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Archives for October 2009

Blog Updates – Blog Hits 4,000 Visitors

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I'm not cosplaying!
I'm not cosplaying!

As I thought, the whole month of October went by so fast and I hope you had a enjoyable Halloween, although I don’t take part in it since it’s childish in my opinion. However, it have been nearly a month since we ditched Google Analytics since it’s so inaccurate since there are some extensions like Noscript which blocks all Javascript, which means Google does not keep track of those visitors who have javascript disabled… and also iPhones and iPod touches and I have decided to switch over to StatPress Reloaded which is 10x better than Google Analytics… Google Analytics can die in a grave…

This month alone, this blog generated 22181 pageviews and 4013 visitors.. which isn’t bad at all… and hope that it will grow as time goes on when I keep updating the blog.

Another update I want to mention is that MAL Client OS X 0.3.2 Beta is now out. This features better melative updating support, melative updating when adding new titles, some improvements over catching invalid updates (like having a status of completed when the title is still airing) and more secure password storing, meaning the password is encrypted. If you haven’t already and have a Mac, Download the Client or if you have it already, just use the “Check for Updates” function to get the update automatically.

I know there is another MAL Client called iMAL, but it’s very buggy and have alot of memory leaks. Also, the interface is a bit messy and most wouldn’t care about automatic scrobbling anyways, unless you are lazy. MAL Client OS X is already making life easier since you don’t need to go to MyAnimeList and update it from there. In addition, MAL Client OS X makes it easier to update both MAL and melative, so I don’t see the point of iMAL really. If you don’t already have a melative account, go get one… NOW!

Next month is coming around the corner, so mid-season reports will be coming soon for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purity and Kobato… so far so good. Also, one last thing… Make sure you turn back the clocks one hour at 2 AM tomorrow since time changes to standard time.

Update: For Windows users, I have released a trimmed down version called MAL Lite. This release will not be supported and contains updating feature and melative updating. I won’t be supporting this release since I do not use Windows that much anymore besides from games. If you are interested, download  a copy (2 MB, includes source code).

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Kobato – Episode 4 Impressions

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Let's play hide and go seek!
Let's play hide and go seek!

While looking at this, I read on AnimeSuki that there are cameos from the Shoujo manga, Wish, another one of CLAMP’s works, which isn’t that long (4 volumes and 24 chapters)… Kohaku seems rather sweet… though.

Basically the story goes like this… Kobato discovers Kohaku while she was tearing while looking at the trees and reveals that she is from the heavens. Being bothered by it, Kobato follows Kohaku with another man named Shuichiro that she seems to love, but couldn’t go on a date since he is working most of the time. Kohaku reveals that after Kobato gets soaked at the mansion while she was performing some kind of spell. Kobato tries to get amusement park tickets and failed… but eventually gets them from Fujimoto which Kobato crashes into him, and she help delivers news papers in return. At first, Kohaku doesn’t accept the tickets, but Shuichiro comes and accepts them and they go on a date in the amusement park. Meanwhile, the rabbit messenger gives a message to Ioryogi that Kobato must fill the bottle within the 4 seasons, meaning one year. After hearing that message, they are back at the apartment and the bottle did not fill and stay the same since Kohaku’s heart did not need to be healed which got Ioryogi upset and giving Kobato a -100.

Have to say that the episode is done pretty well, although it’s a filler and just fanservice for the CLAMP fans (no, it’s not panty shots… sorry, but you won’t find them here). Although I never heard of Wish before, I still enjoyed it even though I have no knowledge of it… I also find the episode pretty funny as well and we finally figured out what is the rabbit that shown in the middle of the episode is.

So far, I think they are doing a good job with Kobato so far… but then again, it will continue on into Winter, but we see when we get to the 12th episode to finally figure out how the season is going… so for now, we wait… until she fills the bottle.

Rating

8.9/10

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MAL Client OS X 0.3 Goes Beta

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mybottle
It have been nearly 2 weeks since I started this project and made alot of progress. Now after I cleaned up the source code after adding some new features, I felt that now MAL Client OS X is ready for Beta since I haven’t experienced any severe bugs with it.

MAL Client OS X now contains a killer feature, Melative updating. If you don’t know what is Melative, it’s Entertainment combined with Twitter, allowing you to microblog your thoughts while you are watching something.

MAL Client OS X have basic Melative updating support, which will automatically post your status on the stream and library on that particular series. There are some titles that are on MAL and not on Melative, but they are pretty quick in adding new information on that title.

After updating, you will see this on your stream, for example:

SafariThe update will be from MAL Client OS X, indicating that the program made that update automatically. To enable this feature, type your Melative Username and Password under Preferences > Misc and it will create a token (Melative Usernames and Passwords are not saved, but stored in the token which is encrypted). Check Enable Melative Updates and the program will post the updates when you update MyAnimeList status. Note that this feature isn’t perfected yet since the Melative API documentation is incomplete at the moment, but I hope that I will make it so that comments can also be posted with the status update on Melative pretty soon.

Now MAL Client OS X truly pwns iMAL and MALUpdater now!

Other fixes includes:
– Login now uses HTTP code (200 will be success) instead of a total hackjob I did. Now it should spit out the error message if somethings wrong with the connection.
– Fixed the Remove Series Button on the Anime Lookup window. It should only show up when the series is on your list
– List is now sorted depending on your status on your Anime Series
– Source Code cleanup

Now this being at Beta stage, I highly suggest that you give your feedback so I can improve the program and also report bugs you may see in the program along with your configuration at the MAL Client OS X Club. Now with MAL Client OS X, you can take control of your MAL List and not let it take control of you!

Download MAL Client OS X 0.3 (6.3 MB, DMG)
If you have it installed, use the “Check for Updates” on the MAL Client OSX Menu to install the new update automatically.

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Second Season – Episode 4

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The ending was so sweet, but the fanservice HAD to ruin it...
The ending was so sweet, but the fanservice HAD to ruin it...

As usual, the Yuuto and Haruka relationship is so sweet that it tastes like diabetes… at the same time, Diomedea seems to love shoving fanservice in our face after they had a field day with the last episode… and distracted the tone in this episode… but still good if you ignore all the fanservice crap that is going around…
…

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Kobato – Episode 2 and 3 Impressions

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kobato-ep2-scr1
Kobato seems to be the bedrock of moe…. Perhaps because Kobato is so moe and also a genki girl… But what some may find is that Kobato still does stupid things like Yui does in K-ON! which may turn people off with this series, but the stupidity isn’t as bad in Kobato than in K-ON! where you have two characters doing stupid things (not as it was a bad thing).

In Episode 2, Kobato starts to work at a nursery and heals a heart of a young boy whose mother is working hard and picks him up from the nursery late and Kobato praises his mother and they played afterwards. Episode 3, when Kobato gets her umbrella back, Mutsumi sees Katsuragi walk with another girl and Mutsumi gets upset and becomes depressed. Kobato asks Katsuragi to walk with Mutsumi and share a umbrella together and Mutsumi comes once she heard what Kobato is doing. Katsuragi reveals that he was walking a girl home since she didn’t have an umbrella and he had no relationship with that girl. Then, it started to rain and Kobato have them borrow her umbrella, thus healing another heart.

They gave me sheets!
They gave me sheets!

Surprisingly, what I did notice is that they did a cameo with the two android twins, identical from the ones in Chobits, another series by CLAMP… They sure love their crossovers.

Overall, I think these two episodes were pretty good… although Kiyokazu is still being pretty mean to Kobato still… and Kobato looks pretty cute in her new outfit, don’t you think. :p.

Verdict

Episode 2-3: 8.7/10

Read moreKobato – Episode 2 and 3 Impressions
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Kobato – Episode 1 First Impressions

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Yes, it's a miracle that it turn out good even though she just throw random stuff in the hotpot
Yes, it\’s a miracle that it turn out good even though she just throw random stuff in the hotpot

Have you ever seen so much moe in your life? Well… I have when I have some sudden urge of wanting to watch this… and this being the 2nd CLAMP series I watch since Card Captor Sakura… but never got to finish because they stopped airing it soon after because the dub is RUINED FOREVER?! So, this makes it 9 years since the last time I watched a anime series adapted from original content from CLAMP.

This episode was pretty good with good animation and music… I have to say that Kobato in comparison to Yui from K-ON!, they almost have the same personality, except that Kobato seems to be alot sweeter and less lazier than Yui… This is how she acts when she tried to sleep on a bench with a newspaper as a blanket, opening the trash so the crows peck at it and the hotpot… does this ring Yui vibes, anyone?

This explains why Kobato is so moe… but since this series is being covered by many bloggers, I won’t write a synopsis on this one and just write my thoughts about it. So far so good… so I might continue watching this as long it’s enjoyable and good.

Verdict

8.5/10

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MAL Client OS X – 0.2 Released

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I have been working on this MAL client for Mac OS X with my free time after college and I was able to add basic update features and also along with it, the ability to add and delete titles from your list. Note that the buttons for some reason disable itself after adding/deleting series… I’m currently looking into that and there will be a fix in a bugfix release.

How does this work?

At this very moment, you need to double click on a title on your list to access the add/delete/update functions. I’m planning to add a feature that you don’t have to load the information without having to do this in 0.3 of MAL Client
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu - Anime Information
This is what it will look like if the title is on your list.

You will see three new options, Add, Update and Delete. Add function is only available when a title is not on your list. Update and delete features are available when the title is on your list. In addition to that, your status will appear under the Anime information.

If you decide you want to update your status, you can press the Update Information on the toolbar. This will popup
0.2-updatestatus

From there, you can update your status, watched episodes and rating of the title. Press Update and the information will be updated.

If you decide you don’t want a title on your list, you can remove it. Just press the “Remove Series” button and you will see this prompt.
delete
After confirming, it will notify you that the series you decide to remove is removed from your list.

I released this build so people can test and give their feedback on the new features. I know it’s buggy, but I will be ironing out the bugs soon and a bugfix release build will be released hopefully this weekend.

Anyways, Here is the release notes on MAL Client OS X 0.2

Version 0.2

– Added Add/Update/Delete Series function. Now you can update your status using this program
– Login screen dialog now changed to modal, Progress shown while trying to log in
– Search now shows the correct search count
– Rearranged to Anime Information Window

Known Issues

– “Your List” may not refresh with the updated information after adding/updating/removing a series. This is fixed already in the last minute bugfix build. Redownload to get fix.
– Pictures in Anime Information may not load properly
– Performing a Sparkle update under Snow Leopard causes the program to crash (remember not to enable automatic updates and perform them manually.)
– Buttons do not enable after a Add or Remove function have been done. – Fixed in a last-minute bugfix… Redownload to get fix

If you have already download 0.2, please redownload it so you will be able to use Sparkle Updates. Forgot to add the DSA Signature required for Sparkle to update.
Download MAL Client OS X 0.2 (6.17 MB, Universal Binary)

Update: MAL Client OS X is now on Google Code

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Second Season – Episode 3

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Yes, it's another tsundere. :o
Yes, it's another tsundere. 😮

This episode was okay, but the only problem is that the excessive type 2 fanservice, mostly Touka pantyshots… This episode alone had more fanservice than any episode of Nogizaka Haruka in any series and this episode alone can beat the number of panty shots Shiina had in the first season… That got to be bad… so bad that it’s good…
…

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MAL Client OS X – First Native Client for MyAnimeList on Mac OS X Released

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Success tastes sweet!
Success tastes sweet!

After I complained about not being a graphical client for MyAnimeList on Mac OS X, I took the time to get my hands dirty and make one myself… Of course my Visual Basic programing skills are a bit rusty for not programing for 3-4 years since I switched to a Mac, but I sorta got the grasp of it.

MAL Client OS X at this state can only load your Anime List, search titles (Anime only since the API does not work with Manga yet.) and lookup information from your list and search results. Having these basic features took nearly 3 days to complete since I need to code the login procedure with the API, obtaining the data from the API and popularize the listboxes for Search and Your List and get the program to read the Anime Information from the XML and obtain the title picture. Since most of the basic features are put in place already, it won’t take me as long to add the updating features (meaning edit a series status or add a new series) and separate “your list” to watching, completed, on hold, dropped, and plan sections instead of having it in one list box.

Remember, MAL Client OS X is open source and licensed under the GNU Public License v3… all you need is the RealBasic IDE, which costs money ($69 Academic Personal Version is the bare minimum to open the project) … but if you have it already, feel free to make improvements. The only problem that there is no SVN at the moment, but that will change later.

If you want to test the first version out, download a copy (Size: 5.9 MB). This will work on Mac OS X 10.3 or higher (I haven’t tested 10.3, but 10.4 or higher to be safe.).

Update: I fixed the search problem when the results don’t clear out after a new search is done. Also, this fix also adds the ability to refresh your list from the menu and the shortcut key, cmd+R.

Read moreMAL Client OS X – First Native Client for MyAnimeList on Mac OS X Released
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MyAnimeList Updater… Why no Mac OS X Client? and the Alternative.

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I watch Anime that I forget to update MAL... Why? There is no MAL Updater for Mac OS X.
I watch Anime that I forget to update MAL... Why? There is no MAL Updater for Mac OS X.

I watch anime on my free time and I am often too lazy to log in to MyAnimeList and go through the hoops just to update what episode I’m watching. Like with Twitter, I want to instantly update my stuff through a client without needing to open up the web browser and log into MAL just to do that. There is actually a program like this called “MAL Updater”, but only for Windows…. That means that users that uses Mac OS X or Linux are SOL, unless you run it in Virtual Machine, but why would you want to do that since it takes resources just to run Windows….

Sure there are command line clients for Mac OS X and Linux, but they are no means user friendly for inexperienced users nor they are easy to use or feature rich as the Windows version. I’m complaining because why should users be shut into a Microsoft monopoly when the purpose of using Mac OS X and Linux is to get away from the Microsoft monopoly… but there is a alternative to all this MAL Updater madness… Melative (a combination of media and Twitter)… I have been using it for a few months now thanks to one blogger that does the same purpose and I have been helping with the development of melativemicro, a client that works on Macs, Windows and Linux. Besides, I don’t even use the social aspect of MAL anyways…

If Melative can have a cross platform client, how come MAL Updater can’t have a crossplatform client that have the same features to work on Macs and Linux instead of being stuck with command line crap that is hard to use and control and the Windows version only be locked into Microsoft? There are cross platform tools like Qt4, Mono, Realbasic, etc out there, so there is absolutely no excuse to make a client with the same feature set for all the OS. Until they make a full featured MAL Updater for Mac, I’m sticking mostly to Melative until that happens.

Update: In response to no MAL Updater on Mac, I decided to take the blue pill and build my own MAL Client for Mac OS X. If you want to track my progress or help out, join the club.

Read moreMyAnimeList Updater… Why no Mac OS X Client? and the Alternative.
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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Second Season – Episode 1 and 2

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Killer loli maids.. WATCH OUT!!!!.
Killer loli maids.. WATCH OUT!!!!.

As I recalled, I skipped the first episode because of prejudice, but after watching the first episode, the episode consist of 65% fanservice and 35% actual content… The first episode wasn’t bad, but with the fanservice going on, it was too much. As I thought about the first episode after it aired, isn’t the title “Purity” a oxymoron?

The second episode however…. You have to find out by clicking “read more”.
…

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Second Season – Episode 1 Thoughts

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NogizakaHarukaS2-Ep1-Scr1
When there is a hot spring, you have to expect EXCESSIVE FANSERVICE?!

Well, that what I can say about this episode… This episode is basically one those episodes like Episode One of Clannad After Story with the Baseball episode, it’s a filler to reintroduce you back into the series and the characters. However, when you see a hot spring, you have to expect excessive fanservice, which isn’t exactly what I had in mind.

If I compared this episode to the one I previously saw in the first season, there is actually a big difference. Sure, the first episode only shown a moderate amount of fan service, but the amount presented in this episode is a bit too excessive. What does this mean with the high amount of fanservice, you can expect the decrease in quality of the story… For instance, you can compare the amount of fan service vs the quality of the story line can be pictured like a demand vs supply graph. For instance, As the quality of the story is high, the amount of fanservice is low and the amount of fanservice is high, the quality of the story is low and the equilibrium point being the equal balance in the story quality and the amount of fanservice shots. For the most enjoyment while maintaining the quality of the story, I rather have it at the equilibrium so that people can still enjoy the fanservice that that series provides while providing a good story.

Overall, I cannot rate this episode or give a full thought about how the whole second season is going to go due to the high amount of fanservice in this episode… I’ll leave it up to the next 4 episodes and hope that the fanservice is not excessive in the next few episodes and hope for the best that it will get better than this.

Verdict

Unrated, –/10

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu – Episode 1

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wpid-Nogizaka-Haruka-no-Himitsu-Ep1-scr1-300x168-2009-10-4-18-23.jpg
The very unlikely show I would watch, but after looking at the post about wifes and I seen her name on it and looked it up… Oh crap…

Anyways, I decided to watch it for myself and see what I thought of it… so here it goes.

Synposis

Ayase is a normal high school student who doesn’t seem to want to think about girls due to the fact of the two girls in his household. While returning the overdue magazine Nobunaga Asakura had, he sees Haruka acting strangely and after she checked out a magazine from the library, she bumps into him, which caused the magazine to drop onto the floor and him seeing it causing her to run away with tears. Days after, she started to avoid him and eventually, he said that he won’t tell anyone about her hobby, which made her happy… but one thing… the magazine was due on the same day, so they went back to school at night and finally returned it. This is when the relationship between them started.

Thoughts

Although it may be a generic moe show with moeblobs doing moe things in shows like Lucky Star and K-ON!, but this is a pretty enjoyable series from watching the first episode, although it’s light on the story aspect. As you suspect, Haruka’s qualities make you think that she is a Mary Sue, but no since her flaw seems to be her “Otaku” hobby, which in reality is looked down upon since Otakus stereotypically don’t seem to have much social skills in comparison of geeks and nerds and have a obsession of anime and video games. Haruka like you expect, is a moeblob like character and she is cute and clumsy, which is probably why some people seems to obsess over her alot…

Animation was decent, but with a few flaws.

Overall, I thought it was a enjoyable show, but I won’t expect much from the storyline… but I will keep watching unless it goes south after 4 episodes…

OP/ED

OP: Tomadoi Bitter Tune – Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers
ED: Hitosashiyubi Quiet! – Kana Ueda, Mai Goto, Rina Satou, Kaori Shimizu, Mamiko Noto
Sounds decent enough…

Rating

8.3/10

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Nagisa, why she is the ideal girl, which screams moé! – Part 2

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wpid-659ac34ef04cad2f780202d82eee5b7c-300x278-2009-10-3-23-55.jpg
Nagisa during the progression in Clannad have overcome her challenges of reviving the Drama club and also made new friends, but unfortunately, she got sick again, which caused her not to graduate with Tomoya. In After Story, we will touch more on the path with her eventually marrying Tomoya and deciding on giving birth to a child.

During the course of After Story, the relationship between Tomoya and Nagisa develops further. Towards the end of summer, Nagisa became sick, which resulted in being held back for another year. While Tomoya wanted to stay back a year, it would be foolish to do so anyways.

During the next school year, Tomoya moves into a apartment and start working while Nagisa finishes her school year. Although she couldn’t get the Drama club up again, she still seem to survive the whole school year with friends from the music club. Nagisa during that period help make food for Tomoya, which proves that she still seems to care about him alot, especially about her being concerned about his left shoulder.

Although Tomoya didn’t make it to Founder’s Day due to his mistake, she didn’t mind anyways…

Another instance with her caring about him alot is the night after asking about the swimsuit, Tomoya was avoiding the question about his father and insists on meeting him one day. When Tomoya was about to get a promotion, it was cut off by his father’s actions which made Tomoya deciding to move away from the city, which Nagisa doesn’t want since she seems to like the city and wants to make him happy living in the same city instead of running away from his problems. In meeting his father at the jail, Tomoya starts getting angry at him and walks away. With him angry, Nagisa chases after Tomoya before he punches right hand to a wall, but couldn’t stop it and injured his hand. Nagisa having seen what he done, gets him to stop. In this scene, Tomoya gets engaged with Nagisa so that they will become strong.

After marriage that happened after Nagisa graduated, she takes a job at a nearby restaurant that opened. After saving her, the manager reveals that she is a hard worker. In contrast with Shiori, although she is weak, she still managed to survive to have fun with Yuuichi and also attend a whole week of school.

wpid-Nagisa-2-scr1-300x168-2009-10-3-23-55.jpg
Oh noes! I bet the moe levels are very high!

And yes, the famous scene and she did the impossible…

wpid-Nagisa-2-scr2-300x168-2009-10-3-23-55.jpg
Sorry, no hentai scenes in Clannad.. It wouldn't matter anyways

In her decision of wanting to have the baby, she seems to want a home delivery, although it’s not safe due to her conditions. The decision to have it at home is not only because she wanted to see and hold the baby after it was born, but throughout the course of her relationship of Tomoya, she have grew stronger as a person… but the only problem is that the changes of the city causes her to become more ill since all things can’t stay the same forever. Even though she is strong, the illness caused by the city changing so rapidly caused her tragic death which caused everyone to be crushed with devastation the fact that Nagisa herself through the course of After Story to become stronger, but unable to because of the bad luck. This is why most people can sympathize with her (maybe more so with the visual novel than the anime). Although she have overcome the hardest challenges and become strong with the help of Tomoya and his friends, she was unable to survive, until Tomoya collects the light orbs to help save Nagisa and also Ushio from the horrible fate. In comparison with Shiori and Misuzu, there is a reason why we can also sympathize with both. Shiori in a sense that she is rejected by her sister and had her relationship with her sister and being strong until her birthday. Misuzu is that she is a sweet and innocent girl, which is unfortunately stuck with a curse and dies in her aunt’s lap on the beach which made many people’s hearts crushed with a bucket of tears and she was given no chance to live, unlike Shiori and Nagisa although she was offered a reincarnation along with Yukito.

Next Post, I will conclude why Nagisa is the ideal girl and sum up both parts with the full argument.
Attribution Information

Fanart used in this post is by 小倉　脩一 (ogura shuuichi) Source

Read moreNagisa, why she is the ideal girl, which screams moé! – Part 2
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Final Thoughts on Poll 9 and Air Movie

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I have closed the poll yesterday and it seemed to even out, with 6 yes, 4 no, and 2 saying Toei Animation should keep doing what they are doing.

poll9

However, polls do not show the whole story since people did not leave comments after they voted, so I can’t tell why it’s not that good. From reading all the comments in the post, I decided I will just see it just to see how good or bad is it, but it won’t be a while since I need to obtain the actual DVD before I can watch it. Once the time comes and I finish watching it, I will post a full review on the Air movie without any Kyoto Animation bias I had in the last movie review.

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