Well, just a few minutes ago I came out of my first, and final exam for this year. Luckily, unlike last semester (and unlike Leanne this semester), I had it in my lesson building rather than all the way off in Aintree. It covered pretty much the key elements of what I studied in this semester: verb forms, explaining what kanji mean in Japanese (wonder if 'kiken ni hashire deguchi' is an adequate definition for 'hijouguchi'?), and translating English sentences into Japanese and Japanese sentences into English. Though how did I do?

Well, I haven't exactly been a model student. I revised as much as possible, but I am prone to procrastination, and I've procrastinated a lot it has to be said Particularly thanks to me looning about with Leanne's DS. It distracted me from my studies to the point where I said to Leanne that she could take it back. Seems her willpower in resisting videogames for academic gain is much stronger than mine (damn you, Phoenix Wright!). After that it was the usual mixture of revision, art, DVDs (sometimes all at the same time), and embracing my newfound love for Lylat Wars/Starfox 64 and Super Smash Bros on the N64. There were elements that I should've revised harder- namely the Living In Japan handbook chapters (I made up some rough translation sentences for the last page of the exam), but I filled in as much as I could- 90-100% of each section- and...well, I think I might be onto a passing grade

Yet after the exam, I and some classmates were told by a fellow classmate that we had to wait a few mins for our lecturer, John Collins, to hand us our oral dossiers. I found this curious- the oral dossier is something we develop in our year out to Japan. I imagined John wanted to see what ideas we had for it. I'm figuring out something between art and cinema for that subject, so I wasn't sure what I was going to say. Luckily the classmate was mistaken; he was handing us our marks for our language logs- discovering interesting quirks in the English language and putting them to paper. They make up 10% of our final grade, so it's no small thing. I got 65%- possibly more due to J.C missing out some details due to the light glare from his halogen lamp- and the minimum grade worth a pass is 40%, so I did good I'm happy and confident that I've made up for my failure last year and will be bound for Kumamoto in September.

Or will I?

The Senior Programme Administrator emailed me, wishing me luck on the exam and hope I go to Japan...or head into combined studies if I have second thoughts about going abroad. Hmm...what does this mean? It's still an honours degree like my current course, but it's not as "prestigious". It also means I go directly into my final year this September here in Liverpool and graduate the following May (well, the ceremony's in July, but the final exams are in May). However, unlike circumstances last year, I can choose whether to go with this, or stick to Japan. Then again, it also depends on what happens with my application to Kumamoto University. Looks like I'm out of the fire, but I'm back in the frying pan again. Nevertheless, I'm free to relax a bit now, and I can look forward to finishing off some artworks, hanging out with Leanne, and heading to Las Vegas in June for a holiday & to make another photoseries (give them some love! I'm not all about pin-ups and bondage girls! )

REQUEST LIST SO FAR:
Feel free to make a request!

-
1- Full figured harem/school girl pin-up - DONE
2- Giantess Series -
1st Pic- DONE- WIP Preview
2nd Pic- DONE -WIP Preview
3rd Pic- DONE -50% Finished WIP Preview
4th Pic- DONE - Rough Draft
5th Pic- DONE
6th Pic- DONE
7th Pic- DONE
8th Pic- 18% Complete
9th Pic (Conclusion) - Pending

- Sandstorm line-up
1- Kyoden Hayami - DONE w/ original scrap image
2- Yumi Kawashima - DONE
3- Solaris Salinas - DONE
4- Dave/Damon Heat - DONE
5- Adikkt - DONE

-
1- Alexandra Kraven OC corset pin-up - DONE
2- Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta - DONE
3- M. Haylo - DONE
4- Kill Bill Style: Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta- 15% Complete - 15% WIP Preview
5- Kristel Ninja Marta w/ Hayabusa- DONE
6- Tori & Belle- Pending

-
1- Jay OC drawing - DONE
2- Demon Fia OC horror colour pic. - DONE


1- Jean-Genie - DONE


1- Selected Photo:Lust As A Drawing - DONE


1- The Manga-Off; Ouran High School Host Club- Tamaki w/ Haruhi In Ichigo Mew Mew outfit- Pending


1- Portrait - DONE


1- Pencil Sketch - DONE


1- Bee Bryant- DONE...or is it?

Josh (Uni Friend)
Vulcan Raven- DONE

Leanne (Uni Friend)
Kyoto Temple- Pending

Paula (friend of Leanne)
Spider-Man Mosaic- DONE - 50% WIP Preview

PROJECTS:
James Clephane-Cameron, an old high-school and 6th form friend, has provided me with an interesting proposition- something which should interest fantasy fans out there (Tolkien-D&D-Warcraft ones, not Final Fantasy ones). He requires someone to illustrate some character races for his RPG project and, well, guess who he asked? Here's how it breaks down (like requests, it'll have a progress rating beside it).

Viking (standard viking complete w/ horned helmet) - Pending.

Celt (tartan-clad warrior)- Pending.

Elf (tall, jewellery-covered forest folk)- Pending.

Troll (Orcs in Romanesque outfits- yeah, this time, the green guys are the supposedly civilised, not the typical barbarians- this is gonna be fun to draw)- Pending.

Vampire (Romany/Russian look rather than Castlevania Bishie)- Pending.

Beastkin (Middle Eastern Anthro's)- Pending.

I've had my first taste of the Nintendo DS. My friend Leanne came over on Thursday and we spent the night watching DVDs, sleeping, shopping, and playing games. She brought her DS and, after showing off Pokemon Pearl and Sapphire (I still don't get the appeal) and Resident Evil: Deadly Silence (Green blood!), I came across Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney- Capcom's premier defence-lawyer series. I had caught videos of it on Youtube to see it in action and, well, I wasn't disappointed. Games magazine gave the first game a 7/10, puzzled as to how a game that sounds dull on paper (court simulation!) became so fun?

I'd put it down to the storylines myself. They're melodramatic, with many twists and turns to the story, right to the point where nothing is what it seems. However, it's not what you'd call a crime thriller (it's too bright and funny for that- more Roger Rabbit than LA Confidential) or even a murder mystery. In fact, the face of the killer in the first 2 cases is revealed in the opening introduction. Looking at it, it's more a case of making sure the innocent scapegoat is saved from the slaughter and that the truly guilty one is sent down, and the only way to do that is to dissect each witness's testimony in court, then provide evidence (collected through pointing-and-clicking locations with the stylus on the touch screen) to prove that the said witness is lying or misremembering the details.

From this, the gameplay itself isn't all that exciting, so it's dependent on its storyline and the personalities of the characters to hook the player in, and I feel it does that successfully The stories are action-packed, throwing up revelations and swerves at critical moments, while the characters range from the funny to the scary (Von Karma). However, it's not a game for everyone. I feel it's an acquired taste, so gamers who like their games to be fast-paced, furious and wild...aren't going to get a lot out of it. You have to read a lot, you have to get into the story, and you have to look at each and every nook and cranny to collect the right evidence- something point-and-click gamers and Metal Gear Solid fans are probably used to already.

Nevertheless, I reccomend you give it a try, because once you get sucked into it, you're not gonna want to give up until you've completed at least one case.

REQUEST LIST SO FAR:
Feel free to make a request!

-
1- Full figured harem/school girl pin-up - DONE
2- Giantess Series -
1st Pic- DONE- WIP Preview
2nd Pic- DONE -WIP Preview
3rd Pic- DONE -50% Finished WIP Preview
4th Pic- DONE - Rough Draft
5th Pic- DONE
6th Pic- DONE
7th Pic- DONE
8th Pic- 18% Complete
9th Pic (Conclusion) - Pending

- Sandstorm line-up
1- Kyoden Hayami - DONE w/ original scrap image
2- Yumi Kawashima - DONE
3- Solaris Salinas - DONE
4- Dave/Damon Heat - DONE
5- Adikkt - DONE

-
1- Alexandra Kraven OC corset pin-up - DONE
2- Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta - DONE
3- M. Haylo - DONE
4- Kill Bill Style: Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta- 15% Complete - 15% WIP Preview
5- Kristel Ninja Marta w/ Hayabusa- DONE
6- Tori & Belle- Pending

-
1- Jay OC drawing - DONE
2- Demon Fia OC horror colour pic. - DONE


1- Jean-Genie - DONE


1- Selected Photo:Lust As A Drawing - DONE


1- The Manga-Off; Ouran High School Host Club- Tamaki w/ Haruhi In Ichigo Mew Mew outfit- Pending


1- Portrait - DONE


1- Pencil Sketch - DONE


1- Bee Bryant- DONE...or is it?

Josh (Uni Friend)
Vulcan Raven- DONE

Leanne (Uni Friend)
Kyoto Temple- Pending

Paula (friend of Leanne)
Spider-Man Mosaic- DONE - 50% WIP Preview

PROJECTS:
James Clephane-Cameron, an old high-school and 6th form friend, has provided me with an interesting proposition- something which should interest fantasy fans out there (Tolkien-D&D-Warcraft ones, not Final Fantasy ones). He requires someone to illustrate some character races for his RPG project and, well, guess who he asked? Here's how it breaks down (like requests, it'll have a progress rating beside it).

Viking (standard viking complete w/ horned helmet) - Pending.

Celt (tartan-clad warrior)- Pending.

Elf (tall, jewellery-covered forest folk)- Pending.

Troll (Orcs in Romanesque outfits- yeah, this time, the green guys are the supposedly civilised, not the typical barbarians- this is gonna be fun to draw)- Pending.

Vampire (Romany/Russian look rather than Castlevania Bishie)- Pending.

Beastkin (Middle Eastern Anthro's)- Pending.

Who are you currently dating?
That'll be Leanne- the first girl in my local area in ages to actually like me more than a typical 'casual acquaintance'.

Are you comfortable with answering personal questions?
We'll soon see...

When's the last time you cried?
7 hours ago.

When is the last time you were truly happy with your life?
That's tricky to say. Perhaps my first/primary school years, where I didn't have to worry about teasing assholes (middle school onwards), coursework deadlines (Year 10 onwards), forms to fill in (6th Form and University), or impressing anyone. It had its downpoints (Market Trader #8 in the school production of 'Aladdin', but overall the education was fun and life was stress-free.

Do/Did you do good in school?
NVQ Japanese is pretty much the only course where I did greatly (straight distinctions, aka A-grades). Everything else was between good and okay...with some D's for dismal (Law, German) and E for Eeeeeeeeeerrrrghhhhhhhhhhhh (Maths).

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
It can bring you pain, but it makes you feel loved, it makes you feel alive and that life can be worthwhile while it lasts. It's better than feeling dead inside from loneliness.

What do you do when you had a bad day?
Sleep in my room, draw pictures, or walk in the countryside (not applicable here- damn city)

Have you ever visioned your own wedding?
Not really, though I have visioned my divorce. Yeah- I'm not sure marriage is worth losing 50% of my stuff cos me and/or whoever-I'll-be-betrothed-to can't be bothered to work things out (or because I or she didn't do the dishes often enough).

Do you believe exes can really ever be "just friends"?
It's worked for me, so it's possible.

What are you wearing on your feet?
Shoes.

Last thing you said?
'I'm ok, you?' (profound, isn't it?)

Would you be able to date someone who had a kid with someone else?
Hmm...tricky. I could be a family friend, but I don't think I could be anything more than that. I wouldn't feel a deep-enough emotional connection to the kid. It would be emotional obligation than love, and that would be unfair on the child and the mother.

When is the last time you were on a vacation?
2006- Las Vegas. Before then it was Trecco Bay outside Porthcawl, South Wales in 1998. I had a school trip in 1999, but that sucked. I went, thinking I'd be going through Paris and EuroDisneyland. I ended up in a wet summer camp called Chateau Le Tetre. The only high points of that trip were the trip to Le Mont St Michel, and fencing.

Do you make your bed every day?
I neaten it somewhat.

Have you made any mistakes recently?
May have fumbled on an artwork, but luckily I can rectify that.

What do you want to name your kids?
Not sure. I like 'Emma' for a girl, since it goes well with my surname. A lot of people get all sorts of imaginative names for their kids, but I like to go with a name that won't get them punched in the face at a local British comprehensive school (schools for the common folk. Public schools in the UK are schools where the general public are excluded. E.g. Eton)

What are your plans for tomorrow night?
Relax from finishing another fortnightly test, then drinking a lot of Coca-Cola/Cactus Jack's Apple Schnapps...depending on how much cash I have.

If you could pack up and leave your life now to move away, would you?
Yep- the only problem is that I don't know where. Las Vegas? New York? Wales? Back to Worcestershire? Back to Kent? Could be anywhere!

What is one thing you have learned lately?
The use of the Japanese grammatical term '~you ni' ('yo [long sound] nee' ) .

What person in your family are you the most like?
Some of my sister Ilsa's introverted nature with some of my Dad's temper and my Mom's smarts, combined with my own take on things.

Have you ever put anything other than cheese in your grilled cheese?
I don't do grilled cheese. Cheese on toast, yes, but grilling cheese on its own for no other use doesn't suit me.

What is your favorite subject in school right now?
Art- because it's not something I'm doing according to the uni syllabus, uni module enrolments, or within uni at all! I'm only doing Japanese this year, so that wins by default.

Do your parents really know you?
Mom prolly does. Dad prolly doesn't. I prefer people to know me a little less well sometimes though. I don't like people second-guessing my thoughts or feelings on things, and being right! 'What are you going to do? Oh yes, draw and watch TV'- why fucking ask me in the first place if you already know? I'll state what I may or may not do, and what I may think or not think, and just because it's something you expect doesn't mean you should throw it in my face.

Have you ever felt invincible?
I sometimes hope to BE invincible for my patience's sake, but you just gotta deal with your vulnerabilities in the end.

Do you always get along with your siblings?
Fairly well. I don't really click with them that well, since my 2 eldest sisters and brother are a generation older than me, and my other sister Laura was mean to me as a kid. Least I had my nephew Chris as a playmate, so t'weren't bad at all

Funniest text in your phone right now?
Is none of your business

Do you feel like you've got some growing up to do?
We all have something to learn from life that makes us all the wiser, but that continues on until the day you die, so you never truly 'grow up', you just keep growing and growing if you choose to learn things in your life.

Most hurtful thing someone has said to you lately?
Again, that's for me to know and for you to butt out

What time do you wake up in the morning?
Between 7-10pm. Sometimes later.

Last time you failed a class?
Last year.

Did the last person you held hands with mean anything to you?
Well, I was holding hands with Leanne, and I'm going out with her, so yeah- it means quite a bit to me.

Last person to tell you everything would be okay?
Leanne again about 7 hours ago when I kinda broke apart from stress (see the 3rd question in this meme).

REQUEST LIST SO FAR:
Feel free to make a request!

-
1- Full figured harem/school girl pin-up - DONE
2- Giantess Series -
1st Pic- DONE- WIP Preview
2nd Pic- DONE -WIP Preview
3rd Pic- DONE -50% Finished WIP Preview
4th Pic- DONE - Rough Draft
5th Pic- DONE
6th Pic- DONE
7th Pic- DONE
8th Pic- 18% Complete
9th Pic (Conclusion) - Pending

- Sandstorm line-up
1- Kyoden Hayami - DONE w/ original scrap image
2- Yumi Kawashima - DONE
3- Solaris Salinas - DONE
4- Dave/Damon Heat - DONE
5- Adikkt - DONE

-
1- Alexandra Kraven OC corset pin-up - DONE
2- Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta - DONE
3- M. Haylo - DONE
4- Kill Bill Style: Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta- 15% Complete - 15% WIP Preview
5- Kristel Ninja Marta w/ Hayabusa- DONE
6- Tori & Belle- Pending

-
1- Jay OC drawing - DONE
2- Demon Fia OC horror colour pic. - DONE


1- Jean-Genie - DONE


1- Selected Photo:Lust As A Drawing - DONE


1- The Manga-Off; Ouran High School Host Club- Tamaki w/ Haruhi In Ichigo Mew Mew outfit- Pending


1- Portrait - DONE


1- Pencil Sketch - DONE


1- Bee Bryant- DONE...or is it?

Josh (Uni Friend)
Vulcan Raven- DONE

Leanne (Uni Friend)
Kyoto Temple- Pending

Paula (friend of Leanne)
Spider-Man Mosaic- DONE - 50% WIP Preview

PROJECTS:
James Clephane-Cameron, an old high-school and 6th form friend, has provided me with an interesting proposition- something which should interest fantasy fans out there (Tolkien-D&D-Warcraft ones, not Final Fantasy ones). He requires someone to illustrate some character races for his RPG project and, well, guess who he asked? Here's how it breaks down (like requests, it'll have a progress rating beside it).

Viking (standard viking complete w/ horned helmet) - Pending.

Celt (tartan-clad warrior)- Pending.

Elf (tall, jewellery-covered forest folk)- Pending.

Troll (Orcs in Romanesque outfits- yeah, this time, the green guys are the supposedly civilised, not the typical barbarians- this is gonna be fun to draw)- Pending.

Vampire (Romany/Russian look rather than Castlevania Bishie)- Pending.

Beastkin (Middle Eastern Anthro's)- Pending.

Yup, I'm back (finally!), after surviving on a diet of Easter eggs, religious documentaries, and Leanne's Nintendo 64 w/ a collection of games. I had wanted an N64 when I was a kid after having my first taste of Nintendo goodness through the original Game Boy. My mother got me a Playstation instead, as that was cheaper, and I never really looked back since then

Nah, I can't say I'm one of those fans who felt Nintendo games and consoles were 'like a parent', or one of those fanboys/girls who think Nintendo haven't done a foot wrong or done anything detrimental to the fans (ask someone who's played a Virtual Boy for over 30 minutes). That said, they do have some good quality games- possibly a better hit ratio than the Playstation consoles (some gems amongst a sea of generic sports titles and crap) or the XBoxes (shooter, shooter, shooter, shooter, port, shooter), and a good example of this are the 4 games I fiddled about with over the weekend.

Super Mario 64: Well, this was the classic 3D platform game- the game that broke the mould for 3D roaming games and led us to Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Spyro, and Crash Bandicoot (or was he before this?), and t'was a game people thought couldn't be bettered after Super Mario Sunshine turned out to be less-than-spectacular to people. After Super Mario Galaxy, it seems a successor has been found, but this is still a top quality game, and fairly tricky in parts I feel- though it's not arse-breakingly hard. At least if you get a game-over, you can go back to your last save point and continue from there- not quite admirable if you're a hardcore, non-death, straight-through gamer, but I personally take any chance I can get Overall, it's worth its reputation (though analogue control of the camera could've helped, but with the N64 pad, it's either that or analogue character control).

Super Mario Kart 64: This game is said not to have lived up to its SNES predecessor for reasons I'm unsure of- tracks weren't as challenging or something like that- but it's an beginner-friendly racer that's handy if you've got some friends over. The graphics are smoother than on Super Mario 64, but then you're not really doing as much here as in that game. You keep your finger on the accelator, slide around corners, pick up weapons, and fire them off at your opponents. Simple eh? Even the recreation of the SNES's notorious Rainbow Road was easy enough for me- a novice- to handle. It was easier than the turnpike track anyway If it's a challenge you want, you may wanna try another racer, or try...

Lylat Wars: I doubt many have heard of this one...namely because it's supposed to be Starfox 64, but because Germany had produced a different game named 'Starfox' for the Commodore 64, the SNES game and this one were renamed to Starwing and Lylat Wars. The other games have all been called Starfox Assault/Command/Bumhunter, etc after this game though. The legal deals on the name can't have been that heavy though, given the team is still called 'Star Fox', and the intro screen opens with the words 'Starfox in...'. Ah well, that's red tape for ya.
This game is my favourite of the bunch, and the game that actually got me used to the N64's rather innocuous-looking joypad. It's simple to pick up, though mastering it is another matter, particularly on the harder stages such as Aquass or the upgraded Star Wolf team x.x but luckily you'll notice your own improvement in the game after a few plays. The only gripe I really have with this game is that, while you can skip through the Star Wolf and mission intro cutscenes, you can't do that for every other scene in the game, such as the Mission Complete/Accomplished scenes, or the credits before and after the main ending. It gets you in a mood to shoot stuff, but it leaves you waiting in between the end of one mission and the next. It's not a big flaw, but it's an annoying habit.
Also, unlike SM64 and its saves, it has an old school game mentality in that, once you lose all your lives trying to beat a level, then it's game over and you go back to the start, so all you gotta do is practice, practice, practice- which is good if it lets me shoot stuff down

The other game is Diddy Kong Racing, which I have yet to play, but I will let you know how it goes.

Outside of that, I've finally handed in my Kumamoto application form (and got a private tuition session out of it >_O informative, but not quite what I was expecting), so that's done and dusted...for now. Now I can spend the rest of my Easter Holiday relaxing properly...and revising of course x.x

REQUEST LIST SO FAR:
Feel free to make a request!

-
1- Full figured harem/school girl pin-up - DONE
2- Giantess Series -
1st Pic- DONE- WIP Preview
2nd Pic- DONE -WIP Preview
3rd Pic- DONE -50% Finished WIP Preview
4th Pic- DONE - Rough Draft
5th Pic- DONE
6th Pic- DONE
7th Pic- DONE
8th Pic- 18% Complete
9th Pic (Conclusion) - Pending

- Sandstorm line-up
1- Kyoden Hayami - DONE w/ original scrap image
2- Yumi Kawashima - DONE
3- Solaris Salinas - DONE
4- Dave/Damon Heat - DONE
5- Adikkt - DONE

-
1- Alexandra Kraven OC corset pin-up - DONE
2- Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta - DONE
3- M. Haylo - DONE
4- Kill Bill Style: Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta- 15% Complete - 15% WIP Preview
5- Kristel Ninja Marta w/ Hayabusa- 63% Complete
6- Tori & Belle- Pending

-
1- Jay OC drawing - DONE
2- Demon Fia OC horror colour pic. - DONE


1- Jean-Genie - DONE


1- Selected Photo:Lust As A Drawing - DONE


1- The Manga-Off; Ouran High School Host Club- Tamaki w/ Haruhi In Ichigo Mew Mew outfit- Pending


1- Portrait - DONE


1- Pencil Sketch - DONE


1- Bee Bryant- DONE...or is it?

Josh (Uni Friend)
Vulcan Raven- DONE

Leanne (Uni Friend)
Kyoto Temple- Pending

Paula (friend of Leanne)
Spider-Man Mosaic- DONE - 50% WIP Preview

PROJECTS:
James Clephane-Cameron, an old high-school and 6th form friend, has provided me with an interesting proposition- something which should interest fantasy fans out there (Tolkien-D&D-Warcraft ones, not Final Fantasy ones). He requires someone to illustrate some character races for his RPG project and, well, guess who he asked? Here's how it breaks down (like requests, it'll have a progress rating beside it).

Viking (standard viking complete w/ horned helmet) - Pending.

Celt (tartan-clad warrior)- Pending.

Elf (tall, jewellery-covered forest folk)- Pending.

Troll (Orcs in Romanesque outfits- yeah, this time, the green guys are the supposedly civilised, not the typical barbarians- this is gonna be fun to draw)- Pending.

Vampire (Romany/Russian look rather than Castlevania Bishie)- Pending.

Beastkin (Middle Eastern Anthro's)- Pending.

It's not uncommon for television stations to produce programmes that educate you on different cultures, different races and different countries...but do you wonder what happens when they do a series of programmes based on your own culture, race and country? Are they always just the standard history documentaries about Anglo-Saxon settlers, George Washington, the French Revolution, the fall of Communism, et al? Or is there one or two or 5 programmes about how your own society and race react to people of different backgrounds and skin colours coming into your country to settle?

This is what BBC2's "White" Season is about- the past and the present concerns about Britain's increasing immigrant population, and on how native Brits react to their new neighbours via a series of different programmes from documentaries to dramas. You can find out more about it at The BBC White Season website, or, more tantalising, watch the programmes on BBC's IPlayer for free once they've finished showing on the TV schedules (they only last a week on there though, so catch them while you can).

Some of the more intriguing problems have yet to come on TV, such as 'White Girl'- about a young white schoolgirl's refuge into Islam once she learns about it from her new neighbours, or 'The Poles Are Coming'- about the UK's recent, and most significant, immigrant population. They'll appear on Iplayer soon enough, but right now you can catch 2 problems about how Britain reacted to the first big immigration boom back in the 1940's-1950's, and how it changed Britain, such as 'Last Orders'- about the fading world of the working-class Gentleman's club, and the older generations' views and feelings of displacement from new races, new faces, and suchlike (though I'd blame places like Wetherspoons and Yates for the fall of Gentleman's Clubs. They are to pubs what Taco Bell is to real Mexican food), and the one that really intrigued me, and made me want to voice my opinion on society- 'Rivers of Blood'.

'Rivers of Blood' was a speech made by the Conservative (UK Republicans) Member of Parliament Enoch Powell- an influential member of the party who influenced many of his party members, such as future PM Margaret Thatcher, and championed privatisation before it was put into practice. However he was banished to the political wilderness due to the aforementioned speech on the perils of immigration and how he thought it would lead to violence and destruction of the gentile British society that he knew. The programme investigates whether he was misguided, or if he was right all along. He predicted that widespread immigration would lead to segregation and violence and, 20 years later, violent and bloody race riots broke out in 3 districts of 3 of Britain's biggest cities, let alone the bombings of 7/7 back in 2005. But on the other side, it's said the effects of his speech on his fellow and rival politicians, leading to general ignorance of the thoughts and views of the races joining British society is what led to the race riots and tension amongst the different cultures on this isle.

British attitudes towards races and Anglo-racial communities is rather different than...well...any other countries really, as each have their own development, but I've felt it's a strong contrast to that of American communities. America's been a cultural melting pot (albeit with some chunks that refuse to blend) for many people of many backgrounds for almost centuries, and thus many racial communities there have forged their own identities as Italian-Americans, or Irish-Americans, Afro-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Iranian-Americans and what-have-you.

But Britain's generally seen as being the whitest of white nations to people. Black and Chinese communities have been in Britain since 1730 (Black) and 1820 (Chinese) or earlier, but they were considered exceptions- the minorities with the fewest members- until after World War 2, where Afro-Carribeans, Indians and Pakistani's came in and became a part of British life rather than an exception. Before the 1950's, you probably would've only seen someone of a different skin colour or culture if you lived in one of the grimmer parts of the city. But in the 50's and beyond, you could see Hindu shopkeepers, Islamic Halal restaurants, and African greengrocers.

People fear what they don't know, and people fear change, so I think British people at that time were equally intrigued and scared of their new neighbours. For each person who thought touching a black bus conductor would bring them luck came cases of predujice and sneers. Just as America's civil rights protests were coming into view, Britain's own views of other races were growing tense. In the end, I believe the civil rights protests influenced the politicians here and aided immigrant integration, as did protests from the students and younger generation on this side of the pond who supported civil rights.

To me, it seems like British society is tamer on the issue of race, as anyone voicing racist views here turns out to be the one stigmatised as a racist. Black, Chinese, Indian and other communities can live in any suburb or place necessary to survive in generally safely since the racists will either stay away, or abide by them to survive themselves. People who accept different cultures accept them, people who don't put up a front that says they do, or take their chances and verbally abuse those they're incapable of tolerating. Some rise to violence, but the majority are all mouth and no trousers.

But then I could be wrong. Perhaps the British view of acceptance is a facade of double-standards. Some races are safer from abuse than others. Asian races and Black people aren't demonised as people that'll steal your jobs and take your kids' school placements by the working class anymore (or as much), but how about the new Turkish, Greek, Polish, and Eastern European communities that are growing in British society today? The Daily Mail amongst other papers and pamphlets raises the fears that Brits have of these new communities. Polish and Slavic shops are appearing as quickly in British society as much as Indian cornershops must've done decades ago. Will new fears, predujices and acts of violence rise from their entry here? Or has the world made some progress in the acceptance of new immigrants?

Am I predujiced myself? I wouldn't say so. I don't think I know enough about some cultures, so when I meet people of those cultures I'll be curious about their background and ask them about it to learn more about them and become more comfortable with new teachings, but I'll treat them as a person and as the person they present themselves to be, not by their appearance or culture.

Give the BBC Iplayer and White Season a shot for a better understanding of the issues, or even look up information from the Internet or elsewhere, and you might gain some new insights, and see how it contrasts to the society that you live in.

REQUEST LIST SO FAR:
Feel free to make a request!

-
1- Full figured harem/school girl pin-up - DONE
2- Giantess Series -
1st Pic- DONE- WIP Preview
2nd Pic- DONE -WIP Preview
3rd Pic- DONE -50% Finished WIP Preview
4th Pic- DONE - Rough Draft
5th Pic- DONE
6th Pic- DONE
7th Pic- DONE
8th Pic- 18% Complete
9th Pic (Conclusion) - Pending

- Sandstorm line-up
1- Kyoden Hayami - DONE w/ original scrap image
2- Yumi Kawashima - DONE
3- Solaris Salinas - DONE
4- Dave/Damon Heat - DONE
5- Adikkt - DONE

-
1- Alexandra Kraven OC corset pin-up - DONE
2- Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta - DONE
3- M. Haylo - DONE
4- Kill Bill Style: Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Marta- 15% Complete - 15% WIP Preview
5- Kristel Ninja Marta w/ Hayabusa- Pending

-
1- Jay OC drawing - DONE
2- Demon Fia OC horror colour pic. - DONE


1- Jean-Genie - DONE


1- Selected Photo:Lust As A Drawing - DONE


1- The Manga-Off; Ouran High School Host Club- Tamaki w/ Haruhi In Ichigo Mew Mew outfit- Pending


1- Portrait - DONE


1- Pencil Sketch - DONE


1- Bee Bryant- DONE...or is it?

Josh (Uni Friend)
Vulcan Raven- DONE

Leanne (Uni Friend)
Kyoto Temple- Pending

Paula (friend of Leanne)
Spider-Man Mosaic- DONE - 50% WIP Preview

PROJECTS:
James Clephane-Cameron, an old high-school and 6th form friend, has provided me with an interesting proposition- something which should interest fantasy fans out there (Tolkien-D&D-Warcraft ones, not Final Fantasy ones). He requires someone to illustrate some character races for his RPG project and, well, guess who he asked? Here's how it breaks down (like requests, it'll have a progress rating beside it).

Viking (standard viking complete w/ horned helmet) - Pending.

Celt (tartan-clad warrior)- Pending.

Elf (tall, jewellery-covered forest folk)- Pending.

Troll (Orcs in Romanesque outfits- yeah, this time, the green guys are the supposedly civilised, not the typical barbarians- this is gonna be fun to draw)- Pending.

Vampire (Romany/Russian look rather than Castlevania Bishie)- Pending.

Beastkin (Middle Eastern Anthro's)- Pending.