I made these three quizzes way back in 2002 and 2003, previously hosted in my various other domains and sites. The Lord of the Rings one was particularly popular and was responsible for making one of my domains gain a lot of hits as well as “blog authority.”

These web tests are now available again at my newly-reacquired domain, Xirculo.com, in the Quiz page: Which Lord of the Rings Elf Are You?, Which Fushigi Yuugi Seishi Are You? and Are You A Pervy Obi-Wan Kenobi Fancier?.

Below are my own results and what-not to the aforementioned quizzes:

I am Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. I chose Elvenkind over Humanity and was gifted with great wisdom. During the War of the Ring, I called a Council of the free peoples of Middle Earth and founded the Fellowship of the Ring, all the time wearing a tiara. In the movie, I’m played by Hugo Weaving.
|| Which Lord of the Rings Elf are you? @ Call Me Madame ||

Which Fushigi Yuugi Seishi are you? @ Call Me Madame

Hot, wet Jedi Master!
I am a pervy Obi-Wan Kenobi fancier, go me! Are you?
By Aviendah and Shi
Endorsed by Sen. Padme Amidala

A very, very Happy New Year to everyone!

Let us all welcome 2010, the start of the new decade and the year of The Metal Tiger. Rawr!

I spent New Year’s Eve and the wee morning hours of 1st January 2010 at Jetz Grill in Qurum, where I won lots of prizes from various fun games. In fact, I still say that my partner and I are the undisputed champions of the Apple Dance Competition, hands down!

Before having the masarap buffet dinner of classic Filipino fiesta treats, I dropped by Ruwi for a bit of shopping. There were a lot of stores with year-end sales and I got excellent bargains, particularly with (fake) Lacoste sports shirts.

I found this colorful and cute Pokemon Pikachu watch in one of the timepiece shops near Al Fair Ruwi. I got a discounted price for this when I bought a pink Snoopy watch along with it. Of course, I now wear my Pika-watch everywhere. Be very envious!

Pika! Pika! Pika! My first ever Pokemon watch, can you believe it?

All together now: Pika! Pika!

A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle…

I got a video CD copy of Laputa: Castle in the Sky, the 1986 classic helmed by pioneering anime director Hayao Miyazaki.

This animated movie not only met my expectations, but exceeded them remarkably. Laputa is, simply put, beautiful.

A young boy, the miner Pazu, stumbles into a mysterious girl who floats down from the sky. The girl, Sheeta, was being chased by pirates, army and government secret agents.

In saving her life, they begin a high-flying adventure that goes through all sorts of machines, eventually searching for Sheeta’s identity in a floating castle of a lost yet highly advanced and powerful civilization.

I was very pleased with the entire movie, having held my breath in anticipation through most of it. The sci-fi/fantasy imagery is simply stunning and the various chase sequences are nothing short of fun and entertaining. The dysfunctional family of quirky pirates provide effortless comic relief.

However, the strongest force in Laputa is the bond between Pazu and Sheeta. It is friendship and love, trust and faith, hope and innocence. We see both these children grow up as the movie progresses. They learn how to deal with secrets and lies and make decisions and sacrifices.

Ultimately, the core of this Miyazaki epic is a story about coming of age, of realizing that the things we seek in life may not be outside, but reside within our hearts all along.

I have the original Japanese dub of the animated movie, with subtitles. However, there is a repackaged English dub released recently that features the voice talents of James Van Der Beek as Pazu and Anna Paquin as Sheeta, among others.

The following movie background and synopsis is from Amazon.com:

Inspired by Gulliver’s Travels, the fantasy-adventure Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) was Hayao Miyazaki’s third feature, and helped to establish his reputation as a visionary in both Japan and America.

The orphan Sheeta inherited a mysterious crystal that links her to the legendary sky-kingdom of Laputa. With the help of resourceful Pazu and a rollicking band of sky pirates, she makes her way to the ruins of the once-great civilization.

Sheeta and Pazu must outwit the evil Muska, who plans to use Laputa’s science to make himself ruler of the world.

Castle echoes elements in Miyazaki’s earlier Nausicaä, and anticipates imagery in his later films, from My Neighbor Totoro to Spirited Away.

The exciting flying sequences, appealing characters, and fantastic vision of a steam-powered future Jules Verne might have imagined make Castle in the Sky a must-have for fans of Japanese and Western animation.

In preparation for various Saber Forms that will be part of my Wushu curriculum in the coming weeks, I was asked to look for a sword that is suitable not only for the training but also for my, well, comfort.

“Comfort” meaning it has to go with my height (or lack thereof). Also, I could choose to have a light or heavy sword, which depends more on the weapon’s material rather its actual size.

My father had always taught me that heavier swords usually have stronger steel structures.

Anyway, I did not have to buy a new sword or anything. Father gave me a katana that he got back in the mid-1980s when he and my mother lived and worked in a different province.

This particular weapon was, simply put, perfectly suited for me. When I held it with arm slack, it extended to a good several inches off the ground.

It was neither light nor heavy, but had a solid weight that will condition my arms to move quickly with a weapon as well as maintain my balance and grip.

Here is a katana image I found online that very closely resembles my own. In the future, I will try to take a picture of my sword itself and post it here.

Finally, a most apropos quote from the anime BLEACH:

What a letdown, Kurosaki-san. A real letdown. After all, there’s nothing but fear reflected in your sword.

When you dodge, “I’m afraid of getting cut.” When you attack, “I’m afraid of cutting someone.” Even when you try to protect someone, “I’m afraid of letting them die.”

Yes, your sword speaks to me only of absurd fear. That’s not it. What’s necessary in a fight isn’t fear. Nothing can be born from that.

If you dodge, “I won’t let them cut me.” If you protect someone, “I won’t let them die.” If you attack, “I’ll cut them.” Well, can’t you see the resolve to cut you reflected in my sword?”

~Kisuke Urahara

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Welcome to Chinatown’s most unique pet shop.

There is a variety of exotic creatures to choose from, each with an intriguing tale to share with the lucky owner.

But be careful, what you see is not necessarily what you get.

“Our motto is to sell love, dreams, and hopes.”

These words, from Count D, owner of a mysterious Chinatown pet shop, seem to fit nicely with the ironic twists of Pet Shop of Horrors.

Count D may sell pets with honorable intentions, yet it is the customer who fails to live within their hopes and dreams, which often results in
tragedy.

Petshop of Horrors was originally a Japanese shoujo (girl) manga created by Mari Akino.

The series was later adapted into an original anime video made up of four episodes, each telling an individual tale about a customer of Count D’s pet shop.

The episodes are entitled Daughter, Delicious, Despair and Dual, dealing with the themes lost love, second chances and redemption, among others.

The customers of Count D’s pet shop have typically undergone some sort of personal loss, and Count D attempts to sell them an appropriate pet to fill the void.

The pets that Count D sells are typically quite exotic, and always come with rules, that must be agreed to by the buyers in a contract. Violation of these rules usually lead to dire consequences, for which Count D cannot be held responsible, per the contract.

Now considered as a classic anime and manga franchise, Lupin III was created by mangaka Monkey Punch and first released as a manga series in August 1967 in the Japanese magazine Manga Action Weekly.

The tale was inspired by Arsene Lupin: Gentleman Thief, a series of short novels and novels authored by Frenchman Maurice Leblanc in the early 1900s.

Monkey Punch’s new Lupin is, supposedly, the grandson of Leblanc’s character.

The Lupin III anime/manga series has five central characters: Arsene Lupin III, Jigen Daisuke, Goemon Ishikawa, Fujiko Mine and Inspector Zenigata.

Lupin is the notorious “gentleman thief.” He leaves notes informing his victims of the items he is targeting on his current planned heist. No matter how many preventive measures his victims try to take, he always manages to spirit away whatever he wants, wherever it is placed.

The mysterious Jigen, a sharpshooting gunman, is Lupin’s best friend and partner-in-crime.

Goemon is a 13th-generation Samurai warrior and the wielder of a nigh-unbreakable sword.

Fujiko is Lupin’s love interest, who more than often tries to outwit him and take a heist’s loot for herself.

Finally, Inspector Zenigata is an InterPol agent who has devoted his life to bringing Lupin and the latter’s gang to justice, a mission that has been unsuccessful for many, many years in the running.

Hunter X Hunter (or HXH, as it is more commonly known to fans) was created by mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi and released as a manga series in 1998.

Togashi is the same creative genius behind Yuu Yuu Hakusho (YYH), or The Poltergeist Reports and Ghost Fighters in some dubs.

Both YYH and HXH were initially serialized in the Japanese boys’ comics magazine Shounen Jump Weekly, and later acquired by Fuji Television to be translated into animated media.

Hunter X Hunter has four main characters: Gon Freecss, Killua Zaoldyeck, Kurapika and Leorio. All are boys within the age range of pre to late teens. They first met when they were aspirants in the very challenging, very rigorous Hunter Exam.

All who would pass this test will be given the title, license and privileges of a full-fledged Hunter – from being allowed to kill blacklisted people to getting large loans and big discounts practically anywhere.

Each of our heroes have their own driving motives behind the quest for Hunter-hood, and, as the series unfolds, the characters encounter various physical, mental and emotional obstacles that they have to overcome in order to attain their goal.

Some of them are led to question their beliefs, while others discover brighter or darker paths into tomorrow.

Probably due to the fact that I am such a big fan of the Hellsing anime and manga series, someone e-mailed me a most interesting link: Imagine Casting: Hellsing.

So far, the unconventionally handsome but very appealing and debonair Vincent Cassel is leading the fan voting race for the role of Alucard.

I have to say that this choice is right on target, pun intended and in more ways than one.

Below are pictures of Vincent, examples of how he will possibly look like as Vlad Tepes and, later on, the Jackal-wielding No-Life King.

Belated Happy Halloween, minna-san!

I hope everyone had fun trick-or-treating, in one way or the other.

As for me, I got my manicurist to paint my fingernails and toenails the very gothy color of pitch black. My euphoria was only slightly dampened by her disclosure that a good number of girls also had their nails done the same way.

Well, never mind that. I have always believed that imitation is the highest form of flattery.

This long weekend, I spent most of my time watching Hellsing (repeatedly, especially Order 6 with the Walter fight scene) and war movies, as well as tweaking the WordPress blog and other PHP scripts installed at my domain.

You can only guess the sheer quantity of coffee yours truly has consumed, of course.

Before I release you all from my uber-geekiness, allow me to share a silly note: Calamansi, according to certain acquaintances of the tourist trade persuasion, is also called the Philippine lime.

Hmmm. Lime.

The blue sky must be forever tall and forever clear. That’s the way the world should be.

~ Gentatsu Takatsuki, in conversation with Shigure Takimi, Rurouni Kenshin: Ishin Shishi no Requiem

I was able to meet my longtime friends Genefel and Melody at SM Megamall last Wednesday night for a good old gabfest over hot and cold cups of Starbucks java.

We talked straight for three hours and would have continued until dawn. However, I had to get back to my hotel to prepare for my early morning flight while Gen and Mel both had work the day after.

They gave me the most amazing metal chandelier earrings adorned with glittery crystals. Arigatou gozaimasu again!

I arrived from Metro Manila on Thursday, following a quick, uneventful airplane journey.

The moment I got home, I could not help but immediately pop my newly acquired copy of Rurouni Kenshin: Ishin Shishi no Requiem (Requiem for the Ishin Patriots) into my VCD player.

The movie has a simple, straightforward story that would be appreciated even by someone who is not familiar with the Rurouni Kenshin mythos.

I absolutely loved the charismatic and noble Shigure Takimi, one of the movie’s central characters and arguably Ishin Shishi‘s primary driving force.

His noble warrior’s philosophy and driven, staunchly patriotic character reminded me very much of Katsumoto, brilliantly portrayed by Ken Watanabe, from the 2003 Tom Cruise starrer The Last Samurai.

Yesterday evening, I received an e-mail from the organizers of the National Novel Writing Month that I have been officially accepted and listed as a participant.

NaNoWriMo 2005 will be my first year in the project, so I am really looking forward to all the novel-writing excitement and mania that will ensue when November rolls about.

Right now, I am suffering from a three-fold obsessive affliction.

That is, a coffee craving that shows no sign of abating, Kill Bill: Volume 2 and, of course, Rurouni Kenshin. As I write this, I am downloading a helluva lot of RK images and wallpapers to tide me over through the long Ramadan weekend.

I also wish to share with all and sundry that my father is now, officially, a Kill Bill convert.

This past week, I was able to purchase a video CD of Kill Bill: Volume 2 as it came out in our local stores and ended up watching it when I got home.

Father passed by the television set, paused for a glimpse of the action, and asked if it was David Carradine (Father being part of the Kung-Fu generation) playing Bill, to which I answered yes. The rest, as the cliche goes, was history.

From then on, Father proceeded to watch both installments of the Tarantino sword-slinging saga. He also made this analysis: “Bill loved Beatrix, and still did, even until his dying breath. Things could have worked out if the Bride had not left his side to give their child a different, if not better, life.”

Amen to that, Pops, and everything.

Amazon.com provides the summary of the movie:

With this thrilling, must-see movie event, writer and director Quentin Tarantino completes the action-packed quest for revenge begun by The Bride (Uma Thurman) in Kill Bill: Volume 1.

Having already crossed two names from her Death List, The Bride is back with a vengeance and taking aim at Budd (Michael Madsen) and Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), the only survivors from the squad of assassins who betrayed her four years earlier.

It’s all leading up to the ultimate confrontation with Bill (David Carradine), The Bride’s former master and the man who ordered her execution!

As the acclaimed follow-up to the instant classic Volume 1 – you know all about the unlimited action and humor, but until you’ve seen Kill Bill: Volume 2, you only know half the story!

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal Damnation. Amen.

Right now, I am at Netopia in SM Megamall, Ortigas, Metro Manila. The place is so bloody cold. I am also as hungry as hell, so it is all good.

I have been in the big city since Wednesday. Most of my free time I spend here at Megamall, because I just love the place, the activity, and the sheer anonymity that the space affords me.

Anyway, I went to Comic Quest (located at the Lower Ground level same as this Internet cafe) and was able to purchase all 13 episodes of the Hellsing anime series. I am a pleased little vampire.

I am going back to barracks tomorrow afternoon, on the 3:20 PM flight.

As time is of the essence, I might as well get my freezing buns off this light metal chair and get some serious shopping done.

Here is the Amazon.com product description for the Hellsing anime:

The worst enemy of the night is one of its own. A secret war brews in the night – a war where humanity is only a pawn.

The Hellsing Organization deploys in the shadows to protect the mortal world. But now, artificially spawned vampires have appeared, forcing Hellsing to call in their ultimate weapon – the rogue vampire, Alucard!

After he transforms the dying Seras Victoria into a vampire, they join forces to combat the undead army, as well as her own newfound hunger!

I was browsing through anime/manga fanlistings tonight when I came across the one for Genbu Kaiden. This particular FL is dedicated to the manga installments in the Fushigi Yuugi/The Universe of the Four Gods mythology that tell the story of the Genbu no Miko and her Shichi Seishi.

Due to this rather serendipitous web link encounter, my Fushigi Yuugi passion has been rekindled full blast. Thus, off I went scouring the Internet for FY and Genbu goodness.

Yours truly was not disappointed, as I came across the beautiful, freshly redesigned SuzakuSeishi.com and, to my great delight, TamaNeko.net‘s Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden information and translation site.

The latter brought me closest that I have ever been to the Genbu legend. I was introduced to a most fascinating young man, named Rimudo, who is also the Genbu Shichi Seishi Uruki.

Needless to say, he is gifted with extraordinary, highly interesting powers, not to mention dashing good looks. Somewhat a cross between Hakurou of Mount Leikaku fame (Fushigi Yuugi: Genrou Den) and Tatara of the Byakko calling, methinks.

Amazon.com gives the following skinny on the Genbu Kaiden manga:

As referred to in Volume 12 of Fushigi Yuugi, Takiko Okuda was the first of the priestesses to enter “The Universe of the Four Gods.” With this latest work from the pen of best-selling artist Yuu Watase, Takiko’s full story is told.

When schoolgirl Takiko Okuda attempts to destroy her father’s translation of “The Universe of the Four Gods,” she is instead literally sucked into the story, becoming the Priestess of Genbu in an epic journey to find the seven Celestial Warriors.

In her first encounter, she meets the mysterious Rimudo, one of the Celestial Warriors who has a tattoo of the Chinese character for “woman” on his chest.

As it turns out, it’s there for a good reason: Rimudo can not only summon the wind as one of his special powers, but also transform into a woman!

Today, I saw The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen on the silver screen.

I liked the dark, alternate 1899 Europe, which is the setting and era of the film. The gorgeous silver Nautilus ship-and-submarine was also very impressive and quite life-like.

My favorite characters are Rodney Skinner, the rather uncouth Invisible Man, and, of course, Captain Nemo, who is as much a Renaissance man as one could be in his time.

Shane West, who played the young spy Tom Sawyer, has become even more handsome than he had looked as Landon in the romantic tearjerker A Walk To Remember.

In other news, I very recently bought two anime video CDs, namely The Animatrix and Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis.

Both are ground-breaking productions and have memorable storylines with enchanting depths. I really loved the noir-ish setting of Metropolis, its amazingly kind robot characters, and the touching ending.

Here is the Amazon.com movie summary:

A hunter, a scientist, a vampire, an invisible man, an immortal, a spy, a beast…

When a masked madman known as “The Fantom” threatens to launch global Armageddon, legendary adventurer Allan Quatermain (Sean Connery) commands a legion of superheroes, the likes of which mankind has never seen.

Now, despite fighting their own personal demons – and each other – they must join forces to save the world.

My current obsession is the magnificent animé and manga series Petshop of Horrors.

Count D, whom they called Hakushaku in the Filipino dub done by GMA Network dub a couple of months ago, is one of the most alluring, compelling, intriguing characters I have ever come across.

I plan on spreading the whole PSH mania throughout my computer and other peoples’ machines I could invade in the days to come.

Earlier this evening, GMA aired the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

It was classically absorbing in true Star Trek fashion, complete with space action and interpersonal drama. In my humble opinion, The Wrath of Khan is one of the best space-themed movies produced in its time, before CG sprucing was in vogue.

The highlight was the sacrifice of my favorite character in the series, the ever so poised Spock. Leonard Nimoy is just so debonair, not only in this series but also in the original Mission: Impossible.

Here is a summary of The Wrath of Khan from Amazon.com:

Inspired by the “Space Seed” episode of the original TV series, the film reunites newly promoted Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) with his nemesis from the earlier episode – the genetically superior Khan (Ricardo Montalban), who is now seeking revenge upon Kirk for having been imprisoned on a desolated planet.

Their battle ensues over control of the Genesis device, a top-secret Starfleet project enabling entire planets to be transformed into life-supporting worlds, pioneered by the mother (Bibi Besch) of Kirk’s estranged and now-adult son.

While Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) mentors the young Vulcan Lt. Saavik (Kirstie Alley), Kirk must battle Khan to the bitter end, through a climactic starship chase and an unexpected crisis that will cost the life of Kirk’s closest friend.