Asakomi

Freaking intense! I almost turned blue from not breathing! Chidori is awesome!

That’s all I have to say.

Today I finally put in my birthday anime order from TSRI and Discount Anime Dvd.

Soon to be gracing my shelves will be:

Chobits Box 1
Chobits Box 2
Kino’s Journey Vol. 1 + Artbox (Yes Moy, I too fell prey to TSRI’s steal of a deal)
Kino’s Journey Vol. 2
Kino’s Journey Vol. 3
Kino’s Journey Vol. 4

*Takes a breath* Thennnnnnnnnn:

Portrait de Petite Cossette
Last Exile Vol. 5
Last Exile Vol. 6
and finally, a lovely figure of Yuzuki from Chobits.

I will have pictures when the items actually arrive.

These orders, plus one I have at TSRI that’s just waiting for Gankutsuou Vol. 1 to be released, will mark the end of my anime spending for a few months. Winter is coming, and winter here in Manitoba means the bicycle goes in the basement and I have to spend $80.00/month for a bus pass, an extra $100.00/month for heating costs, and of course.. that holiday that forces you to think of someone besides yourself: Christmas. Add in a couple of other new expenses that will be starting next month, and you’ve got one Ren who just can’t fit anime into her budget for a while.

Ahh well, I’ll have plenty to console myself with until spring!

2 jobs + university course + real life = hardly any time for blogging.

So this will be super short, and probably not sweet. Ha.

Suzuka’s criticisms of his running style and athletic habits show that in her own weird way she cares about him and wants to see him do well. And even though she was cold to him, she did still seem glad that he was going to come back to practice.

But anyway, it was great to see a more Honoka-centered episode. Loved her inner monologue as she wrestled with her feelings for Yamato and worried about whether Suzuka has feelings for Yamato too. She’s so cute and awkward, and she tries so hard. But the poor girl’s plans always get ruined.

There’s a LOT more I could say about all the things that happened between the characters this episode, not the least of which being the developments between Suzuka and Yamato. But darnit I just don’t have the time.

Oh well.

I have acquired the first of my birthday anime loot: Scrapped Princess Vol. 2 Limited Edition with the Raquel figure. Holy crap that thing is MASSIVE. She could squish Barbie like a little bug.

(Click on the pictures for the full versions)

The animation continues to astound. The plane at the beginning of the ep looked freaking real.

We meet a new character, Lieutenant Grouseaux. (His hair is stupid, btw) And um, he’s not very good at making friends. But he’s pretty perceptive, so I can’t hate him.

Tessa obviously feels bad about what’s happening to Sousuke, but I guess she has to do what she has to do, and her decisions aren’t completely her own. She also has people to answer to. Add in her personal feelings and you’ve got one complicated situation.

When Sousuke enters her office he makes a forced effort to be his usual order-taking, emotionless soldier self. He tries so hard to keep his cool but this is one situation in which he can’t stop his emotions from getting the better of him. This is a marked difference from the Sousuke we first met, and a sign of character development.

As usual, I can’t wait for the next episode. I can’t BELIEVE this season is only going to be 13 eps. That’s a sin against humanity! How can they possibly tell everything in just 5 more episodes?? Aggghhhh. I’m so disappointed.

Soooo Kazuki and Arima should have been rivals. Yamato and Arima become rivals. The similarities continue…

Arima is an arrogant jerk and I don’t like him one bit. Yep, Suzuka’s apology wasn’t sincere and she continued to take shots at him, but he has no right to physically intimdate Suzuka like that and to rub it in that the guy she likes is dead. And then to allow his lackeys to bully her too, was way out of line. Nope, I don’t like him one bit.

Yamato was awesome for sucking up his poor me feelings and going to stand up for her. Lol, well it was sort of standing up for her I guess. At least he got his butt back on the track.

Of course in this episode we get another classic example of Yamato speaking before he thinks, and he ends up having to run against the #1 sprinter in the high school. Ok, so he started off by doing something smart (trying to help Suzuka), but it turns out it was really stupid (he ended up challenging the #1 sprinter), and he mayhave lost, but even Suzuka can see just how hard he tried to win, and Yamato himself was for once giving his all in something.

To end off, my favourite line in this episode comes from our dear sweet lunkhead Yamato: “I can’t stand a guy that makes Asahina cry.” How sweet!

My favourite moment? When our lovely ice princess has a melty moment and tends to Yamato’s hurting knees. Could she have put more bandaids on? Ahaha.

Last Exile Vol 7
Kiddy Grade Vol 7
Gunslinger Girl Vol 2
Gunslinger Girl Vol 3
Noir Vol 3
Noir Vol 5
Noir Vol 7

The Noir volumes were a steal of a deal from the Right Stuf bargain bin at 7 bucks a piece. I got Last Exile and Kiddy Grade previously viewed from AnimeNation for 10 bucks a pop. Not too shabby! The only problem I had was GETTING my order from AnimeNation. It supposedly shipped on July 9, and I only got it two days ago! Dunno if I will order from them again.

Gunslinger Girl Vol 2 reversible cover:

Gunslinger Girl Vol 3 reversible cover:

The piano music as Suzuka stood at Kazuki’s grave was really beautiful. I think this episode as a whole brings a whole new perspective to Suzuka’s personality. It gives you a better understanding of why she is the way she is all the time, and why she reacts to Yamato so strongly.

All the similarities Yamato has; being a rocket starter, a sprinter, his looks, must be a knife in her heart every day.

I think Yamato did the right thing by not talking to Suzuka at the grave yard. It could be the most mature thing he’s done so far. It just wouldn’t be the right place and time. But i do feel that his actions at the end of the episode were very very immature. Really, the guy should think before he speaks. He really deserved that slap.

I don’t think Yamato is quite right about Suzuka using him as a replacement. If that were the case I think she’d be nicer to him more of the time. Instead, she seems to want to like Yamato but when she feels she’s getting too close to him she may feel that she is betraying her feelings for Kazuki. And when Yamato says or does something that reminds her of Kazuki she usually lashes out. If she was using him, I think she’d cling to him a bit more.

Oh, and it looks to me like Suzuka’s drive to perfection started as a way to prove something to Kazuki, and now is probably partly an homage to him.

Great, emotional episode that gives more depth to the title character.

Suzuka has issues partly having to do with Yamato being a naive doofus, partly because he reminds her of photograph boy, and partly because of whatever went on *with* photograph boy. But who am I to judge? So do I. Said issues have caused her meanness towards Yamato to reach a new level.

Yamato works really hard at track so as not to look like a fool in front of Suzuka. He’s going to have to find more of a motivation than that (like, for instance - actually enjoying the sport??) if he’s going to stick with this for any length of time. Otherwise he’s just going to dislike running and end up quitting.

It’s really sad the way he goes running to her for praise and gets so completely and utterly shut down. I want to criticize Suzuka for being so harsh, and it’s not like I think what she did was right, but really, Yamato is wrong to look for his affirmation in another person, no matter who it is. And he’s even more wrong to be seeking track results just to impress a girl.