Link of the Day [12.15.10]

broderic on December 15, 2010

I entitle interesting links I find while surfing the web, "Links of the Day," because it makes it easier to email links. If I came up with a clever title for each link of the day or as a regular post, then I would have to be able to log into blogger and use their posting functions. Sadly, when at IniTech, I am blocked from social networking sites, so I can't use blogger from work. And that app I bought for iPhone is good, but typing on iPhone is tedious.Today's link takes you to a maid café in Tokyo. It's a detailed description of the shenanigans that occur as a guest in a maid café. I laughed at some of this, and I cried at some of this. A great point was made that the clients are also being exploited for their need of love and affection. She pointed out that visiting a café is akin to visiting a strip club, but where the latter feeds off your sex drive, a maid café taps into your need for flirty, kawaii (cute) affection. Now would I visit a maid café if I ever went to Japan? I do sometimes crave some kawaii affection, but like going into a strip club here, I don't think I would enter one. It's just not my cup of tea. I'd be too embarrassed to admit my need for kawaii affection, and the need to spend money on it. Although, I just did.Anyway, the writer's experience fascinates and scares me. I always wondered what goes down in a maid café. Finding out what happens is the scary part. Does it make me want to go or to stay away?http://io9.com/5713121/i-paid-a-woman-to-be-my-friend-at-a-tokyo-maid-cafe

Be it your sister. Be it your brother.

broderic on December 15, 2010

Let’s get some music up in this place starting with a little bit of Pauline Black and the Selecter covering The Specials AKA’s “Racist Friend.” If you search youtube for the title you’ll also get the original, but also They Might Be Giants’ song as well. They are not the same song.

More ska please. Less racism.

Get up and dance at your desk if you enjoy this…

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1

broderic on December 12, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 opened while I was on the Hawaiian vacation and I couldn’t leave paradise for the three hours it takes for this movie to finish. And after three hours, there is still probably another 3 hours to come.

The problem with the later Harry Potter films (the Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows) is the novels. The books after Goblet of Fire had a lot of exposition of when, where, and why of Voldemort that needed to be explained. Reading of such is a more natural experience with the story and history of Voldemort. Unfortunately, the last few films tried to condense these stories into two and a half hour movies. Plot points were lost and sacrificed for the sake of movie telling. Threads that made sense in words didn’t when filmed, because of the missing information.

The Deathly Hallows novel gets the privilege of getting stretched out to two films so that all its information can be filmed. And this part was two and a half hours long but got through about two thirds of the book. Yet, the early part of this book was nothing but Hermione, Harry, and Ron wandering the wilderness. They were supposed to find Horcruxes, but did a terrible job at it. So did, Rowling as she just abandoned that thread to get to the ultimate battle.

I thought they could’ve gotten rid of the wilderness parts, but upon re-reading the book, it needed to be fully fleshed out so that the story can continue unabated.

These last few Harry Potter films have been slightly confusing because of all the exposition. This one isn’t, but I can’t wait for the second half.

3 of 5 stars.

Link of the Day [12.10.10]

broderic on December 10, 2010

I occasionally link to Jason Thompson's manga work at Anime News Network, because he writes articles that go over the history of manga, which I love reading. Today's link is Thompson's article on Battle Angel Alita.Alita was one of the first manga I read. I still have the early print editions of the VIZ comics, which I collected in the 90s. Along with Shirow Masamune's Appleseed, Alita was my early introduction to manga and it's weird to think that I have been reading manga for this long. Back then, manga were 30 page issues of a comic book bought at the comic store and not a hundred page volume of a soft cover graphic novel bought at Barnes and Noble. A comic is a comic, and manga is a comic. I still read lots of comics, but I buy them at Barnes and Noble.Looking over my early manga reading I find that I was into sci-fi worlds. Now, I'm into shojo, moe girls, but still find myself reading sci-fi manga. Pluto, Saturn Apartments, 7 Billion Needles are all on my reading list and they are sci-fi. I can't get enough moe girls, but it seems I can't get enough sci-fi. Thanks, manga!Battle Angel Alita is still ongoing! I hear that it isn't that great and Thompson says so to an extent. I still have my long boxes of comics from the 90s. I should dig up those VIZ comics issues from back then. I can't remember where I stopped reading. Maybe, I should dig up the volumes of the books on Amazon….http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2010-12-09

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

broderic on December 10, 2010

長門有希 Yuki Nagato "The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya" version

A week before the Hawaiian Vacation, I had bought the latest American Haruhi light novel, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. I figured that it was gonna be a good beach read. When we got to the 808 state, the first few days I didn’t even pick it up. Then at Ko Olina, bored silly with the fake Hawaii, I started to read it. In the trade winds it took a while to get into the story. Honestly, the first couple of Nagaru Tanigawa’s light novels were not that great. The first one, The Melancholy…, is fine but The Sigh… kind of stunk and The Boredom… was 2/4 a good read. I wasn’t looking forward to read this episode. I’m really waiting for the movie.

Yet, in the trade winds, on the beach, I couldn’t put the book down. I had finally found out why this series rocked.

It is all about the Nagato! Yuki plays a big important role in this book. And more Yuki the better.

It starts off the week before Christmas, and the SOS Brigade is gonna throw a nabe stew Christmas party. Its what Haruhi wants. The gang just goes along. Then, the world becomes a different place. Kyon meets the deadly Asakura again. Haruhi is no longer a student at North High. There is no SOS Brigade. And Yuki is human. Yuki Nagato is the only member of the Literature club, 100% human and shy, cute as all get out. She even asks Kyon to join. Who could not? But all is wrong and Kyon must find his way back to his reality.

So I blazed through this book in another day. Spent a sunny afternoon with it and hunkered down in an evening reading. Did this all in paradise. But I didn’t mind as this is the best book of the series so far.

Read it. You’ll love Nagato as well.

Now, I’m just waiting for the movie, and to see the human Nagato on screen.

Quote of the Day [12.08.10]

broderic on December 8, 2010

“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.”

Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas

Shojo Hermione Granger

broderic on December 7, 2010

Someone cool please write the Harry Potter wherein Hermione is in a shojo manga.

A muggle born girl finds out that she has been accepted into the prestigious Hogwarts Academy. When she arrives she has to negotiate through a new, magical setting and new, magical friends and/or rivals. She studies real hard to become one of the best students in her class and in all of Hogwarts, but finds that that is not enough to win the admiration of the school. She is overshadowed by Harry Potter. Harry Potter who seems to not do anything to achieve his standings. Harry Potter, mediocre in his studies. Harry Potter, mediocre in his magic. Harry Potter beloved by the school. Will this rivalry last throughout school and will it turn out to be something more? And what about Harry’s saucy sidekick, Ron Weasley. Quiet but friendly, Ron Weasley. Can he be the one?

Well, someone. Get started!

(I guess you really have to be into manga to understand how funny this would be. See Ouran High School Host Club, Kitchen Princess, etc.)