Shakugan no Shana audio drama – melonpan artisan

What a refreshing find on the Toshokan list today — a Shana audio drama! At 15 minutes in length with mostly-perfect, color-coded subs, it’s a real treat, especially for the surprise Engrish midway through it.

Teaser

Yuuji comes home to find Shana reading a manga about classic artisans .. and how they crafted all their products by hand and with spirit and passion. This convinces Shana to become an artisan of melon bread, and she is told to see a master under whom she would be the apprentice.

However at the factory, all Shana finds are machines mass-producing melon bread. Are there no more artisans of melon bread?

Well… there is still at least one…

Thoughts

Great laughs, and I’m a Kugimiya fan, so listening to new Shana (I like her better than Louise) is just a lot of fun. Kazumi has an appearance as well, and I’m very proud of Alastor’s role in this audio drama. The story’s just cute, too, as tough-as-nails Shana is so very naive about the real world and the more detailed workings of modern culture. So this is her chance to learn something new. But then everyone ends up learning something new about each other.

Totally want more of this. Thanks, anime-rg!

~Crisu

Caramelldansen On @ Matsuricon 2008 [Updated]

GURREN-BLOGGIN, CARAMELLDANSEN ON!!!!

Dang, I wish someone had gotten pictures of CJ and Janette Caramelldansening. And the Lavi cosplayer dancing on a chair was superiorly epic too.

Yes, this post means that CJ, Rakuen and Janette all survived the madness that was Matsuricon. CJ almost got groped at the rave, and Janette was perpetually glomped, but the epic Artist Alley, game room and panels kept us all sane. It would’ve been nice to have the three of us face off at Brawl, though.

Oh, and the actual freaking D.GRAY-MAN and LUCKY FREAKING STAR merch in the dealer’s room this year made things better too. Yutaka~ <333

Kanokon DVD special 3 – a bit of Akane

Why is Xebec’s artwork so bad in this series? x.x I may have said one time before that this is an ecchi series with a budget, but that has referred mostly to the mainstream attention the series is getting, the use of CG here and there, and perhaps the ability to expand on a plot of sorts, rather than be 100% fanservice (though some found the plot quite a distraction from what they really wanted).

But I can’t find myself to enjoy Chizuru with how pale and .. floppy .. she is. And oh god that face of hers.

D.Gray-man Anime Possibly Ending

According to some rumors found on 2ch and translated, D.Gray-man’s last episode (103) will be airing September 30. The rumors in question apparently indicate that the anime will be ending with the end of the defeat of a certain very important Akuma in the Black Order Invasion Arc (fans of the series know what I’m talking about; didn’t want to spoil anything :P) and will not be continuing on to future manga canon arcs. The reason is allegedly related to the Japanese TV ratings and DVD sale, which are lacking when compared to the other major long-running anime out there (One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, etc etc etc.)

But wait… what? Makes some sense and all, with the manga material quickly running out (DRAW MOAR, HOSHINO-SENSEI) but couldn’t they easily add more filler after that arc? The mini-arc after the Invasion Arc is technically filler anyway, since it does extremely little to advance the plot.

Of course, this fangirl wants moar animated Lavi-ness, so perhaps I’m missing the point: Low TV ratings and low DVD sales = not good. Come on, my overseas otaku bretheren, LET D.GRAY-MAN LIVE! Please?

This is still under investigation, so bear with CJ-ko as she investigates these claims. <3

~CJ

Fullmetal Alchemist Second Season FINALLY CONFIRMED

This time, it’s official. BONES has confirmed that a second TV series is in the works, according to an Anime News Network article. The 20th volume of the manga, set to be released Friday, is announcing it. No word yet on plot or length.

And it’s about freaking time someone milked this cash cow moar more. I freaking squealed out loud when I saw ANN’s article in my RSS feed.

I Wanna Be a Blogger

I have a little hobby for writing parodies every once in a while. This one I’ve been working on all summer. It’s to the tune of “I Wanna Be a Rockstar” by Nickelback, and for Borderline Hikkomori, I tried to give a nod to every writer I’ve worked with on here somewhere.

So enjoy.

Idle times and anime thoughts

So what have I been doing … or not doing? Such is when real life takes priority that anime blogging falls to a secondary position. Does that mean that anime blogging isn’t real life? Well.. it’s more of a hobby anyway, not a contracted responsibility. However I still feel bad that I have possible readers I’m not really supporting right now.

I said previously that I won’t write something just for the sake of putting it out and trying to meet some quota; everyone including myself deserves a better post than that. But the episodes sit unwatched on my laptop (although I still download them diligently) and I do wonder where my passion has went, or why it doesn’t drive me crazy that I haven’t yet seen the next episode of Zero no Tsukaima or Shugo Chara! or Zettai Karen Children? I enjoy these series, too.

Well I’m not particularly out of the anime scene yet. Accompanying my return to graduate school is a new year of our university’s anime club, so along with the academic and assistantship responsibilities I do have a routine of attending meetings every week. And last night I was exposed to Soul Eater and Kamen no Maid Guy, the former of which everyone’s been telling me to watch but I’ve been infinitely lazy to try. And after the three-episode prologue, I do like it.

Otakon 2008 report

Otakon has come and gone, and it was one excellent convention. I departed Wednesday night to meet up with the Anime Punch crew and pack up the van for our trip to Baltimore. We arrived Thursday night and got our badges out of the pre-reg line in a short 20 minutes, which impressed me quite a bit.

Antique Bakery catch-up, 3+4

I am absolutely loving this series!

Campus Lagann

Better late then never.