On the Verge of Lunacy

I've been trying to improve my watercolor skills by looking at various guides. Here are some sample pieces I've finished (the images are not my ideas, I had guides):

This 12-episode series is the long-awaited third installment of Junjou Romantica. Takahashi Misaki has been living at Usami Akihiko's apartment for three years. He is reminded that his time with his lover will soon come to an end when people start asking him about his future plans. Misaki needs to find a job soon. Usami of course is more than willing to let him stay even after he graduates, but Misaki hasn't made his decision yet. While lost in thought, Misaki loses a merchandise from his favorite manga series. Toudou Shinnosuke picks it up and asks Misaki if he's also a fan of Ijuuin Kyou's work. The two become instant friends and later went to an autograph signing session to meet the author. Ijuuin recognized Misaki and thanks him for encouraging him when he was down (episode twelve of season two). Ijuuin and Misaki had more encounters after that, making Usami uncomfortable. He chides Misaki for saying "I love you" to Ijuuin too much. It might g...

Cover for the first season of Yami Shibai Cover for the second season of Yami Shibai This picture drama masterpiece of Japanese urban legends mimics the technique used in storytelling called kamishibai. This technique uses figures made of paper to tell stories. Each of the thirteen short features begin with a man in a yellow mask beckoning the children to listen to the stories. Each episode lasts for not more than 4 minutes. The theme songs from both seasons (by Hatsune Miku) are creepy like the stories. The narrator has the same opening lines every time. Some stories are predictable, some just funny, but others like Zanbai in season one stand out to me. Season one has more frightening stories than the second season. The latter had more blood and featured strange creatures while the former excelled in psychological horror. Initially I thought the animation wouldn't be effective but it worked well for me. The only complaint I have is that there are too few epi...

Known as the All Hanshin Kyojin at school, Koizumi Risa and Otani Atsushi are always at each other's throats. When Koizumi falls in love with a new classmate (Suzuki Ryoji) however, Otani proposed an alliance to help her. In return, Otani wants Koizumi's help to get her friend (Tanaka Chiharu) to notice him. But they both failed when Suzuki and Tanaka paid more attention to each other instead. Koizumi and Otani both give up and soon after Suzuki and Tanaka started going out. Koizumi and Otani then challenged each other to get a boyfriend/girlfriend. But it seems that they enjoy the same things together and so Koizumi starts to wonder. She begins to look at Otani in a different light, but would their differences be so difficult to overlook especially with Otani's personality? The short Otani Atsushi (left) and the tall Koizumi Risa Otani and Koizumi initially worked together as allies Otani is confronted by friends Ishihara Nobuko, Tanaka Chiha...

Cover for season one The extremely timid Kuronuma Sawako wants to make friends but she is easily misunderstood because of the rumors about her. Nicknamed Sadako (from the Ring), her schoolmates believe she brings bad luck and therefore people avoid her.  When a lively and popular boy, Kazehaya Shouta started paying attention to her however, Sawako's life gradually changed. One day she worked up the courage to speak to two girls gossiping about her. Her honest nature brought a surprising reaction from Yano Ayane and Yoshida Chizuru. As days pass and as Sawako is slowly coming out of her shell, she gains the admiration of the three. Kazehaya, Ayane and Chizuru help her gain self-confidence and the courage to make friends. Kazehaya in particular seems to give her special treatment every time. Maybe it isn't impossible for Sawako to become part of the class after all. She looks up to Kazehaya as her model, but gradually she realizes the boy has a special place in her ...

In this third installment of Kuroko no Basket, Seirin High is enjoying its win over Yousen High. They did an interview for Basketball Monthly and received well-deserved attention from basketball fans. But their journey is far from over. With a few teams left in the Winter Cup, the competition is getting tougher. Kagami Taiga meets Haizaki Shougo of Fukuda Sougou Academy while on his way to visit his old friend Himuro Tatsuya. Haizaki was harassing Alex while Himuro tried to rescue her. During the confrontation, Kagami learns that Haizaki was once a starter at Teiko and played with the Generation of Miracles but was kicked out and then replaced by Kise Ryouta. As it happens, Kise and Haizaki face off when Kaijou High meets Fukuda Sougou Academy in the second episode. Whoever wins the match will advance to the semi-finals. Despite Haizaki's violent nature however, he is not the biggest threat to Seirin. They have yet to face Rakuzan led by Akashi Seijuurou, the forme...

Hinata Shouyou wants to be like the legendary volleyball ace Little Giant so he starts a new volleyball club in middle school. He worked hard to form a team by convincing his friends to join. But his dreams of advancing in the tournament was crushed when his team was defeated by Kitagawa Daiichi, led by the King of the Court Kageyama Tobio. However this did not dampen Hinata's hopes of playing at the competitive level. He vowed he would defeat this king someday and that is why he is joining Karasuno High School's volleyball club. To his surprise, he learns that Kageyama wants to be on the same team as well. The rivals will now have to work as teammates. Not only do they have to start working together, but they also have to get along with fellow freshmen and their upperclassmen.  Hinata and Kageyama were kicked out when they fought on Karasuno's volleyball court Kageyama and Hinata working together The new and the old members of Karasuno volleyba...

The minor war god Yato wants to have a shrine of his own, but he's a forgotten deity and dirt poor as well. He's saving up to build a temple through his delivery and wish granting services for five Yen. Yato's shinki leaves him however to seek someone better. A shinki is a divine weapon which the gods use to defeat ayakashi, emotional fragments that can possess people. Not only is Yato homeless and poor now, he's also weaponless. While looking for a lost cat, Yato was spotted by a human girl crossing the street. It seemed to her that he was unaware of the passing cars. Iki Hiyori comes to his rescue and was hit by the bus. Hiyori's spirit is temporarily separated from her body but this incident becomes more common even after she recovers physically. Yato told her she is a half phantom who belongs neither to the far shore nor the near shore. She must be careful not to sever her connection in the human world. Hiyori then asks Yato to help her, but Yato does...

Cover for season one When the Holy Britannian Empire conquered Japan on August 10, 2010 a.t.b., it was renamed Area 11. The Empire was able to crush the Japanese so easily with the introduction of the humanoid armored vehicles called Knightmare Frames. The Elevens lived as second-class citizens to the Britannians and had no weapons to fight the conquerors on equal footing. Among those privileged residents was Lelouch, an exiled Britannian prince studying at Ashford Academy. Lelouch became involved in a terrorist attack where he met a girl with mysterious powers. C.C., as she introduced herself, saved Lelouch from the Royal Guard by making him agree to a contract. This contract granted Lelouch a power called Geass. It allowed Lelouch to control a person's actions when he makes eye contact and gives a command. Lelouch decided to put his powers to good use. And what better way to use it than to find the person who killed his mother and to destroy the empi...

Set in a different Bakumatsu era in Japan, a loud Sakamoto Ryouma wants to be recognized as a rock star. The shogunate and most of the people however have not heard this kind of music. The sounds created by Ryouma's electric guitar, given by Yoshida Shoin, is strange to people's ears. The Japanese are used to listening to Heaven's Song, which the shogunate uses to control the unsuspecting populace. The current top idols are the Shinsengumi led by Hijikata Toshizou and Okita Souji. Anyone who sings or creates songs besides Heaven's Song will be punished. Ryouma wants to change this and he keeps trying to show people his own brand of music. In one of his impromptu performances, he meets Takasugi Shinsaku who plays bass guitar and Katsura Kogorou, a drummer. Together, they form a band to spread rock music in Japan and to fight for freedom. Sakamoto Ryouma From left: Takasugi Shinsaku, Sakamoto Ryouma and Katsura Kogorou Hijikata Toshiizou (left) ...