Forever disturbed and afraid of X Guns, as well as useless jibberish – Mazeltov Monday, hells yeah.

Kurono Kei is an anti-hero, but hey, I like him.

So, I finished watching this in the span of 3 days last week or perhaps the week before – I can’t remember any more, it’s been a while:

Yes, Kato. Watch your back – literally.

Well okay, all the wtf aside, this is a bunch of screencaps I made from watching Gantz, the anime.

I actually did know about Gantz for a while since it was an old project translated by Omanga (which *cries* no longer exists), but didn’t get around to it until I got reminded via sunrise on the beat. I thought that the anime would do, and at a neat 26 episodes (2 seasons, though long complete) why not – I wanted to see if the plot was as interesting as I first made it out to be.

Well, long story short – very violent, twisted, gory, adult-orientated and quite disturbing. It’s been a really long time since I’ve watched anything that has been playing tricks on my mind (not that I watch much of that stuff – but from memory I used to when I was around 16 years old – I was all “experimental” back then) and I found myself mentally drained every minute watching each episode. It’s really good though. The manga’s still not complete (it’s ongoing) – I might consider getting it provided a lot of the volumes have already been translated and in Chinese perhaps – but since I’ve watched the anime I think I’ve got the hang of it. I might lose concentration perhaps 15 volumes along the way because I have a tendency to no longer give a crap about the main protagonist if I feel I can’t identify with them any more.

Watching High School of the Dead is pretty much a comedy if you compare it to Gantz. Gantz just creeps you out and I’m not sure if it’s in a good or a bad way. If you were scared of zombies (which is a very valid thing to be scared of), be happy that at least zombies don’t have brains and there’s not really a zombie boss (there was one in Plants vs Zombies, but even so I think if a real zombie apocalypse happened, there wouldn’t really be a zombie boss considering all bitten humans would turn into zombies, so there’s a neverending army supply). Now, ALIEN BOSSES are damn creepy. In HOTD all you see is a bunch of people getting bitten and then crying asking to be killed before they turn into zombies. In Gantz however, you get to see people die in a variety of horrific ways that make you not want to watch the series after midnight, or with the lights off. Yes, and I’m the type that is not creeped out easily. I WAS BITING MY NAILS FOR MOST OF THE BATTLES.

Honestly speaking, the surprise factor in Gantz is so great that you can’t predict what’s going to happen at all- or at least that’s how I felt because I didn’t want people to die. It doesn’t follow normal principles of a traditional plotline, and the story itself is so intriguing yet horrific it raises various questions about society and what it is like after death. What does it mean to have a second chance at life? What is it like to suddenly value your own life and those around you, yet at the expense of other lives? Eurgh, it’s complicated – you’ll just have to watch it. But yeah – mature audiences please, mostly over the age of 18. I wouldn’t recommend this for a 15 year old.

On a related note, Gantz released its Live Action movies this year. It stars Kazunari Ninomiya as Kurono Kei, which MADE ME REALLY EXCITED, but the movie currently is not out with Japanese audio and English subtitles. What I did however, was give into temptation and I watched it with English dub, which was uber craptastic and super lame. Not sure if it was the dubbing that made it lame or if the movie itself wasn’t as fantastic as I hoped it to be – in conclusion, WATCH WITH SUBS, NOT DUBS.

SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW MY OPINION ON THE MOVIE – simply put, it was bleh. There’s way too much stuff happening in Gantz for it to be squeezed into 2 hours, and that’s what they did – they did the first 3 missions in 2 hours, changed a lot of it to make it seem like it made more sense and all, but what’s missing is the deterioration of morality in society and the “I don’t give a crap” asshole-ishness Kei has. Kato is lacking a lot of leadership qualities, and a lot of it was either made unnecessarily gruesome (but nothing compared to what the anime had) or unnecessarily toned down to simplify things. The cast was also small/ tight and a lot of characters were missing. WHERE WAS SAKURAOKA SEI IN THE BUDDHA MISSION. WHY WAS KATO SO NOT COOL DURING SAID BUDDHA MISSION >:\ Gantz needs to be presented over a period of time (ie. manga, anime or tv series), because 2 hours isn’t cutting it. There’s a sequel, which makes it a total of 4 hours, but that’s still not quite enough time for it to make any substantial impact on anyone’s memory. In the end, the live action movie is just “yep, just another sci-fi movie” – it doesn’t deal with the intricacies that the anime presented and how twisted the “games” are. Oh wells.

Sydney got its identity confused with Melbourne and tries to ice its citizens

Recently it has been super cold in Sydney, and by this I mean 7-11 degrees in the morning with tops of perhaps 18 degrees (warmer in bits where there’s actually sun – RADIANT TEMPERATURE YO) so everyone has been getting out their large trenchcoats and scarves. Some insane people have still been wearing short sleeved shirts as well, but I was one of those who couldn’t survive the trip to work without a jacket, scarf and boots.

Summer came relatively late this year, and now winter is coming extremely early. I’ve been considering to buy a new scarf, but I’m trying to stop myself since I don’t think I really need one. We’ve been surviving at work huddling around our “heater” (which is where the computer heat sink is ie. in its CPU case lolololol) and drinking Chatime Taiwanese Ginger Tea (hot, extra sugar – the extra sugar is important) which not only soothes the throat, but also seems to do a job increasing your blood circulation. It does contain real ginger bits in it, so it might not be for everyone. I honestly don’t like ginger myself (I’m one of those people who pick out onions, garlic, spring onions and ginger out of their food) but I really like the tea considering I figured it’s actually good for health.

We’ve already hit such drastic measures and it’s only the middle of May – I wonder what it’ll be like in a month or two :S

Will post on Thursday night.

It’ll be a shopping post – namely that mysterious Louis Vuitton bag from yonks ago. Yes, outdated, but a post nonetheless. It’ll be to mark something or other – you just wait and see.

On a very side/ final note my tutoring sessions for HSC English have kicked off this past weekend and it seems good so far. I also got a pay rise because I’m on “contract” to work for my workplace for a year. Therefore, I’ve achieved my payrise resolution for 2011. YAY.

2NE1 reigns supreme

I now shall leave you all with the amazing four otherwise known as 2NE1 with their latest release. Bom needs to tie her hair up more often <3 The video ranked number one watched on Youtube in I think 13 countries, which is pretty amazing. Well, I’m jamming to it for now.

Comedy Mishmash: Sigh, rawr, and yes.

I’m on hiatus. But it’s night and I can’t be bothered doing more work. ZING! I’m screwed.

Things I did this past week:

• Went to uni during the weekend.
  Unfortunately I didn’t get much work done. I was ordering online and taking advantage of the high Australian dollar to US Dollar exchange rate. But I went to actually have a look at P‘s design. Doubt he’d ever read this – and even if he does, it doesn’t matter because he knows what I think – it was a complete mess. Dude, stick with one or two ideas. TIS ALL.
• Started watching H.O.T.D aka High School of the Dead aka 学園黙示録. Wikipedia entry here (click)
  HO’ CRAP. It’s been years since I’ve watched any anime. To put that into context, the last time I watched anime it was on VCD. Wut ze heck is VCD? Dunno mang, Blu-Ray Players don’t even play ‘em. Preposterous.
  
  
  Img src: http://ambivalen.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/half-time-review-high-school-of-the-dead-h-o-t-d/

  How to describe the anime?
  Boobs. Lots of them. Obviously one pair per girl (not saying “lots” as in weird mutations of more than a set of boobs – honestly people >_>). Ridiculously large boobs that I am NOT CONVINCED ARE REAL. Panty shots too. Even zombies are not spared from humilation. Do I approve? Absolutely not. It’s the first time I’ve seen a remotely ecchi anime cept for Tenchi Muyo! which was ages ago (and I only watched the first few eps and rage/quit when the fanservice started). The only difference however is that the main guy is actually awesome, not butt ugly unlike Tenchi, and isn’t a paedophile. Just kidding, Tenchi wasn’t a paedophile, but if memory serves me correctly a little girl was fixated on him. Why though? Ew. There’s just something highly unattractive about rat tails/ mullets. I cannot put a finger on it.

  I highly approve of Komuro Takashi (guy is handsome, okay, even if he’s 2D – put a few years onto his tender age of 17 and I’d call him hot) and zombies (in the respect that they die of course). Heck, if I was in a zombie apocalypse and I was stuck with someone like Takashi I’d probably do the same as those girls. HELL YEAHS. Cept I’m not quite as proficient as they are  I suck at L4D2 so I probably wouldn’t survive a zombie apocalypse T_T Not to mention I don’t really have anything to flaunt at a guy if there was a zombie apocalypse/ the end of the world/ getting very desperate. SIGH. Damn you anime girls; why must you have ridiculously physically impossible character design?!

  Either way, I think this means I should play L4D2 more often. Hmm.

  I also quite like Busujima Saeko because sleek purple hair and awesome kendo skillz win me over. Her apron “outfit” however was highly disturbing. Feel free to Google but be prepared to either get a nosebleed or have your eyes bleed. However her male fans *coughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhahemrawr* find it “hot”. Right. Right. Currently waiting for ep 13. I want to get to the Mall part already!

  But seriously speaking, the music is pretty good and the graphics are awesome. You just need to watch the opening credits (the bit where the Hummer is driving and Hirano is shooting bullets) – lots of nice colours and use of typography.  I just really hate the bits in the opening credits which are filled with suggestive images. Totally unnecessary.

  
  You need to log in to watch this has it has been flagged. Duh. Underwear and boobs. But it’s a really good song. The colours pop. I JUST HATE THE ECCHINESS.
  Song is “HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD” by Kishida Kyodan and The Akeboshi Rockets

• Went to uni again to feed a starving human being.
  Need I elaborate? No, I think not.
• Got distracted and totally swooned over how fast the next segment of Khuntoria on We Got Married got uploaded with English Subs. Insert samgyeopsal drool here.
  I LOVE THESE TWO. FAR OUT. CAN A PAIRING GET ANY PRETTIER? I love how Khun looks so lost and Victoria is just so gorgeous ToT
  I guess if you can’t beat ‘em, you join ‘em. Deep down I am full of cringesauce because I wish I had someone to be a couple with :\ Blargh. JEALOUS! VERY!
  For those who know me personally, it’s not what it sounds like. I’ll probably write about it later, but I do not have anyone in mind.
• Watched (500) Days of Summer. Wikipedia entry here (click)
  I knew Joseph Gordon-Levitt was awesome from the first time I watched Third Rock from the Sun! It made me slightly depressed though (the movie, not Third Rock…). Suddenly it reminded me what it was like to be in love
  … and that I am sadly single. OTL.
• Watched Kill Bill Vol. 2.
  Disturbing. And boring. Only one fight scene was worthy of watching. The rest of the movie went a bit like along the lines of blah blah blah blah blah.
  
• Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Wikipedia entry here (click)
  Whoa, it was a good movie, but it was so frakkin’ long! It was really interesting and intriguing. Well done, really. I was never a fan of Brad Pitt but after seeing this, I bow to him. Seriously, at his age and looking still so fit – forget about JYP trying to inspire young people to take care of their bodies and be healthy etc – you need Brad Pitt for that. If it’s not Brad Pitt, it’s a trap.

  TRAP.

• Listened to The SHINee World on repeat.
  My favourite tracks are “It can’t not be you (Romantic)”, Jonghyun’s “Y Si Fuera Ella”, and “In my room (unplugged)”. Absolute favourites listed only. I miss that sort of 90s-ish rhythm and blues/ hip hop/ balladey era. This brings me back some good memories before the darned autotune came into play. I mean okay, T-Pain does it, but if EVERYONE WAS T-PAIN, this would would be either super entertaining or very boring. Leaning towards boring because autotune isn’t used appropriately, most oft. Why do I sound like Yoda?

  
  Here, have some good music.

  I am 100% obsessed with “Romantic” because I understood the name of the song with my fail Korean skills before I ever looked at a translation. Though I translated it more like “If it’s not you, it’s no good” or “it must be you”. Turns out the most common way to translate it is “It can’t not be you”. A bit awkward and confusing if you repeat it in your head about 10 times non stop, but whatever floats everyones umbrellas on their Jaggerbombs. Not that they come with umbrellas. Hmm. Maybe if there was such thing as a Jaggerbomb float..? Eurgh, I give up.

• Browed failblog.org and lol’d at almost every second image, and cringed at every other.
  I’m a girl who likes to use her time efficiently. Don’t judge me.
• Forgot to weigh myself this week.
  My bad.

So, as you can gather I’ve had an uneventful, pretty crappy and useless week. LOL. Well no, seriously speaking, I am doing work. Fear not! I’m a warrior when it comes to uni work. I’ll get through it. Hope I entertained you all even if it was just a few measly minutes. Until then, remember to wear sunscreen before leaving the house – the sun’s rays are pretty strong, yo.

Until next blog!