I thought it was time for a cultural post, as I’ve woefully neglected it thus far. Even more surprising it’s somewhat a fashion post. Normally I’m a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl, just throw it on and hope it lands right. But every once in a while a dim glimmer of interest in fashion switches on. First of all credit to Blue Floppy Hat, as I’m now very much a fan of the art of tsumami-kanzashi.
But what is a kanzashi? It’s hairpieces which are used in the traditional hairstyles by brides or people working in the traditional arts in Japan, e.g. geisha and Japanese tea ceremony traditions. They can be made from a variety of materials such as lacquered wood, gold and silver plated metal, tortoiseshell and silk. It’s also thought that kanzashi may have been used for defensive purposes, which is understandable judging from the fork-like features, if one found themselves to be in an unfavourable situation.
“Was it all a dream?… Or maybe a vision?… No. It was real…”
Otherwise known as The Vision of Escaflowne or Tenkuu no Escaflowne, directed by KazukiAkane, who is also associated with Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop and also Ergo Proxy. Once again this anime used to be one of my childhood indulgences, every evening at about seven o’clock on Fox Kids, (the censored version) Although I kept annoying my siblings with incessant chatter about this series, it never occurred to me to actually purchase the series. I was silly enough to think that Escaflowne would never be pulled from the schedule as it was simply awesome, especially because of the design of the dragons. My older sister, Alexia, was shrewd enough to know that I would be overjoyed with the Escaflowne series for Christmas. The postal service must have had a muddle up, as the Escaflowne box set she ordered in November didn’t arrive until the following March.
The anime, The Vision of Escaflowne is based upon the manga written by KatsuAki. The differences between the anime versions and the manga version are immense. The anime series Escaflowne, the feature length movie Escaflowne and the manga have all different character designs. The manga has the lead female protaganist, Hitomi, as a very quiet teenage girl with glasses who then transforms into a blonde, busty, and barely clothed woman whenever she comes into contact with the mechaEscaflowne. In the animeHitomi has short hair and is much more athletic than her manga persona.
The premise of Escaflowne series about a young girl called HitomiKanzaki who ends up being transported to the world of Gaia. Hitomi seems to have an uncanny ability to predict the future especially with her grandmother’s pendant. She ends up meeting the arrogant prince of Fanelia called Van Fanel, who is somewhat is responsible for her appearance on Gaia. As Gaia is about to be in the throes of a war, Van’s homeland Fanelia is destroyed by giant mecha’s called guymelef’s. Van and Hitomi flee Fanelia with the guymelefEscaflowne. Introduce Allen Schezar, an honourable knight of a neighbouring country called Austuria, who helps Van, Hitomi and a cat-girl called Merle. Chaos ensues, causing the group to split up several times during the course of Escaflowne. The Forgotten City of Atlantis, angels, love triangles, war and the power of a single person’s will shape the course of The Vision of Escaflowneanime.
Evidently this anime has expertly blended to appeal to the largest audience possible especially with war, action and mecha’s combined with romance and the idea of fortune. Originally the series was supposed to be around the thirty nine episode mark but it was cut down to twenty six. This explains the rushed feel towards to the penultimate episodes of Escaflowne.
I know that this particular vid has a dance music feel to it but I wanted to get something that wasn’t all violent or all soppy saccharine sweet either. So here’s the Escaflowne series with the remix of Carmina Burana with O Fortuna. Enjoy!
In regards to the manwha Bride Of The Water God, I previously checked out their website looking for the publication dates for the volumes. Unable to find any indication of a future publication, I e-mailed Dark Horse enquiring if the next volumes are planned to be released.
To whom it may concern,
I am an avid reader of the manwha Bride of The Water God written by Mi-Kyung Yun. I have purchased the first two volumes of this series but my query is about the release date of the next volume. I wonder if this particular manwha has been suspended as there seems to be no indication of a release date.
Eagerly awaiting your reply.
I received a very encouraging reply, with the fact that Bride Of The Water WILL be published soon.
Thank you for your interest in Dark Horse! We will be releasing BRIDE 3 and 4 in the near future, but they haven’t been placed on our schedule yet. They’re in production, so they will DEFINITELY be coming out. Thanks for your patience!
It’s official, try to be patient everyone. But I simply can’t wait for the next installment!
Finally…I’ve finished all my exams! Construction Studies was the very last thing, which only finished up a couple of hours ago. But today, about two hours into the exam I was starving. Spacing out and reading the questions several times failed to distract my thoughts of gastronomical delights. Usually a bottle of cola and a chocolate bar were my must haves for each exam. No chocolate bar today though…much to my embarrassment. I gave out quite an unladylike burp during the silence of the exam hall. I would compare it to a burp from a after drinking a fizzy drink. Of course, in my situation in the exam hall, all the guys sitting around me heard my moment of unpredictability. What else could I do but laugh at my stellar timing for the inappropriate.
There will anime and manga posts soon, I just need to summon up the time for them. I’m doing my research at the moment.
Well…so far seven exams done and dusted only the fabled four now remaining. French, biology, physics/chemistry and finally construction studies. I must admit that not only is the new roof of the exam hall that annoys me, with it’s constant creaking but this other problem is so surreal, it’s almost unbelievable. A very cute pair of swallows have decided to make their nest in one of the changing rooms in the hall. Of course their little clutch of eggs have hatched since before the exams began, but they never stop calling to be fed. I think that in this instance, an mp3 player should be allowed to be used by students.
So far so good anyway. I was a bit worried about my Irish poetry and stories but it’s too it’s too late now to worry about it. I’ll worry about it tomorrow…perhaps my procrastinating side is coming out a bit too much.. I have a list of anime and manga to immediately pursue once the exams are finished.
Until next time.
I found this fullmetal alchemist vid, which is edited to suit a sketch of comedian Dane Cook. (It’s about his first job at Burger King, very funny!)
To all my dedicated readers, I must apologise about the current lack of regular posting. I have my big exams coming up soon, you know the life changing ones. So the posting will be lacking until after the 18th of June. I will post regularly once again. Plus apart from that, I have also sustained an injury to my right hand and I’m finding it difficult doing everyday things with my left hand. I end up with more cereal falling into my bowl from my spoon than what I manage to get into my mouth.
After my strenous four hours in duration construction studies practical, when I arrived home I had a twinge in my hand. Of course I thought nothing of it until I tried to study that night and I saw a big bone sticking awkwardly out of my wrist. Needless to say, I became gradually worried that I had actually broken my wrist without realising. A consideration amongst my family was that I was to be taken to a bonesetter but when I found out that he was also the local butcher, I immediately disregarded the suggestion. So I was taken to the hospital, the doctor said an x-ray wouldn’t be needed as all I had done to my hand was severly strained the tendons. I was given wrist supports and painkillers for my injury but alas I still had to attend school the following day.
So in the meantime enjoy this clip of Black Lagoon.
Habaek from The Bride of the Water God is the water god, surprisingly enough. Soah was sacrificed by her village during times of drought, in order to appease Habaek. When we first find out that Habaek is a “child” there is the hesitant wonder of this manwha having a shotacon factor, but Habaek is cursed. The surroundings of the curse are somewhat unknown, but he is cursed. Plus when we first meet him, he is a bit insulting towards Soah. “Thanks. Your a lot manlier than I am-and handsome as well,” is one of Habaek’s first comment to Soah.
Habaek’s mother is a delightful person called Seowangmo, the Goddess of Punishment and Torture. During the second volume of Bride of the Water God, Soah is unaware that Habaek and Mui are the same person. In doing so Soah declares to Habaek in his adult form (Mui) that Habaek is deeply in love with her and will do anything for her. Needless to say he gets a chuckle or so from this declaration as he just usually insults in his child-like form more than anything else. But when Habaek is advised by Seowangmo to send Soah back he reveals to her a confession. He had previously thought that is would be easy return Soah but he has fallen deeply in love with her. Seowangmo thinks to herself that Soah’s influence on Habaek has really changed him.
Of course, Soah was not Habaek’s first bride, but the fates of the brides before Soah worries her to a degree. Habaek’s first bride was Nakbin and her fate seems to be shrouded by mystery. Habaek calls out her name in his dreams, which obviously distresses Soah. How can Soah compete against a woman that she has not only never met, but a woman who was Habaek’s first wife?
Plus, if you are searching for spoilers, click on the link to Soah for ones I have so far trawled the web and found.
Soah is a young girl who is the female protagonist in Bride Of The Water God. As her village is in times of severe drought, it was decided that she would be sacrificed to appease Habaek, the Water God in order to bring prosperity back to the village. Surprised that she wasn’t actually drowned in the whirlpool, she finds herself in the mysterious land of Suguk, where the Gods live.
After meeting a young boy who completely ignores her, Soah is shocked to find out that this young boy is her husband. Habaek cordially insults Soah calling her manly. Fast forward, Soah literally is crashed into by a mysterious man who calls himself Mooee or Mui, who turns out to be Habaek’s form at night. It seems that he has a curse placed upon him, forcing him to take the form of a child during the day. Soah doesn’t find out Habaek’s secret until later, when someone reveals it to her.
The ending of first volume of Bride of The Water God, with Habaek’s mother visiting scoping out her sons choice of bride ends without much excitement but the second volume delves deeper into the intrigue. In the opening of the second volume, Soah question’s another girl called Yohee, who lives amongst the Gods, about the consequences for deceiving a God. After being told that a person’s soul would be torn to pieces, Soah becomes introspective, thinking about her fate if her secret is discovered that she is a phony or fake bride. Well, I try to think back to the very first volume and if you think about it you might figure out why Soah is a fake bride. Soah sacrificed herself because it was originally her little sister that was going to be Habaek’s bride. As an act of selflessness and love for her sister, Soah took her place.
But the conflict really heats up in the third volume, so here’s some spoilers to keep you ticking over.
Nakbin, Habaek’s first wife makes an appearance but it turns out that this it is the Emperor in disguise. Soah becomes extremely upset with her situation while taking a bath and she screams in her mind, wishing for someone, anyone to help her. Mui appears and with the claim, “I came when you called me”, suggesting that Habaek has some telepathy. But Soah becomes more distressed with the fact that she was taking a bath when Mui barged in. Mui becomes very amorous and forces Soah to bed, she vehemently refuses and when Mui sees tears in her eyes, he decides to send her back home because she was very distressed. When Soah was sent home, all her memories of her time in Suguk with the Gods is erased. Upon returning to the village, I think Soah’s father tries to sell her but somehow Mui manages to stop this. The villagers also take Soah’s return as a bad omen. There’s an older brother figure who has romantic inclinations towards Soah but she refuses his first marriage proposal. Mui ends up meeting Soah and he tells her that he’s looking for his wife and of course she tells him good luck with that…
I’m not going to give anymore away, because that’s no fun.
This particular manga is also known as Zetta Kareshi and it’s one of the gems of the Viz Media catalogue. Absolute Boyfriend is a sweet six volume series created by Yuu Watase, who also masterminded Fushigi Yugi. It really is a sweet story, it kinda reminds me of Tramps Like Us as the premise behind Absolute Boyfriend may cause a person to cringe. But, unfortunately no anime to compliment this manga. A television drama series has started airing in Japan from 15th of April on Fuji TV. But I still have an intense dislike of these drama serialisations.
Riiko Izawa is a young teenage girl who has a new crush every week, giving her a reputation. After confessing to another one of her crushes she’s turned down once again. But, after receiving a website address from a mysterious cosplaying guy, she ends up creating a make believe lover online as a joke……….
The next day she finds an extremely large package delivered in her name. Totally unfazed with the discovery of the fact that she actually ordered a lover, Riiko activates her lover with a kiss.bShe’s also not very creative with his name, she calls him Night and he’s part of the Nightly Lover series. Upon first meeting Riiko, Night is more than happy to show her why he’s called a Nightly Lover. Much to Riiko’s surprise she’s informed by Night’s company called Kronos Heaven, that if Night is discovered to be an android by anyone, she has to foot his very expensive bill. Night is allowed to stay with Riiko on the condition that she teaches him what makes girls happy.
As Riiko lives alone in an apartment, her only companionship before Night, is her neighbour and childhood friend, Soshi Asamoto with his younger brother. Riiko and Soshi were childhood friends with Soshi having a secret crush on the clueless Riiko. He fears rejection and so adopts the role of being her minder of sorts as he usually cooks for her. Obviously, Soshi becomes very suspicious of Night’s presence with Riiko.
The ensuing love triangle becomes complicated as both Night and Soshi’s rivalry increases over Riiko’s affection, with hilarous results. As always, drama sprinkled with comedy like a doughnut, plus all sweet on the inside.
This is an American manga so the reader has to revert to the typical form of western style reading of left to right. Normally I think that American manga has room for improvement but M. Alice LeGrow has definitely has her finger on the pulse of American manga, especially with this dark and macabre tale.
This particular manga is published by Tokyopop, it is six volumes in total,
of which only four are published at the moment.
A brilliantly animated manga but don’t expect a happy ending for each chapter as the majority of them are bittersweet.
The town of Bizenghast seems to have a rather dark twisted past, witha myriad of mysterious deaths involving accidents, fires and unexplained disappearances….
Dinah is a young girl who lives with her aunt in the town of Bizenghast as her parents perished in a car accident. She seems to have nightmares to the extent where she claims she can see ghosts, who physically harm her. Her only companion is a boy called Vincent, who regularly ends up sneaking Dinah out of her Aunt’s house. These two end up stumbling across the fabled second graveyard of Bizenghast in the middle of a forest.
Unfortunately, Dinah ends up signing the contract for the Mausoleum. Dinah becomes the person responsible, with the help of Vincent, for releasing the sixty tortured souls who currently dwell in the Mausoleum. Otherwise, Dinah will be killed and become one of the cleaners (a spider/bug/humanoid entity) for the Mausoleum. But if she gets killed in the course of trying to solve each riddle for each spirit, that’s her own problem…
Below is a concept courtesy of Tokyopop. Bizenghast is one of the few manga’s that Tokyopop have created an “animated” manga to. Well, here’s the explanation, this is the actual images from the manga, with voice overs and some colour added. Personally, I prefer the paper format of Bizenghast, plus please don’t be deterred by misplaced voice over for Vincent.
Although I kept annoying my siblings with incessant chatter about this series, it never 
