videogame anime

Just noticed something, after watching some anime today...

 

Oh, the irony!  @o@  What does it say when I use my PS3 to watch more anime-based-on-videogames, than I use my PS3 to play actual videogames?  -u-; 

...And most of these are Capcom, now that I look!  What's with that?!  LOL

collection configuration: figurines nook above TV

People seem really interested in photos of how we organize our collections, so I might as well post some.

Originally, I took photos of my collection configurations for nostalgia purposes.  I have too much fun arranging and rearranging my collections, like flower vases or something.  But it's also good for remembering how everything was arranged, should I need to put things in temporary disarray.

Recently, I had to dig out a lot of my figurines from their display cases so I could use them in a photoshoot:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/118245706388996552312/posts/XUQn7zX4QtB
That's when I realized that I didn't have a photo record of this new configuration of figurines above my TV, that I adapted to, when I had to get rid of my old TV that allowed figurines to sit on it like a shelf.  Now, it's like this:

 

Peel back a layer on the upper level and you get some of my less meticulously arranged display cases:

 

And in the upper level's left side, there's another layer to peel off:

And behind that layer, the keychain figurines in the back, along with a little jewel case for my Shikon no Tama ^_~  :

When layers are peeled from both sides of the upper level, until the back, you can see my Square articulated figurines:

And then there's the back layer of the bottom level:

Well, that's how that one nook is arranged now.

A fair improvement from before, when I had the cathode tube TV acting as another shelf:

 

 

 

Almost forgot the logistics:

Most of the display cases are clear plastic boxes from Michaels. 

The big rectangular case is also from Michaels, so are a few of the cylindrical cases (but that was a total rip off).  One of the cylinders is even a container for foam stickers, that I bought just to use the case for Clare. 

The clear gift boxes from Moskatel are much more economical.  The plastic is thinner, but they seem to stack just as well.  And those nice big rectangles that C.C. and Kingdom Hearts I Cloud are in were only $0.38 each!  OuO 

The big circular container and the taller cylinder with Axel inside are also great deals from Moskatel.  Much better to go with gift boxes than the expense stuff specifically for display cases.

...Except in the case of the cylinders in the back for my Square articulated figurines.  Those are nice, stackable, and interlocking cases from ProTech Products Inc. Their snug fit with each other feels very secure. ^_^



mail after ALA

When I finally got home from Anime Los Angeles 2013 and the following week at my siblings' apartment, I found that these manga had arrived in the mail.  ^_^ 

More of Rukia's return!  ^u^  She's so awesome...! *o*

And, of course, one of my favorite genres:  gender (role) bending.  ...Now that I think about it, Otomen is the only gender-bending series I'm collecting, that is still being currently released.  ;.;  I finished W Juliet, I finished Girl Got Game ("Power"), I finished Penguin Revolution,...  I think I have all of Ouran Koko Host Club, but I haven't read it all.  Did the series "Your and My Secret" finish, or did it just stop printing because Tokyopop almost went under?  Actually, there is a sequel series to W Juliet:  W Juliet II.  I've only got some tankouban of that series in Japanese right now, but Viz recently asked on their Facebook page for licensing suggestions, and I put in a bid for W Juilet II. 

Anyway, it's kind of ironic that Otomen came in the mail with Bleach, since it's kind of inspired by Bleach.  When Shonen manga became popular in the 2000's, so many manga-ka were urged to follow the suit of Bleach, Naruto, and Death Note.  Otomen is one of the clearest homages, in terms of their character designs being so similar to the major characters of Bleach.  But Otomen employed an ironic twist, by being a story about very Shojo-like male characters, who were under pressure to maintain very Shonen images. 

how to craft Hetalia flag pairing pendants

Recently, Pinterest and DIY crafting communities on Google+ have been catching my interest.  One thing I've noticed from the blogs linked to posts, is that they often use many step-by-step photos explaining a project's process.  I realized that I have not really done that on my blog.  Granted, my blog is more about being a geek, but fan-art is a big part of that.  I've posted about my projects for Artist Alley before, but I thought it might be nice to do a more step-by-step post, similar to crafting blogs. 

A little while ago, someone asked on my DeviantArt how I made my Hetalia pairing pendants.  So, here's how:

___Materials___
- polymer clay
- heart-shaped cookie cutter (obento food cutters also work)
- wire (22 guage)
- round-nose pliers
- long-nose pliers (jeweler's pliers without teeth)
- wire cutters
- cornstarch or baby powder or talc powder
- dough roller (any kind of hard cylinder; plastic is better; pores in wood causes problems; or use a  pasta machine)
- glass marbles
- ruler or other straight-edge
- needle tool
- craft knife
- flexible blade for polymer clay
- string
- oven







Most importantly, gotta make a bunch of flags out of polymer clay.  These millefiori canes are based on reference pics of country flags, found online.  Since each face of a pendant will only show half of a flag, there's no need for the millefiori canes to be more than half of a flag.  This saves on polymer clay.  It is important that the width of the canes at least cover the width of half the heart-shaped cookie cutter to be used.

Next, make heart-shaped bases out of scrap clay.  When I don't have lots of scrap clay, I like to use black clay, since it is such a unitask color, that isn't used very often for much else.  All other colors, especially white, can be mixed with other colors for more shades, so it is better to save them for external applications.  Since this heart-shape is the base, it will be completely covered, so pretty clay should not be wasted as the base.   

Roll the clay out through a pasta machine (setting 2 or thicker), or by hand, with a roller.  Dust clay or work area lightly, with cornstarch or baby powder to prevent sticking.  Then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter on the rolled slabs of clay. 

Use a ruler or other straight-edge to mark the center line of each heart base. 

Use the same cookie cutter to trim the edges of each heart.  Askew the cutter by 2 millimeters, using the center line as reference points.  I like to center the vertexes of the heart, at the top, then bottom of the line, 2mm from the clay's original edge, then cut.  That leaves odd points at the left and right of the heart, which can be trimmed with the cookie cutter. 

Make a wrapped-loop eye out of wire, using the long-nose and rounded-nose pliers.  I used 22-guage wire, but 24-guage might be equally sturdy.

Sink finished wrapped-loop eyes into the center line of each heart base.  Do not sink the eyes too far down the heart.  Ideally, the whole eye should be above the cane slices, even after they are applied (2mm further out of the base clay's edges). 

Next, cut slices off of the millefiori canes.  Try to make the slices thin, to save on polymer clay, but not too thin.  If they are too thin, they may be almost transparent enough for the scrap clay base underneath, to show through.  You don't want that.  Also, an intended thin slice has the danger of inadvertently cutting less than a whole slice, off the millefiori cane.  That is even more wasted clay.  Still, if this happens, these partial slices can be saved to patch-up other imperfect slices.

Cut half-hearts out of the cane slices.  This is where the canes prove themselves to be wide enough or too narrow.  If they are too narrow, the gaps can be patched up with the proper color clay.

Apply the cane slices to the base hearts.  Use the center line on the base hearts, to align the cane sliced hearts, one half-heart at a time. 

Handling the clay with glass marbles, instead of your fingertips, helps minimize fingerprints on the clay.  If there are fingerprints, you can smooth them out with the glass marbles.  But this can take a long time, without preventing them in the first place.

Pinch the edges of the cane sliced hearts together.  If the base hearts were trimmed enough, there should be no gap, showing the scrap clay underneath.  But if the base hearts were trimmed too much, the cane sliced hearts may collapse into themselves, without enough base clay to support it underneath. 

Apply small details, as necessary, for each type of flag.
Press them into the cane slices, using glass marbles.  But do not distort them by squashing with too much force.

As you can see below, soft clay does not make very good, pulled millefiori canes.  The distortion may be too much.  When using softer clay, instead, make a pulled mold of the needed shape, from a rubber stamp and some scrap clay. 

 

Bake the clay according to manufacturer's instructions.  Use a pie plate or some other baking tray, lined with foil.  Cover the container with a foil tent to catch the chemicals which will evaporate off the clay during baking.  If you use an oven specifically for polymer clay and crafts, this tent is unnecessary.  But it is safer to tent clay, when using an oven that will also be used to bake food.

 

After the clay cools, string the wire eye, and you're all set!

(...Extra credit for buffing, polishing, and/or varnishing the finished clay with Varathane.)

 

 

portable figurine photography

https://plus.google.com/u/0/101371842569759097552/posts/NhaEzGokzsQ
Someone at Google+'s Figure Photography group was asking advice about starting to carry around figurines for outdoor figurine photography while travelling.  Even though I'm still a novice at it myself, I ended up posting a long list of ideas:  ^^;;;;;

I've only recently started travelling with my figurines for photos, by using this carrying case:
https://plus.google.com/118245706388996552312/posts/cKttpiqB4Pv They're fairly cheap and come in several sizes/shapes from Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle stores.  The handle makes travel easy and the latch isn't flimsy.

I also use sheets of plastic from the figurines' original packaging to pad between figurines/accessories, but I've been thinking of getting sheets of bubble wrap. 

If you're worried about losing small pieces, small 1"-2" zip-lock bags (usually from craft stores) are nice for small accessories.  Organizing the small pieces into bags each time they're put away or taken out, forces you to keep track of them, better than tossing them into the case alone.

I find it's nice to bring at least 2 Figmas &/or Nendoroids so they can interact with each other in poses.  I also pack extra faceplates/accessories, even if they didn't come with the figurines I'm bringing, to be ready for any idea/expression I want.

Have fun with your travelling figures!  ^o^

Otaku Rules of Propriety

After browsing my folder of "inspirational/motivational posters", and reading Simon Pegg's "geek" quote and "The Otaku Oath", I started writing down the ideas I try to abide by, as a geek, based on accumulated advice and my own experience.  As such, this will probably forever be in-progress.  (This was more personal than anything else, so I hope I don't inadvertently offend anyone!)



___My Personal Rules of Propriety for the Geek and Otaku___

1)  I will enjoy my hobby, regardless of others' opinions.  Whether a preference for 1 series/niche will make me seem cooler over another, or whether 1 series/niche will make me seem dorkier over another.

2)  I will have fun with my hobby.  When an aspect of my hobby stops being fun, I will move on, or work harder to make it fun again.  Whether that's cosplay, photography, collecting, fan-ficcing, forums, artist alley, video coverage, etc. 

3)  I will respect my fellow-geek.  I will not flying-glomp or tackle without warning.  I will not molest cosplayers, even at drunken con parties.  I will not hit or touch people without permission.  I will not hit or touch people with props, objects, or yaoi paddles without permission---and in the case of permission given, I will not use full force.  I will keep my mouth shut, rather than hating on someone else's favorite series/OTP, in an environment where everyone is trying to keep a positive attitude.  I will use "I like this" phrases instead of "I hate this" phrases.  I will vent my long list(s) of dislikes and peeves in a blog, rather than vocally.  I will not flame or troll without reason, intelligence, or an understanding that other persons in the conversation really enjoy debating.  I will stop myself (and apologize) when I begin to act elitist.  I will not call someone "not a real fan" because of how they entered the fandom, their opinions and preferences within the fandom, their noob level, etc.  I will not condescend another cosplayer's techniques or skill level.  I will not (vocally) generalize any fandom, series, or niche interest as completely worthless, the sign of an idiot, or "too mainstream".  I will not make others fearful of expressing their fandom and being a geek freely, by belittling thier interest(s)/fandom (before  they even mention their affiliation).  Within the fandoms, I will not perpetuate the same ostracism that Mundanes often impose on geeks. 

4)  I will try other aspects of fandom.  I will cosplay at least once, even if it's just neko-mimi &/or fox tails.  I will draw fan-art, even if it's just a doodle, and even if I think I suck.  I will read some fanfiction, and maybe write some.  I will do some photography or videography, whether it be cosplayers, figurines, or the set-up of my massive collection(s).  I will browse artist alley as often as the usual dealers' hall.  I will check-out a convention panel about a subject I am unfamiliar with.  I will sit in on the karaoke room (during the gap between other events).  I will take a peek at the videogame room and tabletop gaming room.  I will watch a lolita fashion show.  I will not judge a series by a name, instead, I will check it out myself.  I will at least flip through any manga title I am unfamiliar with.

5)  I will keep my fangirling/fanboying in check.  ...Even while on a convention high.  ...Even if I see a cosplayer of my favorite character.  When my giddiness imposes on others' comfort levels, I will stop (and apologize).  When I see a long-sought collectable, I will not have a heart-attack.  But instead, poker-face so that I may keep the advantage when bargaining for a lower price.  I will keep my hands (and yaoi paddles) to myself.  I will keep my voice down to "indoor levels", at least 70% of the time.  I will not shout memes continuously.  I will not drag unsuspecting by-standers into my roleplaying, into being in-character for a cosplay, or into actions which make references to a series, if such actions are violent, too loud, ecchi, or just plain obnoxious.  (For example, Homestuckers should not actually throw buckets at conventions; Jiraiya cosplayers do not have license to grope girls; etc.)

6)  I will save my money wherever I can.  I will go around a good portion (or all) of the dealers' hall, to compare prices and stocks, before throwing my money at the first booth that has what I want.  I will do my research, before the con or online purchase, so I know what a reasonable deal is or the likelihood of encountering a rare item again.  I will not buy anything expensive, unless it literally takes my breath away.  I will not chip away at my funds with a bunch of items which are only mildly interesting.  If a photo or art print is enough for me, I will not buy the figurine, charm, plushie, etc.  If a booth or more has enough stock of an item I want, and the demand is not so rabid as to make the item stock sold-out after the first day, then I will try to wait for the last day of the con, to buy and take advantage of possible dealers' last-day sales.  I will guard against accidentally buying duplicates of items, even re-releases by another licensing company, of the same item contents.  I will carry a list or thumbnail picture catalogue of what I already have collected, as a small print-out list/booklet or in my phone/portable device.  I will stop intentionally buying duplicates of items, if I do not have the budget to continue doing so. 

7)  I will support the people who make fandom as enjoyable as it is.  I will buy officially licensed anime (and delete my torrents), when they are released.  I will buy manga, and not just download scanlations (unless it's doujinshi which will likely never be licensed ;_; ).  I will support artist alley.  I will attend conventions properly, without sneaking in.  I will visit fansites before they disappear.  I will leave online comments for fan-artists, fan-ficcers, etc. 

8)  I will not contribute to "con funk" or "the con plague".  I will shower before each con day.  I will soap twice in the shower, if I have to.  I will use up the hotel's bottles of shampoo, and let housekeeping replace it with a new bottle, each day, if necessary.  I will cover my mouth when I cough.  I will cover my mouth with my elbow, hankerchief, sleeve, or anything besides my hands, to decrease the chances that people who touch the door handles will get the "con plague".  I will carry hand-sanitizer, and use it before I touch food or my face.  I will carry vitamin C lozenges or keep some in my hotel room or car.

9)  I will not allow myself to miss the convention.  I will not oversleep during mornings, thinking con panels/events are not important enough to wake for.  I will set alarms on my cellphone to wake up in the mornings.  I will not spend all day, everyday of the con, sewing cosplay in my hotel room.  I will not spend a day of the convention, at a nearby tourist attraction instead of the con. 

10)  I will not do without nutrients.  I will carry snacks at the con, and not just leave them in the hotel room.  I will carry a bottle of water, even if the convention center or hotel halls provide water fountains.  (You never know how long you will be stuck in some panels, cosplay gatherings, or other unleavable situations.)  I will force myself to drink water, even before I feel thirsty.  I will buy an actual meal at a restaurant, if my body begins to die from snack foods. 

11)  I will try to sleep.  I will not try to attend everything going on all night, so I will not oversleep and miss morning events.  If there is time, I will take naps during long gaps between events.  I will set my cellphone alarm, in case I nap too deeply.

12)  I will attempt to keep the convention hallways clear.  I will clear the way for delicate and intricate cosplayers.  I will not stop in the middle of a packed or unpacked hall, just to converse or stare at something.  I will try to stay against the side walls.  I will not allow my conversation circle to freely jut out into the halls.  I will be aware of my larger props and protect from possible tripping hazards, should I set them down.  I will try to find "out of the way" places to hold my cosplay gatherings.  I will especially not block entrances, exits, stairs, escalators, and other areas of heavy foot traffic. 

13)  I will enjoy the convention.  I will not let run-ins with creepers, trolls, elitists, etc. ruin my con experience.  I will improve my further actions, should I make the mistake of acting like a creeper, elitist, or other obnoxious person.  I will highlight all events in the schedule I am interested in, based on the panel/event descriptions, if I have time to read them.  I will not fall into the endless disappointment of trying to attend every single event I am interested in.  I will remember that events are something I attend when I happen to have time for it, not the other way around.  I will not forsake courtesy, nutrients, sleep, and fun, for the purpose of rushing to and attending every event.  I will accept unexpected changes to my schedule, and remember that it may be more fun than what I originally planned.  I will be willing to ditch my original plans and event interests for time with friends, new panels, unexpected events, newly discovered interests, etc. 

14)  I will take care of my collection(s) and enjoy it.  I will not simply stack my manga/comic books, videogames, DVDs/blurays, etc. as inaccessible towers on the floor.  I will organize my collections for easy access for reading, admiring, or in other practical appreciation methods.  I will actually read the books and flip through the artbooks I have collected, especially if they have gone untouched for some time.  I will place my figurines in a case or at least in clear, cheap, gift boxes, to keep the dust from crusting into impenetrable layers in their crevices.  I will not be afraid to use my figurines in figurine photography.  I will hug my plushie pillows.  I will actually use my collectable pillows, if their designs are sturdy, such as embroidery (versus mere printed fabric).

15)  I will remember that I was once a noob and everyone starts somewhere.  I will not discourage anyone from being a geek of something "mainstream".  I will be sensitive to the worth of any fandom, even if it does not touch me personally.  I will forgive the over-intense energy levels of obnoxious fanboys/fangirls, and believe in their ability to mature into becoming more conscious of others.  I will give everyone a reasonable chance to realize, apologize, change, and evolve out of being an elitist, a troll, a creeper, etc.