Dubstep Robot Punch

There's a movie that I mentioned a few posts back called Pacific Rim.  I saw it this past Thursday, and felt I should say a piece of two about it, and haven't said anything until now on account of...laziness mostly.

So, Pacific Rim...

The 2013 homage to giant monster films like Godzilla, etc by Guillermo Del Toro, writer/producer/directer.  You may have heard his name associated with movies like Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010), and Mama (2013) [for a full list of everything he's done EVER, check the IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0868219/]

One of the main complaints with Del Toro's horror films is that you see too much of the monsters, which makes them less terrifying.  However, this is not the case with Pacific Rim.  In this film, you want want want to see the Kaiju (not to mention that would make for one hell of a weird fight scene if you couldn't see half the fight XD) and you would not be disappointed.  This movie's got Kaiju (Japanese: Giant Monster) coming out of its ears, and each one is unique in their design and the way they fight, making each encounter a completely different experience to the others.

The Jaegers (German: Hunter - the name for the mechs in this universe) are also jaw-droppingly gorgeous, even the Russian Jaeger, looking like a Nuclear Ventilator, was a beautiful thing.

I thought the characters were really well-rounded and compelling, the plot simple enough to follow but complex enough to be engaging, and the fights lasted the perfect amount of time to leave us wanting more (which there was).

All-in-all, Pacific Rim was...just...fantastic.  10/10.  Go see it if you haven't.  Hell, see it again.  I would.

I'll go back to anime now, I promise.

Lost Christmas in July

The title may be a little squirrely, so I'll make this as simple as possible.

GUILTY CROWN IS COMING OUT ON BLU-RAY AND DVD AUGUST 27TH!

FUCKIN' B-GAH!

If you know me personally or are from the future and have read my top 10 anime post I plan on making, you know that Guilty Crown is one of my favorite shows ever, probably my single favorite mech show (though that may be debatable since mechs are IN IT, but not really focal).

Guilty Crown has been called the unofficial Code Geass season 3, for good reason.  There are some parts of it that are reminiscent of Code Geass-- Japan being occupied by a foreign power, a military power focused on ground-based robots, etc.

To put it simply, Guilty Crown is a show that I LOVE and I'm super pumped for it being released in the states (shut up and take my money, Funimation!) and WATCH IT!

Guilty Crown is a show from Fall 2011, directed by Tetsuro Araki, whose most notable work to date is Attack on Titan the show that everybody is going nuts about right now.  It was also written by one Hiroyuki Yoshino, the writer of the aforementioned Code Geass


You can preorder the limited edition part 1 of this masterpiece on Amazon.com for $66.99 and part 2 for $44.99, though I have to say I'm a little apprehensive of Funimation's choice of voice actors.  The vast majority of them are names with which I don't readily identify.  On the flip side, I'm also really happy for Funimation for branching out from their routine of throwing the same handful of VAs at every show they get.  So, tip of the hat, but if this turns out to be another fiasco like the guy they cast to voice Gray in Fairy Tail, I'mma shank a bitch!

Do yourself a service and get your hands on Guilty Crown this August (though I'm probably gonna wait for the price to go down some XD)

Relevant to somebody, I'm sure

So...figurines are a thing, and lots of people are into them.  I'm not one of them, but I thought I'd share this.

A company that makes PVC figurines called Wave has announced that they're going to be putting out figurines of Amy and Bellows, two main characters from Suisei no Gargantia, a series that I realllllllllllly like.

It comes as no surprise that this series is doing well in terms of popularity, but it's still nice to see recognition coming its way :P

http://sgcafe.com/2013/05/gargantias-amy-bellows-swimsuit-figurine-annonced/

Summer 2013 Anime Part III

Now that the summer season is fully upon us, I thought I would at least my promised 3 part post of the upcoming shows before I jump into it.  This part of the summer forecast will be looking into shows that I have literally no inclination to watch and why.

At the top of the list is Ro-Kyuu-Bu SS

The primary reason that I have no desire to watch this is that I, in fact, do not share the sentiment that "elementary school girls are the best".  Damn, Japan.  Just.  Damn.  Secondarily, this is the second installment of an already running series, and it should say something when the fact that a show is in its second season is not the primary reason I won't watch it.  Just sayin'.

The next show that you could not pay me to watch is Love Lab.

Because I need a show full of archetypes like I need a hole in the head.  There's nothing wrong with a show having a character or two that follow one character type or another, but if the synopsis is to be trusted, this show is full of them.  You know what, scratch that, I don't even mind a show having a cast of characters that cover the entire spectrum of archetypes (Negima! has a cast so big that I think they had some overlap before it was all over), but I will never be into a show whose singular focus is that.

And last, but certainly not least, we have Silver Spoon.

In case you've never heard the phrase, "being born with a silver spoon in your mouth" means being born into a life of privilege, and is where the title comes from.  I don't think there's anything more I really need to say about this other than read the synopsis.  Oh, you know what, I think I got something.  I think the money from Fullmetal Alchemist ran out (unlikely, but by lookin' at Greed squattin' in the corner there, I think this is the same creator). Anyways, much as I loved Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, this really...really does not interest me.

In the immortal words of Hooper in Jaws - "I don't need any of this working class hero crap!"

Summer 2013 Anime Part II

As the name implies, this is the first continuation of yesterday's post, checking out the anime coming up this summer.  And whereas yesterday I was talking about shows that I was definitely going to watch, today I'm going to be looking at shows that I'm on the fence about, the maybes.

Again, the chart can also be found at http://www.alafista.com/2013/04/25/summer-2013-anime-lineup/

At the top of my maybe list is Chou Jigen Game Neptunia The Animation, the adapatation of the Playstation 3 game.  I haven't played the game myself, but I have friends who did, and they seemed to like it, so it might be worth a look.

Second might be the Danganronpa yadda yadda yadda, another adaptation of a game with a pretty interesting premise, though the weird devil-bear mascot kind of throws me.

I'm also on the fence about Fantasista Doll. which looks like it might be a magical-girl Sekirei type affair.  Could be good, but I withhold my judgement.

Lastly, I'm feeling maybe about Kin-iro Mosaic.  Reading the premise, it's not 100% my shtick, but I was at least a little intrigued when I read it, so it may make a good watch.

Summer 2013 Anime Part I

With the Spring anime season drawing to a close, I thought maybe we could look ahead to the future.  I looked up the Summer 2013 anime schedule and figured I'd post it, list the show(s) I was planning on investigating, and provide the lineup for people who haven't checked it yet.

This will be part I of a three part Lineup analysis, focusing on shows in the upcoming season that I'm DEFINITELY going to watch.

I found this chart at http://www.alafista.com/2013/04/25/summer-2013-anime-lineup/ and if this chart can be trusted, there are a couple shows that I'd be willing to check out, though nothing I'm really thrilled about as of yet.  A lot of the shows I can't even watch because they're continuations of ones I didn't watch in the first place.

Honestly, the show I'm most geared up to see is Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi, which I think translates to "The God of Lost Sunday" or "The Sunday when God Disappeared" (really not my best work >__<;;).  Whatever, it has something to do with God not existing and Sunday.  It's got an interesting premise, and from what I can get from the thumbnail, it's got a pretty solid art style, and I think Madhouse did a show in the past that I really enjoyed...though the name escapes me.

Secondly, I'd be down with watching Tokuei Sochi Dantai Stella Jo-Gakuin Koutou-ka C3-Bu which I'm not even going to attempt to translate.  For starters, it's directed by GAINAX, out lord and savior.  Second, the premise reminds me a bit of K-On!, a series that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Lastly, I think I'm going to watch the two shows directed by Brains Base: Blood Lad and Brothers Conflict.  They came at the suggestion of my fiancee, who has never steered me wrong before.  Furthermore, the aforementioned director is also shared with Durarara!! and Baccano! both shows I have yet to finish, but get a solid recommendation nonetheless.

Also, I'm going to be continuing Attack on Titan and Suisei no Gargantia, which I'm fairly certain are going to be continuing into Summer.

A Sign of Things to Come

I honestly don't know how you didn't see something like this coming...


Now that I've got your attention, let's talk.

Wind has reached me that, in preparation for Pacific Rim (that movie by Guillermo del Toro about giant robots vs. monsters...you may have heard a thing or two about it), the Alamo Drafthouse (the single greatest movie theater I have ever encountered) is going to be running lots of Robots/monster flicks.  One such film they're going to be running on July 9th in Winchester (check drafthouse.com for showings near you) is Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone.

I'll wait while you clean up the mess you just made ;)

So, for those of you who don't know (what's wrong with you), Evangelion 1.0 is, as the name implies, the first "rebuild" of the 1995 anime CLASSIC Neon Genesis Evangelion by Hideaki Anno.  Evangelion is regarded by many (myself included) as one of the most important, controversial, and straight-up kickass series' to ever come out of anime (a point to its credit, people are STILL talking about it today.  Some intense shit, let me tell you) with hundreds of fan-theories spiraling out the yin-yang.

Anyways, Eva 1.0 is the 2007 film, dolled up for modern animation and just as full of angst as we all remember.  The movie sticks pretty faithfully to the first 6 episodes of the anime with a few minute (BUT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT) divergences.

Right, you get the idea.  The Alamo is running Eva and I am losing my shit about it.

On a side note, I found this hilarious set of Unit 01 themed bike shorts.  I need these >__>  I don't even ride a bike

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/02/10/neon-genesis-evangelion-biker-shorts/

In addition to the shorts being hilariously amazing, the article was pretty funny as well, ending on "I'm pretty sure the Absolute Terror Field I'd generate in this getup could withstand a non-nuclear explosion."

Well, joke's on you, buddy, 'cause I'm wielding the Lance of Longinus...if you know what I mean.

You know...like...the lance punches through...AT fields?  Get it?

Like...well...you know...

I'm saying I'm gonna rape a guy in these shorts.

God's in His Heaven

All's Right With the World