OVERLORD | Get Hyped for Season 2

 

            2017 is surely a great year for all the Otaku out there. A lot of sequels of our favorite anime are coming up. New seasons of Shingeki no Kyojin, Tokyo Ghoul and Boku No Hero Academia has been released recently. And who’s excited for the second season of One Punch Man? We all are. We all want to see Saitama and Genos back in action. And remember when Director Goro Taniguchi announced that the Code Geass would receive a third season? Everyone can’t stop talking about it.

            And when I was going over my Facebook yesterday, I saw this:

            I checked on the latest chapter of Overlord right away on my Manga Rock app and there it is, the announcement for its second season! I have been waiting and anticipating for a second season and finally, the long wait is almost over. The second season is no longer a rumor, it came out to be true.

In the year 2138, virtual reality gaming is booming. YGGDRASIL, a popular online game which is quietly shut down one day. However, one player named Momonga decides not to log out. As the game shuts down, Momonga is then transformed into his avatar, a skeleton wizard and becomes "the most powerful magic caster in the world." As the world continues to change, with non-player characters (NPCs) beginning to feel emotion. Momonga decides on his course of action: Having no parents, friends, or place in society, this ordinary young man, Momonga decides to conquer the new world the game has become. - overlordmaruyama.wikia.com

            And yes, Overlord has almost the same concept as Sword Art Online and Log Horizon. But what I like about it is that Momonga/Lord Ainz is not at all a good guy. He can be merciless as he uses and kills humans with no hesitation as long as it benefits Nazarick or himself. He’s cautious and always try to plan ahead to avoid any situation that can endanger the people of Nazarick.

           

【Bulletin】 Production of the second stage of TV animation was announced at the announcement after the screening "Movie version summary Overload Road Dark Hero" released from today! We will inform you of the following report. #overlord_anime

            I have checked the internet about this but little to no details has been given until now. However, we should be expecting the sequel relatively soon. I hope that Studio Madhouse or the official Overlord Twitter account will release an update about the release of the new season. 

ReLIFE | Another Chance

What would you do if you have been given a chance to relive your high school life even for just a year? But reliving it doesn’t mean you’ll have to go back in time. All you have to do is drink a certain kind of drug that will change your appearance to that of a 17-years-old again, then be enrolled in a school where you can be just an ordinary high school student.

It is going to be nostalgic, right?

I happened to come across an interesting manga called ReLIFE. It is an ongoing Japanese science fantasy drama seinen web manga series that follows the story of Kaizaki Arata, a 27-year-old out-of-work man who finds it difficult to gain a full-time job at another company after quitting his last company which he only lasted at for three months. His life changes after he meets Yoake Ryou of the ReLIFE Research Institute, who offered him a mysterious drug and seeks his cooperation to become a subject in a one-year experiment in which he begins his life as a high school student again. But in return all his expenses will be fully covered from food to rent and will be introduced and referred to a company immediately after the completion of the experiment.

I am not particularly a fan of plots about reliving a part of your life. So I thought I would not like it but I found myself enjoying the series. 

The drama, the comedy, the romance and the seriousness of the story were beautifully combined that makes it very interesting, intriguing and funny.  And I love how all the characters are all unique and very tender. The series brought me a lot of smiles while reading it. I’m currently on Chapter 102 and have a lot of questions and expectations about the plot since it’s starting to be more interesting after every chapter.

            I wonder if the anime adaptation is as good as the manga.

            It is written and illustrated by Sou Yayoi.

SUMMER | And Where To Go

It’s April and it’s SUMMER!

It’s time to pack my things and enjoy the sun!

Unlike last year and the years before, I haven’t had a chance of going someplace away from overbearing stress of work and the city. But luckily this time, I was able to get a 2-day vacation leave right before the weekend which is my off!

Finally, I get to enjoy the summer!

And I already have a destination in mind – Bolinao, Pangasinan.

           Right after I get out of work on Thursday morning this holy week, my boyfriend and I together will be travelling to his hometown which is Bolinao. It is a first class municipality located at the northernmost tip of western Pangasinan. Known for its lovely beaches, captivating caves, fresh sea foods and lighthouse – we can say that it is a hidden gem of Pangasinan.

            We’ll be staying at his parents’ house so lodging wouldn’t be a problem. But the question is, will we be able to explore Bolinao? As someone who grew up there, my boyfriend doesn’t share the excitement that I feel when we talk about the places to visit in Bolinao. For him, they are just common places. But for me who hardly had a chance to travel, exploring Bolinao is a rare chance and I don’t want to miss it.

            I can’t wait to enjoy the sunset, eat local delicacies and take a lot of pictures.

            I’m not asking for the best summer experience. I just want to enjoy, relax and have a break. I just want it to be good. Because for someone like me who haven’t had a decent summer vacation, good is already the best.

Koe no Katachi | The Shape of Voice

“Back then, if we could have heard each other’s voices, everything would have been so much better.”

A Japanese manga series that will captivate your heart, that’s what Koe no Katachi is. Written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Oima, you’ll get to experience mixed emotions as you read the story from the first to its last chapter. Feel the drama, enjoy the romance and relate to the slice of life plot of the story.

Shouko Nishimiya

The story centers on Shouya Ishida, a boy who always look for ways to beat boredom. Weirded out by his new classmate, Shouko Nishimiya, whom has severe hearing loss, he picks on her day after day, alongside his friends back when he was in elementary school unaware of the effects of his thoughtless actions. 

It got to the point where Nishimiya transferred to another school, and all of his friends and teachers turned against him. They begin to ostracize and bully him every chance they get instead. After a few years, Ishida learned sign language and started looking for Nishimiya as he’s determined to right his wrongs.

Though there’s bits and pieces of romance here and there, it is not the main theme of the story at all. So don’t go into the series expecting it to be. Despite that, Koe no Katachi is a jewel that no one should miss. It deals with realistic and interesting topics such as the two sides of bullying and its ripple effects everyone. It is also about a lot of things like disabilities, difficult friendships, regrets and the kind of depression and guilt ordinary people deal with.

“If crying will solve anything… I want you to cry.”

Maybe the reason why I love the manga is because I can relate to it. When I was reading it, I can’t help but remember some painful memories when I was in high school. I was someone who didn’t fit well in the class and people will only talk to me if they need something. I was the class ‘weirdo’ who always spend my time with books on my hand and hardly talk to anyone unless I needed to. I was criticized and people talk behind my back.

Reading the series while remembering my high school days, I can say that you don’t have to be ugly, poor or disabled to be bullied or shunned and be an outcast. As long as other people thinks you’re different and inferior, they’ll pick on you.

Koe no Katachi is simply beautiful and sad. Between so many distressing moments, everything has been beautifully written and thought out. I have to say that the characters have been great. I cried, agonized and hoped with them. See them change, and even hurt each other as they matured, has been one of the best parts of the manga. It has a sweet and satisfying ending.

It is also known as A Silent Voice to many English readers.