Grump.

Posted on January 20, 2007 by Ubu Roi

I’m bored. Moving Magic:The Gathering way down my priority list because it was too expensive (and time-consuming, and I suck at it) has really left my weekends without much to do, and I can’t work up much interest in writing a post today. In anything interesting that is. I actually started on one about BeckoningChasm’s picture of Lyar and the line drawings that Steven DenBeste posted. It was all about how I’m struck by her eyes more than her hair or other assets. (No, really! I mean it! Though I probably shouldn’t let my eyes wander like that.) Then I lost the post to an ill-considered click and couldn’t work up the interest to re-type it all. That’s the best I’ve been able to do? Meh.

I guess I will go work on graphics for tomorrow. Poor Wonderduck probably doesn’t have anything suitable in a fleur-de-lis….

Oh, and I hate the new OP and ED for Code Geass. And they didn’t have any table-humping in the last episode either!

I didn’t find Serial Experiments Lain all that interesting. It’s not that I disliked it, I just didn’t like it. The washed-out, over-bright art had me constantly suppressing a desire to adjust the gamma. And the red spots were just annoying. I know it was a visual effect to heighten the unreality, but I found them extremely annoying, because at first I thought they were blood-spots from the girl committing suicide. Then they were just distracting, especially against the washed-out over-whiteness. I can appreciate the story for what it is and how well it’s done, although I’d probably be plenty confused without Steven’s spoiler-laden write-up. (I need to put a limit on how many times I mention him or his site in a week, but damn, if you want a really good analysis of animé and tangental issues related to it, Chizumatic is the place to go.) Anyway, it’s just not my speed.

Dammit, when’s the next episode of Simoun going to complete fansubbing? I was forced to watch two more episodes of Negima and finally just gave up on it. Maybe the manga’s good, but the first series was apparently not that good and the second series just sucks, both stylisticaly and storytelling-wise. Now they’re not even paying attention to their own plot. Episode ten ended with two more girls finding out that Negi is a mage, and while one becomes a partner, the other is embarassed at having to kiss him, so she runs off. The two spies for the Council find out, and Negi’s going to get turned into an animal if something isn’t done. End of episode. Next episode: the problem isn’t even mentioned. Never mind the fact that several non-partners have seen those two spies, and yet no one thinks them odd–except for the girl who keeps thinking the green one is her father, and no that’s not explained either, nor has anyone noticed that the Black Rose Baron is obviously female. Or a piss-poorly drawn man voiced by a female. Wouldn’t be the first time. Then there’s the breaking of the fourth wall, such as when Asuna talks back to the narrator. Some shows can do that, but only when it’s done in a manner consistent with the rest of the series, or if it shifts, it does so convincingly. Negima doesn’t; it watches like a program put together by amatuers who just threw things in at random.

Watched the first DVD of This Ugly Yet Beautiful World also. Very much “enh” about it. Starts out like a dramatic show, turns into absurdist harem comedy with lots of fanservice. All the teens accept that the two girls are aliens….with absolutely NO proof?. And the scientist character is just not believeable, she’s so ridiculous. It beggars the imagination that she’d move in too. After her initial appearance, she doesn’t do any more scientific investigations; she just hangs around in skimpy clothing, drinks beer, spies on the teens, and engages in crazy theorizing with absolutely no experimentation or observation behind them. I understand it turns dramatic again later, and eventually becomes an end-of-the-world story, but so far, it’s a very Gainax production. Long on the female form, short on common sense. Dual did the comedy-drama so much better.

Referrer’s I don’t like finding in my logs: Blog aggregators that post your content as if it’s theirs… and use it to hawk porno. Bad porno. At least give me a freaking cut of the profits, you bastards! Yes, they did put a link back here, so they can claim they’re “giving credit,” but the article is posted IN FULL on their site WITH THEIR NAME under it as “posted by.” If I want Bridgebunnies to be associated with porn I’ll do it myself!

(NSFW warning!) Continue reading →

Posted in Bitching, Magic:The Gathering | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Putting 2006 Into Perspective

Posted on January 14, 2007 by Ubu Roi

It’s occured to me that the way I’ve been gassing over some of the series I’ve discovered in fansubs, someone might be of the opinion that I’ve just gone gaga over whatever my latest discovery is. “Melancholy is great! No, Ouran is! Wait, Simoun is the bestest! But Bakumatsu tops everything!” So this is a brief post just to clarify my opinions. Of the series that were broadcast pimarily (or starting) in 2006, I think:

  • Bakumatsu (BKI) is the best overall, thus far.
  • Simoun is the sleeper hit that no one expected to be of such high quality. (I came for the fanservice and got a story.)
  • Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumaya is both my personal favorite and the most fun.
  • Ouran Host Club is the goofiest, and probably best outright comedy.
  • Kanon is the best game adaptation and maybe the best art.

Series that I saw that don’t get any top kudos:
Zero no Tsukaima, Busou Renkin, Pumpkin Scissors, Crecent Love, Coyote Ragtime, High School Girls, Karin, Inukami, Code Geass, Ghost Hunt, The Third, Galaxy Angel Rune (or Lune; anyway, one episode, after which I ran screaming from the room), Otome wa Boku, Toki Memorial (ditto GAR), Assate No Hokou (Zzzzzzzzz….). That’s not to say that they were all bad. Just not the best of the bunch.

Series I passed on:

  • Tokimekki Memorial, GAR and Assate, after their 1st episodes. Galaxy Angel had some nice fanservice, but was too stupid to be allowed to ugly up my hard drive.
  • Coyote Ragtime Show and Karin (both of which I stubbornly stuck with for too long)
  • Girls High, after five episodes of worsening dreck. I felt soiled.
  • Higurashi na Koro ni. No interest in homicidal emo lolis.
  • Gintama. Deleted after watching ten minutes of the first episode, by which time there had been three nosepicking scenes. One such extended scene in the OP by the female lead. Ok, the scene in episode 2 of FMP:TSR is funny. Doing it over and over and over wouldn’t be.
  • Witchblade, despite the fanservice. Or was it because of it? Dropped after 3-5 episodes, I forget. Deleted.
  • Suomomo Momomomo. I found the premise of this show repulsive, the male lead an uninteresting jerk, and the female lead unattractive, not to mention a flatchested loli. Unattractive = bad. Flatchested = bad. Loli = illegal. Flatchested, unattractive loli should = illegal. (At least Louise was cute.)
  • Mamoru-kun_ni_Megami_no_Shukufuku_wo! Attractive female lead, lots of fanservice, comedy series. Winner, right? Wrong. The jokes are too lame, predictable, and stupid, and frankly, I can’t stand the way the male lead is drawn. Everyone else is “normal” but he looks like an escapee from Speed Racer. I ought to be able to keep watching just for the fanservice (which is plentiful) but I can’t. Dropped after two or three episodes, went back recently to rewatch and see if I liked it any better. Didn’t.

I need to slow up on the fansubs. That’s about $1k if this stuff is all licensed and I buy every DVD. Ah well, DrH. is bored and wants to destroy the enemy in Dawn of War, and I wouldn’t mind that diversion myself. Later all!

Posted in Fansub Review, Snap Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Roast Duck For Dinner?

Posted on January 14, 2007 by Ubu Roi

Wonderduck has thrown down the gauntlet. It’s the “Big C” vs. the fleur-de-lis, and our front pages as the prize!

Hey, Ubu! Yeah, you Saints fan, I’m talkin’ to you!

You’ve got to drag your gold-clad arses up to Chicago next week so the Bears can kick ’em ’round Soldier Field. “Who Dat?” The BEARS, dat’s who!***

Wanna put the front page of your blog up as a bet? When my Bears win, you put a big ol’ Bears logo as the top post for a few days. If the Ain’ts somehow pull a miracle out of their socks, I’ll put a Frenchy-style fleur-de-lis up here on The Pond.

Whaddya say? Gonna stand by your team?

***(The Duck Sez: I’m not really as confident as I sound. I see the two teams as being basically even, more or less, with a slight advantage going to the Bears because of home-field and weather.)

Well, actually, I think it’s better than a slight edge to Chicago, but paradoxically, I was pulling for them to win over Seattle, since A) Historically, the Saints and Bears have played great, entertaining games against each other, going back to Walter Peyton’s days, and B) We couldn’t let Steven’s team get any further in the playoffs, now could we? 😉

Oh wait, he’s in Portland–wrong state. Oh well, it’s still the closest NFL team to him, so it’s his by default. 😛

Posted in Random Nonsense | Tagged | 10 Comments

Things I Wonder About

Posted on January 14, 2007 by Ubu Roi

An article wherein I muse about random things and buffalo wings.

Student Councils: Are these elected, appointed, or can a core group invite other members? The only series or show I can think of where there is reference to an election is FMP:TSR. Every other animé just seems to have the council “there” or sometimes one or more memebers of the cast are invited to join (Code Geass, Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!).

Class priority: Do the low numbered classes have any “prestige” or other significance to them? I notice that the main characters almost always belong to class one or two of their year. FMP is an exception; Kanamé and Souské are in class 4, and there is a class 7 visible in some hallway shots during the ED

de arimasu: There’s a character in Shana (whom I’m not naming, because it’s a spoiler; the character hasn’t appeared in the commercial DVD release yet). that ends virtually every sentence with the phrase “de arimasu” or a varient thereof. It doesn’t matter whether the sentence is a question or statement. What the hell does it mean?

Japanese blondes: Is that just another unnatural hair color like green or blue in animé, or are there actually any blondes in Japan? I know there’s a caucasian minority in some of the northern reaches. Do they have blondes? For that matter, what about redheads?

Buffalo wings: How the hell did they get their name, anyway? (Insert any lame joke about tiny buffalo here.)

Blind Senses Ok, it’s well known that a person who loses their sight gains a greater sensitivity with their other senses. In an over-the-top scene we won’t see on American TV anytime soon, Nina, junior student council member in Code Geass, spends “quality time” with the corner of a table, while staring at a picture of Princess Euphie. I imagine that has to be kind of hard on her panties, considering that she was not exactly doing a slow grind. Natalie rolls into the room, but of course can’t see what she’s doing. It seems to me that she ought to be able to get a clue from her senses of hearing and smell. (I don’t suppose this is the time to mention once having read about the rather unique methods of masturbation invented by the students at a Catholic school for blind girls, to avoid being caught by the nuns?)

Shotacon. What’s the origin of that term? I know it’s a play on “lolicon” and what it means, but I would have expected “shounencon” if it were some kind of Japanese-English kitbash.

40 years. How the hell did the Saints take that long to get to the NFC Championship game? And I’ve been waiting every one of them too. Hell, I still remember what they used to call the “glory days” in the 70’s with Yepremian and Manning. Archie Manning, Peyton’s father. The best they ever did was 8-8. Coach Mora brought the team up from the laughingstock of the league, but not even he could defeat the fundamental problem: the Saints play in New Orleans. There is no town better for distracting players from the business of playing and winning games than the Big Easy. As soon as the team started looking good, the party atmosphere would turn their heads. The problem was solved by the simple expedient of sacking and replacing almost the entire team and staff in a single year. So I give them one good year, maybe two, before things go back to normal. Wait, obviously I’m not wondering about that question, I just answered it.

And finally, where is my Shogun: Total War disk? If I can’t pilot a giant robot or have fantastic powers, I can at least conquer Japan.

Speaking of giant robots, one postscript. The Stainless Steel Brat has passed her tests to be considered for admission to a prestigious science-oriented academy here in Houston. Yay! Next is an interview for entry and maybe a scholarship for it. (Everybody cheer for her!) So give her about four more years for high school, another four for undergraduate college and two for graduate, two more for a little seasoning with a defense contractor. (Maybe 4 if she works in a doctorate) . In about a dozen years I ought to be able to pay the SSB to build me my very own giant robot. Just in time for retirement from the city of Houston, so I can take up a second career of world conquest!

Muahahahahaha! (Practicing my evil laugh.)

Posted in Random Nonsense, Tropes and Such | Tagged , | 18 Comments

Be Very Afraid

Posted on January 12, 2007 by Ubu Roi

So, I was poking around on ANN when I ran across the review for Nerima Daikon Brothers. I dunno about this….

Of course, springing as it does from the same brain that spawned the viler elements in Puni Puni Poemy, occasionally the humor flirts with (and sometimes dispenses with all foreplay and goes straight to bedding) bad taste. Sometimes it pays off—especially the sexual harassment turnaround in episode 1 and the rocket-powered butt-seeking enema machine—while sometimes it simply disturbs (an extended visual metaphor with sausages, and an accidental kimchee-soaked tryst between Ichiro and the panda come most strongly to mind).

(Emphasis added.) If your sphincter didn’t clench when you read the words “rocket-powered butt-seeking enema machine,” what’s wrong with you?

I don’t know if that idea disturbs me less, or more, than the panda sex…. And I’m someone who laughed at a table being dry humped in Code Geass.

Posted in Bitching, Random Nonsense | 2 Comments

Nu Linky Love

Posted on January 11, 2007 by Ubu Roi

I used to make a big deal out of sidebar changes, but it’s really kind of an ego thing to think anybody cares that much over who I link and don’t link, so I just made my changes and went on my way. But I noticed today that I was ending up on this guy’s website too much, and decided I needed to add him. Then I happened to follow his posts back a few days and run across this. Oh, hell yes. A Misaki Chronicles drawing? Of Lyar. A good drawing? A good, damn funny drawing? I needed laughs today, and Beckoning Chasm delivered. So there he is under “Animé Plus,” and I had to cheer for that picture.

And as long as I’m mentioning that category, I might as well point out that’s where Wonderduck now appears, since he covers Animé and so many other things. Also, I’ve added Brickmuppet in that category, as he seems intent on proving me wrong about mixing animé and politics. It’s not just that he’s linked me twice in a week, it’s that I have to link someone with the guts to dildoblog.

Aside from that, the only major change was to alter “Blogs” to “Animé Blogs” so it would appear before “Animé Plus.” So there we. Or to the new arrivals, “Welcome aboard, there you are!”

Posted in Administrative | 3 Comments

Thanks for the Suggestion, McAfee

Posted on January 11, 2007 by Ubu Roi

I was writing Steven a thank-you note for his suggestion when I diverged into a peeve of mine from a few weeks ago. Then I decided, oh what the hell, it’s a rant, post it, why let only one person enjoy? So here I am, putting an unpolished rant up instead of going to bed like a sensible person.

I was discussing the idea of using a packet sniffer to check the network out and make sure there wasn’t any funny traffic going out that shouldn’t be, like from a trojan jacking with my system. That possibility has been bugging me for a few weeks, but I installed McAfee and ran a scan. It claimed the computer was clear. Then I promptly deleted it from my system.

Why? Because it was the antithesis of no-hassle. First, it wouldn’t play nice with Zone Alarm. If you install the anti-virus software, you have to install the firewall. No choice. So I had to remove the firewall I had, and with which I am happy. Strike one.

Then it’s unclear whether or not it downloaded an updated virus definition file. Supposedly it did, but the system locked up. Ok, I reboot and fire it up. It prompts me through the setup proceedure… and “suggests” that I upgrade to the full version with all the bells and whistles and email/spam/personal data security/popup blocking, etc etc. features. Several times. As in anytime I looked to confirm what features I did have and options I could set, I’d get a message telling me how much better the more expensive version was, and how much I really, really needed it. Thank you, no, I already made that decision at Best Buy, now I’d like to run a simple virus scan, thank you! Strike two.

Then after I ran the scan and dealt with the minor items I found, I checked the summary screen one last time to make sure everything was ok, and rebooted for some reason. On boot up, I got the splash screen and a warning message telling me that there was a problem with the settings. I opened the panel to see what the problem was…and I got a popup.

The problem was that I hadn’t bought the full version with all the bells and whistles, so my protection was substandard! Yes, for only 79.99, I could upgrade to McAfee Pro and know that my personal data was secure, I’d be protected against spyware, and manna would rain from the heavens, blah, blah blah; blah, blah, blah. I can see where this is going. I’m going to be bombarded by sales pitches disguised as warning messages every time I boot up and every time I run a scan, and every time I look at the computer crossways…. and I’m not going to know the difference between the two unless and until I open the message and get a popup.

So what’s the point in protecting the user against bad behavior if you’re going to turn around and do the same objectionable thing yourself?

START } SETTINGS } CONTROL PANEL } ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS } MCAFEE 2007 } UNINSTALL.

Strike three, four, five, and what the hell, all nine for the inning. Game over, thank you, don’t come again.

I should have stuck with Norton.

Posted in Bitching, Technology | 1 Comment