Looking Sideways

[azurite]

So I never actually said what swag I got at Anime Expo! For me, at least, swag a big part of the con-going experience. Panels can be fun (or totally lousy, depending on scheduling, "technical difficulties" and other stupid things), and screenings can be a blast (or put you to sleep because there's no variety and the lines stink), but I mainly go to cons these days for the following things:
* Friends
* AMVs
* Swag
* Cosplay
in that order. All told, I "got" all of those things at Anime Expo, so you could say I had a good time.

* Doubt Vols. 2, 4-6. I only bought them out of order because they were $5/piece, and I'd read part of Vol. 1 in the Manga Lounge. I like the art and the story enough (girl who is horribly embarrassed at her old school remakes herself but has a lot to learn still...and goes to a new school where she might be found out how plain she used to be!), so does anyone know where I can get Vol. 1 and 3?

* 2 new Harlequin Ginger Blossom manga titles--these are the ones printed in violet and pink. Cheesy as all heck, but a fun, quick read in each case. I think I've got most of the ones out now! (That's probably not something to be proud of....)

* Star Ocean EX DVDs. I bought Vols. 1-6 from various retailers, again for $5/each. So I don't get a collectible box, but so far I do get the included "shijitaki" boards with the character artwork on them, which is cool. Hey, why isn't Celine on any of the boxes!? And why the hell do they pronounce "Claude" as "Clode?" Gah!

* Corrector Yui anime DVDs Vols. 1-3 - I'm sure there's more to this fun series than these volumes. Anyone know how many? I like the manga too, but I only saw Vols. 4-5 at the con. The manga is only 5 volumes long though.

* Ranma Season 5 DVD Boxed Set - A classic favorite (haha, shows my age, doesn't it?), but sad to say, Volume 2 is giving me issues in my PS2. It keeps skipping, even though the disc is unscratched! But then again, some of my other DVDs skipped too...and others didn't. Very mysterious.

* Ranma movies - Original stories, fun music, the closest we ever get to decent romantic situations between Ranma and Akane. Awesomesauce.

* Confidential Confessions Vol. 1 and Forbidden Dance Vol. 1 - These two manga are...weird, but I didn't buy them for the art styles. They have great stories! I thought I saw a FD Vol. 5 at AX, but the series concludes at Vol. 4! Maybe I was seeing things....

* Kupo! bookmark. It's purple and has a Moogle on it. Need I say more?

* Punch! Vol. 1 - This is by Rie Takada, the same artist who did Wild Act. I like the art style, but mainly this one caught my eye because the story is so unique. It's about a girl who's supposed to marry a guy in her family's boxing gym tradition, but she ends up falling for...a street thug!? When are more volumes going to come out!? Or are there more out already and I'm just slow?

* Magic Knight Rayearth Season One 15th Anniversary DVD Boxed Set - I actually had never seen this, but I read the manga and liked it. It's CLAMP! One of CLAMP's earlier works, actually. Despite having read the manga and knowing the story, I don't own any of the volumes. I hope they re-release it in a better format soon.

* Imadoki! Nowadays Vols. 1-5 - Because I have a tendency to buy anything Yuu Watase (with the exception of her newest series, Arata, just because the storyline doesn't sound cool to me). It's cute and not nearly as crazy-dramatic as Fushigi Yuugi, Alice 19th, or Ceres: Celestial Legend. For once, it really IS just a high school story. It's funny how the heroine eventually wins everyone over...all Watase's characters tend to be these genki girls, don't they? This made for a comforting read when I wasn't feeling so well in Seattle.

* Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society movie DVD - I got this for only $17! What a steal! As usual, the art and story are incredible, but a little confusing...I feel like I have to re-watch the entire S.A.G. series, but I need to be sure I get the order right. I also want to get the revamped version of the original movie on DVD!

* His and Her Circumstances (Kare Kano) Vol. 4 - I know they're selling the whole series on a single DVD, but I already have parts of the individualized DVD series, and I'd rather finish it up. I'm missing Vols. 3 and any that come after 5.

So I'm overall satisfied with what I got, even though the Expo itself wasn't as good this year as last year. That's really a much longer story, but suffice it to say, they were just very disorganized. That makes people irritable and rude, and that makes other people miserable.

Because I bought things out of order, I am still missing parts of the series mentioned above, but also thing I wanted to get but couldn't find (for a reasonable price). I also saw a bunch of things I want but that I couldn't justify getting...I was trying really hard to stick to my "list!"

* Doubt! Vols. 1, 3
* Corrector Yui manga Vols. 1-5
* Corrector Yui anime DVDs 4+
* Ranma TV anime series Seasons 1-3, 7, OAVs
* Punch! Vol. 2+

* Magic Knight Rayearth Season Two 15th Anniversary DVD Boxed Set (when it comes out, which should be soon)

* Ghost in the Shell movie 2.0 DVD, S.A.C and S.A.C 2nd Gig DVD Boxed Sets...I know they have "compartmentalized" versions for "The Laughing Man" and "The Individual Eleven," but I watched these series episodically, and I'd like to have them that way, too.

* His and Her Circumstances anime DVDs Vol. 3, 6+?

* Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles TV anime series (not with the movie; I already have the TRC/xxxHolic movies on a combo DVD)

* xxxHolic TV anime series

* Sailor Moon S and SuperS DVDs (legit), movies - I already have the "Mercury" SuperS DVD, but there might still be actual boxed set (thinpaks) floating around, so I'd be okay getting them, since I have so few of the individual DVDs. I know the movies come in a trio thinpak too...but they're all out of print! I want them anyway. I hope they get re-released soon!

* Fushigi Yuugi anime DVDs - Also out of print, but I want them! All I own is Eikoden and the VIZBIG versions of the manga. This was my second major shojo title, and I'm very attached to it. I love Miaka!

* Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne TV anime series DVDs - I know this exists, because I've seen Jeanne anime art! But was it ever licensed!?

* Kilala Princess Vol. 5+ - It's like Kingdom Hearts, but shojo and without all the emo and time-warping. I hope this continues to be released, I really like it!

* Papillon Vol. 5+ - From the artist who did Peach Girl! The most dramatic high school love polygons that don't involve magic.

* Full Metal Panic novel Vol. 3+ - I know that more of these exist, I'm just not sure if they're out yet. I can't wait until they release "The End of 'Day by Day'" in English! I think it was that novel that inspired "The Second Raid" (second season the anime; Fumoffu! doesn't count because it was a humorous take on the series...)

* Mermaid Saga Vol. 2+ - Because Rumiko Takahashi is God.

* Mai: The Psychic Girl Vol. 3 - This is old. Very, very old. But the art is very good, and it's a serious, amazing story. If I could find this, I would be very, very happy. I used to check it out from the library (!) all the time. It's the conclusion to a great series.

* Antique Gift Shop Vol. 5+ - I tried to buy this at the con, but the seller wanted me to spend $50 or more to use my credit card, and he didn't have $50 worth of things I wanted, even with artbooks! Boo! It's actually a manhwa.

* Saint Tail manga Vols. 4, 6-7 - I swear I used to have these ages ago, but for the life of me, I can't find them now. The art is a little...squishy, but the story is so cute, and it's one of my older shoujo manga series I got into. It's so old, it's still done in the left-to-right style.

* Ponyo DVD - Because it's Ghibli, and it's The Little Mermaid done in their unique storytelling style.

* Kodocha anime TV series (except for "Adult Sized Secrets") - I actually got this as part of a "joke pack" last year, but I love this series! I think I have a lot in common with Sana...scary as that may be. :}

* Cardcaptor Sakura TV anime series plus movies - I heard they're re-releasing this too. Anything's better than the godawful edited "Cardcaptors" I recorded alongside my other after-school series years ago!

* A Perfect Day for Love Letters, Vol. 2 - Again, I saw it at ONE place that refused to let me buy anything less than $50 on a credit card. Isn't that illegal, or against the card's user agreement? In any case, you lost ANY money you could have gotten from me, evil vendor! It's got funky art, but a neat set of stories. Also, "love letters..." *_*

* Escaflowne: TV series - Much, much better than the movie! Probably one of the first tearjerkers I ever watched. The dub was...awful, but I think the DVD boxed set is uncut/unedited and has the Japanese version on it, even if it's got the English version title art. Blech!

* Rumic World and Rumic Theatre manga volumes - Again, Rumiko Takahashi is God. I think there are 3 of these, but there may be more, and they're not really numbered.

* Alice 19th manga Vols. 1-7 - Because it's Yuu Watase and WORDS ARE MAGIC. I can't remember my reasoning for not buying this series as it came out. Probably I was broke. :P

ARE THESE EVEN OUT YET?
* Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles manga Vol. 27+ - Maybe there isn't a volume after 27...the series sure seems like it's wrapping up! I can't wait to see how it all ends! There have been some major surprises in the last few volumes. CLAMP has definitely got their storytelling down to an "art!" (LOL, forgive the pun!)

* xxxHolic Vol. 16 - See above. I'm not sure if I care more about Syaoran and Sakura or Watanuki and Yuuko. :'(

* Butterflies, Flowers Vol. 4 - It's one of those humorous adult series with amazing art that suddenly becomes SD and bizarre and yet I can't help loving it. There's just something about these "ordinary love that's crazy!" stories...

* Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden Vol. 10 - The conclusion of the series! Will Takiko really die like we think she will? Will Suzuno's story ever get told!? GAAAAAH!

* INVU Vol. 6 - I don't even know if there IS a volume 6. This is another manhwa that's taking forever to come out, but it's got interesting art and a compelling storyline.

So if you happen to be selling any of these or know where I can get them cheap, drop me a line!