Well, at least there's no ridiculous picspam this time.
► GENERAL:
→ One Piece's sales are insane, including having a single volume that's sold over 3 million copies (volume 60) and being this close to having 61 ready to sell that many. Seriously, that's amazing.
→ There's going to be a new Prince of Tennis OAV coming out? And it's been 10 years since the premiere of the anime?? ....god, I feel old. But! It'll depict the past of popular characters and I see the Tezuka/Oishi/Fuji combo there! YES PLZ. MY THREE BABIES--!
→ So, Blood-C is getting a tv series and a film and I'm just sort of, "....ehhhhhh." because I'm still pretty burnt out on CLAMP. On the other hand, they have proven that they can always suck me back in to at least try their new things. (Though, they're not doing the manga themselves? Huh.)
→ I see WORKING!! is getting a second season and I am delighted by this news! ...which means I really should finish off the first season. orz
→ I see Funimation dismissed its OP BitTorrent lawsuit to the surprise of probably no one. It is interesting to see how filesharing is going to change (or not change), with suits like this or the one against Hotfile. (Which I can't find any news about lately.)
→ Wait, there's going to be another FMA movie? How did I not hear about that!?
→ Aww, Kekkaishi is coming to an end. This is sad (despite that I'm only halfway through it), boo.
→ There's going to be a new anime video series for Higurashi? Jeez, just how out of the loop on things am I? Wikipedia says it'll be out in July, so it's not like I missed it, but still!
→ As several people have pointed out: OMG MADOKA RETURNS ON THE 21ST. AWESOME. ♥ ♥ ♥
► MANGA:
→ Since the anime is now airing, I decided to catch up on Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and promptly devoured all the way through volume 4, so SPOILERS up to that point. I was originally only going to read through about volume 3, but I just absolutely could not put it down. I'm not sure it'll ever be quite as important to me as Junjou Romantica (well, as Egoist is to me) but certainly I think Nakamura has improved a lot over JR.
And I have to admit. I got really sucked into Masamune/Ritsu's story, so when she switched over to Kisa's story I was all OMG NOOOOOO NOT ANOTHER SET OF CHARACTERS THE OTHER STORYLINE WAS JUST GETTING REALLY GOOD--!! and mentally crossed my arms in preparation to not like the storyline.
But then Nakamura basically went, "Well, let me tell you about this other couple..."
Me: Not interested! （￣へ￣）
Nakamura: There this cranky little shrimp who's older than the guy he likes....
Me: ...... >__>
Nakamura: And guess what the top is like? Younger and sunnily cheerful and just adores the grumpy shrimp! And he's a giant! :D :D :D
Me: ..................goddamit! YOU WIN THIS ROUND, NAKAMURA.
Yeah, so I'm easy. Whatever. But I'm all over the second ship, too. orz
One of the things I most kept in mind while reading was the comparisons and contrasts against Junjou Romantica, which I'm not sure if that's fair or not, but certainly I couldn't help but think it during the Yukina/Kisa storyline especially. While they're not exactly the same, the dynamic is very similar to Egoist in the personality types and the situations they find themselves in--they realize they like each other, they start dating/sleeping with each other, they have shit communication and their struggle is to understand the other's feelings. Masamune/Ritsu is similar to Romantica as well, in that they're already fucking and the one already admits his feelings, but they're still struggling with getting into an actual relationship.
The second comparison is less fair because Masamune/Ritsu has already made a hell of a lot of progress in just four volumes, plus Nakamura seems to have a clearer plan of where they're going, given the countdown to the day Ritsu falls in love. (Well, he's already in love, but we'll assume that it means the day he admits that he's in love with Masamune.) I was wondering how this relationship was going to work, how the manga was going to get its sex scenes in if they weren't in a relationship yet, if Ritsu was protesting all the way, but she's managed sex for them three times already! Once, Ritsu was drunk, the next time it was Masamune's birthday and they were both sort of all turned around and mixed up, and third was in volume four where Ritsu actually initiated it and I don't think he said "stop" once during it? That struck me as being kind of amazing in Nakamura's manga, because she's that type of yaoi mangaka, where the uke always says "stop" even when they don't mean it.
Not that I expect it to last, but it certainly showed that Ritsu had taken a huge step forward there, when Masamune was about to leave (after the misunderstanding about Ritsu being engaged to his childhood friend) and Ritsu couldn't stand the idea of him going over to Yokozawa's, so he grabbed onto Masamune and explained that he'd already turned his "fiancee" down and he didn't deny what he was asking of Masamune. Well, Masamune didn't push the issue, but Ritsu didn't get defensive about it, either. He just straight out answered the questions he was asked.
And that was in volume four, which already put them miles ahead of where Romantica was at that point, it feels like. I feel like there's actual progress being made! It's fantastic!
I can already feel myself wanting fic and art and to talk about them and getting wrapped up in them. Seriously, they're so fucking cute! Both having fantasized about how they would spend Masamune's birthdday together! Having similar thoughts about it!
And Masaume is my favorite for serious. When Isaka said both he and Ritsu should do their best as those who lucked into their jobs via nepotism (basically), which ratted him out to everyone standing around (since Ritsu desperately tries to keep that a secret) and Masamune just BURST INTO LAUGHTER? I loved him for being such a delightful dick. ♥ He's so serious-faced most of the time, either stony or angry, but every once in awhile he just bursts out with the crazy laughter at poor Ritsu's expense and it's SO GREAT.
I'm also surprised by how much I like Yokozawa, when I usually dislike the characters who get in the way of the ship. But he's... well, he's hot so that helps, but also he's very direct about everything. He cares deeply about Masamune and says he doesn't give a shit if the problems between Masamune and Ritsu are because of misunderstandings, the point is that Ritsu still destroyed Masamune for a long time. While I don't want to place all the blame on Ritsu, because he was hurting, too, I like that Yokozawa is very clear in what he does/doesn't care about. He's not blind to Ritsu's side of things, he just doesn't give a shit. I can respect a character like that a lot more. ♥
I also find it interesting just how often Ritsu jumps to conclusions (to the point that Masamune tells him to cut that shit out, which you can tell frustrates him because it's a big source of their problems) and he's still doing it to this day. Even when he should know better, even when it's smacked him in the face over and over, even when it was clearly the cause of their problems ten years ago, he still has problems with it. Slowly, he's starting to come out of it, I think, though? Earlier chapters had him assuming the worst about Takano-san being out with other people, but later chapters have him actually talking to Yokozawa and asking him. Though, I can understand Ritsu's hesitance in asking Masamune directly about things--because even he himself says that he's scared of the answers. He's incredibly scared of getting hurt again, so I can believe Ritsu's actions.
I think that's a big thing I really like with Sekaiichi Hatsukoi--that I can buy everyone's reactions and the circumstances they find themselves in. (Given that it's yaoi manga and it's Japan and all.) I might still criticize Ritsu for the way he behaves or point out that, yeah, he fucked up more than the others, but I don't hate him for it and I understand where he's coming from. Instead of making him obnoxious, I find that it makes him a more flawed, interesting character.
I have less to say about the Yukina/Kisa storyline, except the scene in the cafe where Yukina is like, wow, you've accomplished so much for someone so young! and Kisa has to go, "..............I'm 30." to Yukina's HOLY SHIT ARE YOU SERIOUS!? ISN'T THERE A LIMIT TO YOUR BABY FACE!?, I laughed and laughed and laughed.
► ANIME:
→ I watched the second episode of Tiger & Bunny, so SPOILERS for that.
While the second episode wasn't quite on the same level as the first episode, it was still a really strong follow-up with a lot of potential that I'm hoping they'll capitalize on. A lot of what happened was super predictable (with the bullied kid who would become a hero, with the bickering between Tiger and Bunny, with Kotetsu's daughter being saved by Barnaby, Kotetsu having trouble with his new suit, etc.) but it was done with such delight and style that I found I really didn't mind. The characters are very likable, it's fun to watch all of them, and it is really great to have a lead character like Kotetsu who's the star of a hot action show who's well past his 20s, you know? That doesn't happen a lot.
Naturally, I'm here for the Barnaby/Kotetsu dynamic most of well (well, and the pretty art/action sequences, which looked gorgeous as usual) and this episode had some great moments. The two of them getting tangled up in Kotetsu's wires was hilarious and total fujoshi fodder (plz to be giving us the R-18 Bunny/Tiger doujinshi soon, djka!), to the point I'm still giving the show the side-eye and wondering if they're doing it on purpose. I also laughed like crazy at the origin of Barnaby's "Bunny" nickname!
Also, Kotesu: Sorry for being late!
Barnaby, waiting for him: I'll never forget that you wasted three minutes of my life. :)
asd;fkas;lkjaslkj I love them so much already.
And I didn't mind the other predictable things because this is the kind of show that seems to call for that, you know? If they'd gone in any other direction with the kid who could control statues, I think I would have been disappointed, especially because they managed to make it surprisingly touching, when they interwove the flashbacks with Kotetsu as a kid.
I'm even curious about the background world of the series, how The Legend seemed very unrefined as a superhero compared to the ones they have today, how the show seems to be focusing on the media as part of the whole superhero experience, showing how it warps priorities, but also without totally villifying it. While it's not going to be like Madoka Magica, I can see that there's potential for meta on how media focus affects the way people help each other out, and I'm definitely interested in that.
Also! I enjoyed everything about the scientist who created his new suit! From the whispering to the HEY MY OLD SUIT WASN'T THAT BAD to setting the old one ON FIRE to show how much better the new suit was. It's little touches like that (which also showed that Kotetsu wasn't exactly great with new technology, which helped further how OF COURSE he was going to have trouble with the new suit) that really made the predictability not a turn off factor for me.
→ One Piece's sales are insane, including having a single volume that's sold over 3 million copies (volume 60) and being this close to having 61 ready to sell that many. Seriously, that's amazing.
→ There's going to be a new Prince of Tennis OAV coming out? And it's been 10 years since the premiere of the anime?? ....god, I feel old. But! It'll depict the past of popular characters and I see the Tezuka/Oishi/Fuji combo there! YES PLZ. MY THREE BABIES--!
→ So, Blood-C is getting a tv series and a film and I'm just sort of, "....ehhhhhh." because I'm still pretty burnt out on CLAMP. On the other hand, they have proven that they can always suck me back in to at least try their new things. (Though, they're not doing the manga themselves? Huh.)
→ I see WORKING!! is getting a second season and I am delighted by this news! ...which means I really should finish off the first season. orz
→ I see Funimation dismissed its OP BitTorrent lawsuit to the surprise of probably no one. It is interesting to see how filesharing is going to change (or not change), with suits like this or the one against Hotfile. (Which I can't find any news about lately.)
→ Wait, there's going to be another FMA movie? How did I not hear about that!?
→ Aww, Kekkaishi is coming to an end. This is sad (despite that I'm only halfway through it), boo.
→ There's going to be a new anime video series for Higurashi? Jeez, just how out of the loop on things am I? Wikipedia says it'll be out in July, so it's not like I missed it, but still!
→ As several people have pointed out: OMG MADOKA RETURNS ON THE 21ST. AWESOME. ♥ ♥ ♥
► MANGA:
→ Since the anime is now airing, I decided to catch up on Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and promptly devoured all the way through volume 4, so SPOILERS up to that point. I was originally only going to read through about volume 3, but I just absolutely could not put it down. I'm not sure it'll ever be quite as important to me as Junjou Romantica (well, as Egoist is to me) but certainly I think Nakamura has improved a lot over JR.
And I have to admit. I got really sucked into Masamune/Ritsu's story, so when she switched over to Kisa's story I was all OMG NOOOOOO NOT ANOTHER SET OF CHARACTERS THE OTHER STORYLINE WAS JUST GETTING REALLY GOOD--!! and mentally crossed my arms in preparation to not like the storyline.
But then Nakamura basically went, "Well, let me tell you about this other couple..."
Me: Not interested! （￣へ￣）
Nakamura: There this cranky little shrimp who's older than the guy he likes....
Me: ...... >__>
Nakamura: And guess what the top is like? Younger and sunnily cheerful and just adores the grumpy shrimp! And he's a giant! :D :D :D
Me: ..................goddamit! YOU WIN THIS ROUND, NAKAMURA.
Yeah, so I'm easy. Whatever. But I'm all over the second ship, too. orz
One of the things I most kept in mind while reading was the comparisons and contrasts against Junjou Romantica, which I'm not sure if that's fair or not, but certainly I couldn't help but think it during the Yukina/Kisa storyline especially. While they're not exactly the same, the dynamic is very similar to Egoist in the personality types and the situations they find themselves in--they realize they like each other, they start dating/sleeping with each other, they have shit communication and their struggle is to understand the other's feelings. Masamune/Ritsu is similar to Romantica as well, in that they're already fucking and the one already admits his feelings, but they're still struggling with getting into an actual relationship.
The second comparison is less fair because Masamune/Ritsu has already made a hell of a lot of progress in just four volumes, plus Nakamura seems to have a clearer plan of where they're going, given the countdown to the day Ritsu falls in love. (Well, he's already in love, but we'll assume that it means the day he admits that he's in love with Masamune.) I was wondering how this relationship was going to work, how the manga was going to get its sex scenes in if they weren't in a relationship yet, if Ritsu was protesting all the way, but she's managed sex for them three times already! Once, Ritsu was drunk, the next time it was Masamune's birthday and they were both sort of all turned around and mixed up, and third was in volume four where Ritsu actually initiated it and I don't think he said "stop" once during it? That struck me as being kind of amazing in Nakamura's manga, because she's that type of yaoi mangaka, where the uke always says "stop" even when they don't mean it.
Not that I expect it to last, but it certainly showed that Ritsu had taken a huge step forward there, when Masamune was about to leave (after the misunderstanding about Ritsu being engaged to his childhood friend) and Ritsu couldn't stand the idea of him going over to Yokozawa's, so he grabbed onto Masamune and explained that he'd already turned his "fiancee" down and he didn't deny what he was asking of Masamune. Well, Masamune didn't push the issue, but Ritsu didn't get defensive about it, either. He just straight out answered the questions he was asked.
And that was in volume four, which already put them miles ahead of where Romantica was at that point, it feels like. I feel like there's actual progress being made! It's fantastic!
I can already feel myself wanting fic and art and to talk about them and getting wrapped up in them. Seriously, they're so fucking cute! Both having fantasized about how they would spend Masamune's birthdday together! Having similar thoughts about it!
And Masaume is my favorite for serious. When Isaka said both he and Ritsu should do their best as those who lucked into their jobs via nepotism (basically), which ratted him out to everyone standing around (since Ritsu desperately tries to keep that a secret) and Masamune just BURST INTO LAUGHTER? I loved him for being such a delightful dick. ♥ He's so serious-faced most of the time, either stony or angry, but every once in awhile he just bursts out with the crazy laughter at poor Ritsu's expense and it's SO GREAT.
I'm also surprised by how much I like Yokozawa, when I usually dislike the characters who get in the way of the ship. But he's... well, he's hot so that helps, but also he's very direct about everything. He cares deeply about Masamune and says he doesn't give a shit if the problems between Masamune and Ritsu are because of misunderstandings, the point is that Ritsu still destroyed Masamune for a long time. While I don't want to place all the blame on Ritsu, because he was hurting, too, I like that Yokozawa is very clear in what he does/doesn't care about. He's not blind to Ritsu's side of things, he just doesn't give a shit. I can respect a character like that a lot more. ♥
I also find it interesting just how often Ritsu jumps to conclusions (to the point that Masamune tells him to cut that shit out, which you can tell frustrates him because it's a big source of their problems) and he's still doing it to this day. Even when he should know better, even when it's smacked him in the face over and over, even when it was clearly the cause of their problems ten years ago, he still has problems with it. Slowly, he's starting to come out of it, I think, though? Earlier chapters had him assuming the worst about Takano-san being out with other people, but later chapters have him actually talking to Yokozawa and asking him. Though, I can understand Ritsu's hesitance in asking Masamune directly about things--because even he himself says that he's scared of the answers. He's incredibly scared of getting hurt again, so I can believe Ritsu's actions.
I think that's a big thing I really like with Sekaiichi Hatsukoi--that I can buy everyone's reactions and the circumstances they find themselves in. (Given that it's yaoi manga and it's Japan and all.) I might still criticize Ritsu for the way he behaves or point out that, yeah, he fucked up more than the others, but I don't hate him for it and I understand where he's coming from. Instead of making him obnoxious, I find that it makes him a more flawed, interesting character.
I have less to say about the Yukina/Kisa storyline, except the scene in the cafe where Yukina is like, wow, you've accomplished so much for someone so young! and Kisa has to go, "..............I'm 30." to Yukina's HOLY SHIT ARE YOU SERIOUS!? ISN'T THERE A LIMIT TO YOUR BABY FACE!?, I laughed and laughed and laughed.
► ANIME:
→ I watched the second episode of Tiger & Bunny, so SPOILERS for that.
While the second episode wasn't quite on the same level as the first episode, it was still a really strong follow-up with a lot of potential that I'm hoping they'll capitalize on. A lot of what happened was super predictable (with the bullied kid who would become a hero, with the bickering between Tiger and Bunny, with Kotetsu's daughter being saved by Barnaby, Kotetsu having trouble with his new suit, etc.) but it was done with such delight and style that I found I really didn't mind. The characters are very likable, it's fun to watch all of them, and it is really great to have a lead character like Kotetsu who's the star of a hot action show who's well past his 20s, you know? That doesn't happen a lot.
Naturally, I'm here for the Barnaby/Kotetsu dynamic most of well (well, and the pretty art/action sequences, which looked gorgeous as usual) and this episode had some great moments. The two of them getting tangled up in Kotetsu's wires was hilarious and total fujoshi fodder (plz to be giving us the R-18 Bunny/Tiger doujinshi soon, djka!), to the point I'm still giving the show the side-eye and wondering if they're doing it on purpose. I also laughed like crazy at the origin of Barnaby's "Bunny" nickname!
Also, Kotesu: Sorry for being late!
Barnaby, waiting for him: I'll never forget that you wasted three minutes of my life. :)
asd;fkas;lkjaslkj I love them so much already.
And I didn't mind the other predictable things because this is the kind of show that seems to call for that, you know? If they'd gone in any other direction with the kid who could control statues, I think I would have been disappointed, especially because they managed to make it surprisingly touching, when they interwove the flashbacks with Kotetsu as a kid.
I'm even curious about the background world of the series, how The Legend seemed very unrefined as a superhero compared to the ones they have today, how the show seems to be focusing on the media as part of the whole superhero experience, showing how it warps priorities, but also without totally villifying it. While it's not going to be like Madoka Magica, I can see that there's potential for meta on how media focus affects the way people help each other out, and I'm definitely interested in that.
Also! I enjoyed everything about the scientist who created his new suit! From the whispering to the HEY MY OLD SUIT WASN'T THAT BAD to setting the old one ON FIRE to show how much better the new suit was. It's little touches like that (which also showed that Kotetsu wasn't exactly great with new technology, which helped further how OF COURSE he was going to have trouble with the new suit) that really made the predictability not a turn off factor for me.