Paradise Kiss Official Merchandise

Here's an introduction on some of the Paradise Kiss merchandise coming our way soon. Well, except for the accessories which cannot be bought by non-Japan residents, the DVDs and soundtrack can be bought via online merchants.

First of all, there's the ring with the huge butterfly which appeared in Ep 7 and Vol 4 of the manga where George made this as an accessory for the fashion show. There are only 100 pieces for sale and each costs 39,900 yen (about SGD 565 according to today's exchange rate). This ring is available in 3 dimensions i.e. S (for sizes 5-7), M (for sizes 9-11) and L (for sizes 13-15). According to the description on the official website, this item is made from sterling silver and Swaroski crystals. If you encounter any problems with the size, the first adjustment will be free of charge while any subsequent adjustments will warrant a fee to be paid.

As this is a limited edition item, a poster measuring 72.5cm by 51.5cm will be given away. This poster is used for promotional purposes by the TV station and is the picture you see on the main page of the official website. As the ring will be made according to the number of orders received and it seems that the manufacturer is flooded with orders, the expected date of delivery is in the beginning of Dec but it may be delayed without notice. Although I find this item quite exquisite, I think it may be a hindrance to wear given the size of the butterfly just like how George told Yukari. As such, I would prefer getting the smaller butterfly ring which seems more suited for daily usage. The larger version is likely to be a collector's item instead of being used for practical purposes. Of course, I can't buy neither of them since the manufacturer will only ship to addresses in Japan. This really defeats the idea of online shopping which should not be restricted to the domestic market only since I'm sure many of us who are not living in Japan would be interested in this. By the way, the price is rather high so I would think twice about getting the limited edition. I guess the Swaroski crystals and sterling silver are the main reasons for pushing the price so high.

Here's the smaller ring which is manufactured in bulk and it costs 15,750 yen (about SGD 223). This first appeared in Vol 3 of the manga and looks like the one which appeared in Ep 7 too. The ring comes in 3 dimensions like the limited version and will also be shipped in Dec. There is a disclaimer on the website which says that delivery will be delayed if the number of orders exceed expectations. Personally, I feel that this is more affordable to the general public and the size of the butterfly is not a hindrance to daily activities. There's no freebie which comes with this item though. By the way, the materials of this ring is the same as the limited version but it seems that the lustre of the crystals are subdued in this version.

The last accessory in the lineup is the long butterfly earring which appears in Vol 4 of the manga. I vaguely remember that this did appear somewhere in the anime but I may have remembered it wrongly though. It is sold as a single item at 10,290 yen (SGD 146) but you can choose to buy 2 units and wear it as a pair too. Same conditions apply as the normal version ring and this is also made from the same materials. This looks more outstanding as a single item to me because the uniqueness of the earring will not be emphasized if it's in a pair. Of course, wearing it on its own would require suitable clothing since this seems to suit the classy or stylish image. Casual streetwear may not bring out the elegance of this accessory. No matter how much I may fantasize about how to wear these accessories, I still can't lay my hands on them which is really a pity. I might have to seriously consider signing up for Vpost Japan to get such items which can only be shipped to Japanese addresses. I think I'm probably going to give up these items since there are a number of DVD releases over the next 3 months which is going to burn a big hole in my pocket like the Hagaren limited DVD Box in Jan, ParaKiss Act 1 limited Box also in the next month, Hachikuro's Vol 5 & 7 to be shipped in Feb and ParaKiss Act 2's limited box in Feb. However, if I could buy these accessories, I might buy the small ring only since I don't like to use earrings and the big ring is too busy and bulky for my liking.

Next is the ParaKiss Act 1 limited edition DVD box which consists of 2 discs with 4 episodes and special footage. There are also original illustrations from Yazawa Ai and a specially-made booklet. Last but not least, there's a cossage produced by A/T. In the picture, it's blue in colour but I'm not sure whether this is standardised for all or there will be different colours in each box. It costs 7980 yen which is inclusive of tax but when you purchase via online merchants, I believe most if not all will deduct the tax component since this is not applicable to people not residing in Japan. For me, I ordered this from Amazon Japan where after the existing 20% discount and deducting the tax, the total charge is actually 7780 yen inclusive of the shipping costs.

As for the normal edition, it does not have any of the premiums and costs 3990 yen which is about half of the price for the limited edition. There's only one disc containing 4 episodes so that's why the price is so much lesser than the first press. However, when I made the decision to buy the limited edition, I guess I was very tempted by the premiums so I made the plunge to buy the more expensive item. Of course, this doesn't apply to every J-ent related item I buy. The premiums offered have to attract me strongly enough so that I am prepared to accept the price difference.

Last but not least, there's the soundtrack to be released on 21 Dec which consists of 2 CDs. According to the official website, the music included is up to Ep 4 of the anime. However, without more information on this item's track listing or any premiums it offers, I'm apprehensive about whether I should buy this since this costs 3590 yen inclusive of tax.

Honey and Clover Ep 22

Without a goal, I kept cycling for the past week. I withdrew money from my account and bought all sorts of things from the 100-yen shop. The compass, map and watch are especially useful which allows me to plan my route more systematically. The most surprising thing I discovered through this journey is that I get hungry easily due to cycling. If I don't eat 5 meals a day, I get the feeling that I don't have any energy. To me, the food I consume is as good as gasoline to a car. An unexpected thing is that there are very little places to spend the night in the open. In such a big country, I still find a place beside a tree or wall so as to sleep in peace. This is the first time I've felt this way ever since I embarked on this trip.

Takemoto continues to cycle on his trip to nowhere and has to replenish his water supply at people's houses. To his joy, an old man in the countryside agrees to his request immediately without reservations. On the other hand, people who are more well-to-do tend to view him with suspicions and do not extend a helping hand. After a number of times, Takemoto starts to feel that a person's character can be seen from the house he/she lives in and feels that if he is to be described in the form of a house, he hopes to give people the feeling of warmth.

Meanwhile, Yamada brings her new pottery creations to Fujiwara Design where Miwako marvels that she has improved again. Just then, Miwako receives an email from Nomiya which gives Yamada a startle at the mention of his name. Miwako remarks that Nomiya is being bogged down with work and tells Yamada to send an encouragement email to him. However, Yamada doesn't have a handphone so Miwako offers to type the email on her behalf. Yamada offers her encouragement to Nomiya and tells him to take care of his health. Upon hearing this, Miwako remarks that it's boring and says that she can question Nomiya why he left for Tottori without telling her. Yamada grumbles that Nomiya should have told her about his transfer when they last met but she suddenly realises that Miwako has typed her grouses into the email and is unable to stop her from sending it to Nomiya. When Nomiya reads the email from Yamada, he smiles sweetly but when he receives a subsequent email from Miwako who mocks him for liking a young girl i.e. Yamada, he blushes upon reading that it's not a hopeless situation for them (since Yamada does care about him) which leads Yamazaki to think that something is wrong with him.

Hagu is alone in her studio as she recalls how her professors were angry to know that she was not taking part in some competitions or going overseas for further studies. Kouda-sensei even scolded Hagu for being selfish as she chose to waste her talent by returning to her hometown after graduation. With response to that, Hanamoto stood up for Hagu and defended her choice. He later explained to Hagu that Kouda-sensei responded violently to her choice because she did not achieve her goal to be a painter despite putting in a lot of effort. As such, Hanamoto said that it's OK for Hagu to choose what she wants to do as long as she's willing to take up responsibility for what may come as a result. Unknown to Hagu, Morita is standing outside silently. When she senses that someone else is around, she turns back but cannot find Morita anymore.

Takemoto is wondering what he should do as he has used up almost half of his savings and he cannot proceed further without money. When he sees how some people are responding to his untidy appearance, he starts to recall why he set out on this journey and what he was trying to achieve. He finally decides to return home since he is not sure why he is spending time on this trip to nowhere.

Takemoto comes to Matsushima which is the first tourism spot so far during his journey. He feels proud about making it this far since he has to take a train under normal circumstances to come here. Takemoto wants to enter Buiganji Shrine for a look but drops the idea as the entrance ticket costs 700 yen. This makes him realise that he has not bothered to look at the scenery around him since he was focused on cycling throughout the journey. Just as he makes up his mind to visit some shrines, his bicycle's chain breaks and Takemoto can't believe his bad luck.

Takemoto falls asleep at a shrine and later finds himself surrounded by a group of workers who are having lunch. He is very embarrassed when his stomach growls at the sight of their food. One of the workers, Shin-san offers part of his lunchbox to Takemoto but his co-worker, Rokutaro tries to stop him since he made them. This leads everyone to complain about Rokutaro's lunchboxes. Despite Takemoto's reservations, Shin-san still offers the food to him.

Shin-san explains that they are restoration workers who work on shrines in need of repairs so they do not stay in a place for long. As their boss has gone out, Shin-san has taken over the role of the supervisor. Takemoto offers to clean up the mess after lunch and asks Shin-san for a job since he needs money to repair his bicycle.

Shin-san declares that it's probably impossible to repair the bicycle and is surprised to know that Takemoto had cycled from Tokyo to Sendai. The boss returns at this moment and tells the crew that some of them have to go to Kyoto tomorrow due to something cropping up. This will result in a shortage of manpower for the crew in Sendai. Takemoto suddenly asks the boss if he can be hired but Rokutaro objects to it. The boss gives Shin-san the authority to decide since he has been made the site supervisor. Shin-san agrees to Takemoto's request but reminds him that the work here is tough and the salary is little.

Meanwhile, Hagu asks Hanamoto if Takemoto is fine. Hanamoto says that he's not sure about that. When Hagu remarks that she wishes Takemoto will not feel lonely during the journey, Hanamoto comments that this is impossible since loneliness is like waves which come and go where everyone will feel it at some point in their lives. Hanamoto feels that Takemoto keeps reminding him of his past and thinks to himself that he's probably been feeling lonely for a long time since Harada died.

One day, Yamada is going to Fujiwara Design when she bumps into Rika in the lift and doesn't know how she should react. Upon seeing them together, Miwako gets flustered. Yamada breaks the ice and asks about Mayama who is out for a meeting. This makes Rika realise who Yamada is while the latter is rejoicing deep down that she doesn't have to see them together. Rika is praising the quality of Yamada's creations when one of her high heels break. Yamada mends it for her and Rika says that she will bring it for repairs tomorrow. Upon seeing how Rika treasures her pair of shoes, Yamada starts to feel uneasy when she thinks of Mayama helping her to mend them in the past.

Yamada goes to look for Hanamoto and comments that Rika doesn't seem to be taking care of herself. He says that this can't be helped since Rika can't bear to throw away those high heels as they were a gift from Harada. Yamada feels sorry for Rika who is so pretty and yet she seems to be covered with scars after Harada's demise...

Takemoto's observation about people's characters being shown in how their houses look seems realistic. I guess with more things you possess, the more you will be unwilling to let go or trust people. That is why the rich lady did not offer any water to Takemoto as she was worried about him having evil designs while the old lady in the countryside even parted with food although he only asked for water. To Takemoto, he feels that he aspires to be someone who can offer warmth and assistance to those who needs it thus this seems like a sign that he is starting to know what he aspires to be in future.

For Hagu, it must be tough living up to the expectations of others. She feels sorry about disappointing those who believe in her but she's not prepared to give up her own ideals to compromise. Like what Hanamoto says, there is no such thing as a correct answer but as long as you are prepared to bear the consequences of your choice, nothing should stop you from doing what you want.

With regards to Nomiya and Yamada, I get the feel that they might turn out to be a compatible couple in future. They seem to be able to connect at the psychological level despite their pretences on the surface. When Nomiya blushed at seeing Miwako's remarks, he was so cute! I hope the manga will explore the development of their relationship when he returns from Tottori.

Last but not least, I pity Yamada who had to bear the uneasy feeling of seeing Rika and can understand how relieved she was at not seeing Mayama with her. I think that might have been too much for her to bear since she still has feelings for Mayama. However, Yamada can't help but feel sorry for Rika even though she should treat her with animosity since Rika is one of the reasons why things cannot work out between her and Mayama. I doubt I can hate Rika if I am in Yamada's shoes. It just seems as if Rika is living in so much misery so there's no way I can dislike someone who is constantly in anguish.

Hagane no Renkin Jutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist) Ep 39 - Touhou Naisen (Internal War of the East)

Ross asks Winry and Sheska about why they were in the tunnel but they refuse to explain and simply say that they had lost their way. However, Brosh does not believe them but Ross stops him from probing further. Before they leave, Winry tells them that something dangerous is happening within the millitary and tells them to take care. Sheska asks Winry what she intends to do now and the latter wants to return to Rizenburu so that she can talk to the Elric brothers about this if they come back. Sheska is worried over her books which makes Winry exasperated and tells her to bring them along if she wants to.

Meanwhile, Archer, Armstrong, Mustang and gang are heading to Rioru by train when someone wearing a mask asks to take it off. Mustang is shocked to see that he is Kimbly and questions Archer about it. Archer replies nonchalantly that Kimbly was arrested by mistake in the past and escaped from the 5th laboratory where he was held captive. Mustang is not convinced by his explanation but Archer reminds him that the King named him as the person-in-charge so Mustang has no right to question this decision.

At the same time, Scar is dragging a large boulder across the streets of Rioru when the people suddenly remark that there's a strang-looking object i.e. hot air balloon in the sky...

Ed, Al and Martel are spending the night in the desert on their way to Rioru when Ed reveals that he was the one who killed Greed. Ed does not make any excuses for this and says that Greed deserves to die because he abducted Al and killed Dante. Suddenly, Martel throws her knife at Ed where Al blocks it for him. To their relief, Martel was aiming for a snake beside Ed. She explains that she has no intention to kill Ed. As Greed preferred to die rather than be sealed again, Martel feels that he was only defeated by Ed. The real enemies should be the millitary, the Homculus and Kimbly who betrayed Greed. She kills the snake for Ed to eat but he offers it to her instead. Martel remarks with a smirk that she would be eating her own kind if she does that.

The next day, the trio continue their journey where Al wonders if Rose from Rioru is getting on well. Ed pretends to forget her and asks Martel if they have reached Isbal. She says that they are already in Isbal which is in a state of ruins and this makes Ed despondent as to how they should find Scar. Martel asks what they are looking for so Al tells her that they are after Kenja no Ishi which was supposedly made by an Isbal man before the war. However, Martel says that this is impossible since the people were not armed at all. Ed reveals what he knows about the start of the Isbal war but Martel says that this must be the official explanation by the millitary. She is unaware about this as she was sent to the 5th laboratory after the war started and stayed there for 14 years.

Martel explains that she and her friends were from the guerilla team who were ordered to enter Isbal secretly and conduct a mass massacre at that time. Never did they expect that they would be arrested after the mission and sent to the 5th laboratory. It was where some of them were transformed into kimeras by Grant and Marcoh so as to prevent the truth from being revealed. Ed cannot understand why the millitary did that and kicked a stone in frustation which hit a wall. The trio then notices that Havoc and Breda have been eavesdropping so Ed creates a sand wave to catch them while Al lets Martel hide in his armour. Even though they try to escape, Al manages to pull them out from the sand. At the sight of them, Ed realises that Mustang must be in the vicinity.

Ed and Al are brought back to the Eastern HQ to meet Mustang. Ed flares up at Mustang for insunating that he has never grown taller which leads Archer wanting to shoot Ed for being rude. However, Mustang stops him and continues with his lecture for what Ed has done recently. He wants Ed to join the troops for this mission which the latter cannot reject since he's a national alchemist. It is then revealed that the millitary intends to exert force to suppress the chaos in Rioru. Ed guesses that they are also after Scar just like what he's doing.

Mustang asks Ed why he wants to look for Scar and the latter glosses over the matter by saying that it would be troublesome in future if Scar is around. Al attempts to put some bread into his armour but Hawkeye tells him that he doesn't have to pretend to eat since the people at the dining hall know about his condition. Actually, Al intended to get food for Martel who is inside his armour so this remark from Hawkeye results in Al putting the bread back. Just then, Ed sees some pictures taken from the surveillance camera (put on the hot air balloon) and is shocked to see an alchemy ritual sign drawn in Rioru. Fuery also reveals that Rioru is involved in a battle against the millitary since last year but the brothers do not believe it since they removed the phony priest at that time. Actually, everyone knew about the real situation but Mustang told Hughes not to tell the brothers about this since he knows that Ed will only make things worse.

Mustang's subordinates realise that the brothers have no idea about Hughes' death but Mustang is keeping them in the dark because they will rush back to Central if they know the truth. Just then, Al comes to ask if they have seen Ed.

At the same time, Ed is discussing terms with Archer so that he may be allowed to enter Rioru on the sly. Mustang objects to this but Archer is insistent to let Ed go because he's familiar with Rioru. Besides, Al will be left behind in the HQ so Archer is not worried about Ed running away without his younger brother. Mustang asks Ed why he wants to do this without telling him where the latter points out that Mustang will never agree to his suggestion so he had to go to Archer.

Ed is preparing to go to Rioru and tells Martel to beware because she's a wanted criminal. Al is worried about Ed's safety and asks what he would do to Scar if the ritual is indeed meant for making Kenja no Ishi. Ed replies that he will kill Scar if that happens and reminds Martel to bear with her urge to take revenge so as to avoid trouble.

Ed dresses in a different manner and is going to Rioru when Armstrong comes to take his alchemist pocket watch at the order of Archer for fear that his identity may be exposed. Armstrong asks Ed why he had come here where the latter replies that it's all fated even though the brothers are not those who believe in fate. Ed then heads to Rioru by foot...

In actual fact, Archer's aim in getting Ed's pocket watch is to give it to Tucker who is ordered to make something to enhance the alchemy reaction power...

Ed enters Rioru successfully and sees the people worshipping Rose as the Holy Mother which shocks him. Unknown to him, Lust and Gluttony are watching his movements. Ed tries to approach Rose but is stopped by Scar...

Meanwhile, Al is walking along the corridor when he bumps into Kimbly who insists on leaving his room without Archer's permission. This makes Martel go crazy with rage as she emerges from Al's armour and tries to kill Kimbly...

There are so many enemies now to contend with and everyone has their own agenda. Archer is planning something with Tucker's help while I don't believe that Kimbly will do Archer's bidding although he is under his protection. Kimbly seems like someone who wants to be a leader instead of a follower. And that Tucker is such an eyesore. Whenever I see him, I remember what he did to Nina and can't wait to tear him apart. The Homculus are aiming to kill Scar or anyone who knows the truth behind the Isbal war which would include Ed and Al. Both Mustang and Ed are really caught in a situation where they do not have a reliable ally to support them.

Mushishi Ep 01: Midori no Za (The Green Seat)

What's considered to be beyond our world are creatures that are completely different from the lowly and grotesque ones we're used to seeing. As time passed, people put their fear and respect into these creatures and began calling them "mushi".

A man with a cigarette and a backpack walks a dense forest and senses that someone or something is watching his movements. However, he cannot see anyone around and turns his attention to the unusually vivid colour of the greenery around him as compared to most forests.

In nature, greenery and water are what bring forth life. Humans who have that power rarely exist.

A little boy is writing a letter with his left hand as his right hand is injured. In actual fact, he is a lefty so he has no problems doing this. Suddenly, the words on his letter come alive where a bird derived from ink flies around the house before the boy can catch it. The man is standing outside and grabs hold of the bird but is surprised to see ink left on his hand.

When the boy finally comes out with a net to catch the bird, he sees the man who said that he saw the bird. He then asks the boy if he is Ioroi Shinra and mentions that he had sent a letter to him previously. Shinra realises that the man is Ginko, a Mushishi who wanted to learn more about his ability to make words and pictures take on a form of life.

Shinra had rejected all requests of such nature because his grandmother had specifically told him not to use or let anyone know about his power. That is why he was writing a refusal letter to Ginko before the latter came to see him. Since Shinra was a child, whenever he drew, the pictures would gain life even though they may be just doodles of things which do not exist in reality. As giving life to creatures is not what a human should do, Shinra's grandmother stopped him from drawing with his left hand for fear of incurring the wrath of the gods. Nothing would happen if he draws with his right hand.

Although Shinra refuses to accede to Ginko's request, he still offers to let the latter stay for the night. Besides, it's been some time since he has met anyone so Shinra offers the fruit wine he made to Ginko while they chat. Shinra has been living alone in this secluded place since 4 years ago when his grandmother passed away. Ginko feels that this is a wise move since Shinra will not be able to live peacefully if anyone finds out about his power.

Shinra then shows Ginko some drawings and says that he saw these strange-looking things while he was alone. However, Shinra's grandmother felt that he was just dreaming and told him to forget these terrible dreams. This was the only thing which they couldn't agree on until she passed away.

Ginko explains to Shinra that the creatures he had seen were mushi which are closest to life itself and also known as midori mono. This results in them taking ambiguous forms and can only be seen by some people. Ginko advises Shinra to get over this since it's hard to convince those who have never been in contact with the world of the mushi and convey the feelings about seeing these extraordinary creatures.

In the middle of night, Ginko walks around the house to find the bathroom while Shinra is sound asleep. He sees something walking along the corridor and takes a pin out from his pocket. Suddenly, a young girl's voice appears from above and she mocks Ginko for being a disgusting guy who captures mushi using the mushi pin. Ginko is not bothered by her remarks and uses a smoke mushi to grab her from the ceiling. This results in a half sakazuki falling from her clothes which Ginko grabs it immediately. The mushi tells Ginko to scram from her house so he realises that she was originally a human who became a mushi. However, being imperfect, that was why Ginko could overcome her resistance easily without using the mushi pin.

From the broken sakazuki, Ginko deduces that the mushi is Renzu, the grandmother of Shinra. He offers to mend the sakazuki and asks Renzu if she's interested to hear about it.

The next morning, Shinra is surprised to hear that Renzu is still living in the house but she's somewhere between a human and a mushi. Ginko reveals that Renzu was invited to the Mushi Banquet where mushis take the form of humans. The guest would be given something to drink in the sakazuki where they would lose their human characteristics and become a mushi. However, in Renzu's case, the banquet was interrupted thus she left half of her body in the mushi world and returned home with the other half. When Renzu passed away, the half self in the mushi world stayed on to take care of Shinra who couldn't see her as she was incomplete.

In order to make Renzu a complete mushi, Shinra would have to use his power to recreate the sakazuki. Shinra makes Ginko promise not to peep while he draws but the latter goes back on his word without Shinra's knowledge. Although Shinra has never seen the sakazuki before, he is able to come up with the image since he and Renzu are related by blood. The sakazuki comes to life and breaks into two. Ginko then combines the half held by Renzu with the new sakazuki's half where a glowing liquid emerges from it. Renzu drinks the liquid which enables Shinra to see her. When Shinra drinks it too, he sees what happened to Renzu in the past.

Years ago, Renzu was led into the Mushi Banquet by a group of mushi draped in white cloth. She was then given a liquid made of the creature, Kouki which swims around in a large vein it makes in the deep darkness. The sakazuki was thus made for Renzu to tap into that vein. Actually, the mushi held this banquet for Renzu because her grandson i.e. Shinra to be born 31 years ago will have the power to change the structure of the world. That was why Renzu will be able to protect Shinra once she finished the drink. However, before she could do so, a crow bit into one of the mushi thus disrupting the banquet. Even though Renzu did go home after that, she left behind half of herself in the mushi world. Shinra starts to cry uncontrollably after seeing these as if he has gone through Renzu's experience personally.

The next morning, Ginko prepares to leave without a word when Renzu asks if he plans to give up the investigation on Shinra. Renzu suggests that Ginko can come to visit Shinra in future but he feels that there is no need to do so since she will accompany Shinra. When Shinra wakes up, he realises that Ginko has left and Renzu remarks that they do not have anything to offer to him as a reward. However, Shinra notices that Ginzo had taken the sakazuki away...

The first impression about this new series is that the whole atmosphere seems so serene. There is no sense of urgency and the nature shown enhances the peacefulness felt. Everything just feels like an artistic piece of work.

I was initially unsure of what mushi meant but after Ginko's explanation, everything became clear to me. Although I still have no idea where the story is heading towards, I think I should have the patience to stick around for more episodes before I judge whether this is my cup of tea. And I think I need more information on what exactly a Mushishi does.

As for the OP, it matches the theme of the series well but I guess it would better to let viewers hear more of the song. That little section is not enough for me to see whether I like the song.

With regards to the characters, it feels as if Ginko is the only regular character at the present stage where he will meet new people with each passing episode. Ginko seems like a mysterious person who should provide interesting revelations as the series progresses.

Jigoku Shoujo Ep 02: Miirareta Shoujo (The possessed girl)

Takamura Ryoko is startled when her handphone rings. She fumbles with her computer and manages to see the Jigoku Tsushin website at the stroke of midnight. Ryoko is flustered as the handphone keeps ringing persistently as she seeks help from the Jigoku Shoujo. At the same time, Ai's computer receives the request and her grandma tells her about it. Ai replies that she will attend to it immediately...

Ryoko is shivering in fright as the phone in her home rings. The caller sings a song for Ryoko and her parents hang up in anger. When her father rushes out to find the culprit, he finds someone driving away. Ryoko reaches for her ringing handphone again and sees an acknowledgement email from Jigoku Shoujo.

Ryoko's father, Takamura goes to the police and makes a complaint about their inefficiency to Akimoto. Just then, Kisaragi enters the room and tries to calm Takamura down. He then asks Akimoto to leave them alone and buy coffee for him. Kisaragi drops a bombshell by saying that Akimoto is the pervert who is pestering Ryoko and says that it's hard to catch Akimoto since he's also a policeman. Takamura is shocked at this revelation where Kisaragi promises that they will catch Akimoto soon and asks for his cooperation.

Takamura sends Ryoko to school and promises to fetch her later. Hone-onna comes to look for her and brings her to meet Ai. Ryoko is also surprised to see Ichimoku Ren and Wanyuudo there. However, when she knows that Ai is the Jigoku Shoujo, she reveals that she has been pestered for the past year where this person sent her disgusting gifts and seemed to know her whereabouts. No matter how many times she has changed her contact numbers, that person would still call her. Ai then explains how they work and gives her the straw figure. Ryoko is worried about the consequences that will befall her and decides to consider first.

After school, Takamura drives to the school to wait for Ryoko. However, he sees a suspicious character outside the gate and grabs a golf club to attack that person. He is horrified to see that Akimoto has been murdered. Before he can do anything, he is attacked by another man who has been hiding in the bushes...

Ryoko boards Takamura's car and apologises for being late. She is surprised to see Kisaragi in her father's car where he says that they have caught the culprit and he's here to send her to the police station. However, Ryoko spots the handphone strap from Kisaragi's pocket and is suspicious about him...

Kisaragi brings Ryoko to a secluded place and reveals his identity to her. He is the real culprit and had pushed the blame to Akimoto so that Takamura would not suspect him. Kisaragi professes his affection for Ryoko and this makes her feel disgusted at his behaviour. She even says that he is the reason for her agony which makes Kisaragi angry. Ryoko finally decides to untie the red thread on the straw figure which results in Ichimoku Ren appearing. This scares Kisaragi and he runs away immediately.

Ryoko goes to the hospital to visit her father who is injured. Unknown to them, Kisaragi has also entered the hospital secretly and prepares to take revenge. However, Kisaragi finds himself falling into the trap set by Ai and company which gives him a big fright. He is still unrepentant about his actions so Ai proceeds to send him into hell.

After the ordeal, life returns to normal for Ryoko and her family. However, she knows that she is not the same as before as there is a sign on her chest to indicate her agreement with Ai...

Suzuka Ep 18: Okurimono (Present)

Yamato is pondering over what he should buy for Honoka after Nana told him about her birthday. He realises that he has been thinking of himself only and feels that it's embarrassing that he has to be told by a third party about his girlfriend's birthday. As such, he makes up his mind to buy a suitable present for Honoka and qualify as a good boyfriend this time round.

When Yamato and Honoka are walking to school, his mind is taken up over what he should buy as a present and fails to pay attention to what she is saying. Suddenly, Honoka asks Yamato if he's free to go out on Saturday but he lies that he's going out with Hattori even though he is planning to buy the present tomorrow. Even though Honoka is disappointed to hear this, she still puts on a smile.

Hattori suggests that Yamato should give red roses to Honoka since girls like romantic gifts but the latter remarks that he doesn't like the idea of going to a florist. This leads Hattori to comment that Yamato is more concerned about his reputation than pleasing Honoka. However, Yamato defends himself and says that he doesn't think in this manner. Hattori reminds Yamato that losing face elsewhere is nothing as compared to making his girlfriend happy.

When Yamato asks Ayano about what she would be happy to receive as a present, she says that it's OK to receive anything as long as it's a heartfelt gesture from that person. However, he gets more confused when Miho, Yuka and Megumi chip in with their contradicting views. Yamato feels that he should not have asked them in the first place and decides to think about the gift himself.

Yamato goes to a convenience store and tries to find gift ideas from a women's magazine when Asahina happens to spot him. He reveals that he's trying to see if there's anything suitable for Honoka's birthday and asks about her opinion. When Asahina remarks that he can buy accessories like a necklace, Yamato says that he knows nothing about this area and asks if she can come along with him to buy the present. Yamato realises that it is unlikely that Asahina will agree to his suggestion but she actually offers to meet him tomorrow where they can go shopping for the present. Yamato is very thankful about Asahina's help even though he's apprehensive about going out with her without the knowledge of Honoka. Meanwhile, Honoka is upset about Yamato not knowing her birthday but she consoles herself since she did not tell him about it in the first place.

Asahina is waiting for Yamato at the Shinjuku train station where he arrives late since he is unfamiliar with the area. He asks why she wanted to meet him here where Asahina remarks that they will not be spotted by their friends here instead of shopping near their place.

Honoka is reading her horoscope forecast which mentions that she will receive an unexpected present from her boyfriend but she's not enthusiastic about it materialising. Just then, she meets Yuka and Megumi at the store where Yuka blurts out that Yamato has gone out to buy a present for her. Megumi reminds Yuka that she shouldn't have told Honoka about this so Yuka tells Honoka to pretend that she's unaware. This makes Honoka extremely happy and she decides to go shopping for something as reciprocation for Yamato's gift.

Yamato is not concentrating on finding the present as he lacks knowledge in female accessories. This makes Asahina quite unhappy as it seems that Yamato is not putting in effort to find what he wants to buy. She scolds Yamato for giving half-hearted answers when she is asking for his opinion and insists on going home. Suddenly, a street vendor butts into their conversation and suggests that Yamato can buy something to pacify Asahina. Yamato finds a necklace and asks Asahina put it on before he decides on this as Honoka's present.

Yamato and Asahina prepare to return home where Honoka happens to see them at the train station. She is stunned to see them together and gets upset when they appear to be chatting happily.

Yamato prepares to go to Honoka's place and sees Asahina waiting for him. She reminds Yamato not to tell Honoka that they went to buy the present together. He assures her that he knows what to do and heads to look for Honoka but Asahina is still concerned.

Yamato passes Honoka the present he had bought which makes her very happy. Honoka decides to reveal the truth that Yuka had already told her about Yamato's gift and thanks him for taking the time to buy it. Yamato feels that it's not right to lie to Honoka and wants to tell her the truth but she says that she saw him with Asahina at the train station yesterday. As Yamato sees that Honoka seems to be unaffected by this matter, he gets carried away and talks about their shopping trip happily. However, this makes Honoka angry and she returns the gift to Yamato by saying that she doesn't want to listen to him anymore. Yamato is puzzled by her attitude and doesn't know what he had done wrongly.

Asahina is waiting for Yamato to come home and she asks how Honoka reacted to the gift. Yamato reveals the truth which makes Asahina comment that he was too silly to say more than what he should. However, he is still unaware of why Honoka flared up at him even though Asahina tells him to repent...

I don't think Yamato meant to hurt Honoka when he went out with Asahina to buy the present. He felt that it wasn't right to spend time alone with Asahina without Honoka's knowledge but he convinced himself that it should be fine since his intention was to get advice on buying the present. However, he is totally unaware of the fact that Honoka will mind whatever he does with Asahina since he was previously in love with her. It's as if you are continuing to spend time with your ex-girlfriend even though you are dating someone else. Unfortunately, Yamato failed to realise this so he continues to be bewildered by Honoka's behaviour. On the other hand, Asahina should have realised the ambiguious nature of their outing but she chose to go ahead with her feelings for Yamato so as to help him. If she had allowed her practical side to rule her actions, maybe this would not have happened. As such, this is not entirely Yamato's fault although he should not have asked Asahina for help. In such circumstances, he could have been better off by asking people like Miki.

Hagaren Movie DVD Limited Edition

Finally placed my order for the Hagaren movie DVD yesterday on Amazon Japan. After comparing prices at a number of websites, Amazon Japan offers the highest discount and after deducting the tax (since I am not a Japanese resident), I can save more than 2000 yen. I've ordered the limited edition which comes in 3 DVDs. The first DVD being the actual movie itself and the other two contain special production footage and specials like the chat session among the seiyuus. Besides that, there are 10 illustration cards and 2 special booklets with information on the series and drawings of the characters etc sealed in the boxset. Although this costs about 5000 yen more as compared to the regular edition, the freebies and premiums justify the higher price tag so I'm willing to foot that amount of money for the limited edition. I have been waiting for a long time to buy this item and at long last, it was listed on various websites a few days back. The release date will be on 25 Jan which means that there is a wait of more than 2 months before I can receive the DVD. Can't wait to watch the movie and find out what happens to the Elric brothers!

Paradise Kiss Ep 04: George

The members of Parakiss fail to find any material which meets George's expectations. As such, Yukari suggests that they make their cloth instead of searching around which George agrees to. However, Miwako, Arashi and Isabella do not like this idea as there is only one month to the fashion show and they still have other activities to concentrate on. George insists on this option and tells Isabella to contribute her collection of beads where Arashi and Miwako have to sew them on a blue cloth. Despite their initial objections, they finally give in to George who returns home to draw the design while Arashi goes to buy the cloth.

Yukari feels guilty for causing trouble to Miwako, Arashi and Isabella since she was the one who made the suggestion to George. As such, she offers to help out with the sewing but Isabella rejects her offer since Yukari should concentrate on her studies.

On Sunday, Yukari tells her family that she's going to the library for studies but she is actually headed for the atorie and even puts in effort to doll up. When she offers to help with the sewing of the beads, Isabella reminds her that she should focus on her studies which makes Yukari feel as if she's not needed. In addition, when George arrives, he also says the same thing to Yukari. George instructs them to copy the design onto the cloth directly and sew the beads on where the audience can see since they are running out of time where Arashi remarks that it's rare to see George compromising on such issues. However, as they are involved in the discussion, they fail to notice that Yukari is looking rather unhappy as she senses that George has forgotten about their date.

George tells Yukari to return the books he borrowed since she usually studies at the library on Sundays and he proceeds to sleep on the sofa. This makes Yukari flare up and she throws the books at him. Yukari scolds George for treating her like a servant where he replies that it's on the way for her. She retorts that she's not going to study for the exams and wants to help out with the sewing. When Yukari says that she's not going to back down no matter what George says, she gets flabbergasted at his remark that he doesn't plan to stop her at all and will return the books himself. Yukari says that she will do that since the library is near her home which makes George bewildered as to what she is angry at. Thus, George ignores her outburst and goes back to sleep again.

When Yukari prepares to throw a chair at George, Isabella stops her and asks if she can be of help. Yukari reveals that she just wants George to pay more attention to her but it's not in her character to say such things and this serves no purpose if she has to tell George how she feels. That is why she took the effort to dress up in order to attract his attention but his response makes her discouraged. Yukari says that by helping them with the making of the dress, she hopes to widen her horizons and become a charming person instead of mugging for the exams. Isabella reveals that she's relieved to hear this since she was worried about Yukari using the atorie as the means to escape from exam pressure.

Arashi and Miwako return to the atorie and bring hamburgers back for everyone. When Yukari prepares to eat it, Arashi reminds her that she should watch what she eats since she's their model. George is woken up by the rock music and tells Yukari nonchalantly that she is already very attractive to him which leads her to feel that she should go on a diet.

In school, Arashi happens to see someone who looks like Miwako and gropes her breasts from behind. However, she turns out to be Mikako, the elder sister of Miwako who scolds Arashi for doing this. It turns out that Mikako is in the school to give a lesson to the students.

Yukari prepares to go home since she doesn't want to arouse her parents' suspicions. Miwako asks if it's OK to continue lying but Yukari has no choice since she will be grounded if she tells them the truth.

George offers to send Yukari home but it turns out that he brings her out for dinner at a posh restaurant. Yukari asks if he's a rich man's son whereby George reveals that he's the son of a lover and his father is a CEO of a company. Yukari calls home and lies that she's having dinner with friends. George asks her if it's OK to lie which she remarks that she can't be telling them that she's having dinner with her boyfriend.

After dinner, George offers to go to three places to have sex i.e. a park, the rooftop of a building and a cemetery where Yukari has to choose one. She dislikes all three options so George decides to bring her to his apartment and finds out that she's a virgin.

George has been living on his own since 14 years old in a big apartment. When Yukari remarks that she admires him, he just gives a weak smile to her. Since Yukari is going to spend the night at his place, she lies to her mother that she's taking care of a "friend" who's sick and there's nobody at home. However, Yukari is angry at her mother who's more concerned about her studies as compared with her "friend". This leads George to reprimand Yukari for having the guts to flare up even though she is in the wrong for lying. Yukari retorts that this is because George has brought her back. George accuses Yukari of pushing the blame to others whenever things do not go her way and that she doesn't have a mind of her own. He says that he will not take up responsibility if her parents disown her or she fails to get into university. Yukari expresses that she doesn't have the intention to do that and she's responsible for her actions. When George pushes Yukari onto the floor, he says that she should look happier since they are going to have sex which is a consensual decision. Yukari is furious at George's attitude and slaps him. When George says that he dislikes women who don't have a mind of their own and tells Yukari to leave on her own, she cannot bear it anymore and leaves angrily.

Meanwhile, Miwako is at home with Arashi and Alice while sewing the beads. She receives a call from Yukari that she's stranded at the train station since she missed the last train and had told her mother that she's not going home. When Miwako goes to fetch Yukari, she scolds George for treating Yukari like that. However, Yukari says that she doesn't want this issue to affect their working relationship and feels that it just proves their incompatibility as a couple.

George is at home working on the cloth when his mother comes visiting. When she falls asleep, George goes out without a word.

Miwako brings Yukari home but the latter feels that she should return to talk to George. However, Yukari's mother calls her to return home so she gives up the idea. Just then, George calls Yukari and asks to meet her outside Miwako's place. Yukari tells Miwako that she will tell the truth to her parents and if they do not understand her feelings, she can only leave home. As such, Miwako offers to put her up if that really happens.

Yukari meets George and tells him to say his piece quickly. George says that even though he hates women without a mind of their own, he still likes Yukari. She remarks that this is contradicting but George does not explain further and agrees with her view. Yukari wants George to drive her home and tell her how he feels during the journety.

George says that there is no logic in love which leads Yukari to comment that it's unexpectable to see George feeling this way. He explains that he won't bother to chase after a woman whom he dislikes and explain himself like what he is doing now. Yukari is happy to know that George is serious about her. When they reach her neighbourhood, George returns Yukari's hairclip and kisses her. Yukari says that even though she dislikes George for making her feel like a fool at times, she still loves him and takes the initiative to kiss him...

It's understandable how Yukari feels when she wants George to pay more attention to her. Like what she says, it's of no use if she has to tell George to look at her but it will be frustrating to see that her effort has come to nought. That is why she's in a tug of war with her emotions. I believe George had overheard what Yukari told Isabella or else he wouldn't pass that remark about Yukari being attractive enough for him. That simple remark proved to be a major encouragement to Yukari.

George is full of himself and thinks that the whole universe revolves around him. That is why he is applying this principle in his interaction with Yukari because he believes that she will behave the way he wants. He's used to freedom and that nobody can control him at all. However, Yukari is not that kind of person who will do his biding so he got flustered when she ran away from his apartment after their quarrel. Like what George says, if he isn't serious about Yukari, he would have just let her go without explaining himself. He must have been thinking that Yukari will stick with him regardless how he treats her but at that moment when she appeared hurt at his remarks, I think George realises that he might lose Yukari if he doesn't resolve their quarrel immediately. Otherwise, someone like George who behaves as if nothing bothers him will never make an effort to explain his real feelings.

Yukari's mother looks so similar to her that I thought I was seeing double. Seems like they will have a big fight in the next episode where Yukari leaves home...

Yakitate Japan Ep 52

Azuma finishes his creation and tells Pierro to taste it so that he can go to Heaven and meet his father again. When Pierro opens his eyes, he finds himself sitting on his father's lap and gets a big shock. The King scolds Pierro for addressing him as father and claims that his baby is still in the Queen's womb. Pierro notices that he's not in Heaven and that the palace looks rather new. As such, Pierro asks the King about the year and he's surprised to know that it is the year 1982. He cannot understand why he did not go to Heaven and returns to the past instead.

Just then, the Queen enters the room and asks the King why Pierro is here. The King orders his men to take Pierro away so he decides to turn the situation to his favour by claiming that he is invited by the King to entertain his wife. This makes the Queen very happy and gives Pierro a legitimate reason to stay in the palace.

Meanwhile, Pierro is motionless after biting Azuma's bread which leads Kawachi and the rest to wonder what is going on. However, Azuma is very confident that Pierro is in Heaven to meet his parents.

At the same time, the Pierro in 1982 is trying hard to please his parents. He realises that Azuma's bread serves as a time machine to send him back to the time before he was born and is happy to meet his parents while they are alive. Since then, Pierro stays in the palace as a servant and entertainer.

The Queen puts on so much weight due to over-eating as she wants to provide enough nutrition for her baby. Pierro decides to get the Queen to lose some weight for her sake since he remembers that his mother passed away due to labour difficulties. As such, he attributes it to her excessive weight gain and insists on her losing weight so as to look better.

The Queen manages to regain her past figure and Pierro helps the King to make a party successful with his social and language skills. She asks Pierro to stay behind in the palace and teach the prince his abilities. Pierro rejects the suggestion as he senses that he will return to the real world when he sees that his body is becoming transparent.

When the Queen collapses along the corridor, Pierro sends her to the hospital on foot. However, as his body is disappearing, he can't make it there and apologises to his unconscious mother about his inability...

Pierro finally returns to reality and bursts out crying for not being able to help his mother. However, he sees his parents appearing before him and cannot see why this is happening. From his parents' words, he finds out that his mother managed to give birth to him successfully so he was sent to Quedam in memory of Pierro, the clown who saved the Queen. That is why his parents are still alive and he has never been separated from them contrary to what had happened previously. The Queen hurries Pierro to declare the verdict soon instead of remaining in a daze.

Pierro selects Azuma as the winner but Shadow does not accept the outcome. Pierro says that Azuma managed to change history as compared to Shadow who let him see his mother on a planet. In fact, everyone except Pierro has forgotten about the actual past and assumes that the King and Queen are alive all along.

Just then, Kirisaki appears from the spectator stands and congratulates Azuma for surpassing him. He points out that Azuma had used the black sugar deposits derived from boiling sugarcane. Besides that, the method he had used to make the doughout was far more superior than Shadow. Kirisaki offers to shake Azuma's hand but the latter refuses to oblige. Unknown to everyone, Kirisaki's hand is shaking uncontrollably. Kanmuri tells Kawachi that Kirisaki is just trying to show everyone that he's a graceful loser. Azuma is also chosen as the MVP for the Monaco Cup and given a ring by the Queen as a present but he actually finds it a hassle when making bread and prepares to give it to Tsukino instead...

This is an unexpected development where Azuma's bread actually changed history and let Pierro's parents come back to life. Well, this is kind of exaggerated but I guess that's only logical since Azuma has to defeat Shadow in this final round. Just too bad that I won't see Pierro again after the end of the Monaco Cup arc...

Even though there were rumours that this anime would not go beyond the Monaco Cup, it seems like there is going to be another series of competitions for the Pantasia guys. Meanwhile, Kirisaki should have managed to take over Pantasia if the story follows the manga.

Suzuka Ep 17: Kareshi (Boyfriend)

Hattori finds out what happened between Yamato and Honoka but mocks Yamato for not achieving anything in the end. Yamato insists that there's no hurry to progress to that stage and refuses to listen to Hattori's advice. Miki passes by where Hattori remarks that girls care about the atmosphere when sleeping with the guys they like which leads Miki to flare up and scold him for being a pervert. Yamato is caught between the two of them and wishes that they can leave him alone.

After athletics practice in the gymnasium due to the rain, the ex-captain tells Yamato to remain behind for more training. Although Honoka has something on and cannot wait for him, she's still concerned about Yamato not having an umbrella but he assures her that he will be fine. In the worst scenario, he can ask Miho to bring an umbrella for him. Asahina happens to overhear their conversation when Miki tells her to go back together.

Miki asks Asahina to go to the cake shop together but the latter rejects her invitation as she has to retrieve her handphone which she left behind in the classroom. Although Miki offers to wait for her, Asahina tells her that it's fine and she's not interested in cakes today. However, Miki insists on coming along where Asahina later finds her handphone in the bag all along. Just as Miki thinks that they can finally grab a bite, Asahina tells her that she has to finish a report to be submitted today so Miki decides to go home alone.

At this time, Yamato has finally finished training and bumps into the girls. He decides to call Miho to bring an umbrella for him when Asahina offers to lend her umbrella. Yamato is hesitant to accept it but gives in when Asahina says that she is going somewhere with Miki. This makes Miki puzzled as Asahina had insisted on staying behind alone just now. When Asahina falls into a daze while looking at Yamato, Miki asks her if she is in love with him. Miki mentions that Asahina has been behaving strangely ever since she returned from Hiroshima and it is obvious that she has the intention of waiting for Yamato based on her actions just now. Asahina denies this so Miki does not probe further and offers to treat her to cakes.

The next day, Honoka invites Yamato out for tea which leads their fellow teammates to remark that they are getting along very well. Asahina is observing their actions when Miki tells her to go to the karaoke together.

Yamato and Honoka are walking along the streets when his attention is taken away by a CM of a MD player featuring an idol Shirakawa Nana. Honoka thinks that Yamato likes Nana but he explains that he is interested in the MD player which makes her relieved.

The two of them go for tea where Yamato notices that Honoka is looking around repeatedly. She then reveals that her friend wishes to meet Yamato today and it turns out that Honoka's friend is Nana. Yamato is shocked to see that they are friends and everyone is looking at them as a result. As such, they decide to go to a karaoke so that they can chat without interruptions.

Honoka and Nana knew each other since junior high when the latter was smoking at the shrine which Honoka's family is managing. Nana was quite well-known at that time but Honoka did not know her so she treated Nana like an ordinary person unlike others. As such, they became friends easily. Nana explains that she wanted to meet Yamato because Honoka has never been in a relationship and she tells Yamato not to force himself on Honoka like the last encounter. Honoka gets embarrassed and runs away to the toilet.

Miki and Asahina happen to be in the same karaoke lounge when the latter spots Yamato with Nana in one of the rooms. She barges inside and scolds Yamato for betraying Honoka but this turns out to be a big misunderstanding. As such, the five of them decide to sing together.

Asahina moves closer to Yamato because Miki is coming in later but this leads Honoka to ask him to move closer to her as if she doesn't want Asahina to be near Yamato. Nana observes the unnatural atmosphere between the three of them.

Miki tells Asahina and Yamato to choose their songs but he does not feel like singing. Asahina mocks Yamato for not having the guts to sing so he decides to choose a song to prove her wrong. Coincidentally, the two of them choose the same song. Miki suggests that they can sing a duet which they agree to. However, when Yamato sees how unhappy Honoka looks, he tells Asahina to sing the song alone.

Yamato and Nana send Honoka home when Nana remarks that Yamato is a good boyfriend. However, she gets angry when he says that he will put in more effort to make Honoka happy and not upset her. Nana mentions that he's just trying to convince himself that he's a good boyfriend and put on an act in front of Honoka instead of showing his true self to her. She points out that Yamato has never bothered to understand Honoka and this will hurt her in time to come. Yamato realises that he has not put in effort for their relationship when Nana reminds him that Honoka's birthday is in 3 days' time. This makes Yamato feel that he has to change his attitude towards Honoka...

Well, right from the start, Yamato is obviously not in love with Honoka. He was just going with the flow from the moment Honoka kissed him. As such, he has to put in effort to convince himself that he loves her and take care not to upset her. I mean, if you like someone, why is there a need to force yourself to remember this fact? Nana has observed that Yamato is trying too hard and gives him a reminder to wake up from his ideal boyfriend behaviour. As to whether Yamato can learn how to change the situation, I doubt so. He still has feelings for Asahina but he may not know it since he's too caught up with trying to make Honoka happy.

As for Miki, she can see that Asahina does feel something for Yamato but she knows that probing further will amount to nothing. Thus, she chooses to lighten the atmosphere instead by changing the topic. I think Asahina feels grateful towards Miki for her consideration instead of pushing her into a corner.

Although I was rooting for Honoka initially, I really cannot stand her behaviour of late. She's dating Yamato, for heavens' sake. I know she still feels unsure about his feelings for her but showing that hurt or upset expression every now and then to dictate Yamato's actions indirectly really got on my nerves. At least when she went after Yamato, she had confidence in herself but now that she has achieved her aim, that self-confidence seems to have disappeared into thin air.

Honey and Clover Ep 21

When I was a child, I used to ride my blue bicycle everywhere I went. Once, I started to think about how far I could go if I rode on without turning back. I still think of this question now. What was I trying to test at that time?

Takemoto returns to Hanamoto's office where he announces that he has failed another job interview. Just then, he sees a visitor inside who introduces himself as Usui and is a graduate from the university. Hanamoto says that Usui was his student and is now managing a made-to-order furniture business. Takemoto spots a revolving cabinet which Hanamoto is using to store his spray can paints. Hanamoto asks Usui how much he should pay for it and the latter changes the price from 500,000 yen to 20,000 yen at will when Hanamoto remarks that it is expensive. As such, this leads Hanamoto to remark if Usui can sustain his business like this but he says that he gets by. Usui sees that Takemoto is fascinated with the cabinet and asks the latter if he's interested to join his company. At the mention of a job, Takemoto agrees to it without further thought even though Hanamoto says that he should find out more first before deciding.

That night, a celebration party for Takemoto finding a job is held at Hanamoto's apartment. Everyone is happy for Takemoto who had been rejected numerous times to date. Hanamoto says that although Usui's company is small, it takes on interesting projects like building a ninja-style house with a maze in the garden. Just then, the phone rings. When Hanamoto answers the call from Usui, he is horrified to find out that the client who built the ninja house has run away without paying up which leads to the collapse of Usui's company. As such, Takemoto has returned to square one again which makes him very disheartened.

Hanamoto mentions to Yamada that Takemoto is feeling very down and he doesn't know how to cheer him up. He asks Yamada what she is making where she replies that it's a sample which Nomiya asked her to make. Hanamoto remarks that she has done very well but she doesn't think that she has achieved much.

The Fujiwara brothers patch up which leads to the transfer of operations from Tottori back to Tokyo. This creates chaos as Miwako, Yamazaki and Nomiya have to juggle projects from Tottori in addition to their existing work. Given that there is a sizeable number of projects to complete in Tottori, Nomiya and Yamazaki decide to go there for the time being and finish the work.

Nomiya passes his apartment keys to Miwako for safekeeping where she remarks that he should get Yamada to do it. However, he says that he doesn't want his apartment to reek of alcohol when he returns. Yamazaki also wants to give his keys to Miwako but she says that she will use his house for Leader or rent it out for money to spend on spas. Nomiya consoles Yamazaki who feels upset at the way Miwako is treating him.

Yamada happens to bump into Nomiya as she's heading for Fujiwara Design to submit the samples. However, he does not tell her that he's going to Tottori for 6 months due to work. When Yamada meets Miwako, she is surprised to know about Nomiya's temporary transfer to Tottori and wonders why he did not tell her about this just now.

Takemoto stares at his empty fridge and realises that the sound from the running motor is what he has been hearing all along in his mind. He then goes cycling without telling anyone...

Mayama returns home but finds Takemoto missing from his room...

Meanwhile, Takemoto finds himself at an unknown beach after cycling for a long time...

Mayama tells Hanamoto and the rest about Takemoto's disappearance without a word where they are worried about his safety. Given that he has experienced a series of setbacks due to his graduation project and finding employment, Mayama and Hanamoto wonder if Takemoto will commit suicide but they refrain from talking about this possibility. Yamada mentions that Takemoto could have gone on a journey to find his true self but Morita doesn't understand why he must do that. Hagu wonders if it's fine not to look for Takemoto but Hanamoto says that this will be of no use until Takemoto feels that he has achieved his aim. They find out later from Tokudaiji-sensei that Hanamoto is speaking from experience as he had gone on a self-searching trip for 7 times but he always had to turn back because Harada and Rika were worried and managed to find him every time. Hanamoto says that Takemoto should be fine at the moment so they should drop the issue now as he doesn't want to be reminded of his unsuccessful trips.

Takemoto has spent the night in the open for 2 nights and wonders what he is doing. He realises that he has not contacted his friends who must be worried for him. When he sees a family playing happily on the beach, he feels like crying but his stomach growls due to hunger. Takemoto laments that he can still feel hungry despite being on the verge of tears.

Mayama, Morita and Hanamoto go to the post office and find out that Takemoto had withdrawn cash from his account by updating his passbook. Hanamoto remarks that it's just like Takemoto to have saved so much money since he doesn't dabble in alcohol, gambling, smoking or women. At the mention that Takemoto doesn't have a girlfriend, this is also reflective of Hanamoto and Mayama's situation and this makes them pity themselves. Hanamoto deposits some money into Takemoto's account and says that this is his salary for this month as the latter has been helping him with work. However, Mayama says that helping Takemoto too much will make him lose the meaning of this journey. Meanwhile, Takemoto notices that his balance has seemed to increase but he doesn't think much about this and proceeds to buy some food.

As Takemoto is riding through a tunnel, he keeps pondering over the meaning of his actions. When trucks pass him by at a close distance, Takemoto realises that he has been living in fear of not knowing what to do in future and letting the days pass by aimlessly. Takemoto sees the light at the end of the tunnel after riding for some time. This gives him the idea that he can continue riding which may help him see what he wants to do...

I can understand how Takemoto feels. Apprehensive over what the future holds, being rejected at job interviews and yet worried about letting the days pass by just like that. Although I may not be able to do something like a self-discovery journey at the moment, I do admire Takemoto's courage to proceed further even though he wasn't sure of why he had embarked on the trip in the first place. Continue riding in order to find his goal...this seems to be applicable to real life where many people go with the flow for the time being and see if they can find something they want to do along the way. I can't say that this is a definite answer to the question of apprehension over one's future but it's an alternative other than doing nothing at the moment. In my case, I haven't found what I'm searching for yet so I'm switching tracks now. I don't regret compromising my expectations or ideals during the process but I do think of the possibilities that would have arisen if I carried on searching for something which I don't know in the first place. This issue really hit me hard and caused me to think about what I've been doing.

Yamada seems to mind the fact that Nomiya did not tell her about his transfer. I think her opinion of Nomiya changed after the night they spent together in Yokohama and he might be the answer to cure Yamada of her pining for Mayama. That is not to say that Nomiya is a substitute for Mayama but rather, he knows Yamada's thoughts and help her to see herself better. This level of self-realisation is important because Yamada does need someone to knock some sense into her. And Nomiya has proven himself to be a deeper person than what Mayama had thought and the impression that he's a playboy who's not serious at all. However, he seems to be keeping a distance from Yamada as he doesn't want her to come close just to take him as a substitute for Mayama. In this case, Nomiya may be serious about Yamada but he's not sure whether she will like him as he is or come to him out of loneliness. Maybe that's why he didn't tell Yamada personally about his transfer.

Monster Ep 65 - Yohan no Ashiato (Johan's footsteps)

Capek is horrified to find Johan at his mansion when he goes there to hide himself. Johan assures Capek that he has not added poison into the red wine. He then asks Capek about the whereabouts of Franz Bonaparta as he knows that the latter is still alive...

Capek's bodyguards go to the hotel where Nina is staying so as to capture her. However, she is well-prepared for their sudden appearance. She is shocked to know that The Baby has been murdered and that it was Capek who gave orders to come after her. She then asks the bodyguards to bring her to Capek.

The police comes to Milan's place for investigations on the motive of his assassination attempt. The residents there are looking on silently as they recall how Tenma left some time ago and told them to take care of themselves. Tenma reminded them not to think of revenge for Milan where they should concentrate on achieving their dream of touring one another's hometowns together. The police manage to find lots of information on Capek in Milan's room and decide to look for him with regards to this case. Just then, they receive news about The Baby's murder and proceed to handle this matter first.

Tenma tails the man who has been seen with Capek frequently to an apartment. The man calls out for Johan in the apartment but the latter is not around. As such, he settles down comfortably to read a book while waiting for Johan to turn up. When the man hears footsteps, he assumes that it is Johan but it turns out that Eva has entered the apartment with a gun.

Capek's bodyguards bring Nina to his mansion and they see him sitting in a daze. Nina remembers Capek from her scary memories and rushes up to him with her gun. Capek is not concerned about this since Johan said that Nina will finish him off. Nina can't stop herself from panting due to fear as Capek tells her to kill him quickly. She finally calms down and makes Capek bring her to where Johan is.

Eva laments that Martin would not have died if she didn't point out Johan to Capek and the man. She forces him to tell her where Johan is and says that he did not appear for the past 2 weeks. When the man claims that he doesn't know, Eva shoots his ear and states that she's serious about this matter. Eva reveals that she knows about his identity i.e. Christof Sievernich who is the heir of Germany's most influential conglomerate and wants to find out what Capek is up to by introducting Christof to Johan. Christof says that he has known Johan for a long time since they were in 511 Kinderheim before he was adopted by the Sievernichs. This was unknown to Capek who thought he had brought them together. Johan had saved Christof at that time when the massacre among the children and adults happened so they are long-time buddies and he's going to help Johan achieve his aim. When Eva asks Christof what they are planning to do, he takes the chance to divert her attention and snatches her gun. He rants about Eva spoiling his looks by shooting his ear and gets hysterical. Just then, Tenma barges into the apartment to save Eva as gunshots are heard...

On the way to meet Johan, Capek asks Nina why she doesn't kill him even though she has regained her memory. He then drops a bombshell by saying that he knows how the twins were born...

It was mentioned all along that Johan is the sole survivor from 511 Kinderheim's massacre but now, we know there's another guy who was saved by him. I wonder how Johan would know that this guy would be of use to him in future because it seems strange that he will save anyone without an agenda. Given Christof's influence as a heir of the Sievernichs, he should be able to provide monetary support to Johan.

As for Nina, just what exactly did she remember from the past which is making her behave like this? And Capek seems to know something about Johan and Nina's background which suggests that their births were premediated.

Hagane no Renkin Jutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist) Ep 38 - Kawa no nagare ni (The flow of the river)

Winry goes to Hughes' grave again and happens to meet Sheska there who has also come to pay respects to him. Meanwhile, Ed and Al are wondering how they should go to Isbal since the tractor that Winry got for them crashes into a cliff. As there are no trains going there and the roads are closed from public access, the brothers have no choice but to walk there. Al is worried for Ed because he will not be affected at all by the journey but Ed says that they don't have an alternative.

Ed and Al finally reach a town where Ed remarks that things will work out somehow since they can rent a vehicle to get themselves to Isbal. Al is not optimistic about this and reminds Ed that they are just ordinary children without the millitary's influence behind them. Al tells Ed to think of the consequences before he does anything and questions whether they should stop Scar because the purpose of their journey is to obtain Kenja no Ishi. He feels that they should settle the Homculus first but Ed thinks that Al is the one who should think clearly as to whether they are doing the right thing. The two of them get into an argument which results in the use of alchemy to outdo each other. In the end, Ed flares up at the mention of their father and walks away to cool down while leaving Al behind.

Winry and Sheska have a chat over tea where the latter reveals that she has been investigating Hughes' murder and finds that there are some puzzling points. However, Sheska does not believe in anyone within the millitary and asks Winry to listen to her or she might blow up from keeping it to herself.

Ed is having lunch in a restaurant and he subconsciously calls out to Al. However, Al is nowhere to be seen since Ed left him behind after their quarrel. Ed decides that it's time to end the quarrel and goes to look for Al.

Sheska brings Winry to her home where she reveals that Hughes was checking on what happened in the 5th laboratory and the Isbal war before he was murdered. As such, the reason why Hughes was killed could be due to him knowing something which he wasn't supposed to.

Al is roaming the streets and thinks about how Ed would react when he meets Sloth. Suddenly, someone stops him and Al is surprised to see Martel in this town.

Sheska shows Winry a picture of Juliet Douglas' grave which states clearly that she died two years before the Isbal war. This was sent from her hometown and Hughes had put it inside his file. As such, Sheska believes that the Juliet Douglas in the millitary i.e. Sloth should be an imposter. Besides, the real Douglas should be in her 50s if she was still alive but the current President's secretary looks like she's in her 30s. Winry believes that they might find out more on Hughes' murder if they follow up on this lead. As such, Winry suggests planting a bug to eavesdrop on Douglas' telephone conversations since they cannot get close to her.

Martel reveals that she has been following Ed and Al as she wants to take revenge for Greed against the Homculus. As such, she asks Al to tell her where she can find them...

Winry enters the millitary office while wearing Sheska's uniform which does not fit her. Just then, they happen to meet Ross and Brosh along the corridor where Winry tries to avoid them from seeing her. Ross senses that something is not right but does not think of going to check further.

Sheska brings Winry to the place where the telephone connections are at where the latter breaks the locks easily. They enter the narrow and dark tunnel and Winry plants a bug in the telephone line.

Al refuses to tell Martel about the whereabouts of the Homculus since this would defeat the purpose of Greed and his gang saving Martel's life. However, she reminds Al that she cannot lead a normal life anymore since she's a kimera. With Greed's death, she doesn't have a place to go thus she has nothing to lose in this revenge attempt. Al states that he will not help Martel to take revenge and plans to stop her. It is now that Al realises that Scar is like Martel where he will have to stop them from doing such things.

Ed searches for Al but to no avail. When he sees a river in the distance, he remembers that when he was a child, Al would always go to the riverside after a fight with Ed without fail.

Sloth receives a phone call and hears that there are interferences during the conversation. She realises that her phone line has been bugged and ends the call from Envy quickly. Sloth then proceeds to look for the culprit behind this matter.

Sheska and Winry prepare to leave but they are shocked to see Sloth in her liquid state. As they try to run away from her, Ross realises that she had seen Winry with Sheska just now and runs to look for them with Brosh. Just then, Sloth shows her face to Winry who murmurs that she is Ed and Al's mother. Ross and Brosh appear in the nick of time to save them as Sloth runs away at the sight of them.

Ed comes to the riverside and finds Al sitting there. Al tells Ed that he has no more doubts about going to stop Scar first and asks why he knew his whereabouts. Ed says that Al has remained the same all these years as he would always go to the riverside when they quarrel. Just as they are pondering over how to go to Isbal, Martel appears with a vehicle and offers to drive them there. Upon hearing that she is an acquaintance of Al, Ed hops on while Al tells Martel that he will stop her from taking revenge for sure...

Actually, Winry and Sheska are quite rash to plant a bug just like that. Their enemies are not human and it's hard to deal with them. As such, they could do with more planning but at the heat of the moment, I doubt they will take the time to be patient. If not for Sloth's hesitance when Winry murmured that she resembled Ed and Al's mother, Tricia and Ross & Brosh's timely appearance, the two of them could have been killed.

For Ed and Al, it's an ironic situation for them. On one hand, they want Kenja no Ishi but they have to stop Scar from making it by sacrificing Rioru's people. Next episode looks exciting as the millitary will also go to Rioru. Whenever the millitary gets involved, it will always seem to involve bloodshed.

Paradise Kiss Ep 03: Kiss

Eagerly waiting for school to end does not mean that I'm dying to see that guy...

At the atorie, the members of ParaKiss are chit-chatting when George asks Yukari why she's looking under the weather and if this had to do with drinking champagne last night. She denies this but ends up scalding her lips with hot tea when she's not paying attention. He then asks Miwako to take Yukari's measurements before he returns to school for a torso used for dress making. George asks Yukari for her handphone number where she feels very nervous when he stands close to her. He reminds Yukari to concentrate on her studies for the time being and she realises that there is no need for her to come to the atorie every day. Somehow, this upsets Yukari as she would not be able to see George outside of the atorie.

During tuition class, Yukari can't concentrate at all and keeps thinking about George. Even when she returns home, she is eagerly anticipating him to call her handphone. However, Yukari feels that it's not right to think of George in the romantic sense and tries to remind herself that she likes Tokumori in the first place.

Miwako sees that Arashi has skipped fashion history class again which he finds boring. She mentions that she's meeting Yukari for tea and asks Arashi if he wants to come along. He rejects her offer which she replies happily that her intention is to spend time alone with Yukari and it's better if Arashi doesn't tag along.

After school, Yukari invites Tokumori to go somewhere with her but she does not reveal that they are meeting Miwako and Arashi as she wants it to be a surprise reunion for them. However, they happen to meet George on the way where he ignores Yukari as if they are strangers. Upon seeing George's response, Yukari shouts his name but he refuses to turn back. Tokumori asks Yukari if she knows that guy i.e. George where she denies it. Yukari is very disturbed by George's behaviour and Tokumori notices that she is thinking about something. He reveals that he's been thinking of the meaning behind going to a good university which leads Yukari to remark that even the No.1 student in school is troubled over such things.

At the cafe, Miwako and Tokumori are shocked at seeing each other. Yukari asks why Miwako did not bring Arashi along since she wanted to create a reunion for the three of them where Miwako apologises for not telling Arashi properly. When Yukari offers to call Arashi, Tokumori stops her and says that they can meet another time. He diverts the topic and says that he's surprised that Miwako also knows Yukari. Just then, Yukari prepares to leave so that Tokumori and Miwako can chat. She also promises to keep this meeting a secret from Arashi.

Yukari meets Arashi at the entrance of the atorie where he asks why she is not with Miwako. Yukari lies that Miwako had something to do and Arashi bids her goodbye as he's going for band practice.

As Yukari walks down the staircase, she bumps into George who is preparing to leave. Yukari tries to explain to George about her relationship with Tokumori but he gives her the cold shoulder. She has no choice but to grab hold of him and questions George why he is treating her like this. George says that he's jealous of Tokumori since he might have fallen for Yukari. This shocks her so much that she loses her balance but George manages to grab her arm before she falls down the stairs...

Meanwhile, Tokumori and Miwako are chatting at the cafe where she feels very guilty about what happened 2 years ago. At that time, Miwako had to choose between Arashi and Tokumori where she told the latter that she didn't want to see him anymore. Miwako regrets hurting Tokumori in that way but he says that he has gotten over it. As he has to go for tuition class, he tells Miwako to come to his father's shop with Arashi if they are free since his parents miss them.

At the same time, George lets go of Yukari's arm and tells her to answer her handphone since it might be Tokumori on the line. However, Yukari denies this possibility since Tokumori doesn't know her number. George refuses to believe her where Yukari keeps explaining that she doesn't want him to misunderstand things and hopes to have a close and amicable relationship with him. George turns back and asks Yukari how close she wants them to be. He kisses her hand and asks if it's enough. Yukari doesn't want George to have the upper hand all the time and rebukes that this is simply not enough to satisfy her. George bends closer to kiss Yukari on her lips but his handphone rings at this moment. As such, George makes a date to meet Yukari on Saturday where he declares that he will satisfy Yukari so much that she feels like dying...

After tuition class, Yukari sees Miwako waiting for her outside where the latter says that she's here to pass the photos of the welcome party to Yukari. Miwako reveals that she called Yukari just now but she does not dare to tell Miwako about what went on between her and George. Even though Miwako pretends that nothing is bothering her, Yukari can sense that Miwako has something on her mind and suggests that they have a chat at the fast food restaurant. Miwako thinks that it's not nice to talk to Yukari about this since she likes Tokumori but Yukari reveals that she has someone in her mind now instead of Tokumori.

Miwako says that she's not feeling too well in her stomach which makes Yukari concerned. However, Miwako insists that she will be fine after eating the rainbow candy given by Arashi and Tokumori when they were kids. Miwako confides in Yukari that she feels bad about hurting Tokumori due to her choosing Arashi. Yukari states that the reason why Miwako chose Arashi would be because she loves him more than Tokumori so there's no reason to be sad since she's very happy with Arashi. Later, Miwako goes to Arashi's department and says that she will do anything to make him happy. This leaves Arashi puzzled about Miwako's sudden declaration of love where they spend the night together in the end.

As for Yukari, she realises that she has fallen for George and removes Tokumori's picture from her student handbook. However, she can't bear to throw the photo away so she hides it at the corner of her drawer.

The next day, Yukari apologises to Tokumori for bringing him to meet Miwako without knowing what actually happened between them but he says that it's OK. Later that day, Yukari's friends ask her to go out on Saturday but she rejects them because she has agreed to meet George. Her mind is entirely on their meeting but she starts to worry if George did not mean what he said since he hasn't called her at all since that day.

Saturday finally arrives and Yukari starts to feel that the possibility of George taking her for a ride gets higher. As such, she tries to persuade herself that it's OK if they don't meet. However, she decides to make a final attempt by calling George who arranges to meet her outside the atorie. Actually, they had both thought that the other party would call up thus resulting in this misunderstanding.

When Yukari sees George, she grumbles about how his lack of response has resulted in her distraction over the past few days. George then traps Yukari against the wall and asks if she is unwilling to meet him today. If so, he can stop himself from getting involved at this juncture before they get serious about each other. Yukari objects to this and tells George not to do that. They start to kiss passionately when George's handphone rings. At first, they try to ignore the incessant ringing but Yukari tells George to answer it as she's getting out of breath. The phone call is actually from Arashi who is hurrying George to meet him at Nippori to buy materials for the dress. As Yukari goes along with George, their relationship is exposed to everyone at ParaKiss...

The kiss scene was too short but the atmosphere was definitely electrifying! Someone should tell them to switch off their handphones while kissing or else they would be constantly interrupted. ^__^ When George said that he will satisfy Yukari until she feels like dying, that is so suggestive and cool in my opinion.

"Omae wo shinu hodo manzoku sasete yaru."

He has great faith in himself that he knows that Yukari will not look at another man again once they get together. Likewise for Yukari, she knows that her anxiety to explain things to George when he got jealous over her appearing with Tokumori suggests how much George means to her. Seems like they are progressing further in the next episode as Yukari stays over at George's place...

I only realised it in the third episode that George's seiyuu, Hamada Kenji appeared in Hachikuro as Nomiya. No wonder I find George's voice vaguely familiar but did not bother to research further. Nomiya & George...they are kind of similar in the sense that they put on a cool pretence in front of others but they are not what others think of them when it comes to their true selves. And I find both characters equally attractive...

As for Miwako's choice, I don't think choosing Arashi meant that she loved him more in absolute terms. It's just that Arashi had threatened to leave her if she chose Tokumori. Miwako may have felt subconsciously that Tokumori will forgive her for choosing Arashi and decided to stick to Arashi since he's likely to go ahead with the threat of ignoring Miwako forever. Of course, this may also be interpreted as she is more scared of losing Arashi as compared to Tokumori. Too bad for Tokumori, he seems to like Yukari now but she is totally obsessed with George to see this. It's all a matter of timing. Maybe if Tokumori and Yukari had got together before she met George, things might have changed. However, George is so charming that Yukari might still fall for him even with Tokumori by her side.

Yakitate Japan Ep 51

The servant brings Pierro to see the potrait of his mother who had passed away when he was born and the latter finds out that she used to read the book, The night of the Galaxy Express by Miyazawa Kenji. However, she died before being able to carry Pierro which makes him burst into tears at the thought of his mother.

The last match in the Monaco Cup final begins where there is a large number of spectators due to Pierro's new identity as the successor of the Monaco kingdom. The theme of this round is the nostalgic hometown flavour where Azuma and Shadow have to make bread of Japanese and American flavours respectively.

Shadow amazes everyone at first with his fast dough kneading skills where Kanmuri remarks that he must be trying to make bagel. On the other hand, Azuma pours hemp juice into the dough made from the seeds. However, Shadow retalliates by steaming red crane rice from Yamagata Prefecture which is a top class product and rare in quantity due to difficulty in cultivation. He then mixes it with the dough which leads Pierro to remind Shadow that he should make an American style bread instead of using a Japanese ingredient. Shadow is not bothered at all and shows that he's prepared by using an American health drink, Rice Dream in order to comply with the rules of the contest. Due to the fact that America has a short history and has lots of immigrants, its cuisine was actually developed from other countries. In addition, bagel was first created in New York so Pierro gives Shadow the go-ahead to proceed with his creation.

Meanwhile, Azuma is scattering some powdery stuff into the dough. Shadow continues to grab everyone's attention by cooking his dough in traditional English red tea named Quality Season which is among the best. This gives the dough a strong aroma and unique taste. Finally, Shadow deep-fries his bagel so as to bring out the flavour in red crane rice since baking the dough will make the bagel too hard to be eaten. However, Azuma is still baking his bread at the moment.

Pierro tastes Shadow's bagel and stands still with his eyes wide open. Just then, he sees himself as a child and takes a ride on the galaxy express to meet his mother on a planet. Pierro is shocked to see many faces of his mother on the surface of the planet and has to repeat his life story to each face which makes him extremely exhausted. He finds that there are 50,000 faces of his mother on this planet and suddenly regains consciousness in the real world. Shadow is proud of the fact that he let Pierro see 50,000 faces of his mother where the latter is full of praise for the bagel.

Kirisaki observes that there's something about Azuma's production method which bothers him and calls Yukino to bring forward their plan which makes her bewildered. At the same time, Azuma prepares to deep fry his doughnut after baking so that it would not absorb too much oil. However, Azuma is using oil extracted from hemp seeds mixed with sesame oil for the deep-frying process. Kanmuri is not optimistic about Azuma's chances. When Pierro tries to taste the doughnut, Azuma tells him that this is not finished as he needs to bake it again. Before he puts it into the oven, Azuma sprinkles another unknown powdery substance on the doughnut in order to bring about the caramelization effect. Matsushiro tells Kanmuri that the best bread is not made from combining the best ingredients only and believes that Azuma has a chance to defeat Shadow. When Azuma finally finishes his doughnut, Pierro can hardly wait to taste it...

I can't help but feel that sometimes, the endless incredible ingredients mentioned in this anime do really taste that good after being combined together. Is it just made up of nowhere or is there any theory to prove the authenticity of such recipes? Well, seeing how the characters go crazy about the various delicious bread on display, it just doesn't feel the same when I eat bread in real life. However, Azuma using so much of hemp in his doughnut, is that really healthy as what they claim?

Kirisaki is planning something with Yukino and he knows that Shadow will lose to Azuma. That's why he told her to execute the plan now while the Pantasia gang are all in Monaco so that they can't do anything to stop him. I guess he should be referring to the takeover of Pantasia by force.