My Favorite Anime/Manga

Mika Nakashima's "Glamorous Sky"

FACT: I am a Japan-aholic. I love all things Japanese, one of them including anime and manga. This blog post is mainly my anime/manga ranting, along with food porn and Oscar :)

Every year around this time, I secretly browse through various pictures of friends who attended the annual Anime Expo (a.k.a. AX) , which is a super-hyped convention for fans of Anime/Manga/etc., and their photographs of cosplayers, which of most were really bad at it, but there were a handful who were very good at becoming their intended characters...

Being an ex-avid-rabid anime fan, I'll admit that I've NEVER been to AX before. Why? Because it IS a super popular event, there are thousands of sweaty anime nerds standing/crowding together under the hot summer Southern California sun, and as I recall someone telling me that there are more and more people attending every year. That is a recipe for a slightly claustrophobic Stephanie...

I have this secret desire to cosplay my favorite anime character myself, but I am too shy to do it. However, if I rally enough friends who will commit to go as a group with me, then I will cosplay for AX 2010!

Who do I want to cosplay as? My favorite character from my favorite manga/anime of all time, of course! Osaki Nana from NANA!


Mika Nakashima acting as Nana couldn't be any more appropriate in the live action movie. She's so gorgeous!


I have a small interest in punk culture in its entirety. Aside from that fact, I love Nana's personality and character. Looking and having punk-ness flowing through her veins, she is a badass chick with a voice that can move crowds; an overall strong female figure... Underneath that appearance is a woman who is a lover to the man she loves, a friend who does not judge her friends but supports them no matter the circumstance, and can be vulnerable just like any girl.

I found many good Nana cosplayer photos, and they have inspired me to start. The only thing that irks me is that I'd probably have to go buy a wig for Nana's bob, or I'd do it the easy way and cut my own hair... She has a porcelain white complexion, VERY skinny, and piercing eyes. Eesh, sounds like it's going to be difficult.


So I want to dress like a (poser, if you will) punk girl, and let's say Nana is out of the picture, especially with those issues. My second choice would be Misa Amane from Death Note (one of my favorite manga/anime).

She is what I would describe as a cross between an angelic and gothic/punk girl. She is blond in the anime and manga series, but in the live action movie, she is portrayed with Asian black hair (by the adorable Erika Toda!). Misa is an idol who is popular with her sweet and cute appearance... except no one realizes that she also has a death notebook, and a dark past.

Erika Toda!


Her outfit looks like it would resemble that of what Nana wears. Look at her hair, look at her bangs. She is adorable. This cosplayer is the best I've seen on Google Images!


Decisions, decisions! :( It's okay though, I have one year to decide what I should dress up as!

My question for you is, what is YOUR favorite anime/manga/character? Sailormoon used to be my number 1 favorite as a child. As I started to branch out as I got older, I got into the more mature stuff. Nevertheless, I love the shoujo genre!

If you guys enjoy watching Asian dramas, NANA is like a drama infused with music and not your average girl-falls-in-love-with-boy kind of protagonists. WATCH IT!! Lots of mature themes too, mrawr! ;)

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Nails of the week: Inspired by watching the lovely Narita's youtube channel. Lots of nail tutorials, go check it out!


Strawberry cream danish from Little Crescent after going to the dentist. Delicious stuff, and the cream had a light hint of almond... very delicious!!


Eerie picture of Oscar with a shadow casted over his face. Still a cutie though.