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This blog is a storage space for various thoughts, observations and musings centering on shōjo manga (少女漫画, Japanese comics for girls), josei-oriented manga (Japanese comics for women) and manga created by women (in the widest sense). Topics from other fields of relevance, such as music, art, literature and film may be discussed here as well.

PLEASE NOTE:
For the most part, Japanese names appear in their original order - surname first, followed by the given name.

For more detailed information about this blog, please visit the about clb.org page.

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This blog was relaunched recently. Some elements might not be fully working yet while others might be completely missing at the moment but will be added soon. Thank you for your patience!

In the Cold of August

I’m reading Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never let me go at the moment and it has to be one of the most precious books I’ve ever read. It’s indescribably beautiful and filled with so many details, scenes of human interaction and dialogues written in such a warm, realistic way it’s sometimes painful. And there’s a protagonist I can identify with so well, I know it’s going to be hard to finish reading the book. I know it because I’ve been putting off reading the last 50 pages or so for a couple of days now. I just don’t want it to end even though it’s been so melancholic and heart-breaking and even terrifying in a very subtle way…

I’ll also try and finish watching Eureka seveN, only twenty-something episodes to go -_- No but seriously, I’m glad I kept watching it this far. Around episode 30, it had that enlightening, extremely rewarding moment when all the very very veeerrryyy slow character and plot development paid off because it really made you feel like you came all this long way with the characters.

1 Comment

Categories: Anime, Books/Literature/Writing, European & American Literature, Various.
Tags: , , , , , , .
Posted on Sep 4, 2006 (Mon, 10:35 pm).

Shoujo anime overload

This is such a great season for shoujo anime fans! The TV anime adaptation of Ouran Koukou Host-bu is excellent, I like it a lot more than the manga (which I thought was rather boring when I was still reading LaLa) because it’s so explosively fast-paced and funny. And colourful and heart-warming. Aww. I’m usually not that fond of comedy but this I like, yes.

And Bokura ga ita! One of the few Betsucomi manga I like. So far I’ve only seen the first episode of the anime adaptation but it seemed pretty well done.

There’s NANA, of course, which I’m still following, of course, because the anime doesn’t disappoint at all, of course. The runner-up for this year’s most hyped shoujo title must be Nakahara Aya’s Lovely Complex because of its movie adaptation. I hope I’ll get to see the film soon (most definitely when the DVD comes out), for now I’ll have to be content with the cool furoku in Betsuma *_*
(And then there’s also the HachiKuro TV anime II and the HachiKuro movie. Great year for Shueisha, ha.)

I’ve also been watching Jyuohsei, the adaptation of the same-titled manga by one of my personal mangaka goddesses Itsuki Natsumi (♥).

And then from autumn on, there’ll be TV anime adaptations of Kin’iro no Corda (another bishounen title running in LaLa, I’ll only get to see it if I survive the cuteness and sheer silliness of Ouran Koukou!!) and Yamada Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (which I, admittedly, don’t like all that much as a manga).

Speaking of the latter: one of my favourite Betsufure series, Life by Suenobu Keiko, received the Kodansha Manga Award. So happy!! I felt even more glad when I read some of the members of the jury’s notes explaining they’d voted for Kawahara Kazune’s Koukou Debut and that it was a tight decision between those two titles in the shoujo category. I was a huge fan of Kawahara’s Sensei! but Koukou Debut turned out to be such a huge disappointment to me that I’m sort of twice as glad Life got the award ^^; But no really, Life‘s such a brilliant series. It embodies so much of ‘classic’ shoujo, the drama, the emotions, the style, I’m glad it’s been getting all this recognition!

1 Comment

Categories: Anime, Manga, Various.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
Posted on Aug 3, 2006 (Thu, 5:01 pm).

S is for Summer

Ambulance LDT – New English & Country Gentleman
(New English EP, USA, 2006.)
Perfect soundtrack to lazy summer days spent on the beach.

Smashing Pumpkins – The Boy
(B-Side of 1979, USA, 1996.)
One of my favourite James Iha-Smashing Pumpkins songs. Embodies the pureness, innocense, naivety and insecurity of being in love.

ZWAN – El Sol
(Mary Star Of The Sea, USA, 2002.)
And while we’re at it (Billy Corgan et al), a wonderfully light ZWAN song that fits the season :)

Architecture in Helsinki – Wishbone
(In Case We Die, Australia, 2005.)
A very addictive, cute-sy song that might send you bouncing through the whole house.

Editors – French Disco
(All Sparks EP, UK, 2006.)
A Stereolab cover, but done in a purely Editors-style. I want to have sex with Tom’s voice.

Schrottgrenze – Am gleichen Meer
(Chateau Schrottgrenze, Germany, 2006.)
While the music might not be exactly on the innovative side of things, the lyrics are disquietingly realistic.

Shout Out Louds – A Track And A Train
(Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, Sweden, 2005.)
Just a nice little song to sing along to.

Seachange – In
(On Fire, With Love, UK, 2006.)
Oh, I love their new album but this song in particular because it features the most addictive chorus ever, it just makes me dizzy, literally. Fantastic lyrics!

Stars – Calendar Girl
(Set Yourself On Fire, Canada, 2005.)
This song keeps a perfect balance of beauty and pathos. Highly recommended.

6 Comments

Categories: MP3s/Song Samples, Music, Various.
Tags: , , .
Posted on Jul 24, 2006 (Mon, 4:38 pm).


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