Soulcalibur 5 Musings

I haven't honestly been excited for a Soulcalibur title since the days when II was announced back in 2003. After II came out it was like a rebirth of something beautiful. The gameplay was slick, the characters looked amazing and were weird and everything was right with the world. Namco had done an amazing job and suddenly there was a decent competitive weapons-based 3D fighter out in the world. Thing were looking up for the franchise, but it wouldn't stay that way for much longer...

So, after the hype train and amazingness that was Soulcalibur II, 2005 rolled around and we were taken for another TALES OF SOULS AND SWORDS. But sadly, this road wasn't as slick or as golden as our previous venture. In fact, Soulcalibur III was fun, but still a major letdown. The core gameplay mechanics were alright, however the game lacked a bit of the depth and intensity of its predecessor. In a way, it really felt like a step backward. Sure the graphics had improved and they were trying out some new features, but the combat was sluggish. Delaying moves to expand an already expansive arsenal? Way to buffer something with nothing! Anyways, I digress. So, I'm going to skip over my bitching about Soulcalibur IV and just say this: it sucked.

Okay, so why am I hyped for V? Well, first off the usage of meter. This is a super simple, but realistically an interesting mechanic. First off, it was amazingly gimmicky in IV and only used to be flashy at an opponent. However, for V they've really overhauled it. First off, you can preform EX moves and Critical Edges which act like Supers in the SF series. Guard Impacts now cost meter as well, which I think will add a much-needed tactical element to the series. Any game that requires good meter management skills gets a decent rating in my book. But really, it's about how combat looks. It feels fresh enough without having to fall back too much on IV's cheese. Overall, I'm impressed and what's more is that I'm actually somewhat stoked for the new characters, given that Sophita's death is a bit of a downer. Any who, here's hoping for a good game.

Hype 4 Mah Fightan Gaems

So recent news has announced Heihachi, Rolento, Lili, Zangief, AND the new Pandora system. Heihachi looks to play pretty beastly and seems to have Makobro's red mode. His counter seems very useful and very powerful, watching it catch Rolento's knife was pretty badass; plus it doesn't deal any recoil damage so far. Rolento looks to have some of his neat tricks from the Alpha series including the deadly baton twirl. He's got an Ibuki style knife projectile and has an amusing ultra. Lili seems to fit right into the 2D sphere perfectly. She's armed with her little twirl mix-up, which looks pretty useful, and has some amazing dive kick moves. Zangief makes his appearance in very traditional Zangief fashion. Nothing super special from him, though he can combo a little bit more thanks to ground bounces.

While I was mostly excited for Heihachi and Rolento, I gotta say that Lili really look me by surprise. She looks to be incredibly fun in this game, and I recognize her Tekken move list (I use to main her in Tekken 5: DR). The Pandora system seems like X-Factor at first, but the fact that you immediately die right after the duration makes it feel a bit more balance. However, I'm still irked that something that is in the game. I'll get use to it I'm sure, but I still don't like that it's there. Not because I sense a level of overpoweredness with it, but rather that I feel it may be unnecessary. If anything I hope that you can do matches with Pandora disabled.

TGS2011, wish I could go! DAMMIT. But still, it's on till the 18th so more vidya madness to come!

Slow Week, Slow Month

It's been slow lately. I'm kind of itching for the end of this season as the only shows I've really kept up on are Tiger & Bunny, Nichijou, Mayo Chiki, Hanasaku Iroha, and Kamisama no Memochou. Well, I mean to say I've been seriously enjoying those shows, but lately I've been lusting over the upcoming OVAs.

I've also been playing catch up with some older releases that I've been meaning to jump into. Recently, finished You AreUmasou, which is the anime version of Land Before Time. It was very enjoyable actually, though I warn you that it is in essence a movie for kids. There is nothing super fucked up that happens or anything like that, rather it's a HEART-warming journey (watch the movie to get the reference) about a BIG JAW who is raised by a plant-eater (but seriously, I can't tell what the fuck dinosaur the 'plant-eater' is supposed to be). It's not bad, but it's also not so stellar that I'd slap my cock at you if you hadn't seen it.

Also in the anime cinema scene, I recently watched the Nanoha movie. I know, I know, 'fag got no self-respect watchin' loli magic girl shit.' Well, fuck you too! Seriously though, Nanoha is not for everyone, just like ANY OTHER MAGICAL GIRL SHOW. Sometimes I can honestly recommend one to a friend, like say Puella Magi Madoka Magica (SHAFT FAG DETECTED), but for the most part I tell people it's nothing beyond Sailor Moon rubbish.... Rubbish that I absolutely love! Nanoha is kind of different... in the sense that there is something entertaining to watch in-between the pseudo-friendship/lesbian plot centering around two underage girls and that's this: the fight scenes. If you are a fan of aerial combat or bullet-storm games (look up the Touhou games and see a whole another fandom you can hate) then you are in luck. Nanoha's magical girl fights are some of the best in the industry, and they're not half-jet like in Strike Witches (not sure if that's a good thing for some of you). You get to see super saiyan-level beam fights all the time. It's pretty good shit, but other than that you can skip through most of the movie as the underlining thing is friendship and mother issues. Even still, it may be worth a watch if you can stomach it.

Well, that was it for me. Maybe I'll prep a short review of You Are Umasou? Maybe not. Whatever. OUT.

REDLINE

Warning: Screenshots do NOT do the film any justice.
Also, spoilers. Deal wit it.

So Redline. Where do I begin with this one? How can I begin with this one? Oh wait, I know. It's with this one word: awesomefucktits. This shit is off the walls nuts while still being insanely fun! Redline is a marvelous example of an animation that can tell a visually stunning story while simultaneously body-slamming itself deep within our guts rupturing our awesomeness glands. Madhouse really took it a step further when they finally released this beautiful masterpiece and because I never got to see it when it first came out I'll say that the wait was definitely worth it.

Sweet JP, our main character. Crashin' cars like it's casual.

When you get right down to it, Redline is a movie about one thing: RACING. Okay, really it's about LOVE. The love of animation for something like racing taken to the most extreme levels of pure unfiltered unadulterated pleasure. Redline certainly wasn't made for its deep and riveting plot, rather it's a celebration of all the cool things you can do with 2D animation. From the wacked up character designs to the immensely over-the-top action, Redline aims to please your eye muscles and let me tell you, it's a damn good workout.

Some JP vs Sonoshee action.

The story itself is pretty bland when you read it over on paper. Our tale follows main character "Sweet" JP as he tries to be taken as a serious racer in the open universe. Well, things aren't so SWEET for JP and his childhood friend and team mechanic Frisbee as they owe most of their money to a mafia boss. Throw in some jazzy side characters, including Trava from Takeshi Koike's previous work, mix in some insane RoboWorld sentai-esque villains, include some Akira level TETSUO!!, blow your face up with amazing visuals, and top it all off with a highly spectacular soundtrack and somehow you get the something that is Redline.

Our REDLINE racers. 

RoboWorld's colorful villains, including Negaverse Robot Captain America.

One thing I really want to commemorate Redline for is its pacing. You aren't super overwhelmed with too many extended action sequences because the film gives you frequent breaks. Something about most movies these days that drive me up the wall (no pun intended) is that there aren't many breaks from the action. If you don't take a break once in a while then even the most hotblooded and hyper-intense scenes begin to lose their edge. Redline is simply brilliant at this because every so often we get a chance to see what the RoboWorld officials are plotting, how the crowd is reacting, and what the fuck the magical princess is up to.

Some light romance between our stars. 

 The best way to start any car race: 

plummeting from a dropship as thousands of guns are firing at you.

Fuck your rockets, I got a gun!

Another point I wanted to touch upon with this movie is that it makes no excuses and doesn't take itself too seriously. Tons of random shit occurs and for the most part we aren't given any explanations. Sometimes shit just happens. I mean the whole plot surrounding RoboWorld's Zone X7 and their bioweapon Funky Boy seems like it's its own movie that was interupted by the Redline race. Hell, there's even a rebel faction that's trying to unleash Funky Boy and turn it against RoboWorld's president, but our movie here doesn't give a shit and just blasts on by. Then there's the magical Supergrass royal family and the Super Boins sisters. They have magic. And what the fuck? Seriously this movie takes many MANY creative liberties for fun!

Crying gives him power.

Machine Head being a machine head.

Boob Car Mech Thing. Thanks Super Boins sisters!

 Giving literal meaning to the phrase: "Winning by a hair."

My final assessment? If you haven't seen it yet, GO NOW. Don't stop. Don't turn around. Don't even think about not doing it. Just fucking watch this flick! Worth it. Every second. LOVE. The End.

LOVE.

Buying Time, Figures, and Video Games

So lately I've had a bit of a renaissance to Gundam model kits. You know the ones where you build them up and whatnot. Shit is fun as fuck. Not to mention that the Real Grade kits they've been announcing look pretty exciting. Any who, while it's not like I've actually ever stopped loving them, lately I just haven't been building many. I feel bad about it, but I'm progressively getting back into them. I've cleaned up my figure shelf and I'm damn proud of the what I've done with the front room. Even so, I still gotta organize all this junk I have! There are far too many anime/video game posters EVERYWHERE, not to mention the piles of figures, plushies, and all sorts of random shit.

Another thing that's been on my mind is the shear amount of video games (mostly fighting games) I've been getting hyped about. Recently, the new Deus Ex came out and I want to get my hands on a copy! Also, Dark Souls is going to be released soon and not to mention Arkham City and Skyrim and Dragon Dogma... but now let's talk about my secret passion: FIGHTAN GAEMZ. Yeah, it's a pretty big deal for me. I'm stupid excited for King of Fighters XIII, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Street Fighter X Tekken, Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, Skull Girls, and Virtua Fighter Fighter V Final Showdown. Plus, Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition is getting a sweet sounding 2012 update patch AND Street Fighter 3 Third Strike Online JUST came out. JESUS, it's gonna be a busy few years for me being terrible at fighting games! I really hope a new Guilty Gear gets announced soon..

Am I distracting you from my Redline review? GOOD.

Sorry About the Hiatus AGAIN

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San Diego Comic Con International!

63.5 hours till Comic-Con, needless to say I'm pretty stoked. Dat feel man, dat feel. I'll be leaving for the drive to the convention in roughly 16ish hours. I hate this drive, but the final destination makes it all worth it. Even so, I've got a list of priorities this year. Most of which surround my fightan gaems! Basically, I'm going to make it to every Capcom and Namco-Bandai panels and every panel that has anything to do with fighting games. I've got my eye on the Street Fighter x Tekken machines they're going to having at the Capcom booth and I plan on hitting up Tekken Tag Tournament 2.

In the world of anime, I plan on hitting up Tsuneo Gouda. Yup, that's all I know from the anime world that will be there. Given that he's not REALLY anime guest. Even so, there's TONS of other things to do and check out. Lots of famous artists and comic book personalities will be there and I'll definitely have tons of fun. And I'll be able to get some face time with the Penny Arcade folks. Pretty fucking exciting!

Comic-Con International 2011

I guess I should have mentioned this eons ago, but I'm going to be attending Comic-Con International. I'll be leaving for the long drive on the 19th, arriving in San Diego on the 20th, moving to the con hotel on the 21st, and FINALLY start to enjoy myself at the convention.

Comic-Con not so anime related? I doubt that good sir! Many many aspects of fandom are well represented at the con and I'll be super glad to be able to go!

Two weeks gone and I'm still away

Another I'm alive update. Honestly, I've been working on trying to get work. It's really a job in on itself! But I've still kept up with the latest and greatest in the anime world. Tiger & Bunny and Nichijou have only been getting better and better, so that greatly pleases me. I've recently tried out a few new shows, but I feel like Kami-sama no Memochou is the only one worth mentioning right now. I'm playing catch up because I still haven't finished up a ton of stuff from previous seasons, including the last two episodes of Star Driver. I was 'excited' for Blood-C but current observations look pretty grim... I really hate Clamp, but so far it's not completely unwatchable. Blah, I've really just not been up to much. Although, I've neen playing lots of fighting games lately, namely Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition. It's a mouthful, but fun nonetheless. I've been trying to get plinking down, but hell if my fingers will ever learn it!

Any who, I'm out! FIGMAS

There and gone again! But seriously what the fuck was the name of that flower?

I've been away for quite some time and I know it's pretty shameful of me to neglect this dying blog. Well, truth be told I've been focusing mostly on job hunting, which has become a job on its own. Even so, I thought I'd jump back and be on the slow train to chatting about Ano Hana or Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない), because SURELY you know it by the that name. LOOK I even included the Japanese to prove it's the right show. Whatever. Point is the series ended recently and I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on that.

Ano Hana at his club house.

The first thing that comes to mind with any and ALL tragedy-based anime is whether or not the drama feels forced or if it flows more naturally. I think that is largely a part of how the characters are designed and way they interact with one another. That said, Ano Hana still feels forced, but to a much lesser extent. Walking into the show, you know shit's gonna get real towards the end and with Ano Hana this is made entertaining because of the somewhat likable characters. Hell, one of the girls' nicknames is 'Anaru' or 'Anal!' Okay, okay. Back to the serious stuff.

"These fucking apples are off the hook!"

In part, I expected Menma's true wish to center around wanting to be reunited with the Super Peace Busters rather than getting Jinta to cry more. That was a let down for me as I felt that Menma's promise to Jinta's mom had a much lesser emotional impact than what the writer had surely intended. In a way it felt weak and of all things centering it around Jinta's emotional instabilities made me pity that asshat Yukiatsu more.

A 'flower' left behind by Menma.

Of course, the scene that bit tears into my subconscious was the sickeningly sad final moments Menma was able to share with the rest of the group. The game of hide-and-seek built on a weeping foundation of a sorrowful farewell actually made me feel both good and bad for the group. They were all final able to see her , but for the very last time. Something about emotional attachments between groups of friends like these really pull it in for me.

A tear-jerking farewell.

Highlights of the final episode? Well for some strange reason THIS scene (not animated here) had some intense animation to it:

Dat hand in dat hair.

For give me if I sound pretentious, but this was a powerful scene.

When the gang meets up at the shrine to discuss why Menma didn't pass was a great way to see the truth behind everyone's motive. Seeing tensions rise up suddenly and then just as quickly dispelled by humor was a good way to bind everyone together once more.

Good character, so why did they bother giving him weak inner turmoil.

But what of the weaknesses of the final episode? Okay, so here it comes. My favorite character Poppo has a terribly awkward HIGH TENSION moment. Seriously, when we found out he saw Menma's fall, it felt too unrealistic. Like the writer needed to have a reason to give Poppo some sort of emotional turmoil. In terms of drama and characterization alone, I felt that this little bit with him was handled very poorly. Sure, his frustration at being the 'background' character of the group was totally justified, but then suddenly adding that he also witnessed Menma's death just didn't sit well with me.

Dat table of mugs!

Overall though, I felt the series was treated as well as it could have been. It was cute, dramatic, and funny all at the same time and in the correct amounts of each. My few gripes mostly center around a handful of things that seem to come out of nowhere (like the info about Poppo witnessing the death). But it really did end as an enjoyable series.

Super Peace Busters

In a way, Ano Hana reminds me of a deconstruction of the super sentai genre. Seriously, just hear me out. Jinta acts as the Red Ranger, the leader of the group. Ultimately he is the one that needs the most salvation as the death of Menma affects him the most deeply. Yukiatsu's character falls right in line with the typical Blue Ranger. He is often jealous of Red and tries desperately to prove his worth by claiming superiority. However, when Jinta reveals that he can see Menma, it really sends Yukiatsu into a maddened haze. His redemption comes in the form of finally realizing he's an asshole and stopping it. Anaru is the Pink Ranger of the force. She's in love with Red even though he basically ignores her for awhile. She's a pretty normal girl, but with some deep insecurities and often times she's easily swayed by those around her. But Pink finally gets her chance in the end. Tsuruko is either the Yellow or Black Ranger, it's hard to tell with her. She's in love with always-second-best Blue and is perhaps the most logical and focused of the group. She realizes the dynamic between Pink and Blue, knowing who her true rival is. Even so, after the emotional fallout she ends up getting closer to her love Blue. Then there's Poppo or Broppo and it's no surprise that he's Green, the bro Ranger. Supportive and always willing to help, he aids Red perhaps in the most ways. With a lightly dotted background, Green has to help everyone from the backseat, which can be very frustrating for him. Even so, Green is still just as strong a member as anyone else. Finally, there's Menma the White Ranger. Born to die and scar the rest of the Rangers with guilt and self-loathing. Menma ends up as the key to reuniting the Super Peace Busters. See? I'm not fucking nuts! It's totally the super sentai dynamic! Everything is totally there!

Super Peace Busters Sentai

Hope you guys enjoyed that little rant and I'll see you guys in forever from now

Where Have I Been? Like Anyone Cares!

No seriously, I've been doing some pretty intense job hunting as of late and thus my blog has been made to suffer. Much of my focus has been around work and trying to get a hold of some, so I just haven't had the time to really sit down and make another entry. I know, I know, my blog's gonna die, but whatever. Even so, I'm still around and I'll be back more actively once my schedule starts to stabilize. Even so, I've gotten a hold of a decent camcorder so who knows, when I come back I might have video reviews instead. NOW THAT SOUNDS FUN RIGHT!?! I still plan on making something in terms of mech kit reviews so hopefully that will take flight once I come back to active duty. Until then, watch anime and read manga. There's still some good stuff out there, I promise.

Talking About Anime? I Don't Think So!

Yeah, I find that the more I use Facebook the less I find myself pondering blog entries. Even so, I think I should start working on an entry that involves some of the Gundam model kits I love building. Recently I acquired my first Master Grade kit, so I'd consider myself a casual kit builder. Gunpla is great fun and it's a surprisingly cheap hobby to jump in on if you've got a bit of a mech addiction.

Now the random rant. The reason I like High Grade kits (specifically UCHG's) is because of the scaling. 1/144 scale figures means that all my favorite units get to be the same size! And it seems that at the HG level there is a larger variety of units, not to mention all the super important and awesome ones also come in HG size. PLUS FURTHER FURTHER, a new series called Real Grade has recently been released that contains super detailed mechs at the 1/144 size category. Basically they are Master Grade units but scaled down and much cheaper.

Go out and buy yourself some mechs. I love Gunpla. That is all. Seriously. Done. Okay. Now done.

Anime Oasis Aftermath

I should have a more detailed post about my fun times at AO this year, but I'm rather lazy right now. Really, this is more or less an "I'm still here" post. AO was alright this year though I feel the convention isn't quite big enough yet to justify the new venue. Before AO had one floor and around three active rooms, but between the three floors that split up the con and the giant arena area we've been using as the main events hall, it feels as if there are less people around even though the con is still growing. Now don't get me wrong the Grove Hotel is wonderful, but it doesn't feel as packed as normal.

Also, I've been talking to my friends and it sounds like we'll be skipping AO next year and hitting up a personal favorite con of my Fanime instead. I wish I had shout-outs, but I don't want to give out names on a blog that no one views. GOOD NIGHT ALL.

P.S. - Watch more slice-of-life shows like Hanasaku Iroha, Nichijou, Anohana, A-Channel, and Tiger & Bunny (yes, T&B is my life).

Anime Convention Coming Up

Locally this con doesn't require any introduction but I'll give it one here because INTERNET. Starting this May 26th and going on till the 29th is a small town con called Anime Oasis. It's a pretty neat experience being that only roughly 450-600 people show up for it. We're in Idaho and we is small, but in a way, that's the charm of AO. It's got a very nice local feel to it and for those that go it's somewhat amusing because half of us already know each other. Realistically, I don't know why we require a con to meet up, but if it works it works. I'll be there for free thanks to a lifetime pass I bought years ago for a measly $50.

The only thing that saddens me about this convention, aside from your typically con drama, is that this weekend is also when Fanime goes down. I have a handful of friends out in California that really want me to go to Fanime instead, but I have to save my money and just stick with AO for now.

Nazo no Kanojo X

For a while now I've been a pretty big fan of Mysterious Girlfriend X. The premise itself is pretty simple: guy (Tsubaki Akira) meets girl (Urabe Mikoto), falls ill from love sickness, and then requires her drool to continue living a normal life. Also, they start dating. Simple eh? Basically, it's a fun romance comedy where we follow Tsubaki's attempts at furthering his awkward relationship with the highly awkward Urabe. The story is actually very cute and has this quirky charm to it.

Oh, the drool part? Yeah, that's a surprisingly major thing in this manga. Basically, Urabe has to... transfer her drool to Tsubaki or he gets all wiggy. From that alone you might think that these two are constantly making out, but that is certainly not the case. Urabe actually sticks her finger in her mouth to get the drool to Tsubaki, who has to then suck it down. Honestly, it's kind of weird and creepy at first, but eventually you get use to it. And really, the 'gross out' factor dies down pretty quickly.

This is an interesting and strange romantic comedy. Urabe is very much a no-touch kind of girl and Tsubaki tries desperately to get her to open up little by little each chapter. It's very cute from that standpoint alone, but also scary as it turns out that Urabe is highly skilled with scissors, which she carries around by using her panties as a holster. So, once in a while Tsubaki will mess up and Urabe will pull out her weapon and slash away (typically just to threaten him). It's a weird dynamic as I wouldn't exactly call Urabe tsundere, she's more just weird and very private. Even so, it's amusing to read as Tsubaki tries to have a 'normal' couple's relationship with her.

With all that going on, the manga somehow includes tons of fanservice and raunchy scenarios. For instance, Urabe's drawing of her scissors always seems to lead to an awesome panty shot. Even without that, there are plenty of cute/ecchi moments to happen about. Really, you could just call it a simple case of adoraboner.

So, my thoughts? Well, like I said I'm a huge fan of this series. It's got a great engaging story with fun quirky characters and a strange exotic vibe (mostly due to Urabe herself and less with the drool). There's a good balance of serious, funny, and ecchi moments, so it never feels too overwhelming in any of those regards. And finally, each chapter's pacing is made very well. There's no wasted frames and it feels like each arc is decent and well-thought out. Also, there's no true harem building here really, though many arcs center around a girl trying to replace Urabe. So, the final verdict? Go out and read this manga! It requires more attention, though each new chapter only comes out once a month.

Also, there's a rumor going around that this is being made into an anime by my absolute favorite studio Shaft. If anyone can capture the cute awkwardness of Mysterious Girlfriend X it is definitely them.

Cosplay Accessories I Want

So, while I don't find myself cosplaying (or in this case crossplaying) much anymore, but if I got my hands on this compressed gas replica of Mami's gun (video here) I totally would get back to it! Seriously, this isn't the first case of awesome cosplay relicas, but it still amazes me. I really wish I had the know how to get these types of projects off the ground. Also, if I had a slimmer form I'd probably be more inclined to cosplay more often. Also, did I mention I use to love crossplaying. Feels good.

Barcode Geass

For those that don't know what's up check out this link. Basically, one of my favorite shows of all time (Code Geass) is being turned into a hilarious sounding yonkoma series. I don't know if I body can take it. Because holy shit this is awesome! Feels good to fall in love all over again. Now, the question will be if this shit is up to par.

My Love of the Yonkoma

So with this new season of anime we of course get a flood of moeblob madness. I know, I know. But folks, let's be honest with ourselves, this is the shit that sells. Even so, I've often found myself drawn into the morbidly cute and obsessive trends of the moe theme genre, and for this weakness I apologize. Even so, I've once again stepped into the boundary and emerged from the pit with two shows I didn't think I'd pick up. These demons which haunt the darker pleasure nodes of my mind go by two names: A Channel and Nichijou.

To love these kinds of shows. This is the Yonkoma Curse.

The Main Characters of A Channel from Left to Right:

Nagi, Run, Tooru, & Yuuko

In truth, A Channel is nothing special and acts as your typical moe-induced, slice-of-life, pseudo-lesbian (though Tooru really does put this into question), high school fanservice dream show that centers around FRIENDSHIP. No, sadly, not Nanoha style FRIENDSHIP, just regular friendship.

So, I've watched up to either episode 5 or 6 and I can't really say I know what the 'pull' is for me. Honestly the humor and antics of the show aren't all that spectacular or unique, though somehow the characters remaining charming. In a way, I guess the moe bit is working out for A Channel, though mostly I've been watching it more for Tooru (which I suspect is the real reason most people are watching) and her weird side adventures.

The character dynamic is also a little more interesting in A Channel than other animated yonkoma series. The girls don't really feel all that fresh or original, however the writer wasn't afraid to play on old stereotypes. Run's simple airheadedness is almost refreshing in a world where writers and designers seem to be going out of their way to add 'depth' to characters. Hell, even the tension between Yuuko and Tooru make for a fun dip every so often.

Most of the things in A Channel can be taken at face value and that is certainly not a bad thing. Again, A Channel takes the slice-of-life pretty typically adding a light dose of yuri and topping it off with a very mellow, feel-good atmosphere. There's a heavily emphasis on friendship and the bonds made during high school here, so if you are a fan of the modern yonkoma, A Channel will make you feel right at home. Also, each episode has an insert song sung by the cast, but really that's more for the hardcore. It's a decent show, but not the best thing out this season. Which is my awkward segue into Nichijou.

Mio and Yuuko just being simple.

So, Nichijou. Where/how do I even begin here? Firstly, let me just say that I'm absolutely in love with this anime and I regret not having jumped on the manga sooner. Basically, Nichijou is a wild ride into a crazed world of ever-changing gags and over-the-top characters. I think the first thing most people note with this series is that Mio (the blue haired girl) looks an awful lot like Chiyo from Azumanga Daioh. In fact, a lot of Nichijou is extremely similar to the big Ah!, but let's be honest with ourselves. Most yonkoma brought about in this style will tend to do that. Basically, bottom line being this: don't let Nichijou's Azumanga Daioh style prevent you from watching and enjoying it. It's amazing and you should probably think of it more like homage to Azuma Kiyohiko's powerhouse classic.

This is my everyday life.

What Nichijou does right is that it basically takes everything that was everything and kicks up thirty notches. Nichijou is crazy and the gags range quite heavily between each segment. Much like a Japanese variety show, Nichijou really does have it's way with comedy, and I love every second. There is a large cast of characters, including many male characters (which is sometimes considered revolutionary in this genre). The animation is top tier which may surprise many viewers. Seriously, go watch any scene in which Misato disciplines Koujirou.

 Now that shit is tight!

One thing you may notice about Nichijou is that for some reason this series has some serious funding for all those awesome action scenes. There you go, another reason to watch it: visually impressive. Now that's an awkward compliment for a show based on the yonkoma style. I really can't say enough positive things about Nichijou! Sure, some of the gags and jokes may be too surreal at times, but the series itself just likes to poke fun at things. Mostly awkward things, which is something I highly approve of. With such a colorful cast of characters, it's easy to find a favorite segment in the show's frantic scene-by-scene rotation. Nichijou really is a show for those who like having a good time, so please give it a go. New episodes are out on Sunday, so be on the lookout! Anyways, have a good night and good luck!

Fifty-fifty.

In retrospect, I should have said more about Nichijou. This, I nearly regret, but not really at all. Go watch more anime. It's still good!

Figmas! Figmas! Figmas! Oh my!

This entry contains images I stole from Hobby Search (http://www.1999.co.jp).

And today I want to talk about Figmas.

Suzumiya Haruhi in Figma form!

In essence when I start collections I like those items to have a lot of 'play value.' And what I mean by that is simple, it just needs to have a lot of accessories that I can play with! I'm all about getting the best bang for my buck. For this I've turned to Figmas. Yes, I understand that one of the biggest complaints from fans about Figmas are that the joints don't look good, but you know what? I don't mind that at all. Personally, I find that being able to pose your figures and freely equipping them with a plethora of accessories (including alternate faces) is a damn good trade off for not-perfect limbs. Not to mention that Figmas tend to be far cheaper and easier to get than most other figures.

Basic Figma box, this one featuring Mari from the new Evangelion movies.

And here's what she looks like out of the box.

I have a very small collection namely due to a lack of funds. Currently I have the following: Tohsaka Rin (#11), Nagato Yuki (#15), Asahina Mikuru (#33, though I should have waited for the #36 battle maid version), Suzumiya Haruhi (#34), Tsuruya (#37), Saber (#50), Dark Saber (#72), and Love Machine (#83). So yeah, I don't have that many, but it's a fine collection that I'm quite proud of nonetheless! Most of my shelf space is dedicated to all the Gundam model kits I've completed, which I'm sure I'll post about later.

For those wanting to get into figure collecting but are unsure of what to expect, I would highly recommend Max Factory's Figma line (which you can check out here). Sure most are moe characters, but I suspect that most would-be collectors are after that sort of thing. Another fine point to bring up is that collecting figures is much much cheaper when you buy Figma. Man, this is starting to sound like a viral marketing scheme for Max Factory, but seriously just hear me out.

Yes, male Figmas exist, but they tend to be rare and expensive.

For example: Lelouch here is worth around $150 to $200.

Most Figmas (minus the rare Figmas, often times these are also the male ones) will run you an average of $30-$60 each (rare Figmas tend to be around $80-$150). Most statues that look very nice (and I mean VERY VERY nice) often start at around $80 with a majority being in the $150-$300 range. That's a pretty steep price for a figure that you most likely can't pose yourself, change out the faces, or even get to hold different accessories. Sure some have those options, but I find that Figmas tend to allow for a larger range of freedom. Also, all Figmas are scaled the same so any accessories that one Figma comes with can be used by other Figmas, including most faces. Basically, this lead me to buy Figmas exclusively.

Below is a more detailed look at a Figma, namely the beautfiul KOS-MOS ver. 4. I included the box, a number of poses/accessory combo pics, and a zoom in on the plastic wrappings. Images from Hobby-Search.

 For an even more images or if you want to buy the product check out this link.

Bottom line being this: if you want to start collecting anime figures but don't have the money for it, try out Figmas. Hell, if you've already been collecting figures go out and buy a Figma today just to see if it's the right fit for your collection. Max Factory also tends to release a lot of characters from the same series to make completing a set all the more stratifying. FIGMAS. DO IT NOW.

Keikaku Fail

So, originally I was going to have my next entry (this one) detailing my Figma collection with pictures and all that, but it seems that my digital camera has decided that rebellion against me was a better path for itself. Being as figures are a more visual aspect of the fandom I've gone ahead and put that little entry on hold for a few more days to try and collect a better form of photography that doesn't also double as a cellphone. And until that time I'm outta here! See ya soon (I hope).

Making Keikaku Doori

So, eventually I'd like to start updating this blog more often than just once or twice a week. Either way, I wanted to post this to make sure that SOMEONE knows that I will post again. Here in a little bit I want to talk about my personal anime memorabilia collection. Items like figures, bodypillows, plushies, keychain bobbles, and other sorts of nicknacks is what I'll discuss. And as a little teaser I'll tell you right now that my personal favorite thing to collect are figures, specifically Max Factory's Figmas.

Networks and Blu Rays

PSN is still down so no SSF4 costume DLC packs for me. Also, my credit card info is in the hands of some imbecile, but on the bright side Madoka blu rays are available here.