We haven't updated in... months. Yeah. This is what doing the A-levels will do to you. Slightly more than a month to go before it's all over -- not that I'm looking forward to it, because I'm likely to bungle my way through all my papers and I really don't want that to happen. More time to prep for the Apocalypse would be good.

Anyway, I'm updating in here because it has come to my attention that it's Yagyuu's birthday today. Happy birthday! This is the perfect opportunity to write a little something but Math blew my brain real bad and besides, I should be concentrating more on my studies...

It feels like forever since I last read Prince of Tennis. (In fact, I've been neglecting most of my fandoms -- for a very good cause, naturally.) I vaguely recall Niou taking on Tezuka's persona, and that's it. Well, since the end of the series is so near, I might as well wait for everything to finish before reading to the end at one go.

A brief thought about Niou's match, though. I always found it difficult to grasp the "Trickster" aspect of him -- it's something that's very easy to misinterpret. Some think that it means that Niou likes pulling off pranks -- vicious ones, given what we've seen from the game against Golden Pair. Others think that it's due to his ability to pull on any facade and to "trick" people into believing certain things, which is probably the most canon definition. I'd like to think that's he's called that also because he's very smooth and charming -- the archetypal confidence man, if you may. Rather far-fetched, but I like it. We never get to see what he's like in his personal life, anyway -- just his cool, calculating, competitive side.


~Red

HAY BLUE LOOK NEW ICON. H!ICHIGO+BUTTSEX=WIN.

I tell you, it's because of Rikkai that the Prince of Tennis manga is rising in popularity again.

The reason why I was convinced that Sanada was more likely to end up the loser in this match was the fact that Konomi-sensei went to all that trouble of building Tezuka up, and Tezuka's the bloody captain, so he couldn't possibly lose at the point where it really counted. Having Tezuka lose in his final match in junior high would be stepping all over his pride as a leader. It's just... not fair to him.

But I'm seeing a way out of this now. Tezuka just launched his comeback, having recalibrated the Zone to send all the returning ball out instead to him. The key to his eventual loss -- as opposed to merely inferring from the pattern of being down 5-0, launching a comeback, having the technique fail and collapsing after a dramatic tiebreak -- comes in the form of Ryuzaki-sensei's cry that Tezuka is going to destroy his arm. I thought that he'd recovered, but clearly this isn't the case. That's probably why he hasn't pulled out the Zero-shiki moves. And that's why he's candidate more likely to lose.

It makes me wonder how exactly his arm's going to cost him the match. Tezuka's not the type to just give up -- he'll go down fighting. But will he give his future prospects to secure a Pyrrhic victory? Or will he listen to the advice of people who care about him and forfeit?

Either way, his match should definitely inspire the rest of his team. I have a feeling that Fuji's going to take the S2 slot, and win. And for the sake of building up S2 Seigaku will lose in D2. Then they can pull off a repeat stunt and win the last games.

Hm, I kinda like thinking through the plot of the manga precisely because it's so predictable. You can really see all the alternatives right in front of you. It's so familiar and comfortable, kinda like the equivalent of a trashy romance novel or chick flick... Heartbreaking plot twists a la FMA or even Bleach are the stuff that truly brilliant manga are made of, but every now and then we all need our easy reading.


~Red

I have this week's Jump now.

The fandom has been pretty quiet about it -- somehow the hype isn't there like it was for Rikkai's semis. Even when Tezuka is playing Sanada. Oh well. The match is going as it is expected to be. Sanada has pulled out 风林火阴山雷 and sparkly!Tezuka is totally ineffective against it, so he's at his wit's end.

Yawn.

Sanada is hot stuff, he can't possibly be younger than me, and he'll likely lose. Clearly, the manga is running out of steam.

Anyway, the ads in Weekly jump are more interesting than the chapter itself. They're going to continue the OVA series into the Shitenhouji matches, yay. Fuji vs Shiraishi coming your way 22/6.

Plus, Absolute King Rikkai feat. Rokakku ~Second Service slated for a run from August to early September. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG *faints* *revives* That's during the prelims. Die.


~Red

Girlfriend, thanks for reminding me about PoT! Last week I was at camp, and this week I'm doing my time as an intern in a some company's HR department, so I haven't got around to reading last week's chapter... I barely have any time left at home anymore, and there's still holiday assignments and mugging to do. :(

(Well, I can type on the job since I bring my own laptop, but only when no one's looking. Too bad I don't have Internet access...)

So. Genius 346. I have a feeling that I should cut it because it's all spoilerific goodness BUT OMG SANADA VS TEZUKA FOR SINGLES 3 BRING ON THE GOOD STUFF EARLY BABY OH YEAH. On the other hand, it means that Echizen will most probably be in S1 against Yukimura, but let's try not to think about that.

Sanada begins with 'Fuu' of his Fuurin Kazan, but it just sputters in front of Tezuka Zooooone. I mean, what can wind do against that which destroyed the dinosaurs? Even 'Ka', fire, can't do much against it, although slowly, but surely the Zooone is breaking down...

RAHHH GIMME THIS WEEK'S JUMP NOW


~Red

Late, slow, I know (hey, that rhymed!) but the PoT chapter? The new one out with Atobe and his helicopter? (Probably not the newest one anymore but what the hey...)

So totally 73H crack. I mean, come one; helicopter?!?!?

So maybe it's not totally inconceivable that Atobe should have his own helicopter at his beck and call but it's so over the top it feels like a spoof. Then again, looking at all the PoT musicals and movies, the whole series is clearly on something. Or not taking something they should be... I'm sure that's a large part of its appeal.


New(-ish) chapter of ARR! up. Red and I actually have written out enough to make another but it's still being typed out (by poor Red, as usual) so there's no telling when it'll be out.

We have two long bio lectures at the last week of the holiday. I shudder to think what kind of crack it will produce for the ffnet account.


~Blue