Akatsuki no Yona - Manga Review

Yona is the sole princess of the kingdom, living the luxurious and carefree life as a princess should. She has it all: the finest clothes and cosmetics, the most divine sweets, a loving emperor as a father, and the hottest cousin crush, Soo-won, anyone could ever hope to have. Now, if only her bodyguard, Son Hak, wasn't so annoying to her and her hair wasn't so red.

But her nearly perfect world quickly shatters as the man she loves, Soo-won, murders her father and the path to his ascension to the throne is assured. Son Hak escapes with Yona, and they lead a life on the run from that point on.

- Titania Scans

Long time, everyone! I'm happy to see visitors despite my prolonged absence. Today, I'll be reviewing Akatsuki no Yona since the anime is coming soon!

The best aspect of this manga is Yona's characterization. Her metamorphosis from a naive young girl to a mature young woman is drastic but done at a very realistic pace. Her love for Soo-won hinders her motivation and while the typical thing for a shoujo manga is to rush the process in regards to romance - Hak is a favourite of many - her feelings for Soo-won doesn't disappear so quickly. 

This affects Hak who seemed to have a crush on the girl since childhood. 

Now, Yona's quest involves finding the four dragons who wait for her and each seem to be drawn into her because they can feel their past lives' affection towards their master. As she continues her journey, she understands the terrible shape her country is in under the rule of her father.

Everyone's characterization is great but the plot was slightly weak from the get-go. Zeno, the Earth Dragon, calls her out on this. The audience is shown what's occurring on Soo-won's side, who proves to be an effective leader, assisting the regions and earning the respect of the various tribes. 

Soo-won still has some feelings for her despite everything, as seen when he shielded her from his escorts, so the question becomes: What is going to happen at the end?

Is it better to have Soo-won to continue ruling or should Yona reclaim the throne? Or will the managa-ka put these two together at the end? Yona keeps a distance from Hak because she wants to retain her royal status to some regard so will they end up together?

It's one of the few manga that depicts the emotions of betrayl and love so accurately and the characters provide humour along the way. This is definitely a reverse-harem and it's a great ride! 

I totally recommend reading before watching the anime, just so we can appreciate the feels :)

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4 Things to Avoid When Writing Fanfiction

One of my favourite characters is Ryuzaki Sakuno and since she is a minor character in Prince of Tennis, I look to fanfiction for development or romance stories. I hadn't been to fanfiction.net as a reader for awhile and decided to visit.

Well, the number of rookie mistakes I found was phenomenal! While I am not a famous fanfic writer, I have had some moderate success. That being said, here are some tips and things to completely avoid:

1. "This is my first story...I suck at summaries..."

If you admit to sucking at summaries, then what's to say the story isn't going to suck? People love good summaries so they can judge whether it is worth their time. By writing such things, you are making a decision for people. 

For me, this is such a turn off. Take the time to write either one good sentence or two brief sentences. It makes a huge difference!

2. Ensure characters are not Out of Character (OoC)

I'm sure your story will have particular situations that will need the characters behave in a way never before seen on screen. The important thing is to keep the dialogue and actions realistic.

For example, if given a very stressful situation, Atobe would not have an Eiji like, talkative session. Instead, Atobe would maul it over internally because he cares about his reputation and needs to be viewed as confident.

Little things like this make a huge difference. The only time OoC is appreciated is in the humour category. A writer's skill is shown when people can laugh or think, 'that is so like ____'.

3. Grammar

For the love of writing, please use Microsoft Word or any other writing software that has spelling and grammar check! Some stories with great potential have been ruined because writers were more concerned about getting their chapters up faster rather than checking it over twice.

Fast doesn't mean good quality.

4. Keep notes in an author's note section

One must endeavor to maintain a good flow in each chapter so readers can enjoy your stories. It is important to create the proper mood from the get go. Don't put notes in the title and, obviously, not in the content.

These are the most basic tips that can be offered. If you can avoid all 4 no-nos, then you are on your way to success! Always remember that there will be reviewers that will give their two cents if they think something is not right. 

Some can be nice and some can be downright terrible, so always try to cover your back ;)

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Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 2 Review

As mentioned last time here, the awakening of Sailor Mercury occurs. It’s a little disheartening that each episode is released every two weeks but I suppose it makes it that much more interesting for us fans.

This episode focused on Mizuno Ami’s isolation from her peers and of course, the sadness that comes with it. There are various times where it is mentioned she doesn’t have many friends and each time, it seems she hears these opinions which further bringing her morale down.

She’s definitely popular but of course, in a way which makes people jealous of her high IQ. These initial scenes build a foundation for Usagi’s and Ami’s meeting and blossoming friendship. From the get go, Ami notices Usagi, possibly due to her bubbly nature.

We are then introduced to Queen Beryl and the new layout of her dominion is quite nice. It looks like more than a dark pit from the original and now, more of a dark castle.

Returning to the city, Luna suspects Ami is one of the scouts. They become instant friends as in the series, she is the closest to Luna. Usagi wanted to be friends with her for somewhat selfish reasons – increasing grades and learning how to study.

But then it becomes a normal friendship with a trip to the arcade. There, Ami is able to gain respect of the gamers since she does extraordinarily well in the Sailor V game, earning a ‘pen’ (her transformation talisman) and Usagi wants one too, tampering with the machine until she gets the disguise pen.

In this episode, the main conflict is with Ami’s cram school – Crystal Seminar. It is computer based so the minion is able to draw energy. She has chosen Ami as her star pupil.

Usagi and Luna catch on to Ami's strange behaviour after inviting her to an ice cream outing and rush to save her with Usagi transforming into a doctor.

Once there, Usagi gets into trouble and Sailor Mercury is awakened. Naturally, Ami's transformation scene is shorter but the amusing part was that it looked like she was figure skating. 

The significant change here is the lack of attack sequence – when the scouts attack, it is instant. That may be because there was only a few minutes left before the end, indicating the show will be focusing more on character development than on battle time since the last two fights have been quite short.

After the help of Tuxedo Mask, Usagi and Ami become good friends with Ami wanting to know more. Usagi and Luna were Ami's first friends and now she's become a much happier individual.

Then we get a glimpse of Rei. So next time, the awakening of Sailor Mars!

The first episode served as a plot set up and there is a lot of ground to cover so I can see why (in comparison to Sword Art Online II, where the plot is really picking up after episode 3). The rest of the episodes to come indicate that they will focus on the characters themselves since we now know the mission, some of the baddies, etc.

With this episode, I felt the bond Usagi and Ami have and why Ami would be inclined to serve her once she awakens as the Princess – Usagi was the first to speak with her, breaking the barriers of Ami’s isolation.

Now I’m looking forward to seeing Rei’s characterization – will they keep the manga character or will they stick with the previous anime version?

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Sailor Moon Crystal: Episode 1 Review

The long awaited Sailor Moon Crystal finally made its appearance last week and boy, was I happy to see it!

There are many who have been pulling every single aspect of the show apart but I am among those who is appreciating the show for what it is.

That being said, the following review will be a bit biased since I liked the first episode that much ;)

The episode begins with beautiful shots of the galaxy as the camera comes closer and closer to Earth. The music is something I felt was overdone but eventually, we come to Earth.

Then, mostly the outline of a princess and her prince is shown but we all know who they are. 

Cue the opening sequence, which I was incredibly pleased with. It did all the characters justice with some added scenes of Usagi and Mamoru. It was definitely more upbeat and interactive like many of the anime openings of this generation.

At this point, Usagi wakes and realizes she’s late. We don’t see her face until she meets Luna. Before that, she interacts with her mother, who has undergone design changes as well.

Personally, it seems that she looks much more like Usagi than the previous series. Her anger seems to be much more subdued in comparison to the previous, where it was completely exaggerated. It is still amusing when Usagi is kicked out of the house.

Naturally, after Usagi and Luna meet, the plot moves forward.

After they part, we are introduced to Usgai’s classmates and her opinion of each. Another character to undergo significant design changes is Haruna-sensei. Her signature suit is intact though albeit not as bright!

When Jadeite is introduced, the show took on a dark turn that the previous didn’t really offer as it was full of comedy. It’s at this point that I thought very highly of the show. Previously when the baddies came, it usually was combined with comedic stunts with a touch of malice. 

Now, whether it’s due to the toned down comedy, the dark colour palette or the music reminiscent of Diabolik Lovers, the show so far does justice to the evils occurring on Earth, which the scouts are needed for.

The main conflict in this episode is the baddie taking over Naru's mother's jewelry shop in order to retrieve energy from them. This is under the orders of Jadeite.

After Usagi leaves, she bumps into Mamoru. When I watched the show at a younger age, the romance between these two specifically didn’t appeal to me in any way. I thought it was overplayed.

However, with this installment, the subtle hints and dream sequences are better played out. Usagi isn’t, yet anyway, drooling all over him with the hearts in her eyes. It suits my preferences. 

Then came time for her to help her friends. Now, her transformation scene is something I wasn’t fond of and is the aspect that I liked better in the previous series. In this one, they used 3D effects and really showcased the spaghetti-fication of the characters.

As expected, when the battle comes, Usagi freaks out and begins crying. 

Tuxedo Mask, not super impressed, guides her and her crush is formed. Near the end, while everyone talks about the new heroine, we see Ami walking away from the building.

Guess who’s going to awaken next?

Overall, I felt this episode met expectations with all of the hype. The characters actually look their age, the animation is much more fluid and the colour palette is great. Pacing was done well and covered enough ground to set up for the rest of the episodes. I also love the minute details that make the overall difference - Usagi's hair strands, facial expressions, etc. It's not as exaggerated but showcases some major talent on the animator's part as the emotions are conveyed.

The only major concern I had was of the relationship between Naru and Nephrite's relationship, which was my favourite. I truly hope it stays in the picture because it was so sweet.

That's it for now, until next time!

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Kamigami no Asobi Review | Episode 1 & 2 (Spoilers)

(right to left) Takeru, Tsukito, Apollon, Yui, Baldr, Loki, Hades

Another anime I was looking forward to was Kamigami no Asobi - a series focusing on pagan gods as the love interests for Kusanagi Yui as they try to conquer high school for the future of both gods and humanity alike.

Initially, it was exciting to get two reverse harem anime in one season and honestly, the first episode was a let down but it picked up again by episode 2.

Episode 1 commences dramatically with gods fighting with one another and Yui, the protagonist, attempting to stop them. Apollon then makes his entrance and undergoes such a mahou shoujo transformation into his god form...it was hilarious since all that happened was removal of clothing and growth of hair.

Apollon Make-up!

Afterwards, it had a better paced screenplay with introducing Yui and her normal life. We know she is learning/doing kendo, has two brothers and parents, and lives in a shrine which is maintained by her family. It is probably due to this spiritual connection that she is chosen by Zeus for the mission.

Later, she and 7 gods are transported to a floating island. All of them are obviously confused and we go through an incredibly slow, 15 minutes as each of them are introduced through interactions with her.

A lot of shounen/yaoi material was also introduced as Norse, Greek and Shinto gods are featured and all have prior relationships within their folklore. The most interesting one was Baldr since he was so very clumsy and I sense a dual personality coming about...

Finally, Zeus summons her and they talk about the declining future of both the gods and humans. There was attempted comedy following the conversation but...it was kind of forced, as are most comedic scenes in the series so far. 

The purpose of the academy was to teach the gods humanity and save the future. At the end of the episode, we meet the 'default' male - the one with who the majority of scenes will take place with. 

Now, the animation is wonderful as it really focuses on lighting, shading, details, etc., as can be seen below:

It also had great promise of a strong female character and the difference was noted in her voice, where it is much deeper than other MCs of the same genre. Then it is revealed that she doesn't have a love life so she'll be the same as any other girl - completely inexperienced, leading to 'innocently seductive' scenarios and maintaining a confused/shocked facial expression at all times.

Kusanagi Yui

The downfall was the slow pace. I was just waiting for it to be over! 

Moving onto the second episode, it become a bit better with the opening sequence setting a pace - something the first lacked. It was also packed with a number clips focusing on enlightening the audience of the relationships already in place.

There wasn't any original clips with the MC & god as they were animated from the CGs:

It's always interesting to see the changes, especially in art (the game accommodates more western features whereas the is very Japanese) & Loki's personality is toned down a tad bit.

The main conflict in this episode is that not all the gods are up for participating in Zeus' plan. Each god reveals an aspect of his personality and by the end, the team formed for success consists of Yui, Apollon, Baldr & Tsukito. They do their best to convince the others to join the campaign for success!

The episode then ends with a lovely sequence of the main gods synced with the song. Here's a clip as a farewell:

It's a little difficult to watch the interpretations of the gods since Marvel dominated Norse folklore through Thor & Avengers whereas I've studied a great deal of Greek mythology. Nonetheless, it's still entertaining, even the take on Hades, who in mythology is a trickster/malevolent personality but a...misunderstood man in the anime.

The plot is forced but for the sake of reverse harem, it works. So until next time!

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La Corda D'Oro: Blue Sky | Episode 1 Review

This April, La Corda D'Oro: Blue Sky has been released! The best part is that it doesn't have connections to the first installment aside from taking place in the same school. 

I just finished watching the first episode and there were more positive feelings than negative. I wrote about the manga adaption here if anyone is interested. 

As with the manga adaption, the anime keeps the show dynamic with the various old and new relationships between the protagonist, Kanade, and her harem members.

The episode begins by showing Kanade as a young prodigy and fast forward a couple of years, we see her getting a note about reaching her limit. We don't know who sent it to her but in the manga, we have a better sense of who did.

Then the beautiful opening begins, foreshadowing allies and rivals, who she's most likely to end up with and my personal favourite clip:

I know which my OTP is going to be ;)

Every time I see this version, I can't help but compare it to the first. The feel was much more la-de-dah whereas this one focuses on a protagonist who seems to have lost her true passion for the violin and her self-confidence.

The song itself, Wings to Fly, is much more dramatic as well!

Moving on, we are introduced to Kyoya, who has an obvious crush on Kanade and is slightly possessive, and both are on their way to listen to Ritsu's performance. He is Kyoya's older brother and Kanade's cherished friend. She loves it when he plays.

In the concert, we are introduced to the majority of characters. Each of a line or two and the presidents of the music/orchestra clubs are featured (Ritsu, Togane, Myouga) and of course, Myouga is the one who stands outs since he knows Kanade is in the audience, zoning in on her.

Sei, sitting in the audience, wonders who he is taking his anger out on. Then after the concert, an announcement is about an a competition among three schools. This gets people excited as the prize is sponsorship and support from them for further studies abroad.
Following the concert, the two meet Ritsu, who has created a distance between himself and Kanade. It turns out he had left the both of them at their smaller town to learn how to better play the violin. He called them to his concert so they can better themselves as musicians.

It also turns out he shipped their belongings to the dorms so they could switch schools...

Funny.

Kanade eventually decides to stay - Kyoya's tense relation with his brother is touched on - and Kyoya doesn't want to leave her behind, especially with Sakaki constantly hitting on her.

The episode ends with the announcement of Kyoya and Kanade being entered in the competition! The other members don't like that very much.

All in all, it was a decent first episode. The major characters have been introduced with the minor ones most likely being flushed out in the second or third episodes. The anime really pushes the obvious crush Kyoya has for her and they have a pretty clip in the opening:

It seems like the series will focus on her development much more than Hino's. I liked the OVA of the first series as it did focus much more on developing Hino's character. The downside to the series is the lazy animation of characters not in the spot light.

When Sakaki speaks to Kanade, poor Kyoya's has been neglected. It's a minor thing right now so here's hoping none of that continues...

Looking forward to next week's episode!

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LGBT marriages not recognized in Japan

Last year, there was hype over Japan's first lesbian married couple to the extent of having a manga ("Lesbian-teki Kekkon Seikatsu") being published based on their married life.

Cool but what's this? Japan hasn't legalized LGBT marriages?

It’s quite intriguing that LGBT marriages aren’t legalized since the entertainment business, (animanga, dramas, etc) incorporate gay couplings, leading the illusion of being tolerant.

The reason why I say illusion is after reading the comment here, it further enlightened me to a trend of capitalism: beauty makes things okay. The following images help with the understanding of this statement:

These are aesthetically pleasing or provides fanservice to the audience. So if gay love or attraction is shown as such, then it's pleasing. It's not to say all yaoi, yuri or het fans fit this mold but I've spent enough years in fandom to see that beautiful characters matter to a large extent - 50/50 on art & plot makes a solid story (Takashi from Prince of Tennis is an example of this, being the most regularly drawn). In pursuit of 'hawtness', these rapid fangirls make more socio-cultural problems than there should be. 

Referring to the comments once again, some say because the 'marriage' was between two women who were good looking, they were able to 'get away' with such an event. Some say if it was two men, they wouldn't be able to bear it. 

So...are fans objectifying LGBT couples in fandom? Yes, I believe so. Fandoms are not the only ones that participate in this. As much as I enjoy CLAMP's works, beauty is a trend they definitely emphasize on through scenery in scans and of course, the characters themselves. They say love has no form but their characters sure are good looking people, eh?

Returning to reality, it's terrible that if a couple was considered unattractive, they would have much more trouble with society. Then again, beauty makes things better for anyone - in some places, prettier people are paid more than those who aren't. 

So sad. 

For those who want to read the article, take a look here. 

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