Anime Blogger Interrogation, Part 2: Turning Insane

See part one, and the rules, here.

UPDATE: Azeriraz, a manga blogger with a totally cool voice, also tagged me. I've posted his questions & my answers at the bottom, after my own.

UPDATE #2: Somewhat Mystia has had his revenge! My answers are after Azeriraz's section.

I had managed to write a couple of posts by forming a contract with a small, nefarious demon on the other side of the door (I dictated them), but still had yet to escape from my now-familiar dungeon. Over the past several days I had started to develop a sort of night vision, the kind one would expect from a H.G Wells creature (the spotlight from before had flickered out three days previous). Thus, I was effectively blinded when the door to the outside world suddenly exploded open, five cold, hunger-filled days since its last violation. Before I even had time to curse my inaction (for it should have been the perfect opportunity to escape), the door slammed shut again. As my eyes readjusted, I saw the vague silhouette of a woman, her hands on her hips, looking at a box she had thrown on the floor with dissatisfaction. She muttered something about having explicitly ordered the pizzeria to not put cheese on, kicked it towards me, then snapped her fingers irritably towards the ceiling, which somehow coaxed the light back on. I looked up at her like some kind of wide-eyed savage, hugging the floor closely as I thrust the mana of Italian origin she had kicked at me into my mouth with barbarous celerity. She clicked her tongue at me disgustedly, introduced herself as Ty-Chama of the illustrious cool-person blog Watashi wa Bucho!!, and asked me five questions like the others had.

Accurate depiction of the reader, writer, and interrogator.

1) Is there anyone you consider your hero in the blogosphere?

     Perhaps "idol" would be a better word, but yes. Snippettee of Lemmas and Submodalities is, and probably always will be, my blogging goddess. She was the first to inspire me to make somewhat thoughtful posts on my blog, and I'd swear in a court of law that my IQ has gone up because of reading through her site. There are runners-up, but it would take too long to list them all.


2) If you had to blog about something other than anime/manga/video games, what would it be?

     *Stares blankly*

     *Takes bite of pizza*

     *Continues staring*

     Five minutes later, after some unspeakably violent actions take place. . .

     I love analysis and analyzing. I really do. I love looking at story elements, the way visuals and the illusion of motion are used (because art forms don't, you know, physically move), the way the sound adds to the experience, etc. I love analyzing these elements and seeing how well they perform, whether on an artistic or purely aesthetic level, and I love determining how those elements work together as a whole to create something that is either special, not special, or "special." In other words, I love review. It makes sense, then, that I would want to review art forms on my blog. Thus, if I had to blog about something other than anime, manga (which I do want to make some posts on sometime), and/or video games, I would probably blog about western cartoons (which could very well be a painful experience) or movies. Either one (or both) of those, or I'd go in the completely opposite direction and blog about grammar, writing, and tutoring. But that blog would be boring, so let's not go there.


3) What is the anime series you are most embarrassed about liking?

     This is a great question, so it's sad that I don't have a good answer to match. The fact of the matter is, I mostly have anime I feel guilty about not liking! I guess I'm gonna go with Brave 10. I didn't really like, nor did I even think it was that good, but bishies and retro-style (even if it failed to live up to its potential) get me every time.

I'm never going to live down this shame, am I?

4) Totally out of left field, but. . .if you nursed a desire to take over the world, how would you go about doing it?

     *Finishes pizza*

     *Nibbles on cardboard box for a little while before deciding it's not worth it*

     Going by Ty's answer to this question, there don't appear to be restrictions on how I can go about this, so...well, the most practical, and probably easiest way to take over the world would be to create hyper-complex, lethal (or extremely debilitating) disease, infect various population centers, and hold the world hostage for the cure/vaccine while sabotaging research efforts. I mean, it's not pretty, but it gets the job done, no?


5) (*)   [Note: in case you didn't click the link to part 1, an asterisk means I have to reveal something new about myself]

     I was all set to answer this question by telling you that I am (or rather, was) homeschooled, but then I realized that I already used that in this post. Something new...well, a few of you already know this, but it would seem that I have some unresolved self-loathing issues. These usually take the form of doing things like watching Eiken twice in a row, listening to the Queen's Blade: Rebellion opening song (the full version, keep in mind) as I write posts on Eiken, playing Deadly Creatures despite having arachnophobia, etc. If you don't like that answer, then we'll go with me having arachnophobia.

Picture unrelated.

     After she was finished, Ty promptly stomped out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind her again before I could even thank her for the live-giving pizza she had bequeathed to me. I was not worried, however. With my hunger subsiding (for the moment), I was at last able to think clearly - yes, clearly! - and I called upon my fiendish familiar to exact my vengeance. I had him send five questions of mine to a few unfortunate victims of my own. My elation at my role reversal did not last long, partly because I realized I was still in the room, but also because I was informed that the Devil would eat my soul if I did not answer my own questions as well. Below are my questions my answers, and the bloggers I'm tagging.

     1) What is one of your favorite video games of all time? If you can, explain why it's special.

     2) (As with the first question, only with anime instead of video games).

     3) What video game has the best soundtrack (in your opinion)? Bonus points if you can name the person that composed it.

     4) What video game have you beaten/anime have you watched (completely) the most times? (You can answer one or both.)

     5) Have you ever found any music artists through anime (or video games) that you listen to as a "fan" (i.e. you listen to more than just their anime/VG stuff)?

I should note that while I am to answer these questions under penalty of soul-eating, the people I tag are not. Yeah, that's right, I'm changing the rules on you, so there! So yeah, be as selective about answering these as you want. The bloggers I'm tagging are:

My video game blogger role model, Somewhat Mystia

The thoughtful Myst, master of editorials

Ty-Chama, the Boss

The awesome Sandra

Any of the O-NEW crew who want to answer, really, but especially Absolute Zero

Here are my answers:

     1) It would be easy for me to pick Fallout, but because I'm always going on about how much I love that game, I figure I should change it up a little. So, I'm instead choosing Jazz Jackrabbit 2, which is a game I've been playing for over 10 years now. The thing about JJ2 is that it's fun, but there so much detail. I could spend hours as a child with my eyes transfixed by the static-but-somehow-moving backgrounds, for instance. Jazz Jackrabbit 2 was a game that (for me) had a lot of moments of transcendence. There were a number of times when it became something beyond what it was. I wasn't just playing the game, I was living it, breathing it, feeling it. The game is also exceedingly well designed and controls excellently (though it feels a little sensitive after playing Super Meat Boy), but I think it was more things like this that made it really special.

     2) Kino no Tabi is probably my all-time favorite anime. There are so many things that make this series special that I can't possibly list them all, so I think I'll just focus on one: the neutrality it presented its ideas with. The environment I grew up in was pervaded by arguments. They were everywhere, and for some reason there always needed to be a "winner." Kino no Tabi, though, tends to present its issues without particularly judging or siding with one or preferring one over the other. When I first saw it, I was like, "Hey, how cool is that?" In retrospect, it probably played a big part in making me who I am today.

     3) The music in Jazz Jackrabbit 2 is absolutely amazing. The music made worlds of its own, and combined with the backgrounds and level design became something that truly stands out. Also, I love demo track music. The composer is Alexander Brandon, who also made the music for Deus Ex (among others), which is fairly high in the list of runners up.

     4) (My answer got long, so I split it into two parts.)

          a) As much as I would love to say Mushishi or Kino no Tabi, my two favorite anime (and I have rewatched them a number of times), I'm pretty sure that nothing is going to top Rurouni Kenshin. I've rewatched the series somewhere between 7 and 9 times (though I should note that I stopped watching everything after the Kyoto arc during my fourth marathon of the show, which was my second time watching the sub). There's a lot of nostalgia involved with me and Rurouni Kenshin. Although Inuyasha was the first real anime show I watched, it was Kenshin that really got me into the medium. Much like JJ2, this was a series with a lot of transcendence to it. It absorbed me in its world, and I was putty in its hands. I can't say I'm done with it yet, since I always like going back to try to find that same feeling again (so, nostalgia), but also because it still has that effect on me from time to time.

          b) Now I feel kind of lame, because once again Jazz Jackrabbit 2 is the answer. I've beaten this game...probably upwards of 30 times now. I still play it quite often, partially for the same reason I still rewatch Kenshin, but also because for the past 10 playthroughs or so I've been trying to get the maximum amount of points possible without ever dying (it usually averages out to something like 1,110,000 points). Fallout is the closest runner up, with somewhere between 15-20 completions, and Jagged Alliance 2 would actually be a good contender, except most of the time I got bored around Grumm and start over.

     5) One of my pastimes is going on Youtube and listening to anime OP & ED songs, but I rarely go beyond that. I've gotten close with BUCK-TICK, but I just listened to their stuff from anime shows I hadn't seen. I think the only artist that I was introduced to through anime that fits the requirements, then, is KOKIA. (And yes, both these artists' names are supposed to be capitalized). I was first introduced to her through Break Blade, then one day I found some of her non-anime stuff on Youtube and was caught hook, line, and sinker. Fun fact: the first music CD I bought (as opposed to borrowing or getting as a present) was one of hers.

     I'm probably gonna stick around here for a few more days and see if I can't scam anyone else out of their pizza before I throttle my impish servant into giving me some lockpicks, but until then, thanks for reading! (If I get tagged again, I'll probably tack the questions onto this post rather than starting another new one. Depends on how much pizza I get.)


Azeriraz's Questions:

1) What is the most popular anime/manga you thought was over-hyped?

     I was struggling with this question until I read Azeriraz's own answer. I've never really gotten why Ano Hana is so popular...it always felt a little too "This is teen drama! This is tragedy!" to me. I could have also have chosen Madoka, if only because it's impossible for it to not be over-hyped (consider the amount of hype it's gotten), but I felt that was a lame answer.

2) If you get to be a character in any type of series (action, adventure, romance, etc.), what type of character would you be?

     I would want to be a side character, probably in a romance josei series. A side character because of reasons.

3) Which anime would you not admit to liking for fear of being mocked?

     Oh no, not this question again. This is basically that "guilty pleasure" thing all over...Well, Brave 10 is certainly a good choice, but for the sake of choosing something different...Muv-Luv? Actually, no, I haven't really liked that since the second episode, so instead I'll pick Trinity Blood. It can be kind of stupid at times, but I like it because it's so dang stylish. Also stupid.

4) If you could only choose one anime/manga to watch/read for the rest of your life, what would it be?

     This question would be a lot easier to answer if it included video games, but I think I'd pick Mushishi. If Kino no Tabi were 20-something episodes long, then I'd probably pick that, but Mushishi has a decent length, amazing animation, and deep stories that I could analyze or simply enjoy. In my opinion, it's basically, the anime, so...yeah, I'd pick Mushishi.

5) Do you know much about Seiyu?

     I suppose that depends on what you mean by "know." I certainly know the names and voices of several seiyu, and I could probably tell you a good 60% of the VAs that won "Seiyu of the Year" awards (just look at the Working!! cast), but I don't know that much about, say, who is best for the role of [character archetype] or the industry itself.


Somewhat Mystia's Questions:

1) What was your biggest "unexpected surprise" anime or game?

     Well, I already revealed my worst unexpected surprise in a chat, so in the spirit of revealing new things I've decided to go with my best surprise. For anime, there are a lot of series that would work, but I'm going with Shiki. While the first few episodes weren't quite as gripping as they could have been (curse you plot summaries and your spoiling!), it went from an okay horror show that I found good and not particularly scary to a totally awesome anime series. For games, my answer would probably have to be Battle for Wesnoth (review here). Now, my biggest (good) surprise would likely be either Fallout or Deus Ex, but those have been used in too many answers already. So anyway, Battle for Wesnoth. I first found it before I even started watching anime, and it was totally cool. It was like Fire Emblem, but with hexes and units I could live with having die!

2) What are your biggest pet peeves in anime or gaming?

     Anime is easy. Character's catching colds from so much as touching water or stepping into cold weather, reading books from the middle, and having weird noses (also, Hidan no Aria). Games are a little more difficult. I guess one thing I really hate is when games feel the need to shove why what you're doing is important down your throat (looking at you Borderlands). It's like, okay, I get it. I need to kill the bad guy 'cause he does bad things. Show me that (or better yet let me experience it!), don't tell me it.

3) Most memorable anime or gaming experience?

     Anime: One thing I'll always remember is in episode 3 of Mushishi, when Ginko walks into the cave and looks up and there's like a thousand Un (or was it Ah?) on the ceiling. One of the all time best "Oooh Shi-" scenes ever. Kino no Tabi episode 2 was another one. Really, both those shows had a lot of memorable moments, hard to choose.

     Games: There are so many I can't remember them all! (How does that even work?) I'm gonna go with something relatively recent and choose the last time I played Fallout. I decided from the beginning that I was going to fully explore The Glow that playthrough, and that's exactly what I did. It was amazing. It perfectly captured the feeling of the game. The ruined pre-war facility, uncovering why the war started and what the deal with the FEV was and all that...pure gold.

4) What genres do you love and loathe?

     This is a tricky one, because honestly I'm pretty neutral about stuff like that all around. Like I said in my 50 Questions post, I enjoy certain types of psychological shows, and I like (good) sci-fi...can also be a pretty huge shoujo fanatic when the mood strikes me, just 'cause I'm easily caught up in it (heck, the big push for me to start blogging was writing a review of a shoujo series!). I'm least exposed to sports, mahou shoujo (only seen one!), and music series, so by default they get to be my least favorite. For games, my absolute favorite genre is probably tactical turn-based RPGs. I've poured literally days into Jagged Alliance 2 (it's probably my most played game, even if it's not my most beaten one), and Fire Emblem is probably my favorite GBA game. Least favorite genres are casual and puzzle (which are often casual). I take video games seriously. I want them to tell a narrative (which does not necessarily equal a story, but that's a topic for another post and day). I don't play them to make pretty colors flash at me (although pretty flashing colors are undeniably a plus).

5) Biggest guilty pleasure?

     ...You're kidding me. Why does everyone want to know my guilty pleasures? Do you not how difficult to answer this question is for me? *Sighs* At least this one was phrased honestly. My biggest guilty pleasure anime is probably...I'm actually gonna go with Needless. Not because I feel guilty about it, mind you. Simply because maybe I should feel just a little guilty about it. It's pretty much the ultimate "action" show. Nudity, ripped guys (and gals) punching each other and using totally cool superpowers...I mean, it's also got some other things that make it a great series (like character growth and fights with some intelligence), but it's fanservice-y to an extreme and can be rather gratuitous. Like I said, I don't really feel guilty about liking it, but it's the closest you'll get at this point.

P.S. Also, it's been, like, forever since I've written an anime review, hasn't it? I'll try to get on that soon.