Body Balance

Why are so many people counting calories these days?.. Isn't it easier to listen to your own body and make alterations to your lifestyle depending on what it tells you? Even concerning vitamins and minerals, there are special logbooks to calculate how much you are consuming. Quite simply, those are a rip-off, because the answer is always the same - not enough. Unless you eat carrots for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, your body will always need more vitamin A simply because it is impossible to keep consuming a sufficient amount at all times. Your body naturally craves the foods that will keep you alive and healthy; and yes, sugars and fats are also essential. The part most people find difficult is finding balance between consumption and cravings. If you would kill for a piece of chocolate right about now, just eat it. Your body will tell you when it's enough, whether it's after the first square or after four. Trust it, it will take care of you.

 

What I am listening to: Something I Need (OneRepublic)

What I am thinking of: how scared people are of trying new things

What I should be doing: catching up on homework

What I want to do: work on my Italy Journal

Sound of Life

Mi piace

"Partir c'est mourir un peu."

 

To leave is to die a little.

 

 

My experience in Italy taught me that life is too precious to spend it being someone else. That loving yourself, as you are, is the only way to be truly happy. Constantly trying to be like another person just makes you upset and stressed, because you will never achieve that goal - not because you don't try hard enough or imitate them in the wrong ways, but because it is simply impossible to be someone other than yourself. You were created the way you were, unique and wonderful. Why would you want to waste that?

This is not to say that improvement is forbidden. We all have bad habits - not eating properly, not exercising enough, spending too much time on the computer and not enough with friends.. Those have to go. Changing the bad aspects of yourself does not mean becoming someone else, but upgrading to a better version.

Recently, some pretty amazing individuals walked into my life, and I understood what is really important in life. It isn't grades or money or even love. It's happiness. So simple when you think about it, yet many people completely miss it. Of course, good grades, enough money, and love play an important part in the hapiness of a person, but they should not constantly come before friends, trips, and hobbies. Millionaires and billioaires have tons of money to spare, but not a single true friend. Saying "I'm sorry, I can't go out, I have to study" all the time does not earn you any friends. In the end, everyone dies. And when we do, we will think of our friends and our family and the joy of life, not the amount of money we made or the time we spent working.

No man is an island. We all need those special people to support us, critisize us, and laugh with us. Make an effort to finish that homework, be done with studying, and complete the job, because friends can't wait forever.

Ciao

In less than 17 hours, I'll be above the clouds, on my way to one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It still hasn't fully sunk in that I'm going to Italy. I can't believe it.

Otaku! Soul Eater

Finally finished all 51 episodes of Soul Eater! Not to say I didn't enjoy it, it was a rather good show. There were certain drawbacks and some aspects that did not quite reach my standard, but I give it a decent 7.75/10 (just because I feel 7 is too low and 8 is pushing it). To me, it rests happily beside Pandora Hearts in ranking, far below the all-around winners, Code Geass and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, both perfect 10s.

Before I start the review, I'd like to point out that it took me 6 months to finish this series. I lazily stretched out the first 10 or so episodes over a couple of months, then took a break (which lasted for 3 months) and picked it up again where I left off. Due to this, I forgot some of the key points presented in the first few episodes, which were crucial to the development of the characters as well as the plot line. As a result, my overall view of the anime was negatively impacted, and I regretted having to lower the potentially high rating because of my own error. So really, Soul Eater is better than I see it to be, if watched in one chunk!

 

Plot Development

The storyline was alright, quite simple in layout, and easy to follow. There were not many dramatic twists and turns, and it was relatively predictable, which was a slight disappointment. Another drawback was that the entire story seemed to build up to the final battle, and other conflicts throughout the story were not given enough emphasis. The ending was abrupt and left a feeling of slight dissatisfaction.

On a brighter note, many paths were taken by the writer to explore the general ideas of power, fear, and bravery, so these aspects were underlined fairly often in diverse situations.

 

Evoluiton of Character

The anime focused on 4-5 main groups of characters, presenting a holistic view of the entire situation; but none of them were explored at length. Because of this, I was not allowed time to understand each individual player as much as I wanted to, as the creators barely scratched the surface of everyone's inner selves. The viewer was not let into the characters' past, and so couldn't see them grow throughout the series.

Nearly all the characters were likable in their own way, and were entertaining to watch. The villians were underdeveloped, which provided for an almost entirely black-and-white aspect of the conflict. We have all been told that all people are a little good and a little evil, but Soul Eater's villains did not have a shred of the "good" quality, making them two-dimensional characters.

To say that the characters were original would be a joke, but for every un-original, there was a quirky one to keep the balance. The chemistry between characters was unusual, from hate you/love you rivalry to creepy sexual tension.

Fun Factor

This was the make-or-break for this anime, and I'm glad to say it made it. There were some utterly hilarious scenes and a few humorous fillers. Despite the seriousness of many situations, there were often sprinkles of fun, which made the show highly enjoyable to watch. In addition to being able to make me laugh, it also tugged on my emotions, and was engaging.

Animation and Sound

The animation looks like something ripped right out of a Tim Burton movie. The unnatural angles, dark colour palette, and odd scenery fit perfectly with the horror themed series. As far as animation goes, there were certain issues with the sometimes overly-dramatic angles which meant a few instances with still-frame posing, where the action was just not fluid enough.

Physical character design kept close to the theme, with each main protagonist embodying the three staples of goth style: Maka and her plaid skirt, dark greatcoat, and tie; BlackStar with his zippers and steel-toed shoes; and Death the Kid in a plain black suit.

Maintaining contact with the gothic visuals, the soundtrack largely consisted of rock pieces. Where pianos and strings would normally take place, guitars fit the mood to a "T". Voice animations were nothing extraordinary, although some supporting characters brought texture and humor to the otherwise simple lines.

 

I feel like I've picked the anime apart completely... Overall, I thought it was a quite well-developed action show, with a real sense of urgency and contagious eeriness. Although it borrows heavily from other works, its execution creates a unique and entertaining series.

That awkward moment when...

...you're waiting for your order in a sushi house and can name all the K-pop songs playing.

A Year in Quotations: 45/365

Stay...

JapanBlog

I want to travel to Japan.

 

Visit Zenkoji Temple, sit under the cherry blossoms, celebrate the festivals of Funatama and Bon, walk through the busy streets of Tokyo, enjoy ancient traditions in Gion, poke the wild deer in Nara park, eat authentic okonomiyaki, look upon the numerous o-torii, pay my respects at Peace Memorial Park, see the famous bronze Hachiko statue, observe the lifestyles of samurai during the Edo period, shop at the Akihabara Electric Town, soak in Japan's oldest spa, and experience the wonder of Chirimen Craft Museum. Of course, not to mention the shopping, eating, drinking green tea, taking millions of pictures, and gawking at traditional kimonos.

Visit Zenkoji Temple in Nagano City, which is believed to be mandatory to visit in order to go to gokuraku, paradise.
Sit under the beautiful cherry trees in Takato Town, all 1500 in full bloom, and enjoy good food during the hanami, cherry blossom viewing season.
Float in a boat brightly lit by chochin, Japanese rice paper lamps with a candle inside, across Ara River in Saitama on the night of Funatama Festival.
Dance all night in late summer in Gujo during the Bon festival, honoring the long lineage of ancestors.
Push my way past 13 million other people living, visiting, or working in Tokyo within its 23 wards, 26 cities, 5 townships, and 8 villages.
Enjoy the singing and dancing of beautiful geisha in old teahouses and restaurants dating back to the early Edo period in Gion.
Chase and be chased by the 1000 wild deer roaming freely in Nara park, who are protected as divine messengers of the Gods.
Eat delicious okonomiyaki (flour-based pancake containing such ingredients as lettuce, octopus, and fish flakes) in Osaka, Japan's second metropolis.
See Itsukushima Shrine's most symbolic feature, the red o-torii, shrine gate, which is used to express that Gods dwell within the area.
Make a paper crane to place among the thousands of others at the Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima to commemorate the 200,000 people killed by the nuclear bombs during World War II.
Meet the most loyal dog in the world, Hachiko, who waited every day for his owner to return for nine years, and is remembered by a bronze statue of himself outside Shibuya train station.
Glimpse the lifestyles of samurai in Aki City by visiting the samurai houses and gardens open to the public.
Walk along the streets of Akihabara, the world-renowned centre for all things electric, and a major shopping area for electronics, computers, games, and anime and otaku goods.
Rejuvenate myself in the oldest hot springs of Japan in Dogo Hot Springs, Matsuyama City.
Take a trip to the Chirimen Craft Museum in Kyoto and squeal at the adorable mini chirimen toys on display.
Of course, not to mention the shopping, eating, drinking green tea, taking millions of pictures, and gawking at traditional kimonos.

I need to travel to Japan.

The Joy of Cats