Textbooks I used and I didn't use

Sorry, I fell behind in posting articles. I was busy preparing for a TOEFL took place last week near my place. I think I did well in spite of a humid climate (I was almost dying when I read the note at the entrance hall saying "Please understand our energy-saving policy." We all understood and nobody asked for the air conditioning even when soaked with sweat. the answer sheets from our venue must be salty.) Anyway, I’d like to tell how I studied to all of you who are taking the test too.

Duo 3.0

Very helpful to progress not only your English vocabulary but also your listening ability.

はじめてのTOEFL―必ず出題される基礎文法集中攻略

Intensive grammar practice tests.

TOEFLテストライティング・ゼミ

Tons of know-how for writing.

鋼の錬金術師 英語の錬金術師

Confuses you with the example sentences that are correct in context but doubtful in grammatical use. For example, "King Bradley, how many times do I have to kill you before you die?" However, I love this book because it has a lot of stills taken from the anime and newly drawen pictures.

萌える英単語もえたん

As one of the reviewers points out, it's not reasonable for serious English learners to speak ill of it because this book is not aimed at them. The target is the otakus who are not familiar with English but with anime. I have not bought it yet for I'm not sure if it is worth enought to me, an otaku who has much interest in English.

Now that I have finished the TOEFL, I can respond to the questions from you. Sorry about that.

Lamented Manga Artists

As Yahoo News reports, Sugiura Hinako, manga artist who was famous for her Edo-era based manga, passed away on July 22nd. They say she had been suffering from cancer.
As her manga works are not only intelligent but also full of human nature, I really loved them.

I often run into this kind of sad news recently. I list the mangaka whose death was reported this year.

杉浦日向子　Sugiura, Hinako/ Date: July 22 / Age: 46

永島慎二 Nagashima, Shinji/ Date: June 10 / Age: 67

岡田史子　Okada, Fumiko/ Date: April 3 / Age: 55

中尊寺ゆつこ　Chuusonji, Yutsuko/ Date: January 31 / Age:42

All of them have a commonality that they were very intelligent and some of their works are told to be comparable to literature.

Especially, Okada had a deep insight in philosophy and religion. I first knew the word "ataraxia" from her manga tankoubon. But her manga was so profound even for manga fans in the 70th that it couldn’t become popular. In spite of Tezuka’s help with a job as an animator in Mushi Production and friendship with Hagio Moto, she decided to quit writing.
After leaving Tokyo, she devoted herself to Christianity in the early 70th.

If you are interested in the other aspect of manga, why don't you try them.

Mahou Sensei Negima! CD

魔法先生ネギま! 5月度OPテーマ ハッピー☆マテリアル

Theme for TV anime Mahou Sensei Negima!, Happy Material, is catchin on in Japan.
The CD got a No.1 ranking in Amazon.co.jp.

Kore ga Watashi no Goshujinsama official guide

TV anime series Kore ga Watashi no Goshujinsama official guide will be released today.


TVアニメ 「これが私の御主人様」 公式ファンブック ~プロローグ~

Bambi and Pinocchio by the God of Manga

Tezuka Osamu is often referred to as the God of Manga and widely known to had been a big fan of Disney animation. But few people knew that he had reproduced Disney's Bambi and Pinocchio in manga.
Tezuka published Bambi in 1951 under licence by Disney. Pinocchio was published in 1952 without permission, but I don't think he was in search of any material profit. I believe he drew them in order to introduce his beloved animated movies to Japanese kids.
Now, with the help of Disney, they are coming out after half a century.


復刻版 手塚治虫のディズニー漫画 バンビ ピノキオ
Fukkokuban Tezuka Osamu no Disney Manga Bambi, Pinocchio
Release date: April 10th, 2005

Disney said they consider it culturally significant to preserve them in the form of a book and gave permission on the condition that they hold the copyright concerning about those manga.

Anno meets Anno

A manga-style essay published in February 2005 is the topic of otaks in Japan.

監督不行届
Kantoku Fuyukitodoki by Anno Moyoko

This is an essay in manga style that depicts the author's everyday life as the wife of a talented but geek-like husband.
Anno Moyoko, a popular female mangaka, has been married to Anno Hideaki,the famous director of Neon Genesis Evangelion, for three years.
She reveals how intense Hideaki is into anime and manga not only as a creator but also as an otaku. But her style and touch are so warm that a reader commented on the book "This seems to be a love letter from Moyoko."
As I wrote ”Anno meets Anno" above, they happend to have the same family name, but they are different in kanji.
Anno Hideaki = 庵野秀明
Anno Moyoko = 安野モヨコ

My recommendation "Cromartie High School"

魁!!クロマティ高校 (1)
Cromartie High School (Sakigake! Kuromatii Koukou in Japanese) is an odd and kind of bizarre comedy manga. But somehow it got a great popularity among the Japanese young generation. It received the 26 th Kodansha Manga Award in 2002.
These kinds of mangas are usually accompanied by many fan-made parodies such as this or this.

Cromartie High School is published in English too.
English version in amazon.com
Wow! amazon.com let us watch the anime clip. How generous!
The anime clip is in this page

Keep an eye on this sports manga

I love sports manga. My favorite is Ashita no Joe which is one of the classics already.
Now I'm into Ookiku Furikabutte, a highschool baseball manga, still continuing in monthly Afternoon. It's a very sophisticated manga in plot.

  

I have no idea how to translate the title into English. "Ookiku furikabutte..." is often said by basball commentators when the pitcher swings his arm upward to make a throw. Are there any baseball lingo for it? If you have any idea, pleas leave a comment clicking the linking text "Comments" below.

Never come to Tokyo without this guide.

もえるるぶ東京案内

Moerurubu Guide to Tokyo (written in Japanese)

It actually is a guide to Tokyo underground full of information on manga stores, doujinshi shops, costume boutiques, game shops, affordable hotels and so on!
If you are an otaku who can read Japanese, never miss this book.
If you are not an otaku, never touch it or your will be in danger of otaku infection.

The publisher gives us a flyer site.

Remember the story that Spike told in the final episode of Cowboy Bebop?

100万回生きたねこ

Hyakuman-kai Ikita Neko
(The cat that lived a million times)

This is the original book. It is a children's book, but it is loved by not only children but also adults.
I do love the story too!