mysecretsoul

They totally do say "dood," all the time. Actually, the lead character here apparently instructs the penguins on behavior; if they don't say "dood," as they're told, they're sent to janitorial duties instead of minion-ing.

I've never played King's Quest, but it has lots of installments, wow. Were there any funny ways to die? I'm one of those that play The Sims 3, so I'm familiar with creative methods. XD

How was My Bratty Princess? Dubbing bothers me too; like in Lan Ling Wang, Feng Shao Feng is a native speaker and does just fine in similar period films. They only dubbed him for the drama though?! Such a weird practice. You should have seen my face when I heard his real voice for the first time.

They are planning to broadcast online. There may be regional restrictions, but I think they have branches through other networks (as in Europe). You may be able to get the service that way.

There is! It's called The Devil. While I watched the Korean version first, the Japanese version seemed to execute the story better. Though, perhaps it's just my bias, I found Uhm Tae Woong more believable than Ikuta Toma in the same role.

Oh, Ji Sung is the lead then? I've honestly never seen him in anything before. Lately I've been trying to round up the last actors that have escaped my notice; that might be a good start! Thanks so much for your words on it.

With that said about episode lengths, something shocked me recently; this new Taiwanese drama I started, "In A Good Way," stands at an hour and 35 minutes each. But it feels like so much less because the time passes so well. Just when I was going to give up on Taiwan too, no less! Watch me jinx it just by talking about it though XD

Every time I went to start Take Five, something else grabbed my attention. Perhaps after I work my way through Dokushin Kizoku I'll revisit it. This might be my month for SMAP-related dramas, haha.

Oh, I already finished Saikou no Rikon. Marathoned it a couple weeks ago. When people say that it isn't a conventional romantic comedy, they aren't lying. Sometimes it was quirky and funny, but emotional heaviness always felt more prevalent. There was a big disconnect between the two aspects for me. I also reviewed it, if you'd like my more in-depth opinion.

Absolutely! Actually, speaking of dead ends, I've been playing the fourth installment of Disgaea (this strange little strategy RPG series). Yesterday I got one of several bad endings, but it was utterly hysterical. Sometimes it's worth it, I guess.

Japanese has an almost musical quality to it; Chinese can be more rough, though I've noticed large differences between its sound from Taiwan to Hong Kong, and even Mainland. That kind of shift in dialect is so wild, haha.

Definitely will! My PS Partner? I've never heard of that title before, though I'm not well acquainted with films quite yet. It was a good comedy though?

You've made some pretty good choices! Maou is particularly good, and I daresay better paced than its Korean counterpart. If you like Japanese susspense, I would also recommend Yakou Kanransha; it has a mix of that genre and moving human elements as well.

No problem! Take your time with Nine; trust me, it's definitely worth accumulating all the details and letting them settle. With Christmas coming, I definitely understand that pain; my work hours are probably going to extend next week up until vacation. My yearly curse. XD

Oh, he's from ZE:A? I never knew that either! Just thought he was a talented young newcomer. Isn't the younger cast amazing? They sink up so well to the others.

I'll go with Cheer, then! Though I also just realized we each have "soul" in our full usernames, haha. Yours is cheerful, and mine is secretive. XD

Another nice thing about taigas is the short episode length; after the first long pilot, they tend to follow other Japanese dramas into 45 minute installments. Less time to dither = better pacing, haha.

I absolutely will! Wallace looks gorgeous on the cover too, so there's a plus already, haha.

How are you enjoying Take Five? I nearly started it, but got cold feet at the last moment. As to Soratobu Kouhoushitsu, I enjoyed the unique subject matter, final episodes, and ending very much; unfortunately, the majority failed to connect with me. I never got over the boring start, but I can see why others might enjoy it. Ayano Go was a bit more engaging to me in Saikou no Rikon too, but I confess I never loved either character.

Wow, you're really sweeping through Yoiko no Mikata! Have you noticed any differences between Japanese kindergartens and the ones you're used to? It's very good to hear that he's doing well in it.

I'm probably going to drown in J-dramas this week myself. There are a few more from this year I wanted to complete before I compiled a year-in-review article, haha.

It seems many people are turning to Japanese drama and film nowadays! I must confess, it makes me happy; there are so many incredible and varied stories being told there. Your review was well done and I rather enjoyed reading it as well. :)

There was a similar film (or was it a special?) about an actual singer some years ago. That person apparently had a rough, sort of troubled life, but wrote beautiful music. If I remember the title, I'll convey it to you -- perhaps it'd be something you find interesting.

That is exactly how I'd describe it: fascinating yet repellent. If you do end up playing Animamundi in its entirety, do find the fix patch first. There's a glitch that occurs mid-game which can block progress in getting a necessary item otherwise. I found out the hard way and wondered why my alchemy kept failing. XD

With Japanese, I like watching episodes raw unless they're difficult (like taiga and medical). Perhaps it's because I've been learning the language for a long time but I find the language easiest to decipher too. Chinese, on the other hand, nope. It may be beautiful and amazing, but I can't seem to make heads or tails of it.

There's also a rather neat aspect to collecting reagents. Whether or not you have certain ones has an effect on the story.

Ah, you occasionally watch shows raw then? I confess I do as well, though usually only Japanese; with my limited knowledge of the language, I can usually garner something from it, haha. For now, I'll go with the more recent series~

Some players may not find it disturbing as others; however, the English release saw many stills censored. It has a dark atmosphere, incorporating many images from classic works such as The Divine Comedy and Dr. Faust. Mysterious historical elements are worked in as well (such as Jack the Ripper and The Hellfire Club).

Most of the story follows Count Zaberisk, having sold his soul, as he seeks to create a new body for his sister via alchemy. This work utilizes the corpses of dead women, shown with relative frequency. One of the censored stills include a foray into The Hellfire Club, where nobles violently and explicitly torture peasants for pleasure. Though not everything is so intense, the game always has a heavy, near-frightening feeling.

Despite this propensity to gore and darkness, Animamundi remains one of the most beautiful stories I've encountered in visual novels.

My viewing style can definitely be a little too serious at times, haha. It usually takes me a while to adjust to certain things, even with my erratic tastes.

What I meant in regards to Ooku was less in the way of discrepancy, but more that it's a "What if?" fantasy set in a certain time period. Do you enjoy manga, by the way? There's a very involving one that Ooku is based off of, so if you enjoy it, there's more material to peruse. :)

How was the first episode of Yoiko no Mikata?

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with inconsistent taste, haha! Outside of Japanese history, I'd probably not recognize inaccuracies either. My viewing experience will likely comprise of enjoying the cuteness and bright colors, and some: "Hey, they didn't have that back then..."

After our last bout of chatting, I added the more recent version of Huan Zhu Ge Ge, but were you also referring to the earlier one?

That does sound crazy detailed. It must be difficult to write so many involving plot-lines and have them add up cohesively by the end. Our game was much simpler, with four self-contained routes and one common overarching goal (which would be completed in the "good ending" regardless of chosen path, albeit in different ways). Your optimism regarding the project is well-placed though; I suppose that even should the work never be used again, it made great practice.

Yo-Jin-Bo gave me trouble in that respect too, but I am notoriously bad at choosing the right responses. The unpredictability was nice for a challenge (as long as one kept good saving progress, haha). Forgive me if I've already mentioned or asked, but have you played Animamundi? It had fascinating mechanics and a dark, metaphorically rich (if slightly disturbing) story.

Both Jerry and Ella are singers first and foremost (F4 and SHE respectively). As you've said, Ella usually suffers from typecasting; I recall her once playing a somewhat deeper role in The Rose, though she continued goofy shtick at times. Unfortunately, that wasn't a drama I'd recommend.

You mean Gong Yoo right? I have to agree, he plays sleaze better than anyone. Jerry definitely has a more charming way, though both are talented actors.

Funny you should change your username now. I've just encountered Lee Seo Jin for the first time in Gye Baek. It's largely dramatized history (what sageuk isn't these days?), but his acting and talent for martial sequences are quite appealing. I also love how well he works with Jo Jae Hyeon, another very talented actor. Only whenever they showcased Seo Jin shirtless, I almost laughed; my first time with his abs was over here! XD

As I complete more dramas, the more I find my taste to be very eccentric and eclectic. There are times I enjoy difficult or mature stories (Golden Empire, Three Kingdoms), one that utterly rob me of objectivity (Prince of Lan Ling, Samurai High School), and ones that I know are bad and rate as such, but amused me against reason (When A Man Loves, Koshonin). With the right elements, my opinion might widely differ from expectation.

That said, historical inaccuracies do bother me quite a bit -- when the subject strongly focuses on real events and people. If the entire point is romance however, I believe it can be more manageable (though instances of obvious poor research might pull me out of the story).

Thank you for telling me about these though; there are defintely times when simple escapism is just what the drama doctor ordered, haha.

Shira Oka sounds like a great deal of work was put into it. Were there many story arcs to complete as well? I've always loved reincarnation if used creatively.

Chatting about indie games makes me a little nostalgic for my college days; in my spare time, I worked with some friends on a short visual novel. We managed to finish writing a few routes and the main plot line; unfortunately, the artwork and programming became a little too difficult to balance with classes, so.... The experience was fun, but I regret the writing went to waste.

Those endings were my favorites also! Though I had a soft spot for that blonde tsundere, despite his bad behavior; it always kills me when harsh characters like that soften up.

I'll continue my reply on Huan Zhu Ge Ge in the next comment, haha. I typed part out and realized I had like 10 characters left XD

There are actually two, one for the famous Suzaku set (Suzaku Ibun) and another for Genbu (Kagami no Miko). Suzaku Ibun is a little more involving, with several endings; the player also has a choice whether to reincarnate and meet their choice again, or to stay in the past. It definitely would be a perfect dampener for shipping wars though, haha.

I've played Yo-Jin-Bo, long ago. The references were odd indeed, though some routes were still cute. I remember the monk (?) character had the strangest western-style ending and it was like "....What?" XD

I have actually never seen those. My experience with Chinese television is unfortunately limited. Would you recommend the original then? As to Three Kingdoms, it's wonderful yet impossible to watch quickly. Like a good novel, it's best watched slowly to absorb everything. From what I know of the history/book, it seems quite accurate too.

Absolutely! Reise, Secret, anything is fine. Would it be all right to call you Cheer, then? I've forgotten to ask what you prefer.

Taiga are definitely very accurate, though they tend to take some dramatic license (it's impossible not to); despite that, the changes made are usually reasonable and are in the spirit of history. After Ryomaden and Shinsengumi!, I bought several books on both; in some places, reading them was like watching the drama! So one definitely learns as they enjoy watching.

Because I haven't seen many, I still enjoy sageuks; though lately my standards are tightening. It wouldn't surprise me if I should tire of them after becoming more acquainted with Korean history (especially if they keep pounding away at the same cliches I've started to notice).

This will be my first Wallace drama; it looked even more appealing since many say they enjoy Ruby Lin as an actress.