Slashdot Mirror
In Print: MegaTokyo
MartyJG writes "Freg Gallagher certainly has a talent for announcing things with a maximum of words - the summary of his latest rant on Megatokyo however, is that his webcomic is about to get a dead-tree hardcopy version produced by some nice people at Studio Ironcat. The first volume is going to be 120 pages, with additional off-line-only content. The announcement also includes a new webserver on order, and new merchandise soon to be available with the help of ThinkGeek. All the background on the announcement is in the current MT Piro rant and their very official-looking Press Release."
First P0st!!!!
Except for Space Moose, that is.
second post oink oink moo moo, its the lameless filter...
I know: because they are "sister" sites. But it does not look like "news for the nerds".
Sorry for interrupting...
Nobody except Rob and about 3 other faggotty, childish, virginal geeks gives a rats fucking ass about anime. LAME!
[ed. note: in the following text, former FreeBSD developer Mike Smith gives his reasons for abandoning FreeBSD]
When I stood for election to the FreeBSD core team nearly two years ago, many of you will recall that it was after a long series of debates during which I maintained that too much organisation, too many rules and too much formality would be a bad thing for the project.
Today, as I read the latest discussions on the future of the FreeBSD project, I see the same problem; a few new faces and many of the old going over the same tired arguments and suggesting variations on the same worthless schemes. Frankly I'm sick of it.
FreeBSD used to be fun. It used to be about doing things the right way. It used to be something that you could sink your teeth into when the mundane chores of programming for a living got you down. It was something cool and exciting; a way to spend your spare time on an endeavour you loved that was at the same time wholesome and worthwhile.
It's not anymore. It's about bylaws and committees and reports and milestones, telling others what to do and doing what you're told. It's about who can rant the longest or shout the loudest or mislead the most people into a bloc in order to legitimise doing what they think is best. Individuals notwithstanding, the project as a whole has lost track of where it's going, and has instead become obsessed with process and mechanics.
So I'm leaving core. I don't want to feel like I should be "doing something" about a project that has lost interest in having something done for it. I don't have the energy to fight what has clearly become a losing battle; I have a life to live and a job to keep, and I won't achieve any of the goals I personally consider worthwhile if I remain obligated to care for the project.
Discussion
I'm sure that I've offended some people already; I'm sure that by the time I'm done here, I'll have offended more. If you feel a need to play to the crowd in your replies rather than make a sincere effort to address the problems I'm discussing here, please do us the courtesy of playing your politics openly.
From a technical perspective, the project faces a set of challenges that significantly outstrips our ability to deliver. Some of the resources that we need to address these challenges are tied up in the fruitless metadiscussions that have raged since we made the mistake of electing officers. Others have left in disgust, or been driven out by the culture of abuse and distraction that has grown up since then. More may well remain available to recruitment, but while the project is busy infighting our chances for successful outreach are sorely diminished.
There's no simple solution to this. For the project to move forward, one or the other of the warring philosophies must win out; either the project returns to its laid-back roots and gets on with the work, or it transforms into a super-organised engineering project and executes a brilliant plan to deliver what, ultimately, we all know we want.
Whatever path is chosen, whatever balance is struck, the choosing and the striking are the important parts. The current indecision and endless conflict are incompatible with any sort of progress.
Trying to dissect the above is far beyond the scope of any parting shot, no matter how distended. All I can really ask of you all is to let go of the minutiae for a moment and take a look at the big picture. What is the ultimate goal here? How can we get there with as little overhead as possible? How would you like to be treated by your fellow travellers?
Shouts
To the Slashdot "BSD is dying" crowd - big deal. Death is part of the cycle; take a look at your soft, pallid bodies and consider that right this very moment, parts of you are dying. See? It's not so bad.
To the bulk of the FreeBSD committerbase and the developer community at large - keep your eyes on the real goals. It's when you get distracted by the politickers that they sideline you. The tireless work that you perform keeping the system clean and building is what provides the platform for the obsessives and the prima donnas to have their moments in the sun. In the end, we need you all; in order to go forwards we must first avoid going backwards.
To the paranoid conspiracy theorists - yes, I work for Apple too. No, my resignation wasn't on Steve's direct orders, or in any way related to work I'm doing, may do, may not do, or indeed what was in the tea I had at lunchtime today. It's about real problems that the project faces, real problems that the project has brought upon itself. You can't escape them by inventing excuses about outside influence, the problem stems from within.
To the politically obsessed - give it a break, if you can. No, the project isn't a lemonade stand anymore, but it's not a world-spanning corporate juggernaut either and some of the more grandiose visions going around are in need of a solid dose of reality. Keep it simple, stupid.
To the grandstanders, the prima donnas, and anyone that thinks that they can hold the project to ransom for their own agenda - give it a break, if you can. When the current core were elected, we took a conscious stand against vigorous sanctions, and some of you have exploited that. A new core is going to have to decide whether to repeat this mistake or get tough. I hope they learn from our errors.
Future
I started work on FreeBSD because it was fun. If I'm going to continue, it has to be fun again. There are things I still feel obligated to do, and with any luck I'll find the time to meet those obligations.
However I don't feel an obligation to get involved in the political mess the project is in right now. I tried, I burnt out. I don't feel that my efforts were worthwhile. So I won't be standing for election, I won't be shouting from the sidelines, and I probably won't vote in the next round of ballots.
You could say I'm packing up my toys. I'm not going home just yet, but I'm not going to play unless you can work out how to make the project somewhere fun to be again.
= Mike
--
I just had to be a lamer just once. As for web comics, I am a huge fan. Not having access to dead-tree newspapers is often a problem in college. I regularly download and save such comics for adding to my collection. I'll be the buying myself the hardcopy version as soon as funds allow it.
the part about the new web server, and had to give them a reason for it?
Sorry, I don't mean this to come off as a flame, and I do love his artistic skills, but Gallagher cannot tell a story to save his life. Sure, he has his "Dead Piro" days, which, contrary to others, I love since it gives us a chance to see he scribbles. That is not my issue, though. For the time that the comic has been up (which has been something like over a year), Piro and Largo have managed to get stuck in Japan, get an apartment, and get a job. THAT IS IT! Please, if you are reading this Fred, dude, PICK UP THE PACE A LITTLE. It wouldn't be such an issue if the background story didn't have so much potential. Sorry, but I have to pass on the first book. Lots of pretty pictures, but no substance....
The following summary of pretty much every Megatokyo rant is courtesy of exploitation now:
"Blah blah overworked blah blah couldn't get comic done blah I'm a terrible artist blah blah *whine* blah blah some damn new anime meant for twelve year old Japanese girls blah blah dating sim blah blah respecting my character's privacy blah blah- *Urk!*"
I've been a Megatokyo fan for a bit, but here lately I've been seriously considering deleting the bookmark. I mean, I understand having a life other than the comic. I can handle the occasional DPD (dead piro day), or even DPW. But the comic seriously has not moved plotwise in months. It's gotten to the point of being ridiculous. Anyway, I guess that's what's been taking all his time away from the webcomic, he's been working on the dead-tree comic. More power to him. I won't follow along, though. I'll be reading Exploitation Now...
jred
I'm not a mechanic but I play one in my garage...
ah they would get slashdotted during a filler comic. Here's one of my favorites that the slashdot crowd should appreciate
#9 - speak l33t
Comment removed based on user account deletion
I remember when Megatokyo was first opening, and I still on occasion listen to Kim Justice
:-D Just got bored waiting for the story line to come along, heh, I gotta check it out again one of these days before it goes titsup.com ^_^
I have not read the comic in around a year, (I left off in the point where the dude was just starting to working in the store as a mascot) but from what I remember it was Kick Ass.
Need help treating your acne? Come here!
I'm definitely getting the book when it comes out! I like Megatokyo very much.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
Ok, does Megatokyo have that large of a following here @ /. ??
Because amongst other webcomics:
Goats Is currently at Comicon putting out a second book.
Achewood is finishing up the polishing touches on a book.
Cat and Girl has a book going out.
As do a whole slew of others. Why don't they get mentioned??
I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
Bob and George
8-bit Theater
Movie Comics
Kick ass.
Need help treating your acne? Come here!
Ahh sweet sweet Megatokyo... the BESTEST COMIC ONLINE! HA! My god I crack me up. MT has become somewhat of an internet counterculture icon in its few years in publication. I don't know a single member of our small counterculture revolution that can STAND Piro's whiny DOOD THIS IS MY TOKYO, GET USED TO IT stance on his little webcomic. Yeah yeah yeah HIS webcomic. Big deal. He's got a fucking webcomic and a smattering of "talent" this makes him one of the most beloved icons in the "webcomics scene" as it were?
Now, remember, this is the same scene that elevated the 8BT guy, a person who is PROFITING on ANTOTHER COMPANY'S IP, to godhood.
Back in the early days of webcomicing, there was some integrity and actual wit and originality. Now everything's degraded to crap like User Friendly, Megatokyo and 8BT. I don't understand WHY this utter shit is so BELOVED when there are real, good comics out there that are actually DESERVING of high praise and love from the community (ie: Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, Pentasmal and Anime Moments in History), usually due to the FUNNY that they contain. Aw fuck it, you retards are going to mod me into oblivion and right now, baby the whisky is doing the talking, not me. If you've a problem with it, I'll KILL YOU AT OTACON (if you don't get THAT then you're similarly as worthless as the dork who does Megatokyo. No fucking wonder "Largo" left in disgust and rants long windedly at how gay "Piro" is and how god damned preachy and utterly faggy that MT has become homph glomph like an octopus at the boner buffet).
In closing, Die Megatokyo die, you are not the pinnacle of webcomics like you think you are.
Why is it when I hit ^R that ZSH calls me a cocksucker?
PVP
and possibly 8-bit Theatre
Numerous comics have print versions out, though. Aside from PVP and Penny Arcade above, GPF and I think Diesel Sweeties both have offline versions. So I ought congratulate Megatokyo.
Secondly, I thought I could add to the list of worthwhile webcomics to read: :)
Penny Arcade (above)
Res Life
Mac Hall
Angst Technology
Zeek V2.0
I'll avoid the urge to shamelessly promote my own new comic
this comic rocks. it is FREE and it is cool. I sure will be buying the book. Call me a mark, whatever. He makes a cool comic. I like to read it.
/.'s sexuality.
How about some well hung cat-man/demon porn?
I like megatokyo, but the long winded rants of Piro are not worth the time. Slashdot, if you want to gain notary as a real news source, then stop patting your friends on the back.
Its disappointing because this is such a blatient example of indirect advertising.
I loved MT for ages, but recently it all went to hell IMHO when the "storyline" got too drawn out and some comics (those things between the "Dead Piro Days") weren't even funny, just part of a (boring) storyline which is the main storyline in any "respected" soap series on TV, namely; "Does she love me/Will I be able to bone her eventually?". It gets old and tiring up to the point where even Largo isn't funny anymore. He's been ranting about zombies for month now in-comic and really, isn't it time for a change and go back to the small stories that actually oozed wit and humour?
Sadly, I have seen this happening to other comics as well. Anyone remember GPF? (The comic, that is. Put down that Windows developer right now before you break something!) It used to be funny, I read it all the way from the start to the end and then religious started following it because it too had loads of simple jokes. Look at it right now, it's nothing but pure and utter online filth that ended up in a overdrawn B-moviesque storyline. And I'm not even going to mention the total irrelevance of MT to Slashdot or question why it ended up on the front page.
And this is a call to comic artists: Notice the ARTIST bit. It means you can draw better then most of us, it doesn't mean that you can also think up of a decent storyline. Don't get illusions of grandeur, fooling yourself that you're capable of writing a novel in comic form. Thank you.
Steps of his soapbox...
Hate me!
- Dilbert
- User Friendly
- Sinfest
- Penny Arcade
- MegaTokyo
- Real Life
- PvP
-jfedor...but since Largo basically left the comic, you can really feel the difference. I miss that drunken l33t d00d who can dance(I saw him dancing on the last day of Akon this year).
"Useless organic meatbag" -HK-47
I checked all links, where is the Thinkgeek related stuff?
[o]_O
Offline-only content? I remember, back in the day and when the internet was all new and shiny, people used to offer special online-only content. My, we seem to have come full circle, haven't we?
Too bad all Iron Cat does is barely-dressed women. I mean, I know Fred likes to draw short skirts and all his female characters are...well equipped... ...but talk about publishers you -DON'T- want publishing your work.
Also, aside from the fact that this is blatant story-for-ad-revinue material, what exactly was justification for this being a story?
These kinds of stories should NOT be main-page material.
MegaTokyo Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!
You mean you'll be reading Exploitation Now for a few more weeks or months, right? I mean, you can't be reading it for much longer. It's dying. Not in a bad way, but the fact is that as we're Dreaming Away in Act 4, Poe is Ending It All.
I, personally, have been reading EN since practically the beginning. It's been impressive to see Poe's style evolve, along with the EN characters and storyline. I was actually saddened by ****'s (in case anyone decides to start reading, I won't spoil it for ya) murder last week. I know that I'll be sad to see EN go, but Poe is, so far, doing an excellent job at bringing about the end.
I'll be one of the first to visit his new comic, Errant Story (domain already registered), when EN ends. I really hope that Poe puts all of EN into a book when the series ends. I'd be more than willing to lay down $20-$25 for a hardbacked EN collection.
More OnTopic, Congrats to Piro. I'll be buying a MT book when it's released. I certainly can't complain about the $8.95 price. I still want Gabe and Tycho to make a PA Year Two book. While MT is decidedly excellent PA is, IMHO, the best web comic out there.
Megatokyo is a comic for nerds? What about Schlock Mercenary?
As with most webcomics, it has started to go slack a bit, but a lot of it is top-notch.
Strange Candy: Okashina Okashi
Tsunami Channel
The longest line for any event were the Megatokyo Panels. The comic is seriously popular among anime fanboys who feel the same as Piro. Our art is superior! We can't get chix! Meanwhile all the people who weren't socially inept (i.e. the ones who didn't pay almost 2000$ for one megatokyo drawing) were at the www.dubthis.net party. party or wait in line to see a guy who can draw, party, guy who can draw, party... The only people who still like Megatokyo are fanboys. It's popular, because there are a lot of fanboys.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
I'm a big fan of MT, and congrats to Piro on the book.
But seriously, can we mod this story down as Offtopic?
why is this news for nerds? um... cause. it just is. I wouldn't even know megatokyo existed but for slashdot. no one else notice that theres a webcomics slashbox? in it are PA and MT and many others. this is news for nerds. if slashdot posted a story about football then I would wonder what the hell was going on. as for the plot of MT. , it is his strip. and I've never known him to proclaim himself grand poobah of webcomics.
-
When this book comes out I think I will probably buy it. This and Penny Arcade are the two comics that, when intended to be funny, make me laugh on a consistent basis. And when not funny, Megatokyo is at least very good art. I'll admit the story isn't as fast-paced as many other webcomics, but this is a welcome change at times. I figure Fred needs the support and I appreciate his art...I would definitely like to see more manga webcomics.
"I may be quite wrong." - Socrates
It's Walky - http://www.itswalky.com/
FOG Club Adventure - http://fogclub.keenspace.com/
Sinfest - http://www.sinfest.net/
Ozy and Millie - http://www.ozyandmillie.org/
Chopping Block - http://www.choppingblock.org/
Diesel Sweeties - http://www.dieselsweeties.com/
Help Desk - http://www.ubersoft.net/
Nukees - http://www.nukees.com/
Mac Hall - http://www.machall.com/
One thing to remember about webcomics however is that it's often helpful to read them from the beginning. Since they aren't constrained by the paper they can afford to not do one-shots every day. Luckily most of them haven't been around for more than a year or three.
I build model citizens.
First, I would like to agree that this probably isn't front page news. Second, I'd also like to say that everyone has his or her own opinion, and that this is mine.
That said, I personally have a great liking to MegaTokyo. Yes, the fan base is mostly fanboys/fangirls (myself included), but it does extremely well in that audience. The forums are packed, and there is a strong sense of community amongst the fans. It is a well-known saying that you can't please everyone, and I believe that this applies much more so to internet-related ventures. Fred Gallagher has done an excellent job of catering to his fans, and tries to keep as many people happy as he can, while still maintaining his sanity and controlling his creation.
Though the Dead Piro Days and Shirt Guy Dom can get annoying sometimes, it is often just a short interlude so Fred can catch up with himself. The plot hasn't been moving very much recently, but it will eventually. Patience is the key here.
Also, MegaTokyo is not meant to jump from one isolated gag to another. It is more akin to Japanese comics (manga) or "Graphic novels" (old-style comic books, like Superman, etc.), which tell a more definite story, but take much longer. It also tends to be a little sappier, and is not really geared towards what current American culture is used to. It follows a more relaxed pace, and there is *much* more plot than, say, Dilbert. Mind you, Dilbert is also an excellent comic, but it is in an entirely different class from MegaTokyo. It's like comparing a Sedan to an SUV. They focus on different things.
As for storytelling, Fred was always more involved in long-term plots. Largo did participate in plot development, but he was better at shorter gags and mini-plots, IMO. If the plot in MegaTokyo rubs you the wrong way, then it does. That's just the way things are. Personally, I enjoy the plot, and find it very satisfying, as well as funny.
Again, sorry about the rant. Just voicing my opinion.
Umm... why doesn't Piro, instead, put his efforts into ACTUALLY DOING HIS COMIC?
In the past few months he's done maybe FIVE...
Does it make you happy you're so strange?
Frankly, I LIKE the slower, meandering pace. I dislike comics that stuff each panel to the gills with exposition and word ballons, that insist on rushing the reader from one scene to another before they can properly enjoy it. Fred is basing his work on the Japanese manga style, and manga is generally slower paced and more visual than American comics anyway.
Try reading it more often. The story picked up pace a *lot* right around the time Fred announced he'd be doing the comic solo.
And in particular, Largo was morphed from a drunk weirdo back into an articulate, interesting character (with a cool thing!) that actually speaks to the other people around.
I look forward to buying lots of Megatokyo in print.
...then just shut the fuck up.
/. (and the rest of the net in general) back in the days when Picaso, Shakespeare, and Mozart were getting started. Back then you had to be talented to get your words in front of the kind of masses the above tripe was subjected to. Look at any of the big names' really early work, most of it was crap, or at least not up to the level they latter attained. Fred has asperations twoard manga, and a page at a time, even the best manga isn't always funny. Go pickup a good one, pick any page at random and read it, just by itself. Now a couple days later, read the next page... wait a couple days and read another page. You'll very soon note that it's about the same pace as reading MT. If you can't handle that, then don't read the new strips every few days, wait a month or more and come read several of them at the same time.
Just imagine if ungrateful assholes like you had as open a forum as
That's the whole point of the net, it's NOT as much of a meritocracy, you don't have to already be a master in order to put something out there, hell, as you've proven so very well, anyone that can string a sentence together (and even some that can't) can inflict their literary diarrhea on the unsuspecting masses.
That you've not found the humour in the recent stories doesn't suprise me. Fortunately not all the readers of MT are at your level, and even more fortunately, Fred understands this.
The main reason I don't read MegaTokyo, for all its fans and recommendations, is that I don't generally feel like translating "1337" to English. When 1337-speak shows up in the archive headings about half the time, it's probably a comic not worth my time.
That said, I don't suppose the book is going to have translations? Or is that supposed to be what makes it funny?
The senseless--
####
Which end EVERY press release it seems. (I dunno, there must be some method to the madness, maybe some ancient press software/hardware recognizes #### as the end of the story..)
(This wasn't as funny as I'd thought it would be.)
On a side note, I look forward to a hard copy of the comic-- I just recently began reading it, and have become quite impressed (the story just moves along a lot slower than I wish it would, heh). =)
All I know about Bush is I had a good job when Clinton was president.
Webcomics do not suck, nor are they only for "geeks with no lives and losers". In fact, I'm finding that lately print comics are starting to suck. I rarely laugh anymore if I even bother to read the comics in the paper. Any AC who disagrees can get the balls to identify themselves or shut the hell up.
Megatokyo is updated fairly regularly. I think Fred's doing the best he can manage what with working as much as he seems to do. Congratulations for making such a successful go of it this far, keep it up.
I will be buying the book, as well as some merchandise, and I hope that many of the rest of the fans will as well. If MT has been nice enough not to go banner-happy or "beg for donations" as IIRC Fred said back in the day, then the least we could do is buy some stuff. 3v1l/l337 shirt? Sure!
This is justifiably newsworthy, considering how many non-keenspot comics do something like this. It's news for nerds. How many nerds don't read at least one webcomic? How many don't read MT?
MT has always had a fairly excellent storyline, and unless the latest comics were written before Rodney left, then you can't really say that it was funnier before he did leave. Lately, every comic with Largo in it has been, IMO, hilariously funny, especially the comic about his "special thing" that "does cool stuff". I'm still laughing at that one.
If you don't like the update schedule, do what many people I know do and read it monthly.
That's enough ranting for today, I'm here all week. Try the veal, it's delicious.
- Relativistic? That's barely Newtonian!
I have to take exception with this--while the actual plot in each comic has perhaps covered more (they got to the beer garden--woo hoo), the rate of comics is still slow. And Largo has morphed from an interesting teacher to some stupid febrile 2-year old it seems to me, who just babbles about zombies and "cool things"
Picasso, Shakespeare, and Mozart were actually talented, and succeeded in the face of much harsher critics (especially Shakespeare).
Megatokyo is a boring strip done by a medicore artist who thinks he's also a writer.
Slashdot links to MT on the front page for the same reason it links to Old Man Murray, The Filthy Critic, and Penny Arcade: To appear "hip".
It is only front-page here because Taco shoves those stupid Mega Tokyo comics ads up your ass. Web content more or less sucks without exception, and Slashdot is a shining example of this. I only laugh at Slashdot when reading comments, I only find out real information when reading comments. The list goes on. There is nothing particularly interesting or funny or informative (since the news is old by the time its on Slashdot) in the "stories." The interviews suck, are half-assed and rarely does anyone do them because they seem foolish. Jon Katz eructates his second hand breed of senseless pontification. We get to hear about useless anime. I hate anime now, I used to be intrigued by it (it was different and I was pre-pubescent), but its trite, repetitive and commercialized to the point of nausea.
I'm sick of this Slashdot denigration. A downward spiral that will end in its demise. The editors are fat sexless smelly buffoons who make nothing of use to humanity, and they know it. They are carp like bottom feeding scum that live off of other people reporting new about people doing useful things while they sit around and eat pizza and watch anime all underwritten by lame ass ads being sprayed in your face. Fuck this hole in the wall.
No one here that is worth knowing identifies with much of anything on the front page these days.
I also scoff at the editors complete lack of regard for the commenting public here, and those faceless comment less cowards use their fascist fist of control from the shadows because they are too afraid to confront the readership in an open forum. You editors are god damn pigs.
You think webcomics other than MT suck? Well you can all just DIE (shameless plug for my wife's web comic)
sig: There are two mistaakes in this sig.
Sexy Losers
Ghastly's Annie the hardcore gamer
T.A.Vision
Tangs Comics
Sunday Morning Coffee(on hold)
nuff said.
NO CARRIER
Back when the comic started Rodney wanted it to mostly be about zombies and carnage. Piro was the one that wanted it to be like a Love Hina. A happy medium was met.
jomamanup, signing off
I may or may not agree with you, but my disposition changes drastically when a snarky little shit uses the contraction, 'nuff. How about fuck off you little son of a wanton strumpet harlot prossie. Enough said?
Fucking snarky little bitch contractions make me sick.
It's not just megatokyo, there is a lot of action lately with manga, and manga-style comics...
http://www.raijincomics.com
A new manga WEEKLY for the US! Pretty amazing, for a print version of manga to be released weekly to the US market.
http://www.shonenjump.com
A monthly magazine, like Raijin. Tons more manga coming to the shelves of bookstores and magazine racks near you.
http://www.newtype-usa.com
Just the most beautiful anime magazine EVER made, period... Manga insert in the middle of this baby.
Also, Tokyopop comics announced a contest for US manga-style artists, with the winners appearing in a special anthology magazine later:
http://tokyopop.com/news/mangatalent/index.php
With all this, and megatokyo in print, it's an exciting time for manga fans, artists, and producers.
I don't think so. For one, I believe in one of his diary entries Piro talks about how he had never heard of Love Hina before the comic was well underway. Secondly, more action occurrs on one page of the Love Hina manga than 3 weeks of MT.
This comic really has me hooked at the moment:
:) Read from the first strip, read the accompanying "Alternate Universe" strips, and I assure you that you will not be disappointed.
Unicorn Jelly
The comic is best described as a science-fiction/fantasy story, but that hardly scratches the surface of the alien physics that run the world, the believeable, well-fleshed out characters, and the just plain entertaining plot. Not to mention that it's drawn in a light-hearted, anime-influenced style. The fact that it is really obscure should also appeal to the average slashdotter.