Montreal Blues

I was sick all of Saturday with a flu-like headache that made my head feel like it was going to explode. On Sunday, I thought I was better, although I still had lingering cold-like sniffles. It got much worse on Monday when I arrived in Montreal, because my voice started to give way to a diseased rasp. I did attend Lil V's convocation, followed by Ivo's birthday supper at Mon Nan, followed by an evening gaterhing at Davy's apartment. By then I was already slipping downhill on the voiceability of my voice box. I wanted to stay indoors for the most part of this trip, but now I think it is too late. :(

So today (and for the next few days), I am refraining from talking at all, which sucks because I spent so much time in Quebec not having anyone to talk to anyway. Ivo, Lil V and I are planning to watch the Inu Yasha movie 4 here though (although all I could manage to scrape up wasd the dub) so less talking needed. I heavily dislike being sick. :(

Above all, I blame the elementary school kids with all those germs and things (pokemon cards) they bring to school to infect everyone else. >:(

On a related note, I am sorry to have to miss my friend's (brem's wife) birthday tomorrow and having (the ability) to call and wish her such greetings.

Congratulations, Lil V!

(She knows what this means.)

Happy Birthday Ivo-kun!

Sambomaster!

I don't remember where I last talked about Sambomaster or if I ever mentioned it at some point (which would be quite odd if I didn't). I probably did mention Naruto many times. The opening for Naruto that features Sambomaster's song is called Seishun Kyosokyouku, which got me hooked right away. If you watch the video, try imagining the face of the singer.

Now, here's the music video with the song in its entirety.

I still love this song. Rock on, japanese care bear!

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Lots of anime use songs from j-rock and j-pop bands for openings and endings. It's actually quite common for them to change the songs every season, and often in the middle of seasons. (Perhaps to boost the ratings, since it involves making new animations for the songs as well.) This applies to Inu Yasha, Naruto, Bleach, and other popular action series.

On the other hand, (short-running) romance anime use voice actors from the shows to sing their theme songs, if they're talented enough. So the anime in question will often scramble for leading voice actors that are proven to sing well and have great talent. For example, Love Hina and Chobits.

Anyway, the point is that there's a lot of money and time spent on making these openings and endings original, catchy and entertaining. So why would an american company license an anime and completely throw out the original opening to vomit up an abomination of a "song" like this opening for dubbed Naruto? (Don't tell me it's because they don't want to change the songs for an english audience, because they've pretty much left Inu Yasha as is due to the possibility of insane old geezer otaku backlash.)

Ok, I admit there have been weird things in the original as well. But really, generic rock riffs do not make a satisfactory substitution to this. (Or FURRIES and UNDERAGE GIRLS IN SWIMSUITS.)

Manga List

I break my one post a day habit sometimes. Here's a list of manga that I have read or am reading now.

• Naruto - spikey-blond-haired little brat in a ninja village
• Hunter X Hunter - spikey-dark-haired boy who wants to become a hunter to find his father
• Great Teacher Onizuka - spikey-blond-haired former extra-tough gang member who becomes a teacher
• Fruit Basket - gentle girl who gets involved with an unusal family
• 3X3 Eyes - girl runs into guy, guy gets killed by girl's pet, girl eats guy's soul, guy has to protect girl for the rest of their existence, guy falls for girl... classic love story
• Inu Yasha - doggy boy with cute ears
• Cardcaptors Sakura - Sakura captures magical cards, while Syaoran pines for both Sakura and another boy... it gets kinda shounen-ai too
  
• Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (which is written just as you see it here) - Sakura and Syaoran from Cardcaptors Sakura, back in completely different and convoluted adventures
• Yakitate! Japan - about breadmaking and NO it's not boring.
• Gokusen - a female new teacher who happens to be the granddaughter of a Yakuza leader
• Angel Sanctuary- a brother and a sister... uh... and some weird stuff about angels and demons.
• Kimagure Orange Road - a family with odd powers try to maintain a normal life... with powers...
• Penguin Brothers - spunky girl out to resolve a school gang war
• Haru yo Koi - find out for yourself ;)

I read the end of Chobits, and I read one chapter each of One Piece, Bleach, and Full Metal Alchemist, but they don't strike me with too much interest. Besides, I have all these other manga I have to catch up with. ;)