Could it be?!! Monthly Mania?! And a post? Yay! Happy Early Valentine’s Day! I finally have another issue of Monthly Mania as my Valentine’s Day post~ :D I intended to wait awhile before I’d post it, but I didn’t plan for it to be this long. Since it’s been so long I’m as enthusiastic as ever to make another issue. Also, this issue has more than usual. :DD It includes a movie, drama, video game, anime, manga, and novel. The drama is especially long though since I cut it out from a draft of another post. More in celebration of it’s first issue of the new year. I don’t plan to have it monthly still, but during months when I feel I have enough to put.

Movie

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do

Cast:

Cha Ye-ryeon as Jeong-won
Jang Geun-suk as Eun-gyu
Jung Eui-chul as Hee-won

Summary:

Jung-won wears a funny dragon suit, while working at the amusement park, and pours soda on Eun-gyu, because of his taunts. A short while later, Jung-won finds out that Eun-gyu has moved into the house next to hers. Eun-gyu now threatens to tell Jung-won’s parents that she works part time at a local mart. To keep Eun-gyu quiet, Jung-won agrees to carry his guitar for a week.

Jung-won then starts to develop feelings for Eun-gyu, who is the lead singer of a band called Do Re Mi Fa So La Si Do. Eun-gyu also starts to develop similar feelings for Jung-won. The two soon become a couple.

With an odd twist of fate, Jung-won went to the band’s rehearsal room and meets a familiar person from her past, a boy named Hee-won. Their relationship makes everything more complicated.

-Wikipedia

Thoughts:

So depressing that I have so little to write about this…

So annoying typing it out. x_x Anyways, after finishing You’re Beautiful, I decided to watch Jang Geun Suk’s (Taekyung’s actor) other stuff. Therefore, I watched um, this movie. Not much to say because it’s a movie, but it has become one of my favorite movies now too. I’m pretty sure it’s the first Korean movie I’ve watched, but I do really like it.

It’s starts off very slow, and not that interesting. However, if you watch through it, it does get much more interesting later. I had to persuade my friend to continue and at the end, she was glad she finished it. Sometimes the characters are really stupid yes, but I definitely did cry a few times as well as my friend. It’s sweet but sad at the same time, and the dramatic parts are well played, believable, and really heartbreaking. Some may find it over dramatic, but my friend and I totally loved it. However, I simply loved the ending, and gah~ make sure you watch through the credits. ^^

Overall, great music once again from Jang Geun Suk, some sweet romance, ignore some stupid parts and you’ll find yourself a great romance comedy.

-

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10

Where to watch it: YouTube

Drama

You’re Beautiful

Cast:

Jang Geun Suk as Hwang Tae Kyung
Park Shin Hye as Go Mi Nam (Male) / Go Mi Nyu (Female)
Lee Hong Ki as Kang On Yu / Jeremy
Jung Yong Hwa as Kang Shin Woo

Summary:

The management company of the idol group A.N.JELL insisted on adding a new singer to the group as the lead vocal, Tae Kyung’s voice was hurting. However,the new member, Mi Nam, had to go to the States to repair a botched eye job just before signing the contract. His agent came up with the idea of having his twin sister, Mi Nyu,to stand in for him and pretend that she was her brother. The two of them grew up in an orphanage and Mi Nyu, who was all set to become a nun, agreed to this charade as she didn’t want to spoil her brother’s chance of fame which would make it easier to look for their mother.

-DramaWiki

Thoughts:

This is now officially my romance favorite drama. I was wondering why I didn’t watch more Korean dramas (which this is), and this brought me back into them. To be honest I didn’t want to watch more dramas since I didn’t want to be distracted, but my friends forced me to watch it, claiming it was addicting and just so good. X) Reluctantly, I watched it, and soon found out it was. I became literally addicted. What made me happier, is that this is on TV here where I live on those Asian channels. :D

Maybe what made me addicted was how much it reminded me of Hana Kimi from the plot. It’s about a girl named Go Mi Nyu who is training to be a nun, but finds out her twin brother is in America having surgery, and she has to fill in for him as member of the all-boy group A.N. Jell. So pretty much, if you like K-Pop, hawt guys, cute romance, cross dressing, then this is definitely worth watching.

The romance is a lot more like the cute shoujo animes/mangas I’m used to. Again it has the cliched jerk and the nice girl. This time though, the romance is all about the development. It revolves around their romance developing til the end, rather than midway. It also has some family twists in it later. And I guess maybe that’s why I loved this series so much. The interactions between the characters are just so adorable I want to squeal. The chemistry is definitely there, and it’s simply a sweet hilarious show. And from the Korean dramas I’ve watched, many of them have lots of development, which is probably why I enjoy them so much. It’s not as rushed. Each moment and step is also valued much more, and the constant references to stars can be refreshing and cute.

The main characters are also very likable too, and I feel sympathy towards them. You know, except for Yoo He Yi and Taekyung’s mom. They get awesomely pwned so it’s all good. -u- Taekyung wasn’t exactly very likable in the beginning, but I soon really warmed up to him once he changed his hair and showed his cute side and opened up. Plus his OCD is hilarious. And Go Mi Nyu is a decent heroine, she doesn’t get on my nerves or anything, and plays out the nice role. However, my favorite character other than Taekyung has to be…Jeremy!! xDD He’s just so cute and funny it’s irresistible. X) Shin Woo isn’t a repulsively annoying kind character, but he does creep me out sometimes. He is definitely sweet though and I do feel sympathy. Lastly, I have to hand the coolest character title over to…their designer (which I keep forgetting her name)! She’s a hilarious and awesome noona/unnie. XD

Anyways, it’s definitely enjoyable and good. If you’re starting out on a dramas I’d definitely recommend it. Even if you aren’t, it’s definitely sweet and heartwarming, and has lots of moments to fangirl for that remind me of the sweet romance animes I enjoy. Plus, I forgot to mention the music is great too and each cast member was perfect in playing their role and being multi-talented. :D

-

And in my opinion the most hilarious scene in the drama, just in case anyone wants to see a clip of the series. I wouldn’t suggest watching it if you want to be surprised though:

Show ▼

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Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 [10] -- (bias much?)

Where to watch: YouTube

Video Game

No More Heroes

Summary:

The story follows Travis Touchdown, who is a stereotypical otaku – his motel room decorated with professional wrestling and anime collectibles – living in near poverty in the No More Heroes motel of the fictional town of Santa Destroy, California. After winning a beam katana in an internet auction, he runs out of money to buy video games and wrestling videos. After meeting with Sylvia Christel, he accepts a job to kill Helter Skelter, also known as “the Drifter,” which earns him rank 11 by the United Assassins Association, a governing body of assassins. Realizing that he has the opportunity to make it to the top, he sets out to secure himself the coveted position of number one hitman in the UAA.

After killing the tenth ranked assassin, Sylvia reveals that if Travis stops killing, he’ll eventually be targeted by other aspiring assassins. Travis, now convinced there’s no way out, goes on to try to kill every other assassin on his conquest to the top.

-Wikipedia (with edits >_>)

Thoughts:

Yup, a game all about killing. But, with the sequel recently out, I guess it’s a good time to introduce No More Heroes. :D My uncle had actually rented the game, but ended up buying it after all since it was a lot better than it appeared. :] A loser otaku assassin with Touchdown as his last name? Definitely different. XD

The game is pretty straightforward and simple. Reach the top. However, it’s a pretty entertaining one at that. Or at least…different and…interesting. >_> The game gets a little more complicated and interesting later, but it is fun in the beginning nonetheless. You can do lots of stuff outside of killing people, like playing with your cat, buying clothes, etc. However, if you know your Wii, then the gameplay is also very easy to learn. The characters are decent, I guess. Not really the strong point of the series in my eyes. The main character is a loser otaku, to say it bluntly. And why he should be the main, I have no idea, lol. Oh well. But I guess the character I dislike the most is the blonde umm…head of the rankings? However, it is entertaining to see the cut scenes between the characters, since each character in the rankings has a distinct personality immediately resulting in lots of entertainment.

Overall, not a bad game--it’s pretty different, interesting, and most importantly, it’s fun. ;]

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Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10

Anime

Peach Girl

Summary:

Peach Girl is a high school drama centered on Momo Adachi. A former member of the swim team, Momo tans easily and her hair is bleached out; unfortunately, she is stereotyped by her ignorant classmates, and is forced to endure rumors about being a playgirl. Her only friend is Sae, who is actually responsible for spreading the nasty gossip due to her jealousy of Momo. Momo is in love with Toji, a taciturn baseball player, but the scheming Sae also has her sights set on the boy. Momo’s life is further complicated with the introduction of Kairi Okayasu, a wise-cracking playboy who is determined to make her his.

-Wikipedia

Thoughts:

I watched this series a long time ago, so there isn’t much I can write about. :/ However, I decided to watch it on a whim while looking for new anime, where my uncle just randomly pointed it out. I didn’t want to since I knew of its um…drama, but I did anyways. It was definitely dramatic, but I did enjoy it. Perhaps my standards are a bit low?

Let’s see. The animation is a little below average, as I’d prefer it that guys don’t have eyelashes drawn. You can tell a lot about the type of anime it is by the picture. Otherwise, like I’ve mentioned before, it’s definitely like teenage drama on overload. Indecisive girl, awesome guy is awesome until he gets the girl, etc. However, I did enjoy it because it got some part of my fangirling inside and the end turned out satisfactory. Let’s see, the characters are pretty average, especially the heroine. However, I do like Kairi (at least, in the first half). He’s pretty awesome in the beginning, but later I’m like, “Wtf?” at him. But then he comes back again which is good. :D The romance is can be random, yet still maintains a cute vibe that I fangirl about. I’m also glad that even the bad guys turn good, which leads to Sai, who I really wanted to slap. But later she is a pretty cool character.

Overall, not a bad series at all that I definitely recommend for those who love those excessively dramatic series with break ups and heart aches and the works. ^^ Usually one of those love em’ or hate em’ types.

-

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10

Where yo watch it: YouTube

Manga

Beauty Pop

Summary:

Kiri Koshiba uses her hairstyling talents to help brighten up the lives of girls, but she does so anonymously. On the other hand the Scissors Project (also known as the SP), a group of three boys at school, gives grand makeovers to already-beautiful handpicked girls. Shogo Narumi, the head of the group and a hairstyling genius in his own right, finds himself butting heads with Kiri. To make matters worse, Ochiai, another member of SP, plots to expose Kiri’s talents. As much as Kiri tries to shy away from the spotlight, she finds herself drawn into the world of hairstyling.

-Wikipedia

Thoughts:

After just going through my public library and borrowing this, I immediately liked this manga. <3 Maybe it’s just because I had it in my hands? For whatever reasons, I liked it in all its shoujo cliches.

Anyways, it’s a pretty unique concept of haircuts being a part of the plot, but I guess that gives more options if you like drawing hair? XD Anyways, there are several reasons why I probably enjoyed it so much. Firstly, the main girl is pretty unique, and isn’t the average shoujo character. However, she’s still kind and cool, as some might say. So, it’s entertaining to see how she’ll react or what she’ll do. The main guy is definitely entertaining and made me lol all the time. So overall, the two together make for a very entertaining manga. X) The drawings are pretty decent as well, although sometimes the characters look a little awkward.

Overall though, the story is generally nice, light-hearted, and fun ride. It’s pretty average, but still nonetheless enjoyable and good.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10

Novel

Secondhand Memories

Summary:

A simple story about a high school love.
One loses their memories.

A story about the true meaning of love, sacrifice, friendship and pain…

-Official Summary

Thoughts:

Novel…it’s a text novel. I’ve already mentioned this novel briefly in my Blossom Blabber, but I feel I should probably elaborate on it. It’s currently ongoing and I’m still trying to catch up on it, so I can’t say everything I should about the story. But I’ll try! XD

To start it off, it has a very calm beginning. To be honest, I’d drop it if I wasn’t bored one day and decided to read more. After I get past the beginning and into the good parts, I go through chapters like crazy. XD So give it time and it will be interesting and intense. The characters are decent for a novel like this. The characters are developing, which is always great. The main guy is pretty mediocre, though sometimes I wish he’d have some sense knocked into him. It’s harder for me to say much about Aoi since she’s in a coma for a long time and she still is in where I’m at (which just shows how much I need to read). She seems extremely sweet, though that may be exaggerated from the point of view the story is told at. The only problem is, due to the main character’s view of her, she seems like a mary-sue. They’re relationship is already set from the beginning and is extremely sweet, but I guess it may seem like a “perfect” relationship to some…until the conflict comes.

Overall though, I like it. Some parts keep me at the edge of my seat, although what I just mentioned doesn’t seem like it. xD I acknowledge the author’s amazing use of simplicity in the writing, so don’t expect it to be super detailed. It’s supposed to be simple, since it’s a cell phone novel.

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Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10

Where to read it: Textnovel.com | Mobile Site | WordPress

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Ahh, finally done. Hope you guys enjoyed the comeback~! Boy I’m exhausted now.

Anyways, I wanted to say that I probably won’t be blogging much, although it’s kind of already evident. I just wanted to explain why. Mainly, school as usual, and just interest in other things outside of anime. This season isn’t very great, and I really just enjoy watching Kimi ni Todoke and Durarara!! at the moment. However, there really isn’t much for me to say on them and I don’t want to force myself. I’ve just been straying away from anime and gotten more into music (so expect more of those posts), being with my friends more (I used to be under really strict rules, but now they’ve lessened and I can actually hang out with friends outside of school O.o), working on a long personal project, making keychains (I’ll post up the shop when it’s up, so look forward to that!), reading, etc.

I’ll still post when I can, but I’m not forcing myself to that much anymore. Shorter posts will most likely come from this though. The reason they haven’t been coming now though is from working on this. But anyways, I’m taking your suggestions and I’ll most likely break up Blossom Blabber. :D

More Sakura and fireworks pictures~ xD

Finally I got this post done! It felt like it would take forever. xD Sorry for the late post! >.< Lots to fit in at this time right now. And then I got writers block and had no drive to blog. -_- Anyways, here is July’s Monthly Mania~ It contains the usual four: a movie, drama series, video game, and an anime.

Movie

Chocolate

Cast:

Yanin Vismistananda as Zen
Ammara Siripong as Zin
Hiroshi Abe as Masashi
Pongpat Wachirabunjong as No. 8

Summary:

The story follows the main heroine named Zen, who was born with Autism. However, along with her Autism, she has uncanny reflexes and a strengthened sense of hearing.

In the past, her mother, Zin, used to have a relationship with a Thai gangster called No. 8. However, he was jealous of her relationship with a member of the yakuza named Masashi. Masashi leaves however, for the safety of both of them. Zin ends up pregnant and tries to write a letter to Masashi, but No. 8 finds out the two kept in contact with each other and is furious and cuts off one of her toes. The two girls are forced to move to a Muay Thai academy. Later on, Zin finds a boy on the street named Moom and takes him in.

Zen continuously takes interest in Muay Thai, copying moves from both TV and from the academy. Later on Zin is diagnosed with cancer, and need to pay for treatment. Unable to do so, Moom and Zen find an old notebook with a list of people who owe Zin money, and decide to collect the debt. This leads to confrontations with various enemies and gangs.

Thoughts:

Well, this is again, a totally different movie. This movie is a Thai action film. So…there’s violence…and blood. So it’s a rated R movie, just to note. But anyways, I always enjoy Thai action films, and this is one I remember enjoying very much. All the actors do their own stunts, and so I guess it just seems all the more real I guess. xD But my aunt bought the movie and so I just watched it from there. Not a very exciting story. xD But it’s a Thai movie so I’m not exactly sure where to watch it online. But I’m pretty sure it’s somewhere on the internet, probably a torrent.

The story is a little slow in the beginning, and the acting can sometimes seems fake or overdramatic, but the action totally makes up for it in the second half. That’s pretty much why I stay away from Thai dramas xD, since their acting isn’t great and don’t have awesome action to make up for it. But anyways, back on topic. Chocolate is a movie that I have to say, is just great. It’s definitely memorable with it’s amazing action sequences. Zen is definitely my favorite character. She makes a lot of funny noises, but that’s because she copies what she sees on TV. And I love the way she pops chocolate into her mouth. xD But other than that, she’s totally that strong heroine that I love. I also love her super senses, making her a total WIN heroine to me. She’s a nice example of someone who doesn’t let Autism stop her. Her brother Moom, is also likable, even as silly as he is. In the long run he’s a good brother figure, and so I like him too.

Overall, an action-filled movie for anyone who loves either martial arts or just pure action you can enjoy. Or at least, I did. It kept me on my toes the whole time, even though the movie was sort of presented like a video game. But despite its flaws, it is a fun, action-filled movie.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10

Drama

Yeah...reusing an image. -_-

Nobuta wo Produce

Cast:

Kamenashi Kazuya as Kiritani Shuji
Yamashita Tomohisa as Kusano Akira
Horikita Maki as Kotoni Nobuko

Summary:

Shuji Kiritani (Kazuya Kamenashi) is a very popular high school boy who is close to Mariko Uehara (Erika Toda), the most popular girl in school, but whom he does not actually love. Akira Kusano (Tomohisa Yamashita), his classmate, does not really have any friends – something that is attributed to the fact that he cannot read the atmosphere well. One day, a very shy girl, Nobuko Kotani (Maki Horikita) transfers to their school and is instantly picked on by a group of girls for her shyness. As a testimony to their youth, Shuji and Akira team up and decide to “produce” her, to make her popular. They nickname her “Nobuta”.

Source–Wikipedia

Thoughts:

Am I the only one who thinks that the second to last sentence sounds dirty?

Well, I just finished watching this drama, and one of the reasons this post took so long (because I had to finish the drama first). Anyways, I’ve heard of this series so much before, that I decided to finally watch it (yeah…no interesting how-did-I find-it stories this issue xD). Anyways, I enjoyed the humor of the show, but also the undertone of it. I guess it’s one of those dramas that pay more attention on friendship. But if you don’t like that sort of stuff, then there’s just some plain humor.

As I’ve mentioned in my Blossom Blabber post, I guess I’m sort of biased and overlooked some details just because I love the cast. Each actor was able to depict their character’s personality well. Sometimes it wasn’t as sharp as others, but that’s because the two main guys are more of singers than actors. Well, the story is title character is Nobuta, but it is Shuji who is the main character, since most of the drama is narrated from his point of view. But I think Akira’s my favorite character. xD He’s just a really funny character. Mariko also ties for my favorite character because she’s just an awesome friend the whole time. She just has good intentions the whole time and I couldn’t think of a time where I didn’t like her. Mariko also helps out a lot, so I guess that makes me like her more? Either way I like her. But all in all almost all of the characters are lovable. All except…one. The music, is okay I guess. It fits with the show, but then sort of gets overused. The ending song is pretty good though. I’ve already posted it up on a Blossom Blabber, called “Seishun Amigo” by Shuji to Akira.

There are parts when the show seems incredibly unrealistic, but it’s also a touching show. Even though there are hints of romance, it’s more focused on friendship. The beginning is more fluff, until the second half where it’s, well, dramatic. But all in all, it’s a show that’ll make you just go “aw…”

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10

Where to watch it: Youtube or Veoh

Video Game

Final Fantasy X

Summary:

Final Fantasy X begins late in the story, with the main character, Tidus, waiting with his allies outside the ruined city of Zanarkand. Tidus narrates the series of events leading up to his present situation, which spans most of the game’s storyline. It begins in Tidus’ home city, the unruined and high-tech Zanarkand, where he is a renowned star of the underwater sport blitzball. During a blitzball tournament, the city is attacked by an immense creature shrouded in water known as Sin. The city is destroyed, and Tidus and Auron are taken by Sin to the world Spira. (Source–Wikipedia) He meets several other people throughout his journey through Spira, ultimately leading to the goal to destroy Sin.

Thoughts:

Well, I’m sure most people have heard of the Final Fantasy franchise. I’m a big fan of the franchise, but I think Final Fantasy was the first FF game I played (I worked my way down xD). Well, I usual watch my brother play it, but I’ve played several parts and usual read the strategy guides xD. Anyways, I have to say that I liked all of the games, but the two I liked the most were X and its sequel, X-2, which I originally planned to include for the video game segment. But then I thought it would be better to have the original. It’s a game that has a couple complexities, but also able to keep my attention along the way. Plus, it has some romance in it. x)

Anyways, the game isn’t actually too complicated, if you listen to tutorials. It also has the Combat Turn-based System, which means that you don’t have to worry about time pressure (which helps to anyone who’s new to gaming). I liked the storyline, since it’s actually pretty deep and complex. But what can you expect from FF? The graphics are great if you consider the year it was made. It was pretty revolutionary for the FF franchise in my perspective. The characters are one of the strong points of the video game. Each character has their own fleshed out personality along with their past. The chemistry between the character is also refreshing to see. All of the main characters are great in their own way. Tidus is that cheerful protagonist who has that unfaltering determination. Yuna is the…I don’t really know what the right word for it, but I guess she’s…the kind, mature? I really don’t know how to describe her since I haven’t played the game in years, but I remember her being my favorite character. That’s all. Rikku is the cheerful, upbeat thief, but lovable to me. And as usual, the music is fantastic. That’s all I need to say on it.

Overall, a great game for anyone who wants a pretty long, yet keeps-your-attention game. It has the action, story, hints of romance, that I believe most people would enjoy.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10

Official Website: http://www.square-enix-usa.com/games/FFX/

Anime

Nanatsuiro Drops

Summary:

Tsuwabuki is a normal student, though not very social. One day he meets a new transfer student, named Sumomo Akihime, and another girl, both the only members of the gardening club. Tsuwabuki is forced by a teacher to join this club. But then he bumps into a strange guy with dog ears, switching his drink with they guy’s by mistake. Drinking it, he is turned in a stuffed animal. The teacher tells him that the only way to turn back to normal is to find the chosen girl and let her catch the seven stardrops. This girl is Sumomo, that accepts to help him, though she’s not allowed to know the animal’s true identity.

Source–MAL

Thoughts:

Even though it’s adapted from the game Nanatsuiro Drops (an eroge Dx), it’s a nice, cute, short anime to watch. But anyways, Nanatsuiro Drops is the show where Sumomo (my banner girl) is from. It’s a short series, but is a cute mahou shoujo nonetheless. I watched it last year, so I forgot a lot of details about it (it’s a somewhat forgettable series). I found it from crunchyroll, with those, “recommendations for you” thing (yeah, I look at those). It just looked like a cute series, so I decided to check it out.

The storyline is the typical mahou shoujo-like story. Even though there are some parts where it is corny or cheesy, it’s a cute romance story all in all. The music I guess you can also say…is typical? It’s the cute sort of music I guess you could say. It wasn’t something that stood out, but again, cute. And now, the characters. Sumomo is obviously my favorite character in this show. Besides her being cute, she just has a cute, a little shy, but cute personality. She’s like a typical shoujo heroine, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like her. Sometimes she’s a little on the weaker side (she cries a lot), but it doesn’t get on my nerves. It makes me want to huggle her. xD She always tries her best, so an approved heroine! :D The guy protagonist…well, I sort of forgot about him, so I had to watch an episode to trigger my memory xD. But anyways, he’s I guess a likable main guy. Nothing really special appeals to me about him though. He’s so cute as a stuffed animal though!~ X3 I love watching the chemistry and how both characters interact. It’s just sweet and cute. But I do have to add that the animation is great overall.

A fun, charming, sweet love story mixed in with the mahou shoujo genre, this is a cute short anime that I’d recommend for shoujo lovers. Oh, now writing about it makes me want to rewatch it.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10

Since crunchyroll has removed the videos since last year, you can find it throughout veoh and youtube.

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Well, finally finished it.  I thought I had better ones planned…but I guess it’s the same. Dx Or I just didn’t write it as well this month because I was distracted way too much. But anyways, hoped you enjoyed MM!~

So June’s Monthly Mania is finally here~ Gomen! I said I’d get the post in by last week but I’ll consider Sunday still apart of last week so it’ll be on time! >.< (?) Oh how I am so eager for my summer updates. *Ahem* Anyways, the second issue will include a movie, drama series, video game, and an anime. As usual, I rate to softly (and I had face the consequences), so…yeah. I found it a little more challenging than I thought to find features, but I guess I’m in some sort of a brain block right now. Next month I think will be easier…

Movie

Idiocracy

Cast:

Luke Wilson as Luke Bauers
Maya Rudolph as Rita
Dax Shepard as Frito Pendejo

Summary:

The film tells the story of two ordinary people who are taken into a top-secret military hibernation experiment that goes awry, and awaken 500 years in the future. They discover that the world has degenerated into a dystopia where advertising, commercialism, and cultural anti-intellectualism run rampant and dysgenic pressure has resulted in a uniformly stupid human society devoid of individual responsibility or consequences.

Source–Wikipedia

When a man wakes up 500 years in the future, he discovers that world is so dumbed down that he’s the smartest person on earth.

Source–Flixter

Thoughts:

Well, as I mentioned before, I was going to add some American movies into Blossom Blabber, so I felt like doing one for this issue. I was debating with myself on whether I should do this movie or not because of the type of movie and genre it is but I just decided to anyways, mainly because I all other movies have disappeared from my head for some reason. Idiocracy is a movie that didn’t get as much publicity as it should’ve, mainly because of issues with the film release. It’s rated R, just to let everyone know (I usually ignore ratings, but just so no one complains…however, there is a clean version), since it has some unsuitable content and language, etc. But anyways, Idiocracy was a movie that I found at Blockbusters xD but it looked so interesting, I decided to rent it.

It’s a comedy (black comedy) with an interesting plot, that made me laugh at the stupidity of the characters. This isn’t probably a movie that fit many people reading this’ preferences, and doesn’t really “fit” with what I’m usually doing, but oh well, I like the movie! The movie was really enjoyable and doesn’t get old. I guess to others it’s sort of a love/hate thing, but I loved the comedy, and the main character because of how average he is (average blood pressure, intelligence, too average, and his name is Joe). Especially one scene when he’s trying to explain Brawndo (an energy drink) won’t help crops grow (electrolytes~), they are so stupidly funny. However, the scary part is if that movie might actually be true with their theory of human evolution~ Here’s a quote from the film:

As the 21st century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Natural selection, the process by which the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor different traits. Most science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more civilized and more intelligent. But as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down.

There are some flaws with the movie though, like how it seemed that technology actually got better, which contradicts with the movie’s theme. Or sometimes the stupidity can get annoying, but that’s the point of the movie. They are so stupid that they make you want to hit your head against a desk. O_o

But anyways, a really funny, good, stupid movie, yet with a pretty serious undertone in it. It’s deserves more attention that it gets…But probably won’t be appealing to readers of this blog (since it’s targetted at guys), but I decided to give it a shot (make sure you don’t let go of your intelligence!).

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10

Drama Series

Absolute Boyfriend (Zettai Kareshi)

Cast:

Aibu Saki as Izawa Riiko
Mokomichi Hayami as Tenjou Night
Mizushima Hiro as Asamoto Soushi

Summary:

Izawa Riiko is a temp worker in search of a boyfriend, and she ends up in possession of a “robot” known as Night Tenjo, who is programmed to be the perfect boyfriend. However, this creates a love triangle with a distinguished young man at her company who has feelings for her.

Source–mysoju

Thoughts:

Ah…I read the manga once before when my dad was selling it (he used to sell books online), and I did not like it. There were good parts, but then there were other parts that I did not find appealing AT ALL. So when I was going through the mysoju list I noticed Absolute Boyfriend, but I quickly left it alone. However, I couldn’t help but notice it get such a high rating, and it made me curious why. So I decided to check out some stuff about the drama and…more Hiro Mizushima! I just happen to like any dramas he’s in, whether he’s a main or not. It just so happen that he was the other guy in the love triangle, which put me in a little dilemma. But then I checked out the drama…and I was actually interested.

I think the reason was that they changed the drama adaptation so much, but I just happened to like the changes better. The character relationships and such are so much different, such as Soushi being her boss instead of being her childhood friend, Riiko being dragged to do the project instead of signing up, etc. But I happened to like the way the drama adapted it, in fact, I loved the series. The ending song “Okaeri” by Ayaka is really a soothing song and goes well with the show. The characters were almost all pretty lovable. The bad characters do a good job at being evil and such. I wasn’t really fond of Night at first until later. He was able to grow so much as a robot and was able to let his love for Riiko show despite all of the obstacles which may but a bit corny, but made him oh so lovable for me. I liked Soushi mainly because he was always helping Riiko with her dream to be a patisseur. I was still a SoushixRiiko supporter *gets killed* for the drama. If it was the manga, I’d probably be for Night. But it was mainly because Soushi was a person, and was real (and the drama made me like him a lot for his development). I guess his actor gave made me a bit biased as well. But to be honest, I liked both pairings by the end of the series and was okay with either. It’s one of those rare instances where I’m fine with anyone. Oh well, but it was a good drama that made me cry several times, and one that any shoujo lover should check out.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10

Where to watch it: mysoju [Link to watch]

Video Game

MySims

Summary:

Explore a new world with MySims™—it’s your world to transform! Move to a town that has been struggling lately. With a little creativity and some help from the locals, you can make this place thrive. Improve the town to attract new characters, from Chef Gino Delicioso and DJ Candy Supergroove to arcade owner, Vic Vector and Cap’n Ginny, the town pirate. Discover what the residents want and need, so that you can help them enjoy life in your Sim’s new town. Design a hot tub or jukebox from scratch, build homes and businesses from the roof to the front door. Uncover special decorations and patterns as you explore the growing town. From the furniture and objects to the buildings to the town as a whole – each of your creations is unique. In MySims, what you make… makes all the difference!

Source–Official Site

Thoughts:

Well, ever since I’ve gotten MySims, they’ve released many new versions of it, but I’ll just stick with the original (since it’s all pretty much the same elements, just at different places). Honestly, the DS version wasn’t as great as the Wii version, even though I might not have given it a great chance. MySims is a spin-off of The Sims franchise, adding more of chibi-like characters and limiting specific options and giving it more of a plot and goal sort of thing. I enjoyed the game fairly well, however, I didn’t get to play with it often, and I think I got bored with it after awhile. It’s a fun game though, for those who like building things and enjoy a cutesy fluffy game. I enjoy games with building, so I guess that was what appealed to me. It isn’t as great as the normal Sims games, but it’s fun in its own way. I guess it’s more fun to relax with, without worrying about dying characters and grim reapers. Since I enjoy the chibi-ness and cute-ness of the characters, I enjoyed the character designer a little more than the Sims (at least 1 and 2, haven’t gotten 3 yet). The characters are all unique, and you get to discover more areas, but the main goal is to build things for people. I found it fun yet repetitive. I guess it can get boring real quickly, but overall pretty fun when it lasts.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7.5] 8 9 10
(Yeah, I like cheating with my scoring for video games xD)

Website: http://mysims.ea.com/home.php

Anime

Kaze no Stigma

Summary:

Yagami Kazuma was originally part of the Kannagi family, a respected family of fire users who have an affinity to fire. However, after being easily defeated by his cousin Ayano and having no talent whatsoever in fire magic, Kazuma is banished and casted out from his family. 4 years later, Kazuma finally returns to Japan, this time as an exceptionally powerful wind user. A series of murders on Kannagi family members have occurred with his arrival. While most of the family including Ayano is convinced Kazuma is the culprit, he honestly isn’t. These events begin an all out war against the Kannagi family, with Kazuma and Ayano right in the middle of it. Based on the novel by Takahiro Yamato.

Source–MAL

Thoughts:

Gosh, I love this show. It isn’t outstanding in either originality, plot, or story, but somehow I had grown to love it a lot after watching it. Maybe it’s the comedy, awesome action, or the slight hints of romance (I’ll get back to that later). I found this show when looking for characters like Ikuto *feels embarrassed* in which Yagami Kazuma was brought up. I looked at the show, and it seemed to have that magic action theme I like, yet it was placed into the romance and comedy genre I loved as well. So how could I resist? I checked it out, and it was a good show. I fangirled over Yagami a couple times, and I had moments where I laughed, cried, and everything in between. If only there was a second season…u_u

It’s a more serious show than last month’s feature, and had some drama in it, but I loved most parts. The story wasn’t bad. I guess you could say that there were funny moments, and the action wasn’t bad either. I guess the story was somewhat mediocre to me. The music was like a typical shounen-like opening, but it had that relaxing feel I guess you could say? The music for episode 12 just added so much more to the effect. Dx Ah yes, the characters. I like all of the characters, especially Kazuma. He was funny and a cool character who always made Ayano act so tsundere-ish, which was why I loved the character interactions so much. I enjoyed the romance scenes between the both of them…however, there was one thing that got me mad: they’re cousins. x.x Their chemistry was good and all, but sheesh, they could’ve been second cousins at least and I would’ve been okay, but they were cousins. :( You kinda forget about that later in the series though after all of those romance scenes. Katherine McDonald made me laugh at her terrible English (it seems like Eden of the East is the only show that actually gets Americans to speak English), but that’s how animes usually are when they try to get Japanese to speak English. Her misunderstanding of Japanese is hilarious as well. Ren is also such a great little brother, you can’t help but want to cuddle him at some moments. Overall, the characters are great, and so is the show. It has that perfect blend of comedy, romance, fantasy, and action all in one to make it great for a large audience. Although it can be forgettable, there is some sort of charm to it that makes me like it so much.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10
It probably deserves an 8 on standard ratings, but I liked it a lot personally and so it gets a 9 from me.

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I hope you all enjoyed this issue! I wasn’t really satisfied with how it turned out, so I have better ones planned for next month. Shugo Chara post is probably going to be posted tomorrow. Sorry for the delay of this post too! >.<

So here is the first issue of Monthly Mania! I forgot to mention in my intro post that if there is a Monthly Mania post, then I won’t do the Blossom Blabber. I might if I have time on my hands, but otherwise, no. The first issue will include a movie, drama series, video game, and anime. Um, and for the ratings, I’m really soft on them. So anyways, here is the first issue, hope you enjoy!

Movie

Lovely Complex

Cast:

Ema Fujisawa as Risa
Teppei Koike as Ohtani
Yusuke Yamazaki as Nakao
Nami Tamaki as Nobuko
Hiro Mizushima as Suzuki
Risa Kudo as Chiharu

Summary:

Risa and Otani are always being laughed at as the comedy duo. Risa, a girl, is taller than the average girl, and Otani, a boy, is shorter than the average boy. The two are always bickering and even their teacher sees them as a comedy act. But as their friendship develops, so do Risa’s feelings toward Otani.

Source: The anime summary from MyAnimeList.net

Thoughts:

Ah, Lovely Complex, I decided to stick with a Japanese movie first. I was first interested in this when I borrowed the manga from the library, and decided to research it. After seeing a picture of Ohtani as an actual person, I found out there was a live action and that sparked my interest. Yeah, boring. Another reason is because of Hiro Mizushima, since I love almost all of the dramas he stars in.

Lovely Complex is based after the manga, with the same name (also known as Love-Com). It is a really cute movie, and is also pretty loyal to the manga. But, like most movies, it cut off some scenes and the other main characters didn’t play as big of a role as they do in the manga/anime. Sometimes it seemed a little corny, but other times it was…realistic? Also, the narrator bugged me with it’s attempt at English (Japanese could’ve been fine). I had to shove my headphones against my ears to try to decipher what he said. But, besides that, I laughed a lot, and enjoyed it.  The characters are really enjoyable to begin with, with the exception of the fangirls (and Risa when she was one), the sister, the narrator, and the student teacher (I couldn’t tell if he and the narrator are the same people). The student teacher though wasn’t that bad at the end though. The movie overall is a cute romance story with your typical shoujo-ness and small drama.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10

Where to watch it: mysoju [Link to watch it]

Drama Series

From left to right: Lee Shin, Min Hyo-rin, Shin Chae-kyeong, and Lee Yool

Princess Hours aka Goong

Cast:

Yoon Eun Hye as Shin Chae-kyeong
Joo Ji Hoon as Lee Shin
Kim Jeong Hoon as Lee Yool
Song Ji-hyo as Min Hyo-rin

Summary:

Based on the manhwa by Park So-Hee. This story takes place in an alternate reality if Korea still had a royal family in the 21st century, and is modelled after the last royal family of Korea. After being rejected to be a bride by Min Hyo-rin, Lee Shin is forced against his will to marry a commoner, Shin Chae-kyeong. Even though her personality is able to break through to Lee Shin, scandals, the return of Min Hyo-rin, and the introduction of Lee Shin’s cousin Lee Yool complicates matters for the couple.

Thoughts:

Princess Hours, or Goong (the shorter, easier to type title I’ll be using), is a romance comedy story filled with tons of drama. In the beginning, it was full of fluff with twists, turns, and yet it was enjoyable to see their love develop. The first half of it was great. However, it’s to be warned that later, it starts getting much more dramatic, and it drags on, in a bad way.

For the characters, there is a lot of character development. To me, the most dramatic change came from Min Hyo-rin. The main girl, was very fun to watch at certain times, and other times, she’s pretty annoying. She is your average shoujo-like heroine. Her personality is able to affect everyone around her. The prince is a pretty sane person most of the time, and is probably my favorite character. He’s just really cool, but like everyone else, has his bad moments (less though). The cousin is actually a pretty nice character, but in the near end he began to bug me too.

The drama is actually a pretty good, enjoyable, and addicting drama. I mean, I really liked it, I finished 24 episodes in a week or less (which for me is quick considering the length of the drama episodes). But there is some extreme drama in there, and I wanted it to end at a certain spot, since it would be a perfect ending…until it keeps going. So it’s a good drama, but the ending is a little disappointing. If you love romance, comedy, and extra drama, this is the…drama series for you. -_-||| xD

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10
It would have had a better score if it stopped when I wanted it.

Where to watch it: Youtube [Link to watch]

Video Game

Hello Kitty Online

Summary:

Hello Kitty and friends welcome you to the exciting and fantastic Hello Kitty World! This is the first-ever online game platform featuring the all-time-favorite Hello Kitty characters from Sanrio!
Hello Kitty World will allow thousands of players to live and participate in Hello Kitty’s magical and cute online world. Youwill be able to roam the streets of New York City, Florapolis, London, Paris, and much more. Enjoy the beautiful landscape and architecture of Moscow or Tokyo and participate in numerous puzzles, story lines, or adventures lead by the worldwide community of Hello Kitty World subscribers. You can even have a successful farm, open different shops, earn and spend Sanrio Dollars in your bank, buy a house, and trade with other players around the vast game world.

Source: mmosite.com with a couple tweaks

Thoughts

So right now, the majority is probably going, “Wtf?” But honestly, don’t let the looks of it fool you. The game is still in development, but I felt it should be in the spotlight. This game is…kiddish I will admit, but it’s pretty fun for a kids game. I was in the betas of the game, and it’s really enjoyable. To be honest, I was somewhat addicted to it. -’_'- There are tons to do, and it’s a good starter game for people going into RPGs. It has all of the elements of an RPG, but in a simpler form. The graphics are pretty good, and there are always quests to keep you going. There are people from all age groups, and the guilds are really nice. So far, the players have created one of the best communities I’ve seen. My old blog revolved around this game (since the blog and the game were hosted by SanrioTown). I mentioned before that there are guilds, and for me it starts getting fun when you actually join one. I’ve enjoyed and loved this game for all it’s cuteness and fluff, and it’s great for relaxing and starting off your first RPG.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8.5] 9 10
Yeah…I’m going to cheat and put a .5 there! xD

Website: http://hellokittyonline.com

Anime

Puchi Puri Yuushi

Summary:

Yucie, really a 17-year old stuck in a 10-year old’s body (she has a curse on her), would do anything to become her age. When she hears of an oppurtunity to become a chosen Platina Princess, and then have the power to use a tiara that grants a special wish to the Platina Princess once every 1000 years, Yucie goes for it with clear determination.

Source: myanimelist.net

Thoughts:

Well, usually I wouldn’t be recommending new anime, since I’m assuming that most of the people reading this are already anime fans, but this is a pretty underestimated anime that not many have known about. I found it during my marathon Summer last year, while I was looking for new anime to watch. I was really glad I found this by a small chance and happened to pass through it. Puchi Puri Yuushi (can I call it PPY? It’s a mouthful) is an anime that brings back that fairytale charm that remind you of your childhood shows and movies. It’s about Yucie, a girl who has a curse on her, and so she wants to get rid of it as soon as she can. She soon meets other girls who are going after a tiara for the same reason: to change their bodies back to their original age. It’s a really cute, fluffy show that just makes you smile. There is the prince, with cute tsundere romance that we all love as well. Each character is also unique, and each of them come from their own world, with their own past. It elaborates on each of their pasts, and makes the show’s characters the strongpoint. You have your average shoujo heroine, your cute/polite meganekko, your tsundere rival/friend, and your overly strict and pressured girl.

I enjoyed, like I mentioned before, the charm, the cuteness, and the fluffyness. It also has laugh out loud comedic moments. It’s an anime that I feel deserves a little spotlight. There are also morals in this story, and it just has every element a shoujo has with a fairytale twist.

Verdict: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10
Um…just took the ranking I put on my MAL. xD

Where to watch it: Veoh [Link to watch]

—–

Wow, that took longer than I thought. I blame formatting issues, lol. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys the first issue.

I’ve been meaning to get to this post, but I haven’t had the time, like I mentioned in my Shugo Chara post. I mentioned this in last week’s Shugo Chara post. So introducing…Monthly Mania and Blossom Blabber! These are new features to my blog, which interpret more than just anime, since that was my original intention of this blog.  Ah well, I’m an alliteration girl.

I originally wanted this blog to have a lot more than anime. But I really couldn’t do much since…well I didn’t have much time, and didn’t know what to write. Things were already going into consideration since my last blog update, but I finally got it all planned out. These features may not be Japan related, and can be related to media in America, or anywhere else around the world. I will still include Random Anime though, since anime needs its own posts. Hopefully everyone will enjoy this and not get mad….or “ugh” over it….

Monthly Mania

Monthly Mania is a feature that comes every month, obviously. It will include a couple sections; however, they might not be in every issue. I’ll try my best to create an issue on the first week of the month. They will be reviews, introductions, and are usually things that I have completed. Monthly Mania (or Monthly Media) will hopefully/usually include the following:

• A featured Movie, it can be a movie from anywhere. Japanese, American, Korean, Thai…
• A featured Video Game, which can range from action to cutesy games. But be prepared for more cutesy games…
• A featured Drama Series, which will act as a review, and will only be featured if it is completed by me.
• A featured Book, but I have a feeling I won’t be including this section a lot…I have been reading often. *feels shameful*

Blossom Blabber

Blossom Blabber is a feature that I plan to have almost weekly if I have time. It won’t happen every week, so it’s kind of like Random Anime. It’s not as official as Monthly Mania and will be a little more personal. Hence, Blossom Blabber. There is a big chance I’ll be blabbing a lot and going off-topic, so be prepared for that. Blossom Blabber might seem similar to Monthly Mania, but there are differences. Like in Monthly Mania though, there are some sections that might not be included in some issues. It will hopefully/usually include:

• What I’m currently addicted to, that’s a long title. I get easily distracted and pretty much what has gotten my attention the most so far. Like blogging, anime, forums, Wikipedia (O_o), etc.
• Music that I found recently that I’ve enjoyed. Lots of YouTube videos I expect to be in this section.
• Dramas, but these are dramas I am watching. So they are not completed. I’ll just be sharing my thoughts so far. So it isn’t much like a review that will be expected of Monthly Mania.
• Manga that I have been reading. and my thoughts on them so far. Also some random manga ramble.
• Blog Related news and stuff related to this blog. Like themes, banner status, stuff like that. Major announcements most of the time won’t be here, this is mostly what’s going on behind my blog, and my activity on this blog.
• Other stuff that I’d like to briefly mention. Things like, stories I’m working on, YouTube videos I see, random stuff, somewhat personal stuff, etc. Things that do not belong anywhere else.

—

Well I hope you guys will enjoy these new features. I’m really excited about it too. I have a couple posts in my drafts so hopefully I’ll get to them soon. I hope to get back to Random Anime too, but I haven’t been watching much anime these two weeks, so there isn’t much to say. But these are what I have planned. I hope to stick with them for as long as possible, but if the schedule sometimes go awkward, please bear with me. I’ll try my best to stick to schedule. :D