Sushirainbow

Let’s Go To Another Anime Convention: My Experience Going to Oni-Con 2022

Hey guys how’s it going? Today’s post is going to be my experience at Oni-Con 2022. This will be my play-by-play of my experience with some photos to correspond.

First, I want to thank the Oni-Con Press Coordinator for the opportunity to attend the convention as press. I truly appreciated this opportunity as someone who is local to see what this convention had to offer.

Travel/Accommodations

I was able to travel after work on Friday (the venue was near where my work was). I also stayed at the Holiday Inn with my dear friend nearby on Saturday and that was a good place to go to although the walls are super thin. We also had difficulty getting some television going so we ended up watching YouTube (Dope or Nope most of the time). Overall, though, would recommend staying there. if you could not get the nearest hotel next to the Venue.

At the Convention

At the start of the convention, it seemed to be very disorganized when it came to registration and programming. Things were not labelled, and essentially the entrance of the convention was Artist Alley and not registration. It was very chaotic to say the least. I waited about 20 minutes in order to receive my badge but that could have been because it was the first day. I also was a little disappointed in the One-day pass being a wristband rather than a laminated badge. There was also an aspect I wasn’t a fan of that you had to be in a certain club to participate in that took up most of the Con space and I never understood why it was a part of it or what made it so cool.

Exhibition Hall/Artist Alley

I don’t know which shop this is, but this was the first shop next to Registration

This is probably the part of the con that I visited the most and probably the one I loved the most. There were a variety of artists and vendors that I was able to visit and take photos for an upcoming blog post and everyone was very kind as far as talking to me and making me feel like I was not bothering them at all. I think my only issue that I had with them was that there was not a lot of fandom choices personally. I mean don’t get me wrong there was a ton of items there and tons of beautiful art and vendors, it just felt like there should have been more fandoms represented for me personally.

Food

Lunch

Rainforest Cafe

Because of the lack of non-snack food that the convention provided, we decided to eat out both meals. First was Lunch at the Rainforest Cafe nearby. The timing of the food was fine, and the atmosphere was standard for the cafe for a Saturday afternoon. I picked out The Creole Mac & Cheese and I liked it, but I think there was personally too much spice for what I wanted so my mouth was feeling funky afterwards. My friend also got the new Meatloaf and they said that there was way too much meat in it for their liking as well.

Dinner

Joe’s Crab Shack

For Dinner, we went to Joe’s Crab Shack and truly was a 180 experience from Lunch. It could have been the timing; it could have been the waitress who knows? But the point was that dinner was fantastic with the simple shrimp platter. My friend got the variety platter, and they enjoyed it as well.

Overall, I truly wished that the convention provided a variety of food other than snacks but, the restaurant experiences we had weren’t bad per say but I wanted more from them both.

Fashion Show/Concert

Now looking at the schedule that was provided and advertised on the Oni-con website, this was the panel I was looking forward to especially since one of the models was a Jpop singer from Scandal the artist that did Shuken Sentimental from Full Metal Alchemist. Honestly, I loved the Fashion Show it was fun it was unique and comfortable and took only 10 minutes to complete. The Concert with the Scandal artist was where it took a nosedive. The acoustics provided for her stunk and made her sound like there was feedback all over the place and after two songs, we had to leave because it was so painful. I wished they had made things easier, and sound checked first.

Trying out Snacks After The Convention

At the end of the day, my friend and I checked into the hotel and just chilled out. There was nothing more to do. However, we definitely wanted to try out some Japanese snacks that a couple of the Exhibition Hall booths had and at least according to us, the mochi was ok, the ramune was ok (that particular flavor anyway), and the chips were interestingly delicious haha. It was though very fun to try all of this out with a friend so if you see a food booth at a convention, I challenge you to try some unique snacks with a friend.

Haul

Perler Bead Sculpture from Hooked and Beyond

I remember Perler Bead art being around for years and years, but I never found anything as unique as this piece. Kiki’s Delivery Service was a movie I saw the trailer so many times before I knew what Anime was and definitely having this piece makes me want to rewatch and read the story. Wonderful quality plus a great price. Check out the shop they also do crochet work.

Faerie Earrings from Tradeship Odessa

The booth that I received these earrings from was definitely the most unique one with terrariums and overall whimsy. They had a variety of Faerie earrings and ultimately because of the outfit I was wearing the day I bought them, I picked this pair. They also were a fantastic price for being handmade. Highly recommend them.

Lore Olympus Print from OSC Studios

Honestly this artist found me in the vendor hall and wanted my friend and I to check them out. They had this piece and a Spider Gwen one that I wanted, but ultimately, I chose the Lore Olympus one because it was the only Lore Olympus item, I saw there plus I love this pose. The artist also explained to me how he created the pieces digitally and I was intrigued. Check them out if you’re interested.

My Dress-Up Darling Pillows from No Shrinking Violet

Last but most certainly not least I bought these pillows from an artist and honestly at first, I just wanted Marin because when I fangirl, I feel like I make the face that Marin does all the time. But after looking and thinking about Gojo as well and how beautiful both of the pillows are, I had to get them both. They had a variety of fandoms and kawaii art on pillows and other handmade goods that were so soft and high quality, that I had to get them. Check them out if you are interested.

Wrap-up/Reflections

Overall, I have had a lot of time to think about this convention while writing this post, and I did not hate the convention, but I was largely disappointed based on the panels, the lack of certain aspects of a well-rounded anime convention, and the locale of the convention as far as room to maneuver everywhere. Would I visit this convention again? Honestly, if I do, it would be either as a press person or a very cheap ticket because this was definitely not worth 45 dollars to attend. I enjoyed my time seeing new vendors and making some minor connections and seeing (although very little) unique fandom items around the convention. But I wanted more from it especially for showing my friend an anime convention for the first time.

Have you guys been to a Convention? What did you guys think of posts like this? Let’s talk about it!!

If you want to support me and also want to request a specific blog post, please support me on my Kofi account: https://ko-fi.com/christinasushirainbow27269 . I would appreciate it but there is no pressure at all. Thank you in advance.

Weekly Check-in 11/12/2022-11/19/2022

Hey guys how’s it going? Weekly Check-in time where I have been busier and more productive than consuming media!

Because of this, I watched an anime, two tv shows, and one YouTube channel. I also read one Manwha and three picture books with my students. Onto the media!!

Anime

My Senpai is Annoying

I’ll be honest after reading the manga, I thought the anime would be better as far as flow and relationships etc. It was and it wasn’t and here’s why:

It had a fantastic flow rather than the manga, but the jokes were the same over and over again. It felt like there was one couple that got most of the screen time that was not the main couple and I enjoyed them but at the same time I wanted more about them other than their stereotypes. I also did not like the age gap romance because it seemed unnecessary to the story. The gray-haired character also didn’t need to be there either. Overall, I think if you love love the story from the manga and want an inch more, watch the anime but otherwise, I think either choice is valid. 3 out of 5 stars or 3 sushi 🍣🍣🍣.

TV Show

ER

The show is turning more political and more angsty when it comes to the relationships currently and there are moments that I love the series and when I don’t. However, I still continue to watch it and am curious to see what happens next. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Harry’s Law

This is a show my parents loved watching back in the day and I watched it too and my dad is rewatching it again. The episodes I watched were intriguing and intense all at once, but I think I need to watch the show from the beginning because I think I would love the character development more. Because of these points, I have to give it a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

YouTube Channel

DOPE OR NOPE

I know I don’t normally post about my YouTube video binges (if I even do any), but one of the weekends, with my dear friend we binged like four or five episodes of this channel, and it is very intriguing to me. I like how they try different websites to create things and that they buy unique things in order to make content. Some of their jokes are a bit blergh but overall, I am really enjoying this channel. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Manwha

Series Starters

The Abandoned Empress

I can tell you this by the first volume, that this story is not going to be for everyone. Its not one you can read through quickly. The art is gorgeous but if you are not sure what’s going on, it can’t save you. I think if you’re like me and like series that have some political but also in depth world building with characters that for the moment have some surface level depth with the potential to go deeper, you’ll find this to be an interesting read. But, if you’re not a fan of those things and need fluff, this isn’t it. Personally though with this first volume I wanted more introduction and more understanding of the world, but I have a feeling there will be more later. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣

Picture Book

Can You Spot the Leopard?

The art in this book is gorgeous plus the writing is very beautiful with its cadence. It also shows the animals in their environments so realistic that it can help my students be able to differentiate habitats and descriptions. However, I don’t think this book will be for every student because of some of the complex words. I am truly excited to read more from this author and publisher and I would definitely recommend this if you were interested. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

A Sari for Ammi

This is definitely a story that can teach students how important being generous can be but also several different middle eastern vocabulary words. The art in this is absolutely amazing and the story is simple and overall enjoyable. I think the only issue for my particular students is that there are several words and terms that will be difficult for them to understand and make them lose interest. But generally, I highly recommend it. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

The Squirrel Who Watched the Stars

The art in this book is gorgeous plus the writing is very beautiful with its cadence. It also shows how the stars are made. I think this book will be for every student because it was easy to read and an adorable story. I am truly excited to read more from this author and publisher and I would definitely recommend this if you were interested. 5 out of 5 stars or 5 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

The Week Ahead

The week ahead, with Thanksgiving I am not sure how much I will be consuming. However, I have at least two books/manga I want to read right now. What about you guys? What did you read or watch these past two weeks? Let’s talk about it!

Weekly Check-In 10/29/2022-11/05/2022

Hey guys how’s it going? Weekly Check-in time. These past two weeks, I was in a major media slump!!!!

However, I was able to read two novellas and a manga volume. I also watched an anime, a TV show, and an anime movie!!! Onto the media!!

TV Show

ER

These episodes showed a new cast member starting as an intern and she reminds me so much of myself when I have walked into a program brand new to everything lol 😆. There is though a ton more backstabbing than the previous and so many people doing awful things. Overall though, I am still excited to continue on. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Novella

Meet Me in Los Feliz

I truly truly loved and appreciated this novella. I love the banter, the inclusive representation, I also loved the unique sex scenes (I don’t recommend this if thats not your cup of tea but if you are interested…yeah definitely pick this up). Overall though, I loved the communication between the main characters the most and how they hang out together is something that I love in my romances. I also think this may be a novella ill read again and again for some feels before the holidays. Because of these points, I have to give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars or 5 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣🍣 due to some strange lines for me. I highly recommend it.

Big Biker

This was definitely not what I expected it to be in a good way. It definitely shows the Biker being a big teddy bear and saving the leading lady with his P.I skills. I think for me this one as opposed to others that I’ve read from this author was a more solid conclusion. Other than that though, I really enjoyed this story (even though a lot of it was sad because of all the manipulation). And I am excited to continue reading this author’s backlist. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Manga

Series Starters

The Girl with the Sanpaku Eyes

This was a manga volume chosen by my Instagram followers and I am so glad they did. I think I will have them do that more often

This is a manga series that I have wanted to try because of the art but also because of the shy aspect and the “unattractive” leading female character and I LOVED the art in this especially the wardrobe and colors. I also enjoyed the episodicness of the plot, but I wished there was more to the story with the male perspective (maybe it will happen in the future we will see). Overall, though, I enjoyed my time with this manga, and I would love to continue on in the series 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Anime

One Piece

The episodes in this week’s English dub were bonkers and left everything unfinished in my opinion. We learned more about some of the villains and more about the powers that everyone has. But i feel like everything was off balanced (even though we learned more throughout the plot). Overall though I am excited to continue on and watch more later on to try and make sense of things in the future. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Anime Movie

One Piece Film: Red

This film was better than I thought it would be. If you’ve seen the current English dub you aren’t going to be too spoiled by anything other than maybe some character collaboration and a line or two to indicate the current timeline. There was also too many songs that were put in too many random places. Otherwise, I think its an intriguing story and a fantastic addition to the One Piece story 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣

The Week Ahead

The week ahead I actually have a fun project coming up that may be an extra blog post or two haha. (You guys will have to see). But what about you guys? What did you read or watch these past two weeks? Let’s talk about it!

Also, if you want to support me and also want to request a specific blog post, please support me on my Kofi account: https://ko-fi.com/christinasushirainbow27269 . I would appreciate it but there is no pressure at all. Thank you in advance.

Interview with Brindi Quinn… Unique Characters/Creatures in Media.

Hey guys how’s it going? Today I have a special guest on the blog today.

The Amazing Brindi Quinn

Brindi is a dear friend of mine who writes very unique worlds and characters. Because of this, I thought it would be a fun idea to have her do a special post with me. I also personally recommend the Lightborne and Enternity duets. I hope you guys enjoy this post!

Bio

Brindi Quinn is a fangirling fantasy author from Minnesota specializing in world-building and romance. She is an advocate of quirky love and firmly believes that banter makes the heart grow fonder. Her main ingredients for a great read are spice, sparkle, and SWOON.
Since 2011, Brindi has written over a dozen young adult and new adult novels beginning with her debut epic fantasy series, Heart of Farellah. Her works often blur the lines between
paranormal romance, science fiction, and fantasy, and her series have been hailed as unique, addictive reads by reviewers.
Brindi is an IT Project Manager by day and has a bachelor’s in communication-based studies from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in suburban Minnesota where she likes to bike, indulge in video game lore, and spend time with her life partner, Kent, the world’s cutest pup, Burton, and the fluffle of cantankerous rabbits that hop around her house.
Brindi is published through Midnight Tide Publishing and Never & Ever Publishing.

Interview Questions

Brindi, when you first decided you wanted to become an author, why did you pick romance as the genre you wanted to write and to follow up why did you want to expand past contemporary?
Complex answer is that romance opens the door for a whole spectrum of emotions and human (or non-human) experiences—lust, desire, longing, pain, sorrow, elation, pleasure—and I find it allows me to create more intimate stories for the reader. Simple (maybe truer) answer is that writing romance is just more fun! Like the reader gets to feel all those stomach-dropping, shivery, swoony moments while reading, I also get to experience them while writing. As far as magical/fantasy/SF elements, similar answer. I write the things I like to read, and I don’t think I could write a book that was straight contemporary because I’d lose interest.
What helps you come up with your ideas I.e., another form of media, research, etc.?
That’s a bit of a mixed bag. A lot of times it’s just a moment in nature. Standing outside in the quiet and feeling a rush of leaves hit my ankles. Those sorts of little moments transport me, and suddenly, I want to develop an entire scene around them. My books are very emotionally driven, so a lot of time I think about the feeling of a scene before plopping in the world and characters. I have done books based on what-if scenarios that just sort of pop into my head, too.
Those are some of my dystopian reads like The World Remains or Zillow Stone. Or based around specific creatures, like Come True (genies) or Marley Craw (reapers). I do use inspiration pictures and music to help with my writing process.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? One of the
people/creatures you have listed or something completely different?
Hmm, maybe a fox? Or a raccoon. Something cute and unassuming but also a little sneaky. I
think as a person I’m both approachable and shrewd, and so are many of my characters. And I love, love, love leaving breadcrumbs for twists that the reader doesn’t notice until after the twist has already hit them.
What was the most surprising thing you learned when creating your books whether it is the publishing process, that you do not write the same for each series etc.
Before writing, the thought of completing an entire book seemed insurmountable. So many
pages, so many words, and where does the climax hit? Is the dialog believable? Have the
characters grown? I think the most surprising thing for me after writing many books is that
writing, itself, is easy. The actual act of creating stories, people, twists, worlds—that comes easy.
The hard part is marketing. Convincing people to choose my books out of the multitude of books
that are out there. I have always worked hard to create vivid imagery, fluid prose, and unique
plots, but many, many readers continue to want simple writing, dark-haired morally gray love
interests, and books about vampires and fae, so it’s sometimes hard to stay true to my aesthetic while remaining motivated to seek out the right type of readers for my work.

Thank you so much Brindi for answering these interview questions. Now what Brindi and I are going to do now is pick some of our favorite unique creatures and the media we love them in. Brindi is up first!

Brindi’s Picks

Genies
Genies are my FAVORITE. I loved I Dream of Jeannie as a kid, and my dream was always
to write a gender-bent version of it, where the genie is a male and the master is a
female. And that’s basically the basis for my entire Come True series (although the plots
are nothing alike). I love the idea of being able to use magic but only for another
person’s benefit, the proximity/intimacy it forces with their masters, their cool bottles
where they can hide always all their secrets, and that whole slinky/boho vibe they’ve
got going on. My genies siphon off the soul in exchange for wishes, and while they can
use independent, specialized magic (such as ink magic or rage magic), they are always
most powerful when a master’s wish drives their spells.

2. Leprechauns
This is one of those mythical races you don’t see a lot of and have a huge amount of
potential. In my books, I always love to use essence sharing (desire sharing, thought
sharing, power sharing), and my most recent exploration has been luck sharing via a
cute twenty-something male leprechaun I introduce in my upcoming book, Granted. My
character is an adrenaline junkie, allowing his luck to lead him into dangerous situations
and relishing the close calls it causes. He also has the ability to temporarily bequeath his
luck unto others, which makes for a great plot ingredient.

3. Grim Reapers
These are featured in my Marley Craw book, where a grim reaper falls for the ghost he’s
supposed to be shepherding to the afterlife. The reason I love grim reapers is because
they’re locked into this dark association with death, regardless of their individual
personalities or wants. Having a fate tied to such a morose occupation allows for
complex, conflicted characters that are caught between worlds. My version of a grim
reaper is (of course) hot and says things like, “Death loves life, even if life fears death.
You’re designed to move towards, and at the same time, fear me, as I’m made to crave
you.”

4.Huldra
These are probably the first on this list many readers have never heard of. They come
from Scandinavian folklore and are seductive forest women with tails, kind of like the
forest’s version of a sea siren. I use them in my Eternity Duet series to lure the male
party members into danger. Though they’re the bad guys in my books, they don’t have
to be, and I would love to see more stories featuring them—because who doesn’t love a
race of women that can easily defeat their enemies using their feminine power? (Men,
probably.)

5. Sphinxes
This is another one I use in my Eternity Duet series, where the main character is a
quarter-sphinx descendant who is human in appearance but retains some of his
ancestors’ power, such as the ability to make riddle-bound deals and his crafty, golden
eyes that disarm people. In mythology, these have the head of a human, the haunches
of a lion, and the wings of a bird and are known to guard treasure and kill those who
can’t answer their riddles. The main reason I like them is because of they give off a
refined, secretive vibe and attack with wit.

6. Incubi
My Crown Saga series features a variation of incubi called ‘Spirites’ who draw power
from desire and have the ability to beguile/glamor their victims into submission. The
version in my books used to be predators of the human race but have since evolved out
of those tendencies, and many humans now pay them to experience the feel of their
magic. My FMC teases the MMC about his ‘sex power,’ but having creatures with desire-
driven power is kind of a romantasy writer’s dream because it opens the door for sexual
tension and lusty moments. I adore them for their struggle to walk the line between
their evolved humanity and their deep-rooted predatorial instincts.

7. Darkness/Shadow Wielders
I may have teased about morally gray characters in an earlier interview question, but
really, I’ve written many of those too, and most of them wield darkness. There’s just
something sexy about a character that can command shadow, and mine are usually able
to transfer that shadow into others to control them, remedy them, hear their thoughts,
or inebriate them. Some of my series show shadow-wielders as descendants of dragons,
as light-bearers that have become corrupted by darkness, or as those that have been
possessed by a goddess of destruction. I love writing scenes with shadow as an element
because of its dark, fluid, seductive nature.

Sushi’s Picks

1.Krakens

Krakens are a new creature that I am interested in media now because of Stalked by the Kraken by Lillian Lark. Lillian Lark made Gideon so intense but also fascinating at the same time. I also wonder what it would be like to have multiple tentacles help with certain things. Also, the ability to love shiny things I think I already am one if that is the case, Haha!!

2.Ayakashi/Yokai

This is probably the creature that I have consumed the most in Asian fantasy media especially anime. I like them because there are a variety but also because each kind has their own story to tell like gods and goddesses. Some of them also look so beautiful as well. But make sure you don’t get tricked by any of them!! Demon Prince of Momochi house is a fantastic entry point and Kakuriyo is also beautiful as well.

3.Dragons

I personally think Dragons are the creatures that kids see the most in their childhood first and not just because of Dragon Tales and How to train your Dragon. Because there are moments that they look majestic and beautiful like horses and unicorns, but they can also be greedy and misers with their treasures as well (man I love the creatures who love shiny stuff huh??). I also back in day pretended to have an imaginary dragon named Dragoon. Obsessed with Dragons.

4.Faeries

Fae, the thieves of the creature world. They can be such tricksters. However, with some of the media they make the environment better with being in charge of the plants and the seasons animals etc. I also love how now they have fairies that take care of technology etc. I love how versatile they can be and be a variety of shapes and sizes. My first media consumption of Fae was Tinkerbell in the Peter Pan play (play not movie), but I love the movies with her world more. I think the other piece of media that makes me enjoy Fae is the original show Winx Club because of the versatility of the Fairy Dust.

5.Witches

I think this is the creature that I most feared when I was young, but I believe they have the most media representation in the supernatural world. Spells, familiars etc. There are a ton of different representations of witchcraft and wizardry out there (I believe something for everyone??). Now that I am older, I love witch stories now and highly recommend them for some people who just want a little whimsy like Sabrina the teenage witch or when you need something spooky and dark in some moments like Hex Next Door by Lou Wilham and the Wicked book/musical.

6. Elves

Elves are still a complete mystery to me because they have a variety of depictions in media that just are so different from each other that I just do not know. At first, I just thought elves were just Santa’s helpers but there are more to it than that especially in the fantasy stories. I just know they have powers and can be small or human sized. I remember watching the Christmas movies with all of the elves running around and then I saw Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s interpretation of elves was so surprising to me especially their majestics. Keeper of the Lost cities by Shannon Messenger is a book series I’d love to read to see their elves alone, but I am intimidated by their sheer size.

7. Mermaids

Mermaids the beauties of the sea. I do not know about you guys but when I was little in the swimming pool, I imagined I was a mermaid in the sea looking through all the fish etc. I love how swift their tails look and how their voices ring out across the seas. Truly beautiful. Everyone movie wise started out with Little Mermaid but book wise I started out with the Tail of Emily Windsnap. My second anime I ever watched too was Mermaid Melody and for that reason alone, I highly recommend it.

I hope everyone enjoyed these unique creature picks! If you guys have any picks that Brindi or I missed, please put them down in our comments. Thank you so much Brindi for the opportunity to interview you and to collaborate on this blog post. Is there anything else you would like to add to the readers and where can they find you on the interwebs?

I’m @brindiful on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. The second book in my Come True series, Granted: A Bomb-Ass Genie Sequel, releases December 14 through Midnight Tide Publishing with this beautiful cover.

and you can find out more about that series and my full catalog of works at http://www.brindiful.com.
Thank you so much for the opportunity. This was so fun to put together!

Thank you SO much Brindi for this opportunity!!! Please Please check out Brindi’s Books if you haven’t already!!

Weekly Check-in 10/15/2022-10/22/22

Hey guys how’s it going? Weekly Check-in time! Where because of work and my blog projects, I consumed very little media these past two weeks.

Because of this, I consumed a novel and two volumes, two anime, a tv show, and a movie. Onto the media!!!

Manga

Series Starters

Lightning and Romance

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this manga

This manga was a pleasant surprise. I love the artstyle, the fashion, and the age gap is interesting?? I think what I am most intrigued by is the mystery of it all whether it is going to be supernatural, yakuza, I am not sure. But! I think if you love a bad boy good girl romance dynamic, you should read this manga. Because of these points, I have to give this manga a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Hitomi-Chan is Shy With Strangers

I truly enjoyed this first volume. This is because I loved the conversation and sweetness between the characters. I also loved the artstyle. I think my only issue with it was that there was too much unnecessary fanservice with the abs and breasts. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Novel

The Hex Next Door

Thank you to the Author and Midnight Tide Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book

This book was definitely perfect for this season with all the different types of magic, witches, etc. the one content warning with this is that there are a few moments of self-harm due to blood magic so if that does not interest you/triggers you keep that in mind while reading this. There is also a sapphic romance that I enjoyed as well and how that ended for me personally was perfect for the couple, but I know some romance readers will want more from them. My only writing complaint was that personally for me it felt like it was too much in some places and less in other places but that could have been just me. Overall, though, I am curious how the rest of the series will be, and I enjoyed the world. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Anime

One Piece

OMG so much happened in this group of episodes. Back story, action, and a ton of feels. I still continue to love this series (except the dub ended on a bad spot!!) and I am excited to see what happens next. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars or 5 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Devil is a Part-Timer

WHAT!!!!!! I finally finished season two of this series and this is so…. I am still reeling from that ending. At least the ending of the first season had some sort of wrap up in case it got canceled (like we thought 10+ years ago). Now, it feels like there is going to be even more action and more items that we don’t even know what is going to happen next. Overall, though, I would recommend binging this series rather than once a week. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

TV Show

ER

This show continues to surprise me when I watch it. I love all of the characters that we are continuing to see, and the plot thickens. I think my only issue is that I had trouble with one of the characters and I wanted to punch him in the face. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Movie

Ticket to Paradise

This movie was actually better than I thought it was. It discusses figuring out what you want to do after you work hard in college, it discusses three different aspects of when the right time for marriage is, and finally, that if you truly love someone with your whole heart and they leave for a while, they’ll come back if it’s meant to be. I loved the culture of Bali being integrated into this story and the cinematography was gorgeous. My only issue I had was that I had some loopholes with the plot, and I fear other than the beauty of the location, I will forget the movie. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

The Week Ahead

The week ahead, I have a big project that I am posting on the blog with a special guest for Halloween (If you are reading this in the future, it is a creature list check it out when it gets posted). As far as media consumption, I have a few ideas/ pending things for review so I will definitely be doing those and anything else I am in the mood for. What about you guys? What did you read, watch, or consume this media these past two weeks? Let’s talk about it!!!

Blog tour!! Collab with Scott Mechanical Reviews Traveling to An Anime World!!

Hey guys how’s it going? Today I would like to talk about one of my favorite anime series that I would love to travel to. This is also a collaboration that I am working with Scott from Mechanical Reviews that is a traveling collaboration blog post so please check out everyone that is collaborating with him along with his website for anime reviews and more.

The prompt is pretty simple. I am a crewmember of the MSN-1702 Mecha Base. One random day while traveling through outer space, the Mecha Base comes into contact with a wormhole.

Where does the ship go?

I am going to the world of Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits!! However, I will not be the bride of the Odanna even though he’s very suave lol

Synopsis of the anime/manga series: Aoi Tsubaki is a college student who has the ability to see Ayakashi, a trait she inherited from her deceased grandfather. One day, when Aoi walks past a torii shrine, she sees an Ayakashi sitting there who announces that it is hungry. However, after giving it food, Aoi is kidnapped by the Ayakashi, an Ogre called Odanna. He takes her to the Hidden Realm, a world where all the Ayakashi live. He tells Aoi that her grandfather owed him a debt, and as compensation, she must marry him. Aoi negotiates with the Ogre instead, asking to work at the ogre’s inn, the Tenjin’ya.

I picked the world of Kakuriyo because of these three things: the world, the characters, and I know if I needed it as I was traveling on the Mecha, the wonderful food that Aoi creates. Let’s talk about it!

The World

Hidden Realm

The hidden realm is the world that has plethora of Ayakashi also called yokai, who live in eight different lands with a variety of customs and cultures. It gives a feel of historical Japan with some beautiful clothing that the characters wear along with architecture and shrubbery.

The Characters

The Employees of Tenjin’ya.

The employees of Tenjin’ya. feel like people you meet every day some good and bad, but they overall have one goal: to make sure that Tenjin’ya is the best inn for ayakashi to stay. Adding the main character into the mix makes most of the character dynamics better. I would love to be an employee of the Moonflower part of Tenjin’ya because hanging out with Aoi would be fun but also learning about making different types of food to satisfy everyone.

The Food!!

First we need to go into the Moonflower eatery for this one because this is where most of the food in the series is eaten.

The food that this world has is traditional Japanese food but with some added spices that only Ayakashi can taste and because of that I would love to learn more about how to make it and eat it correctly. Aoi is a great teacher to the other spirits, and I think between working there and eating there it would be amazing.

What about you guys! If you were a crewmember of the MSN-1702 Mecha Base, where would you want your wormhole to go? Let’s talk about it! Also thank you so much Scott for the opportunity to collab with you on this blog post. Check him out if you haven’t already!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! “Hi, I am the Friendly Ghost” Ghost Media recommendations

Hey guys how’s it going today I am recommending to you some friendly ghost media for the Halloween season/supernatural times. There is a variety and I hope you find something you’re interested in. Onto the Media!!

Movies

Casper Movies

I think this is where my love of ghosts came from was from the Casper movies. Casper is a very adorable friendly ghost who gets in a bunch of different adventures with a variety of people and mysteries. There is an order to watch these, but it doesn’t make a difference to me as far as plot. If you need some cute ghost family-friendly movies check these out!

TV Show

Ghosts

New fave on this list is a TV show with a variety of ghosts and two people building a Bed and Breakfast. There are some moments when it is crude but truly a perfect thing to put on if you need a show to capture the friendly ghost vibes all year round. (Some adult content though so be careful with kids).

Manga

Phantom of the Idol

This is a manga series that has just come out with the combination of Idol culture mixed with a friendly ghost. It reminds me most of the anime series Zombieland Saga because of its dry humor and characters in general. Overall, though, it’s fun and if you love idols and ghosts check it out!!

Anime

Ginban Kaleidoscope

This anime is one I was so surprised not many people talk about but also the concept of the ghosts is interesting. It discusses an aspiring figure skater with a ghost who was a stunt pilot. Coming of Age story with a ton of humor. I will warn you this anime is not dubbed to my knowledge. Highly recommend!!

Book

Indie Fave

Cemetery Tours by Jacqueline E Smith

A person who hates seeing ghosts, another who wishes they could see ghosts so badly they create a paranormal television show, a beautiful girl who is a fan of the television show and has a ghost in her new house, and finally a teenage skater boy ghost who is the comedic relief and helps with the other ghosts. Who wouldn’t love reading about this friend group? I know I do! The shenanigans, the mysteries, the romance, and the vivid settings that are presented in these books are amazing. Highly recommend if you’re looking for more of a Ghost Whisperer book.

New Release

A Ghost in Shining Armor

Do you have any Friendly Ghost Media Recommendations? Let’s talk about it!!

Weekly Check-in 10/08/2022

Hey guys how’s it going? Weekly Check-in time!! This is the week that I focused alot on specific series that I needed to either catch up on, try before I forgot about it, or finish before I continue onto something else.

Because of this, I watched two television shows and two anime. I also read two novels. Onto the Media!!

TV Show

ER

The last episodes I watched this week themed around choices, what is the best choice for the patient in front of you or as a whole, also how do you feel about things when it comes to personal people in their life because of their health. Overall, I am really excited to see how things continue on especially with the relationships. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

The Boys

Man, this continues to be a story that is like a trainwreck but with modern superheroes and horror all at once. I really enjoy the morally grey feels along with the history being entwined. It is though very satirical and intense, so I do not recommend this to everyone, but I truly enjoy this series and I am curious to see what happens next. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Anime

Ben-To

This anime is one I believe I was recommended a bit ago and I can see why they enjoyed it as I did as well. However, for me personally there were wayyyyy too many perverted moments for no reason. Plus there were two characters that looked the exact same that I couldn’t figure out who was who sometimes. I also thought there would be more plot…. there was but it was more towards the end of the anime. Because of these points, I have to give this anime a 3.5 out of 5 stars or 3 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣

My Hero Academia OVAS

The OVAs for this series are just perfect for people like me that want to be in this world again. I think my only issue is that I wish that there were all of the students in the stories other than two seconds but that’s just me. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Novel

5 Rounds

This is a book that honestly took me more time to finish than I expected. This is not because the writing is awful, in fact it was fantastic. I appreciated the details on what it takes to train for an MMA fight/Jujitsu especially for a woman plus how it feels for a woman to work out with a bunch of guys and other women. It was also refreshing to read a perspective about someone who is not happy with their job and settled because they wanted to make decent money rather than doing their dream job. I think the reason that this book took me more time than I expected at the start was the start of the cat and mouse games between the two main characters. I understood why it was there especially since it shows how they start to feel about each other, however, for me personally, I was not a fan of how rough it was at first (especially with the sexual encounters.) Because of that, I exercise caution if that is not something you are a fan of. I do though recommend if you would rather skim through those parts, it is a wonderful enlightening story about two people who supposedly hate each other fall in love with some fitness added in. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

A Ghost in Shining Armor

Thank you to Kensington/Zebra Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Oh, my goodness this book! It is definitely one I will never forget. Think of an intense contemporary romance with a supernatural element of ghosts and multiverses. Content warning for parental abandonment and people taking advantage of each other in more than one way. There’s also a ton of beautiful romance and self-discovery as well. I think if I had any issues involving this book it would be that it was very ambiguous where it was taking place and there were moments in times where it blatantly said UK but there were not enough moments to make the setting feel UK if that makes any sense. I also appreciated the ambiguity of the gender of the guardian angel that was also in this story along with the side couple that was presented. I did though, feel like there were more questions than answers at the end of the story and I would like to know more that this author has in its world and also how the afterlife works in this story. Because of these points, I have to give this book a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

The Week Ahead

The week ahead, I know I will be focusing more on working on my blog projects along with watch and read some more shorter media because the past was truly a lot but worth it. What about you guys? What did you read or watch this week? Let’s talk about it!!!

Weekly Check-in 10/01/2022

Hey guys how’s it going? Weekly Check-in time where I didn’t consume as much as I wanted to……

However, I did read a volume of manga and a novella. I also watched two tv shows. Onto the media!

TV Show

The Rings of Power

My dad and I caught up with the current episodes of this series and I am loving the tie-ins to the other series out there plus I am loving trying to figure out the theories and what happens next. However, it finally feels like that things are moving as opposed to be stagnant like the previous episodes. Overall, I am intrigued but because of the stagnant bits, I have to give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

ER

Manga

Series Starters

Witch’s Printing Office

This is one I have seen so many recommendations for this series but I know its not going to be for everyone. If you are looking for a slice of life fantasy series similar to ascendance of a bookworm and reincarnated as a slime I would definitely recommend it (although less build-up from what I noticed). I also didn’t appreciate the pacing of the chapters but I am hoping the next volume will be better. Overall, I am excited to continue on and when I am in the mood for another fantasy manga I’m picking this up. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Novella

Plane Love

This was an author I was recommended to from Booktube going to Wanderlust in San Antonio and I picked this book up because I needed some laughs and this definitely fits the bill on that. I also appreciated the flushed out perspective of the character who was disabled including the sexual perspective. This also discusses greatest fears and how the characters help each other with it and I loved that too. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars or 5 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣🍣. Definitely excited to put this author on my list.

The Week Ahead

The week ahead, I may be speeding things up due to my spooky tbr this next month, and also because I want to truly expand my media consumption with my anime and movies etc. We shall see though; I also have some projects coming up this month that I am really excited to do. What about you guys? What have you guys read or watched this week? Let’s talk about it!!

Weekly Check-in 09/24/2022

Hey guys how’s it going Weekly Check-in time where I was a lot more productive than I thought it would be.

I listened to two podcasts and watched one tv show. I also read four volumes of manga and two novellas. Onto the media!!

TV Show

ER

This show ebbs and flows all the time and these episodes were a ton of relationship dramas plus discrimination thoughts were presented as well. There was also a serial elderly rapist in these episodes and oooof it was difficult to watch. If you are a fan of medical dramas and need a new one check this out. 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Novella

Blind date with a Book Boyfriend

Ok this was so adorable!!! The way the banter went with the characters plus how they took the time to get to know each other plus travel the city. I wasn’t a big fan of the billionaire aspect but I was happy how they handled the conflict. Overall though I wish there was more flushed out aspects (but I saw there was a sequel novella so we shall see if I read that asap or wait). Because of these points, I have to give this a 4-4.5 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Her Donut Shifters

This was a fun mindless read, however it was disjointed at points plus felt like I needed to know more about the world that this takes place in before reading this. I also really wanted a more flushed out perspective of the other characters rather than just the female. Because of these points, I have to give this a 3 out of 5 stars or 3 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣.

Manga

Series Starters

Phantom of the Idol

I can definitely see why there are people that are not a fan of this. There’s a lot of dry humor involved and moments of disjointedness. However, perhaps because I love learning about idols and ghosts and that there’s a foil to the dry humor like Zombieland saga. I think though it’s going to be one I will be taking my time with because I think if you binge it, you could get tired of everyone and everything. Overall, though, it’s fun and if you love idols and ghosts as well as dry humor, check it out! 3.5-4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Series Finale

My Boss’s Kitten vol 5-7

I have been looking for some fluff lately and because of this, I finished up this series. I believe the finale was a good one wrapping everything up in a beautiful bow and it was overall a satisfying one. As far as rereading ability, I think it is one I would reread if I needed something quick sensual and sweet all at the same time. Overall I enjoyed this series and recommend it if you’re looking for some fun. Because of these points I have to give this series a 4 out of 5 stars or 4 sushi 🍣 🍣 🍣🍣.

Podcast

Smart Women Read Romance

I truly think I needed to listen to this podcast this week because these hosts are part of the reason why I am trying not to shy away from some unique romances. They also present some romances that I may have heard of, but I needed that extra push to read them. This week I listened to their trope recommendation casts and I enjoyed that they talked about some that I barely heard of but also some that I knew. Check them out if you haven’t already. 5 out of 5 stars or 5 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣.

Dad Needs to Talk Podcast

I always love who Rob has as far as guests on the show plus his variety of fandoms and media is amazing. If you guys haven’t already checked this podcast out already, please do!!! I personally listen on Spotify on my drive back and forth but if you like YouTube videos, this is his channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DadNeedsToTalk 5 out of 5 stars or 5 sushi 🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣.

The Week Ahead

The week ahead, I want to do more of a balanced media consumption week. We shall see though. What about you guys? What did you read, watch or listen this week? Let’s talk about it