Big Move Announcement #2: Aria is now #4!

In the future, Mars is terraformed and modeled after the most beautiful city on Earth, Venice. Welcome to the world of Neo-Venezia.

There's only one word needed to describe this anime: beautiful. The plot, the characters, the architecture, the world, they're all beautiful. Its sheer beauty made it easy for me to place Aria in my #4 spot for best anime of all time!



We follow the life of a newcomer of Neo-Venezia, Akari, who aims to be a full-fledged gondolier. She starts out as an apprentice in Aria Company, one of the three biggest tour gondola companies. She trains vigurously with her two best friends, Aika and Alice (you guessed it, everyone's name starts with A in this show).

Yup, that's all the show's about. No, it's not a sports anime that talks about elite gondola rowing techniques, it's just a laid-back feel-good show. Let me remind you that I'm a sheer sucker for Slice of Life shows. If you like fast-paced anime, avoid this altogether.



If you hadn't already noticed, the world is beautiful. Amano Kozue has successfully captured the essence of beautiful Venice, and added together science fiction elements that do not cheapen, yet enrich the architecture of Neo-Venezia. The detail of the architecture reflected on the huge body of water just takes your breath away.

For example, if you see the first picture, you can see a hanging citadel with flying ships hovering above the city. The citadel acts as a weather control center to regulate the seasons. It's like those majestic cities you see in recent Final Fantasy titles, but more down-to-earth.



But what's more important than just a visually beautiful city is how we see things as beautiful through Akari's eyes. Every episode, she meets new people, explores new streets, encounters new things. Being a girl from busy and polluted Man-Home (the new name for Earth), she is delighted by every of these encounters to great detail.

Aria is just a simple example of how to appreciate the little things in life. The show is uplifting and is full of warm fuzziness. Hey, anyone could use an extra helping of relaxation and happiness. It's a great show to watch after a tiring day at work.

Amano Kozue has transformed the laid-back life in Venice into a beautiful tale of simple pleasures. You can clearly see that the story takes inspiration from slice-of-life short stories in Europe, like Life is Beautiful and Emily.



And just like those European short stories, the plot could go into the surreal. She went through this old tunnel once, and it brought her back in time to when the planet Aqua was just about to be filled with water.

Cats are also a very big influence to the anime's plot. They are considered grand creatures in the show, and following them to a hidden street could bring you to another world.

These paranormal details do not degrade the anime at all; instead they add more to that surreal European feel. Comes to show that Neo-Venezia is full of mysteries yet to be explored. I like.

Another beautiful thing about Aria is the sheer concept of its moral narrative. On the surface, it might be a simple story of girls in white rowing gondolas, but the life lessons learned in every episode are deep. It's hard to explain, you gotta watch it to understand what I'm saying.



The characters are cute too! And all of them are likable, just like Azumanga. Mix all this with comedy scenes and great chemistry between the characters, and you get the most beautiful anime that I have ever seen. Beautiful in all sense of the word.

A very big thank you to Benjamin for recommending this anime. For this, you get an A for your subject (haha just kidding :P).

To fuel my obsession for ranking every aspect of my life, below is my updated anime chart:



Sorry Chobits. At least you're still number six!

Lucky Star dance by Haruhi Cast (Complete!)

I wanted to post pictures of my Father's Day cooking here, but my dad hasn't emailed me the pictures yet, so... let's go for the next best thing!

About 6 months ago, there was a half-way preview of the Haruhi cast doing the Lucky Star dance. It was unlike the other parodies which just change the characters and all that. This fan-made video is in 3D, plus there's professional-looking cinematic compositions involved.

This month, all Kyoani fans rejoice! The movie is finally complete! Courtesy of Nico Nico Douga, of course (where else?).



Waaaaahhh, pssshhhhhtt psssshhhttt psssshhhhhtttt (up to you to interpret my reaction).


p/s - This is the 100th post for simply ahbonk.net (not counting my previous 2 blogs). Big tenkyu shoutout to all you readers, hope I can keep 'em posts coming!

Hey, it's anime yo!

What do you get when a bunch of anime fans, who happens to know how to rap, have a lot of free time in their hands? They take the anime songs and add in their own groove!

Long ago, I was totally addicted to YouTube. Maybe I still am, but even less so than before. It all started with those Hare Hare vids. Whichever anisong I like, I'd try to search for its music video. Then came the crazy Lucky Star fan creations. Oh, and the endless list of Hatsune Miku and Umauma vids.

And let's not forget the japanese variety show segments and 80/90s TV show intros.

During the Hare Hare fever, I stumbled upon the rap version, among the many other remixes I downloaded. What sets that video apart is that the rappers would take the karaoke version of the song, and create their own rhythm and lyrics, and occasionally sing back the original tune.



These guys are not professionals, and they're doing it for, well, fun! They know how to make a song sound different and totally upbeat. Talented buggers.

Seriously, they have too much time on their hands. But then again, they're Japanese. We all know that the Japanese are passionate and crazy people.

It seems that this rapper group has made a name for themselves in the Nico Nico community. They call themselves Rap-Bit.

You can visit their blog here. Below are their other creations:


Naraku no Hana Rap. Unbelievable, they managed to make Higurashi upbeat! Below is the opening to the semi-boring 2nd season, click here to view the original OP.




Caramell Dansen Rap. Even the Umauma dance can't escape the clutches of rap! This is the famous Caramell Dansen song from Sweden, and the dance has been a super-popular meme in Japan lately.




Levan Polkka Miku+Rap. For those who lived in a cave for the past year, Hastune Miku is a cute girl associated with a software that you can actually compose lyrics and rhythm to create a song with convincing synthesized vocals.

Some dude went and composed Miku's voice over Levan Polkka, a traditional Finnish song. The result is really cute, and now it has been super-charged further with rap!




Hitoshite Jiku ga Bureteiru Rap. Alright, my 3rd fave OP of 2007 (remember the ahbonk.net anime awards?). This is the OP to the superb show Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and now it has been rapped! This is their latest creation, and it sounds great. I'm a happy man. Click here to view the original.





Now if I had more time, I wonder what I'll do...

Raku-Job Event

The job situation in Japan is dire, especially due to the recent plunge in the US economy. To answer this urgent call, an NGO has set up Raku-Job, an event where many passionate but jobless Tokyo-ites could look for jobs in the anime, manga and game industry.

Among the employers involved were Gonzo, Production IG, Toho Animation, Koudansha and Hobby Japan. Dunno which game companies were there, I'm guessing it's those anime-game companies that make dating sims and visual novels.

Just like the line for the PS3 and Wii, many potential employees lined up all the way to the outside of the building. Itulah passion Japan.



To give a great first impression, everyone wore a snappy business suit/dress. Of course there were exceptions.



At least he won't be hot under the sun. But it's kinda the edge of winter there, so...

You can go to their website @ http://raku-job.jp/blog/. I like the way they represented the game, anime and manga industry as 3 characters.

Maybe one day I'll be part of the line? :3

Chu Chu Lovely Higurashi

Remember Higurashi no Naku Koro ni? It's the psycho-moe anime thriller that I talked about in an earlier entry here.

I just stumbled upon its MAD a few hours ago. MAD doesn't stand for anything -- it's a fan-made video done by a Japanese (as opposed to Anime Music Videos, AMVs, done by Americans). Normally I prefer MADs to AMVs because MADs tend to use effects synchronized with music similar to anime openings and endings. Click here for definition of MAD.

Anyway, this MAD is done by a Japanese dude called Rurisis. He's an experienced MAD contributor of Nico Nico Douga. Click here for his website.

It's really well-edited (read: A LOT of After Effects work!) and summarizes Higurashi for the cutesy and violent blood-splashing anime that it is. This could very well be an alternate opening to the show. Check it out!



The song rocks, coz it's by Maximum the Hormone, famous for my #2 favourite opening of 2007, Death Note.

Chu chu lovely muni muni mura mura purin purin boron nururu rero rero!

Gainax Awesome Fanvid

Got this from Japanator. If you have ever watched any Gainax production, be it Evangelion, Secret of Blue Water, Gunbuster, FLCL, KareKano, Mahoromatic or Gurren Lagann, do yourself a favour and watch this superb spoiler-free fan compilation.



It's like a super-long opening of Gainax shows with really good timing. Awesome!!

After the intermission towards the end of the vid, you can see how the composition matched the original intro, which belongs to Busou Renkin (top-left).

Alright, don't think I'll be blogging for a week, coz the Casual Game Design Competition deadline is around the corner (1 more week!). It's time to burn that midnight oil!

Cristina Vee

Anime fans channel their interest in various ways. Some just blog about it, like me. Some buy a 200-ringgit wig just to cosplay, like m'egu. Some buy a huge range of anime dvds and figurines, like Zaido.

And some do fandubbing. And as far as fandubs go, they can get VERY ugly.

But not much so in the case of Cristina Vee. Not only is she a talented singer, she also mixes her songs well to match the original opening theme. Though the lyrics are written by someone else, she insists that they should closely match the original.

Considering that she's doing it for fun, she does have a few loose ends here and there, but all in all it's really the most professional english anisong I've heard in a while (my ears were bleeding before I saw her vids).

It's because of these vids that she was hired to do some english voice acting for Samurai Champloo, Hare and Guu, and Rozen Maiden. Congrats to her! May she make the anime dubbing world less of a pain for the ears.

Here are three of her best amateur works, imo.

Ouran High School Host Club - Sakura Kiss



Original: Click here

Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu - Sore ga Ai Deshou



Original: Click here

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu - Lost my Music



Original: Click here

She really sounds like Haruhi, doesn't she? O_O

Love is in the Anime

Ah, valentine's day. A special day to celebrate love between man and woman (feel free to break this rule). A special day that commemorates endless whinings from single guys (ahem).

And it's also a day of extreme consumerism! You might know this already, but in Japan and Korea, only the girls give chocolates and flowers to guys on Valentine's day, not the other way around. A month from now, they will have yet another power-marketing celebration called White Day, where the guys give chocolates to the ladies.

As you guys give that special someone half a dozen stalks of roses, I too shall give my lovely readers half a dozen of anime recommendations that turns love into a many splendid thing.



Aishiteruze Baby is a show full of love. Kippei has to take care of his abandoned 5-year-old cousin Yuzuyu, and at the same time give lots of love to his girlfriend Kokoro. Brotherly love, romantic love, platonic love, it has it all. Duly underrated, but rated high among those who watched it, this is still my number one anime of all time! LOVE this show! ^^



Everything about Honey and Clover is poetic. The narration, their story, even the art. It is a simple show about five art college students struggling through passion and love. If you have already watched the anime, make sure you watch the drama. A very deserving second spot in my all-time anime chart.



A 90s classic, Marmalade Boy is a romantic teenage soap opera in anime form. It takes you back to how foolish and beautiful young love can be. Even Lee Ling, a non-anime lover, enjoyed this series a lot! In her own words, "It is bittersweet, I just can't stop watching it." I'm a BIG sucker for shoujo-anime like this, so it became my number 4 fave anime.



If you think only Ghibli makes great anime movies, you're DEAD WRONG! To sum it up, Millenium Actress is a masterpiece. It tells the story of an actress who took 1000 years to pursue the love of her life (don't worry, not as supernatural as you think it is!). The creator is none other than Satoshi Kon, who was also the genius behind Perfect Blue (best anime movie ever!), Paranoia Agent and Paprika. Brilliant use of colours, editing, script and animation, this is a must watch, for anime and non-anime fans alike.



2005 gave birth to a Shogakukan award-winning shoujo manga, and 2006 followed suit with its wonderful anime counterpart. Bokura ga Ita is a story of a boy who couldn't get over his dead ex-girlfriend, and a girl that falls in love with him. As they break and mend, they realise that supporting each other is the only way for them to be together. All in all, it is a touching story that has a matching backdrop of superb art, voice acting and soundtrack.



Don't tell me you forgot about this right? I recommended it for the new year! Tokyo Marble Chocolate is a two-part OVA, one in the viewpoint of a guy, and the other of a girl. You can watch it in any order you want. If you appreciate a truly simple love story, watch this. If you don't, then I hope you don't mind missing all the wonderful art and music that comes with it. Part Japanese, part French, all Production I.G. You better not miss this!


And with that, I would like to wish a heartful happy valentine's day to all! To all you singles out there, still got next year mah. hahahahaha *weak laughter*

YouTube Adventure!

Let me share with you what I've seen in YouTube these few days:


Ah~ it's that volleyball show!!!

I was old enough to remember this japanese drama on tv2, around 7-ish (dinner time, nothing better to watch :P) focusing on a girl's volleyball team. Thanx to my boss, Sweii, we have finally found the drama vid. It's called Moero Attack!



Don't you just love that 70/80s feeling? Haha. Oh yea, I miss that super somersault ultimate attack! If anyone can find that vid, please let me know.

A group of girls playing volleyball huh? I would appreciate it much more now :D


Tommy Lee Jones in Akihabara?!



Man, talk about awkward, hahaha. Love his facial expression.


Jack Bauer in Shinjuku?!

As 24 gets popular in Japan, it gets parodied in dramas, comedy sketches and 3 animes already. So Calorie Mate had an idea...



Hollywood Idol meets Japan Idol.



"JACK! This is the last one. Is it ok?" XD


English Anime Trailers, anyone?

Oh noes! It's the attack of the dubs!



Gurren Lagann. ADV made it comedic, but in a totally wrong direction :(



Lucky Star. Actually Konata's voice is suitable, though it reminds me of Bart Simpson. But Kagami is just not tsundere enough! Oh, and Miyuki's voice actress needs to be shot, period.



Welcome to the NHK. Definitely one of the better ones. Maybe coz the characters don't talk? XD Makes you curious about the show too. (This is a great show, btw!)



Pani Poni Dash. I'm very impressed with this trailer! It's a really crazy anime, and ADV has managed to make it entertaining and not so annoying.



Paprika. Though not english dubbed, it's the american trailer of Paprika. Satoshi Kon FTW! If you haven't watched any of his shows yet, you'll die a lesser being.



Romeo x Juliet. The pacing is nice and the narration is really good. Just the font :S



Utawarerumono. Love how the guy pronounced the title like he wanted to get it over with XD



Kanon. Man, Ayu's voice is a little annoying (no american can beat Horie Yui!). But the best part is how the narrator pronounced "Hurai Suzumaiya", what the. Practice first la!



Appleseed. Epic shows deserve epic trailers!

You Are Guilty as Picked!

Ever found yourself hating something distasteful, but you indulge in it over and over? Keep complaining about that movie, but you watch it a few times still? Disgusted at an anime panty shot, and you can't help but smile?

Don't worry, you're not alone.

All of us (I think) get into something that we think we shouldn't enjoy. It could either be against our personal values ("Nono I shouldn't watch... OOOH BOOBIES!") or the possibility of other people's reaction ("Hey everyone, he likes Barney! What a wuss!").

Call it anything you want, but the anime community calls this...

The Guilty Pick.

Whenever a new season comes, someone would list down all the upcoming animes in some forum. A few titles seemed like they were directed by some low-life uneducated pervert.

Still, some of us would not want to think too much about what we watch. We'd want something mindless, fun and, uh, mindless. And so one guy would go "Heh heh my guilty pick this season is...". Others would write "WTF you retard!", but secretly rewinds to that exclusive one-second panty shot!

Guilty picks are not only limited to anime. Here are some of my very own guilty picks:

Guilty Pick: Food = Chicken Rice



Why guilty? Freaking easy to cook! Why pay for something that you can cook yourself, rite? Even so, most of the time the rice is dry and there's little to no sauce for the chicken, except for SS2, Jalan Gasing and the "Wedding Place" (TOA students should know!).

Even worse if you order it off some stall that also sells Tomyam, Daging Merah and all that other Malay/Thai lauk-pauk, yuck! Oh, and the ad in the cinema is not the worst thing The Chicken Rice Shop has to offer!

Why pick? Steamed chicken FTW! Man I love simple food, it's just chicken + rice! That's all! Also, it's simple to tarpau, simple to eat and simple to throw. No fuss. I order it whenever I have the chance, and I don't mind if the chicken rice sucks. After all it's still chicken and rice! By far my 2nd favourite food of all time!

Guilty Pick: Hangout = Berjaya Times Square



Why guilty? Here's a very common sight: A group of teen+preteen delinquents making a lot of noise, dancing like hooligans and dressed up like some cool gothic/punk dude-wannabes. It's a BIG place, but with *little* people (in terms of quantity AND height).

It also features a VERY ORANGE amusement park that no one goes to, and when someone did go there, she fell down from the roller coaster (no joke, i saw the aftermath!). Luckily she just fainted after falling down on a higher elevation (the roller coaster flies above much lower elevations!!!). She was just injured. Her mom at the scene seemed more hurt than her daughter, though.

All in all, Times Square can be summed up in 3 words: AHBENG, AHLIAN and DANGEROUS.

Why pick? The games in the arcade center are the latest in Malaysia, and it's the only one with a Pop'n Music machine. Also inclined towards the anime fan's needs, with Anime Tech, XL shop (friendlier than the one in Mid Valley) and another figure shop on the 7th floor. Nice to hangout in Starbucks too, with all the latest books at your disposal in the biggest bookstore in Malaysia. Yea, just ask the assistant to open the plastic wrapping for you! *evil grin* And apparently Ah Bengs and Ah Lians don't read books XD

Guilty Pick: Anime = Hayate no Gotoku



Why guilty? Parodies, parodies, parodies. That's all it takes to make an episode in Hayate no Gotoku. Without them, it would just be an empty shell with some leftover scrap of lame jokes and slapstick comedy. Sometimes the characters' over-reactions slap a big WHAT THE HECK on your face.

How come Hayate no Gotoku goes into season 2? Easy, it's a secret technique copied from the anime production of Naruto: FILLERS. The episodes sometimes make you wonder if you could have spent the last 20 minutes doing something more productive, you know, like watching Azumanga Daioh episodes over and over. Some of the episodes are really too ridiculous, even by my standards (yes, it's THAT ridiculous!)

Why pick? Because of the parodies, of course! They're fan service in the purest form (as opposed to the "unpure" panty shots, fufufu) Amazingly, I get most of the jokes, so when I laugh I feel like I'm rewarded for knowing my stuff! It's similar to watching Lucky Star, just in a lamer premise. And let's not forget the girls, who span across many anime girl stereotypes! Maria and Hinagiku are the community's favourite (non-guilty) picks, and I couldn't agree more. And we also have a big talking white tiger that walks on two legs, and the narration is done by Wakamoto Norio (voice of Chiyo-chan's feline father). Fillers or not, mindless is as mindless does!

Guilty Pick: Game = Sonic the Hedgehog Series



Why guilty? Here's Sonic Team's brainstorming session: "Hey guys we're having this new Sonic game, so let's start by thinking of new animals to add to the endless list of Sonic's friends". Man, Sonic is SO likeable! The next game might as well be called "Sonic and his new shitty friends" (credit goes to NeoGAF :D)

Alright alright, the gameplay should at least be great, right? WRONG! With exception of the early 2D Sonic games, the guys who did the level design and physics engine should be killed on the spot. As if the extremely bad camera view and platforms being SO far apart aren't punishing enough, they had to put some lovely bugs into the game. Like how Sonic fell down from a tunnel that never had a hole! Or pressing right to grind on the next rail inconsistently results in Sonic MISSING the rail entirely! Sonic just *loves* the chasm of doom.

Hey that's a great idea for the next Sonic sequel right? "Hey look guys, it's my long-time buddy, the chasm of doom!"

And don't get me started on Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic Riders......... though I finished the games! =_=;; What the hell was I thinking?!

Why pick? The level design (the positions of the platforms, the auto camera trick crap, etc) might suck, but the art of the world itself is quite interesting. I always want to know what the next world would look like, so I (stupidly) brave all those crazy bugs and chasms. The soundtrack for each level is not bad either (except for those vocal soundtracks, just shut up already!) And there are a few good Sonic games as of late, like Sonic and the Secret Rings, and Sonic Rush. There's still a little speck of hope in my little Sega fanboy heart!


So what's YOUR guilty pick? Maybe you enjoy watching little girls singing those CNY karaoke songs? XD

The Perplexity of Suzumiya Haruhi

31st January. A day where all Haruhism devotees rejoice. Especially if they have a PS2. If they don't, they sure as hell will buy one!

Milking further on Suzumiya Haruhi (nice), we have a new PS2 game called Suzumiya Haruhi no Tomadoi, just released yesterday. She has been melancholic, sighing and promising.

Now she's perplex. And we all know how perplex she can be, right?

The story is that Haruhi is planning to make a new RPG to promote the SOS brigade. Of course as her dog, Kyon, you have to create the game. Your choices will determine the outcome of the final game.

Well, that's just the perfect excuse to have the cast in future fantasy costumes! Epic win!



King Tsuruya FTW!!!

Oh, it comes with a bonus disc too, full of fan service galore! What better fan service than Hare Hare Yukai in 3d cell-shaded fantasy costume goodness!



Looks like cosplayers will have a great time once again. Go, m'egumi!

Looking Forward: 2008

With the ahbonk.net anime awards done (which is freaking weeks ago), it's time to look forward in 2008. Only almost 3 weeks into the new year, there are some happening stuff going on already, such as:


The Unofficial New Year Party

What better way to start the new year than with your best friends right? Me, Sengkit and the Chen San-shimai (that's "three sisters" in Japanese) celebrated the New Year at One Utama.



First off, everyone, if you like Rakuzen, Sushi Zanmai or Zen, then you gotta go to Pasta Zanmai! (all of them are under the same company group). It's located at the row of shops in front of Fridays in One Utama. And you MUST try this dish! It's half-broiled salmon pasta. It's cooked on the outside, but inside it tastes like sashimi.... oishii yo!



Me and my close blood-unrelated sister, Nyin.



After some good food, we went to play pool...



...and bowling! I just noticed they're holding the ball that matched their sister's clothes. Too bad Yean couldn't find a red-striped bowling ball.



Me in :3 mode. Wanna know why? Just look where the ball is going (in case it's not obvious enough, the score stayed at 9).

Super thanks to Seng Kit for the above pics.


All-new Honey and Clover Drama Series



I watched the first episode. My life is finally complete.

You like the Nodame Cantabile drama? Based on my 2nd favourite anime of ALL TIME, this live action drama series is directed by the same geniuses behind the Nodame Cantabile drama! Oh man, this is like a really great fanboyish dream come true!!!

And guess who sings the insert songs for this show? Freaking HIRAI KEN! Need I say more?!!!

I assure you, this is much better than the 2006 live-action movie!


Kakireka Talk



I was invited to give a talk in the Kakireka party a week ago. Kakireka is an initiative started by Kenneth (who used to be the big AD of OgilvyOne) to nurture the design community in Malaysia. All the best Kenneth!

To suit the mindset of designers, I talked about emergent gameplay and how it further emphasizes the importance of art and community tools in games. In the picture above, we were watching videos for LittleBigPlanet. I covered it in a post a while back.

Been awhile since I gave my last talk (in The One, before I became a lecturer!). Quite a nice feeling. Hope I get invited more XD


Don't mind being single?

After my talk, the great Jo Kukathas came up and involved us in an acting workshop. It was very enjoyable, and I learnt a great deal on the gestures and space management during presentation.



She had us play this game called Unmusical Chairs (I think). Basically everyone is seated except for one person who stands in the center. That person asks a Yes/No question. If a player's answer is Yes, s/he is supposed to switch chairs with another player with a Yes answer. Of course, the standing person should take the chance and grab a chair.

Jo made us realize that to prepare for the chair switching, we leaned forward and had our feet ready to run, and that's how our body posture should be when we're presenting to clients, always ready at our feet.

Anyhow, one of the question asked was "Are you single?". Of course, my answer was yes, so I switched chairs. Then another question, "Are you looking for someone?". A few others moved.

Surprisingly I didn't move an inch.

My, how I changed since last year, eh? No more Mr. Desperado.


The Realisation

As Hilmy from GameBrains said, I'm a man of many hats. Too many hats, in fact. Maybe it's due to my nature of always wanting to create stuff.

I was wavering before, but I've recently reached a strong affirmation that I wanna be an independent game developer, working from home. With so many channels available, there's totally no excuse to not be able to make it, even if I'm in Malaysia.

No more 9-to-5 jobs for me. I wanna do what I do best.

Of course, I still enjoy teaching :) and I need my monthly salary anyway.


Urm... ART DIRECTOR?!

Last week, a guy from *beep* (hint: (if )'s former client) offered me the position of Art Director for his Web team. I went "WHAT?! You gotta be joking right?". He answered with a stern "No, I'm not joking". O_O This guy is nuts, coz it's a job that pays more than RM 5k!

Maybe I should show him my COMPUTING degree, or better yet send him my portfolio:



You got the mood to hire me now?!


I'm hooked to a freaking golf game!

What happens when you mix zany anime ideas and golf? You get Pangya for the Wii! Based on a Korean MMO Golf (yes, everything is MMO-ed nowadays), this game is a hit in Japan (from what I read online). It's so big that the Dead or Alive team of Tecmo took it upon themselves to create an offline version.

Seeing the intro is enough to tell you how anime-ish this golf game is:



One of the biggest draws of the game is the beautiful environment. Check out the trailer for the prequel, the courses are really damn crazy!



Really, what you see in the trailer above is exactly what you get. The graphics and effects are really the same, the course layout is the same, the obstacles really do exist and move exactly that way (seagulls, windmills, battleships, planes, floating egyptian UFO), and you can screw the ball so that it goes backwards when it lands on the green.

It's super duper lame, but it works! Still haven't unlocked the Kasumi, Ayane and Hayabusa costumes yet :3 (2 of them are in the trailer btw)

I'm so addicted to this freaking game. Must... stop... swinging.....


'Tis the season for Anime!

Looking through anime blogs and forums, I can't help but be unimpressed with the list of anime for the Winter Season.

Thank god I was proven wrong! ^_^



Tokyo Marble Chocolate - Romantic shows need not be overly dramatic to be great. This is a simple love story, with two OVA episodes, one from the guy's point of view, and the other from the girl's. You can watch them in any order since they're both based on the same situations (I watched the guy's one first).

Here are a few keywords to tell you how great this show is:

• Production I.G.
• Shiotani Naoyoshi as director (Spirited Away, xxxHolic)
• Asano Kyoji as animation director (Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Tsubasa Chronicles)
• Based on a manga by award-winning artist Tanikawa Fumiko
  
• Inspired by a song of Sukima Switch (Knew them thru Birdie, superb jazz+pop duo)
• Simple slice-of-life setting (reminds me H&C and Bokura ga Ita)
  
• Very nice art direction (japanese mixed with french, watercolourish)

To sum up the above: beautiful, in all sense of the word. Do yourself a favour and watch this.



Spice and Wolf - A show based on medieval times, minus sorcery and swords. And how can you not like a show that has a cute girl with foxy ears right?

Seriously though, as much as those ears seem fanservicy, this show is really down-to-earth, from the two main complex and realistic characters, Horo above and Lawrence, all the way to how a travelling merchant does business during medieval times. No cheap effects here.

The opening and ending sequences are fantastic, the production value is high and the characters are awesome. Based on a light novel that won silver in the Dengeki Novel Prize, this is a must watch.



Kimikiss has a new intro (same nice song)! Now it's closer to the director's roots of Honey and Clover. Dunno why, but I like the balloon and the off-screen kissing parts. The new ending song is sung by Suara (yup that's the name), and as usual it's great.

The main guy is still a spineless coward though. Oh well.



Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - That's right! The second season to Shaft's anime hit wonder. More zany random stuff. Man, I love this show!

Still waiting for Minami-ke Okawari episodes though =_=



True Tears - A real surprise hit for me. Thought it was another based-on-dating-sim anime, but after having watched the first two episodes, I have to say that the production value of this show is fantastic, with great animation and soundtrack. Had the same reaction when I watched Ef ~A tale of memories~.


Phew! 2008 went off to a great start! Keep the good stuff coming! Happy new year everyone!

AAA'07 Awards - Best Anime

Before we move on to the Best Anime of 2007, let's look at what others think.

Over 2 million Japanese fans have voted for their favourite anime in a survey conducted by Yahoo! Japan. Here are the top 10:

1. Sola
2. Lucky Star
3. Katei Kyoshi Hitman Reborn
4. Ookiku Furi Kabutte
5. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai
6. Gintama
7. Nanoha StrikerS
8. Nanatsuiro Drops
9. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
10. Hidamari Sketch

This list was quite a shock to some gaijins (non-Japanese), which could be a great lesson in culture clash! In one of my favourite english anime blogs, Random Curiosity, the author Omni published his own list of favourites, including:

• Best Action - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
• Best Comedy - Lucky Star
• Best Romance/Drama - Kanon
• Best Animation - Byosoku 5 Centimeter
• Best Soundtrack - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
• Best Anime of 2007 - Code Geass

They also had a reader's choice poll. The 3000+ voters chose:

1. Code Geass - 986 votes
   
2. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - 768 votes
3. Lucky Star - 332 votes
4. Death Note - 274 votes
5. Kanon - 232 votes

Another favourite anime blog of mine, Epic Win, also had their authors choosing the best animes based on categories (some categories are really specific and funny!). They chose:

• Most Spectacular Trainwreck - Code Geass
• Best Slice-of-Life - Lucky Star
• Best Comedy - Potemayo
• Best Drama - Darker than Black
• Best Action - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
• Best Overall Soundtrack - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
• Best Overall Vocal Cast - Lucky Star
• Anime of the Year - Lucky Star

So how different will the above be with my Top 5? Let's find out! :D

*drumroll* Here they are, from number 5!




Click here for Minami-ke teaser

Haruka, a motherly girl who is wrongly perceived as a head gangster.
Kana, the loud-mouth baka. (remember Tomo?)
Chiaki, indifferent most of the time and straightens Kana up.

These are the three Minami sisters. All likable and entertaining. They and their classmates conjure up situations that make you laugh so hard that Chiaki will write a 10,000-word report of how stupid you are (yup the book was really written...for Kana)

Top-notch snappy dialogue, character-centric in nature and really hilarious situations. Sakuraba Choharu the mangaka is a comedy genius. Remember Mako-chan from Best Moment #5? That will be one trap character you would watch over and over again.

The humour is between the straight-forwardness of School Rumble and the weird vibes of Azumanga Daioh. It has near-fan-service shots too. So how could you NOT love this show?!

Cut to logo. "Minami-ke!"




Click here to watch Nodame Cantabile OP

When I heard that Kasai Kenichi, the director of Honey and Clover, was going to work on an anime that focuses on music college students, I knew this was the show for me.

And yup, this was the show for me.

Dreamy watercolor-like imagery, giving the mood of calmness and serenity. It worked for art, naturally it worked for classical music too!

The two main characters add a lot of charm to the series: Chiaki, the musical genius who has no guts to further his studies abroad, and Nodame, a girl who plays music based on instinct rather than theory, and voiced by Kawasumi Ayako (really love her voice!)

Superb art, relaxed storytelling, charming characters and brilliant focus on music. The manga is great, the drama is great and the anime is great. That's more than enough to make me go "Gyabo!" many times over. ^3^




If you watched Haruhi, click here to watch Lucky Star official teaser

To those who hate Lucky Star, you have ZERO sense of humour. Go see a doctor.

Coz this is one show that has topped most of the anime charts out there. If the chart doesn't have Lucky Star in it, it's one chart not worth looking at.

Surely, at the start, some would find endless chatter about how to eat a chocolate cornet boring. Me and the guys at epicwin.org didn't think so. In fact, this was the driving force for us to continue watching.

But even some of those who didn't enjoy that bit has been rewarded from episode five onwards; the direction was changed to cater to a wider audience. And yes, I do welcome the change :)

This show is epic, in an otaku kind of way. It is truly a great insight into the otaku world, in super entertaining format. The cast of characters is fantastic (esp. Kona-chan, of coz :3) and their voice acting is superb. Just like what Jaalin in Random Curiosity said, the chemistry between the characters are so subtle, yet are amusing and (yes here I go again) a pure joy to watch.

Each situation and dialogue is so carefully crafted that it could tickle any funny bone. Or give you that "Hey it's that anime!" feeling. Or activate your moe-moe alert. It can also make you go "Yea yea that happened to me too", coz some jokes highlight small little details of life that go unnoticed.

And it's truly fun. Just plain fun. After the last episode, I had this "what do I watch now?" kind of feeling. Hate that feeling.

So who wants to watch another cheerleading dance? :3 I pray hard for Season 2!!!




Click here to watch Potemayo teaser. Warning: Cute song alert!

You know, it ain't easy for a guy like me to admit loving this show. Just look at the picture! A small little blob with pink hair jumping towards the screen. What the hell was I thinking?!

But I had no choice. Coz I enjoyed this show like nuts.

And don't you just like under-rated good shows? It makes you feel *special* :) But anime bloggers being anime bloggers, they DO take notice of this show, and some of them gave it the position it deserves: Best Comedy.

Minami-ke was in-between straight and weird, Lucky Star's joke has that "familiar" feeling, but this show goes into its own original brand of humour. It can go from sugary sweetness to downright bizarre. Best of all, a lot of the humour is unexpected, so you are guaranteed to laugh like mad throughout all 13 eps and its specials.

The art direction and soundtrack is so well-crafted and relaxing, they can make you pause the show for awhile to grab a cup of tea. Little did you know that you will be choking on your tea by the end of the show.

And while you're laughing, you can't help but be charmed by Potemayo and Guchuko's cutesy antics. The show went from "What the hell are they?!" to "Ah who cares, they're so cute!". And some of us, including me, has this inner moe button that makes us fall prey to such lovable creatures. This show had this button held on press for a loooong time.

A show that takes its time to tell its story and its top-notch humour. All this creates the perfect reason to make me push Lucky Star for more "Honi Honi" and "Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" goodness.

Now, Potemayo and Guchuko plushies, anyone?




Click here for the Gurren Lagann trailer

It's time to bring that manly feeling back!

You saw this coming, didn't you? Best Moment #1, Best characters #1 and #2. A few of my friends went "WHAT?! He chose two GUYS as his best characters? There must be something going on with that show!"

Seriously, I didn't see this one coming. It is rather unlikely that a shoujo-anime fan like me would go into something so manly and so mech-y.

But you do remember the *keyword*, don't you? Yes, it's time to bring that word into play again. This show is... repeat after me... AWESOME.

So what makes this show AWESOME? Let me tell you:

• The most important rule of AWESOMENESS: it doesn't take itself seriously.
• It is about overcoming all odds, and when it comes to that, the scenes and dialogues are truly magnificent and breathtaking.
• Simon is the very symbol of overcoming the odds, namely himself. Watching him grow is awe-inspiring (yup, another word derived from AWESOME).
• Kamina is legendary in all sense of the word, and that makes him THE man.
• During best moment #1, manly tears started swelling in my eyes! (whether it's due to happiness, sadness or being awe-struck by the moment, you decide ;))
  
• All action scenes defy physics and other rules of the world, in short, they're jaw-dropping.
• You know why I didn't have the best soundtrack award? Because Gurren Lagann's music would deserve all five spots!
  
• Youko is one sexy lady!

Oh wait, I seem to have covered Youko in my picture above.



Am I forgiven now? :3 That is surely the best "hiding from enemy attack" pose I've ever seen!

Oh btw, be warned about episode 3 and 4's quality, as they were some issues between Arai Takami (co-founder of Gainax) and the anime fans of 2channel. He resigned effective from episode 5. Don't let those episodes discourage you from watching further.

Actually the position is a bit of a cheat (no, not Youko's position, Gurren Lagann's position). I only watched 19 episodes out of 27 (due to licensing, I'm SO gonna get the DVDs!), but I managed to cover the first arc and a bit of the second. But, seeing as how AWESOME this show is, I'm confident to say that even if episodes 20 to 27 were bad, it would still be my number one show of 2007!!!

Kudos to Gainax for a great anime!


And that wraps up ahbonk.net anime awards 2007! As you can see, my list is different from the rest. But I find my chart and Epic Win's very similar though. They too like the kind of shows I like, so it comes to no surprise ;)

But how did these animes fare in my Top 5 Anime of all time? Well, I couldn't put in Gurren Lagann, because I have to watch the remaining episodes, but it has potential to be in the all-time chart. However, the other 4 didn't make it.

So my Top 5 animes are still:

1. Aishiteruze Baby
2. Honey and Clover
3. Azumanga Daioh
4. Marmalade Boy
5. Chobits
   

Anyhow, 2008 is another great year for anime, as we will have Aria (from the makers of Sketchbook ~full color'S~) and the long-awaited The Disappearence of Suzumiya Haruhi, and we still have a lot of Clannad to cover! Dunno what else to expect, but I'm sure there'll be other great shows, hopefully I'll be able to watch them when they come.

With this, I would like to wish everyone a happy new year! Hope this year will be as good as the last, if not better.

Long live anime! XD

AAA'07 Awards - Best Character

Man, what is anime without its characters right? They themselves are the very symbols of anime. When someone says "I wanna draw anime!", they sure ain't talking about the scenery! Love them or hate them, they are pinnacle to the anime's success.

The following characters are chosen based on their motivational values, personality, and of coz how much I enjoy watching them :) Here they are, from number 5:





Guchuko is born in the fridge, is a cute blob with eyes, and is always running around with a scythe, cutting everything in her path. Interesting enough for you? If that ain't enough, see what she did to someone's door:



To get out she cuts the door open, then out of courtesy she tapes the door back together again. This, my friends, is PURE WIN :D

This is tsundere-moe in its purest form! She's angry and is capable of cutting and burning someone to a crisp, but she has this fluffy white exterior and blushes when someone gives her a truffles ball. When she does something good in return, she hides immediately out of shyness XD moe~

Quoting from epicwin.org, "A purple-haired, scythe-wielding, beamspamming, tsundere moe blob? Come on, how can you NOT love it?" XD agreed!

Click here to see her antics.





Kaiji is a jobless bum and a petty criminal. What's there not to like?

Ok ok, putting aside his nose, he's really quite a character. He often fights the battle between protecting himself and trusting others, very much like what we're dealing with in real life.

Except, his situation is more dire. He owes someone a lot of money, and the only way to recover that money is through gambling. One of the best moments in the anime comes when he contemplates on whether he should walk the path of no return.

Unlike his predecessor Akagi (the mahjong legend), he's not always the clear winner. He might be smart, but his wavering confidence in the gamble and the people themselves makes him more human than the typical main character genius. When he gets betrayed, or when he's making a very difficult decision, you can really feel his emotions flowing. He really has a gambler's mindset, which is perfect for the anime!



He also has a realistic sense of confidence. He cheers when he finds a solution, gets worried about the slightest mistake and cries when someone else does something inhumane. He's very naive and learns along the way about man's evildoings.

Standing up, getting smacked in the face, and standing up again having hopes in the humanity of it, all this adds realism to Kaiji's personality, putting him in my number 4 spot.





Does this girl need any introduction at all? :D

For obvious reasons, it is very interesting to see a girl otaku. Especially one in such a zanny show like Lucky Star. She has a lot of likable traits in an anime comedy: she's friendly, outgoing, cheerful and really quirky at times. Her personality can really rub off on you!

And she can be really moe at times too :3 It's no wonder that she was voted 7th most moe character by the popular 2channel forum this year. Luckily I got her figurine for my birthday (thanks sze!)



Since she's into anime and games, any fan would feel familiar with her, including me. I love it when she gets overjoyed and explains (in hardcore fashion) about the things that she likes, which enriches her character.

For example, she boasts that she can name all the Pokemon monsters *gasp!*, plays H-games for fun (ohhh yeaaahh), and controls a male character in an mmorpg (virtually married to a female character controlled by a guy XD)

Mix all this with her eccentricity (and some Kyoto Animation magic) and you'll have some really great chemistry with the other characters as well. She can solely make the other characters shine. She best partners with tsundere majesty Kagami, it's seriously fun to watch their interaction as Konata tries to slyly outtalk Kagami while Kagami tries to brush off her hardcore talk XD

Really, what is Lucky Star without Konata?





I am SO not the fan of wimpy Gainax male leads, until this year!

Simon starts off as this under-confident little boy from an underground city, conforming to what others ask him to do. Immediately, he reminds you of Evangelion's Shinji, and you start sighing endlessly. Typically, he would grow up to be an emo kid, who would contemplate to slit his throat anytime.

And yes, it did turn out that way for some episodes. Unlike Shinji though, he has a role model to follow: the great Kamina, or Aniki (big bro) as Simon likes to call him.

You notice that he grows, not in his height, but his character. He grows not within time, but within anger, regrets, love, hate and many human feelings that make his character rich.

Suddenly, after a while, he has become stronger and people started respecting him. He starts showing signs of confidence and self-motivation. With you realising his steady growth, he becomes this super awesome dude that kinda reflect Kamina's personality, but is different altogether. It's really great to have two awesome guys in one show, eh?

This journey from boy to man epic-fy the story further, and is (i love to say this:) a pure joy to watch. His character is rich with slow and concise transition in persona, and that alone is enough to make him drill into my number 2 spot.

SPOILER: Click to see Simon in all his glory (don't worry, it's not that kind of pic)

But hey, who is Simon without Kamina right? :D

To sum up Kamina in one word: AWESOME. Everything he does is awesome, from the way he holds his sword to the shape of his cool shades. Oh, and let's not forget his crazy super go-getter attitude! So you better not forget this word: AWESOME.

Seriously, watch the show for yourself. Everything he does shouts this word: AWESOME.

He is the very engine of the cast. I would say that his character is centric to the world of Gurren Lagann. It is a given that he is chosen as the big boss of the "Great Gurren Brigade". When it seems like the Human Eradication Army is wiping them out, you can count on Kamina to shout a few crazy words, and off the team goes with hopes of winning!

And he really has a way with words! His speech could be more powerful than what's written under that big picture in some big motivational poster. It's not really the words that matter, it's the way he says it. His character is really brought to life by his desire to motivate others, especially that wimpy Simon. Heck, even a Gainax male lead couldn't help but become great under Kamina's care!



The coolest part of him is actually how reckless he can really be. He says, "If there's a wall, we'll break it! If there's no road, we'll pave it with our own hands!", when in fact that wall is really super hard and that paved road will lead to disaster.

But that's the point right? To overcome the crazy odds! Kamina's energy has rubbed off on me, just like how it did to the newcomers of the brigade. I was at the edge of my seat when they had to do the impossible. It's like as if I'm part of his crew! To top it off, after the *tut tut spoiler moment #1* he has become even more powerful and become the man of all men. It is after that moment when he truly shines!

Therefore, the number one spot this year can only be reigned by Kamina-sama, due to his energy, his manliness, and his AWESOMENESS :D


Alright that's all. Stay tuned for the last page of the AAA'07 Awards: The Best of the Best!

AAA'07 Awards - Memorable Moments

While watching anime in my comfy floor sofa at home, some scenes would move me to tears (almost; never happened except for Fox and the Hound many years back), make me break out in sweat or laugh like a sorhai alone (to the annoyance of my mom).

The following five anime moments of 2007 are what I consider most emotionally moving and most memorable. Do note that I would award Lucky Star for the most memorable scenes in one anime, but each and every one can't belittle the following five, imho.

Of course, I have enabled the spoiler tags for these scenes, but if the tags are not working, at least you've been warned ^_^ And, although there are not many comments in this blog, please refrain from spoiling the others as well. Now, on to the list!


Click here to read about Moment #5

Makoto transforms into... Mako-chan!



Usually, I don't like trap characters (guy acting like girl, vice versa?). This stereotype is dated way back into anime history. The first anime trap I knew was Ranma 1/2's Tsubasa.

But in Minami-ke, the trap setting had too much comedy value for me to hate it! :D Makoto is a classmate of Chiaki, the youngest of the Minami sisters. When he followed her to the Minami house, he got very friendly with Chiaki's oldest sister, Haruka. Because Chiaki is highly affectionate with her sister (and because Chiaki hates Makoto's guts anyway), she planned to never invite Makoto again!

Makoto was saddened, but Kana (the noisy Minami middle sister) had an evil (but moe) plan. With her clothes and hairdryer in hand, she (forcefully) transformed Makoto into Mako-chan!

Kana, being very proud of her plan, always invites "her friend" Mako-chan to the house. Mako-chan had to act cute and feminine (too convincing at times) and at one time, his classmate saw him shopping for girl's clothes! His attraction to an older girl is seriously entertaining.

Minami-ke is very well-known for superb spot-on jokes (from the author of Kyou no Go no Ni), so as typical or cliche this setting may seem, each scene involving Mako-chan was well-executed in super hilarious fashion, spanning a few episodes. And that's why this scene deserved the no.5 spot. See the birth of Mako-chan here.

Click here to read about Moment #4

To push or not to push?!



From the author of the great Mahjong anime of 2006, Akagi, comes another anime about probability and chance: Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji.

For a great deal of episodes, Kaiji was in a gambling match on a cruise ship. After being betrayed THRICE by team mates, he barely passed the match, though he now owes the Yakuza millions of yen.

After that, he was invited to yet another match, this time promising an instant 20 million yen reward. Little did he know what he was up against: the human derby race. In this race, each group of threes had only one thin beam to walk across. Naturally if they fell, bones would be broken (it happened, wasn't pretty at all). Of course, they couldn't use their hands. The first one to reach the other side would win the 20 mil.

Here's the sickening part: a bunch of rich buggers were down there cheering them on. Why? They betted money on them, like as if they were horses!

All the contestants got disgusted, but eventually one of Kaiji's challengers walked the beam first. Kaiji then followed suit, then the last challenger behind him. The catch is that the beam gets thinner as you reach your goal, so the guy behind can catch up. If the beam is thin, how do you overtake, right? Easy! Just push the guy in front!

Ok not that easy. The contestants hesitated, then felt guilty for pushing their competition down to the hard floor below. Eventually, Kaiji reached the guy in front.

It was a question of "pushed or be pushed", as the guy behind him catches up. He reflected on the time he was betrayed, and society's way of pushing others to attain higher positions in life. This long train of thought moved me, thanks to the great editing of Madhouse. It's such a simple decision, yet it was really hard to make; Heck, I wouldn't know what to do either!

So what did Kaiji do? You watch yourself la! Click here to see Kaiji episode 12.

Click here to read about Moment #3

Fuuko disappears from memory



Being a product of Key Visual, you would expect the girls to have really deep health or psychological problems. Clannad is definitely not an exception.

Fuuko-chan has a sister who's going to wed, so to make her sister happy (awww), she passed wedding invitations to all the students (her sister is a retired teacher), in form of a plain carved star-shaped wood. Almost everyone thought that it was just a plain star, but Fuuko-chan insisted that it was a starfish, much to the disagreement of the main cast.

The truth is that Fuuko-chan is in a coma for 2 years, and that the one we see is the physical manifestation of her thoughts in people's minds. Because of this, as she gets sicker, people eventually would forget about her, resulting in some not being able to see her at all (really sad, this one).

It was so bad that when one student picked up the invitation from her, the student questioned why she was holding the wooden carving in the first place.

Nearing the date of her sister's wedding, even the main cast started to forget her. But, in short, miracles do happen, and suddenly everyone turned up for the wedding anyway, much to her sister's surprise (her sister didn't know about Fuuko-chan "being outside" the hospital). In a very happy teary moment, she appeared for the last time, giving the wooden carving to her sister.

My favourite moment, however, is what happened after that. The whole cast had already forgotten her. In class, one of them was holding on to the wooden carving, then another got curious as to what is that. Suddenly, everyone shouted "It's a starfish!". Small scenes of Fuuko-chan skipping appeared after that. The impact was beautiful!

This simple moment showed that there are still memories of Fuuko-chan locked up in everyone's hearts, that's how important she was. And in the end, everyone somehow remembered this earnest innocent girl strongly wishing for her sister's happiness. Very touching indeed.

Way to go, Kyoto Animation! Click here to see the segment.

Click here to read about Moment #2

The breakup of Chihiro and Renji



Chihiro couldn't live her life like a normal girl. Due to a car accident, she has a memory problem where she would forget what happened 12 hours ago. To counter this, she would write any important details in her diary. Once she wakes up, she would read her diary to understand her "yesterday" self.

Then she met Renji. Both of them fell in love, but Renji was faced with a problem. He knows that he's dating a "new girl" everyday, so he had to accept the reality of the situation to continue the relationship. Chihiro also felt sad because it's like as if she's living another life through reading another person's diary.

Chihiro continued writing about Renji in her diary; what he has done for her, how good he is, etc. She also told Renji that she dreams of writing a novel, in which Renji supports her. On one fateful night, Chihiro passed the final manuscript to Renji.

Inside, she wrote of a princess who was alone in this island. The princess saw a drawing of a boy. She decided to draw pictures of them together. However, every painting that was drawn got blurer with each passing day. It was frustrating, so in the end the princess burned all the paintings.

Renji was frightened and chased after Chihiro immediately, who was waiting on the school rooftop. Chihiro explained that the novel is based on her way of living, and that she wants to spare Renji of any torture that the relationship has brought to him. In the end, she said "Let's break up".

Renji was in tears, and he refused to accept the breakup. To see it to its end, Chihiro tore the papers of her diary containing her experiences with Renji, and threw them into the air, in a wonderfully rendered cinematic scene, accompanied by beautiful soundtrack.

Knowing that she would wake up the next day not knowing anything about Renji, she said "With this, we have completely broken up." The credits rolled.

Beautiful, simply beautiful! Shaft has made my mouth gape all year around in 2007! Click here to see the scene (it cuts into the "final manuscript" part).

Click here to read about Moment #1

Kamina's final farewell



And this one made my mouth gape so big, the gurren lagaan can fit through it!

Kamina is the leader of a resistance band called the "Great Gurren Brigade", trying to overthrow the monsters that forced them to stay underground. He's this really awesome dude that spouts out incredible so-called nonsense like "Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me who believes in you!". He's the energy of the group, motivating and touching the lives of many who wish to attain freedom.

Beneath Kamina's wing is Simon. Because Simon is your typical lame low-spirited Gainax male lead, he looks up to Kamina as a big brother (calls him Aniki). Then we have Youko, another high spirited resistance band member who has some chemistry going on with Kamina. She too wouldn't have gone far without Kamina's support.

Then the day came to fight the Human Eradication Army. They saw this really big ship they wanted to steal, so everyone got their mechs and guns ready. It's such a sight to see the trio fight, with Kamina shouting energetic nonsense to Simon, then having them combine their mechs, and Youko shooting from far.

But this battle is different. Kamina was lethally pierced from below. Simon panicked, and lost control of everything. Then Kamina said:

Can't I even rest in peace?

With the little bit of strength left with him, he knocked some sense into that wimpy boy! Kamina, for the final time :( combined with Simon and pierced the heavens with their drills.

With the boss out of the way, Kamina muttered:

Goodbye my comrades.

Here's the scene: Click here.

SUPERB! BEAUTIFUL! SUGOI! Gainax took the bold step of taking out the legend himself! It was nuts! And just look at the production value! The quality was like something taken from an anime's final episode! I was at the edge of my seat, then I was shocked, then I got depressed. A scene with such a powerful impact!

And that's not the only impact that this scene has. It took a lot of episodes, but eventually, Kamina's death has made everyone stronger, and Simon no longer becomes the wimpy loser of the show! It's true what they say: Once a great hero dies, his legacy continues.

Thank you Gainax for such a great scene!

Phew, that was a lot of writing. Hope it was worth it. Next up: Top 5 best anime characters of 2007.

AAA'07 Awards - Opening Sequence

Your audience just switched on the TV (or just finished downloading via torrent :P). You have one and a half minutes to get them into the mood. Quite the opposite of the ending sequence, the opening sequence is set to heat things up for the show. That's why I like the OP more than the ED, because it's more upbeat and direct to the content.

This segment acknowledges suitability of music and animation sequences, the pacing and how much the OP tells about the show. Here they are, starting from number 5:





Song: Inori ~You Raise Me Up~ by Lena Park

A beautiful animation sequence, accompanied by an already proven beautiful song. When I watched it for the first time, I went *gasp* it's that... that... Josh Groban song! Sung by the talented Korean singer Lena Park, the song is also composed by the original elites of the Josh Groban song! Click here to watch her live concert, singing the English version.

But it's not fair to give all credit to just the song. The anime, Romeo x Juliet, is set in a fantasy medieval universe, so you can leave it to Gonzo to come up with floating cities and flying griffins amidst the romantic streets of Europe. Gonzo did a really good job in mixing romantic scenes with the couple's eventual impending doom to match the song. Great pacing!





Song: Motteke! Sailor Fuku by The Lucky Star cast

You didn't think that Kyoto Animation stopped at Hare Hare Yukai, did ya? ;)

To tell you the truth, I didn't like the opening at first. The song was nuts and childish, and the sequence was all over the place, I got confused. After watching a few times though, that "didn't like" turned to "win". The same thing happened to me when I first watched the Love Hina OP.

As usual, KyoAni showcased their animation talents in this one. The dancing choreography, though not as impactful as the Haruhi's ED dance, was animated to great detail. I especially liked Konata dancing in the middle of some field, looks so silly :3

Naturally, this OP started yet another fad, with countless parodies in video community sites. Of course, otakus danced to the theme as well, especially when KyoAni showed the final full dance moves in the last episode. Click here to see the full dance.





Song: Hito toshite Jiku ga Bureteiru by Otsuki Kenji feat. the Zetsubou Sensei girls

After watching Pani Poni Dash! two years ago, I knew Shaft studios was special. After all, one of my favourite openings was done by them: Click here. Their style is very recognizable; if you see an anime that cuts into a collage of real-life objects, text and shapes, or if the show is edited to give you a really weird vibe, chances are it's done by them. Oh, let's not forget the ever-changing scribbles on the blackboard.

And their style is appropriately applied to the opening of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, where the fate of a horribly pessimistic teacher and a hyperactive optimistic student collide. Heck, even the song tells that, from the singers' voices to the lyrics! The editing and pacing is superb, giving you a hint of how screwed up (in a good way) this anime can be. Great job Shaft!





Song: What's Up People?! by Maximum the Hormone

Technically, Death Note is an anime that started in late 2006, but this opening sequence was out only for episodes in 2007, so it's valid! :D

I really love Death Note in all its forms, especially the anime. The intense psychological war between the two geniuses is a joy to watch; even moreso when the show is animated by Madhouse, and because of them, this opening is epic win!

Just look at the editing and colours used! The animation thoroughly matches the pace and the "screw-up-ness" of the song. Less is definitely more, they chose simple interesting animation shorts to pick up the pace. I especially liked the scenes where L was on the rotating chair and Ryuuku was overjoyed by an apple in hand.

I'm not a fan of heavy metal at all, but thanks to the opening, this song literally rocks! It's still in my car playlist today! Maximum the Hormone also sang the ending song for 2006's Akagi (also nicely animated by Madhouse :3). Click here to see their crazy MTV and here to see Akagi ED.





Song: Curriculum by Ifu Sarasa

When my colleague in The One watched this, he asked me if it was the opening of some short 3d film or console game. When I told him it was for an anime about bacteria and microbes, he was in total shock. XD That's just how professional this opening is.

Loved the ending, but loved the opening more! It's simple, cute and charming enough to make you watch the show. In all its simplicity though, it would take a great deal of effort to animate these 3d critters and blend them into real-life space. More importantly, though, is the overall mood of the sequence: uplifting and relaxing.

It actually comes to no surprise that the opening is like a game FMV, because it's done by Shirogumi Inc. They are quite new to anime, but they are definitely not a stranger to animation; They art-directed Rules of Rose for the PS2 and created the FMVs for Soul Caliber III, Tales of Destiny, Dirge of Cerberus and Baten Kaitos. Don't play play wei! Click here to go to their website.

The song itself is nice on its own, nicer when accompanied with the animation. The singer is kinda cute too. Click here to see the MTV.

And that's all for the opening! Next up: Top 5 best moments in 2007 anime.

AAA'07 Awards - Ending Sequence

Ah, the closing. Once you're thrown some surprises in the plot, you're served an animation sequence to cool you down. This is where the creators take advantage to divert the anime into a whole new direction. A serious anime could have a funny and silly ending. In short, this is where the creators asked themselves "what if?".

The best five below were selected based on its sense of suitability of music and animation, and of course, how fun it was to watch it over and over again. Here they are, starting from number 5:

(I apologize if the animation sequence has subtitles. Whenever possible, I'll find one that doesn't have any.)





Song: Kiss ~ Kaerimichi no Love Song by Tegomass

I heard ya, "Hey it's just two people walking with a changing background!"

Lovely Complex is about best friends taking it to the next level (moreover, the girl is damn tall and the guy is damn short). As expected, awkward moments occur, since they're best when they're a comedy duo rather than a couple. After all that hustle bustle, a smooth stroll of the two indicates how close and comfortable they are with one another, regardless of their relationship. That works for me :)

The song is very suitable and is great on its own, topping the Japanese charts for around 3 weeks. Click here to see the MTV..





Song: Danzai no Hana ~ Guilty Sky by Kosaka Riyu

Claymore is one of those serious animes that I really enjoyed this year. This show tells a story of a gang called Claymore, who are guns hired to defeat demons (for loads of money). The ending is very suitable because it successfully depicts the cold and solemn lives of a Claymore. The animation is rich, thanks to the mad skillz of Madhouse Studios.

The song might be serious, but the singer acts kinda cute, especially in her interview video. Click here to see the MTV.





Song: Dango Daikazoku by Chata

Clannad is one of the rare visual novels that, despite being packed full of moe girls, focuses mostly on family values (clannad means family in Irish). The anime itself is innocent on the surface but dark in the setting, similar to other Key visual novels like Kanon and Air. For this ending, I insist on showing the subtitled version, as the lyrics of this storybook song is meaningful. What I love about it is its childlike take on how nice it would be to have a family.

The storybook artwork is itself a suitable diversion and a disguise for dark moments to come. You can expect that when the final dark super family crisis plot unveils, this song will be played in the background, resulting in many shedding their manly tears. Congrats to Kyoto Animation for yet another great animation sequence.





Song: Rocket by Polysics

Moyashimon, an anime about a boy who can see bacteria and microbes as small talking characters. Cute, bizarre, quirky. Exactly why this ending is super fitting with the entire theme. The ending, and the whole anime in general, gives that same feeling as when you see Katamari Damacy or Little Big Planet. I just love the three-dimensional take on the art direction, providing a new insight into the cute little yeast microbes.

Just like the art direction, the song itself is also bizarre and quirky. It's like as if the microbes are singing! The band is no stranger to anisongs. Polysics also sung the hit song You-You-You for Keroro. They are also a crazy bunch of unique characters as well. Click here to see the nutty MTV.





Song: 100 miles ~ Niji o Oikakete by Santara

Madhouse has done it again! Flat quirky animation, with a unique art direction fitting for an anime that focuses on the Japanese "new-age" edo era. Oh! Edo Rocket is about a girl who tries to persuade a boy to invent fireworks that could send her to the moon. With a crazy plot like that, and with Madhouse in the works, you would expect an ending that's equally nuts. What we're served with, rather than just pure craze, is a unique blend of bizarro and beauty. Epic win :)

I really love the song, and for some unknown reason it goes really well with the animation sequence. You should really watch the MTV, the animation there is superb as well, though it could be repetitive at times. Click here to see the MTV.

And there you have it, my favourite anime ending sequences of 2007! Stay tuned!

ahbonk.net anime awards 2007 (AAA'07)

For the first time in the history of otaku madness, I present to you the AAA'07! This prestigious ceremony recognizes excellence in many aspects of anime, such as directing, screenwriting, voice acting and accidental panty shots.

2007 has seen many anime breakthroughs, among them are an innocent romantic anime with a sickening violent ending (nice boat XD), two near-illegal lolicon anime, a mech anime with sexual innuendos, an anime with four girls in endless chatter, an edutainment show about bacteria and microbes, and two sports anime that revolves around gambling and shogi (japanese chess).

Never a dull moment for sure.

In the next few days, ahbonk.net shall be giving awards to the five masterpieces of 2007 in various categories, including best opening sequence, best ending sequence and, best of all, the best of the best!

Of course, do take note that the judge of AAA'07 is me (duh). So it's only limited to my taste and what I have watched. For the record, I like shoujo anime (anime for girls, yea i'm a sissy) and animes that take their time to tell their story.

But, you never know, there might be surprises! Stay tuned!

The Promise of Suzumiya Haruhi

Wow this is as close to Mikuru as you can get.