Monday, August 31, 2009

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Chapter 229- STOP STALLING!

Photobucket

Back when there was one of each...

I love Tsubasa.

But it is seriously pissing me off.

And I apologize to Pandora Hearts for putting its post aside for a day to talk about Tsubasa. But...at the end of the day I love it more than any other manga out there. Even if it is pissing me off now.

I would warn for spoilers...but given the chapter was 14 pages long...yeah.


I think that is my biggest complaint. I wait all week for a new chapter and all I get is a tiny little chapter where nothing really happens and I am left feeling sad and disappointed. :(

However...Tsubasa has always been like this. I was just reading them in full volume mode so it didn't seem so long to wait in between story lines. When these chapters get released into manga volume form I am sure it won't seem like torture to the reader. But for now I am tortured.

Photobucket

No one gets left behind!

So what happens in this chapter? Both Syaorans and Sakuras decide they are not going to live the future the clone Sakura saw. In this chapter it is impossible to tell who is a clone and who is real but that is besides the point. It doesn't matter either.

The cycle is not going to repeat itself because both couples have decided to stop sacrificing themselves for the other. All four have decided they are either all getting out of there or they will all die trying. There is no more I will sacrifice myself for you crap. Which is lovely and all but it only continues the cycle of Tsubasa and they need to work together to break it.

Photobucket

By our powers combine!

Both couples try using their power to break the glass. Fei Wong Reed cackles his crazy laugh saying their magical power will not break through the glass. However....both Sakuras are on the same side of the glass. And they are the ones with the real power. Yeah...so they touch hands and it is sparkle time!

Photobucket

Did you forget that O powerful baddie?

Fei Wong Reed actually looks shocked that the Sakuras are using their power over space time...to actually conquer space time. He even yells out he didn't use them for their power to help them. Yes evil dude, if you train a kid to use a gun they should never use it to rescue themselves. That is just plain crazy talk. But no, the Sakuras are going to use their power over space time and rescue all four of them.

Photobucket

Stop you guys! You're so unfair!

While Fei Wong Reed is having his crazy attack Kurogane and Fai use the opportunity to attack him (which I am sure Fei Wong Reed will declare unfair in a minute). Together they manage to get the tube away from Fei Wong Reed because they are awesome.

Photobucket

Just look what you did!

Fei Wong Reed's crazy pills really take affect. He claims the clones and reals can't use this power because it will destroy the universe. The laws of the world will be destroyed and it will all be their fault. In fact if they leave the tubes their existence will be erased.

Yeah....he is really grasping at straws at this point. Even if he was saying actually made sense ( all they are doing is trying to escape a place they are trapped in, not sure how that violates anything) it is a wee bit too late to be blaming them all for the collapse of the world. Fei Wong Reed is the one who destroyed the entire world and all its logic. They are just placing the icing on the cake. And a big HAHAHA for him saying they will be killed if they escape. He was going to kill them anyway. XD

Photobucket

The world is already screwed up! Might as well try to live.

In the end all the Syaorans and Sakuras say they will move on no matter what happens. They believe in everyone so it has to work out in the end. I mean...it can't get any worse right?

The way it has to work out is the world will not collapse because of all the sacrifices they all have made throughout the series. The cycle will change because they realize their own self worth as individuals and will not worry about the outcomes. In trying to protect another group they were never able to move forward. I am sure it will turn out in a positive way because their feelings are strong and it was only the fear of messing up the world that kept them from making the right decision the first time.

Or I could be all wrong and whatever decision Domeki makes in XXXholic is really the deciding factor. Yuko has said before the decisions that all the Tsubasa people made make the world unstable. Who knows anymore what would be the right decision. And that is the point Yuko tried to tell everyone all along. No matter what you do in life (at least in Tsubasa) troubles will happen. These people just have to be strong in their convictions and make the best out of the cards they have been dealt.

Or Or things will change because both Sakuras work together. Before one would sacrifice herself and the other's power was not enough to stop the world from falling apart and stopping Fei Wong Reed. But if they work together they will have enough power to escape the cycle and the tube without destroying the entire world. And that will only be possible because Fei Wong Reed was arrogant enough to create the clones in the first place, never realizing he was the one who made his own downfall. I like this idea better.

That being said...NOTHING NEW WAS REVEALED! It was all feel good and sparkly magic. I want some real answers/awesomeness to happen. I refuse to believe there aren't any more twists! But maybe all the twists are in XXXholic that hasn't been updated in a month...

We get it. All the Syaorans and Sakuras want to live. And yes everyone is hurt and trying their best. And Fei Wong Reed is insane. Now I want a new twist/new answer/progress. And I will have to wait another week (hopefully only a week) to see if this happens. ARG! I hate you Tsubasa...but I love you just the same. That is a cycle that will never break.




Read more!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles Chapters 227-228

Is my Fai figurine here yet? NO! Am I impatient? YES!

But CLAMP is trying to lift my spirits up with a new Tsubasa chapter. Not much happens in either chapters but if I combined the post it will be blog worthy. Any chapter with Fai in it is blog worthy!

Photobucket

Nothing about our destiny is fair....


This post would be more lovely if it included XXXholics as well. But CLAMP doesn't love me that much. :( Maybe they kidnapped my figurine too...

Enough whining! It is time to witness the continuation of the longest battle ever (well besides Dragon Ball Z of course).





Photobucket

Someone took crazy pills...

Fei Wong Reed has gone off the deep end. I just hope he hasn't revealed his true intentions about bringing back Yuko. If all of this was because he wanted to show the universe he was better than Clow...I will be pissed. See this face -__-. That is me pissed off. It is a preemptive pissed off face as it could turn out later he had a different reason for completely turning the universe upside down. That is how CLAMP rolls.

But still....this disappoints me. I was expecting something more. More being that Domeki did this all for Watanuki because he loves him. Perhaps....I am expecting too much? That I am a crazy yaoi fan girl?

No...I think this is all reasonable.

Photobucket

And he is NOT sharing.

Everyone kinda stares in awe that Fei Wong Reed has lost his mind. This man has orchestrated the events that have affected everyone's lives and killed countless others. He has calculated every move down to a T. He planned events that would happen after time repeated itself again. He was basically...the man. And now he is the crazy man watching it all fall apart. I would be scared too if I watched this.

Photobucket

Words are hard.

Here is more of Fei Wong Reed going insane. Despite the fact that it is impossible to save Yuko, even after all the near impossible things he has done...he can't accept reality. Insert crazy man cackling now. Can you hear it?

Photobucket

What did I ever do to you?!

Fei Wong Reed has come up with an awesome plan to bring Yuko back: Do the exact same thing as before. Syaoran will be a prisoner and Fei Wong Reed will harness Sakura's powers. Now...if this didn't work before why would it work now? Because you took some crazy pills? Probably not.

And don't the way wishes work is you have to sacrifice something important to you to have said wish granted (well the way Yuko's wishes go anyway...)? Of course Fei Wong Reed has gone into psycho land so maybe trying to make sense of how this would actually work doesn't matter. Because it won't.

Photobucket

Um...who is who again?

Fei Wong Reed continues his crazy talk and decides to taunt our couple (real couple) before locking them up in his tube forever. Fai and Kurogane launch some attacks, Fei Wong Reed zaps some squiggly lines on the pages, and everything is generally confusing. The real couple starts to be sucked up into the tube when the clones attempt to stop the process. They push the real couple out of the way and prepare to get sucked in themselves. But then the real couple grabs the clone couple. Both Syaorans and Sakuras are wearing the exact same clothing and look the same age. Can one of them get a cut on their head or something so it is easier to figure out what is going on? A little help please!

But yes...both sets of Syaorans and Sakuras are the same. Same good heart and same stubborn streak.


Photobucket

Congratulations! You are alive. Now die.

And then real Sakura woke up. 26 (27?) volumes later and the girl finally wakes up. Better late than never. It is hard to describe how I feel about her. She is the original but we all know and love clone Sakura. She is the one who traveled the worlds and endured all these hardships. Real Sakura has been spared this pain so it is hard to feel the same thing I do for clone Sakura.

And clone Sakura will always be more of a goody goody anyway.

Photobucket

This is the opposite of good....

Despite Fai and Kurogane trying to rescue both couples and real and clone Syaorans and Sakuras trying to save the other set....both sets end up in the tube. Just like the first page of the very first manga. Around and around we gooooooooooooo.

Photobucket

I think I would be messed up if I saw all this...

Chapter 228 starts off with clone Sakura telling real Sakura THANKS A LOT! She explains to the real Sakura that she and clone Syaoran were trying to stop this vision of the future from coming true. The vision that caused clone Sakura and clone Syaoran to willingly go in their own tube as a price to pay. You just woke up real Sakura and you are causing problems. XD

CLAMP loves to play on the dream and visions. Which is fine because it works. It is just expected though.

Photobucket

X_x Sentences don't need to make sense. You are too busy caught up with the entire series going WTF in your face.

Err.....yeah Sakura. Whichever one you are. That is exactly it.

I guess this means that clone Sakura could see all that real Sakura saw? Even though it would make more sense if real Sakura was saying this to clone Sakura. Bad translation or lost in translation? Either way one Sakura knew this was going to happen and tried to save the other Sakura.

Photobucket

Because you are my dad/clone of myself/me!

This leads into one of the pair declaring to the other how important their existence is to them. Or maybe both confess. Again it would help if there was a way to tell these kids apart! I can't be that dumb right?

Even though I am slightly and always confused about what is going on I can still see the emotions behind the feelings is nice. No one is going to get sacrificed over the other one. Everyone is important in their own way. Now...let me die for you.

Photobucket

Enter the ninja. Literally.

Mommy and Daddy aka Fai and Kurogane don't have time to worry about who is who and why the other set should saved verses the other one. Because they want to save all four of them. They are the adults of the group (even if Kurogane is actually the youngest...) and as such must do dangerous things. Like futilely attack the crazy man over and over again.

The battle is not very impressive. It is actually very hard to impress me with battles but a lot of the scenes come off very fuzzy and random. No real feel to it. Just lines and ka-booms. Do not like. :(

Photobucket

Really Mokona?! REALLY?! Why don't you tell us which one it is! Watanuki or Domeki?!

So while this epic battle of lines and words is taking place our friendly neighborhood mascot Mokona decides to mention HEY that tube looks familiar. Very familiar...like the tube at Yukos.

REALLY?! You mean that Yuko had something to do with weirdness?! That Yuko has a connection to a weird and powerful object? NO! Tell me it isn't so.

So besides the fact that Syaoran's family had this tube in his family and that Yuko set this all up 568924 years in advance....we know this ties in with the boys of XXXholic. Yuko is dead in their time. Watanuki and Domeki are the only ones really left with a motive to bring back Yuko. Fei Wong Reed has Yuko's magical tube. Thus we can conclude that one of them is Fei Wong Reed.

Or this could be another cruel joke that CLAMP is trying to play on me. The one that drives me insane thinking about possible outcomes and meanings. So while it might not end up being true..it makes sense. And it will make sense even if it proves not to be the case. I just hope CLAMP's explanation is as sound as all my lovely theories.

I hope it's not Watanuki.

But I hope it's not Domeki more. :(

Photobucket

And then we got our butts kicked!

Fai and Kurogane are not doing too well. When one takes their crazy pills their magic gets stronger. That or the battle has been going on too long and Fai just got his powers back thus being weak and Kurogane has a fake arm. They weren't on their A game to begin with. But that doesn't matter. They care for those kids and will keep getting body parts thrown away to protect them.

I will attempt to not go all fan girl over the fact that Fai and Kurogane were able to read each other so well they don't need words to fight. And after spending 6 months with no way to verbally communicate of course they have learned to read each other's body language and movements.

See not fan girling it at all.

Photobucket

Err.... real Sakura....you didn't travel with anyone...you just woke up after 16 years. Or 7....my head hurts.

Both sets of Syaorans and Sakuras watch as Fai and Kurogane keep on fighting to protect them. They all four note that changing the future is hard (and may involve going through a cycle a few times) but with Fai and Kurogane they all can change the future.

I want to know what this future is. Clone Sakura said the future she saw was one with real Syaoran and real Sakura separated. But what else? What after that? Why do you tease me CLAMP?!

But now everyone feels like they can change the future and they don't have to be bond to their fate. I think it is high time for some plot to happen. Move along plot! Give us some more answers and stop stringing us along. Sometimes you make it hard to love you CLAMP. But I do...I always come back for more.

Hopefully that more gets released within a week and not 3 this time. Even if I don't get any answers and MOG moments...I still want my weekly dose of Tsubasa. It's a love hate relationship. But mostly love.



Read more!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

07-Ghost Episode 21

Ah Wednesdays. Short day at work yet long enough to make me doubt my faith in humanity. But in the end I am rewarded with another episode from 07-Ghost. That alone helps me get through the day.

Photobucket

They don't need words. They have the Kor infected water.

This is how anime should be. It should be a getaway from your real world troubles. It helps me unwind and realize that my problems could be worse. I could be Teito.

So enjoy my happy little post about how once again bad things happen to Teito and we all sit down to see if he makes it out alive this time. Really we are awful people. XD




Photobucket

Interrupt me before I use foul language!

We start off this episode with a bunch of really old military men mad at Ayanami. You know, the whole flying in restricted space and making a huge hole in the ground might make the locals notice. One really old dude points out that the hole was made by the Eye of Mikhail and somehow Ayanami located it. So that makes the men back off the lets kill Ayanami talk. The conversation gears towards the political side about how the Empire and the Church have the same amount of power and depending on who holds the Eye of Mikhail the Raggs Empire will be revived. There is talk of the God House and the former slaves uprising. This entire conversation takes place with angel Teito pictures flying around in the back ground so really it will be a shock to see who will be the new King of Raggs.

Photobucket

I smirk in your general direction. And sparkle.

At the church of good looking men the exam is about to begin. Lance (the FABBBulous head bishop from last time) wishes Teito good luck in such a way that it doesn’t seem very friendly. Another bishop is walking around making sure everyone’s Kor squishing sticks are okay. Teito can’t make his work because his energy is too depleted last time because of the almost dying thing. Baby Mikage is sad and depressed. The other candidates pick up on Teito’s wordlessness and tease him and Hakuren. Hakuren makes Teito promise not to cause and scene…and then causes a scene himself. But he defends Teito and that is all that matters. Some kid that I guess we are supposed to remember has healing word magic attack power and is going to give some of it to Teito because all of a sudden it is transferable. Roll with it. It is time for the test to begin everyone!

Photobucket

This had the potential to be fun...

The candidates make their way to a creepy door. For some reason baby Mikage is allowed it too because he is the cool mascot accessory people. In the hallway everyone is attacked by arms coming from the floor. The two old dudes (plants from the testing Bishops) walk easily one and inform Teito it is his fear keeping him down. Teito tells himself he has to push through for the people who worked hard for him. Hakuren and some of the other candidates make it through but the numbers were really cut down.

Photobucket

Math is hard!

Lance appears to tell the remaining candidates their test is to answer 100 questions and pass through various doors to the end. Hakuren proves to be helpful in the Bible department since Teito really doesn’t know about the Bible and stuff. They open the door and it is shown that only the people answering the questions can enter the doors NO CHEATERS. The next question is written on the tummy of a flying Kabuto monster. This time Teito is able to answer the question and look awesome. The next question is not so easy as all the candidates are put into the water hallway of the Kors. They have to destroy 50 of them and answer 50 questions before moving on. And drowning. Which apparently is feasible in some universe. Hakuren handles most of the questions as Teito is low on word power. Lance proves to be a very uncaring bishop as he doesn’t help the candidates as they drown. Teito shows to have more heart as he rescues some of them and Lance marks him off points for calling him out on his rudeness.

Photobucket

Yes, while Teito DIES!

Elsewhere in the church of good looking men Labrador is muttering about how Ayanami is coming and danger is on its way. But no one really feels the need to go make sure Teito is okay. Instead they play chess and reminisce about how Frau or Castor was the worst partner ever in the exam test. Teito and Hakuren make it to the 99th question room. The two old dudes are there and claim to be tired. Teito offers to carry them across the bridge. Hakuren has a moment of weakness as a Kor is following them. The bridge ends up breaking but both boys BELIEVE in each other and make it to room 100.

Photobucket

Mortal Kombat!

They make it to the last room and they are told they have to defeat their partner. There are two doors, a victory door and a YOU LOSE door. They must decide who passes and who fails. Both boys tell the other that they should be the victor because they respect their dreams and the other is more important. It turns into a fight with both boys screaming and the two old men saying they can take their Victor door and they will both lose. But no both Hakuren and Teito decide to go through the loser door. They enter a sparkly room and they both claim neither has been defeated and they are finishing this test together. Lance appears and kills the Kor that has been following them for a while and TADA they have both passed the test which surprises both the boys. Oh and Lance claims to not be a jerk. DA END!

Photobucket

Seriously?!

BOO!! No Teito and Frau scenes! BOOOOO! Of course if they did have a scene it would be Frau saving Teito again and I am tired of Teito being in danger all the time. At least really bad danger. He was just in mild danger today. I can handle mild. I guess Frau has to let Teito grow up and get bashed against a wall alone sometimes.

Photobucket

Okay so maybe he wasn't that upset...

Or not so alone since Hakuren was right there with Teito. Due to Teito getting the Eye of Craziness zapped out of him last episode Teito was pretty weak. So weak his word attack energy was very low and he couldn’t make his Kor bashing stick work right. So we didn’t get to see any awesome Teito this week as he was too busy being the protected shortie. But Hakuren and Teito have become friends so Hakuren didn’t throw this in Teito’s face. Because I would have had to bash his head in if Hakuren did that.

Photobucket

Who stole your lunch box?!

And that is the true of any relationship. Sometimes someone is the strong one and the other friend is great in the moral support department. It might not be balanced straight down the line but when you are friends with someone that’s how it is. One of you picks up the slack for the other and you don’t bring it up. You just do it. Of course…most of the time these kinds of friendships take a long time to form but this is anime. Things happen at the speed of fast so best friends forever are Hakuren and Teito! And baby dragon Mikage.

Photobucket

Oh hi...who are you?

Of course Teito still might feel a little weird allowing someone else to help him out. He was raised to be a killer and he is used to having an awesome power inside of him. So relying on someone else for help might be hard for him to swallow. Well two people if you count the not so random boy who CURE 3ed Teito. That is just something that Teito is going to have to get use to because everyone is going to want to protect him and his cuteness.

Photobucket

Being dead is fair guys!

So this test….was special. I was expecting something over the top and not some written boring practice test. But I wasn’t expecting Lance to let candidates die. This isn’t Naruto. Sure put them in grave danger to bring out the best in them but have a plan to save them. Just because they aren’t cut out to be bishops doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to live! Besides aren’t Bishops supposed to be caring individuals, more caring than “normal” people? Lance fails at life.

Photobucket

Danger alert!

How big is this church? Or did everything take place in one room that changed over and over again (The Cube is scary by the way)? The way the test took place was kinda random but that was okay. My least favorite test was the drowning in the Kor’s test room. Kill 50 Kors and answer their questions and you can live? Yeah I would be drowning too even if I did have a strong heart. And they were trying to kill baby dragon Mikage (why was he allowed to attend the test anyway?) That test was slightly more than unsafe. My favorite test was the last door. XD Trick questions for the win!

Photobucket

You'll get my love and ACCEPT IT!

That scene was classic of course. Teito and Hakuren both have dreams of being bishops but are willing to put it aside for the other person. Teito thinks that Hakuren’s long time dream is more important than his short term revenge (which it is no matter how he spins it) and I can see that. But Hakuren sees that Teito’s dream might be a tiny bit more important than his own and that it might save the world!!! Okay so only we know that but still. Both boys were willing to put their very important dreams aside to help their friend out. Which makes them both winners. Or losers. Or two crazy people screaming at old men.

Photobucket

Jinx.

Either way they pass. Going through the fail door together means they pass at the church of good looking men. But they announce they are both losers. Perhaps it would have been better worded if they said they couldn’t pick whose dream is more important than the other's and choosing would be too hard. But the point of this test is not what your answer is. Or picking the right door. Had they both gone through the YAY winner door I am sure if they had said we both deserve to be bishops they would have passed.

Of course given that Lance is not very nice is a miracle in itself is magical. I thought that we were going to get more out of the Lance is pissed off at Teito storyline. I also thought the test was going to last longer than an episode given how important it is/was. But it wasn’t and there wasn’t so BLEH. Shoulda coulda woulda. Or at least I think so anyway. They passed and life moves on.

Photobucket

He looks like a demon flower bishop...

Ayanami was this close to getting executed (the this is located between the s and the c). I am sure he would have killed everyone who tried but it’s the thought that counts like with birthday cards. At any rate we were so close to having people hate Ayanami…but now he is a hero. :( Sadness fills my heart. Of course this means YAY second season for sure at this point but still! Can’t anything hurt this guy?

Photobucket

Let's play board games now!

When Castor and Frau were busy not helping Teito with his exam and worrying about if Ayanami had snuck in to kill Teito they were busy talking about the past. And by talking I mean talking. No fun flashbacks of Castor and Frau as teenagers failing the exam. I feel very robbed! :( Next time go and save Teito or something.

Now I have to wait a week to see the next lovely episode of Teito’s life is crap. I am going out of town starting next Tuesday so I am not sure how blogging is going to work. The grandparents go to bed early so maybe I can watch anime and blog at night (when I do anyway). I am not sure if this can be done…as their house was made like 100 years ago and they might ONLY have one cable outlet in the living room.

Whatever the case may be, 07-Ghost might be late next week and most certainly will be late the following week. Darn that real life getting in the way! But I will blog those episodes when I get a chance. I won’t forget about you Teito! Not even on vacation in the exotic country of New Hampshire!





Read more!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

More room to breath, live, and store more anime

I spent the entire day cleaning.

From 1:30pm til 11:15pm my friend and I (with minor help from the husband) cleaned, staged, improving, and destaged my house. She was trying to complete two projects for school and I agreed to help her out. Only we didn’t realize how long the process would take. Thank goodness for (scam) Mini Lucky Charms and chicken nuggets to get us through the day.

XD It was decided that the anime room would not be TOUCHED at all today. One because the thought of her moving anything out of my carefully crafted room of love freaked me out and two the thought of moving anything out of my chaos room of horror freaked her out. But every other room in my house was fair game.

And I am tired.





Photobucket

Of course I looked just as hot while I cleaned!

At first it became a game of just moving all my junk to one room, taking a picture, and moving it back. But after a while…it dawned on me that I have a lot of junk. And my house is a clutter fest of insanity. And by taking out 50 percent of the stuff in each room…it started to look like a house! A house that real people could live in and not a place that college kids would call “home” with their piles of video games and dirty clothes spewed around.

Now I am not going to lie. Most of my furniture is mismatched and looks special. XD
But my friend helped us work with what we got. You can style on a budget. So even if your furniture is all second hand it can still look great with the right objects around and near it. Matching is overrated anyway.

This day also showed me that I can bear to part with some of my lovelies for the SuperHappyFunSell at AWA. I might still have a few hang ups about things people gave me as gifts but when it is easy to put something in a bag to stage a room and not miss the item it is time for that item to hit the road. A road to a happy home that will love it more than I do right now.

Besides I need the money to buy more lovelies to reclutter up my house!

After today…I realize that while my husband and I aren’t short on mangas, picture frames, and Asian themed items we are short on basic items. Like glue. And paper clips. The little thing that goes over the shower head that holds the shampoos and stuff. The organizer that keeps your silverwear nice and organized. A stapler. It’s much more fun to buy cute pillows and fun trinkets than boring office supplies and a welcome mat. So…after AWA it is time to start focusing on buying BLEH house stuff and not the latest Tsubasa poster. I will continue to put my 20 dollars a paycheck aside in my anime convention fund but now a bigger chunk of our money will go towards…being responsible. BLEH! BLEH IT ALL! Let this be a warning to all the anime fans out there: sometimes you need a bathmat in your bathroom more than you need a new Naruto key chain.

Photobucket

Being with friends can make any situation fun.

My plan today was to watch and blog 3 or 4 episodes of CANAAN. That has been pushed back to either Sunday/Monday of next week (hopefully, not sure with the upcoming family trip) but it’s okay. Anime will always be there. Sometimes you have to buckle down and spend the day cleaning your house. And it is always enjoyable spending the entire day with your best friend clowning around. After high school your life gets consumed with work, your significant other, and other adult stuff. So today brought back memories of high school when we would spend hours upon hours together just talking about nothing. The topics that were of special interest today were the scam of Mini Lucky Charms, how fetuses breath in the womb, how we hoped all the bratty cheerleaders in high school were fat now, and retelling our favorite horror customer stories. Good times were had by all.

I had planned on adding pictures of at least my anime room, the dining room, and the bedroom in this post. However my husband already went to bed, my anime room has exploded with my AWA SuperHappyFunSell stuff, and moonlight doesn’t work well when taking pictures. So…no house pictures. :( I think when I come back from AWA I will
reorganize my anime room and take some lovely pictures then.

For now I will enjoy my happy clean house and try not to think about how busy the next three weeks are going to be…and that there is no Fai in my house. I WILL BE STRONG! And yes this might be cheesy but looking around at my cleaner house makes me happy and calmer. Clean people! It does a body good!





Read more!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Kobato Volume 4 (through Drop 15b)

I am sad to report there is no figurine post today. It hasn't gotten to the point where I am camping out at the mailbox but there was a sad face when no package arrived for me today. Sadder still is that Pandora Hearts is on break this week.

Photobucket

CLAMP: Killing my wallet since 2000.

But there is still a lot of fun to be had in the world of Tenchi. Or there is tonight at least. After this post I will be joining everyone in the MOG more Kobato scans please! But for now...yay! XD

I am not sure if drop 15b will complete volume 4 of Kobato. But that is all I got for now so this is all you get. ACCEPT MY GIFT OF LOVE AND SPOILERS! Beware of spoilers for other mangas like Wish, XXXholic, and maybe Tsubasa. I am just that special.





Photobucket

Ioryogi catches on very fast!

Mr. Bird has finished telling Ioryogi about the school issues and is flying him back to Kobato. On the way Mr. Bird drops him a few times and Ioryogi is slightly angry about that. When he is dropped again a messenger bunny arrives and saves him from being squished. The flower letter informs Ioryogi that Kobato only has two seasons left (6 months) to fill that bottle up or ELSE!

The man upstairs is a little strict. But he always has a reason behind the strictness. In Wish the punishment issued to Kohaku seems very harsh at first but it later turns out to benefit her (or him...but I think her). So maybe the ruler of heaven knows something we don't (okay he DOES but that is besides the point) and is giving her a time limit to save herself. Like she only has 6 months to live unless she fills that bottle. Or the place she wants to visit will no longer exist. RARW more drama!


Photobucket

Much cooler than a letter!

Ioryogi gets a little embarrassed and gives the messenger bunny a "letter" to give HIM! He uses the word please that shocks Mr. Bird. It is the most fearful Ioryogi has acted so far. Or maybe fearful is not the right word. Almost like a kid wanting to talk to their dad after a punishment has been handed out?

In any event....MMMM what did he want to say in that letter? DIEINAFIRE because of the Kobato time limit? Or that he really misses the other world and is sorry about whatever happened? MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Photobucket

Maybe he isn't a douchebag?

While Kobato is looking for Ioryogi she runs into Okiura. Before they can exchange two words Fujimoto arrives and is his usual bossy self. Okiura lets Fujimoto make a fool out of himself and remains cool and calm during the fight. Kobato tries to get Okiura to stop "picking" on Fujimoto because Fujimoto works so hard and tries to help Sayaka out. Okiura answers if Fujimoto really wanted to protect Sayaka Fujimoto would take her away from this situation.

Kobato's expression captures the mood. Okiura isn't acting like a jerk. It is hard to read what words mean when written on paper but the way it sounds in my head is Okiura saying this softly or out of concern. Kobato thinks that too given the look on her face. It is almost like Okiura isn't trying to be a jerk about the situation. Kobato might suspect that Okiura still cares about Sayaka and this is his way of showing it? I am sure that he has his own motives and it will be shown later that he isn't the one to blame but he is trying to stop his gang for squishing the school.

In any event Okiura comes off more as a caring individual in this scene and that is what makes Fujimoto mad.

Photobucket

Spit it out!

Fujimoto goes to hit Okiura again because Okiura is acting too calm about the situation. Kobato gets in the middle of the two boys and tells Fujimoto to stop. When she tries to explain why she has done so she is at a lose for words...

When I first read this scene I thought it was very significant and meant something else. Like it had something to do with her wish/that person who was killed before. Then I realized it was just because Kobato loves Fujimoto. I am slow. But it is still cute.

Photobucket

Dramatic pose is dramatic!

Okiura gently teases Kobato about her...issue with Fujimoto. But then he kills whatever niceness he built up in the last scene when he threatens Chitose. Does she owe him money too? Is the entire neighborhood under his gangs control? So...yeah. I want to take back what I said about him being nice. Apparently he is not trying to protect Sayaka if he can say something so rude like that. Or he is making a stupid attempt to cover up his true motives. I AM NOT IMPRESSED!

Photobucket

Cue the oblivious moment!

Okiura stomps away and flicks his cigarette on the ground (I HATE THAT!). Kobato has a brain dead moment and goes to pick it up. Fujimoto grabs it from her hand to keep her from hurting herself...and hurts himself instead. Both are very special. Kobato has a big crazy attack and wants to help heal Fujimoto's hand. Fujimoto points out Kobato was hurt too. Kobato says it doesn't matter what happens to her, she is more worried about Fujimoto.

Attack of not being able to finish sentences again! ...Just sigh....Do girls in real life really act like this way? Probably not which makes Kobato more lovely. BUT STILL RARW! Get a clue!

Photobucket

When in doubt sing!

Well she does try to get a clue. Kobato thinks over her situation with Fujimoto and moments that don't make sense to her. In the end...it still doesn't make sense to her. So it is TIME TO SING!

So close but so far away. Kobato isn't going to get that clue any time soon. Move along folks there isn't anything to see here!

Photobucket

Can I get a time frame please?!

Mr. Bird is taking Ioryogi home when they both hear Kobato singing. Mr. Bird comments that Kobato sounds just as good as Kohaku. Ioryogi has a meanie attack and comments that singing was the only thing that Kohaku was good at.

WAS. Now since Ioryogi is not down with the things in heaven anymore perhaps that is why Ioryogi uses WAS. Was as in the last time Ioryogi heard her sing.

The other possibility is the events of Wish have already gone down and Kohaku is already serving her "punishment". I just want to know when all the other universes are taking place. I need to know!

Photobucket

I am not sure I support yaoi pairing while the men are in animal form...

So Mr. Bear is working hard at his little food place when Ginsei pops in. He is very moody. Mr. Bears makes a comment that Ginsei can't accept anything from anyone except HIM (him being Ioryogi). Ginsei makes a face but doesn't deny it.

Well then. How interesting is that. I often try to beat up the people I love and look up to. It makes total sense guys! But only not.

Mr. Beat starts talking about plot related things (like Ioryogi making God mad and that Ioryogi raised Ginsei) when Mr. Bird comes in. He has news about Ioryogi and Kobato and the messenger from heaven. Ginsei gets a little X_X and wants to know everything! Yeah Ginsei is great at hiding how he feels.

Photobucket

Mascot finally acting cute!

Ioryogi arrives home and informs Kobato that it is raining (because she is awesome like that). Kobato tries to dry off Ioryogi but instead he comforts her instead. He isn't sure what he is comforting her about but the gesture is nice.

Maybe Ioryogi is comforting her because he knows about the time limit. He is comforting her for the things that are to come. Or maybe he could read the sadness in her voice while she was singing and he wants her to know despite the fact that he calls her a pigeon he does care about her. In any event....it is about time that Ioryogi is nice to Kobato!

Photobucket

Not exactly what I pictured...


Photobucket

The underworld needs new capes.

Kobato tells Ioryogi about how she feels about Fujimoto. She falls asleep confused. Ioryogi knows what is going on with Kobato and worries about how this will affect her mission. Ginsei watches both Ioryogi and Kobato sleep. He worries that Ioryogi won't be able to return home if Kobato fails. Ginsei isn't worried about Kobato at all....

Both creatures are shown with human shadows. Or human like shadows. Ioryogi comes off as a more rough looking human and Ginsei looks younger. Both have really torn looking capes to let us know they have come from the OTHER WORLD. We have to look menacing you guys.

So....I don't know what I was expecting their true forms to look like. But now I am more curious to find out more about them. TELL ME NOW!

Photobucket

We can pretend this is jealously?

The next day Kobato is late to work (like always). She nearly crashes on the ground but a man named Takashi saves her from going splat. Fujimoto sees the scene and walks off looking upset. Takashi explains that he and Fujimoto have been in school together since the beginning of time. Well up until Fujimoto dropped out of college to help Sayaka out at the school. Takashi thinks Fujimoto doesn't like him anymore because he is always pressuring him to return to school.

Kobato has a hard time concentrating on what Takashi is saying because she experiences jealously pains every once in a while. Only she doesn't recognize it as such. Every time Takashi says Fujimoto does this to help Sayaka it is a PING attack.

ONLY KOBATO DOES NOT REALIZE THIS! *headdesk*

Photobucket

Goodbye boring character.

Finally Takashi leaves. Goodbye character who only exists to give us important plot information and fade into the darkness. You probably won't be missed!

Photobucket

This just in: Kobato is in love!

Kobato runs off to school and thinks about what just happened. Kobato must not be human if she can't understand these feelings. Or maybe she is younger than what she appears to be (if she has a different form).

I WANT TO KNOW MORE!

Yes I am bossy. Get with the program Kobato.

Photobucket

The question is are they still alive at this point?

For some reason Ginsei is helping Mr. Bear out at his store. Ginsei wants to take out Kobato so she won't be trouble for Ioryogi. Mr. Bear tries to point out (in a very gentle way) that killing anyone who causes Ioryogi an ounce of discomfort isn't the way to live your life. Then the conversation glides into how Mr. Bear, Ioryogi, and Ginsei were lords of the underworld. Mr. Bear explains how all the worlds are divided up and humans are only aware of the world they live on. Well...most humans.

Why do you torture me CLAMP? You aren't even subtly putting other CLAMP characters in Kobato now. Just BAM here is Yuko and Clow Reed. I swear you are trying to kill me.

Since Mr. Bear says there ARE a few who understand it makes me want to believe they are still alive. But who really knows what anyone means in CLAMP. BLEH!

Photobucket

Ioryogi?! A trouble maker?!

Mr. Bear sounds talks about how the different factions rule Heaven, Hell, the underworld, and Earth(ish). Apparently 12 years ago something major went down. It isn't clear on what happened but Ioryogi caused a war that caused all three of these animals (4 including the Mr. Bird) to be cast out of their positions and be not themselves on Earth.

So even though Ioryogi caused these problems...neither animal are really upset. I would be if I were them but whatever.

I also wonder if the Kohaku/Hisui incident are what they are referring to. I am not sure why that would cause a war but anything is possible. This is the CLAMP universe you know. Maybe during the 100 years Kohaku was sleeping something major went down...

Photobucket

This sounds vaguely familiar...

Mr. Bear talks about how the war was caused because the thing Ioryogi wanted was in heaven. They also rehash the other stuff we already know, that they were punished in these forms, that Ioryogi can't return to heaven until he helps Kobato, and that Ginsei wants to squish Kobato for being a problem.

So...the thing they are talking about is in fact a person. So let's say PERSON okay?! Ioryogi cared enough about a person in heaven he was willing to risk all the rules and stability of the entire universe. MMMM people. That sounds very familiar.

But now I am very, very interested! Who knew Ioryogi had such a side to him?!

Photobucket

Aw! They can be special together!

Kobato is deep in thought trying to not think about her being in love with Fujimoto. She runs into a person just like her: slightly brain dead. But it is amusing and laughs are had. We the readers need a bit of comic amusement when things are getting sad okay. Plus spazzes are fun!

Photobucket

GASP! NOT A DIVORCE!!!

The girl Kobato runs into spazzes a bit and runs off to get her water to cool her head. Both girls talk about being worried and Kobato sees the opportunity to help a broken heart. The girl explains that she wants Kobato to help her....turn in divorce papers.

This apparently...is the worse thing ever. :( Hopefully it turns out to be more dramatic because I have no sympathy for small problems like that. Well....it isn't a small problem but when we have twins of fathers being the brother of someone else and the world exploding divorce is small. But never fear Kobato will save the day, no how small the problem is.

I wonder how long it will take for the next chapter to come out....*goes to the sad impatient corner..*




Read more!