NUS Anime Newsletter 9

NUSCAS Newsletter Issue 8

Sem 2 2010/2011

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PRESIDENT ‘S COLUMN

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Dear readers, As I sit down in front of my computer typing this message, I realized that this is the last time I will be writing a column in the capacity as the club’s President. Over the past 3 years, our newsletters have changed drammatically in design and content, and is now a competent source of information about the club’s activities for the club. As I am typing this, some of my friends have just attended the Commencement Ceremony, and therefore graduated. I will always remember the times we spent in school together, and if they read this news-letter, I hope they have had a great time as part of NUSCAS as well. Over the past 3 years, our club has achieved great things. We have organized Graphite, our very own artwork competition, into a national level, and then further strengthened its position in the local industry as a recognized event capable of attracting talents all over the nation. We have built strong relationships with our affiliates and partners, helping them organize their events, and representing them in other events they could not attend. We have built a strong Executive Committee who is committed to delivering only the best for the club. But one thing I have always wanted is for the club to be a place where comics and animation fans in NUS can call home; a go-to club of sorts. A club serving first and foremost, the NUS and its people. The club must first and foremost be about its peo-ple. As I hand the reins over to a new generation of leaders, I watched with swelling emotions as they addressed their Exco in their new capacities for the first time. It reminded me of 2009 all over again, where I bravely stepped up, and in front of my Exco of 20 strong, addressed my desires, hopes and wishes. Throughout the years, my Exco have been most supportive of our efforts and goals, and I trully cannot achieve anything within the club at all without their efforts and sacrifice. As I bid them farewell and good luck, I will also like to take this opportunity to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, every one of you in NUSCAS. You are the people who make my life in NUS complete. As I end the last President’s Word column for the club newsletter I will ever write, I will just want to leave everyone with a simple message. That which you value most is probably all around you. That which you desire the most, you might already have it. I will leave it to you, dear readers, to ponder what that means. Farewell, and stay safe.

Leow Ruishen Claude

President, 11th Management Committee (Retired)

NUS Comics and Animation Society.

UPCOMING PRESIDENT’S WORD

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UPCOMING PRESIDENT’S WORDS Greetings readers, Well this is my first ever president’s message for the NUSCAS newsletter and honestly speaking also the first time I’ve ever held a president’s position in any club. So much like the polar opposite of the outgoing presi-dent, I’m much more of the dreamy, starry-eyed youngster that Ruishen might have been when he first took up Presidency. Nevertheless, with all my inexperience I am grateful for the amazing Exco that I’ve worked with for the past year and will continue to work with for the following year (also not forgetting all the wonderful old birds who have imparted to me their valuable wisdom and knowledge). Now with every change in leadership, there will always be some major changes in way things work. Un-der Ruishen’s command, the club has achieved a great many things, none of which should be taken likely. How-ever, nobody’s perfect. One of the biggest problems that noticed as an Exco member the past year is that within NUS itself, the club at its core only consisted of the Exco and less than a handful of members. So, during my stint as NUSCAS President I hope to be able to address this. After all, NUSCAS is first and foremost an NUS club. The beginning will most certainly be rough. Despite going through a full year as office bearers, the in-coming Exco isn’t exactly the most experienced around but for what we lack in experience we make up for in pas-sion. So with the backing of my team, I hope to be able to bring NUSCAS to greater heights. This club has a legacy that spans more than a decade and we aren’t going to start slowing down any time soon.

Live long and prosper, Jesmond Chia UiShern President, 12th Management Committee NUS Comics and Animation Society

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KC KORNER

KC KORNER Change is inevitable. Time change. Things change. People change. Lady Gaga’s outfits change. It is a matter of time before even this column will change. As the old gives way, new things take over. However, it always leaves a bitter-sweet taste in your mouth when you realize that, right now, so many things are changing at the same time. A new semester is starting; that always mean change in committee and mem-bership of the club. A new season of anime is starting; we can finally bid farewell to epic Madoka and start watching something new. A new way of organizing Cosfest; separating doujins and cosplay turned out to be more successful than expected. Even, as I just noticed on my Facebook a while ago, Ruishen is finally going to step down as chairperson and a new chairperson will finally step forward to lead the club. It seem like a good time to return to a theme I explored in my first ‘Korner’. Back then, I wrote that although the alumni laid the foundation of the club and are worth looking up to, the club belongs to the present and it must move with times to cater to the interest of the current members. And here I am! An alumni still writing for the club newsletter despite graduating a year ago. Ruishen has to be the longest serving chairperson I know. I only served as the chairperson for a year. He? I lost count. Three maybe? I applaud his dedication and length of service to the club. These years, he had truly led the club with his earnest, sincere belief in what is best for the club. The club had achieved much during his term as the chairperson and it would not be possible without him. Now that he will be stepping down, I’m guessing that like me and the many alumnis before me, Ruishen will still play a relatively active role in the club. A Chairperson Emeritus of sorts. He might slowly fade as time moves on but nostalgia will always keep him around, like the many alumnis in the past. The new committee will have big shoes to fill but given that Ruishen feels satisfied enough to step down, I am confident that you will do so with great success. Ruishen and I, we are now of the past. We are but personali-ties of the club history. Prominent but ultimately, just another name in the club records. The club now must move confidently to promote your beliefs, your hobbies and cater to the needs of the current membership. To put it in more anime-ish terms, we might like Card Captor Sakura or Nanoha, but this is the age of the Madoka. Personalities are fleeting but the club is forever. Times are changing but the club will remain under the care of a new, capable committee. Good luck, guys! And if you want me to write another KC Kolumn, try to give me a couple of weeks notice first! AND I want that position of Chairperson of NUS Comics and Animation Society Emeritus!

SEP to Germany and a trip to a cosplay convention

Being an exchange student is tough. There are weekend trips to plan, language troubles, homesickness, continual lesson absenteeism… And then I realized that prior to coming to Germany I had set a goal to observe some German cosplay in action. So I checked and I checked not a moment too late, for in a few weeks time would be a promising convention held slightly out of state titled “Hanami”, a cosplay convention and spring appreciation festival with as much of Japan crammed into a single venue as Germany was able. Booking a ticket online, getting excited and fearful over nothing and managing to rope a friend in accompanying me, we set off on that exclusive date and after a hideously boring ride (in which we missed a train after grabbing a bite and then arriving half an hour late) we shadowed some very obvious attendees of the con and arrived at the venue. And what a venue it was. Small, definitely. It can be compared to the grounds of the nostalgic Hall 1 of Expo, the home to the EOY of olde. Except this had a huge open sunny outdoor area with a wurst stand, a playground behind the grounds and more than 50 cosplayers lounging around in the sunshine picnicking on said wursts. As a small side note, a wurst is german for sausage. I am exaggerating slightly, not everyone was eating that, but I suppose it is more fun to imagine so, no? The stores featured in and outside the venue boasted anime goodies, plushies, memorabilia. But sadly very few doujin works. The only few artist stands there sold original art pieces; some artists offered pretty good quality commissions. Otherwise there was little to purchase, or at least, little to purchase because the prices in Singapore were much better. What I found interesting was how the organizers of the event incorporated so many other fulfilling activities (which I sadly did not take part in because my mastery of German is sehr scheisslichlig schlecht, ist scheisslichlig eine Wort?) These workshops included a wig cutting workshop, a polymer clay lesson (I wanted to take part, but completely forgot about it), kendo demonstrations and nonstop anime screening. Anime screening is an educational process, I’m sure you will agree. There was also an obligatory maid café, and that I did not venture into either because the tables were all full! There was even a video games room where anyone could try out the games set up for free. Platforms went from the wii, to a stepmania dancing mat, to the kinect. The only thing missing was a doodle wall, which I was so prepared for and rather disappointed to find lacking.

Performances existed too. There was some taiko demonstration, a non competitive acting skit. I am not sure what else there was really. A singing contest was held the day before, and at the end of today would be the cosplay competition. Cosplayers! Of course, I haven’t forgotten about them. They were approachable and ever ready to pose if you ask nicely. if your German falters either squawk awkwardly in English or motion to your camera and

COSPLAY CONVENTION

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make a sheepish face. And even when not taking a photo everyone in costume would be doing something silly or strutting their stuff. Hetalia cosplayers were there, of course. Then there were some others that were rarely seen in Singapore, such as Digimon tamers, Hellsing characters, Legend of Zelda… and I really want to gush on how certain features of Europeans fit some characters better than any Asian face would but I think this is a topic left to someone from the field longer than I have been. Impromptu photoshoots took place everywhere, from the playground to a fountain near a church a 100 metres away from the convention grounds. My photographer friend had a field day taking pretty ladies and gorgeous costumes. I had a field day enjoying me some eyecandy. I’ll let the photos do the talking. As a finale, everyone crowded into the main hall to watch the Deutsche Cosplay Messe competitors, much like how everyone crowds the stage during cosfest. The skits were entertaining-- some were of rather high standards. And as with all stage performances, photography turns out to be a trying task. At the end of it all, my friend had made a few new photographer friends and we had discovered there’d be an even bigger event in Berlin, unfortunately after our return to Singapore. As we sat waiting for the train home, Lightning (FF13) wheeled by on a skateboard while Erika Furudo removed her luscious blue hair. An S-bahn rolled up and a crowd of colourful clothes and hair disappeared through its steel doors…

Tan Rui Jean More photos from Rui Jean’s trip:

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COSPLAY CONVENTION

COSPLAY CONVENTION

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COSPLAY CONVENTION

ANIME REVIEW

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Nichijou—Daily life is not as regular as you think ! Data

Directed by: Tatsuya Ishihara Studio: Kyoto Animation Network: Chiba TV Original run: April 3, 2011 – ongoing Episodes: 26

Plot Aioi Yuko, Mio Naganohara, Mai Minakami and their high-schoolers friends may be called “normal” high school students, however, their daily lives are filled with absurdities and oddities. Take for example an 8-year old professor who created a robotic girl and lives with talk-enabled cat. Not to mention a goat-riding boy who goes to school with his butler everyday, and a girl who can produce numerous guns from thin air, even the principal who wrestled against a deer. The story has quite distinct division based on characters, making it looks like parallel lines or collection of short stories, although at some point they intersect. Daily life is not as boring as it seems…

Strength Simple plot, yet exciting. Nichijou successfully trans-form normal, boring daily life events into bizarre, yet exciting happenings. This really gives meaningful messages to audience: when we view daily events from differents angle, we realize that our life is really fascinating. This simple plot is enforced fully by comedic actions and dialogues by the characters, especially by the royal jester Aioi Yuko. With the simplicity, comedy, and some moe factors blended in, this anime is somewhat heartwarming and enjoyable.

Weakness A lot of the jokes made are very Japanese, people who have no decent knowledge about Japanese cul-ture may find some jokes hard to swallow. Overly simplistic plot and absurd jokes sometimes may lead to boredom while watching.

Overall opinion This is my early impression on Nichijou based on released episodes, so there

may be change going on along with the later episodes. Nonetheless, Nichijou is

enjoyable for me for its non-jolting, simplistic story and entertaining funny

jokes.

Dawin

GAME REVIEW

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Star Ocean 4 The Last Hope

Data Developer: Tri-Ace Publisher: Square Enix Game director/ Character Designer/ Composer: Mitsuo Iwao/ Katsumi Enami/Motoi Sakuraba Platform: Xbox360, PS3 Genre:L: Sci-Fi/ Fantasy RPG

Plot A.D. 2064, World War II broke out on Earth after several clashes between the World Republic Federation, the ruling government body on Earth, and its enemies around the world. Weapons of Mass Destruction were utilized by both factions of the war without hesitation, razing the lands on Earth. This resulted in heavy environment contamination on earth, leaving people with no choice of living on earth any longer. War survivors resides in underground cities, and the countries banded together, forming the Greater United Nations. The Universal Science and Technology Administration or USTA was established by the Greater United Nations, its mission was to locate a new home planet for mankind in the far reaches of outer space. In A.D. 2087, a professor named Trillas Bachtein succeeded in his experiments on warp drive, making a break-through for mankind in space travel. A new space calendar was established, in its first year, S.D. 0001, USTA secretly put into motion its Space Reconaissance Force (SRF). In S.D. 0010, the first SRF mission was to be carried out, finding new hope for mankind to survive by outer space expedi-tion to locate a suitable planet for living. The story centered on a young man of the SRF crew, Edge Maverick and his childhood friend, also an SRF crew, Reimi Saionji. Boarding on SRF fleet no. 003- Calnus under Captain Grafton, Edge was looking forward to “catch up” with his best friend, also lifelong rival, Crowe, who was able to attain an SRF captain seat at the age of only 21, while carrying out his mission as SRF member. However, during their first travel, the SRF fleet encountered warp anomaly and was splitted up, mostly forced to land on a beautiful planet of Aeos, not only with a graze. Calnus and its crew survived, although was damaged badly. When Edge and Reimi scouted the nearby area, they found some horrible facts regarding another fellow ships and what inhabited planet Aeos…How the SRF should con-tinue carrying out its mission of hope ?

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GAME REVIEW

Gameplay

Field Usual one-player field exploration, with some elements added like sprint-ing, mining, harvesting and even bunny-riding. Sub-quests are available i n cities, giving rewards of exp and sp.

Calnus Player is able to do item creation and synthesis with gathered materials within Calnus. In addition, there is room ar-rangement feature, that will triggers some of the private events based on different characters interaction, increas-ing their affection level and creating multiple ending. Battle simulator is also available for practice.

Battle

Enemy encounter can be catego-

rized to 3: pre-emptive attack, nor-

mal, and surprised. Battle is made

real-time action, meaning player

directly controls the character for

attack with various combos, special

skills, and symbology (kind of magic

in Star Ocean series). Player can

also switch between party mem-

bers in battle. New elements are

introduces, such as Rush gauge

(much like berserk mode, giving

character endurance and high critical hit chance), Blindside, which enables player to exploit enemy’s weak point to

land a critical hit, BEAT (Battle Exalted Action Type) System, which allows player to alternate their preferred fighting

styles, and bonus tiles after winning a battle.

GAME REVIEW

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Strength/ Improvement from Star Ocean 3 (PS2): Nicely done graphic rendering and lighting without a doubt, a lot smoother than SO3 Unique character design done by Katsumi Enami, who designed Baccano!, creating more extra-

terrestrial diversity within party members. Improved battle system, blindside really gives new color to Star Ocean’s usual battle Music is more suitable than before (SO3 music is somewhat melancholic and not too suitable

for sci-fi genre story) Storyline is still OK, because the main idea is strong enough and interesting

Weaknesses: Some people find some script line ridiculous, ruining the story and character interaction (well,

I agree this is what the developer should improve) Constant discs swapping in later stage of games when played with Xbox360. It’s likely you can

predict how they handle heavy graphic rendition, which means consuming a lot of spaces on DVD. This is not too problematic though.

A little bit lack of expression on the character during cutscenes, quite a loss with the good character graphic rendition.

Some may find the story a bit cliché, some elements are repeated from SO3’s storyline such as superior beings threatening the universe. Some may also find SO3’s storyline is more out-rageous and interesting.

Overall, I think the game’s worth of playing. Star Ocean 4 offers the graphical breakthrough just like its prequel Star Ocean 3. With the lovable character, grand storyline and setting, and exciting battle system, this is an RPG I recommend.

Dawin

Review: Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Madoka Magica came somewhat as a surprise for this season in anime. The idea of a magical girl series that is a deconstruction on the genre and takes a darker, more serious twist isn’t entirely new. Utena tried something to that effect, and Alien_9 was effectively a mahout shoujo reskinned into a hard sci-fi story, but Madoka has some traits that make it fairly unique. One thing to note is that the main character, Madoka, doesn’t actually turn into a magical girl until quite late in the series. While this is a spoiler, it is fairly integral to an understanding of the anime. As a work of deconstruction, the central point is to ask and debate on “what is the point of being a magical girl”. While Madoka herself isn’t a mahou shoujo, the series does present other girls who are, and at the same

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ARTWORK SHOWCASE

Contributed by Kenneth

time, pay a heavy price that is related to their choice. This isn’t a series where magic is a cure-all. Rather, it comes with a heavy price tag. The world of Madoka is decidedly dark and dystopian, featuring bizarre architectural designs, like the classes that seem to be glass cages, and a heavy use of mirroring, perhaps to reflect Madoka’s own introspection s she surveys the surroundings. There is an indication that the show takes place in the near future, btu despite the advance in technology, an alienating feature remains, brought on by aforementioned architecture. In this way, and as some noted, Madoka is heavily reminiscent of Lain. Where I considered Bakemonogatari is similar to Lain in its use of minimalism and artistic use of cuts,

Madoka shares with Lain a similar type of

ARTWORK SHOWCASE

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Contributed by Muhammad Jamil http://kudoushinichi88.deviantart.com/

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ARTWORK SHOWCASE

Hello, hello, Much thanks to Dawin and Johnny for their hard work on this newsletter. Johnny for being in charge of the articles and submissions, and Dawin for the fantastic newsletter layout, which was done even with no experience of Publisher. Kudos both of you =) Thanks as well to those who submitted art and reviews as well. Cosfest has come and gone in the blink of an eye, a new year has passed and NUSCAS is now once again facing a new chapter. I do believe plans are underway to bring the club closer in the coming semester, so look out for exciting plans from the club and it’s going to be another exciting year for NUSCAS, especially with Bazaar coming up once again. Looking forward to the new changes and challenges ahead, this is Andrea, over and out. See you all soon =) Before then, Happy Holidays (while it still lasts ;D)

EDITOR’S END NOTE

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Andrea Lau, Head of Productions, NUS Comics and Anima-tion Society http://mi-yue.deviantart.com/