The Top 5 Dark Anime

 

Not all art is a shiny happy place.

Entertainment has to be, well, entertaining but it doesn’t always cover content that makes us happy or feel good for watching it. Sometimes it goes into places we don’t talk about very much and forces us to ask some difficult questions. This kind of media is usually called “dark,” where the subject matter is serious and the visuals often disturbing. This doesn’t necessarily mean horror but, rest assured, horror and dark do walk hand in hand.

Since anime is one of the more artistic mediums out there, it naturally has its fair share of dark shows. Since I am eager for Halloween and other such spooky materials, I decided it would be fun to recount a few shows that did an excellent job of taking us to those unmentionable places. These are the top five dark anime because Halloween cannot get here fast enough.

Honorable Mention: Berserk

I can already hear the cries of “heresy!” from the original anime’s fan base. Rest assured, this is not a slight against the grandfather of all dark, gory anime. This is a recognition of the show’s importance and an admission that I haven’t watched it. I likely never will,  meaning I won’t ever have a fully formed opinion on the matter. But just because I don’t have the guts (heh) to finish it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t at least be brought up.

From what I have seen of Berserk – the original anime that is – the show is unapologetic in its dark subject matter. Violence, gore, rape, and abuse are all on the table and none of it gets censored. But, and this is the key, it also boasts well-written characters and a good tragic plotline. So, while I may think it’s an endless void of suffering, someone else will enjoy the rawness of it. It’s not my taste, but I do applaud it.

5. D-Gray Man

Losing a loved one is never easy. The sorrow that comes can be so overpowering that you’d do anything to bring them back. Well, there’s a being out there who would gladly prey on that weakness with a solution that’s too good to be true. The Millennium Earl will promise the return of your beloved, but at the cost of your life and that loved one’s soul. These poor spirits are turned into Akuma, mindless machine demons who help the Earl conquer humanity. It’s up to priest-like fighters called Exorcists to stop him, using an ancient substance called Innocence to fight and cleanse these poor tortured souls.

Some may consider D Gray Man’s plucky story and tendency towards comedy as de-qualifiers for this list.  But make no mistake; this anime has moments of pure evil about it. From one of the generals being tortured to the point of insanity to watching an Akuma slip on the skin of someone who used to be their loved one, this story knows how to turn up the freakishly horrible when it wants to. That being said, most of the action is pretty standard shounen, so it gets the highest spot on the list.

4. Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)

Number four is another one that I have yet to complete. However, having seen a significant chunk of this unfinished marvel, I have a much better grip on it than I do Berserk. Besides, watching just a small section of season one will give you more than enough hints to just how dark this pit of despair can go.

Imagine the world where humanity has been driven to hide like cattle behind thick stone walls. And then, to their horror, those walls are knocked down like sandcastles by the very creatures they were hiding from: Titans. They are disturbing, monstrous creatures that are driven to mindlessly devour humans and are near impossible to kill. But it’s up to the army to rise up and protect what’s left of humanity from the rising Titan menace, even when it seems like there isn’t a way to stop them. 

I know it seems a bit overdone to mention the show here, but you cannot deny that even an early view of AOT showcases a shocking amount of deep story and psychological trauma. The show relies heavily on the Uncanny Valley but also on some pretty animalistic wills to live by the characters themselves. Eren is the embodiment of humanity’s will to fight and shows the rest of his crew that survival is possible, but only if you refuse to lay down and die. Plenty of characters are not gonna make it but that doesn’t mean we, the audience, should give up.

3. Pet Shop of Horrors

 

I want you all to remember this old show from way back in the day: the famous serial called The Twilight Zone. The show usually centered around a self-contained narrative that takes a strange and unusual turn towards the end, usually to pass on some kind of moral. Imagine that, twisted, and exposing some of the nastier, selfish aspects of being a human.

My friends, that is Pet Shop Of Horrors in a nutshell. The enigmatic figure known as Count D has a quaint little pet shop set up in Little China, a cute place with exoitic animals, exotic food, and an air of danger. He sells pets and all manner of hopes and dreams, but there is almost always a catch. Follow the rules of the contract and you’ll be happy in your purchase. But humans break those rules – it’s only natural – and the horror that follows only goes to show the petty, ugly truths that those people worked so hard to keep hidden.

Even though this series only lasted a few episodes, I was so thrilled with what I did see. The show displayed the themes and beauty of the manga near perfectly, encapsulating the gritty horror aspects as well. Very bloody and disturbing, give all four episodes a go before you try the manga; because it holds back even less.

2. The Gregory Horror Show

What’s this, 3D and a distinctly un-anime look? How dare you put this cult-classic on your list, Helain, shame on you!

That’s what I thought, originally. But – surprise, surprise – The Gregory Horror Show is indeed a CGI anime, or at least it’s defined as such. Originally produced in Japan, the show centered around an unfortunate Japanese Businessman who finds himself at a strange hotel in the middle of nowhere, run by a wrinkled, wart-covered mouse by the name of Gregory. Something is off about Gregory from the get-go, who somehow sees everything and knows far more about you than he should. His guests aren’t much better, stalking you and screaming at you to get out while you still can. But you quickly find that there is no way out of this madhouse of the broken; even insanity won’t save you from Gregory and his prisoners.

The biggest draw to TGHS comes from its first person perspective. We are thrust into the role of this poor salesman, trapped in a prison-like hotel ready to drive him up the wall. Along the way, we’ll not only meet a variety interesting characters but explore some inconvenient truths about our dear protagonist. Extra points if you guess the big twist at the end.

1. Death Note

This one is, and I admit it, predictable and overplayed – but so, so very true. Death Note, both in anime and manga, is the ultimate morality play on justice and crime, and an impressive character study.

Have you ever wished you could do something about the rampant crime in the world? Have you ever just been beyond bored with the ugly world and wished you could make a real difference? That was the biggest wish of Boy Genius Light Yagami, a pampered perfect student who discovers a notebook that can kill anyone with the stroke of a pen. So, he decides he’s going to kill all the world’s horrible criminals and be the new ruler of a perfect world. But not everyone sees his work as heroic; in fact, enigmatic private detective “L” denounces him a murderer, and dedicates himself to tracking Light down. 

The show sets up two very distinct sides and takes great pride in showing them clash. Furthermore, as the show explores the real morality behind killing the accused (and I must stress, it is the accused and not the sentenced), it also lets us watch a boy of decent morals slowly spiral down into sociopathy thanks to the immense power he’s gained. You might need a flow-chart to keep up with the plot, but anyone watching this show will eat up the hard questions it asks, all while basking in the dark and gloomy atmosphere all around it.

In short, Death Note is the standard for dark anime. It isn’t really gory or all that scary, but it explores some uncomfortable places of the human mind with a story that is gripping and entertaining. And at the end of the day, that’s really all you can ask from any dark anime.

 

What’s your list for for dark anime? Feel free to share it below and don’t forget to like and follow for more content just like this.

Otome Review: Ascension Chapter 3

There really is a beauty in watching a writer go from rough draft to finished product.

That’s how I viewed the Ascension series when I got to the third and final chapter. The beauty of this series splitting into three parts is that it shows us the journey that Rinmaru took when she made it. How she must have felt when she revisited chapter one and two to make this portion. Do you think it felt like opening that first fanfic from your high school days?

“DON’T READ THAT!”

But this retrospective has really helped me appreciate what Ascension became, despite its odd format. Chapters one and two can best be described as eating your veggies and meat; now it’s time for the dessert. Let’s cap this adventure and see where the magic takes us.

• Plot

  This next part spoils a great deal of Chapter Two, enter at your own risk. See the rest of you in the next section.
  

Aida’s life changed a lot in the past two years. She’s risen from the ashes of death twice now: once with a fresh batch of emotions, and then again with the new title of secret crown princess. Now that it’s clear she isn’t after the immense power of the old kingdom, The Eagles are using their vast wealth of resources to help Aida defeat her evil twin brother, the current king, but things are tense. They get worse when Aida hears that the king has kidnapped her good friend from Sundrop Island; Victor.

Well… shit.

So, Aida suits up and gets ready to infiltrate the castle and get him back. But the best plans of Mice and Men oft go awry, and this one goes belly-up so fast it has whiplash. To fix the mistakes she’s made, and make her homeland safe again, she must defeat some inner demons and get a country of strangers to rally behind her against the deadly Silver Order. Easier said than done, but this girl is used to a little danger and a lot of help from her gaggle of misfit friends.

 

• Gameplay

Here is where Rinmaru needs to shine the hardest. We’ve had three different games now, meaning two chances to sift through ashes and recover what was good. I am proud to say that Rin didn’t play it safe; she polished what worked and took some rewarding risks.

We’ve kept the far easier UI from the second game, but made it much easier to interact in the world. We’ve plopped down once again into Aida’s perspective, where we move around and interact by clicking objects, arrows, and people. But everything has been stylized and simplified in these nice, compact hubs. Now, instead of random people sitting around, you see symbols that represent NPC’s you can mingle with. If they got a quest, you’ll even see an MMORPG style question-mark above their head. Our companions are different as well and get their own portraits.

 

The aforementioned quests introduce our new mechanic: reputation. Once again, when we interact, we get to choose the goodwill, cunning or aggressive response. However, these points now go towards your success in solving a variety of problems, either by persuading, lying, or intimidating. Your success depends on how high your points in any of these are, meaning your best bet is to spam one trait for the whole game. The kind of solutions you pick will increase your reputation: Are you known for being clever? Peaceful? Fierce? You get to decide?

 

Our last bit of tasty-flash candy is a mixture between the last two games. We have the return of the mini-games from the first game, but far more involved than chapter two. Chapter two and one had one instance of a little minigame, while three features an alchemy maker, a gambling card-game, and a broken ship fixing game. It also borrows game two’s “finding” mechanic. Basically, some NPC sends you out into the wild to collect items hidden on the screen for some quest. I wouldn’t mind this collec-a-thon if this incarnation wasn’t so damn infuriating.

Find the items in this image. I dare you.

 

• Art

Talking for all three of these games was always a bit rough. Because, all through the series, the art style has basically remained the same. It’s still the same bright, cheery, anime-esque look, but sharper. We still have the same, awesome customization skills, and the only real change now is the addition of one moving scene that may be rated T for teen.

But Rin still deserves props for being so ambitious. It can’t be easy to make game scenes for a variety of different hairstyles on each character and an impromptu love scene.

• Romances:

When it comes to love and love lost, here we come to a crossroads. If you so desire, you can make Aida the independent, loveless warrior-princess who has avoided romance all this time. But if you called out for one of three eligible bachelors in the last game, they are now your Beau for the rest of the game. However, there is also a third option for one last romantic hurrah. Otherwise, it’s time to expand upon our favorite relationships one last time.

Zander

The moon elf lordling from Ildis has grown up considerably now. While he’s grown a bit stuffy, he still has that soft heart for his friends and loved ones that really sold me on him way back in game one. Essentially, his character has been refined to a proper, well-rounded specimen, making the romance that follows more interesting. Now he and Aida bounce off each other like a straight man and comic foil, and it is hilarious and sweet. If you like them pretty and slightly broody, then Zander is now most definitely your guy.

 

Jace

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have perpetual jokester and all around bro, Jace. We’ve thankfully slid away from the fratboy-esq knight we met in Northcliff all those years ago and solidified into a more jovial goofball who just so happens to be really good with a sword. He’s still far from my ideal date, but his heroic sense of right and wrong, combined with his skill in battle, is sure to trigger the princely attraction for someone. But if you were expecting him to be any more mature, be prepared for disappointment.

 

Faelern

Grumpy McSomber Sun Elf has returned, now completely attached to Aida at the hip (not as literally as she’d like, alas.) As the resident “older man” of this dating pool, he’s got some nurturing tendencies that hilariously manifest as snobbish rants. But hey, only the best for his selfish and immature Solyn, the key to him. For all his strict, blunt, and insulting tendencies, there still beats a heart that’s fiercely loyal and protective of all under his care. You’ll get some hard truths if you take this route, but the relationship in question is very solid.

 

 

Kole

Last, but certainly not least, we have our newcomer to the party. Kole is a Kalek, a race of nomadic bards in Valond that are known for their sweet voices and utter mysticism with any instrument. Kole lost his tribe when he was young due to his blindness being perceived as a curse. He joined The Eagles shortly after due to his amazing skill with his fists and has been assigned to be Aida’s bodyguard. Kole is a stuttering sweetheart most of the time, but a dangerous man when angered or thrust into a fight. The relationship is a bit hurried due to this being the last chapter, but still enjoyable for what it is.

 

• Final Verdict

As I said in my intro, revisiting this series was a blast for me on so many levels. The first chapter is a bit of a nostalgia-coated slog, but game three really is where all Rin’s hard work shines. It’s slick, well-written, loaded with interesting places to explore, and easy to get lost in. Aida’s a fantastic protagonist and the cast of characters around her make this whole thing one of the more enjoyable rides.

But now, it’s time to say goodbye.

Next time — Mystic Destinies: Serendipity of Aeons

Have you enjoyed this journey? Was this game a sueish-pile of garbage? Whatever your opinions are, feel free to share in the comments below. And don’t forget to like and follow for more content just like this.

The Real Magic Behind Studio Ghibli

Media are in odd places these days. It seems they’re locked in a perpetual cycle of re-releasing classics or making sequels nobody asked for. Between Blade Runner 2049 and the new Mary Poppins, we now have Studio Ghibli set to release new editions of the movies that made them so famous. Yes, North America is finally getting pristine DVD’s and Blu-Rays for Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and the movie that changed my entire anime landscape: Spirited Away.

Reading this got me thinking about Studio Ghibli, this omnipresent company all through my childhood. They didn’t stalk me like Disney, but they had a large enough presence that I could mark milestones in my life with their film catalog.  Miyazaki’s very name conjures a certain quality of entertainment and a high-bar in anime storytelling. It stands to reason, then, that anime owes its current form to the work that was the Miyazaki Classics.

As always, the following is just my opinion and open to debate.

• Genius Stories To Leap and Bound Over Any Barrier

The first Ghibli film I ever saw was,  as mentioned above, Spirited Away. That year, 2001, I had already been watching Toonami every night I could, meaning I was binging on Outlaw Star, Cardcaptors, Big O, and even more Dragon Ball Z long after I should have been in bed. But I had never sat through a full anime movie. I didn’t even know there existed feature-films in anime at all.

“I can’t. Look. AWAY!”

Enter Spirited Away. I had little to no idea where the story took place or any of the background behind it. All I knew was that it was about a girl roughly my age, trying to save her parents while trapped in a strange, unforgiving place. You didn’t have to understand Japanese culture to understand poor Chihiro’s predicament.

 

Or the stuff of nightmares she faced.

Whether it’s the epitome of sugar (My Neighbor Totoro) or sadness incarnate (Grave of the Fireflies), Ghibli films can bypass language barriers, culture blocks, and anything else that prevents anime from getting a hold overseas. The stories are almost always fantastical with well-written characters and motifs that will easily resonate with any audience, Asian or otherwise. Because, when we boil it down, there are emotions and things about being human that we can all relate to.

• A World So Lush

Speaking of that world I hadn’t understood, does anyone notice the insane amount characters, insignificant or otherwise, that fill up these films?

Look at all the people!

The cream of any movie comes not just from the star, but from the world swimming around them. Part of the reason anime does so well is the insane worlds they tend to create around their characters. Even in anime that’s supposed to be realistic drama have to work hard and bring that setting to life in order to make everything else pop.

I like to think Miyazaki played a huge part in this. If you watch even one of his films, you get a world so pumped full of detail and beauty, it’s blinding. Princess Mononoke is a prime example, bringing the world of ancient Japanese Spirits to horrifying and beautiful heights alongside a gritty, hard-stone world of Irontown. And oh, the art; pretty is a word not strong enough.

 

So beautiful….

To my eyes, Miyazaki threw down the gauntlet when his first few movies hit the theaters. He took animation to a whole new level of eye-candy and detail, and so anyone who came after would have to step up their game.

• From Super Serious to Super Childish

I believe one of the worst things you can say about any production company is either “monotony” or “generic.” I.E, if they put out the same kind of story, with the same kind of action, with the same type of characters. If any distributor or animation studio produces the same product multiple times then they have signed their own death certificate. They will be tossed aside into the pit alongside 4kids to repent for their sins.

We won’t forget, 4Kids.

So, thank the Otaku Gods, Studio Ghibli was anything but bland. The first movie, Castle in the Sky, was an adventure – fantasy film. Then we have later titles like Grave of the Fireflies and Princess Mononoke which feature darker, grittier, more tragic plotlines. Then, lastly, we have movies aimed at children, such as My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo. In other words, Ghibli could have sat in a niche and kept the money coming, but choose to experiment and do as many types of stories as they could.

• Ghibli in The Future?

With such an impressive background to their name, the question now lingers on what Ghibli will do know. Anime has evolved considerably since the studio founded – as it always will – and Ghibli movies have not struck the same chord that they did ages ago. They’re still making massive amounts of money, sure, but they don’t have the same groundbreaking effect they used to.

Quick, we’re losing them!

But I truly do not believe that this marks any kind of end for the them, or at least I hope not. I wanna see more innovation from Ghibli; I want to see them experiment with stories and animation styles again. But, in terms of finances, I can understand the need to re-release their classics on easy to access DVDs and digital release. After all, Nostalgia is a powerful force, and that money can be the fuel for something in the future. Here’s hoping to see something more amazing down the road.

~~~~

What do you think of Ghibli and their films? Do you wish they did more or are they still going above and beyond? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts. And hey, if you like what you see, like and follow for more!

Otome Review: Ascension Chapter 2

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the point of a sequel is to improve on the original. In more simple terms, it’s a chance to look at the ashes and see what went wrong. This also gives rise to another of my favorite phrases that I came up with: Everybody sucked at one point, even Dickens.

In short, your first attempt at anything will be riddled with issues. But the point is to do it anyway, so you can learn from those mistakes and grow. Nowhere is this truer than with writing. It’s why I always encourage fan fiction writing of any kind. Yeah, the first fics you produce will be Mary-Sue-driven, plot-hole-riddled monsters, but how else are you gonna avoid writing it again if you don’t make that first mistake?

And that was why I was super happy when I kicked up the second chapter of Ascension, our coming of age story for the impulsive little thief, Aida. Because, for all the first chapter did right, we had some glitches and story issues to spoil things somewhat. But, now that we’ve had our first try, what do we have to show?

• Plot

Now, if you haven’t read my post on Chapter One, I suggest you go do so. Otherwise, this entire post will be nothing but spoilers. Otherwise, well…

After being tricked by Diago into opening a gate to the Old Kingdom, Aida is presumed dead. But the lucky girl somehow survives a tower collapsing right on top of her. Aida tries to protect her friends by hiding out on Sundrop Island, but she’s been plagued by terrible nightmares of silver-skinned people calling her to join them. And she can’t shake the feeling that something sinister is going down.

She’s got a good reason to be suspicious

Of course, she’s right; the Eagles are looking for the other gates to the old kingdom, and a great evil is coming whether Aida hides or not. The King and the Silver Order are ready to tear open the gates to gain some mysterious power.  So she’s gotta show her face again and find a way to stop those gates from slipping wide open, lest the whole country be wiped out.

• Gameplay

Rinmaru mentioned on her page that Ascension was her first visual novel, and the bumps in it make that obvious. Round two, however, smooths most of them out and adds some new material in the process. We are still heavily immersed in this story, but now we have far more dynamic scene changes, more frequent action sequences, and even some more actual interaction.

Press forward for the creepy

As for actual gameplay, we’re in familiar territory. We interact in Aida’s world from her perspective, jumping to about three different intractable areas in-game. Each area has several sub-areas to explore, with clickable objects and people. You’ll either find items important to quests later on or dresses/earrings Aida can wear, so it’s advisable to explore as much as possible. You’ll even get a friendly warning when you’re about to leave an area and be unable to collect stuff anymore.

 

But when you aren’t being a kleptomaniac, you’re chatting with your peeps. Once again, our only means of shifting the story around comes from how you, the player, shape Aida as a person. Each conversation you have with characters will produce three different responses: goodwill, cunning, and aggressive. However, they aren’t color-coded for easy use this time around. The only ones that are color-coded are the romantic responses, ranging from cute to aggressive. The romance mechanic has been expanded upon this time around. This time around you can flirt with all theromanceablee men, but you will be forced to pick one at the end.

 

 You can earn these points in each home area. Each area has a “hub” where you can click on items that are supposed to represent your friends. This is where you can continue to raise Aida’s traits or throw in a little romance should you wish. It raises the relationship stats either way, though I can’t tell if it affects anything besides your romantic partner.

• Art

The second time around also shows some visible improvement in Rin’s art style, though it still remains uniquely hers. We still work with bright, flashy cute images. But now we have nearly twice the amount of artwork we normally ge. You get to cosmetically alter Aida’s hair, add some tattoos, and change the look of your companions (mostly the hair). This helps make each playthrough more visually interesting.

The static art, meanwhile, looks more clear and sharp than last time as well. We have some beautiful artwork with places like Ildis, covered in crystal snow, and even the sunny beaches of Sundrop Isle. It’s a far cry from the somewhat boxy streets of Northcliff and I like it quite a bit.

• Romance

Now here, the game got interesting. Last time we only had two options to choose from, a la tween fantasy. You can pick up where that romance left off, thanks to the above-mentioned customization screen, but you can also start fresh or pick a new third option. In other words, Aida’s story has some more flexibility.

Zander

The sarcastic and brooding moon elf has returned. You’ll find him teaching a tribe of lith children in Taran, a make-shift penance for the way his people treat them. It’s added a mother-bird like trait to his personality but the dry-wit and pensive parts of him are well intact.  Course now, with better control of his magic, you’ll find a refreshing splash of confidence to his attitude. 

You have the choice of picking up where you left off first game, in which Zander promptly freaks out and gets real clingy, or you can romance him here in game. Since the ending is the same either way, the new romance does feel a little rushed. BUT the pick-up romance feels like the much-needed fleshing out from the first one.

Jace

Y’all remember the dude-bro, drunk, fairly perverted ex-knight from game one I’m sure. Well, when he learned the big secret behind Aida and Diago, he decided to head back out to Ildis and restart up his Knight Order. He is “Knight-Captain” Jace now, far more disciplined, but still the “Loveable idiot” that the girls surely fell for last time. I was still unamused by Jace, proving that there really is no accounting for taste.

Just like Zander, you can already have Jace on your arm or pull him in via some flirts. Once again though, the ending is much the same.

Faelern

Our new addition is a sun-elf: a tanned, tattooed, forest-y elf who rarely seems to smile (if at all). You meet Faelern on Sundrop Island, his new home after someone very close to him was killed by a moon elf lord. He sees Aida purely as “Solyn” or “the key,” and the two get along like chalk and cheese. Or, if you play your cards right, she is the drug he’s desperately trying to tell himself he can’t have. But enough prodding and communication can do just about anything, including an unlocking of a stubborn heart.

As mentioned, Faelern is the new romance for game two. I am always a fan of the cold jerkass, as I’ve made it clear several times, but girls here should be weary: He will not treat you that much nicer this time around.

• Final Thoughts

Chapter Two of Ascension is the expansion that I was craving when I first played number one. It’s visually a lot better, with more meat on the romance, and a story that looks to be building up quite a bit. With more content, more places, and just more immersion overall, the game proves that you can build something great on the bones of your first try.

 

Next Time: Ascension Chapter 3

Netflix Castlevania Season One (Review)

So guess what came out right under my nose.

In my quest to finish my Camp NaNo project (which I highly recommend if you wanna participate in NaNoWriMo in the future), I have avoided watching a lot of anime in favor of my somewhat awkward story. But in my rough draft woes, I finally remembered that Castlevania was due to drop on July 7th, about a week ago. So I figured “better late than never” and started binging.

And oh, my friends, I was not prepared.

Opening image. Take it all in.

I was told from all my sources that this would be a grizzly cartoon in anime style, with enough blood and grizzle to make up an entire Slayer album. Just by watching the first episode I can see that there’s enough blood here to give Hellsing Ultimate a run for its money and the writers are not pulling their punches. Castlevania is grim and frightening take on the convoluted plot of old Castlevania, straightening it out into a beautiful, gothic nightmare.

By the way, mild spoilers here on out.

See ya in the next section…

• Our Story in a Nutshell

 

Written by comic writer Warren Ellis, our tale begins in the region of  Wallachia, Transylvania. One woman – Lisa – has bravely ventured past the dead-body garden you saw earlier and into the castle Dracula Von Tepes. She asks him for his knowledge of science and magic so she can better heal her fellow man, all while offering to teach him the better points of humanity. In their time together, they fall deeply in love and marry.

But while Dracula is traveling the world, his new wife is captured by the church and burned as a witch. In his overpowering rage, Dracula gives humanity one year to make their peace before he wipes them off the face of the earth. But they refuse to heed his warnings, and they suffer when Dracula literally rains Hell’s horde down on them from the sky.

Worse yet, humanity all but threw away their only chance of survival ages ago. The Belmont Family specialized in the fighting and extermination of vampires, demons, and other assorted creatures. But the superstition of the dark ages prompted their excommunication from the church, the family house burned, and the Belmonts scattered. All that remains is Trevor Belmont, a drunken warrior content to just watch the world burn for throwing him aside. But push comes to shove when a nomadic group of scholars settles in the village of Gresit, and when Dracula’s castle manifests right under their feet. The time to run and mope is over; the Belmont’s must return to the people, or they will all be slaughtered.

• Rated R for “RAWER!”

The very first thing I noticed – and that everyone who watches this show will notice – is that Warren Ellis has thrown restraint out the window.

I mentioned in my first thoughts post that Castlevania as a series was always cracky (finding a fully cooked chicken inside the wall while fighting Frankenstein and his jumpy friend, that kind of crazy.) It made me wonder how you could mix that kind of insanity with copious amounts of blood and gore. More specifically, I wondered if you could make a series this violent that didn’t trigger my MST3K reflex. My answer came in the form of a rainstorm of blood, deformed gargoyle babies, and an angry mob mass-stabbing a morally bankrupt priest.

You don’t wanna know what happens to the Bishop.

Ellis has made a hybrid, combining the nonsenical nature of the old series with this heavy metal-esque horror. But if you were hoping for the same tributes to the old monsters from Hollywood, like Frankenstein and the Wolfman, you will find yourself all alone in a big bleak world. Maybe we’ll see more tributes to Universal in season two, but my doubts are high.

• Beautiful but Flawed

Make no mistake, my gentle viewers; this anime will “go there” often. But when it isn’t shaking you up with severed limbs, it’s giving you a beautiful plot littered with Gothic Glitter.

Beyond the animation itself being absolutely gorgeous, the gothic imagery employed is both awesome and beautiful. Watching Dracula rise up from the ashes of Lisa’s body, a giant burning ball of fire and hate, will give readers chills. Or they may already be gawking at the bats swirling over his castle almost all the time (that triggered me. Those bat in-game are the worst.) The game works hard to weave together the lovely imagery of Ayami Kojima’s original artwork for the series with this new gritty aesthetic, and the execution makes for a unique experience.

This image kinda perfectly encapsulates the whole thing

But where there is so much good, there must be something that fell to the wayside. In this case that would be the fight scenes, paradoxically lacking despite the ultra-violence. The actual animations look just fine, but they happen at a pace that’s noticeably slow. This takes away some of the adrenaline in any fight scenes but does allow us to enjoy the view in a few cases.

Cool Magic Shows!

• Final Thoughts

Now, I’m not so fangirl blind that I can’t see how a fan could dislike this. There’s a case to be made that Castlevania is trying too hard to be shocking and graphic, especially since the old games leaned more towards being silly and fun. But while that worked for a platformer game, where the brunt of your time is spent jumping from one giant pillar to the next, it doesn’t have the chops to make a full cartoon series.

This new approach is entertaining in its own right; I’m beyond happy to see the story bits I loved so much about this series in their blazing glory. The story rushes a little and the action could use some energy, but otherwise, the anime is thoroughly enjoyable in its four first episodes and will keep the viewer engrossed for the whole ride.

 

Otome Review: Ascension Chapter 1

We’ve had our fair share of browser-based Otome’s on this series. But none of them have ever really ventured into Visual Novel territory.

There’s only so much data you can cram into a website hosted space, so fresh authors don’t have a lot to work with. But, in my early days of browsing for such sundry, I discovered an artist/author who managed to get around that problem in a very creative fashion. Because hey, if you can’t fit it all in one game, why not make two or three?

And thus, Ascension was born.

This game comes courtesy of the well-known artist, Rinmaru. She’s proven herself very talented with her various dress-up games and anime scene creators – and I highly recommend you check out her website – but she proved she could write as well with these games. We’re only going to be covering chapter one today; the others are so beefy that shoving them in here would be claustrophobic.

Now then, onward to more fantasy!

 

• Plot

 

Valond has a legend about “The Old Kingdom.” In this city built by elves, dwarves, and humans alike, a race of people known as “The Nobles” ruled with their superior speed, reflexes, and lack of emotions. You would recognize a Noble by their silver hair, deadly red eyes, and swift action as killers. And even with the fall of the Old Kingdom, many still fear the presence of these deadly creatures.

Aida has had to deal with this fear all her life, all thanks to her silver hair. But somehow she isn’t one of these fearsome soldiers and has been content to live her life with her best friend, Sky,  and a merry band of thieves. But Sky’s desperate need to know more about her enigmatic mother leads them to an old temple and a lot of trouble, both magical and physical.

Crap is going down…

It turns out that a band of mercenaries called the Eagles is chasing after the old kingdom as well, wiping out the thief camp and stealing the mother’s journals. But with the help of magical researchers, Zander and Tillie, they can stop whatever scheme the Eagles are hatching and get those journals back. But is there another figure with a hand in all of this, and what does he want with our protagonist?

 

• Gameplay

 

So gameplay is where the Ascension series is very unique. It’s a web-based game, obviously, so expecting full motion and voice may be a bit much. But they do add far more than I was expecting, which made for one of the more pleasant surprises in my Otome journey.

Not ominous at all

For one, this story is going in the same direction no matter what. Going through it will feel more like a “Let’s Read” than a “Let’s Play,” and the only interaction you are gonna get is from Aida herself. You’ll sometimes be prompted to pick one of three responses that will elicit a variety of responses from the characters. You can choose blue for “goodwill,” purple for cunning red for rage. You can also occasionally pick the option with a heart next to it to flirt sweetly or aggressively.

The rest of the game plays like a visual novel/adventure hybrid. You get thrown into various different areas where you can collect clickable items and bring them to clickable areas to progress the plot. These items could be anything from a random potato that actually becomes essential to progressing the plot to random bits of gold, scattered and ready for the taking. You can also get items that aren’t clickable but still get a bit of exposition.

Again, not ominous at all… 

Where things do get spiced up is in the minigames. Twice in the game, you’ll be prompted to finish a task that turns out to be a timed minigame. Here the goal is just to click on the correct objects, sometimes in a specific order, until the timer runs out. Get as much done as you can and you earn more gold.

Meat Pies!

But where this game really shines is the immersion. This game is loaded with dynamic scene changes, punchy sound effects, and music that really enhances the scene. Furthermore, the characters you meet feel like real people, not just dancing sprites, and it pulls you in before you know it. You will get attached to these personalities real quick if you haven’t already succumbed to their snarky comments and off-hand jokes.

 

 

• Art

 

Rinmaru is an artist herself. So, naturally, the game is gonna be very easy on the eyes. Most of the time you’ll be looking at stiff sprites on a bright background, but sometimes you’ll get these “posed” images where important moments take place. It could be a kiss, it could be a fight, it could be anything, and it makes for some really good action.

That being said, I urge my readers to keep in mind that Rinmaru’s art has a very bright, “kawai-desu” feel to it. The anime art is loaded with bright colors, long flowy hair, soft lines and red rosy cheeks. If you can handle the unapologetically shojo look, then you’ll be just fine.

• Romance Options

Zander

Zander is a Moon Elf, a race of elves known for their strict, aristocratic society and their unfair treatment of another race of animal-beings. Zander is not a racist, thankfully, but his own problems are far worse. As a mage, he feels emotions far stronger than anyone else around him and can cause great damage if those emotions ever get out of control. It’s why he fights to keep calm and in control. He left home to study magic with his alchemist friend, Tillie, and now finds himself falling for a white-haired lady who’s almost nothing but trouble.

He’s a classy but snarky elf and became my favorite as soon as I set eyes on him. He’s the straight man in all this chaos, just trying to keep things under control, and it is utterly hilarious. The romance itself is a bit rushed but I blame the game’s short length, not his character.

Jace

Jace is a Knight, formally at least. Of the many crimes the Eagles have committed over the years, they are also responsible for wiping out the Knights Order. Jace is the survivor of that attack, attempting to drink and wisecrack his sorrows away. But his “spirits” lift when a beautiful half-noble gets in a huge fight with him and offers him the chance at redemption.

Jace was not really my cup of tea. Obnoxious flirts were never really up my alley, and his romance feels even more rushed considering you only talk to him a few times. He may be blond, blue-eyed and heroic, but his lack of strategy skills just doesn’t do it for me. Great character; not all that romantic.

 

 

• Final Verdict

 

Ascension’s first chapter was an odd one those many years ago, mostly thanks to the strange format. But this game knows how to keep things interesting and dynamic despite its limitations, providing a visually compelling experience. While it’s a very wordy piece, and sporting some early-game glitches, it is still a good game and worth playing to get this beefy story off the ground.

Next Time: Ascension Chapter 2

Does this game peak your interest? Or does it make you yawn? Whatever your thoughts, on anything, feel free to comment below. And don’t forget to like and follow for more content just like this. And if you really like me and wanna be a big help, consider sharing the post to others who might like it.

 

Top Four Misuses of Anime

So hey, anime is pretty damn popular.

Sarcasm aside, the medium has cemented itself firmly in popular culture throughout the years. Thanks to the talents of several animators and producers – and the beautiful smuggling job that was Toonami  – we have a behemoth of an industry that ain’t dying anytime soon.

But, where there is popularity, there is a cringy misuse by outside forces. Much like the cornucopia of weird flash games where Elsa gets pregnant, there are plenty of anime oddities from a third party attempting to leech off that popularity. Whether it’s PSA’s or merchandising, anime has been mishandled in some truly wacky fashions. These are my top four favorites in no particular order because, quite frankly, these are too bizarre to be buried on the internet.

By the way, since I normally try to keep this as family-friendly as possible, small mature themes warning here.

• Condoms (Sailor Moon)

Because really, when you wanna promote protection against sexually transmitted infections and diseases, what better mascot than the fourteen-year-old soldier of justice?

Ew.

So, to be clear, warning to promote safe sex is never a bad thing. That was the idea behind this odd creation in the first place, according to an article from Japantimes.com. In order to raise awareness of STDs, Japan was going to distribute condoms, wrapped in heart-shaped plastic Sailor Moon plastered on the cover. The Japanese Health Ministry even planned to distribute leaflets and posters alongside these peppy rubbers that feature such slogans as “I will punish you if you don’t get tested!”

“Muh childhood!”

I cannot tell how they expected this to work. Their intentions were certainly not bad but their choice in mascot reeks of exploitation. Next time, it might behoove them to pick someone older and not associated with childhood innocence for their sexual education programs.

• Selling Cars (Sailor Moon and Miku Hatsune)

They just can’t seem to leave my childhood alone, can they?

It’s no secret that popular cartoons are used to push products. Even the West isn’t innocent in using favorite cartoon characters to push adult products. The idea is to appeal to them when they’re older through nostalgia, I think. Or maybe Winston thought the parents would take a shine to their kids watching Fred and Barn use mom and dad’s smoke sticks, who knows?

“Hey kids, look, cool people smoking!”

But I’d have thought we were past that kind of scummy marketing – I was wrong. There’s been a recent campaign for the Ford Fusion that popped up around the time Viz was kind enough to rescue and resurrect the sailor-suited-soldier of justice. Now girls like me are expected to see our childhood hero dream of Ford Fusions because… reasons.

But oh, my fellow Otaku, don’t worry if Miss Tsukino was never your taste. Toyota has you covered with none other than Miku Hatsune, peddling product like a true American Celebrity.

There’s something really underhanded about using characters like these two for pushing expensive cars. It feels like the dealers are trying to tap a niche vein or reach the Otaku crowd. Either way, the cringe is real.

• Horrible Eva Merchandising

Speaking of cringe, you all remember Neon Genesis Evangelion, right? That mega-popular anime that spawned two movies that went from zero to crazy in a nanosecond? The show that slowly descended into madness and bad writing when the director had a breakdown midway through?

You know what it was missing? Brand deals.

“Suffering from emotional breakdowns and itchy red eyes? Try Asuka’s eyedrops!”

So, front and center, I was never a fan of Eva. But I don’t think a fan could forsee a show like this producing campy tie-in products on the side. After all, when you’re watching a man hallucinate about strangling the clone of his dead mother, or a giant head bleeding from the eyes, you’re not exactly inspired to buy.

But several brands jumped on the popularity of the Eva Train and never looked back. Schick made razors using Shinji’s insane jerkwad of a father; they have a giant blow-up doll of Rei you can climb up and slide down. Because what sounds more fun than scaling a giant clone of Shinji’s mother and then sliding down her leg?

 

And, my personal favorite, a body musk inspired off of Shinji himself. Because when I think mainly musks, I think of the shame, failure, and insanity Shinji Ikari.

 

“Ladies, please! No seriously, I’m just a kid! T_T”

• TURN YOURSELF ANIME!

Our last entry is more of a group entry. If you ever browsed an app store on an iPad, Droid, or other such devices, likely you have been assaulted by free anime apps. These companies are looking for those clicks after all, and nothing is more profitable than animated women in skin-tight skirts and long hair.

And so they make cheap-to-produce apps that run ridiculously and bombard you with ads. But oh do they make some pretty enticing promises. They promise to turn you into an anime character, no drawing required, only for it to be a picture app that you put stickers on. Or, if they’re feeling especially frisky, they’ll promise a virtual waifu that you can love and cuddle, and it turns out to be a simple dress-up game for a Miku Hatsune clone.  

Don’t get too excited; she just stares at you all day

This is some heavy swindling, especially when it asks you for a little money upfront. By presenting generic anime, these developers are hoping to trick anime newbies and those who are truly desperate. It really is a despicable misuse of anime as a whole, and something to keep in mind when browsing for your next time-waster.

 

Do you know any misuses of anime? Feel free to comment about it or anything else below! Feel free to like and follow for more content just like this.

 

Otome Review: Never Give Up!

You’d have thought my love for literature would mean I’d be all over the mystery genre. After all, the Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple stories are certified classics in their own right. But the illustrious genre of mystery has never really been able to catch my interest for very long. The only mystery books I ever really liked was the aforementioned Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and that was more thanks to the spark by the TV show.

But one good way to make me pay attention is to add what my old college professor used to refer to as “wizards and shi*t.” Yes, much like how I have a taste for sugar, I also have a craving for magic, fantastical creatures, and larger-than-life adventures. I  find that putting your story in a fantastical setting is a great way to add some flavor, especially if you work real hard on immersing the reader.

Thus my curiosity was sparked when I stumbled over Never Give Up, a Steam visual novel about a half-elf killer in a world of classist jerks.

• Plot

So like I said, our plot is set in a fantastical world where elves and humans are expected somewhat to live in harmony. In truth, the caste system makes sure that’s impossible since the elves are part of the aristocracy and the humans are viewed as plebeian scum. But some believe that the caste system is archaic and needs to be done away with. Thus there’s been a rise of half-elves amidst the elven nobility, much to the chagrin of the more haughty elves. Mia Silverlight has experienced that anger first hand as a half-elf herself. The bullies just never seem to let up.

Mia vs. Darkrose sister, rematch

But all that is about to blow away. There’s been a murderer running afoot, killing half-elves and leaving strange crystals in their mouths. Some think he’s doing them a favor by ridding their ranks of dirty blood but, thankfully, cooler heads can see the danger on the horizon. When her close friend is the next victim, Mia throws her hat into the ring. But can she survive the dark, powerful magic at work? And will she find unexpected love along the way?

• Gameplay

Normally, I wouldn’t expect anything from a game I got for so little money. But Cinderella Phenomenon changed that up pretty quick, so I started the game up with an open mind and high hopes.  What I got was an enjoyable ride with simple controls, only really lacking in some fine details and length.

The game itself is your standard visual novel, changing Mia’s life with the click of a button. But the game is pretty low when it comes to interaction, with only a few moments where the choices you make cause any significant changes. These tend to be “yes or no” type deals with two choices each. However, there’s also a moment where it looks like you have multiple choices but these are really only there to dump exposition out.

When your gameplay is this low, your saving grace needs to be the world itself and the visual aesthetics of it. Here we were not disappointed, as the screen was usually alive with lots of different characters. You got to see a menagerie of people in the story, of all shapes and colors, along with scenery that changes features, items that could pop up on screen, and magic effects that actually look pretty cool. The only downside I saw visually was that the shifting expressions on the portraits were not that noticeable.

Victory, thy name is Uncle Silverlight

As for the story itself, it’s pretty clear-cut. The world itself is immersive, as are the characters, but the mystery plot sorta resolves itself off-screen. The romance is also not as involved as I’d like but this is a solid game regardless. I only wish there were a tiny bit more interactivity when Mia had her moments of less-than-brilliant moves.

Though there is a moment later on that goes completely off the rails.

A hint for you

• Art

A definite selling point comes from the game’s art. The story may have been cut into bite-sized chunks, but the resources clearly went into making this game as pretty as possible. The colors are bright and punchy, with awesome fog and crackle effects as needed. The backgrounds are also quite nice during normal sequences, but anything during CG’s is a bit blurry. But the CG’s themselves are also quite lovely, which made me sad that there were so few of them.

I want more CG’s from this game, I really do. The ones you get cluster towards the end of the game, kinda like Red String of Fate, and it really hurts the immersion factor.

• Romance Paths

Aleister Darkrose

The Darkrose triplets are some of the richest elves at the local academy – and the most childish. They have a habit that they call “verbal jousting” where they playfully insult each other in clever fashions, a habit which translates to bullying with their classmates. Aleister’s twin sisters are prone to bullying Mia specifically, but Aleister’s jabs at her somehow seem more playful, like a baby Mr. Darcy. He enjoys when she insults him to his face – and other such people like him – but is unable to express his feelings openly. If you can see past the snarky comments and stuck-up attitude, you’ll find that little Al is putting up a big front.

That’s right, kiddies, we have our Cold Jerk who’s ready for Redemption through Romance. It’s a plot that feels like it’s aiming for Wuthering Heights but can’t quite reach it (don’t worry, not many people can). But if expanded upon and given more time, I think it could really be quite engaging.

Maximilian Blackwood

Detective Blackwood is an odd specimen: he’s the only Dark Elf incapable of using magic. However, he refuses to be cranky about such a huge setback and has made his career out of being an excellent police investigator. Perky, funny, lively and protective, the ever confident detective seems to only have one weakness – Mia. She’s far younger than him, but he just can’t seem to get her out of his mind. But oh, what respectable girl would take a shine to someone so much older?

Well, I did; I must not be all that respectable. The romance may be predictable and reek of starry-eyed admirer in a romance novel, but I liked it. Besides, methinks it’s hard to resist the one elf who actually looks visually interesting in-game.

Robin Richards

Speaking of old fashioned, genre romances, here’s a human that admits right away to being in love with you. He’s so time-efficient.

Robin is your old buddy from the lower district, where you grew up until your father died in the upper district. You run into Robin when he finally avoids your kung-fu butler and takes the time to catch up with you. But rather than enjoy your time together, he sees this as the opportunity to confess his love. What’s a poor girl to do?

Apparently, learn to love, which is rather upsetting the more I think about it. Still, I do know this is a fantasy for someone, so I’ll never begrudge them their wish fulfillment. For what it is, Robin is a tender soul who isn’t afraid to fight for you. If you like the old fashioned Harlequin-type stuff, Robin Richards is your human.

• Final Verdict

For such a small fee, I think Never Give Up is satisfactory. It’s charming and creative, with some very nice eye-candy to keep readers interested. It lacks a bit in good, drawn-out relationships but it excels at the fantastical and the dynamics of the Visual Novel engine. If you’re looking for a fun distraction this summer, this is definitely one that won’t disappoint.

Next Time: Ascension Chapter 1

 

What did you think of the game? Would you play it? Feel free to share whatever your thoughts are below – I adore hearing from you. And don’t forget to like and follow for more content like this!

Three Anime Characters that Describe Me

Whilst browsing my fellow anime blogs, I stumbled upon a fun post from fellow Otaku blogger (and super sweet lady) Aria Cross. She was answering a Twitter challenge to describe herself using three fictional characters and decided to explain her choices in more detail. I enjoyed it quite a bit and figured I would throw my own hat into the ring. Alas, I don’t have a twitter for the blog just yet.

I know, I know. Forgive me, internet, for I have sinned.

But I do have a blog, and my lovely readers, so I present to you here the three fictional characters I would use to describe myself. Today we get to know each other a little more, awesome reader base, and I’d be delighted to hear which you would use. So consider this a tag to you all.

 

• Usagi Tsukino

This is predictable of me, I know. But I wouldn’t be honest with myself if I didn’t include the character that made one of the biggest impacts on me because she was just like me.

Usagi is the sailor scout with her big, childish heart on her sleeve. She trips over her own feet regularly, cries at the drop of a hat, and chases after her fabled Prince Charming with reckless and destructive abandon. She might scare easily, but there’s no denying her gigantic heart of gold.

In short, Usagi is extremely emotional and runs pretty wild with her emotions. I too am open with my emotions and consider myself a helpless romantic. She taught me to always reach out to the people who need a friend the most – a habit I kept up all through high school.

• Edward Elric – Fullmetal Alchemist

Yes, I am comparing myself to a teenager. Sometimes the truth stings.

But let’s give Ed some credit, he was more mature than most kids his age. I, too, used to be told that I was more mature than most girls my age, while still sporting an out-spoken attitude that Mr. Elric here is also famous for. I have his “do-it-myself” attitude, I take responsibilities for my mistakes, and family is everything to me.  Much Ed, I’d like to think all of this has become more rounded as an adult and I’ve gained more confidence along the way.

Ritsu Sohma

 

But, as someone who is prone to accidental foot-in-mouth sentences, I am always worried I’ve said the wrong thing or done the wrong thing with my friends and family. And when that happens, I can’t think of much else to do but apologize, apologize, apologize.

Ritsu is one of many on the Sohma Trauma Conga Line in the reverse harem anime, Fruits Basket. He was never very skilled at anything in life, didn’t know how to be very assertive, and tended to cross-dress as a means to mentally feel like he didn’t have to be so aggressive. But his parents were almost constantly apologizing for their son’s behavior rather than being understanding and now he suffers from very severe self-loathing and criticism.

We are all our worst critics, myself included. I’m usually the first to assume I’ve made a mistake and the first to apologize as profusely as possible.

I’d love to see what the rest of you can come up with. In the meantime, feel free to like if you wanna see more post-types like this. And feel free to follow for more content!