Concerning Hardcore Death Metal...

For so long, I was against what many call "extreme" music. I considered it not only repulsing, but also an unvalid form of music.

And then I met two guys named Brad and Steadman. They eased me into the genre slowly. Starting off small with All That Remains, and the jazz. And then a little Born of Osiris was introduced. Now I find myself listening to bands such as Bring Me The Horizen, Job For A Cowboy, Behemoth, Despised Icon, and The Black Dahlia Murder. Not only am I listening to them, but they are actually taking up a large majority of my musical preferences. Its amazing.

Since then, I've picked up the vocal style in hopes of joining a band with my friends. I'm just so suprised how quickly I became interested in the genre. And I'm actually pretty decent at the whole screaming and growling. I'm utterly... shocked really.

So, in the future, be on the look out for me possibly coming around with a band with songs about Samurai, Spartans, and destroying humanity. All from a self-proclaimed Buddhist.

Cool... Cool...

In the meantime, give these songs a listen.

"Pray For Plagues" by Bring Me The Horizon
"What A Horrible Night To HAve A Curse" by The Black Dahlia Murder
"Knee Deep" by Job For A Cowboy
"Bow Down" by Born Of Osiris
"Decimate The Weak" by Winds Of Plague
"Tastes Like Kevin Bacon" by iwrestledabearonce
"Abyssal Creation" by Through The Eyes Of The Dead
"Bludgeoned To Death" by Suicide Silence

Consider these required listening to get what I'm saying. Believe me, you'll learn to like it. Before this, I listened to Hip Hop and acoustic indie almost exclusively.

Government Property

To the dismay of many Otaku members I know, I’ve recently joined the United States Armed Forces. I’m now Private Second Class Lakis now in the Army National Guard. I joined in order to pay for my college when it became apparent to me that I wouldn’t be able to afford my tuition or anything. I chose Paralegal Specialist as my MOS (job, in lay men’s terms) for two reasons. One, I don’t want to be deployed to war, and two, I don’t want to kill anyone. Once I’m out of AIT school (teaching me how to be a Paralegal) I’ll be able to take several good jobs in the legal field with the knowledge given to me by the military.
But also, as soon as I joined, I quickly realized what I loved so much about the military life style growing up. The comradery, the respect given to people who have earned it, and the security of knowing you are part of something greater than yourself. After joining, I started to think more about a military career. I decided to attend college for a degree in Psychology. With this, I’ll be eligible for OCS and a position as an Officer (a high paying position I might add). I plan on becoming a psychologist within the Army, full time and active duty, and I’ll be able to use the money I get to comfortably live and pursue my other hobbies (i.e. writing, martial arts, drawing, music, etc.) while working in the military.
I think its one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. My father was and still is in the Military
(Army) and so was my Grandfather (albeit for a short period of time). I never planned on carrying on the tradition, but inadvertently, I have.

I ship off to my basic training in October, until then, I will attend my drill weekends once a month, earning money and rank all the while. I attended my first drill last weekend, and it wasn’t so bad. Boring if anything. I got my uniform, dog tags, and what not, and I did P.T. which came easily and naturally for me (running a mile in 6:30, 35 sit ups in a minute not trying, and 40-something sit ups). More than less easy, being that I’m already athletic. Hopefully things will pan out for me.

I’ll keep things updated about my military career, if anyone plans to read this.

Anderson Silva, Great Fighter or Greatest Fighter?

Currently ranked as the best pound for pound fighter in the world, Anderson Silva of Brazil is by far my favorite athlete of all time. The lean, mean, head-busting machine has ended his last six fights in submission or TKO in the UFC using an array of snake-like submissions and some of the most devastating and well placed strikes I've seen since Bruce Lee's movies.

Everything the guy throws hits his opponent dead in the face. His versatility is nearly unmatched, and his charisma and sportsmanship are loveable even as he jabbers on in breathless portuguese.

Are you a world-reknowned striker and former kickboxing champion? Oh, I'm sorry, Anderson Silva just knocked you out.

Are you a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who runs his own successful school and has several wins under your belt? Oh, snap, Silva just choked you out and made you scream "I Give" like a small girl fighting a silverback gorilla. His last five, count 'em, five fights have been title defenses, and none of them have gone past the second round.

The list of men he has dismantled like a mechanic taking apart disposable lighters is an A-List of MMA superstars. World Champions reknown for destroying human bodies.

Rich Franklin (TKO, had his nose broken, both times...)
Nate Marquardt (Submission via combination anaconda lock and elbows to the skull)
"Dangerous" Dan "Hollywood" Henderson (choked out in the second round, former and then Pride FC middleweight champion).

The men that Silva destroys are musclebound freaks of nature who do nothing but talk and talk about how they plan on defeating the champion. Silva is a skinny, almost wimpy looking fellow who just talks about how much he wishes for a good fight.

Is there a reason not to love this guy? No.

Hands down the greatest ever and the greatest that ever will be or has been. Anderson "The Spider" Silva. My hero.

Oh, and by the way. There is talk of him moving up a weight class so that he can take the Lightheavyweight title from the beast called Quintin "Rampage" Jackson. If this happens, then I look forward to one of the greatest battles man has ever laid witness to.

God, I love mixed martial arts.

Poppin' my cherry. No, not literally.

So this is my first attempt at a real blog. I’ve been a member of the Otakuboards for nearly five years and I’m embarrassed to say I’ve neglected theOtaku by a lot. My username of OBs is Zen, in the past I was known by many names and aliases…

Here’s a shortlist, chronologically…

Double_B_Daigo
ReFlux
Mugen
The Boss
Zen (my current name).

Even though I don’t think I’m a staple member of the OB, I think I’m kind of important, or at least, I was relevant for some time. I was a main player in “the Complaint” fiasco, and I was also a somewhat popular RPer/Battler in my hey-day. Most of the mods and oldies know me, and I am friends with most of them on some level. Being an oldie myself, I suppose that’s to be expected. I even have an Otakupedia section dedicated to me under “The Boss” though I think it should be updated, considering a bit of info on me I consider vital is absent, but whatever. It’s cool.

My actual name is Michael Lakis. I’m of Greek and Irish decent and I’m 18. I’m a high school senior currently and I’m a pretty easy going fellow if you ask me and others.

Some of my hobbies include… well. I have a lot, and you probably wouldn’t believe me if I listed them, but here goes anyways.

Martial Arts (I’m a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and I also enjoy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Wrestling).

Hip Hop (I’m a self-taught and requested to teach pop-locker and hip hop dancer, and I also rap and compose beats under the name “Mk Zen” with my group “Five-Point Palm”).

Anime (a rather basic Otaku, my favorites include Samurai Champloo, Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, Gundam, Bleach, Naruto, Princess Mononoke, most early Miyazaki stuff, Blood +, Hellsing, etc).

Comics/Manga (Naruto hands down is my favorite manga, 300, The Walking Dead, X-Men, Ultimate X-Men, 1602, Harlem Beat, Rebound, Marvel Zombies, Runaways, etc).

Books (I’m a bit of a book worm when I find something to like. World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide, 1984, The Book of Five Rings, The Teachings of the Buddha, The Ninja, Mixed Martial Arts, Brave New World, etc).

Movies (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, 300, Troy, Clerks, and Clerks II, many more).

Music (Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan, Hieroglyphics, Souls of Mischief, The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, Del The Funky Homosapien, Ludacris, MF Doom, Peanut Butter Wolf, Invisbl Skratch Piklz, Ratatat, Daft Punk, MC Lars, Justice, mc chris, Weezer, All That Remains, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Blink 182, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Rage Against The Machine, Priestess, etc).

Philosophy/Psychology (particularly Carl Jung and Buddhism, being a Buddhist myself).

There are a lot of layers to me, so I guess you’ll learn of them if you regularly read my stuff. Enjoy.