Fun Stuff: More Memes

As I said in my previous posting on art memes, my lack of ability as an artist has kept me from being able to fill them out with my own skill, and that I mainly use ones where I can use other images and use my creativity elsewhere. I have several sprinkled throughout my dorm room, and for anyone interested in trying some of their own, here's where you can find them:

1.   The A to Z Hot Anime Guys (for lovers of bishies and fans of a whole spectrum of lovely boys)

Template here.

My sample:

2.   The Kiss Me Meme (for smooches that much be shared, whether canon or fanon) 
Template here.
My sample (my version seems to have been edited):

3.   The Top 10 Gorgeous Animated Girls (for those who love or want to be like our fave bishoujos)
Template here.
My sample (I made mine CLAMP edition, as I do with many things in life):

4.   The Top 10 Sexy Animated Guys (because the A to Z meme wasn't enough)
Template here.
My sample (I made mine CLAMP again):

5.   The Top 10 Hetalia Nations (for lovers of country to country relations and PASTAA)
Template here.
My sample:

6.   The Top 10 Favorite Couples (for shippers!)
Template here.
My sample (I stacked the meme to get 20 couples):

6.   The Grey Warden Collection (for Dragon Age fans)
Template here.
My sample (what I used for notes for my fanfic Sketches of the Wardens of Ferelden):

Fun Stuff: Words of the Wise

There's nothing I hate more than people who brush off hobbies of reading manga and watching anime as 'childish' or 'just reading comic books'. As an English major, the first thing that comes to my mind is: What on earth is wrong with reading comic books? There is virtue in all kinds of reading and literature, and manga in particular has a bevy of teachings and morals that are on par with those in great works of literature. Besides, here in the West we rarely get a taste of Eastern culture and philosophies in places outside of school. Manga has in many ways exposed me to ideas I would have never thought of on my own, and that is an experience very far from childish.

There are many quotes I have uncovered in anime and manga that have influenced me as both a person and a fan or writing, and I'm sure that most fans have had similar experiences. In this posting, I would like to share some of my favorites from the shows/games I love and keep coming back to. These are the ones that have stayed on the top of my head and made me think, and I hope as I continue to read and watch and reread and rewatch that I'll be able to add more to my collection of wisdom (and the walls of my dorm!). Please note that translations vary: some are from the published versions, some are fan translations. The integrity of the statement should still be intact, even if its not the 'official' translation.


 1. "Even if you protect the weak and the ones you love by sacrificing of yourself with the compassion of the Buddha himself, sorrow will remain in those people. They will never be truly happy. Even if you quell danger with your fierce anger, sacrificing your life... it is only for one short moment in time, and time goes on. The will to live is the heart of existence. Do not forget that" -Hiko Seijuro from Rurouni Kenshin
Why it rules: In anime, manga, literature, and life there are people in the world who are death seekers (people who have lost their purpose and motivation and are all right with the idea of dying regardless of the feelings of those who love them) or who place their survival as secondary to someone else. We all have a little bit of this inside us. There are several people I would willingly take a bullet for, and as a society as a whole, we often see nothing wrong with taking actions such as these. In fact, Maximilian Kolbe's sainthood in the Catholic church has a lot to do with his decision to give up his life for the sake of a stranger in Auschwitz. We love sacrifice and see it as the ultimate symbol of kindness and friendship, but what Master Hiko reminds us is that there are always people left behind in these instances who are filled with guilt at being sacrificed for, and are kept from being able to find happiness. Oftentimes, they find themselves resenting the person for throwing themselves away and diminishing their own value. Whatever your perceptions of sacrifices are, several characters have faced the brunt of them in anime and manga (Franz and Albert from Gankutsuou, Seishriou and Subaru from Tokyo Babylon and X, Natalia and Asch from Tales of the Abyss come to mind), and it makes one question whether or not sacrifice is a kindness or a cruelty.

Master Hiko's words of wisdom encourages Kenshin not to treat his life lightly and cause Kaoru and the people who love him pain.

 
2. "The thing that makes that person special, the things that make him different from the rest is that he is him. I have found him: the things that he can't do because he is him, the things that he can do because he is him. I fell in love with him because he is that person. And I believe he will find them: the things I can do because I am me and the things I can't do because I am me, and then... hopefully he will love me... because I am me." -from 'A City With No People' in Chobits
Why it rules: I'm sure it's not uncommon for people to date/be involved with someone who asks 'Why do you have to be so ____?" or "I don't like it how you ____". Sure, there are plenty of things about us that bother other people and habits that we would be better off correcting. But a person who truly loves us will take the time to realize what we are and are not capable of doing, and respect us all the same. The things that define who we truly are (rather than habits and conditions that are temporary and changeable) should not be brushed aside because they do not suit someone else's tastes. As another guru Dr. Seuss once said, "Be yourself, because the people who mind don't matter, and the people that matter don't mind."

This story within a story offers the insights that make Chobits so thought provoking

 
3. "Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality." -Aster and Richter Abend from Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Why it rules: This oft repeated line from the game probably drove a few fans crazy, but I personally took it to heart even though between Richter, Emil, Marta, etc. the saying was drummed quite forcefully into the players' heads. However, truer words were never spoken over and over again. Most dreams we have, be it personal or professional, aren't going to come true if we sit by passively and wait. And to take action and make a difficult ambition or hope more than just a private wish, what do we need? We need many things, in truth, but courage is number one on the list. If you're not brave enough to step up and own your wish, then there's really no point in wishing it to begin with (unless it's a pipe dream, although those also serve to motivate people towards achievable goals). These words certainly had an effect on Emil, and on Richter as well, and led them both to overcome prejudices and self-inflicted doubt to fight for the side they believed in.

If you ever forget these words, Emil will be happy to have ten flashbacks to Richter saying it to him.    

4. "If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. Free of everything, you are bound by nothing. Live the life that was given to you." -as repeated by Koumyou Sanzo in Saiyuki
Why it rules: It seems like a cold hearted statement on the surface, and it is often used as such by Genjyo Sanzo when he is attempting to distance himself from his companions in order not to burden them with having dependence on him (the sacrifice of Koumyou Sanzo on his behalf was the cause of this, which makes an interesting connection to quote one), but this quote is actually quite good advice for those of us who rely overmuch on the influence of others on our lives (family, religion, peers, media, etc). We don't necessarily have to go around killing these connections (the quote isn't meant to be taken THAT literally) or ignoring them completely, but it is important to be aware of them and how they take us down paths that we would never choose ourselves if it was up to only us and what motivates us inside. There is virtue in guiding ourselves rather than being guided by others, and in recognizing the life we want rather than the one others want for us.

Koumyou's words have a huge impact on how Sanzo chooses to live his adult life.

5. "No one should tell you how to mourn. And when someone says 'move on', you take their hand and say, 'my choice'" - Aveline from Dragon Age II
Why it rules: While not an anime example, this line is too excellent for me not to include it. Aveline is addressing Hawke during a particularly painful time in his/her life, and shares a story of how when she was younger and read with her father, he would not turn the page until she guided his hand to indicate that she was ready. In a similar way, we cannot always allow others to move us forward when we are mourning, and 'turn the page' before we are ready to move on. In a similar fashion to the quote above, the way we live our lives is ultimately our choice, and even if we allow others to choose for us, we have chosen or consented to submit our will to their guidance. If we want to live this life given to us, our hands should be the one moving the page forward, even if it does so grasping on to someone else's. 

Aveline's advice is rare moment of tenderness from the typically solid woman.

6. "The instant one gives up, that is when it all ends. Keep wishing. Wish strongly! Wish hard! Do not let it matter what kind of being you are! Do not let it matter what pressures others put on you! Continue to wish for that which your heart truly desires!" -Ashura (of Shura Country) from Tsubasa  
Why it rules: This advice, given to Syaoran before Ashura submits to death at having failed to realize the impossible wish of reviving someone who had died, is something completely consistent with CLAMP philosophy, and with many of the other philosophies already expressed here. Ashura's wish was one he/she (oh, the challenges of English not having a suitable androgynous pronoun) knew could not be achieved, but the fact that he/she held onto it as a true desire of the heart speaks strongly to the importance of not compromising a wish for the sake of anything, even the demands of the world. The moment of giving up on an authentic and important wish really is a moment of no return. As one of my favorite bands Jimmy Eat World puts it, "When you let go, then that's where time will stand".

Syaoran respects Ashura's wish by never giving up the true desire of his heart during the events of Tsubasa.

That's all for now, but as with my theme spotlights, I hope to post more great quotes in the future!

Fun Stuff: 30 Day Shipping Challenge

I certainly had fun last time with Shipping Rouelette, so here's another fun thing to try with the joy of shipping: the 30 Day Shipping Challenge! Perfect for blogs, twitter, and fan communities, the 30 Day Shipping Challenge is a conversation starter about favorite and least favorite anime and manga pairings, who's hot and who's not. Of course, you can expect opinions to vary and arguments to start, but go ahead and like what you like and hate what you hate: you'll probably find plenty of people who share your opinions as well.

Since I'll be posting all thirty questions, I might as well knock all the answers out briefly for my own entertainment. Shipping is something I love to support, and since it comes with the territory of fanfiction writing, I have plenty of my own couples that I follow through thick and thin!

Day 1: What is your current favorite ship?
None other than Kurogane and Fai from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle by my favorite mangaka group, CLAMP. I love a pairing with a complex history and emotional baggage, and these two fulfill all the requirements. On one hand, you have teasing, happy Fai, whose smiles mask a painful history and a wish that may end up destroying him, and on the other you have Kurogane, a gruff and temperamental man who sees through the facade and tries to reach the person Fai is afraid of revealing. A beautiful pairing in every way, and the best (in my opinion) that CLAMP has written.

  

Day 2: What was your very first ship?
Rogue and Gambit from the old X-men animation on FOX. I used to watch that show all the time with my brothers and swooned over the cajun charmer and his troubled Southern belle sweetheart. Of course, the fact that Rogue can't touch people with her bare skin keeps the romance rather tame, but the show found a way to sneak a few kisses in. THANK GOD! 

Day 3: A pairing that needs to happen now.
America and England from Hetalia. England is clearly hot for the United States, but America has a tendency of ignoring the atmosphere and shooting his former caretaker down. Poor England! But if they can work through their issues, they'd make an excellent alliance, so let's get to work on that, America!

Day 4: The pairing with the most chemistry.
Holo and Lawrence from Spice & Wolf. As I mentioned on my posting on this series, Holo is practically oozing with feminine wiles, and she uses them to quite an effect on her traveling partner. Even Lawrence himself is overwhelmed by the chemistry half the time, and it just keeps getting better as the episodes go on.

Day 5: The pairing with the least chemistry.
Emil and Marta from Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World. Don't get me wrong, I like both characters. Just not together. Marta is way too much for meek Emil, and even when Emil mans up, it still feels like he's being led along by the nose by her. I prefer Marta with Emil's Ratatosk identity, which puts them on more equal footing (once Ratatosk lessens up on the jerkiness).

Day 6: The best kiss. Hiro and Nowaki's kiss in Junjou Romantica after Nowaki comes home from America and Hiro keeps him from leaving the apartment after treating him coldly. Hiro does his best to resist, but gets pulled in by Nowaki's charm. And who wouldn't? That kiss is smokin, as is the one in the library when they make up 100%.

Day 7: The most heartbreaking scene. Tomoya proposing to Nagisa in CLANNAD. And everything that comes after. But that scene in particular gets me every time. *Sniffle*

Day 8: The pairing with the most baggage.

Seishirou and Subaru from Tokyo Babylon and X. Without getting too spoilery for Tokyo Babylon which will be posted on soon, their past relationship involves a lethal bet, a few missing eye balls, hidden identities, betrayal, broken arms, a dead twin, and a more than one death wish. Oh, CLAMP. 

Day 9: The most believable relationship.

Colette and Lloyd from Tales of Symphonia. They're childhood friends, Lloyd is extremely devoted to Colette to the extent where he places saving her above almost everything else, Colette is determined to see through her duty for the sole sake of protecting the world he lives in so he can be happy, and she's pretty much the easiest person for him to become soulmates with in-game. In the animation, the scene where he finds out she's lost her voice is one of the most touching I've seen.

Day 10: Why aren’t these two married?

Rita and Estelle from Tales of Vesperia. They're best friends. Rita is tsundere for Estelle. Their life goal is to raise a child together. Even Yuri refers to them as 'Ristelle'. Just get married you two!

Day 11: What is your dream pairing?

Eirika and Seth from Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. The ultimate lady-and-her-knight pairing. Plus their conversations are adorable.

Day 12: Who had the best wedding?

Alistair and Lady Cousland from Dragon Age. It doesn't happen in-game unless you download a mod, but the mod is AWESOME. It's a beautiful royal wedding, and the looks on Alistair and Lady Cousland's faces are absolutely perfect. Well worth the download.

Day 13: What is your favorite movie pairing?

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from the movie adaptation of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. Both the Colin Firth and the Keira Knightley versions portray it excellently, especially the first proposal scene where Darcy gets shot down. This is definitely one of the most classic pairings of all time for a reason!

Day 14: What is your favorite book pairing?

Jena and Costin from Juliet Marillier's Wildwood Dancing. All of her books are must-reads for fantasy fans, and this relationship is my favorite of all her couples. And Costin spends the majority of the novel as a FROG, and it's still one of the most romantic and well done pairings I have ever read.

Day 15: What is your favorite real life pairing?

My brother and his wife. One day I would love to be as happy as the two of them.

Day 16: What is the absolute worst pairing?

Ike and Elincia from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn. It's not a canon pairing, but plenty of people support it as the traditional princess/hero set up. Which is nice and all, but what the heck about Soren and Geoffrey who clearly have feelings for Ike and Elincia respectively? And what about Ike's hatred of nobility, titles, and living in court? There's no way it would work, in my opinion.

Day 17: A pairing you never thought would work, but did.

Makoto and Chiaki from The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. I thought she'd managed to mess it up with all her time skipping, and then I was convinced he was going to leave her without a proper goodbye. I was so relieved when the end indicated that they had a fair chance of reuniting in the future.

Day 18: What is the cutest pairing?

Kaoru and Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin. Kenshin himself is adorable as it is, but the genuine feeling he shows her in the last few arcs is truly moving. I would trade places with her any day; who wouldn't want to be the most important person to Kenshin?

Day 19: A pairing you’ve rooted for since the beginning.

Taiga and Ryuuji from Toradora! They started the series with feelings for two completely different people, but I was always pulling for them to realize that all of their sexual tension was aimed at each other. Although I do feel a bit sorry for Minori, who loved both of them, although she takes the high road and wishes for their happiness together.

Day 20: The can’t-stand-the-sexual-tension pairing.

Kyo and Tohru from Fruits Basket. After exploding with unresolved sexual tension the whole series, it was agony waiting for him to get a hold of his feelings and accept the kindness she gave him. It probably took a lot out of him to hold back for so long.

Day 21: A pairing you like and no one else understands why.

Hawke and Sebastian from Dragon Age II. My favorite is pairing fem Hawke with Fenris and male Hawke with Anders or Isabela, but I also have absolutely no problem romancing Sebastian. As a total pervert, my friends don't understand how I can be okay with the chaste relationship that goes along with him. I just think it's cute, is all.

Day 22: A pairing you hate and no one understands why.

Again, Emil and Marta. I almost always go the canon route, so people are usually surprised that I refused the game's official couple.

Day 23: A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out great.

Eagle Vision, Hikaru, and Lantis take the best route in the Magic Knight Rayearth manga: make it a threesome! Or at least that's what Hikaru oh-so-innocently implies. All three people seem to have feelings for one another, so it all works out.

Day 24: A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out badly.

Watanuki, Himawari, Kohane, and Doumeki from xxxHolic. Watanuki likes Himawari, Himawari mildly likes Watanuki but is bad luck to him, and Kohane and Doumeki both really like Watanuki. SPOILER: Watanuki ends of having to freeze his lifespan and never leave Yuuko's shop to sort out the craziness of Tsubasa, leaving him an eternal teenager while all his friends grow old. Himawari gets married to someone else, Kohane and Doumeki get hitched so they can produce offspring to watch over Watanuki after they die so he won't have to be alone. Watanuki himself potentially takes a third option and develops feelings for Yuuko depending on how you read it, but I've always interpreted his love for her as intense devotion to an important mentor (since Yuuko already has Clow, and is never going to return to the shop no matter how long he waits judging by CLAMP universe rules). SPOILER END.

Day 25: A pairing that was/would-be adorable, but could never work out.

Franz and Albert from Gankutsuou. Poor Franz is in love with Albert, and Albert would certainly benefit from loving him back since Franz is the sensible one of the two of them, and if Albert had only listened to Franz from the start, a lot of bad things would not have happened. However, Albert likes Eugenie, and has hero worship verging on an intense mancrush on the Count, so Franz is out of luck.

Day 26: A pairing that you hated and ended up loving.

Gin and Rangiku from Bleach. I didn't understand why people supported them until I got to the backstory. Gin is still a jackass, but he's her jackass. Sometimes, you just can't help who you fall in love with.

Day 27: A pairing that you loved and ended up hating.

Harry and Hermione from Harry Potter, because I fell for the main character/main girl allure. But as the series progressed, I just wasn't getting romance vibes from their characters, and ended up switching gears with them.

Day 28: A pairing that you will never understand.

The people who support Fai and Chii from Tsubasa. Um, guys, remember a little person called Hideki who is Chii's person just for me? Or how CLAMP doesn't break up canon pairings even in the space-time? Or how Fai made Chii to resemble someone he's related to?

Day 29: What ship had the bed proposal?

I've actually never seen or read a bed proposal to my recollection, so this one I'll have to pass on.

Day 30: Your favorite pairing forever and ever and ever!

Ike and Soren from Fire Emblem. *Pokes 'What's not to love about love?' post*

Well, here we go...

Hello there!

Welcome to the blog of Quickand2thePointless, a twenty-something American chick with an affinity for writing, snarking, and all things anime! For those of you who don't know me from my fanfiction or the crazy thing we call the real world, please let me introduce myself. My name is Julie. Did I mention I like to write? Must be because of the whole English major thing, but honestly, it's been a hobby for pretty much my entire life. My first short story was entitled 'Ship Surprise,' and I wrote it when I was about six years old. It's about two best friends hanging out, and one surprises the other with the fact that she owns a ship. It's still in my closet, in one of my old school notebooks. I'm still convinced that one day it will become the next great American classic, so I'm going to hold onto it until it does.

As far as the anime thing goes, that came later in life. I've been a fan of JRPGs since seventh grade thanks to my random purchase of a Gameboy game called Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (I picked it up because I liked the cover, so never say you can't judge a book by its cover; you totally can). From there I added a handful of new games to my collection, including all the other FE games I could get my hands on (Blazing Sword, Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn) as well as titles like Golden Sun and Tales of Symphonia. I was obsessed with the plots and the artwork, but I didn't think to enter the world of anime and manga as the next logical conclusion. I'm a little slow like that sometimes.

The sexiness of the Renais twins... what started it all :)

I ended up making the leap a few years ago when I was camped out in my university's computer lab in order to avoid my roommate from hell. I was sitting in front of the computer with nothing to do, waiting patiently for one in the morning to roll around so the devil sharing my room would be asleep and we wouldn't have to awkwardly ignore one another when I came back. During this time, I somehow ended up on Youtube with 'Tales of Symphonia' typed into the search bar. I had just recently replayed the game, and I was in one of those moods where all I wanted to do was obsess over it while it was still on my mind.

A few Let's Play videos popped up, but what immediately caught my eye was a video called Tales of Symphonia: The Animation. I almost died of joy. Here I was with hours to kill, and one of my favorite video games had its very own TV show? I settled down to watch, and suddenly one in the morning flew by, and I still was in the computer lab, eyes glued to the screen.

Kratos stepped on screen, and the deal was sealed.

The rest, as the saying goes, is history. From Tales of Symphonia, I moved on to shows like Bleach, xxxHolic, and Vampire Knight, and along with my stacks of literary novels, I started picking up FAKE, Chobits, and Fruits Basket from the local library. Once I popped, I sure as hell couldn't stop.

My collection has increased quite a bit since then, and I've bonded with a lot of people who share my hobby, so I've become more and more comfortable talking about it over the years. And thus the idea of this blog was born. I like to keep track of what I watch, as well as what I liked and what I didn't about certain series when I'm deciding what to rewatch or share with my friends. Since I'm planning on tackling a crap load of series over the upcoming months, and I'll be revisiting some of my old favorites with a friend next semester, what better time to start than now?

Of course this could just end up as me talking out into the void, but in case someone actually cares about this, I want to put a few things out there for whoever may be reading. Since anime/manga/JRPGs fall under a wide spectrum filled with tons upon tons of subcategories and genres, I'd like to first give viewers an idea of what kind of things I will be talking about. Here is a brief profile of my tastes, to give you an idea:

THE EVER AMAZING TASTES OF QUICKAND2THEPOINTLESS:

Favorite Manga: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, xxxHolic, FAKE, Chobits, Saiyuki, Bleach, and Rurouni Kenshin.

Favorite Anime: xxxHolic, Tiger & Bunny, Black Butler, Hetalia, CLANNAD, Tales of Symphonia, X, and Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.

Favorite Games: Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Vesperia, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun, Dragon Age, and Pokemon.

Things I Love in General: School life stories, slice of life, fantasy elements, large groups of bishounens, characters who kick butt with swords, complex plotlines, questioning human nature/values, challenging gender roles, and complicated relationship dynamics.

Favorite Mangaka: CLAMP. Wait, that wasn't obvious?

If that sounds like something you might like, stick around! I'll probably end up blabbing about it longer than you can stand!

Of course, a few warnings/notices probably must be issued considering that this is the internet, where there always exists someone out for blood:

1. There will be spoilers. I will try to mark them. I'm going to be talking about things I've read/seen/played all the way through, or else up to the current installment. I just don't want to give an overview of the premise, but to bring up my opinions on the ending/plot twists/arcs for those who have also gone through them as well. I will try to keep the spoilers at the end of my posts, and indicate when I'm heading into that territory. For things that are less plot driven, this will be much less of a concern.
   
   
2. I support shounen-ai and shoujo-ai pairings. I think all mutual love is beautiful. I get giddy and sappy over a good love scene regardless if it is shounen-ai (boy on boy) or shoujo-ai (girl on girl). Heck, I even support humans hooking up with artificial life/spiritual beings if the mangaka can make a good case for it. However, I only support pairings that have enough text and subtext to prove that feelings do exist (I also follow this rule with het pairings) so don't expect me to ship every pair of best friends I come across (some people really are just friends!). But if I'm being completely honest, about 85% of what I watch seems to have homoerotic subtext of some variety, especially since I love CLAMP so much and anything that features large amounts of bishounens. In any case, if you would like to tell me why homosexuality is wrong, feel free to, but it's really not going to change my mind. Ever since I figured out what it meant (when I was like eleven or so; I told you, I'm a little bit slow), I couldn't figure out why everyone was so freaked out by it. So if I wasn't able to be convinced as a straight laced goody goody Catholic school girl, there's no way I'm going to change my mind as an opinionated, free thinking young woman. Say what you want, but you'll be wasting your time.

   

   Heather and Nephenee: How is this not totally adorable?

   
   
3. I will happily accept recommendations! I already have a huge to-watch list, but I'm open to adding more. However, when I first began my anime watching adventure, I decided I would only tackle one massive series at a time. Out of the biggies (One Piece, Bleach, Naruto, Fairy Tail, etc) I chose Bleach, so I will not even be thinking about the others until I get Ichigo and co. out of the way (which shouldn't be too much longer at this point). When the time comes, I'll choose another one to dedicate time to.
   
   
4. I will swear and get sexual. A little.  I am in my twenties, after all, but I will try to keep it tasteful. There are plenty of words I think are too vulgar to use, even in something like this, but tamer expressions are all right by me.
   
   
5. I like a lot of genres, but there are some things I will not watch. Like Hentai, for example. I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but when I'm not at school, I live with my parents (at least for one more year or so). I like to watch my stuff on the big screen downstairs, and there's no way I'm watching anything suspicious when they are in the same household as me. Implied/censored sex is all right, but anything explicit is not going to be appearing on my TV screen any time soon. Also, any show where the entire plot seems to be “here are a ton of girls with big boobs doing things that make said big boobs bounce and jiggle” is not something I'm interested in. If I want to look at big boobs, I can just sit in front of the mirror all day, which to me sounds like more fun.

   

   This is about as far as I'll go on my TV screen. If my parents walk in, I can just pretend they're practicing for a wrestling meet.

   
   
6. I'm fine with people disagreeing with me. So please do! I love open discussions about the things I love, as long as its respectful and coherent. But as an English major, if you want to win an argument with me, you gotta be armed with evidence and persuasive skills. But if you want to make an argument along the lines of “xxxHolic is stuped, Watanooki is so gay,” I'm not going to rise to the occasion. If you want to argue like a little kid, find a little kid to argue with. It'll probably be more entertaining for you, in the end.
   
   
7. There will be typos. English major does not equal good typist. I also have the hobby of thinking faster than I type, which often leads to amusing errors (such as my personal favorite, 'stumbling into his perv' when I meant to say 'stumbling into his arms'. What the hell was going on in my brain?). But I will try to proofread! And if I'm consistently butchering a name so badly that it doesn't even look like a variation of the correct spelling, please let me know!

I think that about covers it. I hope I can provide someone out there some entertainment, but if not, at least I have indulged in my ramblings, which is always fun. First up will be a recent JRPG pick I've been enjoying, Sakura Wars: So Long My Love, and I hope you enjoy! I certainly plan to!