There are a few things I don’t understand about CG fandom. For example, perceiving CG R2 ep 5 as filler-esque, the immense popularity of Kallen or the veneration of Lelouch. I admit Lelouch is admirable in mind and siscon but he’s hardly a person one should look up to with his deeply scarred, revenge-ravaged heart and blood-soaked hands. As with most who are hell-bent on revenge, Lelouch is a myopic man trapped by past injustices. Although he claims that the revenge is aimed at securing a future for Nunnally, ep 5 shows us that the 2 items are distinct and possibly incongruent after all. I have no doubt CG R2 would force Lelouch to choose between revenge for his mother or a future for his sister. Ah, looking forward to sweet sweet SUNRISE drama then.
Suzaku, on the other hand, I’ve found to be honorable and magnanimous in almost all his dealings. Too many, I believe, confuse the purpose a person strives for with the power he serves. While Brittannia may be alluded the evil empire of biblical proportions (Babylon), Suzaku appears not to stand for its diabolical ideals (yet) but fulfills his duty as part of his grand scheme (as revealed in ep 5). Even now, I can’t really pin any wrongdoings on Suzaku except his naivety to believe that Brittania would honour their word to Knight of One in a manner that he has envisioned.
Of course many has also decried Suzaku to be a hypocrite for killing his father in a bid to reduce bloodshed only to join eventually the aggressor army, perpetuating more violence. But I think Suzaku has held true to his beliefs and this is also where Suzaku and Lelouch are markedly different. Suzaku seeks to effect graded change within an ordered framework, to minimise collaterals even if the system is an evil one whereas Lelouch attempts that quantum leapt to utopia through chaos. As the very least, Suzaku’s goals are backed by honourable intentions (even though they might lead him to hell instead.)
Anyhow, kudos to SUNRISE for crafting such affecting characters to carry the intriguing plot. While Suzaku may be an angel of the dark armies and Lelouch, the devil masquerading as the angel of light for now, one should never underestimate the convoluting paths of salvation/damnation SUNRISE’s pen can conjure. Can’t wait for ep 6.
It’s been almost 2 years since I last revisited Nanoha As. Mainly because I didn’t possess a copy of the series, thanks to some botched backups. That changed when I acquired the Taiwanese R3s (6 discs for $150) last Thursday. I’ve marathoned the series 3 times since.
However, I’ve learned not to watch Nanoha As in my wife’s presence since it’s hard to convince her that the boner bleeding nose was from Nanoha pumping 5 cartridges into the Tome of Darkness and not the preceding transformation scenes. It’s also mandatory to read jpmeyer’s AWESOME post after every rewatch. Now, that’s anime TRUTH.
Now to share this TRUTH with my anime-uninitiated friends who think Nanoha As is pedo-pandering.
Yume was the obvious DCII haremette of choice for this tanuki. Inheriting most of Nemu’s charm (think Dark Nemu, tsundere imouto and ‘nii-san’) and voiced by moe-incarnate Horie Yui, she gained my love even before there was word about a DCII anime conversion. (My Kotobukiya Yume figure which I’m trying to sell is testament to that love.) That was until DCIISS came along.
In any romance, the Hontouni SOP is to support the haremette that has the clearest and highest level of communication (that leads of true understanding) with the male lead. Which is why childhood friends and siscon imoutos traditionally have a headstart hence earning my backing. Unfortunately, DCIISS has spliced this trait into 2 and implanted them separately into 2 sisters - Otome (commanding that high level of understanding/communication with Yoshiyuki) and Yume (exploiting that imouto moe love). It’s an interesting predicament not unlike having to choose between your left or right leg to amputate. But after an intense struggle and battling against tanuki-kind genetic programming, Otome won out. (Yet another hard evidence that Stripey is not siscon… ok imouto-con.) I simply love how Otome and Yoshiyuki can speak so freely and easily with each other.
Of course I still enjoy Yume’s tsundere imouto antics but surely Otome is the better candidate to fulfill Yoshiyuki’s emotional needs given their sturdier foundation. Beside, Otome appears to be THE promised girl of the series and we know how that boosts the odds of snagging Otouto-kun. Her righteous aspirations probably also sit well with tanukis whose kind is synonymous with the word. Not to mention, Otome has already technically confessed to Yoshiyuki during the puppet show, only that Yoshi-doofus didn’t realise it. (But man, how I LOVE this play-for-real plot device - last seen in Kimikiss with great effect and never fails to invoke the memory of that touching scene in Figure 17.)
Either that I should stay away from Zyl and his heretical onee-sect to keep my imouto love pure and untainted. Yeah, I’ll do that just… after DCIISS ends with a Otome X Yoshiyuki ending of course.
I know it’s blasphemous to exclude Nadesico’s Ruri (who is believed to be the mother of all light haired lolis) from this list but my overflowing love for Anzu compels me. (Yes, I fully enjoyed DCIISS ep 02.)
Light haired lolis (LHLs) have a special place in my heart. If an anime character is light haired (and by that I means shades of grey, white to light blue) and lolicious, chances are she’d one of my favourite characters in the show. (The irritating Ibuki from Happiness is an extreme exception.) Light haired lolis exude an off-worldly charm. Where the archetype used to be confined to the Rei-esque (Evangelion) personality, this delicious character template has advanced to all planes of loliciousness. Now we have mature but tragic LHLs, non-human LHLs, moelicious LHLs and even a psychopathic LHL.
Without further ado, here’s presenting my favourite 15 LHLs in no particular order of love.
Continue reading ‘The lure of light-haired lolis - A lascivious lolicious list’
Despite my undying love for moelicious Alice and utmost admiration for babelicious Alicia, I’ve always felt that it is Akari who infuses Aria with its unique aura. I love Aria not because of the fantabulous Kozue Amano artwork, nor because it has babes from the lolicious to the moelicious but because it exudes an innocence founded on a profound appreciation of beauty in simplicity. Akari, with the heart of a child and the soul of a poet, serves as the perfect channel to dispense such wisdom as she always turns the most mundane to thought-provoking/edifying gems.
Before Aria, I never thought I would like “slice-of-lifes”. As it is, some parts of life is already mundane without it extending its tendrils into our leisure time. One of the primary reasons I enjoy a good movie/anime/SUNRISE is because it’s life-distilled. These visual tales are condensations of the most memorable moments in otherwise mainly boring existences. But Aria took that thought to cast it into the depth of anime purgatory. Akari can probably find insight and meaning in the most routine of tasks like queuing up to pay bills or washing dishes (which was what inspired this post actually.)
Even though RL is nowhere being Aria-esque, I believe humanity has a great deal to learn from Akari. A positive attitude and the childlike appreciation of the many things we’ve come to take for granted would bring new perspectives and a fresh love for life. (Though I’m still learning how to revitalise my passion for dish-washing.)
Yes, embarrassing comments are allowed.
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