Gosplan14_the_Third

Working full time with a long commute sucks. I also think my depression is coming back. Oh well. Anime time.

Picking up again after last month's thread, here's some manga I read and anime I watched this month:

Manga:

Nothing. I was looking for some good story-driven plots, especially in new releases on like r/manga or mangadex, but there's only so many loser guy, gyaru gf and even worse generic isekai or two page chapter web comics you can read. Maybe I should look at Chinese or Korean ones, but I do not like the long strip format.

Anime:

Aa, Megami-Sama! (2005)

Almost done with season 1, will definitely be continuing with season 2. It's got a totally unique chill, while earnest vibe that most anime period do not. Maybe something like ReLife? Once Belldandy's sisters are introduced, the show becomes more fun, with magi-technological hijinks happening on the regular. A

Genshiken (2004)

Picked this one up on a whim, expecting it to be weeb brained nonsense... and it is! But it's also shockingly good in character writing and remains grounded as a slice of life, yet narrative-driven anime. I'm on season 2 and tbh the first one was better (even ignoring the significant artstyle downgrade), and I heard 3's also not as good. But I am enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. A

Full Metal Panic (2002)

I read the manga a few years ago after playing SRW V and loved it, but remember being disappointed by the sequel and dropping FMP Sigma. Coming back to the anime, all the things I loved about the show are there. A hilarious comedy with unhinged main characters and "End of History" era lib / Steven Seagal movie logic? You bet. A

I also started Scrapped Princess (2003) and it's good so far, but too early to comment on it. I've also been re-watching Azumanga Daioh, and it's still the GOAT.

The anime is Genshiken (2004), I picked it up on a whim. It's alright so far. Very "by weebs, for weebs". The manga is from 2002.

The 80s and 90s being a pass of the baton from veterans of the early days to more modern staff, which already grew up with anime, and the success of Evangelion and merchandising had some awful long-term consequences even if it was probably unavoidable under capitalism.

I was toying with the idea of visiting the US either next year or 2026, and not only is the northeast the cheapest destination to fly to, but to my limited knowledge offers the most things to see. (unless you can persuade me in favor of, idk, the midwest, the south, whatever)

What I was thinking of visiting:

The Empire's HQ (D.C.) - obvious choice. Imperial architecture, containing probably one of the most famous museum complexes in the world.

Annapolis, Maryland - looks like a quaint seaside town (or maybe Baltimore, MD, with its antique ships in the harbor. Though I hear it's a bit rough)

Harper's Ferry, West Virginia - John Brown! Plus, it's in West Virginia - an excuse to cross one more border.

Philadelphia and Boston have old colonizer architecture and legacy stuff... but to my understanding, basically nothing is left. No idea if there's anything on indigenous culture in that part of the country.

New York City - One of the cities, for good or ill.

I'm definitely also going to New Haven, CT. I have no idea what's there, but I have something to prove to a comrade (or get owned)

Also I'll probably have around a week, and I should have my license by then, so was thinking of renting a car. Seemingly, the car brain is strong enough that rental fees are surprisingly low.

I saw them live yesterday as a support act for a concert I went to. Good music, and the vocalist was a pretty nice guy.

(Season 2, Episode 12)