Brothers Conflict - Episode 5 [v.P]

Hey Bro! It's that time of the week again!
Conflict 5 - Flood/Inundation
In a nutshell:

1. Timeskip from last ep's December to March. 
2. Ema, Masaomi, Tsubaki, Azusa, Wataru and Natsume go Cherry blossom viewing. Ema goes off to buy drinks and she bumps into Subaru by coincidence; when Ema and Subaru returns to the group Natsume gets all jealous of Subaru being with Ema. Wataru wanders off to see the ducks in the lake, and then in order to save Wataru, Natsume falls into the lake. Change of scene to back at home, Natsume tries to confront Subaru again about him taking basketball seriously. [End first half]
3. Ema returns home from school, to find out that Subaru usually does the cleaning of the house. Iori shows up and gives Ema a red tulip, which is a confession of love, and Juli goes spaz. Ukyo and Ema spends some intimate time in the kitchen with Ukyo teaching her how to cook, only to be busted by Hikaru and Juli.
4. Ema attends Subaru's basketball match. Natsume finds Ema at the match and is surprised (jealous) that she came only because "Subaru asked her to". Subaru wins the match by throwing a buzzer beater (rip off Kuroko no Basuke). Subaru hugs Ema and tells her "It's all because you came to cheer me on" that he was able to win the game. He then confesses to Ema and asks her out, only to be busted by Natsume. 

Rhycen has entered the game!

Hey there, remember me? No? Well I guess that's to be expected. I've been quite "busy" (read lazy), so I haven't posted here in ages. Well, I'm back and ready to rumble!

What will I be posting this time? Well, I'll be posting gaming related stuff that happens to matter to me. I'm not really one to look up gaming updates constantly to get the latest scoop as quickly as possible, but if anything is particularly interesting to me I'll be sure to post it here. Other than that, I'll post my gaming activity; games I've been playing, interesting experiences I have while gaming, and other stuff like that. I'll try to be frequent in my posts, and I hope you read them all. My life is just so incredibly interesting after all!

I'll just briefly bring you all up to speed on my gaming so far:

• Due to recent sales on Steam, my game library has expanded yet again. I've yet to even start a lot of my games. 

• I bought Civ V, which I've been enjoying with friends. 

• I just started playing Final Fantasy 7 on Steam, and I'll be playing that pretty regularly. 

• Bought FEZ and started playing that. It's such an amazing game and so well made in every aspect. 

• I recently installed Dark Souls on Steam, and I'm looking forward to getting into that. However I need to work out some controller issues first before I can enjoy it properly.

• Outside of Steam, I bought into the Cube World alpha, and it's been very enjoyable. For an alpha, it's very well made, and I'm very excited about future improvements and updates.

• I haven't played League of Legends regularly for a couple of weeks now, due to my over abundance of other games to play, and also because I hate that god-awful game. However I occasionally play with friends if I happen to be in the mood for a game or two.

• As for my greatest love, Starcraft 2, I have been out of the game since the beginning of the year. I had a 5 month long LoL phase, which left no time for SC2. Also, I have almost no friends that play SC2, and almost all of them play LoL, so that's how I justify my abandoning of my favourite game. I'm always looking for opportunities to get back into the game so hopefully that'll happen some time soon.

• I'm looking to start playing Tera Online soon, since it's now free to play. For those who don't know, Tera is an MMO with a focus on action oriented combat. It was initially released with a subscription model, but has since become free to play. The combat is quite similar to Monster Hunter, but more fantasy MMO-ish. It's the kind of game I was looking for when I started playing Guild Wars 2, so I'm pretty keen to start playing. That'll be sometime within the next couple of weeks.

Due to my studies, my gaming will become less frequent in the next month or so, so please bear with me.

That's enough from me for now.
May all your games be noob free!
Rhycen

Seiyuu appreciation post: Tetsuya Kakihara

I'm in love with Kakki's voice, especially his appearance in Hakkenden, Makai Ouji and Kamisama Inai Nichiyoubi.

Serah's Toons #1: Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

Well it's been awhile since I got back into watching cartoons, so what better place to start than DC and Marvel? Ofcourse TJL is strictly a DC creation and is waay to OP in my opinion, though I guess the playing field is evened since everyone is OP.

So Flash, this 80min film obviously about him. Without giving too much away, it has to do with alternate realities and time travel; a good ol' sci-fi traditional. Unfortunately as with many time travel alternate timeline themed books and medias (cue Steins;Gate, MIB 3, Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox) , it kind of plays out the whole "I woke up and it was all a dream" scenario.

This film is pretty good in my opinion; though it does use the tried and true the-odds-are-against-us-everything-is-hopeless-sudden-epiphany/personalsacrifice-of-hero-everything-is-fine-now-lesson-learned theme that seems to occur in every other superhero movie it manages to make up for it by answering some of the what-if questions. What if Bruce Wayne died instead of his parents? What if Superman's time capsule landed in the middle of a thriving metropolis as opposed rural farmland? What if Wonder Woman became a class A cow? Anyhow it was a pretty good film and managed to dive straight into the story line with just barely enough depth for all the important characters. It also may have contained a touching ending scene that may have made me drop a tear or two.

Superhero movies are almost always cliche, and this one is no exception, but of course that's the appeal isn't it? Mankind's quest to overcome our limitations, to be something more than what we are. Even if it's not possible now, these movies keep us hoping that someday we can do the same as our heroes.

When winter gets cold

I bought a Shark (lap) blanket. (/don'tjudgeme/) It's cute okay?
Reasons for buying: 90% because it reminds me of Rin from Free! + 10% because it's cute.

「Believe My Dice」 Profile Icons and Banner version

Since I'm super happy with my latest fanart (I'm pretty sure I drained a whole month's worth of art juice/inspiration with that piece of work), I decided make profile icons and banners out of my art. Feel free to use them!
Edit: I also made a banner of my Brothers Conflict art.

Pumpkin's Palette: Believe My Dice (Makai Ouji)

Stepping out of my comfort zone, testing out Chibi style.
Inspired by the opening song of Makai Ouji, "Believe my dice", I drew the six main characters in Makai Ouji each holding up a number from 1 to 6, for each face of a die.
You can print this out, cut it out and paste the side tabs together to make your own Makai Ouji dice!

Lineart version:

No Free! episode next week, anime resumes in 2 weeks

Due to some "special programming", there will not be any Free! next week. The next Free! episode will be aired in one fortnight, on August 7th (Wednesday).
Source: official Free! website

Free! - Episode 4 [v.P]

ginger: So pumpkin, where's your weekly Free! post?

pumpkin: mhnnm, *shuuurp* Nnnn. You said something? Sorry I'm too busy licking my computer screen. 

Thank you KyoAni. Just what I needed.

-spurts noseblood-

This anime is turning out to be another ridiculous comedy. At least they didn't cut short on the muscle fanservice. ;)

Want more finger lickin' muscles? See inside.

Serah's Plays #1: Portal

<warning: sort of plot spoilers>

Welps people, Rhycen finally managed to persuade me to make a steam account about two or three weeks ago and one of my first purchases was the much reknowned Portal. My first impression was that it was an amusing first person adventure-ish puzzle game. The sort-of narration by the GlaDOS system was funny in a morbid sense but quickly got more sinister with the advent of the little killer robots with their creepy cutesy voices.
"In dangerous testing environments the Enrichment center promises to always provide useful advice. For instance, the floor here will kill you - try to avoid it"

Avoid murky looking suspiciously puke-green floor. Got it.

You average gamer has no fear of failure or death, the most that can happen is respawning after forgetting to save which is annoying but certainly not fatal. Unfortunately I have yet to reach that nirvana in which you realize and can actually apply the fact that video games have no bearing whatsover on your personal character or life in general. Therefore the next levels after the escape where stressful to say the least - enter GLaDOS being a creepster constant voice in the background and tense background music = a very stressed out Serah.

"I'm not kidding now, turn back or I will kill you."

Of course once again, to your average gamer these threats are amusingly obsolete. To me I actually felt a sense of threat to my bodily self which was rather silly but present nonetheless. When I finally arrived at the boss chamber I gave in and watched a youtube playthrough. T'was surprisingly easy. But according to Rhycen, I probably completely ruined the game for by looking at all those guides and things. I therefore vow to play Portal 2 without looking at a guide! Unless you know I really get stuck... urmm I can't actually promise that since I've already had a peek at a guide for Portal 2 ummm...I shall endeavor not to look at anymore guides!

Probably...

Maybe.

Till next time~

Seiyuu appreciation post: Suzumura Kenichi

Please. He's mine. Don't you dare touch him.
Got it? Okay. Good. XD
Started watching Starry☆Sky and I'm in love with my bishies. Of course SuzuKen is in it.

Miku touch typing music game

Test your touch typing skills with this Miku game! You must not let Miku stop running!
http://aidn.jp/run/

Shingeki no Kyojin - Jiyuu no Tsubasa (OP2) Piano duet

If you haven't seen the latest work/collab between Animenz and TheIster then you're missing out big time. Both Animenz and TheIster cover anime songs on piano and uploads it on to Youtube, and their works are amazing. I really like Animenz's arpeggio techniques, and TheIster is famous for his insane LH jumps. Their latest inspirational work is the second OP song of Shingeki no Kyojin, Jiyuu no Tsubasa. I promise it'll blow you away.

Brothers Conflict - Episode 4 [v.P]

Hey Bro! Yup, it's that time of the week again. pumpkin goes spaz over bishies again.
Summary of the episode: Conflict 4: Jealousy.

1. Azusa and Tsubaki held a live event for a game that they voiced as seiyuus (turns out Natsume's company made that game), and Yuusuke and Chi-chan attends the event. At the backstage dressing room, Tsubaki asks Ema to come join in Tsubaki and Azusa's celebration for the successful event, Ema hesitates, but Tsubaki tells her it's okay because she's part of the family. Tsubaki then talks about having to audition for a upcoming anime role, with which he has to fight Azusa for. Ema seemed excited to hear that Azusa and Tsubaki will be rivals, but she still gives them her good luck. All the while Yuusuke just sulks in the corner.
2. Back home, Ukyo tells her that most of the bro's are at work/away/haven't confirmed whether they'll be home to eat dinner with her (Azusa, Tsubaki, Louis and Iori can't come). Fuuto suddenly texts her saying that his work ended early and invites her to watch a movie. Immediately after Kaname calls her to tell her that to his great disappointment he can't eat dinner with her because he has some work he couldn't get away from. And Masaomi calls right after her call with Kaname ended, cue Ukyo twitching his eye (lol), again due to work reasons he can't come home tonight. Ukyo gets suuuuper depressed that everyone else has Ema's cell number. 
3. Subaru is the only one that ends up eating dinner with Ema. At the end of the meal, he confesses his love for... her cooking. (facepalm, it's just like Masato/Tokiya confessing to Haruka that he loves... her music.)
4. Audition results are out - Azusa got the role, meaning that Tsubaki didn't. Azusa is super conscientious of his twin/triplet brother, really cares for Tsubaki's feelings. Obviously Tsubaki isn't happy, but he tries to act happy for Ema's sake. Natsume keeps his promise and mails Ema the zombie game that his company made, which the twins voiced in. Ema immediately starts playing and is awed by the twin's voice acting skills.
5. Ema gets stuck in the desert area in the zombie game, gets frustrated, saw Natsume's name card on her desk, then decides to ask Natsume out on a date just to ask him how to beat the game. At the restaurant, other ladies noticed (hot) Natsume and mistakes Ema as his girlfriend. When Ema heard the whispers she gets all embarrased and blushes, Natsume being thick headed asks her is she has a fever. Azusa then calls Natsume asking whether he's been in contact with Tsubaki since Tsuba didn't come home last night, Natsume says 'nope, got no idea', then asks Ema about it. Natsume then tells Ema how Azusa got the role but Tsubaki didn't. 
6. Turns out it's Christmas time, and Natsume jokes(?) about whether Ema's got a dinner date. Natsume suddenly realises that Ema ties her hair up so her neck would be cold, then gives her his scarf (oh what a manly move).
7. Back home Azusa is sitting outside because he can't stay calm inside the house. Ema gets worried that he'll catch a cold which would interfere with his seiyuu work. Azusa then reveals to Ema that he rejected the new anime project that he got offered (the one where Tsubaki didn't make it), for Tsubaki's sake. Then Ema gets all flustered saying "no you shouldn't quit, you were specially chosen. I LOVE YOUR VOICE!" Then Azusa's like "No, I can't do it (without Tusbaki). I won't do it!" Tsubaki then suddenly shows up (confesses to Azusa) "Azusa, do it. I don't want anyone else but you. I am Azusa's number one fan. So I want to hear your voice." Azusa: "I understand." Tsubaki: "Thank you." *they hug* Azusa: "I'll give it my best." Tsubaki: "Of course you will. If you do a half-arsed job I'll never forgive you. Then let's pinky promise." 
8. Tsubaki asks if Ema can take a stroll with him. They walk to a nearby park. Tsubaki admits that it's painful being rejected in the audition. Then he teases Ema saying that he heard Ema say she liked Azusa's voice the best, and asks her what she thinks of his voice. Ema agrees that she really likes Tsubaki's voice too. Then *bam* Tsubaki grabs Ema and kisses her. 
   

Pumpkin's Palette: Faces of Shino (Hakkenden)

While I patiently wait for the new raws for BroConf, and having Believe My Dice (OP of Makai Ouji) on repeat, here are a few scratches of Shino from Hakkenden.
Each little story of Hakkenden always seems to make me feel very emotional. Yesterday's episode was about helping a blind girl.
I was playing around with different brushes in the palette of MyPaint. I don't think I'm using my brushes correctly :/
It seems I need more practice - especially on side profiles. (And girls).

Shingeki no Kyojin - 「This love」

I never was a fan of (or even liked) Kpop. But this trace-over-adaptation is really cool.
Maybe I should try something like this one day. Suggestions anyone? (Song and anime characters?)
Edit: The original music PV is here:

ShingekiXMiku crossover

I came across this Shingeki no Kyojin and Miku - Rolling girl crossover video this morning. I thought it was pretty cute, so I wanted to share it.

Pumpkin's Palette: Desert!Wataru

I scratched this last night from instantaneous inspiration, but I forgot to upload it.
It's partly inspired by the desert theme from the Free! ED sequence, and partly by Magi. Not forgetting the fact that I'm so soaked up in BroConf love, hence I chose Wataru as the character.

[Piano Sheet Music] BelovedXSurvival - Brothers Conflict Opening Song

I really liked how I arranged the awesome bass line (LH) and kind-of-improvisation in the instrumental bridge :3
Overall, I really enjoyed using my day and making this transcription. BroConf love forever!
Please show your support for my work here and give me some stars! Thanks.

Serah's Eats #1

I went on a small weekend-ish trip recently which accounts for my absence from the blog for the past few days. I had a as lovely a time as it could get with my brother's aggravating aura in the picture, we shopped we swam and we ate. Which of course subtly leads to my review of this lovely restaurant which rests upon the lovely scenic Mt Tambourine.

It's called The Polish Place, aptly named as it is owned by Polish people, with some lovely blond waitresses wandering around in traditional Polish dress, flower headband-mabobs and all.

The scenery was a million dollars, gorgeous and unobstructed.

The Italian hot chocolate could be likened to molten ambrosia, creamy, warm and absolutely drool worthy.

One unique selling point about the place was the communing with nature, or lorakeets to be precise. Lorakeets everywhere. Lovely to look at and baby talk like a retard to. But come food time, it was a frenzy. Plates and glasses had to be scooped up and birds elbowed out of the way left and right. The squawking and swooping birds filled the table, landed on heads as we hunched over our plates shoveling food into our mouths before the colorful avian creatures attack. I present to you the afttermath of the action.

poor, poor paranoid brother

It was fun before and after, watching these wild birds so unafraid of humans (I think my dad was prime to bird-napp one to take home with us). But during...It could be likened to a miniature war zone. We were told however that the birdies were all thoroughly sugar-rushed and usually are much more docile. 

The neighboring table got the worst of the action

Overall it was an amusing experience, definitely fun, and a must-do if you're in the area. However if you're the type to recreate the Southbank Ibis stomping incident of '09 this would likely not be your cup of tea.