5 Fixes for your Gundam Mania

Sometimes, I just get the urge to binge on things. As a nerd, this generally relates to periods of time where I binge on a certain title or genre.

This month's binge is brought to you buy giant mecha, specifically in the form of the Gundam franchise. Unfortunately for me, America doesn't love Gundam. Which means that Gundam rarely comes out to play and, instead, stays home, all the way in Japan. There have been countless games, books, and movies/shows that have never hit US shores... and it's pretty depressing.

In case you've got the same affliction I've got now, I'm going to share how I scratch that Gundam-mania itch, in 5 relatively easy steps!

1. Watch the Original Series

Ah, Mobile Suit Gundam. Dated visuals, inconsistent plot, and sometimes terrible writing. Old school anime at its best. But wait, there's more! The original series, as it aired, was truly a mess. The creator realized that and, for your benefit, reconstructed the series into three, feature length films. The art doesn't take any leaps forward, but the plot is restructured and improved, and certain story elements are made clearer. If you're really jonesing for Gunam, but not interested in the dozens of meh quality episodes, these three movies are just for you!

2. Play MS Saga: A New Dawn

MS Saga is a PS2 game. It is a JRPG with traditional, turn-based JRPG elements. The kicker is that your team takes giant mechs from many of the Gundam series into battle.

The story is rubbish. The character designs are the worst, and further dragged down by painful voice acting, and the mobile suits follow the SD (Super Deformed) style. That being said, the gameplay is respectfully challenging, the diversity in enemies is perfect, and it features great customization and collectible options. Every time you acquire a new mobile suit, it feels like Christmas (or whatever holiday you choose, I suppose, but it has to include getting awesome shit). You've never been so happy to see a Gouf in your life! And, when you finally get to see the Gundam in action, it will give you butterflies.

The traditional gameplay is actually a solid example of how RPGs can be turn-based and still awesome, too -- you can have up to six party members at a time, three active and three that can be swapped in on a whim. It gives you a lot of options on how to approach combat.

Customization example. Yes, you can also change part colors!

Despite all the negatives I mention, I give this game an 8/10 on the Arbitrary Scale. If you can, I'd also recommend emulating it -- I was MUCH happier being able to A) save anywhere and B) speed up the game at certain points.

3. Search #Gunpla on Instagram

After playing MS Saga, you'll think you've have seen a large variety of suits. Well, it's time to expand your mind. Bandai has been released Gunpla (Gundam Plastic Models), regardless if they match up with any ongoing show or not. What this means is that there are some truly awesome, never-before-seen models out there. And, since they're WAY too expensive a hobby for me to pursue, Instagram lets me enjoy the hard work of others (truly, the American Dream).

#Winning

When I need a quick fix, Instagram and Gunpla are where it's at. Unfortunately, this remedy has led to some additional side effects, such as seeing if Gunpla models are really THAT expensive, and how difficult could it be, putting them together...

4. Play Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front

Crap, gotta distract myself from Gunpla. Alright, back to the PS2, which is the definitive console for Gundam in the US. Zeonic Front is a third-person strategy/action game. You're playing as a Zeon soldier during the ground-wars of the One Year War. Before each mission, you equip your troops (up to three squads) and set the paths your squads should take on the battle map. This leads to a lot of different strategic options, and it's an awesome, realistic feeling mech sim in that regards.

Of course, that's not to say it doesn't have issues. Controls are not intuitive or responsive, combat is quick and usually dirty, and there are especially difficult/cheap missions (I'm looking at you, mission #6!).

This game gets a 7/10 for me. I really do love it, but it can frustrate the shit outta me.

5. Watch an Alternative Gundam series

The Gundam series has several universes. The original follows the UC timelines and is comprised of the main titles "Mobile Suit Gundam," "Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam," and "Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ." There are related side stories (0083: Stardust Memories has some awesome art, and bridges the gap between the original series and Zeta), and follow up movies, but I recommend jumping off the UC timeline for a bit.

Your Gundam Beat-'Em-Up Anime

I'm going to split this recommendation in twain, only because the correct 5th treatment is based on your preference:

If you enjoy a lot of action with relatively limited story (which can be refreshing after Mobile Suit Gundam), watch "Mobile Fighter G Gundam." This series is all about fist-fighting mechs that participate in an overly dramatic martial arts tournament. This may sounds kind of stupid, but it's actually pretty awesome, and it features the most unique mobile suits in the franchise (mostly because they don't all go pew pew, bang bang). The cast isn't large, so you're less likely to get annoyed by them (I personally find all the main protagonists from the UC timeline really, really annoying).

If you're looking for a deeper, character driven story, watch the always-classic "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing." You're not sure if the Gundam are the good guys or the bad guys, or even friends or enemies, but it makes for an awesome ride. Probably one of my favorite story-oriented shows in the franchise, and the suits are all iconic (it's amazing when you start picking them up in MS Saga).

Angst and Explosions, the Anime

Alright, those are my five steps. You can expand the first point, as I'm doing, by watching all of the UC timeline in order. I don't necessarily recommend that, but you could. And there are other (mostly PS2) Gundam video games, but the most common entry in that vein lately has been Dynasty Warriors Gundam *sigh*. Let me know if you find anything else that helps you with your Gundam Mania, because I'm afraid mine might flare up again...

Friday at the Movies: Best of Netflix

Hi all,

Just posting this as a place holder. I spent far too long beating my first campaign of XCOM tonight and didn't set aside time for... well, anything else.

Sorry again for being late! Now, I'm going to list my Netflix Streaming suggestions, give a brief line as to why, and then move on with my weekend!

TV Series

Supernatural - Click the link to see the blog post I wrote about Supernatural previously!

Doctor Who - I did a couple blog posts about this, too. There will be more, when I eventually re-watch the remaining seasons...

The Firefly's Crew

Firefly - Follow Malcom Reynolds and his crew about their spaceship, Firefly. The cast is fantastic, the storyline amazing, and the universe feels unique. And remember, Captain Reynolds aims to misbehave...

Lost - One of the first TV series I watched completely on Netflix, Lost is a rollercoaster ride of a show. It all starts when an commercial airplane crashes on an apparently deserted island. There are survivors from the crash, and they have to adjust to their current living situation, as well as each other. Oh, and to the island, which isn't exactly uninhabited. Or in any way normal. Show is amazing for those who like suspense and twisting storylines. I will warn you, the first few seasons are the best, then it is downhill. Worth it, but downhill. And the ending is crap. But worth it!

Heroes - I really enjoyed watching the first season of Heroes. I felt it was an interesting view on what would happen if normal people randomly got super powers. Unfortunately, the later seasons decided that premise wasn't enough (I think they watched too much Lost), but it's at least interesting.

Breaking Bad - I'm only a couple seasons in, but this show is fantastic. Walter White, a suburban dad and high school teacher, finds out he has cancer. He turns to cooking and selling Meth to support his family.

That's the premise, anyway. It gets all sorts of nutty and awesome after that. If you're not hooked by the first 2-3 episodes, you're nuts. Another rollercoaster, but it ossilates between suspense, action, and "WTF?" moments.

Twin Peaks - This show's premise isn't exciting. A girl gets killed in a small, secluded town and an FBI agent arrives to try and find out who. What is interesting, however, is the FBI agent, Agent Cooper, and his really, really strange approach to... well, everything. Seriously, this show is 100% worth watching, simply because of him.

It IS another example of a show that starts good but doesn't maintain it. I loved the first season. It hits the suspense just right, it introduces phenomenally interesting characters, and focuses mostly on Cooper. The second season pulls a bit away from Cooper to include additional side stories, and, once the main suspense elements are cut in the second season, the show falters. In fact, it goes a touch too crazy, which is when I stopped.

Still, the first season alone makes it one of my favorite television shows, ever.

Movies

The Fifth Element - My favorite Bruce Willis movie (well, tied with 12 Monkeys, which is also on Netflix...), The Fifth Element takes place on Earth in an advanced future. The end of the world is approaching (literally), and it's up to an unusual group to put a stop to it.

Really, really interesting characters, and I especially love the main antagonist. Additionally, it has one of the best shoot-out scenes ever, especially since it is set during a Space Opera.

Blade Runner - Another futuristic movie, though Blade Runner features a much darker, grittier Earth. Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a retired private detective type character who specializes in hunting down artificial humans, also known as Replicants. He gets called out of retirement when a gang of Replicants get loose on Earth.

Amazing dystopian setting, mind bending questions, and a not too clear ending make this one of my favorite films of all time.

Kick-Ass - This is a movie that is based on one of Mark Millar's graphic novels which mocks super hero comics. The "super heroes" in this movie are simply regular folks who dress up and try to fight crime.

Sounds a little lame, but it is awesome. And, despite the premise, it quickly picks up the pace and turns into an action packed comic book movie with a main character that you can't help to sympathize with.

Bunraku - This one... is hard to explain. It stars Josh Hartnett, Woody Harrelson, and someone named Gackt as protagonists set in a dystopian world where guns are outlawed and the only fighting that occurs is with melee weapons. It is a super-stylized film and has a very different art style, but the fight scenes are awesome and it reminds me of a good anime, only with real people.

Highlander - An immortal guy has to cut off other immortal guys' heads to take their power. It's set in a relatively contemporary world for when it was made.

A Knight's Tale - Heath Ledger masquerades as a knight to win fame and honor on the tournament field.

Also features a kickass soundtrack the most interesting depiction of Chaucer I've ever seen.

Serenity - This movie is the sequel/ending to the tragically short Firefly show. It's decent in its own right as well, though you'll appreciate it more if you watch Firefly first.

Tomorrow, When the War Began - I actually just watched this last night. It's basically Breaking Dawn set in Australia, which is pretty awesome. The characters are mildly archetypal,  though that doesn't stop them from being enjoyable and interesting to watch as they react to their homeland being invaded.

Apparently it's based off of a book series, which I will now how to hunt down and read.

Daybreakers - In this movie, vampires rule the world while humanity is a natural resource that is running out. It's really this premise that makes it interesting, but that's enough if you want to try a different take on vampires.

If I remember correctly, it's a touch gory at times, but I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Anime 

High School of the Dead - Watched this recently and enjoyed it. There isn't too much plot until the end, but the setting of a zombie outbreak and a group of high school students having to fight their way to find friends and family was done much, much better than I would have expected. Being only one season, there are a lot of loose ends -- I'm hoping a second season eventually sees daylight.

Trigun - Check out the recent blog post if you missed it!

Other

The Guild - These "episodes" are done in the style of a video blog. They are very short, though interesting none-the-less. The cast are a group of MMO players that, at the start of the show, end up setting into motion plans to meet in real life for the first time. It is very, very funny.


Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - I've already blogged about this because I love it so damn much. Go watch it NOW!


This post was more difficult than I thought! I didn't realize how many shows rotated OFF of Netflix Instant Streaming after I'd watched them -- this list is more of suggestions as of today, I really could post all my actual favorites, because they're disc only now.

Either way, this list will get you started. Maybe I'll do a different list on another Friday for my top five movies of all time... That'd be interesting. And Difficult.

My Three Favorite Anime (Part III)

Alrighty folks, here is the moment you've all been waiting for!

My favorite anime of all time is:

Trigun! I hope this isn't a let down for anyone, though I can't really imagine how anyone who's seen the whole show can NOT like it.

----------------------Some spoilers live here!--------------------------

First, in comparison to my last two:

The Stampede

DBZ keeps the mood very light; even fight scenes can consist of characters being turned into cookies. Throughout Trigun, the main character, Vash, acts as a one man comedy act. He is goofy, strange, and apparently bat-shit insane. It's plied on a little thick at the beginning, but, as we get to see more of him, we understand why.

Side note: Vash is referred to as "Vash the Stampede." In my book, and character that has a title automatically starts with awesome credit. Vash doesn't disappoint.

Cowboy Bebop features a concise and interest cast that tends to deal with darker and more serious themes. Trigun only has four really steady protagonists, and only two of them really matter (more on that in a second). As the season progresses, we are shown that the world of Trigun is a VERY bleak place and Vash, as well as other characters, have their own dark, gritty pasts they encounter and have to deal with.

The four main protagonists of Trigun are:
Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson - they are both insurance agents sent to determine if the notorious outlaw, Vash the Stampede, should actually be covered as a literal human disaster. We usually see events with Meryl as our medium. Milly is some light comic relief, being a complete air-head, though there is eventually romantic undertones between her and my personal favorite character.

Vash - Not only is he known as "The Stampede," he's also known as the "Humanoid Typhoon." TWO TITLES!! At the series start, Vash is a doughnut-loving freak devoted to the notion of "LOVE AND PEACE" (he shouts it quite often). He's also a creep in general, and can be pretty annoying (in the show AND for the viewer). Eventually, however, we learn about his past, why he acts insane, and what he has to deal with. He's the most dangerous man alive, both because of the $$ (stands for "double-dollar") 60 billion bounty on his head and the fact that he is supernatural gunslinger.

The most interesting part of the series have to deal with his past, to be honest. It paints a MUCH different picture of the world we're exposed to (more on that in a bit!).

Lastly, we have my favorite anime character of all time, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. He is introduced as a travelling priest, though we quickly see he's much more than that - he carries around a giant cross that is actually a case for a small armory and a cannon itself. His skills seem to rival those of Vash, without most of the comedic affectations. He oozes cool from every pore and I can't get enough of him. Too bad he also turns out to be a bad guy... Kind of.

Wolfood. Likes: cigarettes, big guns, and Milly

The villains of Trigun are varied and interesting, though only a few have any depth. Chief among them would be the hard to comprehend Legato and his master Knives, who just happens to be Vash's twin brother...

Most of the episode plots are fairly straight forward. They can come down to an emotional level or be all out warfare -- it's split pretty well, and the fast and slow episodes are equally interesting. They do build up to a final confrontation with Knives, but the 26 episodes are absolutely worth it.

The Wasteland

Beyond the characters, my favorite thing about Trigun is the setting. At first, we are introduced to a world NOT like out own -- it is a Wild West setting on planet far removed from Earth. The entire globe seems to be covered in badlands, desert, and the rough people willing to survive. Thematically, it's Wild West with a bit of Steam Punk and a touch of Sci-Fi (... so all my favorites). The world isn't exactly post-apocalyptic, but that's only because it began as too much of an inhospitable waste.

Then we learn some of Vash's back story, and our knowledge is widened. Humanity came to this planet after an odyssey among the starts, looking for a new home. The SEEDs ships don't make it to their chosen destination -- instead, they are forced to crash land on the planet where Trigun takes place, about 130 years later... I'm being a touch vague so as to NOT completely spoil the story, but it is interesting (even if it doesn't make 100% sense) and adds some more depth to the wastelands we encounter during the show.

The blend of genres, worlds, characters, and themes makes this (far too short) anime perfect for me. If I was ever to hunt down and read a manga (which I don't normally enjoy), it would be Trigun without a doubt.

Ok, enough of that! You now know my three top anime. Let me know what you think, and/or how I've offended you by leaving out your most cherished show. As I've said before, I'm always looking for suggestions.

Tomorrow I go back to my regular weekly posts, I hope you've enjoyed this strange weekend adventure!

My Three Favorite Anime (Part II)

So, this is coming in a little bit later than I expected, sorry! I let the day get away from me (trip to the not-so-local comic book store AND the Wife and I took our first trip into BJ's Wholesale Club...). Moving on!

Last post, I wrote about my 3rd favorite anime, Dragon Ball Z. It is a goofy, feel good anime that has tons of action. My 2nd favorite anime flips that around a bit: it has some goofy moments, plenty of dark moments, and... well, tons of action.

Why else would I watch anime, if not for the gratuitous, out of this world action?

Coming in second, we have...

Cowboy Bebop is a show about space faring bounty hunters set in the future. That might not be the most unique setting for anime I've ever seen (I'm looking at you, Outlaw Star... and more...), but Cowboy Bebop nails it:

Jet, Spike, Faye, Ed, and Ein

It has an awesome, focused cast, a stellar art style, an amazing setting, and interesting story arcs.

It does have a bit of comedic relief, usually brought on by Spike or Ed, but it absolutely has a darker, grittier feel than other shows from the get-go. From the degradation of the human race to the sad stories the bounty hunters encounter, there is a palpable feeling of despair, mixed with a little hope, throughout this beautiful anime.

The best episodes are ones that let us get to know the hunters better and their pasts are explored. Spike's is long running, confusing at the beginning, and makes up the major overarching story for the show's 26 episodes. It's not all consuming, but it is the thread that keeps popping out.

Faye's story is also very interesting and also very sad. There aren't a lot of happy endings in the series, and the main cast certainly isn't excluded from this. I appreciate that Faye becomes more than eye candy, even if she is used as such most of the time.

It's hard for me to choose a favorite character; the cast is very diverse and each is interesting, even the damn dog. If I really had to choose, I think I'd go with Spike, which is probably siding with the majority. Fortunately, I'm not a hipster and don't mind a little crowd-following (you know, putting Cowboy Bebop in my top 3....).

If I had one complaint for the show, other than the length, it would be that it can be too dark and never really brightens up; the end of the series is ambiguous at best, though I tend to feel it ended unhappily.

Even so, this is because I came to care about the characters after watching the 26 episodes (too short!) that make up this absolute masterpiece. I love the characters and would like to see more of them. Here's hoping there's a sequel somewhere in the future

A final note that sets this anime apart but normally doesn't factor in my equation is the sound track. It is diverse and beautiful and sad, just like the cast and show in general. I've never found an anime with a more fitting sound, though I admit my ears are uncultured when it comes to music.

The movie, for those that are wondering, is fairly decent. I'd say par the course with the show; it's just a longer episode.

This is a bit on the shorter side, and I'm sure I could say more, but I think I'll eventually do a series review and want to save room for that.

Come back tonight to find out my favorite anime of all time. If you have any guesses, leave 'em in the comment section!

Additionally, the trip to the comic shop means I picked up my Pull List! So, starting with Monday's Extra! Extra!, I'll begin my Pull List Review!

Friday at the Movies: My Three Favorite Anime (Part I)

In theaters, I'd still like to see Dredd and Looper. Since I don't think I'll be doing that tonight, I'm going to do a write up on my top three favorite anime of all time. I'm eschewing my normal list of 5 format because I love these three equally and want to explain why more than I want to explain what they are (which will happen anyway, to some extent).

I'm also going to break this into three separate posts. One tonight, one tomorrow, and the last on Sunday. Just to switch things up a bit.

And, before I get started, I'm always interested in finding other interesting anime (and, despite the three I'm about to post, my tastes are fairly diverse). Leave me a comment with your favorite (and why), and I'll hunt it down and give it a go!

Ok, the first one is probably going to discredit me from all other anime fans, and I accept that. However, it wins the nostalgia credit, and nostalgia weighs a lot with me (I think this comes from enjoying comic books and video games, though it could be some facet of human nature I'm unfamiliar with).

Third, on my personal top three list is...

Dragon Ball Z. There, I said it! It's a guilty pleasure. I've seen all 291 episodes (got this number from Wikipedia, I honestly thought there were much, much more!) in English. I've seen most of the movies and apparently none of the OVAs (I'll have to track those down), but the main series is what I really enjoyed.

Side note: I don't mind subtitled anime, but my preference is dubbed. Yes, I understand that this normally comes with terrible ramifications (poor translation, awful voices, etc...), but I feel, especially with anime, that I'm there to watch the art on the screen, not reading text.

Dragon Ball Z takes place not long after the series Dragon Ball ends, though I'm living proof that you DON'T need to know anything about Dragon Ball to enjoy the sequel series (I've started Dragon Ball after, but have still yet to see every episode). It starts of strong with the Saiyan Saga. We're introduced to the likable cast of heroes and, almost immediately, the beginning of some interesting enemies.

The main character, Goku, is a big-hearted goofball. When done poorly, they are my least favorite stereotype and WILL kill an anime for me. Goku is a nice mix. When things get serious, he becomes calm, cool, and collected, and the transition isn't glaring, or accidental. Goku is in full control, he's able to juggle his multi-faceted personality (which is important in a good character).

Vegeta and Goku

My favorite character in the series, however, starts off as a petulant, arrogant villain. Of course, I'm talking about the Prince of All Saiyans, Vegeta (... who isn't King, I assume, due to having no one to crown him?). He starts off being unlikable, a decent and overpowered villain for Goku to overcome and show that this show won't be constrained in how outrageous the fights will get, something that increases with every new villain. Over the nine seasons, Vegeta changes dramatically. He fits the role of the angry rival, but he does grow into more, especially when he becomes a father. He's always all business, a short package of attitude, but is appealing because of it.

He's the most emotionally vibrant of the cast because, when he shows it, you feel it.

The show does eventually run into the issue of villains being too powerful. This happens at the end of the Cell Saga, when Cell is able to regenerate unless every single cell of him is destroyed. Once that's your enemy, it's hard to go beyond it, and that's only season six!

Beyond the characters themselves, the stories are pretty basic -- it's an action anime and is at its peak when characters are kicking the snot out of each other. The first enemies are aliens (all three of them...) that invade Earth. Then the crew goes to another occupied planet to give their boss the what for. Then, back on Earth, we get a time traveler thrown in for good measure, coupled with a mad scientist and an amalgam of a villain. The final villains are created by magic and look... well, kind of like bubble gum.

Harmful when swallowed

It is probably important to note that the show takes its name from the seven mystical Dragon Balls, items that, once gathered together, summon a dragon who grants wishes. I'm not kidding, and it is utilized as a "get out of death free" card a few too many times...

But it's all good. The characters all grow (and in more than power!). And, one thing that is infinitely in DBZ's credit, the art style isn't afraid to update itself as the show goes on. Thankfully, they don't go the route of completely switching up the art style, as we would see in a comic book. Instead, it is just brought up to date and looks amazing in the last seasons.

Vegeta at the beginning...

... and the end

To give a negative, the show IS 291 episodes, and there is a bit much on the filler side of things, which can really slow things down (NOT good for an action title). The Frieza fight is notorious because it has a season of DVDs to itself, basically. To combat this, Dragon Ball Z Kai was created. I've never seen it, but I do know that it is a remastering and streamlining of the series, being comprised of only (heh) 98 episodes. I'll eventually see how it stacks up.


DBZ has flaws, sure. It also has a lot of cliches, ok. But it does have redeeming qualities, some of my favorite characters (and tropes) in any anime, and there are some moments that are just plain badass.

I find it to be worth every moment, and I'm glad it got me into anime when I was younger. Thank you Akira Toriyama!!

It is worth noting that Dragon Ball GT is a sequel to DBZ. It was not, however, done with Toriyama on board and suffers for it. I'm working my way through the seasons so far, but it starts off kind slow. That, and the villain that's a pedophile doll toucher kind of made me lose interest...

NEXT TIME on The Arbitrary Nerd... My second favorite anime!