Martian Successor Nadesico Part 5 Episodes 22-26

A Jovian Ambassador, a Gekiganger convention on the Nadesico, a love story between two people from different worlds...and that’s all before things start going totally sideways.  A tragic loss pushes Yurika to throw off the kid gloves and unite the Nadesico like never before.  Now hunted by Nergal, the Earth Military and the Jovians, the crew that strives for total peace embarks on one last mission to Mars to end the conflict once and for all.  What awaits in the ruins of the Utopia colony?  Can the Nadesico withstand the pounding of three enemies bearing down on it?  Will we get a proper finale and still find time to smooth over Akito’s love life?  So many questions…and the crew of the Nadesico wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

You know, it’s strange how Nadesico manages to mirror my love of Anime.  In my mind, there has to be some show or shows (hell the Toonami block from the early 2000’s would do) that could be the answer to world peace.  Akito and Tsukumo though the same thing and organized a freaking Gekiganger convention onboard the Nadesico, including a Dealer’s Room, Cosplay, and marathon screenings of the series.  For all the war going on, it’s strange to see this going on.  But that’s been Nadesico from the beginning, going all out bizzare and out of left field and making the trip all the more fun for it.  Indeed, these last few episodes did make me smile despite problems at the very end.

 

Akito and Tsukumo making peace and getting to know each other should have happened long before now.  Sure Akito was dealing with the Jovian reveal but still, having Tsukumo around a bit more as a not really prisoner could have been a good way to deepen their friendship further.  It also could have helped explore the Tsukumo and Minato romance a bit further.  But I have to chalk it up to good writing and the feel good vibe it gave.  Tsukumo’s time with Akito, Minato and the Nadesico crew may have been criminally short but it was very effective in the end.  His loss was felt and it was the perfect catalyst to get the ball rolling on the finale.

 

It shocks me about as much as the crew that Akatsuki is the head of Nergal…it wasn’t a huge reveal, we all knew something like that was coming.  It was kind of hard to keep track of his allegiance jumps, same with Erina.  First, they take the Nadesico back from the crew, then they need their help to perfect Bosen Jumping their latest ship, The Kakitsubata, and then they’re back to fighting against them and then with them again.  Yeah if what you read didn’t make sense then you know what I was thinking the whole time…sense didn’t get made.  Akatsuki would have made a better straight up villain and rival for Akito while Erina, who like every other girl decided she was in love with Akito, could have ended up siding with the Nadesico crew against her boss.  The drop of a dime change in motivations actually fits everything that Nadesico has gone for so far, so I shouldn’t be as irked about this.

 

I loved the retaking of the ship.  Ruri really stood out in these final episodes as she brought the crew back together and held onto the lessons she’s learned from the first episode of the series.  The Nadesico is her home and Akito, Yurika and the others are her family.  “Those unforgettable days.  For them I live,” Omoikane repeats to the crew.  This has become Ruri’s mantra as much as the Nadesico itself.  You wouldn’t believe it from the first episode, but this crew has come so far.  Sure they’re not military trained (for the most part).  But much like Shin Godzilla, it takes the out of the box thinking of a new generation to pull off a victory that the prior generation might not be able to.  Yurika’s a ditz but she’s brilliant.  Akito is a skilled pilot but he loves Anime and cooking.  Ruri may seem cold and distant but she realizes she’s as much an idiot as the rest of her friends.  I could go on but short version: this show works because of the bond these guys all share, even when they don’t get as many moments to shine as others.  It’s made for an unforgettable ride and one that is actually a little near and dear to my heart…wow that almost sounded like my final thoughts but there’s still one or two things to get to.

 

The finale kind of felt rushed to me.  The two part battle of Mars seemed more focused on trying to end things than explain thoroughly and in the end, some revelations were “Ooooook?” and others were “Is that it?”  Inez being revealed as the little girl Akito thought he let die on Mars falls under the “Ooook?” banner.  The whole Bozen Jumping as time travel instead of instantaneous teleportation, that’s more under “Is that it?”  Some technical, science-y aspects were lost on me but it’s Nadesico, it tries it’s best.  Of course I covered Akatsuki and Erina’s jumbling loyalties to the Nadesico crew. 

 

And then there’s the final few moments.  In order to get the central hub (and the Nadesico itself) off of Mars and somewhere safe from the Earth and Jovians…Akito and Yurika must kiss to get the ship to jump.  Now, I like that, by this point, all of Akito’s romantic entanglements have been dealt with.  Ryoko, Megumi and even Erina all put aside what they feel for Akito and accept his path of romance was only going in one direction.  The destination was being a pain in the ass though.  Yurika flipped out and ran away, thinking that Akito wanted to be with Inez (which is weird.  Even if she did grow up to be a hot scientist in the past, she’s still wayyyy to young for Akito, technically.  Plus Akito doesn’t think of her that way).  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the final act of the series hinges on these two sorting out their crap and admitting their feelings for each other.  Akito has to preach about Gekiganger a bit more and Yurika has to deny she told Akito she loves him.  Then kiss.  I should sigh and I kind of do.  But then I smile…that’s just the way Nadesico roles.

 

So as the series closes out, the war basically grinds to a halt.  The Nadesico flies the Bosen Jump core into safety and both sides listen to Akito and Yurika banter.  There’s no sign that peace is even close to happening and we don’t know what happens to the crew after Akito and Yurika’s kiss.  Ruri narrarates that all of the answers to these questions, including the identity of the race behind the Bosen Jump technology, will be saved for an inevitable sequel.  And while there is one…yeah we’ll get to that next week.  Officially, however, there is no sequel series to Martian Successor Nadesico and there isn’t any word of one coming any time soon…which is a shame.

 

Martian Successor Nadesico was an iffy balance at first but once it got a little more serious, the lighter moments were more welcome and made for a better series in the second half.  This crew is one of the unsung casts of Anime: likeable, charming, stunningly beautiful and full of quirks.  You’ll def come out with at least one absolute favorite (for me it boils down to Akito, Ryoko and Minato).  The animation and action are pretty good for their time, which is even better since this show is a nod to classic 70’s and 80’s space operas.  And the use of Anime within and Anime made for a strange but pretty entertaining plot device.  It’s a parody of Otaku culture as much as it is mecha/sci fi Anime but it also speaks to the hearts of Otaku anywhere in a heartwarming way.

 

What can I say, it’s been an amazing ride with the Martian Successor Nadesico and her crew and though we may never see them in a full length series sequel…they’ll always remain in memory much like Gekiganger 3.

 

The series gets a solid 8.5/10

BUT we’re not done yet.  As I said, we did get a sequel, it just wasn’t a series and it’s one of the most divisive continuations of all time.  Will I love it or hate it?  Tune in next week as we wrap up Martian Successor Nadesico with Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture-The Prince of Darkness.

 

LET’S GO GEKIGANGER 3!!!! 

 

V

T5W#76-Top 5 Favorite Overwatch Characters

Overwatch, many have called it the Best Game of 2016 and it’s easy to see why.  The gameplay is solid, and highly entertaining and it’s hours of fun.  More than the running and gunning though, Overwatch works because of it’s vast array of amazing characters.  Highly diverse in both ethnicity and abilities, this group of heroes, villains and anti heroes from all over the world are begging for their own spin off games or, and this could work, Anime series.  Just look at how Overwatch is designed and the world it has created, it’s screaming for an Anime adaptation.  With the game being multiplayer only, a show that serves as a prequel or in universe tale isn’t a bad idea (at least it wouldn’t be the strategy guide ladened Ace Attorney).  And since there’s the brand new “Year of the Rooster” event kicking off, I’m letting Overwatch have my page today with this Top 5 being dedicated to my Top 5 Favorite Overwatch Characters.  This list is based on how much I enjoy some but also how much I can kick ass with others in game…and btw those of you who know me and know I like this game, no the #1 is not who you think it is…but she is here.

 

#5-Widowmaker

Sexy is this characters MO…well that and being a skilled assassin.  I don’t really use Widow in battle but she’s always left an impression.  The gorgeous looks, that accent, and her being Tracer’s rival in many of the games cinematic trailers have made her an instant win in the character like department.  Plus, she’s got a pretty tragic backstory as a brainwashed former companion to Overwatch (if not an agent outright, I’m not really sure).  Oh and there’s the teeny bit where before it was confirmed Tracer had a girlfriend, Widow was continuously shipped with her within the community…now that would be a fun relationship to see explored a bit.  Widow is one bad girl who needs her own solo campaign, if only so I could listen to her talk me to sleep with that soothing but deadly voice.

 

#4-Soldier 76

Probably my favorite character to play as, the former leader of Overwatch may claim to be an old man but he’s anything but in my hands.  76 is the starter for many newcomers since, at his core, he’s you’re typical standard FPS model.  He has a pulse rifle with a grenade launcher and is basically a run and gun type.  I can play with him a bit more strategically and have earned several “Play of the Game” nods for being able to mow down a ton of teams with fast shooting, quick reloads and careful use of his special.  If im ever in a bind in a match, I know I can switch up to 76 to get some points back.

 

#3-Reaper

Imagine if Batman and The Punisher had a kid…you’d get this killer Batman/Punisher app.  Duel…you know I don’t even know what kind of guns he has, shotguns that looks like pirate pistols is the best way I can describe them.  A voice that sounds like death itself is sneaking up on you.  Oh and he can teleport and turn intangible for a short period of time.  Reaper was one of the first characters I tried to use when I first played (after Tracer) and he has been a hit with me ever since.  I always try to play with him at least once whenever I hop on.  Plus, get him in the center of a weak fire team and watch him unleash his spray special (especially in slow mow) and you’ll never get tired of that show. 

 

#2-Tracer

Overwatch’s premiere poster girl.  Tracer had me from the moment she was unveiled (and yes before the big controversy of her showing too much booty in her victory pose).  Speedster costume that’s form fitting, check.  Energetic and fun as heck, check.  Accent you cant help but love, check.  Seeing Tracer’s abilities in the Cinematic Trailers was something else and only the most skilled of players can recreate them nicely in game…im not one of them though.  In all honesty, of the few characters I use, Tracer is the one I am the worst with.  I still love her though.  And the cosplays I see of her, wow so many cute girls.  Like the rest of the community, I’m so happy she was revealed to have a girlfriend, Tracer seems the kind of girl who deserves a nice girl who enjoys her upbeat and bright personality…though I wonder if anyone was sad that she wasn’t with D.Va…not that I’m complaining, her current gf, Emily, is really nice too.  Ahem, getting away from things.  Short version: Tracer is awesome and an awesome draw for anyone looking to get into Overwatch and become a hero like she is.  And no, I’ll never get tired of her signature line.  “Cheers love, the cavalry’s here”.

 

#1-Sombra

Kind of a surprise, I’ll admit.  Sombra made an impression on me when she got her own Cinematic Trailer. She turned out to be one of the first characters I ever used during one of the Free Play Weekends before I picked up the game for good.  Even better than her confidence, hacking abilities and colorful costume is the fact that I can actually use her really well in game.  “Everything can be hacked, and everyone,” this Mexican hottie states at the start of match and that is her schtick.  She can hack every player (one at a time but with her super she can grab everyone) to disable shields and special abilities for a short period of time.  Not to mention her sub machine gun is pretty awesome too and more effective than you might think.  She may be the latest addition to the line up, but Sombra, like Widowmaker, might be one I head to the dark side for cause she is awesome.

Martian Successor Nadesico Part 4 Episodes 16-21

With the revelation as to the true identities of the Jovian Lizards, the war has changed for just about everyone on the Nadesico.  For those like Akatsuki and Erina, it means trying to cover up inconvenient truths and pushing up time tables.  For some like Akito, a darker side has been uncovered that’s starting to freak out even those closest to him.  Everyone’s trying to cope but if the crew is to overcome this startling news, they’ll have to come together like never before.  Can ghosts from the past and even Gekiganger itself help guide the lost Nadesico crew and the Jovians onto a path to peace?

 

Much to my relief, the series didn’t just let go of the Jovian reveal.  In fact, it ran with it and changed a lot of the series dynamic, some ways for the better and others…well maybe too much.  This is supposed to be a parody at heart.  And while there have been some dark moments, like the death of Guy and Yurika being forced to sacrifice civilians to protect the ship, the show has never lost sight of its fun heart.  This week definitely tested that heart and, at the end of the day, came out the better for it despite some added darkness.

 

It didn’t get anymore clear how the big reveal affected everyone than Akito himself.  At first, he believed only an Alien race from beyond the stars was capable of all the destruction thus far.  Learning the Jovians are exiled humans from the moon, back for revenge, didn’t turn him off from fighting.  It had the opposite affect, it awoke a hardened warrior in him.  His fight against Tsukumo pretty much set his new status quo in motion.  He might have let him go to save Megumi and Minato but his line about not wanting to know the line of the man he would end up killing was chilling to the core.  As much as I wanted Akito and Megumi to finally break up, seeing a colder Akito do it rather than the bumbling hero was harder to watch than I thought.  It doesn’t help that the Jovians see Gekiganger as their religion, something dear to Akito’s heart.  It’s like if Aliens used Gundams against me, I’m sure I’d be insanely pissed off too.  Akito is still there to be the bumbling hero when it matters.  This dark turn, however, is something that hopefully doesn’t corrupt him fully.

 

And then there’s the Admiral, Munetake, who up until now has just been a loud and irritating voice shouting at everyone.  His death kind of ranks up there with Shirley from Code Geass and Anew from Gundam 00.  He’s a character who didn’t do much but they made his death pretty tough.  The lead up, with us finally figuring out that he killed Guy way back when, and his looking at a photo of his younger self, happy with his Admiral Father, brought up emotions I didn’t know I could have about this character.  And then the clencher, Guy coming back as a ghost to forgive Munetake as he went off on a suicide mission…jeez Nadesico, I miss the happy you but damn this was good stuff.

 

And it didn’t stop there.  While not related to the Jovians, Ruri got a backstory episode and man was it tough.  Ruri’s always seemed a little “artificial”, sometimes I wondered if she was an android.  Nope, turns out she’s been genetically altered to be the perfect interface with the Nadesico itself.  Seeing her upbringing and detached childhood was so sad…though it was funny to learn that “Idiots” or “Baka” was one of her first words.  It sucks that Ruri doesn’t have much in terms of a mother and father.  But that no doubt makes Akito, Yurika and the Nadesico crew the only real family she has.  At the end of the day, that’s something I’m sure Ruri will take to heart from this point on.

 

With so much drab it would seem almost impossible to cram any joy in.  Which is why the beauty pagent is a little shocking in terms of a happy wake up call but it’s a welcome one.  We get to see everyone in swimsuits and I mean all the girls.  We get to see Yurika sing the end credits song in full length.  And as a special bonus, Ruri performs a song of her own, “I Wanna be Your Number One” and man was it awesome.  It’s funny that Nergal approved this in hopes of picking a new captain to replace Yurika and while Yurika still won, there is a subtle foreshadowing in this event that comes into play in a later feature…but I’ll address that when we get there.  We even got to see my girl Ryoko in some cute underwear that even Akito had to admit he liked.  Sigh, there may not be hope for him pairing up with her (Akito and Yurika is an obvious conclusion now) but I’m sure this made Ryoko’s day…though to save face she had to beat the hell out of his Aestevalis.

 

Back to the Jovian development to wrap things up, I should mention how Akatsuki, Erina and Nergal have apparently known about the Jovian truth for some time now.  I’m surprised the crew doesn’t jump ship on this after finding out thanks to Ruri.  And I’m even more surprised they’re ok with Akatsuki and Erina sticking around.  Still, this crew tends to come to terms with things pretty quickly and get on with life, no matter the hardships.  It also helps the Nadesico has a kick ass upgrade with new cannons and engines.  It allowed them to play a nice game battleship with a Jovian commander that was very remiscent of the Star Trek Episode, Balance of Terror.  There’s even Yurika getting a message of respect from the commander she defeats…though she’s pissed he doesn’t know she’s a woman.  Still, Akatsuki and Erina have an endgame and it involves Akito somehow (at least Erina wants him…yes in that way as well as for her mission though she wont admit it) and I’m sure that will all be revealed next week.

 

Sad to say but we’re approaching the end of Martian Successor Nadesico.  Will peace be possible between Earth and the Jovians?  What are Nergal and Akatsuki up to? And what the hell is on Mars that everyone wants so badly aka the secret to Bosen Jumping?  And who will Akito end up with when this mess is all over?  That last one is kind of a given…even if you were to guess someone else, Ruri would call you an “idiot”.  The end comes for the Nadesico this week.  Let’s hope it can ride this train of goodness right to the end.

T5W#75-Top 5 Personal Sailor Moon Life Moments

I like to think im an equal opportunity Anime viewer.  As much as I love the boy shows like Dragon Ball Z, Gundam, One Punch Man, etc, I do have soft spots for the girl powers shows like Fate Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya, Himouto Utaru Chan and Puella Magi Madoka Magica.  But the defining Girl Power Anime for me is still Sailor Moon.  I was always proud to include it in the ultimate Toonami Summer Line Up along with Ronin Warriors, DBZ, Gundam Wing, Outlaw Star and Tenchi Muyo.  It was always an equal, never a lesser.  I haven’t had a chance to see too much of the newly released ReDubs of the series (I think they just finished putting out S by this point and Super S and (FINALLY) Sailor Stars are not too far off).  But from what ive seen and heard, it’s not bad.  I’m personally excited to hear certain voice actresses and actors in certain roles: like Michelle Ruff (Rukia from Bleach) as Luna, Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam from Power Rangers) as Artemis and Cristina Vee (Mio from K-On) as Sailor Mars.  Anyway, this week, Viz is doing a limited theatrical run of the first Sailor Moon movie: Sailor Moon R-The Promise of a Rose.  It is NOT playing at a theater near me and frankly that pisses me off but I wont rant.  Instead I’ve decided to run down my personal Top 5 Sailor Moon Life Moments, events in my life where Sailor Moon was a defining factor for me and I’m still not ashamed to say I’m a dude and I’m a fan of the Pretty Guardian and her equally pretty Sailor Senshi Squad.

 

#5-Crystal Gets Back to Normal-ish

The first two seasons of Sailor Moon Crystal were not the tremendous return that a lot of fans hoped for, myself included.  While I didn’t mind Usagi getting an attitude upgrade, the show felt like it wanted to spend too much time on her and creepy Mamoru and not enough on the rest of the Senshi.  Factor in some less than stellar (and in the cases of the transformations CRINGE WORTHY) CG animation and Crystal was pretty much written off as we all hoped for the day that Sailor Stars would make its state side English Dub debut.  Season 3, however, got things back to normal…more or less.  Usagi had more of her charming clutsiness back, she bickered with Chibi Usa and everyone looked a lot better than their incredibly skinny Season 1 and 2 versions.  It wasn’t totally perfect, but this was the Crystal we should have been watching from the very beginning.  I’m just hope that things get better and they can somehow make the love story between Chibi Usa and a Pegasus not as creepy as it looks…shudder that was a thing right?

 

#4-The First Senshi Scavenger Hunt-Otakon 2014

To promote the arrival of Sailor Moon Crystal and the long awaited ReDub of the original series, Viz instituted a fun little mini game for the convention scene.  Five “official” (as I called them) Senshi were spread all across the Dealer’s Room and the objective was to find them all, get a card stamped by them and return them to the Viz Booth where Sailor Moon herself awaited travelers to give them an official prize.  This continued throughout Otakon 2015 and 2016.  But the first one in 2014 was probably my favorite.  It was tough but somehow that made the end result all the more amazing.  Not only was the last senshi I had to find my favorite one (more on her in a moment) but I think the prize they gave out that year was the most meaningful, a special Sailor Moon coin.  It was proof I had completed something grand and a bit tiring…but worth it in the end.

 

#3-My First Anime Waifu

I first found out about Sailor Moon through a toy commercial that gave out the full line up.  An all girl fighting force akin to Power Rangers was something not to be forgotten.  But what stood out most was the Avatar of Red and Fire, Sailor Mars.  From first glance, I had a huge crush on Rei Hino.  Sure she was mouthy and gave Usagi a hard time but I don’t know, I couldn’t help but be drawn to her beauty, confidence and bad assery.  Sure other Senshi (and Anime Characters in general, ahem Rin and Misato) would come along to challenge, like Sailor Pluto and Neptune.  But Sailor Mars will always have a special place in my heart as the first Anime character I would come to know as a Waifu.

 

#2-Sailor Moon Photoshoot-Katsucon 2015

Since my first Otakon, I have always tried to attend at least one Sailor Moon photoshoot.  An immense gathering of awesome and pretty cosplayers as the premiere heroines of Anime?  No brainer.  However, few have matched the awesomeness of Katsucon 2015, my first Katsucon.  There was something different about it.  The setting, the energy, everyone was into this in a way I hadn’t really experienced before.  Plus you had a couple of great Sailor Moon cosplayers leading the charge and keeping everyone motivated and excited.  There was great cosplay on display here and even characters not often seen, like the Doom Tree Twins, got represented here.  It was one of my favorite moments of that convention and it is a photoshoot that has never been topped…though Otakon 2016 came sort of close.

Shout out to GC Chan Cosplay (https://www.facebook.com/GCChanCosplay/)  and MinnieMoon Cosplay (https://www.facebook.com/minniemooncos/), those two Sailor Moon cosplayers I mentioned.  They do awesome cosplay work and you should check out their adventures

 

#1-Sailor Moon R: The Promise of a Rose on VHS

It was a cold winter day and the start of school was delayed by 90 minutes due to winter conditions.  So what was there for my sister and I to do when we were up and heard about the delay?  We popped in her recently purchased copy of Sailor Moon R: The Movie-The Promise of a Rose on VHS Cassette (bonus points if you remember those) and watched it for the first time.  It was good and I think it would still hold up if I saw it again.  I was a little unclear, or rather unaware of, the whole reincarnation aspect to Usagi and the others since they appeared as little kids at one point…it would get cleared up later don’t worry.   But frankly, I remember being into it with my sister and having a great time watching it with her, it really made going to school kind of suck later cause it was such a great Anime moment for me and her.  Plus I love “The Power of Love” song that I believe is exclusive to that old dub.  I’ll post a link to it below.  It’s definitely a fitting song for Sailor Moon and much like “Cha La Head Cha La” for Dragon Ball Z or “Rhythm Emotion” for Gundam Wing, this is the song that gets a fan amped and will always see the Senshi bursting into action to. 

 

For those of you lucky enough to catch the rerelease of the new Dubbed version of The Promise of a Rose in theaters this week…congrats.  The power of the Moon has smiled upon you.

Martian Successor Nadesico Part 3 Episodes 11-15

Stuck on Earth for the time being, the Nadesico is off conducting random strikes in Jovian occupied territory.  The enemy, however, is the least of certain peoples problems.  There’s a ships computer that seems to be having a temper tantrum and the possibility of the crew being shuffled into the military.  And yet there’s still time for Akito to duck and hide from the expanding war for his heart between Yurikia, Megumi, Ryoko and…Erina Won?  Despite this, the crew looks like it’s actually starting to work well together and the Jovians may very well have an enemy to fear…that is until the crew of the Nadesico discovers who the Jovians actually are.  Oh and have you ever wonder what the Gekiganger team thinks of Martian Successor Nadesico?  Well, you’re about to fine oud.

 

The Jovians are people…or humans…and they just so happen to be in love with Gekiganger.  I think Ruri’s dead pan delivery of “Oh My God”, says it all in the most entertaining manner.

 

In a way, this big revelation is one of the best payoffs to an unseen but brilliant payoff.  I mean Gekiganger has been such a big part of this series in small doses, almost like a Trojan horse trope in a way.  You wouldn’t expect a twist like making this Anime within an Anime such an integral part past being a beloved past time of the main character.  But now we see that two of the Jovian Pilots not only bear a striking resemblance to Ken and Joe from the Gekiganger TV series but they also pilot Geikiganger themed mecha and talk the dialogue in battle as if their lives depended on it.  It might piss Akito off that he’s been fighting other humans instead of aliens but I cant wait til next week when we see more of the Jovians lifestyle, if that ends up being the case anyway.

 

Of course, the big reveal of the identity of the Jovians comes right after a clever clip show episode, seeing as how we’ve reached the mid point of the series here.  Sure we got the pretty straight forward “story so far” plotline but it was perfectly balanced by placing it within an episode of Gekiganger itself.  It’s pretty meta in and of itself, having the Anime loved by Akito being loved by the Gekiganger crew.  It’s also used by their enemies as research to use against them.  Clip shows, for the most part, are usually skippable episodes but this one was worth the watch for this unique approach.  And, like I said, it was an unexpected but solid set up for the Jovian reveal at the end of the following episode.

 

So did the rest of this week live up to these two episodes?  Actually, yeah.  We got a couple of good stand alone episodes which allowed Nadesico to have some fun with it’s premise and it’s characters and got a good dose of holiday drama with a sort of tragic Christmas episode.  Of the three, I really enjoyed the out of control computer.  For one, it allowed us to see that Ruri actually cares about something in her own way.  For most of the show so far, she’s looked bored and has been calling everyone around her “idiots”.  To see her get a little emotional at the decision to scrap the ships AI, Omoikane, after it fired on enemy and allies alike, is a nice move to give her some character development.  Equally good was her practically pleading to Akito for help.  It seemed like she had a soft spot for the hot shot pilot…until you found out his piloting skills were needed for a fun segment where he entered the computer, changed into an Aestevalis and even got to fight Omoikane’s vision of good and justice: Gegikanger itself.  This could have been a forgettable one off but Nadesico did what it does best and had fun with the premise.  Plus Chibi Mecha Akito and a tiny Ruri on his shoulder is a cute image.

 

The Christmas episode had it’s flaws but wasn’t bad either.  For starters, there’s the idea that Minato and Hoari have been in a romance this whole time.  I kind of comes out of left field and when they start having “relationship problems” you don’t understand why cause you haven’t been watching this as much.  In truth, I’d rather watch that develop than listen to Megumi whine about Akito not giving her enough attention.  As much as I hold out for Akito and Ryoko, the Pilot Cook is only meant for Yurika and it shows.  In other words, Akito and Megumi just needs to end.  Also, there’s the fact that Akito was replaced with another pilot briefly…and she was killed off just as fast.  There’s no reason to feel sad about this.  Had she been integrated and allowed to stay a few more episodes, then maybe.  However, her death is one of the more dramatic moments of the series so far, so again balance is achieved.  I also didn’t buy that Akito would be off the ship for very long.  The show just isn’t capable of convincing me he’s in danger of dying or deserting the Nadescio for an extended period of time…it’s like destiny…or magnets…or something.  Ok so the Christmas episode had a lot for me to nitpick after all.

 

We left the Nadesico crew at the dawn of the next half of the series.  With the Jovians revealed as human, how will humanity react?  According to Akatsuki, who tried to kill the Nadesico’s Jovian prisoner, this is a bad reveal to show to the people of Earth.  Akito, on the other hand, looks ready for war.  I’m hoping we get some more time with this new development next week and don’t sacrifice it right away to kill time for a few more episodes.  Who knows, maybe Gekiganger will end up saving the world in it’s own way…huh, who would’ve thought Anime would be the answer to world peace?

T5W#74-Top 5 Reasons Why Final Fantasy XV Rocks

It was the one thing I wanted for Christmas and when I got it, I squeeled like a certain comic book character when they got an ice cream cone from another comic book character (I’ll let you guys piece that one together).  After ten years of waiting, it was time.  Final Fantasy XV made it into my life and intend to beat it, the first Final Fantasy game I’ve ever attempted to do so with.  With life being as hectic and crazy as it is (it’s hard to think of Top 5’s sometimes), my play time with it has been a little limited.  When I have played, I’ve been nothing but impressed with the adventures of Prince Noctis, a prince on the run from an evil empire.  I guess this is an initial impression.  Still, these are my Top 5 Reasons why Final Fantasy XV Rocks…and still so early into the game.

 

#5- The Car

The Regalia is a fine car if there ever was one, sleek, sexy and painted black for good measure..  Much like the cast, I’m content to just sit back and enjoy the ride from Point A to Point B.  There are options to insta-travel to different locations, which helps if you need to get to a gas station or hotel before dark.  But for the most part, I like taking the long drive.  The guys might chat a bit, or, best of all, you can turn on the radio, which has several pre set stations…including many classic Final Fantasy Soundtracks like Final Fantasy VII and VIII plus the soundtracks for the Final Fantasy XV tie ins, Kingsglave and Brotherhood.  But of course, the best thing about riding around is…

 

#4- Jaw dropping Graphics and Scale

Sure you can huff it and that will work just as well.  But sometimes you’re not going to get very far in this game because it is so damn gorgeous.  Ten years of development and a jump to the next generation of consoles clearly did this game a ton of favors.  The world looks so vast and epic.  And the wild life?  I’ve seen giants roaming the fields and rivers and have to stop and stare…and not get eaten in the process.  This is a world full of life, in the towns as much as the countryside.  Each place I’ve been to has been populated nicely and there’s plenty to do in each one, but I’ll get to that.  This journey has been well worth the wait just based on the graphics alone.  It's the best looking Final Fantasy to date, XIII doesn't even compare

 

#3-It makes you freaking hungry

 

Food is an interesting item in Final Fantasy XV.  Stopping by restaurants and ordering a meal can temporarily boost stamina, attacks, magic, etc, depending on what you get.  Seems basic enough for an RPG…but come on, DID THEY REALLY HAVE TO MAKE THE FOOD LOOK THAT INCREDIBLE!!!???  The food is a well designed as anything else in the game, so good you’ll want to go out for an expensive dinner with friends as soon as you reach a save point.  Even a simple pallet of fries looks tasty.  Worse yet, Ignis acts as the groups cook and is always coming up with amazing dishes to try…and it makes you wish you could reach into the screen and take some for yourself.  Oh Final Fantasy XV, how do you torture my stomach sooooooo?

 

 

#2-So much to do and not touch the main story

Yes, you’ll have to get to it eventually.  The story is important.  But, unlike Final Fantasy XIII, there is no liner storyline.  You can actually run around and do a ton of stuff in between missions.  There’s bounties to run (killing monsters for cash), fishing, driving, exploring dungeons, retrieving items in the desert.  Sure these sound like average RPG tropes, but at times this feels like Final Fantasy’s answer to Grand Theft Auto…without the murder and chaos and running people over and…yeah maybe GTA wasn’t the best example to use.  Point is, you can spend hours going on various quests and chilling at a campsite in the first few hours just to reach a high level before you touch the main quest again.  I remember running into a dungeon not knowing there was a level 50 boss at the bottom…and I was level 9.  It scared the frak out of me, and resulted in my first loss of the game.  But it encouraged me to go do more and level up.  It may be a bit before I reach Level 50 myself…but im gonna have fun getting there.  It’s as the intro states: This is a Final Fantasy for both Veterans and Newcomers.

 

#1-The Boys

While I never finished the Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV Anime prequel, turns out I really didn’t have to in order to enjoy the fun loving banter between the four main characters.  From the get go, you get the sense that Noctis, Gladio, Promto and Ignis have been friends for a long time and have formed a life long bond.  Listening to the guys bag on each other about something random: from Noctis’ bride to be to Gladio’s lack of a shirt to Prompto being so energetic he’s almost useless, is a sign of a well written bunch.  I’m sure things are bound to get darker for them the further I get into the game.  And who knows how bad ass they’ll all sound when they get into the real battles of the game.  Is it wrong that the current lack of a hot female party member like Tifa or Riona doesn’t hurt things at all…though Gladio’s sister is pretty cute, can she tag along?  It’s a long game, a girl could ride along at some point.  For now, I’m ok hanging with the Backstreet Boys of Final Fantasy.

Martian Successor Nadesico Part 2 Episodes 6-10

The Nadesico has finally reached Mars, but the Jovians are waiting for them and they’ve had time to prepare.  When the valiant Nadesico finds itself trapped on the red planet, the crew learns they may not be as invincible as they thought.  Secrets from the past are uncovered as Akito discovers the truth behind the Battle of Mars that left him scarred for life.   And as if there weren’t enough incredibly beautiful women aboard, the crew also finds brilliant scientist Ines Versange roaming the martian landscape.  The only thing more surprising than the secrets the Nadesico finds on Mars…is what awaits them when they finally return to Earth.

 

The Nadesico made it to Mars and…didn’t really stick around that long now did it?  After such build up to get there, I was expecting a little bit more of an extended stay.  Still, seeing as how we only glimpsed at some of the secrets buried there, and the heavy Jovian presence, it’s safe to assume we will be back at some point.  Still, the Mars chapter was a little unfulfilling in the plot development department.  And yet it allowed for some good character moments and beats, particularly for Akito and Yurika.  With the Nadescio not as invincible as everyone thought, or hoped,  Yurika had to make the hardest choice so far, sacrificing a small settlement of colonists in order to protect her ship.  And Akito supported her too.  For all her goofy, Akito obsessed antics, it’s good to see Yurika tested every once in a while and come out stronger and not darker for it.

 

Akito also had to deal with the Admiral aboard the Nadesico.  You’ll remember from the first episode that the old man fought the battle of Mars that ended with Akito being the sole survivor (and mysteriously transported to Earth).  Akito’s rage is understandable and his dealing with it helped him grow as a character.  The Admiral’s sacrifice felt a bit empty.  We haven’t seen much of him to get an impression and while it’s sad more people care about his death than Guy, I just didn’t feel anything like most might.  Guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.  Unless you’re a character who’s only gotten a total of five minutes screentime, your safety is pretty much garunteed at this point.  I mean Akito gets lost not once, but twice, and everyone thinks he’s finally bought it…once would be ok but twice is pushing the forced emotion limit.  Akito is indestructible at this point, and at least he’s growing as a character to balance out that luck.

 

The 8 month time jump did the series a couple of favors.  Firstly, the animation in the post Mars episodes got one heck of an upgrade, looking sleeker and a bit more on par with an OVA’s animation.  We also got introduced to Guy 2.0 aka Akatsuki.  He seems to be set to take over the mentor figure position left behind by the dearly departed mecha fanatic.  He’s charming, fun loving and still a realist when it comes to battle.  And Akatsuki seems to appeal to Akito’s inner otaku to get him back into battle.  He seems to gel well with the crew but I don’t know, I cant shake the feeling there’s more to this guy than at first glance, something…shady.

 

Akatsuki also brings along Erina, who seems like his secretary but also doubles as helmsman with Minato.  She’s just kind of a bitch…that’s all she brings to the table.  That and her apparent interest in Akito, who’s harem of love interests seems to be growing.  Not only did he have to endure two separate, and highly awkward, high school romance simulations with Yurika and Megumi, but there’s also Inez, the only survivor the crew saved on Mars.  As dead beat as Ruri and as seriously nerdy as they come, Inez doesn’t seem to have a problem getting close to Akito to complete her studies.  Honestly, Akito and Yurika had some nice moments this week, actually making me believe they could work as the core couple of this series.  In the back of my mind though, I’m hoping Ryoko hooks up with him as im enjoying her continuing to grow respect and concern for the cook turned pilot.

 

It wasn’t all great new things this week.  I already mentioned how the Mars storyline seemed to just toss out more questions than answers, offering us little more than an appetizer for things to come I guess.  There was also the mandatory beach episode.  Yes, since this Anime technically works as a Harem title in addition to a scifi/mecha title, everyone hit the beach for some fun in the sun and all the ladies in the sexiest swimwear they could find.  I wouldn’t mind this so much at all (especially Minato, wow), but the episode was just filler and did nothing to advance what had gone before in the last few episodes.  Sure Akito playing simulator was kind of filler too but I liked that something came out of it.  The beach just served to give Akito a strange distraction from his love…triangle, quadrangle, how many girls are in love with him at this point?  Whatever the case, it makes sense he’d attract a random girl living on a beach who would set up a Jovian attack machine in order to die in battle with her true love as per her hearts desire…he just happens to attract all of the crazy.

 

Diversions and distractions aside, this is still a fun show to watch and im enjoying the heck out of it.  For such a large cast, everyone gels really well together and the new additions fit in just fine…even if Ruri thinks otherwise (is she a robot?)  I just hope we can get more plot rolling next week and eventually see Mars again for all of those unanswered questions.  Perhaps they can serve as material for Inez’s “Get to Know the Nadesico” segments.

 

See ya next week dear readers.

Yuri on Ice-Full Season Review

Yuri Katsuki is a Japanese Figure Skater who is gifted but unable to reach to top of the leader boards.  Yuri is on the verge of giving up completely.  That is until a video of him performing a number by his idol, Russian legend Victor Nikiforov, goes viral.  Impressed by Yuri’s skill, Victor travels to Japan and declares he will become Yuri’s coach.  The world is in shock but no ones more pissed off than Victor’s other student, Yuri Plisetsky.  As the bond between Yuri and Victor deepens, the rivalry between the two Yuri’s grows fiercer, and all the eyes of the world are on these three skaters and the wonders theyre about to bring to the ice.

After doing a First Impression on this one right before Christmas, I ended up going the rest of the way with this runaway smash hit.  After viewing the entire season of the show no one can stop talking about, am I as onboard the hype train as everyone else?  Well…I like other things better but that wont stop me from saying Yuri on Ice is a pretty good show in most respects, especially the ones that count.

 

I’ll talk about the animation first because it feeds into a pro and a con about the series.  The skating animation if absolutely breathtaking.  As a guy who has never been into competitive figure skating, I was impressed I was so moved and in awe of some of the numbers performed by the skaters.  The animators clearly did a lot of research looking at various skaters and how they move on the ice to all sorts of different tunes: pop songs, orchestra, trance, etc.  The skaters demand your attention and the animation helps hold it.  That’s the pro.  The con, I know it’s a show about skating but how many times can we watch these guys do the same two numbers over and over again?  The only thing that didn’t make this super annoying for me were the inner monologues of each skater and how they changed, grew stronger or weaker depending on events going into their numbers.  After a while, I wasn’t really watching the skating anymore but listening to the inner turmoil and inner spirit of these guys who are giving their all on the ice.  The fact that you had skaters from all over the world coming into competition gave us such a diverse cast and it’s easy for everyone to pick a favorite or two.  One way or another though, you might find yourself rooting for every skater to get their moment of glory in.  Even a kind of douche baggy skater got an emotion out of me when he felt he couldn’t beat the pressure of championships but overcame it anyway.

 

Of the three leads in the series, Victor is easily the most entertaining…well maybe Yurio (aka Yuri Plisetsky) is a strong contender too.  Sure you were supposed to feel a lot for Yuri K and cheer when he came out of his shell.  But Victor was always doing something that made you laugh or get nervous about (how bad was he going to chew out Yuri’s skating, was he ever miffed when it wasn’t perfect). I liked happy go lucky Victor more because of his unpredictability.  I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for some reveal about a dark moment in his past that drove him to act like a more carefee Kenshin Himura.  That could still happen in Season 2 but for now, the wild child that is Victor Nikiforov is one of my favorite Anime leads.  Yurio’s outbursts brought some of the best laughs, even if they weren’t his intentions.  In a way, I wanted the series to focus on him a bit more than Yuri K and Victor.  Seeing Yurio’s fired up final performances made me wonder how much he really went through to get as good as he did.  We saw him in practices with his coaches but not nearly enough as the main couple of the series.  So when it was Yurio’s time to shine, he lit up the galaxy with his fire.

 

And what of the central relationship of the series?  It was good, if maybe a little dramatic when it didn’t need to be.  Let me be clear, Yuri and Victor have a good story and it is a strong example of same sex romance in any medium ever.  It’s not a love that is spoken out right but conveyed through action…though those couple of “HOLY S*** THAT JUST HAPPENED” moments were kind of a dead give away (if you don’t know what I mean, you don’t have an internet connection and lucky you for not getting spoiled).  This is where Yuri’s skating numbers come into play.  Yes he is skating for points and a chance at the gold.  But more importantly on his mind is Victor and only Victor.  Yuri is constantly afraid that if he screws up, Victor will leave and never come back.  There were a couple of times where I felt Yuri was going to go into Black Swan levels of obsession but thankfully the series kept away from that and stuck to passionate skating and humor at Yuri’s expense around Victor.  As far as romances go, this was fun to watch, more so than the skating.  I know the world exploded during one or two of those pivotal moments.  I just nodded and said, “Good on you guys.”

 

With all the goodness on and off the ice, it’s makes me a little scared to voice a complaint or two.  I talked about the skating being a negative as well as a positive.  The other big thing for me was the finale.  In the end, even if it was a season finale rather than a series finale, it just felt a bit lacking.  I don’t know it was just missing something that made the bigger events of the series so special.  Should something more have happened?  Well maybe the origin of Victor’s love for Yuri could have gotten moved to the end of the last episode, it already plays a lot like a final montage of pictures from The Hangover and The Hangover Part II.  It just felt like it was time to wrap things up for a break and the show just stopped at that point.  The final episode had plenty of good moments…but just wasn’t up to the standard the rest of the season set.  Oh and the added pressure of a potentially dramatic moment…not really much drama if the writers aren’t going to pull the trigger on it, it’s a weak attempt at a twist.

 

So, Yuri on Ice.  It’s definitely something special to come along in Anime in a long time.  For the first time in a bit, the animation and sports aspect took a back seat to actually exploring, in great detail, the joys and trials of two men falling in love with each other.  It’s does seem obvious when their true feelings shine through but we can forgive that for the show actually going the distance and never flinching on letting things happen.  It pleases the fans and makes casual viewers go “wow, that actually happened.”  And yes, the animation, skating numbers (despite the repetition) and characters all shined so well amongst the center of the universe that is Yuri and Victor.  Will it shine as bright when the series returns for Season 2 later this year?  I hope so.  Yuri on Ice started something special and it’s only right it finishes its story with the rest of the world keenly focused on it.

 

The theme song said it was “born to make history”.  Believe it or not, Yuri on Ice did just that.

 

A very strong 8.5/10