Denkyu: Anime Webzine

In the Past, the Japanese did not follow a meal with dessert, apart from some fruit. This custom is slowly changing and now many Japanese restaurants offer light desserts such as sorbet or ice cream. Here, ice cream is flavoured with matcha – the finest green powdered tea used in the tea ceremony. It gives the ice cream a sophisticated twist.

Serves Four

Ingredients
500ml/17fl oz carton good-quality vanilla ice cream
15ml/1 tbsp matcha
15ml/1 tbsp lukewarm water from the kettleseeds from 1/4 pomegranate (optional)

1. Soften the ice cream by transferring it to the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Do not allow it to melt.

2. Mix the matcha powder and lukewarm water in a cup and stir well to make a smooth paste.

3. Put half the ice cream into a mixing bowl. Add the matcha liquid and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula, then add the rest of the ice cream. You can stop mixing at the stage when the ice cream looks a marbled dark green and white, or continue mixing until the ice cream is a uniform pale green. Put the bowl in the freezer.

4. After 1 hour, the ice cream is ready to serve. Scoop into individual glass cups, and top with a few pomegranate seeds to decorate, if you like.

Written by Aragami Frog

You too can learn to write like the pro’s… that is the Japanese language

For those who wish to feel like they were in the first grade again and learn how to write all over comes this great book by Manga University. It offers interested fans the chance to write in both of the widely used Japanese written languages, Hiragana and Katakana. Both languages are used in the original version of most manga.

This book allows one to write the most commonly used Katakana and Hiragana characters in hopes that you too can eventually master the art of translating Japanese.

This book focuses on the brush/pen strokes of each character as well as the Romanji pronunciation. Romanji is what is commonly referred to as the English alphabet. Many fans use Romanji all the time and not know it. The name of the popular clamp series Tsubasa… is the Romanized version of the original Japanese characters used to write the name of the series.

This book also focuses on giving examples of how each character can be combined with others to form words. As if that isn’t enough, each page offers an image of an example of the word used as an example. Most of these pictures are expertly drawn manga pics that you won’t find anywhere else and aren’t the typical cheese-ly done pictures one finds accompanying most similar books teaching another language.

Each page offers a brief explanation of each word’s usage and a Japanese historical and or society note about said word.

Then there’s the two “green cards”, with one in the front and one in the back. One card features the complete Katakana alphabet and the other features the complete Hiragana alphabet. Both also feature the romanji version of each character right next to the Japanese character. These two pages are the most valuable part of the book and you can use them to try your own hand at amateurish translating from Japanese to Romanji. All one needs is to have a few pages of untranslated Japanese manga and a decent Japanese/English dictionary.

Don’t expect that good of results as most Japanese/English dictionaries I have found in stores offer a very limited number of words. The other big set back is this book doesn’t teach you about Kanji, which is learned by Japanese kids after having learned how to write both Katakana and Kanji. You can try anyways and I’m sure you’ll notice a few of the Japanese characters you’ve seen all the time and know at an instant how that character should be pronounced and written in Romanji.

There are some downsides to this book, which are:

This book is oddly set up with the Hiragana version of each character on the left page and the Katakana version on the right. It would have been nice if one could have learned either Katakana or Hiragana first then try the other than trying to learn both at once.

Another negative is the limited space to try your hand at the bottom of each page. Each page already has one of the characters written for you showing steps and has another outlined for you to complete. Then there are two blank spaces for you to continue to practice…. Yes you heard me, just two boxes to try writing the character yourself. I guess they feel that once you write the character twice yourself that you will have it down pat. Although this is slightly made up for in the back of the book where a few pages are offered of just blank boxes for you to use but using your own blank piece of paper would have been just as effective. That and I don’t think many fans will be so willing to mark all over the book.

To many, the dust cover would be a plus but for small thin books like this, only 110 pages, it’s annoying as it won’t stay in place and will keep sliding up or down on the book. If you take the cover off you will find the same image underneath but instead of being in color like the dust jackets image it is Green and White. Yes you read right, Green and White. I guess that doing the normal Black and White was too overdone and they wanted to try something new.

Overall though this book is very interesting and a suggested must buy for anyone wishing to take the first steps in learning the Japanese written language and one day translating manga yourself.

This “manga” book’s art was done by Chihiro Hatteri and the text was done by Glenn Kardy, both of whom make the use of this book easy to use. This is one of several releases by Manga University in efforts to allow casual fans to master their dreams of knowing more of the Japanese written language. Each successive book is a step above the other and teaches just a little bit more than the previous book. Creating a gradual step by step method to teaching you the Japanese written language.

I say written language because there’s no way that just a book can efficiently teach you how to pronounce many of the characters you are shown. This book like the following books write how one should pronounce certain letters and vowels but for many, like me it’s like its written in Greek.

This book requires some devotion to Japanese anime and manga as I don’t see new anime and manga fans rushing to learn the Japanese language just because they find a few series interesting. The more devoted fans however will love this chance to write Japanese themselves and come one step closer to being fully engulfed in the anime and manga lifestyle.

Author: Glenn Kardy – Publisher: Japanime Co. Ltd.
Media: Paperback – Pages: 112 – Retail: $9.99
ISBN: 4921205019

Written by Andromeda

In 1989, Janne Da Arc started out as an indies band with a completely different name and was originally formed by Yasu, Kiyo, and Ka-yu. It wasn’t long though before Ka-yu decided to leave and in 1991, You joined. When You joined, they gave themselves the name “Janne Da Arc” after a manga character. Shuji joined in 1992 as a support drummer. Later on in 1992, Ka-yu decided to come back. Before Shuji was made an official member, they group released their first few demo tapes.

In 1999, after making a few indies albums, they were the first visual group to sign a record contract with “Cutting Edge”(later changed to “motorod”), a division of Avex. Over the years their style of music has become more of a pop sound and are known for putting out lots of music very quickly, but they are also a very popular and talented J-Rock band. So you somewhat know what they sound like, Janne Da Arc is a band similar to L’Arc~en~Ciel.

In mid-1999 they debuted with their single “RED ZONE”. Celebrating their 6th anniversary on the J-Pop market, their newest album Joker, their 6th major album, was released June 15th, 2005. The album features two songs, Moonshine Flower and Love is Here, which occupied the 2nd and 3rd place of the Oricon chart at the beginning of the year.

They’ve also performed songs for tv shows and animes. Animes that they’ve performed songs for are Ongaku Touzokudan – Asobot Senki GOKU, One Piece – Once Piece Best Album, and Black Jack – Original Soundtrack SOUND KARTE 01.

Written by Fabric Alchemist

If you’ve heard of anime, then there’s an extremely good chance you’ve heard of cosplaying, or dressing up as your favorite anime character. This can be a labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming hobby — but so very rewarding. I mean, how cool is it to dress up as your favorite character? Many people wear their cosplay costumes to conventions; to compete in masquerades, or just to see and be seen in the convention halls. It’s something like being a celebrity for a day; people will run up to you, yelling your character’s name, and ask to take your picture. Interested yet? I’ll give you some guidelines to getting started.

If you know the basics of sewing, you’re pretty well set (if you don’t, Grandmothers and Moms are excellent help here, they are usually more than willing to help). Here’s what I recommend:

–Choose your character wisely. They don’t have to be your doppelganger (though the more you resemble your character, the better), but before you spend the money on a costume, make sure this is a character you’re still going to like by the time you’re finished. When you’ve decided who you’re going to be, get online and find good reference pictures; the more detailed, the better.

–Cosplaying doesn’t have to be expensive. If you’re just starting out with your first costume, or are strapped for cash, I recommend that you head to Goodwill first. It might take some hunting, but it’s much cheaper to find something there and simply alter it, rather than getting a pattern and starting from scratch. Start altering and adding to things you find at thrift stores and practice…then once you’ve leveled up on a couple of costumes, try a pattern. Some things you simply won’t find in a thrift store, but it’s a good place to start.

–Making the costume realistic / Choosing your fabric. Hunting through thrift stores is one thing, but if you’re more advanced and starting from scratch, you have much more creative license. It’s important to think about the character and what kind of fabric their clothes would be made of. Broadcloth is cheap, and a good general choice, but it’s also flimsy — so consider all your options. For instance, Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist is a fifteen year old alchemist. He’s still kind of a kid, running around and getting into trouble, and he comes from a northern European-type country. Fleece, rather than broadcloth (or satin, which is worse!), is a better choice, because it’s warm and fuzzy and something more like a troublemaking kid would wear. So think about where your character lives, why they dress the way they do; investing a couple more dollars a yard could make your costume that much more authentic.

–The Law of Anime Exaggeration. Once you’re getting started, remember this rule. In anime, the characters are much more slender than anyone in real life. They look delicate and willowy (or maybe, for some male characters, they’re much bigger than in real life). In either case, you have to take into account that you are more than likely not anime-sized, so dressing up as a twiggy character is not going to be extremely flattering (if you know what I mean). So, what’s the solution? Whatever you’re making, make it a little bigger (to make you look smaller)…For instance, most people lack the physical proportions of Vash the Stampede from TriGun. So, to make your legs look longer (because he’s so very tall), make the belt higher than you normally would. To make your face look smaller, make that red stand-up collar on the jacket a little bigger than you normally would. It’s a subtle thing, but it makes your costume a little more flattering.

–Pattern hybridizing. Eventually, you’re going to do a costume that is a little off the map. Something a little weirder than you can find in a thrift store, or can find a pattern for. Whether you like it or not, you’re going to have to buckle down and hybridize a pattern or two (or more; When I made the Vash coat, I think I used six). This means taking pieces from one pattern and using them with pieces of others — it’s pretty daunting, but the results can be totally awesome. I don’t recommend trying this unless you’ve done a couple of costumes first; it can get complicated if you don’t know what you’re doing, and with disastrous results. Practice first, and get a feel for how clothes and patterns fit together.

–MacGyverin’ It. Along with using patterns unorthodoxly, you’re going to need to be very resourceful. Costumes that require props, jewelry, hair acrobatics (like Sailor Moon): things that aren’t fabric, but nonetheless still crucial components of the costume. For these, you’re going to have to acquaint yourselves with the hardware, craft, and even the cooking utensil departments in your local shops. Don’t think about what a thing is used for, think about the shape, what it could become if you painted it, if you added things. For my sister’s Princess Mononoke mask, we used a tupperware bowl, hot glue sticks, raffia, and carved teeth out of a sign that used to say “lifeguard not on duty; swim at your own risk”. So think outside the box; you’ll be surprised at what you can find.

–DETAILS. Don’t skimp on them. I can’t stress this enough. Whether you’re going as Ranma 1/2 or FFX Yuna, don’t leave anything out. The fewer details on your costume, usually the less recognizable it is. I’m probably a little too obsessive when it comes to details.

–Battle Readiness. If the costume is uncomfortable, it’s just going to suck to wear. You’re not going to think about having fun, you’re going to think about fidgeting with your costume. This is a matter of personal preference, of course; some costumes will NEVER be comfortable (like Yunalesca from FFX, or Faye Valentine’s yellow ensemble). But make sure the outfit is as comfortable as possible, and that it doesn’t get in your way; it’s just going to end up annoying you. Personally, I make my costumes with the thought in mind that I’m going to be horsing around with my friends, and that the outfit needs to be as sturdy as possible (I mean, who’s NOT going to horse around dressed as a superhero?!). If you like tussling around with your buds too, take this into consideration and make sure your outfit isn’t going to get in your way/ fall apart. If it gets in the way of your fun, it’s not worth it.

–Getting Stuck. Remember, that if you hit a snag and you don’t know how to approach it, to back off from the costume for a while. Take a break, and ask other people what they think. Sometimes the best suggestions come from people who have no idea what cosplay is. If you don’t know what to do to make something a bit unconventional, just ask around and brainstorm with other people.

–Group Cosplays. If you’re maybe a little nervous about wearing something so outlandish, grab your friends and go in a group! Go as the crew of the Bebop, the Seven Homunculi; all characters from the same show, so your costumes have a theme. It’s a lot of work, but it’s that much more fun (and you have a built-in support group!). Even better, do a group cosplay to your local grocery store. Imagine a gang of State Alchemists buying snacks!

These are very basic guidelines; further than this would need to begin addressing specific costume issues. Cosplaying is all about fun, so keep in mind that if the costume is stressing you out, it’s probably not worth it. Take a break. The more costumes you do, the easier it will get, and the more advanced costumes you can make. I’m always available to help troubleshoot a costume–your question could even become a Q&A for a future Cosplay 101 article! Drop me a line; I’ll be happy to help get you started. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can learn how to assemble costumes, so get out there and start practicing!

Written by Aragami Frog

In my review of Kare Made Love Volume 02 I was willing to give away more of the plot because that volume had been released awhile ago and those of you who are already interested in this series should have already read it. If you haven’t gotten that volume yet and you’re a huge fan of this series then I wish to apologize to you for having a crappy job like me where it makes affording anime and manga nearly impossible.

This time I won’t be giving away too much of the story for those who have yet to pick up this latest volume, but I may give away two minor plot elements. Don’t worry, if you have read the manga series MARS then you have read them before.

Karin and Kiriya are finally able to go on their vacation but not before problems arise before hand but they are sorted out and away goes the main characters of this series. The rest of this volume takes place at their vacation destination as Karin and Kiriya try and enjoy their vacation while Kiriya starts to bring up the topic of sex. More happens but I won’t spoil this volume too much.

The spoilers that I am going to give away show how unoriginal many of the plot elements in this series are. These spoilers aren’t anything major and nothing too revealing. Besides, if you want to be surprised by what will happen next in this series the only thing I can suggest is that I hope you haven’t read many other romance shoujos.

In this volume Karin and Kiriya finally get to go on their vacation although before they can do that Kiriya disappears. His father appears one day on the streets and drags him back home. Wow, it turns out that his dad owns one of the wealthiest companies in the nation.

I know this is probably a BIG spoiler but I bring this up because this sounds VERY VERY similar to something that happened in the manga series MARS.

Then there’s the revelation about Kiriya’s brother that Kiriya makes that also sadly sounds too much like the manga series MARS.

Wow, a guy who’s at odds with his father, who owns one of the biggest companies in the country, over the death of his artistic brother and is dating a girl that seems shy and innocent most of the time. This sounds EXACTLY like the manga MARS.

It seems that once again the creator of this series, Kaho Miyasaka, sets about using plot elements that seem too familiar if you have read many of the other romance shoujo’s out there. The result is a series that’s intriguing in it’s own sense but at the same times can seem like too much of a rehash of other series.

I know with my review of the past volumes of this series that it may seem that I hate this series for being so repetitive of idea’s done in other series, but it’s hard to ignore that many of these plot elements have been done before. I actually like this series as I prefer to read Shoujo mangas. It’s just that I wish that this series would try to be more original.

Once again, pick this up if you love romance shoujo’s. Just don’t expect originality.