More than a year later...

Yeah, I am still kicking. What's new?

I have begun writing a new novel. The complexity of what I am writing, and the matter of just simply trying to organize my thoughts is very nearly exhausting. Trying to keep everything together is not easy, but, at the same time, it is very fun. The story seems to be coming along quite nicely.

I think I am going to start posting more works of my own, and see what everybody has to say.

That's about all for now.

Wow, I Had Forgotten About This Sucker

Nothing new going on, lately.
I think I'm getting back together with my ex, which I am pretty happy about. So yay for me.

On to other things it has sort of been a slow year and a bit since I last posted on here. Appleseed Ex Machina came out (I have not seen it, yet). In addition, the rights to a film based on my favourite book The Wheel of Time, have been gained and so now I get to sit here and wait and see just how terribly they can butcher it. More than ten books condensed into three films, with massive over-arcing storylines and numerous characters. Fantastic.

What else. I saw Taken last night. Terrible movie, of course, but Liam Neeson makes up for it by kicking so much ass.

Several new games came out this year, as well, but nothing that really grabbed my attention or sucked me in completely. Currently, I am plugging away at Star Ocean: The Last Hope.

That's about all I have to write for now, so I'll take my leave of all the people who aren't reading this.

Appleseed: Ex Machina to premier at Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival

Appleseed's brand new film, Ex Machina, is due to premier in Los Angeles on December 15 at the Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival. Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow, producer John Woo and director Shinji Aramaki have teamed up to provide an anime experience unlike any other.

The Festival runs from December 5 through the 15th.

Layout in Development

I've begun working on the actual portion of the website. Once that is complete, this blog will become the website's official blog.

Stay tuned for more.

Tales of Symphonia

Fans of the popular GameCube RPG, Tales of Symphonia, will be treated to a brand new anime based off the plotline from the game. Episode 1 (of four OVAs, which will be released every two months) of Tales of Symphonia: The Animation (テイルズ・オブ・シンフォニア) was released June 8, 2007.



Just a heads up for any fans of the game.
Official Tales of Symphonia Website

Review: Full Metal Panic! Volumes 1 & 2

Though already four years old, I still consider Full Metal Panic! a benchmark in Japanese animation. Combining fantastic mech designs and battles with the input of CGI development, the series is visually astounding. Clean-looking, colourful characters and environments, and fantastic music are just a small part of why Full Metal Panic! is such a truly entertaining series.

It’s a meshing of genres, from giant robots, comedy and romance, though the latter of which is only really hinted to in the first two volumes, and nothing much happens. Obviously the romantic qualities would be set upon young Mithril Sergeant Sousuke Sagara and Japanese school girl Kaname Chidori, yet even after the first eight episodes, it’s a distant relationship that only ever really shows any sort of emotion when Sousuke is struggling to save Kaname every few episodes. And yet, this relationship is one of Full Metal Panic!’s shining points, as their relationship isn’t a direct romance, but rather something that could (or could not) arise, being forestalled by Sousuke’s baffling ineptitude at settling into Japanese society, and time and again causing one to smile and laugh. And for that reason alone, I love how their romance can’t even begin, instead making one giggle at just how opposite the two are.

Even in Volume 1 it was clearly evident Sousuke had no idea what he was doing unless he was in the cockpit of a giant robot, and the same stays true in Volume 2. During this outing, however, things heat up as the terrorists are still on Kaname’s trail, hoping to kidnap her and learn more about her special “abilities” (which at this point are still unknown to the viewer). Sousuke, assigned by Mithril to protect Kaname and her abilities from the terrorists, once again finds him waist deep in trouble as the terrorists make another move.

Audio is one of my favourite parts of Full Metal Panic!, from the opening credits, through the intense fights and their sound effects, right down to the soft, closing melody. Voiceovers are still some of my favourite in any anime, featuring the voices of talented actors such as one of my favourites, Allison Keith (Melissa Mao), best known for her work as Asuka in Evangelion. Vic Mignogna voices Kurz Weber perfectly as the womanizing, perverted comedy-relief character he is, Kyle Hebert portrays Sousuke Sagara well as the uptight soldier, and Luci Christian as the cute high school girl, Kaname Chidori. To be frank, few people ever prefer the English voiceovers to the Japanese, but in this case, I do.

Visuals, I’ve already said it, but, they’re fantastic, and some of the most eye-appealing and colourful I’ve seen in years. The character designs, the robots, the battle damage and explosions are all fantastic. Really, there’s little else to say. Full Metal Panic! is a treat for the eyes.

Full Metal Panic! provides enough laughs, explosions and close-romantic-encounters to satisfy pretty much anybody through the duration of only four episodes. Makes one antsy with anticipation to continue on with Volume 3.

Rating:
Plot: 4/5
Art Direction: 5/5
Sound: 5/5
Overall: 4.8/5