Anime Review - Brave 10

        Ah!  This post is coming a bit late this time.  I’ve been soooo busy at work. #_#  And busy = limited anime viewing hours!!  NOOOO! ::minor breakdown in progress::  Okay, better now . . .  However, since there are only ten episodes out of Brave 10, I was able to catch up with the series and give you (hopefully) a decent review.  So in famous words of Nsync (yes, I’m a 90s teen), here we go!

Brave 10!!

Title: Brave 10

# of episodes (so far): 12

Genre: shounen, ninja/shinobi, historical

Story:  Based on the manga of the same name by Kairi Shimotsuki (which has 8 volumes), the story, set during the Warring States period, starts with the shinobi, Saizou Kirigakure rescuing Isanami, a shrine maiden who is on the run from assassins.  After escaping the assassins, they arrive at dwelling of Sanada Yukimura.  Sanada is planning to put together a group of ten warriors with amazing abilities in order to affect change for the future of Japan.  Both Saizou and Isanami decided to join his group, especially when it is revealed that Isanami may be more than what she seems . . .

 

Positives:

Story – Although the story can be a bit confusing at times (as I think anything based on history can be), I love watching anime that touches on Japan’s history.  Real events figure into the story’s timeline, which adds a slightly authentic feel (minus the huge swords, sorcery and crazy shinobi battles)

Did I mention giant swords??

Characters – Another thing I liked about the anime was the vast group of characters.  Each of the ten warriors (it takes about 8 episodes to meet them all though) are really different and well-formed.  My favorite is Saizou and the insane redhead Kamanosuke Yuri, mostly because I think the strange relationship between the two is pretty funny.

Weapons – Giant swords!!  Ninja battles!!  Enough said. 

Possible Pitfalls:

Lack of historical background – I think one of the hardest parts for me is that a lot of the references that are made to major figures in Japanese history are lost on me.  Even with my (very brief) study of Japanese history, I’m still often googling or wikipedia-ing (is that word?) a lot of the battles or important people mentioned.  Of course, normal viewers could just skip over that part and focus on the interactions between the characters.  Then again, I’m a (closet) history geek and once I hear of some historical event I can’t help but research it.

She could get tougher . . .

Isanami’s character – I usually like to watch anime where the main female character is, at the very least, not a whiner.  (The whole reason I never got into Twilight = Bella . . . I think if I had to read another, “Oh, Edward, I’d die without you . . . I would pull my hair out.  But please no hatemail from Team E. ^_^)  Towards the later episodes she does seem to whine a little bit less . . . and true, evil people did burn down her shrine and kill everyone she loves . . . but it would be nice to see her develop some kick-butt powers (that have already been hinted at) and have some awesome battles like the other nine warriors seem to be able to do.  Come on, Isanami!  I’m rooting for you to be cool!!

              

So, at this point in time I’m still planning to continue the series (since I think season one is only 12 episodes), but I’m afraid it only gets 3 out of 5 firecrackers, unless A) the battles get even more awesome B) Isanami starts kicking butt or C) everything does actually manage to get explained before the series ends

  

Has anyone else see Brave 10?  What do you think of Isanami (though actually, I’d love to cosplay her!)?  Did you check out Saizou’s sword?? (>.<  Sorry . . . that just sounds wrong . . . But his weapon is very awesome!)  Which warrior is your favorite?

Well, I’ve got another maid café adventure planned for tomorrow, so next week will either be more info on Taiwan’s maid café culture, the Y mall (which I still need to take pictures of!), or info on Animate, the number one store for manga and anime collectibles!!  Until then, mata ne!

A Maid Cafe Adventure - Good Smile Cafe

        I’ve always wanted to work at a cosplay café.  I know my husband gave me the same look when I told him. @_@  Then again I’m one of those people who loves Halloween and loved cosplaying back in my university days . . .sigh . . .  To have a job where you can dress up in all kinds of crazy costumes (and not have to read lines in front of a camera = scary~~), would be a dream job for me!  True, you meet the occasional weirdo, but then again I met some pretty strange people just working at a women’s clothing store (regular clothes, not costumes ^_^).

        So when I saw on the news that Taipei had its very own maid café I turned my adoring, pleading eyes towards my husband.  And when that didn’t work, I bargained and negotiated to make him go with me.  (Letting him pick the movie for our movie night for the next three weeks is a small price to pay!!)  He had to go with a buddy because he didn’t want to seem otaku (read- super geek) by himself and after dragging a somewhat suspecting (vs unsuspecting!) friend along, we were ready to go!

Otome in action!

The café – Good Smile Café

Location – This cafe is right next to Taipei Main Station Exit Z2.  It’s very easy to find if you know where Mitsukoshi (Shinguang Sanyue) is.  Facing Mistukoshi, the building to your left looks like an average office building, but on the fifth floor is none other than the maid café!

Atmosphere – This café’s current theme revolves around the anime/game Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, which I’ve never seen or played, and many of the character artworks and action figures there all come from that series.  Inside the café was much larger than I’d first thought, very spacious with anime posters (of Madoka Magica) hanging from the ceiling.  The entrance was a clear wall filled with shelves of action figures from some of the more popular anime and games in Taiwan.  I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when I realized the focus of the café was on an anime I hadn’t seen before, but still everything was very cute and there were lots of fun things to see.

Isn't that the cutest curry ever?? >.<

The food – I went in expecting expensive food and not very high quality, but I was pleasantly surprised!  Although, the food was expensive (in Taiwan at least, average for the US) it all tasted very good.  There were some anime-themed meals as well as drinks, and my husband was thrilled to be able to eat curry (because I’m allergic we don’t eat it often) and even better the curry was sooo cute! *^_^*  It seemed a shame to eat it, but we were hungry and just took lots of pictures.  I had a delicious meal of soup (with a smiling face ^m^) and bread.  The drinks came in anime-inspired colors and flavors and were also pretty tasty.

The service – The maids were super cute!!  The costumes were pretty simple though and I had somewhat expected elaborate cosplay (though I’ve found another maid café in Taipei that I’m dying to try that is even more otaku-centered . . . more on that later).  But the girls were very professional and sweet, even allowing me to take a picture with them!  (Although there was no getting called ‘master’ and ‘mistress’ much to our friend’s disappointment!  Hee hee!)

Very spacious and chic, ne?

After our meal, we walked around the café, whose guests had increased from when we first walked in, and looked at the various artworks, signed the guestbook (with our sad little drawing), and looked at the small gift-shop.  All in all, we had a wonderful time (even my husband!!) and now I am planning our next maid café adventure!

Next week (I know I'm a once a week blogger~ too busy >.<) I’m planning to either talk about Y Mall at Taipei Main Station, which is a great place to buy anime, games, and manga OR a review of the anime Brave 10, which I’ve started watching recently.  Any thoughts, comments or suggestions?  Any comments on the maid café adventure?  Do you like cosplay?  And if you do, who have/ would you cosplay(ed)?  (Me~  I would totally cosplay Road from D Gray Man or Isanami from Brave 10)  See you next time!  Ja ne~

Movie Review - Death Note (Live Action)

Image Source: About.com

Movie Title: Death Note

Actors: Tatsuya Fujiwara (Light), Kenichi Matsuyama (L)

Director: Shusuke Kaneko

        I just finished watching Death Note and Oh My Shinigami(aka god of death)!  Now, before I elaborate more, I should add a little disclaimer: I haven’t read the manga or watched the anime. >_< (Please, Death Note fans, I beg you not to write my name in any suspicious notebooks you may find!)  Initially, I wasn’t interested in anything Death Note at all, but my students said, “Teacher, you will like it.  And do you know Kenichi Matsuyama is in it?”  Well, once his name was uttered, how could I not watch the movie?  (He is just sooo cute @_@ . . .ahem ::wiping drool:: . . .back on track now)  So without further ado, here’s the review!

Story:  The story centers around Light Yagami, a law student who is disappointed in the lack of effectiveness the law has in administering justice.  One day he finds a mysterious notebook and is now able to see a Shinigami (god of death).  The Shinigami, Ryuk, explains that if a name is written on the pages of the notebook that person will die.  And so starts a killing spree of all the criminals who have escaped justice throughout the world.  The police begin a hunt for the vigilante known as ‘Kira’ lead by a brilliant, but odd detective, L.  The death toll begins to rise as Light tries to create a crime-free world.  L proves to be quite the opponent, however, as the chase intensifies.

Positives:

Characters – I actually started the movie sort of liking Light and being creeped out by L and was surprised when those feelings did a 180 in the middle of the movie.  (That’s what I get for buying the Chinese edition of the movie and not reading the synopsis on back)  I ended up loving L’s quirky character and I’m not just saying that because Matsuyama is hot, I swear! ^_^  Both main characters, Light and L, and the police chief were well-done, although I did feel that Shiori (Light’s girlfriend) and Naomi Misora (fiancée of one of the FBI agents) characters often felt more 2-dimensional than they should have been. 

Storyline – I was constantly surprised throughout the movie!  The action was well-paced, intense and at many places had me on the edge of my seat.  The story was easy to understand without having to read the manga or watch the anime.  The movie also made a disturbing sort of sense and at the end left you thinking what a dangerous and corrupting power it is to decide who lives and dies.

Possible Pitfalls:

Which one looks like a serial killer to you?

Details – In manga and anime you have lots of chapters and episodes in which to establish characters and plots, but in movies you only get two hours at most.  Because of that I felt Light’s fall into insanity was quite abrupt.  He went from a law student craving justice to a cold-hearted serial killer in a very short span of time.  And this somewhat strained my suspension of belief.

Spoilers Ahead!!!  Please skip this section if you don’t want to know a pivotal plot point!!         

The kidnapping at the museum – I found this scene really flat.  For what should have been an intensely emotional scene, I admit, I hardly felt the emotional punch at all.  Misora’s character felt wooden and Shiori seemed way too relaxed with a gun to her head considering she’d been so upset by the bus-hijacker.  Their attitudes might make sense if when Light writes a death scene the characters turn into puppets, but still I wanted a powerful scene at the end of the movie and felt somewhat cheated!

Matsuyama-san!! ::faint::

All in all, this is the perfect movie to watch on a free Saturday afternoon!  The storyline was unique, most of the acting was well done, the suspense was great, and the message of the story was a good one: it is dangerous to have the power to decide who lives and dies.  (And the best part of the movie - it has Kenichi Matsuyama!!  Anymore need be said??)

 

Final score is 4 out of 5 firecrackers: 

Has anyone else seen Death Note?  Did you like Matsuyama the story?  Do you prefer the anime and/or manga?  I’d love to hear your thoughts about the movie! 

The next post will either be on the Maid Cafés in Taipei or PS3 games~  Still deciding~~  Until next time!  Ja ne!