Net Infamy — Windows 100% Interview
I have been featured as the 42th (ooo, lucky number!) “Overseas Otaku” in the April issue of Windows 100%, a Japanese IT magazine that also features otaku and internet pop culture related articles. Every month, the magazine asks 100 questions to a foreign otaku. Tsubaki (who is currently incommunicado in the world of Granada Espada) was previously featured in the March issue.
They only printed a selected few of the questions while the full set of hundred is included on a CD-ROM that comes with the magazine.
Continue reading for the printed questions and translations.
1. お名前と、もしあるならば別の呼び名。そしてその由来を教えてください。
こんにちは、DarkMirageと申します。小学校のごろオンラインゲームを始めた時に作ったんです。たまたま二つの英語単語で作り出しただけで、意味はありません。
Please tell us your nickname and its origin.
Hi, my nickname is DarkMirage. I made it up for an online game back in primary school. It’s just a combination of two words and has no special meaning.
2. 年齢を教えてください。
１８歳。
What is your age?
18 years old.
3. どこにお住まいですか？
シンガポール。
Where do you live?
Singapore.
4. 職業について教えてください。
高校生。
What’s your occupation?
High school student.
5. 身長は？
１８１センチ。
Your height?
181cm. (I realized that I overestimated it by 2cm.)
6. 好きな食べ物を教えてください。
刺身。
What’s your favourite food?
Sashimi.
7. 嫌いな食べ物はなんですか？
にんじん、ブロッコリ。
What food do you hate?
Carrots and broccoli.
8. なにか特技があれば教えてください。
耳を動かすこと、それとジャッグル。
Do you possess any special talents?
I can wriggle my ears and also juggle.
9. 自分を動物にたとえるなら、なんですか。
猫かな、静かで怠け者。
What animal would you compare yourself to?
Probably a cat. I’m quiet and lazy.
10. 自分をオタクだと思いますか？
はい、オタクです。
Are you an otaku?
Yes, I am.
11. あなたにとってのヒーローまたはヒロインは誰ですか。
科学者のスティーヴン・ホーキング。
Who is your hero/heroine?
The physicist Stephen Hawking.
12. 尊敬している人は？
元アメリカ大統領候補アル・ゴア。
Who do you respect?
Former American presidential candidate Al Gore.
15. 座右の銘は？
“God’s in his heaven, All’s right with the world.”
What’s your personal motto?
“God’s in his heaven, All’s right with the world.”
21. 理想のガールフレンドってどんな人ですか？（実在の彼女は別にして）
ToHeart2のタマ姉みたいのがいいｗｗｗ 冗談は別として、趣味が合うのは一番大切だと思います。明るくて大人っぽいのもプラスです……ってやっぱりタマ姉かな。(笑）
Describe your ideal girlfriend. (Not your current girlfriend.)
I want someone like ToHeart2′s Tama-nee! Jokes aside, I guess having someone with compatible interests is quite important. Cheerful and mature would be huge pluses too…… Wait I guess that is Tama-nee after all. LOL.
30. 好きなアニメ作品について教えてください。
涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱、エヴァンゲリオン、ナデシコ、星界の戦旗、気まぐれオレンジロード。
What anime titles do you like?
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Evangelion, Nadesico, Banner of the Stars and Kimagure Orange Road.
54. 知っている、または好きな日本の単語を教えてください。
神無月。
Please tell us your favourite Japanese word.
Kannadzuki.
59. Ramblings of DarkMirageを簡単に紹介してください。
最初は自分を話題にして書いてたブログだったが、二年前からアニメやアキバ系のサイトに変更しました。ビジターはアメリカから一番多い、それからシンガポールと日本。
Please introduce us to “Ramblings of DarkMirage”.
It started off as a random blog about my daily life but slowly transformed into an anime related site two years ago. Most visitors come from America, followed by Singapore and Japan.
66. いま、注目に値するアニメ作品を挙げてください。
「コードギアス」……って言うかもう皆観てますね。じゃ、「京四郎と永遠の空」かな。
What series should people look out for now?
“Code Geass”……but I guess everyone’s already watching that. “Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora” then.
69. アニメで、いちばん好きなシーンについて教えてください。
「涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱」の第１２話で、ハルヒが「God knows…」を歌ってるところが大好きです。
What’s your favourite anime scene?
The scene in episode 12 of “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” where Haruhi sang “God knows…”.
79. 「アニメオタク」と「アニメファン」の違いとは、どういったことだと思いますか。
あるレベルに達成すると、アニメファンはアニメオタクに進化します。ポケットモンスターみたいに。
What do you think is the difference between an anime otaku and an anime fan?
Upon reaching a certain level, anime fan evolves into anime otaku. Just like in Pokemon.
80. サイトへのクレームなどもあります？
最初はなれなくてすごく気にしたんですが、今は無視します。
Do you get complaints about your site?
Yes, I was quite bothered by them at first, but now I ignore them. (Speaking of which, Doremi just sent me an e-mail a few days ago…)
85. 尊敬している、字幕職人っていますか。
Anime-KeepのDeathWolf。
Do you respect any fansubbers?
DeathWolf from Anime-Keep.
88. オススメのYouTube動画ってあります？
「Ask A Ninja」というシリーズ。まぁ、英語ですけどね。
Do you have any YouTube videos to recommend?
The “Ask A Ninja” series, but it’s in English.
92. 一番人気があるアニメサイトといえば？
darkmirage.com…というのは嘘です。多分animenewsnetwork.comだと思います。
What’s the most popular anime site (in English)?
darkmirage.com… Just kidding. Uh, animenewsnetwork.com I guess.
93. マジコンって知ってます？ 使ったことあります？
知ってますが、DSは持っていません。PSPでカスタムファームウエアと使ってますけど。
Do you know what’s a Magicom? Have you used one before?
I know what it is, but I do not own a DS. I do use homebrew software on my PSP, though.
97. ひとことでいうと、アニメはあなたにとってナニ？
生き方です。
How would you describe anime in one phrase?
It’s a way of life.
100. 日本の読者にメッセージお願いします。
いつかアキバで会おう！
Please end off with a message for the Japanese readers.
May we meet in Akiba someday!
You can view the rest of the questions that came with the CD-ROM here.
Alternatively, you can purchase the magazine itself from Amazon JP. The CD-ROM contains a few pictures of me which I shall not post here. :P
P.S. I have been without Internet access for the past few days due to a series of incidents. So yeah, I’m still alive.
March 13th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
I sense subliminal messanges to buy the CD-rom emanating from the article.. must buy the CD-ROM.. not.
March 13th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
興味深い記事をありがとうございました。
しかし、好きな作品の中に「オレンジロード」とは、意外です。ご年齢から逆算すると、放送時には、まだ生まれていないはずですが（^^；。
＃私は、中原めいこさんの主題歌が懐かしいです．．．。
いつか秋葉のメイドカフェで、お会いしましょう。
では、また。
追伸
日本語の投稿が禁止でしたら、この文書は、遠慮無く削除してください。
March 13th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Lol, it’s ironic that I’m a month earlier than you and I’m writing the interview thingy now. But my site keeps going down and it’s damn hard to write a post on it.
March 13th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Torrent the CD.
March 13th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
ur 179? i’d never have thought that since last i checked i’m only 177 XD
March 13th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Nice selection of favorite animes.
March 13th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
“19. タバコはすいますか、そしてお酒はたしなみますか？
いいえ、全然。”
Lies! I saw you downing beer at cosafe! You party animal!
lol, just joking…
March 13th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Heh, congrats on appearing in the mag. Rare do we ever get the chance to do so. XD
March 13th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
2. 年齢を教えてください。
１８歳。
What is your age?
18 years old.
Did you lie? i thought u were 40? lol…anw…tell us the contents bout the “email” some day..
March 14th, 2007 at 1:19 am
The questions are so inane.. I wonder who actually reads that section.
March 14th, 2007 at 4:25 am
take a closeup picture of you in the magazine! XD
March 14th, 2007 at 4:55 am
>Do you respect any fansubbers?
>DeathWolf from Anime-Keep.
It’s nice to see a magazine asking about (western) fansubbing.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:09 am
Oh also btw, your host is on dreamhost right Paper? If you get a lot of 500/503 server internal errors, you should email them. It were acting so too for mine.
I just got one so I was thinking maybe it gets regular :/
March 14th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Nice to see you’re gaining a bit of fame!
And BTW, your pic is already in that second scan if that’s what you’re trying to hide (笑)
Also like the name of that “something shop”… 什麼店(笑)
March 14th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Interesting.
I wonder how they scout out things like this. It couldn’t just be random?
March 14th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
I think it’s because I got linked by Danny Choo. They interviewed him some time before.
March 14th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Congrats on the magazine appearance. 100 questions must get a little tiring to answer though, but it was worth it it looks like.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
You are 179 or 181?? I am only 180 T.T
March 14th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
there’s something i’m missing out….
how famous can animebloggers be!!!
first, it was a walk in interview with the GE online game for tsubaki.
then figure shops all over sg knows you guys.
then now magazine interviews… FROM JAPAN DIRECT!!!!
OMFG.
hope some otaku girl reads the magazine. then we can have more japanese girl in sg.
March 14th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Interesting!
But wait, are you 18 years old?
I thought you were old than me XD (I’m 21)
Anyway, I must go to bookshop.
March 14th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Okay my freaking site is up. Eh does your CD contain eroges inside?
March 14th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Try running the full 100 questions through Babelfish. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Best parts? The “sprouting”, DM confessing love to the “child” and “Sakamoto true twill!!!”.
March 15th, 2007 at 6:23 am
why did you intro them a yuri-ish anime???
March 15th, 2007 at 7:43 am
Congrats!
BTW, Met up with Nishio-san yesterday. Presume that it was him that contacted you for the interview?
March 15th, 2007 at 8:45 am
were you as tall as me? it cannot be… let us have a look at the magazine in future too!
March 15th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Congratulation DarkMirage….
I really admire you that you can do things like this…
Well keep going and I will always support your blog.!!
March 15th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Danny: Yeah it was.
March 15th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
DarkMirage, i got a off topic question.
but…
can you link me to the best looking tamaki figure?
March 15th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Yay at your response to question 91…Uh, I mean, congrats. Heeh.
March 16th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Yes, my prediction was correct. Not 16 last year (you told me that some time ago), and under the legal age (you wrote this in your post about the trip to Casafe).
Stalker statements, aside, I did have that feeling that it’s Danny who linked you to Windows 100%. Ah, what I would do to get linked to him too…
Now all you’re left to do is buy yourself a Stormtrooper outfit.
March 16th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Wow! Impressive. 1.81m!! I guess you play lots of basketball or swim frequently?
March 17th, 2007 at 6:50 am
you are 18 ?? are you sure ?
September 7th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Stephen Hawking~ I like his books alot.
Ah, first comment in 6 months. ;D
November 1st, 2007 at 9:05 pm
[quote=chicken]you are 18 ?? are you sure ?[/quote]
lol why not.
Trackback from
To Heart 2 OVA 1 at hontou ni sou omou?April 19th, 2008 at 7:13 am
[...] know much about this series but I decided to pick up the first episode of the OVA because DarkMirage has repeatedly sung Tama-nee’s praises. Like how I was converted to Asa Shigure fandom by her [...]