Spirited away

I love this film, plain and simple, and because I love it I can barely see faults.
Why I am so infatuated with the film? I'll make it short;
Because of this:



These things:



This part:

Him and his form:

And much more.

Bottom line: It's worth so much your time if you fantasy.

Zelda overview Ocarina of Time

Something I proposed to myself since the beginning of this blog was that one day I would dedicate an article for each of the zeldas I've played.
Taking that to account, I will only talk about the latest ones, with no chronological order.
So this entry goes for the first zelda game I ever played (fully played) and for my general sum ups the best that has ever aired, ladies and gentleman we are talking of The Legend of Zelda and the Ocarina of time.
Due to thoughtfullness, I will refer mostly to the first part of the game (the very first part) as the base of it and at times make refferences to later events.
Take in mind this is a nostalgia review.

Talking about a catchy name, "Zelda", I remmember how much of a chicken I was that everytime I heard anything more adultish than Mario or Kirby I'd immidietly associate with Playstations' grown up gaming, Zelda was no exception, I was about 7-8 years after all. Typical game where all boys would talk about short cuts and cheats, the dungeons and items, etc etc, because of my soon incorporation to the game I was never intrigued with their fast talk, ho ho.
As soon I got the nintendo and went all bersek in a joyful manner, I immidietly would play Pokemon stadium and shortly mario tennis and kirby crystal shards, I was already addicted, or thought I was until a specific grown up gave me the game that would enchance all gaming aspects of my life.
As soon as I plugged it in and saw the title video I was already mesmerized, a enchancing melody as the title begins to solidify over an open and yet dark wall-limited field with such simple and yet magical shadings, it is few moments before dawn and a humble yet dashing looking hero gallops over a outburn colored horse alone as a pale, big and foggy moon lowers smoothly from behind, as the song reaches its' peak the green young man appears resting with his horse beside a gushing river, still sitted, as the animal lowers his long neck in a harmoniuos manner, the horse reacts as it introduces to a new session of galloping over the plains and the camera man, best at his best, taks his focus away from the living beings the peaceful world to a specific wood entrance that as the song went on we'd clearly see a dark and big entrance... And later...


I still recall my thoughts at that time; "Are all games like this?" naive girl I was, and I can remmember how very careful and diligent I was with the main menu screen, sometimes just staring the blue shades and listening to the fairy fountain theme, it was That Good.
I mean, I still know how to play the title theme in piano and still find it nostalgic as hell.
So, skipping the general wonders I was experimenting for the first time, let's get to the points I commonly review in a game, in this case mixing both first impressions and general overviews.
The beginning was for me effective in its' own methods, well, inclined to the side of 'what the hell am I supposed to do?', they narrate about this specific sobbing little boy/link and then show a few minutes intro about a dream and the fairy navy make her through the very organized and wonderful forest village to your well build tree house.
Something you'll immidietly say about Link is, "did he shrink?" answer is no, it's the kid link of 10-12 years, the other thing you'll be saying is; "oh, he doesn't talk" and end later on saying a;"Yes! He doesn't talk!" happily.
If you were a normal first timer in the zelda world or gaming you'll spend 1 hour dazzled, exploring and lost. This game was after all the 64 bit finest creation at that time. Just look at all the shiny and magical things floating around, you can confidently say they are rhytmical moving pollen or assure they are lost spirits and it all made sense.
I say that the gradient used, especially in kokiri forest, are something I still remmember and recognize as great achievements, they sure pulled it through.

Something I most like about this game is the character interaction/relation part, I'm not saying Link is in a dating Sim or any of those, in fact, it's the storyline that leaves you no other choice than to play on as other characters get fond of you, it is Not an rpg as many who haven't played it would have thought it to be.
In the beginning they give you the simple Saria as bff, she'd be very nice to you and all those things that would make you think she is very loyal and worried about Link, not to mention she hell feels like having 50 more years than all the kokiris' put together. Anyway, you'll get a cranky and jelous rival called Mido that wouldn't just let you see the huge talking tree and other kokiri fellowsmen that will teach you different stuff just by looking at them, it's a fun place.
The Great Deku tree will make you feel so damn important, not only because he lets you exterminate the parasite thing in his huge body but becasue he gives you such a pretty green stone that you know you'll have to collect other red and blue ones, after he dies in a rather...realistical way (?) link runs from him.
Having done your stuff in the forest it is time to depart, and, while running through the wooden hanging bridge that would connect your tiny world to the real bussiness, the camera turns to face you and Saria suddenly appears from behind supporting herself by the bridges' side ropes, saying "Oh, you're leaving..." that would make Link stop instantly with shocked eyes. Damn this part always gets me. They make the whole kokiri peter pan world look so adultish when she continues on speaking like 'friends forever' and such, not to mention that she knew link was not a kokiri (in a subtle way), it all simply covered her in a more mysteriuos veil. The Wow part is when she gives you an ocarina and after instructiones of how to play it she goes on her short and yet intense way of saying she'll miss him. Something that you would have guessed by now, this link, as expressionless as he is apart from the O.O faces, what they did great about him in this game is that he shows most of touching feelings with actions, in this particular cutscene, he steps back few times and then turns and rushes to the big world leaving Saria behind.

Character relationships in this game were to a point, fustrating, you always wanted more development in them (at least me and all those fanfictions) and it all fell upon on how short and sweet the producers did it. Link being extremly simple, speechless and straightfoward on his expressions and actions (cutscenes) will give him the advantage to interact with everybody imaginable, you'll get a bff, a ranch singing girl aquaintance, a warm and brute goron brother that in the beginning you'd have to learn saria's song (literary) to make him dance and have a good mood, a hormonal zora species princess, and so on.
What this game had and others didn't was that you actually form a relation with zelda before saving her, far behind when you meet her (with effort) as a kid, furthermore, you get to see the evil ganondorf that bows with the so obviuos air of 'my plan is working' through the super convenient window that zelda has been staring all the time. "A kid you say? What does that supposed to mean?" I answer saying 'look at the title and zoom into ocarina of Time'. From this last said, a factor you'll always be willing to see later on is the past characters you somehow formed a relation with. There is much more characters I would like to share but you get the idea.


This general character relationship is something that, in my solid opinion, other zelda games lacked, even if they stuck to the idea of having a solid storyline with the character interaction determinied as Ocarina of time, they weren't that good, three point to this is that either;
1) There wasn't much character interaction in the first place
2) They didn't posses the 'time' factor that connects you in a more deep manner your relations with them
3) The sub title involves greatly, and I mean really much, to what's relevant
4) The characters whom interact with Link are just out of the perimeter of interest;
Carrying on...
A extremly identity giver about this game is with no doubt the sub title Ocarina of time, as mentioned before, everything about the plot will deal greatly upon this little and yet nostalgic instrument. It's compact sized, plot-related, symbolical, atmosphere-giving and song recorder of all important pieces, who doesn't like music, especially if we're speaking of the melodies in this game? This point is what many zeldas, even the latest for the wii, is lacking a symbolical and powerful piece that, without being a drag, would be remmembered as something that upholds good memories, yes indeed.

I could happily go on forever about all the relevant places ('town' like) you'll have to go to, every single one of them was never extra; The market town of kyrule possesed this clean medieval atmosphere with 'omg so many and tall people' compared to kokiri forest, the castle itself that stands so very prideful, Death Mountain with its' rather threatning name and it turned out to be home to the friendly goron species, Zora's Domain with the song that, when entering for the first time, you really feel like you discovered a magical heaven, Lost Woods, well, it's the damn lost woods with saria's song and the mystery of skullkids (not to mention it connects to my favourite temple), Gerudo Valley with the kick ass guitar and spanish/dessert ish flavour and the big cayon just being the entrance to what lies beyond, Hylia lake where I wouldn't dare swim at night time, kakariko village with the odd people, the latest (at that time) version of the song and not to mention a extremly quiet graveyard on the back, Lon lon ranch being so big and having your horse, you'll even get to be in a dessert with many wind that connects you to one of the most awesome parts of the game... I'll leave it to that.

Not only the town-like places were memorable but the temples as well, more than dungeons in my case.
We are now heading to the spoiler zone so be my guest and you can stop reading (if you have till now) or share with me sweet memories in this category.

I simply loved how they connected the beginning time with the life 7 years later. Before anything else, I would like to direct my attention to the temples. It's not only how much big and fun (...) they were but how to get to them. It makes the importance to every single one of them so heavy and significant when learning their own color song to transport and how you mannaged to get inside of them, not to mention their memorable locations. I would like to refference this part to the very first temple, it just all made connection. Saria being in the highest area of the super secret (and well mantained) Sacred Meadow, playing her distinguished song while being right beside (up high) a enigmatic and curiuos killing entrance. When you first land yourself in the land 7 years later in the temple of time and encounter the tight wisdom talking sheik which I supposed it to be a man, he instanly (after introduction talking) mentiond of your first mission and then about 'the sages', one of them being reffered as '...a dear friend you know that's in a forest-' 'Saria!'.
Oh yes indeed, the sages turning out to be people you interacted with their own comedy and general sentiment involving back then turn out to be so much more important to the plot, what a turn on.

That 7 years later fact already given the spotlight, something you would never forget is the contrast of both times;

This is seriuos bussiness.

Oh yes indeed, you'll get to see your characters 7 years later, for the best or worst...

Just kidding, it's always for the best even if this particular (and realistical) Link doesn't agree.

Describing my feelings every single cutscene is gonna take forever so let's skip most of them.

In the technical part, most of the temples give you a good general outlook of the key, doors and rooms system, not missing the fact that you have to be very much sharp in the enviorment. All of them possesed a very unique feature and it all made sense to the element it's associated with.
The forest temple would look like a totally infested abandoned castle or temple with vines and greens cracking randomly, the fire temple with, well, the feature of being the core of Death Mountain, the shadow temple with the most scary surroundings, dark music (which I dare you to hear it) and enemies that would make resident evil look young and babyish, and lastly the spirit temple that will be the dark insides of a egyptian/arabic desserted monument. It's all decently made and beat-able, all but one that is, I don't even have to name it. The map in the beginning is simply useless until you explore everything you can, honestly, from all the times I beated the game I never looked into this damn map.
Though this temple was a pain the mini boss was sure a treat to all what you mannaged to travel, the room and the mini boss itself, it was awesome.
This temple is probably the one I most remmember because of the complexity, they sure went all out when thinking about the element water; "Water is... blue, mystical, mysteriuos and naturally shapeless," and hell they did the natural feature of it right. I seriuosly am in the doubt to either congratulate them or do the total opposite which is ranting.
Continueing the idea of temples, the bosses of every single one of them are simply awesome, some making a instant connection to the plot, I found them not the least dissapointing.

Apart from temple atmosphere and as long before mentioned the town-like places, something that I definately want to recall is the general fairy dimensions, so well mantained and magical.

The water really did scream pure, it either invited you to step those dirty traveling shoes into it and finish all the lives of the pink fairys going on about even if having full health just for the sake of because, or, in my case, felt sorry for doing any of those.

There is another space of fairy recovery that gives you different things, the one giving it to you called 'the great fairy', surely you would imagine the most beautiful zelda creature ever created, the place that it takes place in is yet more sophisticated that the usual fairy fountain, you have to play zelda's theme for her to appear and she is called the Great Fairy for something... Follow the story
After playing the royal family song on the royal family crest...

This is a parody of course, now, imagine this without the pink stars....it really isn't any better.

In the fighting zone your character has a full freedom movement, it's as you want it. The Z targeting system was a definately good add to the game in the console though I have to say, it was way easier than I thought it would be in the first time I played it.
I'd generally say this part of the game was suffice and well achieved, the Z targetting made it all so much easier and was always just an option to use it.
The weapons aquired are decent, not superb or anything grandiuos but just fine. The items, apart from empty bottles, were really none flashy or anything too noticeable, I wouldn't call it lame because they did at some point have an influence but well, they are just... simple.

Apart from the boss fights, the general enemy design is well done, some of them much more memorable than others... this is the childhood trauma;

What can it possibly do? Play the game and figure.
It's so simple and yet so scary, the great combo of noise making (damn the noises...) and physical attribuits are something I give a bonus about this area, it's those kind of monsters that you really wouldn't like to be beside with, not because of their tooo innocent demeanor or anything physical fooling, but how they very much look.

In conclusion, Ocarina of time is a must in the 64 series, it's in my opinion the best zelda even though in this review I haven't compared it much with others. I'm actually really glad to have it as one of my earliest titles into the gaming zone and in all the picturesc things in general, honestly, I think this was one of the things that inspired me to draw, not professionally near but you get the idea. Mostly everything about this game is easy to remmember and I know quite why, apart that it was my first zelda, the general and subtle myseteries and the world it is placed in is simply beautiful.
So yes, a big round of applause to Ocarina of time and me finally finishing the this post.

The Hogwarts Sorting Hat(s)....

Due to fun time I just wanted to share my results in this matter, of course, those from what I consider none shabby quizzes.

Timidity.org

Get Sorted By The Hogwarts Sorting Hat!

This supposedly proffesional site with 100 something things to number 1 to 9;

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

<Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Hexrpg/Hogwarts Extreme after singing up and sending a big write-on detailed letter about myself (likes, dislikes, life, etc);

In conclusion, everything that had to do with option selection pointed to ravenclaw and my very words about myself towards slytherin, huzzah.

Milans' long lost parents...

I wanted to intruduce you the pro-generators of Milan that, due to forbidden love and male pregnancy, he was born.


We present the fathers:







And so Milan was born.

Code Geass fist and second season (in short)

The guy whoms' name caught the attention of those looking for uniqueness, "Lu-something", passionate poses with montioned hands and body, a smirk or some eye-catching cocky or frustrated melo-drama expressions across his face, making fanarts crawl beneath his dark dramatic cape looking as dull as kindergarden scraps... oh and that yelling fan service generic endless fosforent green hair... Indeed, I watched Code Geass and liked it so I wanted to do a short rant about the series and as well a conclusion to it.

Code Geass was for me a 'finally something fun anime to watch after Death Note' (Leaving Ouran Highschool Host Club that is/coming soon), of course, you can't really compare both series, while one is colorful, action packed and just entertaining to watch Death note was simply epic in the way how it concluded all the twists and turns of the series, and seriuos toned. It's a must in my list, but well, Death note ranting comes way later. There's people out there that compare these series with each other, fine by me as long as they don't compare the moods and general atmosphere, which is too diferent to compare.
Code Geass was an anime I enjoyed seeing, sure, the beginning will sound a but in the generic side but later on they make it fun. Why is it that enjoyable? The series give you a decent plot and turn of events, a likeable character with development (not to mention a great model for avatars and wallpapers), none annoying and tiring machina cover, and lastly the art which is something you'll at times find it cool and mostly in the beginning deformed (not used too), never did bother me so much though and I actually find this a good job from Clamp (oohhh the poses/this is gonna be a fun point, keep on reading).
Lelouch is the character I was talking about earlier if you ever doubted, the main character and lead of the series, he has a rather generic build and general features but I guess that seeing him among his own (in the series) he gets his 'uniqueness'. You'll get a extremly repetitive generic past, it's not something I'm willing much bashing because it's simply not worth it, I even get the feeling the anime at times try to ignore some past stuff just for the sake of fun and actions, besides, you can deal quite a sum ignoring the clicheé past things easily, in other words, it won't pester you and annoy you till it makes you stop watching it, at least not not till they talk about REVENGE BAAWWWW(at least for me), it was always on the run so those things are really just points that are added and not much missed. By the way, the BAAWWWW of revenge isn't soo baawwish.
Another factor at this character likeness was, apart from being a pretty pretty beautiful ilustration model, the very fact that anime shows his life as this super kick ass masked general while having a 'ordinary' life in school, why 'ordinary', well, he is the Rebellius Lelouch of the Rebellion, at some point this actually intertwines creating new twists and critical points even in Lelouchs' bath (just kidding), in his ordinary lifestyle as a refugee student, so yeah, feeling identified with Luli is gonna be one of the strong points in appeal. Before I start with the characters I'd like to continue to the story and setting.
I will try not to spoil for the sake of those who haven't seen it so here goes a general sum up in the different areas.

The setting was for me one of those things I liked as I kept on seeing it, I repeat myself, the beginning would sound a bit too clicheéd but it actually turns fun and not so repetitive, this is due to the quick pace turn of events that seriuosly many anime out there are lacking.
So rest assured, the plot will never stop, it will always unfold and for my taste develops pretty decent to the extent of liking it and watching it with interest. I guess this point is one of those things that make many compare Code Geass and Death Note though seriuosly, it's too diferent to compare. As a quick intro, you get that Japan is beneath the empire of Britain-I mean Britannia and well, they are treated like losers so some grow to the rebellion side while others stay away from the plot clutches and participate as the screen figurines of abuse and story telling-sum ups. You get the japan world with people who really are no different from each other (between the two main sides in this (japan/britanian), they don't have slanted eyes nor anything that tell them apart, everybody with crazy hair, some less than others, and well, I guess it all resides in when they mention about it, oh well, Code Geass really didn't give heck in this aspect and such 'detail'/aspect didn't cause me pain whatsoever.
So yeah, the setting can sound really lame but it's actually kinda fun. The summitment to this huge Empire which will cause later rebellion and decent development in this area.

Leaving aside the eye thing/geass, the story and how the plotline develops is what most kept me seeing it, I already did a sum up before so you get the idea, decent plot twists and fun turn of events where you can actually see some 3d ness in the actions and characters, especially their reations and general atitudes to given circumstances, you might think this sounds extremly vague but I just can't tell much of spoilers so just stick to that vague idea, the plot, how it turns and the character mannerism are fun to watch.
Of course, the strongest point about the plot is, as Death note (just the idea), how Lelouch keeps on rising and rising the bar of consequences, I still remmember my little brother watching the series and everytime he'd finish a episode he'd say 'this is turning so more messed up'. That's all I'll leave saying from this element.
There's this obviuos not constantly annoying 'simbolism' that is between chess (The dark king meeehh...) and other stuff, but well, it's just all plain to see, I just wanted to add this because it kinda does go on.
Suming up this series (the first) is this:


About the characters, well, don't expect uniqueness and differentation between this series with others, I have to say though, it IS clamp and for what it has done it's not shabby nor bad at all, some expressions and scenes are really well done.
Apart from Lelouch, we have the fan-service n°1 before Kallen called C.C, pronounced C-2, something from her I totally guarantee is that the first impressions on her modeling and posing in great part of the art you'll get on google are not really much of her personality in the series, sure, she does 'care' of lelouch in some way but, seriuosly, all the art I was looking for this rant appeared the most generic of damsel-in-distress character with overflowing green hair, sure, it adds a 'drama' to the poster and all but really, she isn't what you expect and I'll just leave it to that, it just felt neccesary to say.
This series is appealing to boys and girls in the character area, girls because, well, just look at the clean colors and super outfits, and boys is ocassionaly mainly because of the fan service area, I'm not talking about the innocent fan service I talked about in the 07-ghost thing (apart from the yaoi refferences), it rounds up in this:

I have actually nothing agaisnt it and I know I'm just stating the obviuos but I felt like saying that one of the big characteristics of the female characters are their well done body, too well done.
So yes, you'll get fun characters to look at and it's all thanks to the art, aren't you happy boys.
Apart from the fan service we have, the never missing, shaoran (or however you write it) or Syoran of the series, yes, and this time he's not called syaoran nor is paired up with another brown-ette called sakura, he drives a hell patlabour in the name of justice, ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you Syoran in his latest evolutions:

Oh yeah and he's extremly japanese, anyway, he is japanese and this factor kinda is shown as a downfall on his world boo hoo, oh well.
I repeat myself, this japanese/britannia physical equality is not really bothering.
It's a fair gama of character variation and you'll get, as animeish as you can get, a rather satisfactory variety of characters, from nerdy, motherly, innocentish, teenage, dominatrix lookings.

About the art, well, as you could have seen from before it's really clean, when I was watching it I couldn't cease to think that nowadays the hunger of espectators go to the vector arts looking, I have nothing agaisnt, I like it too.
You'll get the big eyes, not annoying just big (I guess it's because the not so much use of dazzling ad gliterring white dots in the eye). All the characters looked as if:
1) Did a ritual in order to always stay as a stick build (mostly guys), cough cough-clamp.
2) All the girls in the backscene take some kinda of drug that make their physical extremly fan service-ish.
As said before, you get used to the art at some point, at least me, I guess it's because they aren't as bland as what many of us understand from their looks.
What I especially liked was the general fluent and smooth way of going with the actions in the scenes and art in general, well achieved for being such an anime.
As mentioned before, the expressions done by the characters go towards the genuine side and well, I would love to put some examples but I'm afraid it'll lead to spoilers, excluiding of course our dear model lulu;
Ok fine, the 'crazy' factor here is due to the crazy grin going over board on his left side.
Something that sooner or later you'd ask if you haven't seen the series yet is if Lelouch is crazy or just does it for fashion, I respond in the following manner; see the series and you'll understand, it's much more fun really to see it yourself than reading it in some rant.
Though, I have to say before you get dissapointed, it's more inclined to the fashion sense and camera capture just before they yell 'CUT. Excellent lulu, as always'.


For a sum up and conclusion I leave saying that this series is simply fun to watch, there are many factors on whom you can perfectly bash about for a whole year but it's just not worth it because the animes' charm really resides on the plot. So yeah, for those who haven't seen it I recommend them the series, it's not those to think hard or anything evangelion ish, it's just action packed and direct to the point, factors I like.
The reason why I didn't refer much to the sequel, Code Geass R2, was because, well, the first Code geass is enough for you to understand what goes about, maybe I'll do it in a near future, when I feel it's right.

In the following spaces I wish to show the general view of the series side art or general artwork for you to understand the liking to the series because of the posers and the frustation of those fanartists that have to deal with the great gama of stuff the artwork offers, it's clamp dear ones how can you possible expect to win them over character fanart-pimping-ism?
Be my guest: