Posts

Showing posts from 2017

Happy Anime New Year! (Top Anime I Watched This Year)

Image
Hey everyone! It's the end of the year, which means out with 2017 and in with 2018. Of course, this means a new year filled with new things, which also includes new anime! I usually do a New Year's Resolution-focused post, but I thought I'd switch things up this time around. Instead, I'd like to share a very short post that showcases the anime I watched in 2017; the one's I enjoyed the most. As a disclaimer, the following anime weren't necessarily ones that aired this year, but were ones I decided to watch this year. I'm posting them here, because I want to recommend them to you all! Owari no Seraph & Owari no Seraph: Battle in Nagoya What I liked: Nice action sequences, good characters and development. First season started off with a bang, and the second followed through quite well. Emotional moments were present throughout the entire season. What could be better: Plot-twists came out of nowhere and didn't really make sense, poor use of

Your Personality with a Little Anime

Image
In many ways we are connected to anime; through our thoughts and our feelings. Since anime is a creation of the mind, it is natural for us to share traits with the characters. We may have common birthdays, similar zodiac signs, and ideals. Perhaps we even share personalities. Recently, I've been doing a lot of reading on Psychology and personality types. The most fascinating aspect to me is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ; a type of test to examine the way you think. It's primary goal is to assist in development and create psychological understanding. Quick Link to Take the Test At first, this test might be off-putting. Being summed up by a couple of letters may feel weird, and some may find it hard to believe. The key aspect of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is not to categorize and box people-in, but to reveal how the mind works and most importantly how you think. This is done by the use of a four letter system. Each letter is ranked similarly to an RPG c

Happy Birthday Nico Yazawa! (Nico Nico Nii)

Image
Today is July 22nd and marks the birthday of Nico Yazawa, a high school idol from the popular anime Love Live: School Idol Project ! This post is a quick spotlight on Nico, a character who is not only adored by anime fans, but known around the internet. As a quick overview, Nico is a pretty eccentric character. She is a third-year student in high school which is equivalent to senior level in the United States. This puts her age around 17-18, which means she's one of the older characters in the series. Despite this she still has a young appearance and is short in comparison to everyone else. Being born on July 22nd makes her the zodiac sign Cancer, which is a water element. Characteristics of this sign are emotional capabilities and sensitivity. They also care deeply about the things important to them. This can be reflected in Nico's expressiveness and her devotion to her career. Outside of the anime, Nico is also an internet sensation. Her trademark saying, "

Splatoon 2's Marina: Examining Her Popularity

Image
Credit to the artist: Balitix With the immense popularity of Splatoon behind us, the sequel is off to a similar start. Although the game hasn't officially released, players have gotten a taste of what's in store through various previews. What's most interesting to me though, are the fan's responses to the new musical characters: Pearl and Marina. Although both characters are loved, I'd like to focus on Marina; specifically because she's drawn the most attention out of the two. Marina At a Glance In the game of Splatoon , Marina is a creature known as an Octoling. She differs greatly from the usual squid-kid characters called Inklings. She has octopus tentacles for hair and slightly different facial features. The reason why her inclusion is so shocking to players is because the Inklings and Octolings were pretty much enemies in the previous game. It's odd for her to appear and be welcomed into their civilization. Marina is also described

Fire Emblem: A Divided Community

Image
Out of all the current titles featured on Nintendo devices, Fire Emblem has caught the attention of many at this time. With the release of Fire Emblem Heroes for mobile devices and the launch of Fire Emblem Echoes for the 3DS, the series is better than ever. However, with the addition of various new mechanics and characters, the games have been well-received or disregarded depending on who you talk to. It all boils down to an old vs new debate with Fire Emblem, which has led to a clear divide in the community. When it comes to creating a video game, there are many factors that are required. Gameplay elements, graphics and sound, character development, and similar aspects. Although technical details are important, nothing can beat a clear understanding of the consumer. (This is especially true in a multiplayer environment, as the consumers are a part of the gameplay!) Yet, this can become convoluted when your consumers want different things. Since the game series may not be w

The Increasing Popularity of Music in Anime

Image
Check out her blog here! "Hi! My name is Jessica, but I go by じぇす on here, which means Jess! This is my first time posting on Shooting Star Dreamer, so I thought I should give a bit of an introduction. I've loved anime since I was small, my first anime being Samurai Pizza Cats when I was only two years old. Currently I enjoy Japanese media of many sorts, including anime, manga, video games, light novels, and more! I hope you'll enjoy my first post!" Music has been an existing topic in anime for decades, as can be seen in titles such as Macross (1982), Full Moon wo Sagashite (2002), and Beck (2004). Back in the early 2000's, there were only handfuls of music-based anime available, so fans of that genre didn't have much room to be picky. In the 1980's and 1990's, there were even less. As time passed, the later 2000's brought us anime such as Nodame Cantabile , K-On !, Detroit Metal City , and in the early 2010's we got a bunch more

Happy Miku Day! 3/9 (Artwork Showcase)

Image
Happy Miku Day everyone! March 9th (3/9) holds significance for our favorite virtual idol. 3/9 can be read as Mi (Mitsu) ku in Japanese, which led to the holiday. Hatsune Miku's first solo concert, 39's Giving Day, also took place on this date in 2010. Lastly, as a way to thank Miku, the date can be said as San-Kyu (thank you) in Japanese. There's been quite a few festivities going around, such as special sales from otaku merchandise providers and of course artwork from fans. Various companies have given tributes to Miku as well! As for Shooting Star Dreamer, we'll showcase a few special artworks for your viewing pleasure, alongside with video footage of her Giving Day concert. We encourage you to check them out and celebrate all things Hatsune Miku! Don't forget to support the artists of course! Sweet Night by ATDAN- 39 by 黎(クロイ) 歌を届ける by saihate 3。9 by Say HANa 39's MIKU DAY by sishenfan ミクの日 by  ピナケス 39の日!by 7 :

Anime Fans Need to be Aware of the World

Image
As otaku or anime-viewers, we tend to indulge in the worlds of others. It's a pretty common thing when it comes to anime; the series are full of complex plots, and the characters are relatable to boot. Of course we take this love to the outside by purchasing various merchandise and showcasing our interests through apparel. I know many people like me who love letting people know they love anime! However, times are changing in the world. People are being put into important positions, which leads to massive changes of the world structure. Our earth is forever changing which of course has an effect on the things we partake in, such as anime. In America, we've just witnessed the election of a new president. Before now, America has been the leader of the world. Many countries turn to us for guidance and assistance. Therefore what happens in America has an effect on the world. This includes our interactions with other countries, such as Japan. With this in mind, we otaku need