Jaded Perspectives

This week, let's take some time to take a look at one of the earliest (in terms of timeline) appearances of the main villain of the final arc. She is none other than Nagi's ultra-violent and super greedy cousin, Hisui Hatsushiba. Based on appearances and context clues in the manga, it can be surmised that Hisui is probably around the same age or possibly even younger than Nagi. She is the elder sister of "Jenny" who looks nowhere near her age based on Nagi's recollections at the time that she found Tama. Also, there seems to be little family resemblance there. Hisui's face may look menacing, but she's also petite (a little bit shorter than 14 year-old Nagi), has the same body type as Nagi -- and if you really look at her, she's actually pretty cute. Furthermore, Hisui is an expert hand-to-hand combatant and seems to prefer wielding a scimitar in a fight. She is able to stalemate Hayate when he is actually being serious before she gets her huge

Naturally, I would never forget mai waifu's birthday. Also, my tweet got noticed by Hata~ Huzzah! Anyway, see you next week. Here's my painting process of a HayaNagi pic for Nagi's birthday.

I've been absent for quite a while due to IRL stuff. Anyway, I haven't had much time to continue my fiction mini-series (conclude, actually) but that might change this weekend. For now, I hope you'll settle for this short video. Finished product at the bottom Berkeley Watercolor Pad. I don't think this is artist grade, but I have no idea what brand of watercolor paper I should use anyway.

November 11 is Hayate Ayasaki's birthday, btw. Happy birthday, ex-butler and Nagi's lover. It is very confusing in the forest of lies. It is different for everyone who ends up inside. It is a forest that reflects the inner truth – the ones that most people try their hardest to hide. At this point in the prince’s journey to find his would-be bride, he found himself in the deepest part of the Forest of Lies. He had been walking for quite a while with his trusty steed by his side. Finally, he understood the words relayed by the knight of red and white. “Listen to the voices inside. This forest is fickle and it whispers ever so slight.” The voices were quiet at first – ever so slight, but slowly, they grew louder, like insect wings in flight. “Who do you love?” The voices asked in mischievous delight. “It is none other than the princess in black attire.” Was the prince’s prompt reply. “Why do you love her? This princess in black attire?” “It should be quite

I've been a bit busy this week, so no new essay, but here's a video of me painting Nagi as Ruby from Mobile Legends.

Just finished catching up with all the currently scanlated chapters of Hata’s new manga, Tonikaku Kawaii. It’s now up to volume 3, so if you feel like supporting the author of Hayate no Gotoku!, go ahead and order the manga online through your favourite hobby supply store. Anyway, this week, I’d like to talk about my general impressions of Tonikaku Kawaii in relation to Hayate no Gotoku! First of all, I must say that it’s a nice change of pace. There’s the fact that the romantic relationship between Nasa and Tsukasa is established from the very beginning and that no misunderstanding exists between them. The only real mystery is Tsukasa’s true identity and/or what she really is because there are hints that she might actually be thousands of years old. However, as to the two main character’s feelings for each other, it’s established from the start that there is romantic attraction between them, although at this point, I wouldn’t call it love yet. Actually, what they both admi

It had now been quite some time since the beautiful prince entered the Forest of Lies.  There were rows upon rows of tall trees whose branches filled the sky. What is more, the scenery seemed to look all the same after a little while. Still, with one goal in his mind, the prince kept riding straight forward without even batting an eye. But even so, even with his strong desire to be reunited with his would-be bride. Even the resilient prince soon grew tired. “How long does this go on? This Forest of Lies?   I have already been travelling for miles upon miles!” He shouted out to the branch-filled sky, but only the echoes of his voice came back in reply. Soon, even his trusty steed, could no longer sustain its powerful strides. It slowed down to a walk, it was obviously quite tired. The prince dismounted from his noble ride. “Old friend, you’ve been with me through all this time. Take a rest for a little while.” A contented snort came back in response from the horse with

I see a lot of people vent-posting, so why not? Also, read the whole post before you drop any of your pearls of financial genius wisdom on me -- genius. I'm posting to vent, not to ask for your unsolicited, unwarranted and probably annoying financial advice. Also, please don't include me in your prayers. I am an atheist and your prayers aren't going to change my mind nor "help" me in any tangible way whatsoever. Furthermore, do take note that I live in a country wherein social welfare is realistically nonexistent and what happens if you can't make enough money to feed yourself or seek medical attention for serious injuries/diseases is that you die. If you live below the poverty line (which I don't), you'll probably die sometime anyway as target practice for the motorcycle assassins currently prowling the streets for anyone who even looks a little bit like a drug addict. So... this is more or less what my bank account looks like near the start of

Life has been unusually busy -- and not in a good way. Anyway... have a video and fanart.

This week we have a video version of an older post from here Fanart Corner Like I said, I've just recently discovered how fun Mobile Legends can be. I'm pretty  sure other heroes are fun and all, but for now I enjoy using Layla. Layla Nagi will drive away the darkness!

Six days had passed as the prince followed the trail of the golden fireflies. There was no end to the path in sight. So much so, that he was starting to believe that the girl had lied. Before long, it was already the sixth night. “This is probably a wild goose chase. I’m being taken for a ride.” He thought of how much he loved his would-be bride. The princess clad in black attire whom he had fallen in love with at first sight. Suddenly, on the road ahead, he saw a man lying down… was he perhaps dead? There was a girl in a thick black cloak by his side. She was ever so slight that the prince missed her form at first sight. “Hunger is indeed quite a burden to bear, but stranger, you’ll live if you’ll just take a bite from this pear.” “Thank you, dear lady. You are indeed generous and kind. I think I can manage, but this fruit is expensive. Are you sure you don’t mind?” “It was the last of my food for the road ahead, but I’m glad to part with it if it means you don’t e

On his steed, the beautiful prince rode in haste, to find the Forest of Lies without waste. He rode for awhile, for days on end, until he came to a foreign land. “Excuse me, sir. Might you lend me a hand?” He asked this of an old, silver-haired but somewhat well-built man. “Yes, of course. Ask away, lad.” Deep inside, the prince was quite touched – at the fact that he had been called a lad. After all, as you may be well aware, he was always being mistaken for a lady with his feminine face and skin so fair. “Can you tell me anything about the Forest of Lies?” “Oh, it is known to all, but to travel there would be unwise.” “I fully understand that monsters may lurk inside, but sir, if you would please tell me where to go, for I have to find my would-be bride.” “Well, now that is a different matter altogether. Fine then, young man. To the tavern, let us step inside.” And so, the two chatted for a while and before long, morning had given way to the night. “I see

Just a video of me using my White Nights watercolor set to paint Nagi using washes for a negative painting technique and finishing up with hard outlines.

So it has come to my attention, that a lot of Hina shippers, which of course, doesn’t necessarily apply to all Hina fans, are quite dissatisfied with the ending of Hayate no Gotoku! Because they claim that they at least wanted to see Hina’s confession scene. The way Hata handled it was apparently quite disrespectful to her character... well, ok, I’ll give you that. In fact, I agree with you. So for this week’s Hayate Reflections, I’m going to give you exactly what you want, enjoy! Yeah, like she said, how does that make you feel? Are you satisfied yet? I sure am. Hahahaha!  This is lordcloudx and this has been Hayate Reflections – sort of. I’ll see you next week for the third episode of the Prince’s Bride.

Chapter 2: Love At First Sight The beautiful prince traveled to the lands beyond. On and on he rode on his steed of black slashes and pure white.   Before long, he came upon a palace, or perhaps more accurately, a mansion of grand design. The place seemed abandoned, so he dismounted and carefully set the rusty iron gates aside. Perhaps the garden had a well for both he and his horse were thirsty and somewhat tired. He went around the building and circled to the right side, from there, he saw a well but something else filled his sight. It was a maiden of golden hair in a royal robe of the blackest of attires. His heart skipped a beat as their eyes met for the first time. “Oh my, who might you be? What a curiosity to find such a fine lady in this lonely royal mansion of mine.” “You’re mistaken, milady. Ahem,” the prince sighed as he stifled a look annoyance that even his pretty face could not hide, “with my admittedly feminine face aside. I assure you that I am a man

Read the first chapter here “I’m not sure what to call it… intuition might be close, or maybe it’s more of a wild guess. I suppose, if a wild guess, and I mean totally wild, based on nothing but first impressions is consistently correct, I guess it becomes a sort of skill… or talent. Something like that.” Eric Williams raised his eyebrow at his companion’s dubious claims. Raising the straw to his lips, he took a long sip from his frozen latte with his right hand while raising up his other hand to signal that he had something to say. Half-closed, jade-green eyes stared back at him. A sly smile formed on her lips in amusement. “Ahh… that was good,” placing his 20% finished latte quickly onto the glass table between them, he continued, “but anyway, Sheena, you mean to tell me that’s all there is to it? No fancy techniques? 101 rules for profiling a suspect or anything like that?” Sheena Baker bit her lips stifling a smile. “No, of course the basics are important. There are ple