anime: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Season 1

I didn't actually sit down and watch the whole series...I've seen the first 16 before, so of those, I just watched the episodes I really liked(not that there are any eps I don't like) and then the ones that were pertinent to the Laughing Man plot(which, in the end, only knocked 5-6 eps off, but hey...)

The series is set in an AU from the movie, and focuses on Major Kusanagi and the Section 9 forces in future-noir adventures and mysteries.  For those clueless about GITS, it's set in the near future where most people have traded in parts of their bodies, whether by choice or necessity, for cybernetic parts, and centers around Major Motoko Kusanagi, who became a full cyborg as a child(I forget if it was an accident or an illness) who heads up Section 9, a law enforcement unit composed of other cyborgs(with one exception)  She's one of the(if not the) strongest and most capable anime heroines out there and, though she claims to have no nostalgic attachment to humanity, clings to it more than she'd admit(and more than even Batou would call her on)

My favorite characters are Togusa, the sole member of the group whose body is entirely human aside from certain required cyber netics, and Batou, the Major's friend/confidant/enforcer.  Togusa is different from most anime characters in that he's a family man...happily married with 2 kids and a nice suburban house.  He's the only remotely normal member of Section 9, and also the youngest.  That and his tendency to go around trying to be a hero tends to get him teased a lot, especially by the Major(one of her few examples of humor.)  Batou is ex-everything covert and seems to take things lightly but is actually pretty serious and more than a bit of a mother hen.

The series is one of those that people talk about when they say none of the good anime ever gets released in the US, just the kiddy and fanservice-y stuff.  Except, you know, it has been licensed and released.  It's flat out one of the best animes to make it stateside, and also has some of the best animation(that almost completely avoids most of the normal anime animation themes) and one of the best soundtracks.

BTW, while i like the movie, I far prefer the series.

anime: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Season 1

I didn't actually sit down and watch the whole series...I've seen the first 16 before, so of those, I just watched the episodes I really liked(not that there are any eps I don't like) and then the ones that were pertinent to the Laughing Man plot(which, in the end, only knocked 5-6 eps off, but hey...)

The series is set in an AU from the movie, and focuses on Major Kusanagi and the Section 9 forces in future-noir adventures and mysteries.  For those clueless about GITS, it's set in the near future where most people have traded in parts of their bodies, whether by choice or necessity, for cybernetic parts, and centers around Major Motoko Kusanagi, who became a full cyborg as a child(I forget if it was an accident or an illness) who heads up Section 9, a law enforcement unit composed of other cyborgs(with one exception)  She's one of the(if not the) strongest and most capable anime heroines out there and, though she claims to have no nostalgic attachment to humanity, clings to it more than she'd admit(and more than even Batou would call her on)

My favorite characters are Togusa, the sole member of the group whose body is entirely human aside from certain required cyber netics, and Batou, the Major's friend/confidant/enforcer.  Togusa is different from most anime characters in that he's a family man...happily married with 2 kids and a nice suburban house.  He's the only remotely normal member of Section 9, and also the youngest.  That and his tendency to go around trying to be a hero tends to get him teased a lot, especially by the Major(one of her few examples of humor.)  Batou is ex-everything covert and seems to take things lightly but is actually pretty serious and more than a bit of a mother hen.

The series is one of those that people talk about when they say none of the good anime ever gets released in the US, just the kiddy and fanservice-y stuff.  Except, you know, it has been licensed and released.  It's flat out one of the best animes to make it stateside, and also has some of the best animation(that almost completely avoids most of the normal anime animation themes) and one of the best soundtracks.

BTW, while i like the movie, I far prefer the series.

aww, poor baby, dorama and manga

Myles and Jen are going out of town overnight, so I'm going over in the morning to dee their dog, Sadie(they live about a mile from me)  Went over to get the key and found out that, since it's Jackson's 2 month birthday, he had to get shots(found out about the shots, not the age, of course)  He was lying there taking his bottle and his little face said "NO ONE touches or even looks and even Mommy only getsto touch because she has to hold the bottle)  And he had an adult sized bandaid on his little leg, too.

After several attempts at putting in a dorama, thinking "This looks awesome" and then taking it out 15 minutes later, I seem to have finally refound my urge to watch doramas with Tokyo Friends, even though I didn't have time to finish the first episode.  Anything where friends feign one of them being sick so that Eita is going to be the only one free to walk to girl who just moved to Tokyo home(with everyone but her knowing, including Eita) gets a win...blatant matchmaking with one half of the matchmaked pair knowing and the other oblivious is cute when done right(naturally, Eita then got lost and found his way again a few times.)  BTW, the girl reminds me of clips and stills I've seen of Ella in Hana Kimi.

Moving on, don't you hate it when you get a new batch of things and what you WANT isn't there? (in this case, I'm referring to manga)  Waldenbooks didn't get the new ES or Platinum Garden in, which, except for Death Note, I want to read more than the other stuff(which isn't to to say I'm not looking forward to Zombie Powder, Negima and Black Cat)  But, the three i REALLY want new volumes of, Wallflower, Full Metal Alchemist and Fruits Basket won't be out for a couple weeks yet.  Just had my Basara and Hana Kimi fixes, though, so I'm good there.

Uhm...yeah...this was pretty much a "bored at work" post.

ETA: Chris and Jason, 2 of the boys, are currently obsessed with something called "Sad Panda," to the point where they want us to answer the phone with "Sad Panda Pizza."  Anyone know what the heck they're going on about?

aww, poor baby, dorama and manga

Myles and Jen are going out of town overnight, so I'm going over in the morning to dee their dog, Sadie(they live about a mile from me)  Went over to get the key and found out that, since it's Jackson's 2 month birthday, he had to get shots(found out about the shots, not the age, of course)  He was lying there taking his bottle and his little face said "NO ONE touches or even looks and even Mommy only getsto touch because she has to hold the bottle)  And he had an adult sized bandaid on his little leg, too.

After several attempts at putting in a dorama, thinking "This looks awesome" and then taking it out 15 minutes later, I seem to have finally refound my urge to watch doramas with Tokyo Friends, even though I didn't have time to finish the first episode.  Anything where friends feign one of them being sick so that Eita is going to be the only one free to walk to girl who just moved to Tokyo home(with everyone but her knowing, including Eita) gets a win...blatant matchmaking with one half of the matchmaked pair knowing and the other oblivious is cute when done right(naturally, Eita then got lost and found his way again a few times.)  BTW, the girl reminds me of clips and stills I've seen of Ella in Hana Kimi.

Moving on, don't you hate it when you get a new batch of things and what you WANT isn't there? (in this case, I'm referring to manga)  Waldenbooks didn't get the new ES or Platinum Garden in, which, except for Death Note, I want to read more than the other stuff(which isn't to to say I'm not looking forward to Zombie Powder, Negima and Black Cat)  But, the three i REALLY want new volumes of, Wallflower, Full Metal Alchemist and Fruits Basket won't be out for a couple weeks yet.  Just had my Basara and Hana Kimi fixes, though, so I'm good there.

Uhm...yeah...this was pretty much a "bored at work" post.

ETA: Chris and Jason, 2 of the boys, are currently obsessed with something called "Sad Panda," to the point where they want us to answer the phone with "Sad Panda Pizza."  Anyone know what the heck they're going on about?