But after a few weeks of not doing anything, I suddenly do not know where to begin with. Perhaps I should continue making fun of Seiken no Blacksmith, considering how terrible the show has been so far. Ok, maybe not that terrible, but rather, disappointing. Eight episodes in and we still do not have a solid plot development. Manglobe, what are you doing?

Before I get back to the normal routine, I suppose I shall do a short post on Anime Festival Asia, which took place a few days ago. Decided to forgo the first day as queues were emphatic and there were not much things of interest on Saturday, for it was mainly focused on Cosplay.

Strangely enough, it took me only a few seconds to snap up an entrance ticket on Sunday. So whilst waiting for the live K-ON! dubbing to start, I walked around looking for possible stuff to buy. Instead, I was left ruing about being a poor student as almost everything in there were overpriced. Examples were:

-A T-shirt for S$50 with just Yui’s face stamped in front

-S$25 for a set meal at the maid cafe

-Figurines that can be bought at a cheaper price by placing an order online

And to top it all off, there were relatively fewer stores and variety as compared to last year. Putting that dissatisfaction aside, I went to the stage area one hour before the live dubbing began. Managed to get a seat on second row, and I was smiling like a small kid who just managed to get the toy that he wants. Then yet another disappointment came when we were warned not to take any photographs or videos of the event.

FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, NOT EVEN ONE PHOTO?

To top it off, there was not even going to be an autograph session. Simply fabulous. I felt I have been ripped off by the organisers.

But still, witnessing the live dubbing was an experience of a lifetime. Hikasa Youko was a no-show, so it was only left with the other four members. Aki and Ayana (Azusa’s seiyuu) were so cute and adorable, Satomi was as lively as Ritsu while Kotobuki was very dignified indeed. Managed to do a sound recording of the whole event, albeit of a horrible quality.  Still, it was interesting to know facts such as:

-Aki confessing to be as airy-fairy and unfashionable as Yui, and that her favourite phrase in K-ON! is the infamous “UNTAN”

-Ayana revealing that she, like Azusa, will cool down if  sweet things are offered to her, and the fact that she wanted to be a detective if she did not achieve her dreams of being a voice actress

-Kotobuki stating that she has to breathe in slower when voicing Mugi, and her back-up career was to be a make-up artist or stylist

-Satomi mentioning that she once used to be a shy person, before being given the role of Ritsu.

(If you still want to hear the whole event despite the “QUARITY” of the recording, I will post the link up here once Megaupload stops being a bitch download here. Skip to 16:20 for the Q&A.)

In conclusion, I feel that anime conventions in Singapore are not up to the mark yet. More interaction time should be given between idols and their fans, and they should obviously stop the blatant wallet rip-off.  But then again, I should not fully blame the organisers, given that the probable lack of funding they received for this event. Nevertheless, here’s hoping for a better AFA 2010.

And I actually harboured thoughts of buying the full set, but they didn’t restock and only Mugi was left. =(

Till 23rd November 2009.

A Level exams in a week’s time.
Then I’ll be a NEET for 8 months in 4 weeks’ time, unless I search for a job.  (☝ﾟ∀ﾟ )☝

Anyway, my picks for ISML’s final round for the year in 9 hours’ time:

ARENA 02: [[Chii]] Index Prohibitorum
ARENA 03: Minase Nayuki [[Kurata Sayuri]]
ARENA 04: [[Evangeline McDowell]] Katagiri Yūhi
ARENA 05: [[Hakurei Reimu]] Kawasumi Mai
ARENA 06: Vita [[Abstained]] Yagami Hayate
ARENA 07: Kamio Misuzu [[Misaka Mikoto]]
ARENA 08: [[Tsukimiya Ayu]] Louise Valliere
ARENA 09: [[Nogizaka Haruka]] Yin

ARENA 01: [[Katsura Hinagiku]] Shana

Later on in the day…

The Next Day…

Shock!

Oh poor Cecily.

GUY IN BLACK SUIT APPEARS!

Obligatory Katana Forging Scene.

Obligatory Luke Fighting Scene.

The Next Day…

What other adventures await our young heroine?

Kuroko, I feel for you.

Ok, random post to indicate I’m still around, even though I’m supposedly busy studying away. damn you fall season =3

After months of intense competition, Saimoe finally came to an end yesterday, with Taiga defeating Yui by 54 votes in a rather close match.

This is also Taiga’s second crown, having won Korea’s Best Moe Tournament, thus following in the steps of Suiseiseki who achieved a similar feat in 2006.

Looking at the results, the surge in votes for Taiga in the morning did consist of fakes, but it was not that large of a number to put her at a disadvantage. Same story for the evening surge of votes for Taiga, in which Yui managed to close up the gap, but eventually it was not enough for her to overtake Taiga.

Still, credit to Yui for putting up a good fight. Hopefully, she will have better luck next year.

So, to wrap things up, it has been a wonderful ride, even though this year’s tournament may not as spectacular as before. The exit of Mio Akiyama in the first round, the disappointing performance by Clannad and Strike Witches series, the rise and fall of the Saki and Kugirie faction and the ever-present fake, hate and strategic voting.

Anyway, here’s some of the moments and competitors in Saimoe that will remain intact in my mind.

Best match: R3- Katsura Hinagiku vs Hirasawa Yui. Probably one of the most intense match, next to Amae Koromo’s first round victory against Segawa Izumi and Nodocchi’s win over Nagi Sanzenin in Round 4. In the end, only 18 votes separated the HnG powerhouse and the eventual runner-up. Heartbreak for one, joy to the other.

Most impressive competitor: Taiga Aisaka. Yes, it simply has to be the champion. Surviving a tough split against compatriot Ami and Mikuru was already job well done, and then beating some high-tier characters from major factions (Maria, Azusa, Isumi, Nodocchi and Yui) to clinch the crown is yet another amazing feat.

Most impressive faction: Saki faction, without a doubt. Having dominated from Round 1 all the way up to the semi-finals, it’s rather heartbreaking that none of their characters featured in the finals. They’ll probably lose their appeal next year, so they will have to wait a little while longer for Season 2 to air in order to regain back the power they had in this competition.

Most suprising competitor: Saginomiya Isumi. Who would have thought she was able made it all the way to the Final 8 and remain the last one standing for HnG faction. Louise comes in a close second.

Most suprising exit: R1- Akiyama Mio. Enough said.

That’s all I have to state. As for the characters I supported throughout the tournament, they were knocked out relatively early. Kotobuki Tsumugi crashed out in the first round, Kawashima Ami and my self-proclaimed waifu Horo were knocked out in the second round, followed by Nagi of Kannagi in the third round and then finally Azusa in the fourth round. And when I started watching a bit of Saki and grew to like Tacos and Koromo, they exited in the quarter finals.

But still, I’m rather pleased. Even if your favourite character did not end up winning, always remember this fact: that your true moe lies within your heart, and nothing else can change that fact.

Before I end my blog post, I would like to thank the following people who were involved in this year’s proceedings:

-Anon guy who’s in charge of animesaimoe.org website, which has provided everyone with detailed information and statistics, as well as the classical matchup posters and fixture list

-frustra, who makes brilliant and creative matchup posters and never fails to update the community on any Saimoe happenings

-Animesuki forums, where I lurk to gather general opinions but hardly posted there myself

-4chan’s /a/, who has provided me with some “entertainment”

-2ch, for hosting this competition

and finally, to everyone who follows and reads this blog. Thanks for your support and sorry for any wrongdoings! Don’t whack me if some of the counts do not turn out to be that accurate, as they are just interims afterall ^^.

With that, I bring this blog’s coverage of Saimoe 2009 to a close. It has been fun.

Next post: Looking ahead – Saimoe 2010 and the future of this blog

ARCHIVE:
10.20PM GST+9: This is it. We are down to the final minutes of the match. Those abnormal surges in votes and the final rush during the last 5 minutes will be crucial in deciding this match. Will Taiga win it, or has Yui benefitted from the larger amount of fake votes for Taiga?

Oh, and there’s a stupid spammer in 2ch who’s proclaiming that Taiga and Chiaki look alike and hence there’s copyright infrigement. No suprises as to who the spammer hates.

8.30PM GST+9: Hoho! Just when it seemed Yui was about to catch up, there was another rush of votes for Taiga, of about 75 votes in total. I suspect that these votes are fake votes from Yui supporters who are present at that point of time. So as it stands now, it may be Taiga leading by less than the difference you see here or Yui leading instead with a maximum difference of 68 votes based on the discrepancy.

5.20PM GST+9: Yui’s supporters are starting to arrive at yet again this period of time. Like the match against Koromo and Kyapten, this should mark the beginning of Yui’s strong evening rush. Of course, the rush is still ongoing, so I cannot determine whether there’s any new discrepancy. But Taiga is probably in trouble.

I’m going off for now, so I may be late with the next count. Hopefully, I’ll make it home by latest 10.00PM GST+9. Might be earlier, though.

2.30PM GST+9: No new anormalies, no signs of rush from Yui supporters. Anyway, added a “discrepancy” count, based on those suspicious jumps, for ease of viewing. That’s the maximum number of votes you can deduct away from Taiga’s count. So Yui could instead be in the lead.

12.05PM GST+9: And Taiga takes the lead. After a hussle tussle in the early hours, there was a rush of about 125 votes for Taiga from 3.15AM to 5.00AM. Of course, this is kind of suspicious, so we’ll see whether there’s a strong response from Yui’s supporters within the next few hours. If there isn’t, then there is possibility that quite a proportion of the 125 rush votes consist of fakes.

2.30AM GST+9: Be back in a few hours’ time. Off to Dreamworld, a.k.a bed.

Jokes aside now, it’s time for a serious preview of the finals. With few hours left before the final voting process for this year’s competition, we’ll take a look at these final two competitors: the courageous and honest tsundere, Taiga Aisaka and the ever-positive airhead, Yui Hirasawa.

Since Yui defeated Taiga in the preliminary round, both managed to cruise their Round 1 matchups before having to face off against some intense competition.

Aisaka Taiga

Round 2: Taiga 786 (45.96%) – Ami 627 (36.67%) – Mikuru 297 (17.37%)
Round 3: Taiga 850 (53.97%) – Maria 725 (46.03%)
Round 4: Taiga 825 (53.71%) – Azusa 711 (46.29%)
Round 5: Taiga 812 (52.45%) – Isumi 736 (47.55%)
Round 6: Taiga 1077 (51.90%) – Nodoka 998 (48.10%)

Hirasawa Yui

Round 2: Yui 836 (49.06%) – Rika 773 (45.36%) – Shimako 95 (5.58%)
Round 3: Yui 953 (50.48%) – Hinagiku 935 (49.52%)
Round 4: Yui 838 (52.70%) – Minori 752 (47.30%)
Round 5: Yui 873 (51.60%) – Koromo 819 (48.40%)
Round 6: Yui 1019 (50.77%) – Mihoko 988 (49.23%)

Looking at it, both Taiga and Yui faced about similar difficulty opponents since the beginning of Round 2. Both have tasted the power of the Hayate no Gotoku and Saki faction, and also a character from each other respective series. And both have raked in the large number of votes required to steer them to victory in every round.

Indeed, these two characters have done extremely well considering the fact that they have made it this far owing to their own character strength rather than faction strength. Of course, some may argue that Yui received support from the supporters of her fallen comrades, but K-ON! faction could not really match up to the power level of Saki and HnG faction. If it did, Mugi and Ui could have proceeded to Round 2, while Ritsu and Azusa should have gone even further.

Now, to look at the pros and cons that Taiga and Yui have in the finals:

Aisaka Taiga (with Wooden Sword)
Pros:
-Tsunderes are still well-liked in Japan.
-There’s still support from fans of KugiRie.
-The fact that she may not have any chance to compete in the future would mean that her supporters are desperate to win it for her.
-She’s still in the hunt for a clean sweep of Saimoe crowns, and there are ppl who wants her to achieve that.

Cons:
-Kagami Hiiragi, champion of Saimoe 2008, is a tsundere and 2ch may want someone with a different personality trait to win.
-Taiga has already won K-saimoe, so followers of this competition may prefer another face to win it.

Hirasawa Yui (with Gitah)
Pros:
-Power of a music-based anime show. As they say, music unites people.
-Yui is currently more popular than Taiga, according to various popularity polls.
-Support from fallen comrades are stronger than that of Taiga’s.

Cons:
-Kyoani dominated last year’s proceedings and 2ch may not want yet another Kyoani character to win it.
-Yui still has another chance to compete in Saimoe. Taiga doesn’t.
-Dilemma for Mio fans. If Yui wins it, Mio may not do so in future competitions, as Saimoe history dictates. They may just decide to step back…

In the end, I guess the fate of this match may perhaps lie in the neutrals. Or rather, those who have no one to root for anymore, especially Saki fans. It’ll be interesting to see the division in votes for each character, given that both Yui and Taiga defeated popular Saki characters along the way here. Yui may just receive less of the pie’s share, given that she’s defeated the likeable Koromo and the popular Kyapten, and the fact that Tacos fans will most likely vote for Taiga.

I’m going to root for Taiga, despite her having defeated my dear Ami and Azunyan, as a sign of acknowledgement to her accomplishments. Now predicting the winner is a tough one. Yui seems like the plausible choice, seeing that she’s currently more popular than Taiga in Japan. However, at the end of the day, I think Taiga will nick it. Ever since surviving that tough split and her convincing victory over Maria, I had almost no doubts in my mind she’ll make it to the final. And I’m pretty sure she will give Yui a run for her GITAH.

Pick: Taiga
Prediction: Taiga

Well, hello there fellow readers of this blog. As most of you have know, Aisaka Taiga and Hirasawa Yui will be battling it out for the Saimoe crown tomorrow. As part of the preview, I have sent my compatriot, Mr A, to “interview” both of them. Now let’s go to where Mr A is.

A: Hi! Right now, I’m waiting for the legendary Palmtop Tiger, Aisaka Taiga, to emerge out of the conference room. Lots of Kugirie fans here, it seems. And I could have sworn I saw one of them holding up a “I Love Tsunderes” signboard. Ah, anyway, here she comes! Taiga, over here!

Taiga: What is it, baka inu?

A: I’m not your dog, damn it.

Taiga: Well, I insist you are. Anyway, what do you want with me? Spit it out fast, or you’ll have a taste of my sword.

A: …stop swinging that thing around, it’s scaring me. Before I begin, I would like to congratulate you for beating Nodocchi in the last round! How does it feel to defeat a major Saki character?

Taiga: Cowtits didn’t stand a chance against me, even with the combined efforts of that round penguin and mahjong fanatics supporting her. I may not look like it, but I’m actually pretty strong, you know?

A: But this Saimoe tournament is not about strength, Aisaka-sa-

Taiga: *WHACKS* URUSAI. Strength matters in this competition. Look at Louise. Her void magic was unless against Nodocchi. After much hype of people regarding her as the ultimate tsundere…tsk.

A: …ouch…ok…Anyway, how you do rate your chances against Yui?

Taiga: I’ve already beaten that nekomimi friend of hers with ease in Round 4. She plays the guitar too. What was her name again?

A: Azusa Nakano.

Taiga: Oh yeah, that Azusa. I don’t understand why her supporters just love calling her Azunyan and treat her as if she were an adorable cat. It makes me sick to the guts.

A: But aren’t you a cat too? A tiger belongs to the cat family, right?

Taiga: Baka…

A: I think I’m off to interview Yui now, all the best to you in the finals! Bye!

I frantically went over to Yui, who was entertaining her supporters without any hesistation at all. Apparently, she’s accompanied by her sister Ui who was making sure nothing strange happens to her sister. So after waiting for the crowd to disperse, I finally managed to meet her face to face.

A: Hello, Yui!

Yui: Oh hi…..wait who are you again?

A: I’m just a reporter covering this whole Saimoe tournament. Can I take a few minutes of your time to ask you a few questions?

Yui: Sure! (with a wide smile on her face) Ui, look, I’m being interviewed! Do you reckon that I’ll appear on TV?

Ui: Onee-chan…

A: First off, congratulations for the win against Kyapten yesterday. A stern test perhaps considering she was the last one standing for the Saki faction, but you managed to pull it off! How do you feel right now?

Yui: Good!

A: That’s all that you have to say?

Yui: Mugi-chan, if you are seeing this, can you please buy me some delicious cakes later?

A: That’s not the point here!

Yui: Heheh…

A: Erm, ok. Moving on. You have been amazing throughout the competition. Not only have you beaten Kyapten, you’ve beaten some powerhouses such as Rika Furude and Katsura Hinagiku. What’s your secret to success?

Yui: …

A: Er, Yui?

Ui: I’m sorry, Mr Interviewer, but onee-chan used up too much of her energy entertaining her supporters already!

A: What? Can’t you wake her up?

Ui: You were saying…?

A: Erm never mind.

P.S:
I don’t actually like Kugi tsunderes. Yarly.
Ok, fine, Shana does look appealing at times.

Part 2 of the preview is srs bsns. Will be up in a few hours’ time.

Result:

1st 1019 votes (50.77%) | Hirasawa Yui @ K-ON!
2nd 988 votes (49.23%) | Fukuji Mihoko (Captain) @ Saki

And Yui wins! Employing almost the same tactics as Taiga’s supporters, Yui’s fanbase did a fake rush for Mihoko in the early hours of the morning (those 150 votes I mentioned.) After comfortably maintaining the lead, there was a mini boost of votes before the final rush to ensure that Saki’s faction final rush won’t be enough for Kyapten to seize victory away from Yui.

So in the end, it just had to come down to the much expected Taiga vs Yui final. Tsundere vs airhead, akin to 2008′s final eh? But this year’s final will probably be more epic than that of last year’s, as it is not an intra-series battle.

Anyway, Saimoe takes a one day break. Preview for the finals will be up later on in the day. Till then, you may leave comments on who you are rooting for in the finals, and I may feature them as part of something I’m planning to do as part of the preview…if I don’t procrastinate or have other ideas.