Eureka Seven AO

     Eureka Seven AO is the follow up the the 2005 mecha series Eureka Seven. Eureka Seven has its own fair share of problems, from the story that didn't know what it was doing, senseless plot twist, and mediocre animation. Even with all of these faults, I still really enjoyed the original series. It was fun mecha show with some sloppy handling by Bones, but I still liked it. AO hasn't done anything too offensive yet, but it has potential to surpass the original based on the first two episodes.

      Eureka Seven AO follows the same approach as the original, and makes sure the viewer has no clue what the fuck is going on initially. Eureka Seven is about air boarding robots called IFOs, but the main focus is place on the characters, and the romance that develops between them. It helped elevate the series from a typical and mediocre mecha series, into something that was special. A flawed gem of sorts. AO starts with the scub appearing, and Japan and China are at hostile terms it seems. The new series seems to be following suite, and focuses on a boy named Ao, who is a more likable version of Renton. Ao's mother left him years ago, and his father was never around. His mother is also a woman with turquoise hair, and used to pilot an IFO that looks like the Nirvash. If you haven't realized it yet, his mother is going to be Eureka. It's quite obvious, but I've always believed that it's better to only give the viewer info that is needed, instead of just giving them pointless exposition. Just like original, there's a girl for the boy to fall in love, even if she has a hideously deformed head, which is the size of of planets. She also requires oxygen therapy, and is linked the the new Nirvash. The series feels more like a retelling of the original, but like they're trying to do it right and put more thought into it.

Look at that head. LOOK AT IT!

     The show also makes sure the viewer is not fully aware of what's going on. The first episode only works if it is watched with the second episode back-to-back. The first two episodes feel like they were written together, and split into two for broadcast, which was most likely the case. I was hostile to the first episode until I watched the second episode which did it a ton of favors.

     Another thing similar to the original is the animation quality. The designs and scenes are consistent, with no major animation errors, but it's not so good. The animation is actually kind of flat, and feels very cheap. Compared to Hyouka, which is stunning, AO feels very poor in comparison. It doesn't get in the way of the combat, where it seems most of the budget has been placed.The animation isn't too bad and gets the job done, but it leaves something to be desired. The art and character designs are good, and practical. The Nirvash has also had an "edgy" recolour to look more "hardcore."

     The music has always been a major part of the Eureka Seven series, and is again a big factor. A lot of time has been put into the score, which is well done. The score sets the tone for the scene perfectly, and is draws the viewer in. It's not special like Tsuritama's score, but it gets the job done well. Each episode also follows the tradition of being named after a famous song, and has a slew of musical references scattered throughout. The opening is also catchy, and fits the mood of the show.

    Overall, I would recommend Eureka Seven AO to fans of the original series. The show has potential to surpass the original. If you didn't watch the original series, then you'll probably be put off by the lack of an explanation for already established terms, and mediocre animation. I will be adding this series to my weekly watch list.

Let's Solve the Hyouka Mystery

      Hyouka is the new mystery series by KyoAni studios, and is based on a series of novels I never read. KyoAni also worked on Haruhi, Lucky Star, and K-on!, which happen to be three series I never completed. Haruhi I kind of liked and should pick up again, but the other two were not the kind of tone I enjoy, and embodied most of what I hate about Japanese animation. I'm not a fan of "cute girls doing cute things," unless there's some genuine comedy there. Comedy is purely subjective, but both series were boring, and seemed to rely on the fact the the leads were cute girls. Hyouka is a mystery show on the other hand, and is right up my alley in theory. Hyouka has a major problem with the execution of the series.

      Hyouka is about a boy name Houtarou, whom doesn't do what he doesn't have to do. He's kind of angsty, but it's not typical "crawling in my skin," angst that puts me off of a series. He just does what he has to, and it then on his way. It's actually semi-realistic, because there are loads of people who do what they have to and then call it a day. He also doesn't like joining clubs, and is smart. He joins the classic literature club at the request of his sister. At the club he meets Chitanda, a young girl, whom is very curious about mysteries. Houtarou is taken by Chintanda, and starts to solve mysteries, because he likes her. His friend Satoshi joins as well, who is in a lot of clubs, and may be a homosexual. Together they solve some mysteries. That's pretty much it for the first episode of the series, which has its fair share of problems.

     One of the problems is that Hyouka is poorly written, and has terrible mysteries in the first episode. The mysteries may get better, but the first episode has very little to offer in terms of characters and plot. The mysteries in this episode could be solved by Nancy Drew's mentally challenged cousin, and the characters have very little personality. I don't want to spoil the twist, but I solved them almost as soon as they were mentioned. Encyclopedia Brown puts this episode to shame. The characters also have very little to offer outside of moving the plot. None of them have much of a personality, besides there one trait. This is the first episode, so they probably will develop over time. The writing is made up for in one aspect, which is the how pretty this show is.

The series does have strange imagery.

     The series is beautiful. The animation is so pretty and nice that it makes up for the whole show. The animation is the saving grace of the series. The series looks fluid, and the characters often move in little ways that really draw one in. I have said it before, but most Japanese cartoons have bad animation, but Hyouka bitch slaps that assumption in the face. The series looks really, really good. There are also some really strange and creative visuals. I would like to see if the series looks continuously well done, or if there's a drop in quality in the middle. If it goes the way of this episode, we may have on the finest animated television series to come out of Japan in a while.

     Overall, I have mixed feelings on Hyouka. The first episode has terrible mysteries, and a cast of one note characters, but the series has potential. The creative visuals, great animation, and potential for good mysteries is going to keep me coming back to this one. It's hard to recommend Hyouka, for anything but the visuals, but it is a series to keep a passing eye on.

The Legend of Korra Episodes 1 & 2

 After several years, Avatar is finally getting a sequel. I for one, never really wanted a sequel, and was somewhat hesitant to jump on the Korra bandwagon initially. When I saw the first trailer a year ago, I was quickly hyped for my return the world of Avatar. Does the show live up to the hype though?

 I wasn't the biggest fan of the original Avatar. It was pretty good, but I never really devoted time to it. I was kind of growing out of cartoons targeted at children, even though I have went right back to watching them when I got older and pulled my head out of my ass. I did watch most if not all of the episodes of the original and would have enjoyed it a lot more if it was released today. I'm going into the show with a little less bias than most fans of the original, because I never got around to rewatching the original to truly enjoy it. The Legend of Korra is fantastic though.

 The Legend of Korra is a really good children's action show. The series takes place 70 years after the original, with Katara as the only surviving member of the original crew. Before their deaths, Suko and Aang have turned the fire nations into Republic City, a place for benders to live. Korra is the new incarnation of the Avatar, and is somewhat similar to Aang, but also totally different. The show is now set to the back drop of Hong Kong and Manhattan in the 1930s'. The series picks up with Korra already knowing three of the four elements, and only needs to learn how to bend air. The streets of Republic City are also on the verge of collapse with hostility between the non-benders and the benders.

 The new setting leads to more varied soundtracks, battle scenes, and themes. The Legend of Korra deals with the themes of class war, and the power the upper have over the lower. The benders use their powers to control the non-benders out of fear. This leads to public protest from non-benders demanding that they do something about the benders. This has the potential to be developed very well, and seems to be the unkown villian's motivation.

 The soundtrack is a mix of oriental instruments, and jazz. The jazz plays over most action scenes, and is highly reminiscent of Cowboy Bebop. The music fits the setting, and is energetic enough to elevate the scenes of action to make them intense.

 The animation is also done very well, and is top-notch for a television series. The action scenes in particular flow very well and look very fluid. The action doesn't look choppy and is very fast paced. The scenes flow like a live action martial arts film. The slower scenes also look decent, and are done with enough care that they don't ruin the mood of the scene. The scenery is also very grand, and high quality. The scenery also never clashes with the characters and it all blends very well. The character designs also look good, and fit with the series. They maintain the anime style, and mix the old Hindu and Budhist designs with a 1930s' noir gangster design. The two mends together to give a fell of the show and never seem out of place.

 The action scenes are very creative and exciting. The battles use a good mix of bending, and martial arts. They are also quite fast, and don't feel sluggish. The use of bending has always been a blessing for comeing up with clever action sequences, and are use to a decent effect in The Legend of Korra. Having a new setting has also lead to some exciting chase scenes involving cars, and a polar-bear-dog, which have potential to be very creative.

 The new characters seem to be likable, but most of them have had very little screen time to devlop yet. Mako the fire bender, voiced by Bud from Married With Children, is just the quite badass, and will most likely get with Korra near the end. His brother Bolin, the earth bender, is popular with the ladies, and is friendly with Korra from the start. Both of them play on a probending team, and bend for sport. Tenzin is Aang and Katara's son, and is a calm and collected air bender. He does seem to have a bit of temper when people make a mock of his bending practises. The titular Korra has had the most time develop over the two episodes. She is brash, quick tempered and impatient. She wants to know how do something, and she wants know how the instant. She has no intention on learning about the spirit, and just wants to learn how to fight. She's similar to Aang in the way that she is childish, but also radically different in the details. Other characters appear but do so little, it's impossible to alk about them.

 Overall I enjoyed The Legend of Korra great deal, and will most likely be rewatching the original series while I watch Korra. The animation, action and music are all superb, and the rest has potential to be one of the truly great action series. The Legend of Korra lives up to the hype.

The Whole Head of Gurren Lagann

 I finished Gurren Lagann a few days ago, and I can make my final conclusion on this rollercoaster of robots and explosions. What a fantastic rollercoaster ride it was.

 Since I'm a slowpoke and just finished this series, this "review" is not going to be relevant in the slightest to most people, but I want to write about it, because I said so. The show got a hell of a lot more entertaining after the timeskip, where it just becomes a huge mass of tropes and cliche that I can't help but love it. The show is very well made, but every single one of its ideas are taken from other sources. Gurren Lagann takes these ideas, paints them red, sticks fire decals to the side, and revs up the engine to max speed. The end result is an exciting homage to classic mecha shows from the last 30 years.

 After the events of episode 15, the series jumps seven years starting with episode 17. During this time, Simon becomes the supreme commander of the Earth, and the humans are living in peace. Simon and Rossiu worry about the prophecy told by Lord Genome at the end of the first part, and are forced to keep track of the human population. This puts pressure on both them, and as the millionth child is born, Nia goes missing, and fortells of the destruction of the planet. It's up to Simon and team Dai-Gurren to save the planet.

 This second half has pretty much the exact same cast as the pre-timeskip, with minimal changes among them. Simon is more Kamina like. Yoko has a semblance of a personality, instead of being walking cleavage. Nia is barely seen, and the rest of team Dia-Gurren do very little out of character. Rossiu and Kinon have the most drastic change however. Kinon is no longer the quiet girl from before. She's now assertive and seems to have an unhealthy devotion to Rossiu. Rossiu is not to different personality wise, but acts much more drastically than before, and is essentially one of the villian for the first half of this arc. Viral returns, but not in the way you would expect.

 Again like the last part, it brings up some cool themes, but never goes anywhere with them. It doesn't matter though, because that's not what makes Gurren Lagann great a series. I went in with the wrong expectations. I went in expecting something meaty to latch onto and disect, but I should have went in with some sunglasses, and to get ready for some intense action. The action in the second half, is so over-the-top it is truly a sight to see. Most of the show is a homage other super-robot shows through the fights and settings, but it doesn't make them any less amazing. The final fight in particular is so insane, that you can't help but be pumped. The show will always leave one on the edge of their seat and anticipate the next episode.

 The animation as usual is top-notch. The fight scenes are all very fluid and flow with finese, which is rare in a Japanese series, which usually look sub-par compared the the US. The crisp and clean animation makes the the combat much more exciting, and the little details help elevate even the dramatic scenes.

 One problem, which is also a blessing, is that Gurren Lagann is not very original. Everything is a homage to other mecha shows, and it's written on tropes and cliché. This is also the saving grace of the series, because it's what makes it fun. It's not caught up with teaching a message, or being deep. It just wants to be fun, like the shows it loves. It doesn't want to be Neon Genessis Evangelion, and be a convoluted mess. It would much rather be like Getter Robot and be fun.

Overall, I really enjoyed Gurren Lagann. It didn't have a deep plot or character development, but it was entertaining, which is the job of entertainment. I would much rather watch something entertaining than something deep and boring. The writers clearly had a love for the genre, and it shows throughout the work. It's what helps the show become what it is, and it is entertaining.

Back to the Origins of Rayman Origins

 Rayman finally returns to his 2D origins in Rayman Origins. After years of being Ubisoft's bitch and playing second in command to those Rabbids, he finally gets another game. What a glorious game it is.

 Rayman Origins is a return to form for our limbess hero. It's the long awaited sequel fans of the original wanted, but never got. Even though Rayman 2 was great, it never felt as good as the first Rayman to me. I always preferred 2D platformers to 3D platformers as a whole. There's something about running to the right dodging everything in your way that is strangely satisfying. I have had a lot of fun with 3D platformers as well, and even rank a few in my favourite games of all time list, but I can name more 2D platformers than 3D ones that I have liked. I can also safely say that Rayman Origins deserves a place on my list of great 2D platformers. It is quite possibly the best 2D platformer of the generation, just rivalling Donkey Kong Country Returns.

 The story if you can call it that, is done in a 16-bit SNES/Sega Genesis way where it's just an excuse to have the character run across various themed worlds. Rayman and his buddies are too loud, and bother an old dead woman in the Land of the Livid Dead, and summons the darktoons to imprison everything in the Glade of Dreams. No one really cares, and it's not really in the game except for a few cinematics. It's mostly there just to give light context for why Rayman would be jumping on giant watermelon.

 Rayman Origins is a 2D platformers in the purest use of the term. You run, jump, and collect various hidden collectables to unlock more levels to run, jump, and collect various hidden collectables in. What sets Origins apart from other co-op platformers, is the animation. Ubisoft has used their new UbiArt technology to put and emphasis on hand-drawn visuals, and the visuals are stunning. The game is brimming with colourful and detailed worlds. As well as fantastic character animations that look like you're watching an animated feature instead of a game. Normally I would be against something like this, but it never gets in the way of the game. Unlike Metal Gear Solid 4, which wants you to look and not touch, Rayman Origins want you hands-on at all times.

 The controls are incredibly precise, and require you to pull off most later levels with such finese, that almost everything put in the game was in there on purpose. Every jump, enemy, and platform are put in just a spot to let you create a precise acrobatic show that it's very impressive. The level design is so well thought out, that after a while, you can clear a level without ever breaking momentum. The game makes you to use every power Rayman learns, but it never feels forced, or unwanted. you never use one power far too much, that it gets to the point of boredom. There are also the signature mosquito stages that play like an old bullet hell game from the 90s.

 The game may sound easy, but the game is anything but. It's not hard, but it's not easy either. The difficulty is like an easier version of Super Meat Boy, where you will spend numerous lives on the level trying to perfect that one jump, but it never feels frustrating. The abandonment of lives is the main reason the game can pull off such feat. You never lose several lives in one area and gameover, which leads to a lot less anger and quiting from the player.

 The worlds are all very well designed, and imaginative. All of the worlds are very oddly themed, like a traditional platformer. You have the forest level, music level, food level, ice level, water level, etc. Although these kinds of areas are done to death, they never feel old. They always feel interesting and strange, even though we have seen them so many times before.

 The soundtrack is also a God send. The soundtrack has so many catchy tunes, that you will find yourself humming them long after you're done playing. Each world uses music and instruments that fit the setting of the area.

 The game also features four player co-op, but that's no longer new or interesting. Every 2D platformer is doing that now, it is implemented better in Origins than most others. Little Big Planet for example, had the shared lifebar, that would lead to new players wasting all of the lives the others had, which just caused problems. Super Mario Bros. Wii had all of the character made out of rubber and caused them to bounce all over the place, which also caused many feuds among friends. Rayman Origins does none of this, which makes it better to play with others, but you can hit your friends. There were numerous times where we smacked each other mid-air, which caused both of us to die. If you can look past that one little thing, multiplayer is great fun.

 Overall, Rayman Origins is one of the best 2D platformers this generation, and I would even place it on an all time best list. The game controls great, has fantastic music, and imagative worlds. It's almost the perfect platformer, but only almost. The game just recently was released on Steam and the Vita, and has been released on the 360, Wii, and PS3 for some time. I would highly recommend this to all fans of platformers, young and old.