Happy Fandom Time!

[pr0norific]

Finally exams are over, the JLPT is over (though I'm pretty sure I didn't pass) and now - job-type work asides - I'm on holidays! OH YES.
This means I can finally get a move on with finishing up those translations I've been meaning to work on for months now (I'm so incredibly slow it's a crime)... but before that, a confession.

I quote the_seijin: "It seems

Comments

[don_amoeba]

haha I was stuck at home that's why....

Tenjo Tenge is so-so, Bleach is slash-haven though I still can't warm up to the story (quite like the arc between yoruichi and fong, but to me Tite's best work is still Zombie Powder). Vampire Knight is very pretty but not anything special. Ouran is... (speaking exclusively about the manga) actually not bad, although I still don't get what the hype is about. It was better than I've expected and for once I actually liked the female character even though it's a typical poor-girl-meets-rich-pretty-boys-who-somehow-all-fall-in-love-with-her-not-so-amazing-personality-and-looks story. I thought it'd be something like Fushigi Yuugi or Hanayori Dango (both my disasterous attempt to get familiar with shojo... I think I burnt the books), and I actually managed to stick through. Not sure about the anime and I'd say the manga is an interesting read.

OH BUT YONEZOU IS HOT NC-17 EXPLICIT SMUTTY SEXY LOVE!! XD Honestly I always skip her Kakasasu stories (probably the only time I favour other series over Naruto), and her Irunaru (yup...) made my eyes bleed. I've even read her original stories and they are not half bad (the storyline are CRAP CRAP CRAP though IMO, more on that another time), but her Tezuka and Kaidou are the embodiment of my ultimate uke. XD She pretty much commits every single crime in characterization but I LOVE the blushing and weeping and the sex OH THE SEX. XD I've only every read 4 volumes of PoT so I only know the characters at a very superficial level, which is probably why I'm not taking the OOC-ness too hard. :P

[pr0norific]

I imagine Bleach would have an interesting fandom, partially because HELLO MALE CHARACTERS IT'S SLASH TIME, and because it's so obviously a male oriented series (boobies! lesbian innuendo!) - and therefore.... HET. I've discovered I'm very much a character-oriented person, and sadly noone there has taken my fancy so I haven't taken a particular interest in it.

I've heard about the main character for Ouran being pretty good as far as female characters go; someone even went on to say something about it teaching important life lessons (!?); but from your description it just sounds like another Fruits Basket. ^^; I guess it goes on the to-read list, just so I know what people are talking about. :P

GAAAAH NO TEACHER-STUDENT! TABOO, I say, TABOO!! XP YES for Tezuka-uke though (damn piece of cardboard needs to be knocked off his pedestal)... but if I had to I'd say I'd lean more towards FujiZuka rather than Inui_>;; Fact: Kaidou is uke to everything. Including Karupin. >:D

And if you've only read the first four volumes... well, you're not missing out on much. (Except Hyoutei! Who are wonderful prissy bitches and 1000 times better than Seigaku!) Including characterisation, because as far as I'm concerned canonically they are all superficial - I swear what drives TeniPuri is its fandom. The merchandise declares it to be so. XD

[don_amoeba]

... I wouldn't go so FAR to say Ouran teached life lessons, and I've never read Fruits Basket so I can't compare, but I'd say it's a pretty typical shojo manga with less annoying bits than some others (I like how sometimes the scenes are SO outrageously shojo that it's as though the author is deliberately making a parody mocking the shojo manga culture), so if that's your thing you might just like it. :)

Actually I'm a Kaidou fan. *^^* So anything involving Kaidou makes me feel fluffy, and Inui is just there cos he's accessible. XD Tezuka is a DARLING in Yonezou's works though, yeah to blushing-14(!)-year-olds!! XD

Since you seem to know quite a bit about PoT I have a question... is the anime vastly different from the manga? I don't plan to watch the anime but I get a feeling they change certain things and add more character insight/stories/humour to entertain the fans. Not unlike more Iruka appearance in Naruto filler (even though I still don't watch them :P).

BTW I just saw your updated bio and I thought your scanlation FAQ+work list is such a great idea! Do you mind if I use the same layout format for our Kaminari releases as well? How did you make those dots anyway? ^^;;

[pr0norific]

Well, I've always had a soft spot for series that don't take themselves seriously (a.k.a. PoT), so I guess it stays on the to-watch/read list. ;)

*laugh* Kaidou's a hilarious case - if you compare earlier shots of him in the anime to the later ones, he gets progressively more beautiful (or at least, less scary - he jumps into rivers to save puppies! XD) Inui is just... >_>;; but I wouldn't put Kaidou with anyone else. Tezuka I think has the charisma of a sheet of cardboard (sorry!) and given his almighty undefeatable tennis-god powers, making him uke is my highly sophisticated, deep and meaningful way of saying ON YOUR KNEES, BITCH. >:D

...And yeah. I purposely ignore the fact they're not more than 15 years old. =_=;; They look like twenty year old MAN-THINGS anyway.

Actually, I'm not that well educated on the PoT manga! ^^; I've read some bits and pieces, but I have to say I prefer the anime. They've actually got a pretty good cast together, and it seems a lot less... flat than the manga, which IMO isn't anything spectacular to look at, anyway (fish lips!). Things have definitely been changed around a bit, especially in later parts where they start to catch up to the manga (they had a whole filler arc, which is about where I stopped watching); and if you've never heard of the infamous chibi episodes, well. =_=;;

If you ever feel the urge (or have the time to!) give the anime a try, let me know - I've got the first 150 episodes, so I can burn them and send them to you if you like.

Re: FAQ/work - not at all! You guys probably have more need for one anyway, what with the rate you work at! ^^; The dots were made using my super l33t computer skills to um... screencap the bullet points from MSWord and change them into transparent gifs in Photoshop. =_=;; (I was trying to find a proper symbol, but couldn't.) You can just use them if you like; save you the trouble.

[don_amoeba]

Now you're really tempting me with the anime.... Kaidou and puppy! XD

Serious one day someone HAS to write a fic about their un-realistic height. XD If not for their looks this whole series may just very well be classified as shota. XD

Thanks for the offer, but I doubt I'll ever be able to watch the anime. ^^;; I friend burnt me the whole anime series of FMA and it has been a year and I still not up to ep.20... ^^;; I'm not sure how I'm going to handle 150 episodes......

But since I'm now reading the manga wouldn't much of the story be overlapping the anime? I guess I'll be selective with episode to make sure I only watch the 'new' stuff. *don't even know where to start*

Thank you! I really should organize my files. ^^;;

[pr0norific]

If I said there was an infamous Inui-Kaidou "It's a Date" confusion/gag scene, would that pique your interest? XD

I'm sure someone out there has commented on the height thing- actually, if my memory serves me correctly, in one of the character singles, I'm sure Atobe has a song about Kabaji in which a line goes "are you really a junior-high school student?" XD (Really, with Inui and Ohtori at about 186cm or something, there's got to be something in the water.)

Eh, I understand- I've been meaning to watch a whole bunch of anime since I joined the uni anime club way back in 2004, but it seems the more readily available it all is, the less I watch (sort of like "yeah, it's there, I'll get to it later"). I still need to watch FMA myself. =_=;;

As for things that definitely aren't in the anime, there's a completely new school (Jousei Shounan) somewhere; though I'd advise you not to watch it because they're the biggest bunch of pansies you'll ever see. Seriously, it's such a joke. Other than that, there's the Senbatsu arc which I didn't even get through myself, which is mostly fanservice in that the popular characters all went on some training camp... in terms of important things, that's about it. Then again, there are some pretty hilarious filler episodes, so pick your poison. ;)

[don_amoeba]

I've heard SO much about that... (and apparently there's an episode involving some sort of amnesia?), please tell me which episode that is so I can download it right away! XD

I heard the FMA anime is really good and much better than the manga (apparently they are almost two separate stories). Maybe summer is a good chance to catch up? ^_~

Training camp...... that sounds like the ultimate rabid fangirl fic situation.... XD Even better if they get to stay at ryoukans and wear yukata!!! XD~

[pr0norific]

I can't recall the amnesia episode (no pun intended! XD) but I've checked and The Date episode is ep 71, with the Inui-Kaidou bit just after the 10 minute mark. >:D (You also get to see Tez in a friggin' LAVENDER shirt.)

I've heard the FMA anime is good too - not sure about better than the manga, but I've also heard the storylines diverge quite a bit. I would catch up during summer, but from Jan 2 I'll be back to uni as usual due to summer semester! ;_; Only two weeks of working holidays left for me!

*laugh* Unfortunately it isn't that kind of camp (more's the pity). But um, they share rooms? Atobe leads a group of them to sing for Tez's welcome back party? (That was laughable.) Silver Pair and Golden Pair do partner-swapping and face off? I swear, half of the arc may as well have been taken from a fanfic.

[don_amoeba]

With the help of wiki and tv.com I've managed to track down the episodes. :P I've only watched a couple of episodes (mainly the non-tennis ones, since I know the results from the manga anyway). It's kinda funny how some not-so-subtle hints are littered all over the place, but what amazes me the most is how although there are references of Tezuka and Inui being mistaken as teachers, somehow Kiadoh is a "cute boy" (ep.22) despite his height, his bulging arms, his scary looks and his very very deep voice. @_@ (I'm so glad Ryuu-chan has taken on Tezuka's voice - finally someone I recognize! But despite being a crazily famous seiyuu who has acted out many different and popular roles, whenever I hear his voice I still think split eyebrows (Treize from GW). XD)

Summer semester? What on? You really shouldn't overwork yourself but good luck anyway. :)

I reckon the whole anime is in essense a really really long fanfic. XD Given, it's one that follows the manga canon closely, with extra fan service. ^_~ I actually wish I had watched the anime first because it's really not bad, the seiyuus are well casted, and they managed to make ryuuzaki look cute and Ryoma more humane than the kusogaki his is in the manga. ^_~

[pr0norific]

Heh, what's funnier than the not-so-subtle hints is how they get increasingly more prevalent as the series progresses! XD I'd heard of the main Seigaku pairings before I'd started watching and when I first started I was like "where on earth do the fangirls get this from!?!", but eventually I saw the light. :D

OH THE UKEFICATION OF KAIDOU KAORU. Kaidou looks frankly very unattractive in the earlier episodes of the anime, yet the doujinshi still have him weepy and blushing in Inui's arms (with his freaky lips and eyebrows magically disappearing)... Fear the fangirl brain.

On that note, I think the scriptwriters are confused as to whether they're writing for an anime or a doujinshi (especially in later episodes). Jeebus.

Unfortunately I've never seen GW! I almost feel for Okiayu, seeing as he seems to get stuck with all the boring roles (Tez, Byakuya from Bleach)... you should hear him on the TeniPuri radio show. He's completely nutters, and it's absolutely fantastic, because you can tell he's enjoying himself. XD

From Jan 2 I'll be back at uni four days a week doing exciting things like Strategic Marketing and Product and Brand Management. =_= Heh, and that's a little rich coming from someone who's working a 60-hour week! XD

[don_amoeba]

...I just saw the Inui vs. Renji episodes. XD Dammit why don't we get anything like that in Naruto?!?!? Fangirl power can warp reality!! XD

hahahaahahahaa that reminds me of Ogata in Hikago manga version..... ^^ fear the anime production company too for cashing in on this 'phenonemom'... I guess the lesson here is you should always consult the fangirls before the desiginin characters and casting seiyuu to avoid future inconsistency. :P

WHAT?!?!?!?!!?!? How can you not???? @_@ It was the BIGGEST anime in mid-90s!! XD Tez is the 'pillar' and he literally just stands there... but I love chibi-Tez and I fell of my chair laughing at the 'Tezuka Zone' moments. XD I'll definitely give the radio show a try when I have time.

ooooh.....fun. ^^;; Don't even get me started on work.... luckily I get to steal 'research time' to use the internet and reply to emails and with Christmas and New year in less than a week I'll get some days off. :P

[pr0norific]

We don't get anything like that in Naruto because Naruto apparently takes itself seriously (or so I've heard, for I do not follow the series), whereas PoT completely gave up in favour of appeasing - and cashing in on - the fangirls. :D

Ogata... *shudder* Have completely erased his existence from my memory. Guys wearing white suits with glasses are always bad news as far as I'm concerned, and he was a bad, bad man. However, the idea of him being blushy and weepy makes me ill.
From what I've read, you've already seen the post-match passing of the green towel of love, no? *grins* (And then the ending credits roll, they burst into song and flowers fall from the sky... dear god.)

I only started the 'anime' thing with Neon Genesis in '99 (when it played on SBS), and then Rurouni Kenshin in 2000 or so, when a bunch of friends and I took to watching it in abandoned classrooms after school. ^^; So I guess I somehow missed out on the GW wave, and haven't really been tempted to dig it up. All I know is that you can denote the characters names with numbers, and 121 is apparently popular. o_O;

And chibi episodes with Grandpa!Tez and the bonsai... LOVE. XD

Hope you're enjoying your days off, and have a happy New Year!

[don_amoeba]

........if THAT's taking themselves seriously...... but then again I can't really imagine what 'fangirl-oriented' Naruto will be like... don't think I'd enjoy Gay Town but more Kakashi and Iruka will be very very good. ^_~

hahahahaahahhhhahaaa oh yeah I almost forgot, there's a huge Ogata-uke following isn't there!? XD Thanks to the fans he has definitely gone A LOT prettier since the first book. XD

oh the green towel.... that's Kaidoh's mating call. XD THAT and the amnesia episode (yes I finally found it!), they are SO written in for the fangirls. ;)

Neon Genesis Evangelion was such a promising series (I still think the first episode is one of the best 1steps I've seen), but it got progressively worse until I just couldn't figure out what Gainax was up to anymore. Am still a fan of Kaoru though, that's how I fell in love with Ishida-san (him alone, not with the whole kaoru/shinji thing.... eeep). ^_~ As for Ruroken.... to me it was one of those catered-for-fangirls stories, so I didn't really give it too much thought, although I really liked the OVA story (with Tomoe), because for once they actually took it seriously and DID IT RIGHT. hahaaha oops sorry for bagging your fandom, they are overall good (and wildly popular) but I just like to nitpick. :P

And Kaoru-chan and Santa..... XD He "Fushuu"s put the biggest smile on my face. XD

Thank you, and happy new year to you too!!

[pr0norific]

Alright, maybe I should actually look at this Naruto thing sometime. >_>;; (Well, so I keep telling myself.) Maybe it's just the Narutards waxing lyrical about its pure genius which gives me the impression it's a lot more serious than it actually is. :P Though sometimes I think the beauty of KakaIru is there's so little 'canon' evidence, we have the freedom to do WHATEVER WE LIKE, ahahaha. >:3

Prettier or not, Ogata is gross. He should be reserved for the sole purpose of gag material only. >_>

DAHAHA mating call! Is that why they call them the 'Emerald Pair'!! XD (That, and Inui's trakkie daks.)

As a shallow 14 year old being introduced to the joys of anime, I found it a good series... until the last few episodes, which were very 'wtf?!'. ("Congratulations Shinji" what, exactly!?) Unfortunately I saw the English version, so instead of getting Ishida we got... oh god, I don't know how to describe him except Kaoru became the butt of many a joke. :P

Again, as a 14 year old Kenshin was fine, until the end of the Shishio arc, which is where we stopped. Never got acquainted with the fandom - those were the days of innocence... XD I was surprised by the OVA, because the vibe was totally different to the anime! Never watched the second one though; apparently that's even more depressing.

Kiyasu Kouhei is a madman. If I remember correctly, he and Onosaka just go nuts on air. XD I can send you some RajiPuri stuff if you'd like - I don't have all of them, mostly the earlier episodes; but it's still enough to fill a CD!

[don_amoeba]

Actually I've never watched the anime myself. My friend lent me the CDs and I went passed the 3rd ep. before I scream "give up". :P Then I was told that it'd get better and the first few episodes doesn't do it justise, so I read the Tsunade vs. Orochimaru arc for a bit, and...... that was a waste of 2 hrs in my life.... basically in the anime version they've managed to dump down an already VERY okosama-muke storyline even more (not the blood and gore and stuff, but the friendship and love and believe-in-yourself). It's not that it's not serious, it's just stupid IMO. I'm sure the anime has its charm where you can see your favourite characters in colour and moving, but it's just not my thing. :P

"Emerald Pair"!!! XD Well like they say, there's something speciall about "the green ones". ^_~

Oh there's nothing wrong with liking Evangelion or Ruroken at all!! ^^;; I mean, my first anime/manga was Sailormoon, so you really can't beat me in the Bad Taste department. ^^;; Actually if I go REALLY back my very very first manga was "Candy Candy", and I think I've just shown my age there cos I doubt you would've even heard of it. ^_~ But with YYH, I discovered the beaituful monster called fangirldom and it all started from there. ;D

I'll definitely give it a go when I have time! It is really nice of you to offer (and the PoT anime episodes as well! ^_~), but I actually have a friend who is a huge anime freak so I can just borrow it off her when I get around to it (said friend who lent me FMA which i REALLY should return and Naruto as well).

The truth is, Full-time work > full-time studies and these days I get so little my-time if I do anything more than checking my emails and the kakairu LJ (I am a very responsible mod :P) I would've absolutely no social-life at all. ^^;; I will need to find a solution to this really really soon. *sigh*

[pr0norific]

*laugh* Where would Shounen Jump be without its typical themes of friendship and good triumphing over evil? ;) I remember the anime starting doing all this bloody flashback crap every episode or so; the last time I saw it Sandaime was still alive and well. Still, sometimes I feel obligated to, just so I can have some kind of canonical ground to stand on...

Emerald Pair, Naughty Pair, Pillar Pair, Purity Pair *gack*, you name it, the PoT fandom's probably got it! That series is like... Pokemon, but with 15 year old boys. Ufufu.

Oh god, YYH. I think that was my first [completely unintended] foray into fandom; I was looking for manga scanlations and somehow wound up with doujinshi instead. Dream Crime scared my fragile mind off, though. XD

Heh, good luck with finding some kind of work-life balance! :)