Sword of the Stranger (ストレンヂア 無皇刃譚)

Sword of the Stranger (ストレンヂア 無皇刃譚) (Stranger Mukou Hadan) is a Japanese animated feature film directed by Masahiro Andō and produced by BONES studios.

Hunted by the Chinese Mings, young Kotaro and his dog meet a nameless samurai (”Nanashi”) who is haunted by his past and leads him to avoid drawing his sword. Among the Mings is a brash and blonde Western fighter named Rarou, whose quest is to find a worthy opponent. When both groups clash with a Sengoku-era feudal lord, a proud general, and monks torn between faith and survival, the reason behind the Mings’ pursuit tests the bond between Kotaro and Nanashi.

I can see why this could’ve been part of the last Oscar season, but don’t expect a bed of posies. The colors used were so vivid, good and bad -- we could almost smell the blood. Never mind how the antagonist of a Japanese-samurai story happened to be from neighboring China. My grandparents would be very upset if they find out I was watching “cartoons” like this. Thank God they didn’t live to see the day!

So the “Mings” – what could’ve been derived from the Ming Dynasty (how original) had a blond warrior and it didn’t explain where he came from. OK, so he speaks Mandarin and has superior sword skills what was his relation to the Mings? How random. But it succeeded in keeping it interesting because the Japanese warriors ALL LOOK ALIKE! Na-confused ako!

And I understand that in certain parts of Japan’s history there were a lot of samurais who fly solo. But again, it didn’t explain where Nanashi came from and where he learned his exquisite fighting skills. At least Kotaro narrated how he was an orphan and raised at the monastery. It also did not explain why the Mings were after his blood. Random. Sigh.

I question some parts of the story, but overall it was very intense and entertaining. Not for kids though. I mean, for mature audiences ONLY!!!

Nodame Cantabile

I’ve only seen 4 episodes but I’ve already learned to love it. I’ll try to be done with work by 7:15PM, to get a dose of Nodame's charming humour. Its not your usual comedy-romance, but the scenes are just right. Para maiba naman.

There will always be girls who tend to do things outside the box. Which is what I super adore about Nodame!!! Except for her irregular baths, I love that she’s so unpretentious!

Well, being the mababaw that I am, super hilarious how they refer to Brahms as Bah-rrrams". And of course the music is only familiar because of the ring tones and I'm not even gonna pretend to like it!

Although, how Chiaki’s character depicts a noble man is so cliché! Not everyone wants to end up with a square like him!

So to all the Nodames out there, email me and I will send you a loofah and a bar of soap!

Toodles!

Toodles M, I'm Home B!!!

I arrived at Guangming last Thursday. I signed a 2 year contract, but lets see pray about that. The silence is deafening. Picture a scene from Shaider (remember Shaider?) when the antagonist are about to conquer the world. and the whole town’s dead. Parang ganon! And most of the food smells like kuchay. Huhuhuhu! Not that I’m ungrateful for the generous amount of fiber, but I’d be more grateful if I had Kare-kare, Pinakbet or even Gising-gising! (Even if it was gising-gising made of kangkong stalks!!!)

Moving to China is way different from my old life. Even if it’s probably the best place to be in Guangzhou, it’s still super different from anywhere Ive been to.

But being here lets me appreciate all the little things I had and have experienced the past 25 years.

Other than my cellphone, the things that helps make me sane are my notepad, my ipod and some books I brought with me.

I’ve here for 9 days and it has been very refreshing. I’m almost 100% sure that Multiply cannot be accessed in China. So farewell Multiply (for now) and hello Blogspot! (Yeay!)

How Much Is It to Know Where Things Are?

I am seriously considering LASIK treatment next year. I checked at the American Eye Institute at Shangril-la Edsa and it’s now P72,000.00. They’re giving me a 12% discount, but I still think it’s a very good price for good eyesight.

I often find humor on the fact that our eyes were created the way they were. How else are you supposed to find your glasses when you don’t have them on the first place? (Hahanapin ko po ba kung alam kong asan?)

And speaking of “find”, I find it hilarious when I ask someone say, yaya where something was and she’d ask me where I last put it. I mean seriously, would I find something if I knew where it was?

So PHP62,000.00. Good price to know where things are right?

What Hurts More?

This...





or this...?

Nursery RHYMES and Birthday Cake

"Pussycat pussycat, where have you been?"
"I've been up to London to visit the Queen."
"Pussycat pussycat, what did you dare?"
"I frightened a little mouse under her chair

Don’t you just LOVE Nursery Rhymes? They almost always have ulterior implications? ^_^

And so does dreams…which woke me up an hour and a half earlier today!

Strangely enough, I saw Anton, Beth, Sam, Lissy, Brent and Orge. A group I’ve only been with for less than 5 occasions. We were chatting mindlessly at a quaint coffee shop, definitely NOT Starbucks. (And I say that, just because I like Arabica Beans! Starbuck's Arabica Beans!) I was wondering why Allie wasn’t there when he’s seldom absent on these mundane get-togethers. So chit to the chat. At one point, Anton and I stood up and greeted how each other was doing in life. Very diplomatic conversation. Of course, even in MY dreams, had I been Princess Aurora, out comes Malificent...!

Suddenly, in comes the room a girl with a "round" cake on hand and a crowd of “office people” perturbing my quiet mundane-coffee-shop-not-Starbucks-time. I guess "round" because every corner has Goldilocks. So wow. Ten days after the 31^st birthday of who could’ve been my future ex-boyfriend! The "girl", better be carrying a cake, than be chucking people on her way. (Imagine, meow charging on a cornered mouse.) So I was happy with her invading my dreams, as long as she carried a cake! And since Anton was being thronged by these 'office people", I walked away. Few seconds later, woke up.

Ang labo diba? Do you think before your slumber, consequently giving you dreams? Did Aurora not sleep before walking with Prince Charming once upon a dream? So does that mean our feline friend continues to torment me in my dreams? (I mean if good comes out from dreams so can any not-so-good stuff right?) So is Anton with this cat? ... I mean girl? And most importantly, what is the flavor of the cake?!?

Omen? Maybe, maybe not. Good news for him, her, it or moi? ALSO strangely though, it amused my forty winks. Even giving me something to write about!

I would really need to go back to that dream and find out the flavor of the cake.

Ponyo: On The Cliff By The Sea

From a site online:

This is the story of Ponyo, a little fish from the sea who struggles to realize her dream of living with a boy named Sosuke. It also tells of how five-year old Sosuke manages to keep a most solemn promise.

Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea places Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid in a contemporary Japanese setting. It is a tale of childhood love and adventure.

A little seaside town and a house at the top of a cliff. A small cast of characters. The ocean as a living presence. A world where magic and alchemy are accepted as part of the ordinary.

The sea below, like our subconscious mind, intersects with the wave-tossed surface above. By distorting normal space and contorting normal shapes, the sea is animated not as a backdrop to the story, but as one of its principal characters.

A little boy and a little girl, love and responsibility, the ocean and life - these things, and that which is most elemental to them, are depicted in the most basic way in ponyo on the cliff by the sea. This is my response to the afflictions and uncertainty of our times.

- Hayao Miyazaki

I initially rated it a "four", because the part where Ponyo slowly transformed into a girl, her hands looked like chicken claws. But after some thought, it was something I'd watch again and again. So I give it a whopping five! 5/5!!!

If anyone knows of any more animations like these, please let me know! Arigato!^_^

19 Days After...

After all the blogs I've read, I realized uso pa pala ang "New Year's Resolution". So ako din! Ive been thinking of mine since November, but so far its been the same...

See, Hear and Speak lesser evil would be the appropriate sentiments to start the year right.



Learn Photoshop - like really know photoshop. Be a graphic artist. Be a wallpaper designer. Yes, as in the paper you stick on walls.

Knit - Yes, knit mittens and scarves. Old ways are the best ways. After all, there were zero anger management classes in the 1800 century.

Eat Healthy - Its hard to just not munch on anything everyday. I have fruits, yogurts and chocolates. But I need more suggestions for this.

No more dirty words - I know the "F" word is now a noun, verb and/or an adjective. Irregardless. I've been saying "DUCK!" since July or August last year. (Blogged it on my multiply) I like it so far...guess I'll stick to it.

Run! - I run 2x a week. But its not enough. *sigh~!* Will decide on this next week.

and lastly...

Watch more old cartoons! - Remember when watching Donald or Daffy used to be relaxing? I think the cartoons now are so stressful! Who wants to hear other kids whine about their Barbies? So I want to watch old cartoons lang! He-Man, Smurfs, Thundercats and the likes. Plus there's always a moral lesson in the end!


Other than that, I feel truly blessed to feel the way I feel and think the way I do. (There were times when I don't understand why I think the way I do!) So here's to a BIGGER and BETTER year.

My Favorite OPM Tracks 2008

Home is where the heart is. And what can I say, I'm super Pinay by heart!!!

Below are parts of the song that i just loooove~! Haha! Tagalog kung tagalog. ^_^

1. Narda - Kamikaze
...awit na nananawagan,baka sakaling napakikinggan, pag ibig na palaisipan sa kanta na lang idadaan nag aabang sa langit, sa mga ulap sumisilip, sa likod ng mga tala, kahit sulyap lang darna...

2. Sa Isang Binggit ng Isang Paalam - Sponge Cola
...sa isang paalam lang ba lahat matatapos, sa isang saglit lahat malilipol...‘di ko mahahayaan na walang magagawa, ayaw kitang lumuhang nag-iisa...

3. Paano na Kaya - Bugoy (Go Bugoy!!!)
...Paano na kaya 'di sinasadya, ba't nahihiya ang puso ko, hirap nang umibig sa isang kaibigan
'Di masabi ang nararamdaman...

4. Isipin - Miguel Escueta
..Ako’y nabighani sa mga mata mo, sa bawat tingin unti-unting nalulunod, Unti-unting naliligaw sa isip ko...

5. Guillotine - Urbandub (sigh~!)
..What's done is done
and we've crossed the line
Your indecision is
taking over everytime

Your pride, my anger
our situation is
worse than ever

We're taking this
too far
We've had our run
With your arms wrapped
tight around my neck
Close my eyes
I sink and grasped
for breath

She's with someone new

All hope is gone and
Since you'll never gonna change
I'll erase your taste and
Let you go, slowly
Suddenly I'm wasn't enough
Your lust disguised as love

Your pushing me
too far
We've had our run
With your arms wrapped
tight around my neck
Close my eyes
I sink and grasped
for breath ...

My Favorite Tracks 2008

It took me a while to finalize this list, but I have decided. These were by far my favorite tracks

1. Falling - Peyton
First met Peyton at Cafeteria at the Fort. I was soooo happy to see him, I yelled "Peyton, you made it!" And he stood up, ran towards me and gave me a hug like we were old friends. Labs it! This was in 2007, but I still listen to it alot.

2. Forgiveness - Samantha James
I got this from Beach Angel 2007, but got it early 2008. Call me late. Better late than never. ;)

3. No Love Lost - Syke n Sugarstarr Pres Ce Ce Rogers
It voices a poignant lover that just makes you keep on loving.

4. Bruised Water - Chicane feat. Natasha Bedingfield
Chicane 2008 at the WTC wasn't fantastic, but was a tad better than the one in 2006

5. American Boy - Estelle
Love the song, not the noun. If you can't beat them, join 'em. ..... you'll be my American Boy, American Boy...

6. In and Out of Love - Armin Van Buuren feat.Sharon Del Andel
First time to see him spin. Won't be the last.

7. We Gonna Feel It - Deep Dish
This, i LOVE. Thanks Denz for sharing this with me.

8. Let's Begin - Kaskade feat. Roan
It has this signature Kaskade sound that just keeps playing in my head when the music stops.

9. I Found You - Kaskade feat. Axwell
The first track from Kaskade's "Bring the Night Album". Wouldn't you want to listen to the rest of the album?

10. 3 Minutes to Explain - Dorothy Sherman; Fedde Le Grand; Funkerman
Ultimate favorite club song. Let's just hope it doesn't get any more overplayed.