Wahfuu Review! Full Review of Rewrite.

Gardening Team Alpha Squad Redux.

I always hate finishing a VN I really like. It kind of feels like a friend is going away and you’ll never know when you’ll see them next. In this case, however, I do know when I’ll see them next, which is Harvest Festa, but I’m not sure if that totally counts. Either way, Rewrite is something I’ll probably remember for a pretty long time. Flawed in quite a few ways but enjoyable in far, far more. From it’s incredibly creative way of showing it’s message, it’s incredibly dark shift in tone, its great sound-track and one of my favorite common routes I’ve ever experienced, mostly due to the hilariously bright cast of characters. Speaking of which, I think Key is going to have to find a way to mix a straight-up foreigner in there next VN. Kud was half and even she has been eclipsed by the ever so absurd Kotori as far as butchering the english language goes. I don’t know how Key plans on topping themselves after this one. Maybe the next setting could be in boston. That’d work.

Continue reading Wahfuu Review! Full Review of Rewrite….

Rewrite: Akane (Cynical Succubus)

I love you too, don’t worry.

I always like giving credit where credit is due, and nobody deserves more credit then Akane’s voice actress, Eri Kitamura. I could never shake off that feeling that she’d make a killing working in phone-sex service. Even the most banal conversations gave off a sultry and very dirty feeling to them. I really have to wonder long for question what an H scene would be like with Akane in question. There would probably be a lot of whips. And handcuffs. Possibly rope depending on how frisky Kotarou is feeling at the time.

Releasing my inner masochism aside, I feel like I want to know where the.. inspiration for Akane came from. Did someone have a really hot and dirty sounding sadist for a girlfriend one time? How did they bring it up when they were discussing characters? “So! This girl here. Yes. Make sure her route is really sad. With a lot of thought provoking messages and character development for Kotarou. And don’t forget the sexy voice and attitude, too! If we’re going to get all serious and gritty we might as well give a stiffy at the same time.” The bastards.

Ladies and gentlemen, Rewrites leading cause of awkward erections, Senri Akane!

Continue reading Rewrite: Akane (Cynical Succubus)…

Criticism vs. Hate

Image Credit: a-ka

“I found the romance somewhat lacking”, “the animation in this scene was horrible”, “good god what were they thinking while making this”, etc.

Sometimes, when you’re listening to a person’s opinion on a particular subject (say, a certain anime or maybe manga/VN), this person seems to go on long tangents about how a certain aspect of the story didn’t meet their expectations and continue by picking apart other qualities that the writers did wrong in their eyes, and seem to have more to say about the negative aspects than the positive aspects of the story. Jesus, this person must FRIGGIN’. HATE. THIS ANIME.

And then you realize: “No, wait… what? This person likes this anime? Not just like, it’s their favorite? Well hell, how the heck was I suppose to know that when they kept on talking down on it!”

Continue reading Criticism vs. Hate…

Characters of 2012 (Happy New Years!)

Now that 2013 has begun, it’s time for me to talk about my favorite aspect of anime: the characters, specifically ones from 2012.

I can’t stress this enough. The quality of storytelling in an anime and its originality are crucial aspects in making an anime memorable, but I always believed that whether or not a series had good characterization and likable characters is what makes or breaks an anime, in terms of deciding it it’s watchable to you. At the very least, that’s how an anime really leaves an impression on me. No matter how well-built the story is or how original it is, if it has boring characters, it won’t leave much of a lasting effect on me. Or, you know, it can have characters that I absolutely loathe and it’ll also leave an effect on me, albeit a bad one. It works conversely!

I suppose a good example would be just from looking at a dozen of classic anime out there, the ones that aren’t too old but are considered retro in the present times. Those gems from the 80′s to 90′s probably don’t have stories that we’d consider to be unique concepts today, but the characterization and character dynamics were so good that they were able to hold the show/story up enough for people to remember them decades later. And obviously, characters are crucial in deciding whether a slice-of-life anime with no overarching plot is enjoyable.

This is a list of my personal favorite characters from 2012.

Continue reading Characters of 2012 (Happy New Years!)…

Anime of 2012

Image Credit: wamochi

It’s time to get down to business in picking some needles out of a haystack. Overall, I’d say that this was a pretty weak year in terms of anime, but that isn’t to say there weren’t a handful of series that managed to stick out, in both a good and a bad way. This post will chronicles some of the series that managed to make some sort of impression on me this year – the good and the bad.

Based on categories ranging from most endearing to most loathed, the funniest to the unfunny, the best writing to the most obnoxious wish-fulfillment, etc. Obviously the selection’s only from the series I’ve bothered to watch, so feel free to suggest any gems that impressed you and I’ll gladly marathon them along with the rest of my backlog. I might even update this list, maybe.

Continue reading Anime of 2012…

Key’s Rewrite! First Thoughts and Feelings Thus Far

I DO THIS TO MYSELF. I REGRET NOTHING.

PROCRASTINATION HO!

We interrupt your broadcasting of Duel Savior and Da Capo III for another visual novel to once again delay everything else I’m doing! Yes, everyone, it’s that time of the year. Where some really cool guys translate the latest Key visual novel (in record time!) and everyone is forced to go through bitch-tears and reduced masculinity for awhile. Yep, it’s that old song and dance. Rewrite has been translated. And unfortunately, everything else I’ve been doing has taken a small trip into the back-burner, because there is no way at all I can bring myself to read anything else when I have something so hyped in front of me.

So, curious? Of course you are. So this, friends and enemies alike, is the beginning of my journey into Key’s latest monstrosity! Let’s get ready to count the scars, alrighty? Okay, so, on with the show!

Continue reading Key’s Rewrite! First Thoughts and Feelings Thus Far…

12 Days of Anime, Day 10: Baseball Tears

Image Credit: imo mushi from Pixiv

Couldn’t get this post up yesterday because I was at a family Christmas Party (which doubled as a birthday party for my little sister, which is why I went). Strange seeing my cousins/nieces unwrapping their presents on the 23rd.

Gonna get Day 11 up later today because today is technically Day 11… and I’d be bothered if I broke the flow of these and decide to end it on the 26th.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

Continue reading 12 Days of Anime, Day 10: Baseball Tears…

Imouto birthday! Favorite little sisters in anime

Image Credit: namori from Pixiv

Hold it. Stop. Forget the holidays for a second. It’s my sister’s seventh birthday today. Because of this, I was sort of inspired to make a top-best list of cutest little sister characters, before my family decides to get all festive in celebration of the birth of the most adorkable first grader I know. Of course, I don’t know that many first graders to begin with, but… whatever!

She may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but it’s nice to have her around to brighten up the mood. Which is what little sisters are for in fiction, most of the time. At least in Japanese fiction, where the presence of a little sister character is supposed to be soothing – and these just happened to be my favorite little sister characters in recent times.

Continue reading Imouto birthday! Favorite little sisters in anime…

Wahfuu Rant: The Nukige Effect

How’s it feel knowing that people look at this and Bible Black as the same thing?

Oh boy, have I wanted to do this one.

I’m probably going to offend someone here, and if I do, I at least slightly apologize. I just can’t much take this anymore. I really get more and more annoyed every time this seemingly stupid subject comes up whenever the topic of VNs comes up. It’s driven me to the point of madness here, and this is at least a slight release for something I’ve wanted to say for awhile.

Continue reading Wahfuu Rant: The Nukige Effect…

(Wahfuu) Little Busters! Rant! Seriously, People?

Flippin around doin yo airbenderin shit.

I must say, I typically am one to let things die after I’ve said them once. If people don’t listen, like, appreciate, or agree with whatever someone says the first time, repeating something just becomes annoying and doesn’t really contribute to any sort of productivity. I think I’m going to break my own code of conduct one time here though. Just once. Then I’ll hopefully be able to shut up about this forever.

For about the 100th time this month, this is about Little Busters!, the terribly stupid hatred on J.C staff, the KyoAni gurgling, and just the amazing amounts of stupidity I have seen across the entire board from everything.

Continue reading (Wahfuu) Little Busters! Rant! Seriously, People?…

Hyouka 20 – No awesome thigh scene here

Me on Sundays.

Man, Houtarou. It’s pretty obvious that you and Chitanda want it both ways. And it’s especially obvious in this episode, where Chitanda was willing to remove her obi in front of you. Too bad Kyoto Animation didn’t try to top the situation that happened in CLANNAD, where instead of an awkward and hilarious scene between a guy and a girl in her burumas locked in a shed, it’s an awkward and hilarious scene between a guy and a girl exposing her EVERYTHING locked in a shed.

What we expected:

What we got:

Hm… Kininarimasu, indeed.

In retrospect… HNNNNNG KIMONOS. Nothing to complain about.

The Podcast With No Name – Episode 1: Popping the Cherry

On the agenda for our pilot episode, we have the upcoming Little Busters! anime, Spice & Wolf and other light novels, Da Capo III and other untranslated visual novels, Tales of Xillia being localized, and of course, plenty of extra topics because we can’t stop talking.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Fortune Arterial: Introduction!

Vampires and Moe, my typical sunday!

Hello, my beautiful people. It’s Wahfuu! That guy that you pretty much only known for ranting about the School Days anime and the Da Capo III review! Here, we have a different project. And no, this does not mean I am giving up on Da Capo III. I have a post about the second (yes, SECOND) common route already written and coming soon (if SOMEONE-that-shall-not-be-named on this blog would start HELPING) so, don’t fret, worry, or do whatever people do when they don’t get their milk. It’ll come. I promise.

I’ve been clawing at the bit to read this. Some of you may have heard about it, and some of you may have heard how awful the anime is in comparison (Note: It is pretty bad). Maybe some of you didn’t even know it was a Visual Novel! Either way, it doesn’t matter. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the ever-so-famous, Fortune Arterial!

Continue reading Fortune Arterial: Introduction!…

RE: The roots of our fandom

Yumeka of Mainichi Anime Yume wrote an article where she harkened back to her childhood and examined the origins of when her love of anime first began and, of course, why it still persists in her heart today. She asked her readers if they could trace any instances of early “nerdom” within their childhoods that may have contributed to their love for anime today and if there were any obstacles in regards to the indulgence in these hobbies (home environment, parents, peers, etc.)

Instead of sharing my own story as a comment on her blog, I decided to reply to it as a post of my own.

Continue reading WALLS OF NOSTALGIA AND TEXT LOL…

Visual Novels vs. Dating Simulation Games

A widely skewed image of the visual novel genre. and a commonly incorrect usage of the term “dating simulation,” keeps people from trying out an otherwise excellent method of storytelling.

Take the rather recent “Katawa Shoujo,” for instance. Many people went in thinking it was a “dating sim” about disabled girls. While the story is about disabled girls, it is not a dating simulation game. It’s an emotional visual novel that will break even the most wicked of souls. Calling it a dating simulation game is as correct as calling Half-Life 2 an RPG. Or Eiken a “good anime” (ha ha). Which is why I felt like making this post, “Visual Novels vs. Dating Simulation Games.” For all you savvy folks out there, this post isn’t to put down one or the other, but to educate.

Within this post, I will post both the similarities and differences between visual novels and dating sims, and hope to take down any misconceptions about the former by forming a clear description of what the latter really is.

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A batch of Clannad tributes

Just a few tributes to possibly one of the saddest visual novel stories ever told, in the form of full opening music videos. I hope you enjoy!

(This reminds me, I can’t wait for the translation of Key’s new visual novel Rewrite. Almost time for another round of emotional torture!)

Continue reading A batch of Clannad tributes…

Top 10 Xenophobic/Ignorant Attitudes Aimed Towards Japanese Media

I’ll give you a cookie if you can name all three characters and where they originated.

The list is in no specific order. #5 may apply to other countries, as well. Also note that I’m against these opinions, not siding with them.

Continue reading Top 10 Xenophobic/Ignorant Attitudes Aimed Towards Japanese Media…

CLANNAD 03

THE 萌え CHARTS ARE OFF THE SCALE.

Fuko reminds me alot of Ayu in many ways, although she seems to be bit too childish for a high schooler, don’t you think? Not that it’s a bad thing – I absolutely LOVE the “Doriburu… SHUUTO! YAY! *high five* *Hurt hand* *;___; Not hurt” -thing going for her. Moé? Check. But she seems to lack a lot around the, well… mental area for her own good.

Oh my god, I sense more down syndrome.

Continue reading CLANNAD 03…

A Big Dango Family

Whenever we find ourselves finishing an episode of CLANNAD, we find ourselves treated to a really cute ending song – だんご大家族 (Dango Daikazoku). For me, I’m always treated to some tears for some reason after listening to it.

I find it kind of strange actually. Despite it being a very happy and calm song, it just seems to have a sad feeling to it in order for me to get a little teary-eyed. I know it’s NOT supposed to be a sad song, but I just can’t help myself (;_;).

Then I realized, it’s not the song – it’s the series. The only reason it gave off that sad feeling is because it’s a happy ending song for a potentially sad series, with all that drama the main character, Tomoya, is facing (with his mother dying and his alcoholic dad and all). Either that or I’m just a big softy deep inside…

Nice job, Kyoto Animation and Key Visual Arts. You created yet another series that touched my heart emotionally… and this is just the ending song!

Continue reading A Big Dango Family…

CLANNAD 01 – [Somewhat] Quick Thoughts

Continue reading CLANNAD 01 – [Somewhat] Quick Thoughts…