And so the season of giving is almost upon us and that reminds me that I’m gonna need a “get out of jail” card before I get dragged to attend a christmas event at a church -.-”. With that, I sincerely wished everyone a merry christmas and a happy new year. Anyway, for those playing on sikyon server in atlantica, “Minerva” is looking for active ppl of GMT + 8 and we offer teachings in all crafts, out to grab a town soon. Interested personnel please pm either Anragaz or Zevaul =P.

-Anragaz

With my Third Eye above my heart, I can see people’s hearts and their intentions but who will be the one to see and understand mine?

- Satori Komeiji

The doujin (self-published works) circle Maikaze will be selling the first DVD episode of its Touhou Anime Project at the Comic Market (Comiket) 75 convention at the end of this month in tokyo (28-30 Dec).

A rather star-studded seiyuu cast as followed

Reimu Hakurei : Mai Nakahara (Nagisa in Clannad, Rena in Higurashi, Mai Tokihara in Mai Hime)

Marisa Kirisame : Miyuki Sawashiro (Shinku in Rozen Maiden, Tsugumi in Kannagi)

Aya Shameimaru : Ayumi Fujimura (Miwa Kurushima in Bartender)

Patchouli Knowledge : Mikako Takahasi (Reverie Metherlance in Elemental Gelade , Ayumi Yamada in Honey and Clover)

Sakuya Izayoi : Rie Tanaka (Chii in Chobits, Simca in Air Gear, Lacus-sama in GSD, Suigintou in Rozen Maiden)

Remilia Scarlet : Ayumi Tsuji (Kozue Orihara in Chaos Head)

Suika Ibuki : Aki Toyosaki (Mai Asahina in Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu)

Narration : Kikuko Inoue (Belldandy in AMG, Sanae in Clannad, Mizuho in Onegai Teacher)

- ANN

Sure, the animation style and graphics might not be too overly impressive compared to nowadays show but nevertheless, it is set in the Touhou Gensokyo and is essentially an anime made by fans for fans. Not to mention the really impressive seiyuu casting for the show.

*laughes incoherently to himself*

Guess there’s something to look forward to towards the end of this year after all.

*goes off to search for more touhou materials*

- Anragaz

“Ever – lasting life is but ephermal, just like these phantom butterflies. For all I want, is an immortality with an end.

- Yuyuko Saigyouji

Sleepy Reisen~

“It was more tiring than I had expected, But he will never returned to the life he knew. His is the nightmare everlasting…the Eternal Waking……..And I have showed him fear…”

- Morpheus  in “Preludes Nocturnes”

Nightmare in wikipedia is defined as a “dream which causes a strong unpleasant emotional response from the sleeper, typically fear or horror, being in situations of extreme danger, or the sensations of pain, falling, drowning or death.” In dictionary.com, its defined as “a terrifying dream in which the dreamer experiences feelings of helplessness, extreme anxiety, sorrow, etc.”

You guys know who you are, please stop it thanks.

LAWL

- Anragaz

Anime Music Video

Music : Foo Fighters – Best of You

A pretty awesome AMV in my opinion with way too many anime references but yet blending them all into one cohesive experience, all the while building upon the strength of the song….

I’ve got another confession to make
I’m your fool
Everyone’s got their chains to break
Holdin’ you

- Anragaz

To Moonlord : Timing 3:56 and 14:11 of the first episode of Karas

Remilia Scarlet

Somehow, I saw this picture and though I died and went to Heaven Scarlet Devil Mansion…

=P – Anragaz

[Audio http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/21/2012631/02%20-%20Northern%20Cross.mp3]

Title    : Northern Cross

Singer : Sheryl Nome starring May’n

Macross Frontier OST

Before I write anything down, MAY’N IS IMBA GOOD AT SINGING even during a live event.

Now that’s out of the system, so I spent last sunday at the afore-mentioned event held in suntec convention hall. Reached there at around 3 in the afternoon, was amazed by the efficiency of the ticket booths, ogled at the figurines display with kc, walked around somemore, tried to take photos of some of the cute cosplayers walking around, walked around abit more, emoed at why does an artbook costs $68, walked around abit more, looked at ppl playing Melty Blood, sianed of walking, went to eat dinner at a jap restaurant near the fountain of wealth, came back and got blown away by May’n.

A rather short but comprehensive summarized version of our trip. Wanted to write a full pledged report on it but anything I wrote would be overshadowed by those excellent guys over at Banzai Effect so head over there for pictures and a write up on all the events held there during the 2 days. For pictures of cosplayers, I suppose one could head to sgcafe and surf around, they got some great photos and excellent photographers over there. Anyway, lessons learnt from this trip : 1) kc should get a better camera 2) me and kc cant take pictures to save our lives 3) its sad to walk around with no money to buy any stuffs

As such, I’ll post some of those that we found interesting during the event and those that actually should be allowed to see the daylight lolz. oh and if I haven’t mentioned, May’n can sing.

Valkyrie Lenneth

Raiden from MGS4

Imba on the spot drawing / shading

KC and his dumb doraemon

No idea who this supposed to be =S

Approved : CC X LELOUCH FTW

Mitsuru from Persona 3

Enma Ai from Jigoku Shoujo

REMILIA SCARLET <3<3<3<3

Kugen Tenko from Wagaya no Oinari-sama

Lady Etheldreda and Al Azif from Demonbane

Just wanted to mention that I loved both the characters and the cosplayers from the last photo =P, anyway it was an event well spent on a sunday afternoon and the $5 admission charge was totally covered by the May’n’ mini concert. Pity we ain’t allowed to post any photos and even then, I doubt our camera would have been of much use. Nevertheless, totally enjoyed myself and perhaps would look forward to the next such event.

- Anragaz

“Valkyria Valkyria

May the bloodline live forever

Valkyria Valkyria, Bless and protect our fertile lands”

Anthem of the Duchy of Gallia

“Forward we march

To conquer those who defile the graves of our fathers

For the everlasting glory of the Emperor, King of kings”

Anthem of the East Europan Imperial Alliance

And so, war rages between the Principality of Gallia and the Imperial Alliance of which the latter threatens to totally overwhelm its smaller foe with both its size and military strength. In a setting totally reminiscent of Europe during the second world war, it spins a tale of how a reluctant commander seeks to protect his home and his squad during these tiring times. With thinly veiled references to both racisms and war sentiments, it still manages to make us question to what extent will we go to protect all we hold dear. Thus the scenario is set for a story of David verus Goliath, of camaraderie admist despair and of love in times of war.

For fears of spoiling too much of the story, the game most distinguishing feature perhaps would be its”CANVAS” graphics engine which managed to convey a distinctive unique art style resembling a watercolour painting or a hand-drawn illustration with breath-taking visual.

With a large cast of recruitable personnel each with their own stories admist the war, the battle system itself is blend of both traditional role-playing game, strategy tactical gaming and even with a small sprinkle of first person shooter to top it off. Perhaps not a master in each aspect, the game still manages to blend them all into one cohesive package with frentic action as you seek to best the opposing army and fulfill your objectives.

With all that said and done, Valkryia Chronicles is a game that breaks away from the mould not just in its sense of art but also in its unique blend of gameplay. In this holiday season, this game might be overshadowed by other thriple-A titles but it nevertheless stands up from them as a dark horse. Although my first impression of this game wasn’t that great from the preview with expectations that it might look corny and childish, the game indeed knocked my socks off too with a new spin on existing gameplay but never losing sight of the fundamental of RPGs, the reiteration of a touching story.

And of course, there’s always the Valkryia.

Dear You – Hope -

Rika Furude

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

“It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up.

You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life…

You give them a piece of you. They don’t ask for it. They do something dumb one day like smile at you, and then your life isn’t your own anymore.”

- Rose Walker, “The Kindly Ones”

Think what you like, I think this is a great song~

- Anragaz

Aimo O.C.

By Ranka Lee a.k.a Nakajima Megumi

Macross Frontier

“Possibly the only dismaying aspect of excellence is that it makes living in a world of mediocrity an ongoing prospect of living hell. The subtle distressing perturbation. Michelangelo wrote: ‘Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.’ Hardly a sentiment for our times, for a world of assembly lines.”

“Excellence is its own master, owes no allegiance, bows its head to no regimen. It exists pure and whole like the silver face of the moon. Untouchable, unreachable, exquisite. But frustrating because it reminds us of how much mediocrity we put up with just to get through the week.”

- Harlan Ellison

Sometimes, all it takes is the intangible to guide us back onto the tangible path.

Some time ago, this was supposed to be a “ranting” post berating the lack of comprehension in one’s peers and the incapability to factor causality into real world situations and react appropriately to them. That was side-lined by the simple realisation of the simple phrase “Getting Angry is Punishing Oneself for Someone Else’s Mistakes” as quoted from my friend. Perhaps the frustration and resignation conspired to make one retreat back to a mediocre life for a while, a hiatus of 25 days which was helped by series of great games released within these few days. Like the scarecrow without his brain.

A mediocre life. A routinely life. A life without change. A life of expectations but no surpassation. Hated that. Like the tinman without his heart.

It was while watching Macross Frontier last week and listening to the insert song Aimo O.C. when I was abruptly reminded of what have given me the inspiration and dedication perhaps to progress to where I currently stands. Even if I must wear a mask to communicate in society, as realized by Lelouch or even if the whole world differs with one’s opinion as faced by the Gundam Meisters, I’ll still move on. So perhap gives me courage, the lion asked.

Susume, Frontier.  Tobe, Frontier.

Progress, Frontier, Fly, Frontier.

- Anragaz

The place we knew.

By Reuben Kee and Pixietricks

A remix of the theme “To Far Away Times”

Take perhaps just 2 seconds of your time clicking on that play button and the next 5 minutes of your life listening while reading through this entry. It is a relatively faithful adaption of the original theme with a focus on Kee’s resonating wonderful solo piano effort and pixietricks’ crystallise powerful voice. Lyrics can be found here and they echo of the loss and regret that accompany one’s journey but yet hint of possible new beginnings.

Mortality is defined as “the condition of being mortal, or susceptible to death” on wikipedia.com and “the state or condition of being subject to death” on dictionary.com. Perhaps, it can be best summed up as the high cost of living, a title by famed novelist Neil Graman. Whichever take one prefers on it, one cannot escape from the core fundamental understanding of an ending to one’s span on this mortal coil. Be it the termination of the biological functions that define living organisms, the destination at the end of the path or a place that we knew beyond it all.

Went to a friend dad’s wake on thursday’s night. Despite the fact that I haven’t seen this particular friend in almost half a decade, his dad represented a recognisable face, albeit one that was in my childhood years and now in memory forever. It perhaps also portrays a beginning to more heartfelt partings and an omen to events.  Or even the return to one’s most familiar place, to one’s oldest friend.

Nevertheless, the wake acted as a place where I finally got to meet up with some old friends and where we exchanged pleasantries and contacts. And this perhaps signifies the most important point of this entry, the act of remembrance, mourning and finally moving on to the future. For what matters the most is what we do during this lifetime and the legacy we leave behind for our descendants. Like the place we knew beyond the frozen fields, the you that we find behind the darkness.

As such, hope this will be a guiding point to us all as we walk down the path of our life. To do perhaps our best in everything so as not to leave any regret. Everything can be a new starting point, it’s what we do with the rest of our life that matters the most. And perhaps, only then will we find back the place we knew. I’ll end this entry with a quote from “Brief lives” a Sandman book by Neil Gaiman.

Bernie (an exceptional long living man upon his accidental death)

- But I did okay, didn’t I? I mean I got, what? fifteen thousand years. That’s pretty good, isn’t it? I lived a pretty long time.

Death

- You lived what anybody gets, Bernie. You got a lifetime. No more. No less.

- Anragaz