Rant about Apollo Justice

((NOTE: Do not read unless you've played Apollo Justice. Also, something decently big is coming.))

This rant is for those who make games or write fics about Phoenix getting his badge back after AJ, and yes this is partly to motherfucking Capcom. I liked the tease in the game, it was nice. Here's my problem: WHAT THE FUCK. Why can't characters grow and change? I thought it was pretty obvious that over the 7 years between games Phoenix had moved on. Yes, he was still working on changing the system, but from outside. He forged evidence, and as many have pointed out acted very differently from how he normally does. Why? Because he had grown up. He was no longer the greenhorn attorney who bluffs his way through cases. He had become a confident man, who raised his daughter and worked however he could to support them. Why make him an attorney again!? This is akin to One More Day with Spiderman, for me. And the fact is, Capcom wasn't really to blame. They did that because of the fans. So many fucking fans had to complain about how 'Apollo Justice sucks', and 'why isn't Phoenix the main character?' If you want to play a game with Phoenix as an attorney, good. There are three of them. But the character has evolved beyond that, and shouldn't be forced back into that role. I know it probably sounds like I'm whining, and I kinda am, but goddamn it! So, in summation, I am the mad.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 17-The Great and Powerful Trixie

This week we had on CoconutSwallow, author of Hostile Takeover, to talk about The Great and Powerful Trixie! We had fun talking about the character and how she can be written, I threw down a gauntlet that I hope many will pick up, Sam and Coconut discovered common ground, and I ruined any credibility I managed to cobble together. You can listen to the episode here (http://youtu.be/NxYl_AVgBWg) and email us with comments, questions, concerns, or criticism at thebronybookclub@yahoo.com

In Front of the Silver Screen-Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger than Fiction is easily one of the most interesting films I've ever seen. It's incredibly post-modern, and deals with many interesting things. From an ethical standpoint, from a literary standpoint, and even from an odd crossroads of the two: the ethics of an author. Is it good to only write a character so you can kill them off?

The characters are all great. They're written well, and the already impressive cast all provide fantastic performances. A special note goes to Will Ferrel, who played outside his comfort zone so well that I personally feel it's his best performance ever. The arc his character goes through is fantastic, and he's one of my favorite protagonists from film. If I had to file a complaint, it would be that the baker character, who is quite important, disappears for about a half hour in the middle.

The special effects are used perfectly with the main character. The editting is similarly good, leaving in scenes of characters often enough for them to stick in my memory, before pulling them all out at once in the best moment.

This is my favorite Romantic-Comedy, maybe my favorite Romantic film, and in the running for one of my favorite films period. If you have not seen this film, you're doing yourself a disservice. Laters.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 16-Doctor Whooves

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we had on H3ph3stus, author of Timelords and Terror, to talk about Doctor Whooves. While the recording had a bit of a rocky start due to a combination of awkward-not-used-to-this-person feelings and our guests's choppy net connection, it ended up being pretty good. Geeking out over Doctor Who can turn any two nerds into Fire Forged Friends. You can listen to the episode here. Next week we'll be talking about a very Great and Powerful character, so send your emails about us, her, or any complaints you may have to thebronybookclub@yahoo.com

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

The Brony Bookclub Episode 15-PRINCESS LUNA

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we had on Andrew Joshua Talon, author of Progress, to talk about everypony's favorite Princess. We talked about our preferences on how the character, and her transformation into Nightmare Moon, should be done. I set forth a new decree about emails. And Sam...was really quiet today. Anyway, listen to all that and more here.

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Episode 55

         Interesting. CMC episodes are somewhat hit-or-miss with me, as is the episode's writer. She's written some of my favorites, and a few of my least favorites. I think the moral was good enough, if a little anvil dropped. What I really enjoyed was the comedy. Sweetie had all the best lines. Overall, a slightly above average episode.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Episode 54

           I LOVE THIS EPISODE! I'm trying, but I honestly can't think of anything I didn't like. The episode has been compared to Season 2's "Lesson Zero," so I guess it's only flaw is that while it is as funny as it's predecessor, it doesn't have as much character dynamic. But on the freaking great side of things, the humor was top-notch, Pinkie having an existential crisis was awesome, and the sound of the Pinkie storm approaching shouting "Fun" was kinda horrifying.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic episodes 53 and 54

       WOO! Season 3 is here! Ahem. Enough celebrating, let's get down to what I thought. On the negative side King Sombra was a very lackluster villain. He had very few lines, and basically spent the episodes standing around casting shadows. Some have made the argument that he is the most competent villain yet. He didn't need to do much considering how well he planned everything out from the beginning. The problem is that no matter how competent he may be, you can't make the like him because, "Oh he planned for all of this and looks cool." If he's supposed to be a dark, cruel, ambitious baddie, have him carry on a conversation and talk in such a way that I can tell that. Or do it through actions. But instead he just stood around, making animal noises and shouting out a couple words. The main plot in general was just okay, some interesting world-building, but not one where I enjoyed all the additions.

       On the good side the comedy was excellent. Meghan has shown once again she's a fantastic comedic writer, showing off Rarity and Pinkie Pie very well. The moral was one of my favorite so far, and the fact Spike got to do something was great. He's really shaping up into one of my favorite non-Mane 6 characters. There are too many small visual gags or musical cues for me to count that made me fall in love with this show all over again, though a special mention goes to the opening bit with Shining Armor looking like he's on Hoth. I was really glad Armor and Cadence showed up again, I hope they get more screentime. Overall, this was a great way to start the season. While it is sadly my least favorite season premiere so far due to the villain problem, I still give it a 9/10. There is too much awesome in this episode for it's flaws to dampen that badly. Laters.

The Legend of Zelda the Return: Episode 3

Up here: http://youtu.be/LBnx_dUTa7w

The Brony Bookclub Episode 14-Alternative Media

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we recorded an ENORMOUS episode on Alternative Media with Urban Meadows the creator of Buck: Legacy which is a pony trading card game. We had a great time, and there was some tweaking with the format. Next week the theme is Princess Luna, so email us at thebronybookclub@yahoo.com with your BEST ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE! Listen to the episode here (http://youtu.be/b2PdjIZXtbE)

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

The Legend of Zelda: The Return Episode 2

Episode 2 is up here: http://youtu.be/5FAOvJW5Ve0

The Legend of Zelda-The Return Audiobook Episode 1

        The first episode of my audiobook production of The Legend of Zelda - The Return by Rose Zemlya is done and up! You can download it here, or listen here! Check the latter link for the notes on the cast.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 13-Vinyl and Octavia

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we had our longest episode yet with guest Corey Williams. We talked about the characters of Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, fics they were featured in, his own story The Vinyl Scratch Tapes, and much more. You can listen to the episode here or email us with comments, questions, concerns, critques, or offers of help at this link.

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

The Brony Bookclub Episode 12-Sad

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we had on ROBCakerin53, author of My Little Dashie. This week Sam basically hosts because I know nothing of Sadfics, the guest and I sing, ROB is a arrogant jerk (Sarcasm), I almost certainly misquote Jim Butcher, we get so far off-topic we forgot the original topic, Sam orbitally bombards us with sadfics, I act like a pompous ass, and I beat Sam. (No, not in that way. Or that way.) Next week we'll be starting the Character Theme Weeks, starting with Vinyl and Octavia Week. If you want to listen the episode, do so here. If you want to mail, go here.

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

Podcast news and Young Justice Episode 36

         Okay, we have a definite date for recording: next weekend. I know it's taking forever to record this one, but the cohost and I are quite busy at the mo', and our guest this time is rarely on FiMFiction, apparently.

          On non-related to pony news, ermahgard! This may be my favorite episode of Season 2, at it's high up there for favorite of the whole show. We finally learn more about the Bad Future, we see Jaime's origin, we get some amazing character bits with two of the original cast, we got an amazing villain, and I WAS RIGHT! As I told guy who was on my podcast and now a good friend Kavonde, "Are you going to get the phone? BECAUSE I CALLED IT!" I won't spoil what I called, but let's just say my favorite alien species of the DCU finally showed up after being hinted at, and they were done very well and true to the comic's spirit. Overall this episode was FANTASTIC! However, now we must wait until January for another episode. I'll post soon with my thoughts on the newest season of Who. Laters.

Apologies

        I'm very sorry we're late on the episode you guys. We're having problems contacting our guest right now, which is weird because he already confirmed himself as one. We will record and put up the episode when in is recorded, which will be...unknown. Very sorry.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 11-Tragedy

       Dear Jim Butcher,

       This week we talked about Tragedy fics with our guest Kavonde, author of what I like to call The Blueblood trilogy. We had a lot of fun, got really off topic at times, and I screwed up worse than any time previous on this show. Don't worry, I'll probably beat it next week. Speaking of next week, our next episode will have on ROBCakeran53, author of My Little Dashie, to talk about Sadfics. It any listeners want to ask him a question, comment on sadfics, recommend some of their favorites, or critique our cruddy podcast they should go here. They can watch the episode here and download it here.

        Your Faithful Student,
        Roy Hankins

Young Justice Episode 34. I'M BACK BABY!

       This is completely unplanned, but screw it, I'm back to being a blogger! Love this episode. The Harper to Harper character interaction was great, the Ted Kord and Jason Todd stuff was good, Jaime and Bart being friends is unexpected and cool, and the fight in the climax was intense and fun. Not sure I like that this universe's Captain Cold is really lame, and kinda fat, but whatever. Overall, a great episode!

The Brony Bookclub Episode 10

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week Sam and I talked about something. You'll see what in the actual episode. We shared some good laughs, came up with some good ideas, and in general had a great time. You can listen to the episode here, download it here, and send us email her.
 
Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

The Brony Bookclub Episode 9-Human

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we talked about Human fics with our pal JasonTheHuman. He talked about how he started Anthropology, and his problems with starting another story. For the first time in weeks, our guest didn't mention Douglas Adams. We all talked about Human fics, the different kinds and why they're so maligned. Sam and I talked about what we liked and didn't like about the fic. If a listener wants to email us they should do so here and they can download the episode here.

Your Faithful Student,
Roy Hankins

The Brony Bookclub Episode 8-Normal

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we had on Lucres, author of Ponies Play D&D. We shared our geeky love for the game, *gasp* another author loves Douglas Adams, Sam actually had a fic update for once, we got some hints to the future of Ponies Play D&D, and next week we'll have on JasonTheHuman for his work on Anthropology! You can download the episode here, and email us here.

Your Faithful Student,
Roy Hankins

The Brony Bookclub and other updates

          So, no episode of the Brony Bookclub this week due to scheduling problems. What are those scheduling problems?

           That is right! The cohost and I are going to SacAnime this weekend! If you'd like to say hi, I'll either be wearing a gray fedora and Marble Hornets tshirt Friday, a Detective Dick Gumshoe costume Saturday, and a Twilight Sparkle baseball cap Sunday.

           I'll also be coming back with reviews very soon. Sorry for the absence, but I've got a lot of cool stuff, and college, going on. Soon! Laters.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 7-Slice of Life

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week we had on Niaeruzu, author of Thrown Abroad and My Little Changeling: Friendship is Weird. We talked about what Slice of Life is, and the difference between Slice of Life and Normal fics. Sam and Niaeruzu discovered they're both anti-clop brothers in arms, and the guest and I realized we're both Butcher fanboys. Sam went all hipster and talked about fics nopony has heard of. Sam is scared of the guest's non-pony fic. And a hint to the special 10th episode. You can find this weeks episode here, and email us here.

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

The Brony Bookclub Episode 6-Adventure

Dear Jim Butcher,

This week on The Brony Bookclub, we interviewed UberPhoenix, author of A World Without Rainbows. We talked about what makes Adventure fics work, and what made AWWR such a success. I made a Song of Ice and Fire joke, and fun was had by all. Download the episode here and send emails in here. (I said gmail in the episode, but it's yahoo.)

Your faithful student,
Roy Hankins

Podcast update

There will be no episode this week because of microphone problems. We'll be recording on Friday, hopefully it will go well this time. Thank you for your patience.

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Code Geass

Yeah it's a R2 image, but to me they're just two seasons of one show.

         So guys, thanks to the ever awesome Arkada I found this cool site called MyAnimeList.net I really enjoy it and put up all the anime I could think of. So, when doing so, I initially gave Code Geass (Original and R2, for this blog post they're the same thing) a 7, or Good. Because that's pretty much how I feel about it, it's good. But when I looked at it again and thought, I realized I was being a bit of a Negative Nancy, and switched to an 8. Let me start this by saying, yes, I think it's Very Good, but I have problems that keep it from being higher.

         For the eleven or so people on the internet who don't know, Code Geass is an anime about an alternate present where Britannia is still a thing, and has conquered a large chunk of the world. The main characters are Britanians living in Japan, and it deals with the revolution boiling against the Empire, with a touch of supernatural fun as well. Really the show is a mix between Death Note (The political and scheming aspects), Azumanga Daioh (The High School shenanigans) and a mech show. (Britannia uses mecha. And no, I don't have an example of a mech anime because it's not my thing.) My favorite thing about Code Geass is how it did something better than Death Note. DN is supposed to be both a intellectual and moral battle, but I never saw any side the it besides the intellectual one. Light is clearly in the wrong here, and L for all his faults is the hero. CG has one morally gray intelligent protagonist who seems to have a better idea, and one misguided and naive average-smarts protagonist. Not only that, but the friendship between them is played really well, and it really hit me in the heart.

        So after all that praise, why do I feel like the rain on everybody's parade? Well, first off most of the High School plot seemed really out of place, and I'm glad it was excised in the second season. It also peaved me that Lelouch, a freaking genius, could have made things infinitely easier at many points by revealing at least part of the truth to certain people. But no, he gets confronted and shuts up, making him seem worse than he really is. I have a friend who tells me it's part of his character, but to me that's like saying that part of a character is that despite being super-intelligent, he can't fix a hole that keeps appearing in his plans over and over despite them being his greatest problem. It's lazy writing. But the worst part has to be C.C. She should be the image for the Plot Tumor trope. Who could easily cut her out of the entire story, and I wouldn't notice. All the things that she did could easily be done by other people, and she could have just stayed dead in episode one. Still, despite these problems I have, the show is still Very Good, and I would recommend it to many. It's just begging for a Fan Edit though. Maybe one that ends at episode 22...

Sore Fingers - Slender

This game, roughly 95% of the time

            Slender is a game version of The Slender Man Mythos, though by far it has the most in common with the series Marble Hornets. I'll note right away that I have barely played the game myself, my roommate has while I sit behind him scared. Now, I know a lot of people, my roommate not being one of them, who find this game boring. I was just talking to one the other day and he laughed about it. What. Okay, for the (to me surprisingly) many out there who have no idea what this game is, here. Slender Man is a creature made by the Something Awful forums. It was a thread in 2009 that spawned him, with a scary picture thread. Someone posted pictures of a tall, thin, faceless man standing in the background around children, with captions talking about how all the children in the pictures are missing, and the town's records have burned down in fires, and other scary stuff.

            Soon after, Troy Wagner and Joseph DeLage took the meme and made a series on YouTube about it called Marble Hornets. As I have mentioned before on the blog, it is incredibly well-made and I bought both seasons that have come out on DVD. In the game you play as an unnamed person, out in the woods at night with nothing but a flashlight. (Something tells me M from The Tutorial is laughing at this person.) As you walk through the woods you find odd notes taped to things, each with creepy drawings of the Slender Man. (Someone probably just took Alex's journal and ripped random pages out.) After you find the first one, however, Slender Man starts chasing you. If you turn around and can see him, the screen gets static-y. It will also get static-y when he gets close to you. If you look at him for too long, he gets you and you die. If you get all 8 pages you get a cool ending and unlock a new mode, from which you can get another mode. As a game, I have a lot of respect and fear for it. I can't wait, especially because it is apparently just a prologue.

           There's more to talk about with this gem, however. This game, and it's coverage by major LPers, large gaming sights, and now TOM from Toonami has brought a lot of people to our little fandom. You can tell who they are by asking about Marble Hornets. If you get a blank look, you're either talking to a new person or Slender Man himself in which case WHAT ARE YOU DOING TALKING RUN! Now, I could easily continue the topic by saying they're not 'true fans' or something equally ridiculous, but I see it as an opportunity to add some life into this slowly dying fandom. When I meet one of them, I just tell them, "Search for Introduction on YouTube, and click on the one by Marble Hornets. Have fun." The more people getting scared, the better. Laters.

The EGS Initiative: New and Old Friends

           Arc 5-Flipping Cardboard: Justin is sitting bored at the comic shop he works at, a little ticked that all day the only sale has been a $4 pack of Magic cards. So he calls Nanase, getting her to come over. Her milkshake brings all the nerds to the yard, and he uses her to make them actually buy something. He senses someone coming, and hides. It's Melissa, his ex. Nanase uses an illusion to shoo her off. During the conversation afterwards, one of the local nerds hears that Justin is gay. After work Justin runs into him, who apologizes for using 'gay' in a derogatory sense so often in the shop. The X-Men taught him better than that. (Am I the only one who thinks that's both funny and awesome?)

           Melissa is interesting to talk about. When she first appears, she's Justin's ex-girlfriend. She's still obsessing over him, calling his being gay a 'phase', and still thinking of him as her boyfriend. Basically, she was the most annoying character in the comic. At some point later on, the author made the great decision to develop her more, making her and Justin much more interesting characters as a result.

           Arc 6-Lady Mysterious: This is easy to sum up. Grace has a new form of an asian woman with green hair named Claire that she uses for a civilian disguise. She and Ellen don't go to school yet, so they decide to hang out. Grace is amazing at Super Smash Brothers. Done.

           Arc 7-Squirrel Diplomacy: Very short: SHENANIGANS!

           Arc 8-Lunchtable Revelations: Since Elliot and Sarah are dating now, they think that Tedd and Susan should sit with them at lunch, as a group. The problem: Susan and Tedd don't like each other. Elliot decides that each of them should share something, to put everyone more at ease. Elliot starts by revealing he used to have a problem. He spent all of junior high picking fights with any bullies he could. Despite what he told himself, it was more for being able to fight than protecting others. He hasn't fought since freshman year, when he saved Justin from bullies. Sarah goes next by revealing she draws little comics, one of the characters apparently being Dan, AKA the author of this webcomic. What.

           Tedd reveals he has 20-20 vision, and the glasses are because he looks really girly. He shows them the other functions, like night-vision, picture taking, and video-recording. It used to have x-ray vision, but he recently managed to remove it. When Susan makes a snide remark, he tells her that while he is a pervert, he never used that function because it would have been wrong. Susan reveals her real first name, Tiffany, and that her natural hair color is blonde. She goes by Susan because Tiffany Pompoms sounds like a dumb cheerleader, and she dyes her hair because her parents divorced at a young age when her dad cheated on her mom with a blonde woman. Tedd responds by telling about the fact his parents are divorced too, and his mom is somewhere in Europe. She extends a hand to offer a truce. That day when Tedd is picked on by a jock, before Elliot can help Susan hammers the guy over the head. Yays.

Derp

Sorry, no real post today, I'm neck deep in AMAZING FANFICTION! Seriously, Kavonde is a badass and now my personal favorite fanfic writer.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 5-Shipping

               Dear Jim Butcher,

               Today on The Brony Bookclub we had on CoffeeGrunt, author of Allegrezza, and talked about shipping fics. We learned that Allegrezza was pretty much written a chapter at a time, not with a overarching story planned out. Grunt gave good advice on how not to write your fic. Rainbow Dash is again a bicycle. Sam and I made Avatar jokes while Grunt listened in confusion, though we disagree on who that fandom's bicycle is. He thinks it's Katara, I think it's Zuko. I am right. Apparently, Grunt helped preread on later chapters of "The Vinyl Scratch Tapes". Sam...talks...like...William...Shatner. According to Gruny, lesbians are awesome. (New title of the show-My Little Pony: Lesbians are Awesome.) Oh yeah, despite what I say in the episode "Of Challenges and Kisses" is Featherweight and Scootaloo. And I'm an idiot. Sam finished catching up on "A World Without Rainbows" which to that I say "Woo!" Grunt rambles about Ship fics for a while. I rage at Twixie. I endorse Rarijack. Grunt is Santa and his sack is full of ship-fic recommendations. Sam is all Satire today. Sam has the gall to mention a fic I'd love, then reveals it has disappeared from the ponynet. (He has been sent to pony hell.) I work Community into the podcast! Yay! The title of a fic breaks my mind. Sam and Grunt quote "Full Life Consequences." I respond with "Repercussions of Evil." I am the only one with a non-pony ship fic. OH COME ON! I finally plugged one of my favorite fics. Overall, we learned that Shipping is one of the fandom's favorite pastimes. The secret to good shipping is a combination between the chemistry between the characters and the author's skill at writing character interaction. The audience can find the episode here, and the mailbag here.

              Your faithful student,
              Roy Hankins

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Puella Magi Madoka Magica

                Do not let the image nor the opening theme song fool you. This is not Sailor Moon. This is not Cardcaptor Sakura. This is not Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. This anime is to the Magical Girl genre of anime what Watchmen is to Superhero genre comic books. It is very much a deconstruction of the entire idea of a Magical Girl, and it frightens me. But you can find that out anywhere, that's literally how every review of it has to start. But most of them fail to follow up on the basic question: Should I watch it? The short answer: yes. The long answer: See below.

                 I don't say this very often, but damn that was some good animation. I am obviously not talking about the broadcast version, but the dub. The main characters are very well done, though several of the side characters felt a little flat and lacking in fiber. The action scenes were great. The story is one of the best I've seen in an anime in quiet a while. The best part, however, is the pacing. The show is 12 episodes long, and is paced perfectly. After using the first several episodes to set you up, each episode is full of content, and builds on what the previous one did. I used to think that 12-episode series almost always left you lacking, but then I took a Madoka Magica to the brain.

                Overall, I would heavily, heavily recommend anyone who watches anime give this a try. It is not something you have seen before, and is worth the watch. Personally, in sheer quality, I would probably put this up there with BeBop, though for different reasons. So, please, go watch it, or Kyubey will find you.

               Two anime finished in less than a week? I am back baby!

Classic Who Review-Genesis of the Daleks

             Ooh sweet TARDIS. I love this serial. I now understand why it is considered one of the best parts of Doctor Who. I am going to try and keep this somewhat brief so those interested can find the serial themselves and view it. The Time Lords send The Doctor and his companions back to Skarro, so he can stop the Daleks from ever existing. The story of the war going on is great, The Doctor has some great moments, and Davros steals the show. The man is completely insane, yet definitely The Doctor's equal. I give this serial four stars out of four, or the rating "Ooh you Sexy Thing." Laters.

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Clannad: After Story

              Yup, I finished it just yesterday. I am very conflicted over After Story. I'm going to start with the reasons this is voted on Anime News Network as the best anime of all time, and why I love it. The story hurts. It takes the hinted at theme from Clannad, that change can hurt but you have to roll with it and try to live your life as best you can, and really brings it into the forefront. This anime goes in directions I haven't seen before, made me cry, and I loved it the entire time. Not only that, but along the way it isn't just heart-jerkingly sad, but also beautiful, adorable, and hilarious. On a storytelling level, Clannad is amazing, and maybe one of the best anime ever made.

               So, why am I conflicted? Let me start with this fucker.

            That is Samuel, my good friend and cohost on The Brony Bookclub. It is from his insistence that I have watched Clannad so fast. I will thank him for this, but I will also Clockwork Orange the Cupcakes animation to him for a few hours. I cannot stand the ending to Clannad. Not only is it in general a lame device, it specifically destroys the entire point of the show. I will not spoil it, but I will reiterate that it is impossible for an ending to destroy the theme of a show more. I still love Clannad: After Story, but this terrible ending has taken it from a Top 10 contender to a definite Top 20 spot. If you disagree, we can discuss it over email at grottocast@yahoo.com Do not comment about it here, I do not want to spoil it at all.

Classic Who Review-The Sontaran Experiment

                  I find it really hard to talk about this serial. It's just kinda dull. The Sontaran is dull, the humans are dull, even The Doctor and his companions are kinda dull. The biggest thing I can remember thinking when watching it was how incredibly padded out it was, despite being far shorter in episodes (2) compared to the usual fare for these serials (4). I give this serial 1 1/2 stars, or the rating of, "A Blue Boringer." Laters.

Classic Who Review-The Ark in Space

           Before I start, a fair warning as of the episodes I shall review this is the one I saw the longest time ago, literally months. I rather enjoyed this episode, despite the flaws. Those flaws being: the awful acting jobs on everyone not The Doctor, Sarah, and Harry; the terrible effects; and the overall meh story. What really sold the episode to me was how it developed The Doctor, Sarah, and Harry. The Doctor had a great line, about how of all the species he's seen, Humans are by and large his favorites. In general it's the episode that acclimated me to Tom Baker's Doctor. With Sarah I felt connected to her for the first time, with her very funny scene of crawling through the vent. And Harry was pretty good too, really playing up the whole Naval Doctor thing. Overall, it's a slightly above average episode for me, but only because of the writing and acting of the leads. Laters.

Classic Who Review-Robot

                 That is right, I am watching Classic Doctor Who again. And due to lack of interest in black-and-white stuff right now, I skipped ahead to the Fourth Doctor. The plot for this one is pretty simple: The Doctor has just regenerated, and a group of scientists who want to rule the world use their Robot to steal the codes to all the nukes. The problem is the Robot was programmed to respect human life, and driving it to hurt people drives it crazy. It has a silly ending I won't spoil, but I still enjoyed it. The Doctor was great, I am really liking the actor so far. Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan are good companions, though they didn't get to do much in this one. For my first meeting, I really liked the Brigadier and his right-hand man Benton. The Brigadier really helped solidify his character with a great line. Overall, it got me excited for more of this Doctor, but as an episode it was just average.

No post today. Two tomorrow.

The EGS Initiative: Sisters

           Arc 4-Sisters: At school, a bully named Tony picks on Tedd, who wants revenge. We're introduced to Susan. At Moperville South, the school Justin and Nanase go to, Nanase tells Justin she was never really attracted to Elliot. He thinks she might be gay, to which she vehemently denies. After school, Tedd runs into Elliot's house, saying he's in trouble. He was testing the gun's Girl Form on himself, to see if it would work on Tony, but now the safety is broken and Tedd's stuck as a girl until he fixes it. Elliot comes up to Tedd later, not sure if he's turned back or not because of how girly he looks. Tedd has, and the statement pisses him off, and in his rage he hits Elliot with the gun. (PLOT POINT WAY DOWN THE ROAD.)

            It turns out he'd set the gun to Female Variant Number 5, which makes the person look more attractive, bisexual, and release pheromones making guys and girls attracted to you. And the gun broke. Elliot will be stuck this way for a month. Elliot tells his parents, and they barely react. They're used to weird stuff. Elliot goes to school claiming to be Elliot's out-of-town cousin, Ellen. Grace has done some research, and found a mystical artifact called the Dewitchery Diamond said to cure anyone cursed into another form. And it's being held in a barely watched government warehouse. As they drive to the warehouse, they have Sensei Greg watch Tedd's house to make sure Grace is safe.

             He and Grace discover that the TF Gun has changed how she morphs, before she conserved mass between forms, but now she doesn't because magic. They are then contacted from a Tedd from a different universe. They call him Beta Tedd. He gives her a warning we don't see yet. Meanwhile Tedd and Elliot have reached and easily broken into the facility, and find the diamond. Elliot touches it, and he does become a man. However it also creates a clone of Elliot who is still a girl. She is confused, because she has all of Elliot's memories. Tedd theories that since the form was only going to last a month, she might as well. She kinda snaps, vowing to ruin Elliot's life. (On another critical tangeant, this scene is mostly well done. You really feel for Ellen, and the fight is pretty awesome.) They fight, and she escapes with Elliot's car.

           Tedd and Elliot are knocked out by the guard, who ran up after hearing the commotion. When they wake up Tedd has found out more stuff about the diamond, including the fact that Ellen won't disappear in a month. A long time ago a wizard apprentice was good friends with a nobleman, who was cursed to become a werewolf. In order to help his friend, the wizard enchanted a large diamond of the noble's to remove any curse. Sadly, it removes the curse by making a copy of the original with the curse, leaving the original fine. This left a human noble and a werewolf who was wolfy all the time, not just on the full moon. The noble died battling the monster, and the apprentice...well, I can't say. (PLOT POINT!)

           They get let out of jail, and have Elliot use Tedd's old Transformation Belt to turn half-cat, so he can carry Tedd back to Moperville. The next day, Ellen does around trying to ruin "Ellen's" good name (The principal knows the truth and would blame Elliot.) but largely fails. After Elliot is too tired to run, they catch a ride with a guy named Hedge. Greg wakes Grace up from a nightmare, and they get contacted by Tedd who gives them the full story. Ellen hears Tony making fun of Tedd, and she threatens him. She then insults the principal, and notices Sarah staring.

           Sarah confronts Ellen, who breaks down, cries, kisses her, and runs away. Then the Goo from the first story, having regenerated and being more powerful than ever and can talk, attacks. Ellen saves Sarah, and Susan pulls an alarm to evacuate the building. Ellen gets Sarah outta there, and confronts the Goo ready and willing to sacrifice herself to destroy it. Grace and Greg arrive at the scene. Susan calls Nanase about it, saying she should help defeat it. Grace explains that a Tedd from an alternate universe named Lord Tedd is trying to kill all his alternate selves, and the Goo is his monster. Ellen finds out she can shoot a beam from her hand that stuns the Goo. After an infodump, Nanase and Greg join the fight.

          Nanase tells Ellen the truth, that she won't die in a month. Justin and Susan (Who has summoned a katana) join the battle. Grace discovers she has telekinetic powers of some kind, and a powered up form. The Goo, scared by Grace, tries a smaller safer form. Ellen uses the opportunity to destroy the main body, then smashes the core. Mr. Verres gives Ellen a cover story and let's her live with Elliot, his parents accepting there new daughter easily. Nanase acts as Ellen's ambassador to everybody else. Ellen wants to start over new, as if she didn't have any of Elliot's memories. The Main 8 are together, and for the first time seem to act like a cohesive group. The End.

           Tiffany Susan Pompoms is a rich feminist made of sarcasm, cynicism, and wit. She's Sarah's best friend, and has not one but two tragic backstories. She starts out very bitchy, but gets a lot of needed development, and gets over her problems over time. Able to summon certain weapons at will, but the why is covered much later.

           The Dunkels are the most unflappable characters ever made. They are completely calm and accepting about whatever is thrown there way, yet overreact on the small stuff.

The EGS Initiative: Introduction and 3 Arcs

        (Before I start, I'd like to make an update regarding the Brony Bookclub. Due to scheduling conflicts, there will be no show this week. My apologies.)

        I think once before I mentioned that El Goonish Shive is my favorite webcomic by far, and I hold on that front. The problem with the series is that it starts out kinda meh, and takes a while before it gets awesome. So this is why I am making this, the EGS Initiative. The point is to summarize the comic up to certain points, those points being place you could start at and reasonably enjoy. It's going to be a big process, but I hope it will be a useful and fun one as well. I'm going to try and sum up things as they happen, then go into the characters. The first story arc, Introductions, will be skipped as literally nothing important happened. Before we start the real first story arc, we have to introduce the main characters. I'm going to be talking about each character has who they have become, not who they were at the beginning.

        Elliot Dunkel is a goody-two-shoes. He has a bit of a dark past, but not overwhelmingly so. He studies Anime-Style Martial Arts, and is the second best student there. He can't stand bullies. He sucks at perversion.

         Tedd Verres is a mad scientist. He is a pervert, and has a major fetish for transformations. He is also a complete nerd. He doesn't actually need glasses to see, his face is incredible girly and he hides it with them. He has been called 'gay' by bullies his entire life.

       Sarah Brown is very normal. She's an artist, and always trying to improve her skill. She's a very casual nerd. She is envious of other characters for their powers. Surprisingly brave. Up until the Hammerchlorians Arc she was able to summon giant hammers.

       Arc 1-The Goo: Elliot and Tedd are in science class. The assignment is to make goo, and Tedd's becomes alive. Tedd repeatedly claims he was not responsible, nobody believes him. They're forced to stay after school to catch it. The goo grows huge and monstrous. They try activating the sprinklers, but their principal didn't actually install real ones, because they'd be too costly. Instead Elliot blows it up.

       Arc 2-Shade: Elliot and Tedd end up in the newspaper for the events of the previous arc, and a mysterious woman wonders if they could help her. Elliot, Sarah, and Tedd go to the movies, and when they return they find a woman waiting for them. Her name is Grace, and she wants to stay with Tedd and his father for protection. Tedd's father knows her already, but by the name Shade Tail. Grace and Sarah go shopping for clothes, and when a mugger attacks Grace turns into a anthropomorphic squirrel. That scares off the mugger. She reveals to the group that she and her 'brothers' were the result of a secret operation. They were trying to make super assassins by making part animal people that could morph between full human, half animal, and full animal. The experiment ended when a being named Damien killed the scientists and took the experimental children as his warriors. Grace is a pacifist, and escaped. They agree to help Grace.

       Grace Sciuridae is a half-squirrel teenager. She's had easily the most art and character change, but at her core she has stayed roughly the same. She is a naive, kind, and caring girl. She knows nothing of social customs, having grown up in a lab. She is a pacifist, though when the time comes that she's enraged enough to fight she goes absolutely berserk. She is adorable.

       Edward Verres is Tedd's dad. He's also a high ranking member of the FBI, and his job is keeping Aliens and Magic a secret from the public. He's also one of the strongest wizards alive. He's gruff, but cares for his son. He overreacts to many things. When you are allowed to hear about what he has to say, getting him to stop may be tough.

       Arc 3-Relations: Elliot realizes Sarah is interested in him, and invites her to his martial arts class under the pretense of her almost getting mugged. Tedd and Grace start dating. Sarah goes to the class, and meets Elliot's martial art friends Justin and Nanase. Elliot talks with his teacher, Sensei Greg. He sets up a sparring match between Elliot and Nanase, the two highest ranking students. Sarah and Justin watch. If I may take a critical aside, the fight is very well done, the fighting looking cool and being funny in it's parodying of anime fights. Nanase wins, and kisses Elliot. He brought Sarah there to make her understand that he is dating Nanase. Sarah runs out crying, and when Elliot tells Nanase that he brought Sarah to tell her about the situation, not show her, Nanase rightly smacks him. She tells Elliot that since he and Sarah have known each-other for a long time, and she reacted that way, this isn't some crush to let down, and he should talk with her. They do, and Sarah reveals she loves Elliot. She walks away, and when Elliot tells Nanase she breaks up with him so they can be together. Plus, it was mostly a 'friends with benefits' relationship anyway. (The following is technically another story arc, but it's related enough to count it as part of Relations.) Sarah shows up at Tedd's to find that Tedd's Transformation gun can add more forms to Grace, and that now she has cat and hedgehog/cat hybrid forms. Grace has nightmares that night, and Tedd comforts her. (Not in that way. Pervert.) Tedd reveals that he's been bullied a lot in his life. He and Elliot met when Elliot beat the crap out of a bully tormenting Tedd.

           Justin Tolkiberry is a nerd who is somewhat good at martial arts. He's also gay. That is barely relevant to his character, and the only way it is is that he really likes Elliot. Who is straight. He works at a comic book shop. His only real development is pretty recent, so I won't cover it in this initiative, or at least not for a while.

         Nanase Kitsune is a badass. She is easily the strongest of the mane cast, as well as the best magically. She is intelligent, and very kind. Her mother controls most of her life, trying to get her to go down a certain path. She has very major development, but I'll get to that somewhat soon. She's also Tedd's cousin.

        Sensei Greg is the founder of the Anime-Style Martial Arts style. He discovered it after being dumped, by watching anime for an insane amount of time. He combined his knowledge of the medium with his already extensive martial arts training to create his own style, that suprisingly works. He doesn't show up much because at his power level he's basically a walking Dues Ex Machina.

        I'll be back tomorrow to cover the Sisters Arc. Laters.

Fanfiction

         So...yeah. I wrote some fanfiction. Here it is. And stuff. Oh, it's pony-related. So, if you're not a brony, um, maybe don't read it? Could this post be any more mellow? No. It could not.

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Soul Eater

      This shall be the last shonen anime I talk about for a while. I just wanted to go through the older ones, then come back to the new stuff. Or something. I kinda lost track. Whatever. Now, I have found out that a lot of people have no seen Soul Eater.

        Maybe it's just me, but this show is actually getting on in years. Let me start with the bad: some gags really don't work with me, but they managed to find solid footing pretty fast. It suffers from the same problem as the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, but instead of a whole season of filler we get a third a season. You'd think that's be a good thing, but the whole season FMA had allowed them to set up stuff so it kinda became it's own, complete, separate show from the manga. Soul Eater didn't, and the filler ending they cobbled together seems very patchwork. The worst has the best the ending, which makes no fucking sense, and does to nothing but leaving me staring at the screen in bewilderment. It really let me down, but with the advent of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and the two doing the same thing and being made by the same animation company, maybe we can get a similar show here.

       So what's good about Soul Eater? So freaking much. First off, the action is gorgeous. And it don't mean in an animation or frame-rate sense, I mean it is just freaking amazing. I'd honestly have to say that Soul Eater has my favorite action scenes from anime. Also? The music. Both openings to the show are fantastic, and while I prefer the second one, both are up there in my favorite openings in anime. Also, I really like the cast. Mako and Soul are good protagonists; Kid and the Thompson Sisters are fun; and Black Star and Tsubaki are great. Plus, the side characters are great too. Krona is my favorite shonen rival, not counting Ryoga. His story is really well done, and I like the ending the filler bits actually gave him. (As opposed to the manga where his story tears my heart apart.) Dr. Stein is a great mentor character, and Maka's Dad is cool as well. Medusa is one of my favorite villains in recent anime. So, while it has a few flaws, Soul Eater ends up being one of my favorite anime to come out in recent yearsish. I'd heavily recommend it, and it isn't hard to find. The whole thing's one Netflix. Laters.

Comparing First Episodes-One Piece and Fairy Tail

              Yeah, I don't think this is going to be a new thing. I'm just doing this instead of reviewing the damn show, because honestly I can't review something I've seen two episodes of, and I do not want to watch any more of it. So I'm going to compare it's first episode to the first episode of the similar show One Piece.

               Fairy Tail's first episode has better animation. The fight scene at the end is, from a technical aspect, better than any in the first of One Piece. That is pretty much the only thing I can say FT did better.

               One Piece's first episode manages to get across so much. You get a good look at the main character, you learn a little about the world, you learn about the powers, you learn about where the end goal of the story is, and most importantly for me, you get the main thesis of the show. "I understand the road I've chosen in a dangerous one. If I die trying to achieve my dream, then I die." That's not an exact quote, but I love the line. It perfectly sums up the message of the show. Compare this to Fairy Tail, where afterwards I learned there's magic, and there's guilds, and the main character wants to join the guild Fairy Tail, and this other guy is already a member and has dragon powers. But what is the theme of the show? I also grew much more attached to Luffy and Coby than Lucy and Natsu. I love Luffy's nonchalance towards so many others, while also being concerned for Coby once he realizes that he actually has a dream of his own, even if it conflicts with Luffy's. Coby had half a character arc, going from a coward to brave, and it was hard not to like the kid. Lucy...um, she's a mage. And she wants to be a member of Fairy Tail. And she uses summon magic. Notice I didn't mention her personality at all? That's because I didn't remember it. I could look it up, but if a show isn't able to impress their character's traits onto me and its own, then they're failing. And Natsu is so boring. He eats a lot, he's bored, he likes to fight. But what does he want? Why does he want it? What are his morals? I don't know. Lastly, the action in OP's first episode is more fun, and has a larger impact to me.

                 I am not saying Fairy Tail is bad. What I'm saying is that it was not able to impress me enough early on to get me to want to watch it. Normally I'd watch it anyway, but this is a shonen series. I know this story is going to go long, so you have to hook me if you want me to watch the whole thing. Laters.

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Clannad

              I am going to take an aside rant before I start actually talking about the anime. Namely, when I started reviewing things, what, 4 years ago, my specialty was anime. It was the medium I had the most knowledge and experience with. But since then, I took it upon myself to spread my boundaries, and watch as much as possible from the other mediums. I'm happy to say that it has mostly worked, so that now I can talk somewhat intelligently about books, live action TV, western animation, films, fanfiction, comic books, and webcomics. However, it struck me the other day that I had not started and finished an anime in a very long time. I had abandoned by original fandom, and that just would not do. So I'm spending more time on the anime side of things. And if that isn't your cup of tea, don't worry, I'm still watching live-action TV, movies, cartoons, etc.

             Clannad is an anime made by Kyoto Animation, and it is based of a visual novel game by Key. Those are the same people who made the visual novels turned anime Kanon, Air, and Angel Beats (Yes, the last one isn't  visual novel, but it was made by Key then made into an anime.) My record with these adaptations is mixed. Kanon was one of the first anime I saw, and still holds a special place in my heart as, "that incredibly sad one about high school girls in the snow." Air is odd for me: I didn't finish it because it simply failed to grab me any longer. the characters hadn't grown on me, and the only thing I enjoyed was Vic Mignogna's performance. Angel Beats start off a little slow, but ends up one of my favorite series from recent years, especially because of the frankly amazing soundtrack. So how does Clannad fair?

            Let's start with the opening. It works well, and while I wouldn't have it high up on my list of favorite openings, it's still very good and sets the mood well for the show itself. The plot is about a delinquent high school student and his best friend, who end up befriending several girls each of whom has their own story arch. (Except Ryou for some reason.) Each arc's ending is sad, though how sad depends on the viewer. The characters are pretty good, my favorites being the best friend Youhei for being a hilarious spaz (seriously, he's the Xander of the show), and one of the girl's dad Akio for being awesome.

            I'll quickly mention the animation before I move on: it works. It tells the story, and that's good. Not much to talk about really. So how did I like it? Well, I'm proud to say that unlike Kanon or Angel Beats, I did not cry once.  The first character arc's ending came pretty damn close though. Seriously, in my opinion that is the best arc of them all, it is so freaking sad, but completely heartwarming at the same time. The final character arc almost got me too, there was literally a part halfway though the episode where I was completely confused, because somehow I'm such a terrible visual novel player that I got the bad ending on an anime adaptation!

            Overall I would definitely recommend the series, it is very funny, sad, and it fills you with warm fuzzies for a little while. And really, isn't that good enough? Well, of to watch After Story!

The Brony Bookclub Episode 4-Comedy

Dear Jim Butcher,

Today on The Brony Bookclub, Sam and I had on DubsRewatcher, author of "But the Kitchen Sink." Dubs and I regaled Sam with the best synopsis we could of House of Leaves, I once again almost interrupt the guest the insist they continue with their thought, Dubs brought up FiMFiction's recent policy change, Anthropology is finished, Dubs earns this podcast the enmity of Poultron, we learned Dubs is apparently a sadist, and Sam actually had a non-Pony fic to share. Overall, we learned that comedy is very subjective, and harder to do in fanfiction than in a visual medium. The author needs to understand when to use comedy, and when to be serious. It's also better when you have an insane premise to take it completely seriously, and not tongue-in-cheek. The audience can find the recording here and the mailbag here.

Your Faithful Student,
Roy Hankins

Apologies

          I'm taking a little break. The next post will be on Sunday, another episode of the Brony Bookclub. I want to blog right now, but with the recent tragedy in Colorado making me think, I'm spending more time with my friends. I should be back soon, and I have quiet a bit planned for when I do. Thank you for putting up with me. Laters.

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Bleach

            Oh man, this is gonna really kill me. Alright, so the, like, zero people reading this who watched by old shitty YouTube videos know that this anime cause my first kinda big controversy. This was mostly caused by my poor writing, bad speech, and terrible response to comments. Let me start with this then: I do not think Bleach is a bad anime, nor do I hate it. I feel that in quality it is mediocre, and I don't really have any feeling for it one way or the other.

            On the good side, the opening (not sure which number) DTechnoLife is amazing, and one of my favorite openings to any anime ever. However, I rarely think of Bleach when I listen to it, so I'm not sure it's actually a plus. The other good-ish thing about it is that it doesn't really have anything bad about it.

            That is just my problem however. Good is not the absence of bad. While nothing about the show is something I dislike, I don't like any of it either. The characters are bland, the story meh, and the action standard. So, really, I have nothing much to say about the show except that I don't hate it. Or like it. Or care. Sorry Bleach fans. Laters.

Top 13 Favorite Movies (Kinda)

    Yeah, I just saw the Chick's new video, and it gave me the idea to do the same. The movies you would call your favorites says a lot about you as a geek, so allow me the time to list them. Oh, and it says 'kinda' because I'm doing this loose, fast, and off the top of my bookshelf's movies. Let us start with a...

            Honorable Mention-Joss Whedon's The Avengers

            This is not to say I do not enjoy the movie. (And yes, I call it's Joss Whedon's The Avengers. So sue me.) I really do. The comedy is sharp, the action fantastic, and it's about as good an Avengers Movie as can be made. Sadly, I am not a big Avengers fan, so this really didn't hit my heart like most on this list did. Sorry Marvelites.

       13-The Producers (1968)

       As a fan of comedy, it's my duty to put a Mel Brooks movie on the list somewhere, and choosing which one was a bit hard. Most of my friends would have chosen Spaceballs, and while I like the movie, The Producers is far funnier to me. Gene Wilder's acting is, as always, amazing. The jokes are some of my favorites, and my sides hurt every time I watch this thing. The only downside is it starts off slow, and the opening credits are long. Besides that, a great film.

       12-Tremors

      This movie is kind of a guilty pleasure. I grew up with this franchise, and while now I am able to understand that the sequels slowly degrade in quality, I still love them. They're fun monster flicks with a really interesting creature. Plus I love all the expanded universe stuff about the graboids. I like they're not aliens or supernatural, they are just creatures with an odd life cycle.

        11-The Prestige

       I'm always surprised when people say this is the worst Christopher Nolan movie. I haven't seen his remake of Insomnia yet, but I'd still say I like The Prestige more than Memento and Batman Begins. The acting is great, the twists interesting, and it's just an interesting movie. I am sad I don't own it, and if I see it at a Wal-Mart next time I'm in one I'll buy it. (If my faith in humanity hasn't been entirely crushed by the time I've found it.)

        10-Brick

      It has come to my attention that not everybody has seen this film yet. My current quest is to rectify this. It's a old-style Noir detective movie set in modern day High School. The dialogue is great, the mystery interesting, and the cinematography is fantastic. This is the first film by director Rian Johnson, with his second film The Brothers Bloom having come out in 2008. (I also recommend that.) His third film, Looper, comes out this year and to say I am psyched is not an exaggeration.

       9-Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva

         This movie is on the list for several reasons. One; I am a pretty big fan of the Professor Layton series. Two; it's a pretty good movie. Three; it is, undoubtedly in my own opinion, the best video game movie yet made. It manages to capture both the gameplay and story of the series perfectly, while delivering it's own tale not done in the games.

        8-Scott Pilgrim VS The World

     Like any nerd, I have my problems with this film. It is still, however, the best Scott Pilgrim movie that could be made. Ultimately all my problems and quibbles with the film is because it's a film and not an animated series. It still makes me laugh, jump up in excitement, and tear up a little every time. Nerd salute to you Edgar Wright.

      7-Monty Python's The Life of Brian

     I think I'll find a severed Goomba head in my bed tomorrow for this. While I feel that Holy Grail is much more quotable, I like Life of Brian more. It makes me laugh more and I think the story is better. (Besides that weird thing with the spaceship in the middle. What the hell were they smoking?) It also helps that when I first saw Holy Grail, I already knew all the best parts by heart. Not true with Life of Brian, and the surprise made it better for me.

      6-Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

       I must preface this with the fact that I am not a Trekkie, even though both my parents are. I have seen one or two episodes of the original series, this movie, and the new one. I plan on trying Next Generation someday, but I am very ashamed of my lack of knowledge in this area, as it is my biggest weakspot as a nerd. This movie, however, is amazing. The dialogue is infinitely quotable, the situation dire, the villain brilliant, and Bones is on board. I like Bones.

       5-Star Wars Episode V

     For the record, I will state that I feel Wrath of Khan is in quality better than any Star Wars movie. However, I grew up with the Original Trilogy, and they hold a place (Somewhat diminished by the Special Editions) in my heart. I'm with Star Wars the opposite of what I am with Star Trek though. I have tasted the fruits Lucas has offered me, and while I still love the Original Trilogy and a couple EU books, I can't really call myself I fan. Still, Empire Strikes Back is awesome.

       4-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

        Okay, this is gonna get me lynched. I know the problems a lot of people have with Order, but I disagree. Did it cut out stuff I wanted in? Yeah sure. But we're dealing with a long freaking movie guys. Not only that, I respect that they got all this stuff in, yet it doesn't feel rushed. Unlike the previous film in the series, it slowed down and took it's time, which is the pace I feel suits the series best.

       3-Serenity

        Yep, my Whedon movie for the list. This film, it's killing of loved characters besides, is made of epic win. I can watch in whenever and always come out of it happy. I was surprised to meet people in real life who didn't like Whedon stuff, but once they explained their positions we came to a mutual understanding. I like it when everyone is funny and has smart dialogue. I like stuff focused more on characters than on story. And this movie is that turned up to 11. The only thing that I don't like is how they handled the Reavers, but that's a rant for another day.

        2-The Dark Knight

        I think everybody on the web has talked about what makes this movie amazing to death. There isn't really anything to say, but Ledger's acting is some of the best ever, the allegories and implications are great, and it does a great job from the perspective of a comic fan and a movie fan.

        1-The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

      If you know me, this is not a surprise. This franchise has always astounded me by hitting all my geek and nerd buttons at the same time. And the film? The best way I can describe it is that when I finish the movie, I feel full. It is long, and when it is done I am literally sated for now. It's funny, it's inventive, but mostly it's just interesting. And by me and Haruhi's philosophy, that's the most important thing. Laters.

The Brony Bookclub Episode 3-Type B Crossovers

        This week on The Brony Bookclub we interviewed Pav Feira about his great fan fiction, My Little Chrono: Triggers are Magic. We discussed the tenants of Fusion Fics, how to make a good one, the future of his own story, Pav and I interrupted each other at the same time, and I Squee-ed like a fangirl at the mention of a great anime. If you'd like to ask us something, comment on the show, give constructive criticism, or would like to help us, send us a letter at thebronybookclub@yahoo.com. You'll find this week's episode here. Next week we'll be having on Dubs Rewatcher, author of ...And the Kitchen Sink with a theme of Comedy! See you all next week bronies!

Watashi wa Anime ga daisukidesu-Naruto

       Now, first off, I am not going to claim that Naruto is bad. I know a lot of people who would, but I won't. I also will not explain the plot, because once I start it gets hard to stop. What I am going to talk about is how Naruto lost me. It used to hold a very special place in my heart, because it was the anime that got me to look it up on the web, and finally discover what anime was and where to find it. I don't know how long it would have taken for that to happen otherwise, but it was the catalyst. Back in the day I was a diehard Naruto fan. Now, I'm going to start with what is good about the anime.

     The action is very good, and while I generally prefer One Piece and a couple other anime in that department, it's still well done. The music is very good, and gets you ready for a good time. The best thing, easily, are the characters. The cast is large and there are quite a few stand outs. Rock Lee is a personal favorite, but almost all of the main cast are very well done. Naruto himself is a great protagonist. When they delve into his childhood, it really works. The Zabuza storyline is probably the peak in quality,  but the Chunin Exams/Gaara arc is my favorite. The ending fight works very well, though I've seen the same idea done better elsewhere. (Keep that in mind, I'll bring it up again in a couple of days.)

    Now for the bad. To start off, the problem with the great cast is that the writer has no clue how to focus. As time goes on, he spends less and less time with the initial cast that drew us in, and keeps throwing in new characters, only about one in ten of which are a fifth as good as the original characters. I don't want to spend more time with Sai, I want Hinata! For the anime the filler is atrocious, between Naruto and Shippuden literally a year and a half of filler. Some of it was good, but most was really bad, and because it was filler it was a year and a half where nothing of real importance could happen. Then there's the Sasuke problem. I didn't like Sasuke at first, but by the end of the Zabuza arc he had grown on me. But then the Sasuke retrieval arc reared it's ugly head, and now I can't stand the guy. And it got worse! Every time he's shown up since then he's made me more and more pissed. At one point it started to feel like Sasuke was supposed to be the protagonist, but luckily it switched perspectives again soon after. Plus, after the initial success of Zabuza and Gaara, I haven't liked the villains much. Orochimaru started off cool, but degraded fast. The Akatsuki didn't really impress me.

   The thing that gets me the worst though is the story. Over time, the plot has become more and more sidetracked and convoluted. It keeps going off-course, and not resolving what it's set up. Off everything that has happened so far, I think only the tailed beasts and Naruto's parents were things the writer knew when he started. Like I said earlier, the Gaara fight felt satisfying because it felt like it was built up to, and everything fit just right. I haven't felt that since, and that is a shame. Let me compare this with the anime I talked about yesterday, One Piece. One Piece set up huge plot points years in advance, in one case decades, and did so where it usually wasn't obvious that Oda was leading us there.

    Again, I am not saying Naruto is bad. I'm saying that it started of very good, and I loved it. Now when my friends who read the manga tell me what's happening, I sigh and shake my head. If you really enjoy it, good on you. There's something that you enjoy that I do not, that's a point in your favor. Sorry Kishimoto, I still like you as a person.