Tinkerbell

(tags DVD region 2, computer graphics, movie, 2008)

I was going to be stuck at home nursing a debilitating neck cramp with some proscribed painkillers, so I bought Tinkerbell (2009) the direct to retail product on DVD. Previously I picked up the CD music "inspired" by the movie, but that was back in 2008 at Tower Records in Kobe. The music was pretty and ethereal, but I admit it's not my everyday traveling music.

I am a sucker for computer-generated primary color meadows and nature. I'm also a dirty old man who questions/welcomes the hemline on CG characters. (Too short!/?) But let me highlight the best part of Tinkerbell: Tinkerbell's quick reconsideration and rejuvenation when the pixie dust fairy Terrance responds with "I am [proud to be just the pixie dust guy]". This scene not only conveys her wide thoughtfulness, but also her quick mind. It works so much better that the cutting room floor snippets that I saw from the "Bonus Material". Maybe this is not so subtle but I wasn't expecting the expression on Terrance's face and Tinkerbell's reaction to carry this moment.

The movie stylistic does more showing than telling. I loved that part where she rebuilds the music box ballerina (with the tooth piano making a sound while her expression turns to enlightenment). The best graphic has to be the sunset capturing her dance with the finished ballerina.

It's not to say that I did like the voices. I watched it in English and Tinkerbell's voice actress sounds great. Maybe when I get board I'll listen to it again in Japanese. There are two voice actresses on that side who are familiar.

The story has a deus ex machina and I hate those. Except I kept on thinking that Tinkerbell was going to bust out with duct-tape ala MacGyver, or the camera was going to start zooming onto her tools like in Army of Darkness. Scenes of creativity enrapture me.

Watching the rest of the material on the DVD and feeling the magic end made me think of buyer's remorse. So I went to the website to collect some wallpapers, and searched for the Internet reaction (mostly positive?). Oh gee, a Blu-ray version, but I don't need that yet. Oh a DS game, but it's so simplistic. Ack! The sequel adventures of Tinkerbell, yes I'll be looking forward to that.

Rubik's Cube Osaka Competition

(tags game, Rubik's Cube, Osaka, 2008)

Last weekend was the Rubik's Cube 2008 Osaka Competition, sponsored by Japan Rubik's Cube Association (JCRA). I was thinking of just spectating but in the end I didn't attend. Star of Rubik's Cube had a picture of the small room where it was held. I looked over the final times, and I recognize the two names, "Nakaji" and "Gunji". I though to myself I could at least record a time in the first elimination round. Ha.

I also noticed that there was only one foreign guy placing. Neat. It's annoying to see the highlighting on the women's names. They do that at my work as well on those personnel sheets. What is the point of emphasizing gender?

I'm hyped up and motivated to keep on practicing.

2008 is already here! Animedia Nanoha Calendar

(tags poster, anime, Nanoha, 2008, sexy)

Well my Winter vacation has come and gone and I haven't achieved what I wanted to achieve. I did go crazy on Friday and Sunday (eg purchases) so there's that to document. I haven't yet talked about my own version of "best and rest of 2008", like last year.

But 2008 is already here and so that means a new calendar. But this one is not very functional, rawr.

I am so behind on reading Moeyo Akibajin blog. I read the news about this interesting calendar just last week even though it was posted on 2007-12-11 (「なのは9歳？、15歳？、19歳勢ぞろいカレンダー付属のアニメディア発売他」). Luckily Animedia is a monthly magazine, though I never regularly buy it. This particular calendar comes with Animedia issue 2008-01. I bought two of the same issue at only 500 yen each. Unfortunately the poster's paper is flimsy so I put both of them up in that plastic sheet.

Also this reminds me of that special poster when you buy that Nanoha StrikerS DVD 1 which features a young (9) and mature (19) Nanoha. I like that one better than this one. :-/ It was also illustrated in a one-of-a-kind POP back in 2007-07. I found a copy of the poster version at Books Lashinbang, and it could be mine for only 4000 yen! No thanks.

Also as a special addition to the 2008-01 issue, there was a data book about all the televised anime since 1962 till 2007. Whoa 45 years of anime. No pictures, just director, seiyuu, etc. It's surprisingly small at 130 pages, with a big chunk of it devoted to seiyuu data as well. Of course with Japanese kanji you can squeeze a lot in, plus it's normal to read a book really close to your face. It would be so cool to have this data digitized, though.

Touch it again and again: Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 (Duo)

(tags game, gal-ge, Dual Screen, 2008)

Yea, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 Duo (どきどき魔女神判2（DUO）) announced! (Thanks dengeki, famitsu, via zepy.) Thankfully it will be next year and not this year. I can't say I like the designs of this one time around, though. You really can't top "Maho", I think.