Ōmisoka- Second-most important day in Japanese tradition.

New Year's Eve in Japan is observed by settling financial accounts (kake ), eating a special noodle dish known as okake, which is hot soup over noodles, and taking a hot bath followed by a well-earned rest. Widely celebrated on December 31, Omisoka marks the end of the preparations for New Year's celebrations, which go on for the next three days. It is a popular time for visitors to drop in to exchange New Year's greetings over cups of hot sake and decorated mochi cakes.

The city of Ashikaga, 50 miles north of Tokyo, is the site of the 1,200-year-old Saishoji temple, headquarters for the Akutai Matsuri, the "naughty festival," or "festival of abusive language." On New Year's Eve there, participants walk (or take a bus) up a dark mountain road led by a man blowing a horagai, a shell that is supposed to fend off bad tidings. Some carry lanterns and wear cardboard hats bearing the picture of Bishamonten, one of the seven gods of fortune in Japanese Buddhism. The Saishoji temple was built in honor of this god.

The festival originated more than 200 years ago so repressed workers could let off steam; therefore, this is not simply a midnight stroll. Those hiking toward the temple atop the 1,000-foot-high hill scream curses into the night. They curse politicians, teachers, bad grades, low pay, and any other complaints of modern daily life in Japan. They release pent-up frustrations with words they ordinarily would not say directly to anyone. Bakayaro is one of the words most frequently heard. It means, roughly, "you idiot."

After the 40-minute walk the crowd storms into the temple, the bell is rung, prayers are offered, and the cursing continues. But when the new year arrives at midnight, the curses end and more typical celebration begins. Then the celebrants turn to another unique ceremony: when the priest calls the name of each worshipper, the individual kneels with a wide red lacquer bowl at his or her lips. Sake is then poured onto the person's forehead, runs across his or her face, into the bowl and is consumed. All this occurs while the priest reads the worshipper's personal wishes for the new year to the pounding of a taiko drum. This ceremony is supposed to ensure that happiness will flow in the new year.

On Omisoka, people wearing kimonos fill the streets as they go to visit shrines. But millions watch the "Red and White Song Contest" on TV. This marathon song festival, first organized in 1950, has become an indispensable ritual of the New Year. The show, lasting up to four hours, usually has 50 performers, 25 on each team. The Red team is comprised of women, the White team men. When the performances are over, the audience and a panel of judges decide which team won. Typical past performances include an orchestra playing Mozart and a group singing Okinawan folk music; a bit less typical was a female singer in a gown of feathers that made her look like a bird; as she finished her song she flapped her arms and flew away, suspended by a wire.

The TV show ends shortly before midnight in time for an older tradition: the tolling of the great bells in Buddhist temples at midnight. Priests strike the bells 108 times, a reminder of the 108 human frailties or sins in Buddhist belief. By the end of the 108 strokes of the bell, the impure desires of the old year have been driven away.

An ancient folk ritual of a very different sort is observed on the Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture, on New Year's Eve. Young men play the part of hairy devils called Namahage, dressing in grotesque red and blue masks and straw cloaks. They stomp through the streets shouting, "Any wicked people about?" and then pound on people's doorways, the idea being to frighten children and newly married women so that they won't be lazy. After being admitted to a home, they sit down for rice cakes, first scaring the wits out of children with stories of what will happen to them if they are naughty.

Love Doujinshi? - It's COMIKET 2013!

Comiket actually started back in 1975 (the name is actually a combination of Comic and Market) by a guy called Yoshihiro Yonezawa – who, in the early 1970’s became disolusioned by the state of the Japanese manga scene. He found that at the time, most published manga was becoming boring – with writers and publishers too scared to try new things. As a manga critic, he found increasingly that the best Manga were those in more underground publications – and so he founded Comiket, so that those publications could be more widely sold and read.

Since 1975 Comiket has grown in size to well over  500,000 attendees – and now features Anime, Manga, Games, Visual Novels as well as an army of Cosplayers.

It’s essentially a massive convention, where ‘Dojinshi’ – self published writers and developers of Manga and Games – converge to sell their wares over three days. It’s a great opportunity for people with great ideas and talent to get their products out there – without having to rely on traditional paths into stores.

Many artists and developers can be very successful by taking this route – and there are actually many stores in Japan now dedicated to selling doujin products, and many of the most prolific and talented doujin circles produce Manga and Games that can rival commercial products in terms of quality and production values.

The last Comiket was held back in August of this year – if you want to get an idea of the kinds of games that were on show last time around.

The Comiket was held from the 29th to the 31st of December, so expect we will add more articles about this event soon! 

Shingeki No Kyojin- Ilse's Notebook

Sometime in year 850, the Survey Corps forces are readying themselves to go outside the Walls once again. An annoyed Hange tries to speak to Levi, but before she can even say something, Levi rejects the thought, knowing that Hange wants him to assist her with capture of a Titan. After Mike also refuses, the gate opens and the soldiers head out, starting the 49th expedition, much to Hange's enthusiasm. Later, while the soldiers are taking a break, Hange argues with Erwin, who refuses to approve of the Titan capture operation, as setting up a base is their priority. Hange then leaves the tent and angrily confronts Oluo, using Levi as an example of how knowing your opponent is important to defeat them.

On the look out, Mike notices a Titan in the nearby forest. While all other soldiers are to be on guard, Hange rides a horse to the Titan's direction, with Levi being ordered by Erwin to follow him. Eventually, she reaches the Titan and while attempting to talk to it, the chase begins. She leads it out of the forest, however, the Titan suddenly stops chasing Hange and heads back to the forest. Hange goes after it, with Levi and his squad following them. Eventually, the Titan reaches a certain tree and begins bumping its head into it. Hange, wondering what is going on, tries to approach the Titan, however, it attacks her, with the Squad Leader barely dodging. Suddenly, Oluo appears attaching the hook of his 3D Maneuver Gear onto the Titan's neck in an attempt to kill it, but Hange yells at him to wait. The moment of hesitation cause Oluo to be caught by the Titan, however, Levi frees him by cutting off the Titan's arm and killing it afterwards. He then confronts Hange for endangering other soldiers. At that moment, Petra notices a corpse inside the tree that the Titan approached. After learning that the soldier is Ilse Langnar, Levi finds a notebook lying nearby.

At unknown time during the Survey Corps' expedition outside the walls, Ilse is seen running through an unknown land, noting down everything that is happening around her. Her squad has been killed by Titans and her gear is broken, but in spite of that, she continues advancing in hopes of reaching home without encountering Titans. However, while running throug a forest, noting down the events, she suddenly encounters a Titan. She continues writing as the Titan isn't attacking. Thinking it's over, she writes down her last regrets, but suddenly, the Titan speaks a few words. Much to Ilse's shock, it bows down, while saying "Ymir-sama, welcome back", which Ilse writes down. She then tries to ask questions, without getting any response. Enraged, Ilse yells at the Titan for its species eating humans without any reasons, which causes the Titan to tear the skin off its face, much to Ilse's horror, who tries to escape, but to no avails, as the Titan catches her and crushes her head.

Hange, as she finishes reading the notebook, then begins writing a document of proposal to Erwin for the resuming of the Titan capturing operations within the Survey Corps. Using the diary as a base of her arguments, Hange wants to continue what Ilse has started. She then visits Ilse's family, showing them the notebook. Some time later, Hange is approached by Oluo, who wants to apologize, however, Hange is the one to do so. Her, Oluo, Levi and Petra then walk through the town, with Hange expressing her joy for being given a permission by Erwin to continue her research.

Some viewers were able to do some reviews on it, here's one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl-s4TdBy-o

Then next OVA will be release by April 2014. Stay tuned for it.
English Sub are already out!