's past.

 I think I will definitely watch this anime along with Sankarea. My list of must-watches has quite a few on it already. Unfortunately, Cardfight Vanguard has not become available yet. I wonder if it got pushed back.

The Monster Girls of Kenkou Cross

For quite some time now, I have been a big fan of the Monster Girl Encyclopedia made by the artist Kenkou Cross. Kenkou takes the monsters out of legend and popular culture and transforms them into females with erotic profiles to match.

Lilim, one of the Succubi in the MGE World

 In the MGE world, a demon lord has overthrown the previous one and want humans and monsters to coexist peacefully. She has replaced the monsters' instinct to kill with love, and changed all the monsters to being female. The monsters usually attack men, not because they want to harm them, but because of their desire for them and to reproduce.

The flower girl, Alraune

Anyway, ever since stumbling upon a profile for Arachne, I've been hooked on these beauties. Their pictures are always appealing (cute or sexy), and it's interesting what little quirks and issues they have. It's fun to see how Kenkou is able to put such a spin on the traditional monsters that we know.

Arachne, the first of Kenkou's monster girls that I came across

This love for monster girls has taken such a hold that I have found myself joining two monster girl-themed forums: The Monster Multiverse and Monster Girl Unlimited. These two site have helped me get to better know them and socialize with others that share the same feelings for them that I do. As a writer, I have even begun taking on the challenge of writing a MGE-themed story.

My current favorite monster girl, the Anubis

Just as a word of caution, because of the content in the profiles, they aren't for anyone younger than the age of majority. As such, TMM and MGU have a policy on underage visitors. If you are over the age of majority and would like to check out these wonderful ladies, just click on the links below and register at either of the forums. They are great communities devoted to the love of monster girls.

The Monster Multiverse
Monster Girl Unlimited

Interesting New Anime!

Every season, I take a look at new anime for me too fuel my addiction. While I was really looking forward to Fate/Zero, Cardfight Vanguard, and Medaka Box, I didn't really have a clue what to expect with this new series Sankarea.

Sankarea is about a boy, Chihiro Furuya, who loves nothing but zombies. When a family member dies (actually his cat) he begins a mission to bring it back to life as a zombie. During the process he meets a girl Sanka Rea. She is tired of her parents and her way of life, so the boy suggests that she should die and be reincarnated as a zombie. She does become a zombie which starts the romantic comedy that's the premise of this series.

Anyway, after watching the first episode which just aired recently, I can safely say that this anime will be added to my list of "must watch" animes this season. Also, I'll probably be ending up reading the manga as well.

Guilty Crown

Since a few anime I've been watching recently have finished, I found myself with some time to catch up on others that I've put on the side. One such anime is Guilty Crown. The anime takes place in the future after an event called "Lost Christmas". The event causes a mass outbreak of a "cancerous" disease called the "Apocalypse Virus" and ends up changing the entire nation of Japan. The story centers around a boy, Ouma Shuu, who gets caught up in the rebellion between the new government of Japan and a rebel faction called the Undertakers.

One of the main reasons why I like this anime was because of the music that is featured in it. The main heroine, Inori Yuzuriha, is the lead singer for a group called Egoist and sings a couple of beautiful songs - "Euterpe" and "Departures" (though Departures is sung by a different person in the ending theme). These songs were written and composed by Ryo of Supercell who also created the song "My Dearest" which is the anime's opening theme.

Yuziriha Inori of the group Egoist

Anyway, the only bad thing I really have to say about this anime is just the fact that you have to get over how pathetic the main character is in the beginning. I can't really say how many times I got angry at Shuu for acting the way he does. Sure it gets better as he begins to grow, but the way he acts at times makes me just want to give up and stop watching.

Anyway, I hope to be done with this anime before the spring anime season starts. More than likely if I don't, it'll just end up on the back burner again.

Looking Back: Kawaii Kon 2012

At the time I created this blog, I had finished attending the Kawaii Kon. It is Hawaii's very own anime convention, much like Anime Expo and OtaCon. As a lifetime member, I attend this convention every year. Sometimes I participate in cosplay (combined word of costume play that is often used when referring to dressing up as favorite anime and video game characters). This year, I didn't cosplay as much as I wanted to, but I did make an appearance as Kon, the stuffed lion from the anime Bleach.

Kon, the ever-lovable perverted mascot for the anime Bleach

Overall, I enjoyed my experience. Mostly in part to one of my favorite seiyuu (Japanese voice actor/actress) being one of the guests of honor. This seiyuu is Asakawa Yuu.

Asakawa Yuu, one of my favorite seiyuu

Asakawa Yuu has done a variety of rolls in many different anime from Sakaki in Azumanga Daioh! to Priss Asagiri in Bubblegum Crisis 2040. She also provided the voice samples for Megurine Luka, a Vocaloid character. My favorite characters that she has provided voices for are Rider from Fate/Stay Night and Aoyama Motoko from Love Hina. During her panels at the Kawaii Kon, Asakawa connected with her fans by answering questions. On the last day, during her music panel, she sang two songs - "Waiting for You" the ending theme from Bubblegum Crisis 2040 and "Just Be Friends" one of the popular songs done by Megurine Luka. Watching her perform live in person, to me, made the entire convention worthwhile.

Some other things that I enjoyed at Kawaii Kon was the Special Guest Dinner event where some con-goers get to have a dinner at Hard Rock Cafe with some of the guests of honor. Though Asakawa Yuu did not go, I did get to sit and talk to Lisa Ortiz over dinner. Lisa Ortiz is the English dub voice actress for Lina Inverse from Slayers and Deedlit from Record of Lodoss War. She's a great person and very friendly.

Lisa Ortiz - her character Deedlit was one of my first anime favorite characters

After having such a great experience during this past Kawaii Kon, I'm really looking forward to next year's convention. I've already put in my "wishlist" of guests I'd like to see. Hopefully, at least one of them will end up as being a guest of honor. Kawaii Kon 2013 will be held at the Hawaii Convention Center March 15th to the 17th.

Upcomming Spring 2012 Schedule

As it nears April, the new seasons of anime will be coming out. There looks to be a few good ones. Of all of them, the ones I'm probably most looking forward to are Fate/Zero (season 2) and Cardfight Vanguard! (Season 2).

Fate/Zero is a story by TYPE-MOON and the prequel to Fate/Stay Night. The story revolves around the premise that seven masters and seven servants are participating in an event called the Holy Grail War. Their aim is to become the last pair standing at the end of this battle royale in order to claim the legendary Holy Grail. The story follows the servant Saber and her master Kiritsugu Emiya. For season two, Fate/Zero will be continuing the tale (as Season One ended with only one servant having been defeated).

Cardfight Vanguard is an anime revolving around a CCG (collectible card game) by the same name. The story follows a young boy named Aichi Sendou. Aichi plays to gain recognition from his friend Kai Toshiki as a Vanguard fighter. As he dives more and more into the world of Vanguard, he and his friends wind up in multiple battles with other Vanguard fighters throughout Japan. Along the way, a latent power called Psyqualia awakens in Aichi. Season two of the anime will follow the events of the National Tournament.

As for new anime, I am looking forward to Medaka Box. The anime will follow student council president Medaka Kurokami. She was elected the student council president. She aims to help anyone in need, so she introduces a suggestion box called the "Medaka Box". This anime is based on a manga by the same name.