manga – Page 3 – Yuki The Snowman

Higurashi and the Power of Friendship Pt. 1: Keiichi, Rena, and Mion.

‘Friends…
How many of us have them?
Friends…
Ones we can depend on.’
-Whodini, Friends (1983 rap single)

The power of friendship is a tired concept in anime. It’s a trope used as either a final hour plot device or a moral boast given to the hero from their freinds as a power-up, or a motivation toll to push forward in the face of despair. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni isn’t exempt from this. However, how Higurashi tackles this theme makes it stand out from other series that uses the power of friendship such as Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh.

Using mature and controversial themes (such as child abuse, mental health, trust issues, etc.) for its overarching narrative, Higurashi makes the power of friendship, and the benefits of it feel realistic compared to other anime series.

With series main character Keiichi, we see Rena and Mion attempt to reach out to Keiichi in his time of stress and paranoia, whom he couldn’t seem to trust. Rena herself would wind up untrusting of her friends; accusing them of betraying her (as she believed they snitched on her for murdering Rina and Teppei).

Finally, The Club unites the village of Hinamizawa to rescue Satoko Houjou from her abusive uncle – including villagers who once outcast and hated her.

Join me in part one of my analysis of the Power of Friendship in Higurashi as we explore how Rena and Mion reached out to help their friend Keiichi, only to be murdered by him due to his paranoia.

Keiichi, Rena, and Mion

‘Give me a reason why not to adapt in this way,
or judge me to be guilty of so many incurable sins
Tell me why, or why not, complaining way too much,
Maybe I overlooked something fatal for me’

“Why or Why Not” by Katakiri Rekka (Higurashi no Naku koro ni ED 1)

Ever since he moved to the small and close-knit village of Hinamizawa, Keiichi grew close with new friends Rena and Mion. They walk together to school, play after-school games and kick it and chill with one another as good friends. It’s clear by their interactions and the time they spend with each other that they’re bonded by friendship.

A bond of destroyed by paranoia and distrust.

Keiichi’s distrust towards his friends began when he was informed by Tomitake about the Hinamizawa Dam War (a protest conflict against a dam construction in the village). The “war” resulted in the unsolved murder and dismemberment of the project’s director. Now mind you, this information was given to Keiichi after he was joking with Tomitake that Rena may had hid a body in the garbage dump (the land that was going to be used for the dam) where she normally hangs out at. We must also note that some of the remains of the project director have yet to be recovered at this point of the story.

This news doesn’t ease Keiichi’s paranoia. It will get worse after the Cotton Drifting Festival.

It’s the night of the Cotton Drifting Festival. After kicking it with The Club, Keiichi goes off on his own to explore the area. He links up with Tomitake and his girlfriend, Miyo. The lovers get Keiichi hip on Oyashiro’s Curse: a series of unexplained “supernatural” deaths and disappearances occurring at the festival for the past five years – with this year’s festival being the fifth anniversary. This new information in combination of the murder and dismemberment case freaks Keiichi out.

There’s more to the village than he is aware of.

Miyo explaining the legend of Oyashiro’s curse.

The following morning, Keiichi is visited by detective Oishi at his school. Oishi notifies the boy that Tomitake was discovered dead during the festival. In addition, Miyo is missing. He asks Keiichi if he believes these incidents are linked to the curse. Keiichi replies that he doesn’t believe in such things such as curses and gods. Pleased, Oishi sees Keiichi as an useful person for the case . Oishi ends their meeting with him requesting that he does not repeat anything to anyone –especially to Mion – as she is a member of the notorious Sonozaki Yakuza clan.

Oishi informing Keiichi that Miyo is missing.

Returning to class, Keiichi overhears Mion and Rena discussing the disappearance of past victims of the supposed curse. Satoshi is mentioned, which Keiichi questions Rena about the boy later. After school, Keiichi confronts his friends about the murders, the village, and the curse. He suspects them of withholding information. Rena counters this, asking him why he too is withholding information. She brings up that she knows that he spoke with Oishi (contradicting his lie of him talking to their teacher).

The friends argue back and forth. Rena grows hostile. In the height of their verbal fight, Rena questions the subject of Oishi and Keiichi’s discussion, which he dodges. Rena snarls at Keiichi – accusing him of lying. Returning to her normal sweet nature, she tells Keiichi that just like he has secrets, they too have their own.

Knowing that the Hinamizawa Syndrome causes paranoia, one can assume that Keiichi is imagining Rena becoming hostile in her actions. For all we know, Rena could have been teasing Keiichi for fun. Maybe she was concern that Keiichi was talking to a police officer that he did not know.

Later that night, Keiichi receives a call from Oishi requesting new information. Keiichi mentions Rena and Mion were talking about the curse, the murders, and Satoshi (with Oishi informing Keiichi that Satoshi was one of the victims of the curse the year before). Keiichi links everything Rena and the others told him earlier – suspecting that he will be the next victim; Confirming his theory that his friends are withholding information from him. The phone call is cut short when Keiichi’s dad comes up to his room to give both Keichi and Rena tea. Keiichi freaks out. He never noticed Rena standing outside of his room, even though his father saw Rena going there. Keiichi believes that Rena might have overheard the phone call and starts to worry.

Keiichi decides to skip school the next morning. Feeling sick, he heads to the doctor clinic. At the waiting room, he overhears that Miyo may had been spirited away by the demon. Following that, he links up with Oishi for lunch (as well as to provide the kid with new information). Oishi informs Keiichi that Mion and her family were involved in the Dam Wars. He also supplies Keiichi with new information on Satoshi’s disappearance. Finally, perhaps the most important pieces of information he can give Keiichi – Rena’s past as well the links the curse’s past victims and his friends.

Oishi reveals to Keiichi that a few years ago, Rena suffered a mental break down; resulting in her assaulting her friends with a baseball bat. She was admitted to a mental health clinic following the incident. It was documented that during therapy, she repeated the words “Oyashiro-Sama”. It was also noted that Rena believe Oyashiro was watching over her.

(Bare this part of Rena’s past in mind as it will be important later on in relation to Keiichi’s paranoia.)

Oiishi then explains the link between Keiichi’s friends and the victims. The victims had a relationship with each friend. The dam director got into it with Mion and her family. The dam project’s supporters, the housewife that died in the fourth year, and Satoshi were kin of Satoko – blood or otherwise. The priest who died and his wife who disappeared were Rika’s parents. Finally, Tomitake was friends with The Club.

With this knowledge, Oishi theorizes that Keiichi will be targeted next.

That night, Rena and Mion visits Keiichi out of concern (due to his absence from school). They gift him with dinner and make him play a game to see who prepped it. As they chat, the light-hearted visit turns into an interrogation of sorts. They question Keiichi on his meeting with Oishi, which Rena brings up she noticed the two at Angel Mort. Keiichi starts to worry. He tells Rena that they weren’t talking about them, but she doesn’t believe him. Mion tells Keiichi that no matter what, she’ll find out his secrets between him and Oishi before leaving.

Keiichi examines the ohagai, suspecting nothing of it. As he takes a bite out of it, he starts to freak out and spits the food out into his hand. He spots a “needle” covered in “blood” sticking out and goes berserk. He tosses the food in the garbage and screams. Fearing that his life in his danger, Keiichi hurries back to his room, grab a piece of paper and starts writing:

‘I am Keiichi Maebara, and my life is in danger. I don’t know why or who. The only thing I know is that it has something to do Oyrashiro-Sama’s curse.’

In reality of course, the Hinamizawa Syndrome is clouding Keiichi’s thoughts. As the disease grows, so does his paranoia – therefore, creating false perceptions of reality. When examining the situation outside Keiichi’s perceptive of fear, you have to take in a few points:

The “needle” in Keiichi food (and the pain caused by it) is an illusion. The sharp, painful poke from the “needle” was actually spicy hot sauce (which also explains the “blood”). This was a prank by from Mion used to mess with Keiichi and cheer him up. We can assume that Rena and Mion both knew that something was bothering Keiichi and wanted to make him happy. This can be further supportive with the fact the girls visited him to check up on him.
It’s possible that Mion and Rena knew Oishi and Keiichi were at Angel Mort through Shion; Mion’s twin sister and an employee at the café. One could theorize that Shion informed Mion that Keiichi was talking to Oishi. Keep in mind that Oishi and the Sozonakis have beef. Oishi suspects that the Sonozaki are behind the mysterious murders. The dam director (one of the victims) was Oiishi’s best friend and father-like mentor. Taking this into account, you can assume that Mion thinks that Oishi is using Keiichi to get information off Mion. Mion could also just have been playfully teasing Keiichi (as well as telling him to stay away from Oishi because her family doesn’t like him due to reasons).

The following morning, Keiichi heads to school alone; planning his next course of action against his enemies. He’s nearly run over by a van (driven by members of the Yamainu). Thinking that they’re after him, Keiichi declares that he must not drop his guard. He must fight back. Upon arriving to school, Keiichi search the lockers for a weapon. Coming across Satoshi’s locker he finds the perfect weapon – Satoshi’s metal baseball bat.

At recess, Keiichi is “practicing” swinging the bat with aggression. Rena and Mion see this, questioning why he’s playing around with the bat. Keiichi lies, stating that he’s practicing for the national finals. The girls looked on with confusion and concern. They leave, letting Keiichi do his own thing. After school, Keiichi decides to drop out of The Club’s after school activities and tells them to leave him alone.

They’re worried about him.

Rena follows Keiichi to check up on him. Keiichi sees her and snaps. He points his bat at Rena with a threatening stance; demanding the girl to walk ahead of him. Rena complies, but not before asking him why he’s emulating Satoshi’s actions from last year (as well as using his bat) Rena tells Keiichi how he and Satoshi are alike (such as carrying baseball bats despite not being athletic, being paranoid, and dropping out of the club activities). Then Rena asks Keiichi if he’ll “transfer out” of school like Satoshi did prior. Keiichi uneasiness worsens. He believes that he’ll disappear like Satoshi from the tone and body language of Rena’s words.

Reality: Rena is troubled by Keiichi’s actions. She cares for him. She doesn’t want to see another friend suffering (remember: she regrets not reaching out Satoshi when he was suffering). To take it one step further, Rena had her own bouts with paranoia, stress, and mistrust in others before receiving help. She is by all means attempting to reach out and help Keiichi.

That night, Oishi calls up Keiichi again. Keiichi tells the cop that he’s certain that Rena and Mion are trying to kill him (with the whole “needle” in his food ordeal and the Yamainu trying to run him over) Oishi asks Keiichi to find the needle for him for evidence. Keiichi fails to do so (since the “needle” was hot sauce) and thinks he had accidently thrown it away. Next, he explains how he got new information on the Satoshi situation from Rena to Oishi. During this, he is startled by Rena ringing his door bell. Keiichi goes answer the door.

Just like the other day, Rena brings Keiichi over food and checks up on him. She asks him if he had anything to eat all night. He lies to her, which Rena calls him out on. Rena brings up that she saw him eating noodles and food he brought from the market. She starts playing around by yanking on the door chain of his house in an attempt to “break in”. Thinking Rena is out to kill him, Keiichi smashes her hand in the door several time, forcing Rena to leave.

vlcsnap-2017-09-18-18h26m08s283 — Now, if I was Keiichi and Rena came through to my crib while my parents were away for the weekend, I would totally invite her in for a few hours. Just being real.

Reality: Rena was reaching out and checking up on him like last time (since he scared everyone earlier that day) Plus, Rena is close with his mom, so it is possible for her to know that Keiichi was alone without food. And given that Rena has a playful nature, her attempting to break him was just a joke.

Returning to his room, he notices Rena standing outside in the rain, looking into his bedroom chanting “I’m sorry” repeatedly. The following morning, Keiichi is back to practicing his swing with the bat. Mion confronts Keiichi and orders him to stop. Everyone is frightened of Keiichi’s unexplained erratic behavior. He goes off on Mion, asking her why is everyone is scared. He also tells her that he knows that Satoshi never “transfer” (given his sister Satoko is still in the same school and town). He tells her that he also knows about her fights with the dam war and asked why did she wasn’t truthful to him about that fact.

Mion breaks down in tears. She becomes enrage soon after. She assumes that Oishi – the “old bastard” – was the one who told Keiichi about her fights between the dam director and express regrets of not killing him earlier. Keiichi ponders if the “old bastard” in question is Oishi.

Reality: Mion is troubled by Keiichi’s actions. Like Rena, Mion fears Keiichi will end up like Satoshi and run away. Mion is also angry that Oishi made her seem like a ruthless killer to Keiichi due to her past with the dam director. The stress of her family dealing with Oishi’s police force, as well as rumors of her family murdering people has taken its toll on Mion. Therefore, out of rage, Mion snapped. Her wishing death on Oishi was due to anger. Deep down, I just think Mion was blowing off steam.

Keiichi leaves school and walks alone again. He spots Rena and books it, hiding into the woods, but his efforts fail. Rena catches up to him. He notices her billhook in her hand and questions her why she has it. She laughs at him. She then explains about how Satoshi was doing everything that Keiichi was doing in the past, her regrets for not helping him, and if he knows about Oyashiro’s curse. She ends with telling Keiichi that only she and she alone can help him solve his problems and that she’ll save him.

Rena starts to manically laugh and Keiichi runs off in the woods.

Reality: Rena was carrying her billhook for one of two reasons:
1. To help her on her grand ‘ol treasure hunting adventures in the not-so-grand garbage dump
2. To protect Keiichi from danger, as it’s implied from Rena’s point of view of the Onikakushi-hen arc (which you can watch a video of that POV below):

Rena is very observant. Her watching Keiichi becoming like Satoshi and him pushing everyone away is something not out of the ordinary for her. Like everyone else, she clearly noticed Keiichi felt and appeared troubled. Thus, reaching out to him was a priority. She states that she felt regret for not helping Satoshi out with his problems before he left. Perhaps she felt guilty for that and to atone for her it, she vows to save Keiichi.

Maybe, just maybe, she can save him.

A few hours later, Keiichi awakens in his room (he appeared to have been knocked out by a Yamainu solider). In his daze, he notices Rena sitting at the foot of his futon. He starts freaking out, asking her why is she in his house. Rena tells him that she found him in the woods and decided to carry him back to his house to recover. While they’re chatting, Mion comes through to the house, welcoming herself to his room. Mion ask if Rena called the sports supervisor, given Keiichi has an “interest” in baseball. Keiichi (with his paranoia at its highest) asks who the supervisor is. The girl simply laugh at him.

Mion suggests that they finish the Punishment Game before he comes, which Rena agrees. Rena gets up, walks over to Keiichi, and restrains him. Mion gets up and pulls out a syringe from her pocket with a sadistic smile. Keiichi is terrified. As he struggle to break free from Rena she asks what they’re about to do to him. Keiichi remembers Oishi telling him how Tomitake died and they suspected drugs were involved.

Keiichi overpowers Rena, grabs his baseball bat and beat the two girls to death with it in what he believes to be in self-defense. After killing the girls, he spots Dr. Irie rolling up to his house in the same van that attempted to run him over earlier that week. Seeing this, he reaches into the back of his clock to recover the letter he wrote earlier.

Finishing the letter, he names Rena and Mion as suspects, list five adults in the van, and suggests that the “drug” that Rena and Mion were planning to use on him is the same as the one that killed Tomitake. He then escapes the house, dodging Yamainu guards in the process. Keiichi calls up Oishi from a phone booth, panicking. In his dying breath, Keiichi tells Oishi that he thought the suspects were human, but at this point believes that Oyashiro’s curse is real and that the god is following him. Keiichi starts to tear at his throat – effectively killing.

Reality: Keiichi murdered Rena and Mion in cold blood. There were no drugs discovered at the crime scene. The “drug” he spoke of was a marker. Rena and Mion never attempted to harmed or kill Keiichi – simply, they wanted to help him and be there for him as friends. They wanted to cheer him up and wish him to get better. Sadly, Keiichi’s perspective of reality was distorted from his paranoia and the Hinamizawa Syndrome. He could not see that his friends only wanted to help him, not harm him.

Because of his paranoia, three young lives were cut short.

The truth of Rena and Mion’s kindness and Keiichi sins would be later revealed in the Atoment Arc. Rena, the airheaded, kindhearted girl, needed help herself. Help from her own pain, mistrust, and paranoia.

And what better friend to save her than Keiichi himself?

Continued in part 2.

(My bad about the spoilers fam lmfao)

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on September 18, 2017

Anime Industry 7

Pirating Does NOT Hurt the Anime Industry

On August 11^th, 2017, YouTube anime vlogger Digibro uploaded Where Should We Watch Anime?, a video where he explores four seperate anime streaming services: Crunchyroll, Amazon Strike, Netflix, and the infamous illegal site “KissAnime”. Digibro states that while he does use Crunchhyroll to view anime and support the industry, he also uses KissAnime, but only as a last resort (if there’s no legal alternate to view an anime, if the legal services offers a worse product than the illegal websites, etc.)

Despite his statement (and because anime fans lack comprehension skills), the anime community misinterpreted his words; believing he was promoting the illegal sites. This resulted in his his follow up video Utter Morons ForneverWorld & Half of Anitwitter Totally Miss the Point Of My Streaming Video where he states once again, that he only uses the illegal streaming services if the legal ones are offering a worse product than the legal websites or if he can not find a legal alternate to view an anime.

Both backlash and support for Digibro’s views followed. Many were furious at him for “suggesting” the usage of illegal websites. Others praised and understood Digibro’s stance. Those who supported his views brought up that the anime industry doesn’t make enough money off Blu-Ray and DVDs sales, that the industry’s main profits come from secondary sources of income (which he also states in the follow up video) as well as bringing brought up how major studios take most of the profits from the different income sources and not paying their artists a fair, livable wage. The anime fans opposing piracy rebuttal; to them, every dollar counts in supporting the the industry.

These videos breathed new life into an age old controversial topic within the community: Does pirating anime hurt the industry?

As someone who keeps it real, it’s my duty to tell you how I feel about this subject it is without holding back. From researching the topic, reading articles, and watching anime vloggers of both sides of the argument, I don’t think pirating hurts the industry. I do get where opposing fans are coming from with their anti-piracy stance, but again, I don’t feel that piracy does harm to the industry.

From my research, I discovered how the anime industry create captial in the modern era outside of Blu-Ray and DVD sales. Aninews’ video The Data Behind Digibro’s Stance on Anime Streaming: Legal vs. Illegal, breaks down how legal streaming services fund the industry through bidding for the rights to stream an anime on their services (the link to the video is listed in the cited source section).

When a streaming company wins the rights to a show, they’ll have to pay the licensing company (such as Aniplex) the cost of each episode, royalties, and licensing fees. Once paid, the licensing company takes their cut of the the money and split the rest up with everyone involved in the production of the anime. This meansthat regardless if you use an illegal streaming services or not, the animation companies have already received their money for the shows the provided to the streaming services.

At worst, the streaming companies will operate on a lost from ad revenue due to not breaking even or beyond from piracy. Therefore, the company will have to operate at a loss – forcing them to reduce the number of series to buy off the licensing company for the upcoming season.

Another way anime studios make money is through product placement. Some industries in Japan (such as the automotive and food industries) will reach out to animation studios and offer to pay thousands or millions of dollars for the show to promote their product or brand. For example: Sunrise 2006’s anime Code Geass, famously promoted the pizza brand Pizza Hut in many episodes due to a deal between both companies. This provided Sunrise extra capital for their pockets. Misty Chroenexia’s video Piracy is NOT Killing The Anime Industry explains this further in depth (the URL to the video is listed below in the source section).

Finally, companies make extra capital from merchandising such as toys, video games, figurines, body pillows, drama CDs, and music soundtracks. Bigger companies such, as A-1 Pictures, are linked to major companies: giving them access to extra funds. Miki Sim’s article How The Anime Industry Earns Money further explains this:

‘A few larger anime studios, such as A-1 Picture, actually sits within a larger entertainment ecosystem. They are linked to record companies, such as Sony Music Entertainment Japan. With the popularity of anime OPs drive the sales of anisong singles and albums. That is another reason why the anisong industry is becoming larger than J-Pop too.’

In short: Some studios are large enough to use high amounts of capital thanks to a connection with a thanks in part of another major company or brand.

What does all of this means for me? Well, if companies are making profits through other sources of income, have already received money from streaming websites such as Netflix and Amazon , and have connections to larger companies such as Sony (who have diverse income thanks to their products and investments) for extra cash, then me pirating their shows does not hurt them at all.

Admittedly, I do have an active Crunchy Roll subscription to support the industry. Crunchy Roll is wonderful and they provided me with good services. If Crunchy Roll has a show I want to watch then I will view it on there as oppose to say KissAnime. Now, if they do not have a show I want to see and there is no legal alternate available (that I like), then I’ll use an illegal streaming site.

This brings me to my next point.

I’m going to keep this all the way real: It’s the fault of the Japanese animation studios for not releasing their new shows outside of Japan (where there is a market for those show, niche or otherwise) to a legal service in North America (or any other international regions). Consequently, this forces fans to pirate shows that they cannot access legally because the Japanese businesses do not want to adapt to the current trend of anime viewership globally. In my opinion, this is bad business. Anime is a global market. You have to carter to fans around the world.

You have fans who’re willing to watch new shows legally. They want to show their support with the money, but these companies aren’t listening. If they do release a show, it’s usually a season or two later.

Example: Netflix recently acquired the rights to Kakegurui, one of the most popular anime series of the Summer 2017 season. Netflix will air Kakegurui in Winter 2018 – two seasons after its original Japanese broadcast run. This means if you want to watch it legally, you will have to wait five months (at the time of this writing) to support it legall. The only way to watch Kakegurui and stay current with it is through an illegal streaming service.

Now, if you can’t afford to pay Netflix that $10/month plus tax because you have other paid streaming services you’re subscribed, to and you want to support it legally, well, you’re out of luck. This is another case of bad business practice. You have three streaming services fighting each other to win the rights for a show. And if the winning company is Netflix, you may have to wait a few months to view the show.

Now that I think about it, this is goofy.

Once a company wins the rights for a show, they have that show exclusively. No other streaming company can have it, just that one company. Let’s say Amazon Strike wins the rights to the show The Misadventures of an Alcoholic Magical Girl (this is not a real show). Since Amazon is the only North American company to stream that show, you cannot get it off your Crunchy Roll and/or Netflix account(s). You really want to watch and support the show, but can you afford an Amazon Prime account along with the cost of $4.99/month with Strike and $6.95/month with your CR account?

So, what you’re going to do? Spend that extra cash? Cancel your CR account to save some money? You can do that, but now you have to wait a week to watch the newest episodes of a currently airring show. If you really want to watch it, then you have to pirate it. Which is not that bad if you bare in mind the animation studio has already earn the money from Amazon.

Let’s take this a step further.

Netflix and Amazon are notorious for not understanding their anime fanbase demographic. Netflix has been under fire for uploading anime shows with false “HD” and horrible subs quality. Amazon Strike requires you to have an Amazon Prime account along with paying $4.99/month for Strike. Doing the math $8.99+$4.99 = $13.98/month. Then you have your Crunchy Roll account, which is $6.95/month. So $13.98+$6.95=$20.93/month. THEN, if you want to watch an anime that’s only on Netflix, you’ll going to wind up dropping $10/month plus tax. So $20.93+$10.00=$30.93/month plus tax. Finally, if there is a show that you desperately want to see that is not available legally on all three legal platforms, you’re out of luck.

Unless you pirate of course.

Pirate sites host anime with true 1080p or 720 HD (both native and upscale). They have fansubs in excellent quality. They offer a massive selection of anime that you can stream and download for free without worrying about hundreds of dollars on. There are shows on these websites that may never get a re-release. Viewing them on these sites is the only way to experience those shows. If you want to explore the history of anime at its fullest, you may have to use KissAnime or 9anime.

This begs the question: Why pay and support a service to companies that doesn’t care about their anime demographic, rip them off by offering them “HD” quality that is not HD at all, and provide low quality subtitles? At least CrunchyRoll understands their given that company is fun by anime fans. They need our money and support. But Netflix and Amazon? Screw them. Screw them and their bad business practices If Amazon Strike and Netflix’s anime streaming services belly-up due to piracy, oh well. They’re large companies with other sources of income to keep them afloat. I doubt Amazon and Netflix would suffer that much.

The whole business model is stupid. Japan not expanding further and adapting to the current trend for their anime demographic is ass backwards. I honestly don’t feel bad for pirating their stuff. They’re providing poor-to-bad services because of it. If you’re giving the customer a bad experience due to your shitty practices and you can’t help with their needs, you don’t desire to make money.

At this point, you may be asking “Ben! So what about the little guys? Yeah, cooperate assholes may make a lot of money, but the artists and creative team only make little to no money a month! They need your support!” Well, that brings me to my next point – a good point Digibro brought up in his video that I like: A donation button.

Artists put in countless hours of hard work into their craft; providing us with amazing shows that we all love and enjoy. Because they work hard and passionately, they deserve our money. However, while there is a lot of capital flowing in the industry, the top people will get the largest payout while the smaller ranking dudes will get less. Way less. The average animator in japan makes about $300-$500 a month. The “lucky” ones make $1000 month. Still, that’s criminally wrong. Even if I do view anime legally through Crunchyroll, the animators are being screwed by their employees regardless.

This is why I like the idea of studios of exploring alternate ways to make money through donation service websites such as Pateron or Go Fund Me. Let’s say at the end of an episode or season, you can click on the donation button and give whatever amount you feel that episode or series was worth. If you feel a series was excellent, then you can drop $80-$100 on it. If the series was horrible, then you give it little-to-no money. This allows fans and the studios to cut out the middle man and have a direct connection with one another payment wise. Most anime fans stream anime nowdays and Blu-Rays and DVDs are pricy (although not as pricy as they were ten years ago), and enjoy the convenience of watching a show on-demand, so this could work out in the future.

Studio TRIGGER is rumored to have experiment with the idea of using Pateron to crowd fund future projects, but efforts have been slow to pick up due to Japan’s conservative, old-school ways of performing business. Animator Jun Sugawara has opened an animator dormitory in Japan funded by Generosity. This dormitory is open for animators across Japan who don’t want deal with the bullshit of the current industry standard, as well as work in a fair, almost stress-free environment I think these are great ideas and I hope it catches on within the industry.

I would rather pay the creative staff behind my favorite shows my money to support them, rather to give them to Crunchy Roll. As much as I respect Crunchy Roll and support them, the money I give to them supports shows and studios I don’t like – not just the ones I enjoy.

This means that shows I hate such as In Another World With My Smartphone and Sword Art Online are being funded. I don’t want those horrible shows being supported off my hard earn money. A1 Studios is also getting a cut of my money. I can’t support that company after the fact their strict, brutal practices caused an animator to commit suicide in 2014 due to being overworked. I can not support that company ethically. I don’t feel right about that.

Let’s hope that more teams and studios get on board with this new donation and crowd funding model. Japan really needs to adapt to the new era and stop being stuck in traditional about their old-school way of handling business within the anime industry.

It’s clearly taking a toll.

While I am not bothered by piracy, I do understand why people are against it. Pirating shows take away extra profits off Blu-ray and DVDs sales. Mother’s Basement’s video How Much Money do the Biggest Anime Pirates Make states that the pirates of KissAnime earn an estimated $18,000,000 USD a year from ad revenue – much more money than the animators in the industry. KissAnime also has a history of stealing subs from official streaming services and fansub groups and reuploading the files to their website.

According to GoBoiano’s article How Much Money You Cost the Anime Industry When You Illegally Stream illegal streaming services and torrents has cost the anime industry an estimated $33,009,636 to $132,038,554 in 2016. In 2015, animation studio Manglobe (famous for Gangsta and Samurai Champloo) filed for bankruptcy due to an estimated debt of $4.43 million USD. Fans have theorized that the lost profits from piracy resulted in the company’s demise, but this is just a theory without any solid proof backing these claims.

In July 2014, the Japanese government founded the “Manga-Anime Guardians Project” to combat against online piracy of anime and manga, monitoring illegal websites for uploads, and as well as help fans find legal alternates to stream and watch anime.

With pirates making multi-million dollar profits from stealing official subs, the industry losing millions from it, the Japanese government having to step in and protect the work of artists, and a company bankrupted due to possible piracy, I can see why opponents of piracy want to end it. Animators are losing jobs and money from illegal activities. You can easily assume the reason why animators are underpaid is because of piracy and the companies have to operate at a loss. A loss of money means less pay and fewer jobs on the market.

To conclude, I do not see the big issue about pirating, but I still want to support the industry. With companies making money through other sources of capital such as promotion, legal streaming, and maketing, I don’t feel that pirating doesn’t hurt the industry at all. Even if stream anime legally, the major players of a company will take the majority of the profits, leaving the creative forces with less than livable wages. The industry and businesses need a new model to operate on. People aren’t buying blurays or DVDs anymore. Fans would rather stream their shows.

The idea of studios and animators using crowd funding for anime is a fantastic idea which we as a community need to get behind. Animators deserve a living wage for the hard work they put into their craft. While this won’t completely stop piracy overall, it does give fans a chance to support their favorite companies without a middle man.

I am just one person who believes piracy isn’t harmful but there are many who believe it is and they have good reasons to think as such. Illegal streaming services cost the industry millions is lost capital. That’s not right. The animators earned that money – not the pirates.

And finally, if you believe that these legal streaming services are giving you a worse product and service, stop using them! Don’t give them your money because it’s the moral and right thing to do. You know what’s not moral and right? Ripping off people with a shit product.

Vote with your wallet you weeaboos.

YOUTUBE VIDEOS:

Where Should We Watch Anime by Digibro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSZDkF0YTRo

The Data Behind Digibro’s Stance on Anime Streaming: Legal vs. Illegal by Aninews
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYmKCRRbTIM

Piracy is NOT Killing the Anime Industry by Misty Chronexia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5nxyV0Jrvg&t=406s

Frost Bite: Anime Piracy and Illegal Streaming by Glass Reflection
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxMQ6ROoB00

How Much Money do the Biggest Anime Pirates Make by Mother’s Basement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TAg4gIhdfg

MONEY IN THE ANIME INDUSTRY:

http://www.digihara.net/anime-industry-earns-money/

http://kotaku.com/average-anime-industry-salaries-get-depressing-1774852881

http://goboiano.com/heres-money-actually-made-anime/

http://kotaku.com/the-average-anime-salary-in-japan-is-shockingly-low-1700892325

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/062515/how-netflix-pays-movie-and-tv-show-licensing.asp

https://www.otakujournalist.com/where-your-crunchyroll-dollars-really-go-an-interview-with-the-ceo/

PRO-PIRACY ARTICLES:

http://www.japanator.com/does-piracy-help-anime-sales-in-japan-study-says-yes-18459.phtml

https://torrentfreak.com/internet-piracy-boosts-anime-sales-study-concludes-110203/

Alison’s Hawkins’s Piracy as a Catalysis for Anime Evoultion essay
https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/102759/allihawk.pdf;sequence=1

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/402969/when-piracy-becomes-promotion/

ANTI-PIRACY ARTICLES:

http://aminomailer.com/page/anime/5240302/the-dangers-of-anime-piracy
http://goboiano.com/much-money-cost-anime-industry-illegally-stream/

http://www.animeherald.com/2015/11/12/manglobe-begins-bankruptcy-proceedings-reports-544-million-yen-debt/

http://www.animeanime.biz/archives/21786

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/jpgjj4/japan-protects-its-anime-with-anti-piracy-hires-

http://manga-anime-here.com/guardians

MISC. SOURCES:

Jun Sugawara’s Animator Dormitory Project
https://www.generosity.com/fundraising/2017-animator-dormitory-project

http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2014/05/07/suicide-of-anime-worker-recognized-as-job-related

http://www.capsulecomputers.com.au/2014/05/a1-pictures-animator-suicide-caused-by-overwork/

http://manga-anime-here.com/guardians

IMAGE CREDITS

Featured Image:
Erika Furudo from Umineko: Ougon Musou Kyoku CROSS (Golden Fantasia CROSS)
©2007-2017, 2012-2012 07^th Expasion, Ryukishi07

Ruby Heart from Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
©2000-2017 Capcom

Nami from One Piece
©1997-2017 Eiichiro Oda, Toei Animation

Marika Katou from Bodacious/Miniskit Space Pirates
©2008-2017 Yuuichi Sasamoto and Satelight

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on August 30, 2017

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Umineko no Naku Koro Ni – Raw Thoughts Pt. 1

August 17th, 2017 marked the 10th anniversary of the hit visual novel series “Umineko no Naku Koro ni”. Umineko no Naku Koro ni was adapted into a terrible, low rating animated series by Studio Deen in 2009. The manga adaption and the fighting game spin off are better. Seriously, don’t watch the anime. In reflection and celebration of the series 10th anniversary, I will be providing my raw, unedited thoughts of the anime throughout the month of August. I hope you’ll enjoy!

WARNING:
Violent, gory images below. Umineko spoilers below. If you do not like gory imagery or want to be spoiled, then please turn back now. Check out my other Umineko related content on my website such as my utter hatred for Kinzo Ushiromiya and my shame for enjoying the anime adaption of Umineko.

If you’re still here then that means you’re okay with being spoiled and you’re comfortable with viewing gory imagery.

How I got into Umineko is funny. Weird, but funny. I had just powered through Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai and Rei around mid November 2009. I was addicted. I needed more When They Cry and Higurashi in my life. A manga. A new anime series. A torrent link (don’t pirate kids) to the VN so I could experience this beautiful and deep story in it’s original, ham fisted characters design and terrible free licence music form.

I don’t know how anyone can play the VNs with the original sprites and music.

I just needed a new When They Cry in my life!

Desperate, I searched through /jp/ (4chan’s otaku board) for any information on new and upcoming When They Cry material. The degenerate weebs of /jp/ were discussing a new entry to the series: Umineko no Naku koro ni (lit. When Seagulls Cry) and its anime adaption by Studio Deen. They had some rather…not-so-nice opinions on the anime, and were encouraging everyone to stay far away from it.

Yet, I could care less for their opinions! It was a new entry to this excellent saga!

Umineko’s anime promotional art. One of only three good things about the anime.

I hit up YouTube to see if any episodes of Umineko were uploaded. To my excitement, there were some episodes up! Just that they were only in Japanese, as the subs weren’t up on YouTube at the time. I was never smart enough to download a torrent for the subs, so I gave up. (again kids don’t pirate).

Disappointed, I turned to the image-board Danbooru. I figured that I could get some minor information on the characters through fanart and fan comics. A quick search of the title lead me to some interesting fanart and 4koma four panel by the artist Rifyu.

I randomly selected one of his artwork; a crossover of the Umineko and Higurashi cast. The art was crude and simple, but it wasn’t too bad (and it was a hella better than Ryukishi’s art for the Higurashi visual novel). Based on this art, I assumed that that the characters of Higurashi might appear in Umineko, or at the very least Umineko was an expansion to Higurashi’s story.

I continue to scroll through his comics when I came across a 4koma of a gothic lolita cat-like girl who I presumed was Higurashi’s Rika, and a redhead schoolgirl at a bowling alley. The redhead made a successful strike and is at all cheers. Interesting, the word “strike” was in red. The gothic lolita doesn’t seem too impressed. Not by the efforts of her “friend” (ha ha ha), but by her usage of “red text”.

“Why is ‘strike’ is in red and why is Rika upset about her using this ‘red text’?” I questioned. I was confused by this “red text”. Was it something special for those two or anything?

Oh well.

The third panel focused on Gothic Lolita Rika throwing her ball in what I guessed was an attempt to one-up the redhead girl. Gothic Lolita Rika not only earned herself a strike, she also destroyed the bowling alley, and possibly killed a few people in panel 4.

__frederica_bernkastel_and_ushiromiya_ange_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__e476b8597895f74cae3a75b439f97822.jpg — Ange: “Yes! STRIKE!” Bernkastel:”Didn’t I tell you not to use the red text?”

“So I guess Rika is a jealous bitch in Umineko who feels the need to outshine people.” I assumed. I went on to read another 4koma, this time featuring a blue hair girl name Erika – a girl with bad fashion taste.

__furudo_erika_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_drawfag__d0b2342658e0115820ddf0152f633ee7.png — Erika Furudo

“Erika, huh? Is she like another Rika because of their names?” I questioned, thinking there were a connection between the two.

From reading the Erika centered 4koma, I took a wild guess that she had a hardcore crush on Ange’s brother, Battler. I mean yea, having a cute little crush is cool, but Erika was taking her crush way too far. Creepy-stalker-with-a-crush levels of too far. She will sexually harass you too far. Erika is totally the type of girl you put a restraining order on because she doesn’t know what personal space means. And she might kill you in your sleep.

__furudo_erika_and_ushiromiya_battler_dawn_of_the_golden_witch_and_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__16a339d8d4168f31a1a383937fcd95e9 (1)

__furudo_erika_and_ushiromiya_battler_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__4b4739f7a5109a549564f512e1057c61

__furudo_erika_and_ushiromiya_battler_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__2505ebbe06be7cb8d4b55d5f3928bb26

“Ya know, maybe this is why Ange is overprotected and super close with Battler in some of the 4komas. The women who are attracted to him are crazy.”

Not only was she a bit too protective of Battler in these comics, she might have been like him a bit wee too close as siblings. There were two other 4komas of Battler chilling with different women: Beatrice and Gertrude. In these comics, Battle is on a date with either woman but suddenly Ange burst in and blocks any attempt of the Beatrice/Gerrude growing close with Battler.

__beatrice_ushiromiya_ange_and_ushiromiya_battler_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__96ca932885314ecc1546f1eaaa1e39ef

__gertrude_ponyo_ushiromiya_ange_and_ushiromiya_battler_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__c5dc4239c5f04261ecadcd458c928d4b

__gertrude_ushiromiya_ange_and_ushiromiya_battler_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__7452a417e005b8568cd805a620678818

__gertrude_ushiromiya_ange_and_ushiromiya_battler_umineko_no_naku_koro_ni_drawn_by_rifyu__bfd06ea462f6b7215d7b000a552f6426

“So, does Ange has a brother complex like she Lachesis off Fire Emblem 4? Is she one of them fujoshi wotaku nerds that take their otaku hobbies and fantasies too far and want to get with her brother like some weird anime character? Ange got some issues.”

(Man, she has issues indeed but I won’t go over them in this post.)

I spent the entire night reading through Riyfu’s comics of Umineko. They were funny as fuck and gave me a nice insight of the series and characters.

“Man, Umineko is nothing like Higurashi! I hope the anime is light-heart and funny as these comics!” I foolishly told myself.

Man.

My.

Black.

Ass.

Was.

Wrong.

AFTERWORD:
My bad for waiting until two days after the anniversary to post this work was kicking my ass and I didn’t have the energy or drive to work on this freewrite Thursday. I am working on Part 3 of my Higurashi raw thoughts if you’re looking forward to that!

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on August 19, 2017

higurashi no naku koro ni 0

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni – Raw Thoughts Pt 2.

August 10th, 2017 marked the 15th anniversary of the hit visual novel series “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni”. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni was adapted into a successful animated series by Studio Deen in 2006 – setting the standard for horror anime which many series have tried and failed to emulate since. In reflection and celebration of the series 15th anniversary, I will be providing my raw, unedited thoughts of the anime throughout the month of August. I hope you’ll enjoy!

WARNING:
Before I start I want to make it clear that this raw freewrite touch upon sensitive subjects such as child abuse and molestation. There are also manga/comics scans below with gore and abuse. If you’re not comfortable with those things then please, turn back now. Check out some other contents on my website instead!

If you’re still here then that means you’re okay with reading about such topics and seeing the scans below.

During my first run through of the Higurashi anime and manga back in 2009 I realized this: Higurashi was (and still is) that real shit. I mean yea, it has that moe bullshit and slice of life elements to it, but when you analyze and dissect how the series play with those elements, it works well for the themes of Higurashi and it characters. Themes such as child abuse, mental health, and (childhood) trauma.

Let’s take say Satoko for example. Satoko is the typical (annoying) moe little sister type character in anime, right? She’s a bit of a brat, a prankster, and an overall energetic child who seems happy to everyone who knows her.

Yet, she has an incredibly fucked up life; resulted from a series of tragic events that no child should experience.

Deranged (from the Hinamizawa Syndrome), she pushed her parents to their deaths from an observation deck. She was abused (both physically and possibly sexually as it was hinted in the Nintendo DS remakes of the VNs) by her uncle Teppei who downright hates her. Her family were the subject of hatred from the villagers of Hinamizawa (due to her late parents supporting the government’s attempts of flooding the village). Her beloved brother, Satoshi, disappeared, leaving her without any supporting and loving family members.

tumblr_static_tumblr_static_2291q1tlfjesk0oo0okcso4ck_640 — Fuck Teppei.

The horrific events of her life would eventually take its toll on her mental health. Overtime, Satoko withdrew herself from her friends and club activities – believing she’s a burden on everyone. In one incident, Satoko had a meltdown during class. Keiichi’s seemly innocent gesture of patting Satoko on her the head to cheer her up triggered a flashback of Satoshi doing the same. Satoko violently shoved Keiichi across the classroom, blanks out, and starts to vomit. After that, she tells everyone “I’m sorry” repeatedly while crying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dps9SFIvfRo

Nobody (sans her best friend Rika I’m assuming) knew she was struggling mentality (as far as I know). Everyone thought she was doing (somewhat) okay with her cheerful, playful attitude that she showing everyone in school. No one forreal knew she was suffering hardcore, she was stressed out, that her happiness was just a mask for her pain.

‘Now if there’s a smile on my face
It’s only there trying to fool the public’
‘Now if I appear to be carefree
It’s only to camouflage my sadness’

-“Tears of a Clown” by Smokey Robbison

Since I’m on the topic of playful blonde characters who’re lowkey insane, Miyo Takano is another Higurashi character who appears they’re okay but deep down, she just as fucked up in the head like Satoko if not worse. Like Satoko, Miyo lost her parents at a young age (from a train accident, and she witnessed her father bloodied and dying in the ER), leaving her orphaned. She was adopted by a government sponsored orphanage where she experienced extreme abuse from the so called “care-givers.

Miyoko taken aghast at her dying father’s injuries.

Miyoko abused by her caregiver.

She was constantly beaten, saw children her age die from abused, forced to watch her friend’s remains consumed by chicken, and was forced to clean the bottom of an outhouse with her mouth.

higurashi-no-naku-koro-ni-matsuribayashi-745601

higurashi-no-naku-koro-ni-matsuribayashi-745602

higurashi-no-naku-koro-ni-matsuribayashi-745607

higurashi-no-naku-koro-ni-matsuribayashi-745609

The physical and psychological abuse she suffered would be one of two causes of her insanity which in turn would lead to one of the biggest tragic events later on in the series.

The second cause came after she was rescued from the orphanage by her dad’s mentor, Hifumi. Hifumi wanted to become God-like through his research of the Hinamizawa Syndrome. One day, Hifumi presented his research, findings theories to fellow doctors and researchers – whom all mocked his work. Miyo watched as Hifumi’s peers mocking him, pissing her off. She believed in her beloved “grandfather” findings, watch him pour his soul into countless, sleepless hours of hard work, and not only encouraged him to continue despite the criticism, but she pushed herself to study as well.

Hifumi’s humiliation.

Miyo’s determination

After Hifumi passed away, Miyo continue where her grandfather left off. in hopes of not only proving his theories correct, but also to prove themselves as gods.

Miyo’s God complex, in combination of her insanity from being abused as a child, led to Great Hinamizawa Disaster – the massacre of 2,000 plus innocent people. Miyo led a military force in slaughtering the Hinimizawa villagers, with six of the villagers were people she executed herself. Six people she personally knew and befriended.

All of this, just because she wanted people to respect her and her grandfather. Just because she wanted to become a God.

‘I can tell you why people go insane’
-“Shadow of the Sun” by Chris Cornell and Audioslave

AFTERWORD:
The Umineko 10^th Anniversary is coming soon. May tie in Pt. 3 of my raw thoughts on Higurashi with that series. Also I lied this wasn’t completely raw and unedited I had to change some things about Miyo given it wasn’t consistent with what I saw in the anime and manga.

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on August 14, 2017

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30 Day Anime Challenge – Day 29: Your Highest Rated Anime (Cowboy Bebop)

‘I think it’s time we blow this scene. Get everybody and the stuff together. OK. 3 2 1. Let’s jam.’

I’m going to make this bold ass statement: If series such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Pokemon jump started the Western anime craze of the 1990s, then Cowboy Bebop snatched that craze and carried it to unimaginable heights during the early 2000s – thus shaping how anime is viewed in the eyes of mainstream America today. If Cowboy Bebop never made it to the States or became such an overnight hit, then (maybe) mainstream interest in anime here in would had die out. Don’t get me wrong: those shows did well here in the States, but Cowboy Bebop was a game changer. I (personally) believed that the show helped changed the stereotype that anime is childish in America.

Putting my major (and fact-less) bias aside, Cowboy Bebop is Sunrise Studio’s 1998 legendary anime series produced by the equally legendary team up of director Shinchiro Watanabe, writer Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshiro Kawamoto, and composer Yoko Kanno. The series revolves around the adventures of a ragtag crew of bounty hunters attempting to make ends meet day-by-day.

The crew consist of the zen, free-spirited Spike, his best friend; the wise and mature Jet, the provocative opportunist; Faye, and finally, the quirky teenage super-genius; Ed. What’s unique about these characters is their connection to their (tragic) pasts, and how it crafts their present-day lives and personalities.

Spike declares himself “dead”, due to his past with the Red Dragons crime family, as well as feeling guilt towards Julia – the only person he truly cared for. This results in his “Whatever happens, happens” mantra in combination of his carefree spirit. Jet’s struggles with his past is rooted in the betray of his friend; whom ambushed and shot him – resulting the loss of his arm. Faye perhaps has the most unstable, complex connection to the past (next to Spike) of the main cast. She lacks knowledge of her own past due 50+ years of deep cryogenic sleep. Further in the series, she learns about it through an old, homemade Betamax recording of her younger self. It’s revealed that she was an once a hopeful, shy, kindhearted, innocent kid full of wild dreams. Those dreams were ruined after her family were slaughtered by space pirates, leaving her the lone survivor. The injuries she suffered from the attack forced doctors to put her in deep sleep, which resulted in her memory lost and personality change.

Oh well, whatever happens, happens.

What makes Cowboy Bebop my highest rated series is how it was such a game changer for me as a teenager. Prior to my encounter with it, I was used to shows such as Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, and Outlaw Star to name a few. Great shows mind you with good stories, but they weren’t really deep or thought provoking (Outlaw Star and Sailor Moon S did made me think a little bit with their themes, but it wasn’t like Cowboy Bebop level deep). Cowboy Bebop had this more adult branding to it; it made me feel in love with the series. You had jazz music playing in some of the major fights, characters drinking, smoking (both weed and tobacco on screens), poppin’ pills and trippin’ off shrooms. There were beautiful, kickass female characters who were treated not just as eye-candy, but humans. Cow or Bebop showcased characters that had legit issues that you could relate to such as debt, struggling with the past, burdens etc. No longer was I limited to anime that had your typical fuckin’ bullshit “defeat the monster-of-the-day” or “I wanna be the strongest in the world” fantasy shit.

Cowboy Bebop was the real shit because it was real.

‘Once upon a time, in New York City in 1941… at this club open to all comers to play, night after night, at a club named “Minston’s Play House” in Harlem, they play jazz sessions competing with each other. Young jazz men with a new sense are gathering. At last they created a new genre itself.

They are sick and tired of the conventional fixed style jazz.

They’re eager to play jazz more freely as they wish then… in 2071 in the universe… The bounty hunters, who are gathering in the spaceship “BEBOP”, will play freely without fear of risky things. They must create new dreams and films by breaking traditional styles. The work, which becomes a new genre itself, will be called… COWBOY BEBOP’

-Cowboy Bebop’s tagline pitch

AFTERWORD

29 days down, just one more. Day 30 – Your Favorite Anime.

This…will be fun.

While you’re waiting for that, please check out these amazing video by Digibro on Cowboy Bebop:

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on August 1, 2017

anime 0

First Episode. First Impressions. One Shot: Hajimete no Gal

You only get one shot. If the first episode of an anime doesn’t impress me, it’s getting dropped.

So, did Hajimete no Gal impressed me on its first episode? Absolutely not!

I had to straight dropped this disrespectful-to-the-source-material trash in under eight minutes. It’s that horrible. However, I figure I’d watch the episode in full. I wanted to thoroughly explain why I don’t like this anime. Plus, I need to confirm my theory that it’ll be garbage overtime.

First off, the opening scene is a panty shot. No warnings, explanations, or buildup leading us to why we’re seeing Yukana’s crotch on the screen. Nope. Just straight up panty shot. To me, that’s just NAZ saying that they’re lacking confidence in the success of their adaption. If using a panty shot as the opening scene is a way to hook the viewers in, then your anime is going to suck.

The manga didn’t open up with a panty shot. The first pages were just Junichi groveling on the ground at the feet of Yukana, with his head lowered in shame. There was a panty shot towards the end of the chapter, but it was directed so that it made sense that. Junichi caught a peep of her panties from the angle of his position. The opening shot of the anime didn’t give that information or sense of direction. That’s why it was off putting.

The opening page.

Notice the lack of panty shots?

Next is the gosh darn annoying opening animation song and animation. The song, “The First Season”, sounds like some generic, entry level weeaboo J-Pop music that you’d normally hear on some weird Japanese-only rhythm game. For example, that Project Diva game that lonely spaz ass weebs play at anime cons. It’s easily forgettable, and could be passed off as a theme song for any other generic romantic-comedy anime.

The OP animation gives off the impression that series might be directed as a harem, as three others girls are introduced: A bubbly, cute, yet graceless chubby girl, a tanned gyaru (who may be the Yukana’s best friend or something), and a graceful, modest girl (whom we can assume is either popular, or has high status, given she’s surrounded by many peers).

Excellent. Not only did that unnecessary panty shot didn’t help anyone who may be skeptical about Hajimete no Gal, the OP is an extra strike for anyone (myself included) who hates harem, or overly perverted material in anime with no substance or reason.

(Admittedly, I’m on chapter 5 of the manga, and I’ve yet to encountered the other girls besides Yukana. Junichi and Yukana are already dating, and Yukana likes him. I don’t know what’s with other girls; if they’re further in the manga or what, but I digress.)

While I’m on the subject, the girl’s design looks plain and lazy. Uninspiring even – lacking depth and clues about their personalities. Also, why does each girl (sans the modest looking chick) have large breasts? Not every female character needs large tits my dude. Sigh. The opening animation pisses me off. The opening shot pisses me off. This episode pisses me off. If I were to watch this entire anime, I’ll lose my temper.

With that said, lets examine the rest of episode.

The anime begins similar to the manga; Junichi frets entering the new school year as a kiss-less virgin. His friends, a group of outcast nerds (Shinpei, Keigo, and Minoru) are in the same boat. Together, they make a pact to lose their virginity. Or at the least obtain new girlfriends before the end of the school year.

While Jun will achieve in getting a girlfriend (he’s the main character, he gets the girl first), his crew talks that good game about getting with a chick to smash and date. Mostly smash. Heck any chick is great for them. White chicks. Black chicks. Asian Chicks. Tsundere Chicks. Dandere. Yandere chicks. They’re all free game – even if the chick looks clearly like a loli.

And here is where things goes from bad to just utterly wrong.

I respect the fact that animators and writers must create filler scenes for manga-to-anime adaption. If you directly apadate the manga panel-by-panel without filler, you’re going to have a very short anime. With that said; when did Jun’s crew became a bunch of pedophiles, trying to smash a girl who’s clearly in middle or grade school? In the manga, they were some petty haters; mad at Jun because he got with Yukana. Cool. They’re still assholes in the anime. That ain’t changed.

But lusting after a little girl? Fam, what the hell? Like, after Nene is introduced (way too early mind you), Minoru starts asking and making some rather suspect questions and statements about Nene. I’ll let these screenshots speak for themselves:

Moving forward, The Virgin Brigade (sans Jun) make an unanimous decision to look at porn magazines in class. They drool over the models’ physical attributes, making rather lewd comments about them. Jun is pressured into reading one. He refuses, but gives up and reluctantly accepts one. While reading it, Junichi is startled by Yukana’s disgust towards the group. Junichi clumsily throws the book behind his back, landing at her feet. Jun hurries to recover it, stumbles, and falls near her. She glares downwards towards him and calls him disgusting. Needless to say, Junichi is utterly embarrassed at what has just transpired.

I_Agree — How I feel about this adaptation.

After school, Junichi confronts his friends about the incident. They tell him to chill and to take advantage of the recent situation. Next, they explain to him how easy(going) gyaru are; suggesting to him that he should pursue Yukana. Once again, he is pressured by his friends into another unwanted situation. In fact, his crew wrote a confession letter addressed to Yukana from Junichi’s point of view. He’s understandably pissed but he catches himself and calms down. He fantasizes about smashing Yukana, inspired after gaining a peep at her panties earlier. He figures that if he confesses and luck out, he’ll get to see more than just her panties, and loses his virginity. They slip the letter into Yukana’s locker and wait.

Hey, dude’s thinking positive with both heads.

Later, Yukana receives the letter and meets with Junichi after reading it. They two meet up , and Junichi “confesses” – by getting on his knees, lowering his head, and begs her for a date. Yukana is disgusted once again, but starts to laugh and tease him, questions him if the only reason why he wants to date her is so that he could to lose his virginity. Dude starts to (over)think that he screwed up, but regains his confidence as Yukana tells him that she finds him cute and wants to get him know him better. She decides that she wants to go out with him, much to his disbelief.

The episode ends with Junichi shouting in victory at his success. Same as the manga.

To conclude, let me explain why I’m dropping this trash adaption. The extra scenes with Yui (the popular and modest girl) and Nene felt unnecessary. It made me assumed that the series was going to stray far from its manga roots; with Junichi attempting to get with every girl (as opposed to the manga where Junichi only had eyes for Yukana). If I had lacked prior knowledge of the manga. and watched the anime fully blind, seeing that possible harem set-up would had made me drop the show off the OP alone.

I’m that strict.

Then, we have Junichi’s crew. His friends are haters in both the manga and anime. They’re a group of young dudes interested in girls and sex, which is normal. What’s not normal is these dudes wanting to have sex with Nene just because she’s a loli.

That’s creepy.

Despite my overal harsh criticism, I will say that I appreciate that the animation team accurately animated panels from the manga shot-by-shot such as the guys looking at porn in the classroom, Junichi’s sexual fantasies, and his confession to Yukana.

As for the animation itself, it’s not too terrible. However, it’s not amazing either. There doesn’t seem to be any inconsistent, off models shots (from what I’ve noticed) or anything that would be jarring. Yet, there’s much more to be desired from the visuals, as many shots lack details, as many parts weren’t “animated” (example – the scene were the students are being lovely-dovely should have had arm moves, kissing, etc like Jun’s fantasy with Yukana were she’s slowly undresses herself, lick her lips, teases Jun, etc.)

Overall, Hajimete no Gal isn’t a completely terrible anime, but it’s not great either. Hell, it’s not even good. It feels like an sub-par romantic-comedy anime that could had have a lot going for it; given how amazing the source material is.

Sadly, the adaption falls flat on its ass due to its overused of fanservice, lack of detailed animation, and uninteresting premises that sway far from its source material. Maybe things will get better as the series carries along in the summer season, but from what I’ve been infromed by die hards fans who’ve read further into the manga than I and watched episodes 2 and 3, I shouldn’t have any hopes that the anime will do the manga justice.

Score 5.5/10.

On the bright side at least this review and score isn’t as brutal as on my Facebook page:

Please note this was written out of pure rage and disappointment.

EDIT: Strong language removed so I can run this post as an ad for Facebook lol

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on July 27, 2017

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30 Day Anime Challenge Day 25 – Favorite Female Protagonist: Haruhi Suzumiya

It was the Fall of 2009. Current, but lessen known (by the mainstream) anime series were appearing on YouTube. Suddenly, I had access to shows that I otherwise couldn’t. Browsing YouTube, a peculiar anime caught my attention : The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (THMOS). I was previously hipped to the series thanks to 4chan’s /a/ and various anime message boards. Otaku communities everywhere were praising it, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong watching it.

Haruhi and Kyon. In the background: Yuki and Mikiru

The titular character, Haruhi, is interesting. She’s egoistical – nobody couldn’t compare to her (in her mind at least). The normal and average bores her. Haruhi’s only interested in the extraordinary. Haruhi wants the world to revolve around her. She believes the world is her stage. In fact, the world belongs to Haruhi – literally.

If you ever watched TMOHS then can you really fault Haruhi for her views? I mean, if you had a realization at age nine that you’re just one in the world of billions, you start questioning your reason of existence as well. You’d want the world to notice that you’re not just a nobody, but a somebody. You would want to stand out from everyone.

‘Have you ever realized just how insignificant your existence on this planet really is’

-Haruhi

The moment that I realized that Haruhi would become one of my favorite female character came at episode 13 of the first season.

Walking home from school, Haruhi tells Kyon a story from her childhood. The event of her and her family attending baseball game catalyzed her need for notability. Haruhi was amazed by the sight of the overflowing, sold out stadium. She perceived that the entire population of Japan was gathered there. In reality, as revealed by her father, the attendance was 200,000 people – only a small fraction Japan’s population.

This shocked Haruhi, causing her to break the population numbers down deeper. After arriving home from the game, she starts breaking down the numbers driving her into fractions. She discovered that the attendance was merely two-thousandth of Japan’s total population at the time (128 million in 2006). Haruhi thus concluded that she was merely one person in a world of endless billions. She was just like everyone else – nothing more. Upon this realization, Haruhi understood that in order to stand out, she must do it herself.

Sitting around waiting for change wasn’t a choice.

So, in her first year of high school, Haruhi made every effort to stand out and leave her mark. Even if people were bother by her actions, thought if she was weird or crazy, she wouldn’t stop. In fact the thoughts of others didn’t bother her. Haruhi is doing her without holding back. That what makes her stand out – her self- expression.

Her want of notability.

Watching Haruhi drive herself towards her goals without fear inspired me to do the same. I wanted to stand out and let the world know I here. That I will drive myself to make my mark upon the world. The drive to stand out. That’s what I want from life.

That is why Haruhi Suzumiya is my favorite female protagonist.

‘ I’d let the world know I wasn’t a girl who was happy sitting around waiting. And I’ve done my best to become that person. ‘

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on July 24, 2017

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First Episode. First Impressions. One Shot: Kakegurui

You only get one shot. If the first episode of an anime doesn’t impress me – it’s getting dropped.

Did Kakegurui’s first episode impressed me, or did I have to drop it? Let’s find out!
Summary

In Hyakkau Private Academy, status is everything. Gambling is law. Money rules all.

‘Cash rules everything around me.
C.R.E.A.M. get the money
Dollar dollar bill ya’ll’

-Wu Tang Clan

Students with high status are royally treated and rewarded. The low aren’t considered human – treated as pets and furniture. To obtain the high status, you must gamble. Money. Power. Respect. Anything and everything you want in Hyakkau can be obtained – but only if you gamble.

We’re presented with the risk/reward premises of Kakegurui early on through an intense game of Poker between two students: the sadistic gambling queen Mary Saotome, and the lowly Ryota Suzui. The two are to their last cards, breathing heavily, and sweating hard, fatigued from the game. Ryota reveals his hand in confidence: full house. Upon seeing his hand, Mary starts giggling, her face inhumanly twisted.

She reveals her winning hand – Royal Straight Flush.

“Too bad!” she shouts in victory.

Coldly, Mary encourages Ryota to keep his spirit up, despite the hardships he has been through the day. Then, she calls him “Pochi” – his new name. Ryota is no longer human. He is a “dog”. A house pet. His hope, faith, and humanity: gone. Retaining it all is a fool’s game.

Or so did he believe, until a girl named Yumeko Jabami arrived.

dream_kid — Yumeko Jabami: a seemingly sweet and modest girl.

The scene transition to Yumeko introducing herself to her new classmates, wishing to befriend them all. Immediately, she becomes popular. Her male peers are captivated by her cuteness and friendliness. Even Ryota himself is charmed by her sweet presence and beautiful appearance. As a new student, Yumeko needs somebody to show her around. Ryota, due to his class rep status, is selected by his teacher to help her around. He happily accepts his new duty. Yumeko tells him that it’s nice to meet him, with him agreeing likewise. Despite his new status as Mary’s house pet, Ryota’s luck is starting to change.

Speaking of Mary, she jealous of Yumeko’s instant popularity. She doesn’t like the new transfer student. She stares her with disdain.

So far, three characters have been introduced and established. Ryota, the main male character and house pet of the callous supporting character, Mary, and finally, the new student and main female character, Yumeko, who has her first hater in the form of Mary. It’s fairly obvious that Ryota and Yumeko will have the most interactions and their relationship will evolve into friendly terms. We can assume through Mary’s anger towards Yumeko that they’ll have a rivalry. First episode in and we’re already got some good bits served to us and even a possible hook for us to go past the fist episode rather than dropping it.

Let’s move forward.

After class, Ryota gives Yumeko a tour of the school. She’s at awe at its beauty, expressing her happiness of her transfer to him. Next, she notices Ryota’s dog tag around his neck – the name “Pochi” engraved on it. She questions him why he’s wearing it, to which he doesn’t respond, turning his back towards her out of embarrassment. He doesn’t want to let her know about his status as a pet. After a few seconds of silence, he asks Yumeko if she ever gambled before. Yumeko replies innocently, telling him she knows the rules of gambling through Poker and Mahjong.

Ryota replies to her answer. He starts breaking down how gambling is not just the school’s tradition, but it’s the backbone of it. After school, the rich kids turn the school into a massive gambling hall. He tries to warn her that the rich kids will try to invite her to gamble, but is suddenly stopped by her. She finds the idea of gambling in school fun and starts to giggle madly. Ryota looks at her with shock.

There seems to be more about Yumeko than what she lets on.

Later, while socializing with her new peers, Yumeko is challenged by Mary to a gambling match: a game of rock-paper-scissors in card game form. Mary seeks to humiliate Yumeko for stealing her spotlight, and sets her up as her latest sucker. Yumeko, unaware of Mary’s plan, accepts her challenge. Everyone is at abuzz about the challenge, and prep the classroom, transforming it into a gambling den. After the room is set up, Mary explains the rules of voting-rock-paper-scissors to Yumeko.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LScFp8RWP1M

Both girls play their first card. Mary draws scissors and Yumeko draws rock, winning the first round. Mary congrats Yumeko on her first win and allows her to place the next bet. Yumeko boldly bets 50 chips (valued at 50,000 yen); a move that surprises and socks everyone. Yumeko is chill about her bold move, thinking nothing of it. Both girls draw rock from their hands, resulting in a tie. They continue, Mary playing rock once more and Yumeko with scissors. Obviously, Mary wins. Following that, Yumeko wins the next round, betting 50 chips once again. After that, Yumeko starts to lose each hand, losing all her chips in the process, but again, she’s still in her calm and chill state.

Mary starts celebrating her apparent victory, She asks Yumeko if she want to continue her losing streak. Yumeko doesn’t reply, which prompts Mary to start laughing at and taunting her opponent, asking her if she has cold feet. Mary’s an incredibly arrogant and prideful player. She enjoys taunting her opponent and thinks herself as a paragon of superiority.

I like that. Mary, you’re the second best girl so far.

Yumeko, still stoic and calm, informs Mary that the game has just truly started. She requests one final match, which Mary (cockily) agrees to. Mary believes she’s can force her into an unpayable debt, thus forcing Yumeko to become her new pet. Mary starts praising herself and calls Yumeko foolish. She can’t believe Yumeko wants to play against her once more. She then questions the “foolish” Yumeko how could she possibly continue the game if she doesn’t have any chips left.

Yumeko may not have any chips left, but she has something much more exciting to offer – money.

Yumeko bets real cash – 10,000,000 yen (USD $88,760 as of July 20th 2017) in stacks to be exact. Mary is shocked – offended even. She starts to lose her mind, demanding Yumeko to explain why she carries so much cash on her. She assumes that Yumeko can’t afford to gamble such an outlandish amount of money away on a simple game. She didn’t expect her seemingly naïve and innocent opponent to take the game to a serious route.

She calls Yumeko crazy, but the girl doesn’t seem to be mind being called crazy. In fact, she loves it. She becomes enthusiastic about the new risks. Her eyes start to glow red, demonic like even. She explains how the lifeblood of money rules the world. She gets excited explaining to Mary how the risk and craziness of gambling makes the game even more fun. Yumeko loves money. Yumeko loves high risks. Yumeko loves insanity.

Yumeko loves gambling.

‘Maddness is the essence of gambling, isn’t it?’

-Yumeko Jabemi

(Alright. So Yumeko’s true personality [or at least parts of it] is revealed. She ins’t this modest and humble girl that she originally lead everyone to believe (althrough the OP animation foreshadow that, but whatever). Like a seasoned gambler, she conceals her hard earned knowledge of the game. Yumeko (obviously) is a different person when she takes a game seriously, taking a simple friendly game to high risk and rewards levels – because she loves it.

I’m hooked. No need to drop this anime on episode 1.)

Mary is enraged. She believes Yumeko is mocking her with her reckless behavior, and refuses her offer. Unemotionally, Yumeko taunts her – asking Mary if she has cold as she did her. Pissed, Mary accepts and regains her confidence. She believes that she can still win; entrusting her victory in the fact her classmate are voting in her favor (of course, Mary does have them in her pockets, taking advantage of their needs and wants).

However, Yumeko is hip to Mary plans and exposes her.

Yumeko figures that Mary has about 10-20 people voting in her favor – a fact she hid poorly. Yumeko notices that Mary was playing the same cards twice, mixed her cards while she wasn’t betting, and their peers’ reacting to their plays, sending each other signals to inform Mary on which card to play. She finishes with telling her that she can’t fool anyone if she isn’t prepared to lose money. Mary becomes enraged once more. Her plans broken down and revealed! But, she believes that Yumeko is merely bluffing! She couldn’t be that clever! She has no proof that Mary’s trying to play the system! With her egotistical mindset, Mary believes she can still win. She plays her final card: Paper. She slams her card down with the highest of confidence – but it’s all for naught.

Yumeko, with her sweet and friendly smile, reveals her winning card: Scissors.

Everyone starts to freak out in shock. Mary, the gambling queen of Hyakkau , has been dethroned. She starts to blank out, withdrawn in her thoughts. She just lost 10,000,000 yen – which she lacks. Yumeko demands that she pay up ASAP In shame, Mary bows her head, grits her teeth, and confesses to the victor that she lacks the money. Yumeko (back to her normal innocent nature), tells Mary that the joy of the game and it stakes was payment enough. She cheerfully leaves the room, expressing her hopes that her new classmates will treat her as an equal.

IMPRESSIONS

For a first episode, Kakegurui is excellent, and right on the jump! I like how we’re treated to the premise right away: gambling is law and status. An example of the risk and reward of obtaining victory or losing are presented – with Suzui becoming a pet to Mary, and Mary owing debt to Yumeko after losing to her. Like gambling itself, matches are exciting and the excitement factor is increased when the stakes are higher, as we see with Yumeko betting cash rather than simple plastic chips.

One thing that I’ve noticed that makes me enjoy the anime is the facial expressions of each characters and how it’s link to their reaction. Yumeko with her eyes widing, twisted smile, and facial blushing as she explains how much gambling gives her pleasure, or with Mary’s anger towards defeat expressed through her gritting her teeth, body trembling, lips quivering, and eye twitching.

I am looking forward to how this anime will playout throughout the summer season as it looks promising and refreshing (by my taste). Once completed, I’ll give the series an in-depth review and possible analysis in the future!

So, to answer my question: Did Kakeugurui impressed me?
Yes! Yes it did!

If you have any anime I should watch this season, please let me know in the comment section below! I need to build up my anime game this year!

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on July 20, 2017

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30 Day Anime Challenge Day 20: Favorite Supporting Character (Reigen, Mob Pyscho 100)

Reigen Arataka of Mob Pyscho 100 is truly a supportive character. Throughout the series, he offers and lends his advice and knowledge to Mob, helping him grow into a better person both in terms of his powers and overal life. He’s like a life coach. A life coach who scams people using his gift of the silver tongue, but a life coach regardless.

While he has no qualms or guilt about scamming others with his bullshit “psychic” business , he isn’t a terrible person. In fact, he’s rather a very caring and kind person, as we see with his interactions with Mob. Reigen helps the introvert Mob interact with people, lending an ear to his problems, and help him come to grips with his extraordinary ESP powers; suggesting that he uses his powers to help others and himself.

Reigan even risked his life for Mob; taking a “fatal” sword strike from Scar member Sakurai – but not before telling Mob not to give in to the murderous intent and vengeful feelings from watching his friends being hurt (he does not want Mob to live a life of regret).

As an adult who may have used my own silver tongue as a dirty method to get my way too use my knowledge and charm to help others, I like Reigen. I see parallels of his personality with my own: the willingness of helping others through solid advice, a caring heart, speaking the real, blunt truth, and somebody who wants to see people do better in their lives (and tricking stupid people and taking advantage of their oblivious nature). In addition, Reigen is the only adult supporting character in the series, so that’s a bonus. I would love to be a mentor to the next generation and guide them through life like he does with Mob and his friends.

Reigan is truly a supportive character. Yea, he might be a bit of a scam artist who swindles folks out of their cash with straight up lies, but he’s not a bad person. He legitimately wants to help people in need as well as seeing the best out of Mob.

Reigan, you’re an alright guy!

‘Why do you have to be like them? You’re the protagonist of your own life, aren’t you?’

-Reigan to Mob.

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on July 17, 2017

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30 Day Anime Challenge: Day 15 – Favorite Slice of Life Anime (Watamote)

Watashi ga Motenai no wa fuck this long ass title (lit. No Matter How I Look at It, It’s Your Fault I’m Not Popular) is Studio Silver Link’s 2013 animated adaption of the same long ass titled manga by mangka Nico Tanigawa. It stars Tomoko Kuroki; a socially awkward, unpopular fujoshi (female otaku [lit. rotten girl]) loner who loves spending time browsing (and shitposting) on the internet , playing eroge visual novels, hating her life, and hating on people doing better than her.

You see, Tomoko hates people. Well, popular people. This is ironic, given her drive to become popular.

330700-watashi-ga-motenai-no-wa-dou-kangaete-mo-omaera-ga-tomoko-kuroki-8.jpg — No you won’t.

Tomoko considers herself to be superior compared to her normies peers, thus she believes that she’s entitled to have popularity. She demands it…but she applies minimal effort towards gaining it. She blames others for her failures and lack of popularity. Throughout the series, Tomoko tries different (cringe worthy) methods to become popular. She tries to act like the cool silent character in fiction. Doesn’t work. She thinks playing hentai games will make her look cute. It only makes her a pervert. She even uses a vacuum cleaner to to give herself hickeys to impress her little cousin. That only results in her mom slapping her across her face.

If you mom ever gave you this look you knew what was going to happen next.

All her attempts of popularity end in failure. The only thing it does for her is increase her depression. Speaking of mental health disorders, Tomoko clearly suffers from anxiety, which hinders her quest for popularity.

Now, I don’t have social anxiety myself. I can’t imagine how crippling such a disorder is. However, you can tell that Tomoko suffers from it. Simple things ,such as ordering food or buying a book, is an ordeal for the young girl. Even muttering a simple “goodbye” to a teacher takes a lot for Tomoko. Maybe her yearning to become popular is a way to overcome her social anxiety, but her mental health is blocks her from holding even the simplest conversation.

Even saying a simple “goodbye” is a milestone for her

Perhaps, it’s anxiety’s fault that she isn’t popular.

‘I’m the best at playing alone, playing alone, playing alone
Who, who, who, who, who is at fault? (Who is at fault?)
Lonely, lonely, I laugh alone
What… it’s not my fault!’

-No Matter How I Look at It, It’s not My Fault (Watamote ED 1)

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on July 12, 2017

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Son Gohan, Rena Ryuugu, and Law 19 of the 48 Laws of Power

‘Know who you are dealing with – do NOT offend the wrong person.’
-Law 19 of the 48 Laws of Power

I’m going to say this: Don’t fuck with people. Don’t offend people. Don’t underestimate people. If someone tells you to leave them alone, do it. Don’t assume everyone will react to your actions in the same way or won’t do anything. It’ll cost you more than what it is worth and in some cases – your life. Perfect Cell of Dragon Ball Z and Ritsuko of Higurashi: When They Cry, learned the incredibly barbaric way that underestimating and offending “weak” people isn’t worth it. They believed their targets couldn’t do any harm to them, thus thinking they’ll be okay.

How wrong they were.

Son Gohan Vs. Cell

‘At last, has Gohan’s rage exceeded it limits?’

-Narrator

I can’t fault Perfect Cell for his pride and overconfidence. When your genetic makeup has the features of the prideful Vegeta and the ambition Lord Frieza, you’d be on some arrogant shit too. Ever since birth, Cell was told that he is become perfect. He’s like the child whose mother told him that he can become whatever he dreams of if he put in the work. Well, Cell put in the work to become the perfect warrior. He hunted down Androids 17 and 18, absorbed them both, and achieved his boyhood dreams.

He became perfect!

Dbz-cell-06 — Dr. Gero would be so proud of his favorite son.

So, fast-forward to the Cell Games. Goku has just forfeited to Cell after an intense and destructive match. Goku tells the bio-android that he’s no match for him. Hell, he and Cell both knew that he couldn’t defeat him. Dude just wanted to fight someone strong. Goku assured Cell that there was somebody stronger than him. Someone who could provide Cell with more entertainment that he could provide.

That someone – Son Gohan: Son of Goku.

Cell is introduced to the peaceful, young, but powerful kid by Goku. When Cell directs his attention to the rice child he just scoffs and laugh; believing that Gohan couldn’t possibly this super powerful warrior his father hyped him up to be. Nevertheless, he entertains the thought of fighting Gohan.

After some prep talk from his pops, Gohan steps up to Cell with delay. The kid really does not want to fight the monster and attempts to talk the dude out of it with reason. Gohan tells Cell that he won’t pursue him if he just cancels the tournament and leave earth. Cell just laugh as if Gohan channeled his inner George Carlin and told a humorous and politically incorrect joke. Being the naive that he is, Gohan again tells Cell he doesn’t want to fight – he sees no joy in it unlike his father.

In fact, he even gives dude a warning of his hidden power – a power induced by rage. Gohan is quite scary when he’s angry.

Cell ain’t hearing none of Gohan’s shit and proceeds to beat him like if Gohan was cosplaying as Tina Turner, and Cell as Ike Turner, and they wanna really get into their character roles(Cell was just missing the shoe). Cell starts taunting Gohan, begging the child to unleash his inner rage and special power that he was braggin’ about! The man wants a challenge, not a living punching bag. Assuming Gohan may had just been all talk, Cell turns his action towards Gohan’s friends and father.

Cell figures if he harms Gohan’s love ones, he could draw out his hidden power. So Cell reproduces himself, creating seven “Cell Jrs.”. Cell orders his seven mini-mes to attack Goku and his crew. The Z Warriors go on the defense, but the brats are too much. They’re are quickly overpowered and savagely beaten. Cell starts taunting Gohan once more, demanding that he sees his hidden power, or he’ll have the Z Warriors slaughtered.

As a last ditch effort, Android 16 (who survived a failed suicide bombing attempt against Cell) begs Mr. Satan to throw his head towards Gohan. Android 16 was inspired to become a motivation speaker, decided to use his newfound passion to tell Gohan to stop being a little bitch, and unleash his power against Cell. 16 knew that Gohan is a gentle person like himself and understand Gohan’s feelings of peaceful resolve. However, 16 tells the kid that there’s nothing wrong with using his rage for justice and protecting others. As 16 begs Gohan to protect the nature and animals he came to love in his short life, Cell walks over to the android, talk some bullshit, and crush his head, killing him.

Gohan blanks out. He’s in a trance. This goes on for a few seconds until he release all of his inner rage, hidden power, and finally – Super Saiyan 2. The same Cell who was taunting and underestimating Gohan earlier is now fearing for his life. He realize that he just made a fatal mistake with his offense.

Cell fucked up.

Gohan charges at Cell with great anger and pure ruthlessness. Cell tries to fight back, but to no anvil. Gohan vows to make Cell suffer for his evil deeds and tortures him. Cell has no chance of recovery and Gohan knows this. As one final act to embarrass “Perfect” Cell, Gohan gut checks the monster, forcing him to vomit up Android 18; resulting in Cell reverting to his Second Form. Gohan has victory in sight! He won! He just need to blast Cell away with just one good energy blast and the nightmare will be finally over!

Unfortunately, Gohan’s justice boner and unethical method of torture against Cell would go to his head. Cell (who’s utterly embarrassed and humiliated) decides to say fuck everything and everyone, pictures himself as an ISIS suicide bomber, gathers massive ammounts of ki in a last ditch effort to destroy Earth and. With no other choice (due to his son’s fuckery) Goku teleports in front of Cell, grabs him, teleports to King Kai planet. Cell has no choice but to blow himself up on King Kai;s, killing everyone on the planet besides himself because plot demands that Goku shouldn’t grab Bubbles, King Kai, and Greg and teleport back to Earth.

Congratulations Gohan. You played yourself.

maxresdefault (1) — “Gohan before I die I just want to let you know that this is all your fault.”

‘Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop.’

-Law 47 of the 48 Laws of Power.

Cell survives, somehow learns Goku’s teleport , and uses it to teleport back to Earth (he also regain his perfect form because plot). He greets everyone by blasting a hole through Trunks’s chest. He dies. Vegeta snaps, finally admitting to the world he’s actually a big softie who loves his family, blasts Cell but he lives. Cell is too much for everyone thanks to that Zenkai boast he earned from blowing himself up. Everyone starts to lose hope until Gohan gets that classic Shonen power-up, get a prep talk from his dead dad, and then kill Cell! YAY!

Everyone lived happily ever happy expect for Chi-Chi who just became a single parent thanks to Gohan’s and Goku’s bullshit.

Rena vs Ritsuko

Rena_Beating_Ritsuko_to_Death. — Gotta love curb stomp fights!

Speaking of single parents, you shouldn’t fuck with the daughter of a single father, especially if she’s a daddy’s girl and they all they got.

After being cucked by his ex-wife (which lead to her being pregnant by the man she was sleeping with), Mr. Ryuugu and his daughter Rena Ryuugu moved to the peaceful and lovely village of Hinamizawa to start over. For those unawared of the Higurashi series let me fill you in on some information. Rena is crazy. Like, she’s not psychotic crazy like Yuno Gasai of Future Diary, but she’s pretty crazy (that’s of course, if you ignore the one time she tried to blow up her school). Her madness is triggered when somebody tries to mess and offend her or somebody she cares about – like her father. She’s your classic yangire; a usually sweet person who becomes violent due to extreme emotional stress.

tumblr_lx76nyTYNf1qbvovho1_500 — Rena’s a sweet girl deep down if you ignore the fact she may have a few bodies on her like Suge Knight or P. Diddy.

So Rena and her pops are chillin’ and livin’ peacefully in Hinamizawa until one day, Papa Ryuugu hooked up with the alluring ho Rina Mamiya (a.k.a Ritsuko). Rena’s dad instantly falls in love with Ritsuko, believing the woman is better than his former wife. He showers her with gifts, praise, and even buys her a luxurious condomimum! Papa Ryuugu has finally found the perfect woman! That or he’s on some rebound shit after dealing with his ex-wife, but I don’t like to rain on people parade, so let’s pretend he’s actually happy and not being played like a sucker.

And boy – he’s being played.

A couple of days into their “relationship”, a man in a $5 Walmart Hawaiian shirt comes a knockin’ at the front door of the Ryuugu house. Mr. Ryuugu answers, and is suddenly attacked by this guy claiming to be Ritsuko’s man. The man, A Pimp Named Slickback Teppei, threatens if Mr. Ryuuguu doesn’t fork over a couple of millions of yen for sleeping with his girl, he’s going to do some horrible things to him. Like forcing him to watch the anime version of Umineko no Naku Koro Ni. Or blow his head off with a gun I don’t remember the details.

Mr. Ryuguu suck at picking women, doesn’t he?

Anyways, Rena overhears Ritsuko and A Pimp Named Slickback Teppei boasting about their latest Badger Game, with her dad as their current victim. The two are proud that they’ve ruined a man and his daughter’s lives. They’re about to cash out like Bobby Shmurda and get this illegal money quick. Or so they believed. Rena is pissed. She wants revenge.

You do not fuck with people’s family.

Now, Rena could had just gone crazy and kill Ritsuko right then and there, but Rena is extraordinary wise for her age. She knows if she just rush and try to confront either Ritsuko or Teppei, it would spell doom for not only her, but her beloved father as well. Rena comes up with a plan. She’s just gonna use her innocent and naive charm to lure both Ritsuko and Teppei into a murderous trap. For all they know, she is unaware of their plan to entrap her father.

‘Play a sucker to catch a sucker – seem dumber than your mark.’
-Law 21 of the 48 Laws of Power

Rena hits up Ritsuko to come and kick it with her at her hide out spot: The Garbage Dump. The two meet up at Rena’s super-duper ultra-edition secret hideout and the two have a lovely girl chat about…well I’m not a girl so I don’t know what girls like to discuss in private. Ritsuko asks Rena about her hideout place and Rean tells her it’s a secret place that only she knows about, describing how peaceful, quiet, and serene the place is if you can ignore the smell of rotting garbage. Ritsuko then brings up that her and Rena’s dad are to be married soon and if Rena approval of the marriage.

Rena flats out tells Ritsuko no and explain to the scam artist that she’s hip to her and Teppei’s plan to entrap her father, and scam him out of his fortune. Rena goes further, telling Ritsuko that she hates her and to remove herself from their lives. Ritsuko snaps, berates Rena, beats her, slams her to the ground and starts choking her. She becomes overconfident, believing that she can get away with killing Rena at her private hideout. Yeah. Rena’s private hideout. Ya know, the same hideout that Rena lured her into as if she wasn’t prepared to fight against her if shit went south.

As they’re struggling on the ground, Rena grabs a piece of glass and slice Ritsuko’s stomach open. Ritsuko freaks out, favoring her wound. Rena grabs a lead pipe, gets up, and enters her yangire rage mode. Ritsuko starts begging for her life as Rena raises the pipe above her head, asking for pardon, but it’s far too late. Rena brings down the pipe with power, speed, and accuracy – craving in Ritsuko head. Rena continues her assault chanting “Die! Die! Fucking die!” with each strike until she snaps out of her rage.

hqdefault (2) — WOOOORLD STTTTAAAARRRR!!!!

Confirming her kill, Rena hides Ritsuko’s battered body in a fridge and makes her way home. As luck would have it, Rena encounters Teppei at her house, attacking her father. Rena hides behind a tree as she watch Teppei contitiune his assult on her dad and threatening him for his money.* As Teppei walks away, Rena greets him sweetly. She tells the man that she’s the daughter of the man he just beaten, and that she and Ritsuko have become close. Rena tells Teppei that Ritsuko needed to see him to ask him something. Teppei is confused but follows Rena to her hideout.

*(So I totally got the time order of Teppei arriving at their house assaulting her dad mixed up. Whoops.)

maxresdefault (2).jpg — “Hey I know you just beat my father up, but follow me to this remote garbage dump where nobody can hear your screams. I’m totally not going to kill you for hurting my dad!”

Rena lures him to her hideout the same fashion as she did Ritsuko. As Teppei questions why Ritsuko needed to see him in the garbage dump, Rena cleaves his head in two with her billhook, killing the man instantly – gaining revenge on the two who offended her.

The following morning Rena snitches on herself to her friends about the murder but since they’re good friends they help her chop up their bodies and bury their remains.

Later, Rena repays her friends back by taking them hostage at their school, which was infested with homemadee bombs and gasoline. Depending on which universe you wanna follow, either Rena and Keiichi have an epic showdown on the top of their school which ends with Keiichi forgiving Rena (as she did for him in another universe), or Rena blows everyone up in the school, killing them all!

The End!

Niggas be like “Free my homegirl she wasn’t doing shit!”

Kids, do not fuck with people. Do not offend or hurt them in any way. It’ll cost you more than what’s it worth. Cell learned the hard way with messing with Gohan and Ritsuko with Rena. Learn from their mistakes.

Thanks for reading! Later ya!!

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on July 4, 2017

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Day 2 – Anime You’re Ashamed You Enjoyed: Umineko no Naku Koro Ni

One should never feel ashamed for enjoying an anime (well, unless it’s some sexualized loli crap, then you should be ashamed and arrested). You shouldn’t feel embarrassed by it – even if it’s a terrible, flawed adaption. You enjoy it regardless. This is how I feel about Studio DEEN’s infamous animation adaption of the visual novel series “Umineko no Naku Koro ni” (When The Seagulls Cry). Despite the disrespect towards the original source material, such as key story elements left out (creating loose ends untied) and animation errors, I hold a small space in my heart for Umineko.

A space I use to make fun of shitty adaptions, but a space nonetheless.

I_have_no_mouth_and_I_must_grin — Seriously nigga how?

The Umineko anime is garbage compared to the original visual novel and amazing manga counterparts. I can’t deny that Studio DEEN did a horrible job on it. Even if visual novels are awkward to adapt (I assume it’s hard to animated scenes from a source material that only has a static image, character sprites, and background music) , Studio Deen is known in the anime community for being lazy with their work and creating horrible adaptions (see: their version of the Fate/Zero anime). Umineko isn’t exempt from DEEN’s laziness.

The Umineko VN is heavy with detailed dialogue scenes which were omitted from the anime (which I can assume DEEN was being lazy). Any mention of kid Ange’s sickness preventing her to attend the Ushiromiya annual family meeting by her parents from Episode 1 in the anime? Nope! Did you love how Rosa barbarically jammed an ink pen in the eyes of a Goat Butler and saying her saying her epic line ‘I’ll show you how lukewarm the hell you came from is!’ before blowing it brains out with her gun in the visual novel? Well, DEEN decide to not add that in.

Reflect on how sorrowful you felt for Ange when she revealed her true identity was to her brother Battler, pleading to him to defeat Beatrice and return to Kid Ange to prevent living the lonely, depressing life as her future self as she was dying in the visual novel. Remember man?

Well, It’s in the anime, but DEEN managed to ruin that with one simple frame:

hqdefault — Oh the jokes the fanbase were cracking with this awkward shot. 2009 was an amazing time in the Umineko fan community.

Because of Deen’s hilarious errors , the Umineko fanbase straight up loathe the anime. The very mention of the anime and anyone admitting that they enjoy it will trigger even the most chilliest Umineko fan. You’ll get attacked with great vigor by the diehards. It’s not worth it unless you like creating conflict. Go on the Umineko tag on tumblr or /jp/, say you think Studio DEEN did nothing wrong with the anime, sit back and watch the rage.

Despite the flaws of the anime, I still love it as it’s special to me.

ange_best_girl — Ange (best Umineko girl) and one reason why I love the series

There’s something about the anime that I can forgive its awfulness. It made me aware of narrative themes in anime such as abuse (sexual, emotional, and physical), the past returning, revenge, and suicide. Umineko (both the visual novel and anime) shows how abuse can be passed down within a family, as we see patriarch figure Kinzo passing down his abusive ways to his children. This results in mother Rosa abusing daughter Maria.

Hell, this gets worse with Eva (suffering from being the sole survival of the massacre of her family in Episode 4) abusing her niece Ange (who too was suffering from losing her love ones). The abuse from her aunt, the impact of losing her family (who was involved in some pretty illegal shit mind you), and being bullied in school drove her to become suicidal. Even with the awfulness of the anime, it made me aware of narrative themes within the story-line which got me hooked into the series.

I do not feel ashamed about my love for the Umineko anime. In fact, I feel given it got me into the original visual novel and the manga (which is a superior adaption compare to the anime), Yea, it’s garbage, but it made me notice themes in anime.

But seriously, you fucked up Studio Deen.

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on June 28, 2017

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30 Day Anime Challenge Day 1 – Anime I Want to Watch

Well, I did say I’ll return to writing about anime soon. I’m always good on my word (okay I’m lying about that part). From seeing blogger Karandi’s post, I figure that I’ll do the 30 Day Anime Callenge as well! I have nothing better to write about for the next 30 days (outside my planned posts) so why not!

Day 1 – “Anime I Want to Watch” (boy where do I start?)

Bubblegum Crisis

Bubblegum Crisis was recommended to me by a friend recently. I’ve heard of this legendary cyberpunk OVA series by studios Youmex, AIC, and Artmix during my early anime viewership days, but I never had any means of watching it up until my adult years. While I’m not super deep into 80s and 90s cyberpunk anime, I do love the a e s t h e t i c visuals of that era (there’s something about cel animation man it’s so beautiful). Four kick ass women mercenaries in exoskeleton suits destroying robots and doing whatever kickass women do in 2032 Japan?
Yes please.

Nisemonogatari.

Bakemonogatari was a visual and story masterpiece. Can’t believe I slept on the show for seven years. So glad my homeboy got me hip to this show and it’s characters, including best girl Hanekawa (and second best Hitagi). So why I’ve been sleeping on the second animation adaption? I do not know (okay I know it’s because I’m lazy). But I do know that Akiyuki Shinbo is back as chief director with Nisemonogatari. That’s great! You know why? We get his outlandish directing style that we all know and love from him. Yay Shinboism!

I’m going to have some E&J for the infamous Toothbrush scene on standby. I have yet to see the scene in full, but I heard it’s quite…interesting. Cringe-inducing creepy incestuous fanservice interesting. Alcohol is needed for that shit.

The anime adaption of the third volume, Owarimonogatari, is coming soon. I best knock out Nisemonogatari and the moves out as soon as possible before that drops this Summer 2017 season.

Summer 2017 Anime

How to ruin your chance of getting a date.

I’m a shitty anime fan. I’ve been lacking on the recent anime game. I’m screwing myself over with my laziness by not to investing the time on watching new shows. If I’m gonna be about this anime blogger life, that means I best expand on the anime I watch. Here are two shows I’m eyeing from the upcoming season!

Gamers!

Looks promising, but I’m not holding my breath on another light novel anime adaption doing well or at the very least blow me away. I do not know much about studio “Pine Jam”, so that will be something on the field of first impressions. From what I’ve researched, it’s like a group of high schoolers forming a video game club with fellow other gaming otaku. Getting some Genshiken vibes here, but I’m doubtful it’ll go heavy with the gaming nerd culture like the Genshiken manga and anime series.

Hajimete no Gal

I’m going to be completely real here. Up until three minutes into writing this paragraph, I’ve never heard of Hajimete no Gal (First Time Girl) and its My Anime List (MAL) synopsis left much to be desire in explaining what’s up with the show (as most MAL synopsis are). I took it upon myself to researching the upcoming anime by studio NAZ (hey! That sounds like Nas the rapper. That must be a great sign!)

After completing my quick lackluster research, I found that Hajimete no Gal is based off Shonen Ace’s romantic comedy manga of the same name by Meguru Ueno. Main character Junichi is pressured by his homeboys to seek out a girlfriend and lose his virginity to her during his first year of high school. He encounters the alluring gyaru Yukana, who shames him for looking at a porn magazine openly in school. Junichi decides to make it his mission to confess his feelings towards Yukana and get with her.

To his surprise, Yukana is incredibly sexually forward, teasing him about how much he wants to sleep with her by flashing her panties and revealing her cleavage towards the kid. From my first impression off two chapters, the art is amazing and the story is funny enough to catch my attention.

I have high hopes for the adaptation!
There are my anime I want to see soon! With that, the day 1 challenge is completed! Onwards to day 2!

Here’s the list! Enjoy!

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on June 26, 2017

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FREEWRITE: Haruhi Suzumiya and Law 6 of the 48 Laws of Power

‘Law 6: Court Attention at All Cost’

-Robert Greene, author of the 48 Laws of Power

To say that Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melachonholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) is a bit of an attention whore is a grave understatement. Haruhi lusts for attention. She demands notability. She wants all eyes on her like Tupac. To Haruhi, the world should and must revolve around only on her. (of course, she’s God after all, so she’s not. She’s not wrong to think that [despite unaware of her godly reality wrapping powers]). Every day, she makes an effort to be noticed, to have people know her name, and who she is. She doesn’t care if people speak of her in a negative light; it keeps her name circulating. She loves it.

Haruhi doesn’t want to fade in the background. She does not want be average, or one of faceless many in the world. Haruhi’s drive is to become extraordinary and different from the rest of the world. To understand this drive, we must look at her flashback scene from episode 13 of season 1.

‘So I figure I would change myself in middle school. Let the world know that I wasn’t a girl content with sitting around and waiting.’
-Haruhi Suzumiya

As they’re walking home from school, Haruhi tells Kyon the story of her family going a baseball game as a child. Haruhi was amazed at the sight of the overflowing, sold out stadium. She believed that the entire population of Japan came together at the venue to watch baseball. When she asked her dad about the number of people in attendance, he told her around 200,000 people. These people, including herself, only made up very small fraction Japan’s population (around 128 million during the show’s original run in 2006). After returning home from the game, she did the math, breaking down the attendance , compared it to the entire population of Japan, and discovered that it only made one two-thousandth of the population of Japan.

Haruhi was just one of many. A drop in the massive and everlasting ocean.

Realizing this, she no longer felt special. Haruhi was just like everyone else; doing the same shit (brushing her teeth, eating breakfast, going to school, etc.). Life became boring. What’s life when you’re just like everyone else? Maybe in the world, there was somebody amazing, unique, and extraordinary And yet, it wasn’t her.

At this revelation, Haruhi had to stand out from the rest of the world. She to get up and demand change by her own will. To not become content with being average. She had to make her mark in the world by any means. To court attention at all cost.

‘Be obsessed or be average.’

-Grant Cardone, American CEO, Author, and motivation speaker

Later, Haruhi set out to achieve her dream of being noticed and not average. On her first day of high school, she proudly introduces herself and states that she isn’t interested normal humans. Rather, she wants to meet with time travelers, aliens, and espers. This caused a stir in her homeroom, making people think just who the fuck is this childish girl, and why does she still believe in such things at the age of 15?

Throughout the series, Haruhi attempts (and mostly succeed at) various actions to be noticed. She devolved a system to change her hairdo by style (she even went as far to wear a different hair ribbion each day). She stripped down from her school uniform into her gym clothes, not caring if her male peers were watching. She attempted to join every school club, only to dip out from each and forming her own club: The SOS Brigade. She stole the show at her school festival, filling in for a sick guitarist ( revealing that she’s an amazing musician in her own right). All in the name of courting attention. She places herself at the center of it all, regardless of what others may think.

It’s her world. She just want all the attention.

‘A normal life’s boring’

-Eminem, American Rapper

Haruhi’s World art source:
http://photobucket.com/gallery/http://s634.photobucket.com/user/MawsCM

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on June 11, 2017

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Rika to Bernkastel (Freewrite)

NOTE: This freewrite is based off memories of my experience with the When They Cry series (Higurashi and Umineko) I am too lazy to check if what I said are correct . I may have some information wrong.

I’ve always enjoy characters that started out as heroes, but grew into villains. It’s interesting to see what events have such an impact on them that they decided to say “fuck it”, evolving into a villain. Some become villains due to an incident. Others as a result of losing their hope and giving up on their goals.

I feel like Rika Furude from Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (When The Cicadas Cry) is such a heroine-turn-villain by the factors previously mentioned. Tragic factors that caused the young child to become the sadistic witch, Bernkastel.

rika_nipah — Oh innocent Rika. So full of hope and optimism despite a fucked up life.

Rika had a pretty fucked up life despite being so young. She’s theorized to be the queen carrier of the Hinamizawa Syndrone (a virus that cause victims to go into a psychiatric rage, increase anxiety, and commit violent homicidal and suicidal acts), her parents are dead, she can’t escape a timeloop that ends with her death, is an alcoholic at the age of 9, and she also tried to stab Santa Clause to death.

Seriously she really did try to murder Santa Claus.

Initially, Rika started out as an optimistic and happy child, She believed she could prevent the endless June 1983 tragic events. She wouldn’t give up, no matter how bleak each situation felt. Even when Hanyuu (her ancestor ghost or whatever the fuck she is) flat out told her in the Massacre Arc that she and her friends will die, she just simply brush her aside, stating that she will defeat fate.

tumblr_n7ca6qnK2h1txivxto1_400 — Rika in her alcoholic rage.

Of course, Rika failed and Hanyuu was once again right. Her friends got gun down by Miyo (the series’s true villain, who also had a fucked up childhood) and Rika got gutted by the crazed nurse-turned-terrorist. Rika was proven wrong once again. Don’t have hope children or you’ll end up like Rika.

rika_dies_again_lol — Keep thinkin’ that kiddo.

After a few oh let’s say hundred years’ worth of losing and watching her friends and love ones die , Rika’s mind and views changed. Once a girl full of hope was slowly becoming hopeless. Overtime, she stop caring about fighting against fate and saving her friends. She became numb and cold. Emotionless even.

She became Bernkastel, the witch of Miracles; A collection of hopeless Rikas from different worlds and timelines fused into one sadistic being.

‘Lord, I don’t cry no more
Don’t look to the sky no more
Have mercy on me
Have mercy on my soul
Somewhere my heart turned cold’

–“Many Men” by 50 Cent (American rapper)

Bernkastel is one of the main villains of Umineko no Naku Koro ni (When The Seagulls Cry), the spiritual successor to Higurashi (which I’m not gonna go into in-depth details with both series about their relation. It’s fucking crazy). Simply put, Bernkastel is a piece of shit. She loves fucking with people, playing mind games with them. She use people for her personal gain. She’ll act like she’s your friend and ally, only to fuck you over at the end. Ange Ushiromiya (a girl with her own tragic past and pain) had to learn that shit the hard way.

Boy did she learn the hard way.

Ange_Ushiromiya_Casual_Form_Umineko_no_Naku_Koro_ni.png — Best Umineko girl

Simply put, Bern doesn’t give a fuck about you. Only herself. Maybe her lover Lambdadelta and her teacher Featherine. But that’s it. Bernkastel is the type of person who has clearly been through some shit. Horrible shit that changed her. The way she deals with that shit is by passing her own pain upon others to make her feel better about herself. She wants others to experience the pain she went through from her past. A past she really hates.

To conclude this unorganized freewrite, horrible events creates horrible people who started out nice and heroic. Rika was an innocent carefree girl, and yet due to being a victim one too many time, became a horrible corrupted being who had her point of view destroyed.

ART SOURCES:

Shut the Fuck Up Hanyu:
http://kyousgayart.tumblr.com/post/89109835477/serious-higurashi-fanart

Rika and Bernkastel

https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=28677576

Feature image:
https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=207464

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on May 16, 2017

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Nerd Gatekeeping, Quizzing, and Understanding.

We nerds are goofy. You’d think that from experiencing rejection and exclusion by non-nerds, we would be welcoming of our fellow nerds nerds. But nah, we’re not. Some indulge in repeating the same exclusion and rejection cycle they faced in the past to other nerds. Elitist nerds will play the gate keeping game; allowing certain “real” nerds in their circle.

Others will quiz people who they deem fake; asking questions and checking if a person is knowledgeable to their personal level. This essay will explore gate keeping, quizzing, and understanding the causality of such acts.

Gatekeeping is common, yet old practice, existing before the social media and nerd culture boom. Gatekeeping is the act of not allowing certain people into the community; fearing that they’re fake, attention seeking fans (nerds blessed with good looks are often accused of being fake), or casual fans who don’t appreciate the source material.

Example: Some Shin Megami Tensei (SMT) fans believe you’re not a real fan of the SMT series if you started out on Persona, or haven’t branched out to other games of the franchise. Some hardcore SMT fans have belittle, mock, and excluded the newcomers; judging them for not starting or being interested with the archaic (but fun) early games such as SMT 2 or Megami Tensei.

Elitists feel that to be a real fan, you must have outlandish amount of experience and knowledge before joining their ranks. It’s really just their insecurities speaking. They’re afraid of the inclusive.

But hey! What’s a great way to cope with your insecurities? Showcasing your superior, yet unimportant knowledge by quizzing folks! Elitists quiz others on topics that only the truly hardcore (virgin) nerd knows. They’ll ask things like “Who was Akira Toriyama’s first editor”, or “What comic issue did Raven (Teen Titans) debut”? It’s a test to prove you’re worthy to call yourself a real fan. Honestly, it’s stupid and it makes you come off as an asshole.

You know some useless nerd trivial. Congratulations. Nobody is trying to play your quiz game. Nigga you ain’t Alex Trebek.

nl_images_fi_nerd_cred_quizzing_12_11_2013 — It’s articles like these that make me an borderline alcoholic.

When compared to their male counterparts, female nerds are more likely to be subjected to quizzing. These beta ass males can’t believe that women have nerdy hobbies and interests, so they gotta drill them to see if they’re not “fake”.

Oh, you’re a pretty girl at a comic book shop who takes care of her personal hygiene, rock a My Hero Academia snapback, and wear a Captain America shirt because you’re a legit fan of the comics before the movies because your dad passed down his Captain America comics to you? If you’re a real Captain America fan, then name the main staff who worked on the June ’97 issue of Captain America!

Can’t answer? You must be a fake nerd girl. Girls don’t read comics!

I mean, I get that these dudes are (probably) still mad about being bullied and rejected for being nerds by girls back in their high and middle school days, but let that shit go. Don’t become the bully fucking with a chick just because she’s a nerd and you assume she’s not a real fan. Go get help or something bruh.

While I do not agree with the gatekeeping, nerd checks, and quizzing, I can somewhat understand why they do such actions. Nerds were/are ridiculed, bullied, and mock for their hobbies for decades. Prior to the recent nerd boom, nerds weren’t accepted by the mainstream. Having nerdy interests was considered weird; nobody wanted to fuck with you. People were on that “Oh I’m a nerd!” game, only to play the real nerds and hurt them for being nerdy.

When you’ve been bullied and teased for your hobbies, you tend to be defensive. It’s a shame that people are like this, but it happens.

Maybe if these elitists weren’t so hurt. Not saying what they’re doing is right though.

We nerds are goofy. You’d think we would be more welcoming of other nerds to our circle. Sadly, with elitism, quizzing, and “nerd checking”, this isn’t the case in our community. Quizzing and nerd checking may leave out some and expose “fake” nerds, but is it worth making newcomers feel excluded?

I can understand why the elitist do this due to ill experiences, however, you got to let go of the past. Past experiences shouldn’t’ determine that everyone on that fake shit based off assumptions.

I would say it’s possible to end this but that would require humanity to end as well.

IMAGE SOURCES:
http://thomwade.tumblr.com

http://www.not-literally.com/2013/12/11/the-problem-with-true-fans/

https://www.wattpad.com/story/61718884-make-the-school-nerd-tears-fall

https://www.facebook.com/playarealsmtgame/

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on April 26, 2017