For those of you in highschool/elementary, have a great winter break since I think everyone is doing their last day of school today. =]
For all others, I think you've been breaking since last week, or are currently still working, in which in that case, I hope you guys have a great business party and spend an awesome winter holidays with family/friends.
I'm off to the airport in around 4 hours, so I'll be gone until January~
Let's hope my camera catches a lot of photos and I don't get too stressed out from travelling around so much.
I may not have reached "Anime guru" standards, but I think I have watch enough titles to consider some of the better EDs (ending themes) around. Of course, a lot of people pretty much skipped over the OPs and EDs when they watch any series. However, I usually watch them as well, as I believe good OPs and EDs does help you enjoy an episode better. Why did Ichigo 100% and School Days find a new song for every episode anyway?
Nothing like a good ED at the end of a episode (especially at the end of a series) makes you feel like you well enjoyed your time; therefore, here are my Top 5 Ending Themes (so far)
edit> maybe there's a little confusion, but my selection for this list is for the appropriate FEEL of the show. Not just the songs alone, though, making good and suitable animation for a good song is harder than just making a good song.
5th: Inukami! ED1
Aice5 - Yuujou Monogatari
Come on, I bet you never seen something quite like that. I didn't really enjoy the first few episodes of Inukami, so this ED kinda makes it worth it. Why? It's hilarious.
4th: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu ED1
Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, Yuuko Gotou – Hare Hare Yukai
Probably the most famous ED currently? Great song + Great Dance. There’s a full dance version out there, but you probably know that already. This song got 13th on the Favorite Anime Song Survey this May.
3rd: Hidamari Sketch ED1
Marble – Mebae Drive
A beautiful song at I got really attracted to after hearing a few times. The animation really suits the genre of the series, Comedy/Slice of Life.
2nd: Honey and Clover ED1
Suneohair – Waltz
(Ignore the yelling at the start; can't find a better version on YouTube)
This used to be my favorite song. The other ED by the same band, Split, follow similar styles but the feel of this song is stronger. Get what that Ferris wheel mean?
1st: Sola ED1
Ceui – Mellow Melody
While I ended up not enjoying Sola, this song makes everything worthwhile. Sounds kinda Melancholic yet beautiful, and with the beautiful art of Sola in the animation, makes it best ED I’ve ever seen.
Of course, when you view it from the small YouTube screen you probably won’t know what I mean.
Any EDs you think that should be on this list? Feel free to share.
Mwahahaha, the marketing peps at Bandai thought they could outsmart KingRoxas by hiding their Code Geass Dub trailer on their ASOS Brigade site .... n00bs. (Just kidding).
Most of us not living under a rock this past few months have noticed the US dollar dropping like a sinking ship especially these couple days. As of this blog post, the Canadian dollar has briefly broken the 1.10 USD = 1 CAD barrier before retreating a bit.
What does this mean for non-American consumers especially Canadians?
CHEAP AMERICAN ANIME!
For example:
Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU thinpak boxset
USD: $34.99 vs CAD: $48.99
If the US price was converted to CAD it would be even cheaper.. approx $32 CAD vs $48.99 CAD in Canada, around $17 or more difference!
Something newer?
School Rumble
USD: $19.99 vs CAD: $24.99
Again, converting to CAD... the US bought DVD will be even cheaper (around $18 CAD vs $25 here, a $7 difference). The prices I found were based off Bestbuy.com vs Bestbuy.ca
This plays out over virtually all products, not just anime DVDs across the board for all stores. Worried about custom tax or duties? The exchange rate is high enough to cover any duties you might be charged, plus US sales tax is generally lower than our PST+GST.
Looking for some great deals this holiday season? Try buying online or doing a shopping trip to the states.
Drawbacks? Long waits at the border (5 hours or more) and huge backlogs at Canada Post. Plan ahead!
I know I'll be planning a shopping trip or two soon =)
Moetron has reported that the final episode of "School Days" will be shown in its entirety tomorrow evening (9/27). Thank goodness. I’ll be skipping Makoto’s guillotine party, as I will finally get to see who done it.
Many in Japanese visual culture fandom have heard of the murder that caused the indefinite cancellations of the final episode of School Days and the next episode [12] of Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Kai. Though the Higurashi episode has been televised according to Moetron, the news of this killing is still making waves. The sixteen year-old girl responsible for attacking her father with an ax was questioned about her motive. She responded...
"I had been suspicious about my father's relationships with women for several years. I thought I'd give him the guillotine."
It is a sad day for otakudom. Moetan records the news of the final episode of Lucky Star having aired. However, already a significant clip has hit YouTube. Check it out. It made me sad.
I personally think cheerleading could be fun and passionate with the right people doing it along with you. Lucky Star proves this with the entire cast (minus the adults — though that would have been amusing to see Konata’s father in a cheerleading outfit as he is shameless enough as it is) performing the energetically cute, show-stopping OP theme dance.
Shakugan No Shana II - 10/4 Thursday - 1:25AM Start
Japanese Narration:
Ano natsu no mori kara...
Shana to boku wa...
Mada kono machi ni...
Soushite...
Shakugan No Shana Second
Juugatsu kousou kaishi.
Loose English Translation:
Because of the forest of that distant summer...
Shana and I (Yuji Sakai)...
Are still in this city...
And...
Shakugan No Shana Second
Will kick off in October.
According to Moetron, The opening theme "JOINT," will be performed by Kawada Mami, the same singer who performed "Hishoku No Sora," the 1st OP for Shakugan No Shana.
I'm personally looking forward to this continuation. I was addicted to this series while it was airing, but admittedly lost interest with anime like TMHS riding up behind Shana. There were still too many questions left unanswered, and too many good characters hardly wrapped up. And what’s this? Yuji might become much more than just a physically weak male lead with a lot of luck and sensible logic.
Good thing I’ve been revving up my heart-ing again of Shana by reading the light novel, even though it only covers Shana's encounter of the first creepy, yet outstanding antagonist, Friagne. Anyone else looking forward to this?
I've been looking forward to writing in the blog for a long time now. I didn't get the chance to all summer because I was so busy and I basically took a 3 month leave from the site. Now that I'm back and ready to write, I can't really think of what to say, so I'm doing the easiest thing I could think of: make a list.
I have a soft spot for anime that look good, even if everything else about the show sucks, if it looks pretty I'll enjoy it. So fittingly I decided to countdown the Top 10 Best Looking Shows (in my opinion).
10. Futurama
I know it's not anime, but I wanted to include all animated shows/movies. Futurama doesn't immediately come off as well animated show, but when you take a closer look you'll see some really high quality animation. Everything in the show is detailed, moving, and generally alive. It also has some of the best CG work in a show. The show would still kick ass even if it was ugly, but of course Matt Groening is going to be able to provide the best animation around. Let's just hope that Comedy Central can do the show justice in 2008.
9. Metropolis
Here's an anime that everyone can agree is just drop dead gorgeous. The character animations might be a little kiddie, but everything about this movie just oozes beauty. The ending alone justifies Metropolis being on the list. If you're a fan of really epic CG effects, I suggest you check out Metropolis.
8. Kemonozume
I know this one is going to cause some controversy, but I stick by my choice. Kemonozume is probably one of the tougher anime shows to enjoy. It's really conceptual and trippy, but if modern art has taught us anything it's that beauty isn't always just pretty pictures. Kemonozume has some of the best art direction of any anime. It's weird, experimental style of animation changes from scene to scene, but manages to create a cohesive, mind-blowing experience. Here's a show that not many people took notice of last year, and I really think that more of you (those with patience) should CHECK OUT this show because it is really that amazing.
7. Gankutsuou
Here's a show that we can all agree on. Gankutsuou has some of the most decadent animation ever put to screen. It's creative animation style of mixing static patterns with detailed animation, creates some brilliant scenes. This is a show that essentially looks like an old tapestry come to life. You could probably pause it anywhere, take a picture, frame it, and people would think it was art.
6. Batman The Animated Series
Another show that proves that there is still some creativity in American animation. Inspired by Tim Burton's take on Batman, Batman TAS is one of the darkest animated shows to hit Saturday morning. Its 1940's inspired Gotham, and super stylized characters and movement were revolutionary at the time. Considered by many (including myself) the best piece of animation to come from America, Batman The Animated Series has influenced countless other shows, anime included ( The Big O borrowed more than a few ideas from Batman).
5. Comedy
A short film by Studio 4C, Comedy is a dark fairy tale set in medieval Ireland. The film uses a sort of water color animation where everything is very washed out and dreary, the colors seem to run together, but still manages to look smooth. The gothic theme is apparent everywhere in the film, whether it’s the eerily twisted trees, the almost consistent gray sky, or the ghostly little girl who narrates. At a little over 10 minutes long, the animators could pay a lot more attention to details, but the sheer creativity of the film merits it being on this list.
Well there’s part one of The Top 10 Best Looking Shows. Be prepared for Part 2 coming soon.
Like always I'd love to see your ideas, so comment away.
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