Info Title: Princess Tutu Studio: Hal Film Maker Licensee: ADV Films Number of Episodes: 26 Year Produced: 2002-3  A long time ago there was an anime horribly named Princess Tutu. Men wouldn’t watch it because others would question their sexuality upon doing so, and women wouldn’t watch it because it sounds like it would be little girl’s cartoon. In the end, Princess Tutu would end up being the ugly duckling of anime, forever lost to other anime with awesome titles like ‘Gunslinger Girl’, and ‘Murder Princess’.   However, in most cases a series' title means nothing. For example, you would think an anime called ‘Those Who Hunt Elves’ would be an epic masterpiece featuring Legolas fighting off insane hunters who can shoot 5 bows at once while riding on top of a flying dolphin, etc... but in the end it isn’t that great; not withstanding tanks and breasts. What I’m trying to say is that even if you name an anime Princess Tutu, it can still be epic.  --- God Len Plot Princess Tutu is actually two things in this anime. On one hand, it is a classical story, written by the long dead Drosselmeyer. The other, is in the real world, where events similar to the story are playing out.   The Book:  Princess Tutu The world is threatened by the evil Raven, and protected by the valiant Prince. In an attempt to seal away the Raven, the Prince takes his sword, and shatters his own heart. This left the prince empty, emotionless, yet still just as loved by the people. So loved, that one magic duck becomes a girl, Princess Tutu, and helps him gather the shards of his broken heart.    Duck The Real World: Duck, our quacking protagonist of the story, is approached by Drosselmeyer (who should be deceased.) He explains how elements of his story are quite real, and that "the prince" Mytho needs her help. Drosselmeyer gives her a magic pendant that allows her to become a girl, who, in turn, attends the same ballet school as Mytho. In times of need, she actually becomes of the legendary Princess Tutu, and restores elements of his heart. The twist? The emotions she returns to the Prince are, by default, negative emotions (despair, guilt, etc.)    Oh, and eventually Duck learns that the story is a tragedy. If "Princess Tutu" ever admits how she feels to the Prince, she'll turn into a speck of light and disappear for ever.     Things you might like   <object width="640" height="505"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tHZqxecCukg&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;"> </param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> </param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed wmode="transparent" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tHZqxecCukg&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"> </embed></param><param value="transparent" name="wmode"> </param></object>   Don't let your masculinity be challenged, this series makes ballet cool.  Monster of the week format makes each episode approachable, yet fits into a larger framework Despite its light colors/action, the tone is fairly dark, with each character consistently punished for their most noble actions. Piles of classical music you'll actually recognize, and feel smarter for knowing.   Recommend it to friends who liked... Revolutionary Girl Utena Sailor Moon Shugo Chara Romeo x Juliet Images   Drosselmeyer approaches duck  Fakir and rue  "Princess Tutu"  Rue and her gaggle of faceless friends         Conclusion One part "Magical School Girl Gone Wrong," one part "Well animated ballet amid classical music," the end result has a fairly delicious taste. In a genre that has been tapped and reproduced like clockwork, Princess Tutu comes out feeling very strong, and very independent of the tropes it employs. While not for everyone, if you can get beyond the ballet centric theme, Princess Tutu is a solid hit. At the very least, its an anime that doesn't suck.   Other anime that doesn't suck
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Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link. Comptiq with Lucky Star Calendar Awesome new issue of Comptiq, beloved of moe fans everywhere. You always get great free stuff with these magazines, and this issue is extra special, with the *free* Lucky Star monthly calendar. Ge Maga ~ Game Magazine Apr 2010 New issue of Ge Maga, or Game Magazine, which follows all the hottest games, including all the top consoles and portable games. Info on the Miku Hatsune arcade came in this issue! Rilakkuma iPod Cases are Kawaii! Our line of iPod product is really exploding, and today we're posting several kawaii Rilakkuma cases for the current iPod nano. Have the most original iPod case anywhere! Yotsubato Daily School Calendar 2010 Great news -- we got the Yotsuba 2010 calendar in stock today, and it's a really special item. Bad news -- 94% of them sold to preorder customers, so we only have a few left. Don't miss this outstanding item! SUMMER WARS (Blu-ray Disc) The anime film everyone is talking about is Summer Wars, one of the most original and beautiful films since Spirited Away -- it's that awesome. And we just happen to have the new Blu-Ray boxed set for your viewing enjoyment. Anime Artbooks Restocked Then see fresh stock of some nice artbooks, including the Moe Moe Military Encyclopedia, the Gurren Lagann Official Movie Fanbook, plus several gorgeous Queen's Blade books. Kanji Practice for Adult ~ Revised Edition Learn Japanese with your Nintendo DS, using the newly revised kanji training program we just got in stock. Restocked DS Games, Too Also, see fresh stock of the kawaii Shugo Chara DS game and The IDOLMASTER Dearly Stars games, which we got in stock today. Hokuto Musou ***Preorder*** Fist of the North Star is the legendary fighting manga/anime from the 80s that's part homage to The Road Warrior, and all awesome. The new PS3 game is going to rock our world, so we're posting it for preorder now. KAO LIESE Hair Designing Jelly ~ Multi Accent J-List caries some really amazing Japanese hair-care products, and the new Hair Designing Jelly from KAO is in stock for you today. See them on the Fashion & Beauty page. New Snacks from Japan Be healthy with the new BalanceUp fiber bars w/ cream in the middle -- Black Sesame flavored! Also, Milk Caramel Pocky, Strawberry Ramune Candy and an awesome item, Lotte Xylotol Ginger Ale Gum! Kitakata Noodle FURIKAKE (Fukushima) Yum! A new flavor of furikake powder that you sprinkle over rice, this time with the flavor of Kitakata Ramen from Kyushu. Also restocked, several flavors of Food Drops candies, including Cherry Boy (heh). Hello Kitty Slim 2 Tier Bento Box, Sanrio Chopsticks Got another Hello Kitty bento box for you, a nice 2-tier model with everything you need for a satisfying bento lunch experience. Also: matching chopsticks w/ case. Restocked Bento Boxes, Too Other popular bento boxes are restocked today, including the amazing stacking bento boxes from Hakoya and the kawaii Panda Paws bento from Prime Nakamura. NORI-PIYO Egg Carrying Case Neat! It's an carrying case for a hard-boiled egg for bento fans that's modeled after my favorite onigiri bento case, the Norio Angry Face item. Deco Onigiri and Chirashi for Beginners Here's a super Japanese book that shows you how to make "deco" (decoration) onigiri in many cute shapes, using great ingredients like rice, nori and vegetables to create cute shapes. Totoro Bento Boxes, Plush Toys Restocked The nice Totoro Tight Bento Box is back in stock, which is great since it's one of my favorites. Also, several great Totoro and Cat Bus plush toys back on the site. Hello Kitty Bento & Kitchen Products We love Hello Kitty items for your kitchen, and today we're posting some really special items, including the Hello Kitty Sandwich Shaper which "seals" your sandwich closed in a cute shape, plus Hello Kitty Training Chopsticks and the Muffin Mold. Mousse-chan Fuwa-Fuwa Paper Clay Refill ~ Basic White For fans of our "paper clay" mold toys, which make it fun to create your own detailed toys in many shapes, enjoy this refill clay. Back King Bath Tablets Also, see fresh stock of the fizzing bath tablets that also make your bath a very pleasant experience. To use, fill the bath and then get in, dropping one of the tablets in the water. As it fizzes, the bubble will make you feel great. 20 tablets included! Japonica KOKUGO / Japanese Writing Notebook J-List carries books to help you practice your Japanese, like the new kokugo (lit. "national language," e.g. Japanese) book for practicing Japanese writing. Restocked Study & Traditional Items Fun random Japanese items for you, including the Natural Wooden Study Puzzle for learning hiragana, a Ninja Phone Strap, Shinsengumi Happi kimono and shodo calligraphy set. Simple Stripe Rice Bowl Sometimes simple is best, like this really nice rice bowl for enjoying any kind of Japanese food. Magical UKIYOE GEISHA Transforming Towel An interesting towel from Japan which features a beautiful image of a geisha -- the towel actually transforms when it gets wet. Samurai Sword Keychain You never know when you'll be attacked by little ninjas, so be prepared with the ornate Samurai Sword Keychain we're posting today, which is also great for opening boxes, letter and stuff. Hello Kitty Chirimen SAKURA Tote Bag See fresh stock of our popular Hello Kitty plush bag that's large enough to be a main take-anywhere bag for most women. It's made of chirimen, the fabric kimonos are made from, and it's fabulous. Four colors are back in stock. ToraDora! Strap Collection Set of 7 **Preorder** I am a huge fan of Toradora!, the show about life, love and tsundere, and we've posted these cool keychains featuring 7 different characters. Awesome Queen's Blade Figures, Artbooks Then, for Queen's Blade fans we have not one but two artbooks posted for preorder, the lovely dwarf twins and Fighting Lady Lili, plus a super ecchi figure of Leina. Saya Tokido 1/8 Figure ~ Little Busters **Preorder** Next, a dynamite figure from Little Busters, this is Saya who is holding a gun and wearing a torn school uniform, a pretty awesome combination. EROS 1000 Complete set ~ Osamu Tezuka Osamu Tezuka is the "God of Manga" who created everything from Astro Boy to Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba the White Lion), but he also created a lot of awesome ecchi works, which are compiled into these two volumes (1000 pages). Neat! Yuri Manga from Japan Also, we love yuri, the genre of girls who fall in love with other girls, and we've posted a sweet new work called Sky-Colored Girlfriend Rikachi. Japanese Eroge In Stock Check out the delicious Image-Ex, a photorealistic CG animated game made by a doujin software studio -- full motion! Also see fresh stock of Real Kanojo. Sumire Portrait Studio An innovative stress relief novelty toy that lets you be with your virtual girlfriend Sumire (su-mi-reh, it means "violet" like the flower). Super realistic feel, lotion and collectible cards inside. Bible Black Stress Toys, More Restocked The popular Bible Black novelty toys are restocked today, including the Kaori Saeki Cup simulator, plus the A10 and R-1 advanced toys from Rends.
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(°Д°) (°Д°) (°Д°) Okay, I admit. At first I wasn’t too enthusiastic about SC! Encore (considering that SC! Party was shit and the first series of the manga ended pretty disappointingly), but…THIS CHAPTER. It’s like Peach-Pit decided to listen to the fans and made our shipping fantasies come true or something. In other words, this chapter
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OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD!!!!!!!!!!!! XD XD XD XD XD XD XD
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Awww……. Usually, I dislike it when they end one series just to continue it in another (like in Kamichama Karin Chu, ugh). This is even worse because of the way that Shugo chara ended (it’s very……meh). HOWEVER, Shugo chara encore is adorable~ Ah, it’s been too long since I’ve squealed at shoujo manga… [...]
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Today marks the opening of the official site of S/Mileage. If your wondering why im posting this, 3 of the girls are previously from the original members of the 1st season of Shugo Chara Egg. On top of that, they are going on twitter too. Do look out for their new single on 3/14. Disclaimer: I am [...]
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Here's a list from 2channel of "common-knowledge seiyuu couples." Almost completely without evidence, but fun to contemplate. Just to make this even more like a tabloid rag, I've included photos.Kamiya Hiroshi (34) and Saitou Chiwa (28). The story is that after a difficult divorce (from a mangaka), and then a devastating motorcycle accident, Kamiya found Chiwa was his true friend. Some of the detailed indications on this 2channel page make at least a bit of sense: he gave his girl friend a watch and Chiwa likes watches, etc. The two have worked together quite a bit, particularly as Kouhei and Hazuki in Tsukuyomi Moonphase and as Araragi and Senjougahara in Bakemonogatari. Nakamura Yuuichi (29) and Inoue Marina (25). She is a capable and serious ojou-sama. His motto is "never be late" -- but he is apparently also highly sociable and the last to leave a drinking party. Taniyama Kishou (34) and Tomatsu Haruka (20). Well-known rocker Taniyama was previously (and probably spuriously) linked with Hirano Aya. At least the stories are consistent: the old satyr and the slim and genki young entertainer. Hino Satoshi (31) and Nakajima Saki (31). Shana's foil and Saki from Hayate. Ono Daisuke (31) and Tamura Yukari (33). Two mature, capable, and successful seiyuu. Terashima Takuma (26) and Itou Kanae (23). Teppei from Princess Lover and Amu from Shugo Chara. Okamoto Nobuhiko (23) and Hikasa Youko (24). Layfon from Chrome-shelled Regios and Mio from K-On. Irino Miyu (21) and Sanpei Yuuko (23). I think YuuYuu would wear the pants in this family. This match-up makes an interesting contradiction with the supposed yuri pairing between Sanpei and her old friend Koshimizu Ami. In fact, they have been showing up in each others' blogs somewhat less often in recent months. Suzuki Tatsuhisa (26) and Katou Emiri (26). Yuuji and Hideyoshi in Baka to Test. Or Sugata in Sora no Otoshimono and Kagami in Lucky Star. Suzumura Kenichi (35) and Sakamoto Maaya (29). Two of the beautiful people. Washizaki Takeshi (36) and Iguchi Yuka (21). The smart radio/TV host and the young veteran who plays moe roles like Index. Yoshino Hiroyuki (35) and Ueda Kana (29). Allelujah Haptism in Gundam00 and Saki in Saki. Kana-chan is a lot more mature as a person than are the moe characters she tends to play. Sakurai Takahiro (35) and Mizuki Nana (30). If this is true, it's huge. The wildly popular Nana-chan and a star seiyuu who remains under a bit of cloud for plagiarizing a live drama he helped produce a couple of years ago. Tachibana Shinnosuke (31) and Sakuno Airi (25). Not so well known, but they both work for big agency Production Baobab. She plays mainly unnamed roles. He was Minato in Sekirei. Nabatame Hitomi (33) and Itou Shizuka (29). At least there's one yuri couple that may actually be a couple. Two strong women who are top professional voices. Morikubo Shoutarou (35) and Nakahara Mai (28). Shou-chan is one of the foremost boys-love seiyuus. Mai-sama -- who just seems to get better and better at what she does -- was formerly linked with Shimizu Ai in a (fake) yuri relationship. Just to repeat: I have no knowledge that any of these relationships actually exists. This post is just for fun. My only basis is an otaku's post on 2channel.
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Wow, they sure are throwing a lot of gender confusion into Baka Test. Even I’m getting confused D: Too much trappage Moe moe kyun~ Although after watching Shugo Chara I instinctively think of Amu shouting “Negative Heart, lock on!” P.S. Baka Test for best anime of 2010, callin it now~ Posted in anime Tagged: baka to test to [...]
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     Why Ditzy Girls Rule (In Japan) This little theory has been brewing in my head for a while now, as a response to the following question: why is it, exactly, that girls of minimal intelligence-- from K-On!'s Yui back to Sailor Moon's Usagi Tsukino and plenty of earlier examples --are so popular in anime? It's a question that's been batted around in relation particularly to K-On!. I know several people (including some of you!) whose first reaction to Yui Hirasawa was to wonder why "moe" had apparently devolved into "stupidity."            Some characters are oblivious without being totally ditzyThe Japanese stereotype, of course, is that no one ever says what they mean, but rather what they're supposed to in a situation. It's a stereotype, which means that it's at once both overstated by outsiders AND based on some level of accuracy. As presented in most anime, societal roles are heavily prescribed: your role as a boss, as an employee, as a customer, as a sales clerk. Even "outsider" roles like that of a bully or a criminal carries certain expectations, although they're exaggerated in anime and other media for comedic or dramatic effect. In Shugo Chara!, Amu is unsure of how to be herself in the face of the expectations around her But something you see frequently in anime is a character who, for whatever reason, ignores the expected role of their position or archetype. Bleach's main character, Ichigo, has an "angry-looking face" and towards the beginning of the series, this causes people to react to him a certain way, and he doesn't particularly disabuse the notion that he's a tough jerk. Similarly, Shugo Chara! revolves around a girl who dresses in a punk fashion but is shy, leading others to think that her reticence is a "lone wolf" attitude, which she struggles with constantly.  And then, of course, to bring us back to the topic at hand, there's the dumb girl. Typical characteristics include being completely oblivious to social norms-- but this is usually balanced by her having a particularly generous heart, remarkable insight into a person's true feeling even when they're acting only as they're expected to, and/or are hilarious. This countering of the character's lesser intelligence is extremely important, because I think it's the key to the dumb girl's popularity. If you're in Japan, and you spend your days more or less just meeting the expectations of everyone else, acting within your role and not expressing yourself quite as blatantly as one might in the U.S., then a character with none of those social restrictions, who is oblivious to her expected role, can be quite a hero. She can tell it like it is instead of like the others would pretend it to be, she can spit out that weird thought in her head without worrying about what others will think, and she can tell you why you're a great guy when the conventional wisdom is that you're a creepy pervert who only likes 2D girls that look like 12-year-olds. Small wonder, then, why the Japanese fan might be so moe for ditzy girls-- and no wonder why the more outspoken American fan may be less enamored. Of course, this is just a theory about ONE motivation of what are most assuredly many.  A few examplesBear in mind that these character types have a lot of overlap! Miaka Yuuki Ditzy Girls with Strong Loyalty/Kindness - Miaka Yuuki - Usagi Tsukino - Tohru Honda   Mutsumi OtohimeDitzy Girls with Remarkable Insight- Mutsumi Otohime- Kyouko Mogami    Tsukasa HiiragiDitzy Girls with Hilarious Commentary - Osaka - Yui Hirasawa - Tsukasa    Hiiragi  It's also worth mentioning, of course, that there are male versions of each of these-- Ash Ketchum, Justy Tylor, and Gourry Gabriev, to name one of each, respectively...but that could be another essay entirely!
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Image is courtesy of MiyuriInternational Saimoe League Nominations results were announced about a week ago, but the statistics were revealed only some two days ago. 86 characters, plus the automatic entries based on previous results, advance to the next phase, the preliminary period.Nomination Results: (The number is total number of received votes)1 Akiyama Mio K-ON! 4172 Senjōgahara Hitagi Bakemonogatari 3283 Shiina Mafuyu Seitokai no Ichizon 3014 Sakurano Kurimu Seitokai no Ichizon 2235 Sengoku Nadeko Bakemonogatari 1986 Kuronuma Sawako Kimi ni Todoke 1727 Shiina Minatsu Seitokai no Ichizon 1628 Akaba Chizuru Seitokai no Ichizon 1619 Saten Ruiko To Aru Kagaku no Railgun 16010 Shirai Kuroko To Aru Majutsu no Index 15611 Hanato Kobato Kobato. 14812 Beatrice Umineko no Naku Koro ni 14813 Ikaros Sora no Otoshimono 13814 Alice Pandora Hearts 12015 Kotobuki Tsumugi K-ON! 11316 Uiharu Kazari To Aru Kagaku no Railgun 11117 Sangō Shizuku Kämpfer 10818 Tainaka Ritsu K-ON! 10819 Nymph Sora no Otoshimono 10420 Hoshina Utau Shugo Chara! 10321 Ushiromiya Ange Umineko no Naku Koro ni 10122 Miyanaga Saki Saki 10023 Nogizaka Haruka Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu 9824 Ushiromiya Maria Umineko no Naku Koro ni 9825 Suō Pavlichenko Darker than Black 9426 Yin Darker than Black 9227 Takei Hisa Saki 9028 Ryōgi Shiki Kara no Kyōkai 8529 Kamio Misuzu AIR 7830 Bernkastel Umineko no Naku Koro ni 7831 Yagami Hayate Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha 7732 Mizuno Kaede Nyan Koi! 7633 Index Librorum Prohibitorum To Aru Majutsu no Index 7334 Amamiya Yūko ef - a tale of memories 7235 Minami Kana Minami-ke 7136 Mizunashi Akari ARIA 7037 Hachikuji Mayoi Bakemonogatari 7038 Isayama Yomi Ga-rei Zero 6739 Kirishima Kotone Nyan Koi! 6440 Ranka Lee Macross Frontier 6341 Kirishima Akari Nyan Koi! 5742 Kusakabe Misuzu 11eyes 5643 Winry Rockbell Fullmetal Alchemist 5344 Felli Loss Chrome Shelled Regios 5245 Senō Natsuru Kämpfer 5246 Sōryū Asuka Langley Neon Genesis Evangelion 5247 Shindō Chihiro ef - a tale of memories 5148 Sonozaki Shion Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 5149 Nagi Kannagi 5150 Tsuruya Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu 5151 Enma Ai Jigoku Shōjo 5052 Nishizawa Ayumu Hayate no Gotoku! 4953 Shihō Matsuri sola 4954 Oshino Shinobu Bakemonogatari 4755 Aizawa Sakuya Hayate no Gotoku! 4656 Segawa Izumi Hayate no Gotoku! 4657 Minase Nayuki Kanon 4658 Ayanami Rei Neon Genesis Evangelion 4659 Isurugi Noe true tears 4660 Sheryl Nome Macross Frontier 4561 Alice Caroll ARIA 4462 Evangeline A.K. McDowell Mahō Sensei Negima! 4463 Hanekawa Tsubasa Bakemonogatari 4364 Sakurazaki Setsuna Mahō Sensei Negima! 4265 Shirayuki Mizore Rosario + Vampire 4166 Mishima Akane Kämpfer 3967 Yoko Littner Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann 3968 Chii Chobits 3869 Lisa Seiken no Blacksmith 3870 Lambdadelta Umineko no Naku Koro ni 3871 Fujibayashi Ryō CLANNAD 3572 Yuno Hidamari Sketch 3573 Teletha Testarossa Full Metal Panic! 3474 Misaka Shiori Kanon 3475 Sawatari Makoto Kanon 3476 Akashiya Moka Rosario + Vampire 3477 Tsukamoto Yakumo School Rumble 3478 Yūki Mikan To Love-Ru 3479 Chiba Kirino BAMBOO BLADE 3280 Miyamura Miyako ef - a tale of memories 3281 Daidōji Tomoyo Cardcaptor Sakura 3282 Katagiri Yūhi Akane-iro ni Somaru no Saka 3183 Niche Letter Bee 3184 Hinaichigo Rozen Maiden 3185 Sawachika Eri School Rumble 3186 Kotegawa Yui To Love-Ru 3116 characters are already eligible contestants for the regular season period. 34 characters from the preliminaries will join them.16 contestants:Aisaka Taiga(Toradora!) Asahina Mikuru(Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) Fate Testarossa(Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha) Fujibayashi Kyō(CLANNAD) Fukuji Mihoko(Saki) Haramura Nodoka(Saki)Hiiragi Kagami(Lucky ☆ Star) Hirasawa Yui(K-ON!) Katsura Hinagiku(Hayate no Gotoku!) Nagato Yuki(Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) Nakano Azusa(K-ON!) Okazaki Ushio(CLANNAD)Sakagami Tomoyo(CLANNAD) Shana (Shakugan no Shana) Suzumiya Haruhi(Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) Tōsaka Rin(Fate/stay night)
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