Again, Blossoming of the Earth

Even if the world comes to an end
With a crumbled destiny that no one can mend
Stroke the melody of silent howls
Again, blossoming of the earth

Would you change the world?
Or, would you change yourself?
Trivial daily boons
swept away by the maelstrom of fate

Passing flurries of cherry blossoms
Last regret and first yearning
And the world ends
with the fulfillment of servitude

Bustling fields of sunflowers
Assured decay and chanced salvation
And the world ends
with the antidote to loneliness

Palliating wellsprings of daisies
Selfish wishes and encumbering duties
And the world ends
with the cognizance of reality

Star-crossed paths of catnip
Simple happiness and despairing chaos
And the world ends
with the promise of reunion

Blood-stained ladders of roses
Vanishing self and encroaching madness
And the world ends
with the atonement to sin

Life blossoms one thousand times
Withering fated and unaltered
in the desolated search with endless failures

Would love be the singularity?
Possibilities will rise from ashed branches
Burden is not yours alone

Keep dreaming
Cry out in the acrimony of the powerless
Repudiate weaknesses and corruptions
and march forward with all my might

Go on
Your million-year journey
When you finally rest
we will meet again

Ah, these ineffable feelings...


*Reconstruction from previous post of "Again, Blossoms of the Earth."

Heavy spoilers, maybe.

It took a while to finish the video, but hopefully it will stay out of the audio claim mute. Yuuhei Satellite's song was really the driving force behind the reorganization, as Senya's vocal is just amazing. BTW, this is their original and not a Touhou remix.

With regards to Rewrite, I definitely enjoyed it better than Clannad due to its more simplified flag paths. I seriously don't have that much time for gaming, so cramming the humor, the action, and the Key-special heart wrenching story into one package was rather thankful. So the heroine ranking follows:  Lucia = Chihaya > Kagari > Akane > Kotori = Shizuru. Maybe I am not a fan of classic Key heroine archetypes. Yoshino and other side characters didn't really fit into the music, so their cameos are rather limited.

This will make up for my blogging absence in the past nine months. Enjoy!

Katana

A katana is a type of sword specialized in cutting.
Its silhouette is curved but will not bend.
Its edge is hardened yet inside soft.
It embodies the pride of a warrior and safeguards the soul of a hero.
It is a cross in reverse, a prayer of sublime devotion.
It is a mark of passing, an icon of a finished journey.
It is a symbol of force, separating parts through sheer strength.
It is a keeper of memories, a chronicle of humanity in glory and in writhe.
It may be an offering for peace,
but not to forget,
its purpose may also be an instrument for death.
It cuts, or it breaks, or it is sheathed.
It is neither good or evil.
Instead, it prints the will and the nature of the wielder.
But not all,
for some, it is an extension of fresh;
for some, it is an burden of heavy steel.
It may grant great power, at the cost of great effort.
It may change the course of history,
but it may just be as useless as its target.
So many and so many aspects of it are unsure,
but its purpose remains certain,
it is born and lives to cut.

Lady of the Lake, Prelude

The Pact of Dressiden was often considered to be the conclusion of the Ahnmes-Leighu alliance that had dictated the political landscape of Ednia over three decades. The assassination of the former head of House Ahnmes, Cassius O. Ahnmes, by his brother-in-law, Jyn Leighu, also brought an abrupt end to more than two decades of Ednia's militant foreign policy towards the Nations of Yashu. The infighting over succeeding the household title severely crippled the influence of House Ahnmes over the rising houses of merchant nobles, whose interest lies in the construction of roads and bridges near the border to facilitate the exchange of wheat for timber and precious metals, which were abundant in Yashu territory. With the death of Cassius, the Western Campaign against the Nations of Yashu never came to fruition, which allowed the progressive moderates to take control of the aftermath. The equipment and resources prepared for the Third Western Campaign were taken advantages by the merchant nobles, notably House Glijja and House Miles, to lay down the foundation for what would later become the Crystal Trail. Shu Miles, the head of House Miles, led the rise of the progressive moderates in the Council of the States and put forth sets of rather radical foreign policy at the time, those which later would make Ednia an economic powerhouse on the continent. House Leighu did not openly support the expeditions proposed by the progressive moderates, but it was widely believed that the head of House Leighu facilitated the transfer of equipment and resources from Dressiden.

...

On a side note, due to Jyn's suicide following the assassination, the motive behind the act was never elucidated. While Cassius's political rivals are numerous, he is too formidable of a state man to succumb to his political enemy. Even with all their combined powers, the struggle would still be a mismatch. Though Cassius took concubines, Jyu Ahnmes, older sister to Jyn, was well-respected and in good relation with the rest of House Ahnmes. For many from House Leighu, the act of assassination was a shock because Jyn was often regarded as a well-mannered and kind young man, even though eccentric and quiet at times. However, Jyn did spend a year near the Yashu border during his time of service and might have developed some sympathy towards the Yashu'n from personal experience of fairly frequent harasses by the corrupted boarder patrols and greedy merchants. At this time, the record is incomplete and would require some further analysis.

#Stop here. The next paragraph is purely of speculations without concrete evidence for any claims. Focus on the effect on Yashu after the Pact of Dressiden. --KW

Furthermore, from disclosure of private sources as well as records in the Ednia Military Academy, Jyn was a part of a small survey squad that decided to embark on an expedition to uncharted mountain region west of Cymeblin as part their graduation thesis. By presenting the cartographical data for a significant amount of territory between Cymeblin and Lake Letra, all members of the survey squad eventually graduated the Academy with the highest distinction. Considering the geographic details in their map and the fact that the squad returned to their outpost headquarter ahead of the schedule, the efficiency of their teamwork was rather extraordinary. Since the Cymeblin territory was historically Yashu until the end of the sixth century, it is likely that the team had a local guide, possibly of Yashu descent. Interestingly, the report did not mention the existence of a guide and was particularly vague on some deviations from the original expedition route. While the private sources seemed to skit around the truth, the lack of contact with locals in the final report arose suspicions. There were a few days' worth record that read rather artificial and generic, contrasting the rigorously detailed descriptions in earlier and later sections of the report. The difference in style was especially noticeable when the team was exploring areas around Lake Letra before their departure returning to the outpost headquarter. As of now, something seemed amiss, yet no records could pinpoint the conflicts.


--- Excerpts from the draft of The Evolving Foreign Policy towards Yashu after the Second Western Campaign, Fumi Noya

The Status of the Ednia Project

I hope everyone has been enjoying the short sections on the Ednia project. There are still a lot of world-building I am trying to accomplish before diving into plots, so there will be a while before the entire story focuses on the journey of Sharron Miles. At this point, I am very happy that I was finally able to complete the Perspective series, showcasing some personnel that would directly affect the mindset and the actions of the said protagonist.

As a recap to the work has been previously posted here, I am just going to give a little bit of contexts.

Exchange series Prelude Part I Part II  Part III

On this day, I swear to you that this sword in my hand will answer to no one but you, who carried the blood of Le-Tel. Take my life to be your spear confronting your foes and your shield sheltering from harm. Your smile will be my ultimate glory. 

Mind Game series Prelude Part I Part II

If I have the chance to save the world again, would I do it as a dutiful tool performing its function or as a being with doubts and concerns? How many sacrifices is the maximum I can do away that the world would be saved? 

No, do you not understand? You cannot save the world without making sacrifices.  

Match with Kathy series Prelude Part I Part II Interlude Part III Part IV

I never wanted to become your enemy. You have always been a kind person, and I have always admired that. When we reincarnate in the next life, would you consider becoming my friend?

Of course, more will come, but at some slow paces. There are a couple of ideas being tossed around, but for now. 

Now, previews for the next three Ednia projects are

Wanderer on the Prairie series

Theme:  I know you are born to the nobility. But at least try to blend into crowds. 

Lady of the Lake series

Theme:  Maybe my prayer will not be answered, and that is also acceptable. 

First Encounter series

Theme:  You are one weird kid.

Happy New Year, everybody.

The Year 2013 in Review

Impression of 2013

If I want to summarize the year of 2013 in one adjective, it would probably be chaotic. So many moments have passed and yet the time felt so short (I feel old...in more than one way). It is nonetheless a productive and uplifting year.

Personal and World-wise:

Personal Achievements:  first year in renting an apartment and commuting mostly via bicycle. Nothing burnt down. The power did go out and I had to replace the fuse. We ended up replacing the oven afterwards.

Dad coming to the US during Fourth of July. A darn good time. Harpoon brewery tour earned a 4.5 star. First time whale watching.

Cousin's wedding in China. I was that emotional, but man, time flies fast.

Li's wedding back in Iowa. Guys, good luck, have fun, and do your best.

One of the ten people on dating sites is a scam. I am rather amused by that.

Congratulations to the Chinese Space Program. The lunar rover makes me proud.

A big sigh to the government shutdown. Guys, you are getting paid to do nothing. Well, you should all be fired.

Prayers go out to the victim of the marathon bombing and tsunami in Southwest Asia. I also donated to the earthquake relief in China. I didn't really feel the lock down. Sorry, I will try to stay more informed next time. I get my news from ESPN, IGN, Crunchyroll, Science, and Nature.

NOLA, you are teh behsht.

Career-wise:
Graduate school is still ongoing. I will keep going forward.
A big turning point is the end of the third-year oral. From that point on, there are no more bureaucratic formalities. From that point on, research is the only thing that will define me. Not everything is going according to plan right now and time is starting to run out. It is like down by 7 going into the fourth quarter with two time-outs--time to make things happen.
I am pretty confident on the electrodeposition project, but maybe I just have not been beating myself up for the progress. Things are not moving at top speed, probably because I hope someone will be able to catch up. It feels like waving to the rest of the touring group across the Grand Canyon.
NDI films have a lot of promise. I still have a lot of catch-up on synthesis, so it is time to settle down.
Can I make something non-zinc? Sure. Not everything, but sure something. Do I really care what that something is? Maybe. I just want to stop screening reaction conditions for a while.

Academic/Career Achievements:  passing 3rd year research proposal, second manuscript on layered deposition is out, third manuscript in work, 1 in BE cell made and good so far, finishing the NDI-Pyrazole story with Casey.

Entertainment-wise:
I have significantly expanded my anime collection and begin to shift my focus onto the last generation console (I mean from PS2 to Xbox 360 and PS3). It is also a year of following competitive SC2 casts, which have become a major source of entertainment for me (Jaedong vs Dear at BlizzCon, best game ever played, although my favorite player is still Polt).

Music Discovered:  Yuuhei Satellite (Daichi ni Saku Senritsu, Kodoku Tsuki, Iro wa Nioedo Chirinuru wo), Kurt Hymneth (Ar Tonelico Hymn collection),

Manga Discovered:  Knights of Sidonia, Yandere Kanojo, Nisekoi, Girls of the Wild,

Games Completed:  Halo 4 campaign, CoD Ghost campaign, Ar Tonelico, Ar Tonelico 2, Ys:  the Ark of Napishtim, Akiba's Trip, Oreimo, SC2:  HoTS campaign, Ef:  a tale of memories, Rewrite, Rewrite:  Harvasta Festiva

Games in Work:  Rewrite Quest, Eternal Sonata, Valkyria Chronicles, Memories Off series, Diablo 3 (co-op with Mike),

Memorable Purchases:  Fire Emblem Special Edition 3DS, Fate/Zero Box Set 2, Mahou Sensei Negima Vol 1-31,

Starting with the seasonal anime impressions

Jan:  Absolutely the worst season this year with nothing new and remarkable, some new highlighted titles include Puchimas!, AKB0048 Next Stage, and Nekomonogatari Kuro. However, the second halves of Psych Pass, Robotic;Notes, and Shin Sekai Yuri are absolutely fantastic. I am also watching Little Busters, but the overall adaptation is rather mediocre.

However, it was a season to catch up with older releases, which were of high quality. Kids on the Slope and Waiting in the Summer from almost a year ago are both amazing. I also finished watching Utena, which I prompted brought the new boxsets from Nozomi.

April:  Overall an incredible season. RDG is another P.A. Works highly-promising-yet-under-delivered series. Translation between medias, namely novel to anime, is still difficult due to the mind setting of the audience. In terms of active participation, novels probably require the audience to be more imaginative, which I personally felt is a part of the deeper appeal of RDG. Hataraku Maou-Sama on the other hand is an unexpected gem. It is a season of good Mecha, with Gargantia, Valvrave, and MJP. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Railgun S also ended on my weekly rotation.

Of course, Attack on Titans.

And I also tracked Date A Live and Oreimo (oh come on, you know harem sells for a reason: fantasy)

July:  Since Attack on Titans, Railgun S, and MJP are still ongoing, it is almost by default not a bad season. It is the Moe Mahou Shoujo season of 2013, with Day Break Illusions, Fate/Kalied Liner (acceptable), Rozen Maiden, and others. It is a season I dropped heavily. The Eccentric Family ranked on top, followed by God Only Knows.

Yes, I watched Free!. Yes, I watched Highschool DxD New. No, I didn't watch Watamote. And I am planning to watch Gatchaman Crowds if the female lead can stop talking. Once Monogatari is done, I will marathon it (I did. I ended up liking Kaiki a bit, but it might be a lie). Silver Spoon is on the waiting list once I have time to pick it up.

October:  Arpeggio of Blue Steel is very good, especially considering the graphic approach the product is using. I like Tokyo Ravens, a very standard shonen. Golden Time, Log Horizon, and Outbreak Company are quirky but fun. I am not sure I can take either Kyoukai no Kanata or Samurai Flamenco seriously, but I did watch them. Maybe Nagi no Asakura will end terrifically, but it is P.A. Works. It has potentials but is not yet True Tears.

Galilei Donna...it is a trap.

But yeah, it has been a good year.

Year in Review, Category Winner

Best Paper:  X-ray analysis on the nanogram to microgram scale using porous complexes. Nature. 2013, 495, 461. DOI: 10.1038/nature11990

Best Moment:  New Orleans, LA. Holding an opened can of PBR while walking down the street.

Best Game:  Rewrite

Top Thee Anime Series:  Attack on Titans, Revolutionary Girl Utena, the Eccentric Family

Top Three Music Tracks:  EXEC_CHRONICLE_KEY (Ar Tonelico:  Melody of Elemia), Daichi ni Saku Merodii (Nureta Kami ni Furerareta Toki), Sanka (Rewrite OST)

Best Beverage: Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro

Best Meal:  Dijon, New Orleans, LA.

Greatest Professional Achievement:  Machined a teflon cell cap for spec-echem

Greatest Personal Achievement:  Six glasses of wine