Japanese Hobby

A good way to protect your manga – Book-Kun

<div>I love all my books and manga and always try to protect them the best way possible. On my visit to Tokyo, I discovered these lovely book protective sleeves at K-Books in Akihabara and had to buy a couple for my latest purchases. The quality is quite good, the price with 120-200¥ depending on the size, is not that bad and it’s really easy to apply them to your books. There are 10 pieces in each packaging, so you can do the math what one of these <a href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/aff/click.cgi/PytJTGW7Lok/4756/A148868/search3.html?r=ALL&q=Transparent+Book+Cover&media=NONE&cur=0">ブッカー君</a>, how they are actually called, might cost you.<img alt="DSC_0244" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3281" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="DSC_0244" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3281" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0244.jpg" width="1200">Unfortunately, I haven’t found a place outside of Japan which is offering these. Even our beloved <a href="https://www.japanesetease.net/guide-where-to-buy-japanese-manga-and-books/">honto bookstore</a> doesn’t carry any. There are some others brands around offering these protective sleeves but until today I haven’t found a good source for them. When you’re currently in Japan trying to pick some ブッカー君 up for yourself, Tsutaya should always have some in their manga sections. I bought maybe 20-30 of these in different sizes so I’m all set, book-cover-wise.Update: One of the readers mentioned that you can get these <a href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/aff/click.cgi/PytJTGW7Lok/4756/A148868/search3.html?r=ALL&q=Transparent+Book+Cover&media=NONE&cur=0">transparent book covers</a> at cdjapan. Thanks a lot for finding these!And now I should really go and work on my Japanese grammar. I have been slacking a bit these last few weeks. Genki here I come.<img alt="book kun manga sleeves" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3273" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="book kun manga sleeves" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3273" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130810-DSC_0263.jpg" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0266" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3279" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0266" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3279" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130810-DSC_0266.jpg" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0267" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3274" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0267" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3274" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130810-DSC_0267.jpg" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0264" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3275" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0264" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3275" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130810-DSC_0264.jpg" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0268" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3276" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0268" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3276" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130810-DSC_0268.jpg" width="1200">Maybe you were wondering why all my manga looked to “shiny” on my pictures. That’s because I applied these book sleeves to all of them. It’s good for reading and storing them but always a pain to take proper pictures because of the reflections.<img alt="20130810-DSC_0274" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3278" height="800" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=" width="1200"><img alt="20130810-DSC_0274" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3278" height="800" src="https://www.japanesetease.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130810-DSC_0274.jpg" width="1200"></div>

A good way to protect your manga – Book-Kun

I love all my books and manga and always try to protect them the best way possible. On my visit to Tokyo, I discovered these lovely book pro...

いいね！日本語

Cosplay: Celty [Durarara!] – London Expo May ’15

<div>Following the success of my Renamon cosplay, I had intended to dive into the world of Sonic the Hedgehog for London MCM Expo in May 2015. I had a crack at Shade the Echidna from Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood … but I botched the entire thing, thanks entirely to struggling with the head. So I needed a last minute replacement. ‘What would be easy to do, but likely be popular?’ I asked myself. Then it hit me! Celty from Durarara!
Getting hold of a suitable catsuit was easy. The helmet was what was going to be the difficult bit. I got lucky and found one on discount on Amazon, and got to work. Below, you’ll find the making of photos for the helmet, and below that are the shots from the event. You may note that there’s no scythe … I did take one with me, but realised that it was going to be too unwieldy in the crowds.
Now, I didn’t get asked for as many photos as last time around, but the costume seemed to go down well. My favourite moment was when I walked into the toilets and a guy started chuckling to himself. I ignored him and entered a cubicle. From a cubicle next to mine, a voice says, “That’s an evil laugh mate.”
“Yeah,” the first guy replies. “That’s my ‘I know something you don’t know’ laugh.”
“Yeah? What’s that.”
“You remember that Celty that you saw out front? The one you really liked? Well, he just got in the cubicle next to you.”
There was a moment of silence, then the guy in the cubicle next to me grumbles, “… Not again …”
<img alt="combined" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-836" src="https://mattdoylemedia.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/combined.jpg?w=840">
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Cosplay: Celty [Durarara!] – London Expo May ’15

Following the success of my Renamon cosplay, I had intended to dive into the world of Sonic the Hedgehog for London MCM Expo in May 2015. I ...

The Otaku Judge

The Otaku Judge

Sorry guys, I am burnt out on writing full-length reviews. Blame the hot summer weather for sapping all my enthusiasm! From now on I think ...

Death Note – Complete Series and OVA Collection

<div><a href="https://mibih.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/death-note.jpg"><img alt="death-note" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12589" height="259" src="https://mibih.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/death-note.jpg?w=300&h=259" width="300"></a>
<h2>Death Note – Complete Series and OVA Collection (Cert 15)</h2>
<h4>6 discs Blu-ray (Distributor: Manga Entertainment) Running time: 845 minutes approx.    </h4>
I must open this review by admitting it might seem a little biased as Death Note is my favourite anime and manga of all time; however it has been close to a decade since I last watched it, so this new Blu-ray release has given me the opportunity to reappraise it through a relatively fresh pair of eyes.
Created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata in 2003, this anime adaptation from studio Madhouse arrived in late 2006, just months after the final manga volume had been published. Despite passing similarities to a 1973 one-off strip The Miraculous Notebook by Shigeru Mizuki, this psychological and supernatural crime thriller caught on quickly and a new franchise was born.
Quickly becoming a global phenomenon through its chimerical concept, iconic characters and copycat controversies, Death Note should need little introduction to any self-respecting anime fan, but for an uninitiated readers I shall indulge you with a brief (as such as it can be) recap of the central plot.
Told over a six-year period, a brilliant and bored high school student Light Yagami discovers a black notebook on the school grounds and, curiosity getting the better of him, takes it home. Complete with instructions of the notebook’s apparent power to kill humans, light decides to demonstrate it on a criminal shown on the TV news. True enough the man dies as per the instructions and Light’s interest is fully piqued.
Watched impassively by the Shinigami (death god) Ryuk, the grotesque otherworldly owner of the notebook, Light begins a crusade to wipe out evil in the world and create a peaceful existence for everyone. While this unique vigilante act creates a public anti-hero named Kira, it also attracts the attention of the police, Light’s own father being a high ranking police detective, and Interpol who enlist the aid of reclusive detective L to solve this mystery.
That may be the story in a nutshell but it is vastly more complex than that, its sinuous twists and turns, impressively crafted web of deceit, betrayal and moral ambiguity not to mention the intellectual game of cat and mouse between two superior masterminds, make this one of the most engaging and addictive stories ever told. And that barely touches the surface of Death Note’s appeal.
One of the stronger aspects of the story is how nothing is as black and white as it initially appears and in Light Yagami, we have a character who is a protagonist and antagonist – at one point both at the same time. This is down to the supernatural element pertaining to the rules and conditions of the notebook, all of which Light must decipher and employ to use if he wants to keep his identity as Kira hidden.
This becomes a problem when Light and L eventually work together to bring down Kira, but since L suspects Light IS Kira, both geniuses are forced to outthink each other, predicting their moves and reactions and adjusting their actions accordingly. Such focus on cerebral stratagems may lend itself to many lengthy internal monologues and prolix passages of intense calculations but the visual presentation compensates for this.
And let’s not forget the supporting cast whose presence provides the moral centre and represent the laymen lost to the machinations of Light and L’s busy brains – capricious teen idol, Misa Amane, the members of the select Kira investigation team and L’s enigmatic assistant Watari, not to mention more unpleasant Shinigami!
Spanning 37 taut and intense episodes, this provocative morality tale covers many themes – abuse and corruption of power, playing God, actions and consequence, the hubris of misplaced idol worship and the cult of personality, and the value of human life. Light may begin his campaign with good intentions, targeting convicted criminals but when the net closes in on him the innocent also become victims.
If you are already familiar with this series you will know of the shocking development ten episodes from the end that changes the entire landscape and complexity of the story. Many have felt this leads to a poor concluding act tantamount to a half baked reboot of the first half but revisiting it here via binge watch, it proves itself as fitting within the remit of the power struggle over the notebooks and in delivering justice.
Directed by Tetsurō Araki and written by Toshiki Inoue, the anime is rigidly faithful to the manga aside from the coda which for this writer, is preferable to the overloaded denouement of the manga. What is noticeable after a decade is how static a lot of the animation appears, clouded at the time by the simple joy of seeing the characters – especially Ryuk – come to life.
Yet this detracts nothing from the enjoyment or immersive qualities of the show; with a penchant for creating a rich atmosphere and protean moods using sharp colour, shadows and camera tricks, this apparent inertia makes the occasional action scenes all the more exciting when they occur. In terms of visual representation, the end of episode 7 is one of the most chillingly beautiful moments in anime.
So, does Death Note still hold up a decade on from its original release? Absolutely, proving itself to be an evergreen show that reveals something new upon each rewatch. Modern viewers should find it suitably engrossing and hopefully living up to its venerated status, although it may require patience compared to the gory, faster moving shows it directly influenced such as <a href="https://mibih.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/mirai-nikki-future-diary-complete-collecton-1/" target="_blank">Future Diary</a>.
One thing about this good-looking Blu-ray release that may see existing fans hesitate over double dipping is the absence of the original DVD extras, replaced instead by the two OVAs retelling the series from a different perspective with some additional footage.
A bona fide modern classic that has not only stood the test of time but reveals how ahead of its time it was, Death Note remains scarily relevant today. Unequivocally essential to any anime collection.
 
Extras:
English Language 2.0
Japanese Language 2.0
English Subtitles
 
Disc 6 Only:
OVA 1 – Relight: Visions Of A God
OVA 2 – Relight 2: L’s Successors
 
Rating – *****
Man In Black
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Death Note – Complete Series and OVA Collection

Death Note – Complete Series and OVA Collection (Cert 15) 6 discs Blu-ray (Distributor: Manga Entertainment) Running time: 845 minutes app...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby

<div><img alt="prettyderby" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3775" height="300" src="https://theotakujudge.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/prettyderby.jpg?w=200&h=300" width="200">
Sorry guys, I am burnt out on writing full-length reviews. Blame the hot summer weather for sapping all my enthusiasm! From now on I think I’ll just type out brief summaries on the stuff I have watched recently. To make up for the lack of detail the posts will include a link to a more detailed review from a fellow (more talented) blogger.
We’ve had female warships, female felines, female consoles and now the time has come for female racehorses. Uma Musume Pretty Derby is a glorified advert for an upcoming mobile phone game. Thankfully, unlike most anime based on a video game, this one is pretty (derby) entertaining. Part sport show and part “cute girls doing cute things” series, this thirteen-episode P.A. Works production follows a clumsy gal named Special Week. She has travelled from the countryside to the big city with the aims of fulfilling the promise she made to her mother – become the best horse girl in Japan!
The show offers a nice mix of comedy (were Special Week and friends “horse” around) and serious sport drama. Pretty Derby also has pop idol component to it, were winners celebrate their victory by dancing on stage. The scriptwriters however seem to forget about the idea after the first few episodes. One cool thing I discovered, after watching the series, is that the characters and story lines are all based off genuine Japanese racehorses. Haru Urara, a minor character that always finishes last, for example is named after a mare who has never won a race. The poor girl has lost more competitions than England has lost World Cups!
FINAL SCORE: FOUR CARROTS OUT OF FIVE
Check out the Yuri Nation’s opinion of the anime by clicking <a href="https://yurination.wordpress.com/2018/06/18/358th-g-view-uma-musume-pretty-derby/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

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Uma Musume Pretty Derby