Saturday, January 31, 2015
A Final Note
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Orochi Chapter 7 (Manga Release)
It's finally here! The second and final chapter of the third kanzenban of Orochi!! "Battle" tells the story of a young boy and his father. I can't go into it too much without giving stuff away, but it was well worth the wait.
I know Japan has made movie versions of a few horror manga titles (including a few Tomie movies based on Junji Ito's character as well as Umezu's own The Drifting Classroom), but I wonder if anybody over there has ever thought of making this into a movie. If they haven't, they really should. It wouldn't really be a horror movie, more drama with some very startling things, but it would be damn good.
Anyways, get ready for an incredibly long story that will (hopefully) give you a lot to think about. And a lot to shiver with horror at.
Best-quality (leveled and small file size; done by Anethum graveoles):
http://www.mediafire.com/?ynwthn1meod
Low-quality:
http://www.mediafire.com/?myzezjgtxzn
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZBVDIGET
High-quality:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RWGHHYHH
(Only Megaupload because it is 280 MB)
Also, some news about the future of Orochi - Thanks to a bit of info from NymphStealer (part of KuroKishakai, who did the first chapter of Orochi and half of the second chapter), I asked the person that had scanned the first three volumes of the series, [Ju-Ni] Vicissitude, if he had the fourth and final volume, and he said that he did! He said that he would scan it, and the trusty translator, molokidan, can get to translating it as soon as the job is done. I can't say when to expect the next chapter, but it should be coming eventually. Just keep checking here for details, as I'll post whenever something becomes concrete. Enjoy the chapter!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Update on Orochi
Yesterday, I got the translation for chapter 7 of Orochi from the translator, molokidan. I've started working on it already, but it'll still be a long time before it's done. This chapter is over 200 pages and will finish the third kanzenban. I haven't read it yet, but molokidan says that he thinks it has the best ending out of all the stories.
I've got a couple of things on my plate right now, including an upcoming anime convention, and that coupled with the many pages in this chapter means that I definitely won't have the chapter done before the end of the month, but unless something horrible happens, I should have it done by the end of May, probably long before. Look forward to it!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Midori (1992)
I'm still waiting on the translation of chapter 7 of Orochi, so I figured in the meantime, I'd get back to this blog's original purpose - sharing my opinion of all things horror. This time, the dish is Midori, a rather odd movie. It's based on a manga by Suehiro Maruo and was created by just one guy, Hiroshi Harada. It is also very hard to find, though like (almost) everything else, it can be found on the web.
I haven't read much of Maruo's work, only two things making up three volumes: Ultra-Gash Inferno, which I hated because it seemed to be nonsensical and gross simply for the sake of being gross; and The Laughing Vampire, which I enjoyed quite a bit, for reasons I am unsure of. I didn't know how to feel about Maruo's manga after reading those, but watching this movie made up my mind. I may not like all his stuff, but he does deserve to be respected. His work can carry a lot of meaning, if you're willing to look for it. And can get past the graphic depictions of sex and violence.
Getting back to the movie, Midori tells a simple story. A young girl with nowhere to go has to rely on a stranger's kindness, but she soon learns that he is no friend. Forced into a despicable life, with no signs of happiness, she must live on. I want to say that the overall story doesn't matter, but it does. To really get the points being made, you must look closely at the characters, aside from the story, but at the end, you must also think about everything that has happened, to understand what it means. Part of the reason I like this movie is because it shows you the grotesque images Maruo is known for, while moving along quickly, letting you know that the images are there, but they aren't all. There's more. I personally have made the mistake of assuming that Maruo's work is disgusting for no other reason than to have a disturbing picture, but this movie helped me to realize that while his work does give the people who want such images what they desire, it also says something. He draws the depravity of the human race, details how horrible we can be, establishes that these terrors can be anywhere and everywhere, but acknowledges that it is human nature. These are monsters, but they aren't mythical. They don't hide in caves or come out only once every seven years. They are people.
This movie is not for everyone, just as Suehiro Maruo's work is not for everyone. If you have a weak stomach, don't watch it. If you aren't going to think about symbolism and possible meanings, don't watch it. But if you want something that will get you thinking (and I'm talking, really fucking hard thinking), and you can stand seeing horrific images, watch this. And hell, if you don't like it, you'll at least be able to say that you watched a really rare and unique movie.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Orochi Chapter 6 (Manga Release)
Here's the first chapter of the third kanzenban of Orochi! In "Stage," a boy suffers a tragedy at a very young age and as a result gives up all TV and music. More than a decade later, he tries to break into show business. Has he forgotten about the misfortune of his youth, or are his intentions more than they seem?
I really liked this story, and I think a lot of people will. It's not strictly a horror story, but it's well told and paced excellently.
Low-quality:
http://www.mediafire.com/?hmczivyo30z
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YB3BCSPH
High-quality:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lw2z3h2rg2w
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3JBH3JVX
This is the first of the two stories in the third kanzenban, and it is about 130 pages long. The second story is over 200 pages long, so it'll take longer to do. I'll try to get it done before the end of April, so you guys don't have to wait too long for it (and because I'm going to an anime convention at the end of April and don't want a nagging feeling while there). As for what happens after that, I'm going to mess with my scanner, see if I can get it working, and talk to the translator of Orochi , molokidan, to see what he might want to do in the future. I hope you all enjoy Yuuichi's trip to the "Stage!"
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Orochi Chapter 5 (Manga Release)
Finally, it's done! It took forever, and I ended up having to do most of the pages twice, but it's finished and here for you to enjoy. In this chapter, a little boy tells a ton of lies. When he sees something horrible, no one believes him. What will he do when he is chased by a murderer and his cries for help elicit only laughs and condemnations?
I'm 99% sure there is no difference between the high quality and the low quality, but I'm still gonna give you the option of downloading one or the other. Because I'm crazy.
Low quality:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9OCBOAUR
http://www.mediafire.com/?2tnmqyomtmd
High quality:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=H5R06XM4
http://www.mediafire.com/?tt2nzqmtmmt
This is the end of the second kanzenban. Expect the first chapter of volume three within two weeks, hopefully less. After that, there will only be one chapter left until I'm out of stuff to scanlate. There have been talks of getting the fourth volume, but I don't have a working scanner right now (though I may be able to get it working soon). Anyways, I'll start figuring stuff out after I finish chapter 6. Enjoy "Key"!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Getting Back to Business
I'm going to try to hurry through this chapter, so I can put it behind me as soon as possible, and not seem like I'm giving up on the project. I can't promise I'll get it done within a week, but I'm sure as hell going to try.
Now, here's a page I've been testing on to show how weird Anime Ace looks and what Comic Sans looks like: