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Random Thoughts of an Otaku
May. 11th, 2008
03:19 pm - Cowboy Bebop Thoughts-Minor Spoilers
I have finally seen the classic anime series Cowboy Bebop (the series everyone says adult's should see for anime). It is an excellent series and can understand why people like it. It has an almost totally stand alone nature to it. It is amazingly well drawn, written, design and (in English) acted series. Is it the best series I have ever seen? It is in top five or ten I have ever seen. I don't want to say it is the best I have ever seen 10 minutes after the final volume. Neon Genesis Evangelion is the best series I have ever seen.
My biggest problem with Cowboy Bebop is that it is almost episodic in nature. The main villian in the series is Vicious. Vicious is only in five episodes of the whole series. I know it is about life on a spaceship full of bounty hunter, but if Vicious is that powerful he should play more a pivital role to series. It also leads to some head scratching episodes like Episode 23. The story of the episode is about this guru taking people's memories. The only tie to the other characters is that he is a bounty to them.
Compare that to Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. In both seasons, there are stand alone episodes to expound on a character such as the episode where Batou and Togusa face serial bombers. They still had the main villian involved or tied to the main story arc of the series. They still tied in to the big end of the season and the mystery Section 9 is trying to solve.
This series is definitely worth spending the $45 or so that the online sites are selling the new Cowboy Bebop box set for. It has alot of praise that is well deserved for it. I just think it is slightly overhyped as a series by the marketers.
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contemplativeMay. 4th, 2008
08:30 am - Saw Iron Man Yesterday
After WW meeting and Free Comic books Day, I went to the movies and saw Iron Man. I really enjoyed the film. It was very true to the comic books. The surprising thing was that the theatre (biggest in the 14-plex) was about a third full. There isn't a big stampede to see this film. I remember going to Spiderman on opening day (first show) and it being packed. I guess Iron Man isn't as mainstream appeal as some had hoped. If you want to see a good film, then go see Iron Man.
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calmMay. 2nd, 2008
05:46 pm - Free Comic Book Day and other things
Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day. This is a celebration where people get free comics for showing up to their local store. Comics and Manga have never been better, so why not give this art form a try for free. http://www.freecomicbookday.com for a list of what is being given away and where you can get them. I will be at KC Comics tomorrow at Noon to get my free comics along with my monthly box cleaning.
Iron Man movie is after that. I wish I could see it with Mark tonight to get a chance to talk, but I get out of work too late to do so. It has the hard core fans liking it, so that says something in and of itself. I am not a hard core Iron Man fan, but I do want to see the movie.
The relatively quiet weekends I am having over the next few weeks are a. for my sanity and b. because I am going to the Preakness on May 17th at Pimlico. It will be my first Preakness, so I will have a 12 hour day between getting there, the event and getting home. I will not be drinking, but will be getting a Preakness glass for mom as a late Mom's day gift. I also hope to win some Exacta's or hey how about the Preakness Trifecta. It is usually a good bet to do Exacta and Trifectas when you have a 1-5 shot in the field. I do enjoy Horse Racing as a casual fan. I am lucky to have the Preakness in my backyard.
contentApr. 27th, 2008
09:13 pm - Appleseed Ex Machina review and Anime Expo Update
I have been seeing some anime this weekend and I finally got to see Appleseed: Ex Machina (one of Mom's Birthday gifts). I must say this film just rocks. If you want to see the present and future of Japanese animation, see this film. Appleseed: Ex Machina is based on the manga series from Shirow Masamune. The story is set in a place called Olympus. This is the so called perfect future world after a world war destroys the earth. It tells the story of Deunan Kunte and her partner Briarios as they fight together on the E-Swat Police force. They have to stop a riot after a cybernetic device runs wild and controls people.
It is a well put together story. I believe it is worth of a Hugo nomination for 2009 and I will put up the recommendation next Hugo season. The 3D animation is what makes this amazing. The technolgy has advanced alot in the last three years, since the first Appleseed movie came out. The story seems to be better thought than the first film. The english language dub is very well put together. It was done by ADV films along with the subtitle translation. You should find this film on Netflix along with Wal-Mart, Blockbuster and Target. It is definitely worth a buy.
I also have firm hotel plans for Anime Expo out in LA. I will be at the Westin Bonaventure starting on July 2nd and leaving on July 8th. It really looks like a very nice hotel. It has a refrigerator to store food in, which will help with the diet and a walking track as part of their Fitness center. Room share ranges from $280-550 depending on the number of people. Also, it is less if you need for less nights than the six I plan to have. If you are interested, please respond to this post or E-mail.
Apr. 26th, 2008
12:17 pm - Quiet weekend and other things
I have had a busy week with getting close to Month end, so I am having a very quiet weekend for the next three weekends until Preakness. I was on the road four out of the last five weekends, so some quiet time is not a bad thing. I need to start catching up on my Anime backlog before Anime Expo, so that will give me time to do that.
As I hit the two and a half month mark with Weight Watchers, I think it is time to give an update. I have lost 27.6 pounds, since starting the program. I am so glad I am doing this for myself. I am not doing it for my mom or my family. I am doing it, so I can be a healthier person. I do worry about type two diabetes at my current weight.
contemplativeApr. 23rd, 2008
08:58 pm - Anime Expo Trip and other things
The first major change to my 2008 fannish plans happened today. I have decided to go to Anime Expo this year instead of Denvention. I knew Worldcon was going to be on the East Coast next year and decided to go to Anime Expo. I have seen the last two years of great guests and events pass me by and decided to take the risk.
I also have decided that I don't want to do this alone. I am giving my fannish friends first crack at being part of this trip (for the room share part). My tenative plans are to fly out on July 2nd and come back on July 8th. The room dates are flexible, but I do want to see Universal Studios Hollywood and a Dodgers game during my visit. My room plan involves staying in one of the conference hotels. Who wants to experience Anime Expo with me? Talk to me through e-mail on that part.
I have a harder decision to make than to go to Anime Expo. That I will talk about after I make it later this week.
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anxiousApr. 22nd, 2008
08:19 am - Hairspray the Musical Thoughts (Minor Spoilers)
I went to see Hairspray on Saturday night in NYC and had a blast. I know the true bits of the story. There was a show called the Buddy Dean show on WJZ-TV in Baltimore that was a white only show. The show never integrated, but instead just shut down production. It was a ground breaking show that was a ton of fun for it's time. This show is part of John Waters inspiration for the original movie and the musical.
If you want to have dinner in the Theatre District, try Sofia's Italian Restaurant across the street from the Marriott Marquis and the Tkts booth. It has great Northern Italian food. I had soup, dinner and drink for about $25.00. It was worth the money and probably less than had I eaten at Gallagher's Steak house next to the theatre.
The show is about this girl Tracy Turnblad who tries to get on the Corny Collins show in 1962 Baltimore. Along the way, she tries to break the show's color barrier and win Miss Teen Hairspray. Melissa Perry as Tracy Turnblad is great. This is her big broadway break and has alot of shine and passion for the role of Tracy Turnblad.
George Wendt is Edna Turnblad. Guys are the only one who play the role of Edna's mother in the musical, since the original movie had Miss Divine (a crossdresser from Baltimore) in the origianl role of Edna. I have not seen Harvey Feinstein's performance (Broadway's original), so I only have the original movie to compare. George Wendt does an amazing job as Edna with good musical and comedic chops of his own.
Other notables on the cast include Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle. She nearly stole the show with her song in the show. Kevin Meaney (from the TV series Uncle Buck and Comedy Central specials) is the principal and a couple of other bit roles.
The music is what makes it a great show. Several songs are running through my head right now including Good Morning Baltimore and You can't stop the beat. This show is worth full price on Broadway or where you can see it in person. http://www.hairsprayontour.com/ for the touring production of Hairspary.
chipperApr. 20th, 2008
06:49 pm - New York Comic Con Thoughts
It was a good weekend for me. I am tired right now and am contemplating big changes for the second half of a year. I will talk more about this later in the week, but on to the convention. Instead of thoughts and the full breakdown, I am going to give my highlights:
-Got a sketch of Wonder woman Transforming. Alot of Artists don't or won't do it. It is a very nice sketch and I will try to get it posted.
-Got to see Hairspray last night. It is an amazing musical that I will write more about tomorrow. It is worth full price, but I didn't and I will explain that tomorrow.
-Gild Hall is a hidden gem of Hotels. I love this Hotel. 42 inch TV's and luxury all throughout. I have booked my NYCC room for next year at that hotel.
-Got to finally get Peter Fernandez (Speed of Speed Racer) autograph. I had the honor of talking with him at the American Anime Awards last year, but I didn't have an autograph book. That is one of my Autographing finds and I didn't get another all weekend.
-http://www.vixensofvirtuevixensofvice.c
-I have done three conventions in three straight months and I am ready for a break. I will talk more later.
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tiredApr. 19th, 2008
06:25 am - Out the door for NYCC
IN less than a hour, I am on the train to New York. I will have to put my bag at my hotel, which is a good buy and about 3 miles away from the convention center. I hope to get to see Broadway. I will have a full report tomorrow evening or Monday morning. See you guys then.
cheerfulApr. 13th, 2008
09:05 pm - Two Things I forget to mention about Sakura Matsuri
I have seen two interesting things that I forgot to mention yesterday. First of all, I have tasted Sake for the first time. I thought it would taste like Vodka, but it didn't taste like that at all. It tastes very floral flavors. I don't know how expensive it was. It was leftovers from someone else's bottle. It is fine because you are drinking it from a cup and not directly from the bottle. It makes we want to learn more about Sake appreciation. What is good and what isn't good in Sake. I don't think Anime USA's hotel would allow us to do something like that.
Secondly, I have seen my first George Bush cosplayer. He was a protester in a mask. The look on the local's face was priceless. The guy was cool with it. He knew it was going to be on the web by today. I guess the locals who ride Metro alot have seen a dime a dozen of them and are ready for Obama, Hillary or McCain protesters.
http://ramothhe.livejournal.com/634
chipper09:22 am - Sakura Matsuri report
There are advantages to living in Rednecksville. One of them is I don't have to drive to Baltimore, Philly, DC or NYC. It makes trips like Sakura Matsuri possible thanks to Amtrak.
I got on the 9 AM train at Aberdeen station. The conductor and his assistants know me by name from riding so many times to DC on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It was about 10 minutes early to Union Station. I took the Metro from there to the Festival. I got to the festival early around 10:30 AM, so I just browsed.
The festival started at 11 AM and Nen Daiko (Taiko Drummers from the DC area) weren't at where they were suppose to be. When they were setting up an hour or so earlier, it was raining. That means they were scratched from the programming. The rest of the events did take place on time (a few minutes late).
I hung around various places including to see Koto stringers perform. I would like to see them at Anime USA, but they are generally to quiet of a group for our attendees. Most attendees prefer higher energy groups like the Taiko drummers. I talked to a couple fanacs at the festival and handed out some Anime USA flyers.
I did get Mom a Kimono finally. It is a secret what I got her until Mom's birthday in May. I need to figure out how to wrap the thing and present it to her nicely.
I had lunch of Sushi and Udon bowl around 1 PM. The lines for the food vendors were very long. It was a good thing I got some food in me and I brought some fruit. Last weekend, I was very exhausted during the trip home. Almost to the point of sleeping or just conking out. The problem was that I am probably hyperglycemic and if I don't eat for a long enough period (8 hours) it shows in attitude and everything else.
I got to see the Cosplay contest, which was mismanaged. The first rule of a costume contest is if you don't show up on time, you are disqualified. They didn't follow that rule. This led to an hour and a half contest, which was suppose to be done in 30 minutes. It nearly led to the Japanese Breakdancers to leave, since they were suppose to go on stage at 2:30 PM. I think I sound like Kevin Lillard of A Fans View.
I found out that Dinner meeting I had with Ramothhe wasn't until 5:30 PM, so I decided to see Happy Fun Smile (an okinawan group from NYC). I must say they are very high energy, but they don't mix well together. The keyboard and other instruments overpower the vocals. I always view that the vocals should be heard and not the music. It may work better in a theatre or ballroom environment, since the sound is better balanced in those rooms than at a Street Festival. Would I recommend that a con invite them as a guest? I am not so, sure.
It was close to 5:00 PM at that point, so I started to head down to the Federal Triangle Metrostop. Ramothhe was a few minutes late due to having to change from costume. We then went to Wok N Roll a block from Verizon Center. I had Chicken Teriyaki and Shrimp lo Mein. They aren't the best for the diet, but I was ready for some food. I did avoid the rice as that is extra calories. It was affordable at about $20 for my meal. I would recommend it again for people to experience before a Wizards or Capitals game.
I also had a chance to talk convention running with Ramothhe. I gave her some ideas for marketing and raising money for the convention that Anime USA does. Also, some thoughts on logistical and programming matters.
After the long day, I finally got home about 10:30 PM via a ride from one of the DAS folks. It was a very nice day. Now to do laundry, do some running today and get ready for NYCC next weekend.
chipperApr. 11th, 2008
07:22 pm - Will be at Sakura Matsuri
I will be at Sakura Matsuri tomorrow. The showers and thunderstorm chances are at 30% for tomorrow, so I have made the decision to go. I will be seeing the event and also buying a gift for my Mom's Birthday from Kyoto Kimono or Arise. She has always wanted a Kimono or Haori jacket. She doesn't read Livejournal, so the secret should be safe for a month or so. I should be around the area there at 11 AM or so. I may see part of the parade. I should be able to make the DAS dinner afterwards.
chipperApr. 10th, 2008
09:41 am - Anybody going to be at Sakura Matsuri this weekend
I was planning on going to the BSFS meeting, but that fell through because the ride back home can't make it. I am thinking about Sakura Matsuri in DC this weekend (depending on the weather). It is the largest Japanese street festival (in terms of attendance in the country). San Francisco, New York, maybe LA and Philadelphia are the only other major cities that hold a major festival like this. It is a good way to learn more about Japanese culture. http://www.sakuramatsuri.org is the website.
chipperApr. 9th, 2008
09:43 pm - The Dream conventions for fans
I have traveled alot of places in my fannish life, so far. I have been to San Diego Comic Con, the hometown Anime con is Otakon and I will be going to Worldcon in Denver and Montreal (hopefully with my mother). There are still conventions that I have never been to and if I travel to 20 conventions a year I will not see all of the fan conventions there are. There are some you will never see me at like Darkovercon (Darkover style fantasy). These are the conventions that I haven't been to, but want to go to:
1. Anime Expo-This is the largest anime convention in the country, but I can never motivate myself to get to this convention. I have this fear that I won't like the convention. Maybe, it is the fear that the show leaves the fan out of the equation that makes me think this. Maybe, it was the exhaustion that I felt after SDCC that makes wonder what would Anime Expo be like on my mentally and physically.
2. DragonCon- It is the largest Science Fiction, Fantasy and mish mash fandom convention in the country at 30,000 plus in Atlanta on Memorial Day weekend. I hope to get to this in 2010 because this year and next year is a no go because of end of month at work. I do wish I worked in a less month to month environment.
3. Sakura Con-This is among the Top five anime conventions in the country in Seattle. They always seem to get interesting guests like Ali Project this year. It isn't a small con, but it isn't Otakon size. I also know some of the people there from the Anime Convention runners dineer at Otakon. If I hit a West Coast convention again, I would go to Seattle (even though it is very rainy).
4. A foreign Worldcon-A foreign Worldcon (Canada doesn't count) makes for an interesting vacation. Not just because it is Worldcon, but it also forces you to see a country. I don't think I will make the Worldcon in Australia because it is just so expensive for airfare alone. That is unless I win http://taff.org.uk/duff.html DUFF in 2010. I expect that an Australian will come to Anticipation to keep the streak going for 2010.
5. Gen Con Indy- I am a wanna be gamer. Gen Con should have some games that I can just learn and try to compete in. Indy should be worth at least a couple days extra visiting. They also have a pretty mean Hold Em No Limit Poker tournament.
This leads to the obvious question. What are your dream fan conventions?
contemplativeApr. 6th, 2008
10:15 am - A true story of the choices we make
I read an e-mail on a cool rainy morning hear in Rednecksville, USA. It is about the story of Shay, who gets the chance to play baseball for once in his life and became a hero in his father's life because of it. I am not going to put up the glorified story from the e-mail of whether you should put this story into public discourse or not or talk about how we don't hear about the good things in life. I believe the story has some merit to it. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poe
Apr. 3rd, 2008
08:13 am - X Japan to play Madison Square Garden
I usually don't comment on a J-Rock band playing a venue, but I find it notable that X Japan is playing Madison Square Garden. Madison Square Garden is the historic arena on 34th street in New York City. http://tinyurl.com/2pgpl6 for the full information.
I am surprised that they did choose to go with an arena and to do it on a non-convention weekend (September 13th). I also remember that NY Anime Festival was that weekend, but is now two weeks before Anime USA (September 26-28). I personally think they won't break even from the show. They needed to play at an Anime Convention or the West Coast because an anime convention would have provided them willing fans or the West Coast where most people of Japanese ancestry are.
The business side of me thinks this won't sell out at all. They will be lucky to get 10,000 people because they aren't tied to an anime convention or the west coast. The probable cost would be between $60-150 a piece. Most of the few J-Pop/J-Rock shows outside of conventions have sold out. They were all in 1,000-2,000 seat clubs. This is in a 20,000 seat arena.
I do know of X Japan and like their theme from the X/1999 films. I would love to go, but this is the September/October Convention schedule in the Northeastern US:
September 5-7 T-mode in Arlington, VA (Fun con, but a day con at most).
September 26-28 New York Anime Festival at the Javits Center
October 3-5 Providence Anime Conference in Providence, RI
October 10-12 (9-13 for me) Anime USA in Arlington, VA
I am not including the conventions after Anime USA, such as Zenkaikon and Nekocon. This mean some event is going to have a down year, but I don't know which one. It does make a convention staffer want to take a year off from convention running. I am not that stupid with only six months until convention.
Apr. 1st, 2008
09:18 pm - Anybody for the Caps Game on Saturday
I am thinking about going to the Capitals Game on Saturday night after the Anime USA meeting. Game time is 7 PM at Verizon Center and they are giving away Alex Ovechkin Bobbleheads. If the Capitals win on Saturday, they could be in the playoffs. I am game to going to the game who else would be interested. Just post in the thread and I will see what I can get ticket wise.
chipperMar. 31st, 2008
08:16 am - Opening Day
Today is opening day in the Major Leagues, but it doesn't feel like Baseball season for me. I gave up after 2006 liking the Orioles and now I just wait for the Ironbirds opening day. The first baseball game I will see all year is my first Ironbirds game. I am excited about Ironbirds baseball, though.
contentMar. 28th, 2008
09:30 am - A nice quiet weekend for me
It is going to be a very quiet weekend for me. I may pick up my comic books this weekend. I have an Anime USA meeting next Saturday. I have to get my numbers together for radios. I think I have all radio counts and base stations. I just need to get a list together and send it out for review before I bid it out. I also need to get the company we used before going with Katsucon radios. I am also glad that I will be doing a quiet weekend, since it is end of month at work.
happyMar. 25th, 2008
08:00 am - Baseball for Anime Fans
Kevin Standlee pointed out this Tank McNamara cartoon from the Sunday paper. I don't have Tank McNamara in the local paper (I think he is in the DC Post or Times), since I see him in one of the DC newspapers. Here is the actual link to the cartoon:
http://images.ucomics.com/comics/tm/200
I think you will definitely enjoy this if you are into anime or baseball.
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