An Intro to Anime and Manga

Anime - Japanese for animation, or cartoons, in other countries when people say anime they are referring to Japanese animation. In Japan anime refers to all animation.

Manga - Japanese comic book (graphic novel) is written by a mangaka (cartoonist)

Otaku - Japanese slang for one who has a hobby that they spend more time and money on than normal people would. In Japan calling someone an otaku is rude. In America an otaku refers to someone who is a fan of anime and manga.

Cosplay - short for Costume Play. It is when an individual dresses up like an anime or manga character or Japanese rock or Jpop star.

Hentai - means strange appearance, but also means perverted. Countries outside of Japan use hentai to refer to anime, manga, or video games with pornographic or sex related content. Hentai is not used in Japan for such things instead they use the word ecchi.

Types of Anime/Manga

• Kodomo - Directed towards children. Stories are moralistic, teaching children how to behave and be considerate. Episodes are generally standalone.
• Shonen - High action with male leads. Directed to males between 10 and 18.
  
• Shojo - Directed towards girls between 10 and 18. Usually female lead. Stories can be action, romance, comedy, etc.
  
• Seinen - Directed towards males 18-30, even to 40. Subject matter varying from avant-garde to pornographic
• Seijin - Directed towards grown men, referring to sexually overt manga (adult content)
• Josei - Directed towards females in late teens and adults. same content as seijin

Anime/Manga Topics

• Romance - Anime about people falling in love. Romance anime is usually written for girls, though there are some romance anime that are meant for boys.
• Comedy
• Ecchi - meaning lewd, sexy or naughty. The anime or manga has sexual content such as skimpy clothing, partial nudity, or full nudity but does not show sexual intercourse.
• Mecha - Anime/Manga about robots, usually ones big enough for people to sit inside them and control them like people drive cars. Mecha anime often have wars where the robots are used to fight between countries like tanks and planes are used today.
• Lolicon - slang for lolita complex, meaning a sexual desire for young girls or a young girl who desires other youg girls. In anime and manga it is a genre where young female characters are shown in a sexual way.
• Shotacon - slang for shotaro complex, meaning an attraction to young boys or an individual with such a desire. In anime and manga it is a genre where young male characters are shown in a sexual way.
• Yaoi or Shounen Ai - Anime or manga about boys who are in love with other boys
• Yuri or Shojo Ai - Anime or manga about girls who are in love with other girls
• Drama
• Supernatural - Anime or manga about witches, magic, ghosts, or other things that we do not normally see in everyday life

Poems - Written by a 17-18 yr old me

Love Is
Love is like the ocean
it runs blue and deep
You can drown in the sorrow
but the good times you will keep

Love is like a rose

it can wither and die

Unlike my love for you
it grows as time goes by

We have a strange relationship
we are just together or apart
I will treasure our friendship
you will always be in my heart.


To Be With You Again
I long to be in your arms
I long for your kiss
I miss your boyish charms
it is you that I miss


A Wasted Relationship
No one could make me feel the way you once did
In my heart you will always have a place
I'm sorry for the secret from you I hid
Now it's over, our relationship has gone to waste

Shayde75

Born in the P.I., Raised in the U.S.

As you can guess by the title, I was born in the Philippines and raised in the US. I was adopted by my aunt who was unable to have children, and was helping out her baby sister by taking me in. She was already married to an American from Pennsylvania. I spent some of my babyhood as it would be, in the hospital. Evidently I was a sickly baby and without the help of my aunt I would not be here. I am very grateful to her for that.

Growing up was a little different for me than most kids out there. My adopted father worked for an airlines back then and so we were able to travel to many different countries before I was 5. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Philippines (of course), Tibet (more of a region than a country I guess), Iran, and others I can't remember at this time. We lived in a huge house (well at that age, everything is huge) in Ahwatukee, Arizona. I had many toys, that I ended up giving away because my friends said they liked them. I was naively nice.

My adopted parents divorced, I can't remember how old I was, things were kind of a blur. My mom met her new husband. He was in the Air Force and from Florida. For a long time I called him uncle, because they weren't married. When I was about 7 or 8, they decided to move to the Philippines. Well, you can imagine what a shock that would be to child who doesn't even speak the language! Surprisingly, I picked it up and was going to school. I made a lot of friends, and met a lot (I mean a LOT) of family. It was the first and last time I ever got to meet my grandfather. It's pretty sad when the only memory you have of your grandfather is him killing a chicken for supper. Yeah, not the most pleasant of memories, but unforgettable. All I really remember about him was that he was kind to me. That will never fade.

After a few years they decided they wanted to move back to the US. So we did, and to Florida we went. We lived in Jupiter, Florida, for a while. Can't remember how many years. We moved around so much a person could get whiplash! I do remember going to school, at many different schools.

I've come to find that most people think of asians as being really smart. I guess in some cases it's true, but not for all. I've always come to find that most idiots think you know karate or something and tend to wanna try and pick fights. I will tell you this, I don't need to know karate to kick your ass, period. Okay, sorry about that, but it's true. People are afraid of what they don't understand, and they knew nothing of me. Yes, I did get picked on in elementary school, prior to moving to Plantation, where there was a larger population of asians in the area. It helped a lot. Anyway, enough of my ranting and back to my life story.

We moved to Plantation, Florida, and I met some great people there. Yes, by this time my parents finally got married. I went to school and made great friends. Then they decided to move, again. We moved to Margate, Florida. This is where I remember things more clearly. We finally stayed long enough in one area (we changed apartments) for me to be able to continuously go to school for 4 years. What a great relief that was! we moved again, this time to North Lauderdale for most of my freshman year. Then we ended up moving back to Margate. I told you people, whiplash! I was able to finish out my freshman year at Coconut Creek High and actually finished my sophomore year as well.

I loved Margate. only for the fact that I was able to stay in one place long enough to keep the friends I had made in the 4 years I went to elementary and middle school there. Here I experienced my first love (this will be another subject altogether), true friends, and a handful of trouble. Come on! What teenager doesn't get into a little bit of trouble?

Well, we moved again, back to Plantation. I'm sure as you're reading this, you're getting tired of all the moving, am I right? I end up quitting school and getting my GED. I started in July and got my diploma in December of 1992.

They decided to move again...we took the volvo station wagon with a trailer hitched to the back and made our way across the southern United States to California. Hah! You thought I was gonna say Arizona huh?! Nope, we were headed towards Chico, California. Nice college town. Hard for a teenager to get a job with all the college students around. So I freeloaded of my dad for about 7 to 8 months. Of course I did do some side work with my dad, electrical. Then they decided we should head for Arizona.

Well, there you have it. Here I am in hot, arid, Arizona, and haven't left yet. You can bet that we moved around a lot here too. I thank my lucky stars that I am married to a man who wants to stay in one place for as long as possible. As for my parents, they are currently back in Florida, Jacksonville this time. That is where my dad's parents, brother, and sister live. Interesting life of moving about, yes? Not really? Well, this is the condensed version, if you can believe that.

A Short Intro

Hello world. Well, here it is. My blog is up and running, of sorts. This is where I will be posting various topics. Nothing life changing. Maybe comments from others will help me develop my nonexistent writing skills. At this given moment I am unable to pin down an exact topic for my blog so bear with me, as I have different interests and can't seem to just choose one. Part of being a Libra is the inability to make decisions. I hope you enjoy what I write and leave comments if you want.