What's In My Playlist

What's In My Playlist

Sunday, January 7, 2018 / No Comments

I've been doing a lot of commuting during the holiday season, be it for a gathering, party or just shopping for gifts. Music has definitely helped me deal with the crowds during the festive period and Singapore's now less-than-efficient public transport system. My anisong playlist has been expanding steadily, no thanks to the many titles and movies I've watched through the years and here's just a few that I've been putting on repeat during the last month or so. Happy holidays and best wishes for the year ahead, everyone!

Jingle Bells ga Tomaranai - Aqours
I still remember purchasing a physical copy of the album on the day it released in Japan over a year ago. How time flies! The jazzy Christmas tune from Aqours probably got the most mileage out of all the songs featured here. The upbeat song definitely helped make navigating the crowds more enjoyable and unfortunately, I'm a sucker for Christmas music in all languages and styles, so I won't be stopping the jingle bells anytime soon.

GloryStory (Herbst Musikfest) - Choucho
Girls und Panzer grew to become one of my favourite anime titles in the past few months. I've re-watched the anime series and movie several times now and I'm betting I'll do the same with the upcoming 6-part movie series as well. The soundtrack was gripping and I even caught myself whistling several marches and the main theme on more than a few occasions. I particularly enjoyed Choucho's rendition of GloryStory at Herbst Musikfest 2015, with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra providing the instrumentals rather than the usual backing track.

Awaken the Power - Saint Aqours Snow
The mini-arc in Love Live! Sunshine!!'s 2nd season which led to this collaboration between Aqours and Saint Snow was thanks to Ruby and Leah from both groups respectively. I definitely did not expect the collaboration single, predicting a duet between the two school idols instead. If only μ's and A-RISE from the original Love Live! series teamed up to produce a song or two (And no, Sunny Day Song does not count). It's an inspirational track and one that makes even more sense if you've been watching the anime.

Nandemonaiya - Radwimps
You must be living in Itomori if you have no idea what this song or film is. It's been over a year since the movie aired in Singapore but the soundtrack remains captivating till today. I'm glad that Radwimps was the one who scored the soundtrack for the film instead of your run of the mill composer and although the only songs I have from the J-Rock band are from the film, I'm definitely checking out the rest of their discography soon.

Hana no Uta - Aimer
Hana no Uta was the theme song for Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower and how fitting for it to be performed by Aimer, who previously sang Brave Shine and Last Stardust in the Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works anime. The haunting vocals and instrumentals was a sharp contrast to Brave Shine and Last Stardust, providing the biggest hint to how the film trilogy will play out along with the tone it will adopt. I was initially put off by how slow the song started but it paid off by the time it reached the chorus, much like the Heaven's Feel route itself.

Written by ET

Blend S

Blend S

Friday, December 29, 2017 / No Comments

The Fall anime season has ended and sadly, this also means that Blend S has finished airing as well. The quirky comedy was one of the few titles that I managed to fit into my packed schedule and I'm glad I stuck with it as it aired. It has kept me thoroughly entertained through a busy semester at school. And to think I picked it up in the first place only because of the abundance of memes the opening theme song spawned. For those of you wondering what the show is about, think Working!!, except the setting this time around is a cafe with each waitress having a specific facade instead of a family restaurant.

I firmly believe that a strong cast is required for any slice-of-life anime, regardless of whether it has an overarching plot or not. Fortunately, Blend S delivers in spades. The waitresses at Stile have two personalities effectively, the facade they put on for work and a vastly different one once the uniform comes off, except for a very special Surprise later on. The waitresses are introduced at a steady pace, with reserved and cheerful Sakuranomiya Maika being scouted by the cafe's manager Dino in the first episode to play a sadist no thanks to her innately nasty glare. She joins the bubbly Hinata Kaho, who ironically fills the tsundere archetype. College student Hoshikawa Mafuyu, doujin artist Amano Miu and high-schooler Kanzaki Hideri round out of the rest of the wait staff. Akizuki Koyo, the cafe's chef and Kaho' high school schoolmate, completes the ensemble.

Unfortunately, Blend S isn't a perfect anime and it shows during the episodes that aren't set in Stile. There is little opportunity for the girls to show off their dual personalities and the reliance on running gags or tropes to generate laughs would wear out even the most easily entertained viewer. This was especially apparent by the final quarter, with only one of three episodes hitting the mark for me. As entertaining as the cast was, seeing Dino or Koyo fumble in their romantic advances could only squeeze that many chuckles out of me. On the other hand, the episodes that were set in Stile had me in stitches. I even re-watched several episodes and clips because they were that funny.

Several standout moments include the waitresses fully utilising their character archetypes to convince the customers to order items they recommended, buying time for Dino to restock the pantry and fridge. Another one would be Mafuyu rejecting a customer after he confessed to her, while in character. I was simultaneously laughing and cringing. And of course, Hideri's introduction episode took the cake and Tokui Sora's voice acting had a huge part to play in that. Her wide vocal range came in handy, for those of you who're curious. I really wish that more time was spent showcasing various situations in the cafe, like Working!!!, rather than the various jaunts they had out of Stile.

At the end of the day and despite the problems it had, Blend S was one of my favourite titles this Fall and I'll eventually make time to re-watch the entire season. It was the perfect stress reliever and a great way to unwind during the weekend.

Written by ET

Junji Ito Collection

Junji Ito Collection

Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / No Comments

Oh my goodness, is this really going to happen? Any fans of horror manga artist Junji Ito here? I sure am a little fan, and I just discovered that there is an anime adaptation of the master's works due in January next year! Aptly titled Junji Ito Collection, the anime covers popular titles that I have read before in varying degrees. Well, back then I didn't have a good command of Japanese, so I mostly read scanlations and Chinese editions from the bookstore. But from the striking visuals on that poster, I instantly recognised what some of those stories are!

Hello there, Tomie! Tomie is one of Junji Ito's widely-read masterpieces, and I have to say that the series is an increasingly unsettling read. It is also quite lengthy, bearing two thick collections with haunting cover art. Tomie has been described as the most beautiful woman in this world. Well, if you happen to find her pretty...good for you? :P Having read Junji Ito's work from time to time, I can gather that the most sinister beings often reside beneath the shells of 'beautiful people'. Yeah, it is the pretty and handsome faces that you should be very cautious of!

Uh oh, here comes Souichi. Argh, please don't look at me like that! Gosh, Souichi is also another widely-read series that would embed very deep into the reader's mind like a parasite. Souichi is a very twisted boy with a penchant for curses, lots and lots and lots of nails, voodoo dolls, and making people around him extremely uncomfortable. Yeah, it isn't difficult at all to be turned off by Souichi. In fact, he is so dangerous that even his own family has to be wary around the clock! Souichi is human unlike Tomie, so I would like to think there is still a tolerable side of him. Okay, never mind.

Junji Ito Collection will premiere on January 5th, 2018 through WOWOW, and is scheduled to run for 12 episodes! I am looking forward to it, and meanwhile I shall go dig up the manga to refresh my fond (?) memories...

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

Milkcananime Team Gathering: Brunches Cafe

Milkcananime Team Gathering: Brunches Cafe

Friday, December 22, 2017 / No Comments

Wednesday afternoon was a lovely one well-spent with Max and a few other fellow writers from Milkcananime! We met up at Brunches Cafe, located at 96 Rangoon Road which is a short walking distance from Farrer Park MRT. Nonetheless, if you happen to be rather clueless about directions like yours truly, it is easy to miss the place! Anyway, Brunches Cafe is a comfortable, relaxing alternative to the usual coffee and dessert spots.

I wasn't surprised to see Christmas decorations and such sprucing up the place. The vibes would make one feel right at the core of a truly wonderful time. As I was the first person to arrive (I was early and nearly lost), I took a few pictures while waiting for the others at this long wooden table.

What an awesome vintage car! It is actually a seat for two I believe, and just look at the vehicle plate and front boot! Can you spot Santa Claus and the snowflake? Oh, the cafe also has rows and rows of vintage dolls that might just remind some readers of Annabelle (or anything similar to her). I love the chalkboard menu over there! But really, the cafe has a wide selection of food, drinks, and desserts.

Allow me to recall what each of us had ordered that afternoon. Obviously, mine would be the easiest: a refillable pot of tea known as Slow Down & Relax! Neko and ET had Coffee on the Rock, Ritsu ordered a Rustic Mushroom Soup, Reina had...okay, some kind of coffee, Max had some kind of coffee as well plus a Molten Lava Cake (I think Ritsu and Reina also shared a lava cake?). Neko and Devi decided to go for the lava cake as well, and a plate of Popcorn Chicken appeared in the middle of our table. Devi's drink was some flavoured soda I believe...okay, my memory is so bad!

Anyway, all of us had a nice time (we stayed for nearly three hours sans Neko who had to leave early for a dinner appointment) in Brunches Cafe. Believe it or not, this was like the first actual team gathering for Milkcananime with an almost full attendance! A few of us had met each other through separate events and such, so it would be awesome to have more team gatherings like this where hopefully the entire Milkcananime family could make it and hang out together! Looking forward! ^^

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

An Early, Random Christmas Chatter

An Early, Random Christmas Chatter

Sunday, December 17, 2017 / No Comments

Ho ho ho...well, not quite. But Christmas is only about a week away, and for somebody who doesn't really have a festive spirit I find it difficult to relate to the many redefinitions of Christmas. Well, there is always the food I suppose! Someday, I would like to spend the year-end holidays in Japan, just for the long overdue exposure. The Japanese people get buckets of fried chicken for Christmas, which we don't have a practice of. I don't remember what I had last Christmas. Selective amnesia, maybe?

I have had several Christmas gift exchanges, though the meaning of such has long lost itself on me as the people and myself inevitably drifted apart from one another. Besides, the presents were usually just convenient grabs off the discount racks or candies for rainy days. The odd surprise or two along the way has become fuzzy as well quite unfortunately. But the temporary bliss back then was still pretty genuine.

Yeah, I think I am more or less like that nowadays! I have nothing against parties and the generic joy that comes with them, though any hint of excitement would just wear out very quickly and turn into discomfort and awkwardness. Wallflower, anyone? But I guess I should be a ninja in the middle of the party, and secretly disappear into the darkness after having my fill of cakes, chocolates, ice-cream, whatever! Not possible, you say? Yeah, I know.

Santa Claus is coming to town!!! When I was a kid, I had free gold coins that were in fact half-melted chocolate. A group of Santa Claus cosplayers (okay, back then nobody called them that) would distribute those gold coins around busy shopping malls to greedy children and adults. Oh yeah, there was no explicit rule preventing anybody from having seconds, thirds, fourths and fifths. Nope, I didn't jump back into the queue, because I was downright disgusted by the mess the chocolate had made on both my hands!

I am not sure what Santa Claus would bestow on me this year, but I do count some blessings every now and then. Anyway, a chilly Christmas with snowball fights and hot chocolate sounds really lovely! Hmm, maybe I should just get myself some fried chicken that day...

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪

Just Because!

Just Because!

Friday, December 15, 2017 / No Comments

The slice-of-life genre and a high school setting appear to be inseparable in anime. Off the top of my head, this Fall season alone has at least 7 titles revolving around the hi-jinks of these uniformed teenagers. Think Love Live! Sunshine!!, Ousama Game, Shokugeki no Souma and Anime-Gataris, amongst other titles. But what sets Just Because! apart from the rest would be the time frame which it's set in. It depicts a group of third-year high school students preparing for their next stage of life, be it tertiary education or hunting for a job. It's a period of time which is often skipped or added in as an afterthought via the epilogue in most "high school" anime titles I've watched. Having graduated twice already, I know what the feeling is like and the unique focus alone was enough to convince me to give it a go.

The main cast is easy to relate to, having the same problems that most graduating high school students have, be it professional or personal ones. The way they interact is natural and what impressed me was how easily the protagonist Izumi Eita re-connected with his old group of friends, having moved back into town in the first episode for the final semester. There was little awkwardness between them and the transition was seamless, making up for the slower pace during the first few episodes where the characters were introduced. It was full steam ahead from there, with the rest of the episodes focusing on how the cast attempted to tie up any loose ends and getting rid of any emotional baggage before graduation.

Like any other story involving high-schoolers, there is the usual teenage angst thrown into the mix. However, it manifests subtly in Just Because!. Overblown reactions, in-your-face tsundere behaviour and a whole host of misunderstandings are nowhere to be found, being traded for nuance and tension instead. It makes for an enjoyable watch, considering how little time Eita and friends have left. It's similar to social situations anyone would face in real life, especially when it comes to the various characters finally confessing to their love interests. It doesn't feel like an unnecessarily grand affair, unlike other anime titles.

Unfortunately, the character designs detract from the overall viewing experience. It's the achilles heel of the series and the poorly designed characters seem out of place on more than a few occasions. The voice acting, plot and music can only do so much but considering how character-driven Just Because! is, it's hard to ignore them, to say the least. Pine Jam's previous production last season, Gamers, had the same faults regarding character design and artwork in general. On the other hand, this didn't stop me from watching either series so I'm probably exaggerating how bad the problem is.

All in all, Just Because! was worth the watch, bar the odd character designs and I'm eagerly waiting to see how Pine Jam wraps up the last two episodes. Although there is a novel adaptation that covers the ending already, I'm keen to see how the studio handles it and whether any major changes will take place.

Written by ET

Figure Assembly: Dark Angel Olivia (Kotobukiya)

Figure Assembly: Dark Angel Olivia (Kotobukiya)

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 / No Comments

This post is about how to assemble Olivia and what you should look out for when assembling her. If you wish to get a review on the figure itself, please click here instead :)

The figure comes with an instruction sheet which gives a detailed explanation on how to put the figure together. The things which we have to put onto Olivia are her wings, weapon and the ring of beads around her waist.

First, here is everything that comes with the figure. As you can see, there are a lot of detachable parts that this figure comes with such as her wings and even her head and chest.

The first step is to push the sword hilt into Olivia's hand. You can refer to the box to tell which sword should go into which hand. You might have to wiggle the hilt a little to get it in but rest assured that it wouldn't cause much damage as the hand is a little flexible and can withstand the force at which you push the hilt in.

After pushing the hilt in (image above), adjust it such that you can insert the sword at the other side of her palm (image below). However, do note that it might be difficult to attach her to her lower body if you put the sword in at this stage, hence it might be better to just leave her with the hilt and join her body before placing in the sword blade part itself.

The image below shows how she should look (albeit headless) with one of her swords in place. However, do note that this image is just to show how the sword is supposed to fit. It is actually quite difficult to put the wings in with the sword in place so we'll take some steps back and do the step-by-step assembly properly.

First, you'll have to put the string of beads around her waist in place first. There is no other way it can fit in otherwise so be sure that you don't forget this step or it would be troublesome later.

The next step is to put the wings on. I chose to do this before placing Olivia's head on as I found that her hair obscured my vision and prevented my fat fingers from reaching the peg to secure it tightly into the peghole. Do note that if you do this the same way as I did, you would need to spend some effort knowing how the wings fit through the hair and you might even need to re-position the wings (especially her left wing) after putting the hair part in.

Also, you might prefer having the hair on first before inserting the wings.

Here's Olivia with her head and wings attached. I'll put a few pictures here to show how the wings should fit in between the hair strands and I hope that that would help you position the wings and her head better.

And last but not the least... It's the time to put her weapons in her hand.

I have already given a brief idea on how to do it, and this is how the final product looks like.

The swords do cross behind her and it is important to note whether the sharper side is facing up or down. Do refer to the box for a clearer depiction on which side the blade should be facing.

As I mentioned before in my review post, each product is actually slightly different so do not be too vexed if your copy doesn't fit in between the exact crystals as they should be positioned in the prototype. You could always just position her swords as you like.

And last but not the least, I placed the whole figure onto the base and done!

Of course, you can put her on the base and start building from there but I really appreciated not having the bulky base when I had to insert the wings in place. But each to his own!

Hope this helped!