Behind The Scenes: Creating My Own Original Font!

Hey guys, it's been a while, huh?

-By a while just a few days wow I'm very productive when it's school prompting me to do stuff-

For this post, I am going to write about how I conceive a certain type of font that I created for my Design Principles class.

My very first design is called 'Vampire's Masquerade'. Why don't you take a look at the prototype designs here?

Edgy but has classic vampirism was what I was aiming.

Now, the reason why I call it 'Vampire's Masquerade' is because the source of inspiration of this font  is the PC video game 'Vampire: The Masquerades: Bloodlines", which is an open-world RPG [Role-Playing Game]  video game where you get to choose to play as a newly embraced kindred a.k.a vampire  who belongs to a certain vampire clan, and each of these clans will grant you with certain specific abilities. Yes, this sounds completely dorky, but no, really. It makes vampires sexy but not tacky, is very, very well-written -especially if you play as a Malkavian vampire, as the insanity of a Malkavian grants players a wonderfully diversed and humorously tiltillating dialogue options -, and is also a hell lot of fun to just play.

But then I realized there were a lot of dead ends I encountered as I was developing this font. Too many, even. The most exemplary of them all is the fact that basically my 'A' for this lineup is probably the best AND the only good thing for this set, but the rest of the alphabets are...

Downight mediocre. Let me cry forever for a moment.

Jeanette, my favorite vamp can you not hurt me this way.

My heart will always be with the game, but after a lot of thinking I realized that my font is just terrible at representing my love and pride of this masterpiece of an RPG. And so I decided to replace the concept with a brand new concept.

So, one day I was walking to my college listening to music, and then this played.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoiCynccqWY


And in an instant, I saw the light. The light, that the Dangan Ronpa series brought upon me.

Dangan Ronpa is an absurdly funky murder mystery PSP game, where fifteen freshly placed high school students where only geniuses of various areas are gathered together are locked shut in a mysterious school building after they all fell asleep upon entering their original school building  and will suffer from being trapped there forever... Or won't they?

A student CAN get out, BUT if said student KILLS another student and manages to fool everybody else that he or she is not the culprit in classroom trials held by an incredibly creepy and perky Monokuma, a monochromatic bear robot thing. If the culprit fails to escape being pinpointed as the murderer, he or she will be executed in a demonstration of a heinous and painfully tailored execution.

There's your ominous monochromatic bear bastard.

The game's plot's pretty good, the characters are very interesting, but it doesn't really touch me deeply. It's really enjoyable though, and I find that it would be nice for me to take some artistic sources of ideas from the whole concept of the video game.

So to say, I was inspired to design a new font line /do you mean clothing line no hah/ and named this set 'Trigger Havoc', inspired by the subtitle of the upcoming english port of the game: "Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'. Have a look, and feel free to comment on how 'sore wa chigau' ( literally "THAT IS WRONG", often paraphrased in the english fan translation as  "YOU GOT THAT WRONG!" ) the whole thing is.

Fonts. Fonts. Design Principles. Fonts.

Hey everyone! I know I haven't been posting anything for ages because I have thousands of other stuff and interests to tend to. So I'm back to share about fonts. Three fonts I absolutely love and three more that I absolutely... Don't... Really like from Dafont.com. Well, not really loathe, I can't see anything but baby eaters as evil, but I have to. For this is my fate.

Top 3 Awesome

Pancake

Just look at this cutie patootie. It is simple, yet undoubtedly stylish and can be used very flexibly. Not just a pretty face, this sweet treat is also able to be used to reperesent practically almost every other typable symbol on your keyboard on screen!

Orange Juice

This is definitely my type of font. Artsy, yet still manages to pass as an easily-deciphered font. It's something that you can use for a lot of projects, and can be used for both commercial and purely aesthetic, artistic purposes. It also has every available and conceivable key on your keyboard as well! Well, what a treat, I must say!

A Song For Jennifer

Yet another favorite of mine. It's again, artsy yet is very practical. Perhaps this may be a personal preference but I do absolutely favor these types of fonts. My reasons are quite similar with the 'Orange Juice' font, and let's just say I just fell in love on first sight. It is also able to present every single type of symbol present on your keyboard onscreen and so this magnificent font has waltzed in to my heart.

There's also a bold version, and my from cute to angsty, what a transition. This adds more to its usability so I highly recommend having this font permanently installed in your computers.

Top 3... Not So Awesome

Los Santos
One of the reasons why I dislike this certain font is because some letters are so similar to other letters. Here's a sample:

Firstly, this is supposed to be read as 'LOS SANTOS.'

Unfortunately, the T looks preeety similar to an E. So I thought it was 'LOS SANEOS'- Lost sane o's pfft-  Which hinders readability and will lead to a very different conclusion and add unnecessary confusion. A good font must always be nice on the eyes AND not deceive its readers. Because betrayals hurt. Also, the weight of the font are all over the place.

  Aaaaand I'm pretty sure you'll get screwed up by this very 2-ish looking Z.

The design doesn't really appeal to the eyes as well. It has the looks of a tattoo font but if you try to use it for something else... Well, it's not very versatile. But after I think about it, now the naming choice makes perfect sense.

Swirly Shirley

This one would've made a much prettier font if there are less swirls distracting us from the main reason why fonts are invented: To be read and understood. Yes, Shirley, we know you love your swirlies, but I think we have a bit of an obsessiveness here. There are just so many of them, your eyes will instantly by drawn to those hypnotizing loops all over the place.
And apparently you can only type alphabets with this font, so it's not really all-around functional either.

BadPad Distressed

First of all, I can see why it's named this way. It's born this way. I have no idea why but I actually feel rather anxious reading using this font. It's really blurry, probably to recreate a distressed -duh- impact, but it also compromises the professional element that an awesome font should have. It may be designed for, say, a gaming poster in mind from what I can gather, but it's so blurry that I believe it'll lose some legibility against a background. It just destoys its own reason of existence, this font. My deepest condolensces.

The Cat Lady : Forever

As my eyelids slowly draw away from each other, the gap produced reveals a layered gradient of light purple and chestnut orange staring back at my emerald green orbs laid awake.  A whiff of the familiar breeze of this area... Is encompassing me in an absolutely newfound warmth, that does not belong to this place at all, as far as I have known of. But this tingling sensation all over my body, that I can instantly deduce to have come specifically from a hundred chaffs of barley...It must be that wretched place again.

I soon rise up, dusting my black leather pants, the environment presented to my eyes reaffirms that yes, this is me. Back in this blasted place again. If I am not somewhere else after a rite of unconsciouness, it was explicitly made clear I am neither dead, nor alive by the... Queen of Maggots.

I don’t want any encounters with HER anymore.

Even though she basically gave me a second chance, that doesn’t mean I entirely approve of her forcing me into manic encounters with the biggest scums of earth, trying their best to reap my life and me fighting for that second chance.

But staying around won’t do anything, and so I drag my legs with hesitance back to that old house.

Not a single soul can be seen at the front porch. I guess  that witch isn’t around. Nothing has changed. The entire house is still clouded with the same aura of misery, and this nostalgia brings out that sensation of remembrance. Of when I first encountered her, sitting quite serenely,yet menacingly on that wooden chair of hers. She was definitely anything but serene, though.

And all I wanted to do was to get out of this place.

It’s strange, though. I thought that life I have been leading until the time of my death would be my last one. The one life Mitzi gave me. The one gift my first true friend rewarded to me.  The one that she gave her life for in exchange. But now, I am back to this place. To this warped dimension of  my self-loathing and contempt to all the world. Where I probably will have to relive some brand new nightmares as I have not been here for a long, long time. What will I witness now, another exact replica of my body in a horrendous state of death, all soggy and inflamatory, all bloated up groggily with my joints fastened stiffly to one another? Or will it be a botched mutilation effort? Maybe they’ll take the two balls of sight that I like the most from their sockets in the next corpse this time?

I take my next steps in caution, fully alert. Those displeasing moments of unpredictable attacks from more of those psychopaths or that nonsensical old woman are not something I am not looking for anytime soon. With a painful creak, the door swings open inwardly, and the sight that meets my eyes is... Spectacular. A change. This is definitely a change.

A beautiful springfield replaces the dusty flooring that was once where my footing took place on in the past, technicolor flowers bloomed wondrously, dotting every single corner of the lush greenery. Butterflies of exotic patterns are  floating effortlessly and gracefully everywhere, attracted by the petals of the flora spread all around them, glittering tears of moisture running down. I’ve always had problems with these colorful vegetations of literal, bloody doom... Yet, the whole atmosphere of this unknown loacation... It isn’t hot... It isn’t cold either... It just feels.. Somewhat endearing, somewhat encompassing... Somewhat welcoming.

The ridiculously melodious chirps of harmony from little birds on tall branches plunges me even deeper into this hypnotic trance of peace. A sudden sugary sweetness overtakes my limp tongue, my eyes gaining clarity in vision, rejuvenation washing over my aged and wrinkled body. My brain is hovering with no mind own of its own, flashing and browsing through piled up scrapbooks of memories inside it.

My unsettling adolescence. The very first date I had with Eric in our newly-formed relationship. That one fucking altercation and my fucking idiocy that cost me my baby. The unavoidable and excruciating solitariness that ensued afterwards, sullying my leftover hopes for a better state of mentality. My cats crowding around me to comfort me back to an actual life yet to no avail. That failure of an overdose attempt. The sickeningly monstrous entity that took the appearance of an old woman who gave herself the title of the Queen of Maggots. The horrific and gruesome sights of deaths appearing out of nowhere in rapid succession. That nurse’s -Izzy’s, I’ve always remembered her name- extremely unfortunate suicide and the betrayal of that quack of a doctor. The puzzling ressurections I suffered. My very first kill. The revelation of Mitzi’s previous interference, existence and also her brain cancer. Yet two more killings of my own. My cats literally decimating and decomposing the body of that fucking creep of a trespasser.  Our confrontation with the ‘Eye Of Adam’. The senseless sacrifice of his poor father and our indirect yet cold-blooded elimination of one last parasite. Mitzi’s funeral and my resolve to keep living for her sake. My discovery of how useful –and difficult to master- the Internet can be to attempt to break free from a mental cage I built and was trapped in, hindering my ability to socialize all this time. My awfully happy time with the participants of the suicide forum, guiding these lost lambs back to their rightful paths, just like Mitzi did with me. The eventual recovery of my old genuine smile and my reputation in the neighbourhood, thanks to myself and that creepy cat lady legend. Me slowly opening and reaching out. Me starting to write down all my experiences and struggles against the darkness cast upon my life. A member of the forum offering to publish a book of the accounts. Me accepting. The book becoming a massive hit as a fiction title, because, really, to honestly tell the truth and made it seem legible is highly impossible. Me getting invited to host  talks in rehabs and youth centres, started awkward but soon became some sort of a daily routine. Me being approached by a lean teenager, her eyes gleaming with tears as she gave me a hug, the bandages wrapping her arms exposed to my eyes, thanking me for saving her life and wishing me the very best for the future. Me being able to purchase a brand new apartment and have all the stray cats that saved my life, both literally and metaphorically, over permanently. Me spending the rest of my time helping others and enjoying a good life. The sudden seizures controlling my body in a maniacal dance. The stares of... concern my cats shared as they looked pitifully, their faces looming over mine as the world grew dimmer and dimmer, the striking yellow of Teacup’s dilating pupils being my very last sight before ...

What is... Where is...  Can this be....?

“Hello there, Susan.”

That voice.

That same youthful voice.

That very same youthful voice that saved my life. That gave me life.

Slowly, I turn around with a certain expectation of who the owner of the voice was. And there she really was. I can see that grin spreading even wider on her face, the one she used to wear when she was still living and breathing. Now... She is living and breathing in front of me. So, why do I... Why am I...

“Well, nice to see you again, at least on my part.” One Mitzi Hunt beams gleefully, a little amused giggle punctuating her remark. I must have looked quite ghastly as I am trying to piece every single thing that is happening in a logical manner. Her wiry frame that is clad in her funeral attire -a black summer dress that I wore to my own daughter’s passing-  leans slightly towards me, and she brushes her curly strands of hair –wig- to the side playfully, swaying effortlessly as a sudden breeze of epiphany wafts through the air. I finally close my parted lips, gaining composure and understanding. She remains smiling as the corners of my own mouth start to curl upwards, a refreshed feeling rushing down my cheeks in smooth streaks.

“You’ve finally realized why I’m right here with you now, have you?”

“Of course,” I pause, trying to wipe my tears away with a soft cackle, “Of course I have.”
She smiles rather poignantly, her kind eyes sweeping me gently.

“I can see some white in your hair... Your skin’s ripened with age...  Age took its toll on your physique...Yet, I can see that you’re still Susan Ashworth, the woman who made the rest of those six months mine and Jack’s. He’s been great, if you want to know.”

“I could only do that if you ilegally broke in and rushed me off in that ambulance.” I quip.

She chuckles rather jovially at that remark. I can’t help but smile wider as well.

“I should thank myself ultimately, eh? And so do you. You were the one that made the choice to keep on living after my death. You owe all of those moments you’ve spared to yourself to yourself.” She emphasizes, a peaceful look on her face.

This smile of mine is then tinged with wryness.

It is undeniably true, how unfathomably good it felt to be the one that lent a helping hand instead of being the one rescued. To ease the same unbearable suffering I used to go through from those unlucky enough to have to go though. To assure them that... No matter how unbelievable and slim the hopes of not getting disappointed in the bleak realities of this crude world are... Life can still be a beautiful thing. No matter how incredibly jaded, and torn, and hurt you are... You do.... You do have a place.

World’s full of liars, traitors, cowards... But every now and then you meet someone like Mitzi, who will just smile at it all.

“I do... Don’t I? But looks like... My time is finally up. And back then... I would never have believed how I-I... Would actually wish... I can stay... longer.”

My voice wavering in strength, I kneel down in a crumpled bawling fit. Everyhing... Everything just feels so overwhelming.

“ Yeah,” a slight quiver is apparent in her voice as well,

“You were an absolute mess. “

Spreading her arms, she takes little, flighty skips towards  me, and I do nothing but let her pull me in a deep embrace. I take comfort on her shoulders, sobbing measly. It must be quite an out of ordinary sight, an older woman taking her refuge in a young lady like her. Rubbing her hand against my back soothingly, she whispers in a wistful tone as everything that surrounds us blurs to nothing but white.

“We’re together now.”

~~~

"Scroll down to live."

~~~

You opened up your heart
To all the things you feared before
You're keeping him alive

You are my star, glowing , bright, an endless charm
Growing stronger day... by day...


Forever... I'm with you
Forever... I'll hold you
Forever... I love you
I do...

Just take my hand,
We'll take the train to neverland
All i need ,is you...

We'll make a spark
Bring the light, erase the dark

~ Forever by Siah


~~~~

SoundCloud: [Cover] Te Wo Gyu Shite Ne Originally by Rumi Ookuba

https://soundcloud.com/cynthia-ushiromiya/cover-te-wo-gyu-shite-ne-by

My cover of Acchi Kocchi's or Place to Place's Te Wo Gyu Shite Ne!

Please tell me what you think!

I know I missed a lot of range, but I gave my best! So I'm pretty proud of it~

Scariest Dream of My Life Decoded

So last night, I had a dream. No Martin Luther King Jr. reference intended.

I was in this large pool of water, swimming mechanically towards a row of houses facing me FLOATING RIGHT BY THE WAVES OF WATER. LIKE JESUS. EXCEPT THEY'RE  A BLOCK OF INANIMATE HOUSES.

Okay, I should be much more serious.

I reached the base of a door, and I knocked - somehow exasperatedly- and soon the door swung open. A man who looked like two of my former manga senseis in one pool of DNA was the owner of the 'house', and those houses turned out to be hotel rooms! He greeted me nicely, asking what am I doing swimming over to his room, and I replied with my teeth chattering, requesting for shelter for me AND MY BROTHERS. Turns out they were right behind me the whole time, and were as cold and wet as I was. He let us in, and soon all of us dried up and thanked the guy...

AND THAT'S WHEN HE PULLED OUT AN EFFIN' JACK KNIFE OUT.

My eyes went wide, and not only because of the sight of the jack knife, but also the uncanny smile plastered across his face.

Oh crepe.

I suddenly blacked out, cause unknown. The moment I came to, I was bound tightly to a chair, the pressure of the rope lacerating my skin. The guy approached me and told me he's a DAMNED SERIAL KILLER WHILE TWIRLING HIS JACK KNIFE AROUND HIS POINTER FINGER EXCITEDLY.

That kinda reminds me of Hisoka--

THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GOING TO GO ALL PEDO ON ME, OH HELL TO THE NO.

BY THE WAY, WHERE WERE MY BROTHERS--

Out of the blue, the door was flung open, and all the eyes in the room turned to that door--

AND FOUND MY DAD CHARGING IN.

Somehow, I was scot free and the killer was the one blacking out now. All of us hurriedly took our luggages (?) and ran away on a suddenly-conceptualizing pavement alongside the rows off houses.

Well, it IS a dream.

THEN SUDDENLY THAT THING APPEARED AGAIN.

AND HE WAS COMING AFTER ME.

AND BY ME I MEAN ME.

I decided to abandon luggage and dove inside the endless expanse of water, swimming away from him as fast as possible. Sadly, my real life performance of swimming was exhibited in this dream,so all the bobbing around and flailing my limbs around made me really slow, while the creep was torpedoing at me. He caught my right leg with his hand, and I shrieked and gave the mean guy's face a nice kick. As he's recovering from the minor damage he sustained, I quickly resumed escaping, and soon noticed an island with A GIANT SHOPPING MALL sitting neatly on it.

Did I mention this is a dream?

So, tired of being submerged, I rose up immediately and entered the mall. Huffing and puffing, I passed through shops and shops, walked through corridors and corridors, and he eventually caught up with me! He was laughing one of those maniacal laughters that really, really intimidated me, causing me to start sobbing for my life.

--Anddd I was awakeeee.

So, because I am one big idiot who believes in necromancy and all that stuff, I shall try to decipher where in the world did that fantasy sequence came fromand what the heck do all of those thingamabobs are trying to tell me.

These are taken from dreammoods.com.

Swimming
To dream that you are swimming suggests that you are exploring aspects of your subconscious mind and emotions. The dream may be a sign that you are seeking some sort of emotional support. It is a common dream image for people going through therapy. To dream that you are swimming away from someone or something indicates that you are avoiding some deep emotional issue. You are refusing to acknowledge and confront your feelings because it may be too painful or too fresh. In particular, if you are swimming away to escape danger or death, then it suggests that you are letting fear take over your actions. You are afraid of change.

My analysis:

To be really honest, I do seek emotional support. I mean, I’m socially isolated. But then I can just feel the vibe of “oh you attention seeker” all around so people actually get confused whenever I flip my head off!

Ah-hem.

Well, this guy looked like my manga teachers combined, but I swear I bear no ill wit towards any of them. Maybe it’s a whole sort of other pain. The one coming from the most recent negative events. Fear? I don’t think I feel fear towards any of my captors. More of a resentment. The last phrase though, that I am’afraid a change’, rings the bell of me moving to Australia. It is a huge change, and maybe secretly, yes, I’m a little nervous because I don’t want the cycle of i-love-you-oh-wait-you’re-mentally-retarded-buh-bye repeating all over again.

Pool
To see a pool of water in your dream indicates that you need to acknowledge and understand your feelings. It is time to dive in and deal with those emotions. Alternatively, a pool indicates your desire to be cleansed. You need to wash away the past.

Analysis:  To be really honest, I have no idea of which specific set of feelings this is leading to. My insecurities regarding the Kangaroo Land? I would love to deal with them, if I know which ones are ‘them’. So, maybe my true interpretation of this particular symbol should be the alternative, my desire to be cleansed. I do wish this a lot of times, to just turn over a new leaf so that I will not get labelled phony if I switch personalities in the middle of our relationships. Australia is my new ‘leaf’ for me, and so if I screw up there... I think the rest of my life will be a meaningless hell.

Killer

To see a killer in your dream suggests that an essential aspect of your emotions have been cut off. You feel that you are losing your identity and your individuality. Alternatively, this dream may represent purification and the healing process. You are standing up for yourself and putting a dramatic end to something.

Analysis: Identity slip? A little bit. I find it much more difficult nowadays to express myself without regretting it in the future. And putting a dramatic end to something would be me retrieving my gadgets back, dammit. I need them to fulfill my purpose.

Serial Killer
To see a serial killer in your dream represents fear and insecurity.

Analysis: I think this is pretty plain and obvious by now.

Chase
To dream that you are being chased signifies that you are avoiding a situation that you do not think is conquerable. It is a metaphor for some form of insecurity. In particular, to dream that you are chased by an animal represents your own unexpressed and unacknowledged anger which is being projected onto that animal. Alternatively, you may be running away from a primal urge or fear.

Analysis: I’m starting to think that this is related to my lack of self confidene when it comes to my artistic skills, which I need to sharpen up for the animating course I’ll take in Aussie. Manga teachers -> Artwork stuff conclusion. YES, MY ANGER AT MYSELF IS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED, BECAUSE ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAMN PERSON IN THIS WORLD THINKS I’M FISHING FOR COMPLIMENTS, EVEN THOUGH I GENUINELY FUCKING HATE MY ART AND ULTIMATELY ALMOST MY WHOLE SELF.

ALL OF YOU BE DAMNED.

There, I said it.

Maybe I’m scared that I’m enrolling in something too big for me to handle. Well, this preparatory month is for me to catch up with my lack of awesomeness in arting. And almost everything else.

Sorry, just sayin’.

Bound

To dream that you are bound or tied up represents your need to be free from some relationship or situation.

Analysis: Because the people in this house are bullies. Fucking, mean bullies.          

Father
To see your father in your dream symbolizes authority and protection. It suggests that you need to be more self-reliant. Consider also your waking relationship with your father and how aspects of his character may be incorporated within yourself.

Analysis: I’ll just say that the self-reliance point is something I’m working on. I’ve always considered myself a pretty indpendent individual, so I guess I’ll detach myself from other more. My dad’s a self-made man, so yeah, this one hits clear.

Knife

To see someone holding a knife in your dream suggests that you lack control or power in a situation or relationship. Alternatively, the person holding a knife in your dream may be symbolic of a dominant male figure in your waking life.

Analysis: I usually lack control over a lot of things. Aging, sudden abdominal pains, pain itself. You know, the lemons life throws at us. My tuition teachers? A dominant male figure? I have no clue. I regard my tuition teachers highly, but then who the heck is this dominant male figure this excerpt is talking about?

Pocketknife
To see a pocketknife in your dream suggests a good friend is hiding his or his true feelings.

Analysis: I knew it, who’s deceiving me?

Brother
To see your brother in your dream symbolizes some aspect of your relationship with him. It can also serve to remind you that someone in your waking life has certain characteristics or behaviors similar to your brother.

Analysis: Let me reveal a secret: One of my brothers is an absolute jerk now.I’m basically socially alienated in this house. AND OH YES THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT TREAT ME THAT WAY TOO.

Blimey, give me a break, mental pressure.

Mall
To dream that you are at the mall represents your attempts in making a favorable impression on someone. You are trying to establish your identity and sense of self. The choices you make in life will mold who you are as a person. The mall is also symbolic of materialism and the need to keep up with the trends, fads, and/or the latest technology. Consider the type and name of stores that you see in your dreams.

 

Analysis: It’s all about being who I want to be.

But my question is,who is it?

A Few Words on Cory Monteith

Alright, the title's a big, sad lie, it will not be just 'a few words'. Not for a man of his caliber.

I was browsing through television channels with all the nonchalance I had, and after a while I decided to stop at CNN. What was on was something about China's situation regarding something that I can no longer recall, and then several words scrolled by in the coloured bar at the lower side of the screen ( I have no idea of its correct, professional term, forgive me ) that abruptly stopped my heart for a factual second, my eyes glued on them for what seemed to be an eternity.

Coroner: Heroin, killed 'Glee' star.

In that moment, my first thought was that it must be another bad hoax. But then I realized there IS a GLEE star that's infamous drug problems, and just re-entered rehab in this dreadful struggle against the lethally addictive substance. Amazingly, nobody really did see this coming. Not even me. The nausea crept up my stomach to my tightening esophagus, and I spent a few more minutes flicking through channels repeatedly to find a full report. I mean, CNN... To doubt its credibility... Well, there was that equally disheartening at-first-hearing Jackie Chan's death hoax... --He was my very first celebrity crush, you see-- But with the slither of truth that Cory could possibly had a relapse...

And then Kompas.com cleared my doubts. Very unfortunately.

No more to see of his charming smile, his nothing but adorably dorky mannerisms, his large built that gives off a protective feeling, no more to hear of his wonderful singing voice, the signature strained, yet soft articulations.

Right after the news anchormen ended the programme, of course they had to play the phenomenal scene that baptisized me as a Gleek on the spot. The very first rendition of 'Don't Stop Believing' in Glee, back when there were only six members, yet were an assemble that proved to be a powerhouse.

And when the very first line was sung so smoothly, the very first line that stole my heart and awakened me of the potential Glee has, I was trying, very desperately to banish the thought that the owner of that soulful voice,  one Cory Monteith, has left us all behind in this world. Very, very desperately.

Of course the tears rolled by in just a few more seconds.

Now, there's this emptiness sitting melancholically in me, lulling around in disbelief, grief, and oddly, guilt. Of course, some casual fan who lives in the other side of the world couldn't have done anything. But if I had the prior knowledge that he would... I could have... I could have done something somehow. An anonymous mail of warning, or slash that, support, just a slight alteration to little things like a fan mail could maybe have created a prominent difference. Maybe.

But that's not improtant anymore, isn't it?

Was it even preventable?

It's heartbreaking. As somehow a ray of light has faded indefinitely. Like a part of me died. He was, for me, an inspiration, for someone with such a troubled past that still pretty much haunted him to the very moments of his death still could have something that changed his life to the better in almost every aspect still happen to him. For being able to seize opportunities, for keeping on fighting against his addiction, for even desiring to assist the arts and the underdogged teenagers that are fans of Glee for a boost of motivation very wholeheartedly. I had a lot of dark, misleading, unhappy events happening to me just recently, and his moving portrayal of the heart of the show, Finn Hudson, was one of the anchors that still hooked me from going much under than I did. He reminded me to not let go of my ideals that one day, a person that is meant to be with me will just appear out of nowhere, and no matter what happens between us from that moment our eyes detected each other, that yes, we can never let the other go. That a form of pure, unadulterated love will last through all times. That there's still genuine love. There will be hurdles, but with this person, no matter how hazardous they are to our relationship, our bond can never de decimated.  He made me believe.

"Don't you get it, man? We're all losers. Everyone in this school! Hell, everyone in this town. Out of all the kids who graduate, maybe half will go to college, and two will leave the state to do it! I'm not afraid to be called a loser because I can accept that's what I am. But I am afraid of turning my back on something that actually made me happy for the first time in my sorry life."
- Finn Hudson, Glee

There were also life struggles and issues the character faced, most notably his insecurity that he won't be able to survive the rest of his life after graduating high school is also a very real and relatable factor, and his journey is something that most of us will certainly not want to replicate in our own future, yet the spark of hope that this character didn't let go so easily helped me cope with my depression.Traits  of his that tend to correct his own mistakes, to atone responsibly, his willingness to lead and work hard. The traits that a man should possess, his character possesses, and with his briliant acting, Cory convinced me to learn a lot from a fictional character. Like, if he can persist, why the hell can't I.  The actor himself is a wonderful person, often quoted aims to inspire the youth, a keen supporter of charities, and managed to share his artistic gifts to us all, brightening our lives with his undeniable talents.

"I think if you show up and your work hard and you're straightforward, you can always create your own opportunities. I hope I'm right."
-Cory Monteith

The saddest thing about this death of his though, is his permanently called off marriage with co-star Lea Michele, and of course their on screen personas' romance as well. My condolensces to the grieving Lea and Cory's family. A loss this sudden, especially at the peak of this young man's career and of course moments before he would tie the knot to a woman he loved, would have an incredibly heartwrenching impact, and if I felt that much hurt, what about these people that were closest to him?

"I want to get married and have children and live happily ever after. That's important to me."- Cory Monteith

Stay strong, are all that I wish for them.

Mr. Monteith, thank you for having simultaneously entertained and taught me to be a better person. Rest in peace, we will all miss you.

Thank you, Cory. I'll never stop belieeing. It's too soon, you are forever missed. By me.

PERSONAL SUNDAY : A NEW PASSION COMES ABOUT AS ONE AGES!

It was 1 A.M.

An hour after the fifth of July has taken over this realm. I was taking a sip of that canned milk, as my eyes were growing sore from gradual exhaustion. Finally, this one bout of insomnia for the night (?) is going to end was, my last thought. Agreeing with my body to cut off any more activities aside from sleeping, I turned off the lights and let the darkness consume my consciousness...

...And then I finally regained it back right in the same day, only that it was 11 A.M by then. I was not in the best of moods, even though the special day had a slightly uplifting feel about it. Sixteen exact years after I was given birth to in this world, both fortunately and unfortunately, and this current day was the day when a monumental celebration was supposed to be... Celebrated, for the lack of a better word. Yet, my blood family members ( except for my one air-headed father who was off having some sort of a briefing for his political party and seemed to genuinely not remember ) were pretty eager to 'forget' that hey, the second eldest female in this family has officially aged a year. Because all I want is full possession of my gadgets. And they wouldn't budge. And I was tired of their foolhardiness.

Suddenly, my youngest brother rushed in my room, an everlasting look of curiosity still there on his face. It's like it's his default expression.

"Vivian and Edeline are going to meet up with you around 1.30 P.M, at Sun Plaza. Oh, and Lao Shi ( our wonderful Chinese tuition teacher, I love her so much ) said happy birthday." He stated, and after finishing his messenger duty, he quickly sprawled out noisily.

With just the mention of the names of my best friends, every single cell of my body was buzzing brightly. I was going to spend my birthday with people I actually care, thank goodness!, I exclaimed to myself. Hurriedly appropriating myself to the occassion, I met up with both of them and a delectable bonus of my fellow nakama, Days-- I mean Rue-san. Meeting up with her was so special because our conditions are well... Pretty much Romeo and Juliet-like. All of us had an extremely fun time together, tiring our legs to the extreme with some 'Pump It Up', enjoying meals in a cafe that I love to death, cuddling my irrestisible new Donald Duck ( my anthropomorphic duck <3 ) doll, discussing our dreams and futures altogether...

I guess this is what it really feels like... To be surrounded by the people you actually love. I can get used to this. But then in just another two months, I will have to leave for Sydney. I'm taking Business and Digital Media Design undergraduate programmes over there,in this educational institution called AIT. Hrmph, this is really too bad. I wish we can make more memories together before my departure.This is a wonderful contender for best birthday ever, and it is, yet! :D

Well, enough of this melodrama, now I would like to introduce the revival of a fandom I rediscovered my love for...

THE  HUNTER X HUNTER FANDOM!

Hunters.

Let me sum up the plot. A young boy named Gon Freecs is chasing after his long lost Dad by attempting to pass the Hunter Exam to become a hunter -- to find out the reason why Ging Freecs would focus on being a Hunter instead of being with his son, leaving the poor thing under his thankfully loving Aunt Mito's care. Atypical to your typical shonen manga, this show is a more intellectual and surprisingly deep take of the genre, and the characters are much against their streotypical roles , fleshing their substance as believable human beings... Well, literally for only some of them. The story takes place in a fictional world where fantastical beings exist and a wholly different system than this world', with the profession of a 'hunter' in under the spotlight. What does a hunter do? Simple, a hunter hunts. A blacklist hunter hunts for blacklisted criminals, a gourmet hunter hunts for exotic ingredients for exotic food, and et cetera. This occupation is quite life-risking, but when one passes the ridiculously difficult Hunter Exam by our standards, you will be granted the right to be called a hunter, and also exclusive rights for things such as 95 % of the public transportation system being free, access to most of the restricted areas in the world, and more and more awesome stuff. In this exam, he will soon meet with three interesting fellow applicants - Killua Zaoldyeck, a twelve year old assassin, Kurapika, a collected and very intelligent young man who is my youngest brother's favorite character for that particular trait, and Leorio Paladiknight, a brash guy who is more than just his rough exterior- and with these people, try to pass the Hunter Exam!

The original 1999 art style. Compare and contrast.

I watched some episodes of the 1999 version when I was around four or five, so my memories of the series were pretty vague until I discovered the Madhouse reboot. The only things I could still recall clearly was the old school art style, my lingering perception that Kurapika's a woman ( I watched the Indonsian dubbed version, and her-- I mean his voice was... Manry. I mean feminime. ) 'her' husband and Gon and Killua are their sons, ( Well, I was still pretty much a toddler, whaddya know. ) and the, of course, Indonesian dubbed version of the phenomenally otherwordly first ending
, 'Kaze no Uta', originally by Minako Honda . The Indonesian version seems too lackluster now that I've recently tried to listen to it again, while the Japanese version is as hauntingly powerful as ever.You can view the Japanese ending here :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2IuUWK7yec , the full-length Japanese song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wRr1bti8I0 and the Indonesian ending here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U5hWIXJvmc. If you wanna check out the Indonesian version of the first opening theme, 'Ohayou' originally by Keno, click away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU7cbnjPzFI . I wonder if this Indonesian opening-ending dub habit still survives, how will it turn out for YUI's 'Rolling Star' and Ikimonogakari's 'Blue Bird'... One can't help but wonder.

Hi Pedoclown. His former VA, Hiroki Takahashi, is the voice of Japan of Axis Powers Hetalia fame, while his current VA, Daisuke Namikawa, voices the Italy Brothers from Axis Powers Hetalia as well. Because of the much more seductive and suggestive voice acting, his pedoclown levels have officially crowned over Ronald McDonald's.

But let's get back to my newest obsession.

( From left to right ) Kurapika, Gon Freecs, Leorio Paladiknight and Killua Zoldyck )

With a brand new art style that seems to adapt with the latest trend of 'moenization' yet is not too fluffy, I have often heard that this adaptation seems to be a 'much more loyal follower to the original manga', kudos to Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei and his crazy out-of-the-box naming sense ( I mean, Zoldyck? Kurta? Pakunoda? GITTARACKUR? Gives a brand new level to originality ). I knew roughly beforehand how the plot goes, yet was still amazed by how impactful the original storyline with the current plot pacing can be in the 2011 version. The soundtrack is also pretty glorious, and I am an absolute fan of the opening and ending themes! Here are links to them and my own personal opinions regarding them. Beware, later openings and endings may have a spoiling effect! Note that I will only post links pre the Chimera Ant arc, as I have not progressed beyond the end of Greed Island. Animax Asia, you better let me catch up as soon as possible!

1st and 3rd Opening Theme: Departure! by Masashi Ono :1st version Opening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IdtMFJl6Wo  2nd version Opening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bde4poKAoGw
Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqGeMKxHoBY


Be accustomed to his one, you'll be hearing this for EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. I'm good with this song, as it establishes a signature style of the overall Hunter X Hunter feel, though if they keep re-using this for the Chimera Ant arc, it will be one heck of a soundtrack dissonance...Confused with the lack of '2nd'? Just you scroll down...

1st Ending Theme: Just Awake by Fear, and Loathing in vegas : Opening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IdtMFJl6Wo
Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65tpAu5w9lw

A little bit... Loud and not really Hunter X Hunter for me, but it's pretty likable as a stand alone track. My problem is more on how it doesn't have that Hunter X Hunter feel to it.

2nd Opening Theme : Departure! -Second Version- by Masashi Ono : Opening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG1NjoIhAKA
Full Version : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOINc3bzRf8

I told you. The only differences are the lyrics and the usage of instruments for the instrumental. But still really good.

2nd Ending Theme: Hunting For Your Dream by Galneryus: Opening : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRI3Z9CWXs4
Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FhmyWT-_0U

A wonderful, gallant rock song. It sounds old school-ey, but I sure am glad that it has more Hunter X Hunter to it than the first ending.

3rd Ending Theme: Reason by Yuzu: Opening : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJSv8fpvKrc
Full Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZfbjG-7CUM

By far my favorite ending. I've heard of the fourth ending, 'Nagareboshi Kirari' which is performed by Yuzu as well, but I never actually listened to it. I rather wait for Animax Asia's continuation of the anime to finally allow my ears to finally ingest the song. This song highlights the breather element of the Greed Island arc right after the grim, grim Yorkshin arc, and also the inspirational companionship of Gon and Killua. At first it felt a lot like a modern J-pop boyband song, but after getting exposed repeatedly to this song I grew really fond of this one. By the way,if anyone has the karaoke version of this song, please assist me. I seriously want to cover this song, and I have yet to discoverthe correct instrumental track.

The Genei Ryodan members are the most sympathetic antagonists of fiction for me, yet factually the most ruthless ones as well.

I had a marathon of the series, right until the middle of the Heaven's Arena arc, and if you have not discovered Hunter X Hunter, the 2011 reboot is a good place to start. It sticks closely to the manga, and of course lacks some or modifies some parts of the manga, but is still a pretty good adaptation. The animation is effectively fluid, characters NEVER seem off model and the strikingly bright color palette brings a much more child-friendly image to this show. It also notably censors some pretty violent scenes and downgrades them a bit as this reboot's demographics is extended to younger audiences, and they did a good job, but at times feels seriously forced. ( That sudden appearance of a mini sack bag springs to mind. ). A fresh take on the series, laconically speaking. Because my brothers were participating in the marathon as well, we now have a running gag of not referring to Pedoclown's Togashi-certified name, preferring, you've guessed it, Pedoclown.

Just like the Spice Girl song, Wannabe, 'FRIENDSHIP LASTS FOREVER!'

By the way, I might be cosplaying as 57 year-old Biscuit Kruger. No typos there.

By the way, this is a fan art of mine, for 'Friendship Day'. My school wasn't big on the idea of calling it with the actual 'St. Valentine's Day' title. My shippings for this fandom is GonKiru, LeoPika and ChrolloMachi. But it's not the shippings that satisfy me, it's the valuable comradeship the two main prepubescent boys share. So romantically, platonically, I just want them to be happy life partners. And so for my 2013 Valentine-- I mean Friendship Day art, I chose these two to represent my idealistic view of friendship, that it lasts forever, no matter what size of boulders life merrily throws at you. Don't be best friends, be 'nakamas', life companions!


/butIdiddrawaValentine'sdayartrevolvingthetwohehehecheckoutmyDAforthatone

And all the achievements from the extreme dedication our beloved main characters have to suceed inspired me to work out. Ten push ups per dayfor now. And check out the musical adaptations, especially 'Nightmare of Zoldycks'. Might sound really tacky, a shonen series turned into a musical, but really, it's genuinely beautiful. The original 1999 voice actors play the characters on stage, so expect Junko Takeuchi barking around wildly.

OSU!

That's my post for today, thank you for viewing! Leave a comment if you wanna, well, comment on anything, prompt stuff for me to write about, or just write anything you want!