Tales of the Abyss; the Anime and the RPG

Hisashiburi everyone! My midterms is finally finished!

Anyway, I’ve got something new here :D. Okay, I know everyone knows the new anime for the RPG Tales of the Abyss right? Since I’m planning to watch it regularly, I also tried to play the RPG at the same time (I guess I’m 2 episodes far now if the anime would follow the RPG’s plot) Anyway, I think it is very cool hahaha. I guess I can compare now between the anime and the RPG which piques me more. Also, I’m very very ashamed of what I have posted about the first 2 episodes of Tales of the Abyss and all the talk about the introduction I’ve seen. The introduction I’ve seen with the boat was actually Suikoden 4/5 and I got it mixed with Tales of the Abyss. Tales of the Abyss game also have intrumental opening theme unlike the anime’s which has the lyrics.

The only difference between the anime during the first episode was Princess Natalia visiting Luke which actually did not happen based from my game-play. Luke also didn’t jumped from the window of his room in the castle, it was actually Guy who did enter from the window to visit Luke. I don’t know the relation between Pere and Guy but they share the same room in the game, I guess their servants after all. Guy’s gynophobia was also implied very early on the series during his encounter with a maid. In the game, the first implication was during the first handshake with Tear. Anise and Jade really did appear in the anime really early at the same time Ion appeared.

With the episode 2, the liger’s forest is actually underneath the Cheagle Forest and not just across the Cheagle’s nest. Tear and Luke wasn’t actually that weak against the Queen Liger but it just has a lot of HP. I bet they could still defeat it without Jade’s help prior to the anime and the RPG. Jade was originally level 45 during his first attempt to join the party while defeating the Queen Liger but he was level downed when Largo cast a fon slot curse upon him enabling him to be at the same level with the characters (about level 6-8). What I said about Ion fainting was also not true. He did collapsed but he still managed to keep on walking. Mieu is still maltreated and I guess it is really extreme XD.

During the episode 3, Ion and Legretta were shown unlocking the “Sephiroth” near the place Tartarus stood by. It was actually not shown in the RPG but it was implied that it really was the thing Ion did. The scene during the attack and their rampage during the escapade is also similar except Luke’s nervous breakdown during his “first blood” when he killed the Oracle soldier. The soldiers where actually slept because of Tear’s fonic hymn but Luke accidentally woke up the soldier thus attacking him. About the quality, I appreciate the anime scenes much better because of the poor quality on the PS2 XD. Before reaching the events at the episode four, It was already revealed in the RPG that Tear is somewhat the heir for the fonic hymns Yulia also possess. That means Van also have the blood of the prophet. By the way guys, Largo is still not dead!

For the episode 4, Asch was seen ordering Dist and Arietta but it wasn’t shown in the RPG. It was late during the attack at the Kaitzur Naval Port that Arietta told them it was Asch who told him to do the ambush. Agreeing to Arietta’s demand to go to the Chorale Castle (which was said to be the place where Luke was found right after he was kidnapped), they chased Arietta at the rooftop until she played her tricks to capture Luke unlike the one shown in the anime where she did the ambush at the stairs.  Arietta actually claimed that the Queen Liger is actually her mom during the encounter at the river they crossed in order to get to the boundary not during this battle. Guy also didn’t had a memory flashback from the RPG but what he said about the death of his family is true.

So far, the anime hasn’t stepped too much far from the RPG that could cause a whole different plot.

Tear uses the sprite of the weapon named “Cane” from the game in the anime. I was also surprised to find out that Anise also uses staff to do her puppet thing.

Guys and gals I don’t know if you notice the resemblance between Sync and &^$#$. It was him the he was referring he should not meet.

Spoiler Alert! : Sync can use Daathic Fonic Artes. If you would play the game, you’ll notice it very early anyway. I just don’t know the reason why they are very semblance with each other. I also bet that Natalia would be joining the party at episode 6/7 depending on the pace after they reach Chesedonia. I also find this funny but Natalia could do more than Double Strafe but Triple… Only Tear and Natalia are the Seventh Fonon users. They could actually be identified very easily because they are the only ones who can do the healing.

I’m too sad that Ion is unplayable…

I also hope that people who watch this anime don’t end up hating Luke because I’m already hating him. lol.

ALSO, pi’s value(which is 3.14159265…..) has something to do with this anime/RPG and it’s very annoying. I don’t remember what it was again but I immediately recognized it…

I also NOTICE this very very very NOTICEABLE thing about the series and the fansub I watched. I don’t really know the reason but they are strikingly similar in the dialogues and the subtitles I read. I really presume that gg is also playing the game, at the same time getting the subs from it. I surmise that the subbers are also fans XD.

I guess this would be the very first anime I’ll be doing a episodic blogging!!! That is, starting episode five.

Posted in Anime | 7 Comments »

Nodame Cantabile Paris-hen, [way beyond my vocabulary...]

Hahaha, Welcome back Nodame! I really really like this show even if I’m not into music (I don’t even know how to play any instrument, but maybe I could handle a ∆ XD) I’m actually not so indulged in this kind of anime but I enjoyed La Corda so I thought I should also try this one because they both deal with music.

Okay, for the impressions. The quality of the drawing has improved its smoothness and texture and I can tell that they really invested a fund for it. The quality for the 3D part (the piano playing part) is very timed carefully and kind of exact when you try to imagine a person doing it so I really felt awed-struck.

I can’t actually picture in my head the modern Paris because what keeps entering my mind is the baroque stuffs and arts. Anyway, I was surprised when I heard the seiyuus do a French accent(I’m not familiar to such thing so I really don’t know if the accent is also right). I first watch the raw but I wasn’t able to understand it that much because of French XD. Considering they also did a kanji translation below, I also don’t know how to read kanji XD. Lol I suck. There was a part at the restaurant where the waiter suddenly felt disturbed about what Nodame said and I didn’t understand a hell thing so I really bothered to get a SUB! (I’m referring to what Nodame said above which I really think kind of disturbing if you said it inside a lavish restaurant)

The new characters introduced are also funny and very interesting(specially the Frank!!!). I also ignored the part above because I didn’t understand it until the fansub did their thing XD. For a thing, I don’t treat Frank as an otaku because he hardly has figmas and his room is not full of creepy doujins except only for the few posters. He even has the wrong notion of the meaning of it XD.

I’m not sure but the apartment Nodame and Chiaki occupies reeks of music students. I’m not sure if the apartment is exclusively for music students only. Nodame sure improved on her skills for a short period of time.

I was able to fully enjoy the anime because there was a group who finally picked it up. Yay for BSS!~ I was amazed that they were able to transcribe the French expressions and even translated for a short period of time. I hope they continue the project. The french expressions are sometimes annoying but I guess I’ll get use to it. Anyway, Chiaki and Nodame, please go back to Japon!~ lolz,,, It’s really awkward to hear French at times…

Okay, in short, I liked the anime. The OP sequence of the anime is also good. The only thing I’m sad and disappointed in the anime is that I won’t see (anymore?) the characters from Japan… J.C. Staff have also already announced that they’ll only make 11 episodes for the Paris Chapter. I don’t know why so short and I haven’t read the manga either but I hope there would still be a next season to be aired.

I miss Mine and Masumi-chan!

-I’ll post an entry about Jigoku Shojou: Mitsuganae next time. I have watch its raw and no fansub group has picked it up yet. The probable date for the impressions is Thursday this week.-

Posted in Anime, Hobbies | 4 Comments »

Otaku Awards 2008!

Guys, come on! Let us support Kairu for his project of having this awards every year. The nomination for the nominees is already finished so please find time to vote for the said event!!! You could also help by spreading the word! Thanks everyone.

The awards would be held at Kairu-kun’s Yoroshiku Anime Blog.

Posted in Anime | 7 Comments »

Midterms again.

My midterms would be on October 22 so I don’t really know if I’ll get to manage my blog and studies at the same time. Probably I’ll also take a break. I’m also having a problem utilizing the PC because I need mega lots of memories for downloading files once again so I guess I’ll be archiving first all I’ve downloaded for the past months specifically Macross Frontier and Code Geass R2. Friday is solely my free day every week so it’s very hard to rest and manage the blog. I’ll be free of some floating subjects after second semester so I guess I’ll have to bear with it for now. I also don’t want to fail XD. Be back at eom. I’ll still try to visit my blogmates.

I’ve also haven’t finalized yet my anime fall list but I guess I’ll still post them up.

• Toradora!
• Clannad After Story
• Tales of the Abyss
• Jigoku Shoujo: Mitsuganae`
• Gundam 00 S2
• Nodame Cantabile: Paris-hen`
• Hyakko** (Still unsure if I’ll include it)
• Ga-Rei Zero** (I like the first; what about the next—)
• Kuroshitsuji** (doesn’t impress me ; Maybe I’ll watch till 3rd episode)
• Tytania** (I’ll peek an episode; might be interesting)
• To Aru Majutsu no Index** (I happen to watch it out of curiosity; still waiting for some eps.)

` - Waiting for fansubbers. (somebody please pick them up.)

** - Wait listed.

Posted in Anime, Durmstrang | 7 Comments »

Tales of the Abyss [I've just seen what I saw on the PS2]

Okay, I’ve just experienced being disappointed on watching World Destruction because it didn’t came good as what I am expecting. Anyway,— Tales of Abyss. I’ve played a VERY LITTLE part on this game. I saw the first part unveiled in front of my eyes just as what happened on the PS2. What I remember happened was — The practice of Luke and Sir Van when Tear suddenly intervened and suddenly attacked Sir Van. The melody played on the anime was also the same with the melody played on the RPG.
Even so, I don’t remember any scene such as the thing on the left and all that stuff including the “Fon-Fon” stuffs. I don’t even remember the name of the place being mentioned (Malkuth and Kimlasca) not until I researched for it XD. I also don’t remember Luke having such amnesiac tendencies that partially forced him to write a diary for the journey. I also don’t remember any encounters with Jade and Anise early on the journey because the carriage didn’t encounter Tartarus. Fon Master Ion really is on the Engeve just like on the anime and he was really reported missing. Ion-sama also went to the Cheagle Forest on his own but I remember him having a total faint and not being just weakened by the Daath Fonic Artes he did. Lol, I’m using terminologies here that I also don’t know, anyway, just consult the Wikipedia for unfamiliar words such the Fonic stuffs but as far I’ve researched, Daath Fonic Artes is Ion’s specialty. Sadly, after the turn of events of having Ion fainted on the Cheagle Forest, I don’t know anymore what happened next. I also don’t remember seeing Guy but I think I had a glance of Natalia on a scene on a boat XD. Whatever guys, I think I’ll try to finish up the game once I had my hands again on the PS2.

As far as the anime has progressed, I think I enjoyed it because I remember some of the familiar scenes from the game and it made me feel nostalgic during the times my PS2 is still around XD. The game also reused the game’s opening theme 「Karma」by Bump of Chicken. I hope the good impression continues on. But for sure, Tale of the Abyss is already included in my watch list this fall. I was irresolute at first whether I should pick it up or not but I gambled myself and decided to do so. I hope I won’t lose my bet XD. They said the anime has a different plot but I really don’t know what happened on the game itself although I know several spoilers already that might probably be shown on the anime. I also did saw Mieu but he wasn’t so maltreated on the game unlike on the anime.

The anime is not so watcher-friendly and does care whether you played the game or not but I guess it could fulfill anyone’s hunger for action, monster fights, magics, fantasy and adventure. There are several terminologies solely found on the game such as the “fon-fon” stuffs I mentioned earlier so I advise certain research for the anime but also be careful of unwanted spoilers.

I’ll be just watching all RPG-anime adaptation and I won’t be satisfied until I find something that is noteworthy as the game itself. I hope it would be this one.

[Note: I'm not really sure of what I've said about the game because I forgot some of the information during the course of the game, considering me and my brother just tested it out and never continued playing it again. If you played the game and what I've said is an utter wrong. Please point it out for me.][My note only concerns 2nd paragraph.]

Posted in Anime | 2 Comments »

Clannad ~After Story~ [The Return]

I’ve only watched Clannad this summer. It was during Code Geass R2 that I watched it so what happened before is still fresh on my mind with all the dango stuff and the Fuko starfish figma merchandise. I don’t actually identify Clannad as something that great because I also witness Kanon and Air before this show and it actually got come of it’s concept. For that, I’m not so expecting a different thing from the mysteries, comedies, idiosyncracies up to tear jerkers. Still, I hate to say it but I grew to like KyoAni’s shows such as what I’ve said (Air, Kanon and also Haruhi and Lucky Star). Well yeah, for the love of KyoAni! I’ll be watching this show!~

Okay, here we go again, all characters from the first season is returning except Fuko… Clannad immediately pulled up it’s ace to attract audience this time by putting up a baseball match. “You’re dead guys”, said I, while having Tomoyo on my mind. Tomoyo and Kyou are definitely invincible in terms of any sports so even the opponents are from Koushien, our girls would certainly win. The first episode is way too predictable since most animes with this kind of episode often have the protagonists win even though they have the slightest chance of winning. In the Clannad universe(including Air’s and Kanon’s), miracles are possible so Tomoya hit the ball and assured their win in the end. One of the often scenes, the klutz-s of the group (specifically Nagisa and Kotomi) would always end up being a dead weight at first but then they would hit the ball miraculously in the end and even make the team score. The experienced one always end up being a failure(Sunohara). One of the recruits would overwhelm the team by doing a home run even though she is hardly experienced(Tomoyo).
Kotomi’s antics are really funny. I lol’ed right after I saw all that statistics flung on my LCD XD. I was like — O yeah, that’s the genius for you (even though I wasn’t really expecting she’d hit the ball). Misae-san is also pretty sporty doing that pose from Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo for the love of parody.

I enjoyed the episode so far even though it was a bit insipid. I really expect this anime to turn out as a drama on the middle part so maybe I’ll be just observing the development. I hope it is deserving for a set of tissues. Also, I hope Fuko just rise up from that bed. For now, that’s the first impressions and thoughts. Hope this will turn out good like the first!

Posted in Anime | 3 Comments »

Toradora! [First Impressions!]

I thought it has a very serious nature because of the introduction of the characters. For some reasons, I was engulfed by the introduction of the show especially by the words they spoke.

I have to agree that Kugimiya Rie fits the character because Aisaka really is tsundere in nature.

I think I like the introduction of the show. I really don’t know the plot because I don’t have any access to the Light Novel but just like Omni-senpai said from his preview for the animes this fall, It might just be the “next Haruhi.” I hope this show don’t mess up just like Zero no Tsukaima. I wasn’t really interested to this show at first because it might be just like Louise and Saito — Considering J.C Staff also did the production.

Since the intoduction is okay, I think I’ll continue to watch it. I don’t have clues what the Light Novel is all about but the plot for me is so indecisive except fot the information that Ryuuji will be an another Bakainu for Louise - er, I mean Aisaka. I hope this pass my expectations since it is branded as the “next Haruhi”.

Aisaka is more violent than your Haruhi. She is definitely a tsundere. She is also dumb, irrational and hot-tempered. Her appearance is so deceiving and yeah, you’ll mistook her as a doll but not really… She doesn’t look like so fit and strong but she made Ryuugi budge a little when they ran into each other.

She is so demanding. She might also be difficult to please but her heart is also easy to melt though she responses violently just so to hide her gentle side. Expect what from tsunderes?

Meanwhile, our male protagonist suffers from misunderstanding of his classmates as someone who is a delinquent. He got his facial features from his father who already died. I suspect his father is a member of a yakuza and her mother is just some sort of a cabaret girl… He is your ordinary high school guy with no motives at all in life but suddenly got involved with your female tsundere who is desperate to get a love interest.

He acts like a bachelor because his mother is always out for her “customers” (yah know–). He knows how to cook and clean your dirty kitchen. He tries to be stylish but it isn’t just probable due to his “as-if-he’s-gonna-eat-someone face.”

If I have to compare this to other animes I have watched before, what comes in my mind is School Rumble. It’s always been a love confession, a love letter to be handed that always result to failure. The protagonist then needs some support from his/her friends but this supporter somehow ended up having a crush as well. Something like that—, I hope the plot is not sooo like your typical high school life anime.

Posted in Anime | 2 Comments »

Stand by me. (Birdy Decode EP 13)

I don’t know but it seems that the animes I pick are rarely picked by the biggest blogosphere people.

Okay, I’ve been interested to this show ever since I saw Tsutomu slowly perished right after Birdy mistook him as the target. And the *poof!* he became the buddy of Birdy. The name of the anime is just so awkward. I don’t know why they named it this way… Anyway, I discovered that this anime is really just an OVA but Aniplex decided to do an alternative retelling of its story.

It didn’t have any of that impression to me that would be remebered so much but I enjoyed watching it. It has the android people you see everywhere but I liked the concept of having two minds at the same time. I didn’t liked how they disposed Tute from the show when he is the only comic relief at times.

I was really really glad when Shyamalan died . He is just an Aizen-copycat. His idea is just out of nowhere. I really don’t know what is his origin but he certainly is not an ordinary human. Even so, I shouted “beh!” when I heard the crackling noise while he is staring to Nakasugi being taken over by the Ryunka herself.

The ending is still vague for me. I thought Nakasugi was revived because the Ryunka lived inside her. Therefore, if the Ryunka would be extracted from her- she would die. But that didn’t happen on the show. Instead, it was able to transfer to Tsutomu that easily just by kissing Nakasugi. Same as the first encounter of Birdy and Tsutomu, he died again so that the Ryunka would be captured. I was surprised when I saw Nejula did some Kekkaishi thing on the Ryunka. Also, I don’t know why Nejula didn’t subjugated the Federation dog who helped Shyamalan. By the way, I thought Nakasugi was her during the first episodes she suddenly came back to life.

I’m looking forward to the 2nd season but I think it is still yet to be announced when it would be airing again.

I’ll rate this anime 8/10. It is not so great and doesn’t have that original idea of having android and other galaxies exist but it is fun to watch and it certainly followed its plot without any garbage background and other junks added to it. Every episode has an encounter to Ryunka so you’ll get lost if you happen to miss an episode. The graphics and animation is… so-so. Birdy is almost like a ninja but I didn’t liked how she hovers through the air. Also, I liked the opening theme. The character development is good I guess but TsutomuxSayaka didn’t happened because she lost her memories right after she became the host for the Ryunka… I don’t know if the sequel will dispose of her appearance because she doesn’t serve any purpose anymore.

Posted in Anime | 4 Comments »