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!