Teggy's Top Ten: Hottest Gentlemen of Anime

I do love my pretty boys! After putting together my list of the top ten hottest gentlemen of video games, I figured I was obligated to do the same for anime. This list does not include manga-only characters, otherwise it would be very different. I'll save that for another time.

Allons-y!

Honorable Mention:
Roy Mustang, Fullmetal Alchemist
Roy will set your heart ablaze with a snap of his fingers.


Honorable Mention:
Alucard, Hellsing
Tati: "Yeah cause I would so totally rub up on Alucard all inappropriate like."



10th Place
Ishida Uryuu, Bleach
Remember what I said about characters who wear white? Ishida carries himself with a steely grace. You'll need to have a will of iron to keep his arrows from piercing your heart. Those sharp glasses make him look like that brainy, quiet guy you know is secretly a stallion in the bedroom.


9th Place
Ran "Aya" Fujimiya, Weiss Kreuz
"Angsty redhead voiced by Takehito Koyasu." Need I say more? Well okay, Aya is a flower shop worker by day and assassin by night. He's willing to take revenge on the mafia with just his guts and a katana. His fantastic haircut and badass jacket secure him a spot on the list. Aya may have placed higher if his show didn't suck so much.


8th Place
Lord Il Palazzo, Excel Saga
Now he may seem like a man of little action, but Il Palazzo has one fantastic quality aside from his golden eyes and long, silver hair: ambition. He wants to take over the city, and then, the world! Besides, who doesn't like a villain with a sense of humor? I even named one of my laptops after Lord Il Plazzo because it was a "huge, silver, sexy bitch."


7th Place
Shinomori Aoshi, Rurouni Kenshin
Now look, it's been a long time since I've watched Kenshin. I don't remember much about Aoshi. But when what I remember is that he's a dead sexy anti-hero who carries an "additional surprise" in his scabbard...that makes him worthy of placing on the list.


6th Place
Zagato, Magic Knight Rayearth
Yes okay, this is an image from the manga, but it was surprisingly difficult to find shots from the anime. Zagato gets his spot for being the token "tall, dark, and handsome" guy. Other appropriate adjectives include "powerful," "intricate," "devoted," and "self-sacrificing." Why? Well you'll just have to watch Rayearth to find out.


5th Place
Kurama/Yoko Kurama, YuYu Hakusho
It's two...two...two bishies in one! Everyday Kurama is intelligent, quiet, and romantic. As deadly as he is in his human form, when pushed to the edge, Kurama turns into a beast...literally. When he transforms into the silver fox Yoko Kurama, you may as well put your head between your knees and kiss your ass goodbye.


4th Place
Kaname & Zero, Vampire Knight
Wait...I can have my cake and eat it too? Take your pick when it comes to this pair. First there is Kaname, the pureblooded vampire aristocrat who could take whatever he wanted, but doesn't. Then there is Zero, a white-haired human who is slowly losing his mind as he transforms into a Level E vampire. Are they in love? Hell no. They both care deeply for the same girl, putting them in direct contention in an environment where peace is essential to survival. With tension this strong, one, if not both, could snap at any moment.


3rd Place
Hotohori, Fushigi Yuugi
It's good to be the king! Even so, Hotohori is more than willing to step away from his throne to fulfill his destiny as one of the seven celestial warriors of Suzaku. He deeply loves his priestess Miaka, but sets his own feelings aside so she can be with another man. His duel with Tamahome is one of the most intense and dramatic fights in anime history.


2nd Place
Allen Schezar, The Vision of Escaflowne
Any girl would trade her favorite pair of shoes to get caught in the rain with Allen. The white knight with the flowing, golden locks is one of the most swoon-worthy characters in anime. The fact that he's stuck on his dead ex, and thus unobtainable, only makes the girls want to win his heart all the more. If you're the kind of woman looking for a man to fix, Allen's your bishie.


1st Place
The gentlemen of Ohtori Academy, Revolutionary Girl Utena
With more wicked upperclassmen than you can shake a stick at, there is plenty of hot bishounen action to go around at Ohtori. If you want the romantic ladies man, your heart will flutter for Touga. If you want a man who will take control, then gamble your well-being on Saionji. If you like the mysterious type who will push you to the breaking point, Ruka will tempt you heart and soul. And if you're willing to make a deal with the devil himself, Akio will take you for the ride of your life.

Shenanigans! - Microsoft XBL 2009 Numbers

This morning, I received a press release from Microsoft about Xbox 360 and Xbox Live activity for the end of 2009. Looking for bits to put in the X-Play news ticker, I came across this quote:

"During this time, Xbox LIVE saw a record peak of more than 2.2 million people using the service at the same time – up 47% over the same period last year."

47% up? That's a pretty hefty number. The time period in question ranges from 12/14/09 to 1/03/10. Roughly, you average school holiday break. Some may attribute this jump in activity to be due to the rebounding economy.

However, this number set off tiny alarms in Teggy's head. Ping! Ping! Ping! Did Microsoft think we'd all forget what happened last year?

Some of you may recall that during the same time period in 2008, Xbox Live was so overwhelmed with new members that many gamers experienced outages for upward of a full week. People bitched and threatened to sue. Then Microsoft offered a free XBLA download to disgruntled clients. The service was never completely offline. Had it been, the increase in activity would have been even higher in 2009.

Don't let this statistic fool you. Microsoft wants it to look like it's huge success when actually last year's pitfall merely left a wider gap for improvement. This happens with retailers all the time. If they're closed on a "Monday" national holiday one year, the next year when the date of that Monday is shifted, they will see a massive sales increase over the same "date" which makes the stores look good.

I'd brand it, but I've yet to find an animated GIF of the Attack of the Show "Shenanigans" graphic.

So You Decided to Get that Japanese Tattoo...

(Note: Please check out the comments section of this article for more helpful advice and links from reader Brian M.)

Now that you've settled on your tattoo design, let's talk a bit about the process. But first, my disclaimer: Teggy is not a tattoo artist nor medical professional. Always consult your artist or a doctor for any medical concerns.

Finding Your Artist
You have your design planned, maybe even a picture printed. If you only have a concept, make sure to ask your potential artists if they hand draw their own work. Most do. All of them should have photos of their body of work. Inspect these books. I walked into a place and saw a crappy book, which was a real turnoff, even though I had a simple, pre-printed image.

If you can, make an appointment in advance and leave yourself plenty of time to have the work done. Advance notice to your artist gives him or her time to prepare materials.

Your artist should have a professional attitude. Remember, this person is going to be carving a permanent image into your skin. They should be treating you with respect, and you should show them the same courtesy.

Trust your gut. If you ever have a bad feeling about the artist, their work, their cleanliness, or their shop, walk away. What're they gonna do? Give you a dirty look? This is your body, after all.

Sanitation
It is law in some states that require artists to open fresh needles in front of you. Needles should always be new and sterile. If you aren't sure, ask. If you can't confirm that they're sterile, don't do it. Your artist should always be wearing gloves when working on you. The area should be clean.

When inquiring about an artist, ask them how they cover their tattoos when they're done. A paper towel and some tape is not acceptable. This is a fresh flesh wound. They should absolutely be using sterile gauze.

The Process
People fear getting a tattoo for the pain. Mostly, it feels like a vibrating needle scratching your skin. Yeah, it stings a bit, but there is far worse out there. The larger the tattoo, the longer it takes. Large tattoos may take multiple sessions. If you need a short break, just ask for one.

Some artists are chatty, others are not. If they aren't, don't chat with them. You really don't want to distract someone with a needle on your skin. Also, you need to sit very still. If you tend to flinch from touch, let your artist know before you start.

Afterward
It is customary to tip your artist. You are paying for them for their skill, so don't be a stingy jerk. Also, expect to pay cash.

Keep you tattoo covered. Change your bandage 1-2 times daily with clean hands. Between changes, clean your tattoo with water and gentle soap. I used alcohol swabs last time (but have since been told that these are too irritating and bad. Keeping the skin moisturized is key). Then coat the tattoo with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin. I tend to keep my tattoos covered for longer than most people, generally 3-5 days. I just find that my scratches generally heal better if I keep them covered.

Around day 3, your scarred skin will start flaking off. Be very gentle when rubbing it away. It will also get itchy about then. DON'T SCRATCH IT. You should know better.

My hairdresser put it best. "A healing tattoo feels like a bruised sunburn." This is why I say keep it covered for 3-5 days. You'll suddenly realize how much contact your skin makes while going through this process.

Touch-Ups
Your artist wants you to be happy with their work. Word-of-mouth is a good way for them to get new clients. If something isn't quite right or you're not 100% happy, wait about 2-3 weeks for your skin to fully heal, and make an appointment for a touch up. Let the shop know you're coming in for a touch up because they often do those for free which means they lose money.