Token Asian’s Anime Blog

Every once in a while, my mother decides that she needs to fly to China for some variation of family business. To accomplish this, she needs a visa from the Chinese consulate in New York City. Now, for a small town redneck like me, going to NYC is an adventure in itself. But Chinese people, you see, have to go to Chinatown as well…

The day starts of normally with the two of us getting on the bus (Transbridge, their seat smells kinda funny). I brought along some fansubs and scanlations on the ol’ PSP but I eventually resigned myself to sleep. Funny how I never get carsick. Anyway, we finally reach the Port Authority (think big transportation hub) and decide to WALK to the consulate to save money.

Now, you’d understand that I’d be a bit annoyed in general after hiking through fields of construction workers and pools of mud, to reach the Chinese consulate, no less. After actually reaching the consulate, I find myself being set upon by Falun Gong protesters. While I support the First Amendment, I still feel that I have a right to not have literature forced upon me. I suppose it would also be prudent to say that I’ve had a vendetta against Chinese Communists since the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989, but I generally keep myself civil.

Inside the consulate, I get even more annoyed at the lax attitude of the workers. Remember tales of inefficient communist workers and their “iron rice bowls?” Yeah, it’s all true. While I wait for the sickeningly slow desk workers to process my mother’s documents, there’s this little Indian girl sitting in front of me in the waiting room. Her legs are swinging back and forth while she sings this annoying song. For some bizarre reason, this repetitive motion and song begins giving me a headache.

Wisely, I decide to retire to the restrooms. While inside, my somewhat immature attitude towards Communists begins to surface and I decide to plot my vengeance. My brilliant plan? Well, I’m not an insane Asian genius, but I decide to use all of the toilet paper and paper towels. I eagerly awaited Hu Jintao to visit the consulate, use the bathroom, and let out a scream of “Nooooooooo!’ as he discovers there is no toilet paper left (actually, if this had happened, I could die happy).

Afterwards, after some vacillation, mother decides to take a cab to Chinatown. If you’re not a Cantonese-speaking Asian, you might feel out of place in this area. To a Mandarin-speaking guy like me, it appears that there are thousands of Hong Kong immigrants yelling at each other in the street about fish. SharpICE tells me that what they’re probably yelling is “Buy my fish or DIE!” I assume he’s just kidding, because he’s lived in the NYC Chinatown for years and is a Cantonese speaker. But still… I avoid the fish markets.

Upon reaching Chinatown, the first matter of business is to wander through the streets searching for Joe’s Shanghai restaurant, which serves some pretty darn good soup dumplings, a dish you can’t get in Pennsylvania (well, at least not good ones). When I reached the restaurant, the employees told me that the restaurant was experiencing difficulties with their water supply and were thus closed for business… as they were drinking glasses of ice water…???

Anyhow, they directed us to the restaurant next door, which was also owned by “Joe.” Only a Chinese person would have the brilliance of opening a new restaurant next door to his own. After stuffing my face, I went down to the Elizabeth Center.

Dear goddess, this place has become a dump since I was last there. The last few times, I always managed to find some good stuff, like PVCs and gashapon from Kiminozo and Star Ocean. This time, I was greeted by the largest gathering of Naruto and Full Metal Alchemist merchandise that I have ever seen.

Needless to say, after hours of searching through the piles (literally, they’re not very organized down there) of Naruto junk, I find nothing worth purchasing, except a $100 Belldandy resin kit, which I have no real interest in. That was a disappointing result that I had not expected. To all NYC Chinatown merchants. Stock Belldandii. Take Discover credit cards. You will be amply rewarded.

With this depressing trip almost over, I headed over to the Papaya Dog restaurant, grabbed a mango juice, and boarded the bus for a much-needed nap.

I used to enjoy these trips to NYC. What happened?

I’m craving munchies.

It seems that I’m always craving a bite to eat after a Halo LAN party, despite my having eaten before duking it out with my fellow nerds.

I’ve figured it out. Moe’s marijuana smoke must be making me hungry. From what I know, that pot can give one the cravings for a whole lot of protein. Note that I’ve never seen him light one up, but I bet he’s not rolling tobacco in the bathroom…

This might also explain why his dog is completely nuts.

Tomorrow, I’ll be in NYC on business. Elizabeth Center time as well… Vinn says goddess goodies are few to be found, but we’ll see.

I finally got a 22 cm Atelier Sai Belldandy PVC!

It’s turning out to be a very merry Christmas!

*bullets fly around Token Asian’s head as he ducks for cover as he hears someone else screaming*

“OH MY GOD!!! OH NO, HE GOT ON THE BRIDGE!!!

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGH!!!”

*he pops his head out*

“ORGASM!”

Halo LAN games get weirder every day that we play. I know that conversations get distorted on headsets, but how the heck do you confuse a battle cry with sexual climax?

Truly bizarre.

Hint: If you want to destroy me in Halo 2, play on “Turf,” because it gives me HEADACHES.

Tomorrow: New Christian manga reviews.

After the most inane bank robbery in the history of Lehigh University (this thing hit the national news, even on Greta van Susteren), I return to my usual blogging schedule. This was sincerely the weirdest incident to happen at my university in the twenty-plus years that I’ve been associated with Lehigh. The class of 2008 president, who was my partner in a group project, accumulates $5,000 in debt, robs a bank of $2,871, fails to disguise self in robbery, goes to watch “Narnia” in a local theater, and is arrested during orchestra practice. Well, there goes the university’s reputation. Hopefully, this guy will be punished and he learns his lesson, but my heart goes out to him and his family since I knew him in class as a good kid.

And no, I didn’t vote for him, I came to Lehigh before he did.

For the love of goddess, I hate final exam week… But back to your normal goddess and barrel-oriented schedule…

As Sayoko drinks far more than most Lehigh University students, she begins to contemplate how in her mind Belldandy has stripped her of her prestige. After consuming her last drink and keeling over, we see Marller step up to the plate… The next morning, Sayoko wakes up with Marller sleeping next to her. While Sayoko is assuming Marller is a male rapist, our demon friend offers to help her get rid of Belldandy…

Back at the temple, goddesses and mortal decide what to do with the CD. While K-1 and Urd say they should seal Marller, Bell has the compassion to reject that plan since that would be cruel to a demon. Urd hangs onto the CD and just tells Bell to concentrate on protecting Keiichi. With that settled, Bell and Keiichi step outside for a walk. As they leave, Sayoko comes along and has a flashback of her conversation of Marller, who tells Sayoko to accomplish something for her in return for getting rid of Belldandy.

Urd is home alone as Sayoko rings the doorbell. When admitted, the two ladies stare at each other awkwardly. Sayoko notices the CD lying on the table and says she’ll wait until Belldandy comes back. While they exchange insults and bust-related comments (best part, Urd calling Sayoko “weak” and the “slut” retort that follows), Sayoko keeps an eye on the clock. She turns on the TV and switches the channel to a folk music show. Urd slowly falls asleep and Sayoko escapes with the CD.

Elsewhere, Sayoko meets with Marller and hands her the CD. With that accomplished, Marller is ready to come up with her end of the deal. She brings out a “heart balance” device that will make Keiichi unable to hear a goddess’s voice if his heart becomes out of balance. This will allow Sayoko to have control over Keiichi’s feelings and thus encourage Belldandy to leave.

Back with Keiichi and Bell, they are walking down the street and she looks at him fondly while saying that they’ve been too busy for some quality time together. She thanks him for taking a walk together with her. Unfortunately, the wheels of fate aren’t in their favor as Keiichi notices Sayoko.

Bell says to Sayoko that they’re on a walk and is oblivious to the emotional change coming over Keiichi. As Sayoko turns to leave, Keiichi asks her to go out somewhere with him. He suggests that the three of them go out to a fun place of Sayoko’s choice.

The three of them go to a trendy club, and Keiichi admits that he’s never been to a place like this. While Sayoko is having some fun with Keiichi, Belldandy tries to get in on the action and attempts to dance. Um, the results aren’t spectacular as techno isn’t covered in the Goddess training manual. Keiichi is in awe of Sayoko’s dance skills and asks for lessons as Bell is shocked that she was so easily humiliated (not to mention she hates losing, in the sense that she’s competitive, in a good way). Keiichi asks if it’s not fun to be around him and suggests that she should go home and rest. The balance of Keiichi’s feelings shifts more towards Sayoko and Marller laughs that Bell’s love will no longer reach Keiichi. Bell walks home in despair as she believes that Keiichi no longer wants or needs her.

Meanwhile, Urd has finished her nap as the folk music program ends. She realizes that Marller has to be behind all of this. Keiichi and Sayoko are at a café and enjoying themselves. The waiter approaches and Keiichi orders for them two Darjeeling teas, despite her objections. Sayoko submits to Keiichi’s decision but asks if he was thinking of Belldandy. He replies that she’s the one he wants to be with (though he is resisting Marller’s influence). Sayoko says she doesn’t like it but he says that Belldandy likes it since it’s her favorite. Sayoko says he lacks tact to keep bringing up Belldandy and leaves, despite his apologies, she says she knows that he’s always thinking about Belldandy. He tries to invite her to dinner with Bell, etc. but she slaps him and says that he’s a liar and asks what part of him Belldandy loves since he’s an idiot. She marches off and says that the only kind of guy Bell can handle is an idiot. She realizes that this won’t make her happy. And so, the spell over Keiichi is broken.

Marller says the failure of this plan doesn’t matter since she has the CD. Urd then broadcasts herself on all television channels and challenges Marller… and begins to play rock music, causing Marller to start dancing out of control. Urd then pops in and grabs the CD, only to have a Yggrdrasil bug pop out of nowhere and steal the CD. Foreshadowing to Skuld’s intro? Most definitely.

Keiichi tries to call Bell but gets no response and wonders if she went somewhere. He realizes that she must have gone to her favorite spot… Meanwhile, Bell is thinking that Keiichi no longer wants her and thinks she should leave. But this time, she feels different about her job since she wants to be with Keiichi. Before she can leave, Keiichi catches up to her. She asks how she knew where to find her and he says she told him this was the place she liked. He apologizes for the things she says and begs her to stay by his side and that the contract has nothing to do with this. How cute, he wants her to stay just because he loves her. They hug and the audience goes “Awwwwwwwwwwww…”

Back at the bar, Sayoko says that she’ll defeat Belldandy with her own skills. That’s the spirit! Humiliate Bell in a drinking contest! Go through the entire Oh My Goddess! OAV and take a drink each time Bell and K-1 yell each others names! Coke and rum should do the trick!

A good episode, loosely based on the manga, but one brief nitpick… how did Keiichi get onto a moving boat to head off Belldandy? Maybe he jumped off a bridge onto a moving boat like in Metal Gear Solid 2 (heh, Kikuko Inoue was Rose’s VA in that game)? Or he swam onto the boat, dried his clothes off, made himself presentable, and then talked to Bell? Skuld built a cannon and shot him onto the deck? I’m grasping at straws here!

There’s a certain irony in reading E. B. Sledge’s “With the Old Breed” while contemplating which new anime box set to buy next month.

Peacetime rocks.

That’s my two cents on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

But if you’re some fascist/terrorist/communist/etc. retard, watch your butt, we’re coming for you.

PS: YES, I am behind on posts. Finals week + being violently ill = incapacitated anime blogger.

*timestamp is incorrect

New banner, courtesy of Love a Riddle from the GP.net forums.

Urd looks friggin’ hot in that outfit. Sexy without showing skin!