Hanamaru Youchien – 03

Kindergarteners can do ANYTHING these days

Hanamaru Youchien’s simple charm is maintained in this solid episode. The ‘love triangle’ that Anzu, Yamamoto and Tsuchi share is established in this episode to comedic effect. It’s surprising to realise that we’ve already watched a quarter of this series.

Epilepsy - it affects young and old alike

Half of this episode is pretty much dedicated to making Yamamoto-sensei look like an angel, and the other half assorted to Anzu and her friends’ antics. In episode 2, Hii had her time to shine, and we eagerly await a future episode which focuses on Koume. On one hand it’s hardly believable seeing and hearing these kindergarteners talk about bra sizes and  cooking.

I wanna hug too 😦

On the other hand, there are moments where the children’s innocence and behaviour are conveyed beautifully and accurately. The (new) ED is reminiscent of those old home camcorder videos, and evokes a strong sense of nostalgia. The song used is fitting and not half-bad either. This series is a guilty pleasure for the more mature viewers of anime.

If only life were that simple...

Hellsing Ultimate – 08 trailer and other impressions

The bird of the Hermes is my name,/ Eating my Wings to make me tame

If you don’t mind excessive blood and gore, outrageous poses and grins and impossible physics, then Hellsing Ultimate is the series for you. The next outing will be the 8th in the OVA series, infamous for pretty much anything that makes people squirm.

I always knew Elton John was a Nazi

Vampire Nazis - even worse than zombie pirates

For those new to the series, I seriously recommend you to get copies of the previous 7 episodes. Each character is so engaging to the viewers, from the psycopathic trump card of Iscariot, Father Alexander Anderson, to the comic draculina Seras Victoria and stern, manly leader of the Hellsing Organisation, Integra. My favourite has to be Integra’s personal butler Walter, formerly called the ‘Angel of Death’.

Agent Anderson. Not quite Mr Anderson.

A nun with a katana... NOW I've seen everything

Set in an alternate universe to ours where vampires exist, Hellsing Ultimate focuses on the Hellsing Organisation, an Anglican group established to deal with such monstosities in the UK. Also against them is Iscariot, essentially a Catholic version of the Hellsing Organisation. Hellsing’s trump card is Alucard, King of all vampires, who would in any other context be a terribly bad guy. Enter Millenium, a band of former Nazis whose purpose is unknown, other than causing the deaths of as many people possible.

She's definitely compensating for some things...

For some reason, I can't get rid of the red eye in this image...

Hellsing isn’t your typical action anime. Though it looks a little old-school, the fight sequences are amazing and somewhat creative in terms of kill sequences. Sound isn’t half-bad as well, with the jazzy sequences somewhat fitting to the whole zaniness of the Hellsing universe. Anderson’s voice actor deserves serious street cred for putting such personality in such an legendary character. Seriously, he deserves more screentime.

Something tells me that the Vatican won't be too pleased to see how they're portrayed in Hellsing Ultimate...

Our 3 heroes

Final impression: ~9/10

So what can we expect from episode 8? One may expect the reunion of the separated members of Hellsing. We could also expect a face-0ff between Anderson, Alucard and Millenium’s The Captain. Anyhow Hellsing Ultimate is a series that should not be missed by action lovers. Its over-the-top nature is pure entertainment.

Walter - he cooks, he cleans, he sews

Yeesh, not a way I'd like to go~

Demotivator of the week #2

Once again, thanks to all the loyal readers out there who make it feel worthwhile maintaining this blog. Here’s your demotivator of the week~

Stay tuned and may the force be with you~

Baka to Test to Shokanjuu – 03

Tasers - the must-have accessory for all girls

Only an episode update, so this’ll be a short post. No fights this week and so thank god for that. Instead we have a much needed 25-minute comic relief session filled with fanservice, misunderstandings and double-entendre. This week we’re introduced to a largely new character, the gay nerd Toshimitsu Kubo, who adds another point of humour to the series. This is a good thing because the in-jokes that predominate Baka get old pretty quickly. The reference to Apocalypse Now is hilarious, as well as Shouko’s extreme clinginess. Once again the animation is great and a point of fun itself.

Relationships - 'nuff said

However, as expected, Baka’s characters show clear signs of slowly descending into cliche. Both Mizuki and Minami’s personalities are largely forgettable. It’s good that Class F’s new homeroom teacher ‘Ironman’ gives life to an otherwise mostly dull cast.

And once again, anime has descended to cross-dressing and maid outfits

So far Baka’s got the humour, fun and concept to keep most viewers watching. The ‘entertainment’ factor will always be good, as with most comedies out there, but I highly doubt it’ll ever be great. I’ll keep watching for the time being.

OH GOOD LAWDY NO!

Best OPs/EDs of the season

Best song, best action: Fullmetal Alchemist OP #4

Song: ‘Period’ by Chemistry

NOOOO! THAT SLICE OF CAKE WAS MINE!

FIRE!

Not only does Bones has the budget and name to make fantastic OPs, the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise is famous enough to attract great singers. The 4th OP of the new FMA series, in my opinion, is the best of them all so far, combining a truly catchy and fitting tune with well-animated action and character sequences. You will keep watching this OP again and again.

Wouldn't want to high-five this guy...

Watch the shadows~

Best Idea: Durarara!!

Song: ‘Uragiri no Yuukake’ by Theatre Brook

Yes, that finger IS directed at you.

I can has free lunch p10x?

DRRR’s OP is lively, fast-paced and a fantastic opening to a great series. Not only does it have an awesome tune to go by, but the whole idea of switching between the characters is well paced and well thought out. I guess such an OP is needed in a series that depends so much on the interaction and developement of its characters.

This is why we shouldn't drink and drive

Beware of fairies on motorbikes - they can crash through screens

Most random, best overall: Hanamaru Youchien ED #2

Song: ‘Kigurumi Wakusei’ by Ayahi Takagaki

Believe it or not, that's a panda-cat outfit...

Underage driving - there is no limit

I think NOONE expected this ED ‘Space Hanamaru Kindergarten’ to be the space opera parody it was. Boy, was it such a great watch. It’s surprising to see so much effort being put in an ED of an anime series, something which many viewers ignore. The grandeur of the tune used is deliberately undermined by Hiiragi’s voice actor, and the large-scale epicness of the space sci-fi genre is undercut by Hii’s random animal outfits, from a chicken to a turtle.

Kindergarten meets King Kong

Whoa! Where did that type of animation come from?!

Interstellar Marines impressions

Welcome aboard AIVK-HOC538. My name is ITO AI Sara. You are requested to proceed to shooting range D.

4 Stigs. Top Gear would be proud.

According to their website, Interstellar marines will be:

“… an AAA, FPS, Sci-fi, action and adventure game with an original and unpredictable storyline featuring single and cooperative gameplay, with heavy focus on realism.”

Set to be a trilogy, this game will be released on PC, XBox 360 and the PS3. So what the hell is it all about and what the hell is with the really lame name?

Hey look! It's shoot 'em Mr Game & Watch!

The background behind this space opera is far too convoluted for me to bother reading in detail. However in short, there’s a big United Nations-like collaboration in this world called the ITO (the Interstellar Treaty Organisation). Inspired by Buzz – ‘To infinity and beyond’ – Lightyear (I’m kidding on this one), they try to establish a stable economic and social grounding on Earth to encourage space exploration. Along came Zero Point Energy (ZPE) which is basically like Tiberium from Command and Conquer without the AIDS. Somewhere along here you, the player fit in.

It's Metal Gear!

It's like Star Wars and Sins of a Solar Empire in an FPS!

So why should you be interested? Well for starters, it’s already been announced that it will be a TRILOGY. The producers must be pretty damn confident/ballsy to already plan not 1 but 2 sequels even before the first has been fully completed. Secondly although the whole ZPE/ITO shebang isn’t the most original idea in mind, it’ll be great to play a proper fps with an rpg feel to it (Bioshock 2 doesn’t quite count).

Space sharks. What will they think of next....?

Interstellar Marines still has a lot to go in terms of production. However it’s an exciting premise and Zero Point Software gets brownie points for letting us try out a couple of minigames on their website. Stay tuned.

Bullseye...

Ookami Kakushi impressions

Bad Wolf

Red moon - this can't be good...

"And here's our potato peeler..."

Ookami Kakushi – the latest thriller from the guys who did Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni and Umineko no Naku Koro Ni. This time our remote hideaway of intrigue, secretive townspeople and murder is Jouga, where they basically worship a species of uber wolves that eat giant mandarins. Awesome.

TAKE HIM DOWN!

Hinamizawa... I mean Jouga!

As usual, our leading man is the new kid in town, Hiroshi Kuzumi. Though a seemingly normal guy,  he quickly becomes very popular amongst his fellow students, especially with the clingy Isuzu Tsumuhana. If only it were that easy to make friends… Slowly he gets sucked into the mysteries of Jouga (mysterious disappearances included).

"Oh my what large teeth you have!"

So far Ookami Kakushi has been great in setting the mood of the town, which isn’t surprising, considering the producer’s (07th Expansion) experience in the field. From afar, Jouga even looks and sounds like Hinamizawa with the cries of cicadas inserted pretty much anywhere. The soundtrack is used to good potential, being used to build up tension and climax.

"You know what else can fit in this mouth..?"

"Awesome! He-Man of the Universe is our homeroom teacher!"

What really annoys me is Hiro’s voice actor and personality. Though he’s one of the few anime protagonists who actually wears glasses and ISN’T a geek, he sounds and acts like a pansy, which is clear from the start. Apart from that, the intrigue surrounding the cold student rep Nemuru Kushinada and the secrets Isuzu holds are conveyed well. A lot of build up is evident, but it remains to be seen how the director maintains the suspense and paces the story.

I want it NOW!

Ookami Kakushi could be one of the few great watches during this dry anime season. The slowly developing story and the mysterious old half of Jouga keep viewers attached to their screens. The unusual relationship Hiro and Isuzu share is also a point of focus. Are they really a couple, or is there something more sinister in Isuzu… The other characters are somewhat forgettable, like Kaname Asagiri, an occult fanatic, and Hiro’s father, Masaaki.

"We're that hideous..."

Inevitably, Ookami Kakushi will be compared to its stellar predecessor Higurashi, which not only nailed it in the loli factor, but also aced in its atmosphere and thriller component. Both series share similar vibes: light-hearted fun during during the day and a darker setting at night, a small town with openly friendly folks hiding a murderous secret. Ultimately it will be how well  developed the relationships that Hiro shares with the other characters are that will set Ookami Kakushi apart.

"But Mommy, I don't wanna go to the dentist!"

Bad Company 2 impressions so far

‘Bad’ is an abbreviation for ‘Badass’

Where's the cloak and dagger?

2010 looks to be a year for more mature gamers,with a lineup including the likes of God of War III, Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2 and Bioshock 2 just to name some.  So what will set Bad Company 2 apart from the rest of the growing collection of console/pc first-person shooters?

"Get out of the way! I'm still on my L's!"

I never played the original Bad Company, so forgive me for my probably over-simplified synopsis. Bad Company 2 will be a direct sequel to the original, where you played as Preston Marlowe, a member of a 4-member squad of military outfits. This squad was part of “B” Company aka Bad Company, whose use is limited to cannon fodder.

First in, fist out~

Unsurprisingly, like most fps’s these days, a strong focus has been put on online multiplayer. Like Killzone 2 and other team-based shooters, there will be a selection of classes, including your standard engineer, medic, recon and assault. Apparantly the specialist class from the first Bad Company has been removed. Similar to Modern Warfare 2, there will be customizeable weapon selection.

Drive by...

So what’s new? Apart from new vehicles like the Black Hawk and quad bike, Bad Company 2 will have destructible environments (which were also present in Bad Company 1). In addition, entire buildings can be destroyed, rather than just the walls. This obviously is aimed to the sense of realism in the game, improving upon what other fps’s like Modern Warfare 2 have achieved.

... or fly by!

I fear that everything Bad Company 2 will do well, may have already been done before. Both Killzone 2 and Team Fortress 2 had robust class systems, Modern Warfare 2 had great unlockables and weapon add-ons that really made a difference online. Both Modern Warfare 2 and Killzone 2 boasted awesome visual effects and graphics. The addition of a lot of vehicles will be fun for most players, until they find themselves on the other side of the barrel. What’s good is that the maps appear spacious and much less caustrophobic compared to other current console fps’s, but I guess that goes with having a large range of vehicles present on the field.

Killing with a glue gun... one drop at a time

Final impressions:

Bad Company 2 looks to be a whole bunch of fun. In terms of its single-player campaign, it’s got a humourous premise to boot. When I  look at the beta videos out there, I can’t wait to hop on some of the vehicles and drive around. However, besides the destuctible environments and a variety of vehicles that made the original Bad Company great , I see not much that differentiates Bad Company 2 from its competitors. Bad Company 2 will be released worldwide on March 2nd.

"Mistah Kurtz, he dead."

Demotivator of The Week

Thanks to all the loyal readers and commenters out there for making Baka’s first week so worthwhile for me. Your reward is something that I plan to post every Friday from now on: a weekly demotivator based on the wonderful world of anime and videogames. As usual, no offence intended…

There won’t be an update until the 25th due to my bandwith problems LOL. In the short meantime, keep well, keep watching anime, and stay tuned for my upcoming impressions on Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and more anime commentary.

Ippius

Hanamaru Youchien impressions

This is BEYOND lolicon. This is TODDLER-CON!

Shake dat @$$!

So hawt *nosebleed*

Hanamaru Youchien is a series that all slice-of-life lovers should watch this year. It’s gently-paced, it’s simple and it’s got laughs and moments that make you reminisce about your own childhood. Hanamaru centres upon Tsuchida, the new male teacher of Hanamaru Kindergarten, who wants to gain the attention with pretty co-worker Yamamoto. Through a couple of innocent misunderstandings, first-yearer Anzu declares that she will be Tsuchi’s bride. Cue in more misunderstandings and mayhem.

Look Tsuchi! 4 arms!

"What's that funky smell...?"

As expected, Hanamaru is painted in moe. All the toddlers are super-deformed walking eggs whose footsteps make cutesy treading noises. However what may let the series down are its cliched characters. Some may notice that a few of the main characters are reminiscent of Haruhi Suzumiya, with Anzu being the active and lively leader, Koume being the shy and cute girl, and Hiiragi being the neutral genius of the group. In addition the kindergarten concept has been used before, so it’s hardly a new idea.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall~

Aren't there laws to prevent this?!

Animation is, as expected, nothing too spectacular. The soundtrack as well is rather standard, but the high-pitched squeaky tunes are fitting for the subject. One thing that bothered me was Tshuchi’s voice. For some reason, they made him sound like a pansy, which was somewhat annoying to my ears.

OMGWTFBBQ SQUID RUSH!

OP: a suitable OP that emphasises the imaginative and creative minds of infants. Tune used is passable.

ED: It appears that EDs are unique to each episode. So far both EDs have, like the OP, stressed the imagination that exists in young children. Both have been fantastic, showing Gainax’s creativity and inspiration. It should be noted how awesome the second ED, combining a quasi-epic tune and a play on the sci-fi genre. Epic.

Seriously, w t f ?

Final impression: ~8.5/10

Hanamaru shows signs of being a really entertaining watch for those who don’t want to think too deep when watching anime. While the presentation is deliberately over-the-top moe, you can’t help but fall under the spell of these toddlers speaking like adults. The central premise (the ‘love’ triangle among Anzu, Tsuchi and Yamamoto) is also gently developed and not forced, which is great because the slice-of-life factor in Hanamaru is what keeps us viewers amused. Overall, Hanamaru is a series that sets itself apart from this season’s anime lineup by focussing on the innocent lives of kindergarteners. It’s a charming watch that perhaps deserves more credit that what it’d receive from face value.

Pucker up!