6th Post : DYNAMITE! Nyanpasu~

For this post, I'll write about an "ordinary" anime. There's no high tension plot in this anime, no character who has super talent, no fanservice, no character with good looking or good body (you know what I mean). But because it's ordinary, it becomes special at the same time. All you need to watch it are relax and enjoy it. Here it is  Non Non Biyori

Non Non Biyori's story takes place in the countryside village of Asahigaoka, where many conveniences are several miles away and the school consists of only five students in the same classroom, each of whom come from different grades of elementary and middle school. Hotaru Ichijo, a fifth grader from Tokyo, transfers into Asahigaoka Branch School and adjusts to countryside life with her new friends. 

See there's no something special from the plot, it sounds similar with what happen in our daily live. But Hotaru's days becomes really different as soon as she greets Koshigaya sisters (Natsumi is the one who has short brown hair, while Komari the elder,is the one who has brown long hair and short body) and Miyauchi Renge or Renchon (the youngest and the most unique character in here who has purple hair). With her friends' helps, Hotaru adapts with new environment and habits such as it's unecessary to lock your house, having tanuki as pet, there's a 24/7 "self service" grocery shop. And as the story flows, we will know other neighbours like Renchon eldest sister who becomes their teacher (seriously I wish I have a teacher like this lol) and Candy Shop owner who has "deep relationship' with Renchon. Overall all of its episode will make us relax, smile, and laugh but sometimes it can "stab" our heart. 

You don't need to use your brain to watch is the core power of this anime. Especially this anime was aired after working time, so adult can watch itwhile take a rest. It has nice graphic and artwork. The scores, opening, and ending songs are quite good too. So for everyone who hasn't watched it, please try one episode then let Renchon greets you with "Nyanpasu~" and see her flies like a DYNAMITE

RENCHON!

5th Post : The Meaning of Tadaima

I guess most of people especially Japanese, Anime and manga lovers, or J-Culture lovers know what Tadaima is.
According to Japanese -English dictionary (or google) , Tadaima means "I'm home". Tadaima is one of daily expression in Japanese which Japanese says when he/she comes home. Maybe for you and other people, it's just a simple expression but for Kenshin and me, it has a deep meaning.

To be honest, I knew that expression for the first time when I was 7 or 8 years old, after watching Rurouni Kenshin in Japanese sub (it was aired in AXN at that time). After that I checked in Japanese conversation book that I bought and I learned that it becomes Japanese's habit to say "Tadaima" when they come home and their family member who is at home will greet them by saying "Okaerinasai" which means "Welcome Home" .

Although those scenes look simple,  but that was Kenshin's first time to say it after wandering again and it was his first time to have someone greeted him "okaerinasai". After wandering for long time, finally he had home. Home for him to stay and for his soul to live in peace. And after looking these scene, I understood that I've mistaken home as house. Home doesn't mean a place to stay literally, but people who love you and make you feel comfortable. Although you have a big house, it doesn't mean you have warm house too. 

Yeah though I live in good house and I'm grateful for that, it doesn't mean that I have home. Yeah I have family but it's so rare to find peaceful in there. When there're 'just three of us', yes I found it but beside that....nothing. Since I learned about home from Kenshin, I've tried to say tadaima when I'm home.  But the problem where's my home. Thanks to God that I have schools (kindergarten-senior high) as my home, 2nd home. I have good bestfriends, friends, and teachers. But I never say tadaima when I arrive at school. So where is my 1st home?

The answer is in my dream. I have a habit to take a bath after getting back from school and then go to my bedroom immediately. I jump to my bed and then close my eyes "Tadaima" You can say that I'm crazy or freak but when I close my eyes, I can see Kenshin and Kaoru greet me just like those scene " Okaeri". Sometimes when I have a bad day, imagination takes me to Kaoru's lap. She will let my head to lay on her laps and caress it while keep saying "daijoubu..everything is going to be alright". And when my temperature drops because I'm really upset or angry (I don't know, I have this symptom since I was a kid when I'm upset or really nervous, my temperature will go down and my body will be freezing like ice)  Kaoru and Kenshin will hug me. You can say that my brain has broken, but I guess those that keep my sanity.

I've kept doing it for a long time and in 2013 God gave me the best gift ever, an angel for me. It was my first time to say "tadaima" to one person. A special person for me. Although we live in different places, I keep texting her "tadaima" everytime I arrive at my house after getting back from somewhere. My heart feels home when I'm with her. That's why although it's just a text, it's really meaningful to me. It has been 14 years since I learned about "home" and finally I found it for real not imagination. A text from her can change my terrible day in a second into good day and just imagine the time that we spent together, it sweeps the memories about the bad days from my brain. I'm so blessed to have her in my life.   

"I love her more and the most plus endless number"

Tadaima........

4th Post : The Virtual Life That Embraces The Real Death

If you're anime lover, I bet you must know the answer if I say "virtual reality death alive game". Yep it's SWORD ART ONLINE. This anime is really really awesome so it could steal 2nd place at the top of my mind from Gundam Seed series. And I think it wasn't me alone who has statement like that since this 25 episodes Anime based on light novel became a big hit in 2012-2013 and the light novel topped 2012 Light Novel Charts in Japan. And since there're many people who haven't read the light novel maybe I should share my opinion based on anime (of course I don't mind to share my opinion about its light novel if there's a request to do it). Well I think I should say LINK START!

Sword Art Online actually is a name of Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) which was created by Kayaba Akihiko in 2022. In order to play it, players need to use NerveGear, a virtual reality helmet that stimulates the user's five senses via their brain, so players can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds. On its launching day November 6, 2022, the players logged in for the first time, and later found that they were unable to log out. They were then informed by Akihiko Kayaba, SAO's creator, that if they wanted to log out, they must reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. But, if their avatars die in-game, their bodies would also die in the real world. There were 10,000 players who logged in at that time and among them there were our hero and heroine, Kirito and Asuna who would fighted for their life. Well I should stop the preview till this part LOL but SERIOUSLY THE STORYLINE IS REALLY INTERESTING! enough with random caps let's talk about characters now.

Honestly I was interested not because I watched it or read the light novel but because I read in magazine an article about the anime. After I found that the storyline was really unique and interesting, I read the the short explanations about its characters.  I felt like "wow what is this?this boy is really me..." at that time I shared same thought with Kirito that  Virtual World (of course it was my imagination world) was better than Real World. Although I really really admire Kenshin Himura (read my previous post) but he is like my father for me while Kirito is like the reflection of myself although of course not all of his characteristics are same with mine. But our principles are same. He is quite blunt and carefree but beside that, he is really smart, independent and not easily discouraged. Although he is still young, he has already had his own principles and stuck to them. That's why he chose to be a solo player then (*spoiler* especially after the incident with his guild). After that incident, we will see that Kirito is a complex character. He tried to bring "the burden" alone although his 'friend' Klein really wanted to help him. He closed his heart and himself from others to make sure that he wouldn't bring trouble to others.  But one day, because of a 'threat' from a girl who became his first partner before, everything was changed. 

The Black Swordsman and The Flash

That girl was Knights of The Blood Vice Commander, Asuna <<The Flash>>. And just like Kirito, she was a  high level player which specialized in rapier. During her early days in SAO, Kirito and her became partners (by accident since they didn't have any friends) but after defeating 1st floor Boss, Kirito removed her since he wanted to be solo player although later they still saw each other since they were frontline members. Because of "mystery murder case" and "Rabbit Stew" LOL Asuna had a chance to 'ask' Kirito becomes her party and Kirito  (although he didn't want it actually) "accepted" it, and since that time, Asuna learn to enjoy every single time in that virtual world just like how she does in real world, while Kirito learn that no matter where he is virtual world or real world, there's someone who love and protect him so much. 

Well I guess I should stop spoiling the story and let you read the light novel or watch the anime to know it furthermore. Seriously, I recommend this anime and the good news is 

THIS ANIME GOT 2ND SEASON THIS YEAR 

SO YOU NEED TO CATCH THE 1ST SEASON FASTLY.

P.S : Sorry for being exaggerate LOL