Project i-LaMB [ Destination ] Beauty

Been wandering around looking for old manga scans (happy to find Candy Candy and Miriam), I end up reading and downloading a LOT of manga scan... (^^); I do prefer to have a tangible collection of manga rather than just a "file", however sometimes I cannot rely on what's legally published in my country. Some old mangas are out of stock, some new mangas are not yet published... or some mangas are simply just not published for some reasons (like Futari Ecchi for instance... :P)

I'll list down some of my favorite manga scan sources where you can read online or download them for your collection.

Should you own a manga scan blog/web, do leave ur address in comment box, I'll add it.

Read online:
- Manga Fox : http://www.mangafox.com
- One Manga : http://www.onemanga.com


Download:
- Anime Eden : http://www.anime-eden.com
Huge source for both manga scan & anime download. Register needed.
- Indowebster : http://www.indowebster.web.id/ [lang: Indonesian]
This forum has got quite large collection for both anime and manga scans. Register needed.
- Mangadownload : http://www.mangadownload.net
Register needed.
- Stoptazmo : http://stoptazmo.com
No register needed.

Happy downloading (^_~)

:: June 17, 2009 ::

Following my previous post, Hayate The Combat Butler Watch & Win has been revealed. The rule is simple:

1. Watch Hayate The Combat Butler on Animax, Monday to Friday at 6 pm (SIN/PHIL) - that would be 5 pm WIB. From June 11 to June 26.
2. A mysterious butler will show up during commercial breaks, pay attention to his bow tie.
3. As soon as you've figured out where the bow tie is placed on him, send your answer together with your full name, ID number, and contact numbers) to contests@animax-asia.com.
4. Do the same for the next episodes. There are 12 episodes with 12 answers then. The more correct entries you email, the higher chance of winning.

And the prize? Don't really get it, but it seems that the prize is having 1/2 day with a good-looking butler. The identity of that hunky butler will be revealed by the end of the contest. He can be anyone really, but he must be some famous male otherwise it won't worth anything (^^).

Ow, by the way, this quiz is for Southeast Asia residents. As always, go check animax-asia.com for more info.

Ok, here's what happened. I'm in such a nostalgic mood. I'm trying to compile old stuff. Manga and anime included. However, I'm concentrated on manga or artbook which I can no longer find in nearby bookstores (Note: my nearby bookstores).

Today's feature is an artbook from one of my favorite manga Candy Candy. It was my first manga. While I was searching for the scanslation, I found this beautiful set of illustrations. Nice old goodies indeed (^_^)

I found it in Aethereality Gallery, there are so many gorgeous artbook scans there which you can treasure. I just take what I love most (^_^) If you want to take this artbook piece by piece, you can go there. If you want them all, download it from the link below (^_~)

Yumiko Igarashi Candy Candy Illustration I

Download here 21.35 MB

Animax is about to launch another quiz... still mysteriously hidden. I think it's something like "Watch & Win" contest.

Stay tune on June 11 (on Hayate The Combat Butler premier, maybe) when it will announce further (^_^)

I'll watch it closely also (^_~)

Tears to Tiara Watch & Win will soon be over. I've already got all 4 codes. (^_^) Have sent them already. Now, just fingers cross who's the lucky mini laptop winner...

Anyway, I think I'm gonna give more hints. You'll have until May 25 to solve em. (PS: If you don't know anything about this quiz, please go to my previous post)

1. RIPEME
2. SIXPIE
3. SETSPIRES
4. ROMSDAWNS

All codes related to RPG world, you know, like "castle" or "spear"... oh my God, I've said enough!

Alright, go ahead unscramble and send em to stand a chance to winning a mini laptop! Remember, leave comment here when you win (^_~)

:: May 20, 2009 ::

Kristel from the Philippines have made an original Japanese song inspired by LaMB! I just have a visit to its Youtube. Quite a beautiful song and lyric. To me, this song is much better to fit LaMB than what Animax had chosen for its theme songs... It has the atmoshphere of anime.

A ballad version of this song can be a nice insert or BGM for some scene in LaMB. I can really picture that.

Listen to the song on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ifF3-wlDA
As for the lyric http://animax-asia.com/contests/lamb-inspired-music-video

:: May 5, 2009 ::

You know what? Animax has launched so many quizzes these days! Tears to Tiara minilaptop giveaway is one of them.


The rule is very simple. Simply watch Tears to Tiara every Monday at 12.35 am (Sunday 11.35 pm WIB) for 4 weeks in a row from April 24 - May 25. There'll be a code revealed in each episode, collect all 4 of them, then send them to contests@animax-asia.com. You'll stand a chance of winning a minilaptop (yup, that Acer one), limited edition of Tears to Tiara t-shirts and posters.

Easy, huh?

Now, for I'm 2 weeks behind to announce it, I'll give you the first 2 codes so that you can catch up the next two! I don't mind coz it's a random winner quiz... luck plays a lot of role here. How about that? (^_^)

The first 2 codes are:
1. RIPEME
2. SIXPIE

Hey, wait a sec, what ON EARTH are those? Yeah, I shuffled the letters from the original code. Have a play a little, 'kay? (^_~) The words will be so closely related to Tears to Tiara world, you know, that sort of RPG kind of world...

Now you've got 2 codes in hand, watch Animax and grab for the next 2! In case you win, don't forget to write something here, deal? (^_~)

For more info go check http://animax-asia.com/contests/tears-tiara-watch-win

:: May 4, 2009 ::

So LaMB turned out o be a disappointment to me, but still love Animax, so... I decided to maintain this blog. I'll use it as a hidden mansion for my passion to anime and manga and everything in between... (^_^)

I think I'll keep the banner since it's very very beautiful... I'm such a Photoshop mess, so it took me a lot of effort to make that one (^_^); It was my first Photoshop work. I'll keep the template... And of course I'll keep the URL since it's gained PR2... (^_^);

Not so much for now, come again soon, kay? (^_~)

:: April 28, 2009 ::

Alrighty, this is it... this is the moment of truth.

LaMB Part 1 was finally aired last night. I should have watched it earlier on March 11 if I hadn't been hospitalized... (^_^)p Anyway, this is my review on this most anticipated anime in 2009...

First, I am disappointed due to the 1-hour movie format instead of anime series. LaMB as a story has got so much potential to become a successful anime series - one season of 20 to 26 episodes will do. There's sooo much to explore. Watching it in the first 30 minutes is like... watching a summary. Shortern, compacted, rough.

As an anime freak, I've watched quite a lot of animes. Based on that, I'd say that LaMB is... unfortunately... rough in all aspects.

The artwork, the music, the storyline, the dialogues, the scenes, the characters development... all of them... are rough, unpolished.

The artwork is not as beautiful as I imagined, after seeing so many official wallpapers of LaMB. Judging from the characters' movement, it is not a traditional animation, I don't know what you call it... CG or something? The facial expression is well... what can I say, it's dreadful.

The music doesn't compliment the scene. The storyline is so much shorterned and compacted that the characters cannot develop and neither the story itself. The dialogues are unnatural, the voice acts are just... I don't know what to say anymore... Actors, actresses, singers... just be what you are now, please... Just let the professional dubbers do the job, 'kay?

I wish Animax would produce LaMB once again from scratch to become an anime series. Again, LaMB has got so much potential. The story is very intriguing, it has all it takes to match up with even that anime masterpiece Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's just too bad that the execution is poor.

My verdict is: 2.5 lambs out of 5

My suggestion in case Animax has a plan to remake LaMB:
1. Choose either a full beautiful CG like Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (if beauty is all that matters) or simply traditional animation technique.
2. The music... It really doesn't compliment each scene... please do something about it.
3. Do something with the facial expression
4. The voice act... Japanese seiyuu-s know all the tricks, please leave it to them... I'm begging...
5. Pay more attention to the storyline and the characters development...

Am I too harsh on LaMB the movie? Well, after all the promotions, it is very natural for me to demand something smashing. When it didn't appear to be one, yeah I think I'm a bit too harsh... (^_^);

Let's wait for Part 2 next week...

:: March 25, 2009 ::

I just got back from the hospital after a month being stuck there. The operation was successful, the doctor said it was less complicated than it was first anticipated. Hard days of dueling the post operation pain has passed and now I feel like I'm reborn... :D

And I found this great news that this blog has been awarded 2nd Prize for Animax LaMB Blogging Contest! Yoohoo...!! Thanks Animax!

I don't know... am I too late to claim that cutie Sony PSP? I didn't get a chance of using my Opera Mini as much as I predicted so... Well... I'd like to get at least some LaMB goodie bags, though... :P

:: March 21, 2009 ::