Okay, you fuckers. I went to youtube, and, before I go on, let it be known that I only did this, so that maybe, just maybe, I'd have greater incentive for trolling that which I hate with all of my being.
I went to youtube and watched clips of . . . . . code geass. in japanese.
It was a good thing I did. Know why? Because it doesn't sound any better in Japanese! They still sound way too fucking over-the-top! Jeez Luweez! I don't hate dramatic flourishes in my mindless diversions, but CG does it all wrong! My gawd, peoples!
And while I'm here, fuck Spinzaku! Once again, the intarwebz has demonstrated that it has absolutely no taste when it comes to memes.
There. I am now officially burnt out on CG-hate. Hopefully, I shouldn't ever have to criticize that bomb-of-a-franchise anymore. I've done enough CG-hatin' for one life. So long as I don't come into contact with any CG fans anymore, I should be happy. Of course, any innocuous praise for CG could set me off again.
"Really? You mean like how, as of today, 1191 members of animenewsnetwork think CG is a masterpiece? And the second season has 908 'masterpiece' votes all by itself?"
Urge to vent . . . rising.
"And how in Japan, CG won a few awards."
Urge . . . rising.
"And that some people compare CG to DN, but prefer CG, sometimes over DN?"
RISING!
"Oh, and P.S. C.C. is hot. Merry Christmas!"
AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHH
HHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
(Several hours later.)
I apologize for that, outburst. You know, despite all of my hatred of CG, I haven't scored it yet. Well, maybe I should do that, set the record straight.
Code Geass, the original anime version.
High points: Nice animation during the action sequences. Lloyd doesn't suck. And, despite the fucked-up character art, Euphy doesn't look too shabby.
Low points: *sighs* Listing every flaw would take up too much of my free time. How's this? It takes a serious subject manner, and treats it in an entirely immature and juvenille manner. Rebel factions fighting a jingoistic empire . . . Hey look! A nekkid chick! HAWT! What is the price of peace? Making illegal moves at chess, and getting away with it, that's what! Racism, elitism, one-sided war, cynicism . . . and cliched anime character archetypes out the wazoo! LOL! And I haven't even mentioned the character designs that look completely off, the blatant overacting, the uneven pacing, and the almost entirely unnecessary fanservice yet.
Final Score: 2 out of 10. Just two points away from the abyss. This is how I truly feel.
And now, my CG-bashing shall go into semi-retirement.
LATE EDIT: And yet, I gave it a 1 on MAL. Why? Because its very presence offends me.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Superheroic meltdown
So, how come most American comic books I do read aren't of the superhero fights supervillain(s) mold? Why is it that the only superhero comics I've ever read were Watchmen and a Batman comic based off the animated tv series from the '90's? (It came with a listening tape, complete with Mark Hamill as the Joker, which was sweet.)
Well, the truth is, I don't dislike superheroes. Certainly not. I love the Superman movies, I love some of the Batman movies, I love Spider-Man 1 and 2, Iron Man was pretty good, and so were the X-Men movies. And although not based off any license, The Incredibles is one of the best Pixar movies ever, certainly Brad Bird's best film to date. So why my reluctance of the graphic novels from where these heroes originated?
Well, the truth is . . . I don't know where to start. Since many long-running American comic series are always either starting over from scrap, and/or trying to tie in long-forgotten plot threads, I don't know where to begin. I remember trying to read summaries of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series many years ago, but its canon is so twisted, so convoluted, it gave me a major headache, and scared me away from ever reading them.
And unlike with long-running Japanese comic series, all these big name franchises are hard to own in their entirety. Hence why I'm more familiar with manga; because I feel I can enjoy them more properly. Perhaps this is why most comics being sold in bookstores right now are of the Japanese variety; because they are easier to market, to collect, and easier to digest, less "nerdy", ironically enough.
I can say this about the comics I have read from my home country that I enjoy: Watchmen I already talked about earlier this year, Road to Perdition is a fantastic read, Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway is the funniest comic book ever, and the best collection of Futurama comics is Futurama: The Time Bender Trilogy. And that Batman comic from way back in my childhood was pretty good, too. (Batman triumphed over the Joker, and two other villains. I forgot who they were, though.)
Well, the truth is, I don't dislike superheroes. Certainly not. I love the Superman movies, I love some of the Batman movies, I love Spider-Man 1 and 2, Iron Man was pretty good, and so were the X-Men movies. And although not based off any license, The Incredibles is one of the best Pixar movies ever, certainly Brad Bird's best film to date. So why my reluctance of the graphic novels from where these heroes originated?
Well, the truth is . . . I don't know where to start. Since many long-running American comic series are always either starting over from scrap, and/or trying to tie in long-forgotten plot threads, I don't know where to begin. I remember trying to read summaries of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series many years ago, but its canon is so twisted, so convoluted, it gave me a major headache, and scared me away from ever reading them.
And unlike with long-running Japanese comic series, all these big name franchises are hard to own in their entirety. Hence why I'm more familiar with manga; because I feel I can enjoy them more properly. Perhaps this is why most comics being sold in bookstores right now are of the Japanese variety; because they are easier to market, to collect, and easier to digest, less "nerdy", ironically enough.
I can say this about the comics I have read from my home country that I enjoy: Watchmen I already talked about earlier this year, Road to Perdition is a fantastic read, Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway is the funniest comic book ever, and the best collection of Futurama comics is Futurama: The Time Bender Trilogy. And that Batman comic from way back in my childhood was pretty good, too. (Batman triumphed over the Joker, and two other villains. I forgot who they were, though.)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Burn My Dread . . . . . . . . . . . . Bitches.
You guys! You guys!
And you girls! You girls!
"What is it this time?"
Do you like Persona 3? If you like it at least as much as I do, (and have already played through the game) then have I got a treat for you.
A livejournal.
This Livejournal is basically a playthrough of P3, written as if the author was the Main Character, AKA Minato Arisato. (The name given to him in the P3 manga adaptation.) It's funny, and you can revisit scenes from the game by reading this. Not only that, look for "entries" written by other characters.
This has given me a chance to see the Social Links I never went through in the game. Not only that, but it's allowed me to see You-Know-Who once more.
"Uh, don't you still own the game, xm? Can't you just ogle You-Know-Who like that?"
Yes, but this livejournal serves that purpose well, also. By the way, you know who I'm referring to, right?
"Gee, I don't know. Is it a brown-eyed brunette, who has the same given name as your favorite character from Azumanga Dai-Oh, is voiced by Michelle Ruff, and is vulnerable to electricity magic? Go on, say it. Say her name in that manner that you're known for."
Oh yes, this blog lets me revisits scenes with Yukari-chan.
OH NO! NOT YUKARI!
While Mitsuru-sempai seems to be the more popular choice among fans, I'm sticking to my guns and adoring Yukari-chan the most, still! Although Mitsuru is certainly charming in her own way.
But yeah, check out that livejournal if you like P3 and don't care about spoilers.
And you girls! You girls!
"What is it this time?"
Do you like Persona 3? If you like it at least as much as I do, (and have already played through the game) then have I got a treat for you.
A livejournal.
This Livejournal is basically a playthrough of P3, written as if the author was the Main Character, AKA Minato Arisato. (The name given to him in the P3 manga adaptation.) It's funny, and you can revisit scenes from the game by reading this. Not only that, look for "entries" written by other characters.
This has given me a chance to see the Social Links I never went through in the game. Not only that, but it's allowed me to see You-Know-Who once more.
"Uh, don't you still own the game, xm? Can't you just ogle You-Know-Who like that?"
Yes, but this livejournal serves that purpose well, also. By the way, you know who I'm referring to, right?
"Gee, I don't know. Is it a brown-eyed brunette, who has the same given name as your favorite character from Azumanga Dai-Oh, is voiced by Michelle Ruff, and is vulnerable to electricity magic? Go on, say it. Say her name in that manner that you're known for."
Oh yes, this blog lets me revisits scenes with Yukari-chan.
OH NO! NOT YUKARI!
While Mitsuru-sempai seems to be the more popular choice among fans, I'm sticking to my guns and adoring Yukari-chan the most, still! Although Mitsuru is certainly charming in her own way.
But yeah, check out that livejournal if you like P3 and don't care about spoilers.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Another Q&A, just because I feel like it.
Q: Speaking of cute make-believe characters, are there any insanely cute MALE characters out there? Barring Kero-chan, of course?
A: There is one. Who is he? You will have to wait for a future entry.
Q: It seems like most of the manga you've been collecting are not coming out with anything new right now. So, aside from the manga version of Eva, what will be the next manga you plan to read?
A: I have one in mind I plan to check out at the library, assuming it's there, I've seen it there before.
Q: What is it?
A: That's classified. *winks*
Q: Dude, did you impersonate Asahina-chan just now?
A: Maybe I did. And no, it's not the manga version of Haruhi Suzumiya. I will say this; the next manga I plan to read is supposed to be a comedy.
Q: Why do you say, "supposed"?
A: Well, if I don't find it funny and amusing, then you can expect me to write-up a harsh review, no? (And all the fans will feel my burn, just as the Slayers fans did so many moons ago.)
Q: Uh huh. Say, what's your most played piece of music on your MP3 player?
A: One of the town themes from Dragon Quest 8.
Q: What's the most played piece that isn't from a video game?
A: Ready Steady Go, the full, uncut version. It truly is the best anime opener ever.
Q: Good for you! So, what will you do for Thanksgiving?
A: The same thing I always do.
Q: Try to take over the world?
A: You wish.
Q: Hey, talk like a girl again!
A: No! I can't just do that out of nowhere!
Q: Oh. Can you talk like your teen aged self out of nowhere?
A: No.
Q: Oh. I see; you need motivation, correct?
A: Uh huh.
Q: Last question; are you ready for some football?
A: No.
Unless if I'm really bored. But that's the only time.
A: There is one. Who is he? You will have to wait for a future entry.
Q: It seems like most of the manga you've been collecting are not coming out with anything new right now. So, aside from the manga version of Eva, what will be the next manga you plan to read?
A: I have one in mind I plan to check out at the library, assuming it's there, I've seen it there before.
Q: What is it?
A: That's classified. *winks*
Q: Dude, did you impersonate Asahina-chan just now?
A: Maybe I did. And no, it's not the manga version of Haruhi Suzumiya. I will say this; the next manga I plan to read is supposed to be a comedy.
Q: Why do you say, "supposed"?
A: Well, if I don't find it funny and amusing, then you can expect me to write-up a harsh review, no? (And all the fans will feel my burn, just as the Slayers fans did so many moons ago.)
Q: Uh huh. Say, what's your most played piece of music on your MP3 player?
A: One of the town themes from Dragon Quest 8.
Q: What's the most played piece that isn't from a video game?
A: Ready Steady Go, the full, uncut version. It truly is the best anime opener ever.
Q: Good for you! So, what will you do for Thanksgiving?
A: The same thing I always do.
Q: Try to take over the world?
A: You wish.
Q: Hey, talk like a girl again!
A: No! I can't just do that out of nowhere!
Q: Oh. Can you talk like your teen aged self out of nowhere?
A: No.
Q: Oh. I see; you need motivation, correct?
A: Uh huh.
Q: Last question; are you ready for some football?
A: No.
Unless if I'm really bored. But that's the only time.
Nuthin' to read 'til 2009
Almost. The newest volume of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle should be out now, but I can't find it at any of my bookstores. Guess I'll have to wait.
On the plus side, I do have every English volume of XXXHolic that's out. That's right; I'm up to volume 12.
And yes, much like Tsubasa, XXXHolic is now much darker, but also much more engrossing. There isn't anything quite as "HO LEE FUCK!"-ish as the "Acid Tokyo" arc of TRC, but CLAMP has yet again hooked me hook, line, and sinker. This has gotta be what, the third time they've done that? Hmm, I still haven't read the manga version of Chobits . . .
But in Holic, a new recurring character has surfaced. A girl named Kohane. She's my favorite character. I won't go into detail why (for then I'd be going into spoiler territory), but Kohane-chan will intrigue you.
The next volumes of Holic, TRC, and FMA for that matter won't come out until 2009. And I can't think of any other manga series I want to collect, aside from maybe the original Battle Angel series. And Nausicaa, but I'll only collect that when I feel like reading it again. My bookcase is stocked now! I'll be prepared in case of an apocalypse. I'll have plenty of reading material!
P.S. Sakura-hime appears in volume 12 of XXXHolic. She is so pretty. Then again, I'm not surprised.
On the plus side, I do have every English volume of XXXHolic that's out. That's right; I'm up to volume 12.
And yes, much like Tsubasa, XXXHolic is now much darker, but also much more engrossing. There isn't anything quite as "HO LEE FUCK!"-ish as the "Acid Tokyo" arc of TRC, but CLAMP has yet again hooked me hook, line, and sinker. This has gotta be what, the third time they've done that? Hmm, I still haven't read the manga version of Chobits . . .
But in Holic, a new recurring character has surfaced. A girl named Kohane. She's my favorite character. I won't go into detail why (for then I'd be going into spoiler territory), but Kohane-chan will intrigue you.
The next volumes of Holic, TRC, and FMA for that matter won't come out until 2009. And I can't think of any other manga series I want to collect, aside from maybe the original Battle Angel series. And Nausicaa, but I'll only collect that when I feel like reading it again. My bookcase is stocked now! I'll be prepared in case of an apocalypse. I'll have plenty of reading material!
P.S. Sakura-hime appears in volume 12 of XXXHolic. She is so pretty. Then again, I'm not surprised.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The xm Before He Came Here
Something that happens to people is that they change over time. Either little by little, or in drastic steps, it's all a part of the human condition; you don't stay one way forever.
I am no exception to that rule. I too change over the years. I'm gonna prove it to you. Yes, there was a time in my life that I didn't have the internet. And there was a time that the only comics I read were Nintendo Power comics. AND, I didn't always gush over cute girls. (That came later.) Observe, the xm of Yesteryear, compared to the xm of today!
(This was me back when I was eight.)
[Me] My favorite movie of all time? Why that's easy! Aladdin! The Genie is so funny!
(Now me in the present.)
[Me] Favorite movie of all time? I don't know, the original Star Wars trilogy? No wait, um, Casablanca! No wait, um, Beauty and the Beast! No wait . . . Schindler's List! Ah dang it! I can't decide! But ya know, Robin Williams was really good in Aladdin.
(This was me back when I was seventeen.)
[Me] FUCK JAPANESE CARTOONS! They suck! They all look like shit. They all have horrible voice-acting. They all are stupid as Hell. AND THEY'RE VASTLY OVERRATED! EVERY-FUCKING-WHERE I GO, EVERYONE ACTS LIKE "ANIME" IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN "CARTOONS". THAT IS FUCKING BULLSHIT! Unless if they make an anime exactly like Chrono Trigger, which I know to be an anime-esque game, there is no FUCKING way in Hell I am EVER watching another anime ever again! Fuck Japanese cartoons, and fuck all the retarded asshole fans!
(This is me now.)
[Me] Fuck Code Geass, fuck Hellsing, fuck Slayers, fuck Akira, fuck Fruits Basket, AND FUCK ALL THE DUB HATERS!!!!! But, at least I have me my Castle in the Sky. And my Eureka Seven. And my memories of Death Note. Just as planned. I love saying that.
(This is me back when I was ten-and-a-half.)
[Me] Super Mario 64 is thuh Bestest game EvarZ!!!!!!
(This is me back when I was eleven.)
[Me] What is up with all the Sm64 hype? Okay, yeah, it starts off fun, but then it gets boring! And it's buggy, too! I hate bugs!
(This is me now.)
[Me] I still think SM64 represents a low point for Mario games. Okay, everything other than the slide levels a low point for Mario games. There, now shut up already.
(This is me back when I was six.)
[Me] Wow! Little Nemo is a lotta fun!
(This is me one year ago.)
[Me] *reading internet article* Yeah, I remember Little Nemo. That was pretty good, for an NES game. Maybe I'll play that on my emulator.
(One day later.)
[Me] What the hell was I thinking!? This game is way too hard, and the level design is crap! Why did I used to love this game!? Good god, I must've been doped up as a child.
(This is me when I was thirteen.)
[Me] Megaman Legends is one of the best Playstation games ever!
(This is me back when I was sixteen.)
[Me] Even though PS1 games look like crap, it's cool I can still rent them, 'cause MML2 is even better than the first!
(This is me when I was nineteen. To expand the library of my recently-purchased PS2, I started buying PS1 games. Including MML2.)
[Me] Tron Bonne is so cute! I just love her! ^_^ How could I not notice this before!? She's just so cute!
(This is me now.)
[Me] Not too many girls are as cute as Tron Bonne. I'm grateful I realize this. Too many gamers take this too lightly.
Oh yes, how time flies.
I am no exception to that rule. I too change over the years. I'm gonna prove it to you. Yes, there was a time in my life that I didn't have the internet. And there was a time that the only comics I read were Nintendo Power comics. AND, I didn't always gush over cute girls. (That came later.) Observe, the xm of Yesteryear, compared to the xm of today!
(This was me back when I was eight.)
[Me] My favorite movie of all time? Why that's easy! Aladdin! The Genie is so funny!
(Now me in the present.)
[Me] Favorite movie of all time? I don't know, the original Star Wars trilogy? No wait, um, Casablanca! No wait, um, Beauty and the Beast! No wait . . . Schindler's List! Ah dang it! I can't decide! But ya know, Robin Williams was really good in Aladdin.
(This was me back when I was seventeen.)
[Me] FUCK JAPANESE CARTOONS! They suck! They all look like shit. They all have horrible voice-acting. They all are stupid as Hell. AND THEY'RE VASTLY OVERRATED! EVERY-FUCKING-WHERE I GO, EVERYONE ACTS LIKE "ANIME" IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN "CARTOONS". THAT IS FUCKING BULLSHIT! Unless if they make an anime exactly like Chrono Trigger, which I know to be an anime-esque game, there is no FUCKING way in Hell I am EVER watching another anime ever again! Fuck Japanese cartoons, and fuck all the retarded asshole fans!
(This is me now.)
[Me] Fuck Code Geass, fuck Hellsing, fuck Slayers, fuck Akira, fuck Fruits Basket, AND FUCK ALL THE DUB HATERS!!!!! But, at least I have me my Castle in the Sky. And my Eureka Seven. And my memories of Death Note. Just as planned. I love saying that.
(This is me back when I was ten-and-a-half.)
[Me] Super Mario 64 is thuh Bestest game EvarZ!!!!!!
(This is me back when I was eleven.)
[Me] What is up with all the Sm64 hype? Okay, yeah, it starts off fun, but then it gets boring! And it's buggy, too! I hate bugs!
(This is me now.)
[Me] I still think SM64 represents a low point for Mario games. Okay, everything other than the slide levels a low point for Mario games. There, now shut up already.
(This is me back when I was six.)
[Me] Wow! Little Nemo is a lotta fun!
(This is me one year ago.)
[Me] *reading internet article* Yeah, I remember Little Nemo. That was pretty good, for an NES game. Maybe I'll play that on my emulator.
(One day later.)
[Me] What the hell was I thinking!? This game is way too hard, and the level design is crap! Why did I used to love this game!? Good god, I must've been doped up as a child.
(This is me when I was thirteen.)
[Me] Megaman Legends is one of the best Playstation games ever!
(This is me back when I was sixteen.)
[Me] Even though PS1 games look like crap, it's cool I can still rent them, 'cause MML2 is even better than the first!
(This is me when I was nineteen. To expand the library of my recently-purchased PS2, I started buying PS1 games. Including MML2.)
[Me] Tron Bonne is so cute! I just love her! ^_^ How could I not notice this before!? She's just so cute!
(This is me now.)
[Me] Not too many girls are as cute as Tron Bonne. I'm grateful I realize this. Too many gamers take this too lightly.
Oh yes, how time flies.
"It was the Man in the Pig Mask!"
I'm not making very much progress on Disgaea 1. So I went back to Mother 3.
I'm at chapter 7. Out of 8. I'm getting close to the end. I know this, for I've met a group of people that calls itself Mr. Saturn. Cue childhood flashbacks of when I rented Earthbound.
(Flashback to when I was a preteen. I play Earthbound. Then I stop, because of a realization that came to me.)
[Younger Me] Man, this RPG is BORING compared to Chrono Trigger! Is Chrono Trigger seriously the only good RPG ever? Secret of Mana sucked! Secret of Evermore was a little better, but it sucked compared to Chrono Trigger! Final Fantasy 3 was okay, but not anywhere near as good as Chrono Trigger! And Earthbound isn't anywhere as good as Chrono Trigger either!
(flash to the present.)
Uh, okay, that wasn't entirely pleasant. Although my standards were much lower back then, that didn't apply to RPGs. I've always had ridiculously high standards when it comes to stat-based RPGs. It might have something to do with the fact that CT was the third RPG I ever played, with the first two being SOM (which I now also know it to be SD2) and SOE. Yes, this is why FF6, as I now know it, failed to impressed me as a child; I played CT BEFORE ever having played a Final Fantasy game. It would be another five years until Square made an FF that rivaled CT. (Get it? CT came out in 1995. What came out in 2000, everyone? Not FF7, I know that.)
Oh wait, I'm supposed to be talking about M3, not about how overrated some SNES RPGs are. My bad!
Anyways, I now overlook M2, thanks to M3's awesomeness. Even the graphics are good for a GBA game. M3 has "Masterpiece" written all over it. It's hard for me to come up with a negative criticism for the game. And that's probably the best thing I can say for a game.
Oh, Dude. I should do an entry all about me impersonating my myself at earlier points of my life. I'm gonna do that!
I'm at chapter 7. Out of 8. I'm getting close to the end. I know this, for I've met a group of people that calls itself Mr. Saturn. Cue childhood flashbacks of when I rented Earthbound.
(Flashback to when I was a preteen. I play Earthbound. Then I stop, because of a realization that came to me.)
[Younger Me] Man, this RPG is BORING compared to Chrono Trigger! Is Chrono Trigger seriously the only good RPG ever? Secret of Mana sucked! Secret of Evermore was a little better, but it sucked compared to Chrono Trigger! Final Fantasy 3 was okay, but not anywhere near as good as Chrono Trigger! And Earthbound isn't anywhere as good as Chrono Trigger either!
(flash to the present.)
Uh, okay, that wasn't entirely pleasant. Although my standards were much lower back then, that didn't apply to RPGs. I've always had ridiculously high standards when it comes to stat-based RPGs. It might have something to do with the fact that CT was the third RPG I ever played, with the first two being SOM (which I now also know it to be SD2) and SOE. Yes, this is why FF6, as I now know it, failed to impressed me as a child; I played CT BEFORE ever having played a Final Fantasy game. It would be another five years until Square made an FF that rivaled CT. (Get it? CT came out in 1995. What came out in 2000, everyone? Not FF7, I know that.)
Oh wait, I'm supposed to be talking about M3, not about how overrated some SNES RPGs are. My bad!
Anyways, I now overlook M2, thanks to M3's awesomeness. Even the graphics are good for a GBA game. M3 has "Masterpiece" written all over it. It's hard for me to come up with a negative criticism for the game. And that's probably the best thing I can say for a game.
Oh, Dude. I should do an entry all about me impersonating my myself at earlier points of my life. I'm gonna do that!
Friday, November 21, 2008
I can speak Fanboyese, I just refuse to do so.
Robert Downey Jr. is now one of my favorite actors of all time. You wanna know why? Just watch Tropic Thunder. It will explain everything. (Coincidentally, it's also the best movie I've ever seen Ben Stiller do. And the best movie Jack Black has ever done, too.)
In other news, the fourth season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is now over. Season 4 is tied with Season 2 for best Sunny season ever. I will get the DVD set. Count on it.
In even other news, I went to the bookstore. Scored some more volumes of XXXHolic. But, while I was there, I read another book.
That's right. I read volume 3 of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
It's still better than the anime. Also, um, as you know, manga is subject to less censorship than anime series. And as such . . . well let's just say, the Rei worshippers have all been over Eva Vol. 3 in ways I don't want to describe. However, I still find myself liking the manga version of The Wonder Doll over her anime counterpart. She's cool. And there was another chapter cover where she looked cool. Oddly enough, all she was doing on the cover was riding a swing in her school uniform. And yet, it was so cool.
OH PLEASE GOD DON'T TELL ME I'M BECOMING A REI WORSHIPPER!!!!! Misato-san is my favorite character. Misato-san is my favorite character. Misato-san is my favorite character. Misato-san is my favorite character.
Right. *ahem* But there was something else, another image. There's this image of Shinji-kun that I don't remember seeing in the anime. He's by himself, outside in the rain. He's crouched down, holding an umbrella up. And he's alone. It's a really beautiful image, and a perfect summation of his isolation. I'd get a wallpaper of that if I could.
Volume 4 is when Asuka appears in the manga. Remember what I said earlier? "Oh geeze, at this rate, if I find myself sympathizing with the manga portrayal of Asuka, then I might as well just break down now and start writing horrible Eva fanfiction like all the other fans." It still holds true. If I actually find myself liking Asuka in the manga, I am going to write an Eva fanfic. It's a promise.
But what are the chances of that promise coming true? Think of all the things she did in the anime that made me hate her: her constant verbal abuse of Shinji and Rei, her massive superiority complex, her offensive comments about Japanese people, her offensive comments about boys, and she thinks she can can Shinji AND Kaji to herself, AND she flashed herself to the latter! On the plus side, she kicked Toji in the particulars. That was funny. But yeah, kinda hard for me to respect someone with so many hateful attributes.
But ya know what? Even if I still hate her, I might just write a fanfic anyways, just for shits 'n giggles. Because I love you all.
Oh, FYI, even though it ires me to see so many fanboys say, "ZOMG! Rei and/or Askua is so hot/cute/smexy!" Just to clarify, it's not that they're unattractive. It's just, compared to Misato, they're rather ordinary in appearance. But they're still not cute. Gawd.
In other news, the fourth season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is now over. Season 4 is tied with Season 2 for best Sunny season ever. I will get the DVD set. Count on it.
In even other news, I went to the bookstore. Scored some more volumes of XXXHolic. But, while I was there, I read another book.
That's right. I read volume 3 of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
It's still better than the anime. Also, um, as you know, manga is subject to less censorship than anime series. And as such . . . well let's just say, the Rei worshippers have all been over Eva Vol. 3 in ways I don't want to describe. However, I still find myself liking the manga version of The Wonder Doll over her anime counterpart. She's cool. And there was another chapter cover where she looked cool. Oddly enough, all she was doing on the cover was riding a swing in her school uniform. And yet, it was so cool.
OH PLEASE GOD DON'T TELL ME I'M BECOMING A REI WORSHIPPER!!!!! Misato-san is my favorite character. Misato-san is my favorite character. Misato-san is my favorite character. Misato-san is my favorite character.
Right. *ahem* But there was something else, another image. There's this image of Shinji-kun that I don't remember seeing in the anime. He's by himself, outside in the rain. He's crouched down, holding an umbrella up. And he's alone. It's a really beautiful image, and a perfect summation of his isolation. I'd get a wallpaper of that if I could.
Volume 4 is when Asuka appears in the manga. Remember what I said earlier? "Oh geeze, at this rate, if I find myself sympathizing with the manga portrayal of Asuka, then I might as well just break down now and start writing horrible Eva fanfiction like all the other fans." It still holds true. If I actually find myself liking Asuka in the manga, I am going to write an Eva fanfic. It's a promise.
But what are the chances of that promise coming true? Think of all the things she did in the anime that made me hate her: her constant verbal abuse of Shinji and Rei, her massive superiority complex, her offensive comments about Japanese people, her offensive comments about boys, and she thinks she can can Shinji AND Kaji to herself, AND she flashed herself to the latter! On the plus side, she kicked Toji in the particulars. That was funny. But yeah, kinda hard for me to respect someone with so many hateful attributes.
But ya know what? Even if I still hate her, I might just write a fanfic anyways, just for shits 'n giggles. Because I love you all.
Oh, FYI, even though it ires me to see so many fanboys say, "ZOMG! Rei and/or Askua is so hot/cute/smexy!" Just to clarify, it's not that they're unattractive. It's just, compared to Misato, they're rather ordinary in appearance. But they're still not cute. Gawd.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Oh my yes!
So, third Futurama movie is out. This was my reaction after watching it:
"This! This right here is the Futurama I remember! The Futurama I love!" First movie was decent, but not fantastic. Second movie was disappointing. Third movie? Awesomely awesome. And remember, Futurama is my favorite animated series of all time, and to see at least one of these straight-to-video movies get it right makes me go squee with delight. Can't wait for number four . . . .
. . . My Dodecaliciouuuuuuuuus!!!
In other news, I tried watching the first episode of Eureka Seven in Japanese with subtitles. Here's what I think:
Overall, it's very good. Most of the characters sound their part. Some sound even better than their English counterpart. (Dominic and Renton's grandfather are something else in Japanese.) However, I don't like Renton's Japanese voice. He sounds . . . like a girl. I know he was played by an actress instead of an actor, but he sounds too feminine to be believable. I know some actresses can fake a little boy's voice very well, but, don't compare Renton's Japanese voice to, say, Shinji's original Japanese voice. On the other hand, Eureka sounds cuter in Japanese. Her acting quality is about the same as her English counterpart, but Eureka in Japanese is a little more, kawaii. Yeah.
However, most names in E7 aren't Japanese, and so they sound kinda strange when repeated in Japanese. Renton's name is "ren-tone" instead of "ren-tin." The Thurston name sounds butchered in Japanese. But still, I can forgive them.
E7 dubbed or subbed . . . it really depends on what you prefer watching. If you're like me, you'll prefer it in English, so you can better focus on the visuals, and for Johhny Yong Bosch ;-> If you're more used to watching anime subbed, or if you're more fluent in Japanese, then go the Japanese route. Either one is fine with me. On the plus side, Holland and Talho sound great in both languages. Talho sounds almost identical in both languages. Holland sounds different; in Japanese, he has a higher range, but you can still tell it's him. ("Shut up already! Can't you see I'm shooting down KLFs!?") In English, his voice is noticeably deeper, but he still sounds the part. However, im my mind, I'm more used to hearing Holland being delivered by Crispin Freeman's baritone-bass range, so my repeat viewings will be in English.
So, much like with Haruhi, whichever language is best. It just depends on which you prefer to watch your anime in. If you do prefer E7 in Japanese though, don't be a dub hater about it. 'Cause I will burn you if you do. Dub hating is only appropriate if the dub really sucks compared to the original. (And for that matter, complain about the first English dub of Akira, the pre-Disney dubs of Miyazaki movies, the dubs of Eva, Dragonball Z, and the "dubs" by 4Kids, and the "dub" of Cardcaptor Sakura to your hearts' content. I will join in with you. Anything else . . . will not be tolerated.)
"This! This right here is the Futurama I remember! The Futurama I love!" First movie was decent, but not fantastic. Second movie was disappointing. Third movie? Awesomely awesome. And remember, Futurama is my favorite animated series of all time, and to see at least one of these straight-to-video movies get it right makes me go squee with delight. Can't wait for number four . . . .
. . . My Dodecaliciouuuuuuuuus!!!
In other news, I tried watching the first episode of Eureka Seven in Japanese with subtitles. Here's what I think:
Overall, it's very good. Most of the characters sound their part. Some sound even better than their English counterpart. (Dominic and Renton's grandfather are something else in Japanese.) However, I don't like Renton's Japanese voice. He sounds . . . like a girl. I know he was played by an actress instead of an actor, but he sounds too feminine to be believable. I know some actresses can fake a little boy's voice very well, but, don't compare Renton's Japanese voice to, say, Shinji's original Japanese voice. On the other hand, Eureka sounds cuter in Japanese. Her acting quality is about the same as her English counterpart, but Eureka in Japanese is a little more, kawaii. Yeah.
However, most names in E7 aren't Japanese, and so they sound kinda strange when repeated in Japanese. Renton's name is "ren-tone" instead of "ren-tin." The Thurston name sounds butchered in Japanese. But still, I can forgive them.
E7 dubbed or subbed . . . it really depends on what you prefer watching. If you're like me, you'll prefer it in English, so you can better focus on the visuals, and for Johhny Yong Bosch ;-> If you're more used to watching anime subbed, or if you're more fluent in Japanese, then go the Japanese route. Either one is fine with me. On the plus side, Holland and Talho sound great in both languages. Talho sounds almost identical in both languages. Holland sounds different; in Japanese, he has a higher range, but you can still tell it's him. ("Shut up already! Can't you see I'm shooting down KLFs!?") In English, his voice is noticeably deeper, but he still sounds the part. However, im my mind, I'm more used to hearing Holland being delivered by Crispin Freeman's baritone-bass range, so my repeat viewings will be in English.
So, much like with Haruhi, whichever language is best. It just depends on which you prefer to watch your anime in. If you do prefer E7 in Japanese though, don't be a dub hater about it. 'Cause I will burn you if you do. Dub hating is only appropriate if the dub really sucks compared to the original. (And for that matter, complain about the first English dub of Akira, the pre-Disney dubs of Miyazaki movies, the dubs of Eva, Dragonball Z, and the "dubs" by 4Kids, and the "dub" of Cardcaptor Sakura to your hearts' content. I will join in with you. Anything else . . . will not be tolerated.)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Link of uber pwnage
You guys! You guys!
"You guys? Aren't you disregarding your female readership in doing so?"
I don't think so. Here's something you should know; before I was reading comic books, I was reading online comics. But everybody calls them webcomics, so I might as well adopt the term. (It's easier to spell.) Most webcomics are crap, but I found a really good one today, one you may've heard of, and one that is entirely complete. I give you,
A prologue of Metal Gear Solid. Also known as, The Last Days of FOXHOUND.
Well peoples, I have finally found justification. Justification for having played through all of MGS1, MGS2, and most of MGS3. Something that makes fun of MGS. Not in a scathing manner, but in a way that says, "Hey, the author loves Metal Gear, but what if Psycho Mantis was a total prick to Ocelot all the time?" I just discovered this earlier today. It is one of the best webcomics I've ever seen. It probably isn't as good as Adventurers! (my favorite webcomic of all time.) but it sure comes close. It doesn't succumb to the cliches of most other gaming webcomics, fortunately.
Oh, also, although it technically isn't canon, I've read on tvtropes that The Last Days of FOXHOUND made some predictions about MGS4 that are apparently true. The comic makes no references to anything other than MGS1, 2, and 3, so that's something. Also, since I've never played MGS4, it means I can relate to its material better, also. I haven't read the whole thing, but I have jumped around a little bit. I like the origin of the Cobra Unit backstory, for instance. Why does The Pain house hundreds of hornets in his body? Read on and find out!
I knew there had to be a reason Hideo Kojima was taking G.I. Joe and putting his own twist on it. Aside from monetary gain, of course. Now it looks like even I can enjoy something MGS-related that isn't a sniper duel in the rainforest. And even I now can start taking the storyline seriously . . . because it is seriously hilarious.
"You guys? Aren't you disregarding your female readership in doing so?"
I don't think so. Here's something you should know; before I was reading comic books, I was reading online comics. But everybody calls them webcomics, so I might as well adopt the term. (It's easier to spell.) Most webcomics are crap, but I found a really good one today, one you may've heard of, and one that is entirely complete. I give you,
A prologue of Metal Gear Solid. Also known as, The Last Days of FOXHOUND.
Well peoples, I have finally found justification. Justification for having played through all of MGS1, MGS2, and most of MGS3. Something that makes fun of MGS. Not in a scathing manner, but in a way that says, "Hey, the author loves Metal Gear, but what if Psycho Mantis was a total prick to Ocelot all the time?" I just discovered this earlier today. It is one of the best webcomics I've ever seen. It probably isn't as good as Adventurers! (my favorite webcomic of all time.) but it sure comes close. It doesn't succumb to the cliches of most other gaming webcomics, fortunately.
Oh, also, although it technically isn't canon, I've read on tvtropes that The Last Days of FOXHOUND made some predictions about MGS4 that are apparently true. The comic makes no references to anything other than MGS1, 2, and 3, so that's something. Also, since I've never played MGS4, it means I can relate to its material better, also. I haven't read the whole thing, but I have jumped around a little bit. I like the origin of the Cobra Unit backstory, for instance. Why does The Pain house hundreds of hornets in his body? Read on and find out!
I knew there had to be a reason Hideo Kojima was taking G.I. Joe and putting his own twist on it. Aside from monetary gain, of course. Now it looks like even I can enjoy something MGS-related that isn't a sniper duel in the rainforest. And even I now can start taking the storyline seriously . . . because it is seriously hilarious.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
RAGE.
Oh, hello, boys and girls. Otaku-ism has reared its ugly head again.
"Uh oh! What now, sir?"
Somebody was talking about E7.
"Oh. The king of anime series in your opinion, right?"
Yes. This somebody said E7 was good, but not the best ever. Do you know what he said was better than E7? Of all things?
"Uh . . . some obscure Gundam series?"
Nope.
"Uh . . . . . . . Oh, I know! It's something you hate, I bet! Probably something like Battle Athletes!"
No. Not as obscure as that.
"Oh. Then it must be . . . oh, this is too easy. Code Geass, isn't it?"
Yeah. There are people out there, who favor CG, over E7. Let's analyze that for a moment.
E7 has class. E7 has some of the best characters ever. E7 has amazing action sequences. E7 has a fantastic dub. E7 has a good soundtrack. E7 made me cry. E7 made me laugh on numerous occasions.
CG has good animation during the action sequences. Other than that, I got nuthin'.
Now of course, you're probably thinking, it's just your opinion, xm. What may drive you up the wall may do it for someone else. And vice versa. *sigh* maybe so.
It's just that, all my life, my opinions, since I form them entirely by myself, tend to go against the grain. I've alienated people because of it. And, at this rate, it looks like I might keep alienating people for the rest of my life. It's the Hedgehog's Dilemma again; I can't interact with casual anime fans, since a lot of them have never seen anything other than DBZ, Naruto, and One Piece, and I can't interact with "real" anime fans because . . . you should know by now. Sometimes, I wonder if my hobbies are hobbies I should keep, if all they do is alienate me, both in the real world, and on the internet.
And with that introspection, perhaps now would be a good time to unleash my inner fanboy.
(Warning! You are to see xm0123 engage in some genuine fan wanking! This is a rare opportunity, for he does not normally perform this kind of behavior. So turn on your camcorders, and be amazed as to how much of a fanboy he can really be!)
*deep breath*
How the fuck could anyone favor CG over E7!? Who are these people!? Immature 16 year olds who have never seen a Japanese cartoon in their lives!? What the fee-yuck!?!?!?!
Oh, wait. I get it. It's because CG has a lot more fanservice, doesn't it!? Especially of the sexual variety? You perverted otaku. Yeah, that's right, E7 didn't have that much fanservice. A couple of gratuitous shots of Talho's cleavage, and a snapshot of Ray in a two-piece bikini, thay was about it. Oh, but not CG, you dirty fanboys. You must looooooooooooove jackin' it to Kallen, don'tcha!?!? How else could you favor CG over E7!?
Oh, and the fangirls! Can't forget the fangirls! Despite having some of the worst character art by CLAMP ever, (this was done by the same people who made the purdy pictures in CCS and XXXHolic? For shame!) oh, you know those fangirls are gonna orgy over whomever they think is "hot." Oh, Lelouch is not really evil! He's just misunderstood! Suzaku did not sell out his native people! He's only doing what's right in his mind! Even though the characters in CG have practically no redeeming qualities to speak of, you know someone's writing a sucky fanfic about what should be.
THE WHOLE WORLD'S A MAD HOUSE!!!!!!!!! I HAVE NO REFUGE FROM ANY OF THE MADNESS!!!!!!!
But hey, at least you didn't say Eureka Seven was less enjoyable than Fruits Basket.
WHO COULD, IN ANYONE'S RIGHT MIND . . . oh whatever.
"Uh oh! What now, sir?"
Somebody was talking about E7.
"Oh. The king of anime series in your opinion, right?"
Yes. This somebody said E7 was good, but not the best ever. Do you know what he said was better than E7? Of all things?
"Uh . . . some obscure Gundam series?"
Nope.
"Uh . . . . . . . Oh, I know! It's something you hate, I bet! Probably something like Battle Athletes!"
No. Not as obscure as that.
"Oh. Then it must be . . . oh, this is too easy. Code Geass, isn't it?"
Yeah. There are people out there, who favor CG, over E7. Let's analyze that for a moment.
E7 has class. E7 has some of the best characters ever. E7 has amazing action sequences. E7 has a fantastic dub. E7 has a good soundtrack. E7 made me cry. E7 made me laugh on numerous occasions.
CG has good animation during the action sequences. Other than that, I got nuthin'.
Now of course, you're probably thinking, it's just your opinion, xm. What may drive you up the wall may do it for someone else. And vice versa. *sigh* maybe so.
It's just that, all my life, my opinions, since I form them entirely by myself, tend to go against the grain. I've alienated people because of it. And, at this rate, it looks like I might keep alienating people for the rest of my life. It's the Hedgehog's Dilemma again; I can't interact with casual anime fans, since a lot of them have never seen anything other than DBZ, Naruto, and One Piece, and I can't interact with "real" anime fans because . . . you should know by now. Sometimes, I wonder if my hobbies are hobbies I should keep, if all they do is alienate me, both in the real world, and on the internet.
And with that introspection, perhaps now would be a good time to unleash my inner fanboy.
(Warning! You are to see xm0123 engage in some genuine fan wanking! This is a rare opportunity, for he does not normally perform this kind of behavior. So turn on your camcorders, and be amazed as to how much of a fanboy he can really be!)
*deep breath*
How the fuck could anyone favor CG over E7!? Who are these people!? Immature 16 year olds who have never seen a Japanese cartoon in their lives!? What the fee-yuck!?!?!?!
Oh, wait. I get it. It's because CG has a lot more fanservice, doesn't it!? Especially of the sexual variety? You perverted otaku. Yeah, that's right, E7 didn't have that much fanservice. A couple of gratuitous shots of Talho's cleavage, and a snapshot of Ray in a two-piece bikini, thay was about it. Oh, but not CG, you dirty fanboys. You must looooooooooooove jackin' it to Kallen, don'tcha!?!? How else could you favor CG over E7!?
Oh, and the fangirls! Can't forget the fangirls! Despite having some of the worst character art by CLAMP ever, (this was done by the same people who made the purdy pictures in CCS and XXXHolic? For shame!) oh, you know those fangirls are gonna orgy over whomever they think is "hot." Oh, Lelouch is not really evil! He's just misunderstood! Suzaku did not sell out his native people! He's only doing what's right in his mind! Even though the characters in CG have practically no redeeming qualities to speak of, you know someone's writing a sucky fanfic about what should be.
THE WHOLE WORLD'S A MAD HOUSE!!!!!!!!! I HAVE NO REFUGE FROM ANY OF THE MADNESS!!!!!!!
But hey, at least you didn't say Eureka Seven was less enjoyable than Fruits Basket.
WHO COULD, IN ANYONE'S RIGHT MIND . . . oh whatever.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
What's a guy to do?
I'm burned out on anime. But I'm not burned out on manga.
Question; what do people like me, who generally favor manga over anime, do? There are fansites for just anime, there are fansites for anime and manga, but there are no fansites for just manga fanatics. (And no, sites with free manga scans and scanlations DO NOT COUNT!!!!!) Why must the two overlap so much?
An update; I got more volumes of XXXHolic. Do you remember what my biggest reason for favoring the manga version of Holic over its anime counterpart?
"You think the character art sucks in the anime version, because it's less detailed, and those wacky Holic characters you love so much suddenly now look like characters from Code Geass, one of your most hated anime of all time?"
Exactly. I'd post a picture, but most of the Google image results are either from the anime, or is fanart. Drat.
However, I wanna make something clear about Me and Holic, and that's this:
Don't come between me and Himawari-chan!
"Uh oh! Does xm have a non-sexual, non-romantic crush on Himawari!? Oh noes! He might get jealous If we express any love for her!"
I won't get jealous. It's just that, she's very pleasant, and I can understand Watanuki-kun's adoration of her. Come on, what guy in his right mind wouldn't like a girl like Himawari-chan!? She is just . . . just . . . what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yes:
KAWAIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!
Yeah. I have something else to report, but I'll wait for my next post to do that.
Addendum: Also, for you Eva fans, I present: The Hedgehog's Dilemma for Manga fans.
(Note: in real life, hedgehogs can cuddle with each other without pricking one another. I'm only using this phrase because it sounds insightful.)
This is the dilemma: most of my favorite comics books are from Japan, commonly referred to as manga. Most people I know in the real world don't read manga. Therefore, I can't talk about manga with someone without them constantly asking, "You still read comic books? Grow up already."
The thing is, most people who do read manga are idiots, assholes, or idiotic assholes. Idiots, assholes, and idiotic assholes are people I hate. So if I do find someone who likes manga, I usually end up regretting it. ("WTF!? U dont liek Helling? Fuck you, fucking pussy!" "LOL, only girly fags like CLAMP" "you cant call yorself a manga fan if you dont like dragonball!")
What can I do to overcome my dilemma? I'm out of options.
Question; what do people like me, who generally favor manga over anime, do? There are fansites for just anime, there are fansites for anime and manga, but there are no fansites for just manga fanatics. (And no, sites with free manga scans and scanlations DO NOT COUNT!!!!!) Why must the two overlap so much?
An update; I got more volumes of XXXHolic. Do you remember what my biggest reason for favoring the manga version of Holic over its anime counterpart?
"You think the character art sucks in the anime version, because it's less detailed, and those wacky Holic characters you love so much suddenly now look like characters from Code Geass, one of your most hated anime of all time?"
Exactly. I'd post a picture, but most of the Google image results are either from the anime, or is fanart. Drat.
However, I wanna make something clear about Me and Holic, and that's this:
Don't come between me and Himawari-chan!
"Uh oh! Does xm have a non-sexual, non-romantic crush on Himawari!? Oh noes! He might get jealous If we express any love for her!"
I won't get jealous. It's just that, she's very pleasant, and I can understand Watanuki-kun's adoration of her. Come on, what guy in his right mind wouldn't like a girl like Himawari-chan!? She is just . . . just . . . what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yes:
KAWAIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!
Yeah. I have something else to report, but I'll wait for my next post to do that.
Addendum: Also, for you Eva fans, I present: The Hedgehog's Dilemma for Manga fans.
(Note: in real life, hedgehogs can cuddle with each other without pricking one another. I'm only using this phrase because it sounds insightful.)
This is the dilemma: most of my favorite comics books are from Japan, commonly referred to as manga. Most people I know in the real world don't read manga. Therefore, I can't talk about manga with someone without them constantly asking, "You still read comic books? Grow up already."
The thing is, most people who do read manga are idiots, assholes, or idiotic assholes. Idiots, assholes, and idiotic assholes are people I hate. So if I do find someone who likes manga, I usually end up regretting it. ("WTF!? U dont liek Helling? Fuck you, fucking pussy!" "LOL, only girly fags like CLAMP" "you cant call yorself a manga fan if you dont like dragonball!")
What can I do to overcome my dilemma? I'm out of options.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Imagine
Imagine a world where not even Death Note is the greatest anime series ever. I have. Not only have I imagined it, I really do live in such a world.
I finally did it. I have seen all of Eureka Seven. It is the greatest anime series ever. It is the greatest action cartoon series ever. It is the second best animated tv series ever, behind only Futurama. Think about that, if Futurama did not exist, E7 would be the epitome of all cartoon shows. It already is the best action cartoon ever. Yeah, Tom. I like E7 more than DBZ, and Naruto. Ha ha ha.
But readers, I will tell you right now, my favorite episode in the whole series is episode 48. The reason being is because, yes, because of that scene. Something wonderful happened when I saw that scene.
I cried.
I cried, I laughed, and I went, "awww." out loud, all at once. But above all else, I cried tears of joy. I have never seen any tv show that has made me cry before. Until now. E7 makes you feel for its characters. And in the end, once you've seen every episode, you'll come to love every character who isn't a villain. I know I have.
The ending to E7 is one that will make you happy. Like the endings to most Japanese series, it is a little open-ended, so I wouldn't be surprised if certain people (read, unpleasable fanboys.) would think it "sucks." Me? I don't think it sucks. I liked it more than the ending to Gurren Lagaan, and GL had a damned good ending. Still, because of a few unanswered questions, it may explain why there's a movie sequel in the works . . .
After having seen all 50 episodes, there's only one problem I can find; E7 does have a mild case of Evangelion Syndrome. There are a few unexplainable phenomenon that are just, really out there. Thankfully, the mindscrew portions never reached the epic proportions of the later episodes of Eva, nor the Xenosaga series, and even then, science fiction in general has always been about the unknown, and E7 is no exception in that regard.
So then, peoples, what we have here is the second anime series I've ever seen that scored the following:
Eureka Seven Final Score: 10 out of 10.
And I liked it even more than Death Note. E7 never faltered like DN did in some of its later episodes, and E7's ending, despite the Eva-ness, was less obtuse than the ending of DN. E7 is certainly one of my favorite top ten tv series of all time. If you still think cartoons are "only for kids", I dare you to watch E7 and then tell me that to my face.
Don't beg for things. Do it yourself, or else you won't get anything.
Cheers.
I finally did it. I have seen all of Eureka Seven. It is the greatest anime series ever. It is the greatest action cartoon series ever. It is the second best animated tv series ever, behind only Futurama. Think about that, if Futurama did not exist, E7 would be the epitome of all cartoon shows. It already is the best action cartoon ever. Yeah, Tom. I like E7 more than DBZ, and Naruto. Ha ha ha.
But readers, I will tell you right now, my favorite episode in the whole series is episode 48. The reason being is because, yes, because of that scene. Something wonderful happened when I saw that scene.
I cried.
I cried, I laughed, and I went, "awww." out loud, all at once. But above all else, I cried tears of joy. I have never seen any tv show that has made me cry before. Until now. E7 makes you feel for its characters. And in the end, once you've seen every episode, you'll come to love every character who isn't a villain. I know I have.
The ending to E7 is one that will make you happy. Like the endings to most Japanese series, it is a little open-ended, so I wouldn't be surprised if certain people (read, unpleasable fanboys.) would think it "sucks." Me? I don't think it sucks. I liked it more than the ending to Gurren Lagaan, and GL had a damned good ending. Still, because of a few unanswered questions, it may explain why there's a movie sequel in the works . . .
After having seen all 50 episodes, there's only one problem I can find; E7 does have a mild case of Evangelion Syndrome. There are a few unexplainable phenomenon that are just, really out there. Thankfully, the mindscrew portions never reached the epic proportions of the later episodes of Eva, nor the Xenosaga series, and even then, science fiction in general has always been about the unknown, and E7 is no exception in that regard.
So then, peoples, what we have here is the second anime series I've ever seen that scored the following:
Eureka Seven Final Score: 10 out of 10.
And I liked it even more than Death Note. E7 never faltered like DN did in some of its later episodes, and E7's ending, despite the Eva-ness, was less obtuse than the ending of DN. E7 is certainly one of my favorite top ten tv series of all time. If you still think cartoons are "only for kids", I dare you to watch E7 and then tell me that to my face.
Don't beg for things. Do it yourself, or else you won't get anything.
Cheers.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
"LET'S SEE YOU GRIT THOSE TEETH!"
Do not watch Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan to gain any deep insights. Do not expect it to overwhelm you with anything other than crazy action sequences. GL is basically every over-the-top action cartoon and videogame taken to an insurmountable extreme. But in this case, that's a good thing.
The series follows the digger boy known as Simon, as he goes from an unlucky slave to the most respected warrior the human race has ever known. Joining him are Kamina, a musclebound adrenaline junkie that speaks mostly in catchphrases, Yoko, a young woman with (possibly fake) large breasts and an even larger sniper rifle, Leeron, a gifted mechanic who is also very flamboyant, Kittan, an overprotective older brother to three sisters, among others. They form Team Gurren Lagaan, a rebel faction that fights with Gunman, or "mecha" to serious anime fans. The premise is not too original, nor are many of the characters. What sets GL apart? Simple; it's brazenly over-the-top.
Even during its more dramatic moments, GL never takes itself too seriously. Most of the exposition is done with visuals, not dialogue. There are good guys and bad guys, no in-betweens for the most part. This is something primarily for the 14-18 male crowd out there. There's plenty of fanservice, some of which is funny, some of which is annoying.
The production values for GL are something else. During lulls between combat, the animation is usually average to above-average. During Gunman battles, it rivals movie quality animation. This is why people watch GL; to see the battles unfold in ways I can't describe with words. Seeing the "GIGA! DRILL! BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAK!" attack never gets old. It's a feast for the eyes, the kind of action you wished you could see in your Saturday Morning cartoons as a kid, but only get to experience now. The soundtrack is worth mention, also. Not one of the best scores I've ever heard in a series, but it certainly sets an epic mood.
I've only seen the series dubbed in English, and cannot compare to the original Japanese soundtrack. The voice-acting in the earlier episodes is okay, but not fantastic. Later on in the series though, the VAs sound better. By the last few episodes, GL becomes one of the more memorable dubs I've heard. GL does not approach the dub quality of, say, Fullmetal Alchemist, but at its best, it gets close. There are two exceptional performances: one is Yuri Lowenthal as Simon. I've heard Yuri in many games and animations, but his take on Simon is perhaps the best performance I've ever heard from him. It's like, he doesn't merely voice Simon, he is Simon. Whether Simon is a child or a young adult, he never sounds off. My other "shout-out" is to Hynden Walch as Nia. I didn't know who she was before watching GL, but now I do. I get the same sensation from watching Hynden as Nia, as in I don't think she merely plays Nia, she is Nia. Her voice perfectly illustrates her character, someone who is almost too sweet to be real, yet is also absolutely fearless. For fans of dubs from Bandai, also look out for the voices of Johnny Yong Bosch, Kyle Hebert, Michelle Ruff, Bridget Hoffman, and a few other VA superstars.
If there is a downside to GL, it's that, because of its simplistic nature, it doesn't have much depth to it. It doesn't make one very philosophical after viewing. It will not dethrone my favorite anime series because of this. It lacks the complex characterizations of Eureka Seven. It lacks the paranoia and mind games of Death Note. It is offbeat and absurd at times, but not to the degree that Haruhi Suzumiya is. Aside from a few scenes with Simon and Nia, it lacks the warmth of Cardcaptor Sakura, as well as Miyazaki's earlier films. Not only that, the series does not really take off until episode 7. Every episode before that is pretty generic. This, combined with the somewhat mediocre English voice-acting in the earlier episodes, may turn viewers away.
Nonetheless, GL is a good series to watch if you need to "unwind." And if you stick it out to the very end, you will witness one of the most poignant endings I've ever seen to an anime series. The ending makes up for the weak start and the simplistic nature of the series. And if that wasn't enough, there will be a GL movie in the future. Until that happens, let us commemorate one of the better anime series of my time with a saying, "Don't believe in me who believes in you. Believe in the you, who believes in yourself. That's the Gurren Lagaan way." What, did you think I was gonna say JWTHDYTIA? Save that for after the movie.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan overview.
Good Stuff: Incredible animation, some good humor, a few standout voiceover performances, great ending, and it's easy to follow . . .
Bad Stuff: . . . which also makes it shallow compared to some other series. A slow start. And if you don't like action anime cliches, stay away.
Final Score: 8 out of 10. At times, I was tempted to score it a 9. If the whole series was like the first 6 episodes, I would've scored it a 6. But I feel an 8 is how I feel about the quality of this Gainax production.
The series follows the digger boy known as Simon, as he goes from an unlucky slave to the most respected warrior the human race has ever known. Joining him are Kamina, a musclebound adrenaline junkie that speaks mostly in catchphrases, Yoko, a young woman with (possibly fake) large breasts and an even larger sniper rifle, Leeron, a gifted mechanic who is also very flamboyant, Kittan, an overprotective older brother to three sisters, among others. They form Team Gurren Lagaan, a rebel faction that fights with Gunman, or "mecha" to serious anime fans. The premise is not too original, nor are many of the characters. What sets GL apart? Simple; it's brazenly over-the-top.
Even during its more dramatic moments, GL never takes itself too seriously. Most of the exposition is done with visuals, not dialogue. There are good guys and bad guys, no in-betweens for the most part. This is something primarily for the 14-18 male crowd out there. There's plenty of fanservice, some of which is funny, some of which is annoying.
The production values for GL are something else. During lulls between combat, the animation is usually average to above-average. During Gunman battles, it rivals movie quality animation. This is why people watch GL; to see the battles unfold in ways I can't describe with words. Seeing the "GIGA! DRILL! BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAK!" attack never gets old. It's a feast for the eyes, the kind of action you wished you could see in your Saturday Morning cartoons as a kid, but only get to experience now. The soundtrack is worth mention, also. Not one of the best scores I've ever heard in a series, but it certainly sets an epic mood.
I've only seen the series dubbed in English, and cannot compare to the original Japanese soundtrack. The voice-acting in the earlier episodes is okay, but not fantastic. Later on in the series though, the VAs sound better. By the last few episodes, GL becomes one of the more memorable dubs I've heard. GL does not approach the dub quality of, say, Fullmetal Alchemist, but at its best, it gets close. There are two exceptional performances: one is Yuri Lowenthal as Simon. I've heard Yuri in many games and animations, but his take on Simon is perhaps the best performance I've ever heard from him. It's like, he doesn't merely voice Simon, he is Simon. Whether Simon is a child or a young adult, he never sounds off. My other "shout-out" is to Hynden Walch as Nia. I didn't know who she was before watching GL, but now I do. I get the same sensation from watching Hynden as Nia, as in I don't think she merely plays Nia, she is Nia. Her voice perfectly illustrates her character, someone who is almost too sweet to be real, yet is also absolutely fearless. For fans of dubs from Bandai, also look out for the voices of Johnny Yong Bosch, Kyle Hebert, Michelle Ruff, Bridget Hoffman, and a few other VA superstars.
If there is a downside to GL, it's that, because of its simplistic nature, it doesn't have much depth to it. It doesn't make one very philosophical after viewing. It will not dethrone my favorite anime series because of this. It lacks the complex characterizations of Eureka Seven. It lacks the paranoia and mind games of Death Note. It is offbeat and absurd at times, but not to the degree that Haruhi Suzumiya is. Aside from a few scenes with Simon and Nia, it lacks the warmth of Cardcaptor Sakura, as well as Miyazaki's earlier films. Not only that, the series does not really take off until episode 7. Every episode before that is pretty generic. This, combined with the somewhat mediocre English voice-acting in the earlier episodes, may turn viewers away.
Nonetheless, GL is a good series to watch if you need to "unwind." And if you stick it out to the very end, you will witness one of the most poignant endings I've ever seen to an anime series. The ending makes up for the weak start and the simplistic nature of the series. And if that wasn't enough, there will be a GL movie in the future. Until that happens, let us commemorate one of the better anime series of my time with a saying, "Don't believe in me who believes in you. Believe in the you, who believes in yourself. That's the Gurren Lagaan way." What, did you think I was gonna say JWTHDYTIA? Save that for after the movie.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan overview.
Good Stuff: Incredible animation, some good humor, a few standout voiceover performances, great ending, and it's easy to follow . . .
Bad Stuff: . . . which also makes it shallow compared to some other series. A slow start. And if you don't like action anime cliches, stay away.
Final Score: 8 out of 10. At times, I was tempted to score it a 9. If the whole series was like the first 6 episodes, I would've scored it a 6. But I feel an 8 is how I feel about the quality of this Gainax production.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Why am I so into cartoons?
No seriously, why am I? As I glance at my shelf that has the tv shows on DVD, I have eight shows on DVD. Five of them are animated. What is with me? I don't even wanna discuss how many cartoon movies I have.
What is with me and animation? Is it because with animation, you could show practically anything possible? Maybe that's it.
Speaking of which, you wanna know what I did again? I watched a few more episodes of Lucky Star dubbed in English.
HIYA LUCKIES!!!!!
Why, I don't know why. Even though it's from the same makers of the Haruhi anime, it just doesn't stack up to Haruhi. Even though it makes references to it. Although the series hasn't been officially completed in America yet, there is one in-joke I'm aware of. In Japanese, both Haruhi and Konata are played by Aya Hirano, a very talented actress, and a very good singer, too. (Okay, I, a guy who watched only, maybe, 20 percent of his anime subbed learning the names of Japanese VAs makes me scared. This doesn't make me an otaku, does it?) In English, the same characters are played by Wendee Lee, another talented actress, and, if this rendition of God Knows and Lost my Music is any proof, also a good singer.
Anyways, the in-joke in LS is that Kona-chan meets the real Hirano. So I'm guessing when this comes up in English, it'll instead be Kona-chan meeting the real Lee. I find this amusing. I don't know why, but I do.
It seems like I'm only watching LS in English just so I can spot the voices. Good God, I think I've become a whore of voice actors and actresses I like. For example, it took me a while before I noticed, but then it hit me, "Hey, Kagami kinda sounds like Kari Wahlgren!" And sure enough, I was right. I also like how some actors will play many bit parts. It was crazy hearing Richard Epcar, the voice of Commander Batou, playing all these random characters in LS. As well as hearing Kyle Hebert playing many different characters also, although his voice is harder to pin down. And of course, there's a hilarious cameo by Crispin Freeman in episode 12. That alone was almost as good as the Lucky Channel bits.
Ah yes, Lucky Channel. If a whole episode was of the quality of the Lucky Channel bits, LS would be one of the funniest anime series I've ever seen. Not only is Akira still entertaining as Hell, Minoru Shiraishi is now emerging as an eccentric personality of his known. "It is time we took a stand! No longer will the term, 'tsundere' be used so frivolously!' Try telling that to the otaku who keep using words like that and moe, yandere, and nadeshiko on a regular basis. By the way, I picked up on Minoru's English voice actor; Sam Regal. He was also Taniguchi in Haruhi, as well as Viral in Gurren Lagaan. He's making a name for himself.
Oh, uh, when I finish watching Gurren Lagaan, I have a few things to say about its English dub. Look forward to that. As for when I finish E7 . . . oh wait, I already know that it has one of the best dubs ever. But yeah, my review of the English version of GL is gonna be a little interesting.
Before I go, I just wanna say, thank the GE-YAWDS. That English dubs for anime don't suck anymore. You have no idea how grateful I am to be done away with the shit that was 'passable' during my teen years. The same is true of videogames.
What is with me and animation? Is it because with animation, you could show practically anything possible? Maybe that's it.
Speaking of which, you wanna know what I did again? I watched a few more episodes of Lucky Star dubbed in English.
HIYA LUCKIES!!!!!
Why, I don't know why. Even though it's from the same makers of the Haruhi anime, it just doesn't stack up to Haruhi. Even though it makes references to it. Although the series hasn't been officially completed in America yet, there is one in-joke I'm aware of. In Japanese, both Haruhi and Konata are played by Aya Hirano, a very talented actress, and a very good singer, too. (Okay, I, a guy who watched only, maybe, 20 percent of his anime subbed learning the names of Japanese VAs makes me scared. This doesn't make me an otaku, does it?) In English, the same characters are played by Wendee Lee, another talented actress, and, if this rendition of God Knows and Lost my Music is any proof, also a good singer.
Anyways, the in-joke in LS is that Kona-chan meets the real Hirano. So I'm guessing when this comes up in English, it'll instead be Kona-chan meeting the real Lee. I find this amusing. I don't know why, but I do.
It seems like I'm only watching LS in English just so I can spot the voices. Good God, I think I've become a whore of voice actors and actresses I like. For example, it took me a while before I noticed, but then it hit me, "Hey, Kagami kinda sounds like Kari Wahlgren!" And sure enough, I was right. I also like how some actors will play many bit parts. It was crazy hearing Richard Epcar, the voice of Commander Batou, playing all these random characters in LS. As well as hearing Kyle Hebert playing many different characters also, although his voice is harder to pin down. And of course, there's a hilarious cameo by Crispin Freeman in episode 12. That alone was almost as good as the Lucky Channel bits.
Ah yes, Lucky Channel. If a whole episode was of the quality of the Lucky Channel bits, LS would be one of the funniest anime series I've ever seen. Not only is Akira still entertaining as Hell, Minoru Shiraishi is now emerging as an eccentric personality of his known. "It is time we took a stand! No longer will the term, 'tsundere' be used so frivolously!' Try telling that to the otaku who keep using words like that and moe, yandere, and nadeshiko on a regular basis. By the way, I picked up on Minoru's English voice actor; Sam Regal. He was also Taniguchi in Haruhi, as well as Viral in Gurren Lagaan. He's making a name for himself.
Oh, uh, when I finish watching Gurren Lagaan, I have a few things to say about its English dub. Look forward to that. As for when I finish E7 . . . oh wait, I already know that it has one of the best dubs ever. But yeah, my review of the English version of GL is gonna be a little interesting.
Before I go, I just wanna say, thank the GE-YAWDS. That English dubs for anime don't suck anymore. You have no idea how grateful I am to be done away with the shit that was 'passable' during my teen years. The same is true of videogames.
Discovering the differences between two games
Because of the Disgaea franchise, gamers may never need another strategy RPG ever again. Well, I think Disgaea is supreme when it comes to SRPGs.
I've noticed a few more differences between D1 and D2. Perhaps these were "corrected" because of balancing issues. For one, guns can fire diagonally. In D2, they can only shoot in a straight line. This makes bows pretty much worthless, but no matter; I created a scout and intend to make him one of my best characters!
Another thing; the pupil/mentor system. I'm pretty sure this wasn't in D2, probably because of balance issues. With this, you can create a character, and whoever created that character can learn the created character's skill. Let's say I have Etna create a Brawler. If Etna stands next to the Brawler, she can use his skills, if she has the right weapon equipped. If she uses the the skill enough times, she can use that skill without the Brawler nearby. I read somewhere that Flonne is basically useless if you don't have her "mentor" mage characters. So I'm having her learn all kinds of magic abilities right now, effectively turning her into a very strong red mage. Versatility for the win!
I have other things to discuss, but that will come another time.
I've noticed a few more differences between D1 and D2. Perhaps these were "corrected" because of balancing issues. For one, guns can fire diagonally. In D2, they can only shoot in a straight line. This makes bows pretty much worthless, but no matter; I created a scout and intend to make him one of my best characters!
Another thing; the pupil/mentor system. I'm pretty sure this wasn't in D2, probably because of balance issues. With this, you can create a character, and whoever created that character can learn the created character's skill. Let's say I have Etna create a Brawler. If Etna stands next to the Brawler, she can use his skills, if she has the right weapon equipped. If she uses the the skill enough times, she can use that skill without the Brawler nearby. I read somewhere that Flonne is basically useless if you don't have her "mentor" mage characters. So I'm having her learn all kinds of magic abilities right now, effectively turning her into a very strong red mage. Versatility for the win!
I have other things to discuss, but that will come another time.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A most unholy game
So, you wanna know what game I bought? There were plenty of copies for sale; all unopened. Also all had "PS2 Greatest Hits" labels, too. But you're gonna like what I got. Here, I'll illustrate with a picture. If the main characters were in a band, this would be their album cover.
Why yes, my pretties! I own the original PS2 version of the first Disgaea now. Bow down before your master Laharl! Or Master Etna, if you prefer her.
So, I can say Disgaea 1 is somewhat different from Disgaea 2. For one thing, you can't get a felony. Another thing, the senate works a little differently. You have to pass "exams" to increase your prestige in the Senate. (And by "passing", I mean, "Beating the crap out of the examiners." Isn't the Netherworld fun?) On the plus side, if the senate votes nay, it's much easier to persuade by force. In D2, the senators were so powerful, trying to persuade by force was practically suicide. Not so here. Also, Pleinair talks! Although she still looks a little too much like someone from an anime/manga series I have a like/dislike relationship with. (Although I'm sure her resemblance to the Wonder Doll was intentional.)
The game itself is practically the same as D2. The battles are of a turn-based strategy nature, you can create your own characters, the "item world" lets you power up equipment, and the cutscenes are all still images. The story itself doesn't seem to be as good as the one in D2, but the humor is still there. The game is a ridiculous parody of RPGs and modern anime, as well as common depictions of angels and demons. By the way, remember who my favorite character is?
OH NO! NOT FLONNE!
Oh yes, my lovelies! The angel girl herself! This game shows what she was doing before being kicked out of Celestia by the time of D2. She's so cute, it's crazy. And not only that, she is nice. Nice as in, too nice to be a demonslayer. She's one of the funniest video game characters I've ever known.
On the negative side, D1's voices aren't as good as D2's. D2 has some of the best voice-acting ever. D1, in comparison, does not. It's not bad, no, but it's not nuanced like in D2. The Prinnies don't sound as off-beat, and Etna isn't played by Michelle Ruff! (imitating Laharl) This is a travesty! I will execute them myself for this transgression! (getting back to normal) Okay, Etna still kinda sounds her part, but not like in D2. On the other hand, Laharl, Flonne, and Mid-Boss still sound great. "Call me Dark Adonis!"
Anyways, got more gaming to do. This and Mother 3; what's with the RPGs, man?
P.S. FMA vol. 17 rocks. FMA vol. 18 . . . will come out in North America . . . . in may 2009.
Oh bugger.
Why yes, my pretties! I own the original PS2 version of the first Disgaea now. Bow down before your master Laharl! Or Master Etna, if you prefer her.
So, I can say Disgaea 1 is somewhat different from Disgaea 2. For one thing, you can't get a felony. Another thing, the senate works a little differently. You have to pass "exams" to increase your prestige in the Senate. (And by "passing", I mean, "Beating the crap out of the examiners." Isn't the Netherworld fun?) On the plus side, if the senate votes nay, it's much easier to persuade by force. In D2, the senators were so powerful, trying to persuade by force was practically suicide. Not so here. Also, Pleinair talks! Although she still looks a little too much like someone from an anime/manga series I have a like/dislike relationship with. (Although I'm sure her resemblance to the Wonder Doll was intentional.)
The game itself is practically the same as D2. The battles are of a turn-based strategy nature, you can create your own characters, the "item world" lets you power up equipment, and the cutscenes are all still images. The story itself doesn't seem to be as good as the one in D2, but the humor is still there. The game is a ridiculous parody of RPGs and modern anime, as well as common depictions of angels and demons. By the way, remember who my favorite character is?
OH NO! NOT FLONNE!
Oh yes, my lovelies! The angel girl herself! This game shows what she was doing before being kicked out of Celestia by the time of D2. She's so cute, it's crazy. And not only that, she is nice. Nice as in, too nice to be a demonslayer. She's one of the funniest video game characters I've ever known.
On the negative side, D1's voices aren't as good as D2's. D2 has some of the best voice-acting ever. D1, in comparison, does not. It's not bad, no, but it's not nuanced like in D2. The Prinnies don't sound as off-beat, and Etna isn't played by Michelle Ruff! (imitating Laharl) This is a travesty! I will execute them myself for this transgression! (getting back to normal) Okay, Etna still kinda sounds her part, but not like in D2. On the other hand, Laharl, Flonne, and Mid-Boss still sound great. "Call me Dark Adonis!"
Anyways, got more gaming to do. This and Mother 3; what's with the RPGs, man?
P.S. FMA vol. 17 rocks. FMA vol. 18 . . . will come out in North America . . . . in may 2009.
Oh bugger.
Friday, November 7, 2008
She's got a ticket to ride, but she don't care!
So, I have seen up to disc 11 of Eureka Seven. It's been getting really heavy. The last four episodes are gonna amount to something HEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE, that much I am certain.
And so begs the question; will E7 become #1? Only time will tell.
But that's not all, today. I went to the bookstore again. This time, they actually had FMA vol. 17! It's mine, now! But while I was there, I read another manga.
I read volume 2 of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
And guess what? It's still better than the anime series. Pen Pen is quirky as ever, and we also get to read Misato-san's notes on Shinji. ("In my personal opinion, he is cute." Chicks dig nice guys!) And also, we are introduced to Kensuke and Toji. Kensuke is still a military freak. Toji is still a jock, but what's interesting is he has a 'punk' manner of speaking, instead of an Osakan or a Southern accent. There's more interviews with the author and various members of Gainax, talking about Eva. All in all, a good read.
I also bought a game for my PS2. What game, though? I'll tell you another time. Just you wait.
And so begs the question; will E7 become #1? Only time will tell.
But that's not all, today. I went to the bookstore again. This time, they actually had FMA vol. 17! It's mine, now! But while I was there, I read another manga.
I read volume 2 of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
And guess what? It's still better than the anime series. Pen Pen is quirky as ever, and we also get to read Misato-san's notes on Shinji. ("In my personal opinion, he is cute." Chicks dig nice guys!) And also, we are introduced to Kensuke and Toji. Kensuke is still a military freak. Toji is still a jock, but what's interesting is he has a 'punk' manner of speaking, instead of an Osakan or a Southern accent. There's more interviews with the author and various members of Gainax, talking about Eva. All in all, a good read.
I also bought a game for my PS2. What game, though? I'll tell you another time. Just you wait.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Language, peoples! Mind your language!
I really have to hand it to the translation of Mother 3. I do know that playing a game with an English translation is, for all intents and purposes, the same as watching a fansub video or reading a scanlation print.
But, I gotta hand it to them. Translating a work is not easy. I remember the preface to Oedipus Rex I read in my high school English class. It said that the works of Sophocles must first be translated from Ancient Greek to Modern Greek, then to Modern English. Translation, the preface said, is like music. Say you have a piece of music that's intended to be played on a keyboard. But now you wanna play that same composition on a saxophone. A saxophone does not sound exactly like a keyboard. However, a skilled artist can make the saxophone rendition sound close to the keyboard rendition. It's like that.
The unofficial translation for Mother 3 is like that. The 'fansubbers' didn't throw in a bunch of swear words just for the hell of it. Oh wait, excuse me, I meant just for the fun of it. They left the original message intact. Granted, some cultural changes were made. Not everyone in the English-speaking parts of the world is intimately familiar with Japanese culture. Some changes had to be made for that, but it turned out effectively. It's like this; if you played Mother 3, not knowing it was of Japanese origin, you would swear the game was originally written in English.
Unfortunately, not all translations for foreign games are so faithful. The now-infamous DeJap translation for the SNES version of Tales of Phantasia is a good example. Now, I love TOP, and I realize that, since I'm not interested in the GBA port, that I don't really have any other way of playing the game, because I don't wanna have to keep referring to a Japanese-to-English dictionary just to understand the text. On the other hand, I don't like what they've done with the dialogue. The "adult" humor is sometimes funny, but also portrayed some of the characters out of character. Klarth (Clause in the "Official release) is a mysoginistic asshole, and Arche is a borderline slut in the DeJap patch. AND SHE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE GIRLS OF ALL TIME! HOW DARE THEY PORTRAY HER IN SUCH AN UNFLATTERING LIGHT! You see, this is what I mean.
I can only think of two other really professional fansubs; one, the patch for Cave Story. Lucky for us that game is freeware. The other was this, those episodes of Eva I watched? Fansubs. Though I suspect the fansubbers took the remastered episodes from Japan before it was released here in America, and just copied and pasted the text from the older AmericanDVD release from 2000 for the text. It read exactly like an actual, professional subtitling job. I've seen a few other fansubs that were decent, but had spelling and/or graphical errors. And others? Others are just horrible. After all, I was subject to godawful fansubs of Inuyasha and Fruits Basket as a teenager, and I refuse to watch fansubs of Gurren Lagaan for a reason.
So thank your translators, sometime, readers. If they do a good job, give them a pat on the back. They deserve it.
But, I gotta hand it to them. Translating a work is not easy. I remember the preface to Oedipus Rex I read in my high school English class. It said that the works of Sophocles must first be translated from Ancient Greek to Modern Greek, then to Modern English. Translation, the preface said, is like music. Say you have a piece of music that's intended to be played on a keyboard. But now you wanna play that same composition on a saxophone. A saxophone does not sound exactly like a keyboard. However, a skilled artist can make the saxophone rendition sound close to the keyboard rendition. It's like that.
The unofficial translation for Mother 3 is like that. The 'fansubbers' didn't throw in a bunch of swear words just for the hell of it. Oh wait, excuse me, I meant just for the fun of it. They left the original message intact. Granted, some cultural changes were made. Not everyone in the English-speaking parts of the world is intimately familiar with Japanese culture. Some changes had to be made for that, but it turned out effectively. It's like this; if you played Mother 3, not knowing it was of Japanese origin, you would swear the game was originally written in English.
Unfortunately, not all translations for foreign games are so faithful. The now-infamous DeJap translation for the SNES version of Tales of Phantasia is a good example. Now, I love TOP, and I realize that, since I'm not interested in the GBA port, that I don't really have any other way of playing the game, because I don't wanna have to keep referring to a Japanese-to-English dictionary just to understand the text. On the other hand, I don't like what they've done with the dialogue. The "adult" humor is sometimes funny, but also portrayed some of the characters out of character. Klarth (Clause in the "Official release) is a mysoginistic asshole, and Arche is a borderline slut in the DeJap patch. AND SHE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE GIRLS OF ALL TIME! HOW DARE THEY PORTRAY HER IN SUCH AN UNFLATTERING LIGHT! You see, this is what I mean.
I can only think of two other really professional fansubs; one, the patch for Cave Story. Lucky for us that game is freeware. The other was this, those episodes of Eva I watched? Fansubs. Though I suspect the fansubbers took the remastered episodes from Japan before it was released here in America, and just copied and pasted the text from the older AmericanDVD release from 2000 for the text. It read exactly like an actual, professional subtitling job. I've seen a few other fansubs that were decent, but had spelling and/or graphical errors. And others? Others are just horrible. After all, I was subject to godawful fansubs of Inuyasha and Fruits Basket as a teenager, and I refuse to watch fansubs of Gurren Lagaan for a reason.
So thank your translators, sometime, readers. If they do a good job, give them a pat on the back. They deserve it.
"You rode with DCMC?"
I am now on chapter 5 of Mother 3. M3 is shaping up to be one of the best games I've ever played. Hell, it's already the best GBA game I've ever played. There's a chance I may like this game even more than . . . than . . .
"Final Fantasy IX?"
Quite possibly! The gameplay, story, and music remain top-notch. I also appreciate the sound test in the main menu. More RPGs need that. Only the Tales games and the first Star Ocean have such a feature. And KOTOR2, but its soundtrack sucks.
You can have up to four playable characters in M3, much like in M2. Four's a crowd, and a whole lotta fun, but some enemies can only be beaten with 4 party members. Such baddies appear whenever you have 4 characters. How convenient. I do like that, much like in Dragon Quest, if you die, but "never say die" in a sense, you can never truly get a game over. And if you have your money stored in a "bank", you won't lose money when you die, either. Awesome.
"Final Fantasy IX?"
Quite possibly! The gameplay, story, and music remain top-notch. I also appreciate the sound test in the main menu. More RPGs need that. Only the Tales games and the first Star Ocean have such a feature. And KOTOR2, but its soundtrack sucks.
You can have up to four playable characters in M3, much like in M2. Four's a crowd, and a whole lotta fun, but some enemies can only be beaten with 4 party members. Such baddies appear whenever you have 4 characters. How convenient. I do like that, much like in Dragon Quest, if you die, but "never say die" in a sense, you can never truly get a game over. And if you have your money stored in a "bank", you won't lose money when you die, either. Awesome.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
TESTING! TESTING 1 2 3!
Okay, I'm tired of not having any images whatsoever on this blog. A picture is worth a thousand words; that saves me a lot of effort.
Hold on a moment, I'm gonna figure out just how this blog lets you put pics in the entries. Hold on whilst I obtain a test image.
. . .
. . .
. . .
Ah ha! I have found a suitable test image! Now to upload it for your loving eyes!
(WARNING! The following image is so sweet, it may send you into insulin shock. Cute bashers, avert thine eyes NOW!)
For my first . . . . image . . . I thought I'd use . . . a shot of . . . Sakura-chan and . . . Kero-chan from . . . the anime version of . . . Cardcaptor Sakura. CCS is . . . probably my fourth favorite . . . anime series, behind only . . . E7, DN, and Haruhi.
Forgive my . . . sudden overuse of ellipses. It's just that . . . I am trying really, really, really hard not to . . . let the cuteness get to-
-KAWAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^
Sakura-chan is just a doll! And Kero-chan is so cute with that little star on his chest! This image is proof as to why Tomoyo-chan always remarks how Sakura-chan is so cute, and so pretty; because she is cute, and she is pretty! well, pretty for a little girl anyways . . . a little girl from an anime anyways. But still, Sakura-chan is a darling! And so are Tomoyo-chan and Meilin-chan for that manner!
. . . . . . .
THE CUTENESS! IT'S OVERWHELMING MY SENSES!
. . . .
Okay, okay, I've adjusted to the kawaii now. I'm back to my "college boy" voice, not my "talk like how I think a girl would talk in my place" voice. But, since I'm here again:
You wanna know what grinds my gears? The assumption that men can't like cute things. Since I'm still on an anime kick, let's just keep in on that subject. I remember when I watched the anime version of Chobits, the comments for the videos were left by boys as well as girls. Girl fans often remarked, "Chii is so cute." "Chii is so beautiful." and so on. Guys, if they felt the same way, usually remarked, "Chii is hawt, LOL" It is proven that men and women have a different vocabulary. However, if a guy uses terms like, well, a girl, and they know he's a guy, he'll get bashed.
Like look what I just did. I remarked, again, how cute I think three different characters from CCS are. I even said they're pretty, for anime girls anyways. HOWEVER, if I mentioned this on a typical messageboard, I would very likely get one of two responses:
1: "LOL! Ur such a faaaaag!" (translation: you think a magical girl is cute, but you're a grown man. You must be gay like the late Liberace.)
2: "WTF! Pedo alert!" (translation: you said a little girl character from a manga/anime series is "pretty." I assume by that that you are also sexually attracted to said character, thus making you a pedophile. Chris Hansen is on to you now.)
This is totally unfair. Nobody makes such false accusations if a female were to say the same things. Liking kawaii anime characters doesn't mean I'm gay, nor does it mean I'm into lolicon, which I'm not. Because I'm not a pedophile.
This irritates me to no end. I tire of this misandry.
But not for long. Here, I'll make it better for you.
Awwwwwww. Doesn't that make you feel better? An album cover from CLAMP itself? Of course it does. Have a nice day, now!
Hold on a moment, I'm gonna figure out just how this blog lets you put pics in the entries. Hold on whilst I obtain a test image.
. . .
. . .
. . .
Ah ha! I have found a suitable test image! Now to upload it for your loving eyes!
(WARNING! The following image is so sweet, it may send you into insulin shock. Cute bashers, avert thine eyes NOW!)
For my first . . . . image . . . I thought I'd use . . . a shot of . . . Sakura-chan and . . . Kero-chan from . . . the anime version of . . . Cardcaptor Sakura. CCS is . . . probably my fourth favorite . . . anime series, behind only . . . E7, DN, and Haruhi.
Forgive my . . . sudden overuse of ellipses. It's just that . . . I am trying really, really, really hard not to . . . let the cuteness get to-
-KAWAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^
Sakura-chan is just a doll! And Kero-chan is so cute with that little star on his chest! This image is proof as to why Tomoyo-chan always remarks how Sakura-chan is so cute, and so pretty; because she is cute, and she is pretty! well, pretty for a little girl anyways . . . a little girl from an anime anyways. But still, Sakura-chan is a darling! And so are Tomoyo-chan and Meilin-chan for that manner!
. . . . . . .
THE CUTENESS! IT'S OVERWHELMING MY SENSES!
. . . .
Okay, okay, I've adjusted to the kawaii now. I'm back to my "college boy" voice, not my "talk like how I think a girl would talk in my place" voice. But, since I'm here again:
You wanna know what grinds my gears? The assumption that men can't like cute things. Since I'm still on an anime kick, let's just keep in on that subject. I remember when I watched the anime version of Chobits, the comments for the videos were left by boys as well as girls. Girl fans often remarked, "Chii is so cute." "Chii is so beautiful." and so on. Guys, if they felt the same way, usually remarked, "Chii is hawt, LOL" It is proven that men and women have a different vocabulary. However, if a guy uses terms like, well, a girl, and they know he's a guy, he'll get bashed.
Like look what I just did. I remarked, again, how cute I think three different characters from CCS are. I even said they're pretty, for anime girls anyways. HOWEVER, if I mentioned this on a typical messageboard, I would very likely get one of two responses:
1: "LOL! Ur such a faaaaag!" (translation: you think a magical girl is cute, but you're a grown man. You must be gay like the late Liberace.)
2: "WTF! Pedo alert!" (translation: you said a little girl character from a manga/anime series is "pretty." I assume by that that you are also sexually attracted to said character, thus making you a pedophile. Chris Hansen is on to you now.)
This is totally unfair. Nobody makes such false accusations if a female were to say the same things. Liking kawaii anime characters doesn't mean I'm gay, nor does it mean I'm into lolicon, which I'm not. Because I'm not a pedophile.
This irritates me to no end. I tire of this misandry.
But not for long. Here, I'll make it better for you.
Awwwwwww. Doesn't that make you feel better? An album cover from CLAMP itself? Of course it does. Have a nice day, now!
I want a Happy Box!
On Mother 3, I got to chapter 4. Now I'm in control of Lucas. He seems to be a lot like Ness in M2, ability-wise. The game still has not let me down in the least. If anything, I daresay it just gets better and better.
Also, Gurren Lagaan is about to come to a close here in the States. I still don't see where some of the hype comes from, but overall, it's been a good show. Had a somewhat slow start, but I can say it is, for all intents and purposes, my second-favorite "mecha" series, behind only you-know-what. Hey, maybe I'll finish GL and Eureka Seven at around the same time.
IN OTHER NEWS,
it's Election Day here in America, and the polling places in my hometown are hopping. I am a registered voter, and I've already casted my vote via absentee ballot. I won't tell you what I've voted for right now, though. That's an entry for another day.
Anyways, gotta go. Later.
Also, Gurren Lagaan is about to come to a close here in the States. I still don't see where some of the hype comes from, but overall, it's been a good show. Had a somewhat slow start, but I can say it is, for all intents and purposes, my second-favorite "mecha" series, behind only you-know-what. Hey, maybe I'll finish GL and Eureka Seven at around the same time.
IN OTHER NEWS,
it's Election Day here in America, and the polling places in my hometown are hopping. I am a registered voter, and I've already casted my vote via absentee ballot. I won't tell you what I've voted for right now, though. That's an entry for another day.
Anyways, gotta go. Later.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Twenty three, going on twenty four.
So today's my birthday. I didn't get any presents. Then again, I didn't ask for presents. I did get 125 dollars in cash, though. I already thought of something to buy with it. Heh heh.
Oh, I got farther in Mother 3. I'm now in chapter 3. Where you're the monkey. Again, I didn't know the "official" name of the monkey, so I gave him my own name. I also don't remember the "official" name of the princess, so I named her after one of my own characters. So far, the game hasn't let up. It's been amazing, through and through. Why would Nintendo not localize this game? Do they think their fanbase wouldn't like its deceptively dark content? That's the only reason I can think of. But it's not like I haven't ever played depressing games before. Their loss.
But those Pigmasks, man. The fan community calls them Pig Nazis for a reason. Those guys are bastards. "We will take this island, WITH THE POWER OF SCIENCE!" They make advanced technology look bad. I enjoy taking my frustrations out of them.
Can't think of anything else to say. Later.
Oh, I got farther in Mother 3. I'm now in chapter 3. Where you're the monkey. Again, I didn't know the "official" name of the monkey, so I gave him my own name. I also don't remember the "official" name of the princess, so I named her after one of my own characters. So far, the game hasn't let up. It's been amazing, through and through. Why would Nintendo not localize this game? Do they think their fanbase wouldn't like its deceptively dark content? That's the only reason I can think of. But it's not like I haven't ever played depressing games before. Their loss.
But those Pigmasks, man. The fan community calls them Pig Nazis for a reason. Those guys are bastards. "We will take this island, WITH THE POWER OF SCIENCE!" They make advanced technology look bad. I enjoy taking my frustrations out of them.
Can't think of anything else to say. Later.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
"I wanna live to be twenty-three!"
The title is a reference to a series of old Disney cartoons. There were a few educational shorts they made entitled, "I'm No Fool." It starred Jiminy Cricket, but instead of playing the conscience of a wooden puppet, now he was the conscience of the audience. He as star and narrator told the audience, presumably young kids, things to do and not to do to keep safe. It was common sense things, like both ways before crossing a street, and water and electricity do not mix. At the end of every short, Jiminy would sing, "Oh, I'm no fool, no siree! I wanna live to be (insert a double digit number that ends in 3)! I play safe for you and me, 'cause I'm no fool!" One example was "I wanna live to be 23!" Another example was, "I wanna live to be 83!"
Why do I say this? 'Cause I'll turn 23 tomorrow! Thanks, Jiminy!
I haven't had time to play games lately, because of homework. I'm still on chapter 2 of Mother 3, for example. Hopefully, this will change, soon.
Why do I say this? 'Cause I'll turn 23 tomorrow! Thanks, Jiminy!
I haven't had time to play games lately, because of homework. I'm still on chapter 2 of Mother 3, for example. Hopefully, this will change, soon.
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