Kino No Tabi : The beautiful world

Wow. Just wow.

I wish this show had more than 13 episodes. It was so magical and practically sucked me into the show the moment it started. Kino travels the world on her talking motorrad named Hermes and visits different countries with their own set of problems. She doesn't interfere with their problems, however she does it sometimes out of compassion. Kino stays in each country for only three days, and continues on her journey afterwards.

I think that this series has a nice and slow pace, a good episodic series. Kino No Tabi (Kino's journey) is actually a study of humans, with kino showing us their stories in the place of an outsider. It is a very emotional piece, each episode can be vastly different; some on greed. Others on sorrow, stupidity and ego, just to name a few. Each country she visits has their own set of rules implemented by their leaders who think that they are doing the right thing. 

Ultimately, this show makes us wonder about life and its meaning but the ending's openness allows our minds to run wild with imagination. There is no solid plot, you could say. But its charm is precisely that. Each episode is independent and doesn't force too much information onto you; just enough to understand what is happening and to enjoy it. That's right, Kino No Tabi's charm is its simplicity. 

The animation is not bad, but not good either. I would say that its outstanding story balances the good and the bad in this anime. There are many lessons to be learned from this show; some are subtle while others glare painfully at you. In the first episode, this quote can be used to describe what we are in for while watching this show.

"The world is not beautiful. Therefore it is."

This one line can mean many things, however it is up to interpret it how you want it to. The characters in this show are not deeply developed however they are rather charming in their own way. Kino herself is not the focus of the show, but thankfully a little bit of her past is revealed before the anime becomes to confusing.

This philosophical anime is a great experience for me, and definitely one of a kind. I can say that i throughly enjoyed it. The last episode was pretty sad though. I was really, really sad. Maybe that's a good thing.

Plot: Fantastic. Finally a full score. 10/10

Characters: They were great but very mysterious in many ways; especially Kino.  8/10

Animation: Like i said. It is not good or bad, but pleasant enough for you to enjoy. 6/10

Recommendation: Your anime life is not complete if you never watched this. 5/5

Claymore

After the horrible exams, i have finally finally finished another series.

Firstly let me start by saying that this anime is not your typical shonen anime. The main character, Clare, is part of an organisation which hunts yoma which are also known as demons. Yoma prey on humans and eat their guts and are also capable of transforming into a human in order to take shelter in towns without being suspicious.

The plot is mostly pushed forward by clare and her comrades, as they discover several distasteful secrets about the organization they are working for. However the main point of the story, is Clare's thirst for revenge. When she was younger, clare was saved by the number one claymore of that time, called Teresa of the faint smile. (Bisho no Teresa)

Eveuntually, teresa abandons the organisation to lead a life of peace and fufilment with clare but is hunted down by other claymores for her betrayal. A claymore called Priscilla manages to kill teresa in her moment of weakness and awakens; becoming a one-horned yoma or more easily known as the awakened ones. What surprises me, is that Claymore has a fucking shitty ending. Those who have read the manga would be better off skipping the ending. On the other hand up until the last few episodes, i am glad to say that everything else was amazing.

The story would have been much better if the ending was more thought through, and the soundtracks that play during the anime is perfectly suited in their roles. The fights were exciting and further propelled in intensity by the fact that the characters are not too overly powerful and Clare grows mentally and in skill as the show progresses.

Overall i would say that this is one of the best shonen anime i have seen because it doens't have most of the typical overblown shonen traits. The characters are also well developed and show us Clare's past very early in the anime, making the story seem more heartwarming. I have to disagree with the saying that Raki is one of the major characters because he was completely useless. I'm sure that after watching you would understand my woes.

Plot: Would have given it a nine if not for the ending. 8/10

Characters: One of the good aspects of the anime. Very deeply developed and emotional characters. 9/10

Graphics:  Very good. The landscapes are greatly detailed and so are the characters. 9/10

Recommendation: 4/5

Book: Memoirs of a Geisha

Well i just finished the book: Memoirs of a Geisha today. When i started reading it, i was under the impression that the book was going to be dull and drab. Damn was i wrong. This epic historical was an absolute fantastic read, and i could hardly stop when the plot started picking up halfway through the book.

This fictional book revolves around a character named Sakamoto Chiyo or later given a Geisha stage name of Nitta Sayuri. She was sold off by her father to a teahouse (?) where she is prepared to be trained as a Geisha. Of course, nothing goes as expected and the book shows the hardships she goes through to finally become a geisha. Although, one of the reasons she strives to become one is because of her obsession with a charming man named Mr Haa, who cheered her up when she was a child crying by the roadside.

If Chiyo/Sayuri is the protagonist of this book, the popular but beastly geisha staying with her called Hatsumomo is probably the antagonist of the book. Hatsumomo turns the protag's life into a living hell and manages to get away with it because she was one of the main income earners in the house.She is depicted as a mean, cruel woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even if it meant destroying someone's future in the process. I do hate her so, but i can't deny that their rivalry was what kept the book interesting. It is also clear that Hatsumomo has a big impact on Chiyo/Sayuri's life because even after she leaves, something of hers always comes back to bite her.

Another thing emphasized in this novel is the reality of being a Geisha. They are nothing more then 'high' end prostitues. The only thing different about them is the fact that they have 'dannas', meaning masters. These 'dannas' pay for their expenses, debts and lavish them with expensive gifts. Their virginity is also sold to the highest bidder and this ceremony is called the 'mizukage'. I hope that i didn't spell that wrongly. Haha.

The protagonist finally realizes in her old age that life cannot be controlled; it always moves and washes everything away with it. Happiness and sorrow does not stay for long because we are always moving forward. I glad to have read this novel. It isn't overly dramatic and mushy, instead it shows us that romance in the real world is not as easy as books and movies make it seem.

Woo Hoo!

Finally! After two weeks of blood, sweat and tears (mostly tears), my preliminary exams are over! Unfortunately this also signals the nearing of 'N' levels....but who cares?! Hmph, like hell i'm gonna be sacrificing my relaxing time.

Of course i have to study at some point in my sec 4 life but whatever. Too many animes so little time. Hopefully i'll be able to catch up on some episodes before i'm doomed.

Shingeki no kyojin ending 2

Shit i freaking love this!!