Books of 2014 (Pt. 2)

Meada
Author: Euripides
Published: 431 BC
Genre: Tragedy
My Thoughts: Well, if Greek tragedy is your thing, go for it. I personally think that most plays should be seen, not read. 

Lord of the Flies
Author: William Golding
Published: September 17, 1954
Genre: Dystopia, Speculative Fiction, Allegory
My Thoughts: As a plane-full of boys find a way to survive on a deserted island, Golding explores the human condition, and the animalistic nature that people can revert to in a time of crisis. It was pretty interesting, and if you're into stories like Fahrenheit 451 or Animal Farm, you would probably enjoy this as well.

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters
Author: Lesley M. M. Blume
Published: January 8, 2008
Genre: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Youth
My Thoughts: Ok, so this is a children's book (like, middle grades reading) but it has been my favorite book since I was 10 and it was the 4th time I've read it and omg memories. Eleven year old Cornelia becomes friends with her neighbor who spent her 20's traveling the world with her sisters. The various escapades they go on are hilarious and all the characters are surprisingly developed for a children's story.

Steampunk Fashion
Author: Spurgeon Vaughn Ratcliffe
Published: November 1, 2012
Genre: n/a
My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book, but I don't recommend it to anyone who's not familiar to Steampunk. It is mostly pictures of various steampunkers + a biography/write up on how they make their outfits. It's more of an inspirational showcase for those of us who make our own steampunk gear. 

Huckleberry Fin
Author: Mark Twain
Published: December 1884
Genre: Adventure, Satire, Humor
My Thoughts: Well, it was assigned for school, so as far as summer reading goes, it was pretty good. I enjoyed the majority of the book, and thought it was a fun follow up to Tom Sawyer. To be perfectly honest, the last two chapters were unnecessary. Twain obviously included them simply because he wanted to draw a connection to the previous novel, and it did nothing to further the plot- it left the book with a weak ending.

The Books of 2014 (Pt. 1)

So, alternating with my 10 Prompts, I will be posting the books I read in 2014~

[fun fact: usually there would be a picture of

all of those books right here

but i'm sick so theres not]

The Fault in our Stars
Author: John Green
Published: January 10, 2012
Genre: YA, Romance, Realistic Fiction
My Thoughts: Before I say anything about the actual story itself, I want it to be clear that John Green is a wonderful writer. Actually, the only reason I managed to finish the book was because of his diction. The story itself was not as compelling as many people made it out to be, and the plot seemed to really meander and lose focus in the middle (though I see his reasons for doing so). I don't really recommend it. That's all I have to say about this one.

Cry, the Beloved Country
Author: Alan Paton
Published: 1948
Genre: Historical Fiction, Social Criticism
My Thoughts: I really liked this book. It was a stirring story of a fathers search for his son in the racial tension/ institutionalized racism of South Africa. Unfortunately, it was extremely hard to follow. Why? Because Alan Paton thought he was above using decent punctuation, such as quotation marks, commas, paragraph brakes, not using paragraph breaks, periods, and grammar. As you can imagine, it was kind of a nightmare to read, due to it's formatting. I recommend it to anyone who has patience and wants to read a historical novel with major social commentary, but be sure to be wide awake while reading!

The Lost World
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Published: 1912
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction (fun fact: in the time it was written it was called a Scientific Romance- the old term for Science Fiction)
My Thoughts: I really loved this story. It is absolutely one of my favorites! The characters are pretty well defined, the narrater is likable, and the plot is quite fantastic. I actually prefer it over the Sherlock Holmes stories... I totally recommend this to anyone who likes dinosaurs/victorian era/adventure stuff :) And the ending was surprisingly satisfying. 

Macbeth
Author: William Shakespeare
Published: First performance- 1611
Genre: Tragedy
My Thoughts: A power hungry man kills all in the way of "his" throne... only to go insane and tragically loose everything. As far as Shakespeare tragedies go, this one just didn't really live up to my expectations. That may be because Hamlet is my favorite, but some parts of Macbeth just fell flat to me. If you enjoy Shakespeare and tragedy (a perfect mixture for insane characters), then yes, I do recommend this book/play (the play is always better)

Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: September 10, 2013
Genre: Romance, YA
My Thoughts: The title says it all- a popular fanfic author finds her life turned upside down as she goes to college, finds a guy, and learns to not depend on her twin sister. The characterization is great, and all of the characters feel very real. It's a cute story, but I wouldn't really recommend it. Let's be real- I would rather read the sci-fi/fantasy story than the story about a girl who writes about the story any day ;)

Fullmetal Alchemest 2003 and Fullmetal Alchemest: Brotherhood

I know I said in January that I would have the comparison up "soon"

"soon" is a relative term and can mean some time within two minutes or two years, depending on what this "soon" was referring to.

"I'll put the cookies in the oven soon"- some time within the hour
"I'll see you soon"- some time within the next few days
"I'll post my review soon"- when I actually have time to sit down and do it
"I'll clean my room soon"- I don't want to clean my room so it'll never happen

now that that's all cleared up- on to the review! 

(And random fandom-ey stuff at the end)
_________________________________________________________________

As you know, I have finished both "Fullmetal Alchemist" and "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood", and absolutely loved them both! After finishing FMA:B, I didn't feel the need to make a review for it. Why? Well, my original review for the 2003 version pretty much covers what I need to say about the plot and warnings (mostly), so no need repeating myself.

I'm going to refer to the 2003 version as FMA and the 2009 version as Brotherhood

((The next part is really just me talking about the depth/ violence/ rating of the series. It would be more useful for someone who has not seen the series before. Fell free to skip and resume after the picture of the candy. That's where the real comparison starts.))

So, as I have mentioned before, both versions are intense. Scale of 1-10/ Fruits Basket to Hunger Games? It averages out to a five or six. But then there are scenes that are total fluff (obviously), and then there are those shocking scenes that sky-rocket to "Hunger Games" level.


But then again, I'm just talking about the action/violence/gore. Not the in-depth look at moralities, the grey between right and wrong, and the well defined black and white. That's something that I loved so much about both shows- there was the laid out black and white, but there was also the grey zone, just as it is in real life.

Ed and Al grow up fast. They have to, and though much of the story takes place when they're 14/15/16 (ending when Ed's around 18 in Brotherhood), they also have episodes when they're very young.  You see the boys mature, but the circumstances start off just as awful as they end. Violence peruses them (or they pursue it. It's hard to tell), but more importantly the show is very layered.

Layers upon layers upon layers of story and plot and orals and symbolism and metaphors and analogies. It's like a jaw breaker. 
(Brotherhood more so. Mostly because it's longer, but it also has fewer plot holes)

You can always count on me to compare something to candy

My brother, who is relatively smart, is 13. He watched FMA / Brotherhood, and understood it to and extent, but I honestly don't believe that he got the best experience with it (I know I wouldn't have at his age). I, at 15, understood it better than him, but I know there are some things that I missed. It will take a second and third watches, as well as maturity, for me to grasp it all. 

So, yes, as a general rating, I would agree with the TV rating: TV-14. But the decision is really a question of maturity and understanding than age.

Brotherhood, in general, was much more in-depth than FMA, and had more condensed violence, as well.

((Ok, now onto the real comparison))

I'm going to look at two main things here: The plot and characterization. Other aspects of the show really just aren't that important when comparing. Finally, I'll conclude with the question of "What should I watch?". 

I spent a lot of time on this. Appreciate it.

The Plot

The beginning of FMA and Brotherhood are parallel, due to them both following the manga. The first 10 to 15 episodes of Brotherhood seem rushed, though, because so much is crammed into them. On the other hand, FMA devoted almost double the episodes to the same plot. It allows viewers to get more connected to the characters, and to enjoy the rest of the series without feeling rushed.

I think that one of the main reasons the writers of Brotherhood felt like they could just rush through such an important part of the story is because it is assumed that fans already watched FMA, so they had no need to go into detail, which makes sense. 

But this doesn't change, so don't worry, you're not missing much there :p

So, for the question of  "should I just skip FMA all together?" my response is this: If you do not want to watch all of FMA, then don't, but please, please watch until episode 25, then watch Brotherhood from the beginning. There are minor differences in the beginning of Brotherhood's series that need to be seen, even if the episodes aren't that great.

Also, watch "The Flame Alchemist, The Bachelor Lieutenant; and The Mystery of Warehouse 13". It is in FMA and not worth missing.

For the rest of the series, Brotherhood is longer, so it has more time for things to develop well. This left less room for the larger plot holes (which happened in FMA) and helped keep the continuity.

Many people discard FMA after watching Brotherhood, but in reality, FMA is a well done show in and of itself. True, there are some obvious plot holes and general weirdness that happens, but it's not worth calling the anime "worthless" over.

The two shows ultimately go in totally different directions, so it's almost pointless to say one it better than the other when it comes to the overall plot and spirit. I would like to believe that FMA is just an alternate universe version of Brotherhood :)  (and it's possible, considering how FMA ended)

Characters

There are sooo many wonderful characters in both shows, but lets face it: Brotherhood's characterization, character development, writing of character interactions, and female characters are way better than FMAs.

It's true- ask anyone who has watched both shows.

In FMA, the characters are great. You get attached and the main characters have some development and depth. I wouldn't call it bad... just lacking. Especially since so many of the lovely ladies just got pushed aside. 

Epic people who I will cosplay. Thank God I'm blonde!
Credit

Ed and Al's character arcs obviously carry the most weight in the story, but in Brotherhood, they share the spotlight a lot more. It becomes a story of how they initiated saving the end of the world and worked as a team to save it, not a story just about Ed and Al saving everyone's butts. 

Also, Brotherhood has a lot more characters that are absolutely amazing! Because there's more episodes, there's more time to get to know all of those characters. It's really great. 

By this cutie

"What should I watch?"

And here we arrive at the big question. "Should i watch Brotherhood? Or FMA? Or Both? Why should I even watch it?"

Yes

Yes

Yes

Because it is amazing and is beautifully done. There is action, adventure, romance, comedy, tragedy, and a truly amazing hero's journey. It is considered one of the best animes of all time for a reason. Sure, it gets violent and makes you cringe, but that's why it's so good. It wakes something up deep inside of you, it gives you hope and then takes it away and then builds it back up from the ground. It will leave you crying tears of joy and sadness and anger. There is something for everyone, even if it typically isn't your type of show.

Also Izumi's pretty hot (and I mean that in the straightest way possible).

So go and watch it! Watch both!

Watch FMA first, and enjoy it. Love the story for what it is and remember how much you liked it when you watch Brotherhood. Both are amazing, but in totally different ways. Leave a good month or so in between watching them, so that you can keep the story straight in your mind.

If you watch Brotherhood first, then FMA will be crap.

____________________________________________________

Alright, that's it! Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think/ your opinions on each series. 

(and I'm totally up for geeking out in the comments, as always)
_______________________________________________________

This is an amazing video and everyone needs to watch it

And now I'm going to shamelessly do some self promotion

Have some EdWin fluff

cretits
(has lots of cute EdWin art- go check her out!)

Or if RoyAi is more your style

~ShaakThusa 

A very quick mini-review of SAO

You may or may not know this, but I watch anime based on recommendation only. Why? Because if at least two people I know like it, then it is probably good. I really don't have the time to go out and watch shows that I don't like, so it works. I try to find two friends  (irl or internet) who have enjoyed it, and then read a review or two (one on CAA and one where ever I can find it). I try to give the show a good 3 episodes before I quit.

I have heard a lot about this "great show- Sword Art Online- that you should totally watch!". So, a while back, I gave it a try.

I do not understand how so many people loved it.

Like, the plot had really cool potential, and the animation was good, and the acting was ok, but I couldn't bring myself to finish the third episode. And then I talked to some other people and said that it only goes downhill from there.

I'm not trying to bash this show or anything, trust me. I'm just curious- have you seen it? What do you like about it? Do you feel that it's aimed at a very specific group of people, and others just wouldn't enjoy it quite as much?

I'd like to hear what others think of it!

"Angel Beats" Review

I was never really planning on watching "Angel Beats". I knew it was popular, and it kept showing up on my Netflix feed, but it just never made it on my list of "must see animes". Well, a few weeks ago, my cousin Katie suggested it to me, and since I had just finished "Evangelion" (which is amazing. BTW), I figured I would give it a try. I liked it. I'm not going to say that it will ever be in my top 10 list or anything, but it was really good, with great character growth and a generally light plot. Heck, I even cried in the end (and not feels/internal crying, I bawled like a baby). It's a fun, short show that I recommend to anyone who likes a bit of action and sci-fi thrown into the a school-life show!

Source

Alright, on to the review!

Synopsis:
"Otonashi awakens only to learn he is dead. A rifle-toting girl named Yuri explains that they are in the afterlife, and Otonashi realizes the only thing he can remember about himself is his name. Yuri tells him that she leads the Shinda Sekai Sensen (Afterlife Battlefront) and wages war against a girl named Tenshi. Unable to believe Yuri's claims that Tenshi is evil, Otonashi attempts to speak with her, but the encounter doesn't go as he intended."
Read more at http://myanimelist.net/anime/6547/Angel_Beats!#iQDb8rg0KYrWTXqH.99

Warnings:
Swearing: not any more than the other shows I've reviewed. I feel like it may have been less, but I'm not sure. (Ok, I'm going to make a page that has how I rate stuff on it... that sounds good).

All of these characters are dead. They are living in a strange high school afterlife. They cannot die in the after life, so they are constantly "killed" in violent ways... run through with a knife, drown, fall off a building... but they don't actually die. Make sense? It's like their all Rory Williams-Pond or something.

Some of the characters have flashbacks to their earthly life and how they died. One girl's siblings are brutally murdered. Nobody commits suicide in their real life, btw, just thought I'd throw that out there.

Availability:
It's a relatively popular anime, but I heard that it was taken off of Netflix. I watched it on animefreak.

Characters:
There are sooo many great characters in this show. I really wish there had been two seasons, because it would have been easier to explain everyones back story better.

"Hakuouki" Review

So after FMA, I was a little lost. I wanted to watch FMA: Brotherhood, but I needed time in between the series. I didn't feel like watching something super cute and girly like "Fruits Basket", either. Fortunately, my friends General Snips and May came to the rescue with "Hakuouki". I absolutely loved this show, and it was a nice break from the fast pace of FMA. Because of school starting, and being busy during summer it took me forever to watch, and I watched half of it in Japanese with the subtitles, but I remember most of it.

(Source)

Synopsis:
The protagonist, Yukimura Chizuru, is the daughter of a doctor who works in Edo. The father leaves Edo to work as a volunteer doctor and moves to Kyoto without his daughter. As time passes by, Chizuru starts worrying about losing contact with her father, so she decides to go to Kyoto in search of him. On the way, Chizuru is attacked by few criminals and witnesses a fight between an oni and the Shinsengumi. Taking her into custody and saving her, the Shinsengumi debate on what to do with Chizuru when they discover that she is the daughter of the doctor they are also looking for. So they decide to become Chizuru's protectors and help her look for her father (the doctor). Lots of events happen while she stays with the Shinsengumi, as they discover mysterious secrets and also fight against the Bakumatsu group. 
from: Here

It is based off of the real life Shinsengumi Samuri group, which was started in the early/mid 1800's. Go check out this page for more information of the Shinsengumi and the character's real-life counterparts.

Warnings:
This show is about samurai and a rebellion and changing times, so there is quite a bit of sword fighting/blood/injuries and deaths. One of the characters has tuberculosis, and there are quite a few scenes where he is seen coughing up blood. There's no super intense gore or anything that I can remember.

On a moral level, it takes place/was made in Japan, so the obvious religion and mythology come into play occasionally. There are creatures referred to as "Oni" or "Demons", and some people try to re-create those creatures. They come out as somewhat vampire like. Ok, let me explain. They are created killing machines, and sometimes they loose their grip on reality and go into a rage that can only be stopped by drinking blood. As you can imagine, this can cause a number of problems when some of the members of the Shinsingumi are turned into these half-demons.

 I have to admit, I am really bad at remembering if there is swearing in anything. It goes in one ear and out the other. But I wrote myself a note! So now i know to say "there is some foul language, but honestly, it's not much worse than most other animes I have reviewed so far." So there you go.

Oh, and you may need a box of tissues and chocolate for the second season. Just sayin', especially if you get attached to any of the characters.

Availability:
I believe you can buy it on Amazon, but I watched the subs on YouTube, and the English dub on an off-site, so if you want a link for that I can send it to you. It's not exactly a popular/well known show, so it's not available on most sites like Netflix or Hulu.

Characters:

Chizuru Yukimura

Daww... she's such a cutie

Our heroine is a strong and complex character who is very well written, animated, and acted. Some people say she is weak willed and pathetic. I say that for a woman of Imperial Japan, she is extremely strong and has completely destroyed all gender roles of her time. Yeah, she's my favorite character of the show.

Let's take a moment to appreciate how great a character she is! (BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE HER SHES JUST TOO CUTE!!!)

Well, she's a bit clumsy :) (Go watch the video it's priceless)

But she's strong, too. Ok, I'm done ranting about her.

Toshizo Hijikata

You really could smile more

HIjakata is the Vice-Commander of the Shinsingumi.  At first his character seems cold and distant, but as time goes on he becomes a likable character. Personally, he isn't my favorite, but I did like him. He has a few surprising character traits, though, and the audience gets to know him better in the second season. He is generally refered to as Hijikata

Souji Okita

Bby you're my favorite :'(

Souji Okita, commander of the first unit, is a good natured, though often sarcastic, character. He instantly became my favorite... which I guess just goes to show that I always fall in love with the ones with the most tragic plot. He is alternately called by Okita and Souji. Okita is his family name.

Sanosuke Harada

Idk if i ship or bro-ship him with Chizuru

Sanosuke Harada is the tallest among the commanders. He is easily the most cheerful of the group, and is often making jokes with the others. He becomes very close with Chizuru, and I love how their relationship grows throughout the series. He is also very close with  He's my third favorite :). He is generally referred to as Sano, but Harada is also common.

Saitou Hajime

Haha, this scene ^.^

Saitou Hajime is the leader of the third division. He is a master swordsman, and is one of the best of the best in the Shinsingumi. His talent lies in quickly cutting down his enemy in one move, a style called Iaijutsu. Though he is an excellent warrior, he seems to be rather shy. The times he does talk, though, he usually has something important to say. He looooves swords. I think it would be fair to say he is much like us fangirls... once he starts talking about swords, he doesn't stop! He really is a great character, and I probably would have liked him even more if he had more screen time. He and Souji have a close friendship, and he is mostly called Saitou.

I now realize I have written more about him than any other character... haha, and I thought there wouldn't be much to say about him! 

Heisuke Toudou

He's almost as cute a Chizuru... almost...

Heiskue Toudou (or Todo, but I guess the spelling is irrelevant) is the the youngest of the commanders, being only 18. He's energetic, out going, friendly, and is a bit of a prankster. He, Sano, and Shinpachi are very close friends *can you hear that? that's me crying my eyes out over my perfect BroT3*. Sometimes he is called Heisuke, sometimes he is called Toudou.

Shinpachi Nagakura

And the last member of the epic 3

Shinpachi Nagakura is a relatively light hearted character, and enjoys having a good time with his friends and comrades. As I said earlier, he, Sano, and Heisuke have a close relationship. He is most commonly called Shinpachi.

I believe that I have covered the most important characters. A little side note: there is an OVA for each of the main characters. They are the ultimate source ship and bro-ship material.

Well, I'll spare you from the "not so spoiler free end" after this long post. Instead, I have a few questions about the way I do these reviews:
Should I make them less biased or more personal?
Does the lay-out work and make sense?
Is there something I should add/not do?
Should I go from a more Christian-like stand point?
Should I talk about acting/production quality?
What can I do to improve the reviews?

I would love it if you shared input!

"Fullmetal Alchemest" Review

*This is a review for the 2003 anime, not for FMA: Brotherhood*

This show, THIS SHOW, totally trumps both "Fruits Basket" and "Host Club".  Action, adventure, alternate history and a slightly steampunk world... "Fullmetal Alchemist" is much more my type of show. Both the plot and the characters have great development, and every time you think the biggest plot twist happened, there's an even bigger one around the corner! FMA definitely makes it into my top 10 favorite shows.

Synopsis:
Edward Elric and his younger brother Alphonse were living quite happily with their mother... until she died. So Edward and Alphonse decided to try to raise her from the dead. The resurrection failed, leaving Edward without an arm and a leg and Alphonse's soul attached to a suit of armor. Now they roam around the country trying to find a way to restore their bodies. Written by Salix

Warnings:

Aside from minor swearing, this show is relatively clean from general moral views. The violence is tricky, because it can go from 0 to Hunger Games and back again. Sometimes it is quite unexpected, and (less often) unnecessary. Fortunately these scenes normally add to the plot and character development, so it's not a waste of time.

*This is slightly spoiler-ey* The FMA universe is parallel to our own, having a split from our history from over 400 years before World War One. In this world, alchemy is the science that developed, instead of physics. There are many references to different religions, most of which are made up. The Ishvalan religion is the main religion, and it has some aspects similar to middle-eastern religion and culture (it is inspired a bit by Hindu, apparently). Christianity is brought up once, it being called a "dead religion". There are also many off hand/side comments about "not needing religion". I wouldn't say that there is any blatant Christianity/religion hate, but the "science, not God" attitude is sometimes there.

The show is about a war. It shows many different aspects and sides. It doesn't only focus on the heroes and the villains, but on the common people, on the villains  pawns, on everyone. It reminds me a bit of Timothy Zahns book, "Choices of One", which showed how one person can affect so many others. It is truly beautiful the way it is written like that.

It is quite interesting how the main villains are the seven deadly sins: Lust, Greed, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, and Pride.

Most definitely a 13+ show.

Availability:
All 51 episodes are currently available on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon ($25). Subs and dubs available on YouTube. The only place I could find the movie was on Hulu. Trust me, you'll want to watch it right when you finish the show.

Characters:
After debating if I should do a whole different post for characters, I decided to cram it all in this one. There are so many wonderful characters, and I'm going to talk about my favorites... because I love them that much :p.

Edward Elric

Aww.. bby y u so cute!

Ed is one of the most adorable/lovable/amazing characters I have ever met. His determination and loyalty, especially to his brother, are his most admirable traits, but he can be quite childish at times (but aren't we all?). Great overall development, and I'm going to end it here or else I will start a fangirly rant. 

Alphonse Elric

Haha this pic is so intense and misleading

Al, Ed's younger brother, is often mistaken for his older brother. After loosing his body, his soul is attached to armor, which makes him near invincible. After Ed becomes a state alchemest, he travels everywhere with him.

The Mustang Unit

(Heymans Breda, Kain Fuery,  Riza Hawkeye, Roy Mustang, and Jean Havoc; Vato Falman not pictured)

So I'm putting this lovely group of people together, because that is simply how it should be done. Breda, Fuery, and Havoc are mostly comic relief, but they are well rounded characters. Roy Mustang, the Fire Alchemest, leads this team, and could be considered a bit as Ed's mentor figure, even though they don't get along at first. And then there is Riza Hawkeye, who is the most fantastic character ever. That's all I can say about her. She is just fantastic. The first moment that Roy and Riza showed up I shipped them.

Maes Hughes

You have no ides how painful it was
looking for this picture. No idea.

Just don't get attached to this entirely lovable and hilarious character and you will survive. *Just thought I'd warn you.* He loves his wife and daughter to no end, and loves to take pictures of them... which he  shows every person he meets. He is Roy's best friend. I'm going to stop before I start sobbing.

Armstrong is pretty much this:

And that's all

  The Villains  

This is actually from FMA: Brotherhood, Pride is different in the 2003 version

The idea to make each of the villains represent one of the 7 sins was a truly brilliant idea. It makes it a bit more realistic in a sense, the internal struggle agents these traits. I felt no sympathy for them, except for Lust and Wrath in the end. It's genius how Lust dies while she is consumed by lust to be human.


There are so many more wonderful characters, but I'm going to move on to the last section.

_____________________________________________

*Not so spoiler free end*

Well, this show is AMAZING on so many levels. I laughed, I cried, I laughed and cried at the same time, I screamed and sat there in complete awe of plot twists.

There is something painfully realistic about Hughes's death. He dies early on in the series, and there are reminders of him, all the way to the end. In most franchises that I'm into (Harry Potter, Star Wars, Last Airbender, even Doctor Who), favorite character's don't die until the end. If they die/leave early on, they are forgotten about quickly. When Hughes dies, Roy is determined to honor his best friends memory, and the viewers are not allowed to forget about him. It reminded me that the good guys do die, that sometimes a parent doesn't come home, and friends leave, but you never forget them. Just beautiful.

And I ship Roy/Riza like there is no tomorrow, and Riza Hawkeye is the coolest character ever. I'm going to cosplay as her :)

"Fruits Basket" Review

Hi everyone! I have recently finished the animate series "Fruits Basket" and I really enjoyed it! I'm going to do a (mostly) spoiler free review first, but if you have already seen it, feel free to skip down to the not-so-spoiler-free end.

Synopsis (taken from here):
After her mother's death, Tohru Honda finds herself living with the Sohma family consisting of three cousins: Yuki, the 'prince charming' of their high school, Kyo the hot headed, short tempered outcast, and Shigure the mischievous novelist, if not sometimes that of a pervert. Tohru finds out the Sohma family secret that when a member is hugged by the opposite gender or they are tired out, they turn into the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Filled with many lovable character and many plot twists along the way, life at the Sohma house will never be the same again. -Written by Anonymous

Warnings:
There is some minor nudity, when characters change back to their human form, but this is "cleverly censored by little puffs of smoke"(here). There is very little cursing, rarely using anything stronger than "damn" and "bastard". There is little violence, and Arisa is an ex-gang member. There are a few characters that seem homosexual, but in the end it turns out they are not. There are also a few mentions of abuse.

The show is rated PG, and I recommend it to anyone 12+. Younger viewers will have a harder time relating to and understanding the characters and high school setting.

Availability:
All 26 episodes are available through instant-play on Netflix. Multiple box-set editions are available for $20+ on Amazon and Ebay.

Characters:
One thing in particular that I really loved about the series is how well the characters are developed. Main characters are very well rounded, and so are many side characters. There is one character, Ayame, who makes me uncomfortable, but that may just be because he reminds me of someone I had some bad experiences with. So episodes 14 and 20 are difficult for me to watch (but I sufferd through 20 because of my BroTP).

Animation:
Keep in mind that the show was released in 2001, so the animation isn't at the same standard we have now. Aside from that, the animation is very well done.


Fruits Basket was my first Anime, aside from some movies and Pokemon (ATLA isn't technically Anime). If you are considering getting into anime, like fantasy stories and are looking for a new show, Fruits Basket is defiantly a good place to start. (If you don't like the first two episodes, though, don't bother continuing)

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(Here is the not-so-spoiler-free end)

I LOVED LOVED LOVED Fruba!

Yuki wins the prize for most adorable animated character ever.

But he can be a nasty little rat ;P

But seriously, the way that he was abused when he was younger is so sad. The fact that so many of the Zodiac members were abused by Akito is so sad and every time they mentioned it I just wanted to hug the character.

My BroTP :)

I think one of my favorite moments in the entire series was when Yuki and Kyo go and get Tohru back from her grandfather. That scene was just so amazing and showed how much they cared about her. Another scene that I loved was when Kyo and Yuki go back to Tohru on New Years eve. It was so sweet!

I love this cosplay!
Arisa is probably my favorite character out of the series, though. We look alike, and both are short tempered and are very loyal to our friends. I think I'll cosplay as her soon! And to add to my list of favorite scenes, Arisa's first introduction when she beats up the Prince Yuki Fan Club is one :).

It's funny, I don't actually ship anybody in the series. I know Kyo and Tohru end up together, and thats great, but I just don't care that much. Well, I guess if I had to ship people I would ship Kyo and Arisa, they might work well together.

I just love some of the quotes from the show, too.

I think this one is so powerful, because it completely relates to insecurity in real life.

Well, I think that's it. Have a nice week!

THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Um... yeah. You can probably guess from the title that I am OBSESSED with THG. It was awesome. I found out that there was going to be a movie when I was about half way done with Mockingjay. That was probably one of the best and mos disturbing books (well, other than the Bible) I have ever read.

 But on to the movie. It was amazing. I don't think there are any other words to describe it. It followed the book closely, and there were some added scenes of the game makers, but nothing changed too much. And Haymitch, and Rue (I was crying my eyes out when she died), and Katniss, and Peeta, and Gale (actually, they didn't pick a good Gale, but so what.) and Effie.... they were awesome. It was great to see all of my favorite characters brought to life. 

My biggest disappointment was that they played "Safe and Sound" as the second song in the credits. I give the movie an 11/11. 

One sec, I need a Girl Scout cookie. *gets a few of the lemon cookies and plays with dog. now the tennis ball is stuck in a tree*

That was an eventful cookie break.... 

I'm going to put up some pictures in the "Artwork" page now. Ciao!