Shoujo – Page 4 – bluemist anime blog

October Anime Season (Fall 2006)

This [Japan->bluemist-in-japan] thing is really creating a dramatic shift out of me. These days I find that watching anime seems more like a chore than a charm. See, I had to take note of when it broadcasts on TV, which is more likely than not after midnight. How do otaku manage to watch them so late? Do they have no jobs (NHK?), or do they have video recorders or something? Ah, the hardships of being a casual anime watcher who happens to like otaku-themed anime.

Oh, and as the seasons change, some new targets spring up at Fall 2006. And it feels [all-bishoujo->summer-of-bishoujo] again this season… yay for me (oof so many backlog in there).

Galaxy Angel II – Galaxy Angel was the bishoujo Cowboy Bebop, and I’m so sad that it was over. Hopefully this all-new cast would be as good.

Gift ~Eternal Rainbow~ – This should whet my appetite until the next big D.C. anime comes.

Happiness! – Exactly what I feel.

Love Doll ~Lovely Idol~ – A Princess Soft game conversion.

Kanon – Possibly the best bishoujo game ever made… remade by the ever-l33t Kyoto Animation studio. Take my word for it, this will be beyond [Air->air-tv], beyond [Haruhi->haruhiism-tracker], and beyond any other bishoujo anime that ever existed (my bias on [To Heart->to-heart] is another story).

Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru – Crossdressing + yuri = the ultimate Strawberry Panic. Instant win.

Tokimeki Memorial ~Only Love~ – I never thought I’d see the day. One of the most popular dating sim series of all time is going to have a proper anime series. Now I can know what all the fuss is about.

Yoake Mae Yori Ruri Iro na – A game from the same makers of [Hanihani->hanihani-operation-sanctuary].

And then in my [wishes come true->anime-wish-list] segment:

Negima!? – Yes! Justice! Give justice to the awesome manga that is Negima!

DEATH NOTE – Ah, the catalyst. The only shounen anime in my list. And boy this is as addictive as crack.

Da Capo II: Anzu Yukimura

Gothloli know-it-all. The female counterpart of Suginami. First impressions tell me that I might not be interested in her (except the loli part). Indeed, her story started out slow, but after the Ski Trip event which I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish, I got some much needed urge to finish her story. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. Anzu’s scenario is solid and simple. Moreover, so many characters get involved, including a seeming teaser for the upcoming “Da Capo” story. Very intriguing.

This time, there doesn’t seem to be a direct correlation between Anzu and Minatsu’s scenario, as opposed to the Koko and Nanaka partner scenarios. Minatsu is quite prominent in this one, and I liked her character a bit. I should get started on that one. For now, here’s Anzu Yukimura.

Disclaimer: Lacking Japanese will mean lack of story details. I expect that there will be a LOT of errors in the way I understood some events, because I rely only on the spoken dialogue. To the Japanese-literate game players who may have found this page, please do help me in case I have mistaken in understanding some parts of the story. Please do post a comment or contact me.

Continue reading Da Capo II: Anzu Yukimura

bluemist in japan

Surprise surprise… an update!

I think that since my last update the community of bloggers and viewers got bigger, so first I would like to say hello to all of you. I’m currently in Japan, and I would say that I’m slowly getting the hang of it… not. I really want to learn the language but real conversation is sometimes hard to understand. Indeed shows/movies/games is oversimplified in terms of dialogue. I’d better strut my stuff to up my 5% understanding.

Anyway, I’m a bit out of touch over here. As expected, Japanese life is a busy one. I only watch four series (NHK, School Rumble, [Nana->], Ouran), and I catch most of them on live TV. Makes me drowsy on mornings because they’re all late-night. Plus, despite semi-popular belief, anime stuff is really not that mainstream. The Densha Otoko fad seems to be over, and all I see here is those freaking annoying boybands. However, Akihabara (the popular electronics district) seems to remain the otaku mecca, with blatant bishoujo posters all around, maid cosplays, and crazy foreigners admiring them. Everywhere else… seemed to look like my hometown, except cleaner, less English, and with more unreadable Kanji. Expensive too.

So next week expect a post about ganguro in Shibuya, the [Futako-tamagawa->futakoi-alternative] picnic spot, and how KAT-TUN is threatening SMAP in terms of TV popularity.
^
THAT’S ALL A JOKE!!!

Seriously though, skimming the surface of various aspects of this culture is becoming quite interesting, that too much anime seems like a waste of time. I can get all the stuff I wanted back home anyway, and so I should make the best out of the remaining time I have over here by doing something else.

Oh no, will this mean that this blog is in limbo? Will you really start seeing some j-pop and gravure idols instead of bishoujo? Or will I just post once a month? Still dunno, time may tell.

First and foremost though, I should have a stable connection next week, so I’ll be able to stalk the internets again, and hopefully participate in some nice dorama. Kudos to all sides of that issue btw for peaceful resolution. And, yes… [Da Capo II->summer-of-bishoujo] scenarios will return! I just finished Anzu, you’ll see her soon. [Doremi->]? I think I’ll need a format change in that project, it was taking too much time. The [CCS->sakura] project would probably be dead, sorry.

Secondly, the site is horribly out of date. I’m still trying to figure out how to deal with my outdated Blogroll, apologies to all not in there, but rest assured I see your site through our anime aggregators. Thanks for linking me even if I don’t link you. Layout seems to be ever the same bleh, I should change the banner someday.

Finally, if there’s anything interesting about Japan ((inexpensive) places, events, stuff) that you would like to share, please give me a ring, and I hope to check it out. Right now I’m gearing up for the Tokyo Game Show. Wish me luck on the LONG LINES.

Well, that should be it for now. See you sometime.

Project Japan

Since this is more or less confirmed already, might as well say it.

I’m going to Japan.

I’m going to Japan for training in my work, and I am going to be stuck there for about a year. While this may be no big deal to others, to me it is. In a way, this will radically change the way I live, and in effect, this anime blog of mine might render a lot of changes in the near future.

First and foremost, I really do hope that I will not stop blogging anime and related stuff. But getting nearer my points of interest does not necessarily mean that I’ll experience more. It is rather obvious that any kind of otaku behavior in Japan would be looked down upon by other people. While I don’t consider myself one, I am ‘dangerously’ close, particularly my certain likehood for bishoujo games. I shouldn’t put my real-life work in jeopardy, although reportedly my company there is rather open-minded when it comes to these things. The fact that I was allowed to work in Japan is already even too kind for them. If they don’t care that I’m a foreigner, the more they don’t care what my hobbies are.

I also have lots of things to consider. Would I be able to watch those late-night anime? Would I muster courage to buy stuff since I don’t know 95% of the language? Japan is the dream of many-an anime fan, but facing reality is a nightmare. Especially the ‘price’ of entertainment. I would break-even with my allowance using it for food alone. No moyism for me.

Am I thinking so negatively about this? Well heck I’ll look at the bright side now… I’M IN FREAKING JAPAN! Entertainment heaven! Technology! Sights! Sounds! Hot springs! Mountains! Amusement parks! Shopping! (Girls!) WOW! Let me tell this from a 3rd world perspective. To go to a 1st world country is nothing short of AWESOME. I’ll stop now before this becomes mere bragging.

So what’s the future of this blog? Well, since I will leave my entire fansub collection back home, I only have the space to carry [Da Capo II->summer-of-bishoujo] and [Ojamajo Doremi->] along with me. Those projects should remain active. Hopefully I will have internet in my apartment so I can build some new collection to enjoy. First I need a laptop…

And so that’s it, life goes on. Apologies for holding it in for so long, since I wasn’t sure of this a few weeks back. I’ve been preparing for this recently and that’s why I took a break. Plus my birthday is drawing near and all. I would certainly love to be back in the scene again, so please come back for more. I’ll be back when I get things settled.

Thanks for your continued support.

Da Capo II: Koko Tsukishima

As your typical “childhood friend” character, Koko Tsukishima is a soft-spoken and shy girl. She oftentimes can’t say what she wants, and as a side-effect, she can’t express her love for main guy Yoshiyuki. But this love is SO obvious to everyone else except the two involved. Ah, love is blind.

Devoid of any magical effect of the unwithering sakura, Koko’s story is a simple story of love and friendship. Surprisingly, her scenario has no major flashback or backstory of any sort, which is the usual setup for “childhood friend” characters. And so we just assume that Yoshiyuki and Koko are longtime friends, period.

Koko’s scenario intertwines with Nanaka’s, in such a way that there are very similar events in both. There is also a major decision point, where Nanaka would confess to Yoshiyuki. You (the player) decide either to accept or reject Nanaka. Accepting Nanaka will give you the continuation of [Nanaka’s scenario->da-capo-2-nanaka-shirakawa], while rejecting her will give you Koko’s scenario. This single decision point will give you a very different story should you choose either one. So please do take some time to go through Koko’s story.

Continue reading Da Capo II: Koko Tsukishima

Da Capo II: Nanaka Shirakawa

Let’s admit… er… Nanaka will be one of the more popular Da Capo II girls, mainly because of her lineage. Nanaka Shirakawa has a striking resemblance to Da Capo Generation One’s [Kotori Shirakawa->da-capo-kotori-shirakawa]. She is also the “perfect girl”. Sweet, kind, smart, loves to sing, and is a popular school idol. Actually, them two girls are almost exactly the same, Nanaka is only a little bit more energetic. Even their powers are the same.

That said, wouldn’t it be boring to see the same Shirakawa, only slightly different? This kind of similarity is comparable to a old song that has been remade. The remake may be good, but you still like the old song better. Such a pity, because Nanaka’s story is arguably tighter and more interesting than Kotori’s.

Nanaka’s scenario would seem to intertwine steadily with Koko’s, and so I guess a run-through of Koko should be in order. Hopefully I will have time to play more Da Capo II (oh no, is that Summer Days I see in the computer table?) and show Koko’s scenario next time. For now, please spend some time and enjoy Nanaka Shirakawa’s story!

Continue reading Da Capo II: Nanaka Shirakawa

July Anime Season (Summer 2006)

That time once again?

I’m keeping my new anime watching at a minimum again. It’s quite a hectic time for me these days. I’m still catching up to [many-a-spring->April Anime Season (Spring 2006)] anime. Add my current penchant for anything Da Capo, I’m sure to give lots more time for gaming than anime.

Speaking of anime though, I wonder if anyone of you noticed this too. It was some anime I anticipated in spring, but all of the sudden it was out of the limelight, and it never aired. My very first case of missing anime:

Where in the world is Finalist?

As for the upcoming summer season, thankfully there are only a few anime that spurred my interest this time, very unlike the massively awesome lineup of spring. And so behold my huge lineup:

Binbou Shimai Monogatari – Anime about poor people = win (remember NieA_7?), because I = poor people.

Tsuyokiss – Tsundere you say? Instant buy! Cool and sweet!

NHK ni Youkoso! – Yet another approach to otakuism just like [Genshiken->] and [Comic Party->] before it. This time, with the topic I like most: bishoujo games.

Chokotto Sister – Something about this intrigues me, so I’ll put it on watch.

I still don’t blog anime episodes, so for more information on these and other anime, please visit our friendly neighborhood anime bloggers and aggregators. That’s it for now.

Da Capo: Kotori Shirakawa

Let’s admit, Kotori is the #1 girl of the Da Capo series. It’s almost always tradition that most female leads of bishoujo games only settle for second place in the hearts of many-a-bishoujo gamers ([legions of Tamaki fans->toheart2-tamaki-kousaka] come into mind), so Nemu takes a back seat. In the case of Da Capo, Kotori Shirakawa is what you can say as the “perfect girl”. She’s sweet, kind, smart, loves to sing, and is the most popular school idol.

This is the reason why so many of us were disappointed with the [second season->da-capo-second-season] of the Da Capo anime. We all thought Kotori will be the main girl, but then Aisia almost always steals her spotlight. The [first season->da-capo] did her justice, however, as apparently Kotori’s original scenario in the game was more or less executed well.

But of course we wouldn’t know the entire story about Kotori without playing the game, right? Unfortunately no Da Capo game is available in English. Thankfully though, some kind folks have been strutting their stuff in translating them. Maybe you know already, but not so long ago there was a partial translation patch for D.C.P.C. (Da Capo Plus Communication) that included the entire Kotori scenario. I thank those guys very very much. If you are a Kotori fan even in miniscule scale, go grab the game somewhere and install the patch. If it’s not a possibility though, maybe you would settle for my summary? So finally, here she is, Kotori Shirakawa!

Disclaimer: I played Da Capo Plus Communication, and so some additional scenes and characters may have been added which were not present in the very first version of the game scenario. Also, even though it is available in English, my memory might fail me, so please do comment or contact me in case I have mistakes in describing each girl’s scenario.
Continue reading Da Capo: Kotori Shirakawa

Promises: Summer of Bishoujo 2 Project

It’s almost summer in Japan… I think (but then again, I wouldn’t know), and while I’m still scampering for info about the next anime season’s premiere offerings, I should also prepare for the new iteration of my Summer of Bishoujo project.

Don’t know what it is? Well, it’s just my collective that I started [a year ago->summer-of-bishoujo-project] when I realized that I’ve been reviewing too many bishoujo game based anime, and playing nothing but [To Heart 2->]. I’ve had fun with it while it lasted, but it wasn’t all good actually. Back then I promised lots more features, like reviewing more anime, or another game to play, but alas many of those never came into fruition. I never had the time and dedication to focus on them. You could say those were just “empty promises”.

And so I’m gonna go “sarcastic” all over myself again, and make more empty promises for Summer of Bishoujo 2! So with the theme of “promises”, I’m gonna challenge myself in writing more articles for the project. I promise I will. Promise.

(I, the devil’s advocate of this blogger, doubts it. Because look, this blog itself isn’t too active over the past weeks. How could he muster more effort into the project? For the record, he’s so backlogged with Fate/stay Night, and hasn’t watched Canvas 2 yet… surprised? See his dedication? Hahaha! I love to see him fail.)

The URL for the project is still the same, please visit:
[http://bluemist.animeblogger.net/summer-of-bishoujo/->http://bluemist.animeblogger.net/summer-of-bishoujo/]

You will see my empty promises there…

I hope to see you soon. Promise.

Kanon Prelude

How does Kyoto Animation make what can possibly be the greatest bishoujo game based anime series of all time?

Find out.
Continue reading Kanon Prelude