Hey everyone!
As time moves on, our tastes change. Whether it’s food, movie, or beverages, our favorites shift with the changing winds. The same thing can be applied to anime: when we’re younger, fans tend to like more childish shows, but as they get older, more mature shows get thrown into the mix. Since I posted my original Top 10 Anime list last year (Click on “***”), I’ve had some new anime come my way, and some of my favorites have changed since then. With tomorrow being the start of the second leg of my music review tour, I thought that it was time for another anime post. With that said, here is my revised post on my top 10 anime.
10) Mad Bull 34
If you remember my review of this show, you’ll recall that I gave this show a brutal slap to the face. I basically said that it was the ugliest, racist, most sterotypical, and most sexist anime I’ve ever seen. Here’s the thing.....I like this show!!!
The reason why I have such a bad show on this list is because of a simple belief: there always needs to be a couple bad anime in someone’s library. To me, this show is so batshit, apeshit, friggen insane, it’s actually hard to not like. Yes, the show is sexist, yes there’s racism & stereotypes, and yes, the show sometimes looks god-awful and has some equally god-awful voice acting. For some odd reason, it’s these exact same flaws that endear me to the show. Every negative aspect associated with cops shows can be found within Mad Bull 34, and I let out small chuckle every time I watch an episode.
9) XXXHolic
XXXHolic is one of those series that Otaku either love or hate. The people that hate the show will probably state that it’s a little too artsy, doesn’t follow the manga, and all in all is just too weird to comprehend. At the same time, it’s these qualities that make XXXHolic a good show to watch.
For starters, XXXHolic is one of the most beautiful series that the all-female group CLAMP has ever created, standing along side series such as Cardcaptor Sakura, X (Nobody talks about X), and Tsubasa. It is indeed an artsy show, mixing the mysterious & unique with an interesting usage of color, creating some very vivid imagery. As for not following the manga, I’m actually okay with that. I find that by not connecting with Tsubasa (Anybody who’s read the XXXHolic manga, you’ll know what I’m talking about) you have a stronger main story instead of a weaker one. As for the weirdness...well, I can understand why anime fans who don’t like this show because of this. There are plenty of moments where you’ll go “huh!?”, but there’s also moments where you’ll go “what!?”, and there’s usually something that will make you understand what happened right around the corner.
8) Chobits
The best way I can describe Chobits is through the following phrase: The Thinking Man’s Cute.
Make no mistake, Chobits is cute. Insanely cute. It’s the kind of cute that will more than likely cause you to have spasms if you aren’t prepared. It’s the kind of cute that’ll cause you to bash your head against a brick wall if you don’t like cute things (In which case, why are you watching Chobits in the first place?). At the same time however, Chobits has depth to it. It explores man’s fascinations with technology, and it also questions man’s increasing obsession with machinery, as well as our desire to become closer with technology. Although the manga does this a little better than the anime (Not by much), the anime still holds onto this theme enough that it’s still fascinating & entertaining.
It also doesn’t help the fact that the main character, Chi, is adorable as all hell.....CHI!!!
7) Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Princess Knight
I couldn’t put each of these shows in their own spots, as they’re all very legendary series. Drawn & edited by the iconic Osamu Tezuka, these three shows delighted and entertained kids of the previous generation, and their magic continues to delight the anime generation of today. Perhaps the factor that ties these shows together is that they aren’t like the kids shows of today. Created at a time when we didn’t try to hide things from our children & didn’t talk down at them, they all are a great mix between sweet, truthful, lesson-learning, and even some of the darker aspects of life. If shows now were like this, I guarantee that our kids will become badass once again!
6) Tenchi Muyo OVA & Outlaw Star
When these show aired on Toonami back in the day, I could hardly watch them. My workload at school at the time was something of a back-breaker, so I didn’t have much free time. It really wasn’t until recent memory that I finally had the chance to sit down both shows, and I’m punching myself in the face for having waited for so long to get to these series.
I really don’t have much to say about Tenchi Muyo & Outlaw Star, since what I have to say pretty much covers both shows. They both have great stories, interesting characters, and overall are just fun to watch. There are aspects that separate the shows & put them in their respective niches, but Tenchi Muyo & Outlaw Star have a lot more in common than you think.
BTW, I’ll get my Outlaw Star review up in a couple months. Hope you don’t mind the wait.
5) Pokemon
First off, I’m not talking about the newer seasons. I despise the newer seasons, simply because the magic that made the original seasons is gone (At least for me). It also doesn’t help the fact that the voice acting in the newer seasons is downright awful, and it seems less smart & clever (Enough to the point where it kinda treats it’s audience like idiots), but I will give it credit in one regard, and that’s the animation quality. The quality in the newer seasons look & move smoother, and has a fresher feel, but I digress.
When I watched Pokemon back in the day, I had never seen anything like it. It was the cooliest thing I ever saw: a kid around my age, wandering the world with friends, capturing a menagerie of creatures to fight other people who possibly had the same creatures. This was something my young mind thought about from time to time (Yeah, I was a little weird back then. I’m still a little weird). I loved the original series so much, I worked my ass off to earn enough money to buy a game boy color & Pokemon: Red Edition. I still have the red edition, along with the blue, yellow, gold, and silver editions, not to mention a big collection of the trading cards & plushies, and I’ll never get rid of any of them!
4) My Neighbor Totoro
Now, I’ve seen a lot of Studio Ghibli films. From Grave of the Fireflies, to Porco Rosco, I’ve seen most of what they have to offer. Then, I came across My Neighbor Totoro, and I was pleasantly surprised.
What makes me put this film on the list is that it is considerably less serious than the other films. True, most of Studio Ghibli’s films have a happy vibe & ending (With the notable exception of Grave of the Fireflies and a few others), but My Neighbor Totoro has the distinction of having little in the way of serious elements. I won’t say what they are, so just wait until the impending review. What I will say is that is that this film is a happy-go-lucky, heart warming film that’ll leave you (And your family if they’re watching) with a big smile on your face.
3) Plastic Little
Back when I reviewed this in late 2011 (December 2011, to be specific), the first good thing I said about Plastic Little was that Satoshi Urushihara was behind the animation. He sincerely knows how to draw the female figure in such a way that the word beauty cannot describe them. They are so gorgeous, it hard to believe that this film was released back in 1994. Even the men (Well, some of the men) have a unearthly look & feel to them. The world itself is also unique, as it takes place on a island floating among the clouds, with ships flying all over the place.
Even if the show didn’t look great, Plastic Little is a fun sci-fi OVA. You got sci-fi (Obviously), comedy, action, drama, and even some ecchi in one scene. They all come together in a 50-minute package that’s well worth your time...even if you’re just borrowing it from somebody.
2) Comic Party Revolution
Long before I began assembling my collection, I discovered the joys of the ADV Films website, long before it closed. Coincidentally, this was during the first few months I was in college (I went in the fall of 2005), but that’s somewhat not the point. One of the first trailers I saw on the website was for Comic Party Revolution, and as strange as this may sound, it was something I haven’t seen before. It was bright, colorful, and had what looked liked a good cast of characters. It was also goofy, silly, funny, and it was even a little bit dirty at times. Sadly, I didn’t buy any of the DVDs until January/February of 2008 (I can’t remember which), when I bought the first volume. Immediately, I was hooked to the show, and I got the complete series on Christmas of that year. If I had a time capsule, and it could only hold five Anime DVDs, then the complete series would be immediately put in.
As for the show itself, it’s one of the few slice-of-life series that I enjoy. True, there are plenty of moments where things get really silly, and certain episodes are goofier than others (They got at least two sports-themed episodes), but Comic Party Revolution is rather grounded in reality. The various characters all feel like individuals that you’d meet in real life, and the world feels like something from everyday life. If you’d like a show that celebrates the Otaku lifestyle in a more positive circumstance, then watch Comic Party Revolution.
1) Kekko Kamen
Much like the number 2 spot, I first saw the trailer for this show when the ADV Films website was still up, What puts Kekko Kamen at this spot can be explained in two reasons:
1) I saw the trailer first (Click “***” to watch it)
2) What I saw in the trailer got stuck in my mind more that CPR’s trailer
Even if I didn’t see the trailer, the DVD cover of the show would have drawn me in immediately. Much like Mad Bull 34, Kekko Kamen is politically incorrect. What separates this show from that one is the fact that Kekko Kamen is considerably more lighthearted, and the main bad guys get what coming to them in ways that would make normal people shudder. It also doesn’t help the fact that Kekko Kamen is all kinds of weird & goofy, and for some reason it always brings a smile to my face.
See you all next week, when it’s time to go back on tour. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
Just got the collector’s edition of Reaper of Souls yesterday. The crusader is stupid fun!!!!!
Monday, March 31, 2014
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Dave Brockie: R.I.P. (August 30, 1963 - March 23, 2014)
Heavy Metal fans, another titan has fallen. On
March 23, 2014, Dave Brockie, better known as his character Oderus Urungus from the infamous band GWAR, passed away. Details are incredibly slim, however police do not suspect foul play, drugs or suicide, but they will await a medical examiner's report before confirming the cause of death.
When you have the time, have a sear somewhere quiet, put in your earbuds, and crank up some GWAR. Brockie, I might not have liked your music, but you sure as hell know how top put on a show. To Oderus, I'm glad you no longer have to suffer on This Toilet Earth (Get the reference?), and now you can fight the universe unhindered by a fleshy shell. In any case, give this guy a round of applause, and let's enjoy what made him special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWRKlNlRsgI
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
When you have the time, have a sear somewhere quiet, put in your earbuds, and crank up some GWAR. Brockie, I might not have liked your music, but you sure as hell know how top put on a show. To Oderus, I'm glad you no longer have to suffer on This Toilet Earth (Get the reference?), and now you can fight the universe unhindered by a fleshy shell. In any case, give this guy a round of applause, and let's enjoy what made him special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWRKlNlRsgI
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
Monday, March 24, 2014
My Top 10 Movies
Well, I got my top 10 TV shows up, and my long-promised review of Deadliest Warrior: Season 2. Now it’s time for my top 10 movies, and I think you’ll be quite surprised. Enjoy!
10) Hellraiser (Sample Clip: “***”)
Funny fact about me: I’m not much of a horror fan.
You might pick on me, but I’ve never really been able to get into the genre. I have a really overactive imagination, enough to the point where I can sometimes feel the pain when people get hurt or killed (I can’t watch Alien without getting chest pains). Even horror anime I can’t get into, but as with horror in anime, there are a few scary films I actually like, and Hellraiser is one of them. Clive Barker knows how to make a scary film, mixing the physical with surreal sights & sensations, not to mention having a interesting story, and characters that are both likable & unlikable. Coupled with an iconic horror monster played by a damn good actor (Doug Bradley), some great one-liners, and some surprising intellectual value, you have an entertaining movie.
9) A Christmas Story (Sample Clip: “***”)
The sad thing is...Scrooged is a movie I enjoy more than this, but only just. The premise behind it is familiar, but somehow new at the same time. It also helps that Bill Murray headlines the movie (Hell, his face is plastered on the front of the DVD case), and his performance is just awesome. So you’re asking yourself “If you liked Scrooged more, why are you putting A Christmas Story on this list instead?” Well.....
I’m putting A Christmas Story on this list because I can relate to it more. I can remember being as young as the main character during the holidays. I can remember how strange things could get during that time, and I can remember the wonder (And occasional horror) when I came down the stairs to gaze upon the sparkling tree with the presents underneath. It’s those kind of memories that ring in my mind, and I would put this in a film ark in a minute because of that!
8) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (Sample Clip: “***”)
If you grew up during the 90s, chances are you’ve heard of the Power Rangers. If you were one of said kids of that liked the Power Rangers, chances are you’ve watched the Power Rangers movie. Despite problems during production, and mixed reactions from movie critics, the film has gained a considerable cult following, and actually managed to be a financial success overall. While I despise the modern interpretations of the rangers, my childhood nostalgia still has fond memories of the older crew, and this movie is a part of that nostalgia. It’s cheesiness has aged considerably since it’s release (Whether it’s cheesiness is good or bad is a matter of the individual in question), but I still smile once in a while when I watch clips on youtube.
7) Rocky Horror Picture Show (Sample Clip: “***”)
Like the genre of horror, I’m not a fan of musicals. Unlike horror, I have a greater distaste for musicals. Most of them take themselves too seriously, and those that try to do something even a tiny bit original seem to go back to being too serious. However, there are two musicals that come to my mind when I think of musicals that actually do something original: Repo the Genetic Opera, and my number 7 choice, Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Rocky Horror Picture Show does a bunch of things that separate it from the pack. For starters, it’s a rock n’ roll musical. Most musicals go for a big band kind of sound or operatic sounds, so basing a musical around rock n’ roll is a bit of a risk taker. Secondly, there are plenty of comedic & wacky moments that propel the story along. A cheesy wedding, meeting Tim Curry in drag for the first time, and seeing a undead Meatloaf ride around on a Harley are just some of the mindwarping moments you’ll watch over the course of this movie. Third & finally, and most importantly, this movie in general is balls to the wall insane, and doesn’t care what other people think about it. It’s that kind of attitude that can make a musical, movie, video game, music album, or anime pretty damn successful, even if critics don’t necessarily like. Rocky Horror Picture Show easily falls into that category, and if you’re a fan of unconventional movies, you’ll enjoy this immediately.
6) UHF (Sample Clip: “***”)
It’s really such a shame that this movie was slammed back in the day, because I thought that the film was Weird Al at his best. He was consistently funny throughout the entire film, and the supporting cast (Which included the guy that played Kramer, as well Fran Drescher from The Nanny) added a lot of personality to it. What also makes this film fun, at least for me, was the wackiness of the scenes (More like skits, but I’ll save that for the eventual review), and trust me when I say that some of these scenes/skits are some of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen.
You have Weird Al’s daydream sequences (The first one is a spoof on the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and a later sequence he’s imagining himself as Rambo rescuing Kramer from Seinfeld), karate students getting thrown through walls and out of windows, the Wheel of Fish, and a host of other scenes/skits that I can’t really explain. This is an example where watching the movie will make far more sense than me trying to explain it.
5) Die Hard I (Sample Clip: “***”)
Considering how much I love guns, explosions, and one-liners, I found it to be a disservice to my action movie cred for never watching Die Hard in it’s entirety. I’ve always managed to catch pieces of it on TV, but it was usually censored, and there may have been something taken out. About mid-October last year, I finally managed to catch it right at the beginning, and holy hell was it fun!
There’s not that many movies out there where I smile the entire time, but this was one where that, once the shit hit the fan, I found myself smiling immediately, and my grin couldn’t fade away. Dare I say it, but I find that Die Hard is considerably more cheesy then the Power Rangers movie, and has considerably more staying power in pop culture. The only way for the cheese factor to reach diabetes level, would be to have Die Hard crossed with Power Rangers. Power Rangers Die Hard?
4) The Thing: 1982 Edition (Sample Clip: “***”)
Like I was talking about during my number 10 spot, I don’t like horror films much. Most of them are far too creepy for me, and I sometimes feel the pain the victims are experiencing a little too much. Hellraiser was one of the first, and while I liked that movie, I enjoyed The Thing. From what I’ve heard about the prequel movie from 2011, it’s slaps the original movie’s face, so I’ve been avoiding it like the plague.
With that out of the way, The Thing still holds up today. The practical effects still look fantastic, the atmosphere is just perfect, the acting, while a little campy nowadays, is well done, and overall is a perfectly constructed horror movie. It knows when to be scary & suspenseful, it knows when to have character development, and it even knows when & how to be funny. Not a lot of horror movies do this nowadays, so go watch this one instead!
3) Blazing Saddles (Sample Clip: “***”)
Easily the most politically incorrect movie I’ve ever watched, Blazing Saddles also has the distinction of being one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. If there’s anything wrong with the film, it’s that another film like it will never be made again, simply because the politically correct environment we live in right now won’t let it be made. It’s really sad that so many people get upset by what’s in the film, cause it’s a really great satirical comedy.
If you remember my review from July last year about the film (Click “***” to read it), I said that some of the most racial & sexual humor I’ve ever witnessed. Words like “Nigger” & “Chink” are thrown around (But not constantly, and at the right time), and jokes about breasts and other body parts appear sometimes at random. Despite the subject matter of the humor, the underlying message of Blazing Saddles is just how ridiculous racism & sexism is, and that we should get along regardless of race or gender. It’s a great message that needs to be spread all over the world, and perhaps there won’t be as much bloodshed.
2) The Mummy (1999 Edition) (Sample Clip: “***”) & Mystery Men (Sample Clip: “***”)
Right around 1999 to 2000, I was beginning to get more into movies, the first two films I got addicted to was The Mummy & Mystery Men. I really can’t separate these two films, simply because I enjoy them that much.
Now, I’ve never seen the original 1932 edition of The Mummy (At least not completely), so I really can’t compare it to this one (Unlike The Thing). When I saw this movie for the first time, I was awed by what I saw. Before The Mummy, the movies I saw were relatively tame, mostly because my mother was cautious about what I saw. I had turned 13 around 1999/2000, and this was the first movie I saw when she loosened up a bit.
What I can say is that this version of the Mummy is very different than it’s predecessor. Whereas the original movie was focused mainly on horror & suspense, the 1999 edition was a mix of action, horror, suspense, and it also managed to sneak in a couple comedic moments. The cast was also a plus for the movie, with Brendan Fraser as the lead good guy, and Arnold Vosloo as the main bad guy. There were plenty of other good actors that graced the movie, such as Rachel Weisz, John David Hannah, and Kevin J. O'Connor. The setting of a mid 20s Egypt brings a mystical & early modern wonder to the movie, making for a great flick to watch when the lights are dim.
Like The Mummy, I watched Mystery Men in that 1999-2000 period of my life, when I was getting a better grasp & understanding of movies. Also like the previous movie, I watched the hell out of the VHS copy I have, probably to the point of making the tape fragile. What makes Mystery Men a fun film for me, is that it takes a standard film trope (In this case the Superhero genre) and turns it on it’s head. In the movie, the bay guy is fairly obvious, the obvious good guy turns out to be a douchebag, and the real good guys are the underdogs that save the day in the end.
Even if the movie wasn’t a goofy superhero/sci-fi comedy, it’s the cast of characters that endears me to the movie. For the good guys, there’s William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, and Wes Studi as various lesser-known superheroes. With the bad guys, Geoffrey Rush is the lead villain, and Eddie Izzard as one of his second-in-command. This cast is quite an ensemble of A-list and B-list actors & comedians, and somehow, through some mysterious way, all of these people meld together, and create a truly memorable experience.
1) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Sample Clip: “***”)
Now, I love all of the movies in the Indiana Jones series (Including Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), but the first movie I saw in this series was Last Crusade. There’s been plenty of older action movies I’ve seen that still hold up today, but this old-schooler is right at the top in terms of being well-aged (If it’s not at the top, it’s on the step before). Great story, great characters, great effects, great action sequences, It’s got it all. Even the acting, while a little hammy at times, is still great! I’ve met young people that love Last Crusade, and I’ve met older people that love Last Crusade. It’s that kind of power that makes it a movie that last for all time, allowing for individuals of all ages to enjoy.
See you all next week, when we’ll look at one last revision. Until then, stay Otaku!
10) Hellraiser (Sample Clip: “***”)
Funny fact about me: I’m not much of a horror fan.
You might pick on me, but I’ve never really been able to get into the genre. I have a really overactive imagination, enough to the point where I can sometimes feel the pain when people get hurt or killed (I can’t watch Alien without getting chest pains). Even horror anime I can’t get into, but as with horror in anime, there are a few scary films I actually like, and Hellraiser is one of them. Clive Barker knows how to make a scary film, mixing the physical with surreal sights & sensations, not to mention having a interesting story, and characters that are both likable & unlikable. Coupled with an iconic horror monster played by a damn good actor (Doug Bradley), some great one-liners, and some surprising intellectual value, you have an entertaining movie.
9) A Christmas Story (Sample Clip: “***”)
The sad thing is...Scrooged is a movie I enjoy more than this, but only just. The premise behind it is familiar, but somehow new at the same time. It also helps that Bill Murray headlines the movie (Hell, his face is plastered on the front of the DVD case), and his performance is just awesome. So you’re asking yourself “If you liked Scrooged more, why are you putting A Christmas Story on this list instead?” Well.....
I’m putting A Christmas Story on this list because I can relate to it more. I can remember being as young as the main character during the holidays. I can remember how strange things could get during that time, and I can remember the wonder (And occasional horror) when I came down the stairs to gaze upon the sparkling tree with the presents underneath. It’s those kind of memories that ring in my mind, and I would put this in a film ark in a minute because of that!
8) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (Sample Clip: “***”)
If you grew up during the 90s, chances are you’ve heard of the Power Rangers. If you were one of said kids of that liked the Power Rangers, chances are you’ve watched the Power Rangers movie. Despite problems during production, and mixed reactions from movie critics, the film has gained a considerable cult following, and actually managed to be a financial success overall. While I despise the modern interpretations of the rangers, my childhood nostalgia still has fond memories of the older crew, and this movie is a part of that nostalgia. It’s cheesiness has aged considerably since it’s release (Whether it’s cheesiness is good or bad is a matter of the individual in question), but I still smile once in a while when I watch clips on youtube.
7) Rocky Horror Picture Show (Sample Clip: “***”)
Like the genre of horror, I’m not a fan of musicals. Unlike horror, I have a greater distaste for musicals. Most of them take themselves too seriously, and those that try to do something even a tiny bit original seem to go back to being too serious. However, there are two musicals that come to my mind when I think of musicals that actually do something original: Repo the Genetic Opera, and my number 7 choice, Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Rocky Horror Picture Show does a bunch of things that separate it from the pack. For starters, it’s a rock n’ roll musical. Most musicals go for a big band kind of sound or operatic sounds, so basing a musical around rock n’ roll is a bit of a risk taker. Secondly, there are plenty of comedic & wacky moments that propel the story along. A cheesy wedding, meeting Tim Curry in drag for the first time, and seeing a undead Meatloaf ride around on a Harley are just some of the mindwarping moments you’ll watch over the course of this movie. Third & finally, and most importantly, this movie in general is balls to the wall insane, and doesn’t care what other people think about it. It’s that kind of attitude that can make a musical, movie, video game, music album, or anime pretty damn successful, even if critics don’t necessarily like. Rocky Horror Picture Show easily falls into that category, and if you’re a fan of unconventional movies, you’ll enjoy this immediately.
6) UHF (Sample Clip: “***”)
It’s really such a shame that this movie was slammed back in the day, because I thought that the film was Weird Al at his best. He was consistently funny throughout the entire film, and the supporting cast (Which included the guy that played Kramer, as well Fran Drescher from The Nanny) added a lot of personality to it. What also makes this film fun, at least for me, was the wackiness of the scenes (More like skits, but I’ll save that for the eventual review), and trust me when I say that some of these scenes/skits are some of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen.
You have Weird Al’s daydream sequences (The first one is a spoof on the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and a later sequence he’s imagining himself as Rambo rescuing Kramer from Seinfeld), karate students getting thrown through walls and out of windows, the Wheel of Fish, and a host of other scenes/skits that I can’t really explain. This is an example where watching the movie will make far more sense than me trying to explain it.
5) Die Hard I (Sample Clip: “***”)
Considering how much I love guns, explosions, and one-liners, I found it to be a disservice to my action movie cred for never watching Die Hard in it’s entirety. I’ve always managed to catch pieces of it on TV, but it was usually censored, and there may have been something taken out. About mid-October last year, I finally managed to catch it right at the beginning, and holy hell was it fun!
There’s not that many movies out there where I smile the entire time, but this was one where that, once the shit hit the fan, I found myself smiling immediately, and my grin couldn’t fade away. Dare I say it, but I find that Die Hard is considerably more cheesy then the Power Rangers movie, and has considerably more staying power in pop culture. The only way for the cheese factor to reach diabetes level, would be to have Die Hard crossed with Power Rangers. Power Rangers Die Hard?
4) The Thing: 1982 Edition (Sample Clip: “***”)
Like I was talking about during my number 10 spot, I don’t like horror films much. Most of them are far too creepy for me, and I sometimes feel the pain the victims are experiencing a little too much. Hellraiser was one of the first, and while I liked that movie, I enjoyed The Thing. From what I’ve heard about the prequel movie from 2011, it’s slaps the original movie’s face, so I’ve been avoiding it like the plague.
With that out of the way, The Thing still holds up today. The practical effects still look fantastic, the atmosphere is just perfect, the acting, while a little campy nowadays, is well done, and overall is a perfectly constructed horror movie. It knows when to be scary & suspenseful, it knows when to have character development, and it even knows when & how to be funny. Not a lot of horror movies do this nowadays, so go watch this one instead!
3) Blazing Saddles (Sample Clip: “***”)
Easily the most politically incorrect movie I’ve ever watched, Blazing Saddles also has the distinction of being one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. If there’s anything wrong with the film, it’s that another film like it will never be made again, simply because the politically correct environment we live in right now won’t let it be made. It’s really sad that so many people get upset by what’s in the film, cause it’s a really great satirical comedy.
If you remember my review from July last year about the film (Click “***” to read it), I said that some of the most racial & sexual humor I’ve ever witnessed. Words like “Nigger” & “Chink” are thrown around (But not constantly, and at the right time), and jokes about breasts and other body parts appear sometimes at random. Despite the subject matter of the humor, the underlying message of Blazing Saddles is just how ridiculous racism & sexism is, and that we should get along regardless of race or gender. It’s a great message that needs to be spread all over the world, and perhaps there won’t be as much bloodshed.
2) The Mummy (1999 Edition) (Sample Clip: “***”) & Mystery Men (Sample Clip: “***”)
Right around 1999 to 2000, I was beginning to get more into movies, the first two films I got addicted to was The Mummy & Mystery Men. I really can’t separate these two films, simply because I enjoy them that much.
Now, I’ve never seen the original 1932 edition of The Mummy (At least not completely), so I really can’t compare it to this one (Unlike The Thing). When I saw this movie for the first time, I was awed by what I saw. Before The Mummy, the movies I saw were relatively tame, mostly because my mother was cautious about what I saw. I had turned 13 around 1999/2000, and this was the first movie I saw when she loosened up a bit.
What I can say is that this version of the Mummy is very different than it’s predecessor. Whereas the original movie was focused mainly on horror & suspense, the 1999 edition was a mix of action, horror, suspense, and it also managed to sneak in a couple comedic moments. The cast was also a plus for the movie, with Brendan Fraser as the lead good guy, and Arnold Vosloo as the main bad guy. There were plenty of other good actors that graced the movie, such as Rachel Weisz, John David Hannah, and Kevin J. O'Connor. The setting of a mid 20s Egypt brings a mystical & early modern wonder to the movie, making for a great flick to watch when the lights are dim.
Like The Mummy, I watched Mystery Men in that 1999-2000 period of my life, when I was getting a better grasp & understanding of movies. Also like the previous movie, I watched the hell out of the VHS copy I have, probably to the point of making the tape fragile. What makes Mystery Men a fun film for me, is that it takes a standard film trope (In this case the Superhero genre) and turns it on it’s head. In the movie, the bay guy is fairly obvious, the obvious good guy turns out to be a douchebag, and the real good guys are the underdogs that save the day in the end.
Even if the movie wasn’t a goofy superhero/sci-fi comedy, it’s the cast of characters that endears me to the movie. For the good guys, there’s William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, and Wes Studi as various lesser-known superheroes. With the bad guys, Geoffrey Rush is the lead villain, and Eddie Izzard as one of his second-in-command. This cast is quite an ensemble of A-list and B-list actors & comedians, and somehow, through some mysterious way, all of these people meld together, and create a truly memorable experience.
1) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Sample Clip: “***”)
Now, I love all of the movies in the Indiana Jones series (Including Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), but the first movie I saw in this series was Last Crusade. There’s been plenty of older action movies I’ve seen that still hold up today, but this old-schooler is right at the top in terms of being well-aged (If it’s not at the top, it’s on the step before). Great story, great characters, great effects, great action sequences, It’s got it all. Even the acting, while a little hammy at times, is still great! I’ve met young people that love Last Crusade, and I’ve met older people that love Last Crusade. It’s that kind of power that makes it a movie that last for all time, allowing for individuals of all ages to enjoy.
See you all next week, when we’ll look at one last revision. Until then, stay Otaku!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Deadliest Warrior: Season 2 Review
Hey guys & gals!
We’re almost to the second half of my music festival, but before I continue that, I have two more things to post up. I’ve promised today’s post time after time, and have forgot to post it on numerous occasions. Finally, I thought that today was the perfect opportunity. So without further interruptions, here’s my long awaited review for the second season of Deadliest Warrior. Enjoy!
Setup
The premise of Season 2 is basically the same as Season 1: What would happen if Insert Name went up against Insert Name in a battle to the death. There’s testing of weapons, history, banter between the hosts & experts, etc. In the end, it all culminates into a final battle, where you see the two sides fight, with one fighter killing the other, proving why he/she deserves the title of Deadliest Warrior.
Apart from some of the testing (I’ll get to that in a bit), it’s all the same, and I don’t have a problem with that.
Setting
Season 2 takes place with the same studio (Known as “The Fight Club” on the show), as well as the outdoors for some of the more dangerous tests. I should point out that the outdoors areas this time around are different from those in Season 1, but that’s really more to do with when they went for the tests.
Characters
Just like Season 1, the primary cast is exactly the same, and they have the same “role” as before. What is new are the experts for the season: there’s relatives of mobsters, members of African tribes, etc. There’s a lot more personality among this set of people, but at the same time there are many experts that have fueled some nasty controversy (More on this below). Apart from that, there seems to be more of a interaction between the two sides, and thus there’s more reactions.
Content
Okay, so here’s where things get interesting. The format for this show has remained the same since Season 1. The warriors are introduced with their stats, the hosts come out, the experts are introduced, etc. For the most part things stay the same, but there are differences.
For example, the amount of weapons used by each warrior has been reduced. Where as the warriors in Season 1 had anywhere from 4 to 6 weapons, the warriors in this season have only 4 weapons. I find this to be a good change, as it narrows things down, and makes for even testing. There are certain episodes (I can’t remember which ones) where they do talk about other battle tactics, but the bulk of the information they use is the results of the weapon tests. Speaking of tests...
Many of the tests in Season 2 have considerably more depth added to them, making them feel more scientific that the previous season. They take more things into account, and they make most of the tests a little more in depth. For example, in the beginning episode, they did a test to determine which assault rifle lets a group go through a small building quicker. There was a target and a bystander at two points in the building, a rescue dummy in the main room, and a ambush target just outside. They took out the required targets, rescued the dummy, and got out. The difference between the two groups after the testing was only a matter of seconds, but it’s that kind of testing that gives the season more depth.
Sadly however, Season 2 of Deadliest Warrior has some problems. Most of them are the same as those within Season 1, but there are two of them that are especially damning, and the first of them is the infamous “America Always Wins” debacle. Boy oh boy, is this a mess of a story.
Okay, so here’s how this came to be. Supposedly after the airing of Green Berets vs Spetznas during Season 1's original run, vicious and angry letters were sent to Spike TV. The letters pretty much say that Spike was being “Unpatriotic & Un-American”, not to mention that they weren’t showing their support for the troops. Now, I still take this story with a grain of salt, but considering the kind of crazy bullshit that happens in our country, I would be surprised if there were a few grains of truth here & there. This controversy essentially means that any of the fights (Look for *** below) that have American groups in them, have had said groups win the matchup. While this seemed more like a coincidence in Season 2, it had leaked into Season 3, but I’ll get to that in the eventual review.
The next problem with Season 2 is with the experts, and I’m a little more forgiving in this area. Within Season 1, there were a couple experts for certain warriors that didn’t quite have as much knowledge, or they weren’t necessarily who they say they were, and I didn’t heavily mind. Season 1 was a trial season, and I can forgive a mistake or two. In Season 2, I can’t quite forgive this fault as much. Because of their push to trying to be more historically accurate, and having guests & experts that know their area of expertise, it’s really surprising to see more individuals who knew nowhere near as much as the viewers were led on to believe, or who weren’t who they said they were at all (This is especially true for one of the experts in episode 10. You know the one!)! I could forgive this much more in Season 1, but not so much in this one.
There’s definitely more obvious problems this time around, and while some of the small problems can be pushed to the side, the more obvious ones really can’t be avoided.
Length
In a change from Season 1, Season 2 of DW is much longer. 13 episodes, to be exact (Season 1 had only 9 episodes). As for the length of each episode, they run at about 1 hour with commercials (On TV), or 40 to 45 minutes without commercials. The list of episodes are:
1) SWAT vs GSG9 ***
2) Atilla the Hun vs Alexander the Great
3) Jesse James vs Al Capone
4) Aztec Jaguar vs Zande Warrior
5) Nazi Waffen SS vs Vietcong
6) Roman Centurion vs Rajput Warrior
7) Medellin Cartel vs Somali Pirates
8) Persian Immortal vs Celt
9) CIA vs KGB ***
10) Vlad the Impaler vs Sun Tzu
11) French Musketeers vs Ming Warriors
12) Comanche vs Mongol
13) Navy Seals vs Israeli Commandos ***
Availability & Pricing
Unlike Season 1, Season 2 (And subsequently Season 3) was never released on DVD. The only way you can acquire the show is through downloading it (I did this a while back), or through buying it on Amazon. You can buy an individual episode for just 2 dollars, or you can grab the entire season for 24 dollars.
Extras/Other
If Season 2 was put onto DVD, I would assume that it would have the same extras as the Season 1 DVD had.
General Impression & Rating
Despite some of the problems that went on, I sincerely believe that Season 2 of Deadliest Warrior is the best to date. It has enough of the components from Season 1 so older viewers won’t be turned off, but it feels a little fresher, thanks to the updated testing and such. Season 2 also feels a bit more substantial, due to having more episodes, in-depth testing, and the greater interaction between the hosts & experts. Overall, if you have to watch a season of Deadliest Warrior, make it this one!
Deadliest Warrior: Season 2 gets a 8 out of 10
See you all next week, and see you about 2 to 3 months from now when I’ll check out the final season of Deadliest Warrior. Until then, stay Otaku!
We’re almost to the second half of my music festival, but before I continue that, I have two more things to post up. I’ve promised today’s post time after time, and have forgot to post it on numerous occasions. Finally, I thought that today was the perfect opportunity. So without further interruptions, here’s my long awaited review for the second season of Deadliest Warrior. Enjoy!
Setup
The premise of Season 2 is basically the same as Season 1: What would happen if Insert Name went up against Insert Name in a battle to the death. There’s testing of weapons, history, banter between the hosts & experts, etc. In the end, it all culminates into a final battle, where you see the two sides fight, with one fighter killing the other, proving why he/she deserves the title of Deadliest Warrior.
Apart from some of the testing (I’ll get to that in a bit), it’s all the same, and I don’t have a problem with that.
Setting
Season 2 takes place with the same studio (Known as “The Fight Club” on the show), as well as the outdoors for some of the more dangerous tests. I should point out that the outdoors areas this time around are different from those in Season 1, but that’s really more to do with when they went for the tests.
Characters
Just like Season 1, the primary cast is exactly the same, and they have the same “role” as before. What is new are the experts for the season: there’s relatives of mobsters, members of African tribes, etc. There’s a lot more personality among this set of people, but at the same time there are many experts that have fueled some nasty controversy (More on this below). Apart from that, there seems to be more of a interaction between the two sides, and thus there’s more reactions.
Content
Okay, so here’s where things get interesting. The format for this show has remained the same since Season 1. The warriors are introduced with their stats, the hosts come out, the experts are introduced, etc. For the most part things stay the same, but there are differences.
For example, the amount of weapons used by each warrior has been reduced. Where as the warriors in Season 1 had anywhere from 4 to 6 weapons, the warriors in this season have only 4 weapons. I find this to be a good change, as it narrows things down, and makes for even testing. There are certain episodes (I can’t remember which ones) where they do talk about other battle tactics, but the bulk of the information they use is the results of the weapon tests. Speaking of tests...
Many of the tests in Season 2 have considerably more depth added to them, making them feel more scientific that the previous season. They take more things into account, and they make most of the tests a little more in depth. For example, in the beginning episode, they did a test to determine which assault rifle lets a group go through a small building quicker. There was a target and a bystander at two points in the building, a rescue dummy in the main room, and a ambush target just outside. They took out the required targets, rescued the dummy, and got out. The difference between the two groups after the testing was only a matter of seconds, but it’s that kind of testing that gives the season more depth.
Sadly however, Season 2 of Deadliest Warrior has some problems. Most of them are the same as those within Season 1, but there are two of them that are especially damning, and the first of them is the infamous “America Always Wins” debacle. Boy oh boy, is this a mess of a story.
Okay, so here’s how this came to be. Supposedly after the airing of Green Berets vs Spetznas during Season 1's original run, vicious and angry letters were sent to Spike TV. The letters pretty much say that Spike was being “Unpatriotic & Un-American”, not to mention that they weren’t showing their support for the troops. Now, I still take this story with a grain of salt, but considering the kind of crazy bullshit that happens in our country, I would be surprised if there were a few grains of truth here & there. This controversy essentially means that any of the fights (Look for *** below) that have American groups in them, have had said groups win the matchup. While this seemed more like a coincidence in Season 2, it had leaked into Season 3, but I’ll get to that in the eventual review.
The next problem with Season 2 is with the experts, and I’m a little more forgiving in this area. Within Season 1, there were a couple experts for certain warriors that didn’t quite have as much knowledge, or they weren’t necessarily who they say they were, and I didn’t heavily mind. Season 1 was a trial season, and I can forgive a mistake or two. In Season 2, I can’t quite forgive this fault as much. Because of their push to trying to be more historically accurate, and having guests & experts that know their area of expertise, it’s really surprising to see more individuals who knew nowhere near as much as the viewers were led on to believe, or who weren’t who they said they were at all (This is especially true for one of the experts in episode 10. You know the one!)! I could forgive this much more in Season 1, but not so much in this one.
There’s definitely more obvious problems this time around, and while some of the small problems can be pushed to the side, the more obvious ones really can’t be avoided.
Length
In a change from Season 1, Season 2 of DW is much longer. 13 episodes, to be exact (Season 1 had only 9 episodes). As for the length of each episode, they run at about 1 hour with commercials (On TV), or 40 to 45 minutes without commercials. The list of episodes are:
1) SWAT vs GSG9 ***
2) Atilla the Hun vs Alexander the Great
3) Jesse James vs Al Capone
4) Aztec Jaguar vs Zande Warrior
5) Nazi Waffen SS vs Vietcong
6) Roman Centurion vs Rajput Warrior
7) Medellin Cartel vs Somali Pirates
8) Persian Immortal vs Celt
9) CIA vs KGB ***
10) Vlad the Impaler vs Sun Tzu
11) French Musketeers vs Ming Warriors
12) Comanche vs Mongol
13) Navy Seals vs Israeli Commandos ***
Availability & Pricing
Unlike Season 1, Season 2 (And subsequently Season 3) was never released on DVD. The only way you can acquire the show is through downloading it (I did this a while back), or through buying it on Amazon. You can buy an individual episode for just 2 dollars, or you can grab the entire season for 24 dollars.
Extras/Other
If Season 2 was put onto DVD, I would assume that it would have the same extras as the Season 1 DVD had.
General Impression & Rating
Despite some of the problems that went on, I sincerely believe that Season 2 of Deadliest Warrior is the best to date. It has enough of the components from Season 1 so older viewers won’t be turned off, but it feels a little fresher, thanks to the updated testing and such. Season 2 also feels a bit more substantial, due to having more episodes, in-depth testing, and the greater interaction between the hosts & experts. Overall, if you have to watch a season of Deadliest Warrior, make it this one!
Deadliest Warrior: Season 2 gets a 8 out of 10
See you all next week, and see you about 2 to 3 months from now when I’ll check out the final season of Deadliest Warrior. Until then, stay Otaku!
Monday, March 10, 2014
My Top 10 TV Shows
Hello fellow otakududes & otakududettes! You might remember last year my post on my Top 10 Movies & TV Shows (Click “***”). I had a lot of fun writing that post, and I meant everything I said in it, but looking back I thought it was lazy to put both together. Since I have a break from my music festival, I’ve decided that perhaps it’s time to make two posts, one for my favorite movies, and today’s post, which is about my top 10 tv shows. Enjoy!
10) MXC (Sample Clip: “***”)
Looking back, if there was a television show that I’m ashamed of liking, it would be this. Airing from 2003 to I think 2006/2007, MXC (Formerly known as Most Extreme Elimination Challenge) was a Japanese game show with a English dub. Now, if that sounds strange, let me go on by saying that the dub doesn’t match up with the mouth movements all that well, said dub is filled with incredible amounts of crude sexual innuendo, racial humor, pop culture references, and a host of other things to turn a Japanese game show into a American Gladiators spoof.
The reason this show was able to work in the first place was that it aired at the stage in SpikeTV’s early years, where a good chunk of the shows were relatively crude, and they were still touting the “Network for Guys” moniker. If they were to re-air the show today, or somehow make new episodes, it would totally clash with Spike’s cleaner (But still manly and occasionally crude) image. I guess the reasons why I liked MXC was because of the crude humor, and it somehow appealed to my younger self (I was 16/17 when I first watched the show). When I watch a episode or a clip of an episode now, I still laugh, but at the same time a piece of me dies.
9) WWE (Raw & Smackdown) (Sample Clip: “***”)
If I had my blog up around early/mid 2000s (Maybe even late 2000s), I would have placed WWE anywhere from number 6 to number 4 on this list, simply because I loved it that much. Due to some of their business decisions in the past couple years, I’ve become a bit disgusted (During the late summer/early fall last year, I voluntarily skipped some episodes of Raw, due to how asinine their actions were at the time). Coupled with how they treat some of their superstars, and some controversies past & present that I’m finally learning about, I have finally begun to lose faith in the company.
With that said, I still have fun watching Raw & Smackdown. I’ve always been a sucker for spectacle, and both of those shows deliver. I still see some of the wrestling legends show up from time to time (It’s awesome to see Goldust & Batista come back), but it’s great that new talent is coming into the WWE as well (Despite not getting much in the way of screen time). I might not enjoy wrestling as much as I once did, but I still have fun, which I guess is what matters in the end.
8) Deadliest Warrior (Sample Clip: “***”)
There was a time, in the course of SpikeTV’s history, that they actually seemed to be gaining credit & respect. From about 2008 to maybe late 2011, the network was bringing in shows & specials that seemed relatively intelligent & interesting. Of these shows, Deadliest Warrior was right on top for quite a while. For anyone who didn’t read my review of season 1 (Click “***” to read it), the show was a “What if insert name fought against insert name”, and used elements of Reality TV, History, and Science Fiction. It was actually kinda revolutionary, as silly as that may sound, because while this idea had been flying around for a while, nobody has ever picked it up.
It was really fun to watch! I liked the idea of the show. I liked the testing of the various weapons, and the history behind the warriors of a particular. Even the Reality TV aspects of Deadliest Warrior were fun, as they weren’t as standard as other shows of the genre. The one thing that prevents me from putting it lower on the list is the fact that, regardless of the seasons, there were screwup after screwup. Sometimes it was an expert that wasn’t who they say he was (Or they weren’t as impressive as they were shown), sometimes they screwed up a fact, and they even sometimes screwed up with the editing of a scene. Nowhere was this more evident than in season 3, when everything that was wrong with the show, and then some, became readily apparent, but that’s for another review (The Season 2 review will finally show up next week , and I’ll get the review for the 3rd season up a couple months down the line). Suffice it to say, Deadliest Warrior is an example of a enjoyable & surprising television series, despite the bullshit.
7) Surviving Disaster (Sample Clip: “***”)
Getting axed even sooner than Deadliest Warrior (That show ran for 3 seasons, while this one only ran for 1), Surviving Disaster was another one of the shows that SpikeTV aired that was intelligent, but still provided some entertainment. The basic premise of the show was that the host (Who’s name escapes me) would guide a small group of people through a worst-case disaster, and teach the viewers & people how to survive the disaster in question, hence the name of the show. There was a surprisingly interesting selection of disasters that the show focused on, and they were:
Airplane Hijacking
Office Building Fire
Hurricane
Home Invasion (1 Solitary Individual/Tiger Kidnappers)
Avalanche
Lost At Sea
Mall Shooting
Nuclear Attack (1 mile from the blast & 3 miles from the blast)
Earthquake
Pandemic (Nerve Gas Attack/Global Pandemic)
From the beginning to end, the host told you explicit steps to follow, and experts from various fields would chime in and give their wisdom about the disaster in question. It was really informative, and was quite entertaining in the process. If I had one complaint about Surviving Disaster, it was that the disaster would sometimes be oblivious towards the host, often to the point of ignoring him. Nowhere was this most evident than in the first portion of the home invasion episode. I won’t spoil it for you, so go watch it.
6) Mythbusters (Sample Clip “***”)
There’s not many shows that I can recall that I’ve been with since the beginning. Some of the shows above I’ve been with for a bit, and a couple of the ones below I’ve also been with for a bit, but the one that comes to mind most often that I remember when thinking about this is Mythbusters. First airing on January 23, 2003, the show is still going on today, as it’s currently standing at 231 episodes (this includes special episodes). Part reality tv, part comedy (intentionally or unintentionally), and part science show, Mythbusters tested out the various myths of the world, whether from real life, scenes from movies, or commercials & pop culture. It’s really interesting to see which of the myths are real, and which ones are hoaxes. So if you want a unconventional science show, watch this one!
5) Good Eats (Sample Clip: “***”)
I’m very conflicted with this show. On the one hand, I enjoy the host. Alton Brown has been doing Good Eats since 1999, and brings an energy & fun that most other cooking show hosts don’t have. Mr. Brown also brought in a lot of history about many of the more iconic dishes (Beef Wellington, Pavlova, and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce are just a couple of dishes he brings into the light), and can get very scientific at times. Good Eats is also helped by having a lot of humor in the show (With maybe an exception of the first 1 to 3 seasons), and thus keeps viewers glued to the TV screen.
On the other hand, Alton Brown is no longer doing the show (His last episode, a 1-hour special on dark chocolate, aired back in February of 2012, which I used in the sample above). He’s also incredibly opinionated, often to the point of frustrating, and some of his cooking methods are downright bizarre. Steaming & baking chicken wings instead of frying them!? Baking a roux in the oven!? Cooking a lasagna in the crockpot!? These are just a small few of the methods he uses that makes me scratch my head. Despite some of the faults, Good Eats is a great show to get cooking info, or just to be entertained.
4) ReBoot (Sample Clip: “***”)
If I had one complaint about this show, it’s that some of the computer terms they talk about are a little on the dated side (This show first aired back in the early 90s). Many of them don’t have as much weight to them, and the terms that are still relevant have changed in ways. With that said, this was damn good!
For starters, the whole show was done entirely in 3d, which was a big & unprecedented undertaking in the early 90s. Secondly, the concept behind ReBoot was quite unique, and still is (Inside a computer & computer programs? Has there been anything original since then!?). Third, for a kid’s show it was quite smart. There were definitely goofy/silly moments to be sure, but there were also some serious moments as well, and it never talked down to kids also (If there were moments where kids were talked down to, I didn’t notice them). If you’re a geeky kid, or a geek at heart, then I highly suggest you go watch ReBoot.
3) Bill Nye the Science Guy (Sample Clip: “***”) & Beakman’s World (Sample Clip: “***”)
If you were a kid growing up in the 90s, and you were watching PBS, chances are you’d come across Bill Nye the Science Guy. Airing from September 1993 to June of 1998 in 100 episodes, Bill Nye was a learning show, teaching kids about various areas of science (Flight, Phases of Matter, and The Moon were just a couple subjects talked about). What made this show so fantastic was that the host was incredibly likable. Bill Nye was a guy that you could tell loved science (The guy still loves science, and is still active within the scientific community), and he wanted to teach the kids of the world about science. In addition to the educational content, there was plenty of goofy things to keep kids hooked onto the screen, not to mention a music video at the end of the episode that parodied popular music of the time.
With Beakman’s World, we have something a little different. Coincidentally airing a year before Bill Nye (Beakman’s World began on September 18, 1992, while Bill Nye started airing on September 10, 1993. Beakman’s World also ran for almost the same length as Bill Nye, reaching 91 episodes before stopping), the show was a educational series in the same vein as Bill Nye was: the host (In this case, Paul Zaloom) was a big science-type person, and he teaches kids all over the world about scientific things. What makes Beakman’s World different is a couple things. For starters, the show is considerably more goofy & silly, but somehow it still didn’t talk down to kids. Secondly, the show relied on kids sending in letters, and certain letters were used for the basis of an episode. Finally, the show was based off of a comic strip (You Can With Beakman and Jax was the name), and it also relied on questions sent in by kids. If you can’t find any Bill Nye episodes, then you can’t go wrong with Beakman’s World.
2) Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Sample Clip: “***”)
A couple Christmases ago, my Grandmother was up to celebrate the holiday with my family & me, and the present I got from her that year was the complete collection of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which was pretty expensive at the time (I still think it’s expensive, but I’m not quite sure). I’ve laughed at plenty of TV shows over the years, but this was one where I found myself laughing frequently. The crew of Monty Python have made a plethora of funny and iconic skits over the course of the show (The Lumberjack Song, SPAM, and Dead Parrot are just a couple), and even the ones where I wasn’t laughing out loud, I was at least snickering or giggling. It might take a while to watch the whole series, but Monty Python’s Flying Circus is one of those shows where it’s worth it.
1) Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Sample Clip: “***”)
I should start by saying that this show hasn’t necessarily aged well over the years. The 3d effects look cheap, the acting at times is incredibly hammy, and the sets don’t look so great now. Having said that, this was a show that I had incredible amounts of fun watching when I was younger. It was also one of the first things on TV I watched with my Mother & Father, right up there with Saturday morning cartoons, and oddly enough, CBS News.
If I had one word to use when talking about this show, it would be fun. Kevin Sorbo, despite being something of a B-list actor, really puts his all into his role as Hercules. The setting of Ancient Greece was interesting: it was familiar, but gets turned onto it’s head. It also helps that the show has a great sense of humor (Emphasis on great), it knew how & when to be serious, and the main cast of actors just seemed to fit (Bruce Campbell anyone!?). Again, the show aged poorly, but it’s so much fun to watch, it’s hard to hate on it.
See you all next week, when I’ll finally get to my review of Deadliest Warrior: Season 2. Until then, stay Otaku!
10) MXC (Sample Clip: “***”)
Looking back, if there was a television show that I’m ashamed of liking, it would be this. Airing from 2003 to I think 2006/2007, MXC (Formerly known as Most Extreme Elimination Challenge) was a Japanese game show with a English dub. Now, if that sounds strange, let me go on by saying that the dub doesn’t match up with the mouth movements all that well, said dub is filled with incredible amounts of crude sexual innuendo, racial humor, pop culture references, and a host of other things to turn a Japanese game show into a American Gladiators spoof.
The reason this show was able to work in the first place was that it aired at the stage in SpikeTV’s early years, where a good chunk of the shows were relatively crude, and they were still touting the “Network for Guys” moniker. If they were to re-air the show today, or somehow make new episodes, it would totally clash with Spike’s cleaner (But still manly and occasionally crude) image. I guess the reasons why I liked MXC was because of the crude humor, and it somehow appealed to my younger self (I was 16/17 when I first watched the show). When I watch a episode or a clip of an episode now, I still laugh, but at the same time a piece of me dies.
9) WWE (Raw & Smackdown) (Sample Clip: “***”)
If I had my blog up around early/mid 2000s (Maybe even late 2000s), I would have placed WWE anywhere from number 6 to number 4 on this list, simply because I loved it that much. Due to some of their business decisions in the past couple years, I’ve become a bit disgusted (During the late summer/early fall last year, I voluntarily skipped some episodes of Raw, due to how asinine their actions were at the time). Coupled with how they treat some of their superstars, and some controversies past & present that I’m finally learning about, I have finally begun to lose faith in the company.
With that said, I still have fun watching Raw & Smackdown. I’ve always been a sucker for spectacle, and both of those shows deliver. I still see some of the wrestling legends show up from time to time (It’s awesome to see Goldust & Batista come back), but it’s great that new talent is coming into the WWE as well (Despite not getting much in the way of screen time). I might not enjoy wrestling as much as I once did, but I still have fun, which I guess is what matters in the end.
8) Deadliest Warrior (Sample Clip: “***”)
There was a time, in the course of SpikeTV’s history, that they actually seemed to be gaining credit & respect. From about 2008 to maybe late 2011, the network was bringing in shows & specials that seemed relatively intelligent & interesting. Of these shows, Deadliest Warrior was right on top for quite a while. For anyone who didn’t read my review of season 1 (Click “***” to read it), the show was a “What if insert name fought against insert name”, and used elements of Reality TV, History, and Science Fiction. It was actually kinda revolutionary, as silly as that may sound, because while this idea had been flying around for a while, nobody has ever picked it up.
It was really fun to watch! I liked the idea of the show. I liked the testing of the various weapons, and the history behind the warriors of a particular. Even the Reality TV aspects of Deadliest Warrior were fun, as they weren’t as standard as other shows of the genre. The one thing that prevents me from putting it lower on the list is the fact that, regardless of the seasons, there were screwup after screwup. Sometimes it was an expert that wasn’t who they say he was (Or they weren’t as impressive as they were shown), sometimes they screwed up a fact, and they even sometimes screwed up with the editing of a scene. Nowhere was this more evident than in season 3, when everything that was wrong with the show, and then some, became readily apparent, but that’s for another review (The Season 2 review will finally show up next week , and I’ll get the review for the 3rd season up a couple months down the line). Suffice it to say, Deadliest Warrior is an example of a enjoyable & surprising television series, despite the bullshit.
7) Surviving Disaster (Sample Clip: “***”)
Getting axed even sooner than Deadliest Warrior (That show ran for 3 seasons, while this one only ran for 1), Surviving Disaster was another one of the shows that SpikeTV aired that was intelligent, but still provided some entertainment. The basic premise of the show was that the host (Who’s name escapes me) would guide a small group of people through a worst-case disaster, and teach the viewers & people how to survive the disaster in question, hence the name of the show. There was a surprisingly interesting selection of disasters that the show focused on, and they were:
Airplane Hijacking
Office Building Fire
Hurricane
Home Invasion (1 Solitary Individual/Tiger Kidnappers)
Avalanche
Lost At Sea
Mall Shooting
Nuclear Attack (1 mile from the blast & 3 miles from the blast)
Earthquake
Pandemic (Nerve Gas Attack/Global Pandemic)
From the beginning to end, the host told you explicit steps to follow, and experts from various fields would chime in and give their wisdom about the disaster in question. It was really informative, and was quite entertaining in the process. If I had one complaint about Surviving Disaster, it was that the disaster would sometimes be oblivious towards the host, often to the point of ignoring him. Nowhere was this most evident than in the first portion of the home invasion episode. I won’t spoil it for you, so go watch it.
6) Mythbusters (Sample Clip “***”)
There’s not many shows that I can recall that I’ve been with since the beginning. Some of the shows above I’ve been with for a bit, and a couple of the ones below I’ve also been with for a bit, but the one that comes to mind most often that I remember when thinking about this is Mythbusters. First airing on January 23, 2003, the show is still going on today, as it’s currently standing at 231 episodes (this includes special episodes). Part reality tv, part comedy (intentionally or unintentionally), and part science show, Mythbusters tested out the various myths of the world, whether from real life, scenes from movies, or commercials & pop culture. It’s really interesting to see which of the myths are real, and which ones are hoaxes. So if you want a unconventional science show, watch this one!
5) Good Eats (Sample Clip: “***”)
I’m very conflicted with this show. On the one hand, I enjoy the host. Alton Brown has been doing Good Eats since 1999, and brings an energy & fun that most other cooking show hosts don’t have. Mr. Brown also brought in a lot of history about many of the more iconic dishes (Beef Wellington, Pavlova, and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce are just a couple of dishes he brings into the light), and can get very scientific at times. Good Eats is also helped by having a lot of humor in the show (With maybe an exception of the first 1 to 3 seasons), and thus keeps viewers glued to the TV screen.
On the other hand, Alton Brown is no longer doing the show (His last episode, a 1-hour special on dark chocolate, aired back in February of 2012, which I used in the sample above). He’s also incredibly opinionated, often to the point of frustrating, and some of his cooking methods are downright bizarre. Steaming & baking chicken wings instead of frying them!? Baking a roux in the oven!? Cooking a lasagna in the crockpot!? These are just a small few of the methods he uses that makes me scratch my head. Despite some of the faults, Good Eats is a great show to get cooking info, or just to be entertained.
4) ReBoot (Sample Clip: “***”)
If I had one complaint about this show, it’s that some of the computer terms they talk about are a little on the dated side (This show first aired back in the early 90s). Many of them don’t have as much weight to them, and the terms that are still relevant have changed in ways. With that said, this was damn good!
For starters, the whole show was done entirely in 3d, which was a big & unprecedented undertaking in the early 90s. Secondly, the concept behind ReBoot was quite unique, and still is (Inside a computer & computer programs? Has there been anything original since then!?). Third, for a kid’s show it was quite smart. There were definitely goofy/silly moments to be sure, but there were also some serious moments as well, and it never talked down to kids also (If there were moments where kids were talked down to, I didn’t notice them). If you’re a geeky kid, or a geek at heart, then I highly suggest you go watch ReBoot.
3) Bill Nye the Science Guy (Sample Clip: “***”) & Beakman’s World (Sample Clip: “***”)
If you were a kid growing up in the 90s, and you were watching PBS, chances are you’d come across Bill Nye the Science Guy. Airing from September 1993 to June of 1998 in 100 episodes, Bill Nye was a learning show, teaching kids about various areas of science (Flight, Phases of Matter, and The Moon were just a couple subjects talked about). What made this show so fantastic was that the host was incredibly likable. Bill Nye was a guy that you could tell loved science (The guy still loves science, and is still active within the scientific community), and he wanted to teach the kids of the world about science. In addition to the educational content, there was plenty of goofy things to keep kids hooked onto the screen, not to mention a music video at the end of the episode that parodied popular music of the time.
With Beakman’s World, we have something a little different. Coincidentally airing a year before Bill Nye (Beakman’s World began on September 18, 1992, while Bill Nye started airing on September 10, 1993. Beakman’s World also ran for almost the same length as Bill Nye, reaching 91 episodes before stopping), the show was a educational series in the same vein as Bill Nye was: the host (In this case, Paul Zaloom) was a big science-type person, and he teaches kids all over the world about scientific things. What makes Beakman’s World different is a couple things. For starters, the show is considerably more goofy & silly, but somehow it still didn’t talk down to kids. Secondly, the show relied on kids sending in letters, and certain letters were used for the basis of an episode. Finally, the show was based off of a comic strip (You Can With Beakman and Jax was the name), and it also relied on questions sent in by kids. If you can’t find any Bill Nye episodes, then you can’t go wrong with Beakman’s World.
2) Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Sample Clip: “***”)
A couple Christmases ago, my Grandmother was up to celebrate the holiday with my family & me, and the present I got from her that year was the complete collection of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which was pretty expensive at the time (I still think it’s expensive, but I’m not quite sure). I’ve laughed at plenty of TV shows over the years, but this was one where I found myself laughing frequently. The crew of Monty Python have made a plethora of funny and iconic skits over the course of the show (The Lumberjack Song, SPAM, and Dead Parrot are just a couple), and even the ones where I wasn’t laughing out loud, I was at least snickering or giggling. It might take a while to watch the whole series, but Monty Python’s Flying Circus is one of those shows where it’s worth it.
1) Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Sample Clip: “***”)
I should start by saying that this show hasn’t necessarily aged well over the years. The 3d effects look cheap, the acting at times is incredibly hammy, and the sets don’t look so great now. Having said that, this was a show that I had incredible amounts of fun watching when I was younger. It was also one of the first things on TV I watched with my Mother & Father, right up there with Saturday morning cartoons, and oddly enough, CBS News.
If I had one word to use when talking about this show, it would be fun. Kevin Sorbo, despite being something of a B-list actor, really puts his all into his role as Hercules. The setting of Ancient Greece was interesting: it was familiar, but gets turned onto it’s head. It also helps that the show has a great sense of humor (Emphasis on great), it knew how & when to be serious, and the main cast of actors just seemed to fit (Bruce Campbell anyone!?). Again, the show aged poorly, but it’s so much fun to watch, it’s hard to hate on it.
See you all next week, when I’ll finally get to my review of Deadliest Warrior: Season 2. Until then, stay Otaku!
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Kekko Kamen (Revised) Review
Welcome back, fellow Otaku!
This post is a bit of a special bonus, as it’s an accompanying piece to my recent review of this year’s Genericon You might recall that I reviewed today’s show way back in 2011 (Click “***” to read it), but what you don’t know is that today’s show was the first DVD I ever bought at a con. A lot has changed since then, as you can tell. With that out of the way, let’s take a revised look at Go Nagai’s infamous series, Kekko Kamen!
Story/Setup
Taken from the anidb page:
“At the academy Takahashi Mayumi attends, higher education has sunk to the lowest levels of depravity, with armed hall monitors, teachers who wear masks to hide their identities and special detention sessions in a torture chamber beneath the gym! It is a curriculum designed to chew up sweet young things, and poor Mayumi has been voted "Least Likely to Survive" in her class! Is there no hope? Can no one save her?
Enter Kekkou Kamen, the most outrageous super-heroine ever! Clad in a red mask, red boots and nothing else, she is the supreme protector of innocents like Mayumi. Armed with her trusty nunchaku and a body that just will not quit, she will make chopped pork out of the swine, who run this school from hell! But who is she really? The only one who knows for sure is creator Nagai Gou and he is not giving anything away... expect lots of free peeks at Kekko Kamen's magnificent physique!”
A goofy, silly, and stupid story. This I can get behind!
Setting
Toenail of Satan's Spartan Institute of Higher Education. That is the name of the school that Kekko Kamen takes place in. This should tell you how badshit insane the show is. Despite the name, the school is rather standard for the time. What makes this school dive into the “WTF” sea, is just what the bad guys setup. There’s a teacher’s lounge with sexy women, a workshop where one of the bad guys are produced (See the “Characters” section below), and a “Sexy” torture dungeon. I’ll let that seep in.
Characters
The cast of characters in Kekko Kamen is small, but memorable. The character that this show is named after isn’t in as much as you think, but that actually works in her favor. She’s smart, sexy, and actually can act a little shy, but in a funny kind of way. If Kekko Kamen was in the show say 75% of the time, then I think that the character would be ruined.
There’s other primary characters as well. Mayumi Takahashi takes up most of the screen time, and is always the victim of the bad guy’s perverted plots. She not necessarily stupid, but there are times where she acts a little ditzy (Cute ditzy, to be specific). Yuka Chigusa acts like a guide/protector for Mayumi, and Toenail of Satan (Yes, that’s his name) & Teacher Ben are the typical perverted evil villains.
The last group of characters in Kekko Kamen I’ll talk about are the villains-of-the-day. For starters, they stay within the episode they’re introduced in. Secondly, when the villain in question is defeated, they’re never heard from again. Having said that, Kekko Kamen has perhaps one of the most “WTF” group of villains ever made for an anime. Here’s what Go Nagai made:
A Female Nazi S&M Teacher (Yes, you read that right)
A Male Buff Gym Teacher (Who is later revealed to be gay)
A Female Android That Sprouts Electrified Tentacles From Her Back (Is it wrong that I wanted to see them sprout from her robo-vagina?)
A Male Swordsman (That loves to cut off the girls’s uniforms)
Yeah....those are the bad guys....and I love em!
Animation
The animation has the look & feel of a typical Go Nagai show of the 90s. He always had a distinct way of drawing characters, places, etc. Despite that, this isn’t one of his strongest shows. It isn’t ugly by any stretch of the imagination, but this show feels slightly lackluster in how it looks. Episode 3 seems to have slightly higher animation quality, as the look of that episode has just a little more polish, but that’s just me.
Voice Acting
The voice acting in Kekko Kamen, for the most part, is actually pretty good. There are only a tiny few voices that don’t sound great, but they are almost exclusively regulated to secondary characters (There is one primary villain that sounds like she’s trying to hard to replicate a German accept, and sounds a little weak in the process). Apart from that, the characters have some nice voices. The heros sounds great, and the villains have a perfect combination of sinister & silly.
Episodes & Episode Length
Kekko Kamen is a 4-episode OVA, each of which run at about 30 minutes in length. The great tragedy about this show is that there were supposed to be more episodes (One of the characters breaks the 4th-wall, and tells the audience this), but due to a low demand only four were ever produced.
Availability & Pricing
Despite being a ADV Films release from 2005, Kekko Kamen can still be found if you know where to look. Over on Amazon, there are 17 copies available. 8 of them are new, while 9 of them are used. Pricing is also fair between the two: new copies start at 27 dollars (Which isn’t too bad, all things considered), while used copies being at close to 8 dollars in price. The 27 dollars is fair, but the 8 dollar price is considerably better.
Extras/Other
For the most part, the extras on Kekko Kamen are as standard as extras on any other anime DVD, ADV Films produced or not. The only extra that is somewhat atypical is a collection of production drawings, but even then it feels a little lackluster (There’s only a couple drawings, and they seem to go by rather quickly).
General Impression & Rating
Kekko Kamen has, had, and shall always be my number one anime. True, it has some faults, and it isn’t necessarily the most politically correct OVA out there, but there’s a charm to it that you can’t escape. Go Nagai has always been an individual that wasn’t normal, and this anime proves it. It’s bizarre, it’s weird, it’s funny, it’s.....Kekko Kamen!
Kekko Kamen gets a 8 to 9 out of 10.
See you next time. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
Here’s the trailer to Kekko Kamen, and the Kekko Kamen manga (Which is even more batshit, apeshit, fuck-nuts than the show). Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOwKFaDUSKM
mangafox.me/manga/kekkou_kamen/
Oh, and here’s where you can watch the show. Double Enjoy!
http://www.anime1.com/watch/kekko-kamen/episode-1
This post is a bit of a special bonus, as it’s an accompanying piece to my recent review of this year’s Genericon You might recall that I reviewed today’s show way back in 2011 (Click “***” to read it), but what you don’t know is that today’s show was the first DVD I ever bought at a con. A lot has changed since then, as you can tell. With that out of the way, let’s take a revised look at Go Nagai’s infamous series, Kekko Kamen!
Story/Setup
Taken from the anidb page:
“At the academy Takahashi Mayumi attends, higher education has sunk to the lowest levels of depravity, with armed hall monitors, teachers who wear masks to hide their identities and special detention sessions in a torture chamber beneath the gym! It is a curriculum designed to chew up sweet young things, and poor Mayumi has been voted "Least Likely to Survive" in her class! Is there no hope? Can no one save her?
Enter Kekkou Kamen, the most outrageous super-heroine ever! Clad in a red mask, red boots and nothing else, she is the supreme protector of innocents like Mayumi. Armed with her trusty nunchaku and a body that just will not quit, she will make chopped pork out of the swine, who run this school from hell! But who is she really? The only one who knows for sure is creator Nagai Gou and he is not giving anything away... expect lots of free peeks at Kekko Kamen's magnificent physique!”
A goofy, silly, and stupid story. This I can get behind!
Setting
Toenail of Satan's Spartan Institute of Higher Education. That is the name of the school that Kekko Kamen takes place in. This should tell you how badshit insane the show is. Despite the name, the school is rather standard for the time. What makes this school dive into the “WTF” sea, is just what the bad guys setup. There’s a teacher’s lounge with sexy women, a workshop where one of the bad guys are produced (See the “Characters” section below), and a “Sexy” torture dungeon. I’ll let that seep in.
Characters
The cast of characters in Kekko Kamen is small, but memorable. The character that this show is named after isn’t in as much as you think, but that actually works in her favor. She’s smart, sexy, and actually can act a little shy, but in a funny kind of way. If Kekko Kamen was in the show say 75% of the time, then I think that the character would be ruined.
There’s other primary characters as well. Mayumi Takahashi takes up most of the screen time, and is always the victim of the bad guy’s perverted plots. She not necessarily stupid, but there are times where she acts a little ditzy (Cute ditzy, to be specific). Yuka Chigusa acts like a guide/protector for Mayumi, and Toenail of Satan (Yes, that’s his name) & Teacher Ben are the typical perverted evil villains.
The last group of characters in Kekko Kamen I’ll talk about are the villains-of-the-day. For starters, they stay within the episode they’re introduced in. Secondly, when the villain in question is defeated, they’re never heard from again. Having said that, Kekko Kamen has perhaps one of the most “WTF” group of villains ever made for an anime. Here’s what Go Nagai made:
A Female Nazi S&M Teacher (Yes, you read that right)
A Male Buff Gym Teacher (Who is later revealed to be gay)
A Female Android That Sprouts Electrified Tentacles From Her Back (Is it wrong that I wanted to see them sprout from her robo-vagina?)
A Male Swordsman (That loves to cut off the girls’s uniforms)
Yeah....those are the bad guys....and I love em!
Animation
The animation has the look & feel of a typical Go Nagai show of the 90s. He always had a distinct way of drawing characters, places, etc. Despite that, this isn’t one of his strongest shows. It isn’t ugly by any stretch of the imagination, but this show feels slightly lackluster in how it looks. Episode 3 seems to have slightly higher animation quality, as the look of that episode has just a little more polish, but that’s just me.
Voice Acting
The voice acting in Kekko Kamen, for the most part, is actually pretty good. There are only a tiny few voices that don’t sound great, but they are almost exclusively regulated to secondary characters (There is one primary villain that sounds like she’s trying to hard to replicate a German accept, and sounds a little weak in the process). Apart from that, the characters have some nice voices. The heros sounds great, and the villains have a perfect combination of sinister & silly.
Episodes & Episode Length
Kekko Kamen is a 4-episode OVA, each of which run at about 30 minutes in length. The great tragedy about this show is that there were supposed to be more episodes (One of the characters breaks the 4th-wall, and tells the audience this), but due to a low demand only four were ever produced.
Availability & Pricing
Despite being a ADV Films release from 2005, Kekko Kamen can still be found if you know where to look. Over on Amazon, there are 17 copies available. 8 of them are new, while 9 of them are used. Pricing is also fair between the two: new copies start at 27 dollars (Which isn’t too bad, all things considered), while used copies being at close to 8 dollars in price. The 27 dollars is fair, but the 8 dollar price is considerably better.
Extras/Other
For the most part, the extras on Kekko Kamen are as standard as extras on any other anime DVD, ADV Films produced or not. The only extra that is somewhat atypical is a collection of production drawings, but even then it feels a little lackluster (There’s only a couple drawings, and they seem to go by rather quickly).
General Impression & Rating
Kekko Kamen has, had, and shall always be my number one anime. True, it has some faults, and it isn’t necessarily the most politically correct OVA out there, but there’s a charm to it that you can’t escape. Go Nagai has always been an individual that wasn’t normal, and this anime proves it. It’s bizarre, it’s weird, it’s funny, it’s.....Kekko Kamen!
Kekko Kamen gets a 8 to 9 out of 10.
See you next time. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
Here’s the trailer to Kekko Kamen, and the Kekko Kamen manga (Which is even more batshit, apeshit, fuck-nuts than the show). Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOwKFaDUSKM
mangafox.me/manga/kekkou_kamen/
Oh, and here’s where you can watch the show. Double Enjoy!
http://www.anime1.com/watch/kekko-kamen/episode-1
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Genericon 2014 Review
Hey everybody!
You know what....I love cons! I love their history, the people, and over all the amazingly positive vibes I feel when I’m at one. Not too long ago, I went to the convention that started it all. Genericon!
Starting in the mid/late 80s as a science fiction convention, Genericon has since evolved with the times, incorporating anime, videos games, webcomics, artists, and other geeky elements. Today, the convention is still run by the students of R.P.I., and it still has that humble spirit that it had when it first started in the 80s. This year’s Genericon was considerably special for me, since I’ve now been going to it for 5 years. I’ll also have been going to Connecticon for 5 years this summer, but that review will come much later.
In the meantime, I wanted to post up something extra this week, and since Genericon 2014 is now almost a week past, I thought it was only appropriate that a review of the convention was in order. So, as a treat for you all, here’s my review of Genericon 2014. Have fun!
Good Things
Where to begin, that’s the question. Well, for starters, how bout the locale!?
Genericon is contained within just a few building. Around four, if I remembered correctly. The main building contains the con ops, artist alley, Magic the Gathering tables, Jazzman’s Café (Good food, btw), panel & viewing rooms, etc. It’s all surprisingly organized, especially when it gets packed with people. There also the gaming building, split into traditional gaming & video gaming. I don’t go into the game rooms much anymore, mostly because I prefer playing games in the main building. There’s the stage building, where some of the smaller panels take place, and the dealer’s room, a place to congregate & get some great swag (This year’s was a little lacking, but I’ll get to that in a second). Although this doesn’t look like a large convention, it is a humble one (Ironic, given that last year’s Genericon reached the 2000 attendant mark).
Next up is the convention staff. Let me tell you, these guys are some of the most helpful people on the planet! When I was having problems with setting up my panel, they were really great with helping me out. If you want to have a smooth & fun convention, be sure to treat the con-staff with respect. Trust me, if you’re in a situation, you might need their help!
Another thing that made this year’s Genericon great was the variety of panels. There was always something going on. There was Cosplay Chess, Clay-O-Rama, my panel on the companies of Borderlands 2 (The first panel I’ve ever hosted!), and a host of geeky things to do! Even on Sunday (It’ll get to this in a bit) there was fun to be hand.
A strange positive about Genericon (regardless of the year) is the food. There are plenty of restaurants nearby, mainly pizza, sushi, sandwiches, etc. I generally don’t go to them, because I prefer to keep my money at the con, but there’s been plenty of times where people have given me bits & pieces, and it’s actually really good. On a side note, Jazzman’s Café has some incredibly inexpensive stuff. The highest price food/drink items range anywhere from 5 to 8 something dollars, which is really easy on the wallet. There is also the R.P.I. cafeteria, which has good food also, but is a little more expensive (I think the price ranges from 8 to about 9 ½ dollars).
A surprising positive about Genericon (regardless of the year) is the cosplay. You’d expect that a college convention would have just okay cosplayers, but not this convention. I have seen some of the greatest costumes at this convention. This year had some really great costumes, including:
- Wonder Woman
- Old Spice Sage
- Joker (Great costume, and imitates the character perfectly)
- The spirit from Spirited Away
- The cast from Futurama
- Jack Skellington (Btw, this cosplayer was a 10-year old kid, walking around on 3-foot stilts like an expert)
These are just a couple of the cosplayers I met at the con. There were hordes of cosplayers all over the place: some complex & beautiful, and other more simplistic yet fun.
My last positive about the con is something that you’d normally expect, and that’s the people. There are always some cool people you’ll meet at this convention. The artists, panel hosts, convention staff, you’d name it: the people you’ll meet at Genericon are some of the kindest, most helpful, and loving (I mean that) geeks/nerds/otakus on the planet!
Complaints
Ironically enough, I had very little to complain about this year’s con. They really hit just about everything out of the ballpark. Sadly, there were two things I found a little subpar. For starters, I found the dealer’s room to a little sparse this year. I won’t pitch a massive fit, as I actually kinda understand why there weren’t that many dealers. Originally, Genericon was supposed to be in the middle of February (14th to 16th), but due to scheduling conflicts, it was instead pushed to the end of February/beginning of March. I get that there weren’t many vendors because of the scheduling changes, but at the same time it would have been smart to have some backup vendors incase anyone couldn’t make it, or at the very least have a vendor or two on call to take up an empty spot.
This other problem I have is one that a fair amount of Genericon visitors have, and that’s the lack of things on Sunday. This isn’t to say that there aren’t things to do: it’s just that there isn’t much to do. I only went to about 2/4 things, and that was really it. As a suggestion, space out all of the activities evenly amongst all three days. That way, there’s stuff to do on everyday of the weekend!
Overall Impression & Rating
If you don’t like big spaces with tons of people, Genericon is the convention for you. It’s large enough to fit a bunch of stuff in, but not large enough that it’s overwhelming. There’s definitely plenty of people at this convention, but there isn’t so many people that you encounter Genghis Khan’s Mongolian Horde. I have some personal connection with this con (And the people within), so perhaps that makes me a little biased, but I mean it with all sincerity that this is one of the best conventions on the east coast. So if you want a great con with not that many strings attached, give Genericon a chance!
Genericon 2014 gets a 9 out of 10
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
If you’d like to look at a (short) history of the convention, take a look at the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genericon
You know what....I love cons! I love their history, the people, and over all the amazingly positive vibes I feel when I’m at one. Not too long ago, I went to the convention that started it all. Genericon!
Starting in the mid/late 80s as a science fiction convention, Genericon has since evolved with the times, incorporating anime, videos games, webcomics, artists, and other geeky elements. Today, the convention is still run by the students of R.P.I., and it still has that humble spirit that it had when it first started in the 80s. This year’s Genericon was considerably special for me, since I’ve now been going to it for 5 years. I’ll also have been going to Connecticon for 5 years this summer, but that review will come much later.
In the meantime, I wanted to post up something extra this week, and since Genericon 2014 is now almost a week past, I thought it was only appropriate that a review of the convention was in order. So, as a treat for you all, here’s my review of Genericon 2014. Have fun!
Good Things
Where to begin, that’s the question. Well, for starters, how bout the locale!?
Genericon is contained within just a few building. Around four, if I remembered correctly. The main building contains the con ops, artist alley, Magic the Gathering tables, Jazzman’s Café (Good food, btw), panel & viewing rooms, etc. It’s all surprisingly organized, especially when it gets packed with people. There also the gaming building, split into traditional gaming & video gaming. I don’t go into the game rooms much anymore, mostly because I prefer playing games in the main building. There’s the stage building, where some of the smaller panels take place, and the dealer’s room, a place to congregate & get some great swag (This year’s was a little lacking, but I’ll get to that in a second). Although this doesn’t look like a large convention, it is a humble one (Ironic, given that last year’s Genericon reached the 2000 attendant mark).
Next up is the convention staff. Let me tell you, these guys are some of the most helpful people on the planet! When I was having problems with setting up my panel, they were really great with helping me out. If you want to have a smooth & fun convention, be sure to treat the con-staff with respect. Trust me, if you’re in a situation, you might need their help!
Another thing that made this year’s Genericon great was the variety of panels. There was always something going on. There was Cosplay Chess, Clay-O-Rama, my panel on the companies of Borderlands 2 (The first panel I’ve ever hosted!), and a host of geeky things to do! Even on Sunday (It’ll get to this in a bit) there was fun to be hand.
A strange positive about Genericon (regardless of the year) is the food. There are plenty of restaurants nearby, mainly pizza, sushi, sandwiches, etc. I generally don’t go to them, because I prefer to keep my money at the con, but there’s been plenty of times where people have given me bits & pieces, and it’s actually really good. On a side note, Jazzman’s Café has some incredibly inexpensive stuff. The highest price food/drink items range anywhere from 5 to 8 something dollars, which is really easy on the wallet. There is also the R.P.I. cafeteria, which has good food also, but is a little more expensive (I think the price ranges from 8 to about 9 ½ dollars).
A surprising positive about Genericon (regardless of the year) is the cosplay. You’d expect that a college convention would have just okay cosplayers, but not this convention. I have seen some of the greatest costumes at this convention. This year had some really great costumes, including:
- Wonder Woman
- Old Spice Sage
- Joker (Great costume, and imitates the character perfectly)
- The spirit from Spirited Away
- The cast from Futurama
- Jack Skellington (Btw, this cosplayer was a 10-year old kid, walking around on 3-foot stilts like an expert)
These are just a couple of the cosplayers I met at the con. There were hordes of cosplayers all over the place: some complex & beautiful, and other more simplistic yet fun.
My last positive about the con is something that you’d normally expect, and that’s the people. There are always some cool people you’ll meet at this convention. The artists, panel hosts, convention staff, you’d name it: the people you’ll meet at Genericon are some of the kindest, most helpful, and loving (I mean that) geeks/nerds/otakus on the planet!
Complaints
Ironically enough, I had very little to complain about this year’s con. They really hit just about everything out of the ballpark. Sadly, there were two things I found a little subpar. For starters, I found the dealer’s room to a little sparse this year. I won’t pitch a massive fit, as I actually kinda understand why there weren’t that many dealers. Originally, Genericon was supposed to be in the middle of February (14th to 16th), but due to scheduling conflicts, it was instead pushed to the end of February/beginning of March. I get that there weren’t many vendors because of the scheduling changes, but at the same time it would have been smart to have some backup vendors incase anyone couldn’t make it, or at the very least have a vendor or two on call to take up an empty spot.
This other problem I have is one that a fair amount of Genericon visitors have, and that’s the lack of things on Sunday. This isn’t to say that there aren’t things to do: it’s just that there isn’t much to do. I only went to about 2/4 things, and that was really it. As a suggestion, space out all of the activities evenly amongst all three days. That way, there’s stuff to do on everyday of the weekend!
Overall Impression & Rating
If you don’t like big spaces with tons of people, Genericon is the convention for you. It’s large enough to fit a bunch of stuff in, but not large enough that it’s overwhelming. There’s definitely plenty of people at this convention, but there isn’t so many people that you encounter Genghis Khan’s Mongolian Horde. I have some personal connection with this con (And the people within), so perhaps that makes me a little biased, but I mean it with all sincerity that this is one of the best conventions on the east coast. So if you want a great con with not that many strings attached, give Genericon a chance!
Genericon 2014 gets a 9 out of 10
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
If you’d like to look at a (short) history of the convention, take a look at the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genericon
Monday, March 3, 2014
My Top 10 (Revised) Books
Hi everyone!
Well, I’ve just completed the first half of my 2014 music festival, and so far it’s been fun. Since I don’t want to overwhelm myself with a tight schedule like I did with my anime review marathon, I’ve decided to have the month of March dedicated to other works. Specifically, March will be dedicated to revisions & previously promised posts. Once this is over with, April & May will be devoted to music once again!
As you know, I posted up my Top 10 books around the middle of the summer last year (Click “***” to read), and I found that to be the toughest of my top 10 lists. In the months since then, I’ve come across some more amazing books, but I don’t want to create a new list for them. With that said, I’ve decided to revise my original list of books that I like. You’ll still see most of the original titles I’ve put on that list, with a couple switched around, and maybe some changes to their descriptions. With that said, let’s take a look at a revised list of my top 10 favorite books. Enjoy!
10) Harry Potter franchise
It’s a safe bet to say that anybody from my generation (And perhaps those before mine) has read this book series, and to any religious fanatic that still complains about this book series will burn in the fiery death pits of Hell. In fact, this was one of the book series that further increased my desire for reading & books!
What makes the Harry Potter series so good are two things. First off if J.K. Rowling. Her writing skill is very unique, as she puts down some mature things, yet she manages to not make young readers (And even older readers to a degree) feel stupid or talk down to them. Not only that, but she’s created a unique world, where elements that are familiar yet different come together to form almost a living, breathing universe that almost seems real, and you want to go to Harry’s world because of how unique it is.
The second component is the story itself. To not spoil it for those very few people who haven’t read the books (Or watched the movies), here’s a quick summary: The story revolves around a boy named Harry Potter. At a very young age, his parents were slain by a dark wizard, and was sent to live with his aunt & uncle by wizards who knew his mother & father. When he reaches his early teens, he gets a note (Delivered to him by an Owl) from a place called Hogwarts. The letter tells him that he’s been accepted as a student, and they’ll teach him the ways of magic. After getting away from his aunt & uncle, he arrives at the school, and beings a 7-year journey of making friends & enemies, learning the ways of magic & mysticism, and uncovering secrets that were perhaps best left in the shadows. Each of the books in the series has everything you’d expect in a story like this: love, betrayal, death, etc. What makes the story good is that it’s done in a way that’s not hard for young people to understand, but it doesn’t make them feel stupid in the slightest. Any book series that can do this deserves to be praised for all time, or at the very least respected.
9) A Million Little Bricks
I only discovered this book around late September/October 2012, and got it for Christmas not long after. Part history guide, part picture gallery, and part resource material are all found within this book. But what exactly is this manuscript, you might ask?
Well, this book is an unofficial history of the Lego Group. From it’s humble origins as a small collection of wooden toy makers, to the titans of plastic known around the work, A Million Little Bricks talks about the history of Legos, from beginning to the present (2011 present, to be specific), and along the way they show pictures of the original wooden toys they made, to Lego sets both old & new. There’s also segments where they talk about the many individuals of the Lego Group that have worked with the company, and the contributions that they brought to the table.
I can only smile when I read this. When I look at all the pictures, I try to see which sets I have, and which sets I’ve only seen. Even when there weren’t any pictures, I always looked through the book to find sets (Or various builds of sets) that I own. It is for the reason of pure nostalgia that A Million Little Bricks takes a spot on this list.
8) Chobits & Rosario + Vampire: Seasons 1 & 2**
I don’t have much in the way of manga. All I have is the Plastic Little: Captain’s Log manga, three volumes of the original Tenchi Muyo manga, a small handful of free manga from Genericon 2013, Some Ranma ½ & Inuyasha manga, and the first volume of With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, which is a unique series in it’s own right. What gets Chobits onto this list is A: how charming it is, and B: the theme of the manga.
Without delving heavily into the thick of it (Click on “***” to read my review on the Chobits series, where you’ll also find a description of the story), the theme of Chobits is man’s desire (Some would say obsession) for technology, and just how much closer we are to becoming machines ourselves. It’s surprisingly deep & philosophical, and it’s an issue that’s becoming more & more relevant in this age. To supplement this serious theme, there’s also plenty of moments for comedy, drama, and romance. The two sides never overwhelm each other, but they meld at numerous points throughout the manga, making for an enjoyable read.
Rosario + Vampire, on the other hand, is a bit of a different creature. R+V looks, feels, and acts very much like a shonen manga, but unlike a standard shonen manga, this one attempts to be something more. There’s themes of love, comedy, tragedy, friendship, intolerance, and acceptance among others. It works sometimes, but other times it tries to hard. Regardless, Rosario + Vampire is a load of fun to read. The world within the comic is a familiar take on eastern & western monster myths, but the spin put on them is rather unique. If you’re up for something fun & clever, then give this comic a go.
7) Venus Illustrations: Satoshi Urushihara Illustrations & Plastic Little: Captain’s Log
I have to laugh at this choice. When I first looked at the front cover, it appeared as though it was printed in the United States. English on the front, and English on the back. To my surprise, when I was flipping through the book, I noticed that all the wording, with a couple exceptions, was entirely in German. It turns out that this collection of artwork was printed by a German comic company (Carsen Comics), and not in the United States. “Facepalm”
In all seriousness, I’m not really complaining, because it’s the art that takes the center stage. If you remember from my Plastic Little review in late 2011, the first positive I said was that Satoshi Urushihara did the artwork in the show, and he does the artwork here. He really has a godlike grasp on drawing women: their faces look real, and their bodies are absolutely stunning. The man really knows how to draw breasts & nipples (You’d swear to god that they were real), vaginas (Again, you’d swear that they’re real), and in a odd twist, pubic hair around the vagina (Yet again, the pubic hair practically looks real). The artwork is just stunning, and I seriously liked everything that was within the book.
The same applies to Plastic Little: Captain’s Log. Based off of the OVA, this out-of-print manga contains the same art style & theme as the pictures within the art book, only the images in the comic were black & white. As for the story, it’s not the most complex around (It takes place 6 months after the OVA, and focuses more on the individual characters rather than a overarching plot), but it’s fun & simple enough that you can easily get behind it. Coupled with the previously mentioned artwork, and you have a nice little comic.
6) Shogun: Volumes 1 & 2
This book series was given to me about halfway through 2012 (March or April, I think), from an acquaintance I worked for in 2011/2012 because she knew about my love of Japanese culture (I talked to her about it a couple times). I had never heard of Shogun before hand, and I’m kind of ashamed, because this was one of the greatest reads I’ve ever had!
What makes Shogun such a remarkable book series how much it’s based off of real-world history. Taking place a couple months before the iconic “Battle of Sekigahara”, many of the characters are based off of real-life people. The daimyo Toranaga is based on the real ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the heroics of John Blackthorne are based off of the exploits of English sailor William Adams. Shogun is filled with many other interesting characters, and you see how they change & die (How some die, anyways) over the course of the two volumes. Although fictional in just about every way, the story of Shogun is so vivid you’d swear that it is real.
5) Ministry: The Lost Gospels According To Al Jourgensen
I’ve read plenty of biographies/autobiographies over the past couple years, and I didn’t like most of them. Apart from maybe 1 or 2 of them (1 was wrestling related, and the other I’ve forgotten), I’ve found that they all seem manufactured. They either seem too egocentric, or they don’t quite seem as truthful as they proclaim. With that said, after reading the biography of Al Jourgensen, I was impressed.
For starters, there’s no way that Al could have bullshitted the reader. His stories are so insane, so filled with debauchery, drugs, and other filthy things, that it’s completely believable. Not only that, but there’s an incredible amount of sincerity & emotion within each story. I felt like I was right in the room with Al as he was writing this, watching him put down each word, and seeing him down a gallon of beer. If you would like to see one of the most sincere, twisted, warped, and bizarre musicians of metal history, pick up The Lost Gospels According To Al Jourgensen. Just be sure to have a cigarette and some alcohol nearby, and have the lights as dim as the setting sun.
4) Dante’s Inferno***
Much like the Satoshi Urushihara art collection, my acquisition of Dante’s Inferno was kind of a funny story.
Back in around 2004/2005, me and a (At the time) friend were watching a special on the History Channel about the interpretation of Hell throughout the cultures of the world. At one point, the special talks about Dante Alighieri, and his writing of the first part of the Divine Comedy. It went into some of his background, what he was thinking during the writing, and even goes into some of the circles of Hell. I was really interested in what I saw, so I asked my Mom if she could get me a copy, and a couple weeks later, she got me one.
Dante’s Inferno was a very intriguing read. The way Dante wrote it was done in a very poetic manner, enough to the point that it could get confusing if you don’t pay enough attention. Despite this, Dante’s Inferno creates a vivid, almost realistic description of the darkness below us. From the top to the bottom, we’re shows what’s in store for souls who’ve gone against the way of god. From windstorms that batter the lustful, to a river of boiling blood for those who’ve slaughtered the innocent, to a dark cavern where the traitors of the world are frozen for all eternity, Dante creates an unholy world, through which he travels to gain an understanding of evil, and to bear witness to famous souls who are being tortured for all eternity for their crimes on Earth. Some of those souls were his enemies in life, and others were famous historical figures, known for their dark acts during their living days.
Surreal, evocative, and creative, Dante’s Inferno is a book for those who want to be entertained & enthralled.
3) The Nazi Occult War: Hitler’s Compact With The Forces Of Evil
Besides being a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment, I’m also quite interested in World War 2 history. Having met many veterans (Combative & Otherwise) from that time, and becoming friends with some of them, it has made me much more curious about what went on during the time. My particular interest from WW2 is about the Nazi’s occult activities during that time, especially since that it is rarely covered in history books. Fortunately, I was given a copy of this book as a gift late last year, and it was a intriguing yet disturbing read.
It’s both amazing, and horrifying, by just how far these men (And rarely women) went to establish their beliefs. Even more incredible is how much of their ideologies/beliefs was based off of ignorance & racism, not to mention how insane many of them were. Yet, you can’t deny the power that these men wield, along with the allure & potency of their beliefs. My advice, if you’re interested in more obscure World War 2 history, then I would find & buy this book!
2) The Polar Express
This is one of the oldest books on the list that I remember. For the longest time, I would read this every Christmas Eve with my parents. We would hunker down in bed, put the accompanying tape into the cassette player, and just read along with the tape. To top it all off, when time came to ring the silver bell that also came with the book, the little bell would be wrung. Although my family and I haven’t read the book since I think 2004, the innocent ringing of that bell still echoes in my head.
For anyone that didn’t read the book (Or didn’t watch the movie), The Polar Express is about a young boy on Christmas Eve, who awakens to the sounds of a train outside his house (Maybe the author was a tiny bit high on LSD?). Curiosity causes him to rise from his bed, and hop onto the train. The boy meets many other kids about his age, who tell him that the train is headed to the North Pole, and that they’ll get the chance to see Santa Claus. I can’t reveal the rest of the story, but if you noticed anything in the above paragraph, you might get a clue or two.
My advice: get this book, and read it with your family!
1) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
It’s really funny that I’m concluding this list with children’s books, but I’m being sincerely honest about what’s on this list. In fact, this was one of the first books I ever read when I was a kid. Ironically, my parents didn’t help me read much. I was almost always reading by myself, and they would only come in if I was having difficulty with saying a word or two.
So what about the story? Basically, the story was about the experiences of one of the author’s sons. To sum things up, the kid goes through the kind of Hell that kids around his age: getting picked on by his brothers, getting in trouble at school and at one of his parents’s jobs, and all other sorts of bad things. It gets so bad, the son wants to move to Australia to get away from all of his trouble. But right at the end, the mother comes to him, and basically says that “Everybody has bad days, even for people who live in Australia.” Just that one sentence makes me remember the entire book, and somehow, someway, I still hold onto the simple lessons it taught me when I was that age.
If you’re a parent, and you’re looking for a book to read with your children, then I sincerely recommend Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. You’re nuts if you don’t get this for your kids!
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
**
Now that I look at it, I have a lot more Manga then I thought.
***
About halfway through last year, I let a friend/acquaintance borrow my copy, and she accidentally lost it in her own book collection. Fortunately, my Mom managed to snag not only The Inferno, but the complete Divine Comedy. Talk about luck!
****
Genericon 2014 was an absolute blast! I’ll post up a review of it later this week (Maybe during the weekend).
Well, I’ve just completed the first half of my 2014 music festival, and so far it’s been fun. Since I don’t want to overwhelm myself with a tight schedule like I did with my anime review marathon, I’ve decided to have the month of March dedicated to other works. Specifically, March will be dedicated to revisions & previously promised posts. Once this is over with, April & May will be devoted to music once again!
As you know, I posted up my Top 10 books around the middle of the summer last year (Click “***” to read), and I found that to be the toughest of my top 10 lists. In the months since then, I’ve come across some more amazing books, but I don’t want to create a new list for them. With that said, I’ve decided to revise my original list of books that I like. You’ll still see most of the original titles I’ve put on that list, with a couple switched around, and maybe some changes to their descriptions. With that said, let’s take a look at a revised list of my top 10 favorite books. Enjoy!
10) Harry Potter franchise
It’s a safe bet to say that anybody from my generation (And perhaps those before mine) has read this book series, and to any religious fanatic that still complains about this book series will burn in the fiery death pits of Hell. In fact, this was one of the book series that further increased my desire for reading & books!
What makes the Harry Potter series so good are two things. First off if J.K. Rowling. Her writing skill is very unique, as she puts down some mature things, yet she manages to not make young readers (And even older readers to a degree) feel stupid or talk down to them. Not only that, but she’s created a unique world, where elements that are familiar yet different come together to form almost a living, breathing universe that almost seems real, and you want to go to Harry’s world because of how unique it is.
The second component is the story itself. To not spoil it for those very few people who haven’t read the books (Or watched the movies), here’s a quick summary: The story revolves around a boy named Harry Potter. At a very young age, his parents were slain by a dark wizard, and was sent to live with his aunt & uncle by wizards who knew his mother & father. When he reaches his early teens, he gets a note (Delivered to him by an Owl) from a place called Hogwarts. The letter tells him that he’s been accepted as a student, and they’ll teach him the ways of magic. After getting away from his aunt & uncle, he arrives at the school, and beings a 7-year journey of making friends & enemies, learning the ways of magic & mysticism, and uncovering secrets that were perhaps best left in the shadows. Each of the books in the series has everything you’d expect in a story like this: love, betrayal, death, etc. What makes the story good is that it’s done in a way that’s not hard for young people to understand, but it doesn’t make them feel stupid in the slightest. Any book series that can do this deserves to be praised for all time, or at the very least respected.
9) A Million Little Bricks
I only discovered this book around late September/October 2012, and got it for Christmas not long after. Part history guide, part picture gallery, and part resource material are all found within this book. But what exactly is this manuscript, you might ask?
Well, this book is an unofficial history of the Lego Group. From it’s humble origins as a small collection of wooden toy makers, to the titans of plastic known around the work, A Million Little Bricks talks about the history of Legos, from beginning to the present (2011 present, to be specific), and along the way they show pictures of the original wooden toys they made, to Lego sets both old & new. There’s also segments where they talk about the many individuals of the Lego Group that have worked with the company, and the contributions that they brought to the table.
I can only smile when I read this. When I look at all the pictures, I try to see which sets I have, and which sets I’ve only seen. Even when there weren’t any pictures, I always looked through the book to find sets (Or various builds of sets) that I own. It is for the reason of pure nostalgia that A Million Little Bricks takes a spot on this list.
8) Chobits & Rosario + Vampire: Seasons 1 & 2**
I don’t have much in the way of manga. All I have is the Plastic Little: Captain’s Log manga, three volumes of the original Tenchi Muyo manga, a small handful of free manga from Genericon 2013, Some Ranma ½ & Inuyasha manga, and the first volume of With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, which is a unique series in it’s own right. What gets Chobits onto this list is A: how charming it is, and B: the theme of the manga.
Without delving heavily into the thick of it (Click on “***” to read my review on the Chobits series, where you’ll also find a description of the story), the theme of Chobits is man’s desire (Some would say obsession) for technology, and just how much closer we are to becoming machines ourselves. It’s surprisingly deep & philosophical, and it’s an issue that’s becoming more & more relevant in this age. To supplement this serious theme, there’s also plenty of moments for comedy, drama, and romance. The two sides never overwhelm each other, but they meld at numerous points throughout the manga, making for an enjoyable read.
Rosario + Vampire, on the other hand, is a bit of a different creature. R+V looks, feels, and acts very much like a shonen manga, but unlike a standard shonen manga, this one attempts to be something more. There’s themes of love, comedy, tragedy, friendship, intolerance, and acceptance among others. It works sometimes, but other times it tries to hard. Regardless, Rosario + Vampire is a load of fun to read. The world within the comic is a familiar take on eastern & western monster myths, but the spin put on them is rather unique. If you’re up for something fun & clever, then give this comic a go.
7) Venus Illustrations: Satoshi Urushihara Illustrations & Plastic Little: Captain’s Log
I have to laugh at this choice. When I first looked at the front cover, it appeared as though it was printed in the United States. English on the front, and English on the back. To my surprise, when I was flipping through the book, I noticed that all the wording, with a couple exceptions, was entirely in German. It turns out that this collection of artwork was printed by a German comic company (Carsen Comics), and not in the United States. “Facepalm”
In all seriousness, I’m not really complaining, because it’s the art that takes the center stage. If you remember from my Plastic Little review in late 2011, the first positive I said was that Satoshi Urushihara did the artwork in the show, and he does the artwork here. He really has a godlike grasp on drawing women: their faces look real, and their bodies are absolutely stunning. The man really knows how to draw breasts & nipples (You’d swear to god that they were real), vaginas (Again, you’d swear that they’re real), and in a odd twist, pubic hair around the vagina (Yet again, the pubic hair practically looks real). The artwork is just stunning, and I seriously liked everything that was within the book.
The same applies to Plastic Little: Captain’s Log. Based off of the OVA, this out-of-print manga contains the same art style & theme as the pictures within the art book, only the images in the comic were black & white. As for the story, it’s not the most complex around (It takes place 6 months after the OVA, and focuses more on the individual characters rather than a overarching plot), but it’s fun & simple enough that you can easily get behind it. Coupled with the previously mentioned artwork, and you have a nice little comic.
6) Shogun: Volumes 1 & 2
This book series was given to me about halfway through 2012 (March or April, I think), from an acquaintance I worked for in 2011/2012 because she knew about my love of Japanese culture (I talked to her about it a couple times). I had never heard of Shogun before hand, and I’m kind of ashamed, because this was one of the greatest reads I’ve ever had!
What makes Shogun such a remarkable book series how much it’s based off of real-world history. Taking place a couple months before the iconic “Battle of Sekigahara”, many of the characters are based off of real-life people. The daimyo Toranaga is based on the real ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the heroics of John Blackthorne are based off of the exploits of English sailor William Adams. Shogun is filled with many other interesting characters, and you see how they change & die (How some die, anyways) over the course of the two volumes. Although fictional in just about every way, the story of Shogun is so vivid you’d swear that it is real.
5) Ministry: The Lost Gospels According To Al Jourgensen
I’ve read plenty of biographies/autobiographies over the past couple years, and I didn’t like most of them. Apart from maybe 1 or 2 of them (1 was wrestling related, and the other I’ve forgotten), I’ve found that they all seem manufactured. They either seem too egocentric, or they don’t quite seem as truthful as they proclaim. With that said, after reading the biography of Al Jourgensen, I was impressed.
For starters, there’s no way that Al could have bullshitted the reader. His stories are so insane, so filled with debauchery, drugs, and other filthy things, that it’s completely believable. Not only that, but there’s an incredible amount of sincerity & emotion within each story. I felt like I was right in the room with Al as he was writing this, watching him put down each word, and seeing him down a gallon of beer. If you would like to see one of the most sincere, twisted, warped, and bizarre musicians of metal history, pick up The Lost Gospels According To Al Jourgensen. Just be sure to have a cigarette and some alcohol nearby, and have the lights as dim as the setting sun.
4) Dante’s Inferno***
Much like the Satoshi Urushihara art collection, my acquisition of Dante’s Inferno was kind of a funny story.
Back in around 2004/2005, me and a (At the time) friend were watching a special on the History Channel about the interpretation of Hell throughout the cultures of the world. At one point, the special talks about Dante Alighieri, and his writing of the first part of the Divine Comedy. It went into some of his background, what he was thinking during the writing, and even goes into some of the circles of Hell. I was really interested in what I saw, so I asked my Mom if she could get me a copy, and a couple weeks later, she got me one.
Dante’s Inferno was a very intriguing read. The way Dante wrote it was done in a very poetic manner, enough to the point that it could get confusing if you don’t pay enough attention. Despite this, Dante’s Inferno creates a vivid, almost realistic description of the darkness below us. From the top to the bottom, we’re shows what’s in store for souls who’ve gone against the way of god. From windstorms that batter the lustful, to a river of boiling blood for those who’ve slaughtered the innocent, to a dark cavern where the traitors of the world are frozen for all eternity, Dante creates an unholy world, through which he travels to gain an understanding of evil, and to bear witness to famous souls who are being tortured for all eternity for their crimes on Earth. Some of those souls were his enemies in life, and others were famous historical figures, known for their dark acts during their living days.
Surreal, evocative, and creative, Dante’s Inferno is a book for those who want to be entertained & enthralled.
3) The Nazi Occult War: Hitler’s Compact With The Forces Of Evil
Besides being a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment, I’m also quite interested in World War 2 history. Having met many veterans (Combative & Otherwise) from that time, and becoming friends with some of them, it has made me much more curious about what went on during the time. My particular interest from WW2 is about the Nazi’s occult activities during that time, especially since that it is rarely covered in history books. Fortunately, I was given a copy of this book as a gift late last year, and it was a intriguing yet disturbing read.
It’s both amazing, and horrifying, by just how far these men (And rarely women) went to establish their beliefs. Even more incredible is how much of their ideologies/beliefs was based off of ignorance & racism, not to mention how insane many of them were. Yet, you can’t deny the power that these men wield, along with the allure & potency of their beliefs. My advice, if you’re interested in more obscure World War 2 history, then I would find & buy this book!
2) The Polar Express
This is one of the oldest books on the list that I remember. For the longest time, I would read this every Christmas Eve with my parents. We would hunker down in bed, put the accompanying tape into the cassette player, and just read along with the tape. To top it all off, when time came to ring the silver bell that also came with the book, the little bell would be wrung. Although my family and I haven’t read the book since I think 2004, the innocent ringing of that bell still echoes in my head.
For anyone that didn’t read the book (Or didn’t watch the movie), The Polar Express is about a young boy on Christmas Eve, who awakens to the sounds of a train outside his house (Maybe the author was a tiny bit high on LSD?). Curiosity causes him to rise from his bed, and hop onto the train. The boy meets many other kids about his age, who tell him that the train is headed to the North Pole, and that they’ll get the chance to see Santa Claus. I can’t reveal the rest of the story, but if you noticed anything in the above paragraph, you might get a clue or two.
My advice: get this book, and read it with your family!
1) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
It’s really funny that I’m concluding this list with children’s books, but I’m being sincerely honest about what’s on this list. In fact, this was one of the first books I ever read when I was a kid. Ironically, my parents didn’t help me read much. I was almost always reading by myself, and they would only come in if I was having difficulty with saying a word or two.
So what about the story? Basically, the story was about the experiences of one of the author’s sons. To sum things up, the kid goes through the kind of Hell that kids around his age: getting picked on by his brothers, getting in trouble at school and at one of his parents’s jobs, and all other sorts of bad things. It gets so bad, the son wants to move to Australia to get away from all of his trouble. But right at the end, the mother comes to him, and basically says that “Everybody has bad days, even for people who live in Australia.” Just that one sentence makes me remember the entire book, and somehow, someway, I still hold onto the simple lessons it taught me when I was that age.
If you’re a parent, and you’re looking for a book to read with your children, then I sincerely recommend Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. You’re nuts if you don’t get this for your kids!
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
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Now that I look at it, I have a lot more Manga then I thought.
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About halfway through last year, I let a friend/acquaintance borrow my copy, and she accidentally lost it in her own book collection. Fortunately, my Mom managed to snag not only The Inferno, but the complete Divine Comedy. Talk about luck!
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Genericon 2014 was an absolute blast! I’ll post up a review of it later this week (Maybe during the weekend).
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