Watchmen, Anime, and life

Ok, first off, I know it's been a while. I've been busy. I was supposed to go and get a playmate for Mukki this weekend, but after totally re-working my weekend for this, I get told that it's not happening. I'm really beginning to hate people. The reason I was looking for a playmate for Mukki, well, Belle doesn't play, Oliver get's him cranked right before bed, and leaves me and my elderly dog to deal with a hyper kitten. Now, yes, I wanted a kitten, and I love how playful he is. But not at 3am. And he's getting a bit rough on Copper. So, I tried, it didn't work, then tried something else, and naturally, that didn't work. And, we're back at square one. Again. There is a chance of next weekend, but I'm already pissed at these people. They were supposed to transport some cats from a high kill shelter to waiting adopters, and then tell us last minute that, oh, a couple of the kittens are sick, so, none of the cats are going to be transported. I understand that, really I do, but waiting till the last fucking minute?! They totally killed my weekend, which was supposed to be awesome. and even if I had found out earlier, I could have had a decent weekend, but the fact that they wait till FRIDAY NIGHT to tell me this? GAH, I hate shitheads who can't PLAN AHEAD. If you're taking some kittens to a vet before they get transported, guess what? DON'T DO IT THE DAY BEFORE THEY GET PICKED UP!!!!

And that's enough of my rant.

Now to Watchmen.

A most excellent movie. Totally rated R people. We're talking a DO-NOT-bring-your-kid-because-you-can't-find-a-sitter movie. A lot of blood, gore, sex, and nudity, MALE and FEMALE.
As for the plot, well, it helps if you know a bit about the Watchmen, but the story stands alone on it's own. The characters are all superheros, but at the same time they're composit superheros. You can see traits of all the classic greats in these people. The story can seem a bit convoluted, but if you pay attention it's simple. I can't really say more about it then the typical movie-site summery on the plot. I will say that there is some serious dark humor going on, which really just makes my day. For example, my favorite line:
Rorschach: [to prisoners] I'm not locked in here with you! You're locked in here with ME!
and in case you can't guess, Rorschach is by far my favorite character in the movie. I just love slightly insane characters.
There's also a nice scene with two hero's reminiscing about a guy who used to dress up just to get them to beat him up, and how annoying it was when he'd follow them shouting "PUNISH ME!". One asks the other what ever happened to him, and the other responds "Oh, he pulled that on Rorschach, and he dropped him down an elevator shaft." I love that part.

Overall, I give the graphics an 9/10 for the most part, and a 10/10 for Rorschach's mask (see the movie, you'll see what I mean)
Plot 10/10
Character development 10/10 (Yes, you do get attached, though I have a friend who disagreed and thought the movie was only so-so)
Soundtrack 9/10. It would have been a 10/10, but when I went to buy it, some of the best songs were not on the track! It was defiantly appropriate music, however.
Overall, I give it a 9/10, mostly because there was some tacky-ness, and it could be a bit hard to follow all the time. Some more background on some of the characters would have been welcome as well.

And for the Anime!
First Watchable-not-on-the-Japanese-website preview of 07-ghosts is out, and I'm gonna share it. I'm counting down till the new stuff comes out! (And for those reading Naruto, WTF??! right?)

Anime news

First, for those of you who don't know, Studio Bones created a full length feature movie called "Sword of the Stranger" for their tenth anniversary. This movie will be playing in select theaters tomorrow. Yours truly is hoping to go, but I happen to be sicker then death right now as well as broke, so it's not looking too good.

A new anime that will be coming in a few months is "07-Ghost" based on the manga by the same name. It is particularly a good manga, and I'd recommend giving the anime a preview. Remember though, it is illegal to download, save, sell, or otherwise tick off the anime companies, anime. So, hope for a fast licensing.

The rumor has been confirmed, there will be a new "Full Metal Alchemist" Anime! Now, I know what you're thinking anime fans, "FMA was perfect! what are they thinking?" Well this FMA is going to stay closer to the manga, which split off from where the first anime went. When I say split, I mean it's like they're two totally different things. Also from the creator of FMA is "Hero tales" which looks promising. It's about a Chinese boy who finds out he is 'the destined one'. Animation looks very smooth, but many of the characters remind me of FMA, so I have problems watching it.

"D.Gray-Man" is coming to America! Well, the manga is already state side, but now the anime will be too! Sometimes I could just kiss FUNimation. I mean, "Ouran High School Host Club" (girly, yes, funny though), "Wallflower", "Shikabane Hime", "Romeo X Juliet", they're just grabbing all the good ones. Viz, I'm sure isn't about to be left in the dust. What it comes down to is this is going to be a kickin year for anime!

"Ouran High School Host Club"

Haruhi Fujioka worked really hard to get into the exclusive Ouran High School, where family ties and money is everything. Haruhi has neither, being a scholarship student, and in order to stay in the school, Haruhi works hard. One day, while looking for a quite place to study, Haruhi stumbled across the host club, a group of six young men with ample money and time to spare that entertain themselves by entertaining the equally wealthy girls of the high school. If that wasn't a shock enough, Haruhi accidentally knocks over an expensive Ming Vase! Now Haruhi has to work as a host to pay off the debt, the only problem is, Haruhi is a girl.

"D.Gray-Man"

Allen Walker has had it rough, first, he was abandoned as a child because of his arm, then he was taken in by the circus and Mana Walker, who raised him like a son. After Mana died, Allen, racked with grief, made a deal with the Millennium Earl to bring him back. What Allen didn't realize was that Manna would come back as an Akuma, a demon weapon in service of the Millennium Earl, and take over Allen's body. Now, Allen's arm, had something to say about this, and transformed, revealing Allen had the power of Innocence, a power granted by God to defeat the Akuma. Manna, as he was dieing the second time, cursed Allen, bleaching the boy's hair white and giving him the ability to see Akuma, even when they are hiding as people. Allen in then taken in by a member of the black order, a group of Innocence users who are fighting the Millennium Earl, and is later sent to the order where he and the others take on the Earl and his allies in a race to save the world.

"Sword of the Stranger"

A warrior with no name. A boy with nowhere to go. An organization bent on capturing the boy. Let's not forget the awesome Shiba-Inu that is the boy's only true friend. Kotaro is a young orphan who on the run. He is being chased by assassins, and has no clue why. While hiding in an abandoned hut with his dog, Tobimaru, he comes across Nanashi, a warrior haunted by his past. Unwittingly he drags the warrior into a fight when a group of assassins come barging in. After a rousing fight, and a desperate attempt to save Tobimaru from a poison, Kotaro asks Nanashi to be his guard. This begins a journey of the two as they find out why the boy is being hunted and take on their foes.

"Wallflower"

Sunako Nakahara just wants to be left alone. She's into everything gruesome and dark, and her biggest nemesis is 'creatures of the light'. This includes anyone who is even remotely attractive. Unfortunately, this includes all four of her house mates. They're living at her aunts estate, rent free. The only condition, make Sunako a lady. Thus beings the chaos known as Wallflower. As the boys try to change Sunako as she fights every single step of the way, a strange family is created, with each willing to do whatever necessary to help the others. Even if that means putting on a dress.

"Shikabane Hime"

What happens when you die? Well, if you have regrets in life, you apparently come back as a corpse with awesome powers and an erge to kill humans. Standing between these monsters and the rest of humanity are a group of warriors, the Shikabane Hime and Contractor Monks. Shikabane Hime are corpse's as well, but by making a deal with a monk, who then becomes a Contractor Monk, they are able to remain themselves and fight the Shikabane. If a Shikabane Hime kills 108 corpses, they will go to heaven, washing away the sin of coming back from the dead.

"Hero tales"

"Set in a time of chaos, seven heroes of the Stars, the Hokushintenkun, rise up to lead the people. Two of the seven, the Nitenshinson, the Hagun and the Tanrou, are never supposed to exist at the same time, but fate has decided otherwise. Taito, chosen as the Hagun, now must rise up to defeat the Tanrou, as the fate of the Stars destined it to be." ~Anime News Network
What, I told you I have trouble watching it

"Romeo X Juliet"

"This is a story of a young and tragic love, set in the aerial city of Neo Verona. Tyranny rules this island in the sky after the Montague family took control 14 years prior. The disparity among the wealthy and poor is apparent in the present state, the earth dries and water stagnates. The sky itself is wrapped in a deep dense fog. Both Romeo and Juliet's lineages are of present and past ruling families of Neo Verona. Romeo is the son of the current Montague dictator, Juliet (a beautiful woman) masquerades as a man (Odin), she's the last descendant of Capulet the previous rulers who were killed by an assassins dagger 14 years ago. Her true background is not to be revealed to her until her 16th birthday. The cruel hands of fate introduces 2 people who will become "Star Crossed Lovers"" ~Anime News Network
This is on my "to watch" list... So, since I've yet to see a full ep, I figured I'd leave it to the experts to summarize it.

"07-Ghost"

Teito is a former slave, as well as an orphan. He has no memories from before the war that took the only father he ever knew from him, as well as his freedom. Things were looking better for him, set free and enrolled in Barsburg Empire's military academy because of his ability to use Zaiphon. He even makes a friend, Mikage. Of course, this would in itself make a good show, the tale of a boy learning to use his powers, but no, fate has conspired against Teito, that or an Mangaka with a malicious streak. Teito attacks one of the highest ranking army officers, recognizing him as the man that killed his Father. This lands him in lockup. Mikage, the ever faithful friend, forcefully helps him to break out, and Teito runs to the church in district 7. There he receives sanctuary and meets with Frau, a perverted bishop, Castor and Labrador, two more bishops. With their help, he finds out about the 7 ghosts, as well as the Eye of Mikhail, a mysterious stone that the army is looking for, and happens to be in Teito's possession (or you could say Teito is in the stones possession). Teito has to fight off the army while trying to come to terms with the things he learns.

Ok, now that I've shared some info on some anime, I'm off to bed. I'm sicker then death, remember? When I have more info on more anime, I'll share.

~Sprig