Chikorita157's Anime Blog

The thoughts, reviews and analysis of Comedy, Romance, Drama and Slice of Life Anime of a College Student

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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 

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. 

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 

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 

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 

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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