Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi (the sequel)

title: ai yori aoshi enishi

total episode: 13

release date: 2003 october

summary: in this sequel to the anime series Ai Yori Aoshi, two years have passed since kaoru (male lead) and aoi (female lead) first met. the adventures haven't stopped, even though life at the mansion has settle down. now, taeko's cousin chika has moved in, and kaoru is thrown by her bluntness and sexy demeanor. in this anime series second season, kaoru and tina look forward to completing their college education. while kaoru and aoi are finally ready to take the next step in their relationship, tina seems to be almost dreading her graduation day. as she comes to terms with her feelings for kaoru, she will make one of the most important decisions of her life...

review: a short series that can be both serenely sweet and ridiculously funny at the same time. It doesn’t revolve around just one character development, but six (aoi, chika, mayu, miyabi, taeko, and tina). each episode focus on a certain character providing a touching, bittersweet drama with just enough comedy to keep the mood light. now this is how a romantic comedy should be!

rating: 8 out of 10

to stream this anime (click here)

Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi (the sequel) figures collection

this set you see here was released some time around 2004. truth to be told, school-life romance anime is not my cup of tea and the only reason i purchased this dvd is because it came with these sexy mini figures. there is a total of 5 figure in this set.

the figures require some minor assembling.

figures review...
(click on picture to enlarge for a better view)
aoi sakuraba is the female lead character in this anime. she's usually portrayed wearing a kimono, making her seen as a yamato nadeshiko (traditional japanese beauty). she generally very shy and demure, addressing people with proper manners. she's a very good cook and keeps her house in a very clean state. unlike other female leads in harem anime, she works to control her jealousy and is generally successful.

the pose on this figure really express her character's shyness, which i liked. the head is movable compare to the other figures, and i think its unique because you can tilt her head in any direction you want.

mayu miyuki is a sixteen-year-old brat, who came from a rich family and claims to be from england. she may seems mean on the outside, but she has heavy feelings on the inside. she very cheerful and intelligent.

the design was simple to begin with so no point praising it. i would usually avoid purchasing any figure when a body part is cut-off, but i'll make this one an exception because its part of the scenery and a connector for the rest.

tina foster was born in the united states, texas. majority of her life was spent in japan. she has a habit of greeting females by groping and fondling their breasts from behind. she's loud and outspoken. she is also very fond of drinking and has an enormous capacity for alcohol.




chika minazuki spends most of her time working in a cafe down by the beach. Because of this, she's very tanned except for tan-lines caused by her swimsuit. she has a very energetic personality.

the coloring is great, especially the tan line. it really does "stand-out" from the other figures. the only complain i have on this figure is that the material on her right leg is not giving enough support. as a result, the right leg tends to bend. to solve this problem, i made the figure lean against a wall of some sort to stop it from bending.

taeko minazuki attends the same school with the rest of the house member within the casts. she also work as a housekeeper as her part-time job. her most prominent features are her very large breasts (that never stop growing) and her clumsiness. she had a tendency to break a lot of valuable objects, but she tries to do her best.

i think this figure will be a lot cool-er if her glasses can be removable.


verdict: overall, it is an alright set. the sculpted and design aren't bad at all, its cute and sexy. i think it would be awesome if it comes with a "spa" background to match with the figures. i really wish they would of made a figure of miyabi kagurazaki to go with this set as well. she a pretty eye-catching character too.

I'm Back and Alive

i apologize for the 4 month absent, just like i mention on the title of this blog "i am an amateur otaku". i do have a life...

i been very busy and occupied by my job, school, relationship, friends, events, other activities, and up-keeps.

yes, sometime i find it to be a hassle when i tend to do too much and i do wish there was more of me so i can get things done... =_=

anyways, since i'm on summer vacation i will be resuming this blog starting tomorrow.

in case you ask, im not the artist of this artwork. i got it from google.

Fate/Hollow Ataraxia: figures collection volume 2 set of 6

this picture contain all the characters released in volume 2 which round up to the number of figures to 6. these figures are "trading arts mini", the characters themselves have been chibised turning them into SD characters.

compare to volume 1, i find this set to be much more cuter. each figures seem to be well crafted too. and again, the figures require some minor assembling.

figures review...
(click on picture to enlarge for a better view)
rin tosaka, a model student who is secretly a sorceress. she lacks a formal magic education, but she is extremely powerful in her own right. this figure truly express her perceptive and competitive attitude.

i like the gloss they use on the ribbon to distinguish the different from her hair. by doing so, the shine help it stands out more.

archer is the servant of rin tosaka. he has no memory of his previous life or identity due to an incomplete summon. he is sarcastic and cynical.

in my opinion, i think this is the best figure out of this volume. the design from his hair to his shirt, down to his shorts is neat and smooth. it even came with 3 chibised cats, ^^

issei ryudo is the preident goverment at homura academy and a good friend of shirou. his father is a priest at a temple.

the design was simple to begin with so no point praising "toys planning" the manufacturer for his sculpt. i would like to note that his glasses is removable.

rider is a servant of shinji. she is silent, sultry, and vigilant. to compensate for her weakness, rider employs covert battle tactics and take advantage of the territory around her. bikini wise she is the most seductive which in turn makes her the most eye catching character so far. her glasses is also removable.

sukra mato is a high school student, and the sister of shinji. she has a long standing and obvious crush on shinro emiya. she is outwardly shy and timid, but possesses great inner strength.
i really like her post, it brings out her cuteness and still look so innocent.

there is a minor problem with this figure, its nothing big. its just that the figure doesn't stick to the stand, so if you don't have an even surface, it will slide off. and the beach ball as well.

lancer is balanced warrior who enjoys combating a worthy opponent. he has a playful attitude and takes a very carefree approach to life, but is quick to work himself into a frenzy during a heated battle.

i like the pose on this figure, it reminds me of the "monkey king" from the chinese novel called "journey to the west". the only problem i have is probably the spear, it isn't straight.

verdict: overall, volume 2 is slightly better sculpted and designed compare to the first volume. again, i suggest to place this set above eye level for a good view because its hard to see most of the figure's face when their head is tilted down. i really like these figures, i hope there will be volume 3.

characters i would like to see next volume: caster (female), fujimura taiga, assassin, berserker, bazett fraga mcremitz, and maybe kiritsugu emiya.

Claymore

title: claymore

total episode: 26

release date: 2007 april 04

summary: a world sparsely occupied by small, isolated villages needs someone to defend its people from yoma, devil-like creatures with fearsome strength and hunger for humans. The people are protected by claymore (half-human half-yoma female warriors) with silver hair and eyes and power to match the yoma. clare is one such claymore. after she saves a young boy named raki, whose family is massacred by a yoma, he begins to follow her from mission to mission.

review: the first few episode helps fill in the detail of what this anime is all about. it's just a series of events that happen to each characters during their adventures and are interesting for various reasoning. in a way, i think its great for character development. the fight scene is pretty decent, it does have some blazingly fast sword action. the animation itself is generally good. in my perspective, i say the highlight of this anime came from episode 5-8 arc. it truly deliver a mind-blowing-jaw-dropping twist, that i didn't even see it coming from miles away. i was fill with emotion, i even find myself getting a little bit watery in my eyes. i was rather unsatisfied with the ending tho, because it seems rush as if the creator just wanted to end it.

rating: 8.5 out of 10