30 December 2009

A Certain Otaku Shopping Spree in Hong Kong

by 20:25
It's been awhile since I last posted anything. As it's almost New Year already, I might as well talk about my recent trip to Hong Kong where I spent the festive season (and wallet) until Christmas Eve.

Many say Hong Kong is a woman's shopping paradise...

I beg to differ...

Its also an Otaku shopping paradise. If you can't make it to Tokyo for Comiket, HongKong is 2nd best to Japan. HK has the same pace as Tokyo. Fast-moving in an urban jungle with dense concrete trees. A perfect place to get lost when looking for hobby shops.




As an idiot who is extremely sensitive to the cold, this idiot went to shop in the middle of winter. 21°C by day and 9°C by night, I can only imagine the coldness the European and North American continent must be going through as I'm freezing my ass off in this HK winter...

Maintanence Period

by 19:13
To those who wondered what happened to my blog as it became private and users unable to view the posts.

A short maintenance and changing of domain occurred during the last few days. As I wanted to use "Wordpress" platform and had shifted half of my posts to the new one, I found out it was a lot harder to use and controling it required extra maintenance.

Happy to announce I have returned to Blogger, a very simple method for simple people who have not much experience in CSS but so-so at HTML. Also, I revamped my blog design, providing a more pleasing reading experience with larger fonts.

So, happy holidays and a New Year to all!
Keep frosty but not cold!

明けましておめでとうございます!

15 December 2009

National Service Phenomenons and Events

by 16:27
EDITED (18.12.2009)




This is a continuation of my previous post on "Essential Items for National Service". But on a different topic, like, what to expect there and and what not for the next 3 months of hell...i mean camp.

For privacy purposes, I will not reveal my enlisting year for NS as it may give away my age (ultimately my identity. But to my friends and comrades, you know its me ^^) .
But I can say it was recent enough for me to remember (or just because it has been etched in my memory data forever...) the fun times and worse times in NS

30 November 2009

Essential Items for National Service

by 17:59


To the foreign visitors (Western population), you may ignore this post as it is a guide for my fellow countrymen who are about to enjoy themselves for 3 months in hell, away from the comfort of home. If you are interested in what our National Service survival items are, please continue.

To the locals of Malaysia, especially those under or aged 17, who were fortunate enough to be "randomly" selected for National Service (NS), good luck. Hopefully your stay in hell...I mean camp, will be as eventful as mine was. However, by the time I returned from NS, I had no regrets as I really did enjoy myself there.

Common questions around this time will be;

  • What to bring for NS?
  • Stuff to bring for Khidmat Negara?
  • What are the items for NS?
  • What do I need to survive NS?!

This will hopefully serve as a last minute guide for those who are about to leave for a part of Malaysia they have never been too. Whether it be in the East coast or East Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak), hopefully with this, you will be PREPARED.


25 November 2009

Tunes of Symphony

by 22:08
I've FINALLY found some free time as for the past few weeks, a couple of things came up which could NOT be avoided like;


  1. Exams... (hand-ache after every paper)
  2. Partying (recommend dosage after every exam ;)
  3. Playing Modern Warfare 2 and Left for Dead 2 (All for the winter sales, hoorah!)
  4. Laziness.... (need some K-ON-music to ward this off...)
So anyway, I'd like to share a couple of songs from now on, especially vocaloid ones, which have a great impact on my ears and eyes. Well, it may not affect you but its something like a recommendation to all J-pop and song listeners in the Y-generation era.

05 November 2009

Parody VS Battle VS Fan-service

by 19:45

It seems that Autumn's Top 10 Fall 2009 Anime lineup has a few things in common. Well, most of them fall under one or more of these 3 categories;

  • comedic parody,
  • sci-fi battles,
  • exposed fan-service.

Not that I'm complaining, of course... Here's a recap of a few top 10 animes and highlights.

01 November 2009

Sora no Otoshimono - そらのおとしもの

by 00:33


If nose bleeding was as common in reality as in animation, I would be suffering from anemia in the ICU by now...



If fan-service is your forte and your fetish, look no further for this Fall's super bare-bodying series that ranked top 5 of the animes this season.

Fan-service is no stranger to many of us (as some started watching anime because of this factor). Having lots of filtered scenes with exposed 'oppai' or 'oshiri' in many parts of the show, I has already claim a top spot on my list.


Tomoki loves his peaceful life in a country town, but a strange girl often enters his dreams, asking for his help. One night, a buxom angel suddenly falls on him from the sky. She turns out to be an "entertainment purpose angeloid" -- and his peaceful life is done for.

24 October 2009

#77 Nendoroid Saber Lily [Fate/unlimited Codes]

by 01:27
Its October people! Besides my daily dosages of anime each day, I recently received my pre-order since August. Finally, ITS HERE~!



For those who have yet to watch or barely know the Fate franchise, here's a small summary/synopsis on this nendroid's history;


Originally from the Fate/stay Night series, an arcade-style game was born with an all-star duel between characters of the Fate series. One can even use Saber, a saber class fighter, and defeat her enemies with her famous Noble Phantasms such as Excalibur and Avalon. Unlocking this form, Saber Lily, can only be done after defeating all characters using Saber Alter, the darker side of Saber.





Sittin...I mean standing pretty in the Nendoriod box is,
Good Smile Company Nendroid Series #77, Saber Lily~!

12 October 2009

Fairy Tail - フェアリーテイル

by 21:49

We would like a moment of silence for the ending of the Rave series...


OKAY! That's enough mourning! Now moving onto more recent events!


I was disappointed when the final chapter was issued for Rave, missing all those sword-combos and rave stones along with the cool storyline. But, there's a new drug in town people! For you dyslexic and illiterate otakus, rejoice for the adaptation of the overnight sensation manga, Fairy Tail ~!

For the manga, I harbor special feelings towards it (thus, making this post biased. sry) Ever since MMORPG came to existence, I've always chosen the mage/sorcerer (or speed-based) character. Not because of the cool clothing and joining a guild, but also adrenaline when casting the great massacre spells! Muahahaha.. (sry, out of topic there)

Anyways, lets move onto a short summary of this anime;






  • Lucy is a 17-year-old girl, who wants to be a full-fledged mage. One day when visiting Harujion Town, she meets Natsu, a young man who gets sick easily by any type of transportation. But Natsu isnt just any ordinary kid, he's the legendary "Salamander" and a member of one of the world's most infamous mage guilds: Fairy Tail. Together, they unravel the mysteries of magic in this "fairy tale" wonderland.

10 October 2009

Darker Than Black S2 - Ryuusei no Gemini (流星の双子)

by 11:12
Rejoice humans! The contractor wars have just begun! After waiting for 2 years, SEASON 2 is back with a smashing and cliffhanger ending!



And for those who aren't into post-apocalyptic or supernatural powers, hopefully this will make you a little interested! But for a short summary for season 2 first!




  • Two years have passed since Hei and Yin escaped the Syndicate after the events of the first season. Making their way to Russia, Hei encounters a young girl named Suou Pavlichenko, whose family is gradually pulled into the war between contractors and various intelligence factions. Meanwhile, Misaki Kirihara has quit her position in Foreign Affairs to begin her own investigations into Hei, the Contractors and the Syndicate.

09 October 2009

Vocaloid - The Sounds of Tomorrow

by 12:48
******************************************
EDIT: Links to selected songs added at the bottom. For albums, please torrent it yourself or purchase a copy and support Hatsune-sama
******************************************

I've been seeing a lot of confusion between the term, Vocaloid, especially with people who just heard the word. Some ask what anime or OVA is this, meaning they haven't bothered to actually google about it. Hopefully this post would clear up a few things along with a short summary...



Vocaloid



08 October 2009

Kobato - こばと

by 22:31
First thing I noticed about this series was the manga studio,"Clamp" as the creators. Apart from their most notable series like Cardcaptor Sakura and xxxHolic, I was expecting another art/character design like Syaoran and Sakura. Fortunately, I was mistaken! (means its a good thing)


For those who haven't heard, read about it, or just thought it was another shoujo anime, here's a small summary;

  • Hanato Kobato is a sweet and perky girl, but extremely naïve about the world. She has a mission to fill a mysterious bottle with the suffering from people's hearts so her wish to go a certain place can be granted. However, she must not fall in love with a particular boy she works with and whose heart she must heal….

02 October 2009

| Fate/EXTRA |

by 23:23
Finally, the idea of role playing Shiro managed to get through. And low-and-behold, we have an RPG coming up! A Fate RPG... how bliss....

Nice...

We've always debated (and still are) on what would it be like to have Saber as your personal servant? Well, she technically is, as you are bound to her by master/servant contract on the first night you met in any game of Fate. Except you are stuck to the arcade type versions like Fate/Unlimited Codes, which kills the feeling of "owning" her, ya know?

From the screen shots, it definitely looks like a Persona 4 to me, along with the battle concept. And that's a good thing people... (go play P4 to find out how good!)

So incorporating this idea ain't too bad. A free dynamic environment with power-ups (hopefully) like in FF series?... kinda nice. Having it simulate FF is wishful thinking as I can only pray the graphics are upped a lot more.

23 September 2009

Fall/Autumn 2009 Schedule Highlights

by 21:17


For the pass few weeks
, I've been really busy thanks to my inconsiderate lecturers, but whatever. At least I'm having a break now, so I can resume my hobby of blogging! Hahaha. "Dont'cha love da holidays?!"



For many of us, its just that time of year again where the season changes, from very sunny days to much soggy weeks to come. That time again to bring out your winter clothes for the long cold and wet days to come (if you happen to be in the northern hemisphere, but to the folks in the South, happy spring!)

Well, not for us otakus~! The shift of Sept to Oct has been smoothly moved by the release schedule of this fall's lineup of show to come. BANZAI~!

If you guys haven't seen the schedule yet (stupid remark here...), visit Hashihime for the entire lineup.

So for now, I'll just highlight the main attractions that caught my eye out of the 57 titles...

04 September 2009

Canaan - The Land of Hope

by 01:32
Honestly, I was at the edge of my seat when I heard Type-moon was starting another series project. As far as I have seen, these guys have yet to fail me in my expectations...

One the most awesome animes this summer, Canaan, by Type-moon started with a very explosive and action packed beginning. No qualms there as it was definitely the type of show I'm into.


Set in Shanghai, China, a woman who goes by the name of Canaan, jumps over rooftops while firing bullets with deadly accuracy, in a batle with a group know as the "Snakes". At the same time, she starts to discover herself when she ran into an long friend, Osawa Maria whom she had met in the past. Despite her poker face and age, she is different from all of us due to her deadly ability, Synesthesia. She is able to tell apart from foe and ally by judging them from the "colour" they emit from her blood red eyes...


26 August 2009

GNR-010/XN | XN-Raiser | Custom Parts

by 23:16

There is an earlier post regarding this topic, as this post is a follow up and more recent update. The link is here.


The official pictures are out! For those interested in more info of the XN-Raiser, please buy a copy of the Hobby Dengki Magazine at an outlet near you =)

Before, there was much speculation regarding the spec and techs of the unit. All was made clear in the magazine in August 2009. Much of the contents were very surprising, yet expected.



Apparently, this the official cover of the model kit. Very sexy indeed... Big round of applause for Sunrise! (*CLAP*CLAP*CLAP*) Very ingenious art design, especially the detailing of the 00 Gundam with the much anticipated add-on (and its the 40th Anniversary!). Now onwards to the unit design~!

20 August 2009

GN-009 Seraphim Gundam

by 15:31


A hidden MS in another MS. Hmmm.... kinda cliche but still a worthy type of gundam. This system is very new to me, as it impressed me since it was release in S1. Kept as a add-on, this hidden MS type is used for combat support, back up and as a decoy.

17 August 2009

New Seasons!

by 07:59
It's already quite late into the summer solstice, leaving many sweltering in their undergarments (if you happen to be at Comiket 76 last weekend). The heat here is, as usual, unbearable to the point scrambled eggs can be cooked on the roadside...



Now, on to more important matters!

As everyone (or at least you otakus) would know the new season is upon us, meaning only one thing... New Series!

16 August 2009

Mahjong Madness

by 23:07

To be honest, I had no idea how to play mahjong... I don't even know where to start. And please don't ask be about the point system...

But I have been quite interested in the game ever since Saki came out. Well, I had no idea what ron, tsumo, or whatever terms they use in mahjong. So as you can imagine, I've been watching Saki with no clue whats going on or how they win, let alone the thousands of point they accumulate.

Sick of being Sick...

by 01:13
A small update on my life and reality rather than the normal posts of fiction and my interest.

Caught the cold from my sister (thanks alot...) and been kinda worried. Her school already has 2 confirmed cases of the latest virus strain, H1N1. So I was thinking,

"Do I have the virus?"

14 August 2009

GN-008 Seravee Gundam

by 08:50


My personal favourite among the types of Gundam. Always huge, intimidating and packing hella punch, these artillery types always dominated the battle zone with sheer brute, raw power. An expert at long range fire and bombardments, these gundams make up for the core power of a squad, destroying enemies with their overwhelming firepower.




First appeared in Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 S2 Episode 1, Seravee Gundam was the first operational gundam at that time as Celestial Being had gone underground to regroup. Piloted by Innovado, Tieria Erde, he came to the rescue of the damaged Exia from the previous season, already showing the power of the upgraded version of its predecessor, Virtue Gundam.




Tieria Erde, a by-the-book guy in S1, has relaxed himself around other members as he has gained some "human emotions" during the 5 year hiatus of Celestial Being. Still in an unstable state, deciding which path he is to follow; Celestial Being or the Innovado's plan. Finally knowing which path to step on, he battles with other Gundam Meisters to change the world.

Unit Design.

As I said earlier, this is one of my favourite, so expect this next few line to be a little biased =P


A slim-down look. That's more or less the comparison between Virtue and Seravee. Virtue had previously the bulky and chubby look. Now, its successor, Seravee has forgone the added blasters the Virtue had on its shoulder to a more permanent installation on its shoulder. Now it looks more sturdy than the predecessor.


The head unit still has a slight resemblance to the Virtue, but a bit less fatter. Also, the Seravee has a more bulky but slim version of the legs, as the unit no longer has the purge ability the Virtue had. Still, it has a very broad look, with GN Drives/Condensers fitted on the back legs and side arm areas.

Mobility wise, there is definitely an upgraded to that aspect as the Seravee can preform more complicated and aglie moves compared to Virtue. So yeah, an excellent improvement in its auxiliary systems.

Weaponry System



There is a certain limit a gundam can have on the unit. Ranging from blasters to sabers and more specialised gear, Seravee had once again exceeded my expectations Sunrise can come up with.
Supporting 2 GN Bazooka II, a later version of the one Virtue used, each are hand held as they are able to unleash highly condensed particles, eating away and damaging MS. Originally, they were 1 unit, much like the GN Bazooka for Virtue. Seems that it was separate, giving the Seravee less charging time needed for the bazookas.



When combined, they form a near replica of the previous version, giving it the firepower an artillery type originally has.



Another obvious armament is the 4 GN Cannons mounted on the leg unit and back shoulder unit. This Quad Cannon provides the Seravee the firepower and charging time for the GN Bazookas. Not to be taken lightly as they can deliver shots from certain angles as they are rotatable.

With these 2 primary weapons, they are able to perform combination attacks which enchance the firepower of the GN Bazookas. Here are some of the combos;



Twin Buster Cannon
Double Bazooka Burst Mode (w/o Trans)
Hyper Burst Mode (w/ Trans)
Double Bazooka Cannon
Double Bazooka Buster Cannon



Apart from range weapons, Seravee has a ridiculous number of saber. 6 GN Sabers~! They are stored at the arm units and GN Cannons where hidden arms are located. Definitely covering the artillery-type weakness which is close-combat, they easily overpower MSs with less sabers...



For defense purposes, the Seravee has the GN Field equipped, much like the predecessor has but with a higher output of GN particles. This has increase the amount of punishment Seravee can take and providing it valuable charging time.



Also, the field can be used for offensive purposes. Seravee is able to generate the field not only around the unit but also in front of it. Acting as a glass orb, it refracted and focuses the GN Cannon and GN Bazooka's fire into the GN Field, creating a huge scorching ray of light to vapourize enemy MS.



Another hidden feature is the Face Burst Mode. Located at the back of Seravee is the hidden MS, Seraphim Gundam. This is another unit, capable of producing its own particles. Combine that with the Seravee that already has that procution ability, this gives the Seravee that firepower.



The face reveals itself to produce more particles, channeling it to Seravee's unit, increasing the destructive yield of the blast. This is much better than the Nadleeh system, which requires Virtue to purge all parts to reveal its form as Seravee and Seraphim can fight side-by-side to a certain extent as there is only Tieria Erde to pilot it.

Most of its destructive attacks come from the Trans-Am mode. Releasing most of the unit's stored particles and Seraphim's, most MS should be advised to stay away from it.
Basically, this is a gundam built for destruction;



Seravee GN + Seraphim GN x 3 (Trans-Am) = BOOM

A formula for disaster...




The Seravee Gundam did get a make over too before the final battle. Equipped with more blasters, it gives more enemy MS a reason to not mess with it.



The GN-008GNHW/B Seravee Gundam. Here is a more detailed report of the unit's Heavy Weapon system.

I will leave that for another post along with Seraphim Gundam.

Next Gundam post: GN-009 Seraphim Gundam


Look forward to it~!
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