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	<title>AlternateSam.com &#187; Anime</title>
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	<description>Life is just but a stage under the skies</description>
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		<title>An open letter to CNN by Nogami Takeshi</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/04/07/an-open-letter-to-cnn-by-nogami-takeshi/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/04/07/an-open-letter-to-cnn-by-nogami-takeshi/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:05:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=1274</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Reposted from tsurupeta.info who translated it from Nogami Takeshi&#8217;s blog. Nogami Takeshi is a...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/01/22/the-ninja-otaku/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Ninja Otaku'>The Ninja Otaku</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/17/spicy-wolf-manga/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spicy Wolf Manga'>Spicy Wolf Manga</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Reposted from <a href="http://www.tsurupeta.info/content/open-letter-to-cnn-by-nogami-takeshi", target="_blank">tsurupeta.info</a> who translated it from <a href="http://nogami.firstspear.com/?eid=1125442", target="_blank">Nogami Takeshi&#8217;s blog</a>.</p>
<p>Nogami Takeshi is a Japanese mangaka known for works such as Koutetsu no shoujo-tachi (art, Shounen Ace), Serafuku to juusensha (Champion Red Ichigo) or various artworks for the Strike Witches franchise. He has written an open letter to CNN in reaction to the latest report about Rapelay, the Japanese hentai game.</p>
<blockquote><p>
Dear CNN reporter,</p>
<p>I am an author of manga [Japanese comic books]. I started out drawing hentai manga. I put out hentai books. Of course, I also draw manga that aren&#8217;t hentai. Nowadays, most of my work consists of non-hentai manga.</p>
<p>I have seen your news report that tries to stir up fear, prejudice and misunderstanding. I have no connection with the spiffy hentai game featured in your report, I am sorry to say; however as an author of Japanese hentai manga, I think I am well qualified to object to the views you present.</p>
<p>As this objection had to be put together promptly, precise data will be presented later, but it is a fact that in this 21st century, we Japanese enjoy one of the most safe and peaceful societies on Earth. Naturally, that is not to say that our society is without problems, but to be honest, I frankly do not think that you are the ones to tell us.</p>
<p>Men and women are equals in politics and in the law. Your society and ours are no different there. Moreover, the crime rate statistics for both general crime and sex crime in Japan are, with all due respect, several times lower than in the United States. Did you, for instance, fear for your safety while walking the streets of Akihabara, or Ikebukuro (holy ground of hentai books for women)? They&#8217;re probably many times safer than the streets of New York, let alone those of the suburban housing districts around. (And guns are illegal, too.) Furthermore, in our Akihabara and Ikebukuro, there is no persecution of men or women alike, or of sexual minorities like homosexuals. We all live together in peace, expressing ourselves freely.</p>
<p>It also goes without saying that human trafficking and violence against women are serious crimes in Japan too. As a Japanese citizen, I am deeply offended by the insulting implications of that so-called expert who associates Japanese people at large with heinous criminals.</p>
<p>Is hentai detrimental to the upbringing of children? Yes, it some circumstances it may well be the case. It certainly true, for instance, of that game you reported about. I am an average citizen with a younger sister and two nephews; I can relate to your concerns. And precisely as such, I beg to differ with your argument.</p>
<p>Those products are developed for rational adults. You surely don&#8217;t believe that a rational adult would be influenced by such a game into committing rape, do you? Of course, in Japan, both that game you reported about and the hentai manga I draw are only distributed and sold under strict age restrictions to adults.</p>
<p>That your children might obtain such materials on the Internet is a trouble for us as well. Those are pirated copies. We would be grateful if you could let families and schools issue proper warnings to children. And would it be too much to ask that appropriate age restrictions are put in place in stores in your country so that the rational adults can buy legitimate copies?</p>
<p>By the way, in the proud Japanese traditional popular art of ukiyo-e (woodblock prints from the Edo period), there were many works with sexual subjects, called shunga. You did like these too, didn&#8217;t you? Well, we are their successors. We make works of art. Let me say that again. It is just art. I assume that you are capable of distinguishing fiction from reality like we do. Are you not?</p>
<p>Obscenity? Ah well, on that point, I would rather quote from the book beside your bed.</p>
<blockquote><p>
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.</p>
<p>But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.</p>
<p>At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”</p>
<p>“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
</p></blockquote>
<p>(John 8:1–11)</p>
<p>I am afraid I am Buddhist, not Christian, but I respect your Lord nonetheless. His word that you, me and all mankind are hentai is pregnant with meaning. Yet, there is a difference between “His” views (that you share) and mine. I do not think that people being hentai is a sin. There is nothing wrong with rational people being hentai.</p>
<p>I, at any rate, do not see anything wrong with that. Do you?</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Takeshi Nogami.
</p></blockquote>
<p>Personally, I feel this big hoo-ha was pretty much WOLS as the original report came up <a href="http://zepy.momotato.com/2009/06/02/production-and-sale-of-rape-games-will-be-banned/" target="_blank">more than a year ago</a> and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/30/japan.video.game.rape/index.html" target="_blank">CNN only made a video</a> about it on the 31st of March 2010. Besides this, seeing that their Japanese correspondent is essentially a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lah.kyung.html?iref=allsearch" target="_blank">hyper-nationalistic Korean</a> (What were they thinking!?!), the bad blood between the entire issue isn&#8217;t that surprising anymore. Nogami Takeshi&#8217;s letter was pretty well-written and summed all the main arguments &#8211; The consumers are adults and know what they are doing so just STFU and please bring your lame reporting somewhere else &#8211; pretty much in its entirety. I urge everyone who sees this to consider emailing this to CNN just to let them know how ridiculous their moral censure is. I don&#8217;t like rape hentai, be it in manga or in a VN or a game. However, what I hate more is someone trying to take the moral high ground and impose their moral values on another person. If you are depending on the Internet to be your kids&#8217; moral guardians, well, let&#8217;s just say you are going to be in for a nasty surprise.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/01/22/the-ninja-otaku/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Ninja Otaku'>The Ninja Otaku</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/17/spicy-wolf-manga/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spicy Wolf Manga'>Spicy Wolf Manga</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Ninja Otaku</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/01/22/the-ninja-otaku/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/01/22/the-ninja-otaku/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:19:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Figures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=1183</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I admit it, I can be considered what one will call an otaku if...


No related posts.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I admit it, I can be considered what one will call an otaku if you consider my &#8216;unhealthy&#8217; obsession with anime / PVC figures and the miscellaneous merchandise that you can so often find in any anime items shops such as files and particularly, pencil boards (shitajiki). However, I don&#8217;t exactly go around and announce such stuff to friends unless I know them well enough or until they have caught on enough to guess what I am up to in my spare time. I have also learnt enough not to go around using anime-related files in school. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/mikuninja.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/mikuninja.jpg" alt="miku-ninja" width="600" height="260" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1210" /></a></p>
<p>The point is, being an otaku isn&#8217;t exactly the coolest of things and it can sometimes prove to be quite an awkward moment in a discussion. When I meet someone who share my interest, and I know is totally fine with mine, I will usually start to open up. However, most people will just give you a strange look if you start going on an extended otaku conversation with them. Worse, they remember you as &#8220;the strange otaku&#8221; and that will be the end of your social life so far. Ok, that was probably an exaggeration but you get the idea ^^  Anyway, until then, I will just keep a low profile with regards to my otaku interests and at best, be just a typical narutard/bleach or increasingly, a K-ON fan. Mind you, the first 2 categories are pretty hard for me as I don&#8217;t keep up with either Naruto or Bleach at all. Being a fan of the moe-blob show isn&#8217;t that hard&#8230;.its engineered to let everyone like it. Why else 5 girls prancing around and doing funny stuff? Surely there must be a reason don&#8217;t you think so?</p>
<p>For those with a similar inclinations to remain under the radar, I have 10 tips for you. Not to be presumptuous but I guess we could use every tip we get. </p>
<ol>
<li>The first is one of the easiest &#8211; Do NOT discuss anime or profess to knowing &#8216;popular&#8217; (read cult hits/mega otaku obsession level) titles like Haruhi. When absolutely pressed, talk about shows like Gundam, Bleach and Naruto and just show a passing interest in them.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>Do NOT attempt to have a lecture or &#8216;teaching&#8217; session with other people. If you find that you are dominating the conversation and is already on a 1-minute monologue, stop immediately. Otakus generally feel like they have to attempt to level up other peoples&#8217; otaku knowledge. We have a tendency to correct others or make known our point of view. DO NOT! This is a trap to lure you out of your otaku ninja-hood!</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>Do NOT talk about figures/PVCs, especially the gazillion collection that you have or that 1 moe bootylicious PVC girl winking at you from the corner of the shop. Knowledge about The Most Evil Company in the World (TMECW), otherwise known as GoodSmile Company, should be kept to a need-to-know basis. Its partially for their own good as well since no one can withstand the various poisons unleashed periodically on the unsuspecting public by TMECW.<br />
 <target="_blank"><br />
Talking about bishoujo figures is obviously off-limits if you haven&#8217;t figured it out by now. Do not identify or even show recognition of popular collections, the nendoroids or any limited edition rare items. Talking about retail websites such as amiami (finally!), hobby-link japan or even hobbystock/otacute etc are obviously a big NO-NO. When absolutely needed, a discussion about gundam plamo &#038; its difficulty is your best bet. Do not venture in Macross Plamo because it will just spiral out of control into a Ranka vs Sheryl debate.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li> Do NOT confess to reading any manga or even any scanlations. Its a dead giveaway for a ninja-otaku especially if you let slip you are reading some obscure or niche titles.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li> Do NOT in any case talk about cosplay, cosplayers&#8217; raison d&#8217;être (fancy phrase which basically means why a cosplayer do what he/she does) or celebrity cosplayers (KIPPI !!). People don&#8217;t really want to know what you think of it, and knowing it inside out just make you sound like a creep who stalks those cosplayers. Just say its quirky, interesting and colorful and most people will leave it at that.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>When someone says that some show is the BESTEST show of the season/year/decade/EVAR, and even if its the moe-blob show K-On or some show which you can obviously see is missing a plot, do NOT interject and argue that they are sacrilegious/rubbish/out-of-their-freaking-mind/obviously have not watched enough anime. Just let it go and suppress those urges to knock some sense into that person&#8217;s head. This rule applies to game(ero-games&#8230;), manga or anime movies as well.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>On that note, do NOT even talk or venture into ero-ge/game territory. The less said about this, the better. Self-explanatory for anyone who wants to be a ninja-otaku.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>Do NOT use words like orz/moe etc in your regular vocabulary. Besides making you sound like a terrible weaboo, its very disorientating for anyone who is trying to take you seriously when you are in ninja-otaku mode.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>Most importantly since chances are that many people will trip up on this due to the surprise, do NOT in any case name popular anisong artists as your favourite band/musicians. A regular j-pop one is fine but will set some peoples&#8217; otaku-radar on alert though. Anyone that starts to shift towards the niche like Nana Mizuki, Yukarin etc, no matter how awesome, is of course NOT appropriate for an answer if you are trying to be a ninja-otaku.<br />
<target="_blank"><br />
Personally, I will say Fire Bomber, High &#038; Mighty Color and Orange Range. Most people who are not in the know will just wave them off as regular western bands. Those who are slightly in on the joke might find it slightly familiar on account of Orange Range though.</li>
<p><target="_blank"></p>
<li>Which brings me to the last point. Its fun to know more people who you can just discuss/debate random stuff and commit every mistake the above 9 points have tried to prevent you from committing. This means you have to spread out some &#8216;feelers&#8217; but nothing too obvious. Sometimes it feels much better to be yourself and have a nice chat about how moe-anime is killing the industry. Do NOT wall yourself away from the world</li>
</ol>
<p>That&#8217;s all for now. Have fun and good luck!</p>


<p>No related posts.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>&#8220;Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari&#8221; ~ supercell: Translation Attempt</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/12/23/kimi-no-shiranai-monogatari-supercell/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/12/23/kimi-no-shiranai-monogatari-supercell/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:20:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hatsune Miku]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nico Nico Douga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Supercell]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=1061</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This song got me really hooked onto it despite hearing it for the past...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/04/01/%e2%80%9cdear%e2%80%9d-hatsune-miku-translation/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: “Dear” ~ Hatsune Miku: Translation'>“Dear” ~ Hatsune Miku: Translation</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This song got me really hooked onto it despite hearing it for the past 2 months already. Very nice music and really wanted to share it. The lyrics are very touching and pretty good in terms of making sense. I feel that most people can relate to it in their own way and this is what I feel can determine whether a song is good or not.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/kimi-no-shiranai.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/kimi-no-shiranai.jpg" alt="supercell kimi no shiranai bakemonogatari" width="600" height="257" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1133" /></a></p>
<p>Its the ED of the Bakemonogatari Anime as well as one of the single from Supercell, the group which used to have Hatsune Miku as their lead vocalist and also the creators of Black Rock Shooter. They have alot of really good hits with Hatsune Miku and they released them all on Nico Nico Douga. Currently, for their latest project, their lead vocalist is Nagi (aka gazelle) who is another really talented singer from Nico Nico Douga. Which reminds me that I might do a short introductory post on some of Nico Nico Douga singers as well as Supercell&#8217;s past songs.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, enjoy the videos and the lyrics! I tried for the first time in translating a piece of lyrics so pardon me if there is an error somewhere. Please do correct me so I can improve! <img src='http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>This is the PV for their single. I find that it is purposely done in an amateur manner with a young inexperienced casts, probably to capture the spirit and rawness of youth as well as the tribulations of growing up.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari PV - supercell<br />
<span class="youtube">
<object width="480" height="360">
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<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
<embed wmode="opaque" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yos2eki0_dA?color1=d6d6d6&amp;color2=f0f0f0&amp;border=0&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en&amp;loop=&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;showsearch=0&amp;rel=1&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="360"></embed>
<param name="wmode" value="opaque" />
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</span><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yos2eki0_dA&fmt=18">www.youtube.com/watch?v=yos2eki0_dA</a></p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br class="_blank" /><br />
This is the ED of Bakemonogatari. Really nice anime which I want to finish as soon as I have the time for it.<br />
<span class="youtube">
<object width="480" height="360">
<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_zgMjmE51GQ?color1=d6d6d6&amp;color2=f0f0f0&amp;border=0&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en&amp;loop=&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;showsearch=0&amp;rel=1&amp;hd=1" />
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
<embed wmode="opaque" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_zgMjmE51GQ?color1=d6d6d6&amp;color2=f0f0f0&amp;border=0&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en&amp;loop=&amp;showinfo=0&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;showsearch=0&amp;rel=1&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="360"></embed>
<param name="wmode" value="opaque" />
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</span><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zgMjmE51GQ&fmt=18">www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zgMjmE51GQ</a></p></p>
<p>Lyrics:<br />
<div style="width:25%; float: left; padding-right: 2%; display: inline;" class="post_column_1"><p><br />
(In Japanese kana/kanji)</p>
<p><strong>君の知らないものがたり</strong></p>
<p>いつも通りのある日のこと<br />
君は突然立ち上がり言った<br />
「今夜 星を見に行こう」</p>
<p>たまにいいこと言うんだね<br />
なんて 皆して言って笑った<br />
明かりもない道を<br />
馬鹿みたいにはしゃいで歩いた<br />
抱え込んだ孤独や不安に<br />
押し潰されないように</p>
<p>真っ暗な世界から見上げた<br />
夜空は　星が降るようで<br />
いつからだろう 君のことを<br />
追いかける 私がいた<br />
どうかお願い 驚かないで<br />
聞いてよ 私の<br />
この思いを</p>
<p>「あれが、デネブ、アルタイル、ベガ」<br />
君は指差す 夏の大三角<br />
覚えて 空を見る<br />
やっと見つけた 織姫様<br />
だけどどこだろう 彦星様<br />
これじゃ 一人ぼっち</p>
<p>楽しげなひとつ隣の君<br />
私は何も言えなくて<br />
本当はずっと 君のことを<br />
どこかでわかっていた<br />
見つかったって 届きはしない<br />
「だめだよ 泣かないで」<br />
そう言い聞かせた</p>
<p>強がる私は臆病で<br />
興味がないようなフリをしてた</p>
<p>だけど</p>
<p>胸を刺す痛みは増してく<br />
あぁそうか 好きになるって<br />
こういうことなんだね</p>
<p>&#8220;どうしたい？<br />
言ってごらん&#8221;,</p>
<p>心の声がする<br />
君の隣がいい<br />
真実は残酷だ</p>
<p>言わなかった<br />
言えなかった<br />
二度と戻れない</p>
<p>あの夏の日<br />
煌めく星<br />
今でも<br />
思い出せるよ<br />
笑った顔も<br />
怒った顔も<br />
大好きでした</p>
<p>可笑しいよね<br />
わかってたのに<br />
君の知らない<br />
私だけの秘密<br />
夜を越えて<br />
遠い思い出の君が<br />
指をさす<br />
無邪気な声で</p>
<p></div><br />
<div style="width:33%; float: left; padding-right: 2%; display: inline;" class="post_column_1"><p><br />
(In Romaji)</p>
<p><strong>kimi no shiranai monogatari</strong></p>
<p>itsumo doori no aru hi no koto<br />
kimi wa totsuzen tachiagari itta<br />
&#8220;konya hoshi wo mi ni yukou&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;tama ni wa ii koto iunda ne&#8221;<br />
nante minna shite itta waratta<br />
akari mo nai michi wo<br />
baka mitai ni hashaide aruita<br />
kakaekonda kodoku ya fuan ni<br />
oshitsubusarenai you ni</p>
<p>makkura na sekai kara miageta<br />
yozora wa hoshi ga furu you de<br />
itsukara darou kimi no koto wo<br />
oikakeru watashi ga ita<br />
dou ka onegai<br />
odorokanai de kiite yo<br />
watashi no kono omoi wo</p>
<p>&#8220;are ga denebu, arutairu bega&#8221;<br />
kimi wa yubisasu natsu no daisankaku<br />
oboete sora wo miru<br />
yatto mitsuketa orihime-sama<br />
dakedo doko darou hikoboshi-sama<br />
kore ja hitoribocchi</p>
<p>tanoshigena hitotsu tonari no kimi<br />
watashi wa nani mo ienakute<br />
hontou wa zutto kimi no koto wo<br />
doko ka de wakatteita<br />
mitsukattatte todoki wa shinai<br />
&#8220;dame da yo nakanai de&#8221;<br />
sou iikikaseta</p>
<p>tsuyogaru watashi wa okubyou de<br />
kyoumi ga nai youna furi wo shiteita</p>
<p>dakedo</p>
<p>mune wo sasu itami wa mashiteku<br />
aa sou ka suki ni narutte<br />
kouiu koto nanda ne</p>
<p>&#8220;doushitai?<br />
itte goran&#8221;,</p>
<p>kokoro no koe ga suru<br />
kimi no tonari ga ii<br />
shinjitsu wa zankoku da</p>
<p>iwanakatta<br />
ienakatta<br />
nidoto modorenai</p>
<p>ano natsu no hi<br />
kirameku hoshi<br />
ima demo omoidaseru yo<br />
waratta kao mo<br />
okotta kao mo<br />
daisuki deshita</p>
<p>okashii yo ne<br />
wakatteta no ni<br />
kimi no shiranai<br />
watashi dake no himitsu<br />
yoru wo koete<br />
tooi omoide no kimi ga<br />
yubi wo sasu<br />
mujakina koe de<br />
</div><br />
<div style="width:37%; float: left; padding-right: 1%; display: inline;" class="post_column_1"><p><br />
(In English)</p>
<p><strong>The Story You Do Not Know</strong></p>
<p>On just another usual day,<br />
you suddenly stood up and said,<br />
&#8220;Let&#8217;s go look at the stars tonight&#8221;.</p>
<p>&#8220;You have really good ideas sometimes&#8221;<br />
exclaimed everyone as they laughed.<br />
On a street without any light,<br />
we walked merrily like fools,<br />
our loneliness and anxiety<br />
are prevented from being crushed.</p>
<p>From a pitch black world I looked up<br />
the night sky seemed as if there were stars falling.<br />
I wonder since when did I<br />
start this adventure of chasing after you.<br />
Please, do not be surprised on<br />
hearing these feelings of mine</p>
<p>&#8220;That is Deneb, Altair, and Vega&#8221;,<br />
you pointed at the Great Summer Triangle.<br />
I remembered, while looking at the sky,<br />
finally finding Vega<br />
but wondered where is Altair.<br />
This, well, is really loneliness.</p>
<p>The single cheerful you who was beside<br />
there is nothing for me to possibly say.<br />
Honestly, for a long time<br />
I have understood you somewhere and<br />
I have found that it will not get through.<br />
&#8220;This&#8217;s not good eh, don&#8217;t cry&#8221;<br />
I should have told you.</p>
<p>Acting brave, I was just a coward<br />
pretending to be uninterested.</p>
<p>But</p>
<p>the pain piercing my chest grows.<br />
Ah, I see. To get to like someone<br />
is somewhat like this.</p>
<p>&#8220;What&#8217;s the matter?<br />
try saying it&#8221;,</p>
<p>the voice of my heart wants to say.<br />
<but> Its pleasant to be beside you<br />
and the reality is harsh.</p>
<p>I didn&#8217;t say it,<br />
I couldn&#8217;t say it,<br />
<and I can> never turn back ever again.</p>
<p>On that summer day<br />
the stars were glittering.<br />
Yet now, I still remember<br />
your laughing face,<br />
your angry face.<br />
I did loved them.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s strange, isn&#8217;t it?<br />
Even though I know<br />
something that you don&#8217;t;<br />
my only secret.<br />
Passing through the night,<br />
the distant memory of you<br />
pointing with your finger<br />
in an innocent voice.<br />
</div><br />
<div style="clear: both;"></div></p>
<p>I tried to preserve the meaning of the japanese lyrics as far as I can word for word and only condensing/summarizing sentences when I can&#8217;t think of any alternative. Also, orihime-sama is the Japanese term for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vega", target="_blank">Vega Star</a>, hikoboshi is the name for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikoboshi", target="_blank">Altair Star</a> and I have translated accordingly to the implied meaning rather than the literal meaning for them (It doesn&#8217;t make sense otherwise). The stars have a very interesting back-story which has many cultural links to it. Do check it out if you are at the wiki page.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2010/04/01/%e2%80%9cdear%e2%80%9d-hatsune-miku-translation/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: “Dear” ~ Hatsune Miku: Translation'>“Dear” ~ Hatsune Miku: Translation</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Spicy Wolf Manga</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/17/spicy-wolf-manga/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/17/spicy-wolf-manga/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:51:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=428</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Damn the wolf ! I have just started on the manga version of Spice...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spicy-Wolf.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spicy-Wolf.jpg" alt="Spicy Wolf" title="Spicy Wolf" width="300" height="422" class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-429" /></a></p>
<p>Damn the wolf ! I have just started on the manga version of Spice and Wolf as the anime version of season II got me hopelessly addicted. The manga is slightly more in-depth with rather lucid economic theories being expressed, in a much clearer way with graphs and tables as compared to the anime. The artwork compared to the anime is also slightly different as well, with the changes probably coming in when it transitions from paper to screen. I guess I will be hunting around for the art books this Friday at Kinokuniya. </p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:46:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=486</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wolf and Trustworthy God -The price of the pyrite keeps going up and Lawrence...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EVI.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EVI.jpg" alt="Spice and Wolf SII EVI" title="Spice and Wolf SII EVI" width="600" height="400" class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-487" /></a></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wolf and Trustworthy God</strong></span><br class="_blank" /><br />
<span id="more-486"></span><br />
-The price of the pyrite keeps going up and Lawrence believes that Holo is on Amati&#8217;s side, not his. He then received news that a town-merchant is interested to sell him his stock of pyrite to avoid profiting too much too obviously, and he then sold all his pyrite stock on hand but this only served to drive the price up as someone snapped them up promptly.</p>
<p>- Deanna&#8217;s messenger came and informed him that her negotiations failed so no assistance from her in the form of pyrite is going to come.</p>
<p>- In a last ditch effort, Lawrence sells the remaining pyrite stock he just acquired, and to his amazement, Holo turned out to be the one buying the pyrite from Deanna, and together they crashed the pyrite market by selling all their stock.</p>
<p>- Holo revealed that it was all a ploy to take Amati to the cleaners and she was upset that Lawrence even suspected her when he should trust that she was on his side throughout.</p>
<p><!--more--><br />
<a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Holo-I.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Holo-I.jpg" alt="Holo I" title="Holo I" width="350" height="261" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-489" /></a><br />
End of this story-arc and it was quite a heartwarming ending, with Holo blaming Lawrence for having insufficient trust in her and him admitting his fault. It turns out that Holo made numerous hints to Lawrence in order to assist him but in his confusion and panic, he over thought stuff and didn&#8217;t take note of them at all. </p>
<p>Lawrence proceeds to apologize to her sincerely and made a sorta confession to her about how he feels. It turns out that Holo also figured his plan from the start and was slightly impressed by it. She then searched Deanna out in the Alchemists&#8217; Quarter and talked to her but was then interrupted by the arrival of Lawrence who was interested to purchase pyrite. This meant that she heard everything that he said about her being his &#8216;precious cargo&#8217; and about his question on whether were there any previous instances of a pagan god taking a human as a mate.</p>
<p>Deanna turned out not to be human after all, but a large bird in human form (one of the pagan gods or animal spirits I guess, like Holo), which accounts for the many white feathers strewn on the floor in her house. Her back-story was that she had a relationship with a travelling priest and they worked a long time to build a church. However, the priest grew suspicious of her as she never did aged and that was the end of their relationship. </p>
<p>Holo declared that she wants to return to her homeland after all, even though it might no longer be existing. Both of them moved on to the town square as a couple to view the end of the festivities.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Holo-II.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Holo-II.jpg" alt="Holo II" title="Holo II" width="264" height="300" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-495" /></a></p>
<p>The last 10 minutes of this episode was sort of moe-overload with Holo presenting her sensitive and soft side, which I guess is the main reason why this anime is rather popular. Can&#8217;t complain though as I thought this was the best episode of the season so far, with an equal mix of revelation, thinking and story-line exploration as well as most importantly, character relationship development.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:34:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=479</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wolf and Hope and Despair - Bartose helps Lawrence seeks out Deanna with a...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/02/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iv/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EV.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EV.jpg" alt="Spice and Wolf SII EV" title="Spice and Wolf SII EV" width="600" height="400" class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-484" /></a></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wolf and Hope and Despair</strong></span><br class="_blank" /><br />
<span id="more-479"></span><br />
- Bartose helps Lawrence seeks out Deanna with a special passphrase.</p>
<p>- He found out and had a long discussion with her to sell him pyrite, only to find out that her stock of pyrite was already promised to someone else.</p>
<p>- Deanna, sensing his disappointment and his resolve to win, says that she will try to negotiate to get the pyrite back and so Lawrence leave, but not before asking the lorekeeper whether are there cases of pagan gods and humans becoming mates.</p>
<p>- Amati gives him 14 gold coins (the equivalent of 300 silver coins) to complete his part of the contract and its do-or-die for Lawrence now.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/02/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iv/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/02/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iv/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/02/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iv/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2009 09:23:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=446</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The show starts to pick up steam as the pace of the plot increases....


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EIV.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EIV.jpg" alt="Spice and Wolf SII EIV" title="Spice and Wolf SII EIV" width="600" height="400" class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-482" /></a></p>
<p>The show starts to pick up steam as the pace of the plot increases. Very very engaging.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wolf and the End of Shallow Knowledge</strong></span><br class="_blank" /><br />
<span id="more-446"></span><br />
- Lawrence figures out that the only way to beat Amati is to find a way to crash the iron-hot pyrite market.</p>
<p>- He approaches Amati after he finds out Holo has signed a marriage contract with him pending her guardian&#8217;s (Lawrence) permission, and negotiates a credit-trading contract which in effect upped the stakes between them</p>
<p>- Mark, his wheat-seller friend, is unable to help him so conspicuously to purchase enough pyrite to crash the market as it will affect his reputation as a town-stall merchant, as opposed to Lawrence who doesn&#8217;t need to care so much as he&#8217;s a travel merchant.</p>
<p>- However, Mark gives him a tip that the alchemists have a large stockpile of pyrite and he ought to head to them for help, which he does with great urgency.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/09/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-v/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode V</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:11:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=443</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wolf and the Unfilled Gap - Amati declares in front of the entire merchants&#8217;...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EIII.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EIII.jpg" alt="Spice and Wolf SII EIII" title="Spice and Wolf SII EIII" width="600" height="400" class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-444" /></a></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wolf and the Unfilled Gap</strong></span><br class="_blank" /><br />
<span id="more-443"></span><br />
- Amati declares in front of the entire merchants&#8217; guild that he will pay off Holo&#8217;s &#8216;debt&#8217; with 1,000 Trenni silver coins by the evening of the following day and make her a free person, who he thinks will then marry him in gratitude.</p>
<p>- Lawrence, having complete faith in Holo that she will remain by his side, accepts the contract, and then finds out that to raise the necessary funds, Amati is planning something that has to do with the pyrites.</p>
<p>- He returns to the inn to find out that Holo can read after all, and has read the letter about how Yoitsu was destroyed.</p>
<p>- Holo was devastated and upset that Lawrence has kept it a secret from her all this while, and started saying some weird stuff like how&#8217;s she alone once again, how&#8217;s he must be tired of her etc, hence Lawrence left the inn to get some air and give her some space.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:57:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=434</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wolf and the Calm Before the Storm - Lawrence visits the Alchemist quarters, one...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EII.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-435" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-SII-EII.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></a></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wolf and the Calm Before the Storm</strong></span><br class="_blank" /><br />
<span id="more-434"></span><br />
- Lawrence visits the Alchemist quarters, one of the few places they can live unmolested by the Church.</p>
<p>- He meets the Alchemists&#8217; representative, Dian Rubens who confirmed his suspicions that the town of Yoitsu was destroyed long ago by a legendary &#8220;Moon-Hunting Bear&#8221;, and told him of a pagan story regarding Holo from long ago.</p>
<p>- He became very disturbed over what Holo said to him when he was leaving the inn and was jealous that Amati was spending the day with her.</p>
<p>- In the inn, Holo tells him about this normal rock which was the focus of a fortune-teller&#8217;s scam and Lawrence then received some news which made him rushed out of the Inn immediately.</p>
<p><!--more--></p>
<p>The episode ends on a cliff-hanger and throughout the episode, the focus was on the growing bond between Lawrence and Holo. Lawrence slowly (very slowly) realizes that Holo might be more than a simple friend and how her presence has changed him. He hides the secret of Holo&#8217;s hometown being in ruins from her possibly to keep her from worrying, and this weighed down heavily on his conscious. He detests the burden that lying to her brings but decides to do it for the &#8216;greater good&#8217;.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/16/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-vi/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode VI</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:36:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ED]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spicy Wolf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=417</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I finally got started with the second season of Spice and Wolf. The OVA...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/02/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iv/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-S2E1.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-418" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Spice-and-Wolf-S2E1.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>I finally got started with the second season of Spice and Wolf. The OVA or episode 00 was released last week and it was fairly interesting with the usual Spicy Wolf quirks. The animation studio team changed so that might explain the slight drop in animation quality, but however the positive side is that the series got brighter or more &#8216;lighted&#8217; up in terms of the animation. Overall, I guess I just got to get used to the slightly different artwork.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wolf and the Sudden Split</strong></span><br />
<br class="blank" /><br />
<span id="more-417"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">- Lawrence and Holo are travelling to a pagan city delivering nails when they meet a young, fairly successful trader called Fermi Amati who was very taken with by Holo and helped them as a result.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: normal;">- Holo is disturbed when she keeps thinking about how the duration of Lawrence&#8217;s lifetime is but a blink of an eye to her.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: normal;">- Lawrence is disturbed by how his friends are also aging and doing well with their own shops while he&#8217;s still a travelling merchant, despite arguably being a better merchant than them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: normal;">- This is compounded when he realized that Holo does not have a clear idea how to get back to Yoitsu, her hometown, and hence the journey might be quite long, so he informs her that he might not be able to follow her all the way, a statement which he promptly regrets uttering.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br class="blank" /></span></p>
<p>Spice and Wolf II -</p>
<p>OP : <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Spicy%20Wolf/Mitsu%20no%20Yoake.mp3" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Mitsu no Yoake</span></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></p>
<p>ED : <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Spicy%20Wolf/Perfect%20World.mp3" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Perfect World</span></a></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/08/02/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iv/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode IV</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/25/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-iii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode III</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/07/k-on-ahead/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/07/k-on-ahead/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:29:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ED]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[K-On]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tora-dora]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=255</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m absolutely adoring those Goth-loli attire the K-On girls are wearing in the ED....


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/05/25/k-on-ep-8/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: K-On! Episode 8 Summary'>K-On! Episode 8 Summary</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/02/tora-dora-episode-25/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Tora-dora Episode 25, The End'>Tora-dora Episode 25, The End</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/k-on-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/k-on-1.jpg" width="300" height="223" class="aligncenter frame size-full wp-image-256" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m absolutely adoring those Goth-loli attire the K-On girls are wearing in the ED. At the best of times, I&#8217;m not really a fan of the goth-loli look but this setup with them on their instruments really took my breath away. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/k-ongroup.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/k-ongroup.jpg" width="600" height="360" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1171" /></a></p>
<p>The episode 1 of the anime was out a few days ago and I just got round to watching it. Episode 1 for most anime tend to be rough around the edges due to introduction of characters being slightly dodgy as well as slight plot exposition and this series was no exception. However, I quite liked this series with its idea of 4 high school girls forming a band. Its quite funny and doesn&#8217;t take itself too seriously, which is a good thing after you are totally tired from the stuff you are doing IRL. </p>
<p>This light musical comedy series reminds me slightly of Haruhi Suzimiya and Lucky Star, which isn&#8217;t that surprising after you discover that the trio were all animated by the same firm &#8211; Kyoto Animations. The character designs in K-On is pretty good though, and I pretty much think it can only go up in terms of watchability and entertainment.<br />
<br class="blank" /><br />
<a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/k_on_ed_05_L.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/k_on_ed_05_L.jpg" width="600" height="450" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1167" /></a></p>
<p>The 4 main character: the very enthusiastic Ritsu on drums, the mature and calm Mio on bass, the rich and friendly Tsumugi on keyboard and the definitely ditzy Yui all have a large dose of moe-ness attached to them and they attract their own (and sometimes similar) fangroups already. In fact, the Mio fanboys have the largest population now and they are currently raging around the interweb disputing with regards to their newly-found queen so its pretty entertaining to read about them. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/k-ongroup1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/k-ongroup1.jpg" width="600" height="423" class="aligncenter frame size-full wp-image-1172" /></a></p>
<p>Anyway, K-On looks like it will be a fun ride and at least I have a &#8216;replacement&#8217; series now that Tora-dora is over. I have finished the first 4 chapters of the manga version of K-On and I can say the fun will continue at least until episode 4, which is where the standard fan service, bathing / onsen / beach episode will occur with the cast in their skimpy gear. Maybe some Queen&#8217;s Blade will suffice until then, eh? ^^</p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/K-On-ED.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/K-On-ED.jpg" width="600" height="429" class="aligncenter frame size-full wp-image-1168" /></a></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/05/25/k-on-ep-8/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: K-On! Episode 8 Summary'>K-On! Episode 8 Summary</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/02/tora-dora-episode-25/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Tora-dora Episode 25, The End'>Tora-dora Episode 25, The End</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/19/spice-and-wolf-season-ii-episode-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode II</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Tora-dora Episode 25, The End</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/02/tora-dora-episode-25/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/02/tora-dora-episode-25/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ED]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tora-dora]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=142</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Slight spoiler ahead!  End of the road for Tora-dora. It was a really...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/07/k-on-ahead/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis'>K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/02/19/benjamin-button-vs-school-rumble/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Benjamin Button vs School Rumble'>Benjamin Button vs School Rumble</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h6>Slight spoiler ahead!</h6>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/taiga.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter frame size-medium wp-image-143" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/taiga.jpg" width="300" height="170" /></a></p>
<p>End of the road for Tora-dora. It was a really interesting journey, bitter-sweet in retrospect. The series was both touching and amusing and at times left me either exasperated or pensive. I am really glad I came back to the series after I initially dropped it after episode 1.</p>
<p><span id="more-142"></span></p>
<p>For the last episode, their teacher Yuri Sensei made a very wise observation when she announced that Taiga was transferring / withdrawing from school. Basically, she said that throughout your life, you will come to many crossroads. Regardless of whether you wish to turn back or stay on your path, you still have to make a decision. Sometimes no matter which path you take, you will let someone down but its for the best as no one can get the best of both worlds. Yuri Sensei is their form-teacher who provided some comical relief and yet was grounded in reality throughout the entire series. She has a rather interesting life and philosophy although she is constantly in despair over her single status. <a href="http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/03/27/more-japanese-women-prefer-being-alone/">Not sure why shes complaining though</a>. I guess it will be equally interesting if the focus were more on her although Im not complaining! ^^</p>
<p>It was also interesting to note the casual camaraderie among all the members of the class, as opposed to the beginning where they rarely interact as a group. It is this sort of progression which makes me feel wistful every time I think of the series. Overall, it has been a great anime and makes me feel really glad that I have watched it. The ending had a sense of closure to it unlike some other anime (macross frontier anyone?) and although it was a happy and predictable ending, the journey there was anything but.</p>
<p>I also liked how they alluded that true love is a rare and elusive object and how they stumbled upon it and then refused to let it go despite their many tribulations. Faith in each other pulled them through their last year as it time-skipped at the end. Towards the end, at the graduation ceremony, the audience was treated to a 3rd party perspective of this bunch of people whom we have followed throughout the series as a junior in the school. Kitamura was said to be continuing his studies in America, with his beloved senpai. Minori looked like she received the MVP for the school softball league and continues to head towards her dream of representing Japan in the World Series. Ami stayed on and graduated, receiving many bouquets from her adorers as she was leaving the school for the last time. And then the Ryuji x Taiga ending which brought an end to the entire series.</p>
<p>Its quite funny when you think that the voice actor for Ryuji is the same one as the poor teacher from Kodomo no Jikan. Anyway, I leave you with this from a Tora-dora scene. Goodnight and goodbye for now.</p>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/ryuji.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-144" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/ryuji.jpg" width="400" height="220" /></a></p>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
<p>Tora-dora:</p>
<p>OP 1 / OP 2: <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Tora-Dora/Pre-Parade.mp3" target="_blank">Pre-parade</a> / <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Tora-Dora/Vanilla%20Salt.mp3" target="_blank">Vanilla Salt</a></p>
<p>ED 1 / ED 2: <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Tora-Dora/Silky%20Heart.mp3" target="_blank">Silky Heart</a> / <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Tora-Dora/Orange.mp3" target="_blank">Orange</a></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/07/k-on-ahead/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis'>K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/02/19/benjamin-button-vs-school-rumble/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Benjamin Button vs School Rumble'>Benjamin Button vs School Rumble</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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<enclosure url="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Tora-Dora/Orange.mp3" length="5990400" type="audio/mpeg" />
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		<title>Gonzo merging with GDH</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/03/01/gonzo-merging-with-gdh/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/03/01/gonzo-merging-with-gdh/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:42:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ED]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OP]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=86</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Just some background info, GDH is the parent company of Gonzo and they just...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/last-exile.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-32" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/last-exile.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Just some background info, GDH is the parent company of Gonzo and they just announced that they will be merging with Gonzo after firing around 75% of its staff. The name of the joint company will remain Gonzo and this looked like it has cost saving and reduction in cost written all over it.</p>
<p><span id="more-86"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">GDH was more known for its mobile phone gaming business and I guess the Gonzo name will provide it with better recognition among the general public. Brand strengthening will also be the order of the day for GDH here.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Still, Gonzo always have a place in my heart for their Strike Witches, Kiddy Grade, Burst Angels and most of all, Last Exile, one of my all-time favourite. The studio seemed like slightly schizophrenic with some great/good works (including Welcome to the NHK &amp; Speed Grapher) scattered amongst many mediocre efforts which make you wonder why do they even bother.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Last Exile OP: <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Last%20Exile/Cloud%20Age%20Symphony%20(Op%20Full).mp3" target="_blank">Cloud Age Symphony</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Last Exile ED: <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/Last%20Exile/Over%20The%20Sky%20(ED%20Full).mp3" target="_blank">Over the Sky</a></p>
<h6 style="text-align: left;">Picture via otaku.com</h6>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Benjamin Button vs School Rumble</title>
		<link>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/02/19/benjamin-button-vs-school-rumble/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/02/19/benjamin-button-vs-school-rumble/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:33:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>AlternateSam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ED]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Movie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[School Rumble]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alternatesam.com/?p=38</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Life isn&#8217;t measured in minutes, but in moments. Welcome to AlternateSam.com. I guess I...


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/02/tora-dora-episode-25/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Tora-dora Episode 25, The End'>Tora-dora Episode 25, The End</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/07/k-on-ahead/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis'>K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/ccbb.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="size-medium wp-image-26 frame aligncenter" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/ccbb.jpg" width="300" height="156" /></a></p>
<p>Life isn&#8217;t measured in minutes, but in moments.</p>
<p>Welcome to AlternateSam.com. I guess I do have to start somewhere so here it goes</p>
<p><span id="more-38"></span></p>
<p>I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and it struck me that it was similar to School Rumble. I know that SR ended quite a long time ago but I only picked it up recently. And it was really really good, in the sense that I will remember it for a long time. Its funny and the plot might be illogical at times, but always fun and entertaining.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/school-rumble-season2.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="size-medium wp-image-35 aligncenter" src="http://www.alternatesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/school-rumble-season2.jpg" width="300" height="400" /></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>The message I took back was that life can never be perfect forever. In some frame of your life, you might be very happy but in times to come, this will certainly end. We are meant to lose the people we love, for this is the only way to know how important they are. Just as in SR, life cannot be purely what you want, but rather what is best for everyone involved. Like Harima, he took the choice of letting someone he loved be happy instead of being selfish and making himself happy at another persons expense.</p>
<p>Its odd how a comedy like SR can be analyzed for its lifes messages and reasoning. Somehow, you think that it was all based on life experiences. In any case, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was really good and thought-provoking. As what Benjamin said, your life is defined by its opportunities&#8230; even the ones you miss.</p>
<p></p>
<p>School Rumble OPs/EDs -<br />
Season 1 -&gt; <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/School%20Rumble/Scramble.mp3" target="_blank">Scramble</a> / <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/School%20Rumble/Onnanoko%20Otokonoko.mp3" target="_blank">Onnanoko Otokonoko</a><br />
Season 2 -&gt; <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/School%20Rumble/Sentimental%20Generation.mp3" target="_blank">Sentimental Generation</a> / <a href="http://www.alternatesam.com/Music/School%20Rumble/Futari%20ha%20Wasurechau.mp3" target="_blank">Futari Ha Wasurechau</a></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/02/tora-dora-episode-25/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Tora-dora Episode 25, The End'>Tora-dora Episode 25, The End</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/04/07/k-on-ahead/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis'>K-On Madness Ahead! The Attack of the Goth-lolis</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.alternatesam.com/2009/07/12/spicywolf-seasonii-episodei/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I'>Spice and Wolf Season II Episode I</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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