If you love Kingdom Hearts . . .

This video will make you smile :)

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 20: Spam your favorite pictures ofFruits Basket!

If you insist . . . be warned, there will be lots of Kyouru.

I did warn you . . .

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 13: Did you like the ending of the manga?

I loved how the manga ended! I will admit that I thought the ending wasn't going to be as joyful, and more of a bittersweet send off, but I was surprised that ever single Sohma found a way to live life, and say goodbye to the curse. I also loved how Fruits Basket began with Tohru telling the story, and it ended with Kyou telling the story. I loved the ending quotes "Pile on the years." And how Ko watches Tohru quietly pick up the bracelet, and save it along with the pictures that increase over time of their life together. Their grandchild was so cute, asking where they were by name, and her mother scolding her to call her grandparents by grandma and grandpa. I love that Kyo and Tohru are "always together," and as they move on, the entire Sohma family will miss Tohru. Kyo tells Tohru, "This is the time. We're all going to new environments so we can live our lives. And suddenly we're all thinking about you. Are you doing well? You're not crying are you? Are you still smiling? Are you truly happy on this day? We're all thinking it. All of us. And we'll keep thinking it. Everybody loves you. Thank you."

Tohru, accepting all the Sohmas and especially Kyo is now one of the most important people in the Sohmas' lives. They will never forget her, and they will miss her, but they will always be grateful that she helped them rise above the darkness, and discover all that life has to offer. 

This scene was the most powerful goodbye I have ever experienced, and the fact that Kyo is explaining the Sohmas' love for Tohru shows that everyone is connected by a better bond than the zodiac curse. They are all connected through their love of Tohru, and they have become like family to her. 

Kyou's thoughts throughout this last chapter show how much he has learned, and how powerful one person's love can be. Tohru herself has finally found a place where she belongs, by Kyou's side and with the Sohma family visiting every now and then.  Both Kyou and Tohru are ready to start a new chapter of their lives, and put the past behind them. 

Another powerful, heartwarming part of the last manga was Kyoko's actual thoughts as she was dying. Kyou thought that she was saying "I'll never forgive you," but she recognized him, and her real thoughts were, "Somehow, take my place and protect Tohru. If you don't pay your tab, I'll never forgive you." 

Once all the past was revealed, including the actual story of the zodiac, and why it was cursed in the first place, there is a satisfying conclusion to Fruits Basket. Instead of having the rug ripped from under your feet, you are waving, smiling and laughing with the Sohmas, wishing them a happy life free from the demands of the curse. It reminds me of your graduation where you know that these people will always be with you in your memories, and some will even stay in touch, but you are all going your separate ways towards your dreams. It's a powerful feeling, and the fact that Fruits Basket could convey that, is proof at how amazing the story is. You've spent so much time with these characters, and you've learned about life through their own struggles and mistakes, but now they are smiling, and you know it's time to move on, but you will never forget them, and how they impacted your life. 

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 12: Did you finish reading the manga?

Of course I did! I had to find out what happened! Like I said before, Fruits Basket is and will always be my favorite manga. The many stories of people who rise above their despair and go out in the world, ready for their real life to begin. This story is about acceptance of yourself and acceptance of others, it's a powerful tale with many lessons about life: What we doubt, what we believe and who we think we are. 

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 11: Favorite OTP

Kyouru (Picture colored by -Sangosworld on deviantart)

This one should be obvious, especially since I love Beauty and the Beast. Kyo and Tohru's relationship is one of the most heartwarming and beautiful love stories I have ever read. Of all the OTPs I love and support, this one is the top on my list, and I doubt any OTP could replace it. Kyo and Tohru accept eachother as they are, and they don't pretend to be something they aren't. Their story goes deeper than boy meets girl, because both grow at a slow and steady pace to learn who they want to be, and they support eachother through the many ups and downs throughout the series. For Kyo, Tohru is the first girl he allows himself to be close to, and he falls in love with her. Tohru has loved the cat from the zodiac story since she was a little girl, and when she finally meets Kyo, she is determined to be someone close to him, and she doesn't look down on him the way everyone in the zodiac does. She falls in love with him without even realizing it, and only when she discovers the cat's cruel fate in the zodiac, does she understand that out of all the zodiac, Kyo is the person she loves the most.   These two are perfect in their imperfection. 

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 6: Do you own any of the mangas?

I own all of them! This is the one manga series that I collected in order and saved up to have the entire set. Tsubasa Chronicle is also a set I have completed, and I currently collect all of Dengeki Daisy. I reread Fruits Basket every year, sometimes twice a year, and my collection is well read and loved. 

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 5: Favorite scene

After Tohru watches Kyo get angry and refuse a girl's confession to having a crush on him, she discovers that she is afraid he will push her away like that one day. As she thinks this, Kyo is walking in front of her, and she reaches out, not knowing what his reaction will be. His response is a heart warming smile as he grabs her outreached hand. 

This scene really showed how Kyo has grown, and how much he cares for Tohru. It also shows Tohru's true fear, of being left behind, and she allows herself to just be, especially around Kyo. 

What Tohru doesn't realize in this scene, but everyone else notices, is that she is the exception, not the rule.

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 4: Is Fruits Basket one of your top 5 favorite anime/manga?

Fruits Basket is THE top in my favorite anime/ manga. It surpasses them all, from Tsubasa  Chronicles to Full Metal Alchemist because of its psychological depth and it's three dimensional characters. I'm not saying that Tsubasa Chronicles or Full Metal Alchemist are not deep. They are, extremely. But Fruits Basket was the first manga I experienced in a long time where I could understand and relate to all the characters.  It's a soft spot for me, but it's also more than that. Tsubasa and Full Metal Alchemist were serious and entertaining, but Fruits Basket taught me more about life and people than any other anime or manga that I have read or seen. Each character had a journey, and each journey was tough, but worth it. The characters are human, not super human, and their struggles are real struggles in everyday life. The charm of the story is watching all these characters accept their faults, mistakes and fears. Once they take that step, they work toward becoming who they want to be, a very universal and human goal. That's why this series has such a deep connection with people all over the world. At least one of these characters has gone through a similar problem to every reader, and becomes a role model or hero in the way that they overcome it. That's why Fruits Basket is the top on my list of favorite anime manga.

1. Fruits Basket

2. Avatar the Last Airbender

3. Tsubasa Chronicles

4. Full Metal Alchemist

5. Dengeki Daisy

Dengeki Daisy Polyvore set- School Days

I made a Polyvore set inspired by Dengeki Daisy and added the cellphone and necklace for a sentimental touch. This manga is tied with Fruits Basket on my list ^_^
As always, you can find more info on the set here: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=46874906

Kyou and Tohru - One Day

Too Beautiful to not be blogged. Another amazing find on tumblr with the original on youtube.
Enjoy ^_^

Song- One Day by Trading Yesterday

Lyrics:

If I could change the currents of our lives
To make the river flow where its run dry
To be a protocol of father time
Then I would see you tonight

If I could find the years that went away
Destroying all the cruelty of fate
I must believe that love will find away tonight

Lonely. Find me, one day you will come
Always for love sake
One day to be loved

If I see beyond the here and now
If you could here me calling you somehow
If I could know that love is reaching out
To find you with me tonight
But who can make these promises come true?
Beyond what I can say what love can do?
With every moment leading me to you, tonight

Lonely. Find me one day you will come
Always for love sake,
One day to be loved

I will stay forever here until that one day comes
Praying time will bring you near, always for your love

If I could change the currents of our lives
To make the river flow where its run dry
To be a protocol of father time then I
Would see you tonight

Lonely. Find me
One day you will come
Always for love sake, one day to be loved
Lonely find me one day you will come
Always for love sake, one day to be loved
One day to be loved
One day to be loved
I will stay forever here, always for your love

Immortality and Meaning

Immortality and loneliness usually go hand in hand. I'm reading a manga series called Immortal Rain by Kaori Ozaki. In the story, a character named Rain cannot die, no matter what happens to him. This fact makes thousands of bounty hunters put a price on his head, and many people become envious of his condition. How Rain feels about this life style is a different story. He hates how people pass through his life and how no matter how hard he tries, he cannot stop other people from slipping away. This dilemma has been explored in many other novels, including Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. Stories that contain this internal conflict often discuss what it means to truly live. Rain feels trapped by his fate to live forever. Instead of a powerful characteristic, eternal life is a prison to him. The one thing he will never lose faith in, is people. As an archetypal wanderer, Rain is an interesting protagonist. His immortality was forced on him and he becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. It's one of those deep questions, how would a person handle living like a god? Immortality seems a scary way to live life, especially if you are the only one who lives forever. Characters that do live forever, or who have abnormally long lives, possess a strange wisdom and constant sadness. It is the opposite of an unpredictable and limited life. An immortal character will think and wander for many years, focusing on the personal issues he or she will face. Maybe this is why the Greek and Roman gods grow bored and interfere in mortals' lives. When someone has a very long life, without fear and without obstacles, they question their purpose. This is a human trait, and in a way immortals are even more human than mortal characters. The real meaning in an immortal's life is defined through the choices they make and the perspective they have during eternal life. I still don't know how Immortal Rain will end, but the main character is a rare person who does what he can with his gift and curse of immortality.
So what would the meaning of life be to someone that will live forever?