I've been a VLC junkie for a long time now when it comes to watching anime; however the current version butchers more modern subtitle files as it can't read the ending brackets that separate the subtitles from the linear notes so you end up with your subtitles all over the place and it's very annoying :(

I first tried to solve this problem by learning how to hard sub an mkv to an avi, and it worked quite well most of the time but the results could be hit or miss and it took a long time to as you have render the avi at least twice. (learnt a new skill from it though so woot)

I have been searching for media player that will play ass subtitles straight out of the box for a while now, i didn't want something that used ffdshow like media player classic or goom player as i wanted to be able to watch things on laptops that don't have any codecs installed.

I tried mPlayer, i didn't like it at all it's only useful if you hook it up to fileconveter and use it convert video

The solution to the problem came the other day in the form of The KMPlayer from Korea

http://www.kmplayer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4094

It plays all the modern subtitles practically flawlessly and includes all the correct fonts as well, it even gives you the options to resize the subs on the fly o.o

The only real downside to is that the file itself is quite large 30+ meg, but i've just checked VLC's file size and they're about the same so it's not really a complaint at all

It look like my days spent hard-subbing anime to my liking are over... i don't know if this is good or bad

I did something wrong yesterday at the ole bookies yestderday, i said to some guy his bet was on when it wasn't (it won of course) then didn't tell him until he came up to collect his winnings; i should've told him straight away but i'm far to shy to shout across a busy shop (I was on my own you see)

I just followed the rules, gave him his money back and thought that was the end of it. I found out today that he'd lodged an official complaint with me because of it :(

Now i've been given the standard 'punishment' by the company, i've been turned into a relief cashier as of next week-ish, which means i've got to get my car taxed and insured as there's no way i'm going back to using the buses to commute >:(

This is really going to big into any christmas fund i thought i had, good thing i've already stealthily got a few things eh?

Needless to say other people in my family aren't impressed by the way the company has acted, it's so nice of them to jump to my defence like that :-)

It's taken me the best part of three weeks or so on and off but i've finally encoded a hard subbed version of the uncut sayonara zetsubou sensei episode one. I'm never going to moan about subs being late again; this was hard graft just for a hard sub! I can' imagine why people do this every week with all the translation and timing issues piled on top o.o

Also i've just plugged my iPod nano into a power source for the first time in a very long while, it look like it's kicking the bucket :(

...is this an excuse to buy an iPod touch? Hmmmmmmmmm >:-)

I was trying to put the portal song onto it, i finished portal today very satisfying

ps

cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie, cake is a lie

pps OMG my iPod still works *RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE*

To fill in some back story Claire broke one of the bones in her foot two weeks before Amecon this year.

On the way to check out the new Audi on our day off this morning she slipped an fell on the same foot again :((

The culprit; a piece of Jelly someone had dropped! O_O

Just a short post cos i lol'd so hard

Claire was trying to wrap a present for someone's party tonight... now it's my birthday tomorrow so she decided to unwrap the present from my brother to use that wrapping paper; then she complained that there wasn't enough wrapping paper!

My brother wasn't too pleased about it XD

Thursday

Drive down was OK, but sat nav did not direct us to the Britannia car park! Only the hotel, so eventually i was let out to scout around for the car park XD



Our room was Room 101 o.o

Inside room 101: (no free rat helmet though :()




Disclaimer sticker so that if you slip and break your leg the hotel will laugh at you and ask if you read the sign before you fell


Our only source of water :(


Wooden Curtains WTF!


A weird headboard but none the less a pretty good bed


When you turned on the TV you got a windows desktop which was weird


Tea and Coffee making facilities!

I was sent on a mission by Claire to get some proper tea and more milk (given the amount of tea she can drink) I eventually found a Wilkinsons in the big shopping centre but this wasn't until i'd found:

- The local library (it was huge!)
- Gamestation
- GAME
- Virgin megastore
- HMV
- Hotel Chocolate! *___*

weird how i seem to gravitate to these places eh? XD

We spent the evening watching AMVs and the dub of Hellsing OVA 3 with our good pal Billy

Friday

Rude awoken early by what sounded like a giant 6ft owl but was actually just a bluddy pigeon that was sitting on a big extractor fan that was amplifying it's calls ¬_¬


Luche in his in not Edgeworth cosplay (dude i can't remember who you really were :()


Dance Luche dance!


Luche and Billy pimping it at Fuyu


Alucard Boogieing


Nekozowa? (I've never watched Ouran High)


I thought you were from Utena but i don't think anyone in Utena plays the flute


Well put that man (awesome Hues too)

In the tokyopop samples book we got when we registered there there was Star Trek the manga, how random is that

My art made it into a second con-book


(Dammit i hung out with you all weekend and i can't remember your name, sorry -__-)


Dan-phonse wearing alucard hat


Alphonse wearing same hat


Claire wearing same hat (it was pass hat around time)

After this Claire and i were kidnapped by Scottish grannies who wanted photos with us o.o hope i didn't scare their kids with my freaky Alucard teeth


Alphonse is very huggable


Billy enjoying my Alucard goggles immensely


Scary sephy doll is scary


Inuasha/Sesshomaru fights...


...always seemed to end in butt sex for some reason 0_o


royster in a magazine quality photo of a dragonball character (i've never seen dragonball)

Saturday


Help me out guys i can't remember what you were from :( I remember your 'Damn you Miashima!' catch phrase though XD


darkenglishrose as The Full Duct tape Alchemist (why oh why did you duct tape your skin? o.o)


I took the long trek up to the tenth floor to the dealers room in my captain Hans clod-hopper boots (as there was only one lift working on Friday) only to find that the door to the tenth floor had no handle. So i took this picture and went down to the ninth floor and had to wait for the lift anyway :(

Saturday


Billys scarf chan. I think it was from FMA; but i can't remember


Batou from GitS I was amazed that those goggles just stuck to his face like that


We offered L pocky


Yay! Shonen Bat/Lil' Slugger :)


Wickerman bringing back his Dr Salvador cosplay and chasing people around with his sound effects chainsaw (until he took it to ops and had it confiscated)


He also chainsawed Kon


This picture is many, many shades of wrong


Everyone wants to pose with Red


Red giving out Free Hugs


All the Eds in a mass group hug


The face says it all really


Ed with Envy


'Are you going to eat fish for me?' <- this is what i asked Lozzie to get this photo


Bleach cosplayers


Peace and Love!


Claire with Gendo



I leant Gendo Claire's Seras gloves so that i could find him a table and take his trademark pose


Claire with a very huggable Alphonse


This pose is actually quite hard to do apparently


I wonder if she's thinking of Roy x Ed Yaoi *shudders*


I really like this photo of the two brothers :)


So cute :3


Al hold me back!


So short that the camera can't even focus properly


You're mine now Inuasha


There are people watching? Even better >:)


I really like this one =^_^= makes me want to do my own Al cosplay though


Cabbits give free hugs don't you know


He made all his own dogs


Even the massive one


The awesome Valmar managing to pull off the Alucard look even when wearing a Puchu hat XD


Inuasha gets revenge


That gun was awesome


I really liked all the little touches to his costume too


You were posing so i took a photo


Team Rocket must have Red XIII for its collection *stalk stalk stalk*


A badly stitched together photo of Lozzie and Luche's Pandy and Retro cosplays


Valmar made us change back into our Hellsing cosplays (me on left Claire on right) because he said he was too shy to ask for photos with us at Amecon =3

Masquerade


Puchu hat ~Puchuu~ *kick* arg you hurta ma face!


Lord Ashram didn't want to stop incase we stole his 2 grand armour


Why with all the Buttsex?


Revenge is sweet though >:3


Count D


Just caught these two ninjas, they didn't want to stop


Envy


Pandy and Retro


o.o i can't remember sorry -__-


Moar ninjas


Gundam Wing? (never seen any Gundam) Bruce Lee kick go!


The ever unpronounceable Utawarerumono


Patlabor?


Red going at high speed


GLOMP!


Wedding dress Alita/Gally


Death grins from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni characters


Vincent as Kite from //Hack (that hat does not make a good pint stand no matter what anyone says <_<;)


Hat guy from Bleach (i've not watched much Bleach ok? ^^;)



Team Rocket's Blasting off again!


Loli Retro


She also Dances


The ultimate (last minute) Captain Hans prop along with something to point at

Went to the AMV disco: Claire danced her little socks off. I guarded stuff until i was captured by Inusha and Sesshomaru got me between the chains tied around their necks and dragged me onto the dance floor where they proclaimed 'We've got you now!' At which point i grabbed a handful of chain on either side; lifted them both off the floor slightly and said 'No i've got you'

Claire boob danced with Lozzie (Claires boobs fit neatly beneath Lozzie's and they were knocking together when they danced together, when Claire wasn't stopping Lozzie falling over at any rate)

Claire also danced with Akemi Solloway (to firestarter of all things o.o) Akemi bowed to claire to thank her for dance Claire didn't quite know how to react to such a formal thank you

The whole room joined together for a round of God gave rock and Roll to you, then We all sang happy birthday to Hanna who was presented with her Adult con badge and her first (legal) drink... then her second

Sunday


Darkman and his glass shatter noise making plushie (of doom?)


The games room had Guardian Heros! *____________________*


Billy bought Claire a Jiji Plushie, he's the most paranoid cat in existence



When you put him near the P-Chan plushie Claire bought you see why


One of the staff gave us a rose they found, we gave it to Jiji


Darkman gets a drink, wonders why staff won't serve him ('is there something wrong with Darkman' he ponders)


Neat southern comfort + Next to no sleep = Dead Luche


In fact they were both pretty dead


Royster as Howl


He got random Glomps


A big Bleach group in the dealers room (were they buying Bleach i wonder)


Akamaru WANT!


A truer word was never said


Instead of going to the closing Ball Claire and i played pushover together all evening



Best piece of photography con gear ever! (No mesing around with lens cap!)

Stuff Bought


- Azumanga Daioh manga vols 1-4
- Mushishi Vol 2
- Origin
- Full Metal Alchemist boxed set 1 (with boxed set 2 coming out on Nov 10th yay!)
- Tekkon Kinkreet
- Kino no Tabi artbook *~looooooooove~* :3 (Even though i found out after i bought it that my best mate had just got it me for my birthday :( ...crap)

Shenua figure *yay*


I also caved and bought Twilight Princess for the cube from the local Gamestation; i'd play it only Claire has kind of commandeered it at the moment :'(

Monday

£36.40 for parking! That's with a discount! I'm glad i didn't spend all my money in the dealers room so i had a few notes left. I bet there were people who did spend all there money and were in hot water :( I hope Lozzie and Luche got their car out alright; they were on a pretty tight budget as it was :(

Drive home was relatively painless only when we left the hotel the sat nav decided not to work so we had to negotiate Nottinghams evil one-way system without it until it found a satellite it liked

Went to see Billy Connelly live at the DeMontfort Hall. Gave Claire the front row seat cos i'm a gentleman. Sat with my head against the ceiling in the very last but one row. I had binoculars though so i was able to see him up close; kind of like having a shaky circular TV or something.

Laughed my ass off; a great way to round off a great weekend :D

Alerted to this by one of the guys at LANMA

http://www.lanma.org.uk/forum






Genshiken is one of my favourite manga series i'm glad it's getting such a good anime to manga translation :)

OK this is the kind of monotony i get in my average day (open up notepad and have a go!)

with just your right hand on the number pad type:

5+6
1.25
4+6
1.25
6+5
25
6+4
25
5+6+4
25
5+4+6
25
5
1.5

Done that? Ok now do it 50 or so more times and you get an idea what my days are like when this guy is in. He doesn't have the worst in the world but the sheer quantity is the reason my right hand cracks more now -__-

Though i suffer more from RBI* than RSI in my job :(

*Repetitive Brain Injury

---

Anyway onto a lighter topic; cosplay!

I have loads of ideas buzzing around that i'd like to do but i'm limiting myself to group commitments and the amount of sewing skill i have. For example i'd love to cosplay Captain Harlock but there's no way i'm that good with a sewing machine yet to make it look half decent (my current sewing level extends to really big tacking and that's about it)

I've been asked to join a Ghost in the Shell group as Togusa, this means buying another suit and a silly tie but also means getting hold of a Mateba m-2008 *_* (though i'd better do it pretty sharp-ish because i'll be unable to buy one after Oct 1st in the UK because of the new replica gun laws)

My other idea is Shizu from Kino no Tabi; he seems pretty do-able the only downside i can see is having to wear leather trousers :s

I'm posting this just before i set off to my boring job (i work at a bookies, typing with my right hand on a number pad and scanning little pieces of white paper all day -__-)

Anyway i'm a big anime/manga/games/cosplay; well geek i guess

You can find my cosplay here:

http://images.cosplay.com/gallery.php?member=44227&cat=500

My art here:

http://manjou.deviantart.com/

(though i've not drawn anything in months)

and videos from Amecon 2007 and AMV type stuff here:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Manjou14

I'm currently working on Serpico from berserk as my next cosplay




(I have no idea how i'm going to go about making that sword though, anyone got any ideas?)

and trying to think what other cosplays do that i could possibly pull off well :/

...Anyway off to work