Spirit day? What's that?!?

Ok, this is very weird. I was on my usual routine of checking my DeviantArt messages when I see this:

Color change on the top horizontal strip of dA

 At first, I was very skeptical on what exactly happened, until I saw one of the pictures tinted with purple, indicating that it was an important event of the day. It was known as "Spirit Day".

I never heard of the day before, so I did a little research and even checked out PJ Punla's latest blog (she's one of the former writers of GAME! Magazine as far as I know it) for some details. Finally I checked out this website: 

http://www.glaad.org/spiritday

That was when I found out that "Spirit Day" was an important day dedicated to gay, lesbians, homosexuals and other kinds of transgenders who fight for their right to live normal lives. Can you imagine being mistreated just because you're having a different sexual orientation? That day was worse, for lives were even lost during that time.

As you can see, this post was typed in light purple color. It's because people are asked to wear purple shirts to show support against hatred and discrimination against gays, lesbians, & other people with unique sexual orientation. Purple was said to be the color of "spirit" according to the rainbow flag, which is on reason why purple became the official color for the Spirit Day.

So remember, never discriminate people just because they look and act "different". Instead, welcome them with open arms despite differences.

That's all for now! ^^

About separation

Last night, I watched another Inazuma Eleven Pokemon DP Battle Dimension episode. In the former, Nathan a.k.a. Kazemaru (the green - haired ponytail guy) was very downcast with the Raimon Eleven's latest defeat in the hands of Genesis (another team from Alieus Academy)and Shawn's (Fubuki's) serious injury that he decided to lay low from the team for a while. As for the latter, Jessie had to say goodbye to her Dustox so that it could be together with another Dustox (the one with brown wings that belonged to another random trainer) as they went to the so - called "Dustox Crossing", the time when the Dustox fly off in a form of a golden archway to Mt. Coronet so that they could start a new life and have a family in a flower field there.

It's indeed very painful when we experience separation, whether it's going to another place for a while, or watching a friend depart to somewhere else without turning back. But still, changes are permanent, and we have no choice but to accept it, if it's necessary.

Whatever it is, it's important to keep memories of friends in our hearts, so that it will always be worthwhile.

That's enough ranting for now... Signing off... ^^

Black Rock Shooter, one - of - a - kind

I first heard of Black Rock Shooter from the show entitled "Culture: Japan" by Danny Choo. There was a company known to produce excellent figurines (known as GoodSmile Company), and the figure details are very good. The main protagonist there was a hit, especially with that cool pose. Here's the pic:

Ok, enough ranting about the figurine, for I'm now talking about the anime show itself.

For the unitiated, Black Rock Shooter focuses on two sides of the coin: the real world, and the alternate world. In the real world, two girls meet and become friends, but later on, one of the girls disappears and her friend becomes worried about what will happen to her.


Meanwhile, in the alternate world, the main protagonist (the girl with back hair tied into pigtails and pale blue eyes with the left one blazing with a blue flame, wielding a oh - so - big cannon which can change into any weapon) is at constant warfare with the villain (the girl with the same hair color but with a somehow wavy hairstyle and pale green eyes, with the Grim Reaper scythe as her weapon and can control black skulls with glowing eye-holes). Later on, with a warm hug, the menacing spirit is finally defeated and the real person turns out to be the main character's friend who vanished from the real world. Eventually, the main protagonist crosses paths with her look - a - like and merges with her. In the end, the two friends go back to their normal lives, but things don't look as they seem in the end, with another girl acting strangely again.


Want a clearer picture? Look here.


But still, it's a great show to watch, especially with the fight scenes and the tensions going on. The drawings are indeed very gorgeous and neat, but not that original, since some speculate that the gun-wielding girl may be similar to Vocaloid's Hatsune Miku in terms of the hairstyle.


Here's another pic of the gunslinger, this time it's from an artist in DeviantArt:

If that's interesting for you, put Black Rock Shooter onto your watch list. I'm sure it's worth the hype!


See ya later, fellow readers! ^^

When vigilance is a must

Anything can happen even when we least expect it, whether it is good or bad. In my mom's case, it was bad, really bad. Her golden - color bag was stolen by a thief while she's in a restaurant in Bacolod. One minute, she was enjoying the food, and then, she realized that her bag's gone missing once another minute was passed. Now she lost all the important stuff: her purse, house keys, ATM cards, EVERYTHING!

We all know that stealing other people's things is a crime, but still, there are other people who still do it, usually due to poverty or even problems that involve money. It's very traumatic to experience being stolen by someone, and for those who do the deed, it may be fun at first, but in the end, karma can be unforgiving.


That's why it's important to always watch our backs and keep on guard. After all, the signs that read "Please keep an eye on your valuables" is always posted for this. And if you see someone stealing, don't hesitate to report. It may be worth the trouble... ^^


So remember, I repeat, always be on guard! Now signing off...

 

Mendoza hostage taking, a tragedy indeed

Up to now, I could still remember the recent hostage taking in Quirino Grandstand, with Rolando Mendoza being the mastermind of it all. The pictures were indeed still clear in my mind: poor tourists being held hostage inside the bus, police shooting guns like mad, and even the cries of people who were mere witnesses of the tragedy. It was indeed a tragedy that will forever be marked in the pages of Philippine history.

In case you haven't heard of it, check out this video:























I mean, what the heck is wrong with the hostage taker? All I know what he was indeed very desperate and hysterical about having his plea of clearing up his name not answered up to now. But still, I hope he had to come up with another way to discuss the problem, the one that does not involve putting innocent lives in danger.


But unfortunately, it's too late now. He was already dead, and his poor brother, Gregorio, was coerced to explain what exactly happened in the court. Even his family members couldn't help but to witness that incident helplessly.


But the worst of all, tourism here in the Philippines would slowly go down the drain... ><


I sure hope such things would never happen again, for the country's reputation would indeed be tarnished with a stain that would be hard to clean.


Ok, that's enough ranting. Now signing off...


EDIT: Put up the name of the hostage taker. Sorry if my memory's not clear... ^^;

About the growth (and demise) of MMORPGS in the PH

Nowadays, MMORPGS are one of the popular sources of entertainment for Filipinos, as well as one of the most popular business opportunities, with the growth of Internet cafes and game publishers. Online gamers would flock at their favorite gaming spots and spend lots of time grinding and doing quests to fortify their characters, no matter what attack style they would be. More importantly, MMORPGs are also a way to socialize, with chatting and forming parties with friends and fellow players.

The MMORPG phenomenon started with Ragnarok Online, published by Level Up! Games, way back in 2003. Although not many people play the game like it used to be back in the early years, it was still marked as a unforgettable memory and still garnered a strong following, with lots of updates to keep it going.

More importantly, Level Up! Games now has a long list of online games for players to enjoy, including Flyff (formerly under NetGames Inc., which is now disbanded), Grand Chase, Hello Kitty Online, Perfect World, Rohan Online, and even KOS: Secret Operations, its first MMOFPS. It even brings international games to Pinoys, like Neo Steam, Silkroad Online and Deco Online.

From one online game publisher, others decided to step up to the competition, like E-Games. E-Games also managed to attract attention like its predecessor, with RAN Online as its debut MMORPG. And now, it still continues to entice gamers with Cabal Online, Dragonica, Runes of Magic, Nostale, Granado Espada, Audition Dance Battle, OP7, and its newest titles, Superstar (karaoke) and Band Master (instruments). And so there you have it, many more publishers will soon be coming, and still counting.

But if there are more online games coming into the spotlight, there are other online games reaching their end, which led to their ultimate demise. If you ever checked Alcarcalimo's post about the closing of Lineage 2 SEA here, and even the latest news about ZX Online's upcoming shutdown here, you'll get my point. I know it's melancholic, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.


So there, now you understand what is like to be a customer in the online gaming market, whether you're a hardcore gamer, casual player, or itching to try something new. I hope this will open your eyes to enjoy the life of an online gamer

Discovering more about Japan's culture

With so many things to love about Japan, the country has become a popular place for people to flock in. One would just wish he or she would live there to relish the delicacies of Japanese culture.

Speaking of Japanese culture, I just watched the TV show entitled "Culture: Japan", hosted by popular blogger Danny Choo and K-On voice actress Satomi Oda. The show features some of the stuff that make the land of the rising sun very famous. Here are a few of them featured in the episode:

Cosplay: Popular Pinoy cosplayer Alodia Gonsiengfiao was featured there, with a sneak peek about her home which is also a workshop for her cosplay sorties.

Anime Figures: Mr. Choo was granted permission for a tour about Good Smile Company, the guys behind some of the most renowned anime figurines. The show even featured a few of the figure collectors and Amiami rated the top 10 best figurines to look out for.

Anime: DigitalHolywood was included there also, which served as a training ground for all future animators all over the globe.

Student Life: Fujisawa High School was indeed a school of its own kind, which allowed students to create their own time tables to suit their interests. 

I sure hope there will be another episode of the show, so that viewers everywhere would savor more about the Japanese pop culture. I hope this will spark your interest... ^^

For more about Danny Choo's blog, you can visit dannychoo.com

Oh, and here's Alodia's website for an added bonus: alodiagosiengfiao.com

Of sibling relationships (in anime)

One of the plots you would usually see in anime shows is family relationships, particularly towards siblings. Most of them have featured characters that have either brothers or sisters, or even both. The closeness between them are somehow similar in real life, wherein it differs depending on the situation. It's somehow complicated, but let me simplify this: either they became allies or enemies, and, in some cases, they remained close even though they could not reunite due to unfortunate circumstances.

Here are a few examples:

First on the list is Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha from Naruto. I know how you guys feel when you discover that Itachi's the one responsible for the extermination of their clan. The usual reaction would be anger and retribution for the dead, and it goes the same for Sasuke against Itachi.

Another is Makoto and Kyoichi Shido from Idaten Jump. At first, Makoto wondered if the masked rider is really her brother and why she could not see him immediately, but after rediscovering her MTB bike and removing the masked man's helm, it was indeed a miracle that her guess was right, and she understood the reasons as to why Kyoichi had to conceal his face and go on separate ways from her and his friends, especially if it involves Team ST.

Lastly, there goes Tyson and Hiro from Beyblade G-Revolution. Hiro may seem to be a bad guy at first, especially when he defeats Ray and watches Tyson battling against other beybladers, much to the Tyson's chagrin, but at the regional finals, when he reveals his face to Tyson at last, it was indeed a tearful reunion. After all, one must sometimes camouflage to keep an eye on the person he or she loves most.

So there you have it, folks, the application of real - life sibling relationships in anime shows. Whether it's sibling rivalry, discord, or close bonds, what matters the most is that family is one important factor in one's life, and one must be glad to have grown-up with family members.

That's all, folks! Gotta continue my Beybade G-Revolution marathon! ^^

Interest in Beyblade rekindled

I first discovered Beyblade years ago through watching adventures of Tyson and his crew of beybladers. When you hear the word 'Beyblade', the first thing that would come into your mind would be spinning tops on the field striking against one another until only one top remains spinning with the others being rendered to standstill. What got me hooked on the series was the intense action, the competition to see who will stand the best among all, all while imparting lessons of sportsmanship, friendship and fair play.

And so once again, I was drawn again into the world of spinning tops through the latest Beyblade spin-off, Metal Fight Beyblade. It was first aired last Wednesday through Cartoon Network, and boy, I was once again hooked with the action that was brought by the battle that Tyson and his friends first commenced. Only this time, a new protagonist emerged, by the name of Ginga Hagane, together with his Beyblade, Storm Pegasus.

 


























I really adored Ginga and considered him as my most favorite character there because of his extraordinary skills in beyblading, especially when Storm Pegasus unleashed its most powerful attacks. More importantly, he taught Kenta, the short kid who's also a beyblader, that a beyblade's true strength lies within the heart. No wonder he would sometimes stare at the stars during his usual strolls and considered Pegasus as his comrade (Yep, the bit beasts are based on constellations, different from the previous Beyblade shows wherein the four Chinese mythology beasts were the bit beasts of the main protagonists.)


I'm really getting hooked on it right now! I can't wait to see more of the action! Yeehaw!


That's all for now! Ciao! ^^

Witnessing a lot of endings

They say that all good things must come to an end, and it does happen all the time. In my case, I have seen some anime shows that I've watched in both Animax and Cartoon Network reaching their final moments. Good thing they turn out to be enjoyable, although not that happy and not that bittersweet.

The first on the list in Tengen Toppa Gurren Langann. The main antagonist was finally defeated and both Simon and Nia were finally married, but sadly, her life was put to an end. On the final scenes after the ending song, the characters had grown and aged, but they had become better persons, especially Simon who passed on some words of wisdom to the kid as they watched the robots fly off into space.

Next is the latest season of Pokemon, Diamond and Pearl. Although Ash and his latest rival were still in each other's throats during the tag team battle, they managed to win the championships and win the prize. I couldn't wait to see what will happen next! ^^

Then there's Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. The main villain finally got the taste of its own medicine by being brought into despair, and Ed and Al were back to their normal selves. Can't tell you how, but it's worth the trouble. The last episode will be shown on Friday.

In Romeo x Juliet (Yes, there's also an anime version of the Shakespeare classic), the tides were turned to the Capulets and Lord Montague finally confessed the truth to Romeo about the tree that held the world in place that was about to wither, that once it is dead, the apocalypse will happen. I would say that the ending will be heart-stopping and shocking.

Well, that's all I could remember. What's important is that whatever the result will be on the grand finale, we must accept it as it is.

That's all! ^^