The less serious post of the day (j-drama, cute MMOs)

A couple days ago, I managed to find some jdrama episodes I wanted. Yay! I've been downloading Churasan torrents, and I snagged the first episode of Fuurin Kazan (which was pretty good... I want the rest, but it takes so long to download! ;.;)

Churasan, contrary to my mood most days, is a very uplifting series, with an cheerful, optimistic main character. The supporting characters feel very real with their various fears, expectations and desires. Bad things happen... but Eri pulls through, and it's easy just to want to root for her, even if the odds are against her. ^^; She doesn't always succeed, but she finds a way to look at it in a positive light. And somehow, all around her, people's lives are enriched by her attitude.

It's definitely something to watch to improve your spirits when you're down. When I'm watching, for the 15 minutes of that episode, I'm smiling and I'm relaxed. I wish I could feel like that all the time. :/

Other than downloading/watching jdramas, I've been poking at random free MMOs. Mostly cutesy Asian made ones, because I wanted something lighthearted that I could play when I feel like it and leave running in the background otherwise.

Currently Jon and I are poking at Dreams of Mirror Online or DOMO. Oddly, Raccoon told Jon about this game a WHILE back, but he forgot about it. And I found it again by chance. ^^; I think it's an interesting lil' game, kinda Ragnarok Online-ish I suppose, but with 3D cel-shaded graphics. I think the most interesting feature I know of so far is the ability to develop "relationships", as in special attacks or combos you can do with characters you are close to in some way. (You can be friends, lovers, master/disciple... think those are the possible 3 right now.)

Also, the English in this game doesn't suck bad -- looks like they actually got a native English speaker to check the translation! Heh! Imagine that. Though I imagine that foreign MMO developers have to do that nowadays to be competitive in the North American market.

Anyway, it's just something to pass the time. I've liked running games in the background while I work on stuff, lately. Like when I was messing with the Anthegenia site I had DR running, and was training Atma's weapon skills between bits of crappy CSS and Drupal configuring. I guess that means all I do in games right now is grind, but like I was explaining to some friends lately, I'm more into mindless gaming at the moment. Guess I just don't feel like thinking of very complicated things at the moment. I'm too emotionally volatile to complicate my life any further, sadly. :P

Another game I want to remember for later is Mabinogi, which Eni~ is all excited about for the chara customization and the supposed non-grindiness of the system. I'd like to see it to believe it, but from what I've read so far, it's more about interacting with the game, and building up trade skills, because it's more of a "fantasy life" game. (Though, you can still run around and kill things if you want! :P) Still, even trade skills can be grindy, so it'll be interesting to see how the game holds up to expectations.

Here is some info on Mabinogi on wikipedia, because I'm too lazy to go through the game's website and forum. :P Amusingly, Mabinogi is 3D and cel-shaded also. Heh! The graphics are more "real" anime-like than SD-ish as in Domo, though.

Mabinogi is still on closed beta though, so it'll be a lil while before it's playable. I'm gonna go poke at Domo now, and hope that some kind soul comes around and helps me get the last 3% or so I need of Churasan eps 31-36. ;.;