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K-ON! episode 14, live show in a live house
Tuesday, January 19th 2010
It have been a long time since the last episode of K-ON! was aired. But recently K-ON! OVA episode 14 was released. I really hope that the second session will be released soon as well.
The story begin with Ritsu telling the group that she had been invited by her middle school friend to perform in a live house. The ever over-enthusiastic Yui and Mugi respond positively, while the more reserved Mio and Azusa seems a bit embarrassed to perform live. But in the end of the discussion, they all agreed to perform live.
The next day, they went to the live house which address Ritsu got from her middle school friends. It seems that everybody in the group was really under pressure. This is their first live performance outside school anyway. Yui even asked Ritsu whether the name of their band is too whimsy. The manager of the live house replied by saying that the name is cute. They show the manager how their previous live performance sounds like and the manager asked them to sign the sign-up sheet.
Back in Yui's house, Yui tell Ui that the band is going to perform live. Ui, being the biggest fan of Yui responded with enthusiasm. As Yui gave her the ticket to watch the live, Ui even say that the ticket is too precious for her to be used. But Ritsu responded that if she didn't use that ticket, she will not be able to watch the live.
The next day, they gave another ticket to Nodoka. Yui even offered Nodoka to get her autograph before the band get too popular. Nodoka refuse the over, but accept it anyway since Yui already prepared one for her anyway. In their way home, the group saw a poster advertising the live performance and they wonder whether they are really going to perform live. It sounds like a dream for them.
Several hours before the live performance begin, the group arrive in the live house. They meet members of another band, some of them dressed normally, the other dressed just like Sawa-chan sensei in her younger day ( well she is still young anyway ). Ritsu introduced Maki, Ritsu's middle school friend who asked Ritsu to join the live performance. She is the drummer for the band group, Love Crisis. As they chat, Aya ( the bassist of Love Crisis ) later joined the conversation and say that she is a fan of Mio.
As Maki and Aya ( member of Love Crisis band ) gave the group the CD and flier for their next performance, the group realize that other bands had already become more serious group than they are. Yui then thought that the band should have a logo as well. Initially the logo looks like the symbol of onsen. Soon, they added a cup below it and the symbol become like what you see in the picture above.
The rehearsal time begin, but the group wasn't really prepared for it. Since this is the first time for them, all of them become tensed and act awkwardly. When Ritsu gave the usual command for the band to begin, everyone played their instruments as good as usual. But Yui forget to sing. When Ritsu told her to begin the vocal, she panicked and hit the microphone. Mio who want to help Yui, tripped over the cables but rescued by Azusa. Then Mugi who want to help Mio, also tripped over by another cable.
When the situation look dire for the band, the other bands cheered them up and gave them words of encouragement. Soon, the group realize that this live performance is not solely theirs. This live performance is the performance for every bands who had signed to perform.
Sawako-sensei finally arrived at the live house sometimes after the performance began. The live house manager who seen Sawako-sensei called her by her band name. It seems that the live house manager was a member of Sawako's band back then in High School. After the performance ended, the group thanked the member of Love Crisis who invited them to this live performance. Since this is almost the end of the year in K-ON! time, they also say "Happy New Year!" to each other.
Everyone was already tired, so they end up sleeping in Yui's house ( ok, we have seen Yui's, Mio's, Ritsu's, Azusa's house, but we never see Mugi's house only her villas ). Only Ritsu and Mio were still awake when the Year change. The next day, they were awaken by Yui who want to see the first sunrise. They went to see the first sunrise and say "Happy New Year" to each other.
Views : 45 Views per day : 2.25 Comments : 1
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Full Metal Panic (Fumoffu) ~ when meanings are lost in explosion
Wednesday, October 28th 2009
Full Metal Panic - Fumoffu, is an anime series that I often re-watch to amuse myself. According to the plot, the main character Sagara Sousuke grew up in a war ridden region Helmajistan and was later recruited as a member of a mercenary organization, which is why he has a hard time trying to cope with the his new peaceful life in Japan. Compared to the other series of Full Metal Panic, Fumoffu series is pretty much school romance comedy with no mecha battle or political intrigue ( I seriously doubt this one ).
In the first episode, a girl who was never an acquaintance to Sousuke wrote a love-letter to him. The content of the love letter was I like you. Your gentlemanly conduct, your dignified face. I am always watching you from a far with a sigh. Please laugh at this coward, who can only tell you these things using a letter. But, just by thinking about you, my heart feels like bursting. If I could stop my heart from beating this way, then I might be able to relax a little. Please accept my feelings. I will be waiting for you behind the gym after school. However, it seems that the girl make a little mistake.
Being risen in a war torn region where anyone might die because of a trap, Sousuke realized that someone had opened his shoe locker. He used a plastic explosives to open the shoe locker. I would say that plastic explosives are not the correct tools for translating a love letter. He tried to read whatever was written in the reduced-to-ashes letter and conclude that it was written by a hostile party. The letter now read Sagara Sousuke, I am always watching you from afar, you coward. I will stop your heart and make things peaceful for you. I'll be waiting for you behind the gym after school to kill you. Well, whatever fool would send a challange letter to before eliminating her target. I would say that no military organization should employ him for intelligence gathering mission.
Because of the misunderstanding, instead of meeting the girl normally, Sousuke prepared an ambush. The girl waited for Sousuke until dark, while Sousuke remained camouflaged in the bush wearing a ghillie suit.
When Sousuke decided to appear ( or blow his cover ), all he said to the girl was "It appears that you are not an enemy, but what is your aim?". Well, of course the girl run away feeling rejected.
I have to say that Sousuke really have his way with women. He know how to make women fall to his trap, literary. The last screen-shot was taken from another episode in Fumoffu series, when the Sociology Club of their school organized a flirting contest. I would say that the method employed seems to be *too straight-forward*.
Views : 111 Views per day : 1.17 Comments : 3
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K-ON! episode 13, a winter day
Sunday, June 28th 2009
This K-ON! episode is not more than an extra. As my friend Hippo had pointed to me before, most drama in K-ON! had been finished in the last episode. This particular episode is somehow slow paced.
The story begin with all members of light music club gathering in the music rooms. However it is very cold at the moment that Yui can't play her guitar. She tried to play by wearing her gloves, but of course it is not possible. Later Yui invited everyone to come to her home and eat nabe, however it seems that everyone have something to do.
Mugi is having a part time job in the fast food restaurant she, Ritsu and Mio visited before (and later after) Yui joined the club. It seems that she seriously dreamed about saying the phrase "would you like fries with that?".
Ritsu found a letter in her mailbox with "No matter how cold it is on winter days, I am happy. When I see your breath draw white as you run, I think of how parted hair fits you so well. But I want to see how you look with your frontal hair down" written on it. She tried the hairstyle mentioned in the letter later and discover that it is somehow strange. Anyway she had promised her little brother to go to a movie, so she have to forget about the letter for the time being.
Azusa is taking care her classmate's kitty because her classmate have to go somewhere. The cat mime whatever Azusa did, so Azusa decided to call the kitty Azu-nyan #2. Somehow this remind me about a manga written by Fujiko F. Fujio title P-Man where the second P-Man is a chimp and was called P-Man #2. Not sure if this is something usual in Japan.
Mio went to the beach looking for idea for her new song lyrics. I am not sure whether Mio can hear the whisper of the wind or not, but of course writing something in a windy place is not going to be easy.
The clueless Hirasawa-sisters went to supermarket to buy the nabe ingridients. I think Yui have what it takes to become an inventor, she is not afraid of trying new things even when people think that the idea is basically flawed. The important thing is not your initial idea, but how the idea evolve experiment after experiment. If you don't repeat the same mistake more than once, you might end up with something new.
Anyway the Tainakas had finished watching the movie. The boy in the picture above is Ritsu's little brother. If I read what written in the ending credit right, his name is Sou (聡). Which meaning is wisdom, intelligence or sharpness. Later Sou was called by his friend to go to another friend's house, leaving Ritsu alone pondering whether the letter she recieved earlier is a love letter or something else.
While Ritsu is pondering about the letter she received earlier, Mugi had trouble in her workplace, Mio can't get any idea for new song lyrics and Azusa also having trouble with her kitty, Yui send the mail depicted above to all of them. The reaction vary between people but Azusa is surely not amused and decided to call Yui directly. Azusa told Yui that she is having trouble with the kitty. Yui promised to go to her place as soon as possible with Ui. In Azusa's home, she received replies from light music club members stating whatever they are doing at the moment.
The next day all club members meet in the usual place, while Mugi is working at that time. Mio asked Ritsu about her opinion on the song lyric she put on Ritsu mailbox. Ritsu who thought it was a love letter somehow feel embarassed and attack Mio. Nothing violent happen this time though.
Back in school the next day, the club members meet again in the music room discussing how the cold weather interfere with their practice. Mugi however doesn't have any problem with it at all because her body temperature is high ( actually she is more fit than Yui ). Yui even stated that she want to have one Mugi-chan in her home as well (the manga version also feature this scene).
Overall, I really like K-ON! and all the characters in it. I am going to miss them now that the series had ended. I really hope Kyoto Animation is going to make the second season for this. The first goal of light music club was to perform in Budokan and they have not achieved that goal yet.
Views : 120 Views per day : 0.54 Comments : 7
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More gender bended anime characters
Saturday, June 27th 2009
After finding the gender bended version of characters in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, I did some more search to find whatever anime had their characters gender swapped by their fans. While I do hope that some of these gender swapped version be made into a full series, I understand that the story would have to be changed (perhaps in a major way) to avoid awkwardness.
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu
This is the first anime (with no gender-swapping in the actual story) with gender bended version available I know. For sure I like how they transform Kyon into Kyonko and Itsuki into Itsuhime. In fact, I even think that Itsuhime is more appealing than Asahina Mikuru.
However, I doubt this one would make it into a full series without some minor change in story. I had seen some animation being made with the gender bended characters. However, somehow something twitch when I watch Haruki (male version of Haruhi) kick the computer club leader (also turned into a girl), which I see as an example of ungentlemanly behavior.
Clannad
I found this among the piles of Suzumiya Haruhi gender bending version video in YouTube, the day before I write this article. I appreciate how the artist change the gender while leaving the characteristic of each character intact. Just FYI, someone also make a live version of Clannad as well. The name is "Clonnad". If your are interested, just google it up.
But then, I found myself asking "Why Clannad?" even now. For sure, the story is going to be really awkward without lots of major plot change. For sure I don't want to see female version Sunohara being combo-kicked by male-version of Tomoyo. The After Story would be even more awkward since it involve Nagisa being pregnant as well. Well, at least sad ending is going to be less possible this way. But that is going to reduce the dramatic value of this anime series.
Lucky Star
I found this in YouTube the same day I write this article. There is no animation available for this and the fan art is scarce as well. While it is fun to look how the male version of these characters look like, I doubt I am going to watch it should someone decided to make a full series out of it. But perhaps it could be a good way to make the anime fangirls willing to watch Lucky Star.
Views : 116 Views per day : 0.54 Comments : 10
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The Melancholy of Haruki Suzumiya, a genderbending doujin anime
Wednesday, June 24th 2009
While I don't really get the story of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, it seems that this anime is really popular. I did enjoy watching its parody The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan (the super deformed version of Haruhi), though. However it seems that there are more parody to this show. One of them is titled, The Melancholy of Haruki Suzumiya. Basically in this parody, the gender of all characters are swapped.
Suzumiya Haruhi, who is a female in the orginal anime was turned into Suzumiya Haruki (which is a male, thus the title of this post). The other girls in the anime was also turned into boys as well, Nagato Yuuki and Asahina Mitsuru. I bet it is not really hard to guess who is who.
The male characters are of course turned into female whose names are Kyonko and Koizumi Itsuko. Again you can guess who is who.
Honestly, I don't really feel it right when Nagato Yuki defend Kyon from Asakura in the original anime. However, since in this particular Doujin Anime the gender was swapped, it looks better. However if you remember the part where Haruhi make the president of Computer Club molest Mikuru and all characters in the anime was gender-swapped, somehow this part doesn't feel right.
There is still no anime produced for this doujin, however some fans already attempted to make some animation for it. It would be really interesting to see this doujin anime made for real in the future. For now, we can only satisfy ourselves by reading the manga.
Views : 251 Views per day : 1.09 Comments : 8
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