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.

So You Want a Japanese Tattoo...

Ah tattoos...very personal symbols indeed. From what image to colors, to placement you use is your own. As otaku, there may be certain...Japanese tattoos that inspire you. So allow me to give you some advice on how to go about getting your perfect ink. This entry will only be about designs. I'll post another bit later on choosing an artist and the process.

First and foremost, you have to remember that tattoos are permanent. Yes, there is painful, expensive surgery to get rid of them; but why would you waste your time, money, and pain tolerance on removal when you can just take your time in thinking about what you want on your skin for the rest of your life. For now, we'll focus on three Japanese styles: art, kanji, and anime.

Art: Japanese art tattoos have a very distinct style that suits skin well. Ever notice how tattooed images can look a little...cartoony? Well Japanese style tats bend that look into a graceful art. However, there is something important to keep in mind...the Yakuza.

I was quite surprised when my friend in Kanazawa informed me that tattoos are not very well accepted in Japan. In fact, most tattoos are associated with Yakuza. You wouldn't be allowed in most hot springs without covering your ink. Even worse, you damn well better not get caught by one of these guys with a full-body Yakuza design. Take the Japanese tattoo style and make it something of your own. Don't be a poser.

Kanji: The same friend of mine has a brother who got some kanji tattooed on his neck. He thought it read "spiritual energy" but ended up actually being something more like "sexual power." The moral of this story is: always research your kanji. There are websites that will charge you to design your kanji tattoo, but if it's not something too obscure, you can easily do some internet research and save some images. Be sure to cross-reference your words. Just like in English, there are heterographs (words that sound the same, but have different spellings and meanings such as "roll" and "role" or "bored" and "board.") For example, the word "jishin" can mean both "earthquake" or "self-confidence" depending on how the kanji is drawn.

I got lucky with my kanji tattoo. I always knew that I wanted "unmei" on my left ankle. I happened to wander into a store where they had a calligrapher who would design the tattoos for the artists to trace on the skin. (There's a funny story here, but this is a lengthy post as is) As long as you know exactly what you want and how the kanji is supposed to look, you should be alright.

Anime: We love our anime. Some of it means more to us than others. Sometimes we find a symbol or a character we can relate to on a deep level. The most important question to ask yourself when considering an anime tattoo is "Will I be embarrassed to explain to others what this is?" If the answer is "yes," you might want to reconsider.

As some of you heard, I recently got an anime-related tattoo. I don't have a finished image yet, but I'll post it when I do. I decided to get the rose crest from the TV version of "Revolutionary Girl Utena." Why that symbol? I have my reasons. It's not just because I love the anime, but it's a series that some of my dearest friends and I bonded over. To me, it doesn't just symbolize my passion for anime, it also symbolizes the love I have for my friends.

In conclusion, think long and hard about what you want etched into your skin. Make it worth your time, money, and pain. More on the mechanics of getting a tattoo next time.

Tips for Making Good AMVs

Today I'm going to be sharing some tips on editing good anime music videos, aka "AMVs." I learned video editing back in high school and it's always been a passion of mine. I should really get into editing my own again.

Tip 1: Choose appropriate music - When it comes to music videos, you should work with music that inspires you. One thing I recommend for any AMV editor is to shorten your music. Four minutes really drags on, especially if it's a slow song. You can make a quality video in a mere two to two and a half minutes.

Tip 2: Feel the beat! - Cuts made on the downbeat or upbeat are generally more aesthetic than cuts that are made at random.

Tip 3: Setting a scene to music is not editing...it is laziness!!! - You can't lay a two minute scene from an anime over a piece of music and call it an AMV. That's not editing.

Tip 4: Tell a story - A good music video will tell a story or convey a basic theme without dialogue. You need to keep in mind that nobody gives a rat's ass if that one verse in that one Linkin Park song reminds you of your most painful breakup. Make your idea accessible. The video below is a classic AMV called "Tainted Donuts." With only a very small amount of dialogue at the beginning, it successfully tells a story about Spike from Cowboy Bebop attempting to collect a bounty on Vash from Trigun.



Tip 5: Beware of jump cuts - What is a "jump cut"? A jump cut is an edit between two similar shots without any kind of transitional shot. It's very jarring and looks amateur if you don't do it right. Ways to avoid this include cutting to something else (a cut away) or significantly closer (cut in) or further from the subject.



Tip 6: Ooh those pesky subtitles - If the audience can see subtitles in your work, then they instantly know it's a fansub. Plus, they look out of place and terrible. Cover them up with black bars if you must use them. Big BUT here....BUT...if you do use them, use them over your entire video. Changing your aspect ratio is also very awkward to watch.


All right. Those are all the tips I can think of for now. If I come up with any more, I'll edit them in.

Making Your Mark: Part 3 of 3

For those of you who actually listened to the latest Anime 3000 podcast, you likely heard my closing statement about how we otaku need to better represent ourselves through our appearance, speech, and writing. Since I've already elaborated on the first two, let's move on to the final part of my editorial: writing.

Part Three: I'll Take "The Penis Mightier," Alex

(Anyone else notice the grammatical error in that picture?)

There aren't too many people left in this world who have never been on a forum. Heck, my dad is nearly 70 and even he's on them. The one thing that truly appalled him though was the way people write. Quite frankly, there is nothing I find more frustrating than trying to translate some poorly written rant. So here are some tips to make you a better writer. Or for some of you, a better arguer.

1) Practice makes perfect. You should have a grasp of the English language by the sixth grade well enough to know that complete sentences generally require a subject and a predicate. There is no excuse not to be able to handle them. Periods are your friend. Psychologists say that the human brain has difficulty retaining its short term memory of information over a certain length (a good argument for the 7-digit phone number). When you break up your thoughts with appropriate punctuation, it makes it easier for others to comprehend and remember what you write.

2) Edit before (or after) you post. Fortunately, most forums have a handy dandy "edit" button. I use them often. Now if I actually paused to reread my writings before hitting "post" I might not have to use it so much. You may not have this luxury in a live chat, but it only takes a few seconds to read what you just typed before hitting "enter" to send it. Typing mistakes happen. I'm horrible with those in live chat. Still, it's your responsibility to make sure your ideas come across clearly.

3) Don't assume to know something you don't. One of my biggest pet peeves are writers who assume they know how the entertainment industry works, but really don't. Get your facts straight. Link to a source. My martial arts teacher always told us that admitting that you don't know something carries far more integrity than pulling an answer out of your ass.

4) Long lists suck. On many anime forums, I see lots of threads that say "What are your top five ____?" Responders then go on to post twenty-plus answers! They asked you for your top five, not your top twenty usually because they need to narrow down a decision. Nobody wants to read your stupid, long list. It only makes you look like a know-it-all douchebag with no focus. You know how people always tell you to keep your cover letter and resume short when seeking work? Same concept. People don't actually want to take the time to slog through something longwinded. (*eyes the length of this post*)

5) Name calling gets you nowhere...unless you do it right. There is no reason to get nasty when arguing with someone. There are plenty of funny, smart, and sassy ways to insult a poster if you take the time to think. Just saying, "Lulz noob" doesn't make you look any more intelligent or worthy of attention than the original poster.

In conclusion, other readers will take you more seriously if you practice writing with some patience. I find that I barely have to write two sentences in a forum post, but others will respect my opinion because I present myself as an intelligent human being (they don't need to know I'm a vampire). Take the time to use proper punctuation and spelling with solid messages, and you will find that the way others respond to you will change for the better.

Oh man, I really hope there aren't any typos in this post. >.<

Thank You!

This is a very special and very silly reward to all of you for helping me reach 500+ followers on Twitter. I appreciate that each of you take the time to read what I have to say...well, except the spam bots.
Fuck them.

So without further ado...the Baka song:

Teggy & Taliesin (not sitting in a tree)

So a girl walks into a coffee house....

Last week, I started attending my friend Spenser's live radio show called Tales of the Extraordinary at a local cafe. At the first show, I discovered that my former editor/pal/fellow vampire Jordan was also in the cast. I went to the show tonight, and it was even better than the first. Lots of larfs and only a little British sex. At the end of the performance, the director introduced the cast. What surprised me was that I had recognized one of the names, Taliesin Jaffe.

The fangirl in me did a mental SCREEEECH! but I kept my cool. When he sat down next to me to talk to another performer, I decided that as a fellow *cough* industry professional, I should introduce myself.

He was very cool and had about the same reaction that I would have at meeting a fan (the fake, "Oh shit, I'm gonna run away now!" jump). Taliesin has worked with Jordan on a few episodes of Romeo x Juliet, and we got to talking about anime. Taliesin has directed and worked on several anime dubs including Hellsing, Read or Die TV, Ergo Proxy, 3x3 Eyes, and more. As some of you may know, Read or Die was one of the shows I edited for Anime Unleashed on G4 a couple years ago.

We swapped business cards, and I told him a little about G4 Interactive. Maybe someday I can have him on as a guest.

That New Miyazaki Flick

I went to see Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea tonight with my pal Matt after a fun evening of BlazBlue, SingStar 80s, and dinner at Panera. I don't consider myself a Miyazaki fan. Although I appreciate the artwork, it's not really my thing. And quite frankly, I've found most of his movies that I've seen to be rather dull.

As long as you're willing to suspend some disbelief (which can be difficult for me), Ponyo is alright. Keep in mind that it's a kids movie and instead forget the fact that nobody seems to even notice the devastating natural disaster happening around them...and you'll survive. Yes, even the terrible terrible theme song at the end with horribly forced English lyrics and a godawful hip hop beat is tolerable. For once, I can't blame 4Kids.

About 15 minutes into the film, I decided that I need a Ponyo plushie for my desk.
Well....maybe not.

I might have enjoyed the movie more if some asshat teenagers didn't show up 1/3 of the way through the film and chatted loudly through the rest of it. Matt even leaned forward and asked them to shut up. It worked for all of five minutes. I got fed up, so at the end, I grabbed the two obnoxious ones, told them that I placed a curse on them, and then proceeded to tell them off as to how they ruined the film for everyone else by their total lack of manners.

After we left the theater, we noticed that one of them was wearing a full body, lime green unitard. He didn't even have an explanation for it. Oddly enough, the kids seemed in awe of Matt's Gurren Lagann t-shirt that eventually one of them actually apologized to me. I forgave him, shook his hand, and we were cool.

The moral of the story is: If you aren't mature enough to be out in public yet, stay home, especially if you're dressed in a lime green unitard. Also, a Gurren Lagann t-shirt makes an excellent pacifier...apparently.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

No, I'm not talking about convention season. That's almost over.

I'm talking about Halloween, my favorite holiday of them all! Last year, I dressed up as Integra Hellsing from Hellsing, which was really cool and all...but no one in my real life knew who I was. Most of them thought I was Elle Driver from Kill Bill. I suppose that would have been acceptable, but Elle wore the patch over her right eye and didn't wear gloves.

It's almost September, and I don't know what I want to be yet! I'm considering an Orion Starfleet cadet, but I'm open to other options. So now, I'm taking suggestions. Leave a comment with your ideas, but keep in mind that I can't sew. I'm a scavenger cosplayer.

Five Second Failure

You know the whole 5 Second Film trend going on at the moment? Last night, and a bit into today, I was watching a bunch of videos that claimed to be "5 Second Film" forms of anime.

Serious failure.

You can't call it 5 second anime if it's longer than 5 seconds. Besides, most of them aren't even funny and could work in 5 seconds if the editor was willing to try.

Then again, some are easier than others. Behold: