Gundam Seed

Alright ppl, this is a blog to clarify why there's been a constant barrage of Jap techno music coming from both my cubicle as well as Chee Mun's car.

THIS is the reason.

Recently we've been overtaken by a wave of jap anime fever... and it's still burning...

It all began when... wait, I just realised I can't remember how it all began... but I know the fever blew hotter when somehow or the other, Chee Mun got a hold of those epsiodes of Gundam Seed which I had burnt into CD-Rs. Yeah, Mun, care to jog my memory on how that happened? duh... I think that kinda started him on a roll cos he also went into Shoujo anime like Furuba... *God, what have I done??

Anyway, my love for anime began like way, way, back, when I was a kid.

Anyone remember 超时空要塞 マクロス? Or in the English version, it's better known as Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. I was in Primary 3 then and they showed it at 6pm every Friday evening. The fact that I still remember, shows how much I was impressed by it. When they showed the first episode, I was totally blown away!

The animation was the smoothest I have ever seen (during that era of course)! There were armies of transformable flying robots that could switch modes easily from fighter planes to humanoid robots or half-plane, half robot versions that could glide through the city landscape, battling ostrich-like alien robots that hopped around gunning down their human counterparts.

It was like nothing I've ever seen before! And not to mention the storyline! It was intriguing enough to see the fantastic animation and art, but it's even more intriguing to see the characters go through their struggles with love, friendship and the death of a buddy and mentor.

I mean, when was the last time you've seen a cartoon hero die in an American cartoon? NEVER! They're cheese to the max! ...except for X-Men, of course, but still, with their yellow spandex, you can't really be too serious with them can you?

Macross on the other hand, was serious stuff. I mean, as a kid, who'd been on a diet of SMURFS and He-Man, this was SERIOUS stuff. Ho Ho Ho Ho...

Well, my next level of ENLIGHTENMENT came when I was at the age of 15, where an old Primary school friend of mine showed me an episode of Gundam 0083 Stardus Memory. It was the same Giant Robot anime genre but 10 years of advancement in animation technology since I last seen Macross made a huge difference to what I was taking in.

Gundam 0083 was like watching a portrait come to life. The sketches of the characters' faces were sharp, jagged and proportionate in nature. It was in itself a departure from the kind of anime normally seen, where characters had eyes so big, it filled about half the face; and mouths so small they form a little dot.

Gundam was a totally different experience for me. It wasn't just about giant robots coming together to engage in a battle between good and evil. It was a study of politics and human nature itself! Sure there were 2 sides in the war, the Federation Earth Forces and the Principality of Zeon, but the simplicity of it all ends there.

Politics abound in Gundam, with Officers in the Federation Earth (the supposed good guys) betraying their fellow officers to further their own agendas and men in the POZeon (the supposed bad guys) fighting for what they believe is the freedom of their kind.

Through it all, you also see the protagonists struggle to keep his allegiance to the FE, or to stay true to his principles. Now THAT is pretty SERIOUS stuff. You don't find that on your Sunday morning Kids Central cartoons...

All, I can say is oft times, you can't just watch an anime and walk away without taking something back to think about. Of course there are those anime comedies but even those have a subtle message to them.

Well, so, back to where we started, in a bid to revive the Gundam franchise which began its reign 27 years ago, Bandai, the company responsible for it, started a new series called Gundam Seed.

It had all the intrigues of politics and the journey of how a young man find his place in this war torn world. Sleek giant robots with cool armaments and of course the now famous beam sabre (much like Star Wars' light sabre, except wielded by a 15m big robot)

But this time, in order to appeal to the Para Para generation of young jap teens, they've put in cool Jap Techno theme songs and realistic 3D CG animation. :) HA! For me as a long time Gundam fan, it's like rediscovering the magic of Gundam again. And of course, anime.

Argghh... tired liao... writing so long... anyway, watch it and reap. :)

A little song

I'm in the sun
I'm in the sun
Does that mean I'm nobody?

I'm in the sun
I'm in the sun
I'm just like everybody *repeat

Chorus:

I'm nobody but me
I'm nobody but me
I'm nobody but me

I am no one else but me...

these are lyrics to a song I wrote like... I think when I was still in J.C. ... hey, that's like X *censored no of years ago!

I was really into Nirvana then and so as you can tell the style of my music had a lot of its influences from the now defunct band. It was a forced departure since Mr Cobain shot himself in the head. Sad...

But he was a really good song writer cos besides the Beatles, he started the next revolution in the music industry. Broke away from the clutches of Record Moguls, totally defied the convention of big-haired, sleazy drug and roll rock bands of the 80s and gave the generation of children born out of the remnants of divorce and apathy a new voice.

The name of the voice is GRUNGE

I shall not go into the details cos it wasn't a really healthy culture to begin with. :) I'm glad I'm delivered from the spirit of self rejection and pain that came with this movement. Much like what Woodstock gave to America its free sex and drugs (marijuana and whatever nonsense) It was the beginning of the Fall...

But what I really admire is his God-given talents! - Yes, everyone is given talents and gifts by the Lord, whether you believe in Him or not.

Goodness, I mean this man's lyrics really cuts deep into your heart because of the reality of what emotions he portrays!

I wish I could write lyrics like that. Most songs only begin with "I love you"s and "how my heart breaks" etc, etc... you know the usual commercial fluff that comes out of the BIG MACHINE (shan't mention names here, lest someone stumble upon my blog and I get sued...)

A sample of his lyrics from their most favourite, albeit overplayed song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

With the lights out... it's less dangerous... here we are now... entertain us... i feel stupid... and contagious... here we are now... entertain us... yeah...

I mean who hasn't felt like that once in a while when you were a teenager... angsty, nobody understands me... I'm really bored, let me break some stuff in your house... ??

Truly. Teen Spirit. Words squeezed out like pure orange juice with all its natural goodness in one glass.

Except in this case, it's bitter and sour lemon... eew...

But what the heck, I wish I could write like that. :) words written from the heart that touches the souls of many so that they can catch a glimpse of what I'm seeing... and identify, and decipher and understand what it all means. What does LIFE mean?

I believe that's what songs are for. To touch the human soul and give them a new perspective to life.

So... forget the fluff... and give me the real deal.

Head Coach

Well, I'd like to start this blog with a tribute and a dedication to a very important person in my life.

It's my Coach.

He's seen me through my ups and downs; when times are bad and the odds are against me, he stood by me and cheered me on, sometimes even putting in a hand to pull me through my circumstances. Times when I want to give up, he'd offer a word of encouragement, point me to the end and the rewards ahead and charge me to push on.

With deep dedication and firm resilience, resisting my every whim and tantrum, he held on to me, always believing in me despite my constant grumbling and complains. His goal? To see me grow stronger and develop deeper roots in my life; to see me finish the race and fight the good fight and attain the prize that is set before me.

He tells me all the time that his grace is sufficent for me, his strength made perfect in my weaknesses.

The name of my coach?

Jesus, the Christ.

Sounds like a lot of hard work...

you bet it is.

So what's in it for me anyway?

Last week, John read a passage of scripture from Philippians 3:14

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

He challenged us to find out what this prize is.

Well, some brothers said it was the Crown of righteousness that was mentioned in Revelations where the elders would throw down at the feet of Jesus. Or the Crown of Life that's mentioned in James after enduring through all the temptations...

But is it just a bunch of jewels and stones that we're looking at? Isn't it a bit superficial that Christians are running a race for a bunch of stones and rubies and little gold crown to wear when we're in heaven?

I believe that God can only use metaphors to describe to us what the real prize is. In medieval times, crowns are used as a symbol of status in a king's court. The number of stones and elaborateness of the crown also shows certain position and authority that a man possesses.

From this, we have an inkling of an idea what He meant when He described the rewards as crowns of life and righteousness. It's got something to do with authority.

Chao Yang, my good brother, in my opinion, gave us a quick glimpse of this authority when he quoted from Revelations 20:4

"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the Word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

In heaven, we are to reign with Christ. Simply that. It has always been God's plan for us, right from the start when He made the heavens and the earth.

It began in Genesis when He commanded Adam,

"Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the airand over every liveing creature that moves on the ground..."

Hmmm... am I excited over this? Not unless I'm a power hungry, corporate ladder or a king's court ladder climber kinda person.

So then, what is the real prize in this?

I think there must be something better, something more fulfilling and deeper than just wearing a crown and ruling over a bunch of rocks, stones, animals and vegetation.

In a king's court, I believe that only those who are high ranking are allowed to sit near to him. I mean, of course! Why not? These must be His most trusted subjects of the kingdom. The ones whom he most favours. Why? Because they have proven themselves to be worthy to sit with him in his courts! Battles won, policies that improved the kingdom, justice and righteousness meted out through these men and women. They have done things which are right in his sight and pleased him and for the kingdom.

Hmmm... seems like we're getting somewhere...

Let's look at some of the verses that talk about crowns.

2Timothy 4:7, 8

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished he race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearance"

James 1:12

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

Before anyone receives a crown, he is first tested. This means that those who sit in the King's court, had all been tested. These are the ones who chose to follow, despite their circumstances, despite the difficulties, despite the trials in their lives, despite the lack of blessings, despite personal fulfillment in their lives, just so to accomplish the will of God in their lives. They are the ones who followed the Lamb wherever He went, who love Jesus more than they love their lives (Revelations)

These are the ones who are worthy to sit in the King's court, the place where you can see the King's face and meet Him face to face.

What is the motivation in all this then?

"... receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

LOVE.

When we are tested, when our characters have been moulded and formed, we will be worthy to sit near to the One whom we love. Truly, truly, the measure of our love for Him can only be revealed through the trials and the testing that He subjects our souls to. Then we will really know how much we love Him... hahahaha...

sorry I laughed because I only begin to realise how little I love Him, until my heart is truly tested. But I know, I know deep within me that His love and His grace is sufficient for me and His strength is made perfect in my weaknesses.

He loves me despite the little I love Him, that's why He urges me like a coach who pushes his athlete on to complete the training that will make me stronger; to continue in the trials that I go through. Because the more He has, more will be given. I know, I know now, that deep in my heart, that the more trials I go through for Him, the more grace I will receive and the more stones, and rubies and gems I will be given on my crown.

And my real reward will come, when I finish the race, fought the good fight and kept the faith, to sit in His court, face to face with Him, the One that I love.

Forever and ever, till eternity.

Amen.