In Memoram: Paris

Once again, fellow Otaku & Metalheads, I bring grim tidings. Maybe even more grim than the passing of Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, but it's something I must address this.

Earlier today, what appears to be terrorist attacks took place in Paris, France. Attacks took place at a soccer game between France & Germany, and at a Metal Concert (More on this below). The situation is horrific people: at 6:32 PM, Eastern Standard Time, at least 60 people have now been reported to have been killed. This is.....I don't know what to say about this. Not to long ago France came under attack due to a political cartoon, and once again their are being victimized. I legitimately can say a thing: I could bring up words about yesterday easily. With this......can't really bring anything up. My Heart, soul, and prayers go out to those that died, along with those that are still around suffering through this. If you want more thorough coverage on the Paris attacks, please check out the links below. They'll give you better information than I will.

Paris Attacks (BBC)

Paris Attacks (CNN)

Paris Attacks (CoverKillerNation)

I hope I haven't been a downer this week. To raise everyone's spirits a little, here's a video of two guinea pigs talking about Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Enjoy.

Fluff Episode 1: Pumpkin Spice Lattes 


Update (1/8:49 PM, Eastern Standard Time): I just looked online, and the total of people dead is 118.

Update (2/9:17 PM, Eastern Standard Time): It appears as if the attacks are over with, but the death toil has stopped at a staggering 158 deaths, with many more wounded.

In Memoram: Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor

I know I put up my 2nd November review earlier this week, but after hearing about this, I simply had to talk about it.

On November 12th, 2015, Phil Taylor, known more infamously as Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, the former drummer of the iconic Motörhead, passed away at the age of 61 due to illness. Truthfully, I didn't even know the man was sick until I was watching a CoverKillerNation video (Good music channel) about it. I'll fully admit I'm more of a recent newcomer to this legendary band, having really gotten into them since late last year due to Razorfist's (Another good music channel) Metal Mythos video on the band. Despite being a new comer to this band, Phil's death has affected me greatly. While certainly not as attention-grabbing as Lemmy, Phil's drumming was spectacular, paving the way for Thrash Metal & Speed Metal to come to the fore due to his unique double-bass drumwork. Without thus remarkable style of playing, Heavy Metal would sound far too different in this day & age.

Speaking of playing, here's some track where I think this metallic monster shines. Take a moment to listen to these, and enjoy the memories!

Overkill

Bomber

Ace Of Spades

Iron Fist  

One Track Mind

Rock 'N' Roll  

I'm So Bad, Baby I Don't Care

Phil, I've never met you in person, but through your music I've come to consider you a Heavy Metal brother-in-arms. Your skill, not to mention your wild man hair, shall not be forgotten by me, nor shall it not be forgotten by the fans you earned. Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, I salute you!

Anime Review - Ore Monogatari (My Love Story)

Welcome to November review number 2, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

So last week I took a look at the nonsensical Bastard. An over-the-top anime filled with Heavy Metal, Fantasy, and some of the goofiest fan-service you can find in an old-school anime. Today’s show, however, is Bastard’s opposite. There’s definitely an over-the-top nature to a degree, and there’s some goofiness to be sure. However, today’s show is filled with heart, emotion, and love. So get a box of chocolate, maybe a box of tissues, and take a look at 2015's Shojo hit, Ore Monogatari. Let the review begin!!

Story/Setup
Takeo Goda is a junior high school student with an unusual predicament. He’s tall and has the strength of Hercules, but girls don’t go for him. Because of his looks, they instead go for his handsome friend Makoto Sunakawa. Taking this as his lot in life, fate threw a wrench into the machine when on a off-hand chance to rescue a girl from a train molestor. This girl turns out to be Rinko Yamato, and this chance encounter lit a fire between the two. This turned into a relationship between Takeo & Rinko, filled with love, romance, happiness, and emotion. Along the way they encounter others who are similar to them, and do the best they can to help, all the while enjoy their time together.

On the surface, Ore Monogatari looks like your typical Shojo anime story. For the most part, this is true: there are plenty of elements you will find in a show like this. However, the surface is just a mask, and what’s underneath is simply stunning. At it’s core, Ore Monogatari is a show with heart, soul, emotion, and legitimate warmth. This is a show that will give you the feels, and you’d be feeling warm & fuzzy constantly. I’ll fully admit it, but there were plenty of times where I almost cried (Kinda like HaNaYaMaTa from last year), which goes to show how powerful the emotions are in this series. Definitely a strength!

Animation
Ore Monogatari’s animation, for the most part, is what anyone could call typical Shojo. Very colorful & cheery, large but not excessively huge eyes, etc. Everybody looks distinct from one another (Especially Takeo, but more on that in a bit), and nothing is ever truly ugly. Considering the lovey-dovey cutesy nature of the story, this brighter look is especially important. Shojo should never look ugly, and this series succeeds to the 10th degree!

Perhaps the one glaring/not glaring point of animation is Takeo himself. Takeo is quite different when compared to other male Shojo leads: He’s tall, built like a tank, and has rather large lips (This leads to a......awkward scene early on in the series). He’s the exact opposite when compared to the typical male Shojo character as far as physicality is concerned, but this bellies how strong he is emotionally (More on this below), and how much of a dependable guy he can be.

Voice Acting
At this moment in time, Ore Monogatari has subtitles only. As far as I know there aren’t any plans to bring this series over to the states, which is a shame if it never gets over here, cause I’d like to hear who hey would have picked for the cast.

Characters
Just as strong as the story are the characters. In some Shojo anime, the cast in question can some times be weak, shallow, or some combination of the two. Even if this isn’t the case, then the lack of background can be a real downer to the viewer. Thankfully, Ore Monogatari doesn’t suffer from this problem, and instead has a very likable cast of characters. I’m not kidding when I say that I liked pretty much everybody: all of the characters have a part to play, and unlike my last series, everybody gets some kind of decent screentime. It might just be a moment, or it might be a scene or two, but the entire cast provides something that contributes to the progression of the story.

Let’s start off with someone you could see from a mile away, Takeo. Like I said above, he’s the exact opposite of your normal male Shojo lead. He’s rugged, tall, and built like an Asian equivalent of the Incredible Hulk. Underneath all that, and you’ll find one of the kindest individuals you’ll ever meet. Takeo is incredibly selfless, always thinking of other people, and is highly devoted to other people. Constantly hanging out with his best friend Makoto Sunakawa   (More on him in a sec), his one flaw is that he’s constantly down on himself because girls don’t find him attractive because of how he looks, and they flock to Makoto instead. However, Takeo isn’t bitter, and instead feels that it’s his lot in life to not be with someone. Speaking of Sunakawa...

Makoto Sunakawa is kind of a oddball character. On the one hand, he’s rather cold. Not in a heartless manner, but more of the fact that he has an indifferent kind of mood/attitude. Girls come on to him frequently, but he really doesn’t pay attention apart from a few moments, and simply brushes them off without being mean shortly afterwards. On the other hand, Makoto is a kind individual on par with Takeo. Granted, he doesn’t have the physical strength of his larger compatriot, but he’s quite knowledgeable about a lot of things, and often finds himself helping his close friend, along with a select few he gradually encounters. Truly an interesting character.

Then there’s Rinko Yamato, Takeo love interest throughout the rest of the series. Practically Shojo incarnate, Rinko is bubbly, cute, and loving. In a strange way, this actually works in this show, and while a little annoying, those moments are incredibly few & far between. Unlike every other girl that came Takeo’s way, Rinko looked past Takeo’s appearance, and appreciated his strength & kindness. An avid baker & maker of sweets, her love & innocence captured Takeo’s heart, and the two are practically inseparable (Much like Takeo & Sunakawa).

However, the rest of the cast is fun to watch as well! Makoto’s sister Ai makes appearances throughout the series, and has a secret crush for Takeo. Takeo’s parents (Yuriko & Yutaka) are simultaneously goofy yet charming. Osamu Kurihara is a friend of Takeo’s, and eventually find a relationship himself with Mariya Saijo, who first encountered Takeo when she needed help training for a sports meet. Yukika Amami has known both Takeo & Sunakawa since the early years, even though she never really talked to either of them. She left anonymous chocolates for Sunakawa for years, until she finally got the courage to speak to him about getting together. This relationship didn’t last long, but it was something she wanted for a long time. It’s this kind of a cast that can really stick in your mind, and never leave.

Availability & Pricing
Currently, Ore Monogatari can only be found on major streaming sites like Crunchyroll, or one of many 3rd-party streaming sites. Check out the link below for the whole series:

Ore Monogatari (Crunchyroll)

Overall Impression & Rating
Ore Monogatari is not only an essential Shojo anime, but it’s an essential anime period! It does have a small blemish or two, but they in no way truly ruin the experience that is this show! The story is nice & simple, the animation is cheery, and the characters are just a treat to watch. If you’re the kind of person that’s not particularly fond of this genre, then you’ll find that Ore Monogatari will surprise you in a lot of ways. Either way, this is definitely a 2015 hit, and I very much recommend it!

Ore Monogatari!! (My Love Story) gets a 9.5 out of 10.

Welp, here was my other November review. I hope you enjoyed it, and now I’ll take my leave for the rest of the month. Stay safe, and have a great Thanksgiving!



***
Apologies for the delay. I went out this morning for job applications, and didn't have time to put this up in the morning.

Anime Review - Bastard

Happy November fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Well, Halloween has come & gone. Many of us are probably in sugar-induced coma, but for those of you who aren’t, thanks for keeping up with my blog! Just like last year, I’ve got 2 quick reviews ready, and today’s show can be watched in a single sitting. This time around, these reviews are more of a “Compare & Contrast” series, so consider this another improvised mini-themed month. With that said, let’s take a look at the sword & sorcery stylings of Bastard!! Let the review begin!

Story/Setup
Taken from Amazon’s Editorial Reviews:

“Dark Schneider is the Bastard!!! A lone warlock, freed from years of imprisonment, stands against an army of destruction bent on world conquest and the resurrection of an ancient evil. But Dark Schneider is not protecting the desperate people of Meta-Rikana out of the goodness of his heart. After all, they were the ones who imprisoned him for leading this same army against their city the first time! However, he's not about to let his old army, his old generals, and his ex-girlfriend show him up. Besides, his new girlfriend is counting on him, and it's been a while since he had some fun...”

High fantasy is the best way to describe Bastard. Monsters, dragons, magic, damsels in distress, you name it! Kazushi Hagiwara, the manga author of Bastard, was heavily influenced by Dungeons & Dragons, not to mention being an enthusiastic fan of Heavy Metal music (Already, I’ve put this man in my heart). You can see these two influences all over the places, as there are creatures pulled right out of the Monster Manuel, and Dark Schneider casts spells with names like Sodom & Megadeth. Definitely, a true geek & Metalhead!

However, here’s where things get a little......interesting. Kazushi Hagiwara, despite have some talent, has been rather sporadic with putting out his material. The manga began back in 1988, and he’s been working/releasing it on-and-off since them. The anime come across in much the same way: there are missing scenes between each episode, creating a disjointed experience. Further adding to this is the ending, which ends in a cliffhanger, whereas this didn’t happen in the manga. From what I heard there were supposed to have been more episodes made, but the OVA got cut short due to reasons that I haven’t found.

Animation
For an OVA that was released back in 1992, Bastard looks surprisingly good. Granted, you can tell this anime’s age, thanks in most part to the slight muted look, along with odd looks in certain scenes. That said, this series is pretty good looking still! Considering how high the fantasy is, it’s filled to the brim with grand castles, dank dungeons, hideous monsters, and all sorts of things you’d find in a Dungeons & Dragons style world. Character designs are great also, with the men typically built like tanks, and the women either look cute, or a mix of sexy & tough. Even the spell effects are great as well, despite how cheesy some of them are. Overall Bastard is a good looking show, despite it’s age.

Voice Acting
One of the things that surprised be about Bastard’s dub was of how many recognizable voice actors there are in the cast. Daran Norris, Wendee Lee, and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn are just a couple of voice actors that many of you are potentially familiar with. Wendee Lee in particularly I recognized right away, due to how familiar here voice is. That said, the voice acting is.....rather bipolar. The more recognizable voice actors certainly put in a great effort, but it’s the less recognizable voice actors where things get a little murky. Some of them do a good job, while others just put in an okay effort. No really bad efforts, but nothing really any noteworthy either. 

Characters
Okay, I’m just going to say it.....everybody else is secondary to Dark Schneider!

Okay, that’s not exactly true: everybody has a role to play, they really do. But once Dark Schneider shows up, he chews up the scenery! It doesn’t matter what he’s doing, cause your eyes will be focused on him the entire time. He could be standing there, he could be spewing threats & insults, etc. Schneider is the essential anti-hero: an individual who does this for the right reason, but accomplishing them for selfish purposes. I dare you to name me another character, past or present, that is this attention grabbing!!

Again, the other characters provide things for the story, but with Dark Schneider & his antics, why would you want to pay attention to anything else? That said, if there was a second character I liked, it would be Yoko. The daughter of the Grand Priest (The individual who sealed up Dark Schneider in the first place), Yoko is a mild prude but emotional spitfire, and becomes Schneider’s love interest right off the bat. She can actually chew up some scenery as well, but sometimes is a stereotypical damsel in distress. Regardless, she can almost be as much fun as Schneider, and can even hold her own a little.  

Availability & Pricing
Bastard is a series that’s a bit of a challenge to find. You can’t find it on F.Y.E.’s website (Although you could theoretically find it in one of their stores used), and Best Buy doesn’t have it on their website either. Considering it’s an old Geneon/Pioneer title from 2001 (DVD wise, at least. Tapes came out in 1995, and good luck finding those!), it’s not surprising. The only option you really have in this case is Amazon, although it comes at a cost. As I’m typing this up, there aren’t any new DVDs available. Your only option is used, and the pricing isn’t too terrible. Starting at $37.52, it’s a little expensive, but not unbearably so. Unless you can find it online in individual episodes for download (Which is how I found this show), this is your only option.

Overall Impression & Rating
Bastard is one of many examples of pure, unadulterated, anime fluff. It has some shortcomings to be sure (Mostly in story & availability), but despite the problems it’s a lot of fun! The over the top attitude that the setting has, coupled with heavy metal references, surprisingly well placed fan-service, and characters that grab your attention, and you have one hell of a time. Just be sure you don’t become a bastard yourself when you watch this. Mwahaha!!!!

Bastard!! gets a 8 out of 10.

See you all next week, when we’ll take a look at a much longer, and more emotional series. After that,  it’s a break for the rest of the month until December. Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!