Twelve Days: A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Or: I do use Raspberyl as my avatar, after all

If you are reading this I rather presume you won’t be doing so on the day it is published. If you are, I can only assume it a well deserved break from all the food, wine, and plotting to violently evict the invading relatives. Anyway, I shall be quick as the Queen will be on shortly and we mustn’t miss the Queen.

Twelve Days: Two Turtle Doves

Or: A Hat, Coat, and Dark Glasses Required

Film festivals either exude glamour and celebrity status, or are humble little affairs designed to promote some little niche genre or medium. Edinburgh holds a celebrated film festival every year, and as I now live just above the city, I thought I might as well take advantage of that aspect of the city’s culture.

I do not mean to suggest I attended the Edinburgh International Film Festival, only that I decided to attend a film festival that happened to be held in Edinburgh. Though, I admit the ambiguity has been delightfully useful in real life conversation.

Twelve Days: Three French Hens

Or: Frequent Shopper Points are Dangerous

Adorning the cover of Manga Time Kirara’s November 2013 edition is the eponymous leading lady of Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro. She is portrayed holding a spyglass in what appears to be a clock tower. The magazine also includes, amongst other lesser-known series, a chapter of Yuyushiki. A chapter in which the motherly Yoriko Matsumoto features prominently, and the purple-haired Yukari performs quite the impressive Shaft Head Tilt™.

In the Occident, Kuro is published by Yen Press with three volumes released at time of writing. Satoko Kiyuduki, author and artist to Kuro, has published four volumes in total. The fourth includes stunning pieces of art, and appears to take a more involved look at Kuro’s past and curse. I’ve probably been spoilt; likely not by much, however, as I can’t read or speak Japanese beyond asking where the wine section is.

Twelve Days: Four Colly Birds

Or: Where did all these CDs come from?

I am led to believe The Idolmaster was originally an arcade game. It is now an absurdly large franchise comprising all manner of (likely expensive) things. I do not profess to be an expert, or even well acquainted, with much of it. I did watch the 2011 anime adaptation earlier this year, however. I enjoyed it an awful lot, much to my own surprise.

Twelve Days: Six Geese-a-Laying

Or: Of Grey Wolves and Golden Fairies

Outside of comedy, my father is quite content to simply watch a series or film once and never revisit it. In drama you know plot’s end. In science fiction you know how the shining empire falls to the rag-tag band of heroes. In a murder mystery you know whodunnit and why. Yet with comedy, the jokes may be appreciated once more.

To an extent, I agree. Yet, at the same time, I stand apart from this sentiment. A drama may be appreciated again for the characters, for the plot itself, despite knowing how it reaches its end. Science fiction may be enjoyed for its grand scale, its characters, and its battles. Equally, a good murder mystery may be appreciated for its chess pieces, and by seeing all the clues one missed the first time fall into place.

Twelve Days: Eight Maids-a-Milking

Or: On Queerats and Monarchy

From the New World is the commonly known name of Dvořák’s ninth symphony. It is also the name of a novel by Yusuke Kishi. The anime adaptation of the latter aired between September of last year and March of this. Yes, it did use Dvořák’s ninth.

Twelve Days: Nine Ladies Dancing

Or: The End of the Second Era

At the end of the first era, we bore witness to the exiting of Arisawa. Arisawa is a third year whom we meet by coincidence when revising for her university entrance exams late one night. We see her again once said exams are taken and passed. The third time is at her graduation. She is seen off with a congratulations and a high-five. Arisawa’s exit is confident and forward-facing.

The second era ends with the exiting of Sae and Hiro. This exit is neither as confident, nor as forward-facing. There are tears, there is uncertainty, there is melancholy.

Twelve Days: Ten Lords-a-Leaping

Or: On Late Discoveries

On the whole, the fellows at Yen Press are fairly decent chaps. They have recently completed their occidental publication of all Haruhi Suzumiya light novels written to date. Book Girl^[1] is silly but fun, and is set to similarly conclude it’s main story early in the new year. Nor can we forget their publication of Spice and Wolf^[2], A Bride’s Story, Bunny Drop, Kobato, Olympos, Inu x Boku SS^[3], Thermae Romae, or Yotsuba.

Aside those mentioned above lies a style of manga one would not immediately assume anyone in their right mind would publish on this side of the world. Yet they have, and I’m immensely happy they do.

Twelve Days: Eleven Pipers Piping

Or: A Discovery of Forbidden Scrolls

The discovery of a certain manga is usually not a story to be passed down through the generations. Indeed, the specifics of how I fell across Forbidden Scrollery are so forgettable I appear to have forgotten them myself. Regardless, the reading of the aforementioned series takes but a moment for it is so terribly short^[1].

Twelve Days: Twelve Drummers Drumming

Or: Tae Scootland Wi’ Ye!

Irrespective of the tendency for members to drop like flies, the anisphere has picked up a few habits. The re-hashing of old arguments, the rise and fall of anime- or manga-centred websites, the incessant need to rank things, and a love of hyperbolic proclamations, are just a few.

Whilst these things might be considered a consequence of our mortality rate, there are habits that are nevertheless derived from the longevity of a few, and Christmas has a certain propensity to attract these like moths to a flame. One such habit, or tradition if you’ll permit me, is Reverse Thieves’ ‘Secret Santa’. Another is that of CCY’s Twelve Days of Anime, albeit now helmed by the Grand Old Duke of The Cart Driver.