Darker Than Black Sequel

From Anime News Network

This year’s 12th issue of Square Enix’s Young Gangan seinen manga magazine will announce on Friday that a television sequel for the Darker than BLACK anime has been green-lit. A file purportedly leaked from the BONES anime studio last July had revealed the plans for a “Darker than BLACK 2″ anime series with original director Tensai Okamura. Character designer Yuji Iwahara had launched a new manga version of the anime in the 11th issue of the same Young Gangan magazine last month.

Which means (hopefully) a revival of this blog, although I’m not really sure because I’m extremely busy with my current life. Still, that’s good news to hear. DTB is my second most favourite series after G00 anyway.

The Kurosagi hype

Long time no see.

In my poor attempt to revive this blog once in awhile, I decide to rant a bit about my current obbsession: Kurosagi. It’s basically a manga about swindling written by Takeshi NATSUHARA and drawn by Kuromaru. You can find my more detailed review here because I’m too lazy to copy and paste.

I don’t know what make me so into this series, maybe because I just love the couple (LOL). For the last couple of week, I spendt all my free time re-do a black & white picture of Kurosaki and Tsurara. And now when I’m done, I change all the desktops (my PC at home and at work) to the new image, change avatar and change this blog’s header. And now, I’m looking for more pictures to re-do. This is more “painful” than normal anime vector because I while the line is vectored, it can be sloopy. But then I have to do the color in photoshop with all the shading and blah blah blah. I even re-draw the logo just for this picture (while I still didn’t know whether I would make another Kurosagi picture).

Damn, should get back to G00. I haven’t done a single Second Season wallpaper….

Guin Saga (and announcements)

So while I was not really keen on any of the new series for Spring Season, I decided to try out Guin Saga for its music. As you may or may not know, the music is done by Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy’s fame and even though I don’t like his recent works, Final Fantasy’s music is and always be my favourite.

So, then how was it? The music is great as hoped. I’m treated with delicous tunes for the whole 20 minutes, including the ending theme (although it’s not composed by Nobuo Uematsu). Must say that he’s getting back to his old good days, I think. That asides, I’m not very keen on either the story or the animation quality. The whole thing feels very game-ish, with a herioc and fantasy setting and Nobuo Uematsu doing music (he’s a video game music composer after all) on top of that. Same goes for the art and animation, neither of which really impresses me.

Ending theme, entitled “Saga ~ This is my road” is really good. I’ve been listening to the song non-stop. The whole ED reminds me of Eflen Lied’s OP a bit because of the art and the prelude.

Anyway, I’ll just keep watching this for the music. I think if you have time you should try this out as well.

———————

I decided to create a new blog dedicating to manga, anime, movies and other stuffs review. Since now I’m done with Gundam 00, I’ll have more time watching movies (which I had stopped right after I started my Gundam 00’s fangirling). It’s still fine to post review about manga and anime here (like I’ve been doing) but I think movies review is a little bit inappropriate. On top of that I want to to keep things as organized as possible. Hence, a new blog: Anywut?

For the time being I’ll just moving my previous Manga hilight posts from here, but expect more in the future.

(I hope that I won’t let this place die)

Manga Highlight: Liar Game

Title: Liar Game
Original Title: ライアー　ゲーム
Author: Shinobu Kaitani (story & art)
Genre:Shounen, Drama, Mystery, Psychological
Status: On-Going
Scanlation: On-Going
Description: Congratulations! You are one of the 1 in 100,000 people who has been entered in the amazing LIAR GAME TOURNAMENT! Along with the postcard there are 100 million yen in notes. That’s the beginning of the Liar Game. When the game ends, in 30 days, you will have to return your 100 million. If your opponent steals them, he can keep them as a prize, and you will have a debt of 100 million… (taken from Baka-updates Manga)

Let me say this first: It could be much better. Seriously, I tried this manga a long time ago when only one volume was out but couldn’t get pass it because of the stupid main female char (who’s too naive and dumb), stereotype main male char (who’s handsome, cool, has a tragic past and super smart). I didn’t go far enough to get on the best part of the manga: how to win the game. It’s really really exciting and interesting to see how they fool around with the rules and try to find a way to beat the game that seems to rely all on luck. Get your brain work harder, I think.

On the downsize, I’m very annoyed by the dramatization of people’s ugly face (metally). They look just so screwed up that it annoys me greatly (although it gets better as the series progress as the author gradually no longer uses such a way to portray expression anymore).

Same thing goes for the characters. I was EXTREMELY annoyed by the main female character’s stupidity and naivety. It felt so set-up so that the plot could move on. Fortunately, her character grows as the story progress and even though she still gets on my nerve (not because of her being stupid or whatever but because of her being PURE) on some occasions, it’s much better than before.

The main character is, well, perfect. So far I haven’t seen any any major weak point of his. He’s smart (extremely so), he’s handsome, he’s kind-hearted in nature, he has a tragic past. I like him actually, but no strong attraction because he’s just so perfect. I find myself being fond of the anti-hero/antagonist transvestite  more as he has a more colorful personality as well as weakness.

The art is okay, a bit down on being too simple but it’s clean and clear. Narrative is a bit weak in my opinion. I feel that it doesn’t convey the story as strong as it should.

If you’re someone like me who once read it and couldn’t get passed the first chapters, please give it another try. Or if you want something that make your brain work in a way, try it. I’m very much enjoy seeing how they solve the game without really violating the rules. This series is far from being perfect but it has potentials.

Manga Highlight: Kiseijuu

Title: Kiseijuu, Parasite, Parasyte
Original Title: 寄生獣 (Parasitic Beasts)
Author: Hitoshi Iwaaki (story & art)
Genre: Action, Drama, Horror, Psychological, Sci-fi, Seinen
Status: Complete (10 volumes)
Scanlation: Complete
Description: They arrive in silence and darkness. They descend from the skies. They have a hunger for human flesh. They are everywhere. They are parasites, alien creatures who must invade – and take control of – a human host to survive. And once they have infected their victims, they can assume any deadly form they choose: monsters with giant teeth, winged demons, creatures with blades for hands. But most have chosen to conceal their lethal purpose behind ordinary human faces. So no one knows their secret – except an ordinary high school student. Shin is battling for control of his own body against an alien parasite, but can he find a way to warn humanity of the horrors to come? (taken from Baka-updates Manga)

At first, I wasn’t too tempted by the story. If there’s one thing that I don’t want in a Sci-fi series, it’s “alien”. Also, the way the summary sounds is too similar to Animorph (google it if you don’t know what it is). It stays true to some extent, with all the talk about kill and being killed, who holds the right to judge, etc but at the very least there’s gore to see and there’s no UFO. Anyway, the point is that the overall story is okay, not really impressive but not bad either. What really held me up with the series is character development, particularly the parasyte Migi. The main character is fine, but pretty standard I should say.

The art, well, it’s Hitoshi Iwaaki so there’s nothing else except “boring”. Worse than Historie but not unberable. It stays more or less consistent from the beginning to the end, but gets better as the series progress, of course.

Now, even though this one is actually pretty high on my “recommend list”, I’m making it sound like it’s a boring standard one. The reason is that I read this a long time a go so all the emotions kind of dried up now. None of the aspects (art, story, narrative, etc.) really stands out but combined together it’s a very good read. Try it if you like “Historie” or you want a series with some gore, action, psychology. It’s easier to read than “Historie” (less words!!!)

Manga Highlight: Cat Street

Title: Cat Street
Original Title: キャットストリート
Author: Youko Kamio (story & art)
Genre: Drama, Romance, School Life, Shoujo, Slice of Life
Status: Complete (8 volumes)
Scanlation: Complete
Description: The story centers around Keito Aoyama, a former famous child actor. Due to a childhood incident, she retired from her career early and withdrew from normal society. Now 16, she passes her days in boredom and without purpose. But one day she runs into a stranger who takes her to El Liston–a free school for high school students like herself, who don’t have a place where they belong. Though hesitant at first, Keito decides to enter El Liston and subsequently, she begins a new stage in her life. With the help of her only remaining childhood friend, Taiyou, and her new classmates Rei, Momiji, and Kouichi, Keito slowly finds the courage to open up to others and to accept their support. Will Keito return to acting? Will she find true friends? Love? (taken from Baka-updates Manga)

A shoujo manga from Youko Kamio of Hana Yori Dango’s fame. That more or less sums up the artstyle and the narrative that you may expect.

One thing to say, I don’t like this manga immensely. The reason why I choose to highlight this is because it felt easy reading it. No dragging drama, no unbelievable conflicts, no bloody and teary struggles. The story flows just naturally. I don’t find the story particularly interesting or inviting but I do like the characters so I keep reading to find out what they are up to. From this point of view, the story and narrative work just fine.

The art is good (although whether it suits your taste or not is another matter) and stays consistent throughout the series (samples are from the first and last volume). Not really my favorite but nothing to complain either.

To sum up, it’s a more-than-okay shoujo. If you don’t have anything to read then read this. No bad effect will come (like I said it felt very easy). Otherwise you won’t miss much, maybe except a rather cute guy.

Gundam 00 Second Season – 25

- Okay. So it actually didn’t leave me with any strong feeling (at least I was “WTF” all the time when watching S1’s ep 25). Understandably, there’s a moving coming up in 2010 so this wasn’t the grand finale.

- Ribbons dies (or so it seems). Everybody else lives, including Patrick. I’m pretty satisfied with Patrick x Kati’s wedding (being a person who loves wedding scenes very much myself). Marie and Alle going somewhere (don’t know what are they supposed to do, but it looks as if they’re going to climb up the mountains) look pretty cute too. Alle, tight clothes really doesn’t suit you well. Hopefully they’ll have some children in the movie (wishful thinking).

And, well, that’s it. See you later in 2010. I’m having a lot of things to do at the moment so update for scans and other stuffs will be as slow as ever. I don’t plan on abandon things as they are now but I won’t promise when everything will be updated.

So long.

Gundam 00 Second Season – 24

- It’s actually a lot better than I expected. Won’t go through so many details because I’m kind busy and lazy now. Basically we seem to be heading to a Disney ending where everyone lives. Louise x Saji happy ending: 90% confirmed, unless the director wants to screw things up. Ali’s death was kinda dissatisfying but I guess it’s fine. He didn’t do much in S2 anyway. G00 OST is the best. That’s one thing I can say for sure. This episode feels so great because of the awesome music.

- And that’s it. One more episode to go.

Best moment: Setsuna’s awakening (thanks to the music)

This weeking ranking: Alle >= Setsuna = Tieria = Lockoff (don’t ask me why)

Gundam 00 Second Season – 23

- This is an action-packed episode so there isn’t a lot of dialogues.

- Patrick is 90% death. His death is kinda quick and he confesses “I love you, Kati” before his MS explodes. There might be an odd for him to survive this but I don’t know. Patrick is a very likable character and I had hope to see more of him and Kati. Damn.

- I’m not quite sure about the Kamikaze army of Innovators. They could just replace those with a more believable and less laughable than this. The way I see it, if Ptolemaios (or any other ships) has about 20 MS with Trans-Am activated banged into it, it would certain explode. How the hell they can get through without much damage.

- Ali vs Lyle. Cherudim has lost all its Shield bits, its rifle was disarmed early in the battle. I don’t know how Lyle can match you to Ali in this state (and not when Trans-Am has been used).

- Soma/Marie cries in the preview. I’m crossing my fingers hoping that nothing wrong happens to Alle. Or it might be Kati or Sumeragi who bites the dust as well. Crap.

Best moment: Patrick’s death. Because for the first time, he’s being serious and for the first time he calls his beloved Colonel “Kati”

This week’s ranking: Tieria >= Setsuna = Alle = Lockoff (because Tieria looks so damn cool in the epilogue)

Gundam 00 Second Season – 22

- Short post then. They are fighting a lot in this ep so there’s not much to cover anyway.

- Feldt gives Setsuna a flower. Damn, even though I’m not against Setsuna x Feldt in the slightest, I’ll surely bang my head against my pillow if the pair ends up together. They didn’t interact with each other at all. And I still see Feldt as a rather low-level supporting character (whereas Sumeragi is a high-level one, sorry the lame vocabulary). It’s just kinda random, like their interaction in S1’s ep 24.

- Kati and Patrick are against A-laws now (as expected). Kati and Soma are probably my most favourite female characters in G00.

- Mass produced Innovators are Bring’s and Divine’s children.

- New BGM, and a great one at that. Looking forward to OST4 which will be released on April 1.

- Soma has started to accept Alle. She says he can call her Marie.

- Marina, what exactly can you ever done. You’re so useless, probably the one of the most useless characters I’ve known and that’s exactly the reason why I don’t hate you.

- Ribbons, shot in the head by Regene and appears in the preview. I know there may be a movie coming up but somehow I feel that they can’t resolve everything in the last three episodes. There is some certain developments that I don’t like and feel that they are handled quite poorly (Liu Mei, Hong Long, Nena and Regene and Ribbons’ agenda as well as Marina’s song of salvation). Still keep my hope that they will have a decent ending.

Best moment: The battle. Because of awesome BGM

This week’s ranking: Setsuna = Lockoff = Alle = Tieria (history repeats itself. I love them all).