One of my anime-related dreams is to raise a daughter beautiful both in body and soul like Kotori (DCSS), Karada (Asatte no houkou) or Kanami (Scryed). Mrs Stripey objects every time I bring it up. Not because it’s an impossible task (with her, I have 50% chance :P). but because such gentle-kindness/perfection is ill-suited [...]
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There goes our Health Minister, being forced to tender his resignation due to a sex scandal - he was videotaped having sex with a "personal friend" of his, but that's off topic. School's starting for me tomorrow so I won't be able to be active online anymore, but that's off topic again. Nevermind. Oh and yeah, Happy New Year 2008 to all readers of Yamaki's Anime Blog.What I am supposed to do right now, is to think of a few resolutions for the year 2008, hoping that I can actually achieve them by the end of the year, and that means that I have around 365 days to complete whatever that I have added into the resolutions.But before I do that, I'm going to reflect on the resolutions that I have given myself to achieve last year, and they are: Resolution #1: Finish watching all of the animes in hand before starting new onesNow that I think of it, in order to achieve this, I've only picked up only one or two animes per season. In the year 2007, I've picked up and successfully finished sola, Asatte no Houkou, School Days and Honey & Clover (first and second season) while dropping none (perhaps Digimon Savers), and so:Verdict: PASSResolution #2: Improve my writing skills to prevent readers from dying because of boredom*looks around* Hey you, don't run away yet! I've not even started... see what I'm talking about? I don't even know any of my loyal readers even if they are any, and so, I can say that readers must have not been returning due to boring articles.Verdict: FAILResolution #3: Improve my grammar in EnglishI can't feel any major improvements in my English grammar, but I think that I have definitely improved a little bit.Verdict: PASSResolution #4: Do/Write at least 10 blog updates/articles per monthLet's see... I only did four updates in February, nine updates in March, four updates in April, seven updates in May, four updates in June...... that's more than enough to make me fail.Verdict: FAILResolution #5: Create 3 Anime Music Videos (AMV)That was what I had originally planned, but in the end, I've only managed to make two - Who I Am, I Am in March and My Angel in December.Verdict: FAILResolution #6: Attend any cosplay events/conventions if they were held here in my placeThere's one HobbyCon that was held in December at the newly built shopping complex Komplex Asia City here in my side. However so, it had already ended when I found out about it... so there you go. I'm definitely going next year.Verdict: FAILShouldn't they be sleeping by then? The moon's so high up!Resolution #7: Sleep by 4 a.m. everytime I stay up lateWell, I don't know whether I should let myself pass this one... but I guess I'd go lenient on this one as most of the year other than December I've been sleeping quite early.Verdict: PASS Resolution #8: Be like any of the characters voiced by Tomokazu SugitaLet's see... am I surrounded by girls by now? No.Verdict: FAIL All in all, I can see that I did not fared well in the year 2007. Maybe I'd do better in 2008. So, let's see what I have prepared for myself as my resolution for 2008: Resolution #1: Attend HobbyCon Being the one and only major hobby based (including figurines, animes and mangas) conventions ever organized in Kota Kinabalu, I hope that I can attend it and make a report about the convention in this blog. Takeshi is nice to cosplay too... Resolution #2: Cosplay an anime character Kurogane from Tsubasa or Kyouya from Ouran sounds nice and simple, and if I can get my hands on the costumes, I might consider cosplaying in HobbyCon since it is after my SPM exam. Unless if I'm like this... Resolution #3: Continue to watch animes even on tight schedules I can feel that my passion towards animes slowly fading away, and in order keep the passion burning, I'd have to continue watching animes, non stop. Resolution #4: Create at least one anime music video WITHOUT using Windows Movie Maker Well, I felt that I have been rather dependent on Windows Movie Maker and should move out of it. Maybe I should learn Adobe Premier... Resolution #5: Get Yamaki's Anime Blog out of livejournal Seriously, I'm starting to think that livejournal sucks. Not only it discourages people to leave comments, it is not flexible at all without a paid account. Perhaps to Wordpress or a personal server, but it won't be anytime soon anyways.Oh and by the way,I was in camp the last week so I had to cancel the Remedial Anime Awards for December 2007. Let's hope that nothing would happen to me when it comes to the last Saturday of this month so the January 2008 awards can take place.
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Decidedly, the word is that 2007 is not as exciting as 2006. We did not have Haruhi, we did not have Simoun, we did not have Black Lagoon. In fact, I'm going to talk about shows I didn't see in 2007 (and some that I did, but not like Haruhi, Simoun and Black Lagoon).
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A normal day at Azure Flame. It’s been a year of ups and downs, of anime gems and utter disappointments- a year when I’ve alternated between craving more and feeling utterly fed up with the continuing deluge of episodes that take no account of the fact that people might have other things to do than stay [...]
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Some anime fans celebrate Moe Day on the 10th of October every year. Why? Well, if you tear the word "萌"(moe) apart, you'll get "十月十日" which is 10 of October in both Chinese and Japanese kanji, and there goes Moe Day. Not many anime fans are aware of the fact!The Saimoe Tournament is still on-going and I can see that almost all of the characters that I had openly supported had been eliminated! - Nayuki was eliminated by Konata, - Shouko was eliminated by Momoko (Sumomomomomo), - Ayu was defeated by Elulu (Utawarerumono) by a slim 39 votes majority- Mai was defeated by Louise (Zero no Tsukaima) by some 2(!!) votes majority, - Mana was defeated by Ayane (Nagasarete Airantou), - Karada was eliminated by Gretel (Otogi Jushi Akazuki), - Shiori was eliminated by Rena (Higurashi no Naku koro ni) while - Vita (Nanoha StrikerS) eliminated both Aono and Matsuri.There you go Mai. Louise won the second round by a very slim margin of 2 votes. For now, all of the candidates for Asatte no Houkou and sola have been eliminated, while only one Kanon character remains in the list - Sayuri. I now stand on the fence as an observer of the competition as I no longer have anyone to vote for. At least those characters who are still in the list deserves are popular enough. Let's hope Sayuri is moe enough to defeat her next opponent to qualify for the quarter finals - there should at least be one Kanon character in the quarters.Last but not least, I dedicate this Moe Day greetings to everyone out there reading this! May all of you have a Happy Moe Day!
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This picture has nothing to do with the contents of this post. My finals are next Monday and all I’ve done this week is to rewatch Elfen Lied and finish watching Asatte no Houkou. Wonder what anime should I marathon watch next? RahXephon? Another run of Evangelion? Or maybe something more contemporary like sola or [...]
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Today’s results:- Group G3 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　566票　エルルゥ＠うたわれるもの << Eruruu @ Utawarerumono >> 2位　420票　リモネ＠シムーン << Rimone @ Simoun >> 3位　194票　トウカ＠うたわれるもの << Touka @ Utawarerumono >> Group G7 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　501票　グレーテル（静森えりか）＠おとぎ銃士 赤ずきん << Gretel (Shizumori Erika) @ Otogi Jushi Akazukin >> 2位　454票　五百川からだ＠あさっての方向。 << Iokawa Karada @ Asatte no Houkou >> 3位　257票　高良ゆかり＠らき☆すた << Takara Yukari @ Lucky Star >> Group G11 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　416票　桜木茉莉＠苺ましまろ << Sakuragi Matsuri @ Ichigo Mashimaro >> 2位　410票　高島一子＠乙女はお姉さまに恋してる << Takashima Ichiko [...]
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Today’s result:- Group F2 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　622票　アルルゥ＠うたわれるもの << Aruruu @ Utawarerumono >> 2位　395票　白藤菜月（白ロリ）＠Saint October << Shirafuji Natsuki (White Loli) @ Saint October >> 3位　165票　アリス・L・マルヴィン＠パンプキン・シザーズ << Alice L. Malvin @ Pumpkin Scissors >> Group F6 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　427票　九頭竜もも子＠すもももももも ～地上最強のヨメ～ << Kuzuryuu Momoko @ Sumomo mo momo mo >> 2位　366票　パキラ＠錬金3級まじかる？ぽか～ん << Pachira @ Renkin Sankyuu Magical? Poka~n >> 3位　207票　野上椒子＠あさっての方向。 << Nogami Shoko @ Asatte no Houkou >> Group F10 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　586票　藍華・S・グランチェスタ＠ARIA [...]
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Let me start by congratulating Nayuki to have qualified for the second round in Group B just now! Then, let me go into the main topic of this article.Yamaki's Saimoé Voting Schedule For 1st RoundDate - Group - Name (Anime)21/08 - C08 - Kasumi (Shakugan no Shana)22/08 - C06 - Mayuko (sola)23/08 - C11 - Aono (sola)23/08 - C07 - Primula (Shuffle!)24/08 - C12 - Matsuri (sola)27/08 - D07 - Shiori (Kanon)25/08 - D09 - Yue (Negima!?)01/09 - E03 - Nodoka (Negima!?)04/09 - F06 - Shouko (Asatte no Houkou)06/09 - F12 - Tsukasa (Lucky Star)08/09 - G01 - Ayu (Kanon)08/09 - G09 - Mana (Sola)10/09 - G07 - Karada (Asatte no Houkou)14/09 - H07 - Mai (Kanon)PredictionsTonight is the last night for the votings for Group B. Nayuki gets my vote, automatically - if I were earlier, but she still won anyways. Ahaha.It is really unlucky as if Aono and Matsuri were to both qualify in the first round, they would face each other in the second round. There's just too many sola characters in Group C, I'd say. To put more than two of the main characters in the same group is just... random unfairness! But what can be done about it?? On the other hand, I'm not voting for Makoto in C09 as I'll be giving my vote to Kasumi.Makoto and her adult form are going to have a strong competition if both are able to qualify the first round, I reckon, and the possibility is high, too, but I'd vote for adult Makoto anyways if that were to happen. I've never been interested in young Makoto in the very first place.D09 is another group with strong competition going on. I would really vote for Haruhi (Fujioka of Ouran, not to be confused with Haruhi Suzumiya) and Enma (Jigoku Shoujo) looks good too, but I'd have to discard them to choose Yue. I guess it's up to those fans out there to decide the fate of Haruhi and Enma. Haruhi looks cute in her casual wear, but she is mostly seen in her male school uniform and therefore less appealing while Enma is plain... creepy.I might consider voting for Kagami in D11 and Kaori in 06 if I were to be free on those day. Or else they're out of my list - I don't know much about Kagami other than the fact that she's the twin sister of Tsukasa from what I've read from Wikipedia and is somewhat Tsundere. The two Misaka sisters of Kanon, Kaori and Shiori, both are also in Group D so either one of them are going down if both were to reach D-final on 19/10. I'm all for Shiori to enter the final.Somewhat, after looking at the schedule, Nodoka was the only one I'm interested in voting for in Group E. Not voting for Setsuna 'cause I don't call her moé - it's just isn't the right word to describe her. I've chosen to vote for 2 characters in Group F, and they are Tsukasa and Shouko. I don't watch Lucky Star, but I've been rather interested in Tsukasa and I would like to see how far can she go competiting with girls from Rozen Maiden. Her elder twin sister Kagami seems to be more appealing to voters according to the preliminary results - Kagami got the first place in the preliminary round, beating girls from Rozen Maiden. I'm voting for Shouko (F06), but I'm not expecting much from her. Even if she loses, I won't be surprised at all - there's Momoko, the main female character of Sumomomomomo herself, competing with her in the first round, and even if Shouko were to qualify, she'll definitely lose to Suiseiseki in the second round, I predict, based on the fact that Suiseiseki was last year's overall winner.Group G is another group with intense competition, at least for those characters I would like to vote for. Karada is going to face Miyuki of Lucky Star in the first round (G07) while Mana is facing Yakumo of School Rumble (G09). Ayu would have a comfortable match in Group G thanks to her cuteness, cluelessness and *free warm-and-nice Taiyaki* to those who vote for her.That's the end of my predictions.For More Information
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In conjunction with Yamaki’s Anime Blog’s First Anniversary celebration (I wanted to buy a birthday cake to celebrate but I was short of money, so meh), I, kristalyamaki, would like to present to you, the best of the best, the ones that made many go fanatical, in a roundup of the best animes of each month as produced in every month for the past 12 months. It’s about time I proudly announce the best winners of the Remedial Anime Awards, August 2006 – July 2007. For those wondering what had happened to the awards for the month of July 2007, there is not going to be a July edition of the Remedial Anime Awards. Taking that apart, there’s still this overall awards so you can sit back and enjoy!And so, here is the list of anime series which are included in this award:1. Asatte no Houkou2. Sola3. School Rumble4. Honey & Clover5. Kanon (2006)6. Shuffle!7. .hack//roots8. Infinite RyviusThe following anime series are also specially allowed to enter a few specific awards due to lack of contestants:1. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Best Vocal Soundtrack)2. Bleach (Best ED Theme Song)3. Maria-sama ga Miteru (Best ED Theme Song)4. NHK ni Yokoso (Best ED Theme Song)There would be altogether 17 awards which will be given away tonight to the contesting anime series. The anime series have underwent strict judging by me and a few other anime watchers that I know and we have come to a conclusion. (well, I did most of the critiques and nominations while all the other judges did was nodded their heads to whatever I said. It’s hard to find good anime critics these days... =\ ) Eight awards are to be given away in the Storyline Awards. And so, the following are the awards with their respective winners. Best Storyline - School Category: Honey & Clover1. Best Storyline – Drama Category : Asatte no Houkou2. Best Storyline – Character Interaction Category: Sola3. Best Storyline – Comedy Category: School Rumble4. Best Storyline – School Category: Honey & Clover5. Best Storyline – A Slice of Life Category: Asatte no Houkou6. Best Storyline – Romance Category: Kanon (2006)7. Best Storyline – Climax Category: Shuffle!8. Best Storyline – Overall: Honey & CloverAsatte no Houkou became the proud winner of the Drama Category as well as the Slice of Life Category, making it the only anime series to win two awards in the Best Storyline Awards. However, that does not make the anime series the best of the best as Honey & Clover was the anime series which won the Overall Best Storyline awards. It had also won the School Category, defeating Kanon (2006) and School Rumble in a close match in the category. Besides that, Honey & Clover seems to be balanced in almost all of the qualities above, making the anime one which truly deserve the Best Overall award.Meanwhile, School Rumble, which would be most likely to have its final appearance in this blog (unless if I were to get my hands of season two) won the Comedy Category for its unique out-of-the-universe character gags which would end anyone watching the anime series having a good time rolling on the floor laughing out loud. Shuffle! won the climax category with its sudden, hasty change in plot. Not going to elaborate to avoid leaking spoilers.The Romance Category is another category with intense competition as most contenders are somewhat romance related. Kanon (2006) overcame various obstacles and finally it manages to outstand other anime series such as Honey & Clover and Shuffle!. I received many objections on this but neither of the objections were strong enough to change my mind. Do you like to see you favourite anime characters interact with another character? Will they end up fighting, or will they end up as lovers or normal friends? Just thinking about that makes you high, right? And that’s the main reason why I’d introduced the Character Interaction Category. Like to see the Koyori and Aono interaction, do you? Like to see Matsuri and Mana’s interaction, do you? Well, I do, and that’s why I’d given Sola ‘Best Character Interaction’.And now, onto the next awards.9. Best Fansubbing Group – Lunar FansubsOne of the judges (Wangba) wasn’t too satisfied with Lunar winning best Fansubbing Group. However, when I asked him for his suggestion, he kept quiet. In other words, he wasn’t able to think of any other better group to win this award. Well, I have chosen this group based on the works that they have done, such as Asatte no Houkou and Sola. They may have not done everything perfectly, but they sure did a good job in. Way to go, Lunar! Disclaimer: Yamaki’s Anime Blog is no way affiliated to Lunar Fansubs. Oh and, if you’re from Lunar, feel free to claim a banner from me. I’ll specially make one for your fansubbing group. Best Art – Character Category: Honey & Clover10. Best Art – Character Category: Honey & Clover11. Best Art – Background Category: Kanon (2006)Honey & Clover’s art is quite different from other animes, having characters with round face, no nose and a big mouth. They’re rather chibi-fied but not exactly chibi-fied, and they give everyone a ‘cute’ feeling towards them. That’s what made them special.On the other hand, Kanon (2006, and NOT 2002) won the best art for Background. From a large barley field, a neverending snowy path, a long school corridor at night to the busy shops of the shopping district, the background were drawn very nicely and it became a plus for Kanon which had high expectations from fans.Komorebi Diari - Karada Chapter-12. Best Vocal Soundtrack:Finalists:- Namida Gumo – Suara (Komorebi Diary -Karada Chapter-)- SELECT – Minori Chihara (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 2 Yuki Nagato)- COOL EDITION – Natsuko Kuwatani (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 5 Ryoko Asakura)- Natsuiro Sweet Pain – Fujimura Ayumi (Komorebi Diary -Karada Chapter-)The winner: Namida Gumo – Suara (Komorebi Diary -Karada Chapter-)*looks around for any Haruhi fans* *dodges a knife* HEY! Even though I have not chosen either of the Haruhi girls’ songs, but that doesn’t mean that I do not like them! It is just that Namida Gumo’s better, in my opinion. Yeah, I do enjoy solemn slow songs. Well, listening to Namida Gumo reminds me of fighting those monsters in a cavern underwater in those Final Fantasy games on my GBA... yeah, it reminds me of that.13. Best OP Theme Song:Finalists:- Hikari no Kisetsu – Suara (Asatte no Houkou)- Roling Star – YUI (Bleach)- Madokashii Sekai no Uede – Yui Makino (NHK ni Yokoso)- Silly-Go-Round - FictionJunction Yuuka (.hack//Roots)- Colorless Wind – Aira Yuhki (sola)The Winner: Silly-Go-Round - Fiction Junction Yuuka (.hack//Roots)The song has hooked me on since I’ve first heard it. Being .hack//Root’s OP theme, it somewhat gives me the sudden boost of energy to do something which I am rather sure that I’ll be able to achieve someday, somehow (itsuka kimi e...). On the other hand, I am also an online gamer, although not yet a hikkomori, and watching .hack//Roots is like something new to me where everything seems so real despite the characters only being a sprite! That feeling wouldn’t come to me when I play MapleStory!Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho – Ayana (Kanon [2006])14. Best ED Theme Song:Finalists:- Waltz – Suneohair (Honey & Clover)- Chercher – KOTOKO (Maria-sama ga Miteru OAV)- Mellow Melody – Ceui (sola)- Innocence – Miyuki Hashimoto (Shuffle!)- Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho – Ayana (Kanon [2006])Winner: Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho – Ayana (Kanon [2006])I’m really going to regret making this decision, but a decision made is a decision made. Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho – Ayana (Kanon [2006]) is the winner of Best Overall ED Theme Song. This song kept repeating in my head while I was shopping in HarbourFront in Singapore last December, but at that time I couldn’t remember what song it was. Later when I came back to Malaysia then I found out that it was Kanon’s ED. Bah, I even had to search Wikipedia for the name of the song!Best Overall Male: Aizawa Yuuichi (Kanon 2006)15. Best Overall MaleFinalists:- Aizawa Yuuichi (Kanon [2006])- Iokawa Hiro (Asatte no Houkou)- Tsuchimi Rin (Shuffle!)- Takemoto Yuta (Honey & Clover)- Mayama Takumi (Honey & Clover- Aiba Kouji (Infinite Ryvius)Winner: Aizawa Yuuichi (Kanon [2006])If you hadn’t noticed, in the six finalists, three of them are voiced by Tomokazu Sugita, Yuuichi included. Well, it was indeed thanks to Tomokazu Sugita who had given Yuuichi this sarcastic character. So, what else have I to say? Yuuichi had totally overtaken the other finalist with his antics and gags as well as his warmness. He’s also a hopeless romantic to those who see him in a different way.Best Overall Male, Yuuichi, with Best Overall Female, Shiori.16. Best Overall FemaleFinalists:- Iokawa Karada (Asatte no Houkou)- Nogami Shouko (Asatte no Houkou)- Misaka Shiori (Kanon [2006])- Kawasumi Mai (Kanon [2006])- Yamada Ayumi (Honey & Clover)Winner: Misaka Shiori (Kanon [2006])A girl who is always sick, although she did eventually became better. Despite being a weak crybaby in the inside, she’s the perfect weapon to deal with Yuuichi as she is able to rebuff his words by a few simple words such as ‘I hate people who says things like that...”. The best thing is, she is not even a little bit tomboyish unlike other popular girls. Anyone would fall in love with her at once once they get to know her better!17. Best Overall Anime.Winner: Kanon (2006)All contesting animes are included. The following are the results based on the animes’ performances in throughout the year. That's the end of the awards. Have fun! Yamaki's Anime Blog is now one year old. I hope I can continue to blog until next year. Gotta go now, my parents are nagging at me to go to sleep.
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