-----'cause, y'know, I have so much time [NOT]

Manga: 漂泊者 Rover (rough translation)

Action/Adventure Japanese history, western myth Elves, Roman history, and pseudo-Nazi military ------ big crazy Crossover story.
If you are a fan of Hellsing - this is the same artist Kouta Hirano.
Mainly for me this artist's 'signiture' is 耍狠, ruthlessness.

You basically see the main character waltz into a sea of enemies, be it monsters, other vampires, or the army, and then kill everyone with a vicious grin on his face. Now, I wasn't a die-hard fan for Hellsing (I was in love with the anime's music, and the interactions between the vampire and the owner, but that was it.) 'Rover', on the other hand, shows potential. It makes uses of different historical figures in the Japanese wars (and later I suspect a Roman historical figure or two, 'cause two have popped up without identifying themselves), which provides a certain level of relativity for those who love wild history stories. It provides the readers a very out-of-this-world spin-off on the question of "What would these famous people do if they were in blah blah blah blah blah...." An example from the beginning would be when the main character was thrown into a place suddenly where two young elves (odd ears, as he called them) looking down at him fearfully in the middle of a forest.

The main character Shimazu Toyohisa (1570~1600) was basically famous for his loyal commitment to his uncle (who became his adoptive father after his own died) and had died in the battle field voluntaring himself as bait for the enemy to allow his adoptive father to escape.

Oda Nobunaga（1534~1582) was the first of the three most important leaders in the feudal war time. His name is pretty much a must-know for Japanese feudal war history. He called himself 'The Sixth Maoh' because he taunted Takeda Shingen, which implied that he was at odds with Buddhism at the time. His leadership unfortunately broke down after the famous betrayal of Akechi Mitsuhide (under Oda's leadership until his betrayal, later became the emperor.)

Nasu no Yoichi (1169~1232）on the other hand was mythicized for his skills in archery. It was rumored that the enemy head had placed a fan at the head of a ship, taunting Yoichi's army about how no one would ever be able to shoot that, and right away, Yoichi shot it with a single arrow. In Rover however, Yoichi is depicted very differently from the historical one (manly, with a wife, and died at the age of 63) as a 19 years old pretty face who the main character mistook as either a girl or a male 'serve' in the beginning. [I'm not sure of the terminology's translation in English, but a male 'serve' was basically a male child that was responsible for a military head's everyday life needs - including food, clothing, bathing, and sex.] My first thought was --- BUT AREN'T THOSE BOOBS? (it turns out it's just a very misleading fold of fabric ... )

You'd think these people would be boring, or serious. Cause, y'know, they're war myths.

But of course not. It's a crazy crossover story. Hilarious conversations ensue, like:

"W-wait a minute!! H-h-h-how did that hairy monkey become an emperor?!"
and
"Isn't Toyohisa a little countryside village with nice, honest farmers in it?" (400 years ago)
"DIE!!!"
and
"How old are you?"
Oda: 50-ish
Shimazu: 30
Yoichi: "HAHAHAHAHA. (I WIN)" <--- 19
Oda: ....This guy is NOTHING like what the historical records described...

Imagine how three historical figures, 18 and 400 years apart could discuss Japanese history.

These three people in Rover were being observed secretly by the thus-far-unidentified pseudo-Nazi group (dubbed this solely because of their uniforms - who knows, later maybe they're some heroic world-saving scientists...) as people with 'invasive' characteristics, even in this bizarre, strange place. They were seen as dangerous factors, threatening to take over this land even though Shimazu had just landed here. (He barges into the elf-bullying army man and demands that he leave his head with him.) He was right, too, these are people that thrived in war. They never stopped fighting. Thus the great, complicated big historical-fantasy world crossover begins.

I like this beginning, having read only the 7 chapters posted online thus far. I hope the thrills, humor, and wtf-ness keep up D

So, usually when I write papers, I write a side mini essay on a manga/anime just to ease off my work load. LIKE THAT MADE ANY SENSE.

Hoozuki no Shima 鬼燈之島

About truths, lies, accidents, and delusions. Children and adults. Trust and chains of misleading incidents. The story is about an island on which seven children have been sent one after another to a school there for special education, similar to the types of institutions youths are sent to before they get to juvie institutions. On this island are four teachers including one principal, and just the seven children. The story begins when the sixth and seventh children - a brother and his blind sister - are sent to this island. An unusually tense atmosphere covers the island - fueled by not only its isolation, children's unease with adults in the first place, as well as a rumor of a previous girl in this school that had mysteriously disappeared. It is rumored that her ghost appears at times to certain children - either by vision, by sound, or footsteps...etc. The children, together, witness a number of events that led them to a horrifying conclusion - the adults have taken them to this island to kill them off one by one for their insurance money.

One day the children device a plan to escape. The chase begins. This is a packed story of suspence, great thriller, in which the reader never really knows the truth until the very end of Hoozuki no Shima. The reader is given a number of perspectives, information, as well as each character's own speculations, and left to decide for themselves at each point in time - should they or shouldn't they kill to survive? This story, though the setting much simpler than reality, does find good basis on the way of truths and lies work in reality. One is left to wonder at each point - is this real? Did that just happen? Should they continue with such an action? What if they're wrong?

As a flower, the name of the island means lies and falsehood. I was quite happy to be surprised turn after turn in this short story, even till the very end. I enjoyed the personal background stories, especially that of my favourite character Sho, who is a child of an IQ of 180, whose mother tried to commit suicide taking Sho with her by driving their car off a cliff. When Sho woke up, he simply looked down at the dead body of his mother, thinking, 'Shit. She almost killed me.' Various personalities and mentality come into play when speculating the truth - and Hoozuki no Shima definitely played well on weaving a storyline using that very mystery - what is the truth?

Helpful to my school paper. Very, very.

That paper due tomorrow is making me KKKKKKCRAZYYYYYYY GAH~~~~~~~~~ Q[]Q

Have had the cold of STUPIDITY.

And lost the one brain cell that I'd kept so preciously...

Now what am I going to use to write my paper with? D8

Had a few laptop break down before I was finally convinced to part from my only love *sniff*

AND THEN I GOT MYSELF A NEW ONE OF COURSE.

I'm back in America, but moving again.

And then there's settling in...

And then there's school...

GAHHHHHH--------------- *finds a corner to claw*

Back in Taiwan for the next two months.

If I don't melt too badly, I'll come back with a less barbaric appearance and a family-messed mind.

...ha. *BURN*