Re: Shipping

Recently, jute wrote a post about shipping here. I decided that, well, I have my own ships, too. And here are my top ten ships, in no particular order:

Oosaki Nana x Yasu 

from NANA

I actually ship Yasu with most everyone in the series. He's just that kind of guy whose sensitivity and caring can be easily misinterpreted for affection, even love. This combined with his badass look is a potent combination. I mean, he looks like a frickin' yakuza but with a heart of gold. In my book, that means WIN. But as much as I like Yasu with his string of serious girlfriends, I really like him more with Nana O. They kissed once in both manga and anime. Granted, Nana was drunk at the time. I was still pretty thrilled when it happened in canon. And there's that conversation they had where Nana asks him if he wants to sleep with her and he's like, "sure, why not?" and takes it back as a joke only to have his bluff called when Nana says that he's in love with her and he can't bring himself to deny it. So I've been going on with the belief that Yasu is in love with Nana and cares about her so much that he's willing to suffer in the sidelines as he pushes her to Ren, whom she does love and who loves her back.

Sanosuke x Megumi 

from Rurouni Kenshin

This couple is delicious in fanfiction. The ship doesn't exist in manga but they kind of do in the anime. I love their flirting banter.

Taichi x Chihaya 

from Chihaya Furu

This ship has to happen, dammit. Please.

Rock x Revy 

from Black Lagoon

It's more than just a personality clash between these two but a war between philosophies. They're so different and yet so utterly connected, it explodes my screen. And we all know that Revy can whip Rock's ass and he'd be like, "yes, more, please." wahahahah

Senjougahara x Araragi 

from Bakemonogatari

I think I explained this before.

Ichigo x Rukia 

from Bleach

I haven't been religiously following this show but from the first, I've always assumed they were going to end up together. Kubo-sensei has managed to muddle that with Orihime but eh, IchiRuki all the way.

Tsunade x Jiraiya 

from Naruto

Because Jiraiya would have been the only one powerful enough to handle someone like Tsunade. Well, except may be Orochimaru but that guy's like in love with Sasuke or something. Also, Jiraiya is a perv and Tsunade is kind of like a perv target with those, err, assets of hers.

Tsuruku x Yukiatsu 

from AnoHana

Well, Tsuruko likes Yukiatsu, that's pretty much settled. And I think that if Yukiatsu just takes a moment, he'd realize he likes Tsuruko, too. I mean, he certainly finds her pretty. Plus, she's smart enough to know that she'll never replace Menma for him. Her insecurity over Anaru is endearing, instead of frustrating. She's a kid after all who's been pining after one of her best friends for pretty much her whole life. She is allowed to feel threatened by Anaru's confrontational relationship with Yukiatsu because she herself cannot do so, not after all those snide comments she's made about his obsession over Menma. Sigh. Kids will be kids.

Otono-tachibana Makie x Anotsu Kagehisa 

from Blade of the Immortal

Just sad. So sad. Please, Samura-sensei, don't kill Makie off. She's too awesome to die.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: 

Mutta x Serika

from Space Brothers

Because.

Read More

Sakamichi no Apollon 3: Love is complicated

Sentarou is in love. The symptoms are obvious to Kaoru, who, while thinking that he could move on Ritsuko with Sentarou out of the way, decides to help his friend. They meet after school at Sentarou's home so they don't risk Ritsuko overhearing their boy's talk. While there, Kaoru sees what a big family Sentarou has and how he is very much the big brother. After spending some time with Sentarou's family, the boys soon withdraw to Sentarou's room where Kaoru proceeds to suggest a group date with the two boys, Ritsuko and Yukari. Sentarou is down with this but balks at Kaoru's insistence that Sentarou should be the one to ask Yukari. Still, Kaoru gets his way and Sentarou has an excruciating and deeply embarrassing time asking Yukari out the next day in school -- embarrassing because Yukari is with friends and excruciating because Sentarou draws a blank every time he tries to talk to her. Eventually, he succeeds but botches it up when he unthinkingly tells Yukari that it was Kaoru who wanted to ask her out, much to Kaoru's annoyance. Ritsuko doesn't know about the group date, of course, and is understandably surprised when Yukari shows up on their outing and Sentarou literally faints. Yukari explains that Kaoru asked her to come, which seems to relieve Ritsuko. The reason for this later becomes clear as Kaoru unintentionally witnesses Ritsuko break down and cry over Sentarou's obvious crush on Yukari. That is when he realizes that Ritsuko has feelings for Sentarou. In school the next day, Sentarou shows off a handkerchief that Yukari gave him. Out of sympathy for Ritsuko who is within earshot, Kaoru slaps the handkerchief away, earning Sentarou's ire. The two of them later almost come into blows in the rooftop but Ritsuko puts a stop to it and even gives Sentarou back Yukari's handkerchief. Apparently, she is under the belief that the two boys are fighting over Yukari. She confesses to Kaoru later that day that she wishes she was born pretty like Yukari. Kaoru almost confesses his feelings for her then but holds back. That evening, Kaoru practices Bill Evans' Someday My Prince Will Come while dreaming of one day playing it to Ritsuko. The next day, Kaoru accidentally sees Sentarou in a compromising position with Yukari. Disgusted by Sentarou's behavior, Kaoru impulsively tells Ritsuko that he wants to play the piano for her. At the studio, he plays Someday My Prince Will Come while Ritsuko listens. When he's done, Ritsuko compliments his skill, thinking that it was just a rehearsal for when he would play the song for Yukari. But Kaoru corrects her notion, saying that this is the real performance. He finally tells her his feelings and adds that he is willing to wait.

COMMENTS:
Kudos to Kaoru for not being a wuss. He confessed. He actually confessed. And he took time to set up the romantic mood, too. Too bad it didn't work. LOL Still, gotta admire the effort. Of course, girls like Ritsuko probably prefer Sentarou's impulsiveness and spontaneity to Kaoru's calculated moves. I don't know if this will end well for Kaoru. I kinda feel sorry for the guy. He's clearly a good boy but it's hard to beat someone like Sentarou. It would have been better if things would end well for Sentarou, too, but it doesn't look it. Yukari doesn't seem interested in him. She's older. Sure, it's only a one-year gap but the psychological difference is huge. Girls like Yukari would go totally go for older, mysterious guys. Ha! Guess who in this anime fit that description?

The BGM  is especially noticeable this episode. Also, Someday My Prince Will Come is totally the theme song from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Which I hated, btw. hehe 

more screencaps from episode 3:

Read More

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia 3: Shit just turned scary

Niiya gets a strange letter in his locker one day, providing a meet-up later in the back of the school. While Yuuko and Tomome vainly wait for him at the Club Room, Niiya goes to meet the sender of the letter. The sender turns out to be a girl who warns him about Yuuko being evil and the cause of several disappearances. She also reveals that she is Kanoe Kirie, whose grandmother is the younger sister of Kanoe Yuuko, the ghost of their school. According to her, Yuuko is so embittered by her own demise that she seeks to bring other students to her world and make them suffer as she did. Though chilled by the Kirie's warning, Niiya doesn't really believe her. After Kirie leaves, Yuuko finds Niiya near the shrine. Because it has been raining, she is soaked to the bone, requiring her to change into dry clothes. While at the infirmary, Yuuko does her best in teasing Niiya and this is the situation that Kirie stumbles upon when she arrives there to save Niiya. Her presence allows Niiya to see Yuuko the way Kirie does: black, tangled hair, rotting flesh. Afraid of Yuuko for the first time, Niiya allows Kirie to drag him out of the infirmary but Yuuko comes after them. They run towards the Club Room where Kirie has an idea of finding Yuuko's body after Niiya accidentally reveals that he knows where it is. In the Club Room, Yuuko manages to grab Niiya while Kirie runs straight into the basement. Alone with him, Yuuko tells Niiya that she has been alone for so long that when Niiya, who can see and feel her, came along, she was so happy. After hearing this, Niiya manages to swallow his own fear and wills himself to imagine Yuuko as he has always seen her. And just like that, Yuuko returns to her previous form. Niiya then declares that he needs to examine her real body more closely to find out how she died. At the basement, Niiya finds Kirie squatting on the ground crying. Nearby is Yuuko's bones. They both discover that one of Yuuko's legs was broken, which lead them to surmise that the story about an accident may be true and that Yuuko may have been trapped in that basement until her death. Further along the basement, they also discover some spirit wards stuck to a piece of rock. Kirie realizes that the story about the evil spirit may also be true but somewhere along the way, that story and Yuuko's unfortunate demise got mixed up. Now that things are a little clearer, Kirie still insists that Niiya view Yuuko with some suspicion. And as if to make sure that he does just that, Kirie shows up at the next club meeting, declaring that she will not apologize. Yuuko doesn't take offense though and instead welcomes her to the club.

COMMENTS:
Kirie's introduction. Ok, so she's related to Yuuko. Interesting. What's more interesting is whether Yuuko's death is related to whatever evil spirit is sealed inside that rock. The fan service is still there. It's making me feel uncomfortable now. But I'm going to give this series another go. Now, at least we're done with the character introductions so maybe we can get down to the real stuff -- the mystery of Yuuko's death.

more screencaps from episode 3:

Read More