Final installment of the green tea series is up for your viewing pleasure. It was a heck of a ride tasting all the green tea snacks that I got my hands on. Some were great, and some, were not that great...
The main thing though is, just get out there and try something new. You never know when you will find that new favorite snack.
I experienced two blasts from the past this week, one a tad more literal than the other. First were episodes 371 – 373 of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, some of the last of the franchise. The original NARUTO not only took the world of shonen series by storm, it reignited my own interest in anime during my college years. I ended up dropping the show for one reason or another shortly after Naruto started training with Jiraiya and haven’t really checked in since.
The second was Peter Capaldi’s premiere episode as the titular Doctor in the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO series. This was another show that I had dove into head first, watching episodes from all the various incarnations of the character to bone up on lore. I hadn’t watched a single episode of Matt Smith’s last season, though, as the novelty of a pulp science hero who always wins had worn out.
As long running shows with extensive canons, these two franchises have a lot more in common than you’d think. Checking in after such long breaks, I was pretty surprised – but not by how much things had changed. I was surprised, really, by how much they hadn’t.
I noticed the big changes first, of course. SHIPPUDEN began after a large time skip in the original NARUTO series, so all the kid ninjas had naturally done some growing up. Also, hey, Naruto’s made of fire now. Having reconciled with the Nine-Tailed Fox demon sealed within him, he’s unlocked a bevvy of new powers and now has more chakra than you can shake ten tails at – which is good because every ninja ever is fighting the Ten Tails Cactus demon.
And I do mean ever ninja ever. We’re not just talking all the Hidden Leaf ninjas, or even all their allies. Recognizing the Ten Tails as a threat to all ninja-kind, even freakin’ Sasuke shows up. Sasuke – the one who abandoned the concept of friendship by becoming the pupil of evil snake-dude Orochimaru. Orochimaru’s probably gonna show up and help too! And then probably kill everybody!
And then there’s the fact that they’ve brought back all four of the previous Hokages back from the dead. It’s like the yearly Ninja Scout Jamboree!
Capaldi’s WHO similarly brings back a trio of popular characters, all of who somehow know more about Time Lord regeneration than Companion Clara (this is very convenient, as the Doctor’s in no state to tell her anything about it). They behave precisely how you’d expect if you’d seen them before: Strax the Sontaran nurse is gruff, but well-intentioned; lizard woman Madam Vastra is wry and eats someone offscreen; and Jenny the human says “ma’am” a lot. The whole gang, back together!
A rehash of an old villain even makes an appearance. The Clockwork Men from the “Girl in the Fireplace” episode are in Victorian London now, running about stealing body parts for the exact same reasons they did in their first appearance. Their origin is even the sister ship of one that produced the first versions. All the while, the new Doctor struggles to remember details from that first adventure, which of course leads to lots of overt references to it.
I find his sort of pandering nostalgia a cheap substitute for actual content. They try to get you to relive positive memories of the past so that you associate the feelings you had then with the content you’re watching now. Wasn’t that guy with the long scarf great? Wasn’t that Sontaran silly? Remember how cool “The Girl in the Fireplace” was when you first saw it? Apply those feelings to this show, please, so we don’t have to make up anything new.
SHIPPUDEN is simultaneously less shameless and better at this than WHO. Naruto and Sakura both have extended flashback montages, reaching all the way back to fighting Zabuza (the first real story arc of the franchise). And sure there’s sappy music playing, and sure they’re monologuing about the power of friendship and marveling at how much they’ve grown as shinobi, but dangit at least something’s new. The shonen flashback is an overused trope, sure, but you know at least the insight the character is having that will immediately bring them a huge boost in power – something big is going to come from that saved animation budget.
Yet, the characters behave just as they always did. Sasuke is standoffish and cool. Sakura cares more about Sasuke than Naruto and gets angry when called out on it. Naruto is a blowhard who really just wants to impress his peers (and make out with Sakura). They even make a big deal of how Team 7 is finally back together again, just like old times. Even Sai shows up (seemingly out of nowhere) in case anyone ever liked Sai.
Then everyone uses their signature moves -- the Hokages, the Rock Ninjas, all of Naruto’s ex-classmates and of course Team 7 – only now they’re of course supercharged with ninja mastery. In a rare moment of turnaround, Sakura is even allowed to be badass as she attains a new level of strength on the battlefield. She’s “finally keeping up with” Naruto and Sasuke which, truth be told, felt more like an apology than character development.
But at least that’s something. Clara big change in character seemed to be accepting the fact that her boyfriend is now an old man.
It all comes down to one simple concept that I think everyone on Anime Vice will be familiar with: fan service. While in anime circles it’s usually shorthand for ecchi, that’s really only one shade of it. It more broadly refers to anything that fans of the show – your most devoted viewership – want to see or see again. In the case of DOCTOR WHO, it was a lot of inside jokes and pleas for nostalgia, and the problem with those is that if you don’t get the joke or haven’t seen the show, you feel excluded.
Sure these SHIPPUDEN eps are fan service. Naruto meets his dad, for crying out loud! But at least they do so in a way that doesn’t require you to have seen every one of the hundreds of episodes of the show to enjoy it.
And as standalone episodes, I did enjoy this look back into SHIPPUDEN. You can go along for the ride, even if it is toward the end, by being swept up in the shonen cool. DOCTOR WHO felt more like a pulpy hodgepodge of elements clumped together for maximum fanbase effect. While I wouldn’t say either was an example of stellar storytelling, SHIPPUDEN certainly entertained me.
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Matt Murphy is a freelance nerd who has contributed to many nerd websites. You can reach him by going to where the light meets the shadow, by sending out zeta-brainwaves or by following him on Twitter @Murphix. |
It seems that A-1 might be in the clear right now. And to think that the BoB tournament was the key to helping Sword Art Online II move in the right direction. However, my main concern right now is that the Phantom Bullet Arc won't take up an entire season. Based on the direction the show is taking, this event might be the one to determine the storyline's actual length.
Makoto Kikuchi, from The Idolm@ster series, celebrates her birthday on August 29th. It'll be her ninth annual celebration this year as the maturing arcade-turned-multimedia franchise kicked off its 9th year via a full length feature film. The Idolm@ster movie hits home video in Japan in October. On top, there's the Puchim@s shorts and a new flagship game out this past May, The Idolm@ster: One For All.
With the series seeing a resurgence, both old and new fans came together to celebrate with well wishes and fan works. Take a look.
Well, that’ll happen when you a saga in piecemeal (like I’ve done with DRAGON BALL)…
When Launch showed up while I was re-watching the ‘Saiyan Saga,’ I figured she was a filler character on the same order as that robot Gohan encounters in the cave. Truthfully, she still fills that role there -- her appearance had next-to-nothing to do with the Z-Fighters’ conflict with Vegeta. However, it’s amusing to now realize how that one episode was basically the show’s staff digging an old doll out of the toybox and saying, “Hey! Remember her?” while they were filibustering.
(To be honest, this actually seems to be Oda’s M.O. for a lot of ONE PIECE’s plot twists. You can never paint yourself into a corner if you never kill off any characters, and are never afraid to just cook up some reason for them to be around again).
Anyway, now that I’ve gotten a proper introduction to her, Launch is actually a pretty fun character with a rather clever gimmick. I thought Goku might be collecting a new band of friends for this saga (since it honestly seemed like he’d parting ways with Bulma, Yamcha and Oolong for longer), so I’m hoping she’ll stick around for longer. She and Roshi and Krillin seem like they’d be really great foils as an ensemble.
Now, since I already know the gist of how Goku first encounters Piccolo and his dynasty, I suppose Tien and Chiaotzu are the only returning character in the Saiyan Saga whom I haven’t gotten a proper intro to yet. Given how these introductions have gone, I’ll put 9/10 odds on them being enemies to Goku at first...
Watch "Look Out for Launch" and decide for yourself, then read my thoughts on the previous episode.
You lunatics might remember Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn. They're creators I know from the American comics scene, and are both heavily influenced by anime and manga.
For a while, they were writing OTAKU COMING HOME here, an editorial series detailing their travails as Eastern-inspired fans/artists. Nick would share how SAILOR MOON molded him as a boy and FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST rescued his fandom, then Alex would pen odes to maverick anime director, Satoshi Kon, and stress how otaku must appreciate animation style more. It was solid perspective every week.
Eventually, they had to move on and focus on their comics more. Touchingly enough, though, their time at Anime Vice shaped this new work. Writing about their anime/manga influences -- and interacting with the passionate otaku in our commuity -- actually put Nick and Alex in even closer touch with those influences. So here's... THANATOS DIVER.
I've been following the development of this book since the first sketches, and the final product reads like a perfect distillation of ZELDA and GARGANTIA, by way of Ghibli. An awesome read for anybody who's wanted to see Japanese-style fantasia coming out from this side of the Pacific.
The first issue's coming out soon, so I figured it was a good time to call these otaku home again for a chat about this comic that Anime Vice created, in part...
ANIME VICE: So what exactly is THANATOS DIVER about?
ALEX ECKMAN-LAWN : Might as well go with the official synopsis...
NICK TAPALANSKY: Samantha is bored out of her skull. She lives on an island, her entire world is covered in ocean, and she's explored pretty much every crusty corner of the sunken city that surrounds her home.
She's just about accepted a tedious, excitement-free life when a contest with a rival diver sends her deep into the sunken city's forbidden zone, where she discovers a pathway to a world more exciting, and more dangerous, than anything she’d ever imagined -- one full of uncharted lands, mysterious creatures, and the mythical Thanatos Diver who, depending on the teller, is rumored to either save both worlds or destroy them..
AE: How about that?
AV: How many of your OTAKU COMING HOME influences went into the DNA of THANATOS DIVER?
AE : I discovered anime and manga at a really young age, so I had the distinct pleasure of growing up with things like RANMA 1/2, DRAGON BALL, AKIRA and NAUSICAA, among many others. Some of my fondest memories of comics, and illustrative art in general, is from those early days discovering manga and anime. So now finally I have a chance to really embrace that stuff and make something that 12-year-old Alex would have lost his mind over!
NT: I think our actual mission statement when we started working on the book was that, no matter what, it had to be fun for us first. It just turns out that we’re still twelve, because this stuff is still what we think about when we want to have a good time making things up! Alex mentioned NAUSICAA, but just that Ghibli feeling in general, that fantastic sense of another vibrant world, was something we were definitely inspired by.
Ditto on DRAGON BALL, especially the pre-Z days, when anything could happen and humor was right up front with the action. It’s been so long since we first discovered this stuff, but I think we might even love it more now as adults than we did as kids.
AE: So yeah, the influence of anime, manga and video games of our youth, and young adult-hood is ALL OVER this book! We want to make something that captures the amazing feel of the stuff we grew up loving.
AV: Alex, you mentioned video games as an influence, too. I definitely picked up a ZELDA vibe, and just a general undertone of those halcyon days of Super Nintendo and early PSX/Saturn JRPGs. What games were your favorites back then, and which ones are lurking in the fundaments of this book?
AE: Oh man. this is an awesome question.
NT: Pretty much the best question.
AE: ZELDA is definitely in there, but there are so many others as well! I loved the SHINING FORCE games, PANZER DRAGOON, FINAL FANTASY, of course, and you'll find nods to these classics in the book if you look closely enough! I also found out in the last few years that Moebius did designs for the early PANZER DRAGOON games. That explains a lot about why I am the way I am.
And... CASTLEVANIA!
NT: WHAT?!
AE: No good?
NT: No, I just meant the CASTLEVANIA thing. Where do you see THAT in the book?
AE: Oh, no. I just remembered CASTLEVANIA is awesome. Remember SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT!? Oh my God, that game.
NT : SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT ruled my summer the year it came out. Inverted castle rocked my world so hard.
AV: And what about you, Nick? You mentioned ZELDA.
NT: Yeah, all those old ZELDAs, especially A LINK TO THE PAST (though it’s impossible to ignore WIND WAKER’s mark here, too), are definitely in play.
I was a huge nerd and loved classic Square games like SECRET OF MANA and CHRONO CROSS, the latter of which I just played through again a couple of years ago and it still really holds up. And then there was LUNAR. Oh, LUNAR. That was my first solitary RPG playthrough at nine years old, and it was the original Sega CD version. It stuck with me so hard that I imported every Saturn and PSX version that they put out and played through them with a printed FAQ next to me.
I don’t think there are too many specific elements in the story that parallel any one piece from these games (though there’s plenty of Easter Eggs, so eyes peeled fellow nerds!), I think we’ve both loved these things for so long, and gone back to them so often, that it’s impossible for them NOT to start bleeding through here.
AE: I'm making my girlfriend play through PANZER DRAGOON SAGA with me and it's probably the most emotional experience I’ve had in an adult relationship. No idea why she puts up with me.
NT: That’s hysterical. I’m replaying LUNAR with my wife right now, which she’s never played. I swear we didn’t plan this, but we are indoctrinating others daily (though to be fair, she indoctrinated me to FINAL FANTASY VII, which I brazenly ignored in my younger days in favor of WILD ARMS for some reason that was almost certainly related to the snazzy opening and theme song).
AV: So let’s talk about the book for a few minutes. What’s going on with Sam when we first meet her?
NT: Sam’s bored pretty much out of her skull when the story kicks off.
Every day is pretty much the same routine: go diving for salvage (and maybe some hidden treasure) in the sunken city beneath Cervaile, her island home, sort the haul with her dad at their shop, and deliver orders to islanders who’re waiting for stuff.
What she wants is some excitement! Some adventure!
And she gets a bit of that when her rival, Jade, challenges her to a salvage contest - first one back with the most valuable haul wins! Of course Sam thinks she’s got it locked down, but Jade has some... Strategies that Sam might not be expecting.
AE: Determined to find some excitement and show Jade up, Sam heads for the forbidden zone, deep in the heart of the sunken city. What she stumbles upon changes everything for her, and starts her on a whole new adventure that she never expected, including a run-in with our eponymous Diver.
AV: Just who is the “Thanatos Diver,” exactly? He only makes a brief appearance in this chapter, but obviously holds greater significance to the story.
AE: I don't know if we want to answer that just yet - we wouldn't want to give anything away!
The Thanatos Diver is one of the big mysteries introduced in this first chapter. How he fits into Sam's world and her current adventure is one of my favorite things about this book, and I’m really excited to get to it!
Unfortunately, you'll just have to keep reading to find out more.
NT: Yeah, the Diver is someone we have TONS of plans for (which is probably obvious from the title of the book).
What we can tell you now is that there’s a lot of stories out there about the guy, and some of them say that seeing him is a really great thing, while others... not so much.
AE: Sorry for the big fat tease of an answer. I really can't wait until it's all revealed and we can get into the really intense surprises that Nick and I have planned for future volumes!
AV: So I noticed the map of Cervaile Island on the back cover (which, again, evoked that great SNES RPG vibe). Will readers get a chance to explore all of Cervaile Island? Where else will Sam’s adventures take her?
AE: That and so much more!
Without giving anything away, lets say Sam's world really opens up over the course of this first chapter.
NT: Totally! Sam would be the first one to tell you that Cervaile isn’t a very big or exciting place (though it definitely has its secrets that she’ll have to uncover one day), and we’ll see a lot of the island in this first story arc. What she finds beyond that, though, are some astonishing places she couldn’t have ever imagined.
AE: She'll be exploring tons of new and uncharted territory, both at home and in distant foreign places that people haven’t seen in centuries.
And, of course. there's treasure to be found everywhere!
NT: Let’s just say that there are a lot more maps to come -- in fact, the back cover of issues 2-5 assemble to form one giant map, so as Sam explores readers can too!
AV: So where can Anime Vicers find out more about the book, and when can they get their hands on the first issue?
NT: Anyone who wants to nerd out with us can find the book on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Alex and I both have our own homes on those services too, so people can totally hit us up there as well.
The first issue is already solicited for a November release and was even Certified Cool by Previews (the catalog that comic shops order from) which is awesome. Of course, just because it was solicited doesn’t mean shops have to order it -- you have to make sure they know you want it!
So we created this handy pre-order form that you can print up, throw your name on, and bring to your local comic shop to make sure you get a copy of the first issue, and everything that comes after (if you want).
And if digital's your game, it’ll also be available for download on the day of release, November 19th, through for all you technophiles who like to do your reading online.
AV: Well, thanks for coming home, fellas. Looking forward to the rest of this series.
AE: Thanks for having us, Tom! It's good to be back on the Anime Vice wagon.
And it'd be seriously awesome to hear from you guys about your favorite old school games, anime, etc, so feel free to hit us up on any of those websites or in the comments down below!
It's not that Captain Hitsugaya can't lose this fight. He can't win it either. He's fallen victim to one of Captain Kurotsuchi'swicked tricks. One that has created a literal no win situation.
When I first started this issue, I was rather confused why the dialog was just repeating the final moments of the previous chapter. It sort of reminded me of an anime that pad their openings with the closing moments of the episode before. In the case of anime, they more often do that so people who haven't been watching for the passing week can be caught up or reminded of where things left off. For BLEACH , Kubo is putting you directly into Hitsugaya's shoes.
He's become the unwitting guinea pig to one of Kurotsuchi's more insidious experiments, and the reader is dragged into the past right along with the little captain. It's a surreal moments that I found to be both confusing and rather enjoyable once I caught on. It's not that I enjoy reading the same moments over and over. I just love the wickedness of such a plan, and it really falls into Kurotsuchi's character.
He's not the kind of personality who wins fights with skill or power. This chapter easily shows that Kurotsuchi wouldn't stand a snow ball's chance against Htsugaya in a fair fight. So, what's his motivation to fight fair? He's the sort that uses his more than extraordinary mind to consider any situation and prepare for it. The way this chapter closes out. I really do wonder when Kurotsuchi infected Hitsugaya. Was it long before when was even turned into a zombie?
While I can sympathize with a reader who doesn't want to be repeating moments at this stage of the series, I really didn't have a problem with it in this issue. The concept is used to good effect, and I don't see it being dragged out any further into the following chapters. At least, I hope not. Kubo has gotten his point across.
Other than some rather incredible action scenes, the real enjoyment from this chapter is found in the more psychological levels. I love how is plays with the audience for a second and lets you realize what's happening slowly. Kurotsuchi has always made me think of what if Josef Mengele had been coerced into working for the good guys. Incredible evil used for the sake of doing something good, and that isn't too far off from reality. Go look deeper into the history of NASA and the moon landing, and you'll find more than a few names of former Nazi scientists. Remember that before you criticize the Soul Society too harshly.
I've yet to find any solid confirmation on this, but I've been hearing rumors about the return of the BLEACH anime. That would fit into my own theory. The production company didn't want to invest in another filler arc or two. They instead were opting to follow the FMA: BROTHERHOOD method of waiting for the manga series to end, then just animate the final arc. This would be stellar news. Think back on all those awesome moments I was worried may never be animated.
Follow along with the latest BLEACH chapters yourself, tune in for the SJ Podcast, and check out the free starter pack sampler at ShonenJump.com here. You can download the free app for both iOS and Android devices.
Kristoffer Remmell (FoxxFireArt) is a freelance graphic artist, writer, and over all mystery geek. Follow for news updates: @AnimeVicers /@FoxxFireArt / http://ift.tt/1hmMpg1 |
I always figured that Watanabe would eventually get around to clarifying his… attitudes here, but nevertheless, SPACE DANDY #1 will always stand out as one of the most unintentionally hilarious moments in anime for me.
FUNi and Adult Swim strike this ambitious simulcast deal, very likely hoping that they’ve got the second coming of COWBOY BEBOP on their hands. What they got was a pilot which opens with a monologue about T&A, and ends with enough up-skirt shots to confirm plenty of creepy anime stereotypes.
So, with that in mind, there’s a bit more unintentional humor here. I’m checking back in a few months later, and I'm finding Dandy not only trying to clean up his act, but is also trying to settle down for love...?
The show always struck me as having a bit of a FUTURAMA vibe, and that continues here. Granted, the 'gag gun' hasn’t been set to rapid fire, but it still projects contemporary life into the far-flung future in about the same fashion. The set-up of lonely career girls going to a singles mixer in outer space is exactly the sort of shenanigan Planet Express’ crew would get mixed up in during some cold opening.
More relevant to my point, though, the perspective in those scenes at the mixer offer a necessary counterpoint to Dandy’s chauvinism. It looks more like a comedic foible (and less like a viewpoint of the protagonist's which aligns too much with the overall show’s). Maybe there’s a point to be raised about not judging a show by its first couple episodes, but… eh. That’s the price of serializing a story. And if Watanabe had planned to get at this all along, it really makes that pilot look even more hilariously bungled.
Watch "the Gallant Space Gentleman, Baby" and decide for yourself.
This would have been so much more heroic if everything leading up to it hadn't been so misogynist.Bartolomeo shows his worth as he pushes his limits to give Luffy and Law a step up, Sabo is in a heated battle with Fujitorathat is sure to get heavy, and how will Rebecca deal with being targeted by the same gun that took her mother's life?
You're going to start this chapter feeling all the usual ONE PIECE vibes, and Bartolomeo has really become such a pleasant surprise out of the Dressrosa Arc. He may be an obnoxious fanboy, but at least he's genuinely helpful. Even a little heroic this week. Then Robin steps in to give a great speech and be the one who will face off with Gladius. It's been a long time since she's had a battle to call her own. Perhaps this is the arc where Oda will give us a better display of her growth.
Unfortunately, things take a remarkably negative turn in the final third.
My fears have come to roost in this week's ONE PIECE. I really didn't want to see Rebecca reduced to a damsel in need of rescue. Yet, that's exactly where we find ourselves. I had such high hopes for her getting some level of revenge for the death of her mother. I'm not saying I wanted her to kill, but is it asking too much that she shows some level of competence in a fight?
Earlier in the arc, I could easily forgive Rebecca for folding upon realizing that Diamante was her mother's killer. That's a heavy shock to drop on someone in the middle of a battle, and some people would need to process that. It had the potential for an incredible round two where she musters her courage and brings him to justice. I would have even accepted Kyros coming in to prevent her from being stabbed in the back after a victory, alaTashigi vs. Monet.
Shirahoshi or even Vivi wilting from battle is much more understandable. I came into this holding Rebecca to a much higher standard. She's a bloody gladiator who's never lost. She must have faced hundreds of enemies who wanted her head. Sure, Oda tells us that she's won her fights without actually maiming anyone. I thought at some point he was going to show us how that happens.
If it hadn't been for Nico Robin's bad-ass moment and Bartolomeo's heroic fanboy-ism, I could has easily been much more harsh to this chapter. Such a disappointment from a character that had such promise. My hopes were so high for Rebecca, but they all came crashing down to Earth with this week's issue. I could have given this a 2 out of 5 if it hadn't been for Robin's heroism balancing out Rebecca's face plant.
There is plenty of genuine enjoyment to get out of this week's ONE PIECE. Some great action, art, and laughs. It's practically everything one comes to expect from Oda. It's the final bit that just pulls the rug right out from under you.
Follow along with the latest ONE PIECE chapters yourself, tune in for the SJ Podcast, and check out the free starter pack sampler at ShonenJump.com here. You can download the free app for both iOS and Android devices.
Kristoffer Remmell (FoxxFireArt) is a freelance graphic artist, writer, and over all mystery geek. Follow for news updates:@AnimeVicers/@FoxxFireArt / http://ift.tt/1hmMpg1 |
As Garage Hero continues to work hard on completing Gun Caliber , the team has gone ahead and created a page for Hayate: Asakusa's Ninja Hero, a ninja-themed tokusatsu project that's aimed towards children. At the moment, the only thing that we know about Hayate is that it features a ninja who protects Tokyo's Asakusa district from evil. If anything, we can look forward to some new updates on the project when their page updates down the road.
Based on the teaser that Garage Hero posted back in July, the show seems to be a comedic series where the Ninja Hero activates his finishers through special cards. While we're unsure on what to expect from the team's next project, I'm certain that their great work with Gun Caliber is a sign that we'll be in for a good time.
In case you never saw Hayate's first trailer, you can use your secret ninja techniques to watch the video below.
Welcome back to the Anime Vice Caption Contest! You know the drill; we have three new images that need some funny captions! See who won the previous contest below!
Your captions will be judged by the hosts of THE VICE PIT themselves; Tom Pinchuk and Sam Weller! The winners and their winning captions will be featured in the next Caption Contest post!
| "Vegeta! What does the scouter say about their hotness levels?" ~ SamJaz | |
| "This is a rather serious punishment for just making a "sex on the beach" joke isn't it?" ~ Mutant_God | |
| "I think putting 10 hermit crabs in his shorts may have been a bad idea after all..." ~ Bigheart711 |
To post the images properly, you should copy them from this post and paste them into the comment box, rather than upload the images again yourself. To do this, highlight some of the text below the images (try starting from "want to recommend") all the way up to some of the text above the images (try highlighting up to "fill in the captions!") and then right-click on that text and select "copy", go to the comment box, right-click inside that and select "paste" - then all you need to do is fill in the captions! Hope that helps, have fun!
So, are you up to the challenge? Just copy the images (READ INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE!) into the comment box below and fill in the captions!
Want to recommend some images for the contest? Go to this thread and submit images, and we'll check them out. Have fun and good luck!
| Daniel Newton writes for BagoGames about geeky stuff like anime and video games, and when he's not doing that he's selling Pokémon cards on ebay. He also has an almost unhealthy Wine Gum addiction. Follow him on Twitter @Daniel_Newton |
I had ambivalent feelings, walking away from the ‘Chimera Ant’ saga. It wasn’t that I disliked HxH; I was just frustrated that these appealing characters weren’t in a plot they deserved.
When that happened, I realized my reluctance was a result of one part of the shonen formula. Specifically, when the first dozen-or-so episodes are basically a P&R campaign to make you like the characters so much, you’ll feel a sense of obligation to them, and will keep watching even when the rest of the show isn’t working.
So here we are. Even after I said I was done with HxH for good, I’m still curious to check up on Gon and Killua. And the funny part? This one episode is a fairly neat distillation of Togashi’s approach to the series on the whole....
(And if this girl Killua so affectionately protecting isn’t meant to be his girlfriend, then she can stand right next to Biscuit in the hilarious, cooties-averse tradition of potential love interests in shonen).
Did I think this episode was actually any good? Well, like I said, that question’s almost irrelevant, now. The show is it what it is, and it’s amusing to appreciate the consistency of that.
It was nice to see Gon and Killua again, though...
Watch "Sun X and X Claw" and decide for yourself.
With Kakashi has guide, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke combine their power to complete Team 7's final mission to seal Kaguyafor good.
The most enjoyment I got out of this chapter was in the strategy of the combat. That really does seem to be Kishimoto's strong suit. I have to give it up to Team 7 for pulling off a superb bit of subterfuge. Now, if someone could just explain why it took us several months to get here?
Okay, you're going to have to humor me a bit when it comes to the above GHOSTBUSTERSreference. I've sort of had that on the mind lately, and it isn't too far off really. Both Gozer and Kaguya are basically god-level characters who don't even appear until the end of the story, they put on a big show, but ultimately all they ever seem to do is fail at what they're trying to accomplish.
Think about that for a second. Ever since Kaguya was resurrected, what has she succeeded at? Absolutely nothing. It's almost maddening. I don't understand what Kishimoto was even trying to tell the audience with her dialog. All she does is once again repeat how if she kills either Naruto or Sasuke she can't be stopped. This is information she's been told repeatedly by Black Zetsu. Is that only now starting to sink in? Later, she's trying to decide what dimension to shift to and decides against the ice realm due to Sasuke's flame techniques. She has honestly forgotten her acid ocean world, hasn't she? I guess being seal away for a few thousand years tends to make one forgetful.
Forgive me for glossing over the issue of Kakashi being given the Sage of Six Paths power along with the Sharingan. I feel I've covered the issue enough over how ridiculous it was how he got the Sharingan in the previous week's review. This is just another layer of stupidity stacked upon that. Kishimoto has apparently just decided to start passing out powers as one would do with candy on Halloween.
Kaguya easily has to be the most underwhelming god big-bad in manga history. I'd love to say this is Kaguya's ultimate defeat and the arc can finally end, but that's yet to be seen. The creator has taken us this far by dragging things out and swapping in new villains. Half of me is expecting next week's issue to focus on Kaguya's back story and showing how she had good intentions to begin with. Let's take some joy in that we may be saying farewell to a very disappointing character.
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Kristoffer Remmell (FoxxFireArt) is a freelance graphic artist, writer, and over all mystery geek. Follow for news updates: @AnimeVicers/@FoxxFireArt / http://ift.tt/1hmMpg1 |
Nations may rise and stocks may fall, seasons will change and the stars can fall from the sky…
…but we can always go back to DRAGON BALL, can’t we?
I’m not going to fall into the fallacy of saying that all anime of the 80’s was better than anime today; but it’s still fun to revisit a series that’s stood the test of time the way this has. That, and I find the warm, crunchy textures of computer-free anime to be oddly soothing these days.
Actually, I will say that you almost never see scenes like Goku’s extended ride on the nimbus any more. Perhaps it’s because cynical audience familiarity has just piled up too much, but I can’t remember the last I saw any contemporary show relish in pure escapism like this. We get a solid chunk of time to just appreciate the sheer wonder of a kid flying on a cloud through the mountains. I’d go as far to say that it was… delightful.
Of course, the show balances that whimsy with plenty of ‘cheekiness.’ Really, it shouldn’t be much of a revelation to find that panty humor has this lengthy of a tradition. However, honestly, I think it works better than the eye-rolling “HENTAI!” back-and-forth of today because it offers a range of responses. Like, you’ve got your dirty old man in Roshi, but then Krillin just sees it as a pragmatic means to bribe his way into training, and Goku literally has no conception of what sex is. And more importantly, they call each other’s attitudes out.
And speaking of Krillin…
Considering how he wound up being a toady to Goku in DBZ (and a walking punchline to fans), I really wasn’t expecting him to be introduced as any kind of rival to our lead. However, considering how thoroughly Goku goes on to outclass him, I suppose it makes a lot more sense. I mean, try watching this while keeping in mind how much Goku’s going to level up... and how much Krillin isn’t going to.
Watch "Goku's Rival " and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode.
