Murugame Udon Eastwood Mall Although they have a lot of branches in the metro, we tried eating in the less crowded brach at Eastwood mall. Or perhaps it was the day when we went? Friends keep recommending it to me as an affordable place to grab Japanese food. So I had always wanted to try it as I pass it everyday from home to school. The quantity is huge for one person. So it’s definitely super sulit! The dishes taste good, too. Not so high up the charts but above average. The ambiance is very Japanese indeed, a self service restaurant where you grab your tray, pick the food you want to have., as they already have some prepared like the Chicken Karage, a variety of tempura, and for the udon, you need to grab a clip representing the udon order you would like. Pay it all in the cashier, grab drinks , utensils and condiments at their condiment bar, and wait for you food to be delivered. I do want to come back to try their other dishes if I crave Japanese donburi again. I am looking forward to trying the ebi tempura and curry rice. What we did order are: Chicken and Beef Donburi Curry Udon Chicken Karage Fried Tamago (at Eastwood Mall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CphIdUmBCZQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

This café Kopilism tucked away in the corner of a car wash / detailing shop is a hidden gem! Kopi Luwak (civet coffee) (₱125 - 16oz) is really good. No acidity at all, and they even added chocolate to it! Slightly sweeter for my taste but that doesn’t bother me at all. Their Peach Lemon Tea (₱92 - 16oz) is also refreshing. I’ve been doing blog entries while waiting for the car. The staff is kind and friendly! #kopilism #gastronomicaladventures #GAPH #cafe #cubaocafe #kopiluwak (at Kopilism - Ermin Garcia Ave.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpckGGlhs1t/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Kabsat La Union Kabsat, a word from Ilocano which means sibling, also used as endearing way of calling a friend or someone close to you without you guys being blood related. In Tagalog slang, it can be compared to “Tol/Utol” or in English “bro/bruh”. In all honesty, we decided to grab coffee and light snacks in the afternoon when we came here as we already had a heavy lunch. The guys didn’t want anything, so we just ordered the: Nachos (₱340) Does not really look impressive, especially for the price. Taste is even worse. Churros con Chocolate (₱250) This would have been good. What can go wrong. The quantity of course. La Niña (₱290) Sanngria with rose wine and fruits. They sincerely made up for the cocktails. This is so good for my taste. Riptide (₱260) Watermelon, gin, calamansi, sugar and basil. For a hit afternoon this is bery refreshing. I do know what appeals people to come here. The native boho style decor, it’s by the beach, a good view of the waves, very hip youthful taste in music, and the hang out. What we didn’t like is the service, as waiters wouldn’t pay attention to people raising their hands or calling them. The value for money is also not substantial. Small servings, indeed. Perhaps you’re paying for the location. Will come back? Erm.. maybe for partying, drinking and chilling. After all, Elyu is a party scene. #GAPH #gastronomicaladventures #whattoeat #gaph #wheretoeat #foodie #wheretodrink #whattodrink #Kabsat #elyu #launion (at Kabsat La Union) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpcB17YB6Ot/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Parola Seaview Restaurant 📍Danao, Cebu Parola (from the Spanish word “Farola”) coined to mean “Lighthouse” is situated perfectly in Sands Gateway Mall, blessed with a 180° view of the sea. This al fresco restaurant developed by Creative Cuisine Group, has a very relaxed and homey interior design, with the use of native materials giving pride to Filipino handicrafts. You may choose to sit in the shaded area during lunch hours, which was the time we went there, as it’s still quite hot and humid despite the weather, but I would imagine it to be better during sunset and the evening , and would prefer to sit in the second floor with fresh evening air and a bottle of ice cold beer. They offer a wide range affordable menu for groups. Our group of six is already full and satisfied with our orders of: Baked Scallops (₱210) Voluptuous scallop meat baked in their shell with a generous amount of cheese. Bistek Cebuano (₱325) One of their special dishes, is this Bistek Cebuano, which is not very different from our local version, but it has this special herb put into it that changes the whole flavor. Definitely one of the dishes that we love here. Kare Kare with Bagoong (₱345) Not all are made equal when it comes to this dish, but being my favorite, I could attest that it is very good with passing marks. I love the creamy peanut sauce and the bagoong, probably homemade, suits it’s best. Black Pepper Shrimps (₱235) This simple dish has a very flavorful sauce that is best paired paired with plain rice. Couldn’t get enough of it. Piña - Guava Mix (₱225) At first, we were shocked by the price of this drink because it is higher above what other restaurants price range is. However, we were surprised by how delicious this concoction actually is I just hope that it is more fresh fruit than powdered. All in all, I would give this restaurant rating a four out of five (🌙🌙🌙🌙) with perfect ambience, , delicious food, affordable prices, and quantity, and good service. #gastronomicaladventuresph #gastronomicaladventures #restaurantreview #GAPH #parolaseaviewrestaurant #danao #wheretoeatindanao #danaorestaurants (at Sands Gateway Mall Danao) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpZD4CZhuSk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Makimura Ramen Bar in Luisita, Tarlac Still one of the best tasting ramen in the Philippines after experiencing the Japan version. Here they have a few twists to their ramen broth. Of course, we have the original taste broth, the spicy (fave), squid ink (thick and tasty), and pesto (surprisingly good)! Their #makirolls are also delectable! Go to ramen bar if you’re craving! #gastronomicaladventures #whattoeat #gaph #wheretoeat #ramen #makimuraramenbar #tarlac (at Makimura Ramen Bar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CowhdUDhOG7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

@superbowlph despite the presentation of the dishes served, the flavor is very authentic. The dimsum platter (₱360) has pork siomai, fried dumplings, hakaw, shangai rolls, and a pork bun. We loved everything here. Just imagining how it tasted is already making my mouth water! For those on a budget, you may try their rice toppings for only ₱180 We had the Pork Asado and Beef Brocolli. Super loved the beef broccoli bowl! It also comes with a glass of lemonade. We also tried the Braised Tofu with Mushroom (₱260) great for vegetarians but also tasty for those who are not. Overall, the taste is 4/5. Definitely worth to come back to! Also noticed that most of the customers are Chinese. So authentic taste check! ✅ (at Superbowl of China, SM Moa) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn96Ek2h0G4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

TIM HO WAN 📍 Uptown Mall, BGC Don’t need to say anything about this three Michelin star Chinese restaurant. Everything tastes really really good! 😋 (at Tim Ho Wan, Uptown Mall, Bonifacio Global City) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnZEvGtBic7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Title: Sword Art Online Alicization: War of the Underworld

Episodes: 23

Season: 2nd season of this arc

Plot: since this is a continuation of Alicization, you can refer to the plot here:

And continuation here: The final load test... The war between the Human Empire and the Dark Territory has engulfed Underworld entirely. The battle has shifted course with the Dark Territory army led by Gabriel, who seeks to capture Alice, the Priestess of Light, against Asuna and the Human Empire forces fighting to save Underworld.

My Review: 🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙 5/5

Aside from the first season of SAO (it holds a special place in my heart) this would have to be the best one yet! With stunning graphics and a very intelligent storyline, I would want for this to rank up the top of the recent anime I have watched this 2021.

‼️MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

(read at your own risk)

For some reason, I feel like you can compare Kirito to Superman of the virtual world. A person who has the greatest and kindest heart, who tries to save everyone he can any way he can, extremely overpowered and is loved by many.

Growing up reading comics as a child, I can remember this one issue when Superman died and the whole world lost hope and turned into chaos (not refering to the movie with Batman). This is like the same thing, but yet it’s refreshing.

It’s nice to see (in a way) Kirito being out of the picture for almost the whole season, and shining the spotlight to other characters in this anime (Asuna, Leafa, Sinon, Klein, and even minor character roles!) And of course, when you need him most, as cheesy as it may sound, he’ll be there to save you (with help of course from the people around him).

Another thing I love about the Alicization arc is that it’s not full harem this time. It’s really refreshing and comforting to see Eugeo and Kirito’s brotherly love for one another! Finally another male major cast!

Did I talk about the graphics? Super amazing edge of your seat experience! Fight scenes are definitely full of excitement and thrills! The ending was a cliffhanger but it won’t ruin any of the eps you’ve watched thus far.

The plot on the other hand is quite complicated as I’ve tried to explain in my previous review. If you’re not into sci-fi genres then this might give you a headache, but if you love SAO, then you can still watch it without worrying about technicalities!

Do I recommend it?

YES!

Cosplans:

Asuna with wings 😊

#saoalicization #waroftheunderworlds

#animereview

I’m back ya’ll! Character: Eto Yoshimura (casual version) Anime: Tokyo Ghoul #ElluneCosplay https://www.instagram.com/p/CK9fA-5LNEW/?igshid=1apek3qlljixb

#MilkTea #Taro #Chocolate #Wintermelon #Thai #Matcha (at Highlands Cafe In The Sky) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKP5h-yBOiW/?igshid=oyrvqmg4x47l

Kono Oto Tomare: Sounds of Life (2019)

Seasons: 2

Episodes:

s1 - 13 ep

s2 - 13 ep

Genre: Music, Romance, Drama

Summary:

Kudo, a high school, branded teen delinquent decided to join a Kono club in his school where he meets a girl (Hozuki) who’s a genius and the heiress to one of the reknowed Kono schools, and his senior

Kono club president, who wanted to keep the club alive after being left as the only member when his seniors graduated. Together, the three recruit more members to prevent their club from being disbanded and in turn develop a bond over playing Kono.

Review:

I don’t know if you understand my summary, but basically it’s about music, and high school, life and problems.

I’ve watched a few musical anime in the past like Nodame Cantabile, Your Lie In April, Lost Song, Love Love, and such, but I have not had a strong feeling like I have for this anime.

Think of it like a sports themed anime where they have competitions for prefectural, regional and finals. There’s a thrill to that kind of theme, right? Same goes for this anime. Add a sprinkle of romance and comedy, with a dash of drama to hold it all together and I am entranced by the series!

Note that it has 2 seasons, and I personally bawled over the second season more than I would have expected.

There is a lot of background story to the characters in the show and you won’t get overwhelmed by it. In fact, it adds to the charm of the anime and you’ll learn to see where they’re coming from and able to empathize with them.

The main reason why I was attracted to watching it even if I had my wavering doubt to its greatness is because of the artwork / drawing. It reminded me of the good old days when every frame would be drawn by hand. Despited having the anime only released recently (2019) it has a nostalgic feel to it with the watercolor and pencil art.

The romance genre also isn’t lacking. What I love is that, it’s not leaning towards that theme but is just icing to the cake. A few hints in the whole series will leave you gushing for more that you’d want to read the manga to know their development.

Now, to the main dish, the music. The anime has a great score and you can get motivated to actually play the Kono. The melodies are easy on the ears and fun to listen to that I end up searching for them! As a pianist, I am curious to try the instrument. It’s like a mix of piano, guitar and harp!

Overall I would give it a rating of 5! 🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙

Even if you have no Kono or music knowledge, I would recommend this anime for the feels and storyline.

“If you’re going to rely on word alone, they better be incredibly powerful.” - This was Todoroki’s encouragement words to Deku. Character: Todoroki Shoto Anime: My Hero Academia #ElluneCosplay ———————— . . #todoroki #todorokishouto #todorokishouto #cosplay #anime #bokunoheroacademia #myheroacademia #myheroacademiacosplay #bokunoherocosplay (at Boku no Hero / My Hero Academy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIbVXRCrp7r/?igshid=s3zfafofhndk

Arifureta - From Commonplace to World's Strongest (2019)

Genre: Adventure / Fantasy

Season/s: 1 Episodes: 13

Plot: A group of students and their teacher are summoned to save an alternate world. One of the students, Hajime, our protagonist, who's known as the most ordinary guy in class and is always being bullied. One day, their group was sent out to explore a labyrinth. Hajime was betrayed by one of his classmates causing him to fall down the labyrinth. After falling into the abyss, he struggles to survive and with his perseverance, he fights his way out and become stronger. He meets an imprisoned vampire, Yue, whom he forms a very close relation with. The both of them helps each other to find their way out of the labyrinth with the goal of going back to his own world. They meet friends along their journey and he gets reunited with his classmates. Imagine how shocked they are to see his change.

Date Watched: November 10-14, 2020

My Review: 🌙🌙🌙🌙 4

A fairly new anime with another world adventure theme. I have watched various anime of the same genre and I never get tired of it. However, the reason I am giving it only 4 stars is because I find it too short and fast. ALthough, all the plotlines are there, I just wanted more out of it. Basically, so I won't spoil it for you, it's like a mix of Shield Hero and That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. The cool part about it is how Hajime transformed from your everyday ordinary character to a super hot and cool protagonist! I can definitely understand the harem in this situation, but I am not really into that. I respect the guy for staying loyal to his one and only love/partner, even mentioning it several times in the anime.

Is he overpowered? Yes. But it's not boring to watch because you get excitement from the expectation of his reunion with his classmates. It's a total in your face reunion, even if he stays cool all through it.

Also, the couple reminds me of Zack and Rachel from Angels of Death, or Taiga and Ryuji.

Would I recommend it? Yes. It's even renewed for second season!

Cosplay plans: I want to play Yue, but the height... I'm a big girl so I am more suited for Kaori and Shizuku.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Season/s: 2

Episodes: 12 + 12

Plot: Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane are two geniuses who stand atop their prestigious academy’s student council, making them the elite among elite. But it’s lonely at the top and each has fallen for the other. There’s just one huge problem standing in the way of lovey-dovey bliss—they’re both too prideful to be the first to confess their romantic feelings and thus become the “loser” in the competition of love. (from manga)

Date Watched: 

Season 1 - way back 2019 

Season 2 - August 7-11, 2020 

My Review: ?????????? 4

This anime will have you feeling nostalgic to your high school romance or love life. Remember the girl/guy you liked from afar but didn't want to confess because of fear that whatever you think may happen will happen?

This anime is all about that in so many ways you could possibly think of. It's totally relatable and annoying because you just ship these two together so bad but it takes forever for them to end up being together!

That being said, there is a lot of "kilig (feel-good, doki-doki, heart warming) moments to make you stay and watch the next episode expecting if it will be this time when they'll finally say their feelings. 

It's also funny in its own way. The humor is subtle at times but more hijacking in other times. You'll laugh in the middle of the night unexpectedly while watching it. 

It's highly relatable as you can see yourself in one of the characters in the show. 

Would I recommend it? 

Yes! Totally would. It's light, funny, a few episodes and smart too!

Cosplay plans: I recently cosplayed Kaguya Shinomiya. If I was able to pull her off, do let me know! I'm more like her, afraid to tell people how I feel because of my darn pride. I do want to cosplay Fujiwara Chika though! Just need a wig for her and I'm all set. Oh, and maybe have the uniform adjusted too cause it's a bit big for me. 

Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun (2019)

Genre: Comedy, Supernatural

Season/s: 1 Episodes: 23

Plot: Ikoma is a kind-hearted 14-year-old boy whose parents sell him to demons for their own selfish interests. However, the demon he is sold to has no grandson of his own, so he dotes on Ikoma and sends him to demon school. (from manga)

Oh! You can think of it as Harry Potter in the Netherworld.

Date Watched: September 3-6, 2020

My Review: 🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙 5

This is one of the best feel-good anime I have watched for this quarter of the year. It aired in October 2019, but it is now available to watch on Netflix. Currently, there is news of a season 2 on April 2021.

Ever felt like there is anime you can watch forever, everyday and you wouldn't get bored? This is it for me. There are no annoying fillers and the humor can be compared to Saiki K. It's filled with clean jokes that will fill you up with laughter. I literally LOLed in almost every episode and people at home would think I am going nuts!

As for the artwork, it has a resemblance to old school 90s anime we're used to watching like Dragonball, Hunter X Hunter, Pokemon and such. The scenes are super colorful but not in annoying way.

The protagonist Iruma is warmly welcomed. He has a great personality and makes everyone him feel comfortable but also has a hidden talent of getting into the center of attention even if he doesn't want to. He's voiced by Ayumu Murase, the same VA for Shoyo Hinata of Haikyu! I thought Iruma was voiced by a girl, but turns out he is really versetile!

The other characters are easy to love and there is no big boss antoginist yet in the first season. Just a whole lot of wholesome fun filled episodes of Iruma's adventures in the Netherworld and how he turns things around!

Total cliffhanger at the ending, but you'll be satisfied all throughout!

Would I recommend it?

Yes! I never got bored of it, and I even wanted to drag it out when I was nearing the last few episodes because I knew I would miss them. Sadly, I really do and wish I can watch the next season the soonest........ TT__TT

This definitely deserved a top spot in my book!

Cosplay plans: Azazel Amelie or Valac Clara. I really want to cosplay as Azu Azu but his costume is a lot of work and layers.

The Asterisk War: The Academy City on the Water (2015)

Genre:  Action, Science Fiction

Season/s: 2 Episodes: 24 S1 - 12 S2 - 12

Plot: Invertia was a meteor storm that caused an unprecedented disaster during the 20th century. Because of this disaster, numerous cities around the world were destroyed. However, within the meteor, an unknown element called mana was discovered. It allowed human technology to make rapid strides giving rise to a new species of super-powered humans, the Star Pulse Generation (Genestella). The Festas (Star Warrior Festivals) host battles between Genestella at a city of six academies called “Rikka,” also commonly known as “Asterisk.” Scholarship student Ayato Amagiri transferred into Seidōkan Academy in order to fulfill his own wish, swearing he too will fight in this city.

Date Watched: August 25 - September 2, 2020

My Review: 🌙🌙🌙 3

This could have been a wonderful anime but for me it's not really as memorable as I want it to be. It has no engaging storyline that will get you hooked, the characters are stereotypical and to be honest, I really dislike the male protagonist. His personalilty is confusing. It's like he has multiple personalities depending on who he's talking with. Also, the harem is unbearable because I really don't feel like he deserves it. The main character Ayato seriously reminds me of Kirito but more annoying. At least I know Kirito only has eyes and his heart only belongs to Asuna even if he is super nice to everyone. The lack of character back story is also a downer. Everything was already in your face and complicated from the start and if I were a newbie to themes like it, I would seriously be so confused. The music is not too good as well, you can't enjoy listening to the bgm alone.

On the bright side, There is a lot of fan service in the anime though so I guess it has a plus point to guys out there. The art is also good since most of it is probably computer generated. The OP and ED songs are quite good though, I'll give it that.

You know, this would have been better as a RPG game or h-game..

Would I recommend it?

Only if you have nothing else to watch. It's alright while watching it, I fell asleep a few times and have to backtrack. It's not memorable. Once you're done watching it, you don't miss the characters at all.

Cosplay plans: The only character I felt a connection with is Julis-Alexia von Riessfelt. The school uniforms are pretty cute though.

Great Pretender (2020) Genre: Action, Crime, Comedy Season/s: 1 Episodes: 23 (until September 21, 2020 on Netflix) Plot: Makoto Edamura is a con man who is said to be “Japan's greatest swindler.” One day, after trying to pickpocket a foreigner, Edamura finds that all of his money was stolen instead. Chasing the man down all the way to Los Angeles, he learns the foreigner is Laurent Thierry, a French con man who has ties to international criminal organizations. After Edamura follows Thierry and thwarts his big drug deal, Edamura gets tied up and left to die on the famous Hollywood sign. Date Watched: August 27, 2020 My Review:  5 I saw this anime on my reminders on Netflix and I was first attracted to the artwork. It's so flashy and colorful that it reminded me of Jojo's Bizarre Adventures and those apps where you color by number. I forgot the app name but I used to be addicted to that. What I mean is, it's over the top awesome and pleasing to the eyes. It's different than all the other anime I've watched before, and yes I'm still talking about the artwork. I'll post a picture in the comments, if you're reading this on Facebook. On tumblr and twitter it'll be on this post.

As for the story itself, it's a mash up of Money Heist (most current example for comparison) where it gets the wit and plot twists) and Catch Me If You Can (the movie played by Leonardo Di Caprio, and he was by the way mentioned in the anime.. Maybe that movie/story inspired this?). So basically, as you've read from the plot, it's about a swindler who was swindled and taken into a drive through of the complicated world of con artistry (is there even a word like that? I can't spell check since I am using notepad when I do my anime reviews.) Would I recommend it? YES

So far, I am on episode 5 of 14 episodes uploaded by Netflix. I was so hooked into watching when I started episode 1. It's now 1:25 AM as I am writing this and I wanna watch more of it. (Totally opposite of Asterisk War where I gave up a third of the anime but I'll continue it soon enough.) I will post another screenshot of my desktop with time stamp for you to believe me. By the way, the first story arc is from episode 1-5. You can stop there and it wouldn't be a cliffhanger. I will yet to update another review once I finish the anime or another story arc, since episodes 15-23 will be released on September 21, 2020. The anime aired in Japan just this June 2020 and worldwide through Netflix this August 20, 2020. So it's still new but I heard there's a manga so you might wanna read that if you're into manga. Please do it on a legit site. Well stay tuned for an update! Ciao! Cosplay plans: TBA