You Know You Love Me

a public announcement

2008-07-14T17:00:08Z

Tomorrow I'm going away on my annual seaside holidays. I'm going to frolic on the sandy beaches of Baltic Sea for the next two weeks, and, because I promised myself to stay away from computers and internet cafes while I'm on supposed to be resting, you probably won't be hearing from me till the beginning of August.
Take care guys, and see you soon! *hugs*

a TRC/Holic rantage

2008-07-13T12:12:47Z

Yestarday I decided that the time has come for me to finally catch up (i.e. actually read the chapters instead of just flipping through them and looking at the pretty pictures) with TRC and Holic. I downloaded volumes 22-25 of the former and 13-14 of the latter, and after reading them I came to conclusion that, once again, the seemingly boring chapters turn out pretty good when read in batches. In fact I found them interesting enough to make the effort, write a post and share my thoughts about them with you.
I haven't read any rantages written by my flist while I was stuck in the MA thesis-induced limbo, so if I'm repeating someone what someone else has already said I'm not doing it on purpose.

TRC

- Mokona is getting lazy. In the scene in which chibi!Syao comes to Yuuko's shop (ch189) she clearly used the same panels as in the first chapter of Holic, only slightly... well... Tsubasa-fied. She probably did this on purpose, to draw a parallel between these two situations, but still, it struck me as a bit OOC. You see, to me Yuuko comes across as a person who wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same outfit twice.

- It seems that none of the members of the gang is using their real names. Fay is in fact Yuui, Kurogane's real name is You-ou (which I find extremely awesome, by the by), and Syao adopted his father's name. In chapter 191, when the kids are talking about how it's hitsuzen that Sakura has the same face and name as Syao's mother, Sakura says: "But... My name...." It may suggest that her real name is, in fact, not Sakura. Oh bother!

- I love it how Syao and Touya have these little stare-offs everytime they meet. Touya is the ultimate poster boy for the overprotective older brothers. And he's so cute in his chibi form! Makes me want to pinch his cheeks :)

- As for the color splash, I'm not impressed. As I said to arkray before, the clothes they are wearing look very much like the ones they left Tokyo in. Given the desert!country setting, I was hoping for some much more sophisticated, Arabian Nights-esque outfits (because we all want to see Kuro in sequined harem pants :D). And I'm disappointed that Mokona hid Kurogane's mechanical arm in his pocket. I really wantd to see it in color. Plus, Fay's eye looks blue-ish in the pic. Have CLAMP forgotten that it's golden now?

- I hope we'll get to see Syaoran!Papa's face. I'm sure he's grown to be a ~~hot~~ fine young man *laughs*

- Watanuki looks so sad and lost in the last page of the chapter 192. Perhaps it was when he's given his memories away? I want to know!

- The flashback!arc is nearing its climax. I hope that it won't take more than 2-3 chapters to wrap it up. The chibi cuteness is ok, but I long to see our boys!

Holic

- Lately I've been enjoying Holic much more than Tsubasa. Plot-developement is important, but I've always found character-developement and interaction more interesting, especially when it concerned the characters I love.

- I died a little happy fangirl death when I read chapter 155 for the first time a while ago. I couldn't rant about it then, so I have to do justice to it now.
By saying to Doumeki: "if something happened upon my being hit, you were there," Watanuki finally admits that he trusts his friend and counts on him in difficult situations. It is so much different from the usual Watanuki who always claimed that Doumeki was the one who tagged along for no reason and always had to be rescued. Good job Watanuki, better late than never :)
Too bad that Doumeki's response turned this serious conversation into yet another of their 'fights.' Well, I guess it's how it will always be with the two of them *sighs*
Also, the fact that Watanuki asks Doumeki what he wats his onigiri's with, and makes them ~~almost~~ without protest is a really nice touch. Domestic much, guys? :D

- I'm not going to comment on the fact that Kohane's power came from Sakura's feather. They are everywhere! I bet that even the bag lady from Tokyo Station has one.

- Words cannot express how much I love Doumeki's and Kohane's interaction. Thay are so cute together! And Doumeki is such a tender and understatnding daddy! Kurogane will have to work very hard to beat him and gain the Father of the Year 2008 award *nods*

- I'm glad that Watanuki finally realized that "he wants to be here." He's learned his ultimate lesson, like Fay before him, realized that he has to go on living his life and never look back if he wants to be happy. Good for him!

- Are we back with the customer!arcs routine? As long as Holic's serialization is steady I don't mind that.

- Edit: And here's some random crack, a slightly altered version of the panel taken from Franky House's scanlation:

Nice balls indeed!

On a non-CLAMP related note:

- Is Antique Bakery worth watching? I saw the first episode but I didn't like the art very much. I need to know whether the plot is good. If yes, I may give it one more chance. There are only a few shounen-ai animes aout there after all...

- I'm glad that I'm not the only one who absolutely hates Twilight's Entertainment Weekly cover! Horror!

- I went to see Wanted yesterday, and my oh my, it was bad. I can't believe that James McAvoy was in this trash. I like to think he did it only for the once in a lifetime opportunity to kiss Angelina Jolie. Can't really blame him for that, now can we? :P

yet another meme post

2008-06-30T18:06:57Z

I still have an aversion for writing so I've been putting off the completion of the ABC meme for two weeks. I guess it's time to get it over with...

Ok, here we go!

a. Anime
ariadnechan asked about the animes I'm following right now. I'm afraid there's not much. I'm watching xxxHolic Kei (and I love it!), Vampire Knight (it's ok, too bad that the quality of the animation is so inconsistent), and Special A (I think I started watching it because it reminded me of good old Ouran). From the long-running series I still follow Gintama, and it never fails to amuse me. I'm also downloading Code Geass S2, but I have to catch up with the first season before I start watching the second one.

b. Books
As far as books are concerned, as long as they are well written and the plot is interesting I'm game. I enjoy many authors and genres. My favourite author is definitely Haruki Murakami. I love his simple style and unpredictable stories.

c. CLAMP
Four crazy mangakas who take pleasure from torturing their fans. Lately, I've been thinking about which one of them I like best, and, after careful consideration, I decided that it's Nekoi. I hope that her dream will soon come true, and that she'll get to continue her beloved Gohou Drug. Look how considerate I am! *laughs*

d. Dumbledore
The man with the coolest beard accessories EVER!

e. Eagle
One of my favourite characters in MKR (the second one is, not surprisingly, Lantis). I must admit that I didn't quite enjoyed his appearance in TRC. His longish talks with Sakura (and the flashbacks that resulted from them) made the Infinity arc a bit boring.

f. Fandoms on LJ
Lately, I haven't been very LJ active, and consequently I'm a bit behind as far as the fandom stuff is concerned. The only fandom I'm up-to-date with is the Gossip Girl one. Every time I look through my flist I check out the posts at gossipgirltv too see the fabulous clothes the actors are wearing on the set of the season two.

g. Gorgeous Carat
I started reading it a few years ago, but never finished. I remember that the uke was named Florian (what a gay name!) and that he had eyes like sapphires(?!?) *laughs* I think I have that manga in my vast yaoi folder on my second computer. I may finish it someday.

h. Human kind
The second chapter of my thesis was about it! *shudders* NEXT!

i. Interview with the Vampire
One of my favourite books about vampires. After I read it I became obsessed with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I read most of the books in the series, but my love for Rice's writing died out in the process. In my opinion she should've ended the series after the first three books. The rest of them seemed strained to me.

j. Jam
Don't really like it. Most of the jams they sell in stores are too sweet for me. I only eat my mother's home-made plum jam.

k. Kurogane
~~My future husband.~~ My favourite manga character. Very sexy, has great body, and a big heart. I'd like to meet a man who is as patient and understanding as he is for Fay *sighs dreamily*

l. Lupin
Remus, a werewolf. I liked him in HP, but I LOVE him in the Shoebox-verse. In most of the fics he is portrayed as a bookish, chocolate-loving boy with a nose which is a bit too big for his face. Despite the fact that Rowling married him off to Tonks I'll always consider him and Sirius my ultimate HP OTP!

m. Mara
'Mara' means nightmare in Polish. It reminds me that my personal nightmare, my studies, are over! Man, it's so good to be free!

n. Nature
I may not look it but I really enjoy the outdoors. I feel bad in the enviroment that is devoid of greenery and therefore I keep plants in my flat. I'm always happy to return home, because there the fields and the forest are just around a corner.

o. Oofuri
Another great anime I haven't finished watching. I was waiting for Saizen to carry on subbing it, but they never did. I think I saw some other subs at TokyoTosho, I may as well give them a try.

p. Porn
It may come as a surprise for some of you, but I don't really like porn in the long run. If I'm watching it alone I get bored after 10 minutes. I prefer to read yaoi, because hot sex is better with a hint of plot.

q. Quizzes
I was always stressed when we were supposed to have one in school. I like the personality quizzes in magazines though. They're never acurate for me but fun to do.

r. Robert Pattinson
I'm not a big fan, or something. I only saw him in Goblet of Fire, and he was a perfect Cedric. I like him because he's not perfect. On most pictures from his red carpet appearances he looks dishevelled, flushed, and positively crazy :D I hope that his Edward will be more appealing for me than his book counterpart. I like him, but frankly, I'm all for Jacob.

s. Sushi
I had it a few times, but the taste didn't take my breath away. When I go to a Japanese restaurant I prefer to have teriyaki chicken or udon.

t. TV on DVD
90% of the series I follow aren't and will probably never be aired on Polish television, and therefore I have to download them (usually via torrent). When a season ends I burn the episodes on a DVD and voila! I almost never buy original DVDs. They're ridiculously expensive here.

u. Undertaker
They freak me out, even more than the clowns *shudders*

v. Viewfinder
For all those who follow VF, is it just me or Asami looks as if he had a face-lift (i.e. a lot younger) in the latest chapter?!?
Oh, I was supposed to rant... Ok. VF is a great manga. The art is beautiful, the characters are hot. Just please Yamane-sensei, cut the drama out and let them have sex already! It's been too long!

w.

x.

y. Yaoi
... is what brings smile to my face. Hot sweaty men making sweet love to one another is what every girl needs!
My favourite yaoi mangaka is definitely Yamada Yugi. As I said before, I like both the seme and the uke to look and behave as men.

z. Zorro
Polish TV repeats this series every other year and when I happen to stumble upon it I always tune in. I always had a soft spot for handsome, righteous men in tight black outfits :D

Where is Holic 159? Did I miss it or it haven't surfaced yet?

Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday!

2008-06-24T11:52:53Z

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm proud to announce that my academic career is officially over!
The defence of my MA thesis was yesterday, and although I was scared shitless before it, I did pretty well. I got a 5 (which is the highest mark in my country) for my thesis, 5 for the defence, and because I had fairly good grades in the course of my studies I'll have a 5 on my diploma. I never cared about grades, but I'm really happy that my hard work got acknowledged and rewarded. It was worth working my ass off and battling with my crazy supervisor to feel as fulfilled as I do know *sighs*

So, in celebration of my great success, have some music!

Music Meme

Tagged by snowaltz

Here's the rules:
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your LJ along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they're listening to.

1) Phantom Planet - Do The Panic (my ultimate pre-defence theme song!)
2) Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
3) The Kills - Sour Cherry
4) Bitter:Sweet - The Bomb
5) Albert Hammond Jr. - Hard To Live In The City
6) Ferraby Lionheart - The Ballad of Gus and Sam
7) Junkie XL ft Lauren Rocket - Cities In Dust

Yet Another Music Meme

1. Reply to this post and I'll assign you a letter.
2. List (and upload, if you feel like it) 5 songs that start with that letter.
3. Post them to your journal with these instructions.

jackpirate13 gave me R (for Return :D)

1) Rich Girls by The Virgins

We'll walk around
Pretending we're all grown up
Hey, rich girl!
Well, can you tell me why
You're so stuck up?
When you act like you're so down
Does paranoia come around
And seize your mind now
Roll your eyes!

2) Race To The City by The Cinematics

Money matters always seem to get you down
But money doesn't matter when you're dead
Everything will be alright
If you just have some fun

3) Raise Your Hand (Lifeblood remix 128) by The Lights

4) Right as Rain by Adele

Who wants to be right as rain
It's better
When something is wrong
You get excitement in your bones
And everything you do's a game
When night comes
And your all on your own
You can say I chose to be alone
Who want to be right as rain
It's harder when your on top

5) Rippin' Up The Disco by Kylie Minogue

I never want to lose the glow
Strobe lightning take over my soul
Intrusion never let you go
You won’t control me now
I’m burning to feel it
Now I’m
Ripping up the disco
Raving on the dancefloor

Enjoy the music!

P.S - There are a few letters laft in The Alphabet Meme. Any takers?

new layout and a meme

2008-06-15T14:01:12Z

My request has been answered and I have a shiny new layout! Look!
The lovely header (and a bunch of alternatives to replace it with whenever I feel like!) was made for me by wonderful rinelin . Thank you very much for your hard work, dear!
I changed my usual flexible squares layout into smooth sailing. I'm using a pre-made template taken from interlinea. I also installed a fitting moodtheme made by kristallmond .

This is my first non-manga-related layout! It features Chair, ie. Chuck and Blair from my favourite TV show (dubbed "Best Show Ever" by the New York Magazine), Gossip Girl. GG is yet another teen drama, but I'm head in heels in love with it and not ashamed to admit it! I guess a mixture of teen angst, beautiful people, fabulous clothes and the fact that it's set in New York makes the show so appealing to me. It's basically like Sex and the City with a bit less sex and a lot more exaggerated drama.
Anyway, Chair is the first heterosexual pairing I've shipped in a long time, and, frankly, I'm surprised with the amount of love I have for them. Turns out that the right kind of chemistry between the characters can make the most heterophobic yaoi fangirl come round *laughs*

OK, now it's time for a meme! I haven't done one in quite a while, so I feel pretty nostalgic right now *sniffles* Man, it's good to be free!

The alphabet meme (stolen from almost everyone on my flist)
1. It begins with a list of all 26 letters of the alphabet.
2. Comment with something for me to talk about that starts with one of those letters. Make me babble about anything -- TV shows, actors, actresses, food, I don't know, be creative.
3. One topic per letter -- I don't care how many letters you pick.
4. I will post a new post talking about all 26 topics given to me.

a. Anime
b. Books
c. CLAMP
d. Dumbledore
e. Eagle
f. Fandoms on LJ
g. Gorgeous Carat
h. Human kind
i. Interview with the Vampire
j. Jam
k. Kurogane
l. Lupin
m. Mara
n. Nature
o. Oofuri
p. Porn
q. Quizzes
r. Robert Pattinson
s. Sushi
t. TV on DVD
u. Undertaker
v. Viewfinder
w.
x.
y. Yaoi
z. Zorro

Ask away!

***

2008-06-13T16:56:45Z

I FINISHED MY THESIS!!!

Eighty-fucking-three pages of blood, sweat and tears! I have never written so much in my entire life! And to think that I was able to think of enough bullshit to fill all these pages! I never thought I had it in me...

Anyway, do you guys know what it means?!?

I'M BACK!!! :D

EDIT: Is there anyone who'd like to present me with a sparkly congratulatory layout?

Third time's the charm

2008-03-20T17:26:55Z

First of all, big thanks to rusalkaz for obtaining the raw and sharing it with us! You rock hardcore, dear!

I was tempted to write my rantage right after watching the raw version, but because I liked what I saw to an almost frightening extent I decided to calm down and watch TR3 again before sharing my opinion with you guys. I did and...

... I still like it. It isn't perfect, but it's better than I expected it to be (which is always a good thing). Definitely the best part of the series IMHO.

But let's start from the very beginning, shall we?

- Kuro getting pissed off upon seeing FWR's sign on Syao's chest and tightening his grip on Fay's arm is a very nice touch. I love it when our ninja enters his possessive mode (+2 points for fanservice)

- The scenes preceding the vampire transformation look almost exactly like in the manga. Kuro's face looks off in some shots, but at least he is genuinely angry (not mildly annoyed, like when he saw wounded Fay in the previous part). The voice acting is superb, as always. I love Inada's strong voice, but I wish he used a bit colder, more commanding tone for the infamous "If you want to die so badly, I will kill you. Until then live" line (+3 points for voice acting, +2 points for Fay's prettiness)

- Now the transformation scene itself. I believe that most of you will agree with me that it was very disappointing.
The scene was too static, and not as emotive as it should be. I expected Fay to be more violent and vocal. In manga Fay's pain was almost tangible, he was trashing on the bed and would probably hurt himself if Kuro didn't restrain him. In manga Kuro and Fay looked as if they were fighting, there was clawing involved and blood drawn for crying out loud! And that last look Fay gave Kuro before collapsing should be angry and hungry at the same time, not tired and somehow unfocused!!! Overall, Production I.G proved again that they suck at showing strong emotions (-10 points)
However, at one point it looked as if Kuro was petting Fay's back reassuringly, and it made me 'awww' a bit (+1 point for fanservice)

- Too bad that they cut off the scene in which Kuro smooths back Fay's hair. Still, he FINALLY got to grab himself some wizard tigh! (+1 point for fanservice)

- They still can't get Fuuma right (-1 point). But the twins look pretty most of the time, so +2 points for that.

- I like the scene in which Sakura says goodbye to the guys (and asks Kuro to take care of Fay) before embarking on her quest. Kuro has one of his "smokin' hot" moments there...

If you're curious, the remaining Kuro's "smokin' hot" moments are:

Yes, they look almost the same. Production I.G probably used the same base for all of them... (+5 points for Kuro's sexiness, and -1 for repetitions)

- Kuro sitting by Fay's side and turning to check up on him made me "awwww" some more (+1 point for fanservice)

- The action sequence was dynamic and well animated. I was worried that Production I.G will lengthen the scene, but it's faithful to the manga and I like it (+3 points for decent animation)

- I was hoping to see Fay reaching out to Kuro upon waking up, and was disappointed that this little tidbit was excluded. The rest of the scene was good tho. Namikawa-san did a great job, as always. I'm in love with his sad and gentle voice (+3 points for Namikawa-san).

- I don't get wtf they made CCS Sakura's guide. Does it mean she's dead? Was Ohkawa the one who came up with that particular twist? Do I care? Oh, I know the answer to this one! NO!

- The final talk with Yuuko is almost the same as in the manga. Too bad, however, that Fay's tower!flashback was cut off. I wanted to hear real!Fay's voice! *sighs*

All in all there's more positive points (22) than negative ones (12). Production I.G. did a good job on this part, and I hope that they'll animate the next arcs of the manga.

Speaking of TRC, I have to say that #185 is one of the best chapters EVER! For the first time I'm grateful to Bare-san for not going into much detail in his spoiler post. I love it when a seemingly boring chapter turns out THAT good in the end!

It's perfect in so many ways: the way Fay is swiftly undressing Kuro from his armor as if he has done it a thousand times before, the fact that Kuro LETS him do it, Fay's lustful/mischievous expression when he's licking his fingers clean of Kuro's blood, the hit, and then this beautiful honest smile!

I liked this exchange between them:
Fai: When we're together, there are a lot of things we can't hide.
It's hard on Shaoran-kun and Mokona too, if they only learn about it too late.

Kuro: ... You're the one to talk.

Fai: That's exactly the reason why I'm saying it. (translated by inarikami )

It's obvious that Kuro is still feeling a bit hurt because of all these secrets that Fay kept from him. At the same time, Fay ensures Kuro that he has learnt his lesson, and that he won't let the ninja repeat his mistakes and go through all the pain that he himself suffered. The most important thing is that they're able to TALK about it. They finally feel at ease with one another, and it only took them an arm, a few buckets of blood, and some bitchslaps to get there *laughs*

Anyway, I hope that CLAMP will give us some more of such gems before the series is over. It was certainly worth to suffer through the boring chapters to get such a wonderful piece of fanservice!

Today's post is sponsored by the letter M (as in meme), and U (as in update)

2008-03-07T19:02:19Z

Before I get down to the ubiquitous TRC meme I'd like to inform all of you that Kasumi's site got updated. There's some GD, 2 spoiler pics for the upcoming second season of Holic anime, and Fay *gasps* with his hair down! Go, see, and drool!

Now, the meme (snatched from almost everyone on my flist)...

[Favourite]

Character: It's a tie between Kurogane and Fay.

Pairing: KuroFay

Attack/fighting move: Again, a tie between Fay's magic (manga version, not to be mistaken with the Pink Ray of Gayness from the OVD) and Kuro's "Ryu-Ou-Jin".

Line/Speech/Dialogue Exchange: I won't be very creative here. It's Kurogane's infamous: "If you want to die so badly, I will kill you. Until then, live."

Fight Scene: Kurogane vs. Syaoran in Yamano. I like it when the puppy is having fun :)

Romance Scene: Kuro almost!crying and grabbing Fay's hand to stop him from killing himself in ch150. I know it's not very romantic, but well...

[General Scene]

'Oh Snap!!' moment: Kurogane cutting his arm off in ch166.

Chapter: 112 (the TALK), 125 (vampire ~~marraige~~ bond), 137-8 (the ~~licking~~ feeding scene), 150 (Kuro's almost!tears), 166-7/169 (for the aboundant canon-ness)

TV episode: NONE!

Chapter Spread/Cover: KuroFay color splash in ch141.

Outfit: I love the armours from Yamano, s&m outfits from Infinity, and kimonos from Nihon.

What originally drew you to this manga?: The fact that it is CLAMP's manga.

What do you think separates TRC from other manga?: The increasing number of doublespreads? Just kidding! Definitely crazy plot twists and character developement.

Which other manga (non CLAMP of course) does TRC remind you of (in terms of character, plot, design, anything)?: There are some yaoi mangas that feature characters so similar to Kurogane and Fay (both looks and character-wise) that I dubbed them KuroFay AU doujins :D

Are there any things about the manga that you don't like ie) things you wish CLAMP had done better?:
They tend to drag certain scenes/arcs for too long. Also, there's too many clones for my liking.

If you could change any aspect about the TRC (character relationships, plotlines, designs, anything) what would it be?: I'd like to see more interaction between Evil Seme Brothers and the Vampire Twins. ~~Also, some overt KuroFay fanservice would be nice. Maybe a kiss, or hinted!sex... *gets bricked~~*

Which CLAMP character not shown in TRC do you wish had been allowed to make an appearance?: GD guys.

Which character(s) did you end up changing your opinion about throughout the manga?: Kurogane

How did your opinion change?: I learned that he's not as selfish and stupid as he appeared to be at the beginning.

Which character would you most want to party with?: Yuuko and Tomoyo! We would fangirl our asses off tohether!

Which part in particular really truly made you cry, (that is, if you did)?: Sakura's soul saying goodbye to Fay, and instructing Kurogane and Syao to take care of him in ch149.

What are you hoping will happen at the end of the manga?: Happy end for everyone (except for Asschin of course)!!!

Would you want the rest of the manga to be animated: Yes (but please NOT by BeeTrain!)

ETA: I posted the answers to the movie meme.

Hello? I forgot my mantra.

2008-03-04T17:59:34Z

First of all (and again with the sparkles)...

HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY to ariadnechan
May all your dreams come true! *hugs*

And now, since I'm already posting, let's have a meme!

1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Fill in the film title once it's guessed.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions.

1) Zoolander (guessed by gacktyougirl)
- I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is.

2) Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
- They're armed.
- What was that? Armed? What do you mean armed? Armed with what?
- Err, bad breath, colorful language, feather duster... what do you think they're gonna be armed with? Guns, you tit!

3) Lost in Translation
-I just don't know what I'm supposed to be.
- You'll figure that out. The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.

4) Fight Club (guessed by ariadnechan)
- All the ways you wish you could be, that's me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.

5) Snatch
- You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.

6) Atonement
-I'm sorry, you weren't meant to see that. It was the wrong version.
- What was in the right one?
- It was more formal... Less...
- Anatomical?

7) The Birdcage (guessed by gacktyougirl)
- You were so terrified, it was so sweet.
- I thought I was gonna have a heart attack. I mean, I walk in the door and there's a woman in my bed!
- I paid the doorman twenty dollars - twenty dollars, in those days!
- Oh, God. And I thought, "what the hell, let's try it once with a woman and see what those straight guys are raving about.

8) Pretty Woman (guessed by fireflypenance)
- You're late.
- You're stunning.
- You're forgiven.

9) Breakfast at Tiffany's
- Sing Sing?
- Yes. I always thought it was a ridiculous name for a prison. Sing Sing, I mean. Sounds more like it should be an opera house or something.

10) Todo Sobre Mi Madre
- Just don't disappear again. I like to say good-bye to the people I love, even if it's only to cry my eyes out, bitch.

11) Four Rooms
- Let me explain what we're talking about here.
- No, sir, you don't have to explain anything to me. Whatever constitutes a good time as far as you guys are concerned, well, that's your business.
- Well, no, it's your business, too, Ted, because we want you to take part.
- Take part in what, sir?
- Chester, your way of breaking the news to him gently is scaring the fuck outta him.
- You think so?
- Just spit it out.
- Okay, you might be right. Okay, here we go, here we go, okay. Thing is, Ted, first off, there's nothing homosexual about what we want you to do. I mean, I was thinking you might be thinking we want you to do some like, weird sex thing, like suck us off, pee on us, shit like that, you know. Nothing! Nothing could be further from the truth!

12) Annie Hall
- It's so clean out here.
- That's because they don't throw their garbage away, they turn it into television shows.

13) Pride and Prejudice (guessed by tehanu_chan)
- Have you no consideration for my poor nerves?
- You mistake me, my dear. I have the utmost respect for your nerves. They've been my constant companion these twenty years.

14) Coffee and Cigarettes (guessed by jurindel)
- He's a very committed environmentalist.
- Spike Jonze is a tree hugger? Jesus, I never would've had him down as that.
- Well... I think he prefers the term "leaf people."

15) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (guessed by gacktyougirl)
- What are you doing now?
- Averting our eyes, oh Lord.
- Well, don't. It's just like those miserable psalms, always so depressing. Now knock it off!

Guess away! :)

memes and some randomness

2008-02-29T22:04:12Z

I'm still busy and should be writing my bloody thesis right now, but I decided that since 29th of February is the date that occurs only every four years I need to honour the occasion with a post.

Let's start with a meme, shall we?

Comment and I'll give you a letter; then you have to list 10 things you love that begin with that letter. Afterward, post this in your journal and give out some letters of your own.

snowlatz gave me...

K

1) Kurogane!!!
2) Kobato
3) Kitties
4) Kazahaya
5) Kimonos (or should I say, sexy men wearing kimonos. Btw, I'm pretty sure Kurogane doesn't wear ANYTHING underneath his *giggles*).
6) Kilts (same as above, minus the Kurogane part ~~although I'm sure he wouldn't wear anything underneath his kilt either~~)
7) Kawai-sensei's mangas
8) Kill Bill
9) Kasumi's site (I'm eagerly waiting for an update!)
10) Konacha chocolate by Dolphin

It was a bit... strained. Turns out there aren't many things I like that start with the letter "k"...

Some random thoughts:

* You know I'm not a huge SyaoSaku fan, but ch183 splash took my breath away! Someone happened to stumble upon a merged version?

* Honey & Clover drama turned out to be a great disappointment :/

* I have a major celebrity!crush on James McAvoy.

* I'm indignant with the fact that none of my future husbands (i.e. George Clooney and Johnny Depp) received an Oscar this year! And Mr. McAvoy wasn't even nominated! I have no words!

* remusxsirius has some of the hottest smut fics I've ever read.

* Sadly, Jonathan Rhys Meyers doesn't look good in the second season of The Tudors. I'll never understand why men are so keen on growing pubes on their faces *sigs*

* TR 3 is just round the corner!!!

* After spending a few hours trying to remember whether the Snape's worst memory flashback was included in the screen version of OotP I finally consulted mighty google, and learned that no, it wasn't. I found it on youtube, and it was a huge mistake. If I were Rowling I'd strangle the casting director (or better boil him alive, Tudors style)!

* I want to finally see Sweeney Todd *whines*

This is all for now. I hope that tomorrow's spoilers will be good.

Ohisashiburi desu ne!

2008-02-23T17:33:55Z

School stuff and real life shenanigans kept me busy lately, and so I've been neglecting my journal a great deal (only four entries in January, and one so far in February! OH MY!!!). I'm still facing a major time shortage, but I decided to re-emerge from lurkdom for a tad, because I have a shiny new layout to flaunt!!!

Thank you, rinelin for making this gorgeous header for me! I know I've already said it, like, a dozen of times, but I love it to bits! Now I only need CLAMP to continue GD, and I'll be perfectly happy! *sighs dreamily*

random spazz

2008-01-26T09:18:31Z

OMG, the spoilers are out, and if I understood them correctly, the only thing I can say right now is...

ILU Watanuki!!! ♥

One wizard's eye a day keeps the doctor away!

2008-01-19T17:53:05Z

Before I go through my flist and get affected by your reviews, here are some of my thoughts on TR II:

- It was a bit better animated than the first part. The characters still looked a bit off in some scenes, but at least Kuro has some really good moments which is a big improvement IMHO.

- The fight in water was a bit... awkward. The Kamui vs. Syao showdown was quite good, but it all became too... dunno... static after Fay intervened.

- Sunrise blew Fay's magic BIG TIME!!! He was supposed to WRITE these lovely Celesian runes in the air, NOT fire a sparkly purple-ish beam out of his long, elegant fingers! When I saw it, I half expected Fay to shout: "Gay Crystal Powaa, make up!", and the beam to wrap around his body and turn him into Eternal Super Sailor Gay! In fact, too bad that it didn't happen Maybe if Fay had the Crystal Pink Rod of Gay he could use it to successfully heal Cloney, just like Sailor Moon did with all the badly animated monsters she encountered!

- Cloney munching on Fay's eye was the grossest thing EVER! It's one thing seeing the onomatopeias in the manga, and quite another thing actually hearing the sound. It's good that I watched it before I had breakfast. This scene would probably make me lose it :/

- Maybe it's just me, but Kuro's reaction to Cloney's actions was too mild. Yes, he looked shocked and pissed off, but in a "Dude, you've eaten all my cookies!" NOT "Dude, you've eaten my ~~boy~~friend's eye and almost killed him!" kind of way. Still, he looked hot in this scene, so I don't really mind.

- Kuro cradling Fay's body in his arms, and then carrying him bridal style is made of love! I miss the butt!grab, tho. I guess it was too gay to be animated :(

- The Syao vs. Cloney was pretty hot. I liked Syao's sword-out-of-hand trick and his "Raite Shourai". I really wish I had a bankai like that *dreamy sigh*

- SUBARU!!! He's so pretty, and well animated, and yasashii! Keep up the good work, ~~Sunrise~~ Production I.G (I always confuse them. Why didn't you guys correct me? :), and try not to fug him up in the next part!

- Kamui and Subaru hugging and being all brotherly (OHOHOHOHO!) raburabu and gay for each other made my day. Vampire!twincest FTW!!!

- Yuuko's boobs are frightening me! They're seriously all over the place! Her face was beautiful, tho.

- Too bad that the vampire ~~sex~~ transformation scene wasn't included in this part. I was really looking forward to seeing it! And now I wonder how ~~Sunrise~~ Production I.G is going to squeeze the blood bond, the water issues, Sakura Croft adventures, AND the longish conversation with Yuuko in the third part. I guess we need to wait and see *sighs some more*

This is all I can think of for now. I'll probably edit the post and add some more thoughts once I watch the subbed version/my fever goes down.

birthday wishes and some memes

2008-01-16T09:44:28Z

First of all...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY su_chan !!!
May all your dreams come true! I hope that tomorrow you'll get a lovely present from CLAMP! *hugs*

~~I know I'm abusing the sparkles, but they are so shiny and gay and I love them!~~

And now, let's have a meme. A bunch of people tagged me to do this one, so here we go!

Happy things meme

The rules are easy, just post 10 things that recently made you happy! Then tag 10 people and force them to post this meme on their LJs. Because it is good. Everyone needs a little happiness once in a while.

1) The fact that TR II will be out TOMORROW! May the vampire ~~sex~~ transformation scene be included in this part!!!
2) Pre-ordering TR II (along with volume 22, which contains the most fanservicey KuroFay chapters EVER).
3) The 4th chapter of Darenimo Aisarenai. Guys, if you're going to make up like that you can argue ALL THE TIME :D
4) Go Fug Yourself, for all the lulz it's giving me.
5) Honey & Clover manga, because it's so pretty, heartwearming and hilarious (and even the fact that I have it in German and need to consult das Wörterbuch every now and then while reading doesn't spoil my joy).
6) Close Your Last Door omake #3(canon_4_life has a hew panels of it here). I hope we'll manage to get the whole thing!
7) TRC 15. Man, I forgot how gorgeous Kamui is!
8) The weather these past few days, still cold but very sunny. It reminds me that Spring is just around the corner.
9) My new Snoopy jammies.
10) TR II again (since I can't think of anything else, and this is something I'm really looking forward to right now)!!!

And also...

♪ THE MUSIC MEME ♪

Because I'm really curious what music you associate me with.

Great Expectations

2008-01-06T14:27:35Z

So the year 2008 has oficially begun, and I have spent the first few days of it doing absolutely NOTHING productive. I met up with some friends, got a haircut, went on a shopping spree (which was a complete waste of time, since I came back home almost empty handed *sighs*), watched the first season of The Tudors (and loved ~~Jonathan Rhys Meyers and James Cavil in~~ it) and haven't written A SINGLE WORD of my thesis. Therefore, I decided that, if I am to finish my studies and get a MA degree, I need to spend more time writing, and less time procrastinating. To attain that I will do my best to cut back the time spent online during the weekdays, and catch up on weekends. Consequently, I'm afraid I won't be very active and I'd like to apologize beforehand for not commenting as much as I should. Hopefully, my work will advance quicker than I expect, and I will be able to come back to my old ways in no time *is hopeful*

That said, I can focus on more pleasant things, i.e. the highlights of 2008.

In 2008...

I'm looking forward to:

the 2 and 3 part of the Tokyo Revelations OAD (and, most importantly, to the vampire ~~sex~~ transformation scene);
the second season of xxxHolic anime (and seeing the spider arc and Haruka-jiisama animated);
more sensational plot developement/ blatant KuroFay and DouWata fanservice in TRC & Holic;
the 5th volume of Takanaga Hinako's Tyrant series;
movies: the Sex and the City and Prince Caspian (due out in May);
new chapters of all the mangas I follow;
ETA: the second part of Close the Last Door OVA (whenever they're planning to released it);
Spring *hates Winter*

I'll most definitely watch:

the remaining episodes of Ghost Hound, new episodes of Gintama (which are the only animes I follow right now);
the above mentioned Tsubasa OADs, the second season of Holic, and perhaps Code Geass (if I manage to catch up on all the episodes I missed);
what's left of Ugly Betty and Gossip Girl;
the second season of The Tudors (which starts sometime in March);
Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle (because I'm a sucker for all these SatC wannabes);
Honey and Clover drama (which premieres this Tuesday, I CAN'T WAIT!);
the second season of Gossip Girl, the third season of Heroes and Ugly Betty (in September?!?);

I hope for:

the return of Gohou Drug!!!
the conclusion of X!!!
more steady serialization for Holic,
the remaining arcs of TRC turned into OADs/anime;
a more peaceful fandom;
ETA: a new project by Yamada Yugi;

... and a few more things, concerning my personal life, that I'll keep to myself.

This list will probably expand in time, but these are the things I'm looking forward to right now. I hope they'll turn out as good as I anticipate them to be *keeps her fingers crossed*

***

2007-12-31T12:41:05Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I wish you health, love, happiness and lots of dokidoki fandom moments!
May all your wildest dreams come true!
*hugs her flist*

Hello Goodbye

2007-12-27T19:08:16Z

First of all, I'd like to thank my wonderful flist for the Christmas wishes/cards. I'm sorry for not responding to all of them/commenting on your Christmas posts, but my sister was at home for the holidays and she was holding my computer captive most of the time (playing some stupid online game). Therefore, my online time was limited, and when I finally got some access she was always there peeking at what I'm doing and who I am writing to, and I don't find that stimulating. Anyway, she's not here anymore and I can finally spend some quality time with Andrew (my computer) again *clings to it*

Senondly, for all Yamada Yugi fiends out there:

the_last_door

Don't get me wrong. I wasn't the one who started the community. I'm just pimping it, because Yamada Yugi-sensei's awesome mangas need more love!

Thirdly, and most importantly, some of you might have noticed that I did a friends cut. For those who aren't on my flist anymore, I defriended you not because I don't like you, but because a) we haven't talked AT ALL; b) we talked a few times before, but somehow drifted apart; c) you blog in a language I don't understand. It's possible that I have removed someone by mistake, if you think so, please comment and bring it to my attention. People who friended me only for my crack galleries, you can drop this journal and friend/watch shura_shine, a community I'll be posting them in from now on. Thank you for understanding.

About TRC 177, there's not much to rant about. Again, the chapter is very emotional, and seeing all the trauma Sakura has to put up with makes me feel really sorry for her. As for Syao and Cloney, I'm glad that they're back in Nihon, but it bothers me a bit that the Dream World is like Paris Hilton, everyone can get in and out just like that. I was hoping for some kind of a closure, but I have a feeling that the S vs. C showdown will remain discontinued. Daddy, you should follow Mommy and hurry to your daughter's side. Someone may take her away if you won't hold on to her tightly...
There's a break next week, right?

P.S - Fei tops Asami!!! Has hell frozen over?!?

***

2007-12-24T11:06:13Z

For all those who celebrate it:

This card was drawn by the talented

rinelin in response to one of my Christmas wishes. I decided that the time has come to share it, since there's no better thing for Christmas than a gorgeous naked man sporting a Santa hat :D

The Nightmare Before Christmas

2007-12-22T23:35:15Z

In case anybody wondered, I'm not dead/ lying in hospital in stress-induced coma/ in jail for murdering my supervisor. My latest inactivity stems from the fact that I was busy shopping for presents, cleaning, decorating, baking, and doing other Very Important Things like... frosting.
Oh how I long for the days when Christmas was a magical time of idleness, gluttony and wonderful surprises. Now, I even have to buy my own present, because my parents don't have time to go shopping or a clue what to get me. And then what, do I have to act all surprised like all those actors after receiving an Oscar? Oh well...

Anyway, I'm not here to rant about how does it feel to be the youngest person in the family (a.k.a. the errand-girl), but to share with you all the wonderful things I discovered while I wasn't mixing and whisking.

* First of all, I should announce that I'm giving up on a pairing more often, because when I do it things like that (beware! NOT WORKSAFE!!!) pop up and turn me into a puddle of fangirl goo. Yamane-sensei, here's a helpful hint: instead of wasting your energy on the, seemingly neverending, Hong Kong arc why don't you focus on writing such cute short stories like this one. Honestly, seeing Ahihito stalking ~~or being stalked by~~ Asami, getting caught, and thoroughly smexed is what your fans really want! I hope you'l take my advice into consideration, and that the upcoming chapters will abound in images of Asami with his hair down (yup, he's between Aki's thighs xD),because they make me really happy in the pants. Love, Anna.

* Speaking of yaoi, Yamada Yugi has once again proven that she totally deserves the undying love and admiration I have for her. Just when I thought that her Yume wo Miru Hima mo Nai is my most favourite manga, I read Darenimo Aisarenai and fell head over heels in love. It's very heartwarming, beautifully drawn (like all Yugi-sensei's works), and amusing (Ijima is the most hilarious seme EVER!). And what's worth noting, although I was always a seme person, in this manga for the first time I can't decide who I'm lusting for more, Ijima (the seme) or Kusaka (the uke).
Anyway, I strongly recommend Darenimo Aisarenai to everyone. You can find it at yaoi_daily and download at afascinante.

*Leaving the NC-17 department for a while, recently I re-read Kobato. I wasn't particularily fond of this manga at first, but after the second read (in proper order) I must admit I'm captivated. Normally the overenthusiastic and cheerful heroine would put me off, but Kobato is so adorable that I just want to pinch her cheeks (Fujimoto style). I guess it's mostly thanks to Iorogi, because whenever Kobato gets too wide-eyed he goes RAWR and instead of being annoyed by her stupidity I feel sorry for the girl who is bullied by a plushie. Plus, she and Fujimoto are so cute together that even such a die-hard slash lover couldn't resist their charm and I really truly ship them, ~~I think hell just got a little colder.~~
Ok, let's move on, since I still haven't got to the best part, i.e Okiura a.k.a. the Debt Collector. Although featured on, like, 20 panels, he has already become an object of my mini obsession. He looks and acts as if he was Kakei's and Saiga's love-child ~~(and as if his favourite book of all time was Fake Smiles for Dummies by Fay D. Flourite)~~, and he has this certain something that, even though he's supposed to be a villain, makes you want to fawn over him because he's just oh-so-cool. And tell me, can anybody resist such a charming ~~fake~~ smile?!?

Is this what you had in mind, Su?!? ;)

*For those who haven't noticed, Kasumi's site got updated. There's not much goodies this time, but one pic makes this batch really worth checking out. I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll just say that it features a certain pairing, very popular but neglected by CLAMP for quite a long time. A perfect art for this snowy season *laughs*

*On a different note, in order to confirm the release date I visited the wiki page of Hachikuro live action today, and noticed that the Gods of Dorama have answered my prayers and Nomiya has been casted. The actor who's going to play him is pretty cute, which makes me anticipate this upcoming drama even more.

*Last week I went to see The Golden Compass, and my oh my, it was BAD. The book is brilliant, but the movie was plainly boring. Like in most Big and Expensive American productions more emphasis was put on the special effects than on obeing the simple 'show don't tell' principle. For example, I'm sure that there was a better way for Lyra to learn about Iofur Rakinson's weakness than having Mrs. Coulter go all "Hi, I'm Mrs. Coulter. You know, the king of the bears wants to have a daemon, silly thing. Could you pass me the salt? Would you like to go to the North with me?" But instead of playing it out in more natural way, the director gave us a 15 minutes longer fight, because this is Hollywood, if there can't be any sex, ther has to be some violence!
I read that some people were complaining that the ending of the book got cut off, but frankly, that made me really happy. I don't know if I could bear another 20 minutes of this movie. Yup, it was THAT bad.
And last, but not least, the kid that is playing Roger was one of the most f... erm... bad looking children I've ever seen! He looks like a younger Kevin Bacon! I need to check at imdb if they are related, because such resemblance cannot be accidental!
To sum up, I suggest all of you to make better use of the money you'd spend on the ticket and buy yourself a book. Believe me, you'll have a much better time reading it than watching this rubish.

Ok, I'm done preaching for today *goes off the watch the last episode of Dennou Coil*

TRC 176 + Holitsuba short comic rantage

2007-12-11T22:36:53Z

We've got many goodies today! All thanks to our wonderful cloud9_alice !

Tsubasa 176

First of all, I absolutely LOVE the splash! I don't know why, tho. Probably because it's so simple, and yet very intense. ~~And no, my feelings don't have anything to do with the fact that lately I kinda almost fangirl Syaorans...~~

And the drama ensues. Real!Syao loses consciousness, and what does Sakura do? She cries in terror and then cradles his wounded body in her arms, which earns her first big 'awwww'.
Cloney gets pissed that no one marvels at his awesome kung-fu moves and he STABS SAKURA'S ARM WITH HIEN, which is something a gentleman should NEVER do to a lady. And what does Sakura do?!? SHE DOESN'T BUDGE, which earns her another great 'awwww' and +1000 personality points.
Instructed by his fearless leader, Cloney wants to deal a finishing blow, but his body remembers how to be a proper gentleman, and he stops before Hien reaches Sakura ~~again~~ (which, in turn, earns him a tiny, yet well deserved 'awww'). I hope that with these bodily memories and 'a little help from his friends' Cloney may turn back into a good boy. Despite the fact that he ate Mummy's eye, I really like this little blood-thirsty rascal.

Manwhile, a portal to the dream world(?) opens in Nihon. I guess I'm the only one, but I hope the worried parents WON'T cross it. The children have to learn how to deal with their problems by themselves. And Kuro and Fay should stay where they are and have sex or something *nods*

Anyway, too bad that there's a break next week. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Shiritsu Horitsuba Gakuen - Christmas Short Comic

Words cannot express how much I love this short chapter!

First of all, TOTTEMO DAISUKI YUUI!!! He's so calm and cheerful and PRETTY! He reminds me of Fay at the beginning of the manga, but with one small exception, I know that all Yuui's smiles are genuine.
Right now I regret the fact that the ladies didn't let him grow up to be this handsome man with yasashii eyes (almost like his Daddy's!) even more! Only a Holitsuba manga can make this loss up to us, CLAMP!

Secondly, Syaoron ROCKS! He's so wonderfully devious, and the way he's taunting Syaoran over his crush on Sakura is uber cute. I love their interaction, and I'd like to see some more of it, so once again a request to CLAMP: TURN HOLITSUBA INTO A REGULAR MANGA, yesplease!!!

Thirdly, a sneak peek of Fay and Yuuko pestering poor Kuro-rin sensei made my day! It's good to know that our boys are having fun, ne? :D

And last, but not least, a bit of crack, because I couldn't help myself...

Freudian symbolism, Y/Y?!?

procrastinate much?

2007-12-09T12:41:16Z

Stolen from a bunch of people in my flist.

SIX PAIRINGS I LIKE:

1) Kurogane/Fay (TRC)
2) Watanuki/Doumeki (Holic)
3) Kazahaya/Rikuo (Gohou Drug)
4) The Evil Seme Brothers/The Vampire Twins (TRC)
5) Takayama/Azuma (Demian Syndrome)
6) Morinaga/Tatsumi (Tyrant)

THREE SHIPS I'VE ABANDONED:

7) Asami/Akihito (Viewfinder)
8) Soubi/Ritsuka (Loveless)
9) Byakuya/Renji (Bleach)

THREE SHIPS I'VE NEVER LIKED:

10) Fay/Chii (TRC)
11) Rika/Mayama (Honey and Clover)
12) Blair/Nate (Gossip Girl)

TWO SHIPS THAT HAVE PIQUED MY INTEREST:

13) Blair/Chuck (Gossip Girl)
14) Masayuki/Makoto (Ghost Hound)

1. Why do you dislike #11 so much?
Probably because I always felt sorry for Yamada, and wanted her to end up with Mayama. Plus I never liked Rika and her happiness was none of my concern.

2. Who do you know that ships #13?
From what I know, 90% of the Gossip Girl fandom :D

3. What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?
Well, they're CLAMP's characters, so I'll be happy with just a kiss.

4. What is your favorite moment for #1?
Actually, there's a lot! But if I have to choose, I think the scene in which the vampire bond was forged between Kuro and Fay was my favourite. I'll always remember it fondly, because it was when CLAMPproved to me that the boy's mutual attraction was not only in my head, and there are indeed some really deep feelings between the two of them.

5. How long have you been following couple #6?
Ever since I started reading Tyrant, during this year's summer holidays.

6. What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
It's not that I don't care. I just kinda lost interest in the manga for the time being. I plan to catch up someday, and I will probably be still awww-ing at those two if I do.

7. Which ship do you prefer--#2 or #4?
I'd rather not answer this question. I love them all, and it's really hard for me to choose.

8. You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Since CLAMP already made Fay/Chii non-existent I'll happily destroy Blair/Nate. Anything for you, my dearest Chuck! xD

9. What interests you about #14?
Well, Makoto is grumpy, dark-haired, and a bit psychotic, and Masayuki is flamboyant light-haired, and pretty angsty at times. Needless to say, they remind me of a certain other pairing I like.

10. When did you stop liking #7?
Again, it's not that I don't like them. I need new chapters to fuel my interest, and Yamane-sensei likes to take longish breaks, so...

11. Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the series?
Actually, it was the other way round.

12. What's a song that reminds you of #5?
"Up Against The Wall" by Peter, Bjorn and John

13. Which of these ships do you love the most right now?
KuroxFay all the way!

14. Which do you dislike the most?
I'm re-watching Honey and Clover right now, so it's Mayama/Rika.

15. If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
It'd be a triple date, since I choose Kuro/Fay & The Evil Seme Brothers/The Vampire Twins. Their date would probably end either with a major fight or a major orgy, and I'd love to see both of these scenarios coming true *pokes CLAMP*

16. Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
Unfortunately no ;_;

17. Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
In their original mangas they didn't have a happy ending (or in Fuuma's and Kamui's case there was no ending at all), but I hope there will be one for them in TRC. They totally deserve it!

18. What would make you start shipping #14?
I guess I already am shipping them.

19. If only one could happen, which would you prefer--#2 or #6?
#6 is already canon, so I'm all for #2.

20. You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
I'm perfectly fine with the fate Ohkawa wrote for them. There's no better way to sink a ship than saying that the girl was modelled after the guy's mother, isn't it?

And now, the wikipedia meme (stolen from buddha_loves_me)

Go to the Wikipedia home page and click random article. That is your band's name.
Click random article again; that is your album name.
Click random article 15 more times; those are the tracks on your album.

The Maid Freed from the Gallows
Pararaton

1) Kesterson Reservoir
2) Youssra
3) Christianity in Jordan
4) Großer Garten
5) Junior school
6) Medardus
7) Mount Cleveland
8) Buckthorn
9) Illuminati
10) Bibliography of Ra's al Ghul
11) Ten Thousand Light-Years from Home
12) Scots National League
13) Dick Weber
14) Revolutionary Youth Front
15) Alice on Deadlines*

*heh, this one is the title of some manga.

Words cannot express how I adore the name of my band! And the tracks are not bad either. Too bad that I don't have any musical talent... *sighs*

TRC 175 rantage and stuff

2007-12-06T11:38:44Z

I haven't done chapter rantages in a long time. It feels kinda nostalgic to get back to my old routine *sighs*

As always, big thanks and much love to cloud9_alice for sharing the scans! *hugs*

TSUBASA 175

First of all, the splash. It's very pretty and appropriate for winter time, but it didn't make me gasp. It's probably because I don't like the clothes the boys are wearing. They're so... priest-like. I guess the ladies were catching up on Bleach before drawing the splash. The outfits look as if Ishida made them... Sakura's dress is cute, tho.
But yay for thigh-high boots! I'd love to see whether Kuro is also wearing them. If yes, it means that his sexual education is over and he got completely gay'd *nods*

Now on to the chapter itself. The KuroFay scene was really sweet. It's good to see them comfortable with each other again. And omg, look at Kuro's sexy smile! It's as if he was saying: "You've learned your lesson. I'll reward you for that... all night long" xD
And CLAMP, we know that Fay's wearing a furisode. You don't have to emphasize this fact by making his sleeves longer with every chapter *nods*

Sei-chan and Fuuma are made of all kinds of win! I adored their cooler than you attitude and sexual chemistry in X, and I absolutely love their brotherly banter. Those smiles! They look so delightfully psychotic that I want to pinch their cheeks! *laughs*

And Fuuma's "because of your sadistic tendencies Kamui doesn't like me anymoreeeee" line killed me DED! The Evil Seme Brothers are just priceless! Please CLAMP, give them a separate manga, make them Kuro's sidekicks in Cock Captor Kuro or something! They totally deserve more screen time!

About the Syao vs. Cloney fight, it's dynamic and very well drawn, but I hope it'll end SOON. I was never fond of longish battle scenes (one may ask, how come I managed to follow Bleach for so long), and I prefer flashback and ANSWERS! Hopefully, we'll get some soon.
And poor Sakura, she's suffering from one trauma after the other. The good thing is, it seems that she decided which Syao she's rooting for.

Anyway, the news about the upcoming Hachkuro dorama got me so excited that I'm re-watching the whole anime series. The first picture of the cast came out yesterday, and the actors look pretty good, apart from... M... Mo...Morita-san! So scary!!! His smile, it's freaking me out!!! O_o

Oh, and fedex sucks and swallows! My calendar arrived in Poland a week ago and I still haven't received it! :/

ETA: Kasumi's site got updated! We've already seen most of the images, courtesy of Alice, but there are two new ones - a Himawari, and (judging by the smirk) Haruka in a school uniform! :D
Go and check them out NOW!

a Christmas meme

2007-12-02T12:10:26Z

My first Christmas meme this year (snatched from cinoberis )

Step One

- Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fun ("I'd love a Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

- If you wish for real possible things, make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

- Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ so that the holiday joy will spread.

Step Two

- Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:

- If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.

You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.

There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

Here's my wishlist:

1) a Kurogane;

2) if the real thing is unavailable, a life-sized Kurogane rubber doll;

3) if #1 and #2 are unavailable, a Kurogane plushie;

4) Celesian fluffy gay coat of love;

5) Shura Shine shampoo and conditioner!;

6) an appointment with Fay's hair stylist;

7) a Chrismas card with a naked Kurogane (wearing Santa's hat and boots);

8) the unpublished Yama!arc;

9) a new KuroFay doujin by Corundum;

10) my MA thesis, completed!

I wonder if Santa will grant any of my Cristmas wishes this year *sighs*