Sasuke Sucks

Since we get a bunch of filler flashback episodes, about Sasuke (I guess he's coming back into the picture), I decided to write an entry about Sasuke. Namely, why I hate the guy.

***Warning**Spoilers Ahead***
If you haven't watched through at least Shippuden episode 216, you may not want to read on.

So he lost his entire clan, okay, that's rough. But he goes on being a spoiled, entitled jerk about it. He mopes, passing the buck and blaming Naruto for all his problems. "If I hadn't been stuck with Naruto," "If Naruto weren't so strong," "Why can't I surpass Naruto?" I mean, seriously, quit whining, build a backbone and take some responsibility already. Unlike Naruto, who strives for and uses his power to protect, Sasuke just wants power to kill his older brother. So he does, and after Itatachi is dead and he learns the truth about the slaughter of the Uchiha clan, what does he do? He blames Naruto! Well, he blames the Leaf Village, but Naruto gets the brunt of his anger, because Naruto had the nerve to keep trying to bring Sasuke back to the light. Because Naruto never wavered in his affections for Sasuke as his friend. The nerve.

Alright, so Itachi's actions were a teensy bit on the extreme side.. sure, no one's arguing that. But in everything he did, his love for his little brother, Sasuke, was always the first thing on his heart, and that endeared him to me. But instead of following in Itachi's footsteps in protecting Konoha, the Leaf Village, when he realized the love and the sacrifice of his brother, Sasuke takes all those emotions and mixes them up into hatred for and blaming of the Leaf, and his arch-nemesis Naruto. What a selfish, spoiled jerk! Destroying Konoha is NOT what your brother would have wanted! Itachi is dead because YOU refused to see the truth, and YOU killed him, you JERK! It's nobody's fault but YOURS!!

*ahem*

So after he acquires part of Itachi's power and the Susano'o starts corrupting him, he becomes bloodthirsty. He changes into a completely different person from the not-so-bad-bad-guy we'd known. He becomes pure evil. Suddenly, he just wants blood, and he doesn't care whose. Well, that's all fine and dandy; if he wants to be a villain, he should go right ahead.

***End Spoilers***

The thing that bothers me the most is Naruto's undying faith in him. "Because we're friends," he keeps saying, and Sasuke keeps responding that he broke their bonds of friendship. Now Naruto believes that if the two of them fight they will both end up dying, but I don't think that's going to happen. Deep down, he still thinks he can save Sasuke while the jerk refuses to be saved; that's why he keeps chasing after him. Naruto just can't let him go. But he's a JERK who neither appreciates nor DESERVES your devotion, Naruto! Just get OVER him!!

Anyway, that's why I hate Sasuke. Plus, I just hate those brooding, woe-is-me, emo characters; get over yourself ;)

Break Time - Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

I believe that if you're a nerd about one thing (like Anime), you're predisposed to nerddom in other areas. Like me, I'm a nerd-of-all-trades.

So I took a little break from Anime to devote some time to Zelda. Last year I re-played Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (which I hadn't actually finished before). This year, in lead-up to Skyward Sword, I played through Twilight Princess again (still such a good game), and a few days ago, I beat Skyward Sword. All I can say is.. wow. Wow. This game is epic.

Why am I posting about this here? Because, as you know if you're a Zelda fan, the story is extremely intricate and long, like an Anime; it being a Japanese game, the voices and character design are Anime; but the new one, Skyward Sword, in particular was the most reminiscent of Anime yet, in my opinion. So this experience combined two of my most favorite things - video games and Anime - and made it a unique endeavor that made me feel like I was participating in an Anime! Talk about FUN! I think this is my new favorite Zelda!

Now before you get all "what about Ocarina" on me, let me offer some food for thought: The story is completely new and unique, in that the Link here isn't the Link we've come to know and love yet, this being a prequel to the rest of the series. The worlds and peoples (aside from the Gorons, it seems) are totally new, with new dungeons and music. I won't go into too much detail here, as I'd rather talk about its qualities that make it akin to an Anime.

For one, the characters and character development: You can't deny that Groose is one of the best new characters in the Zelda-verse. Secondly, I consider a great Anime one that connects to me emotionally and makes me cry - no video game has ever done that before this one. I got misty-eyed twice while playing. Also the writing, especially the dialogue, is the best of the series, I think. Twilight Princess had good writers, too, so some of them must have signed on to write this one as well. And finally, it's the story to establish all the stories to come, you can't very well beat that; Now we know why there's a bird in the Hylian crest, why link always wears a green tunic and cap, how the master sword came to be, and who Zelda and Ganondorf really are. It ties everything up just so nicely.

I love me a good Zelda game, and I think this one now tops my list. Can't wait for the next one!

Natsume Yujin-cho

Truth be told, I wasn't excited about this show after watching the first episode. But after giving it a second shot, I was hooked. This is probably the sweetest Anime ever made, and I can't get enough of it. I'm almost done with the third season before moving onto Natsume Yujin-cho Shi, and I don't want it to end!

I absolutely love the relationship between Natsume and Madara/Nyanko-Sensei, even though Madara says he doesn't like humans and the only reason he's hanging around Natsume is to eventually eat him and take the Book of Friends - but we all know that isn't true. Their friendship deepens with every episode, and I have the feeling that Madara was once close to Reiko, Natsume's grandmother, in the same way. Madara is absolutely hilarious when he's in his Maneki Neko Nyanko-Sensei form, and has me laughing out loud constantly.

I love an anime that touches me emotionally to the point of making me cry, and this one is one that does. But unlike Jigoku Shoujo, which induces tears because it is so heart-wrenchingly sad, Natsume makes me cry because it is just that sweet. Episode 8, "Fleeting Light," about Hotaru the Firefly was one such and just so happens to be my favorite episode thus far. The ending may have been somewhat bittersweet, but it got to me in such a way that made me feel good, not sad.

I can't wait to see what happens to Nastume and his Youkai, and to learn what happened to Reiko and just who she really was.

[*Edit*]
There had better be a Natsume Season 5 coming! I intend to read the Manga to get the answers to my questions that Yujin-cho Shi neglected to give. But still, I want to see it in Anime! *hmph*