Finished episode 8 of Clannad ~After Story~. There is a surprising amount of depth to the characters of this show. Mei, Misae, and Yukine have more depth than I thought. Tomoya experiences things that would be out of this world. And I learn of the town's local saying.
Dang it! I gotta watch more! But I don't have the time right now! Oh well, I have 17 more episodes to go. And I have these DVDs forever allegedly.
Also, I wanna add something else before I go.
KOTOMI-CHAN IS LOVE!!!!!!
That is all.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
I don't think I've used my catchphrase in a title yet
You know which one I'm referring to. The one that, if I were to use the names of certain characters from Clannad, I would be reciting all day?
Right.
Well, not too long ago, I just finished the first season of Clannad.
For the first 19 episodes, I thought this was gonna be a clone of Kanon. A clone with better music than Kanon, sure, and a male protagonist who has more flaws than Yuichi, yeah, but the similarities just kept piling up. This isn't a bad thing; I loved Kanon, so more of the same of that would be something I would invite.
Then we get to the last 4 episodes of the first season.
There is something that separates Kanon's anime from Clannad's anime. It's this:
There was a love story in Kanon. It was cute, but nothing grand.
In Clannad, it is absolutely spellbinding.
So this is love . . . love written correctly. The subject of romance can really make or break a work of fiction. Do it wrong, and you'll disgust a large portion of the house. Do it right, and you will sweep the house off of its feet. Well, once again, I have discovered a work of fiction that has captivated me with a love story. Now I have to watch Clannad ~After Story~. I must find out more.
And I also got to watch the Tomoyo OVA. The artwork was worse than the regular series, (What the hell, man!? The characters sometimes looked like they were from K-on instead of Clannad! Bad KyoAni!) but it, too, had a very real relationship in it. It's not like in fairy tales where, "OMG! The boy and girl are together! Now they shall live happily ever after!" That's not how relationships work in real life. It's something you put into forever and always, provided the couple does not break up. You really see that in the Tomoyo special, as well as the regular series.
Also, is it just me, or is Mei more responsible than Youhei? Man, how embarrassing.
But before I go, I cannot stress enough how much I love the music of Clannad. Thanks to tvtropes, I found a link for you.
Commence melting of hearts.
Both the image and the music just make me so happy.
Right.
Well, not too long ago, I just finished the first season of Clannad.
For the first 19 episodes, I thought this was gonna be a clone of Kanon. A clone with better music than Kanon, sure, and a male protagonist who has more flaws than Yuichi, yeah, but the similarities just kept piling up. This isn't a bad thing; I loved Kanon, so more of the same of that would be something I would invite.
Then we get to the last 4 episodes of the first season.
There is something that separates Kanon's anime from Clannad's anime. It's this:
There was a love story in Kanon. It was cute, but nothing grand.
In Clannad, it is absolutely spellbinding.
So this is love . . . love written correctly. The subject of romance can really make or break a work of fiction. Do it wrong, and you'll disgust a large portion of the house. Do it right, and you will sweep the house off of its feet. Well, once again, I have discovered a work of fiction that has captivated me with a love story. Now I have to watch Clannad ~After Story~. I must find out more.
And I also got to watch the Tomoyo OVA. The artwork was worse than the regular series, (What the hell, man!? The characters sometimes looked like they were from K-on instead of Clannad! Bad KyoAni!) but it, too, had a very real relationship in it. It's not like in fairy tales where, "OMG! The boy and girl are together! Now they shall live happily ever after!" That's not how relationships work in real life. It's something you put into forever and always, provided the couple does not break up. You really see that in the Tomoyo special, as well as the regular series.
Also, is it just me, or is Mei more responsible than Youhei? Man, how embarrassing.
But before I go, I cannot stress enough how much I love the music of Clannad. Thanks to tvtropes, I found a link for you.
Commence melting of hearts.
Both the image and the music just make me so happy.
Friday, September 24, 2010
MOE OVERWHELMING! plus NES sounds
So I got up to episode 18 of Clannad now.
It seems the subtitles are easier to read on the second boxset. Haven't found any typos, and I think either the subtitle timing is better, or I've gotten used to reading at a fast pace now, because I haven't to rewind as frequently.
Anyways, I now know more about Tomoyo. Er, Light Haired Tomoyo, I forgot. She reminds me of Sakaki from Azumanga Daioh. She's beautiful, but not in a cute way, has long hair, is a little taller than the other girls, and is reasonably athletic. However, unlike Sakaki, she really is one tough chick. She almost behaves like, well, like an American woman. Throw in random swear words and she almost would. Of course, this obviously has a lot more character depth than Azumanga, so Tomoyo doesn't feel like a stereotype, but rather, like a real person.
Oh, and Tomoya, I think I know why you can't stop thinking about Nagisa. I saw another character in a different anime have the same dilemma you had. I remember now.
(On the anime version of Cardcaptor Sakura, Shaoran couldn't accept the fact that he had fallen in love with Sakura, his supposed rival. He was the same way in the manga, but didn't repress it as long, to my relief.)
It's quite normal for anime guys to fall for Insanely Cute anime girls at your age; there's nothing unnatural about it.
And certainly there was nothing unnatural about the scene with Tomoya and Kyou, which, disturbingly, parodies a hentai. (Kyou falls down in gym shorts, looking extremely vulnerable. Not one to show weakness, she suddenly becomes dere and says, "I-It's my first time.") Luckily, it didn't proceed like a hentai. I do know the original VN version was renowned for not having H-scenes, unlike some other Key products. Hmm . . .
But I'm still curious. What is it about the characters that I don't know yet. What is that dreamlike world with the movie quality animation that could put Studio Ghibli to shame? Could the series possibly get anymore kawaii!? I'll have to keep watching.
IN OTHER NEWS
Way back at the tender age of 6, I was playing Mario Bros. 3 on my NES. One time, I got a 1up mushroom, but instead of playing the usual fanfare, it played some I didn't recognize, then transitioned to the usual fanfare. It actually sounded cool. But it only happened once, way back in the early 1990s. I thought I was only in discovering this glitch.
I was wrong, of course. Millions of people played that game after all. Check this quote out from tvtropes:
"Super Mario Bros 3 had an odd bug that had no explanation for years (until about 2005!) and got many gamers called crazy. The sound effects for tail-wagging and a one-up interacted in a way the developers did not anticipate. Because of the way the sound chip handles interrupts, attempting to play both at the same time results in playing the one-up sound, but reading in more data than it should. Because NES sound effects are written in reverse order, this results in a corrupted beginning, followed by the complete normal sound effect. Oddly, some people have remarked that the "extended version" sounds pretty cool. The effect can be observed here.
This video uses a hacked RAM to "extend" any sound effect"
Upon discovering this, and upon unlocking this long-buried memory of mine, I had only one reaction:
I TOLD YOU I WASN'T CRAZY! I WAS RIGHT THIS ENTIRE TIME!
I've won.
It seems the subtitles are easier to read on the second boxset. Haven't found any typos, and I think either the subtitle timing is better, or I've gotten used to reading at a fast pace now, because I haven't to rewind as frequently.
Anyways, I now know more about Tomoyo. Er, Light Haired Tomoyo, I forgot. She reminds me of Sakaki from Azumanga Daioh. She's beautiful, but not in a cute way, has long hair, is a little taller than the other girls, and is reasonably athletic. However, unlike Sakaki, she really is one tough chick. She almost behaves like, well, like an American woman. Throw in random swear words and she almost would. Of course, this obviously has a lot more character depth than Azumanga, so Tomoyo doesn't feel like a stereotype, but rather, like a real person.
Oh, and Tomoya, I think I know why you can't stop thinking about Nagisa. I saw another character in a different anime have the same dilemma you had. I remember now.
(On the anime version of Cardcaptor Sakura, Shaoran couldn't accept the fact that he had fallen in love with Sakura, his supposed rival. He was the same way in the manga, but didn't repress it as long, to my relief.)
It's quite normal for anime guys to fall for Insanely Cute anime girls at your age; there's nothing unnatural about it.
And certainly there was nothing unnatural about the scene with Tomoya and Kyou, which, disturbingly, parodies a hentai. (Kyou falls down in gym shorts, looking extremely vulnerable. Not one to show weakness, she suddenly becomes dere and says, "I-It's my first time.") Luckily, it didn't proceed like a hentai. I do know the original VN version was renowned for not having H-scenes, unlike some other Key products. Hmm . . .
But I'm still curious. What is it about the characters that I don't know yet. What is that dreamlike world with the movie quality animation that could put Studio Ghibli to shame? Could the series possibly get anymore kawaii!? I'll have to keep watching.
IN OTHER NEWS
Way back at the tender age of 6, I was playing Mario Bros. 3 on my NES. One time, I got a 1up mushroom, but instead of playing the usual fanfare, it played some I didn't recognize, then transitioned to the usual fanfare. It actually sounded cool. But it only happened once, way back in the early 1990s. I thought I was only in discovering this glitch.
I was wrong, of course. Millions of people played that game after all. Check this quote out from tvtropes:
"Super Mario Bros 3 had an odd bug that had no explanation for years (until about 2005!) and got many gamers called crazy. The sound effects for tail-wagging and a one-up interacted in a way the developers did not anticipate. Because of the way the sound chip handles interrupts, attempting to play both at the same time results in playing the one-up sound, but reading in more data than it should. Because NES sound effects are written in reverse order, this results in a corrupted beginning, followed by the complete normal sound effect. Oddly, some people have remarked that the "extended version" sounds pretty cool. The effect can be observed here.
This video uses a hacked RAM to "extend" any sound effect"
Upon discovering this, and upon unlocking this long-buried memory of mine, I had only one reaction:
I TOLD YOU I WASN'T CRAZY! I WAS RIGHT THIS ENTIRE TIME!
I've won.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
still watching the show
I saw up to episode 15 of Clannad.
This show somehow makes me laugh, feel happy, and feel depressed at the same time. Obviously, this is the mark of a multi-genre work.
However, something weird happened in episode 15. Something involving Fuko. She did something weird, left, and no one remarked on it after the scene changed.
BIG LIPPED ALLIGATOR MOMENT! (AAAAAAHHHHH!)
. . . . . . . yeah.
With that said, Kotomi as a child . . . was unbelievably cute! And she still is as a teenager! And you know what else? She has beautiful dresses! Girls with good fashion sense are all too rare in the real world, so seeing Kotomi-chan wearing nice dresses makes me feel happy on the inside.
I made the right choice to purchase Clannad. But now, I gotta ask; just who is Sunohara's sister? What kind of person is she? Well, I'll be sure to find out eventually!
This show somehow makes me laugh, feel happy, and feel depressed at the same time. Obviously, this is the mark of a multi-genre work.
However, something weird happened in episode 15. Something involving Fuko. She did something weird, left, and no one remarked on it after the scene changed.
BIG LIPPED ALLIGATOR MOMENT! (AAAAAAHHHHH!)
. . . . . . . yeah.
With that said, Kotomi as a child . . . was unbelievably cute! And she still is as a teenager! And you know what else? She has beautiful dresses! Girls with good fashion sense are all too rare in the real world, so seeing Kotomi-chan wearing nice dresses makes me feel happy on the inside.
I made the right choice to purchase Clannad. But now, I gotta ask; just who is Sunohara's sister? What kind of person is she? Well, I'll be sure to find out eventually!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I'm hooked
Clannad has gripped me, and refuses to let go. All I've seen is the first 12 episodes now, but I must watch more.
Episode 9 was beautiful. So moving. And the song that played with vocals . . . so beautiful! (I'm trying not to cry. I hope you're happy.) And episode 12, oh my god, that was very emotionally impacting.
Okay, this is already better than Air now. And this is now starting to be like the good portions of Kanon now. (Basically, Kanon was good when it wasn't the first 3 episodes and its last episode.) I must learn more. The money was not wasted.
Oh, but that's not what you want to read, right? You want moe gushing, don't you!? Well, there's plenty of that! Seeing Fuko and Nagisa argue over what's cutest is hilarious. (I fear what Sunohara would've said had he been there, "But ladies! Can't you see you're both wrong? Neither starfish nor Dango are the cutest; girls like you are!") And Kotomi-chan, auu~! She's warming my heart just from thinking about her! I noticed she gets along with Ryou and Nagisa very well; moe girls gel together so well! And let's not forget the violin concert! (Akio holds Sanae's fainted form and shouts in black manga outline, "SANAEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!") And you know what? Kyou is cute, just not in a moe way, but in her own way!
Wow, I'm not disappointed yet.
Episode 9 was beautiful. So moving. And the song that played with vocals . . . so beautiful! (I'm trying not to cry. I hope you're happy.) And episode 12, oh my god, that was very emotionally impacting.
Okay, this is already better than Air now. And this is now starting to be like the good portions of Kanon now. (Basically, Kanon was good when it wasn't the first 3 episodes and its last episode.) I must learn more. The money was not wasted.
Oh, but that's not what you want to read, right? You want moe gushing, don't you!? Well, there's plenty of that! Seeing Fuko and Nagisa argue over what's cutest is hilarious. (I fear what Sunohara would've said had he been there, "But ladies! Can't you see you're both wrong? Neither starfish nor Dango are the cutest; girls like you are!") And Kotomi-chan, auu~! She's warming my heart just from thinking about her! I noticed she gets along with Ryou and Nagisa very well; moe girls gel together so well! And let's not forget the violin concert! (Akio holds Sanae's fainted form and shouts in black manga outline, "SANAEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!") And you know what? Kyou is cute, just not in a moe way, but in her own way!
Wow, I'm not disappointed yet.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Dango Daikazoku
Okay, episodes 1 thru 6 are complete. And now for my first impressions.
This, like Kanon, is definitely not an action-driven series. It's even slower paced than Kanon! However, like that show, it is incredibly beautiful. There are even sequences with CGI and 24 frames per second animation. And unlike in Haruhi, the CGI looks good! Well, Kyoto Animation hasn't failed me on this front.
However, I do have one issue. It's not the show itself; it's the subtitles. They come up and disappear really quickly. I'm a fast reader, but even I wasn't prepared for this. Good thing my PS3 rewinds really good. Also, as ANN pointed out, there's a few typos as well. It's nothing too major; any regular internet user will catch the typos and still read them correctly, but it is egregious; I saw Cardcaptor Sakura subbed, and I caught 3 typos in that entire series. I've caught 4 typos in just the first six episodes of Clannad. I fear errors like this will cause fans to mistrust R1 companies even more. Then again, this was published by the resurrected ashes of ADV Films; they don't exactly have a good track record for quality translations. (But they're still more alright than Tokyopop. Their translations can go to Hell. Yeah, I said it.)
But now, more good stuff. I like the music in Clannad even more. There's no orchestra, and yet, some of the pieces are very evocative. The ending song is very charming. I know I'm gonna score some MP3s soon! (Oh snap! That's one prediction down!)
And much like Kanon, this show's greatest strength is its characters. Tomoya is a lot like Yuichi, but he's even more interesting than Yuichi! I never said this, but if it weren't for Makoto, Yuichi would've been my favorite character in Kanon. To have a protagonist like Tomoya, well, I'm anxious to find out more about him. His friends Sunohara is a dumbass. He's like a cross between Beavis, Butthead, and George Costanza. He gets screwed constantly, and yet, it's always his own fault.
Oh, but readers, I know what you've been waiting for me to talk about. I can't evade it any longer. I'm about to open the floodgates. Prepare the raincoats.
The ads. Could not. Predict. The sheer amount of moe contained within Clannad. Here were my thoughts by the end of the first episode.
Oh, but my gawd, the girls in this show . . . they are so charming! None of them are moeblobs! And there's this one great twist! Okay, okay, the main female girl, Nagisa, is very cute. And very pretty. And very moe. However, I think I know why she's so moe. I've never seen this reason before, but it makes perfect sense! The reason Nagisa is so moe?
Her mom is moe.
Oh gawd, Sanae (not the Touhou Sanae) the Moe Mom! She and Akio, Nagisa's dad, are so silly! They constantly grandstand, constantly ham it up, but are just so lovable! Although I would be scared if my own parents were like that.
Oh, but it doesn't end there! I was also introduced to Fuko Ibuki.
Fu-chan is soooooooooooo kyute! And you know who else I think is cute? Kotomi-chan! And you know who else I think is cute? Ryou-chan! (Okay, she's more Moderately Cute than Insanely Cute, but still) However, I didn't really find Tomoyo to be cute. She is definitely the prettiest, (But of course! She has my favorite hairstyle!) but her personality is not one I would find to be cute. Same goes for Kyou. But I do like their attitudes, nonetheless.
But that doesn't matter, because again, I was not prepared for the comedy within Clannad! I shouldn't be surprised; Air and Kanon had some hilarious moments, but Clannad though, oh man. I actually watched a certain scene in episode 4 twice. ("Did I buy a boxset of Marimite by accident?" I actually said that out loud.) And the silliness of the moe characters made me laugh. And Tomoya's snarking made me laugh. ("Yosh! I have mastered the art of snapping Fu-chan out of a trance with a fruit juice straw!") And Sunohara's epic levels of stupidity made me laugh out loud. However, there have been hints of drama. The end of episode 2 and 6 are good examples. This being a Key Visual Arts product, I knew it couldn't be straight up comedy. I must find out more.
Overall prognosis is good so far. There is no tacky fanservice of any kind. There are no over-acted voiceovers. While it is slow, at the same time, it doesn't move too fast either. The attempts at humor make me laugh most of the time. There's nothing wrong with the artwork. If there are any plot holes, they'll most likely get paved over by the end. Soooooo, it doesn't have flaws that are present in anime I hate, so . . . . bring it on, everyone.
This, like Kanon, is definitely not an action-driven series. It's even slower paced than Kanon! However, like that show, it is incredibly beautiful. There are even sequences with CGI and 24 frames per second animation. And unlike in Haruhi, the CGI looks good! Well, Kyoto Animation hasn't failed me on this front.
However, I do have one issue. It's not the show itself; it's the subtitles. They come up and disappear really quickly. I'm a fast reader, but even I wasn't prepared for this. Good thing my PS3 rewinds really good. Also, as ANN pointed out, there's a few typos as well. It's nothing too major; any regular internet user will catch the typos and still read them correctly, but it is egregious; I saw Cardcaptor Sakura subbed, and I caught 3 typos in that entire series. I've caught 4 typos in just the first six episodes of Clannad. I fear errors like this will cause fans to mistrust R1 companies even more. Then again, this was published by the resurrected ashes of ADV Films; they don't exactly have a good track record for quality translations. (But they're still more alright than Tokyopop. Their translations can go to Hell. Yeah, I said it.)
But now, more good stuff. I like the music in Clannad even more. There's no orchestra, and yet, some of the pieces are very evocative. The ending song is very charming. I know I'm gonna score some MP3s soon! (Oh snap! That's one prediction down!)
And much like Kanon, this show's greatest strength is its characters. Tomoya is a lot like Yuichi, but he's even more interesting than Yuichi! I never said this, but if it weren't for Makoto, Yuichi would've been my favorite character in Kanon. To have a protagonist like Tomoya, well, I'm anxious to find out more about him. His friends Sunohara is a dumbass. He's like a cross between Beavis, Butthead, and George Costanza. He gets screwed constantly, and yet, it's always his own fault.
Oh, but readers, I know what you've been waiting for me to talk about. I can't evade it any longer. I'm about to open the floodgates. Prepare the raincoats.
The ads. Could not. Predict. The sheer amount of moe contained within Clannad. Here were my thoughts by the end of the first episode.
MOE OVERWHELMING!
Oh, but my gawd, the girls in this show . . . they are so charming! None of them are moeblobs! And there's this one great twist! Okay, okay, the main female girl, Nagisa, is very cute. And very pretty. And very moe. However, I think I know why she's so moe. I've never seen this reason before, but it makes perfect sense! The reason Nagisa is so moe?
Her mom is moe.
Oh gawd, Sanae (not the Touhou Sanae) the Moe Mom! She and Akio, Nagisa's dad, are so silly! They constantly grandstand, constantly ham it up, but are just so lovable! Although I would be scared if my own parents were like that.
Oh, but it doesn't end there! I was also introduced to Fuko Ibuki.
OH NO! NOT FUKO!
Fu-chan is soooooooooooo kyute! And you know who else I think is cute? Kotomi-chan! And you know who else I think is cute? Ryou-chan! (Okay, she's more Moderately Cute than Insanely Cute, but still) However, I didn't really find Tomoyo to be cute. She is definitely the prettiest, (But of course! She has my favorite hairstyle!) but her personality is not one I would find to be cute. Same goes for Kyou. But I do like their attitudes, nonetheless.
But that doesn't matter, because again, I was not prepared for the comedy within Clannad! I shouldn't be surprised; Air and Kanon had some hilarious moments, but Clannad though, oh man. I actually watched a certain scene in episode 4 twice. ("Did I buy a boxset of Marimite by accident?" I actually said that out loud.) And the silliness of the moe characters made me laugh. And Tomoya's snarking made me laugh. ("Yosh! I have mastered the art of snapping Fu-chan out of a trance with a fruit juice straw!") And Sunohara's epic levels of stupidity made me laugh out loud. However, there have been hints of drama. The end of episode 2 and 6 are good examples. This being a Key Visual Arts product, I knew it couldn't be straight up comedy. I must find out more.
Overall prognosis is good so far. There is no tacky fanservice of any kind. There are no over-acted voiceovers. While it is slow, at the same time, it doesn't move too fast either. The attempts at humor make me laugh most of the time. There's nothing wrong with the artwork. If there are any plot holes, they'll most likely get paved over by the end. Soooooo, it doesn't have flaws that are present in anime I hate, so . . . . bring it on, everyone.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
History Repeats Itself Time And Time Again
What did I do about two years ago around this time?
I started to buy and watch Eureka Seven on DVD. It took me a while to watch the whole thing, because I had to make two separate purchases for the DVDs, but once I finally got around to watching the whole thing, I cried and declared it the best anime ever.
What did I do just now?
Well, this is the big announcement, everyone. Actually, I kinda already announced it about a month ago. But now, it's official! I have gone through with it!
I bought Clannad on DVD. Every boxset. (No two purchases this time! I've learned my lesson and saved up for this occasion! And also, I waited until I got every boxset in the mail! Marathon session ahoy!) And, just like then, I'm gonna make numerous posts just to talk about Clannad. I've been hinting at watching this for a while now, and now I want to make good on that word. Starting tomorrow, I will begin watching when I have the chance.
A few notes before we continue.
-I will be watching this in Japanese with English subtitles. I made an executive decision; I bought the sub-only DVDs after extensive research. The only people to plug the English dub positively are a few reviews on Amazon, and even then, there are some reviews there that hate the dub.
-I'm not going to limit myself to one (or two) discs a day; I'll just watch however many episodes I feel like watching on that day. So, if I get addicted to this show . . . yeah.
-Anti-moe comments are STRICTLY PROHIBITED!
However, the title alludes to history repeating itself. Will it? Will this be just like last time? Will Clannad become my favorite anime of all time? Is this show gonna make me cry? Am I gonna download MP3s of the music? And why do I get the feeling that by the end, I'm gonna end up with a platonic crush on one of the girls? Stick around and find out!
I started to buy and watch Eureka Seven on DVD. It took me a while to watch the whole thing, because I had to make two separate purchases for the DVDs, but once I finally got around to watching the whole thing, I cried and declared it the best anime ever.
What did I do just now?
Well, this is the big announcement, everyone. Actually, I kinda already announced it about a month ago. But now, it's official! I have gone through with it!
I bought Clannad on DVD. Every boxset. (No two purchases this time! I've learned my lesson and saved up for this occasion! And also, I waited until I got every boxset in the mail! Marathon session ahoy!) And, just like then, I'm gonna make numerous posts just to talk about Clannad. I've been hinting at watching this for a while now, and now I want to make good on that word. Starting tomorrow, I will begin watching when I have the chance.
A few notes before we continue.
-I will be watching this in Japanese with English subtitles. I made an executive decision; I bought the sub-only DVDs after extensive research. The only people to plug the English dub positively are a few reviews on Amazon, and even then, there are some reviews there that hate the dub.
-I'm not going to limit myself to one (or two) discs a day; I'll just watch however many episodes I feel like watching on that day. So, if I get addicted to this show . . . yeah.
-Anti-moe comments are STRICTLY PROHIBITED!
However, the title alludes to history repeating itself. Will it? Will this be just like last time? Will Clannad become my favorite anime of all time? Is this show gonna make me cry? Am I gonna download MP3s of the music? And why do I get the feeling that by the end, I'm gonna end up with a platonic crush on one of the girls? Stick around and find out!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
No, this still isn't the big announcement
But it is news, nonetheless. I'll start with the obvious.
HALO DOESN'T SUCK ANYMORE!
Okay, I've never played H3, ODST, or the strategy Halo, but you all know how I joke about how the only good thing to come out of Halo was Red vs. Blue, right?
Well, it seems Bungie finally addressed my complaints.
Halo Reach is a great game. Great graphics, above-average soundtrack, and pretty good controls too, once you get used to it. Now, before I go on, it's not one of the best shooters ever. It still lacks the inventiveness and godly level design of the Half-Life games. However, it is a solid game. Why? Let's see why.
-Great weapons. One of my beefs with H1 and H2 was the lack of weapon balancing. In H1, all you needed was the pistol, assault rifle, and plasma rifle for about 90 percent of that game. Everything else was near-useless. In H2, well, I didn't play it that much, but many gamers claim that dual-wielding certain weapons makes the game too easy. Not in Reach, though. Nearly every weapon is useful. Even the needler and plasma pistol are useful! Halo has cool guns now! I'm amazed.
-The AI. The AI for the regular friendly soldiers is wonky at times, but the AI for the other Spartans is great. But what really takes the cake is the AI for the Covenant. I found the Covenant to be tactical dumbasses in H1 and H2, despite what the ads claimed. Well, uh, looks like I'm not the only one who noticed, because that's not an issue anymore. Elites behave like human opponents in multiplayer. I am not kidding. Even the Ewok-like Grunts will flank you and grenade spam you if you give them an opening. These guys are fucking lethal. And Angry Joe and Lordkat are right about one thing; play Halo Reach on Legendary, and you will die. A LOT. But Firefight on Legendary is a hoot.
-Firefight mode. Maybe it's because I don't multiplay, but I don't have much experience with Halo multiplayer,* so it's great that Firefight can be played alone. It's basically an arcade game: wave after wave of Covenants come after you. You kill them, earn points, then a stronger wave comes. Repeat until you run out of lives, the time is up, or you kill 'em all. This could've been packaged as a standalone game, and I would've had no complaints. (Out now: Halo: The Arcade Game! Presented by 343 Industries, since Bungie's too busy still trying to take over the world.)
-Level design. It's no longer repetitive. Okay, it's not godlike, but it is a cut above generic shooters as of late.
-Vehicles. The vehicles in H1 controlled like shit. Here, they're great. And great fun! They can really turn the tide of a battle. The helicopter-like vehicle and spaceship are amazing. And don't forget to attempt Grand Theft Ghost at some point!
-The armor abilities. Jetpack. Invulnerability. Sprinting. Shielding. Camouflage. These weren't just tacked in; they really do bring a new level of strategy to the table. And it's been so long since I used a jetpack!
The campaign is a little short, but it packs no dull moments; filler is non-existent, if you will. The story is, per Halo, a typical space opera war, and is nothing special. The voice-acting is nothing special. (stupid Disney and LucasArts really spoiled me as a child and teenager concerning voice production, and Bandai isn't helping!) However, most people don't play Halo for the story, (that's what the novels are for, or so I've heard) and action shooters aren't exactly renowned for brilliant writing and characterization. With that said, Halo Reach is at least worth a rental, and if you dig Halo multiplayer, it's a must buy.
Thanks, Bungie, for not disappointing me for once. And thanks, Microsoft, for having a good killer app besides Gears of War 2.
*I got my brother to play H2 deathmatch with me back in the day. He hated it more than I did! "Why does my guy move so slow?" "Why is there a time limit?" "The sniper rifle's too good! All the other guns suck." "The graphics are pretty good, but I'd rather play Red Faction 2 instead. Rent that again, okay?" I think even he might be surprised to find how much Halo Reach improves upon the formula.
HALO DOESN'T SUCK ANYMORE!
Okay, I've never played H3, ODST, or the strategy Halo, but you all know how I joke about how the only good thing to come out of Halo was Red vs. Blue, right?
Well, it seems Bungie finally addressed my complaints.
Halo Reach is a great game. Great graphics, above-average soundtrack, and pretty good controls too, once you get used to it. Now, before I go on, it's not one of the best shooters ever. It still lacks the inventiveness and godly level design of the Half-Life games. However, it is a solid game. Why? Let's see why.
-Great weapons. One of my beefs with H1 and H2 was the lack of weapon balancing. In H1, all you needed was the pistol, assault rifle, and plasma rifle for about 90 percent of that game. Everything else was near-useless. In H2, well, I didn't play it that much, but many gamers claim that dual-wielding certain weapons makes the game too easy. Not in Reach, though. Nearly every weapon is useful. Even the needler and plasma pistol are useful! Halo has cool guns now! I'm amazed.
-The AI. The AI for the regular friendly soldiers is wonky at times, but the AI for the other Spartans is great. But what really takes the cake is the AI for the Covenant. I found the Covenant to be tactical dumbasses in H1 and H2, despite what the ads claimed. Well, uh, looks like I'm not the only one who noticed, because that's not an issue anymore. Elites behave like human opponents in multiplayer. I am not kidding. Even the Ewok-like Grunts will flank you and grenade spam you if you give them an opening. These guys are fucking lethal. And Angry Joe and Lordkat are right about one thing; play Halo Reach on Legendary, and you will die. A LOT. But Firefight on Legendary is a hoot.
-Firefight mode. Maybe it's because I don't multiplay, but I don't have much experience with Halo multiplayer,* so it's great that Firefight can be played alone. It's basically an arcade game: wave after wave of Covenants come after you. You kill them, earn points, then a stronger wave comes. Repeat until you run out of lives, the time is up, or you kill 'em all. This could've been packaged as a standalone game, and I would've had no complaints. (Out now: Halo: The Arcade Game! Presented by 343 Industries, since Bungie's too busy still trying to take over the world.)
-Level design. It's no longer repetitive. Okay, it's not godlike, but it is a cut above generic shooters as of late.
-Vehicles. The vehicles in H1 controlled like shit. Here, they're great. And great fun! They can really turn the tide of a battle. The helicopter-like vehicle and spaceship are amazing. And don't forget to attempt Grand Theft Ghost at some point!
-The armor abilities. Jetpack. Invulnerability. Sprinting. Shielding. Camouflage. These weren't just tacked in; they really do bring a new level of strategy to the table. And it's been so long since I used a jetpack!
The campaign is a little short, but it packs no dull moments; filler is non-existent, if you will. The story is, per Halo, a typical space opera war, and is nothing special. The voice-acting is nothing special. (stupid Disney and LucasArts really spoiled me as a child and teenager concerning voice production, and Bandai isn't helping!) However, most people don't play Halo for the story, (that's what the novels are for, or so I've heard) and action shooters aren't exactly renowned for brilliant writing and characterization. With that said, Halo Reach is at least worth a rental, and if you dig Halo multiplayer, it's a must buy.
Thanks, Bungie, for not disappointing me for once. And thanks, Microsoft, for having a good killer app besides Gears of War 2.
*I got my brother to play H2 deathmatch with me back in the day. He hated it more than I did! "Why does my guy move so slow?" "Why is there a time limit?" "The sniper rifle's too good! All the other guns suck." "The graphics are pretty good, but I'd rather play Red Faction 2 instead. Rent that again, okay?" I think even he might be surprised to find how much Halo Reach improves upon the formula.
Monday, September 13, 2010
No, this isn't the grand announcement. Sorry
Something else came up that I wanted to talk about.
Something about Personae.
First, Persona 3.
Yes, I did end up giving this game away to a relative, over gameplay issues no less. However, I am aware that there's a PSP version out now. This version of P3 incorporates the changes from P4. And it also lets you play as a female main character, one who is not a carbon copy of Minato. If my information is correct, FeMC is a Genki Girl to the max. And has somewhat-reddish hair. And has the voice of Laura Bailey. OH MY GAWD! SHE'S A HYBRIDIZATION OF KURO-CHAN AND RISE-CHAN! Dang it, peoples! You're getting her typecasted now! Er, not that I'm complaining, since I like Rise-chan, and I would love to play as FeMC, and that Kuro-chan is love. Unfortunately, I don't have a PSP.
But you guys, if you've played P3 to death, you need to see this. See Minato be a dick to everyone! I love the artwork; it's actually very Americanized, but somehow, it works.
And now, Persona 4.
I started playing P4 again! I carried over to the plus game . . . and all I got were maxed out social stats, my money, and my persona compedium, most of which I can't even access because I'm not high leveled enough yet. I'm on normal mode now . . . and I keep dying! (Teddie voice) No, Sensei! You weren't this weak before! Don't die on us now! You're too pretty to die! (lol Firefly reference. back to normal voice) why do I keep dying!? I already bought the best equipment since I had my cash leftover! What am I doing wrong!?
But now something good. A parody of P4. You can thank me later.
But you wanna know what re-ignited my interest in Persona? Some fanvids I found on Beast's Lair. Here. here. here. and here. Also, I have not played the PSP version of P3, but already I ship FeMC with Shinjiro. You can't deny it.
Something about Personae.
First, Persona 3.
Yes, I did end up giving this game away to a relative, over gameplay issues no less. However, I am aware that there's a PSP version out now. This version of P3 incorporates the changes from P4. And it also lets you play as a female main character, one who is not a carbon copy of Minato. If my information is correct, FeMC is a Genki Girl to the max. And has somewhat-reddish hair. And has the voice of Laura Bailey. OH MY GAWD! SHE'S A HYBRIDIZATION OF KURO-CHAN AND RISE-CHAN! Dang it, peoples! You're getting her typecasted now! Er, not that I'm complaining, since I like Rise-chan, and I would love to play as FeMC, and that Kuro-chan is love. Unfortunately, I don't have a PSP.
But you guys, if you've played P3 to death, you need to see this. See Minato be a dick to everyone! I love the artwork; it's actually very Americanized, but somehow, it works.
And now, Persona 4.
I started playing P4 again! I carried over to the plus game . . . and all I got were maxed out social stats, my money, and my persona compedium, most of which I can't even access because I'm not high leveled enough yet. I'm on normal mode now . . . and I keep dying! (Teddie voice) No, Sensei! You weren't this weak before! Don't die on us now! You're too pretty to die! (lol Firefly reference. back to normal voice) why do I keep dying!? I already bought the best equipment since I had my cash leftover! What am I doing wrong!?
But now something good. A parody of P4. You can thank me later.
But you wanna know what re-ignited my interest in Persona? Some fanvids I found on Beast's Lair. Here. here. here. and here. Also, I have not played the PSP version of P3, but already I ship FeMC with Shinjiro. You can't deny it.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
And now another Q&A, cuz it's been way too long since the last one
Q: When is the new chapter of Mentor and Protege coming out?
A: When it's done.
Q: Speaking of which, Duke Nukem Forever is finally coming out in 2011. Duke Nukem 3D was, for a time, your favorite FPS of all time, and you still look upon it favorably. Any thoughts on the long-awaited continuation?
A: I honestly thought the project would never materialize back in the PS2/GC/Xbox generation. For it to be uncanceled, a la Prey, well, I might rent it, but I'm not expecting anything on the scale of Half-Life 2.
Q: Let's shift to animation, American animation. Who is your favorite character from Animaniacs?
A: P-
Q: -Besides Pinky and the Brain.
A: Slappy Squirrel.
Q: What's your top 11 favorite Nostalgia Critic reviews?
A: Super Mario Bros. The Movie, Batman and Robin, Captain Planet, Good Burger, We're Back, Star Wars Holiday Special (never again), Battlefield Earth, Quest for Camelot, Independence Day, The Bebe's Kids video game (and subsequent follow up by LordKat), and Bio-Dome.
Q: Critics have been saying that you've become "flanderized" since you started. Any thoughts on this?
A: Well that's ridiculous. I cannot be distilled by whatever traits of mine I may be displaying more often in recent posts.
Q: Now, this blog has always been primarily focused on your thoughts on video games, animation, and manga, but lately, the critics say that all you do are your own catchphrases.
A: Lies. I can speak more dialog than that, obviously. Do I look like a character from a sucky Hanna and Barbera cartoon?
OH NO NOT (NAME OF INSANELY CUTE GIRL)! (Insert Death Note quote because Death Note is the motherfucking shiznit!) (name of actor) makes everything better. (blank) IS LOVE!
Oh, you're probably thinking, "Those are catchphrases right there!" But you see, they all have variables. They always change. So in essence, I'm not repeating catchphrases.
Q: Well in any case, is there anything in store for the future here?
A: Oh yes. There's something big coming this way.
Q: Oh really?
A: Yes really. I won't go into details, but the possibilities are endless.
Q: Despite hating its followers, you still visit animenewsnetwork regularly. Why?
A: For things like the following: an article quotes a passage from a book about the otaku phenomenon. The quote is as follows: "The book proposes a model of the 'database animals' as a new type of consumer in the postmodern information era, arguing that, rather than reading the stories in a 'human' mode of consumption that longs for the existence of and searches for deeper meaning, the cravings of 'animalized' otaku are satiated by classifying the characters from such stories according to their traits and anonymously creating databases that catalog, store, and display the results." This explains a lot right here, and I think I figured out why Lucky Star was so successful. "Oh look! Konata's a game otaku! Kagami's a tsundere! Tsukasa is a moeblob! Miyuki is a meganekko and also a moeblob! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!" Must be why I only scored it a 6, since I actually want to, you know, be entertained by what I watch.
Q: Are you sure you don't wanna tell us what's in store?
A: My next post will have more details. Wait until then. (Even if said wait is weeks from now.)
Q: Are you sure you don't want to give even a teensy weensy hint? Like is it it a game? A show? A website? What!?
A: It's something you know I want to examine. That's all I can say at the moment.
Q: Um, okay. Last question, Mary Ann, or Ginger?
A: Do I look like I grew up in the Baby Boomer generation!? How the hell am I supposed to make an informed decision on this!?
A: When it's done.
Q: Speaking of which, Duke Nukem Forever is finally coming out in 2011. Duke Nukem 3D was, for a time, your favorite FPS of all time, and you still look upon it favorably. Any thoughts on the long-awaited continuation?
A: I honestly thought the project would never materialize back in the PS2/GC/Xbox generation. For it to be uncanceled, a la Prey, well, I might rent it, but I'm not expecting anything on the scale of Half-Life 2.
Q: Let's shift to animation, American animation. Who is your favorite character from Animaniacs?
A: P-
Q: -Besides Pinky and the Brain.
A: Slappy Squirrel.
Q: What's your top 11 favorite Nostalgia Critic reviews?
A: Super Mario Bros. The Movie, Batman and Robin, Captain Planet, Good Burger, We're Back, Star Wars Holiday Special (never again), Battlefield Earth, Quest for Camelot, Independence Day, The Bebe's Kids video game (and subsequent follow up by LordKat), and Bio-Dome.
Q: Critics have been saying that you've become "flanderized" since you started. Any thoughts on this?
A: Well that's ridiculous. I cannot be distilled by whatever traits of mine I may be displaying more often in recent posts.
Q: Now, this blog has always been primarily focused on your thoughts on video games, animation, and manga, but lately, the critics say that all you do are your own catchphrases.
A: Lies. I can speak more dialog than that, obviously. Do I look like a character from a sucky Hanna and Barbera cartoon?
OH NO NOT (NAME OF INSANELY CUTE GIRL)! (Insert Death Note quote because Death Note is the motherfucking shiznit!) (name of actor) makes everything better. (blank) IS LOVE!
Oh, you're probably thinking, "Those are catchphrases right there!" But you see, they all have variables. They always change. So in essence, I'm not repeating catchphrases.
Q: Well in any case, is there anything in store for the future here?
A: Oh yes. There's something big coming this way.
Q: Oh really?
A: Yes really. I won't go into details, but the possibilities are endless.
Q: Despite hating its followers, you still visit animenewsnetwork regularly. Why?
A: For things like the following: an article quotes a passage from a book about the otaku phenomenon. The quote is as follows: "The book proposes a model of the 'database animals' as a new type of consumer in the postmodern information era, arguing that, rather than reading the stories in a 'human' mode of consumption that longs for the existence of and searches for deeper meaning, the cravings of 'animalized' otaku are satiated by classifying the characters from such stories according to their traits and anonymously creating databases that catalog, store, and display the results." This explains a lot right here, and I think I figured out why Lucky Star was so successful. "Oh look! Konata's a game otaku! Kagami's a tsundere! Tsukasa is a moeblob! Miyuki is a meganekko and also a moeblob! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!" Must be why I only scored it a 6, since I actually want to, you know, be entertained by what I watch.
Q: Are you sure you don't wanna tell us what's in store?
A: My next post will have more details. Wait until then. (Even if said wait is weeks from now.)
Q: Are you sure you don't want to give even a teensy weensy hint? Like is it it a game? A show? A website? What!?
A: It's something you know I want to examine. That's all I can say at the moment.
Q: Um, okay. Last question, Mary Ann, or Ginger?
A: Do I look like I grew up in the Baby Boomer generation!? How the hell am I supposed to make an informed decision on this!?
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Musicality of (insert name of Haruhi character here)
The anime version of Haruhi has good music. I knew this even back when I had to resort to watching fan-uploaded streams on youtube and veoh before buying the 1st season on DVD. There is a 2nd season out now in English, but right now, I'm saving up my money for a different Kyoto Animation series. (Gee, why would I buy Clannad? It can't be for the same reason I love Touhou, can it? Yes it can. Cute girls will foster world peace.)
But back to Haruhi. I'm only giving you one link: here. I've sampled some of these so-called image songs, and I have a few things to say.
-Yuki, Muon, Madobe Nite, one of Yuki's songs. It captures her essence perfectly, and it is a great listen. Under Mebius is also great. But the crown jewel is the orchestrated version of Yuki, Muon, Madobe Nite from the Suzumiya Haruhi no Gensou soundtrack. That is one of the best Japanese-language songs I've ever heard, and Yuki's Japanese voice actress is amazing. Thank you, Minori Chihara! When you can hold your own against Michelle Ruff, you know you've done well.
-Matsutte Matsutte! Irassha~i! It's a very fun song, and could very well function as Tsuruya's theme.
-Toki no Puzzle feels like something Mikuru would sing. It's so sweet, it's almost unreal. Then again, she's a moeblob; I guess they sing songs like that.
-Welcome Unknown is a silly song, but for some odd reason, I can picture Haruhi performing that.
And of course, you've got all the background music from the anime. I haven't sampled anything from the movie since I don't want to spoil myself, but you can listen to "Koi no Mikuru Densetsu" if you like, as well as the orchestrated version.
Oh, in case you're wondering, you all know Kyon is my favorite character, but who is my second-favorite? Well, I guess it's obvious now; Yuki. She. Is. COOOOOL.
But back to Haruhi. I'm only giving you one link: here. I've sampled some of these so-called image songs, and I have a few things to say.
-Yuki, Muon, Madobe Nite, one of Yuki's songs. It captures her essence perfectly, and it is a great listen. Under Mebius is also great. But the crown jewel is the orchestrated version of Yuki, Muon, Madobe Nite from the Suzumiya Haruhi no Gensou soundtrack. That is one of the best Japanese-language songs I've ever heard, and Yuki's Japanese voice actress is amazing. Thank you, Minori Chihara! When you can hold your own against Michelle Ruff, you know you've done well.
-Matsutte Matsutte! Irassha~i! It's a very fun song, and could very well function as Tsuruya's theme.
-Toki no Puzzle feels like something Mikuru would sing. It's so sweet, it's almost unreal. Then again, she's a moeblob; I guess they sing songs like that.
-Welcome Unknown is a silly song, but for some odd reason, I can picture Haruhi performing that.
And of course, you've got all the background music from the anime. I haven't sampled anything from the movie since I don't want to spoil myself, but you can listen to "Koi no Mikuru Densetsu" if you like, as well as the orchestrated version.
Oh, in case you're wondering, you all know Kyon is my favorite character, but who is my second-favorite? Well, I guess it's obvious now; Yuki. She. Is. COOOOOL.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Okay, enough Starcraft
Let's get back to my usual material.
First off, good music.
Another Byakuren remix for you. Funny in that I don't like Byakuren's original theme, and yet, three remixes, (two of them by IOSYS) are worth a listen in my mind.
Two WAVE pieces. Yeeeeeeeeeees. (You know it's gotta be good when it makes me say yes like a Chaos Space Marine.)
The Prismriver Sisters, IN ENGLISH! (Video is . . . different.)
Chen's theme now sounding like the second ending credits song from Sgt. Frog. Ear Worm approaching . . .
And second, uh, well, those are Touhou videos; they are chock full of cute girls. I think that speaks for itself.
Also, I'm kinda blocked on Mentor and Protege, but I've been making progress on the Yukari oneshot; I may publish that before I finish M & P.
First off, good music.
Another Byakuren remix for you. Funny in that I don't like Byakuren's original theme, and yet, three remixes, (two of them by IOSYS) are worth a listen in my mind.
Two WAVE pieces. Yeeeeeeeeeees. (You know it's gotta be good when it makes me say yes like a Chaos Space Marine.)
The Prismriver Sisters, IN ENGLISH! (Video is . . . different.)
Chen's theme now sounding like the second ending credits song from Sgt. Frog. Ear Worm approaching . . .
And second, uh, well, those are Touhou videos; they are chock full of cute girls. I think that speaks for itself.
Also, I'm kinda blocked on Mentor and Protege, but I've been making progress on the Yukari oneshot; I may publish that before I finish M & P.
Starcraft: ALS, part 3
Starcraft II campaign mode: BRILLIANT!
Starcraft II freeplay mode: uh, not as much fun as the campaign mode.
A few notes.
-The music is a lot, lot better than in SC1. Having real instruments (and good licensed music) can make a huge difference.
-Some voices for returning characters are different, but most of the new voices sound better in my opinion, particulary Zeratul's. Nice to know the voice-acting is still top-notch. also, GEET ME BACK ENTO THA FIHG-EET!
-It's in 3D now, Artanis. Also, the arrival of Artanis in the campaign mode was a genuine He's Back & Crowning Moment of Awesome for me. but still, it's amazing how much more fluid 3D animation is compared to 2D animation. Of course, I'm sure the fanboys will complain about the lack of projected 3D now.
-Need . . . next . . . expansion pack . . . and the one . . . after that.
-In the freeplay mode, as it currently is, I actually prefer playing as the Terrans, and I find the Protoss to be the least playable race. What happened, Blizzard? Oh well, I'm digging the new Zerg units.
-Story is still top-notch, except now there's references to the novels, none of which I've read. DANG IT!
Starcraft II freeplay mode: uh, not as much fun as the campaign mode.
A few notes.
-The music is a lot, lot better than in SC1. Having real instruments (and good licensed music) can make a huge difference.
-Some voices for returning characters are different, but most of the new voices sound better in my opinion, particulary Zeratul's. Nice to know the voice-acting is still top-notch. also, GEET ME BACK ENTO THA FIHG-EET!
-It's in 3D now, Artanis. Also, the arrival of Artanis in the campaign mode was a genuine He's Back & Crowning Moment of Awesome for me. but still, it's amazing how much more fluid 3D animation is compared to 2D animation. Of course, I'm sure the fanboys will complain about the lack of projected 3D now.
-Need . . . next . . . expansion pack . . . and the one . . . after that.
-In the freeplay mode, as it currently is, I actually prefer playing as the Terrans, and I find the Protoss to be the least playable race. What happened, Blizzard? Oh well, I'm digging the new Zerg units.
-Story is still top-notch, except now there's references to the novels, none of which I've read. DANG IT!
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