cats.

all the while sticking together, these cats were so comfortable with each other, it made them fun to watch. especially with those rich facial expressions they wear generously, easily forming short stories for those who are creative.

Seitokai Yakuindomo (2010) 生徒会役員共

Tsuda was a new student in a gender-integrated high school, which originally was an all-girls high school. due to certain circumstances, he was made the vice president of the student council. from there the story started, of his school life among 3 female student council members.

like most anime with a student council theme, it didn't turn out good. most of the episodes i left it running while i simultaneously performed other tasks. there weren't much action, most of the humor came from its dialogue between characters. while it switches between scenes, each round of humor were concluded with a red stamp stating its point. some characters, such as Hata, a photographer from the news club who often appeared out of nowhere, was adorable. other characters, though looking beautiful, might came out with some cheesy jokes that you were unable to laugh at.

Intrinsical.

contradiction may sometimes turned out to be awfully frustrating, yet unbelievably hilarious under other circumstances. one who mentioned how much he despised war, can instantly turned around being the same person who initiate one war after another. highly overestimating oneself, throwing assumptions n accusations randomly without complete understanding just to cause havoc, n with the hope of such action might have the advantage of earning some acknowledgment in return. if she were to react impulsively, instead of responding calmly to such frivolous conduct, there will be no end to this relay race. consciously she disallowed herself to take any further action, giving all her burdens to Him. for a wise man once told her, He will take charge of our suffering; believe in Him, for He will know what is best for us.

チャンスお任せて。

Red Riding Hood (2011)

for centuries they offered their best cattle to the werewolf during full moon in exchange of the peace of the village. Valerie was in love with Peter, but her parents arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry. when Valerie planned to run away with Peter, her sister was killed by the werewolf. under a blood red moon, those scratched or bitten by the werewolf will also turned. hungry for revenge, the villagers called for the help of a famous werewolf hunter, Father Solomon. it took them by surprise when Father Solomon warned them that the werewolf was one of the villagers, taking human form by day.

although the film was named after the well-known Red Riding Hood of our childhood folk tale, unfortunately, besides having the red cape n wolf (or to be exact, werewolf), they had nothing in common. this was just a werewolf-romance story, obviously having the shadow of Twilight (2008). i read many bad reviews before going to the cinema to see it with my own eyes. but surprisingly, i find it good! it held our interest until the very end. the triangle love story was slightly typical, but fortunately the film did not focus too much on it to make it boring. n it was difficult trying not to figure out who the werewolf was, but when the answer was finally revealed, none of us guessed correctly! the film managed to have us suspect everyone in town, we didn't see it coming at all, which actually turned out to be fun!

Personality Test: Expertise

1. known from one's facial expression whether he/she have a good impression of you?
yes -2
no -3

2. you prefer reading over watching television?
yes -6
no -5

cat.

with a gigantic tummy, this pregnant cat was in no rush to fleet from passersby. we were able to lean as close to it as we can just to capture a shot or two. however, it was so overly comfortable with strangers it won't even cast us one single glance!

Rio - Rainbow Gate! (2011) リオ レインボーゲート!

Rio was a popular casino dealer in an island casino called Howard Resort. she was often nicknamed "The Goddess of Victory", popular for her ability to bring good luck to gamblers. Gate Holders from all around the world were fighting to be a MVCD (Most Valuable Casino Dealer), by collecting all 13 legendary cards called Gates. to obtain these cards, dealers were to take part in matches called Gate Battles, where the winner will gain the loser's card.

the anime circled around the challenges between Rio n the Gate Holders. some of these battles gained Rio supporters, some enemies. after the first few episodes, i started losing my interest for the anime. it was predictable, boring since the challengers were exaggerated, the outfits were awkward, the battles were ridiculous. they looked different yet felt exactly the same! Rio was a nice n sweet character yet lacked of depth, always helping others n putting herself in danger. it wasn't believing nor convincing enough. in the end, besides looking beautiful, the anime was unremarkable n unlikely to impress anyone.

Gantz Live-Action Movie (2011) ガンツ

Gantz's live-action movie will be released in 2 parts - Gantz in January 2011, Gantz: Perfect Answer in April 2011. it's original manga has 29 volumes (2000), anime has 26 episodes (2004). Gantz was popular back then for being a hardcore seinen (青年) series, targeting male audiences age 18-30. it never held back the amount of gore, sex n violence presented.

Kei n Kato was selected by Gantz, a man barely alive physically but was connected to a machine that enabled him to select n control the players he desired. when a number of players were gathered, they will be shown a picture of the alien they were to kill within the next 20 minutes. they will then be sent off into the area to confront the aliens. it was a game of survival. those who died will be recorded, while those who killed the aliens will be awarded points. gathering a total of 100 points will give the player a choice, whether to be granted a second chance in life, or to revive a dead player.

i didn't watch its anime (アニメ) nor read its manga　(漫画) before heading to the cinema, therefore i was unable to make a comparison. the film was great visually, its special effects were also very believing. it took us a while to understand where the story was heading, but in a good way, for it managed to keep us curious n interested. Kei particularly, had my greatest attention. first he started out being timid n shy; after he gained his confidence finishing the first game, he became so absorbed into himself he turned cocky; finally before the film ended, his attitude adjusted being their new leader, making him absolutely stood out among the crowd! i am currently eagerly waiting for its sequel. for it to hit Japan's cinema in April 2011, it will probably only reach us a few more months from now.

Vampire Kisses #5: Coffin Club (2008)

Raven was on summer vacation. missing Alexander, her vampire boyfriend, she went back to Hipsterville to spend the holiday with her Aunt Libby. from Aunt Libby, she found out that the creepy mansion was being rented. immediately she went to investigate, only to find out that its new residents were Alexander n his caretaker, Jameson. after a sweet reunion, Alexander sent her off, making Raven felt disappointed n disturbed by his iciness. she wandered in town, into the Coffin Club, where she then stumbled upon the Dungeon. Dungeon was a place where vampires hung out, opened only for members. she met with Alexander's enemy, Jagger, n a new hypnotic vampire named Phoenix. soon, she got caught up in the battle between vampires n was determined to find out the reason behind her boyfriend's change of attitude.

i failed to notice that Coffin Club (2008) was actually Book 5 of Vampire Kisses series until i finished reading the whole book. it took me longer than i expected even though the language used was simple n straightforward. its main reason being i wasn't exactly absorbed into the story like how it usually would be when i read. i was not one with the characters at all. like all typical vampire romance, Raven struggled between giving everything up to be with Alexander for eternity, or remained mortal. although there were much action throughout the book, there weren't enough depths in it. i am having doubts about following the series from its beginning for now.

Break Blade 4 - The Land of Disaster (2010) ブレイク ブレイド - 惨禍ノ地

Athen's ambush had them quickly surrounded. General True led his troop out on the battlefield, hoping to turn everything around. unfortunately, while they were trying to figure out the capability of their enemies, he was brutally sacrificed. Nike, a young girl from the enemy's side managed to kill him without hesitation, which placed her on a monstrous-level. she then waved around his corpse, spreading fear among General Bladr's troop, who were right behind General True's. Girge, a mysterious prisoner was summoned into the battlefield under the supervision of General Narvi. yet he ran away during the last minute, n it caused them to arrive late on the battlefield. Rygart on the other hand, who happened to be observing the surrounding area, saw an astounding battle at the far side of the area, involving Girge n the enemy, General Borcuse.

General True's sacrifice hit us with a shock, his boldness we assumed would opened up a path for the rest of the troop, but not to the extend of having him killed so easily by an enemy. Nike from the enemy's side, was truly disturbing. her skill put her so far out-of-reach of anyone, friends or foes. yet she can so easily transformed into an innocent little girl in front of their leader, General Borcuse, desperately seeking his affection. the combination amused us as well as having us feeling disgusted. Girge, on the other hand, continued to held our attention, which its biggest question being where his loyalties laid. at this rate, the remaining 2 movies will definitely bring forth more surprises!

Personality Test: Worms

while having lunch at a friend's place, you noticed a worm in among the vegetables. what will you do?
A. got frighten n screamed "worms in the vegetables!"
B. didn't think it was such a big deal n joked "there is a high protein source in the vegetables"
C. take the worm out quietly n throw it on the table.
D. pretend you didn't see it n hope someone else will.

The Dark Knight (2008)

in this sequel, a mysterious n sadistic criminal - the Joker appeared n create a new wave of chaos. Batman struggled against him n soon the confrontation became personal. an action packed film that was truly entertaining! with Heath Ledger gone, the film felt additionally ghastly! he was indeed one awesome actor for the character. he stood out even against Batman himself. he gets inside our head with his past, how he got the scars, had us laughing along his sadistic jokes, n yet chilled us instantly in our seat.

cat.

right before the gymnastic cat woke up to its gymnastic pose, or look for a smooch or two, it was completely relaxed laying down on its side. before known, it started turning in all possible directions n revealing more n more of its tummy, with us sitting just right beside it.

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun OVA (2010) とある科学の超電磁砲

taken from the previous Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (2009) series, the girls teamed up to solve a rumor in Academy City. the rumor this time was about an urban legend of "someone is watching". Jounan was a Sensory scientist, misusing her esper power to further her research. her test subjects were students with electromaster esper, such as Mikoto, making them feel as if someone was watching them, trapping them in paranoia. it was amazing how a serious n nerve-wracking case were able to be connected to their everyday life, especially when Kuroko, Mikoto's roommate, was a huge fan n stalker of Mikoto herself. it made the anime so heartwarming n hilarious at such unexpected timing.

it was no surprise after how successful Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (2009) had been, it took only 7 months for them to come out with this OVA (Original Video Animation). what made Railgun stood out among the rest of the anime, was there were never any anime quite like it. especially for it to be science-fiction n still able to relate to the basic plot of a slice-of-life drama. the OVA would fit perfectly into one of its episode in the series, but it was absolutely enjoyable even while standing alone.

Discordant.

harshly the attacker threw a paragraph of nasty words at her. it all started out when she decided to get her hands dirty after witnessing certain acts for numerous time, n hearing more from a common friend both she n the attacker shared. being close friends, he was in no place to voice out such sensitive issue to him, especially when their tight friendship will be at stake. as angered n offended as she was with the languages used against her, she knew she mustn't head for the same direction as the attacker. she had to at least try talking sense into him; for the main focus here wasn't her, nor was it the attacker, but the happiness of the common friend they shared. with crossed-fingers she hit the Send button, hoping for the attacker to see her initial intention, accepting it without distortion. n he did. she praised god for His strength He generously lend to her at such crucial moment, a moment where she could be easily led astray, blinded furiously by anger. yet it did not. she closed her eyes n thanked Him for the miracle He creates graciously everyday.

神は強力だった。

Rio (2011)

Blu was the last of his species called Macaw. he was captured since young n domesticated in a small town called Minnesota. together with his loving owner, Linda, they lived a happy life opening a bookstore. a researcher arrived, having them followed him back to Rio de Janeiro, so Blu can breed with a female named Jewel. but before anything could happened, they were captured again by poachers n chained together. they escaped with the help of other birds, while learning from each other.

having 2 birds of the opposite personality placed together, we all knew where the story was leading. but it didn't make it any less enjoyable! the adventure was so unique it was easy to be absorbed into the film, or often overwhelmed by its beauty n details that flashes generously through the screen. humor for the film was straightforward, definitely the type that even kids find it amusing. after a few slightly disappointing films (Sucker Punch, Hop), Rio was finally one of the most entertaining animation currently airing!

True Blood: Season 3 (2010)

Season 3 followed the plot of Book 3 of the Southern Vampire novels. Werewolves n were-panther were introduced, fairy godmother, as well as the Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington, whose character was ambitious yet merciless. Crystal was Jason, Sookie's brother, new girlfriend in this season. her family of were-panthers were from Hotshot, an isolated area out of town. Sookie discovered that she was part fairy, which explained the power she experienced in Season 2 (2009). while the past seasons focused mostly on Sookie's love affair, Season 3 (2010) did not. vampire Bill was summoned at the early episodes, to meet with vampire king Russell. Sam revealed to a few close friends of the shape-shifter he was, while tracked down his past families. Tara was again faced with various life challenges, both emotionally n physically, threatened to haunt her forever.

one of the most adorable couple in the series worth mentioning, has to be Hoyt n his vampire girlfriend Jessica. they were the most believing couple, having the best chemistry. they broke-up for the last season after challenged by Hoyt's mother, n finally decided to continue dating at the second half of this season. vampire queen Sophie-Anne battled Russell, pulling vampire Bill n Eric along with their political warfare. while the vampire politics continued to bore me as it did last season, it was fun having the whole series expanding its coverage, focusing on more than 1 type of supernatural being!

Break Blade 3 - Scars From an Assassin's Blade ブレイク ブレイド - 凶刃ノ痕 (2010)

when he was about to abandon King Hodr n Queen Sigyn, who both happened to be his old friends, for a mistake he made, Rygart decided to go against his own will n returned trying to help them throughout the war. he continued to stand between Hodr n Zess, their friend who happened to be leading the enemy's troop. protecting them against each other while making decisions that he hoped would not later regret. Rygart's Black Golem, which was mostly destroyed during the last movie, was now newly armored, thus making the fight between him n Zess even more intense as its result.

when we thought Rygart would finally kill Zess on the battle field, we weren't exactly surprised to find him hesitating n in the end getting beaten because of it. that was so completely his character, naive yet still likable. Zess' troop however had a much more realistic personality in comparison, they knew clearly that sacrifices were necessary, especially when their leader's life was in jeopardy. their strong-will may had them looked merciless, but it was clearly agreeable that the move was necessary. at some point, i was eager to see the 4 friends standing together, discussing or even negotiating the whole issue that had gotten so messed up from their personal assumptions. unfortunately, i believe things will only get uglier from here onwards, for at the end, more characters were revealed. n these dreaded characters definitely didn't have the 4 friends' best interest in mind.

Receptivity.

page after page she flipped, the bulky CD-bag she held was obviously way too overloaded with discs. one glittered in her eyes, calling for her attention. she reached down for it only to regret reading its label. for other than knowing who the artist was, she noticed the little details that disgusted her as well. a little added symbol here, a little extra turn there, which clearly reflected who its writer was. shaking, she tried putting the disc down only to fail miserably. she didn't mind when troubles decided to call or even pay her a visit personally, turning the path in front of her into a thorn-filled rocky path, for she believes the sweetness that often follows so closely behind.

チャレンジを受け入れる。

Takers (2010)

a team was formed by 4 friends n brothers. together they planned out bank robberies, which were to be accomplished once every year. just recently had an successful attempt, the team was enjoying a luxurious life while confronted by their formal member. Ghost was just released from the prison, approached n convinced them to attack an armored car, which carried large amount of money, in less than a week. some were unsure, others tempted by the money, they finally ended up plotting their strategy, not knowing that they were closely watched by a police officer.

like The Town (2010), it was again about bank robberies. a theme seemed to suddenly flooded the cinema. unfortunately, the film failed to present the unexpected with the flow going so obvious. the ending however, had us feeling much more satisfied compare to The Town (2010). death for some members were unavoidable, thus making the scene so dreadfully painful. however, betrayal made revenge n the success of getting away so much more sweeter.

Fafner: Dead Agressor: Heaven & Earth (2010) 蒼穹のファフナー

for those that mistook its character as those from Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny like i did, it wasn't. the character designs were created by the same person that did Gundam Seed n Gundam Seed Destiny, Hisashi Hirai (平井久司), thus resulted to the similar appearances. Fafner started out as a 26-episodes anime series in 2004, followed by a special episode in 2005, now its movie made an appearance in the Japan cinema on Christmas 2010. the story focused on a group of children who pilot the mechas named Fafners, for the battle against giant aliens named Festum. below are some images n trailer:

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (2009) とある科学の超電磁砲

Academy City was a city filled with highly developed technologies, where 80% of its residents were students. they studied about ways to increase their Esper powers. Misaka was one of the rare Level 5 Espers in town. she shared a room with Kuroko, a Level 4 esper who was also the member of Judgment. Judgment was a law enforcing group of students. together with Uiharu n Saten, both low level espers, they encounter various cases involving misused of esper power by secretly experimenting on children.

the anime, having a unique plot, was absolutely entertaining n suspenseful! it showed enough of their personal scenes n emotional struggles, as well as their team work on the cases, fighting against powerful enemies that they alone couldn't handle. it went even deeper than that when their team shattered at the same time when many lives were at stake. n not forgetting humor! the relationship between the 2 pairs of friends were so close, they each have a unique way of greeting each other, which pretty much lessen up the tension of the whole anime, making it so enjoyable n heartwarming at the same time.

Relishing.

across the dinning table, he chattered away. words flowed freely out of his head, opinions n statements that was neither taken judgmentally nor biased. scenes that were never revealed, which took place on their path right before it crossed. looking over her shoulder, the dangling pieces fell sequentially into place, having 2 stories matched perfectly into 1. all of a sudden he looked down, eyes moistened over the fear of making the wrong choice if he were to let her slipped by back then. failed to notice, her heart ached the moment he told her what just happened. she had been going with the flow for life, accepting n working with what comes her way, believing what was meant to be will be. she failed to notice the struggle he went through just to put them together side-by-side. at an unexpected timing n location, a hearty talk pulled them closer, if they can actually get any closer than they already are.

誠実な対話。

Hop (2011)

in a world where Easter Bunnies lived on an island with advance technologies, making candies n chocolate throughout the year in preparation for Easter. EB, the teenage son of the current Easter Bunny, was determined to become a drummer instead. he fled the island n reached Hollywood, where he had Fred took him in after being hit by his car. Fred was jobless for a year n kicked out by his parents. together they learned to cooperate n making both their dream come true.

i felt like i should have watched its trailer before heading to the cinema for it. not sure if i would actually decide not to watch it otherwise, but it would definitely had me more prepared for what was to come. from its posters, i expected to enjoy an animation, n definitely not one of those where they played alongside human. like most movies of this combination, it was disastrous. if watching the animation separately, it was so adorable n enjoyable, n most important of all, logic. but when the humans came in, they looked n definitely sounded like a bunch of fools without logics. they truly didn't work well together. but to be fair, i did enjoyed the film! for every part that did Not involve the humans.

Druthers.

so often we seek, for an answer for everything. how Correct is this, or how Wrong is that; why did this happened, n not that. blinded by emotions, we took a step back when coming face to face with a wall, turned n continued to run regardless of where it will lead us. while many said there is always a choice, there was actually none; for it was either Correct or Wrong. while some impulsively took the Wrong choice, those with a conscience boldly shouldering the burden of choosing the Correct choice. yet no matter how Correct the choice may be, one always seemed to have doubts at a certain point sooner or later. wandering in the same spot until the 2 paths again reappear. one thing that never change, was the path of sweet revenge was always either shinning with gold or glittering with diamonds for all the attention it can get; making the all so common pebbled path that had Correct on its signboard, looked all so dull n unattractive.

正しい選択を行う。

Break Blade 2 - The Split Path (2010) ブレイク ブレイド - 訣別ノ路

the story continued from its first movie, Rygart who fought for King Hodr tried to find a chance to talk to Zess, his old friend that happened to be leading the enemy's troop. he wanted Zess to lead the army back to their kingdom, while Zess wanted Rygart to convince Hodr to surrender. the negotiation failed n Zess' remaining troop continued to fight by following their orders. the political issues had gotten more serious compared to the last movie, the battles occasionally gory n surprisingly engaging. hesitation during war directly resulted in death. Rygart was forced to pick a side when his first mistake was to sympathize the enemy.

it was interesting, for unlike most heroes, Rygart was the only one who didn't possessed the ability to control crystals that was able to boost their strength. he was called an un-sorcerer. between friends, he was forced to pick a side. the incrementing battle ability of Rygarts n the intense heat of the battles between Golems was the spotlight of the movie. but despite all the serious confrontations, especially how they were to deal with the conflicting direction their adulthood had taken them, there were also occasional comedy that kept the series lighter. not to mention that the ending had me eager to know where the story will be heading!

Tag: 8 Questions

was tagged by ->david-, a long-time blogging friend of mine. we were fortunate enough to have reconnect again recently. i was required to answer a series of questions regarding myself n some blogging friends.

1. Do you think you're hot?
   i would consider myself more common than hot.
   
   
2. Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.
   
   

Rampage (2009)

he was often being provoked n pushed into situations he was unwilling to tolerate. gotten fed up with life, he spent the whole evening planning n creating his own full body armor. the very next day, he went on a killing spree, taking out his frustration by randomly picking targets off the street, killing whoever that crossed his path.

the story didn't take the obvious sequence from its beginning to its end, thus it took some effort to figure things out as it developed. it was in fact very interesting as the story progressed. it managed to keep our interest going through the waiting, hoping to understand what was going on from its very first scene. from one perspective, the movie was simple, but it was also fun! it felt impossible, yet some part of your mind believe that this actually happened in real life. the obvious only started when he started suiting up n walking the street while firing his gun at unsuspecting innocent citizens on the street.

True Blood: Season 2 (2009)

Season 2 focused on 2 major plots, first was the disappearance of a 2000-year old vampire named Godric. vampire Godric was vampire Eric's maker. Sookie n vampire Bill was assigned to find Godric in Dallas. Sookie's brother, Jason happened to be in Dallas as well, together with the Felloship of the Sun, an anti-vampire church. their path crossed n Godric was actually inside the church, offering to sacrifice himself. the second plot was circled around a maenad (female followers of Bacchus, the god of grape harvest, wine, n wine-making, thus often related to rituals of madness n ecstasy) named Maryann, who visited Bon Temps. she was related to Sam's past n knew his hidden identity of a shape-shifter. she influenced the whole town, taking control of every human, having them killing among themselves n bringing her human offerings. Sookie, Sam n vampire Eric were the only ones not under her influence, they had to figure out a way to destroy her without harming their friends n neighbors.

Season 2 was an expansion of Season 1, it showed more of most characters n didn't solely focused on Sookie. the story got to be told in everyone's point of view, which definitely resulted to a tastier adventure. it was very believing in a sense, especially when the Fellowship of the Sun came up. when new things (in this case, the vampires) were introduced to the society, it was only natural to have a portion of people objecting to it, or even forming a new religion based on it. vampire hatred put the whole spotlight on Godric, known to be one of the oldest vampire, didn't mind to let himself burned under the sun, showing his love for god. the goriness n horror definitely increased compared to its previous season. i believe the series to mean less for me if i were to not have read its novels, where most of its connections were made. there were so much potential in each of the characters, it would be difficult not to be addicted!

Kurokami The Animation (2009) 黒神

the Dropperliner System played a huge part in their life, where 3 identical looking people will have split Luck in them. 1 out of these identical people will have the highest Luck (called Root), if seen by the other 2 (called Subs) will caused the other 2 to die while absorbing their Luck. that 1 person will then become the Master Root. the Mototsumitama (Tera Guardians) came into the world, while some aimed to dominate the world by utilizing the Dropperliner System, others swore to protect the humans. the story started when a human boy named Keita, met with a Mototsumitama named Kuro. together they fought to defend the human race.

their bond was the main attraction of the whole anime. while the rest of the Mototsumitama teamed up with Roots, Kuro teamed up with Keita who was a Sub. with so much less Luck than the rest of the combination, they risk killing each other in battles. however, their growing trust with each other, putting their life in each other, had them increase their power n reached a level even the strongest duo failed to possess. there were no dull moment for the anime, completely filled with actions n dramas.