Brass Antlers (Lolita, Anime, Ballet, Horses)

NEW BLOG

2011-04-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I am moving to my new blog, http://politefrivolity.blogspot.com/. Please continue to follow me there!

2010-11-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me personally knows that probably my favorite thing in all the world is living history.
Unlike many people who just like the clothing of a time period, I enjoy all aspects of history. I have no doubt mentioned that I have been "born in the wrong century". I don't just say this because I like Victorian clothing. I don't just say this because I enjoy watch Kuroshitsuji.

When I go to historical based events, especially Dickens Fair, I find the entire environment fantastic. The overwhelming sense of politeness and restraint, especially when you walk into more "elite" circles of characters and actors. Not everyone is "equal", and I love that. There is status, there is prestige and power. The feeling that I know exactly is what to be expected of me, and that I can expect certain behaviors out of other people. I am not expected to open doors or engage in other actions since my undergarments and dress prevent me from doing so. I am physically helpless (to a degree), so it is up to my own wits, smarts, poise, and grace to make my impression.
I would expect many other people to find this very unappetizing. But then again, I'm was born in the wrong century. ;)

So now on the main event of this entry: Gaskell Ball!
I was first introduced to this ball through the good people at Dickens. Every two months the Gaskell Occasional Dance Society holds a historical dress ball in Oakland. They bill themselves as Victorian, but people in Regency, Empire, and Edwardian clothing can also be found. There is a live band that plays music from the period. It's a dream come true!

My friend Duke and I went to our first Gaskells last October for their "Victorian Fancy Dress Ball", which is ideally a costume ball set in the Victorian era. Fairies were growing in popularity of that time, so I decided upon wearing a period dress and adding whimsical fairy wings and a tiara of "vines and berries".
I was very lucky to acquire well made pink dress on eBay for under $100. Good things come to those who wait (and hunt!). Even though it is not purely accurate, my mother and I were able to place it roughly in the late 1860s. It is not ideal, but it will do. I currently do not have the funds or time to work on sewing a truly accurate dress. I bought a pair of green wings that look like leaves from Target of all places, and mother embellished the back with some antique-looking velveteen leaves and flowers, along with some ribbon streamers. At a craft store we found a crystal garland that looked appropriate - pink crystal "berries" on green floral wire with plastic leaves that actually looked like frosted glass. With some reshaping and extra wrapping with floral tape and then ribbon, it soon became a tiara fit for the fairy queen!

The ball was held in the Scottish Rite Temple on Oakland, CA, right next to Lake Merrit. I'm not a huge fan of that city, but it was good to see that the area around the lake is slowly developing into a nice looking neighborhood, however that development ends about one block away from the lake. -_-; The temple was built by the Masons, and it's absolutely gorgeous. The ceilings are beautifully carved and gilded, with velvet curtains and wood floors. Duke and I arrived early in the day for the two-hour dance workshop in which we learned the waltz, the mazurka, polka, gallant, scottische, and Congress of Vienna. We had a fantastic time, and my hesitancy with social dancing slowly faded. I'm a ballet dancer, so relinquishing the control to the male leader can be difficult for me.
After the workshop, it was time to get dressed, and then we had a quick dinner at the Lake Chalet restaurant across the street. Many of the diners were very excited to see a fairy float in! One lady asked me to "Grant my wish, please!" So cute! After calamari and a shrimp cocktail with horseradish foam, it was time for the ball!

If you have never been to a Victorian dance, you can't imagine how wonderful it is! The men are absolute gentlemen, and there is a proper etiquette on the dance floor. Ladies standing on the edges of the dance hall are often approached by gentlemen to dance. In fact, ladies without partners never need to fear of being alone, since men are always asking you to dance. The gentleman escorts you to the dance floor (often with a flourish to show you off), and you each bow/curtsy to each other on the opening bars of the music. Any bumps or awkward changes of direction on the dance floor are always the man's fault. A lady never need apologize for anything. After the dance, the gentleman takes you on his arm right to where he found you. Heavenly!

The Congress of Vienna is probably my favorite dance, since there are a lot of opportunities for flourishing and showing off your adagio skills. The choreography used has been patched together from Regency dance manuals, and involves both open and closed waltzing, window turns, crossing behind your partner, and walking around each other to a certain number of bars. It requires both dancers to know the music, since it looks best when the lady is able to fully use the music - you can't go too fast or too slow. In additional, the music is very beautiful and stately.

I danced with many talented partners that night, but for sure my favorite are the gentlemen who are actually able to lift me! I suppose my wings were very inspiring! You can see a clip of a waltz from the ball, and it you look near the white column at the back at 0:13, you'll see me flying above the crowd! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VUX--v3Zqc

I realize the music may sound a little "mariachi" in the clip, but I assure you it isn't! It's very beautiful and well played.

We danced from 8:30 until midnight (with breaks of course!), and now I can't wait until Dickens Fair!

Really now?

2010-09-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

Granted, I have not seen his last film about the elevator, but I really like Shyamalan.
Am I the only one? I adored Signs, felt deeply touched by The Village, enjoyed Lady in the Water like one enjoys a fairytale, and felt that The Happening actually had a poignant moral if one could get over the scene with the ride-on lawnmowers. Am I wrong to enjoy these delightfully woven stories that manage to make you shiver and fear the most natural of things - corn, grass, the woods, shrubberies? Perhaps I have not been beaten over the head into numbness like so many other young people - indeed, the only thriller/horror films that I ever see have been Shyamalan's.

Oh well. ;)

Only a child's voice.

2010-08-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

One restless college night I was mindlessly browsing YouTube, and I came across an animated film that I had heard of, yet never viewed: "Cats Don't Dance". I didn't have much hope for it, but I settled down and started watching it, knowing that I could easily start watching ballet variations if it turned out to be a flop. While the animation was very "Gumby", I was entertained by the storyline and the characters.

Now, I have been watching anime for a while, so when the child diva character of "Darla Dimple" started speaking and singing, I was fascinated by a certain quality in her voice. A crisp, innocent, unmatured, ringing voice. A voice that could only be produced by a human for a relatively short amount of time. It was a child's voice. The character was voiced by Ashley Peldon, who was about 13 at the time, with the singing provided by Lindsay Ridgeway, who was also 13.

Now, how does this tie into anime?
I've always hated how children were voiced in anime (both Japanese and English), because they use adults. And generally adults with terrible, screechy, high pitched, gratingly annoying voices. Voices that don't sound like children at all. Voices that are awful to listen to for a whole series, and can make you hate a character, even though that character doesn't deserve to be hated.

The English cast for my favorite anime, Kuroshitsuji, has been released, and of course the children will be voiced by adults.
Ciel, who is a young BOY, will be voiced by a 26 year old woman, Brina Palencia.
Lizzy will be voiced by a 21 year old from Texas, Cherami Leigh.

I won't even get started on the fact that nearly everyone in Kuroshitsuji is supposed to be BRITISH.

Why must boys always be voiced by women? Is it that hard to get children in the studio? I understand there are legal issues, but other animation studios have used children to play child roles.

Here is a clip from one of my all time favorite films, The Secret Garden. Listen to these two British children speak and interact. Twenty-somethings from Texas can not imitate this, or even get close.

There is something about a child's voice that can not be imitated by adults. I wish anime studios would realize this.

Stop whining over the closure of manga sites!

2010-07-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Major scanlation sites such as OneManga.com and MangaFox.com will soon be shut down from pressure from real manga companies.

After several years of booming manga sales in the U.S. that drove the popularity of comics and graphic novels in the traditional book market, sales of manga in the U.S. have declined more than 30% from a high of $210 million in 2007 to $140 million in sales in 2009, according to pop culture news site ICv2.com. Many manga publishers and retailers who used to believe that scanlations actually attracted new readers, now blame the sales decline on the rise of giant for-profit scanlation sites that have allowed a new generation of fans to grow up reading manga for free online.

From this article discussing this issue.

As you can see from threads such as this one show that people are in an uproar over this. "How dare they!" "This is unjust!" "Those damn corporate bigwigs!". Baw, baw, baw; wah, wah, wah.

SHAME ON YOU.

You say you love anime? Alright, go out and BUY IT. It's called support. By downloading free and illegal anime and manga, you are seriously hurting the very thing you love. You want better dubs, cooler DVDs, more official merchandise? Well, those things take money. Money that you are not giving to the industry because you are pirating their property.

I'm disappointed with how otakus are handling this, but then again, I am not surprised. This is immature and ignorant behavior.
If you want to read manga but can't afford it:
-Go to a library. If they don't have manga or the series you want, request it.
-Sit your ass down at a bookstore and read it. Yes, that means you will have to leave your house.

But what about a series that has not been licensed yet? There is a good chance that if manga sales improve, companies will be more in a hurry to license new series because there is now more money involved.

Also consider this: if a series is making good money, there is a good chance for more seasons/episodes/OVAs. The creators of Princess Tutu said that they would consider making more seasons if the series did well, but so far there is no third season in sight.

So shut up and buy your manga.

2010-06-07T16:25:00.000-07:00

I was never really pleased with how the Lipizzan was drawn on Horse Isle 2; it just doesn't look noble enough for me, I guess. However, I spotted this stallion in the DryTon Livery, and I was so drawn to his coloring that I went ahead and bought him.

Not the best personality, and training him might be difficult, but he's just so pretty! I still haven't settled on a name for him yet. The filter can be so difficult sometimes, so I have to avoid human names or locations.

Also spent some time on Dry Isle and Yellow Isle. The pyramid game actually makes me ill - I think with motion sickness!

Yes, I was very bad and picked a truckload of Aloe. There were barely any players around, and there is SO much Aloe on the isle, so I didn't feel too guilty. They reduced the selling price of most pickables, so I only netted about $2,500 for about 150 leaves.

Adventures on Horse Isle 2

2010-06-04T23:58:00.000-07:00

Adventures on Horse Isle II

With summer break finally upon me, and my heart heavy and gray, and I been spending more time on my favorite sweet little game, Horse Isle II, Legend of the Esrohs. The long awaited “sequel” to the original HorseIsle game, it’s a completely flash based game in which the player captures, trains, and competes with horses, all while completing quests, puzzles, and games. There’s a lot to do on HI, and refreshingly, it doesn’t involve any violence. Even breeding plays no part in the game, unlike most other SIMS. You travel about the various isles of the world, collecting items, talking to NPCs, and playing all sorts of minigames that test all sorts of subjects - science, history, math, reading, puzzles, and logic. It may sound childish and simple, but you would be surprised!

Currently I have two lovely horses, Willoughby and Versailles. Willoughby is my first horse on HorseIsle 2 - a chestnut lusitano. I have never been very lucky in catching wild horses (on either game), so I was lucky enough to come by him in the Appleton livery barn. It was back when there were barely any horses up for adoption, and people would stand in the livery waiting for any horse to be dropped off. A livery horse only costs $20,000, which is pretty cheap. In HI, you can make that in about an hour doing quests and games. The lusitano is rather well drawn with lots of personality, unlike many other breeds. It’s a pity, since the horses on HorseIsle 1 look much better than HorseIsle 2. Willoughby is a very headstrong horse, and he often bucks me off when we are in the middle of nowhere. It might be because he is actually a mare! Since breeding plays no part in the game, I sort of disregard gender. I really want a stallion named Willoughby, so that’s what I gave myself!

"Willoughby"

In fact, dear Willoughby must actually be named “WillowBee” in the game, due to the game’s ridiculous filter. My god, that friggin’ filter. I think the creators have been watching way too much of Cris Hansen’s To Catch a Predator. You can’t write any names or places, and quite a few words are blocked. No Jane, no Halifax, no Willoughby. I’ve have never seen such a restrictive chat. EVER. The good part is that they require all words to be properly spelled, and chat speak is banned - now that’s actually nice. It’s refreshing to actually understand what some teen is trying to tell you. However, the limitations on names border on stupidity. You wanna name your horse after a literary character? Forget it!

"Versailles"

Once the population of HI started picking up, the liveries began to fill with fresh wild horses. Now, there usually 150+ horses every time I go. Just recently, I picked up a gorgeous perlino thoroughbred with great stats. I promptly named him Versailles and threw Willoughby’s cheap tack on him. He won his first cutting competition against 3 other players, and then his first desert race. I can’t wait to race him!

Currently exploring desert isle and waiting for the stock market to improve!

The Fanime 2010 Log - The Days Before

2010-05-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 23.

This is easily the craziest and most stressful time before a con that I have ever had. The bad news - it will happen every year for some time.

Here at Sonoma State, the last day of finals is May 28, or more importantly known as the First Day of Fanime. Luckily, I have no no finals scheduled for that day - my last day will be Tuesday.
But that's not all of it. For the past semester, I have been smothered in near-constant work. I have not had any social gatherings. I haven't hung out with anyone. I have gone to a few events, but not very much. I'm always stressed. Add this to the fact that I don't have many friends in the first place, and you have someone who is miserable most of the time.

Here I am in the library (which is open 24 hrs during finals week), trying to finish my essays. I have no TESTS, but all essays, which are much worse to deal with with. I have three research essays due on Tuesday, plus a Powerpointe presentation. Great. After that, I have two more essays to do when I return from Fanime.
After Tuesday, I have only two days to move out of my dorm, finish my cosplays, and pack for Fanime.
I am NOT pleased.

Why I'm looking forward to Kuroshitsuji II

2010-04-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their knickers in a twist over the new season of Kuro. Am I the only one who's actually excited? Upon watching the trailer, it seems to everything I like: a historical setting, a beautiful manor house (looks like the Trancy family bought out the Hellsing's), a little British kid and his butler, horses, ornate interiors, and a dark undertone. Alois seems like a darling, and it will be fun to watch him. He seems far less sulky than Ciel, even though his outfit screams "I did not do any research/shota bait!". I am eager to see how his relationship with Claude will pan out.

As for Claude, the new butler...Eh, he has nothing on Sebastian. His design, mannerisms, and voice is not nearly as smooth, silky, handsome, or delicious as Sebastian.

Why judge a series before even seeing it? People are always so uptight about anime that doesn't follow the manga to a T - I'm just happy that my favorite series is getting attention!

Princess Tutu Cosplay and Pointe Shoes - The storm continues...

2010-04-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

The war over pointe shoes and Princess Tutu cosplayers continues to rage. I would say that I am rather moderate on the issue, but I do make an effort to educate people about the issue. Here is a small response I wrote on Cosplay.com in the Princess Tutu thread (on page 40, if you are interested).

~~~~

Someone (not I), made this comment on a certain YouTube video of a Princess Tutu cosplay skit that I thought I would bring up:

Pointe shoes are NOT for costumes.
They are an extension of a dancers body, not a costume additive.

Pointe shoes are very, very special to dancers. They are more than just a shoe to many people. Little girls dream of wearing them from the moment they begin lessons, and hours upon hours of work is put into training to be able to wear them. The first pointe fitting and the first lesson are special occasions that are usually treasured in the memory of the dancer. Pointe shoes are also the universal symbol of the art of ballet. I honestly can not think of any other piece of equipment that is as treasured, glorified, mystified, and elevated as the pointe shoe.

As for the criticism from dancers; dance is a different (and much more difficult and demanding) world than cosplay. The cosplay community is extremely tolerant and welcoming of anyone into the art form. It has a certain, "everyone is special, everyone can do whatever they want" outlook. Dance does not. Dancers MUST be critical of all aspects of themselves and training. If not, they will not get jobs, and they will rarely succeed. It is only natural that this pursuit of perfection will filter down and result in some criticism of Tutu players. What they see are are some mimes of ballet dancers, and it isn't unusual that they will voice their opinion. Where they come from, ballet is not something that you necessarily "play with". It is unfortunate that a few do not understand the base desires that are involved in why people cosplay, but then again, cosplay is still a mysterious thing to much of the populace.

Complaint for Howrse on FB

2010-04-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

This is part on my ongoing battle against the SIM game 'Howrse'. This was posted in the game's official page on Facebook.
I'm posting this here to preserve it. I have a feeling that it will be deleted.

Link to the Post

Let me begin by saying that I have been apart of quite a few SIMS, online games, and social forum sites like Gaia Online.

Ever since I joined Howrse, I have been very suspicious of how users are treated on the forums, especially when it comes to Feedback.
Most websites are very open to feedback, suggestions, and ideas, and have entire subforums dedicated to it. In fact, some will even pay for focus groups.

I have NEVER seen a website that is so snooty (and frankly elitist) about getting feedback. So, to post an idea you need:

* Have at least 30 days seniority
* Have at least 5 reputation points
* Not have posted any ideas in the last 30 days

And then you need to have it approved? What?! Talked about biased! Part about feedback is seeing how many users request the same kind of feature, not just pick and choose what you want.

Websites should be very open and willing to please their users. Of course you will want to impose limitations (For instance, HorseIsle prefers to keep their game very realistic and severely limit fantasy elements and equines except for a few exceptions on Cloud Isle). Recently on Gaia Online, they had released a brand new user page - however, it was difficult to manage and had bugs. Within a few days, it was changed and fixed. I was very impressed with how Gaia has handled releases - they know they can't please everyone, but they actually LISTEN to their users. Everyone on Gaia knows that the admins love us. And we love them (and show them by donating and buying cash cards).

I'm not sure about Howrse though. I think the admins of Howrse need to take a step back and consider being more open to their users. Also, QUIT LOCKING TOPICS so obsessively. God. Again, I have never seen a forum with so many locked topics.

I also notice that this elitist attitude filters down to the users - there are a lot of rude, unhelpful people on the forums. Even if a good idea is proposed, the user is scolded for not having enough karma points (read: not spending enough money on the site). This is ridiculous and immature. I have never seen a forum where ideas are shot down like that.

Review: Horseland, a SIM game

2010-04-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Every so often I have a bizarre urge to play horse SIM games. I used to really like them as a child, and I used to play them in the early days when they were almost never automated, and all transactions had to be done by hand through PMs. I remember fondly “Concordia”, an older SIM that I used to waste oh-so many delightful hours on. And who can forget SIMs made with “Ex-Pages”?

“Horseland” was the first major automated SIM, I believe, and it honestly hasn’t changed much since it’s creation. I went back there last week after a *lengthy* absence and was quite disappointed that it still has the same boring, static, confusing home page. However, they have added a semi-decent flash element to their games. Instead of generic clip-art horse pictures, or a picture you steal from another site, you now have a badly drawn flash horse. While they may have hundreds of different breeds to choose from, the horse remains the same, save for color changes, which are not that well designed anyway. You also play games to earn coins to by things for your avatar and horse, but the games are basic (yet some have the merit of being addictive), and the choices for tack and clothing are severely limited. You would think that with all the people paying money to play as a Premium member, they would revamp their site...

Horseland does have the nice ability to enter shows which are actual flash-based jumping games instead of random number generators or numbers being pumped out based on your horse’s stats. The downside - only Premium (paid) members can create, design, and run them, and as a result, the courses are nothing like actual jump and hunt courses, but instead rows of jumps, since most of the 13 year old girls who play the game have no idea how to design a true course.

The website also has a flash based “World” to go riding in and chat with friends. It’s terribly basic, with poor horse animation and no where to really go. Eh. I stopped playing the game soon after I viewed all the features.

In summary, sort of cute, but terrible graphics. Has great potential, but they need to get some good artists on their creative team. I suppose young children may like it.

Mytho Rant

2009-10-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

I think quite a few people need to start watching more "America's Next Top Model".

Especially if they are cosplaying Mytho.

Does this say "dead fish" to you? Soft, yet strong. No slumped shoulders.

Just because Mytho only has some beating aorta and lacks a heart, doesn't mean a cosplayer can slump in front of the camera like a dead fish in summer. When you model "emotionless" you are STILL MODELING. There needs to be a light and energy to your eyes and your body. Shoulders need to be back, and there should be a slight lift to the chest (Mytho is a boy after all). Stand with legs apart for more dynamic shots, or even do a lunge if you don't know any ballet movements. Just don't frown at the camera.

This doesn't seem to just be with Mytho cosplayers either. I've photos of entire Princess Tutu groups that just look like they just went to a funeral.

Just because an anime is melancholy, angsty, or tragic in nature, doesn't mean you stop posing and just stand there.

"Horsez" Review ~ Part 1

2009-08-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

So I come across a mint copy of a flowery-looking computer game in the library of my old housing complex's rec center. "Horsez". Wow, an actual horse game falling right into my lap? I just had to play it. In fact, I have also decided to go ahead and review it. With my own experience working in the horse industry and working with children, I think it shall be a fun endeavor. As I don't have much time on my hands to play games all day, I'll be reviewing it in parts.

Tonight I played it for the first time, and I definitely have some thoughts.

Firstly, whoever designed the cover and box for the game is a nutter. It looks like it was made for the 6 year old "pony set", with plenty of cute flowers and horseshoes, and tantalizing captions about caring for your own pony and foal. Nevermind that it also has a picture of a ginormous foal (nearly as tall as the young woman who is cuddling it), wearing a red hair bow and a ridiculous pink western saddle backwards. At first glance, I would have never, ever, bought this game for myself or a child.

Still, I decided to give it a try. The manual gave a much more promising look to the game, which includes the typical show jumping, dressage, and cross-country, as well as some adventuring and training you can do with a foal. The manual itself doesn't seem to be written very well, but luckily instructions are given much more clearly in the game.

As I started the game, I rather enjoyed the disclaimer right at the beginning, warning players that the following game play is no substitute for actual horse instruction, and players shouldn't be training horses off the info given from the game. Ha. If those poor children only knew....

As soon a the opening scene began, with a teen-aged (maybe older) girl standing over a gravestone on the edge of a cliff in the pouring rain, it became obvious that the package designer really is a nutter. This is not a game for 6 year olds, but instead something a little more mature. I was pleased with what progressed. The storyline sounded fun, and all the characters had cute French and British accents.

The graphics are decent for the target audience of the game, and I was impressed with the detail and muscle and fur definition of the horse. A definite improvement over the original "Pippa Funnell" game (which I also own). However, running the game on High Quality resulted in tremendous lag during the story scenes. Switching to low cured the problem.

The one thing not going for this game, and what actually might make me quit it before finishing, is the damned navigation. While galloping and running, the camera is all over the place and shaky. Trying to gallop your horse straight ahead, or even worse, trying to run your character around, results in motion sickness! Not kidding! I actually felt ill trying to run to the Chapel for the Oldmaster. What makes it even more frustrating is that most of the missions are timed. I spend more time just trying to walk straight ahead than actually doing the mission. The characters and horses are arrow key controlled, but I would have preferred an option for mouse control.

The first level, in which the horse you have chosen from a few different breeds and coat colors must find and "help" the girl who has fallen off her vespa, is far too difficult, even at beginner level. The girl can barely be seen hanging off a tree on the side of a gully, and discouraging for young players who may not have mastered the art of searching for walkthroughs on Google. Again, it's timed.

More to follow soon!

The Pointe of it all....

2009-04-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

The pointe is to have fun, isn’t it?

For many Princess Tutu players, the pointe shoes are a big part of the costume, and it should be. However, the problem with pointe shoes is that they are a specialized piece of equipment that only experienced ballet dancers should be wearing. For the untrained cosplayer, the decision to wear pointe shoes is one that requires thought…

Firstly, let me explain exactly what pointe shoes are. They are not slippers, but hard supportive shoes that allow a dancer to dance on her toes. The foot is completely pointed inside the shoe, and the shoe is constrictive and tight, giving her support. Dancing in a loose shoe could be disastrous! For this reason, it can be a stressful process getting shoes fitted, since they must fit the dancer perfectly. Most pointes are made out of natural materials in a process that has remained nearly unchanged for years. They are molded out of layers and layers of burlap, paste, cardboard, and paper mache, making them very hard, yet able to break in and mold to the dancer’s foot with use. There is an inner and an outer sole, but it is the hard “shank” in between that supports that dancer’s arch. You will find the soles to be too short for your foot when you stand flat, but this is normal, if not a little uncomfortable. Because your foot shortens as you point, the soles will become the right length en pointe. The outside of the shoe is covered in a “European Pink” or light pink satin. Different brands of pointes will have different colors - Capezio tends to make very pink shoes, Charcotts have an orange tint, and Grishkos are nearly white. They can be tightened around the foot with an elastic drawstring that is then tied off after fitting, and satin ribbons and elastics are then sewn onto the shoe. The ribbons are tied around the ankle, and elastics are sewn across the shoe to held keep the shoe in place.

While the shoe helps a dancer get on her toes, the shoe does not to the work for her. A dancer must remained “pulled up” out of the shoe to be able to achieve the graceful and effortless looking dance, requiring a strong core and technique. Ballet may look easy, but it is one of the most involved and difficult sports you could take up. There is a saying in the dance world: “If ballet were any easier, it would be called football.” It takes an enormous amount of strength, discipline, and technique to dance well in pointe shoes. Even to just stand up in them.

But why the big fuss over beginners or even complete greenies in pointe shoes? There IS a danger in using pointes, even if you claim that you will only go en point while holding on to something.
When you go up en pointe, in addition to needing an insane amount of strength just to get up and stay up there, your foot and ankle need to be positioned correctly in the shoe. If you “sickle”, you can easily fall and break your ankle. It’s not difficult to get hurt en pointe at all. Even professionals can suffer injuries.

~“But I’m gonna practice at home!”
No amount of practice at home, even with instructional videos, can take the place of classes with a ballet instructor. Ballet involves a lot of fine body placement and engagement that takes years and thousands of repetitions to learn. Even if you know what is correct and what is not, it takes training to get your muscles to automatically do what is correct. That’s why it takes years to learn ballet - it’s about muscle memory and kinesthetic intelligence. You can learn about the positions and movements from books in a few hours, but getting your body to do them correctly can take years. For ballet dancers who have trained for pointe, their feet are automatically in the correct position when they get up on their toes because they have the muscle memory. A few sessions in front of the TV is no replacement for years of classes.

But what if you -really- want those pointe shoes? If you truly want to learn the art of ballet, then go and take lessons and EARN your pointe shoes. You can begin ballet at ANY age, and while you will not be able to join a company or become a full blown professional if you start after 13 (the sad truth), you can still become a great dancer and you certainly can start pointe work. There are many, many adults who have started ballet late in life. Go online and find some ballet studios close to your home - many offer adult classes or classes for teens. Always give them a call and ask - they may start a class if there is enough interest. Also check into classes at your community college or college. Dancing in pointes feels so much more fulfilling if you have actually earned them.

But there will still be cosplayers who want the shoes anyway, but don’t really want to devote themselves to some lessons. Personally, I feel that this is fine. It’s your cosplay, your feet, and you can do as you like. I would like to offer some tips, however:

-Get your shoes professionally fitted. This means finding a dance store (they are not that hard to find), and calling in to ask for a pointe fitting. Ordering pointes from a catalog is not wise - feet come in all different sizes, and you may even have one foot that is larger than the other. You need to try on many different shoes to find the ones that work for you. If the store asks you anything, tell them you will be wearing them in a photoshoot, on flat. Don’t lie and tell them you are in ballet lessons when you really are not - they might give you a shoe that is too advanced for your feet. (You’ll be surprised at the number of options pointe shoes have). Be professional, mature, and kind at the fitting. Be patient. You can also purchase a selection of pads that go inside the shoes. The inside of a point shoe is nothing like the inside of a sneaker - no padding, so gel insoles, and usually no flocking, just plain canvas, so a bear pointe shoe can be very rough and scratchy. Most shoe fitters will have you try on the pads you plan to purchase along with the shoe.

-Do you own research on how to the tie the ribbons and elastics. Putting in the time and thought into good research makes for a better cosplayer.

-Don’t try anything stupid. You will regret it. Keep to poses on the flat (time to get creative!) and don’t try standing on one foot en pointe. If you really want to go up on pointe, than hold on to someone/something.

-Remember that real dancers can tell that you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. Even in a waist-up shot, we can tell. While this shouldn’t stop anyone from cosplaying what they love, don’t try to pass yourself off as an actual dancer. Get creative and make up some poses that are not balletic, if you like. Even the placement of the arms is very specific and takes a good deal of training, so try for some fun poses that don’t require knowledge of ballet technique. If you are playing Ahiru, as opposed to Tutu, make fun of your lack of ballet knowledge! This photograph by WindoftheStars illustrates this pretty well: Here. Rosebud also has a fantastic Ahiru cosplay - her facial expressions and use of her body help capture the character and make every shot entertaining: Look

-Pointes can be beautiful, even on flat. This photo by Allspice as Femio illustrates this: Here It all depends on your pose! Make up poses where you can sit and lounge in your shoes!

Remember, the pointe of it all is to have fun!

Hey Japan, ur doin it wrong....

2009-03-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

I really want to see Japanese designers and animators actually put some work into what they're making. Open a book, open google, and do some research on the time period they are trying to portray. It's really not that difficult. It would make the film far more enjoyable, more real, and more dramatic.

Kuroshitsuji episode 21 annoyed me to no end with all those modern day guns. IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO DRAW A PISTOL FROM 1888? Are are the owners of these animation houses working their animators so hard that they can do nothing but sit at their desks and only draw what they know how to draw? Does no one want to even try to put effort into a historical period drama?

PISSES ME OFF.

Cosplay is SRS BSNS

2009-03-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

Is cosplay serious business?

Why yes. Yes it is.

Should everyone on this little blue planet treat cosplay as serious business?

Why no. Not at all.

In almost every hobby, sport, or recreation, there tends to be two types of people: those who are very serious and dedicated their art, and those who just want to have fun and enjoy themselves. You are going to find these two classes of people wherever you go - from horse showing, to ballet, to scrap booking, to sports, to model making, to cooking, to art. Cosplay is no exception. However, since cosplay tends to have a relatively young demographic, there seems to be a lot of people who are having trouble accepting the “elite” side of cosplaying. Yes, there are people who are going to pour their hearts and souls into their hobby and make it more than a hobby. Yes, there are people who are going to rethink cosplay and strive to be bigger and better than the rest. No one chides the young ballerina who works till she drops in order to be the best. No one looks down upon the horseback rider who trains everyday, and spends money on only the best for her horse prospect. However, some people seem to have problems with cosplayers who are more than just casual.

*I’m not going to lie. I want to be better than you. I want to stand out, I want to shine, I want to excel. There are many more like me. They may not be as honest, but they exist.

But do I talk down to beginner cosplayers, or think less of a player who does not put a lot of effort into a costume? No. I don’t. I don’t bash their pictures behind their backs or think of them as “lesser people”. Do I believe other advanced cosplayers should tear them apart for their own good? Absolutely not. All cosplayers should be friendly and civil to each other, regardless of skill level.

But I do believe in helpful, constructive criticism. Not: “You suck. You shouldn’t be cosplaying this character at all. Your wig is the wrong shade, the blazer is the wrong blue, those pants make you look like a decaying whale, he wasn’t wearing that tie, and you’re too short”. That’s not helpful at all, and anybody who “critiques” like that is rude and in need of manners. When I give critique, I try to keep it polite and within the cosplayers means. Something like: “You know, I think white Reebok sneakers might not be the best choice for an Ouran outfit - why not some black dress shoes? You know, you have a nice figure, so why not some better fitting pants to show it off?”

But people seem hesitant of giving or receiving crits. It happens all the time in the art communities - when people try to advise a budding anime artist to study some real human anatomy to get a better handle on drawing the body, the artist always replies: “Well, that’s just my style”. Badly drawn anatomy is not style. It’s just inexperience. Does that mean we should laugh those artists out of the park? No. But should we force them to study realism and anatomy everyday? No. That’s their own choice. You can remain at the level you are at, or you can choose to try to set the bar higher.

People who only cosplay casually or don’t really care about how they look -are fine-. They are not the bane of the convention world, and they don’t elicit a strong response in me when I see them. (However, I do have strong urges occasionally to whip out my comb and give their wig a good brush.) They are having fun.

People who treat cosplay as serious business -are fine-. They are not evil, elitist bastards who want nothing more than to make you feel horrible about yourself. They are having fun too, believe it or not. They just put in a lot of work before they play. And usually that work is a lot of fun.

Now, what is NOT OKAY are advanced cosplayers who are demeaning, nasty, and unsupportive. They give cosplay a bad name and have no excuse for acting the way they do.

Is cosplay serious business?

Why yes. Yes it is.

(*The reader should notice that nowhere in this article do I claim to be the best, or better than anyone else. Wanting to be the best and actually being the best are two different things.)

Princess Kraehe...

2009-03-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

The Problem with Kraehe

Kraehe is a attractive character to cosplay. Sensual without being too skanky, elegant, dark, and black. However, many Kraehe cosplayers get caught up on her impossible bodice-of-doom. And no wonder!

It’s backless too!

Firstly, before we delve any further into this, it’s important for Kraehe cosplayers to actually know on what Kraehe is based off it, and begin their costume design with that knowledge in mind. Princess Kraehe is based on the character of Odile in Swan Lake. Odile is in fact Von Rothbart’s daughter, who he enchants to look like just like Odette, except all in black. He takes her to the Prince’s Ball where the prince, believing her to be his love Odette, swears his love and marriage to her, settling Odette’s fate to remain a swan forever.

In the ballet, Odile DOES wear a deep cut bodice, but there is a band of nude-colored spandex between the shaped pieces. I’ve seen quite a few Kraehe cosplayers attempt this, but with poor results. Remember that ballet is meant to be seen from a distance on a stage, NOT close up like cosplay. Any nude fabric quickly “disappears” as the distance from the stage increases. Cosplayers are seen and photographed at a very close proximity, so costumes must be made with that in mind. A skin-colored spandex insert connecting the two halves of the bodice looks clumsy and dumpy, sending whatever elegance you had out the window.

How to overcome? Either you need excellent sewing skills, or a willingness to break away from the obsession with “100% Accuracy” and get creative.

Kraehe’s original bodice design presents many problems - construction, a tendency to be flimsy, unwanted sexual attention, a wardrobe-malfunction waiting to happen, and the fact that it only caters to one body type - long and lean. At a bustling anime convention that usually consists of young people, I don’t want to arrive there in a costume that could EASILY be ripped off my bare breasts. If I was going to do her original bodice, I would only wear it for photo shoots. It CAN be done, however. How successful the design and method is up to the viewer.

This cosplayer succeeded in a strapless bodice, with the help of glue.

Here, the bodice pieces are attached to a bra, which ensures they won’t be leaving your chest.

Here, the pieces are held up with a 3-point elastic system that goes around the neck.

Here, clear straps were used which become almost invisible at a distance.

Clear straps again, both on the shoulders and around the back.

Still, trying to get the perfect bodice would be difficult, and probably with the help of a great deal of boning and stiff reinforcement. However, an easier, safer, and still very impressive way of handling her bodice would be to return to the source material (Odile), and do a more traditional ballet bodice. It can still have the deep cut, and whether you add a spandex insert will depend on how stiff the bodice is. It would still be complicated if you decide to bone it, but it would still be spectacular.
Also, Kraehe doesn’t have to be plain! Look at a real ballet costume, and you’ll find it studded with jewels, beading, cording, and sequins. Here are some photos to give you a bit of inspiration!

Here’s a good example of how to emphasize the deep cut of the Odile/Kraehe bodice without actually showing half your breasts.

With little roses

All white

A little simpler

You can even just add detailing to the edges, emphasizing the cut of the top of the bodice.

Here’s an example of a Kraehe cosplayer using a ballet-type bodice: Here. I also like the stockings used, which brings me to my last point.

Almost all Odile dancers wear pink tights and Euro-pink pointe shoes, not black. Wearing opaque black tights in photos can make your legs look bigger, fatter, and without definition. Your feet become lost. They may work well in a studio shoot with white or light colored flooring, but on the convention floor, they hide your feet, which are a big part of posing as a Princess Tutu character. A good choice would be to find a transparent hosiery that still shows off your legs and would give black shoes more definition.

I hope you have taken all this into consideration if you embark on cosplaying Princess Kraehe!

Cosplay and Accuracy

2009-03-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

(((I want everyone to understand that I KNOW there are quality cosplayers out there. This is not directed at them.)))

In my travels around the ‘Net, I encounter many cosplayers who obsess and insist on perfect accuracy. Take a gander at the cesspool that is Cosfu to find users viciously bashing others who are even the slightest bit off on the official character designs.

I consider Cosplay to be in its infancy, relatively speaking. I feel that many cosplayers are not seeing the bigger picture, but instead see only that simply painted cell they are trying so hard to emulate.

Anime is simple.

It’s boring. Animators are barely paid enough, and episodes need to be cranked out to feed the family, so characters have simple designs and bright, basic colors. The only time a character might have more detail is in an art book, but not all series have such lavish books.

Cosplay is the art of bringing a character to life, yes? [Yes, it is also “costume play”, but if we are to take that literally, then I know a lot of L cosplayers who are owed an major apology. This is just play, after all.] Let us assume that there is to be more to cosplay than just playing around. We want to take 2D, flat characters and bring them into out world. We want to be photographed, to be known, to make friends, and have a damn good time. So let us treat cosplay as something to be taken seriously.

Look at movies that are adapted from graphic novels, and you’ll see the artistic choices that the costume designers make. They don’t strive for perfect accuracy. In fact, far from it - they take that design and -translate it- onto film. Take Wolverine - that aqua and banana getup would look silly in a film, so the designers for the X-Men films designed a darker, more serious outfit that kept his silhouette and but still felt like something a superhero would wear.

For costumes that don’t take such a drastic step away from the original design, look at Dark Knight. The Joker doesn’t have a grape-syrup coat and grass green hair, but instead much more muted tones. Some of the comic designs for Batman are quite plain, but in the films there is plenty to look at.

What works on the printed page or in anime does not always work in life.
Costumers and artists know this.
Cosplayers don’t.

I see a lot of cosplays with costumes taken directly from the anime - and it looks silly, awkward, and boring! Proportions of pieces, accessories, or props may not look right on an actual human being. Cosplayers are so focused on that “100% Accurate” label that they don’t even take a step back to realize that they look like a clown! I’ll say it again: What works on the printed page or in anime does not always work in life.

I hope that cosplay will start to take a turn for the better - that cosplayers will start to look at characters with a more critical eye and translate from screen to “stage”. The real art of cosplay is taking that character and making it so real, so life-like, so “in place”, that people stop and stare as if they have seen their favorite celebrity and are dying for an autograph. An Alucard in a big floppy hat and a firetruck-red coat will make me giggle, but an Alucard in distressed leather boots, a dark, deep red or maroon billowing coat, kidskin gloves, and fitted vest with Romanian silver buttons will make me melt…and perhaps even shiver in fear (or adoration). Who cares if you decide to add a few more straps, a few extra seams on the vest, silver buttons, spurs, a few more belts, some fancy holsters, and leave the godawful hat at home?! If it looks good, if it looks quality, and if it could pass in a blockbuster film, then it’s successful. It’s good, thought-out, artistic, educated cosplay.

Alucard: Laughable VS Serious and effective

~~~

Sugar Plum Cosplay

2009-03-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

More: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29683540@N04/2789529783/

Now here's a Princess Tutu cosplay that you don't see very often: The Sugar Plum Fairy.
It's an adorable variation outfit that I've never seen until these two did it, along with the Kraehe version. Very cute! More Tutu cosplayers should consider this version - it has a splendid amount of detail and if one could coordinate their wig with a pleasing shade of pink, it could all come together quite nicely.
However, due to the pattern on the bodice, it would look best on a small-chested individual - the spirals add additional "weight" to the bust area, making it appear larger than it really is. Some sort of cording or beading would look stunning, and it would probably be better to keep the pattern tight rather than highly spaced out.

Kuroshitsuji, Episode 1 Review

2009-03-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

My thoughts on Kuroshitsuji, episode 1.

I have fully read what has been scanlated of the manga, so I went ahead and began watching the anime. My player of choice has been Veoh. If you know of something better, please share.
Viewing the first episode brought some unexpected surprises, and a renewed love and appreciation for my dear Hellsing. I was pleased with how they translated the manga into anime, removing that stupid scene with the video game exchange (I believe is lazy and ridiculous to have in a Lolita genre), and creating a more historically-accurate feel. However, the history major and Victorian enthusiast inside me can't help but cringe for most of the series. I would like to see some of these mangakas get off their fat asses and haul themselves to library and GET SOME REAL RESEARCH DONE. It's not enough to throw around some famous names and products into your manga and try to pass it off as historical. It makes "300" look like a documentary. The interiors were plain and not luscious, and the furniture left much to be desired.

The characters all seemed to be what I expected, and The Domestics were truly hilarious without being too over the top (yet). Ciel is even more of a brat, and Sebastian has all the elegance that crappy cells and a low frame rate can deliver. Really, I would love to see Disney or Dreamworks get a hold of some of my favorite anime and animate it the way it deserves to be animated.

I care little for the Japanese voice or language, but Sebastian seems a little lackluster. I can only make a fangirlish prayer that Ralph Lister will pick up the role when the series is brought over. If that happens, I think I will immaculately conceive. Otherwise, I love how he is handled - far more devilish than I imagined, but oh so delicious. The part with the oven just made me giggle!

As for the rest of the series, I feel that it has received very little "care" from the crew and studio. It feels like every other two-bit anime. The animation is nothing special or unique, and the music is boring. The waltz played at the end of Episode 1 could have been interesting, but the Japanese can't write classical, as far as I'm concerned. As in “Princess Tutu”, they are better off staying with actual classical masterpieces, and perhaps remixing them for their enjoyment. Mozart’s Requiem begs to be used. The Opening Song sounds like every other opening song - BORING. It would have been nice to hear some synthesized strings and harpsichord, such as in the opening to “Rozen Maiden”. As for the closing song, it was an insult to the series, as far as I’m concerned. This isn’t Ouran Host, where some catchy Engrish song is acceptable (even though some will argue) - this is a dark, moody, serious, Victorian/Lolita series that deserves a bit more attention and care from it’s creators. Give me choir! Give me cherubic voices! Give me the horns, the strings, the woodwinds! Come on you bastards!

All this leads me to speak on Hellsing - the creators of Hellsing LOVE their baby. I speak for both the OA and OVA. The mood is kept throughout. Care and love is put into the animation and the musical score. The art, character design, setting, and music all lend to create the world and feeling that Hirano so wonderfully crafted. Hellsing is so much ‘heavier’ and deeper than Kuroshitsuji, which furthers my love and appreciation for the series. Now, the similarities between Kuro and Hellsing are another journal entry, but I believe the mangaka was greatly inspired by Hirano. As I have stated before, Sebastian is essentially Alucard and Walter’s lovechild. I believe it was said on the episode of “America’s Next Top Model” with the elephant: “If you are going to copy someone, you need to do it BETTER”. Kuro did not succeed here.

It’s a tragedy, since Kuroshitsuji, especially Sebastian, deserve so much better.

First post!

2009-03-03T22:41:00.000-08:00

Livejournal was just too desolate for me!