On the Verge of Lunacy

Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens

2012-02-15T14:09:00.000+08:00

Irish Fairy Tales is a collection of ten stories mostly about the Fenian Cycle. The tales which feature Finn primarily, begins with the story of the settlement of different races in Ireland.

The rest of the stories are about the people related to Finn or about Finn himself. The following are the stories contained in this book:

The Story of Tuan Mac Cairill
The Boyhood of Fionn
The Birth of Bran
Oisin's Mother
The Wooing of Becfola
The Little Brawl at Allen
The Carl of the Drab Coat
The Enchanted Cave of Cesh Corran
Becuma of the White Skin
Morgan's Frenzy

Although most of the stories are related to the Fenian cycle, there was no mention of Oisin other than the story of his birth. There was no mention of Grania and Dermot too.

The stories are easy to understand even if the reader is not familiar with Celtic mythology in general. When Stephens used an unfamiliar term, he explained its meaning. Readers who are well-versed with the Fenian cycle however, will find that this book is not a chronological re-telling of Finn's story.

Stephens did a good job adding features to the the characters without having to sacrifice how they were typically portrayed in the myths. The messages of the stories are not lost. And although the stories are not necessarily interconnected, it was easy to follow the transition from one story to the next because he takes his time to introduce the characters and develop the tension in the story.

My favorite would have to be The Birth of Bran because dogs took the spotlight in this story. Fergus Fionnliath's conversion was very touching.

I'm giving this book a 10 out of 10 rating.

The Haunted Earth by Dean Koontz

2012-02-05T00:40:00.001+08:00

This was yet another attempt by Dean Koontz to mix supernatural with sci-fi and suspense. The result: supernaturals from our world conspiring with supernaturals from an alien world to cover up a huge mess that wreaked havoc in the home planet of the maseni.

Jessie Blake, a human detective, and his partner Brutus, a hellhound, were getting bored with their usual clients. Jessie was surprised one day when a maseni contacted him to find a lost brood brother. Galiotor Fils said that the maseni embassy were hiding the details of his brother Tesserax's death.

The maseni, whose first contact with humans was explained later in the book, have been co-existing with the humans for ten years. They awakened the humans' ability to perceive the supernatural realm, therefore giving the humans no choice but to live with creatures they think exist only in myths and books. The chaos it created forced everyone to make laws to ensure that everyone gets along. vampires for example, can't suck a human's blood and convert just about anyone without the consent of the victim. Laws dictate that they recite first the laws protecting other creatures or form a contract.

As the duo pursued the case, the discovered a bigger conspiracy behind it. It seems like the supernatural creatures are also involved. The book is divided into two parts: The Alien Graveyard and The Beast at Midnight. The book will let the reader experience what it's like to live with aliens and supernatural beings on earth and later on, experience the maseni world and its concept of mythology.

The twists in the story will surprise the reader. Although I don't think it's as good as most of Koontz's novels, he handled the story very well. Some of the concepts seemed ridiculous but he pulled it off nicely.

I didn't like the sexual references to the character named Helena but she was portrayed as a sexually-liberated woman so I guess it suits her image. On the other hand, I enjoyed reading the events that happened in the maseni home planet leading to the discovery of the supernaturals' secret. And I also liked the funny scenes involving the maseni gods and Hogar.

I'm giving this book a 7 out of 10 rating.

This book was published in 1973 by lancer Books and is now out of print.
JFX94V6JFSPM

Kratos Wearing A Toga

2012-02-01T14:29:00.003+08:00

God of War's Kratos looking decent and calm in a Roman toga. I posted this on my deviantArt.

Link to my dA: http://fav.me/d4oa9a3

Mappo Runt and Icarium Lifestealer

2012-02-01T14:20:00.002+08:00

Posted this on my deviantArt. Mappo is on the left side and Icarium on the right.

Link to my dA: http://fav.me/d4oa88n

Elizabethan Demonology by Thomas Alfred Spalding

2012-01-29T00:59:00.000+08:00

This is an essay about the belief in the existence of devils and is focused primarily on the Elizabethan era. It has a lot of references to Shakespeare's works so anyone who's not familiar with the works of the famous playwright will only find this confusing instead of being helpful.

The writer discussed succinctly the prevailing beliefs of the society in which Shakespeare grew up in. There are a lot of digressions in the essay. In the first part, the writer started off by discussing how classic writers might be misinterpreted and he went on to cite examples. It took him longer to get to the point of his essay.

He did a good job however in establishing the context in which the beliefs in demons and witches prevailed. He wrapped it up nicely too by analyzing the changes in Shakespeare's works over the years.

I also have to warn the reader about the writing style. He writes very long sentences and like I mentioned earlier, he sometimes goes off-topic just to make his point.

I recommend this only to those who are familiar with most of Shakespeare's works (unless you're willing to ignore the names of the characters unfamiliar to you).

I'm giving this a 7 out of 10 rating.

Stories From Le Morte d'Arthur and The Mabinogion by Beatrice Clay

2012-01-29T00:23:00.001+08:00

This is a must-read for people who love the Arthurian legends.

The selections were chosen from The Mabinogion and Le Morte d'Arthur and were divided into eleven major parts. It was also arranged chronologically although there will be hints about the coming events in the first few chapters. Major characters like Lancelot, Merlin and others have sections or 'Books' dedicated to them.

I advise the reader to not skip the introduction. It provides some background about the legends, the sources and even a little bit of history about Britain.

Except for the hints that will spoil the mysetery for first-time readers of the Arthurian legends, this a fun and easy read. Only the important figures were included in this as well as most of the well-known stories about Arthur and his Knights.

I'm giving this book a 9 out of 10 rating.

I recommend The Mabinogion by Lady Charlotte Guest for further reading.

The Mabinogion by Lady Charlotte Guest

2012-01-18T18:06:00.000+08:00

This is a collection of twelve interconnected stories of the heroic age of the British Isles. Those who are fans of legends about King Arthur will find this book interesting. Note however that this is not exactly about Arthur himself.

There are some disputes to the meaning of mabinogion but I'll just go with the more popular translation of the word mabinog which is "aspirant to bardic honor" or "someone who is apprenticed to a bard".

The ff. are the tales included in this book:
The Lady of the Fountain
Peredur the Son of Evrawc
Geraint the Son of Erbin
Kilhwch and Olwen or The Twrch Trwyth
The Dream of Rhonabwy
Pwyll Prince of Dyved*
Branwen the Daughter of Llyr*
Manawyddan the Son of Llyr*
Math the Son of Mathonwy*
The Dream of Maxen Wledig
The Story of Lludd and Llevelys
Taliesin

*Four Branches of the Mabinogion

The author provides an introduction about how she chose to include the twelve stories listed above. She also provided a comparison between these tales and the Continental romance tales. I advise the reader not to skip this part because it is also important to know where these tales came from. Other than this introduction, the book does not provide analyses of the tales.

I recommend this to readers who are interested in Celtic mythology and the Arthurian legends. But I have to warn about the style of which these tales were written, especially those who are not yet exposed to classic literature. Repetition of certain phrases and sentences here is common especially in the Twrch Trwyth.

I'm giving this book a 10 out of 10 rating.

Time Thieves by Dean Koontz

2012-01-17T18:44:00.000+08:00

Peter Mullion woke up in his garage not knowing what had happened to him in the past few weeks. His wife and the doctor think he has amnesia. Yet he feels it's more than amnesia and so he began to search for clues. When he and his wife went out to eat, he saw a man he thought he recognized but he doesn't have a clue where he had seen him. And as he and his wife Della made their way to their resthouse, he began to feel that his mysterious disappearance was somehow connected to his trip there. He began to feel too that he was being watched. He saw the man again at the restaurant watching him from outside his home.

Things went from bad to worse as he had an episode of time-space distortion. He could not count and recognize numbers and he did not know where he was supposed to go. The trip to his office became a challenge. He passed out, then when he came to his senses, his wife told him he disappeared again for 3 days.

Was the man who had been watching him had something to do with his inability to remember the events in the past few weeks? Not only did he have to find an answer to that but he was also starting to 'hear' other people's thoughts.

This Dean Koontz novel takes the reader to the mysteries and power of the human mind as Peter sought to understand and control his newfound powers. It's fast-paced and Koontz's descriptive skills is impressive as usual. It reads like most of his suspense/sci-i novels but is much shorter.

Spoiler Alert! Skip to the next paragraph.

The ending however was something I did not expect. I can't be certain if Koontz's justification of Peter's choice to retain his telepathic ability was something he really believed was a good choice. It might also be an attempt to show that something as noble a motivation as love can be corrupted. Peter appears to be a contented man who does not wish to have something beyond his grasp. And yet he did not show any remorse for killing the beings who had given him back his life. It seems ironic that he kept saying that he did it for his love of Della and yet he seems to have forgotten that he would not be with her anymore if the Politins did not save him in the first place. He knew too that the Politins did not mean him harm and his death was an accident. But maybe Koontz did write it up that way so the reader can decide about it for himself.

I recommend this to any Koontz fan who wants to read his early novels. I'm giving this book a 7 out of 10 rating.

This book was published as an Ace Double in 1977.

A Look Back at Tim Duncan's Accomplishments

2012-01-16T16:29:00.000+08:00

Collegiate:

Two-time ACC Player of the Year (1996–1997)

Three-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year

John Wooden Award (1997)

Naismith College Player of the Year (1997)

USBWA College Player of the Year (1997)

Made history as the first player in NCAA history to reach 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 blocked shots and 200 assists

Rookie Year:

#1 Overall Draft Pick in 1997

Won NBA Rookie of the Month award every single month in his rookie season

NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998)

NBA Rookie of the Year (1998)

All-Star:

13-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2011)

NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000)

9-time All-NBA First Team (1998–2005, 2007)

3-time All-NBA Second Team (2006, 2008–2009)

All-NBA Third Team (2010)

8-time All-Defensive First Team (1999–2003, 2005, 2007–2008)

5-time All-Defensive Second Team (1998, 2004, 2006, 2009–2010)

MVP Awards:

Back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player (2002–2003)

Championships:

4-time NBA Champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)

3-time NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005)

Others:

Summer Universiade (1995, Fukuoka) - Gold

Goodwill Games (1994, St. Petersburg) - Bronze

FIBA Americas Championship (1999, San Juan) - Gold

FIBA Americas Championship (2003, San Juan) - Gold

Olympic Games (2004, Athens) - Bronze

List of Dean Koontz Books

2012-01-15T00:52:00.000+08:00

I made a list of Dean Koontz books including those that are out of print, children's books, books with Trixie, short stories collections and a novella.More helpful information is indicated beside the year the book was published. I did not include the individual short stories, the graphic novels and screenplays.

I separated the list of the series at the bottom. Winter Moon and Icebound, and Invasion and Prison of Ice are all counted separately.

This will be updated everytime Koontz has a new book. If I forgot a title, please inform me by posting a comment.

I recommend that you visit deankoontz.com for more info about the author and his works.

Total no. of books: 112

1.Star Quest (1968)
2.Fear That Man (1969)
3.The Fall of the Dream Machine (1969)
4.The Dark Symphony (1969)
5.Hung (1970) - wrote as Leonard Chris
6.Hell's Gate (1970)
7.Dark of the Woods (1970)
8.Beastchild (1970)
9.Anti-Man (1970)
10.Soft Come the Dragons (1970) - a short story collection
11.Demon Child (1971) - wrote as Deanna Dwyer
12.The Crimson Witch (1971)
13.Legacy of Terror (1971) - wrote as Deanna Dwyer
14.Warlock! (1972)
15.Time Thieves (1972)
16.Starblood (1972)
17.The Flesh in the Furnace (1972)
18.A Darkness in My Soul (1972)
19.Chase (1972) - wrote as K. R. Dwyer
20.Children of the Storm (1972) - wrote as Deanna Dwyer
21.Dance with the Devil (1972) - wrote as Deanna Dwyer
22.The Dark of Summer (1972) - wrote as Deanna Dwyer
23.The Haunted Earth (1973)
24.Demon Seed (1973)
25.A Werewolf Among Us (1973)
26.Shattered (1973) - wrote as K. R. Dwyer
27.Hanging On (1973)
28.Strike Deep (1974)
29.After the Last Race (1974)
30.Nightmare Journey (1975)
31.The Long Sleep (1975) - wrote as John Hill
32.Dragonfly (1975) - wrote as K. R. Dwyer
33.Invasion (1975) - wrote as Aaron Wolfe (see Wintermoon)
34.Prison of Ice (1976) - wrote as David Axton (see Icebound)
35.Night Chills (1976)
36.The Face of Fear (1977) - wrote as Brian Coffey
37.The Vision (1977)
38.The Key to Midnight (1979) - wrote as Leigh Nichols
39.The Funhouse (1980) - wrote as Owen West
40.Whispers (1980)
41.The Voice of the Night (1980) - wrote as Brian Coffey
42.The Eyes of Darkness (1981) - wrote as Leigh Nichols
43.The Mask (1981) - wrote as Owen West
44.The House of Thunder (1982) - wrote as Leigh Nichols
45.Phantoms (1983)
46.Darkfall (1984)
47.The Servants of Twilight (1984) - wrote as Leigh Nichols
48.Twilight Eyes (1985)
49.The Door to December (1985) - wrote as Richard Paige
50.Strangers (1986)
51.Watchers (1987)
52.Shadow Fires (1987) - wrote as Leigh Nichols
53.Lightning (1988)
54.Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages (1988) - children's book
55.Midnight (1989)
56.The Bad Place (1990)
57.Cold Fire (1991)
58.Hideaway (1992)
59.Dragon Tears (1993)
60.Mr. Murder (1993)
61.Winter Moon (1994) - see Invasion
62.Dark Rivers of the Heart (1994)
63.Icebound (1995) - see Prison of Ice
64.Strange Highways (1995) - collection of short stories
65.Intensity (1995)
66.Ticktock (1996)
67.Sole Survivor (1997)
68.False Memory (1999)
69.From the Corner of His Eye (2000)
70.One Door Away from Heaven (2001)
71.The Paper Doorway: Funny Verse and Nothing Worse (2001) - children's book
72.By the Light of the Moon (2002)
73.The Face (2003)
74.Every Day's a Holiday : Amusing Rhymes for Happy Times (2003)- children's book
75.The Book Of Counted Sorrows (2003) - collection of poetry
76.The Taking (2004)
77.Life Expectancy (2004)
78.Robot Santa: The Further Adventures of Santa's Twin (2004) - children's book
79.Life is Good! Lessons in Joyful Living (2004) - with Trixie Koontz
80.Velocity (2005)
81.Christmas Is Good!: Trixie Treats And Holiday Wisdom (2005) - with Trixie Koontz
82.The Husband (2006)
83.The Good Guy (2007)
84.The Darkest Evening of the Year (2007)
85.Your Heart Belongs to Me (2008)
86.Bliss to You: Trixie's Guide to a Happy Life (2008) - with Trixie Koontz
87.Relentless (2009)
88.Breathless (2009)
89.A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog (2009)
90.I, Trixie, Who is Dog (2009)
91.Breathless (2009)
92.Darkness Under the Sun: A Tale of Suspense (2010) - novella
93.Trixie & Jinx (2010)
94.What the Night Knows (2010)
95.The Moonlit Mind (novella) (2011)
96.77 Shadow Street (2011)

Black Cat Mysteries or Mike Tucker Series
1.Blood Risk - wrote as Brian Coffey
2.Surrounded (1974) - wrote as Brian Coffey
3.The Wall of Masks (1975) - wrote as Brian Coffey

Moonlight Bay Series
1.Fear Nothing (1998)
2.Seize the Night (1999)

Odd Thomas Series
1.Odd Thomas (2003)
2.Forever Odd (2005)
3.Brother Odd (2006)
4.Odd Hours (2008)
5.Odd Apocalypse (2012)
6.Deeply Odd (2013)

Frankenstein Series
1.Prodigal Son (2005) - with Kevin J. Anderson
2.City of Night (2005) - with Ed Gorman
3.Dead and Alive (2009)
4.Lost Souls (2010)
5.The Dead Town (2011)

Amaya

2012-01-13T23:44:00.000+08:00

This epic of a binukot (princess) turned babaylan (priestess) and bagani (warrior) made history as it showcased Southern Filipino culture in a primetime TV series.

I was particularly impressed with the use of straight Filipino in the dialogues, the beautiful costumes and the fight scenes. A great deal of research and preparation were made for this.

The main character Amaya can be likened to most epic heroes. She had an unusual birth (had a twin snake) and had to face many challenges as she journeyed to fulfilled her destiny (tagna) to kill the then-reigning Rajah (king) Mangubat. Add to that the constant trials set by her father's wife, Dian Lamitan. But despite the oppositions she was still able to find allies, human and divine.

The main antagonist Lamitan was impressive too. Smart and cunning, she was able to manipulate people around her including her relatives to get where she wants. Essentially, she and Amaya were the same. Both women sought to change the prevalent beliefs of the society. But whereas Lamitan sought for power,the political power that apparently a woman cannot have at that time, Amaya used her gifts to bring peace to her life and to those around her.

The ending was great. I liked the message of the old Alunsina about not knowing one's own culture. I admit that I watched that series because I was mostly interested in the costumes, artifacts, mythical creatures, and the life of a babaylan. It's a shame that I learned so much more by watching the series than when I combine all the reading materials I've had over the years about pre-Spanish Philippines.

The series has 165 episodes and is the first historical drama in the Philippines. Kudos to GMA Network for making a great series!

Children of Odin by Padraic Colum

2012-01-09T15:57:00.000+08:00

Padraic Colum retells the story of the struggle of the gods and goddesses to preserve beauty, freedom and wisdom against those who would wish to destroy everything. The book begins with the aftermath of the Ragnarok where the surviving gods picked up a tablet recording the events of the past. Colum then proceeds to narrate the exploits of Odin, Thor, Loki and the other Norse gods and goddesses.

The creation myth was retold through Heimdall's point of view in the middle of the book. The Volsung saga was also included in the last section just before the Twilight of the Gods.

Colum did a great job of trying to link together the events. The transition from one story to the next to create a one, flowing narrative is flawless, making it look like all the events are interconnected. It reads more like a novel than a compilation of stories.

This can be a great introduction to Norse mythology. I recommend this to anyone who's not yet familiar with the myths.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I'm giving it a 10 out of 10 rating.

The Edda Volumes 1 and 2 by Winifred Faraday

2012-01-08T22:55:00.001+08:00

These books contain studies about the Eddas. It includes the explanation of the possible sources and history of the Eddas and the myths contained in those books.

A few selected stories were analyzed. Readers who are already familiar with those stories will find this helpful in understanding the myths.

I do not recommend them as an introduction to Norse mythology but rather as supplementary reading materials only. The second volume contains the story and includes the different versions of the Volsung saga. If the reader wishes to know more about the exploits of Siegfried and the people he encountered, I recommend reading the second book. I also do not recommend this to readers who are not familiar with any Western myths. Some names and events will be cited that beginners will find hard to understand.

Warlock by Dean Koontz

2012-01-03T19:15:00.000+08:00

Modern man and his inventions survive only as relics of a forgotten past. What seems ordinary to us now are mere legends for the characters in this book. That period in the history is referred to as the Blank where it said that the earth's crust has shifted.

Shaker Sandow wanted to find out what happened during the Blank and if it was connected to his ability as a "master of the mind".

He was expecting the Banibaleers to arrive at Perdune. This small contingent of General Dark's forces were to investigate the ruins beyond Cloud Range and to gather information about the enemy, the Oragonians, who are rumored to have used the lost technology.

More than half of the book deals with the journey of Sandow and his two adopted sons with Commander Richter and his army. Little did they know that the Darklands was about to be conquered by Jerry Matabain and that they were the only ones who can save their people.

This book is interesting because of its combination of fantasy, sci-fi and suspense. It seemed quite ambitious but Koontz was able to pull it off. It became less interesting however when they met Berlarak's group. From then, every campaign was a success and they even managed to eliminate Jerry Matabian in an instant. I wish Koontz has stretched the story and offered more obstacles for the protagonists.

But even with such a short book, Koontz was still able to devlier an important message: that even if General Dark's forces were successful, the acquisition of the new technology will still lead men to more wars and possibly to another Blank.

This is a must-read for Koontz fans. I'm giving this book a 9 out of 10 rating.

***
This book was published in 1972 by Lancer and is out of print.

The Myths of the Norsemen by H.A. Guerber

2012-01-02T18:52:00.000+08:00

This books which is composed of 29 chapters is a great introduction to Norse Mythology. Each major deity has a chapter dedicated to him or her. The first chapter introduces the reader to the creation myths and the battle of Bor and Bestla's sons against the giants. There are also separate chapters about the fairies, dwarves and giants.

The reader will be disappointed however if he is expecting a sort of chronological retelling of the tales leading to Ragnarok. The stories where each god is involved is included in the chapter about him.

There is however a comprehensive chapter of the Sigurd Saga. It is an advantage to the reader that the details come from various sources. There is also a short introduction and analysis of what the myths symbolized.

The only thing that is missing is an introduction of the cultures which made up these myths. It is important for readers who are new to Norse mythology to understand the kind of people who made up these stories, although the author did explain that the environment played a huge role in shaping the myths.

The last chapter was written badly. It is a comparison of Norse to Greek mythology. I was expecting a more scholarly type of analysis but he just listed down some names and events which have similarities to the latter. Other than that this book still serves as a good introduction.

I'm giving this book an 8 out of 10 rating.

Latest novel from Dean Koontz

2011-12-27T22:55:00.000+08:00

Dean Koontz's latest novel 77 Shadow Street is now available.

To learn more about it, go to http://www.deankoontz.com/77-shadow-street/

Stonewielder (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:51:00.000+08:00

Return of the Crimson Guard (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:49:00.000+08:00

Night of Knives (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:47:00.000+08:00

Toll the Hounds (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:45:00.000+08:00

Reaper's Gale (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:43:00.000+08:00

The Bonehunters (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:41:00.000+08:00

Midnight Tides (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:38:00.000+08:00

House of Chains (Covers)

2011-12-17T20:35:00.000+08:00

Memories of Ice (Covers)

2011-12-16T17:20:00.000+08:00

Deadhouse Gates (Covers)

2011-12-16T14:01:00.000+08:00

Gardens of the Moon (Covers)

2011-12-16T13:22:00.000+08:00

Star Quest by Dean Koontz

2011-12-15T10:36:00.000+08:00

Dean Koontz's first novel debuted as one of the two novels in one volume from Ace Double andpublished in 1968.

This short sci-fi and adventure mix tells the story of Tohm, who has just realized that he lost his body. Then known as Jumbo Ten, he deserted the Romaghin army to find his beloved whom he believed was also kidnapped. His search led him to something bigger and grander than anything he had ever imagined.

Koontz was able to develop the character well in such a short novel. He was able to spare some paragraphs for the character to analyze the situation and therefore allow the reader to sympathize with Tohm.

It felt lacking and Koontz could have stretched and improved it, but it was already obvious from this novel that he would become an exceptional writer that he is today. His skill in description is incomparable. Even his action scenes are well-written. I can see the events play out in my head as he describes them.

I recommend that Dean Koontz fans like myself read this book. They wouldn't find his writing style so alien. It has the the Koontz elements that we so dearly love.

I'm giving this book an 8 out of 10 rating.

The Coming of Cuculain by Standish O'Grady

2011-12-09T16:35:00.001+08:00

This book tells us the colorful childhood days and the coming of age of the Celtic race's greatest hero.

The book is divided into sixteen chapters. Each one is about the important events in Sentanta's life, who later on became known as Cuchulain, that marked the important influences and the people that shaped his life. There is also a chapter about Deirdre, whose life and misadventures indirectly influences the events the next events.

Readers who are not familiar with this myth will not find this book difficult to understand. The uncommon words that are used are explained. The introduction will also provide additional information to the reader.

The book tells only the story up to Cuchulain's coming of age after he was knighted. This will serve as a good introduction to the Ultonian cycle. If the reader wants to know what happens next to Cuchulain, I recommend Myths of the Norsemen by H.A. Guerber and Red Branch by Morgan Llywelyn.

O'Grady's narrative is smooth and engaging. I had to finish this book in one night because it's well-written. I'm giving this a 10 out of 10 rating.

Xiahou Dun

2011-12-06T23:41:00.001+08:00

Posted this drawing at my deviantArt: http://fav.me/d4ibre0

Xiahou Dun from the Dynasty Warriors games.

Cao Cao

2011-12-06T01:32:00.001+08:00

Posted this on my deviantArt: http://fav.me/d4i8lgv

Ezio

2011-12-04T20:37:00.001+08:00

I posted this Ezio sketch in my deviantArt. See link below.

http://fav.me/d4i4f9m

Hachi: A Dog's Story

2011-11-30T22:34:00.001+08:00

This beautiful tale of loyalty and friendship will surely make dog lovers cry. It is a remake of the Japanese film Hachiko Monogatari about an Akita named Hachiko who found love and friendship with a music professor named Parker Wilson. Parker tried to find the owners of the puppy who he found wandering in the train station and he even offered it to other people. But no one claimed Hachi. Even then he was becoming more attached to the dog. His wife was reluctant at first but she soon accepted the loving Hachi into the family as well.

For the next two years, Hachi grew more attached to Parker. He would often accompany the professor to the train station every morning and then wait for him to come home. It became their habit to meet outside the station. Hachi would wait for his master on the same spot. Some people near the train station noticed this too.

Then one day, his master never came back. Hachi did not know that Parker has passed away. Parker's daughter decided to take him in but he would still go back to the station and wait for his master. The people who knew Hachi took pity on the dog. They decided to watch over him as he continues to wait for Parker. Hachi waited for nine years.

I cannot begin to fathom what it must have been like for him all those years. Waiting and not knowing when that familiar voice would be heard again is an experience even humans would find unbearable. What was it like for someone who can't talk and ask the people around him 'where is my master and friend'? Did he even begin to understand after so many years that he would never see Parker again?

Hachi's loyalty and the sadness he experienced through all those years brought tears to my eyes. It's common knowledge that dogs are loyal companions, but what Hachi did is just unimaginable. I've never cried as much since I watched Marley and Me.

For the story alone, I'd give this movie a 10 out of 10 rating. This is one of those movies that remind us why dogs are called 'man's best friend'.

Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race by T.W. Rolleston

2011-11-30T00:23:00.001+08:00

This book is a great introduction to Celtic culture and mythology. One of the highlights is the introduction of Celtic culture based on written accounts and archaeological evidence. Most books about myths often proceed to the recounting of the stories right after a brief introduction. Knowing about the culture and backgound of the people behind it will make it easier for the readers to understand the motivation and inspirations behind the tales.

The book is divided into eight chapters. The ff. is the list of the titles of those sections:
1. The Celts in Ancient History
2. The Religion of the Celts
3. The Irish Invasion Myths
4. The Early Milesian Kings
5. Tales of the Ultonian Cycle
6. Tales of the Ossianic Cycle
7. The Voyage of Maeldun
8. Myths and Tales of the Cymry

The second chapter discusses the possible origin of the religious practices and worship of the Celts. While the third chapter is about the first of the four main divisions of the Irish mythical and legendary literature. The fourth mentions the Geis for the first time which is essential in the Ulster cycle. The fifth chapter is about one of the popular mythical heroes in literature, Cuchulain. And chapter six completes the three main divisions through the stories of Finn and Oisin.

The last chapter is slightly diferrent from the other chapters and it is explained briefly in the first part. It contains the stories in the Mabinogion.

There is also a section dedicated to explaining the possible origins of the Arthurian legends and how the tales differ from those sources. The book however does not compile the stories of the later versions of Arthur.

Overall, the book is easy to understand. I can recommend this to readers who don't have a background in mythology. Although the first chapter has a few commentaries that seem biased, this is one of the best compilation of myths I've read so far. I'm giving this book a 9 out of 10 rating.

Greek and Roman Ghost Stories by Lacy Collison-Morley

2011-11-21T15:29:00.001+08:00

This book outlines the general idea of what the people in ancient Greece and Rome thought about afterlife in general. The soul is distinct from the body and has a place assigned to it in the center of the earth after it has departed the body. It is important to bury the dead or else they will wander the earth forever.

There are three types of the dead based on Apuleius' classification: the Manes, Lemures and Larva. The last two are the 'bad spirits' and are associated with the hauntings.

There is also an interesting section about Necromancy. It is the practice of calling up spirits so the living can consult with them. People also believed that the dead have the power to see the future. The rest of the book contains stories of ghost sightings and excerpts of written accounts from various sources.

This book is divided into 7 parts. The following is the list of those sections:
1. The Power of the Dead to Return to Earth
2.Belief in Ghosts in Greece and Rome
3. Stories of Haunting
4. Necromancy
5. Visions of the Dead in Sleep
6. Apparitions of the Dead
7. Warning Apparitions.

The book is pretty easy to understand if you're already familiar with Greek and Roman mythology. Some historical figures are also mentioned, so reading a little bit about history would come in handy. It would have been much helpful though if the author provided notes about the people and events that are mentioned. This isn't meant as a compilation of horror stories however. Those who are expecting to read creepy stories will be disappointed.

I'm giving this book a 6 out of 10 rating.

Stonewielder by Ian. C. Esslemont

2011-11-16T17:27:00.001+08:00

Stonewielder is the 3rd book from the Novels of the Malazan Empire series by Ian C. Esslemont. The book is divided into three parts: Book 1: The Sea; Book 2: The Land; and Book 3: And All the Shores Between.

There are six interconnected stories that can be found. First is Greymane's re-admission into the command structure of the Empire. He was offered to lead the Malazan Army to Korel. Readers will get to know what had happened to Greymane during his campaign in the past.

Meanwhile, the Stormguard is having some problems in their defenses. The foundations of the Wall are weakening and they have a shortage of recruits.

Murders in Banith have caught someone's attention. It seems like the killings have a pattern. But this discovery will endanger someone's life.

An Army is massing to attack Ring. They are opposing the so-called Lady or Protectress. But the history of uprisings are in odds against the success of this campaign.

All these stories all lead to the mystery that is the Protectress whose old name was Shri Kasmil the Destroyer. Apparently there are three relics that can be found all over Korel. These relics are the sources of her power. These are found in the ff. areas: one in Ring, the second one in Sky Tower and the last is in Thol.

The continuation of Kiska's journey was also included here. She and her companions had an encounter with the Tiste Liosan army who seemed to have succeeded in defeating their enemy. How they did it was never explained.

This book shed some light about the people in Korel and the Stormguard. I still have so many questions but I think Stonewielder has delivered. The battle scenes and the description of the destruction wrought by the Great Flood were good. It was easier to sympathize with the characters here than the previous books. There's more emphasis on the emotional impact of the events on the people involved.

I recommend this book to those who have read the Malazan books. This is a great follow-up on the last 2 books of Erikson's series. First time readers will find this confusing however, so I suggest they read the other books first. I'm giving Stonewielder a 9 out of 10 rating.

Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont

2011-11-08T14:58:00.000+08:00

Return of the Crimson Guard is the second installment of Ian C. Esslemont's Novels of the Malazan Empire. Although the title of the book pertains to the Empire's old nemesis, it also marks the start of the changes for the Empire.

The book is divided into 3 major parts:
Book 1: Diaspora's End; Book 2: The Eternal Return and; Book 3: Fates and Chances. The major players can also be divided into three major groups: those loyal to the empire, the Old Guard along with the groups who rose up in rebellion (the Talian League) and the Crimson Guard.

It tells us about the history of the Crimson Guard and their determination to find the Duke - K'azz D'Avore. It will also show the present conditions and sentiments of the Avowed. In Book 3 when K'azz finally announced that he has returned, the Guard split into two factions. The other group is led by Skinner.

The book also provides a background of the Stormriders, the flowering of the first human civilization and Kallor's rise to power. One character also shed some light about the Seguleh society.

Those who have read The Bonehunters might be curious to know what happened to the Wickans. This book will provide some answers.

The battle scenes were epic. There were also instances where the opposing forces had to merge and fight together. When the Malazans defeated the Talian forces, they both opposed the Crimson Guard.

Readers will also get to see Greymane in action for the first time against Skinner. Dassem also showed up.

What I liked most about this book is Laseen's active participation in the events. In other books, she's said to have been a deadly assassin. She showed her skills this time by going against Cowl. An unexpected death however will change Malazan Empire.

The only confusing part was the mention of a Primogenatrix in chapter 3. In was not explained in the latter part of the book.

The story is told from different point-of-views, the most imporant of which are Kyle's, Possum's, Rillish's, Shimmer's and Nait's (or Jumpy).

The multiple battle scenes were handled very well even if the scale is almost ambitious. I liked the match-ups as well. I was happy to see Laseen participating, as well as Tayschrenn.

Overall, it's a great book. I think I'll even add it to my favorites. The flow of the narrative is smooth and the action scenes are well-written. It's comparable to the scope of battles that took place in Memories of Ice but in a much shorter book. I don't recommend this to anyone who has not read a Malazan book yet. Esslemont has a habit of leaving only teasers that readers who haven't experienced reading his and Steven Erikson's works will have a hard time understanding.

I'm giving Return of the Crimson Guard a 10 out of 10 rating.

Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Finals

2011-11-04T00:50:00.000+08:00

After all the trials Seishun Gakuen has gone through, they have finally reached the greatest trial of their journey. In this OVA, they face an old nemesis and the current champions Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

WARNING: SPOILERS!

Here are the highlights from each episode:

Episode 1: New opening and ending songs.

Sanada and Tezuka's match turned out to be a battle of wills (and with a little bit of luck). Tezuka lost although Sanada was also at his limit.

Episode 2: Ryoma has an amnesia. No one knows why.

Doubles match between Inui and Kaidoh versus Renji and Kirihara.

Inui's Data Tennis is challenged. He's forced to make the impossible possible. Seigaku forfeited the match due to Inui's condition.

Episode 3: It seemed like Fuji was losing to Niou - but it was all just Inui's dream.

Niou used the Tezuka illusion to challenge Fuji. The match is essentially a battle between Fuji and Tezuka. Later, Niou used a Shiraishi illusion but Fuji surprised everyone with his 6th Counter, the Hoshi Hanabi, and won.

Episode 4: The Golden Pair versus Jackal and Marui. They have been stalling all along to give Ryoma plenty of time to recover his memory. Most of the episode was about the events that transpired before Ryoma had his amnesia. Nanjiro was training him and asked if his son enjoys tennis.

Several players helped Ryoma by having matches with him.

Oishi and Eiji won by using Synchro.

Episode 5: First of the two-part episode of the match between Ryoma and Yukimura.

Since Ryoma was late, Kintaro had a chance to duel with Yukimura.

Ryoma showed his ability to redirect the aura at will.

Episode 6: Continuation of the match.

Ryoma lost his five senses. It seemed like Yukimura was going to win.

Then Ryoma remembered Nanjiro's words. The Final Door is opened - the Tenimouho no Kiwami or Flawless Unity.

The Prince prevails over the Demi-god and wins the championship for Seigaku.

***

This is a great ending to a great series. I love the simplicity of the explanation that Nanjiro has given to the other Seigaku players about achieving Flawless Unity. Just wanting to win the game and working hard are not enough. In Rikkai's determination to hold on to the title they forgot one important thing - enjoying the game itself. It's no longer about tennis for them. Instead it's just winning the title the 3rd straight time. Yukimura never lost a game and so he had one disadvantage. He does not know the feeling of having failed and risen up to take the challenge again and again.

It was also fitting that Ryoma finished the match with a new move - and splitting the ball too!

There are a few things I would have liked to see but overall, I'm quite satisfied with this OVA. I just wish they could have wrapped it up more nicely. Those reporters who have witnessed Seigaku's journey were not present in the ending. They could have had a line or two after the last match. They were important characters too. I didn't see Jyousei Shounan and why was Ryoma's mom absent?

It seemed like things happened so fast but I'm still giving this a 10 out of 10 rating.

~Thank you Takeshi Konomi for this great series!~

Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Semifinals

2011-10-30T22:37:00.000+08:00

After beating Higa and Hyotei, Seishun Gakuen proceed to the semifinals to face Shitenhouji. This 6-episode OVA shows the struggle of the Seigaku regulars to find their true potential and overcome their weaknesses.

The players they will encounter are stronger and have deadly techniques that they need to overcome.

Warning: Spoilers!

The following are the highlights in each episode:

Episode 1: Shitenhouji defeat Fudomine. Episode also showed a match between Tachibana and Chitose.

Episode 2: First match between Seigaku and Shitenhouji.

Fuji is defeated by Shiraishi despite using his Final Counter.

Episode 3: New opening and ending songs.

Momo and Kaidoh versus Koharu and Hitojiri. Match tested Momo and Kaidoh's patience and how well they knew each other's moves.

Episode 4: Taka-san's dream of becoming the number one power player comes true when he survived Ishida Jin's multiple styles of Hadoukyuu.

Episode 5: A doubles match becomes a singles match as Tezuka faces Chitose.

Episode 6: Seigaku proceeds to the Finals.

Kintaro is given a chance to fight Ryoma in a one-ball match. The match lasted longer and ended up in a draw.

***

One of the highlights of this OVA is the 3 Doors of Muga (translated as 'Selfless State'). The players who have this ability have surpassed their limits at one point in the match and are able to copy tennis moves that they have seen before. This will be explained bit by bit during the matches.

Taka-san finally got to test his mettle and the rivals Momo and Kaidoh have shown that they matured.

Bringing a character like Kintaro into the picture furthered my fondness for Ryoma. Kintaro has everything I don't like in a young male character.

I'm giving this OVA a 10 out of 10 rating.

Angry Iskaral with Mogora

2011-10-14T17:32:00.000+08:00

Iskaral Pust and wife Mogora.

This drawing can also be viewed through my deviantArt: http://fav.me/d4crvzn

The Paran Siblings

2011-10-14T17:23:00.000+08:00

Tavore, Ganoes and Felisin from the Malazan series.

This drawing can also be viewed through my deviantArt: http://fav.me/d4crviu

Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament

2011-10-13T23:59:00.000+08:00

Seigaku's journey to the Nationals continue in three short OAVs. The final episode from the main series showed Ryoma leaving Japan for a tournament in the U.S. In the first episode of Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament, Ryoma went to visit his seniors to cheer them on, but because Oishi's injury got worse, the vice-captain decided to let Ryoma play in his stead. This OVA consists of 13 episodes and shows Seigaku's matches against Higa and then Hyoutei.

Warning: Spoilers!

These are some of the highlights of each episode:

Episode 1: Seigaku cheered for Rokkaku but the team could not beat Higa's players. Oji was attacked by one of the players too.

Episode 2: Seigaku's first match with Higa. Ryoma plays against Tanishi. Although Ryoma appeared like he was losing, he was actually doing it on purpose.

Episode 3: Fuji (teamed up with Taka-san for the doubles) revealed his Fourth Counter - Kagerou Zutsumi.

Episode 4: Eiji was still upset by Oishi's decision. He decided to play singles this time. At the end of the match though, he told everyone he realized he's better at playing doubles with Oishi.

Episode 5: Inui lets Kaidoh test his limits in a doubles match. Kaidoh wanted to try if he can win a match without using his Snake.

Episode 6: Tezuka reveals his technique called Hyakuren Jitoku no Kiwami in a match against Kite.Seigaku proceed to the Quarter Finals.

Episode 7: A must-watch episode featuring players from Seigaku and Rokkaku playing beach volleyball.

Episode 8: Prelude to Seigaku's rematch with Hyotei.

Episode 9: Momo's battle with Oshitari. Momo showed a skill he has learned during his training with Taka-san in the mountains - Instinctive Tennis.

Episode 10: New opening and ending songs.Inui and Kaidoh's match against Hiyoshi and Gakuto. The opponents tried to win a fast match but they did not know they were playing at Kaidoh's pace all along.Tezuka will be facing Kabaji in the next match.

Episode 11: Part of this episode showed a different Tezuka. Kabaji's ability to imitate a player's moves trapped Tezuka in a match with himself.

Episode 12: The Golden Pair versus Shishido and Choutarou. The Hyotei pair showed some resilience but the Golden Pair's chemistry was better. However Eiji and Oishi lost the game when the former stopped the latter's shot. Eiji must have felt (through the Synchronization) that Oishi was at his limit.

Episode 13: Ryoma proves his worth against Atobe. After beating Atobe's technique, the game later turned out to be an endurance match, which Ryoma won.

Seigaku proceed to the Semi-finals.

***

The story has a faster pace than the main series. The viewer has to pay closer attention to the dialogue and the comments by the spectators. Inui and Fuji are not the only players who will explain the techniques this time. Everyone will contribute.

I'm glad to see a rematch with Hyotei in the second round. Both teams have shown that they improved.

The beach volleyball episode was hilarious so I advise the viewers to not skip it.

I liked the part where they explored part of Kaidoh's tennis. I've been wondering before how he would manage to win a game without using his famous technique. On the other hand, episode 11 has shocked me. I was happy to see different expressions on Tezuka's face for the first time but it felt so out of character. I did not think it was possible for him to have a weakness like that. Then again, he always keeps to himself and he has to carry the team's problems alone.

I'm giving this a 10 out of 10 rating.

Anyone who likes Prince of Tennis has to watch this. I mean, why shouldn't you?

Onos T'oolan

2011-10-03T16:32:00.000+08:00

Tool from the Malazan series. Here's the link to my deviantArt: http://fav.me/d4boipc

Night of Knives by Ian C. Esslemont

2011-10-01T02:04:00.000+08:00

This is the first book that is supplementary to the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Readers who are already familiar with the mentioned series should by now be aware that the Malazan world was not created by Steven Erikson alone. The introduction in the book will explain that.

The book focused on two characters who are caught in the events that transpired on the Night of Shadows - or Shadow Moon.

Temper, a Malazan soldier, has been trying to live an uneventful life. The seemingly quiet and bored veteran however has a past that keeps haunting him. Meanwhile, somewhere in Malaz Island, his complete opposite Kiska stumbles upon an exciting discovery that will open up an opportunity for her to live the kind of life she wants.

Most readers who have read Erikson's books will be familiar with most of the gods and Ascendants mentioned here, as well as the Shadow Realm. One of the highlights of this book is Edgewalker's participation in the events. Part of his nature is revealed here - we know now that he is not human or Jaghut. We also have a good idea of what he looks like.

Part of the mystery of Kellanved and Dancer's ascendancy was revealed here, though readers can only draw mostly speculations as to what happened and how they did it. There was a scene in the book that readers might overlook showing only the aftermath of the encounter between Kellanved and Dancer and Laseen and her Claws. Readers might be wondering if Kellanved was killed but other than the evidences present in the throne room, there are no other clues. First-time readers who want their mysteries solved right away might find this frustrating. It's one of the things I like about the Malazan books though. They provide clues but leave some things unanswered that would force readers to speculate and theorize. If you're the type of reader who likes being spoonfed (and don't want to think for yourself), then this book and the series is not for you.

The Stormriders were also mentioned here several times and readers will now have an idea of what they look like. Their purpose for attacking a certain area however was not stated blatantly but there are hints in the book. Readers should also take note of the attempt of the Stormriders to get near Malaz Island.

Although Ian C. Esslemont's and Erikson's styles differ, the 'feel' of the book is the same. Fans of the series will find no major differences and will certainly have no problems adjusting.

One good thing about Esslemont is that he has better imagery than Erikson. He provides fairly good descriptions of the characters and the setting. Character descriptions however are sometimes repeated in another scene or in another character's point-of-view. It makes you wonder if he copied and pasted the descriptions. But still I enjoyed the book because of that. He was still able to keep the mystery of certain characters without having to sacrifice good imagery.

His actions scenes are better too. I can picture out what's going on in his scenes much easier than Erikson's.

This book has 6 chapters plus a prologue and epilogue. I recommend this to Malazan Book of the Fallen fans and even those who are not familiar with the series. Although most Malazan books are loaded with characters, concepts and mystery, this might serve as a good introduction. It is much easier to follow than Gardens of the Moon (the 1st book in the series) and it introduces two important characters, Kellanved and Dancer, who will play big roles in the 10-book series.

I'm giving this book a 9 out of 10 rating.

Ouran High School Host Club

2011-09-29T21:41:00.000+08:00

This 26-episode series follows the life of Haruhi Fujioka with the Host Club and its six members.

Most of Ouran Academy's students come from wealthy families but Haruhi managed to get in the school as a scholar. She accidentally stumbled upon the Host Club in the first episode and broke a vase. The Host then asked her to pay for the broken item but since she could not afford it, she had to take on the job as a host.

Because of Haruhi's appearance, the members thought that she was a guy. Eventually, they found out that she is a girl through subtle clues when they interacted with her. The last one to notice this was Tamaki Suou, the leader of the Host Club.

They all agreed to keep it a secret to maintain her image but there are noticeable differences in the way they are treating her since then.

The rest of the Host Club members are as follows:
1. Suou Tamaki - referred to as the "King" of the Host Club. He is cheerful, a bit narcissistic and sometimes dense but his friends trust and respect him nonetheless. He treats the other hosts as his family.
2. Ootori Kyouya - co-founder of the Club and is in-charge of the records and finances of the group. Sometimes portrayed as cruel and aggressive. Even though he appears cool most of the time, he is very passionate about his work and studies.
3. The Hitachiin twins Kaoru and Hikaru - they have more episodes dedicated to their story than all the other hosts. Before they became friends with Tamaki, people stayed away from them. They built a barrier to prevent other people from trying to make friends with them. Those people who want to get close to them tend to fall victim in the little game they invented where they are forced to tell the twins apart from each other.Haruhi was the first person to notice the differences between Kaoru and Hikaru.
4. Haninozuka Mitsukuni - the Host who looks like a kid and is considered a Shota type. He likes sweet food and stuffed toys and is known to everyone as Honey. But don't let those looks deceive you. He is good in martial arts and is also known to possess a bad temper.
5. Morinozuka Takashi - he's a close friend and protector of Honey. He doesn't talk very much but despite his intimidating appearance, when he's paired with Honey, girls would go crazy over them.

This series is a mix of comedy and romance, with the former more obvious than the latter. Most of the episodes are about the members' past and their relationship with the other hosts. There is little progress in the romance between Haruhi and Tamaki (and even between Haruhi and Hikaru) so viewers who want to see a little more romance might be a bit disappointed. One of the best things about this series though is the female lead, Haruhi.

Haruhi and Tamaki

She is different from most heroines in any series of this type. She does not have any rigid rules about gender and dressing up. She's a bit dense, yes, but she's like a breath of fresh air when compared to most girls in anime. Her voice is not high-pitched and she is neither a cutie pie or a violent tsundere.

I recommend this to anyone who likes both comedy and romance and who wants to see a different type of female lead. There's also a bit of boys' love in this series that some viewers may like. It's very entertaining. I don't often find myself laughing when I watch a series but this made me laugh more than I expected. I even enjoyed the antics of the fangirls.I admit I wanted to see more progress in the romance part but I was disappointed. That part was frustrating for me.

I'm giving this series a 9.5 out of 10 rating.

Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean Koontz

2011-09-19T14:42:00.000+08:00

This is another tale of the possibilites that one's heart is willing to take.

Spencer Grant is haunted by his past. He despises it yet he stubbornly clings to it, waiting for an opportunity to understand a part of himself that he's afraid to explore. When he met valerie Keene, everything changed for him. He could not explain why he was drawn to that woman but he just knew that if he could just talk to her, he'll know the answers. But Valerie's gone and now he's being pursued by an unknown group of people. People with power and influence. And they won't stop.

Dark Rivers of the Heart is divided into two parts: On a Strange Sea and To the Source of the Flow. Like most of Dean Koontz's books, the characters have dark pasts that they somehow had to accept and overcome. But unlike the usual Koontz protagonists, Roy Miro isn't well-educated, smart and wealthy. But he's overly confident and merciless. Although he himself was not blessed with good looks or a high I.Q., he believes he's entitled to the the privileges he's getting. Coupled with Eve Jammer, they make an annoying and formidable opposition.

For the first time, I hated one of Koontz's protagonists. Waiting for Miro's punishment kept me going. I didn't like what he did to Harris Descoteaux.

The ending was a bit disappointing to me. I was expecting Miro to die a painful death, but I guess bringing down the secret government agency in which he belongs is just too complex. Besides, the ending showed that Grant and the others were willing to fight and to save victims like themselves.

I liked the tension between Spencer and his father near the end of the book. I also did not anticipate Spencer's father, Steven Ackblom, to turn things around. Readers will also get to compare which character is crazier: Miro or Ackblom?

I recommend this to any Koontz fan who wants to see some slight changes in the type of characters. Miro is an effective nemesis. You'd love to hate him.

The Prince of Tennis (live-action movie)

2011-09-17T01:17:00.000+08:00

The Prince of Tennis live-action film is a shorter version of the anime, which combines some of Ryoma Echizen's rivals into one character, Egate Mcleod Higaki. He also replaced a member of Hyotei, Hiyoshi Wakashi.

The first part of the film shows his introduction to the Seigaku tennis club regulars. Ryoma here is undecisive and he doesn't seem happy to be playing tennis with his seniors.

If there was a hint of this in the anime, it's more obvious here. He seems to have little motivation in playing against other schools. His match with Tezuka Kunimitsu however somewhat changed his perception of the junior high school players. But that alone wasn't enough to convince him to stay and help Seigaku get to the Nationals.

From left: Kaidoh, Momo, Eiji, Tezuka, Ryoma, Oishi, Fuji, Taka-san and Inui

But when Higaki visited the tennis club to taunt Tezuka and the other members, Ryoma changed his mind.

The match against Hyotei followed the same events in the series except for Ryoma and Higaki's match. Halfway through their match, Higaki's relationship to the girl whom Ryoma met earlier was explained. It also provided a bit of an explanation for his attitude. The girl, Shioin Higaki, replaced Ryuzaki Sakuno's character from the series and is Egate's sister.

The last part of the match was a test of endurance instead of skills. It was a bit anti-climactic for me.

Fans of the Ryoma-Sakuno pairing might be a bit disappointed but overall it's a good movie. I'm glad that they didn't alter some of the characters' personalities.

Coach Ryuzaki Sumire didn't play a big role here and she wasn't even around during the matches.

Fans who have seen some of the musicals will be familiar with the Seigaku cast. Prince of Tennis fans will enjoy this.

***
Directed by: Yuichi Abe
Cast:
Kanata Hongo - Ryoma Echizen
Yuu Shirota - Tezuka Kunimitsu
Hiroki Suzuki - Oishi Shuichiroh
Hiroki Aiba - Fuji Shusuke
OSamu Adachi - Kikumaru Eiji
Hirofumi Araki - Inui Sadaharu
Yoshikatsu Kotani - Kawamura Takashi
Masaki Kaji - Takeshi Momoshiro
Kousuke Kujirai -Kaidoh Kaoru
Egate Mcleod Higaki - RIKIYA
Nanjiroh Echizen - Goro Kishitani
Shioin Higaki - Sayuri Iwata

The Prince of Tennis

2011-08-19T14:07:00.000+08:00

Most anime feature a prodigy destined for greatness. The series would then follow the exploits of that character to his or her final quest. Yet most of those characters start off weak and in desperate need of a mentor, friends (who at first were enemies) and perhaps even a love interest who will inspire him or her to do great things.

Ryoma Echizen is a tennis prodigy, but he certainly does not start off as a weakling who needs practice and experience badly. Unlike most characters of his type too, he is not loud, obnoxious and someone you could easily make fun of. For those qualities alone, I consider Prince of Tennis the best anime I have seen to date.

The 42-volume manga was created by Takeshi Konomi. His work inspired a 178-episode TV series, animated and live-action movies, musicals (Tenimyu), more than a hundred songs, radio drama (Rajipuri) and video games. Whoever thought that a sport such a tennis that involves almost no physical contact with opponents and fast matches can be turned into a series like this one?

Ryoma has the makings of a great tennis player. The son of the legendary Samurai Nanjiro, he came to Seishun Gakuen to enhance his skills. The series started off slow at first and viewers might be blown-off by Ryoma's personality. It got more interesting when he meets Seigaku tennis club's regulars and defeated most of them. The story takes a turn as it becomes apparent that it is not just about the kid's journey to greatness but Seigaku's journey to the National Middle School Tennis Championship.

The Seigaku regulars, led by Tezuka Kunimitsu, have national-calibre talent. Tezuka himself is one of the the most feared and respected by his peers. Each one has a special skill that sets him apart from the rest. But will those skills be enough to take them to the Nationals?

The rest of Seigaku are listed below:

From left: Tezuka, Momo, Oishi, Kaidoh, Taka-san, Eiji, Fuji and Inui.
Front: Ryoma

1. Tezuka Kunimistu - team captain of Seigaku and considered by everyone, including their opponents, as the man to beat. His personality is quite similar to Ryoma in some ways. He is also a brilliant student.
2. Fuji Shusuke - considered a genius but he lacks the passion and purpose for playing tennis. He often goes into court to avenge a friend or teammate who lost.
3. Oishi Shuichiro - considered the 'mother' of Seigaku because he worries a lot about his teammates. This vice-captain is the other half of the famous Golden Pair and is known for his excellent ball control.
4. Kikumaru Eiji - the very athletic doubles partner of Oishi. Although bubbly and hyperactive on court, he has a weakness for long, endurance matches.
5. Kawamura Takashi - called Taka-san, he's the power player of Seigaku. He is very shy off-court but when he gets hold of a tennis racket his personality changes. Near the end of the series, Taka-san reveals that it's his last year as a tennis player.
6. Momoshiro Takeshi - considered as Ryoma's closest friend. Momo is also a power player and the rival of Kaidoh. He's very loud and often gets into silly fights and like Ryoma, he has a huge appetite.
7. Kaidoh Kaoru - passionate and often too serious, Kaidoh is an imposing presence on and off the court. He's also the most hardworking and physically fit in the team. Kaidoh is also the future team captain of Seigaku.
8. Inui Sadaharu - considered the brains of Seigaku, he uses Data Tennis to find the weakness of opponents. He also terrorizes fellow prayers from time to time with his deadly concoctions. He also has an air of mystery in him because he never takes his glasses off.
9. Coach Ryuzaki Sumire - she's also the former coach of Echizen Nanjiroh. Grandmother of Sakuno who has a crush on Ryoma.

The other supporting characters will help the viewers understand the matches and the techniques used by players on the court. The reporter Inoue fills in that role when Inui or Fuji are not around to comment during the matches. The players on the court themselves do not talk about their techniques often unlike other series that involve matches or fighting.

Three freshmen are also among the supporting cast. Ryoma's mother will also be introduced in the series later. It featured her meeting with Nanjiroh.

The series is divided into different arcs according to Seigaku's progress towards a spot for the National tournament. The following is the list of arcs from each season of the series:

Season 1
1. Intraschool Ranking Arc
2. Tokyo District Preliminary Arc
3. Seigaku Training Arc
Season 2
4. St. Rudolph Arc
5. Seigaku Training II Arc
6. Tokyo Preliminary - Yamabuki Arc
7. Intraschool Ranking II Arc
Season 3
8. Kanto Tournamennt - Hyoutei Arc
9. Tezuka's Deaprture Arc
10. Kanto Tournament - Jyousei Shounan Arc
Season 4
11. Kanto Tournament - Jyousei SHounan II Arc
12. Recreation Arc
13. Kanto Semifinals - Rokkaku Arc
Season 5
14. Training to Defeat Rikkai Dai Arc
15. Kanto Finals - Rikkai Dai Arc
Season 6
16. Receartion II Arc
17. Junior Selection Camp arc
18. Junior Selection Team VS US Coast Team Arc
19. Recreation III Arc
Season 7
20. Intraschool Ranking III Arc
21. Start of Nationals Arc

The best players of the opposing teams helped improve Ryoma's skill. Among the most important players he faced was Akutsu Jin from Yamabuki. Their match spanned 4 episodes and Akutsu also plays a big role in easing Ryoma's doubts prior to the match against Rikkai Dai's Sanada Genichirou.

Talented though Seigaku may be, they are not perfect. Even the Golden Pair has lost several matches. Players of different teams will be introduced prior to the matches. They also have special techniques which Seigaku has to match and overcome.

The following is a list of the schools Seigaku has to beat:

The team captains

1. St. Rudolph - their best player is Fuji Shuusuke's younger brother, Yuuta. Their talent scout Mizuki uses data tennis as well.
2. Yamabuki - best player (at that time when they faced Seigaku) was Akutsu whose athleticism and various tactics Ryoma had to overcome.
3. Hyoutei - their tennis club has 200 members. Led by Atobe, the regulars are an even match against Segaku's talents. Among the teams listed here they are considered Seigaku's best rival.
4. Jyousei Shonan - their coach employs coordination training which enhances the players' talent. Ryoma faced Shinjou Reiji and withstood his unusual techniques.
5. Rokkaku - they also have a good freshman and captain, Aoi Kentaro, in their team. They consider Seigaku as their friends.
6. Rikkai Dai - reigning champions of the National Tournament, they are fighting for their injured team captain, Yukimura Seiichi. Their vice-captain, Sanada faced Ryoma in in episode 126.

Hyoutei has matched up against Segaku a few times in the series and it was Atobe who exposed the extent of Tezuka's injury during their match.

The Junior Selection Camp allowed Atobe and Sanada to match up as well as show one flaw in Ryoma's character. Althought the series showed him to be a very talented player who is able to adapt to any situation and defeat any type of player, the weakness he has shown here added a balance to his one-sided character.

One of the things I love about the series are the unforgettable characters the Seigaku team meet on their way to winning the championship. Atobe is probably the most unforgettable of them all because of his personality and his famous line.

I enjoyed most of the filler episodes as well. The chibi episodes in particular were very entertaining. The Junior Selection arcs are fillers too but as I have mentioned above, it helped add a balance to Ryoma's personality.

The series ended with Ryoma's departure prior to the Nationals. Seigaku's matches in the Nationals will be shown in the OVA.

Aside from Ryoma's characteristics, most critics say that Prince of Tennis is boring. It takes more than ten episodes before a viewer can finally see the direction the series is taking. Again, Ryoma's skills seemed a bit too much for his opponents even when he met his seniors from Seigaku for the first time. However, the focus will not be entirely on Ryoma but on the entire team. Viewers will finally see some drama when they realize that this is Seigaku's last shot for the championship together, especially when they realize that six of the players will be going to high school. Now that they have Ryoma, they have a better chance of fulfilling that dream they sought since Tezuka, Oishi and the rest were still freshmen. That part about Tezuka's freshmen years will be shown much later in the series.

Another positive quality of the series is that even if it's more than a hundred episods, the series clearly has a direction and a sure ending. There will be no excuses for having spin-offs that will stretch this into a never-ending series.

The series does not focus too much on women as well. It's one of the things I like about Prince of Tennis. The women, although they played big roles in shaping Seigaku's players, are not annoying and overpowering. There's a hint of romance between Ryoma and Ryuzaki Sakuno but it's not like other series where the protagonist's motivation for winning is a woman. If you're the type who hates cutesy girls who have mice-like voices or violent tsunderes, then this series is perfect for you. If you like an all-men series, I highly recommend this as well.

I recommend to anyone who wants to give this series a try to watch up to 30 episodes before they decide to drop it. It takes time to build up the story leading to the important matches. Also, the intraschool rankings will introduce the rest of Seigaku. It is as important to get to know Ryoma as well as his seniors.

I'm giving Prince of Tennis a 10 out of 10 rating.

A Darkness In My Soul by Dean Koontz

2011-08-16T15:11:00.000+08:00

This 1972 science-fiction novel was one of Dean Koontz's earliest works. This book explores the facets of the human mind, its desires, hopes and and its quest for meaning and purpose. The book is divided into four parts: Divinity Destroyed, Humanity Restored, The Incomplete Creation and Man As God.

The protagonist Simeon Kelly is one of the two successful products of Artificial Creation. He has the ability to probe the minds of other people. One day he was asked by AC to explore Child's mind, another creation of AC, to unlock the missing information needed to create the shields that will be used for the pending world crisis. Child, the first supergenius ever created, has been withholding important information from Morsfagen and the rest of AC.

Simeon's tour of Child's mind takes him into strange worlds and forced him to think and reshape his view of things. Different though they were, he realized that they were both looking for meaning and purpose in their lives beyond that of their use to AC. Child however, has created an elaborate system based on myths and religions and trapped Simeon in that strange world. Unlike Child too, Simeon had a chance to get in contact with a lot of people including Harry Kelly, who treated him like a son.

He managed to get out of Child's elaborately-built world, taking with him the supergenius' psychic energy, but he failed to do what Morsfagen has asked of him. Confronted and trapped by Morsfagen, he was forced to devise another plan that would ultimately change the world.

This book explores the human psyche - the ego, superego and id, and later on, the concept of God. This is not as detailed as Koontz's later books but I still enjoyed it. He did not choose to focus on the world crisis but instead on the development of Simeon Kelly and how the events taking place around him helped shaped the conclusion of the story. As a fan who was not exposed to his earlier works, I find this really weird and refreshing. It still has the distinguishable characteristics that identifies it as a Koontz book, including a surprising ending. Readers who are not familiar with the concept of the human psyche and Greek mythology might find this a bit confusing but Koontz will explain the former in the later part of the book.

One Door Away From Heaven by Dean Koontz

2011-08-11T13:47:00.000+08:00

Once again Dean Koontz has shown that even a life full of despair does not necessarily create a broken, hopeless soul. Micky Bellsong's life was forever changed by one girl she met one day at her Aunt Geneva's house. Like Micky, Leilani Klonk lived with terror all her life but she was able to cope better than Micky did. What sounded at first as some sort of joke turned out to be the grim story of Leilani's life.

Leilani is trapped in a strange family. A stepfather who allegedly killed several people and a mother who calls herself Sinsemilla and who's always high on drugs and self-delusion. He also told Micky about Preston's, her stepfather, belief on aliens and their power to heal deformities. Her brother Lukipela was taken by Preston to the said aliens and was never seen since. As Leilani's 10th birthday approaches, her fated meeting with aliens draws near. She fears that Preston killed her brother and that he would do the same to her.

Meanwhile, a boy tries to outrun his relentless pursuers. He witnessed the murder of his mother and the massacre of a family whose house he had sneaked into to get some money and change of clothes. The family's dog goes with him and together they had an adventure that made their bond as brother and sister even stronger. He takes the identity of Curtis Hammond and at first it was not obvious that he was a shapechanging alien until he encountered Gabby. In Chapter 32, the first hints of his uneathly qualities came when he was described as a boy 'who never slept in his life'.

Koontz did not focus on the two competing alien races but instead on the pursuit of the characters for hope and safety. He also discussed the issue of utilitarian bioethics. It has the elements common to most of Koontz's books: great imagery, characters with traumatic pasts, dogs, and a megalomaniac for a protagonist.

The convergence near the end of the book eventually explained Curtis's purpose on earth and the Gift that he was supposed to each the residents of this planet. What that Gift is has surprised me and I love it for its simplicity and its involvement of dogs. I'm glad he did not choose any superficial technique as the Gift.

Breathless by Dean Koontz

2011-08-05T23:42:00.000+08:00

"Within every chaos, is an eerie order waiting to be revealed. " ~ Lamar Woolsey, chapter 44

This tale of hope amidst the challenge of the unknown and the threats of humanity's capability for cruelty and destruction can be considered as one of Dean Koontz's masterpieces. The plot is no different from most of Koontz's books involving science fiction and suspense and yet he still doesn't fail to surprise me.

The book is divided into three parts. The first is called Life and Death in which he introduces the main characters of the story: Grady Adams, Merlin the dog, Camillia Rivers, Lamar Woolsey, Tom Bigger and Henry Rouvroy. How these characters will affect each other was not clear until the final few chapters of the book. Henry was more like a distraction from the main story although it seemed like he will have a huge impact on the lives of the other characters. Tom Bigger also did not have anything to do with the characters I mentioned but his experience, which wasn't revealed until later, provided some light into the strange events that's been going on in the world. Liddon Wallace is one of those characters with megalomania (characters that are common to most of Koontz's books) and provided the model for the negative side of humanity. Yet he was somehow redeemed when a strange event took place. His last appearance in the book showed him as still the same proud guy but the experience kept bothering him and forced him to reflect about his life.

Koontz's unmatched talent for imagery was showcased in this book. When he introduced the two strange creatures and described them bit by bit as Grady and Merlin were getting to know them, it was easy to picture out what they look like.

Chapter forty-two described what could be the possible origins of Puzzle and Riddle, and also marked the start of the complications that will affect Grady, Merlin and Cammy. Lamar later plays a big role in explaining another possible theory.

Part two is entitled Death in Life. Here the story peaks. Lamar finally met the duo and things started to become more complicated as the government has now taken over the situation. The reader also gets to experience the events through Puzzle's and Riddle's point of view for the first time in chapter sixty-one. Lamar also spoke of the possibility that the duo were new species, not the products of science. Here Koontz shows he has done research about the subjects he discussed.

Part three is called Life in Death. It is aptly named because the message of this book is about hope. Despite people like Henry and Liddon, there's still hope for humanity. We think that because we are able to explain a lot of things because of science, we already know everything. But even those theories that withstood time can't explain certain things in life. They should not be the basis for how we must live and treat each other and all the creatures we share this world with.

This book gets a 10 out of 10 rating.

Fiddler

2011-08-02T22:57:00.000+08:00

Below is the link to my deviantArt. It's a drawing of Fiddler, a character from the Malazan series.

http://fav.me/d42glms

The Crippled God

2011-07-30T17:09:00.000+08:00

The Malazan series ends with unexpected twists, surprising revelations and heartbreaking deaths. The Crippled God picks up from where the stories in Dust of Dreams left off.

It has two main stories: one, the mission to free the Crippled God, and the fight to save Kharkanas. It also included points-of-view from the Forkrul Assail, Tiste Liosan, Korabas, and Kaminsod - the Crippled God.

The Bonehunters continue their march through the Glass Desert and eventually met the Snake, which until after the meeting was a mysterious player in the overall story.

Meanwhile, the Shake fight on for Kharkanas. Their determination humbled the Tiste Andii, who have at last come home. Although at first it seems that this has no connection to the Crippled God, it was later revealed that there was some of of alliance between the K'Chain Nah'ruk, Liosan and Assail.

Paran and the rest of Paran's Host also appear in this book. Recall that in Toll the Hounds Picker tried to contact Ganoes but he was too busy to engage in a long conversation.

Mappo continued his search fo Icarium and Tool's role, and the significance of the events in the previous book, wasn't clear at first.

The physical description of the Forkrul Assail is much detailed here than in previous books. Kalyth also narrated the events that occurred during the occupation of the Forkrul Assail of Kolanse.

Although in the previous book it was mentioned that several gods would be involved and possibly fight over something, only the usual participants appeared in the book. There was a scene however where gods and goddesses were gathered at the Fall of Coltaine where they seem trapped or were unable to take any action. I don't know what to make of that. Draconus' grand entrance was also overrated but I'm glad he didn't interfere with the later events.

Some casualties might shock the readers but it was foreshadowed that Stormy, Gessler, Gruntle, Yedan Derryg and Mappo would all die. As for Tool's happy ending, it still didn't make sense why he didn't take any actions when he was still leading the Barghast. He could have left earlier or prepared his family better. I still think it was selfish and irresponsible and that he doesn't deserve a second chance with Hetan.

There was one scene involving Quick Ben that intrigued me. He was talking to someone he called Mother and Father and I can't make sense of it. It somehow implies that he has some connections with Mother Dark and someone he called Father. But Quick Ben is one mystery that I don't want to be solved.

I also wondered how the release of Korabas will affect the other events. I was pleasantly surprised that it had a connection to the Crippled God after all. Not all books nowadays are hard to predict.

I love how Erikson wrapped up the main series by ending with the reunion of Apsalar and Crokus, and Fiddler talking to a boy when he was fishing, which mirrors the events in the first book.

There was only one character in this book that truly broke my heart and that was Kaminsod. I wish he was given more time to narrate the events in his point-of-view. There was no mention of him later too. It seemed that everyone was so quick to forget that he existed.

The book also discussed the many aspects of human nature. Humans are by nature destructive and that is why the Assail wanted to rid the world of this vermin to impose order. The Perish have their own version of imposing balance and that's letting the Wild flourish. Unlike humans, beasts don't try to destroy everything they see. But for Kilava, humans and the wild are the same and that reconciliation is possible.

Throughout most of the journey of the Bonehunters, those surrounding Tavore spent most of their time speculating about her real motivations and the source of her determination to fight a hopeless battle. During the conversations, several interesting insights can be gleaned and these in turn can best describe the overall theme of the book. The theme can summarized in three words: faith, compassion and despair. Tavore has faith in their mission because to not believe is to invite despair and contemplation that everything they have done so far is meaningless. Compassion too is what has driven her to free the heart of the Crippled God. Although in the previous books it seemed that Kaminsod was only driven by need for vengeance, he was not evil. Gods and people have been feeding on his suffering. He therefore has no choice but to despair and it's not surprising that he's been plotting for revenge. What Tavore sought to do was to balance the scales by freeing someone who did not deserve to suffer. Korabas too was a victim. She did not choose to be that way but instead of giving in to despair, knowing that she was not wanted, she still chose to live.

It was touching to know that part of the reason why Tavore has done all those things is because she felt responsible for her sister.

This is a great conclusion to the series although the part about Kaminsod was a bit lacking.

***
Here is the list of the 10 books in order:
1. Gardens of the Moon
2. Deadhouse Gates
3. Memories of Ice
4. House of Chains
5. Midnight Tides
6. The Bonehunters
7. Reaper's Gale
8. Toll the Hounds
9. Dust of Dreams
10. The Crippled God

More Reviews to Come

2011-07-19T15:27:00.000+08:00

So far I've done a few reviews of some anime, books and video games. I'll be writing more reviews of my favorite anime series in the next few weeks as well as the novellas from the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I'll be rereading some of Dean Koontz's works too. Most of what I've reviewed so far I have watched/read/played in the past 3-4 years. I'll be including some series that I've recently finished too.

Things to do:
1. A four-part review of Prince of Tennis.
2. Top Ten lists of anything from the Malazan series.
3. Reviews of my favorite books by Dean Koontz.
4. Summary of some mythology and folklore books I'm going to read.

Junjou Romantica Season 2

2011-07-15T23:41:00.000+08:00

The second season of Junjou Romantica is even better than the first. Misaki and Usami's relationship has leveled up. However, Misaki still questions his feelings for Usami, and what's more, the couple has to face more problems: the involvement of Usami's family.

Misaki met Usami's brother for the first time and trouble ensues. It seems that Haruhiko wants to steal Misaki, but Usagi took up the challenge and even kissed Misaki in front of Haruhiko.

Meanwhile, Hiroki and Nowaki still argue over the same issues as in the first season. But the couple here is more determined to keep their relationship stronger. They are more open about their feelings and they're doing their best to discuss problems openly instead of avoiding confrontations.

Miyagi also got the chance to finally tell Shinobu about his past - the woman, his teacher, whom he loved before. He apologized when he realized that Shinobu was insecure about it.

In the latter part of the series, Misaki also meets Usami's father. The father later told him that their relationship has ruined the family. For Misaki, it finally began to sink in that the kind of relationship he's in can potentially hurt the ones around them. I think this was all that was needed to let Misaki reflect on his feelings for Usami and give him a time to decide what he should do. This test also proved that he feels the same way for Usami.

I enjoyed this 12-part series. The storyline got even better and it was hard not to keep watching 'til the last episode. I'm giving this sequel a 10 out of 10 rating.

Dust of Dreams

2011-07-11T23:25:00.000+08:00

In Dust of the Dreams, the story of the Bonehunters continue. Tavore and her army march across the Wastelands to Kolanse after staying in King Tehol's Letheras. Their allies, the Perish and the Khundryl, will join them along the way.

At first it was not clear what Tavore's intentions were but after the reading, done by Fiddler at the beginning of the book, they found out that they were marching to the lands occupied by the Forkrul Assail.

For the first time too, the readers will be given a chance to experience the events through the K'Chain Che'malle's point-of-view.

When the Errant heard about the unleashing the Deck of Dragons, he decided that the Elder gods should take action. The Errant, threatened by the upstart gods and the Master of the Deck, wanted to take everything he has lost. And so he gathered the Elders and discussed his plans.

Somewhere within the same continent, the Barghast were having problems of their own. Beset by internal strife, some clans have decided to separate from the larger group. They still haven't found the enemy they were destined to fight and it seemed that their dissatisfaction for Warchief Onos Toolan's lack of action has reached an end.

At the same time, a horde of children, survivors of a war, travel across a barren land beset by diseases and pursued by unknown forces. Their destination is unknown as well as their purpose.

Meanwhile, an odd company of strangers trailed by a ghost travel together and explore a strange 'city'.

Like the previous book, Dust of Dreams contains a lot of character introspection but to a lesser degree than Toll the Hounds. The overall mood too is dark, forewarning the reader that dark events are about to come.

Several themes have been explored in this book. Some of the characters who experienced similar situations showed different ways of coping with the problems. One such example is the difference between Torrent and Kalyth, who are both the last survivors of their tribes. Although plagued by regrets, they each tried to cope differently. Torrent was adopted into the Barghast and Kalyth by the K'Chain Che'malle. Kalyth was more determined to keep her memories alive by accepting her new role, but Torrent was content to see the Awl'dan children being integrated into the Barghast tribe.

Memories either served to strengthen the characters in this book or weaken their resolve. Memories too caused long-time friends Fiddler and Hedge to go separate ways. The Errant, remembering all his days of glory, sought to gain what he had. But for Sechul Lath, the past is past and it should just stay that way.

The memories within the Refugium was what its denizens also wanted to preserve. Now that it's dying, Silchas and Rud set out together to find a way to save everything - the Imass residing in that place, the culture and the glory of the past.

The legacy of the past was what kept Yan Tovis going on. Relying on the words of a blind man, she led the Shake to the Shore.

Some of the characters, recalling some events tried to weigh the past by looking at what-if scenarios. Some of them just dwelt on regrets. There are also plenty of passages in the book that tried to summarize the events that took place in the previous books. Cuttle told the story of the Bridgeburners and Olar Ethil revealed a lot of information as well. Yan Tovis and Yedan Derryg also pieced together information about their people's past.

For Cuttle however, history is "...just what's survived. But they're not the whole story...". An army, no matter how successful and no matter how many battles a commander has won, individual stories can't be found in the pages of history or in songs sung to heroes. I guess what Cuttle wanted to tell the young soldiers listening to him is that glory alone is not worth fighting for. He said that the Bridgeburners despite all their success, had to pay a price in the end.

Tanakalian will probably disagree with that statement because for him even when the exploits of an army is unwitnessed, the undertaking of an impossible mission is a glorious act in itself. He was referring to Tavore's plan to march to Kolanse where there is a possibility that they will be opposed by everyone and even isolated.

I also commend Erikson about his insights on women. There was a scene where Bakal asked Estaral why women were so willing to see another woman get hobbled. Kisswhere also commented on her fellow women and how they relate to each other. Not all men are familiar with how women build and destroy their relationships with other women.

Erikson brought up the idea of binary opposition as well. According to a K'Chain Che'Malle, tension is needed and that one god alone cannot exist for long. One force cannot exist without the other.

This book is full of revelations. It's important to read the previous books and to remember some of the past events that are mentioned here.

The battle scenes were okay but I admit I really can't see them play out in my head (but I'm not gonna dwell on those details).

What happened to Hetan greatly disturbed me. I'm not saying that it shouldn't have happened to her but it just seemed so out of character for Tool to act and think like the way he did in this book. I understand that he was having difficulties in dealing with the problems among the Barghast but he looked really weak. Although this isn't as good as Deadhouse Gates or Memories of Ice, the last two battles were unforgettable. After reading this, you will definitely want to start reading The Crippled God right away.

Basilisk: Kouga Ninpou Chou

2011-07-10T00:36:00.000+08:00

What could be more tragic than lovers torn apart by betrayal, sense of duty and families willing to fight each other to the death.

Kouga Danjo and Ogen's granchildren suffer the same fate that befell them years ago. It seems like the stars decreed that they were not meant to be together; that peace between the Tsubagakure of the Iga and the Manjidani of Kouga, two ninja clans, will never be realized.

The story is set at the time when the heir of Tokugawa Ieyasu was being decided. To end the conflict, Ieyasu sought the counsel of a priest, who told him that the ninjas might be useful to decide who the rightful heir is. The ninjas were also seen as a threat and that letting them kill each other will benefit the government.

Gennosuke and Oboro

Little did they know that the two clans were about to reconcile through the marriage of Gennosuke and Oboro. Danjo and Ogen both knew this but did not mention it when they were summoned to Sunpu in what they thought was just a showdown of ninja arts. They both died and the war was carried on by the eighteen ninjas listed in the scroll.

The Iga found out about the contents of the scroll first and sought to lure Gennosuke to their camp so they can trap and kill him. The Kouga became suspicious and after sending a few people to Iga they soon discovered that the cease fire between the two clans has been broken. Gennosuke shows his ability for the first time. They then made their way back to their home.

From that day on, Gennosuke and Oboro were separated. Both felt that the war between the two clans was unjust. Oboro decided to seal her eyes so she would not accidentally harm her friends or participate in the fight. Gennosuke did the same.

This 24-episode series showcased the skills of the Kouga and the Iga ninjas, and tested the resolve of Gennosuke and Oboro who are trapped in the middle of the conflict.

Each member, composed of ten from each clan, employed special techniques. The following is the list of the other members of each clan, not including the former leaders and Gennosuke and Oboro:

Kouga

1. Kagerou, who's been fed poison throughout her life and uses her beauty and charms to kill enemies.
2. Kisaragi Saemon who can imitate another person's identity and even the facial features. His technique allowed him to infiltrate the Iga.
3. Muroga Hyouma, Gennosuke's mentor and friend. He is blind but he taught Gennosuke to see more as a precursor to teaching him a deadly technique.
4. Kasumi Gyoubu who can merge into any solid surface.
5. Okoi, Saemon's little sister who has the ability to absorb the enemy's blood when they come in contact with her skin.
6. Udono Jousuke, a playful and jolly fellow, who has a surprisingly elastic body.
7. Jimushi Jubei, who doesn't have any arms or legs. He hides his weapon somewhere.
8. Kazamachi Shogen, who uses phlegm when he attacks.

Iga

1. Yakushiji Tenzen, the immortal ninja who is more skilled in manipulating people than in actual combat.
2. Akeginu, who's very close to Oboro. She has the ability to use her blood during combat to distract enemies.
3. Chikuma Koshirou. He possessed the ability to creat whirlwinds with his breath and is also skilled with the boomerang.
4. Amayo Jingoro, has an unusual technique of being able to change his appearance into a liquid form. He has to have a water source nearby however or he could die.
5. Hotarubi, a demented girl who uses butterflies to overwhelm her opponents. She also has a pet viper.
6. Mino Nenki, who uses his hair during combat.
7. Asuki Rousai, an old man who has the ability to stretch his powerful limbs.
8. Yashamaru. He uses a black rope made of women's hair and treated with a secret oil.

***

Someone once told me that the plot was silly because the ninjas were just trying to kill each other. However this has a basis in history. But that was not the focal point of the series. Like I mentioned earlier, the government saw the ninja clans as possible threats in the future. They were no longer needed and yet they were still practicing their deadly arts. Unlike the samurai, they were expendable.

The story tried to look more closely at the relationship between the two clans. Gennosuke and Oboro's love was tested. The frustration was there. What choice do they have? They can't defy orders and besides, both clans were willing to annihilate the other. Only the lovers wanted peace without having to spill any blood.

The series will make you feel helpless. Oboro too is not such a strong character and sometimes it makes you want to thump her head. She'd make up for it in the last episode though. I like what she did although it was a sad conclusion to the story.

The fight scenes are okay but I will not recommend this to anyone who does not like gore and blood.

Personally, I think Tenzen is a disgusting type of character, which made him even more effective and a formidable opponent. Seeing him die was all the more satisfying (and guess who did it?).

I like the animation and the opening and ending themes were both okay. I'm giving this series an 8 out of 10 rating.

Gravitation

2011-07-04T00:08:00.000+08:00

Shuichi Shindo, an upcoming music star, is tested when he met a critic who told him he has zero talent when the paper containing his lyrics of a song was picked up by a stranger. Shuichi's pride was hurt and ever since that meeting he was determined to prove to that man that he can write.

Within the first episode, Shuichi was able to determine where the stranger, named Yuki Eiri, lives. It turned out that Yuki was a popular romance novelist. Irritated that Yuki teased him, he follows him around the house and insisted on a challenge. Shuichi was further disturbed when Yuki said he must be in love with him because he follows the latter around. They get on the elevator and still arguing, Yuki kissed Shuichi.

This 13-episode series tells the struggles of falling in love and trying to nurture a blossoming music career. Shuichi was not alone on his struggles to understand love and deal with the heartaches. He got plenty of support from his bandmates and co-workers, as well as from the band that inspired him to pursue that kind of work.

As colorful as Shuichi is, Yuki is the opposite. He can be too cold sometimes and he does not show his feelings openly. I sometimes feel sorry for Shuichi because Yuki ignores him sometimes. It also made me wonder if the latter feels the same way for the kid.

Yuki also had a dark past that he needed to forget. In the last few episodes Shuichi's determination to keep Yuki was tested again. It seemed they were not meant to be together after all, but Shuichi, and with help from the others, did not give up.

In the 2-episode OVA, Shuichi was the usual emotional and clingy lover. For some reason Yuki has been ignoring him and this bothered him deeply. He even had a dream about him and Yuki on the bed together (the first time this kind of scene was shown in the series). To add to his heartache, he learned that Yuki was writing a song for Nittle Grasper, something that Yuki has not done for him. Why can't Yuki write a song for him instead? Jealous and angry, he sinks deeper in desperation. It turned out later that Yuki was saving a sweet surprise for Shuichi.

Shuichi gets distracted and would always bring his love problems to work. I admit there were times he gets really annoying because he's too dependent on Yuki's affection. He's very unprofessional too but at least he finds a way to cheer up and still perform when consoled by friends. He can be a bit childish sometimes, like when a new member arrived, and needed some convincing to change his mind or make him happier. One good thing about him is that he truly loves Yuki in every sense of the word. He was determined to fight to keep and cherish his feelings even to the point of sacrificing his work ethic.

I recommend this series to anyone who wants more focus on the romance and the struggles of being in a relationship. Iam not a fan of Shuichi's singing or the music in this series in general but other people might find it to their liking. The series also has some funny moments.

I'm giving this series and the 2-part OVA both a 7 out of 10 rating.

Silchas, Anomander and Andarist

2011-07-03T00:18:00.000+08:00

My latest drawing. I also posted this at deviantArt.

http://fav.me/d3kr2ei

Materials I used: graphite and color pencils. Scanned.

From left: Silchas Ruin, Anomander Rake and Andarist. Characters from the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

Don't Look Behind you by Lois Duncan

2011-06-27T23:25:00.000+08:00

This is a flashback of the events that changed April Corrigan's life forever. Everything in her life seemed ordinary until one day her father's friend told her and the rest of the family that they have to leave everything behind because someone was hunting for them. April finds out that her father father worked for the FBI. Now he's involved in a trial that endangered his life and so they have to hide and start over with different names.

You would not find a lot of action in this book but most of it involves April's insights and feelings about their situation. Sometimes she could be irritating, but as the story develops, she starts to mature. Slowly she began to accept that things have changed and that not all stories have a happy ending. I like how she was portrayed as a normal teenager - stubborn and emotional. The book could make you feel how desperate and helpless the characters are. There are no easy solutions and miracles that will solve their problems in an instant. I'm glad that the author didn't force a happy ending.

This is very well-written. Duncan could describe the scenes very well. This is great for anyone who likes a short suspense novel.

Bejeweled 2

2011-06-26T13:47:00.000+08:00

Bejeweled 2 is a puzzle game in which the objective is to swap one gem with another near it to form a chain with three or more of the same gem. The chain created then disappears and more gems fall into place.

There are four modes available. One is Classic where the objective is to never run out of possible chains. If there are no more moves available, the game is over.

Action mode is the timed version of the Classic. The player has to keep creating chains so that the score bar becomes full or does not go down.

In Puzzle mode, the player has to solve several puzzles to move on to the next level. Different problems will be presented and some of them will include special gems like the Rocks and Bombs. The Bombs have a timer and the player has to make sure they explode at the right moment, while the Rocks have to be near a Power gem or a Bomb to explode.

Endless does not have a timer and will not run out of moves.

There are also secret modes than can be unlocked when you play the other four mentioned above. Twilight is like the Classic mode but the gems fall either from the bottom or the top. Hyper mode is a faster version of the Action mode. When the player completes the Puzzle mode, Cognito is unlocked. It's also similar to the Puzzle mode. Finity mode is like Endless but it will include Bombs and Rocks. The score will also come from the explosions or Hyper Cube reactions and the player has to watch out for the timer. It's only infinite in the sense that the player will not run out of moves.

There is also another secret mode that can be unlocked by hovering the pointer on Classic, Action, Endless and Puzzle (in that order) eight times.

This is a fun and relaxing game. I recommend this to anyone who likes puzzles in general. The Puzzle mode might seem easy because there is no limit to the number of times you can use 'hint'. But there is a sort of limit that is applied in Cognito, so it's still a challenging game. Action and Hyper modes are also very challenging and I admit I panic whenever I get to the higher levels.

The trophies are easy to get except for the last one called Dimensional Rift. Overall, this is a good test on how fast your eyes can spot a combo.

I give this a 10 out of 10 rating.

Toll the Hounds

2011-06-22T23:03:00.000+08:00

Steven Erikson's masterpiece series continues with Toll the Hounds. Characters from the first and third book reappear in this eighth installment, which tells stories of inner struggles, triumphs and sacrifices.

There are two main stories in this book. One is centered in Darujhistan and the other in Black Coral. Although this can be read as a stand-alone novel, some of the events leading to the convergence might be a bit confusing for anyone who has not read the previous books in this series. It's heavy on character introspection and most of the action can be found in the later chapters. Overall, the mood is dark and most of the characters contemplate about past failures. However, they are all talking about many variations of one theme - freedom.

For some characters, freedom means privileges. These people believe they should have the things they want simply because they deserve it. For them it's freedom. They try to take advantage of every opportunity given to them and would try to rise up from everybody else because they know they're smarter and more capable. By taking advantage of things, they could free themselves from the ignorance and poverty that surround them. This is the kind of freedom the bullies and Gorlas Vidikas enjoys.

The others are longing to have the liberty to make decisions and actions without the influence of other people. Challice is the best example of this. But even when she somehow achieved that in the end, it was a freedom that was tainted.

For most of the characters, freedom means exemption or release from obligations, burdens and ties. Seerdomin's resolve to not use murder again to serve justice is one. An extreme example is the death that the Dying God offers.

In that sense, redemption can also be called freedom. In this book, a young god emerges. He is called the Redeemer because he's willing to take the sufferings of other people. But the name Redeemer doesn't seem to fit him according to Salind. She said so because he just takes the burden off other people and he's the one who has to pay as well. But that does not make the people become more responsible for their actions. There is no retribution on redemption. He releases them but does not change them in any significant way. Anomander Rake can also be considered the redeemer of his Tiste Andii. I'll just let the book provide all the details for that.

The reader might also notice the constant shifts in the POV. Some of the passages are told through Kruppes point-of-view.

Although the book seemed kinda dragging, it's worth reading 'til the last page because of the awesome finish. The arrival of Hood and Anomander Rake in Darujhistan and the events that would follow is something that you wouldn't forget (I won't provide spoilers this time). Some characters who are only mentioned in the other books will appear too.

I admit one death in particular saddened me but it was already foreshadowed in the first few chapters. It has also resolved some of the complications that were presented in the series.

It's still a great read. It was getting boring towards the middle but at least the last three chapters were worth it.

Heroic Age

2011-06-19T12:48:00.000+08:00

This series is inspired by elements and characters from Greek mythology. Age in particular has similarities to Hercules because of the Twelve Labors assigned to him by the Golden tribe and his seemingly herculean abilities. The names of the characters like Deianira and Iolaus, as well as the spaceship Argonaut, have connections with Hercules too.

At the start of the series, it is explained that the universe was ruled by the Golden tribe. Before they left the galaxy, they passed on their knowledge to the younger tribes. The following tribes answered their call: Silver, Bronze, Heroic, and later on the Iron tribe or the humans.

The Silver tribe saw humans as a threat and so they decided to annihilate them. The humans were forced out of earth and are now scattered across the galaxy.

In the later episodes, the origin of the Nodos was explained. The Heroic tribe waged war within themselves. They destroyed each other until only five were left. They were punished by the Golden tribe by letting them serve the other tribes.

In wasn't very clear from the start why the humans needed a savior but it was explained later on in the next few episodes as it became apparent that they were fighting against the Silver tribe.

They eventually found this savior, a Nodos, in a ruined planet called Oron. The innocent and child-like Age was raised by the Golden tribe and was already told of his labors. He meets the talented princess Deianira (spelled as Dhianeila in romaji). She uses her psychic and telepathic abilities to aid her crew in their journey.

The people were skeptical of Age at first but when they saw how he and Bellcross (Age's Nodos) were like in battle, they started to trust him.

Throughout their journey, they were repeatedly attacked and pursued by the Silver tribe. The Bronze tribe was also utilized during the battles. Age manages to defeat the enemies even when he had to face another Nodos.

Bellcross

Age first encountered Karukinos (and his Nodos Lernaea) which resulted in the latter's defeat. The Nodos also had contracts to fulfill. It wasn't explained in the first half of the episodes what these were and what the tasks were for. The other Nodos are the following: Mehitaka (Nodos is Arutemia), Lekti (Nodos is Erymanthos) and Yuti (Nodos is Cerberus). Each one has a special ability unique from the others. They will later find out what their 'true powers' are in the final episodes.

The other characters will also influence some of the events that will take place during the battles. Deianira's brothers made some decisions that caused the death of a planet and will further strengthen the resolve of the Silver tribe to destroy the humans. The nature of the Silver tribe will be revealed bit by bit. The viewer has to take note of the exchanges between Purome and Lekti while they try to make sense of the labors. It will be revealed later what labors were assigned to each of the four Nodos opposing Age and Bellcross.

The humans decided to officially fight against the Silver tribe. They managed to take the Bronze tribe's home. Later on, Deianira decides to talk with the Silver tribe, hoping that some sort of compromise will be reached. Purome was impressed with her talents and the extent of her knowledge. She decided to share her memories of the Golden tribe's home planet in hopes that the princess will use these to find the Elysium and gain the knowledge of the Golden tribe. The battles between the two tribes temporarily stopped.

Viewers will also witness more battles among the Nodos. In the last two episodes, Cerberus' mental chaos peaks and so the other four had to stop her. It was at this point that Lekti realized what role each one of them has to take. This discovery opened a path that will take them to where the Golden tribe has gone.

The ending shows Deianira and Age reunited once again.

This 26-episode series won't disappoint if you're looking for fight scenes with less talk and more action. They don't have the usual chants and lengthy transformations scenes like most series with characters that needed to change costumes before a battle. The Nodos don't have lengthy and boring conversations as well when they're fighting. Those two points has already made this anime more than mediocre to me.

Admittedly though, Age and Deianira are almost god-like. They're almost flawless and everyone seems to end up liking them. Maybe if they had some sort of weakness, it would have made the series more interesting. But then Deianira's near-perfect personality was balanced by the appearance of her brothers and her reluctance to take action in the middle of the series.

I like the Greek elements in this series, although besides Age, they don't resemble the original myths at all except the names. I liked the ending because it showed that Age's power has limits after all. Like Hercules, the ending was a bit tragic but it showed his dedication and determination to fulfill what was needed to be done.

I kinda felt sorry for the Bronze tribe too because it seemed like they were being used.

The story and the characters didn't touch me but I'm still giving this a 9 out of 10 rating for the following reasons:
1. The story was built up nicely. The tensions between the tribes and the mystery surrounding the labors given to the Nodos led up to an exciting conclusion.

2. The fight scenes, although not the best I've seen so far, are better than most series. I've already mentioned earlier that they're not too big on names. Also, they didn't dwell too much on the technical stuff and didn't try to explain everything in the end. They still left a few more mysteries even when the series was over.

The Lost Bladesman

2011-06-18T01:16:00.000+08:00

The tale is inspired by the Three Kingdoms period, specifically taken from the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The story, told from Cao Cao's point-of-view, are the events that took place during Guan Yu's stay with Wei and his crossing of the five gates on his way to rejoining Liu Bei.

The first scene shows the preparations for Guan Yu's burial. The rest of the movie is a flashback of the events. Cao Cao is shown here on a more positive light. His conversations with Guan Yu showed his understanding of the concept of freedom, prosperity and peace. Guan Yu always opposed his ideas and sought to challenge every concept that Cao Cao puts forth. Cao Cao however is intent on bringing him to his side and would try to appease the famous warrior with gifts.

Guan Yu has a love interest in this movie. He met Qilan in the distant past and fell in love with her. It was also shown that he killed several men who attempted to do her wrong. Qilan, now Liu Bei's concubine, and the rest of her family were under Cao Cao's protection.

When Cao Cao learned about Guan Yu's feelings for the lady, he instructed Xu Zhu to place an aphrodisiac in Guan Yu's food in hopes that the latter would defile his brother's concubine. The plan failed and soon thereafter, Guan Yu decided to leave.

Cao Cao instructed his officers to let Guan Yu walk away. But they felt that it was an unwise decision and so they sent instructions to stop Guan Yu. The resistant forces all claimed the order came from the Emperor.

Cao Cao decided to intervene and and clear things up. He even managed to convince Guan Yu to kill Yuan Shao for him. But the plans didn't come to fruition when Guan Yu and Qilan were attacked by assassins. He was on his way to sending Qilan home but the lady confessed her love for him. Guan Yu refused because he didn't want to betray his brother. Qilan stabbed him.

After confronting the assassins, he had a chance to talk to Cao Cao again. He decided not to stay and told Cao Cao that he won't succeed in bringing peace to the country.

The final scene shows again Guan Yu's funeral. It was not shown how Guan Yu was killed but if the viewer is already familiar with the story, s/he will understand Cao Cao's claim that it was the others that killed Guan Yu.

The fight scenes in this movie are awesome. Guan Yu however seemed almost invincible even when he was facing several men. The only time he got injured was when he didn't dodge the poison thrown at him by a friend. Then again, it's fitting for a god. The film also showed Cao Cao's practical side, which most people often misinterpret him as being a scheming and exploiting leader. But it didn not sacrifice his image as an intelligent and revolutionary leader. I liked how the contrast of their ideals was made the focal point of most of the scenes.

Cao Cao

I highly recommend this movie to those who are already familiar with the story of the Three Kingdoms.

***
Cast:
Donnie Yen as Guan Yu
Jiang Wen as Cao Cao
Betty Sun as Qilan
Shao Bing as Zhang Liao

Directed by Alan Mak and Felix Chong

Ancient Egyptian Myths and Legends by Lewis Spence

2011-06-11T19:28:00.000+08:00

The book is divided into nine parts. The introduction by Lewis Spence provides some information on how the cults and religions of ancient Egypt might have started. He briefly discussed animism, fetishism and totemism. He also discussed the different versions of the creation myth and introduced the importance of the pyramids and mummification. It is important to note that Spence has already stressed at this part of the book that the burial is important for the Egyptians. The last part of the introduction differentiated the ka and ba, meaning the spirit and the soul, respectively.

The second and third parts introduces life in ancient Egypt in general and the different concepts the Egyptologists used in classifying information. The third part gives us a glimpse on how the sacred places look like and what encompassed the duties of the priests.

Chapters four and five are the most important parts of the book. Part four is about the cult of Osiris. It retells the journey of Osiris and it also provides us some information on the other gods and goddesses. Spence also gave interpretations and analyses on how the the pantheon has evolved. Apparently, the Egyptians weren't hostile to foreign gods and they usually incorporate them with the local deities. Spence has also provided examples from other myths in comparison to those of Egypt. Chapter five covers all the major deities worshipped throughout Egypt. Some of the myths involving specific gods are retold.

Chapter six contains some of the legends that have survived. There are a few stories that are incomplete but Spence retold them anyway. Meanwhile, part seven provided us the Egyptian idea of magic. Spence distinguished sympathetic magic from 'magic of wonder'. Like all primitive men, and even religions of today, we find similarities in how people deal with their god or gods. There is an interesting part discussing medical magic and alchemy. It is argued that alchemy possibly originated and was heavily influenced by Egyptians. Chapter eight provides information on foreign gods that have had a huge impact on the Egyptians. Although the royal and priestly organizations spend their energy in one religion, the middle and lower classes are free to worship any deity.

Chapter nine is a brief introduction to Egyptian art. Spence did not go on to discuss the different periods and styles but instead emphasized that there has been confusion as to what separates Egyptian art from ordinary artifacts. He said that there are very few pieces that can be considered art but the public generally views everything that comes from Egypt as part of art and architecture of that nation as a whole.

The book was easy to understand. Even Spence's explanations of his and others' theories are clear. However there are some examples he provided that I did not recognize. It did not help too that the glossary does not provide a brief description of the places, names and artifacts that are not Egyptian. The divisions of different sections seems unclear as well and the reader might get a bit confused the first time s/he sees it. Overall, it is still a good introduction to Egyptian mythology because he provided sections for the major deities and dedicated a chapter to Osiris' cult, the most recognizable figure in ancient Egypt.

Death Note

2011-06-11T01:27:00.000+08:00

Human and moral laws both insist that taking human life is wrong. But for victims and their relatives, what could be more satisfying than knowing that justice was served and karma has done its job. Most of the people who are directly affected by a crime, say murder of a loved one, would not think twice that death penalty is the only way to ease the grief.

Imagine if you had the power to punish those people for the victims and their families.

Light Yagami, a brilliant student and the son of a police officer, saw an unusual notebook lying on the ground in the schoolyard. While examining the book, he learns that he could see the shinigami who supposedly owns the Death Note. He also finds out he can use it as a weapon to kill people as long as he can see the faces and know the real names.

He began experimenting with it and it was not long before he thought of using it to cleanse the world of criminals to build a new one where he can be proclaimed god. A world where there is true justice. Ryuk, the shinigami, who thought of the plan of dropping the Death Note into the mortal world was glad he could finally watch something interesting.

As the series went on, more rules in the notebook will be explored. Light's actions caught the attention of the public and soon they nicknamed the mysterious murderer or saviour "Kira". The authorities however condemned him as a criminal that must be sought out and punished. It wasn't soon when a gathering of detectives and other police officials was called. It was here where Light's arch-nemesis was introduced. Like Light, the well-known detective was cloaked in mystery. He was known to everyone as L. After introducing himself and pledging to help them catch Kira, he orchestrated a demonstration to prove that Kira is in Japan and he can kill people without physical contact. Light saw all this on television and took it as a challenge.

The first half of this 37-episode series showcased the battle between Light and L. L soon narrowed down the primary suspects and finally set his eyes on Light. He was intent on proving that Light was Kira. Along the way too, Light meets another person who also possessed a Death Note.

It was exciting to watch the two trying to outwit each other. I was also impressed with the fact that the series did not dwell on the moral issues that it has certainly touched. It focused more on the abilities of Light and L. It showed that the public had divided opinions about Kira. Some of them approved of killing the criminals while the others pointed out that he was no different from murderers.

The first half of the series was fast-paced. I could not force myself to stop watching. Midway through the series, Light outmaneuvered L by tricking another shinigami. At this point in the series, L was almost convinced that Light wasn't the culprit and he even gave the latter a chance to help in the investigation. It was an impressive move and yet it also marked the change of the pace in the series. Without L, who would be able to stop Light?

The rest of the series was a frantic race to prove and disprove that Light really was Kira. Then Mello and Near, L's heirs (or so each one claimed), showed up and took over the investigation. Light was forced to devise methods not to get caught. He still had success but some people who working with him in the investigation were already very suspicious. Light sought out help from other people. However, a mistake from one of Light's followers gave Near an opportunity to finally reveal who Kira is. Light managed to flee but in the end Ryuk wrote down the former's name in the Death Note.

I liked the series a lot. Light himself was a very interesting character. It was also unusual to have that type of character as the protagonist of the series. His rivalry with the equally-brilliant L is definitely worth watching. The second half of the series was disappointing. Both Mello and Near's intellectual prowess were exaggerated in my opinion, although it can be argued they have just picked up from where L left off. It was disappointing how fast Near found out who Kira's followers were by looking at multiple TV screens. It wasn't explained how he did it and it almost seemed like the series just wanted to hurry off and finish Light.

When Misa entered the scene, it provided another perspective to the word 'justice'. Misa's family was a victim and it so happened that one of the criminals that Kira executed was the one who had done her wrong. She claimed it was true justice. I have to admit I agree with her. Although I have seen a lot of viewers claiming that Light's actions morally wrong, from a victims point of view I can understand why Misa saw this as retribution. Kira was a hero. What the justice system cannot serve, a insensitive man was able to deliver. I say Light is insensitive because he did not show any flicker of remorse for any of his actions. He felt he was on the right path. And to kill, you need to be detached. I must admit I like how his mind works no matter how twisted his methods might be. I think even L was not doing the investigation for the purpose of serving justice. He liked it because of the challenge it gave him. Sure in one episode, he claimed that Kira's methods are unforgivable, yet what reasons can you give to your co-investigators but the most accepted one.

It's more fun to watch without all the moral issues it entails, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is sensitive about such things. I liked this series a lot and if it was not for the early death of L, I'd have given it a perfect score. I'm giving this series a 9 out of 10 rating.

3 Idiots

2011-06-10T00:45:00.000+08:00

The movie retells the adventures of three college friends, Rancho, Farhan and Raju, who had to endure the presures of academic life and problems within their families. Rancho's deviant ways always got them in trouble, which started a rivalry with one of their instructors, Professor Viru "Virus" Shahastrabuddhe. It is a tale of friendship, love and learning.

Near the end of the movie, Rancho was challenged by Chatur. He is the complete opposite of the former and is a typical hardworking, studious student. Rancho always topped the exams however and one day one of Rancho's pranks pushed him to the edge. Chatur told him that whoever becomes successful after 5 years win. So what happened to Rancho after graduating? You just have to watch the movie to find out.

The movie shares a valuable lesson. That going to school should be fun. In our race to get high-paying jobs, we forget that going to school also involves learning. People study hard not to learn but to earn good grades so they can get good jobs. Rancho says that success follows if you enjoy learning and not just memorize everything that's written in the textbooks. Memorizing but not understanding anything won't increase your knowledge.

Unfortunately, as noble as it may sound, it's undeniable that for most of us money is more important than knowledge. A lot of people tell me what good will my being intelligent do if I can't back it up with hardwork and obedience. Hardwork meaning, doing everything the teachers tell you, and obedience meaning conforming to the norms of the system. I've seen a lot of classmates (specifically my classmates from high school) over the years who are so diligent in studying. They read and reread textbooks but if you ask them if they understood what they read, most of them can't even give clear examples. Not to mention, the majority of those classmates I know can't even get high scores during exams. Sure, they're good students but they haven't learned anything.

I like the message of this movie and I wish some of my classmates from high school will see this and recognize themselves as the machines that Rancho pointed out.

It's a 3-hour movie but I guarantee you'll enjoy it.

***
Cast:
Aamir Khan
Kareena Kapoor
R. Madhavan
Sharman Joshi
Boman Irani
Omi Vaidya

Directed by: Rajkumar Hirani
Based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat

LittleBIGPlanet: Game of the Year Edition

2011-06-08T00:39:00.000+08:00

When I first saw the cover of this game, I thought it was just another no-brainer, relaxing game with a cute character. I was wrong. The first few levels were really fun but as I progressed through the story mode, some levels got trickier. Now I know why this game got good reviews.

The opening video explains how the world was created - through dreams. But even such creations were threatened by a greedy Curator called 'the Collector'. The Curators, composed of eight, are responsible for creating the different levels.

Sackboy goes through the seven levels before finally meeting the Collector on the eighth. Each has a different theme and difficulty level. Each level also has bonus games which can be unlocked by collecting the keys.

Sackboy also meets different characters who tell him what to do on each level. Most of the levels require Sackboy to jump, grab, run, push/pull, use vehicles and mechanisms, and solve puzzles to get through. The player also has to collect items such as stickers, decorations, and other paraphernalia needed to create a level. These are found in bubbles, some of which are hidden and can be acquired by activating a switch using a sticker. The player also gets to dress up Sackboy and decorate the pod.

Not only does this game have puzzles, but also requires Sackboy to race (on foot or in a vehicle), use explosives, fight bosses, fly using contraptions, climb a fortress, use jetpacks to get to high places, and use the paintinator to beat enemies.

Level-making sounds complicated but the game has provided a comprehensive tutorial. Also, by going through the different levels, players will have an idea on how some contraptions work. The game also provides a lot of materials that can be used. The only thing that is needed is a good imagination.

I really liked most of the songs used in the game. Most of them blend in properly with the specific theme of each level. Even the character voices are cute and funny. The graphics are awesome. You could almost feel the texture just by looking at the materials. Taking note of the properties of each is important in level-making as well as getting through obstacles. Some jumps are tricky and there are levels where items are found in places that are hard to reach.

It is definitely a game that is worth playing over and over again. There is also enough challenge to make experienced gamers happy. The Collector level for example is not to be taken lightly. The Bunker level specifically has a really tricky part that is difficult to perfect. The player has to master the controls, including moving Sackboy from front to back. The reward system also makes playing it again more enjoyable and worthwhile. You get bonus items for collecting everything or without losing lives.

The Game of the Year Edition, which is the one I have, includes 18 LBP community levels and the Metal Gear Solid level. It also has three costume packs.

I have tried looking at the online community and my experience with it wasn't so bad. I like the idea of letting the players create their own levels, even if admittedly some of them are too hard or too easy.

This PlayStation exclusive is very addictive and I could not put it down the first few hours that I played it. It's one of those few games that you'd really enjoy with or without a huge, ambitious story. I'm giving this a 10 out of 10 rating.

Mythology

2011-06-05T00:29:00.000+08:00

Recently I've read Lewis Spence's Ancient Egyptian Myths and Legends. But instead of writing a review about it, I would like to talk about how reading myths became a lifelong obsession.

I never really read a book from cover to cover until I was thirteen. When I tell people that, they're surprised because they thought it has always been one of my passions. Three years before that, I read in my English textbook four short stories about people who are well-known figures in Greek and Norse mythologies. I still remember how fascinated I was when I first saw that section, which is a hard thing to accomplish because my attention was always elsewhere. And I never liked to read. I didn't discover the joys in it yet.

The book was called Language Arts for the Filipino Learners and it was a 2-part book filled with short stories. I loved it. I kept those books for years until I forgot where I placed them. I kept going back to those four stories. Sometimes I'd just stare at the drawings of Adonis, Narcissus, Pandora and Sigmund. I once drew their faces in my notebook. After that I tired searching the book for other stories but didn't find anything. I wanted to read more but I didn't know where to look for such stories. And then I found out that Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess were airing on a local TV station. I didn't watch them religiously but soon I got an idea about what it's like, aware too that everything isn't really accurate. I learned some names and popular stories. But both shows didn't appeal to my taste. Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) seemed too mature for my taste and I was never into warrior-princesses.

The year after that, me and my sisters started watching Young Hercules. We were really excited when it was announced in an advertisement that it will be airing soon. The TV station cut off the series a few months later and I was heartbroken. We really liked it because the characters were much younger and it was dubbed in our native Tagalog.

I never got any opportunity to read more. I never bothered looking for books too and soon forgot about it after a while.

When I got back home here in Davao City in time to start high school, I asked my mother to get me a book about Greek Mythology. At that time, I had already learned the value and gift of reading. I even started writing poetry and essays too. My mother was surprised. When my birthday came, we went to National Bookstore, and there it was - Edith Hamilton's "Mythology". I was so happy I almost cried. My younger sisters were pretty excited too. We devoured the book like it was going to disappear if we stopped reading. I read it again and again and again.

For the next two years, I scoured the school library for more sources. I was mainly interested in Greek. I didn't even bother reading the Roman version. I found a few (it's really hard to look for such books in my country) but every piece of information was a treasure. I gladly shared some of it with my friends. This obsession also inspired me to expand my reading. I started reading books that are partly related to myths and legends. Soon I was reading pre-history, archaeology, anthropology and philosophy. I didn't even study my current lessons anymore but I knew more than my classmates did on those subjects. I even started reading journals and National Geographic Magazines. Soon I started reading books that are not related to myths.

There was a time I could recite names of gods and demigods. My favorite was Homer's Iliad. Although I didn't read the full version, I managed to put together bits and pieces of information from various books.

Then one day, I let a classmate borrow Mythology. A few days later I asked her for it, but she said it wasn't with her. I asked around but they all pointed to the same girl. She insisted she doesn't have it and claimed I was accusing her of being a thief. My friends told me to let it go because the girl could cause me real trouble. I cried for days before going to sleep. I loved that book and it was a gift from my mother. I could easily just buy a new copy but I didn't.

When I got into college, it opened up more opportunities for me to do research. I could always look everything up in the Internet but I'm more comfortable with a book in hand while lying down. I started expanding my horizons. My classmates find it funny I read books that aren't related to my degree, but who cares, I enjoyed it. However, it is still hard to find books like Mythology. I wanted to find a compilation of the important myths and legends of specific cultures. Not just a compilation of everything. The Lewis Spence book is the only other book I found. I can't afford yet to order something brand new online so I scour the used bookshops whenever I get the chance.

I got another copy of Mythology. Although it's not the one given by my mother it still has the same content. My boyfriend gave it to me when he heard about my story. I still consider that book to be one of the best ever written. If Adonis, Pandora, Narcissus and Sigmund did exist, I'd thank them for opening up this opportunity to discover worlds of wonder and magic.

Samurai Champloo

2011-06-01T14:00:00.000+08:00

Fuu, Mugen and Jin met in the most unfortunate circumstances. What with being harassed in a tea shop, getting caught up in a brawl and being arrested and beaten up for killing a government official's son. Mugen and Jin managed to escape with the help of Fuu, but the young energetic woman did so on one condition - that they help her find the samurai who smells like sunflowers.

This 26-episode series featured the adventures of the trio as they searched for Fuu's father, revealed later by Fuu to her companions, in Edo Japan.

Fuu always seems to get into trouble with thugs and other troublemakers. She is always hungry too and in fact joined an eating contest where she almost won. Mugen too attracts a lot of trouble and he's always trying to instigate a fight with anyone who wanted to get in their way. Jin on the other hand was the quiet type and always seems to hold himself with dignity and composure. Both men differ in their style of fighting as well. Jin leaned more to the conventional style while Mugen had more flash and unpredictability. All in all it's a perfect formula for a whacky adventure.

But the series isn't all just laughs. Underneath all the comedy lies the stories of the characters. Jin made a name for himself when he killed his master. Mugen had a rocky past. And Fuu wanted to settle a score with her father.

The series also referred to historical events, places and people. Some of the supporting characters added more color, as well as the inclusion of hip-hop culture from time to time.

The fight scenes didn't disappoint. There were less conversations and more actions. I liked the match between Mugen and the blind musician/assassin Sara.

There were two episodes that didn't seem to make sense to me though (I haven't read the manga so if you did, kindly fill me in). One was episode 11: Gamblers and Gallantry where Jin fell in love with a woman. It seemed out of character for his type. I can't really be sure if it was love or just pity. Episode 22: Cosmic Collision seemed like it wasn't part of the story but it was still funny and weird.

There were hints of romance too between Fuu and her two bodyguards but that area wasn't explored fully. Can't really tell what Fuu felt for each of the guys (though she wrote in her diary that Jin is handsome) and what Jin was about to say in episode 24 after they gathered around the bonfire.

From left: Mugen, Fuu and Jin

I would have loved to see more of their adventures together and the ending was somewhat bitter-sweet for me. Did they meet up again eventually at some point? Who knows. What I do know is that this is definitely one of the best series I watched and it's only right that I write this review after re-watching it for the second time. It has memorable characters, great adventures, hilarious episodes and good, short fight scenes. What more could I ask for? I'm giving Samurai Champloo a 10 out of 10 rating.

Trivia (taken from Wikipedia): Champloo or chanpuru means "to mix" or "to hash".

Mirage of Blaze

2011-05-21T02:39:00.000+08:00

Imagine having to share your body with a historical figure and particiapting in a war that's been going on for 400 hundred years. That's what Takaya Ohgi has to go through the day he found out he's the reincarnation of Kagetora, adopted son of Kenshin Uesugi.

This 13-episode series has a mix of history, supernatural and romance. The spirits of the warlords and samurai of 16th century Japan have been fighting all along as 'possessors'. Kagetora was given the task by his father Kenshin to fight and exorcise the spirits who are siding with the Feudal Underworld. He was reluctant to acknowledge these revelations at first and in fact could not remember anything from his previous reincarnations. This locking away of memories would later prove to be vital in understanding his relationship with Yoshiaki Tachibana, Nobutsuna Naoe's reincarnation, the man who swore to protect him and who revealed Takaya's identity.

Takaya's power is tested during a battle with his bestfriend Yuzuru Narita, who is possessed by Shingen Takeda. Soon thereafter he began to improve his abilities and slowly recovered parts of his lost memories. He also remembered that Naoe was in love with him and the terrible act that made him want to forget the past.

Later in the series, the other forces which made up the 4 major powers during the Warring states also started moving. The lesser force Oda was also mentioned. Soon they had to confront the Hojo and Fuma clans who had been trying to increase their power.

I would not recommend this to anyone who is not familiar with the events and people that comprised the age of Warring states, particularly the time between the Ashikaga and Tokugawa period. There were places, events, artifacts and people mentioned that will easily confuse the viewer. The characters will not explain everything. One must also pay close attention to the conversations or else they'd get lost in the story. Names will be mentioned and so it's important to know beforehand the roles those people played during the wars.

It also has yaoi hints so it isn't for everyone who is not into this kind of anime. I did not actually expect it from this series but that little surprise surely made me happy.

I liked the parts where they dealt with the supernatural - and there's plenty of such scenes. Instead of sword fights as expected of the former samurai, possessors fight using magic. They use it to exorcise and block attacks. It was also fun to see a different twist in these historical characters.

The animation is good although some of the characters almost look the same to me. I wasn't very fond of the opening theme though.

It's a pretty decent series. I wish Naoe and Kagetora had more moments together but I guess I'll just leave it to my imagination. I'm giving it a 7 out of 10 rating.

Note: This series also has a 3-part OVA.

From the Corner of His Eye

2011-05-20T01:44:00.000+08:00

Every good deed no matter how small resonates and affects the lives of people we don't know and the next generation to come. Not the exact words of Dean Koontz but that pretty much sums up what he was trying to say in From the Corner of His Eye. This is one of his books that shows the contrast between good and evil. Just black and white, no grays. This has been the trend of his most recent works and I was not surprised that Agnes Lampion and Enoch Cain, Jr. were so different from each other. They represent the two extreme sides of humanity. The former is considered a hero loved by everyone, the latter is human dirt, despised by all those who see him.

Enoch Cain, Jr. or Enoch is perhaps the craziest Koontz villain I have read. Not only is he a megalomaniac, he lacks remorse, has a really bad temper and is also prone to superstition. It was not explained how he became like that, although there were hints that he had been abused by his mother as a child. Unlike Koontz's older books, I guess he did not need to justify Junior's madness. His death, if it can even be considered as death, was too quick and unexpected but looking back I think it was the best way for him to go. His crime aftermaths are so funny and unique. I haven't seen characters from his other books react that much.

In contrast to Junior, the other characters look like saints. Although I don't have issues with such type of characters, Agnes Lampion seems way too over the top. Like Junior, she was abused but she did not turn out so bad. Instead of becoming like her father or making herself a victim to someone else, her experiences did not leave emotional scars on her. Her brothers however were traumatized. But they coped better than Junior too.

Other than that it is a typical Koontz book: in-depth character development, vivid descriptions, unusual weather occurences during important events, and a formidable villain.

Some of the most memorable things I've read are his descriptions. It's one of the things that makes Koontz really special because not a lot of writers could write like he does.

While most writers settle for a few simple words to describe a character, this passage shows Koontz's power to take one metaphor even further:

"Ned - call me Neddy - Gnathic was as slim as a flute, with a flute-quantity of holes in his head from which thought could escape before the pressure of it built into an unpleasant music within his skull. His voice was always soft and harmonius, but frequently he spoke allegro, sometimes even prestissimo, and in spite of his mellow tone, Neddy at maximum tempo was as irritating to the ear as the bagpipes bleating out Bolero, if such a thing were possible."

Other writers would simply just settle with the flute. Here's another one describing a character's teeth:

"White as a Viking winter, these magnificent choppers, and as straight as the kernel rows in the corn on Odin's high table. Superb occlusal surfaces. Exquisite incisor ledges. Bicuspids of textbook formation nestled in perfect alignment between molars and canines."

I liked how Koontz was able to integrate religion and science in the last part of the book. What the others would have taken pages to discuss, he was able to explain in a few paragraphs. He was also able to include the theme that people are interconnected through some ways we cannot see. In this case, the characters were united because they were inspired by one person's words and because they have to wield the same words against a foe.

The last part of the book took a bit too long because the special abilities of Thomas, Bartholomew and Angel are only slightly connected with Junior's story.

This isn't one of my favorites from Koontz but I still enjoyed it.

Special A

2011-05-16T01:18:00.000+08:00

Stories of two people who used to fight, become friends and end up falling in love with each other is cliche. But the formula never fails to work among the hopelessly romantic viewers. Special A tells a story of childhood friends and rivals, Hikari Hanazono and Kei Takishima. They met through their fathers who were also friends and pro-wrestling fans.

As kids they've always competed with each other at wrestling. Hikari had always wanted to beat Kei ever since she was defeated in a match. She began competing with him in everything from school to athletic activities. She would always take it as a challenge as long as Kei is involved in something.

Hakusenkan has a different class for the top 7 students of their school, apart from the A to F sections. This class is called Special A. The members of this class include Kei (1st) and Hikari (2nd) and five other students in order of ranking: Jun Yamamoto (3rd) who has a dual personality; Megumi (4th), Jun's twin sister; Tadashi Karino (5th); Akira Toudou (6th) and Ryuu Tsuji (7th).

Kei and Hikari

While Hikari is intent on defeating Kei, she is unaware that her rival is in love with her. Everyone else seemed to have noticed this including the girl's parents, but it wasn't until Kei asked her for a date that she started to examine her feelings for him. She denied this at first, telling herself that he is a rival until she heard that Kei has a fiancee.

There were also other pairings in this series. But I'll leave that to the viewers.

What made it so appealing to me was that the guy was chasing after the girl. Most anime have it the other way around. The characters aren't airheads as well. These are kids who are at the top of their class and it showed that even they could be like normal kids at school. I enjoyed Hikari's ignorance about Kei's feelings. It made the chase even more exciting. Although Hikari excels at a lot of things, she is not portrayed as a perfect woman - which is good. She may be brilliant at school but she's unaware of Kei's feelings and she isn't a good cook. She couldn't beat him in the challenges and exams as well.

It took so long before Hikari finally admitted that she liked Kei. Me and one of my younger sisters finished the series in one day (went to bed at 3 in the morning) because we could not wait for Hikari to make a move.

This is not just about romance though. This 24-episode series also discussed the issues of friendship and loyalty. In the later part of the series, the SA class' determination to stay together was tested when Kei dropped out and the Special A class had to be dissolved.

I liked how they used the Japanese voice actors for the opening and ending themes. The animation was not bad but some of the characters looked too thin. But overall it's a good series. There are no squeaking, annoying cutesy girls present. The characters are likable and funny. Anyone who likes romance will find this interesting. I'm giving Special A a 9 out of 10 rating.

Junjou Romantica Season 1

2011-05-14T01:15:00.000+08:00

This series revolves around three main stories of three couples: Misaki and Usagi, Hiroki and Nowaki, and Miyagi and Shinobu.

It's a fun, naughty and cute series sure to make yaoi fangirls squeal. This isn't just about steamy kissing scenes though. It has explored the different issues ordinary couples go through.

Misaki Takahashi was about to go to college. He has to pass the entrance examinations in order to get into Mitsuhashi University to fulfill his brother Takahiro's dreams. He needed a tutor for the exam and this task fell on his brother's friend, Akihiko Usami, a fiction and Boys' Love novelist. Takahiko and Usami have been friends for a long time and the latter has fallen in love with the former. Takahiko does not seem to notice this although during the first episode Misaki caught Usami clinging seductively to his brother.

Misaki and Usagi

Usami finds out later that Takahiro is engaged. Misaki knew Usami is in love with his brother and felt sorry for him. Misaki cried for him and it was when Usami started seeing Misaki in a new light.

Takahashi and his wife Manami moved to Osaka so Misaki had no choice but to stay with Usami a.k.a Usagi. They became lovers although Misaki tried to refuse - unsuccessfully.

Hiroki Kamijo has been in love with Usami but he knew his friend wanted another guy. This loner associate professor met Nowaki Kusama in a park while he was crying and thinking about Usami. Nowaki, an orphan, asked Hiroki to be tutor but later on confessed that he just wanted to be close with the man. He is studying to become a pediatrician and has to find time for his six jobs as well.

Nowaki and Hiroki

Nowaki became obsessed with trying to catch up to Hiroki's success. Hiroki had doubts about their relationship and was not good at showing his love and support for his partner. The couple always has misunderstandings but they find ways to solve things eventually.

Miyagi and Shinobu

Miyagi Yo is Hiroki's co-worker at Mitsuhashi University. He is haunted by his love for his former teacher who died a long time ago. Recently divorced, he was confronted by his former brother-in-law Shinobu Takatsuki who confessed his feelings for him. Shinobu insisted that it was 'destiny' that brought them together, recounting past events that made him fall in love with the man. Miyagi could not let go of his past yet and he was aware that the kind of commitment Shinobu was asking invited trouble. The Dean was Shinobu's father and they had a 17-year gap. When Shinobu was about to give up and leave for Australia, Miyagi went after him and told him that he will try to love the boy. He finally let go of his love for his teacher.

The rest of the characters are: Keiichi Sumi, Misaki's friend and classmate; Ryuichiro Isaka, Usagi's friend and editor; Eri Aikawa, Usagi's fangirl and editor. Most of the characters in the series are related to each other by blood or are friends with one of the couples.

Misaki and Usagi's relationship in the first few episodes developed too fast and they already started sleeping together. But except for Usagi's perverted ways, they were like normal couples trying to get to know each other. Usagi was the possessive type. Misaki on the other hand could not accept the type of relationship he's having with the famous writer. But he would get jealous though when he noticed how close Usagi was with coworkers and friends. Personally I liked Usagi's aggressiveness because it showed how dedicated he was to Misaki. It was always the source of conflict however. The first season focused on how Misaki slowly developed his love for the man and his struggle to adjust with Usagi's personality. He knew little of the man's past but he eventually had to admit to himself that he could not live without him.

I find Hiroki and Nowaki's story so amusing. They are like children always bickering about different things. They experience problems that workaholic couples sometimes experience. In one episode, they did not have any communication for a year when Nowaki left to study abroad because he is afraid that if he wrote a letter, his feelings will overwhelm him and he might try to get home; while Nowaki was so absorbed with work he could not remember the conversations they had together. Nowaki has a lot of plans and was determined to catch up to his partner so he could stand at his side.

Miyagi and Shinobu had less exposure but it was obvious from the start that the complications that their affair would bring would be worse than the previous couples. Miyagi is trying to learn to love Shinobu. The series tried to explore if this is possible.

Kissing scenes and bed scenes aside, this series focused more on romance and the issues involved in different kinds of relationships. They may be all boys but the problems they encountered were no different from a heterosexual couple.

I wouldn't recommend this to people who are not into yaoi. Usagi is super aggressive too and it might turn off some viewers. Story-wise I think it's one of the best romance series I've seen. I can relate to some of the characters when it came to issues like jealousy and choosing between work or studies and spending more time with a loved one.

I'm giving this series a 10 out of 10 rating.

D.N.Angel

2011-05-14T01:14:00.000+08:00

Niwa Daisuke seems like an ordinary teenager having troubles in his studies and romance until he learns he has an alter ego - and a powerful one.

Daisuke and Dark

Daisuke carries in his genes the ability to turn into Dark Mousy, a thief, and what made the situation worse was that he transforms whenever he sees his crush, Risa Harada. All the years of training he went through under the guidance of his mother and his grandfather finally made sense. Only the males in their family are gifted with the ability. At first he didn't like the idea of having someone else inside his body.

As he tries to cope with his alter-ego, he meets an interesting boy at school. Hiwatari Satoshi seems to have taken interest in him and it was already clear in the first few episodes that he was to be Daisuke's rival - or friend?

In the first few episodes, he gets to test the extent of his powers but most of the time, the story focused on Daisuke's relationships with family, friends, as well as his lovelife. It was not clear at first why Dark needed to steal artifacts, mostly artworks and why it's passed on in the family. It also became obvious at this point that Satoshi was the other half of Dark - Krad. But it seems Satoshi is manipulated by his father and Krad against his will. He was determined to stop the famous thief without using his alter-ego.

Satoshi and Krad

Later on, Daisuke finally meets his father after so many years. He also learned why his mother wanted him to do his best everytime he's on a mission as Dark.

In the last few episodes, Daisuke realized he was falling in love with Risa's twin, Riku. At this point in the story, a direct attempt at Daisuke's life was put into action.

Episode 25 finally explained why Dark needed to steal and seal the artworks he has stolen. Apparently, the artworks, made by Satoshi's ancestors contain harmful magic. One of these was used to try to kill Daisuke. With the help of friends and family and even Satoshi, Daisuke was saved - but at a price. Both Dark and Krad were sealed in the Black Wings.

Overall, the series wasn't bad, although it did not focus on the nature of Dark and Krad and the explanation came in much later. Except for having an alter-ego, Daisuke's life is something a lot of youngsters can relate to. It's light, funny and easy to understand. Anyone who's new to anime will like this.

I liked the songs they used in the series. The animation isn't one of the best but it's good enough. I'm giving this 26-episode series a 7 out of 10 rating.

Samurai 7

2011-05-11T20:42:00.000+08:00

Samurai 7's story may be typical but asking seven men to defend an entire village from bandits and the Emperor is not something you could see on a day-to-day basis. This is an adaptation of the 1954 movie by Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai, considered a masterpiece. This anime certainly does it justice.

The village of Kanna is in a dilemma. They have to give away almost all of their rice every year to the bandits. The invaders have also taken women and children. Without any other choice, the village leader sent three people out to look for help. They looked for samurai who are willing to work in exchange for rice because they don't have anything else to pay for the services.

The three villagers, Kirara Mikumari (water maiden), Komachi Mikumari (Kirara's little sister) and Rikichi, set out for the capital. They met Shimada Kambei who at first rejected their offer. The rest of the seven samurai are: Okamoto Katsushiro, a youngster willing to learn to fight for the first time; Katayama Gorobei, who earned his living as a performer and is skilled at invading projectiles; Shichiroji, Kanbei's long-time friend, whose girlfriend the other characters will also meet later; Kikuchiyo, a cyborg samurai who is well-loved for being loud and cheerful; Hayashida Heihachi, the mechanic of the group and known for his precision in swinging an ax (for chopping wood). He is haunted by his past; and Kyuzo, the silent and deadly former bodyguard of Ayamaro who considers Kanbei his greatest rival. They promised to battle each other once their task is done.

While looking for samurai to hire, Kirara was kidnapped by Ukyo's men to be a part of his harem. Ukyo will play a big role later on in the series. Kirara was rescued and Ukyo since then tried to pursue the group.

During their adventures, they met Shichiroji's girlfriend, and the Moribito whom they learned had a contract with the Nobuseri (bandits). Kikuchiyo was captured but was successfully rescued.

Later when they were preparing for an attack in the village, they discovered that there was a traitor among the villagers. At episode 16, Gorobei dies and thus marks the start of terrible losses that were soon to come. Meanwhile, Kambei went to the capital and claimed that he killed the royal envoy. He was to be executed.

Ayamaro's foster son, Ukyo, by this time was proclaimed as the next emperor. But he could not wait to take the throne and decided to murder the emperor Amanushi. This also gave him the freedom to exact his revenge against the villagers of Kanna and the remaining samurai.

Ukyo ordered the samurai in the country to help the other villagers and follow the example of the seven. At the same time he also ordered the Nobuseri to continue harassing the farmers. Through this, he can incite a war and get a chance to eliminate both sides at the same time. He would also appear to be a kind emperor by helping villagers against the Nobuseri.

Kambei managed to escape being executed. They made their way back to the village and prepared for the battle. Katsushiro left the group after a spat with Kanbei. He went back to the village alone and oversaw the preparations.

Kambei and the others tried to get into the capital. When they found Ukyo, they failed to kill him even if Kanbei wounded him. Meanwhile, Katsushiro assisted Heihachi in separating the engine from the capital. Heihachi died in the process.

Later when Katsushiro met the rest of the group, they had to fight their way out of a room. As Kanbei was about to be stabbed from behind, Katsushiro picked up a gun and fired, not knowing Kyuzo was standing just behind the enemy. They lost Kyuzo in the battle. Kukichiyo also perished when he tried to block the capital from going further and reaching the village. The cyborg samurai melted as Ukyo fell down the ravine clutching his cut abdomen.

***

It's one of the best series I have seen. The fight scenes were good and I wish I could have seen Kanbei and Kyuzo battle the second time. But what really got me into this 26-episode masterpiece was the story. There is nothing special or unusual about it yes, but it was able to affect me emotionally with its themes of love, friendship, bravery and even death. I was sad to see some of the characters go, but this is better than the other series who do not touch this theme. Death is as important as life.

Ukyo's portrayal was effective too because by the middle of the series, I was really pissed off with the character, although his obsession was justified. The part where they tried to rescue Rikichi's wife also made me angry. But it was explained well why she decided to do such a thing.

I liked the opening and ending themes as well. The animation was good too. I liked the slow-mo scenes with Gorobei in action. The battle scenes did not drag on and on and there was less talk involved, something which is so common in other anime with the same genre. It wasn't short on comedy as well. But overall, the atmosphere of sadness pervades the series. Most of the characters seem to have a shadow beneath their smiles. Not that this is a bad thing at all. It lends a maturity to the series and lets the viewer think about certain things in life.

I would not recommend this to people who are looking for a feel-good series. And this is not certainly for people who want to see weak youngsters trying to get into the battlefield. This anime is about fighters (except perhaps Katsushiro) who are tired of oppression and wars and see the inevitability of death. This isn't about success and growth, but about how to accept defeat but still try to hope for the better and to try to make something good out of the bad.

This anime gets a 10 out of 10 rating.

Ghost Hunt

2011-05-10T15:48:00.000+08:00

Taniyama Mai likes ghost stories. What she did not know was she was about to embark on an adventure filled with more than just stories. She was forced to work as assistant to Kazuya Shibuya, whom she calls Naru (narcissist), manager of the Shibuya Psychic Research (SPR) when she broke a video camera during SPR's investigation of a haunted building in Mai's school. She also injured Naru's assistant, Lin Kojo, in the process.

During the various investigations they conducted she discovers that ghost hunting after all was serious business. She also unlocked her hidden psychic abilities.

From left: Mai, Masako, John, Takigawa and Ayako.

The anime focused on eight different cases spanning 25 episodes. Although it was a short series, the story was captivating because it has explored the different abilities of the characters. Hosho Takigawa is a Buddhist monk; Ayako Matsuzaki is a Shinto miko or priestess berated for her inability to exorcise; John Brown is a Catholic priest; and Masako Hara is a spirit medium. Lin also had special abilities. He's an onmyoji. Two other characters, Osamu Yasuhara and Madoka Mori, although they did not have psychic abilities, were involved in the later investigations.

I liked the series because it has explored the paranormal theme and sprinkled it with a little bit of Japanese and Chinese culture. I commend them for including a Catholic priest in the lineup. When I saw the array of characters who were about to help exorcise the building in the first episode, I thought, 'wow, they covered almost everything'. It was a chance for me to learn the difference between the Buddhist and Shinto rituals or exorcisms, which in some anime get mixed up together. It wasn't all just superstition too. Naru's ways of investigation involved science. It also had a bit of romance but it did not focus entirely on that theme.

The Doll House file was creepy and was my favorite part of the series. But it wasn't just a collection of stories involving hauntings. The creepiest though was the Bloodstained Labyrinth file, which explored the Dracula-theme. Not the sparkly-type of vampire but it involved a man who literally killed hundreds just so he could have immortality. This has shown that even flesh and blood can create horrors that surpass ghost stories.

The following is a list of the eight stories in the series:
1. Evil Spirits All Over!? (3 episodes)
2. The Doll House (3 episodes)
3. The After School Hexer (4 episodes)
4. Ghost Story in the Park!? (1 episode)
5. Silent Christmas (2 episodes)
6. Forbidden Pastime (4 episodes)
7. The Bloodstained Labyrinth (4 episodes)
8. The Cursed House (4 episodes)

The series did not hold back on violence and death if needed. There were times I was sad and angry. Sometimes I feel sorry for the victims or the spirits that haunt the places SPR has investigated.

The main female protagonist was alright. Mai could be annoying sometimes when she's nagging but she isn't useless like most characters of her type. Her dreams had the power to foresee danger or even solve mysteries.

Naru and Mai

It was a short series however. There isn't much to glean from the character of Naru or even his past until the final episode. I really like this series and I'll recommend this to anyone, especially those who love mystery, suspense and the paranormal. I wish it has more than 25 episodes. I was actually sad when it ended and it's definitely something I could watch again.

My Gaia Online Journey

2011-05-07T00:16:00.000+08:00

So what's been keeping me busy these days? A game? A social networking site? A forum? Yes to all three but still wrong. My newest obsession (well, not really 'new') is Gaia Online. An avatar dress-up site complete with forums, mini-games, virtual hangouts, an MMO and guilds. It also has its own manga and NPCs.

I joined the site back in 2007 but wasn't active until last year. I did not explore it fully so I thought it was some sort of game where you get to dress up your virtual self, your avatar, and show off. For the next two years all I did was sign in and get the Daily Chance (freebies). It was also hard to earn gold and I wasn't interested in the forums (that was one way to earn gold). And then I discovered zOMG!

Gaia's MMO finally made me addicted to the site. I played for 10 hours straight on my first day. A few weeks after that I started exploring the other features. I played the mini-games. Most of them are fun but they need updates from time to time. Then I discovered homes. I was disappointed I could only upgrade it once. Then onto virtual hangouts. I enjoyed reading the conversations at first and then eventually the novelty died off. At that time I was already having problems with my PC so I could not play zOMG! like I used to.

Exploring the forums was a huge step for me. I'm not into forum-based sites despite the range of interests and hobbies I have. Then I got an idea when I saw the Petitions sub-forum (I don't know how I got there). I made a housing petition. After that I started exploring the rest until I found Gaia Community Discussion. It was scary at first but I was also excited because I never thought posting in forums can also be rewarding. Most of the time I'm ignored but it did not matter. I enjoyed sharing my thoughts and seeing people who have the same interests as me. I got into arguments but I also made friends.

It also gave me the opportunity to practice CSS and basic graphics for the first time. Not to mention, zOMG! was also my first MMO. I had a lot of firsts at Gaia so the time I spent wasn't wasted at all.

Gaia has a lot of things that need improvements but overall it's a good experience. Once you get used to the kind of atmosphere and the people in the games, hangouts and forums, you'll never want to leave it. There's always something new to try.

If you're interested, you can find Gaia Online here: http://www.gaiaonline.com
You can also check out my profile. My username is Ping of Death.

Meteor Garden

2011-04-30T21:53:00.000+08:00

While trying to arrange my our meagre collection of TV series, I came across one that was very special to me. My sisters watched it again and even after so many years it still has the same effect on me. Call me jologs or whatever but I love Meteor Garden ( Liúxīng Huāyuán), and I mean it in every sense of the word. There is not other Asian series, or even non-Asian for that matter, has had the same influence on me. Koreans remade it but the cast look so ugly. Even the Japanese tried to make their live-action version but it was still not as kilig as the Taiwanese series. I have to congratulate Yokio Kamio for coming up with the manga, Hana Yori Dango.

I remember the first time I watched it on free TV. I was in my last year in high school when I saw the middle part of the series. Live-action Asian TV series at that time weren't as popular as they are now. I have to mention 'live-action' because anime used to be popular during primetime. I usually go home early. Curiosity drew me 'cause it was my first time to watch a Taiwanese series that did not involve martial arts or history. Shan Cai (Barbie Hsu)was especially interesting. For the first time, I liked a female character. The series focused on her strengths without using her sexuality. Then I saw Hua Ze Lei (Vic Zhou). He was too skinny but my goodness, he's so good-looking.

There was nothing unusual about the love story. Looking back, it is similar to a few romance anime. There was nothing special about the plot twists either. I think what made it so memorable was how Shan Cai and Dao Ming Si's (Jerry Yan) relationship evolved. They went from mortal enemies to a super kilig (sorry English-speaking people, but I can't translate that word accurately. The nearest would be 'giggle') couple. No bed scenes, very few kissing scenes - that's what was so good about it. Conservative and yet the pace of the development was enough to make Asian girls go loco. Another factor was that Dao Ming Si is in love head-over-heels. I think most girls would agree with me that they want to be pursued by a guy who is aggressive yet at the same time won't force his way to your bed. The first few episodes will really make girls squeal. When Dao Ming Si started liking Shan Cai, he showed his boyish side. All girls love to see that. They wanna see their guy giggle over things they say or do. In a way, Dao Ming Si acted more like the girl who's in love in the series than Shan Cai. Most series have it the other way. The female goes chasing after the guy. Not everyone would agree with me, but one of the things I liked about Dao Ming Si was his possessiveness. Personally, I'd like a guy who gets jealous everytime I get close to someone.

I suggest you watch this version first before you try the others. This is still better than the Japanese anime and live-action version or the lousy Korean crap. It also has a sequel, but it's not as good as the first. If you're looking for a decent love story with a strong female character, no bed scenes - just pure romance - then this is it.

I Did It!

2011-04-29T19:57:00.000+08:00

Two weeks ago I finally did what I've been wanting to do for three years - I have finally graduated. These past few days that I took a break, I had time to think about what I have done, what I have learned and what I wanted to do in the future.

I already miss UP Mindanao. For seven years I have learned and experienced a lot of things that I would never have in any other institution. When I was in high school I vowed to study in University of the Philippines and nowhere else. UP lang, ayoko na sa iba. It was a quest to redeem myself, my pride. I knew I was among the brightest students in school but I cannot prove that because I am not a consistent honors student. But to be able to manage to get into academic contests and get the high scores in every exam was proof enough for me. My friends tell me I'm too lazy, that's why some people who did not know my capabilities doubt my achievements. I have to admit that that statement is quite true. I was always late and I submit projects only if I feel like it - but still manage to get one of the highest scores every time. Study habits? I don't have them. I might sound arrogant but I didn't find any need to study at home because I did not find any challenge in what was taught during grade school and high school. I can say the same for my younger sisters. Doreen was a consistent honor student since kinder. Marianne graduated Magna cum laude. And Veronica is like me in a lot of aspects.

I spent more time reading books that are not related to my courses. It was also unfortunate that because I wasn't a consistent honors student, teachers readily dismiss me when considering candidates for contests and even as staff for the school paper. Even school has politics. I was also very shy.

I'm not gonna go on and on trying to glorify and justify myself. But here's what I have to say to the people who did not believe in me - your loss. The opportunity I've been wanting to have was finally given to me. Although I did not graduate with honors again, I'm proud I'm one of the elite students in the best University in the country.

Plants VS Zombies

2011-04-15T18:54:00.000+08:00

With so many games available today, it's hard to find one that has touched both gamers and non-gamers. Plants VS Zombies is fun, easy to understand and very addictive. It's a combination of strategy, puzzle and action kind of game. I've seen first-time gamers get addicted to this game.

PVZ has four modes, namely: Adventure, Mini Games, Puzzle and Survival. You also get to grow and maintain gardens once you get to the later stages of the adventure mode.

It might look like an easy game because of the cute plants and zombies but the later stages and the bonus games need a little more strategy on the part of the players. Once you're familiar with the plant abilities and the zombies' attacks and weaknesses, it will be easier to set up a defense. This is helpful for the inexperienced players because it introduces some of the basic features in today's games: the player's ability to adapt to different opponents, different difficulty levels, the boss fights and puzzles, deciding how and what to upgrade, and strategies on how to gain resources.

It has excellent graphics and a cute ending theme. The concept itself is unique. I first played this in August 2009 and since then considered it one of the best games ever made. I highly recommend this to both experienced and first-time gamers. I don't need to elaborate more on how great this game is because you have to try it yourself. This game is a testament that you don't need to save the world - but only your backyard.

The Dragon and the Stairs

2011-04-11T00:54:00.000+08:00

While reading Carl Jung's Man and his Symbols, it reminded me of recurring dreams I've been having since I childhood. I can still remember the last time I dreamt I was racing through dark corridors and stairs and ending up scrubbing myself in a dirty bathroom. Bathrooms, stairs, corridors. They're frightening and yet they tickle my curiosity. I'd rather not talk about though.

Another dream I had, although this one only happened once, was so bizarre I've puzzled over its meaning for years. Me and my sisters were on our way to a party. We were in a place that looked similar to Dinagat Island and walking up a sloping road toward a dark castle. I did not know what the party was for or who was the master of the house. I just knew it was a man and his myterious personality lured guests from all over the island. When we got inside the palace, people started dancing and feasting. Then the clock striked 12 midnight. Everyone started panicking. They seemed to be frightened that the master of the castle will finally show up. I suddenly had the feeling that he was going to harm everyone. For some reason I thought that he was a vampire. People started running. Outside the castle, there were buses parked and they were slowly filling up with frightened people. My sisters, and an aunt (I did not see her at the start of the dream) were already inside the bus when someone said they're not taking in more passengers. I was going to be left behind. Although I was frightened, I assured them that I'd be okay. They were crying and begging me to go with them. When the buses left, I heard a sound. People started running. I screamed and tried to work my legs as hard as I could. I saw myself running through a green field. Like most nightmares, I could not move so easily. I ducked for cover when I saw that what was chasing me was a huge, black dragon. I thought at first it was not going to see me, but it picked me up with its claws. While in its grasp, I no longer felt frightened. I felt that if I tried to appear calm, it would not harm me. So I talked to it (I could not remember what I said) and somehow I felt secure after that. He (for some reason I thought this was a male dragon) told me that I'd be okay. He then placed me on a green island. The last thing I remember was the wind kissing my face.

I also remember a nightmare that made me sick when I woke up. There was a pretty woman asking me to touch her face. She kept telling me "I'm pretty, so touch my face little one". But everytime I do, it turns rough and wrinkly. She becomes a old woman and she's laugh at my reaction. I could still feel that nightmarish skin as if it was real. She kept asking me to do it over and over again. I could not stop and all I wanted to do was wake up. When I finally did, most of the members of my family had woken up. They told me I have a fever. I was crying. I will never forget that.

I can still recall a lot of them. Usually the corridor-stairs-bathroom theme appears everytime I'm about to make a decision or something is going to happen in my life that will affect me greatly. I started dreaming about it when I got to college.

Sometimes I wake up because I felt so lonely. I just can't recall what made me feel so empty inside.

I have no difficulty in believing that those dreams mean something about myself. The book just reminded me that it's a scary but curious experience.

The Bonehunters and Reaper's Gale

2011-03-31T18:47:00.000+08:00

Instead of reviewing the sixth and seventh books of the Malazan Book of the Fallen separately, I'm going to discuss both in this entry. My previous reviews focused mainly on the themes for each book, but this time I'm going to take out my hammer and look more closely at Steven Erikson's delivery. Although both books have explored two themes, they focused mainly on intergrating the two major story lines of the series. This time the Malazan Empire meets the Letherii and the Tiste Edur.

The Bonehunters

Erikson's sixth book sought to question the fate of the characters who followed or were forced to follow their gods. Are the faithful, or in most cases here, those who had been chosen by the gods, doomed to become tools forever? This subject is fully explored through the four characters: Apsalar, Heboric, Kalam and Icarium.

Ganoes Paran's interpretation of ascendancy was also shown in this book. The nature of the younger gods path to godhood may have been achieved in many ways.

The murder of an ascendant, a goddess, was also shown for the first time. But the book also made me think that although Poliel had doomed humanity, I cannot deny that she had a valid reason to do so. Her very existence in the first place shows that there was a need for someone like her to keep the balance. The war of the gods has begun, and the characters involved must choose carefully which side they want to be in. The problem is, there are no good and bad sides. Each one only seeks to fulfill the task that is assigned to them.

Compared to the seventh book, the action scenes and imagery here are acceptable. But it would have lent more color to the story if the battle at Y'ghatan was written better. If you ask me what it looks like, I can only say that it might look like a burned walled town. Some people might tell me that perhaps Erikson just wants to leave the rest of the details to the readers' imagination. But let me ask - where do I begin to imagine how it looks like?

Kalam and T'amber's fight was poorly done as well. I know Erikson tried, and to his credit, he didn't overuse the phrase 'the [insert weapon here] were in a blur'. It was like watching everything in slow motion and you can't really remember what happened after you close the book.

Icarium and Trull's fight were okay, but he passed up an opportunity to show how both characters actually fight. We know they're both good, but we can't see how good.

Reaper's Gale

The first thing I noticed about this book is the new format of the preliminary pages and the glossary. The characters have descriptions after their names, although all it does is to help readers identify what tribe or race or nation or army they belong to.

I have a lot of things to say about this book, but first I will start with the good points. What I found impressive about this series from the very beginning is its rich, new world that does not resemble any other fantasy book I've heard of. Not only was he able to create races that are not the typical elves-dwarves-ogres-humans list, he created creatures that populated it as well. Some of those creatures were described here further, although not as detailed as I would have expected from someone with Erikson's profession.

He also does not have the usual fancy names like Forbidden Forest, Sword of Truth, and all that crap. The names of the characters don't have fancy spellings as well.

Two of the things I liked most not just in this book, but in the whole series was his creation of distinctive cultures of the different races and nations, and the in-depth character development. I want to be able to get something more from a novel besides the story and Erikson did not disappoint me in that. I like the parts when the characters are introspecting. He also explored various themes in each book, and in Reaper's Gale, he showed the difference, in Silchas Ruin's words, 'the difference between an angry god and an evil one who are both betrayed'. Silchas was betrayed but instead of answering it with vengeance, he gave Scabandari a place to live on. That does not imply however that the Crippled god is an evil god. But he chose to act out of bitterness. Which leads me to the bad points of the book.

In my previous reviews, I always mentioned the bad fight scenes. But they were not as obvious because most of them are not one-on-one combats. The battles between the Awl and Letherii were good though he used the word 'wedge' too much.

What was very disappointing was the lack of effort to describe Karsa and Rhulad's match. I know Karsa did not move much but it was an opportunity to show what his movements were like when fighting. It's disappointing to see how he built up the tension and did not deliver when it was most important. It was also an opportunity to show how much direct the influence the Crippled god has on a mortal. The nature of the sword forged by Withal was not described very well in previous books but we cannot glean any other kind of power it bestows except making Rhulad come back to life. It made me question the conversation between the god and Karsa. If the weapon was made for Karsa and only he could stand it, then what else does it have that will make Karsa more powerful than he already has. The sword made Rhulad mad because he was weak and because he could not handle the process of waking up everytime he dies but is that all there is to it? Erikson proved Karsa is not easy to kill, so what does he need 'immortality' for?

Second, I was disappointed he never even bothered to describe one the mechanisms built by Icarium in Letheras. Again, people will argue that the writer wants to leave it to the readers' imagination, but what should I imagine in the first place? I'm not asking Erikson to write a paragraph to describe them. But what was disappointing is that there isn't any word to describe them. If he did not even want to reveal even the shape, then why visit Rautos' point of view again and again? You don't need to build up the mystery by letting your character ramble on and on and not get anywhere. You have built up Icarium's reputation very well. I don't need to know everything but 'imagery' does not have to reveal the secrets you want the readers to keep guessing. Icarium may not be an important character, but it seemed like his last appearance in the series.

Not everyone will agree with me, I know. But there are scenes and artifacts in the series that could have been done better if they were described well. Again, Erikson does not need to dedicate on paragraph for that.

Eternal Domicile. Three rulers have lived in it, and yet what do we know about it except that part of it is falling apart? He can describe open spaces very well but Erikson seems a bit challenged when describing closed spaces. Do you know why it's important to define the setting? Because that's where things happen. It's like building a house with no walls and roof if you don't describe them. If you don't know architecture, then research.

Prominent characters. Can you picture out what Kalam looks like or any other character for that matter? I remember lines where Erikson described facial features of the character, but those were minor characters. I can describe Triban Gnol and karos Invictad more and yet they died in this book.

Fight scenes. I don't need to elaborate on this. Any Erikson fan who is not a blind fanboy and fangirl will notice this immediately.

Weapons. He did describe several of them but let me cite once instance that shows his lack of imagery is not a style. He mentioned the atlatl while describing the Awl army. I know what that looks like and sure, the readers can look it up the dictionary. But what if the readers don't know it's an actual weapon? So they'd just take it as another fancy weapon with a fancy name?

The problem with Erikson is that he summarizes his descriptions into a few technical terms. Not only that, he uses the same words again and again. Someone told me that maybe it's just a style. But let me ask- if descriptions were not important then why provide a map in the preceding pages? Why start the prologue with an attempt at imagery filled with metaphors? Why write exceprts in the beginning of each chapter? Why say a Kethra knife instead of knife (he did not describe what the Kethra knife looks like)?

Don't get me wrong, I think Erikson is brilliant but he lacks the basics. What makes a good story is a good combination of every element. He has a good imagination. He knows how to build a world and with different characters. But his world would have been more colorful if he has good writing skills and was more resourceful (if you're not good with fight scenes, research then improvise). Trying to be different from other writers does not mean you will forsake what makes a good narrative. If it wasn't for his thorough exploration of different types of characters, I would not consider this series as one of the best I've read.

Slacking Off

2011-03-25T16:38:00.000+08:00

I just got back this week from my hiatus and I still haven't written anything yet. As promised, I will write more anime reviews (which I will start doing so next week). I will feature several series I've seen in the past few years including Prince of Tennis, Samurai 7 and more of my favorites. I will also review some of the Dean Koontz books I've read before.

Not being able to use the internet for two and a half months gave me an opportunity to...well, do things I still usually do. Therefore it was not a very good break for me. Sometimes my hands are itching to write about something and post it publicly. At least I got to finish two more Steven Erikson books, a pre-history book from National Geographic and I re-watched a few anime series. I finally got to play LittleBIGPlanet as well.

Hello 2011!

2011-01-02T14:17:00.000+08:00

Last year I finally started writing again and even began to write reviews. I finally finished the things I had to do at school. This year I have more plans - more things to explore and enjoy.

I think I will start off by writing anime reviews. I've seen a handful of great series in the past and I was thinking, why not write about them? I'd be doing more book and game reviews as well. I've also stopped writing poetry and I'm hoping I'd be inspired again to do it this year.

Last year I've put off art projects because I'm too lazy. Maybe this year I'll find some inspiration once again.

I'd still be active on Gaia Online as usual and maybe I'd write something about it as well. It has inspired me to try a lot of things. It wasn't just a waste of time. It finally made me want to tinker with PhotoShop and CSS and try online forums for the first time.

I think this will be another exciting year for me. I will never stop looking for more things to enjoy.

Tactics

2010-12-23T21:37:00.000+08:00

Kantarou Ichinomiya was gifted with the ability to see youkai (demon, monster, spirit). He was bullied as a kid because of this ability however, but he has always found comfort from his youkai friends. One day they told him that he should find the oni-eating tengu (literally ogre-eating heavenly dog or goblin) to become stronger.

Many years passed and Kantarou by then was an exorcist and folklorist, but he still wanted to find the oni-eating tengu. He soon discovers the shrine where the goblin was confined and was able to successfully release and name it Haruka. By giving it a name, Kantarou becomes Haruka's master.

This is a review of the series that brought back my interest in anime. I have seen this a few years back but until today, it remains one of my favorites.

The manga was made as a collaborated effort between Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama. It consists of 12 volumes and was set during the Taisho period. The anime consists of 25 episodes.

After Kantarou released Haruka, they encountered different people who had problems with the supernatural. The following is a list of the episodes in the series: Tactics Episodes.

In episode 3 they encounter the Mountain God, Sugino and his partner Muu-chan. Both characters have become good friends with Haruka and Kantarou since then. Muu-chan developed a crush for Kan-chan. The couple sometimes appear during funny episodes. Sugino is always looking for Muu-chan and is portrayed as overprotective. There were also episodes that focused on another important character, Yoko. She's a kitsune and Kantarou also named her. She does the chores for both guys. In one episode, she falls in love with a human but she later realized that all the man's troubles were caused by a youkai. The man said aloud that he hated youkai. Yoko decided that whatever was between them won't work.

The other supporting characters are: Hasumi, Kantarou's rival and who does not believe in supernatural beings; Rosalie, Hasumi's quiet daughter; Reiko, Kantarou's editor; and Suzu, a rich, young girl who has a crush on Haruka.

Later in the series, they meet Raiko Minamoto who, with the help of his underlings, sets a trap for Haruka. Their intentions were unknown at that time but soon they will reveal that Raiko wants Kantarou to release Haruka so that the latter can reveal his full potential. Haruka had lost his memories and Raiko wants him to regain it so he can defeat Haruka man-to-man. In the last few episodes, their friendship was tested but in the end they both decided to stay together.

There are many more surprises in the anime that I did not mention. It's a light and funny series. I recommend this to all audience types. The animation is superb as well as the development of the characters within 25 episodes. I like the opening and closing songs as well. The theme also sets it apart from most anime because it doesn't involve too much violence or too many supporting characters. It's not also the usual save-the-world plot. It focused on the point-of-view of both the youkai and a clairvoyant. Most of the female characters are also interesting. Each one has a unique personality. They can be strong and fragile but without sounding too girly or needy as is common in most female roles.

I'm giving this series a 10 out of 10 rating.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

2010-12-14T14:24:00.000+08:00

This first-person shooter game is the sequel to one of the best-selling games of this genre. The single-player campaign follows up on the story from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. I played the four following characters: Private 1st Class Joseph Allen, Private James Ramirez, Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, and John "Soap" MacTavish. Although I did not play the previous game, the story is quite easy to understand.

The opening shows that Imran Zakhaev has taken control of Russia. But this is just one part of the story. One of his underlings, Vladimir Makarov has begun campaigns of terrorism. Joseph Allen was recruited into Task Force 141 by Lieutenant General Shepherd. He was sent to an undercover mission in Russia as one of Makarov's men. This mission in the game is optional because it's quite sensitive. It shows Makarov's massacre of the people at the airport in Russia. All I had to do was shoot innocent people (I discovered that Makarov would kill me if I didn't). But Makarov knew all along that Allen was an American and he set him up so that it would appear that the U.S. is responsible for the massacre. He shot Allen when they were about to leave the airport. The evidence started a war. Russia invades U.S.

Meanwhile Soap and Roach infiltrate a Russian base to retrieve an ACS module. This is one of my favorite missions in the game.

Private James Ramirez is under Sergeant Foley's squad. When Russia invaded, they were among those who tried to defend the capital. They had to recapture every building so most of the confrontations occurred room by room. They infiltrated the White House later to avoid it being bombed down.

Without any proof of their innocence, Task Force 141 thought of a different way to trace Makarov. They looked for the man who provided the weapons to Makarov in Rio de Janeiro. I had to battle my way through the favela to find the weapons dealer Alejandro Rojas. People just pop out from nowhere and you have to be careful at every corner. This was an annoying stage in the game. It is easier to fight against organized troops than undisciplined civilians. When they captured Rojas, they found out that Makarov feared Prisoner 627 who is locked up in the Gulag. Task Force 141 goes to Russia to free the prisoner - Captain Price.

Price decides to help 141. They infiltrated a port and gained control of a submarine. In this mission, I'm in-charge of the ACS module and I had to use it as we took control over every area in the port. In the veteran mission (very hard), this should be accomplished within a specific time. I had to move faster than usual and use the ACS module whenever I can to shoot down targets that will give us more advantage. I repeated this mission several times. The player has to take note of which targets to shoot so that others will keep moving.

Price later used the submarine's missile to create EMP that will disable the electronic equipment from both sides.

Task Force 141 then splits up to find Makarov. Roach and Ghost went to Makarov's safe house and obtained important information. I played Roach and had to defend the unit while it was downloading. The other soldiers in the mission died at this stage. Roach and Ghost had to fight their way out of the safe house while being pursued by the enemies. Roach almost went down. When they reached the extraction point, Shepherd betrayed them. He shot Roach and Ghost to retrieve the information and burned them later. You can hear from the background that Price and Soap was trying to contact them about Shepherd's betrayal but it was too late.

After they learned of their comrades' deaths, they escape from the battle between Shepherd's and Makarov's men. Nikolai helped them escape. Later they found Shepherd's base at Afghanistan. By this time I was playing as Soap. They tried to take down the base to make Shepherd pay for his betrayal. Shepherd tried to escape on a helicopter and they had to pursue him in a long boat. Price managed to shoot down the helicopter but both men fell down the waterfall.

The last part of the game shows Soap waking up in a scene of wreckage. He looks for Shepherd but he was too weak to fight back. Shepherd was about to kill him when Price showed up. The two fought. Soap had to extract the knife embedded in his chest and throw it at Shepherd. The Lieutenant General fell. Nikolai found them both later but Soap was injured. The last scene showed both Price and Nikolai taking Soap to the helicopter.

The game also features Spec Ops (Special Operations). Players get to choose from different missions and try to unlock every stage. It is divided into five stages and players have to earn stars to unlock each. Some of the missions are designed for two players, while some are missions taken from the single player campaign. It can also be played at different difficulty levels. My favorites are the snowmobile race and and Evasion.

I enjoyed the single-player campaign although there is nothing unique to the story. I can also use any weapon at any stage to kill the enemies, which is not really a challenge, but the different settings make up for that lack.

The "No Russians" mission added a little spice to the game. I was not shocked because I had to kill innocent people but it was still a bit disturbing. When Makarov killed Allen, I felt sorry for him. But when Roach and Ghost died, I was angry. I don't know why Shepherd had to burn them but I'm giving the game extra points for that. Even if all the player has to do most of the time in this game was to point and shoot, they still left room for character development. I was not surprised to see how fans reacted to the deaths of the characters.

The game is not that complicated so anyone can play it. It also has a tutorial at the beginning so those who are new to this genre have some time to prepare. I'm giving Modern Warfare 2 a 9 out of 10 rating because the single-player campaign is fun and replayable.

Dynasty Warriors 6

2010-12-12T15:41:00.000+08:00

Publisher: KOEI

Developer: Omega Force

This sixth installment of the Dynasty Warriors (Shin Sangoku Musou) series has 41 playable characters and the new Renbu system and stage targets. It also features the Skill Tree where players can choose which skills to use when upgrading the characters.

It tells the story of the Three Kingdoms period at the time when the Han Dynasty lost its power. It all started with the uprising of the Yellow Turbans. People who sought power saw this as an opportunity. Three states rose to quell the chaos in ancient China: Wei (or Cao Wei), Shu (or Shu Han) and Wu (or Dong Wu). The previous games also included the factions from Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu, Meng Huo and Yuan Shao. Wei is led by Cao Cao, Shu by Liu Bei and Wu by Sun Jian. This period in China has been adapted in many forms including this video game series. I'm glad they included Sima Yi in Musou Mode because it tells how he was able to manipulate everyone in the end.

Most of the characters' outfits and weapons have been altered. A lot of characters have similar movesets however and it is disappointing that they did not put a lot of effort into them. Only seventeen characters have Musou Modes too but it has allowed a lot of room for character development. I also noticed the subtle change in Xiahou Dun's attitude towards Cao Cao, and I don't like it at all.

Players would also notice that the characters can now climb and swim. Such skills will be useful in later stages especially in siege attacks. What I liked about the game are the stage targets. This will force players to put a little effort in thinking of a strategy rather than hack and slash their way into winning a stage. I don't have complaints with the weapons and the characteristics usually found in them for certain characters. The type of skills given to some officers however needs a lot of improvement. I cannot understand why officers that are supposed to have better defense skills have less points compared to some female characters. Eliminating units and smaller troops is a lot easier too. If it were not for stage targets and more complicated maps, this would be a very easy game.

I hope in the next installment of this series, there will be more variety in the movesets and they should level up the difficulty in defeating individual enemy units. I also hope they do not have to bring back characters who have no bearing in the story at all. I have noticed some fans who want to include more female characters in the game and clearly they have no idea what the story of the Three Kingdoms is all about.

I'm giving this game a 6 out of 10 rating.

Burnout Paradise

2010-12-09T23:30:00.000+08:00

Developer: Criterion Games

Publisher: EA

Burnout Paradise is not just a racing game. The game is set in Paradise City which becomes your playground where you can compete in five different events to level up your driver's license to unlock cars and more events. The five events are: racing, road rage, marked man, stunt run and burning route. There are also bonus missions such as: power parking, super jumps, road rules, showtime, smashes and billboards.

It's a very addictive game. I found I could not put the controller down once I got used to navigating the menus. It was a bit confusing at first and I did not know what the other events are for.

I love this game because it is not just about speed. I found a good use for my destructive abilities. Road rage is my favorite event. I could finally use the big, noisy cars in a race. The same cars are pretty useful in marked man as well. Stunt run is a bit tricky, and in order to win the burning route and unlock special cars, you have to be familiar with the streets because looking at the map alone might not do the trick.

The other missions helped me to explore the city. And in order to get most of the trophies, one needs to explore every street. It will come in handy when you're looking for a shortcut for burning route and marked man. You will also need to find the best spots to do the stunt runs. You would have to be familiar with the cars as well. Not all cars work well for different events. Each car has a different set of abilities.

The game is pretty easy but the menu is a bit confusing to navigate. It is very addictive too and the number of winning events needed to upgrade the license is too few for me. What I liked about the game too is that you can't find any humans in the game. I liked the idea of adding all the other events besides racing. I recommend this to people who, like me suck at other racing games. This is a lot more fun and less serious. You don't need to learn how to steer perfectly as long as you survive and you know which way you're going. This game gets a 10 out of 10 rating.

Note: This does not include the DLC Big Surf Island.

Assassin's Creed

2010-12-07T14:48:00.000+08:00

Desmond Miles suddenly found himself becoming the specimen for a search of the Pieces of Eden. Abstergo Corporation is using Desmond's genetic memories to reveal what had happened to his ancestor Altair ibn La-Ahad. Altair is a member of the Secret Order of Hashshashin. Looking at his genetic memories was made possible by the use of the machine called Animus. Desmond was taken back to the time of the Third Crusade and takes control of the actions and memories of Altair. Assassin's Creed is a game that will teach you how to master the art of killing.

The first scenes show that Altair was trying to stop Robert de Sable from taking an artifact known as a Piece of Eden. But in doing so, he broke the rules and even put his comrade Malik in danger. Altair was stripped of rank by the leader Al Mualim. He now has to complete nine assassinations in order to get back everything he has lost. In time he learns that there is a tension between the Assassins and the Knight Templars and that his missions involved eliminating nine of them.

He learns with each assassination that his targets were all looking for the same artifact that Robert has tried to steal. He doesn't know what the nature of the items are however, and Al Mualim only tells him that the men have to be stopped. Altair has to travel through the Kingdom to reach one of the three cities, Acre, Damascus and Jerusalem, to reach his targets. He also has to report to the headquarters in Masyaf from time to time.

When he finally came face to face with Robert once again, it was revealed to him that Al Mualim is just like the nine people he has assassinated -- a Templar. He hurries back to Masyaf only to find that the residents are already under Al Mualim's control using a Piece of Eden. He found Malik and a few other assassins who are not yet under the influence of the artifact. They held off other attacks while Altair went looking for his master.

After beating Al Mualim and seeing the artifact for the first time, Altair finds that he could not destroy the Piece of Eden. As he stared at it, he sees a projection of the Earth with dots indicating the locations of the remaining Pieces of Eden. Then Desmond was brought back to the present.

Abstergo will use this knowledge to find the remaining pieces. Desmond now knows that Abstergo is composed of Templars. And that they will use the items to control people and to stop the end of the world.

***

I like this game because of several references to history. It is something I've never played before too. I like the intelligence gathering missions because I can actually learn more about the story, the city and the person I'm about to assassinate. In this game, you have to eavesdrop, pickpocket, interrogate, save citizens, kill Templars and collect flags before you can eliminate the target.

Walking through streets surrounded by different people and avoiding suspicion was something I enjoyed as well. It also becomes a bit more tricky when attempting later assassinations. The drunks and mentally-challenged people and even the beggars are annoying but that makes things more interesting. It is like a combination of Prince of Persia and Grand Theft Auto. I can do whatever I want (if it is available) and whenever I want to. I can climb walls and run around the city unseen through roofs. I spent a lot of time looking around in the Kingdom while looking for vantage points and Templars.

I think hiding in the haystacks and rooftop gardens is clever and funny way when trying to lower the alert level of guards. What are those little rooftop gardens for anyway?

Another thing I have noticed is that the horse-riding experience is almost realistic. You can feel the horse's responses when you're steering or jumping. The timing of its movements look quite real.

Altair doesn't have an accent like the other characters though and it's weird. But overall it's a great game. It's easy to play and the story isn't a typical save-the-world plot although I admit it is too ambitious. I'll give it a 9 out of 10 rating.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

2010-12-03T23:12:00.000+08:00

PlayStation 3 Exclusive

Developer: Naughty Dog

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune features the adventure of Nathan Drake as he uncovers the tracks in the clues left by Sir Francis Drake 400 years ago. He searches for the treasures of El Dorado but what he does not know is that he will find more than he was looking for. With the help of his friend Sully and the reporter Elena, they escape a group of pirates, treasure hunters and mutated humans.

After acquiring the diary from Sir Francis' empty coffin and ditching Elena somewhere, they search through the remains in the Amazon river. Here they discovered a German U-boat and the group of treasure hunters led by Roman and his assistant Navarro who heard about Nathan's plans. Roman shoots Sully and Nathan was forced to escape. Later he met up again with Elena but their plane was shot down.

Nate was captured by Eddie Raja but Elena was able to rescue him. They also found Sully alive and who had chosen to cooperate with Roman and Navarro in the meantime. After escaping together, they explored underground tunnels and soon found Sir Francis' body. It was at this point also that they discovered that the island was populated by mutated humans who have been cursed because of the treasure -- a statue. Nathan finds out as well why there was a German U-boat earlier. He realized that Sir Francis tried to keep the statue in the island because of the curse. Instead of hunting for treasures, his task now was to make sure that the statue does not get off the island, just like what his predecessor did.

Nate had been separated earlier from Elena and Roman. They soon reunite when they were taken as hostages by Roman and Navarro. They finally got to see the statue for the first time, but they saw how it had changed Roman, who had been tricked by Navarro all this time.

When Navarro was about to transport the statue and Elena out of the island, the helicopter crashes onto a boat owned by Roman. Nathan has to kill Navarro and his men in order to stop their plans. Both Navarro and the statue fell into the water after the confrontation. The trio leaves the island.

***

I had a good time with this game when I played it several months back. There is a little bit of everything from wall-climbing, swimming, jet skis and cars. I liked how I was able to shoot enemies while driving. One memorable episode was Elena and Nate's escape from Eddie Raja.

I enjoyed how I was able to fight both humans and zombie-like creatures. Meeting the mutated humans was like providing another level of difficulty one step further than the human enemies, which is good rather than meeting the same enemies who can be killed just like the previous ones. I was also able to use guns as well as experience hand-to-hand combats. There are puzzles as well as treasures to collect. They're not too easy or too difficult to accomplish.

The animation is one of the best I've seen. The jungles looked almost real and you can actually find several varieties of plants in the surroundings.

I enjoyed the last boss fight as well. I liked the challenge in the last stage where Nathan has to time his final assault on Navarro without using a gun.

I never had much love for action-adventure movies or games but I enjoyed playing this. There's nothing really new to the story and I wish there could have been more fight scenes with vehicles. There are stages as well when there are too many enemies popping out of nowhere. It's not that it's difficult, but it's a drag. I'm giving in a 9 out of 10 rating because it's a lot of fun and it's one of those games that I can replay if I want to.

Resistance 2

2010-12-03T00:31:00.000+08:00

This PlayStation exclusive is the sequel to Resistance: Fall of Man. It follows up on the Chimera invasion in the United States and the desperate battle of the infected soldiers called the Sentinels against this threat. Lt. Nathan Hale is a member of this special task force. The infection they carry is kept at bay through special inhibitors that last for a certain time.

The game begins with the extraction of Hale by the Special Research Projects Administration. They were shot down later and had unknowingly released the Chimera Daedalus who is to become the protagonist of the game. It was at this time that Hale was introduced to the Sentinels.

Later their base came under the attack of the Chimera. Then they pursued a Chimera battleship and were able to save the Liberty Defense Perimeter from being breached. Hale at that time was long overdue for another shot of an inhibitor but he chose instead to rescue the scientist Fyodor Malikov, who later revealed to him Daedalus' identity. Daedalus and Hale were part of Project Abraham and the only ones to survive the pure DNA Chimeran injection. Daedalus has mutated however but still retained control of his abilities.

They then went to deactivate one of the Chimeran towers. They succeeded, but to their dismay, Daedalus was able to reactivate it even from afar. They have to travel to Iceland to confront Daedalus himself. The squad was trapped and annihilated. Hale later woke up from a coma to hear that the Chimera has taken over the country except for one last post in Louisiana. He decides to confront Daedalus within the remaining three hours before the virus consumes him. After following up on the stolen nuclear warhead, he meets Daedalus and fights him in a series of battles. On the last battle, Hale is chased by Daedalus while he is shooting the lights to weaken the enemy. Hale finally defeats Daedalus but when he touched the body, he acquires abilities similar to Daedalus'. He was able to fend off attacks from enemies using his hands while trying to escape the explosion that was to destroy the Chimeran fleet.

The final scene shows Hale with a fellow survivor, Capelli looking at the scene of destruction around them. Capelli realizes however that the virus has almost taken over Hale's body and decides to kill him then. Capelli's final words to Hale were: "Forgive me sir. It was an honor."

***

This was the first-person shooter I've played since I stopped playing CounterStrike. I decided to play it one day after letting it sit in a corner because I had an itch to try something I've never done in years. The wait was worth it. I never got to play the first game in the series so I did not know what to expect.

The game opened with a bang and the story was easy to understand from the start. I liked the fact that I had to experiment with different weapons because different types work on different enemies. I enjoyed the huge bosses as well and there was always some action around the corner. The battle with the 300-foot tall Leviathan was unforgettable. It's the biggest boss I've seen thus far.

The final boss was a bit of a disappointment though. I expected something more difficult but I still enjoyed the single-player campaign overall. I was sad that Hale had to die (but who knows?) though.

I've never tried multi-playing though so I won't include that here. I would recommend this to those who already have experience in first-person shooters. Beginners can handle this as well on an easier level but the huge bosses might be difficult for the first-timers, especially the Titans.

I've enjoyed this game immensely so I'm giving it a 9 out of 10 rating.

Prince of Persia

2010-12-01T22:55:00.000+08:00

When I first saw the cover of this game, I thought that it is related to the original series of the same name. And that the Prince in the cover is the usual Prince but with a different costume. I was in for a surprise.

The main guy with the red and blue scarf is a Prince in name only. He was wandering in the desert looking for his donkey when the princess Elika stumbled upon him literally. Little did he know that what he was about to find was a battle to save the City of Light from Corruption.

For thousands of years, Ahriman the God of Darkness has been striving to conquer everything that he does not possess. The God of Light Ormazd retreated and refused to fight against Ahriman. But this only made the latter bolder in his ambitions. As the Corruption spread however, Ormazd and his Ahura, the Warriors of the Light, were forced to confront the growing darkness. They sealed Ahriman in the Tree of Life. The Ahura were in-charge of guarding the prison but as the years passed, their powers waned. Ahriman found his chance to escape. Elika was one of these people tasked to guard the prison.

It was at this time that Prince found Elika while she was trying to run away from the soldiers. Prince had no choice but to follow her into the temple where they were later confronted by her father, the King of the Ahura, who set Ahriman free. Elika then tells Prince that they have to save the world by healing the corrupted Fertile Grounds.

They encountered the Concubine, the Hunter, the Alchemist and the Warrior while they were healing each of the Fertile Grounds.As the game progresses, they discovered that Elika had died once in the past. Because of this, her father had sold his soul to Ahriman to bring her back, thus making him one of the corrupted.

When they met Elika's father for the last time, the corruption had fully taken him. They had no choice but to fight him. The King however throws his body to Ahriman in order to resurrect the God of Darkness.

The final battle with Ahriman took place and in order to defeat him, Elika must use all her powers. They were able to send him back into the Tree of Life but at the cost of Elika's life.

But the Prince decided to resurrect Elika. He destroys the Tree of Life although he knows this will set Ahriman free again. The game ends with the scene where the Prince is carrying Elika's body while Ahriman stalks behind them.

***

This review does not include the DLC, but according to sources both characters found themselves battling Elika's father once more. In the end, they were able to kill the King but Elika leaves the Prince behind.

I enjoyed the usual acrobatic stunts and most of the battles. Traveling through power plates was a great experience as well. But the game is too easy because Elika is always there to save the Prince, although having her as a companion is useful. It's too user-friendly and she seems to be almost invincible because of her powers.

I liked the layout of the kingdom. I enjoyed the stunning views and the detailed graphics of each of the Fertile Grounds. I spent a lot of time collecting light seeds as well, although the total number that can be acquired is more than what is needed to heal the Fertile Grounds. The puzzles were good and players will actually take their time to think.

I have no problems with this game when it comes to graphics, sounds, and the gameplay is isn't so bad even if the whole game is easy. The story has a lot of potential as well but what I don't get is the title. There was no indication that the male protagonist is the same lead character of the popular series. They could have added a subtitle to make it distinct.

I'll give this a 6 out of 10 rating.

Saiunkoku Monogatari (Season One)

2010-12-01T00:55:00.000+08:00

First Season of Saiunkoku Monogatari

Episodes: 39

Manga written by Sai Yukino and illustrated by Kairi Yura

The Story of Saiunkoku (or Tale of the Land of Coloured Clouds) tells the tale of a smart, ambitious and hardworking girl named Shuurei. Because her father does not earn enough money to make ends meet, she has to do odd jobs. Her dream however was to pass the National Exams and become a government official. Her chance to get a shot at her dream came unexpectedly through an offer of becoming a concubine to Emperor Ryuuki. She was tasked however to teach and motivate the emperor to participate in court discussions and become a better leader. Lured by the prize money, the young lady from the Kou clan accepted the advisor's offer. The young man Seiran who has a mysterious past went with her to the palace with a temporary assignment as her bodyguard.

While spending time with each other, Ryuuki became fond of Shuurei. Her perseverance finally paid off and Ryuuki became interested in court affairs. But soon they learned that he was only acting that way because he believes he is taking care of the throne only while his elder brother is away. Ryuuki later finds out that his long-lost brother is Seiran. But Seiran has no desire of becoming Emperor.

Later the Emperor proposed that women be allowed to take the National Exams. Shuurei then started working at the palace but has to disguise as a boy. When the proposal was finally passed, Shuurei took the exam and finished third. But because the concept of women working as government officials was new, she had to endure all the insults she got from everyone. Eventually Shuurei was accepted and was given the post as co-governor of Sa province.

Getting to Sa province was not easy however. She and her co-governor had to devise plenty of tactics just to get there alive. This was how she met Sa Sakujun who grew fond of her as well. She gets entangled in the problems within the Sa clan in the process. With a lot of help from friends, they finally made it in time to the swearing-in ceremony and even put a stop to the Sa clan's manipulations. Sakujun tried to get Shuurei to make kanro tea for him but he failed. But not doing so made the poison he secretly used, lethal to himself. Shuurei blamed herself for the man's death.

In the final episode of the first season, Shuurei goes home to attend the new year's celebration and meets Ryuuki once again.

***

Although Shuurei was a nearly-perfect character, I think she's better and more likeable than most girls from any anime. There are times however when the other characters praise her too much that other people might find it too patronizing.

Character development was decent. However some events that involved some of the minor characters seem to be unnecessary and a little bit confusing. The occasional appearance of ghosts is expendable. There are several references to the kingdom's history as well as the history of clans and families that others might find confusing.

The animation is really good but there are inconsistencies in the outfits as well as the layout of the kingdom if one were to compare it to medieval China.

One thing I've noticed as well is that there's too much tea. In most episodes, one can find at least two scenes where the characters are having tea, although there was not one where the actual brewing of the tea was shown.

The fight scenes were mediocre and the main characters never seem to get injured. It's a good thing though that characters actually die (unlike most series).

I wish that there were more developments between Ryuuki and Shuurei but this is just the first season so it's still something to look forward to. Would have been better as well if there were rivals other than Sakujun. Overall it's a light and funny series. The story is decent and most of the characters are worth remembering. I'll give it a 6 out of 10 rating.

Blood Follows

2010-11-24T17:04:00.000+08:00

Today I reread a novella of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. The book tells how the manservant Emancipor Reese met his masters Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. Readers will recognize the three characters if they read the series.

The tale began when Mancy's employer dies and he was forced to look for a job. The city he lived in at that time, Lamentable Moll, was agitated because of a rumoured killer who disembowels his noble victims. Sergeant Guld began an investigation. The King's daughter was also involved when she was found in the crime scene of the killer's latest victim. The Mortal sword of the Sisters was also involved when he vowed he would deliver justice himself. The readers who are already familiar with Bauchelain and Korbal already know who the culprit is so it sort of takes away the anticipation of the things to happen. Mancy's personality however is interesting to make me continue reading. Their past was not also mentioned in the series, so this is a sort of delayed introduction of the three characters.

Mancy was left with no choice but to apply as manservant or his wife Subly would get mad at him. Too late, he discovers that his new masters practice necromancy and Bauchelain had already seen his death. He was already tied up with them. Besides, the thought of travel, of being away from his wife is attractive enough to make him stay.

Guld followed every lead until he had found the killer. He was ready to make an arrest when something unexpected happened. He discovers that the killer's partner, Bauchelain, was already prepared. The other people involved in the investigation were also stopped in their tracks, including the pair's long-time pursuer, Steck Marynd. Korbal was about to take the princess as well but was stopped by Bauchelain. In the end, they were able to escape and only the servant girl of the princess was harmed.

It's a great supplement to the series. I've always found the trio interesting although their presence does not affect the story at all. Blood Follows provides some explanations to the mysteries of what Bauchelain and Korbal have been doing over the years but I wish there was more.

Warcraft's Sunwell Trilogy

2010-11-21T21:53:00.000+08:00

Title: Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy

Part one: Dragon Hunt

Part two: Shadows of Ice

Part three: Ghostlands

Illustrated by Kim Jae-hwan

Written by Richard Knaak

This three-volume manhwa follows the aftermath of Arthas' destruction of Quel'thalas and the Sunwell. The main characters, Kalec and Anveena, met at Lordaeron when Kalec was wounded. Kalec's pursuers killed Anveena's parents while they were looking for the two. They were attacked by another enemy, Dar'khan, and binds their magic by placing neck collars on them. It would have been over if they were not saved by Kalec's future mate, Tyrygosa. Later Anveena finds a dragon hatchling among the ruins of her home.

They then travelled to Tarren Mill to have the collars removed. They were found by the dragon hunter, Harkyn, the one who shot Kalec earlier. Fortunately Anveena was able to escape and met the paladin Jorad Mace.

Kalec and his hunters however were ambushed by the undead led by Dar'khan. He later revealed that the Lich King had used the dragon hunter to kill the dragons because he knew that the dragons would be curious about the Sunwell. Anveena arrives to help them and this was when Dar'khan sensed that the power of the Sunwell was within the dragon hatchling accompanying the girl. Harkyn decides to turn against Dar'khan because of the latter's betrayal. He tells them later that in order to remove the collars, they must seek the dwarf Loggi.

The four characters were assaulted on their way to Alterac mountains. Anveena met the tauren Trag and the undead baron Valimar who explained his origins and the situation of the undead. Then he tricks her into using her powers to raise an army for him. Meanwhile, Trag found Kalec and the hatchling Raac and helped them reunite with Anveena.

On the other hand, Jorad and Tyrygosa found the dwarf Loggi when they were taken as captives by Ichor. Later, along with the dwarves they tried to attack the undead but the baron saw them and used Anveena's power to counter. Trag was able to stop him. The rest of the group was able to defeat the enemies but Dar'khan took the opportunity to take away Anveena.

He takes the girl to Quel'thalas, where a group of exiled elves was trying to reclaim the place from the undead. Kalec, Jorad, Tyrygosa and Raac joined the exiles led by Lor'themar to fight Dar'khan. Meanwhile, Anveena was able to escape from her captor and was later told by an unknown character that she was the Sunwell. Dar'khan later finds her however. Silvanas Windrunner confronts him but she was taken captive as well.

The exiles and their new allies attack Dar'khan when he was about to put a spell on Anveena. Dar'khan almost succeeded until Raac was able to free the dragon under his control. The group was able to defeat Dar'khan in the end.

It was later revealed that the dragon in captivity was the consort to Alexstrasza, Korialstrasz. Kalec and Anveena, along with the other elves decided to stay to protect her powers, while Jorad and Tyrygosa went to confront Arthas.

***

Jae-hwan's illustrations were consistent with the Warcraft style. I enjoyed most the landscape drawings. He was able to make up for the lack of excitement with the story.

The story in itself has a lot of potential but how it was told did not give it justice. There are moments when the two female characters were exaggerated for their abilities. There were even spaces wasted for nonsense comments such as "she's so beautiful" even if the romance part isn't clearly an important part of the story. The retelling of Silvanas' fate in Arthas' hands was inconsistent with what happened in the game as well. It shows that there was not enough research done on the part of the writer. The series had a lot of promise and excitement but it is not worth reading a second time. I am relieved though that not all the important books or stories related to Warcraft are given to Mr. Knaak or it would have been another bland material.

Midnight Tides

2010-11-17T14:42:00.000+08:00

Title: Midnight Tides

5th book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series

Author: Steven Erikson

For the first time in the series, no Malazan was involved in the fifth installment although Erikson leaves enough names and places that will be familiar to the reader. The story focuses on the Tiste Edur and the Letherii. Two nations that are so different from one another. The book also shows the Crippled God's direct involvement with other beings providing the readers a glimpse of his plans and the extent of his madness.

Although the focus of the story shifted, the book's theme is related to the fourth book, House of Chains. Midnight Tides highlights the relationship between leaders or gods and their followers and the identity of nations. The Letherii and Tiste Edur viewed each other as different people yet they both believed in destiny - that they are both destined for greatness. The Letherii sees conquest as an opportunity to expand and to expel outdated and sometimes violent beliefs prevalent about among tribes and nations who still cling to old gods. While the Edur believe that preserving their tradition and imposing it upon other people is the better path. The Letherii look forward whilst the Edur are tied down by their past.

Unlike the fourth book however, the focus this time is on the followers or subjects and not just the leaders. One such character is a victim of both the beliefs of his people and the manipulation of the Crippled God. Rhulad Sengar sought to be an equal with his brothers. He wanted them to see that he was no longer a child and that even if he was unblooded at the beginning of the story, they should not question his strength in battle. Unfortunately his behavior is seen as defiance of the 'proper way' of being part of their people, and this was preyed upon by those who sought power. The Crippled God gave him what he wanted but at a price. Another character who suffered manipulation many times was Udinaas. But unlike Rhulad, he accepted his fate and has done his best with every task that was given him. Some of the characters were also faced with similar challenges but on a lesser degree than the two I mentioned. Most of them were bound by their duty to do as they were told. But some had no choice. The choice then is how best to cope with it.

The gods themselves are being manipulated. They are used only when the worshipers find value in them. But when the followers disappear, the god is discarded and forgotten. Their existence depends upon the faith of their worshipers. They are made because they need to exist and the duration of that existence depends on their usefulness.

The Crippled God was also a victim. I admit I do not blame him for his need for vengeance. And I admire him for doing so. Instead of wallowing in misery, he embraces it even if by doing so his followers will do the same and therefore he will always be imperfect.

Erikson fared better this time with some of the one-on-one battles. Unlike the previous books, he no longer describes sword fights as 'the swords were a blur' although there was only one instance in this book. His description of the battle between mages are superb as usual. The nature of the Holds was described here as well. The readers will also get to know demons more.

Overall, it is a great addition to the series. He was able to examine the different faces of people and gods who seem to have no power over what fate has intended. But destiny has nothing to do with it. It is the choices we made that will determine the course of life for our children and for the people around us.

Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne

2010-11-15T20:02:00.000+08:00

A few years back I downloaded a game to pass time. I did not realize I will spend the next two years playing skirmishes and Defense of the Ancients for hours and hours. This review is a bit late but I feel that as a fan I have to write something about it.

Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne follow up on the story of the aftermath of the Burning Legion invasion. The game begins with a warning sent to Warchief Thrall through a dream. The Prophet delivers this message as well to the other armies. Fans of the Warcraft universe will soon find out the true identity of The Prophet. The Orc campaign is one of the many stages the player has to go through to unlock the other campaigns.

Another campaign involves the humans. Prince Arthas Menethil is introduced. Later he would join Jaina Proudmoore to discover the source of the plague. The discovery led him to kill Kel'thuzad. The chase led him further into a trap that he would later willingly embrace. The change occurs when he pursues Mal'ganis and was forced to kill his friend Muradin Bronzebeard so he can acquire Frostmourne. His noble intentions became an obsession. In the end, his soul was poisoned by the blade forged by the Lich King. He then went home to kill his father King Terenas.

A new campaign begins with Arthas being a death knight. He resurrects Kel'thuzad then attacks Quel'thalas and destroys the Sunwell. It was here where he met Silvanas Windrunner whom he later changes into a banshee. Silvanas later has her own campaigns in the game.

Arthas discovers that Kel'thuzad is acting on behalf of the Lich King, who is helping the Burning Legion. There is a rift between the Lich King and the Legion however. Arthas and Kel'thuzad proceed to open a portal for Archimonde, who later betrays them. At this point, the Lich King already plans to oppose the Legion.

Meanwhile Thrall's campaign continues. One of his friends, Grom Hellscream was trapped in Ashenvale and was forced to drink from a fountain corrupted with Mannoroth's blood to kill a demigod. Thrall was forced to join Jaina to purge Grom and his company with the corruption. Later Grom and Thrall would try to kill Mannoroth to free the former from the Legion's control. Grom succeeds but was slain in the process.

Another campaign involves the Elves. Tyrande Whisperwind awakens the Druids and frees Illidan Stormrage in order to stop the Legion. At this point in the story, Illidan consumed the Skull of Gul'dan and became a half-demon. He was later banished. Illidan also has his own campaigns in the game.

Through the Prophet, an alliance between Jaina, Thrall, Malfurion and Tyrande was made to oppose the Legion. The player has to hold out until Archimonde is destroyed by the ancestral spirits.

The first campaign for Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne begins with Illidan's flight from his kin and his pursuit for power. A bonus campaign involving Rexxar is a great addition.

The other campaign revolves around Kael'thas Sunstrider's journey. The players also meet the Naga here. Illidan has also revealed his plans of opposing the Lich King.

The players will meet Arthas again in one of the three campaigns. The undead at this point has three factions. The other two are led by Silvanas and the dreadlords. Silvanas defeats the latter. Illidan, along with the Naga, battle Arthas and the Lich King but fail.

***

I enjoyed playing through the campaigns. One of my favorites is the bonus campaign with Rexxar. I played it three times a few years ago. One of the things that made this game great is the role given to the Orcs. They are not just portrayed as mindless animals hungry for blood. I also enjoyed Arthas' campaigns and I was not surprised with how his journey ended. The game leaves hints but leaves just enough mystery to make it more exciting. I for one was not expecting that Grom will die. I felt sad because he was one of my favorites.

There are a lot of stories to follow that are not covered in this game. I think that is one of the things that makes the Warcraft enterprise so addictive. The races have their histories that is why the game is built well. It is not a simple good-defeats-evil story.

I enjoyed the skirmishes as well. It was fun exploring the potential of each of the four armies. The other mini games were fun as well. One of my favorites is Zero to Hero. But the most addictive would have to be Defense of the Ancients or DotA. There are many characters to choose from and it's more enjoyable than most RPGs. The campaign is simple but there is always something to look forward to because of the variety of the characters.

I recommend this game to those who want a game with a good story, music and graphics, and who is looking for replayability. Overall, I'd give it a 10 out of 10 rating.