Leave a comment Posted on February 8, 2016February 5, 2016 Anime, Mecha

Valvrave the Liberator: Season 2

Time to return to the review the second half of a series where the Main Character dies at the end of the first episode. Yes, it’s time to take a look at the second season of Valvrave the Liberator. Will it keep up the death toll of the previous season? Spoiler alert: Yes! A lot of people die.

Now that Module 77 has reached the moon and become their own nation it’s time to travel to the Earth and face the Magius. As Haruto struggles to keep in the fight he discovers the dark secretes surrounding the Valvraves. From the Valvraves being powered by Runes (which come from human memories) and the Magius’ have existed since the dawn of Time, Haruto has a lot to deal with.

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The intensity from the first season doesn’t let up in this second season. It’s almost better to watch if you weren’t watching as the broadcast came out and didn’t have to wait the fourth months between the two seasons. The first episode even picks with the battle that was the cliffhanger of the previous season. The series screams to be the kind show that you binge watch some friends on a long weekend.

Only problem with binging this series is it has too much drama to watch at once. The group that goes down to the earth don’t all come back and some come back in body bags. With every little victory the Valvrave pilots experience seem to result in twice as many set backs. The Magius are a ruthless organization that want the Valvraves and will stop at nothing to get them back.

New mecha are also introduced in the series. The strike brace is an attachment weapon that helps to cool down the robots and has both defensive and offensive capabilities. It’s a pretty cool piece of hardware. The enemies also get new suits known as Kirschbuum which are meant to be Anti-Valvrave type suit and are incredible destruive. These robot additions help to keep the combat scenes strong but often detracts from the characterization of the show.

Given the epic grand scale effects of where the series ends, it might have been better to show more development in how things turned out. Once again much like Code Geass and Gundam Seed, Sunrise Studios tries to tie up the entire show in the credits of the final episode. You can’t keep doing this to us guys. Fans need proper endings and they won’t get it if you wait until the last minutes to properly draw everything to a close.

The series ends good but kinda depressing. There is a lot of death and destruction and not necessarily in a good way. There is the possibility of sequel but it definitely won’t contain certain members of the cast which really helped make this show worth watching. Overall, not the worst attempt by Sunrise to make other robots other than Gundams.

RATING: B

Leave a comment Posted on February 5, 2016February 2, 2016 Gundam, Gunpla

My Gunpla: 1/144 Future Pink Petit-Beargguy

I haven’t given up on this section but with the way things are going in my life, I just haven’t had the time work on all the projects I want to. This means that Gunpla has had to take a back seat to everything else that is going on. I told myself I would take the time to build at least one model over my holiday break and luckily I made good on my commitment. 20151221_133913 This is the 1/144 Future Pink Petit Beargguy. I made this little guy for my wife for Christmas. She hasn’t seen Gundam Build Fighters or its sequel Build Fighters Try but she is a big fan of cute things and loves the color pink. This in mind I decided to build her one of the Beargguy from the series which have become quite popular even among non-Gundam fans.

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The make of this little guy was pretty easy. Snip him out, and minimal sanding to get the pieces right. I’m still not very happy with how my sanding is turning out though and will have to make it a priority to work on that aspect of the build as I move forward. I made sure to add a few touches to it to make the model a bit more special. To that end I made sure to paint the eyes and nose instead of using the stickers and paint the bow red. After those were dry, a simple bit of clear coat on him and the model was built. He was a cute little guy and since I made it as a gift I’m not going to add a grade to him. I’m relatively pleased with the way he turned out though. I just wish I had the time to work more on my model building. Priorities, the joy of being an adult.

Leave a comment Posted on February 1, 2016January 31, 2016 Kaiju

Gamera: The invincible

Time to go old school. To go back to the movie which first introduced the world to the fire breathing giant turtle known as Gamera. Is it as good an origin film as King Kong or Gojira?

Deep in the artist, a Cold War fighter carrying an atomic bomb is shot down. The explosion gives rise to an ancient creature known as Gamera: The giant monster. As he explores the world he is spotted by a turtle loving boy named Toshio and saved him from falling causing Toshio to insist Gamera is good. Despite his pleas humanity attacks Gamera in an effort to destroy him but there efforts seem futile. The Earth`s only hope is the operation called Z Plan. Will it save the world?

One of the most notable aspects of this film is Gamera`s appearance. He shows up much earlier than Godzilla or King Kong but even he doesn’t know what is going on half of the time. Yes, he rampages but he is attacked before even his initial destruction. For the most part Gamera is just trying to get more fossil fuels and fire for nourishment. Frankly, the humans should have come up with a better plan involving luring him somewhere but sadly the more go to plan was to try to blow him up.

Speaking of the humans, they are less than intelligent in this movie. They simply wish to blow up Gamera because they are focused on the fact Gamera is emitting an aura which dampens radars. This power would be dropped in later installments but this is the major reason they seem to be attacking Gamera as he is for the most part is more curious and exploring than he is being deadly. Also, Toshio is one of the few characters with any real development and even then he gets a bit annoying. Yes, he’s the only one who has Gamera’s back but Gamera is still doing damage and needs to be dealt with. Luckily, they are able to defeat him in a very interesting twist on how to beat a monster.

This film is infamous for being shown on Mystery Science Theater 3000. It’s one of the more hilarious episodes and the jokes they make about Toshio (Kenny in the English dub) kept obsessing over Gamera. The movie is one to watch with or without the commentary of the Satellite of Love but not nearly as essential as Gamera`s trilogy from the 90s.

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Sadly, the film is not very good as the study really didn’t know how to present Gamera in a way which distinguished him from being a Godzilla knock off. I`ll be getting around to reviewing the rest of the more comical Showa Era films eventually but for the most part this year I’ll be more focused on finishing the Godzilla franchise. Gamera will get his day thought sooner or later.

RATING: C+

1 Comment Posted on January 31, 2016January 31, 2016 Anime, Kaiju, Site News, Transformers

Poll: The next theme month

With my first theme month completed I need to figure out which theme month I should get ready for next. I’m going my Crew figure out which one should I prepare for deployment.

Monkey Madness: A month of giant monkey movies
Goofy Gamera: A month of all the more comical Showa Era Gamera films
Bigger than Big: A month looking at all the different versions of Gigantor (Tetsujin 28)
Transformers: A month of Tranformers series to help get through the extended list of different Transformer series

Cast your votes below crew and help me figure out what you want me to review for this blog.

1 Comment Posted on January 25, 2016January 7, 2016 Anime, Mecha

Escaflowne: Girl in Gaia

Retelling month coming to an end as I review a movie that re-introduces a story with a much different look then before. New art, modified character designs, but the same story about a girl named Hitomi who gets teleported to the world of Gaia. This is Escaflowne: Girl in Gaia.

Hitomi is a girl with depression who wishes she could disappear. She gets her wish and transported to the world of Gaia where she meets the warrior prince, Van. Together the two of them must use the “Dragon Armor” called Escaflowne to retake the world. There is a prophecy though which talks of a “winged goddess” who will bring destruction to the world. Is this about Hitomi and will she destroy the world?

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The change in art is the most noticeable change from the show to the movie. The characters look much darker and harsher in their tone and the landscape and scenery shots are a wonder to behold. The movie does lacks the fun and lighter moments which were in the series as it seems to follow the art and keep a much harsher tone throughout the entire film. This change is what divides the fans of the series. Some like it and some hated it but for the most part everyone is happy the characters no longer have the pointed noses they did back in the original series.

The characters also have a change from what they were in the series. Van becomes a much tougher warrior from what he was in the TV series and gets the addition of having psychic powers. The first five minutes of the movie show him boarding an enemy vessel and slaughtering the crew. Hitomi gets a change too. She is much less love struck than she was in the show. The character may have changed but they are still very intriguing to watch.

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The mecha overall remain the same but there isn’t as many of them as their were in the show. Instead of everyone and their mother having a robot, they are much less common an occurrence. When the enemy Guymelef (the mecha for the series) makes its appearance it is a big deal and a lot of people are killed because of it. This change is a odd choice but the fight between the enemy and Escalowne is an intense battle that is one of the best parts of the film.

Overall, the Girl in Gaia manages to tell the story of a girl being taken to another world and meeting a prince with a Giant Robot in far less than half the time and half the mythology. Despite this lack of ability to cover all the points from the original, the movie is very good and it a great treats for fans of the series. There you have it, the end of the first themed month for this blog. Next up, time to take a step back to a first in a franchise.

RATING: B+

Leave a comment Posted on January 18, 2016January 18, 2016 Anime, Mecha

Eureka Seven: Pocketful of Rainbows

The two previous entries in this theme month managed to condense the story of the original series in a fun and entertaining way. Today’s movie doesn’t succeed in that regard and instead results in something which takes a turn from the original in ways which don’t pan out for the better.

Renton is looking for his childhood Love Eureka, who was taken from him when he was very young. After enrolling in the military and through the use of his robot, Nirvash, Renton is able to reunite with Eureka. What Renton is unaware of is that forces close to him plan to use her for their own purposes.

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The major change with the movie which brings won the film as a whole is the new take on the crew of the Gekkostate. No longer just rebels trying to expose the military’s dark secretes, they are now former military experiments who are tying to find a way back to a paradise they saw called Neverland. The entire plot of the movie is them using Eureka to find a way to get back there because if they don’t there is a good chance they won’t live much longer. To obtain this lost Eden they are willing to do anything including assaulting Eureka. Yes, there is a scene where Hap and Stoner, fun loving characters in the original series decide to assault Eureka to confirm is she is the maiden who can help them return to Neverland. its a bit disturbing to say the lease and the film doesn’t’ really recover form it at all. Especially since the scene ends with Renton getting show in the stomach.

The ending is also a bit less than chipper as well. Eureka and Renton end up together but not in nearly as happy as they were in the series. This is the main problem with the whole movie. Instead of a good feeling of satisfaction which came after watching the original series, the movie feels awkward and uncomfortable. Not the best follow up to one of the best Mecha animes ever.

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This movie does have a new form for for the robot Nirvash (pictured above). Its a new evolved form which looks a bit like Tekkaman Blade from the anime series of the same name. As a fan of that show I think it looks impressive but isn’t in the movie long enough to save it from the crippling alterations they made. You are better off just taking the time to watch the original series.

There you have it, a retelling that didn’t work out for the better. Not every film is able to have the same joy and feelings epicness as the series they were based on. Next time, a retelling that takes a much different approach by reinventing the entire look of the show. For the better in many people’s opinion. See you then crew.

RATING: C-

2 Comments Posted on January 11, 2016January 5, 2016 Anime, Mecha

Macross: Do you remember love?

Time to return to the wonderful world of Macross. I’m looking forward to the new series, Macross Delta but it will have to wait until later this year. For now we find ourselves still in “retelling” month and looking at a movie which retells the original Macross series and asks the important question, “Do you remember love?”

Out in the solar system, the spaceship, the Macross is out exploring when it is attacked by Zentrati forces. Helping to fight against them is Hikaru Ichijou, a pilot who finds himself falling in love with the young idol named Lynn Minmei. Things get turn upside down when Hikaru and his commanding officer Misa Hayate get thrown from the ship. As they struggle to survive the two grow closer and may have found the way to defeat the Zentradi by harnessing the power of love.

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This retelling is a masterpiece that adds a great deal to the original show it was based on and does so while looking so good in the process. The visuals in this movie are incredibly detailed to the point each missile with its vapor trail is lovingly hand drawn (rumor has it if you pause at the right moment you can see they drew one missile as a Budweiser can) and the landscapes are detailed in a way which conveys distress and hopelessness at just the right moments. Its truly a sight to behold.

The characters also have a bit of an alteration from the TV show. Minmei isn’t as annoying as she was in the show and you can feel the struggle with the result of the love triangle between her, Hikaru , and Misa. Also, they managed to squeeze in some time for Mira and Max’s relationship but sadly one character doesn’t have any change and once again Roy Fokker still meets with a very traumatic fate. Why can’t he just stay alive in one version and retire to private sector with Vanessa on his arm?

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The movie does have a few plot holes which are never properly addressed. This has led to questions like “Did Mira shrink or did Max enlarge?” and “Why does an ancient alien song sound like 80s pop?” Still these little nitpicks don’t distract from the overall enjoyment of the movie and has some really memorable moments which mecha fans have been treasuring for years. The film is a quality piece of animation for not only fans of giant robots but fans of anime in general. Now if we could just get a physical media release of it in America. Are we asking too much for that to happen?

Two entries down and two to go on the first themed month. So far the entries have been successful in retelling the series properly. Next week though we find one that doesn’t succeed in properly recreating the feel of the show at all. Look forward to it crew.*

RATING: A-

*I’m thinking of addressing my readers as crew. Thoughts? Love it? Hate it? Comment and let me know.

2 Comments Posted on January 4, 2016March 25, 2016 Anime, Mecha

Rahxephon: Pluralitas Concentio

Welcome to my first themed month. Every post in this month of January will be dedicated to the theme of “Series retelling.” These movies take the plot of the original series they were based on and retell them in a short condensed movie. The first entry in this theme month is Rahxephon.

Ayato Kamina and his young girlfriend have been separated by the Tokyo Jupiter Incident, which cuts off Tokyo from the outside world. Ayato is approached by a mysterious woman named Haruka who leads him to the giant winged robot Rahxephon. Now Ayato must use the Rahxephon to fight the Dolems send by the Mu, who caused the Tokyo Jupiter Incident and find a way to reunite with the love of his life, Mishima.

Since the month is about retelling the story, evaluating whether its a good or bad retelling should come first. Overall, it does a pretty good job retelling the story of Rahxephon. The mysteries don’t get as much time to drag out as they did in the TV show. Still they make sure to focus the important beats of the original story and add some very interesting scenes.

Speaking of interesting scenes, the love story between Ayato and Mishima is the main focus of the movie. Though their romance was a subplot in the original series, focusing on it really helps to showcase just who important it was to the overall plot. Also, the two of them are a cute couple and their love is very entertain to watch develop. Small spoiler but the two of them make love. Personally, I find this refreshing as not all anime couples get the option of having the aspect of an adult relationship without it become some kind of ecchi fanservice comedy or straight up hentai.

Sadly, the studio didn’t add any new mecha to the film. Would have been nice if they had added one movie exclusive robot for a new fight scene. They do make sure to include a few of the better fight scenes form the show but probably could have benefited from one just one more fight.

Overall, this is a good movie to watch. All fans who enjoyed the Rahxephon series should make it a point to watch this film. This was made at the point in time when many thought that Studio Bones doing a mecha anime was always going to be a recipe for success. Sadly, shows like Heroman and Captain Earth have made it so fans must be a little wary before diving head first into one of their shows. Still, Bones still has a pretty good track record and I become hesitatingly optimist every time I hear they are doing a giant robot series.

There we go. the first entry in the “retelling” theme month. If you like the theme let me know and I’ll work on adding more theme months in this blog’s future.

RATING: A-

Leave a comment Posted on December 28, 2015December 21, 2015 Anime

Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu

When doing a sequel what you want to are sure is that you major changes aren’t done to mess with the formula. Massive shifts in a series or movie that made it popular in the first place can be a recipe for disaster. For a giant robot show it would be insane to remove the robots for the show. Unless of course you had an incredible cast of characters that could still have hilarious adventures even without them.

Sosuke Saegara is back to protect Chidori Kaname from the dangers of the world. To this end he will detonate shoe lockers that have been tampered with and Bobby trap the school bread delivery. Chidori is going to have her hands full dealing with the hilarious chaos Sosuke causes.

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The comedy for this series is over the top. Viewers will be laughing to the point they won’t be able to breath. Sosuke`s antics this time around seems to just as bad if not worse than in the original series. Sosuke is quick to pull a weapon on even in the most normal of circumstances. He fires a round off to rider his lunch from the food truck at school. If that isn’t funny, then nothing will. The episode at the hot springs is especially humorous complete with a parody to Gundam SEED in it.

There is something of robot introduced to this series. The robot is called Bunta-kin, a mascot costume from a amusement park that Sosuke grabs as a temporary disguise. Taking the costume home, Sosuke reinforces it with defensive abilities, and uses it in a few other episodes in the series and the results are comedy gold. The word, “Fumoffu” is all Bunta-ken can say and gives the series it’s subtitle. Also, if there is anything funnier than a teddy bear mascot holding a pump action shotgun then I have yet to find it.

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If there are any mecha fans out there who decided to pass this seris up because it didn’t have any giant robots in it should reconsider their life choices. This is a show that people shouldn’t pass it up. Now rush out and grab this series. FUMOFFU! With this review out of the way, all I have left for Full Metal Panic is the Second Raid. Unless of course the studio would be so kind as to finally bring another series to the fans in the upcoming year. That would make 2016 something to remember for sure.

RATING: A

1 Comment Posted on December 21, 2015December 21, 2015 Site News

Creative Blogger Award

I received a Creative Blogger award from D.T. Nova over at On the Edge of Enlightenment. Thanks man, I really appreciate it. I’m pretty sure this is the first one of these I’ve done. Time to get to the rules.

Thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog
Share 5 facts about yourself
Nominate 15 – 20 bloggers and add their links
Notify the bloggers you included
Keep the rules in your post to make it easy for everyone to know what to do!

Here are my facts:

I usually do this blog in massive chunks weeks in advance so I can have space to work on other projects. Sadly, sometimes this buffer runs dry.
I self published a novel. Not really insisting people go read it as I forgot to approve the editing changes. It taught me a lot though about being patient with my writing.
I have a teaching degree but sadly am not teaching right now. The market in my home state is so bad I have had to go back to school for a new degree and am currently studying to be an Occupational Therapy Assistant.
I don’t get as much entertaining reading done as I want. I wanted to read 15 books for 2015. Once I finish the one I’m on that will make, four. Kinda fell short this year.
The My Gunpla articles for this site are not a retired feature, I just didn’t get any of Gundam Models finished.

And the bloggers I’m nominating:

Addaltmode
Otaku Orbit

Sorry there aren’t more. I really need to be following more blogs. Happy Holidays everyone.

The Gigantic Project