Manga I love ... Nana

I learned a new word when I looked up the wiki for Nana. As opposed to shojo, "Josei" manga is written for women from their late teens to adults. "LadyComi" is also for adult women but usually contains erotic content (who knew?). The josei nature of Nana may be why it really affected me. At a time when I was reading shojo after shojo after shojo, I found Nana and it was unique and refreshing.  

Nana is written by Ai Yazawa. It follows two different women who share the same name. They meet as they are both moving to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. One wants make it big with her band Black Stones, and the other ... well, I'm not sure. She works in a furniture store and gets dumped by her cheating, long-time boyfriend. I can't say too much more other than your emotions will be all over the place. It was adapted into an anime and even inspired two live-action movies in Japan.

Talk about heart crushing! It's been at least 5 years since I read/watched it, and just thinking about it causes a ball of frustration to form in my stomach. You did this to me Ai Yazawa! I'll admit, I went through a little "phase" when I was reading this manga. I downloaded all the music from the anime (look for the album "Nana Best" which features Japanese artists Olivia and Anna Tsuchiya performing songs inspired by bands from the anime) and even dressed up like an 80's rocker for Halloween. That is one photo I refuse to share. But I came out of it okay. I'm totally normal now. :) Totally.

From Youtube, Nana opening 1:
 

 Olivia inspired by Reira of Trapnest:

Nana is supposed to be ongoing, but the author was hospitalized in 2010 and has yet to publish another volume. I'm not expecting a happy ending. Happy endings are boring, anyway. 

Jess

 
“The longer we live, the more weight we carry in our hearts.”
- Ai Yawaza

Screw you resistance

Hellooo ...

So it turns out I haven't blogged anything in 3 years. Three freaking years! Why did I stop? In a nutshell: resistance in the form of serious personal events. But its a new year, and I'm ready to start again. So screw you resistance.

I almost gave up on my book. I've been trying to do my own content edit for the last three years, and it was not easy. I went months at a time without touching it, but on December 27th I was possessed by a muse in the form of crushing guilt. I pulled out the last two chapters that have been haunting me, and started working. Then I magically thought of a new ending. Then I was done. And then I decided to read through my blogs from 3 years ago, and realized I have more nonsense to share.

Something else I did: I finished The Gunslinger, the first book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Two years ago, my cousin sent me a book by King called On Writing. Its non-fiction for aspiring writers and is full of good advice, but is also about his life, from his childhood to his first big break as an author to more recently, when he had a life-changing accident. I read it quickly and took it to heart, promptly removing 99% of the adverbs from my writing. Since then, I've been reading some of his books out of professional curiosity. I started by purchasing a collection of stories called Night Shift. Then I read Salem's Lot. Then last year I read It, which was awesome and horrifying and really effing long. And sorry, but I just didn't get the sex. WTF, seriously. Anyway, then I bought the first four books of the Dark Tower series.

According to King, the series was inspired in equal parts by Robert Browning’s poem, “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came,” J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Western classics. For me, in both theme and imagery (although I haven't gotten that far yet), The Gunslinger is reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft's stories. A bad-ass gunslinger named Roland crosses a desert in a parallel universe in pursuit of the Man in Black. Add religious hypocrites, "muties," a mysterious dark tower and King's requisite gruesomeness and you've got a great read. I'm looking forward to the next six books in the series considered his greatest work.

 More to come ...

Jess 

Allie,
Your want to know about Death. I left him a word. The word is NINETEEN. If you say it to him his mind will be opened. He will tell you what lies beyond. He will tell you what he saw.
The word is NINETEEN.
Knowing will drive you mad.
But sooner or later you will ask.
You won't be able to help yourself.
Have a nice day! :)
Walter O'Dim
P.S. The word is NINETEEN. You will try to forget but sooner or later it will come out of your mouth like vomit.
NINETEEN

- Stephen King, The Gunslinger

Manga I love ... Skip Beat

How awesome would it be if you had ghostly minions that could scare the crap out of people? Skip Beat!, by Yoshiki Nakamura, is probably my most favorite manga ever, and one of the few I am still following. 

First published in 2002, it's about Kyoko Mogami, a 16-year-old girl motivated by revenge and sworn to never love again. Damn Shotaro, the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart! He is a jerk you will love to hate, and admittedly the story gets a lot more interesting when he's involved. The plot is a little weak, but apparently the only way to truly get revenge on Sho, a major pop idol, is to make it in the entertainment business. And to do that, Kyoko changes her look and becomes an actress. And then comes Ren/Corn, the real love interest, and a bunch of unresolved history and it all gets a little twisted. 

Kyoko keeps her minions in a metaphorical "Pandora's Box," locked up in her psyche until she gets angry. Then her little demons come out to play and threaten and scare the offender, although only one other character in the manga is able to actually see them. Most just feel an overwhelming, evil aura.

Like many manga, Skip Beat! can be a bit tedious to read at times. Things are drawn out but it's so worth it because it's freakin' hilarious. Kyoko is a good girl but very naive and has an overactive imagination. She fantasizes about princesses, mermaids, and of course, demon kings. 

I watched the anime, and also saw a Korean live-action version. They've only made one season but it was great. The actresses and actors were well chosen, and adds to the characterization from the manga. The theme song is one of my favorites as well. 

 Toward the end of every month I get totally antsy as I wait for the email telling me the next Skip Beat! has been released. Then I text my sister "SKIP BEAT TIME!!!" and we read it in 5 minutes and then compare notes. 

So you should totally read this shojo manga. If nothing else, I'll feel better knowing others are suffering with me as we wait for the next month's scans. Oh, and please support the mangaka, people.

Jess

"That's why I hate love so much. It is because I know precisely how low humans will fall. To become so weak and helpless."
Kyoko Mogami, Skip Beat!, Chapter 202

Samhain

October marks one of my very favorite times of year. Not only are the mornings chilly, the weather beautiful and clear, but the mosquitoes are in their last throes and All Hallows' Eve is upon us. The history of Halloween goes back many centuries, possibly beginning with a pagan holiday called Samhain. Samhain (pronounced sow-en) is one of four ancient Gaelic seasonal festivals and marks the end of the harvest season. In the 9th century, the Roman Catholic Church shifted All Saint's Day to November 1st, thus renaming October 31 as All Hallows Eve, and later on, Halloween. 

During Samhain, it was believed that both good and evil spirits were able to cross over and visit the world of the living. Deceased family members were honored and given a seat at the table during feasts. Conversely, precautions had to be taken to keep evil spirits away, so people wore disguises, carved turnip lanterns and lit special bonfires to help guide spirits back home. 

This turnip jack-o-lantern has a creepy-ass face, am I right?


In addition to the ghosties, those who celebrated Samhain had to worry about the freakin' fairies as well. The fae were also more active, causing mischief and even kidnapping humans. Superstitious folks would carry iron or salt, and fairy mounds were avoided.  

I've read more than a few YA books that capitalize on the lore and general creepiness that is Halloween, certainly with varied levels of success. I even read one where the alter love interest was this weird dude named Sam. I can't remember what happened in that book, but yeah, it pretty much sucked. It's like a YA trap, something us aspiring authors just can't resist, like school dances and mean girls. It's 'cause it's what we like to read about, too.

Halloween has changed a lot in the last 100 years. Even in the time since I was a kid, it's become so much bigger and more commercialized. If it didn't have such a dark stigma attached to it, I think it would be more celebrated than Christmas by now. But most people don't know or appreciate the history. So seriously, honor your loved ones that have passed when Halloween comes around. And watch out for fairies. We all know they're freakin' evil.

Jess


“I was born on the night of Samhain, when the barrier between the worlds is whisper-thin and when magic, old magic, sings its heady and sweet song to anyone who cares to hear it.” 
― Carolyn MacCullough, Once a Witch

Blood Moon ... Mwah ha ha

I first ran across the term "blood moon" when I was researching the history and mythology of the moon. It's a dark and sinister combination of words. You can just imagine all the awful things that might happen during a blood moon, right?

The blood moon AKA hunter's moon AKA falling leaf moon, is the first full moon after the harvest moon, and usually falls in October in the lunar calendar. Naming each month's moon became popular in American folklore, and was attributed to the native population. The blood moon was named so for several reasons. The leaves were falling from trees, the animals were fattened, and it was time to begin storing up meat for long winter (meaning, it was time to decide which animals would be slaughtered). Also, because the fields were harvested and cleared in late September (thus, the harvest moon), hunters could easily see animals that came to scavenge the fallen grains. Because of the looming winter, the blood moon was celebrated, and was traditionally a day of feasting in many Native American tribes.

Apparently, a blood moon can also refer to the red-colored moon often observed during a lunar eclipse. Of course, the reddish hue results from the refraction of sunlight and depends on the amount of dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere. That being said, there are blood moon prophecies running rampant on the internet due to the fact that there will be four total lunar eclipses in the next 2 years, dated April 15 and October 8, 2014 and April 4 and September 28, 2015, leading some to believe that the apocalypse is coming or some shit. 

I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm sure as hell not gonna worry about it. But it is interesting that as soon as I read about the full moon in October and the blood moon meaning, I started seeing the term everywhere, most recently on an episode of "Sleepy Hollow." So maybe I was hyper-aware of it so I noticed it more, or maybe it was a coincidence, but maybe its that darn collective human subconscious arresting my attention, tempting my fate, and forcing my hand. To what end? As I write this it is still a mystery ... but I can say that last night's blood moon was uneventful, at least for me.

Jess

“And I will show wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.” Joel 2:30-31

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Moon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names/
The Bible

Mistborn Trilogy

Seriously ... Brandon Sanderson is a freakin' literary genius. Compared to the wonderful YA drivel I usually read, the Mistborn Trilogy, published between 2006 and 2008, is like reading Shakespeare. 

I usually don't read real fantasy novels. I consider myself a different kind of nerd, but my brother convinced my sister to read it, and my sister convinced me. The books total just over 1000 pages, but it was an investment well worth my time.

I enjoyed reading The Final Empire so much, with its' barren, ash-covered landscapes, terrifying dictator, strange, metal-based abilities and freaky but fascinating creatures that I stopped myself from starting the next installment. I paused for about a week to reflect on what I had read, especially the cataclysmic event that occurs near the ending (I was so not expecting that! You are messed up, Mr. Sanderson.). I started The Well of Ascension when I felt prepared to once again leave reality and dive back into Sanderson's world.

Romance in a story is essential to me, and in this series the romance rates as just a "meh." But it didn't matter. There was some, and Vin, the female protagonist, got to kill his ex. Awesome. More importantly, down with the Lord Ruler and his dogs, the Steel Inquisitors. I hate a predictable story line more than anything, but the twists and turns in the plot of the Mistborn series will surprise you, just as it surprises the characters.

Its amazing to me that one of the criticisms of this trilogy is that everything is wrapped up too well. Every lose end, every side plot, all of it has explanation and closure, wonderful closure. Seriously, how did he do that? He had to have written all three books at once, and then nearly finalized each before publishing the first one. But even if that's true, how did he do that? The forethought, foreshadowing and execution is truly a literary feat. He must have a team of super editors complete with super editor powers and super editor tights working around the clock. That is the only plausible explanation.

Truly, this is one of the best series I have read, ever. It is not to be missed, people. Thanks to my sister for encouraging me to read this series. And thanks to my brother for encouraging her to read it. And your welcome.

Jess

"Belief?"
"Yes," Sazed said. "Tell me, Mistress. What is it that you believe?"
Vin frowned. "What kind of question is that?"
"The most important kind, I think.” 

― Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn: The Final Empire

Linkin' Park

I enjoy angry music. You would assume I enjoy it when I'm angry, but that isn't necessarily the case. I enjoy it pretty much always. Once in awhile I prefer moody, dark music or just plain sad stuff, but generally, I like screaming and self-deprecating laments. This is probably why Linkin' Park is my favorite band ever. They've even topped U2, who, along with Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails, was my favorite when I was in high school. I know, I know, my age is showing. I'm old, people. 

Over the years Linkin' Park's musical style has evolved and changed dramatically. The first three albums rock and are filled with anger. In the especially poignant songs, the lyrics center around a very dysfunctional relationship, which resonates with pretty much everyone on the planet. 

Linkin' Park's musical style is, in my opinion, the most successful example of the rock/rap combination. The back and forth dynamic between the Chester Bennington, who sings/screams, and Mike Shinoda, who raps and plays piano, is performed flawlessly and sets them apart from other (and I hate this term) "screamo" bands. 

Their last few albums are much more mellow, which is a sore point for many original fans, but I've enjoyed all their music, and I mean all of it, and I never get tired of it. My children have been indoctrinated as Linkin' Park fans by sheer proximity (they never had a chance). When my twins were babies they had colic, and we would play Meteora to startle them out of their crying so they would go to sleep. More recently, I had Minutes to Midnight in my car CD player for over a year and listened to it each and every time we drove anywhere. 

I have a few favorites of their lesser known songs, one of which is The Little Things Give You Away. The lyrics combined with the melody is heart-wrenching. I also really grew to love the Reanimation CD, which is just a remix of Hybrid Theory, but many of the songs are actually better, which you don't often see with remixes. P5HNG ME A*WY is one.

I've been lucky enough, even though I live at the ends of the Earth, to see them in concert twice, and it was just awesome. By using the word awesome, I'm dating myself again, aren't I? Well, as my mom likes to say, it is what it is. I have no apologies about being a geeky old Linkin' Park fan. 

Jess

P.S. I realized my affinity for angry music is probably why I still rock out to Limp Bizkit. "Break Stuff," "Rollin'" and "My Way" make me oh so happy when then pop up on Pandora.


Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge
And I’m about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Cause I’m one step closer to the edge
And I’m about to break
Shut up when I’m talking to you
Shut up, shut up, shut up
Shut up when I’m talking to you
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
I’m about to BREAK

-One Step Closer, Hybrid Theory