Album Review (Obscurus Metalus): Neon Nightmare's Faded Dream

Honorable Mention of 2024 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I said then when I briefly talked about my top 5 list from last year, but today’s review is of an album that came practically out of nowhere for pretty much everybody. An album who’s band members (More on that in a moment) were highly mysterious, and despite the single or two that came out, nobody knew anything about the record in question. Cut to the 1st of November last year, and one of the biggest offerings & tributes to one of the biggest icons in Gothic Metal to have ever been made. A tribute that actually tugs at my heartstrings, and left me a little misty-eyed. So, get out any leftover Halloween candy you might have left, turn down the lights to low, and enjoy my review for Neon Nightmare’s first release, Faded Dream. Let’s begin.

Background
It’s genuinely difficult to find any background on this album, along with the mysterious frontman of the band....or so we thought. Cut to a few months after it came out (I believe it was a few months), and we got a reveal of the mastermind behind the whole thing: Nate Garrett. Not just the singer, but he was also the drummer, keyboardist, and bassist, Nate had prior musical experience in the band Spirit Adrift, which he had also started. As for what we do know about the album’s background and descriptor, the Bandcamp page as this to say: 

“Born out of the elemental primordium contained in heavy metal’s working class roots, from the war-scarred industrial landscapes of Birmingham to the beat up bars and basements of Brooklyn, Neon Nightmare arrive like a ghost in the night to carry on the tradition. Troubled music for troubled people. And though there’s nothing new under the sun, in the shadows there may yet be a chance, and it is in the shadows where ‘Faded Dream’ was shaped out of shimmering steel.

The title says it all, with ‘Faded Dream’ Neon Nightmare’s debut album is a synthesis of emotional peaks and valleys and dark brooding atmosphere, evoking a longing angst for a past once colored by adolescent excitement and wonder. Utilizing a foundation of big riffs, crushing studio production immersed in technicolor fantasy and psychedelic ornamentation, and a dramatic vocalist able to smoothly swing from a spooky gothic baritone to soaring heavy metal melodicism, ‘Faded Dream’ is the crossroads where Doom, Psych, Shoegaze and Alternative Metal all intersect in a way not heard in years.

A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it but unmistakable deadpan satirical strain also runs through ‘Faded Dream’ as Neon Nightmare cleverly avoid the overtly sad-sack whimsy and self-serious mopery of the standard “metal band with goth tendencies” milieu. For all its genuine foreboding and confrontation with real depression, ‘Faded Dream’ never loses itself in the mire or gives up on its predilection for thrill-seeking amusements and sanguine fascination. The sounds conjured have lived in many momentous forms throughout the decades of heavy metal history, and Neon Nightmare are here to continue the cycle.”

The album would be release on the 1st of November in 2024, and the reception was quite positive on many review sites.

Basic Description
Pete’s Ghost Is Still Haunting Us.

Ever since Pete Steele passed away over 15 years ago (That made my bones ached), the bleeding hole where our hearts were still aches. Type-O Negative at some point in their career reflected something in our soul, and somehow brought some kind of joy into our lives. In the over decade & a half since Pete's death, there have only be a tiny pinch of musicians that have managed to even remotely take up the mantle. Corey Tourigny was one of the first, then we had A Pale Horse Named Death, the monolith that is October Noir, and even musical Youtubers like Anthony Vincent & Denis Pauna managed to get in on the action! However, with Dream Faded I think we have the first time a musical act truly captures the essence & soul of the Green Man so perfectly. Even then, this album folds in a few different things to make it something unique, and not just a carbon copy of the boys from Brooklyn. We will never have Pete crawl out of his grave, but it is nice to know that there are still musicians out there that understand the significance of Peter Thomas Ratajczyk.....and the legacy he left behind.

Best Track
This was...difficult. There’s not many albums I’ve ever listened to in the near 4 decades I’ve been on this planet that I consider perfect, but throw Faded Dream onto that pile everybody. Practically every single song on this album can be considered to be the best track. Hell, even the joke opening soundscape Higher Calling is surprisingly entertaining. However, if I wanted to pick my favorite track of the album, then the cleverly named LATW2TG is just perfect. Reminiscent of material from the Dead Again era of Type-O Negative, you have instrumentals similar to what you would hear on An Ode To Locksmiths, but the vibes are like that you would feel in September Sun. Mildly more lighthearted, but still very powerful & very emotional. Though I would have liked this song to have been the concluding track, it’s position about halfway through the album means I don’t have to wait that long to get to it.

LATW2TG

Worst Track
The fact that this sprung practically out of nowhere was this album’s biggest fault. I didn’t even know there were singles out for the release until after I discovered this record, though there were definitely some people that did. Not only that, but Nate Garrett keeping his identity a secret until he wasn’t able to seemed silly to me. He’s pretty damn talented, not just in Neon Nightmare, but in his prior band Spirit Adrift. To play devil’s advocate, I assume he did this so people focused on the music instead of him, which I can respect. 

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Faded Dream

Overall Impression & Rating
Faded Dream, as I said before, was a surprise that came out of nowhere, and hit anyone that listened right in the feels. Sure, I think it was a little goofy that Nate Garrett hid his identity until he couldn’t, but in an odd way that meant we paid full attention to the music, and nothing else. In that case, this tribute to Pete & the rest of Type-O Negative was nothing short of phenominal. From beginning to end, you have all of the things that made the boys from Brooklyn legends, yet there’s a few things that were thrown in to make it it’s own thing as well. Over 15 years later, and there’s people that haven’t forgotten you Green Man. Not now.....Not ever. 

Faded Dream gets an 8 out of 10, but I enjoyed it as if it was a perfect 10.

And that was my look at Faded Dream. Surprising & wonderful in equal measure, it managed to capture the spirit of the Green Man without being a carbon copy. For any fan of Type-O Negative, this album will heal your heart....if only for a bit. So, join me on the last day of this month, when I will look at an absolute beast of an album from legends that are a little over half a century in age. Until they, make sure your dreams never fade. 


***
If you want to support Neon Nightmare, then click on the link below: 

Neon Nightmare (Bandcamp)

MTG Set Review: Commander Legends

The end of 2025 is near fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

2025 has not be very kind for us here in the United States, or for anywhere else if I’m being honest. The sheer amount of political corruption here in America is so immense, it makes some of the worst leaders in our country’s history look like model boy scouts. With things coming out seemingly every single day that sends a chill down your spine, it makes living in the USA looks like a living nightmare. None the less, the few shreds of light that still float around are enough to keep one going, and today’s review marks one final look back at the media landscape of 2020. One final look at a plague ridden year that in hindsight, might somehow seem less soul-crushing that what we’ve gone through here in 2025. So, if you’ve got the hankering for some EDH/Commander, then sit down & enjoy my review of the 2020 closer, Commander Legends. Let’s begin!

Story & Setting
Commander Legends doesn’t really have a story to it, save for some of the characters introduced that would make a re-appearance in later sets. Not only that, but there are fundamentally new & older plains introduced and re-introduced, but nothing is ever explored in detail. Due to the goals of the set, there isn’t really a need for a set-wide story & characters.....but I will talk about this a little later.

Art
For the most part, the artwork hasn’t changed in Commander Legends. All of the older cards they brought in have the exact same art as they did before, save for some spruced up alternate versions. The NEW art, however, is damn good! There are plenty of new cards in both the base set, and the commander pre-builts, that all have brand new artwork, and it all looks wonderful. Not much else to say in this regard.

Mechanics
Also for the most part, the mechanics of Commander Legends is made up of things we’ve seen before. The Monarch makes a comeback, as does Cascade to an extent, Pirate Tribal/Typal/Kindred oddly enough, along with a smattering of a few others. Two new ones are introduced, and they certainly make things feel fresher. The first up is Encore, and that one’s pretty simple. You simply pay the mana cost & exile the creature card from your graveyard, and then you make a copy of it for each opponent you have. They all have haste, and then you sacrifice them at the next end step. This gives anybody an advantage if they’re lacking in the creature department, and has some nice aristocrat interactions.

Perhaps the biggest aspect of the set was the Partner mechanic. Originally first appeared in 2014 with specific partners in Battleborn, then in 2016 with the Commander pre-builts that were more varied, and then in 2020 with the Ikoria pre-builts that returned to the more limited nature of 2014. Commander Legends is far more free-roaming with it’s partners, as you can mix & match with anybody with Partner. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that every combination works, but this does mean that the amount of combinations is incredibly varied. My only complaint is that there weren’t any Partner commanders in multicolor (Would have made for some interesting 3-color partner decks), but there’s still a lot of variety with what we were given.

Negative Aspects
Honestly, Commander Legends’s only big fault is the heavy return of cards from prior sets that have their original art. To play devil’s advocate, this was a set that was designed with the Commander format in mind, and thus many older cards were needed to flesh things out & to supplement the newer ones. Even so, it’s amazing that the ration of old to new seems so out of balance to me, but again, the old was meant to help out the new, so I can’t truly complain that much.

Overall Impression & Rating
If Zendikar Rising was my 1st favorite set of 2020, then Commander Legends isn’t far behind. While the fair amount of older cards doesn’t make this set feel completely new, the stuff that is new certainly makes for something somewhat unique. Even if there isn’t a story or familiar characters (For the most part), what we were given was pretty good. It still manages to entertain players whenever the odd pack is found & opened, and even if you never collect the set, buy a few odd cards & enjoy the moment.

Commander Legends gets an 8.5 to 9 out of 10.

And that was my review for Commander Legends. A worthy release that helped out many Commander players, and a set that definitely deserved to close out 2020. Still spoken of in high regard almost 5 years later, it’s a testament to the design quality that’s had it stay in the minds of so many MTG players. And with that everyone, my look back at some of the media that got me through 2020 is completely, so now we turn our attention to last year. So, join me around the middle of the month, as we’ll take a look at a musical honorable mention that’s quite mysterious. See you then!

Album Review: Ozzy Osbourne's Scream

Happy Halloween fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Even with all of the real world horror that happening right now, it’s still nice that ghosts & goblins roam the earth. It’s still nice that pumpkins glow with eerie grins, and creatures of all kinds travel up to houses for sugary sweets. It’s also the time where some of the spookiest music really hits just right, and how appropriate for today that my final tribute look at Ozzy is 2010's Scream. Only the 3rd album from the Prince Of Darkness I ever got at the time, Christmas that year was a little more metal for me. So, have your bucket of candy next to you, light up a few candles, and enjoy my review for Ozzy Osbourne’s 2010 release, aptly titled Scream. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from part 3 of my overview: 

“2009 was a pretty eventful year for Ozzy. In July of 09, he revealed that his band was looking for a new guitarist, and while he said that he never had a falling out with Zakk Wylde, he did say that hi songs were beginning to sound a little too much like Black Label Society. Zakk’s replacement would come in the form of Gus G., who first showed off his skills when Osbourne played at Blizzcon 2009. After that, Ozzy would lend his voice to the metallic game Brutal Legend, and in November of 2009 would not only lend guest vocals for Slash’s solo song “Crucify The Dead”, but also host WWE Raw alongside his wife Sharon. Finally, in December of 2009, Osbourne announced that a new album titled Soul Sucka in 2010, but would change the name of the release to Scream after taking into consideration the negative feedback the original record name got from fans. Then, on the 11th of June, 2010, Scream was released.

Unfortunately for Scream, it was considered commercially disappointing when compared to Ozzy’s earlier releases, but it moderate success in the United States & the UK, reaching no. 4 and no. 12 on the Billboard 200 & UK Albums Charts respectfully.”

Basic Description
1st True Modern Ozzy Album.

The Prince Of Darkness got back on his game when Down To Earth was released in 2001, and over the course of the 2000s he kept on rocking & releasing some phenomenal records (With one notable exception in 2005), but when it reached 2010, it seemed like he truly released a modern record with Scream. The most (at the time) modern recorded, produced, played, and sung release of Ozzy’s career, yet practically none of the heaviness was removed because of this. Though it may be a little too accessible (More on that a little later), it still will have a hold on anyone that listens to this.

Best Track
Like I said when I first looked at this album in Halloween of 2022, the title-ish track of Scream is the best thing on here. The whole thing is intense from beginning to end: the guitar & drums at the start build up for a few moments, only to explode like thunder once Ozzy begins to sing, yet none of the instrumentation loses it’s energy during the entire playtime. The fast yet mid-pace nature of the song never goes off the rails, but it does feel like a runaway train ever so slightly. Though it’s not the opening track, it definitely deserves to be in front. 

Let Me Hear You Scream

Worst Track
I stated this when I looked at this release 3 years ago, but Scream comes across as one of Ozzy’s most commercial sounding & feeling records he’s ever done. Again, there’s plenty of metal across the entire run time, and it’s hard-hitting pretty much the whole time, but perhaps it’s too accessible to non metal fans & casual metalheads. Also, and I don’t think I stated this in 2022, but Scream also sounds a little too clean most of the time. Pretty much every album prior to this one had some of the rawness from the 80s & 90s in one way or another (With maybe the exception of Black Rain, and even then there was still rawness), but Scream feels like Ozzy’s first truly modern album in his career. The recording & production, while very well done, sounds too clean for it’s own good.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below: 

Scream

Overall Impression & Rating
Scream, while certainly modern sounding and feeling, still is a hefty feast of metal. For better or for worse, Ozzy always reinvents himself with each new album. Some are worse than others, but an album like this is one of the better ones. You could throw a dart, and it’ll land on a song that’s for you. As for me, Scream was & still is a treat, and while it would take practically a decade after for the next record to appear, this one held back the tide nicely.

Scream gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was my look at Scream, and the end of my tribute to Ozzy as well. It’s still sad that the Prince Of Darkness has been gone for such a short time, and just compounds how horrible 2025 has been. Yet, every once in a while, his screams still echo in the wind, and the most observant can hear them. Well, this year’s almost over with, so that means starting next month it’ll be time to look at the honorable mention & no. 1 album of 2024. However, I’ve got 1 last look back at 2020 to present. See you all tomorrow for my look at my 2nd favorite MTG set of that year. Until then, take care! 

5 Greatest Anime Chests (For Breast Cancer Awareness) No. 9

Taking a jiggly break for a moment fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

As you all know, October is not just the month of tricks & treats, but it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness month as well. A time where people with a heart spread awareness about one of the worst diseases known to humanity, it’s perhaps even more important now to notify people what with our system going to hell in a handbasket. I may have said this before, but I don’t think these lists truly do change how people look at the sickness in question. Originally, I kinda started doing these more for fun than anything else, but if these help the cause even a little, then I’m more than happy to do them. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the 9th edition of my top 5 greatest anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness list. Let’s begin!

(One other thing: gonna finally add clips to these)

5) BananaJuju (Clip)

I begin this list with a special little monkey. One of many vtubers that actually played by an older person (Not massively old), there’s a nice mix between younger energy & wisdom in her streams. I don’t watch her very often, outside of clips on her Youtube channel, but I definitely love the vibes she puts out. Also, the monkey aspects are nice, as her ears are noticeable but not big, her blonde hair that’s a mix of dreadlocks & such and her tail is oddly cute. And her chest, while on the more humble side of things, is still pleasantly plump & bouncy. That’s a-okay in my book!

4) Trickywi (Clip)

Another vtuber I haven’t watched often (but more that the lovely lady above), this bundle of chaotic energy just recently had a re-debut. Her model has more of a cyberpunk look to it, but keeps many of the harpy dragon elements her character embodies since she first started streaming. Regardless of the model in question, she’s bouncy, bubbly, cute, and just the right amount of horny when the situation requires it. She’s also genuinely entertaining in whatever she’s doing, and it’s genuinely hard to not like her. Puts a smile on my face no matter what!

3) Lucahjin (Clip)

Oddly the most wholesome of the vtubers I picked for this year’s list, this horsegirl (Not a Centaur) will make you laugh while also being oddly wholesome. Even when she dirty in some way (Which is either totally adorkable, or strangely cute), there’s this charm you can’t quite describe. Even her model, as curvy & fan-servicey as it is, looks and feels genuinely motherly. She really tries to have her streams be these nice little clouds that you can rest on, while she talks, plays a game, or collabs with another vtuber she’s friends with. She’s never really over the top, often taking a more comforting personality that really feels motherly & warm. Even if it’s not one of her stream, please give this lovely horse a look at when one of her clips crosses you path.

2) Milla Noire (Clip)

I’m not going to lie, but I was almost going to put this black hole vtuber at the no. 1 spot for this year’s list. As you can tell by her model, her chest is......exceptionally gifted. According to her, she actually has them pretty big in real life as well, on account of surgery (I believe they are trans). Even taking out how big they are, Milla is just a charm fest. Sure, your eyes are going to gravitate towards her chest pretty quick, but even if that happens you’re going to stay for just how much of a sweetheart she genuinely is. She does a bunch of stuff over on her channel, not to mention collaborating with a bunch of her vtuber friends. Not only that, but if one happens to find her.....risque Fansly page, you find a nice mix of cute & spicy material that’s also oddly heartwarming as well. Again, Milla Noire almost made it to number 1, but a familiar mom makes a triumphant return.

1) Vexoria (Clip) ***

Yes, this is the 3rd time our grape snake mommy has graced these lists. No, I don’t care!

To be honest, there’s always a time to heap praise upon one of the genuinely best vtubers to ever pick up the mantle. A mother of two wonderful children (A Daughter & A Son), an incredibly devoted and caring husband (That sometimes takes a hit for her), and extended family that has her back (And givers her material for her streams), a survivor of Breast Cancer, and has begun branching out into voice acting & singing. On top of that, she’s also one of the best adult entertainers out their in both her vtuber model & real life body, and while I don’t like everything she does, the stuff I do enjoy I definitely do. Yet, even if I never found that side of her material, her normal work is some of the most fun things I’ve ever watched. She can definitely be sexy during her normal streams, but what warms my heart the most is when she talks about what she’s doing at the moment, what her family is doing, and what she’s feeling about on something at that time. I may have said this in either of the last two times I spoke about our goddess, but Vexoria is genuinely a blast to watch regardless of what she’s doing, and everybody.....should take a little time out of their day to watch. 

This was number 9 of my top 5 greatest anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness list. Every candidate I picked for this year are all bountiful not just on the outside, but on the inside as well. All of these ladies have go through trouble in recent memory (Some waaay more than others), but they’ve all come out of their trials stronger than ever. So, I’m off for a little bit of a break, but I’ll be back on Halloween Day for my last tribute review for Ozzy. See you then!



***
Her real-life face is so adorkable!

Album Review: Ozzy Osbourne's Down To Earth

It’s a little nippy out there fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

As Autumn continues onward, the air is getting colder, and the leaves are getting brighter before they fall. As we get closer & closer to Halloween itself, it seems that spirits from the distant past & most recent of times come back to either haunt the living, or remind them of special times now past. Last month, the spirit of Ozzy was hanging around, and I took at look at Blizzard Of Ozz & Ozzmosis. Two very different albums in many ways, and this month will be no different. To start October off, we reach the year 2001, and a seemingly invigorated Prince Of Darkness. Let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look at Down To Earth. BOO!

Background
Taken from part 3 of my overview: 

“The 90s was definitely interesting for Ozzy. He got out a great album with No More Tears, and another great record financially with Ozzmosis, but it would be more divided among music critics and some fans. However, the business venture that would perhaps be the most successful thing would be the iconic Heavy Metal festival known as Ozzfest. Created by and managed by Sharon, and assisted by his son Jack, Ozzfest was an immediate hit. It not only was awesome among fans, but it also helped many up & coming metal bands with exposure. Not only that, but in the inagural show they got to play alongside a newly reformed Black Sabbath. It is through Ozzfest that the Blizzard of Ozz would get the energy to get out an album of completely new material in the 6 years since the last time.

Released on the 16th of October in 2001, Osbourne explained in an interview with Classic Rock Magazine that “The Ozzfest was doing well. I just wanted to be like the Grateful Dead and keep it going by touring, but the record company said they'd like a new Ozzy album”. Down To Earth is interesting in the fact that it is the only time that future Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo would ever perform on an Ozzy release, the first time that former Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin, and it would be the last time that we would hear Zakk Wylde until 2007, but that’s for a little later.

Down To Earth would chart pretty high across the world. For example, in the UK it would chart at no. 19 on the UK Albums Chart, no. 4 on the Billboard 200 here in the United States, and weirdly enough no. 1 on the Sverigetopplistan over in Sweden. It would also be certified Silver & Platinum in the UK & U.S. respectively. On top of that, the album’s 2 singles (Gets Me Through & Dreamer) would reach the top 10 of the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart here in America, and at no. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Not bad if you ask me!”

Basic Description
Ozzy in the modern era.

The Blizzard Of Ozz’s reign will always be withing the 1970s & 80s, with a brief stop in the last great decade in the 1990s. That being said, his first release of the 2000s was a damn good spearhead into the new millennium. You had (at the time) newer recording & production technology which resulted in a fresher sound and feeling album, but the heart & soul of it was still very much old school Ozzy. A lot of the beats, rhythms, and vibes were distinctly the Prince Of Darkness, but with (again, at the time) more modern resources. The end result is a record that’s quite modern (For the very early 2000s), but still has some roots in the past, and it’s damn good because of that.

Best Track
Long before I ever listened to this album, Gets Me Through was the song that finally made things click for me when it came to Ozzy. Like I said when I talked about this album back in 2022, the track is incredibly emotional. This is one of those songs of his where Ozzy is singing about despite all the fame & infamy he has, he’s kind of an average joe & is broken on the inside, and while he would do this kind of song before & after, something about it feels more genuine in this tune than others. It really tugs at the heartstrings quite a bit, what with the sorrowful piano playing at the beginning, followed by intense guitar & bass and drums. As I said in the overview, it’s kinda weird to describe it, so give it a listen to see what you think!

Gets Me Through

However, we got a little bit of a bonus in 2021, as not only did it get re-released for it’s 20th birthday, but it also included not just an acoustic version of Dreamer & the single version of Gets Me Through, but the Japanese bonus track No Place for Angels. This definitely feels like the most modern song on the entire record: the instrumentation feels very contemporary for the very early 2000s, Ozzy is singing like his usual self but is altered in certain places, and the recording & production feels the most modern when compared to other songs. It’s definitely not as good as the tune mentioned above (Almost comes across like a demo to be honest), but it’s still something nice to hear, and it’s welcome to have a bonus track from Japan on a western release when such a thing is rare.

No Place for Angels

Worst Track
I kinda said this when I first look at the album, but some people might not like the more modern feel Down To Earth has when compared to prior releases. When I first listened to it, that feel was more obvious to me. Almost 3 years later, and I don’t think it’s as strong or obvious, but it is definitely there if your ears are observant enough. It doesn’t ruin the music for me, but it may for others that are picky with their vibes.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below: 

Down To Earth

Overall Impression & Rating
Down To Earth was a breath of fresh air for anyone that wasn’t a fan of Ozzy’s 90s output. While the modern(ish) vibes may have been a roadblock for some listeners, it was a sign that the Prince Of Darkness was adapting to the times in the music industry, and the end result was early 2000s magic. With the album being celebrated a few shorts years back on it’s 20th anniversary, it’s legacy is still apparent for all to listen to, and with it being 25 years old next year, said legacy is etched in stone. Down To Earth is essential Ozzy Osbourne. Plain & Simple.

Down To Earth gets an 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my review for Ozzy’s first album of the new Millennium. Down To Earth, though ages after it was released, was the album that finally got me to become a fan of the Blizzard of Ozz, and I will stay one until the day I die. With the 20 year re-release back in 2021, fans who didn’t get to experience it the first time get to do so now. So, join me next week for an annual tradition of mine that’s getting close to a decade old, then after that I’m taking a break until the 31st. See you all on Monday! 

Anime Review: Monster Girl Doctor (Revised)

Happy 1st of October fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

The month of tricks & treats is finally upon us. The leaves are a little crunchier, the air is a little cooler, and you can’t go into any supermarket without seeing at least half an isle stocked with candy. This year though.....is a little scarier than most. I don’t think I need to repeat what’s been going on in the United States since the beginning of this year, not to mention how seemingly so many other places in world in 2025 are just going to hell in a handbasket. None the less, I hope to leave you all this month with some nice treats, and to start things off is a revised review of an anime I covered just about 5 years ago. A series that’s it’s own thing, yet was inspired by a monstrous juggernaut that still has a foothold in the otaku/weeb mindset. So, I won’t waste anymore time, so here’s my revised review of Monster Girl Doctor. Let’s begin!

Story/Setup
Taken from Crunchyroll:

“Welcome to the town of Lindworm, where humans and monsters coexist and rookie doctor Glenn carries out some…risqué medical examinations! Whether probing deep into the gills of a mermaid, suturing the thigh of a flesh golem, helping a harpy lay an egg, or palpating each and every scale of a dragon… No matter how different their looks, bodies, and properties, Glenn devotes his all to saving them—and, in the process, winds up in some pretty dangerous liaisons…? But don’t worry—it’s all just a part of his medical exams!”

For anyone that wasn’t in the know, Monster Girl Doctor was based off of a manga, which in turn was based off of a novel series. Only a chunk of the manga was ever fan translated, but that was never finished, and it was never published. Meanwhile, the novel series was fully translated, and it did get fully released in the states. I’ve read the chunk of the fan-translated manga, but I’ve never read the novel series, yet I know that the anime doesn’t delve deep into the novel & manga series’s story. It’s not dumbed down or watered down by any means, but it is simplified. If you were a fan of both the manga & novels, then this might be a turn off. But for people like me that haven’t had that much exposure to either, then it’s not an issue.

Animation
The animation for Monster Girl Doctor still looks lovely in the almost 5 years I last reviewed this. Outside of an odd hiccup in the 1st episode, everything looks great. Background, characters, character movement, colors, and shading all make this series look & feel believable. Even stuff that happens in the background of a scene was animated nicely, but that isn’t the focus sometimes in certain moments.

Voice Acting
When I originally reviewed this back in 2020, there was only the original Japanese dub, with only a scant trace of the dub on Youtube (I could be wrong about that). When I found out that Sentai Filmworks was going to release it, I was skeptical at first, since many of their dubs are mediocre at best. Color me surprise when I got a hold of dub a few short years later, and found out that it’s pretty damn good! There are some voices that don’t have quite as much steam as a few others, but the overall English dub really surprised me with how wonderful it is. Again, some voices aren’t as strong as others, but I was never irritated by it at all.

Characters
Monster Girl Doctor has to have one of the most charming cast of characters ever in a harem series. Unlike some series where some of the girls (Or guys if it’s a reverse-harem) aren’t in the spotlight as much as others, virtually everyone in the main cast all have equal time. There are certainly a host of side characters as well, and many of them do fade into the background, but even plenty of them have some time to shine. Perhaps what is most surprising about this anime is that, outside of Nurse Sapphe (The Lamia girl, who is best btw), nobody really wants to have sex with the MC. Again, outside of Sapphe (And maybe 2 other Centaur retainers of the main horse princess), nobody is trying to jump on Doctor Glenn’s family jewels. The whole vibe of him & the others is more like a group of friends than a harem: sure, there’s a few harem moments, but everybody feels more like friends than anything else. The interact with each other differently than they would if they were a harem, and bond more different than they would if they were a harem as well. Again, I love Monster Musume & all of his cheesy harem tropes, but every once in a while I love the other side of the coin, and Monster Girl Doctor is most definitely the other side in this regard.

Availability & Pricing
I bought my copy at a convention about 2 or 3 years ago, and I believe it was 30 to 60-something dollars at the time. To play, the series only came out on Blu-Ray, which definitely made it more expensive. As I’m typing this, there are still plenty of copies over on Amazon with a 53% off sale. By the time I post this I’m not sure if the sale is still going, but if it is I suggest you get it!  

Overall Impression & Rating
Monster Girl Doctor is a nice contrast to the colossus that is Monster Musume. I love that series, and by extension the franchise as a whole to death, but it’s nice to know that there’s a show that’s on the other side of the spectrum. A show that still has all of the monster girl & harem tropes, but reigns them in for more of a grounded experience. Sure, the story isn’t as deep as the source material, and there’s a small animation flub, and maybe some of the voicework lacks just a little bit, yet this show is such a charmfest that they don’t really drag it down. If you are or were a fan of MM, but want something that’s not as over-the-top, then give Monster Girl Doctor a try. 

Monster Girl Doctor gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was my revised review for Monster Girl Doctor. A fun & oddly fresh take on the monster girl harem troupe, it manages to use familiar aspects in a way that’s somewhat different from the norm. Even if you don’t like monster girls or harems, the story is still fun enough that it’s worth watching at least once. Join me next week, as we see what the Prince Of Darkness was like at the dawn of the new millennium. Until then, take care!




***
If you’d like to look at my original review, click on the link below: 

Anime Review: Monster Girl Doctor (Original)

Album Review: Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzmosis

Fellow Otaku & Metalheads.....any of you still listening to Ozzy?

Today’s review is pretty significant in the career of the Blizzard Of Ozz. I’ll be repeating this fact a little later, but on the 23rd of October in the year of our lord 2025, Ozzy’s 2nd release in the 90s turns exactly 3 decades. Ozzmosis is an.....interesting release. Coming out at an interesting time in Ozzy’s career, the album came to a crossroads. The road to the left would have seen him continue down his old-school path, while the road to the right would be more along commercial lines & see him embrace a more mainstream mentality. In the end, Ozzy would somehow pursue both paths at once, and the end result is unique to say the least. So, without further delay, here is my review for 1995's Ozzmosis. Let’s begin.

Background
Taken from part 2 of my Ozzy overview: 

“Ozzmosis. If there was ever an album from the Blizzard of Ozz that certainly divided fans to an extent, it is this one. Released on October the 23rd, 1995, the album came during interesting times. After the release of No More Tears & the subsequent touring, Ozzy had checked into rehab on account of the drugs maybe taking too much of a hold on his life at that point. Coupled with the failed retirement still somewhat fresh in his brain come close to 1995, Osbourne was definitely feeling the strain of his career & life in general. Come 1995 itself, and things began to turn around. For starters, his entire back catalogue was re-released, and once Ozzmosis itself came out, him & the gang would go on what would be dubbed "The Retirement Sucks Tour".

Ozzmosis would go on to achieve a nice amount of commercial success. It would reach number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, five spots lower than No More Tears, and three spots lower than the album that would come after it. It achieved it’s greatest success in the United States, reaching no. 4 on the Billboard 200, which would be Ozzy’s highest charting album at time. Ozzmosis also reached the top ten in Finland and Sweden, top 30 in Germany, New Zealand and Norway, top 40 in Switzerland, and the top 50 in Australia. By the end of 95, the album would be certified Platinum, and Double Platinum by April of 1999. According to Billboard magazine, Ozzmosis sold in excess of 3 million copies in total, and as of the 2010 release of Scream, it’s the latest Ozzy album to be certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.

However, the view of Ozzmosis from the opinion of critics would be more mixed. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic criticized it, with a focus on what he said was it’s lack of evolution from Ozzy’s previous 2 releases. Despite praising guitarist Zakk Wylde, Erlewine condemned the "modern-rock conscious" production style of producer Michael Beinhorn, which he claimed was the cause of Ozzmosis's main problem – that "on the surface, the music is hard and loud, but it actually sounds smooth and processed." Entertainment Weekly critic Chuck Eddy claimed that because of the length of the tracks on the album, it "feels like a parody of the most overinflated opera".”

Basic Description
Ozzy’s Still Not Black Enough. 

While Ozzmosis isn’t as dark & tragic as that record, it is by far in a way Ozzy’s most emotional album at that time. Considering he was trying to retire a few years prior to it’s release, not to mention going through rehab & other things, meant that the Prince Of Darkness poured his heart out once he was out of getting clean. Most of the songs on this release deal with something he was going through or feeling in 1995 & before, and even the ones that don’t still feel emotionally heavy. There are faults to be sure (I’ll definitely be talking about them later), and the reception of this release was mixed among people, it still manages to tug at the heartstrings almost 30 years later since it’s original release (Turns exactly 3 decades old next month on the 23rd).

Best Track
Like I said back in 2022, I Just Want You & My Little Man were the best tracks of the album, and I still stand by that. The former I originally discovered on The Ozzman Cometh compilation long before I listened to it here, and it hits me just as hard way back in 2002 as it does now. On top of that, I said almost 3 years ago, that I think this track was dedicated to Sharon, as Ozzy is pouring his heart out along with the rest of the band, as the instrumentation just affects your mind in a way I can’t completely describe. Meanwhile, the latter track was dedicated to his son Jack, and the best way I can describe it as singing about a dream in a way that only the Prince Of Darkness could. It’s captivating & mesmerizing along it’s entire playtime, with the instrumentation feeling like it was plucked from the dream, and Ozzy’s singing just beyond your range of sight, yet he still feels close to you. It might be a tiny bit hokey with some of the lyrics, but the song on the whole is quite sincere.

I Just Want You

My Little Man

However, I gotta give some honorable mentions to Ozzmosis’s closer, Old L.A. Tonight. A giant nostalgia blast, the song is a soulful, almost blusey like track. There’s wonderful piano playing through the whole tune, and it’s coupled with great guitarwork from Zakk Wylde & basswork from Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler (who came back for this album), and drums from Deen Castronovo. Ozzy’s vocalwork adds to the soulful nature of the song, as it’s equal parts nostalgic for a time that’s been gone for a decade, and pines for I believe his wife (I could be wrong on that). It really tugs at the heartstrings quite a bit, and it’s emotional power definitely earns it’s spot as the final track of this album.

Old L.A. Tonight

Worst Track
There isn’t a bad track on Ozzmosis per se. Fundamentally, the whole album from top to bottom is fantastic, but there are certain aspects that do add a dent or two. Also like I said in October of 2022, the record’s biggest fault was that it was nothing but ballads, and while one or two (maybe 3) is a-okay, to have an entire release nothing but ballads is absurd. Outside of that, there is a song or two where Ozzy’s voice sounds weird, and the instrumentation sounds like it’s just following popular trends at the time in certain tracks as well. 

While this isn’t a problem in my view, I did see some comments somewhere (Might have been on Youtube) saying that Ozzmosis was Grunge-like. At first I thought that was a funny thing to say, but after doing a little research, there actually was some truth to it.  The producer, Michael Beinhorn, was also the producer for Soundgarden & Hole, and thus some of those Grunge vibes leaked over to this album. Again, I don’t see this as a problem since I’m a Grunge fan, but metal elitists back in the day (And some still now sadly) probably had a absolute brain aneurysm over this.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below: 

Ozzmosis (w Bonus Tracks)

Overall Impression & Rating
Ozzmosis was certainly divisive back in 1995, and still has some divisiveness nearly 30 years later. Completely composed of ballads, weird sounding vocals in certain tracks, and trend-following instrumentation certainly pushed some people away, not to mention the Grunge vibes that only metal elitests would have fits over. Yet, for anyone willing to move past those issues, you will find some of the best & most personable music that Ozzy has ever made. Was the album made for everybody? No, but for some Ozzy fans it is the most unique album in his career. I can understand if some pass on this record, but for anyone that does go for it, it is certainly a special experience.

Ozzmosis gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was Ozzmosis. Certainly one of the more mixed albums of Ozzy’s career, but one that still has it’s fans to this very day. Again, with the album turning 30 years old next month, it felt only right to give it is’ due. So, it’s October tomorrow, and as usual it’s time for some spooks & screams to appear here. So, join me on the first, when I’ll take a revised look at a doctor.....and the monsters he helps. See you then!