Anime Review - Genshiken

Finally, a new review fellow Otaku & Metal Heads!

I’m deeply disappointed with the delays in my schedule. The last anime/heavy metal review I did was all the way back at the end of June, effectively making it a month since the last time I put something up. Luckily, I’m refreshed from Connecticon & hanging out with my friends last week, and I’m ready to go! So let’s start off with a review of a show I required during my trip to Hartford. A show that’s down to Earth, and reflects the life of anime fans with a fair degree of accuracy. A show with character, charm, and wit! So grab some plushies, a box of pocky, and take a look at my review for the Otaku slathered Genshiken. Let’s begin!

Story/Setup
Kanji Sasahara is a simple-minded Otaku. Entering Shiou University, he’s looking for a group that will accommodate him & his peculiarities. Enter Genshiken, also known as the Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture. Contained within are all manner of geeks, nerds & freaks: Makoto Kousaka the gamer, Harunobu Madarame the hardcore Otaku, Souichiro Tanaka the costumer & photographer, Mitsunori Kugayama the artist, and Kanako Ohno the cosplayer & resident geek girl. Along with Kousaka’s otaku-hating girlfriend Saki Kasukabe, the members of Genshiken go about their lives, working at school, and continuing their appreciation of all things otaku! It’s a wild ride, and you’re strapped in the front seat!

Slice-Of-Life is the name of the game with Genshiken. There have been only a few anime I’ve ever watched that I can relate to in even the slightest way, and this series is right at the top, if not close to the top. Anyone who’s reading this review right now has probably gone through the troubles of at least one of the club members: from spending too much money of manga, to finding the right costume, to being the girlfriend that isn’t necessarily big on her boyfriend’s hobbies (Clean & Dirty). You can probably relate to somebody in the club at some point, and this so-called relation is something that will still with you for the rest of your days.

Animation
Right away, you can tell that this comes from the early 2000s. 2004, to be exact. The hand-drawn elements can be seen quite clearly, but it’s evident that computer work was used to smooth things out & clean scenes up. For the most part, I like the animation! Genshiken is a slice-of-life anime, and as such doesn’t need anything over-the-top or fancy. The simplistic stylings of the characters animated looks nice, and the various unique features really separate everybody from one another as far as looks. Every once in a while a character might have a face that looks odd, but apart from them Genshiken’s animation is great!

Characters
If the story is relatable to our own geeky lifestyle, then we can connect to one of Genshiken’s characters right off the bat. Never have I watched a show in which it’s cast is eerily similar to someone I met in real life. Hell, I’ll admit that I’ve mirrored at least 2 of the characters in question, but I’ll leave said characters up in the air so you can guess who’s like me. Apart from that, practically everybody here is likable. Saki is the only one that really isn’t likable, but even then she manages to improve over the course of the show, and embraces her geeky side a little!

I do want to talk about 1 character in particular, and that’s Kanako Ohno the geek girl. I’ll flat out fully admit it, but nerdy girls are my thing! Whether they’re the busty & sexy kind, or those that are more like Ohno. The more kind, innocent, and perhaps humble kind of nerdy girl. Maybe it’s because one of my dear friends, but said friend reminds me of Ohno so much! Ohno is the kind of female geek/nerd/otaku that all others should aspire to be, and I’m proud to know the real-life equivalent!

Voice Acting
As much as I enjoyed this show for what I talked about above, it has it’s fair share of problems, and the voice acting is one of them. This is a Media Blasters/Anime Works title, and as such has a dub that’s.....questionable at best. It’s not that the voice actors don’t do a good job, because they do! The voices that project from each of the character genuinely fits them, but I wished that everybody put in more effort. One voice actor did come out at me however, and that was Rachael Lillis. Providing the voice for Kanako Ohno, she really brings out that character’s positives & negatives pretty damn well, although I didn’t realize it was her at first. Certainly the only voice most, if not all of you, will enjoy. 

Availability & Pricing
In addition to the voice acting, Genshiken’s other flaw is it’s availability. Now, I’m strictly speaking of the 3-DVD collection, not the individual releases (Please leave a comment if you want to know how much they cost & where to find them). Already, you know it’s going to be tough to find when Best Buy & F.Y.E. don’t have copies available. Actually, that’s not completely true: F.Y.E. may have a used copy available, but you’ll probably get one through sheer dumb luck. Amazon is your only bet in this regard, but even then there’s issues! As I typed this review up, there are only 3 used copies available, each of which are $69.95 in price. Yeah, this is a tough one to grab folks!

If you’re curious as to how I got my copy, get this! Back at Connection a few weeks back, I went to the Swap Meet they were hosting, and as folks were heading out, one of the people at the tables asked if I wanted the show. Nothing to trade, no need to pay, etc. It was just given to me.....Sheer dumb luck folks!!!!

Overall Impression & Rating
Genshiken is one of those shows that I’m surprised doesn’t have a large following. While it’s gotten a revival of sorts in recent years, it still doesn’t have much widespread popularity. This is legitimately depressing to me, as there’s a lot of things going on in this show that many anime fans would enjoy. It might be hard to find, but seek out this geeky gem. You won’t be disappointed!

Genshiken gets a 9 out of 10.

Well, hopefully I can get back onto schedule with this review. Sorry for the delays, and to compensate, I got 2 more reviews I’ll crank out. September is gonna be a big month for the Heavy Metal Otaku blog, as it’ll be the 1st birthday of the site! See you soon, and see you in September as well!

Commentary - Leaked WWE Announcer Guidelines

Hey there fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I promise, I’ll be putting up anime/metal reviews shortly, but the subject of today’s post is something I’ve been wanting to talk about since I heard about a week or so ago. You might recall that I reviewed Wrestlemania 31 a few months ago. If any of you didn’t read it, let me give you my basic overall opinion: it was good. It definitely had some dents in it’s armor, but there were enough fun moments that I can’t fully complain about it either. Same for Raw the day after: There was some tarnish, but there was plenty of great moments to watch as well!

However, there’s one thing I think we can agree on: the announce team sucks! Whether it’s during one of WWE’s events, or on Raw or Smackdown, I think we want to shove nails into our ear canals! They go on & on, spouting nonsense that doesn’t pertain to the match, or in the worst case scenario, not even paying attention to the match, In recent memory, it has become increasingly insufferable, and sometimes we can’t even watch because JBL, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Booker T keep opening their mouths! A lot of WWE fans are wondering “What the hell is wrong with these people!?” Well, new information that’s recently come to light may very well finally explain why. So let’s take a look.

Here’s a quick background: around the start of the months, a series of guidelines were leaked on the wrestling portion of Reddit, Squared Circle, by user King Joddah. A series of 9 pictures, the images contained within were that of the guidelines that WWE announcers are to follow during shows & special events. What’s most interesting is how old these guidelines are, as apparently they’re dated from 2008, 2009, and 2010, making them rather dated. Despite their age, their effect’s are still felt today. Now we can take a look, and we’ll start with page 1.

As you can see, page 1 contains a lot of common sense. Use your owns words, be professional, keep notes on the wrestlers (And keep them up to date), etc. It’s all stuff you’d expect to find in the WWE, along with things you’d find in any other business. No problem here. Onto page 2!

Here’s where things begins to get......weird. The first half of it still contains things that make sense, like from the 1st page (Don’t use certain words, etc). It’s the “Don’t’s” section where the strangeness begins. No swearing, okay I get that. Don’t call blood, alright. Don’t say XXX has been busted open? Now that’s beginning to push things in an odd direction. It’s going to get weird people, so let’s examine page 3.

Now the insanity begins!

The top of the page is actually okay. Watch how you weave words, and keep an eye on the images in the monitor. It when it gets to the “Words to Avoid” section that I found myself scratching my head. Here’s just a sample of the words announcers can’t use (And what’s to be used instead):

Belt/Strap (Championships/Titles)
House Show (Live Event)
Pro-Wrestling/Pro-Wrestler (Superstar/Star/Athlete)
International (Global)

This is outright bizarre on many levels. It gets even weirder when it gets to the “Recent Additions” section (All from Vince, apparently). One of these additions actually scared me a little, and here it is:

“Please do not use the term “Sport Entertainment”. Going forward please use “Entertainment” in place.”

Let’s just get to page 4.

A little bit of normality returns on this page. Describe the arena’s environment, ask questions, and avoid cliches. It’s the section titled “Pronouns” that is simply mind-numbing, with the first line being “Do not use pronouns”. There goes a portion of the English language, but to be fair, the alternatives the guidelines describe mark sense in a way. Time for page 5.

Here we come to a page that’s simultaneously the most normal & the strangest part of the guidelines. Titled “Embellish”, it’s a list of tips that announcers follow to amp up what’s going on. I get this: announcers are always supposed to have energy in their words & actions, and this is just common sense. That said, there may be too much common sense. Pretty much all of what’s said here is something that the announcers should know about, and the fact that it’s all repeated here is worrisome. Page 6!

Page 6 is a two-way split, between “Announcer Intensity” & “Layout”. Announcer Intensity is all about how the announcers should use the energy they have when commentating about the in-ring action (And perhaps behind-the-scenes stuff as well) Layout is much in the same vein, although perhaps slightly more descriptive. Once again, this is all common sense stuff, as the announcers should already know this. It’s by this point that this was put in only so Vince could be condescending, and he can continue to have a tyrannical grip on his company. Let’s look at page 7.

Nothing’s necessarily special about page 7. An extension of the “Layout” portion from the previous page , it carries that section’s common sense rules & such. Another line that made me scratch my head was one at the top: “Tell Stories - This is the most important aspect of your job!”...don’t they do this already!? Okay, onto page 8!

Finally, this is the last page of the leaked notes. I’m really starting to repeat myself here: every single line is something you’d expect the announcers to already know! Two lines, however, legitimately intrigued me:

“Announcers are not the stars”. Makes sense (Although Jim Ross might have an issues)

“We are always learning”. I don’t think Vince is always learning.

So this concludes my commentary on the leaked WWE Announcer Guidelines. We can we learn from this? That WWE is nuts! There’s definitely plenty of parts all throughout this that makes perfect sense. However, we can also see the evisceration an important part of the show. Yeah, we might pick on them now, but throughout wrestling’s history, the announcers have often added more flavor to a match or segment. If you hate how the announcing is now, then e-mail World Wrestling Entertainment! Even if they don’t listen, enough messages might convince them to change!

See you all soon, when the reviews will be back in full swing!


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Apologies for putting this up late. Was getting some housework done throughout the day, and this one took a little more time to type up. Hope you don’t mind!!

Convention Review - Connecticon 2015

Hey guys!

Well, I’ve been back from Hartford, Connecticut for a few days. Had a great time while I was there, and I got some energy back from some nice rest. Now, I’ve got enough time to review the reason why I was in Connecticut in the first place......Connecticon!

Ah Connecticon, let me count the way as to why I love you. Despite some bittersweetness due to a death in the family, last year’s was great. This year was even better! There’s was a lot of things going on during the con, and despite some small dents in the armor, it was perfect! So let me stop talking (Typing), and show you my review for Connection 2015. Enjoy!

Good Points
Oh, where to begin on the good points?

How about people!? One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Connecticon is all the people I see. Friends, acquaintances, and even total strangers are always great to bump into. Sometimes, it’s fun to just watch people as they roam around, or to strike up a conversation with those that pass you by. The costumes that some of the con-goers had on were impressive as well. The artistry that went into some of what I saw was nothing short of jaw-dropping! Even the more beginner/amateur costumes looked like there was love & care put into them, and I can always get behind that!

The Dealers Room & Artists Alley is always something that I love when I go to Connecticon, and this year didn’t disappoint. Dealers & artists of all kinds were spread out in the massive room, and it’s always a grand site to see! Anime, Manga, T-Shirts, and all sorts of knick-knacks could be found among the stalls. Recent stalls that I’ve seen include a pearl & jewelry salesman, and a tea & absinthe booth that almost looked like an apothecary. You’ll definitely spend some money when you’re in this part of the con.

Another great aspect of Connection is the myriad selection of panels & workshops one can go to. There is something for everyone: Andrew Jackson, how to do a podcast, examination of 3d animation, and one of my personal favorites, a look at monster girls. Every single day was jampacked with stuff to do. Even Sunday, typically the weakest day for any convention, is a good day for Connecticon. The biggest highlights on Sunday (For me, at least) included a Q&A with George Takai, and a John St. Jon panel on the various characters he voiced. If you can’t find something to your liking, then something is wrong. Speaking of guests...

Connecticon has always had great guests. Voice actors, comic artists, and just about any kind of geek figure can be seen. As recently as last year (As far as I can remember), actors from television & movies have been coming in as well. Two highlights of this year included the iconic George Takai & Michelle Nicholls from Star Trek fame, and they were a treat indeed. Granted, there was something they were involved in that irked me, but I’ll get to that when the time comes. Suffice it to say, the guests this year were fun. Always nice to see John St. John!

Lastly, I’d like to talk about the hotel near the convention center. Yeah that might sound silly, but here me out! I’ve been going to Connecticon for 6 years now, and the one thing that’s always been a welcome sight is the hotel. Their rooms are great, the service is fantastic, and even the built-it restaurant & bar are a treat (The breakfast buffet is always delicious, albeit a tiny bit expensive). Only flaw was that the escalator that goes up was out on Friday, but was up & running for the rest of the weekend, so I can’t really complain in the end. If you want a hotel that’s practically inches away, then the Hartford Inn is the deal for you!
       
Bad Points
For the most part, Connecticon 2015 was flawless. Despite the size, the cogs of the machine run smoothly. Sadly, there were two things that.....irked me. One minor, and one major. I’ll start with the minor one.

On the outside of the panel/workshop rooms, there are banners that show off the schedule of what goes on within. This is pretty useful, especially if you don’t have the conbook with you. Sadly, the schedule on the banner was too small for it. There’s a big square rectangle right in the middle of them, and the schedules put up didn’t match the size. To the staff’s credit, they admitted at the Q&A feedback that the schedule’s were supposed to match the size, and because of that I’ll give them some slack.

The major point, however, actually got me a little mad! A few days from now, it’s my Dad’s 54th birthday, and I was going to get an autograph from George Takai and/or Michelle Nicholls as a gift. I get to both of their tables, and that’s when I saw the pricing. $50 for Michelle Nichols!? $40 for George Takai!? I’ll give them a slight benefit of the doubt, and say it was a joint effort between the con & the guests. In that case, I get it. The staff needs some money to run things, and the guests need a little extra income. Okay, fine. That said, I was looking forward to getting my Father something special, and seeing the pricing completely changed my mind. Hopefully, the pricing for autographs next year isn’t quite so high.

Other Points
Like I said above, I found incredibly very little wrong with this convention, as Connecticon has always put on a great event. One thing, while not incredibly a big problem, was something I wanted to address here. The convention booklet has always been helpful while at the convention. It gives out where the panel & workshops are, some advertisements & discounts for restaurants/bars, along with some other stuff that might appeal to a con goer. Sadly, the booklet was from a month before. Twice, I went to panels, only to find out it was at a different time, different room, or both in the case of one. To the staff’s credit, there was the Connection app that updated constantly with changes to events & such. However, I didn’t know if my phone was compatible with the app, so I didn’t download it.

Overall Impression & Rating
Connecticon 2015 was a blast! There were some blemishes, but I truly can’t complain. The people, the events, the merchandise, the whole thing! A spectacle like this I can always appreciate. Like Genericon from earlier this year, Connecticon is my geeky home away from home. I can go to this convention, and most if not all of my worries are cleansed away, and a shiny new me can be seen by all. Connecticon 2015, you got my devil horns raised!

Connecticon 2015 gets an 8.75 out of 10

See you all in a week or two, when hopefully I’ll have some more energy back in me!

Metal Overview - Turmion Kätilöt

Hello, fellow Otaku & Metal Heads!!!!

Well, it’s summertime, and you know what that means? Beaches, barbeques, and parties! Yes, as the heat comes down, we seek shelter with the company of others, and just have a fun time all around! If there’s music involved, you can be sure that dancing isn’t far behind. As the summer conventions come around, the raves appear, the tunes are blaring, and those within are taken to a world that few would understand.

Today’s Metal Overview covers a band that you’d hear in just such a rave. Well, maybe over in Europe. Over here in the states, this Finnish Industrial group only gets recognition from fans who are in the know. Despite having a smaller discography than some other metal bands, the energy within them will get your body moving, and you mind grooving to the beat. Although this may be quick overview, once you begin listening to this band, you won’t want to stop! Without further delay, here’s my overview of the fast & electronic Turmion Kätilöt. Get dancing!

Hoitovirhe (2004)

And so kicks off Turmion Kätilöt’s industrial-fueled discography. Released on May 24, 2004, Hoitovirhe is the band’s first official album release (They released an EP, Niuva 20,  beforehand). Created by just two guys (MC Raaka Pee: aka Petja Turunen &  DJ Vastapallo: aka Lassi Kauppinen, who would soon recruit 3 other members for their live shows), Hoitovirhe is an assault on the ears, coming at you furiously with both heavy metal riffage, and industrial beats & sounds in equal measure! Never once does this album stray off course in this regard, as headbangers & rave-goers can find something to like on this record.

Best track......easily, that honor goes to Teurastaja (Butcher)! The opening track of this album, Teurastaja has a fantastic beat that never misses a step, great industrial effects, and the instrumentation straddles the line between metal & dance perfectly. MC Raaka Pee’s is great here also, and while I can’t understand Suomi, I can tell that he bring’s a great intensity to the song, and it never once wavers in anyway!

Teurastaja

Worst track, nothing! Hoitovirhe, a perfect record to start a career! Recommended to metalheads & dance fans equally! Next album!

Pirun Nyrkki (2006)

With Hoitovirhe fresh off the press, Turmion Kätilöt did touring throughout Europe, and come 2005, began work on their second album. So, on March 29th 2006, the band release Pirun Nyrkki (Piru’s Fist) under Spinefarm Records (An independent business unit of Universal Music Group). Pirun Nyrkki continues Hoitovirhe’s attitude, but with a bigger dose of heaviness put into the mix. The industrial aspect is still present throughout the whole album, but in a couple circumstances it takes up more of a supplementary role, creating a record that’s slightly uneven in terms of feel. Ironic, give that Pirun Nyrkki got to number 7 on the Finnish Music Charts (To compare, Hoitovirhe was at number 28).

Best track is a tie, between the horror movie inspired title track, and Tirehtööri, or Ringmaster. The band put in some Middle Eastern sound effects & beats, giving the song something of an exotic aura. I would laugh if I ever went to a club in Dubai, and this track would be played by the DJ. Definitely one of their best!

Tirehtööri

Worst track....once again, there’s no bad tracks on here. Even the small soundscape-like tracks provide to the atmosphere of the record. Pirun Nyrkki, an even stronger Turmion Kätilöt release! You put this on at a rave, and you’re probably gonna get people moving. Next album!

U.S.C.H! (2008/2009)

Shortly after the release of their second album, troubles rose between Turmion Kätilöt and Spinefarm Records, with the dispute being over the band’s income. They eventually filed a lawsuit against Spinefarm (On March 9th, 2009, the lawsuit was settled, but terms stated that the band couldn’t talk about it any further), but that didn’t stop them from making some great music, and on June 11, 2008, U.S.C.H! was put out for free on the internet to download, with a physical release on May 20th, 2009 with bonus tracks. Eventually, U.S.C.H! would claim number 6 on the Finnish Music Charts, tied only with their next album, Perstechnique.

U.S.C.H! (Ultimate Synthetic Corrosion Helter-Skelter) is perhaps Turmion Kätilöt most strongest album to date. Going back to the attitude of Hoitovirhe, the band ramps up the heavy metal & industrial sounds, and creates an album that never lets go of you. Even after you’ve taken off the headphones, or pulled out the earbuds, the beat & rhythm of the songs will still be echoing in your head! Not many modern metal albums, industrial or not, can pull this off.

Picking the best track off of U.S.C.H! is a bit of a difficult task. With the highly notable exception of one track, everything on here is good. From Pakanamaan Kartta (Map of Pagan Land) to Minä Määrään (I Rule), there is no song on U.S.C.H! that’s terrible. My personal favorite, ironically enough, comes from the physical release of the album, Million Dollar Business. Directed towards Spinefarm Records, Million Dollar Business is the kind of song you listen to when a business tries to screw with you! With lyrics that burn pride, aggressive singing, and furious instrumentation, you can’t go wrong with Million Dollar Business!

Million Dollar Business

Shockingly enough, the worst track off of U.S.C.H! happens to be the title track itself! U.S.C.H! shares a similar quality with the classic Bohemian Rhapsody from Queen: both songs have lyrics that are just made-up nonsense. Whereas Bohemian Rhapsody goes in a more lighthearted direction, U.S.C.H!'s lyrics come across as bizarre or creepy. Strangely enough, it doesn’t go into Sehnsucht levels of creepy, which is a weird relief for me. 

U.S.C.H!

U.S.C.H! is perhaps one of the best Industrial Metal releases of the 2000s. You are committing a grevious sin by not buying or downloading this record. Next album!

Perstechnique (2011)

For me at least, Turmion Kätilöt’s 4th album, Perstechnique, is their first bump in the road. Released on February 23, 2011, Perstechnique tied with U.S.C.H! at the number 6 spot on the Finnish Music Charts, but I don’t get it. I’m not say it’s bad at all. Far from it, it’s actually one of their better album. However, I don’t think it deserves the number 6 spot. For whatever reason, I’ve never been able to get behind this album. Maybe it because it sounds a little too much like U.S.C.H!, maybe it didn’t have as much ferocity put in, I’m not sure. Point is, I consider Perstechnique to be their least impressive album, not to mention my least favorite.

While there really aren’t any “Best Tracks” on this record, I do have one favorite in the form of the releases’s opening song, Grand Ball. Somewhat similar to the song U.S.C.H! in terms of nonsensical lyrics, for whatever reason is just works with this one. Maybe it’s because it’s trying to be a little funnier, who knows?

Grand Ball

I really can’t pick anything bad off of this album. Like I said above, Turmion Kätilöt’s 4th release is my least favorite. Perstechnique, recommended for hardcore Turmion Kätilöt fans only. Next album!

Technodiktator (2013)

By the end of 2012, disaster struck Turmion Kätilöt. On December 7, 2012, lead vocalist Petja Turunen suffered a stroke. Minor, but a stroke regardless. This caused the band to go on a small hiatus, but it would be short. On January 22, 2013 it was announced that a new album would come out in the fall, on April 4th a single was released (Jalopiina). Finally, on September 27, 2013, Technodiktator was put out into the world for all to hear. Reaching number 4 on the Finnish Music Chats, Technodiktator is Turmion Kätilöt’s strongest album they’ve released. Even stronger than U.S.C.H!, and that was a great album! Dedicated to the dance musicians of the 90s, Technodiktator’s songs have some of the best rhythm, sounds, and beats that Turmion Kätilöt have put down to date!

Best track.....appalling difficult to select. Pretty much every song on Technodiktator is great. From the opening track Silmät Sumeat (Blurry Eyes) all the way to the album’s second to last song Beibe (Gold), you will not find a better selection of Industrial Metal out there at this moment! My favorite track, however, would have to be Pyhä Maa, or Holy Land. I find myself coming back to this track constantly: fantastic beats, great vocal work, and some of the heaviest riff work that Turmion Kätilöt has laid down!

Pyhä Maa

As for the worst track off of Technodiktator, I immediately direct your attention towards To Be Continued Act 1. A downright confusing song name, To Be Continued Act 1 is the band’s longest song to date at 12 minutes & 32 seconds. This length really damages an otherwise excellent album, as it feels too drawn out. Maybe bring it down to the 6 minute range, and you might have something.

To Be Continued Act 1

Technodiktator. My absolute favorite Turmion Kätilöt album of all time! It’s their best produced, best sounding, and most heaviest of their records. Put it on at a rave, or blare it at a metal concert, and you can’t tell me that even 1 person wouldn’t start moving.

Diskovibrator (2015)*

Technodiktator, as great as it was, left some fans worried. Some stated that the more dance/electronic direction the band took deviated a little from their Industrial Metal past. However, those fears were put to rest once Diskovibrator came out. Released on September 25th, 2015, Diskovibrator was a return to their industrial roots from earlier in their career, while retaining some of their dance/electronic styings from their previous release. Diskovibrator also happens to be their highest charting album of all time, staying at No. 1 on the Finnish Music Charts for 3 weeks. The album certainly deserves it! Taking the strengths of Technodiktator, and giving it a good jolt, this record practically defines Industrial Metal. The dance/electronic aspects don't overwhelm the metal side of things, while the metal side is unrelenting yet isn't necessarily afraid to share the spotlight. In short, an even mix!

Best Track? Well, like Technodiktator, picking a good song is difficult. The quality that went into putting this album out is impressive, with songs like Kirottujen Karnevaalit (Damned Carnival) & Lataa Ja Varmista (Lock & Load) showing off the band's strengths. This time things were slightly easier, and ultimately decided that Vastanaineet (Newlyweds), the 8th track of the album, as the best song on this release. Definitely one of the speedier tracks on Diskovibrator, it's also strangely quite steady as it goes on. You wouldn't necessarily expect this, given how some parts sound. Regardless, Vastanaineet is a song you shouldn't miss!

Vastanaineet

Worst Track? To Be Continued Act 2 immediately comes to mind. In a strange way, I don't dislike it as much as it's counterpart over on Technodiktator. For one thing, this track is 7 minutes & 44 seconds long. 4 or 5 something minutes shorter than it's companion. The shorter length makes it not quite as unbearable to listen to, but sadly it still suffers much of the same problems as Act 1 had. Not quite as awful, but still not that great.

To Be Continued Act 2

Diskovibrator. A little lop-sided with it's style, but overall a good album. If you like this band a little more on the Industrial side of things, and not quite as focused on the dance/electronica aspects, you might want to seek this one out. Next album!

Dance Panique (2017)**

True story: I didn't even know that the band was putting out a new album this year. Given that they're a Finnish group, finding information about them here in the United States is difficult at best. However, leave it to the denizens of Youtube to provide metallic offerings, as by early January of 2017 there were 2 preview tracks (Surutulitus & Itämaan Tietäjä) released to the public, and a few weeks later I believe there were 1 or 2 more put out, and earlier this month, Dance Panique was released. How ironic that Dance Panique came out in March, as it's been about a decade since I was introduced to this band. Regardless, this album is fantastic! Whereas Technodiktator seemed to rely a little more on the dance/electronica components, and Diskovibrator didn't completely combine both sides, Dance Panique comes across as highly reminiscent of the band's earliest material, but with a dance/electronica edge that blends seamlessly with the Heavy Metal. Listening to Dance Panique almost came across like listening to Hoitovirhe & Pirun Nyrkki all over again, and I'm sure a lot of fans of Turmion Kätilöt will agree.

Best Track? Look, the whole album is fantastic. From top to bottom you're given what might very well be the best Industrial Metal experience of 2017 so far! However, I simply have to talk about the title track. Dear god, this song is magnificent! If there was any song on this album that showed off how well the dance/electronica & Industrial Metal sides were mixed, it would be this song. Driving beats, growling & raspy vocals, surprisingly seamless rhythm, and coupled with the outrageous music video, makes Dance Panique a song that's definitely unforgettable.

Dance Panique

Worst Track? Nothing at all! This is Turmion Kätilöt's most perfect record in a long time. Even To Be Continued Act 3 isn't terrible, as it now sounds, flows, and feels like an actual song than just a collection of noise. I cannot think of a single bad thing about Dance Panique, and neither should you!

Dance Panique. Quite possibly beating Technodiktator as my favorite album of all time. Turmion Kätilöt, if you manage to keep this up for another decade, then you'll probably see me liking your music then as well. A damn fine record, and a contender for my Top 5 Albums of 2017. Definitely recommended!

Universal Satan (2018) ***

Though Dance Panique was a phenomenal release last year, there was one issue before it's release that managed to catch my attention, and that was the leaving of longtime singer Spellgoth in January of 2017 (2 Months before DP ironically enough). Apparently this had been talked about for a while within the band, and while he no longer has a presence on stage, he's still Turmion Kätilöt's graphic designer. Upon his departure, the search was on for a singer who could theoretically fill his 13-year shoes, and in August of that same year, the band managed to find a singer in the form of the ridiculously named Shag-U. Once he was in the singer's seat, the band began work on a new release to test his skills. So the band put their noses to the grindstone, and on the 14th of September of this year, Universal Satan revealed itself to the world.

I don't know how it did it, but somehow.....someway......this album managed to become stronger than Technodiktator. Stronger than Diskovibrator. Hell, it even managed to be a stronger record than Dance Panique. Barely, but it did, and I'm not exactly sure why. If I had to make a guess as to how it was able to accomplish such a task, I'd say it has to do with Shag-U's way of singing. With the might of Spellgoth, we strangely got someone that was simultaneously heavy & skilled at crafting his vocal work. With Shag-U? He throws any shreds of subtly out of the window, and sounds a little similar to Raaka Pee's way of putting his voice out. The end result is a band that's more brutal, industrial, and maybe even more violent than anything that's come before, and I kinda like it that way.

Best Track? Love Is Dead is just a sexy, visceral, and bloodthirsty song. Right away from the first few notes, it goes straight for your neck and doesn't let go until the final moment. A thunderous mix of guitars, drumming, and keyboarding, not to mention some excellent singing from MC Raaka Pee & Shag-U, the track knows exactly what it wants, and goes straight for it's desire. Love Is Dead also happens to be one of only 2 songs on Universal Satan of have completely English lyrics, with the other tracking being the fun & blasphemous Faster Than God. Simply put, Love Is Dead is a song your shouldn't skip under any circumstance!

Love Is Dead

Worst Track? While a phenomenal record from top to bottom, Universal Satan's only issue is with their new singer. Like I said earlier, Shag-U breaths new life into the band & is a force to be reckoned with. However, more often than not, he's a little too screechy with his vocal work. He's more certainly singing, but a lot of the time it sort of comes across like nails on a chalkboard. Whether this was intentional or not, I'm not sure. Point is, Shag-U's style of singing will be the only make or break point for potential listeners of Universal Satan. I managed to listen through it without trouble, and I think some of you might be able to as well.

Universal Satan. Potentially better than the last 3 albums they've made, it also doesn't lord itself over them in any way, and happily walks besides them. Absolutely recommended, and one of my definite favorite releases of 2018. Pick it up or download it if you can!

And thus concludes an overview on the Finnish Industrial titans, Turmion Kätilöt! Definitely quicker than my first two overview posts, and maybe not as in-depth, but I hope the substance of the music itself makes up for this. If you take a liking to this band, perhaps you’ll download a couple songs for your next party or rave, or maybe you’ll buy their CDs? Either way, you won’t be disappointed!

One final thing: Connecticon is later this week. I won’t have any album reviews or anime reviews until maybe late this month, but I will have a review for the con about perhaps 1 or 2 days afterwards. See you in the meantime!

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(Update 1): October 22, 2015/7:55 PM/Eastern Standard Time

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(Update 2) March 30, 2017/6:59 PM/Eastern Standard Time

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(Update 3) November 19, 2018/11:10 PM/Eastern Standard Time

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For a look into this band, click on the link below:

http://www.turmionkatilot.com/perstechnique1.html

Album Review (Obscurus Metalus) - Devin Townsend's Christeen + 4 Demos

Welcome, fellow Otaku & Metal Heads, to my second Obscurus Metalus review!

It’s certainly been a while since I did the first “test” Obscurus Metalus article. Finding obscure metal albums is tough because.....well, it's obscure! It’s not easy finding albums that have been pushed to the wayside, but when you find one, you typically luck out! But what about iconic artists? Can a mainstream musician release albums that can be overlooked by more popular releases, and become obscurer titles in their discography? Well, perhaps today’s review can answer this question. Without further delay, let’s look at the EP for Devin Townsend’s 1998 release Infinity. Let the review begin!

Background***
Normally I’d say something here, but I think I’ll let Mr. Townsend speak (Apologies for any swearing):

“Nowadays, when I record too much music for a single disk, it comes out in double disks or bonus editions etc, but at the time, (without a label or management to guide), I would put out the bonus songs as things like this, or the 'Ass-Sordid' stuff. Japan wanted to make a video for Christeen with a famous photographer that ultimately got edited by someone other than him and was a disaster. The inclusion of the video, however, seemed an appropriate excuse for me to put the additional songs into one place that existed in tandem with the Infinity sessions. Some interesting stuff here, with the final song 'Love Load' causing quite a ruckus among friends and band mates as being a horrible statement. A statement that distanced myself from the things that actually defined Infinity in the beginning. (Selfishness over community)”

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Basic Description
Bite-sized insanity!

If you listen to Christeen + 4 Demos before you go into Infinity, you are only clipping the tip of the iceberg. As with Infinity, this little release is chock-full of maddening brilliance! The EP is a whirlwind of sound, color, and mind-opening songs that only Devin Townsend could have come up with. This is the kind of music that can really change you if you let it. Even if you don’t let it transform you in some way, it’s still fantastic to put into your CD Player or transfer to your MP3 Player.

If Christeen + 4 Demos had anything over Infinity, it would be control. Make no mistake, you can tell that these songs were most definitely from the Infinity recordings! They have that’s album’s energy & intensity, but because they’re only concentrated on this album, they have more stability as you go through them. If you listen to Christeen + 4 Demos, then Infinity, you’ll get two different but excellent musical journeys.

Best Song
Much like it’s  parent album Infinity, Christeen + 4 Demos has one normal sounding song. One song that is quite sane when compared to all of the others, and in a way anchors a more normal minded listener. I would have chosen Christeen in this case, but I’ll leave that for the eventual Infinity review. No, in this case I’m going to choose Sit in the Mountain, the middle track, as the most normal song of this album. Highly melodic, Sit in the Mountain contains some of Devin’s best vocal work, and is also one of the most atmospheric songs of his entire career. As you’re listening to it, you almost feel like your on a mountain, taking in Nature’s beauty. Truly a musical gem!

Sit in the Mountain

Worst Song
Like Devin said, Love-Load caused a ruckus, and after listening to it I can understand why. It’s eerie, it’s creepy, and most certainly conflicts with the rest of the material on this album. There really is a selfish aspect to it, and is one of the few songs in Devin Townsend’s entire musical library that really made me feel uncomfortable. Almost as uncomfortable as when I was listening to Rammstein’s Sehnsucht (See my Metal Overview from January for more details), in a manner of speaking. Ironically, I have Love Load on my MP3 player, if only to appreciate Devin’s talent for making weird songs.

Love Load

Also, Christeen + 4 Demos suffers from an availability issue. Unlike it’s parent album Infinity, this EP is actually much harder to find in a store or online. Apart from Devin’s official webpage, the only place you can probably get it with any reliability is from Amazon. I managed to get a copy late last month from my Dad for doing some housework, but it had to be imported. Luckily, the cost wasn’t horrendous, as it was in the low 20 dollar range (Excluding shipping & tax). Apart from downloading it, buying Christeen + 4 Demos from Amazon or Devin’s webpage is probably going to be your only bet.

Overall Impression & Rating
It’s really sad that this EP has fallen by the wayside. Since the “Demos” weren’t put onto Infinity, they’re not talked about as much. This is a big shame, since the music on here is definitely main album material. Despite how quick this goes by, Christeen + 4 Demos is powerful experience. Although recorded during Infinity’s creation, these 5 songs create an album that’s has it’s own identity, but meld with it’s parent album nicely. If you can find a physical copy, or if you’ve managed to download it, you have a good selection of music in your hands.

Christeen + 4 Demos gets a 8.5 out of 10.

Well, this concludes Kids Month. I hope you all enjoyed it, and if any of you have ideas for other themes for me to do, please send them my way! Any case, see you all soon, when I’ll get Metal Overview number 3 up here!




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Taken from Devin Townsend’s official website:

http://www.hevydevy.com/

Anime Review - Princess Knight

Welcome to Part 2 of Kids Month, fellow Otaku & Metal Heads!

Our first foray into kids anime began with Pokemon the First Movie, a film for young people of my anime generation. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s still held in the hearts of fans who treasured that feature. But what about the older fans of anime? Did the generations before us have shows of their own that they deeply loved, and did they share that love with those around them, including their own children? Well, today covers a classic series from the generation of my parents. A show that in recent years has received a revival of sorts. So sit back, relax, and enjoy my review of the treasured Princess Knight!

Story/Setup
In the kingdom of Silverland lives Princess Sapphire (Known as Prince Knight in the show), the child of the king & queen. Due to the law of the land, women cannot inherit the throne, and thus must disguise her gender. This is especially important, since the diabolical Duke Duralumon (Who’s strangely enough sort of looks like an evil Mickey Mouse) would repress the people of Silverland if his son inherited the kingdom. Despite this, Princess Sapphire carries herself with courage, bravery, grace, and honor.

Early on in her adventures, she comes across an angel-in-training by the name of Choppy (Other names include Tink, Ching, & Chinky). He tells her a most interesting tale: when Sapphire was born, God had given her a girl’s heart, while he gave her a boy’s heart. Due to this incident, Choppy was sent down to heaven in order to ger her boy heart back. However, because she doesn’t give it back to Choppy, and when he realizes how much she needs it in order to protect the kingdom, Choppy becomes her sidekick. The two go on many adventures across Silverland, as well as other kingdoms & lands, meeting some interesting characters along the way.

On the surface, Princess Knight looks like a typical fantasy anime, and to a certain extent this is true. There’s swordplay, magic, dragons, and just about any other western fantasy troupe you can probably find. Beneath the surface, however, is one of the deepest & most mature storylines ever written for a children’s anime. Perhaps even more so that Kimba, and that was a surprisingly mature show at times! There’s plenty of times where silliness & lighter topics come into play, but the morals & lessons that this show teaches is nothing short of impressive, and the issues that Princess Knight tackles are things you almost never find in children’s anime today. Heavy in all the right ways, and very mature!

Animation
Like Kimba the White Lion from a few weeks ago, Princess Knight was a series worked on by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, and it definitely shows. This series looks & feels rather similar to Kimba, as they both share a certain style & color palate. What separates Princess Knight from Kimba the White Lion is it’s medieval theme: there’s more of a gothic look & feel to everything, but there’s still an childish aspect to the entire spectacle. Faces are of particular excellence in this series, as they are incredibly expressive at times, especially during emotional scenes. Even the eyes are striking, as you can read a character’s emotions just by looking into them.

Perhaps one great aspect of this series is it’s remastered imagery. Color has been fleshed out, and appears to be much more vibrant than the original. Even movement seems to be a tiny more fluid because of this remastering. If you don’t believe me, check out an official video comparison straight from Nozomi Entertainment’s youtube page!

Animation/Video Comparison

Voice Acting
Also like Kimba, the voice acting of Princess Knight is.....dated, at best. Not quite as dated as Kimba, however. The show got syndicated in the 1970s & 1980s, and thus there’s a little more quality in the voices that the actors provide. That said, it’s still incredibly hokey. There are some goofy lines characters say throughout the series, but when compared to Kimba, it somehow works a little to it’s favor. If I had any other complaint about the voice acting, it would be how it sounds. While they definitely worked on the show’s animation, I’m not completely sure they worked on the audio. They definitely must have done some work, as it doesn’t sound so scratchy as it probably did back in the day. That said, with a little more polish, and it probably would sound as close to crystal clear as an old school anime can.

Characters
Among all of the parallels between this show & Kimba is it’s bevy of characters. Princess Knight has a who’s who of primary & secondary cast members, many of which propel the story along in some way. There’s such a collection of secondary characters, listing them would take up more room than I want. Suffice it to say that many of them help with the story, and a couple of them return from time to time.

Princess Sapphire/Prince Knight is most certainly up front & center in this entire series. At times, she’s very much like a boy: strong, brave, courageous, and has a deep sense of justice & honor. Other times, she’s true to her feminine nature: gentle, kind, caring, and full of love & warmth. Throughout this entire series, she’s constantly walking a tightrope between both sides of herself, and never strays too long in either. Truly, one of anime’s strongest female characters! Prince Frank (Also called Prince Franz Charm) is essentially Prince Knight’s male counterpart: because of their similar background, Frank can swordfight with the best of them, and has many of Sapphire’s male mannerisms. His relationship with Sapphire is a bit on the complicated side: he’s good friends with her, in love with the “Princess” (An alter-ego that Sapphire becomes when out in public as a girl), and dislikes the “Phantom Knight” (Another alter-ego that Sapphire becomes when fighting crime at night) because he thinks that the knight is after the princess’s affection. Together, the two are a great team, and actually become a cute couple later on.

On the other end of the scale is the show’s villain, Duke Duralumon (aka Duke Jeralmin). He’s not a sinister kind of villain, but more of a goofy villain with a hint of sinister. He’s constantly plotting to expose Sapphire’s gender, and alongside his minions Baron Nylon & the “Black Hats” (A gang of thuggish highwaymen), are constantly failing & bumbling in their plans to takeover Silverland. It really isn’t towards the second half that Duralumon gains a sinister edge, but that doesn’t really ruin how silly & over-the-top he can be.

There’s other characters that Prince Knight comes across as well. Choppy’s the first encountered, and given his angelic nature, is Sapphire’s companion almost from the beginning. He’s stuck in a mortal body, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do any good. Knight’s mother & father, the queen & king, act as her moral compass. Again, there’s a host of character within Princess Knight, and it would take another post to cover everybody else.

Oh, and the Devil is in this show. The freaking devil! He’s got a daughter too, by the way.

Availability & Pricing
For the longest time, Princess Knight was unreleased on VHS (There was a Laserdisk collection of the show released in 1997 by Pioneer, and some older DVD editions that have since become difficult to locate). Come 2013, and the series has finally been re-released on DVD. Sadly, it wasn’t on one big collection, but instead was put out on two separate collections. This makes buying the whole series a little expensive, but if you go to the right source, it might not be as you think.

F.Y.E. is the most expensive of the options, costing $33.98 each, with members only paying $30.58 each. Best Buy is the 2nd most expensive, as it will cost you $27.99 each. Amazon is the least expensive, but the most interesting of the options. A new copy of part 1 of the series starts at $17.85 dollars, while pricing starts at $19.60 for a new copy of part 2. Again, Amazon is your best bet, but any of the options here can be a viable route if you have the right amount of money. 

Overall Impression & Rating
Princess Knight is but one point on Osamu Tezuka’s holy triangle of classic children’s anime. Alongside Kimba the White Lion & Astro Boy, Princess Knight is a series that is a must for any kids out there to watch. Whether you’re a parent reading this & you want something wholesome for your kids to watch, or you’re a younger person who wants a great show to watch, or even if you’re someone like me, you can look no further than Princess Knight. Even if you aren’t a kid or younger individual, this series will certainly entertain you!

Princess Knight gets a 9.5 out of 10

See you all next time for the conclusion of Kids Month, when I’ll review an album that wasn’t made for kids, but doesn’t mean kids can’t listen to it!

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For a look at another point of Osamu Tezuka’s holy triangle, check out my review of Kimba the White Lion below:

http://heavymetalotaku.blogspot.com/2015/05/review-kimba-white-lion.html

Also, apologies for posting this up later than usual. There was some wicked weather around my area, and it knocked out the telephone & internet for a few days. In fact, things got restored just a couple minutes ago. Hope you didn’t mind the delay!

Anime Review - Pokemon the First Movie

Welcome, fellow Otaku & Metal Heads, to Kids Month!

From way back during it’s inception, to recent times, there have been anime that have been especially made for the younger audience. Shonen anime for boys, and Shojo anime for girls, these are the kinds of genres that have helped define our early experiences. But what about those shows that are meant for one group, but somehow manages to straddle the line for both? Such is the case with the world-wide phenomenon known simply as Pokemon.

Yes everybody, Pokemon. I’m sure that some of the older parents that saw the name are shaking their heads at the sight of the name. For anyone younger that maybe 13 reading this, let me just tell you that back in the Mid-to-Late 90s, Pokemon was everywhere! Books, trading cards, the tv show, you name it! It was everywhere, and you almost couldn’t escape it. The popularity grew so much, that it was only a matter of time before Pokemon made it’s way to the silver screen. Today’s review looks at the first movie of this series. A childhood classic from my generation, it helped many of us onto the road known only as Anime. So grab your Meowth plushie, find your trading cards, and plop into the chair for a look at a review for Pokemon the First Movie. Gotta catch em all!

Story/Setup
Ash & his friends, along with some other Pokemon trainers, are invited to the mysterious New Island by the so-called “Greatest Pokémon Master” for a party. As they arrive at the docks, a sudden & brutal storm forms, deterring all but the toughest of the trainers. When the trainer arrive at the island, they find that the “Greatest Pokémon Master” is none other that Mewtwo, a genetically-engineered pokémon who desires vengeance against humanity for the pains of the past. During his plans, Mew, the beings who’s base DNA was used for Mewtwo’s creation, appears to defuse the situation. During this entire debacle, Team Rocket is wandering around, trying to make sense out of the chaos, while providing some much needed comedic relief.

If it looks like the story above is a little streamlined & thinned-out.....well, that’s because it is! The American version of the movie had a little bit of content trimmed off because some thought that said removed content would be “Too dark” for some young people. Don’t get me wrong, because even with the content taken out, you still have a good story. The problem in doing so makes the movie more simplistic (In a bad way), and not quite have as much punch or depth. This movie will still entertain, but by the end you may be scratching your head, asking yourself “Was that it?”

Animation
You can immediately tell the difference between this movie, and the show. With the original TV series, there’s always been this mild grainy look & feel to it, giving it a dated aura. With the movie, there’s a smooth quality to it. Characters move more fluidly that the show, and the backgrounds are some of the best that’s ever been produced for the medium. Even the special effects look fantastic, and overall the whole movie looks great! Sure, there’s some dated looking moments, but for the most part Pokemon the First Movie still is a gorgeous feature.

Voice Acting
This was back during what I considered the “Golden Age” of the Pokemon series. All of the original voice actors are back, lending their work to the characters that brought joy to kids around the world. The effort put in was essentially that of what they put into the original tv series. I don’t know if it was just me hearing things differently, but I could have sworn things sounded smoother. Maybe it was because of the recording, or maybe it was because of the voice actors themselves, but everybody in here had a slightly silkier quality to their voice.

Of particular note was Mewtwo. Voiced by Jay Philip Goede (Credited under the name Philip Bartlett), his voice comes across as very operatic & stage-worthy. This is rather appropriate, as Mr. Goede’s prior experiences included work on Broadway, and is a well-trained actor. This voice helps develop the English variation of the character. Speaking of character.....

Characters
Pokemon the First Movie’s cast of characters are rather 50/50. On the one hand, you have the returning cast. Ash, Brock, and Misty are pretty much how you remember them from the show. Their goals are still the same, their personalities are intact, and they’re just as likable (Or unlikable) as they were in the show. Team Rocket are something a little different this time around. At first they’re up to their usual antics, but when they get to Mewtwo’s island, they take on more of lovable oafs, enough to the point where you actually kind of feel sorry for them when their lives are threatened. On the other hand, there are plenty of secondary characters that really don’t add anything. Sure, there are a few more trainers that Ash & the gang meet once they arrive at the island, but they’re really there just to give Mewtwo some ammo. Even the port authority woman that tells the trainers about the storm & what’s going on, is really there just to provide exposition.

As for Mewtwo, he’s a good villain, despite how basic his goals are. He’s absolutely heartless, colder than the norther glaciers, and has the power to back it up. Like I said above in the “Voice Acting” section above, Jay Philip Goede, he provides a voice for the character that’s dry & sinister, yet provides room for more louder & rage-filled moments. Complete with a condescending tone, and you have one Pokemon villain that’s remained quite memorable.

Mew is something of a wild card in this movie. There are plenty of times where he’s jokey, trying to have fun, and is very kindhearted. When the action heats up, however, much of that lightheartedness is put aside, and a tougher side of Mew appears. He can fight with the best of them, but still knows that peace & cooperation are routes to consider. The flighty nature of Mew might be confusing at first, but his motivations & character become more fleshed out by the end of the feature. His lighthearted nature towards the beginning will get girls to like him, but when he throws down against Mewtwo, the boys will definitely enjoy things.

Availability & Pricing
Oh boy, good luck finding this one!

Considering that this was released on DVD almost 2 decades ago (1999/2000, if I’m correct), sources will be rare to say the least, much less a copy. Your only reliable source in this case will be Amazon: a new copy will start out at a horrific 76 dollars, and goes all the way to an even more horrifying 125 dollars! Used copies are far more reasonable, as they start at a reasonable 23 dollars, and go all the way up to 69/70 dollars. Used is the best way to go in this regard. If you have a horde of cash, and want to spend it, then maybe new is the choice for you.

In 2009, there was a re-release of the movie (In a collection that included the 2nd & 3rd  movie), but that’s become even more rare. At this time, there are only 5 used copies on Amazon that are available for purchase. Pricing starts at 116 dollars, and goes all the way to the pants-wetting 4,112 dollars! Only go this route if you’re incredibly rich!

Overall Impression & Rating
Pokemon the First Movie is one of those movies that could only come out at the height of Pokemon’s popularity. If it was released around now, it would have been laughed at by anime fans, whether they liked Pokemon or not. It certainly was berated by movie critics when it first came out, and it definitely hasn’t necessarily aged well over time. The dated music screams late 90s & early 2000s, and the message is definitely hokey, but it must have done something right. Every once in a while, I hear this movie being talked about at cons, and even amongst my Pokemon-loving friends & acquaintances, I hear a little whispering from time to time. It may be a relic, but Pokemon the First Movie seems to be a beloved relic at that! 

Pokemon the First Movie gets a 7.5 out of 10.

So this was a review of kids anime from my generation. See you all next time, when I’ll look at a kids anime from the older generation. Until then, may the warm memories of the past come back to lighten up your day!



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For a more detailed account of the movie’s story & background, click on the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon:_The_First_Movie