According to Natalie, new Youkai manga “Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni (At Night When the Amaryllis Bloom)” by Higurashi creator Ryukishi07 starts serialization in Dragon Age magazine’s May issue on sale April 9th. The art will be handled by newcomer mangaka Tsunohazu Ichiro. The story will be about the popular urban legend “The Seven Mysteries at School” and a rumor about the eighth mystery “Mesomeso-san.”

With only a month until released I’m pretty much obligated to be excited. Hopefully I can find scans of it to read but that probably shouldn’t be too hard with Ryukisshi’s fame. Of course this is being serialized in a monthly magazine so it’ll take forever to go anywhere.

My question is what kind of story will it be? There’s always the default assumption of mystery but that’s not necessarily the case. I’m certain there will still be mystery elements but that doesn’t mean it will be the main focus. Just a random observation that probably means nothing but I like how the title follows Ryukishi’s normal naming convention–(noun) no (verb) (time period) ni.

Anyway whenever I hear youkai I think of Touhou which Ryukishi07 is definitely a fan of. Remember that scene from the beginning of Umineko Episode 2 when Kanon goes to the culture festival at Jessica’s school and she cosplays Marisa while belting out “Tsurupettan?” What if that was actually Marisa rocking out with an an assortment of youkai? Yeah that would be fun to read about humans discovering youkai at school and befriending “exterminating” them. That’s probably too much of a fanciful stretch but I’ll be looking forward to Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni regardless of what it ends up being.

Over the last two weeks I caught up with watching Ookami Kakushi. The last time I had watched it was when I spent my 21st birthday immersing myself in everything 07th Expansion. I watched the first two episodes and after only that I was pretty much able to formulate a solid theory which later proved to be correct with each subsequent episode. The ease at which I solved the “mystery” was the main reason I fell behind it in the first place. Yet I find that very fact the reason I believe Ookami Kakushi is a better anime than Umineko. When put next to the Higurashi anime it definitely doesn’t compare but still I would place it above the likes of the Umineko anime. To put things into perspective I place the Umineko sound novels on equal terms as the Higurashi anime.

As a mystery series Ookami Kakushi pales in comparison to the Higurashi anime and the Umineko novels. As previously mentioned it is a lot easier to predict than would be expected. In fact I wouldn’t even classify Ookami Kakushi as a mystery series at all but rather as supernatural suspense. The show does not really have to rely on the mystery elements at all and can focus on character interaction and the moment-to-moment events that befall Hiroshi. At times the show can seem shallower than Higurashi or the Umineko sound novels but it also doesn’t place the same expectations that made the Umineko anime a letdown in many respects. In a way this allows the series to sidestep several of the many big faults with the Umineko anime–the terrible transition of the mystery to animated form. Get ready for possibly massive spoilers as is always the case when I discuss stuff about 07th Expansion.

Umineko as an anime suffered pretty badly due to severe time constraints and a a large cast. Maybe if the series was extended to 39 or even 52 episodes it could have been so much better. From the get go you start off with 19 characters encompassing various members of the Ushiromiya family, their servants and the Golden Witch Beatrice. As the story unfolds a plethora of supernatural characters and characters from the future are introduced which by the end of Episode 6 totals several dozen characters. Realistically you get very little character development or even general details in the anime which only covers up to the end of Episode 4. When dealing with mysteries every shred of information you can get could be valuable in the process of solving the mystery. The result of dropping important information in the Umineko anime is a less intriguing mystery and flat characters due to rushed storytelling.

In a mystery such as this one of the principle pieces of information you need to formulate theories are the motivations. It’s still easy to solve the “how it was done” of the various serial murder mysteries without knowing any motivations. However that completely defeats the purpose of the series since the whole point is to prove that a human culprit was responsible for the murders and to also identify that human and any accomplices. Otherwise what reason does Battler have to play the Witch’s game other than to figure out the identity of the perpetrator and to stop his loved ones from getting killed? In the end you need to know it to solve Beato’s final mystery “Who am I?”

With pretty much no exception except for say Maria you don’t get a true feel for why anyone would want to kill each other beyond a very vague motivation. The parents are obviously in financial troubles with their companies but that fact is only slightly glanced. In the anime version you don’t get to learn all the intricacies and the backdoor dealing between the parents. The romances between George and Shannon and Jessica and Kanon is shown but at the same time you don’t get much detail. In other words you can make the conclusion that they have motivations but not enough is shown to make farther reaching predictions such as which characters would the culprit spare or work with and which ones they would kill first. There’s also the fact that Shannon and Kanon know that they are trapped in the Witch’s game but that is never even shown in the anime which would give the two even more reason to kill. I could list more but that would just get old fast.

The progression of the murders was terribly paced and looked as if they happened back to back. Whereas in the original novels a noticeable amount of time passed between each murder in the anime they were portrayed to happen with barely any time passing. Battler is supposed to have at least some time to investigate the scenes of the crimes and get the thoughts of the other witnesses. One of the most important things about Battler is his extremely rational personality. Even though he’s also emotional and will cry all the time after he has shed all his tears he’ll compose himself and try to figure out as much as he can. Following his train of thought and how Beato counters or disproves them provide the majority of Umineko’s true conflict. Umineko isn’t about people dying all over the place!

Most importantly the whole mystery aspect was completely downplayed which was the whole meat of Umineko as a story. The dynamic between Battler’s denial of Beato and her methods lacks the same impact in the anime version. The string of arguments and rebuttals that the two of them make that shows them as fierce opponents, friends and equals was pretty much thrown away in the anime. Battler may be at an obvious disadvantage to Beato but he can fight back against her with some help. The advice he gets from Bernkastel, Ronove, Virgilia and Ange help Battler to grow as a character and a detective but that is pretty much completely ignored. Probatio diabolica (Devil’s Proof) and Hempel’s Ravens were not even mentioned which were the basis of many of Battler’s inabilities to counter Beato’s red early on. How Battler learned to attack Beato using her own logical arguments and red statements against her was one of the Battler’s coolest moments. Battler acknowledging Beato as a Witch but not as the culprit was important to show how it’s possible to accept the existence of the supernatural without having to rely on it to win the game. Without these the anime barely even touched on the friendship and love that forms between Battler and Beato. In the anime not having these tiny little details detracted from the emotional impact during Beato’s betrayal at the end of Episode 3 (I actually believed her and was pissed off too) and Battler and his “final” counterattack against Beato at the end of Episode 4.

Just like the Battler/Beato dynamic suffered much of the metaverse gaming also suffered. For one thing the roles of Bernkastel and Lambdadelta was also severely downplayed. This makes no sense considering their integral roles behind the scenes and as the actual players of Episode 5. In actuality Umineko is a massive rematch between the bored witches Bernkastel and Lambdadelta. It’s undeniable how much “help” they provide to both Battler and Beato. Of course this is all to extend the game to satiate the boredom of the most powerful witches in existence. It’s actually a little disturbing to think that Bernkastel who in another life was once part of Rika could do such a thing. It doesn’t help that she is friends with and plotting with Lambdadelta who tortured and killed her for over a thousand years. The connection between Higurashi is pretty much ignored in the anime which unfortunately means less insight in the nature of the game. As such you never get the tea parties in their full glory at the end of each episode which themselves provide clues about the rules of the game and other information Battler never gets to see directly.

I could keep going on about what Umineko did wrong as an anime but I think this is enough. Basically what was an intellectually intriguing and highly emotional story was simplified and stripped into something that only resembles Umineko at primitive levels. It may be appealing to those unfamiliar with 07th Expansion but to fans of Higurashi and the Umineko sound novels it is underwhelming. Just to clarify the enjoyment I did get from the anime were due to the voices and reminiscing about the corresponding scenes in the novels. I’ll also admit once again that I like the Episode 4 portion of the anime which was better done compared to the previous episodes.

Anyway back to Ookami Kakushi. Ookami Kakushi has the advantage of time. Initially I was worried how well it would work crammed into only 12 episodes but it worked rather well. Ookami Kakushi has a small principal cast and not too many side characters so each of the main characters get a decent amount of characterization. This works well for developing Hiroshi’s relations with the girls which is essential later on when the suspense picks up.

Thanks to the smaller cast the show ends up better paced than the Umineko anime. Unlike the rapid fire deaths of the characters in Umineko Ookami Kakushi establishes the passage of time between the murders. This allows Hiroshi to spend his time thinking things over creating a sense of tension for Hiroshi. If people began disappearing everyday Hiroshi would have realized earlier that something was wrong and might have done something different. Just giving him time to think about the strange disappearances allows him to develop a sense of paranoia and fear so when drastic things happen it has a much greater impact. Instead of a sudden snap in sanity Issei shows signs of his uncontrollable urges toward Hiroshi throughout multiple episodes. Because of this the viewer is left with the question of when will he finally go crazy and in what situation. This maintains that sense of tension mentioned earlier.

The time allowed for Hiroshi to develop his sense of paranoia was also vital in episode 9’s storage shed predicament in which he was trapped together with Nemuru. Had things been rushed it’s not certain whether he would have had the same hallucinations he had of Nemuru. If people started dying all over the place he might not have had the time to think he could reason or listen to Nemuru. Instead he got to know her at a basic level which allowed him despite his fear to muster the courage to unbind Nemuru. She could have broken out of the ropes herself but the mere act of cutting the ropes himself showed that he trusts Nemuru to overcome her basal instincts. Had this been Keiichi or Battler this would be completely unnecessary but obviously Hiroshi is a completely different kind of character.

That brings me to my other point. The main advantage of Ookami Kakushi is that it doesn’t have to rely on the precedents or expectations set by Higurashi or Umineko. Although many aspects of the setting are reminiscent of Higurashi Hiroshi just for being a different kind of main character than Keiichi and Battler changes how the story unfolds. Unlike those two he doesn’t actively investigate the secrets of the town but just gets caught up in them due to his alluring scent. Just watching his freak outs is enough of a reminder of that fact. A strange side effect is that I always end up thinking “What would Keiichi/Battler do?” or what would happen if the three of them met each other. I’m not comparing them in the sense that it could have been better if it were more like Higurashi but rather allows me to appreciate how different the show is.

The underemphasis of Ookami Kakushi as a mystery also means it doesn’t have to rely on the staple of 07th Expansion mysteries, the traversal of kakera which is inaccurately referred to as the time loop. Without the possibility of further trials there’s a greater sense of danger since it’s highly doubtful Hiroshi’s mind will be transferred to another universe for a second chance. Of course it means everything is presented at once leading this mystery to be not much of a mystery at all but like I said the anime really isn’t trying to be one as much as suspense.

As a whole Ookami Kakushi doesn’t provide the same level of intelligent entertainment as its forerunners. However it can distinguish itself from them and can just be itself which is surprisingly entertaining. Maybe if I knew the game’s story better my perspective would be a little different. However it was fun ride so that doesn’t matter too much. It provides something new for 07th Expansion fans and undeserved disappointment comes from fans expecting it to match the level of Higurashi which it really wasn’t trying to be.

The premiere of Gundam Unicorn’s excellent first episode a couple of weeks ago was one of the most exciting events of my recent life, and in the time since I’ve been snapping up all the Unicorn-related goods I can get my hands on. As soon as the OVA ED song leaked, it was my destiny to translate it!

I went with a looser translation in the interest of speed, but I think the lyrics of “Ryuusei no Namida” convey the bond between Banagher and Audrey very well. (Newtypes sure fall in love fast, don’t they?) It’s a pretty song that I hope you enjoy.

P.S. Bonus points for anyone who recognized rookie idol Kuriyama from her role as Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill vol. 1!

Romaji

Sail ima bokura wo nose kogidasu sekai de
Kaze wa oto mo tatezu ni yureteru

Same itsuka otozureru deai mo wakare mo
Hitotsu no toki no naka

Donna ni hanarete sorezore no asa
Mukaetemo omoi wa kawaranai

Hora kimi no ima made ga boku no naka ni aru kara
Hitori dakedo hitori ja nai mou sabishiku nante nai kara
Hi ga shizundemo hoshi ga matatakanakutemo
Sora wa tsunagatteiru itsudemo

Fly ryoute de toraeta hikousen wa ima
Doko he mukai tonde yukundarou
Cry namida wa shitteru hontou no imi wo
Kanashimi no tsuzuki wo

Donna ni tsumetai ame no yoru demo
Mimi wo sumaseba kikoete kuru

Kimi no koe wo kanjite doko made datte yukeru
Osorerumono wa nani mo nai tsuyosa mo yowasa mo zenbu daite
Hi ga nobottemo hoshi wa matataiterundarou
Hikari to kage no you ni bokura mo…

Ashimoto kasumeta taikuuhikou no tori ni
Boku wa sukoshi dake kamaeta attoiuma
Mienaku natta
Kinou to ashita no aida no
Tomadoi mo zawameki mo

Hora kimi no ima made ga boku no naka ni aru kara
Hitori dakedo hitori ja nai mou sabishiku nante nai yo
Hi ga shizundemo hoshi ga matatakanakutemo
Sora wa tsunagatteiru itsudemo

Hakanai yoake no hate

English Translation

Sail – now take us aboard – in this world rowing forward,
Winds and sounds are wavering indecisively.
Same – someday we’ll visit – meetings and partings,
All in one moment.

No matter how far apart we are, even as I face each morning,
My feelings won’t change.

See, because the you I’ve known up to now is inside of me,
I’m not alone even when I’m by myself. I’m not lonely at all anymore.
Even if the sun sinks, even if the stars flicker out,
The sky is linking us, all the time.

Fly – the ship you seized with both hands
Will now set out wherever it’s facing.
Cry – I understand your tears – their real meaning,
The lasting sadness.

No matter how cold the rainy nights may be,
If you listen closely, you’ll hear it in time.

I sense your voice, and I can go anywhere.
There’s nothing to be afraid of. Embrace strength and weakness together!
Even if the sun rises, aren’t the stars still there?
We too are like light and shadow…

As the low-flying birds faded out of sight beneath me,
I was only a little concerned.
Then in a flash, the confusion and commotion
Between yesterday and tomorrow
Disappeared.

See, because the you I’ve known up to now is inside of me,
I’m not alone even when I’m by myself. I’m not lonely at all anymore!
Even if the sun sinks, even if the stars flicker out,
The sky is linking us, all the time.

Until the fleeting dawn…

Kanji

Sail　今僕らを乗せ　漕ぎ出す世界で
風は音も立てずに揺れてる
Same　いつか訪れる　出会いも別れも
ひとつの時の中

どんなに離れて　それぞれの朝
迎えても　想いは変わらない

ほら　君のいままでが　僕の中にあるから
一人だけど一人じゃない　もう寂しくなんてないから
陽が沈んでも　星が瞬かなくても
空はつながっている　いつでも

Fly　両手で捉えた　飛行船は今
どこへ向かい　飛んで行くんだろう
Cry　涙は知ってる　本当の意味を
悲しみの続きを

どんなに冷たい　雨の夜でも
耳をすませば　聞こえてくる

君の声を感じて　どこまでだって行ける
怖れるものは何もない　強さも弱さもぜんぶ抱いて
陽が昇っても　星は瞬いてるんだろう
光と影のように　僕らも…

足元かすめた　低空飛行の鳥に
僕はすこしだけ　構えた　あっという間
見えなくなった
昨日と明日のあいだの
戸惑いも　ざわめきも

ほら　君のいままでが　僕の中にあるから
一人だけど一人じゃない　もう寂しくなんてないよ
陽が沈んでも　星が瞬かなくても
空はつながっている　いつでも

儚い夜明けの果て

Looking ahead to the next season it seems I won’t be watching too many new series just like the winter season. However the few shows that I will be picking up will be more than enough to keep me entertained. Let’s have a look at what I’ll be watching:

Definitely Watching

• K-ON! 2 – As the self-proclaimed world’s biggest K-ON fan this is definitely number one on my anime radar. After finding out that Sora no Woto wasn’t exactly my K-ON substitute (though I still like it) I’m even more anxious. I can’t wait to see even more Yui goodness since she always makes me smile and laugh. Time to prepare for another round of translating insert songs at the detriment of my sleep.
• Angel Beats! – As a Key fan I’m also really looking forward to this. Judging by the already released material it seems to be more in line with Little Busters than any of Key’s other previous works. Assuming we don’t get a Little Busters anime this will be the next best thing. I wonder if this will also get a VN adaptation though or will it stay strictly anime? I mean there are a lot of characters and probably not much time to develop them so there is always the possibility.
• Working!! – Other than the fact that the show is about people working at a family restaurant called Wagnaria I don’t know many concrete details. After watching all the PVs it looks like the staff of the restaurant is super dysfunctional which is sure to be great for laughs and some slice-of-life action. For example Mahiru is not exactly confident about herself in comparison to the other girls plus she’s afraid of men and punches them which will be entertaining. The style reminds me of something though I can’t name it outright. The closest I can think of is the hilarious AyuMayu antics from KimiNozo which I’ll gladly accept.

Maybe Watching

• Mayoi Neko Overrun! – A lolwut show I might be interested in due to the promo images of catgirls in box. Actually scratch that. I bothered to watch the PV for the show and it actually seems to be about girls working at a bakery which actually means I might be interested in it after the novelty wears off. Depending on how things go this has the potential for generic harem or nice slice-of-life action written all over it but I want to give it a shoot. At the very least the animation looks nice.
• Kaichou ha Maid-sama! – Honestly I haven’t read the manga but when I heard about the premise I found it amusing. I think having the female student council president who despises the mostly male population of her school trying to keep the fact that she works at a maid café secret kind of cute and prime for comedy. According to Aorii it might become Special A AKA no character development and not actually entertaining in which case I’ll go into a fit of rage.
• B Gata H Kei – I was interested in this since the main girl is supposedly trying to find 100 casual sex partners. I found this kind of weird so I wanted to check it out. Somehow I missed the fact that eventually she’s supposed to go after only one guy which kind of put a damper on the lolwut factor that made me excited about it in the first place. Hopefully it can keep me entertained after the sluttiness goes away.

OVA

• Black★Rock Shooter – I’m excited to see this but kind of disappointed that it will only be an OVA.
• Gundam Unicorn – Purupurupuru. I’ve already seen this and everything about the show screams high production values. The plot has yet to go anywhere since only the first episode aired and the next one won’t be out until fall.
• Haiyoru! Nyaruko-san – As soon as I saw Cthulhu in the show’s description I was intrigued. Judging by the trailer I watched over at amazon.co.jp it seems stylistically similar to Yurumates (assuming people actually watched that and know what I’m saying). It’s only supposed to be one episode too so it should be a strange and possibly entertaining distraction.
• GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class OVA – I haven’t finished the TV series yet but I plan to during my spring break next week. I know it’s like Sketchbook ~full color’S~ and Hidamari Sketch so I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.
• Nodame Cantabile OAD – It’s Nodame which means I’ll watch this for completion’s sake. I’m not expecting much other than silliness not related directly to the finale.
• Tales of Symphonia Tethe’alla Chapter – I liked the Tales of Symphonia game and I thought the OVA was entertaining enough as nostalgia for fans. I’m just excited to see Presea in her animated glory.

Continuing OVA

• Negima Mou Hitostsu no Sekai – I like Negima and I want to see more magical battles.
• To-LOVE-Ru – I don’t think it’s that great as a whole but the To-LOVE-Ru OVA episodes have usually been better than the TV series.

In summary I’ll be watching at most 6 new TV series and 7 unwatched OVAs. Most likely I’ll be able to use my extra time to do even more catch up on my anime backlog which has been going surprisingly well compared to previous attempts. Since it looks like most of what I’ll be watching will be comedy I probably should think about watching some serious shows concurrently to balance things out. At any rate I’m bracing for Fuwa Fuwa Time v2!

Sora no Woto was one of my most anticipated shows of the winter season. I had high expectations of it since it was supposed to be my replacement K-ON for the season but after a couple of episodes I realized it actually wasn’t what I was wishing for. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing but still after those first two episodes I kind of lost most of the interest I had before. Only just recently did I start catching up by watching it again. I realize now that had I had a different perspective going in I probably would have enjoyed it more from the very beginning.

To make things easy I’ll start with a comparison with K-ON since that’s the reason I wanted to watch it in the first place. I know now that’s a vastly flawed philosophy and the crucial mistake I made that hurt my appreciation for the show but I’ll continue for the sake of my thought process. Sora no Woto at the surface was easy to mistake for another K-ON with similar character designs and the entire premise. The timing soon after K-ON didn’t help the matter which at the time felt like A-1 was trying to capitalize on K-ON’s success. Unfortunately I took all of this and held Sora no Woto to expectations that it wasn’t even trying to aim for.

Between K-ON and Sora no Woto we have a near 1-to-1 analogue for all the girls except for say Azusa and Noel who don’t exactly fit as twins at all. I’m pretty sure this is some Yui bias here but I didn’t find Kanata as interesting or fun as Yui initially. They both share the same proficiency at distinguishing different sounds but unlike Yui Kanata isn’t as good at playing her instrument; Yui just needs to hear something once or have a technique explained a single time for here to be able to reproduce it instantly. It takes Kanata a while until she can play her horn without sounding like a disaster. Looking back the whole element about Kanata learning not to force the sound out of her horn was an essential element for the anime as a slice-of-life show. When taken from that perspective Kanata is a good character for this genre as her naivety, inexperience and curiosity all serve as a driving force for exploring her world and learning lessons from it.

At the beginning when I was still making the comparisons between the two shows I found Noel to be the most interesting character. Since she doesn’t have a parallel with anyone from K-ON I could focus on her more clearly as just herself without the bias. She’s somewhat of a loner who diligently works on repairing the platoon’s tank and occasionally falls asleep randomly due to it. It also helps that I like dandere characters but it’s not just that. I can also sense a somewhat dark presence coming from her at times. Unlike many dandere who can keep their composure and stay silent indefinitely Noel seems to have a critical tolerance point. Often times when Kureha is being a loudmouth Noel will under her breath say something vocalizing her irritation like during the outdoor excursion when they were hauling heavy backpacks. Kureha was complaining the whole time while Noel was telling her to shut up though not loud enough for Kureha herself to notice. Then there was the time when they were washing cloths together and Kureha was just playing around while Noel was trying to do some serious business. Sometimes it feels like Noel will go insane and attack Kureha. I mean look at her gangster smile when wielding a machine gun during episode 6. Imagine that except Kureha at the end of the barrel. I’m not saying that I want her to get killed but the mere thought is amusing enough.

While on the subject of gangsters I think episode 6 and 7 were particularly shining examples of what the show should be more like. What I mean is that the execution of these episodes was better than the previous ones and pieced together many of the seeming incoherences among the setting and characters. What episode 6 managed to achieve was an explanation for why this military outpost isn’t exactly much like military at all. There is the excuse that the outpost is the middle of nowhere but still you should be able to see some semblance of discipline. However when you introduce the missing piece that the girls are also not getting paid out here on a timely basis then it makes sense why they don’t adhere so well to regulations. In other words they must do extra work for pay. Of course you don’t see any of that in previous episodes so the question is what do they do? The question is finally answered when it is revealed that they are a bunch of moonshiners that if caught can be court martialed easily. The episode is just exciting from there on out and helps to solidify many key details about the platoon.

Episode 7 expands on the world even more this time in a much more serous approach. We get more of the backstory of the world and war form Filicia’s perspective which at times can be jarring. It fills in the gap as to why the military has trained brass players as communications officers. The juxtaposition of the advanced tanks of the past era, their ghetto legs that were repaired sometime after salvage and the lack of wireless communication puts into view how far technology has digressed. This combined with the pessimistic view of the zombie soldier from a bygone era that Filicia conversed with in her hallucinogenic state showed how despite the world crumbling in on itself that humans continued to live and make the best of things.

I watched this twice the second time together with Aorii and we discussed it afterward. Aorii initially took a negative stance but somehow I ended up defending pretty much all aspects of the show which I think helped both of us change our perspectives. (Read Aorii’s verion). In other words I realized that I indeed like Sora no Woto and I was just too blinded to notice it. Everything about it shouts that it has the potential for a good slice-of-life series. Like a good slice-of-life series the show explores different aspects of the world with each episode that shed insight into the universe that the show takes place in and usually leads to a greater appreciation for life. Obviously there are the two examples explained up above but we also get to explore the culture and people of the town through various adventures with Kanata and company. Rio did say after all that mingling with the town is part of their job.

Everywhere there are signs left over from the previous era from the tanks to the myriad of outposts that keep watch over no-man’s-land with no humans to oversee anything. At times it can be depressing to think about how much humanity has lost since the time of the great apocalypse. Even the people have lost their own language and only the clergy can read and bestow traditional Japanese names with writing intact. It’s hinted at that the whole ecology of the planet is in ruins every time it is mentioned that the oceans are empty of macroscopic life like dolphins or fish. There may be plankton and other microorganisms left in the oceans but it’s doubtful that they can maintain a stable ecosystem and undergo ecological succession in a manner timely enough to accommodate human life. Yet despite all this people continue to live out their lives as best they can. The daily struggles against what seems to be a bleak future and the smiles that go with it are part of what makes Sora no Woto a good slice-of-life show.

Had the series had a stronger focus from the start as illustrated in episodes 6 and 7 I’m sure that Sora no Woto could have been one of the better slice-of-life shows in recent memory. Maybe if it hadn’t been hyped up as the spiritual successor to K-ON it would have gotten a better reception and my judgment would not be so clouded or compromised. I feel really bad for being part of that hype but I can honestly say that I was completely unfair to the show. Although there is still some unused potential I can finally say that I like Sora no Woto by its own merits.

Too bad the next episode of Unicorn won’t be out for a while.

The only fanart I could find of the pairing.

Official art of Subara…

And official art of Tsukasa.

I had to combine three images for this week’s mural so I guess you could say I outdid myself this time. There’s another reason I decided to go all out this week and hopefully I can reveal that soon…maybe…

I’ve been meaning to do this since it came out but I haven’t been able to get around to it until today due to school-related issues. I think I was a little less strict in my interpretation into English than usual but hopefully it turned out well. I keep rereading it just to make sure but I think it feels right. Judging by the lyrics it’s from Fate’s perspective so hopefully I conveyed that well. I hope you enjoy.

Romaji

Nakanaide Soba ni iru kara
Uketometa sono te ha tsumetaku
-Netsu- no nai sekai ni tadayoisugite ita n da

Kakaesugita omoi ha itsuka
Kimi no -ima- wo shimetsukete iku
Kizutsuita kioku sae Subete mahi shite
Kawaru hazu nai to kimetsukete
Kawaru koto wo osorete ita
Unmei no rensa hajimaru

Seinaru yoru ni kagayaku shinku no hoshi
Sore ha kimi ga mayowanai you ni
Itsumo terashiteru Yakusoku no akashi
Doko ni ite mo mimamotteru Kitto

Hontou no shiawase ha aru?
Me ni miezu, Todomete okenai
Futashika na sono sonzai ni fuan ga mashiteku

Kasanaritsudzukeru sabishisa
Umeru tame ni enjita uso
Tsukurimono no egao ni subete somatta
Kooritsuita kako wo tokasu
Nukumori wo oshiete kureta
Kimi ni tsutaetai n da

Hayaku boku wo tsuredashite haruka tooku
Yami no te no todokanai tokoro he
Hajimete nagareteku yasashii namida
Mune ni daite “tsuyoku nare” to negau

Zutto tsukawanaku natteta kanjou ni
Furete kureta kimi ni
Mou nigenai to chikau yo

Seinaru yoru ni kagayaku shinku no hoshi
Sore ha kimi ga mayowanai you ni
Itsumo terashiteru Yakusoku no akashi
Doko ni ite mo mimamotteru Kitto

English Translation

Don’t cry; I’m right beside you
I took that cold hand
And drifted for too long in a world without warmth

One day these overabundant feelings
Will press against your present reality
Numb everything including memories of being hurt
Assuming that things couldn’t change
I feared that they would
The linking of fates begins

Upon the crimson star that shines in the holy night
I pray that you won’t lose your way
It’s constant glow is proof of my promise
On my word no matter where you are I’ll always watch over you

Does true happiness exist?
Without seeing it I couldn’t have been prepared to stop
My anxiety grows in that indefinite existence

To cover up the loneliness that keeps piling up
I played along and lied
Everything was dyed by my fabricated smile
That frozen past melts
I want to tell you
How you taught me warmth

Hurry and take me far away
To a place out of reach from the hands of darkness
For the first time gentle tears begin to flow
I embrace my chest and pray “Get stronger”

To you who touched me
With feelings that I can’t always use
I swear I’ll no longer run away

Upon the crimson star that shines in the holy night
I pray that you won’t lose your way
It’s constant glow is proof of my promise
On my word no matter where you are I’ll always watch over you

Kanji

泣かないで 側にいるから
受け止めたその手は冷たく
愛-ねつ-のない世界に漂いすぎていたんだ

抱え過ぎた想いはいつか
君の現実-いま-を締め付けていく
傷ついた記憶さえ すべて麻痺して
変わるはずないと決めつけて
変わることを恐れていた
運命の連鎖始まる

聖なる夜に輝く深紅の星
それは君が迷わないように
いつも照らしてる 約束の証
どこにいても見守ってる きっと

本当の幸せはある？
目に見えず、留めておけない
不確かなその存在に不安が増してく

重なり続ける淋しさ
埋める為に演じた嘘
作りモノの笑顔にすべて染まった
凍り付いた過去を溶かす
温もりを教えてくれた
君に伝えたいんだ

早く僕を連れ出して 遥か遠く
闇の手の届かないところへ
初めて流れてく優しい涙
胸に抱いて「強くなれ」と願う

ずっと使わなくなってた感情に
触れてくれた君に
もう逃げないと誓うよ

聖なる夜に輝く深紅の星
それは君が迷わないように
いつも照らしてる 約束の証
どこにいても見守ってる きっと

I love Kuroko and Railgun so here’s the second opening song. Enjoy:

Romaji

Hibikiau Negai ga ima, Mezameteku
Yuzurenai mirai no tame ni
Meguriau Unmei wo koeta sono saki ni
Kono omoi kagayaku kara

Koko ja nai mirai ni omoi takushite mite ha
Tsuyosa no hontou no imi wo sagashitsudzuketeta

Ari no mama no itami wo ukeireru sono imi wo
Ashita he hashiritsudzukeru kimi ni shitta

Meguriyuku Keshiki ga ima, Nagareteku
Taguriyoseta sekai no saki
Furisosogu SHIGUNARU wo karada de kanjite
Tokihanatsu ima subete wo

Just truth in my heart
Itsudatte mayowanai yo
Kesenai omoi ga aru kara
Tokiakasu Shinjitsu kara Me wo sorasazu ni
I’ll reach the next stage to realize all.

Tooku kanjiteta Kimi ga hashiru senaka wo
Itsukara darou Konna ni mo chikaku ni kanjiru

Fuan kakushikirezu ni Semaru sora wo miageta
Kizutsuita kioku Itsuka norikoeru yo

Akogare ha Chikara wo ima Yobiokosu
Mamoritai mono ga aru kara
Meguriyuku Keshiki mune ni Kakeagaru dake
Itami ha kaze ni kieteku

Believe in Judgelight
Unmei sae Uchinuite
Yoake wo kono te de tsukurou
Kaete iku yuuki to kawaranai kokoro de
I believe myself and precious emotion
Uchikudaku Kono omoi de!

Hajimari no Hikari no naka Chikaiau
Hatenaki yami wo sabaku koto
Osoreteta Kodoku no uzu Oboreru koto ni
Dakedo mou furimukanai

Meguriyuku Keshiki ga ima, Nagareteku
Taguriyoseta sekai no saki
Furisosogu SHIGUNARU wo karada de kanjite
Tokihanatsu ima subete wo

Just truth in my heart
Itsudatte mayowanai yo
Kesenai omoi ga aru kara
Tokiakasu Shinjitsu kara Me wo sorasazu ni
I’ll reach the next stage to realize all.
Tashika na kizuna shinjite

English Translation

Resonating wishes now awaken
For a future we can’t surrender
After overcoming chanced fate
These feelings will shine

Why not try entrusting your feelings to a future that isn’t here?
You kept searching for the true meaning of strength

You knew the meaning of accepting pain as it is
And kept walking on towards tomorrow

Going in circles the scenery now flows
Ahead of the winding world
Feel the deluge of signals through your body
And release it all now

There’s just truth in my heart
I’ll never waver
Because I have feelings that won’t disappear
Without averting my eyes from reality I’ll release my doubts
I’ll reach the next stage and realize it all.

In the distance I could feel your back as you ran
But I wonder how long I could feel you this close?

Without hiding my anxiety I looked at the sky as it drew near
One day I’ll get over these wounded memories

Longing will call upon my power now
Because I have something I want to protect
Going in circles the scenery runs up my chest
And the pain disappears into the wind

Believe in the light of Judgment
And shoot even fate
Let’s make the daybreak with our own hands
With courage that will change and a heart that won’t
I believe in myself and these precious emotions
I’ll crush it with these feelings!

I vow within the light of origin
To cast judgment on the endless darkness
I feared drowning in an isolated vortex
But I’ll no longer turn back

Going in circles the scenery now flows
Ahead of the winding world
Feel the deluge of signals through your body
And release it all now

There’s just truth in my heart
I’ll never waver
Because I have feelings that won’t disappear
Without averting my eyes from reality I’ll release my doubts
I’ll reach the next stage and realize it all.
Believe in our unquestionable bond

Kanji

響き合う　願いが今、覚醒めてく
譲れない未来のために
巡り逢う　運命を超えたその先に
この想い輝くから

ここじゃない未来に想い託してみては
強さの本当の意味を捜し続けてた

ありのままの痛みを受け入れるその意味を
明日へ走り続ける君に知った

巡りゆく　景色が今、流れてく
手繰り寄せた世界の先
降り注ぐ　シグナルを躰で感じて
解き放つ今全てを

Just truth in my heart
いつだって迷わないよ
消せない想いがあるから
解き明かす　真実から　瞳を逸らさずに
I’ll reach the next stage to realize all.

遠く感じてた　君が走る背中を
いつからだろう　こんなにも近くに感じる

不安隠し切れずに　迫る空を見上げた
傷ついた記憶　いつか乗り越えるよ

憧れは　能力を今　呼び起こす
守りたいものがあるから
巡りゆく　景色胸に　駆け上がるだけ
痛みは風に消えてく

Believe in Judgelight
運命さえ　撃ち抜いて
夜明けをこの手で造ろう
変えていく勇気と変わらない心で
I believe myself and precious emotion
打ち砕く　この想いで！

始まりの　光の中　誓い合う
果てなき闇を裁くこと
恐れてた　孤独の渦　溺れることに
だけどもう振り向かない

巡りゆく　景色が今、流れてく
手繰り寄せた世界の先
降り注ぐ　シグナルを躰で感じて
解き放つ今全てを

Just truth in my heart
いつだって迷わないよ
消せない想いがあるから
解き明かす　真実から　瞳を逸らさずに
I’ll reach the next stage to realize all.
確かな絆信じて

So today I finally got the limited edition shirt I won from Penny Arcade’s Bayonetta Contest. Basically on the release date, January 7th, Penny Arcade ran an old school ’submit-a-photo’ style contest to award the first 500 entrants to beat the game on hard difficulty an exclusive T-shirt. For extra validation contestants also had to have the ‘Umbra Elder’ achievement/trophy. After getting the game the same day a friend told me about the contest which gave me even more of a reason to play. Long story short I beat Hard on the 11th and have pretty much been waiting to see if I had won until this afternoon when I saw a Penny Arcade envelope on my porch. Now I feel like I achieved something tangible for being so obsessive about a game and all I had to do was be in the top 500 fastest lol.