Karuta’s Insatiable Sixth (or, Is It Fifth?) Sense

She [Karuta] isn’t just thinking…it’s something deeper.  She probably knows instinctively what’s right.  That’s it.  She’s like a jungle hero.  She’s like Tarzan.
-Watanuki Banri, of Inu x Boku SS

Cooking is about seeing the possibilities clearly.
-Roromiya Karuta

After the sixth episode of the currently airing show, Inu x Boku SS, Roromiya Karuta has vaulted over all other competitors to become my favorite.  As adorable as I find Ririchiyo, there’s just something irresistible about Karuta’s bottomless stomach and natural desire to help those in need.

Araki’s Lessons on How to Lose Fat in 10 Days

No, this isn’t actually a guide to losing fat in 10 days.  It is, however, a commentary on the highly unrealistic weight loss of one of Area no Kishi‘s soccer players, Ryuichi Araki.  I appreciated the miracle for contributing to the “WTF?!” factor of this sports show, but I also resented it a little for reminding me yet again of my own insecurities.  And the funny thing is, I’m not even that visibly overweight, but a salvageable 20 pounds over my build and height’s ideal weight.  The secret to Araki’s dramatic change in physique is nothing more or less than “…careful dieting and rigorous training.”

ISML Prelims Phase 1, Day 3 Votes

I find it cruel that Rin and Saber are set against one another.  My solution? Vote for them both!

ARENA 01: [Anjō Naruko] Haruna Iwasawa Asami [Shinonome Hakase] Shiomiya Shiori Tachibana Kanade Yarizui Sen
ARENA 02: Gokō Ruri (Kuroneko) Haqua du Lot Herminium Horizon Ariadust (P-01s) Laura Bodewig [Oshimizu Nako] Tōwa Erio [Yamada Aoi]
ARENA 03: Amami Haruka Eucliwood Hellscythe Hakamada Hinata [Kaga Rin] Mikazuki Yozora [Sakura Kyōko] Ueno Kirika
ARENA 04: Amaha Miu Hotogi Shirayuki [Kaname Madoka] Sena Airi Suzutsuki Kanade [Uryū Minene] Yui
ARENA 05: Fear Kubrick [Hoshii Miki] Kasugano Sora [Nakamura Yuri] Reki Tomoe Mami Toshinō Kyōko
ARENA 06: Charlotte Dunois Himeji Mizuki [Honma Meiko] [Ika-Musume] Inui Sana Nanasaki Ai Shimada Minami
ARENA 07: Akiyama Mio Fate Testarossa [Hanekawa Tsubasa] Hyūga Hinata Illyasviel von Einzbern Sakurano Kurimu [Tainaka Ritsu]
ARENA 08: Alice Fujibayashi Kyō Hoshina Utau Kanzaki Kaori Maria [Sakagami Tomoyo] [Suzumiya Haruhi]
ARENA 09: Furukawa Nagisa Haibara Ai [Hiiragi Tsukasa] Kamio Misuzu Konjiki no Yami Kotegawa Yui [Senjōgahara Hitagi]
ARENA 10: C.C. [Furude Rika] Hinamori Amu Kinomoto Sakura Nymph Sengoku Nadeko [Suiseiseki]
ARENA 11: Ikaros Kawashima Ami Kuronuma Sawako Lucy Heartfilia Ryūgū Rena [Saber] [Tōsaka Rin]
ARENA 12: [Hirasawa Yui] [Ibuki Fūko] Ichinose Kotomi Kuchiki Rukia Lala Satalin Deviluke Last Order Uiharu Kazari

ISML Preliminary Phase 1, Day 2 Votes

Vote here.

ARENA 01: Erza Scarlet [Hecate] Hyūga Hinata Index L. Prohibitorum [Misaka Mikoto] Suigintō Yūki Mikan

ARENA 02: [Hanekawa Tsubasa] Hoshina Utau Izumi Konata Kushieda Minori [Nagato Yuki] Saten Ruiko Shiina Mafuyu

ARENA 03: Fate Testarossa Kamio Misuzu Kanzaki Kaori [Kotobuki Tsumugi] [Nakano Azusa] Okazaki Ushio Oshino Shinobu

ARENA 04: Alice Haibara Ai [Hiiragi Kagami] [Hinamori Amu] Sakurano Kurimu Shana Shirai Kuroko

ARENA 05: [Aisaka Taiga] [Holo] Kotegawa Yui Kuronuma Sawako Maria Suiseiseki Tainaka Ritsu

ARENA 06: Fujibayashi Kyō Hiiragi Tsukasa Illyasviel von Einzbern Katsura Hinagiku [Kinomoto Sakura] Lala Satalin Deviluke [Ryūgū Rena]

ARENA 07: Astarotte Ygvar [Makise Kurisu] Miki Sayaka Nakagawa Kanon Shiina Mayuri [Shinonome Hakase] Victorique de Blois

ARENA 08: Akaza Akari [Anjō Naruko] Kanzaki H. Aria Kirishima Shōko Kōsaka Kirino Minato Tomoka [Oshimizu Nako]

ARENA 09: Amami Haruka [Dalian] Elucia de Lute Irma Hasegawa Kobato Horizon Ariadust (P-01s) Kuroi Mato [Yarizui Sen]

ARENA 10: Aragaki Ayase [Irisviel von Einzbern] Shiomiya Shiori Ueno Kirika Uryū Minene [Yamada Aoi] Yuzuriha Inori

ARENA 11: Amaha Miu Haruna [Hoshii Miki] [Kaga Rin] Kashiwazaki Sena Laura Bodewig Mine Riko

ARENA 12: [Akemi Homura] Hakamada Hinata Haqua du Lot Herminium [Iwasawa Asami] Nanasaki Ai Sena Airi Toshinō Kyōko

Marina’s Anime Picks for Valentine’s Day

I’ll be working this Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pause and appreciate the the gestures of love bound to pop everywhere around the date.  I’m a sucker for shoujo anime/manga, and love me some romantic comedy films, so it stands to reason that I plan on snuggling up after work and watching some favorite ol’ lovey-dovey anime.

Anime Addicts Anonymous and the Difficulties of Time Management

Kai of deluscar kindly asked me to participate in a project discussing anime and time management.  The prompt, as quoted by Kai, describes this as “…a project where everyone can share how [they] manage their time efficiently, juggling between studies, work and anime…” I always find joint projects like this (like the recent Carnival discussing anime rating) a lot of fun since it not only helps me out when I run dry on inspiration, but it also creates a ton of collaboration between writers and readers.

Bathe Me with Thermae Romae

It’s a work like Thermae Romae that proves to me that anime still has so much to offer, despite the slew of look-a-likes out there.  If you are able to set aside your art style preferences, then I think you’ll find this to be one of the funniest bits of warped history and culture since, I don’t know, anything!

Last Exile: Fam, Ep. 14 | Flying Fancies and an Upheaval of Control

If you were hoping to watch an episode featuring an epic battle between the two Exiles of Turan and Glacies, then you’ll be disappointed to find out that Fam opts to skip the fighting and starts up immediately after the Federation’s complete victory and destruction of yet another nation.  The decision to cut out this battle makes sense to me on an overall directing level–we’ve already seen what happens when Liliana mans the controls.  Choosing to feature it would most likely also take up a full episode given the amount of detail that Gonzo likes to put into these fight scenes, even more so for a battle between Exiles.  Despite the emotional impact of the confrontation when coupled with the visual of the annihilation of Glacies, Gonzo also probably wants to save the fireworks for a showdown with another Exile, maybe even that of Anatoray-Disith.  It’s for purely selfish reasons that I want to see what happened.  Maybe a DVD/BD-release special?

Last Exile: Fam, Ep. 12-13 | Oasis and Storm

I’m way behind on the episodic posts, but I’d rather still post about these past two episodes than skip them and just move on to the fourteenth episode.  I’m still sticking to the official episode numbering.

Area no Kishi and Transplanting the Human Soul

Although I haven’t been as pleased with Area no Kishi as I would have expected, I am still enjoying it well enough to keep with it.  I’m fond of the sport and I was hopeful about seeing some real character clashes between the brothers and “Seven”.  Unfortunately, the end of episode two threw in a fatal vehicle/pedestrian accident.  Episode three then opens up on Kakeru waking up with his older brother’s heart beating in his chest.