We're heading into the year 2015 in a couple of hours!! Wow, this year has flown by. But then again, I feel like every year flies by for me haha. But yes! Since I'm not a person that's interested in fireworks, I thought I'd spend the last day of 2014 working on this post and just chilling at home with the family because that's what I love to do most.
I've been planning on doing a favourites post for a while but I keep forgetting, so I decided to condense everything into this one post. It's a bit long and most of it is about the anime and manga I've been loving recently but if you're interested, here are some of the things I'd definitely recommend!
Skincare
- Olay Night Firming Moisturiser
RATING(left):
Actually, this is the only one I wouldn't recommend LOL. I just put it in because I was planning to compare the two. Honestly, I think this was a really normal moisturiser that just wasn't moisturising enough for my face so I only gave it a pass rating. However, I do really like that it has a pump in comparison to the regenerist one. But this one felt like it only moisturised the outer layer on my face and that's all. Once I washed my face in the morning, it felt like it did absolutely nothing for my skin. It didn't have any weird smells or anything but I really didn't think it helped my skin at all and I have dry to sensitive skin. I've used most of it already and have decided that I won't repurchase this.
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Olay Regenerist Revitalising Night Cream Moisturiser
RATING(right)
I really love this cream! I've already used up one and am planning to use my backup once I finish the moisturiser I talked about above. It's a bit thick and so it takes a couple of minutes to soak into the skin but it really moisturises it! My skin feels really soft and supple after it's been absorbed and I can feel that it is softer than usual in the morning. It's too bad that it doesn't come in a pump but I don't really mind that much. It usually lasts me 1-2 months and I think it's really moisturising for my dry skin. Smell is normal, just like any other Olay product.
- Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum
RATING:
This is the first serum I've ever used and it is an essence that is mainly for moisturising and nourishing your skin which I think it does really well! I usually take 3 pumps and pat it onto my skin. It takes a few minutes to fully absorb into my skin but it's really worth it because my skin feels super moisturised once it's in. It feels like I've already done my whole moisturising routine! I nearly forgot to put my moisturiser afterwards once haha. The only problem I have with it is that it kind of smells like soap mixed with trees/wood. I don't really know how to explain it haha, It's bearable and I don't mind it that much though. It really seeps deep into the skin and makes my skin feel revitalised! I don't know how I've been living without this. But that's also the only thing it does. I don't think it really clears up your skin or redness or anything but it definitely makes me feel really smooth!
- Avène Thermal Spring Water
RATING:
When my friend first recommended this to me, I really thought that this was really expensive water haha. I mean it really does feel like just water! But wow! This feels like a softener! It definitely soothes your skin like it says and it even makes it all nice and soft. I've been really enjoying this, It's a bit on the expensive side for me with it being $20 since I spray this a lot haha. It's really convenient since it's a spray as well. I sprayed a whole heap when I got sunburnt once and it really did make my skin feel much better. It's aimed for dry and sensitive skin and thus perfect for me! It's very refreshing when you spray it on your face in the summer as well! I'd definitely repurchase this when I run out (which is really soon!). If you need some extra moisture, I would recommend this. I use this along with my Green Tea Seed Serum on the really dry areas of my face and I'm always amazed at how soft my skin becomes! I usually wait a few minutes and then pat it into my skin lightly and I would instantly feel more moisturised.
Makeup
- Peripera Love Fairy Tint Glow Stick in #3 Wind Love
RATING:
At first, I thought this would be just like the Revlon Lip Butters that don't last really long on my lips at all and I lovee eating (as you can see from my blog) and I'm lazy (lol) so I've been searching for a good lip tint. The Etude House Fresh Cherry Tints were my absolute favourite because they stayed on my lips for like the whole day even after eating a few times but unfortunately, I think it was a bit too drying and ended up irritating the skin around my lips.
But, for this lip product, I really love it. The packaging is super cute as you can see! I looked at some images and thought it would turn out purple but this colour on my lips is like a neon bright pink. It's probably because my lips are rather pigmented and thus it's more of a bright berry sort of colour. I still really like it though! I usually put a coat on, blot with tissue and repeat like 2-3 times to get a really nice and vibrant colour. It's really long lasting as well! Stays on my lips for the whole day if I don't eat and if I do, it loses some shine but it's still very vivid. It leaves a nice tinted colour. Irresistible packaging as well!! <3 I'm already thinking of getting #5 Magic Love next hehe! Oh yeah, it does smell sweet if you're wondering what it smells like. Good and bad I guess. I don't really mind it. Ah, forgot to mention that it's very moisturising as well and it doesn't accentuate the fine lines on my lips. It gets a bit dry after like half a day after I eat though so I like to put on a clear lip balm to keep the tint.
Books
- The Stand by Stephen King
RATING:
I really loved this book in the first half but I sort of thought it got a bit disappointing in the latter half so I gave it this rating. It's basically about a virus that kills most of the people in the world and so our main characters are left in this world trying to fight against people that want to satisfy their desires and all those that are hostile. I really liked reading the journey each of the main characters had to take and experience in order to get to their settlement. It dictated the feelings, the angst and the fear very nicely and I thought it was really interesting. I feel like the latter part could have flowed better and I didn't really like the Mother Abagail and 'adversary' take on the story to be honest. I also really wanted some more development and story for the adversary camp since I really liked Lloyd's character but that's my opinion.
However, I really loved all the characters in this book. Some of the ways they died were quite anti-climactic especially the ending which I felt was acceptable but saddening and sort of disappointing for all their build up.I felt like a lot of potential was lost. The main reason I didn't like the ending was because they didn't choose to make a move and go because they thought it was a rational decision but because they were told to go. But I think the survival part before they form the 'Zone' was the best. Although I didn't like the latter part too much, it did feel like a realistic take on things with how they managed the zone and everything I guess. I'd definitely recommend reading this if you haven't though.
- Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
RATING:
I've always loved Murakami's books but I think I have to say this one is at the top with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle for me or even better. I loved how the story took two perspectives on the same but different life of one person. It honestly took me a while to even notice because their lives were so similar yet different! It was only when the surroundings changed that I really noticed haha.
This book felt like a puzzle to me. The further I read, the more the pieces of the puzzle were seen but I was unable to form a concrete image until the end. But rather than feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end, I felt a sense of loss. Personally, I loved the ending. I felt that it really was the only way to end things and because...it's Murakami haha. It felt like the story wasn't really relatable in the beginning but after reading more and more, it felt like how people are living their lives right now (or how I am anyway). These are the same thoughts we have and these are the choices we must make as well. It doesn't matter whether others believe it is a good ending or not as long as you don't regret your decisions and are satisfied with the ending that you have chosen for yourself. It felt like that sort of journey to me. I really loved it and am definitely looking forward to reading it again in the future to gain better insight into the story.
Games
- Tales of Xillia 1 &2 (PS3)
RATING:
Tales of Xillia is a JRPG that is obviously a part of the Tales Series. I played the first one in 2013 and played the second one this year. Personally, I liked the first one more because of how straightforward it was and because I was discovering a new world, whereas when you play the second one, it's about a world you've already seen but with 2 newly added characters + a cat. The story was very simple and straightforward, nothing mind-blowing but very nice and sweet with a guy that meets a girl that changes his perspective on life and that ends up changing the world itself because you know, the world is always in danger. The second one develops upon the first and talks about how two worlds are learning and trying to co-exist amongst the problem of alternate worlds popping up for some reason. The second one definitely felt more like a grind though, I don't know how much time I spent killing monsters to the point that I was annoyed lol.
For gameplay, pretty classic Tales series gameplay. You only control one character and leave it to the A.I for the others. If you want to though, you can get another controller and get a friend to control the next character haha. I didn't mind leaving it to the A.I to do the healing though, I'm really bad at remembering to heal haha. It's pretty straightforward where all your spells and skills are connected to the circle button and you just press up, down, left or right along with circle to use different skills. Movement is very flexible and combos are fairly interesting to perform especially when you hit them into the air and render them powerless to your attacks :) But most of the time, I just attacked them straight on and did backstep dodges.
As for the levelling system, the first one was much better. The first one had something similar to Final Fantasy X where it has a grid and you level up your stats and get new skills in this grid and you move around and try to grab the stats you want. Pretty straightforward and simple. However for the second one, you just get items with different elements such as fire, water etc and you level up the different elements to get skills that correspond to that element. It goes in a linear course and you learn skills and level up skills depending on what element you choose to level but really, there's no customisation on what skills you can get first etc.
Personally, I thought it was an all right game but it had nothing special about it. I liked Tales of the Abyss much more. The story was more engaging and I felt the strong impact of my stupid main character's decisions lol. Oh, and the different paths in the first Tales of Xillia. This was the most disappointing thing for me. There are two paths you can choose to take in the beginning which is Milla's or Jude's path but they're pretty much the same thing. They go on the same journey and only separate like once in the story for a little while in which I'd suggest that it's much more fulfilling to choose Jude's path to experience that. So to me, there really was no point in splitting the paths, there wasn't that much of a difference that I felt like I really needed to do the other path to know the story which was very saddening. I thought it would be like Mana Khemia 2. Now that had a reason to be splitted up, there were different party members and a different journey. This one point really disappointed me.
One thing that Tales of Xillia 2 outshines the first installment in were the character stories. Not all of them were interesting but I really loved Rowen's and Jude's stories. I felt like these were the the only stories I really cared about in the sequel haha. It talked about their lives after the first game and how they were trying to live now with the decisions that they made in the first game. I thought they were very meaningful to watch and experience. Other than that, our new main character in the sequel barely spoke. It didn't feel interactive at all! I felt sorry for the voice actor! I really hate these to be honest. JRPGs for me are games that let me watch a story unfold. I'm not the main character so I expect the main character to interact with the others like a story!! It really makes him not very memorable. I know they wanted to make it that we the players are the main characters but I just felt very distant from him. I couldn't even feel that sad when I watched the true ending because the only character I really cared about in the end was the big brother and that was obviously pointless by that time. In addition, I didn't like the method to complete side jobs/missions in the sequel because that was not as interactive as well. All you do is talk to the job guy to get and complete missions. I preferred the first one where you find an NPC in the world, talk to him and they you a little about their backstory and then you complete the mission. There was some of that in the sequel but not much.
It was fun but also lacked something to make them games that you must play. It just didn't have the appeal. But if you're interested, I'd recommend the first Tales of Xillia.
Manga
I think this is getting a bit long haha! Personally, I have too many things to say about the manga and anime I like but I'll try to shorten it haha! I'd recommend all of them!
- Tokyo Ghoul by Ishida Sui
RATING:
Tokyo Ghoul was a manga that everyone seemed to talk about and so I thought why not try it? Initially, I thought it wouldn't be interesting to me but I ended up really liking it! I only think the first half before he changed felt like horror but afterwards, it seemed pretty much like the typical shounen manga fights. However, I really enjoyed the story. The ending was really open and didn't answer many many questions but it has a sequel so I'll wait for that to pick up and give me some answers haha. But basically it's about ghouls that go around eating humans and it talks about the perspectives of humans and ghouls and how just as there are ghouls that would gladly eat humans (because it's the only thing they can eat, kinda), there are ghouls that just want to live amongst the humans peacefully. I really liked how the story unfolded and how our main character fit into the story. His circumstances and his thoughts felt very realistic and understanding and the art was fabulous! 100 something chapters may seem long but for this story, it honestly wasn't enough, it practically ended when it started to actually get interesting and into something quite serious haha. However, if you're not into heads being eaten, arms flying off, eyeballs gouged out and stuff like that, this might not be the manga for you. It's not really that bad though. Apparently the anime isn't disgusting at all though so maybe that might be a good alternative? But from many people's reactions, the anime didn't live up to the manga at all so..manga all the way!
- Tate no Yuusha Nariagari by Aneko Yusagi
RATING:
Although there are very few chapters and there's only a chapter every month (I think), the story is definitely heart-wrenching. It sounds very typical with a guy being summoned into a world where he is to become a hero along with a few other guys that were summoned as well. However, he is the shield hero which is seemingly the weakest of them all since the others get like a sword or spear etc. Basically, it's one of those where offense is the best defense so who is going to respect a hero that only carries a shield. He is also eventually betrayed and treated like dirt by everyone around him and I seriously felt that it was so heartbreaking for him. I really cried. All that torment, all the accusations flung at him, I was so happy when he met Raphtalia. However, since it is adapted from a novel, the pace may be pretty slow. I'm thinking of reading the novel because I think that this has a lot of potential.
- Re:Monster by Kanegiru Kogitsune
RATING:
This is also a manga that has been adapted from a novel and is pretty interesting because it has a main character that reincarnates into a goblin. It is a survival fantasy that could be relatable to gamers since it is kind of like an RPG with some dark aspects such as goblins raping human girls. Just a heads up because it was sort of disturbing and I know it was definitely disturbing to some other readers. The main character obviously doesn't sit well with that but yeah, there is a part of it about that. It's pretty much like a survival of the fittest sort of manga. It talks about how the main character develops physically and becomes stronger and stronger. Pretty OP guy haha. I don't think there's enough chapters to really see where they hope to go with this though. So it has potential for now~ I might have to read the novel for this one as well haha. It is a bit different from the traditional manga though since there isn't much dialogue in this, it's mostly narration and so that can get sort of awkward.
- Haru Matsu Bokura by Anashin
RATING:
If you're into cute, fluffy, cliche high school romance first love shoujo, then this is one that I would recommend! From the image, it looks like a reverse harem but it's not lol because the main girl and guy pairing is very obviously set up. It's really cute and it really gives you the feel of a first love sprouting since they're both so innocent. Main character girl isn't annoying which is awesome haha! The art is also very nice and cute. And of course, all the guys are bishies haha.
- Kyou no Kira-kun by Mikimoto Rin
RATING:
I really love this one. Nino and Kira are the cutest couple ever but just as it is sweet, it is inevitably heartbreaking to have to watch the emotions and torment that Kira has to go through. It's about a guy that doesn't have very long to live meeting a girl that ends up changing his perspective upon life and his illness. However, this manga is really good at tearing your heart strings because the sweetest moments are also accompanied with the most heartbreaking moments. But it's well worth the investment of my feelings because I can't help but cheer for them!!! It'll probably be a sad story and I'll probably cry even more at how sweet the two can be but also how saddening it can be as well. As someone else commented on this manga, "it has earned the right to my feelings", no matter what happens, it really has. Definitely recommended. His friend is quite frustrating though.
- Orange (Takano Ichigo)
RATING:
Another manga I am literally in love with. Absolutely in love with. In a mere 10 chapters, I cried a few times already lol. It's about a girl that receives a letter from the future telling her to help her friend and prevent him from committing suicide. It is extremely heart-wrenching and I chose the image above because I really really hope that it will end up being a happy ending for them. I like how the heroine tries her best to change from the timid her because her future self is telling her that she regretted not doing those things in the past and so she wants the past her to not have to end up having the same regret as she does now. I've read the few chapters quite a few times and I honestly can't see the light at the end of the tunnel right now but I really hope that they can save him. All the characters are likeable and the heroine is lovely. I don't know how it's going to work out because if I was the guy, I think the guilt would be there forever and it'd be really hard for him to get past it. But I really hope that Naho can help him. I think it touches the topics of regret very nicely and I can't help but reflect on my life itself when I read this.
- Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso by Arakawa Naoshi
RATING:
The manga that was the winner of the Kodansha Manga Award 2013!! I've actually had a whole post on my personal blog ranting about this because everyone keeps bashing the girl childhood friend which I personally think is a very realistic character as someone who has no connection with music that is friends with someone that loves music as well. But I think the interpersonal feelings between the characters are strong in this one. This story is about a boy that is traumatised about his past and thus ended up not being able to play the piano anymore because he can't "hear" his own playing. But then, he meets a girl that changes him and makes him pick up the piano again. I really like how Kousei develops in this story. His emotions feel real and you can see how much of an impact the girl Kaori has on him. It's a heart-warming story that also eventually becomes heart-wrenching due to circumstances out of their hands. I like it.
- Aho Girl by Hiroyuki
RATING:
When I first read this 4-koma, I thought it was absolutely weird and ridiculous especially since this girl is way too crazy and obsessed with eating bananas LOL. However, he is the mangaka of Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to and so I persevered and I have to say this is pretty funny haha. It's stupid and funny and doesn't really have perverted jokes like the work I just mentioned but wow, the girl characters are hilarious lol. I really do feel sorry for the guy though lol! It's about a stupid girl that keeps trying to appeal to her childhood friend and that totally makes it sound boring but it's pretty funny, I would recommend it if you want a few laughs.
Anime
- White Album 2
RATING:
This is a high school love story that is set in the future after White Album. It still has the songs White Album and Sound of Destiny in it but apart from that, this is a separate story. It's very straightforward and cute but sad at the same time since it is a love triangle. Although the ending was not how I wanted it to be, I accepted it because I felt like if I was in either girl's shoes, I would've done what they did. I initially didn't like Setsuna but after everything, I couldn't help but understand her feelings and admire her courage. I'll admit it, I cried a bit just because thinking about it all made me sad. It was a very straightforward and realistic take on love triangle drama and romance is what I think.
- Log Horizon 2
RATING:
Personally, I like the prequel much more since the introduction of things was interesting and Lenessia is my favourite character and she appeared much more in the first one so yeah haha. Basically, it's about gamers who are stuck in an MMORPG called Elder Tale and have no means of getting out and they have no clues on why they are even here in the first place and thus while they are trying to figure out the way to get out of here, they decided they will need to learn how to live in this new world. In addition, they start to realise that even though the game is really similar to the game they played on the computer, in here, NPCs have their own mindsets and act like actual humans. They start to have to adapt to the changes around them and try to learn how to live in this world by cooperating with others and helping each other out. It's a story about growth and how they try to live in this game world. As I have said before in my other blog, although Sword Art Online and Log Horizon have a similar premise, they are different because SAO is a story that revolves around Kirito and how he is hero and it talks about the interactions between the real world and the game world and eventually they get out of SAO and so its really more about virtual reality gaming and Kirito. Whereas Log Horizon is a story about gamers/adventurers and their relationships and the world around them. It is mainly focused on Elder Tale and how the characters develop and change because they are aware that if there is no way of going back, they must learn to live in this world. They talk about different problems and I really think there shouldn't even be a comparison between the two but yeah. I personally prefer Log Horizon more because I like interactions between many characters and I like that although it is obvious who the main character is, the other main characters are just as important. Whereas in SAO, Kirito is the most important one. Not saying that I dislike SAO, I really liked the novel much more though.
- Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
RATING:
I'm so sad that this isn't as gory as expected! Apparently they did what they did to Tokyo Ghoul which was make it less gruesome etc though so I've been thinking that I should just read the manga. I've been really liking this though. It has the setting where parasitic aliens have invaded Earth and have taken over the brains of some humans and thus there are humans getting killed left and right by these parasites that have taken control of some human bodies. The protagonist happened to be sleeping with his headphones and thus the parasite didn't end up getting to his brain but instead his right hand and thus begins the story of our hero that retains his brain but has an alien controlling his right hand. I really liked the background music in the first few episodes but then I don't hear it much anymore so that's kinda saddening but otherwise it's a pretty interesting story in how the protagonist tries to retain his humanity but also begins to change due to an incident that ends up distorting his personality. I'd say it has some similarities to Tokyo Ghoul in the 'monster' aspect but otherwise, the stories seem to go in different directions.
- Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
RATING:
I love the manga sooo much more but seeing them move and everything made it so fun and exciting! It's about this girl that tries to confess to the guy she likes but he mistakes her as his fan and thus she ends up becoming his manga assistant. It's very light-hearted and funny especially with their friends. Each character has their own funny aspects and they all have their own romantic pairings which ends up becoming hilarious but cute at the same time. My favourites are Seo and Waka just because their interactions are so funny and Waka is so innocent haha. Yotsuba&- (Yotsubato) is still my favourite 4-koma manga but this is definitely my second favourite!
- No Game No Life
RATING:
I'm waiting for the sequel of this already because I absolutely love this sister and brother duo. Basically, the sister and brother duo are NEETs and play games 24/7. They're legendary gamers and Shiro is the brain where technically, there is nothing she can't solve if there is a logical pattern to things whereas Sora is like an expert in understanding humans; he's manipulative as he is smart in understanding and predicting how people will act depending on their emotions and thought processes. It has some nudity and ecchi in it so if you're not interested, then you might not like it but otherwise, I love Sora and Shiro's characters. They're funny but amazing at the same time and I just can't get enough of them. Definitely one of my favourites.
- Isshuukan Friends
RATING:
A very cute and sweet story about a boy trying to be friends with a girl that loses her memories every Monday or basically every week. She ends up recording a diary and begins recognising who he is and eventually making friends with others. It's a very simple and straightforward story. Nothing too deep or saddening since it has a very light hearted take on the memory circumstance.
- Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to The Animation
RATING:
If you're okay with a perverted main character, then by all means, you must watch or read this! The manga has a bit more details here and there and so I would recommend that more but I think the anime is pretty true to it and my gosh, I can't stop laughing at how ridiculously funny the main character guy is. And that cat in the image LOL If you want a good laugh with perverted antics here and there, you must watch it! The episodes aren't really long either so it's definitely good if you want a break from work.
Miscellaneous
- 7D Dried Mangorind
RATING:
A little sweet and a little sour. These individually packed 'candy' that are a mix of mango and tamarind are the perfect treat to share with your friends and family. They're very moist and soft and full of flavour. Definitely a recommended snack if you visit any Daiso store or Asian grocery.
- Kopiko Brown Coffee
RATING:
It doesn't taste exactly like the Kopiko lolly but it smells kind of like it. This is literally the only instant coffee I like and I've tried a couple. This one is pretty sweet though so I'd recommend the black packaged normal version if you're not too into sweet coffee but I love sweet things so I like this one hehe! It smells really nice and always wakes me up in the morning. I generally prefer to pour half a cup of hot water, stir it and then add half a cup of milk, stir and microwave for a bit and drink it warm/hot. It tastes good hot or cold but I generally prefer it hot. I love the taste! Apparently it doesn't really taste like the lolly though haha.
- 7D Dried Mangoes
RATING:
From the same brand as the Mangorind, this is the dried mangoes version that is the best seller at Daiso Japan. It is very soft and moist and filled with sweetness. The texture is good and definitely not dry like some other brands. The only negative is that there are so less pieces and that there is lots of sugar in this!! I devour these easily in a couple of minutes if I'm hungry haha!
RATING:
This is my favourite music to listen to right now. I first heard it reading the webtoon Dice: The Cube That Changes Everything and I instantly fell in love with it. I had to listen to it on youtube over and over again. It was absolutely beautiful to me. It has this amazing touch of melancholy and frustration but also hope in it that I just can't help but listen to it over and over again.
I'm finally done!! I had so many other favourites (manga-wise) but I thought I'd select a few different types since I'm a sucker for tear-jerkers and I didn't want to only write about sad ones hahaha. But man that was long! It's 1:49am right now so it's the new year already!! Hahahah! This took me a few hours LOL. Well, I guess, HAPPY NEW YEAR then!! Oh, and I finally figured out how to put star ratings!! I'm so proud of myself, even though it was actually pretty simple after reading a guide haha! Well, I still learnt something! Good start to the new year hopefully?! :D
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