Samurai 7

Waah! This cannot be happening! Two series ending in just one day! Kuso! *sigh* I cannot help it. Samurai 7 has been the greatest! Which was based on Akira Kurosawa’s movie, Seven Samurai. Who knew that samurai could mesh well with robots? I was skeptical at first. Samurai with robots? Sheesh! What a load of crap! Of course, I couldn’t help watching it after seeing one episode. I think it was Episode 12 and I was instantly in love with it. What wonderful artwork, swordsmanship and conversations. It shows truly a lot about following the samurai way. I was reminded a bit of Rurouni Kenshin. I couldn’t help but notice how similar Katsushiro was with Kenshin. Fighting at such a young age, trained by their master and turning their backs from them, finding the way of the sword as they fight and wandering in the end as they needed to find something more in their lives. Heck, even the way Katsushiro said Kilara’s name (Kilara-dono) was the same as Kenshin’s Kaoru-dono, his appearance and his voice. I wonder if Mayo Suzukaze is the seiyuu of Katsushiro. Though it was short, 26 episodes, it was worth watching. It was a simple story. Not much of romance as much as I would like it, but even without it, it was astounding. It showed the way of samurais. To follow the sword is not easy. Like Kanbei-sama said, one will be a samurai if he has killed and has accepted the sin of murdering a man with his sword. As they entered the battle, they of course wanted to win, to die is to lose and to live is to win, but in war, you won’t know whether you will die or live and all the 7 samurais have accepted this way. “Do not think to highly of death.” This series doesn’t really have a happy ending. Not all of them lived. In the end it seems as if the samurai won, but did they? Or did the farmers win? 4 of them died and it’s as if they are displaced. Gorobei died first which I think is a pity since I’m sure that with him in the end, less of them would have died and their victory would have been closer. Heihachi, one of the kindest of them all , always cheerful and the engineer who was behind all the machinery. Kyuzo…too bad he died. Tch! Katsushiro and his damned gun! The silent samurai who wanted to live his own life. Then Kikuchiyo, the farmer turned mechanical samurai and the future (and dead) husband of the young Komachi. The funniest of them all and the most rash, but also one of the strongest. The Kirara, the water maiden, the one who summoned the samurais to protect the village together with Gisaku (the head of the village), who Ukyo (Amanushi) fell in love (and obsessed) with, who protected Katsushiro and at the same time, entering him into bloodshed. Funny how in the end, it all comes down to the rice. The precious treasure they were protecting and one that they were fighting about. When Heihachi died, he uttered that he wanted to eat rice and when Kyuzo died, he told Kanbei that they would meet in the village (where they reap and harvest rice). We see farmers planting rice in the beginning, offering their harvest to Nobuseri and in the end, we still see them planting as the three remaining samurais leave. Everything is peaceful once again. Simple story, too bad that I wasn’t able to see the first 10 episodes. Sheesh! Well then, I have a new obsession! Samurai 7! Waha! I’ll buy the dvd when I see it. *sigh* Too bad I wasn’t able to watch it before I left the country, I would have been able to buy it then in Singapore. I don’t even know who made the series! I visited the official site and it was all in Japanese…:(

Of course I haven’t seen the movie of Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai. The series would have made a lot more sense if I did, except for the mecha part. No matter, it has the best storyline ever! One thing funny though, how can samurai cut down mechas and Nobuseri with just their sword? Ever wonder about that? Anyway, all in all it was fantastic, down to the art and animation to the conversations. The animation is great, it’s very smooth and the fighting scenes are amazing. It’s very high quality if I may say so. And the music greatly fits the series. Both opening and ending songs were great. I downloaded them as soon as I got hold of a computer. The background music sounds traditional, probably maintaining the atmosphere of both the setting and the situations. One thing unique to the series if how each of the characters were depicted. Each of them had their own struggles and in each of the episodes, these could be seen, paths that they walk, decisions that they chose and their struggles. The whole series actually talks about war, as one can see, to live is to win and to die is to lose. GONZO did a great job! I should stop before I fill this whole blog with Samurai 7 this, Samurai 7 that. By the way, did you know that this was one of the most expensive series ever made by GONZO? Guess how much each episode is aired? It costs 300,000 US dollars per episode!! Phew!!! Oh yeah and sorry for the spoilers ^_^

Cherry blossom trees

Mika Nakashima has an amazing voice. I first heard one of her singles in Animax (Animaxx Musixx) and I was caught up with Sakurairo Maukoro. First, it was the fact that it had the sakura tree in it, which if you didn’t know is my favorite tree and flower. Second was the melody of the song. So soothing and it’s…simple. The less instruments possible, the better. Or a number of instruments blending together is another one. I’ve downloaded more of her songs and they have more or less the same kind of simplistic music. For some, listening to this makes one get fed up, but hers, it’s different. Anyway, with this kind of music, I have been inspired to write another story. *sigh* All beginnings and no endings. I wonder when I’ll ever finish ALL of them. Seems impossible, but then again, I like to challenge myself. Which reminds me, RICA I still have your notebook with your complete work! Wahaha!

I still haven’t gotten my driver’s license. I plan on getting it THIS week. That is if I don’t get lazy to do so. I swear, I’ve been so lazy these days that even getting my butt out of the bed is tiresome. Just today, or technically yesterday, I woke up at exactly 12 and that was with the wake up call of our maid. My goodness! If ever I would study in Italy, I would really really need to work out! Do you know how many units/credits one semester is? 60!!! And what did we have last sem? 19! WHOA! I know. My eyes bulged when I saw the amount.

What do I really want? Man, that question has been bothering me ever since it was uttered. Haha! Anyway, since my Italian lessons won’t be starting until May 28, I’d be having piano lessons. Cool! And maybe the guitar? I’d have to ask about that. I plan on making myself useful these days. What else is on my list? Redecorate my room, as in new paint, new sheets and even wooden shelves to be put on my wall, but I think the latter part would have to wait. Then create a semblance of order in the library and cabinets.

Just rambling

Hmm...seems as if Graffiti.net is having some problems. My images do not seem to be appearing in any moment in Pitas.com so I might as well use this blog of mine which I haven't touched for months.
Yes, as you can see, I am back from my trip in Italy. We didn't go to Germany like we had planned. It was cancelled because of a certain common cold that wouldn't leave my parents alone. Of course, it was disappointing. We wouldn't not only see my cousin (with her house, fiance and her beautiful dog), but I haven't been to Germany (not that I know of).

Italy is a lovely place. Friendly and funny people. Ravishing food. A place where every step you place your foot on is historical. The weather, well, one gets used to it. Heck, it was a lot better than the weather we're currently experiencing now: boiling hot.

We spent 3 days in Rome. Then moved to Vercelli (take a train from Rome to Milan, and another train from Milan to Vercelli, which takes 5+1=6 hours.) We made it our "headquarters" and from there we went back to Milan again and to Turin, where my father grew up. From Vercelli, which, I forgot to mention was were my uncle, aunt and cousins were living, we moved to Pisa which we made another central point and from there, went around Tuscany, like Siena and Lucca. From there on, back to Rome for just a day where we had this bus tour (and gave me this blessed sunburn) to most of the historical places in Rome. Then off to Singapore to have a shopping spree. Bad idea. It is hard to believe but when it comes to top quality and well, average quality clothes, Italy is cheaper than Singapore. It was a mistake to think, "€49 for a pair of pants! That is (insert converted currency here) in the Philippines and Singapore! We'll just buy there." Well, we were faced with €4 more in Singapore. The intricacies of life and Economics.

The path that I have dreamed and "planned" (for I haven't actually thought about what will happen) before for the rest of my college life seems to have been veered off course. And this time, the decision rests solely on me and me alone. I've been used to mama making decisions for me and now, which is more than I admit, I am confused. "What do YOU really want?" asked my cousin with her faltering English. Yes, what do I really want? I wasn't able to answer her, for there wasn't really any answer that I could give. I just smiled and did a little move on my shoulders. Well, Chill, Cecille, Cecilia! Wake up. Smiling and shrugging, move that behind you. Now is the time to get serious.

I always thought that I was indeed serious with the decisions that I have been faced with. Looking back, I was not. I was INDIFFERENT, which is the worst kind of reaction and attitude and my parents were the ones moving the strings for me, and now, I don't really know what to think. My dad blamed himself though. They "babied" me too much, shielded me from difficulties. Well, they're wrong, but not quite. I'm sure that when left on my own, I wouldn't know what to do.

Well, my life seems to have been taken to a newer level. Anyway, I would be conversing in Italian in the near future. It seems I do not have that much choice. I haven't exactly made my decision, but I'm more on the other one. But we will see.

Anyway, I've been resting ever since I arrived. Just sleeping, eating, watching tv (mostly anime, which I do really miss) and reading fanfictions. Nobody is too old for cartoons and anime. ;p