Music Monday: Elfen Lied

Ahh I must admit that it feels good to be back on the writing block. I felt really burnt out from finals so I decided that I needed a break from any form of writing and yes, that included blogging also. But now that finals are over and graduation is right around the corner I’m back and ready to start writing again!

This past weekend I was introduced to a song titled “New Charlotte” by the artist Duru tha King. It sampled it’s beat from one of the most gore ridden anime’s of all time; Elfen Lied. At first I didn’t even know it was sampled from Elfen Lied until my friend pointed it out to me. I really loved the angelic voice playing in the background but perhaps that was why it really made the song that much better. I gave the songs a few listens and it’s been stuck in my head all weekend and even some of today. As I said in previous Music Monday posts, it’s always refreshing knowing that music artists are recognizing just how beautiful other genres of music can sound when paired together. Below you can find the track from Elfen Lied and the instrumental of New Charlotte.

-Aniplays

Music Monday: My Soul, Your Beat

I took some time this past weekend to revisit an old anime that I’ve been itching to watch again, Angel Beats; which I will also be doing a Throwback Thursday entry of this week! Angel Beats is the quite possibly the only anime opening that I”ll really listen to and let play all the way through. Now that I think about it I would probably put Angel Beats as number 1 on my list for “Best Anime Music”. Why? Simply because the songs that were chosen for each scene just fit the mood so perfectly and personally, as a viewer, as each carefully chosen song were to play during the scenes they were able to immerse you inside the world of Angel Beats.

Just now, in my heart that has begun to tremble
I felt it come again
the new sun, crossing over a thousand mornings
I felt like it was waiting for me
Because I felt like it was calling to me

As you folks should know by now I try my best to keep Music Mondays short and sweet. So my question for you is: What’s your favorite anime opening song? Be sure to leave a comment!

-Aniplays

Throwback Thursday: Samurai X Trust and Betrayal

Hitokiri Battousai; the name that shook fear in everyone’s hearts when it was mentioned, the name that made even those of the most power tremble, we’ve all heard the name of the legendary man slayer. The man who took down a single army all on his own. The man who had no remorse towards any of his victims as his cold blood-stained blade was the last thing his victims felt as they fell to the legend of the man slayer. But just who was he anyway? Hit the jump to find out more!

Case of the Real Folk Blues

The rain can always have a love/hate relationship depending on the type of person you are. Living in Seattle you’ll eventually become to grow into that person. When I think of the soothing pitter patter of the rain as it softly hits the roof of my house I can’t help but be reminded of the ending theme to “Cowboy Bebop”, The Real Folk Blues by The Seatbelts.

The real folk blues
I only want to know true happiness is
All that glitters is not gold

The Seatbelts ft. Mai Yamane – The Real Folk Blues

Listening to this songs brings back a ton of memories for me. Saturday nights I would stay up late at night watching the anime block of Adult Swim and Cowboy Bebop was the anime out of the bunch that I really liked a ton. But lets go back to the song before I start rambling on (don’t I always though?). When you read the lyrics as you listen to the song you can really feel the true raw emotion that the artist wanted you to feel. Through the vocals of her voice, through the tempo of the song, it’s like painting a story of love and tragedy in your mind. I guess that’s what Cowboy Bebop was really about after all. But I won’t take too much of your time, so sit back and relax to the sounds of “The Real Folk Blues”.

-Aniplays

Japan Dreamin’

If you were to follow me on tumblr you would find out that I am just in love with Japan just as every other otaku would be. I appreciate everything Japan has to offer. From cars, clothes, video games, anime, etc. the list can never really end. The place is RICH with culture and I would just love to visit for at the very least a month and be able to live out everything I’ve always wanted to do out there.

Throwback Thursday: Cowboy Bebop

Space, a place that holds so many unanswered questions, a place that has so many mysteries, and last but not least a place where space cowboys travel searching for their next bounty. As you guys have probably realized by now, Throwback Thursdays are childhood memories that I love to indulge in and I hope you guys feel the same. Cowboy Bebop was one of the very few space animes that I really enjoyed. This anime isn’t normally something I would watch in the first place. Come to think about it, I would choose just about any other genre before any kind of space related anime. But the opening intro looked good so I thought to myself “lets just go with it”.

Another trip down memory lane: Return to Zanarkand

Probably known as the Final Fantasy that changed the franchise. This game was jam packed full of new features, mini games, characters, and everything else alike. For me, I had a love/hate relationship with this game. One aspect of the game that I absolutely loved was being able to switch out characters mid-battle. I thought that brought a lot of new excitement to the series. As I said in one of my previous posts (here) I never really did know what was going on in any RPG games, I would just grind the hell out of my characters until I was able to 1-hit KO all the monsters in the area and move onto the next. But as you grow up and you finally understand what the story is about, you finally begin to appreciate the story and all it stands for.

Never forget your bonds

In advance I would like to apologize about the format of this post, I wanted you folks to be able to read the pages without having to click on the pictures.

This weeks double chapter of Fairy Tail really touched some string for me as I read this page. It reminded me a lot of my past and the people that I’ve lost during my journey through life. I’m not just talking about the ones that ended up in the after life neither, I’m talking about the bonds that I used to have with past friends. I understand that it’s a part of life that people will drift apart eventually but I just wanted to let you all remember that no matter what they were part of your life for a reason whether it be good or bad. Wow, that was one of those run on sentences my english teacher always scolded me about haha.

Music Monday: Street Fighter X Tekken

Known as probably one of the more underwhelming titles from Capcom, Street Fighter X Tekken was like a solid 5/10 in my book. I just feel like the whole gem system was pretty broken and the cinematics were less than eye popping. If you want my honest opinion this whole game was just a flop.

I came across this song randomly one day as I was browsing youtube for Street Fighter videos. To be truthful I really love how the artist mixed Balrog’s  (boxer) and Vega’s (claw) character themes from SF turbo 2.The song isn’t meant to be a serious song for any hardcore music fans out there, just sit back and listen to Balrog firing shots to the Tekken side. It’s an enjoyable song if you’re an avid Street Fighter fan like myself. Till next time!

-Aniplays

Lifestyle Sundays: Vanida Long

So some of you might be thinking “I thought it was Cosplay Sunday?” So I want to clear this up. I decided to change it from Cosplay Sunday to Lifestyle Sunday because it’s just too hard to locate cosplayers every week for an interview and photoshoot. So I’ve decided the name change “Lifestyle Sundays” simply because anime lovers come from all different kinds of backgrounds and we all have different stories waiting to be shared so why not make it more versatile?