A Practical Joke

Disclaimer: If you do this to a stressed person and they get mad at you, don't blame me!

Hit print screen while their desktop is up. Paste that file into paint or some other editing software. Save the picture and set it as their desktop background. Hide all of their desktop icons in a folder. (It will look like the icons are still on the desktop) Set up a camera and enjoy.

^.^

H2O - Throwing Logic Into the Sea - 1.5/10 Sugar Cubes

Phrase: "The Story Flows So Nicely"

Actually, it doesn't, but it makes you want to suspend your logic in the ocean and believe it does or it's hard to finish.

Genre: Romance, School Life, Supernatural

Summary: A boy moves to the countryside to recover from his blindness where he meets the town outcast, the town idol, and several other girls as he struggles to make sense of his past.

Characters: The side characters are more developed than the main character.

Art: Only tolerable art. The character style annoyed me for some inexplicable reason... Perhaps it was too typical... or perhaps because it oddly felt like I was watching Higurashi. Many times, I literally expected someone to come out with an axe...

This is a 12-episode long series which leaves several questions in the mind of the viewer akin to "What the heck!?" or "Are you serious!?" and continues on to find the most absurd conclusion. I'd give you some examples, but due to the short length of this series, those examples are equivalent to spoilers.

Anyway, each story arc ends the way the viewer wants without any logic behind how that arc began. Nevertheless, the viewer mindlessly and happily watches, quickly abandoning questions like "How the heck did ____ happen if the character ______? Isn't that impossible?" in order to enjoy the series. If you are a person who doesn't mind going brainless to watch a series, you will enjoy this, but be left with a storyline that pleases you with pathos (emotion) and throws logos (logic) out to sea. If you care to logically understand your anime, skip this one.

Well, this was one of those half great half horrid ones. I loved what happened to the characters from a pathos side (as a viewer, I got everything I wanted in the end), but there was no reason for any of this to happen at all. Really, there was no reason for the whole story to happen and the world slipped so illogically from supernatural to "actual" reality that it literally forced me to abandon logic to like it. The more I think about it, the more that actually wasn't satisfying... Do I really want everything that I wish to happen to just happen? The reason to watch a movie is never to find out how it will end since we all know that in a Chick Flick 99/100 times the dude gets the girl and in action flicks, good triumphs over evil (though it is short lived as good has to prepare to fight again...), but rather to see how that comes about... This anime skips that. It takes away the very thing people look for when they watch media: the journey.

At first, I gave it a 5 because despite everything, I don't feel like I wasted my time watching it. It overall did nothing for me, but somehow I don't regret seeing it. It was unique in its own way. Put together poorly and illogically, sure... but still an anime with an amount of unique aspects. But, thanks to my conversation with my friend Kelly, "I can see clearly now, the rain is gone". From a television standpoint, it destroys what a story is... You know you'll hear "And they lived happily ever after", but how? What happened? This anime skips over giving the viewer a sense of logic so that they can stand the causes, effects, emotions, motivations... it is hard to sympathize with most... scratch that... ANY of these characters...

Spoiler and Rant Alert: (Highlight to read, though if you like this anime, I recommend you don't...)

The reason this whole story happens in the first place is because this girls ancestors didn't provide medical support to the sick townspeople. So, the town revolted, killed all but their daughter, and burned down her house. So, the whole darn time, I'm prepared for something interesting, like when the town idol tells the main character not to cross the bridge because a monster lives there, I'm thinking, "Woah! I hope that girl is the monster!" (Like, a "REAL" monster!) But no... she is a "monster" because of what her family did while she was too young to understand. T.T (Mass disappointment).

And there is so much supernatural whatnot in this anime! The dead sister becomes this spirit that her sister drew in a storybook and finishing the storybook is the key to making the life in the town better and all this stuff... And the "monster" is not a monster!? Why are the behind-the-scenes characters so much more dynamic than the main ones?!

And that's another thing... who the heck is the main character? Even in the end, no one knows. We know more about EVERYBODY else than the main character...

Ya know, I need to just end this rant... I thought this was a terrible anime... An insult to television and story...

I know my clarification of reviews calls for at least a 3 if I finish it, but this anime must be graded on its own scale. I can't see how it should get a 3 for abandoning the very basics of the "cause effect" rule. Therefore, 1.5 Sugar Cubes. (Why 1.5? Because I liked the soundtrack ^.^)

Disclaimer: Strictly logical people will utterly detest this anime.

Making It Big

I get so tired of cooking the same things the same way... the typical sub... the typical hamburger.... the typical cinnamon roll! So, when I could cook completely by myself in LA, how did I make up for lost creative time? I "made it big" in Hollywood.

You can make your hamburger however you want, but here's how I did mine (and that picture is after my roommates had been eating off of it for a day) The hamburger begins with a round loaf of Hawaiian bread divided horizontally into 3 pieces(my favorite ^.^). Place the bottom slice. Add a half-pound patty, a row of cheese, a row of lettuce, the middle Hawaiian bread slice, a row of tomatoes, another row of lettuce, another half-pound burger, and then the top. If you are an absolute meat lover, 3/4 lb or 1 lb patties will make you quite happy. :)

Though I originally got the sweet bread simply because it was in the right shape and I was sick of baking after I made breadsticks, cake, and the two 3-foot subs you'll see later in this article, the sweet bread made the burger taste even better. It can feed 5 college girls for 2 days. :)
Kraft services is when a person cooks for the staff of a production. I was hired to do this after cooking for a bunch of people. I was never known for making typical stuff, so I figured, why start now? I figured that this was a night shoot, so they'd prefer something light, so I made these two giant subs (the bread was handmade (I didn't have a breadmaker) the cookies were too for that matter... but whatever...)

I do not recommend this method unless you have some beef with those long French bread loaves you can get from any local food store. I didn't realize those existed before I labored for hours on this... Still, makes a neat picture and it did allow me to braid the bread so it came out with a beautiful shape. ^.^

First, I found pretty much any ol recipe online for submarine bread that I could make 100% by hand. I made enough for 4 loaves the length of 4 cookie sheets. Right before putting them in the oven, I braided the dough just as you would braid hair. (Careful to make the bread thin! It rises with a vengeance!)

When the bread was done, I cut each loaf in half horizontally and cut off about an inch or two at one end of each. Then, I turned the cut-off ends to face each other making 2 subs, each 3 feet long. After that, I did the typical build-a-sandwich thing. Lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, meat... etc. One was ham and the other was turkey. Half of each had cheese. Lettuce and tomatoes were in all of it and mayo and mustard (I think...) were available for people.
And the cinnamon roll version 2. I made version 1 smaller. It was 1/4 of the total dough in a batch of normal cinnamon rolls (not picky about the recipe. I just wanted to have enough ingredients for it...) But, I was disappointed with the size, so I created the Cinnamon Roll 2.0! One cinnamon roll created with the dough to make 25 cinnamon rolls! I made two of them. One I gave to my producer who looked sad. I hoped it would cheer him up :) The other one lasted for only 2 days in our apartment. Cooking these takes forever. Normal cinnamon rolls are done in like less than half an hour in the oven. These took 1 hour+.

It was sorta stressful since I didn't want to burn it and I didn't want the insides to be undone, so leaving a way for the heat to get down in the rolls is crucial. There are no worries about losing the gooeyness of a cinnamon roll with this method, and with cooking it long enough on the same heat or a little lower than regular cinnamon rolls (depending on your oven) it will be properly cooked all through. The key is to keep an eye on it.

Note: These are so heavy!!!! I should have weighed them...

Everything else I made in L.A. was boring or will be mentioned in my "Making the Perfect Obento" posts (About 1 will come out a week)

I did leave L.A. with one cooking regret; I wanted to make a giant Oreo...

http://www.pimpthatsnack.com/project/85/

Bones

When you get a chance, check out Bones season 1, episode 11 on Hulu.com. The first 2 minutes and 30 seconds had me cracking up to no end. I watched some parts of that again and again and again. That was great! Absolutely great! Want to understand my type of humor? That hit the nail on the head!

First 2.5 min of Bones season 1, episode 11. Pure, Unaltered Genius.

The "Science" of the Nene-chan Review

So, just to clear up anything about my reviews (just my personal opinions!), I will explain them.

1 - I utterly detested it. It was a waste of space. Perhaps I was bribed by some force to watch it, and I could not manage to get even 1/4 through it.

2 - I hated it, but the occasional good point was there, so I was able to stomach at least half of it.

3 - It was mostly horrid, but I watched it because I was bored to death, but eventually (thank goodness) I found something better to do and didn't finish it.

4 - I finished it and felt like I wasted the last ___ hours of my life.

5 - Either I finished it and it was half detestable and half superb (Like Haruhi season 2) or (most likely) I finished it and it did nothing to make me like it and nothing to make me hate it. I felt absolutely nothing.

6 -It was slightly better than ok. I'm barely over feeling like I wasted my time.

7 -It was good. Alright. I'd never watch it again, but I won't complain.

8 - Great. I liked it quite a bit. There were a few things that annoyed me, a few illogicalities here and there or things I didn't understand or a few characters I didn't care about or story lines that just served to separate me from what I really liked in the series, but the rest was so good I didn't mind it so much.

9 -Wow! Great series! I really enjoyed that. Maybe I will watch it again.

10 - More more more more more! Like I'm rewatching the series and getting the music and researching the characters and I just can't get enough!!! I NEED TO OWN MY OWN COPY!

A Remedy for Putrid Breath

Come on, we all worry which is why breath mints sell so well. But some of us have it worse than others and don't know what to do about it. Some of us are just petrified that we do have bad breath. Regardless of your reasoning, a good solution is Closys II found at your local Walgreens. It not only does a fantastic job of taking away foul breath odor, but also whitens your teeth. And I don't mean that lame promise a lot of toothpaste companies make about whitening your teeth and then nothing happens. I mean this genuinely does whiten your teeth.

In the system there is mouthwash (often with optional mint drops if you prefer minty wash), toothpaste, gum, and breath spray. Everything is great but the gum. Or, I should say you will like everything but the gum. The gum is a great practical joke. Chew it and it will stick to your teeth so well you'll have to pull it off with your hands. Now, wouldn't it be funny if you were at a formal party and gave someone gum and- (I think I'd better stop there...)

Anyway, you can rest assured that your breath will not stink. Only things like not brushing for 15hours or eating something like garlic just before conversing will do something. Even then, a few sprays of the Closys II spray or a mint/stick of gum will take care of that just fine. Usually, your breath will smell like literally nothing. Kinda weird, but quite significantly better than stinky...

Enjoy!

Oops. Forgot to Introduce Myself

Hi! I'm Renee, but feel free to call me Nene-chan, that's what I always put on my Acen badges ^.^. I'm 21 years old. I guess if I were to describe myself... all-over-the-place, contemplative, dry-humored, focused, conservative, opinionated, sometimes-goofy, anime-lovin', suburban, learning-language lovin', computer-games-addicted, Super-Smash-Brothers-obsessed, piano-playin', sometimes-oblivious, recently-graduated girl who's current life aim is to get into an MBA program with an emphasis in International Communication and also obtain the education of an MBA in Hospitality and Tourism Management. ^.^

Some of those are quite contradictory, but nevertheless apply quite satisfactorily :D

I know there must be a method to my madness, but I haven't found it yet. For some reason, my interests span over several different fields. I'll try to keep to things that may interest people in the Sugar Gamers community, though I can pretty much guarantee you that eventually, this blog is going to branch out somewhere between "infinity and beyond".

When I am not looking for a job to help me achieve my educational dreams, I am playing piano, researching whatever interest I currently have on the internet from betta care to etiquette to bento recipies to exercise programs, learning Japanese, polishing my Spanish, working at my part-time job, hanging out with friends, playing online games, watching tv shows on hulu, shopping (both online and off - I found a NIB P90x for $70), or watching anime (I'm currently following Kampfer, Miracle Train, and watching H2O)

Want to see my Spain blog and videos from it? http://reneessemesterinspain.blogspot.com/ That's what I'm most excited about. Having lived overseas for a semester in Spain and having explored Lagos, Portugal and taking a trip through Morocco. ^.^

That's a pretty decent summary... In short, I am literally always doing something. Oh! And I love a quality eye-rolling pun, so my posts promise to be riddled with them. :D

Nice to meet you all and I hope you enjoy my blog!

(Thank you, Binky for drawing me as an anime!)

Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, & メリークリスマス!!!

I wish you a happy and safe Holiday Season!

Making the Perfect Obento Part 1

I will be dividing this into several steps:

• Finding the Ideal Container
• Bento Recipies (Including some goofy ideas)
• Bento Accessories
• The Group Bento - How to host your very own Japanese Food party using a multiple-person bento box. Serves up to 10 people comfortably (I did it in L.A. ^.^)

How to Find the Ideal Container

I'm just going to come out and tell you that the best way to do it is to get one when you visit Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. You can get a simple, microwaveable bento at $1.80. Cleap-looking party ones are about $5. Matching good-quality accessories range from $1-$4. A beautiful box for a party (the one I used to serve 10 people) was around $25. (If you are going to L.A., there are sort of 2 Little Tokyo areas. They are close, but one is an indoor mall and the other is outdoor.)

If you won't be going there any time soon, there are other options that offer significantly more beautiful, though expensive, obento.

This was my Christmas present last year:

http://www.jbox.com/PRODUCT/PRIM024

It took forever and a day to ship and caused me so much stress waiting for it, but when it got there, everything was worth it. It is pretty expensive and importing it from 日本 (Japan if your computer doesn't display characters) makes it even worse, but trust me, it is beautiful. It is without a doubt my favorite bento. The blossoms sparkle and it is microwaveable and... it is so pretty. It really is worth it. Jbox has many other options that are cute, functional, stunning, whatever you like.

You may also want to try eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/JAPANESE-KABUKI-BENTO-LUNCH-BOX-MATCHING-BAG-M-WAVE-OK_W0QQitemZ250508409436QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5376fa5c#ht_1729wt_939

There is an example of a beautiful one. This is a pretty normal price range.

Here are so many more cute ones!

http://www.jflairhomestyles.com/MP-ModernBentoBox.html

Even Amazon.com has gotten in on it:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bento+box&x=27&y=17

Like a great dress, a woman knows when she sees her bento she just has to take it home. I hope you find your bento box. ^.^

(Next "Making the Perfect Obento Part 2 - Bento Recipies: Traditional, Americanized, and Just Plain Goofy)

"The Sweetest Ambiguous Love" - Nabari no Ou (Manga) - 8/10 Sugar Cubes

"A simple relationship can be moving too."

Genre: Semi-Romance, Drama, Tragedy, Martial Arts, Supernatural

Summary: Miharu, a simple lad, finds himself pursued by conflicting ninja clans as they seek to obtain the dormant, ultimate power within him.

Art: The art is good. No complaints.

Review: This story feels like the mangaka decided to start one way, then suddenly got the idea to switch it, then felt like they wanted to quit the arc while they were ahead, then, well... who knows. The story is still ongoing.

Nevertheless, the kya moments I felt while watching Miharu and Yoite interact were so awesome that I can't type less than an 8 in the title. Their relationship is just so beautiful! It is so moving to read the manga and then watch those scenes in the anime... so, so beautiful... It transcends romance... No wonder the mangaka changed the arc...

The storyline was ok. Typical. Good enough. No complaints. There were some pretty neat surprises, but those surprises often turned to be quite useless in the end... Still. Neat storyline. If you like ninjas or supernatural anime, you'll like this. And if you like super sweet scenes and love to get attached to your characters, you'll like it too.

Overall: Beautifully executed relationships. Typical storyline. Transcendence of anime romance.

Enjoy!

Funny and Interesting Relationship Thoughts

Does he care about you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuLBjFzeTNM

A humorous video about how to be the perfect gf:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqzcF7zxZNE

An actual way to tell a man you like him while being female-subtle and male-obvious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow4SuQw_PTE

Acrylics: The Remedy for Nail-Biting

If you are a musician or something, yeah, I don't know how to help ya, but if you aren't, the way I quit biting my nails may help you:

I couldn't take seeing even a little bit of fingernail growth. I had my nails bitten down so short they either hurt or were uncomfortable constantly. I envied the other girls with pretty fingers when mine had become so puffy at the ends and pretty long nails when mine were bitten beyond their limit... So, I started wearing Walgreens acrylics.

I never meant to cure my nail-biting, it just sorta happened after a few times when I bit my acrylic nail and found that my teeth found that experience quite painful. Noticeably soon, I stopped biting all together.

This will destroy your nails themselves for a while. Acrylics make your nails brittle and weak, but this is something you can fix with your common Hard as Nails polish from Sally Hansen anywhere you find beauty products once you are sure you will not bite again. Time will also restore your nails. I think I wore acrylics for a semester.

Note: I'd only wear the fake acrylics as the glue is weak. The last thing you want is to bump into something and damage your real nail even worse from quality glue.

Happy non Nail-biting!

A Portuguese Kiss

We all know that so many females nowadays (and dogs for that matter...) walk around wearing Louis Vuitton, Coach, Dooney & Burke, etc. So do I. I'm a major Coach fanatic; I was raised with these designer bags and products.

But, what about those who don't have 200-400 bucks to spend on the latest Coach bag or 300 - 1000 for the latest LV? (Why do I feel like someone is going to say hit the Lighthouse Outlet Mall? Well... that's true... but not my point...) Why not try Beijo?

I got my first Beijo (translates "kiss" from Portuguese) bag a few years ago and I love them! You see, I rarely see anyone else with them. They are unique. They are also 1/2 to 1/3 the price of a Coach bag and who even knows what fraction of an LV. But, they look like what they are: designer bags. You can tell they are just as exclusive, no perhaps more because everyone knows where to get a DB, LV, or a Coach. Beijos come only from representatives. They are also a heck of a lot easier to keep clean as you don't need special wash, just water and a towel.

And, if you are just a little vain and love the compliments that come with a designer bag, would you like to know I get as many compliments about my Beijo (the one in the pic above, but in brown and tan) as I do from my best Coach?

http://www.amazon.com/COACH-Hamilton-Caryall-Handbag-13087/dp/B0031F17VW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1261542165&sr=1-6

I got that one on sale at the Coach outlet for $230 or so and my Beijo for $79 and they get the same recognition.

Exclusive. Inexpensive. Designer. Unique. Quality. Bold. Easy-to-Clean. Fashionable. Beijo.

http://www.beijobags.com/

What does every nerdy girl need in the middle of winter?

Artificial Snow!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/79ea/

I got it for a friend for his birthday last month ^.^

Just wanted to show you a site I love and a product I think is so "cool" :)

There is an Almost Authentically Japanese Teapot at Teavana!

So, I went with my Japanese friend out shopping a few days ago, and we passed by Teavana. So, I asked him if any of the teapots in the window were authentic. There was one:

http://www.teavana.com/Tea-Products/Teapots-Teapot-Sets/Cast-Iron-Teapots/Fuku-Cast-Iron-Teapot.axd

The rest, he says, are WAY far from traditional, but this one gets quite admirably close. The yellow isn't the ideal color, but in his opinion, it's not bad. :)

Just thought you all may like to know. ^.^

The Invincible Sugar Gamer

Did you know that at any given moment, I carry anywhere from 1-3 concealed weapons? As a woman, we do have to be aware of the fact that we are typically the physically weaker sex and need a little bit extra to protect ourselves:

One is obvious. I rarely bring it anywhere because it is so simple, but it is your standard folding pocket knife. No big. But, let's get to some more interesting items...

The lipstick knife - Seen 'em? They look just like really cheap lipstick from the outside, but open it up and twist and you find something that will really make your lips red. So, it will surprise an attacker. The drawback is the amount of steps it takes to pull out. On the other hand, it is perfect to slice through packing tape...

The kubotan - Here is a picture of mine:

http://www.worldknives.com/products/ck-kubotan-green-neon-acrylic-kubotan-w-kubogrip-ckngrnkg-1589.html

Looks cute, doesn't it? So cute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRegch0Nm30

Oh yeah. TOTALLY cute. <3

Beyond the use of the kubotan this tutorial shows you, is the added help when you attach keys. Hold that puppy tightly in your hands and stab or swing. Keys also help you to get through airport security. I've personally gone on 7 flights both international and national without a problem; these colors make it look just like a cute keychain accessory. Also, since it looks so innocent in bright green, purple, or pink, it is a "nice" surprise for a robber, molester, etc. Surprise is definitely a girl's best friend in a tough situation. I NEVER go anywhere without my kubotan.

If you are looking to get one, I do recommend a cute color for the element of surprise and one with the little holes in it for grip. The last thing you want is for your hands to sweat and it to be easy to take away or just slip out of your grasp.

I'd also recommend having 2 weapons in case one is taken away. Who would expect someone to have a backup anyway?

Another great weapon which I don't have, but absolutely brilliant is the pepper spray ring:

http://www.defensedevices.com/stunningring.html

At $30, see how convenient this is?

As for the prices for the other stuff, Swap-O-Rama has a weapons store which sells the lipstick knives for like 5 or 6 bucks. You can find them online for double to triple that including s&h. The kubotan there look like weapons in menacing black which probably isn't good if you plan to travel by plane or if you work in a government building...

Be safe!

Woohoo! I bought a real yukata for $56! It is so soft and shiny!

Now, take a seat and listen. Pay attention closely. You've been robbed.

When I lived in Los Angeles, I noticed that the majority of the "kimono" and "yukata" (especially) in Little Tokyo were fake. And I really did pay $56 for a glorified bath robe.

Don't buy a yukata from a Japan town, from a convention, from ANYONE in the U.S. Don't have it made from a pattern... nothing if you want a real, genuine yukata or kimono.

Perhaps I seem a bit upset as I write this, it is because I remember how dumb I felt being an anime fan and thinking that since I spoke Japanese with the store owner she would sell me a genuine product. I directly asked her if I could wear it to a "matsuri" (Japanese shrine festival) and she told me I could. I believed her. Though I was so proud of my knowledge of the Japanese culture and whatnot, I lost a pretty penny on a fake, and I don't want anyone else to go through what I did, so never buy one of them here. They may be pretty, but do you really want to walk around wearing a fake? I get if you made it yourself, like I am sewing a gold one just for fun for myself, but to buy one and be cheated... feels sucky...

So, the number 1 thing to remember above all else is that a yukata is cotton and cotton ONLY. NEVER polyester and NEVER shiny... Yukata are risky to purchase in the U.S. genuinely, but kimono... now that is one that should virtually never be attempted here without full education and true trust in the seller.

To buy one in Japan, here is some interesting information:

http://www.marquise.de/en/ethno/japan/buy.shtml

Well, yeah, I was a total idiot for getting cheated like that, but if this post warns one person in the future, then my loss has been validated. :)

Another Short Thought

Radio: "Rudoph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose..."

Me: I have a powder that would take care of that.

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi (Season 2) - 5/10 Sugar Cubes

Alternative Title (Created by Me) – Suzumiya Haruhi no Ripito

“The epitome of capitalizing off of previous successes”

Well, this one is in order. The characters are still just as great, but there are a few episodes… ok, half the series… where the same thing happens again and again and again… and again… and again… (ok, I’m done)… and again. (Sorry).

This season starts so well with Kyon being sent back in time by future Miharu to do some very key things. Then, it plummits. You watch episode 2 all excited. You then come back for episode 3 and wonder if someone uploaded it incorrectly as it is almost exactly like episode 2, but you watch it convinced that the ending will be different. It isn’t. You come back, convinced that the 3^rd time is the charm! That the end will finally be different! You learn that the group is in an endless time loop. Yay! Will the ending change now that they know???? NO! You watch the fourth time waiting for the episode to load completely while you watch Miracle Train so that you can fast forward to the end, which will surely change this time. Drat. Still the same. (Random fact. Did you know that the definition of insanity according to Albert Einstein is “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”?) You watch the next episode, sure that the show cannot stay on the air much longer in Japan like this. No dice. Finally, you give up and keep your mind occupied with other anime for a few weeks. Episode 9 ends the loop and the good stuff begins again.

Then, Haruhi wants to make a movie and all the eccentricity we know and love returns.

So, my recommendation is to watch episodes 1, 2, and 9+ to get the best effect of this show. There are little differences between the episodes in 2-8, but they are slight and the other 99% of the episode will eventually bore you to death. (They call that arc the “Endless 8”) I loved season 1 and loved the episodes I recommended, but that stagnant arc just ruined the overall thing for me…

I wonder how this will be released for American television… Episode 15, by the way, is not subbed… I wonder if even the subbers dropped it. I don’t know how they managed to sub 2-9. Such dedicated heroes… Well, I will never forget that arc for as long as I live…

I must say, it is great for practicing your Japanese though...

Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni - 8/10 Sugar Cubes

"When the Humans Die: Again... and again... and again..."

Props to the idea, but if the consumer doesn't know what the heck is going on by the last episode, there's something to worry about.

So, from the average human being's perspective, this is about a town that restarts after death. People begin happily, then someone goes nutso and starts killing people. (The crazy person is almost always someone different). Then, once the killing stops, the town starts over and all happens again.

I saw this whole season and a good portion of the next and I can tell you there are some scenes in here that will make you hide from the tv screen. One gave me chills and still does when I think about it. In the first 2 seasons of this there are some pretty gruesome torture devices for one thing.... (just sayin'! Be prepared!)

I know there is a plot, but that was totally lost on me for a LONG time. WELL into season 2. I had to do some research to figure out what the heck I was watching. Still, to let you know, it is about a girl who sees all of these negative occurrences over and over and goes back between passively accepting that this is how she must live and hope for a good future. The town, for the most part, doesn't remember the tragedies.

Genre: Gruesome tragedy, Mystery, Horror

Disclaimer: Like Saw? Like Jigoku Shoujo? Like Gunslinger Girl? You'll love this. Didn't like their reaction to getting killed the first time? No worries. You'll see a different reaction in 3 or 4 episodes or so...

Note: The characters appear cute and the kids go to school. ^.^

Overall: It is somehow very interesting. I think what keeps you watching is figuring out what is going on and then seeing how the characters react to it. To get the most out of it, you may want to watch it twice. For its genre, it does VERY well and gets the horror thing across perfectly... Too perfectly... But it does take longer to get what is going on here than it does to understand Serial Experiments Lain... so 8 sugar cubes.

*Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni = When the Cicadas Cry

Short Thought

So, I thought of a "Yo Momma" joke... that I have no idea if anyone else will find funny... This is the first time I've ever posted a joke I wrote myself, so please be kind to me!

"Yo momma's so ugly God said, 'Let there be light,' then suddenly changed His mind."

Ok... I'm done...

Learning Japanese!

So, you want to learn Japanese, but your school doesn't offer it and you don't know any Japanese people... so... What to do...

I've compiled a list of books and other things that when they are completed will give you the best possible basic and functional knowledge you can get short of getting a formal class, going to Japan, getting someone who speaks it to teach you, etc. This will allow you to read any newspaper you want, converse with confidence, etc...

1. Watch a lot of Japanese media - You'll get an idea of the rhythm of the language, pick up simple grammar, get some vocab, etc. You know...

2. Learn Japanese the Fast and Fun Way - DO NOT do this series the way they tell you to. Learn each sentence. It comes with a book and 4 tapes. Learn this and you will know how to ask and give directions, how to interact with hotel staff, heck, you'll even be able to describe your ideal haircut, explain exactly what symptoms you have if you get sick, and talk intelligently about what is wrong with your car. It is the book for the person who wants to know a little bit of everything. The book has bad reviews on Amazon. Ignore them. You won't learn much more than simple polite past, present, and gerund as far as grammar is concerned, but you'll have a vocab that spans farther than a lot of people studying Japanese IF you study each sentence rather than just what the program tells you to focus on. Grammar will come in later books listed here.

3. Remembering the Kana - To do the other books, you need to learn hiragana and katagana. Don't even bother picking up any of the other books on this list without learning them. They advertise you can learn the kana in 6 hours.

4. Either the Genki or Japanese for College Students series. Both have excellent reviews. Both are used in colleges with great success and by individuals seeking self-study. I personally use JCS and #3 is so important because it is impossible to read the first page of lesson 1 of that series if you don't know hiragana at least. You technically CAN learn katagana as you go through this series, but you need to know hiragana. This series does have a few hundred kanji in it, so learning 2,000+ kanji with the next set of books seems less daunting.

5. The Remembering the Kanji series. There are 3 books in this series. The first book teaches you by elements of the kanji how to remember the meaning of around 2,000 kanji. Book 2 teaches you how to read those kanji. The last book teaches you how to understand and read 1,000 more advanced kanji.

6. Finally, the last step is to get into a program like www.mylanguageexchange.com where you can post a profile and meet Japanese people who want to practice their English with you. Yeah, you probably won't find someone who will teach you the WHOLE language, but there is literally always someone online to practice with live over the internet. There are many sites like this. Rosetta Stone even has one that I believe is free.

After this, why don't you go pick up a Japanese novel? You'll be pleasantly surprised. :)

Oh! And for those of us with iPhones, you can text in Japanese!

This list is in this order because each builds off of the last to make it seem less daunting. Learn Japanese is all in romanji, so it is a gentle way to ease into learning Japanese. The JCS and Genki series use hiragana more in the beginning and move on slowly into using more and more kanji. The vocabulary found here may be largely familiar from media or from Learn Japanese. The new additions here are the grammar, some vocab, and the viewing of many common words in Japanese. A total of 3,000+ kanji is a daunting task, but not as daunting if you've already knocked out a few hundred. I don't know about Genki, but JCS teaches different ways to read certain kanji and frequent combinations anyway. So, Remembering the Kanji becomes less intimidating.

And one more note: I am not saying I've done all this! But I'm working through it slowly. I made this list through a lot of research on school programs, reviews on Japanese books by people who have learned on their own, and by buying and using Japanese learning texts and computer learning/audio programs. I also have a degree in another language, so this is also by comparing learning techniques found in the books. (I have not used Rosetta Stone. It has great reviews, but I don't have that kind of money to spend. Occasionally though, people do sell it for cheap on Craigs List if you're interested.)

Naturally, there is no substitute for a teacher, but I think this is the next best thing!

"What Happens When Richard Castle Writes an Anime" - School Days - 9/10 Sugar Cubes

Genre: Romance... and some genre not invented yet

Media: Anime and Manga

“Now that’s what I call entertainment!”

This story starts out like all good romances should: the boy (Makoto) meets the girl (Kotonoha) on the train through a mutual friend. Then, they mutually fall in love and go on dates. Aww

But, there is one problem! Sekai, the mutual friend, also likes Makoto! If you think you know how this is going to end, (are you thinking Peach Girl? I hope not…) you are so wrong. (And I’m laughing at you ^.^)

Thus begins the most… um… lurid… romance you will ever see!

THE BREAKDOWN

Story: WAY too unique to be given anything less than a 9.

Characters: Makoto was not loveable at all. I usually like to like the boys the shoujo like, but this time, I didn’t need to like him. For once, it was so much better this way. It made it easier to concentrate on the “action”.

Art: Good. Nice and modern. Crisp.

Recommended: I do recommend this anime because it is so “out there”. Every time you think you know how the next episode will go, a new arc in the story starts that is MUCH crazier than the last.

All in All: If you are tired of the typical, take a peek at School Days, where Sex and the City goes REALLY wrong.

Disclaimer: You might not want to watch this with youngsters… or your parents… or people new to anime… or people eating food… or people with weak stomachs… Enjoy!

"Wanna Fangirl?" - Dengeki Daisy (Manga) - 10/10 Sugar Cubes

Genre: Romance, Shoujo

“He’s a janitor. And he’s hot.”

Summary: Teru recently lost brother, her only relative. Before he died, he gave her a cell phone with which to contact Daisy, a man charged to be her support after his death. Teru begins messaging Daisy and the two develop a friendly relationship despite never having met one another.

One day at school, Teru defends a boy from a group of bullies, but winds up breaking a window. She bails. The janitor, Kurosaki, barges into her classroom, picks her up, and demands for her to “pay for it with her body” in front of everyone. Thus begins Teru’s relationship with the evil tsundere who watches over her known also as Daisy.

Story: So cute and getting better each chapter. There is something to happily fangirl over every time a new one is released.

Characters: This mangaka is known for her atypical female main characters. Tired of the chibi idiots with no more than 2 good points if that? Teru is bold, hard-working, sweet, but most of all, logical.

Kurosaki makes you just want to put your arms around him and hug him forever! I think I’ve fangirled over him more than Ouran’s Tamaki... He’s the perfect tsundere as the audience gets to see him talk to Teru as the loving Daisy and interact with her directly as the sarcastic jerk.

Surprisingly even the side characters are interesting.

Art: This is the same mangaka as Beast Master, so the style is the same. It is beautifully done constantly proportional characters. Great quality artwork.

Recommended: Definitely! Beautiful story with cryptic pasts and romantic moments and everything a girl could want in a high school shoujo manga. ♥

All in All: KYAAA!!!

Disclaimer: None! It is everyone-friendly!