[Jas] Spring/Summer Anime Pre-Review

[JT's note:  Holyyyyyy crap.  Jas is back and with a vengeance apparently.   There are so many [p]reviews here that I am NOT going to go through and edit, so you are getting the raw draft of what Jas sent me.  You've been warned!]


Okay! So this time I am combining the Preview and Review into one, mainly because I TOTALLY FORGOT TO POST THE PREVIEW! OTL Also, we apparently had too may anime posts in a row, so there was that too…but, regardless, let’s continue!  So, I will be starting here with the anime’s I actually watched this time and the second part will include my first impressions of the shows that I didn’t watch!

What I did end up watching!!?

WHAT A CUTIE PA-TOOTIE!!!

Red Data Girl: (got a (◠‿◠) with 12/12 episodes) I don’t know how I feel about this main girl though. She’s really soft spoken and timid. It has a clearly supernatural flair to it that I can’t say no to in a series, even though I WAS SO CONFUSED IN THE START! My confusion lasted for a while too, maybe I needed to watch the first 3 episodes, or so, again to try and make things make more sense.

Well it certainly wasn’t the supernatural flair that I was expecting. I was confused for quite some time as well, like I was just wandering through the series in confusion. It was almost like Shinseki Yuri, which I had to re-watch to really appreciate. (Which was a wonderful choice, because I LOVED that show so much! Such a deep plot! And THOSE TWISTS AND TURNS!)

Though the story becomes clearer as the show continues, it still never really hits that exciting of a climax in my opinion. I enjoyed the show overall, though it wasn’t something that really caught my attention and held me on quite as much as other shows. I wouldn’t put it on my favorites list, but I wouldn’t diss it completely either. It falls sorta right in the middle, I’d say.

Too many boys to fit in one frame, so I got some shouta love

Uta No Prince-Sama Maji Love 2000%: (got a (｡♥‿♥｡) with 13/13 episodes) This is one of those shows that I am sorta embarrassed to admit that I watched the first season and couldn’t stop watching it. Reverse harem and it continues, with potentially even more new members. Damn I want this girls life. I almost died when watching the first episode. It’s so….stupidly catchy. I can’t say no to boy bands with their singing, butt shaking, hip thrusting, najsgnalkfanklgn I’m sorry.

I was actually happy with this season of the show, I enjoyed the whole competition and the fact that the lead girl was challenged. It was refreshing. Also. I mean. Those men. Those songs. I just really like this show! I wasn’t expecting a second season though, I didn’t really think it had enough meat (HAHAHAHA SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!) to really pull off a second season. Though, I guess, the fans just wanted more hot men fan service. XD

The lines that come out of this anime are just so OUTRAGEOUS! Honestly! I want to die when I’m listening to it! YOU ARE ALL ETERNALLY TWINKLING STARS IN MY EYES! But seriously. You know, it’s the ended I expected (duh) no plot twists or anything. No deep thought needed. I might die if there is a 3^rd season though, straight up, I’d die.

Dream cosplay? I think so.  

Hataraku Maou-sama!: (got a (｡♥‿♥｡) with 13/13 episodes) Oh a map, does this mean something old world? Oh god. Dark Lord Satan has just been introduced. Dark Lord Satan has a general named Lucifer….I thought they were the same person….also….Satan and Lucifer appear to be good looking men. Yummy. OH A HERO IN ARMOR LEADING THE HUMANS TO VICTORYY! Oh dear Satan what are you going to do?! THE HUMANS ARE ATTACKING!! SATAN WHY ARE YOU SO BEAUTIFUL??!? THIS IS NOT FAIR SATAN WHY SO BEAUITFUL?? OH GOD WHERE ARE THEY NOW?! LOL OH GOD WHAT IS THIS SILLINESS!???? SAATTTAAANNNN I CANT EVVEEEEENNNN!!OMG HOLY POTTER POSTER LOL AKA HARRY POTTER THIS IS HILARIOUS! SATAN IS WORKING AT MCDONALDS OH AJFBJOAKJFNJIAONFKJGLNAPOKGFLN!!!! I CANT BREATHE PROPERLY!!

I LOVE THIS ANIME SO MUCH! SO MUCH THAT I WANT TO COSPLAY IT! SO MUCH THAT I FORCED MY BFF TO WATCH IT SO SHE CAN FALL TO THE DEPTHS I HAVE FALLEN! Anyways, in all honesty, it is more of a comedy anime for me, compared to other ones I have watched before.

I didn’t see a few things coming, and the battle scenes aren’t intense, but they aren’t lacking either in my opinion. I liked the story and LOVED the characters!! The real question is….will my ship sail or sink? Or…..which ship am I even shipping here?  I LOVE THIS!!! I really hope there is a second season, though the ending wasn’t bad at all or anything, nothing unfinished (at least not really!) :3

I know that feel bro

Ore no Imouto go Konnani Kawaii Wake go Nai Season 2: (got a (｡♥‿♥｡) with 13/13 episodes) Loved season 1, just bought a bunch of blind box figures from it. I just adore all the characters! Season 2 is lovely indeed and things are REALLY progressing! The romance is a lot more prominent in this season and you get to learn more about the characters personalities, which I’ve really enjoyed! You also get to meet some new friends! Yay! I love new characters!! I’ve been squealing through a few episodes, and flailing about, as per usual!

SO MANY SHIPS I WANT TO SHIP THAT I DIDN”T SHIP BEFORE! Although this is a very harem-ish anime, I feel like it doesn’t have the really harem feel to it like other obviously harem animes have. The second season kept me going and I actually liked it a lot better than the second season. More things seemed to happen, especially on the romance side! EEEE!!! I almost didn’t want it to end!!

Little Kirino is ADORABLE! DROP DEAD ADORABLE!! LITTLE JEALOUS KIRINO!!! This just explains everything so perfectly! I love this episode so much, I NEVER WANT THIS TO END!!! OH GOD I AM SO HAPPY I LOVE THIS SO MUCH THIS SHOOOWWWW!!! THAT ENDING! SO ADORABLE! MY HEART STRINGSSSS!!!

This will be your face while watching this anime

Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san. Z: (got a (｡♥‿♥｡) with 13/13 episodes) YES YES YES I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A SECOND SEASON FOREVER I LOVE THIS SHOW I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH I CAN NOT WAIT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST SEASON EVER YES YES YES YES MY DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE I AM SO EXCITED YES! FYI IT’S ABOUT DEMON’S AND THE LEAD GUY IS BASICALLY SATAN AND I LOVE HIM AND SHIP HIM WITH THE LEAD GIRL YES YES YES!!

Once again, it’s a collection of mini-episodes with no real plot. But I love the characters and now they introduced new demons and I JUST CAN’T SAY NO TO HIS SERIES EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN’T MAKE A LICK OF SENSE SERIOUSLY!!

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!! I CANNOT HANDLE THIS SHOW AT ALL I JUST CANNOT HOLY MOTHER!!! THE CENSOR BARS I THINK I’M ABOUT TO DIE!!!!!!!! DO NOT WATCH EPISODE 9 IF YOU ARE FAINT OF HEART!

ALSO, I LOVE AKUTABE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m loving these new demons! Hehehe!! But if only my Sakuma x Akutabe would happen! ;3; IT NEVER WILL BUT OH HOW I WANT IT!!! AKUTAAABBBEEEEE!!!!

Scary ass shit man, seriously

Shingeki no Kyojin: (got a (◠‿◠) with 13/25 episodes) Mankind living behind walls in fear of the Titans? (Which look scary by the way, one had no skin) Like really intense.  ALL THE SHOUNEN! Also, that opening theme? The most intense opening theme I have EVER heard. The parody videos on Tumblr are just wonderful, seriously? (Attack on Omelet, I’m crying) Anyways. This show has had A LOT of promise, with early twists that I did not see coming. (No, I haven’t read the manga, but now I want to)

Although, I am vaguely concerned of it turning into Gantz. Aka. Being TOTALLY MINDBLOWINGLY AWESOME AND SICK and then DRAGGING ON TOO LONG, RUINING CHARACTERS AND ADDING THE STUPIDEST PLOT TWIST EVER AND KILLING MY SOUL! Well, now that everyone knows how I feel about Gantz….. >_> So really. I hope this anime/manga does well and doesn’t go down hill. So far, so good in my opinion. There are a lot of unanswered looming questions that I am excited to learn the answers too.

Also, super sick cosplays. Seriously. And they popped up after episode 4 basically. I don’t even.

MY FEELS DO NOT COMPUTE CHAMBER!!!!!

Suisei no Gargantia: (got a (◠‿◠) with 13/13 episodes) SPACEEEE!!!! HOLY FUCK FIRE ALARM TEST IN MY BUILDING DEAR JESUS WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT! This is not your average space battle getting flung into a wormhole and spit out elsewhere in the universe anime. I acutally really like this and I told myself I was going to take a break from anime with mecha’s and what not. I didn’t really know what to expect when this began and honestly, I wasn’t expecting what I got.

It was nice watching how awkward the lead guy was in the start until he became more and more used to his new life. It was nice watching a transition instead of a WHOA SUDDENLY I FIT IN EVEN THOUGH I’VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR 2 HOURS! Please, I like watching the struggle. Plus, he was ADORABLE! Anyways. Let me tell you about plot twists, but not really, because that would spoil things, but really now. Plot twists. Didn’t see coming. Should have seen coming? Maybe? I don’t know. But I didn’t see it coming. I was baffled. Like. Whoa. Freaky/creepy!

There were a few twists in this that I didn’t see coming. I was really happy with the ending, the show felt very complete and like there was a solid conclusion. There were a few things that upon further thought I felt a little iffy about, but all together it was a great series! I’m glad I kept watching it till the end! Indeed! Wonderful choice!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S: (got a (｡♥‿♥｡) with 13/24 episodes) Now I LOVED the first season, well not really “season” per say, since this is basically a super long OVA of a story line they barely touched upon in the first season, but listen, I LOVE RAILGUN! I liked this mini story before, and I love it right now too!

It’s about the Sisters arc and I love hoe in depth it’s getting. Misaka is one of my favorite characters, she’s just too adorable. I wish that this would have been longer, or that hopefully another arc comes out late :3 maybe? /sobs/  

The action is this season is pretty good; I’m really liking the fight scenes a lot!  With the way this series is progressing I’m really excited for the climax! Also, as a side note, this season is almost completely separate from the first season, you could watch this one without really watching the other ones. I kinda like that set up.  

I can’t wait to see this one through! Ya hoo!

Now, onto those first impressions that I never actually posted when they were relevant. >_> ONWARDS!

My rating scale: 

Love it!    (｡♥‿♥｡)

Like it!  (◠‿◠)

It’s all right.  （・＿・)

Ehhhh. （￣～￣;）

Doubt it.   (╯︵╰ ;)

No way. ( ಠ _ಠ )

Date A Live: At first glace, incest anime with panty flashes from a cute little sister? Or really weird personality flop and holy god what is even going on here? Spirit things? Space quakes? What? Dating SIM? WHAT?! WHAT EVEN IS THE POINT OF THIS?! COULD IT BE ANY MORE WEIRDLY LAME?! I can’t. I can’t. How would that even help solve things? This seriously does NOT make any sense what so ever. Nope.

Will I watch it? ( ಠ _ಠ ) Nope. Nope. At first it seemed promising and then BAM lost all that promise.

Dandai Bunri no Crime Edge: This is interesting. The lead guy has a….hair fetish? That’s a new one I don’t recall seeing before. I also like this idea….though the romance thing is moving a little fast…DON’T YOU THINK WHAT EVEN?! But all right….I like mystery type things, and I get a feeling that this might be a but mystery related? I could be wrong though. They do mention serial killer genes or something, which is interesting. I like serial killers, they are interesting.

Will I watch it?（・＿・) I’m not quite sure yet. The first episode got me interested, but not sure if that interest will carry through yet….

Side Note: I got almost half way through this series before I dropped it. I just lost interest in it over time.  I liked the story line, but I just didn't really see where it was going, and new characters kept popping up and I just sorta fell out of it. 

Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince: Okay I like the whole ‘Five Fail” group name, pretty hilarious. This is a space alien mecha battle anime, and I feel like I’ve seen so many that I almost don’t want to start another one…lest they all mix in my head to the point I can’t keep them straight anymore. @_@

Will I watch it? （￣～￣;）I’m not feeling it. I had a hard time concentrating on the episode…that might have been because I was working on cosplay…but then I started watching Whose Line, which distracted me from sewing more than this anime did. That could be saying something….

Devil Survivor 2 the Animation: Oh I missed the 2 the first time around…..you mean there was a first season of this?! I want to see that! I liked this first episode, the story line seems really interesting and I like the animation as well. The whole demon thing always catches my attention and I’d like to see where they will go with this whole thing.

Will I watch it? (◠‿◠) I think so! So far it looks promising…but I should probably look into the first season first…right??

Side Note: Another one I got decently far into before dropping, granted, I still haven't seen the first one....should probably get on that. 

Karneval: Pretty boy in field of flowers, oh? Two pretty boys in a field of flowers. SHOUTA BOY?! OMG TERRIFYING WHAT IS HAPPENINGIGNISUOHFJOAFJKL!WHY DID IT PAUSE THERE TO BUFFER OMG!!!! This seems…..very interesting indeed. I like it. I like it a lot. I’m confused, excited, and intrigued.

Will I watch it? (◠‿◠) Yes, I do believe so! This shows a lot of promise so far and I want to understand what is going on! And the boys are yummy. Mmmmmm~!

Side Note: I GOT SO FAR BUT IN THE END IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER! WHY DID I STOP WATCHING THIS ONE?! I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER! nfjknflam!

Photokano: Photo otaku? Photo otaku with a harem? Childhood friend enters the scene. Oh god, I cant get over this ‘the camera will change me’ thing hahhaha! Cutie little sister enters. ……More like you saw all the girl’s legs as potential photo subjects……and their butts….. :I Whoa, was that a glasses pervert creeping there? So CLICHED! Super creeper glasses bro. mer. Photography club, girls, ero plot line.

Will I watch? (╯︵╰ ;) Mmmeeeehhhhhh I love photography but….just….no.

I like what you be saying there bro

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru: Lysol calls it ‘healthing” not ‘cleaning’…..oh…wait…you want an anime review not an pre-anime ad review…..guy who hates the trifles of youth. Well, that was intense. Fools that enjoy their youth should just go kill themselves….sounds like SOMEONE NEEDS A HUG! From the opening I am guessing this is a two girls and one guy story line. I can’t tell how I feel about this one…..

Will I watch it? （￣～￣;） I just…I don’t know yet….I don’t know.

Horror. Anime. Say it again. Horror Anime

Aku No Hana: From the thumbnail it looks like the art style is going to be super realistic looking and I don’t know if that’s really my style. :/ Oh gosh, like creepy super realistic. SUPER CREEPY REALISTIC YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW! This is going slow…..only music….what is going on? I don’t feel like I can watch 24 minutes of this……The scenery is really well drawn though, show detail. Nope.

Will I watch it? ( ಠ _ಠ ) Nope.

Side Note: This is apparently a horror anime! I had no idea! People on Tumblr have been saying it's good...though I don't like the art style maybe I should still give it a try. /shrug/ 

Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Bride: Well, I think I know what this is about just by reading the title…..I mean…I could be wrong but…..

(Just got distracted by new One Piece crazy ass crossover episode, I’m almost peeing my pants from the opening. I don’t know why, it isn’t even that funny or anything.)

Wait…this is a second season I think. These characters look familiar even though I never watched the anime…….WHO SWEEPS STEPS IN A THONG?!??!?! WHAT IS THIS TOMFOOLERY?! NIPPLES! Fighting, panties, girls, kissing, and yeah.

Will I watch it? (╯︵╰ ;) Probably nope. I tried to watch the first season, and gave up. So. I have a feeling that the same thing would happen again. It reminds me of Senran Kagura I just watched last season….too much of that in a row is not happening.

Zettai Bouei Leviathan: Magic girls? Magical dragon girls? It’s super cutesy and moe, but I don’t think that it’s really my style of story. They got the three colors though, blue, red, and yellow in the main three girls. Water, fire, and…..earth? strength? I feel like there will be more action later but I don’t think I can stick around for it.

Will I watch it? （￣～￣;） Meh. Cute girls but just not my style in terms of story. Though it does seem to be cute.

Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san: Also looks like it will be super cutesy from the thumbnail. Bro fishing and he catches….A MERMAID?! Whoa those eyes are HUGE SO HUGE! This opening is seriously blowing my mind I don’t know how to handle life watching this. I should be sleeping or something. Mermaids just flew out of the ocean and pushed a giant meteor out into space…….WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE!! OH MY GOSH WHAT IS THIS?! Also….what is up with this guys reaction to a mermaid….I’d be freaking out….why is he so indifferent to life?? WEIRDEST ENDING EVER

Will I watch it? (╯︵╰ ;)  Uhmmmmmm I’m thinking how about no? I don’t think I can handle her eye balls.

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W: With the random W on the end I’m going to assume there was a first season or something? Yep. There was a first season, which I have not seen….although the girl does look familiar. Oh, yes she turns into a cat, oh gosh I’m so confused. Well I’d need to watch first season for this because I am all sorts of confused. It has girl on boy, boy on boy, and girl on girl love going on here though. Even though I thought that boy was a girl, so now I’m super confused. Lol Lovecraft reference!

Will I watch it. （￣～￣;） Ehhhhh nooooooo…….

Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live: Another one in which I’ve seen basically nothing of the first seasons. It’s like a combo of singing and ice skating at the same time. I feel like I’ve seen so many of these cutesy magical singing ice skating girl animes before….well that’s a lie…but the only anime even relatively close to this that I’ve seen all the way through would be Mermaid Melody, and I did love that show. Oh, self introduction time while running to school. Oh yeah, I remember watching the first episode of the first season, the clothes are inside Prism stones….which is…..confusing? Oh enter pretty singing man on the rooftop and a….bouncing egg. The heroine has an adorable kitty. OH GOD that HAIR!! SHE IS DOING THINGS THAT YOU CAN NOT DO IN ICE SKATES LIKE AT ALL LET ME TELL YOU!

Will I watch it? （・＿・) Uhm, it’s super cute and all, but nope. Not feeling it. Penguins don’t fly and you don’t play guitar while singing while ice skating. I just can’t handle it.

Mushibugyou: Oh my god what is going on? Scary spider thing? Samurai? Crazy hair and eyeballs! Samuari’s fighting giant insects? I’m pretty sure that is what’s going in with this one. Oh my good god this hair. BOOB bouncing close-up. Whoa what….did he like…cut his own legs off or something? WHAT WHY?! OH GOD NO SPIDERS NOPE NOPE NOPE ISFIOJFOIJGNOSGNJKLGNSKJFNSLKFM I AM NOT DOING THIS. Oh well now I know what happened to his father….and yeah. But still SPIDERS NOPE NOPE NOPE

Will I watch it? ( ಠ _ಠ ) NOPE NOT WITH SPIDERS NFLANFKJNFKLAKF NO GET IT AWayyWYAUGAIUFHFILJAF!!!

Hayate no Gotoku! Cuties: I haven’t watched ANY of these and now there is ANOTHER ONE ADDED TO THE LIST! I can already tell you that I’m not going to watch this one either….I just can’t do it. Butler is a cute shouta boy who is BAM strong and the girl is a lazy good for nothing rich girl who is seriously super lazy. Yada Yada Yada.

Will I watch it? (╯︵╰ ;)   Nope. I haven’t seen any of the other ones and I’m just like nope.

You tell 'em!

Arata Kangatari: Time to pick a new princess! But who will it be…..why did everything suddenly change? Now we are in a normal high school boy’s house? Is he going to be a princess? Oh god, please tell me they are picking a boy as the new princess, I would laugh so hard. Oh look at these hard ass dip shits, don’t you pick on the new princess. Oh gosh, this poor boy has no friends. He deserves to be a princess for sure!! OH GOD WHAT SCENE CHANGE AGAIN I CANT!! Oh another guy with the same name will be new man princess?  ARATA! Well I saw that coming, they switched places.

Will I watch it? （・＿・) I don’t know how I feel about this one yet….it’s just…I saw it coming…but what are they going to do? How will this play out? Like what?

Sparrow Hotel: I don’t think I can handle this already. It’s made in a style that reminds of the late 80s early 90s, very retro. It almost hurts my eyes. I also just do not understand at all. What in god’s name? it’s only 3 min though….but still…I just don’t understand. This feels like a bad commercial or something. Oh this hurts, this hurts indeed. I can't even find a good image on Tumblr, I had to google search this one. 

Will I watch it?  ( ಠ _ಠ ) Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. 

Aiura: CRABS!! SO MANY CRABS! CRABS AND THREE LITTLE CUTIES! Only 4 min long though, once again, the short animes have struck! I can dig the art style in this one though with all the cuties. THE MEETING OF FRIENDS! That was a simple and short first episode…maybe it was just like a little intro?

Will I watch it? (◠‿◠)  I think I might! :3 It seems slice of life-y adorable!

Yes

Yuyushiki: Oh, someone is starting school! I just found my twin in this anime. That would so be me! Hahaha! Yes! Heh! I like these puns they just put in! XD Very very very very slice of life, with some slap stick comedy. (There is a pun in here, if you’ve seen the first episode) LOL More puns! Tee hee! Though….for some reason I can’t see why some of these animes can run so long. I like how of 2/3 best friends are total air heads, while the one is serious. I am so confused. Is this what school life is like? Is this what my school life used to be like? I don’t remember being so happy :I  It must have been because I was lacking Sarah in my life while I was in middle school. Oh! After school club time? S&M quiz. We all know I’m a ‘S’ HEE HEE~

Will I watch it? （￣～￣;）Nooooope. I don’t think I can do this one. It’s just too much random.

[JT] More than a year later...

Holy crap...  I did not even realize that it has been over a year since my first post went up.  On May 8th 2012, this site started with a farewell.  Since then, I've been going back and forth like a sine wave with my productivity here, but I've been getting the itch to write more.  I'm not certain if it's because of my recent foray into the Modern format in Magic, or if I'm just doomed to cycle through cranking out posts and not; hell, maybe I'm just a masochist and love giving my self more work when I am the busiest I have been in months.  Who knows?  But I couldn't think of a better way to kick off a new year [albeit a little late] and a new spurt of drive than to review what has happened over the past year; both the good and the bad.  It's time for me to lay bare everything...

MtG card art: Lay Bare

I'm warning you now, this is going deep, a lot deeper than I have gone into my personal life before, and it's not all pretty.  So if you want the typical (trying to be) happy go lucky JT, he'll be here, but it's going to be after I get the crap out.  I will be completely honest: this post is more for me than for you, I just figured I would let you along for the ride.

Let's dive in, shall we?

Since May 8th of 2012, a lot in my life has changed.  Like I told you then, I officially quit school to pursue my true academic passion; teaching.  Now, I am enrolled back in my undergrad alma mater, Mercyhurst University; this time as a grad student to get my Masters in Secondary Science Education.  I'm taking two online classes right now with Sarah, who you just met.  This is what I meant by creating more work during the busiest time I've had in months.  The classes are easy but they eat up a LOT of time; added to the fact that I am still at Target until I move and I want to come home and do nothing but lay in bed (hence my lack of posts, or at least that's a part of it).

My drive was also sapped out of me by some other things that have been going on...  *breath*...  so, when I moved home after graduation in 2011, I moved back to my parents at each others' throats; a constant cycle of arguing and silence.  It was so bad that I couldn't even sleep right; any little noise I heard outside of my room made me hold my breath and hope that this was not another argument about to start.  Combined with the stress of finding a job to pay student loans, eventually finding one that makes me run around like crazy, and applying to colleges, I ended up losing about 30 lbs from sheer stress since the beginning of January (I'll admit that the drop in weight was nice, but I'm not proud of how it happened).  Finally, a few months ago, right around the time that my Target store opened, my father moved out; I've only seen him twice since them.  We still talk, but it's still weird.  I can't even go visit him yet because it's so odd. 

The good thing is it's quieted down in my house.  I'm starting to get used to everything again.  My weight has stabilized.  Work is somewhat less stressful now that I don't have to worry about what I am coming back to. While we're on the subject of a good thing, let's forget all the crap, shall we?  Let's dive into the thing that has kept me sane through this all and why I continue to try and push this blog forward:  all the good that has come about in the past year.

I already told you the first: I got accepted back to Mercyhurst!  I wanted to go to Seattle Pacific University, but I got wait listed, and the familiarity and sure thing of Mercyhurst was too much to pass up for the remote
possibility of SPU.  I'm not one to go for familiar when it comes to decisions like these, but I left my heart and soul up at Mercyhurst, so going back felt right.  I still intend to end up in Seattle; just not yet (and you can be certain all of you will be seeing that journey unfold).  What makes it even better is not only did I get accepted back, I got my old job back at our Performing Arts Center!  For those of you that don't know, for the last two years of high school, I did stage crew.  Then when I went to Mercyhurst, I spent all four years working as a stage hand, seeing some of the most amazing shows and meeting some of the most amazing performers; you don't know surreal until you get to speak Japanese with real Japanese Taiko drummers!  Now I'm back, and as the GA of the center, meaning I'll have more responsibilities doing the one thing I love more than teaching that is not in my realm of nerddom.  My return to Mercyhurst could not/cannot have gone better.  Oh yeah, did I mention Sarah also goes to Mercyhurst?  We're going to be the freaking Jessie and James of that campus!

Wasn't sure if Sarah or I was Jessie or James, all I know is Jas is Meowth.

I've also had the chance to go to some pretty awesome events recently that I did not forsee happening when I first started this blog.  First, I went to freaking GP CHARLOTTE, the largest Magic event in his- ...  Ok, so it was upstaged (read as: "obliterated") by GP Vegas last weekend, but whatever.  I got to meet some heroes of mine, three out of the four dorks from The Mana Pool, and got to see my best friend and our favorite nerd noob, Caitlin.  Hands down this was the best week of my life.

Most recently there was AnimeNext, where Sarah, Jas, and I roadtripped to New Jersey for a weekend of cosplay debauchery (read as: they cosplayed while I took pictures, and then we were old fogies and went back to the hotel room early each night....   >.> <.< >.>  did I just say fogies?  F*ck....).  Don't worry, those cosplay pictures will be up soon.  I know I still owe you them.  What was great for me during this trip was we tried out something completely new for us: we recorded end of day wrap-ups and posted them, unedited, on here.  I never thought this site would go beyond text, but if you liked it, I definitely would not mind trying more.  It was also great just going to a con because I really thought that after undergrad, my con days were over.

So, a year later and here we are.  I've gone through my own personal hell and made it through with a smile.  Even if this site is not huge and even if it never will be, I'm going to keep bringing you more content as I can.  Like I said, I have a picture update for you, I'm working up some new CGCs and I'm sitting on a few posts from the rest of the gang too.  This was just year one of who knows how many more, and I really hope you are going to see this through to the end, just like I will.

I'll keep writing if you keep reading...
-JT

[Jas] C: Money of Soul and Possibility Control

I don't remember this anime getting much press at all back when it debuted in 2011. I never watched it until I saw some cosplays on a Facebook group and got intrigued. Then, I recalled watching about half of the first episode before dropping it....well I was a moron. That's for sure. This 11 episode long anime was awesome!

It's nothing ground-breaking or anything, but it was definitely worth the watch! I wasn't expecting it to be as deep as it was and I really enjoyed the underlying themes, like the existence of the "financial district" and the effects that it has on reality as we know it to be. Investing with the "Future" is a very interesting theory, and I think they executed it very well. Things were wrapped up in the end and I couldn't help but smile at the ending.

The lead boy, Kimimaro, goes through a bunch of inner turmoil through this about what he believes is right, wrong, and what the future means to him. The "villain" of the show (Mikuni) isn't really a "villain" either, but a misguided man who only wants to preserve one moment in time. His character, as well as his "asset" (Q) are much more than meet the eye. His back story was hella depressing as well ;3; FEELS! Oh, I didn't actually state what the financial district is, did I? Well...

The Financial District is a separate world, like a side-by-side universe to our own. It runs on a special currency that is made by investing people's futures as a collateral. (If you don't understand this, well take a finance or economics course!) So. Anyways. If you are taken to this would you are dubbed an Entrepreneur and given an asset, that is basically your future. This asset takes a form and then fights for you. You take money from others you beat and as a result their future is damaged by the money loss or, in the extreme case, bankruptcy. Granted, if you don't really understand some economics basics, some of the terms and things might seem a little confusing. Attacks are boosted with inflation, in different levels, and there are "gains" and selling of stocks. They didn't really explain all the attacks in much detail, but I could get over that (Since I am a business major and all)

There was drama, action, romance, and coming-of-age. And....oh my god, dare I say it....there wasn't much fan service at all! :O (Minus Mashu's outfit...but that doesn't really count in my mind) I loved that it dealt with a pretty serious topic (Money running the world and basically ruining people's lives and the lives of everyone around them) and was still action packed and deliciously entertaining. For an 11 episode anime, it was worth the minimal amount of watching time I had to invest. (HAHAHA YOU SEE THAT FINANCE PUN I JUST USED THERE LOL PUN WAS SO INTENDED!!)

And...do I smell a new Cosplay? ....Q? I think I do.... heh heh~

[Jas] Double Feature: Natsume Yuujinchou & Mushishi

I decided to talk about both of these at the same time, because in some ways they are very alike, but in many ways they are exceedingly different as well. I could draw you a venn-diagram, but that would just be silly. They are both rather mellow shows about supernatural entities, but they differ due to lead character differences, and Mushishi can have some creepy undertones as well.

Natsume Yuujinchou:

This is a 4 season long anime that I’ve never thought to watch before until it was suggested vaguely to me during a 6 hour long car ride to a convention. Little did I know I would get wrapped up into it so much that I’d immediately order a Nyanko-sensei plushie off eBay in the middle of watching the show, about half way through the second season! XD

So this story is about a quiet boy named Natsume (duh) who can see youkai. Due to this he was cast out as a child because no one else could see what he could see. His past is actually depressing and all I wanted to do was hug him tightly; though now he does have friends who have come to understand him… except he still hides things from him.

He soon meets my favorite character of all! Nyanko-sensei! Aka the fat lucky cat youkai that helps out Natsume and is a totally drunken fat cat. I LOVE HIM! Oh…I suppose I should mention what the story behind this show is…

Natsume has a book, called the Book of Friends that was left behind by his Grandmother. This book is full of the names of youkai and Natsume wants to give them all back to the youkai.

It’s all so heartwarming and adorable and Natsume is just so lovable!!

There are four seasons of Natsume Yuujinchou:

Natsume Yuujinchou

Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou

Natsume Yuujinchou San

Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

Each follows the other and they are all equally wonderful. There are no huge climatic battles or anything like that. There are subtle emotional battles and overcoming worries and fears. It’s a nice break the normal animes where there are just battle after battle or school girl panties. (Not that those aren’t nice or anything……)

Mushishi:

I saw a gif set on Tumblr, and honestly that’s what got me started on this series. (I can't ignore a cool gif set when it appears on my dashboard) After watching the first episode I was hooked. I love the lead guy, Ginko! He is mysterious and totally cool! *swoon* He travels all around to help people plagued by “mushi” which are creatures that live alongside us that not everyone can see. The way they are explained in the show is very interesting, and makes you wonder if something like that really could exist! (Believer in ghosts and what have you right here) They can cause issues for people (Lack of sight, loss of hearing, etc.)

It’s only 1 season long with 25 episodes of pure wonderment. It’s interesting to watch shows like this that seem to be about folklore and spirits. They are my favorite types of anime and I’m really glad that I stumbled upon this one!

It’s darker than Natsume Yuujinchou and I liked that. Sometimes Ginko saves the people plagued with Mushi and other times, things don’t quite work out as they should. You also get to learn some interesting little tidbits along with some myths. It’s paced slowly although it does seem to follow a timeline, aside from a few flash-back episodes (which were awesome and explained what I wanted to know about the lead character~)

The ending wasn’t too concrete, though there was no way to really END the series, since he is still working and doing what he’s doing. It’s that kind of ambiguous ending that I have no problem with, like an open-ended book or something. It’s still an amazing series and worth checking out. I adored all the episodes and watched it while ignoring homework. Oops. 

So….basically what I’m saying is….

These are both series that I highly recommend checking out. I fell in love with both of them! I don’t want to rank them, but I’d suggest Mushishi if you want something mellow yet dark and intriguing. If you are looking for relaxed, sweet, and consistent then I’d suggest Natsume Yuujinchou! Happy anime watching!