More moé!

Moé (pron: mo-eh) is one of the character-classifications in animes. There isn't any specific definition for it. In a literal point of view, in Japanese language the word can be best defined as 'budding' 'sprouting' or 'growing' . However, based on my extensive reading, it is actually derived from a Japanese slang which conveys the 'liking' or 'strong interest' in something. In some cases it can also be equated with the concept of geek or otaku.

Within the realm of anime fandom, moé is actually an archetypal character (by and large, young female character a.k.a bishojou) that triggers the feeling of protectiveness ,more often than not, among the male viewers. Typically, this type of character brings out the sense of purity, innocence as well as extreme cuteness or popularly coined as kawaii. However, in my humble opinion, there are also moé cases where bishie or bishounen is involved, though, I consider this under isolated ones (click HERE and HERE). Furthermore, moé can also be pigeonholed as various types such as nekomimi-moé, megane-moé, meido-moé and the list goes on.

Below are some eminent moé characters. Notice that, all of them are wearing school uniform (read HERE).

Name : Hirasawa Yui

Anime : K-On! and K-On!!

Name : Asahina Mikuru

Anime: Suzumiya Haruhi No Yuutsu 1 & 2 and Suzumiya Haruhi No Shoushitsu

Name : Furukawa Nagisa

Anime : Clannad and Clannad After Story

Name : Sakura Mikan

Anime : Gakuen Alice

Name : Honda Tohru

Anime : Fruits Basket

Name : Mitsukuni Haninozuka a.k.a Honey-senpai
Anime : Ouran High Host Club

Initially, I associated moé with 'fetish'.Nevertheless, after doing some readings I believe the word 'fetish' is to strong. Evidently, it should not be associated with any sexual conduct. In addition, based on what I have read so far, moé should not be confused with ecchi or - even worse - hentai. For the reason that, moé characters usually initiate the sense of protectiveness as well as maternal / paternal love to protect. In actual fact, the characters are normally created to soothe the viewers (mostly male) rather than to incite sexual conduct. And for the same reason also, some critics claim that moé is a type of child-like character with erotic undertone also associated with lolicon. There are also some opinions that explain, moé characters only exist in seinen anime or manga since it targets the demographic - men. Thus, if the supossed moé characters ever exist in other genre, therefore they are not moé in actual fact.

For your information, there are many endless discussions and debates on this issue and it seems that they will not cease in any time sooner. Obviously, since there are many opinions on this matter, there are no exact black and white on how a moé character should be or act.

[Notes]

Bishoujos = beautiful young girls
Bishounens = pretty boys

Nekomimi = cat's ears

Megane = glases / spectacles

Meido = maid

Lolicon a.k.a Lolita Complex = sexual attraction to little girls

The calm before storm...

The title of my post says it all! It’s definitely a calm before a torrential storm. Starting tomorrow, life is back to normal, i.e. hectic schedule, meetings, classes, my own classes and the whole enchilada! Anyway, to usher in the upcoming storm this is my second posting since yesterday…

In this post, I would like to announce my favorite animes of 2009. This is MY own list and it has nothing to do with other reviews out there.

My all time favorite is Eden of the East. The very thing that attracts me to this anime is the plot and eventually the conflict. They are so incredibly intriguing. I really love the OP and the ED themes and how they actually summarize the whole storyline ( If you watch closely, though). I'm also crazy with the portrayal of the characters, however, I am not head over heal with the portrayal of Saki, though. I think she is a little bit meek and pathetic… ngeh! But I love the whole concept of this anime series. It gives the concept of 'superhero' in a brand spanking-new angle. It is so thought provoking and the fact that they introduce terminology like Seleção (The Chosen One) and Noblesse Obliges (Nobility obligates). As for me, this is definitely a must-watch anime series ever!

My second favorite anime of 2009 is K-ON! W00t! I love this anime because of the representation of the characters and most important of all is the music, the ongaku! I really enjoy watching Yui and Mio shredding their guitars. It’s so surreal and it oozes with awesomeness! Other than that, I really enjoy the storyline as well as the animation. Will there be K-ON 2! I’m not so sure. But I bet it will.

The third anime is FMA Brotherhood. I enjoy this anime tremendously because of the action-packed and fighting scene. I also love the way they portray the two main characters Edward and Alphonse Elric. Sometimes this series is slow moving in places however I still fancy the whole plot and conflict.

I hate to admit it, but sadly it’s true. I almost put this anime under my to-drop list, however there is something about this series that gets me hooked. It's probably the characters. The series is none other than Suzumiya Haruhi 2. I care not to explain much, because the more I explain the more I’m confused. So, I’m just gonna leave it that way. Somehow, some things are better left unsaid…

Kinsoko jiko-desu: The many facades of Asahina Mikuru

Name : Asahina Mikuru (Mikuru Asahina)
Species : Time traveller
Ocupation : North High student (second year) / SOS Brigade Deputy Vice President & mascot
Anime : Suzumiya Haruhi No Yuutsu 1 & 2

Background:

Asahina Mikuru is actually a time traveler who is sent to investigate a huge time quake that happened three years back. Apparently, this time quake is triggered by none other than, Haruhi. Therefore, throughout the series it is established that her true purpose is to monitor Haruhi. She might look like a bumbling idiot, but truth to be told she is well-versed in the technicalities of time-traveling and time warp.

Her favorite phrase is Kinsoko jiko-desu! or Classified information!

Despite being the most beautiful girl in school, Mikuru is a shy and relatively timid person. She is also clumsy with a child-like charm. She is is kind, caring as well as a thoughtful member of SOS Brigade. Most of the time Mikuru easily gets scared or flustered, especially when Haruhi forces her to do some embarrassing things.

Despite her naïveté nature, she can be surprisingly resilient in recovering from even the harshest of situations when Haruhi bullies her. More often than not, due to her child-like nature and mild temperament, she seems rather week and feeble most of the time. And because of that, as a friend, Kyon always watches over and protects her; but most of the time, he has to succumb to Haruhi's madness.

After the humiliating 'bunny-girl' incident at the school's gate, surprisingly, Mikuru remains loyal and dedicated to the Brigade, as well as her true mission as a time-traveler.

In the serialization, Mikuru is seen in many costumes as one of her duties as a the brigade's mascot. She is seen in costumes such as, a maid, a nurse, a waitress (combat waitress) as well as a frog.

Mr. Hitler, too, hates The Endless Eight!

Those who share same hatred for Suzumiya Haruhi 2's The Endless Eight, should watch this video. It's hilarious and and yet so ridiculously bizarre! Like me and the rest of the fans, Hitler is so close of dropping the series as well.

Apparently, KyoAni and Kadokawa will pay with their own blood! Lol... Curse you two!

I feel ya, Mr. Hitler, sir. I get your drift! It is an utmost betrayal of the Haruhism Fanbase! Both of us are betrayed and fooled under our own noses...

Maybe, The Disappearance arc will compensate the animosity that we both feel... Only time will tell.

The Sighs of Haruhi Suzumiya : A Review (somewhat...)

[Click for a larger view]

It’s funny…. But not a funny ‘ha, ha’. It’s a bizarre kind of funny. I am a fan of Suzumiya Haruhi’s serialization however I am tad confused at this moment, so to speak. Since I became the fan of this series, there are several moments that make me stop and think regarding the arrangement of the episodes. Seriously!

Well, this week’s episode The Sighs of Haruhi Suzumiya is the 20th episode (if we combine both seasons). In fact, this episode marks the beginning of The Sighs Arc. However, this is more like Episode 00 or rather a prequel of Episode 01.

In this episode, we are going to observe the pre-production of SOS Brigade’s movie entitled The Adventure of Mikuru Asahina. Rings a bell? If it does, you are on a right track! If you are a fan (or not) this so-called movie is aired in the first episode of the series. In this week’s episode, evidently, there’s no pivotal events or scenes. Apparently, The Merry Friends a.k.a. The SOS Brigade are discussing about the programme or activity that the club (or rather, the brigade) is planning to organize in order to participate in the school’s Cultural Festival . Moreover, in this episode we will see how good is Haruhi’s personal relation skill when she manages to get an expensive camcorder for free and not forgetting other props too.

However, since this is a prequel I think I can make some somewhat intelligent supposition...lol. There’s no surprise here! Basically, there’s not much to review here… hence the title of the entry.

SPOILER AHEAD!

Notice something strange about this screenshot. Just look at the two school girls standing beside Kyon... Trust me this scene will be very significant soon in The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Arc...

The Endless Eight : And finally, it ends...

I was on the verge of dropping Suzumiya Haruhi No Yuutsu 2 from my anime to-watch list and then, the dragging deja vu arc has finally ended. Since the plot of the episodes are the same, thus, don't ever ask me which episode this is because I am so confused beyond word. What's important, this is the latest episode and the preposterous The Endless Eight arc has come to an end.... These screenshots were taken after the final scene at the restaurant when Suzumiya asked everybody if they had anything else to do before summer ended... And, at long last, Kyon took the initiative to voice out his opinion. He proposed that all of them should do and finish up the homework together as the final activity before school opened...

Dammit, Kyon! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!

The sight to behold... The clubroom, once again.

What is wrong with ya!

Curse you Haruhi!

Trust me on this... If you are planning to watch SUZUMIYA HARUHI NO YUUTSU 2: episode 2,3 and 4, you better forget about it! You don't have to waste your precious time to watch or even plan to watch them. They suck big time. All three episodes are the same since they are a dejavu. According to Nagato, the summer event has repeated itself for more than 15,000 times. Talk about never ending story!

Hang in there, Kyon! This too shall pass....

[Note]
Whoaa! This is my 100th entry! Ureshii, ne!

Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody : Synopsis and Review

In this post, I'll be reviewing SUZUMIYA HARUHI NO YUUTSU 2 episode 1: Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody.

[Screenshots: click for larger view]

Plot summary:

The episode opens with Haruhi mentioning about Tanabata day to Kyon. Then she explained the importance of Tanabata celebration in Japanese culture. Hence she decided that SOS Brigade should throw a party just to celebrate the meeting of two stars Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair).

Then, during their daily meeting at the club room, Haruhi entered with a stalk of bamboo in her hand and several wishing cards in the other. She insisted everybody to write their wishes for the future and then hanged them among the bamboo leaves. Then using theory of relativity (yup, you read me right!), she explained in detail that the wishes could only reach Vega and Altair within 16 to 25 years and therefor everybody must NOT write wishes that would take place less than 16 years in the future.

After everybody wrote on the wish cards and hanged them among the bamboo leaves, Haruhi suddenly became melancholic and dejected. Then Mikuru secretly slipped a note to Kyon asking him to meet her in the club room right after everybody went home. Then Nagato also slipped a secret note to Kyon. Eventually, after everybody went home, Mikuru explained that she wished to take Kyon 3 years back. Back where he first met with Haruhi. When Kyon agreed, suddenly he fell asleep.

When Kyon opened his eyes, he was sleeping on Mikuru's lap and they were at a park exactly three years ago. Then, out of the blue, Mikuru suddenly fell asleep. Apparently, the time-divergent (adult) variant Mikuru was trying to communicate with Kyon on what to expect. She instructed him to go to the nearby field.

Next, with Mikuru on his back, Kyon walked to the nearby field and then he saw the young Haruhi climbing the gate to the field. When she saw Kyon walking, she immediately urged him into helping her. Haruhi couldn't identify Kyon's face since it was night time and it was dark. Next, she made Kyon drew something on the field exactly like she ordered using some chalk she had prepared before hand. While drawing the strange sign Kyon realized that a message in a weird language. It was actually the message that Taniguchi once told him about. And what's so interesting was, it was written by himself.

After he finished the task, Kyon and Haruhi had a conversation about alien, sliders, time travelers and espers. To Haruhi's surprise, Kyon believed her and told her that he knew someone who believed in those stuffs back in his high school. In addition, he introduced himself as John Smith and Mikuru was her narcoleptic sister. Then, Haruhi left without even thanking him. To Kyon's surprise, this was the exact moment that triggered Haruhi to choose North High where she would later in the future.

After that, he woke Mikuru up and she was in panic when she realised that she had lost her TPDD. TPDD was actually the device that helped her to travel through time. At that moment, Kyon recalled that the secret note given by Nagato. Turned out, the note was the strange message that he drew on the field. That note actually led them to meet Nagato, the present variant, who was in stand-by mode for three-year long.

After explaining the predicament, Nagato led them to a room and asked them to sleep on seperate tatami. Both of them slept but only for less that 30 seconds. Nagato had actually manipulated time and space continuum. She helped them to return to the present time by freezing the time inside the room. Mikuru realised this when she checked her atomic-clock wrist watch and apparently, they had returned to their own period.

After what he had gone through, playing chess could really ease off the nerve...

The Verdict.

After 3 years hiatus, despite of many negative feed backs, I believe this first episode has justified the wait. I like it because it answers some of the weird things done by Haruhi in season 1. Maybe not all. But it does answer several questions, like:

• What or who actually influenced Haruhi to choose the high school? (It was Kyon, of course! After their short conversation at the field.)
  

• Why did she say, she was only interested in meeting aliens, time travelers as well as aliens and people who have the same interest as her? (Because, Kyon told her that the school was swarmed with that kind of people. And he mentioned that he knew a person who has the same interest.)
  

and...

• Why did she ask Kyon: 'have we met before?' when they had their early conversation in class. (Of course they had met before! However, it was dark and she could recognise his face, though.)
  

• Next, this episode reveals to us on who is the real 'culprit' who wrote the strange sign on the field as mentioned by Taniguchi in Season 1.

Too bad, the next episode will only be aired on 18th June. Maji de?! I really can't wait that long for it. Sheesh!

In this episode as well, we can see that Haruhi is a very intelligent student when she utilises theory of relativity in explaining her idea about the speed that the wishes will take to reach Vega and Altair.

Other than that, I would like to comment is the ED theme. It seems that it doesn't have the similar impact like the first season Hare Hare Dance... However, I do enjoyed the montage. It is very dazzling and it complements the whole theme mood of the series. The graphics are so fluid and realistic.

For the first episode, sadly enough, there is no OP theme. Well, it looks like we have to wait for it in the next episode. I hope it would be a blast! At least something catchy....






[Note]
Haruhi's wishes are, the world will rotate in the opposite direction and the world will revolve around her.

The wait is OVER!!!

OMG! Guess what peeps?! After 3 years break, SUZUMIYA HARUHI NO YUUTSU 2 is finally aired! I am so darn thrilled and I can't wait to watch the first episode and to be entertained by Haruhi and her merry friends in action! ... In fact I am even hyperventilating while typing this post.

I bet this season is much more adventurous and mind-boggling. And absolutely, much, much more mysterious...

The 1st season itself has made a tremendous breakthrough in the world of anime. The best part of this anime is the quirky characters as well as the far-fetched imagination of Haruhi-sama.

BTW, if you are wondering where can you download this episode, check this LINK for the torrent!

In the first episode, apparently, Kyon goes back to three years back. Back when he first 'met' Haruhi... And this is where it all begins. Some questions and enigmas in season 1 will be answered in this season!

[Note]

It is speculated that Mikuru Asahina is Kyon's sister. Really?!