You Asked, I Answered! Q+A for The Lily Garden!

It’s finally the day of reckoning! Here are my answers to your lovely questions!

Before we get started, I have to apologize for not posting anything yesterday. Winging posts get harder to do by the day, haha…

First up is the first and only question I received via the poll.

First of all, no, I haven’t! Don’t let me fool you: I’m a strange and silly person at my core. I just hide it pretty well behind my mask of sanity, outer layer of idealism, and inner sweater of cynicism.

But I’m so very flattered you asked that. Thank you, person who probably isn’t tetrax4berium! It seems like you’re done or are almost done with your thesis, hooray! Welcome back! It’s been lonelier without you.

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Alright, next up are the questions you all asked in the comments section.

The first question was asked by Scott from Mechanical Anime Reviews. He mostly publishes thought-provoking editorials as well as posts about mecha anime. You’d be missing out if you don’t swing by his site!

Thanks, Scott!

Hmm. I did watch Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura as a kid, but they were also dubbed and my memory of both shows are more or less non-existent.

I would have to say my first encounter with yuri was in Loveless in 6th grade, which would be around 2014 2004. The female Zeroes deciding to commit suicide together after one of them had somehow gained the sense of touch and feeling despite the fact that they’re lab constructs intentionally designed to not feel pain or anything…

It would be considered as glorification of suicide by some these days , and Loveless is admittedly very careless with a lot of problematic situations. But to me this moment was beautiful, flawed though it may be if you wanna get nitpicky about it. It’s a forlorn scene which fits in with the tone of the series in general. Greys upon greys.

I think I first started actively shipping girls while watching Saki, though.

Alright, the second question was asked by Krystallina, who runs a blog called Daiyamanga in which she announces deals on anime+manga+video games. She also frequently posts reviews on both manga and games! I’d dare say her post on separating art from the artist is the best I’ve read.

It would have to be a key-chain or figurine of Takakamo Shizuno. Nothing else comes close.

Now that I think about it, there’s a lot of anime girls who could be described as monkeys or gorillas. Maybe this is a Top 5 list in the making.

Next up is the third question which was asked by rossiroad, who runs a blog called My Brain is Completely Empty. However, that’s obviously a lie since he consistently publishes a lot of good content so clearly he’s got a fine head on his shoulders. One of these days I’ll make time and enjoy what he’s got to say.

I’ll keep this safe for work and just say that I find myself getting drawn into different video games.

Mid to late 2017 had me playing Path of Exile – I leveled at least 6 different characters during the Harbinger League.

Feburary / March 2018 had me revisiting Terraria with a dear friend of mine (which is one of the reasons why I ended up not doing series reviews on Winter 2018 anime shows).

Lately I’ve gone back to Tera Online and started playing as a healer (Priest, for those of you who know about the game). A lot of things have changed since 2012, which was when I first picked up the game, but the combat system remains the best I’ve ever seen in a MMORPG.

I’m also in an on-again-off-again relationship with Japanese mahjong. I actually sat down and taught myself the rules in January 2015 after spending many years being influenced by Saki and Akagi. If I can do it, then you can, too.

I also play Super Smash Brothers Melee for the Nintendo Gamecube. My local scene is very competitive and some personal drama prevents me from really interacting with the community, but I play Luigi. I’m down to play some games if I run into any of you at Anime Expo~

Sooo the fourth question was asked by Karandi. She’s basically an aniblogging superstar at this point! Her logical discussions and many weekly features make me a happy supporter.

Thank you, Karandi!

Mmm I guess I like having a voice. A voice that can be lost in the wind and never heard by a wide audience. But it’s my voice. Sometimes I can have fun discussions with people using this voice. Other times they just like my comment or post and are done with it, which is fine, too, I guess.

But first and foremost, it’s a voice that isn’t inherently tied to my own speaking voice, which I actually rather dislike. There’s no accent in my author’s voice. I don’t have to force myself to sound beautifully androgynous. I’m able to easily change my tone or style of writing whenever I want and I’m allowed to.

It’s freedom.

The fifth question is asked by magicconan14, who runs The Animanga Spellbook in which magicconan14 publishes great editorials and amazing Must-read Monthly Monday round-up posts. I particularly liked magicconan14’s post about their collection~

Nooo, you’re the senpai here. magicconan14 has been blogging for 6 years, everyone!!! That’s amazing!

Hmmmm. I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days and I’m still not sure. Maybe I need to know my place and start idealizing people more so I can only dream about having collabs with them?

The topic would ideally be something zany or fun. So I guess my dream collab is with anyone who has ever laughed at one of my jokes since that means my sense of humour is acceptable! I-I can’t help it, having my self-esteem massaged like that is very addicting…

Errr, I have had a few collabs over these past two years!

I did a whole bunch with Auri back in December 2016.

Top Three Tomboys with Acacia Aurora!

Top Three One-shots with Acacia Aurora!

Top Three Cool Old Dudes with Acacia Aurora!

Top Three Funniest Manga with Acacia Aurora!

Worst Three OTPs with Acacia Aurora!

Then D, WeekendOtaku, and I teamed up to give our thoughts on Knights of Sidonia in April 2017. I still really love their title!

When photosynthesis is a legit date activity – A Knights of Sidonia Review

Then another collab with Auri happened in April 2017! It was like a game but we ended up tying…

Character Challenge: A Collaboration with Acacia Aurora!!!

During May 2017, I teamed up with Kimmie Kawaii to write about Spring 2017 fashion! Ahhh, listen to her advice and not mine, okay? She knows what she’s talking about.

Fashion Friday Feature – Spring and Night Style Boards

Theeeen I worked with Lita Kino on yuri manga collab in September 2017.

Aqua Blue Cinema – Manga Review [Collaboration with Lita Kino]

And then Irina more or less saved me from my very dour mindset (as I had recently became unemployed during the previous month) by proposing this collab on ships!

To Ship or Not to Ship – That is the Discussion [A Collaborative Editorial] (Part 2)

And then and then I teamed up with Kuro to talk about yaoi/yuri manga in October 2017!!

[Collab Post] Lucky Number 13 – A Cute Love Story Involving A Bad Luck Magnet

Finallyyy we come across the collab on blogger decorum in November 2017!

A Discussion on Blogger Decorum (Part 1)

I should probably consider making these more visible. I didn’t realize I had this many…

The final question was asked by WingKing, a devoted visitor and friend. He’s really really really cool since he likes Saki, by the way!

Thanks, WingKing!!

Oh, jeez, a visual novel question.

Ahhh there are so many visual novels I love, but I think it would have to be Nurse Love Addiction. It honestly felt like fate. I remember watching translated footage of the demo for the prequel / original, White Robe Addiction, back before I had ever thought of starting a blog. And then a year or two passed before Nurse Love Addiction was suddenly announced and then released!!

I think I would still love this yuri VN just as much if I were to go back and play it again. Really wish I had the time to do that, to be honest. But there’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.

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That’s all, folks.

Thank you for reading!