"Kakurenbo: Hide and Seek" - A Review

Some kids learn of a game of hide and seek that takes place in a ruined city. Though they are warned that sometimes kids "disappear" when playing, they all decide to play. One of which, a boy named Hikora, has his own reasons for attempting the game. His sister was one of the kids to go missing...

When I first saw the commercial for this anime I knew it was the one for me. I am a BIG fan of anime and Japanese Horror and this looked like the best of both. And I was right. Kakurenbo is, without a doubt, one of the best animes I have seen.

The opening, descending down into the ruined city, is staggeringly beautiful. Everything else is as stunning. Smooth animation. Clear character detail. The works.

At 25 minutes Kakurenbo does not have enough time to wear out its welcome. It sets up its situation quickly, introduces its characters, and sets things in motion. Some characters aren't as fleshed out as others, but that doesn't matter much in the long run.

The story itself is a trifle obvious, but between the voice acting and the moody visuals this is not a problem. While personal preference suggests that I'd like the subtitled more, the dubbed version I watched was most excellent.

This was broadcast as a special on October 29th on Cartoon Planet. I don't know if it will be played again, but it is well worth seeking out. It is the first film made by YamatoWorks, and I hope more such quality works follow.

UPDATE: I saw Kakurenbo on sale at my local Best Buy, so you might be able to find it at you're local vieo rental place.

NaNoWriMo - The Day Approachith

Two more days until NaNoWriMo and I'm a wreck. The original outline I had in my head for "The Crawl of Chufule?" Scrapped. Simply does. Not. Work. At least, not right now. Maybe I can use it later. But for this? Nuh uh. No way.

Sooooo I'm working without a net. I know most of the major characters. Two of them, the main protagonists, I've been fiddling with for five years. I've written four or five stories with them. They should be fine.

Two others I believe I know, but they can be like shadows. Changing. Fluid. This will be their premiere story, assuming I can finish it.

A final two who are new. No substance at all. Not even names. I know who they should be, but beyond that... Nothing.

Then there is Chufule and His Cult. But Chufule is an Elder God and His Minions are little more than absurd creatures. I think I can handle them.

Beyond that is the Abyss. Void. Emptiness.

I have a handle. The last third of "Call of Cthulhu" and maybe some of "Brigadoon." But I don't think it's enough.

I've set out without a map before. Sometimes it's worked out. That's the exception to the rule, but I'm just telling myself that it doesn't matter.

Word count matters.

Finishing matters.

I can always go back and rewrite. Afterwards. It must be afterwards.

I'm nervous, excited, almost giddy.

It's a long wait now. Part of me keeps whispering I'm going to fail, that even if I do it, I'll not get it published.

If so, then there's always next year.

Or next month...

Haunted House Reflection

Last time I was in a "Haunted House" was when I was nineteen or twenty, I disremember which. It was set up in a local supermarket and I went with Brother Eric and his current Flame.

All in all, it wasn't bad. Pretty much what you'd expect. Turn a corner and you'd see a "Horrific Scene." Spooky sounds. Things jumping out at you. That sort of thing.

I make it sound all beneath me and everything, but it really worked. A lot of it was in utter darkness, which helped. It was also a lot of crawling around on the ground, which is something I'm not known for, then or now.

We were half way or so through the Haunted House when we came across a cage. In this cage was a guy dressed in a straight jacket and werewolf mask. He goes into his routine, which time has erased from my mind.

Well, the spirit of smart a-- possessed me and I said, "Hi Mom!" Gave him a little wave.

This, needless to say, wasn't supposed to happen. "Um, I'm not your mom."

"I know," I said. "I know."

You can't top a moment like that.

I've never been in a Haunted House since.

Who Won the World Series?

I would be remiss if I didn't record here that the White Sox have beaten the Houston Astros, thus winning the World Series 4-0.

I am not much of a baseball fan, so I didn't watch much of the game. On that, I lean Cubs over Sox. However, at heart I'm still a Chicago boy, and it does me good to see one of our teams go all the way.

Hurray for the Sox! Let's see it happen again!

And the Cubs? At least don't suck too much...

NaNoWriMo - Title

I'm all but certain I'm not doing "Foul Lady Fao." If things go well next month, it'll be a December project. I have high hopes that doing this will ease whatever psychlogical blocks I have and lead to more finished works. (Quality comes later...)

Instead, I believe I'll be working on a Fear Adventure novel I'm calling "The Crawl of Chufule." It'll be a mild parody of the Lovecraft Classic "Call of Cthulhu", as well as various other Fantastic stories.

Here's to hoping...

NaNoWriMo Correction - I'm a Moron

When I was in second grade, my teacher, Mrs. Godfrey, gave us a test. The very first instruction says read all the instructions and do as they say. Then there was a list of questions, tasks, what-have you. At the very end was a very special instruction, saying for you to not do anything except sign your name on the page and take it back up to the teacher.

Needless to say, I was caught. Did pretty much the entire page. But I vowed NEVER TO BE FOOLED AGAIN.

(Children make vows in all caps. I remember that much.)

So comes my glory days at Marian Catholic High School. Freshman year. Mouth full of braces. I take a course on study techniques that will help me in no way whatsoever in the years ahead. And the teacher running the course gave us a similar test.

"Aha!", I said. I scanned the page, do this, do that, there it is, final clause! I do as I was bid and was, if not the first kid up there, then damn near.

Success! Brilliance!

Now that we've got that out of the way, lets add another wrinkle. I taught myself to speed read as a kid. Don't know how. As far as I was concerned, I read at normal speed and everyone else reads slow.

I have good comprehension, can tell you various bits and pieces, the works. Sometimes I miss things, but rule of thumb I catch everything.

So why is it that in a straight forward, easy piece of work, I can screw up important, key information? I went back to NaNoWriMo's FAQ and saw, big as shoes, that it's 50,000 words that needs done, and not 500,000 words.

I've been thinking 500 thou since I learned about the contest last November! I've been telling family members that is 500 thou! I plotted out an entire year of this with that number in mind! I DID THE MATH FOR EVERY MONTH, INCLUDING FEBRUARY, BASED ON THAT FREAKING NUMBER!

I am a complete idiot. A moron. A dweeb.

But it's also a weight off my mind. 50, 000 is such a smaller number. A happier number. I can do this. I will do this. It's only 1,667-ish words a day. I'm shooting for 25,000 words. I will not think about how long this post has taken and not reached 500 words...

I will also REREAD EVERYTHING BEFORE TALKING ABOUT A SUBJECT. I mean, geeze!

Oh, and I will make sure the next check I write (assuming there ever is one) HAS THE PROPER NUMBER OF ZEROES. Just to be safe.

The Hell...?! (III) - First Personal Jesus

Word is out on Anne Rice's next book. It is to be called Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. According to the article, it tells of a seven year old Jesus's life... in the first person.

This stems from Rice's reconnection with the Roman Catholic Church. She says that, in essence, from here on out she is preach the words of the Lord. Which must please her emo/Goth fans to no end.

I have never been Rice's biggest fan. I read Interview With a Vampire and liked it a great deal, but that's the limit. Her prose is impenetrable by me. Brother Eric swears by the Vampire Lestat, but has no use for the rest of the chronicles. In fact, I believe that Lestat is one of the few books Brother Todd the Illiterate* has made his way through.

So the news doesn't affect me the way it might some. But y'know, I just might check it out when it comes out. Who knows? It might be interesting. It might inspire.

It'll probably be unreadable by me and my mindset, but hey! I hope it works out for Rice.

---

*Obviously an honorary title