pretend all you like

I have not felt so uncharitable towards a toku series since Kiva. Perhaps even more uncharitable, considering that I have been following Decade pretty faithfully ever since the series started, and I feel kind of gypped.

( Kamen Rider Decade 20 )

So it's...pretty much a comically bad idea to choose Critical Mode, for I am dying spectacularly (latest death inflicted by Saix's Berserkers ffffffff) and I am really trying to rush through the first round of world-hopping so that I can get back to Organization shenanigans. Been also playing bits and pieces of 358/2 Days here and there, I'm kind of amused at the Org member they match you to when they bring you through tutorials (man, Lexaeus smacking the hell out of Roxas to teach him Limit Breaking ♥♥♥♥♥♥ Actually, does that mean that Lexaeus did a Limit Break when he died?), but still not very impressed by the polygoning. Interestingly enough, everybody actually looks okay polygoned except Axel, who due to his fabulous aquiline nose ends up with a very weird fixture on his face.

I think the AI is even more craptastic though. Feels like the Org doesn't really give a damn about Roxas either, only Axel gives me potions when I'm dying (could be that I configured the AI wrong, but). Speaking of which, the gameplay is kind of half-assed, maybe it's my Japanese or something, but I still can't figure out how to activate short-cuts because trying to access potions while fighting is a pain in the ass and liable to get me killed in the process.

I've also gotten the Kingdom Hearts: Piano Collections, and you know, while I don't really like Namine's theme song, the piano version is actually pretty nice. Unfortunately, the piano version of 13th Side is...extremely lacking.

( Atashinchi no Danshi 4 )

I realized that I had actually seen Atadan 4 subbed, I just haven't actually commented on it yet, and obviously with such a time-lag I've pretty much forgotten what I wanted to say about the episode. I don't mind watching it again, but given that I'm going to be very busy again...well.

Besides playing games and watching dramas, I also picked up a few library books the past week. One of them was actually an anecdoctal book about my country, which I had been wondering if I should buy because I did like the columnist, but after borrowing the omnibus volume I'm actually rather glad that I didn't shell out money. It's not that I don't like the columnist, I still find the occasional columns he writes in the local newspapers charming to read, but there's something kind of subtly grating about hearing his opinions about my country being forced down my throat for three books straight. I get that we have a lot to be grateful about ourselves, but seriously, that higher-than-thou attitude that sneaks in every so often (blahblahblah "your country has beautiful hideaways you're just all lazy bastards" I get that you're British and all but seriously? I see more swear words in your book than any of the trashy novels I read sometimes.)? Is very trying to read. It was the first book that I picked up out of the four I borrowed and I've already read the other three in the process, needless to say, I am very glad that I chose not to buy the omnibus (it wasn't cheap either).

The other book that I picked up and I'm going to talk about is Haruki Murakami's After Dark. I didn't borrow any of his more famous books because they were heavier and I wasn't sure if I could read so many books in two weeks, and anyway I heard that one of his shortcomings was that he...tends to focus on sex a lot, which AD didn't have, surprisingly? He does have a vaguely atmospheric style that keeps me reading, but the story doesn't really go anywhere. It is pretty immersive, which I guess is his selling point, but I should probably pick another book of his in order to fully understand what is so great about him.

I've really been lagging behind on my toku/drama write-ups, but it's not like anyone is actually reading those, right?

( Kamen Rider Decade 16&17: Kabuto world )

I'm reserving my Atadan reviews until the subs come out, even if I am watching the raws as they come out. However, I am watching this drama called Kiken na Aneki (My Dangerous Older Sister) but even when it's billed as a family dramedy (the same genre Atadan falls under), it's a lot more uncomfortable to watch, mostly because it's rather heavy on the drama, and not really the melodramatic kind (which would have irritated me). Also, man, it made me cry in episode 2 I don't know why Japan billed this show as family comedy :(((((((((((

I also finished FFX and Patapon 2, but I shall also keep that for another time. I tried playing Digital Devil Saga 2, but for some reason the game can't get past the first cutscene (it was an old disc that I borrowed from a friend) so I went to pop in Kingdom Hearts 2: Final Mix. :') Man, those Japanese subs are really fast orz.

( Atashinchi no Danshi 3 )

That said, I've been hunting around NicoNico looking for Den-O MAD vids, and I'm always continually amazed at how much Den-O fandoms like to tell stories through their videos. I mean, you still have the requisite Caramelldansen/anime OP/Lucky Star parodies, but they also do some seriously stunning original work. The best part is that I find really meaningful songs to listen to as well, even if sometimes the lyrics make me laugh like crazy and completely ruin the mood of the MAD.

While I would probably love to find out how successful dreamwidth is going to be before I put money into it, I do feel tempted to actually try and purchase a seed account simply because it's nice and man, their premium account rates suck expensive balls (US$35/yr translates to S$52/yr, what, when their service goes out of Open Beta, and I still have to take into account exchange rates). Of course, I don't even know how much their seed accounts costs, but seeing that my permanent LJ has started paying for itself already and I don't foresee myself stopping blogging anytime soon...decisions decisions.

I have acquired denliner o/ Man, I feel like a geek. I think I'll turn it into a gameblog, I recently restarted playing Phoenix Wright and there are some thoughts that I wanted to talk about.

Also watched Atadan 3 again, this time with subs. I don't know what it says about a drama that I'm willing to watch raws AND subs at the same time, but I'm really enjoying the show and it kind of makes me really happy that they're handling problems so well and while it's so completely over-the-top it's all in great fun. It's really been a while since I'm so genuinely interested in a whole host of characters, and I think it really helps that I can connect with them.

I was going to just post up my thoughts on Decade 14, but I feel kind of bad for not even saying anything about 13, so here's a short commentary. Additionally, because I don't feel like flooding the flist with two separate posts even if I feel that it's better in an organizational sense.

( Kamen Rider Decade 13 )

( Kamen Rider Decade 14 )

So, I did say that I was going to do a comparision post between Patapon 1 and 2. But given that I don't think anyone on the flist is actually playing it (or considering to), under a cut it goes!
( From Patapon 1 to 2 )

So, six months after Saraba Den-O aired in Japan, I finally caught the movie. :') I still regret not catching it in Japan when I was there.

( Saraba Den-O!: Final Countdown )

And that's it. Like I said, I did enjoy myself despite the two problems I had with the movie, it's Den-O, it's not rocket science. However, I do hope that the Chou Den-O movie would be tighter in terms of the plot, Ore Tanjou! did acceptably well enough as an in-series movie without going awry, and here's to Chou Den-O hopefully having the same treatment, and with DCD being able to hold on to his status as the titular character.

Additionally, I do like what Sakurada Dori has to offer despite what little we saw of his character in SaraDen, so yes, I will take the Chou Den-O series with a pinch of salt. :')

I also finally saw the Making Of DVD for SaraDen, and ohman I love my internet boyfriend ffffff. ♥ Sato, as usual, is an asshole.

I will admit, I got a bit misty-eyed when the last and only proper conversation between Jecht and Tidus played on the TV. I liked how the FFX story isn't just about saying religion's a bunch of bullshit with an extra-heavy hand, but also about broken relationships and the regret that comes along with it.

Watching it for the third time in the row? The sentimentality is gone, and DAMN IT JECHT STOP KILLING MY PEOPLE SO I CAN KILL YOU PROPERLY AUGH.