～冬の憂鬱～

This is what happened to my ring after extreme gaming. *Yeah, I'm that hardcore XDDD*

Anyways, there is not much new on my end. The end of the term has arrived and I am very happy! ^-^ I checked my grades on the 18th and they were what I was expecting. "B"'s in my ASL and Math class <= Biggest shock there. "C" in my Writ. 102 class. *Mainly due to the fact that I had failed to do one paper. I kind of regret it now* This term boosted my GPA, but only by a little. *After last term, I needed a boost. :/*

On Friday, Arlden *friend of mine since 5th grade* and I went to Seattle to visit Sushiland. Basically, it was a medium sized kaiten 「回転」 somewhere near the center of the city. It was pretty cool really. Essentially, everything was the same as the ones they has back in Japan, but with more workers and not as much to choose from. *at the time, at least* Nonetheless, it was still pretty cool.

Prior to that, we had gone to Gameworks *the only true arcade in this place* and it was ok. Just ok. The only good games there were Taiko no tatsujin 9 「太鼓の達人 9」 and this one assassin shooting game. Other than that, there was nothing special.

Aside from work, which has been cutting my hours since last week, all I've been doing is practicing bass and playing on our new 360. Been playing Orange box and it's pretty awesome. Bass wise, I've just been coming up with random stuff b/c I'm tired of doing covers. Eventually I'll get back into work on some songs, but for now, I'm just experimenting.

December is also the month where I plan for upcoming trips for the upcoming year. I'm not entirely sure yet, but I may head off to Japan this summer. Once again, however, I'm not entirely sure. Might also plan another trip down to CA. I'm working out how much to save and how much might be spent. So far, I'm in the clear, as far as funds go.

Taste of Chaos will be heading to Seattle April 19th and I can't wait. Tickets start going on sale Jan. 5th, so I'll be sure to get mine that day. Ajikan will be releasing a new single in Feb. as well: "Korogaru ishi, kimi ni asa ga furu" 「転がる岩、君に朝が降る」. Much like "After Dark"「アフターダーク」, I will be anticipating this one as well. If you want to see the new cover for the single click here.

Anyways, it's like 4am and I'm finally getting tired XD So, I'll just got to bed. I have to clean tomorrow *Today technically* b/c my bros and I will be heading to the east coast to visit family on my dad's side for the holidays. :/ From what my bros say, it's not that bad, but I'll have to see for myself.

End of Term Update

Well, the term is ending. Next week is finals. It's not so bad this time around. I took my ASL final on Wed. and it wasn't too bad. If I didn't do good on some parts, then I made up for it in the bonus points area. XD

Now, I just have to rework and finish my final Writ. 102 paper for Monday. *I'm doing it on Video Game Vs. Movie Ratings* I've got six pages done, but from my RD review, those pages need some serious revision. *Not a surprise. I did four of the pages 2 hours before I had to turn it in XDD*

Thought I didn't have to take my math final, but I found out on Thurs. that I have an 86%. *In my book, that is a really good grade* and I needed a 92% or better in order to skip it. So, on Tues., I'll be taking that. It doesn't look so bad. Maybe if I studied, I could get a good grade on a math test for once..... hmmmmm..... ><

*Sorry for the size ><*

• Math 108 = Statistics and Probabilities. *I don't know why, but I want to take this class over "The literature of Math"*
  
  
• Musc 147 = Class Piano I *Way back when, I had no desire to learn the piano, but learned a little bit anyways. Now, I want to try again.*
  
  
• Chem&105 = Chemical Concepts (or Basic Chemistry I) *It was a miracle I made it through Chemistry in HS and with a B, no less. Now, I'm taking a few steps back and redoing the class, college style*
  
  
• Psyc&200 = Lifespan Psychology *A class similar to what V.M.L took, but I'm not sure if it's the same. Basically, the psychology of Life and Death. Sounds fun, right?*

Well, that's really all that needs to be said in this entry. Stay tuned for more reviews!

Manga Review: Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 1 (黒鷺死体宅配便)

"Your body is their business! Five young students at a Buddhist university, three guys and two girls, find little call for their job skills in today's Tokyo . . . among the living, that is! But all that stuff in college they were told would never pay off-you know, channeling, dowsing, ESP-gives them a direct line to the dead . . . the dead who are still trapped in their corpses and can't move on to the next reincarnation." (Dark Horse)

It's very, very, very rare that I buy translated manga *the last time I bought some was almost 2 1/2 years ago for Battle Royale*, however, this time was a little different. I'll be frank, I hate most translated manga. *VIZ is at the very top* However, I hadn't heard of Dark Horse translating manga. That was the first thing that caught my attention. The second was the fact that finding a scanlation of this manga was near impossible. Mainly, b/c you have to get on the IRC to download it. *Yeah, I would rather buy it, than spend time on the IRC. Says something, huh?* XD

Anyways, this is a good story. The premise is simple enough: The 4 main students find dead bodies and they fulfill their last wishes. I have to admit, I was a little leery at the idea that there were so many dead bodies hidden all over the place in Japan, but it makes it no less interesting. The story is solid chapter to chapter; focusing on each character and giving them a little bit of depth. The art is ok, since it breaks away from the tradition cute manga genre and the action and violence keeps that generic junk away.

Since I had both the Japanese and American version, I decided to do a little comparing. What I found was a mixed bag of things. Certain things were translated *i.e. bulletin boards and some signs* while others *sound FX and more signs* were left untranslated. It was a fair balance. Text wise was a little different. I compared the first chapters and found a few things that were a bit off. Some text had been changed, but not modified enough to change the storyline and, in one case, a sentence was dropped and replaced with [...]. However, the sentence had little significance, since it basically translates out to "Are you serious?...." Another case was towards the end of the chapter when the father was talking. His entire dialogue was changed from the original version. I'll admit this, though: Even though the speech was changed, it gave it more feeling and made it just a little bit creepier as well. I don't completely approve however.

All in all, this is an awesome manga, whether you buy the original Japanese or the translated American version. Beware, there are slight dialogue changes, but they don't impact the storyline in any way. Just a little heads up, just in case

Rating: ★★★★½

PV Review: Abingdon Boys School's BLADE CHORD

So, to break the mold of my traditional DVD reviews, I've decided to go ahead and try my hand at reviewing something new. Today, I'll try to review the new ABS's PV, so bare with me. m(_ _)m

ABS (Abingdon Boys School) is definitely in my top 10 favorite bands. So, I wouldn't be much of a fan if I didn't watch their new PV and see what kind of stuff they were up to now. *For those of you who don't know who they are, look them up and you'll find them*

Classic ABS Opening that kind of alludes to something that might be like their Innocent Sorrow PV
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Uh-Oh.... What's this?
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Samurai?
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Shinsengumi?
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YAY!! A samurai PV!!! :D
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Using the mic as a weapon = points for creativity
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Poor Toshi. He's soaked the most by the end of the PV :(
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Can you feel the intensity?
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WELL?! CAN YOU?!?!?!
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Exploding nuts!!
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PWNED!!!!1!!
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One of many of TMR's Ninja Style moves
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Despite the few scenes where it kind of focuses on TMR's cheesy "serious" poses, it was a pretty good video. Mix this in with another awesome product of these guys and you have something you can an enjoy till their next single.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (Awesome effects and great song, but I think TMR was trying a little too hard to be a serious "ninja" in this one. XD)

Random Entry about life

No..... No reviews in this entry. Just me, typing about how my days have been like. *Which I guess kind of result in the lack of review entries XP*

1. School. I'm trying to keep up, but it's getting harder to do so b/c of work. :/ I'll admit, I'm actually keeping up with math *seeing as how I'm probably the worst at math in my family. XD* so that's a good thing, however, I'm having a hard time finding the time to takes notes for my Writ. 102 class and study sign for my ASL class. >< I need Writ. 102, but I can do w/o ASL. *I'm not too worried though. I think I have a B in both classes right now. :P* Just when I think my day might lighten up....

2. Work. I think I'm finally getting to that point where I don't want to be there anymore, especially since they volunteered me to be the new Returns cashier. *Basically, that means I have to deal with pissed off customers everyday complaining about why I'm the reason their battery is dead* [I'm this close to punching a customer. -________- ] Not to mention, that I work from 2-10:30 almost everyday. So, I have class from 9-11:50, daily, followed by a 25 minute drive home. That leaves me with about an hour and 15 mins to attempt to start my homework. Of course, that leads to my next problem:

3. Procrastination. I'm a hardcore procrastinator. XD I'm almost certain that on my most recent writing paper, I will get a low grade, mainly b/c I waited till the night before *8 hours before class* to work on my rough draft and the morning before to revise for my final draft. As said in Bangerang's (Derek's) journal, I'm almost ceratin that I should be working on some homework right now. XD So, I guess that's what I'll do now........ or maybe in a few minutes when I actually feel like it. XDD

DVD Reviews: 300 (2007), Knocked Up (2007), & A Scanner Darkly (2007)

300 (2007)

"A retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy."

The move is based of Frank Miller's *same guy who made Sin City* graphic novel "300". I have to admit, I was looking forward to this movie coming out b/c the graphics looked stunning from the previews. Of course, being the busy person I am, I had to wait to get it on DVD; which turned out to be a good and bad thing. Let's start off as to why I should have watched in the theater. From the very beginning, it had a very storytelling atmosphere along with great visuals. Compared to when I saw saw it, on my 15 in video game tv, I imagine watching it on a big screen would have been awesome. The story is very straight forward, very easy to follow even if you start watching from the middle. The characters are all solid and the dialog is believable, much like a story should be. Now, here's why it was a good thing I watched it on DVD. It seemed.... maybe to me, short. There wasn't much character development and the story just seemed to move quickly through. Honestly, I wasn't expecting any kind of fighting to begin till maybe toward the end of the movie. However, right from the start, there was fighting. *Maybe not the all out war scene shown in the previews, but more of a foreshadow if things to come.* Personally, I think there was too much hype about this movie. I mean, it was great, but, honestly, it boils down to that important question: Can I watch it again? Sadly, no. Plus, if you buy the regular edition of the dvd, expect the movie and nothing more. Prepare to pay the extra few dollars for the Special Edition, which I imagine would have been awesome

Rating: ★★★★☆ (If you're willing to pay the extra money for the SE, buy it. Otherwise, just rent it.)

Knocked Up (2007)

"Allison Scott. a 24 year old entertainment journalist, is on the fast track to the big time, but an alcohol-fueled hookup with responsibility-shirking slacker Ben Stone finds her professional priorities taking a back seat to having a baby. Now, as overgrown kid Ben attempts to assume the responsibilities of fatherhood, he makes the brave decision to stand by Alison. In order to make things work between the pair, however, there's going to have to be some compromise, and when Allison and Ben decide to take a shot at love, they quickly find that building a relationship from scratch isn't nearly as easy as making a baby"

I didn't know what to expect from this movie. I didn't want to watch in the theater and I didn't want to rent it. However, I couldn't avoid the constant talking of people around me praising the movie. So, I decided to find out what was so great about this movie.

The idea of this movie is so odd, but realistic, that you can't help but feel like it may have happened to someone you know. Pretty hot Allison and stoner bum Ben, have a one night stand that result in Allison getting pregnant. One thing that I noticed was the fact that Ben was a lot more responsible than I thought a stoner would be. XD He knew he had to make things right, from their "first date" and made some attempts to support Allison. That was the only sort of unreal moment of the movie, but everything else basically makes you forget about that little detail. It is considered a romantic comedy, but unlike other movies in this category, it seems to deter from the mold. *Boy or girl meet each other. One has a secret or problem that they believe will stand between their love, drama, secret comes out in the open, the other is accepting and willing to deal with it, followed by a happily ever after* Sound familiar? It should. Almost 50% of RC today fit that mold. This movie, however, seems to break that mold and still fall into that genre. It gives the atmosphere that this is really happening to someone right now. *well, kind of.* It's smart, funny, has plenty of swearing and a few topless/ sex scenes. *Fun for all! XDD* Now, here comes the big question: "It's a Romantic Comedy.... Is it a chick flick?" The answer is no. This movie was made for guys b/c the story seems to be best understandable by guys in their 20's to mid 30's. Most of the jokes in this movie aren't going to be easily understood by girls, but it still has this mood of familiarity shared by both genders. Simply put, don't be ashamed to rent this movie. You're no less of a man if you watch it alone. *Well, maybe you are b/c you are indeed watching it alone. XD*

Rating: ★★★★★ (It's a must see, even if you watch it just once. Solid and relate-able story mixed in with cool Special Features on the Unrated ver. make this movie something to consider buying. )

A Scanner Darkly (2007)

"Set in suburban Orange County, California in a future where America has lost the war on drugs, one reluctant undercover cop is ordered to start spying on his friends. He is launched on a paranoid journey into the absurd, where identities and loyalties are impossible to decode. It is a cautionary tale of drug use based on the novel by Philip K. Dick and his own experiences."

A friend of mine,VML, gave me the recommendation to watch this movie even when I had already planned on watching it in the first place. It appealed to me b/c it was unique, movie wise and story wise. This is one of the trippiest movies I have ever seen. Period. It has a unique storyline with many different messages hidden through out the movie. I had to watch the movie twice to understand what hell was going on and to catch what had missed. The way the movie is presented makes it seem like something out of a comic book. It's kind of refreshing really. The actors also portrayed their characters very well. It kind of seems like a stoner movie, but it's a little more than that. Think Sci-Fi/stoner/psychological thriller combined into one. Understand? If not, don't worry. You weren't meant to. XD The plot and story are kind of hard to follow, but if you're persistent and pay attention, then the plot and message will be clear. To actually tell the story through this entry would be pointless b/c the movie can be viewed on different levels. Either way you look at it, this movie includes 3 main factors: Drugs, paranoia, and twists. *Oh yes, lots of twists.*

Rating: ★★★★★ (I recommend watching it before buying it. It may be too trippy for some. XD)

Something Different

So, I'm looking through the Power Rangers page on wiki *Yes, I get that bored soemtimes*, when all of a sudden, something about Kamen Rider comes up. I'm not really a fan of the show, but I decided to see what made it similar to PR. As I'm skimming along the page, I see a picture that immediately gets my attention:

Nornally, Kamen Rider wouldn't have caught my attention, but this picture was so awesome, I just couldn't pass it up. I even had it as a wallpaper for a while! Just sharing the Kamen Rider love. XD

* For those of you who don't know who each of the characters are, here's a link to a bigger image that also has the names of all the riders. <- Yeah, this picture was so awesome, that I decided to do the extra research to find out who all of them were. XDDD

DVD REVIEW: Silent Hill (2006)

For those of you who have played the game, the story is fairly similar. However, for those of you who haven't, I'll give you a quick rundown of what the movie is about:

"Rose Da Silva and her husband, Christopher, awake almost every night to prevent their adopted daughter, Sharon, from sleepwalking towards a cliff. After rescuing her, repeatedly, she screams the same words, before passing out: Silent Hill. Sharon has no memory of any of the incidents and Rose is getting desperate. She decides to take her daughter to the town of Silent Hill, in the hopes that she will finally be saved from her nightly terrors. However, once they reach the outskirts of the town, she is distracted by a "passerby" and loses control of the vehicle, crashing it into the side railing. When Rose awakes, Sharon is no longer in the car. She now faces the dilemma of tracking her daughter down in the destroyed town, known as Silent Hill, while facing hellish demons that appear every time the sun sets in the town."

I will say this: You don't have to be a fan of the series to enjoy *or even understand* this movie. I only played the first game and that did little for me when I tried to understand what was going on in the movie. However, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the movie. In fact, I thought it was very good. *Story and Visual- wise* It's not very scary, however, there are a few scenes that are freaky and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The creators decided to remain true to the game, when it comes to the monsters and even the town as well, which is a good thing considering the other video-game-to-movie-adaptations. *Hint Hint House of the Dead, DOA, and Resident Evil ><* The story and a few characters are a little different, but that doesn't detract from the movie at all. For one, they decided to change the main character, Harry in the game, into a female. They also added a few more main villains that made the story a little more intense. The monster had a very creepy feel to them, but they weren't scary *Except maybe Pyramid- head* As I watched the movie, I couldn't help but feel like the the mosters were almost dancing *This was made more apparent in the Nurse scene at the hospital* This takes us to the ending. I must admit... that was quite bloody, but somewhat expected. The ending scene sort of makes sense, but if you don't pay attention to some of the earlier scenes, I can almost guarantee you that you will be lost. *Then again, it still won't make a lot of sense if you paid attention anyways, so don't be sad if you don't get it. You're not alone.* If you're a fan of the game or are just looking for a good thriller to watch, I highly suggest getting this DVD. Aside from the main feature, it has great special features that will help you better understand the concept and idea behind the movie.

Rating: ★★★★★ (Buy it. It will make game and general thriller fans very happy.)

DVD Review: Stranger Than Fiction (2007)

"Harold Crick is an IRS auditor who follows the droll daily routine, known as his life, to the tick of his watch. Every morning, he wakes up and begins his day the same way he begins everyday for the last many years. Everything is calculated and seemingly perfect in his life. Until one day, a voice begins to narrate his life and foretell his impending doom..."

I rented this movie a while back when I started to get back into the habit of watching movies again. *DevilMan really put me off movies for a long, long while XP*. Anyways, this movie is a "Smart Comedy" but it also has it's moments of "Stupid Comedy" moments. The story is very easy to follow and doesn't require a lot of intelligence to understand and appreciate the humor in this story. However, this movie is not all laughs. There are some dramatic moments as well, which is great, because it balances the movie out. *I don't want to be tired of laughing by the end of the movie* The characters are all portrayed very well and are quite believable *as to be expected by a nearly all start cast* In my opinion, I think this movie showed that Mr. Will Ferrell can portray balance comedy and drama and make the audience believe it. There are some things you need to be advised of, however. Because this is a comedic drama, it may bore you at some points. *I know I was bored during a few scenes* Another thing that may put you off is the ending. Though it's very "Happy Ending"-y, it just comes off as kind of cheesy.

Overall, though, this is a pretty solid movie that has a creative story, interesting characters, and a plot that will keep you guessing how our main character will be snuffed out by the end of the movie.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (Only buy it after renting it, just to see for yourself.)

いっらしゃい～！

Welcome to "Just Another Side Story". This log was created as a side journal to post my reviews of random things. *mainly movies and music* However, that's not all I plan to post here. There will be just random things I post as well. I reserve most of my "life updates" on my Xanga site. Feel free to check that out if you just want to see what life for me is like. :P Anyways, I will begin posting shortly. I have already created several reviews on movies I have seen and will post each on once a day. *just something to kill time really* Expect more in the future for those who actually read this. So.... yeah. That's really all I have to say. Enjoy!