Greetings, and welcome to the 2015 Winter / Spring Edition of the Namine's Café Newsletter
First, I would like to thank everyone who has joined the cafe, as well as those who actively support us. After being open for less than 18 months, we are closing in on 5000 members and 100 affiliations. And Namine's cafe just recently passed the incredible milestone of 8000 pages of chat comments (that's 160,000 comments), the first club in MAL to ever achieve this goal.
We have an amazing amount of things happening at the cafe: First, we have three major competitions coming, including an Anime Couples Competition, a Voice Actor Competition, as well as the 2nd Annual Namine's Cafe Best Girl Competition. We'll also be having several other small competitions along the way, including an Anime Scavenger Hunt, a Best Scene Competition, a card making competition, plus many more. In addition to our competitions, there some big news at the cafe. First of all, Skype is back!!! While we still have a dedicated IRC chat, we've brought back Skype, and it's as popular as it ever was in the cafe. Also, member card editions are returning to the cafe shortly, with some of the best card makers in MAL signed up to help make wonderful cards, so stop by early and often to see what cards are available.
The details for each of our event sare listed in the below spoilers:
Namine's Café Anime Couple's Competition
Following the success of our previous competitions we held last year, we've decided to follow that up with another competition. Last month, we held a vote on what type of character competition we should hold, and Couple's Competition won.
Here's how it works:
The competition takes place in two phases. The first phase is where everyone gets to nominate a couple for the competition. You can nominate up to 3 anime/manga couples. They must be a real couple in the anime (no wishful thinking here :-)), having at least dated or kissed in the anime as a minimum. You rank your nominees from 1 to 3. The ranking determines how many points each character gets, like so:
#1 choice is worth 5 points
#2 choice is worth 3 points
#3 choice is worth 1 points
The points each character gets from each members nomination are cumulative, and when the nominations are over, the points will be counted, and the top 32 couples will compete in a double elimination bracket style competition where then members vote on them in one on one, er... two on two, competitions xD.
The nomination phase will last 15 days, starting on Sunday, 2/15/2015, and will close on Saturday, 2/28/2015. The first voting competition will start on Tuesday, 3/3/2015. A new competition will start every day, and each vote is open for 2 days. If a couple wins, they move on to the next round. If a couple loses, they move to the single loss bracket, where they will face off against the other match losers. If a couple wins their match in the second bracket, they will move on for another match in the second bracket. If they lose a match in the second bracket, they are out. This means that even if your favorite couple loses, they still have a chance.
Here are the rules:
As stated above, you can nominate up to 3 anime/manga couples. It can be less than 3, but it cannot be more. Any couple over the first 3 will be removed.
The couple must be a couple in the anime/manga. If they are not, but are a couple, or have kissed or dated in a LN or VN, then they will be accepted (proof must be provided in this case). Straight, yuri, and yaoi couples are acceptable. For threesomes and love triangles, make a choice on which pairing to nominate (or nominate both separately :-)).
List the full name of both characters in the couple to be nominated, as well as an anime that they are in. Hot-linking the characters to their MAL page is welcome, but not required.
Only one nomination list per member, please.
Namine's Café Second Annual Best Girl Competition
Our first competition last year, the Moe Competition, was an incredible success. This is the second annual competition, but instead of just moe girls, all girls will be allowed to be nominated.
Here's how it works:
Similar to last year's Moe Competition and the Couples Competition, this competition also takes place in two phases. The first phase is where everyone gets to nominate supporting characters for the competition. Since we're allowing all girls, we're also increasing the field of play. You can nominate up to 7 anime characters, listed in the MAL database. They can be your favorites, or just characters that you believe are the most cool. You rank your nominees from 1 to 7. The ranking determines how many points each girl gets, with special bonus points for #1 & #2 pics, like so:
#1 choice is worth 10 points
#2 choice is worth 7 points
#3 choice is worth 5 points
#4 choice is worth 4 points
#5 choice is worth 3 points
#6 choice is worth 2 points
#7 choice is worth 1 point
The points each character gets from each members nomination are cumulative, and when the nominations are over, the points will be counted, and the top 64 girls will compete in a single elimination bracket style competition where then members vote on them in one on one competitions.
The nomination phase will last 15 days, starting sometime in March (exact date TBD). The first voting competition will start shortly after the nominations have been closed. A new competition will start every day, and each vote is open for 2 days. Because the field will be double the size of the other competitions, the best girl competition will be single elimination and not double elimination.
Here are the rules:
As stated above, you can nominate up to 7 anime girls.
The nominee must be listed in MAL, and must be in at least one an anime - sorry, but no pure manga girls allowed. Furthermore, nominees must be female - no traps allowed.
List the full name of each character to be nominated, as well as an anime that she is in. Hot-linking the character to their MAL page is welcome, but not required.
Only one nomination list per member, please.
No double nominating. Meaning that the same character is nominated as your 1st and 3rd choice. If this happens, the 2nd listing will be removed.
Namine's Café Voice Actor Competition
Another competition we'll be having is the Voice Actor Competition
Here's how it works:
The competition takes place in three phases. The first phase is where everyone gets to nominate Voice Actors the competitions. You can nominate up to 5 Japanese Voice Actors, and up to 5 non-Japanese Voice Actors. Following the nominations, there will be two separate competitions: one for Japanese VAs and one for non-Japanese VAs. The VAs must be listed in MAL. You rank your nominees from 1 to 5. The ranking determines how many points each character gets, like so:
#1 choice is worth 5 points
#2 choice is worth 4 points
#3 choice is worth 3 points
#4 choice is worth 2 points
#5 choice is worth 1 point
The points each VA gets from each members nomination are cumulative, and when the nominations are over, the points will be counted, and the top 32 Japanese VAs and the top 32 non-Japanese VAs will compete in separate single elimination bracket style competition where then members vote on them in one on one competitions.
The nomination phase will last 15 days, starting sometime in April / May (exact date TBD). The first voting competition will start shortly after the nominations have been closed. A new competition will start every other day, with the Japanese and non-Japanese matches alternating, with each vote open for 2 days. Because there will be two separate competitions, the field will be double the size of the other competitions, similar to the best girl competition, so the VA competitions will be single elimination and not double elimination.
Here are the rules:
As stated above, you can nominate up to 10 Voice Actors - 5 Japanese and 5 English a/o non-Japanese.
The VAs must be listed in MAL.
List the full name of the VA, as well as at least one to two characters they've portrayed (so that others know who they are). Hot-linking the VAs to their MAL page is welcome, but not required.
Sometime witin the next couple of months, we'll hold an Anime Scavenger Hunt. There will be prizes for the winners.
Here's how it works:
The scavenger hunt will actually be a series of hunts, differing in levels of difficulty. Every couple days, a list will be pulished at the cafe for a new hunt. The list will contain objects, characters, quotes, etc. The job of the hunters is to find what anime the items on the list come from.
Here are the rules:
Each list will contain a set of items that need to be identified from specifica anime. The list will also include a MAL user account
If an item on the list can be found in multiple anime, listing o ne of the anime is acceptable
Teaming up is allowed
When all the items have been identified, a PM needs to be sent to the user account identified on the list. The first PM, based on datestamp, that correctly identifies everything on the list is the winner.
Namine's Café Best Scene Competition
Another competition the cafe will be having is the best scene competition.
Here's how it works:
The competition takes place in two phases. First, anyone can nominate up to two scenes that they like in anime - either it's really funny, sad, kawaii, uber-erotic, etc. To enter a nomination, members will need to make a snippet of an anime containing that scene and turn it into a video. Scenes can be up to 5 minutes long. The first 50 scenes will be accepted. If turnout is high, that can be increased. Once all the nominations are in, the compettions will begin. Each week, 5 scenes will be selected at random and added to a poll therad. The top vote counter will win that week. The #2 vote counter will also stay alive. Follign the 10 weeks of voting, the 10 2nd placers will compete in 2 weekly votes, with the 2 winners added to the 10 1st placers. The 12 remaining scenes will vote in 4 separate votes of 3 random scenes each, with the winner going to the final. The championship will be a week long vote of the final 3 scenes. The one who submitted the winning scene will win a major prize.
Namine's Café card making competition
Namine's cafe will hold a card making competiton, where anyone who wants to try to make a card can join. Once the competition starts, there will be a 2 - 3 week period where everyone can make and submit a single member card. The cards (exact number TBD), will then be pitted against each other in head to head competitions. Don't think you can make a card - don't worry so much. Try your cand at making a card and who knows, if coul dbe amazing.
Namine's Café Skype Group
The cafe once again has Skype. please Click Here for more information on the Skype Group, and to get an invitation to it.
Namine's Café Official Steam Group Activities
As many of you are aware, the Cafe has it's own Steam Group. Please click here for more information on the Steam Group, and to get an invitation to it. We are currently planning some possible Steam game tournaments in the future, and feedback on this would be awesome. Also, we may be getting our Minecraft server back, as well.
I haven't seen Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. yet, but I watched Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun when you were away (as 99th series).
You're lucky lately, the manga you read just get an adaptation (I think you were reading Akame ga Kill! too?...).
To be honest I'm not very keen on completing the spring series now, I lost interest in most of them and I would prefer to spend my scarce watching time on something else...
Hey Inazuma!
Long time indeed, I had wondered where you'd be.
I've been fine, fairly busy for a while but I did finish Steins;Gate :). And now I only have one series from your top romcom anime left to watch! I haven't made any major progress with the spring series though, I'll get to those now that summer has started for me as well.
It's fine, I'm extremely busy as well (still no more Steins;Gate).
That's nice to hear, I didn't know if D.Grayman was another great manga with a mediocre anime adaptation :)
I am looking forward to it ;)
How would you score Hanamaru Youchien?
Right now, none. Of course I'm still watching Steins;Gate and also the airing series but I haven't seen anything for almost a week. I'll try to catch up with No Game No Life one of these days, I really want to see if it improves or not.
Edit: About the hero-ish series, I forgot. Not many of those in my list yet, but have you seen Index? That's super power. Or Romeo x Juliet if you want adventure and romance.
That's why I usually wait for this kind of series... but perhaps it still has a chance? Glad that I didn't decide to watch it anyway ^^.
Don't hurry, if you have already finished 2-3 transcriptions that's a lot already (even one is a lot). Very pretty music in that TheIshter video BTW, in the end I watched it all haha.
Edit: I saw your new comment now. Indeed, really annoying when whoever makes the film thinks the public is stupid and will be satisfied with anything. It especially bothers me with films, since I haven't seen many of that type of anime yet (though some were really bad anyway, for other reasons).
Edit 2 :P Please tell me if your opinion of the series changes when you finish it. Ah, it looks like Mahouka's score went back to 8. And NGNL's, it's higher! Almost 0.1 more I think.
Oh, a medium-long comment again, rare thing haha.
Have a nice day :)
And what TheIshter story is that you watched? A video he made?
Black Bullet, huh? Hmmm… hmmm… I can’t xD. It’d be fun, but I’m ultra busy again and as you can see I haven’t even been able to watch any more Steins;Gate for some days. Anyway, didn’t you say the BB anime wasn’t anything incredible?
The doubt with the series isn't who falls in love with who, but who ends up with who in the end... if there's any coupling in the end. Most characters in harem anime are generally so indecisive.
So you'll edit the video as well? (Which Ishter BTW?)
But! You're watching lots of series already! Hmm... pick up Steins;Gate again and then we'll be able to discuss it :D
I liked the girl that dresses as a butler, she looks interesting, but other than that Mayo Chiki doesn't seem especial.
Hahaha, good system. I have it that way with a couple of folders... no time to organize them >_> But at least the desktop looks clean now, and you won't be reminded of the pending work every time! :D
I've seen Bakuman S1, I'm waiting for some long holidays to re-watch that one and see the sequels :)
I don't put anything of the kind on my desktop because then it would be full to the top, ahah (like... 30 series not counting seasons). In fact I like the desktop clean so I have only 2 icons there ^_^ (plus 3 temporary folders now ಠ_ಠ). I have my mess some other place :P, but I do have a mess :(
I started my bought manga yerterday. Already finished one volume... And do you like Mayo Chiki? (Have you watched Bakuman?).
All Comments (123) Comments
You're lucky lately, the manga you read just get an adaptation (I think you were reading Akame ga Kill! too?...).
To be honest I'm not very keen on completing the spring series now, I lost interest in most of them and I would prefer to spend my scarce watching time on something else...
Long time indeed, I had wondered where you'd be.
I've been fine, fairly busy for a while but I did finish Steins;Gate :). And now I only have one series from your top romcom anime left to watch! I haven't made any major progress with the spring series though, I'll get to those now that summer has started for me as well.
How was Taiwan? Is your mother recovered already?
It was Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou! It surpassed my expectations for any Slice of Life, really good.
Anyway, hoping you have a nice day this time! :D
That's nice to hear, I didn't know if D.Grayman was another great manga with a mediocre anime adaptation :)
I am looking forward to it ;)
How would you score Hanamaru Youchien?
You finished D.Gray-man! That's long. Did you like it?
Edit: About the hero-ish series, I forgot. Not many of those in my list yet, but have you seen Index? That's super power. Or Romeo x Juliet if you want adventure and romance.
Don't hurry, if you have already finished 2-3 transcriptions that's a lot already (even one is a lot). Very pretty music in that TheIshter video BTW, in the end I watched it all haha.
Edit: I saw your new comment now. Indeed, really annoying when whoever makes the film thinks the public is stupid and will be satisfied with anything. It especially bothers me with films, since I haven't seen many of that type of anime yet (though some were really bad anyway, for other reasons).
Edit 2 :P Please tell me if your opinion of the series changes when you finish it. Ah, it looks like Mahouka's score went back to 8. And NGNL's, it's higher! Almost 0.1 more I think.
Oh, a medium-long comment again, rare thing haha.
Have a nice day :)
But is it boring, or rushed?
I saw some of that Tehishter's story, it's very nice and I think it woud fit you a lot since you have many things to tell about you and the piano ^^
Black Bullet, huh? Hmmm… hmmm… I can’t xD. It’d be fun, but I’m ultra busy again and as you can see I haven’t even been able to watch any more Steins;Gate for some days. Anyway, didn’t you say the BB anime wasn’t anything incredible?
So you'll edit the video as well? (Which Ishter BTW?)
But! You're watching lots of series already! Hmm... pick up Steins;Gate again and then we'll be able to discuss it :D
Hahaha, good system. I have it that way with a couple of folders... no time to organize them >_> But at least the desktop looks clean now, and you won't be reminded of the pending work every time! :D
I've seen Bakuman S1, I'm waiting for some long holidays to re-watch that one and see the sequels :)
I started my bought manga yerterday. Already finished one volume... And do you like Mayo Chiki? (Have you watched Bakuman?).