Mangaception

A manga within a manga.

Bakuman is a shounen manga about the quest of two high school students aiming to become the number one mangaka in Japan with their pen name; Ashirogi Muto. Ashirogi Muto is composed of Takagi, Akito a top student and deft in literature and Mashiro, Moritaka the one with exceptional talent in drawing. With the faction of their talent it is possible that their dreams do come true.

The men  behind the Bakuman is the same as the mangakas of Death Note, the first manga published by Ohba, Tsugumi (Story) and Obata, Takeshi (Art). Ohba, Tsugumi is the counterpart of Takagi, Akito he/she (since his real identity and gender is a closely guarded secret) is the one taking care of the story and name (sketch of how a manga should look like) while Obata, Takeshi is the counterpart of Moritaka, unlike Ohba which only published two mangas and doesn’t collaborate with other mangaka Ohbata did different collaborations and published thirteen mangas.

Bakuman started it serialization on August 8, 2008 in Shounen Jump (a weekly shounen manga anthology published weekly in Japan) and today it already has 167 chapters and anime adaptation currently on season 2 and season 3 will aired on October 2012.

That's why we love KPop

The spread of Korean wave in the whole world, especially here in the Philippines, was undeniable. Korean Entertainment obviously catches the interest of more Filipino audiences, particularly the youth, in a span of almost 10 years.

The echoes of cheers and cries for their Korean idols, who spend their time visiting the country, still didn’t fade away. It seems like it has been a habit for many of us to scream whenever a Korean idol is heard.

Why not KPOP?

According to a book titled Korean Wave (edited by The Korean Herald 2008), “Many have recently come to prefer Korean popular culture, which they perceive to be new and trendy, as well as something that contains Asian values and sentiments.” Korean entertainment offered different phases of interest that many of the youth were looking for. 

KPOP also features a techy format of music videos that was similar to the Americans, which both artists and company gave their time and effort to work on with.  

With an all-out performance, the artists really work hard for the audiences’ entertainment show casing their singing-and-dancing skills. Their cute dance steps and trendy beats of sounds fascinated most of the viewers that they can’t help but dance and follow the tunes even if they cannot understand the language of the music.

With a new style of make-ups and fashion sense, Filipinos were influenced by the way they dress. Definitely, youths always look for their idols’ stylish hairstyles, make-ups and fashion. 

Korean entertainment continuously thinks ways to promote their industry as well as their culture, fashion and technology and artists had their support from the government. Moreover, Korean popular culture did their best to express Asian values and attitude, which Asians can easily understand. The values being express in the story of the songs are not so different from the attitudes most Filipinos have, values we always preserved, and emotions we wanted to discharge. 

Above all else, the artists are incredibly cute! They look so perfect.  (AaahhHH!!!!)

Kaalamang Mangmang...

" Ah, innocence... ‘tis a bittersweet thing. A time when one can say anything he likes without ever fearing persecution from the prying eyes of a judgmental world. A time when one knows nothing and gains everything... a treasure possessed only by the young... a treasure lost forever by the old...."

            "Ang aming pamilya ay napakasaya," banggit ni Boy sa kanyang kaibigang si Amy, kapwa mga walong taong gulang na bata.

            Wala ang magulang nilang dalawa sa kani-kanilang bahay at katatapos lamang din nila parehong maglaro ng tagu-taguan, kaya, napagdesisyunan nilang manatili muna sa maliit na bahay ni Boy.

            "Paano mo naman nasabi?" Tanong ni Amy.

            "Wala lang," tugon ni boy. "Kasi mahal ako ni Mama at Papa. E 'di ba, naalala mo yung sinabi sa'tin ni Teacher Jane--kapag daw mahal ni Mama at Papa ang isa't isa tsaka 'pag mahal daw nila ako at ang Kuya, masaya ang pamilya?"

            "Oo."

            "Pero bakit ganun?" Tanong ni boy. "Tingnan mo 'to."

            Ipinakita ni Boy ang kanyang mga braso at binti--pasa--ang mga ito'y puno ng pasa.

            Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Amy.

            "Hala, anong nangyari dyan?" Tanong niya.

            Nangiti lamang si Boy.

            "Iyan," aniya, "ang patunay ng pagmamahal sa akin ni Papa."

            Pinagmasdan ni Boy ng pinagmasdan ang kanyang mga pasa ng may magkahalong paghanga at kirot. Si Amy, sa kabilang dako, ay nabahala.

            "'Di ba masakit 'yan?" Tanong niya. "Bruises ang tawag dyan ni Mommy e. Nakukuha daw 'yan kapag nabangga ka ng malakas."

            Nanahimik ang dalawa, at matapos ang ilang sandali ng katahimikang ito, nagsalita muli si Boy.

            "Alam mo Amy," aniya, "hindi ko nga maintindihan ang mga matatanda e. 'Di ba sabi ng Teacher Jane kung mahal ka daw ng tao, hindi ka daw niya dapat sinasaktan?"

            Tumango-tango lamang si Amy.

            "Tapos," patuloy ni Boy, "sabi naman ni Mama, kaya raw ako sinasaktan ng Papa kasi daw mahal niya ako."

            "Oo nga 'no?" Ang naisagot ni Amy. "Ang gulo nila."

            Nagtawanan ang dalawa. Tila ba biro lamang ang araw-araw na sinasapit ni Boy.

            "Sandali lang ha?" Sabi ni Boy. "Nauuhaw ako."

            Kumuha ito ng pitsel mula sa kanilang ref at isang baso at agad na bumalik kay Amy.

Pinuno niya ang kanyang baso at agad itong ininom.

            Nagulat siya. Iba ang lasa ng tubig na kanyang nainom. Mapait--napakapait. At ang amoy; kakaiba--nakahihilo. Naalala niya tuloy nang sinakay siya ng ama niya sa kanilang jeep at nang dinala nito ang nasabing jeep sa isang gasolinahan. Bukod pa dito, ang kanyang tubig na nainom ay mainit--tila bang apoy na gumagapang pababa sa kanyang lalamunan papunta sa kanyang murang sikmura.

            "Ay," nasabi niya, "ito pala yung tubig na pinainom sa'kin ni Papa kagabi."

            At 'yun nga ang siyang tubig na siyang pinainom sa kanya kagabi ng kanyang tatay--at siya ring pilit na pinaiinom sa kanya tuwing nagpupunta ang mga kaibigan ng kanyang Papa sa kanilang bahay.

            Gayunpaman, ininom niya pa rin ito. Sanay na siya. Aba'y halos gabi-gabi ba namang dumalaw ang mga kaibigan ng kanyang ama. Kaya’t halos gabi-gabi niya na ring nalalagok ang likidong nakahihilo at may kakaibang amoy.

            At matapos makainom ng dalawang baso ng kanyang inumin, bagama't siya'y medyo nahihilo na at ang kanyang paningi'y malapit nang umikot, patuloy pa rin siya sa pagkuwento.

            "Alam mo ba?" Patuloy niya. "Mahal na mahal niya kaming lahat. Lalong lalo na si Mama at si Kuya.
            "Kasi, gabi-gabi pagkatapos makipaglaro ni Papa sa kanyang mga kaibigan, palagi niyang tinatawag si Mama sa kanilang kwarto tapos sinasara nila ang pinto tapos maririnig ko na lang na may kumakalabog sa loob. Tapos 'pag labas ni Mama, puno siya ng bruises, tapos sasabihin niya lang naglaro lang daw sila ni Papa."

            Kinilig at natawa si Amy sa sinabing ito ni Boy.

"Bakit?" Tanong ni Boy.

"Alam ko na kung ang ginawa nila," ang kinikilig na sagot ni Amy. “Alam ko kung bakit may kumakalabog sa kwarto nila. Hee hee hee.”

            "Ano?"

            "Lumapit ka dito, ibubulong ko sa'yo."

            Napakamot ng ulo si Boy. Niloloko niya kaya ako?

            Nilapit naman ni Boy ang kanyang tainga.

            "Nagla-lovemaking sila!" Ang natatawa at kinikilig na bulong ni Amy.

            Hindi ito naintindihan ni Boy.

            "Ano yung lovemaking?" Tanong niya. Kinilig muli si Amy.

            "Pinapakita nila sa isa't-isa na mahal nila ang isa't-isa."

            "Kailangan ba araw-araw 'yun?" Tanong ni Boy.

            "Hindi. Kasi pagkatapos daw nun makakagawa raw sila ng kapatid ko."

            Nagtaka ng lalo si Boy. Napakamot siyang muli sa kanyang ulo at tinigilan na niya ang pag-inom para makapag-isip na siya ng mabuti. Bakit ganon? E nagkakaroon lang ng pasa si Mama pagkatapos nilang lumabas ng kwarto.

            Tumingin siya kay Amy at tinanong, "Pagkatapos ba nila mag-lovemaking e nagkakapasa ba ang mama mo?

            "Hindi."

            Halos katatapos pa lang sabihin ni Amy ang kanyang sagot nang dumating ang kuya ni Boy--si Emman.

            Ang labimpitong taong gulang na binatilyo ay kagagaling lamang sa kanyang paaralan. Ang kanyang makisig sanang mukha ay sugatan at duguan. Ang kanyang unipormeng pantaas ay punit-punit at may kaunting mantsa ng dugo.

            Nang makita nito si Boy at ang pitsel ng kanyang iniinom, sinugod niya kaagad ang kanyang kapatid.

            "Gago ka!" Sigaw ni Emman habang hinahablot ang pitsel at ang baso mula kay Boy. "Alak 'to ni tatay! Punyeta ka talaga! Lagot na naman ako mamaya!"

            Agad nitong pinasok ang pitsel sa kanilang ref, hinugasan ang baso, at pumasok nang padabog sa kanyang kwarto.

            "Anong nangyari sa kuya mo?" Ang gulat na tanong ni Amy.

            "Napaaway na naman siguro 'yun si kuya," sagot ni Boy.

            "Bakit?"

            "Kasi, 'yan si kuya, matalino na, guwapo pa. Pinag-aagawan kaya 'yun ng mga babae at bakla sa kanila. Kaya 'yun, binubugbog tuloy siya ng mga naiinggit sa kanya."

            katihimikan muli—na siyang pinutol na naman ni Boy.

            "Alam mo," aniya, "hindi ko rin maintindihan si kuya e.... Aral siya ng aral pero hindi pa rin siya makapasa sa mga exams niya.

            "Nung isang araw nga, nakita ko siyang nagbabasa ng isang libro na may litrato ng mga nakahubad na babae. Tapos, nung tinanong ko siya kung anong ginagawa niya, ang sabi niya sa'kin nag-aaral siya. Human Anatomy daw 'yun."

            Takipsilim na. Dumating na ang mga magulang ni Boy.

            "Ay," sambitla ni Amy, nang makita ang mga magulang ng kalaro, "uuwi na 'ko, Boy."

            "Sige, buh-bye Amy."

            "Hoy Boy!" Sigaw ng kanyang ama nang paglabas ni Amy. "'Asan na ang magaling mong kapatid?"

            "Nasa kwarto niya po," natatakot na sagot ng bata. "Napaaway na naman po yata."

            "Putang inang bata 'yan!" Walang habas na sigaw ng kanyang ama. "Humanda sa'kin mamaya 'yang hayop na 'yan!"

            Tumingin ang tatay ni Boy sa kanyang ina at pagalit na sinabing, "Laura, pumasok ka dun sa kwarto!"

            Walang-imik na sumunod si Laura. Pumasok ang mag-asawa sa kanilang kwarto at 'di kalaunan nga'y may kumakalabog na naman mula sa loob.

            Namumutla at takot na takot, pumasok si Boy sa kanyang kwarto, umakyat sa kanyang kama, at tinakpan ang sarili ng kumot.

            "Lord," dasal niya, "sana po maging maayos na ang kuya ko... at... at sana po... 'wag na mag-lovemaking sina Mama at si Papa...."

Valentine’s Day Mishap

Valentine’s Day is just SO WRONG.

            But hey, don’t misjudge me, people. I may have been... well... single since birth but I totally have nothing against the holiday. Yeah, nothing at all. Anyway, being single is fine—especially if you are still a young chap struggling to have a good life. That said, however, there is also nothing wrong in—simply put—celebrating love. That’s what’s Valentine’s Day is all about, right? Love, love and that sticky, mushy, wet, moist and warm that’s called (my God, you guessed it right!) love.

            As I’ve said before Valentine’s is just wrong. And I stand by what I’ve said. But before you click that exit button of your browser or just simply get out of the blog because of frustration towards my sentiment I suggest you hear me—or in this case—read first.

            First of all, ever wondered why Valentine’s Day is called as such? Ever wondered what a Valentine is? I’ve asked a lot of people in our neighborhood about this—from your regular wet market vendors to the hardcore drunkards always found half-naked in the streets to even professionals. And the sad truth—almost all of them concur to only two answers: 1.) “Isn’t he that fat baby wielding a bow and arrow?” and 2.) “I really don’t know.”

          I almost laughed. Valentine, my dear people, is a Catholic saint who died a martyr under Claudius II of Rome after refusing to renounce his faith. Valentine’s day was “created” as his feast day celebrating his being the patron of love, young people, and happy marriages. To know more about him, please go to www.catholic.org.

            But lo, and behold, has anyone seen the most popular symbology used for this holiday? Has anyone ever questioned why in the name of love was Cupid ever chosen to represent Valentine’s day?

            This, my dear readers is a very nasty inconsistency—the explanation of which eluded my grasp. First of all, Cupid is the Roman god of erotic love—or, in other words, a Pagan god of lust. This is rather absurd and mystifying at the same time: Catholics throughout history have a reputation of harboring great disdain towards Pagans. The reason why Cupid is used as the main symbol of Valentine’s is just simply out of the question.

            Second—seriously people, can you see Cupid as a Valentine-symbol-material? Because it is really hard to be romantic thinking about a chubby toddler coming at you while brandishing a deadly weapon (that is, if you’re not a pedophile). He’s really not cut out for the holiday—not something we all had in mind. But perhaps... Cupid’s baby form is, after all, only a warning of the potential harmful byproducts of romance.

            The original form of Cupid was a boyish-faced man with a physique to die for. He was often portrayed in bed with his lover, Psyche, a voluptuous Roman goddess. The baby form Cupid just rose to existence in later centuries. And although the logic of growing is starting out small to getting bigger, the evolution of Cupid from being a man to a snot-nosed toddler left by his parents to play with dangerous toys was way beyond even Einstein himself but there you go.     

      

            The third and the most wrong I’ve noticed about Valentine’s Day is its existence itself. The point of celebrating Valentine’s Day is just it—IT is just a day. One day to celebrate love and the next day, people can go hating each other once again as if nothing ever really happened. It’s just like Christmas in every respect—one measly day for corporate bastards, land-grabbers, political swines, and religious demons to get all generous and put on that foolish act of giving just so people could say that they do give. But the day after the festivities are done and the holiday has reached its terminus, they could once again resume stealing your money, grabbing lands that are not theirs, oppressing people, and tell anyone who could hear of goodness that they never did frigging practice!

            This, I think, is why the world is itself today. We were all given only one day to celebrate love, one day to celebrate generosity when in fact, we could celebrate them everyday—holiday or no holiday. Just imagine the festivities and generosity shown by people if everyday is like Christmas but there is no Christmas at all. Imagine the love in the air everyday if everyday is like Valentine’s but Valentine’s Day does not even exist. I know it may sound idealistic to the point of ridiculous but just imagine and, maybe like me, you would just say “why not?” ###

On Information Reliability

            We have heard it more than a dozen times: be sure before you speak. But having hearing it for the umpteenth time, does it still make sense, or rather, does it still apply for us today?

            In this age where existed the relative ease of collecting and disseminating information owing to the ever-growing internet and the vast collection of different data within its web, it is now very easy for us to spread wrong information and to induce not only a nationwide but a worldwide confusion. Now, with these in mind the question remains: which is true? which is fallacy?

            Psychologists, when dealing with the truth, would say that truth is based on where you stand—meaning that whatever may be “true” for you may not be true for others. However “true” that is, there would always be that one “original truth”.

            Now, what is “original truth”? That is, in other words, the source. Of course, no matter how distorted the “truth” becomes because of one’s standing, the original truth exists as the genesis—the irreplaceable fountainhead of information.

            Therefore, we, as bloggers must always seek the original truth. We must obtain our information (as much as possible) from the original source—not from mere hearsays, not from rumors or gossips nor from internet sources that anyone can edit. And yes, this means you, Wikipedia.

            But then again, what is gossip? Is it not also a form of information? What are rumors? Are not they the same?

            Though all mentioned are still deemed strictly as forms of information, of course, it would be a matter of little common sense to say that these types of information are not to be used by watchdogs of the truth: Gossip may be true to some extent, but it is spread for ruinous intents. Rumors may also be true, but that’s just about it—they just may be true.

            In this age of inane music and superficial fans of even more shallow pop stars, it would still be a relief to hear that there still exist people who actually do their work properly. And, mind you, I am not only talking of this blog but of others as well and... between you and me, that’s saying something.