[Posted @ 3:00PM]Because I have nothing to do and felt like doing so, I've decided to list, explain and disclose discuss where all my anime/manga you see floating in my blog come from. Even though I've not patronized half of the sites listed, I might be a potential customer in the near future if anything catches my eye =). Be warn, lots of harmeless bitching of shopping experience! [I'm only stating stuff and conditions applicable to me or an Anime & Manga Fan]1. Amazon.com - Categories are Anime/Manga, Online Shopping- Payment Modes accepted are American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Amazon.com gift certificates, etc. - Unfortunately, amazon doesn't accept Paypal and International Wire Transfers.My shopping experience;I was rather skeptical of purchasing from amazon at first because I heard around that the prices were on the 'premium' side but then I just had to start somewhere, so I ordered two manga, Sister Red #1 [By the way it was out-of-stock in Takashimaya's Kinokuniya when I purchased #2.] and Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ #3 and Kannazuki no Miko DVD Box Set for the time being. After calculating the costs, shipping costs via vPOST and comparing to my local Kinokuniya's pricing, I realized it was darn expensive LOL. The total order rang in at US$72.73, free shipping charges cos shipping address's at vPOST USA address, so the goods were about S$108 [Taking US$1 = S$1.48]. vPOST charged me S$26.98 for the shipping fees, so it's like S$108+S$27 = $135. That means the Kannazuki no Miko DVD Box Set was S$90 and Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ #3, Sister Red #1 were S$22.50 each!!! Anyways, I forgotten EVERYTHING about the price when I got the parcel in 3 weeks ... so it doesn't matter now, I'm happy with my KnM DVDs XD. Recently, if you've been following my ramblings, I've purchased Bakuretsu Tenshi [Burst Angel] DVD Box Set, Loveless DVD Box Set and Medal of Honor Airborne PC Game. I was like totally excited when I saw that Bakuretsu Tenshi DVD Box Set was at half price and so I grabbed the chance and clicked the buy button. The total was US$115.97 which means it's about S$172 [Taking US$1 = S$1.48]. My shipping cost was about $$36.14 but I was given an 8% discount so it's around S$33. S$172+S$33=S$205, so the average costs between the three items were S$69. Which I thought to be quite a catch, not bad la, considering ODEX's price and quality for Bakuretsu Tenshi Volume Sets. 2. Play-asia.com- Categories are Anime/Manga/Games/Figurines/Jpop Music, Online Shopping- Payment Modes accepted are Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Western Union, Moneybookers, Bank Transfers. - Unfortunately, Play-asia doesn't accept check payments, money orders, cash or cash on delivery. My shopping experience;Play-asia.com is my first shopping experience online, likewise, I heard around that Play-asia.com's pricings were on the 'premium' side and even though they had stated that delivery to Singapore was free, I believe the shipping costs were included in the item itself. Hey, nothing is free in this world you know lol. At that time, I didn't have a credit card yet, so I used Moneybookers, first I had to transfer funds via eNETs with a small fee to the account before I can start using it. It was pretty fast, the transaction was done in 15 minutes. The goodies I got were Strawberry Panic! OP1/OP2/ED1/ED2/OST singles and 3 Drama CDs, Kannazuki no Miko OP1/ED1/Drama CD singles and Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru OP1+DVD single. All I can say that the total was around S$380 for the loot mentioned above with the shipping charges included, so it's like around S$380/12=S$32. Considering some of the stuff I ordered where really backdated, it's a wonder that I could still get my paws on them lol even though I had to wait for some time [3 weeks] for some of the items to arrive it was okay cos I wasn't charged for shipping [Which ironically was included in the first place lol]. However, after I got my credit card, I pretty much 'closed' the Moneybookers account lol and ordered Meilin's 'Candy☆Boy' + DVD single with the credit card XD. 3. Comics Connection - Categories are Anime/Manga/Games/Figurines/Magazines/Trading Cards/VCDs/DVDs etc, Brick and Mortar- Payment Modes accepted are NETS, Cash, Credit Cards [Probably for Payments above S$30? Not sure but there's a cap.] at distributing outlets.My shopping experience;Before Comics Connection, I used to buy my manga at Popular Bookstore, but then Popular used to be REALLY REALLY slow in their arrival of the latest manga issues that I had to turn to Comics Connection. I think Popular ain't so bad in their releases now, but it's too late, they lost me lol. Basically I'm a regular customer at Comics Connection, usually Northpoint, purchasing the latest English manga by ChuangYi Publishing every twice a month or more. It'll depend how many volumes I'm getting for the week, if it's only 1 for that particular week, I'll wait till the next week and get the 'old' and 'new' at the same time. Anyways, I heard or dreamt? that ChuangYi Publishing's opening a retail outlet of their own, so ... I guess probably I'll jump to them in the future? Lol. 4. The Celestial Zone Studio - Categories are TCZ Volumes/Merchandises, Online Shopping, Brick and Mortar- Payment Modes accepted are Credit Cards for Online Shopping and Cheque on Subscription Basis. Cash and NETS for distributing outlets. My shopping experience;I started collecting TCZ when I was around 14 and was pretty active in the forums back then lol, but now I'm quite busy with my life. I used to pop over Popular Bookstore to get my fix, now I'm only contented to receive latest issues monthly via post. However, I'm religiously collecting the TCZ merchandises during the Singapore Book Fair every year. I was so crazy once that I almost wanted to purchase the Chi Xue's Blood Red Sword sword for S$200 LOL and there's only 3 in this world. I'm still supporting TCZ because it's a Singapore-based Manga series and will continue to do so =). 5. Kinokuniya Singapore - Categories are Anime/Manga/Magazines/VCDs/DVDs etc, Online Shopping, Brick and Mortar- Payment Modes accepted are Cash on Delivery, Cheque for Online Shopping. Credit Cards, Kinokuniya Vouchers, Cash, NETS for distributing outlets. My shopping experience;Well I haven't tried the online shopping yet, maybe when I want more than S$50 worth of manga just to get that S$5 delivery charge waived lol. I think the payment modes are pretty good, good old cash and cheque =). Even though many people think/said that Kinokuniya's pricing were expensive, you'll have to see what you're purchasing I reckon. Unless you're purchasing alot alot of books online, just to save that little on the shipping charges, I recommend you just get it from Kinokuniya to save the troubles and time wasted. Ultimately the decision lies in you. 6. ADV Films - Categories are Anime/Manga/Merchandises/DVDs/Legal Video Downloads, Online Shopping, Brick and Mortar- Payment Modes accepted are MasterCard, Visa for Online Shopping. ?? for distributing outlets. [Never been to their store/HQ] My shopping experience;I'm always on the look out for their sales and got my chance on September 2007, I purchased 'Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu - Complete Collection', 'Azumanga Daioh - Class Album', 'Chrono Crusade - Complete Collection' and 'Full Metal Panic! - Complete Collection'. The total cost for the four box sets was S$283 + shipping charges of $33 [13% discount] = S$316. So it's like barely S$80 on average for each box set. Taking into consideration that 'Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu' is a 13 episodes box set, let's take it as S$50, so S$30 will be averaged out to the other three 20+ episodes box sets to make it S$90 each. Besides, I got a free OVA which is usually worth like S$19.90 so ... it's like S$85 each, which I personally think is quite reasonable. On the down side, not that I mind, I found out that ADV Films had poked a hole through the barcode [Probably for some sales/security reasons or something] in the Box Sets. If you're a person who can't take this kind of 'suffering', I suggest you don't buy stuff during sales period lol. As for the rest - Online Shopping;7. CDJapan 8. Anime Nation 9. Deep Discount 10. Yes Asia 11. Anime Castle 12. Right Stuf15. vPOSTAs I mentioned, these are the sites whereby I've not purchased anything from, so I can't really comment anything but I believe from the comments of other anime fans, that these are quite reliable sites to do your online shopping. As of the moment, I think I'll try shopping via CDJapan soon heh.As for the rest - Online Shopping, Outlets in Singapore;14. Andomacha by M.A.G.E15. Kareshi Kanojyo no Mise16. ChuangYi PublishingI've not bought any anime/manga merchandises yet from these outlets but I guess I'm interested. Ok, I think that rounds up the this long post, I'm tired lol. Any comments, suggestions and tips on where/how to shop online, purchase any related to anime/manga and where you get your anime/manga fix, please post it in the blogger comment instead of the tagboard. Thanks!!![Signing off @ 5:51 PM]
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[Posted @ 8:30 PM]Went to Takashimaya's Kinokuniya this afternoon in the pouring rain to get these goodies. What's up with the 'Unsuitable for The Young' haha, click to see the enlarged picture. Yep, I used up my S$60 Kinokuniya vouchers on these babies~ lol, finally got a rock off my chest. Next, I've got to spend the S$80 Comics Connection vouchers LC gave me. Anyways, the 'Bakuretsu Tenshi [Burst Angel]', 'Loveless' DVD box sets and 'Medal of Honor Airborne' PC game I've ordered through amazon.com WAS delivered! vPOST just sent me an email payment letter yesterday and I paid, so I'm expecting it to arrive probably on 23th or Christmas Eve ... well hopefully. I'm still waiting for my 'Candy☆Boy [CD+DVD]' I ordered from play-asia.com to arrive, probably on Monday since Mr Postman don't deliver on Sundays [I think?].Random rantings;It's been a long and depressing week, received news from the dormitory [In-campus] I've applied that I'm in the waiting list and there's like little chance I'll get a place. So, probably I'll get another dormitory out-campus lol, I emailed a dormitory I'm interested that like 3km away from the campus, so I think it's okay la. I saw bicycle tracks heading towards the campus so, maybe, I could try cycling to campus or something.Hopefully I get some GOOD news on January 2008 of the dormitory [In-campus] ... it's always better to live in ... lol don't need to rush. But then, I don't wanna pitch too much hope on them. Just as I was cheering up, a freak accident happened two days ago in the place I worked in, I believed that the driver didn't pull his handbrake properly, which could be a result of the death of his friend. It was still unknown, the police took statements and the lorry away.Everything was filmed by the security camera from afar and we could clearly see the driver alighting from the lorry then suddenly the lorry moved forward as the road was a slope. The driver instinctively ran back to open the door to pull the brake or something but it was too late ... we could see the lorry bumping up and down as it went over his friend. I don't think his friend even had time to protect himself as he was ran over his back [He was walking in front of the lorry]. Everything was gone in just 10 seconds, a life just like that. Needless to say, an ambulance was called and I heard that the vicitm was barely hanging on.It was really an unfortunate accident, it should NOT had happened. After the incident, my dad and I were discussing more proactive measures to prevent this kind of accident. We never expected this to happen. This was a lesson to the workers operating heavy vehicles to ALWAYS, ALWAYS check that your handbrake is securely in and my dad told me that the gear must be in gear 1 too especially on slopes. I was never taught this in my driving lessons, instead, I was taught to shift it to free gear when the engine is off. Probably my instructor never expected me to drive a manual car [even though I was learning manual], still ... My dad, aunt and workers in the nursery who knew the person went to the wake tonight and probably going to be very sad. If you're driving, always check that everything is in order and drive carefully to ensure the safety of your love ones. ... Sorry to suddenly shift into depressing mode in the end ... so here's some happy news, Strawberry Panic! Volume 1 [Manga] is shipping out soon! Just saw the update on Seven Seas Entertainment website. So I believe if you pre-ordered it in amazon.com, it should be arriving pretty soon! I'll be getting mine via my local Kinokuniya when it's out![Signing off @ 9:50 PM]
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December Tokyo Pop Utopia’s Avenger Vol. #01 Dark Horse Style School Vol. #02 Infinity Studios LLC Blood Alone Vol. #04 Zero Vol. #04 December 4 Viz Media Tail of the Moon Vol. #08 December 5 Dark Horse MPD-Psycho Vol. #03 XS Hybrid Vol. #03 December 12 Dark Horse Oh My Goddess! Vol. #28 December 31 Seven Seas Entertainment Strawberry Panic Vol. #1 December/January+ Dark Horse Path of the Assassin (aka: Hanzou no Mon) Vol. #10 Seven Seas [...]
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[Posted @ 9:51 PM]Don't think, there's shoujo-ai in this! LoL. It's an ONA aka Original Net Animation so you can catch it online via nico by clicking the thumbnail below ;It's twincest though haha but it's really sweet and quite easy to understand even though the clip is RAW =). Hopefully more developments in the future XD. More info at animenewsnetwork.com and offical website.Fans of seiyuu, Nabatame Hitomi [Also seiyuu of Hanazono Shizuma in Strawberry Panic!] can try watching the clip too cos Nabatame-san voiced the younger twin sister, Sakurai Kanade [The brunette]. ... ... ... ... What are you waiting for? Watch it now! LoL.PS: I really think the title's weird, I mean Candy Boy? lol wth. Oh I just started playing dota, complete newbie though.[Signing off @ 10:11 PM]
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Results for October 11, 2007
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Click here to view the graphical representation of match schedule table. (Source: Aya Reiko from Animesuki forums) Date: 11/Oct/07 - Group E & F Group E-2 1位　931票　西沢歩＠ハヤテのごとく！ [ Nishizawa Ayumu @ Hayate no Gotoku! ] 2位　888票　涼水玉青＠ストロベリー・パニック [ Suzumi Tamao @ Strawberry Panic ] Group F-1 1位　1154票　翠星石＠ローゼンメイデン オーベルテューレ [ Suiseiseki @ Rozen Maiden Ouverture ] 2位　876票　アルルゥ＠うたわれるもの [ Aruruu @ Utawarerumono [...]
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Today’s results: Group E 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　931票　西沢歩＠ハヤテのごとく！ [ Nishizawa Ayumu @ Hayate no Gotoku! ] 2位　888票　涼水玉青＠ストロベリー・パニック [ Suzumi Tamao @ Strawberry Panic ] Group F 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　1154票　翠星石＠ローゼンメイデン オーベルテューレ [ Suiseiseki @ Rozen Maiden Ouverture ] 2位　876票　アルルゥ＠うたわれるもの [ Aruruu @ Utawarerumono ] Next Round:- Group G 10月12日 エルルゥ＠うたわれるもの [ Eruruu @ Utawarerumono ] 10月12日 倉田佐祐理＠Kanon [ Kurata Sayuri @ Kanon ] Group H 10月12日 ルイズ・フランソワーズ・ル・ブラン・ド・ラ・ヴァリエール＠ゼロの使い魔 [ Louise Françoise Le Blanc de [...]
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Today’s results: Group E 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　1461票　真紅＠ローゼンメイデン オーベルテューレ [ Shinku @ Rozen Maiden Ouverture ] 2位　1089票　厳島貴子＠乙女はお姉さまに恋してる [ Itsukushima Takako @ Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru ] Group F 有効コードがある票の順位 1位　1519票　柊つかさ＠らき☆すた [ Hiiragi Tsukasa @ Lucky Star ] 2位　1448票　瀬戸燦＠瀬戸の花嫁 [ Seto San @ Seto no Hanayome ] Next Round:- Group E 10月11日 涼水玉青＠ストロベリー・パニック [ Suzumi Tamao @ Strawberry Panic ] 10月11日 西沢歩＠ハヤテのごとく！ [ Nishizawa Ayumu @ Hayate no Gotoku! [...]
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[Posted @ 10:30 PM]O_O|| I'll update the summary soon! Feeling really sleepy now ... Hatsu Koi Shimai is also known as First Love Sisters =).Disclaimer:As this series is licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC, please buy your own copy to show your support for the mangaka and Seven Seas so that they could licensed probably more shoujo-ai mangas for us =). I do not scan, so I don't claim credit for it, so please do not ask me where I got my scans. PLEASE.Click on the scans and a new window will open and bring you to the larger and clearer version.Please do not hotlink on forums, just paste my blog url and direct them to the Manga Page section, thanks. Recapturing from Chapter 1, as Chika was speaking, Haruna ignored her and walked past her, an action which shocked Chika speechless. Chika was all depressed about the incident, Akiho then asked Chika if she had returned the handkerchief to the senpai [senior]. Chika whined that the senpai kept avoiding her no matter how many times she went to see her and blamed herself probably for doing something the senpai disliked. Akiho consoled Chika by giving an explanation that probably the senpai had something on. After thinking, Chika remembered that Haruna's retreating back was awfully lonely and painful and wondered if something had happened to Haruna. As Chika's musing about Haruna, the class representative, Teshigawara Chiori, reprimanded Akiho and Chika for not listening to the announcement to proceed to the library for lesson. Akiho's pissed that Chiori seemed all high and mighty about it while Chika's miserable about her thoughts of Haruna and told Chiori off for abusing her authority and left with Chika leaving Chiori embarrassed. While walking to the library, it seemed like Akiho knew Chiori since junior high. Chika then mentioned that Chiori had volunteered to be class representative and told off her many times lol. Akiho teased Chika by adding that she only got scolded whenever she's with Chika lol. Just then, Chika noticed Haruna in front of them, as she's about to call her, Akiho called Haruna, 'Onee-sama' [A more respectful term of Elder Sister]. It's then Chika realized that Akiho and Haruna were sisters, Akiho then unknowingly introduced Chika to Haruna. Haruna coolly introduced herself to Chika like they had never met before and left, leaving Akiho confused and Chika more crestfallen. Chika told Akiho that Haruna's the senpai who lent her the handkerchief. During lesson, Akiho wrote notes asking how could Chika not notice that she and Haruna had same surnames lol. Chika replied that she had alwayed called Haruna by the given name and forgotten the surname. Akiho offered to return the handkerchief to Haruna, causing Chika to forget that they're in the library and spoke out loud that she'll return it herself. During lunch break, Chika went to Haruna's class to look for her, but she wasn't there. One of the Haruna's classmate, a senpai, Miyu-san mentioned that Haruna always go off somewhere during lunch break. Chika then remembered that the somewhere might be the secret place Haruna showed her in Chapter 1. Haruna was indeed in the secret place, except she's now napping on the lawn. Chika was elated to see Haruna and blissful to be near her and see the peaceful expression again. Chika was glad to feel the sense of warmth of the Haruna she knew at first instead of the cold Haruna who was avoiding her recently. Just then, Haruna was about to awake and muttered something like Chika's name which Chika answered out loud lol. Haruna instantly awoke and asked why Chika's here. Chika thought to herself that maybe she's imagining Haruna calling her name, then taking the chance to return the handkerchief to Haruna. Haruna unperturbedly asked Chika if she chose the school just to return the handkerchief. Chika replied no, much to Haruna's surprise, and added that she just wanted a chance to see Haruna again, so she came to the school to see Haruna. Haruna seemed touched by Chika's forwardness, smiled and said that Chika reminded her of the aura the secret place had. Chika was delighted to see Haruna's smile again. For the next few days, Chika's in a happy, chirpy mood lol, and it's obvious to Akiho that she's going to meet Haruna after school. In Haruna's class, her classmates were gossiping about Haruna's sudden closeness to Chika and mentioned that Haruna's never close nor talk to them after that incident. Haruna flinched when she heard that. It was then known that Haruna even stopped going to school till not long ago and seemed to have recovered. After that, Chika met up with Haruna at the hallway and was worried as Haruna looked pale. Haruna said that it's nothing and Chika was happy that Haruna willing to listen to her. Chika went on to relate what happened to her during class and about wanting to make sweets. Halfway through the conversation, Chika noticed that Haruna had something on her mind and offered to lend a listening ear to Haruna's problems. Haruna got angry and said she doesn't understand why Chika would spent her time going to see her everyday and wondered if Chika wanted something from her. Haruna continued that if Chika's expecting something from her, don't bother wasting her time. Chika replied that she doesn't need anything from Haruna, just that she wanted to see her ...For this simple reason, 'I like you, Haruna-san', Chika confessed. Haruna gasped. Chika thought to herself that even if Haruna's cold and hostile to her, she still believed in the warm Haruna she first met. - END of Chapter 2 -O_O, a confession in just the second chapter ... ! Sweet! Oh yeah, seemed like we can pre-order Hatsu Koi Shimai aka First Love Sister Volume 1 from Seven Seas in amazon.com already! Offically out on December 2007, reckon I'll wait till December to order it cos I'm eyeing for 6 other books, Venus Versus Virus #2, Kashimashi #4, Tetragrammaton Labyrinth #2, Saigo no Seifuku #2, Strawberry Panic #1 and Voiceful #1. Probably somemore to even out the shipping charges haha, see first, or if I can't wait, I'll just make a trip to Kinokuniya =).Random rants;Song of the Month for October - JJ Lin's 'Killa'. I really love the melody lol, best when watching the last episode of School Days XD. Enjoy.[Signing off @ 10:45 PM]
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[Posted @ 10:00 PM]Tidying up my messy desk and rearranging my book shelves in the study room cos my friends are hanging over my house tomorrow haha.This is where all the 'magic' happens lol, say hello to lappy-chan and AAD-chan XD. The stack of manga on the right side are usually mangas I read half-way, haven't read or want to re-read again lol. The Basic Japanese booklet from Poly Year 2 is still with me at the bottom left heh, tattered but readable.Yeah I'm a subscriber of M.A.G.E, unfortunately they stopped publishing after 21 issues. Anyways, I don't know why I have two issues of #20 lol, I think I lost issue #2. My study room and the book shelves where all my bros' tution/school stuff, my manga, magazines and books live. Manz, I think I should at least get a prize for owning so many ChuangYi English mangas LOL. Basically a corner where I store all Stefanie Sun's albums, dvds, vcds and others. Oh I turned the Garfield standee away cos fish's kiddy photo's in it LOL. The paper on the left side's chuz's 'O' Levels timetable. Love my Strawberry Panic! collection~~~!!! Singles for the OPs/EDs, OST and the three Drama CDs~ XD. Seriously, look at what ODEX gave us before they complain their sales are hurting, the packaging ... really looks like I bought some rip-off pirated VCDs or software programmes. Now, tell me with these kind of sub-standard products, do we have a choice? My [and many people's] patience is running thin, check out their website, they took down their forum cos they can't control the 'wonderful' contents -_-|||. No matter, I'm starting to import from USA, I'll do another post next week on the on-sale ADVFilms box sets I purchased online around two weeks ago. They are 'Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu - Complete Collection', 'Azumanga Daioh - Class Album', 'Chrono Crusade - Complete Collection' and 'Full Metal Panic! - Complete Collection', really really worth it. The total cost for the four box sets in Singapore dollars was S$283 + shipping charges of $33 [I got a 13% discount coupon~~] = S$316. It's like barely S$80 on average for each box set! If going by ODEX 'OLD' price tags, which was S$39.90 for a volume with 12-13 episodes and S$79.80 for two volumes with 24-26 episodes title. Oh well, at least ODEX's clearing their DVDs at S$20 each volume but I'm still not buying them cos ... they don't have DVDs for the titles I bought above, well except for 'Chrono Crusade' and I believe the subtitles sucked. Anyways, enough of this crap, think happy thoughts for 21st Birthday gathering tomorrow and my soon-to-arrive parcel next week XD. Hatsu Koi Shimai Chapter 3 summary coming up this weekend! PS: Oh manz, MapleStory SEA has released a new patch ... can't auto update ... gotta download the patch manually ... manz, I hate this crappy patches!!![Signing off @ 10:55 PM]
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