November Birthday Celebrants

Cheers to all those who celebrate their birthday on the scary but fun month of November!

Here’s a little game to test your anime character knowledge. Name the anime birthday celebrants in the calendar and the anime they come out of and see how well you know your anime.

Need help? Don’t worry. Below is the list of names and anime. And if you want more anime birthdays, click the following url: http://www.geocities.com/sumirechan/bday_index.html It has an extended list of anime birthday celebrants, plus game characters, Japanese voice actors and actresses, and anime directors / creators.

*****JHAJR*****

We Are Anime!

Naaalala mo pa ba ang phrase na ito? Minsan noong unang panahon (that’s a decade ago) nagsimulang maglabasan sa TV ang mga palabas na matagal nang hinintay ng mga fans. Sinimulan ng Voltes V at Mazinger Z noong 70’s at ipinagpatuloy ng Dragon Ball Z at Ghost Fighter (Yu Yu Hakusho) noong early 90’s ang anime fandom sa Pilipinas.

Nagsimula ang lahat ng ibalik ang Ghost Fighter sa ere ng GMA 7 at sa wakas ay kumpletuhin ang pagpapalabas ng mga episode (bagay na di ko maintindihan sa ibang istasyon. Ilang anime din ang hindi natapos sa IBC, ABC, RPN at PTV). Pagkatapos noon, bumalik ang Voltes V at Daimos (pero bakit hindi ang Mazinger Z?). At nagsunuran na rin ang ibang mga anime…

Naalala ko rin kung paano nagsimula ang mga cosplay sa Pilipinas, naging seryosong bagay ang paggawa ng mga anime costume. Sa maiksing panahon, napag-isa ang mga kabataan ng bansa ng isang genre sa television (pero syempre hindi pa rin Pacquiao-level ang unification). Ang mexican-telenovela dominated TV noon ay sinubukang labanan ng anime. Naging laman ng primetime ang anime! Mula paggising hanggang bago matulog ang mga kabataan, may anime na mapapanood…

At higit sa lahat, naalala ko ang pagsilang ng isang local anime magazine ~ ang Questor Magazine.

Sampung taon na ang nakalipas. Nasaan na ba ang anime ngayon? Bakit parang hindi na kasing-sigla noong araw? Isang malaking senyales ay ang paulit-ulit na pagpapalabas ng parehong mga anime sa TV. Voltes V na naman? Ghost fighter na naman? Slam Dunk na naman? Oh my god, Princess Sarah pa rin hanggang ngayon??

May nag-iisang magazine ngayon, ang Otakuzine, pero parang senyales rin ng mababang level ng excitement sa anime ang size ng magazine na ito.

Ano kayang pwede nating gawin bilang mga anime fans para manumbalik ang sigla ng anime sa Pilipinas? 

*****JHAJR*****

reference:

Otakuzine image: http://www.crunchyroll.com/showphoto?id=20301566#photo_viewer_module=31

Questor Magazine image: http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/980/img018xg6.th.jpg

Feed Not Thy Bloodlust: The Modern-Day Vampires of Animedom

Throughout centuries, their kind had been feared and looked down upon at the same time. Humans have killed them in both literature and all forms of modern media. But that was then. These days, it seems humans have gotten along with these creatures of myth, co-existing with them and relying on them to clean up their trash of misbehaving kins.

These modern-day blood-suckers are out there to get us…to have tea with them. Or soda. Anything but blood. Oh, and a friendly chat.

From Ordinary to Not-So

When Saya Otonashi woke up from her hibernation in Blood+, she became the adopted daughter of George, an army veteran who saw Saya go insane, killing everyone in sight. She has no memory of her identity or past. She may appear as an ordinary teenager, but she has the special ability to heal herself intantly. She also needs blood transfusions to remain healthy.

During an attack of a chiropteran, she learns that her blood could kill such creatures and she is reunited with Hagi, her former chevalier. Thus begins her life as a hunter of cheropterans. But who is the one called Diva? How are they connected to each other?

Kazuna Takashiro and his sister Chizuna of Hitsuji no Uta have a condition that have been passed down through their bloodline. They get excited by the mere sight of blood or even just the blood-red color. Their father had committed suicide six years ago, and they try to understand why it happened. Chizuna once admitted to having a relationship with their father after their mother’s death. Now it seems, Kazuna is beginning to feel something special towards her as  well.

Yuki of Vampire Knight never knew she was a vampire because her mother put her powers to sleep. She was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, who shares her belief that vampires and humans could live peacefully together. Her job is to act as the school prefect, going between the Human Day students and the Vampire Night students, preventing them from going at it with each other.

Living a Cautious Life

Miyu of Vampire Princess Miyu does not get affected by sunlight, crucifixes or holy water. Unless one is willing, she will never take blood from anyone so easily. She picks those who suffer tragic loss and offers them a chance to be with their loved ones, at least in an endless dream; or she could just look for people whom she believes to be “lovely” either by physical traits or personality.

In the world of Nightwalker, Shidou Tatsuhiko runs a private investigator office that takes care of investigations about breed-inspired crimes. He has decided not to draw blood from unwilling victims after an incident that resulted in the death of his young sister.

Fay D. Flourite of Tsubasa Chronicle who was once a powerful magician now becomes a vampire as well after taking in Kamui’s blood and drinking Kurogane’s blood who now becomes his vessel in order for him to survive.

For The Love of a Vampire

Moka Akashiya in Rosario+Vampire has a special liking to the human Tsukune Aono after ingesting his blood, and getting addicted to its sweet taste. She wears a rosary on her neck that only Tsukune could take off. When that happens to turns into a super vampire, more powerful than any monster in Youkai Academy. She is the sole reason Tsukune decides to stay in the academy who doesn’t know he’s a human. Later on, after a number of neck-biting from Moka, even Tsukune develops some vampiric abilities.

Hazuki met Kouhei Morioka in Tsukuyomi – Moon Phase, on his travel to a castle in Germany. He is a Vampire lover as well as love of other paranormal occurences. When Hazuki fed on his blood, claiming him as her unwilling servant, the blood pact did not take effect on him. Later on, the two develop feelings toward each other and Kouhei promised to protect Hazuki from her own family vampire servants who will do anything to take her back.

Alucard von Mosquiton fell in love with Inaho Hitomebore but it looks like she’s more focused on the financial side of life, much to his dismay. He is Inaho’s pet vampire but he obeys her willingly and will do everything in his power to protect her.

Taking Out Their Own Trash

Hellsing’s Alucard is the most powerful vampire at the moment. Thus he is Hellsing Organization’s toughest warrior. Donning a pair of leather boots, a bowtie and a long redover-coat, one could easily surmise that he prefers Victorian fashion. He also wears a red fedora hat with wide floppy brim and a pair of circular, heavily tinted in yellow, wire framed sunglasses.

Being the strongest, Alucard loves to belittle his opponents. One of his favorites is to get himself shot to pieces before flowing back to form his body once again. He believes that the vampires he kills are mere punks and unworthy of being called vampires. He longs for someone who could equally match his power.

The Kowloon Children in Black Blood Brothers which had caused chaos by biting humans and turning them into their own kind, have been exterminated ten years ago in the Hong Kong Crusade by Jiro Mochizuki, an Old Blood vampire. Now her travels with his brother Kotaro looking for the Special Zone, where they could exist together with other vampires. Along the way he finds out that a plan to go to the Special Zone is being hacked by some Kowloon Children survivors.

The Hunted and the Hunter

Tsubasa Chronicle’s Vampire Twins Kamui and Subaru have been looking for each other in Tsubasa and at the same time, trying to run away from their hunters. In order the repay for all the troubles they have caused, Kamui feeds Fay his blood so he could live. Fuma and Seishiro, their hunters who are also brothers, seem to take a special liking to each of the twins.

____________________

Want Some Blood?
The Opposite Side to Being a Vampire in “Chibi Vampire”

Karin came from a family of vampires, but what completely throws her apart from the bloodline is that instead of sucking blood from others, her body produces too much blood and therefore, she has to bite others in order to inject her blood otherwise she would suffer an ugly nosebleeed. He own family calls her a freak, but she is able to live the life of an ordinary school girl. She could go outside under the hot sun, and has the sleep pattern of a human.

Injecting Kenta Usuii, the boy who disrupts her already disrupted life the more. Whenever she comes near him, her blood increases. Avoiding him seem impossible seeing that they are in the same class and even works in the same restaurant. Later, when Kenta discovers her secret, they become closer to each other, helping each other out. This eventually turned into a blossoming partnership, but what’s a good relationship without some hurdles thrown in along the way?

Injecting Winner Sinclair, a vampire hunter who falls in love with Karin. Oh, what’s an innocent, teenage, blood-producing vampire to do?

Chibi Vampire (Karin in original Japanese) is a romantic supernatural comedy written by Yuna Kagesaki using her own blood. Just kidding.

*****JHAJR*****

reference:

Images:

Hellsing: http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/ova3/ova%203%20box%20art/hellsing_ova_03_inside.jpg

Rosario Vampire: http://animearimasu.animeblogger.net/2008/01/07/rosario-vampire/

Tsubasa Chronicles: http://animearimasu.animeblogger.net/2008/01/07/rosario-vampire/

Chibi Vampire: http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/585/karin01smallia0.jpg

Naraku’s Death: A Long Journey To Defeat

We thought it wouldn’t happen. Episode after another, Naraku managed to successfully pester our beloved heroes in InuYasha. He had been the one behind our heroes’ fates as it intertwine and turn into one big loop. And we thought InuYasha and the others would never manage to get out of that loop.

Naraku have had a number of close calls himself throughout the series, putting him in hair-thin distance to death, yet fans of InuYasha have hated him so much and have been so eager to see him disappear completely. Naraku has the ability to regenerate himself, which pretty much infuriates his haters the more.
Though it seemed creator Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma ½ and Urusei Yatsura) had something in store for our relationship-hating hanyou (half-demon) archenemy. And we should all be thankful that she did not decide to end the story the way it did in the TV series. After all, she is known for creating stories with open endings.

The end of Naraku was seen in Chapter 552 of the manga in which the series continues after a rather disappointing ending for the TV series. Let’s go back in time, much like Kagome, and revisit our most hated villain’s final journey to fulfill his wishes.

Naraku’s Birth

Onigumo, a man filled with hatred and deceit, was found almost dead by Kikyo. The priestess nursed him up until the point where he could speak. He had developed a special feeling for the priestess and because he can never move, he called upon countless demons to give him a body so that he could claim the Shikon no Tama and the priestess as well. This accumulation of demons eventually caused a new being to be born. The creature was later known as Naraku.

The Big Loop

Naraku was responsible for a lot of the character’s tragic accounts, binding them with the one great goal to get rid of him.

To reach his goal of obtaining the Shikon no Tama, he disguised himself as InuYasha and Kagome, and tricked the two to form a deep hate against each other.

He also cursed Miroku’s grandfather with Kazaana after the ( lecherous) old man was fooled into taking care of him disquised as a young woman.

Sango and Kohaku’s lives were torn apart when he took control of the young demon exterminator and killed the entire group, leaving only Sango as the survivor.

He once tricked Sesshoumaru into using an arm with a Shikon shard in it to fight InuYasha.

And even after dying, he had wished for a Meidou to appear before Kagome sending her to oblivion where a selfish wish could be used as way to reawaken him inside the Shikon.

Tough Calls

Compared to the InuYasha-gumi (InuYasha’s gang), Naraku had only a few life-threatening moments. However, each clearly stands out against any the InuYasha-gumi had experienced. For fans, seeing him in the brink of death is the most amazing thing that’s happened in the series, which is pretty disturbing.

When Kagome flew her first arrow after catching Naraku in his castle in Episode 30 of the anime, it tore the stunned villian’s body. However, he managed to sneak away by spraying the place with poison gas using the rest of his energy.

Then in Episode 81, brothers InuYasha and Sesshoumaru gave Naraku a hard beating when they teamed up to destroy him. However, the team up was shortly disrupted by sibling rivalry as the brothers argued as to who should deliver the final blow.

Naraku came back in Episode 157 only to face death upon InuYasha’s Kongonsouha, a newly acquired ability and Kagome’s arrow which was a gift from Kikyo. He knew that if not for Hakudoushi’s barrier opening causing the boy to be pierced by the arrow, he would have disappeared completely.

Mouryoumaru, a demon created by Hakudoushi, killed and devoured Naraku in chapter 442 of the manga. However, Naraku, scheming by nature, absorbed Mouryoumaru and Akago his heart, from the inside, finally facing a rebirth.

Final Battle

Naraku began his final transformation with the completion of the “dark” Shikon no Tama. He took the form of a giant spider, with his face appearing on its flesh, his hair turned white and his skin dark.

Magatsuhi, the demon inside the Shikon no Tama, completely corrupted the Shikon and caused Kagome to lose her spiritual powers. When the demon was destroyed, the Shikon regained a portion of its light upon Kagome’s retrieval of her powers.

Naraku becomes cornered by InuYasha’s new variation of Meidou Zangetsuha that collapses his form, Sesshoumaru’s Bakusaiga that deteriorates his collapsed flesh, and Miroku’s Kazaana that sucks in the bundles of flesh in a void.

But Naraku had a different agenda. He planned on dropping onto the village and let his shouki destroy everything in it. It was then that Kagome saw the Shikon no Tama inside him and, in full determination, shot her arrow.

The arrow successfully pierced the Shikon. Naraku showed up in the Bone-Eater’s Well with a pierced Shikon, his face back to its former looks but without a body and only a deteriorating backbone as it hovers in the air. He told InuYasha and Kagome about his wish for a Meidou to take Kagome to oblivion. The Bone-Eater’s Well disappeared together with Kagome.

Naraku’s Wish

Naraku’s final wish was indeed granted yet this was not his original wish. His real wish was, in fact, a very simple one, tracing its origin to the time when Onigumo was still alive.

When Kagome asked him if the Shikon no Tama granted his wish in the end, he realized that it didn’t. His wish for Kikyo’s heart can never be granted, and now he can never even go to where Kikyo’s gone.

His wish for the Meidou was to lure Kagome to make a selfish wish to reawaken him. In his final words, he said that this was also the wish of the Shikon no Tama.

____________________

9 Pounds of Flesh

Naraku constantly released detachments of himself to observe the situation against his enemies and to further torment them.

Kanna
A little girl who hardly makes a sound, Kanna is a demon of void. The name comes from an old word that means “godless world.” She is very loyal to Naraku and shows no emotion when given orders, much like a lifeless void which she represents.

Kagura
The wind sorceress who used her power to test the enemies’ strength, her disloyalty to Naraku was well-known and in the end, after protecting Kohaku, she faced her death.

Goshinki
He could read InuYasha’s mind, which explains why the dog demon found it hard to deal with him. He also has very powerful fangs that broke the Tetsusaiga.

Juromaru
He is an almost lifeless puppet who attacked InuYasha and Koga together with his brother Kageroumaru and was defeated by the Kaze no Kizu.

Kageroumaru
A small creature with a tail instead of legs and a scythe for hands. He lived inside his brother’s stomach.

Musou
The man with no face, who took that of a monk. He is more of a reincarnated Onigumo than Naraku. His life was short-lived after Naraku took him back in.

Akago
Taken care of by Kanna, Akago is an infant who is later revealed to be Naraku’s heart. He can possess anyone with the darkness in their hearts. He was placed inside Moryomaru whom was reabsorbed by Naraku himself but not before ensuing a great battle.

Hakudoushi
A 7-year old boy who was born from Akago when the infant was sliced into two by a priest. He tames the horse Entei, and together continued Akago’s quest to find the last Shikon shard. He created Moryomaru to protect Akago as they betray Naraku. When discovered however, Naraku’s Saimyosho abandoned him in battle against Miroku, and he was sucked in by the Kazaana.

Byakuya
Created to replace Kagura, he is loyal to Naraku. He travels on a giant origami paper crane, reminiscent of his successor, who traveled in a giant feather. He slashed Kagome with the Meidou Zangetsuha but was absorbed by InuYasha Meidou Zangetsuha before he could do it for the second time. His slash on Kagome proved very dangerous when Kagome was sucked into the void after defeating Naraku.

*****JHAJR*****

reference:

Images:

http://www.freewebs.com/vampiresango/NarakuInHood.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e384/BrightenStar/naraku2.jpg

http://www.endlessone.com/blog/naraku.jpg

Article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraku

From East to Southeast: A Look At Popular Japanese and Philippine Folklore Figures

They are part of every culture. Orally transmitted beliefs, myths, and legends that in its core are teachers of valuable lessons in life. Any child would have heard of it from grown-ups to give them advice. “Huwag ka’ng lalabas sa gabi, baka kunin ka ng maligno” (Don’t go outside at night or a ghoul will take you).

Folklores were once used to promote nationalism. Only in the 20th century did now-famous people such as the Brothers’ Grimm, Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm collected orally transmitted German tales and finally publishing the first series as “Children and Household Tales.”

Folklores have been transmitted from one generation to another to promote cultural heritage. They may scare you (such as tikbalang, tiyanak, rokurokkubi) or make you feel silly (such as kasa no obake) but one thing is for certain: these are all part of a movement towards promotion of unity through culture.

Tales Of the East

The Japanese folklore is heavily influenced by Shinto and Buddhism. It often involves humurous or bizarre characters and situations. The now generation is most probably familiar with its figures in manga and anime. Here are a few of them:

Yuki-Onna (Snow Woman)
The Yuki-onna’s story is about a woman who appeared before a young man and an old man who could not go back home because of a snowstorm. She breathed on the old man and killed him but not at the young man, sparing him for being “young and beautiful.” She told him not to relate what happened to anyone or she will kill him.
Years later, he met a woman named Oyuki (yuki means “snow”), married her and had children. One night, he told Oyuki how she reminds him of an incident that happened to him before when he met a Yuki-onna. Oyuki then stood up and revealed that she is the Yuki-onna. She couldn’t kill him because of their children, so she only melted away, never to be seen again. (1)

Kitsune (Fox)
There was once a powerful lord who heard the cry for help of a beautiful woman in the woods. He fell in love and married the lady. But when the lord learned that she is a kitsune, she was sent away (in some stories she was killed). (2)

Kasa no Obake (Umbrella Monster)
An umbrella with one eye and one leg which it uses to hop around. It’s not dangerous, just funny. (3)

Kappa
A creature that looks like a turtle but with a beak and a plate of water on top of its head. It is associated with rivers and other bodies of water. In one story, the kappa tricked people into playing pull-fingers with it. The strong kappa pulled its victim into the river, never to be seen. A man in a horse played with him but suddenly urged his horse to run, pulling the kappa, and the water on its plate spilled. The monster mercifully promised to teach the man how to set bones in return for its freedom. The man asked another promise for it to never molest human beings. Decades later, a descendant of the man became a skilled bone surgeon because of the knowledge taught by the kappa.
http://gargas.biomedicale.univ-paris5.fr/eurocal/ecrits/kappasto.html (4)

Rokurokkubi (Long-Necked Woman)
Usually women, they like to lick the oil used in indoor lanterns. They also love to scare regular humans by elongating their necks. Though during the day they appear normal, they combat the urge at night to elongate their necks. In some accounts, the rokurokkubi drinks blood and lives only to prey on humans.
http://www.dreamdawn.com/sh/key_view.php?key=Creature%20Feature (5)

Nopperabo (Woman Without a Face)
The nopperabo’s agenda is simply to scare humans and nothing more. In a story, a lazy fisherman decided to fish in the imperial koi ponds near the Heiankyo palace. Despite being warned by his wife about the pond being sacred ground and near a graveyard, the fisherman went anyway. On his way to the pond, he is warned by another fisherman to not go there, but he again ignores the warning. Once at the spot, he is met by a beautiful young woman who pleads him to not fish in the pond. He ignores her, and to his horror, she wipes her face off. Rushing home to hide, he is confronted by what seems to be his wife, who chastises him for his wickedness before wiping off her facial features as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noppera-b%C5%8D (6)

Tsuru (Crane)
Similar to the story of the Yuki-onna, the tsuru had given the man who took her in an order that must not be broken. She told him never to witness her work on her beautiful kimonos. When the man did, he found out she was a crane and was using her feathers. She flew away and was never seen. (7)

Zashiki Warashi (Little Boy in The Room)
When this little boy (warashi) appears in a house, it will bring good fortune to those who live in it. It can be a little naughty but not dangerous. (8)

Tanuki (Raccoon Dog)
Pranksters by nature, a popular tanuki story involves a man and his wife who caught a tanuki. He wanted to cook the creature for his wife. When the man returned home, his wife gave him tanuki stew. Then his wife changed her shape to that of a tanuki. The man realized that he had eaten his own wife. (9)

Tales Of The SouthEast

The Philippine folktale is a collection of tales and superstitions about magical creatures and entities. Though not prevalent in present-day media and literature, these figures still hold some popularity for the now-generation.

White Lady
As the name implies, a lady dressed in white is seen walking on a deserted place on a quiet night. Most stories connect the white lady to schools and universities with very quiet nights. They usually don’t talk but if they do, are probably asking for directions as they are simply lost souls. Though some accounts tell of a white lady causing drivers to travel on a circle after seeing a white lady in a bridge. (1)

Kapre (Giant Tree Demon)
A tree demon with human characteristics, the kapre is always seen sniffing a tobacco. They usually dwell in big trees like acacias and mangoes. They’re not evil and would most likely appear to a human to offer friendship or love to a woman.(2)

Tikbalang (Man With Horse Head)
This creature takes travelers deeper into the forest to get them lost. It could take the form of a human that will escort its victim to the forest. (3)

Halimaw Sa Banga (Monster In An Ern)
Made popular by a movie, the halimaw sa banga is about a cursed woman who was buried inside a banga (ern). A family who brought it, became her target to seek her revenge.(4)

Tiyanak (Demon Infant)
Believed to be the child of the devil, the tiyanak in some accounts, is a fetus that a mother aborted in the forest. It could like a very innocent baby but changes its appearance to a demonic one with horns and fangs to kill its victims. (5)

Manananggal (Flying Viscera Sucker)
A beautiful woman can severe its upper torso and fly with bat-like wings in the middle of the night. It preys on pregnant women by landing on the roof and using its long tongue to suck the heart of fetuses or the blood of sleeping victims. (6)

Syokoy (Merman)
The syokoy differs from the merman of popular mermaid myths. It has no fish tail and possesses webbed hands and feet. Its body is also scaly and green and is believed to be mean-hearted compared to mermans. (7)

Duwende
The duwendes are peace-loving creatures until their place of dwelling is disturbed. They can curse the one who disturbed them or possess the body of anyone who did them wrong or they hold affection for. (8)

*****JHAJR******

japanese and philippine folklore figures images drawn by j.arboleda jr.

Yuuko Ichihara

Name: Yuuko Ichihara

Real Name: she wouldn’t reveal

Aliases: Dimension Witch

Gender: Female

Occupation: Owner of her own shop that grants wishes

Slaves: Maru and Moro, Kimihiro Watanuki

Seiyuu: Sayaka Oohara

*****

If there’s anything you could wish for in your life, what would it be?

Well, steer clear from Yuuko if you don’t want to end up with you wish granted. This is when the phrase “be careful what you wish for” would hit you like an avalanche.

The star of CLAMPs’ xxxHolic, Yuuko Ichihara, is powerful enough to grant anyone’s wish, as long as the wisher understands how high the payment is.

Clearly, Yuuko is no fairygod mother. First of all, one should know where her place is. Her shop is not your typical place. Only those who are strongly in need of her help could see it. Otherwise, one would just pass the area off as a vacant lot among a background of skyscrapers.

Yuuko is known by many names, the most popular of which is the Witch of Dimensions. She has the ability to cross dimensions. She also has a keen sense for hitsuzen and seems to know the hitsuzen that Watanuki will follow.

She is often seen serious, seemingly suspicious at everything or perhaps because she has knowledge of things that are to happen. She often comes up as someone lacking emotion.

Despite the deep character however, she can also be very funny, especially when tormenting Watanuki in her own “witchy” way. She loves his cooking and though may not be showing it outright, cares so much for him.

*****JHAJR*****

reference:

http://www.absoluteanime.com/tsubasa_chronicle/yuuko.htm

Image:

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/7393/yuukosb1.jpg