Eden of the East - Original Soundtrack Review

Kenji Kawai mixes electronic music, classical, and jazz fusion in a score that matches the intrigue of Production IG's popular 2009 anime.

Kenji Kawai has enjoyed a successful career as a composer for anime, video games and TV, having scored soundtracks for various projects throughout Asia. He is the musical genius behind popular anime and video games such as Ghost in the Shell, Ranma 1/2, and Death Note.

Kenji Kawai, Prolific Composer

Kawai studied music at the Shobi Music Academy for one year before dropping out to form a fusion rock band called Muse. He began composing for commercials and TV. At the suggestion of colleague Naoko Asari, he began composing for anime soundtracks. Kawai has also scored video game and live-action movie soundtracks. He has scored over 70 soundtracks since the early 1980's and has been been nominated for Best Original Film Score at the Hong Kong Music Awards in 2006 and 2007 for his work on Seven Swords and A Battle of Wits.

Score Highlghts of Higashi no Eden

There are 26 tracks included in the Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East) OST. Kawai's score includes jazz fusion, pop and classical elements. Society and Blue Monday are two classical themes. The piano is given a deliciously simple, yet mysterious ostinato theme in Society, while the strings add to the mystery with somber sustained chords.

Blue Monday is done in the style of a Romantic-period art song. The cello is given a melancholy motif that is scored in its lower register. The strings repeat the melody, rising to build tension while the piano maintains its ostinato rhythm.

In contrast, several tracks show off a 1960s pop or spy-show flavor. Eden of the East and Ame no Eden pay homage to hits from the '60s, such as Raindrops are Falling on my Head.

Juiz, Shopping Mall, futuristic imagination, and The Game are three tracks with a jazz fusion bent. Kawai uses a good deal of syncopation and ostinato rhythms to generate mystery. The electric guitar doing battle against the string section in The Game, set against to a ostinato electronic groove is particularly effective.

Winning Run is the only theme that doesn't share styles with any other track on the album. It has a strong classic western feel to it.

The soundtrack features two vocal tracks, Reveal the World, and Falling Down. Brenda Vaughn, an award-based singer/songwriter/producer, provides the vocals on Reveal the World. Her warm, rich tone is perfectly suited to this gospel number.

Falling Down is the opening theme, composed and performed by the popular British rock band Oasis. Its dark sound matches the tone for the intrigue of the show.

Eden of the East OST Album Details

Theatrical Anime Higashi no Eden Original Soundtrack

Animation Soundtrack

• Featured Artists: Oasis, school food punishment, Brenda Vaughn

• Music Director: Kenji Kawai

• Recording Producers:Epic Records Japan, Inc.

• Label: Sony Music Japan International

• Released: September 23, 2009

About Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East)

Eden of the East is a psychological mystery-romance produced by Production I.G, and directed by Kenji Kamiyama. The story takes place after a fictional terrorist attack known as "Careless Monday." Although 10 missiles were launched at Japan, there were no casualties.

The story centers around Saki Morimi, who runs into a stark naked man in front of the White House. He is Akira Takizawa, a man of mystery and no memories. When they meet, all he has is a gun and a fancy phone loaded with 8,200,000,000 yen in digital cash.The show aired in the Spring of 2009 and is featured in Spring 2009 Anime Roundup - Eden of the East.

Two theatrical releases, The King of Eden (2009) and Paradise Lost (2011), complete the storyline.

Eden of the East was nominated Jury Recommended Work in the Animation Division of the 13th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2009. According to Anime News Network's website, volume 1 DVD sales ranked 23rd, while the volume 1 Blu-Ray Disc debuted in 7th place.

Funimation Entertainment holds the licensing rights in North America.

Simple Melodies, Catchy Rhythms

The Eden of the East OST is extremely catchy, containing all the memorable motifs that fans will enjoy. The melodies aren't particularly complex but they are memorable. When combined with the funky ostinato rhythms throughout, you wind up with an catchy soundtrack worthy of any otaku's music collection. Any fan of Eden of the East/Higashi no Eden would enjoy this soundtrack as they wait for the theatrical releases to become available in North America.

Originally published on Suite101.com on Jan 8, 2010. Updated March 22, 2013. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Popular Hand Exercises Books for Piano

Regardless of your playing level, or whether you are preparing for a piano exam, finger exercises are one of the keys to achieving technical fluency. These finger strengthening exercises give you the chops you need to tackle your pieces (AKA "repertoire").

This is a list of 15 of the most popular books of finger exercises for piano. If you click on the link, you'll go to a page to order it (or get more information on it):

1. The Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences: Includes All the Major, Minor (Natural, Harmonic, Melodic) & Chromatic Scales - Plus Additional Instructions on Music Fundamentals

2. Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises, Complete (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Vol. 925)

3. Piano Essentials: Scales, Chords, Arpeggios, and Cadences for the Contemporary Pianist (Book & CD)

4. The First Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences (Alfred's Basic Piano Library)

5. The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano

6. Master School of Virtuoso Piano Playing: Volume I Finger Exercises (Dover Music for Piano)

7. Oscar Peterson - Jazz Exercises, Minuets, Etudes & Pieces for PianoMaster School of Virtuoso Piano Playing: Volume I Finger Exercises (Dover Music for Piano)

8. Hanon for the Developing Pianist - Book/CD Pack: Hal Leonard Student Piano Library - Book/CD (Technique Classics)

9. The School of Velocity, Op. 299 (Complete): For The Piano (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics Vol. 161)

10. Burgmuller, Czerny & Hanon: 32 Piano Studies for Technique and Musicality: 1

11. Junior Hanon (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

12. Twenty-Five Easy and Progressive Studies for the Piano, Op. 100: Piano Solo

13. Schmitt Op. 16: Preparatory Exercises For the Piano, with Appendix (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Vol. 434)

14. Czerny: Art of Finger Dexterity for the Piano, Op. 740 (Complete) (Schirmer's Library Of Musical Classics, Vol. 154)

15. Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist (Complete) (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

Your eyes aren't deceiving you. There are several different editions of Hanon's exercises - all of them are pretty popular.

Highlights from Otafest 2010

Running on the May long weekend, Calgary's annual anime convention featured a record number of special events and popular classics for anime and comic fans from Alberta.

Otafest is considered one of the premier anime conventions in Alberta, only rivaled by Animethon in Edmonton. With 103 special events, there were plenty of activities for otaku of anime, comics, manga and video games to enjoy at Otafest 2010.

Artists, Voice Actors, Bands, Improv and Cultural Demonstrations on Otafest's Special Guest List

This year, Otafest featured three headliner guests: voice actors Todd Haberkorn and Michelle Ruff and cartoonist Scott Ramsoomair. Haberkorn is known for portraying Hikaru Hitachiin (Ouran High School), Watanuki (xxxHolic) and Death the Kid (Soul Eater). Ruff was awarded Best Voice Actress (English) at the 2009 SPJA Industry Awards. She has voiced over 100 different characters, including Rukia (Bleach), Yoko (Gurren Lagann), Chi (Chobits) and Princess Euphemia (Code Geass). Canadian cartoonist Ramsoomair is the creator, writer and artist of VGCats, a popular video game humor-based web comic.

Other special guests included Synaptic Chaos Theatre, Midnight Taiko, the Shin Ken Kai Nobara Iaido Club, the 404's improv group, the band THWOMP and the band Pinku Polkadotsu.

Special Events Galore at Otafest 2010

Otafest increased its special event line-up from 90 to 103. This year, a wide variety of interactive game shows were added, such as AMV Mortal Combat - where anime music videos selected by the audience are pitted against each other, Otafest Tactics - a game that tests players' strategic and battle skills and Anime Talkabout - where players have only 20 seconds to show off how much they know about an anime-related topic.

Other new events included the Otafest Much Music Video Dance, Lolita Fashion Show, the Maid Café, the Pokémon League, Speed Dating and live-action Anime Chess.

Popular Classics Return and Old Standbys Continue to Draw Crowds at Otafest

The AMV Game show returned, in which contestants watch selected AMV's and then answer questions. In Anime EDGE, 15 different games and game shows were combined into one big game.

An anime con would be incomplete without anime showings, cosplay contests, karaoke and gaming rooms. Otafest is no exception. The vendor room and Artist Alley were popular with shoppers seeking to buy Bleach manga, Inuyasha DVD's and other popular otaku merchandise.

The History of Otafest

Otafest is the brainchild of the the University of Calgary's Dedicated Otaku Anime Club. The first festival was held in 1999 as a one-day film festival. Throughout the years, Otafest organizers added educational panels, including Japanese 101, computer tips to enhance music videos and CG art, cosplay , writing fan fiction, convention etiquette and flirting. Cultural demonstrations on how to wear a kimono, the Japanese tea ceremony, Taiko drumming and Iaido have been included over the years. Otafest is now a three-day annual festival held during the Victoria Day weekend at the University of Calgary. A one-day "lite" festival was added in November 2009.

Some Glitches But Still a Fun Weekend at Otafest 2010

The most controversial issue at Otafest 2010 was over weapons and props. During an incident at Otafest Lite 2009, a cardboard prop was mistaken for a real weapon by university staff when viewed from a distance. Otafest organizers initially banned all props of weapons, but fan backlash was strong. The revised policy on the website is a workable compromise, banning any weapons, any props resembling weapons and any props made predominantly of metal. Acceptable prop weapons were tagged so that university campus security could easily identify these items as props from a distance.

Two band-related glitches detracted from fans' musical experience. The band Pinku Polkadotsu had to withdraw from the line-up when the drummer was injured in an accident. Partway through the THWOMP concert, a fuse was blown.

Some changes were good, others not as successful. The vendor room saw an increase in vendors from 20 to 30, thanks to a streamlined floor plan. Programming was rather light on Sunday, with the bulk of the activities scheduled on Saturday. Otafest Idol was smaller than previous years, with 25 pre-registrations accepted (down from 30) and eight finalists (down from 10) to give more time for feedback from the judges. Campus construction resulted in various detours and restricted areas.

Bumps aside, attendees still enjoyed a fun-filled weekend. Cosplayers were in abundance; the youngest was a mere toddler, while the oldest cosplayers were well into their 40's. The Maid Café drew such a crowd that advance tickets had to be issued. The Cosplay Contest was as popular as ever, with over 60 entrants and audience line ups spanning one kilometer.

Attendees got into the spirit of giving by donating over $5,300 for breast cancer research. With the fundraising goal well met, three festival organizers had their heads, while one shaved his chest at the Closing Ceremonies.

Final attendance figures for Otafest are not yet available. However, attendance has been steadily increasing over the past two years. If these historical figures are any indication, 2010 numbers should be over 4,000. With 103 special events, healthy attendance and over $5,000 raised for cancer research, the Otafest 2010 anime convention can be dubbed a success.

Originally published May 28, 2010 on Suite101.com. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Mr Petcam - See the World through Your Pet's POV

For pet owners curious about what the world look's like from their pet's eyes, there is the Mr Petcam animal cam.

Ever wonder where your cat goes on its daily adventures? Are you curious about what your dog does when you're not at home? Or are you simply interested in seeing the world through your dog's eyes? Mr Petcam gives pet owners a chance to see the world from their pet's POV.

Product Features of Mr Petcam

Mr Petcam arrives in a bubble mailer containing the following: 1 Mr Petcam video, 1 mounting adapter assembly, USB charger/transfer cable, 2 GB Micro SD card, driver CD, a ball chain safety lanyard, an identification sticker, a spare adapter and nut/bolt. The instruction manual is a double-sided 8-1/2 X 11' sheet of paper.

Although Mr Petcam comes with a 2 GB micro-SD card, you can use 8 GB or 16 GB cards. There is a built-in microphone.

It fits comfortably into the palm of your hand and weighs 48 g. Technical specifications of Mr Petcam are as follows:

• Video format: AVI

• Video resolution: 680 X 480 pixels

• Video length: 2 minutes

• Video capture: 29 f.p.s.

• Compatibility: Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista and 7. Mac OS10.x and Linux

To mount onto your pet's collar, first mount the camera onto the adapter frame. Then, loop the collar through the lanyard loop. Finally, use the clip to secure the camera frame to the collar.

Using Mr Petcam Animal Camera

Camera operation is fairly simple. Once the camera is in position, press the power button for one second (more like three). To record, press the record button on the top. The indicator light will flash red.

There are two recording modes: standard and sound-activation mode (SAM). SAM will record only when it senses movement.

To upload the videos to your computer, plug it in via the USB cable. You can charge the camera this way as well. Alternatively, you can use the plug-in charger. The instructions warn users to charge for three hours or less, otherwise, the camera sustains damage. The reset button is located on the same side as the micro SD drive.

To change the date on the camera, plug Mr Petcam into your computer. Open up the files and click on the one labelled "time". The default date is whenever the camera left the factory.

These are some video footage that Maestro has taken using Mr Petcam:

Under the Chin Mount

By the Ear Side Mount

Top of the Head Mount

Pros and Cons of Mr Petcam

Mr Petcam is extremely easy to use. You could get by without reading the instructions. Just be sure to heed the warning about not overcharging this pet camera.

The case is sturdy enough to handle a few bumps here and there. The mounting frame is secure. Mr Petcam hasn't fallen off the frame once. That's a good thing, considering that the clip has slipped off the camera a couple of times. Between the ball and chain lanyard and the camera frame, I have been able to rest easy that Maestro will not lose the camera on his adventures.

Another major plus is the price. Mr Petcam is one of the cheaper models out there at $39.99 USD.

When the camera is on SAM, the indicator light doesn't flash to indicate whether or not it is recording. Thankfully, the indicator light does work in regular mode. However, I've had to reset this dog cam a couple of times because it would jam when I tried turning off (or was I turning on?) the recording function.

The camera body on Mr Petcam is too long for a small dog. Maestro stands 14" tall from the withers. Even with adjusting the camera angle, Mr Petcam gives us mostly chin and floor shots when it is mounted under the chin. If he was as big as his Irish Terrier friend, then there would be no problem. As it stands, we have figured out some workarounds but haven't yet discovered the ideal camera position.

As an amateur photographer, I would have preferred to see more than one video format. Ditto for resolution size. If any of Maestro's adventures take us somewhere scenic, then I'll have to use my GoPro2, which is much heavier on the little guy.

Another major drawback is if your pet loves water. Mr Petcam isn't waterproof.

One minor issue is that I have had to correct the date every single time I plug Mr Petcam into my computer.

Alternatives to Mr. Petcam & Ordering Information

Mr Petcam is one of several animal POV cameras on the market. Other popular animal cams include Dogtek Eyenimal Digital Videocam for Pets ($80 USD), Uncle Milton Nat Geo Wild Pet's Eye View Camera ($17.99), Buddy Pet Video Cam Digital Camera with Audio (Black) (69.98 USD). Both the Eyenimal and Buddy Pet cams are waterproof.

At this point, Mr Petcam can only be purchased directly from the manufacturer's website.The cost is $39.99 USD and can be shipped worldwide. Acceptable modes of payment include Paypal or Google Wallet.

Mr Petcam - Final Verdict

As far as cheap entertainment goes, Mr Petcam fits the bill. Maestro lavishes the attention he gets when he wears the pet cam.  Family, friends and dog lovers are getting a good chuckle over what Maestro captures with his animal cam.

However, if you are looking for something a bit more durable and/or waterproof, spend the extra money and spring for one of the waterproof ones.

Japanese Language Learning Apps

こんにちは みな-さん! As promised, I touched base with some of my classmates at the Calgary Japanese Language School to find out what iPhone or Android apps they like to use to help study Japanese. どうぞ！

Japanese Study Apps for iPhones and iPads

My classmates shared four dictionary and study apps that they use on their "i-Devices". These are: imiwa?, KanjiBox, Kanji Flip and Midori.

imiwa? by Pierre-Phi di Costanzo

imiwa is a free Japanese dictionary app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The latest version is 3.1.1 and requires iOS 5.0 or later. App size is 187 MB. imiwa supports English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

This app has a Japanese keyboard to look-up words in kana/kanji. You can also use the traditional Chinese character recognition keyboard for on-screen drawing of Kanjis. Alternatively, you can look words up using romaji.

KanjiBox by Unknown Genius Software

Kanji Box helps students study kana, kanji, vocabulary, reading and writing through the use of drills, quizzes and flashcards. There are six levels of study in this offline language app (plus one "sensei" level). Students can check their progress and scores.

You can use the KanjiDraw and KanaDraw add-ons to practice your handwriting. KanjiBox contains over 6,000 kanji and over 34,000 words.

Kanji Box is designed for iPhone and iPad and costs $5.99 USD. The app is 46.7 MB and supports English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Kanji Flip b

y Proffitt Ink

Kanji Flip is similar to flashcards. However, after you "flip" to the answer, you choose whether you were Right or Wrong. This app contains 2,230 Kanji and 255 kana required for four levels of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). It also contains hiragana and katakana.

This app costs $5.99 USD and operates completely offline. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with iOS 3.0 or later. Unfortunately, Kanji Flip is only available in English to Japanese.

Midori by Sukolsak Sakshuwong

At $9.99 USD, Midori is the most expensive of the apps listed here. However, this one packs a punch. This Japanese-English, English-Japanese dictionary app contains over 146,000 word entries and 150,000 example sentences.

Midori also contains over 12,000 kanji. In addition, the stroke order is shown for over 6,000 of those characters. This app stands out with over 720,000 Japanese proper names, place names, surnames, given names, company names and product names.

Japanese Dictionary and Study Apps for Android Phones and Tablets

My fellow Android friends and I have been using a variety of free apps to study Japanese. These are: JED, Obenkyo, Japanese Verbs and JLPT Words.

JED by Attila Korompai

This offline dictionary app contains 166,344 entries. You can search by category. Typing or handwriting the words in English, romaji and kana is supported. The app contains 3,133 kanji and sample phrases and expressions.

JED supports English-Japanese, French-Japanese and Spanish-Japanese. I have yet to explore the  Radicals lookup in depth. I must say that the tags feature and animated kanji stroke order diagrams are very handy.  Size is 795k.

Obenkyo by Atomusk

With this app, you can study hiragana, katakana and kanji. You can study or test yourself by drawing, or taking a multiple choice quiz. It contains numbers in romaji, Hiragana, or kanji.

Obenkyo contains over 2,300 kanji characters and over 14,600 words (Level 1-5 JLPT or Jouyou 1-7). There are animated stroke order tutorials, translation, readings, flash cards and a drawing game.

Japanese Verbs & JLPT Words by Szymon Trapp

Designed by Szymon Trapp, Japanese Verbs and Japanese Words are full of multiple choice vocabulary quizzes. On a good week, I try to do one of these multiple choice quizzes a day. Let's just say that the past few weeks have not been good ones for studying and leave it at that.

Japanese Verbs contains 641 verbs which can be looked up using kanji, kana, or romaji or English. Each entry contains information about the conjugation group, JLPT level and whether the verb is transitive or intransitive. The big bonus is that this app contains 13 conjugation forms for each verb. It also tracks your progress.

JLPT Words contains a dictionary of words required for the JLPT3, JLPT4 and JLPT5 exam. Words can be searched by kanji, kana (hiragana/katakana), or romaji.

Like Japanese Verbs, JLPT Words has multiple choice quizzes in Japanese or English. You can be tested in kanji, kana or romaji. You can also select which level(s) you'd like to be quizzed on. It keeps track of your progress as well.

Anata wa? Which Android or iPhone apps do you use to help you study Japanese?