Saturday, July 25, 2009
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex -- Review
"Sorry to knock your ass on the ground, but we said NO PHOTOS."
I don't know why I never really got into the GITS movies. I mean, I watched the 2nd one all the way through, and was kinda "meh" about the whole affair. Too much talking, and of the worst kind- incessant quoting of philosophers. But the first one...well, let's just say it's never a good time coming in on the scene where Motoko's trying to pop the hatch on a tank and she rips her own arms out of her own goddamn sockets. This is especially haunting to somebody who was 12 at the time, and whose idea of hyper-violence was Robocop and the scene where Alex Murphy gets mutilated by gunfire. Still, that was the baddies jacking up the good guy. Seeing somebody do that to themselves without knowing that it's perfectly okay for them to do so was a mindjob.
Fast forward to this year. I'm at a friend's house, mixing a few drinks. No longer a lightweight in anime and never a lightweight in the alcohol department, I could probably handle GITS if I watched it again. After all, Paranoia Agent makes sense to me now, and if that didn't turn my brain into tapioca then I could hang, right?
So, a few friends decide they want to show me Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I had been meaning to check it out, as it seemed like it was a little more action and might be easier on the palate. I had seen the PS2 game, which looked awesome, and brief shots of the anime at various other events.
We watched a few episodes, and I finally got to understand a logo I had seen all over the internet: that of the "Laughing Man" (Warai Otoko, for my fellow sub watchers).
That's one happy logo, which of course means CREEPY.
It was over. I was hooked. Upon returning to my lair, I have since watched and processed the whole thing.
To begin, a warning to all those watching this after watching the movies: This is a whole 'nother universe. The characters are the same in look, but it's a completely different storyline. Also, while there's some philosophical meandering, it's sparse and spread out over the length of 26 episodes, so it's not nearly as thick as the absolute miasma of tripe spat out in GITS 2.
Characters: A nice, diverse cast that honestly doesn't require you to know much about them. Sure, we delve into Batou's past a bit now and then, but this isn't a series that you watch because of the amazingly deep backstory- the characters actually play themselves out well enough as you go along that you can still get interested in them. You know what you need to know: They're Public Security Sector 9. They're elite. And the individual agents have their story told as it goes along, in a way that's subtle enough to keep interest yet deep enough to not asking for more, with the possible exception of the Major herself.
The Major can also faithfully recreate the opening to .hack//sign.Downsides are minimal, though I will say that I hope you like the Major and Batou, since they are the focus. Also, the Tachikomas - spider-like mecha with childlike A.I. programs and voices to match - can either be an awesome addition to the series or serious kawaii overkill. I mean, they get their own episode and an Omake series? All this for what basically amounts to an overgrown Haro?
Music: Like Yoko Kanno? Of course you do. This is a very, very well done soundtrack; as good as Yuki Kajiura's works, and maybe even a bit better coordinated. Highly recommended.
Art: Sure, it's a little dated now since the advent of HD anime, but it's still very, very good and extremely well animated. The CGI isn't as intrusive as it is in some other works (glares at Appleseed) and the world of the future looks pretty good, especially for what could be considered a dystopia.
The cutest spider-like assault walker mech EVER!!Setting: One of the greatest strengths of this anime is that the world of 2032 isn't presented as being a completely different world. A lot of the technology that is present is most certainly not out of the realm of possibilities (the whole "ghost" thing notwithstanding), and it helps to engage the viewer.
Pacing: Flawed in the best way possible. The main storyline (aka Complex) is so well told that it creates a slight intolerance for the side stories (aka Stand Alone) because you want to see what's happening in the main case. Not that the Stand Alone part is boring; it's certainly above most anime filler, and the series does you a huge favor and saves you the trouble of a recap episode. The problem here is that there's quite the variance in how interesting the Stand Alone episodes are, especially when they feature the Tachikomas. It's not bad enough to turn off most viewers (and again, the main story hooks most people), but it can be a bit uneven, as at one point there's a string of 7 or so episodes before you get back to the Complex.
I can't help but recommend this series, because it does so many things very, very well. It's a cyberpunk action police drama with serious philosophical overtones. Smart, but violent. Cute, but brutal. It's equally enriched by what's obvious and what's implied. Even the fanservice is done right- it's blunt enough, but it's also joked about somewhat in the series, making it laughable to those who don't want it and enjoyable to those who do. I could easily see this being that anime- the one that takes the viewer who only knows Naruto, DBZ and maybe a few Miyazaki flicks and gets them involved into something with a bit more involved.
Verdict: HEAVILY recommended. There's few series out there that I consider sitting through more than once, but this is definitely one of them.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Thematic Interpretation: The Music of Gundam, round 1.
Reading through my Gundam X review/Gundam Wing Sucks post, I realize I forgot to comment on the music for the Gundam Franchise. I'll do a few at a time, since I'm still plowing through some of them.
Note: There's no order to these; I'm simply grading them individually.
Tobe! Gundamu! (Fly! Gundam!) - From Mobile Suit Gundam
The very first Gundam theme, ever. And it shows.
For this song, as with any review you read of MS Gundam, you have to keep in mind it came out a long, loooong damn time ago. As in, before I was born. Yep, that "79" isn't just for the Universal Century.
The song itself is indicative of the time when the anime came out, carrying a lot of thematic similarties to Lupin the 3rd's opening them (disco/funk feel, name of the franchise repeated). The lyrics are incredibly simplistic, playing more like a High School's fight song (The Fighting Gundams!). Just look at the translated lyrics:
Also of interest, since this is the first anybody ever saw of the series, you'll note that the pronunciation of "Gundam" is "Gundamu", which is actually what the romanji spells out. Also, to my knowledge, it's one of only two Gundam Openings that actually use the word "Gundam" or the title of the series, the other being G Gundam.
VERDICT: I like this song now, but it did take quite a while to grow on me. Hit or miss, but give it a listen before throwing it on your iPod.
SIMILAR IN FEEL TO: OP for Lupin the 3rd (Simply called "Rupan Sansei no Teemu"[Theme of Lupin the 3rd]), OP for Zeta Gundam ("Zeta- Toki Wo Koete" [Zeta- Beyond The Time])
THE WINNER - From Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
This is, IMHO, either the best Gundam opening ever or tied for it. It also shows a bit of age in its late 80's-early nineties rock style), but it also does a great job of engaging the viewer: The video helps, but by itself, the song gets you pumped with a great mix of keyboard, guitar, and even a saxophone for good measure. The video is definitely worth a look however, as it does a good job of applying the music to a fight scene.
The only thing I can really nitpick about The Winner is that it's not any different in message from most of the rest of the Gundam catalog: It's a love song ("I've got a burning love"), but it's not nearly as bad as Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket's Opening.
Verdict: This is one of the best themes I've heard in anime, period. You really should be rocking this on your music player.
Similar in feel to: Nothing else in the Gundam series, with exception to the inferior, but still awesome, Men of Destiny, which is the theme for the back half of 0083 and performed by the same singer. There's also an english version called "Back to Paradise", which sucks - it's much slower, and the vocals are just lacking.
Flying In The Sky - From Mobile Fighter G Gundam
So, you've got an anime that takes itself none-to-seriously (Windmill Gundam? Tequila Gundam, from Neo Mexico?!)- how do you get the audience hyped up for it? Well, you throw in some very easy lyrics, including shouting out the name of not only the anime, but of one of the Gundam's special attacks ("Shining Finger", or as it sounds, "Shining Fingaah!") and including some horrible, horrible engrish ("Bright you now"). Voila.
I can't knock it, though- forget Gundam ZZ, this is the original Gundam comedy. It went places it probably shouldn't have, had all the depth of a shot glass and was still a blast, and the Opening sets the mood rather well. I still listen to Flying In The Sky every now and then, but it can wear on you quickly.
VERDICT: Give it a few spins, as it's a somewhat catchy tune and much, much better than the 2nd OP. I doubt it'll become anybody's favorite, though.
Similar In Feel To: I can see some people saying it sounds like ZZ's "Anime Ja Nai", but other than that, it stands alone pretty well.
More to Come...
Note: There's no order to these; I'm simply grading them individually.
Tobe! Gundamu! (Fly! Gundam!) - From Mobile Suit Gundam
The very first Gundam theme, ever. And it shows.
For this song, as with any review you read of MS Gundam, you have to keep in mind it came out a long, loooong damn time ago. As in, before I was born. Yep, that "79" isn't just for the Universal Century.
The song itself is indicative of the time when the anime came out, carrying a lot of thematic similarties to Lupin the 3rd's opening them (disco/funk feel, name of the franchise repeated). The lyrics are incredibly simplistic, playing more like a High School's fight song (The Fighting Gundams!). Just look at the translated lyrics:
Also of interest, since this is the first anybody ever saw of the series, you'll note that the pronunciation of "Gundam" is "Gundamu", which is actually what the romanji spells out. Also, to my knowledge, it's one of only two Gundam Openings that actually use the word "Gundam" or the title of the series, the other being G Gundam.
VERDICT: I like this song now, but it did take quite a while to grow on me. Hit or miss, but give it a listen before throwing it on your iPod.
SIMILAR IN FEEL TO: OP for Lupin the 3rd (Simply called "Rupan Sansei no Teemu"[Theme of Lupin the 3rd]), OP for Zeta Gundam ("Zeta- Toki Wo Koete" [Zeta- Beyond The Time])
THE WINNER - From Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
This is, IMHO, either the best Gundam opening ever or tied for it. It also shows a bit of age in its late 80's-early nineties rock style), but it also does a great job of engaging the viewer: The video helps, but by itself, the song gets you pumped with a great mix of keyboard, guitar, and even a saxophone for good measure. The video is definitely worth a look however, as it does a good job of applying the music to a fight scene.
The only thing I can really nitpick about The Winner is that it's not any different in message from most of the rest of the Gundam catalog: It's a love song ("I've got a burning love"), but it's not nearly as bad as Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket's Opening.
Verdict: This is one of the best themes I've heard in anime, period. You really should be rocking this on your music player.
Similar in feel to: Nothing else in the Gundam series, with exception to the inferior, but still awesome, Men of Destiny, which is the theme for the back half of 0083 and performed by the same singer. There's also an english version called "Back to Paradise", which sucks - it's much slower, and the vocals are just lacking.
Flying In The Sky - From Mobile Fighter G Gundam
So, you've got an anime that takes itself none-to-seriously (Windmill Gundam? Tequila Gundam, from Neo Mexico?!)- how do you get the audience hyped up for it? Well, you throw in some very easy lyrics, including shouting out the name of not only the anime, but of one of the Gundam's special attacks ("Shining Finger", or as it sounds, "Shining Fingaah!") and including some horrible, horrible engrish ("Bright you now"). Voila.
I can't knock it, though- forget Gundam ZZ, this is the original Gundam comedy. It went places it probably shouldn't have, had all the depth of a shot glass and was still a blast, and the Opening sets the mood rather well. I still listen to Flying In The Sky every now and then, but it can wear on you quickly.
VERDICT: Give it a few spins, as it's a somewhat catchy tune and much, much better than the 2nd OP. I doubt it'll become anybody's favorite, though.
Similar In Feel To: I can see some people saying it sounds like ZZ's "Anime Ja Nai", but other than that, it stands alone pretty well.
More to Come...
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
When Strategy and Anime Collide
I'm not sure how I got to the point where I had no interest in Valkyria Chronicles- sure, it's a beautiful game, but the point I played up to was pretty asinine.
Then, they give you units and it becomes a legit Strategy game. Sure, it's still almost as menu driven as the Genesis' Shining Force and its offspring, but the combat's freakin' awesome. Basically, instead of clicking on a unit and assigning them an action, you control them in a 3rd-person view. You have status effects, classes and orders (basically, support spells cast by your leader) to consider, as does your enemy. In other words, it takes what I knew to be a strategy game and gives it a further push.
Now, the downside: The presentation is done storybook style, giving you selectable chapters. The problem is that often, you're just clicking on a movie file, watching a story, and then...clicking on the next one. So far, each page (when I said storybook, I meant it) has contained at most one battle scene and 3-4 movies. I'm happy to go along with the story, but not if it means clicking on a file, waiting for an all-too-long loading screen, watching the story and then repeating the process until I get thrown into one. And unfortunately, even some of your menu screens have characters that TALK TOO FUCKING MUCH.
That being said, it's an immensely enjoyable strategy game with character, and that's good enough to warrant overplay on my part.
BREAKING NEWS: Found out Valkyria 2 is going to be a PSP game. That's actually pretty awesome, as this is a game that would lend itself well to travel.
Then, they give you units and it becomes a legit Strategy game. Sure, it's still almost as menu driven as the Genesis' Shining Force and its offspring, but the combat's freakin' awesome. Basically, instead of clicking on a unit and assigning them an action, you control them in a 3rd-person view. You have status effects, classes and orders (basically, support spells cast by your leader) to consider, as does your enemy. In other words, it takes what I knew to be a strategy game and gives it a further push.
Now, the downside: The presentation is done storybook style, giving you selectable chapters. The problem is that often, you're just clicking on a movie file, watching a story, and then...clicking on the next one. So far, each page (when I said storybook, I meant it) has contained at most one battle scene and 3-4 movies. I'm happy to go along with the story, but not if it means clicking on a file, waiting for an all-too-long loading screen, watching the story and then repeating the process until I get thrown into one. And unfortunately, even some of your menu screens have characters that TALK TOO FUCKING MUCH.
That being said, it's an immensely enjoyable strategy game with character, and that's good enough to warrant overplay on my part.
BREAKING NEWS: Found out Valkyria 2 is going to be a PSP game. That's actually pretty awesome, as this is a game that would lend itself well to travel.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
SF Chronicle's Top 9 list of "the best classic arcade games ever"
"I lol'd"
- Trakdown, Hardcore Gamer since 1984
It really is folly to do a list like this, which is why I was so dismissive of it. First off, doing a proper list is hard, but Street Fighter II is an "honorable mention"? No NBA JAM, Mortal Kombat? Out Run not mentioned?
Oh, and Tron is overrated.
The moral of the story? Review games, but don't make lists. Lists suck.
"I lol'd"
- Trakdown, Hardcore Gamer since 1984
It really is folly to do a list like this, which is why I was so dismissive of it. First off, doing a proper list is hard, but Street Fighter II is an "honorable mention"? No NBA JAM, Mortal Kombat? Out Run not mentioned?
Oh, and Tron is overrated.
The moral of the story? Review games, but don't make lists. Lists suck.
BlazBlue First Impression: Just Blaz!
I've been trying out BlazBlue for PS3 and so far, enjoying it. However, a few notes:
1) This does NOT play like Guilty Gear, Street Fighter or any other fighter out there. While this is a good thing, don't expect to come in and be great because you knew how to fireball trap with a shoto or were hot shit with Sol Badguy. You will get owned, BAD.
2)That being said, put some time and effort into learning the game. Also, investing in the Limited edition doesn't hurt- you get a blu-ray disc with some hints on it, and they can take you far.
3)I'm digging the DLC that is coming out soon- Bang as Strider Hiryu? SOLD!
4)Tager is fucking BROKEN. WAAAAAAAAYYY too powerful.
All in all, a good time. I'll have to get more experience with it, but it should be fun.
1) This does NOT play like Guilty Gear, Street Fighter or any other fighter out there. While this is a good thing, don't expect to come in and be great because you knew how to fireball trap with a shoto or were hot shit with Sol Badguy. You will get owned, BAD.
2)That being said, put some time and effort into learning the game. Also, investing in the Limited edition doesn't hurt- you get a blu-ray disc with some hints on it, and they can take you far.
3)I'm digging the DLC that is coming out soon- Bang as Strider Hiryu? SOLD!
4)Tager is fucking BROKEN. WAAAAAAAAYYY too powerful.
All in all, a good time. I'll have to get more experience with it, but it should be fun.
Editor's Note 2- OOps.
Scratch that, my next review will be of the series I just finished: Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. My apologies to Amuro Ray fans.
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