The Lack of posts

I apologize for my current lack of posts, but I seem to be coming down with pneumonia.

Depending on how I feel later, we may have an afternoon and night sunday music, thanks for your understanding!

Infinite Stratos Review

インフィニット・ストラトス
Infinite Stratos

A light novel adaption (of the same name), one that I believe is still going on.

I came into this show thinking it would be a horrible show, I'll admit, it was pretty bad in the beginning, but I walked away from it, liking it a lot

CHARACTERS (4/5)

Well, IS is a harem show. With a small cast, one could expect character development for everyone, but that is not the case. Until the end, much of the time is split between the 6 characters, and we don't get to see that much of most of them.

Our main character Shiro Emiya Orimura Ichika (The Guy) with 5 other heroines, Houki Shinonono (Black Hair), Cecilla Alcott (Pale Blond Hair, Blue hairband), Rin Fan (Short Jumping one), Charlotte Dunoa (Blond hair), and Laura Bodewig (Grey hair, on end).

Given the lack of development for most of the characters, I would give it a much lower score, but the voice acting really brings them to life, and for Charlotte, Laura, and Houki, enough time is devoted to their backstories and character development to warrent a higher score.


SETTING/ANIMATION (3/5)

The setting is generic, one guy at an all girls school, I've never seen that before... There isn't much to talk about there.

What really saves this category are the fight animation's. Unlike SOME shows *cough* *cough* *Fate/Zero* *cough* *cough*, the CG (when used) looks like it's actually in place, it melds well with the traditional animation, and it in general looks very nicely done.

STORY (3.5/5)

Story? Well, that's an interesting one. You would expect a harem to have, well, no story. That seems to be the case at first, but then we delve deeper, and we learn, it's a good story given the scope of IS and the time they had to tell it. No pictures here, if you really want to know, then watch it.


MUSIC (3.5/5)

Wow, something that isn't a 5/5. The music is actually divided into two subcategories worth 2.5 points each, half for the score itself, and the other half for the presentation, the score isn't bad, if anything it's well written. It's just not used well. The score can also be a little overdone at times, and it seems somewhat generic (in the case of Charles for example). Often when there is music playing, it often competes with any onscreen talking, or action, rather complementing it. At the end, this mostly fixes itself.

OP via youtube (not mine)

Personally I like the ED better...


OVERALL (3.5/5)

A poorly done story at first, carried only by the voice actors and the animation, comes back in the second half and ends strong. Needs a second season, it really needs a second season.

C3 (CubexCursedxCurious) Review

シーキューブ
C3
or CubexCursedxCurious

This show aired winter 2011 I think
Adapted from a Light Novel of the same name.


Before I say anything, this is a weird show. It's a really weird show.
I don't know what I was smoking when I decided to watch it, and when I finished, I left with mixed feeling about it.


CHARACTERS (4/5)

It's a small cast, with one male (Haruaki Yachi, left) and every other major character is female. The female lead is Fear Kubrick (Right), who is a cursed tool. We also meet several other characters, the most notable being Ueno Kirika. Lets.... Not talk too much about that. THAT scene gave me the shivers....

The personalities of the cast can seem somewhat generic (think Taiga, or Touma) at first, but as we go further into the show, we find that is not quite the case.


That being said, the dual nature, as well as some of the backstories/hidden facades some of the characters have, make for a very interesting story. I will also praise the voice actors for delivering a very well done performance of their characters, it's things like that which help to bring the cast alive

SETTING/ANIMATION (4/5)


I won't speak too much about the setting, as it's a common school/town setting. C3 wins points for the animation. Not so much the character animation, but the backgrounds, the animation shifts, and the color palette.


The changes in style of the animation are reminisce of Bakemonogatari.

     

And color is used very nicely to show shifts in the mood of the show.
In general, Red is something that is deeper, and blue is the shallow daily lives of the cast. Aside from Haruaki.

STORY (2/5)


I'll have to admit, the story is weak. Despite the events that happen within the show, the pacing can ruin certain moments, hint: Indulgence Disks, or Kuroe's entrance into the show. This being an adaption, is hinting at a next season, which I assume will explain more, and in general be better, but whatever that is, the first season feels underdeveloped.

MUSIC (5/5)


Another high point of the show, unlike a certain other show I am watching presently, the score is both well written, and plays well. The music adds to the scene, and it never feels like it's fighting the voices of the characters.


Having a beautiful opening video's doesn't hurt either
Via youtube (not mine)

OVERALL (3.75/5)


This isn't bad show to watch. If you can get over all of the... Eccentricities...
It's not an entry level show, but if you are into grimdark and violent with stark contrasts, then you will like it. It's also something I would not recommend the casual viewer.

So you want to read manga?

A somewhat informational post, or not.

(A hopefully long post incoming)

0. Preface

1. America

    -1A. Names to know

    -1B. Manga near you

    -1C. Kinokuniya

    -1D. Importing

    -1E. Scanlations

    -1F. Mangafox

==================================

0. Preface:

So, what is manga? When looking at that question, it is important to remember, that "Manga" is sometimes used as a blanket term, and comics from other parts of Asia, are sometimes added to this term. 

Manga, like every form of entertainment is split into your typical genres, mystery, horror, drama, comedy, romance. And also is split into 4 demographics, Shonen, Shojou, Seinen, and Josei. Those demographic terms should not be used as black and white, as they only really act to categorize things. Take Cardcaptor Sakura or Sanzae-San. Believe it or not, manga was actually influenced by America, at the end of World War II, because of the American occupation. In fact, a lot of Japanese pop culture is influenced by America.

Manga, local to Japan at first, gained worldwide popularity, and now has a worldwide audience and a market as well.

==================================

1. In English

I'm going to assume you, the reader, are American, because I can't say much about outside America or Japan. Now then I hope you know something about the process to books.

==================================

1A. Names to know

In America, there are several large publishers of Manga.

Dark Horse Comics - They seem to publish some of the darker, and older Manga, as well as CLAMP titles

Yen Press - I think they have a monthly Manga magazine, like in Japan

Tokyopop - Ok, these guys may be defunct, I'm not entirely too sure, because, they did stop publishing, but beyond that, I am unaware of their future plans.

Del Ray Manga - Subsidiary to Randomhouse, they have quite a lot of titles liscenced

Viz Media - Who also sit on the rights to Bleach (Which is ending soon).

If you buy from these companies, you will help expand the R1 Market (America, and Canada). Less will go to the author, and more to the publishers. This in turn will help them make more money, to get licence more manga, make more money ect. ect.

I believe, you can also contact a company and request a title, if enough people ask for it, then they may attempt to get the licence, and start publishing. Similar to anime, the Japanese ask for ridiculous licencing fees, which is why, if you want to see something officially released in your region, buy from your regional publishers to help them.

Typically, manga in America is around $10, and in Black and white.

==================================

1B. Manga near you

Ever been to your local library?

Bet you didn't know there was a manga section.

In every library I have been to, there has been a manga section (even the school libraries).

Publishers also will take requests for donations to libraries as well (Take Viz Media for example).

Look around, you may be fairly surprised where you can find Manga

==================================

1C. Kinokuniya (Click title for site)

Kinokuniya, is a Japanese bookstore chain that has 7 Stores in America.

Everything they sell is in Japanese. It's a little overwhelming at first, but if you want to support the authors more, then buy from here. It's somewhat overpriced, but short of going to Japan, or importing, it's the next best place.

==================================

1D. Importing

Importing is expansive, but the names for that are:

CDJapan

Mandarake

Amazon JP

Dont use Amazon JP, scroll down to the bottom of this page to see why.

Now then, to pull a page from the buyfag guide:

I don't import, so you are on your own there...

==================================

1E. Scanlations

I'm sure we all know what these are. Opinion seems fairly divided about it.

Well, use 'em or not, the choice is yours.

But this brings up our next point....

==================================

1D. Mangafox and NOEZ

Read this Batoto thread to get a better grasp.

Mangafox and NOEZ are evil. Don't ever use Mangafox, unless you have an ad blocker, so that way they won't be making any money off of you, or scanlators.

==================================

Thanks for reading!

==================================

Oh yeah, for scrolling down to the bottom, see

"Kodansha Bilingual Comics" for a good reading and learning aid

they do exist!

Sunday Music 17

The song to end the day will be,
Happy Crazy Box, sang by Minami Kuribayashi
As you can tell, I really like Medaka Box

Song via youtube (not mine):

I expect this video to be taken down soon, because of an ironclad copyright.
Listen while you still can!