Kabitzin on June 30, 2007 · in Interviews

Well, here we are, our first interview! I’m sure most of you are familiar with Hung from BasuGasuBakuhatsu and Anime Nano already, but he was kind enough to agree to an interview with Sea Slugs! I think it went pretty well, and Hung gave a lot of really thoughtful answers. Ender wanted me to ask Hung some questions to get him to start talking smack, but even though I refused, Hung threw out a little trash talk on his own! Anyway, visit Hung’s site, buy his t-shirts, and let us know what you liked/didn’t like about the interview!

Deep Thought Questions

(The long ones are long!)

How has your blog evolved from its initial form to its current state? For instance, since the incident with Steven, have you started laying the smackdown on bad anime?

I originally just intended my blog to be a sort of first impressions type deal. Not the every episode analysis thing that a lot of blogs do. But I found that between season premieres, I’d have nothing to write about. So I just sorta created a lot of “filler” posts like polls. I don’t do that as often anymore, since I have a ton of stuff to review.

So now I do first impressions and reviews of domestic stuff that companies send me. If an idea comes along for me to do a wacky post, I’ll try that too, but these days they don’t come as often. Maybe I should start start writing random posts again. Since the whole “incident,” I think I take a more unbiased look at anime. I think I may have overreacted, though. I mean, I like bad anime as much as good anime. Most people who read my reviews aren’t going to buy a DVD solely from my opinion, so I might as well make it fun to read. I want my reviews to be funny first, and informative second. I think I lost sight of that somewhere along the way, but I’m trying to “get my groove back” so to speak.

One of the main foci of your anime blog, BasuGasuBakuhatsu, is all the free schwag you review. How do you convince companies to part with all those goodies? And what’s the coolest thing you have been sent to review?

One day I just figured I’d spam all the anime and manga companies asking for free stuff. The worst they could say is “no,” or actually, they could say I was supporting illegal downloading, then say no, which is what one company did… But as more and more companies got on the Basugasubakuhatsu bandwagon, it’s been easier to convince them. Some companies send me so much stuff it’s really hard to get though it all. But I try, and I’m working on it.

The coolest thing I’ve ever been sent to review was probably that one guy’s imouto. Seriously though, it’s pretty neat getting early releases of stuff, like DVDs that are not supposed to be out for another month. This is slightly made less cool by the fact that the actual fansubs have probably been out for a year, but hey, it’s still cool to me.

Moving on to your other major project, Anime Nano, can you tell us what’s next for Anime Nano? As a coder, and a student of social networks, are there any features that you are looking to implement into Anime Nano?

School and work and whatnot have put Anime Nano slightly lower on my priority list. I did do that popularity charts thing for it in June. I’m not sure if the world needs another anime social network (have you seen Tokyopop.com? Barf!).

I’m always up for hearing about new ideas for Anime Nano, though. At one point I had wanted to set up a section where you could get more info on an anime, like the # of episodes, or even find posts for a certain episode number. Or an anime suggester where you tell it what you like and it suggests other anime to watch. But yeah, for now it’s actually the fact that I am a coder and a student and my obligations that keep me from coding Anime Nano more…

Is there any chance of the Anime Nano Podcast coming back? Could an anime be spun off from the true life story of a Computer Science student bringing together love birds on his podcast?

I’d really like to bring the Anime Nano Podcast back because it was really fun to record and get feedback on. Just chalk the indefinite hiatus up to laziness (which you can chalk a lot up to). JP, Hinano: Have your people call my people. Maybe we can do a reunion podcast.

As far as “Podcast Otoko,” I think that’s a great idea. We’d have to include the part where JP threw up on his first date with Hinano. And then the episode where the pigeons are doing it outside their window. And the one where I get all Nevada-chan on JP for stealing my woman. Just kidding, JP, just trying to add to the blog dorama.

Quick Shots

(Those one shots are impossible to keep to one sentence.)

Any insights into your writing style? Are you a jot it down and forget it kind of guy, or do you like to edit and rewrite to make a post sound perfect?

I’m more of a write down what I think, then come back to proofread it (but never actually edit what I write). Unless I want to add a bad joke or pun.

If I was tasked with creating the ultimate Hung-attracting moé girl ever, what characteristics would she have?

An alien, time traveler, or esper that wears glasses, has a flat chest, likes books, says “boku” instead of “watashi”, says strange things like “mugyaa!”, is anemic (that’s moe), is class president, is actually a demon, but does nice things anyway or is an angel, but is really bad at being an angel, has an addiction to some kind of obscure (but not for long) Japanese snack, alternates between tsundere and yandere.

I think you can tell that my favorite characters are Nagato Yuki, Ayu Ayu, Nodame, Tenko, Shia, and Iincho.

How long did it take to be able to say/spell your anime blog’s name without messing up?

I was pretty good at saying basugasubakuhatsu since I watched Azumanga and it stuck in my head. Plus I thought it was pretty funny. I can probably type it faster than anyone around, which is a sort of dubious honor.

Which system has the most potential in your opinion: X360, Wii, or PS3?

The only one I have is the Wii, but I hardly play it. I guess that makes it the winner, though.

Favorite anime series that you are watching right now?

I’m really liking Lovely Complex (I need to get the manga!). It’s basically the only anime of the current season that I’ve been keeping up with.

Favorite anime blog besides your own?

I used to really like Anime on My Mind, but Jason writes about anime that I don’t watch, so it’s kind of pointless to read most of the time. I think Sea Slugs! has the funniest titles (I’m not just saying that). I guess I’d say that Beta-Waffle is my favorite blog that still updates regularly. How can you not like a blog that has such an ugly layout and ghastly drawings on purpose? At least, I think they’re on purpose.

Best part about blogging?

Random comments from people who people who think Claymore is the best anime evar, and the reviewer is a complete idiot. And deleting those comments.

Worst part about blogging?

There’s definitely a time commitment involved, but it’s worth it for doing something you really love.

Are you a proud otaku or a closet otaku? You’ve mentioned that you love t-shirts. In public, would you wear an anime t-shirt?

I’m a proud closet otaku. Mostly because whenever I do admit that I watch anime, the conversation invariably leads to Naruto. I probably wouldn’t wear most anime shirts, for the same reason. I had this one Domo-kun shirt that that I got from j-list which was pretty slick, though. I’d probably wear an Anime Nano t-shirt to a con, considering I invented it.