Back after 3 long months...

I am back again, after a long hiatus of 3 months or so, namely, since I moved to the new house. Why is that, one might wonder... Moving to a new place really messed me up: new surroundings, stairs to climb all the time, getting used to it... It takes some time, really, to settle in, and the whole process is quite tiresome for me. I am not very fond of changes.

But now, I am OK. Mostly OK. I am settled, yes, but starting to feel a bit depressed: it's one year since I went to Rio last, and I miss it a lot. We will go there for Christmas, true. But whenever I stay more than 10-11 months away, I start to feel depressed and anxious. So, that's why.

The house is now looking great (I think!), but of course there are still some bits and ends left (hanging pictures, for example).

I still haven't restarted the jewelry though, but at least all my stones and beads are well-organised and in the right places right now.

What have I been up to, during these 3 months then? Well, not much, really, except for the usual: watching DVDs, reading manga and books, organising my little things (Kitty collection, stationery, perfumes, magazines etc) and playing with Super Poke Pets on Facebook. I must say I turned out to be quite an addict, for the pets and objects you buy and collect are so lovely, that it's really very hard to resist!

The manga I've been reading lately are: Nodame Cantabile (Sapphire's recommendation, really great), Inuyasha (yes, yes, still!), Chibi Vampire (which just ended in a rather abrupt/hurried way), XXXHolic (which quickly became one of my favourites), and some others. As for the books, mostly Japanese authors: Natsume Soseki, Natsuo Kirino, Yoko Ogawa. Special mention of course goes to Natsume Soseki, a wonderful Japanese classic. I started by reading his "Kokoro", which is very moving and very hard to put down. I was wanting to read him for some time already, since I read Murakami's (indirect) praises of his work in "Kafka on the Shore" some years ago. At the time I thought: well, if it's something Murakami (his characters, in this case) waxes lyrical about it, of course I am bound to love it. And I was right. It's not a light reading, but one that really makes you think and consider a series of things. And if you enjoy Japanese culture, even better, however the chore of this specific work was rather universal , global, ie, things that anyone (in spite of cultural differences, backgrounds, religion, gender etc) can feel, live and why not, die for. But that was his first book I read, and quickly bought some others: "The Three-Cornered World", "The Gate" and "I Am a Cat" - but am only starting the former tonight.

Talking of books then... Our Play Room (aka library, aka computer room, aka...) is finally ready. Mark finished the book shelves that we bought in Ikea (my favourite place for house stuff, for sure!) and I am very happy to report that our book organising issues are all sorted (for now, ha ha! Nah, just kidding...)...

If you want to have a better look, please click the thumbnails for a magnified view...




And some details here...

My very own Shikon no Tama...

This month I have decided to celebrate Inuyasha's last anime series and last manga books. Yes, it will be over. I will miss it a lot, for I am a big fan of Rumiko Takahashi's work, and especially Inuyasha that I have followed for some years already. This week I will order the last DVD box (series VII). As for the books, I am not sure where it stands so far, and how many more volumes are expected.

Since it's celebration time, and the last shards are to be found soon, I have decided to make my own Shikon jewel. Thus, the name of the piece is simply Shikon no Tama (Jewel of the Four Souls), a globe of light composed by these 4 principles (=souls):

- Courage,
- Wisdom,
- Friendship,
- Love.

I will not go into the plot details though, since it would take a long time. At any rate, if you found this post today, it's probably because you already know Inuyasha anyway! My version of the jewel is a bit elaborate perhaps, in comparison with the original artwork by Takahashi-san. It pretty much complies with my own style of jewellery-making: a bit "baroque" perhaps, mixing several materials and trying to convey a meaning, rather than the object "per se". Thus, if you find that it's not at all like the original Shikon (and most certainly it isn't), please bear in mind that it is simply the result of my own personal interpretation.

Here is my Shikon then:

The following materials have been used:

- One round hand blown Murano glass sphere with gold foil;
- Two faceted Czech crystals surrounding it, with Aurora Borealis coating;
- Several Swarovski bicones and two small pendants in different shades of topaz;
- Several tourmaline chips in shades of forest green, aqua, yellow and pink;
- Several vintage Swarovski molted champagne pearls;
- Small glass pearls in deep green that I brought from Prague last month;
- Small round Czech fire golden beads;
- Toggle gold-plated Bali clasp, all threaded on a metallic champagne wire.

To have a better look at the pictures next, please don't forget to click on the thumbnails to magnify:


Two close-ups of the Bali toggle clasp. The small Czech fire beads and dark green pearls can also be seen.


Two pictures showing close-ups of the Murano focal bead and the faceted Czech crystals, along with other various elements...


The above photos show detailed views of the Swarovski regular and top-drilled bicones, and also the small pearls, Czech fire golden beads and vintage Swarovski pearls. These are quite old, but still have an amazing shine and smooth texture.


These pictures display a nice view of the faceted Czech crystals, as well as some of the bicones and pearls. I have decided to include them because I really like the golden reflections and iridescence generated by the AB coating and facets. A nice play of light.


These three shots focus on the Swarovski vintage pearls. They measure 10mm each. I have included tourmaline chips between them, which made the threading process a bit harder and longer since the holes are too small, as are the chips of course (the smaller they are, the harder it gets to even hold them). Tourmalines are quite expensive when compared to other minerals, but do have a wonderful translucence. The colours (in this case yellow/amber, pink, dark and aqua green) go really well together - to my surprise, I must say!


More detailed shots of the tourmaline chips... and, below, two more views of the piece:

Manga to Love - "Cat Eyed Boy"

Cat Eyed Boy Vol. 1

This manga is deliciously trashy! I can also detect a big Tezuka influence here, by the way, just in case you appreciate that "old-school" manga style.

By referring to it as "trashy", however, I do not intend to minimise its importance by all means, but just to relate it to the aesthetics of some American horror films (and even ads) from the 50's and 60's. As an example, check out this text on the back cover:

"A CHILLY CONCOCTION OF DARK VIGNETTES DRIPPING WITH THE MACABRE, THE GROTESQUE AND THE ABSURD."

Reading it is pretty much like being carried away in a delirious ghost train ride, in a black-and-white amusement park of yore. And, as such, a delightful experience, and almost nostalgic.

Cat Eyed Boy is a horror manga, written by a master of the genre, Kazuo Umezu.

The hero (Nekome kozo, that is, yours very truly Cat Eyed Boy) is a very interesting character: half-monster, half-human, feared by the former and hated by the latter. An outcast in both worlds.

Wherever he goes, tragedy and horror ensue. But in spite of all that you cannot but empathise with him. He is cute, agile, and witty. You even feel like calling him "kitty"...

Some scenes (as expected from a horror manga) are quite disturbing and grotesque, but the story is nicely told through a very bold and strong artwork - almost old-fashioned at that. Some of the situations portrayed end up being quite funny as well, with the protagonist taking turns between hero and villain, in a sort of creepy ambiguity that even makes him look (almost) human.

It's a big book, this first volume of the series, with more or less 500 pages and published by Viz.

Cat Eyed Boy is not your usual, run-of -the-mill manga and, precisely for that reason, worth reading and highly recommended.

Cat Eyed Boy Vol. 2

This sequel to Cat-Eyed Boy is quite good, but not as great as the first volume, in my opinion.

Equally big (again, 500+ pages), it has a special "bonus": some coloured pages from the middle onwards.

The tale The Meatball Monster deserves a special mention here: utterly freaky and dark, you can almost "smell" it! (And that's not necessarily a good thing, I'm afraid).

If you enjoyed the 1st volume, you need to put your hands on this one as well, even if it does not live up to its predecessor.

Death Note - The Movies

We finished watching the live action Death Note films yesterday and it was too good! I've ordered these from YesAsia, for they have the Hong Kong version, with English subtitles (quite a good translation, it must be said).

There are 2 films: the first one is Death Note, and the sequel is Death Note - The Last Name. They were both released in 2006 and I must say the adaptation is excellent, and that everyone who loves the manga should run and watch the films.

It is even better than the anime series, which is too close to the book. The films bring some changes to the original storyline, without modifying the basic premises and it all takes place in less time, not over the years as it happens with the books. They really did a good job here. The ending is a bit sad, but I may also say so from the manga.

(It's also great to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the soundtrack! It goes really well with the story somehow!)

Manga to Love - "With The Light"

Some weeks ago, I was with Mark at the newly refurbished Reads bookshop in Dublin City Centre. I call that bookshop an "emergency bookshop", in the sense that is rather like a convenience store than a real bookshop. By that I mean, it sells the obvious bestseller releases, tourist guides, Irish-themed books for foreigners, calendars, and the sort.

But they've got a tiny manga section, to my surprise. And there I found this book, from Yen Press (that I haven't heard about until then, altough they are re-publishing another favourite of mine - "The Antique Gift Shop"): "With The Light: Raising an Autistic Child", by Keiko Tobe. Really heavy volume that I quickly browsed and decided to buy on the spot and see how it might be. And this was only the 1st volume, covering the main character's early years.

No regrets. The artwork is lovely and the subject quite distinct from the usual manga offers. It is really a manual-like, guide to autism, and very interesting at that. I say "manual-like" because it gives you some guidance on how to help raising a kid with that condition and shows as well some valuable data and pieces of information on the subject. But it is not quite so, or not limited to that. It is a story, with loveable characters and told with sensitivity, interest and knowledge.

It tells about a couple. Sachiko and Masato Azuma, whose 1st child, Hikaru, turns out to have a very peculiar behaviour on his infancy until he is finally diagnosed with autism. The book follows his journey (and his family's) though the condition and how he interacts with the world around him, prejudices, friendship, and all their strive to adapt - not only to the condition itself - but to society as a whole. And as a normal, functional part of it, not merely as a "disabled" or "special" member of it.

Then you realise how hard it must be. For the kid, for the parents, for the teachers. Hard yes, but also rewarding. As I mentioned before, the artwork is very good and the characters are easy to identify even if a bit stereotypical sometimes - Sachiko is way too nice, the Mother-in-law is way too strict and unsympathetic in the beginning, Masato changes abruptly from a workaholic salary man to a loving Father.

The plot is as simple as that: a day in a life. It could easily turn into a mushy, corny piece of a graphic novel, but believe me when I say it is not. Worth buying it, reading and appreciating for the story and the artwork, I cannot do it otherwise but warmly recommend it. And even urge you to get a copy.

(Please click on the scan below to have an example of the text and artwork...)

New Favourite Anime - Jigoku Shoujo

Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl) is my new favourite anime series. I am collecting the manga as well, but I heard it was toned down for younger audiences. You can actually see that in the artwork, which tends to look "cute" most of the time, whereas the anime is surely more sinister and gloomier.

It tells the story of a website (Jigoku Tsushin, or "Hell Correspondence") where you enter at midnight (if lucky enough to be granted access) and transmit the name of a person against whom you have a grudge. The Hell Girl will then come and offer you a straw doll (normally the next day), which is the symbol of the pact you agree in making with her. Once you remove the string around the doll's neck, Hell Girl will immediately call upon your grudge and bring him/her to Hell. That's the idea permeating the episodes.

Fascinating. And it seems Hell is quite busy too, since it's not that easy to get connected. As for your grudge, it needs to be justifiable. Namely, you must take revenge upon an evil person, a real jerk for that matter. It's not just anyone (otherwise it would be too easy, no?)

At any rate, Hell Girl makes sure you understand that, by entering the covenant, your own soul will be the price to pay in the end - but this time, after you are dead.

It's basically a series of revenge tales, and so far, the people being punished are really evil, and seemingly deserving their fate, as I mentioned above. It also seems that Hell, in this case, is a concrete, physical location and not a mere metaphysical concept, since people literally disappear through its magical gates, brought in a boat by the innocent girl herself.

The girl is beautiful, has huge beady red eyes, wears a kimono and traditional clothes and, if anything, starts the episodes with a rather expressionless face. Striking, but empty. However, if you pay attention, you will note that she gradually changes. I am curious to know what is going to happen inside her as the series progresses. You mostly perceive that change through her eyes.

So far, I only watched 5 episodes, the last being "The Woman in The Tall Tower", and at this stage we still don't know much about Enma Ai (the girl). I believe she is atoning for something that happened in her past (past life, that is), but I still don't know what that is. I will wait for the DVD's to be released and the story to unfold by itself, little by little!

I also managed to get two soundtrack albums on eBay, and the music is gorgeous as one might certainly expect from such an eerie plot.

Meanwhile, I can recommend the fan site, containing beautiful wallpapers and extra information.

Have fun!

I am back, finally (and hopefully!)

Terrible, I am terrible. I know... Such a lazy lady... Well, more than 2 months without blogging. Christmas, New Year, Birthday - all these events came and went, and I was here. Either reading manga or reminiscing about our trip to Rio (where I stayed 2 months, by the way).

Then, why am I writing today, of all days? Simply because I have decided to get into the blogging activity again, as simple as that, and because I got something really cool on eBay! It is silly, I know, and people would just think why am I so bloody childish and so on... Especially now, since I just turned 45, so I should know more and be a real adult - once and for all, right? Well, not quite.

Still in love with Keroro, I scored this:

This is a miniature of the Hinata house kitchen, with Kero-chan performing all his daily duties (except vaccum-claning that is) and Tama-chan waiting for some snacks! Comes with saucepans, cleaning products, furniture, cutlery etc! Waaaaaahhhh, so cute! Just look at this detailed pic here:

He looks so proud, no? Showing all his cleaning gear, ah...

How could I not fall in love??? Next will be the miniature of his room (Chibic My Room), and also the Gourmet + Hobby set, which includes delicacies from Keron planet:

Tamama again: too many fizzy drinks

Well, yesterday I blogged a cute Youtube video of Tamama passing some, ahem, gas. He actually blames all the fizzy drinks and colas he drinks in Momochi's house for his uncontrollable "flatulence".

The 1st time he appeared in a Keroro Gunsou episode was quite funny actually. Of course he could not avoid farting (and obviously embarrassing and infuriating Momochi!).

Here it is, with subtitles. Priceless...

Tamama up to his tricks...

Oy, no comments here, but I think it's hilarious...

OK then: which Death Note character are you?

I should be embarrassed to post this. Even because I am NOT a psycho! According to Mark's theories, he was expecting me to get this results since, in his understanding, I am basically a "moral" person and believe in punishment for crimes and injustice. Yes, I think I do, OK...

And, if I found a Death Note and read it, I would die to test it. I would not just ignore it, because I am very curious by nature. What can I do? I would probably start a huge conflict inside me: "Should I? Should I not?", and be completely stressed-out and restless for weeks. Then I would get name and face of a really evil criminal, a psychotic serial killer preferably, and make a little test after some time.

Sorry to admit, but that's what I would most certainly do. And I would probably befriend my Shinigami as well. Ryuk at any rate, was a very likeable character... I don't know what would happen afterwards but I certainly would not continue killing anyone else. I would be in a shock - yet again.

Well, yes, I am "him" in this quiz. Here's the results:





What Death Note Character Are You?


Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

Tonight's Last Quiz: Keroro Gunsou Character??

He! I love this one because it is one of my fave manga!
Which Keroro Gunsou character are you?

Which Sgt. Frog character are you?

Hinata Natsumi! You care a lot about your family, but can hate someone in particular, even if they haven't done anything bad. Take this quiz!

Which Haruhi Suzumiya Character Are You?

Saturday night, time for Anime quizz (again, ha ha). This time from super-cool Haruhi Suzumiya series! So, I am (or seem to be)...



What Suzumiya Character Are You?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

It says - in case you cannot read it:

"You are Mikuru Asahina.
You are a shy and caring person, but sometimes weird."

Oh well, I can be a bit like Mikuru alright, but mostly because I squeak a lot. Well, yeah, maybe I am weird.

By the way, Mark me brought a Haruhi doll from Oslo! He bought it in a Japanese shop there, Neo Tokyo! Actually he likes Haruhi, the anime series. It's quite strange and funny, a bit surreal in fact, and Haruhi is someone with whom lots of people must identify with. I have had lots of Aliens, Espers and Ghost experiences in my teen days - I really "wanted to believe", but that's something for another post maybe (or, to be really sincere, I don't feel like talking about that very much nowadays!).

At any rate, my doll is very nice and cute (most used word in this blog probably!) and already in my display cabinet along with Chi, Keroro, Tamama and others:

Which Inuyasha Character Are You?

If you're fan of Inu Yasha, this quiz is very cool! Here's my results (funny, I more or less expected that):



What Inuyasha Character Are You?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

Er... It's impossible to read what it says, but here it is:

"You are Sango. You are introverted, organized, intelligent and determined.
You have a great potential to do almost everything you want.
Your only weakness is your emotions, which can sometimes get the best of you.
Learn to express yourself properly, and you will overcome this."

Manga to Love - "Death Note"

Mark and I finished reading Death Note, but I want Mark to write about it sometime soon, since it's a Manga that he loves even more than I do. I don't really know if I should title this as "Manga to Love". Maybe it should be "Manga to Move" or something like that, it really makes you think... Apart from that I will only say that it is really beautifully drawn, perfect in (almost) all senses, but a bit depressing, maybe? I don't know. I loved it, but it left me feeling a bit empty. Somehow.

Manga to Love - "Inubaka"

Inubaka is a very cute manga released by Viz Media. I found it at one of our local bookshops, bught the 2nd volume by mistake, and managed to get the 1st one some weeks later from Justmanga.

It tells the story of an adorable 18 year-old girl, Suguri, who decides to move from Saitama to Tokyo with her dog Lupin (a lovely mutt, probably with some Akita blood I would say). She expects to find a job and change her life in the big city and, once there, literally stumbles upon Teppei - a handsome pet shop owner - when Lupin tries to have a go at his she-dog, Noa, yet another super-cute dog, this time a pure breed black Labrador.

Teppei gets really annoyed at Lupin's advances and to compensate for that, the embarrassed Suguri offers to work at his pet shop. Reluctantly, he ends up by accepting her offer.

From then on, the book revolves around her new life at the shop, getting to meet new people and new puppies, and showing how the customers interact with the animals, how they choose their pets, how puppies are cared for, and so on. Also, she happens to have an outstanding talent for the job, and her love, dedication and understanding of dogs is something out of this world. At one stage, Teppei even wonders if she is not a dog herself!

It's a very funny and entertaining manga, different from most, because it shows how a pet shop is supposed to work, how breeders do their job and how attached to a puppy anyone can become. Very interesting and extremely well-drawn, the manga is rich in visual details and research.

I read volumes 1 and 2, and cannot wait for what comes next!

Manga to Love - "Blood Alone"

I am back, finally, from my hermit days. Or at least, I hope so! I haven't been up to very much, really. Feeling way too tired most of the time, which is a waste of time, but then again I must accept that things are like that from time to time.

At least I've been reading lots lately, and finding some real gems of my beloved manga genre! This one is called Blood Alone, by Masayuki Takano, and tells the story of a girl (Misaki) who is not only cute and honest and intelligent. She is also a vampire. And she lives with a writer called Kuroe, who is also intelligent and gorgeous, and holds some mysterious connection with her own past. It may sound at first like nothing but ordinary, but believe me this is not just yet another vampire manga. There are lots of intrigue, suspense, unusual characters and romance too. And the artwork may be one of the best ones I've seen lately, very accurate (facial expressions are just amazing) and detailed, extremely elegant. Impossible not to fall completely for Misaki and Kuroe.

For screenshots of the book, visit the publisher's website and select Blood Alone from the list, so you can read it online first. I have not tried though, since I read the books already, vols. 1 and 2 (and back-ordered 3), but it must work!

New Manga: Princess Tutu

Yesterday we went to Forbidden Planet and I bought myself a new manga, which was already in my wish list for some time, Princess Tutu.

It is a very cute story, in the "magical girl" genre, almost as cute as Cardcaptor Sakura, really. The story is very childish, and about a girl called Ahiru who is a ballet student and falls in love with a boy who is also a dancer in the same school. Mytho seems to be a bit too weird, and Ahiru's visit to a clothes shop (of sorts) opens the door of a magical world where she becomes Princess Tutu and no longer the clumsy little girl that she uses to be in the real world. As Tutu she will be able to rescue her beloved (or at least we hope!) from his apathetic and almost lifeless state.

Why did I buy this? The artwork is very pretty, especially the characters expressions and movement. I am not expecting any depths story-wise. Purely for the fun of it!

Virtual Manga Library

My favourite manga supplier, JustManga, has now a system that allows you to build a database of all your manga! The books you buy with them are automatically added to the library, whereas those bought from another vendor (Amazon for example) can be added manually.

Not only that, it also provides statistics by genre, values and savings! I think it's so cool, and so handy... Amazon also has something similar, but this is so much easier to use and also is a great tool for keeping track of what you own, how many you are missing, your favourite author. I think it is very clever desu!

And here is my personal library:

http://www.justmanga.com/vmb/180

My favourite genre seems to be comedy, what else hey, but I also seem to favour some romance! The values though are the scary part, because you can also see how much you have spent so far with that hobby - not the cheapest, I must admit. And even scarier when you think that it does not include regular books, which you also buy. But what the heck, it's great fun in the end!

New manga I'm reading!

Chibi Vampire - read the 3 first books already. It's very cute and a bit weird. It's about Karin, a young girl born in a traditional family of vampires that now live in Japan. The problem is that Karin is a "reverse vampire", ie, instead of sucking human blood, she needs to bite them to donate blood! She has monthly blood cravings that are always signalled by heavy noose bleeds. She gets involved with Usui Kenta, a handsome yet sad school mate who also happens to be her neighbour. The artwork is very nice even if a bit dark - but then again it suits the overall mood of the story. The characters are also very likeable, especially herself and her Dad Henry Marker, who is indeed very funny (and extremely protective of his lovely daughter).

Yubisaki Milk Tea - this is the gender-bender tale of Yoshinori (aka Nori), a boy that works in a photography studio and, ever since has covered for his sister Yuki in a photo shot (bridal gowns none the less!) has started to feel the urge to dress as a woman now and then. Well, he gets involved with some lovely girls, one of them his cute young neighbour Hidori, and sees himself trapped in a bit of an identity crisis. At the same time the pains of adulthood start to breed: voice changes, growing up some inches... For how long is he going to be able to keep that hobby? The story is funny and sweet, however the artwork lacks a bit of detail and mid-tones, which I so much appreciate. In the other hand it is a very fluid and almost minimalist style, which is also OK and quite suitable to this specific storyline.

Which Negima Character Are You?

Ken Akamatsu strikes again! And here are the results for my Negima personality test! I think it's very appropriate! Nodoka-chan is the librarian of Mahora Academy... Mark and I are reading this manga at the moment and it's quite funny and cute, I'm loving it!

Which Negima Character are you?

Woot! You're mostly like Nodoka. You are very quiet and intelligent. You hang out with a small cluster of friends that understand you, but getting to know new people can make you nervous. You don't talk to many other people besides friends and family. You love to read books and can be very responsible.
Take this quiz!








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Keroro again... (he made me cry!)

Well, yesterday I finished reading "Sgt. Frog" vol. 10, and as ever, it was super-cool. It ends up with, with, how do they call it?... a "cliffhanger", no? Yeah, something like that... And now, the next volume will be issued in July only, so I am quite anxious to see what's gonna happen. It's a critical moment for the Platoon, so, I am waiting to see.

But the thing is... Keroro made a sad speech by the end of the book and, as a result, silly-me here even cried. Then I turned the page and read the rest. Guess what? It was a joke! Yes, he made that speech as a joke. And I - the very silly, pathetic reader - believed him, got moved, cried, but actually the "stupid Frog" (as Natsumi-chan would call him most of the time) was JOKING!!!! Gyaaaahhhh... Fine, fine, OK. I almost forgot it is a comic book, funny-ha ha, but seriously... He was SO convincing...

(I have a problem: sometimes I get a bit too involved!)