... has finished up. It was a manga that was so understated that any advancement in the relationship of the two leading characters really made a difference. The creator said at the start there was not going to be any hot and heavy stuff going on. Indeed, the lack of any would highlight the special things that go on in a relationship when the sexual stuff was out of the picture. Most of the time it worked.

True to the end, when it was time for the two characters to move a huge step (relatively speaking) the male character - the one who would have wanted more then anything else to take the opportunity-actually put a stop to it.

Not the greatest manga/anime in the world, but it was nice to have something like this every so often.

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Iris Zero has returned with scans. It had been out for a long time, came back a couple of years ago, fell into the quiet and is recently back again.

It's good to see. I hope that it has not suffered by the absence.

It's also time to make it into an anime. With this last arc, it should be at least a season's worth.

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Bleach wrapped things up this week and I suspect Sekeiri is either done or has only a chapter or two left.

Bleach followed its tradition of getting more and more ridiculous with the powers that the opponents (and, in some cases, the heroes) had developed. Opponents that seem to have powers that are just perfect against each other square off. More rabbits in hats than you would think possible.

Over long battles that have little to no pay off. Trying to place each even semi-important cast member in their final battles resulting in no one getting enough focus, even while they all get too much time.

Finally, a resolution that left way too many questions, even if we stopped caring about them. The ships are pretty much in port, however.

Ichigo and Inoue are married and have a son. Rukia and Renji are together and have a daughter. Both children are spirit sensitive.


There are many loose ends. far too many to go into here. They left things on a minor cliff hanger. I hope they do not pursue it.


Sekeiri also seems to be wrapping things up. This is a story that actually got more interesting as it went on.
The main team was the main team and things went along those lines. Three teams avoided the final battle in some way or another, meaning they also avoided having to fight their good friends.

It is a good ending so far. Let's see how long they drag it out.
There are two important points that may or may not be resolved:

Yume, number 8, has not returned. She was the bird who gave her soul to Musubi when Musubi was drained by the invaders on the ship. Minato supposedly has her core and Homura is holding it for him. Maybe she doesn't return for that reason?

Also, as far as I see, Miya (the landlady) has not shown herself. Perhaps because she was never winged?


Freezing may also be on its way towards a finale, but that series has gotten so convoluted it may not matter.

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From Usio to Tora, a surprisingly good anime that actually ends. Not too happy an ending. Not too sad. A good, honest ending.

I never thought of the Donald as an effective Kirilian Oscillation Device, but it seemed to really help in this case, so...

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Quantum super computer - 100 meelyon times faster...

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I just finished Volume 11 of the new testament series. There was always an untold connection between Touma and Shokuhou Misaki. This volume went deep into it to tell the story in detail. It was nice.

And it was very sad.

You left the story thinking that, perhaps, she will be the Touma faction member most loyal, the most willing to take on any risk for him. Even though she knows he will never remember it.

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Aliens that look entirely (or almost entirely) human were easy. Science types (espers) vs. magicians was easy.

As more and more series start, establishing the human vs. other character while maintaining originality becomes more of a stretch and may risk forcing a one joke series.


more...

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Tomorrow, June 9th marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Les Paul. Paul was best known for the guitar that bears his name, but he was a pioneer in solid body guitar design, advancing over dubbing techniques in recording, exploiting the new possibilities with solid body instruments, and creating playing styles that have become staples in rock and roll music.

One fact I did not know was he created the around the neck harmonica holder used by so many rock and folk players.

He recorded with his wife, Mary Ford and together they sold millions of copies of their songs.

Wiki on Les Paul.

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It's been ten years since my friend and band mate moved out of state, first to Arizona, then to Rio.

He is back in the area, probably for good, and we decided to start playing out again. I hadn't even picked up a guitar in a few years and noticed my Taylor was looking a bit warped in the neck. I took it to a trusted luthier that I was surprised still worked at Sam Ash in New Haven. I sprung for a Breedlove as well.

Long story short, we played two songs at an open mic night in Collinsville and it seemed to go well. That was last Friday. This Saturday, a mutual friend is having a soft opening at a recording studio he has been working on and asked us to do an hour there.

I'm looking forward to it and I'm a bit nervous at the same time.

Set list may follow. We have a pretty eclectic repertoire. Kinks, Fred Eaglesmith, Johnny Cash, old traditionals (roots), etc., along with some originals.

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IKEA recently introduced a conception of what the kitchen of the future might look like. They spent a hardly significant small time of a year on this.

As is often the case, the ideas sound great but will undoubtedly be hampered by the practical. The nice idea of the sink that allows for disposal and reuse options depending on the water waste condition will run into the reality that the uses are not often separable.  The waste and recyclable system sounds like it will incorporate the worst of government and corporate snooping.

The "table of living" seems to hold the most possibilities, including the extensive use of projection mapping. I think they get into a bit of the ridiculous, but who knows what future tech may allow?

The article makes some environmental assumptions that I don't see as definite events. Intense drought, paucity of resources, overpopulation, etc. The tight use of space might actually help in areas of dense population, but the whole thing somehow reminds me of Korben"s apartment in The Fifth Element. LeeLoo not included.

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Jimmie Rogers was one of the most prolific and  influential of all roots musicians. Rock and Roll and country both owe a great amount to him. Jazz and creole as well.

With all the country music I listened to growing up, I was still surprised to find that T for Texas was not a Lynyrd Skynyrd original. Jimmie Rogers has a repertoire that is and will continue to be one of the most borrowed books in music.

Del McCoury Band with Sarah Evans with a fairly traditional blue grass style Muleskinner Blues:


And for a rendition from my after college years. Rockabilly meets early grunge punk:

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Oh my G-d.
I just saw the first episode of Plastic Memories.

Employing the most emotionally wringing moments and then trying to inject deviant humor on top.

It really didn't work.

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Some of the new shows are from Manga I have read, still reading, or have dropped. Not many, but still...

Kyoukai no RINNE  One of my favortite early episodes of Babylon 5 concerned a union dispute as a side subject. Seeing the creators throw in a story about the commonplace things is always a nice diversion that serves to join us to the world we are watching. Rinne concerns a Shinigami who is always in dire financial straights. This business of soul harvesting is not cheap. The devices that help him do his job cost money.

It is a good joke that is played differently throughout the series, but it gets old. It will get old in an anime quicker.

One of at least two animes where the main character(s) are of a few who see spirits.

I still read the chapters as thyey come out and I have to say that it has (thankfully) taken many many chapters to have the main characters start thinking about how they feel about each other.
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Denpa Kyoushi MC is brilliant and removed from the world at large. He gets forced into teaching by his sister (who is a student at the school) and is well-used by the school head/owner. Interesting solutions to getting various difficult students to get involved. Similar to Rinne, the same situation is used over and over with only the particulars changed. Not sure it will stay interesting.

I stopped reading the manga after about chapter 42. It required more of an investment than Rinne did, so the sameness affected me more.
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Nisekoi is back. When you have exhausted all the jokes you can have with the the same premise, what do you do? Add another harem interest and start all over. The side stories are far more interesting than the main plot.

I stopped after about chapter 120.

As a side note: the one shot chapter that inspired the series is great.
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High School DxD I think I might pick up the light novel for this. I'm not sure if it will pay off, but I thought the second season was as good or better than the first, so I have some hope for this and I wonder where it will lead.

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- and I just figured it out. I suppose there are many characters who were disconnected from emotions. They would state objective points about the world around them. They were used for shock value, non-biased exposition, and as a foil for the main character to bounce off of.

The first time I saw a character like this was in Gravion and Gravion Zweii. Toga, one of the main characters, and the calm, objective counterpoint to the hot headed Eiji would sometimes get himself in trouble or resented for his composure.

His growth in the series was real, and he did exhibit stronger emotions in combat, but his emotions never seemed to guide his spoken observation, either., at least as far as I can recall.

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