My Hands are High, My Feet are Low, and This is How I Pop-See-Ko!

Two days ago it was warm enough outside to hang around in the sun without a sweater. A couple times last week I even wanted to take off my shoes. 

Now there's snow on the rooftops and frosted trees on the street.

Snow No.

Snow YES.

Oh Well. Such are the Spring times in Tahoe. Fufu! It looks pretty anyway. This was my view as I went up to get my nieces from school so they could stay the weekend. More on that in a mo. 

I'm poor. Why am I poor? Well A.) my job isn't the best, and B.) I am a full on Anime freak and I can't get enough of it. My shopping spree last week went something like this: Me on the Computer. Me on Amazon. Me on Barnes & Noble Website. Me seeing a manga/anime that I love. Me.... I'll just take that. It's really bad. I bought Three Manga last week, two anime soundtracks, and added an anime series to my basket so I could buy it when I got my next pay check. 

Bella, No.

Bella, YES.

Bella YEEEEEEEEES.

I'm not even ashamed. I needed Manga comfort. Grimm betrayed me. N/dalind is a retarded ship that should never have been give sails let alone wind to blow it, and that's all I'll say about the matter. 

I also barely slept last night on account of my nieces being very talkative and having a weird dream about flying a Rose-Truck in London. With an alien that had huge eyes and no mouth, filling up the screen of the ship and repeatably telling me to scoot over. (Courtesy of Sammi Toink.)

It was a weird dream.

My little nieces are up for the weekend and I spent a couple minutes trying to take terrible selfies: As seen here. I want to post more pictures on my blog but I take bad pictures! 8-( Sorry, faithful followers. I did try.

Someone Photo-bombed my left hand picture. Sisters. *sigh*

It's been fun seeing Chloe and Sammi again. We spent most of today singing "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes - WHAT ARE THOSE???" and "Pop-see-Ko."

This is Pop-See-Ko

You're welcome. Now that will be stuck in your head the rest of the day. Like a child I participate in this nonsense. Tonight at teatime we even got Mahri and Gavin doing it! And Kat, and Treskie, and Amy.... it was great mayhem.

Then I sent Tiny a chat (cause she's visiting my sister Gina and her family) and I was like HEY TINY.

Tiny participated like a child too.

This is going to be a thing. Maybe I'll teach all the Day-Care kids to do it to.

HEY KIDS!

HEY WHAT??

ARE YOU READY? 

FOR WHAT??

TO POP!

POP WHAT?

POP SE KO!!!!!!!!

Fufufu! Drive everyone I work with crazy.

I'm working on a longer blog post, and since I'm about to pass out I'll leave you now. 

HAPPY PALM SUNDAY!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

In which I want to post but I have no idea what to post about.

Yo people of the internet!

Guess what today was!

Well yes, it was the first day of Spring. It was also the day Catholics celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus Christ. (His feast day was yesterday but because he's such a big Saint, if it falls on a Sunday the Church gives it it's own day of celebration.) This means we got to have a little relief from the Lenten penitence. For me and my sisters this involved the skipping of a meal so we could partake of tea-cakes and coffee at eight thirty at night.

We DeLallo's sure get crazy with our feasting. Lol. We all worked late so that was about as much as we could manage.

I've no idea what to post about guys. I am sooooo tired. I was on a energy high last night and didn't get to sleep 'till some creeping hour after midnight. I got a little writing done though, and that was excellent! Life goals and all that. I had so many goals this year. *siiiiiiigh* My goals are not working out. Granted, it's only March but as far as 2017 goes I've gotten off to a rough start, creative-wise. It's especially annoying when I actually try to be creative and my creative juices won't flow. I think some of it has to do with how sick I've been these past few months, and not sleeping well. No rest means no creativity. Unless it's 3:00 AM. Then your mind wakes up sure and steady!

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but do you ever get super excited about a certain story and you can see the whole finished product in your head like a beautiful masterpiece, but when you start work on it you think that maybe you can't actually write this beautiful story?

That is what's been happening to me. 8-P

JUST GET IT DONE BELLA.

What I want to do is take a long walk with my notebook. I want to sit in nature until my mind remembers to what creative is. Maybe I'll do that this weekend. It's been too long since I've climbed a tree. Now that Spring is here I'm feeling much more friendly toward the wilderness. I'm more of an outdoor person in the warm months than in the cold. Call me whimpy if you want. There isn't a lot to do in the snow. Once Spring sets in I'm like "YAAAAAAS. TREES! ROOFS! LIGHT! SUN! LIFE!"

I want to go swimming, but it's not quite that warm out yet. Sadly. 8-( I think swimming would help my back. It's been acting up lately.

With that random bit of information out of the way, here is a Japanese* song I've been obsessed with these past few months. I'm trying to learn it for singing class. Unfortunately the only copy you can find on Youtube that isn't pitched is the one performed live. The guy who sings it is a bit weird so feel free to ignore him. Don't judge until you read the lyrics. They're sad. 8-(

*Yes I said Japanese. It's was one of the opening songs in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and I love it.

READ LYRICS HERE:

 My favorite line is in the fifth verse: 

You, who gave me a new start by your consolations,   and the hateful and cowardly me.

It’s about time… Fumbling, my troubles spill down my tired cheeks

There is something beautifully sad about that line. It reminds me of a person who has tried his/her absolute hardest and had it all backfire on them. It also reminds me of that feeling you get when you've succeeded but at a heavy price. Like Frodo at the top of Mount Doom, knowing the Ring is destroyed but he will never be the same. It make me more determined then ever to write good characters who face intense moral dilemma's and painful sacrifices, but they still do what's right. However scared and weak they feel, they do the better thing. The noble, hard thing. Being a good person doesn't make your decisions any easier. Usually it makes them harder. I want readers like me to have more characters to relate to. Not just morally grey people who sometimes do the right thing, but actually good people sticking to their values, however hard. Contrary to popular belief, Good doesn't mean Flat. It's much harder to be Good than Grey.

Sometimes Japanese lyrics are deep and they help me write. I need to draw inspiration from wherever I can get it. I don't even care if it's weird. This song is beautiful. 

Ooooh. Now I have an idea about a song review. Or analogy. Or talk? Something like that. A "Lyrics in relation to the writing/inspiration" thing. That's sounds interesting.

On that note, I'm off. It's almost eleven here and I have to get to bed.

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

I have come back ... TO LIFE!

OH HEEEEEEY!

Literally the last three weeks: Life: - You want to blog? You want to write? You want to be creative? HAHA! TOO BAD! YOU'RE TOO BUSY CHASING YOURSELF TO DO ANY OF THAT!!!!

For real though.

I wanted to be a better blogger this year but these few months have been a whirlwind of craziness and I am not holding up on that effort too well. It's like the fates are against me or something. I just can't catch an easy week! Lol. The start of this year has been rocky to say the least. To say the most....

*thrashes like a slimy squid in a hot soda pop*

Yep. This has been my 2017 thus far.

2017. 2017. 2017.

I had such hopes for you. How could you betray my tiny trust?

But hey! I'm blogging now.

Despicable Me

I was supposed to be doing a Musical Link-Up but do to lovely life craziness I totally missed the whole thing. This is a little sad for me, but I am sure I'll have other chances to vent about my musicals. For now; Life Update!


1.) I am almost done with both my Piano class and my Acting class. Piano has been fun, but it's more of a crash course than anything else because we had so many snow days we had to play catch up. Even so, the teacher is great and the class has been interesting. I'd like to take it again, when I'm not so sick.

The acting class has been much more fun than I thought it would be. I hadn't done much Improv before so it was fun to get my feet wet in something I was unfamiliar with. With Improv you get to play a lot more. I can definitely see the appeal of creating characters from scratch and having almost boundless options with your character, your scene, and your whole story. It's great fun. I like scripts a little better, but Improv has it's perks. I can see myself taking it again.

2.) My clarinet was finally found at my brother's house and brought back to me. This is super exciting for me. I am totally out of shape with mouth position and playing for any length of time, but wow! It's great to have my instrument back! I plan to start playing around with melodies again, try to give some of my musical numbers more than just acapella. That should be interesting! Actually, that's why I'm taking piano. I plan to keep practicing even after my class is over. Piano helps with musicals so much! 8-) Also, Base Cleff is trippy guys. Trippy. All those low notes and high notes look the same!

As an aside I don't like being a beginner. I want to immediately know all the things and make beautiful music without doing the months of practice. Is that too much to ask? I'm impatient, guys!

3.) I officially had the worst Fat Tuesday in Fat Tuesday history. LOL. For real. My family (and myself) were so busy running around meeting each other leaving that we didn't have much time to celebrate. But we did get nice ice-cream so that was great.

4.) I got headbands from Treskie and I look freaking adorable in headbands. Just sayin'.

5.) I finished the series Pandora Hearts last month. It was absolutely brilliant. The best story I've read in a long, long time. The character development was excellent, the story was superb, the plot was layered and complex (if that's a strong enough word...) and the whole emotional pay off was excellent. I loved it. I loved it so freaking much.

Xerxes Break

YAAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!

I might do a blog post about Fantasy Manga/Anime in the future. Why? Because there are lots of suffering bookworms out there who can't find anything original when it comes to the fantasy genre, (and books in general) but I've found a number of good manga/anime that have captured my attention. Manga can be really beautiful. It's true. The ones I've read have been so good* that I might even see if some Japanese fantasy books are good too.

*I know there are bad ones too. Of course there are. There are good and bad manga, good and bad anime, good and bad books. That how the world goes.

6.) My Mom and some of my sisters have gone off on a nice long vacation at my brother-in-law's house. Mom is going to help with Laura's new baby, and since she only lives a couple hours from my other sister Gina, they're all just going to hang out their for some weeks. I'm happy they get to have a vacation - they haven't had a proper one in ages - but it was sad for me to stay behind. This is why I hates jobs. 8-(

7.) In the past three to six months anime/manga have hit me with so many emotions I'm slightly ashamed. Though not ashamed enough to stop. ANIME! MANGA! GOOD STORIES! AAAAAAAAAH! I will say that when Hunter x Hunter makes you want to cry you know things are getting crazy. What was that season five arc? WHAT WAS IT?

My relationship with Anime.

8.) I want to go hiking in the snow. Then I don't. Then I do. Someone should force me to go with them. *Squints at Jim* Why am I hesitant? 'Cause I know myself, that's why. A hike in the snow sounds like an adventure, but knowing me.....

Maybe I'll try out reality when I'm well. I'll have to get proper snow boots and a coat. I should also bring hot cocoas.

See??? NOW I WANNA GO AGAIN.

8.) I want to hang the Catholic Flag outside my house. Just cause.

Look how pretty it is! How cool would it be to have that flying outside your window? It would make you feel like you had your King's banner hanging above your Knightly headquarters. And let's face it. That's basically what it is!

9.) I'm going to make something DELICIOUS for desert this Sunday, because why the heck not? It's Sunday. I freaking can.

10.) I want to buy a nice dress for Easter this year. Wish me luck with that!

I am all out of things to say. I'm going to try and go back to posting regularly! I want my blog to be centered around light and happiness so I'm trying to figure out exactly how to do that. Maybe I should just do more "happy thoughts" posts. Maybe I'll even make a Happy Thoughts Day. (Every Saturday???)

I don't know. If you have feedback I'd be glad to hear it.

Peace out y'all!

Bai Bai!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

So. 2017. *crazed laughter*

As all of you know, I am not a good blogger. I have good intentions but I really don't blog half so much as I ought to. Back in the Summer, I gave my blog a face lift and talked a little bit about being a dreamer and how I was going to make this blog a "safe place" for people like that. Then I promptly crashed, losing any sort of inspiration. Now that the New Year is hear, I am going to try and remember this mission. Part of the problem was that I really didn't know how to approach my new blog idea. However, I think I have an idea now, of what I'd like to do here.

I want to start posting once a week for starters. *More Crazed Laughter* I want to try and post something positive, optimistic, or fanciful about my week. I'd like to start talking a little more seriously about stories, writing, poetry, and the overall stunning glory of God's world, which is so easy to miss out on now-days. I want to post about beautiful things. With this mission in mind, my blog should be much more themed this year. Here's hoping!!!!!!!

As a Kick-Off for the New Year I am going to do the New Year's Tag.

1.) What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?

Erm. I went to Frontsight, I got a job. I started writing a musical. Oh! And I visited the ocean with my friend Jack and my younger sisters! 8-D

2.) Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make one this year?

I don't properly remember my New Year's resolutions. I don't think I had any for 2016. But I do have tentative resolutions for 2017. Mainly to focus on my writing and take some freaking music theory. (MAYBE ACT???)

3.) Did anyone close to you give birth?

Oh yes! My sister did! His name is Dominic. He's adorable.

4.) Did anyone close to you die?

No, Thank God.

5.) What countries/states did you visit?

I only went to Nevada. That was it and it's not that big of an achievement, seeing as I live fairly close to that state. Probably the biggest thing I did travelling-wise was going to the Ocean. That crap was beautiful, and it was tons of fun. Behold God's untempered magnificence!

6.) What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?

Moooooooooney! Lol. I guess I'd like an actual house to live in, not a flat. A cute little two-room cabin would be nice.

7.) What day in 2016 will remain forever etched in your memory?

November 7th. The last and best day I had at Frontsight. I hope I will never forget it.

8.) Did you move anywhere?

Well, I was briefly in Nevada but then I came back home and am now living with two of my sisters. Otherwise, no.

9.) What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I'd love to say 'I got my license!' but alas, that isn't true. So.... I placed into the third round in the contest at Frontsight. And I can actually shoot now, even though I need to practice on speed.

10.) What was your biggest failure?

Failing my driving test. Twice. Curse you parallel parking! I knew I could do it but my nerves were less sure. *blows smoke from ears.*

I was not this kid.

11.) Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nah. I'm all good.

12.) What was the best thing you bought?

I bought my very own copy of the Fullmetal Alchemist; Brotherhood series. Complete with OVA episodes.

13.) Whose behaviour Merited celebration?

My Mom is the ultimate superwoman. Honourable mentions would be Gavin from the library, my sister Mahri, and my brother.


14.) Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

A person whom I will not say the name of. Such a person made me very appalled and depressed. And angry too. *scowls at said person.*

15.) Where did most of your money go?

Toward books, Anime and Manga, and Reeses.. And I bought gifts for everyone at Christmas, which was very fun, by the way.

16.) What did you get really, really, really excited about?

FRONTSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT! And of course, my visit to the ocean. I am so grateful that Jack let me come with her to that. Oh! And my brother's wedding, way back at the start of the year!

17.) What was the best concert you've been to this year?

I saw no concert. I did however, see a bootleg of Les Miserables and it was magnificent.

18.) What song/album will always remind you of 2016?

My 2016 song is probably Battle Scars by Paradise Fears. The album would be.... hmmm. Bring Me Giants, by James Barbour.

19.) Compared to this time last year are you:

Determined. Determined to live my life as best and as hopefully as I can, and to make the most of what is given to me. God's got this. I'm determined to be a good, if anxious soldier under His banner.

20.) What do you wish you'd done more of? 

I didn't do any acting at all last year. I'm homesick for the Theatre. I wish I'd done more writing too.

21.) What do you wish you'd done less of? 

I wish I had done less of nothing. I was stuck without a car or anywhere to go within walking distance for most of this year, which meant I did almost none of the things I wanted to do. Like act and Dance

22.) What's your greatest Musical discovery?

Bring Me Giants (James Barbour) Ghost the musical, and as much as I hate the plot and premise, I liked a lot of the songs and music from Bridges of Madison County*. Kelli O'hara has an amazing voice, and that whole album inspires me to write music of my own. It showed me how much music can inflict mood on a scene; from contemplating and hopeful, to excited and bedazzled.

*I don't recommend this musical for a number of reasons, number one being that its about an affair. I only listen to a few select songs from it.

23.) How did you spend your Christmas?

Rather like the others, I spent Christmas at Homebase with my family, good food, and some very great friends. My brother and sister-in-law also came up with their kids, which was wonderful.

24.) How did you/are you spending New Years?

This was a nice New Year. Usually I slog through until midnight, say a small "Happy New Year," and vanish to my room. This year, my family (+friends) completed a Three-Day Lord of the Rings Marathon on New Year's Eve. We were invited to Sammi B's house for the last movie and finished the RoTK just a few minutes before midnight. After an epic count down to midnight, we toasted in the New Year with poppers and horns, and the sound of bagpipes flooding from outside, as they always do.  We kicked 2016 into the past with much ghusto, called out HAPPY NEW YEAR! And went home. We're such party animals it's ridiculous. Our New Year's are pretty freaking lay-back.

I honestly thing there are few better ways to start the New Year than with an LOTR marathon. It stirs up your soul in a big way. Let this be the hour when we draw swords together! Fell deeds awake; Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And the red dawn! ..... RIDE NOW!

25.) Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerm. My sister Tiny and... Jack?

26.) What was the best book you read?

My favourite book of this year was probably The Penderwicks in Spring by Jean Birdsall. Yes, it was a painful book and yes, I cried a lot in it, but it helped me with some of my own struggles. I found a kindred spirit in Batty. She is dear. It also got me back into my clarinet and made me feel like maybe I could write music, so there is that.

Honourable mentions include; Castle in the Air: Diana Wynne Jones, Screaming Staircase; Bartimeus:  Jonathan Stroud. Heist Society: Ally Carter. Pandora Hearts (10): Jun Mochizuki.* Noragami (11-14): Adachitoka**

*Yes, it's a manga.

** Yes, another manga. Don't judge me.

27.) Did you fall in love in 2016?

What? No way! *thrashing anime noises*

No love life for this girl, yet. This is probably good. I don't think I'm ready for that.

28.) What was your favourite TV show?

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Honourable mentions include: Hunter x Hunter, Hawaii 5-0, Pandora Hearts, and Lethal Weapon.

29.) Do you have anyone you hate now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Not really. There are some people are strongly dislike. Some that have annoyed me or caused me distress.

For example, I strongly dislike a certain party of people more than normal. #NewAgePharisees

30.) What did you want and get?

I wanted Musical Notation notebooks and by golly, I got them!

31.) What did you want and not get?

Ghost; the musical.

32.) What were your favourite films of this year?

Doctor Strange and The Magnificent Seven.

Mister... - It's Doctor. - Mister Doctor? - It's Strange.

33.) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

Here is the thing. My birthday is in January, so sweet 18-year-old me has been around all year. That's a long time folks. What I'll do is briefly recall my last birthday and tell you the plan for my next one.

Well, I was sick with Broncitas for my 18th birthday. *

I work this birthday, but I plan to have a few of my siblings and Jack over for dinner. I think I'll watch either The Giver or .... Something epic. I am on a Lord of the Rings high, so I'll need to watch something emotional and grand. Maybe one of the Marvel movies, or Gladiator.  Or The Eagle.

34.) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

I was basically Vanellope from Wreck it, Ralph!

I'm adorable!


35.) What kept you sane? 

Prayer. Anime. The library. My sister Tiny.

36.) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I actually didn't have a celebrity figure that I especially fancied this year. I like Chris Pratt and Il Volo, but that's old news. So, no public figure has made much of an impression on me since 2015.

37.) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Passing my driving test would have made my year much better. *headdesk*

38.) What political issue stirred you the most?

The freaking Elections man. Oh my gosh. I was in Pahrump learning about guns all day; then I went home that night and worried (and prayed) about our next presidential candidate.

39.) Who did you miss?

Sammi Bender </3. Also, my adorable little nieces.

40.) Who was the best new person you met?

I don't really meet people. I guess Gavin has only been around a year, so I'll count him. He's dear.

41.) Tell  us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.

-Noragami

Life is full of suffering and pain, but it is also full of joy and happiness. Everyone has their own crosses, their own burdens and trials that they must undergo, whether for the betterment of themselves, or the betterment of many, or both. I've known this for a while but it really hit me this year. Life is a walk in shadow, but that doesn't mean there isn't any light. And despite all the hardships life is actually worth living. To see a sunset, to feel wild wind, to witness the glory of a waterfall, to have good company and good meals, to enjoy stories and laughter, to experience love and friendship; all of these are good reasons to endure the bad days. The bad weeks. Even the bad years. And no matter how bad things get, one day all the suffering will end. The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass. Then you see it. White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise. 

42.) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Rain came pouring down when I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe... And by morning gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean. - (Clean, Taylor Swift.)

Also, this incredibly relateable verse: On and on, like we're living on a broken record, hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker. Sit, and we wait, and we drown there, thinking, 'Why bother playing when it's unfair?' They say life's a waste, I say they lack belief. They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet. Left, right, left, right,  moving along to the pulse of a heartbeat [....] Don't stop. March on. (Battle Scars, Paradise Fears.)

43.) Fiver personally significant events of 2016.

1.) My brother's wedding. We welcomed our new sister into the family with much merry making  and friendly company. Especially my sister Gina, her husband, and her kids. It was a good week.

2.) Visiting the Ocean in July with my best friend and some of my siblings.

3.) FRONTSIIIIIIIIIGHT. NOVEMBER 4-8th!!!

4.) February 16th, when my amazing brother treated the whole family to Disneyland.

5.) November 31st because, reasons.

44.) Five things I want to do in 2017.

1.) Take a music classes.

2.) Audition for a play or musical.

3.) Write at least the rough draft of a musical, and finish at least the first draft of my Cyril book.

4.) Spend more time with my sisters

5.) Pray hard, fight well, and live the life God gave me with fewer fears and more happiness.

45.) Five people I'd like to know better in 2017.

How was your 2016? Are you optimistic about 2017? Can you believe it's 2017??

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Anime Character Challenge [ Day Six & Seven ]

Day Six: The Character you would fall for. 

Hmmm. I need someone who is funny, passionate, sweet, caring, and dopey. Someone who will calm me when I'm stressed out, someone who will make me feel better about life in general.

"I'm just the guy in the group whose regular."

I can see myself going out with Sokka from A:TLA. If he asked me to dinner I'd go. He's a dork. He has a ton of wacky ideas, he goes out on a limb, he's sarcastic and silly, and he's clumsy without caring. He messes up a lot, and trips over himself, but he has a big heart and a good sense of humor. He doesn't let things get to him. He'd make me laugh, which is good. Also, Sokka's brave. He has a strong moral compass that he follows no matter what. He does the right thing, no matter how hard it is. If he knows something is wrong he won't change his view, even if everyone else tells him he is over-reacting, or that he isn't seeing the situation correctly. He's very sweet and gentle. He's a good, normal guy with a funny way of seeing the world and I love him as a character.


Day Seven: The Character you want to be like.

If I could be as kind, compassionate, and forgiving as Alphonse Elric I would count myself lucky. If I could be as brave and optimistic as he is, that would be something incredible.

"I'm sick of watching people die, and I can't just sit back and take it anymore."

Alphonse faced obstacle after obstacle but he never lost hope. His dad abandoned him, his mother died before he hit his teens, he lost his body and was trapped inside a metal suit, unable to feel physical pleasures or comforts of any kind. Then he was put through heart-ache after heart-ache in his search to get his body back and restore his brother's body to normal as well. But he never gave up. Not once. And wow, he was really forgiving of Hohenheim for being absent from his life for 10+ years. And of Kimbley's men. Oh, and of Scar too. And wow, he was so self-sacrificing. Save someone stranger or help myself? Okay, the stranger. Like, geez. And don't get me started on his friendship with Edward. He would give up everything for that brother of his. Let's also not mention that he deals with his problems bravely, and he's a cupcake, and how on earth can he be so sweet when he's been put through so much?? Wow. Alphonse Elric, man. Alphonse Elric. <3

I might not want to be exactly like Alphonse - I'm me and like it that way - but he certainly has some admirable traits, and I'd like to see those grow and thrive in myself.

Do you have a character that inspires you to be a better person? Do these sorts of characters help you understand why writers are so important in society?

God Bless! AND HAPPY THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Anime Character Challenge [ Day Four & Five ]

The Character you love and everyone else hates.


Uhm. I don't really know a character in anime that get's a ton of hate. But then, I haven't been into this very long, and I usually ignore the fans anyway. They can get obnoxious. So I don't have a character that fits in with this category. 8-(

The Character you used to love, but don't anymore.

Oh. This one is really hard. Instead of doing a character I'm going to do a character arc that I hated. Because most of the time I won't go from loving to hating a character, even if they spiral. They have to do something really awful to warrant that. I tend to hate the writers, and the circumstances that put said character in that position to begin with.

For example.

Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul.

*Feels awkward telling people I've watched this show. Hides in a blanket of shame.*

What is this? A crying Ghoul?

Guys. DO NOT WATCH THIS SHOW. If Ghoul doesn't give you a hint of how weird/dark the story is, and how much fast-forwarding I did, than the idea of a twelve year old boy being turned into a ravenous monster definitely should. TG was one of those shows I watched on a whim because it had a good friendship story in it, and instantly regretted. I binged it as fast as possible, skipping a lot of the fight scenes and blood, and wondering why on earth this show came recommended to me. The only reason is was bearable was because I liked Hide and Kaneki's friendship. I loved Hide. And I actually liked Kaneki. He was a sweet little bookworm who didn't want to be a monster, who didn't want to hurt anybody, and who really, really didn't want to kill anyone. He wanted to be as human as possible. What can I say? I like characters like that. However, half way through season two Kaneki had a shift. He let himself slip into a seriously bad state, and joined this rebellion to help fight against Goul-Hunters. Not a bad cause, but he did some pretty messed up stuff after he joined. Do I think he had full control of himself? Maybe not. The Ghoulish nature was going wild inside of him, he was tortured and traumatized, and he had this weird girl in his head who was manipulating him. (That is a long story. 8-P ) Be that as it may, Kaneki still went down some dark paths that I didn't like at all. I felt it kind of ruined him. And that made me sad because Kaneki was obviously hurt, and forcing himself to be detached and cold. I stopped watching TG a few episodes before the finale, 'cause I just couldn't watch his character being stripped anymore. Then I found out that in the finale Kaneki's best friend had been killed. Yep. The one person who could help Kaneki heal, and the one person who got him to open up and start acting like himself again, and he went and got himself killed defending Kaneki. Hide didn't deserve that. He was a little ray of sunshine, he accepted and cared for Kaneki, even after finding out he was a monster. And if Kaneki had just talked to Hide, and hadn't avoided him so much, half of the stupid-arc-crap wouldn't have happened. It annoyed me.

"Let's go home, Hide."

The Tokyo Ghoul Anime (not manga) might be redeemable... but it all depends on how the writers handle season three, and what happens with Kaneki.  If he has a redemption arc - if he realizes he's gone too far, and tries to make amends, or be a better person - I can see it being a redeemable show. Especially if Hide comes back and their friendship is able to grow. But it would have to be handled very well.

 Do you have a character that you still like, but you don't like an arc they were forced to undergo, and-or how the writer handled their story?

God Bless!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

Anime Character Challenge [ Day Two & Three ]

Since I know I will be busy as it get's closer to Christmas, I'm going to double up some of the days. I hope y'all don't mind.

The Character you never expected to Love:

Again, this is a toss-up between Scar from Fullmetal, and Break from Pandora Hearts. 

I'll do Break from Pandora Hearts, because as much as Scar grew on me, I think my attachment to Break is a little more unexpected.

"Don't concern yourself with what those tasteless idiots say."

When I first met Break Xerxes my initial reaction was, "Oh. That character." In almost every anime there is that one character who is really weird and annoying. They usually have a fetish with popsicles or candy, they make all sorts of strange, disturbing remarks, and they usually don't do much for the story. And yeah, Break was super weird. He seemed one card short of a full deck, if you know what I mean. He wasn't my favorite. I even remember thinking that I wouldn't care if he died. Boy was I wrong! Anime characters have a habit of sneaking up on you and making you like them before you realize it's happening. From one episode to the next you'll find yourself invested in a character's well-being. Like, I didn't think I really cared for Break at all, but then he was in danger. And I was like, "Waaaaaaaaait! I don't want him gone!"

"Perhaps you are weaker than I thought. But you're also stronger, much stronger than you realize." (Oz to Break)

Break has a sad back-story. He is eccentric, but he is cool and fascinating. He is strangely vulnerable, and I just love him. HE MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS!


The Character everyone loves that you don't.

That would be Olivier Armstrong, from Fullmetal. I don't know if everyone loves her, but she sure does have a strong fan-base. I am not a part of it.

Olivier is everything I hate in a 'strong' female character. She is the General of a great Fort called Briggs, which lies amid mountains, racked with snow and ice. This means she is a soldier, which I really wouldn't mind if she wasn't such a jerk about it. Olivier is hard, withdrawn, and practically emotionless. She looks down on men, unless they're her own, and she looks down on soldiers/fighters unless they're from Briggs, or unless she has trained them herself. Because obviously she is the only one who knows how to train properly, and obviously only her soldier's triumphs are valid. Obviously. *gag* She is also one of those obnoxious characters that think being merciful is weak. That having a soft, forgiving heart is weak. That being naive enough to trust and hope is childish, and anyone who acts like that is pathetic.

"I believe [he] may have witness some carnage in [his] time, but I can tell that on the inside [he] remains soft and weak."

Why is he weak? Because he hates killing? Because he cares about the well-being of others, even those on the opposite side of the war? Because he loves and hopes, and his heart keeps getting broken, but he does it anyway? What is so weak about a vulnerable, durable heart?

She thinks mourning the dead is pointless. - "We don't see any point of clinging in those who've died. We only know how to fight to keep more from dying." - She also thinks sparing the life of your enemy is stupid and weak. If you don't have the stomach to kill, you're a coward. If you choose mercy and peace over the fight, you are a waste. Olivier is cold and harsh, she didn't allow herself to show care or love, and she constantly insulted those whom she deemed 'unworthy' of her respect; even war-veterans and heroes that certainly deserved much better treatment.

Olivier does care for her men. That is a fact. But she rarely shows this. She also doesn't seem to know any emotions besides anger, suspicion, and spite. There were moments when you saw a slightly 'warmer' side to this vicious General. Like when she was practically killed and her brother saved her; or another time when a brilliant woman alchemist offered her help during the final battle against the enemy. But the overwhelming impression I got from Olivier is that she had left her femininity behind to be a soldier. She had become 'masculine,' as if the only way to be strong and respected was to act like a man. An emotionless man. I think that's a bad message. I much preferred Riza Hawkeye, who was a strong leader and fighter without losing her feminine qualities in the process.


Do any of you have that one character you can't stand?

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

I Did THE THING.

This is Anime, This is Anime, Anime, Anime, Everybody Scream in Pain!

Hey y'all! Remember how I watched Avatar (The Last Airbender) a few weeks back? 

Well, ever since then I've been on an animated Cartoon high. So I did something crazy. I looked up what to watch after you finish Avatar.

Guess what came up? An anime called Fullmetal Alchemist; Brotherhood. (Hereon referred to as Fullmetal.)

I've heard of anime before, of course. I always thought it looked weird. The animation was unlike anything I'd ever seen, and then the stories seemed strange.

However, I looked up Fullmetal on Pinterest and the first thing I saw was this pin:

EDWARD ELRIC.

Y'all know I'm a sucker for Bro stories, yar? I was like, Eh, I'll try it. No harm in trying right?

Oh. My. Gosh.

FULLMETAL. 

Tiny and I binged the show in about two weeks, and when we finished we were like.... what now?

We started looking up anime. 

And now, a month later, I have gone down the anime hole without much hope of getting out.

I have come to a conclusion: I like anime. Don't get me wrong, they can get pretty weird. (It's Japan, guys.) But there is something very charming and engaging about anime. I think I finally understand what's drawn so many fans to this particular genre of TV over the years. Anime is vibrant and tangible. The characters are very alive. So far I have watched six anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. (I LOVE THIS ONE!) Attack on Titan, Noragami, Hunter x Hunter (Still watching) and Puella Magica I'm not doing the full name, it's too long., and Avatar: TLA. All of these are pretty good. Puella Magica is odd. I haven't finished it yet, but I enjoy it. Hunter x Hunter is also taking me some time to get used to but I think it's growing on me. I've tried some others too, and it seems to me that there are two kinds of anime. It can be great, or it can be a flop. If you find a good anime, it's really, really good. But if you find a weird anime, it's weird. And not that great.

Also, some anime can get dirty. So that is something to be aware of.

But if you find that really good anime, it is well worth it. It might be silly. It might be dumb. The characters can be very dramatic and over-the-top. The animations can be seriously weird and random. But if you can get past that, the stories and characters are worth it. They're worth the silliness and oddities.

Some of the anime listed I'm still watching and haven't finished yet, but I'd like to mention the two that (so far) I find on par with Avatar. Like, I want to own them on DVD.

First, Fullmetal.

After a horrible Alchemy experiment gone wrong, Alchemists Edward and Alphonse Elric must find some way to fix their disfigured bodies. As they search for some way of getting back to normal, they are slowly pulled down into a villainous plot which has taken root in their country, a plot that could destroy thousands of lives - and even the world.

I love, love, love Fullmetal. The characters are vibrant, layered, and interesting. The plot is amazing. The villains are great. The world is interesting. And it has Alchemy. It's like magic. But science-magic. 

It took me a little bit to get into this show. I'd never seen anime before, so I had to get used to the animation and the mood/feel of the series.  It could be so dumb and ridiculous, but it could also get downright disturbing and sad. It wasn't what I expected. Oh, and it has a kind of comic-book element which made me laugh. 

Animation VS animation. 

I think it was a comedy effect and I appreciated that they didn't do this sort of thing in emotional/serious moments. (When I watched other animes I noticed they would do similar things, so I think I'm right to assume that this is just how anime portrays comedy. The other anime I've seen aren't as crazy with their changes, but they will have funny comic-book like moments. I guess it's an animation style. 8-D It might have something to do with the fact that a good number of anime are based on magnas [Which are like Japanese graphic novels.])

Fullmetal gave me all the feels. You had weepy, romantic feels. You had brother feels.  Sad, shocked feels. Friendship feels. Family feels. You had THAT CHARACTER DIED??? feels. Happy Feels. Angsty feels. I hate that villain!!! feels. ALL THE FEELS! It's one of those shows that is super dopey and silly - like Avatar -  but there were several moments when the writers reminded you of the stakes and everything would suddenly be very serious. In fact it had more serious/sad moments than Avatar did. 

Something I really liked in Fullmetal was how well it handled failure and loss. I liked that grief was actually shown long-term. Like, if a comrade died everyone was affected and it made a lasting impression, right through the end of the series. If someone experienced failure or heartbreak, it often drove several of their actions in later episodes and seasons. Death, grief, loss, anger, betrayal, trauma - I really, really loved that things like that weren't brushed aside, but addressed and remembered. That's something you don't often see in shows, especially not to the extent that Fullmetal has it. I also really loved the character development and the emphasis on doing what was right, not what was easy. I loved that sacrifices were acknowledged and shown to be necessary. I loved that character arcs were built up in a believable way. I loved that villains and heroes clashed and fought, and it was actually realistic. I loved that characters had these epic moments where everything came to a head in the best way possible and you were like, BOOM! It was refreshing to see good story telling. Story telling that comes full freaking circle. 

I would definitely recommend Fullmetal to anyone who wants to try out anime. It's well done. It has a lot of heart, and even though the animation can be bizarre, and its really  dumb sometimes, It's also intense, emotional, exciting, and engaging. 

Some Things I would Warn Viewers About:

1.) There is a villain in the first season who wears a very low-cut dress.

2.) The content can sometimes be very dark and disturbing.

3.) There is lots of sadness.

4.) There is a good amount of swearing.

5.) There is a running theme through the anime concerning God. Some characters believed in Him. Some didn't. Some of the villains said things about God that I didn't like at all. But I don't think the writer was trying to be disrespectful. I think she was trying to show the contrasts in believers VS non-believers, and how people see God. I think she was also trying to show that even though there is a lot of evil in the world that doesn't mean there isn't a God - or at least some Divine Power - but not everyone is going to believe that. There were two episode near the end of the series that I didn't really like, but by the time I finished the finale I could see what she was driving at, and I appreciated what she was trying to do.  

The other anime I would like to own ASAP is Noragami.

cutest freakin' god ever.

I didn't know what to expect from Noragami. The plot on IMDB said it was about a minor god who was on a mission to get a shrine built for him. It didn't sound that great. But I saw a few gifs on Pinterest and I was like, Meh, I'll give it a go. 

Guys. There is so much more to Noragami than a god who wants a shrine. 

A better plot synopsis would be this:

          "Hiyori is a high-school girl whose life changes when she jumps in front of a bus to save the life of a teenage boy. After her encounter with him, her soul begins to slip in and out of her body and she doesn't have much control over it. Hoping that he might have answers, Hiyori successfully tracks down the boy she saved, and discovers that he is a god by the name of Yato. By saving his life she has become a sort of half-spirit, able to see the spirit world and those in it. Hiyori finds herself being drawn into the world of gods and phantoms, and gradually befriends Yato and his Regalia, a spirit which acts as a god's right-hand man. However, Yato has some frightening secrets, and slowly but surely his dark past begins to reveal itself."

Too fabulous.

So. What can I say about Noragami?

It. Is. Fabulous.

It reminded me a bit of Percy Jackson. The Percy Jackson I loved before Rick Riordan betrayed me.  It was like... Percy Jackson meets The Eight Days of Luke. There are gods in the story, but they seem more like demi-gods, like Loki and Odin in The Avengers. I wasn't bothered at all by the god element. It is handled very well. Besides, they never said God didn't exist. They only said that gods existed. And who's to say there couldn't be beings of great power which were created by God, and could battle evil spirits and stuff? It's not completely unlikely.

Just my thoughts. 8-D

I really love Yato. He's a minor god that gets barely any recognition. He wants to be known and loved throughout the world, but it's hard for such a little god to get noticed. So he runs around doing the most insignificant tasks and granting the smallest wishes, just to make people happy, just so that people will give a nod in his direction. It's kind of adorable.

Yato is ridiculous. He reminds me a lot of Howl. He is basically Howl as a god. He acts like such a giant dope, and that is a big reason I love him so much. The more you find out about him the more you realize he just really wants to be liked and make people happy, so he presents himself as funny and as un-threatening as he possibly can. I like that about him. But he's also incredibly dramatic. Like, Fainting-Because-Someone-Doesn't-Know-My-Name dramatic. He's a dork and he does such stupid, ridiculous things that sometimes you forget he's a god. I think that's part of why he does it. He makes you forget he isn't just a giant goof. He makes you forget he has another side to him, a dark, cold side.

 I am the Night, I am Vegeance... I am a Drama Queen.

-Yato, probably.

I like tormented protagonists. They are my weakness. Yato is definitely a tormented protagonist. He's such a cool character! Like, he's hilarious, but if you hurt someone he loves, if you wage war with him - you'd better watch out. He's dangerous in a fight. He knows how to win. You don't want Yato as your enemy. You really, really don't.

This is the land of the rising sun. Your desecration shall not be allowed!

Like Fullmetal, Noragami has some great character development. It even manages to pull off character perception. (And I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.) It had some good friendships, including a cute friendship with Yato and his little Regalia, Yukine. At first I wasn't sure I'd like Yukine. He was the spirit of a twelve-year old boy and he still had the issues a boy of that age would have. Like... ehm... dirty thoughts. You know. The joys of Puberty. On top of that he was a bit of a train-wreck, what you might call a very troubled person. But he grows up a lot and I got attached to him in season two. Especially after THE THING concerning a certain goddess and a sword fight.

Yukine.

Hiyori, Yukine and Yato made a good trio, and I found myself really liking their dynamic. I also liked the soft, sweet romance with Yato and Hiyori, 'cause that crap was adorable. The overall plot was fairly good and the whole anime was well worth the watch. Even the side characters got their own arcs and there were some good relationships/friendships there too.

My favourite thing about Noragami was the Christian element it had. I don't if this was intended, but there was a pretty strong Christian parallel concerning the relationship between a god and Regalia, and how the god bears the sufferings/struggles of his Regalia. If the Regalia feels pain or sorrow, the god shares in it. And if the Regalia does something bad, the god get's hurt. The god is the one who suffers for the wrongs of his servant.

It seemed very Christian-esque.

Things I would Warn Viewers about:

1.) There was one goddess who ran about poorly clad for most of season 1 and 2. She basically just wore a bra and skirt. It was awkward. I liked it when she got into full armor. I was like, "YAY! YOU'RE DECENT! Why don't you dress like that more?" (It was sad, because I ended up kind of liking this character, and I was annoyed that she didn't dress better.)

2.) In season one, Yukine is struggling with puberty and all the wonderful baggage that comes with being a twelve-year-old boy. He has some dirty thoughts/ideas and it can be inappropriate. He does grow out of this near the end of the season.

3.) The content can be disturbing and dark at times. It can also be surprisingly sad.

Now for some questions!

Have any of you watched Anime?

Do you like it?

Is there a particular Anime that you really, really love?

Can you recommend any good Anime for me? (Especially ones with friendships.)

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella