20 Question Weekly Review Week Ending 11th March 2018

Another week under the proverbial belt, huh? Indeed.

So a little birdy told me you spent a lot of money on anime merch and mangas last week? Who told you?

As I said a little birdy, a blue one by the name of twitter, you tweeted about it remember? Oh yeah, and yes. I sold some junk on eBay again + some inheritance allowed me to spend about it on merch and manga, one lust hurrah as it were before the scrimping and saving of being unemployed sets back in.

So care to share? Can’t, none of it arrived yet! It’s all due next week so expect a separate post about my various orders from Amazon Japan and Mandarake.

But you got a couple of manga this week? Yes from older orders.

And they were? Um… ‘Bloom Into You’ Volume 2, ‘How To Build A Dungeon: Book of the Demon King’ Volume 1, ‘Shomin Sample’ Volume 1 and ‘There’s A Demon Lord on the Floor’ Volumes 2, 3 and 4.

I’ve got to do something about better lighting when taking these shots.

Decent haul, and which manga did you read? I read ‘Shomin Sample’ which was a fun, but kind of nonsensical harem, like I get the story but there’s so many plot holes. But I’ll keep reading because the girls are super cute. I also read ‘No Game No Life Please’ Volume 1, which I thought was a comical a spin-off manga of the brilliant series ‘No Game No Life’ and it is, but it’s also insanely detailed, and has so much world building and development that I’d dare say its essential reading for fans of the series, which brings me to…

Something that’s not a good spin off? You got it! I read Volume 1 of ‘Monster Musume: I Heart Monster Girls’ and… well, talk about mixed bag. I guess that’s the problem when you have over a dozen authors contributing stories short 4-panel style comics to the Monster Musume universe. Some of these authors just plain suck! Sure it was fun to see some different art styles to these beloved characters, but at least half of the stories were just boring at best and at worst completely out of character.

You’re sounding a bit like a monster girl hipster, wow, there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say… Maybe I am, but reading the really good coolkyoushinja and Shake-O’s chapters it was clear there was a great divide in talent between some of the contributors.

And the other one you read? Hehehe…

Oh dear, I’m in for something perverted now aren’t I? How dare you! I’ll have you know ‘How To Build A Dungeon: Book of the Demon King’ is a totally wholesome… BAHAHA, oh god I couldn’t keep up that ruse any longer!

Right, so go on and tell me what it’s about… It’s hard to explain, right so if you ever played Dungeon Building games like the 90’s game ‘Dungeon Keeper’, or its 2015 spiritual successor War for the Overworld, you’re kinda close to what this manga is about, except add in a WHOLE BUNCH OF SEX. Like literally every chapter has an explicit sex scene that’s about a pencil’s width from being literal porn… it’s great!

Uh-huh… so let’s quickly change the subject and talk about anime! Ok, sure, a good week of anime, nothing especially remarkable from previous weeks, though I’ve put Darling in the FranXX on a personal hiatus, I’ll go back to it every 6 episodes to make a quarterly post but I can’t deal with watching it week to week.

Fair enough, what was the best airing show of the week? Probably citrus (episode 10 review here), which is a sentence I didn’t expect to be saying, though that said Slow Start and Dagashi Kashi were very good too. Everything else was consistent with how it’s been throughout the season.

Any other anime? Oh yeah! I started watching Killing Bites, it’s silly but it’s a lot of fun.

Anything else to report from the week? Yes! I started writing a light novel, and with the exception of this blog it’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had writing something! I look forward to sharing it with you all!

Great, but I already knew that, I read your twitter posts, remember? Way to spoil my fun!

And on the site? New stuff! I made my first manga review on Nurse Hitomi’s Monster Infirmary, which should become a weekly occurrence (different manga each week FYI), and also a Top 10 List of the Best OP’s of the 2018 Winter Anime season under the ‘Listing Compulsive’ banner, hopefully people enjoy these new types of posts because they’re not going away any time soon!

And that’s it then? I think so, yeah.

Great so how would you rate the week ending 11^th of March 2018. A great week for starting new things, I’m really enthusiastic about all my new projects both on the site and in my creative writing! Thank you all for reading and continuing to support my blog!

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!

A Sister’s All You Need – 20 Question Anime Review (Mild Spoilers)

What’s the show? A Sister’s All You Need (2017).

And what’s it ab- this is siscon again isn’t it? Easy now Mr. Judgmental. Just because it’s an anime and it has the word sister in the title doesn’t mean it’s about someone who wants to fuck their sister, geez!

Alright, fine, sorry, what’s it about? Itsuki Hashima is a 20 year old light novelist and he is obsessed with little sisters-

Stop! You said it wasn’t about that! No I didn’t! I said it wasn’t about a guy who wants to fuck his sister, he doesn’t even have a sister!*

Okay, well continue then- wait what’s with the asterix? Don’t mind, don’t mind.

From left to right: Itsuki, Nayuta, bowl of persimmons, Haruto and Miyako.

Fine, continue with the synopsis… So he’s obsessed with little sisters, his published novels are all about little sisters and romancing them, but it’s not really a show about that. It’s more about the relationships he has with his friends and colleagues, and his daily life as an author and the hardships of being a writer.

Okay, fine, so his ‘sister complex’ is just a facet of his personality and not a motivating plot point. I can deal with that. Well I mean it does embody the majority of his personality, but yes there’s a lot of other characters in this anime, and without them and the various interactions this show would be pretty one-note. But the supporting characters are so good, that any personality deficiencies and perversions the protagonist have almost become palatable.

It’s research for his novel!

So who are these other characters? Well there’s busty genius Nayuta, who is a novelist herself, though her works are far more critically acclaimed than Itsuki’s. She has been a fan of his work for years and is madly in love with him and is also a complete and utter pervert. Then there’s Miyako, who is a mutual friend of the two, who previously went to college with Itsuki until he dropped out to pursue his career proper. And then there’s Haruto, another novelist and self proclaimed “cool and handsome” one. Oh and of course there’s Chihiro, Itsuki’s doting and kindly younger stepbrother.*

He’s very popular with the ladies.

Again with the asterix?! What are you doing? Shhhh.

Ugh, I don’t like it when you keep secrets from me… so what’s it about, slice of life perhaps? Apparently it’s a ‘Romantic Comedy’ according to Wikipedia! I mean it’s not an unfair description, it has romantic elements and it is certainly funny at times. But try not to get your Western ideas of ‘Romantic Comedies’ mixed up when presuming what this show is like. Remember the protagonist is unabashed and unashamed about his sexual proclivities and the dialogue is among some of the most risqué and perverse you’ll find in a non-hentai/eroge series.

May Contain Traces of Nuts

I see… Literally the opening scene of the anime contains some of the most outlandish sister-oriented erotica I’ve seen, yes it’s not actually happening and is just in an unpublished manuscript that Itsuki is presenting to his long suffering editor Kenjiro, but it’s a pretty good litmus test for whether you’re ready for the kind of dialogue that’s contained within.

So it’s a romantic comedy for men? It’s demographic is male, but no it’s certainly not just for men, my irl waifu was ready to quit the show after watching that opening scene but quickly she was caught up with the characters and their complex relationships and by the end she was begging for a second season.

Totally normal behaviour, though to be fair she is astounding honest with her feelings.

High praise, well assuming she’s not a pervert like you. There are no perverts like me, only me.

Why does that quote sound familiar… anyway, I presume there’s a best girl to be had? Of course! Hmm, I mean they’re all great in their own way but if I had to pick it’d probably be Chihiro…

Look at those bright eyes!

Okay cool… wait, wait! Didn’t you say Chihiro was his younger brother? *He’s actually a girl.

Whoa! Did you just spoil something major? I don’t know, I don’t think so. I mean he/she/they appear in episode 1 and within seconds I was like, “that’s a girl, she’s a girl.” Not to presume gender of course, but this is Japan and it’s an anime so things like gender fluidity aren’t really discussed so I mean it was pretty obvious from the get go. At least I and the irl waifu thought so, if this is a big spoiler, then sorry?

Also research, but for her novel.

Hmm, okay, I guess I’ll let that slide… Oh and btw, I was just setting up that reveal; Chihiro’s not really my best girl. It’s definetly Kaiko, Kaiko best girl.

Wait, who? You never mentioned her either? There’s a lot of characters I’ve yet to mention, but I can’t say too much about her lest I fall into spoiler territory, let’s just say ‘panties’ and leave it at that.

Always have a spare on hand.

*sigh* Anyone else you’re going to spring on me? Like Setsuna? I absolutely love his character design/outfit, he’s an artist working for the same company as Itsuki and they have a great dynamic. And then there’s Ashley, Itsuki’s sadistic tax accountant who may look like a loli but is actually 32 years old!

It was hard to find an image of Setsuna’s outfit in full so I’ll have to settle for one of his less than dignified moments…

Right, let’s wrap this up otherwise I don’t think you’ll ever shut up. Final recommendation? I could keep going, I really could, I didn’t even touch upon so many of the great things about this show, like when the gang gather round to play board games or their love of alcohol. Yes! That’s another thing that’s so great about this show, the majority of them are adults and drinkers and writers, and I’m all these things! Finally characters I can relate to and not just because they’re perverts (which they are also but that’s beside the point!) I didn’t expect to like this show as much as I would but it is an instant classic, and even if hearing terms like siscon and lolicon put you off I’d still recommend this show, it’s just that good and is absolutely worth your time. Pour me another one, 93 out of 100.

How else are you supposed to eat hard boiled eggs? If you know of a better way I’d like to hear it!