tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56213107039023650292024-03-14T11:46:42.783-04:00Manga MeditationWe seek to redefine manga and anime fandom, to turn a critical, satirical, and self-deprecating eye upon our obsession through reviews, analyses of manga conventions, and a smattering of effulgence. Updates Mondays and occasionally Fridays.Manga Meditationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00847229406225657091noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-5773351340638818292012-01-05T19:35:00.007-05:002012-01-18T23:56:04.909-05:00Katawa Shoujo is Ready to Play!<center><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8Um3ZsL3tQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Happy new year, everyone!</span> Just a quick post. <a href="http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/"><i>Katawa Shoujo</i></a>, a game I first discovered just under two years ago and wrote about in <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/02/search-for-otome_05.html">this post</a>, is finally completed and ready for download! Their site servers seem to be in and out as of this post, probably because people are trying to get the game.<br />
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Quality seems to be top notch, and it's totally free! I'm hoping to play it myself and get a review up at some point. In the meantime, try out the game! Be warned that it is advertised as having erotic elements (<a href="http://geek.pikimal.com/2012/01/05/4chan-h-game-katawa-shoujo-now-available-and-free-to-play/">some even say</a> it's a hentai game), so kids and anyone easily offended should avoid it.<br />
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Blackbird.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-23365101402504411262012-01-04T11:45:00.013-05:002012-01-06T00:36:59.734-05:00Cooking for Character Development<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1ZhyS5nPljTsZw-hn9gq2Bit4TWzz2ibYNxRlDam559iMiRCsyCnxT6wO1bo8YYh9bu_Lyi1RTGCP9zel59SJzZOeooaqWxfIfLS3-g6PPb0DJmOAD_a5GY_41NwtJlxA-zFz_H51hZT/s1600/P1040078.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693854739815359426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1ZhyS5nPljTsZw-hn9gq2Bit4TWzz2ibYNxRlDam559iMiRCsyCnxT6wO1bo8YYh9bu_Lyi1RTGCP9zel59SJzZOeooaqWxfIfLS3-g6PPb0DJmOAD_a5GY_41NwtJlxA-zFz_H51hZT/s320/P1040078.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 319px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Kimchi! Bibimbap! Jjajangmyun!</span> After watching several Kdramas or reading some Manhwa, my mouth inevitably starts watering. With Manga, I crave Onigiri and restaurant quality Ramen. To satisfy my cravings, I decided to use my vacation break to whip up some of these treats.<br />
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On the left, you can admire the mouth watering goodness of my fresh kimchi. I used a recipe from <a href="http://www.maangchi.com/">Maangchi</a>, a korean cooking website which I highly recommend. It presents the steps in detail with a photograph for each or alternatively you can watch a video of the preparation. Be prepared for lots of food. The original recipe called for ten pounds of cabbage.<br />
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I also served up bibimbap to my family. It was a confirmed success. Good thing too, cause it's hard to use up a whole container of Gochujang (hot red pepper paste) at one sitting.<br />
<br />
...But then my mom asked, "Should we be consoling you about something?"<br />
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"What?" I naturally replied.<br />
"Well, don't heroines of Korean soap operas cook bibimbap as a comfort food?" she explained.<br />
And that got me thinking.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>They do indeed cook bibimbap as a comfort food. They eat it in giant mixing bowls while watching TV in their sweats. It acts as the Korean version of Haagen Dazs boosting them up against the injustice and loneliness of the world, or it confirms them as self-directed women who don't care about their stick-thin figures and the attractive Asian stereotype.<img alt="screenshot from Coffee Prince of Eun Chan and Han Gyul" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693846534054942994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhff3Zgey4GYMC2Nj6x0xTUpyl4z0PTFgenGax6XzbiEPSTTSXwcGRvS1_aLdlkK3FzBIj19rlAWLh9x8kHv_tPTcU2W4ByKcHgxkSTFOjMSL_ObJBHkgRkAiLTCIuaKHl_zi37oHuUQTG/s320/cp1-034.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 176px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /><br />
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My favorite example of aggressive non-feminine eating is the Jjajangmyun eating contest in Coffee Prince. Eun Chan, the female lead who is frequently mistaken for a boy and disguised as a man for much of the show, takes on her sister's would-be-boyfriend, to see who can stomach five bowls of black bean noodles. She finished with a satisfied burp while the sad loser barfs off screen.<br />
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But there's also the inverse feminine food activities, making Obento (lunch boxes) for your boyfriend or chocolates for your valentine's crush.<br />
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It makes sense really; why add food to the plot except to advance the narrative? All these different munchies aren't there to make the audience salivate, well occasionally they are, but mostly, they are there to show that the heroine is sad, or independent, or love-struck.<br />
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Back to my culinary experiments, kimchi suggests that I have a home building instinct, while bibimbap suggests I'm an independent woman or disappointed in love. Not much of a personality test, but something to think about the next time your narrative instincts kick in in the kitchen.<br />
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--StarfishStarfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10419177278267662983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-52794633093851738422011-08-01T00:00:00.003-04:002011-08-03T02:02:47.112-04:00Mangaka Review: Sahara MizuThe author of the series I am currently reading (see banner to the right) is the subject of my review today. Sahara Mizu, also known as Sumomo Yumeka and Sahara Keita depending on the nature of her work, is one of my favorite mangaka out there. Not only does she have beautiful art, but her stories have depth and are thoroughly enjoyable to read.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GaDLrRF4BpFXwGK4U2R8F_CDISnSRa3oBNZc3Vx85qN7k-ecCz0i7rHWgUXpVnq_BkfxGMQZvcRy0sfnv03rSV1EUkl_vYRM0s6IBV10UY9oas4bIdSN4bkelbiPv1ujsJ11oF8qscsS/s1600/my-girl-sahara-mizu-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GaDLrRF4BpFXwGK4U2R8F_CDISnSRa3oBNZc3Vx85qN7k-ecCz0i7rHWgUXpVnq_BkfxGMQZvcRy0sfnv03rSV1EUkl_vYRM0s6IBV10UY9oas4bIdSN4bkelbiPv1ujsJ11oF8qscsS/s320/my-girl-sahara-mizu-cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Really nice art!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<a name='more'></a>Before I wax eloquent on what a great mangaka Sahara Mizu is, first I should explain why she has numerous pen names. Sahara Mizu is the name she uses to pen her <i>josei</i> works, Sumomo Yumeka is the name used for <i>shounen ai/yaoi</i> works, and Sahara Keita is used for <i>shoujo</i> works. I've only encountered Sahara Mizu and Sumomo Yumeka as I don't believe there are any scanlated Sahara Keita works floating out in the online manga community. Also, she uses Sahara Mizu and Sumomo Yumeka interchangeably - she's written <i>shounen ai/yaoi</i> as well as <i>josei</i> under both names, so it's not necessarily consistent.<br />
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To quickly explain the italicized terms, <i>josei </i>translates to "woman" and refers to a genre of manga that targets older women (20+). The plots and themes are more mature and the characters and romance are more realistic and developed than <i>shojo </i>manga. <i>Shounen ai/yaoi </i>translates to "boy love" and features homosexual romance. <i>Shounen ai</i> is less explicit than <i>yaoi </i>and focuses more on the characters and relationship rather than the sexual aspect. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0FjrlZRf2XNMzCTb3nXRlROTYbgaFNSpVIaKwFUmW6OFsBPLFpHO8uUUzUDqjyNLBErl7-YUIvG-GbNo9NW7nmFrMktFvqWDEKZATbHUbhCUuJ7lDBDcAKQgllZvSjJ9bhyphenhyphenkxoW7Xqd0/s1600/voices+of+a+distant+star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0FjrlZRf2XNMzCTb3nXRlROTYbgaFNSpVIaKwFUmW6OFsBPLFpHO8uUUzUDqjyNLBErl7-YUIvG-GbNo9NW7nmFrMktFvqWDEKZATbHUbhCUuJ7lDBDcAKQgllZvSjJ9bhyphenhyphenkxoW7Xqd0/s320/voices+of+a+distant+star.jpg" width="212" /></a>Anyway, what first attracted me to Sahara Mizu was her art. I randomly saw that there was a manga adaptation of "Voices From a Distant Star" and was really impressed by the cover. Sahara's art is clean and detailed and she has the ability to make her characters look very fluid and natural. Her art definitely lies on the realistic end of the manga art spectrum and it comes off as very elegant and refined. What I also like about her manga is that she chooses interesting layouts for her pages and draws her characters from unconventional perspectives and angles. It's definitely got a different feel from your typical shoujo manga and it's a difference that I enjoy.<br />
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But the best thing about Sahara Mizu is that she can also deliver a compelling story. These are not necessarily life-changing - a lot of them tend to be oneshots, so the plots are simple and focus only on a few characters. However, they are introspective and thoughtful and often have a twist that sets them apart from the horde of regular oneshots. Her characters and stories tend toward inward musings and philosophical observations, and some of her works require careful reading to understand what she's trying to convey. Like her art style, Sahara's stories are sort of minimalist, so for those of you who want a lot of action and crazy characters, this might not be for you. What I like most about her work is how pure and sweet the character relationships are. The romance is always slightly humorous, but serious, and it is a refreshing change from how most romantic relationships are portrayed and developed in manga.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aX08QmODmBw9AQ0K25EjnSU7wa2SNdFPI_HWNQAT3-NEeIM28i-Tz3N3R-CQD9qXzVQ08i1Gj2FFrgnSCcsTSdprjqdtT7fqQBKOYxzE3sJB7Yy0HHR277iG6wfoRoU3Nh6wobE3K1w8/s1600/my+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aX08QmODmBw9AQ0K25EjnSU7wa2SNdFPI_HWNQAT3-NEeIM28i-Tz3N3R-CQD9qXzVQ08i1Gj2FFrgnSCcsTSdprjqdtT7fqQBKOYxzE3sJB7Yy0HHR277iG6wfoRoU3Nh6wobE3K1w8/s320/my+girl.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many heartwarming moments</td></tr>
</tbody></table> This is especially true of her <i>shounen ai/yaoi</i> stories. I would actually hesitate to classify her work as <i>yaoi</i> as her works are much more substantive and meaningful than your typical <i>yaoi </i>manga. Most yaoi pays less attention to romantic development and instead focuses more on the sexual aspect, resulting in rather graphic sex scenes between men. However, Sahara makes the emotional connection and the romantic relationship the focus of her works rather than the sex. Her treatment of homosexual relationships is sweet, sensitive, and wonderful to read. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhkcXiJRyYV0MSVl5lhRY7sHF7v1lRbAhwUSDx_bfWaBez1rWiaQT6XzrOK26YVUZmh99FayFeRJMyKR-XfG2wghgcoKa9Nncd1xQWVz8Dkg0YJJJVKWkQNiiHG3yrTIMBOiwCu8ms9El/s1600/same+cell+organism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhkcXiJRyYV0MSVl5lhRY7sHF7v1lRbAhwUSDx_bfWaBez1rWiaQT6XzrOK26YVUZmh99FayFeRJMyKR-XfG2wghgcoKa9Nncd1xQWVz8Dkg0YJJJVKWkQNiiHG3yrTIMBOiwCu8ms9El/s320/same+cell+organism.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> "Same Cell Organism", one of her<i> shounen-ai </i>works</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Currently, I am reading "My Girl," an ongoing series that focuses on a young man, Masamune Kazama, who finds out that he has a daughter after her mother (his ex-lover) passed away. The manga follows Masamune as he decides to raise his daughter, Koharu-chan, and how he learns to be a father. Not only can Sahara do romance well, she is also adept at portraying familial love and creating a compelling story out of a father-daughter relationship.<br />
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In conclusion, I highly recommend Sahara Mizu (as well as Sumomo Yumeka and Sahara Keita) for those of you who are looking for something more meaningful in your manga. She is one of the rare mangaka who puts a lot of thought and effort into crafting an interesting story and has the artistic and storytelling chops to execute her vision. If you're looking for something with more action or in the typical shoujo style, however, I advise you to look elsewhere as Sahara's works inspire contemplation and introspection rather than squeals and giggles. <br />
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Happy Reading!<br />
<br />
~Polecat<br />
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PS: Here is a list of a few of my favorite works by her. Click on the titles to go to their scanlations on Mangafox.com and Mangareader.net!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mangareader.net/887/my-girl-sahara-mizu.html">My Girl</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/nanairo_sekai/">Nanairo Sekai</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/kokoro_kikai/">Kokoro Kikai</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/kon_no_ki_konoha/">Kon no Ki Konoha</a><br />
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PPS: I couldn't find a picture of Sahara Mizu, but here is how she represents herself in her manga - as a cute stick figure.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNZ8Ligx870JYokSAzANlP-phtLymYehmSqS0UgDR0l0QL67xtarxIgUrJT9lm129wYuiny9jQIer0Qv90lfESPxOPoPE41FhOXc7Q-6_vatfBjyMF5QXRry2NEKQIvD79MYFEPA1Ix0Y/s1600/my-girl-sahara-mizu-stickfigure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNZ8Ligx870JYokSAzANlP-phtLymYehmSqS0UgDR0l0QL67xtarxIgUrJT9lm129wYuiny9jQIer0Qv90lfESPxOPoPE41FhOXc7Q-6_vatfBjyMF5QXRry2NEKQIvD79MYFEPA1Ix0Y/s400/my-girl-sahara-mizu-stickfigure.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>Polecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-69048096041191838992011-07-25T00:00:00.006-04:002011-08-05T23:31:54.065-04:00A Losing Battle Against K-PopSo occasionally, I develop somewhat irrational aversions to things. These aversions are based on insignificant events/experiences which result in the not-so-insignificant effect of me writing off that thing for all eternity. Or at least until my perspective/opinion is amended by some outside force. A few examples are my aversion to almonds (blown out of the water when introduced to amaretto), my dislike of skinny jeans (disappeared when I actually tried on a pair), and my avoidance of cats (overcome when I met Starfish who is a cat lover). One more overturned aversion to add to this list is my distaste for K-pop music.<br />
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When I was just a young sprout (or younger - I was in middle school), I was first introduced to K-pop through a few songs that an acquaintance had given me. I don't even remember what songs they were, but I just remember thinking they were bad. Like, really bad.<br />
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Funnily enough, this was the point in my life when I would listen to Jennifer Lopez's "Play" on repeat ad nauseum so I really had no right to be judging what was bad or good...but I did.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHjwrtnJMiDOaXviY4LegH1O88-v__gNDQ-_Gv43PrTWgTgLcDMn_mHsf1kd9kFLbDMz2LXsJvLoJKaadYjYq_jE_Vi96JzLSgrxUcqSCOG_-e9dCnh5QtwNwwUlHnECf8KFngW5TNEHX/s1600/jennifer-lopez-play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHjwrtnJMiDOaXviY4LegH1O88-v__gNDQ-_Gv43PrTWgTgLcDMn_mHsf1kd9kFLbDMz2LXsJvLoJKaadYjYq_jE_Vi96JzLSgrxUcqSCOG_-e9dCnh5QtwNwwUlHnECf8KFngW5TNEHX/s320/jennifer-lopez-play.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">OH MY GAAAAH DIS SONG SO GUUUUUD</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I passed judgment and proclaimed K-pop to be awful, all awful, based on the merits of two songs that I had cursorily listened to. <br />
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Like I said, an irrational aversion which resulted from an insignificant experience.<br />
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BUT! A number of significant influences had me waging war internally over the K-pop issue. My middle-school-self clung tenaciously to her doctrine of K-pop hatred while my college-self drifted, hypnotized, towards the land of K-pop love. Firstly, Blackbird sent me a few songs that she liked, notably "Gee" by Girl's Generation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/U7mPqycQ0tQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">GEE GEE GEE GEE GEE GEE GEE</span></b></div><br />
When I first heard the song, I knew that if I allowed myself to enjoy it, I would become a scab, a sell-out to my steadfast dislike of K-pop. As such, I ruthlessly ignored the fact that I was smiling and moving my body to the beat, and responded to Blackbird's query of "How did you like the song?" with a rather unnecessarily snarky comment along the lines of "Oh, I guess it's alright...you know, if you like that sort of thing." (Sorry 'bout that, Blackbird)<br />
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But cracks began to form in my K-pop repellant armor as I listened to a few more songs:<br />
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<b>I'm Coming</b>, by Bi (Rain)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yy4RTxiyiFg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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<b>Run Devil Run</b>, by Girl's Generation<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/q_gfD3nvh-8/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q_gfD3nvh-8&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q_gfD3nvh-8&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
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<b>Lalala, It's Love</b>, by The Melody<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/NQYh0mRdZO4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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By the time I went to an Asian Pop night at a local club, I surrendered to my hidden desires and danced my heart out to the wonderfully upbeat music of Korean Pop (as well as Japanese and Chinese Pop). I knew only a few of the songs, but I sang along anyway and made up my own words. The dam had been breached, the battle had been won, and the war was over - I was ready to declare myself a K-pop fan.<br />
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Well, <i>almost </i>ready. My 180 in perspective didn't (and doesn't) change the fact that I am incredibly ignorant of most things K-pop, so I'm not sure that I know enough to qualify as a fan. But whatever. I've opened my mind to the possibilities of Korean pop music and I'm going to have fun facing the music. <br />
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~Polecat<br />
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PS: If any of you have recommendations on what to listen to, please send them my way! I would love to have a list of things to listen to :D<br />
<br />
PPS: The Lalala song is from Coffee Prince, one of the K-dramas I recommended in an earlier post! You now have even more reason to watch the series!Polecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-91037076721336603552011-07-18T00:00:00.013-04:002011-08-03T02:08:49.373-04:00Who am I? I'm their homeroom teacher.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YAF_2tYQJhg3qyMEyMTKt9M14J1QTEVbu6kBywBrkHcFJbXAbBXwsYEhvBq1SoFEF1gbMRRsH5hmMOyblHlJc9Y3kX9KAz1K19ZUMyWKCivtyPIXnzf2wEJfAc-4DXsowF4o9Wjt7nIa/s1600/cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628309446229013714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YAF_2tYQJhg3qyMEyMTKt9M14J1QTEVbu6kBywBrkHcFJbXAbBXwsYEhvBq1SoFEF1gbMRRsH5hmMOyblHlJc9Y3kX9KAz1K19ZUMyWKCivtyPIXnzf2wEJfAc-4DXsowF4o9Wjt7nIa/s320/cover.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 293px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=419"><span style="font-style: italic;">Gokusen</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> by Morimoto Kozueko is one of my all time favorites,</span> but it took a bit of unpacking for me to figure out why. The ah-ha moment happened when I was watching the drama adaptation. Something was missing. Something even the ultimate cuteness of Matsumoto Jun couldn't make up for. That something was Attitude with a capital A.<br />
<br />
The story revolves around a high school teacher and her class of delinquent students. The students are one step away from a correctional facility, and Yankumi, their homeroom teacher, aims to keep them that way. Usually, this would be a Herculean task, but Yankumi has a secret advantage. She is a third generation Yakuza heir, so delinquents are milk toast compared to what she deals with at home. The stories are episodic, switching between Yankumi's struggles at school (Will her class pass basic arithmetic?) struggles at home (How will she stop a rival gang from encroaching on her turf?), and of course, the ever present difficulty of keeping her identity secret.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNw2mVJj1OnlBmQ1KAEWGMavJY0TyyXltvCIQwgrt4OOOnjIk2a1f4OuFLl4iwVHhQMWvha1Kmtduxnxv776lxO0UuMjDGn0n6VpcIVuujwNhJeWqIe6SqoKjqR8N1yDW92Cp4M9utXFrH/s1600/yankumi.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628307818155817778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNw2mVJj1OnlBmQ1KAEWGMavJY0TyyXltvCIQwgrt4OOOnjIk2a1f4OuFLl4iwVHhQMWvha1Kmtduxnxv776lxO0UuMjDGn0n6VpcIVuujwNhJeWqIe6SqoKjqR8N1yDW92Cp4M9utXFrH/s320/yankumi.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 237px;" /></a>Unlike Superman who becomes shy and unassuming as Clark Kent, Yanikumi's personality is not under wraps when she assumes the mantle of math teacher. She cheers on classroom fights, knocks her students into line, and uses Yakuza slang liberally. If you're looking for a strong female protagonist, look no further. Yankumi has a personality empowered by iron, if slightly questionable, morals and backed up by a powerful right hook, and that's her charm. She is unapologetic about who she is. She won't compromise her integrity even to achieve her lifelong goal of becoming a high school math teacher. The administration might frown on her beating up rival gangs, but they don't have to know. After all, it's for the good of the students.<br />
<br />
All the strong morals run the risk of becoming preachy, but the manga successfully balances Yanikumi's moral lessons with a liberal helping of humor. The delinquents live in more fear and awe of Yankumi than of the police. It's not often you hear an aspiring stickup artist ask himself, "What if my homeroom teacher found out?" Similarly the depiction of the Yakuza is both romanticized and comic. The hardened gangsters weep openly at the ideal of brotherhood displayed by Yankumi's students. <span style="font-style: italic;">Gokusen</span> runs more to giggles than adrenaline.<br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">So what went wrong with the Drama?</span> It had so much going for it. Matsumoto Jun plays Yankumi's most important student Sawada Shin, the son of the police inspector, and he's a favorite here at Manga Meditation, well, at least with me. Polecat bought me his calender for Christmas, so he's smiling down on me as I type. In the manga, his character is the alpha in the student pack. Apparently, he can beat any other student in the class though he's never called upon to do so, and he gets straight A's without studying. His academics and family connections contrast strongly with his personal goals; he wants to be a Yakuza lawyer. Why? Because of his one-sided love for Yankumi. But even my favorite actor as the love interest, couldn't redeem this one.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TwUZaFQV3JzkMIbfY_aeJOj3TbhOwhk6guJIgwXhOIO-WdTMMK4XEi4lPXXxL6FO9PPLtyW7IW2VsZorNgZJtFIueikZ__5Ivdw6M_gKJPlk90PhHWeAUrU7gL6Voa_xk9jSmarP3g1Y/s1600/gokusensmall.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628315622014781058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TwUZaFQV3JzkMIbfY_aeJOj3TbhOwhk6guJIgwXhOIO-WdTMMK4XEi4lPXXxL6FO9PPLtyW7IW2VsZorNgZJtFIueikZ__5Ivdw6M_gKJPlk90PhHWeAUrU7gL6Voa_xk9jSmarP3g1Y/s320/gokusensmall.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>The first weakness is the ensamble cast. There were simply too many students to develop characters for all of them. Shin is reduced to a cute and enigmatic face sitting in the back row. The rest of the class play up the slap stick without the self awareness of the original. And worst of all, Yankumi's spine collapses into a saccharine puddle of speeches about friendship and loyalty. I did watch it all the way through to the end, but mostly out of fan loyalty. I have no desire to see the two subsequent seasons or the movie. This is a definite case of the book being better than the adaptation.<br />
<br />
So here's the final scoop: I would highly recommend <span style="font-style: italic;">Gokusen</span> to anyone looking for a comedic plot with a strong female lead. I promise you'll laugh out loud. And if you want a inspirational drama, with cute boys, I'd recommend you go ask Polecat. She's the expert, and she'll be able to help you find something more worth your while.<br />
<br />
--Starfish<br />
<br />
p.s. thanks for the images goes to <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/">MangaFox</a> and <a href="http://tobidasu.wordpress.com/">Tobidasu<br />
</a>Starfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10419177278267662983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-3233442961831000472011-07-11T00:00:00.017-04:002011-08-03T02:01:47.303-04:00Insomnia and K-Dramas: Pt. 1 - An Introduction<div style="text-align: left;">Due to the fact that it is crazy-hot in my room, I am unable to fall asleep. Instead of cursing the summer weather and lamenting my lack of air-conditioning like I normally would, I decided to channel my energies into a new blog post that I've been meaning to write for a while on K-DRAMAS.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQPDAL2N8mSZx0CkKcnPOEPpjRklENer0nmX6Z7REhYML5rrus4D6dNY0bwC_A14tKYXSEYINHbf8J9CeRhLxMtzOJfy5CQW_VwZM-ZgvpnClDSptzng_KR525_e1qLSsMaLATNk4m1wx/s1600/winter-sonata+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQPDAL2N8mSZx0CkKcnPOEPpjRklENer0nmX6Z7REhYML5rrus4D6dNY0bwC_A14tKYXSEYINHbf8J9CeRhLxMtzOJfy5CQW_VwZM-ZgvpnClDSptzng_KR525_e1qLSsMaLATNk4m1wx/s1600/winter-sonata+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Winter Sonata - Megahit from early 2000s</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
K-dramas, short for Korean dramas, are a staple here at Manga Meditation. You may have noticed a previous foray into K-dramas with <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/02/delightful-girl-choon-hyang-initial.html">Blackbird's review of Delightful Girl Chun-Hyang</a>, but believe me, that is only the tippity top of the very large, extensive and all-encompassing iceberg that is the K-drama world. We shall endeavor to delve further, starting with Part 1: An Introduction.<br />
<br />
NOTE: There's no way that I'm going to be able to fully cover everything in this post, so I'm going to just hit on the big points and fill in the gaps later. Also, K-dramas are not the only icebergs in the sea - Japanese dramas, Chinese dramas, and Taiwanese dramas are also sizable chunks of ice in their own right, though that will DEFINITELY have to wait for a separate post.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">So what exactly </span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">is</span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"> a K-drama?</span><br />
This is a somewhat difficult question to answer. I guess the closest Western equivalent for the K-drama would be a condensed version of a telenovela or a soap opera. While I enjoy K-dramas MUCH more than I do telenovelas or soaps (no offense to those who like them), the level of drama in these three are comparable. You have love, hate, jealousy - the whole gamut of human emotion that makes these things so darn fun to watch. In a K-drama, though, instead of dragging out the storyline for hundreds and hundreds of episodes, the shows typically last about 16 episodes and only occasionally do they extend past one season.<br />
<br />
Anyway, it's impossible to describe everything about K-dramas because there's so much and they're all so different, but the following is a list of things that every good K-drama needs to include:<br />
<br />
<b>1) Really Hot People</b><br />
This is a no-brainer. Like any entertainment venture, you gotta have pretty people for your audience to look at. Here's a quick gallery:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4UrNhdQAZPnE7StfvLRSuLkscgOi0GeOt9mz2H6Auuu-efU-1l9kRrhTkEGxdOdpx3DmsQuRTssACzy4WKkO4Mu8TbHlE0EVREEu2rZDtXOaQD8fSQYC7bgbvPQmKbMMfzHEQAJMkfwP/s1600/song-hye-kyo.-7jpg.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624052455335650882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4UrNhdQAZPnE7StfvLRSuLkscgOi0GeOt9mz2H6Auuu-efU-1l9kRrhTkEGxdOdpx3DmsQuRTssACzy4WKkO4Mu8TbHlE0EVREEu2rZDtXOaQD8fSQYC7bgbvPQmKbMMfzHEQAJMkfwP/s200/song-hye-kyo.-7jpg.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 150px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Song Hye Gyo</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrWYuC0fgTTGdMIXJKYLrlNJ8xo-qKE_Vw682OuROL8pNxeYA-Tcsq_blSJ_wuzOPamKZKKjMi-qLKSVg5xb798lh39q9KXmQYw2bnTs7gso812zFaGoHbgnslfZnavnNU42Ep6FSAhUU/s1600/600full-lee-min-ho.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624052331785491346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrWYuC0fgTTGdMIXJKYLrlNJ8xo-qKE_Vw682OuROL8pNxeYA-Tcsq_blSJ_wuzOPamKZKKjMi-qLKSVg5xb798lh39q9KXmQYw2bnTs7gso812zFaGoHbgnslfZnavnNU42Ep6FSAhUU/s200/600full-lee-min-ho.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 148px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lee Min Ho</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tKfw4L6J6LjcChVadW6_BD1ry-a3etZ8883_atVM_VwHpRuKdLfOzs0BDXLXD-pjMbEscfpcw3Z2bBkA8dWk6gjwboFJSKwTBw_2qLQ6qMyYEu9MmrIIwIgm8PRz26C0w93bHPOVnfl0/s1600/korea-rain-037-basic.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624051749885886690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tKfw4L6J6LjcChVadW6_BD1ry-a3etZ8883_atVM_VwHpRuKdLfOzs0BDXLXD-pjMbEscfpcw3Z2bBkA8dWk6gjwboFJSKwTBw_2qLQ6qMyYEu9MmrIIwIgm8PRz26C0w93bHPOVnfl0/s200/korea-rain-037-basic.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 134px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Bi - Rain</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YvrOGhGZLqSFOiTVDRQgQH1cU3eJd28mQwhjDdYyLyt9cdw2YG41svHLU0rZ7MDAb4wjLTa1nspR6gpViRU9UojabKdv8MV_RacXHVRjgXlCIfGHke1qwvGyfARPEzbbr8nEqw87VQKd/s1600/kim+tae+hee.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624054619222212642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YvrOGhGZLqSFOiTVDRQgQH1cU3eJd28mQwhjDdYyLyt9cdw2YG41svHLU0rZ7MDAb4wjLTa1nspR6gpViRU9UojabKdv8MV_RacXHVRjgXlCIfGHke1qwvGyfARPEzbbr8nEqw87VQKd/s200/kim+tae+hee.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 135px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Kim Tae Hee</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Whether this beauty is natural or not (a subject for another blog post methinks!), that doesn't change the fact that the people in dramas are capital H-O-T. And this is high praise coming from me, as I have notoriously high standards of pleasing aesthetics (just ask Starfish or Blackbird for confirmation).<br />
<br />
<b>2) A Ridiculous Reason for Character Proximity</b><br />
So even if you have pretty people, it's no fun to just sit and watch them do nothing by themselves. Which is why you need to create a reason, ANY reason, for them to be around each other.<br />
<br />
Whether your characters are unintentional roommates...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACjs7hz-P3qf-KiFq0d6lKeXcEqWBKlspfAhyphenhyphenSjyDMDIANs2fKJrvjMz9zifhtKo_VapTFvNb1Kf8UZm8MsUjNwYZ70TuPa1uGVQK0516PqjAeFKYR2UpSeoiyWcg85CwiBUYnwmxj60u/s1600/Gong+Chang+Tell+me+more.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624053092324564482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACjs7hz-P3qf-KiFq0d6lKeXcEqWBKlspfAhyphenhyphenSjyDMDIANs2fKJrvjMz9zifhtKo_VapTFvNb1Kf8UZm8MsUjNwYZ70TuPa1uGVQK0516PqjAeFKYR2UpSeoiyWcg85CwiBUYnwmxj60u/s200/Gong+Chang+Tell+me+more.jpg" style="height: 181px; width: 200px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"Intriguing...tell me more."</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>...or college students who want to be action stars...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFLsuZ7zMFR2BfaDN17vmfLAj8LyhcqnA5keVve67qgf0oQ8HYpP4mjsKwR0Hx6rgY1gF9M4NJ5yejPM5cz516-2ngB83rzGKSjKvFM-pbnRZ3GyLSDoExNB-ATQrrmlih0VcrWBYhbry/s1600/Gong+Chang+Interesting..jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624053003607279026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFLsuZ7zMFR2BfaDN17vmfLAj8LyhcqnA5keVve67qgf0oQ8HYpP4mjsKwR0Hx6rgY1gF9M4NJ5yejPM5cz516-2ngB83rzGKSjKvFM-pbnRZ3GyLSDoExNB-ATQrrmlih0VcrWBYhbry/s200/Gong+Chang+Interesting..jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 190px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"Interesting."</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>...or cross-dressing to work in a coffee shop...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7V1HjqfE33U-qdE8jviSORMCX2rtb_Y9eSNuozRpn4kLVjXE4v2dO2poAXRt-1yLbMeQY1P3oHKHV4BO9OZLitfaeRlaKTCUF_KIPKlRZM7DKwiElLjS4OYLB0JHThuJ-Y_QXUrFl0eQ/s1600/Gong+Chang+YOU+DON%2527T+SAY.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624053167271481602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7V1HjqfE33U-qdE8jviSORMCX2rtb_Y9eSNuozRpn4kLVjXE4v2dO2poAXRt-1yLbMeQY1P3oHKHV4BO9OZLitfaeRlaKTCUF_KIPKlRZM7DKwiElLjS4OYLB0JHThuJ-Y_QXUrFl0eQ/s200/Gong+Chang+YOU+DON%2527T+SAY.jpg" style="height: 110px; width: 200px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"Wait...what?!"</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>or part of a super secret ancient fox clan...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUvdhUvZPiexMpuY1afwyR195GYNo4Z4m_OkOvL_VXtPpzmfLr84LlI_04WO0xLBje7pWFvHLxF7Iw1VbuYAeIKsmJswropYHMuI5nOephsOmrhSEOn_9GedZ9B54OqjICm1moWlZvKY7/s1600/Gong+Chang+BLEH.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624052860982328594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUvdhUvZPiexMpuY1afwyR195GYNo4Z4m_OkOvL_VXtPpzmfLr84LlI_04WO0xLBje7pWFvHLxF7Iw1VbuYAeIKsmJswropYHMuI5nOephsOmrhSEOn_9GedZ9B54OqjICm1moWlZvKY7/s200/Gong+Chang+BLEH.jpg" style="height: 195px; width: 200px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">"#@$%"</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
...this ridiculous reason will be the framework around which the characters will interact. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3trxU8KsqALZntGVHTr2WQAC7uwRjpTg8sxI8lCZSZtwwrGVTTo8u99-HzSMSV_b4REFGu5y9xFZJiSo948GRrYXeCucMkLle3NCher0IO17gpYQogkn2GGA6VsGpsSmr1cl9ggbwea2-/s1600/Gong+Chang+I+gotcha+now..jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624052946791115746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3trxU8KsqALZntGVHTr2WQAC7uwRjpTg8sxI8lCZSZtwwrGVTTo8u99-HzSMSV_b4REFGu5y9xFZJiSo948GRrYXeCucMkLle3NCher0IO17gpYQogkn2GGA6VsGpsSmr1cl9ggbwea2-/s200/Gong+Chang+I+gotcha+now..jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 134px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">"Ahhh...<i>now </i>I gotcha."</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>By the way, all of the above have actually been used in dramas that I've watched. :P<br />
[Pictured: Seol Gong Chan from the drama, My Girl] <br />
<br />
<b>3) A Love Triangle</b><br />
Love is often a central plot line in K-dramas and where most of the fun is found in watching. While two people getting together without any hitches is hunky-dory for real life, in the drama world, you have to make the characters waver between a bevy of potential suitors. The love triangle is ripe with funny moments, tender scenes, and crying fits galore and serves to add a more interesting spin to things. Love squares are also not uncommon, as well as other love-polygons. I was going to find my own picture for this one, but I think Blackbird summed it up best below (taken from her review of Delightful Girl Chun-Hyang).<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://silentregrets.com/completed-kdramas/delightful-girl-choon-hyang.php" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433556484082092818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz7PQ4S8AjnI9iNTjJS9cz2BkpI1Ikc28MdieXle8KGp1ca7TL41S9Sgz_quPFUlCK6zrnoGhg4xJdKSMxCtPoKs7APcwvZ2AQO0yQVUaj-bvv0Kk2VbB0C4VjukDBaNbNJgEONsBnvhw/s320/OMG.jpg" style="float: left; height: 176px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 311px;" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVES.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>4) Awesome Characters</b><br />
Okay, this one may sound too obvious to list...but, seriously! K-dramas are not watched for their storylines - it's the characters the really draw you in. For me, it's the screen chemistry that is found in these dramas. Full of heart, funny antics, tender moments, and amusing quirks, the characters in K-dramas are truly interesting and make these things SO fun to watch. Even when characters are the cookie-cutter sort, they never fully fall into the stereotype because there is always something that distinguishes them.<br />
<br />
Mind you, this list is just a bare skeleton for the components of a K-drama. For the full experience, you should just go and watch one!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">So what should I watch?</span><br />
Well, that depends on what you like! K-dramas cover all sorts of genres, from comedies, to family dramas, to romances, to thrillers. There really is something for everyone - you just have to go out and find it! My personal preferences tend towards the romantic comedy genre though it's easy to get hooked on any genre.<br />
<br />
Here is a list (not comprehensive by any means) of some Korean-drama genres:<br />
<br />
Sageuk - The history drama. These dramas are usually visually decadent, with heavy emphasis on beautiful costumery and period design. These dramas usually take place during the Choson dynasty, and deal with prominent historical events or people. The most famous of the saguk dramas are Dae Jang Geum, Hwang Jinyi, and Jumong.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosog639VS7G_dpTMwgDu7KL-oXw5nzjMgJo081pyE9o54bYx30132tR3DiqTYpzqHoJ_TkwTDTiDnh3LQQvEkunSRUVNbmCHv68lPNlibmCrx55eGz_zb-PpB2-TIXaNNWzStr0FFCh0Y/s1600/dae-jang-geum.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624168480124252370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosog639VS7G_dpTMwgDu7KL-oXw5nzjMgJo081pyE9o54bYx30132tR3DiqTYpzqHoJ_TkwTDTiDnh3LQQvEkunSRUVNbmCHv68lPNlibmCrx55eGz_zb-PpB2-TIXaNNWzStr0FFCh0Y/s320/dae-jang-geum.jpg" style="height: 160px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dae Jang Geum - Lookit the pretty costumes!</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Makjang - The drama-iest of dramas. These are not for the weak of heart - these are tales full of themes like revenge, fatal illnesses, murder, etc. Sometimes malevolent, always totally melodramatic, these dramas are emotional rollercoasters. Makjang isn't really so much a genre in itself as a description - it can refer to any drama that has an outrageous storyline or plot device. See the full definition <a href="http://www.dramabeans.com/about/glossary/">here</a> at dramabeans for more information!<br />
<br />
Family - These are the dramas that best demonstrate the heart and values of Koreans. Usually featuring huge ensemble casts, these dramas follow the trials and tribulations of a particular family, leading the viewer through death, birth, love, and life. While most K-dramas limit themselves to 16 episodes, family dramas are the exception, as they can run for hundreds of episodes. Popular family dramas include Be Strong Geum Soon! and More Beautiful than a Flower.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfMGnWsfhCLmvGoi2oeIYYZsZKtXp97CH7lEm_SR75y8zZr9Q2JlXbOhnNXpd8v1WhfOrps64OBj4uBxaIjUQAJ_Ord812Yo88V4p5SjXQ7E9-2ZiFtd3E8lM5UVBkUnj8UV_9GXKDpS_/s1600/More+Beautiful+than+a+Flower.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624169348277178370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfMGnWsfhCLmvGoi2oeIYYZsZKtXp97CH7lEm_SR75y8zZr9Q2JlXbOhnNXpd8v1WhfOrps64OBj4uBxaIjUQAJ_Ord812Yo88V4p5SjXQ7E9-2ZiFtd3E8lM5UVBkUnj8UV_9GXKDpS_/s320/More+Beautiful+than+a+Flower.jpg" style="height: 320px; width: 239px;" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Romantic Comedy - My personal favorite, and one of more popular genres. There are LOADS of them, with many of them being quite decent if not great. As with anything, there are only a few that are truly stellar, but really, all of them are absolute fun to watch. I'll save the recommendations for the section below.<br />
<br />
Like I said, there are many more, so you should start watching and discover these genres for yourself!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">What would you recommend?</span><br />
I haven't really watched very many dramas recently, so all of my recommendations are a little dated, but they are still as fun as ever, I promise you that. These are the standouts in my many years of drama-watching and you should definitely check them out.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Coffee Prince</span> - Centered around coffee, this drama follows the adventures of a refreshingly plucky heroine, Go Eun Chan, as she starts working at a coffee shop under the guise of a boy! Love and hilarity ensues.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri6X-z2i7ZA6SJr0_P2Bw5EmqICxj_YrIMRDTLke9jgQlMLFSIRh99AmA-k5OUskYFdx8-HM7q037PhL21X4P4b0fEXUAVNq19-hvjKxEVIGoA64SZqH24ea6C7qYDYN9ZiS3-hBYIfH6/s1600/coffee-prince-poster-wallpaper-11.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624168122721080866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri6X-z2i7ZA6SJr0_P2Bw5EmqICxj_YrIMRDTLke9jgQlMLFSIRh99AmA-k5OUskYFdx8-HM7q037PhL21X4P4b0fEXUAVNq19-hvjKxEVIGoA64SZqH24ea6C7qYDYN9ZiS3-hBYIfH6/s320/coffee-prince-poster-wallpaper-11.jpg" style="height: 250px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cream and two sugars, please!</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<b>Why I'm recommending it:</b> This drama is one of my all-time favorites and it has the most realistic depiction of human relationships that I have seen. An added plus, the music to this drama is super cute and catchy.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">My Girl</span> - Living day to day while evading family debts and impatient loan sharks, Ju Yoo Rin is crafty, resourceful...and the long-lost cousin of a rich family that owns a chain of luxury hotels?! Not really, but she <i>is</i> asked to play the fake cousin by the hotel owner's grandson, Seol Gong Chan, in order to help his ailing grandfather's health. Though Yoo Rin and Gong Chan get off on the wrong foot (aka they hate each other), they can't seem to get away from one another...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuxrSmBRe0n9IJiAQX9CJzpbwNj9iK84zk9z42KldXXSvrd4fwlzdAtvP-vHeBCbsYOll_1PwPYipbQE7Ezau-0Wy5-rGU-K6cE2SF0IbPRoP8louDqeYaAq-NFwPXZCEt-FJEfpNQC86/s1600/My+Girl+-+Big.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624167816704299346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuxrSmBRe0n9IJiAQX9CJzpbwNj9iK84zk9z42KldXXSvrd4fwlzdAtvP-vHeBCbsYOll_1PwPYipbQE7Ezau-0Wy5-rGU-K6cE2SF0IbPRoP8louDqeYaAq-NFwPXZCEt-FJEfpNQC86/s320/My+Girl+-+Big.jpg" style="height: 257px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Why I'm recommending it: </b>One of the funniest dramas I've seen due to the amazing on-screen chemistry between the two main actors. "Girly Boy" aka Lee Jun Ki plays a prominent role, showing off his beautiful face, and this drama has one of the best drunk scenes ever.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">My Name is Kim Sam Soon</span> - Commonly referred to the Korean Bridget Jones, this drama is about a woman with a ridiculous name, Kim Sam Soon. She's a professional pastry chef and through a series of confusing events, she has become the principal pastry chef at a new restaurant, owned by one arrogant Hyun Jin Hun. Though their mutual distaste is almost tangible, they agree to pretend to be lovers to prevent Jin Hun's mother from setting him up. It's the perfect plan because Sam Soon hates Jin Hun...or does she?<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmCwqo0Lj7KLjIInRDjFT3h44YvbwQlCiznUTTz6fvyOMWQjl6y5llD4Q0skivhNXUjSn33chAoXUSTEHpoLlZyhy7kULMu2t3spm76BO9XcGC7-N6FcvRaILUoQHSiOQrMiQ2TtZp1KC/s1600/Kim+Sam+Soon.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624167967419837378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmCwqo0Lj7KLjIInRDjFT3h44YvbwQlCiznUTTz6fvyOMWQjl6y5llD4Q0skivhNXUjSn33chAoXUSTEHpoLlZyhy7kULMu2t3spm76BO9XcGC7-N6FcvRaILUoQHSiOQrMiQ2TtZp1KC/s320/Kim+Sam+Soon.jpg" style="height: 320px; width: 213px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Want some cake?</span></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Why I'm recommending it:</b> Kim Sam Soon is a heroine with heart and she has you rooting for her all the way. Full of laughs, as well as tasty shots of delicious cakes and baked goods, this one is a winner.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">In Conclusion:</span><br />
<br />
There are a LOT of K-dramas out there, and the only way to find out what they are like is to watch them. Hopefully this post has given you a general idea of what they are like and where to start looking. To finish this horrendously long post, here are some links that you should check out to help you start your own drama-watching journey!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dramafever.com/">Drama Fever</a> - A godsend for all us voracious drama watchers, this is a site where you can watch basically any drama you want...FOR FREE. You can get them subtitled or unsubtitled, and everything is streamed instantly to your computer in high quality. This is a great place to watch all the popular and recent dramas, so head on over and check it out!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dramabeans.com/">Dramabeans</a> - A wonderfully informative blog run by two drama watchers with rapier wits and scathing tongues. Go here to find drama reviews and recaps, as well as very helpful notes about South Korean culture and references that often come up in dramas.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mysoju.com/">My Soju</a> - An alternative to Drama Fever, this site has even more selection. If you can't find something on Drama Fever, chances are it will be on My Soju. Subtitles are available for all the dramas, but it is less reliable than Drama Fever and video quality can be hit or miss. Korean movies can also be found on here, as well as Taiwanese, Chinese and Japanese dramas.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, and look in the future for Part 2 of the K-drama discussion!<br />
<br />
~PolecatPolecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-26496491131194345462011-07-04T00:00:00.038-04:002011-08-03T02:47:06.328-04:00Blah blah blah: Crazy Coffee Cat Manhwa Review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/webtoon/Crazy%20Coffee%20Cat/ch1/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIBnWmy0o6L4CMWe3rGyGkDBMw42325I7iqIUNIOJop302HL4hrpE712SEHzz1_qTCDphQP8D3v6SK2l2-UAuDo7by9C-aEaVOCyVrXHgyIDvDlfQ__4ydLxT_zMM0rJvkjkLLfCPi2rg/s400/Crazy+Coffee+Cat+Title.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One of the mildly relevant title intro panels.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">So far I'm not so crazy for <i>Crazy Coffee Cat</i>, a Korean webtoon written by Um Jae Kyung and drawn by Choi Kyung Ah.</span> As far as I can tell from the few scanlations now available, it's a comic of the soonjung romance, slice-of-life variety. Basically it follows protagonist Kho Yang Yra, a girl who has been given a job at a coffee company. Strangely enough, however, I'm eight strips in (which are essentially eight chapters) and I still don't know too much beyond that.<br />
<br />
I think part of it is that I don't really understand where this thing is going yet. The exposition is weird in that it feels as though all of the events just sort of happen, without too much buildup, like there isn't any forward movement or logical progression of events. I can't help but wonder if the writing was really planned beforehand, or if it was written as ideas simply occurred to the writer. Even in slice-of-life pieces there's some sense of forward progression, however small. Regardless, I'm getting the feeling that after eight strips we're still not into the meat of the story, so I'm probably making assumptions too early.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>So far in the story, Yra has described to her friends an embarrassing job interview she had with a coffee company. She went to a good school and got all right grades, but she didn't think she'd pass the initial examination to get an interview. As a result, she sort of just put whatever she felt like under the "Why do you want to work with our company?" question of the application, stating, "I am crazy for coffee!" Which, by the way, she isn't. She just wrote that because she needed something there.<br />
<br />
My question is, if you really thought you weren't going to do well enough on your exam to even get an interview, to the point that you didn't even <i>try</i> to write something smart on your application, why bother turning it in at all?<br />
<br />
Regardless, she's called out on her bluff, and gets increasingly embarrassed as she's one-upped by other applicants in the room and laughed at by the interviewers. She eventually has one of those shoujo moments where she speechifies about how she's still crazy for coffee, even if she doesn't know that much about it, and why can't she say she's crazy for coffee even if she just means the coffee from vending machines?<br />
<br />
Blah blah blah. To me, it reads as though she's trying to save face and cover up for the fact that she flat-out lied on her application. The manhwa, of course, paints it as though it's some meaningful, "empowering" moment. Sorry, but I don't buy it at all.<br />
<br />
Anyway, she gets the job, probably because she's "spunky" or "has heart" or some other nonsense. Or maybe she's actually the first genius to write, "I am crazy for coffee" on an application to a coffee company, who knows. Anyway, before she leaves for her physical examination for the job, she gets a mysterious text from someone she doesn't know, stating that she should go to Cat's Eye, a nearby cafe.<br />
<br />
Tell me: If you got a random text message from an unknown sender, telling you to meet at a random cafe you've never been to, would you go? If you had any common sense, probably not.<br />
<br />
But Yra doesn't even consider not going. She's suspicious, sure, but that's about it. She gets the text, wonders who it is for about two seconds, then TRANSITION PANEL I guess she's made up her mind, because now she's at her physical exam and now she's going to the cafe. Ugh. Since it's a shoujo/soonjung manhwa, of course nothing truly bad is going to happen to her. But it isn't just the fact that Yra is an idiot that annoys me, it's also that all of this just happens out of the blue, with no buildup to these "suspenseful" plot points or even the development of those plot point once we get there.<br />
<br />
Basically, she goes to the cafe and more MYSTERIOUS things happen, or at least kind-of-confusing things. She meets an apparently famous barista who seems to know her already because of her reputation as being a huge coffee lover or something, and then Yra runs into a celebrity who one of her friends is a fan of, and then, and then, and then... It's just event on top of event with no clear logical progression or connection between them. As I said: Blah blah blah.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/webtoon/Crazy%20Coffee%20Cat/ch3/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKet4fUwdHy78y0tttUh2Zog1aQggQAluygHBh6bUCGpxc3OEiS0p0iiqIn57XIBbYZwuyJShhs7pQUCYnOQ75u7VsVuJQ2l2tuguY6qtT0TdMxJZ3Zxsx54L-C6B3uM24kF4uzW3-1Fwc/s1600/Glassy+Eyes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eyes...so...glassy...can't...properly...emote..!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>And in case it isn't clear, I really don't like this protagonist. She's pretty, as one of her friends points out, and "spunky" or something, but she's an idiot with no common sense or, it seems, any depth at all. And as far as I can tell, she essentially lied to get her job. My dislike toward her also has to do with the writing of her character, which doesn't bother to make her interesting or original in any way, and doesn't convince the reader that we should care about her, or even believe that there's anything special about her besides the fact that she's pretty and "spirited." Bleh.<br />
<br />
The art is something I really disliked at first, but grew on me as I read on, to a small extent. My initial reaction was that it is extremely stiff in linework, coloring, and design. It lacks the sense of movement that I prefer in, for example, Soon Kki's <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> (read my review <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2011/06/and-im-mouse-cheese-in-trap-manhwa.html">here</a>), which feels more organic to me. Even the facial design in <i>Crazy Coffee Cat</i> lends itself to looking really frozen; it resembles comic renditions of dolls instead of people. I think the eyes particularly add to this effect, as they often seem glassy and lifeless. Things are almost too pretty for my taste, but I can see other readers liking it. The lines are very clean and precise, and the coloring is often detailed, so take a look if that sounds like your preference.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/webtoon/Crazy%20Coffee%20Cat/ch2/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNC2bBNwEI98XCG4TV3zHu6cpQEfElT5sQYxzXKTQVRaJVgfPj_yGs4jDbPXVe9MtsM0dUyODRgMYPbYE6o5sjufbZfTORWstu2yXkWOHIXWtrVtsjAyovgZsmJyn8ibny0bnakaRnRFS/s200/NO1.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hey, man's gotta know how to apply his mascara.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>But back to the "prettiness" factor. It's all right in some parts, and generally tolerable, but it's way too prominent on the young men in this manhwa. In other words, the potential male love interests look like girls to me.<br />
<br />
And let me be clear: I have a healthy appreciation for bishounen. A well-drawn one, at least. I'm not a crazy fan of girly dudes in real life (see Polecat's <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2009/04/all-pretty-boys.html">post</a> on that subject), but the drawn ones are often quite attractive.<br />
<br />
But there's a difference between a girly boy and a boy who looks like a girl. A huge, huge difference. And the young men in this manhwa often just look like girls. Honestly, they have features I would be pretty pleased to flaunt myself: Long eyelashes, pouty lips, and perfectly coiffed hair and eyebrows. For many of these young men, the only difference I can tell between them and the girls is that they have thicker necks, and maybe slightly slimmer chests. There is one guy who's just been introduced thus far who does look reasonably nice, and like, you know, a boy. So there's that one moment of reprieve.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/webtoon/Crazy%20Coffee%20Cat/ch6/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG6S6UwymnoRR7Q2MJ0UtB21zCgdxjotsU9PhvdFa7IknBpwRNcDqqRzuPMMKljSLQ0SdAKO6iGfxrIHz-5AhGTCRtkT1VtD0Vu4lEs8XNDrCaJc2kSlhG4GMH_sPOKG_FG8JM4pfTgG-/s200/NO3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male trout pout: Yay or nay, ladies?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The art became less obtrusive as I read on. I think I just got used to it, so while I don't have particularly positive feelings toward it now, I rather just don't have strong feelings either way at this point.<br />
<br />
Phew. I feel like a lot of this was one long rant, so I apologize if I'm coming off too strong. Anyway, this manhwa was not to my taste. I'm wondering if I've really just completely outgrown shoujo/soonjung manga/manhwa, or if it is genuinely as mediocre as I feel it is.<br />
<br />
My sense is that, if you are a fan of shoujo/soonjung comics, check it out, and read at least a few strips before you make up your mind. The protagonist never grew on me, but the art wasn't so bad after I read on. It does seem to have a pretty good number of fans. However, if you have preferences like mine (I personally think <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> is far superior, for example), you probably won't like it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Links:</b></div><br />
<a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/description/Crazy%20Coffee%20Cat/"><i>Crazy Coffee Cat</i> on Webtoon Live</a>: Find scanlations here.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/crazy_coffee_cat/"><i>Crazy Coffee Cat</i> on Mangafox</a><br />
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<a href="http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=25913"><i>Crazy Coffee Cat</i> on Naver</a>: Find the original, untranslated webtoon here.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/cheese_in_the_trap/"><i>Cheese in the Trap</i> on Mangafox</a>: I couldn't resist including this link; I highly recommend this manhwa. Read my <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2011/06/and-im-mouse-cheese-in-trap-manhwa.html">review</a> if you're not convinced!<br />
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Blackbird.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-38296283483106912282011-06-27T00:00:00.013-04:002012-01-18T23:58:05.694-05:00American Otome Games?: Harlequin Dating Sim<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/geN-_3_HcqQ" width="480"></iframe></center><br />
Harlequin must really be expanding their product line: In addition to Polecat’s relatively recent <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2011/05/romance-novelmanga.html">discovery</a> of the romance novel manga, I just found out about a Harlequin dating sim, <i><a href="http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/5608/harlequin-presents-hidden-object-of-desire/index.html">Harlequin Presents: Hidden Object of Desire</a></i>, while researching otome games for a <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2011/06/search-for-otome-summer-blockbuster.html">previous post</a>. The game was released some time last year.<br />
<br />
Here’s the blurb from Big Fish Game’s website, the distributor of the game:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>“Allie's on a quest to find some breaking news in the Kingdom of Adamas, but must now choose between her friend's well-being and true love! The bachelor Prince of Aristo is the most enchanting man she has ever met, but she must fend off his charming advances long enough to figure out what is going on.”</blockquote><br />
In addition to the game, I think you're given a digital copy of a romance novel based in the same romance novel universe as the game. More details can be found at this <a href="http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/game-review-harlequin-presents-hidden-object-of-desire/">review</a> on the Dear Author blog, including screenshots.<br />
<br />
I’m not sure how exciting the whole thing sounds, since it appears that you don’t even have any choice in your love interest. It really is a visual novel, maybe even more linear than most VNs, but maybe that makes sense for a company that makes its money being a factory for trashy books.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Regardless, creating games like these could be a good opportunity to introduce (or I guess reintroduce) the American market to otome-like games. The majority of the very few available in the US are localized titles from Japan, which haven't done so well in the past. The reasons vary, from perhaps poor marketing, a perceived lack of an American audience, a different gaming culture in the US, among other things. So maybe a new approach could be to hook female gamers with games developed in America, catering to and directed at that particular audience.<br />
<br />
I'm not trying to say that localization doesn't work; the manga and gaming industries started as translated works imported to the US. At the same time, otome games haven't had success with localization. I do wonder if some of it has to do with how much of a niche market it is; I don't know anyone who is interested in this type of game without already being a fan of manga, specifically shoujo manga. Add to the fact that girls do not usually game as often as boys, and you have a pretty specific demographic you have to hook to fund your entire US industry.<br />
<br />
So maybe the solution is, in fact, otome games developed in the US. I'm really not a fan of Americanization (<a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2011/05/keanu-reeves-wont-take-on-akira.html">Akira movie</a>, amirite?), but if the issue is, in fact, partly cultural, perhaps it would be best to see more games such as Harlequin's, which already build upon the established romance novel industry that caters to American female audiences. You have to start somewhere, after all, and American-produced otome games could be what it takes to popularize this sort of game, and eventually open up the market for localized works from Japan.<br />
<br />
But this is all my making a bunch of guesses and assumptions. Does anyone have a better understanding of all of this, or perhaps played <i>Hidden Object of Desire</i>? What are your thoughts on bringing otome games to America?<br />
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<br />
Blackbird.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-10140483683943096042011-06-20T00:00:00.202-04:002016-03-04T15:24:56.624-05:00And I'm the Mouse: Cheese in the Trap Manhwa Review<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jCP-hU_uwBc" width="560"></iframe><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span></center>
<center>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>A promo for the <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> drama CD.</b></span></center>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I discovered Soon Kki/순끼's manhwa <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> a while ago, and I have no idea how.</span> All I know is that I had approximately 60 tabs open in my web browser, and that the first one featured <a href="http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=59196">Baka-Updates Manga's page</a> on this webcomic.<br />
<br />
Yep! A webcomic. It's a format that I think <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> utilizes well, which I'll go into in a little later.<br />
<br />
But first, the story. <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> follows Sul, a college student who is returning to school after taking a year off. The circumstances of her leave aren't immediately clear, but they seem to have to do with an upperclassman, a handsome guy named Yoo Jung. Not only is he super cute, but he's apparently very polite, smart, and rich. Despite the fact that the ladies line up for this absolute heartthrob, Sul isn't so taken with him.<br />
<br />
Now, doesn't that sound positively boring and cliche? A female protagonist who has a love/hate relationship with an impossibly perfect guy. Never seen that in EVERY SINGLE CHICK FLICK EVER MADE. But that's where the cliches stop.<br />
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At first Sul's reaction to Yoo Jung seems typical of a female protagonist in a romance comic. She's highly skeptical of him, and perhaps too immune to the charm that has managed to affect every single girl except her. It seems as though she'll end up learning to love him as his sudden, mysterious interest in her slowly wins her over. However, as the story progresses, partly through flashbacks woven throughout the present narrative, the reader discovers that Sul's disdain isn't so unfounded.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>She first meets him through a group of friends at a restaurant, soon after she's returned to school. He arrives late, of course, allowing for that wonderful, full-panel entrance that every main male character deserves in a female-targeted manhwa. He's popular and loved by the other students, treating them all with apparent kindness. As the night wears on, everyone gets pretty crazy drunk, and Sul goes outside to get a breather. While she's there, she notices Yoo Jung speaking on his phone, telling to whomever he's speaking that they're all "indecent." In other words, his behavior with the group wasn't truthful at all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=59196" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavp9U14kLartAeSSnWRMe57et0hrAYdBDRWZhiZo_PmscH5dVwJjnDSJSDEG2DCuqji4PV_LiEvhrK5kY05ypaAqYnykr_bELbSuKyJnqhnTBhecnDVEV47YedxB1BCsgZ7_MseIKn0cM/s1600/i91244.jpg" /></a></div>
Even that sounds a little familiar, no? I thought of <i>Kare Kano</i>, for instance, or any other number of "you must learn to show your true self!" manga/manhwa, but <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> makes Yoo Jung much more ambiguous, even unpredictable, as a character. As the story goes on, you realize that Sul isn't, in fact, an airheaded heroine, but rational with a reliable intuition. It's revealed, for example, that previously Yoo Jung had been cold to her; soon after they met, he seemed to actively ignore any of Sul's attempts to be friendly. You start to believe Sul, then, when she suspects that there's something fishy when Yoo Jung makes a total 180, asking her for study and dinner dates.<br />
<br />
And it's when he gets friendly that things get weird for Sul. Their budding relationship, or at least Yoo Jung's interest in Sul, spreads rumors at school, especially among Yoo Jung's female admirers. When Sul tries to quell the jealousy of one girl, with Sul firmly stating that she has no interest in Yoo Jung, Yoo Jung happens to pop in, reigniting the girl's anger just as Sul was getting through to her. Situations like that should just seem coincidental on their own, but the issue is that they keep happening. And since Yoo Jung isn't really doing too much beyond popping in at suspiciously inopportune moments, Sul has no evidence that anything strange is truly going on. There are also her moments of pure intuition, the times when she feels that there's something really off about Yoo Jung, but that's not exactly what you'd call solid evidence either.<br />
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While there are hints of romance, or at least vague promises of it, my favorite aspect of <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> is the ambiguousness; the best way of describing it is to say that it's a slice-of-life style suspense manhwa. It isn't completely clear, for example, if Sul's suspicions are correct, or if she's just paranoid. But don't let my emphasis on the mystery element deter you: This manhwa is, for a lot of it, fun and lighthearted, but that's what makes the carefully scripted suspense all the more interesting, at times even thrilling.<br />
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My main qualm with the narrative has to do with the treatment of time, which is pretty important to the story. Even though I read all of the scanlations in pretty much one sitting, I still found the timelines kind of confusing. While there are clear present and past narratives, marked by white and black backgrounds respectively, both move in time at seemingly different rates, or don't follow a clear order. As the past narrative is necessarily fragmented to faciliate the mystery of the story, it's sometimes hard to know just when certain past events happened in relation to the present narrative, or even with each other. Perhaps this fragmented method is more effective if you're reading the comic from week to week, as opposed to the way I did, which was all at once. At the same time, <i>Cheese in the Trap</i>'s use of two timelines is part of its appeal, even if it can be difficult to follow at times. And I admit that it might just have to do with my reading it badly.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/detail.nhn?titleId=186811&no=27&weekday=thu" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMK7-kYCxms68iuptEP7BvazjR1c1JZPXjBa5LWIE8Yk2XDQQuRuXnuJ__jlxYlCM9v3AI6UMIuh3wixdCvNQ5lmvg_M2Vy6a79dcdgztRg4osJvlumGvZ0fCLNA39f6k2E3a9NTLhDyo/s1600/citt.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sul and Yoo Jung.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As for the art, it's actually what initially drew me to this webcomic. I love the clean yet sketchy linework and the flat, muted colors used in every strip. The characters are drawn simply but are extremely expressive, both in their faces and body language. And this might be a strange thing to note, but I really like the fact that they don't have weirdly colored hair; the "weirdest" is probably Sul's orange-ish dye, but most everyone else has black hair. It adds a sense that, yes, these characters are supposed to be representative of actual Koreans. Lastly, I like their clothes. They're hip without being hilariously improbable, unlike much of the clothing found in K dramas. Anyway, I'm a big fan of the art in general, and even find it a little inspiring in my own drawing.<br />
<br />
Each chapter is formatted as a long vertical strip, which is perfect for an online comic. Not that clicking is cumbersome or anything, but scrolling is something you can't do on anything but a computer; <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> takes advantage of its medium. I also feel that this page layout lets things look uncluttered, but that's also thanks to the way Soon Kki has designed the comic. (<b>Update 6.21.2011</b>: I've realized that it's more accurate to call this a webtoon, a particular, Korean form of online comics. See this <a href="http://iseetoon.com/en/entry/Webtoon-Web-Comic-very-different">post</a> on iSeeToon for a little discussion on the difference between Korean webtoons and American webcomics.)<br />
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Currently there are 24 chapters translated online by <a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/">Webtoonlive</a>, but unfortunately the project is <a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=325&sid=dcfcdd5d4f568bef956358fcfa358cdc">on hiatus</a>; as the original <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> is hosted by Naver, the artist is uncomfortable with scanlations by an outside source. Webtoonlive is still trying to ask for permission, so hopefully Naver will grant it. Until then, the <a href="http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=186811">original Korean webcomic</a> continues to be updated, and for those who can't read Korean, summaries are dutifully written by the scanlators on Webtoonlive's <a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=26"><i>Cheese in the Trap</i> forum</a>.<br />
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For those of you learning Korean, maybe this'll be a good motivator to learn enough to read the untranslated comics! I'm actually using both the translated and original comics to work on my Korean, something I think is unique and useful about the online comics medium, in which both versions are free and available for everyone.<br />
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Korean webcomics are something I'm unfamiliar with, but <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> has made me a lot more enthusiastic for this particular form of the medium! There's something appealing about having both the raws and translations so easily available online, which isn't always possible with scanlations of more commercialized works. It's great for learning a language. See <a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/">Webtoon Live's site</a> for a whole list of other Korean webcomics they're translating.<br />
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Overall, I'd say <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> is appropriate for all audiences, though josei readers might find it the most satisfying. The comic is on hiatus for us native English speakers, but I still really encourage everyone to read it. It's suspenseful, romantic, and just plain original, but none of those adjectives convey the experience as well as reading it for yourself. So what are you still doing here?! Go read it now!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Links</b></div>
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<b>Update 1.04.2012</b>: <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> scanlations are back (see comments below)! There's a bit of additional maneuvering required to read the translated text, but it's definitely doable. Head to the <a href="http://www.oddsquad.org/">Odd Squad Scanlations</a> site to get your continued, cheesy fix.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/cheese_in_the_trap/"><i>Cheese in the Trap</i> on Mangafox</a>: Best place to get the scanlations while Webtoon Live's site is down (see below).<br />
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<a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/description/Cheese%20in%20the%20Trap/"><i>Cheese in the Trap</i> on Webtoon Live</a>: This is currently down, as the scanlators are trying to get permission to continue scanlating. Regardless, this is the original site for English translations and should post the most up-to-date chapters, should this page return.<br />
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<a href="http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=186811"><i>Cheese in the Trap</i> on Naver</a>: The original Korean comic, untranslated and I think still regularly updated by Soon Kki.<br />
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<a href="http://www.webtoonlive.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=26">Webtoon Live's <i>Cheese in the Trap</i> Forum</a>: Read the latest updates on the scanlation project's status, and also get summaries for the comics you can't read.<br />
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<b>Update 3.04.2016</b>: Wow! So happy to see comments on this old, but not forgotten blog. Since this post was first written, it seems that <i>Cheese in the Trap's</i> popularity has only increased, especially after the success of the awesome 2016 drama adaptation. I hope to update this post (or write an entirely new one) with more recent news regarding the series, but that may have to wait for now.<br />
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We here at Manga Meditation are still around, but because of 1) some very silly technical issues and 2) life, we weren't able to respond properly until now. We hope to keep the blog going in some capacity. Keep commenting, and thanks for reading!<br />
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Blackbird.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-90701915509619289012011-06-13T00:00:00.021-04:002011-08-03T01:54:13.398-04:00The End of Tokyopop Manga<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gallery.minitokyo.net/view/340304" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yx_ui0pibR1cCV4gYEqpULB_zg4i0uZ_k46kgMFWxXkvfQsWspalxTLkrunggH38anMsSqwhFarrHVcSEfyjYER2CLVAoiDMl5ul6OGED10QTSF04PaFKgdWy8qLQo1iGYi5o45__xbS/s400/340304.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is the fourth post I've written tagged with <i>Marmalade Boy</i>, by the way.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 130%;">If you're savvy on manga publishing in America, you might already know that Tokyopop <a href="http://www.comicsbeat.com/2011/04/15/end-of-an-era-tokyopop-shutting-down/">shut down its US manga publishing operations</a> on May 31.</span><br />
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I became obsessed with manga when I was about eleven. One of my friends, older and more informed than I was about the medium, took me to a Waldenbooks at a local mall. The manga section only took up one small shelf, crammed next to the cash register. I didn't know too much about what I was looking at, since while I was a comics reader, it was mostly of collections of <i>Calvin & Hobbes</i> and <i>The Far Side</i>. I had read a little manga at the beginning of the whole <span style="font-style: italic;">Pokémon</span> craze, a flipped version of Ono Toshihiro's <span style="font-style: italic;">Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu,</span> when I was about six, but I never went too much beyond that and some dubbed episodes of <span style="font-style: italic;">Sailor Moon</span>. I did draw a lot of <span style="font-style: italic;">Pokémon</span> fan comics, but we don't need to go into that.<br />
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She suggested Wataru Yoshizumi's <span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span> to me, licensed by Tokyopop. The cover was pretty unassuming, featuring a smiling girl looking at some unknown thing in the corner, but the story intro hooked me in the minute I skimmed its pages in that store, and I bought it.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I finished the tome in one day. From then on I was at the bookstore almost every week, buying new volumes with as much of my allowance as I could squeeze out of my poor parents. Manga had not yet invaded American bookstores, but in the following decade I would see the comics taking up more and more floorspace, with an increasing number of books on which I would spend increasing amounts of money.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span> was really the official start of my manga obsession. Without that, I wouldn't have gotten crazy in love with anime conventions, or have filled tons of sketchbooks with my drawn characters, or have even felt compelled to help start this blog. And none of that would have happened, really, without Tokyopop.<br />
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Obviously, the entire credit doesn't just go to a translator or distributor; the original work, the mangaka him or herself, is what makes the manga. But the point is that I simply wouldn't have been exposed to any of it without a US company that wanted to distribute these Japanese comics. It was mostly shounen comics that were in the US market before the recent manga wave, after all, and while I do appreciate them, shoujo comics were the ones that struck the girly chord in my heart.<br />
<br />
I was strangely loyal to Tokyopop translated comics. I did a little mental eye-roll when I saw other American publishers get into the manga business. All of them were just cheap imitators, I thought. I wanted the <span style="font-style: italic;">quality</span> stuff, thanks.<br />
<br />
But Tokyopop's translation methods weren't perfect, far from it (<a href="http://matt-thorn.com/wordpress/?p=495">read this piece</a> by veteran translator Matt Thorn), nor were their business practices (take <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-05-28/tokyopop-manga-pilot-pact-signs-away-legal-rights">Manga Pilots</a>, for example). I remember a friend of mine oh-so-lovingly dubbing it "Tokyopoop," citing issues with <span style="font-style: italic;">Sailor Moon</span> translations. The company also had other problems with localization, and with simply staying true to an original work. Those are the complications of translation, especially that for an American audience perceived to be too unprepared for un-Americanized works. Those are debates, however, for another time.<br />
<br />
Let's be honest: I haven't bought manga in a while, a long while. I've outgrown a lot of the manga that I used to read as a preteen and teen, and most of what I do read is covered by scanlators; I guess it's a problem not unlike what's happening in the rest of the publishing industry. The bookstore where I used to shop, a nearby Borders, just shut down (and, in fact, the bookstore chain was formerly a major customer of Tokyopop); the Waldenbooks I used to frequent, the one where I bought my first volume of <span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span>, shut down years before that. The times they are a-changin'.<br />
<br />
But you never forget your first. And Tokyopop was a big part of a lot of manga firsts for me. Even if manga isn't as big a part of my life as it used to be, I still have my old collection stashed away in a cabinet, tomes that I can't bear to get rid of. It's funny, but I never get tired of reading them.<br />
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<br />
Blackbird.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-1750959568678890972011-06-09T00:00:00.025-04:002011-08-06T02:11:21.526-04:00The Search for Otome: SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER SEQUEL!<div style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sakevisual.com/realistair/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616052079900879698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3yEUDuH4JWHw6T1jsttGe7Y39FL5WyeV4KROl9mPl6VA-3xYBlVynsNP0Boxldw2ZWWr8msXW8kzCjgDh5_F8yuwKfRM5fKn5a_rbPT0fs6h64DjdrVKs0RGW_W0I3pA3ASABJN6Qojr/s400/rea_side.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 240px;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>RE: Alistair++</i>, a free, full-length otome game.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><span style="font-size: 130%;">Since the summer's begun I've had lots of time on my hands.</span> Thus far, I've rewatched almost all of the episodes of The Office (US version, if you care to know) available on Netflix. One would think I'd have done more than that, but sitting in front of a computer marathoning a show I've already watched takes up a significant amount of time.<br />
<br />
So there's that. And I've also been playing a lot of <a href="http://www.chainfactor.com/">Chain Factor</a>.<br />
<br />
Despite my packed schedule, I've been doing research on one thing I haven't looked at in a long time: Otome games! Free ones, specifically. It seems like there have been quite a few new English options to be released <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/02/search-for-otome_05.html">since I last did a post</a>, though that also could mean I didn't do a good job researching them in the first place.<br />
<br />
I was originally going to do another big post, but the more I wrote, the more I realized that it didn't make sense to put it all together in just one entry. So in the coming weeks, look out for reviews and other opinionated pieces on just otome games! It'll be really swell, and hopefully a little different from what you'd typically find on blogs dedicated to otome. It's not what Manga Meditation's about anyway, and those blogs already do their job way better than I could.<br />
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Speaking of which, here are a few links to games, developers, and other otome miscellanea:<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;">Free Otome Games</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ababo.my-neoromance.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=59" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616058168861742418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSLXil_VGnbRNKyKILhI0-LEfEjKM5TBzCpYZeahOkLNKiO4GR3aecTrrKZvzt2y3uzgkdjm3ToJZjFT34AaQHWW96gx4kimqKrFCve5NYMXzKXDzHx7QU7oFJV_xscUN-srbfoyr_iPQ/s400/gamepeek.jpg" style="float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Love Blossom Extended</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Yep, I've already tried covering this in a <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/02/search-for-otome_05.html">previous post</a>, but here are a few more that are available in English. As a little disclaimer, I haven't played all of them. The ones that I have will probably get a review at some point, but until then, feel free (puns!!) to try them out.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://ababo.my-neoromance.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=59">Love Blossom Extended</a>: I briefly covered the original game in my last post. Recently, however, the developers at <a href="http://my-neoromance.com/">My Neoromance</a> went back and added more events for a little extended re-release. Check out the <a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/index.php?/topic/2531-love-blossom-extended/">announcement</a> on their forum.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://supersixthree.blogspot.com/">Lucky Rabbit Reflex!</a>: Okay, I'm sort of jumping the gun on this one a bit, because it <span style="font-style: italic;">just</span> entered beta testing as of this posting. However, I'm super excited about its eventual official release; if you look at my first post on otome games, you'll notice I included a tiny section on it. I played the demo a while back, and it was really cute and clever. I can't wait to do a review on this one! <span style="font-weight: bold;">Update</span>: So it looks like this game will be officially released in July, and will not be free. Here's the related <a href="http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4488">forum thread</a>. <b>Update 7.20.11</b>: <a href="http://www.luckyrabbitreflex.com/">Official website!</a><br />
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<a href="http://pacthesis.deviantart.com/gallery/27555536">Pacthesis Games</a>: This links to games created by Pacthesis, a user on Deviantart.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sakevisual.com/realistair/index.html">RE: Alistair++</a>: I just finished this up. A great game, and one definitely worth a look (and maybe a future review)!<br />
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<a href="http://zeiva.deviantart.com/gallery/292012">Zeiva Games</a>: This links to Zeiva's games posted on her Deviantart. I suggest playing <a href="http://zeiva.deviantart.com/art/Other-Age-39931316?q=gallery%3Azeiva%2F292012&qo=5">Other Age</a>. Zeiva actually has her own game company, which features some really awesome looking stuff; see the link under <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2011/06/search-for-otome-summer-blockbuster.html#Developers"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Developers</span></a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;">Otome Blogs</span><br />
<br />
What I love about these blogs, beyond the fact that they keep up with manga and anime news tidbits, is that they let you vicariously play otome games through fun walkthroughs and reviews (meaning I'm living vicariously through blogs that cover games designed to let one live vicariously? Phew). Many of these games, after all, are only available in Japanese, and usually only for Windows. And the reviews can also be pretty funny, regardless of whether or not you've played.<br />
<br />
There are tons of these blogs floating around on the internet, but here are a few that I've enjoyed:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sandeian.wordpress.com/">4 Shiki</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://breadmasterlee.wordpress.com/"><b style="font-weight: normal;">Kawaii Janakya Dame nano!</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://lijaka.com/blog/">Lijakaca's Otome Gaming Blog</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://whitebutterfly.kokidokom.net/">White Butterfly</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><a name="Developers"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Developers</span></a></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.winterwolves.com/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616085155063090850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS0L1C67GbxViy09S2NIG5a9R9OHHIMdsWobAfwXTsjzreAb1RE-bYNM7gI1TC7AZSkZ08UtLgwvKY-41wYsvcWzgs1aGL1IAOgqekOwMPytCkwvHqRIlZCoblY8LeUM3WdxWoRPrjs-r/s200/winterwolves.jpg" style="float: left; height: 162px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 171px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Winter Wolves website.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Just to note, this list includes both doujinshi and commerical developers. I suggest checking out blogs if they're available (<a href="http://sakevisual.blogspot.com/">sakevisual has one</a>, at least), since they give fun development info, including possible free releases! Exciting.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.hanakogames.com/">Hanako Games</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sakevisual.com/">sakevisual</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.winterwolves.com/">Winter Wolves</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.zeiva.net/">Zeiva Inc</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;">Miscellaneous Links</span><br />
</span><br />
Most of these are repeat links from my previous post, but they're worth looking at again.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/">Lemma Soft Forums</a>: Lots of doujin developers post game progress and announcements here.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/index.php?/topic/1919-english-otome-games/">My Neoromance Forum Thread</a>: I guess it's kind of odd to post a link to some thread, but this one is attempting to collect all English otome games available, both commercial and doujinshi. It also looks like it stays updated.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.otomegames.com/">Otome Games</a>: A good resource for finding out about new commercial releases, and it also seems to be pretty regularly updated.<br />
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<a href="http://renai.us/">Ren'Ai Archive</a>: A collection of free ren'ai and visual novels made with <a href="http://www.renpy.org/">Ren'Py</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, here's the <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/02/search-for-otome_05.html">original post</a> I wrote a year ago on otome games. It isn't perfect, but there are still some links that I think are worth checking out.<br />
<br />
<br />
Blackbird.<br />
<br />
PS: I'm not affiliated with any of the stuff on here; all of it is just what I've found on the internet!Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-49991660008383210512011-05-27T01:00:00.019-04:002011-08-03T01:20:05.528-04:00Manga Review: Library WarsDISLCAIMER: To help give some insight behind this review, I'm going to preface it with this: I want to be a librarian. I plan on going to graduate school for library science and I am aiming to be a public librarian (location TBD). As such, my review of this series may be somewhat colored by this fact. Or maybe a lot colored.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Today's ma<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jxHLJF3xLNMVjx-tGD8iN40sYs8Jhyphenhyphen5JAyb94QbAyppUdQQT8ELDns77ioStgwznuE4IbJnaY7PHwNo4eAHrU4NRiCqOQqiUTDYdmznzlvokXmuJpgY_I4odI15DCoDTBCUW8tQUwfiX/s1600/Library+Wars+Cover+Vol+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612248621896029010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jxHLJF3xLNMVjx-tGD8iN40sYs8Jhyphenhyphen5JAyb94QbAyppUdQQT8ELDns77ioStgwznuE4IbJnaY7PHwNo4eAHrU4NRiCqOQqiUTDYdmznzlvokXmuJpgY_I4odI15DCoDTBCUW8tQUwfiX/s200/Library+Wars+Cover+Vol+1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 156px;" /></a>nga review is of the series <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshokan_Sens%C5%8D#Manga"><span style="font-style: italic;">Library Wars: Love and War</span></a>, a manga based off of a novel series by author Hiro Arikawa and adapted for manga by Kiiro Yumi (click for Wikipedia article). I got this series through my college library's interlibrary loan system and while I normally make it a point not to read things that haven't been fully scanlated or translated, the fact that it was about libraries was temptation enough to convince me to read it.<br />
<br />
The basic premise is as follows: The year is 2019, and the Japanese government has imposed strict censorship nation-wide. An evil bureaucratic organization known as the Media Betterment Committee (MBC) seeks to purge all materials that are deemed harmful and disruptive to the public order. Libraries have become the last bastions of knowledge and intellectual freedom - though they are protected under the Library Law, they frequently clash with MBC forces. The story begins with Iku Kasahara, a young woman who is aspiring to become part of the Library Defense Force, a paramilitary organization that protects libraries and their contents from the MBC. Besides her idealistic desire to protect the right to knowledge, Iku's dream to become a member of the LDF stems from a past experience where a mysterious LDF agent defended her in a bookstore during a MBC raid. With this mysterious LDF agent as her idol (nicknamed by Iku as "her prince,") the manga follows Iku through her experiences in the LDF as she defends books and free knowledge in the name of liberty, justice, and all that is moral and good in the world!<br />
<br />
So, okay, not really the most original plot in the world. The whole "mysterious-stranger-from-my-past-being-the-motivator-behind-my-actions" thing has really been run into the ground, and I was never a fan of it, in any manga I've read so far. Also, as Blackbird and Starfish so astutely pointed out, both the Library Defense Force and the Media Betterment Committee are government-sponsored organizations. So why are two government-sponsored agencies fighting against each other? I dunno. You would think that would make the government go, "Huh. Maybe we should change the laws so we don't have thousands of tax-payer dollars wasted on two government branches fighting each other." You would bet your britches that if the FBI and the CIA engaged in military warfare, there would be some major repercussions in Congress...but whatever.<br />
<br />
Despite some glaring plot holes, shoujo manga isn't really known for the well-developed plots anyway - it's the characters that you get attached to.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnGSztRbGO05s_eQHdKJwAwvq9vlHXqab1rQnLf5ooxxl3QlqSAOtGpIOA5L1l8pSrcrrdCff7V2q6AORIykb3ScMe7ZX0P48nNH1jm1O-YxfBErFItoujSOyHHBE_WNzAQswdxq01G-S/s1600/olibrary_war_love_war_v01_c001_mangaart.library_war_love_war_-_v01_c001_p006-p007.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612244684969191538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnGSztRbGO05s_eQHdKJwAwvq9vlHXqab1rQnLf5ooxxl3QlqSAOtGpIOA5L1l8pSrcrrdCff7V2q6AORIykb3ScMe7ZX0P48nNH1jm1O-YxfBErFItoujSOyHHBE_WNzAQswdxq01G-S/s200/olibrary_war_love_war_v01_c001_mangaart.library_war_love_war_-_v01_c001_p006-p007.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 191px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Look! It's the Brady Bunch...with guns!<br />
</span></div><br />
<br />
The problem that I have with <span style="font-style: italic;">Library Wars</span> is that while I enjoy all the male characters in the ensemble cast, I unfortunately do NOT like Iku Kasahara. She is the lead role, the protagonist, the catalyst, and the most important player in this manga...but I really DISLIKE her. She's loud, she's impulsive, she's not the sharpest tool in the box, she's always making mistakes, and I can already tell she's going to be the emotionally stunted type who doesn't know how to deal with emotions besides anger and happiness. She's supposed to come off as someone who "thinks with her heart rather than her head" but in her line of work, as a member of an active paramilitary organization, that is A BAD THING. In combat, you need someone who can think with a cool head and doesn't overreact all the time. It would be different if Iku Kasahara wanted to be a teacher or something, but in a military context, her incompetence could have real, irreversible damage, like-oh-I-don't-know, someone getting killed for example?<br />
<br />
What really gets me is that the author tries to portray Iku Kasahara as a strong female character, but in reality, she's supported and coddled by all the characters (ahem, men) around her. Every time she makes a mistake, she gets depressed and goes through an unnecessarily angsty period of self-flagellation. Iku always needs someone external (usually one of the love interests) to say something to her or help her recover. To me, that doesn't signify character growth - just the opposite, in fact. It means that the character isn't strong enough to decide on her own what she should do.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhek_l0CIj06jZzxRnp9ytE4tXvH1wvxIav8qPQyJBv2h-3hDHhNiIs0J0sqMSxParw5zmgzLU6kLRE5_HdzEMlnlCehfIqevIJRzYnhS0P-1cxLZXPVph4wSRpcAC3jiZ94X_A2psjn_Gj/s1600/olibrary_war_love_war_v01_c001_mangaart.library_war_love_war_-_v01_c001_p060.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612248184331656754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhek_l0CIj06jZzxRnp9ytE4tXvH1wvxIav8qPQyJBv2h-3hDHhNiIs0J0sqMSxParw5zmgzLU6kLRE5_HdzEMlnlCehfIqevIJRzYnhS0P-1cxLZXPVph4wSRpcAC3jiZ94X_A2psjn_Gj/s200/olibrary_war_love_war_v01_c001_mangaart.library_war_love_war_-_v01_c001_p060.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 122px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Self-flagellation - NEED MOAR<br />
</span></div><br />
You would think that with such a negative review, I would hate <span style="font-style: italic;">Library Wars.</span> But...I don't. If the premise were about something besides libraries, I wouldn't like it as much. But because it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> about libraries, I find myself overlooking a lot of my complaints (hence the disclaimer). As far as shoujo manga goes, it does the job admirably and more. There's a whole bevy of potential male suitors to ogle over, there's a lot of fun action, and it's a straightforward story about good versus evil and a young girl falling in love.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">YOUR CHOICE IN MEN</span></div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-zgKJHe4ASNvpsa19INDKwo1GAd9oEn6er-YKJQGXgwvtg5_AWYHnsNjqsk0FhyphenhyphenKwdmdXnmqe20pVhfGbVV2h-gphVL2RKkA_guARFyPdxZmvQ77tvOa1SXPxKzd115ROm83zb7yvxNK/s1600/Dojo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612243390594270610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-zgKJHe4ASNvpsa19INDKwo1GAd9oEn6er-YKJQGXgwvtg5_AWYHnsNjqsk0FhyphenhyphenKwdmdXnmqe20pVhfGbVV2h-gphVL2RKkA_guARFyPdxZmvQ77tvOa1SXPxKzd115ROm83zb7yvxNK/s200/Dojo.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 152px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKBBN7APA5a8Fwh-dxXy5OUMyAgklBUHoroMFqb60Snm3ag4wymVeRg-F2m2q5ekNHdEgWbyJa4kSB-b9XPvczof4HAFQP5iTkxCuDQp-Rm9UHMeIXz291BcuC4sWKcVsPDdjWOKInLRP/s1600/Tezuka.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612243906736842322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKBBN7APA5a8Fwh-dxXy5OUMyAgklBUHoroMFqb60Snm3ag4wymVeRg-F2m2q5ekNHdEgWbyJa4kSB-b9XPvczof4HAFQP5iTkxCuDQp-Rm9UHMeIXz291BcuC4sWKcVsPDdjWOKInLRP/s200/Tezuka.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 189px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 116px;" /></a><br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XHivbELJz1fzOte3pa_RZdm0-VkbbrQa8EM3Xleo5pg70XsvLLsbSuSM2wNtaBWJyS-Uysj2lHq4AtE6IiNsfmckufb7RQZ3G79G5PkMZQmNlIvrAQGoNSBKiEN10x04bXAaT-_QuwYs/s1600/Komaki.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612244233242534018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XHivbELJz1fzOte3pa_RZdm0-VkbbrQa8EM3Xleo5pg70XsvLLsbSuSM2wNtaBWJyS-Uysj2lHq4AtE6IiNsfmckufb7RQZ3G79G5PkMZQmNlIvrAQGoNSBKiEN10x04bXAaT-_QuwYs/s200/Komaki.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 173px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">The Dark and B</span><span style="font-size: 85%;">rooding One</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"> The Blonde One</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"> The Spiky-Haired One</span></div></div><br />
<br />
<br />
It doesn't pretend to be a serious work of literature or depth, and while it does follow the shoujo manga formula, it does so with a fairly interesting cast of characters (Iku Kasahara aside) and occasionally tries to throw in some superficial commentary about censorship and the importance of free knowledge. While my review may not sound like it, I did enjoy reading it - at least, what I've read so far. This may not be anything new for the shoujo manga world, but by golly, it's entertaining.<br />
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Credits to <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/library_war_love_war/">mangafox</a> for providing the scanlations and images!<br />
<br />
~PolecatPolecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-85057806599603235802011-05-23T00:13:00.009-04:002011-08-03T00:31:34.978-04:00"Keanu Reeves Won't Take on Akira"Anime fans around the world...rejoice! The anime world has received its deliverance in the form of <a href="http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2011/05/18/keanu-reeves-wont-take-on-akira/">Keanu Reeves' rejection of a lead role in <span style="font-style: italic;">Akira</span></a> (click for the article). Perhaps the Rapture that was scheduled to happen on Saturday decided to exert its divine influence in other areas of life for the benefit of all. By faith, I am most grateful that it did.<br />
<br />
This headliner was a shocker for me, as I was only peripherally aware of a live-action version of <span style="font-style: italic;">Akira</span> was in the works. My initial reaction?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHYkfi5jibwJ2Y08nh8Lrfnffli3wEN_u_wCRO5h0mlyJ8DSeZFWOjzAAPBpBeB-ZsaUHBq2NVPH7-kZS6qznL0spXvbWXSWDCL0YpxOYXL-O0qUwjcBDeP7m2dxiCxmhMt8zIccgN4IK/s1600/Whyyyyyyyyyyyy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609943833815532738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHYkfi5jibwJ2Y08nh8Lrfnffli3wEN_u_wCRO5h0mlyJ8DSeZFWOjzAAPBpBeB-ZsaUHBq2NVPH7-kZS6qznL0spXvbWXSWDCL0YpxOYXL-O0qUwjcBDeP7m2dxiCxmhMt8zIccgN4IK/s200/Whyyyyyyyyyyyy.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 150px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><br />
<br />
WHY would you Keanu Reeves be your first pick? WHY?! I can't imagine anyone less qualified to be part of such a project. I don't even KNOW what <span style="font-style: italic;">Akira</span> is about as I haven't read it (*gasp* shocking, I know), but I do know that it was a huge influence back in the 80s and has an iconic status today. I also know that Keanu Reeves can't act worth mouse shit and would end up presenting the world with a bastardized version of a character that would unfortunately survive in posterity till the end of time.<br />
<br />
Why am I picking on poor Keanu, you may ask? Well, because he's appallingly bad, and he's inexplicably a sought-after actor. This point was driven home by Blackbird after she sent me the following link from bestweekever.tv showing how bad an actor he is. You can<a href="http://www.bestweekever.tv/2011-04-13/keanu-reeves-robocop-rumors-5-reasons/"> see for yourself </a>- he's like a wooden board with a brown wig on top.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocw8euttM6kRXxbRwrfOc_SEePRHUrnNSl_TM4qFkm8VQYn5R2DnEh1-qGY1K5JF0w7s8d4VQ4uHOmkRHxAY4gwUTIWwReTT-mY2ONUaVgncvvumD85_9DJAnwuPCwW73yjAreXtQz9sf/s1600/Keanu+Reeves.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609938207952776482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocw8euttM6kRXxbRwrfOc_SEePRHUrnNSl_TM4qFkm8VQYn5R2DnEh1-qGY1K5JF0w7s8d4VQ4uHOmkRHxAY4gwUTIWwReTT-mY2ONUaVgncvvumD85_9DJAnwuPCwW73yjAreXtQz9sf/s200/Keanu+Reeves.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 200px; width: 144px;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br />
Facing the truth.</span></div><br />
<br />
Anyway, we have nothing to fear now - the Keanu-in-<span style="font-style: italic;">Akira</span>-gate scandal has been sidestepped, and hopefully a more worthy actor will come along to sign on to the project. Although, with a production team that considered Keanu Reeves for a lead role, maybe we should be questioning the whole idea of an American, live-action <span style="font-style: italic;">Akira</span> film...<br />
<br />
Credits to <a href="http://www.bestweekever.tv/">bestweekev</a><a href="http://www.bestweekever.tv/">er.tv</a> for making an awesome "Keanu sucks!" compilation, and the folks over at<a href="http://celebs.icanhascheezburger.com/tag/keanu-reeves/"> icanhascheezburger</a> for making awesome Keanu-captioned posters and awesome captions in general.<br />
<br />
~Polecat<br />
<br />
PS: For those of you who are fans of Keanu Reeves, here's a more favorable i canhascheezburger picture just for you<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojUb7XooflIx4zN1XhnIkR2xJ5oXtzCJqknD4tl52SinxE_lKySLCQvFxMBUTmXhlsk7aZFUjkXLo8IvwsSlVwUSXzAnjzBZ_VbYG0Pt4J11Tzu9Q5PbVj3t6ZU0xEH9ROWDKqAETgSf6/s1600/Keanu+Reeves+Deflects+Criticism.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609937888171711954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojUb7XooflIx4zN1XhnIkR2xJ5oXtzCJqknD4tl52SinxE_lKySLCQvFxMBUTmXhlsk7aZFUjkXLo8IvwsSlVwUSXzAnjzBZ_VbYG0Pt4J11Tzu9Q5PbVj3t6ZU0xEH9ROWDKqAETgSf6/s200/Keanu+Reeves+Deflects+Criticism.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 150px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;">Woah.</span></div>Polecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-38523222823607769512011-05-21T23:43:00.011-04:002011-08-06T01:08:52.188-04:00Romance Novel...Manga?So besides being well versed in all things manga, I am also a bit of an expert on romance novels. And by a bit, I mean that I have read probably hundreds of romance novels. I'm an addict, I'll admit. Though since college, I've been more or less forcefully weaned off them due to lack of time, there's something about them that always has me coming back for more. Could it be the purplish prose used to describe the love-making in which both characters magically attain orgasms that "make time suspend and the heavens shatter (no joke, direct quote) "? Or could it be the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabio_Lanzoni">Fabio</a>-esque men that adorn the covers, showing off whatever naturally ripply and hardened muscles they have? Whatever the reason, the point is that I enjoy romance novels, and I was quite thrilled to find a new manga genre - <span style="font-style: italic;">the romance novel shoujo manga adaptation</span>.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">At first glance, it seems like a logical combination. Romance novels are all about happy endings and feel-good stories and shoujo manga is basically a romance novel with prettily drawn pictures. The combination of these two, as I was imagining it, would produce a wonderfully fluffy manga in which I could get my daily dose of hunky men, cheesy dialogue, purplish prose, sex and happy endings all in one go.</div><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6end4PDZTQn26-G-4BP5QmRomyIa3ytrXNDA8_JI1R3W7kuO2L1TiKIAswQa2oow29OT1S39oBEiTE3ruOZRUcutRdsrwE9VJnSEJrmIFBubxGMXA7LegbnEJSHwSlZxtEyJyZCmFe6x/s1600/Naked+Ambition+-+Romance+Novel+Cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609189826433365186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6end4PDZTQn26-G-4BP5QmRomyIa3ytrXNDA8_JI1R3W7kuO2L1TiKIAswQa2oow29OT1S39oBEiTE3ruOZRUcutRdsrwE9VJnSEJrmIFBubxGMXA7LegbnEJSHwSlZxtEyJyZCmFe6x/s200/Naked+Ambition+-+Romance+Novel+Cover.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 118px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 180%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 180%;">+</span><span style="font-size: 180%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 180%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfIxbVdIHdb286j8t21QSQpJKjKosdK1PPJfD1BuLgpv0c_U8WuQYAXTC0tZh0bD_UYi8Lh_KFI5dLil75lonnoS0sK9JhePwZ6X4CuqYa0stAJjOEX4igYSHdjPu3MSOsCVg25yJy0CM/s1600/Midnight_Secretary_v01_p001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609192606076860034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfIxbVdIHdb286j8t21QSQpJKjKosdK1PPJfD1BuLgpv0c_U8WuQYAXTC0tZh0bD_UYi8Lh_KFI5dLil75lonnoS0sK9JhePwZ6X4CuqYa0stAJjOEX4igYSHdjPu3MSOsCVg25yJy0CM/s200/Midnight_Secretary_v01_p001.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 200px; width: 124px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 180%;"> =</span> AMAZINGNESS<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyr6yslNPz6e_yUoGvQqMYHSc7GF3ycf_wluPRErafySOkS_EODhnll-JxgCd8FvToVBXdpXBtFBDmVB9XEXhvVj0kR4P2Yc_zWrH_6RICiDuL46ok0w5KY5p3trUZBSOVxn_ynDm9htdC/s1600/Midnight_Secretary_v01_p001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"> </a><br />
<br />
However, the actual execution of said equation has produced less than stellar results, much to my dismay and disappointment. I reaaaaally wanted to like these happa manga-novels, but instead of the happy marriage of love, sex, and fluffiness that I was expecting, the result was just...sorta awkward. I mean, it's not like I was expecting freakin' Shakespeare or anything like that, but I was expecting something with more finesse.<br />
<br />
My main complaint is that these manga-novels have no depth whatsoever to them. Characters are introduced with only a cursory explanation, and then you get maybe one or two pages that explains the childhood trauma/emotional scar/phobia of pink rabbits/whatever it is that prevents them from forming healthy, normal relationships.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4ZLaIcQ8CEnsiA-cZ-A2N0KjohwLgpnCRiEmgNRPtktSeHNjopl6jB1gBGM6mOyNSR4I64HKDUKmtHtPzdZT2lJzJaKnNJWZGiRx1TP4FNlA7nXRN4QPGYKWoyuF1BwQtyjwFNdbhqen/s1600/glovechild_vol_1_sms.39.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609380605703550530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4ZLaIcQ8CEnsiA-cZ-A2N0KjohwLgpnCRiEmgNRPtktSeHNjopl6jB1gBGM6mOyNSR4I64HKDUKmtHtPzdZT2lJzJaKnNJWZGiRx1TP4FNlA7nXRN4QPGYKWoyuF1BwQtyjwFNdbhqen/s200/glovechild_vol_1_sms.39.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 140px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">The not-so-original...FATHER COMPLEX</span><br />
<br />
</div><br />
Then you get to read the rest of the story which consists of these emotionally scarred characters (who you don't really know anything about) resisting the urge to have sex. These characters don't really talk to each other, but they sure do like talking to themselves as they keep up a running internal narrative in which they comment on how passionate, how smoldering, how attractive, how whatever the other person is.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8taLCPWnf0sujobnXrrvpLDDzGIzozm8bnAUUj_icT3UVVkd65vTbWFa53BJkqZ_DowCHthPYVB-yZp_p1J-LXMwfhvWxvWSYlMxUbykkXDs_FkY4o0mdRLYkjOREUERkytwh2U0VNm-/s1600/glovechild_vol_1_sms.10.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609381024926531218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8taLCPWnf0sujobnXrrvpLDDzGIzozm8bnAUUj_icT3UVVkd65vTbWFa53BJkqZ_DowCHthPYVB-yZp_p1J-LXMwfhvWxvWSYlMxUbykkXDs_FkY4o0mdRLYkjOREUERkytwh2U0VNm-/s200/glovechild_vol_1_sms.10.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 141px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">OMG. HE'S SO HOT. But I'm not going to tell him that.</span></div><br />
<br />
Basically, what I suspect happened was that a Japanese writer read a romance novel and thought "Aw yis! I'm gonna make a manga out of this!" They then went through the entire book, chose a few random scenes and some dialogue, and then told a Japanese artist to draw it. That's how these things read - there's no continuity between the scenes that are drawn, and there aren't any explanations that are given. As the reader, you just kind of have to assume/guess about things. As a result, these manga novels read like limp fish - it just doesn't cut it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FbnsiwbEj_oeOToYRXURbU9o1JWA2zRi6ZoqJGTeyBdISOleG-A1MX60alsi-fpvZLPXE8r1-0KAOgTPtO-0-atGqnF_1vH42gwn6FZmLylCl6q0gahSeno5WgY8vqHOY0eHtIWxdKP5/s1600/glovechild_vol_1_sms.02.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609377502755138034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FbnsiwbEj_oeOToYRXURbU9o1JWA2zRi6ZoqJGTeyBdISOleG-A1MX60alsi-fpvZLPXE8r1-0KAOgTPtO-0-atGqnF_1vH42gwn6FZmLylCl6q0gahSeno5WgY8vqHOY0eHtIWxdKP5/s200/glovechild_vol_1_sms.02.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 200px; width: 149px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Here it is, proof of the galling leaps of logic</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />
The page above is the VERY FIRST PAGE of such a manga novel. You don't know a thing about the characters - all that has happened is that the guy apparently said, "You must not fall in love with me...I cannot promise you a future," to which the woman's very illogical rejoinder is "I need to break up with him." For all we know, the guy might be terminally ill. Or he might be a soldier and is about to go to war. Or he might be a recovering amnesia patient. Or whatever. Point is, there has been no explanation to justify why the woman should break up with him and why we should sympathize with the woman. It's just sorta plopped in there, and the reader has to draw their own conclusions.<br />
</span></div></div><br />
I guess I shouldn't have expected that much to begin with - if you mix fluff with fluff, it's to be expected that you will end up with fluff. But I wanted so much for this genre to succeed! As such an ardent fan of both genres, the prospect of a romance novel manga proved to be too titillating to NOT expect great things. Well, maybe not <span style="font-style: italic;">great</span> things, but at least entertaining things.<br />
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Anyway, I will continue to be a fan of both romance novels and manga, but I plan on keeping them separate from now on, like ice cream and broccoli. And don't let this negative post prevent you from checking this new genre out! It may be that I am completely off my rocker and I have missed all the merits of this manga subset. In which case, you should comment and refute all of my statements. I would so enjoy a blogging comment duel, o ho ho ho.<br />
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Many thanks to <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/">mangafox.com</a> for providing the images for today's post (from the romance novel manga <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/fujitsu_na_koibito/">Fujitsu na Koibito</a> as well as <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/midnight_secretary/">Midnight Secretary</a>)! You can also check out <a href="http://bookstobrowse.com/">here</a> for more examples of American romance novel covers similar to Jule McBride's <span style="font-style: italic;">Naked Ambition</span>, as well as <a href="http://www.fabioifc.com/page4.html">here</a> for pictures of Fabio adorning romance novel covers of the 80s and 90s. Gotta love the hair.<br />
<br />
~Polecat<br />
<br />
PS: I do not mean any disrespect to Shoujo Manhwa, the lovely group that scanned a lot of these romance novel mangas - you guys are great and are awesome for scanning stuff for us fans! :DPolecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-50116828119947686712011-05-20T19:21:00.012-04:002011-08-03T01:26:25.208-04:00A Most Penitent PostA few days ago, the following conversation took place:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Polecat</span>: Remember that blog we had?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Blackbird:</span> Oh yeaaaah!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Polecat/Blackbird</span>: ...<br />
<br />
(Starfish was not present for that conversation, but she would have certainly joined in with us on the ellipsis)<br />
<br />
Though it may not seem as such, dear readers, we do remember the existence of this blog. And it is all too clear as to how negligent we have been with the updates...or lack thereof, as it were. It has been more than a year since we last posted, and we are rife with regret, shame, and all other emotions that are appropriate for groveling purposes.<br />
<br />
But! Summer is upon us! And unlike the last year and half, which proved to be fallow in terms of blogposts, this summer will be REPLETE with blogposts. Such abundance as you have never seen before! The world will runneth over with sagacious words pouring from our cybernetic hands.<br />
<br />
So please, dear reader, bear with us and continue to grace us with your presence a little longer. We will certainly try to make it worth your while. :)<br />
<br />
~Manga Meditation<br />
<br />
<br />
PS: Random aside, here is a picture of an ice cream plant in honor of summer, the ice cream season.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIrjPcX30sLmngITwBeKq_yDoQ6xr61rjfFRAXAkIueqVWbeXfMCWuVwGqVHJTo7yjnhejC1Zws_TXc1xsQQJCIDLqnoUPAV958Y1oXpeaRGr9OLZ4Z-r5fm41sSLjVcMgLVnlMbj-KM/s1600/Ice+Cream+Plant.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608943125595563090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIrjPcX30sLmngITwBeKq_yDoQ6xr61rjfFRAXAkIueqVWbeXfMCWuVwGqVHJTo7yjnhejC1Zws_TXc1xsQQJCIDLqnoUPAV958Y1oXpeaRGr9OLZ4Z-r5fm41sSLjVcMgLVnlMbj-KM/s200/Ice+Cream+Plant.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 160px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> <span style="font-size: 85%;">This is what true happiness looks like.</span></div>Manga Meditationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00847229406225657091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-87519795803766612042010-02-16T15:02:00.018-05:002011-08-03T02:04:20.634-04:00A Valentine Day Special: The Ubiquitous ChapterImagine this scenario: a snow-covered school yard with the faint peals of the afternoon bell ringing through the crisp winter air. A young boy exits the building, his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck as he furrows his brow in contemplation. Suddenly, he feels a tug on his sleeve. He turns around and beholds a young girl standing behind him, with a beautiful heart-shaped chocolate in her hands, her cheeks red from a mixture of the cold and embarrassment. She takes a deep breath, as if to prepare herself for a mighty confession...when from out of nowhere, an elephant stampedes across the yard, grabs the unfortunate piece of chocolate, and hustles out the gate, leaving the boy still expectantly waiting for the now-chocolate-less girl to say something.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltxvSyveVCCH63NNZmsuMgtbuBpuHRF1MwrYx0boNQNACCiVPOrgFXOeMGSryZJHGLchCKtChN4IdbWkGaXZOKepdZNNp_raSCVoZ82imVaRq91jKADxZAbhuB3lI0a2vaL3XL9x8GI10/s1600-h/Valentine+Chocolate.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438937737118460050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltxvSyveVCCH63NNZmsuMgtbuBpuHRF1MwrYx0boNQNACCiVPOrgFXOeMGSryZJHGLchCKtChN4IdbWkGaXZOKepdZNNp_raSCVoZ82imVaRq91jKADxZAbhuB3lI0a2vaL3XL9x8GI10/s200/Valentine+Chocolate.jpeg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 198px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">PROOF OF MY LOVE</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a name='more'></a><br />
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Sound familiar? It should, as it is what happens in many shoujo manga during Valentine's day. Though instead of the elephant, mangaka tend to use SLIGHTLY more realistic diversions (such as a horde of rabid fan girls), Valentine Day chapters in manga tend to be the most roundabout and complicated chapters in which the act of giving chocolate to a chosen target is drawn out to the nth degree. I've almost come to believe that manga editors include a little clause about this in the contracts with their authors: "You must draw a chapter about Valentine's Day. And you must make it as convoluted as possible. Maybe even make up characters specifically for that chapter. Or include blue aliens."<br />
<br />
I suppose the danger lies in the inherent nature of Valentine's Day in Japan. If you've been drawing a 30-something volume long series and you've had the characters dancing around each other in the typical shoujo fashion (you know, where both of them like the other but don't think the other likes them back) Valentine's Day presents a threat to the longevity of your series! Confessions are made in the giving of chocolate; you can't spin that as something ambiguous that could be taken as mere friendship! Thirty volumes of work could be resolved in this one day if the two main characters met and exchanged chocolates!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MA0kkvWqeC0m0m7HoDrcNmukIJ1fftwutkIXpTfCWxWhQPV0qKr1MgfpPkzavSpuXgqOv-vOVnv6Vxd0XFGQdCEg0UWizlzKIiAdCXrN-VTCSGdUjIyxwfpaYVt0dFXP84IDxLlPiJQ8/s1600-h/Valentine+Chase.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438954373275200546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MA0kkvWqeC0m0m7HoDrcNmukIJ1fftwutkIXpTfCWxWhQPV0qKr1MgfpPkzavSpuXgqOv-vOVnv6Vxd0XFGQdCEg0UWizlzKIiAdCXrN-VTCSGdUjIyxwfpaYVt0dFXP84IDxLlPiJQ8/s200/Valentine+Chase.jpeg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 128px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">MUST NOT LET HER GIVE THE CHOCOLATE<br />
<br />
<br />
</span></div>That's where the confusion (and, I'll admit, the fun) of Valentine Day chapters come in. While no closure is actually reached for the two people in love, these chapters ARE entertaining. And since it is Valentine's day, the author makes sure to throw a bone to all the readers with a cute moment near the end that ALMOST is a confession...but not quite.<br />
<br />
Anyway, for all you manga lovers out there, Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day from Manga Meditation!<br />
<br />
~Polecat<br />
<br />
PS: Credits to mangafox and the series "Valentine Nanka Kowakunai?!" by Ikeyamada Go<br />
<br />
</div></div>Polecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-6578463936283788352010-02-12T00:30:00.017-05:002012-01-06T00:35:38.711-05:00Valentines by the Numbers<span style="font-size: 130%;">For all the math nerds in </span><span style="font-size: 130%;">the house, it's time for a statistical break down.</span> Every year thousands in America rush to their nearest Hallmark store to buy cards, candy, and pink stuffed teddy bears. By doing a quick google, I discovered that Valentine's sells the most flowers and the fourth most candy of any holiday. The favorite flower? Red Roses by 48% of the sales according to aboutflowers.com . No need to guess about the favorite type of candy. It's chocolate all the way.<br />
<br />
So sure, Valentine's is commercialized. It's hard to find a holiday on the American calender that isn't (Maybe Martin Luther King Day?). It's also commercial in Japan. While I was there, all the stores broke out elaborate boxes of chocolate. What a tempting sight it was! I almost bought a crate load for myself. Every chocolate truffle, an intricately crafted piece of art, wrapped perfectly in typical Japanese fashion.<br />
<br />
In Shoujo manga however, heroines take a step back from the commercialism and cook up homemade Valentine's treats. I've hunted down recipes for a few of the more unusual desserts for your Valentine's consumption.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>For those who are not satisfied with mere chocolate decadence, I present:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;">Sunako Nakahara's</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;"> Chocolate Monstrosity</span> (aka Devil's Food Cake Cockaigne) <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvYEJTovamMh6COl5iCBA-Bvld_qNNPKicgFrI_RWq2mXh64TWlljwXMI1p3JEMVZ8dlPhuXu5-qOBKjmobwr3Cnm1B5fdV5iak5Kdv2yijpc-jdfjHXz6PzsijLkBROdB1KTgFulxKH9/s1600-h/wallcake2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435612866016258450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvYEJTovamMh6COl5iCBA-Bvld_qNNPKicgFrI_RWq2mXh64TWlljwXMI1p3JEMVZ8dlPhuXu5-qOBKjmobwr3Cnm1B5fdV5iak5Kdv2yijpc-jdfjHXz6PzsijLkBROdB1KTgFulxKH9/s320/wallcake2.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 280px;" /></a>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and stir in a double boiler over boiling water.<br />
<table cellpadding="5px" style="height: 79px; width: 363px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="font-weight: bold;">2-4 oz. unsweetened chocolate,<br />
1/2 cup milk,</td><td style="font-weight: bold;">1 cup light brown sugar<br />
1 egg yolk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Remove from the heat when thickened.<br />
In separate bowl, cream<br />
<table cellpadding="5px" style="font-weight: bold;"><tbody>
<tr><td>1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Beat in <span style="font-weight: bold;">2 egg yolks</span><br />
Add<br />
<table cellpadding="5px" style="height: 71px; width: 356px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="font-weight: bold;">2 cups flour,<br />
1 tsp baking soda,<br />
1/2 tsp salt,</td><td style="font-weight: bold;">1/4 cup water<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Combine the two bowls. Stir until smooth. Whip <span style="font-weight: bold;">2 egg whites</span> until stiff and fold them lightly into batter. Bake in two greased <span style="font-weight: bold;">9 inch round pans</span> for 25 minutes. Spread when cool with your favorite icing.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Xic5mggaMCzbBRhfM7s9s6GMo4i1-sDm9aVGMkgHe6HrFXdYqpAojnyYoJpfrClVgFOTIfCyQN_W3kS-HNVlF6uV5b0uB1ccxxVjpXxZjEipobxGjVCmQuKzl5-TDI8kuguoGcXSzZb8/s1600-h/gelee+au+vin2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435613012075836498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Xic5mggaMCzbBRhfM7s9s6GMo4i1-sDm9aVGMkgHe6HrFXdYqpAojnyYoJpfrClVgFOTIfCyQN_W3kS-HNVlF6uV5b0uB1ccxxVjpXxZjEipobxGjVCmQuKzl5-TDI8kuguoGcXSzZb8/s320/gelee+au+vin2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 138px;" /></a>For a sophisticated flavor, join Ren Tsugura in trying:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;">Kyouko Mogami's Queen Rosa Jello</span> (aka Gelee au Vin)<br />
Soak <span style="font-weight: bold;">2 tbsp gelatin</span> in <span style="font-weight: bold;">1/4 cup cold water</span>.<br />
Dissolve in <span style="font-weight: bold;">3/4 cup boiling water</span>.<br />
Stir in until also dissolved<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">1/2 cup sugar</span>.<br />
Let cool. Then, add<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><td>1 and 3/4 cups orange juice,<br />
6 tbsp lemon juice,<br />
1 cup well-flavored wine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Taste the combined ingredients and add more sugar if needed.<br />
Pour the jelly into sherbet glasses. Chill until firm. Makes 8 servings.<br />
<br />
--Starfish<br />
<br />
Thanks to <span style="font-style: italic;">Joy of Cooking</span> by Irma Rombauer for the recipes.Starfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10419177278267662983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-77333443237055738902010-02-07T01:27:00.007-05:002011-08-03T01:27:45.130-04:00A More Mature PolecatAs we venture farther and farther into 2010, the new year always sparks a deep reflection of my growth of a person. Or, in this case, of my change in manga tastes.<br />
<br />
From those early days of Cardcaptor Sakura so many years ago, I've read thousands and thousands of pages, spanning all different genres, plots, characters, and art styles. However, no longer am I willing to let anything pass before my eyes. This past year, a sort of filter has grown over my previously indiscriminate manga appetite, and I am no longer satisfied by what I usually read.<br />
<br />
What I usually read and seek out is shoujo. Nice, fluffy shoujo manga, the sugary sweet kind that could attract magnets by how polarized the good and bad characters are, and the kind that has lots of emotional anguish, tears, and cookie cutter characters. What I'm craving now is JOSEI.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>At first, I thought my growing dissatisfaction had to do with the manga themselves. In a recent conversation with Blackbird, I ranted, "Why can't I find anything I really like anymore? Where have all the good mangas gone? All these heroines are annoying, the guys are too chauvinistic, and I'm tired of screentone doilies!" And in her typically astute manner, Blackbird said, "Well, it sounds like you've outgrown shoujo. Maybe you should read Josei."<br />
<br />
And so it was with much trepidation that I opened myself to the genre of Josei. Previously discounted as boring and serious, I have now found my new go-to genre for my manga cravings. Now that I have almost exited the realm of "teenager" and am entering unexplored territories of "adulthood," I find myself drawn in by the relaxed, introspective, yet slightly amused tone of many Josei mangas. No swooning heroines to be found here, much less screentone doilies, and I must say, the change is refreshing. Finally, women with above average reasoning capabilities, and realistic portrayals of human relations.<br />
<br />
Like training wheels, once the step has been taken in a certain direction, the momentum is irreversible. I am now firmly lodged in the Josei camp, and I don't forsee myself leaving in the near future. Happy New Year to all, and may your road be scattered with many soon-to-be-discovered manga titles!<br />
<br />
~Polecat<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/shuukatsu_kimi_ni_naitei/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435384643208603522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66Ni6p3tdWBFOaaK6DuvJG_JLjilxAhaTdcZXk5wOqQbP3GNfDXPQgXDvA4S7X7uFJnh5MPR745uggwc_CQF6DySM-iJ_-ULEEpHisQ8TRRli_3uMGKYagYZbYb-jzCP_JdGzuUSZ4str/s200/shuukatsu+cover.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 233px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 161px;" /></a>For those who are looking to make the transition from shoujo to josei, check out <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/shuukatsu_kimi_ni_naitei/">Shuukatsu - Kimi ni Naitei!!!</a> A most excellent read that combines humor, sarcasm, romance, and sweetness all in one. Credits to mangafox.com!Polecathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14953606367598160019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-79538488058492082632010-02-06T18:01:00.007-05:002011-08-03T01:33:59.202-04:00Twisted Romance in Dreamland<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJlrbzvviexRlomGej0cNsF8xwAolrcxfLpBVutFxYQ39gW5UnCC82Nm545G2Em_VHv-zPEuistDkXPNOps7HsZPAMwUkQEFt1-zx6Pr5KV5FW0-Rib2geWQOMJZty5o_5_HpO2qUzShn/s1600-h/25-bertha.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435394762438482450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJlrbzvviexRlomGej0cNsF8xwAolrcxfLpBVutFxYQ39gW5UnCC82Nm545G2Em_VHv-zPEuistDkXPNOps7HsZPAMwUkQEFt1-zx6Pr5KV5FW0-Rib2geWQOMJZty5o_5_HpO2qUzShn/s320/25-bertha.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 218px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sympathetic Character = Mad Woman in Attic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 130%;">We've all seen this scene before: </span>a couple stands at the altar, just about to say their final vows, when a woman/man bursts in, interrupting the ceremony to declare her/his undying love for the bride/groom standing at the end of the aisle. They collapse in each other's arms. The crowd cheers. True love has won the day. In the inverted situation in Jane Eyre, the reader sympathizes with Jane's pain.<br />
<br />
In the past, I would have cheered and sighed along with the crowd, but now I say, "Ba Humbug!"<br />
<br />
Over the past three nights, I was visited by three dreams. In each, I was a blushing bride in typical wedding day scenarios.<br />
<br />
I won't bother you with two of the dreams. They were typical dream fare. That is to say, more than a bit random and nonsensical, but the third proved that my subconscious can tell a good story if provoked.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The scene begins in the chapel. The families of myself and my fiance mill around, presumably waiting for the wedding to begin. I am in deep conference with a former lover in one of the wings.<br />
<br />
"My fiance doesn't love me. That was clear from the start. It is after all arranged by our parents," I explain to him, "but he has also told me that I was his second choice. His long time girlfriend turned him down when he proposed. Talk about adding insult to injury."<br />
<br />
"Darling," my ex exclaims a bit melodramatically, "Even if you plan to carry through with this marriage in order to preserve the honor of your family. We can dance at the reception. That'll show everyone!" Listening to his brilliant plan, I decide that I wouldn't have wanted to elope with this genius either.<br />
<br />
As I reflect on my sad but stoic outlook, I hear the organist strike up "Here comes the Bride", but I'm not the one hurrying down the aisle. It's some woman I've never seen before, and she's wearing a wedding dress.<br />
<br />
She falls into a dramatic swoon in the arms of my fiance. "Darling," she gasps, "I've changed my mind! If you don't marry me, my love, I'll never be happy again." Instead of replying, my fiance gives her a passionate kiss. And then another.<br />
<br />
The rector interrupts before they start on their third. "Sir, I am ready to perform a wedding. Will you be marrying this young lady instead? It will be a simple matter of changing the name on the marriage certificate."<br />
<br />
That's when I lose my cool. I've given everything up for this wedding, for the sake of my family, and this woman thinks she can waltz right in at the last minute and irresponsibly change all our plans? How incredibly rude! I march up to the altar, pull the two apart, and give them a piece of my mind.<br />
<br />
"Who do you think you are?" I ask. Then I give her a good one, right in the kisser. KAPOW!<br />
"As for you," I confront my fiance, "Don't think you're getting off easy," but the wedding guests removed me from the chapel before I could carry out my threat.<br />
<br />
As I emerged from this nightmare, I was filled with indignation. The ingratitude of my fiance, the inconsiderate nature of his ex-girlfriend, the impotence of my ex-boyfriend, all filled my heart with a lingering anger.<br />
<br />
Jane, let the masses cheer for your success. I'll be sympathizing with Bertha Mason.<br />
<br />
--StarfishStarfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10419177278267662983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-47271560531335812842010-02-05T11:44:00.034-05:002012-01-18T23:57:59.719-05:00The Search for Otome<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.heileen.com/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434814383861997170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLrOW9FLu49Jtk7WjrudGd5UlDOcGwgnMgzzxagTVGT4J5JudvqdgkJO1oN_U6iuL12hII7xni0xRpX8RwMHqzjmd1zKxdN3KhgTjbK9fuGY6dRAiC3PjFs8jAVJhB1T3M_CuPh7aoh8O/s320/heileen.jpg" style="float: left; height: 226px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 263px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Heileen, one of the few available English otome titles.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 130%;">Last semester, Polecat, Starfish, and I found a number of ways of avoiding our always mounting work.</span> In-between playing flash games (<a href="http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bells.htm">Winter Bells</a>, anyone? <a href="http://www.flashbynight.com/drench/">Drench</a>?), watching movies, reading the news, baking cookies, watching <span style="font-style: italic;">Buffy</span>, and knitting, we sometimes fell into our fangirly, Manga Meditation-ish ways.<br />
<br />
While I personally fell off the manga reading train, Polecat and Starfish continued to diligently log onto <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/">Manga Fox</a> and <a href="http://www.onemanga.com/">One Manga</a> and whatever other scanlation aggregates on the Internet. The three of us also continued our K and J drama nights; we're almost done with <a href="http://silentregrets.com/completed-jdramas/hana-yori-dango-2.php" style="font-style: italic;">Hana Yori Dango 2</a>, by the way.<br />
<br />
Starfish took it further and began to delve deeper into the girly comics universe: Dating sims. If you know your shoujo manga, chances are you've at least heard of dating sims, and if you're even more dedicated, otome games.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Otome What?</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_Moon_64" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434815532452062130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd95WhX60OLUMrt3dfKOEBImYM0I9-HUakgvCETlprYffsTiMW12xH6DuVsjKO4siSak9jFI1AXkTCjimfHvzlrryG8WK9jJ7rVd7l_5QKSLxXZdVdE2rDFuw28VdissSVakF86NYS6Va/s400/Harvest_Moon_64_Coverart.jpg" style="float: right; height: 164px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 238px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The game of my childhood.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otome_game">Otome games</a> are dating sims that are special because, unlike the majority of male-focused sims featuring well-endowed twelve-year-old girls, they cater to girls and their desires for personal bishounen harems. Although made for a niche market, dating sims are extremely popular in Japan. Unfortunately, there are few officially published or original titles in America, and even fewer created exclusively for girls.<br />
<br />
As a girl who enjoys playing video games, it's disappointing that American marketers are still ignoring a potentially profitable market. Consider the popularity of romance novels. Otome games are practically the same thing, only they're better because <span style="font-style: italic;">you get to be the girl</span>. There's huge potential here to hook teenage girls and stay-at-home moms onto these games.<br />
<br />
Take <span style="font-style: italic;">Harvest Moon 64</span>, for example. I don't think I'm the first to say that, while the farming part is all well and good, what really makes the game is the romantic aspect. Wooing the five potential wives with gifts, stealing them away from your love rival, and keeping an ever watchful eye out for unlockable special events... Dating sims condense all of these aspects, just without the farming.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">...And Why?</span></span><br />
<br />
Starfish soon told Polecat and me about her discovery of these otome games, and her futile attempts at finding such games to play.<br />
<br />
A search for "otome game," "otome game download," "play otome game," and other variations generally comes up with unsatisfactory results. While some will direct you to blogs reviewing Japanese games (which, by the way, require the knowledge of Japanese and/or the painstaking search for translations), the majority are download sites, many of which are questionable. And if you have a Mac? Forget it. The majority of dating games created in Japan are almost always made exclusively for Windows.<br />
<br />
As mentioned earlier, such games cater to a specific market. I was on the search, however, and my desperation to just play a quality otome grew more and more. When I grew desperate enough, I started looking for just a normal dating sim.<br />
<br />
There is the game <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-Jin-Bo" style="font-style: italic;">Yo-Jin-Bo</a>, one of the few Japanese otome games published in America. There are also the more popular <span style="font-style: italic;">Heileen</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Sprited Heart</span> games by <a href="http://www.winterwolves.com/">Winter Wolves</a>. MM tried out a demo of <span style="font-style: italic;">Spirited Heart</span>, which was fun but eventually asked you to pay for the rest of the game. Considering we're poor college students, that was out of the question.<br />
<br />
I searched and searched that Google engine dry, about to give up when finally I found...<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Doujinshi Dating Games</span></span><br />
<br />
They're fun! They're free! They're (sometimes) good quality! Did I mention they're free?<br />
<br />
After my long, arduous search, I finally found a few quality doujinshi otome games.<br />
<br />
Let's be honest here. The majority of amateur works are not the greatest quality. The writing, for one, is usually terrible, poorly planned, and riddled with grammar and spelling errors. The art is usually laughable, and clearly just a supplement to the sub-par writing. Characters are often drawn as variations of the same character, with the appearance of drawings traced by a person with an unsteady hand on MS Paint.<br />
<br />
But then came a bright, bright light at the end of the tunnel.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #993399; font-weight: bold;"><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Lucky Rabbit Reflex</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://supersixthree.blogspot.com/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434818073690342866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3gteZSd2m1Hd28oDhF3L4v_v6GPY3BJ6IiB6471EZcpwfsqMwVuLdKHiqE51J8ngJC5vKnyCIlN1gFhlxckZX2iuYzEobliW-dll7dhhFBXFkfajQJGZr74z7ATNXhNDfhDyDOF8KhLV/s320/lucky+rabbit.jpg" style="float: left; height: 213px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 291px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Screen of Lucky Rabbit Reflex's dev blog.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I eventually came across <a href="http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4488&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=5b437bd6e602f76eb11da33b6803a6aa">this topic</a> at Lemma Soft Forums and a download for a demo of <span style="font-style: italic;">Lucky Rabbit Reflex</span> (see the creator's development blog <a href="http://supersixthree.blogspot.com/">here</a>; it's worth a look).<br />
<br />
It's only a short demo, but the quality is very impressive considering it's all created by one person. If you take a look at the <a href="http://supersixthree.blogspot.com/">dev blog</a>, you'll see that the creator is adding increasingly complex aspects to the game that require a lot of programming knowledge.<br />
<br />
The art is cute, and the CG's are good quality. The art style is not what one would typically expect from a dating sim, but it's an interesting, fluid style that's unique to the creator. Not only that, but the writing is great; while it's still a campy otome game, it has witty humor and fun, interesting characters. The interface is awesome; it's complex yet clean. Needless to say, I look forward to <span style="font-style: italic;">Lucky Rabbit Reflex</span>'s official release!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links</span>:<br />
<a href="http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4488&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=5b437bd6e602f76eb11da33b6803a6aa">Game</a><br />
<a href="http://supersixthree.blogspot.com/">Development Blog</a></div><br />
<span style="color: #993399; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Love Blossom</span><br />
<br />
I also came across a small <a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/index.php?/topic/1919-english-otome-games/">list</a> started at the <a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/">My NeoRomance forum</a> compiling available English otome games. Under "doujin" was something called <span style="font-style: italic;">Love Blossom</span> which led me to <a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/index.php?/topic/2165-1512-happy-birthday-mnr/">this topic</a> at the same forum. The game was apparently created to celebrate My NeoRomance's birthday.<br />
<br />
This game is well done considering it's simply a free birthday gift to the members. It doesn't feature any sound, but includes two potential boyfriends, CGs and, of course, multiple endings.<br />
<br />
The art looks pretty informal, but it's certainly acceptable for just a fun, quickly put together game. While I prefer <span style="font-style: italic;">Lucky Rabbit Reflex</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Love Blossom</span> hasn't had as much time put into it, and it's clearly more just as a gift to the members rather than a widely distributed game. Overall, I suggest taking a look at it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links</span>:<br />
<a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/index.php?/topic/2165-1512-happy-birthday-mnr/">Game</a></div><br />
<span style="color: #993399; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Katawa Shoujo</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/samples.php" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434819350645174706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdUbwFBfiVvYj9jRr-LeM7JR1wcpfRQKcAHUzJr9IySn6YRTIGW6_T0CtPlorT7AWSmdhIMleWYeFB6odvNgsyg7qUOhd0XKa9xX3mQ7pTF45im-d9ivOYsbouibzb46bpzMeG43JbcmP/s320/katawa.jpg" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Screenshot found at Katawa Shoujo's website.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mmkay I might be treading into more controversial territory here for two reasons.<br />
<br />
One is that <span style="font-style: italic;">Katawa Shoujo</span> is not an otome game, but rather of a common dating sim format featuring a male protagonist and bishoujo love interests; more than that, it's really more a visual novel than a dating sim since players cannot do much outside of making choices within the plot line. The second reason is the game's topic matter.<br />
<br />
The game stars a high school boy who discovers he has an arrhythmia, an issue concerning the rhythm of the heart. He is told he'll never be able to live a normal life again, but he is allowed to go back to high school. The difference, however, is that the high school is made exclusively for disabled students (as far as I can tell it appears to only focus on physical disabilities).<br />
<br />
This is where it gets a little tricky. As the developers have noted, the game will include sex scenes with the girls. That in itself is not unique in the realm of dating sims, but having sex with physically disabled girls? I won't use the crude term, but some believe that this sim's premise could easily result in a distasteful fetish game.<br />
<br />
I decided to download the <a href="http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php">demo</a> off of <a href="http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/">Katawa Shoujo's website</a>, which turns out to actually be Act I of the game.<br />
<br />
First of all, this game is incredibly impressive. I don't know how experienced the developers are in terms of game design, but the current product they have on their website practically looks and reads like a professional game.<br />
<br />
The art, for one, is the best I've seen out of a doujin dating sim. The character art has a generic style, but its drawn and colored with a lot of skill. The backgrounds appear to be Photoshopped photographs, but they also fit the tone of the story, and the colors complement the characters well.<br />
<br />
What is perhaps even more impressive about Katawa Shoujo's art is the amount of variation and detail. Backgrounds have morning, afternoon, and night versions; and characters not only have a variety of poses, they have changing faces, moving limbs, and various combinations of all three. The animation is also very smooth.<br />
<br />
The writing is also very good; the style is usually very fluent, and at times even eloquent. It does tend to get a bit verbose at times, but am I really one to talk?<br />
<br />
Now for the disability factor. While perhaps there are some things that could have been changed in the game for it to be even more acceptable, Act I is generally sensitively written and at times even realistically written.<br />
<br />
The protagonist is characterized as cynical as a result of his degraded health and rapidly changed circumstances. When he comes to the school, he is somewhat uncomfortable with meeting the other students, and often does not know how to act around them. My thoughts may change in the future, but at the moment I think this is a realistic portrayal of most people's reactions.<br />
<br />
The disabilities do play a factor in the game, but they usually are not featured in a heavy handed fashion and are often subtle enough to simply be viewed as personality traits.<br />
<br />
Of course not everything is realistic; it's a dating sim, after all. But considering how such subject matter could have been handled, the developers did an excellent job. If you are extremely sensitive to the premise of the game (though you could do much worse), you might consider holding off on downloading. However, I still encourage at least a look at the game, even if you're a girl like me looking for an otome game. It's an admirable piece so far, and pretty innocuous in terms of potentially offensive material.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links</span>:<br />
<a href="http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php">Game</a><br />
<a href="http://katawashoujo.blogspot.com/">Development Blog</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katawa_Shoujo">Game's Wikipedia Page</a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Otome DIY Adventures</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.renpy.org/wiki/renpy/Home_Page" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434820611204689890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqw8hEiYJydbSPu2w8XyP9AggVpMaNhoqrEq0kSOEO2rnDHXnJT1j2iPT-txCfxPD2aY3pappERccssX_ceQiDcLPvJyo0itMoZRruMl2UhtIOvR6GG5L5LX7RRkY1fAYfkImrTMpUHGs/s320/renpy.jpg" style="float: right; height: 177px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Find developers' games at the Ren'Py's site.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>While frustrated by the lack of computer otome games in English (a pretty specific request, I soon found), I stumbled across the <a href="http://www.renpy.org/wiki/renpy/Home_Page">Ren'Py Visual Novel Engine</a>, a free program to create visual novels. Many designers, however, use the <a href="http://www.python.org/">Python</a>-based engine to create their own dating sims; the three featured in this post all use it. Which got me to thinking:<br />
<br />
Why not create a dating sim of our own?<br />
<br />
Starfish, Polecat and I do actually posses some semblance of talent which would be useful in creating one. Starfish is our resident programming expert, Polecat has doodles worthy of art galleries, and I'm an aspiring writer. Not only that, but Polecat and I have some experience with Python.<br />
<br />
As one should expect, it's been a lot harder getting it off the ground than our initial enthusiasm made us believe. But if one should be interested in putting a dating sim together, the "keep it simple stupid" adage is perhaps the number one rule.<br />
<br />
Since finding playable dating sims on the Internet like the previous three, our interest in the project has waned a little (that "life" thing also cropped up once in a while). However, it hasn't been abandoned entirely; I hope that it will eventually see the light of day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Helpful Hints?</span></span><br />
<br />
Here are a few resources that I found while on my vast otome adventure. Such things won't be useful for everyone, but you can also just use them to find out general information on dating sims, programming, whatever.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.renpy.org/wiki/renpy/Home_Page"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ren'Py</span></a> -- The visual novel engine. With the limited exposure Starfish and I have had with the program, it seems that it's most useful if one has a working knowledge of Python.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/SoYouWantTo/WriteADatingSim"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Write a Dating Sim"</span></a> -- An article from <a href="http://tvtropes.org/">TV Tropes</a>. Pretty extensive. While it's not the absolute high authority, there is some good advice on avoiding the usual writing pitfalls.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
<a href="http://forum.my-neoromance.com/">NeoRomance Forums</a></span> -- Yeah, yeah, it's a forum. But it's dedicated to otome games! It's also where I found Love Blossom. Take a look at the <a href="http://my-neoromance.com/">main My Neoromance page </a>as well if you like.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lemma Soft Forums</span></a> -- This is a more broadly focused forum, but it does deal with ren'ai (romance) games, as well as the use of Ren'Py.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.otomegames.com/">Otome Games</a></span> -- Has good information on officially licensed English otome games. This means you also have to pay for them. Regardless, take a look at the free demo links if you're so inclined; still fun, even if you don't have the money!<br />
<br />
<br />
And of course, the best resource is your own experience from playing good games. See what you like and what you don't. Don't fall into cliches. Pay attention to your art. Write something original.<br />
<br />
Easier said than done. But this is mostly advice to myself.<br />
<br />
<br />
--Blackbird.<br />
<br />
PS: Developers, if you'd like any of your images taken off, please let us know! Every posted image is linked to its source.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-56352519491904971332010-02-02T03:23:00.021-05:002012-01-10T00:53:37.292-05:00Delightful Girl Choon Hyang: Initial Impressions<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Delightful_Girl_Choon_Hyang" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433551215831876834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtv-xBTSj7Ogn3fpCCFYYmbjryE_9vWD4sk58HDlW-2m8RWG4PtBhn0CWhY1pF7RLuV1ISLE8drtRmbl9_ZdmxSsLixLRcr9SmGcPUj5X9c6Tyy1uF8KTWq16SoNP4Xe4sx7pTZFTlQdZ/s320/DelightfulGirlChoonHyang.jpg" style="float: left; height: 233px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 315px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Not so delightful.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 130%;">Well, I've begun the Korean d</span><span style="font-size: 130%;">rama Delightful Girl Choon</span><span style="font-size: 130%;">-Hyang, and I'm very unimpressed.</span> I was originally going to write episode summaries, or something semi-regular, but I've decided instead to write one review of the series as a whole once I've slogged through the whole thing, with a separate analysis following.<br />
<br />
The reason I abandoned my original idea is that I'm having trouble just watching this thing. With it being one of the most popular dramas in the past ten years, I was expecting something really, genuinely good, something well-written, well-acted, and funny. Something on par with, say, <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_House_%282004_TV_series%29">Full</a> <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Full_House">House</a></span>, <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Girl_%282005_TV_series%29">My</a> <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/My_Girl_%28SBS%29">Girl</a></span>, and, while it's a huge stretch, <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_1st_Shop_of_Coffee_Prince">Coffee</a> <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/The_1st_Shop_of_Coffee_Prince">Prince</a></span> (we're big fans here at MM). I knew it was too much to hope to see something as good as the latter drama, but couldn't it have at least been like <span style="font-style: italic;">My Girl</span>?!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I've gotten through episodes one and two so far, with a generally disappointed reaction. The main actors are unspectacular, with an insincere and flat-out annoying performance by Han Chae Young as Chunhyang. Jae Hee, playing opposite as Mongryong, is not the worst actor I've ever seen in a K-drama, but most certainly not the best. I might have more of a problem with how his character has been written more than his portrayal. What's with his mega spoiled, bad boy depiction? The only possible explanation is that it's a common archetype in pop K-dramas.<br />
<br />
But that's the beginning of the issue here. The whole time I was watching (when I wasn't gritting my teeth during Chunhyang's screen time, that is) I was thinking , "What is so special about this drama? Why was this one so popular among the swarms of dramas that come out every year in Korea?"<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://silentregrets.com/completed-kdramas/delightful-girl-choon-hyang.php" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433554387902145778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lLVbuZo62rBadvzDhMG-AYtuFwrmRip4d2ZEXp4K-rjw4lVjWV4RcTkVjB4wHSYCUWLCOpWfDR3Wz0g0LCea8efQxmkXil_Hub_pPZ92JaltBtDiNAiGE7__nuafzDVvNHK97PeqPIjG/s320/Snapshot+2010-01-18+21-36-50+2.jpg" style="float: right; height: 230px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 258px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is her "mischievous" face.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Because besides the whole idea of interpreting Chunhyang into modern times, there is absolutely nothing notable or original to this series. The main girl is nothing special in comparison to all other drama heroines; she's poor but spunky, pretty (although I personally think Han Chae Young looks very plastic), and of course the top of her class. She's a hard-worker, and inexplicably unimpressed by the hot boy even though every other girl in her class faints at the mere scent of his pheromones. Her love interest, the hot boy, is troubled and has a bad relationship with his father. Despite his rough exterior, he's a real gentleman at heart. And of course, he is pining for the girl in his past that rejected him.<br />
<br />
"But <span style="font-style: italic;">Blackbird</span>," you whine, "<span style="font-style: italic;">ALL </span>K-dramas are like that. Heck, the entire romantic comedy genre is filled with that!"<br />
<br />
But that's not the whole point! It's not necessarily the story itself, but the way in which it is told. I think I talked about this in my <i>Chunhyangga</i> movie review. A story like Chunhyangdyun or, say, <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, is told over and over again in hundreds of different mediums. But what brings people back is not just nostalgia for the story or a just plain short-term memory. It's the actual execution of that story. In the case of K-dramas such as <span style="font-style: italic;">My Girl</span>, which in theory has practically identical characters to those in <span style="font-style: italic;">Delightful Girl</span>, good acting, writing, and general production make that drama watchable and unique, not the story.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the <span style="font-style: italic;">Delightful Girl Choon Hyang</span>'s director is at fault. Not some, but almost all of the actors are playing their characters with so much cheese that I'm feeling lactose intolerant. Forgive the terrible metaphor. Anyways, I think the general lack of watchable acting across the board is not a coincidence.<br />
<br />
The writers might be at even greater fault. The actual premise is only loosely based on the actual Chunhyang story with two young kids getting married, but the reason they get married is ridiculous and not even the acceptable, K-drama kind of ridiculous. I just can't suspend my disbelief here.<br />
<br />
In the drama, the two main characters must get married because, after a series of pretty inconsequential mishaps, they accidentally spend the night together. No, nothing happens. They literally just sleep in the same bed together, one sick and the other accidentally drunk. Word gets out, however, and it's a freaking atomic bomb on the school. Two of their friends (who I think represent Hyangdan, Chunhyang's maid, and Pangja, Mongryong's servant) accidentally spread the rumor that Chunhyang may be pregnant.<br />
<br />
Notice how many times I use the word "accidentally" here? There's a place for coincidence in K-dramas, but in this drama it's implemented without reason. Rather, it's as if the writers were just going on a whim, not actually planning out the story before writing it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://silentregrets.com/completed-kdramas/delightful-girl-choon-hyang.php" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433556484082092818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz7PQ4S8AjnI9iNTjJS9cz2BkpI1Ikc28MdieXle8KGp1ca7TL41S9Sgz_quPFUlCK6zrnoGhg4xJdKSMxCtPoKs7APcwvZ2AQO0yQVUaj-bvv0Kk2VbB0C4VjukDBaNbNJgEONsBnvhw/s320/OMG.jpg" style="float: left; height: 176px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 311px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVES.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>So all hell breaks loose, to the point that the principal calls a meeting with the two teenagers and their parents (this might be interesting to look at more closely in another post; while the reaction to the news in the school was of course exaggerated for entertainment's sake, it was still hugely over the top in comparison to how I think American schools would react). Instead of rationally ignoring the unreliable rumor (is this really that earth-shattering?), the parents decide that the only way to prevent the expulsion of Chunhyang and Mongryong is, of course, to get married.<br />
<br />
What?<br />
<br />
Is this actually that easiest option? Is there really just absolutely nothing else that can be done? Do these kids have to be threatened with expulsion for something that happened off school grounds (again, this might be a good topic of analysis for a separate post)? And why is no one talking to the two idiot friends for spreading the rumor? It's not just a ridiculous situation, but one in which the very concept of common sense has been thrown out the window. These characters resemble garish clowns more than people.<br />
<br />
What pissed me off was that the parents talk about arranging this marriage as if there is an expectation of Chunhyang and Mongryong eventually getting divorced anyway. In the scene the parents sigh, the lighting slightly dreamy, indicating that a big change is about to occur. In the end their conversation amounts to, "Maybe they can stay married until they go to college."<br />
<br />
Okay, so not only has basic common sense been ignored by the writers, but now we're adding the completely superficial pretenses here. Since this marriage holds no meaning as a true marriage to all involved, it means that they really are getting married simply for appearances. Also, who else besides those in the high school know of Chunhyang and Mongryong's little sleepover? No one! So what's the big deal? Since when did a bunch of 40 to 50-something parents care what a bunch of snotty fifteen-year-olds think?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://silentregrets.com/completed-kdramas/delightful-girl-choon-hyang.php" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="272" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433558033126318194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDQTgAxVYu1YYiTysbcIcRgGQcHuVtv6W3Gp9Y5eoN1IDPv2bZrg8Huxvr9jAjMwYYJ2kdo3m7XE8CpY-RvLTKTRH12MKeduoFe-9OWFIjJ4QNeHBR290yI2JzICYy8xjTWOIZ3ofMGjI/s320/creepy.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="364" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The marriage "ceremony" that can only be described as "creepy."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Argh. I should stop here. I might run out of things to say for the actual review and <br />
rant analysis.<br />
<br />
The one part I did like was the very beginning of the first episode, which is set up like a historical K-drama. It shows the scene when Mongryong comes to save Chunhyang from the hands of Hakdo, and includes Mongryong's forces running up the walls, flying (literally) over in huge numbers. The inflated fanfare of it all ends with Mongryong rushing in like a knight in shining armor, only to find Chunhyang standing over Hakdo, harshly scolding her captor. The sense of comedic timing is spot on, and apparently absent in the rest of the series. Any other rare moments of humor are missed in the muck of bad acting.<br />
<br />
I must also mention, to relate this to the larger Chunhyang project, that this drama's story has almost no relation to the original Chunhyang story outside of 1) the characters' names, and 2) the two of them getting married. If I missed any other connection I am open to correction.<br />
<br />
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be off poking my eyeballs out with size 8 double pointed needles as I continue to plod through this drama.<br />
<br />
<br />
--Blackbird.<br />
<br />
PS: Thanks to <a href="http://wiki.d-addicts.com/">DramaWiki</a> for the first image! Good resource if you need basic info on just about any drama. I took the screencaps myself from <i>Delightful Girl Choon Hyang</i>, which I downloaded from <a href="http://www.silentregrets.com/">SilentRegrets</a>.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-20576965598642189332010-01-29T00:53:00.078-05:002011-08-03T01:53:55.945-04:00The Mangaka Review: Yoshizumi Wataru<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://myanimelist.net/people/1945/Wataru_Yoshizumi" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432052853229792066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTapac9NFgd1X95xueqfjtzVmG6IesclHd3c1RnwvoQb3BBhvNw-7PthPS8RpQ3SeXe9dYoTItyl1B0ENp4g8JtzjQqc3tFPkMyXpq8n2TL5HiVABiFTb-Pbm77B-TDUva9z4D8PKkGDjs/s400/yw.jpg" style="float: left; height: 181px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 167px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The mangaka herself.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 130%;">Yoshizumi Wataru's mangas hold a special place in my heart.</span> While I had seen and read manga for many years, her works were the first I bought in earnest, back when the manga in bookstores did not occupy five bookcases.<span style="font-style: italic;"> Marmalade Boy</span> was not truly a standout manga in any sense, but for my impressionable, naive, eleven-year-old mind, she was a genius.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Perfecting the Cliche</span></span><br />
<br />
I began to draw silly fan comics as a kid as soon as I picked up my copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Pikachu Shocks Back</span> at a Toys R Us (I can thank my grandmother for that gift), but it was <span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span> that began my long love affair with shoujo manga... And my varied attempts at drawing it. The first shoujo manga I drew? I'll never tell. But watch a few romcom chick flicks and you'll get a good idea of what the story was like.<br />
<br />
Suffice it to say, it was not my destiny to become a mangaka.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmalade_Boy" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432055421120605250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckWzbEFaZ1NR8PhhtzY-q814VlwDXNZgwEQDQ4C6pn4tt_OJOtegsNITD4zo5b8_Lh_UI1Cyr9M5JdSjzHLhZ2mz1x_SVxvqEtyX4OViCH1jHvKcvejEPR2VFoETMkfwKzlq_tn1J1Fwy/s1600/Marmalade_Boy_1_manga_cover.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cover featuring the spunky Koishikawa Miki.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Part of the problem, perhaps, is that I tried too hard to emulate Yozhizumi's storytelling style. She knows how to write a clean, consistent shoujo story. In my much less skilled hands, however, it was only another cliche for the throwaway pile. Her works might not be the most original, nor the most emotionally compelling, but they are adequate and certainly entertaining. She has captured all of the shoujo archetypes and perfected them to her style; it is distinctive to her particular works, yet familiar and comforting.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span>, for example, features a young teenager Miki as the star, a girl all sorts of genki. She's a little naive, almost borderline stupid, but earnest, loyal, and above all, super spunky. Her best friend, Meiko, is smart, beautiful, and mature; she comes from a broken family, and as a result seems to hide her problems under a quiet exterior. Ginta is Miki's other close friend. In the past she had feelings for him he couldn't return, but there may be more to the story (you know where this is going)... And finally there's Yuu, clearly Miki's love interest from the beginning. He's cute, sly, popular, and he loves to tease her. And of course, he has intimacy issues.<br />
<br />
It all sounds so typical when written out, but many of Yoshizumi's characters and storylines are like that. Her drawing styles follow a similar vein; she is remarkably consistent. Though her style has changed from where she was when she drew <span style="font-style: italic;">Handsome na Kanojo</span>, in general her art has remained very static. Nothing too fancy a la Tanemura Arina, but nothing minimal like Takahashi Rumiko.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/marmalade_boy/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432058539457591666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HdgagHdkkJH-_ZY7jJnF2EdBJFw0tjzt2TQgn-C4cOkaneaealRiJWpAlGOxoSpICcL5_bGWBYGLRiRX0OQyM0CUgMiaFNSsCsweBRHu1BEmJ4-0blRULArrOeJJDm_rP5-pielS8xxt/s400/group.jpg" style="float: left; height: 247px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 258px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Group photo!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Is this good or bad? It depends on one's mood and, of course, age. Personally, when I finished my first volume of <span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span>, I experienced for the first time that unique sort of addiction manga affords. We've all felt it. Try to remember. You close your very first volume of manga and are still in that strange, absorbed state; you remain in the manga's world for just a few seconds after officially leaving it. It's unique, and something you'll never experience in the same way again.<br />
<br />
Yoshizumi gave me that experience. And for my little cynical, preteen self, <span style="font-style: italic;">Marmalade Boy</span> was eye-opening; I couldn't believe I had never picked up manga before.<br />
<br />
In retrospect, Yoshizumi's works were perfect mangas to introduce me to shoujo. Her stories and characters are not exactly edgy or unique, but they're incredibly well-executed. She writes the true shoujo story, written for the squealing girls who want to fantasize about bishi boys glittering on the page.<br />
<br />
That's what I learned to appreciate about her work. Sure, she's not a brooding underground artist tearing up the page and changing the landscape of manga, but just how many indie freaks can there there be in the industry (I say that with love)? We need our comfort foods once in a while too.<br />
<br />
On another note, watch for her newest manga, a shoujo series titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Chitose etc.</span>! I have yet to be able to find any scans, but it started only last year. Read news about it at <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-08-31/marmalade-boy-yoshizumi-launches-chitose-etc-manga">Anime News Network</a> and and its Baka-Updates <a href="http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=47155">profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Foray Into Josei</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.onemanga.com/Spicy_Pink/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432060396023630194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNQMwyqWl1bmGdh5j0bEXT7hUdUJvJr8tT4FZMH3TmW-X-oSvIyYAljYAs9WpeVb4D2Pun01T6SHqasXXpuZY2W5z4_mTYxcOqboYLwPg8e_yUJQAThAqIBxtwAhwUECgWdriCwAFaDag/s400/logo.jpg" style="float: left; height: 245px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 167px;" /></a>I recently read Yoshizumi's <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/spicy_pink/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Spicy Pink</span></a>, marking one of my first, earnest ventures into josei manga. I didn't necessarily choose Yoshizumi intentionally, but it was oddly appropriate considering my experience with her shoujo.<br />
<br />
The story definitely has the more meandering quality of a slice-of-life manga. It follows a thirty-something mangaka named Sakura and her relationship with plastic surgeon Koreeda. There isn't really a story, the main conflicts consisting of the usual hurdles between the two main lovers. You won't see anything truly sad or even really bittersweet in this story, but it does have an ending that I wasn't expecting. Don't build up your hopes; it's not anything mind-blowing. But somehow it conveyed a certain josei maturity that I was hoping to see.<br />
<br />
It was a good, quick read, and I encourage anyone who's just curious about josei to give it a look. Again, nothing awe-inspiring, but I will say that it personally got me more interested to find other josei series; it was a good place to start.<br />
<br />
For a more mature storyline, however, look into her recent <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/cappuccino/">Cappuccino</a> </span>josei manga. Even shorter than <span style="font-style: italic;">Spicy Pink</span>, this story is also very slice-of-life. It is also more serious, however, and more poignant. It's a very fast read, but that also leaves out some deeper plot development.<br />
<br />
The story deals with a de facto marriage between its two main characters, Ari and Sosuke. To be honest it's a bit of a downer ("bittersweet" according to Manga Fox's synopsis), but at the same time more realistic than her other stories. The tone is still consistent to her style, however, which can probably be attributed to her experience in the medium.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;">The Bottom Line</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;">: Read Yoshizumi Wataru's mangas when you want something</span> </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;">girly</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;">,</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">romantic</span></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: black;">, and</span> </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;">comfortable</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 130%;">.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
--Blackbird.<br />
<br />
PS: According to the Marmalade Boy Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmalade_Boy">article</a>, Tokyopop no longer has the licensing rights to the manga or its anime. Unfortunately this means that the English translated title is out of print, but this also means that I can give you the link to its <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/marmalade_boy/">scanlations</a> on <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/">Manga Fox</a>!<br />
<br />
PPS: Thanks to <a href="http://myanimelist.net/">MyAnimeList</a> for the image of Yoshizumi! I'd never seen a picture of her before that... And thanks to (who else?) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a> for the Marmalade Boy volume cover. Thanks to <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/">Manga Fox</a> for the image of the Marmalade Boy cast; however, I cropped the picture myself. Finally, thanks to <a href="http://www.onemanga.com/">One Manga</a> for the image from Spicy Pink. You can find scans of <a href="http://www.onemanga.com/Spicy_Pink/">Spicy Pink</a> there in addition to those found at <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/spicy_pink/">Manga Fox</a>.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-45839610025718515832010-01-28T03:43:00.016-05:002011-08-03T02:06:19.286-04:00The Mistakes a Pepper Makes<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YC4XVLQlmBo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YC4XVLQlmBo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></div><br />
<br />
Look! Bloopers!<br />
<br />
And if you're confused, please refer to <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/01/for-love-of-peppers.html">this post</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
--Blackbird.Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-90266765535348411102010-01-27T02:55:00.054-05:002011-08-03T01:53:15.209-04:00Intensive Korean Study: Week 3<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?subCategoryId=&id=013125&catId=CLOTHES-NEW-SWEATERS&pushId=CLOTHES-NEW-SWEATERS&popId=CLOTHES-NEW&sortProperties=&navCount=130&navAction=middle&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=015&colorName=NEUTRAL%20MOTIF&isSubcategory=&isProduct=true&isBigImage=&templateType=templateA" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431679795727053586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXQOAzPBmWfK4XrVVan5O3MMnjnIwEFyVRwL1zvmuZ5eR55BZhQDkIFU-nzDQ5MiuyIAPcB3QwLHSh5M7MpJUdBtbuOv11BXA3bNVzb5GdSM8-X9eODcc_SlnmBJr-OETI-a1N23duLRh/s320/anthro.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 214px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>SO.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: 130%;">Late, late, late!</span> The theme of my week. I kept thinking I would get to this weekly blog <span style="font-style: italic;">at least</span> by Monday, Tuesday at absolutely latest, but now it's Wednesday and too late to even be vaguely considered on time. Oh well.<br />
<br />
I made more progress on the Korean and all, but am, of course, behind schedule. I'm halfway through the book! Yeah! But I also only have a week left. No!!<br />
<br />
I blame it on the knitting. I've been knitting like crazy this past month, to the point of pure addiction. I know I should stop... I see the textbook glaring at me from across the table, the neglected schedule on my computer slouching in rejection, and the piles of knitted garments, symbols of the hours of life spent clicking two bamboo needles together.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?subCategoryId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS-CARDIGANS&id=913696&catId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&pushId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&popId=CLOTHES&sortProperties=&navCount=725&navAction=top&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=011&colorName=IVORY&isSubcategory=true&isProduct=true&isBigImage=&templateType=" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431679857292466514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxXdKTMpFn4TH5xE95rCgzxAWpMbZPSx1_78JTR6PVfV4_sB3a6GyCa3xWmHWF5DFU_JmS04omzfBYqJNqmCpjxmXM4tb-RretQnOvly8VRz1HvScliwH_ViyZsrYK6AseMe0pAl2vWAa/s320/anthro+2.jpg" style="float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 214px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>EXPENSIVE.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I'm not a huge fashionista or anything, but when you see a mega awesome cute overpriced <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/">Anthropologie</a> sweater selling for $200+, and you know you could possibly, just maybe knock it off in your size for a fraction of the price...<br />
<br />
But enough, on to the updates.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Integrated Korean: Beginning 1</span><span style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;"> Textbook</span><br />
<br />
As I get further and further into the book, the concepts get more complicated and dense in each chapter. While my one-chapter-a-day plan is generally working at the moment, I can already tell that I'll have to be spending even more time in the coming week. The current one I am on went through the numbers and counter words.<br />
<br />
Korean uses both Sino-Korean and Korean numbers, and each set is used depending on the context. This is something that has stumped me ever since I learned them as a kid. I had previously asked my relatives for clarification, but none of them could really articulate when each set was used. Most Korean questions I have posed for native speakers almost always go unanswered, with him or her apologetically shrugging their shoulders. Granted, I wasn't asking Korean language linguists or anything, and it's hard to dissect a language one has been speaking all his or her life.<br />
<br />
But in this case, even after dissection and clarification from a textbook, it still isn't really clear to me. I think the problem is that I'm trying to find some reason as to <span style="font-style: italic;">why </span>people, animals, and items are talked about with Korean numbers and <span style="font-style: italic;">why</span> school years, floor numbers, and the months and days in a date are talked about with Sino-Korean numbers. The issue, I guess, is not a matter of grouping them together, but rather an issue of my finding a method of memorizing which goes where. Without a kind of general system, it just doesn't quite compute.<br />
<br />
I'm realizing now is that it's a little hard to talk about Korean grammar. Spanish, a language I began learning at the tender age of six, is at least somehow related to English; besides the many cognates and similar sentence structures, they share larger grammar concepts. Of course Korean has some similarities in having nouns and verbs and such, but sometimes the bigger differences seem too hard to explain.<br />
<br />
Random note: I started noticing that when I'm doing my textbook exercises, it's hard for me to construct the sentences outside of the context of the book. Without the guiding exercises divided into each individual grammar concept, at the moment I can't seem to just pull the concept out of a hat and actually utilize it. At least not without some deep thinking, which could really be annoying during a conversation, to say the least.<br />
<br />
Sometimes when I'm talking to myself in Korean (I do this, alone, in the comfort of my own home, by the way), I'll try to imagine some sort of scenario in which I might have to speak. I still like to think in English terms sometimes, and more often I'll find myself falling into Spanish and mixing it with my Korean.<br />
<br />
Goal 1: Wean myself of this habit before my trip to Korea.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Integrated Korean: Beginning 1 </span>Workbook</span></span><br />
<br />
Eh, not much to say. Using it periodically, though not as much as I should. The real issue is just time management, as usual.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chunhyang Project</span></span><br />
<br />
Uuuuuugggghhhhh. A coming post (<b>EDIT</b>: <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/02/delightful-girl-choon-hyang-initial.html">Here</a> it is!) will elaborate more on this sentiment; it has to do with <span style="font-style: italic;">Delightful Girl Choon Hyang</span>, and it's long-winded. As far as the whole "late" theme goes, I'm really behind on where I wanted to be (in terms of watching the series, that is). I think I'll have to go on a drama-watching binge through the end of the week.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Let's Speak Korean</span></span><br />
<br />
I haven't been using this as much as I thought I might. I'm thinking it might not be such a bad thing, however.<br />
<br />
At the moment I'm studying really basic Korean, and I'm probably learning how to speak in a very proper, regimented way. It's how all language programs work, after all; one must learn the basics before learning how to screw them up with idioms, slang, and the like. I'm probably talking like a heavily accented robot.<br />
<br />
Watching some of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span> videos has, therefore, been messing me up just a little bit. They periodically use similar phrases that I've been learning in my textbook, but without grammar explanation. The textbook breaks down the sentence and teaches me how one may formulate it. <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span>, on the other hand, functions more like a condensed traveler's program, like Pimsleur or something. As a result, it just teaches you the phrase as a whole.<br />
<br />
In learning how to say "Where is [an item]?" for example, the textbook taught me one way, first by teaching the verb in an earlier lesson, then eventually teaching me how to use that verb in a question. In a <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span> episode teaching the same phrase, it taught it with a different verb... Then in another episode, taught it with the same verb and form as in the textbook.<br />
<br />
<table align="center"><caption align="bottom"><b>Is it 어디 예요, or...</b></caption><tbody>
<tr><td><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SuRPfHFFWWE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SuRPfHFFWWE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center"><caption align="bottom"><b>...</b><b>어디 있어요?</b></caption><tbody>
<tr><td><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pbQoW4vlThg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pbQoW4vlThg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
The issue, I guess, is that both sounded right to me. I was more used to hearing the <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span> version of this phrase when I heard my relatives using it, but the <span style="font-style: italic;">Integrated Korean</span> version I learned still sounded correct, just not quite as familiar. When quizzing myself, therefore, I would fall into the <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span> version without thinking, then realized I didn't even know exactly how that sentence came to be formed.<br />
<br />
I eventually learned the <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span>, unfamiliar version in the textbook. I still don't quite understand the difference between the two, but I think it's mostly a matter of context with slight differences in sentiment.<br />
<br />
This is a really long explanation to basically say: I was confusing myself. <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span> is still very fun to watch, but as I said in an earlier post it's more to just hear and speak a little more Korean in your day, not actually learn any grammar and whatnot.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">NOW</span> Manhwa</span></span><br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I think this portion will have to be put on hold. I might pick it up someday in the future, but the Korean study and Chunhyang portions of this project are the priority at the moment.<br />
<br />
Again, here's a link to some <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/now/">scanlations</a> of the manhwa. Unfortunately nothing new has been posted since June '09, but hopefully a group has picked up the project and will post in the future.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></span><br />
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Another week gone quickly by! Not much to say here. Coming soon: My initial impressions of <span style="font-style: italic;">Delightful Girl Choon Hyang</span>. They're not good, to say the least. However, I would love to be proved wrong! Hint hint.<br />
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--Blackbird.<br />
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<a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?subCategoryId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&id=913756&catId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&pushId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&popId=CLOTHES&sortProperties=price&navCount=145&navAction=top&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=011&colorName=IVORY&isSubcategory=true&isProduct=true&isBigImage=&templateType=" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431705937372809970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ovpayfnjv0ZsVGhDR-3CuDzotqy_QILx1Qv47N4rW2Siqah-T0JYHftJ6DBAqsk3N7XtRGcfNGA36IAvVVkuW-Y_1ntl16pIxa3SgIXUePRkNDU85ZnJsLFVNAxOBVaIiDY6BFpmy6zc/s320/anthro+3.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 214px;" /></a>PS: SERIOUSLY. WHY IS ANTHROPOLOGIE SO EXPENSIVE.<br />
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One of these days I will knock off these sweater patterns, mark my words...Blackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621310703902365029.post-82144282853797109892010-01-16T19:45:00.034-05:002011-08-03T01:53:08.361-04:00Intensive Korean Study: Week 2<span style="font-size: 130%;">Another week!</span> I was able to focus a lot more than last week, but it was still a struggle trying to catch up. I'm starting to think I might be trying to tackle too much; the textbook has been taking a lot more time than I expected, as is the Chunhyang side project.<br />
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Anyways, on to the progress report...<br />
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Integrated Korean: Beginning 1</span> Textbook</span></span><br />
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Finally finished chapter 2. I'm actually supposed to be at the end of chapter 4 by this point, but I'm remaining (blindly) optimistic about getting it all done! I actually didn't schedule Korean study on the weekends, so I guess I'll just have to do a bit of work then too. Not a problem.<br />
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I came across my first Korean language difficulty this week concerning particles. In Korean, words cannot stand alone. Instead, particles must be attached to them; they help indicate how each word functions in the sentence. It helps to keep everything clear in the sentence, unlike in English in which subjects and objects can be easily confused. There are four kinds of particles: Subject, object, location, and topic particles.<br />
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While the first three are pretty easy to understand, the topic particle's function was initially confusing to me. I mean, isn't the subject of a sentence also the topic of the sentence?<br />
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When I came across this problem, unfortunately the textbook couldn't really help me. The grammar is given in chunks that somehow feel very jumbled and disorganized to me. While there is a reference page that shows all of the grammar particles, there's no centralized area where I can comprehensively compare different grammar concepts. There also simply wasn't a place where the difference between subject and topic particles was explained.<br />
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And so I took to the Internet! I settled on using a site I had stumbled upon before, simply called "<a href="http://learnkoreanlanguage.com/">Learn Korean Language</a>." According to the <a href="http://www.learnkoreanlanguage.com/Particles.html">article</a> on particles, subject and topic particles are actually not necessarily comparable. Instead, subject particles have the ability to replace any of the particles in the sentence, giving that particular part emphasis in the sentence. If one says, "Ji-eun is reading a book at home," emphasis could be given to Ji-eun, the book, or the home. I guess it's just a matter of context.<br />
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Of course there's more to it than that, but that's the gist of it.<br />
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Having no answer key has also been a bit of a problem when working with slightly more complicated sentence structures. I mean, it's not extremely complicated yet, but at the moment particles and placement sometimes has been confusing.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Integrated Korean: Beginning 1 </span>Workbook</span></span><br />
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Finally started using it! Pretty simple, and good for reinforcing concepts. While there are exercises in the textbook, the workbook is definitely useful. Just like the audio files for the textbook, the workbook's audio is available <a href="http://www.kleartextbook.com/">online</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chunhyang Project</span></span><br />
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If my <span style="font-style: italic;">Chunhyangdyun</span> <a href="http://mangameditation.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-got-nothing-chunhyangga-review.html">movie review</a> is any indication, I'm not exactly a fan of this whole project so far. Regardless, I'm going to get started with watching <span style="font-style: italic;">Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang</span> really soon. Polecat is not a fan of this series, but she was also a fan of <span style="font-style: italic;">Chunhyangdyun</span>; our tastes don't exactly match up. So who knows? I'm hoping to like it since I'll have to watch all 17 episodes by the end, and those could be some looong 17 hours.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Let's Speak Korean</span></span></span><br />
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I've decided that I'm a fan of the inclusion of season three's Blake Minich. He is the resident "student" of the show, hosted by Lisa Kelley and Young Kim. Blake adds a really silly element to the show that makes it a bit more entertaining to watch and a little less cringe-worthy than, say, season one with pushy salesman co-host Stephen Revere. It also just makes it more of a television show with entertainment value than something resembling an informational VHS. I admit that I laughed at some of the parts including Blake. All three of them seem very unrehearsed and therefore genuine, and there is also a nice rapport among them.<br />
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Go season three! I'm a fan.<br />
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I also had never watched an episode from this season to the very end, and I really like the inclusion of cultural lessons as well. This show packs in a lot considering each episode is only about ten minutes long. With the exception of actual grammar lessons, <span style="font-style: italic;">Let's Speak Korean</span> has just about every element you'd expect from a textbook, including the one I'm using, in fact.<br />
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It's also nice to be able to learn some useful phrases. Seeing a real person talking, sounding out the words to you, is quite helpful.<br />
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<table align="center"><caption align="bottom"><b>"It matches my personality? And the tail's been cut off too."<div>"...I was hungry."</div></b></caption><tbody>
<tr><td><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SuRPfHFFWWE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SuRPfHFFWWE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></div></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">NOW</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Manhwa</span></span><br />
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I tried to get through the first chapter of volume 1, and it was tough! I didn't bother to try to understand every word; for me, it was mostly sounding out the words aloud, and also reading at a good pace. My reading is... stilted, at best, but I'm trying! I can understand a few verbs and words, both from what I've learned from my textbook and what I already know. To be honest, at the moment I read so poorly that I don't even understand the words I already know, even when I read them aloud.<br />
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My spoken Korean is so bad I actually <span style="font-style: italic;">don't even understand myself</span>. Damn.<br />
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I think I might just forgo the first volume since, in my opinion, the series doesn't get good until further on anyway. I'll probably feel more inclined to actually understand the words if I need to know what's going on, which will be past volume five.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></span><br />
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The week went by too fast, again. I feel like I'm getting more used to the pace, but I also only have a few more weeks left! Agh.<br />
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--BlackbirdBlackbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02016808198970964055noreply@blogger.com0