So anyway. I was going to make a post about how I've started my spring semester, that I really like all my classes, and that I survived clothes shopping. I was even going to post some fannish stuff, for the first time in ages. However, all those plans just went out the window, because I just saw the new chapter of Saiyuki Reload over at radiofreebanri and I have lost the ability to make a complete, coherent sentence.

In conclusion, OH MY GOD!!!

Someone please come talk with me about this, because I am flailing all over the place and need to analyze this EXCITING NEW TURN OF EVENTS. And also flail more. Yes.

I am having a brainfreeze while trying to write a fic. Can someone tell me if it's ever explicitly stated in canon what brand of cigarettes Sanzo and Gojyo smoke?

ETA: ...Holy cow, you people are fast. XD Thank you! Also, can anyone tell me what the differences between the two brands might be? In taste, structure of the cigarette, whatever.

I am bored and failing at posting. Rec posts coming soon, I swear. Despite the fact that there haven't been any in like a month because Higher Education is eating me alive and chewing on my bones. Also, new fic is on the way, a lot of it. (I know, I've been saying that for over a month, but I. Uh. Mean it this time. *expires*)

In the meantime! Partially in relation to a long fic I'm working on, and partially because I'm just curious and like to talk about Gojyo, and I haven't meta'd enough lately: Talk to me about Gojyo's sexuality. Does he prefer men or women? Does he prefer one for some things and the other for other things? How much do you think his history (with his mother and brother) affects his sexuality? What do you really suspect he's like in bed, aside from fanon and fanfic. Basically, what are your gut feeling and interpretations of Gojyo's sexual side? Talk to me.

And look, I even have an appropriate icon for this!

I have come to the sad conclusion that my immune system has up and died on me. I've has some type of flu/cold every single month since about Christmas, and I'm getting heartily sick of it, no pun intended. Dear World: It's summer. Flu/cold season is supposed to be over now. Agh. Being the hypochondriac that I am, I have of course decided that I have developed some horrible syndrome that has destroyed my immune system and now I'll have to spend the rest of my short life in a plastic bubble. But then, everyone else I know seems to be sick just as frequently as I am, and we're all complaining about how often we've had flus this year. So I don't know. Perhaps I'll postpone the bubble-ordering.

Onto slightly more interesting topics. I've been gleefully reading and rereading a whole bunch of manga lately. Aside from Sex Pistols, which I already mentioned and which is the most fabulous crack I've ever seen, I've finally caught up on Antique Bakery. I read the first bit of the series some time ago, and didn't really get into, but I've tried it again recently, and it's fantastic. Oh my goodness. I love this. *dies* Ono is the most wonderful character ever, but I adore everyone. The only problem is that I get hungry whenever I read it. Now I want cake. Mmm. I read the first two volume scanlations, and now I want to read volume three, but tragically I'm kinda broke right now, so I'll have to wait a few weeks to buy it. Woe.

Speaking of money, I dropped my last few dollars on Saiyuki Reload 4. ( Cut for slight spoilers )

The first round of answers for that meme. I don't guarantee coherancy here. The really long answers (for Sanzo/Goku, Goku, Gojyo, and Gojyo/Hakkai) will be up in the next few days. :D

( Kanzeon )


( Schuldig/Nagi )


( Farfarello )


( Hakkai )

I am fairly sure I am going to app Kougaiji for campfuckudie, so I'd like to ask all of you for your thoughts and opinions on him as a character, to help me get a better handle on him.

What do you think of him? What sort of person is he, in your opinion? What are some of his main characteristics? What do you think of his past, and how do you think it influences him? What do you think he thinks of other people, and what do you think his relationship is with his mother, Lirin, Yaone, Doku, Goku, etc...?

Tell me your thoughts on Kougaiji. :)

Gods, I love Burial Arc. I reread the Gojyo and Hakkai part a few weeks ago, and on a whim I started rereading the Sanzo part today. I think this arc might be my favorite chapters of Saiyuki.

Part of the reason I love it so much is that it's the 'missing years', but it's not filler. Those missing years are what shaped the characters and made them into the people we see in the later series. They're the events that gave the characters backbone and purpose, and strengthened their relationships.

I love the Gojyo and Hakkai chapters partly for the sheer OTP-ness. I mean, come on. They are so married. But I also love seeing at least in part how Gojyo went from being a gambler and playboy with nothing else to live for and care about into the Gojyo he is later in the series. And how Hakkai went from being newly reincarnated from Gonou and still deeply unstable, into becoming Hakkai. And still deeply unstable. *dies* And the advancement of their relationship with each other, and little bits of their lives before that are shown...it's wonderful.

The Sanzo chapters are particularly wonderful. It's some very important character development there, seeing how Sanzo went from Kouryuu to Sanzo, and seeing that even though he had the title, it really did take four years until he could let go of his anger and vengeance, and the life he had before to become Sanzo.

The Three Aspects were right; he really had gone off the path. He didn't know what he wanted anymore, he had no purpose and no clarity. He was apparently plagued by nightmares about his master's death every night, and he really was losing more and more of his sanity (like when he shoved the gun in that monk's face). After the Grand Reverend died, though, that was a real life-changing thing for him. It was first time he wore the robes of the Sanzo, after the Grand Reverend's death. And that was when he picked up the cigarettes, too. But more than that, he realized what he wanted, what he was living for, what he was fighting for.

And then, at the very end, after all that had happened, that's when he first starts hearing Goku. Wow.

And sweet Lord, the prologue and epilogue! The conversations between Ukoku and Koumyou, and then the little bit of Nii at the end...damn. It's obviously very telling, but as with many parts of Saiyuki, it's hard to figure exactly what we're being told.

This arc just blows my mind. Onto the Ukoku chapter!

'Nother reminder.

I will soon be using filters on this journal for all personal content. See this entry for more information, and to let me know if you want to be on the filters.

Also: OMG 100 ICONS! WOOT! *loads PSP7 to make new icons as fast as possible*

ETA: A meme junkie iz me. I can stop any time I want, dammit. Ask any of the characters from any of my fics a question, and they will answer.

( Hogwarts poll, 'cause all the cool kids are doing it. )

Things You Can Learn about the Plot of the Next Harry Potter Book Just by Looking at the Cover Art Bwah! Very funny.

I need to hurry up and finish OotP, though. I'm up to Snape's Worst Memory, aka, The Marauders Were Asses. Still about 250 pages to go, though. I think my main problem with OotP is that about half of the book could have been cut without sacrificing the plot. It's just too bloody long. The book really drags on in several parts, I think.

It was 115ºF today. *commits hara-kiri*

I bought a yoga mat, finally. No more sliding around on a towel like a fool! Yay!

Also, you must check out emungere's Ranma/Saiyuki crossover. emungere? Please marry me.

I got my copy of vol. 9 of Saiyuki yesterday! Whee! And, whoa. I did not expect that plot twist. *blinks* Also, is it totally wrong that I want to have mad sex with Kami-sama?

My writing is not going well. Actually, it's not going at all. I need to get off my ass and work on my youkai!Hakkai fic for yaoi_challenge. That's gonna be due before I know it. Also, it might be good if I finished the Crawford/Schuldig Seven Deadly Sins series one day. Oh, and my 835 fic. Yeah. *eyes stack of WIPs fearfully*

And I made this little icon for myself, because making fun of Scientology is fun!