Book Review - Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 10/10

Set in a futuristic Earth, Extras tells the story of Aya Fuse, a fifteen year old girl in a city addicted to fame and reputation. With her rank of 451,369, Aya is a total nobody - that is, until she meets the Sly Girls, a clique that likes playing dangerous tricks but is obsessed with keeping it secret. She decides to kick the Sly Girls story without them knowing... But when they stumble upon an earth-shattering discovery, Aya becomes caught in a web of betrayal and extreme danger that may just cost her her life.

Before Extras, Scott Westerfeld also wrote Uglies, Pretties, and Specials. I, unfortunately, have had no chance to read the three books. However, Westerfeld's writing is so masterful that after a few chapters of Extras, I understood just what he was talking about. Now, that is an important rule in writing a series, but how he does it is just amazing.

Another appeal of the novel to me is that it is, I think, set in Japan. The manga eyes, pixel skin, prehensile toes... It's just something crazy and so Japanese-y! Reading Extras is totally entertaining.

Also, the characters come alive. I definitely see this turning into a film... A good film, in fact, if placed in very good hands. It has the makings of a blockbuster teen flick: hoverboards, the right amount of romance, etc.

I'm dying to read the other three books. :>

Sorry, guys, but...

Hey, this might sound selfish, but I am happy that my favorite Japanese actresses, actors, and voice actors are safe. (The links are included in this post so feel free to check them out.) They are Aragaki Yui, Ryoka Yuzuki, Shotaro Morikubo, Paku Romi, Matsumoto Jun, Yamamoto Yusuke, Shun Oguri, the D-BOYS (which I hope includes Osamu Adachi), Ikuta Toma, Kimura Ryo, Mizushima Hiro, and Rie Fu.

But, really, scrolling down that list made me feel better. And not because I'm feeling selfish or whatever. It's just plain human emotion: care.

Links:
http://www.jpopasia.com/news/your-idols-their-status-a-list-of-japanese-celebrities-and-their-status::5421.html
http://hashihime.blogspot.com/2011/03/earthquake-seiyuus-known-safe.htmlAB

The Japan earthquake

This afternoon, a magnitude 8.9 earthquake hit Japan, causing a 4-meter high tsunami to ravage the northern lands. If you watched the news on TV, you'll probably see that horrible video being played over and over again: tons of water swallowing the farm lands, bringing with it houses, vans, and various debris. The "avalanche" moved fast, too. In a matter of seconds, it was able to cover a lot of miles (I assume) and even reached the viaduct where a number of cars were driving, trying to escape the calamity.

Now, you may say that Japan is disaster-ready. Actually, I saw it for myself in my CWTS class last summer, and they were really ready. The Japanese took these things seriously. Their earthquake drills were very efficient and everything was done thoroughly. There were even "fake" victims that need rescuing. Their equipments were up-to-date and effective. However, nothing beats a real disaster. We've seen it during Ondoy and Pepeng, and we've also seen it happen in Haiti, Chile, Australia, and other countries recently. People are helpless in the face of these disasters. There's nothing we could do to prevent these things from happening. No sophisticated and up-to-date technology could accurately predict when a disaster would strike. Scientists are able to know that an earthquake or a storm would hit, but they can't tell when or where. We can only hope it's not where we're standing at the moment.

As of the latest update, Hawaii was hit with tsunami. Davao City, Davao Oriental, and Mati in Mindanao have also felt tremors. A petrochemical complex in Japan exploded, and Kenya issued a tsunami alert. We don't know what's going to happen, but we do know that these things will keep happening especially when the end is near. The only thing we could do right now is get down on our knees, clasp our hands together, and whisper a prayer to God. Only He can save us.

(I'm following @inquirerdotnet and @gmanews on Twitter.)

Book Review - Of Nightingales that Weep by Katherine Paterson

Rating: 9/10
Being the daughter of a samurai, Takiko is expected to not weep. But how could she help it when her father dies and her mother remarries a strange, deformed potter? When the opportunity to leave comes, Takiko immediately grabs it, little knowing what awaits her in the Imperial court. Her beauty and musical talent endear her to the hearts of many, but more importantly to the heart of the young warrior Hideo, an enemy spy. Torn between her loyalty to the Heike and her love for Hideo, Takiko painfully learns the lessons of life, love, and upholding the samurai honor.
I liked the book very much. The events and surroundings were surreal and the characters believable. The reader is given a glimpse of the culture of feudal Japan. More importantly, it gives the reader a different point of view about beauty. There are a lot of lessons to be learned and it's just a sad, sad story of a samurai's daughter. It can very well leave anyone in tears.
(I'm pretty much disappointed with one character but if I say who, it's going to spoil everything. :D)

Book Review - Rising Sun by Michael Crichton

Rating: 8/10

This was another great book by Michael Crichton. It's not that deep in science like Jurassic Park was, though. Rising Sun is about the "invasion" of the Japanese into the American economy. Frankly, Crichton is telling us all the truth that we choose to ignore. If we're not careful, we just might get into this situation. (Hell, we're in this situation already.) It's business and technology for the most part but there was also an exciting police adventure. I felt really nervous at the end of page 355. And I think that's one of the beauties of Michael Crichton's works: he makes you really feel and think what he wants you to feel and think. I guess you could picture a master puppeeter here 'cause that's exactly what the late Crichton is. There's that ability to manipulate us which is sort of rare in today's literature.

So, yeah. This one's a great book although the business part of it makes me dizzy. Next up is Congo.

Some food for thought: This is clearly the situation the Philippines is in. It's unmistakable. I mean, I see those Korean stores lined up all over the city. They're even in our campuses. Next thing we know? They'll be taking over the business sector (haven't they already?) and running for government positions (if that's even possible...). How's that? In a few years it could happen, no? Oh well... *shrug shrug* We let the Philippines get exploited because the government believes we can't stand on our own and we need foreign investors. Like, yeah, we need them. They're practically all over us. :P

Movie Review - Grave of the Fireflies

Rating: 10/10

Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of two orphans, Seita and Setsuko, as they try to survive in a war-torn Japan. Together, they face hardships until the fateful end. This movie is a masterpiece. It has the power to move people to tears. It's background story is so real and you can just imagine what people did in those times in order to survive. This movie tells the story not only of Seita and Setsuko but of every single person who struggled during the war years.

Movie Review - My Neighbor Totoro

Rating: 10/10

This is a very cute movie. It's actually for kids but it's still great to watch even though I'm already a teenager. Totoro is so cute! Everything about it is completely adorable! I love love love this movie!

Movie Review - La Maison en Petits Cubes

Rating: 10/10

This one is a short movie. It runs for only 12 minutes and 5 seconds but the theme is very beautiful and nicely portrayed. The animation blends in well with the setting. The background music is very cute, too. No voices were used in this short film and yet the message, even in its utter simplicity, is memorable. It can be comparable to a full-length animation movie. That's the power of this short film.

Movie Review - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Rating: 10/10

It can be expected in any Hayao Miyazaki film that the quality and the story line would be very good. And Nausicaa does not disappoint. It is the second movie of Miyzaki's that I watched and yet the scenes will really move you. The whole plot of it may seem so trivial but the lessons you learn as the movie unfolds are a treasure. You'll really feel the emotions Miyazaki wants to imply to his audience. This is a very good movie that should be watched by any otaku.