Beeeeeeeebop. And BSG. And doing good for hotness

[dangermousie]

I was enjoying the first 4 eps: characters are fun, the writing is witty, Spike is hot, and Faye's breasts biologically impossible.

And then I watched ep 5, where we find some stuff out about Spike's past (he worked for the mob, there was a mysterious woman etc) and we meet Vicious who is horrible but also cool (he brings a sword to a gun fight!) and the story gets really arced and angsty and serious and there is this amazing confrontation between Vicious and Spike (former friends!) in the cathedral, wih this amazing imagery, and Spike falling through the window and remembering this mysterious woman singing for him and the rose dropping (the way it does in the credits). Am hooked now.

Also, saw BSG and have long thoughts for later, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED the ep. Never thought I'd say it, but Baltar in Six's head is HOT.

Also, having now read Alice 19th and Genbu Kaiden, as well as watched FY and Ceres, I’ve decided YW has come up with a compelling reason to be on the side of good. How? I present my case:


Fushigi Yuugi Universe

So, we have four priestesses, right? One evil (Yui) and the rest good. And what kind of warriors do they get? We have the Genbu priestess who was surrounded by hotties and got to conduct a tragic, unconsummated love affair with her favorite (just look at Limdo. Come onnnnnn). We have the Byakko priestess who was surrounded by hotties blah blah. (See above). And we have Miaka who has a veritable smorgasbord of hotness and, once again, an angsty love affair with her favorite. And what does poor evil Yui get? What are her options.

1. She gets a woman. Which is great but does nothing for Yui.
2. A shape-shifting midget: now, that’s a ladies magnet
3. A wolf. Great? Not really, unless you are really kinky.
4. A painted freak who thinks girls have cooties.
5. Suboshi: who is cute and devoted. Also, a raving, whiny psycho.
6. The hot leader of the whole enterprise. But wait a second. He is not only evil and cold, but is apparently crushing on the same guy Yui is.
7. Amiboshi: the good twin. He is cute and the only nice guy in the bunch. So of course he ditches as soon as he can.

No wonder poor Yui is so frustrated.

Ayashi No Ceres Universe

Aya is on the side of the angels. So she gets to mate with one. So she doesn’t just get to have cute Yuuhi pine after her, she has the super-gorgeous and devoted Toya in her bed, having hot, baby-making sex. The Progenitor just wanders around killing people, no true love in sight.

Alice 19th

Alice has Kyo and Frey. Good-looking, nice, prime bf material. Mayura gets to hang out with nasty guys in masks. How cute can they be if they are ashamed to show their faces?

So, it's basically be good and you'll get cute men. Be bad and you'll get internet's dating rejects.

Comments

[autumnflame.livejournal.com]

.... don't expect much plot out of most of the episodes of CB. XD I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the episodes that were linked to any kind of central arc.

Still a good series, nonetheless! Just, as I said, don't expect it to keep going on like that. :D Though there are a number of serious, gripping stand-alone eps. My favorite was just one such. ._.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know it's not very arced. Which is why I like it (great characters superbly written) but am not marathonning it like mad: I need heavy continuing plot to really obsess.

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

Heh heh, exactly, poor Yui. She got screwed over. :P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

She got screwed over. :P

Or not, which was her problem :)

I don't like the girl but she definitely got a raw deal in term of a hot entourage.

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

LOL! Touché! ;)

I feel like you have to really put yourself in her place to understand her. I mean, just LOOK at the kind of people she was hanging around. :P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Being serious for just a nano-second, that is actually true. After Miaka thought she was raped, she had Tamahome. After Yui thought she was raped, she had...Nakago. Rest my case.

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

Precisely. I personally really like Yui. I felt for her when she stumbles upon Miaka and Tamahome kissing. I mean, she felt like her best friend, the one whom she thought was the only one to really understand her in this crazy world, had betrayed her.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't like Yui (you got a rough life, now deal and stop whining) but I do like the fact that she has a reason and didn't just suddenly go nuts.

Still want to smack her.

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

She sure isn't an angel, but she's one of the most reasonable negative characters out there.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

he brings a sword to a gun fight

See, this is why I love Vicious. Yes, he's horrible and kind of crazy now and homicidal, but he not only brings a sword to a gun fight, he cleans up with said sword. Vicious is a badass of the highest order.

amazing confrontation between Vicious and Spike

Former best friends turned enemies are always great. It was always my belief that even though Vicious was probably never the nicest guy in the world, he didn't really flip out until he encountered Spike's perceived betrayal.

just look at Limdo

Limdo is a god. She seriously outdid herself on her design of him. I always thought Hikitsu was extremely hot too, but he hasn't shown up in GK yet. Once again I say screw the fate of the world and JUMP THAT HOTTIE.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

but he not only brings a sword to a gun fight, he cleans up with said sword.

And he's got that raven on his shoulder. A bad-ass and show-off and soooo good. Love (but from a safe distance, of course).

Limdo is a god. She seriously outdid herself on her design of him.

Not to mention he is snarky and cynical and has that angsty screwed-up past history and his father wants to assassinate him and he is reluctant to trust or care and he still does, a little. And he hires himself for the bad guy. Love. Poor guy though, he is so going to get his heart broken.

I spent an hour and a half sitting on the floor of Borders, reading the three GK volumes they had (and had no time for dinner in consequence) and they were so addictive. I loved the heroine (who is cool herself) climbing into bed with him to warm him up because he is in his girl shape and he doesn't know he's a boy and she wakes up naked next to a boy who is "aren't you a bit forward?" ROFL.

I say screw the fate of the world and JUMP THAT HOTTIE

Though I have to say that in one regard it's good no sex because otherwise Limdo's ability to switch would be interesting (the boy is a bisexual's dream). I love YW's side panel which has Tamahome and Limdo glaring at each other and in the back Nuriko is being all indignant "How come he can turn into a girl?"

he didn't really flip out until he encountered Spike's perceived betrayal

After all, they did used to kill people back to back.

I always thought Hikitsu was extremely hot too

Oh yes.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

A bad-ass and show-off and soooo good

There's also the fact that he never seems to question himself. And he just seems to be trying to take over Red Dragon for something to do. Vicious is one of those who if he hadn't been such a complete bastard, would have made a cool good guy.

After all, they did used to kill people back to back

And I love CB for not backing away from the fact that Vicious is actually justified to be pretty pissed off at Spike. Yes, Vicious is obviously the "bad" guy, but what Spike did to his best friend was something you just don't do and expect to ever be friends with them again. Morally, even though Vicious is hateful, Spike is the one who struck the first blow in their feud.

Not to mention he is snarky and cynical and has that angsty screwed-up past history and his father wants to assassinate him and he is reluctant to trust or care and he still does, a little

That's why I like Limdo a lot more than some of YW's men. He's like Toya, only with more of a mouth on him. He's the only YW male I've run into who's THAT snarky and cynical. He's also gorgeous, which doesn't hurt. The female form thing is a bit odd, but you know, I wouldn't really care at this point because I'm under the impression that he's pretty much all male except for the changing part.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Vicious is one of those who if he hadn't been such a complete bastard, would have made a cool good guy.

Indeed. *sigh* And unlike some other bad guys (Delphine, the bad guys in Ceres, Nakago), while he is evil and I am all for his being put down, he doesn't make my skin creep in revulsion.

CB for not backing away from the fact that Vicious is actually justified to be pretty pissed off at Spike

And not backing away from the fact that Spike wasn't always the laid-back good guy.

He's the only YW male I've run into who's THAT snarky and cynical.

Oh yes. Life's given him more than his fair number of hard knocks, and he's been hitting it back. In a way, he reminds me a little of early Nuriko only obviously straight and rather darker mixed with some early Tamahome. And you are right, kind of like early Toya (that same ambiguity) only snappier and happier (he is not a happy person, but on the surface he is a lot more smiley and quippy). Though not very much like Nuriko or Tamahome or Toya actually. YW's males all seem to be very different from each other character-wise, which is really cool. Tamahome remains my favorite YW male, but Limdo has certainly become one of the three Watase guys I am crushing on.

I just love his lack of enthusiasm for the 'good fight' (understandably so), especially since it's clear he has a very good heart that he is afraid to follow because of his previously bad past experiences. Yet despite it all, he can't help but get involved, even as he will grumble the whole way (that's how he rescues Takiko at their first meeting after all).

Also, yes. Drop-dead gorgeous. And I love the scene where Takiko sticks her hand in the stone and he comes and hugs her from behind to help her stand the pain. He is not quiet or still very often, but when he is? Look out.

I really hope this will be turned into anime some day.

I wouldn't really care at this point because I'm under the impression that he's pretty much all male except for the changing part.

Oh yes. *sigh* I am also remembering his reply to Takiko's "but you were a woman! I saw you. You had breasts! Nicer than mine,' which was "yours are very nice." ROFL.

I am also remembering the priests dressing him up in girl clothes and also having him use the girl bath with the heroine. Heeee. I think it's taking 'bishounen as pretty as a girl' thing to its logical conclusion: he can turn into a woman part time.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

he doesn't make my skin creep in revulsion.

I think that's partially because he only really bothers to kill people who directly get in his way. He's one of the few anime bad guys who isn't completely crazy and in love with wanton slaughter. I don't get the feeling that Vicious gets off on hurting people (Spike maybe, but that's understandable), it's just something he does. You get in his way, you're going to get hurt.

And not backing away from the fact that Spike wasn't always the laid-back good guy.

That's part of the reason I like anime, since a lot of the time the good guys have pasts that are more than shady (in Black Cat, Train is a former assassin; in Gungrave, Brandon is a former mob sweeper; Heero is a trained assassin in Gundam Wing; Jin killed his former master in Samurai Champloo; Kenshin was a former assassin) and even those without shady pasts aren't always either nice or ethical.

I personally hope they turn Alice 19th into an anime. Best friend, the YW lover, says you need to read HanaKimi since she loves that one too and seems to have similar tastes to you.

he can turn into a woman part time

On the upswing, he would understand what a woman goes through and when you complain of PMS would believe you.

I think I like Limdo because he's one of the few YW males who reacts with cynicism instead of brooding when it comes to issues. I can understand that reaction and appreciate it since I'm cynical myself. I sort of like one of her characters in Absolute Boyfriend for the same reason since he's rather cynical and long suffering too.

YW has a talent for making interesting men. Her story lines often aren't as satisfactory as her men are. The HanaKimi mangaka has a talent for writing romance, while the MeruPuri mangaka has a talent for writing exotic romance and drawing really hot guys. Certain mangakas just have different talents and styles (you learn to pick them out after a while just like any author).

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Her story lines often aren't as satisfactory as her men are.

mmmmm...what? Sorry, got sidetracked by the eye candy. You mean these things actually are supposed to have plot :) Seriously though, I find I like YW more than I generally do a lot of girl oriented stuff because it's generally not just "does that cute boy in the corner like me" but instead is 'does that cute boy that just rescued me from a dragon like me? Oh wait, I'll have to ask him later because right now we are running from a mob of armed men after my mysterious amulet. Whoa, he looks good with that sword.'

Oooooh, I will check out HanaKimi.

I actually looked at MeruPuri. I am not very used to graphic novels (I keep reading the words and skipping pics because...books, and have to force myself to stop) and MP's panels are harder for me because they are swirlier (yeah, I know, this sounds odd). I am also a bit icked out by the 12 year old thing. It seems that even when he has an 18 year old body, he has a 12 year old mind which is...ick.

On the upswing, he would understand what a woman goes through and when you complain of PMS would believe you.

Indeed. Also, you don't have to separate even while going to public restrooms or baths :)

It's a pity GK is bound to end badly. No Miaka/Tamahome HEA or even Tatara/Suzuno ghost reunion (though I guess the latter is possible) as she gets consumed by the god and her father kills her. I just can't see a good way out for her.

I personally hope they turn Alice 19th into an anime.

Mmmmm....Kyo. That would be fun. Though I'd prefer Genbu Kaiden, but it's a moot point as GK isn't even finished yet.

I don't get the feeling that Vicious gets off on hurting people (Spike maybe, but that's understandable), it's just something he does. You get in his way, you're going to get hurt.

Oh yes. Somehow that seems more normal. Someone like Legato and Knives also diected their ire (towards Vash) but it bothered me a lot more, because not only were they 'wipe humanity in the process, yay' but they were all about inflicting psychic suffering on Vash and tormenting him emotionally. It wasn't just 'let's kill the guy and get it over with.' It was let's make him suffer and see hell. And that is the vibe I got with Nakago too, at least in his obsession with Tamahome, and of course there was that sexual perverse vibe and really loving to humiliate for sake of power that repulsed me.

Vicious is a lot more "I hate you. I end you."

in Gungrave, Brandon is a former mob sweeper

I know that's not what's meant, but I keep imagining him with a little broom, sweeping the walkway clean for the mob boss' spotless new shoes.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Oh wait, I'll have to ask him later because right now we are running from a mob of armed men after my mysterious amulet.

I actually read that as "mysterious mullet" the first time and was thinking "well, maybe Tamahome, but not really Miaka".

Yeah, she does write any high school girl's Mary Sue dream with lots of hot guys available and willing to save you.

I am also a bit icked out by the 12 year old thing.

I found that weird at first, but have gotten used to it now, since even when he's 12 he's an arrogant little 12 year old. Jeile isn't too thrown by it either, so I figure it's normal in their kingdom. And 12 year old Aram was getting married anyway.

It's a pity GK is bound to end badly

Oh yes, it's bound to end in tears and probably a very dead Limdo, though Tomite and Hikitsu are sort of safe since we see them later.

Vicious is a lot more "I hate you. I end you."

It's more normal homicide with Vicious. Obsessed with Spike much, yes, very, but then Spike is obsessed with Vicious too. The killing with Vicious doesn't seem to be very personal, you just happen to be in his way therefore he will move you out of it. And there are several times where he actually doesn't start the violence (he of course finishes it though). There's also the whole Gren story line where you realize Spike and Gren weren't just friends with Vicious because they had to be, but because they liked him. Vicious is just weird because you know that even though he's bad, he's not exactly evil. Ruthless, yes, but he's not out to destroy mankind.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

"mysterious mullet" the first time and was thinking "well, maybe Tamahome, but not really Miaka".

ROFL. She really does like guys with long hair though, doesn't she...

Oh yes, it's bound to end in tears and probably a very dead Limdo, though Tomite and Hikitsu are sort of safe since we see them later.


Well, of course since Tomite (I keep wanting to pronounce it to rhyme with 'marmite') and Hikitsu are dead by that point they could have died at any time and then someone did some magic hokus pokus. Yeah, at best, Limdo is looking at ghostdom. Poor Prince.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Anime is full of improbable hair, sadly most often on the side of the animales.

Though we do know in the FY world, when in doubt, reincarnate. We already know Tomite and Hikitsu have been hanging out in the mountain for eons (and being a ghost doesn't seem to improve Tomite's humor any). I'm inclined to think there's some magical hottie resurrecting device hanging around there somewhere.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

when in doubt, reincarnate

That should be everyone's motto, actually :)

being a ghost doesn't seem to improve Tomite's humor any

I thought in FY, Hikitsu and Tomite were kinda nasty and cranky. Of course, being stuck in an ice cave doesn't improve the disposition...

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Tomite was the crankier of the two. Hikitsu was relatively polite considering not only was he stuck in an ice cave, but his symbol is on his eye. And Tamahome thought the one on his forehead was bad.