Thanks

I don’t know for sure what I’m going to try to do…
I’m afraid this will just turn into a list of apologies or assurances…
when what I’m really trying to say is that this project, NewAnimeThursday, is reaching a close.

Since falling off my routine of regularly writing reviews for anime due to a concussion, I’ve started pondering my reason for continuing. And even though I’d like to say that I’m just too busy to keep writing or that I want to start a new project, it boils down to a lack of energy and drive to continue NewAnimeThursday.

I’m by no means ending my obsession with anime, manga, etc. I still plan on moving to Japan (though now I’m looking more into being an ESL teacher), and I still love being enraptured in current anime, as well as marathoning completed series that people recommend to me. I just have no reason or enthusiasm to write and continue running a full blog. And it’s not like I’m dropping off the face of the anime side of the internet. I’ll still quip on Twitter, and I’m regular on Facebook on the pages You’ve got to be Squidding Me and The League of Emotional Otaku. I’ll also keep reading the blogs on my Google Reader (and probably comment more). And I’m still on Skype (belden.otaku) too if you want to chat.

Whether or not I return to blogging, either on a new NewAnimeThursday or some other blog is uncertain and probably unlikely in the very near future, but who knows. As one project ends, another begins. I’ve gained a lot through NewAnimeThursday, friends I love communicating and discussing with, and I’ve expanded my curiosity and interests far beyond what I had just 2 years ago. Through NAT I’ve “found my voice” in writing, and by that I mean I’ve come to learn that my “voice” is a changing, adaptive quality that’s served me very well, both in blogging and in the real world, where I’m now more well-spoken in classes and able to cut through and understand complex topics with an objective viewpoint.

Though I’d hate to add to feal’s dead blog count, if I were to continue simply to avoid that, I’d be doing it for the wrong reasons. If I were to continue, I’d want to enjoy it like I should and not feel obligated to do so. Not that I do now, I just don’t have the desire to anymore. It’s not necessarily a growing tired of, but more of a growing out of NewAnimeThursday. I’m going to leave the site active (until WordPress decides I’m too inactive or however they kick off pages), and I’ll get an email if anyone comments on an old post, so I’ll be sure to respond.

I’m not sure how to end this, other than to thank anyone who read, followed, and commented. I hope you continue to remain awesome.

- BeldenOtaku

Thanks for reading

Unexcused Absences

I know it’s probably taboo to make posts explaining why you don’t post, but it’s been almost a month since my last review and I felt an explanation is in order. It’s nothing to do with not wanting to review anything this season or even wanting to change my style of blogging. I’m just too mentally exhausted from a heavy load of school work to muster up the endurance for a solid anime review post. I’m regularly working 9-6 everyday trying to catch up and maintain status in drawing, design, Japanese, and International Studies classes.

If you don’t already stalk me on twitter,  you may not be aware that I suffered a concussion about a month or so ago, and had to spend a week in bed. Which means I missed a lot of lab classes. I’m currently two projects behind in Drawing II, and barely managing to maintain my progress in Design II. Fortunately, my Japanese and Int’l Studies are in acceptable orders, but the two lab classes aren’t easy to recover in. And add on top of that advisement for next semester, which is looking to be heavy on mathematics, and less on autistic (fun) stuff.

As much as I want to write (I’m having this nice little love affair with Chuu-whatever…yeah, I can’t spell it), I know that it’s just going to be the tired, brain-dead ramblings of a burnt college student running on caffeine. So, until my school work is back in order, I don’t think you can expect much writing, though I’ll be doing final reviews for whatever I watch without a doubt. So, apologies from this tired otaku as I try to get everything back in order…

AnimeKritik’s Interrogation Room: Uninvited Guest

Even though I wasn’t tagged, I couldn’t resist, AnimeKritik’s questions are just TOO AWESOME not to answer… I’m not starting a new interrogation or reposting the rules, I’m just doing this for fun.

AnimeKritik’s questions:

1. DREAM: You go to the bathroom and hear the sound of water.  You open the door and to your utter amazement __________ is using your shower and smiling at you.  [Fill in the blank with an anime character of your choice]

2. NIGHTMARE: You go to the bathroom and hear the sound of water.  You open the door and to your utter amazement __________ is using your shower and smiling at you.  [Fill in the blank with an anime character of your choice]

3. Why do anime characters have such big eyes?

It has something to do with purple, which girls can’t do…

4. What anime series, if mentioned in a conversation as “a good show” or “a fun show” or “actually OK” or “not that bad”, will most likely make you throw up because of the horrible taste the person speaking evidently has?

Bleach, Naruto, One Piece (sometimes)…

5. Does watching anime in the nude enhance your viewing experience in any way?  How so?  Explain in detail and/or with pictures.

 

Okay, I’m done…unless the remaining victims of my own interrogation complete their torture, in which I’ll answer my own interrogation.

The Anime Blogger Interrogation Game Olympics Championship

Also known as just “Anime Blogger Interrogation Game”… I was tagged by Chikorita157 to answer some questions, then post my own, tagging other bloggers in similar fashion. Other than being a convenient filler (too tired and lazy to write about anime), it seems like fun. So I’ll cut to the good stuff:

• Each person is supposed to follow the rule of fives.You are allowed to ask 5 questions, after which you can tag up to 5 bloggers by hyper-linking to their blog; 5 questions because it’s not too many to flood another blogger and occupy too much of his/her time, but yet a large enough number to ask your most important questions, and 5 bloggers to avoid spamming. Hence, prioritize your questions, and who you wish to ask!
• Those tagged are obliged to answer the questions in a blog post, and after which, they are entitled to create their own 5 questions and tag 5 other bloggers, so on and so fourth. You are allowed to tag the person that tagged you in the first place. Also, copy and paste this section on your blog so others can understand how the game goes.
• In the case where a blogger strongly refuses to answer a question, he/she must instead post a nice anime image, wallpaper or cosplay picture, et cetera in response to that question.
• To make things interesting, a blogger can include wildcards in his/her 5 questions by placing an asterisk, (*), after which those tagged are obliged to reveal something interesting about themselves that others did not previously know. There is no limit to the number of asterisks one can place (which means there can be up to 5 wildcard questions).
• Anyone can feel free to start the game; you don’t necessarily need someone to tag you. Just create your 5 questions and tag your 5 people of choice. However, the catch is that you must answer your own 5 questions as well.
• To potentially prevent an endless game, this round of games will end on the 8th September 2012, 12pm JST (GMT +9). After which, no more bloggers can tag others to answer their questions.

Chikorita’s Questions:
1. Which anime from 2011 did you enjoy most?
A Channel…I don’t need no reason to enjoy (love) A Channel…but here’s a few.

2. Do you play video games? If so, what kinds of games do you play? Also, what consoles do you own?
I do play the video games. I mostly play Pokemon, but I also dabble in a varying degree of games. I’ve wasted more time than I care to admit playing Skyrim (without actually accomplishing anything), and I got tired of FPS multiplayer pretty quick. I still play with my friend (owns a PS3), but I have no interest in playing online with anyone else. I don’t have many games because my budgetary status won’t allow for them, but I do own a DSlite and a busted DS (to use for trading and migrating pokemon). I’m hoping to get a 3DS soon to play Black 2.

3. Do you currently study the Japanese language? If so, what method did you take? If not, why?
はい、わたしは日本語をべんきょうします。
I’m learning in school with a native-speaking teacher (one of my scariest/favoritest teachers). I just started Japanese III and will be soon studying kanji. I’m also the Vice President of my school’s Japanese club.

4. Who are your favorite Japanese singers/composers?
I have awful tastes when it comes to music, and my preferences don’t usually fall along artist or composer lines. But, I guess Aoi Yuki is really the only Japanese singer I consistently enjoy. My favorite song being either “Sugar Loop” or “Tokei Kanransha” (don’t make me choose). But I’ve also got some Supercell as well as various anime singles (even though it goes without saying).

5. How do you taste test a show?
It’s kinda weird how I gauge to watch a show or not. If I see good things, like in Nichijou’s case, I’ll try it. Nichijou massively surpassed my expectations from the few Youtube clipes I’d seen, and I regret not seeing the whole thing sooner. But there’s also a thing where if I think it’s overhyped, like Sword Art Online, I don’t want to try it. I feel like I can’t get a real opinion of it and I’ll only see “its awsume!!1!!”, and don’t want to touch it.

Now that you know just how horrible of a person I am now, I’ll hit up my questions for 5 “new” victims of the Interrogation.
1. Do you consider any single series unwatchable?
2. Is there a single series that spring-boarded you, per se, into a wider obsession with anime?
3. Name an anime/manga character (from any series) that most closely matches you in appearance (or in personality, if you want).
4. When you read other bloggers’ posts about a series you are also watching, if they post about an episode you have yet to see, do you read it, or do you avoid it until you’ve written your own post about it?
5. If you could be present at any point on the Earth, at any point in time, when and where would you go? Explain.

And the victims are:
Marthaurion @ Marth’s Anime Blog
Tsurugiarashix @ KaminariAnime
Animekritik @ Kritik der Animationskraft 
Feal87 @ EmptyBlue 
Chikorita157 @ Chikorita157′s Anime Blog (returning the tag)

And for added fun, if all 5 of these victims fulfill the Interrogation, I’ll answer my own questions as well.