Mt-Maigetsu: Issue No 8
This month's banner by MapleRose
CONTENTS
Wassup in this issue?
A/ i/What's New in Minitokyo:
All the exciting stuff in summary! :D
A/ ii/Ask a Mod Mai-chan's Mail bag!
All your questions have been answered :3... not really >_<
B/ The Adventures of Popular-chan
PoPuLaR-chan begs for forgiveness, will she get it?
C/ Anime Spotlight
... DOH!
D/ Play that Funky Music!
Another fangirl review...?
E/ Tip of the month
Textures for Paint Shop Pro users
F/ Get to Know Your MT Staff!
An intimate chat with the one who started it all...
G/ Featured MemberS
Wow... so much typing going on... what's going on?
H/ Featured Group
Mai-chan's favourite hangout.
I/ Staff Picks
Art that deserves more love!
J/ Competitions and Projects
Are you missing out on the fun? Join in :D
K/ Group Ads
Looking for a new group to join, or to make new friends?
L/ Have your say!
Mai-chan wub wub wubbbles PMs <3
M/ The Usual Stuff
The enlightening links to Minitokyo Zen-dom...
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A/ i/RECENTLY IN MINITOKYO...
This section was brought to you by MapleRose XD unless specified otherwise :3
***THE MT MAINEN: VOTING DEADLINE EXTENDED!
Due to MT being down for a number of days last month, the deadline to vote for MT Mainen has been extended to Feb 28th. If you haven't voted yet, now you have more time to vote for your faves and least faves of 2007. For a list of categories, see here: Mt-Maigetsu: Special No. 3 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
The results will be out next issue!
***MINITOKYO WINTRY WONDERLAND
Mt-Maigetsu: Special No 1 WINTRY WONDERLAND 07-08
The deadline for entering is now over. Thanks to the participants for entering. Keep your eyes peeled on how to vote soon!
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A/ ii/MAI-CHAN'S MAILBAG
Since nobody has left Mai-chan any love letters or any sort, or asked her out on a date, she wishes everyone a great Valentines Day!
Be it a quiet night/ day in with your loved one, or mustering up the courage to blurt your feelings out to the secret crush, we hope you have a good one! :D
Don't forget that there's also March 14, being White Day. So guys, you'd better be prepared to give the girls a reply~! ^.^
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B/ THE ADVENTURES OF POPULAR-CHAN
What Not to Do in MT
Disclaimer: This was written purely for entertainment purposes, no offense is intended in any way. This is a work of fiction; any resemblance to real actual persons, places, or events is purely coincidental. Thanks to BotFreya for all her help ^__~
Part VIII: Please un-mute meeeeeee!
Remembering your horrific experience upon discovering that you were muted, before you go to MT today, you silently pray that the moderators changed their minds and everything goes back to normal for you.
Full of hope, you go to your MT page. However, your heart sank as you saw the words "Muted Member" beside your name at the top.
Oh no, you're still muted? But why? Maybe it'll change when you log in. Quickly, you type in your username and password and see if you can post anything.
Nope, it's still the same as yesterday; you're still faced with messages of "You are a muted member therefore you cannot post."
Nuuuu! What do you do now? You can't participate in MT at all... Maybe if you talk to the moderator and say that you didn't know about the rules and that you didn't know what you're doing is wrong, she'll un-mute you. Yeah, that's it! Afterall, if you didn't know you're breaking the rules, they can't call you on it, right?
You click on the name of the moderator who muted you and go to her page, ready to compose a long explanation of your situation. However, when you scroll down to the bottom of the page to post, you discover that you can't. Oh right, you're not allowed to post in guestbooks.
Now what? You can't complain in the forums or ask anyone about it on the forums either. So you go back to your page to look at the moderator message again.
Just when you are ready to give up, you spot a "PM" option. Through your experience on previous forums and message boards, you know what it means. Yeah, you can try giving the moderator a private message! Wait, you're muted, are you even allowed to PM people? Oh well, it's worth a try.
Hey look, you are allowed to PM! Yay!
So you go on to carefully compose a message saying how you didn't know the rules, and therefore didn't know you were breaking them, and that you're really really sorry. Finally, you politely ask if she can un-mute you. There. That should do it.
Meanwhile, you decide to look for scans to download. You can't download right now, but since you have the time now, you can find them, and download them when that moderator gets your message and un-mute you. Again, instead of using the bookmarks function of your browser, you add the scan to your favourites (at least you can do that).
An hour later, when you check your messages, the moderator still hasn't replied to you yet. Maybe she didn't get your first PM? So you decide to PM her again, saying much of the same thing as in your previous PM. There. Now she should get the message.
With nothing more to do, instead of waiting around doing nothing, you decide to log off and do something else instead.
The next day, you're delighted to see a reply to your PM when you log on. You were so focused on that, that you didn't even notice that you are still a muted member.
Excitedly, you open the PM, expecting the moderator to apologize for the mistake, and say that she will un-mute you. However, your expectations fell as you started reading. The note said that not reading the Policy is not an excuse. You were supposed to read the policy upon registering; and you were already given a previous warning, asking you to read the policy. And it says in the policy that
Quote: As a member of Minitokyo, you agree not to use Membership Services to [...] submit, post, or otherwise transmit non-pertinent and non-requested messages constituting "spam." You understand that Minitokyo and its staff have the right to remove any content that is in violation of this Policy and enforce membership restrictions on any member found in violation of this Policy.
Therefore, she cannot and will not umute you.
Oh no, what are you going to do now?! What if you PM her and ask for a second chance? Or maybe, ask different moderators and ask them to un-mute you? Hey, that's it! So you compose several PMs begging to be un-muted, saying that you're really really sorry, and you're really sorry and that you won't ever do it again. Maybe if you sound remorseful and friendly and understanding and nice, someone will see that you're a good person after all, and reinstate your status as the most popular member of MT!
To be continued...
Article written by MapleRose
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C/ ANIME SPOTLIGHT
Remember, you can suggest a new anime, and one of the moderators here at MiniTokyo will watch the first episode and give you their honest review of it.
If you want to suggest an anime for a moderator to watch then PM the details to Mai-Chan. Just give the name of the anime, and include a couple of reasons why you think we should review it (is it funny, beautiful, gritty?). Simple enough, ne!
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Unfortunately, this month we don't have an Anime Spotlight due to all sorts of stuff going on in our everyday, mundane lives T_T We all wish we were superhuman - we'd write up the article even during sleep!
But do keep your eyes peeled, because due to special request by melymay we will be reviewing Code Geass Lelouch Rebellion... lots of monstrous machines and destruction... yum yum! Can't wait!
PS: Would YOU like to contribute to the Anime Spotlight? Send in a "mock" resume of about 200 words on why YOU would like to write for us :D PM Mai-chan (Subject: ANIME SPOTLIGHT) :)
Article written by kuroimisa
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D/ PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC!
Stepping backwards.... do YOU remember?
GACKT- LOVE LETTER
Released once upon a time on Valentines, 2005
*squee*?
Well, this is a time back machine for all you Gackt fans out there. Do you remember this release?
Time for a little bit of context - when this album was released, a lot of the songs previously released were a lot softer than Gackt's usual style. A lot of hype was up in the air because this was a special Valentines release.
Gackt is the mysterious probably most recognised Japanese celebrity (other than Koizumi, KAT-TUN and SMAP'S Kimura - though it's arguable) who will not reveal his age. He brushes his teeth with Men's Biore, claims to do abdominal exercises when washing his hair (and boy can he flex...) and was the former vocalist of "Malice Mizer", before he started up "Gackt Job", his own little band... or rather, CULT (;D) of instrumentalists to help his solo career get under way. He bore an incredible resemblance of Cloud of Final Fantasy (7) in his PV Vanilla... no, seriously... check out the similarities!
Back to the album.
To my surprise though, most of the lyrics I thought were repetitive, and the album consisted of "but I've heard this song... wait, this is the same as the song BEFORE..." tracks, and Gackt's singing style had changed dramatically from an energetic vocal earthquake to a soft tickle in the throat. All he really needed was a dictionary. I think the best thing lying around was actually a thesaurus, leading to the very similar lyrics in just about every song ('arittake' vs 'seiippai' - they are almost the same thing).
The songs were not rock-like at all in nature, and instead consisted of a bunch of (soft... as in marshmallow Mai-chan soft) ballads.
Though the album was extremely refined and each track finished in its own right, the ballads, lyrics and composition were not very original, except for maybe one, "Aritakke no Ai", which happens to probably be the most successful and "can't get you out of my head" tracks.
The most this album did for me was give me a fuzzy (yet super cheesy) feeling, which didn't last for long (though the cheesiness never wore off) - there was nothing particularly tear jerking or moving about this album, and to be honest, if the album was seen to be a tribute to his fans, I'm sure many of them (like me) would have liked to hear his rock-like, shirt button bursting vocals.
So, were you touched by this album? What did you think? Did you enjoy the change in his style and did you welcome the album as one of your favourite releases? Or did you give a great sigh of relief after hearing his later releases, after confirming that he DID still have a rock side to him?
Let Mai-chan know your thoughts - post a comment!
Gackt Official Site
Wikipedia
Cool Like Plastic - Misa's favourite Gackt fan site
Your Minitokyo Source for Gackt goodness
Article written by kuroimisa
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E/ TIP OF THE MONTH
Last month brom showed you how to use textures/patterns in Photoshop. This month we will be showing you how to do that
for those Paint Shop Pro users out there. Click below to be enlightened!
Tip created by MapleRose
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F/ GET TO KNOW YOUR MT STAFF!
This month we get to know a little bit about the founder of MiniTokyo, the almighty Sheqel!
(firefly note: Due to time differences/schedules, this interview was conducted via
PM.)
F (fireflywishes): Why did you start Minitokyo? What was your inspiration?
S (Sheqel): Well, at that time I was an active member of both DeviantART and
Anime Layer, and occasionally visited some image boards. DeviantART had the restriction that you can only submit your
own artwork, Anime Layer and all the other image board were very unorganized, with very limited sorting, filtering and
archiving options for the mass of images. I was also quite new to web design, and it appealed to me. I decided to
improve my scripting skills by practicing on this image board project with better "browsability". Eventually I
found myself buying the domain, and finishing the project with the support of friends.
F: What did you hope to accomplish through the creation of the site?
S: As I mentioned, I wanted to create an image archive type of site with good
filtering and searching options. General image boards only allow you to browse by date of submission, and some even
remove all entries older than a certain date. As I looking for specific scans for my own wallpapers, none of these sites
had any option to search images from a specific anime, or assign them a rating to filter the junk, which was quite
inconvenient in my opinion.
F: Did you ever have any doubts/reservations about the site?
S: I really created Minitokyo for fun, and didn't have many expectations at the
beginning.
F: Did you ever think that Minitokyo would become as popular as it has?
S: It has exceeded my expectations by far.
F: What is one of your favorite/best memories about Minitokyo?
S: Seeing a community form and grow was a new and very cool thing to watch.
F: What are your plans for the future of Minitokyo?
S: I am currently putting more work again in Minitokyo. I'm working on a new
layout, which the main goal to make Minitokyo lighter, and thus quicker. It should be finished in a couple of weeks.
Generally speaking, quantity and quality are equally important to me, and I hope there can be a place for
"lesser" and a broader variety of scans in the future on Minitokyo, since a lot of people take interest in
those too. Not all moderators agree on my view, so we will see what will come to pass.
F: What is the first anime you ever watched? What was your impression of it?
S: I think that would be an episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion. While that
particular show did not move me terribly, I knew anime was something different from Western shows; it tends to capture
emotions a lot better through the style of art and the conveyed storylines.
F: If you could live anywhere/in any time where would it be and why?
S: So far humankind has shown improvement in its lifetime, on a mental and
technological field (technological more-so though). With that in mind, the future can only be a better place to
be.
F: What do you do when you're not on MT?
S: A couple of months ago I have launched another large website, which I made
with my girlfriend. It also takes (and has taken already) a lot of time.
F: What is a bad habit of yours?
S: Laziness and procrastination for sure.
F: Do you believe in the supernatural?
S: I'm agnostic on that subject really. I did some research on Christianity
though, and I give their Bible a very slim chance to be the truth; Buddhism for example does better in my book. I do
like to read about supernatural things though.
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That concludes this month's "Get to Know Your MT Staff!" Thanks to MapleRose for requesting Sheqel for this month's interview. Remember, if you have a Mod that you'd like to know more about, or would like to submit a question you'd like me to ask a Mod, send it to me (fireflywishes) via PM.
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G/ FEATURED MEMBER
This month in tribute of Valentines Day, we're going to do things in pairs! Just kidding! But we would like to feature
two members of the community for their excellent contributions!
andrewong1980 may not necessarily be a name that
will ring a bell immediately, but when you look at his wonderful history of gallery comments, you'll immediately see why
he is a great member.
andrewong1980 does not simply just comment - he also gives his own opinion and offers constructive criticism to help the artist. His comments are elaborate and full of energy, to convey what he truly thinks of the gallery item.
The belief that a comment being "less is more" is not the case here! If a handful of members wrote comments as constructive as these, the artists of Minitokyo would improve exponentially.
Well done for being a fine role model!
Lady-Lotus has also been busy in the department of
gallery commenting, particularly bringing attention to her comments on scans. Scan comments are exceptionally rare and
you can say they are a relatively neglected area of the gallery despite its high popularity and demand.
She has also been submitting various scans of high quality artists (Rain's one!) and overall has been great for her translations of them, too!
A round of applause for Lady-Lotus... she has worked hard - we are proud of you!
Article written and banners made by kuroimisa
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H/ FEATURED GROUP
This is my favourite group <3 Because everyone here is so helpful to me >w<
If you haven't visited it already, you should! Because if you didn't know, elite-members may not be part of the staff, but we do positively contribute by moving around items to the right spots.
Take me for an example *^_^* I post the MTMs :D Hehe just kidding... have a great Valentines, everyone <3 <3 <3
PS: I am open for choccies if you would like to give me some XD
Article written by Mai-chan <3
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I/ STAFF PICKS
Aqua Alta by tida
It's really incredible to compare this with the original scan; which was black and white, dark and emotionless. Every element in the scan has been changed into a complete beauty with bright colours. Its pure and neatly done vector combines very well with the scenery and reflects a sense of peace and happiness. chosen by gaara-no-shukaku
Lucia by laverinne
laverinne never fails to impress with the amount of attention she pays to the detail in her works. (definitely full view this one) The blending of the colors is also top notch! chosen by fireflywishes
Omega Blue by Dioma
A simple, yet super neat vector seamlessly worked into an absolutely fabulous background make this wallpaper an awesome addition to MT's gallery. The colors are beautiful 0_0 This isn't your typical planet/starry wallpaper: it won't make your eyes bleed! chosen by Chloe-chan
O_O The Awesome Ladies by tAtEkAnE
tAtEkAnE is famous for her brilliant wallpapers, but this doujinshi shows she can start up a new career in Pixar. The characteristic round eyes and facial expressions are classic of some of our childhood animated films, and the brush strokes add a nice style to the artwork. Go and take a look, because it's nice to see something refreshing every now and then. chosen by euna
Do you know of an item you think deserves more love? You can actually PM Mai-chan about it! Include the gallery item and a short reason why you think it's great. If Mai-chan also thumbs up, we'll feature it next issue! Just don't nominate your own gallery items X-P Cheeky cheeky!
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J/ COMPETITIONS AND PROJECTS
(in alphabetical order)
Anime Alphabet Project
Project for Paint-o-Rama: The Anime Alphabet project is still going
on. Make painted wallpapers from series/artists/studios that begin from letters of the English alphabet (as categorized
by MT) and have the entries of the project featured on the group page in rainbowy colours. There are only 5 letters
left!
Announcement thread: Anime Alphabet
The Minimalist Inspiration Project
Simple-ism's project, with minimalism as the theme.
The challenge is to bring life to a wallpaper with less while expressing a clear strong concept - in other words, what
you think minimalist simple-ism should be. Anyone can enter.
Announcement: Full Guidelines (offsite)
UA's the "ONE" Challenge
Project for TheUnderappreciated: There are 4
categories available: one colour, one technique, one color+ technique, one shape. Simply create a wallpaper focusing on
just the one element. There is no deadline- project ends when there are at least 5 entries per category.
Announcement thread: UA: The "ONE" Challenge.
Valentine Contest
various~ANIME~group is holding a
fanfiction writing competition for Valentine's Day. This fanfiction competition is open to everyone in minitokyo. Write
a one-shot Valentine-themed fanfiction, it can be from any anime and in any genre. The deadline is February
29th.
Announcement: Valentine Contest
Vexel Revolution Project
Vectory is hosting its first project. The aim of the
project is to change the perceptions on vexels and to put it at a higher level than before; and also to provide info and
tutorials on vexels and vector arts. This project is open to non-members as well, and for the time being, the project is
on-going and has no set deadline.
Announcement thread: Explanation of 'vexel' and other guidelines
which?waller Round 4
The Planning Board: which?waller is now at its
4th round! What's is which?waller you ask? It's a walling guessing game, where people submit walls anonymously, and
others have to guess who made what. The deadline for entering this round is Feb 22nd, so still plenty of time to join!
For themes and details, check the announcement thread.
Announcement: which?waller Round 4 begins!
Remember if you don't tell us it's on, we can't tell everyone else. ;)
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K/ GROUP ADS
A great place for sharing the same love for vectoring in walling <3
Love your dose
of fanfiction? Let the imagination and creative juices flow. Or even if you just like reading, it's worth a visit!
- A place for fans
of the Rozen Maiden dolls!
- The base for fans of Galaxy Angel!
- Where fans Shinshi
Doumei Cross gather!
- A place
for Kira Yamato fans ^^
- For fans of Sola ^^
- Kamichama Karin love <3
-
Can't live without the pen-tool!
- Painting is IN!
- A love for Gundam SEED/Destiny
Gundam 00 Devil is a group for those who love the new series released by sunrise and
discuss each episode with other members.
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L/ HAVE YOUR SAY!
Want to see your group advertised, we now request you send in your group as well as a short summary of it's purpose or current highlights. This will of course become far more useful that an icon alone. Also if you feel there is a group or a member worthy of nomination in the MTM again please PM it. Questions, comments, whatever, simply PM the MTM with the subject MYVOICE.
Remember the MTM is determined by you! ^^
Below are banners: featured member, featured group, a MTM writer and I <3 MTM banner (free for use by everyone).
Feel free to use these banners anywhere you want- signature, group page, userpage or even personal blog/ site! Please
click them to get the hosting link.
Looking forward to your company next month (and keep sending me PMs T.T)
From botchii, with love
Call me Mai-chan <3
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M/ THE USUAL STUFF
All
about the Mt-Maigetsu: requests, ads and features --> To know how to advertise and nominate your group or member
you would like to see on the MTM!
The Policy --> A must read!
The Userguide
--> For day to day living!
Forum
guidelines --> Keeping it clean!
Common problems and
their solutions --> Got you covered!
Visit HeadQuarters for more juicy goodness or contact your nearest friendly moderator.
Links compiled by LittleJonny100
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(c) Mt-Maigetsu 2007; any part of the Mt-Maigetsu or in its entirety cannot be reproduced in other publications without prior permission from the author(s). If you wish to share the Mt-Maigetsu, simply share the url- thank you.
