I am unable to really buy manga in one language anymore. I have discovered that no matter how I try to read manga in Chinese, I just don't like the way it sounds. Of course, I learn more Chinese this way, but for some reason I just haven't been able to like it at all after learning how to read Japanese.
Now, at least a quarter of the manga I own are in Japanese while the majority are in English (and maybe about 5% are in Chinese). I started out collecting in English, then some Chinese, and finally almost all recent purchases have been Japanese. I just prefer reading the Japanese versions since it's the original, though I appreciate English translations now and then. Sometimes though, if I already have the Japanese version, I may not buy the English version after it comes out, but if I have the English version, there is a good chance that I'll buy the Japanese version unless the series is already over 10 books.
So right now I am conflicted... I started buying Silver Diamond in English, but I really want to buy it in Japanese. The opposite with Vampire Knight and Trinity Blood. I started buying those two in Japanese and now I can't seem to finish my English collection (or start it for Vampire Knight). I already started buying Bleach in English so I probably won't go back to buy it in Japanese. There is one series that I am overdue to buy in Japanese and that's Tenshi Kinryouku (Angel Sanctuary), but since it's all out in English, it's tempting to buy it in English. I read the whole thing many, many, many years ago in translations first since I never really had scans. There was this one group that was scanlating it -- probably Sakura-Crisis (one of the best scanlation groups out there at the time for a good mixture of shoujo, josei, and yaoi manga) -- and then it got licensed so of course, no more scans. I ended up reading the translations for almost the entire series after that and then finally found scans to match them. Now I need to really buy it 'cause I've been wanting to buy it forever, but you know... 20 books is a lot of money =_= The one time I visited Sasuga -- when it was still in Boston -- I only got God Child 'cause there were just too many books in Tenshi =_= *sigh*
I'm crazy about Ooku right now though so I have it both in English and Japanese =_=; It's funny how I don't regret buying anything in both languages. The only regret I have is that I don't have enough money to finish up all these series =_=; *sigh* I so am in desperate need of money. I almost just want the year to end and for February to come so I can do my taxes. I am due a nice fatty refund from the government due to the extremity of my withholding this year =_= I'm probably due money from state too. I need to put most of this money into savings though 'cause I can't transfer any more money from my checking to savings for at least the next two months due to my wild spending from late October till now =_=;
Anyway, I need to do an inventory count when I go back home next week (OMG, it's almost time for me to go again!!! Yay!!! ^_^). I have to figure out the aggregate basis of my collection -- don't care about fair value 'cause I am never selling it -- and I would not be surprised if I have spent at least 10k on manga. Each Tokyopop publication is $9.99 -- some are now $10.99 -- each Shounen Jump is $7.99 (though it has gone up to $8.99 or $9.99 now), Viz is mostly $9.99 though goes up to $12.99 and Shojo Beat (part of Viz) is all $8.99. Then there is Blu, DramaQueen, BeBeautiful, Deux, MangaBlasters, 801, DMP + June, among others that range from $9.99 to $15.99 (not including discounts that I get on some). After that, I have Chinese manga worth about $3.99 - $6.45 a tank (since I mostly bought shoujo), and Japanese that ranges from $6.50 - $$17.89. The average Japanese tank I buy is around $8.89. Oh, I also buy a lot of Japanese magazines and I had a subscription to Shojo Beat before they stopped publication. The five magazines that I'd love to have subscriptions to are Gush, Hertz, Chara (both bi-monthly versions -- one seems to be heavier yaoi and the other is lighter), and whichever one ZE is in (Dear CX?). Be-Boy Gold is nice too, but it's so big =_= The majority of the stories I like are mostly published by Hertz, Chara, and Dear CX now. I still love Biblos though 'cause Kotobuki Tarako's Sex Pistols is being published again *__* I believe chapter 31 just came out~~ I'm so happy. I really want to go to Kinokuniya today just to browse the magazine section, but I am really strapped for cash *sigh* Oh well. I will survive.
Anyway, got to go eat something. I woke up not too long ago and my body feels like crap today. My once-a-month torment arrived -- no wonder I've been craving pop chips and chocolate -- and now I'm just trying to wait out the pain. I have painkillers, of course, but I usually just try to tough it out =_= *sigh* I'm an oddball. Just watch, as soon as I put down my computer I'm going to run and grab a bottle of Advil lol.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Psycho Procrastinator
Yes, that would be me. Everytime I have something more important than eating and sleeping to do, I run away and start doing things I really shouldn't be doing. Usually, I do impulsive shopping, but seeing that I am quite poor at the moment, I can't allow myself to do that anymore so... my other outlet is writing. Just as I was about to start studying for my CPE and CPA exams, I had this sudden writer's bug bite me and I just started writing down this huge outline, preliminary ending, character profile elaborations, and timeline for one of my really old story ideas that haven't gotten very far at all. I have at least 30 story ideas inside my head with at least 15-20 of them written out in outlines, etc., but none have actually made it past 10 chapters and the ones that have reached chapter 10, go back into re-writing so I have never been able to get past those again =_=; I'm good with writing out storyline ideas rather than the actual product itself it seems, but anyway, I ended up thinking up the entire story, plot and such for one of my story ideas from about six years ago. There are lots of kinks in the middle, but I have the beginning and the ending finished. I always know how I want to end a story, though there may be some changes, but I tend to know how my stories end so I can figure out how to get there. I really like this story, it's probably the best idea I've come up with so far, but I really shouldn't be writing right now 'cause... I've got more important things to do =_= Ugh... Why is it that I become psychotic every time something more pressing needs to be done =_= *sigh*
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Toys Are Evil
My mom's been fretting, trying to get her hands on the newest kid "it" item for Christmas this year, Zhu Zhu Pets, and I was just rolling my eyes at her the entire time until I saw one on an article today. Damn, those things are cute. I know the novelty of those things don't last longer than a month at most, but now even I want one =_= This is why toys are evil.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
よしながふみ： きのう何食べた？
O-M-G! I LOVE YOSHINAGA FUMI!!!!! *hearts*
So, I have been buying all of Yoshinaga-sensei's works and I mean I own almost everything she has ever done manga-wise in either English, Japanese, or both. Recently, other than Ooku, the series that I've been reading is "Kinou Nani Tabeta?" (What Did You Eat Yesterday?) It is absolutely fabulous! I have never read a manga that has such an entertaining storyline with so much detail on food and various recipes within.
The story is about a 43 year-old lawyer who is a total narcissist, gay, exceptionally good-looking, and an impeccable cook, and he lives with his hair stylist boyfriend of three years, and he cooks for him. Each chapter has something with food in it and it shows lots of detail on how the dishes are prepared, plus it has a very entertaining story to each installment. It's almost like the storyline itself is a supplement to the cooking and food preparation within the series. It's very creative, fresh, and totally Yoshinaga-style. I just love her to death. This is such a great series and I highly recommend it if you're a big fan of food *__* Even better = gay couples x food x lots of humor. The overall series is very light and funny -- unless they suddenly go all dark and gloomy later -- and it's very enjoyable like a good meal ^_^
So, I have been buying all of Yoshinaga-sensei's works and I mean I own almost everything she has ever done manga-wise in either English, Japanese, or both. Recently, other than Ooku, the series that I've been reading is "Kinou Nani Tabeta?" (What Did You Eat Yesterday?) It is absolutely fabulous! I have never read a manga that has such an entertaining storyline with so much detail on food and various recipes within.
The story is about a 43 year-old lawyer who is a total narcissist, gay, exceptionally good-looking, and an impeccable cook, and he lives with his hair stylist boyfriend of three years, and he cooks for him. Each chapter has something with food in it and it shows lots of detail on how the dishes are prepared, plus it has a very entertaining story to each installment. It's almost like the storyline itself is a supplement to the cooking and food preparation within the series. It's very creative, fresh, and totally Yoshinaga-style. I just love her to death. This is such a great series and I highly recommend it if you're a big fan of food *__* Even better = gay couples x food x lots of humor. The overall series is very light and funny -- unless they suddenly go all dark and gloomy later -- and it's very enjoyable like a good meal ^_^
宮心計 (Beyond The Realm of Conscience)
I watched this Autumn 2009 TVB Series & Movies preview when my friend and I went up to Oregon during August and saw a trailer of "Beyond the Realm of Conscience," which really caught my attention. The literal translation of 宮心計 is actually "Palace Scheme," and it shows all the different types of schemes that happens in the royal court during olden times. In a way, this series is no different than other period dramas like Korea's "Dae Jang Geum" or Japan's "Ōoku," even stories like "Genji Monogatari" in which it centers on the various schemes in the palace by women and men alike and all the things that happen within.
The story of Palace Scheme centers on two palace maids whom are like sworn sisters and how they endure all the abuse thrown at them until they climb to high-ranking positions in the palace. The two main women, Lau Sam Ho and Yiu Kam Ling, previously have a master/servant relationship in which Kam Ling serves the Lau household and is Sam Ho's personal maid, but the Lau family treats her as though she is one of them. When Sam Ho's father is sent off to war and goes missing, then treated like a war criminal, her mother takes the two girls and runs in order to not be taken to the palace to work as servants. Unfortunately, Sam Ho's mother and Kam Ling are captured and Sam Ho goes to be with them at the palace and they all become palace maids. Sam Ho's mother is commissioned to do a hair piece for the Grand Empress Dowager, but on the day she first wears it, the eye of the phoenix on the piece bleeds which signifies a bad omen so Sam Ho's mother is heavily punished for it, and when her body cannot take it any longer, she dies. Before she dies, Kam Ling confesses to her mistress that she went to look at the hair piece the night before and some melted wax fell on the phoenix's eye. She tried to clean it, but some slipped into the cracks. Sam Ho's mother forgives her.
Apparently, people have made comments to this drama as being the Hong Kong version of "Dae Jang Geum," which I can kind of see in a way, but of course there are its differences. The main characters are very different. Jang Geum has real human flaws by being able to feel anger, wanting to exact vengeance, and making poor decisions at times, you see her grow up and overcome her painful experiences by being a good person. The heroine in Palace Scheme is a too-good-to-be-true type of character, with almost no flaws at all. She's very self-sacrificing and giving to everyone around her, which in turn makes everyone love her. Her name being Sam Ho (San Hao in Mandarin) means "Three Good Virtues" and her mother has taught her for all her childhood that the reason why her name is Sam Ho is so that she will "Do Good Deeds, Say Good Things, & Showing Good Will." To live up to her name, Sam Ho is indeed an incredibly good and intelligent person whom always tries to think the best of people, and though she is a bit of a saint, she does live up to the title of the drama, 'cause she also can scheme too but it's for the good of others rather than their downfall.
The show basically displays the two foils, Sam Ho and Kam Ling, and their development throughout the story. It ends like any typical HK drama. I haven't seen a more creative ending yet, so oh well lol, but I won't doubt that it's interesting. I do think some parts got dragged out, but for what it's worth, it's not a bad drama to watch.
The story of Palace Scheme centers on two palace maids whom are like sworn sisters and how they endure all the abuse thrown at them until they climb to high-ranking positions in the palace. The two main women, Lau Sam Ho and Yiu Kam Ling, previously have a master/servant relationship in which Kam Ling serves the Lau household and is Sam Ho's personal maid, but the Lau family treats her as though she is one of them. When Sam Ho's father is sent off to war and goes missing, then treated like a war criminal, her mother takes the two girls and runs in order to not be taken to the palace to work as servants. Unfortunately, Sam Ho's mother and Kam Ling are captured and Sam Ho goes to be with them at the palace and they all become palace maids. Sam Ho's mother is commissioned to do a hair piece for the Grand Empress Dowager, but on the day she first wears it, the eye of the phoenix on the piece bleeds which signifies a bad omen so Sam Ho's mother is heavily punished for it, and when her body cannot take it any longer, she dies. Before she dies, Kam Ling confesses to her mistress that she went to look at the hair piece the night before and some melted wax fell on the phoenix's eye. She tried to clean it, but some slipped into the cracks. Sam Ho's mother forgives her.
Apparently, people have made comments to this drama as being the Hong Kong version of "Dae Jang Geum," which I can kind of see in a way, but of course there are its differences. The main characters are very different. Jang Geum has real human flaws by being able to feel anger, wanting to exact vengeance, and making poor decisions at times, you see her grow up and overcome her painful experiences by being a good person. The heroine in Palace Scheme is a too-good-to-be-true type of character, with almost no flaws at all. She's very self-sacrificing and giving to everyone around her, which in turn makes everyone love her. Her name being Sam Ho (San Hao in Mandarin) means "Three Good Virtues" and her mother has taught her for all her childhood that the reason why her name is Sam Ho is so that she will "Do Good Deeds, Say Good Things, & Showing Good Will." To live up to her name, Sam Ho is indeed an incredibly good and intelligent person whom always tries to think the best of people, and though she is a bit of a saint, she does live up to the title of the drama, 'cause she also can scheme too but it's for the good of others rather than their downfall.
The show basically displays the two foils, Sam Ho and Kam Ling, and their development throughout the story. It ends like any typical HK drama. I haven't seen a more creative ending yet, so oh well lol, but I won't doubt that it's interesting. I do think some parts got dragged out, but for what it's worth, it's not a bad drama to watch.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Skip Beat Chapters 148-149
So Hana to Yume 12/5 Edition came out and so did Skip Beat c149. After the cliffhanger from chapter 148, one can say that 149 was satisfying enough for fans who know of the delicate nature of Ren & Kyoko's relationship. Yes, after 149 chapters, the two have not exactly hit it off yet. We only see Ren suffering in silence -- not really, but he kinda is -- from his feelings towards Kyoko and his mad jealousy towards any of the men who approach her, and Kyoko trying to write off all the fluttering towards Ren as her reacting to his godlike acting abilities. Then at the end of chapter 148, Ren reaches in for a kiss and of course it just ends there.
During c148, Kyoko was plagued by the haunting memories of Sho robbing her of her first kiss back in chapter 146-147 or so. She made a special wine jelly for Ren and did not give him any chocolates for Valentine's Day since he did not really like sweets. When he saw how much consideration and care she went through to make the jelly for him, he was touched and then hover over her in a pretty comprising position. Then in the opening of chapter 149, we see Kyoko relive the bitter memories of past up to the point where Ren is leaning in for a kiss. Of course, knowing how Nakamura-sensei is a tease, he only kisses her cheek (yeah, he comes in on her right side and kisses her left cheek so she is VERY aware of what's going on). All the thoughts of Sho she had from before are completely banished as they are replaced by Ren instead. She freezes up and has a hard time concentrating on acting that day since her mind is full of Ren and her downright confusion. Then of course, the chapter ends and we have to wait until 12/18 for a new chapter =_= *sigh*
Waiting for Skip Beat is such a pain at times T__T, but I just love this series to pieces. I'm all for Ren x Kyoko. I want to see it go somewhere T__T but their "romance" just moves so slow =_=; Oh well...
During c148, Kyoko was plagued by the haunting memories of Sho robbing her of her first kiss back in chapter 146-147 or so. She made a special wine jelly for Ren and did not give him any chocolates for Valentine's Day since he did not really like sweets. When he saw how much consideration and care she went through to make the jelly for him, he was touched and then hover over her in a pretty comprising position. Then in the opening of chapter 149, we see Kyoko relive the bitter memories of past up to the point where Ren is leaning in for a kiss. Of course, knowing how Nakamura-sensei is a tease, he only kisses her cheek (yeah, he comes in on her right side and kisses her left cheek so she is VERY aware of what's going on). All the thoughts of Sho she had from before are completely banished as they are replaced by Ren instead. She freezes up and has a hard time concentrating on acting that day since her mind is full of Ren and her downright confusion. Then of course, the chapter ends and we have to wait until 12/18 for a new chapter =_= *sigh*
Waiting for Skip Beat is such a pain at times T__T, but I just love this series to pieces. I'm all for Ren x Kyoko. I want to see it go somewhere T__T but their "romance" just moves so slow =_=; Oh well...
More Money Issues
I have to add on an extra $600 for the CPA exam and a possible $200 for a Nintendo DS and Earthbound SNES game this year =_=; There's also rent to be paid... *sigh* I have a 3-day grace period after the first and it just so happens that the bank is closed 1/1/09, which is thankfully a holiday, and both 1/2/09 and 1/3/09 are not business days. In other words, if my roommate tries to penalize me, I will wave her contract in front of her face and get really mean.
*sigh* Too much on my mind these days.
*sigh* Too much on my mind these days.
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