February started out quite well... and then it veered into a time of too much work and some emotional pain. I'm currently very tired and trying to recover, hahaha...
Outings / Events in February:
- Hung out with friends overall x4. - Had a Board Game night at work. It was so much fun! - Also had a Board Game session with friends. It was so fun and wild :D - Had a video gaming session with a friend to celebrate his birthday. - I signed up for Spotify to listen to a friend's playlist. The playlist was really good! - Had a chocolate-making session with my sister for Valentine's Day. - I finished playing all my Xbox 360 games, yayyyyy! Now to watch all my DVDs on the Xbox 360 and then... do something about it, haha. - Karaoked by myself x0. I really want to karaoke in March! I got a lot of new songs I wanna sing :3 - Stayed over at my sister's place x1. - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn achievements / news: -I did the Valentione event, but not much else.
Exposures:
- (Video Game): FFXV Multiplayer: Comrades -- The concept is interesting, but quite grindy from the couple hours I played. I would only play it with somebody, not by myself. - (Video Game): Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville -- This is kinda like Overwatch. It's pretty fun! - (Video Game): Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? -- I can only take so much hardcore platforming before I call it quits. This is a great game for hardcore platformers. I'm just not one of them, hahaha.
Finished...
Watching:
- (Movie): JoJo Rabbit -- It was funny with some touching moments. I think if the movie was re-dressed to NOT take place during WWII nor to explore such a serious historical subject matter in a light-hearted manner, it would have fared a bit better at all the awards shows. - (Movie): Forrest Gump -- This was really good, especially in a technical sense. I think some film editors these days could learn from this movie! - (Anime): Nodame Cantabile: Finale(Season 3) -- I reviewed the series. The link is in the title.
Playing:
- (PS4): Bastion -- It was interesting to play through, but didn't grab me that much. The music was pretty good, though. - (3DS): Story of Seasons -- I got married, so I'm counting it as done! Funny enough, the credits rolled after the wedding, so I guess the developers knew that some players would mark that as their finishing point. - (Switch): Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warrior -- I played this with a friend, and it was really fun and nostalgic. I've played the original SNES before. I always played the ninja girl. - (Xbox360): Magna Carta II -- It was more tolerable than Magna Carta: Tears of Blood on the PS2, but it was pretty much just as brutal. I have never used as many healing / revival items in an RPG as I did with this game. The story was just okay.
Reading:
- Nothing this month.
Currently...
Playing (not all at once):
- (PS4): Dark Cloud - (PS4): Kingdom Hearts Final Remix (from Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix) - (PS4): iDOLM@STER: Platinum Stars - (PS4): Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls - (PS3): Borderlands 2 - (PS2): Drakengard - (3DS): Culdcept Revolt - (GBA): The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition - (Wii): Fortune Street - (PC): UnEpic - (PC): King's Bounty: The Legend - (PC): Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When They Cry)
- (Comic): Bodie Troll by Jay Fosgitt - (Manga): One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (Volume 80 -- Chapter 802) - (Manga): Berserk by Kentario Miura (Volume 2)
That's it for February. Here are some pics I took this month plus a YouTube video.
Friend chocolates I received for Valentine's Day. They were yummy :)
Some of the chocolates my sister and I made. I gave them to some co-workers and friends I was able to meet up with. The chocolate balls had marzipan in them. The green thing was an attempt at nama chocolate covered in green tea powder.
My proposal to Raeger! <3 His reaction is so cute.
A hilarious event in the Dx2 SMT: Liberation game.
I haven't watched The Garden of Sinners anime, but I kinda wanted this unit.
"Collision" from XIN, an old-ish Flash animation series. I randomly checked out XIN back when I browsed around Newgrounds. I ended up really enjoying the story and characters... and especially the music! :) I might blog a bit about it if I ever blog about Newgrounds.
Thanks for reading! As usual, if you have any questions / comments about anything, feel free. :) By the way... somebody had sent me a message about Anime North via the Contact Form, and I responded via one of my alternate e-mail addresses. Not sure if the person received my message or if it just went into Junk mail, so... just mentioning it here! Take care, stay safe, and until... tomorrow! If you stop by tomorrow :)
Number of Episodes (total across three seasons): 45 [25-ish minutes each episode]
Language Watched: Japanese with English subtitles Licensed? (As of this entry): No (was licensed in Australia, though)
Genre(s): Music, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Overall Impression: It's soooooooo goooooooood! I love it. If you are open to or enjoy classical music, I'm quite certain that you will love it, too! <3
NOTE: For this review, I will be covering ALL THREE seasons of the anime series. Whatever I say will apply to all the seasons unless I specify. That said, I WON'T mention anything specific to season two or three that would be a spoiler for season one.
SPOILER ALERT WARNING!!
This review will contain some spoilers -- or rather, there will be a "Spoilers" section at the end of the review to go into further detail about certain things. There may still be slight spoilers throughout the review, but I've tried my best to keep them at a minimum.
PERSONAL STANDING (Pre-exposures, thoughts, etc.)
My first exposure to Nodame Cantabile was its opening theme. I was helping out with the Name That Tune event at Fan Expo Canada and this was one of the songs I had collected. When I heard the song for the first time I was instantly dazzled by the bright piano chords. It sounded so upbeat and fun. Even now when I hear it it makes me want to dance and sing along.
I did some light research into Nodame Cantabile and found out that it was about a couple who played music together. I also found out it was well received. It really piqued my interest (I love music!), but I thought the series would definitely get licensed, so I waited... and waited... and waited... and waited... T___T
Then fast forward to about a month ago when I couldn't wait any longer and had one of my co-workers "acquire" the series for me. My only regret is that I waited this long to watch it!
"Allegro Cantabile", the opening theme to Nodame Cantabile. It's so energetic and fun!
STORY
In Nodame Cantabile, Shinichi Chiaki, a college student aspiring to be a musical conductor, encounters Megumi Noda (nicknamed Nodame), a college student with wicked piano skills. That encounter (and many future ones) would shake up their lives as they both go after their own goals.
At its core, Nodame Cantabile's story can be very relatable: striving for your dreams. The actual journey, though, seemed very interesting and unique. I have watched music-focused anime series before, but none that focused on music students trying to become professionals. It made me wonder how accurately it reflected a person's trials and tribulations in the music industry in real life.
THE HUMOUR
I gotta say -- Nodame Cantabile is a really funny series! I was initially surprised because the subject matter seemed so serious. I love it, though. I think it gives a nice balance to the overall feel. I'll mention some of my favourite funny moments in the "Spoilers" section.
PACING AND PROGRESSION
The pacing and story progression in Nodame Cantabile are great. Things move fast, but not too fast. And the story goes places. In my opinion, there were barely any moments that felt like "dead space" or filler.
ANIMATION STYLE
This is where I noticed something a little... off. Often when the scene cut to a performance and focused on the instruments being played, the animation style changed. The movement tended to feel more blocky and the shading and colouration was slightly different. The fingers also tended to look thinner. It didn't bother me very much, but I did notice it.
Typical animation style. From left to right: Nodame and Chiaki.
Animation style during the performances sometimes.
CHARACTERS
From left to right: Miki, Mine, Chiaki, Saiko, Nodame, Kuroki, Mine, Milch. There are a lot more characters in the second and third season.
Nodame Cantabile has a large cast of characters, with some switching in / out in Season 2 and Season 3. One thing I really enjoyed about many of the characters, especially with Chiaki and Nodame, was the growth. Almost every main and secondary character develops and changes. The Chiaki you see in Season 1 is not the same Chiaki you see in Season 3.
Personally, I found almost all the characters decent and likeable. It was very inspiring, seeing them work so hard towards their goals.
I'll mention a character I didn't like in the "Spoilers" section. I'll also talk a bit about Nodame in the "Spoilers" section.
MUSIC
The shining star in the series! Nodame Cantabile focuses heavily on Classical music and it does so with a lot of respect. Of course, since full musical pieces tend to be really long, they are shortened.
As far as my untrained ears could tell, each piece was performed well (unless it was performed badly / haphazardly to further the plot or character development). Some pieces also show up multiple times across the seasons. As far as I could tell each piece was performed slightly differently to match the characters' playing level.
Before watching Nodame Cantabile, I wasn't a big Classical music listener. I tried listening to some pieces during high school, but it didn't really resonate with me. After watching Nodame Cantabile, I've developed an interest and greater appreciation for the genre.
I won't name any specific pieces -- I think part of the enjoyment is listening to the pieces as they are performed in the series -- but I especially enjoyed getting exposed to pieces from Schubert, Ravel, Mozart, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff. I'll list a few of my favourite pieces in the "Spoilers" section.
Here's one track that I like that isn't spoiler-y:
"Manazashi Daydream" by Yuu Sakai. It's the opening theme to Season 3. This makes me want to dance. I especially love that the lyrics have the word "fortissimo".
ANIME VS. MANGA
I actually haven't read the manga, so I can't comment on this. I'm just leaving this as a placeholder until I do (if I ever get the chance!).
ANIME VS. LIVE-ACTION SERIES
The live-action series is 11 episodes long and I've watched 6 episodes so far. Some character details are adjusted, but from what I've seen, it follows very closely to the anime series. Even the over-the-top humour from the anime series is present, so... imagine that however you will.
Between the two, I personally prefer the anime series just a bit more. BUT, I like how the live-action series seems to go into more detail for certain concept / themes.
There was one change in the live-action series that I didn't like (I'll mention it in the "Spoilers" section). Aside from that, from what I've watched, the live-action series complements the anime series very nicely!
If my thoughts change after finishing the live-action series, I'll update this section.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Nodame Cantabile is wonderful. If you are looking for good music or if you are looking for inspiration, this is a series for you. Even though the series is quite old now, I can easily place it in my top 10. There is something... just so refreshing about it.
I really wish this series was licensed in North America. I would love to own it on DVD or Blu-Ray.
For fun, I'll mention some other favourite moments in the "Spoilers" section.
Thank you for reading! If you want some more input about something I didn't cover, feel free to ask. :)
So I'll do the scrolly thing and the "Spoilers" section will appear after that. Then I'll add some more scrolly things after the "Spoilers" section in case anybody wants to comment, but not see the spoilers.
-When Chiaki offered Nodame to sleep in his arms to get her away from Stresemann.
-When Masumi was targeting Nodame and she ended up confessing that she took her classmate's lunch.
-When Mine, Nodame, and Masumi were in the car ride to the Summer music festival and each one was singing a different song.
-When Nodame and Chiaki arrived in France and Nodame played one note in her new room's piano. Her reaction to the piano being out of tune was so funny.
-One of my most favourite funny moments. When Nodame is begging Chiaki to give her back her camera and then he takes a picture of it. Nodame's reaction is simply gold.
I'll mention a character I didn't like.
Aside from Stresemann's annoying womanizing, the only character I really didn't like was Saiko. To me, it seemed like she started paying more attention to Chiaki when he gained more recognition in the music world. In other words... somebody who doesn't really love Chiaki and only wants him for her own gains. *tsk tsk*. About Rui... I don't dislike her. She was just such a strong competitor for Chiaki's affection that I was worried he might fall for her. When Rui found out that Chiaki was still with Nodame, I was glad Rui didn't try to get between them.
I'll also talk a bit about Nodame.
I'm actually going to talk more than just a bit. Firstly, I gotta say -- I love Nodame's character and I love her piano playing. She often comes off as "simple" and blunt, but also does things that surprise others. I think it makes her a bit misunderstood, but I think I get why she does what she does.
I think Nodame loves music in general and has confidence in her skills, but I also think she has some doubts and insecurities about her self-worth, likely due to the negative experiences with her past piano teacher. How would one feel about being told over and over that her own way of playing was wrong (essentially expressing notions of failure), especially at such a young age?
I think Nodame doesn't let it bother her most of the time, but I think her doubts and insecurities come through when she wants to perform with Chiaki. I don't think she feels equal to Chiaki and it drives her to "face the music" and improve her skills, to make sure she could still be with him. When it gets too difficult; when Chiaki seems too far out of reach -- I think she tries to look for a "way out", a different goal that might let her take a break from it all (for example, trying to win the Maradona Piano competition to get lots of money so she could relax or proposing to Chiaki because she likely wanted to confirm his feelings for her so she could stop trying so hard).
I think Auclair was right in trying to expose her to many pieces and composers in hopes she would come to appreciate and enjoy the music. Her resolve to keep going despite the hardships, was lacking, and he recognized that.
My interpretation of Nodame can be completely off -- feel free to let me know your thoughts about it! :)
This is my favourite shot of Nodame. She looks so free and happy.
I'll list a few of my favourite pieces.
I would love to list many, many pieces, but here are my top 3:
1. Mozart's "Sonata for Two Pianos in D major", K.448 -- I love how this piece is performed in the first and last episode. I also love how the performance differs from each other to show Nodame and Chiaki's growth at the end. 2. Mozart's "Twelve Variations on 'Ah vous diraj-je, Maman'", K.265/300e -- The way Nodame plays it, it is the most playful variation of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" I've ever heard so far. 3. Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor", Op. 18 -- This had such strong, powerful moments. I enjoyed both Chiaki and Nodame's versions.
There was one change in the live-action series that I didn't like.
In the live-action series, when Chiaki performed Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor", Nodame missed a part of it. In the anime, Nodame heard everything from the beginning. I think the latter made more sense for Nodame to able to practice and play it fully in a later episode.
I'll mention some other favourite moments.
-When Nodame stole a kiss from Chiaki while he was "napping" outside. It was so sweet. -When Nodame learned French and asked Chiaki something in French, which prompted Chiaki to respond in French. Nodame's reaction and response was very cute. -When Nodame appears dressed up like Mozart for her first recital. That specific episode is probably one of my favourite episodes. -When Nodame hypnotizes Chiaki and cures his fear of flying. She really cares for him. <3 Thanks again for reading and feel free to comment :D .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. 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So... here is my Valentine's Day-related blog for the year. Last year I tried blogging about something serious (and failed), so here is something more light-hearted. For me, when it comes to having an anime crush, I generally limit myself to one crush per series, with the exception of one (if you can tell from the image above). Also, having an anime crush does NOT necessarily mean I dream of being with the guy, as you will soon find out. Some guys I simply admire and enjoy their presence. Without further ado, here are my anime crushes.
L from Death Note
Who Is He? L is a world-renown detective trying to uncover and arrest Kira. Why Do I Like Him? I like his super analytical brain. I also think he's eccentric with his general posture and his intense love of sweets. Also... I love his emo hair, hahaha. Would I Date Him? I'm not sure how it would go, but I would totally date him! I'd like to see if he has any other sides to him than what we saw in the series.
Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho
Who Is He? He is... a wonderful man / demon. Why Do I Like Him? Because he is wonderful, hahaha. <3 To elaborate, I like his fierce loyalty to those he cares about. I also like his strategical mind and his willingness to try new things. Also... he fights with a rose! How cool is that?! *squeee* XD Would I Date Him? Yes! Being around him, I would feel very safe. I'd also most likely try to introduce him to new anime series / video games, and he might agree to try them out! :D
Shinya Kogami from Psycho-Pass
Who Is He? Kogami is an Enforcer. An Enforcer is somebody who, according to the Sybil System, can have tendencies to commit crimes, but have traded up being confined to serve under Inspectors in the Crime Investigation Department. Why Do I Like Him? He is... SUPER HOT. Hahaha. You see that suit and tie? You see that mysterious gaze and coy smile? Hot hot HOT! <3 <3 <3 Gushing aside, I like his ability to focus and react fast, prioritizing the safety of others. I don't particularly mind that he's an Enforcer. I can see by his actions that he would not commit a senseless crime or do something to hurt others for his own enjoyment. Would I Date Him? Even though he is so hot and attractive, I'd pass on dating him, because he smokes, and I'd rather see him happy with another character in the series *fingers crossed*.
Sanji from One Piece
Who Is He? He is a kick-a** chef for the Straw Hat Pirates. Why Do I Like Him? I like that he can cook, and his general attitude towards food (don't waste food!). He is also very caring, though he may not always express it. I'd also know that he'd treat me kindly, since he does that for every woman... though that could also be a fault (explained below). Would I Date Him? I'd have to pass on dating him. Just like Kogami, he also smokes, and I would get jealous everytime he flirts with another woman! I would hire him as a personal chef, though ^____^
Ace from One Piece
Who Is He? He is part of the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy's older brother. Why Do I Like Him? Well... his backstory really got to me. Seeing what he went through and seeing how he turned out from it, and seeing what he did in the end... I can't help but love him... unconditionally! It's been 7 years since reading his arc. That day, I changed my Facebook photo to me wearing Ace's hat and I haven't changed it since. He'll just always have a place in my heart and that's that! Would I Date Him? I don't need to. The love I have for him isn't romantic in any way. I just want to hug him and be in his company. Is that strange? Hahaha. That's it for this blog. Thanks for reading! Maybe if I took all the traits I liked from each of my anime crushes, I'd be able to piece together the beginnings of my "dream guy". That's what I was trying to blog about last year, and failed miserably. I'm pretty sure I'll come across more anime crushes as I watch more series. Maybe I'll make a part 2 in the future, but, well -- I'm a pretty loyal person myself, so I guess we'll see, hahaha. Since I share this every year around Valentine's, I am single and my outlook on it is the same as before -- unless I like somebody (and that somebody likes me back), I'd rather stay single. Take care, stay strong, and until next time! :)
As I usually say in my Weekly Thoughts blog, this may not be very interesting for you! 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak I'm pretty sure that whatever I say has already been said. This is just a really, really sucky time. When the SARS outbreak happened in Toronto, I didn't really understand what was going on, I was so young at the time. I just noticed that Chinatown was emptier than usual whenever I walked through Chinatown. When I think back on that time, I'm just really glad I didn't get infected. Nowadays, I'm more cautious and aware. Since the outbreak, I've tried limiting my outside activities to necessities like commuting to and from work, grocery shopping, etc. I also check the Wiki page almost everyday to see if there's been any new developments. I'm also doing my best to follow some things like washing my hands more often and not touching my face (I unconsciously touch my face a lot!). After watching the movie Contagion and playing the video game Plague Inc. Evolved, I'm relieved to see safety protocols / actions from the both the movie and video game being carried out in real life. According to the Novel Coronavirus' wiki page, treatments and vaccines are currently being researched. I have hope that this outbreak will pass in good time... and that some treatment or vaccine will be developed and finalized in good time. My heart goes out to everybody who's currently infected or knows somebody who is infected. Working on My Resolutions Since I've been holing myself up in my room almost everyday after work and every weekend, I've been making pretty good progress with my resolutions. And by that I mean I've been playing a lot of video games and reading manga. I have TV shows and movies to watch as well, but haven't gotten around to those just yet. I'm currently trying to finish off more of the games in my "Currently Playing" list before trying out too, too many new things. It's pretty difficult -- so many of my current games are lonnng and grindy. Or -- well, if I enjoy the game, it often turns out much longer than I had expected. I may in the end have to drop some of those current games... but only if I feel that after trying to get back into the game. I've probably forgotten the controls to half of those games by now, hahaha... ^^'' That it for this blog. Thank you for reading!! If you have any questions or comments about anything, feel free. Stay safe, take care, and until next time! :)
