Robots In-Love

Day Forty Six.

***I wrote this a few days ago but I couldn’t access wordpress for days!!! It was so frustrating!***

It’s been another interesting couple of days for me. (Although my internet connection is going on and off) Something strange just happened…My sleeping pattern’s back to normal! I don’t know why or how it happened, it just did! I couldn’t stay-up late now, even if I wanted to. I know I should be rejoicing now since my vampiric sleeping pattern was bad for my health but, somehow, I feel worse now than I felt before. I guess, some people are just meant to be up at night!

By the way, to Kinki, it’s weird that you mentioned Kamen Rider Kabuto because I was searching for it the other day on veoh. I’ve watched all of the old Kamen Rider series when I was kid so even though they look cheesy to me now, I still wanna watch them for old time’s sake. I was even also looking for the Kamen Rider Faiz movie because Hayami Mokomichi was there. About “Tsubasa no Oreta Tenshi Tachi”, yes, I’ve seen the episode with Maki and Ken’ichi in it! It’s the one called “Live Chat” right? The one about a girl who stays shut inside her apartment, works at home and only goes out to buy food. A girl who’s all alone and only talks to people online? Hmmmm, why does that story sound so familiar? It must have been based on the life of someone I know, minus the stabbing part! And for Kram and kyouya, thanks for your very nice comments. Again, I’m sorry about Saeko’s story. It would take a while before I post the next chapters because I still have a lot to do.

Anyway, since I’m awake during the day now, I get to go out more often. And just the other day, I watched the most awaited Pixar film: “Wall-e”! And it was a masterpiece! In fact, almost every Pixar film was a masterpiece. I know, since I’ve seen them all. But I think, Wall-e is probably the best one I’ve seen so far! It’s visually stunning, has a heart-warming story and has robotic characters that are more human than…well, humans! From the very first moment this movie started, Wall-e captured the hearts of everyone in the audience. He’s just such a lovable character: sweet, innocent and somewhat silly but with the purest heart there ever was (That is if he has a heart). In the beginning, we see Wall-e living all alone on Earth. There were no humans, no animals and even the other robots have all stopped moving. Wall-e’s only companion was an adorable little cockroach. (Seriously, I never thought roaches could make good pets, but apparently they do). Wall-e diligently fulfilled his duty to clean-up the planet even though he’s the only one there. We get to see his lonely and boring existence. He gets up every morning to do the same things over and over every single day. His only refuge from his miserable life is watching an old movie he found among the garbage. It is because of this old movie that Wall-e developed his own personality and started to have human emotions. In fact, his heart is so human that he even collects stuff like we do. He also values the life of his pet and he has unbelievable sadness in his eyes. It’s astounding how the creators of this movie were able to reflect all sorts of human emotions in Wall-e’s robotic eyes. And even though he did not speak human language, we could understand what he and the other robots were trying to say! It’s just pure genius!

“Wall-e” is first and foremost a love story. A love story between two beings that are not even supposed to have emotions. But like I always said when I was watching “Zettai Kareshi”, anything that has the ability to love is no different from us humans. And the love between Wall-e and Eve was one of the purest and sweetest one I’ve seen in such a long time. They were both created to serve a certain purpose. One was programmed to clean-up the world while the other was made to find life on Earth. But they both abandoned their duties and did things beyond their programming because of their love for each other. They both reminded me so much of Night of the drama, Zettai Kareshi. He did things he’s not supposed to be capable of doing because of his love for Riiko. By some sort of miracle, a man-made machine was able to defy its programming and fall in love. Another “Zettai Kareshi” moment in “Wall-e” was when Wall-e was damaged beyond repair and the only way to save him was to change most of his parts including his memory chip. It’s just like that part in ZK where Night was over-heating and kept malfunctioning, they had to to change his memory chip because his old one was already fried but he refused to have it changed because he treasures his memories and without them, he’d be nothing more but a common robot. Wall-e, on the other hand, had his memory chip changed and when he woke up with blank expressionless eyes, I was literally holding my breath. The unnerving silence also added to the tension of that scene. It was a very scary and emotional moment.

But aside from the love story, “Wall-e” is also a sci-fi movie that gives us a terrifying glimpse of the future. A future where human beings are nothing but soul-less blobs. We survived even after Earth became uninhabitable but we’re not truly alive anymore. I thought I live a meaningless existence, but the human beings in “Wall-e” were even worse. They have no emotions, no hobbies, no interests and they do nothing. Music, dancing, movies, art, nature, even people like me, appreciates those things. But the people in “Wall-e” didn’t even know those things. They did’t know what it’s like to love, to be happy, to connect to others. They simply exist for nothing. I guess it’s true what they say, “The only way you could appreciate the good things in life is through sufferings”. People in the future do not suffer anymore. They don’t work, they don’t get hurt, they don’t even lift a finger. The robots did everything for them. As a result, they didn’t know things like friendship, love and camaraderie. For God’s sake, they didn’t even talk face to face anymore. The future shown in “Wall-e” seems absurd and ridiculous but it’s possible. Look at me, I live in a world full of people but I connect better with people I meet online. I’d rather make friends online than in real life. And there are tons of people like me. So a future where humans don’t have any personal connection with each other can really happen. As technology advances, communication between humans becomes less and less personal. Someday, we’ll be the ones who are like robots: doing only the things that we’re expected to do and feeling no emotions towards others. We’ll live and die without doing or feeling anything. And there’s nothing ridiculous about that. It’s actually frightening.

Another frightening notion about the future that was shown in Wall-e was the extreme uniformity. Everyone looks the same, wears the same clothes and do the same things. Today, we live in a world were most people have to go through great lengths just to fit into society. I know, because I was one of them. So there’s a high probability that someday everyone would be the same. I mean, more and more people are giving into society’s demands. I’ve had many otaku friends who stopped being who they are just because people ridiculed them. Now, they’re pretending to be someone they’re not to be like everyone else.

This part of “Wall-e” reminds me of the book, “The Giver”. It shows a future with no crime, no sufferings, no sadness. But without evil, good cannot exist. Without sadness, there can be no happiness. Without tears, there can be no laughter. So we should all be thankful that we live in this age because the future is one scary place.

Anyway, all I’m trying to say is…”Go watch Wall-e!” It’s not just a big-budgeted family film. It’s a movie with a heart. It can touch your soul and probably change your perspective in life. And it doesn’t hurt that the visuals and the music are astounding. That’s why all Pixar films are successful. Even though the characters are all animated, their movies have more depth and emotions than most live action films. The audience could clearly see how much thought and effort were put into their movies. And that’s why almost all of them became instant classics! And “Wall-e” was no exception! I’ve always thought Wall-e looked a lot like E.T., but now I know that he’s also as lovable and memorable as Steven Spielberg’s little alien.

Watching “Wall-e” was a wonderful experience and it lifted my mood even more. So I didn’t feel that bad after spending too much money on some yummy but incredibly expensive spicy salmon sushi. By the way, I also got to eat Tuna Wasabi crepe again so I’m definitely happy and contented now!

After watching the movie, I also bought a new book. I just wanted to drop-by the bookshop but when I saw Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s “Good Omens”, I just had to buy it! I’ve been looking for that book for years! I have all of Neil Gaiman’s books except for that one. I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t find that book before. It was always unavailable or sold out. Even book rental shops didn’t have it. So when I saw it sitting there, I wanted to scream out loud. And the best part is, the book was really cheap! They also had two different covers to choose from. One was a black book with an angel on the cover, while the other was white with a grinning devil on the cover. Well, just so you know, I was really torn between the two but I chose the white one with the devil in the end. I wonder if they made two covers to see which one most people would choose. It’s like they’re trying to see how many people would pick the angel over the devil and vice versa. The book IS about the impending apocalypse and the war between heaven and hell. So picking a cover is like picking a side on this war! (***thinks for a second***) Oh no!

When I got home, I immediately started reading it and, as expected, it was pure genius! It’s the funniest, most ridiculous and most clever book I’ve ever read! It’s probably going to be one of my favorite books ever! I’ve only read a few chapters so far but I just couldn’t stop giggling while reading it. Clive Barker was right when he said that “The apocalypse has never been funnier!” I’ve read Revelations in the bible and Nostradamus’ predictions (I even wrote a paper about it) but none of them made the apocalypse seem as interesting and entertaining as this book! I’ve adored Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett before but now I freakin’ worship them! Only the most twisted and clever minds could come up with a book like this!

And speaking of twisted and clever minds, I’m more than half-way through Galileo now and I’m loving it more and more! The cases were also getting more and more difficult and interesting. Most of them are impossible to solve, unless you’re a physicist. I bet even Kindaichi would have a hard time figuring them out! You see, even if you have the highest IQ or the best logical reasoning, if you’re not knowledgeable in Physics, it would be impossible for you to solve most of the cases in Galileo. It’s simply brilliant! I said before that Galileo is a lot like Remote but now I see that it’s more like “Trick” or “Myth Busters” (Discovery channel show)! Galileo is always trying to prove that popular supernatural beliefs can all be explained through Science. Like poltergeists, astral projection, precognitive abilities, teleportation etc. But instead of a cocky and useless Physicist like Ueda of Trick, Galileo is the real thing! He’s a true genius and had every right to be arrogant! But I was really surprised to find out that Galileo is not just your average Science geek, he’s actually very athletic and artistic. He’s good at squash, rock climbing, archery, boxing, sculpting and a whole lot more. I just love the look on Utsumi’s face whenever she sees Galileo playing sports. She looked like a love-sick puppy! If she was an anime character, her eyes would have turned into hearts! But of course, she snaps-out of her trance whenever Galileo starts talking about logic and Physics again. I guess that’s the biggest turn-off for Utsumi, otherwise, Galileo would be her ideal man! But seriously, I was never a fan of Fukuyama Masaharu before, but now I’m starting to really like him! Just like Utsumi, I fall into some sort of trance whenever I watch him playing squash or rock-climbing! How come I never noticed before that he looks really hot? Anyway, aside from the fascinating science experiments, the funny love-hate relationship of the two lead characters and the very intelligent plot, Galileo also has a lot of famoust guest stars like Ohgo Suzuka and Horikita Maki. I espcially loved the episode with Ohgo Suzuka because it’s like seeing a younger version of Galileo. Even though Suzuka’s character is female, Galileo saw his younger self in her because they’re both twisted and very logical! I could definitely relate to that!

But I deeply regret watching episode 7. It was the worst episode ever! I figured-out the whole thing from the very beginning! I was so disappointed! I was able to guess the method of the murder, the culprit and the motive before Galileo even started investigating the case! It was THAT predictable! And when my guess turned out to be right I felt like a kid who just found out that Santa Claus is just a guy in a red suit! I felt betrayed! Okay, you might think I’m over-reacting but I just felt horrible after watching it! The way the wife looked at the friend in the very first scene gave the whole thing away! I shouldn’t have watched this episode! It changed the way I see Galileo! I wish the next episode could wash away all these negative feelings!

Aside from Galileo, I’ve also started watching another drama, “Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu” (Sailor Suit and Machine Gun) I’ve already mentioned this drama before but I only got to watch it this morning because Veoh took forever to finish downloading it. Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu is about a nerdy and clumsy highschool girl named, Hoshi Izumi (Nagasawa Masami) who suddenly became the boss of a small Yakuza clan (Medaka clan) after the death of her father. Although this drama is a bit comedic and has lots of silly characters, it’s actually R-18 because of some really violent scenes. The opening scene alone, really surprised me. When Nagasawa Masami went Scarface, and started shooting all those gangsters with her machine gun while wearing her school uniform, all I was able to say was “Whoa!”. She’s like a gun-wielding Gogo but I do wish that they made that scene a little bloodier! The intense opening scene was followed by a touching scene between Izumi and her father. Her dad is probably the sweetest and nicest dad there could ever be. I was teary-eyed just watching the way they interacted with each other.

This drama is one those “Zero to Hero” stories. Izumi was just your ordinary highschool girl. She’s not smart, or popular and she’s not even courageous and idealistic. In short, there seem to be nothing special about her. But after her father’s death, her mundane life was turned upside down. Remember the movie “Wanted”? Well, replace assassins with Yakuza and instead of Angela Jolie, there’s a tough, tall and tattooed gangster named Sakuma, played by Tsutsumi Shinichi. Well, I love watching these sort of dramas because it makes you think that anything can happen. Even the biggest loser can be someone special!

Anyway, the first episode is really sad but interesting. We see Izumi coping with her father’s sudden death and her doubts and fears for her future. The guys in the Medaka clan, were also dealing with problems of their own, like the possible disbandment of their gang because of the death of their leader. I couldn’t help but think of Gokusen while watching this. The guys in the Medaka clan were so much like the guys in the Oedo Clan. They’re the hot-headed, silly and lovable gangsters. The type who have scary faces, rough exteriors but kind hearts. Even their former leader was a gentle old man who’s attitude greatly resembled Yankumi’s grandpa. Even Izumi made me think of what a young Yamaguchi Kumiko would be like. I mean, Yankumi looked nerdy because of her glasses but she doesn’t seem to be the intelligent type and Izumi was exactly like that. They even wore similar glasses! Unfortunately, unlike Yankumi, Izumi’s weak and timid but her heart is in the right place. Plus when she took off her glasses and said these words to Sakuma: “Don’t call me, ojou! I am the 8th Generation leader of the Medaka clan! Hoshi Izumi!”, she looked just like Yankumi. The serious and determined look on her face and the way she said those words with such conviction was very Yankumi-esque!

All in all, Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu, definitely got me hooked. I mean, Yakuza clans, violent fight scenes and a very Yankumi-esque lead character! How can I not like this drama?! Plus, the performances were pretty good. Tsutsumi Shinichi was very convincing in his role and he perfectly portrayed the tough but very kind and gentle gangster. He and Nagasawa Masami also makes a great team! In fact, if only Tsutsumi Shinichi’s the same age as Masami, the two of them would probably make a good pair. Unfortunately, he’s too old for her, so his character was more like a father-figure to Masami’s character. My only complaint was that there seems to be something missing. I’m still not sure what. Plus, even though Masami was very good in playing Izumi’s tough and determined side, she wasn’t very convincing as the nerdy and clumsy highschool girl. Her characters is supposed to be silly and Masami is just not that good in playing silly characters.

Oh, by the way, I finally finished watching Binbo Danshi. I really couldn’t find anything remarkable about this drama. Even the ending was pretty ordinary. But the last episode made my chest feel a bit heavy. It’s just that when 300 people came to Kazumi’s aid when he was in a pinch, I realized how much of a loser I am when it comes to making friends. When I was in a pinch before, I had no one to call and even if I had someone to call no one would probably come. So when that character Omu Omu, told Shun’s character, Kazumi, that “I hate you and I don’t ever wanna see you again!” I felt the exact same way. Kazumi was just TOO good, TOO selfless, TOO optimistic and TOO friendly. I couldn’t stand him because there couldn’t possibly be a person like him in real life! There is no one who is completely good! Everyone has a dark side or even just one negative trait. That’s what makes us human! It was also lame that Mimi (Yamada Yu) didn’t end-up with Kazumi. She’s obviously in-love with him, so I pity Megane-san because he’s more like a substitute. Anyway, this drama had it’s touching and funny moments but most of the time it just infuriated and annoyed me. Shun’s character was also very unoriginal. The way he talked, moved and dressed were reminiscent of Nagase Tomoya’s character, Sakuraba Yoichiro, from the drama, Mukodono! For an Oguri Shun drama, this is very disappointing. It’s a good thing Shun looked really hot in the end when he was a wearing suit and his hair wasn’t a mess. I had a fleeting fan-girl moment then so I felt a little better.

Anyway, that’s it for now. It’s been a great couple of days. I just wish I could be a day person though, so that I wouldn’t have to constantly knock into things while walking. I’m seriously clumsy during the day!

End of Day Forty Six.