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

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.

I was riffling through my hard drive tonight when I came across a few images from a Japanese card game entitled Orion no Shounen.

This set, also known as Juvenile Orion, is a spin-off of the popular game Aquarian Age.

Both sets mentioned, which are issued by Broccoli, have nice bishounen and bishoujo art.

J.O. has an all-boys roster, while A.A.‘s line-up is constituted purely by girls.

The six images of Orion‘s First Impression
release were illustrated by Akurako Gokurakuin.

My favorite character is Tomonori Nakaura, a 24-year-old mystic gifted with the power of “WIZ-DOM.”

Tomonori-kun is one of those holy types that would definitely make getting excommunicated worthwhile.

I really would not mind if the local priests would look like him. In fact, I would be incredibly ecstatic.

At the dawn of the Millennium, the nation collapsed. At 15% unemployment, 10 million were out of work, 800,000 students boycotted school. The adults lost confidence, and fearing the youth, eventually passed the Millennium Educational Reform Act a.k.a. The Battle Royale Act.

This is the dystopic future in which Battle Royale takes place. Also known as Batoru Rowaiaru, it was originally a bestselling novel by Koushun Takami.

The first film, directed by Kinji Fukasaku, premiered in Japan on 16 December 2000. The sequel, Battle Royale II, was helmed by Fukusaku’s son Kenta and it was released on 5 July 2003. There is also a manga version available.

The novel, manga and first movie’s plots are basically the same, wherein the 9th Grade Class 3-B from Shiroiwa Junior High School goes on a field trip only to be gassed unconscious in the bus. They come around on an island where their teacher Kitano informs them that they have been placed in Battle Royale, a competition in which each is given a different weapon and they must kill each other until only one is left alive.

The BR franchise was a cult hit not only in Japan but also in other parts of the world.

Battle Royale‘s popularity is largely due to the stylized, graphically gory first movie. Amazon.com has the following review:

With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence, it’s only fitting that Kinji Fukasaku’s Battle Royale is being touted as a Clockwork Orange for the 21st century.

Based on the novel by Koushun Takami, the film opens with a series of fleeting images of unruly Japanese schoolchildren, whose bad behavior provides a justification for the “punishments” that will ensue.

Once the prequel has been dispensed with, the classmates are drugged and awaken on an island where they find they have been fitted with dog collars that monitor their every move.

Instructed by their old teacher (“Beat” Takeshi) with the aid of an upbeat MTV-style video, they are told of their fate: after an impartial lottery they have been chosen to fight each other in a three-day, no-rules contest, the Battle Royale.

Their only chance of survival is through the death of all their classmates.

Some pupils embrace their mission with zeal, while others simply give up or try to become peacemakers and revolutionaries. However, the ultimate drive for survival comes from the desire to protect the one you love.

Battle Royale works on many different levels, highlighting the authorities’ desperation to enforce law and order and the alienation caused by the generation gap.

To end this post on a positive, uplifting note, I would like to wish my fellow Filipinos: Happy Philippine Independence Day!

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!

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.

I got to watch the new GMA-7 anime series entitled Dragon Creation. This show was based on the CLAMP manga series Soryuden, roughly translated as “Dragon Legend.”

Dragon Creation started the previous Saturday and is about the four Ryudou brothers who are the human reincarnations of powerful mythical dragons. The powers of these dragons are sometimes manifested by these guys even if they still retain their human forms.

My favorite is Tsuzuku, the second eldest brother with the red hair, devilish smile and amazing fighting speed. He reminds me of Tasuki from Fushigi Yuugi.

Tsuzuku is also known as Gou Shyou, the Red Dragon of the South Sea. Among the four brothers I find him to be closest to my heart. Hajime is too fatherly and nerdy, being a high-school teacher, and the two younger ones are, well, too young to be considered.

It is nice to have yet another series to follow from beginning to the end, since GMA has been having the tendency of late to start a show, cut it off midway, start all over again and then cut it off yet again. I believe that is what happened with some series such as Vision of Escaflowne, at least in terms of what is being telecast here in Western Visayas.

For the past few months, I have been lurking in some fandoms where I have been actively participating before. Just got back from reconfiguring some options in my Yahoo! Groups account so I would get mail from my old MLs again.

Indeed am looking forward to catch up with some of the earliest, closest online friends I had. Majority of these really awesome pals are from the Fushigi Yuugi fandom.

Although the fandom itself has experienced a bit of a change that I could not exactly describe as impressive or even favorable, a lot of really intelligent, kind and friendly people are FY fans.

I don’t know what came over me lately, but right now I am so obsessed with manga and the beautiful artbooks that are released to “complement” them.

I think what primarily drew me in to these were the really beautiful fan websites that are so obviously labors of love. Of course, the artworks are so gorgeous and much more elaborate than those in the comic books that I have long since been fond of reading.

I have lately been into more manga series than one could shake a sackful of tankoubon at. Let’s see: there’s Gals, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, Furikuri (FLCL), D.N.Angel and Lagoon Engine.

I have also been having the time of my life watching the Filipino dubs of Detective Conan and Card Captor Sakura. I love Syaoran – and Yue, too. The Filipino voice actors are so good and they get the characters’ emotions effectively across.

Going back to manga, I think Time Stranger Kyoko is one of the coolest illustrated series I have ever read. I especially loved the clincher ending chapters. Sakataki is just so awesome, plus Kyoko really has chutzpah. What I would not give to be her, being able to sleep in the same bed with not one, but two, bishounen bodyguards.

Earlier today, I randomly went through my electronic poetry collection, which includes the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Christina Georgina Rossetti and Rabindranath Tagore, among others.

One of the poems that has long since pulled at my heartstrings is The Gardener by Tagore. The entire work is quite lengthy, but it never gets stilted.

I first heard of the author when I was in my first year of high school, at our Values Education class wherein he was quoted in our textbook. I looked him up in the library and eventually came across some of the poetry he had written.

I was proverbially reunited with Tagore when excerpts from The Gardener were quoted in a Rurouni Kenshin fanfiction series, Of Love and Honor. This work, beautifully and lyrically constructed by Tin Mandigma, remains unfinished to date, but is recognized as one of the best fanfic pieces in the RK fandom. The central characters in Of Love and Honor are Aoshi Shinomori and Misao Makimachi – the Oniwabanshuu Okashira and his Itachi Musume.

Excerpts from THE GARDENER
by Rabindranath Tagore

I love you, beloved. Forgive me my love.
Like a bird losing its way I am caught.
When my heart was shaken it lost its veil and was naked.
Cover it with pity, beloved, and forgive me my love.

If you cannot love me, beloved, forgive me my pain.
Do not look askance at me from afar.
I will steal back to my corner and sit in the dark.
With both hands I will cover my naked shame.
Turn your face from me, beloved, and forgive me my pain.

If you love me, beloved, forgive me my joy.
When my heart is borne away by the flood of happiness,
Do not smile at my perilous abandonment.
When I sit on my throne
And rule you with my tyranny of love,
When like a goddess I grant you my favour,
Bear with my pride, beloved, and forgive me my joy.

Do not go, my love, without asking my leave.
I have watched all night,
And now my eyes are heavy with sleep.
I fear lest I lose you when I am sleeping.
Do not go, my love, without asking my leave.

I start up and stretch my hands to touch you.
I ask myself, “Is it a dream?”
Could I but entangle your feet with my heart
And hold them fast to my breast!
Do not go, my love, without asking my leave.