Monday, December 31, 2012

La storia della Arcana Famiglia (2012)
アルカナ・ファミリア

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La storia della Arcana Famiglia

The Arcana Famiglia was an organization that kept peace on the trading island of Regalo. Arcana had mystical powers they were derived from tarot cards. the current leader was Mondo, who wished to choose a successor through a tournament. as an incentive, the winner will marry Felicita, his daughter. Liberta and Nova were keen on protecting Felicita's freedom. together the trio defended each other. Felicita had an ability to read minds, she discovered more about Liberta's violent past and Nova's troubled family history.

despite the promising plot, La storia della Arcana Famiglia (2012) came short. even though the first episode shown true potential, the remaining episodes tend to lack the enthusiasm. the hidden powers however, continued to be interesting to watch until the very end. the love story between Felicita, Liberta and Nova never did advance to the next level. most episodes showed only the rivalry between Liberta and Nova, yet nothing towards the romance with Felicita. instead of building these 3 characters for us, the series focused more on introducing their backgrounds and abilities. thus in the end, i was still unable to feel connected to any of the characters.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Muse: Follow Me (2012)

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Follow Me

Follow Me (2012) was released in December 2012, as the second single from Muse's sixth album, The 2nd Law (2012). the first single was Survival (2012), which was released in June. like their previous albums, Black Holes and Revelations (2006) and The Resistance (2009), Muse incorporated instrumental elements into their songs. The 2nd Law (2012) is also electronically inspired. according to Bellamy, Follow Me (2012) was about having a baby and all that comes with it. at the beginning of the track was the heartbeat of Bellamy's 1-year-old son, recorded with his iPhone. the song was thus described as Bellamy's fatherhood.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Hakuouki (2012)
薄桜鬼

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Hakuouki


Chizuru was the daughter of a doctor. her father left to work as a volunteer doctor and moved to Kyoto without his daughter. as time passed by, Chizuru started to worry about her father and decided to go to Kyoto in search of her father. she was attacked on the way after witnessing a fight between an Oni and the Shinsegumi. she was rescued by the Shinsengumi and was brought back to their. Chizuru discovered that the Shinsengumi were also looking for her father. she then tagged along with their search and adventure.

the story had a historical and political background to it. unfortunately, Chizuru was a frustratingly helpless character. the overly protective male characters made the anime felt like a Reverse Harem. despite the tiresome Chizuru, the rest of the male characters each shone in their own ways, not to mention the fight scenes that had one so caught up with it. besides Chizuru, the other downside of the series was not having a strong plot. the search tended to just went on and on.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Alicia Keys: Brand New Me (2012)

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Brand New Me

Brand New Me (2012) was recorded for Alicia Keys' fifth album, Girl on Fire (2012). the first single was Girl on Fire (2012) itself, while Brand New Me (2012) was released as the second single in November 2012. the song was a soft ballad, which Alicia stated was her autobiography. the lyric pictured personal growth and becoming a brand new version of oneself. Alicia mentioned that Brand New Me (2012) was one of her favorites since it said everything about everywhere that she had come and who she is now. it also showed that she was completely happy with finding herself.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Oda Nobuna no Yabou (2012)
織田信奈の野望

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Oda Nobuna no Yabou

Yoshiharu was an ordinary high school boy, who accidentally time-traveled into the Sengoku period, where all the Samurai were female. he met with Nobuna, who recruited him as her assistant to replace the one who was killed earlier, to help her in her quest to rule the world. she had to take on rival clans and handle internal affairs. with his knowledge from the game he played, Yoshiharu became a great help to Nobuna on her conquest.

when almost all characters were female, Harem was a high possibility. but surprisingly, there were more to it than that, not every female characters were attracted to the male lead, nor fighting over him. the plots were as interesting to watch as the real historical events that took place in the Sengoku Era. the only difference was having Nobuna as a female character instead of male. the storyline was interesting for actually teaching some real Japanese history. the banters between Yoshiharu and Nobuna were the best humor in the series, nor does it ruined the seriousness of the plot.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Pink: Just Give Me a Reason (2013)

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The Truth About Love

Just Give Me a Reason (2013) was a song recorded featuring Fun's lead singer Nate Ruess. the previous singles for her sixth album The Truth About Love (2012) was Blow Me One Last Kiss (2012) and Try (2012). Just Give Me a Reason (2013) will be the third single from this album. originally they only wrote the song together, but Pink realized that she needed someone to sing the song with her since there was a conversation in it. Nate was reluctant at first but finally agreed to do it.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Campione! (2012)
カンピオーネ! ~まつろわぬ神々と神殺しの魔王~

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Campione

Godou was a high school boy, who killed the God of War and acquired the tile of Campione (God Killer) just a year earlier. Erica was from the magic society, who had assisted Godou during the fight. as the result of obtaining the tile, Godou was confronted by numerous Gods who wanted control. it also attracted female followers to worship Godou, aiding him in battles while following him everywhere, where Erica who was also interested in the power, seemed to be planning the whole thing.

Campione is Italian for Champion. it was easily confusing at some point of the story, where Greek mythology were often referred to. the series was fast paced and felt somewhat shallow, especially difficult to feel engaged with its character. Harem aside, the battles were typical as well. the whole idea of god slaying was promising, if the series were less rushed, perhaps it could be much more successful.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Phillip Phillips: Home (2012)

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Home

Phillip Phillips won the 11th season of American Idol in May 2012. he came out with his debut album named The World from the Side of the Moon (2012). Home (2012) was released as the debut single on May 2012. the song was performed during the American Idol finale. he originally wanted to sing a song that he created himself, but later stated that he didn't have enough time to complete it. the music video had a simple storyline behind it. most part of the video was black-and-white imagery of landscapes where Phillips jamming on the tour bus. the director's intention of creating such a simple video was to show people who Phillip is.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II (2012)
境界線上のホライゾン II

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Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II

the floating city Musashi sought refuge in England after the Mikawa Conflict. but a sudden chaos took place and sent Musashi in the middle of the invasion of England by the Spanish. the students of Ariadust Academy were forced to use their unique abilities to fend off the enemy while defending Horizon, the resurrected heir to the Mikawa throne.

like in Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon (2011), the story setting can be very confusing at times. it was futuristic, historic and fantasy at the same time, leaving us feeling rather conflicted. romance in Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II (2012) was very satisfying. it applied not only on the main characters, but also the supporting characters. the humors were random, though sometimes not exactly appropriate. it some ways, the series reminded me of Gurren Lagann (2007), especially for being whacky, but in a good way.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Maroon 5: Daylight (2012)

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Daylight

after releasing singles Payphone (2012), One More Night (2012), Maroon 5's third single from their forth album Overexposed (2012) was Daylight (2012). Levine had stated that Daylight (2012) was his favorite track of the album Overexposed (2012). the song was often critiqued to sound like a Coldplay song. it had an anthem feel to it, especially the chorus.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse (2012)
マブラヴオルタネイティヴ トータル・イクリプス

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Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse

an alien species known as Beta was invading upon earth, nearly collapsing the human civilization. to fight against Beta, mankind had developed TSF (Tactical Surface Fighters) and deployed them as defense throughout the world. however, these efforts were not enough to stop Beta. mankind were forced to abandon multiple area where Beta had took over. for 30 years the endless war continued without much success. when all hopes failed, the countries agreed to work together. Yui and Yuuya, surface pilots from different countries, were sent to Alaska to fend off the new wave of Beta, starting a new friendship that changed their destiny drastically.

even though Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse (2012) evolved around mecha and actions, it was also partially a romance. there were lighthearted humor, there were also bits and pieces of brutal, depressing scenes. while Yuuya was prone to be a Harem character, surrounded by tones of girls with different personalities, his development with Yui was the highlight. they started out hating each other, then slowly developed feelings for each other. the series started out on a rocky ground, but one could get caught up with its storyline at the second half of the series.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Adele: Turning Tables (2011)

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Turning Tables

after releasing singles Rolling in the Deep (2010), Someone like You (2011), Set Fire to the Rain (2011), Rumour Has It (2011), the fifth single of Adele's second album, 21 (2011) was Turning Tables (2011). the song was written after an argument with her ex-lover. thus lyrically, the song described a domestic dispute between lovers. as always, Adele's strong vocal was enough to overwhelm us.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate (2012)
恋と選挙とチョコレート

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Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate

Yuuki was a member of the Food Research Club at his high school, together with 7 other friends, one of them Chisato, his childhood friend. the members often spent their time in the club room doing nothing. but when the election for the next student council president came up, the possible candidate Satsuki proposed that all clubs with no merits shall be abolished. they sought out the current president for advice, and were told to send Yuuki to run for the election, as an opposing candidate to save their club.

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate (2012) was another Harem series. what made it different and more interesting was its plot. for once, the series wasn't focused on the male character getting tackled while he picked one of the various girls he was given access to. as the plot progressed, deeper and darker truth surfaced, and there were more serious things to look at. the depth gave Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate (2012) an extra attractions that most Harem lacked. other than the election, the remaining fillers and comedy were also enjoyable moments, where each character stood out in their own ways.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Gotye: Somebody That I Used To Know (2011)

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Somebody That I Used To Know

Gotye is a Belgian-Australian singer. Somebody That I Used To Know (2011) was written by him, featuring a New Zealand singer named Kimbra. Somebody That I Used To Know (2011) was the second single from his third album, Making Mirrors (2011). the first single in Making Mirrors (2011) was Eyes Wide Open (2010). his previous albums were Boardface (2003) and Like Drawing Blood (2006). Somebody That I Used To Know (2011) was written based on his experience with relationships. the uniqueness of the song was its indie ballad theme. it easily held our attention, assuming it was sung by an Indian singer. since the released of Somebody That I Used To Know (2011), it had became Gotye's most successful song, also his signature. the video itself was a unique art itself, a little daring, a little mesmerizing, and definitely enough to have us paying attention to him.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (2012)
人類は衰退しました

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Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita

the story took place in a world where human population had decreased over the centuries. food had became harder to find. the richese species on earth are the Fairies, a 10cm tall creature with high intelligence and love for sweets. the main character was a nameless girl, who lived in the village with her grandfather. one day, the village received some strange products from a company called Fairy Co. the villagers were wary of using the unknown product, thus the girl and her grandfather, together with a boy decided to go to the factory and find out more about the mysterious product.

the nameless characters made Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (2012) a funny series to watch. while each of the character had their different personality, the nameless girl easily outshone the rest of them and obviously had more about her under the surface. she was interesting and easy to fall for. instead of being as simple minded as she seemed to be on the surface, there was a maturity in her that made her even more lovable. in overall, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (2012) was a strange yet successful series. it was fun to watch despite the out of order episodes that could be frustrating at times.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Love on the Edge #1: Going Too Far (2009)

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Forget You

Meg wanted to get away from everything. from her school, from the small town she lived in, from her parents who seemed determine to keep her imprisoned in the small cafe they owned. but one out of control evening involving a dare on a forbidden railroad tracks, she went too far, and almost didn't make it back. John choose to stay in the small town. to enforce the rules, to serve and protect. having caught Meg at the bridge, he wanted to teach Meg a lesson she won't forget. Meg pushed him to the limit by questioning everything he learned while he pushed back, demanding to know the reason she won't be tied down.

there were some obvious flaws in Going Too Far (2009), such as how did a 19-year-old turned out to look like a 40-year-old, or how special was John to have finished police academy and had his own cruiser at the age of 19. but despite these hard to accept facts, Going Too Far (2009) was delicious to read. them pushing each other to the limit made it even better! Meg started out being all crazy and not so likable. her past might made some empathized her, but that was as far as it went. fortunately the plot was engaging enough to have my attention until the very end.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Sword Art Online (2012)
ソードアート・オンライン

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Sword Art Online

in a world where VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) exist, a game called Sword Art Online was released where players were able to control their avatars using a piece of technology called the Nerve Gear. one day, players found out that they couldn't log out. they were being held hostages by the game creator. in order to log out, they had to reach the 100th floor of a game tower to defeat the final boss. however, if they died in the game, they would die in real life as well. Kirito and Asuna rely on each other to survive the game, with the hope of logging out.

SAO - Sword Art Online (2012) had a very promising plot. however it failed at delivering it. it was difficult to get into the story because of its jumping timeline. at some point, it felt like missing episodes. for most of the episodes, Kirito and Asuna were fighting against bosses and proceeding through levels game-wise. after the game creator was mentioned in the first episode, who held the players hostage virtually, he was never mentioned again in later episodes. with so much skipped time, i found it sad to not having the chance to fall in love with the characters, especially the beautiful Asuna. there were little character development, even the romance between these 2 characters felt rushed and unconvincing.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Love on the Edge #2: Forget You (2010)

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Forget You

there were plenty things Zoey would love to forget. like her father knocking up his 24-year-old girlfriend and her mother's nervous breakdown. despite her life being in a complete mess, Zoey fought back the only way she knew how, obtaining attention by being the perfect student, the perfect daughter, even the perfect girlfriend to the school popular football player Brandon. but after a car crash that involved bad boy Dough the night before, the only thing Zoey couldn't remember was what happened before the accident.

Forget You (2010) started out being overwhelming with its vast amount of characters. but by the second half of the story, things started to get clearer as i had a clear background of each of the character, including the role they played in Forget You (2010). Zoey was especially a confusing character, caused by both her lost memory and messed up life. to uphold a "normal" status and life, she desperately tried to grab hold of people that she doesn't necessarily need. but as she discovered later, there were people that she didn't realize but cared for her secretly, sorting out her mess and clearing up her name. it was such a sweet gesture that it was difficult, even for us readers, to not fall in love with the duo!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Rinne no Lagrange: Kamogawa Days (2012)
輪廻のラグランジェ 鴨川デイズ

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Kamogawa Days

Kamogawa Days (2012) was a summary and recap of Season 1 (2012), an extra episode before Season 2 (2012) was aired. it was also included in Season 2 (2012) as Episode 00. unfortunately there were no spoiler for Season 2 (2012), which at the same time, made the recap completely unnecessary. in Japan, Kamogawa Days (2012) was released in theaters starting June 23, as a movie for cinema goers.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 5 (2012)

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The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 5

Amy and Ricky left suddenly, which caused suspicions to arise that the duo had gotten married or eloped. but soon they return. the friends were accepted into college, where Ricky got to meet some old and new friends, getting excited over the new stage of life. Amy however, felt left out and looked for Ben to talk about their relationship problems. the duo had gotten close since their broke up. in the meanwhile, Jack got into an accident and was in coma. Grace wished for a Christmas miracle for Jack.

after Adrian, the next teenage that got pregnant was Kathy. for almost every season there was one. but unlike Amy and Adrian, Kathy's pregnancy wasn't the focus. for this final season, everyone was only anxious to know whether Ricky and Amy would finally tie the knot. ABC Family announced on February 2012 that Season 5 (2012) would be the series final season, which turned out to be partially a relief. having a bunch of teenagers overlapped in hooking up with one another was neither relaxing nor a comforting thought.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Rinne no Lagrange: Season 2 (2012)
輪廻のラグランジェ: Season 2

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Rinne no Lagrange S2

it had been several months since Lan and Muginami left Earth. Madoka is now in her final year in high school. she spent her days thinking about her friends while Lan suddenly returned. a new character named Yurikano was also introduced at the later half of the series, making their life even more interesting than it originally was.

even in Season 2 (2012), friendship continued to be the main focus of the series. the Jersey Club where Madoka was originally the only member of was once again reformed to help those in need. having the 3 girls together brought much joy and entertainment, not forgetting the emotions as well. watching cute girls doing cute things, especially the Jersey Club, successfully made the series absolutely relaxing and enjoyable.

Monday, December 10, 2012

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 4 (2011)

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The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 4

after Adrian's lost of her stillborn baby, she shut out the whole world. friends and family were uncertain how to help her with her grieving. by now Amy had been sleeping over at Ricky's quite frequently with their son. Ricky requested that she move in permanently. but in light of Ben and Adrian's happening, Amy felt guilty about their positive direction. in the meanwhile, Ashley prepared to travel across the country with her boyfriend. at school, Ben looked for Amy to talk about his problems.

Adrian's lost was quite a shock. didn't see that coming at all. the way she handled it made that very few episodes equally depressing no matter how happy Amy seemed. it was somewhat difficult to agree having Amy getting back together with Ricky. he just didn't seem worth it at some point. but since it made things interesting at the same time, it was reluctantly welcomed.

Sunday, December 09, 2012

Rinne no Lagrange (2012)
輪廻のラグランジェ

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Rinne no Lagrange

Madoka was the only member of the Jersey Club of her high school. she was an energetic and positive girl, searching the school for those in need. one day, she was recruited by a mysterious girl named Lan, to pilot the robot named Vox. motivated by her desire to protect the people in her city, Madoka agreed to pilot Vox and fight against extraterrestrials that arrived to attack earth. soon they were introduced a third girl, named Muginami.

despite being Science-Fiction, i was glad to find that Rinne no Lagrange (2012) did not have a complicated plot. knowing that it was a 2-seasons series made it slightly lengthy if not long-winded to catch, but it made the ending in Season 1 (2012) completely acceptable since it would be followed closely behind by Season 2 (2012). the atmosphere was lighthearted as we followed the high school life and friendship drama of the 3 girls, which also made the darkness of war less terrible than what was expected.

Saturday, December 08, 2012

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 3 (2010)

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The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 3

having baby John to look after, Amy was overwhelmed with not being able to join her friends for activities anymore. she was generally angry and had an attitude with everything at this point. Grace decided to go ahead with having sex with Jack despite her father's warning. while it turned out to be amazing, her father plane crashed just moments later, causing her to feel at fault. in the meanwhile, Anne, Amy's mother was pregnant again, which the child might be her ex-husband, George's, or her new boyfriend's.

there were so many immature characters in the series that it was quite a huge task to decide who to like or hate. while the children went crazy looking for sex, the adults filed for divorce and continued having sex. the story evolved completely around sex, which sometimes made it rather tedious listening to the conversation. there were also the pairing problem. everyone tend to switch partners every now and then, testing compatibility, having sex, again. it was difficult to believe who really love who at this point.

Friday, December 07, 2012

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica (2012)
はぐれ勇者の鬼畜美学

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Hagure Yuusha no Estetica

Akatsuki was a Rogue Hero in a fantasy world called Arezard. he decided to defeat the Demon King with the intention of taking Miu, the Demon King's daughter home with him. after bringing her back to the world he came from, Akatsuki signed Miu up in Babel, an academy that specialized in training those who came from the other world. Miu had to put up with Akatsuki perverted side to survive the new community that she was put in.

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica (2012) was a refreshing change, where Akatsuki was not a weakling even though his macho side can be quite annoying. he was strong and confident, had all the girls he wanted, and not forgetting being a pervert as expected. the story started off promisingly, but the following episodes soon focused on how awesome Akatsuki was and how shy Miu was of her breast. at some point, the fight scenes too, were dragged slightly too long, making the last few episodes frustrating to watch.

Thursday, December 06, 2012

The Vampire Diaries: Season 4 (2012)

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The Vampire Diaries

being a new vampire, Elena struggled with her new situation while Bonnie attempted to save her human soul. Stefan and Damon were at odds with each other due to this situation. in the meanwhile, Pastor Young executing his plan to destroy all vampires, first by abducting whoever he found. among those abducted was Elena. Klaus was still possessing Tyler, together with Caroline and Rebekah, rescued Caroline. he was anxious to get his body back, forcing Bonnie to perform forbidden magic to do so. as a result, angry spirits punished the ghost of Bonnie's grandmother, throwing Boonie in dismay.

despite not being happy waking up a vampire, Elena eventually learn to accept the ways of vampires. as always, romance was the main focus of the series. while magic solved some problems, it caused others as well. the Pastor and his church were an interesting add for the beginning of the series. however, it was also obvious that mere humans were impossible to win against these experienced vampires. it didn't take long for them to lose and die. it was as usual long-winded, but its emotions were finally able to reach us, making us feel further more absorbed into the characters. Tyler getting possessed by Klaus was surprisingly convincing, adding points to the acting.

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Natsuyuki Rendezvous (2012)
夏雪ランデブー

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Natsuyuki Rendezvous

Ryosuke worked at the florist and had a crush on Rokka, the store manager. unfortunately, Rokka was still grieving for her husband Atsushi, who died 8 years ago. one day when Ryosuke went to her apartment looking for Rokka, he ran into a half naked man at the apartment. he was upset, assuming that the man was Rokka's new boyfriend. however he soon found out that the man was the ghost of Atsushi, Rokka's deceased husband. to Ryosuke's advantage, Rokka was unable to see Atsushi. but the trio soon became involved in a strange love triangle.

Natsuyuki Rendezvous (2012) was a rare and unique romance. reminded me of Anohana (2011). despite the involvement of a ghost, the romance was lighthearted and had nothing to do with horror. the storyline was slow paced but rewarding nonetheless. the rivalry between Ryosuke and Atsushi was the spotlight of the series and what kept the story going. they were entertaining and humorous in a realistic sense, adding twists to the supposedly ordinary romance. the only downside of the series was its artwork. visually it wasn't as impressive as what would be expected of series these days. but story wise, it was definitely enjoyable and worth watching.

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

True Blood: Season 5 (2012)

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True Blood

the fifth season of True Blood were taken from the fifth book of the Southern Vampire Mysteries series: Dead as a Doornail (2005). the story picked up immediately where Season 4 (2011) left off. Sookie and Lafayette were in the kitchen with the bodies of Tara and Debbie. Pam appeared and made a deal with Sookie, if Pam resurrects Tara by turning her into a vampire, Sookie would help repair Pam's relationship with Eric. in the meanwhile, Bill and Eric were arrested by the Vampire Authority for murder. Sam were confronted by a wolfpack outside him bar, who kidnapped and tortured him.

like all past seasons, Season 5 (2012) followed the story of the many characters in Sookie's life. more visible in this season was their overlapping lifestyle, which made the story much more engaging. the scene where Sookie was being fed by Russell, Eric's sire was actually quite terrifying. but the moment Eric staked Russell, who took slightly longer to die but absolutely satisfying. there were a lot more bizarre moments, including Sam's latest shift, Bill's horrific transformation, and also Jason's creepy vision.

Monday, December 03, 2012

Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! (2012)
この中に1人、妹がいる!

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Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru

Shougo was the son of a rich man. but his father passed away recently. to inherit the family legacy, he had to attend a certain new school and find a nice girl to marry from there. while the condition seemed very straightforward, Shougo found out that among all the girls in his new school, one of them was actually his long lost sister. things became tricky as he tried to find a sister that he could not recognize, while looking for a future bride.

one had to be a fan of Harem to fully enjoy Nakaimo (2012). it was like any typical Harem, it has 1 boy and many girls, where all the girls just happened to fall for the same boy, fighting over him. the girls had different vibes and characteristics, just to make Shougo's experience richer and the plot lengthier. there weren't much development in both character and plot. everything was predictable and completely cliche. the only entertainment worth mentioning was its beautiful visual. the art was light and comfortable, perfect for a romance series.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Steamroller (2012)

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Steamroller

Carson was the popular boy in school, a superstar quarterback so often surrounded by everyone. Vince was a nerdy biology student, loner and spent all his time studying and doing part time ever since his family threw him out for being a gay. one encounter brought them together, with Carson forcing his way into Vince's life. Vince couldn't get himself to believe that the superstar was falling for him, but when the news of Carson's injury reached him, he was desperate to fly to his side to check how he was doing.

Steamroller (2012) was absolutely delicious! everything was so beautiful and sweet that Vince had no idea how much his life was going to change after meeting Carson. he was overwhelmed by the attention and unsure of Carson's and his own feelings for each other. the incident happened at a perfect timing, forcing Vince to face his fears and insecurity, accepting the special treatment he received. it was easy to enjoy every moment they had together, the banters were both sweet and hilarious to get into.

Saturday, December 01, 2012

YuruYuri Season 2 (2012)
ゆるゆり♪♪

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YuruYuri Season 2

the story followed the 4 girls who out of boredom, took over the former room of a tea ceremony club in their school. they hung out, spending their time together, and getting into mischief while messing with each other.

like Yuru Yuri (2011), YuruYuri ♪♪ (2012) was equally entertaining. it was a pleasant and lighthearted series to catch. the story focused on the relationship between each character. although it might seemed like there were something inappropriate going on, there wasn't. it was clean and simple, plainly enjoyable. it was all about cuteness and comedy. although at some point the story was forced, the remaining worked perfectly together, making it extremely hilarious.

Friday, November 30, 2012

I Love You to Death (2012)

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I Love You to Death

Ash faced too much death in her life. the recent death was her boyfriend Sam. previously was her brother, father, mother, even grandparents. she was consumed by grief and loneliness, feeling so guilty over their deaths. she became withdrawn, spending days reliving the nightmares and fearing for those she came to connect with. then she met Luke, who was so interested in her. despite Ash trying to push him away, Luke stayed and slowly entered her life. at some point, she was forced to face the truth, she had fallen for him.

the tragedies were seriously too over the top! it was not only exaggerated but ridiculous that i found it impossible to connect with Ash. the story traveled between Ash's current life, that was working at a cafe and spending off days at home, and her past, elaborating especially on each and every of the death of her loved ones. it was maddeningly frustrating to read and it took me forever to finish! i had to force myself to read until the end, just to see if it was Ash or Luke that died. honestly, i was slightly disappointed that she didn't.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Kimi to Boku 2 (2012)
君と僕 2

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Kimi to Boku 2

Kaname, Shun, and the twins, Yuta and Yuki had been childhood friends since kindergarten. Chizuru joined them after being transferred and together the 5 friends made school life all the more lively as they became 3rd year students. the story followed their everyday life as it was filled with misadventure and love.

like its first sequel - Kimi to Boku (2011), Kimi to Boku 2 (2012) was absolutely adorable. every storyline made me happy, feeling completely connected to the characters, feeling their every emotions. visually, there was a slight change, but nothing too much compared to Kimi to Boku (2011). it was still simple and refreshing, with a storyline so captivating one wouldn't even mind or notice the small changes. it was definitely enjoyable following the boys through their daily encounter. nothing too much but always enough to make one laugh along with it.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Sweet Madness (2012)

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Sweet Madness

Angeles was an orphanage, for the past few years she lived on her own. after leaving the orphanage, her sister Raven went to live at another part of the town. one night she came pouncing on her door, mumbling about someone chasing after her. days later, she was visited by a demon called Madness. he toyed with her mind, fooling her and confusing her with his tricks, making her his thing. desperate to be free of fear, Angeles had to seek for help without killing anyone along the way.

Sweet Madness (2012) was very engaging for the very few chapters. the conversation between Angeles and Madness was somewhat predictable, sometimes reducing the tension thus less absorbing at times. at some point, Madness was just empty threats, not being as scary as he was portrayed to be. but since the novel was written by an amateur author, it was as good as it gets. i enjoyed Sweet Madness (2012) in overall. the experience however, could be better with a happy ending. after chasing the story from head to toe, having Angeles fell under Madness' control just completely ruined the satisfaction.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san (2012)
這いよれ!ニャル子さん

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Haiyore! Nyaruko-san

Nyaruko was from the outer space, somewhere unknown to humankind. she met with Mahiro, her only human friend on earth. however at the same time, the powerful ones from myths were coming to earth, targeting Nyaruko and Mahiro. Mahiro was utterly clueless about Nyaruko's true nature. despite his love for peace, he was dragged into crisis after crisis by Nyaruko. to make things interesting, the myths characters often took the appearance of a cute girl or boy.

despite the beautiful visual, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san (2012) was somewhat typical. there were no special plot, just some random events thrown together. the comedies were overused and repetitive, making it tiring at some point. the strength of Haiyore! Nyaruko-san (2012) probably laid within its characters. they were memorable and each unique in their own style. it can be entertaining if the focus was on looking at the beautiful characters and visuals, while paying less attention to its storyline.

Monday, November 26, 2012

The Sea of Tranquility (2012)

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The Sea of Tranquility

Nastya arrived at a new town, with the purpose of getting through high school without anyone knowing about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay. with everyone dead in his family, Josh only wanted to be left alone to his passion of furniture building. everyone had no problem giving him space, until the arrival of Nastya. the night she showed up at his garage, his life was anything but peaceful. the more he got to know her, the more mysterious she seemed. as their relationship intensified, unanswered questions began to pile up, with everything threatened to fall apart.

The Sea of Tranquility (2012) was a slow-paced romance between a lonely boy and an emotionally fragile girl, with the presence and miracle of second chances. despite its pace, the story was engaging and intriguing. the emotions alone was enough to drain me of my thoughts and tears. it was easy to get caught up and utterly swept away into an emotional storm, but with a storyline so rich that it was like i had experienced it myself. the relationship between Nastya and Josh was so beautiful and dramatic that every little details contributed to the emotionally intense world that the book created.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Taburakashi: Daikou Joyuugyou Maki (2012)
たぶらかし:代行女優業・マキ~

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Taburakashi: Daikou Joyuugyou Maki

Maki had a huge debt after the theater company closed down and broken up the group. she went for an audition at OR Corporation, a suspicious looking company that hired contract actors. the President tested Maki's talent and decided to hire her as their actress. Maki soon learned that her stage now was in the real world, where the company would send their actors into the daily lives of its client by request. she found herself playing various roles, including murdered victim, new wife, even a corpse, in order to assist the investigation that often led to insurance fraud.

Maki was an interesting character to look at. despite being serious looking, she was put into absurd situation where she had to save herself or at least adapt into the circumstances in order to blend into her role. it was sometimes hilarious, other times eerie to look at. but as she played more and more roles, her character became even more engaging and her growth reassuring. the storyline of Taburakashi (2012) was so unique that it hooked me until the very last role she was put in. she could drew laughter at the most unlikely moment and easily held my interest throughout the series.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

She Lies Twisted (2012)

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She Lies Twisted

death followed Neil everywhere. first her father, then mother, then her twin sister Jessica. now it had taken away the only person she could rely on, her best friend Boyd. she now lived in her Grandmother's house, but unfortunately Grandma Willow was too senile to even recognized Neil, where she was often found lost in her own world. overwhelmed with sadness, Neil went to the beach with the hope of saying her last goodbye to Boyd. but before she knew it, she was pushed from the cliff, plunging into the rocks, by a form that took the appearance of Jessica.

She Lies Twisted (2012) was somewhat tragic and dark, but inspiring and unique. the paranormal aspect of life after death was surprisingly original and engaging. there were quite an amount of emotional moments for Neil, though most of them repetitive. it can be frustrating but in one way or another, helped in building the atmosphere and feelings towards each character as it was seen in Neil's eyes. she was a character easy to relate to, but slightly too depressive to be lovable. James was there to provide a little romance and friendship for the story.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (2012)
となりの怪物くん

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Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

Shizuku was a book worm, she had little interest in everything other than her grades. one day, she was asked to bring some handouts to Haru, the boy seated next to her but was currently suspended due to being in a fight. because of that, Haru mistakenly assumed Shizuku a friend. despite the fight, Haru had a innocent personality, who also had growing feelings towards Shizuku. soon she realized that he was more than what he seemed, having to decide how far she would let Haru into her life.

having both romance and comedy in one show definitely made the experience entertaining. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (2012) was the perfect example. Shizuku and Haru made a very unique duo. they were both loners, extremely different in their own ways. the combination itself was enough to had one laugh their heart out. they blurted out everything on their mind, speaking their mind, which made the awkwardness so adorable and lovable. it reminds me so much of Toradora (2008), perhaps a little Dragon Crisis (2011) and Acchi Kocchi (2012).

Thursday, November 22, 2012

I, Emma Freke (2010)

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I, Emma Freke

Emma was a 12-year-old, but her six feet tall figure gave her a hard time, her bright red hair made her stood out, while her name Emma Freke, if read slowly became "Am a Freak" only made matter worst. she was an outcast in school, often being laughed at. she was raised by her mother Donatella, a 47-year-old that dated more often than possible, leaving Emma behind to take care of her bead shop. one day, she received an invitation to attend the Frekes' family reunion. while she was too tall, too pale to the others, she was actually considered the prettiest among the Frekes. soon Emma discovered that Donatella wasn't as bad a mother as she thought, there were far more terrible situation at the reunion.

I, Emma Freke (2010) was an easy read. Emma was an awkward child, but absolutely lovable. having to take care of herself and the adults around her, she matured much more sooner than an average 12-year-old. her redeeming her self-esteem while meeting with relatives she never once knew exist, was somewhat ironic. the story was often entertaining and humorous, especially coming from friends of Emma, who were often outgoing and cheerful, while completely adored Emma. the journey of watching Emma grew into herself was so delightful and heartwarming that it made I, Emma Freke (2010) an absolutely pleasant read.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Toshi Densetsu no Onna (2012)
都市伝説の女

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Toshi Densetsu no Onna

Otonashi was obsessed with urban legends (toshi densetsu). she become a detective to establish proof of the involvement of urban legends in criminal cases. she was assigned to the investigation team led by Tannai. whenever a new case was assigned to their team, she would first consider its association with urban legend. when formal investigation appeared to be wrong, she would slipped out from work and proceed with her own investigation, dragging Katsuura along and angered Tannai at the same time.

as dark or eerie as the urban legend that Otonashi concluded to have a connection with the case that she was investigating, investigations was always fun whenever she was involved. her characteristic outshone the common investigators with her insisting on wearing colorful clothing, short skirts or pants, and high heels. she would ran from one scene to another, as fast as her heels allowed her to, while having forensics Katsuura following closely behind, like a good puppy. they were absolutely adorable to watch.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Into the Deep (2012)

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Into the Deep

Ivy was best friends with Christy, Tiana, and Eliza. their midnight party by the pool side landed her under the water, almost drown, and hit her head under the water. when she woke up, she discovered that she had the ability to listen to people's thoughts. due the the ability, she was able to truly see who her real friends were. she got closer to Brant, a delinquent who was a far better friend that anyone expected. at the same time, she heard a thought that wanted the death of every student on campus. with the help of Brant, she had to figure out whose secret planning it was, and stop them before it was too late.

Into the Deep (2012) was an entertaining read. it stood out for being so different and intriguing. Ivy was a seemingly innocent character until she obtained the ability to read thoughts. she went through the struggle of containing the ability to acceptance, which finally put it to good use. romance wise, she was so perfect with Brant that made them delicious to look at. him helping her with her ability came somewhat on the right timing, which was when her ability drew her crazy yet she failed to confine her secret to anyone else. the bombing was completely unpredictable and became an almost interesting side plot. Ivy's growth was obvious, from being a follower, she transformed into someone that could handle big happenings without crumbling like she expect herself to. there were so much going on that there were no dull moments in Into the Deep (2012).

Monday, November 19, 2012

Street Fighter (1994)

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Street Fighter (1994)

Street Fighter (1994) was based loosely on its video games by Capcom. Allied Nations was a military force led by General Bison, the drug lord. via a live TV broadcast, Bison demanded Colonel Guile, the regional commander, to secure a ransom for the hostages he captured while hold Guile accountable. Guile's assistant, Cammy was able to partially trace Bison's signal, determining his hideout. Bison planned to make full use of the the hostages to help him concur the world. Guile sought out more men to help him crush Bison's hideout.

many claimed the film to be bad, but from what we saw from its video games, i would say it represented the game fairly well! it wasn't believable but nor was the game, which in our view, made the film interesting! unfortunately there weren't much CGI or sleek costumes back in the 90s, which made the satisfaction of watching the game characters came to live slightly insufficient.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

10 Weeks (2012)

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10 Weeks

Kay-Kay had new Alex since she was nine, attending summer camp. he had always been her friend, leading her and understanding her more than anyone else. now that she turned nineteen, Alex had became something more, but he was forty. she way she wanted him had her struggle whether giving her heart will be worth risking her future over. Jody wasn't the type of girl who went after the good-looking guys, she enjoyed the company of her steady boyfriend that she had been together for years. but when he dumped her out of the blue and the hot Irish bartender seemed interested in getting to know her, the summer became anything but expected. Sam had bad experience with love. meeting Nate, the perfect guy for her was terrifying. she ran, but he followed with texts and finally forced his way back into her life, forcing her to confront her fear by opening her heart.

though everything took place during that 10 weeks of summer camp, it was actually 3 separate romance. all 3 girls were different and had their own strength. Kay-Kay was the most daring of all, flaunting everything she had just to tease Alex. Alex failing to reveal that he had an ex-wife threw Kay-Kay off her balance but soon regained it as she was unable to bear with the thought of losing him. Jody was the only virgin among the girls, causing her to be often teased. getting the hot guy was never her intention, yet her firm personality drew him in. Sam was the one that had the perfect guy. being dancers, they fit into each others' arm so perfectly that it was painful to see them spending time apart. while it was fun to read about these romances, it could be even more engaging if they had more connection between them.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Hot Chelle Rae: Honestly (2012)

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Honestly

Honestly (2012) was the third single of Hot Chelle Rae's second album Whatever (2011). it was released in March 2012. the previous 2 singles were Tonight Tonight (2011) and I Like It Like That (2011). the video was released also in March 2012, featuring Ashley Benson from tv series Pretty Little Liars. the song had a lively feel to it. although i couldn't find myself fully enjoying its lyrics, i definitely enjoyed its cheerful beat.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Keeping Secrets #2: Saving Zoë (2007)

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Saving Zoë

Echo was an avarage teenage going through high school, but also dealing with the murder of her sister Zoë. Zoë was the one who held their family together, the loud and outspoken, beautiful and full of life sister, who was a complete opposite of Echo. the tragedy changed everything, her family had fallen apart, crumbling under the pressure. one day Marc, Zoë's boyfriend showed up with her diary. out of curiosity, Echo started reading and learned that her sister led a secret life that no one could have guessed.

even though i was expecting, even hoping for something major to be recorded inside Zoë's diary, it turned out Zoë was just another teenager that partied too much and wanted to be someone famous. this part of her was hidden so well that even Echo failed to notice. while Echo attempt to hang onto Marc just to feel close to Zoë, Marc did the same, both equally lost and refused to move on. Saving Zoë (2007) wasn't about literally saving Zoë from being murder, but just revealing what impact her death did to those she left behind. despite trying to be touching and engaging, the plot was as dull as Faking 19 (2005). it took way too long to reveal that there were actually nothing much going on for the whole book. 2 bad books in a row, i truly prefer Alyson Noel in her absolutely delicious Immortals series (2009-2010) than these aimless teen novels.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Penelope (2006)

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Penelope

generations ago, a witch placed a curse on the Wilhern family after their son broke his promise of marrying her pregnant daughter. the curse was on the next daughter of the family to have the face of a pig. after 5 generations of sons, Penelope was born with the curse. the curse can be lifted if someone could learn to love her, which her mother interpreted as a marriage with the royal blood.

as silly and predictable as the story was, a fairy tale twist made the film highly entertaining. being brought up blaming her weird appearance on the curse and being locked up in a house, Penelope wasn't given a chance to love herself. but once she left and mingled among the commoners, she started to appreciate herself while seeing the bigger world. the experience turned her into a charming and lovable character, which made the film so much fun to watch.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Answer~ Keishichou Kenshou Sousakan (2012)
アンサー~警視庁検証捜査官

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Answer ~ Keishichou Kenshou Sousakan

the police was expected to swiftly solve cases. but when crime scenes detectives responded to those expectations, they sometimes jumped to a wrong conclusions. Shinkai was newly assigned to the Evidence Verification Section, where they were given the responsibility to prevent incorrect convictions sentenced by the crime scenes detectives. before Shinkai came, the department only corrected typographical errors before approving the documents. but the moment Shinkai became their leader, her sharp minded personality insisted on verifying every single case themselves. when suspicions were found, she would overturned the case and find the true criminals.

being outspoken and intolerable, Shinkai outshone even the crime scenes detectives. while her team was originally comfortable staying in the office, never had any experience whatsoever on the field, she brought them out into the world for investigations that eventually built up their characteristic and sensitiveness. professionalism was also brought onto the table frequently, proving that just because the detectives were the best in their department and jobs, it still doesn't mean that they were always correct. while Shinkai was glittering in the spotlight, her team was her comedic support. they were fun and impressive to watch, struggling with their very best effort to get the truth out in the open, where their hard work would eventually paid off, earning them the satisfaction of being recognized as competent officers.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Brave 10 (2012)
ブレイブ・テン

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Brave 10

a young ninja named Saizou was seeking out the meaning and direction of his life when he encountered Isanami, a miko assaulted by assassins. he saved her and escorted her to her destination by being her temporary bodyguard. when they arrived at a protected territory of Sanada, he met with Sasuke, leader of a famous ninja group. Sanada had be gathering 10 warriors known as the Brave 10, who they believed to have the power to change history. as they continued to gather the members, Isanami's mysterious power awakened.

the historical background of the anime was sophisticated. fights were usually stretched from 1 to 2 episodes, though necessary to elaborate on its story. the plot was fairly predictable, storyline not entirely in depth. the first episode were the whole anime's strongest point, where Saizou and his skills and attitude being captivating and promising. unfortunately the focus slowly faded away and gradually he became an uninteresting character. time were spent so much on introducing each of the 10 characters, making it long-winded if not seemingly unimportant.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Keeping Secrets #1: Faking 19 (2005)

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Faking 19

17-year-old Alex was beautiful and smart, and also the best friend of M, the most popular girl in school, so rich and perfect. bored with the small town they were in, they often drove to LA for its delicious night life. often pretended to be 19, they hit it off with guys. the last trip introduced them to 2 rich guys, Trevor and Connor, working for the music industry. Alex couldn't believe her luck, for she was secretly struggling with her failing grades, her divorced father had refused to pay for college despite her losing the scholarship. the adventure was initially fun, but soon circumstances arose and Alex was forced to reevaluate her friendship with M, who hid more secrets by building bigger and bigger lies.

Alex was a complicated character. she started out being indifferent about school, failing grades and skipping classes, which she wasn't before. she used to be the top, a straight-A student with scholarships waiting for her to graduate. the reason that she changed was undisclosed, which was quite frustrating. Faking 19 (2005) went on and on about their trips to LA, different guys, different clubs, same scenario that always ended them in someone's bed! unfortunately clubs and drugs never did seem appealing enough to be glamorous for me, thus the failed attempt to beautify their trips and adventures. that alone was enough to make the story to go stale.