…However this BMW in my street did not.

I’m sleepy and a little drunk, so I want to keep this reminiscence short. Even though 2011 was a bad year for the world and its economy (Arab Spring, Tohoku Earthquake, Eurocrisis etc.) it was mostly a great year for me. So much happened in my life. After long search I finally found a new job. A proper, future-proof job. I managed to meet my friends ssgr and kumasanmk for the first time. And I continued my work with NNL and Mangagamer to bring everyone the international version of ef – a fairy tale of the two.

I would like to thank everyone who stood by my side, helped me to accomplish my goals and accompanied me through the year!

Of course I’m curious what 2012 will bring us. Obviously, right now I’m mostly looking forward to my trip to Japan in March.

So, welcome to the year of the dragon.

Happy 2012, everyone!

Hello guys, I’m back! Did you miss me? Probably not. Anyway, I’m back to tell you about my big plan for 2012. What kinda plan? Simple, you should’ve guessed it already. If not you must be fu***** reta- (I really shouldn’t insult the few left over readers, shouldn’t I?) I’m going, or more like… flying, to Japan next year. When? Mid-March. How long? Two weeks. Where? Tokyo. Why? Because I can!? No, actually it’s more because the circumstances are rather convenient. Mainly because my mate Yuuka will let me stay at his place in Mitaka. (Thank you so much, bro!) Initially I wanted to go this year around Christmas / New Year but my finances didn’t agree with that plan. So it’s march now. That’s some time to prepare and save up money. I’m successfully pulling this through since End-September. Cancelled all my pre-ordered figures, merchandising, games etc. The only thing that got in my way were the repair and insurance costs for my car. Yup, stupid me had a little accident, no biggie (just around 4.000€ *cough*).

At least I made a good deal on the flight tickets which I purchased last month. There is quite a big selections when it comes to flights from Berlin to Tokyo. No direct flights, sadly. I decided to fly with AirFrance via Paris CDG. Wait a minute… AirFrance?… Via Charles-de-Gaulle Airport, the worst Airport in the world? Yup. I know, at first that may be a stupid (or brave?) idea. But in the end this connection has way more advantages over others. 1. The intercontinental flights are codeshare flights carried out by Japan Airlines. JAL is probably one of the best airlines to fly from Europe to Japan. Service, food and in-flight entertainment are generally above average. 2. Contrary to most flights my Airport of arrival and departure will be Tokyo Haneda, which is kinda close to central Tokyo. So no time consuming, expensive transfers. 3. This is probably the most important point. Thanks to JAL’s baggage policy I’m allowed to have two pieces of baggage @21kg each at no additional charge on the flights. Usually it’s just one piece. What an Otaku friendly airline. And all that for only 630€. I always wanted to fly on a Boeing 747 though. But KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are the only ones still operating flights with them on routes to Japan plus their fleet fucking old.

So what am I gonna do in Japan? Well, I haven’t planned too much yet, but there are a few things I’ll do for sure. Which are: Explore Tokyo on foot and by train, enjoy Tokyo’s skyline by night, visit Ghibli Museum Mitaka, go to Club Mogra with Yuuka, attend Tokyo International Anime Fair, visit my friend ssgr., visit minori‘s office and of course Akihabara! I’d also like to see more cities so I wanna do day trips. Anyone have a few pro-tips what else to do in Tokyo?

The only thing I’m a bit worried about is that I know like almost no Japanese at all. So I wonder if I can get through the day on my own and especially manage to travel on my own. We’ll see…

I also want to apologize for the long deathly silence that overcame my blog. But I was busy (and annoyed) finding a new job. Finally though, it worked out. Starting February I’ll be back into working life after 7 months of total nothingness.

The good thing is: My new job will be much more profitable and future-proof than the old one.

The drawback: I’ll have to start working in shifts and even on weekends and holidays. Well, it’s not impossible, right?

So yeah, I hope you really enjoyed your start into the new year!

Well yeah, it actually is the old blog. Only with a few little changes. Of course I don’t want to withhold the details.

Firstly, as you should obviously have noticed, I changed the domain and if you were a more or less active reader you may also noticed that my blog is loading much faster now. The problem was, that both, old domain and server were about to expire at the end of September and since I lost my job in July and still don’t have a new one, I just wasn’t able to pay for both to keep them alive. Yes, I’m almost broke at the moment. I’m glad that I still have enough money to pay my rent and insurances and buy some food and gas. It would’ve really broke my heart to see Otaku Days dying like that after almost two years. Gladly, my mate relentlessflame offered to host all the stuff. Thanks a lot for that, man!

And what’s next? I’ve got a few things in my to do list:

• finally update wordpress – ✓
• install some plugins & play with some code to make it prettier,faster,better – ✓
• re-design everything – well… maybe
• blog more – err…

So yeah, please enjoy the old-NEW Otaku Days!

Minori, Mangagamer and No Name Losers simultaneously announced their co-operation on an official English release of “ef – the first tale.” and “ef – the latter tale.” today. The games are set to be released at least February 2011.

Minori’s announcement

Mangagamer’s announcement

No Name Loser’s announcement

And a short personal expression:

FUCK YEAH!

A guy called OtowaCho traveled to Otowa’s real counterpart, Heidelberg in Germany, and came back with great footage of places that occured in ef -- a fairy tale of the two. He even found a few locations I couldn’t find; like Renji’s house or the old abandoned station, which isn’t actually that abandoned. And he was even able to enter the church.

Check out the video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cskb3rqp_E

Some people among you may know that I moved 700 kilometers away from my home town Berlin just for a job last year. And now, one year later, I’m about to move back to Berlin again. So why is that you ask? Well, the answer is simple yet absurd. My employment contract just didn’t get extended. And the reason for that? That’s even more absurd. My company would’ve had to employ me permanently. That is a pretty common doing in Germany. A company can give you 2 one-year contracts, If they’d extend it a third time they HAVE to emply you permanently. But there aren’t many companies anymore who’d do that nowadays. Because permanent employees cost them too much. They rather use agency workers instead of qualified staff. These agency workers are like bitches who suck massive boss cocks for a pittance. The company can get rid of them at any time. No cancellation periods, nothing. So in my case: I was employed for two years at my company. The first year in Berlin and the second one in Saarbrücken (which is, as stated before 700km away). I was willing to undergo all that in hope to get a permanent contract after the second year. Guess I was wrong about that. I wasn’t able to see how the companies and the community fucks with young people. This is fucking terrible, the people were perfectly satisfied with my work. Colleagues, customers. Everyone! I even was one of the best who ever finished the vocational training at my company. Yet, in the end I get a big fat punch in the face like that.

And since I don’t intend to become some companies cock sucking bitch in the middle of nowhere, I’m going back to Berlin in 3 weeks. Seriously, Saarbrücken is one of the worst places called “City” someone from Berlin could live at. A population of 177.000 instead of 3.500.000, no sights, one cinema instead of… a shitload of them etc+bla. Once I finish moving into my new apartment and chilling out for a bit, I’ll continue to write job applications. I already wrote 10 but all of them failed. People really don’t want a young, skilled employee. If worst comes to worst I’ll go study on some university; I won’t get any money through that but at least I’d be able to do at least something. That or I’ll become a full time NEET. Sweet future prospects~

At least my family supports me. My parents found me a nice apartmen. It’s bigger and much cheaper than the shithole I’m living in at the moment. Note: My current place doesn’t even have a bath tub. I’m a person who hates to shower. I’ll rather take a proper bath.

New apartment

At least I’m looking forward to my new place and being back in Berlin. I love arranging room interiours. YEAH!

Alright, If you excuse me, I’m back to playing my Albatross Koukairoku Trial now.

I’m on a boat!

Since I decided to keep my promise this time, here’s part two of my minori loot. This time it’s artbooks only. These too arrived during the last 5 months. …man, every time I write that I feel horrible for having my blog neglected for such a long time…

Uh well, yeah. Whatever~ Here goes

ef TVanimation Complete Fanbook

• Publisher: MAX Mook
• Year: 2009
• Pages: 145
• Price: ¥2,667
• Link: HMV Online
  

Gotta love this size-chart. Pyo~

Character concept works & information

Opening Information

I think this is one of the most interesting parts of the book. The text that appears in the openings of ef memo & melo are fully listed here. Basically, the text from the memo opening is the English version of Chihiro’s book. The German text from the melo OP is a translation of the lyrics of “Yuukyuu no Tsubasa” the opening song of “ef – the first tale.”. What they did thar. I love it.

Various Artworks from DVD covers, posters etc.

Concept sketches

eden* They were only two, on the planet. Visual Fanbook

• Publisher: Ichijinsha
• Year: 2010
• Pages: 128
• Price: ¥2,500
• Link: HMV Online

Artworks

100 Years old… Yes, I’d still espouse her. ° 3 °

More artworks

I so love the Melon-chan cosplay.

Character Artworks

Sion Chibis <3

Opening movie story board

Event CGs

Yes, there are PLUS+MOSAIC CGs too…

Some kind of short story.

I don’t understand Japanese but it looks… interesting. Lavie-nyan~

A 4-pages comic.

Elica makes Sion cosplay Yuuko. So much win! I don’t even care about the seifuku.

…well okay, I do care about the seifuku. But just a little!

Some naughty poster that came with the artbook.

ef – a fairy tale of the two. Art Works

• Publisher: Enter Brain
• Year: 2010
• Pages: 224
• Price: ¥2,500
• Link: HMV Online

I love how they put the lineart of the artwork on the slipcover on the book’s actual cover. Yuuko <3

Work & Event Artworks

lots of them

Goods Artworks

Some stuff featured on Dakimakuras, post cards etc. Did I already mention that I like Melon-chan cosplays?

Magazine and Books Artworks & Staff drawings

There’s also a picture my mate drew. Can you guess which it is?

Rough Illustrations

There are linearts for almost every artwork featured on the previous pages.

Mitsuishi Shona SD Characters

Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi Chibi; Note: Yuuko Melon-chan cosplay

ef – a fairy tale of the two. Visual Fanbook

• Publisher: Enter Brain
• Year: 2010
• Pages: 512
• Price: ¥4,000
• Link: HMV Online

Characters by Nanao Naru

Characters by 2C=Galore

The book is divided into character chapters just like the game. And here is the reason why that thing is 500 pages strong; Almost every Event-CG has been printed on paper in this book. I think this is only interesting to hardcore fans.

Event CGs

Character Synopsis

You find this at the start of every chapter.

the first tale. Opening Storyboard

tha latter tale. Opening Storyboard

Character Design

Background Art

And last but not least, the great slipcover

And that’s it. Phew~ I’m sorry though. I think it became a little boring midway through. >:

Holy moly, finally a new blog post from me. Since I’m currently sick at home I had some spare time to take care of my blog. I’m sorry for the long absence and I will be sorry for my future absence. I’ll inform you about it in another blog post (maybe) later this week.

For now, I’ll go with posting some minori loot which arrived through the last 5 months. So much stuff arrived and blogging about everything would take decades- okay, maybe not that long but trust me, It’d take too long… So here’s only the stuff which is worth to be mentioned.

ef – a fairy tale of the two. PS2 [AmiAmi exclusive First Press Limited Edition]

This is the PS2 conversion of both of minori’s ef games; ef – the first tale. & ef – the latter tale., released by COMFORT. They didn’t just convert the game but also added some new event CGs. These are nice to have but just a drop in the ocean since ef almost consists of only event CGs.

First thing I noticed about it was the massive box. It’s much bigger than any of the Visual Novel boxes I have so far. It’s now wonder that it is so big though. It has to house the game, a CD and a pillow cover.

The game-disc itself comes with a colored Playing Manual in  usual Amaray PS2 case. It’s rated Cero D (17+) since, even though all ero scenes had been removed, ef features domestic violence.

One of the limited edition’s extras is the “echt forgather” image song CD. The song is sung by Hitomi Harada and, as all the other songs in ef, composed by Tenmon. There are 6 versions on the disc:

1.echt forgather
2.echt forgather KARAOKE
3.echt forgather Blasterhead acid mix
4.echt forgather Floating mix
5.echt forgather banging mix
6.echt forgather (rapbit remix)

You can listen to a sample featuring all the tracks on Gamespot Japan.

There are also 5 stick posters of the main heroines Miyako, Kei, Chihiro, Mitsuki and Yuuko. I was too lazy to unpack them though. Sorry! The phone card is the AmiAmi exclusive good. Not much but hey!

Last, and maybe best extra is a 150x50cm two sided Miyako huggable pillow cover.

Naturally, non-ero. ;-P

Asterisk* “eden*” ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

The eden* soundtrack comes, just like the ef soundtrack, in a beautiful book-like hardcover case.

It features 55 songs on 2 CDs, composed by Tenmon & Eiichiro Yanagi. There’s also a booklet filled with interviews.

ef – car documents cover & eden* – New Years Card

The cover is originally made for housing Japanese car documents. But a German vehicle license fits just perfect. Minori’s New Years Greeting Card 2010 features Sion from eden*. Nagi from ef was featured om the 2009 card.

ef – the latter tale. Promo Mug

Just a little, cute mug from 2008, advertising the second ef game. I just can’t bring myself to use it. >:

Alato “ef – a fairy tale of the two.” ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK …but

What looks like the ef soundtrack is actually something even more awesome…

… it’s signed by the master in person!

I’d like to thank Tenmon and my mate in Japan for this awesome item! <3

That’s it for today. Look forward to Part two, featuring Artbooks.