Kakegurui Twin Part 1 Episodes 1-3

One year before Yumeko Jabami would grace it’s halls, Hyakkaaou Academy welcomes Mary Saotome.  She knows this is a school where futures are made, where the students have a chance to shape the history of the nation.  What she doesn’t know is that social statuses are determined not by grades or good attendance…but through gambling.  Those who wins are on the levels of Gods at Hyakkaou.  Those who lose are designated lowest of the low, treated as servants or worse.  Mary is determined to not become the latter and teams up with a former school friend to take on those who lord over this school with a sadistic grip.  In a school full of hopeless losers, Mary will do whatever it takes to become, and stay, a Winner.

Welcome to a Gundam Anime Corner New Years’s Special Event.  Originally I had intended to look at Kakegurui Twin back in September until I decided to slot in the Fullmetal Alchemist Sequels (smart move that was).  Finding an open slot in 2023 for a two part review proved to be tough and then I realized, I did have a place I could look at this criminally brief series.  So, Dear Readers, you’re getting the first half of Kakegurui Twin today and tomorrow, we ring in 2023 with the conclusion, neat idea right?  Anyway, let’s get into this long delayed review, shall we?
 

Tenchi Muyo in Love 2

A peaceful day at the Masaki Shrine is shattered when Tenchi suddenly vanishes without a trace.  As everyone splits up to search for him, time passes and Ryoko and Ayeka are no closer to finding their love.  That is, until a chance encounter reveals Tenchi is alive…but older, different and has no memory of Ryoko or Ayeka.  Sealed within a parallel world with a beautiful woman named Haruna, Tenchi is living a different life, one that threatens to overwrite his old one.  It’s up to Ryoko and Ayeka to put aside their rivalry and rescue Tenchi from Haruna before he ceases to exist.

 
Released as Tenchi Forever: The Movie in the US, Tenchi Muyo in Love 2, at the time seemed like the final chapter in the Tenchi Saga (hence the US rename).  If this had been the case…well, it would be a bit underwhelming but also its kind of strange.  TMiL2 is mostly everything that Tenchi isn’t: a super serious character study without humor, minimal involvement from most of the cast and no action.  And yet a good deal of this movie works without some of that, though it could really use more humor to break the tension.  All in all, its an interesting experiment with successes and failures, which comes with breaking the established Tenchi formula to do so.
 

Tenchi Muyo: The Daughter of Darkness

On a blazing hot day at the Masaki Shrine, a beautiful girl named Mayuka appears before Tenchi, addressing him as “Daddy.”  The entire Masaki Family is thrown into a tizzy as everyone tries to figure out where Mayuka came from and, more importantly to Ryoko and Ayeka, who the Mother is?  As Tenchi tries to keep the clingy Mayuka at arms length and out of trouble with the others, a spectre from his Grandfathers past watches on, lying in wait for the time when they can take revenge on the Masaki bloodline…with Mayuka as the harbinger of their doom.

Tenchi Muyo in Love was always going to be a hard act to follow.  That still remains to be seen when we take a look at the sequel tomorrow.  But right now, we have Tenchi Muyo: The Daughter of Darkness and it’s…kind of an odd one.  At times, the movie feels like a slightly extended version of one of the longer episodes from the OVA.  Other times it runs so fast due to its short runtime and yet feels so slow.  But my biggest criticism with The Daughter of Darkness is where the heck does this fit in the Tenchi Multiverse?  That aside, the movie is OK at best, forgettable at worst.
 

Tenchi Muyo in Love

Notorious A-1 Class Criminal Kain escapes from prison, destroying the Galaxy Police Headquarters and fleeing into time itself.  At the same time, Tenchi begins fading from existence.  Something has happened to his parents in the past, something that could spell disaster for the rest of the universe if they are not protected.  Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka and the gang embark on their most important mission yet as they travel to the 1970 where they will meet Tenchi’s Mother, Achika, and confront their most powerful adversary yet.  For Tenchi to live, Achika must survive…no matter the cost.

Ohhhhh it is so good to be back in the land of Good Tenchi.  After the epic disaster that was Tenchi in Tokyo, I couldn’t just let a year long look at the early legacy of one of Anime’s most eligible bachelors end on a sour note.  Nope, hopefully we can end it on a better one as we start our final dive into Tenchi Muyo (for now) with the Tenchi Trilogy.  And it must be said, the bar has been set pretty high for the next two movies because what an awesome beginning we have here.  Tenchi Muyo in Love (released as Tenchi: The Movie-Tenchi in Love in the US) is a sequel to Tenchi Universe and offers everything that made that series great while delivering better animation, a movie worthy plot and soundtrack, perfecting the character interactions and giving us one of the most adorable romances in all of Anime.
 

T5W#385-Top 5 Favorite Moments from Sailor Moon (Season 1)

Well, Dear Readers, the end of 2022 is a few days away, which means we’re coming up on the beginning of the Anime Corners biggest undertaking ever.  Beginning in January, I’ll be taking a look at ALL of the original Sailor Moon TV Series (plus the Movies) althroughout 2023.  I have been thinking about this for a few years now, especially since I’ve made many friends in the Sailor Moon community, and since the Anime Corner is heading into it’s 10^th year, this seemed like a pretty fitting undertaking to celebrate.  Actually, this was already started a few months back.  After realizing that Fullmetal Alchemists 20^th Anniversary is in 2023 (and I’m still deciding which show to review tbh), I decided to look at the First Season of Sailor Moon as my Extended Summer Series Review of 2022 and it was interesting to start fresh and look at it through different eyes than when I first saw the show on Toonami in the early 2000s.  Since we’ll be kicking 2023 off with Sailor Moon R, how about we do a quick refresher of the Greatest Hits of Sailor Moons debut season to close out 2022?  So here you go Dear Readers, our last Top 5 Wednesday of 2022, my Top 5 Favorite Moments from Sailor Moon (Season 1).

 

Tenchi in Tokyo Part 5 Episodes 21-26

Tenchi has it all: fun school life, excellent Apprentiship, and a beautiful girlfriend: Sakuya.  However, this newfound happiness has come at a cost Tenchi doesn’t realize.  His family is scattered across the galaxy, some devastated by his romance with Sakuya and others achieving their own dreams and goals.  All of this has been enacted behind the scenes by the Mastermind Yugi and she’s finally ready to enact her endgame.  Even if it means leaving Sakuya behind, Tenchi must reunite the others and bring them back to Earth for one last showdown with Yugi.  It’s the end of new beginning and the start of the next one.

This show has been a freaking see saw of an Anime.  There are nuggets of genuine good ideas and a surprisingly effective central romance all throughout Tenchi in Tokyo.  The problem is everything else is so ugly looking, poorly plotted and filled with over the top humor that’s made everyone look either incompetent, selfish and greedy or just a shadow of better versions of themselves from other Tenchi series.  All that said, some of the best stuff (I know right) was saved for the final episodes and Tenchi in Tokyo worked for once when it went in on Yugi’s own past and insecurities and Tenchi’s doomed romance with Sakuya.  It’s not enough to save this series from the low score it’s had coming…but I suppose some good is better than none.
 

Tenchi in Tokyo Part 4 Episodes 16-20

Under the Moon of the School Festival, Tenchi and Sakuya admit their feelings for each other…and the downfall of the Tenchi Household begins.  Much to Yugi’s delight, Tenchi’s choice begins splintering the bewildered group, especially a heartbroken Ryoko.  With the team now more vulnerable than ever, Yugi is now free to carry out her plan of revenge.  Can the group find a way to mend fences and reunite before Yugi’s plans come to fruition?  Or will Tenchi’s newfound romance with Sakuya keep him blind to the world that’s falling apart around him?

I cant believe how conflicted I’ve become over Tenchi in Tokyo.  On the one hand, I should take this series as the separate spin off that it is and be thankful it has no impact or bearing on anything that’s come before it or since.  It’s a pointless cash grab that came and went without much fanfare and the legacies of the much better Tenchi Muyo and Tenchi Universe are still intact.  But almost every minute of Tenchi in Tokyo I continue to watch feel like an insult to those legacies.  The main cast has become unbearable, the Villains annoying to the point of pure rage that theyre getting the best of the heroes cause they’re portrayed as gullible and just plain unobservant until its too late, and the comedy just isn’t funny…like at all.  All of this reaches a new peak, it’s highest yet, with this penultimate set of episodes…and it all starts with a kiss.
 

Tokyo Godfathers

On Christmas Eve, three homeless friends: Alcoholic Gin, Transgender Hana and runaway teen Yuki, discover an abandoned baby while searching through trash.  Despite being from different walks of life and each with their own personal scars, the trio bands together to locate the newborns parents.  In a journey that spans the week from Christmas to New Years, Gin, Hana and Yuki will reconnect with their pasts like never before and, through an adorable baby, discover even they still have a future to look forward to with hope.

When you think of the name Satoshi Kon, you think of some of the most terrifying psychological thrillers in all of Anime like Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent.  In his sadly shortened career, Kon proved he was a master of that particular field.  So color me very surprised when I came across Tokyo Godfathers.  While it still has several of Kon’s visual and psychologically driven storytelling tropes, Tokyo Godfathers is nowhere near as intense as many of his other works.  I dare say that (baring Millennium Actress, which I still haven’t seen yet), Tokyo Godfathers might just be Satoshi Kon’s most feel good movie ever.  And it’s a Christmas movie to boot.
 

The Macross Retrospective

While Mobile Suit Gundam might be the reigning King of Mecha Anime, there are several other long lasting franchises that have etched their own space in the history of the Anime medium.  One such franchise might be the closest Gundam has ever had to a true rival for the throne: Super Dimension Fortress Macross, or Macross for short.  Transformable jets; Wars on an Intergalactic Stage; blood and fist pumping music and romances that span the ages, Macross has pioneered much of what Anime fans love about Mecha and did for the 80’s what Gundam did for the late 70s, injected bold new blood into a genre that had become stagnant and repetitive.  As we near the end of 2022, and the 40^th Anniversary of the Macross Franchise, I figured it was long overdue for the Gundam Anime Corner to give Macross a quick retrospective of its own.  While I’ve reviewed my fair share of Macross features, I haven’t seen everything so many pardons if some info is a bit off.  Anyway, onto this bonus little Christmas present of mine, this is the Gundam Anime Corner’s Macross Retrospective.

 

Closing Out 2022

Hey everyone.  I realized I never got around to posting an upcoming features update for the end of the year and that’s all on me.  Life’s gotten pretty busy and hectic and stressful in the last couple of months for me.  I am three months into a new job which is great but I’m also trying to sort out some stress and anxiety I’ve been dealing with for the bulk of the year.  Anime watch time has kind of dropped and all I’ve been able to really dedicate time to are the weekly Anime I watch like My Hero Academia, Spy X Family and Gundam.  That said, while that may be the case for now, once upon a time I had a job and still found time to watch a ton of Anime in my downtime for this blog and 2023 is going to be about getting back to that balance and working on some major plans for the Anime Corner’s 10^th Anniversary.  BUT all of that is a talk for the start of the New Year.  For now, how about we go over what lies in store for the last few days of 2022 cause it’s gonna be busy.

 

T5W#384-Top 5 Best Titles I’ve Reviewed in 2022

Well the end of 2022 is nigh and it has…well it’s been a year for me personally: a year of terror, depression, high anxiety, surprise, welcome success and signs that things are going to get better in the long run.  Through it all, I’ve continued to add to the Anime Corner’s increasingly large collection of reviews and 2022 saw me tackle shows and movies I probably wouldn’t have in the very beginning.  It was a very “girl power” heavy year with Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi, Bad Ass Female Replicants, Tank Driving School Girls and Bunny Girl Cosplays…and there’s more that to come in 2023.  Since I wanna do a Top 5 next week to prep for the Year of Sailor Moon I’m taking today to count down the Top 5 Best Titles I’ve Reviewed in 2022 (even though there is still a week left and a couple more reviews to go but still).  Did anyone else have a particular fav or do you agree with this list?  Feel free to shout out in the comments.  Now, onto the praising of good Anime. 

 

Tenchi in Tokyo Part 3 Episodes 11-15

Following a tearful confession from Sakuya, Tenchi must finally come to terms with how he feels about this mysterious and beautiful girl who he might want to be with.  His indecision creates an opening for Yugi to attack the Masaki Household, proving far more powerful than even Ryoko can handle. Meanwhile, Sasami finds herself drawn to a mysterious girl, blinding her to the danger surrounding her family.  None of these events are coincidence and Yugi’s manipulations are at last beginning to take their toll on Tenchi and the bonds he shares with his six alien friends.  Is there a chance their bond will be broken?

 
Confusion.  Irritation.  Frustration.  Pure Anger.  These are the four general emotions I have towards Tenchi in Tokyo: Confusion that this show ever made it past the initial proposal stage; Irritation that they keep finding new ways of making a terrible show even worse; Frustration that very little is being done to right the sinking ship; and Pure Anger…because there’s about 95% of this show I really, really don’t like.  After a couple of positive strides last week, we’re back to the low bar of Tenchi in Tokyo.  Tenchi might have some promise with Sakuya…and that’s kind of bad when I could care less about what happens to everyone else. 
 

T5W#383-Top 5 Thoughts on the Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc Debut Trailer

Anime fans got an early Christmas present last Saturday when we at last got our first official look at the long awaited return of Demon Slayer.  While we aren’t getting before the end of this year, the Third Season, the Swordsmith Village Arc, will arrive Next April.  Considering how the Entertainment District Arc ended, the bar has been set pretty high for the future adventures of Tanjiro and Nezuko (especially when it comes to the fights but I’ll talk about that).  With a full slate of highly anticipated Anime coming in Early 2023 (including Season Two of Jujutsu Kaisen and Trigun Stampede), Demon Slayer is close to the top of the list for most Anime fans out there.  Seeing as how this has become one of my most favorie Anime of the new early decade, I’m hyped as heck for more spectacular, Ufotable animated action and horror antics.  Ergo, today’s Top 5 Wednesday will be covering my Top 5 Thoughts on the Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc Debut Trailer.  There’s a lot to cover so let’s leap into it like true Demon Slayer Corp recruits, shall we?

 

Tenchi in Tokyo Part 2 Episodes 6-10

Despite his best attempts to do so, Tenchi Masaki’s new life in Tokyo as a Student and Apprentice at a Shrine isn’t as peaceful as he’d hoped.  Still caught in the crosshairs of Ryoko and Ayeka’s war for his heart, Tenchi finds surprising solace in Sakuya, his beautiful classmate and our hero might be falling for her too.  But Ryoko and Ayeka aren’t about to let a newcomer steal their Tenchi.  Meanwhile, the mysterious Yugi and her underlings observe at a distance, causing new disturbances in Tokyo for Tenchi and his friends and observing with invested interest.  Can Tenchi and the others look past their own endless bickering to deal with a threat that has yet to reveal itself?

Now, I don’t wanna say I’m sold on this series, im not by any real stretch.  However, I like to think I am a fair reviewer who is willing to give credit where credit is due, even to a show or movie I find absolutely terrible.  After a dumpster fire of a beginning, Tenchi in Tokyo doesn’t look like its gonna make any big changes to its new formula.  However, there are small glimpses of actual promise or at least some concepts have merit and deserve to be treated better than this bargain bin comedy on the worst sugar high ever.  This week had some Pros…but the Cons are there and I will cover both in equal share…more or less.
 

T5W#382-Top 5 Hottest Waifus of 2022

The battle of who is Best Waifu is forever and eternal.  Every year there always manages to be one or two who remains so high in the zeigiest that they eclipse any and all challengers for the title.  2022, however, had a really strong showing of candidates, giving us at least one or two girls a season to drool and fawn over and eagerly await the hundreds of cosplayers ready to tackle them at any given time.  It’s been a minute since I’ve done some Waifu shoutouts so as we head into the last weeks of 2022, I’m gonna use todays Top 5 Wednesday to count down my Top 5 Hottest Waifus of 2022.  There will be a little tinkering here and there as one entry saw a particular Waifu enter the fray close to the end of 2021 and one character had their second season debut in 2022.  It’s hard to ignore their popularity though, both within the fandom and for me in particular, so yeah, I’ll make a couple of exceptions.  Onto the list.

 

Tenchi in Tokyo Part 1 Episodes 1-5

The Masaki Household is rocked to the core when Tenchi announces he’s moving to Tokyo for School and Shinto Studies.  Naturally, the six Alien beauties living with him take this very well…or not at all.  Despite his attempts to find a normal, quiet life, it isn’t long before Ryoko and the others find a portal to Tenchi’s new home.  But anxiety separation might be the least of everyones problems.  Something sinister is planning something in the heart of Tokyo and has their eyes set specifically on Tenchi.  Oh and there’s a pretty girl named Sakuya in Tenchi’s class who is immediately smitten with our hapless hero in training.  It’s a new city but the crazy life of Tenchi Masaki is about to get even crazier.

What…what is this?  This is a Tenchi series?  Why does it look so…ugly?  What’s happened to everyones personalities?  Why is everyone hornier for Tenchi than ever before?  Why are we starting in the middle of something without establishing how everyone showed up at Tenchi’s doorstep?  Who are these weird Sailor Moon Villains sending Monsters of the Week after Tenchi?  Where’s the Sword of Jurai?  Where’s Kagato?  WHY IS RYO-OHKI TURNING INTO A GIANT PINK BUNNY MECHA!!!!???.............Welcome Dear Readers to the final chapter of The Tenchi Toonami Saga.  This, Dear God Help Me, is Tenchi in Tokyo.
 

T5W#381-Top 5 Alternate Universe Gundam Protagonists

We’re 8 episodes into the latest Mobile Suit Gundam adventure, The Witch from Mercury, and while my feelings are mixed, they lean more towards positive than negative.  I can feel the School vibe slowly chipping away and am eagerly awaiting when the rug is pulled out from everyone and some classic Gundam drama really kicks in.  One element I’m growing more fond of with each episode is our titular “Witch from Mercury” Suletta.  Despite her incredible social anxiety that has her stammering more than half her dialogue, Suletta is proving quite the capable lead and that dramatic turn I’m waiting for could do her some good in the long run and make her appear more like the cool and confident bad ass we saw in the posters before we met her.  Time will tell though if Suletta can measure up to Gundam leads of the past and that’s already quite the hall of fame there.  So on today’s Top 5 Wendesday, we’re gonna take a look at Suletta’s fellow Gundam Pilots and see what her competition looks like.  To make things a bit fair for her (and me), I’m going to be focusing on Gundam Pilots not associated with the Universal Century, much like Suletta herself.  And after writing down my options, wow I didn’t think there were that many Alternate U’s in Gundam, shows what I know.  Anyway, these are my Top 5 Alternate Universe Gundam Protagonists.
 

Blade Runner: Black Lotus Part 4 Episodes 10-13

While her quest for revenge is complete, there is still one mystery Elle still must solve: the man from her memory, the one who gave her the Black Lotus tattoo.  The one person Elle has come to trust most, J, a former Blade Runner, knows the truth and knows that if Elle goes after it, it could mean her end.  Seeking answers and atonement, Elle and J head off to their final battles.  The stage is set for the beginning of a bold new future and Elle is about to prove that she is indeed more Human than Human.

Considering everything that went down in last weeks set of episodes, I was wondering what more Blade Runner: Black Lotus had to tell.  Turns out, it had a little more to share after all.  As a finale, Black Lotus had some good resolution and one stand out moment that made me cheer.  But is it a GOOD ending?  Much like the rest of the series…it’s just ok.  That kind of sucks as this is the one piece of Blade Runner mythos I cant rate super high as I have past titles.  I was entertained overall but yeah, there was something lacking…ok a few things.  Let’s break it all down.
 

FIF#173-Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War

For years, Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki has faced supernatural world ending threats and triumphed over them all.  But now the greatest challenge has come, not just for him but for the entire Soul Society.  The Quincy Clan, long thought nearly extinct, has returned and vowed vengeance against the Soul Reapers, and they now possess abilities capable of negating any of their abilities, even those of their powerful Bankai.  Outgunned and outmatched, even Ichigo’s immense strength might not be enough to halt the twilight of the Soul Society and the vengeance of the Quincy.

 
When the original Bleach Anime ended back in 2012, it’s source Manga was still four long year from completion.  When the Manga did wrap at 74 volumes back in 2016, it was always a question of when that final story arc would be adapted into Anime form.  Well, that answer has arrived and in surprisingly spectacular fashion, I might add.  After a decade long absence, Bleach makes its return and thankfully, it doesn’t look like it’ll be halted by any useless filler this time around.  This is it, the Final Arc and as such, it isnt wasting time getting down to business.  Whether this is a good thing or not, one thing is certain: Bleach is back and the world has been waiting for its return for a long time.
 

Blade of the 47 Ronin

Over three centuries have passed and the legend of the 47 Ronin lives on.  When the last descendant of the valiant group is assassinated, a secret sect of Samurai reunite to discuss an ancient prophecy that can only be fulfilled one bearing the blood of one of the 47 Ronin.  However, there is another, a young thief named Luna.  Now the target of Sorcerers, Ninjas and deadly Ronin, Luna must quickly learn who she can trust and if she is worthy to continue the legacy of one of the most legendary group of warriors in history.

Why do some stories require sequels when they were just fine on their own?  The story of the 47 Ronin is an important part of Japanese History and is still revered to this day.  There have been several adaptations of it throughout film history, including a 2 Part 4 hour 1941 film and, most recently, the infamous 2013 Box Office Bomb starring Keanu Reeves.  It’s this latter version to which Blade of the 47 Ronin serves as a sequel and again…why?  In truth, you could eliminate the 47 Ronin element and nothing of value is lost and makes the movie more bargain bin than it already is.  Yeah, this Direct to Video (or streaming in this case) is pretty much another studio attempt to milk money out of a film that did poorly but apparently someone out there was dying for more.  In other words, it’s bad, like really, really bad…and yet I knew this and still decided to give it a shot (sigh, live and learn).
 

T5W#380-Top 5 Anime Things Im Thankful For in 2022

Thanksgiving is upon us again Dear Readers and it’s been a helluva year.  For me, it’s been a year of challenges that have tested me but I’ve handling them well and life is continuing to get better.  For us Anime fans as a whole, as we move further into a Post Covid period, life returns a bit more to normal everyday.  More importantly, our favorite entertainment medium has had the best year ever in a long time with new hits, returning favs and bold strides every season.  Tl;dr, there’s a lot to be thankful for this year when it comes to Anime and it’s that time of the year when I come up with five of those for a Top 5 Wednesday…better known as the Top 5 Anime Things Im Thankful For in 2022.
 

Blade Runner: Black Lotus Part 3 Episodes 7-9

Elle tracks down the final name on her list of targets, those involved in the mass slaughter of her fellow Replicants in the desert.  Her revenge is far from finished when she learns the true mastermind behind the “Doll Hunt”, setting Elle on a collision course with the most powerful man in Los Angeles, the head of the Wallace Corporation himself.  Meanwhile, Detective Alani Davis finds herself being investigated by the LAPD following the murder of Chief Grant.  Will her inability to capture Black Lotus lead to her dismissal from the LAPD? 

Hmmmm.  You know, given all that goes down at the end of this set, you’d think we were on the final episodes of Blade Runner: Black Lotus.  Elle’s revenge quest is pretty much wrapped up, including a bonus name that took Elle to the top of the…I was gonna say Pyramid but that was Tyrell’s HQ not Wallace’s.  I guess there are a number of revelations that need to be explained and some mysteries still to be solved.  Plus not everyones storyline has been wrapped up either.  Blade Runner can leave things open ended if it chooses, no matter the tale.  Still, this set had some major things happen but I’m glad it isn’t The End just yet.
 

FIF#172-Chainsaw Man

In a world where Devils roam free, Denji makes a living as one who hunts the Devils.  Through a twist of fate, Denji makes a deal with a Devil to inherit its power and become an unstoppable monster: the Chainsaw Man.  His skill and carnage garner the attention of the Public Safety Devil Hunters, who offer Denji a chance to join their ranks…or die by their hand.  Guiding him through his new life is Makima, a beautiful and seductive agent of the PSDH who could be the best thing that’s ever happened to Denji.  Together, they tackle the underworld of Devils and God help anyone or anything that might get in their way.

 
Hoooboy they weren’t kidding about this one.  Ever since it’s announcement earlier this year, Chainsaw Man as been one of the most hotly anticipated Anime of 2022.  It’s also coming on the heels of some major hits for the Shonen Genre of Anime like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen and its fellow 2022 mega hit brethren, Spy X Family.  With that much hype behind it, there’s no way Chainsaw Man could ever live up to it right, right?  Well, I’ve been curious since I saw the first trailer and holy crap did the premiere not disappoint.  The Shonen Victory Train might’ve just bulldozed through another stop and unlike Jujutsu Kaisen, the one has me, I’ll just say that (though I’m not opposed to giving JJK another show especially since I really liked the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Movie).
 

T5W#379-Top 5 Blade Runner Scenes

Oh Blade Runner, I could talk about it all day and all night…haven’t done that before but start up a conversation about it and I’ll talk about it plenty.  The 1982 SciFi Classic is not only my favorite movie of all time, it’s also a quintessential inspiration for a lot of the Cyberpunk Genre in Anime from Ghost in the Shell to Psycho Pass, hence why I like talking about it here on my blog.  Seeing as how we’re in the middle of taking a look at the first ever Blade Runner TV Anime, felt like I should do another Blade Runner themed Top 5 Wednesday.  Initially I was thinking about quotes but yeesh that would be a two part Top 5 list and next week is Thanksgiving and I have a Top 5 planned for that.  So I’m gonna just ramble on a little bit about my Top 5 Blade Runner Scenes instead.

Blade Runner: Black Lotus Part 2 Episodes 4-6

The truth has been revealed: Elle is the sole survivor of the mass slaughter of a band of experimental Replicants in the desert.  Fueled by grief and anger, Elle sets out to punish those responsible for the massacre.  Carving a swath of carnage across the city, Elle’s activities finally put her on the radar of the LAPD.  And upon learning what Elle is, they dispatch the one person capable of taking her down: A special kind of cop trained to handle Replicants…his name is Marlowe but most know him by his official title: Blade Runner.
 
The journey of the Black Lotus continues and man, it is a very, very slow journey.  Ok, so Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049 arent the swiftest or most action packed scifi films ever made.  Theyre slow but brimming with atmosphere, good characters, strong philosophical debates and an engrossing world to get lost in.  Black Lotus…has some of those qualities but it’s taking the slow burn approach a bit too far.  Over the span of three episodes, there are at least 2 good ones and one that couldve been folded into one or both considering very little of consequence happens.  Feels wrong to be talking bad about something Blade Runner related but I wont hold back if I think Black Lotus isn’t living up to its true potential.
 

FIF#171-Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

In the dystopian world of Night City, advanced cybernetics can make you become whoever you’ve longed to be or make any twisted fantasy come to life.  For David Martinez, it’s a life beyond the cushy confines of his pricey prep school.  When tragedy strikes, David finds himself broke and without a family.  All he has is an experimental piece of tech that few can identify.  Striking out on his own, David crosses paths with a beautiful theif, Lucy, who introduces him to the underground world of violence, desire and chaos, a place where David can find his own dream and make it reality.  It’s here David can join the ranks of his idols, the Edgerunners, better known as Cyberpunks.

 
No matter it’s current game state, Cyberpunk 2077 will forever be mostly associated with its disastrous launch back in 2020.  After years of hype and build up, the dystopian scifi shooter arrived to a massive amount of technical performance issues, game breaking and meme spawning bugs and a general feeling of being unfinished…which it was for past gen consoles (apparently it’s much better on current gen though).  It’s not the first time a game’s been released like this but it’s one of the more high profile cases.  As such, I haven’t even bothered to touch it, even if it’s a game right up my alley.  Just as well, when I heard there was a Cyberpunk Anime coming, I wasn’t interested.  But then I saw some of the initial ads and noticed the animation.  This didn’t look like just another half assed Netflix CG Anime project.  No, the studio working with Netflix on this one is none other than Studio Trigger.  THAT alone got me interested, enough to do a first impression.  And you know what?  It’s not half bad, maybe Cyberpunk 2077 would work better as an Anime than a game after all.
 

T5W#378-Top 5 Anime Sequels That Took A Long Time to Arrive

We’re a few weeks away from the highly anticipated release of James Cameron’s sequel to his game changing scifi epic, Avatar.  Whether or not you’re looking forward to it (I’m not, Black Panther 2 is top priority atm), it’s hard to believe we’re finally gonna get Avatar: The Way of Water after almost a decade of delays.  The original was released back in 2009, which means come December 2022 it will be the end of 13 years of waiting.  It got me to thinking: as an Anime fan, I should be used to this.  After all, we’re still waiting on continuations of classic series like Panty and Stocking or Haruhi Suzumiya or that Yuri on Ice Prequel (that apparently has been shelved for now…crap).  The waiting game is nothing new to Anime fans which is why on todays Top 5 Wednesday I’m counting down the Top 5 Anime Sequels That Took A Long Time to Arrive.  Clearly I’ve missed a few so feel free to shout out titles you’re still waiting for or waited half a lifetime or more to see.  Anyway, onto the list.

Blade Runner: Black Lotus Part 1 Episodes 1-3

2032 AD.  Ten years after “the Blackout”, a young girl named Elle wakes up in Los Angeles with no memory of who she is or how she got there.  Her only clues are an encrypted camera and a series of violent images involving a massacre in the desert beyond the city.  Elle’s search for answers may bring her more than she bargained for when she discovers deadly abilities of her own, abilities far beyond those of a Human.  Indeed: Elle is a Replicant, her very existence a crime on Earth.  It isn’t long before the authorities discover her and a man hunt begins.

I’ve been a Blade Runner fan for well over 20 years now, ever since I saw a rare showing of the Theatrical Cut on the Scifi Channel.  Since then, I’ve eaten up just about every piece of Blade Runner product I could from the other cuts of the original film to the better than it deserved to be sequel.  Blade Runner has been a staple of the Scifi and Cyberpunk genre since it first came out in 1982, it’s kind of a big deal.  It’s influence has been felt across every part of the entertainment industry from Hollywood blockbusters like The Matrix to Anime like Akira and Bubblegum Crisis.  Needless to say, a Blade Runner Anime is way long overdue. Yeah we got an Anime short film that served as a lead in to Blade Runner 2049 (and it was freaking awesome, you can find my review of Blade Runner: Blackout 2022 right here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/blade-runner-blackout-2022_44.html).  But I’m talking about a true to form TV Series that takes everything that makes Blade Runner such an iconic franchise and gets its due from the genre that’s arguably benefited from it the most.  Hence, we have Blade Runner: Black Lotus, a CG Anime series with some heavy talent behind the mics, story and animation.  The question is, will it be any good?  As a life long Blade Runner enthusiast, the pressures on for this one with me…so how does it start? It starts…ok. 
 

FIF#170-Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury

Ad Stella 122.  Humanity has reached the stars and a new economic system has prospered from it.  The Beneritt Group runs the Asticassia School of Technology, where the youth of today train to use the technology of tomorrow, including new advanced Mobile Suits.  Hailing from the planet Mercury, a young girl named Suletta Mercury transfers into the School.  With her she brings a Mobile Suit once outlawed, the powerful Gundam Aeriel.  On her first day, Suletta saves a beautiful girl from an arranged marriage, only to become her new groom to be in the process…and take her first steps into a brand new world beyond the home she’s known.

 
Back in September, I looked at the Prologue for The Witch from Mercury and was very surprised.  With the premise seemingly being set around young pilots at a Mobile Suit Academy, I was worried the series would be veering into cutesy Reconguista in G territory with random cheerleaders popping in to do dance numbers and everything.  Much to my relief, the Prologue was very intense and pretty dark, a strong continuation from the last major Gundam TV effort, Iron Blooded Orphans.  It set the stage pretty well and made me really look forward to checking out the first episode of the series proper.  Well, that day has come.  The first new Gundam TV Series in seven years (that isn’t a Compilation or a Build Divers series), is here.  How is it?
 
(BTW if you want a refresher on my thoughts on the Prologue, you can check out that previous First Impression right here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2022/09/fif169-mobile-suit-gundam-witch-from.html)
 

T5W#377-Top 5 Moments from Mobile Suit Abridged Gundam Wing Episode 10

Well todays my 35^th birthday and its wild to think about the fact that I’ve reached my mid 30s and also how big of a part Anime continues to play in my life.  This genre, this blog, all of the good things that have come with them, my life wouldn’t be what it is without Japanese Anime or the Gundam Anime Corner or the friends I’ve met along the way.  Alright, enough sappiness.  What am I going to talk about in this Top 5 Wednesday that happens to fall on my birthday?  Well, how about we talk about Gundam?  And not just any Gundam.  Incase you missed it, the comedic geniuses from Operation Meatier have returned with a brand new episode of Mobile Suit Abridged Gundam Wing…after a near 2.5 year long wait (I only know that because they acknowledge it in the episode).  MSAGW has become one of my all time favorite Abridged series, up there with Team Four Stars Dragon Ball Z and Hellsing Ultimate Abridged.  It might be just a bit more special because of the fondness I hold for Gundam Wing while also learning to address its faults and laugh at how ridiculous it gets at times.  And let me tell ya, OPMeat hasn’t lost their touch, their sense of humor or their love for this series cause I was laughing a ton while watching this episode.  So, to celebrate their return and my birthday, on todays Top 5 Wednesday we’ll be looking at the Top 5 Moments from Mobile Suit Abridged Gundam Wing Episode 10.  It’s actually kind of rare I focus on one episode in particular for a Top 5, usually it’s looking back at a season, sets of movies, etc.  It’s a good first if that is the case.  Anyway, Commencing Mission.
 

Jujutsu Kaisen 0

Yuta Okkotsu lives with an unbearable weight on his shoulders, followed by a curse, that of his dead best friend, Rika.  The power this curse grants Yuta brings him to the attention of Satoru Gojo, who welcomes the troubled teen to Jujutsu High School.  Here, Yuta begins training alongside a trio of highly skilled First Year students as he seeks to control Rika’s power and perhaps break the curse on her.  Unfortunately, one of Jujutsu High’s former students is about to return to settle an old score.  Though only beginning his own journey, Yuta must confront the pain of his past to pave a way for his future.

Jujutsu Kaisen has quickly risen to become one of the most popular Anime of the new decade.  For me though, I’ve tried several times to get into it but just haven’t been able to.  Sure it looks pretty and the action is admittedly good but I cant get into the main trio of Itadori, Fushigoro and Kugisaki and their mentor, Gojo.  So it’s kind of funny that a movie that focuses on another set of characters I did like, plus a character that’s yet to make his appearance in the main series (to my knowledge) ends up proving to be the kind of experience I wanted from Jujutsu Kaisen to begin with.  This prequel film, which has gone on to become one of the most successful Anime film in history, has a better lead character than Itadori, gives viewers more time with fan favorites and, best of all, offers a thrilling, scary and emotionally charged stand alone story that requires very little knowledge of Jujutsu Kaisen to enjoy.
 

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

The sleepy town of Raccoon City is about to get a nasty surprise.  Returning home for the first time in years, Claire Redfield finds herself trapped as a viral outbreak ravages the small town, turning its denizens into hordes of the undead.  At the same time, a simple search and rescue mission finds Claire’s brother, Chris, and his S.T.A.R.S Alpha Team walking right into ground zero of where the nightmare began. With time running out before both are overrun, the Redfield siblings and a small group of survivors must band together to reunite and escape before its too late.

While it might be the most financially successful Video Game Movie franchise of all time, the Resident Evil films have never been anything but “meh” at best, terrible at worst.  Critics wrote them off as more dumb, visually overblown action fare and longtime fans of the franchise decried them for ignoring most of the original storyline from the games while pushing their favorite characters to the side in favor of the super powered but dull movie exclusive protagonist, Alice.  Well with Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil saga finally over, the time has come to relaunch Resident Evil and properly this time.  Welcome to Raccoon City attempts to give franchise fans the experience they’ve longed for with the characters they adore.  Is this reboot what the film series should have been from the beginning?
 

The Resident Evil Retrospective Part 4-Beyond the Evil

Movie Adaptations of popular Video Games are nothing new to the world, they just generally aren’t considered great.  The past few years have seen exceptions to the rule with Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, Mortal Kombat (2021) and the Sonic the Hedgehog movies becoming positively received blockbusters.  That wasn’t always the case. For each of those aforementioned success stories, there’s Super Mario Bros., Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and every Uwe Boll movie ever made.  Given how popular the series had been upon release, it was inevitable that Resident Evil would get the big screen treatment.  Today, it holds a number of records in this regard including becoming the Video Game Movie with the most sequels and highest grossing Live Action Video Game franchise.  That’s amazing right?  Well…not really.

 

T5W#376-Top 5 Moments from the 2nd Resident Evil 4 Remake Story and Gameplay Trailers

We got a ton of big Video Game trailers and announcements last week from Silent Hill getting in on the big Remake craze to a bloody and epic new look at Final Fantasy XVI.  Arguably the biggest news that kind of pushed everything else to the side was Capcoms mind blowing presentation of not just a new trailer for Resident Evil 4 Remake but also gameplay footage too.  This has easily become my most anticipated game of 2023 (with Final Fantasy XVI up there too, damn that trailer looked nice if a bit intense).  Seeing as how I’ve been spending most of this month in the Resident Evil universe because of my RE Retrospective Special, I’m surprised I haven’t dedicated more time to RE themed Top 5s.  That changes today as for today’s Top 5 Wednesday I take a look at my Top 5 Moments from the 2^nd Resident Evil 4 Remake Story and Gameplay Trailers.  As the title implies, I’ll be looking at moments from both the new and more fleshed out story trailer and the accompanying gameplay presentation.  Let’s get to it.

 

Blood: The Last Vampire

The year is 1966.  On the eve of the Vietnam War, an American Military Base in Yokota receives a mysterious visitor: a beautiful Japanese girl looking to attend school nearby.  What they aren’t aware of is this girl is here to save them from a danger far worse than the forthcoming war.  Creatures of the night, known as Chiropterans, hide in plain sight among the humans.  As students and staff quietly fall victim to their hunger, only Saya has the skill and abilities to face them on even ground.  There’s a reason for that: Saya isn’t quite Human herself.  No…she is the last “original.”

Blood: The Last Vampire is a unique experience of an Anime.  As a short film, it delivers all that it promises and more in its short 45min runtime.  You’ve got scares, mystery, genuinely terrifying monsters, cute schoolgirls wielding Samurai swords, and an artstyle that is unlike anything seen in most Anime of its kind.  There is the other edge of that sharp blade, meaning because its so short, there is a lot to be desired.  But overall, considering I just had the painfully soulless (and often times cruel) experience of watching its successor, Blood-C, Blood: The Last Vampire is a masterpiece by comparison…which I know in many circles it already was. 
 

The Resident Evil Retrospective Part 3-Rebirth of Evil

While it sold well, Resident Evil 6 was a failure with critics and the fanbase.  The near universal consensus was that the games had strayed too far from their survival horror roots and had become all out action blockbusters on the scale of Gears of War or Call of Duty.  And when one of your protagonists is capable of punching enormous boulders while inside a dormant volcano…well let’s just say it was time for Capcom to seriously reconsider their approach for the next mainline entry.  Because it’s Resident Evil, a 7^th game was inevitable.  The only question was, how would Capcom go about righting the wrongs of the last few games and return the franchise to its glory days of Resident Evil 4?

 

T5W#375-Top 5 Otakon 2022 Cosplays

While I could obviously do this kind of Top 5 the week after a Convention Highlights list, I like saving cosplay themed Top 5 lists for October, you know, Halloween and all.  While I think 2023 will be a bigger year for me when it comes to Conventions (not missing another Katsucon), 2022 saw me return to my first full Otakon in 3 years (last one was 2019).  You can check out the highlights list from back in August right here: (http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2022/08/t5w364-top-5-otakon-2022-moments.html).  Today however, I’ve got the usual tough job of choosing my 5 favorite cosplays from one of my favorite places on Earth and trust me, it never gets easier, sorting through thousands of pics and cosplays, and I freaking love it.  Ok, enough stalling, here are my Top 5 Otakon 2022 Cosplays.

Blood-C Part 3 Episodes 9-12

Saya’s happy little life crumbles around her as her school and friends fall to a merciless attack by the Elder Barins.  Haunted by visions she doesn’t understand, Saya is now at her weakest and most vulnerable.  At last, those who have been pulling the strings in a terrifying experiment reveal themselves and divulge the truth.  Is Saya the kind and happy Shrine Maiden fighting to keep a promise to her mother?  Or is she something else entirely…something that has been asleep for far too long and now seeks revenge?  The whole truth can now be told.

I really hate it when I’m right sometimes.  Blood-C has done quite a job wasting time with being cryptic and frustrating that even if it delivered answers in the finale, nothing it could give me would be satisfactory.  Well the curtain was lifted from behind this tale of extremely bloody mayhem and…I have no idea if I want to see things “resolved” in Blood-C: The Last Dark, even if they are actually resolved.
 

The Resident Evil Retrospective Part 2-Evolution of Evil

The road to the next mainline Resident Evil game was a long and arduous one.  Several different versions reached various states of development before either being scrapped, picked apart piece by piece, or being remade into entirely new franchise…yeah some might forget that Devil May Cry started life as a build for a Resident Evil sequel.  Low and behold, three years after Resident Evil Zero dropped on the family friendly Nintendo Gamecube, the next chapter of the horror franchise would arrive and wouldn’t just herald a new direction for the series but the gaming landscape as a whole. 
 

T5W#374-Top 5 Bleach Movies

Bleach fans rejoice, the long wait is finally over.  10 years after its Anime ended rather unceremoniously, one of the original Big Three has returned to finish the original Manga story in Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War.  I’ll be honest, I kind of stopped watching the Anime after the first break in the Arrancar War and stopped reading a little farther into the Manga afterwards.  Ergo, I cant exactly shine a light on Bleach’s best TV Moments.  However, I have seen all of the Bleach theatrical adventures (including the Live Action Feature).  I suppose that’s more than adequate for a Top 5 this week in honor of the return of one of the OG Big Three.  So I’m counting them down, these are the Top 5 Bleach Movies.

Blood-C Part 2 Episodes 5-8

Saya has won many battles against the Elder Barins but not without cost.  Lives has been lost and now the Elder Barins speak to her directly, warning her to “honor the covenant.”  Plagued by messages she doesn’t understand, Saya’s plight only gets worse when the Elder Barins attack both her school and her friends.  Now even the daylight isn’t safe anymore.  Will Saya be able to save her friends and her home before the Elder Barins destroy them all?  Or is this just the beginning of a larger calamity about to befall the beautiful student?

Man, talk about be careful what you wish for.  Last weeks first set of Blood-C episodes felt a little underwhelming due to the fact that Saya’s “happy life” was at times annoying and other times you could tell something wasn’t right about it and wanted to find out what it was.  Well we didn’t find out much of the latter but damn, things kicked a little into high gear, intense gear actually.  It was raining blood and numerous limbs to an uncomfortable degree…so horror Anime stuff, no biggie right?
 

The Resident Evil Retrospective Part 1-Genesis of Evil

It is arguably the most popular and successful horror franchise in gaming.  With a number of critically acclaimed games, several CG Anime Spin Off films, and the most financially profitable Live Action Video Game franchise in history (sad to say), there is hardly a Gamer or Otaku alive who hasn’t heard of Resident Evil.  It’s been a topic on my blog every once in a while due to a hefty amount of Anime influences you can spot in its world building, characters designs and well crafted action sequences.  For this, fittingly the month of October, the Gundam Anime Corner is going to be taking another retrospective look at his legendary horror saga, starting from its PS1 roots and taking us to the current PS5 generation and even dedicating some time to those aforementioned movies.  Choose your weapon, get your miniskirt or barrette and get ready to punch some freaking boulders.  Welcome Dear Readers to the Resident Evil Retrospective.
 

T5W#373-Top 5 Moments from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since Mobile Suit Gundam SEED first brought the Gundam franchise into the new millennium in a big way.  Love it or hate it (me it’s fine, it’s nowhere near as bad as Seed Destiny), SEED had a popularity so massive which hadn’t been seen since the days of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (at least in Japan anyway).  This was all thanks to a mix of  impressive mecha designs, high flying action, pulse pounding music and iconic Jpop OPs and EDs, and, maybe most importantly, the character drama surrounding childhood leads Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala, who’s handsome character designs were beloved by a legion of female fans (not unlike the Gundam Boys of Wing).  So with Gundam SEED turning 20 today, a Wednesday of all days, I’m gonna use todays Top 5 Wednesday to look at my picks for favorite moments from this mega milestone in the Gundam Saga.  It’s my Top 5 Moments from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

 

Blood-C Part 1 Episodes 1-4

For Saya Kisaragi, life on the surface is perfect.  She’s a klutz but a well meaning young girl who loves her father, her school, her friends, even those who don’t care for her.  When the sun goes down and school ends, Sayas true mission begins.  Armed with an ancient sword an abilities beyond that of a normal human, Saya wages a one woman war against a legion of demons known as the Elder Bairns.  Yet as hard as she fights to protect the world she loves, Saya cant help but notice that her perfect life may not be so perfect…

BOO Dear Readers.  Welcome to the month of October, the month of scares, ghouls, monsters and other things that go bump in the night.  For the last few years now I’ve tried to leave the month open to a more darker, horror themed Anime.  This month we’re getting a slew of Vampire related titles starting today with the latest iteration of the Blood franchise: Blood-C.  Based on the hit short Anime film Blood: The Last Vampire (we’ll be looking at that later this month), Blood-C has an…interesting beginning that’s both annoying but also very peculiar.  Perfect looking girl with a perfect looking life who also slays demons in her nighttime hours?  This might be worth looking into.