Happy New Year!!!

2022–the year of the tiger (my year!) and a continuation of the global pandemic that has flipped our world for the past couple of years. I’m here to keep on keeping on and drop down a few resolutions.

I know, right?

Resolutions bring with them elevated expectations, failed deadlines, and ensuing depression—but that’s only if you approach them the wrong way. I’m taking the more relaxed approach, viewing them more as a guideline than some kind of demand of my daily life.

Spring Update: We’re in Japan!

I’ve been in Japan for the past week, and have one more to go before flying home. This will be the first year since I moved to Seattle five years ago that I will not be attending Sakura-Con. I think the trade-off is worth it!

We began our journey in Kyoto, then later moved on to the citrus-growing countryside of Wakayama. As I write this, we are now on the bullet train heading towards Hakone, where we will spend one night before finishing our trip in Tokyo.

You can look forward to a more thorough report of our trip, as well as my Winter 2018 season review and Spring 2018 set menu once I return home. Until then, please listen to episode two of the Kaiseki Anime Podcast if you haven’t already (episode three coming soon!).

Happy Spring!

Happy 2017!

Happy New Year to everyone!

My Fall 2016 Season Wrap will be up later this week–most of the last episodes aired while we were on our honeymoon so I have lots to catch up on once we return. Then it’ll be another chase to check out the new winter season and let you know which ones I’ll be following. At a cursory glance, the following are on my list to watch:

• ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka – Intriguing…
• Akiba’s Trip The Animation – for KWoo…I swear!
• Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen – Long-awaited sequel
• Demi-chan wa Kataritai – Sucked in by the promo art
• ēlDLIVE – Ender’s Game look-a-like?
• Fuuka – Imagining this with Trump as the protagonist
• Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon – Try everything KyoAni
• Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 – Sequel
• Little Witch Academia (TV) – OMG OMG OMG
• Minami Kamakura Koukou Joshi Jitensha-bu – so many bicycle anime these days
• Piace: Watashi no Italian – Italian food, yum
• Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen – Sequel
• Urara Meirochou – Cute girls and fortune telling
• Yowamushi Pedal: New Generation – Whaaaat? A must sequel for KWoo

Let me know if I’m overlooking a gem you think I’d like!

12 Days of Anime – #12 New Directions for 2017

(hibike! euphonium) drawn by hado maiko

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew, we made it. I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen, but here we are. Thank you for sticking with me. I mulled over what I wanted to discuss for the last day of “12 Days of Anime,” whether I’d pick my favorite from the year (which I actually covered on the first day), or touch on a central theme from 2016. Instead, we’re getting personal and looking at the path Anime B&B will take starting with the new year.

Marina is Getting Hitched!

Source: ボッコロの日 | yoeah [pixiv] http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=50507688

This year has been a whirlwind, both in my personal life, and at work. Multiple family and friend weddings were attended, positions at work were promoted, and that dreaded school loan was paid off.

Now comes my biggest adventure to date: marriage!

Just a few weekends ago, KWoo popped the question on bent knee at a park that holds a special meaning to both of us. My dog wound her way around us on leash completely without care while I sputtered in surprise and joy. I, of course, said yes!

And why the Aria? Given my life long pull to water and mountains, online persona, favoritism for Aria, and anti-diamond stance, an aquamarine ring was a no brainer 😉

[Poll] Which blog theme do you prefer?

I’ve been staring at my blog a lot recently and wondering if I could choose a better theme.  I’ve tested a few out, and decided to compare my current “Twenty Eleven” theme to the potential “Forever” theme.  Below are a few screenshots of each for side-by-side comparison.

For more information or previews on the themes, click below:
Twenty Eleven Info and Preview | Forever Info and Preview

Aniblog Tourney 2012

The Aniblog Tourney is just around the corner, starting April 15th, and I encourage every one of my readers to participate. Not only does voting urge the bloggers to up their ante, but it promotes communication between all parties involved. I greatly appreciate the chance to collaborate so closely with my readers and fellow bloggers and hope that the results, no matter if a “win” or a “loss,” will inspire me to become a better writer.

Update: Anime B&B will be up for Round 2 on May 6th, so I look forward to seeing you then!
Update: I luckily made it through the second round and will enter Round 3 on Friday, June 8th.
Update: Thanks for your support everyone! I had a good run, and was neck and neck for runner-up in Round 3.  I’ll see you next year!

Rules | Dates | Full Tourney Bracket

And for some interesting coverage on the Tourney, check out TRazor and TWWK’s previews.

Versatile Blogger Award Nomination

Thanks to simpleek for nominating me for this wonderful award! The VBA is basically what its title states, an award given to bloggers for their versatility.  Those who have been nominated are also automatically winners.  I consider myself still a beginner at all this blogging business, but am extremely flattered to be chosen nonetheless.  Here are the rules for the VBA:

•  Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
•  Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy.
•  Next, select [up to] 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
•  Nominate those bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award—you might include a link to this site.
•  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

For the nomination part of the process, here are 8 blogs whose colorful array of topics I very much enjoy (random order):

1. the beautiful world, by foxy lady and neko
   Dedicated in title to the anime, Kino no Tabi, the beautiful world catalogs the discoveries of two wonderful bloggers in such topics as anime, music, manga, and illustrations.  My entrance to them was through a post about xxxHOLiC on Yi’s blog, Listless Ink.
2. Beneath the Tangles, by TWWK, Goldy, Murasaki Lynna, R86, and Zeroe4
   While I’m not exactly new to this site, there are several new writers whose voices I’ve just started to become familiarized with.  A blog with Christianity and spirituality in mind, I enjoy their interpretations on anime and manga despite my own agnostic views.
3. Baka Laureate, by krizzlybear
   I first stumbled across krizzlybear when I spotted a piece about Apple Curry and Mawaru Penguindrum.  Now, for those of you who know me: I cannot resist anything to do with food.  Baka Laureate isn’t dedicated to food in topic, but covers everything from episodic reviews, Editorials, fan-fiction, and ISML coverage.
4. EmptyBlue, by feal87
   feal87 has been around just as short of a time as me, and yet took off at a sprint almost right from the beginning.  This can be attributed not only to his huge area of coverage of episodic reviews, but also because of how awesome he is at making sure to visit and comment on many other blogs.  I still struggle with this as I’m a natural lurker.  Topics include anime, visual novels, manga, and lots and lots of artwork.
5. Lost in America, by Guardian Enzo
   I am continually stunned at the staggering amount of anime that Enzo is able to cover from season to season.  Amassing both episodic reviews almost in the double digits, along with season previews and reviews, Lost in America is regularly updated at a surprising speed by its lone blogger.  And quantity by no means affects quality, as each of his entries are written with great thought and wit.  I also look forward to his coverage of the HBO TV series, the 2nd season of Game of Thrones.
6. Lemmas and Submodalities, by SnippetTee
   You can get a hint of the writer’s originality and intelligence just from the title alone–SnippetTee’s writing style is both graceful and poignant.  And though the topics center mostly on anime, the range of approaches is extremely wide.  If you’re looking to stretch your intellectual boundaries, I suggest giving this blog a try.
7. Draggle’s Anime Blog, by draggle
   I cannot get enough of draggle’s hilarious image-heavy posts.  Inane babble, step aside! Here’s a blogger who isn’t afraid of striking to the heart of the topic and cutting out any unnecessary discussion.  I appreciate draggle’s sense of humor in large part because I tend to have trouble inserting any into my own writing.
8. Listless Ink, by Yi
   I had to conduct a wide search to find a blogger with such interesting views on fashion and sexuality in anime and manga (though simpleek is one as well).  A good percentage of the entries are written in academic essay format, editorial, and do take a large amount of time and thought to process.  They’re never quick and dirty reads.

Now for the 7 things about myself (though my recent 50-question survey covers this already):

1. Despite my profession for non-pickiness when it comes to food, there are some that I avoid: okra, celery, dark chocolate, overly sweet candies, ice cream, and some others that are slipping my mind.
2. My current go-to espresso drink is a white chocolate mocha with creme de menthe (think chocolate mint ice cream in coffee form)
3. I have extreme rage issues with video games; I cannot count the number of times I’ve yelled at the computer screen when playing Left 4 Dead 2.  Don’t play on expert realism if you friendly fire!
4. I have been obsessively buying nail polish every time I’ve gone to the store for the past couple of months–particularly those made by Essie
5. I currently live in a dry cabin (no running water), a type of housing that is very popular in Alaska, particularly for college students who have a small budget.  I have to haul water in 5-6 gallon jugs every month or so.
6. My hair takes 15-20 minutes to blow dry.  Curse my mother for giving me her overly thick hair!
7. When I don’t want to deal with my morning bangs, I slip on a stretchy head band Tainaka Ritsu style (and I used to be a percussion major in undergrad, too)