Yu Yu Hakusho (2023 Live Action)

When Yusuke Urameshi dies saving a child from an accident, he finds himself at a crossroads.  Brought to Spirit World he is given the choice to return to life, on the condition that he becomes Spirit Worlds new Spirit Detective.  Now Yusuke must investigate matters tied to the world of demons trying to cross into the Human World.  Aided by his rival turned friend, Kuwabara, and two rogue Demons, Kurama and Heiei, Yusuke’s missions will take him right into the heart of a full on conspiracy and one insane mans dream to bring the Demon World to Earth.

Netflix has certainly given Anime fans new hope that Live Action Anime Adaptations can be good thanks to the worldwide success of One Piece.  They overcame a ton of pre release community doubt to deliver a faithful and fun first season that fans are eager to see continue.  With that kind of clout, Netflix can have its pick of any project they want (just so long as it doesn’t end up like Cowboy Bebop).  Which brings us to Yu Yu Hakusho.  It hasn’t gotten the same pre release buzz as One Piece and I knew a lot of friends who didn’t even know this was a thing until they pulled up Netflix over the weekend it dropped.  It may not have the same massive army of fans One Piece has but Yu Yu Hakusho is still a beloved classic that was a staple of Anime fans in the 2000’s thanks to its popular run on Cartoon Network’s Toonami and Adult Swim blocks.  So how is this interestingly short first season of the Anime some fans only think of as a “Proto Bleach”?
 

T5W#437-Top 5 Best Moments from Sailor Moon Sailor Stars

This past Monday, I finally finished my epic journey with the original Sailor Moon 90s Anime Series.  And while I had a very divisive reaction to the Series Finale (which you can check out here: ), overall Sailor Moon Sailor Stars was by far the best and most enjoyable of the shows five seasons.  It somehow managed to tell the most compelling, character driven narrative complete with fun new characters, some characters getting a more likeable overhaul, and expertly balancing drama with humor that Sailor Moon did so well in it’s first three seasons (the less said about Season 4 the better).  Well seeing as how I did the same for every other season this year, I figure why not close out the Year of Sailor Moon by giving my last Top 5 Wednesday of 2023 to my Top 5 Best Moments from Sailor Moon Sailor Stars. 

 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 7 Episodes 196-200

It’s all come down to this and the stakes have never been higher.  Facing an enemy that dwarfs their powers and has the ability to corrupt their strongest members, the Sailor Senshi seem to be in for a hopeless battle against Sailor Galaxia herself.  As the brave girls fall one by one, it’s up to Usagi, Chibi Chibi and the Sailor Starlights to join their remaining strength together for one last desperate gamble.  Will Sailor Moon be able to save her friends and maybe even Sailor Galaxia’s soul in the process?  And how will Usagi react when she learns of Mamoru’s fate?  The final battle has begun.

Before we kick off this Series Finale, Merry Christmas from me and the Gundam Anime Corner.  It’s kind of fitting as far as scheduling goes that I should be covering the final episodes of Sailor Moon on this day, at the end of a near year long journey (that sort of began back in Summer 2022 when I looked at Season One).  As such, this review is a pretty big deal.  After five seasons, Sailor Moon reaches its grand climax and it is the biggest one, a very endgame level event.  Its time for Usagi and the others to shine the brightest and face the ultimate enemy in a battle for the ages…so why the hell is this finale a completely frustrating, depressing and borderline cruel series of episodes until the very last one?  Sailor Stars has been mostly phenomenal but these final episodes left me feeling not quite empty but not quite as blown away as I’d hoped.  Why is this such a mixed bag (especially coming out on a happy holiday like Christmas?)
 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 6 Episodes 191-195

The race is on when Sailor Galaxia’s remaining Sailor Animamates press the attack in their search for True Star Seeds.  After Seiya receives a serious wound protecting Sailor Moon from harm, things are even more tense now between the Senshi and the Sailor Starlights.  But signs are becoming clear that the Princess sought after by the Starlights is close.  As the Starlights and Animamates both close in on her, it’s Usagi making the ultimate sacrifice that could provide the opening for the Princesses’ return…and an opening for Sailor Galaxia to make her move.

As much as I hate to still think about it, Sailor Moon SuperS is still a thing.  By the time we got to that finale, I feel like nothing had lead to anything and the season just rushed to its climax after a whole season of fooling around and wasting time. You’ll find no such tomfoolery here, at least none that’s forced and out of place.  This penultimate chapter of Sailor Moon Sailor Stars felt like it was building to something big and boy did it deliver.  I’m genuinely worried for the girls heading into the finale battle but before we tackle that in the sure to be beyond epic Series Finale, lets see how Season Five started to tie up its loose ends and deliver some heartbreakingly excellent pay off to long running story arcs…and repeat some dumb character beats in the process.
 

GBT Holiday Special-Gunpla at Work

Welcome Dear Readers to a Gunpla Builder Thursday Holiday Special.  No new build report this time, those will be starting up again hopefully in January 2024.  Instead, I want to talk about a unique idea I had, how I carried it out and how I got some freaking awesome photos out of it.  Back during my birthday in November, I learned that I had to work that day.  No one wants to work on their birthday but I was determined to find a way to make it work.  Not long before hand, I took a look a the production table we have in the back of our store and took particular notice of the grid like setup.  All of a sudden, I started seeing it as a 3D computer, able to create anything Gunpla related and set up as I saw fit.  It’s like I was looking at the ultimate blank canvas that I could do anything I wanted with.  That’s where the idea popped to mind and after getting special permission from my boss, I was given the ok to bring a small batch of Gunpla with me to work to set up on the Production Table in various poses and scenarios.  Turns out, it wasn’t a bad birthday gift to me to do this kind of work at work.  So to celebrate the holiday, figured I’d share what I came up with and go through some of the mindset of their set up.

 

T5W#436-Top 5 Best Titles I’ve Reviewed in 2023

To say that 2023 felt like the hardest year of my life feels like an understatement.  Between unimaginable family loses to work stress to everything in between, this year pretty much kicked my ass on an almost daily basis. Sad to say I feel like some of that crept into my creative side and while I feel like it may have suffered for it a little, the Gundam Anime Corner still persevered and remains one of my favorite outlets for dealing with the stress of life.  For all the grief it did give me, 2023 did grace me with a slew of incredible titles to review and five of them blew me away as being some of the best I’ve ever reviewed for this blog.  So with 2023 on the cusp of ending, today’s Top 5 Wednesday continues the year end traditions of me looking at the Top 5 Best Titles I’ve Reviewed in 2023.  Side Note: This is coming out a week before usual because next week’s Top 5 will be dedicated to closing out our year long look at Sailor Moon, which also wraps up on Christmas Day next week.  Did any season make the list?  Read on to find out.

 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 5 Episodes 186-190

Usagi and the Sailor Senshi now have two mysteries to contend with.  As the mission of the Sailor Starlights becomes more clear, so does their determination to complete it, and they don’t want the Sailor Senshi getting in their way.  But will Seiya’s feelings for Usagi cause a rift in the trio?  And then there’s Chibi Chibi, who’s beginning to show powerful abilities that give Sailor Moon a much needed power boost in battle.  With more and more questions piling up, the time has come for the Inner and Outer Senshi and the Starlights to put all their cards on the table and get some answers.

We’re close to the home stretch of the Series Finale of Sailor Moon and today’s set of Sailor Stars episodes felt like a true transitionary period for the season.  There were some nice fun little diversions with Chibi Chibi and the usual antics with the Senshi and the Three Stars.  Midway through however, the mood changed considerably.  Truths are out (some of them anyway).  Another Villain has been dispatched.  And even the Outer Senshi turned up once more to have a long overdue talk with the Starlights.  Things are getting tense and at the heart of it all is something that SHOULD be a romance but cant because even though he hasn’t been in much of the season (for good reason), Mamoru is still the Man of Usagi’s dreams when Seiya has proven time and time again, they’re just better. 
 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 4 Episodes 181-185

As if Usagi didn’t have enough trouble trying to win over the Sailor Starlights, a mysterious girl appears in her home, posing as her little sister.  Who is “Chibi Chibi” and why is it giving Usagi a strange case of Déjà vu?  Meanwhile, Seiya’s growing feelings for Usagi begin to test their resolve.  Is Seiya willing to risk the Starlights mission to find their lost princess for the sake of winning Usagi’s heart?  All these questions and more might pale in comparison to the new threats Galaxia is ready to send everyones way when Sailor Iron Mouse finally runs out of chances to fulfil her own mission.

We’re at roughly the halfway mark of Sailor Moons final season and I have to say, either Sailor Moon SuperS really was that bad or its been way longer than I thought since I’ve had two back to back reviews with very little to say in the negative department (either way SuperS is THAT bad).  Round 4 of the Final Season introduced new baddies and spent plenty of time showing the complex but loveable bond continuing to form between the Inner Senshi and the Sailor Starlights.  We also got an adorable new cast member and plenty of focus on one of my favorite ships of the series.  All in all, this set of episodes is Sailor Moon at its most fun.
 

T5W#435-Top 5 Thoughts on the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Theme Song Announcement Trailer

While the biggest news in the gaming world might be the recent Premiere Trailer drop of Grand Theft Auto VI, some may forget that the next chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy is fast approaching. During the Game of the Year Awards Ceremony last week, a new trailer arrived on the scene, showing us a lot more of where middle portion of this retelling of the classic story might take us.  Familiar faces, crazy action, gorgeous music and one particular moment that might be waiting to break everyones hearts all over again, February 29, 2024 cant come fast enough. It’s been a minute since I talked about anything FF related so on todays Top 5 Wednesday I’ll be covering my Top 5 Thoughts on the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Theme Song Announcement Trailer.

 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 3 Episodes 176-180

School life for Usagi gets a lot more interesting when the popular Idol Trio, the Three Lights, transfer into her class.  All three are showered in as much mystery as they are popularity.  As Rei, Ami, Mako and Minako work their way to be closer to their celebrity crushes, a new evil has emerged and its power to turn Humans into Monsters leaves the Sailor Senshi at a disadvantage.  But the Sailor Starlights have no qualms about doing whatever it takes to destroy these creatures.  Can they find a way to work past their differences?  And who is the lovely and powerful Galaxia, who aims to conquer not just the Earth but the entire galaxy itself?

It’s weird.  There are elements of Sailor Moon Sailor Stars that have appeared in past seasons that I’ve openly criticized.  Usagi’s acting a little more dimwitted and obtuse than usual.  The Sailor Starlights aren’t as cold as Uranus and Neptune in Season Three but there’s still that unnecessary air of distrust they have for the Inner Senshi.  The Inner Senshi all show up for a battle but do nothing.  Despite this though, I feel that Sailor Stars is doing a good job either justifying or laying not so subtle clues that the state of minds of both Usagi and the Starlights are this way for a reason (the Senshi all showing up just to do nothing but be there, yeah that’s still a problem).  Further evidence to all of this is presented in a pretty solid set of episodes chalk full of humor while dedicated plenty of time to getting to know our new trio of Guardians from across the stars.
 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 2 Episodes 173-175

Usagi’s world is shaken to its core when Mamoru announces he’s going to America to continue his studies.  At the same time, a new threat appears in the city, Sailor Iron Mouse, seeking the Star Seeds hidden within humans.  Eternal Sailor Moon stands ready to face them but she isn’t the only one.  A new trio of Sailor Guardians has arrived and they have a secret, one tied to a particular group of recently arrived idols, the Three Lights.  Change is coming for Usagi Tsukino and friends and their world is about to be turned upside down.

Now that we’ve finished off the loose ends of SuperS, Sailor Moon clears the board a bit in more ways that one, so Sailor Stars can now shift its attention to the trio of newcomers who headline the Final Season: The Sailor Starlights.  These three celebrity superheroines have been built up for a long time, especially by a friend I turn to for advice and info on Sailor Moon (and they also happen to be a big fan of a shipping I’ll definitely talk about in this review).  While I do have some reservations I wish I could ignore, The Sailor Starlights sure do make one helluva debut in their first set of episodes and no one is immune to their charms (not even Luna, I see how you’re looking at Seiya).  This is also a slightly shorter episode set I’m covering so I can get back to five episodes per review again til the Series Finale since I decided to do all of the Queen Nehelenia return in one go.  Anyway, onto the arrival of Sailor Moon’s biggest celebrities to date.
 

T5W#434-Top 5 Gunpla I’ve Built in 2023

I have been very, very hard at work with my newly rediscovered love for Gunpla…and my rediscovered I mean it’s been about a year and a half since I started building again.  In 2023 alone, I’ve built over 40 new models…which now that I look at it, I am kind of insane lol. But still, this has been a fun new hobby to rediscover and remind me why I am such a huge Gundam nerd in the first place.  Seeing as how this has been such a huge part of my year and I even dedicated a couple of months to a new Gunpla centric segment on this blog, only makes sense I do another impossible task of selecting 5 winners out of that list of more than 40 for the Top 5 Gunpla I’ve Built in 2023.

 

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Part 1 Episodes 167-172

The beginning of the high school days for Usagi Tsukino and friends is marred by darkening skies, heralding the return of an old enemy.  Freed from her isolated prison by a mysterious force, Queen Nehelenia swears to enact her revenge on Usagi by destroying anything and everything she loves, starting by enslaving Mamoru under her spell.  But this return has been foreseen and the Inner Senshi are getting some extra backup from some unexpected allies.  Two teams of Senshi unite together for an epic rematch.  And with the fate of Mamoru, Chibiusa and the people of Earth at stake, failure is not an option.

Whew, it’s only taken most of 2023 but we’ve come to it at last Dear Readers.  This is possibly my most personally anticipated series of the year and for good reason.  When Sailor Moon originally aired on Toonami back in the early 2000s, only the first four seasons were shown.  The reasons for the Fifth and Final Season, Sailor Stars, being omitted from broadcast vary but the most glaring reasons involves three new characters that we wont be getting to in the premiere (more on them next time).  As a result, Sailor Stars was never released in the US until ViZ Media acquired the Sailor Moon licenses for the entire 90s series plus Crystal, Eternal and Cosmos, in 2014.  I know very little beyond the three newcomers when it comes to this season.  So, more so than SuperS, I’m in uncharted territory and expectations are high.  But, sadly before we can get on with the brand new story…there’s still some unfinished business from Sailor Moon SuperS that needs to be dealt with.  Does the Premiere of Sailor Moon’s Final Season accomplish what the nearly 39 pointless episodes of SuperS could not?