i think maple syrup would sweeten soda just right.
The blog should be called EpicnessxX.
— kai.
I’ve always wanted to write a blog. I’ve never known what to write about. But talking to my sister made me realize that I could always talk about the things that make me happy, since there’s so much of that for me. The product? This blog.
I’ll try to post frequently. I’m excited for this blog because my sister will also try to post frequently. Somehow we share a lot of the same interests (though maybe the specifics will be different), so this will be fun for the both of us.
I was looking through past writing and found this angry block of text I wrote almost exactly a year ago, half out of amusement/irony and half out of despair. I didn’t want it to disappear into the endless void we call the Internet, so here it is.
Warning: there are massive spoilers here. Only read if you’ve finished the game/don’t care.
Akamatsu Kaede from the game Danganronpa v3 – Killing Harmony.
If given the choice, do the strong, brave, beautiful, selfless, kind-hearted, generous heroes of this world deserve to die? The straightforward answer is no. And that is why Akamatsu Kaede’s death was unfair in so many different aspects. In this essay, I will be writing about how Kaede did not deserve her death and how Tsumugi is a bitch.
Kaede was undoubtedly kind and brave. She acted as the leader and the glue to all her fellow ultimates in the beginning of their despair-filled journey together, ensuring that everyone’s opinions were represented, and trying her best to keep their hearts filled and spirits lifted. Despite the dangerous perils the underground escape route faced, Kaede put it in her mind that she would perservere to escape together with everyone. Though they failed to escape through the underground passage in the beginning, this did not waver Kaede’s courage and determination. She continued to cheer up her friends, and it is quite apparent that through her efforts, she was able to transform Shuichi into the confident detective he has become today. Despite how terrified she herself was, which is shown in her dialogue with Shuichi, Kaede always put on a brave, optimistic front to lighten up the atmosphere with her pure, genuine, smiling face.
There is the fact that Kaede did indeed intend to murder someone; however, there are a few things that should be addressed first. We must analyze Kaede’s reasons for this intention before we judge her. Kaede did not intend to kill Rantaro; rather, she intended to kill the Mastermind behind the Killing Game. Why? So that the Killing Game would be over, and everyone would be able to escape together. Of course, there was the chance that she would be exposed and condemned to death, and indeed, she was, but the hope of everyone escaping together outweighed the hefty fear of her own death. She never wanted to escape alone by killing someone; she only wanted to help everyone.
Hence the reason why Kaede kept dropping hints for Shuichi during the first trial. When she realized Rantaro was not the Mastermind, Kaede knew she would have to die in order for everyone else to live. The way Kaede indirectly pointed out small details– such as how there could have been no time for anyone to kill Rantaro because she and Shuichi were keeping watch– and the solemn, unusual manner in which Kaede spoke and acted were hints that she believed Shuichi would pick up. She wanted Shuichi to uncover the truth about her own murder plot because she wanted to save everyone else, even at the cost of her own life. She also did not explicitly confess so that Shuichi would figure it out with his own skill, thus also giving him the confidence that he needed to have in his own abilities as a detective. Kaede was a generous, selfless, and inspiring individual.
Now that we have established the incredible, irresistable nature of Kaede’s personality, we will now discuss the bitch that is Tsumugi. In hindsight, we all now know that Kaede, really, killed no one– her plan to kill the Mastermind failed, and in reality, it was Tsumugi who killed Rantaro in order to keep the momentum of the Killing Game going. Murder is cruel; Tsumugi, as well, is cruel. Not only is Tsumugi heartless, but she is also a hypocrite. The strict rule-keeping spirit of the Killing Game, while chilling, was also what kept it fair– without rules, who knows what Monokuma could do. However, Tsumugi broke those rules by sentencing an innocent individual, Kaede, to death, for a murder she did not commit. What would Junko say about this? Even Junko would call Tsumugi a bitch (probably). No matter if the Killing Game and the plot were actually tools for a reality TV show– the rules, the foundation, of Monokuma’s dictatorship were broken by Tsumugi herself, and as John Locke says, a government that is hypocritical and not an agreement with the people, not an agreement about the rules of the land, deserves to be overthrown. What Tsumugi has done was not only kill a poor, innocent soul, but also destroy 53 seasons worth of trust between the Killing Game government and the participants, the citizens, of that land. What. A. Bitch.
In conclusion, Kaede certainly did not deserve to die. Her death was a cruel, unjust concoction carried out by Tsumugi for the sole purpose of continuing the Killing Game, no matter how unfair it may be. Thus, we should forever remember the benevolent angel of a being Kaede was, and we should always look down on Tsumugi’s ashes in shame and contempt. Thank you for reading this essay, and I hope you have a great day. ^_^
There are a lot of amazing producers in the Vocaloid community. Most of them combine multiple genres, so this post will be focusing on those that use jazz.
Note: When a Vocaloid song reaches over 100,000+ views on the Niconico video sharing site, it reaches the Hall of Fame. When it reaches over 1,000,000+ views, it reaches the Hall of Legend. Songs with over 10,000,000+ views reach the Hall of Myths.
Note 2: Tuning is a key part when working with Vocaloids, as often they can sound robotic and unrealistic as a synthesizer. Thus, producers with exceptional tuning are given LEGENDARY titles depending on the Vocaloid(s) they specialize in.
KANON69 mainly uses Megurine Luka for his jazz-rock songs. In 2014, he joined utaite luz and illustrator RAHWIA as part of the Royal Scandal circle and produces songs for them, though he does continue to post Vocaloid songs every once in a while.
GYARI produces solely jazz songs and is well known for his arrangement of Vocaloids to represent members of a jazz band. He also draws comics and illustrates his own works himself. A lot of his songs have reached the Hall of Fame/Legend.
Jazz Songs:
tettey-terettey ft. Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, Yuzuki Yukari, Megurine Luka, Hatsune Miku (Hall of Legend)
OSTER project uses a wide variety of Vocaloids and genres to produce her cute and wholesome songs. Many of her songs are used in concerts and a variety of video games and have reached the Hall of Fame/Legend.
nyanyannya is mostly known for his Lead Princess of the Color Stealing World series, in which it follows a princess looking for her most precious thing in order to exchange it with color. Most of his songs in this series tend to lean on the funk side and have reached the Hall of Fame.
One of the most popular mangas atm and it’s good. Tbh like i have like nothing to add except that it’s cute and the art is funny
Gal Gohan
Story and Art: Taiyou Marii
Gyaru learns to cook from teacher. Sort of gay but the art is cute and it’s fun to look at food
Yancha Gal no Anjou-san
Story and Art: Katou Yuuichi
Gyaru teasing nerd guy. It’s like pretty cute the arts kinda weird but there’s a lot of wholesome moments
Honestly though it’s a little bit annoying cuz the main character guy’s face looks so punch-able even i get mad
Sono Bisque Doll Wa Koi Wo Suru
Story and Art: Shinichi Fukuda
this about a guy who makes dolls and sews and whatever and a gyaru who wants to cosplay. They work together and have fun n stuff. it’s pretty funny and the arts really ogood
To be honest, the concept of gender bender shoujo manga can be a bit ridiculous at times. I often found myself asking, how do people not realize this person is a girl/boy? The insanity of the whole situation adds a layer of comedy to the story, though, which is why I’ve come to accept that I really, really, really like gender bender shoujo manga.
Otonari Complex
Story and Art: Nonomura Saku
Kuji Akira and Ninomiya Makoto have been neighbors and friends from childhood. Akira-kun is handsome and Makoto-chan is pretty but Akira’s a girl and Makoto’s a boy… Their feelings for each other are growing more complex just as they are finding themselves the focus of romantic interest of their friends and acquaintances.
– Batoto.
The two protagonists of this manga are very beautifully written. Both of them have complicated feelings regarding their own identities as they also try to navigate how others perceive them and how they feel about each other. The art style is clean and nice, and the pacing is quite good. Overall, this story has the perfect amount of emotion and humor. A must-read.
Usotsuki Lily
Story and Art: Komura Ayumi
Hinata Saotome is suddenly asked out by En Shinohara, a gorgeous boy in her grade. What she doesn’t know though, is that his hobby is cross-dressing! En has always hated men, and whenever he sees his own reflection, he punches out whatever is doing the reflecting (windows, mirrors…). To combat this hatred, he dresses up as a girl. Hinata decides to go out with him anyway, despite his weird hobby.
– MU.
I love Komura Ayumi. I think her humor is fantastic, and her art style is very unique and defined. Thus, it came to no surprise to me that I would love this manga. The characters are complex and varied, some of them dark while others whimsical, but all of them equally contribute to the comedy in this series. It’s a very unusual twist to the typical shoujo gender bender in that Hinata accepts En to be the cross-dressing boyfriend he is, and while they have their faults, the characters are strong and really drive the plot to something wonderful.
Twin Role
Story and Art: Harumi Hitsuji
Izumi goes to a school that involves art and music but both sides compete against each other to win awards. Online, Izumi goes under the name Izu and creates images for music videos created by a user named Kanon who is listed as a 21-year-old female.
However, this user has a secret! Turns out Kanon is really the new transfer student, Kaoru Sagami—the son of a famous musician. Plus, he’s in love with Izumi! He wants her to fall in love with him, not his online persona, but he can’t bring himself to confess that he is actually Kanon. And Izumi seems to consider him as a rival and she loves the persona more than Kaoru! What must Kaoru do to make Izumi love him!?
– LuffynoTomo.
The premise of this story is cute, as one of the protagonists writes Vocaloid music and the other draws PVs for him. (As a Vocaloid fan, I liked this cute nod to the creation process.) The plot is a little different from usual gender bender as the gender bending actually happens online, since Izumi thinks Kaoru is a girl through messaging. The story is lighthearted and mostly a feel-good, and while I felt that the characters seemed to have inconsistent personalities sometimes, I still thoroughly enjoyed this manga.
Ouran High School Host Club
Story and Art: Hatori Bisco
At Ouran High School, an academy where only the children of the rich and powerful attend, there exists a club consisting of the most elite of the student body: the legendary Host Club. Within the club’s room, six beautiful, bored boys spend their time entertaining equally beautiful and bored girls.
Haruhi Fujioka, a poor scholarship student, has no interest in the Host Club—until she breaks a valuable vase in their clubroom. After being mistaken for a boy, Haruhi is forced by Kyouya Ootori to work for the Host Club to repay her debt. Tamaki Suou, the princely leader of the club, eagerly takes her under his wing to teach her the ways of the host.
Things, however, are never quite so simple with the Host Club around. Even the most mundane events can turn into huge spectacles with the likes of prankster twins Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, stoic Takashi Morinozuka, and sweet Mitsukuni “Hunny” Haninozuka. The crazy adventures of the Host Club are just beginning, and Haruhi must learn how to survive in the glitzy world of the hosts.
– MAL Rewrite.
I’m honestly not sure how much I’ll need to talk about this, since OHSHC is undoubtedly a classic in the genre. If you’ve never read the series or only watched the anime, though, you definitely need to pick it up. The art starts off very exaggerated, but as this series ran for eight years, you can clearly see a lot of the improvements to the art as Hatori Bisco begins to clean up her style. While it’s a long read, it’s definitely worth it for the humorous, charming cast and the lovable heroine, as the mangaka starts off with a lot of comedy and seals the series with a touching, worthwhile finish.
Seiyuu Ka!
Story and Art: Minami Maki
As a child, Hime Kino was starstruck by “Lovely Blazers” voice actress Sakura Aoyama. From that day on, Hime has dreamed of following in Sakura’s footsteps.
With this in mind, Hime enrolls in Hiiragi Academy, a voice acting school famous for producing the best of the best. In fact, Hime sits right next to the already successful son of Sakura, Senri Kudou. Aiming to match her peers’ level of skill, Hime attempts to put her best foot forward. She introduces herself with her cutest voice, but what comes out is anything but—she sounds like an old man, earning her the nickname “Gorilla Princess.” Suddenly, she finds herself grouped with other potential dropouts.
But Hime is not deterred by such a setback, and she quickly becomes friends with the others at the bottom of the class. With their help and her own unrivaled optimism, Hime will do whatever it takes to achieve her dream!
– MAL Rewrite.
This manga is sprinkled with comedy with a quirky plot and over-the-top characters reminiscent of Minami Maki’s previous series, Special A. Her art and writing has drastically improved since then, however, bringing us a wonderful cute story about a girl just trying to make her voice actress dreams come true. The gender bender part? Due to her unusual voice, she makes her debut not as a voice actress– but as a voice actor. Hilarity ensues in this lighthearted read.
That’s all for now. Hope one of them interests you!
Producers are what drive the Vocaloid community! I especially love Kagamine Rin and Len, so here’s a post of some of the great Kagamine producers that I love. If a producer likes to use other Vocaloids too, I focused mostly on the Kagamines.
I listed five “notable songs” and five “hidden gem” songs for each producer, but these are a bit abstract. If a song is popular in the western community, I listed it in “notable songs.” If it’s relatively less-known, even if it’s popular in Japan, I listed it in “hidden gems.”
Note: When a Vocaloid song reaches over 100,000+ views on the Niconico video sharing site, it reaches the Hall of Fame. When it reaches over 1,000,000+ views, it reaches the Hall of Legend. Songs with over 10,000,000+ views reach the Hall of Myths. Unfortunately, there has yet to be a Kagamine song in the Hall of Myths 😦
Note 2: Tuning is a key part when working with Vocaloids, as often they can sound robotic and unrealistic as a synthesizer. Thus, producers with exceptional tuning are given LEGENDARY titles depending on the Vocaloid(s) they specialize in.
Composed of producers Jesus-P and Minus-P, they usually work with the illustrator Glider to create cute PVs and duets with the Kagamines, usually related to video games. Jesus-P has earned the title of LEGENDARY KAGAMINE MASTER.
Genre: folk, blues, rock, jazz, ballad, metal… a mix of everything
Hitoshizuku-P is known for her piano compositions while Yama △ does most of the Vocaloid tuning. Along with illustrator Suzunosuke, they make up teamOS and often compose songs telling stories and involving many Vocaloids. Hitoshizuku-P has earned the title LEGENDARY LEN MASTER.
Neru often makes rock music with dark lyrics. Many of his songs have reached over a million views on Youtube and have reached the Hall of Legend/Fame. He has earned the titled LEGENDARY KAGAMINE MASTER.
Giga-P frequently works with lyricist Reol and PV-maker Okiku to produce a lot of dance-style songs. He has one foot in and one foot out of the Vocaloid scene, though; while he still occasionally makes Vocaloid songs, he has moved on to more professional work, making songs for Reol to sing. He has earned the titles LEGENDARY LEN MASTER and LEGENDARY KAGAMINE MASTER.
(He is also my favorite producer. I’m very biased towards him; I love him to the death. BRING IT ON also happens to be the Kagamines’ most notable duet song.)
Eight years ago, Mochizuki Saya was raped and murdered by three juvenile delinquents. Protected under the Juvenile Act, the delinquents have been allowed to re-enter society… but Mochizuki Wataru, Saya’s younger brother, hasn’t forgotten their crime and wishes for their punishment.
Not long after his sister’s death anniversary, he decides to look for those responsible, however, he is run over with a bike by one of the delinquents and hospitalized. While at the hospital, he awakes the ability to interact with other people’s dreams and discovers that these interactions bring real-life effects. Knowing that his ability allows him to do a “perfect crime,” he vows to avenge his sister… when night falls.
– weramos (MAL)
Basically my man tryna have revenge on all the delinquents who killed his sister and received an unfair punishment. He wakes up in the hospital and discovers he has the power to enter dreams and can interact with the dreamer and whatever he does to them will happen in real life. While Saya wants to use this ability on the delinquents he realizes the catch to the power is that he must have had physical contact with the person first. Also the police are watching him. He gotta b safe ya kno wat i mean (i like dis one a lot)
Happy Sugar Life
Story and Art: Kagisora Tomiyaki
Satou Matsuzaka is known for being easy to approach. Amiable and pretty, she is also better known as “New Guy Every Three Days” Satou. However, this lifestyle comes to a complete halt when she encounters the true love of her life: eight-year-old Shio Koube. Although the love they share is pure, it soon becomes endangered by a society that wants to tear them apart. Dropping her bright demeanor, Satou will stop at nothing in order to ensure that their happy life continues in peace.
– MAL Rewrite.
Basically Satou kidnaps Shio and goes full yandere trying to get away with it. The arts cute and the story is good.
Aku no Kyouten (Lesson of the Evil)
Story: Kishi Yusuke Art: Karasuyama Eiji
A teacher named Seiji Hasumi is loved by his students and respected by his peers. However, his outward charm masks his true nature. In reality, Hasumi is a psychopath who is unable to feel empathy for other human beings. Specifically, he has a severe antisocial personality disorder. Because of his mental condition, Hasumi chooses to deal with problems like bullying and overbearing “monster parents” the easy way, by systematically murdering his students/parents.
– MAL
This guy wants to kill everyone and get away with it (u can do it hasumin!!!! 👍👍). Also this was based off a book and has a live adaptation (6.6 IMDB). (tbh it’s a good read if ur bored but there’s not much substance to this story imo)
Sachi-iro no One Room
Story and Art: Hakuri
One day, a girl was kidnapped.
However, that girl started to desire a life living with her captor, and swears that she will marry him. In return, her captor provides her with happiness that she had always longed for.
How could a story between a girl and her captor be so heart warming?
– AOC Translations
Basically girl had a fucked up life at home so she’s happy she’s kidnapped by a guy who loves her. Both of them together learn about the happiness neither got from being alone. It’s a lot more lighthearted and revolves around the girl more than the stalker. Even though they’re both satisfied as is, the police are on a chase to find the kidnapper and a lot of outsiders end up getting too involved which leads to yandere boy mode
Kangoku Jikken (Prison Lab)
Story: Kantetsu Art: Mizuse Chiho
A victim of endless bullying, Aito Eyama is plagued by his classmates’ constant taunts and beatings. However, through a fortuitous turn of events, he receives a strange invitations for the “Captivity Game,” where victory promises unbelievable wealth. To participate, he must accept the role of captor and choose one victim to imprison for a month. For Eyama, the only choice is Aya Kirishima, the ringleader of his bullies and the source of all his suffering. The rules of the game are simple: the jailer may do whatever they please with their inmate barring murder; but in order to win the game, the captor’s identity must remain hidden. Exemption from the law, an isolated cell, and the funds to purchase supplies—all the necessary tools are provided.
As Eyama administers his sadistic revenge and “divine” retribution, he encounters other captors, each with their own hidden agendas. Meanwhile, Aya refuses to be a compliant prisoner and will go to any length to escape captivity. However, her endeavors threaten to awaken a darkness buried inside Eyama that craves to be unleashed.
– MAL Rewrite.
Honestly, this one’s a little bit more different from the other manga because whatever happens in the story is allowed to be lawless. The reason why I put it here though is because every week the victim of suffering is allowed to guess who their torturer is– if they’re correct they’re set free, win 10 million yen, and their torturer is forced to pay them. Eyama basically needs to be creative enough to prevent Aya from recognizing it’s him, and stop her from guessing who he is without killing her. Honestly the arts not that amazing but it’s good enough and the story carries it.
I like death game stuff and I don’t know how to review manga but I’m going to say whatever I think of it anyways. If you’re looking for a legit review you’re not at the right place.
I’m going to review all the basic ones in this post (it’s pretty obvious when I started getting lazy).
Tomodachi Game (Friend Game)
Story: Yamaguchi Mikoto Art: Satou Yuuki
Katagiri Yuuichi believes that friends are more important than money, but he also knows the hardships of not having enough funds. He works hard to save up in order to go on the high school trip, because he has promised his four best friends that they will all go together. However, after the class’ money is all collected, it’s stolen! Suspicion falls on two of Yuuichi’s friends, Sawaragi Shiho and Shibe Makoto.
Soon afterwards, the five of them are kidnapped, and wake up in a strange room with a character from a short-lived anime. Apparently, one of them has entered them into a “friendship game” in order to take care of their massive debt. But who was it, and why did they have such a debt? Could they have stolen the money from class to pay for entry into the game? Yuuichi and his best friends will have to succeed in psychological games that will test or destroy their faith in one another.
– MAL Rewrite.
First of all, Yamaguchi Mikoto is literally a genius and every manga he touches is amazing. You should read this even if you don’t read this genre you’ll like it.
Story: While the actual story itself isn’t anything super original or bizarre, it’s well written and works at a great pace. It’s exciting to read because the author never explicitly tells the readers what Yuichi is planning so it’s as if you’re trying to find a way to win the game along with him.
Characters: Although I honestly find almost every other person annoying and cliche, Katagiri Yuichi is what makes the story interesting. His realistic, intelligent, yet cynical character is definitely refreshing and keeps the readers in suspense since they never know whether he’s pretending or not.
Art: The arts just decent. I will say that Satou Yuuki draws expressions really well though.
Extra: While there’s no anime, Tomodachi Game has actually been produced into a live action film back in 2017. It’s 6.7 on IMDB which is surprisingly high compared to other live action manga/anime, so it’s honestly worth a shot.
Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)
Story and Art: Esuno Sakae
Lonely high school student, Yukiteru Amano, spends his days writing a diary on his cellphone, while conversing with his two seemingly imaginary friends Deus Ex Machina, who is the god of time and space, and Murmur, the god’s servant. Revealing himself to be an actual entity, Deus grants Yukiteru a “Random Diary,” which shows highly descriptive entries based on the future and forces him into a bloody battle royale with 11 other holders of similarly powerful future diaries.
With the last person standing designated as the new god of time and space, Yukiteru must find and kill the other 11 in order to survive. He reluctantly teams up with his obsessive stalker Yuno Gasai (who also possesses such a diary), and she takes it upon herself to ensure his safety. But there’s more to the girl than meets the eye, as she might have other plans for her unrequited love…
– MAL Rewrite.
To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure if I should even review this because there’s already so many reviews on Mirai Nikki anyways and I think almost everyone has seen the anime by now. If you haven’t to it anyways because you’re kinda a loser if you haven’t not gonna lie. Since I watched it, I’ll be looking at it from the anime point of view.
Story: Probably one of the my favorite death game anime. Story is very unique and the ending is definitely mind blowing but perfect at the same time. Me like it
Characters: Everyone always complains how Yuki is a pussy but to be honest I kind of like it like that. He’s the only basically sane character and he’s down to earth. It also makes Yuno look more insane so they’re a good match up. If you don’t like either of the characters just watch it for Aru Akise (the best boy).
Art: It wasn’t the best animation I’ve ever seen but the art in the anime was definitely better than the manga art.
Extra: If you’re debating whether to read it or watch it, I would say watch the anime. The opening and ending OSTs are amazing and you definitely can’t get the same vibe watching Yuno slice heads not animated.
Deadman Wonderland
Story: Kataoka Jinsei Art: Kondou Kazuma
The Great Tokyo Earthquake. Ten years ago, it destroyed lives as it tore buildings asunder. Among those who lived through the disaster was Ganta Igarashi, now a middle school student finally getting a footing in his own life… that is, until the day the ’Red Man’ appears at his school and turns his world upside down again. Ganta’s entire class is brutally murdered, and although innocent of the crime, Ganta is sentenced to death and sent to the bizarre prison known as ’Deadman Wonderland.’ There, a brutal game of survival begins, where Ganta must discover the truth behind his classmates’ murder. Can Ganta break out of Deadman Wonderland… or will it break him first?
– Baka-Updates
I love love love this manga!!1 Kataoka Jinsei has a lot of other amazing horror yet also emotional manga that’s totally worth reading.
Story: Nice job bro
Characters: Yeah, Ganta is also a major pussy at first but he gets some big time character development. A lot of the characters seem pretty hate-able at first but you end up loving them (specifically Shiro).
Art: I love Kondou Kazuma’s art so much to the point where I had a phase where I used to copy his art style. That probably says enough about the art. Not my proudest moment btw
Extra: Anime is kinda ugly bruhh they draw shiro like an absolute CLOWN fiesta
Tenkuu Shinpan (High Rise Invasion)
Story: Miura Tsuina Art: Oba Takahiro
Upon witnessing a man’s head cracked open with an axe, 16-year-old Yuri Honjou trembles in fear and confusion as she flees from the masked assailant, only to find out she’s trapped in an abandoned building where every door is mysteriously locked. Desperately searching for a way out, Yuri runs to the rooftop, but a world with no signs of life stands before her, surrounded by high-rise buildings. Though filled with despair, once she learns that her brother is also in this strange place, Yuri is determined to find him and escape.
However, she soon finds that there are more masked murderers in the area, anxious to terrorize their newfound victims and satiate their sickest desires, leaving Yuri to question if they will be able to make it out alive.
– MAL Rewrite.
This good man wrote us a new manga.
Story: Obviously it’s good because it’s by the author of Ajin bruh. The setting and plot idea is also so fucking cool. It’s also really slow paced though.
Characters: Yeah ok this man be doing some incest shit but it’s kind of epic because the protagonists are a brother sister duo that basically are both geniuses. Other than that the characters are just O.K.
Art: To be honest it’s pretty average. Good at drawing blood I guess. IDK Bruh
Extra: Shoulder is starting to hurt now
Kamisama no Iutoori Ni ( As the Gods Will: The Second Series )
Story: Kaneshiro Muneyuki Art: Fujimura Akeji
High school student Yasuto Akashi’s day begins like any other, but a fight with his best friend—Senichi Aoyama—causes him to skip school. Akashi realizes that he is in the wrong, and so he immediately returns to school. However, instead of open gates, he finds the school completely sealed off from the outside world. Soon after, a giant cat’s head blasts through the windows, and Akashi spots Aoyama dressed in a rat costume while drenched in blood.
Only three students manage to leave school alive that day, and similar occurrences are reported throughout the world. Akashi is not free from harm, however, as he is invited to partake in a deadly game whose participants are composed of those who missed school on that fateful day.
– MAL Rewrite.
Okay, I know the synopsis is weird and I know this isn’t the first series but this is honestly one of my favorite death games and I know I said that about all of them but I really meant this one. Also it’s not as well known as the other ones but if you haven’t read it you definitely should. Like even my mom watched it. Wyd.
Story: Love it. Perfect pacing and you can literally just binge through it.
Characters: First no homo, second I loved the main protagonists. They’re so fucking badass especially at the end. Like just read the manga just for the ending. It’s so fucking cool.
Art: Epic or something idrk art is art bruh
Extra: There’s a movie!!!!!!! But it’s of the first series. 6.5 on IMDB. The first series is totes worth reading too. I just liked the second one more.
I’ve been meaning to write about some shoujo manga for a while, but I’ll finally get to it now. There’s been a lot of really great hidden-gem releases, mostly on the side of comedy, so here are just five of my favorite comedies.
I Reincarnated into an Otome Game as a Villainess With Only Destruction Flags…, Destruction Flag Otome
Story: Yamaguchi Satoru Art: Hidaka Nami
Eight-year-old Katarina Claes is the only daughter of a duke, living her life peacefully and without incident until she hits her head on a rock… and then remembers that she is not actually the duke’s daughter. She used to be an otaku who died on her way to school after spending the entire previous night playing Fortune Lover, her favorite otome game. After noticing that her current surroundings seem oddly familiar, she is shocked to discover that she has been reincarnated into the world of Fortune Lover as the villainess. The villainess in the game usually winds up dead or exiled, so Katarina decides to use her knowledge of the game and its routes to avoid any bad situations. But is it even possible for the villainess to reach a good ending?
– MAL Rewrite.
If you’re a fan of otome games, you’ll love this manga. Katarina starts out as the ultimate villainess in terms of personality, and her angry resting face doesn’t help at all. But if she wants to survive, she has to get by without getting in the way of the heroine. This manga is hilarious and the art is amazing. The protagonist’s story of desperate attempts to avoid death and/or exile is an amusing must-read.
Spy x Family
Story and Art: Endou Tatsuya
The master spy codenamed “Twilight” has spent his days on undercover missions, all for the dream of a better world. But one day, he receives a particularly difficult new order from command. For his mission, he must form a temporary family and start a new life?!
– MANGA Plus.
I know, I know. This is more shounen than shoujo. But the interactions between a meticulous spy, an oblivious hitwoman, and an adoring ESPer make for the perfect comedy in this lighthearted manga sprinkled with cool spy crimes and humorous assassinations. This series started off with a bang in Japan, so look forward to many more chapters.
Mousou Telepathy
Story and Art: NOBEL
One would think that the ability to read minds would be incredible, but for Ayako Nakano, it is an involuntary power she wishes she never had. Being exposed to the harsh thoughts of others is one thing, but knowing what people want of her has made it difficult to act on her free will. Having quickly learned that revealing her power would alienate her from her peers, she keeps her abilities a secret, deciding that it is better to stay isolated and keep them hidden. Gloomy and friendless as a result of her power, Nakano is set to begin her final year of high school alone, as always.
This changes when she meets Hayato Toda. Though virtually expressionless, Toda is a popular student, and Nakano is puzzled to discover that he has an intense crush on her. Yet, his thoughts reveal something more: he has lewd, perverted fantasies of her nearly every minute of the day, which Nakano now has to suffer through on a daily basis. Even so, Nakano soon finds herself becoming a part of his group of friends, thrusting her into her very first foray into friendship and romance.
– MAL Rewrite.
Written in a 4-koma style, this webcomic has grown increasingly popular with its unique art style and cute character developments. It’s both entertaining and endearing to see Nakano grow from a gloomy, friendless introvert to one with many positive relationships. Hayato’s fantasies may get out of hand sometimes, but NOBEL somehow combines this with a touching story of growth to create an adorable, hilarious manga.
SSB: Super Seishun Brothers
Story and Art: Shinmoto Shin
The story involves two pairs of teenage elder sister and younger brother, the Shinmoto’s who are a bit narcissistic and the Saitou’s who look a bit mysterious. It follows their everyday life in school and at home.
– MAL News.
This cute slice-of-life manga follows two pairs of siblings with their everyday quirky lifestyles. They seem as different as night and day, but the sisters being best friends and the brothers being best friends lead to some amusing interactions between all. Their carefree and playful dynamics, along with an equally whimsical world, make for a relaxing and humorous read. This was also turned into an anime with four-minute long episodes.
Nijiiro Days
Story and Art: Mizuno Minami
Nijiiro Days follows the daily lives of four high school boys: the hopeless romantic Natsuki Hashiba, the sadist Keiichi Katakura, the playboy Tomoya Matsunaga, and the smart otaku Tsuyoshi Naoe. Even while constantly struggling in their studies, they spend their days goofing around and having romantic misadventures.
On Christmas Eve, however, Natsuki is dumped by his girlfriend. While crying alone, he receives a pack of tissues from a girl wearing a Santa Claus costume, and, in return, gives her the scarf originally meant for his ex-girlfriend. As the holidays end and Natsuki returns to school, he finds out that the girl is named Anna Kobayakawa—who luckily goes to the same school as him! Having fallen in love with Anna, Natsuki aims to get closer to her, despite his friends interfering with his plans.
– MAL Rewrite.
Cute and lighthearted, this manga follows four high school boys with completely different personalities going about their days deepening their friendships and looking for love. While the pacing can seem a bit slow at times, the endearing interactions between the four boys mixed in with a dash of comedy as we really get to learn about all of these captivating, humorously-realistic characters keep the reader hooked. This is a good touching read that was also turned into an anime worth watching.
Hopefully you find one of these as interesting as I did! I plan on writing about more manga in the future as well.
Vocaloid. The singing synthesizer software that has become a sensation in Japan for the past decade or so. Started in 2004 with the faceless Leon, Lola, and Miriam, it quickly boomed to popularity with the addition of Crypton Future Media’s KAITO, MEIKO, Megurine Luka, Kagamine Rin and Len, and finally, of course, Hatsune Miku.
There’s no one in Japan who doesn’t know Hatsune Miku. According to Crypton Future Media’s official site, she’s the voice of over 100,000 original songs, has held sold-out concerts across the world, and has official corporate collaborations with SEGA, Toyota, Google, and more. She’s been in car commercials, shampoo commercials, and food commercials. The song behind Nyan Cat is her song. She’s been on the David Letterman show, she’s sung with Lady Gaga.. Even Japan’s Prime Minister Abe loves her. You name it, she’s done it.
I hope to broaden the introduction of Hatsune Miku, dance, concerts, manga, literature, anime, Japanese movie, etc.
– Prime Minister Abe.
Naturally, then, Miku has become the face of Vocaloid; she’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the synthesizer. People love her. I love her too– her Triple Baka was the first song to get me into Vocaloid seven years ago. But to me, Kagamine Rin and Len surpass her in every way, despite Miku’s enormous popularity. Why? Because in terms of sheer quality, Rin and Len are of the highest, with amazing voice flexibility and realism. For explanation purposes, I will be comparing them to Miku for popularity reasons. Don’t get me wrong– Miku’s popularity is well-deserved. She is the perfect formula of a pretty anime girl with a cute anime voice that appeals to a wide audience. But in the end, Miku has nothing on her blonde successors.
Kagamine Rin and Len v4x design by IXIMA.
First off– design. Rin and Len were initially designed as twins, with Kagamine meaning “mirror sound” to represent the two. However, due to some artistic representation of the two of them as a couple in some fanart and songs, Crypton Future Media clarified the two of them to simply be “mirror images” and not twins, making a reference to their last name. As such, their designs reflect two sides of the same person, one female and one male. This allows many creators to work off of this dynamic and make stunning and creative use of their “mirror image” and symmetrical dynamic which is unique solely to these two. They are also objectively cute. Yes, I mean it when I say objectively. You can’t argue against this.
Second– their voices. Rin and Len are both voiced by the amazing Asami Shimoda, known mostly as the voice actress behind the Futami twins in THE iDOLM@STER, so she’s already had done some work with voicing multiple similar but different people. Her Rin voice is sharp and strong, while her Len voice is soft and accented. And they sound absolutely stunning together, with the slight differences in the voices creating a subtle contrast but also an overall harmony as they originated from the same sound. This is definitely something that could not be achieved in a duet with any of the other Vocaloids, as you can hear in Cendrillon with Miku and KAITO versus Adolescence with Rin and Len.
Cendrillon by SignalP ft. KAITO and Hatsune Miku.
Adolescence, a parody of Cendrillon, by SignalP ft. Kagamine Rin and Len.
Same song, same tuning, same producer. The difference? The voices. Rin and Len sound so much more powerful, and the back-to-back chorus between the two of them fit together seamlessly. While they are both voiced by the same person, you can still differentiate the two voices. Asami Shimoda did an incredible job. As for realism– Rin and Len both have something that the other Vocaloids just do not. All Vocaloids have a wide range; after all, they are just synthesized sounds, and software definitely has reaches that the average human cannot. But with that range comes some limitations. Because although Vocaloids can reach extremely high and low notes, that does not necessarily mean that the essence of the sound carries over. In other words, the voices can sound hollow at these extreme ranges. However, Rin and Len are able to surpass this limitation and produce surprisingly strong sounds with clarity at these pitches. Along with this power comes emotion. Of course, Vocaloids cannot convey emotion in their robotic, synthesized voices. But with the right tuning and the right pitch, Rin and Len can sound emotional and almost lifelike in their songs, something that other Vocaloid voices cannot mimic.
Lost One’s Weeping by Neru ft. Kagamine Rin.
Wings of the Four Seasons by Hitoshizuku-P × Yama△ ft. Kagamine Rin and Len.
Published in 2013 and 2014 respectively, Lost One’s Weeping and Wings of the Four Seasons convey just how incredible the software had grown to that point since their debut in 2007 and just how emotional Rin and Len can sound in both a rock-ish and folk-ish setting, a sound that other Vocaloids simply cannot attain with the same ease.
And if their default voices just didn’t have the right tone for you, let’s not forget their other voice libraries. Their 2010 append voicebanks and 2015 v4x voicebanks include Power, Warm, and Sweet libraries for Rin and Power, Cold, and Serious libraries for Len, giving added flexibility with the exact sounds that you want.
Thus, due to their brilliant similar-yet-different designs and their powerful similar-yet-different voices, Kagamine Rin and Len are my top-tier Vocaloids. They’re why I help run a Kagamine Discord server and why I’ve been following them for the past seven years. And hopefully this post will help promote them to farther reaches, and maybe even help you start to give them a listen. They definitely deserve much more attention than what this post can ever hope to offer.
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