Otaku Let's Play! - Breath of Fire II: With a little Help From My... Who Are These Guys Anyway?

From The Otaku Reviewers' Let's Play SNES editions, gameplay and vocals: by RPGHero

Anime Review: Ao No Exorcist (Blue Exorcist)

Warning: This Anime is NOT Recommended

Because it diverges from the manga...

When you watch an anime there are certain things that we all look for. They are as follows: Character Development, Artistic Appeal, Opening and Ending Originality and Interestingness, and Plot Complexity. These are our FOUR anime judging qualities and by reviewing this way we can avoid spoilers, I think. So let's begin!

Character Development

This anime diverges from the manga, very disappointing. Up to episode 15 or 16, the story is the same as the manga and all of the main character's stories are put out there. This pertains to Rin and Yukio and their adopted father, Fujimoto Shiro. Shiro is a priest and also an exorcist who is like a father to Rin and Yukiko at great cost to himself. Since, their real father was the devil. After this point (episode 15), it's all up in the air as to what's really from the manga.

Artistic Appeal

Rin's voice actor is Nobuhiko Okamoto who also voiced Origami Cyclone in Tiger and Bunny and Niizuma Eiji in Bakuman, if you know those. Yukio's voice actor is Jun Fukuyama who also voiced Guache Suede in Letter Bee, Watanuki in xxxHolic, etc. They make good brothers haha. The artistic appeal of the show is good. The conceptualization of the different demons from good ones to evil ones was clever, and added a Japanese twist to what you would think is a evil spirit.

Opening and Ending Originality

The openings and endings are alright. The first opening was UVERworld and was very cool. But soon after the opening was changed, and was made to fit an anime with no real plot...

Plot Complexity

Again, this show diverges from the manga which is a disappointment. Anyone can wonder why. Was the manga too sacriligious to be exposed via television in it's fullness? Is the creator and co. trying to get a following for the manga or a newer anime? Who knows? The plot isn't complex, after episode 16 you don't really know anything else about Rin and Yukio's adopted father Shiro. This is why I started to watch the show because his involvement with them is suspenseful and shounen. He's like Jiraiya in Naruto. But then the show goes on to some filler plot...

The Gritty: Don't Watch

Unless you just like sacriligious anime with cool shounen overtones.

Fanlib: "That's right girls worship the spawn of evil"

Anime Review: C - The Money of Soul and Possibility Control

Tonight I will review:

C - The Money of Soul and Possibility Control

When you watch an anime there are certain things that we all look for. They are as follows: Character Development, Artistic Appeal, Opening and Ending Originality and Interestingness, and Plot Complexity. These are our FOUR anime judging qualities and by reviewing this way we can avoid spoilers, I think. So let's begin!

Summary

C. is a show about what the world would be like if the world's economy was run by a hidden esoteric alter-economy that uses the future as trust. Basically if you are one of the chosen few you are given an living entity called an asset which you use to battle other people and their assets. In other words, The Economy: Shounen Battle Anime style. The main character, Kimimaro Yoga, is a high school student who is suddenly visited by a supernatural man in an expensive suit who tells him that he can live the easy life IF he accepts to use his future as collateral for it. He pressures Kimimaro into it with information that his missing father was a part of this world. If you want to know more, WATCH THIS SHOW!

The Mysterious Overlord of the Future Collateral Stock Market

Character Development

The show is only 11 episodes long but I think that they were able to compress a lot of character development into it. There are limitations, for example they can't go deep into character's family history or many of their hobbies but those are not needed. Character relationships are few but intense. The main character's missing father provides a lot of mystery and his relationship with his asset, Mashyu, is very intense. There are many rivals. This show has everything you need! In a short amount of time!

Kimimaro and his asset, his future, Mashyu

 Artistic Appeal

I was told by Deretsun to include voice actor appeal and this is where it goes! I will only go into the main character voice actors. Mashyu's voice actor is Haruka Tomatsu and she is great at sounding cute! Kimimaro's voice actor is Koki Uchiyama who is also Midnight in Fairy Tail and the Japanese voice of Roxas in Kingdom Hearts, he is good at sounding like a good guy and can be intense. The visual artistic appeal is very cool, they use CG and they use it well. 

Opening and Ending Originality

The openings and endings are the best I've ever seen. They chose great songs! The songs fit the show well, I think. Anyway, the songs they chose are epic, you'll look forward to watching these every episode. You might even want to watch them now!

RPG by School Food Punishment (ending)

Matryoshka by Nico Touches the Walls (opening)

Plot Complexity

The plot is very complex. You will be delighted because this is the type of shounen show that you'll want to keep watching but then since it's only 11 episodes you might be disappointed. Most of the plot revolves around an esoteric stock market that uses both Future and Money as collateral so you'll learn a lot about the stock market, in fact you have to know some basic stock market terms to follow the show. Just know that money loses value if there is nothing backing up and you'll be fine.

Overall: Recommended!

Battle Shonen vs. Old School Heroes

Battle shonen is a fairly new type of storytelling, which has emerged in the late 70's and early 80's. It's a hero genre, where the stories focus on a hero who saves other people, goes on a journey, defeats an evil opponent, etc. Hero stories have been around for ages, since the times of BC and the ancients. Those who study myths still look back on these old stories and will tell you that they are important. Shonen battle, being new also bring in new themes that are different from those ancient stories.

In ancient stories, the bad guys and even the rivals were animal-like human beings or animals. This was a big theme in old school hero stories. The hero would defeat a dragon or a bull or a centaur or something. That represents people overcoming their animal-like desires, the ones that the opponent has.

In battle shonen, these bad guys are usually people. We have new themes, people getting in other people's way. This reflects today's world. We're not worrying about our animal selves or people who are animal-like. We're worried about people as people, who are villianous.

I'll use Hitman Reborn as a new school example. The heroes use box weapons which are animals that fight for them. This is like using your animal instincts at will to achieve goals. It's a new school idea. Back in the ancient times they weren't thinking about that, not without technology. The bad guys are usually people who can become like animals but they still keep their intelligence as people. Compared to old school bad guys these bad guys are super powered, they can use their animal instincts at will and even use the most brutal animal attributes to fight.

Santa Battle!

Imagine if children at the mall saw something like this??

RPGHero's Diesel Youtube Video of the Night

It's time to fight our battles for once!