T5W#259-Top 5 Otakon 2014 Cosplays

God was this a rough one.  Between server issues that left thousands without their badges on Pre Reg Day and one of the hottest summers on record, Otakon 2014 might just be one of my least favorite Otakons.  That didn’t stop me from trying to have a good time and enjoying photographing some great cosplays, which always makes going to any con with the possible downsides.  So cudos to all these cosplayers and all the cosplayers at Otakon 2014…you made one of the worst chapters in my Otakon saga worth attending.  So here are my Top 5 Otakon 2014 Cosplays. 

Ronin Warriors: Message

At long last, the fighting is over.  Having given up their powers, the five young men once known as the Ronin Warriors were finally able to lead peaceful lives…that is until a mysterious woman arrives, harboring a deep resentment for the armor once held by these young men.  When each becomes a target of this heartbroken songstress, Ryo, Rowen, Cye, Kento and Sage must take up their powers one last time.  Do these men fight to save a lost soul or is this another battle preordained as part of an inescapable destiny?  The final chapter of the Ronin Warriors saga begins.

Ugh…

Just…ugh…What the hell did I just watch?  Why did it feel so long and why do I feel like this was the exact opposite of everything ive seen before? As the final note in the Ronin Warriors saga, Message is…well it’s arguably worse than Gaiden.  I sort of get what this OVA was trying to go for.  At the same time though, I got very familiar vibes of Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection, both in title and in overall final effect.

Ronin Warriors: Legend of the Inferno Armor

In the middle of a massive heatwave, Ryo, Sage, Kento, Rowen and Cye find themselves drawn to the center of Tokyo.  Here a mysterious warrior from Africa appears with the power to take on all five Ronin Warriors singlehandedly.  Even more alarming is the warriors possession of a Black Inferno Armor.  When Ryo and Sage are snatched to Africa, the remaining Ronin Warriors must find a way to get them back and defeat this powerful new foe.  But this lone warrior is merely the herald of a much greater calamity.  Two sets of armor call to each other and will stop at nothing to have their final battle…and that includes turning the armor of the Ronin Warriors against their wearers.  Can the team survive a battle for the ages without the full use of their powers?

Yeesh, with the bar set so low by Gaiden, there was nowhere but for the next Ronin Warriors OVA to go but up.  And up this one went.  Legend of the Inferno Armor brought back everything we liked about the Ronin Warriors TV Series and gave us a movie level event that compliments the series nicely.  It’s definitely not without some drawbacks but this was a huge improvement over the 0/10 Gaiden from the end of last week.

Ronin Warriors: Gaiden

The Dynasty has fallen and Talpa has been destroyed.  At last, peace has come to the world.  However, a birthday party for Ryo has one notable absence: Sage.  Things get even crazier when a news report from New York City shows Sage in his armor killing innocent people.  With a million questions on their mind and a friend in need of the help, Ryo, Rowen, Cye, Keto, Mia and Yuli jet off to the US.  Here they find friends turned enemies and mysterious forces looking to harness the power of their armor for their own nefarious ends.  Has Sage truly turned to the Dark Side and can Ryo and the other Ronin Warriors stop him if he has?  Once again, the Ronin Warriors heed the call to battle.

Ronin Warriors: Gaiden begins the final storylines of the Ronin Warriors franchise.  To put it a bit simply: if Episodes 1-19 could be seen as Season One and Episodes 20-39 as Season Two, then these three OVA mini movies could be seen as an unofficial Third and Final Season for the TV Series.  While I don’t remember Ronin Warriors being wildly or hugely popular, I guess it earned enough of a good rep to have these new stories commissioned, which seems odd considering that the finale of the TV Series was decent enough to call it a day.  But man oh man…I hope the next two OVAs are infinitely better than this pointless two episode train wreck.

T5W#258-Top 5 Otakon 2013 Cosplays

For a long time, Otakon 2013 was my second most favorite Otakon of all time (for the record it’s still pretty high up there).  It was a major bounce back from 2012 and it’s where I met many friends who have since become some of my closest family.  When it came to the cosplay, trying to pick five from a weekend of hundreds for this list proved challenging, then again I could say that about this entire Otakon Cosplay Retrospective I’ve been working on.  Still, I think you’ll be surprised by this list as I was.  So enough yapping and onto this weeks Top 5 Wednesday, my Top 5 Otakon 2013 Cosplays.

Ronin Warriors Part 8 Episodes 36-39

 

Ryo and Rowen have successfully rescued Cye, Sage and Kento from Talpa’s castle.  Reunited, the Ronin Warrirors stand together as Talpa’s final plan to conquer the Human World begins to take its final form.  Meanwhile, Anubis confronts his destiny as he learns the true origins of Kayura and the role she must play in this final battle. At last, the nine armors are brought together but will it be for salvation or destruction?  This is it, the last stand of the Ronin Warriors.  Who will live and who will die to protect the world from the Darkness of Talpa and his Dynasty?

I’ve gotta admit, the flaws of Ronin Warriors have always been at the back of my mind and ive never really addressed all of them: from the lack of backstory and character development of the main characters to the simplistic dialogue of the villains from time to time to the fact that the second half of the series has had the Ronin Warriors themselves feeling less and less competent in their own series.  But you know what?  Despite the flaws, Ronin Warriors pulled off an impressive final battle and gave the spotlight to characters who deserved the best out of the grand finale.

Ronin Warriors Part 7 Episodes 31-35

Ryo, Rowen and White Blaze cross into the Netherworld itself to rescue Cye, Sage and Kento from captivity.  The greatest warriors the demon hordes have to offer await them, including the beautiful Kayrua, who’s ferocious power can only be matched by Ryo’s unstable Inferno Armor.  Meanwhile, Anubis, who now carries the legacy and power of the Ancient One, teams up with Mia and Yuli for a quest that could prove vital to the downfall of Talpa and the Dynasty.  But the Dark Lord is harnessing the power of three captured Ronin Warriors to fuel his fighters for battle.  Can Sage, Cye, and Kento hold on, or will Talpa’s shadow strategy and Kayrua’s power finally bring down the last of the Ronin Warriors?

Last week, we saw three out of five Ronin Warriors get systematically captured while the other two went into Hell without a plan to save them.  This week we got some real good stuff out of Ronin Warriors going into the final stretch…most of it just wasn’t out of the Warriors themselves until close to the end. 

Ronin Warriors Part 6 Episodes 26-30

A message in a shared dream from their long dead mentor, the Ancient One, sends the Ronin Warriors on separate quests to prepare themselves for the trials ahead.  But this is what Talpa has been waiting for.  One by one, the Warriors fall to capture by their greatest rivals: The Dark Warlords, until only Ryo and Rowen are left to do battle.  Guided by an old friend, the pair and White Blaze seek to enter the Netherworld to rescue their comrades.  Not only are they heading right into enemy territory, but foes far stronger than even the Dark Warlords await, including a beautiful demon named Kayrua who has the power of all five Ronin Warriors combined.  

 

Well things certainly got busy as we headed into the end of Week Two.  We got The Netherworld, the return of the Dark Warlords and the intro of a beautiful new foe, Anubis gets an upgrade and Ryo proves that he is not the best at making plans cause you never know when youre going to confront a literal army of demons.  I have some concerns (story wise, Ryo’s aforementioned plan is dumb no matter how you or he tries to slice it), but I think we’re heading into a pretty action packed finale next week after this set.  Let’s break it down.

T5W#257-Top 5 Otakon 2012 Cosplays

2012 is one of those years of Otakon I don’t look very fondly on and it’s one of the few weekends I thought was actually well…just not great.  I don’t know if it was because 2011 set such a high bar or maybe another factor or two.  Either way, there was still plenty of time for some good old cosplay photography.  In doing my recap gathering for this weeks Top 5, I totally forgot about some of these until now.  So enjoy the latest chapter in my stroll down Otakon memory lane with my Top 5 Otakon 2012 Cosplays.

Ronin Warriors Part 5 Episodes 21-25

Talpa and his Dark Warlords have been defeated and peace and light has returned to Tokyo.  Ryo, Sage, Rowen, Kento and Cye have earned a well deserved break but their battle is far from over.  Though Talpa is gone, others from the Netherworld seek to pick up where he left off and now they have a specific target: The Inferno Armor in the possession of Ryo.  But the Inferno Armor itself is a wild card, one Ryo cant control without depleting his energy in the process.  As the Warriors, Mia and Yuli hurry to discover the Inferno Armors secrets, dangerous and more powerful Netherworld foes appear to challenge the Warriors who defeated Talpa.  The next battle has begun.

Gotta say, this set was a very good recovery from the disappointing events of the midseason.  Sure we had to deal with the chuff left over from the conclusion of last time.  But a stronger villain and the return of some old favorites showed that Ronin Warriors was off to a great start for its second half. 

Ronin Warriors Part 4 Episodes 16-20

The Ancient One, the beloved mentor of the Ronin Warriors, sacrifices his life to provide the boys with entry into Talpa’s main fortress.  With anger and resolve in their hearts, Ryo, Sage, Rowen, Kento and Cye cross the threshold and prepare for the final battle with the leader of the Dyansty himself.  However, Talpa has been playing a long waiting game and the Warriors crossing into his domain might be the ultimate trap they didn’t see coming.  With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Ryo and his friends will risk all to stop Talpa and his minions…even if that means they have to die to make that happen.  And even if they survive this ordeal, what’s next for the Ronin Warriors with the dawn of a new day?

In many ways, im really glad this wasn’t the series finale of Ronin Warriors.  Otherwise, it would have ended on a bit of a disappointing note.  Let me say that I am well aware of what this show is.  It’s not meant to be anything deep or compelling, it’s a straight up action vehicle.  It’s a ton of fun to watch but that doesn’t mean its without flaws.  I’ve largely ignored them til now but this latest set of episodes highlighted those problems, even if there was still plenty to enjoy.

Ronin Warriors Part 3 Episodes 11-15

The Ronin Warriors are back.  With the help of Mia and Yuli, Ryo, Sage, Cye, Kento and Rowen have been reunited.  Their armor has protected and rejuvenated the five warriors and now theyre stronger than ever before.  Talpa goes on the defensive, locking down his massive fortress and preparing his troops for battle.  This also means making sure his Warlords are ready to take on their rivals…and one of them, Anubis, is faltering in his resolve to serve the Dynasty.  There’s also the matter of the strange Monk who has been aiding the Warriors in small doses across many battles.  Who is he and does he know the true purpose of their magical armor?  The battle for the world heats up as new rivalries ignite and important secrets are revealed.

Well we got the band back together, now what?  It’s time to go straight into enemy territory and kick some ass that’s what.  The first full week of Ronin Warriors closed out with an adnreneline fueled race through a deserted city taking on Warlords, Soldiers galore and even the heroes own self doubts.  Oh and the Ancient One finally got involved but ended up creating just as many problems as he did solutions in the process.

Anime Corner-Summer 2020 Updates

Wow, I didn’t think it had been that long since I’ve done one of these updates (at least since the Blogs Anniversary in March).  So, felt it was a little overdue to give you guys an update: forthcoming titles, events and the return of familiar segments.  It’s been a rough year but I’m toughing through it as best I can and working plenty to keep the Anime Corner ready with articles galore at all scheduled times.  Anyway, now that we’ve somehow jumped right into July and the hotter than Hell weather, let’s see what we’ve got coming up in the next couple of months

T5W#256-Top 5 Otakon 2011 Cosplays

Previously:

In lieu of no Otakon (or any other con for the foreseeable 2020 future), I’m honoring the Anime Con I call home by looking back at my first years going to Otakon and highlighting 5 of the best cosplays from all those events…like many other lists I make, it’s not easy.  It’s a blast from the past looking at the Top 5 Otakon Cosplays, 2010-2015 to be more precise.  Last week we looked at my first Otakon, Otakon 2010 (catch up here if you missed it: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2020/07/t5w255-top-5-otakon-2010-cosplays.html).  Today we continue with probably one of the best sequels of all time.  I thought Otakon 2010 left a good impression, I’d seen nothin yet, especially when it came to the cosplay.  So how about we get to this weeks Top 5 Wednesday, my Top 5 Otakon 2011 Cosplays.

Ronin Warriors Part 2 Episodes 6-10

The Ronin Warriors first battle with the Dark Warlords ended in defeat.  Talpa used his magic to scatter the warriors across Japan, seemingly locking them away for eternity.  But their new allies, Mia Koji and Yuli Yamano have unlocked the secret to tracking down the lost heroes.  They’ve already found Ryo and Sage and now must track down the other three Ronin Warriors.  The Dynasty isn’t sitting idly by and the Dark Warlords are all eager to test their powers against the returning heroes.  Even if Ryo can reunite with his new team of friends, will their combined power be enough when Talpa and the Dynasty have already defeated them once before?

Ronin Warriors continued pretty strong in its second out.  There’s good momentum in the quest to reunite the scattered team and almost every moment felt integral to moving the plot along, hardly any filler can be spotted so far.  Even when the show goes a little beyond its reach (grabbing a Ronin Warrior from low orbit), it managed to do so in a way that plays to the ever changing rules of the series.  In short, I’m still having fun checking this out 10 episodes in.

Ronin Warriors Part 1 Episodes 1-5

On a beautiful day in Japan, a dark shadow covers Tokyo.  In an instant, a dark cloud carrying a terrifying castle emerges in the sky and the Dynasty descends, enslaving most of the civilian population.  Regular military is powerless against these mystical demons hellbent on the destruction of Humanity.  All is not lost.  From the mist, five young warriors emerge to challenge Talpa, leader of the Dynasty, and his four  Dark Warlords.  They are Ryo, Rowen, Sage, Kento and Cye.  Each have their own style of battle and a magic suit of armor that give them unrivaled capabilities.  Alone they are fearsome fighters.  Together…they are the Ronin Warriors.

Welcome everyone to this years Extended Series Review.  It’s that usual time of year leading up to a special convention where I pick a title that’s a bit longer than my usual crop (13-26 episodes) and cover it at an accelerated rate (2-3 days a week depending besides the usual Monday).  And have I picked a special treat for everyone this summer.  I know I say this about a lot of the shows I cover but ive been trying to find the right time to slot this in for a looooong time, ever since I got the series on DVD during my last Baltimore Otakon…so 4 years, damn.  I may be reviewing it under its original title but its still the same awesome goodness we all remember from my favorite Toonami Golden Age (1999-2001).  In Japan, they were known as the Legendary Armor Samurai Troopers.  This summer, we’ll be taking a look at that saga under the name most know them by…Ronin Warriors

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection

Two Years Later.  The peace that Lelouch Vi Britannia died to bring about is thriving.  That is until a sneak attack by an unknown group in the county of Zilkhistan results in the kidnapping of Represenetive Nunnally Vi Britannia and her protector, Zero, secretly Suzaku Kururugi.  The world is desperate for answers to this attack, unaware that the leaders of Zilkhistan have their own plans for its domination.  In their time of greatest need, those who have believed in Lelouch pray for a miracle…and that miracle has come.  Lelouch Vi Britannia returns once more to rescue his beloved sister.  But is even his brilliant mind enough to deal with a threat so powerful it can predict his plans down to the smallest detail?  The Resurrection has come at last.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion has one of the greatest Anime Series Finales of all time.  It’s brilliant, it makes sense and it still hits the right spots every time I watch it.  It’s an ending worthy of applause, especially given the rough road to get there with Code Geass R2.  It was fine when it ended and it didn’t need more.  We did get more in the form of the occasional spin off Manga or OVA (most notably 2012’s Akito the Exiled).  But an actual sequel?  Nope, we didn’t need it.  But someone apparently wanted it.  For reasons I still don’t understand, three compilation films were commissioned to get viewers back up to speed which not only retold the series --story but made some changes to the plot as well, including changing the tragic fate of Lelouch love interest Shirley.  Which FINALLY brings us to Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection.  Love it or hate it, we have it, so how was it?

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion III-Glorification

Lelouch Vi Britannia’s revolution as Zero failed.  His best friend, Suzaku Kururugi, captured him and his army was shattered.  But fate has deemed Lelouch worthy of a second chance.  Zero and his Black Knights rise again and this time not even the might of the world will be able to stop them.  At last, the true reason for Lelouch’s quest for vengeance is revealed as he faces his ultimate foe.  Revelations rock his resolve and close allies become his deadliest enemies.  But Lelouch has come too far to turn back now.  For the safety of his sister and the chance for true peace across the planet…the Zero Requiem begins.

Well here we are, the end of the beginning of a risky gamble for a beloved classic.  While Glorification is a significant improvement over both of its predecessors thanks to the ground it covers, does it complete the task set forth by this whole trilogy of setting up the return of Lelouch in Re;surrection?  Ehhhhh…I’m actually gonna have to say no on that one.  But before we get deeper into that, let’s look at the movie itself.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II-Transgression

The Revolution has Begun.  Zero and his Black Knights have gained several victories against Britannia, earning allies and the support of an oppressed people.  But every revolution bears within it, the seeds of its own destruction.  And with each new victory, Lelouch himself falls into a deeper hole of madness and insatiable desire to see the people who wronged him and his sister crushed.  As his army faces its greatest challenge, Lelouch faces Suzaku with the fate of a nation and his family on the line.  The end of this battle will change everything forever.

Transgression, the middle chapter of the Code Geass Compilation Trilogy, was always going to be the most difficult part of this project for that very reason: it’s the middle chapter of a Trilogy that should have been four films instead.  Transgression closes out the back half of Season One while transitioning a little awkwardly into Season Two and the results are as I said: each season should have been two movies each. 

T5W#255-Top 5 Otakon 2010 Cosplays

While I’ve made my peace with it, the fact that Otakon and every other Summer convention isn’t happening this year still hurts like Hell.  Many cons are making strides to compensate with online interactive special events though, which is a plus.  For me, this whole endeavor has given me time to look back on years of amazing travels, the friends ive made during them and all of the cosplay ive seen over the last ten years.  While I’ve covered several of them on the blog already since the Anime Corners inception, I haven’t covered the cosplay ive seen before the blog went live.  So for the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at my Top 5 Otakon Cosplays from 2010-2015 (my first cosplay Top 5 for Otakon was 2016).  And we kick things off today with my Top 5 Otakon 2010 Cosplays, my favs from the very first Anime Con I ever went to.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion I-Initiation

The once great nation of Japan has been conquered by the Holy Britannian Empire.  Stripped of it’s name and title, redesignated Area 11, it’s citizens live in fear of Britannia’s overwhelming power.  Through a twist of fate, one young man, an exiled Britannian Prince with his own scores to settle, attains the power of Geass.  With the ability to make anyone do what he wishes, Lelouch Vi Britannia becomes Zero, the man who will save Japan and bring Britannia to it’s knees.  To follow through with this dream means he will make many enemies…including Britannia’s top ace pilot and his best friend, Suzaku Kururugi.

I normally tend to stay away from reviewing Compilation Films here at the Gundam Anime Corner.  Most ive seen don’t really add anything more to the experience of a certain title I didn’t get watching the full TV Series run.  I do make exceptions from time to time and do think there are good ones out there like the Madoka Magica Movies and the Mobile Suit Gundam Compilation Trilogy from the Early 80’s.  I’m making another exception for the Code Geass movies this week too.  The reason for this is that I’ve heard these films are doing more than just recapping the events from both seasons of the TV Series.  They’re also apparently a sort of create an alternate reality in the process.  I can see how this is necessary given how I and many others believe that the original ending of the Code Geass story is basically perfect, so much so that doing a sequel would be difficult, if not impossible.  But apparently this was the plan to pave the way for Lelouch of the Resurrection.  So over the next three days I’ll be looking at each chapter of the Code Geass Compilation Movie Trilogy before we get to the much anticipated Code Geass: Lelouch of the Resurrection on Saturday, July 4^th.  Now, with that lengthy intro out of the way, how is the appropriately titled “Initiation”?