Ani-Gamers

Con Report: Zenkaikon 2009 - Cramped But Competent

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:32:00 +0000

November 7-8, 2009
Radisson Hotel Valley Forge
King of Prussia, PA, USA

A merger of two formerly separate and smaller cons (Kosaikon and Zentrankon), Zenkaikon 2009 is the fourth incarnation of a relatively small (but rapidly growing) Pennsylvania anime convention that serves up the standards: guest speakers, industry- and fan-run panels, video game rooms, and live performances.

There were only two very cramped gaming rooms (with an admirable amount of systems squeezed in) and as many video rooms, which were split between live action and anime. While some might consider this a horrible decision given both the size and purpose of the con, I thought it was a ballsy effort to offer something more despite the smaller space and projected number of attendees (they vastly underestimated). The highlight of the viewing I was able to see was the first three subbed episodes of Princess Tutu.

The attending bands, with the exception of J-pop singer Rina Mimura, were only moderately alluring as a taste of J-music. Eyeshine, geist, and Eden Star all had members of Asian descent and were all/mostly influenced by J-Punk/-Pop, but sounded too little like it to evoke an Asian feel. That’s not to say they weren’t good, however. I’ve seen Eden Star before, and the lead singer as well as the drummer exhibit very impressive energy and talent. It just seemed a little too tellingly inauthentic. Hell, even Castle Point Anime Convention got Peelander-Z.

The dealer’s room was about the size of a classroom, and did just about all it could with the space provided, but navigation was frustratingly tight and rewards far too few. Similarly, Artist’s Alley was a joke. Very few artists were actually displaying their work (the room was smaller than the dealer’s room), and what was there seemed lackluster.

Panels were many, but scheduling was, as usual for any con, poorly arranged (at least for my tastes). All the uninteresting panels seemed grouped together to form hours of free time, and all the interesting panels overlapped separate rooms. In addition to a wonderfully informative kendo demonstration, my particular interests were with “Anime in China,” “Moe Anthropomorphism-tan,” “Psychology of Anime,” and “Do Anime Conventions Have a Future?” Luckily, I was able to catch all but the last, and reviews/summations can be found on this site for those who could not attend these enlightening and well-handled panels.

So, if you were looking for a lily pad to serve as a fix between New York and Hoboken or wherever anime pops up next – a place to commune with your fellow lovers of anime, cosplay, and all other aspects of American otaku-dom – then Zenkaikon is a decent enough pit stop. There is vast room for improvement with regards to venue, organization, and space allocation, but that will hopefully come with time.

Zenkaikon 09: Anime in (Hangzhou) China

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Although this Zenkaikon panel was called "Anime in China," let’s start off with a couple of domestic statistics. In 2006, attendance levels for Otakon and San Diego Comic Con were 23,000 and 114,000, respectively. For the third China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, held in Hangzhou, China, attendance levels topped 430,000. Just shy of half a million people come together over their shared love for Japanese and US culture via animation. But despite these massive numbers, average wait time for tickets (at the door) is only 5 minutes max. Why? Because the army does crowd control, and not just because people such as the provincial head of the communist party stop by. No, that’s not a joke.

On the first day, Industry Day, only company people attend, and that number tops 15,000. Turns out that Hangzhou is the animation capital of China. Imagine that, an entire city taking pride in animation as its most beloved factor. What kind of pride? We’re talking 20 ft tall METAL statues of the convention’s mascot at every major intersection, blimps advertising the convention over the entire city, billboards at every turn, and even a grand cartoon parade through public streets and broadcast live over television, all as an advertisement that the animation festival would be open to the public the next day. Add to all of this the fact that the convention and its happenings dominate the news for each day, and you get a sense of the love (and excellent marketing) that goes into this event.

That love, as well as the awe inspired by such a demonstration, was shared by our panel’s presenter, Kevin McKeever. As head of marketing for Robotech, McKeever was not only there on a commercial mission but also garnered observations as a foreigner visiting for love of animation. The conference is attended, on the first day exclusively and then all throughout, by all toy, animation, and studios/production companies. So, in addition to the custom STRUCTURES built specifically for this year’s con, the organization also offers offices in back for conducting industry-related (as opposed to consumer-related) business.

For the rest of the convention, other attractions include bands performing music (often from the animated shows) on the convention floor; an integrated radio broadcast from a soundproof booth; and Artist’s Alley. The latter offers a distinctive twist from the format US audiences know and love. Instead of individual artists hocking their wares, it features submissions from the public solicited by the convention, which judges them and then puts all selected entries for public display in a room relative to the size of an aircraft hangar.

What about cosplay? Oh, dear god, yes, it exists. Though there is no hall cosplay due to the hazards to costumes and people alike jammed in the densely populated convention center, there is a DAILY masquerade that goes on for 8 hours each day. Also, there are professional cosplayers at booths dedicated to specific shows. But booths are not only there to promote the finished product, there are also booths from all the art schools ready to edify and accept applications from those interested in breaking into the industry.

Then it was time to leave. McKeever and entourage packed up and left the convention to get back home, where, evidently, we have a lot to learn from those in Hangzhou about manifesting our love for anime and animation in such an efficient and affluent manner.

J-pop idol Ai Kago to appear in New Jersey

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:15:00 +0000

OK, so this one's a little odd, but the story stuck out to me since it (literally) hits so close to home. Japanese singer Ai Kago (former member of Morning Musume, Hello! Project, and W) recently attended a performance from Japanese rock group ZAMZA at Webster Hall in New York City (EDIT: It turns out that Ai decided instead to attend and perform at the open mic at Lucky Jack's), and she will appear Sunday, November 22 (that's tomorrow) at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Fort Lee, New Jersey – a mere half-hour from where I live! There the singer and author will give a press conference and "say hello to her fans."

I'm away at college right now (and I'm not big into J-pop), so there's no way I'm getting down there for the press conference on Sunday. Still, let us know if you're planning on going!

[via Jive Ninjas. Thanks, Patrick Macias!]

Zenkaikon 09: The psychological appeals of anime

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:40:00 +0000

I love academia as much as the next guy. (Ok, most likely a lot more than the next guy), but even I have to tip my hat to and scowl at K. Levinson, who led the "Psychology of Anime" panel at Zenkaikon 2009. A published student and teacher of psychology, Levinson decided to base the panel on the cognitive approach and certainly cannot be accused of talking down to the crowd. Having not taken a bit of psychology since I was in college myself, I found my dying brain cells barely an adequate bridge to traverse the topics of why people love anime, what the nature of their attraction to it is, and what the reasons behind the artists’ choices when developing series are.

Almost any time anyone mentions psychology, the first figure to come to mind is Dr. Sigmund Freud. So what would the father of psychoanalysis say about our particular branch of fandom? Given his life drive theory, it would be anime’s aggressiveness and sexuality that keep otaku buying DVDs en masse. Big guns, big...girls. Very simple. Continuing along the timeline of psychological development, theories get a little more complicated.

Social psychology, or how people interact with other people and within groups, was our next area of examination. Basically, this field would theorize that anime viewers watch to observe relationships. I’m not only talking your typical boy/girl doting upon girl/boy (or any combination thereof), but relationships between government and people, individuals to their situations, etc. It is a form of vicarious living. But viewers don’t want to be the characters. Instead, they feel an association or desire for particular exhibited qualities. Keep this in mind when we visit Gestalt psychology.

Between here and there, however, was Abraham Maslow and his theory of the hierarchy of human needs: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Answers to what portions of the needs pyramid anime could satisfy included partial or entire levels of safety, love/belonging, and esteem. But how? The innate morality and sense of family in most anime would take care of at least relaying a vision of a comprehensible and achievable level of safety; vicarious themes of friendship, intimacy, and family take viewers into a sense of love/belonging; and contrasts between characters and viewers can instill a sense of confidence or bolster their self-esteem.

In Gestalt psychology, everything is analyzed from top to bottom – as a whole first and then by parts. Followers of this branch of psychology would believe anime viewers just don’t see the components – characters, plot, setting, animation style, music – but experience the whole first before breaking it down into what appeals to them. After viewers identify enjoyable wholes (genres), elements thereof can then be further broken down, and components of those elements micro-analyzed, etc. What makes this theory so plausible is the inherent oversimplification aspect of anime. It is the driving force behind the medium’s accelerated growth, because the simpler the whole, the easier to access, identify, and break down.

Lastly, the (fraternal) twin cities of determinism and relativism respectively state that the way people speak the language is the way they view the world and that the way people perceive things determines their language. Aspects of both arguments are most prevalent in the great sub/dub debate, which would point out missed jokes and incorrect meanings via translation. Symbolic interactions determine how we interpret, so that is why dubs should appeal to US viewers in a different way that subs do: jokes and phraseology are often tweaked for the native language instead of being verbatim translations that go over the proverbial heads of foreign audiences. Also related to this theory is the concept that anyone’s first viewing of anime is relativistic. Viewers start to form templates of new material’s form from their initial viewing, relying upon that experience as a control in an experiment. Continued watching becomes deterministic, because viewers are familiar with the form and can start to use their learned language to compare it against a familiar form.

I hope those views gave you something to chew on. There was a lot more name-dropping and psychological mumbo-jumbo, but I think Wikipedia charges by the link, and, if your head is anything like mine, it’s probably screaming out for some aspirin right about now. Take some, and next time you sit down with a favorite series, think, if only for a moment: what specifically drew you to it, how does it make you feel, and how do you use it? The answers just might surprise you.

Ani-Gamers blogger Ink checked out a whole bunch of the panels and events at Zenkaikon 2009. For more coverage, keep your eyes on our Zenkaikon 09 label!

Zenkaikon 09: McKeever on marketing anime, then and now

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:35:00 +0000

"Introduction to Independent Filmmaking" was a panel not nearly as interesting as its presenter, Kevin McKeever. If you want to know how to get into film, there are basically 2 requirements: luck and determination, and even combined they are no guarantee for success. For McKeever, it was all about working hard in any position that the industry he loved would have him in. From unpaid “go-fer,” to unpaid and then salaried script reader, and later on to head of marketing for Robotech for Harmony Gold, McKeever crawled his way up the ranks and saw the industry change with him as he grabbed each rung. The most interesting points in the panel came not from career advice, but those insights on marketing anime he gained while climbing and how they allow him to view the current market.

When asked how the various forms of Internet distribution – streaming, downloads, fansubs, etc. – are changing the industry, McKeever acknowledged the impact. He said the Internet distribution is definitely affecting industry, but no one knows exactly how yet. It’s somewhat related to the VCR issue from days of old, when such recording devices were thought to purely promote piracy and yet ended up being the building block of the massive cash cow known as the home video market. Why sell per-hit views on websites for five cents, when you can sell a DVD for $30, right? Well, since we are a society of consumers focused on material, in-your-hands possessions, it stands to reason a large percentage of those who stream will buy hard copies. Even those that don’t, those that strictly download, are still contributing. And those that stream and let stream...every penny reaped from advertisers counts, no?

Reflecting on the industry’s adoption of anime, McKeever recalls it as scarce at first. Anything brought to the big screen or little ones was intended for our little ones (children), and the seeming lack of adult content did not substantiate further investment. McKeever credits Transformers (2007) with opening up the anime genre (yes, he includes it in the anime genre) to the adult marketplace. Its unrivaled success – equal amongst males and females alike, surprisingly – spurred a frenzied need within all the major production companies, who had been watching to see what would become of the modernized nostalgia trip. Thus the studios sought out their own “giant robot” franchise, their Cowboy Bebops, their Robotechs, their Speed Racers, their Akiras. Funny thing was, contrary to how easy it was to gain anime property and distribution rights in the past, studios found themselves in limited, strict contracts when courting their desired Japanese properties. The market had grown wise and greedy.

Still, live action adaptations of anime are seen as a blessing through McKeever’s eyes. Much the same way as Internet streaming brings consumers to store shelves, so do these adaptations bring newfound fans of the presented stories/characters back to the original source material: anime.

As for the future of anime’s success in America and elsewhere, McKeever said it all exists on a grassroots level. Fans are what brought this genre over, and fans are what keep spreading the gospel. This is why anime is a strong property. Each intimate word-of-mouth indoctrination between friends, even conventions that build face-to-face connections with and between fans and industry, spur purchasing despite a bad economy. And while otaku may get a little more picky about which titles they buy, they will certainly keep buying, and there’s something out there for everyone.

Ani-Gamers blogger Ink checked out a whole bunch of the panels and events at Zenkaikon 2009. For more coverage, keep your eyes on our Zenkaikon 09 label!

Zenkaikon 09: Look out! There’s a cute girl hiding in everything!

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:40:00 +0000

Emily Compton and Katsunori Matsushita headed Zenkaikon’s "Moé Anthropomorphism-tan" panel, which sought to explain the exploitation of moé figures created either as marketing or metaphor for use in ads, anime, and other amusements in Japan.

Moé characters, for the purpose of the subjects of this panel, are sweet/cute figures defined by a set of characteristics that evokes an inclination to protect/defend them. Anthropomorphism is defined via Wikipedia as “the attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts.” Japan, which has a long-standing tradition of attributing spiritual sense to everyday objects (what they call gods, but we would see more as “spirit” or “essence”), uses a combination of pop culture and inherited spirituality to create moé mascots with attributes representing the objects they represent.

Examples range from educational comics, manga, Web animations, and anime to fetishistic advertising. An example of the former would be Afuganis-tan, a series which uses moé characters as personifications of Central Asian nations to educate children about history and current events. While this format has made the history “accessible” to youth (and entertaining to adults), it often elicits a critique of trivialization. Its characters are very stereotypical, defined by broad generalizations in appearance as well as their actions, but all the nations are treated equally, avoiding any sense of favoritism.

Mechamusume is another branch of moé anthropomorphism, wherein cute girls represent vehicles/hardware. And aside from military ads/brochures for real-world jets, tanks, and guns, examples of mechamusume’s employment can be found in anime series such as Sky Girls and Strike Witches. This form of moé anthropomorphism isn’t confined to military machinations, however. Commercial planes, trains, and even satellites are represented by cute girls integrated with either aspects of the actual design or wearing uniforms/colors of the company. An anime that touches on this is Miracle Train, which employs beautiful men riding an underground subway line as allegories for stops along said train line; each character’s characteristics are defined by the nature of the stops (business, entertainment, night life, etc.).

With an admitted soft spot for the wide-eyed girls that so often populate anime in general, I found it generally amusing to see the wealth of moé in advertising for everything from education to social commentary. It comes down to the art of representing one thing through another: a visual metaphor. Varying degrees of good and bad were clearly evident even through the various examples of a poorly lit slideshow (bad projector), but, come what may, moé anthropomorphism remains a distinctive Japanese presence and (much to the dismay of many) culturally and artistically relevant.

Ani-Gamers blogger Ink checked out a whole bunch of the panels and events at Zenkaikon 2009. For more coverage, keep your eyes on our Zenkaikon 09 label!

And so begins the Anime Secret Santa Project!

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:51:00 +0000

Clearly I've been more naughty than nice this year. It's the only thing that makes sense, considering the three anime chosen for me by my "Anime Secret Santa." The project, run by the Reverse Thieves, has a wide cross-section of anime bloggers trading review requests Secret Santa-style, with the goal of the choices being things that the reviewer on the receiving end might like despite having never seen before.

Somebody, however, is not out to make my Christmas a happy one. Whoever you are, my undercover friend, you should know right now that I shall never forgive you for what you have done. I shall hunt you to the ends of the earth, though you may hide behind the guise of Internet anonymity. "Why the hatred?" my readers might ask. "Why this open loathing for one whom you have never met?"

The reason, as the more astute among you may have already guessed, is that my Anime Secret Santa has had the courage (and cruelty) to request not one, not two, but THREE anime series straight out of the bowels of the dread spectre of moé (not exactly my favorite genre, to put it lightly). My friends, I am now tasked with choosing between Air, Kannagi, and True Tears.

So let it be known that I accept your challenge, oh mysterious fellow blogger. My poison of choice is Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens, the Next Big Thing from Haruhi director Yutaka Yamamoto. I am prepared to stare without fear into the gaping maw of the moé menace. Do your worst.

My review of Kannagi will be posted on or around December 24. The pairings for the Secret Santa Project will be revealed on the 25th.

FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 31

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers staff writer Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 31 - The 520 Cens Promise

This episode follows the theme of transition, more specifically making the best of a bad situation. Starting with Hawkeye as Fuhrer’s assistant, we learn that position does not determine behavior. Keep your friends close and enemies closer is the credo, but Hawkeye makes it known that proximity does not beget obedience and that the Fuhrer should sleep with his eyes open.

Along the same vein, Mustang, a man without allies (they’ve all been reassigned to other headquarters), portrays himself as a king estranged from his league of loyal chess pieces. Lest the bluntness be lost, remember Wrath currently holds the title of Fuhrer King, the title which Mustang longs to usurp. Facing the loss of all those that lent their support to his ambitions, Mustang does the only thing he can: calls in a favor and starts to build new alliances.

Speaking of Mustang, I’m liking the fact that the director takes every opportunity to showcase the scar on Mustang’s hand (injured in a battle with Lust). It is prominently featured on most close ups, usually the nearest bare hand to camera and serves as a reminder of his fallibility and mortality. This is more than a typical badge of courage; it is a memory and constant reminder of a wound. Unfortunately, this heavy reminder looks like a bit of badly drawn hair. FMA1’s infallible Mustang left it to his soldiers to take the hits that left marks, once even telling Hawkeye, coldly, to clean the blood off of her forehead (grazed by a rock) because it looked undignified. Because FMA2’s Mustang has suffered, it makes him more human than the FMA1 version, more prone to error, and thus creates a good, believable tension for any scene where action is involved.

There is also some more Kimblee back-story, mostly regarding his military-sanctioned use of a real philosopher’s stone, as well as his current release from military prison by the homunculi. In FMA1, Kimblee was part of the military team that destroyed Ishval with the help of fake philosopher’s stones and then ended up in Lab 5 as an ingredient for a stone. But FMA2 grants him the power of a true philosopher’s stone and a special place in the homunculi’s hearts because of his disposition. This is similar to FMA1 only in that both Kimblees worked with homunculi. FMA1’s Kimblee worked with Greed and later the Armestris military (directed by Pride/Wrath), and FMA2’s worked with Envy – as messenger for Father and representative of the whole homunculi lot. But with former FMA2 episodes touting Homunculi Pride, how is their having to rely on a mere human going to play out with egos on both sides? It’s an interesting setup.

There’s also a lot to be said of FMA2’s portrayal of Scar. He’s intelligent and calculating, as opposed to FMA1’s over-zealous, revenge-bent mass murderer (with a heart of gold). Again, FMA2 chooses tactics over emotion while managing to imply the latter. What I’m talking about specifically is Scar’s treatment of Marcoh. Playing the doctor’s guilt to gain any insight possible into the Ishvalan War of Extermination, Scar performs a bit of impromptu (and incomplete) plastic surgery on Marcoh that serves to both exact a bit of cathartic revenge and hide the missing alchemist from the eyes of the military and homunculi alike. The act is shown with great force and an undeniable anger that is never spoken.

Review: Ristorante Paradiso (Sub)

noreply@blogger.com (Uncle Yo) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Medium: TV Anime
Number of Episodes: 12
Genres: Drama, Romance
Director: Mitsuko Kase
Original Creator: Natsume Ono
Studio: David Production
Version Reviewed: Crunchyroll simulcast
Airdate: April 8, 2009 - June, 2009 (JPN/US)
Rated: Unrated (appropriate for 13+)

When Ani-Gamers originally mentioned Ristorante Paradiso, Vampt Vo and I dismissed it as a pointless reverse-harem jōsei with little redeeming value. After accidentally watching the first episode four times, I found myself drawn to this slice-of-life romantic comedy and its dry sense of humor. With its simple plot and quiet, likable characters, this 12-episode manga adaptation became my private sanctuary amidst all the ninjas and melodrama of Crunchyroll's spring 2009 season.

Our protagonist is Nicoletta, a young woman visiting Rome on a mission: to find her mother. While wandering the back streets of choppy, blocky 3D animation, she discovers the restaurant Casetta Dell’Orso (meaning “a little bear’s house”), where her mother dates the owner, Lorenzo. Driven by curiosity and bubbling self-righteousness, Nicoletta finds her mother amid a team of older gentlemen, all wearing glasses. Once mother and daughter are reunited, Nicoletta’s mother, free-spirited and childish Olga, agrees to keep their relationship secret from the gentlemen with glasses so as not to ruin her life with Lorenzo. Their solution: give Nicoletta a job at the restaurant, surrounded by gentlemen wearing glasses.

Ordinarily, the glasses detail would mean nothing; but the fact that the writer injects this fact again and again gives the viewer an overdose of kind, older men. Which means somebody must find this appealing.

This is Japan – they can fetishize anything.

Few folks under the age of eighteen are going to enjoy this series. The appeal of a subtle, slow series like Ristorante Paradiso is watching the characters grow, and indeed they do grow. Nicoletta trains diligently as a chef while battling against her intense feelings for one of the waiters, Claudio, a kind divorcer who refuses to remove his old wedding ring. Along the journey, we delve briefly into the pasts of the other five waiters, though very little is actually flashed back to; the director keeps as much in the present as possible.

As mentioned above, the art is sacrificed in favor of sad CG roads and backgrounds, although some of the painted panoramic shots of Rome are very well done, setting the perfect romanticized scene, as if the sun itself was lit by candlelight. The soft focus and dim lighting are overused. Nevertheless, this series is about Italian hospitality, and that means food. The food of Ristorante Paradiso deserves some kind of award...or a layer of Parmesan cheese. The apartments feel lived-in, the restaurant itself feels warm and welcoming. But the character design throw me off: the eyes are TOO big, even compared to shōjo, and the extra-long mouths make the characters have elongated, twisted smiles, like trolls from a children’s book.

Ristorante deals with issues of love, both unrequited and long-lost. While we center on Nicoletta’s inability to openly confess to Claudio (a task that would be the center for any high school shōjo), the story pulls back to reveal every character’s doubt with love, even for the characters who have lasting relationships. Once the main course is cleared, this is a simple and soft series with a wide palette for hospitality, Rome, and men with glasses. There, I’ve proven my sensitive side. Now let us never speak of it again and go back to panties and giant robots.

average.

Review: With the Light - Raising an Autistic Child vol.1

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Medium: Manga
Number of Volumes: 14+
Genre(s): Drama, Slice-of-Life
Author(s): Keiko Tobe
Serialized in: For Mrs. (Akita Shoten)
Version Reviewed: Yen Press graphic novel
Release Dates: 2000 (JPN), Sept. 2007 (NA)
Rated: Unknown (appropriate for young teens and up)

With the spotlight constantly trained on shōnen action manga like Naruto and Bleach, it can be easy to forget that, in Japan, manga is a medium that spans a wide, diverse range of topics and themes. Fortunately for North American manga fans, publisher Yen Press has not abandoned the oft-sidelined jōsei (adult woman) market, as they have been publishing Keiko Tobe's wonderful slice-of-life With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child.

Tobe's manga, based loosely on true stories told by real parents of autistic children, follows a young mother named Sachiko Azuma and her autistic son Hikaru ("light" in Japanese). Soon after Hikaru is born, Sachiko and her husband Masato realize that he is not speaking or responding to speech. When they ask one doctor, he says that Hikaru is deaf, but a second opinion finds a much more serious problem: autism.

The story is essentially an attempt to educate about and bring attention to autism, a developmental disorder that often makes it difficult for those afflicted with it to understand and recreate expressions of emotion. The symptoms vary wildly from person to person, resulting in things like obsessively counting cars, demanding rigid daily schedules, or throwing fits about illogical concerns. However, despite the clearly educational tone of the series, the storytelling in the first volume is rarely diluted for the sake of relaying information. Any expositional scenes are shown through doctors or professionals explaining things to the Azumas, so the only times when it feels a little forced are when other people seem to not know what autism is. (I would assume that awareness of the disorder is pretty big in Japan, as it is in America, but then again this was originally published in 2000, so who knows?)

Seeing as I am an adult male, I am clearly not the target audience for a jōsei series, but With the Light is actually surprisingly entertaining for people who might not otherwise read manga written for women. The pace is admittedly a little slow, but the moments of emotion are tender glipses of familial togetherness, far from the flowery love scenes of shōjo (though there are quite a few flower effects). Tobe does wonders with these scenes in the context of autism. A simple moment of Hikaru first saying "Mommy" as Sachiko stands in an open, sunlit window is moving not because of the simple action that most all children go through, but because as an autistic child, reaching this point is a tremendous feat for Hikaru.

However, With the Light is Tobe's first manga, and it shows in her unpolished, wispy-looking artwork. With so many lines all over the place, finding my way around the page was harder than it should be for a seasoned manga fan like myself. Clearly this is the kind of manga that can appeal to first-time manga readers, but its confusing visual style makes jumping into it a little too difficult. As the story wears on, Tobe's cluttered pages and attractive character designs remain, but the art is a little cleaner, darker, and more refined.

As an exhibit of manga's wide variety, With the Light is a must-have on any diverse reader's bookshelf. As a manga to be judged solely on its own merits, it is certainly not a groundbreaking series in either art or storytelling. Nevertheless, what Tobe lacks in skill she makes up for tenfold in heart. With the Light's value comes not in reading a totally professional manga series, but in experiencing a heartwarming story that rings with truth, told by a first-time manga-ka with a deep love for all those afflicted with autism.

good.

FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 30

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:30:00 +0000

Watch Episode 30 - The Ishvalan War of Extermination

It’s finally here! Nevermind those cursory flashbacks and throwaway one-liners that promised insight into Ishval, because we’re finally privy to a full episode dealing with nothing but Ishval!

For emotional impact, it’s linguistics that matter here. FMA2 refers to this matter as “The Ishvalan War of Extinction,” whereas FMA1 bounced back and forth between the "Ishvalan uprising," the "war in Ishval," and the "Ishval Massacre." The noted difference is one of passivity. “War of Extinction” is a pointed and active phrase that puts emphasis on the act of killing, whereas even the heaviest of FMA1’s names for what happened in Ishval, massacre, emphasizes dying (and unjustly at that). Staying true to both series’ personalities, this difference is fundamental to making viewers feel the appropriate degree and brand of sympathy. Implications of “extermination” let us know this is a bloody and violent ordeal with little room for the emotional upheaval that was FMA1’s mainstay.

Still, one can’t help but be taken aback at the seriousness brought about by Fuhrer’s Order #3066 (aka, The Ishvalan War of Extinction). There are no characters to develop or warm up to during the minute or so battle scene montage, just war. Graphic displays of violence and destruction, some of which we’re seen before and many more we have not, continue to affect long after off screen by some rather brilliantly linked scenarios. FMA1 never had such an episode. The closest it came was a couple of flashbacks from the points of view of Ishvalans and chimeras, but nothing that ever seriously depicted all-out war. FMA1 examined war by exploring the personal afflictions it caused rather than the war itself, shown in particular by the episode devoted to two young Ishvalans’ recollections about their mother during the war. Much more direct, FMA2 is giving us the soldier’s perspective. What else would we expect?

Other differences revisiting the war brings about for FMA2 that FMA1 missed out on include seeing Hughes again; some mental insight into the explosion factory that is Kimblee, The Crimson Alchemist; some back-story on Riza Hawkeye, her alchemist father, and Mustang; as well as (and oddly enough) some earnest psychological distress/emotional trauma stemming from the weight of killing. The latter further parallels Ed and Mustang, especially taking into account Ed’s heart-to-heart with Riza Hawkeye earlier on. The difference? Ed’s yet to cross the line, and that’s what is setting up Ed as a superior foil to Mustang compared to FMA1. Characters are more intricately balanced in both the events that have comprised their lives thus far and how those events have affected the lifestyles they currently lead.

Ani-Gamers Podcast #022 - There Is a Fly on the Microphone

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Erin and Noah
Topic: New York Anime Festival 2009

Recorded live from the 2009 New York Anime Festival, this episode features none other than the fearsome anime podcasting couple, Erin and Noah of the Ninja Consultant Podcast! We talk about what we did at the convention and delve into some totally off-topic conversations that may or may not be completely enthralling. You decide!

Next episode will feature Al and Kate from the Reverse Thieves blog as we tackle shōjo anime that appeal to male viewers. It's already recorded, and I can guarantee that it's going to be a pretty fun show.

Show notes and links can be found after the break.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - RSS Feed - iTunes - Send us Feedback! - More episodes

(Runtime: 27 minutes)

[0:00:00] Intro: Wildarmshero, also known as "wah," recorded at the New York Anime Festival 2009

[0:00:11] Opening Song: "R.O.D Theme" by Taku Iwasaki (R.O.D. OVA opener)

[0:00:30] Right off the bat we get into the NYAF09 discussion, despite our full mouths due to delicious sandwiches, granola bars, and yogurt. (For more on Erin and Noah, check out their podcast and read Erin on Anime News Network, where she has recently taken over Bamboo Dong's "Shelf Life" column.)

[0:01:22] Noah talks about the yōkai panel he attended, and he and Erin explain what yōkai are.

[0:03:40] Erin ties in the news and announcements from the con with a discussion of the Del Rey manga Yōkaiden.

[0:05:55] More generally, Evan moves us along to the various industry panels and the relative dearth of manga industry representation.

[0:08:56] And OF COURSE, we talk about Tomino-Con as well.

[0:13:40] More license announcements (and definitions of gothic styles of theatre).

[0:15:20] The CPM Retrospective was really fun, especially since they were able to be very candid about the titles that they put out (since the company is now out of business).

[0:19:00] FUNimation announcements (Afro Samurai Emmy, Initial D rerelease, Blassreiter and Dragonaut licenses).

[0:21:26] Evan saw Cencoroll, but Erin and Noah didn't. We do our best to discuss it anyway.

[0:26:12] We get kicked out of the dining area before we're even a half-hour in, forcing us to end the recording! And then there's just some basic podcast information before the end of the show.

[0:27:17] Ending Song: "WORLD END (Instrumental)" by FLOW (Code Geass R2 second opener)

Impressions: Left 4 Dead - Crash Course DLC (PC)

noreply@blogger.com (Phreak) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

I have always been addicted to the zombie genre, so it was natural that Left 4 Dead made me feel, as the old proverb states, "like a kid in a candy shop." "Crash Course" is the newest offering served up by Valve via DLC for both Xbox 360 and PC.

You start off with a downed chopper in front of you and your teammates beside you, complaining about a zombie pilot. The city is littered with the usual flipped cars, random burning fires, and lots of great dark places for you to get yanked and made a four course meal of. The gameplay is the same fluid shooter experience you have likely come to expect from L4D, with no real tweaks or changes. The level design, however, is excellent. It's a little on the linear side, but it is cramped and filled with obstacles, which really helps to give players that feeling of claustrophobia and total fear.

"Crash Course" suffers from a few setbacks. Sitting at only two chapters of actual gameplay, it's far too short; it only took me and two other people a total of 30 minutes to complete a pick-up game. Versus is a different story altogether though; a few pick up games took us a total of an hour and a half to finish, so that made up for it. For PC gamers this DLC is totally worth it (since its free), but for Xbox gamers it costs the significantly less-free 560 Microsoft points. I don't know if I can blame Valve for this, but I fully believe that I can blame Microsoft. I have also come to find it a little annoying that they didn't make any changes to how you fight the horde. Its the same "bunker down, get ready, and unload mounds and mounds of ammunition into the undead onslaught" pattern.

In your first stand you get to set off a huge cannon attached to a military vehicle to clear your path, and from there it's just rinse, wash, and repeat. Your last stand before completion is turning on a power generator to get the Dawn of the Dead-esque bus off the auto lift. The only moment that's just a bit different is when the power goes out. If you're not near the generator, you actually have to fight your way through the masses of undead flesh to get back and switch it on. (Do it fast enough and you get an achievement.) Left 4 Dead 2 promises to make us work to stop the horde, and I hope Valve follows through on that promise. Don't get me wrong – I love to empty clips into zombies – but after playing for hundreds of hours it can get a little old.

In closing, "Crash Course" is a solid and fun offering to help you pick up the game if it's starting to feel a little stale. However, it's a short-lived run and takes a cut of your MS points for Xbox owners. If you don't mind paying the points, though, I totally recommend that you download this. For PC gamers... what are you waiting for? GET IT!

Review: Seirei no Moribito - Guardian of the Sacred Spirit (Dub)

noreply@blogger.com (Uncle Yo) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Medium: TV Anime
Number of Episodes: 26
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Studio: Production I.G
Version Reviewed: Adult Swim TV run (also available on DVD from Media Blasters)
Airdate: April 7, 2007 - September 29, 2007 (JPN)
Rated: 13+

There are arguably two kinds of epic story-telling. Code Geass is epic in its cast of nearly forty characters, countless political factions and worldly scope of events. Seirei no Moribito is the polar opposite: its pacing and animation budget dictate a weight overloaded with subtext and self-awareness, like the path of an iceberg.

Production I.G developed this series (based on a book series of the same name and premise) and after it began airing in 2008 on Adult Swim, it was swiftly cancelled. Thankfully, Seirei returned to Adult Swim last summer for the entire series. The big guns were brought out for this one, including Kenji Kawai, whose subtle score could challenge John Williams. Kawai’s credits include the live-action Death Note movies, Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor, Gundam 00, Ranma 1/2, and The Sky Crawlers – did I mention he’s been around? The number one staff member to keep an eye on, though, is the young and ambitious Kenji Kamiyama. His most recent project, Eden of the East is...I can’t talk about that now without drooling. Let’s stick with feudal-era spear-wielders, shall we?

The panoramic eye-candy, from snow-crested mountains to rural rice paddies to treacherous forests, is rewarding in itself. Even the village episodes hold such detail you almost choke on the dust rising from the streets. Every episode looks like Miyazaki could have inked it himself; that’s how high-budget this project is.

The story is simple enough. Balsa, an experienced spear-wielding bodyguard, is charged to protect the second prince of a feudal empire, Chagum, who holds inside of him the egg of a water spirit that could summon either rain or drought. As Balsa hides the prince from pursuers from the palace, he is instituted in the school of simple peasant life, becoming his own man. On the way we learn the vast details of this world, a mélange of nearly every Asian culture, from ancient Chinese Dynasties to Shinto/Taoism fusion. It’s a pleasing aesthetic, achieving a sort of visual zen in background art. These details flesh out the world, its countries, landscapes and cultures with magnificent detail, giving the World of Warcraft writers a serious run for their money.

Our main character, Balsa, is unlike any protagonist I’ve ever encountered. For starters, she’s in her thirties. I KNOW, RIGHT?! Second of all, she has no sword. IS THIS ANIME?! And the series goes without flashbacks until five episodes from the end. THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE! The fight scenes (all five of them) are fluid, kinetic, and framed in real-time, making them visceral, gritty and real. They are so brilliantly choreographed and stunning to watch that it’s almost a letdown when they end, like eating the cherry off the sundae before the ice cream gets to melt.

Seieri’s supporting cast is diverse, though distant and dry. Shaman Torogai is old, vulgar yet wise. Her apprentice Tanda is reserved and...that’s about it. He makes herbs. The palace’s master astrologist, Shuga, spends much of the series in research, as we never quite understand every detail to the egg inside Chagum nor what to do with it. The eight assassins sent after Balsa are the most well-coordinated criminal-investigator ninja ever. (Law & Order meets Ninja Scroll). However, the mood of the series and monotonous voice directing take away a lot of the passion and interest from the characters.

With twenty-six episodes to develop this year-long tale, the show spreads itself pretty thin in order to properly cultivate the world and the handful of essential characters, which can be enough for some, but a turn-off for many viewers.

The pacing of Seirei no Moribito is the most prominent element of this series, and it has to be properly addressed. Sluggish at times, comatose at others, it’s hard to watch this series one episode at a time. Many chapters revolve around a single dialogue that will have little or no consequence, or if it does, the subtlety is so intense that you lose track of what you’re watching. Sometimes the pacing simply embellishes the lavish and meticulously-detailed backgrounds, which is needed in order to show off just how beautiful they are. However, there are several stretches of episodes where NOTHING happens; maybe Shuga researches or Chagum delivers a public lecture on game theory, but these episodes are a battle against your eyelids.

Pacing problems set aside, this is a simple tale beautifully animated, and when it decides to be an action series, it’s on par with the fights of Cowboy Bebop and the boss fight from Grenadier. Solid story-telling with a memorable cast.

good.

Ubisoft releases Assassin's Creed Lineage Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Phreak) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 +0000

So... you think video game adaptations suck do you? Well try this on for size. This is "Assassin's Creed Lineage," a series of short films made by Hybride Technologies, the studio (now owned by Assassin's Creed publisher Ubisoft) behind 300 and Sin City.

[via Ubisoft's YouTube Channel]

FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 29

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:30:00 +0000

Ani-Gamers blogger Ink contributes a weekly column in which he examines the differences between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and its re-telling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. To read previous entries, click here.

Watch Episode 29 - Struggle of the Fool

Okay, I guessed wrong. No more battle. No more leads into the nature of Hohenheim’s double. Instead, we’re led into the heart of the Homunculi’s operation and something much more dramatically interesting. Ed and Al are brought by Envy directly to Wrath, who’s in conference with Mustang. While FMA1 certainly had its share of sewing the phrase “dog of the military” into its sense of anti-fascist idealism, FMA2 takes it a step further.

Mustang and Ed are put on a level playing field (under Fuhrer Bradley’s thumb), which never happened in FMA1. Wrath is leveraging the safety of loved ones and personal goals – Fuhrer’s status for Mustang, body reclamation for Ed/Al – to keep those deemed important as sacrifices close/available to him. While this touches on the emotional, it’s actually mostly tactical, and very much in line with FMA2’a core philosophy. Mustang has to be a dog to try to overthrow the government, and Ed has to keep his collar because it’s still the most viable way to continue his research. FMA1’s idealism is further diminished in FMA2 by bringing forth the theory that the alchemy exams and certification of state alchemists are solely means with which potential sacrifices may be found.

A nice bit of sentiment shared with FMA1 is shown via FMA2’s Marcoh, when he offers to treat Scar without first seeing him and subsequently suffers an emotional break at the irony. No, FMA1 never offered up this scenario, but its Marcoh was riddled and driven by the guilt that came as a direct result of his Ishvalan involvement. FMA2 rewrites the formula a bit, but brings about a denser and dare I say more effective rendering of guilt. The situation leverages Marcoh’s guilt, healing ability, and fear (through knowledge of Scar’s M.O.) in a singular instance. Sheer poetry I tell ya, although the feeling might only be effective/recognizable if viewers have seen FMA1 previously. After all, the previous series spent several episodes defining/exploring his guilt, while Marcoh’s presence in FMA2 has been negligible.

Speaking of absentee characters, has anyone else been missing a certain bald-headed, pink sparkle-touting, body builder-teddy bear? Armstrong finally returns and gets some character build-up with this episode. Unfortunately, his character is brought low by Ishval-induced shame, striking a huge divide betwixt the nature of his FMA1 counterpart, who managed to keep a solemnity about him that was more mature in execution than FMA2’s weeping and apologetic figure. So far, this brief (and all too straightforward) look into Armstrong’s remorse makes his inner struggle a bit too 2D, but next week is promising (promising I tell you) to explore the whole story of Ishval, and the preview specifically featured Armstrong, so we’ll see what can be done to add some dimension to his guilt and the way in which it is shown.

On a final and much more impressive note, FMA2 further sets up a divide between humans and homunculi by having Mustang reveal to Ed that he only feels human when fighting those “real” monsters (homunculi), an allusion to guilt carried from Ishval and other unsavory military actions. FMA2 is taking its time building Mustang’s 3D nature, but I have to say that it’s a marvelous job so far. It’s much more tongue-in-cheek than FMA1’s Mustang and appropriately so.

Review: Batman - Arkham Asylum (360)

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Medium: Console Video Game
Genres: Action, Adventure, Stealth
Designers: Sefton Hill (Director), Paul Dini (Writer)
Developer: Rocksteady
Publisher: Eidos
Version Reviewed: Xbox 360 (also available on PC, PS3)
Release Date: August 25(NA)/28(EU), 2009
Rated: T for Teen

The premise behind the latest video game devoted to the Dark Knight is that he, while depositing his arch enemy (the Joker) into Gotham’s island prison (Arkham Asylum), is ensnared within a trap set by the very person he just brought back. No sooner is the Joker wheeled, Hannibal Lecter style, to the bowels of the prison’s receiving area than he escapes (with a little help from his friends) and the doors for (almost) all the inmates are unlatched. From there on out, Batman has one objective: to find and take down the Joker. A simple enough task, but remember where this game takes place. Throughout the journey, Batman is surrounded and attacked by almost every monster and maniac he’s helped put in these dank cells. In order to find the Joker, the Dark Knight faces a harrowing test of endurance and deduction to follow the trail to his torturers and make sure justice is served.

The above scenario seems like survival horror, especially when you consider the absolutely stunning artistic rendering of Arkham’s manmade and natural features. But for all the taunting smiles drawn in fluorescent green and red paint, all the eerily abandoned television loops, and the subtle ambient noises, the one thing that disqualifies this game from being qualified strictly as survival-horror is the inclusion of all of Batman’s wonderful toys. If it were to be a strict survival-horror, they should’ve taken away Batman’s utility belt (I mean, c’mon, Batsy surely has the fighting skills). However, as an action-horror game, Batman: Arkham Asylum hits the nail on the head.

Speaking of action, a combination of the FreeFlow^TM fighting engine and enemy AI make controlling Batman throughout the game easy enough for entry-level button mashers while giving hardcore gamers enough special moves to keep things interesting. The latter includes stealth attacks and combos that can be upgraded during the course of the game after earning enough experience points. And points aplenty you’ll get from fighting though an onslaught of drone-type characters – thug, thug with club, thug with electrified club – tackling bosses such as Bane, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy, and deciphering the Riddler’s enigmatic taunts.

Finding solutions to the Riddler’s mental challenges is done with the aid of the game’s worst handicap: detective mode. This mode lets Batman see through walls, determine which surfaces are hiding secrets (shortcuts or items alike), and track trace elements in the atmosphere. Aside from the last aspect, detective mode fails the game by making it far too easy. What saves the game from detective mode is that its use is optional. I recommend using it at first to learn the ropes, maybe even intermittently throughout your first run through, but then only using it when absolutely necessary for the rest of the game or any subsequent go-around. It ups the difficulty and demands that players become Batman instead of becoming Batman’s tech.

Aside from that singular drawback, there are many things to gush about in this game. To start, it’s excellently written by Paul Dini, one of the guys behind Batman: The Animated Series. Voice actors from the same read the script: Mark Hamill reprises his uniquely lovable Joker (though this time with a bit more darkness than the cartoon's sensors could let by), Kevin Conroy brings CG Batman to life in the true tradition of often being voted as best Batman ever, and Arleen Sorkin pulls up on the corners of mouths everywhere while smashing people’s funny bones as Harley Quinn. Gameplay variety also makes this game engaging. Let alone the combat challenge mode (better on the PS3, which exclusively lets you play as the Joker) and detective/action aspects of story mode, my favorite part of the game is the integration of a platforming game-within-a-game that served as the Scarecrow’s mini-levels in story mode. It takes guts to revert to platform gaming in an age of 3D environments, and the execution only adds to the game’s ambience.

All in all, Batman: Arkham Asylum is an immersive experience made by all the right people for a fanbase that’s uber-picky when it comes to their hero. Seeing as it is already worshipped by critics and inhabits a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, I would be an idiot to disagree. Story, rendering, control, and acting come together to make this a 3.5-star victory, with slightly lacking replay value being the only thing detracting from a perfect score.

great.

Brutal Legend DLC is coming, and quick

ColalellaC@gmail.com (KuroX32) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:30:00 +0000

So just a few weeks after release, EA is already scrambling the jets to help out the multiplayer aspect of Brütal Legend.

According to EA's site, a new mulitplayer map pack is due out November 3, 2009 for Xbox 360 owners and will cost 400 Microsoft Points. PS3 owners get theirs on November 5, when it will be available for free download for about 2 weeks before it is officially sold for $4.99 on PSN. Named "Tears of the Hextadon," this map pack will feature two new maps – “Circle of Tears” and “Death's Fjord” – and a new axe for players to battle with. Sounds pretty good, right...?

Well, let's look at the facts. This does increase the number of multiplayer maps available in game. However, the map count only increases from six to eight. The new axe might be an improvement, but the teams are what really need work, not the weapons.

I don't plan on getting this expansion. Like I said in my review, there is not much replay value in the game and all of the maps are really similar. My loathing of these maps is made even stronger by the knowledge that most map packs for games give so much more than just two maps and a modified weapon. The fact that this is also going for dirt cheap probably means that the multiplayer engagement in Brutal Legend is falling fast. Don't expect to see much more out of Brütal Legend unless EA and Double Fine put their heads together and really try to fix the game's major shortcomings with this game.

[via G4's The Feed]

Halloween Staff Picks

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0000

All Hallow's Eve is quickly approaching, and you just can't figure out what to do with yourself when the lights go out this Saturday. You could go out trick-or-treating and have everybody ask (a) why you're asking for candy when you're 25 and have a full neckbeard and (b) why you're dressed as Sailor Moon again, to which you can respond with righteous indignance (and an explanation of the subtle color scheme differences between your Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus costumes).

Or you can read Ani-Gamers' list of the scariest stuff in the geek world. Whether you're looking for an anime or a live action movie, a video game or a manga, our five illustrious staff writers have got you covered, with nothing less than the very best that Halloween has to offer. So head beyond the break for some great, hand-picked Halloween frights.

Ink

Ju-on, a.k.a. The Grudge (movie): This movie embodies everything creepy about J-horror: setting, audio, visuals, characters... and the American remake scared me enough to keep the lights on for three months straight (no exaggeration) by taking away everything "safe" one's mind could possibly cling to when absorbed in a film. The premise: a gruesome murder/suicide stains the house with its angry/vengeful presence, which will hunt down anyone who dares enter.
When They Cry ~ Higurashi (anime): Quite possibly one of the most disturbingly creepy and well-executed anime I've ever had the pleasure to be addicted to. Take four innocent-looking girls in a rural village paranoid about a curse, add a stranger, add some Hitchcock, and then put it all in a blender and repeat five times. This had me guessing as to the linear nature of the stories until the very end, and the visuals/voice acting (great dub!) are chilling. How chilling? One of my friends looked at the back of the DVD case, saw a picture of one of the girls laughing, and promptly turned down any possibility of watching it.
Fatal Frame / Fatal Frame 2 (PS2): While they stand alone, honestly, they're better in succession. Good horror's sneaky like that. The basis for both games: find out what happened to a missing loved one while not succumbing to the ill will of the myriad traumatized ghosts that inhabit the house/village. Your only weapon is an exorcimsal camera. Personal drama and a dramatic history (for both character and setting) make these games engrossing enough to get the blood pumping, elicit a startled jump, or provoke a scream of surprise.

Kuro

Cowboy Bebop - the Movie (anime): This is my number one choice for good reason. It's a movie that brings the hilarious scenes, dramatic fights, and everything else a person could ask for from a Cowboy Bebop movie and blends it perfectly with the mystery and drama of Halloween. To sum up the story, Faye, en route to catch a low-level target, witnesses the explosion of the tanker truck that she was following, thus releasing a deadly cloud of some mysterious disease into the air that kills hundreds of people. Now it's up to Spike and company to get to the bottom of whatever is going on.
Kakurenbo - Hide and Seek (anime): This is my hardcore Halloween pick of the three. In an abandoned city in Neo-Japan, children play a game called "Otokoyo." It's basically hide and seek, but there is a twist: all of the children who have played the game have mysteriously disappeared. The absolutely beautiful cell shading, sound effects, and background music used throughout the story really lend themselves to the dark and mysterious city in which Otokoyo takes place. For people on a bit of the squeamish side, this OVA will provide a good psychological thrill ride without all the blood and gore of typical horror.
Battle Royale (movie): Here's a movie and it's sequel that might be one of the biggest cult classic movies out of Japan since Godzilla. The plot is simple: a random Japanese class from a random school is chosen by lottery. The 30 to 40 kids in the class must then partake in the event know as Battle Royale, essentially a timed death match on a deserted island, with only one winner. It's much more than a bunch of kids killing each other though. The amount of mind games and political propaganda in this movie really get a person thinking about what can really happen when the government has all the control.

Uncle Yo

I Luv Halloween (manga): Tokyopop's OEL manga program shows off its gruesomely dark side in this hilarious take on a sadistic suburbia haunted by the sickest creatures imaginable: children in search of candy. With uniquely disturbed, violently apathetic characters and magnificent detail from the artist, this three-book series is great for a brutal laugh or just some other-worldy nostalgia.
Blood - The Last Vampire (anime): This is NOT Blood+; this is shorter and faaaaar more ambiguious. It's also violent as hell and just as scary. (The bishōjo-tone of the series is butchered here for the sake of making the monsters as menacing as possible.) This was the only anime to ever have a fight scene to a brass band playing in the background, and I'm sad that the trend never caught on. Begins with blood and ends with fire; what else is going to pump you up for wandering the neighborhood after dark?
Silent Hill (PS1): The classic start to the deeply disturbing series of video games about a Lovecraftian world that haunts and torments the people inside with the reincarnated demons from their own twisted lives. Unlike Resident Evil (that glorious horror-survivor), Silent Hill is about helpless believable people with few clues and even fewer weapons. The gloomy, cold fog, the iron gates, the fire rising from below, and mutha-f*&%ing Pyramid Head. Halloween is only complete once you've survived the demons that inhabit Silent Hill.

Phreak

Clive Barker's Jericho (Xbox 360): I always believed that something was very wrong with Clive Barker, and with this game's release I found out that I was totally correct. Only "The Barker" could come up with a storyline filled with evil and religion, all intertwined to blur the line between good and evil while making us think, "could even God make a mistake?" The A.I. is about as intuitive as being shown around the Alaskan wilderness by a dumb, deaf, & blind man, but the atmosphere is dark, brooding, and bloody.
The Suffering 1 & 2 (PS2): The Suffering follows a character named Torque, whose twisted fate is primarily shaped by decisions that the player actually makes. These games were one of my first introductions to good vs. evil decision-making, as they present players with moral choices between killing and helping other people. Again, the atmosphere – a strange prison swallowed by hate and evil – really made this game worth it for me.
Candyman Trilogy (movies): Starting to see a pattern here? Yes, I love Clive Barker. He has a twisted mind that he manages to show us in vivid detail through his written word. The transition from book (in this case it was a short story) to movie tends to dilute the original's flavor, but with Candyman, this was not the case. They couldn't have picked a better Candyman; Tony Todd's voice and build are perfect for the character. The line "Believe in me.. Be my victim.." Fantastic! I always thought that staring into a mirror and saying some name a certain amount of times was all B.S., but after Candyman I seriously didn't look in a mirror again for 6 months.

Vampt Vo

Boogiepop Phantom (anime): When people think Japanese horror, live-action films like Ringu and Ju-on jump to mind, but Boogiepop Phantom is one of the many under-appreciated gems in the anime horror genre. The first few episodes revolve around people with subtle mental problems and their encounters with the mysterious entity Boogiepop. As the show goes on, its vision into the blackest heart of humanity manages to terrify without gruesome monsters or ageless curses.
The Legend of Zelda - Majora's Mask (N64): Alright, so maybe it's not overtly scary, but Majora's Mask is easily the darkest Zelda game ever made, with its theme of imminent, moon-induced destruction and its disturbing, childishly sinister villain. And what's more, it's got a whole slew of masks for Link to wear! So if you're not up for dressing up yourself this Saturday, why not play dress up with everybody's favorite sword-toting Nintendo hero?
Vampire Hunter D (novel): Hideyuki Kikuchi's original novel is all about one of the most terrifying of the night's creatures: vampires. The titular protagonist D is a half-vampire hired by a young woman to protect her and kill the vampire who bit her, thereby freeing her from his curse. The story is filled with tense fantasy storytelling and some surprisingly high-octane action scenes. Kevin Leahy's translation is a little awkward, but it's still a fun, quick read.

That's it for us! What are your favorite Halloween anime, games, movies, and books?

FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 28

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:30:00 +0000

Watch Episode 28 - Father

There’s a few of these sucker-punches in this episode. First, there’s a line delivered by Envy (“as soon as you gain a great power, you get carried away with it, not even knowing what it is”) that may seem like a throw-away platitude to first-time FMA watchers. It should, however, strike a chord with those who have seen FMA1 all the way through to its end. I think this is a deliberate taunt designed to evoke that shock FMA1 watchers experienced when we found out death in the parallel world was the driving force behind alchemy in Amestris. It also serves to set up something grand in its own right.

What follows, that power is taken away from Ed and Al (something that never happened in FMA1, save the destruction of Ed's limbs), truly evokes the sense that Ed and Al (and by proxy all who use alchemy) are just children playing with tools they know almost nothing about. This was a theme only touched upon in FMA1 via the discovery of alchemic energy’s aforementioned source. There’s no indication FMA2 is heading in that same direction, but for former FMA1 watchers...if you felt the wind knocked out of you for a second there...that’s most likely why.

Another sucker-punch stems from Greed changing bodies. This is a situation formerly only alluded to in FMA1, with Lust’s introduction to Greed (“And if you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m the new Lust.”), and it sets up a good confrontation in which Ed might have to sacrifice his commitment to pacifism if made to slay the new Greed, who’s wearing Ling Yao’s body like an expressionistic guilt trip. The major FMA1/2 dichotomy would then rear its ugly head regarding effectiveness though. Have Ed and Ling formed a bond strong enough to really make the audience care about Ed’s inner conflict over whether or not to kill the new homunculus? At best, Ling serves as a surrogate annoying brother/battle buddy, but as soldiers will tell you, seldom are the bonds formed on battlefields considered superficial. So FMA2 keeps true to form and, in my opinon, pretty believably on track.

On the disappointing end of surprise lies the evil twin theory. I had a feeling that FMA2 might pull it, but I kept telling myself that this series wouldn’t dare pull such a cliché. There’s still hope for the reason behind dual Hohenheims (Elric & “Father”) in this episode, but the very fact that FMA2 couldn’t have the gall to make them one and the same is a tragedy for round supporting characters. Like I've said previously, even FMA1’s Hohenheim had a very well developed dark past to offset his slightly dingy luminescent present. Next week, the battle (which was disappointing in action but interesting in enterprise) continues.

Review: Brütal Legend (360)

ColalellaC@gmail.com (KuroX32) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:40:00 +0000

Medium: Console Video Game
Genres: Action, Hack and Slash, RTS
Designer: Tim Schafer
Developer: Double Fine
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Version Reviewed: Xbox 360 (also available on PS3)
Release Date: October 13, 2009
Rated: M for Mature

Well, here it is. Brütal Legend, possibly the most hyped game of the year, has finally fallen into my lap to be judged. So, the question is up in the air: does it live up to the hype? Let's find out.

We start of the game with a cut scene of protagonist Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black) helping out a “New Metal” band that has no respect for Eddie or “Metal” itself. To make a long story short, Eddie gets crushed by the set and is then saved by the Fire God of Metal, who ends up taking Eddie to an alternate version of the past (sounds like another story I know...hmm...) in which metal is worshiped and demons have all but enslaved humanity (okay, now I know I've heard this story before...). So, after grabbing a giant axe and finding out his guitar can cast magic with naught but a few chords, Eddie joins up with the other “Ironheades” and gets ready to take on the evil emperor Doviculus.

As I started to play the game, I was excited to get into a good, old-fashioned hack-and-slash, overworld type of game. I knew about the RTS/Freedom Fighters-esque mission involved with the game and looked upon it with some interest, in the hopes that it would break up the gameplay. However, I didn't realize how incredibly often these missions would pop up. The multiplayer (which is highly lacking in expandability, as the only match type is skirmish) is also unfortunately based around this gameplay style.

The world of Brütal Legend is beautifully executed – almost enough to make you forget about the gameplay style...almost. With superb, cell-shaded art, a well-developed background mythos, and gory deaths, the developers at Double Fine definitely know how to immerse a player in a world. Add your car's ability to play songs that you unlock both in game and during the campaign and players will find that some of the best times during the game are cruising across the landscape listening to metal while running over some demented deer. Even so, this is a definite one-and done game (unless you're going for achievements).

One of the major problems I have with Brütal Legend is the amount of repeated dialogue. For a game that boasts some of the best writing and voice acting talent around, I fail to see why I'm stuck with characters saying the same four or less lines during both overworld and stage missions. It only gets worse when Eddie begins to talk, because all that seems to come out of Jack Black's mouth are dumb jokes and random puns.

Also of note is the badly-designed leveling system. In order to level up, players will need to do two different things. First, they will gain fire tributes to upgrade Eddie's car, weapons, and special attack combos. Second, players will have to free (no joke) ball-gagged dragon statues to upgrade their attributes. And when the dragons are freed, players will not even get to choose their upgrades. The game does it automatically, really taking some of the minimal customization that is in the game away from the player. The worst part of this system, though, is that it breaks up the gameplay by demanding that players move away from the Campaign for about 20 minutes at a time to go and find more fire tributes and gagged dragons.

All-in-all, my gripes with this game are small shots compared to the overall picture. Double Fine wanted to make a game for “Metal Heads,” by “Metal Heads,” and they succeeded completely, despite some gameplay slip-ups and limited replayability. So, did it live up to the hype?

Well...sort of.

fair.

Super Street Fighter IV to make Seth "even cheaper"

noreply@blogger.com (Phreak) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0000

The Super Street Fighter IV hype-machine is in full swing. With announcements about adding up to 8 new fighters, tweaks to both current and online gameplay, Capcom is clearly trying to give the fans what they want.... almost. It's a well-known fact that the game's final boss Seth has been the cause of many a frustrated rage from gamers, but according to a recent quote from Capcom Community Manager Seth Killian, "Seth will be even cheaper and more irritating." Some current characters will also get some new moves, though details are sketchy regarding who will receive the updates. Killian did admit that one character – Ken – will learn a new trick or two.

Questions arose about the online play as soon as SFIV hit consoles, but it is yet to be proven whether Super SFIV will improve them or not. When asked about the issue, Killian's response was only a meager, "That is one of the things we will be trying to address." I know I would love it if Capcom would add a party room of sorts (a la Dead or Alive 4).

One of the more surprising details from Killian is Capcom's decision to create all new background stories for ALL characters, though they will not be animated by Studio 4°C. This could be a great idea, but it might also backfire since sometimes story changes can destroy diehard fans' original love for a character. On the topic of the game's price, I remember reading somewhere that Capcom was originally planning to make SSFIV cheaper than SFIV, but that may change according to Killian, who says that Capcom is still debating whether to sell the game for the traditional price of console titles or a lower price. I vote lower, since Capcom would anger a lot of fans by making them pay twice for just a few tweaks and new characters that could be delivered through DLC or patches.

[via Kotaku]

Review: The Beatles - Rock Band (360)

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Medium: Console Video Game
Genre: Rhythm/Music
Designers: Chris Foster (Lead Designer), Sylvain Dubrofsky, Casey Malone
Developers: Harmonix
Publishers: MTV Games/Electronic Arts
Version Reviewed: Xbox 360 (also available on PS3, Wii)
Release Date: September 9, 2009 (intl)
Rated: T for Teen

The quintessential question that comes to mind concerning The Beatles: Rock Band is “can a rhythm game attempting to build on what was formerly a successful intra-franchise integration with such a diverse song selection survive being stapled to one particular band and isolated from its historic song cache?” It’s a long question, and to fully understand why the answer is “yes,” we need to look at a few things. Things that matter. Things that would generally cause brand loyalists to throw down their cheap plastic axes in disgust and turn them in for a cheap plastic turntable. Things that inspire.

Things that matter, seeing as we’re in essay territory, can be the music itself. There are many people out there who don’t know Beatles songs, much less own Beatles albums or, God forbid, know the history behind the band. The Beatles: Rock Band is here to help with all of these things. Firstly, it will introduce virgin ears to Beatles songs while simultaneously letting those of generations past relive their rock-and-roll youth without digging out the dusty LPs. After playing along and learning the songs included on the game disc, Beatlemania might just find its way into local record shops again, thus solving things that matter number two. And thirdly, the game manages to tie in history without making it a lesson. Videos and photos for rewards as opposed to new clothing/fake money are all well and good, but the captions and brief stories attached to each edify the unfamiliar gamer in a very personal way.

Brand loyalty is a tough thing. The original Rock Band was revolutionary for rhythm games because it brought a band together to play...together. Rock Band 2 took it a step further with online connections for those of us with not enough dexterously inclined friends who could/would want to accompany such a faux jam. And then, for a great while, DLC was all that seemed necessary. The Beatles: Rock Band starts from scratch by alienating itself from all former DLC and being limited to just one band and its songs (which have historically had broad licensing issues). So why is the game still worth the investment? Well, The Beatles’ White Album had nearly 40 songs alone! So there’s a treasure trove of DLC just waiting to be exploited. Not to mention that the game disc itself comes with a very decent selection of 40+ songs that span the band’s career.

But what’s so inspiring about following one band? First off, it’s The Beatles – a band that changed their own concept of what their music was to themselves as much as they changed rock music for the rest of the listening world. So variety is in there. Also, the loving care that went into the crafting of this game – from the opening movie, to the meticulous and artistic reproductions of visages and venues, to the imaginative (if not acid-induced) dreamscape backgrounds – is so evident in every step of the way that it’s hard not to be swept up in all the moments the game provides. Honestly, the dreamscapes, which are so beautifully crafted that they border on hypnotic, are my favorite, although I’ve yet to see most of what they have to offer because my friends won’t let me sit out and watch them play (that's what YouTube is for). Also oddly inspiring is the difficulty. I’ve heard people complain both ways, but I’ll tell you, as someone who normally tackles songs on Expert difficulty in Rock Band 2 and ranks around 95%, that the constant chords are a challenge and a half! There is no thrashing, but there are tons of chord progressions that the programmers seemed to have mapped out simply to test the limits of inducing repetitive stress injuries.

Overall, this is a solid four-star effort for something as simplistic as a rhythm game, but the (as of now) limited song list leaves me weary. So I’ll give it a three and a half stars, with another 1/2 star to be post-postedly-posted when/if DLC becomes as regular as that for Rock Band 2.* Honestly though, even if they don’t post any DLC other than "All You Need is Love," so long as you’re in the mood to be any one of The Beatles, you’ll enjoy hearing and seeing everything that has been created for this game to allow you to do so.

*In the days after this review was written, it has been announced that 3 full albums will be made available (one each per consecutive month), which amounts to, if not exceeds, Rock Band 2's schedule.

excellent.

FMA: The Brotherhood Diaries - Episode 27

wasted_ink78@hotmail.com (Ink) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:15:00 +0000

Watch Episode 27 - Interlude Party

Hell is being trapped in your own personal clip show, the daemon responsible is Stray Dog brand scotch whiskey, and the saviors are morning’s light and the intangible human clock. Although this episode ends with classic overkill (showing and then telling), the structure is rather brilliantly leveraged for sake of story – specifically hints of Hohenheim’s back-story. But before we get to the big contrast, let’s look at what these flashbacks to clips of yester-episode have to offer and how they come to offer it.

Framed intermittently by Hohenheim and Pinako contemplating the human condition while sitting out a bonfire dance, each clip adds to the linear telling FMA2’s story up to date. The ongoing theme for each clip is one of sacrifice, determination, or perseverance. Some clips offer seconds of new material (extended scenes), while others are cut and pasted verbatim, both for sake of some exact phrases/situations chosen match the corresponding theme. Separately, each set of chronological clips forms an essay co-authored by Hohenheim or Pinako. As any essay is an argument, so each individual thought is a plague of doubt.

The framing of each clip, then, forms the battlefield which is Hohenheim’s soul. This is very nicely illustrated by some of the animation direction (multiple Hohenheims, time/knowledge incongruities). The level of emotional appeal, rare to FMA2, stems very competently from a Romantic combination of the music (more along the lines of FMA1’s entire score) and the visual metaphors employed throughout the frame story. The latter includes men and women of all ages dancing euphorically, dramatically around a bonfire under Hohenheim’s solemn, apathetic observation. The dancers visages, reflecting in the light of the fire, represent the ongoing zest for life, while their shadows, at times just 2D castings and at others threateningly snake-like, show the twisted intent of what lurks unseen beneath their glowing skin.

It is through this visual and narrated argument, offered respectively via the interposition of frame and flashbacks, that brings about the main contrast that can be revealed for this episode: FMA1 never dealt with Hohenheim’s internal struggle with the paradox that is humanity, never set him up as a judgmental pessimist, and certainly never made him out to be a villain. In FMA1, Hohenheim was driven by the quest for learning, ignobly making a sacrifice of his humanity each time he made a sacrifice of others to continue his research. FMA2 makes Hohenheim, “Father,” to make him embody the shadow, Ed’s foil. This sets up a stage for a mighty confrontation of personal convictions – Ed’s reluctance to kill vs. Hohenheim’s callousness to killing – that will inevitably lead to an epic battle true to FMA2’s lust for action, but also one that evokes a sorrowful familial confrontation never allotted in FMA1.

Notice: New post schedule, fansub restrictions, & disclaimers

vamptvo@gmail.com (Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:45:00 +0000

With the addition of two new staff members to the Ani-Gamers team, I do believe it's time for us to change up how we post articles. We've worked on a very haphazard, post-when-it's-ready schedule until now, so in order to make things easier to read for our audience, we are going to try to institute a regular, weekly schedule. For now, we will be posting two big articles a week (possibly thematically related), not including weekly columns like Brotherhood Diaries. That way every week, readers can come back and find articles for them on preset days.

The plan right now is to put up articles on Tuesdays and Fridays, and have a section on the sidebar dedicated to the week's post schedule. If our post output slows down (or speeds up) at any point, we will probably change the schedule around to compensate, but we will do our best to remain in a regular pattern.

I have yet another very major announcement: Ani-Gamers will no longer publish reviews of fansubs or scanlations of recent and/or licensed content. For a long time, we have posted occasional reviews of these anime and manga series, a fact that has bothered me due to the illegality of both modes of distribution. With the anime and manga industries struggling to maintain solvency in this dangerous economic climate, it is the task of responsible news outlets like Ani-Gamers to prevent the degradation of the industries that we cover. Please note that this new restriction does not eliminate our writers' ability to write about fansubbed or scanlated series – it simply puts restrictions on it. The link below will provide more information.

Also included in the link below is information about our other change: Ani-Gamers will now be including disclaimers in all of our reviews, stating the version of the title that was reviewed. This was done in part to comply with a new FTC regulation requiring disclaimers on all product reviews on blogs, and in part as a way to increase the utility of our reviews for readers who are considering buying a product.

For more information on our fansub policy and disclaimers, read our new "Policies/Disclaimers" page.