Smooth and Flat

This season’s Madhouse Studios project, a shounen/sentai series with superpowers, counter-superpowers, fanservice, and other stuff. Drawn in a style that reminds of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, with a nice opening video (and song) and not-so-nice song plus extremely fanservice-y video for the ending sequence.

The ‘main’ hero, Cruz, doesn’t look like he’s cool or kicks asses in any way, however judging by the nature of the series, he’ll probably get some upgrades along the way. And Eve truly kicks asses. Funny how both Blade and Eve seem stupid (with Eve being 10 times more stupid than Blade).

Eve’s last name owns.

Studio DEEN presents: Umineko no Naku Koro ni. The direct ‘sequel’ to Higurashi no Naku Koro ni – both based on PC games of the same name by 07th Expansion.

No Hanyuu, though. Minus 50 points.

Maria. Plus 25.

We’ve got a family gathering at the mansion situated on a privately owned remote island with a storm coming. They are completely isolated and they have various problems dealing with each other. Not to mention that some of them (if not every one) are mentally unstable.

So, the new season is here, and even though I’ve been really lazy lately, I decided to give it a go.

Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~ by ZEXCS.

I really hope it doesn’t turn into a “Little Mermaid”-class story. I liked the first episode; the backgrounds are pretty, and the character designs are well done (while the person behind emuemu – Manly Masochism doesn’t think so, apparently). Note that the younger sister is voiced by Horie Yui (and is a pettanko).

As usual, an introductory episode. It ends with a sort of a cliffhanger and seems like the plot actually starts there. We have two girls – sisters – from under the sea, coming to the surface world to return a ring they found dropped into the ocean. From the looks of it, the sisters share a relationship similar to Ui and Yui in K-ON!, with the younger sister being responsible and a sort of a carebear and the other one going on with airheadedness and a carefree attitude, doing everything on a whim.

Above, they actually find the person who dropped the ring, or, rather, threw it into the ocean.

It’s July 1st, and there’s some nice stuff getting released today, and in the next few weeks. So, here’s a short list.

01.07.2009

• Asura Cryin’ Variety CD – BGM, character songs, and drama. 2 discs.
• Sakamichi no Hate e – Prince of Tennis OVA ending theme.
• Exit Trance Presents Anime Speed Trance Best 7.
• Exit Tunes Presents Vocarhythm 2.
• CODE GEASS Lelouch of the Rebellion Character Song Best.
• Taja – the first album by Taja, various songs from GUNDAM series (00, MS IGLOO, etc).

03.07.2009

• Hakushaku to Yousei Original Soundtrack – Earl and Fairy Soundtrack (obvious remark is so ambiguous here).

08.07.2009

• Natsu no Arashi! Original Soundtrack.
• Rebuild of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance Original Soundtrack.
• Phantom – Requiem for the Phantom Inspired Original Soundtrack.
• Phantom – Requiem for the Phantom Inspired – MAXI Single – Ein.
• Phantom – Requiem for the Phantom Inspired – MAXI Single – Zwei.
• Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Complete Best.
• TV Animation Pandora Hearts Original Soundtrack – by Kajiura Yuki.
• TV Animation Shangri-la Original Soundtrack.

15.07.2009

• TV Animation Kurokami (BLACK GOD) Original Soundtrack Vol. 2.

22.07.2009

• Konnichiwa Anne Original Soundtrack.
• Marie & Gali Theme Single: Galihabara!
• Junshin Miracle 100% Image MAXI Single.
• Hayate no Gotoku!! Character CD Series – Ayasaki Hayate.
• Hayate no Gotoku!! Character CD Series – Maria – by Tanaka Rie.
• TV Animation Princess Lover! Opening Theme Single – Princess Primp! – by Hashimoto Miyuki.
• TV Animation CANAAN Opening Single – mind as Judgement – by Faylan.
• Shinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica CRIMSON S Original Soundtrack.
• Phantom – Requiem for the Phantom 2nd Opening Single (untitled yet).
• TV Animation Saki 2nd Ending Single – Shikakui Uchuu de Matteru yo.
• TV Animation KEION! (K-ON!) Geki Chuka Shuu Album – by Afterschool Teatime.
• Xam’d: Lost Memories Original Soundtrack.
• ARIA the ANIMATION, ARIA the NATURAL: Opening and Ending Singles: Undine; Rainbow; Euforia; Natsumachi.
• Gundam 30th Anniversary I, Senshi Tribute.
• GUNDAM 30th Custom Soundtrack.
• ARIA Original Soundtrack.
• ARIA the NATURAL Original Soundtrack.
• ARIA Piano Collection – Studio One Kisetsu.
• ARIA the NATURAL Vocal Song Collection.

23.07.2009

• Winter Sonata Vol. 2 – Fuyu no Arashi.
• Natsu no Arashi! Original Soundtrack.
• Minami-ke Best Album.
• Minami-ke Okaeri DJCD Vol.2.
• Shikabane Hime Radio DJCD Vol.2.
• Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Opening Single – Ringo Mogire Beam!
• Hatsukoi Limited Character MAXI Single Vol.3 – Koyoi & Nao.
• Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou Opening Single – programming for non-fiction.
• Umi Monogatari Opening Single – violet.
• Fresh Pretty Cure! Vocal Album Vol.1.
• HYPER Moe Trance II – Ayane.

24.07.2009

• Valkyria Chronicles Drama CD Vol.1.
• PC Game Tayutama -kiss on my deity- Character Songs Plus.
• To Aru Majutsu no INDEX Archives Vol.3.
• TV Animation Queen’s Blade Character Song CD Vol.1 – Reina & Vol.2 – Tomoe.

25.07.2009

• 07-GHOST Opening Single – Hiiro no Kakera – by Suzuki Yuki.
• 07-GHOST Opening Single – Hitomi no Kotae.
• Xam’d: Lost Memories: Kylee meets Xam’d – theme songs from Xam’d as sung by Kylee.
• Higashi no Eden / Eden of the East Original Soundtrack.
• Hayate no Gotoku!! Original Soundtrack.
• TV Animation -Saki- Vocal Album.
• Hetalia Axis Powers Character CD Vol.4 – Blighty.
• Summer Wars Original Soundtrack.
• TV Animation Element Hunters Opening Single – First Pain – by Ishikawa Chiaki (See-Saw).
• TV Animation Element Hunters Ending Single – Suiheribe -Mahou no Jumon-.

So the Spring ’09 season is almost over, and alas, K-ON! is over too.

The last episode was a bit weird, but overall nice. I should also note that I liked the series; I admit, though, that the plot was a bit weak and that the amounts of moe in the series are a bit over the plausible limit – but it was a fun ride anyway.

Overall, I’m not paying much attention to anime series lately; I’m planning to catch up with some series later… but I guess I might drop some of them due to lack of interest. Namely, Hatsukoi Limited or Hanasakeru Seishounen.

I’m also annoyed by the fact that Asura Cryin’ TV adaptation was kind of ruined. The episodes lack interconnection, the animation quality is average, and as a fan of the original novel series I feel ripped off.

Seriously.

They need to try better.

Animation quality was below even the ‘shit’ rank, the plot sucks, the development fails, and the lack of fanservice is pointless for a show like this one.

Only one episode left, though.

Now look at them yo-yos, that’s the way you do it -
You play the guitar on the MTV.
That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it -
Money for nothin’ and chicks for free.
Now that ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it.
Lemme tell ya – them guys ain’t dumb,
Maybe get a blister on your little finger?
Maybe get a blister on your thumb?

Seems like I have successfully moved this site to the server; and I’m not using Apache this time – the site runs on nginx using fastcgi-to-PHP interface.

Catching up on various anime series. Notable examples are Tayutama -kiss on my deity-, Pandora Hearts, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. There’s also Chrome-Shelled Regios.

As I have probably mentioned, I’ve never watched the original Fullmetal Alchemist series past episode 4 or 5, maybe 10 but not more – I got kind of bored with the slow pace of the series, and the lack of action. Basically, last episode I remember from the first version of the TV adaptation is the one where that guy (I’ve forgot his name yet again) uses his pet dog and his own daughter to transmute a chimera. I’m at episode 11 of the Brotherhood series, and so far there only were two filler episodes (or so); mostly it’s a really dynamic show – and I’d even put it on the “best of the season” list. So far it seems like they’re doing a fast forward of the events to get to the ‘main’ part – but even so it’s nicely done. However Roy Mustang still looks like he was born on a planet with extra high gravity.

Tayutama is still the same stereotypical, low-budget, and obvious-outcome type of a show; as expected from a series based on an eroge. However, I’m still watching it (and still mostly for Ameri and Nue; I sort of don’t like Mashiro and Yumina).

Last episodes of Pandora Hearts introduce a new character – a really cute girl called Echo (one of the manga volumes’ cover features Alice and Echo together in gothic lolita outfits and the art is pretty much damn awesome – however they look kind of alike).

Regios is quickly approaching the grand finale; the meaning of those weird scenes in the middle of the episodes is finally uncovered in the last three (or so) episodes. Nina still makes everyone worry, and Felli is being cute as always.

In other news: I don’t understand humans. Their behaviour is a complete mystery to me. And every step I take in the department of relations with them leads to a total clusterfuck (even though I just wanted to be friends with someone, some other person told me – with quite some pressure, too – that I’d better not talk much to that friend-to-be).

P.S. I need a new job. The current one is totally draining me out.

As stated in my earlier post, I’ve been quite busy at work during the last two months – and that calamity isn’t over yet as I’ve got at least one more 60 hours week (the worst thing about it is the schedule, where I basically have one 12 hour and two 24 hours breaks between 12-hour shifts). So I’m not really in a creative mood.

However.

I managed to catch up with Basquash!, the series featuring a brilliant and original idea of making an anime about basketball… played using giant robots. While it sounds stupid, it’s less dumb than it looks – but it was kind of hard to fight my way through the first three or four episodes which feature excessive fanservice.

The amount of fanservice drasically lowers in the following episodes, focusing more on Basquash’s highlight: street basketball. While I doubt that the idea of making robots wear running shoes would actually work, it’s overall cool. Especially when in the last two or three episodes Eclipse – the trio that sings the opening theme, nO limiT – enters the storyline with this dazzling debut of Rouge.

So far, my favourite characters are Flora/Alan (reverse trap; hey Haruka, question: if you really talk with feet, why didn’t you realise that Alan is girl yet?), Rouge, and Iceman (“Destroy! Destroy!! Destroy!!“).

Also in today’s Bunbunmaru issue:

I’ve managed to scrap up some parts for the server – since it needs an upgrade. Almost everything will be replaced, though, and one of the nicest parts about it is that I’ll use Intel PRO/1000 integrated NIC instead of this slightly laggy nForce4′s builtin one.

Currently, the server is an Athlon64-3200+ on a Gigabyte GA-K8N-SLi board – with a total of 5 hard disk drives (40GB system, and an assorted set of 200, 250, 320 and 500GB drives for data storage).

My plans are to use a Core2 Duo processor (probably the 3.0GHz one) on a Gigabyte Q35-based board, with 6 Serial ATA ports (instead of K8N-SLi’s four); and the drives will be replaced with the following structure: two 500GB drives in a GEOM_MIRROR array – hosting the system and the database files, along with static content and such stiff; two more 500GB drives in a raidz pool; and probably one 750GB drive for media files. The sixth port will probably be occupied by another 500GB drive, maybe in a pool – this time a stripe/RAID0 because I don’t need redundancy for the media storage.

The OS will also be changed; 7.2-STABLE used on the current server will be replaced with 8.0-STABLE as a fresh install. Yeah, it’ll take some time to migrate all settings and data, but it will be worth it. The new configuration is being stress-tested by me for the last few days and I’ve yet to see processes stuck in zfs I/O state which seems to be a common problem for 7.2′s ZFS implementation.

I’ve been way too busy at work so had no time to update; I still don’t have enough of that valuable resource yet so this post will be quite short.

It contains, mainly, just some pictures.

Read the rest of this entry »

And here I mean “promotional videos”.

The new anime series to be aired – supposedly – this Autumn, produced by Aniplex in association with Key/VisualArts and based on Maeda Jun’s original story (see also: AIR, CLANNAD, Little Busters!, etc), has got more videos available on its official site.

So far, I like the character designs, though the story looks a bit cliché. Well, it’s Key/VisualArts, so what else would you expect…

I’m more surprised that they are cooperating with Aniplex this time. There are also rumours that Aniplex will also produce the highly anticipated (by me) Little Busters! TV. It’s yet unknown which company will work on the animation, though; and I really doubt that KyoAni will take a part in this.