We all know why the title of this post comes about… there are simply too many gorgeous guys for Sakuno to choose from the pretty boys of Prince of Tennis.

She may have the hots for Ryouma, but that doesn’t mean that she can’t look good with the other boys too! Help the poor girl to make up her mind – who should Sakuno choose?

Should it be her “love at first sight” Ryouma?

Or perhaps the soft-spoken yet feisty Fuji senpai?

Maybe the cool and aloof Tezuka? *I thought she looks good with him – minus the height difference*

If Seigaku is not good enough, then Sakuno should go for boys elsewhere… Niou?

Marui?

Or is she worthy of the rich and famous Atobe?

Hmmmm….. it’s tough being a girl

*Fanart courtesy of Mirei*

I’m a dog lover, even own a dog myself. Although she doesn’t have any ninja abilities, I still love her

Today we’re not gonna talk about my dog. I’m going to introduce some canine friends that deserve to be famous! Let’s start with the most famous one -

Pakkun
I’m sure you have heard of him. He’s a pug – thus the name “Pakkun”. Why is he so famous? Well.. that’s because he’s Kakashi’s pet. Hmmm… He seems to lead the nin-dog pack in Naruto, seems aged with wisdom and best of all, he talks! Here’s an episode where he meets Sakura:

Ain’t he cute? Despite his small size, Pakkun is vey useful. He has very sharp sense of smell . He can easily determine the type of scent, how far it is, and how dangerous the person is.

Now, let’s go the our sencond famous dog -

Akamaru
Kiba’s best friend. The inuzuka family has a lot of dogs, but most famous one belongs to their son Kiba. Akamaru’s heightened senses, such as smell and hearing, along with Kiba’s ability to communicate with him, make him a powerful ally for gathering and sharing information. He can also sense chakra with his nose, so he can judge an enemy’s strength and warn Kiba if they are particularly powerful.

However, Akamaru’s most powerful ability is shown in this video:

Yay! He can combine with Kiba to form a 2 headed beast called Soutourou (2 headed wolf).

My last dog does not come from Naruto but from a rather unknown Ninja series. He’s none other than  -

Hemu-Hemu

Who is this? Well, he’s that dog from Nintama Rantarou. The one that always sabotages their plots. Hemu-hemu behaves more like a human than a dog. He’s the principal’s best friend and is in charge of ringing the school bell. He’s around 20 years old and has a myriad of activities, including one that resembles Sasuke’s Katon Ryuk no Jutsu.

Do you have other famous Ninja dogs in mind? Please share with me

I can’t believe it! 2008 has whisked past like a bullet and I am now in a new year, nearing the end of the 1st decade of the 21st century. Okay.. that was indeed a mouthful

For those of you who have been enjoyng your holidays,  I have a piece of sad news for you – school’s gonna start soon! Hehe.. Well.. If you look at this from a different angle, it may not be so bad. Gone are the lonely hours you spend in front of this monitor! And welcome the social – friends, the challenge – tests and the perserverence – tonnes of homework.

Of course, being around people inevitably will  develop relationship and perhaps, spark off some chemistry. Kartun likes to watch animes that involve high / middle school romance They give you this sappy warmth that other animes seldom evoke. Here’s some of my favourite romance animes happening at the education centres:

1) Gakuen Alice

This  is the story of a 10-year old girl Mikan Sakura who was transferred to Gakuen Alice, a school for children with  special abilities  called an “Alice”. The story focusses  on Mikan and what happens in the Academy. However, Mikan manages to meet a boy named Natsume, whom hates at first sight but  came to care for him later. Eventually she became someone whom he loves. Awwww…..

Here’s a touching scene from the anime:

Romantic [rating: 3/5] 

2) Marmalade Boy

Although this anime was aired more than a decade ago, it remains one of my favourites. The story revoles around Miki Koishikawa and the tough choices that she has to make, the challenges of her love life. It began with Miki’s  parents announcing  divorce in order to swap partners with a couple they met in Hawaii. To add to that, they even wanted to stay in the same house albeit the change in spouses. The other couple have a son named Yuu, who became Miki’s boyfriend in the series. Complicated? More’s to come! 

Throughout the series, Miki and Yuu’s relationship is challenged and shaped by other characters around them. Here’s a glimpse of Miki in one of her “tough” moments, when Yuu is away…

Romantic [rating: 4.5/5] 

3) Kimi ga Nozomu Ei En (Rumbling hearts)

A sad story, out of the norm high school romance. At first, Takayuki Narumi, the man,  is befriended by Mitsuki Hayase only because Mitsuki’s best friend, Haruka Suzumiya has a crush on him.   Harukathen  confesses her love  to Takayuki. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, Takayuki agrees to go out with her. After a few incidents, their relationship gets intimate, even while Takayuki and Mitsuki begin to realize their feelings for each other. Sounds liek he’s two-timing! That’s not the best part! Ttragedy strikes (boom! I’m not telling you what) and things began to change…

Here’s the 1st episode of the anime:

Romantic [rating: 4/5] 

4) Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou

A very comical romance series that will have you laughing at almost all the episodes! Yukino Miyazawa is a girl who is the envy of her classmates for her excellent grades and immaculate appearance. However, in the privacy of her own home, she is spoiled, stubborn, and a slob! She studies non-stop to maintain her grades. On entering high school, she is overthrown from her position at the top of the class by Soichiro Arima. She vows to destroy him! When Soichiro confesses his love to her, Yukino rejects him… And the story  continues from there…

Romantic [rating: 3.5/5] 

There you go, my favourite high / middle school animes. I hope they will help those who find school boring. Hehe

I often wonder what will happen when a Samurai meets a Ninja? Of course, I am not talking about the nitty gritty stuff like the formal greeting. “Ohaiyo gozaimasu!”, says the Samurai. “Ohaiyo gozaimasu! Kyou wa otenki desune…”, says the Ninja. Nay.. I’m not interested in this

Now, we all know that Samurais are men of honour – part of the military nobility of medieval Japan. They fight in the “light” and will not resort to unorthodox tactics. Ninjas are basically warriors trained in a variety of unorthodox arts of war. They fight in the “dark”, with weapons often unheard of. Imagine what happens when Naruto meets Kenshin.. *Shudders*  The battle begins…

   vs  

Naruto: I’m Uzumaki Naruto! What I like is ramen, especially the kind at the Ichiraku Ramen shop. What I dislike is the three minute wait after you pour in the boiling water. My hobby is eating ramen. And my dream…is to be the next Hokage! And I’m going to defeat you, Dattebayo!

Kenshin: I am myself until the end! I fight as Himura Kenshin!

Naruto: Bring it on, scar-face! Anything you throw at me I’ll give it back a thousand fold! 
(With that naruto throws the first weapon – the kunai!!)

Kenshin: You’re the one who should be praying to God.
(Kenshin dodges all the Kunais! With his shinsoku, he aims his sakabatou at Naruto’s abdomen.)

Naruto (miraculously avoiding the sakabatou): That style is so outdated! Watch this, my newly developed Sexy Jutsu!

Kenshin: It doesn’t matter. Use whatever technique you like. However, once I’ve said I’ll kill you, your death is assured.  Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!
(Kenshin resorts to his most powerful attack…)

Naruto: I never give up… I never go back on my word…thats the way of the ninja! Rasengan!!!!
(Naruto immediately counters with his favourite jutsu!)

    vs    

Who will win? Will it be the formidabble Samurai Kenshin, or the Ninja Naruto who always fights to the end? Sword versus Jutsu… you decide!!!

I am into detective shows lately. Can’t seem to take my eyes off the screen trying to follow the series closely. I must admit, detective shows and anime can be addictive! You are always kept at the edge of your seat trying to guess who is the criminal Arggghhhh….

So, without further a due, let me present to you some of my favourite detective stories. These anime are guaranteed to have you glued to your seat till you know who is the real criminal!

1) Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbu (Kindaichi case files)It all started with the manga. Then it was made into a Japanese drama series, then the anime. I watched and read all.

Hajime Kindaichi is in fact only a high school student, the supposed grandson of the famous private detective Kosuke Kindaichi. Although he looks and acts stupid, he boasts an IQ of 180!! How I wish I have that too! The Kindaichi case files has more than 50 manga volumes and also been adapted as an anime television series with 148 episodes, 2 anime movies, a live-action movie, and three drama series. Wow….. Talking about the drama series, my favourite is still the Doumoto version.

What sets Kindaichi apart from other detective stories is that the killers in the series are not psychopathic murderers and the murders are never committed for selfish resons alone. The identified killers all have deep rooted problems, often involving great emotional trauma through the greed or thoughtlessness of others, as their reasons for committing the murders. Of all the cases, The Mummy’s Curse has left the deepest impression.

2) Detective Conan
Do not be fooled by his size!! Conan proved that brains are better than looks! Shinichi Kudo was a brilliant 17-year-old high school student and gifted detective who often worked for the police. Unfortunately, he was attacked by two members of a mysterious crime syndicate while investigating a blackmail case one day . He was forced to take an unknown drug that “shrank” him.

In order to hide his identity but still continue to investigate he adopted the pseudonym Conan Edogawa, and enrolled in an elementary school. He also fomred the Junior Detective League with his friends at the elementary school. Together they solved many funny and interesting cases.

Detective Conan currently boasts more 60 volumes of manga (still continuing) and more than 518 (yes!!!) anime episodes!!

3) Detective School Q

Detective Academy Q is the story of a group of young students from Class Q of Dan Detective School (DDS), a prestigious and renowned detective academy founded by Morihiko Dan, the most famous detective in Japan.

Classes in DDS are based on the entrance test score, with A as the highest, B as the next lower, etc. It is possible for a student to be transferred to a higher class or vice versa, depending on their academic performances. However, Class Q is a special case. As the name suggests, Class Q is for the Qualified students who are viewed as the most potential candidates for the successor of Morihiko Dan in the future.

Detective School Q has 22 volumes of manga and 45 anime episodes.

There you have it – Kartun’s most exciting detective animes. These series are confirmed to keep you at the edge of your seats!

I have not posted for so long!!!! Have been away with limited access to a computer.. sigh….

Remember Sakuno, the little girl from Prince of Tennis that dotes on Ryoma? Well, Mirei has done doujinshis of Sakuno with different Prince of Tennis characters. Let’s take a look. Which is your favourite?

Kartun has been reliving her childhood and rewatching Dragon Ball. Watching the series now evoked a different feeling than I had then. Then it was more character-based, sometimes I didn’t really understand the content. Now, I marvel at Akira Toriyama’s creactivity – the way he combined humour with action

As I watch, I can’t help comparing Dragon Ball’s protagonist, Son Go ku to the original  Sun Wu Kong from Journey to the West. Just how similar or different are these two characters?

Let’s examine the similarities first:

1. Both have the same name, whether it’s written in Japanese, Chinese or English.
2. Both can fly and fly fast!
3. Both have a tail that resemble that of a monkey’s.
4. Both uses the Power Pole  - which can extend or shorten according to the owner’s wish.
5. Both follow a few masters – Goku (Muten Roshi, Karin sama, Kami sama & Kaio sama) & Wu Kong (San Zang & a certain fellow who taught him magic)
6. Both are powerful, skilled in fighting.

It’s almost the end of the year. Most of the young ones out there are busy preparing or are going to be busy preparing for exams, if I’m not wrong. Is exam all about studying?

Kartun knows the excruciating pain you have to go through in order to pass those papers – late night mugging, last minute revision, caffeine-infiltrated nervous system, exam jittery, etc, etc. As such, Kartun wastes no time to find out the most effective study methods of famous “smart” anime personnels. Let us all learn from them their secrets and how they tackle exams to pass with flying colours!

1) Light Yagami (Death Note)
Who can give a more intelligent answer than Light? This 17 year old aces all his exams until he is bored! Kartun slowly approaches Light to learn his secret…

Kartun: Good morning Light (sounds corny). Can you let us know your secret(s) to passing all your exams with flying colours?

Light: Exams? That’s so boring!! I have photographic memory. You’re disturbing my thoughts.. Is Kartun your real name (takes out his trusty black book)?

Kartun: Er… Thanks Light. Gotta go! (Kartun does not forget to grab her ID…)

2) Son Gohan (Dragonball Z)
Looks can be deceiving. This muscular hunk and part-time fighter scored full marks (yes!) for his entrance exam into Orange Star high school. Despite his busy schedule, he can still do it. What’s his secret?

Kartun: Hallo Gohan! We know how busy you are – working as a scientist, fighting crime and taking care of your family. Let’s get straight to the point – what’s your secret to scoring full marks for your exams?

Gohan: (Looking a bit shy…) Secrets? Hmmm… (Thinks hard)

Kartun: Yes! Your secrets so that all those out there who are suffering can learn

Gohan: Ok.. I do love to help people. Let’s see, first you need family support. My mom was always there to make sure that I studied and studied hard! Next, don’t forget to play too. I always sneaked out and enjoyed myself while she was not looking. Thirdly, you got to have a goal in mind. For me I had always wanted to be a scientist. So I worked towards fulfilling that goal.

Kartun: Wow! Thanks Gohan! I’m sure a lot of readers out there can learn from you

3) Shikamaru Nara (Naruto)
With an IQ over 200, Kartun is sure that this is the next person to dig those exam passing secrests. How else can he be the only junin that passed the chonin exam?

Kartun: Shikamaru san! Nice to meet you. I know you don’t like to be troubled, but I’m sure that your fans out there would love to learn your secrets to tackling those troublesome exams with ease.

Shikamaru: Shiken wa mendokusai! It’s too troublesome to take exams. I don’t like taking exams… (With that he walks away!)

Kartun: …..

4) Sailor Mercury aka Mizuno Ami (Sailor Moon)
This is not the kind of girl one would expect. Sailor Mercury boasts an IQ of over 300 (higher than Shikamaru!!). She’s good at all her subjects. She looks good. And she fights crime. The anime world is unfair…

Kartun: Ami, can you tell us all how do you ever keep a figure like that? (ok. Kartun side tracked)

Ami: Huh? I thought this is about exams? What figure? Maths? (kartun whispered a few words to her ears). Oh haha.. Hmm… Fighting crime keeps me in shape

Kartun: I see… (Kartun is thinking of switching career). Let’s get back to the main topic. How about exams? What’s your secret to scoring A’s?

Ami: Hehe… I really don’t have any secrets. I study, play and eat as per normal. Maybe I do have a secret: I fight crime as well! Oh no.. it’s supposed to be a secret… I should go, bye!

Kartun: Wait…. (Ami disappeared)

Despite 3 failed attempts to dig the secret out of these anime characters, Kartun won’t give up. I’ll try one last time with:

5) Arale (Dr Slump)
An ultra strong, ultra fast, ultra energetic little girl (ahem..) who seems to know the answers to many mind boggling exam questions. Kartun approaches her cautiously…

Kartun: (Catching a speeding Arale) Wait! Please share with us your secrets to answering the exams questions correctly!

Arale: (Spins around and saw Kartun) Oh.. stranger! Intruder! (Arale dashes towards Kartun and gives her a headbutt!)

Kartun: @#*@##

Hmmm… yah… there you have it, the smart anime personnels’ secrets to acing exams. Kartun is still suffering from Arale’s headbutt which has sent her flying in to space and back… Groan @_@

Hmmm… I’m not sure whether this rumour is true but if it is, what is Hollywood thinking? According to most of the sources, this is only a Dragon Ball movie, not Dragon Ball Z. Which means, no Vegeta, no Cell

Here’s a picture of Gokou:

Of course, we recognise the “turtle” symbol at his back and the supposedly hmmm… dragon ball on his hand? Gokou is played by an actor called Justin Chatwin (Lost). The rest of the cast are as follows:

• Jamie Chung as Chi-Chi
• Emmy Rossum as Bulma:
• Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi – I’m looking forward to this!!
• Joon Park as Yamcha
• Eriko Tamura as Mai
• Texas Battle as Carey Fuller
• Luis Arrieta as Weaver
• Randall Duk Kim as Grandpa Gohan
• Ernie Hudson as Master Mutaito
• Shavon Kirksey as Emi

Kartun has no idea who are Mai, Carey, Weaver, Master Mutaito and Emi. I supposed they are characters developed by Hollywood to fill in the stories. Not mentioned in the list of cast is Kuririn, Gokou’s best friend! How can a Dragon ball movie be Dragon Ball without Kuririn. I wonder who’s gonna play that part…

The movie is said to be directed by James Wong and produced by Stephen Chow. It should be in the theatres by April 2009. Although I can’t totally agree with the cast, I don’t think I’m giving this movie a miss. It’s a Dragon Ball movie. Of course kartun will go!

Almost everybody are familiar with Samurais, from Tom Cruise’s Last Samurai to the great Rurouni Kenshin. A lot of anime have also used Samurai as their main theme. But what exactly are Samurais?

Samurais are basically just warriors during pre-industrial Japan. They have a very strict code of conduct and were popular during the feudal period. However, most Samurai lost their military function during the Edo period, when Japan began industrialisation. A more detailed history can be found in Wikipedia.

Kartun has wathed a lot of Samurai Animes (I’m quite fond of animes dealing with Japanese history). Of those that I’ve watched, I narrowed down to five that I deem best, according to my humble opinion:

1) Rurouni Kenshin

The story takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan – one of the more turbulent periods.  It tells the story of a peaceful wanderer named Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battousai. He wonders around the countryside helping people in need. On day, in Tokyo, he meets a young woman named Kamiya Kaoru, who was in the middle of a fight with a murderer who claims to be the Hitokiri Batt?sai from her swordmanship school. Kenshin decides to help her and defeats the fake Battousai.  Kaoru then offers him a place to stay at her school and the story continues with Kenshin meeting many of his old nemesis and “friends”. The story was quite exciting in the beginning, but slowly dies off after the battle with Shishio Makoto. Character to note: Kenshin’s Master, Hiko Seijuuro, who looks too young for his age

2) Samurai Champloo

This story takes place during the Edo Period. Champloo is about the journey of a girl named Fuu and her two friends, Mugen and Jin, as they travel across Edo  Japan in search of a particular samurai who “smells of sunflowers”. The series combines history with humour and it’s worth a watch. It’s only 26 episodes long.

3) Peace Maker Kurogane

Set in 19th century Japan before the Meiji restoration, the story centres on a boy, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, whose parents were murdered. It’s about his trials and tribulations, how he joins the Shinsengumi hoping to revenge his parents. Quite a dark anime, with some slapstick Japanese humour here and there. Not really for the faint-hearted.

4) Samurai 7

The story is based on the 1954 popular movie Seven Samurai. It tells of a certain rice village called Kanna village which hired the 7 samurais to protect it against bandits. The samurais in turn train the villagers and prepare to attack the capital city. A refershing story with quite predictable plots.

5) Samurai Deeper Kyo

Oh.. this is my favourite amongst the five. There are 2 versions: the anime version and the manga version. The anime has 26 episodes while the manga has 38 books. Initially, the stories are almost the same – both started with a certain medicine man called Mibu Kyoshiro wandering around and meeting Yuya, a ranger girl. The manga however, is deeper and requires more understanding.  It was later revealed that the Mibu clan had some ulterior motives and created fighters for their own amusement. The anime is more straightforward. Kyo is sealed inside Kyoshiro after losing a swordfight to him, later takes over Kyoshiro and starts to hunt for his body. The anime also has extra characters not seen in the manga. But one thing’s for sure, both the anime and manga produce equally handsome men in swords for the ladies to feast their eyes upon.