Part of me expected to see a group of Buddhist monks performing a ritual or chanting ceremoniously, and perhaps they did do those things on other days, but on that day the temple grounds were quite serene against the hazy grey of the mid-June sky.  Ever since we passed through the entrance to the famous Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, on the northwest edge of Kyoto, the atmosphere around us seemed to settle as we passed into the corridor of tall, green trees and the hum of city traffic faded behind us.  It was like crossing some boundary that separated the modern world from feudal Japan, and it was a very humbling experience.

Stumbling down the smooth gravel pathway, joking and laughing in English, we must have looked quite out of place, like a bunch of carrots in a box of green beans.  Our group was made up of an assortment of students ranging from seniors in high school to several fresh-faced college graduates.  I was the geek of the group and the expert on all things Japan that I had learned from watching so much Anime – at least, that gave me the authority to point out places that had inspired certain scenes in this or that series and, not surprisingly, it gave the tall, blond Southern California guys more of a reason to completely ignore me – it’s high school all over again I thought to myself.  But I wasn’t about to let that little detail ruin my experience here.  This was my first time in Japan and I was determined to see every little pebble and examine them to the finest detail.

Our group approached the entrance to the gardens and waiting for the OK to proceed through the gates.  The smaller buildings at the front of the complex where we entered were places of meditation and training of the mind and body, but you couldn’t tell that from the outside as we carry on like a group of hungry chickens.  At this point I had splintered from the group and stepped back to take a look around.  Over the main building into which our guide had disappeared just moments before I noticed, a ways off in the background, a glint of gold.  It’s actually the statue of the phoenix on top of the shine, or so I was told – it really got my mind beating with chemical ecstasy just thinking about the sights just around the corner.

Finally we received the go ahead from the group leader and we proceeded through the gates.  We shuffled through the groups of other tourists, but we appeared to be the only non-Asian group visiting the shrine on that day.  I began to feel a little apprehension about how I would appreciate the ideas behind the temple that we were visiting.  The whole concept behind Zen Buddhism is a state of enlightened wisdom, understanding, and direct realization that can be accomplished through meditation.  But those doubts that were filling my mind floated away when we cleared the crowd and beheld the sight of the main temple.  The two-story pavilion was partially covered in gold that, even in the cloud-filtered light, had a rich glow about it that tickled that little “wow” receptor in my brain.  On top of the temple was the golden phoenix that I had noticed earlier from outside.  It rose up to pass the tree line before soaring into the sky with wings open; the sky and the trees on the mountain behind it both welcomed the mythical, golden bird.  Moreover, the whole structure was built on top of a large stone that sits at the edge of a reflecting pond with tiny islands around it.  On those islands grew trees that reach towards the temple.  The water of the pond reflects all of the details of the temple and the small islands surrounding it.  It was like looking down into an alternate dimension and seeing everything as a mirror-image; the buildings and trees and stones all slightly distorted by the little waves that the afternoon breeze was stirring up.  A camera can not capture the sense of realism that I got looking across the water at this building and knowing that, sometime in antiquity, some people got together and decided to build a huge, golden structure as a place to practice their religion.  While I was getting over my culture shock and still engrossed in my thoughts, the others were taking group photos down the trail while doing the Dr. Evil pinkie-up pose from Austin Powers.

We made our way around behind the temple to the gardens which wound their way through the foothills of the Daimonji Mountain.  It may not have seemed like much, but it was the simplicity and the connection to nature that was the key element in this experience.  I could hear the light breeze as it tickled the leaves, the gentle lapping of the tiny ripples in the mirror pond, and the calls of birds, all like a symphony being conducted by the mountain; it provided the background to the lush, green visual buffet that was spread out before me.  I remained somewhat detached from the group for the first half of the trail, stopping frequently to snap a picture or to simply admire a scene.  That was when it hit me – this is an experience of Zen Buddhism, this is a moment of inner peace and meditation while surrounded by nature.  The big, elaborate temples were one aspect of it, but if I concentrated on the buildings too long then I lost sight of their surroundings.  A truer perspective would be to take it all in and find meaning in the natural beauty, forgetting all about the metropolis that lay just beyond that line of trees.  

I then came across a funny little triplet of stones jutting out of the ground behind a low, wooden railing.  Behind them was another mirror pond with a small island in the middle, marked by a skinny stone marker, about the height of a person, with divided sections towards the top that reminded me of the main temple building.  Little dragonflies zigzagged over the pond silently and one even came over and landed momentarily on one of the three stones, each of which had a very faint raised relief in the likeness of a Buddha.  In my mind I already understood the scene from having read about it and seen it in pictures, but seeing it in person made me realize that I was by no means an expert on these things.  The three stones surrounded in a semicircle a small, stone bowl and overflowing from that bowl – actually, more in the general vicinity of the bowl, since some had landed a good three feet from the bowl – was a heap of coins which visitors had thrown in for luck.  The pile of shiny metal was a sharp contrast to the nature around it and this made me consider my own place in this scene of nature: why, in the vast number of people on these temple grounds, should I be the one that is observing the intricacies while the others seem to only glance about and move on?  There really isn’t an answer to that – or, at least, I never found an answer to that question – it was enough for me to just be experiencing a facet of a culture so far removed from the one that I grew up with.

Making my way back down the hill I rejoined the group near the souvenir shops that crowded the path just before it dipped down several wide sets of stairs back to the street level.  These sorts of shops were par for the course for all tourist attractions in Japan, and this location was no different.  Everything that you could find in these shops you could find just outside the temple for half the price, but the convenience of being right there inside, while the memories of the Golden Temple were still fresh in people’s minds, prompted these little shop owners to jack their prices way up.  I wondered quizzically if this too was part of the Zen Buddhism experience and chuckled to myself as I proceeded down the stairs with my group of friends.  The whole experience seemed so sublime now that I was heading toward the exit, like a dream that your mind concocts while your eyes are still open.  My friends ask me what I find so humorous, to which I reply, “It’s nothing,” as we step across the threshold and onto the street, bathed in the hum of the modern world.

Johnny Rockets is a place for the old at heart.  Maybe that statement doesn’t work exactly the same as the inverse, but it doesn’t make it any less true; though, you certainly don’t have to be an old fellow to appreciate what this restaurant is doing. For those that remember or simply wish to experience the feeling of 1950’s Americana in a restaurant, Johnny Rockets is right up your alley.  Located on 1st street on Paseo De San Antonio, this little diner is only a short walk from SJSU campus and is located next to the northbound light rail station, making it a convenient stop for food on the way home from school, for those who take the VTA. 

My experience in this restaurant goes back several years ever since I first started attended SJSU, but the chain itself has been around since 1986 and has locations throughout most of the US as well as in a selection of foreign countries ranging from Germany to the Philippines.  They may not be as old as some of the other restaurants of the same style, such as Mel’s Drive In up in San Francisco, but they do have a large number of locations so, no matter where you are you will not be too far from Johnny Rockets. 

On a cool Thursday evening I walked in the local Johnny Rockets here near campus with my buddy Daniel.  While the sky outside was dimming down for the night the lights inside the diner were bright and inviting.  Outside, however, the neon sign had a few letters that were dark, leading us to jest about exactly what “on ckets” meant.  Jokes aside, the staff was inviting, offering us the choice of whatever seat we wanted.  Looking around there was a choice between several large booths, a set of rather high-set tables with pairs of equally high chairs, or the counter.  We picked the counter as it seemed to have the best view of the whole place.  The whole place was decked out in a style reminiscent of a 50’s Chevy, complete with chrome and extra-shiny, red seat cushions, and the mandatory selection of oldies tunes squeaking out of the tiny ceiling speakers.  After ordering we took in the artwork adorning the walls, which consisted of the usual sugary portraits of way-too-happy families, the old poster of Rosie the Riveter glaring at you from the corner, and the life-sized pictures of a man and a woman on the bathroom doors which always seem spook the unsuspecting guest who turns the corner.  On the counter were small jukeboxes with the selection of songs on flipping pages inside and a row of polished white buttons at the bottom for making your selection.  It really did give the atmosphere that feeling that is most commonly associated with the time period which was furthered by the little paper hats and bright white uniform which the staff wore. 

The food will probably not move you to tears, but after all the times I have been there I can vouch for the place being very authentic.  The burgers are hand-pressed and grilled on the large open grill and the condiments are always fresh and tasty.  The plates which the food came on are noteworthy in that the fries come in a big plastic basket, lined with wax paper, and the sandwiches came on a small plastic plate – some may say not much for presentation, but I say that this simplicity is what makes it so authentic. 

So, the last point to make is about the price.  You won’t break the bank by visiting this diner, but you certainly won’t walk away thinking that the food didn’t measure up to the price.  Overall, I would say that the food really holds up to the value of the price – they even offer a special deal for those that want to add the traditional fries and fountain drink to their order.  So swing on by Johnny Rockets next time you are in the mood for a hamburger and you will be pleasantly surprised by the experience of old Americana brought to life.

She’s staring at me from behind her glass cage, smiling a PVC smile and sporting exquisitely crafted curves.  I admire her with an almost primal desire – that inner voice that screams that I need to own her and keep her safely tucked away on a shelf is clawing at me.  But, unfortunately she is not for sale.  I can only long for her from a distance.  This unrequited love of the display-only figure that I revisit every time I arrive at the front of this store, almost like a trial that must be overcome before entering into the realm of good and merchandise that awaits just beyond this hallway.

The store is called “Anime Palace” and is located in Sunnyvale just off San Thomas Expressway near Highway 101.  Specializing in Anime-related merchandise of all shapes and sizes, this is one of only a handful of stores of this kind that can be found here in Northern California, and the only one with such an impressive selection and reasonable prices.  I have been acquaintanced with the owner of this store, Levin, through three new locations and five years of conventions.  He has continued to offer friendly service and keeps the available selection broad with a variety of merchandise and several ways in which to purchase it.  

For the lover of large PVC (plastic much like the kind used in pipes for plumbing) figures, Anime Palace offers various options ranging from 1/12 all the way up to 1/4 scale figures of the highest quality and detail.  For the Gundam (popular giant robot series) enthusiast there is an enormous selection of models for all degrees of difficulty and detail – my personal favorite is the Perfect Grade model series, each containing over a million parts that make up a single model, though the assembly can be a pain if you do not have the patience.  Anime Palace also had a large selection of small figures (often smaller than six inches tall), known as gachapon, which are originally intended to be included in coin-operated vending machines but are also sold individually for a slightly higher price.  A special method of purchasing these which Anime Palace offers allows you to chose which of the characters you want in a set from the array of bags hanging along the far wall.  In addition, you can chose from other merchandise which includes trading cards, plush dolls, pins & patches, video games, pencil boards, t-shirts, posters, and various other printed items.  There is never a lack of things to pine over, or actually purchase if you have the money to throw around.

The atmosphere of Anime Palace is usually quite serene, depending on who is working the counter.  If his assistant, Dino, is working the front desk then there is sometimes a catchy tune playing over the sound system while you shop.  Levin is always open to suggestions and takes special orders for items which are not currently in stock, making his store the go to place for those that do not trust some of the more sketchy online dealers.  Also, I recommend trying to catch the Anime Palace booth at your local convention – he visits almost all of the conventions in the U.S. year-round and always has a selection of convention-specific merchandise that you will not see in the store regularly.  

So, to wrap things up, Anime Palace has a great selection that will appeal to any Anime fan and is a popular spot for enthusiasts to hang out with like-minded individuals.  I would recommend not taking your entire life-savings to this store though, as it will quickly disappear!  But, provided that have the time and the money, you can spend quite a lot of both at this location.

The state of the ever-changing anime industry here in America has really seen its ups and downs.  I'd like to think that the whole thing was better back during the boom when companies such as Geneon and Broccoli could afford to release even the craziest niche shows here in America and not have to worry too much about profit.  But today, with the economic slump and a new generation of fans, the industry state-side seems to be in a bit of trouble.  

Just recently the CEO of the dubbing studio Bang Zoom released a statement that attacked fansubs as the direct cause of the downfall of the industry here – I feel this is somewhat true.  While the fansubs were, for a while, almost an aid to companies here by showing what fans were interested in, they have become a fallback for the fans that are unwilling to buy the releases when they arrive here.  The young people are unwilling to wait for the traditional methods of release and are either unable or unwilling to pay any sum of money whatsoever in order to watch anime.  I don't blame those that have no means of purchasing the product but I would like to point a rather stern finger at those that utter the statement, "why buy it when you can download it for free."  If you think $25 for 4 episodes is a bad price for single DVDs then I think you need to take a look at Japan where it's (approximately) $40 for 2 or, if your lucky, 3 episodes per disc. From there it goes to $60 for the special editions, and $60 to $80 for a single Blu-ray.  The difference – the anime fans over there in Japan are completely willing to pay those prices.  Recently we have seen the fall of many of the larger licensing and distribution companies in America and thus have seen a drastic fall in the prices and quality of the subs and dubs.  Shows that once were released in the 25 for 4 method before are now being packed onto box sets (if you can even call them that) of two discs with upwards of 8 episodes per disc.  This means: little or no extras included, horrid compression ratios for both video and audio, and rampant mistakes in the encoding and subtitling.  This is an unacceptable turn in the industry and it can all be traced back to a lack of profit.  

Then there is the dub vs. sub war which has been causing a stir for ages.  I, for one, am not affiliated with either the dub or sub party – I can watch either and enjoy it – nor do I believe that, as someone said to me earlier, dubs are what are jacking up the prices of anime here.  The fans who are buying right now are 50/50 from what I have seen.  So, if your argument is that 50% of the fans are outright wrong in their tastes when it comes to watching something then you would do well to enroll in a few therapy sessions.  

So what has my long rant stated here?  The anime industry is suffering, just like everyone else right now, but more so because of the stagnation which has occurred in the fan-base.  America seems to be infested with a bunch of impatient ("I want my episodes RIGHT NOW!"), stingy ("I want it for pennies!"), and irresponsible ("Why should I buy it when I can download it for free?") people.  Dog help us all.

Edit: For more information on the statement by Bang Zoom's CEO see the ANN article here.  For a whole butt-load of discussion (read: trolling) see the forum response to that post here.

There is never a lack of interesting stuff out there on sites such as YouTube or Fail Blog.  It's hard to just pick one so I've selected a few for this edition.  So, here you are:

This is a sweet new commercial for gum in Japan featuring characters from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

It's amazing how horribly things can go wrong on TV, and it's especially bad when it's a live broadcast.

And the next two will simply be links since I don't want to create any bandwidth issues with Fail Blog.

All I have to say about this one is, this takes skill! (sarcasm)
http://failblog.org/2010/04/03/epic-fail-photos-parking-fail-14/

I can only wonder why you would need a sign to remind you... hmm, oh well.
http://failblog.org/2010/04/02/epic-fail-photos-drowning-sign-fail/

  When you talk about a place in Silicon Valley there is obviously no other place that comes close to Fry’s.  The electronics superstore has everything I could possibly want as one who loves everything to do with technology.  Each of the stores located around the Bay Area have their own style and often a theme which is carried throughout the store.  For example, the store in San Jose is made out to look like some sort of South American temple – from the (fake) stone pillars at the entrance to the paintings on the walls which resemble Paleolithic cave paintings, the entire store offers its own variety of adventure, without the traveler having to leave the country. However, my personal favorite store would be the one in Sunnyvale.

  The great thing about this location is that it does not bombard its visitors with strange sights.  Yes, I know I just finished saying that a great thing about the other stores is the theme in each location; but sometimes when you just want to pick up a new VGA cable and you find yourself staring a tiki in the face, you may forget what you came for in the first place.  On the other hand, the Sunnyvale location’s most outstanding feature is the huge lighted sign on the front of the building, resembling something you’d expect to see in Vegas.  It is made up of a large, green wave plot strung through a dozen vertical lines and at night, when it’s lit in all its glory, a pulse of light travels down the wave from one end to the other in an inviting fashion that draws me to the store like one of those deep sea fish that uses a light to lure in prey – except there are no sharp teeth involved in this case (though, I’m sure you could argue that case with some of the rabid salesmen/women you find in Fry’s).  Once you enter the front doors you are more likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place than by any oddity staring at you from a wall or a pedestal.  The store is set up in such a way that, from my experience, the further into the store you venture the more expensive things get – from the bargain bins at the entrance to the multi-thousand-dollar television sets at the back.  At the very center of the store are the café and the grand piano, which are the gathering places of many socializing individuals.

  This brings me to my next reason for enjoying this location more than the others.  Sunnyvale’s location on the edge of sprawling San Jose makes it almost a gateway to the rest of the peninsula; it is a location which provides a good mixture of people.  Half of the experience of any large store is the persons which you run into in the process of shopping around.  While I like to look at myself as a knowledgeable guy in terms of technology, as a wise man once said, there is always somebody above you.  Some of the people I’ve run into inside the store have put me to shame in terms of their intellect and resourcefulness – so any time I have a baffling tech question I just swing by Fry’s Sunnyvale and hang out in the café for a bit.  It’s never the same trip twice.

  While I’m sure that most people wouldn’t consider a place like Fry’s to be a great location, to me it’s like loosing a child in a candy store whenever I arrive.  Surrounded by devices, some of which I am familiar with and others which are alien to me, and by people of like mind, I feel as though I am in a second home where the people understand me and there is never a lack of things to do.  This feeling is only strengthened when you consider my roots in a completely backwoods area that had almost an allergy to technology.  I’m sure you can see why I was supremely impressed by something that, to a person who grew up in Silicon Valley, may not seem that exemplary.  That is why I say with pride that Fry’s is my favorite Silicon Valley place.

Ever found something out there that impressed or amused you enough that you wanted to share it with others?  Well this will be the first of a reoccurring theme for me I hope.  I'm going to just post one thing this time because I am a little busy with essays.  But anyway, enjoy!

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal
pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a
rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't
mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer
be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl
mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed
ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas toghuht slpeling
was ipmorantt! tahts so cool!

If you feel so compelled you may re-post or share this in your own way -- this is the internet after all! lol

In these tough economic times there are aspects of humanity which are surprisingly unaffected. With an opening sentence like that I'd expect to go off into some existential joy ride... but instead I feel more like complaining about my own actions. Even though I feel the added strain of the weakened economy it still doesn't change the fact that I am completely mooching off of the government's money without a clear purpose or sense of direction. I've been in school out here since 2005 and I'm still undecided as to what my major should be despite having declared it as English last semester. I had a talk with the Japanese advisor today who told me that it probably wouldn't be any faster to switch at this point... I'm not sure what I was expecting to hear but I guess I'm searching for the easier way out of school at this point what with all these essays I'm having to contend with. This uncertainty is not a fun emotion but for right now I just have to pick a path and go down it. Why isn't there a strategy guide for life? Well, back to the essays I suppose -- my headache and I will write some more in a few days. Till next time, PEACE~!

Japan has been a source of great interest to the Western world ever since the Portuguese stumbled across the islands in the 16th century, and this fascination has not faded to this day. Since Japan had developed without much outside influence the aspects of culture, religion, and art were vastly different from anything Western eyes had seen. It didn’t take long for items originating in Japan to gain great monetary value when brought into European countries. At the same time, the introduction of foreign trade had a profound impact upon Japan as a nation; while some believed that outside influences would be harmful, the majority of artistic developments occurred during the Edo period, after Japan had been involved in trade. So, in a sense, the introduction of Western culture served as a catalyst that accelerated the artistic revolution in Japan and perhaps contributed to the nation that we know today.

One of the art forms that came into being during the 1600s was the woodblock print, called Ukiyo-e. These prints were widely produced from the 17th through the 19th centuries and, as the name “images of the floating world” implies, this art form shows scenes of tranquility, harmony, and a sort of divine beauty. The method of production for these prints was a delicate and time-consuming task, but the end result was well worth the effort. Several wood blocks are cut to the size of the print. After the image is planned out the face of each block is hand carved into a relief image of a section of the image – there must be one block for every color that the image requires. Each block is dipped in ink and individually pressed onto the paper until the image is formed. One of the interesting aspects of this method is that the paper actually retains some of the imprint from the blocks being pressed into it; therefore, when light is applied from different directions onto the print there can be an illusion of depth, similar to way Van Gogh applied excessive amounts of paint to his paintings, giving them a tactile appeal (though, I wouldn’t recommend trying to reach out and touch one at an exhibit because security will not be happy with you). The earliest application of the woodblock printing process was to create illustrations for Buddhist scriptures, literature and stories. It later developed into the single print and picture book styles which are familiar today.

Subjects of the Ukiyo-e ranged from scenes in nature or buildings among nature to famous persons of Kabuki Theater or even of the body itself. The factor that links all of these subjects together is the inert beauty that the art brings out. For example, the famous printmaker Katsushika Hokusai often used Mount Fuji as his central subject and then attempted to portray it from different angles while still maintaining the majestic and divine splendor or the mountain. He printed several compilations of his prints of Mount Fuji – the Fugaku Sanjuurokkei which is a collection of thirty-six views of Fuji and perhaps the most famous Ukiyo-e collection to the Western world. Out of that collection the iconic image of The Great Wave of Kanagawa is the very image of Japanese art in many Americans’ minds. The combination of colors and the way the wave breaks into white foam resembling huge claws bearing down on the fishing boat with Fuji looking on from the distance makes this piece a good example of Hokusai’s overall work. Other important individuals include Kuniyoshi, Kunisada, and Toyokuni. Kunisada, in particular, was famous for making portraits of beautiful, young women in everyday life, or bijinga. Perhaps regarded as a little controversial, his works were no less sought after as they captured splendor in everyday life that is so easy to overlook in they rush of daily chores.

All of the previously mentioned artists produced their work during the Edo period. They were part of the artisan class, which is the almost the lowest in the Japanese system of the time. Amazingly, the early Ukiyo-e prints were not viewed as unique pieces of art as a Western painting would be. In fact, they were meant to be mass produced. Each print is commissioned by a merchant with intent to sell to the Samurai – they were attempting to decorate their lives with as much luxury as possible as the highest class. However, this does not mean that the artists did not think of themselves as such. A later development in the 18th century saw much of the Ukiyo-e content becoming more explicit. Sexual themes became commonplace in many of the popular prints. These were not so well accepted in Western cultures early on as Christianity, which was quickly becoming the dominant religion, has some sort of allergy to anything sexual. However, today many of those prints are also looked upon as masterpieces.

Ukiyo-e even had a great influence on Western art, sparking a movement called “Japonism” which was first documented in 1872. Artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in France attributed much of their inspiration to Japanese art which was circulating in Paris at the time. Van Gogh himself had a personal collection of Ukiyo-e prints and one of his paintings featured Ukiyo-e images in the background. Thus, it is obvious that Japan has had a huge influence on Western artwork – the inverse being true as well. Some modern Ukiyo-e prints, also called Shin Hanga, feature elements common in both Japanese and Western art. For example, Hashiguchi Goyou made a print entitled “Woman After Bath” which features a Japanese woman in a nude pose very similar to those used in paintings of the goddess Venus. This modern work is considered the result of the mixing of cultures into a more singular entity that still retains the major qualities of the originals. Whether or not this is a good development, however, is a subject for another paper entirely.

In conclusion, the “Images of the Floating World”, Ukiyo-e, are an exquisite example of classic Japanese artwork. The woodblock prints showing the loveliness of everyday life, society, and the majesty of nature were one of the first forms of mass-produced art in Japan and quickly caught on in Western society as well. Over time Ukiyo-e have had a great influence on the perception of Japan to Westerners and serve as testaments to the Japanese spirit.

Well, I'm using a FQ to get back into the swing of things I suppose.  It looks to me like this topic was made just for me since they included the word "currently" in the question -- my favorites tend to fluctuate all over the place. 

In the last week the song that I have played the most has been Utada Hikaru's "Beautiful World".  Now that song happens to be the ending to the first Evangelion movie. The second movie, which I am anxiously waiting for, features the -PLANiTb Acoustica Mix-... though, this has nothing to do with my currently favorites though since I have yet to pick up that single.

Second on the list is actually a bonus song from the K-ON! opening single called "Happy!? Sorry!!".  It is performed by the voice actresses from that series and it just has this really catchy sound to it that makes me hit the repeat button. I guess it could just be moe appeal of the characters but I think a lot of the K-ON songs are quite appealing to the ear.

And it's a tie for third according to my play counter.  The first being the opening from Toaru Kagaku no Railgun called "only my railgun" performed by fripSide.  That series is actually a spin-off of a series from a few seasons back called Toaru Majutsu no Index and follows the secondary characters from the original series. And following that is the opening from Sora no Otoshimono called "Ring My Bell" sung by blue drops.  Now that series never fails to amuse me to the point of writhing tearfully on the floor from too much laughter -- I mean, where are are you going to see a flock of flying panties (yes you heard me right, flying panties) that circle the globe, return home, and then turn into proximity-triggered explosives?  It's just too wild to miss! lol

And on that note I'm going to stop here for now.  Next time I make an entry I hope to do some reviews of this anime season and the way each story is developing so far.  Look forward to it!  Till then, PEACE~!
   

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