Friday, 31 October 2014
Friday, 24 October 2014
Monday, 13 October 2014
Anime Spotlight : Top Picks from Fall 2014 Anime Season
Luckily the better shows started to air and I compiled a list of the shows that to me had quite promising starts. Obviously my top shows of the season can only be decided at the end. And a lot of things can change on it. I excluded sequels from this list, as it's usually a given that if someone enjoyed the first season they'd be watching the second and enjoying it. Unless something horrible went wrong.
Nanatsu no Taizai
Synopsis : When they were accused of trying to overthrow the monarchy, the feared warriors the Seven Deadly Sins were sent into exile. Princess Elizabeth discovers the truth - the Sins were framed by the king's guard, the Holy Knights - too late to prevent them from assassinating her father and seizing the throne!
Now the princess is on the run, seeking the Sins to help her reclaim the kingdom. But the first Sin she meets, Meliodas, is a little innkeeper with a talking pig. He doesn't even have a real sword! Have the legends of the Sins' strength been exaggerated?
Tags : fantasy, adventure, comedy, action, manga, shounen
Thoughts : Nanatsu no Taizai started off with a grim premise, but quickly started showing it's more light hearted side. So far the show has some gore, some good laughs. a bit of fanservice and some good action. It seems like a promising adventure type anime, though it might return to it's grim roots later on.
Shirobako
Synopsis : Five girls chase their dreams. The story revolves around the everyday troubles and hardships that occur when working in the anime industry, and the results and conflicts that happen day-to-day among the group of girls.
Tags : daily life, coming of age, comedy
Thoughts : Shirobako gave me Hanusaku Iroha vibes with the characters and work place situations in the first episode. Added that direction is by Mizushima Tsutomu who also worked on Genshiken and Joshiraku. I'm quite interested to see how it progresses.
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Synopsis : Arima Kousei is a former child prodigy who lost his ability to play the piano when his mother died. His daily life is monochrome, but it begins to gain colour when he meets a female violinist by chance. Miyazono Kawori is an audacious go-getter who is overflowing with personality. Enchanted by the girl, Kousei starts to move forward with his own legs at the age of 14.
Tags : manga, shounen, music, the arts
Thoughts : Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso seems to be a promising romance anime. The characters are all well defined, really loved the attention to detail with the animation and art, and the portrayal of classical music playing so far was quite impressive. I really hope this show keeps the standard set in the first episode or even improves on it.
Amagi Brilliant Park
Synopsis : Kanie Seiya, a high school boy, is invited on a date in an amusement park by a mysterious beautiful transfer student named Sento Isuzu. He is introduced to Ratifa, a real princess and the park's manager, and is asked to be the acting manager of this "disappointing amusement park in the Tokyo suburbs".
Tags : magic, contemporary fantasy, fantasy, comedy, novel
Thoughts : Amagi Brilliant Park is a contemporary comedy with fantasy elements by Gatou Shouji. Known for Full Metal Panic, which shares a character in this show, namely the mascot Mofu. The first episode was enjoyable with hinting to some past truama with the protagonist in our tale. Very curious as to how this will turn out.
Ore, Twintails ni Narimasu.
Synopsis : Mitsuka Souji is a first year high school student who greatly loves twintails. One day, a beautiful girl named Thuearle, who comes from another world, suddenly appeared in front of him and gave him the power to transform into the twintails warrior Tail Red. Now Souji must fight in order to protect the peace on Earth with the help of his childhood friend Tsube Aika, who can becomes the twintails warrior Tail Blue
Tags : novel, comedy, twintails
Thoughts : Ore, Twintails ni Narimasu. can only be described as a mix between a sentai rangers type show a bit of mahou shoujo a dash of gender-bender and comedy. The first episode had quite some good laughs. Even the lyrics to the ED were hilarious. If you want a show that doesn't take itself too seriously. This might be for you.
That's my current list of top picks for the 2014 Fall Anime season. As I've said before I've excluded sequels from the list and before people get up in arms, Fate/stay night UBW is the sequel to Fate/Zero. What shows are the ones you are most looking forward to this season? What are your feelings of the 2014 Fall Anime season? Let me know in the comment section below!
Friday, 19 September 2014
A Short Rant On The Past Few Weeks in "Gaming"
By this you have most probably heard of some sort of scandal involving gaming "journalists" in some form, either you've heard about ethics, or read one of the multitude or articles out there denouncing "Gamers" as hateful scum, mostly on online publications aimed at said gamers.
This rant isn't about how some highschool-esque clique of developers and writers are going about bullying people with different opinions, or how some internet trolls are harrasing developers or writers. Nor is it about some conspiracy theories floating around on the internet. Nor is it about which "feminist" a polygon writer believes in. Though his way of praising his feminist of choice and what she has apparently done for the industry reminds me much of how the ANC claimed to improve South African internet.
No what it's about is that we as a gamers, when reading game reviews expect to find out a certain few things like: How does the game look? Is the audio good or bad? Does the game run well or is it full of bugs? How is the story of the game? Does it offer anything unique or cool? Is it worth the asking price? Instead for the past few years all we get is articles on how a game is making the writer feel, and in some cases why they find the game oppressing their sensitivities.
But this was just a short rant, I wrote more for myself to vent than for anyone else. Take it however you like. I'm just tired of day in and day out reading and hearing about most of this bullshit that people are spreading as "must read material for all gamers" expecially when it's written by people who hate gamers.
Anyhow time for more Diablo 3
This rant isn't about how some highschool-esque clique of developers and writers are going about bullying people with different opinions, or how some internet trolls are harrasing developers or writers. Nor is it about some conspiracy theories floating around on the internet. Nor is it about which "feminist" a polygon writer believes in. Though his way of praising his feminist of choice and what she has apparently done for the industry reminds me much of how the ANC claimed to improve South African internet.
No what it's about is that we as a gamers, when reading game reviews expect to find out a certain few things like: How does the game look? Is the audio good or bad? Does the game run well or is it full of bugs? How is the story of the game? Does it offer anything unique or cool? Is it worth the asking price? Instead for the past few years all we get is articles on how a game is making the writer feel, and in some cases why they find the game oppressing their sensitivities.
But this was just a short rant, I wrote more for myself to vent than for anyone else. Take it however you like. I'm just tired of day in and day out reading and hearing about most of this bullshit that people are spreading as "must read material for all gamers" expecially when it's written by people who hate gamers.
Anyhow time for more Diablo 3
Anime Spotlight : Worst Anime from Summer 2014
So it turns out my picks of the best anime for the summer 2014 anime season were mostly spot on. Those being Barakamon, Aldnoah.Zero, Gekkan Shoujo-Nozaki kun and Hanayamate. I decided instead of reposting the same blog post. I'd rather just go ahead and share which shows were the absolute worst of the Summer 2014 anime season.
Glasslip
Synopsis : The daughter of a glass artisan family, Fukami Touko, spends relaxed days at a cafe called Kazemichi at a friend's house. On the summer vacation of her third year in high school in front of Touko appeared a transfer student boy Okikura Kakeru. He spoke out to her, that he can hear the voices of the future. If someone knew in advance what their future would look like, what would they wish for? While feeling never before felt tremors in herself, Touko realises that she has started getting a sense in her heart which she can't leave alone...
Genre : love polygon, romance
Thoughts : P.A Works is known for their greats like Hanasoka Iroha and Seirei no Moribito and Tari Tari to name a few. So everyone expected Glasslip to also be good. But much like Red Data Girl, also by P.A Works, it is a huge flop. Glasslip has an over abundance of still frames and lazy animation, overly forced drama, no real plot cohesion, a magical element thrown in just for the sake of it, unfitting music and characters with about as much depth as a kiddy pool. Do yourself a favour and avoid this anime.
Momo Kyun Sword
Synopsis : Momoko is a beautiful young sword fighter who was born inside a peach (momo in Japanese). She lives with her constant companions - the dog god Inugami, the monkey god Sarugami, and the pheasant god Kijigami - in a peaceful paradise. However, a demon army led by devil king invades the paradise and steals the precious treasure that protects Momoko's land. To retrieve the treasure and save the people, Momoko embarks on a great adventure with her three companions.
Genre : action, boing, demons, fantasy, large breasts, novel, swordplay
Thoughts : Momo Kyun Sword is kind of a parody on the Momotaro lore. Just with an overabundance of fanservice, a completely unnoteworthy plot and nothing that really gives people a watch it. Don't get me wrong I love fanservice, but sometimes even that can't save a horrible show. If you want action filled fanservice rather watch Sekirei.
Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance
Synopsis : Only a pure girl may enter into a spirit contract. At Areishia Spirit Academy, the daughters of nobility are assembled to take elite classes and become spirit elementalists. A boy named Kamito happened to be peeping on a student named Claire while she was taking a bath, and he accidentally makes a contract with a spirit instead of Claire. Now, Kamito has become something once thought impossible in this world — a male spirit elementalist.
Genre : action, comedy, fantasy, harem, novel, romance
Thoughts : Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance is what you get when you take Infinite Stratos and combined it with Zero no Tsukaima, and then make the main girl even worse. Claire ruins the show completely. Every other girl in the show is better than her. It does feel like the writer wanted to see just how terrible they can make the whole flatchested tsundere girl trope be.
How did you feel about the anime from the Summer 2014 shows. Which titles did you Love and which couldn't you Stomach? Let me know in the comment section below. Always great hearing the thoughts of others!
Thursday, 18 September 2014
Anime Spotlight : Top Anime from Yesteryear : 2008
Nijuu-Mensou no Musume
Synopsis : One night the Phantom Thief (the Gentleman Thief with Twenty Faces) steals a little girl. Her name is Chizuko. Until then, she had been a lonely girl. But that night, she embarks on a great adventure. Experiencing freedom for the very first time, surrounded by friends, finding a place where she can be herself, Chizuko starts changing gradually. A string of bizarre events start happening, centering around the tremendous mystery called the Legacy of the Phantom Thief and involving people with pathetic motives. Chizuko has to move on nevertheless... no matter how chequered her life will be.
Genre :action, adventure, coming of age, detective, manga, seinen
Thoughts : Daughter of Twenty Faces was one hell of an anime. Bones did a great job of animating this fantastic story. I love shows with truly strong female protagonists and Chizuko is up there with the best of them. Daughter of Twenty Faces is one of those shows that always leaves you in suspense, as you wonder what will happen to Chizuko next. A must watch for any Anime fan.
Macross Frontier
Synopsis : Macross F sets out in the year 2059 A.D. The "F" is short for "Frontier", which is also the name of the migration fleet this story is about.
We join the fleet's journey when the concert of the famous pop-idol Sheryl Nome, is just around the corner. Sheryl is visiting Frontier from Macross Galaxy (another colonisation fleet), on her tour around the galaxy.
Just like with the Macross Seven migration fleet, the main ship is a huge city-dome. This is the home of the majority of the fleet's population, on the scale of 10 million people. It is a place where they can live life, just as they would back on Earth.
However peace is soon broken when strange alien creatures attack the fleet, just when Sheryl's concert is well underway.
What could it be that have drawn them to this fleet? Is Sheryl the only one on board with a talent for singing? What secrets will we learn about the past? And what cool new Valkyries will be revealed for this show?
Follow the series to find out all that, along with music and dogfights, that will take the Macross universe to a new high.
Genre : action, alien, humanoid alien, idol, love polygon, mecha, military, music, piloted robot, romance, sci-fi, seinen, space travel
Thoughts : Macross Frontier, the latest in the long running Macross franchise is a combination of Amazing music by Yoko Kanno, visuals that are pure eye-candy, top notch animation from Satelight and a story which brings something new to the Macross universe while still giving homage to its roots. Like huge battles in Space? Romance? Idols? Backdoor Conspiracies that threaten entire colonies? Macross Frontier is for you.
Aria the Origination
Synopsis : Aqua and Aria take place in the twenty-fourth century, on the planet Aqua (formerly Mars), which has been terraformed into a habitable planet covered in oceans and seas.
The series is the story of Akari, an apprentice gondolier with Aria Company, one of the three most popular gondola companies in the city. She is training to become a full-time gondolier, or undine, as they are called in Neo-Venezia.
Genre : comedy, daily life, manga, seinen, slapstick
Thoughts : Those that know me, know I see the Aria as one of the best anime franchises of all time. With Origination being the best series of the lot. Origination is the final season of the Aria franchise, bringing everything to a close. But with even better animation than the previous seasons and a lot more emotional episodes. Aria is one the few shows that fills your heart with joy.
Ookami to Koushinryou
Synopsis : Kraft Lawrence (Spice) is a travelling medieval merchant, who finds a 600-year-old pagan harvest deity named Holo (Wolf) in his wagon one night. She begins travelling with him, and her wisdom helps increase his profits. But her true nature draws unwanted attention from the church...
Genre : adventure, fantasy, goddess, juujin, novel, seinen
Thoughts : Spice and Wolf the anime was a great adaptation of the price winning novel. It did a fantastic job of transporting the viewer to a magical world of adventure and deities. With great characters like Horo and Lawrence, amazing visuals and a attention keeping storyline. And some possible romance ;) Spice and Wolf is well worth seeing. Heck even watching the smart trading and the logic behind them unfold is well worth it.
Strike Witches
Synopsis : It was the year 1939 when the Neuroi appeared. Nobody knows where they came from or what their ultimate agenda is, but the fact remains that their attacks drove people out of their towns and cities.
In order to take arms against them, humanity develops a new anti-Neuroi weapon called the Striker Unit. Using the power of magic to fight against the monsters, this new device enhances and amplifies the power of female magic-wielders. To use this device, young witches from all over the world have been brought together to form an elite task force unit called the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, commonly known as the Strike Witches.
Genre : action, ecchi, gunfights, juujin, lolicon, mecha, pantsu, power suit, sci-fi, seinen, shoujo ai
Thoughts : What do you get when you take Gonzo animation, cute girls with animal ears, guns, propeller pants, an all star cast of seiyuu and aliens attacking the earth? Strike Witches. Yes it's perverted, yes they have no pants, yes it's a bit silly at times but damn is it worth watching.
At this time you are probably shouting to me through your screen, "BUT YOU FORGOT X SHOW!" which is possibly true. Everyone has different tastes and thoughts and I would love to hear yours. So post away in the comment section and let me know what you think of the shows I've listed. And what were your favourites of 2008.
Also Noteworthy Mentions from 2008 were Allison and Lillia, Itzura no Kiss, Codes Geass R2, Library Wars, Birdy the Mighty Decode, Kemeko Deluxe, Nodame Cantabile Paris Chapter, Skip Beat, Ga-Rei Zero.
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