Fun Stuff: 30 Day Anime Challenge

For those of you who enjoyed the 30 Day Shipping Challenge, here's one focused on anime in general. I personally have a great time digging through my memories of watching my favorite shows to pull up the answers to the questions and recalling the things I loved the most. So let's give this one a shot!

Day 1 - Very first anime: Technically Sailor Moon and Pokemon when I was a young 'un, but in my more adult career of watching anime, it was Tales of Symphonia, as I detailed in my first post. It was so much fun seeing a game I loved animated that I checked out other series, including Bleach, Gakuen Heaven, xxxHolic, etc. But the very first were definitely the good old nineties classics. 

Ah, nostalgia. Brings back those good old grade school days.

Day 2 - Favorite anime you’ve watched so far: Definitely xxxHolic. I am obsessed with Yuuko, Watanuki, and Doumeki, so I was absolutely ecstatic to see them in the animated form. I was also pleased with how well the first two seasons stuck to canon and kept the filler to a minimum. Also, the use of Suga Shikao for opening themes? Um, YES!

Day 3 - Your anime crush: Oh, I definitely have plenty. Ogami from Sakura Wars, Hakkai from Saiyuki, Kyoya from Ouran High School Host Club, Yuri from Tales of Vesperia, Kotetsu from Tiger & Bunny... the list goes on

Day 4 - Anime you’re ashamed you enjoyed: Hmmm... I don't know, I don't really get ashamed of things I enjoy. With Tsubasa, I, along with many of CLAMP's fangirls, was disappointed by the filler and veering from canon, but I still enjoyed it aside from the many problems... mainly because of the soundtrack and the absolute joy of seeing Fai D Flourite animated.

 
Day 5 - Anime character you feel you are most like (or wish you were): I feel a kinship with Franz from Gankutsuou. We both like to be the voice of reason to our hot headed friends, and have a tendency of keeping our heart to ourselves. We both have someone we love very passionately, but realize we aren't the right person to make that person happy. Instead we do everything we can to ensure they are happy, even if our own happiness takes a backseat.

Franz does get minus points for engaging in needless self-sacrifice, though

  Day 6 - Most annoying anime character: I tend to have a problem with clingy jealous girls and guys. Sodia from Tales of Vesperia comes to mind (although I suppose that's the video game rather than the anime). And Yokozawa from Sekaiichi Hatsukoi before he finds his own romance and gets over Takano.

Day 7 - Favorite anime couple: Kurogane and Fai from Tsubasa. So deep and complex, it makes me drool with all of the fanfiction possibilities. 

Day 8 - Most epic scene ever: One of my favorites is when Light is trying to figure out how to keep Ray Penbar's lady love from reporting to the police what she knows about Kira in Death Note. The mental work that went into stopping her is just astounding, and the pacing and tension of the scene is brilliant.

Day 9 - Saddest anime scene: Since I've already gone on and on in other postings about my sad Tomoya/Nagisa scene in CLANNAD, I'll pick a different one this time: Subaru and Seishirou in X. All of their interactions together. The scene where Subaru broods on his ailing heart. The scene where we learn that Subaru can no longer make his barrier because he lost the thing he wanted to protect and has pretty much lost his usefulness as a Dragon of Heaven. Gaaaah, Subaru.

Ah, those two...

Day 10 - Favorite slice of life anime: Now that I think of it, I watch very few things without fantasy elements. Does Kuragehime count? If so, then totally Kuragehime.

 
Day 11 - Favorite mech series: Code Geass has a pretty awesome use of mechs going for it, but I like the personality of the machines in Gurren Lagann. Especially the incorporation of Kamina's shades onto the machine.

Day 12 - An ecchi picture from your favorite series: Ummm... let's just have kinky Watanuki and Doumeki from a doujinshi

 
Day 13 - Cosplay of your ‘waifu’ or Husbando’: I don't want to post someone's photo without permission, but if I did, it would most definitely be a Ranulf cosplay from Fire Emblem.

 
Day 14 - Current (or most recent) anime wallpaper: To go along with the fanfic I'm writing, One Soul

This is 100% in character too, which makes it even better

Day 15 - Post a cute Neko-girl: NOPE! Let's do a neko boy!

Day 16 - Post a kigurumi cosplay of your favorite anime character: Don't want to post someone without their permission

Day 17 - Favorite tsundere: Hiro-san from Junjou Romantica, of course. I love it when he orders flowers for Nowaki and then orders him not to get a big head over it. Nowaki still tackles him and announces that he's so happy he could die.

Day 18 - Something moe: Finland!

Day 19 - Mandatory swimsuit post: How about the pool scene from Toradora?

Day 20 - Favorite shoujo anime: Fruits Basket. My god, Fruits Basket. Although the series is incomplete, I just love the characters and romance so much that I can't be mad at the show. It would be nice if they animated the amazing ending the manga gives us.

Day 21 - Best yandere character: Belarus, naturally. 

Day 22 - Favorite boy’s love couple (or yuri couple, if you don’t like that sort of thing): Well, I love my KuroFai, but that's not a real BL series. So how about Kisa and Yukina from Sekaiichi Hatsukoi?

 
Day 23 - Anime you think had the best, or most intriguing art: Gankutsuou hands down. Especially the clothing designs of Haydee, as well as Albert's pirate outfit.

So awesome... it's even better when you see it in movement

Day 24 - Favorite anime hero or heroine: Lloyd Irving from Tales of Symphonia is a pretty excellent hero. I'm also rather fond of Vash from Trigun. And Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin.

 
Day 25 - Best anime villain: Ulquiorra from Bleach. His final scene... hot damn. He really does perfectly personify emptiness, and of course the fact that he's voiced by Daisuke Namikawa doesn't hurt!

Day 26 - Your favorite harem anime: I demand reverse harem! And as far as that goes, Ouran High School Host Club does it best.

Day 27 - Favorite anime opening theme song: Oooh, this is a toughie. Durarara does an excellent job with their track by Theatre Brook, and I'm rather fond of 19sai from xxxHolic. But really, does anything beat the Pokemon theme song?

 
Day 28 - Favorite pokemon: Bulbasaur!

Day 29 - Favorite school uniform: I'm going to have to go with CLANNAD

Day 30 - Anime character you want to cosplay: Euphemia from Code Geass. Costume is already on order!

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*

Theme Spotlight: Silky Heart

Yui Horie, voice actress of Toradora!'s Minori, sings just about as sweetly as she acts in Toradora's second opening theme, 'Silky Heart'. After lending her pipes to both primary opening and closing themes, 'Pre-Parade' and 'Vanilla Salt,' the seiyuu really shines in the season's second half's intro. Just try not dancing or squeeing inside to this upbeat track!

This track has received Minori's seal of approval.