Totally Captivated (a.k.a. sorry Japan, but Korea is always sexier)

I caved and read this earlier than expected (the anticipation was too much for poor lil' me), and it is the best shit ever. Well okay, it really isn't, but I'm still on a post-series high (a full 30-ish hours after finishing this and I'm still thinking about it constantly!). So for now, I think it is the best shit ever. You can read the synopsis over at MAL, but when stripping it bare, this manwha is really about two incredibly messed up people who fling themselves into, then desperately try to hold onto their relationship. That Mookyul is a mafia boss is a relatively extraneous aspect of the story; not only is the Korean underworld merely the setting (as opposed to something truly necessary for the "plot"), but it also partly functions as a ploy to make Mookyul appear to be the most kickass, aggressive (but still lovey-dovey!) seme evar.

This series is far from flawless: many plot developments are super cliche, the leads make a lot of dumbass decisions throughout that had me facepalming every few pages, the last two volumes are total maudlin k-drama shit, the plot becomes really convoluted in the last five chapters, and to be honest, Mookyul isn't even all that well-developed of a character. But this is one of the rare instances in which I can guiltlessly say that, no matter how much the critical side of me protests, I really, really don't give a shit. This series is basically the equivalent of a very long and very addictive fanfic; it's supremely entertaining in such a way that you *know* the author understands the target audience well and is catering to that audience perfectly. I can't even say this is a guilty pleasure because it's so good at being entertaining that I feel no reason to be embarrassed about liking it. As far as I'm concerned, this manwha is brilliant and Mookyul is one badass mo'.

Of course, that the two leads are stupid gorgeous and wear stupid gorgeous clothing just adds to the brilliance. This series is practically a fucking fashion show half the time, what with Ewon constantly strutting around in DKNY-esque clothes even though he's poor as hell, and Mookyul's wardrobe almost entirely consisting of the nicest 2D suits and jackets I have ever seen. The boys alone are eyecandy enough, but the clothing is the icing on the cake. Or even better, it's the ice cream that turns a mere cake into a much tastier ice cream cake. <3 <3

read: left --> right

And did I mention that Ewon & Mookyul use the most absolutely hilarious insults on each other? And that the whole thing is really just hilarious in general, yet still sometimes surprisingly touching? :D

Random points:
1) People who liked Hana Yori Dango or maybe the Mars manga (and are BL fans) prob. have a good chance of liking this. I think these three series are entertaining for pretty similar reasons.

2) Mookyul has such an amazing potty mouth. Of course, this only serves to somehow make him hotter.

3) Ewon shops the exact same way I do:

4) At one point, Ewon fantasizes about Mookyul wearing SS guard-esque clothing. Needless to say, I was drooling right along with him.

5) Missed Moment(s) of Awesome: violentgangsta!Mookyul wasn't whored out and taken advantage of nearly as much as he should've been. It's a shame that he's only shown seriously wailing on people a few times throughout the series, as opposed to *all the damn time* like it should've been.

6) There's a side story doujinshi, which is actually just a huge excuse for the author to draw shameless Mookyul/Ewon smut. (Since the main series was "only" 16+. Explicit sex scenes were thusly replaced by facial closeups, panel fade outs, and the obligatory "last night was AWESOME!!" morning-after talks.) Features over-the-office-desk sex and Ewon gasping, "Hyungnim!" a lot.

7) There's a to-be-translated 2nd side story doujin. BUT someone had mistaken it to be a sequel series, and when I read their post, I was flailing and silently squeeing on my bed like an absolute retard. MISLEADING BASTARDS. But ah well, a 2nd perverse doujin is good enough for me.

8) If you can't tell already, I *love* Mookyul, even though half the things he does make no rational sense. <33
So much love. Like. I DON'T EVEN. *incoherent*

And most of all, I like how this manwha has proven to me just how utterly shallow and superficial I really am, that I would be more than overjoyed to read a sequel series that doesn't even pretend to have a plot this time around and consists of absolutely nothing other than Mookyul & Ewon flirting, making out a lot, and wearing really nice outfits.

THE END.

My Foray into BL Mangaland. :3

But first:

Dengeki.com released the results of the anime fans' votes on the best anime aired this spring and the most expected anime to be aired this summer. The vote was held from June 19th till July 1st.

"Satisfaction" Ranking for Spring Titles in 2009 (expectation ranks are in parentheses)
*1, (*7) K-ON!
*2, (23) Higashi no Eden
*3, (*5) Saki
*4, (*1) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
*5, (*6) Sengoku BASARA
*6, (*4) Dragon Ball Kai
*7, (*3) Valkyria Chronicles
*8, (24) Basquash!
*9. (*8) Asura Cryin'
10, (19) Cross Game

The hell, Japan? How in the world did Basquash! rank higher than Cross Game??? And how did Eden of the East get such a low expectation ranking? 日本のばか! >___<;

Also, some of the message board comments about Eden of the East make my forehead hurt from headdesking. Anime fans can be so pretentious. THERE, I SAID IT.

"Expectation" Ranking for Summer Titles in 2009
*1, Spice and Wolf II
*2, Umineko no Naku Koro ni
*3, Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
*4, Bakemonogatari
*5, CANAAN
*6, Taishou Yakyuu Musume.
*7, GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
*8, Kanamemo
*9, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
10, Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Itekureta Koto~

Much better. :)

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OMG I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS CLUB. And not just b/c of its hilariously blunt name. I'm not as well-versed in BL manga as I feel I should be, mainly due to those "girly ukes" and all the crap that often comes with them. (e.g. unrealistic non-con, tyrannical semes--unless you're going at it from a creepy Stockholm syndrome angle, it ain't gonna work on me.) But thankfully, this club is just overflowing with reccs. I've only added a handful to my "will read" list, otherwise it would just be overwhelming. In order of how excited I am to eventually read them:

1. Totally Captivated
2. The Tyrant Falls In Love (the synopsis cracks me up)
3. Vassalord
4. Kyuuso wa Cheese no Yume wo Miru
5. Red Blinds the Foolish
6. Finder Series
7. Complex
8. Sojou no Koi wa Nido Haneru

There are more yakuza!BL series out there than I would've expected. ^^;

EDIT: LOL. I like how on the main page for Totally Captivated, it says:

Alternative Titles
English: Totally Captivated
Japanese: 완전무결하게 사로잡히다

...........WHEN THAT'S CLEARLY KOREAN.

JUST AS PLANNED.

Aug 15th
Haruhi marketing rag Newtype promises a “major” Haruhi announcement come August 17th, which hopeful Haruhi-ists have immediately speculated means a new season (which would almost inevitably include “Disappearance”) or at the very least a movie; more sober calculus suggests to some that this is merely another piece of abusive marketing for some trifle…

Aug 17th
The announcements run along these lines:

4. New information on Haruhi goods for you to obediently buy up is forthcoming!

TROLLING MOTHERFUCKS. This show is going to carry into the fall! I just know it! >_<;

My thoughts on ep.10:

Too many things I want to post about, haha.

Drinking the leftovers of a kiwi smoothie I ordered at a Viet restaurant today, and oh man, it is soooooo good. Esp. since there are pieces of watermelon and mango floating on the surface, which adds flavor. ^^

• Watching Spice and Wolf II. I can totally understand what people say about all the economics talk flying over their heads b/c I totally don't understand it either, haha. But I watch this show for Holo/Lawrence anyway, not economics crap.

  That pair is pretty similar to Natsume & Madara from Natsume Yuujinchou (which I will apparently never stop talking about). Natsume/Madara isn't a romantic relationship, but there are still a lot of parallels: both pairs involve a human (who is generally portrayed as the weaker, kinder, and more trusting of the two) and a large animal-like creature that is usually in disguise and acts as a sort-of bodyguard, both "bodyguards" know they will long outlive the human (which causes emotional conflict), both bodyguards are very proud and tsundere-ish, both humans have a penchant for getting themselves into trouble and their partner always needs to save their ass, etc.

• Played Chaos;Head with a few of my little cousins last night, including my more distant, but still totally awesome 14-year old cousin, who is an Internet geek and understood most of the lingo used in the game even though he isn't too big of an anime fan. He was realllllly impressed by the game and made lots of hilarious commentary throughout. (Esp. since he claimed, "This Takumi guy is 95% me," and could even predict some of his thoughts. That, and his face would be all o_o whenever Seira-tan appeared onscreen, haha.) We ended up playing it (replaying at certain times, for me) for about six hours, sometimes having to hide the screen from our younger cousins and lower the volume whenever we triggered one of Takumi's delusions.

  "Why do you keep looking around the room?"
  "Because WHOSE EYES ARE THOSE EYES, that's why!"
  "Oh God, I'm going to have nightmares."

  Oh, and I def. enjoy Takumi's liberal use of the word "fap."

• My fucking hair, you guys. This whole summer I've been trying to do something about it. I usually get an expensive hair straightening procedure done every summer, but it only lasts about 6-7 months and it irks me to have to shell out so much money (about $200) for something so temporary. I have an anti-frizz serum, but it has no lasting effect and I think it would get annoying to have to use it everyday when I'm busy at school. (Hot curling irons are even worse) I don't use much shampoo (and only every other day, at that), don't blow-dry my hair except during winter, and condition 3-4 times a week, so I feel like my hair shouldn't be dry or over-conditioned or anything. But no, for some reason, it's still frizzy as fuck. :(

BRAND NEW ADVENTURE!!

Because 2314144112 anime series to watch and classes + actual social life restarting in two weeks is apparently NOT ENOUGH FOR ME. I only watched about three-ish episodes of the anime (and recall only about 40% of what I watched anyway), so I'm practically going in with a clean slate. :D

And the English patch took two hours for me to get working because Vista is a nasty whore. :(