binglemumps

My latest thing is, I want to be an anime character. Like, not the child prodigy who’s saving the world type (plus apparently you’re only allowed to save the world if you’re <18, so I’m too old). I just want to be a peon character, one of those that doesn’t even have a speaking line and just gets beaten up in the background when the bad guys attack. I could even be one of the bad guy peon characters. The point is, it would be nice to have even marginal superpowers so I don’t have to keep looking over my shoulder when I walk home at night worrying that I might get mugged. I just need enough superpower to beat up a couple of street thugs trying to mug me. Is that too much to ask???

So I can’t be a mecha pilot, because mecha pilots can’t prevent themselves from getting mugged without their mechas around. Although, as a side issue, it would also be pretty cool to be a mecha pilot. In a recent discussion with TJ about my newfound passion for mecha anime, he acutely pointed out that there really is no point to mechas. Why do you need a robot holding a gun, when you can just mount the gun on a plane? Do they really need hands and feet? And if it takes years to train people to fly planes, how long is it going to take for people to learn how to pilot mechas? How can it possibly be a worthwhile investment? All valid questions.

What makes me sad is that, even if mechas do get invented at some point, first generation mechas are gonna be huge and clunky and completely uncool looking. It’ll take like 8 generations before they start looking nice. We’ll never see cool mechas in our lifetime!! Oh the tragedy.

On a happier note, I like the new Zhou Jie Lun album!! Current favourite tracks are Long Zhan Qi Shi and Shi Guang Ji. Go and get! I was prepared to be disappointed because I haven’t liked a lot of his recent stuff, but this one looks promising so far. Also, I found out today that one of my coworkers is actually really fobby and listens to lots of cheena music! I’m excited cos I’m getting desperate for new music, and she’s already made some recommendations. So, person reading this, you are also very welcomed to make some suggestions.

To spare my normal readers, I’ve procured a separate subdomain for my anime rantings.

Witness: bingerama

So cute! I’d hug him too:

Twelve Kingdoms is becoming pretty addictive. Once you get past the first 4 or 5 episodes where the protagonist bursts into tears at the most inappropriate moments, she becomes such a trooper that the character development is pretty unrealistic. No complaints, of course - I’d rather they sped the process up unnaturally than have us sit through 200 episodes of teenage angst.

Fortunately, this is taking some heat off my Saiunkoku Monogatari obsession, which I have been trying to satiate by downloading Chinese subs (that desperate, yes). Today my fellow Saiunkoku fan (whom will henceforth be referred to as FSF because publicly disclosing that he likes this anime would detract from his manly image) suggested that I make my own English subs using the Chinese ones.

I actually considered this until I went home and re-watched an episode I’d seen last night, this time with the Chinese subs on. And discovered that my Chinese is in a completely Cannot Make It state. In my defense, if the show had a contemporary setting I probably would have been ok. But I have enough trouble understanding how ancient Chinese emperors speak even through listening, much less when I’m trying to read 10 words per second with names of obscure provinces mixed in for good measure.

Anyway, we’ll see if this anime sustains my interests long enough past my bloody exam. The other day I was chatting with coworker SW, who mentioned that she’d once tried subbing a drama all by herself (translation, timing, encoding) and gave up after less than 1 episode because it was just too much work. If I’m still obsessed when I have a ton of time on my hands, maybe it’ll be a good excuse to watch the same episodes 20,143 times. =p Take heart, FSF!