It’s a bright (bright), bright; Sunshine blogger tag~!

So wow, I leave for almost two weeks and not one but two bloggers nominated me for this tag! I’m genuinely so honored and touched that both Lita Kino and A Girl & Her Anime have nominated me! That means I have a whopping 22 questions to answer, so I should probably keep this moving by hitting up the rules and into the questions.

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The Rules:
1) Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog so others can visit them.
2) Answer eleven questions asked by the nominator.
3) Nominate eight (or is it eleven???) bloggers of your choosing and ask them eleven questions of your own.
4) Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their blog posts.
5) List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post or on your blog site.

Well, I think there’s two variations of this blog going on. So the rules are almost the same, but the logo’s a slightly different so… I will use both. I’ll start with answering Lita’s questions first!

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Lita’s Questions

1. What’s a weird food combination you love and don’t understand why? 

I really don’t think I have one? I’ve come to accept that, at least in Japan, ketchup and mayo (kewpie mayo for life) go together at times. It’s probably kinda weird outside of Japan though. It’s not something I ‘love’ but I don’t mind it once in awhile.

2. What do you find better about blogging than making videos on platforms like youtube?

Content and comments are much more intentional. What I mean is that people put the thought and effort into making a blog post. Not to say that youtubers don’t, but I’ve always felt a more focused intention from blogging then vlogging. Also the comment section tends to be more civil, even if there is discourse/disagreement.

3. What’s a anime plot that you would love to see happen but hasn’t been done yet? 

I’d want to see something focusing on technical aspects of ballet. Breaking down techniques, moves, classical ballet performances, etc. I haven’t seen any titles that focus on that yet (if anyone has drop them below!). A lot of them use ballet as a character’s background, but it’s not the focus aside from “Princess Tutu”. I love Princess Tutu, but I’d want to see something a little more grounded in reality. I feel like a lot of people “know” about ballet, but not truly “know”. It would be really cool to see it animated, if done well.

4. How have you coped if there have been times you’ve wanted to throw in the blogging towel? What motivates you to keep writing?

I haven’t quite hit that point… but if I get close to it I daydream about the potentiality of my blog. I don’t have too many grand ambitions. Well, I do, but they’re a secret I don’t care to share. I have a laundry list of things I want to talk about, things I’ve drafted and such and it would be a shame to disgaurd it. So my list of potential subjects keep me going blogging-wise.

5. Do you have any other nerdy hobbies or in general besides blogging and anime etc.?

I actually do something I call scrapbook-journaling. Since I moved to Japan, I hangout with my ‘sister’ (not biological), who collects decorative masking tapes. She has a huge collection, and along with printing out pictures she’s taken, uses them to decorate her journal pages. We both keep a journal, but I mostly just wrote in mine. No decoration.

I love collecting things and had the goal of making scrapbooks like my late Grandmother. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t working out (starting is the hardest part!). But seeing my sister combine these two ideas… I thought I should give it a shot myself. I’m a bit ‘behind’ my personal schedule, but I’m really enjoying putting pages together in my journal. It’s also an ‘off-line’ hobby to refocus my energy.

6. What’s one of your favourite TV shows and convince Lita why she should watch it? Lita is ready to hear your argument. 

THE TWILIGHT ZONE!!! It’s honestly, the only ‘American’ TV shows that I like. The only version worth watching is the 1959 version with Rod Sterling. It’s five seasons long with about 159 episodes. It’s not a series that you need to watch in order, since each episode is stand alone in story and characters, aside from Rod Sterling the narrator.

The series takes some interesting/unusual, occasionally disturbing events, which lead those sets of characters ending up in ‘The Twilight Zone’. The endings are usual a twist ending and some serious morals being instilled dispite the content. The show uses a variety of genres including sci-fi/fantasy/horror/historical/paranormal with the characters always… appearing human. It’s really good. Over the years I’ve seen the majority of the episodes, but there’s a few I need to track down.

7. What’s a character in anime that relates to you and for what reason? 

I’ve answered similar question before, so this time I will confirm Hokuto Sumeragi! We’re both the bossy, older sister of our twin sets. I really aspire to be as friendly and fashionable as she is though. It’ll take a bit more practice and time for that.

8. Holiday disaster story and go!

Oh god… I think the worst one cost me a friendship. I am going to condense the story in bullet points to try and make it coherent;

-I planned a trip during my study abroad in Japan to see Cat Island, Fox Village, return to my study abroad location (Tokyo). Told friend on different program (Osaka) about it. They said they wanted in. I agreed.
-We book hotels, and such no problems. Told them to print the student passes to get cheaper bullet train tickets, tell them to print their allotment (four). They only print two. This is important.
-Travel from their university to cat island was fine. (One ticket used, Osaka to Miyagi prefecture) They got offended that I offered to pay for their cab back to the hotel (I was going to walk). We didn’t talk that night.
-Travel from Cat Island to Fox Village is fine (second ticket used). Seemingly solid. Fox Village was amazing. I ended up booking our return ride about an hour later then I should have. Friend doesn’t say anything, but is clearly upset.
-Travel from Fox Village to Tokyo; I miscalculated the trains and we would need to take another bullet train. I apologized a lot, but was confused why they didn’t print their allotment. They also failed to print an additional ticket from Tokyo to their university. Forgot their excuse but some fault laid with them. Take bullet train and seemingly okay.
-Friend lets their phone die after asking me to go to dinner, across Tokyo (an hour trip). I end up meeting them an hour later and they try blaming me. I stand my ground and remind them, that I needed to do somethings upon my return due to my housing situation. Friend rolls eyes and we move along.
-Friend gets irritated with me about trying to find an owl cafe. Friend admits they planned NOTHING for Tokyo, other then shopping, something I told them they could do by themselves. (Living in Tokyo burns you out from that) Guilt trip me saying I’m a bad friend. I end up seeing them through the rest of the day just shopping.
-Friend leaves to return to study abroad school; doesn’t answer my question on ‘did you get back safely?’ until a day AFTER they return.
-Found out a year later, “friend” exaggerated what they did on our my vacation, and at the same time blamed me for having ‘one of the poorest planned vacations ever’. Ended up not speaking much afterwards, scarred me from asking other friends to go on vacation until recently.

^^; So yeah, biggest holiday disaster to date.

9. What’s one pet peeve you have about the anime community? Be as honest as you want. 

Fans who base everything they know about Japan from anime, and then make broad comments about real Japan issues with their only knowledge coming from anime, joking or not. They make these grandiose statements online about real Japan, and how the news, youtubers, etc are ‘painting japan in the wrong light’. It’s honestly disgusting how often I read a comment on an article about something serious and the amount of anime fans going ‘but, but, it’s not like this is XXX anime it’s —!!’. Sometimes they’re trolls, I genuinely like to believe the majority of them are trolls, but it’s still not acceptable.

The amount of times I wrote comments explaining anything from student dress codes, to laws, only to have these fans screech (aka caps lock) that ‘such and such anime it’s like-“; anime is not real life in Japan. I don’t like to be the haughty fan but, I live in Japan. Real Japan that’s not Tokyo/Kyoto; I work a real person job interacting with real Japanese people doing real day to day life stuff in Japan. Don’t try, even jokingly, to tell me how something is because ‘well I saw it in XXX, it must be true’.

//Rant over~~

10. What makes you want to follow a blog? is it the content? the blogger itself? all in depth for this question.

I’m pretty picky about the blogs I follow. I try to find a few new ones, so it’s usually the content first. You tend to want to follow people who post similar content to yourself. Or a blog that goes more in depth about something you want to know about. So I use my search terms, and check tags to see who comes up more then once. I read their posts, and if I like the way it’s structured, even if I don’t necessarily agree, will give a follow.

As for the blogger themselves, I usually take time to get to know them through their posts. I’ve never followed someone exclusively for their ‘blogging personality’. I’ve come to feel more endeared to bloggers as I see their personality come through, but have yet to immediately follow for the blogger over content.

11. If you were coming to Australia where is the first place you would want to visit ?

I need to consult my brothers, since both have been before but not me. I know it’s a tourist trap but I want to hold a koala and I believe that’s only legal in one part of Australia? Or a specific part of Australia? I knows there’s laws about it. My brothers held one (legally) so I want to hold one too. So I’d start there, and probably be boring and hit up Sydney, Melbourne, etc. I want to go to the outback! I also want to see dingos!! I know they’re dangerous and I shouldn’t pet them, but just to look and watch them!!

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A Girl & Her Anime’s Questions

1. If you were a Pokémon, what sort of Pokémon would you be?

I like to think I’d be a fox/dog looking pokemon (those are my favorite), but… I’d probably be a flying type with wings. I mean being a Phoenix pokemon would be a little much to ask, but something like Torchic? So flying? Fire? Maybe fighting? I’d probably be a moody type, found best in the early morning. A rather average pokemon, I’d say.

2. Do you play video games? If so, what game have you been playing recently?

I use to play video games when I was younger, but not anymore. I occasionally watch play throughs, or play on other people’s systems (like Smash/Brawl).

3. What’s your favourite color? Any particular reason why it’s your favourite?

I really like the color Scarlet. It comes from a song called “Scarlet Begonias” by Grateful Dead. I’m also that type of pretentious in that way, it’s ‘Scarlet not red’ that’s by favorite, but that particular shade is my favorite.

4. What’s your favourite thing to do during summer?

I usually just eat a lot of frozen chocolate bars actually. It’s like ice cream but without the dairy lol. What I actually enjoy doing is traveling a bit, since the weather usually cooperates and I have the time to do so in the summer.

5. Ghibi is obviously very popular, but which movie do you think is the most overrated?

The amount of people who cry that Howl’s Moving Castle is the best ‘original’ film… sweethearts is an adaptation of a novel by Diana Wynne Jones don’t get it twisted. I love Howl, I love the cinematography, but all the themes and dynamics we have seen better focused in other films, Ghibi and non-Ghibi.

6. If you could travel back in time, when would you travel to and why?

I don’t think I would travel anywhere, actually. I’d be scared of altering history too much, or getting killed in the ‘wrong’ period. (Sorry I’m boring….)

7. As the new leader of a country, what is the first law you introduce?

Men aren’t allowed to push/promote/approve legislation regarding female bodies, at all. Mostly, because they’ve proven time and time again they don’t even know the basics.

8. Have you been reading anything recently?

I have a pile of manga in Japanese to read. I’ve slugged it out with a few volumes, and a lot more I managed to get through at a more pleasurable pace. I’m really enjoying Yazawa Ai (author of NANA)’s re-printed editions of “Tenshi Nanka jainai!” (Loosely translated; I’m no angel!”). I’ve seriously missed reading shojo written by a woman for women.

9. Tell us about your favourite film.

I… have a very difficult time picking favorites. If I had to pick it would be “102 Dalmatians”, completely un-ironically. I will sit and watch that film, anytime, anywhere in any language (I have seen it in Spanish and French aside from English and Japanese.). I really don’t have a reason I just… love Dalmatians. A lot.

10. Put your music on shuffle. What are the first three songs to play?

“Play” by SIRUP (ft. TENDRE), “Tenhane -1000%- “ by Ballistik Boyz, “Happiness” by Rude-a.

11. If you were to suggest an anime I had to watch, what would you recommend?

I’m gonna vote for “Princess Tutu”. It’s one of the earliest anime I watched, and it still has a special place in my heart. The unique premise of a duck transforming into a girl to rescue a prince, filled with a crazy narrator, transformation scenes, music and magic. It’s a little lengthy at 38 episodes, but not unreasonable.

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My nominees if they’d like; Fan of a Certain Age, Bloom Reviews, Slice of Alfredo!, Biblionyan, Read Me, Watch Me, Hear Me Out; Give It A Shot, Keiko’s Anime Blog, and Jenn! If you’ve already been tagged you don’t have to answer my questions, I’ll check out whatever you post.

My Questions

1.Have you ever had a paranormal/ghost experience? If so, care to share? If no experience, do you believe in the paranormal/ghosts?

2. What’s a food that your region is known for? (for example: Chicago is known for Chicago Style pizza).

3. If you don’t mind, could you recommend me some new music? Singer/idol/band, anything is okay~

4. What’s your favorite piece of fandom merchandise? Big or small, include a picture if you can!

5. Do you prefer reading hardback, or paperback books, or digitally?

6. What’s the biggest takeaway you have from your personal blogging journey?

7. Oddly specific, outside of blogging what kind of online content do you comment on? (example, youtube videos, reddit, etc)

8. Do you have any special talents/party tricks you can do?

9. Do you have a topic that despite it suiting your blog, you’ve decided not to write about?

10. In a game of truth or dare, which do you pick?

11. How do you feel about blog tags/being tagged?

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So that’s it for this tag! Thanks again to Lita Kino and A Girl & Her Anime for tagging me. This was so much fun to read and response to!~ See you guys for the next one!