Watching Nodame Cantabile has re-ignited that interest, causing me to dig out all my classical music CDs from the aforementioned era. In general, anime fandom – especially when characterized as otaku – tends to focus on obsession with anime to the exclusion of everything else (including other stuff at the base of Maslow’s hierarchy), for me, in the course of anime, I’ve listened to more classical music than I otherwise would have if I had not watched anime. Likewise, learning the basics of photography because of an interest in figurine photography (okay, inheriting a Nikon D200 with 18/200 VR lens was the biggest spur though). Or read a Chinese weiqi beginner’s manual from cover to cover, even though I hate reading in Chinese, because of Hikaru no Go. Or to take a basic course in Japanese language over a lazy but definitely finite and not repeated undergraduate summer. All in all, being an anime fan has enriched my life in some unexpected ways; would love to hear from readers about your experiences in this respect too.

(Aside: I’m also quite glad that I bought the various CDs. I downloaded lots of mp3s too but most of them got wiped out when my last laptop HDD crashed.)

I haven’t listened to the Nodame: Paris OST yet. Waiting until I’ve watched the anime first. Stripey tried to find the first season’s OST during his hunt which bagged one of my favourite StrikerS doujins ever. Good job, bro!

WRT Gensou, I actually thought it was kinda mweh when I heard the Nipponsei rip. Haven’t changed my mind after listening to the CD itself. The best track, as Kurogane pointed out, was definitely Koi no Mikuru no Densetsu. The tracks featuring vocals, particularly Aya Hirano’s, were the weakest. God Knows was a perfectly good rock ballad track, the classical treatment – contra j1m0ne – was both unsuitable and unnecessary. Maybe the orchestra could have made an interesting addition as background support a la Guns N Roses’ November Rain but taking out the electric guitars was just criminal.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

While trainspotting, Kensuke meets train rider Touji and joins him. Meido Hikari also comes onboard later. Touji returns Chibinami’s lolipop after they run over the candy-snatching Shamsel who is then made into a new toy by Rei 2.

Just *what* is that furry one-eyed giant who turns anti-social people into the little turds that they really are!? We so need one of those in our glorious democratic peoples’ island paradise republic – though the side effect is that the streets will probably be utterly covered in shyte for a while.

Boko boko (the sound of hitting someone hard). Asuka runs into Israfel who’s spoiling for a fight. She gets her ass kicked. Unsatisfied, she recruits Shinji and trains with him, culminating in climbing a mountain top. Her over-exuberant Good Job thumbs up ends up pushing him off the mountain.

New Toys. An unconscious Shinji is fished out of the water by Evanchou who is unable to revive him. But a kiss does the trick and Evanchou even gets a cute thank you note – Asuka at her most gracious! The pair proceed to kick some Angel ass, culminating in yet more new toys for Chibinami. Gendou is not pleased about the pair missing school to go vigilant though.

You’re Late! Very thirsty Shinji finds a house in the desert and slacks his thirst but the white sheet door puts on some ghastly performances before he passes to find a cello. And Kaworu, Asuka and Rei on violins playing A.

Tea Shop. It’s a rainy day. Chibinami contemplates a puddle. After some dancin’ in the rain, she’s joined by Rei 2. After a nap, Rei 1 goes out to look for them and anticipates her two younger sisters’ dango cravings. Life is sweet for the three sisters.

Showdown. Zeruel bullies some students who go running to Evanchou. The two meet after the latter chases Shinji down a hole and into Evanchou’s training cave. Deflecting Zeruel’s Steel Toilet Paper Arm of Death, Evanchou proceeds to give the Angel of Might a knockdown via twin balls of nose snot. Collateral damage is narrowly averted by some impressive tissue skills by Rei who admonishes the boys. Zeruel falls for Rei 1.

Pulled By The Cold. Rei 1 is feverish and Rei 2 decides to go to NERV high school in her place (what about her own school?) – her behaviour puzzles everyone and enormous appetite (which is shared by Nagato Yuki!) soon give her away. Rei 1 receives a huge delegation as a result.

Gosh, what kind of equations does Misato-sensei teach? What’s the reciprocal of the square root of nose (nose snot minus turd squared)?

It Flew. Leliel consumes the entire cast, even supporting charas end up in its Sea of Dirac. Kaworu saves the day by pushing the button and the school’s one eyed clock tower saves the day, returning everyone to normal.

No, I’m not going to blog about the Trap Asuka adverts. Mostly because everyone was so mean to him/her.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

Going to School. Rei’s morning routine is surprisingly manic in a LOL sort of way. She goes to school but it isn’t there but finally she presses the button that summons it out of the ground, unknowingly rescuing a bird crap encumbered Shinji along the way. So seriously weird shyte in these clips 10-24 were produced by XEBEC.

Friendship. Shinji falls down a hole and encounters Evanchou practising sparring in an underground cave. Gurren Lagaan homage digging chase ensues. Which ends, for both, underneath Asuka’s skirt. They promptly pay the price but ah it was so worth it. Friendship, having borne common witness to panties, is a beautiful thing indeed.

Who? Shinji, Asuka, Rei and Evanchou head to school and studiously ignore Ghost. Who rescues the youngest Ayanami sister from a fate of having no cake and is revealed to be Kaworu. Oh good grief, Chibinami (as the aforementioned Rei is nicknamed) is so adorable. Whatever happened to the ‘service’ culture of giving a discount of JPY50? I guess the bakery shop bear wasn’t a pedobear.

Picked Up. Sachiel is just minding his own business and having a merry delinquent rampage through Tokyo-3 when he’s hit by a ball of Evanchou’s nose snot. He proceeds to give Evanchou a right stomping but the tables are turned when Rei diagnoses the problem and Shinji, motivated by Asuka’s lion’s roar, connects his power cable. And Chibinami gets a plushie!

The Three Sisters. Rei is so wonderful that we need three of her. Shinji unzips generic teacher chara to reveal Misato. On the way home, Rei picks up a collapsed dirt-encrusted girl. Who turns out to be Rei. That is, Rei (2), the second sister and younger twin of Rei (1). They are the opposite of each other; Rei (1) is the silent chara we know from the original series while Rei (2) is the noisy, hyper and athletic chara from the bread universe of Ep 25. Rei (3) aka Chibinami is their youngest 4 year old sister, whose design is based on the version that got choked by Akagi Naoko.

The pedantic Eva fan in me says that, chronologically, Chibi Rei should be Rei (1), silent Rei should be Rei (2) and bread Rei should be Rei (3). Of course there’s civil war in pedant fan street because one faction in my head argue for a number to be assigned to post-Armisael Rei too.

Ikari. Evanchou tries to teach Shinji some parlour tricks but the latter ends up having a ball of a time with Gendou And His Incredible Desk. Which changes markings (Principle in School, Father at Home). Or does he have different desks between work and home!? Yui uses Kikkoman! Gendou’s sleeping arrangement hardly does his waifu justice but his dream was surprisingly touching.

Friend. Ghost Kaworu does a Haruhi. But in broad daylight. When I saw the meteorite, the strains of the OP of Muteki Kanban Musume just rang in my head. But that was easily defeated by Evanchou’s nose snot before it could hit Ground Zero. Kaworu is not disappointed for long and has a new sparklely friend.

LOL at Rei’s defensive anti-Misato-sensei-chalk skills.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.