5 Things I Learned or Want to Learn From Anime – Untold Questions

And this is? I straight up stole this blog idea from RemyFool, but basically it’s just a list of 5 things that, like the title says, I learned or wanted to learn because of Anime. It’s like a thought exercise or something…

Okay… so this is just a blog post and not an awards thing or review. Yeah! Pretty much, I mean when I want to talk I’m gonna’ talk!

Should I be worried? Well if things get a little R-rated, a little risqué, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Fair enough, so what’s the first thing?

#5        (I want to learn to…) Write a light novel.

This quote applies to SO many things in life.

This one seems obvious, at least to me. I’ve written a novel, but a western novel, and as much as I love it for what it is, a part of me just desperately wants to write a light novel for Japanese audiences (and of course Western otakus). I’ve got a few ideas that are itching to get out, but of course the hardest part is actually getting started and sticking with it. (Anime that evoked this reaction: A Sister’s All You Need, Eromanga-sensei)

Light novel, huh? I bet it’s something perverse knowing you… Shhhhh.

#4        (I Learned…) How to cook Japanese food.

Rice cooker is king.

I’ve always been a bit of a gourmet, I do all the cooking at home and that’s no exaggeration; the kitchen is mine and will always be mine! Watching anime though taught me a lot more discipline in the kitchen than I was used to and my cuisine has improved all the more for it. Also my love of rice has increased a hundred fold because of anime! (Anime that evoked this reaction: Food Wars, Toradora, Himouto! Umaru-chan!)

Okay there rice boy, what’s next?

#3        (I want to learn to…) BE MYSELF! 

Yes, that’s me, admiring the oppai that adorns the streets of Akihabara.

When I was last in Japan and specifically Akihabara I felt so at ease with who I was that it was like a revelation. But then returning to the west I became introverted again, afraid of admitting who I was to the outside world. Yes I still wear anime shirts to the grocery store, sporting best girls on my phone case, but I’m still super aware of people around judging me for it. I just need to learn to be myself and not care that someone is looking at me weird for it. (Anime that evoked this reaction: A Sister’s All You Need, No Game No Life, OreImo, Yuru Yuri, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid)

I’m judging you, but not because you’re an anime fan, but because you’re a pervert. There’s a difference. You ain’t seen nothing yet!

 

#2        (I learned…) that nipples are really sensitive!

Yes. Yes I do.

Okay this one is kinda dumb, I just wanted to say something rude… but you know what, anime seems really obsessed with the power of stimulating a woman’s nipple! Maybe it’s just because they’re allowed to show a nipple being “entertained” but not the other spot of a woman that is sensitive to touch. But yeah, the nipple can produce a pretty strong reaction, that much I’ve learned for sure. #TMI (Anime that evoked this reaction: Valkyrie Drive, High School DxD)

Good to see I wasn’t off base with that pervert comment before… It’s just the human body, man! There’s nothing perverse about it, man!

Quiet, hippy! And what’s number one, dare I ask?

#1        (I want to learn to…) Live a life that’s not dependent on corporations. 

The simple life, with not a Paris or Nicole to be seen!

This one is perhaps the most unrealistic, and the most vague, and the most not me. I mean, who am I kidding, I love being able to buy anything online at the touch of a button, or have the convenience of fast food chains to feed me or something as easily forgotten as the worlds entire knowledge on a phone. But a part of me wants to live the simple life, a life not ruled by schedule and not assisted by powerful corporations that offer the world at the expense of something personal. (Anime that evoked this reaction: No-Rin, Dagashi Kashi)

I kind of feel like you cheated with this list. What do you mean?

Well, there’s certainly a lot of abstract concepts here. I expected things like ‘I want to learn how to play Shogi’. Oh but I do want to learn to play ‘Shogi’! Except, well I know I won’t because I haven’t learnt actual Chess, so Japanese Chess is just as unlikely.

And it wasn’t particularly R-rated, either… Well it’s not like I can learn how to be in a monster girl harem. That’s a precious gift that few are afforded!

Well that’s enough of this for today! If you got this far, congratulations! And feel free to steal this format of questions like I stole it from RemyFool! Thanks for reading!

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles Episode 9 – 20 Question Anime Review (Spoilers)

What’s the show? Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles Episode 9.

Another one? Didn’t expect another single episode review on this show so soon. Nor did I to be honest.

So did the show manage to subvert your expectations the way the previous episode did with the introduction of ‘hot boys’ into the fray? Umm, yes and no.

Do go on. Well there were no more scenes with ‘hot boys’ alas, so the shipping is put on hold, but I’m still holding out that it will become a romance anime at some point. I mean aside from the one-sided ‘romance’ between Koizumi-san and Yu.

So what subverted your expectations this time? Comedy!

Damn ramen zombies.

Oh? I thought it was always a comedy? Well on paper maybe, don’t get me wrong every episode had at least a few humorous moments but this is the first time the show has actually tried to be funny and pretty much succeeded throughout.

I half expected the Yuru Camp ‘narrator’ to appear at this point.

Interesting. Some examples? Well unexpectedly the episode starts in the mountains, and considering I watched Yuru Camp just before I almost thought we were about to have a crossover episode, but no, instead Koizumi is mountain climbing and we’re treated to a famous quote by mountaineer George Mallory, when asked “why do you climb mountains” he replied “because it’s there.” It’s an obvious joke when it comes to Koizumi but it’s well placed and having the screen fill up with the reply like it’s some deep sentiment is very amusing. What’s more it’s a beautifully animated segment, that contrasts with the heavily city based scenes the show is usually set in.

2 deep 4 me.

Seems like a lot of work just for a one-note payoff. Maybe, but the segment is still entertaining, plus there’s fun little moments like when Koizumi sets up a portable stove and begins cooking up ramen on a trail and the people passing her by begin muttering “ramen” like possessed drones at the apparently intoxicating sight and smells. Plus it’s just nice seeing Koizumi interact with other people like the elderly couple who asks her to take their photo.

Damn you Crunchyroll watermark!

Character building? That’s it! It’s character, not so much the characters themselves but the character of the show!

But dat art tho.

What do you mean? Okay so in the second segment, we’re introduced to a middle school boy named Kenta, who enters a ramen shop in order to get “revenge” on a bowl of ramen that defeated him previously and shamed him in front of his school friends. (Basically he couldn’t finish it because the serving is so large and he felt emasculated). Koizumi enters soon after, taking a seat beside him and orders a mega size potion of Buta Yarou ramen. After seeing the petite girl easily defeat her own super sized dish and order a soft serve desert he is motivated and finishes his bowl.

“Oh my god Becky look at her ramen, it’s… so… BIG”

So? Ugh, it’s hard to put into words, it’s a cute scene, besides if you’ve ever been to Japan you know not only the difficulty in finishing ramen but the shame in leaving anything in the bowl.

Synchronised slurping, new Olympic sport?

I guess that makes sense. Also the boy is the younger brother of the beauty-obsessed girl Misa, who is one of Yu’s good friends. So now there’s two brothers who’ve been taken in by Koizumi-san’s ‘unique’ charms, albeit in different ways.

That’s what she said.

Reverse harem? Where’d you learn such dirty words! Also, no I doubt it, but it is slowly expanding the universe of the show, which is fun and interesting even if it will probably amount to little, but I can dream…

Also the second segment takes place in Akihabara, I literally leapt out of my seat in excitement as I stayed on this very street last year!

And what else? Well in the episode’s third segment we see Misa exercising because she’s getting jealous about all the attention Koizumi has been getting from the boys at school. She sets out to “spy” on Koizumi to find out her beauty tricks and by “spy” she just blatantly confronts her and asks what new things she’s been doing? And it being Ms Koizimi the answer can only be one thing.

M. Bison: “OF COURSE!”

Ramen? Back fat!

Baby got back fat? No I already made a Sir Mix-a-Lot joke this blog…

Excuse me?! Well yes, ramen but back fat ramen, and the segment is introduced in such a hilarious fashion like I’d accidentally put in some sort of erotica! See this is the character of the show I was talking about, the sort of personality to the show itself that had been so lacking up to this point!

50 Shades of Ramen.

I think I get what you’re saying. It’s about the way it’s presented as opposed to the content therein? Well the content is important of course, but essentially yes, the show is experimenting with styles and presentation and feeling all the more loose and fun for it!

So how’s this segment. It’s probably the weakest of the three because it is a return to the normal format of ‘Koizumi and one of the other female side characters eating ramen’ but it too has a tad more comedy, in the form of a montage of all things as Misa gets seduced into eating more back fat ramen over the course of a week just so she gets the same “glowing” complexion Koizumi has had recently. Spoiler alert it’s because her face is greasy from eating ramen that’s covered in lard!

You say it like it’s a bad thing?

Ew, not sure how I feel about that. I admit, it’s not at the top of my list of ramen to try from this show but it is at least interesting!

Me at Melon Books in Akihabara.

So wrap this up, will ya? Right, so the first few episodes had the score hovering ‘round the mid 70’s out of 100, peaking in the high 70’s at some more interesting moments. Episode 8 had the score touching the low 80’s, and now, well if things continue this way, it could be a show worthy of mid 80’s by the time the season is done. This is not a weather report FYI. Hopefully the show continues to grow and change in these subtle but important ways, because I’m enjoying it all the more as it goes along.