Two Versions? No Way!

Earlier in my postings of The Gathering on Fiction Press, I received a critique from an annonymous reviewer which left me disgruntled as first but it gave me an idea.

Considering the Angelic Guardians and Angelic Guardians Beginnings series take place in Japan, it made sense for the characters to have Japanese names or Western names that have been translated to Japanese, but not every reader agreed to my thinking. They didn't like seeing key religious terms in romanji, and it confused those who were Christian or a particular Western religion. I even had one reader say that she would not buy my books because it looked like I was creating a new religion based on Christianity.

Seriously, why would I do that?

But I got to thinking... if popular anime and manga titles like Sailor Moon were dubbed and translated into English using Western names, why can't Angelic Guardians do the same?

So, in addition to the original Japanese story, each release will also have an English/Western adaption. Here's an example of what to expect:

• Rizu Hikarino --> Liz Light
• Beronika Hoshino --> Veronica Starr
• Megu Hino --> Meg Blaze
• Jeison Ankokuno --> Jason Dark
• Deibiddo Fushimawashino --> David Bard
• Robu Tsuchino --> Rob Stone
• Raian Daishizenno --> Ryan Forrest
• Ami Umino --> Amy Waterson
• Shinmei --> God
• Iesu --> Jesus
• Gaburieru --> Gabriel
• Myoujou --> Lucifer
• Kasushiusu --> Cassius
• Deiraira --> Delilah
• Kureopatora --> Cleopatora
• Medosa --> Medusa
• Buruutasu --> Brutus
• Judasu --> Judas
• Kirisutokyou --> Christianity
• Kurisuchan --> Christian
• Mushiron --> Atheism
• Mushinsha --> Atheist

However, names like Tamashii, Medetai, and so forth will not change due to the fact that the twelve Angelic Guardians are directly named after certain aspects such as soul, joy, love, death, life, etc. It'd be weird to go from Tamashii in Japan to Soul in America or England. Yeah. I'll stick with something more mystic.

So, to those who are complaining about their eyes hurting as they read my series, your wish has been granted.

And you know what that means, right? New artwork! My illustrator is spending time working hard on the original version, but she's looking forward to do an alternate verison for the English/Western release.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to see it!

"All we are sayin' is give peace a chance..."

Well, since my last blog, shit hit the ceiling fan. Hard. To begin with, my laptop had a meltdown a few hours later and the harddrive crashed. But have no fear -- I managed to save the original files on my Mac, and the updated files online. However, any work and fan fiction that was on my Toshiba are gone. Forever. Ah well. Thank God for backups. Unfortunately, my Mac is out of date, so I'm limited in terms of online time.

I'm also more than halfway done touching up on The Gathering, but I wish I was further at this point. But I'm still doing good time-wise. I hope to get in contact with an agent by early 2012. Go me.

On a sadder note, I posted (and promoted) a new business that was coming to downtown Logansport. Unfortunately, Some Kind of Wonderful Books & Gifts has been abandoned. The article from the November 27, 2011 issue of the Pharos-Tribune said that the owner (Kitty Keswick) went back to California to be with her family, whereas a reliable source told me through the realtor that she had second thoughts. Regardless, this is a major blow to me.

I know that Christmas is coming around the corner for many of you, regardless if you see it as a day of Santa's gifts or God's Gift (Jesus, that is), but I do pay my respects to those that don't observe Christmas due to religious reasons. Happy (or Merry) Christmas to my Christian peeps, Happy Chanukah to my Jewish peps, Happy Kwanzaa to my black peeps, and to those who don't have a particular day of celebration at this time, Happy Holidays to you.

One last thing, usually I post a holiday special with the gang from Angelic Guardians, but since I lost the revised version of "Finding the Christmas Spirit" and I don't feel like stopping in the middle of my progress with The Gathering just to redo it, I'm gonna do something special next year. And you can thank Mr. Grinch for giving me the idea. I'll give you a clue as to why I'm thinking How the Grinch Stole Christmas: read the story of the Magi in Matthew 2 and see where Myoujou/Lucifer would twist it around.

Goodbye, 2011. Hello, 2012!

"Give thanks with a grateful heart..."

Yesterday in the US was a day of thanks. Many of us spent the afternoon with our loved ones around a giant cooked turkey at the table, while others (like myself) prepared for Christmas and watched a little bit of football (which, by the way, GO COWBOYS!). Don't worry... tomorrow, I'll get my turkey fix for the year. I even made an agreement with my future brother-in-law over the drumsticks. XD

Now, I don't have a lot to be thankful for... okay, so maybe I do: having parents who allowed me to come back home after college without charging rent, two jobs to keep the income flow going, friends who have my back no matter how far away they are, and, believe it or not, people who are interested with my progress concerning Angelic Guardians. To those who continue to follow me on Facebook, FanFiction.net, and FictionPress.com, THANK YOU!!! Your support has boosted me in dark times, and you have no idea how much it has helped. I'm hoping by next year around this time, you'll have included Angelic Guardians: The Gathering on your holiday wishlist. As for me, I'm hoping to be touching up on The Awakening and get it ready for publishing. I can't afford to leave all you fans hanging, can I?

Again, words cannot describe how much I am thankful to have fans like you. 2012 isn't gonna be the end of the world. Well, it might be the end of the world as we know it once I'm done, but it's gonna be our year for sure! Thank you and be careful on this Black Friday!

An Original "Angelic Guardians" Creepypasta!

A few days ago on YouTube, I came across a Pokémon hacked game called Pokémon Creepy Black (Cursed Black to all you aspiring game designers). To date, the concept is the best my 25-year-old self has ever seen: you have not one but TWO starting Pokémon (Bulbasaur/Charmander/Squirtle and an unknown Pokémon named Ghost in the form of one of the Pokémon Tower ghosts prior to receiving the Silph Scope), and, depending if you choose to use Ghost, you curse (actually, you kill) both Pokémon and trainers, including your rival during your last match (you know they're gone when you see a tombstone in their place after the battle). After defeating the Elite Four and your rival to become the Pokémon Champion, time passes by, there is no one left in the overworld (Mom's not even at the house when you finally arrive in Pallet Town, which implies she's passed on at this point), and it's your turn to join the others. You, as an old man, face Ghost without any Pokémon, items, or the option to run away. You use Struggle, but Ghost isn't affected by the attack and you're struck with recoil until you're down to 1 HP. Then... Ghost curses you. In the end, you die, and the screen goes black, much like the reality of our lifespan on earth. That final battle against Ghost is nothing more than your encounter with the Angel of Death or the Grim Reaper (whichever you prefer) who has come to take you away to your grave.



What I didn't know about the game was that while it was a hack, it was also a creepypasta. Okay... what IS a creepypasta? Creepypasta is an internet term used to create negative and uneasy feelings to readers in a similar reaction when you read Goosebumps. So, being the twisted person I tend to be, I found more Pokémon hacks based on these creepypastas (I totally recommend Lost Silver for those who are big fans of Unown and show major hatred toward Gold), and soon I became addicted. And if you want to see more of these creepypastas, go to the 6th Floor. There are lot of myths and stories that gave me and some of my friends chills.

Now, that being said, there is one Pokémon creepypasta that inspired me to write my own using my series. It's called "Hypno's Lullaby", which goes along the line of Hypno's Fire Red Pokédex entry: "It carries a pendulum-like device. There was once an incident in which it took away a child it hypnotized." Incidentally, there have been several videos made to bring this creepypasta to life to the tune of the Lavender Town Theme song. It's bad enough the Lavender Town Theme has unbelievable but freaky creepypastas written about the music and how it led to the mass suicides of children in Japan, but to combine it with "Hypno's Lullaby" only adds onto the implied pedophilia.

My creepypasta? I like to call this one "Paipa's Lullaby" (or "Piper's Lullaby" in the English/Western adaption). And who is Paipa? Paipa is a piper-demon who works for Deiraira (or Delilah to all you Yankees) in the first part of Angelic Guardians: The Awakening. His main mission is to search for Seijitsu's chosen vessel, but when he is first introduced, his M.O. was to kidnap the visiting children of Roganu Beach to lure the Angelic Guardians in that area out of hiding. Of course, this mission fails, but because Deiraira has favored him out of all her demons, she hands him the task to search and destroy (better yet, manipulate) Seijitsu.

Essentially, Paipa is very much like Hypno in their respective creepypastas: they take on the role of the fictional children's book character the Pied Piper and lead the children away from home through a certain form of brainwashing (Paipa --> his wooden flute; Hypno --> his pendulum) to their doom. And, so without further ado, here is my first attempt at writing a creepypasta. I hope you like it, and I totally recommend you listen to the Lavender Town Theme song while reading and reciting this poem. (And if you need help doing that, listen to "Hypno's Lullaby".)

Paipa's Lullaby

Here, little children, don’t be afraid

Paipa’s here with a tune to play

Away from bed where your head once laid

Mama and Papa won’t know you’re away

Dear little children, why so scared?

Paipa won’t touch a single hair

He loved you all when nobody cared

He won’t let you see just how life’s unfair

Dear little children, follow me

And hear my joyful melody

On my flute of wood I’ll play, you see

I bring happiness to everybody

Dear little children, won’t you come

To a great world with loads of fun

Free rides for all and candy for some

Always in the night and no need for sun

Dear little children, foolish you were

Left your beds for a tune you heard

An ageless fate you will now suffer

And slumber in my curse without a word

DISCLAIMER: All (original) characters and plots belong to L. D. Smith ©2011.

Angelic Guardians Music Library: Muse

Last week, I went down to Noblesville, IN, to see one of the greatest British bands of the 21st century: Muse. Yes, this is the same band that ended up being associated with the Twilight series all because Stephenie Meyer listened to them while writing her series. Frankly, I don't believe Muse should have been linked to sparkly vampires. If you listen to their last two albums (Black Holes and Revelations and The Resistance, respectively), you will agree that they fit better with Angelic Guardians than Twilight by a long shot.

Here's the reason: Muse's music has been tied to the government in an unconvential way... to the point that some people believe lead singer/guitarist Matthew Bellamy's political beliefs could hold some truth in light of the end of times. Songs like "Apocalypse Now", "Ruled by Secrecy", "United States of Eurasia", and, lest we forget their signature song, "Uprising" speak of what we know as the New World Order/Illuminati. And if you have read the book of Revelation and the Left Behind series, you know exactly where I'm going with this: only a one-world government, ruled by the alleged anti-Christ, could fulfill John's visions in Revelation where the Beast of the Earth is concerned.

Muse lead singer Matthew Bellamy doing his trademark "Eye of the Illuminati" gesture

during "Uprising" at the 2011 Grammy Awards,

which made its way onto national television.

I was later inspired to create this photomanipulation.

The right picture ought to be a graphic tee-shirt or hoodie.

It's no wonder Oasis and Beady Eyes' lead singer Liam Gallagher stated last month in a press release that he was "fucking scared of Muse". I can't say that I blame him. Take the lyrics to the song "Take a Bow", for instance. The song has inspired me to the point that if Angelic Guardians: The Revelations, pt. 2 ever becomes a live-action movie adaption, I will use Ian Cologne's symphonic version as the background music to Lucifer's coronation prior to the neo-Holocaust.

"Corrupt, you corrupt and bring corruption to all that you touch.
Hold, you'll behold and be holden for all that you've done.
And spell, cast a spell, cast a spell on the country you run,
And risk, you will risk, you will risk all their lives and their souls.
And burn, you will burn,
You will burn in Hell, yeah, you'll burn in Hell,
You'll burn in Hell, yeah, you'll burn in Hell for your sins...

Death, you bring death and destruction to all that you touch.
Pay, you must pay, you must pay for the crimes against the earth.
Hex, feed the hex, feed the hex on the country you love,
And beg, you will beg, you will beg for their lives and their souls.
And burn, you will burn,
You will burn in Hell, yeah, you'll burn in Hell,
You'll burn in Hell, yeah, you'll burn in Hell,
You'll burn in Hell, yeah, you'll burn in Hell for you sins."

(Did I not tell you how scary some of their music really is?)

I don't know what Meyer was smoking when she wrote Twilight, but Muse should have never been spotlighted as THE band for her series. Thankfully, I was intrigued by them when I saw their performance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards where they performed "Uprising" for the first time on American TV. It might have been the killer teddy bears that did the trick, but the song's lyrics (after I Googled them up) spoke to me. That was when I knew Muse was the band, along with Nine Inch Nails and, later on, Radiohead, to include in the Angelic Guardians soundtracks.

Now that I got the Twilight-bashing off my chest, I can continue with my review. Anyway, the trip to Noblesville was my second Muse experience. Honestly, if you haven't seen them live before, DO IT! They will wind up somewhere on your Top 5 Best Concerts list. They've never disappointed their fans before, and they're bound to wow you after that first concert. Believe me, one of my friends tagged along, and after the concert, she asked me if we could stop by her house in Indy real quick so she can copy my albums onto her computer.

I was lucky to record some songs on my new digital camera, but the camera died right at the end of  "Knights of Cydonia", and I accidentally deleted "Uprising" the next morning when I was reviewing my pics! (And that was THE best video ever!) But I did get away with "Hysteria", "Starlight", and, my favorite part of their tours, "Plug in Baby". The videos are on YouTube and on my Facebook account, but I'll post them here for your pleasure. Forgive me for the sound, especially at the beginning of PiB.

Muse Performing "Hysteria":

Muse Performing "Starlight":

Muse Performing "Plug in Baby":

Picture Time! (and photomanipulated too!)

Now if you all will excuse me, it's time for me to put on some "Knights of Cydonia"...

(... transmission has been lost...)

Featured Japanese Goodies: Mochi Ice Cream

My first attempt at making mochi ice cream.

As promised in an earlier post, I finally got around and made some mochi ice cream for the first time. Needless to say, it was somewhere between an epic fail and an epic win. The overall appearance and form didn't look as good as what Naked Tchopstix serves, but it tasted just the same... with the exception of a few over-doughy balls. Don't worry, I intend on mastering this art before too long.

It's hard to say when mochi ice cream will creep up into the Angelic Guardians saga. From what I've read, the Japanese Americans created it and brought it over to Japan in the twentieth century, which makes it a candidate for the Demonic Guardians trilogy. The common flavors include vanilla, mango, strawberry, and green tea. However, more and more Japanese are getting accustomed to eating chocolate on a financial scale (chocolate used to be considered as a luxury), so chocolate has been added onto the list.

So, if you are like me and wish to take on this skill, here's a recipe that I got from two websites (one of which came from blogger.com itself). Good luck!

Mochi Ice Cream

(Japanese Ice Cream)

Sources: http://japaneseicecream.blogspot.com/2009/04/japanese-mochi-ice-cream-recipe.html

http://www.serving-ice-cream.com/mochi-ice-cream.html

Ingredients:

1/3 c. sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)

½ c. water

½ c. sugar

Cornstarch

Your preferred ice cream flavor (Common Japanese flavors include vanilla, green tea, strawberry, mango, and, recently, chocolate. However, you can always throw in some mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, cookies & cream, etc. for fun.)

Directions:

1.   Dump sweet rice flour into a glass bowl.

2.   Add water a little bit at a time as you mix it with the rice flour.

3.   Cover the glass bowl with plastic wrap but leave a portion of the bowl open to allow air flow. Otherwise, you might be at risk of blowing up your glass bowl (see step four).

4.   Put the glass bowl in the microwave for 3 minutes on medium. Your dough will start to thicken from the heat.

5.   Dip a wooden spoon in water and stir the dough.

6.   Put the glass bowl back in the microwave for another minute on medium. Your dough should then start to look smooth and shiny.

7.   Dump the dough onto a cutting board and smooth it out with a wet wooden spoon. Make sure the cutting board is covered with cornstarch. You will need cornstarch to cover the dough too.

8.   Flip the dough over and make sure it is coated well with cornstarch.

9.   Push and stretch the dough until it is smooth, flat, about 3 millimeters thick.

10.   If the dough is still warm at this point, let it cool!

11.   Use either a small bowl/cup or a larger bowl/cup to cut out your dough wraps.

a.   Recommendation: It’s best to freeze your dough wraps before you begin filling it with ice cream. Depending how warm the wraps are, your ice cream may start melting.

                                                               i.  To freeze: place a flat wrap on a sheet of plastic wrap (again, covered with cornstarch), and place another flat wrap on top of it in the same way (plastic wrap à flat dough wrap à plastic wrap à flat dough wrap, etc.). Do this until are flat wraps are gone. Top it off with one last piece of plastic wrap.

12.  Drop a medium-sized (or smaller) scoop of ice cream in the center of your flat dough wrap.

13.  Tuck in all the edges at the top of the ice cream scoop and pinch them to hold the wrap in place.

a.   Recommendation: If the dough isn’t sticking together as you wrap your ice cream, there’s nothing wrong with sprinkling some water. Cornstarch tends to dry out the dough, so it might be craving for moisture.

14.  Before you continue to make another, it’s highly recommended that you start freezing your dough ball as soon as you’re done with it!

15.  Freeze until you’re ready to serve.

Robu Tsuchino: The Good, the Bad, and the Badass.

Robu Tsuchino/Seijitsu (center) and his Japanese parallels:

Chibiusa/Rini (with Black Lady/Wicked Lady, left)

and the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger (right)

(Click here to listen to the MIDI version of "Sailor Senshi Doushi no Taitirtu"
as you're reading this blog. This would totally be Seijitsu's theme if it wasn't already taken!
Note: you will need to right-click on the link
and select "Open in New Tab"/"Open in New Window" in order to stay on this page!)

If there is one character in the Angelic Guardians series that I think will steal Rizu/Tamashii's spotlight more than any other member of the Angelic Guardians squad, it'd have to be the star of Angelic Guardians: The Awakening: Robu Tsuchino.


Also known as Seijitsu.


Robu was designed after a very special friend of mine since the summer of 2005. In fact, our story was thrown into the storylines for The Gathering and The Awakening, including the place where we worked and some of our family members and coworkers. Like Robu Tsuchino, he was a big sci-fi nerd and he was the only guy I knew who was still playing Pokémon video games. (Nerdom was not accepted in my graduating class, which sucked for me.)


Now, throw in a few personalities and backgrounds of notable characters in Japanese entertainment, and you have the perfect leading male character to rival his female counterpart, which is exactly what makes Robu just as loveable as Rizu but less whiny and fangirly.


(Although, he does hold his own when it comes to his secret love for Pōwā Senshi, the Angelic Guardians ripoff to Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (or the first season of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers). He received a giant collection of Dinodroids and Megadroids from his cousin Matu Hiro when Matu grew out of his nerd phase, and he claims the Green Senshi (Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger, respectively) is the best Pōwā Senshi there ever was. Clearly, his favorite Droid is none other than the Dragondroid (Dragon Caesar/Dragonzord), which can still be found in his bedroom to this day.)


Robu is first seen in The Gathering as a sharp-tongued, arrogant, Gothic nerd who has no interest in religion. He often chastises Rizu for her foot-in-mouth comments, but he also shows a great concern for her whenever she feels troubled. He only makes two appearances throughout the book, which makes him a minor character but a minor character that would soon change the paradigms of the Angelic Guardians series as we know it.


His grand return to Roganu in Angelic Guardians: The Awakening puts Rizu in a difficult situation when Paipa, one of the two boss demons of the book, strikes Roganu Beach by kidnapping children in the middle of the night and placing an eternal sleep curse over them. Rizu knows Paipa is carrying out Myoujou's latest scheme, but because he understands that their jobs are on the line, Robu plans to rescue the children himself, which eventually prompts both Rizu and Deibiddo/Inochi to reveal their secret to him in their first battle against Paipa.


Robu's involvement in The Awakening parallels with two other characters many fans of 90's Japanese children entertainment may recall. The first character is Usagi "Chibiusa" Chiba/Rini, better known as Chibimoon/Mini Moon in Sailor Moon. Elements of Sailor Moon R and Sailor Moon SuperS were the foundation of The Awakening, mainly because both arcs (excluding the story of the Makaiju/Doom Tree in the anime of Sailor Moon R) focused on Chibiusa as the main character. Chibiusa would be a better candidate to draw similarities from when comparing with Rizu, but it's her story from these two arcs that parallels with Robu's in The Awakening.


Parallel #1: Robu vs. Chibiusa
- Both Robu and Chibiusa discovered the secret identities of their future teammates before becoming Chosen Ones themselves.
- They were the youngest members of their respective corps at the time of their initiation. (Robu --> 18; Chibiusa --> 5 (manga), 6 or 7 (Sailor Moon S anime)) This soon changed when ChibiChibi/Sailor ChibiChibi was introduced in Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, although ChibChibi was not a real child in the end. In the manga, she is really Sailor Cosmos in disguise, and in the anime, she is the Star Seed of Sailor Galaxia, which hints she was "created" instead of being born.
- They share a deep connection with the dream world and its magical guardians. (Robu --> Seiji; Chibiusa --> Pegasus)
- They become the enemy in the same arc they are first viewed as the main character. (Robu --> Dark Seijitsu; Chibiusa --> Black Lady/Wicked Lady)
- They have at least one attack that causes little damage but can serve as a huge distraction. (Robu --> Slingshot Toss (which will be introduced in Angelic Guardians: The Return); Chibiusa --> Pink Sugar Heart Attack (anime only))
- They have a friendly (and sometimes sibling-like) rivalry with the protagonist but with good reason. (Sadly, I'm not in the position to tell you Robu's reason at the moment. Let's just say I'd be giving away a huge spoiler for future installments.)


The second character that Robu mirrors quite often in Angelic Guardians is the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger himself. Now I will say that Burai (Zyuranger) and Tommy Oliver (MMPR) were two different men possessing the Dragon Coin, and the fate of these two men differed greatly. Although both Burai and Tommy gradually lost their powers thanks to Bandora/Rita Repulsa, whom they served under prior to joining the Zyuranger/Power Rangers, Burai died and Tommy reemerged as the White Ranger in the second season of MMPR, using the Kibaranger costume from Gosei Sentai Dairanger (and, yes, I'm still disappointed with Haim Saban for not bringing over the other five costumes when the second season of MMPR was being produced).


Still, the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger proved to be the greatest rival the Tyrannoranger/Red Ranger had ever faced, which could be said the same in light of Rizu/Tamashii and Robu/Seijitsu. Robu is basically Rizu's male counterpart but with a bad attitude. They are equally matched in intelligence and combat, and like Zyuranger/MMPR, Rizu shares ownership with Robu over his familiar Seiji, much like the Tyrannoranger/Red Ranger after inheiriting Dragon Caesar/Dragonzord, the Dragon Dagger, and the Dragon Shield following the departure of the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger (even though the Green Ranger reunites with the Power Rangers and is given full control over his prized possessions once more until Lord Zedd strips him of what's left of his powers).


Parallel #2: Robu vs. Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger
 - Both Robu and the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger are tricked by a deceiving female antagonist to fight against their own kind. (Robu --> Robu is kissed by Deiraira's mortal counterpart Di and brainwashed by the poison on her lips; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Bandora/Rita Repulsa kidnaps the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger and uses her magic on him to kill the Zyuranger/Power Rangers)

• Ironically enough, they are both the sixth senshi to join their corps, and they were used at one point to play the role as the enemy.

- Their biggest rival in battle is the main character of their respective franchises. (Robu --> Rizu/Tamashii; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Tyrannoranger/Red Ranger)
- They share leadership with the head senshi of their corps. (self-explanatory)
- They redeem themselves for their treachery through a great sacrifice. (Robu --> Rizu/Tamashii gives herself to Deiraira in exchange for Robu/Seijitsu's soul, which gives Robu/Seijitsu the motivation to prove himself as a true Angelic Guardian to the others; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger risks the last hour of his existence to save the other Zyuranger/Power Ranger from their doom, but time expires and he loses his powers and, in the case of Zyuranger, his life.)
- Their favorite damsel in distress wears pink. (Robu --> Rizu/Tamashii; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Pteraranger/Pink Ranger (although the Dragon Ranger never had any romantic interest for the Pteraranger in Zyuranger. That was all MMPR, baby.))


It's sad to say not many active male characters such as Robu Tsuchino appear in modern-day literature. (That is, if you're not counting a certain Boy Wizard who captured our hearts over ten years ago.) Still, no matter who Robu is compared to, whether it's Chibiusa or the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger, he'll forever be remembered as the Angelic Guardian who made nerdom sexy, dangerous, and cool.

Featured Japanese Goodies

Since the Angelic Guardians series takes place in Japan, much like any manga and anime franchise does these days, it's only natural for the characters to be a part of the Japanese culture... which happens to include food. I am aware how Western/English-speaking countries have influenced Japan with McDonald's, Subway, Coca-Cola, etc., but it just wouldn't look right if Rizu was chowing down on a hamburger all the time when she could be having, say, nigiri or sushi.

So, for this blog, I decided to highlight a sample of the some of the best Japanese food I've ever tasted (which you're bound to see in Angelic Guardians). One place I do love to eat is Naked Tchopstix in Fort Wayne, IN. It's a pan-Asian restaurant with full bar service. While it specializes in mostly Japanese cuisines, Chinese food lovers will also enjoy this place. (I'm happy to say that there are four other locations within Indiana, one of which is at the International Airport in Indianapolis, which I might become a frequent visitor in the future if all goes well.) The prices are reasonable, and, by the way, if you plan to get Don Katsu, make sure you eat light before you order it. You'll get your money's worth.

The Don Katsu at Naked Tchopstix, featuring pork cutlet,

rice, cucumbers, potatoes, salad, and, of course, soy sauce.

My favorite item on the menu? The Sushi Dinner Naked special. I'm a sucker for California rolls, and, although I've been told that is strictly an American take on sushi, I'm sure I can find something similar to it in Japan. The only time I will not eat it is if it's been covered with seasoned sesame seeds. I take that back. I will eat it, but the roll is shredded. (I hate spicy seasoning.) Nigiri, which is an oblong rice roll with a slice of raw fish on top, is another love of mine. Whoever says that raw fish is nasty probably hasn't had enough to understand that if it's prepared properly, it's actually delicious and good for you. I admit I was hesitant to try it at first, but I'm alive and I'm now craving for an order or two as I'm typing this blog! The only thing about the Dinner Naked Special that I don't care for at all is the wasabi, a spicy "paste" that can be used as a dip (kind of like spicy cheese for breadsticks). Obviously, I have reasons to avoid the wasabi.

Sushi Dinner Naked:

6-8 California Rolls, 4 nigiri (salmon, tuna, crab/krab, and shrimp), and wasabi.

Not very filling, but a good starter for those who are unsure about raw fish.

And don't forget the dessert. The Japanese have a sweet tooth, albeit smaller than the average American's, and as an ice cream parlor chick, I have to say mochi ice cream is my favorite foreign dessert of all time. Mochi ice cream is basically a scoop of ice cream (generally fruit-flavored and green tea) wrapped inside rice flour dough and freezed until it's time to serve. But since Japan is learning that some exotic flavors, such as chocolate, are becoming more available to those who are not considered as wealthy by standards, options for mochi ice cream have expanded these last few years. At Naked Tchopstix, mochi ice cream comes in a serving of eight (more like four balls cut in half). You can choose from vanilla, strawberry, mango, green tea, and chocolate, and you can always split four-and-four with two flavors. The best combos I can think of are strawberry/chocolate and mango/chocolate, and if you dip them with the small serving of chocolate syrup that is drizzled on the platter, it's to die for. I think instead of green tea, mint or mint chocolate chip should be offered. I love mochi ice cream so much I intend to make it at home very soon.

A sample of mango and chocolate mochi ice cream at Naked Tchopstix.

Speaking about homemade Japanese cuisines, I made some homemade mitarashi dango over Memorial Day weekend, and it was delicious! Dango is a Japanese dumpling made out of rice flour, and it's harder and sturdier than the dumplings I make for Thanksgiving (which are made with Jiffy Mix). Dango is uncommon in most restaurants, but it's a hot item (literally) at festivals and maybe in a few tea shops. It's really considered more as a snack or a sweet dessert, but it's not as cold as mochi ice cream. You can eat it hot or lukewarm, depending how you prefer your dango. As for the mitarashi, that's a special soy-based sauce that serves like a glaze over the dango, but if you prefer to be different and not traditional, maple syrup or honey would make a fine substitution.



My take of mitarashi dango.

Now I know why Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon earned her nickname "Odango Atama"

("Dumpling Head" or, in the DiC dub, "Meatball Head").

If you are interested to make this yourself, here's the recipe with a few notes I wrote in after my first attempt. Good luck!

Mitarashi Dango

(Japanese Rice Dumplings)

(taken from http://www.justhungry.com/mitarashi-dango-rice-dough-dumplings-sweet-salty-sauce )

Serves 25 (5 skewers)

Note: It’s imperative to use the proper flour for this recipe. To find rice flour and sweet rice flour/glutinous flour, it’s recommended to visit your local Asian market.

Dango (Rice Dumplings):

1 c. joushinko (rice flour)

½ c. shiratamako (sweet rice flour or glutinous flour) + 1 TBS corn starch

1 ½ c. hot water (not scorching)

1 pot of salted water

Mitarashi sauce:

¼ c. sugar

½ c. water + 1 TBS corn starch dissolved in it

1/8 c. soy sauce

1 TBS mirin (rice wine)

½ TBS rice vinegar

Instructions:

1.       Mix joushinko (rice flour) with hot water.  Add shiratamako (sweet rice flour/glutinous flour) and corn starch. Mix until the dough is soft yet dry to touch. You might need to add more flour to thicken the dough. If so, use more joushinko than shiratamako.

2.       Divide the dough into 25 pieces and roll each piece into a small ball.

3.       Bring the pot of salted water to a boil and drop a few dumplings (at a time) into the pot.  The dumplings will rise to the surface after a few minutes. Continue to boil for another 3-4 minutes, and then scoop out the dumplings with a slit spoon.

4.       Immediately drop the dumplings into a bowl of cold water.

5.       Put 5 dumplings on a skewer (preferably bamboo).

6.       Grill the skewers on a grill or in a grill pan. Turn several times until there are nice burn marks on the dumplings.

7.       Make the mitarashi sauce while grilling. Combine all ingredients into a small pan and bring it to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens. The sauce can be made in advance too.

8.       Coat the cooked skewers with the sauce. You can also make the skewers in advance as long as you bring them to room temperature before eating them.

Substitution: If you do not wish to use traditional mitarashi sauce, maple syrup, honey, or soy sauce is also recommended.

Japanese Rastafarianism: A Not-So Farfetched Idea After All

As I was revising Angelic Guardians: The Memory last night, a sudden thought struck me. I had designed the character Raian Daishizenno/On'ai based on my old high school crush, but the inspiration had no interest in attending church while we attended school together, and he was a huge pothead. Moreover, he was also a hardcore Bob Marley fan. So, after learning more about Marley's religious background in college, I created Raian to represent Rastafarianism but with the acceptance of Jesus' second coming instead of Ras Tafari's, which ultimately makes Raian a Messianic Rastafarian.

Doesn't seem to be much of a problem, right? Wrong. Not only is Raian a Rasta, but he's also a Japanese Rasta. Sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it? Japanese? Rastafarian? They don't look right, and they certainly don't sound right.

Actually, it makes complete sense! I came across a website concerning Rastafarianism around the world (you can find it at http://www.howtogrowbud.com/info/rastafari/ ), and with a coexist country like Japan, it was no surprise I found this paragraph:

A small but devoted Rasta community developed in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rasta shops selling natural foods, Reggae recordings, and other Rasta-related items sprang up in Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities. For several years, “Japan Splashes” or open-air Reggae concerts were held in various locations throughout Japan. For a review by two sociologists of how the Japanese Rasta movement can be explained in the context of modern Japanese society, see Dean W. Collinwood and Osamu Kusatsu, “Japanese Rastafarians: Non-Conformity in Modern Japan,” The Study of International Relations, No. 26, Tokyo: Tsuda College, March 2000 (research conducted in 1986 and 1987).

And given the fact that Raian was born in Tokyo in 1988, linking him with Rastafarianism/Messianic Rastafarianism only seems natural despite of his Japanese heritage. It's unclear, however, if such religion still exists in Japan today. If so, then let The Memory shed some light onto it through Raian Daishizenno.

Now if you will excuse me, I think I'm hearing "One Love/People Great Ready" on the radio.

Shameless Self-Promotion!

About a month or so ago, I reformatted my account on deviantART.com (or DA as I like to call it), and I added a lot of fan ficlets from Angelic Guardians as well as the rough draft to Angelic Guardians: The Gathering. Go, check it out!

http://theprettymachine.deviantart.com

And if you can't view some of the "Glimpses" entries, that's because you have to be a member to unlock MA-themed postings. XD

When One Door Closes, Another One Opens... Half-Way.

It's been a crazy past month for me, and for that, I profusely apologize for my absence. My editor Erica Spriggs had to let me go due to personal reasons, which left me without another editor. However, I do want to personally thank her for giving me a solid idea of doing a query and a synopsis, something that my past editors had never showed me.

But one thing that she did suggest to me as we were working on the synopsis was to join a writer's club. Now, Logansport might be strong in the arts, but writing? We're not. As far as I know, we don't have a writer's club or alliance in Cass County, and the nearest one would require me to drive out-of-town on a Saturday afternoon in which I would most likely have to be excused early due to my night job.

(Hey, someone has to make a living.)

It also doesn't help that Logansport has been without a bookstore since Borders slapped a huge "store closing" sticker on Waldenbooks in the Logansport Mall at the start of 2009. I was hoping my old day job would boost me in my endeavours and promote Angelic Guardians when the time had come.

But that has all changed.

Last week, my mom showed me a copy of the Friday morning newspaper with the headline "Greensfelder building to house bookstore" in bold on the front cover. No, it's not Books-a-Million. No, it's not Barnes & Noble. And, thank God, it isn't Borders. (I'm still holding a major grudge against them these days, but, hey, they're getting what they deserved.) No, this bookstore will be operated independently with a coffeeshop, gifts, and free Wi-Fi to boot. It's something downtown Logansport needs to attract businesses away from the east side and possibly save several mall fronts from leaving town. (If you've ever stepped into the mall these days, you'd know why... ghost town.)

Now, usually, I wouldn't brag about something like this except Kitty Keswick, author of the Freaksville series, moved all the way from California to Logansport and bought the Greensfelder building to start this bookstore. Yes, that's right, a famous young adult, supernatural, and children's writer is starting her own businnes in dinky ol' Logansport. When I heard about this, I sent her a message via Facebook to welcome her and try to set up a networking relationship so I can get my foot in the door with agents and publishing companies. Sadly, she has yet to reply to the email (which is understandable), but I'm hoping we can get things started and rolling this fall once Some Kind of Wonderful is open for business.

Guess who's gonna be camping out over there between in jobs with her Toshiba and her smoothie?

Kitty (or Marie, as I might refer to her in future posts) has a blog for you to follow, if you are interested: http://wolfychicks.blogspot.com

Also, don't forget to follow up on her progress with SKOW: http://discoversomethingwonderful.blogspot.com