Still Reading 'Bleach' and 'Naruto' Even If They Are Not Good Reads Anymore

Bleach and Naruto are supposed to be in their final respective arcs already, and are implied to be ending this year or next year.  And I am much disappointed by these two mangas’ developments and plots at the present.  Reading them is not as delightful as before; it almost felt like a chore that I have to get through every Wednesday.      

Bleach, at its early chapters/episodes, has been extremely kick-ass.  It had stood out from other mangas/animes for it was filled with electrifying twists, interesting characters, and badass action.  However, its best arc, for me, has always been the Soul Society Arc (the rescue mission for Rukia).  It was well-written, well-paced, and just totally awesome.  It was Bleach’s peak, in my opinion, and its quality has been in a gradual decline afterwards.  I also approve of its succeeding arcs up to the Fake Karakura Town Arc, but they weren’t as exciting as the Soul Society Arc. 

Bleach started actually sucking during the final battle between Ichigo and Aizen.  It felt to me that it lost its kickassery, creativity, and immense enjoyableness.    The Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc (with its Fullbring nonsense) was bland and needless.  And this current arc that features the Quincy – though it provided us the true background of Ichigo and his parents, which was fascinating – is generally underwhelming.  Of course, there were still flashes of awesomeness – like every time Kenpachi Zaraki makes an appearance since his character development remain fantastic and we are assured that something badass will happen with him around, or when the captains who lost their Bankais seemed to have figured out the way to win even without them – which kindle my enthusiasm and delight; but the manga fail to sustain those flashes.          

Kenpachi Zaraki's badassery...

...makes him Bleach's most consistent awesome thing.

Too bad that reputation took a dive when Ichigo has to save him from some girls.

Compared to Pain and Orochimaru, Tobi and Madara fail in comparison as antagonists in Naruto.  And the “big reveal” of Tobi’s real identity was a game-changing development but not at all mindblowingly awesome (it actually felt like “meh” instead).  Still, the stakes and plot kept Narutoin “must read” status.    There were still lots of badass action and developments.  In fact, it looks as if that it was heading to an epic finale.  Sasuke joins Naruto’s side.  Team Kakashi is reunited.  The four dead Hokages are resurrected – or, rather, re-animated – to aid Naruto.   The Third Shinobi War was heading to its climax.  It was great. 

And then everything went downhill when Obito (who adopted the name “Tobi” and had been pretending to be Madara) had a change of heart.  The real Madara was able to manipulate Obito into truly reviving himself and stealing Hashirama’s chakra from him.  As a villain, Madara is powerful but boring.  Further developments didn’t improve the blandness that Madara as a villain infused to the story.  It was revealed that Naruto and Sasuke are reincarnations of the sons of the “Sage of Six Paths” (ugh). And the revelation of the origin of chakra did not appeal to me.  These made Naruto unreadable and it totally undermines the ludicrous but awesome ninja mythos it has.  But the thing that pissed me most is that Kakashi lost his Sharingan! When that happened, it finally made me realize that I’ve lost all enjoyment reading Naruto.

I could have eventually forgiven the horrible costumes, the boring villain, and unexciting mess of plot developments...

...but this was the last straw.  Naruto sucks.

Still I read Bleach and Naruto even though I am not pleased with these two mangas now.  Why?  It’s because I’ve been following and loving their stories ever since I was in high school, and since they are supposed to be in their final arcs already, it felt that I owe it to them to see it through the end – even when they are generally sucking.  That is the curse of fandom.    

Besides, I am also holding on to the hope that, eventually, things will get better.  It’s still not too late for improvements happening on their plots.  The stories can still become epic at moment’s notice.  It’s still possible for them to end in a high note.  And I can’t miss that.  (Again, the curse of fandom)     

Still, I wish they have been consistently good as One Piece and Fairy Tail.  Despite the slow pace sometimes, these two are legitimately the most delightful reads among the major mangas (Kuroko No Basuke is my most favorite manga nowadays but I don’t consider it a “major” title).     

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Top 10 Writers of Fiction

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been a bookworm.  I’ve gotten into all kinds of genre of literature, hence, I can claim that I am somewhat well-read and have been exposed to many writers of fiction (of course, there are probably a couple of great writers that I haven’t encountered yet.  Example, there are plenty of general ravings for George R. R. Marin nowadays, but I haven’t read a single A Song of Ice and Fire book yet). 

There are a lot of talented storytellers out there, but I got only room for ten.  Here are my top 10 favorite writers of fiction, based on my fondness of their works and my preference. 

(First, some honorable mentions [considered, but didn’t make the final cut]: Harry Turtledove, Neil Gaiman, Edgar Allan Poe, John Grisham, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ann McCaffrey, Dean Koontz, R.L. Stine)

10.) TOM CLANCY

Ian Fleming’s 007 books are immensely enjoyable spy thrillers, but it was Clancy’s Jack Ryan books who gave readers an actual intelligent look on the intelligence game through a work of fiction. Hence, Clancy’s technically detailed Jack Ryan novels are as thrilling as Bond’s over-the-top adventures, but also more mentally stimulating. 

I have read (and have in my collection) all Ryan books up to Red Rabbit (though this tale falls on Ryan’s career’s earlier days), and they were all awesome.   However, I haven’t read yet any Ryan book after his presidency (which were more centered on his son, Jack Ryan, Jr.) – starting with The Teeth of the Tiger – but according to several, it’s not as great as the early Ryan books.    

9.) CHARLES DICKENS

 

Dickens is considered by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian Era.  His stories mostly deal with themes of social condition and human morality, and he utilizes his storytelling to effectively critique and analyze those days’ social issues.  I’m fond and have been moved by a lot of Dickens’ works, but my most favorite, for it touched me most, will always be A Tale of Two Cities.        

8.) MARK TWAIN

There is a reason why Mark Twain (pseudonym of Sam Clemens) was called “America’s Greatest Humorist.”  His writings were incredibly witty and entertaining.  He loved to tell yarns and tall tales, that even when he was writing non-fiction, you can’t rely on its truthfulness, but they will be surely entertaining. 

I first got to encounter Twain through his most popular works, Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  I was still in my elementary days then, and those stories mightily appealed to me because of all the fun boyish stuff in it that I could relate on.  But, at this point, my favorite Twain novel is A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.             

7.) STEPHEN KING

The real “Master of Macabre” is Edgar Allan Poe (this is the author that sent me on frequent dictionary trips while reading his works) or H.P. Lovecraft (I am aware of his style and the mythology he created.  But I’ve never really read a lot of his works. That’s why he was not even in my “honorable mentions.”  Most of my Lovecraftian readings came through some Lovecraftian short stories of Neil Gaiman), but if you are familiar with King’s works, you would see why some call him this.   He knows how to use the elements of horror and fantasy to the benefit of his stories. 

There are criticisms out there that brand King as a “poor” or “shallow” writer.  But, for me, as far as the King books I’ve read are concerned, Stephen King is a master storyteller.  His stories are very entertaining and will really grip you,  The Stand and The Dark Towerseries are probably King’s best works.      

6.) JOSS WHEDON

 

Whedon is a storytelling genius.  His written works – mostly scripts for TV and movies – though probably lacking real depth and not really intellectual, are full of heart and wit.  He really knows how to create characters, dialogues, and sequences that will be extremely delightful and notable.   

In making movies and TV series, there are a lot of writers involved in the process.  But when Whedon is part of the project, his participation stands out because infusion of his brand of clever storytelling, amusing humor, and thrilling twists to the product are noticeable.  Some of his most important works are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Toy Story, and the Avengersmovie. 

Aside from writing stories for TV and film, Whedon also writes for comics, particularly the Buffy comics.  However, Whedon’s best comic book work will always be his run on Astonishing X-Men, which is not only one of the best X-Men stories ever written, but is one of the greatest comic book stories ever written.

5.) ALAN MOORE

Due to writing this list only did I realize that my most favorite comicbook writer is Alan Moore.   Whether it is a superhero comic book, a fantasy comic book, or a horror comic book, Moore has great mastery and versatility in telling stories through the comic book medium.  The Killing Joke is one of the best Batman tales ever.  His run on Supreme has been brilliant, combining elements of the Silver Age of comicbooks to a metta narrative.  Watchmen is the greatest comic book story ever.  League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Miracleman, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, etc.   The man might be acting like a creepy and crazy “grumpy, old man” nowadays, but as far as writing comic books is concerned, he’s arguably the best.  (Too bad Marvel never got to make him write for one of their major properties.  Really intriguing to wonder what awesomeness he could have done for Hulk, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, or the Avengers.  He did get to write a couple of Captain Britain stories, and they were well-praised, but I haven’t got to read them yet.)

4.) SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

 

Conan Doyle had other literary works, but he has made his name in history as the guy who brought us Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective in fiction.  Being phenomenally proficient in observation and deduction himself, Conan Doyle easily created a fictional character that mirrors his gifts.   Then, he was able to construct brilliantly written adventures that would make this character be exceptional.   Indeed, I’ve read all (canon) Sherlock Holmes stories, and they are among of the most absorbing readings I’ve ever had.    

3.) ISAAC ASIMOV

Asimov is one of the most prolific writers, if not the most, in history.  He has written so many books that if you read one Asimov book a week, it would take you around nine years to read them all!  His written works are highly varied, of different genre and of different topics.  But he is most known for his science fiction works.   There are many science fiction enthusiasts (me included) who consider him as the greatest science fiction writer of all time.    His stories are pretty smart, but they are very easy to follow and are a lot of fun.  My most favorite works of Asimov are his Foundationseries and Robots series. 

2.) MICHAEL CRICHTON

 

So far, the “smartest” reads I’ve ever had came from Michael Crichton.  He has the knack of utilizing a mix of actual and fabricated scientific and historical facts, and build exciting tales around them.   There will be a couple of “technical paper” writings incorporated in his novels, but these are the most entertaining papers you will ever read.   Often times, Crichton will also let his stand on some controversial issues be reflected in his novels.  Reading Crichton’s works are not only enjoyable, but also very informative and thought provoking.  

1.) C.S. LEWIS

In my tribute to C.S. Lewis, here was how I described him as a writer:

He wastes no words; it’s as if he always nails the best words to use to perfectly strike his points home.  He provides thoughtful and clever illustrations to make his ideas more empathic and engaging.  His writings are always meaty, insightful, thought-provoking, appealing, and delightful.  Reading Lewis’ works is very rewarding and refreshing.

Whether fiction or non-fiction, I find Lewis a fantastic writer.  But as a fiction writer, particularly when I read his Chronicles of Narnia, his writing was able to stir a childlike imagination in me (despite of me being a teen then), making the world of Narnia wonderfully vivid, filling me with delight, and, at the same time, the stories’ themes were made very real to me.  I’ve had experienced many “reading highs”, but Narnia was an amazing experience that has never been replicated in any of my other fiction readings so far.       

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Some Thoughts Before the 2014 NBA Finals Starts

With my beloved Lakers out of the playoffs, I was rooting for a Warriors (or Grizzlies)-Pacers NBA Finals match-up.   And I’ve rooted for every team the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat faced against.  Why?  I’m a Lakers fan.  I want neither the Spurs nor the Heat to win the championship.  If either of these two teams will be glorified by a championship this time, they would significantly steal a significant piece of my beloved Lakers’ celebrated “championship thunder.”  But those two are what came out on top of their respective conferences.   Argh.     

This NBA Finals' storyline

* * *

Just like the Lakers, the Spurs have been a championship pedigree team.  Ever since I’ve started following the NBA, the Spurs have consistently been one of the best teams through the seasons.  Even when they were not considered as title contenders, they have always made the playoffs (On the other hand, the Lakers have missed the playoffs twice already ever since I’ve got into the NBA fandom).  This is a large thanks to the fantastic tutelage of their Coach Gregg Popovich and the leadership of Tim “The Big Fundamental” Duncan.  The Spurs have won four titles during this Tim Duncan era.  If they win another one, they will tie the Lakers’ five titles under the Kobe Bryant era.   I don’t want the tie to happen.  Tim Duncan would rival Kobe Bryant in being the “winniest” among modern NBA superstars.  And a 5^th championship could even be enough for Duncan supporters (and Kobe haters) to use as ammunition to argue that Duncan is better than Kobe.  Would like to avoid that.        

And I don’t want the Heat to win another championship because…. well, they’re the Heat. 

* * *

Look, as a Kobe fan, I have nothing but “hate” for LeBron as a basketball personality.   But as an objective basketball fan, I respect and am impressed by the guy.  He’s a real beast of a baller.  He doesn’t possess the same rich arsenal of beautiful moves and mental badassery that Kobe possesses, but it’s because he doesn’t need to.  His innate build, athleticism, strength, quickness, and talent are enough to overwhelm opponents and propel himself to victory.    That has always been his game.  Ever since his Cavs days, the philosophy of the team LeBron plays in has always been about deferring to him to dominate.  Before, I thought such style won’t ever get him a championship.   I was proven wrong.

He has the basketball gifts to excel in almost every aspect of the game: defense, steals, blocks, rebounds, dunks, assists, and playing all five positions to an extent.  His dribble and drive are ugly to watch, but he can amazingly muscle himself inside.  His shooting is ungraceful, but it does make results half of the time.   Still, the point is, there’s probably no other basketball player that ever has been as “all-around” as LeBron. 

Therefore, if LeBron James leads the Heat to a threepeat, I will acknowledge that he’s, hands down, within the Top 10 players in NBA history.  Really.  LeBron’s personal awards and achievements are already impressive at this point.  But winning three straight rings, and getting another Finals MVP, would really solidify LeBron among that pantheon of basketball legends. 

But I’m not cheering for LeBron.  Again, I “hate” him.  I will only cheer for him if he’s winning championships in purple and gold.    

* * *

The Spurs is actually a team that nobody hates. Unless you’re David Stern.  They are an admirable basketball team.  In a league of superstars, they maintained an identity of “no single individual is bigger than the whole team.”  They are not concerned about impressing audience with glamorous plays. Teamwork, hardwork, and solid foundation on the fundamentals are their bread and butter, and they find success by sticking to these principles.  They are often called “boring.”  But they don’t care, as long as they win.  And I can’t help but respect and like this team.  Simply, the Spurs are the anti-thesis of the Heat (and the Lakers, actually).    

So I’m choosing the “lesser of two evils” route here.  I will go with the Spurs in this Finals.  Just I did last season.  It’s a no-brainer, really.

And I really thought they were going to do it last year.  But this happened…   

I was rooting against the Heat, but I have to admit that that was an enjoyable epic moment.  I got to witness that live, and it’s one of the most awesome NBA performances I’ve ever seen.

The Spurs are usually a poised team, cool under the pressures of late game.  But there are times that they do blunder. Like that epic regular season game against T-Mac where he scored 13 points in 35 seconds to steal the win from them.  Another was that Game 6 wherein Ray Allen got the chance to save the Heat.    

If the Spurs win, it would be wonderful for a Spur other than Tim Duncan and Tony Parker to win the Finals MVP.   Last Finals, I was hoping Danny Green would win it (though it was far likely for Parker to win it; despite Green’s record-breaking Finals performance, the Spurs offensive success was all possible due to Parker’s ability to break the Heat defense inside with his drives). This time around, I’ll go with Manu Ginobili.   With that, each one of the Spurs’ “Big 3” would have won a Finals MVP.  And I like Manu.  Would want to let him enjoy an MVP.  And it would be in sync with the Spurs’ identity that no single superstar has won the championship by himself.          

* * *

So (reluctantly), #GoSpursthen.

Exactly.

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05-11-14 Dynamic Worship Special Number

In a way, this special number was a prep for our upcoming participation for the first Daeshin Youth Camp (we left for it the following day) for this song was a part of one of the sets we prepared for the event.   

(I played bass for this song; since our band was a bassist short for the majority of May, I did mostly bass duties for this month.) 

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The Prince of Preacher's Most Haunting Quote

Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon is one of the most significant and influential Christian figures in history.   He was a Baptist preacher during his time, and was known to deliver thoughtful and powerful sermons, thanks to his articulate and masterful expositional and oratory skills.  He was even called the “Prince of Preachers.”   Spurgeon’s writings and sermons (many of which were transcribed) were many, thus, there is a rich amount of profound and notable quotes from Spurgeon.  But among these quotable quotes, the quote that made the most impact to me is the one which I have posted above this paragraph. 

The first time I encountered that quote, it really stunned me.  It made me pause and reflect.  Indeed, if I am truly a Child of God, then I should delight on things that my Father delights in, and despise the things that my Father despises.  It’s as simple as that.   It’s the gauge to determine if my faith is sincere.  And I fell short.  Realizing this, I repented.                 

Since then, this particular Spurgeon quote haunts me.    

The pleasures of this world, both the permissible ones and sinful ones, are nothing compared to the pleasures found in the fellowship with God.  I know this.  I believe this.  But often times, I put worldly pleasures above God (which is basically idolatry).  I succumb to temptation; I sin.       

That’s why I am thankful and glad that Spurgeon’s quote is haunting me.   Whenever I found myself enjoying pleasures more than I enjoy God, I reflect on that quote and it leads me to repentance.  This is my continuous struggle. 

I pray that God will use this haunting quote to really transform my heart into finding ultimate satisfaction in Him alone, that there will be no tinge of hypocrisy at all whenever I profess my faith in and love for Him.

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Joy Music Team at Daeshin Youth Camp '14

Joy Church's music team was invited to lead the praise and worship sessions of the first ever Daeshin Youth Camp which was held at JRM, Amadeo, Cavite, last May 13 to 15.  There were about six full sets of praise and worship, but the compiled clips below are the only video documentation we were ever able to take.  This footage was recorded by a smartphone during the morning set of the second day. 

     

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Celebrating Kobe

Let me start this by letting me share which I think is Kobe’s greatest dunk ever.

 

It’s definitely one of the most exciting in-game dunks in the history of the NBA. 

Let’s have a closer look…

And from another angle...

Just wow. 

I can’t blame you if you would prefer to gape at those GIFs over and over again rather than proceed to the rest of the article.  It’s understandable.   

But that’s Kobe Bryant for you.  Inciting awe is what he does best.  And we can’t help but clap and cheer.    

Doc Rivers, of all people, once said: “I just wish more people would celebrate Kobe, I really do.   Of all the guys in our league, that bugs me more than anything, that it just seems like we spend so much time trying to tear him apart and I think we're missing how great he is. And I think it's a shame.”

Celebrating Kobe.

To a Laker and Kobe Bryant fan like me, that goes without saying.   I’ve always celebrated his talents, his career, his toughness, his work ethic, his victories, and even his photos.   I’ve always looked up to the man.   He has always been awesome in my book.      

But after Kobe’s Achilles injury at the late part of the humiliating 2012-2013 season and Kobe playing just six games during the abysmal 2013-2014 season, only then did it really sink on me that Kobe’s best years has passed by already.  Kobe is truly in his twilight already.  The days of Kobe dominating are gone.  That is the sad reality.

Can Kobe return back to an elite (and when I mean “elite,” it means up there with MVP-caliber players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant) form?  The possibility is there, but it’s highly unlikely.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not doubting Kobe.  If anyone can make an epic comeback from this situation, it’s Kobe.  But the odds are stacked against him.  I’m just being realistic.   Nonetheless, I desire nothing more than Kobe proving me wrong.     

But given the present conditions, it is only objective to presume that Kobe Bryant’s Golden Age is gone.    There will no longer be another 81-point game.  There will no longer be back-to-back scoring championships.  There will no longer be All-Defensive First Team selections.  And if ever Kobe Bryant manages to win more championships (which I’m still hoping for), it’s not totally because he steamrolled the opposition. 

And it is at this point where we should appreciate Kobe more.  He’ll be playing at least two more seasons, and any possibility of extension is dependent on how he’ll perform on those two seasons.  During this short remaining time that we can still witness Kobe on the court, we should savor every moment of it.  This goes not only to a LA Lakers/Kobe Bryan fan like me, but to the typical NBA fan as well.   Even if you are Team LeBron, a Michael Jordan zealot, a Celtic fan, or just a good ol’ Kobe hater, if you are truly a fan of the NBA and basketball, I am pretty sure you’ll miss Kobe Bryant and what his career brought to the game after he’s gone.  Seriously.   So love him or hate him as much as you want, but you got to celebrate Kobe Bryant’s greatness.  Respect and appreciate the Black Mamba.  For he is objectively one of the most captivating, most phenomenal, and most enjoyable players that ever played the game.    

I, for one, am are totally thankful that I was able to witness and enjoy the Kobe Bryant era.

I’ll leave you with a few more gorgeous GIFs of Kobe displaying his awesomeness so you can have some idea of what we’ll be missing once he’s gone…

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