I first watched World Strollers. Where they go around to different countries and literally 'stroll' down the streets looking at shops, dance halls, restaurants, etc. along the way. They went to France this time. Not sure where, but the only real way I knew is when they were talking to the people there and the way the shops looked. They watched a sort of cuckoo clock from a store window have huge figurines come out on the hour. They did a little dance, funny to see. Then, they took a long 'stroll' and ended up in a country like or rural setting. It seemed like they randomly saw a doorway and walked through it. Seeing a huge field with huge buildings scattered around it. They went inside one, and found what I think was a dance troupe practicing. Funny to see all this in the Japanese perspective. Plus, I know some French too. Both at the same time was crazy! o_O
Then, I saw a bit of Begin Japanology. Interesting show. It's about what's important to Japanese culture or background. Today they talked about how the Japanese have always had almost a 'spiritual' feel towards certain rocks or boulders. They designated some as sacred a long time ago. They were part of the Shinto belief, and still are. The Shinto priests still take care and worship these rocks. Their huge, they're not like little pebbles. Just looking at them is kind of amazing. So, it's understandable that they would think of them as sacred. Also, they showed the famous circle of little Buddhas with bibs made out of stone. (Bibs made out of some sort of cloth.) These are called Jizos. Apparently they are the protector of children, expectant mothers, firefighters, and travelers. Mostly he's the protector of dead children. He saves them from demons after the children die. The stones look sort of surreal. These are also found in cemetaries, temple grounds, and country roads. The next thing they showed was zen gardens and how important the rocks are in it. The next episode they said would be the importance of paint brushes. It's really a cool show! ^_^
Next was TV Japan club. This time it was a show that had english subtitles. Awesome because I can listen to the Japanese and read the meaning to it at the same time. Kind of gave me a break from the raw Japanese. They talked about one set of father and son bicycling from Washington state all the way to Washington DC. That was really cool to see! They become closer as a family because of it. Another set of father and son bicycled most of the length of Japan. Another awesome group. I liked that they showed the pictures of places that were on the way for both groups. They ended with saying maybe you should go on a long journey with someone like your children. Kind of corny, but nice.
Then, I watched the newest Naruto Shippuuden. It was another awesome episode. Everyone thought Sasuke, Tobi, and Deidara had died in the explosion. They couldn't sense any of their chakra. (Chakra is basically the person's spiritual and physical energy mixed together in the body. Once under control, you can walk on water, walk up trees, etc. in the Naruto world. Chakra is used in almost every technique in Naruto.) Immediately when Akatsuki finds out they start thinking of replacements, while at the same time mourning they're comrades. Itachi seems to be crying, but when asked if he's mourning his brother he says his brother isn't dead yet. Interestingly Suigetsu summons Manda. (Manda is Orochimaru's favorite summoning snake. Manda was like a giant pet to him. This snake is huge, could crumble villages easily.) After Manda appears, Sasuke comes out of it's mouth. Apparently Sasuke had summoned Manda in order to hide from the blast. But, it hit the snake hard, even though they were able to escape into another dimension, Manda died soon after. Sasuke was beaten up pretty badly. Finally they actually show Pain or as the Japanese have it as Pein. Before he was cloaked with like a some sort of shadow field, and never actually appeared at the meetings he led. He has a lot of piercings. o_O We also get to see Konan. She's apparently the only female ninja in Akatsuki. She stays pretty close to Pein. Jugo used his ability to speak to animals again. Animals seem to REALLY like him. They follow him a lot. He also has an angry manic attack, where he starts smashing things. Kiba's sense of smell has increased so much it's surpassed dogs. (He's part of a clan that's sensitive to animals. Especially dogs. They use a lot of techniques that either involve animals as a teammate [sometimes tool] or that make them have animal characteristics. Most of them end up being Konoha's vets when they aren't on missions.) He uses that to show the Konoha team where Sasuke is hiding. Akatsuki is making plans to hunt down Naruto now. Tobi isn't who seemed to be before, has kind of a dark side that's awakened. They wouldn't show his face until towards the end. He seems extremely powerful now too. (Obviously he survived the blast somehow.) When they finally show his face or mask (still hasn't taken that silly thing off!) he says he's Madara Uchiha. He was once the leader of the Uchiha clan. (Odd, because everyone thought the only survivers were Itachi and Sasuke. Of course after Itachi killed everyone but his brother Sasuke.) I kind of thought that it was him, just from the little hints. Although, I'm still confused and surprised that he's still alive.
I watched one of the newest episodes of Gintama. This time it was about the Shinsengumi interrogating a serial killer. To me the serial killer looked an awful lot like Hannibal Lecter. ^_^ He's apparently part of a terrorist organization called the Akatsuki. (hehehe... I started thinking immediately about Naruto when they said that. Although, it probably is a parody of it.) They find out that torture doesn't work, he actually loves it. The only thing the Shinsengumi know how to do is torture. So, Sougo teases Toshi saying he should be the one to 'warm up' the prisoner. Toshi tells Yamazaki to do it instead. They end up talking about the carrot and stick affect. It's to pressure him mercilessly while offering gentle words of comfort. o_O Yamazaki starts to channel all of the original author of the manga's frustrations. Starts complaining big time. Prisoner gets all philosophical and kind on him, and he falls for it. Then, Kondo steps in trying to bring the tough love and yet caring parent scenario. The prisoner says I'll spill everything. Thinking that he'll give up some info they listen in intently. He ends up barfing on Kondo. Afterwards, the prisoner was very kind to him too. (Sensing a pattern...) Sougo shows funny visual aids after that saying they were going about it all wrong. They realize that even the 'sadist' Sougo can't get to him. In the end, they realized the imprisoned person is the wrong guy. He's really just a sweet old man who stopped a theft in a shop.
I found a new site that has a lot more anime on it. It's gogoanime.com Actually has pretty rare anime shows. I found xxxHolic's latest movie. (Supposed to be the end of the series.) It's called xxxHolic Shunmuki. It's been so long since the 'kei' season I forgot about Watanuki's eye. Kind of a sad story, but it's cool looking having one eye blue and other brown. Doumeki's just as funny as ever. Kohane is still learning how to cook from Watanuki. This was a first, Watanuki actually thanked Doumeki for saving his life in 'kei'. Yuuko still mostly thinks about food and sake. :P Watanuki has finally realized how much he's changed and by doing so changed everyone's lives for the better. The other series by CLAMP is called Tsubasa Chronicle or Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle is somehow interconnected with xxxHolic. They say through most of the movie that Syaoran (from Tsubasa) is similar to Watanuki (from xxxHolic). They even have those characters meet multiple times. (I guess I should watch the other anime, since it's related.) In one of Watanuki's dreams him and Doumeki are chased by raven spirits. The only way they stopped them was Doumeki threw fish bait at them. :P The rain goddess came back too. She's got a huge crush on Watanuki. Haruka (Doumeki's grandfather, who Watanuki's never seen except in his dreams) says towards the end that Watanuki found all 5 things that were important to him. A book, a mirror, a key, a box, and a dream. With all of these found, the dream world seal is broken. Apparently, in the dream, we find out that Watanuki's name is Sakura and Syaoran's (from Tsubasa) birthday. (His name means April 1st, and it's also when he was born.) He meets 2 types of 'Syaorans'. A kind and a tough (I think he's from the future) looking one. He tells Watanuki that they are the same person. o_O They said that there are 2 types of dreams: awake and asleep, both can become reality if you strongly wish it. Watanuki sees Yuuko in his dream too, and asks 'you've been granting others' wishes, what do you wish for?' This surprised her, because obviously no one has asked her that before. He suddenly woke up before she responded though. Interesting thing was he loses his glasses in the dream world and he ends up taking a sakura petal into the real world. Yuuko in the real world was about say her wish to Mokona and it cut to the credits right then. Kind of annoying. Especially because I think that was the end of xxxHolic. No more extra seasons. :( Apparently both animes have Yuuko and Mokona in them. (Just different colors of Mokona.) I'm sorry my life is so packed with stuff everyday, it's just kind of interesting to me to have it all written down. :P
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