Cup Day

Happy 80th update! I actually can't believe that I have been keeping this up for so long, just a little more than six months since I started this blog, this is like a new record!

Yes, so in Melbourne we had the Melbourne Cup today. Unfortunately, I did not have the same luck as previous years (meaning I actually had to work) but thank god not during the main event, just afterwards. My first time cutting off drinkers tonight (usually they are awesome and don't drink that much) it was slightly scary because they argued as to why they were cut off (they were drunk, duh!). Also it kind of sucked because it meant I couldn't drink today. But hey, at holiday rates I made a lot just by showing up. Unfortunately my luck from the last 3 years eluded me, having to settle for second place in the sweeps, Damn!

Anyways, enough about horses, moving on. As previously mentioned I have read Nisekoi recently, which is by Komi Naoshi, the series is ongoing at 4 volumes and scanlations are up to date with Japanese releases. It is a shounen series, a bit different to what I am use to but it was good none the less. Nisekoi is about Raku and Chitoge, two children of gang bosses who are forced to fake date in order to bring peace and prevent their city being destroyed by gang wars. Of course, the two hate each other, Chitoge claiming she doesn't want to be associated with someone weaker than herself physically, and Raku because he intends to find the girl he made a promise with 10 years ago. However, he can't remember who she is or what she looked like. His only clue being a locked pendant, which can only be unlocked by a key.

Raku has a serious crush on Onodera, a friend of his since middle school. Over the series, he builds his friendship with Onodera, continues to fake date Chitoge and has to deal with a fiance chosen by his father. Turns out that Raku knew all three from his childhood but doesn't remember any of it anymore. Over the course of the series, Raku finds out that all three girls also have keys that could match the lock, but none of them have been tried.

Whilst fake dating, Raku and Chitoge encounter many problems, such as Claude, who is convinced they aren't really dating and tries to find evidence of this, Seishirou, Chitoge's childhood friend and bodyguard, who is also Claude's minion. It is an ongoing joke that Claude doesn't know that Seishirou is a girl (in fact he even chose a boys name for her, seeing as she was abandoned as a child), Miyamoto, Onodera's best friend who sets up opportunities for Onodera to steal Raku from Chitoge (although Onodera is too honest and has not succeeded yet) and Shu, who sets up opportunities for Raku with all the girls, leading him to be hated by the remaining male population.

At this point of the story, it is focusing on how Chitoge has developed romantic feelings for Raku. Although this has been building up for quite some time, it is only in the most recent chapter (49), that she admits this to herself.

Anyways, that's about it for now, next update will be just my usual ramblings and some more manga stuffs, don't know what yet, but we'll see when we get there. Until next time :)

Spring Time of the Year

Hey Hey! Spring has finally hit Melbourne, such lovely weather, unfortunately we receed back into winter by Friday with it going back to 15 degrees, so I am going to enjoy the weather while it lasts, seeing as 90% of my wardrobe is ideal for spring.

So, I have recently read Ocha Nigosu, which is a shounen series, which is different from my usual demographic, I thought I would broaden my horizons. It's quite funny, it's about Funabashi, a delinquent known as devil-ma, who wants to quits the delinquent to live a more LOHAS life by joining the Tea Ceremony club. For those who don't know LOHAS means "Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability", so I thought it was kind of funny. Basically, the rest of the series is how Funabashi tries to change his ways in order to be 'a Lohas type of guy' but still manages to find himself in trouble in the delinquent circle. I thought it's quite comedic, especially the exchanges between Funabashi and Kaho (another member of the tea ceremony club), whom Funabashi refers to as a 'stray dog'. Anyway, 7 volumes are currently scanlated into English, but is complete in Japanese with 11 volumes...so watch this space

Not much else to talk about really, so until next time :)

I Nearly have my Free time back!

YES! Another exam is over and done with and now I only have one more to go! Words can not describe my happiness that by next week, I will no longer have to do accounting. So what am I doing to celebrate? Working! But enough of the boring stuff.

I have finished reading quicker than anticipated, which is another bonus!! I have finished Arata Kangatari by Yuu Watase and as I said previously, despite it being a shounen series, I absolutely love it! I had kind of given up reading shounen series, but now I might be willing to start reading them again. For the record, the only other Shounen series that I am currently reading is Magico. I guess I liked Arata Kangatari because it does hold resemblance to many of Yuu Watase's other works despite being aimed at a different demographic. I like the sci-fi and supernatural themes as well as the art, although different from shoujo style, which usually has a lot more toning and definition in the features of the characters and such, it is still very eye catching. I guess because the style is something that I enjoy, it even attracts the female audiences. I also like the action scenes when there is all out fighting, which sounds violent, but the way it is done is suspenseful. It also addresses many issues that are relevant in today's society, the most obvious being bullying, which is highlighted particularly in the first ten chapter. Anyways, I plan to read this series now whenever it is updates  (added to my favourites >.<) and look forward to reading more of it in the future. It's just so good!

I have also finished reading Gokinjo Monogatari by Ai Yazawa, and it was so good! I like how the main characters from "I'm not an angel" made a little cameo appearance and I am looking forward to reading the sort of sequel 'Paradise Kiss'. Oh I loved the fashion context of the series, I do quite like my fashion, so I absolutely worshiped all the cute outfits the characters wore (I wish I had those outfits). I like how it was nicely summed up. The initial story is left quite open ending with an image of Tsutomu and Haruhiko at the airport, but the extra chapter was a nice summary of how the characters ended up in their journey through life. Oh my, the only negative I have about it is that I wish it were longer, although in saying that, i felt that the story was thoroughly planned from page one and it didn't rattle on or fall into the trap of cliche`s like other series which have exceeded the best before date. Anyway, I could just go on and on about how awesome the series was. Just a warning, anyone who hasn't read it and is planning to, you may find the female lead Mikako a bit annoying, she is very dependent and can do little on her own when making life choices. Thankfully though, this is addressed towards the latter half of the series. So yeah, get on it guys.


Anyway that is about it for now, until next time :)

Winter Nights

Are damn cold!! I am in a state of torment as to whether or not it would be socially acceptable if I took my blankets with me just so I can say warm. What can I say, I am not made for the cold. Oh well, the hot chilli sauce in my cupboard keeps me warm through its sheer spiciness.

Anyway, I went bowling with a couple of friends tonight. Unfortunately, I didn't win either game, came second in both games :( but it was a memorable night for many reasons. Firstly, when I got there, my friend kind of broke the window of my car and now it wont wind up. My solution to this was to use my umbrella cover the open window so people don't break into the car and to keep out the cold and tie the umbrella handle to the steering wheel using headphones so no-one stole my umbrella because it was my good umbrella. Anyway, I took a photo of the situation because this could only happen to me:

not the best photo but it was night time so what do you expect? As I previously said, I came second in both games. I took a photo of the scoreboard for one of the games and edited it slightly for privacy purposes

   I only lost by four points! And yes, the score is correct 'Friend 1' really only did get 13, and we cheered whenever they hit the pins.

At the moment, along with watching NANA, I am simultaneously reading two series: Arata Kangatari by Yuu Watase, which is ongoing at 15 volumes and Gokinjo Monogatari by Ai Yazawa, which is complete at 6 volumes. So two series by two very well known and respected Mangakas and thus far I am enjoying them both. I am actually surprised how much I am enjoying Arata Kangatari because it is a shounen series, which I rarely read, but that is never a bad thing I must say. I hope to have finished both series within the week if my schedule allows it.

Anyway that is about it for now, until next time :)