Sunday, February 2, 2014

Today's Daily Double: Irrelevant Faux News Versus The Faux News Threat

In the red corner, we have Frank (The Butcher on Broadway) Rich and in the blue corner, we have TNR's Ike Chotiner. Both are flailing at Roger Ailes, the Darth Vader of Faux News. The Butcher proclaims Darth Vader to be a dead man walking and Ike holds that even a dead rattlesnake contains live venom. So that is today's Great Debate. If this is (fairclick on "Back To Directory" to return to the starting point. Thanks be to Vannevar Bush for giving us the idea of hypertext.



[ -- Bracketed Numbers -- ]

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Let's talk about Bringing Kids to Restaurants

Is this a military thing?Since our direct experiences of military communities occur in regions we are otherwise unfamiliar with, sometimes we're not sure whether certain behaviors are examples of military culture, regional culture, rural livin', etc.Or maybe this is just Velcro Generation Parenting? Like, just what people do now? I mean, using smartphones wasn't a thing in the place we lived BS (before soldier) but that was probably more the decade than the zip code.



PICTURE THIS: a Friday night at the end of a rough week. Somehow you and a favorite MilSpouse have managed to convince BOTH of your partners to go out to a restaurant together.

Ojibwa Grandmother chant

OJIBWA GRANDMOTHER CHANT



A Poem by

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Animes I Like Part 1

Ok, so a couple of people at my school have asked me for my complete list of animes and my thoughts on each one, so here we are:

I'm breaking this into parts, because, like the big nerdy otaku that I am, I have watched ALOT of animes, and to keep this from being one long ass post, I'll just use genres.


Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

2013 in Manga

2013 POSTS CONTINUE!

Yay. Basically here I'm gonna look at all the manga that I follow, and how I think they did in the last year.


Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

The Night is Dark During the Blackening'est

Note from the other day: It seems my brain doesn't want to turn off today for some reason. Seeing the abundance of creativity that flows from my fingers because I'm restrained in the fact that no one knows what is going on! I told a couple female friends that they are amazing (out of the blue with no provocation) because it should be known that they absolutely are! It's strange today because I'm starting to find out so much more about this world by shutting a few doors in my life, even if it goes only for a week. Not trying to tell people things that are happening in hopes they'll like the same things or share it. I fully believe Facebook is a disease and I'm happy to rid myself of it. I'm actually surprised in myself that I haven't checked it.



A few things though: the pic above is a picture I sent to a few friends. I never drink Diet Coke except for one day a year, this day. January 27th. It's saved into my calendar and I remember because it's the day after another friend's (Luke's) birthday. This day is one of my best friend's mom's birthday. Before you think the worst of me, it's nothing creepy but for remembrance. She has been gone for a few years now and my best friend seemed lost when she passed. He is my brother in every sense of the word. His sons will get to grow up and learn about this amazing lady too. It's weird to think he doesn't have much of a family but he has built one with his fiancand he has me I sent him that pic and the response I got from him was 'You are the King. No Doubt."

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

* EXPLORE AN OPEN WORLD FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITIES: Discover the most diverse Assassin's Creed world ever created. From Kingston to Nassau, explore 50 unique locations where you can live the life of a pirate.

* BECOME THE MOST FEARED PIRATE IN THE CARIBBEAN: Command your ship, the Jackdaw, and strike fear in all who see her. Plunder and pillage to upgrade the Jackdaw with ammunition and equipment needed to fight off enemy ships.

* MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE: Play with your friends in the ruthless and critically acclaimed multiplayer experience. Choose from an eclectic cast of characters from the Golden Age of Pirates and fight to the death in exotic locations.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Assassin's Creed III: Liberation HD Review

As a former exclusive on the PlayStation Vita, Assassin's Creed III: Liberation arrived in time for the 2012 holidays as a promising system seller for Sony's fledgling handheld. While it fell short of its lofty goal, Liberation was nonetheless an impressive showcase of possibilities for open-world play on the portable platform. Now that it has been released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Assassin's Creed fans uninterested in the Vita can now experience all of the franchise's 18th-century storylines. Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD delivers what you would expect in upgraded visuals. And if you're hoping for the exact same gameplay that Vita owners experienced, you get that as well, even though it includes Liberation's original bugs.



Unlike other portable Assassin's Creed titles, Liberation continues the main narrative thrust of the major entries in the series. Aveline de Grandpre, the franchise's first playable female assassin, has intriguing ties to the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III, Connor Kenway, though it's a shame that Liberation doesn't feature more collaborative interplay between the two assassins. Liberation's framing premise also works as a prelude to the modern-day story portions of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, since these adventures are the first two "games" by Abstergo Industries' entertainment division. "Aveline, why are you not facing me? And why are your feet underground?" -Agate

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Arcane Reviews: Carnival Phantasm

CARNIVAL PHANTASM



Hello ladies, peoples, and animals it is I, the Arcane Reviewer! Here to bring you a new anime review. Well if you haven't guessed it yet I'm kind of a Type-Moon fanboy. What with all of my ranting about poor quality of the Fate/Stay Night anime and all my parsing of the Fate/Zero one too. So now I decided to bring to you probably one of my favorite comedy anime ever. Which is also a Type-Moon based show so yeah. Shut up, I'm a fanboy let me be! I bring to you my review of, Carnival Phantasm. Is it any good? Well let me enlighten you.

Joy

Week Two of my .



JANUARY 5, 2014 - SPIRITUAL REVELATION AT CHURCH

Executive Order: Bring Your Heart Along

So I just felt like I had to blog today. I have so many things on my mind that I have to share. One is because my heart is flooding because of a simple video put together about a lady's last few months to live and happiness he found at the end and courage to live life. It's has just wrenched on all of my feels! [@Samuraiox: Jesus. Maybe avoid this. This is terrifyingly beautiful and painful to each all at the same time: http://t.co/ko6AhYoYV8 ] my own tweet about the story, watch the video so you aren't lost. So after watching this I realize I have a bigger gift than I thought to share with others. Since last September or so it's seemed I've had an overflowing of love from my heart. I thought it was a hinderance but I'm starting to think it's something better and stronger. I was trying to turn off my heart valve so I could build up my rage or strength and let Primal have the keys to the proverbial playground. I already know that's not able to happen. This love I share has made me strong and I'm not casting it aside just like that. I will work on making Primal strong again while caring at the same time! It is going to wear me out a lot but I know if I can accomplish this, he's going to be unimaginably strong! I am rethinking doing the social blackout but I know I need to do this for my own self. I'll be checking Instagram for artistic and creativeness reasons, but blog/fb/twitter won't be checked or updated. The blackout will begin with the post stating Ox 6 is live on Bandcamp and will end with the Berserk Volume 1 blog is put up. I'm excited and anxious for it all at the same time! I have a torrent of blog ideas already and trying not to post more than one a day but rest assured that there are quite a few coming, especially a new 'Tail' that deals with Crazy (jackal) actually gaining a spirit rider!



It's seems like the season is over but the last episode was fantastic and now I'm really hooked on the show! Big Chief and his GTO are both monsters! It got me an Josh talking about what we want to accomplish with our dream rides. I had forgotten all about nomads until the other day and he mentioned one was on the block at Barett Jackson...and we just got to talking about modifications and everything else...we haven't ever worked on many vehicles together so looking forward to putting time together under the hood of anything! The mods I want to do to Odin and a hauler, in the form of an El Camino, would make them insane. And his truck...we would have some real monsters for ourselves! He told me I'd have some trouble controlling Odin but I know our bond is strong enough that I'd be the only one that would be able to control him!!!

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Berserk: Volume 1

So the day has finally arrived. I love going back through this series and picking up on new things and seeing what I fell in love with! I'm going to just give a rundown of bullet points that happened and what makes them important. This takes into account you've already read the volume so I shouldn't have to worry about spoiling any of that content! If you haven't, make your way to Spectrum Nexus (I gave a link a couple blogs ago) and start reading! It's going to be easy to see why I fell in love with this!!

A brief history on Berserk and I though. It was back in 2005 I met Nate. Arne and I actually met him because he had tattoos working at Office Max, an entire sleeve of tattoos actually. We were looking for something to help with our WoRld of Warcraft and hit it off with him. So much so we got invited to his guild and started grinding with him. I remember watching the entire anime series because it was at blockbuster and Nate told me I needed it! I started watching and realized the series had an interesting dynamic because it starts in the future and then goes back to the main story and shows how we got to this point. This was a point many people didn't figure out and why people became disinterested with it...but our main tank in out guild was called Griffith (a shoutout to Berserk) and he told me a lot of guildies actually had a lot of things related to Berserk too! I even realized then that he had a Brand incorporated into his sleeve and that was the first point I realized I needed it tattoo'd into my flesh as well!!! There is a little more I have to say about the Brand, but that will come later in the series...

So the story starts with an introduction into the Blackswordsman Arc. The anime series starts the same way. He goes around killing apostles for something that happened to him, mainly involving the Brand. You get a sense of the chaos that surrounds his life and that he is never able to rest because evil is always lurking close by. The first few scenes involve Guts fucking a demon. He then literally fucks the demon to death and shows her that he is smart in letting her think she has actually trapped him...but he was the one doing the trapping and you see he has a strategic mind. He then makes his way into a town and we get introduced to Puck, a fairy. The anime starts at this bar scene, but instead of Puck (because he is never in the anime BUT he was shown in the new 3 movies) it's actually a bar maid girl he ends up saving. The scenes are quite similar and involve him unloading arrows from his crossbow and then cutting one of them in half with his sword, The Dragonslayer. I've talked about this sword in length and have even gone so far as to make my own! Just seeing it sends a tingle down my spine!! This bar fight gets the attention of the first apostle we are introduced to. He makes an appearance later in the manga and anime and remember him because he will return...but right now he eats an arm full of cannon explosives!!! Oh yeah, one more trick Guts has is an iron arm. This will be talked about later too, but just know that cannon fucking rocks!! The stand off between the apostle and Guts is great because you get a sense that Guts cares but won't let himself because he has to figure a way for himself to survive as well amongst all this chaos. When he actually defeats him he has a great dialogue that speaks depths about the human spirit! The apostle thinks humans are nothing more for him to snack on...when Guts strikes him down and before ending his life he brings it up once more: "Like you said, humans are weak. We die easily. But no matter how weak we are, even if we're being chopped to bits or stabbed to death, we still want to LIVE."

Akana ga Kiru: Love Makes the World Go Round

Well, my dear readers, Akane ga Kiru happens to be the latest manga to capture my imagination.However, the villains are downright fiends.Some of the atrocities they commit make it easier to think of them as demons or monsters than human beings.The violence often reaches the level of Hellsing (and the artwork of Akame ga Kiru is incredibly reminiscent of that work) and occasionally the level of the Berserk manga (don't read that for Pete's sake!); so, I only recommend it to the thickest skinned of my readers.I find myself skipping pages and examining each page for foreshadowing of the gruesome so that I can avoid scenes reminiscent of the worst passages of Terry Goodkind's novels.



Then, why read Akame ga Kiru?Any lover of dark stories will tell you that one reads dark stories for the light contained therein.The surrounding darkness makes the light seem that much more precious and lovable.If dark stories contain no light, they fall to the level of trash or poison--the product of a diabolical or melancholy imagination.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Drawers

DRAWERS - DRAWERS (2014) KAOTOXIN RECORDS

Produced by Drawers

HARDCORE / METAL

Leftists typically deny that Religion is a powerful motivator of human behaviour

The Left (which is intrinsically secular) always explains-away religious commitment and even martyrdom as being due to either social/ economic factors or mental illness.So - for example - highly devout behaviour (e.g. people voluntarily giving large chunks of their time, effort and money to church projects) is explained in terms of them 'buying' various social support and benefits, and enjoying solidarity.



Or else it is explained in terms of brain-washing (from childhood). Or maybe in terms of religions terrorizing people by anything from fear of violence and murder; to fear of adverse gossip, shunning, expulsion.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Case Study No. 1200: Tosaka Hiyoko (student library worker)

14:50

We go after depressed loner pigeon!

Can't wait to see what happens here! :)

[WATCH] 56th GRAMMY Award Performances Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, John Legend + Complete List of Winners

One of music's biggest nights, the went down Sunday (January 26th) at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre. Hosted by LL COOL J, this year's performances included Beyonce and JAY Z, KATY PERRY, KENDRICK LAMAR and a host of others.



Check out a few of our favorite performances, along with the complete list of winners.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Jai Ho movie review

JAI HO MOVIE REVIEW



CAST:SALMAN KHAN, TABU, SANA KHAN, DANNY DENZONGPA, DAISY SHAH, MAHESH MANJREKAR, ADITYA PANCHOLI.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

The Orange Bowl

Ever hear of Dabo Swinney? Me neither. But they sure have in Clemson, South Carolina. Swinney's the head football coach of the Clemson Tigers (has been since 2009), and right now they're feeling pretty good about their football in Clemson.



They just knocked off the Buckeyes of Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. Yep, those same Buckeyes that hadn't tasted defeated in almost two years have now get whupped two games in a row. Remember, Michigan State throttled OSU in the Big 10 championship game a few weeks ago.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

The Pastor, the Mom, the Aussie Housewife, and the 47 year-old High School Student.

This entire post is about trolling and petty internet nonsense and time-wasting, so if you were hoping for a serious discussion of weighty issues - well why the fuck would you even come to this blog?My training log is at the very end so mature adults may want to skip ahead.Very well, you've been warned.



First: some Australian chick made a website basically dedicated to me.I had a feeling that it would go away soon, so I tried to save it, but my Evernote failed.Sorry, Quisp.It was pretty awesome.It had a picture of a troll on the top of it and the title was "You troll expected (sic) to be trolled back".The only post was a rant about "ridding the world of fucking jacked shit men who are on steroids and post stupid WOD sites," which I found quite flattering.But sure enough she deleted the site after only a few hours.The funny thing was that I DIDN'T ACTUALLY TROLL HER, but she blames me for various maniacs who got on her site and undoubtedly left depraved comments.If you are reading this, please put your site back up, even if you have an ass like Kim Kardashian.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

All New Marvel NOW right now! Newsletter 1/10/14

If you're curious about all the new Marvel NOW! goodness that's coming out this year, this week's new "POINT ONE" special features completely new LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD, SILVER SURFER, BLACK WIDOW, MS MARVEL, ALL-NEW INVADERS and AVENGERS WORLD lead-in stories! They're original short-stories, too, so don't expect to see them in the first issue of the regular series!



Comics

Past, present, and future Thor! Newsletter 1/17/14

One of our favorite tales of Thor is finally out in softcover this week, and it's THOR GOD OF THUNDER TP VOL 01 GOD BUTCHER by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic. So now you're out of excuses -- come get a copy and read about Thor in the past, present, and future all facing his/their greatest enemy: The God Butcher!



Also this week: a glorious cornucopia of cool toys! DC supervillains, Star Trek, Aliens, Star Wars, Robocop, oh my!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Bittersweet Symphony: The Beatles U.S. Albums Box Set

* This past Tuesday, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' invasion of America in February 1964, Capitol Records released THE U.S. ALBUMS, a 13-CD Beatles collection that spans from 1964's MEET THE BEATLES! to 1970's HEY JUDE. While many fans back in 2009 already shelled out a fair chunk of cash for the official U.K. remastered stereo CDs and the subsequent box set of the mono versions, THE U.S. ALBUMS can seem like a redundant cash grab. But these albums actually differed considerably from the band's U.K. versions, including having different track lists, song mixes, album titles, and even cover art. For those of us who grew up in North America during the Sixties, these were the albums we knew, and the history we were familiar with. The albums presented here are also in both mono and stereo, with the exception of the embarrassingly fawning 2-LP documentary, THE BEATLES' STORY, and HEY JUDE, a collection of mostly unreleased singles, which are in stereo only.



But there are a number of issues that bring a sour taste to this spirit of celebration. To begin with, Capitol had already released two box sets (THE CAPITOL ALBUMS, VOL. 1 & 2) containing their first eight American albums a decade ago. So why didn't they just put out VOLUME 3 to fill out the rest? For those of us who bought those sets, we now have to repurchase them to get the remaining discs. On top of that, do we really need THE BEATLES' STORY added instead of, say, THE BEATLES LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, which was only made available on LP? HEY JUDE is also not a Capitol album, but an Apple product devised by then manager Allen Klein in 1969 after he'd negotiated a new contract for the band and wanted to massage the deal. The only reason it's being included here is because of the inclusion of tracks like "Paperback Writer," "Hey Jude" and "Lady Madonna." So why not then include in the box set RARITIES (which is a Capitol release and collects the magical "There's a Place" and "Misery" that were missing on THE EARLY BEATLES, as well as "The Inner Light" (the B-side of "Lady Madonna"), and the rare promotional single "Penny Lane" that featured the French horn coda at the end)? But what is worse: Capitol has decided in this new box to largely ignore the original American mixes and use the 2009 ones instead. Even if the 2009 versions sound better, and they do, we are just re-purchasing what we already bought a few years ago. Whatever you think of the altered sound of the North American albums (with their added reverb, duophonic simulated stereo, and remixed songs), you're supposed to be paying tribute to one culture's way of hearing and remembering the past. As always, when it comes to The Beatles' catalogue, Capitol Records finds new and imaginative ways to botch things up. And they've done it right from the beginning just before the group landed in New York to change the world almost half a century ago.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN 345!KAKASHI KILLS RIN

Naruto Shippuden 345 begins as Obito wakes up while two Zetsu's are watching him, they have a long and boring conversation of how the feeling of having poop is, while at the same time Obito mentions that he's definitely going to get out. It's also mentioned that Madara wants to cast a massive genjutsu giving everyone their own peace.At the end of it Obito begins to walk with all his might, he near collapses when Zetsu helps him out.



At the same time Zetsu begins to think of all the time that he had with both Kakashi and Rin! He even tried to kiss Rin through a photo he had. Rin begins to progress on his walking and building his skills. He gets his balance right too. He keeps on training with Zetsu.

Anime Review: Lagann-Hen

Been in the middle of a Gurren Lagann rewatch and I thought to watching the second Lagann movie. Was surprised that I already marked it completed on my MAL and gave it a "6aka the same grade I gave the show. I only watched like ten minutes of the thing before I decided I was better off finishing the series first, so I have no idea how that happened. But now that I've been going back to the big Gainax hit of 2007 and moaning on how much I wish Mako would come in and take over Kamina's role when it comes to making speeches because the dude is about as repetitive and charismatic as Fat Albert with a speech impediment, I thought I'd see whether what I've heard regarding Lagann-hen and how it was basically the DYRL of the super robot genre was true.



Well it started out that way, if only because I could pretend I was just being thrown into the whole mess with no prior knowledge of who these characters were and the movie gave me just enough details about them in the beginning so I had some idea regarding who to care for. In fact, I like to pretend that there is no first half of Lagann and that the entire thing is about what happens "after you defeat the big bad". That's a way more interesting story than the repetitive underdog thing that was milked to death in the 80s and thus seeing it in this generation is like watching one of those "call number" commercials whose only background is that badly drawn crybaby at the beginning of every Sentai DVD release.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Class of Heroes 2G (Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono 2G) for Playstation 3

Original Photo:

This game is incredibly fun if you are a fan of the Wizardy series or a typical dungeon crawler. I got my copy imported fromand I am completely satisfied with it! I received my copy literally 2 days after the status changed on my order history screen on . For Imports, this is truly the place I depend on.


Anime Favourites: Fate/stay night

Original Photo:

An epic story telling the tale of a boy who is linked throughout his life to this specific war, the Holy Grail War. Shirou Emiya is the main character of this story and a he has a small trace of magic in him. Shirou calls forth Saber, his servant, to aide him in a time of need (which I won't spoil for you, this happens in this first episode.) and she comes out with an invisible sword. All in all she is totally bad ass and saves him in time.


Fictional Characters I Have Connections With

Hey guys, I'm here to explain how I think I have strong connections with some fictional characters that I have seen / played over the years through my own personal beliefs. Some theories are good and some are bad and this big post should explain how I feel they represent some emotions or moments during my life. It's like they represent Persona's, only I think it's related to "Johari's Window" and "The Looking Glass Effect"!



TOMOYA OKAZAKI - CLANNAD & CLANNAD AFTER STORY (ANIME)

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Child Bite Team Up With Phil Anselmo For An*l C*nt Covers

Michigan punk rockers CHILD BITE have teamed up with DOWN/ex-PANTERA vocalist Phil Anselmo for a series of AN*L C*NT covers. The Morbid Hits EP will be released as a limited 5vinyl (500 copies only) and will only be available at the Berserker Music Fest 2014, which is in Detroit, MI and runs from February 5th through 8th. It will come with a fold out poster featuring art by ACID WITCH's Shagrat. The band has stated that it, " is probably the most ridiculous record we will ever put out."



Below you can hear the cover of "Radio Hit". Be warned, the video has some truly NSFW imagery!

Riproarious Morning

Gran'ma and Jiya



Baby between two teddies

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Case Study No. 1183: Staff of the Night Vale Public Library

1:39

From episode 7, "History Week". For more information on "Welcome to Night Vale", an excellent (and free) horror/comedy podcast, visit commonplacebooks.com or @NightValeRadio on Twitter.

Tags: Welcome to Night Vale History Week Commonplace Books Joseph Fink Jeffrey Cranor Cecil Baldwin Earwicker Disparition Night Vale Community Radio Night Vale Something Awful public library municipal library haunted library Helen Hunt bear baiting Library (Building Function)

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Simulblast! Week 002 Of Winter 2014

We're already into the second week! Have we watched too much anime? Probably not yet.



THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE: Grab your least favorite character from the show and talk about them extensively.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Listmania '13! The Best Movies Of The Year

LISTMANIA! should be a fun thing to do, but last year's monumental exercise in opinionising was quite dispiriting. There were plenty of good movies around but nothing truly great, though Holy Motors and The Master came close. I ended up selecting The Avengers as the top film of 2012 simply because it was the only thing I saw all year that really made my heart beat, and that was a movie that was, for the first thirty minutes, a bunch of fart noises (I exaggerate because I care; bear in mind I've watched it about seventeen times since last year and would quite happily watch it again right now, twice in a row, while eating a celebratory bag of satsumas). While I wrote that gargantuan post I wondered if this was a symptom of some malaise; perhaps I was burned out on cinema? Could I blame Vine for it? The Daily Mail says the internet erodes the attention span and they literally (really literally) shit truth and vomit integrity so perhaps it was all on me and films were still super-awesome.



Guess what; movies still are super-awesome! Because 2013 was, without a doubt, the best year for films since I started Shades of Caruso, and I say that even though I still haven't see Her and The Wolf of Wall Street. My Letterboxd account shows that I didn't give anything five stars last year (not even The Avengers despite it featuring the greatest scene in cinema history, i.e. Hulk versus Loki); this year I'd give the full whack to my top four, and four and a half stars to the next 10. Two of those five star movies showed up early in the year, so my fears were already allayed by the time I saw the third and realised we were experiencing a rare cultural moment. This run of incredibly high-quality cinema continued right until December, with my pick for number eight on this list delighting me so much it almost made me forget all of the horrors of The Worst Christmas Ever which, without wanting to get into it too much, was a maelstrom of mishap and misery that could turn Santa himself into an Ultra-Grinch.

History Goes Berserk For "Vikings" Season 2

Sneak Peek footage and new banner posters, showcasing the second season of the dramatic series "Vikings", written and created by Michael Hirst for the television channel History, debuting February 27, 2014:



"...the first season portrays 'Ragnar' (Travis Fimmel) as a young Viking warrior who longs to discover civilizations across the seas. With his friend, the gifted craftsman 'Floki' (Gustaf Skarsg rd), he builds a new generation of faster longships and challenges the local ruler, 'Earl Haraldson' (Gabriel Byrne), a man of little vision, to allow raids into unexplored North East England.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

SAMMY WALKER

FOLLOWING THE UNHOLY THREE HOLIDAYS THAT MAKE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER SUCH A STRESSFUL MISERY (THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR'S) AMERICA HEADS INTO JANUARY, AN ENTIRE MONTH OF UNREPENTANT IDIOCY...



"Hysteria for a football team," as Sammy Walker sings it. Or, "teams."

Monday, January 20, 2014

'Berserk' Gets Oliver Stone, Refn, and Gans?!

Jonny B. just pointed me to an eyebrow-raising new title in pre-production for a 2017 release.



Entitled BERSERK, the horror/action/adventure is an adaptation of the popular Manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

eFeora vs Kromac

One of the last games in the League



MENOTH

Chariot on fire

Chariot on Fire



CALLED WHEELCHAIR WADING

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

The Ghosts of Christmases Past

MOBI'S EBOOK MARKET PLACE



***SPECIAL FREE OFFER FOR CHRISTMAS***

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Winter 2014 Episode Rankings

I'M ALIVE! And after almost two weeks without internet, am slowly starting to recover. I still have a lot of catching up to do with the new anime season, but at least I've now watched all the first episodes I'd planned to. Ideally, I'll have Week 2 s post up in a few days, and will be fully up to date by Februarywhether it will actually work out that way is another thing.



Anyway, here's what I'm watching and what I think about it all! Focusing purely on the new shows this week.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

2013 in review

Hello 2014! Happy New Year!



This year I wanted to review what I think are some of the highlights of the past year as far as my personal hobby accomplishments are concerned, and make a projection of what I foresee 2014 will bring.

10 Second Anime

KILL LA KILL - EPISODE 13



Ryuko still reels from her loss of control. Satsuki starts her conquering raid through Kansai. A beloved character dies, maybe?

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

My Log 397: I make the long journey to Costa Rica to attend my daughter's wedding: one down, and three to go

A couple of weeks before Christmas I took the long journey down to the Central American country of Costa Rica, where my daughterBelle lives, the purpose of the journey being to attend her wedding. During the six years or so she has been there she has discovered a lovely fellow from Colombia, rejoicing in the name of Richard Quintero de Rivera (I hope I have that right). It is my third visit to Costa Rica, and I had previously met Richard, so that when she told me they were getting hitched I was able to approve wholeheartedly of her choice and her decision, and determined that I could not let the occasion pass without being present.



Belle was born in Montreal, the daughter ofBarbadian and Ghanian students, and we adopted her when she was a bouncy, smiling, happy little girl of six months, having been fortunate enough to have been extremely well cared for by her foster parents before she came to live with us. Although this was her home, she has seldom visited it during the two or more decades she has passed in the south, her objection to the place being solely --- as far as I can gather --- that it has a long winter. She so dislikes the cold weather that she seems never to want to set foot again in her home country.

Never show fear: Joan Crawford in TROG

Even if there were a place left in this world where it might still be possible for Joan Crawford to get a fair trial post-MOMMIE DEAREST (1981), there exists no such venue in which to defend her for TROG (1970).



In her final theatrical film, the former GRAND HOTEL (1932), MILDRED PIERCE (1945), and JOHNNY GUITAR (1954) star was widowed and broke, a quarter century past her only Academy Award win, and nearly two decades beyond her final Oscar nomination. She had deglamorized for Robert Aldrich's WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962) and turned in one hell of a performance to boot but the Academy instead favored costar Bette Davis (who ultimately lost to Anne Bancroft). While Davis went on to another high profile gig with Aldrich in HUSH, HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964), Crawford (who had been cast in the film but ducked out, purportedly due to illness, and was replaced by Olivia de Havilland) had to contend with down-market gigs with William Castle and work in a TV pilot directed by some pink-cheeked pischer named Steven Spielberg. In England, however, she was still a name and so she traveled there to headline the grisly circus shocker BERSERK! (1967). When the producer, Herman Cohen, requested her services again two years later, Crawford jumped at the opportunity to play an anthropologist who discovers the missing link and attempts to integrate the throwback into modern society.

Kenyan Facing Deportation After Betrayal By Girlfriend

AS KENYA-STOCKHOLMERS BEGIN THE REAL MATCH INTO 2014, A ONCE OPTIMISTIC 28 YEAR-OLD KENYAN DUDE HAS JUST DISCOVERED THAT THE NEW YEAR TIDINGS ARE NOT SWEEPING HIS FORTUNES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS PER EXPECTED NEW YEAR BLESSINGS. THIS IS BECAUSE AS THIS STORO GETS ONLINE, THE YOUNG LAD IS CHILLING IN POLICE CUSTODY, WAITING TO BE DEPORTED TO KENYA AFTER BEING BETRAYED BY HER GIRLFRIEND. THINGS HAPPENED SO FAST BUT HERE IS THE SUMMERY.



Basoli (as he calls himself) is paperless, attracted a cute and seemingly responsible Kenyan lassie who accepted to help him out with his mapepe problems. That was early last year. At the time the woman discovered that the boy is the "Mr. Right" she has been seeking desoerately for years, she was living in her own apartment in K rtorp, Stockholm. The woman worked at Scandic Hotel where she was permanently employed while the boy worked as a distributor of advertisement papers (aka reklam), having been employed by a Nigerian businessman in Stockholm.

Joan Crawford goes Berserk!

Hi everybody--Pablo Kjolseth is off at Sundance doing Sundancey things, so I'm filling in for him today to help round off our week-long tribute to Joan Crawford.Yesterday I posted about one of Joan's earliest starring vehicles, by way of talking about how masterfully she managed and controlled her career--and how that calculation tended to subtly influence the roles she played.We saw that paradigm at work at the start of her career yesterday--today we're going to watch the same dynamic at work towards the end of that career.



But here's the thing--we've skipped forward 38 years, from 1929's OUR MODERN MAIDENS all the way to 1967's BERSERK!(From her second major starring role, to her second-to-last appearance--how's that for symmetry?)Joan Crawford was a glamor queen, the sexy young star of a film made at the dawn of the talkie era.And glamor queens are supposed to have a short shelf life.One day they're the toast of Hollywood, and then they get replaced by the next model.By the usual rules of Hollywood, Crawford had no business starring in a movie 38 years later--certainly not to be doing so still as a sex object.But as we noted, Crawford didn't play by Hollywood rules--she kept her career going by sheer force of will.And that in turn would be reflected in her characters

I'm stuck here at Howdygram headquarters with Joan Crawford movies and canned tamales.

IN THIS POST: Sam, canned tamales, Joan Crawford Month, Dead Famous People.



It's 3:45 Saturday afternoon and Sam is on his way to the office for a 12-hour shift. He was Mister Frownyface when he left here a few minutes ago, clearly irritated that his weekend is shot to hell when you consider the 20-hour marathon he just worked on New Year's Day. Yes, tomorrow will be shot to hell, too. And I'm stuck here at Howdygram headquarters with Joan Crawford movies and canned tamales.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Sand still sifts through...

Plenty has happened the last few days that I feel like spilling my brains about. This week has been a massive undertaking of working on paintings. I meant to get a lot done on Thursday but just couldn't gain traction. Wait, let's go back a couple more days. Monday I spent working on some sort of schedule for this year with plans sorted amongst the months. (I spent time with my parents without my phone this Friday night and actually told them my goals for this year. Now it doesn't seem like I'm just locking myself in my room and sleeping all day. Glad they know my big goals for this year and I also think they love knowing I'm pursuing my paintings even more!) Tuesday I spent a good amount of time on getting 'Frankie' fixed up and sorted. Few subtle choices and changes and he finally got his Ice cream put in his hand which was the biggest thing. I just have a few subtle changes left and hoping to go big for the background but it just isn't hitting me so I'm setting it to the side right now. While I was putting a few hours in it, I was able to get a good couple hours into the second Game of Thrones book! Can't wait for April. I don't want to get through the third book yet so takin my time getting through the second. Then I'm gonna burn through 4 and 5 before the season next year.



I was talking to my brother and realized we follow the same shop and I mainly love their drawings they do. I'm jealous of Josh because he used to do drawings of cars growing up and I know he could still do badass ones of them. He should get a sketchbook and do that (nudge, nudge). So Tuesday night was a big one because I was worn down from putting so much into Frankie again, but got to watch Biggest Loser with my mom and it was ending...a fucking bat was spotted and made its way into a room that we trapped it. I prepared for battle and went after it...for nothing. I couldn't find it and I gave up after 20 mins thinking it went downstairs somehow...it had made its presence known again to my mom when she went to sleep...so I gave it another go in the morning and nothing. I was determined to get it at noon though. Banged on the walls and everything else and nothing. My mom found it and it looked like it had died. After a little messing around we found out it was very much alive. I caught it by its wing and wouldn't let it go. The fucking screech is horrific! So it screeched the whole way outside and I left it for the cats. At this point my adrenaline was through the fucking roof!! That damn screech...it was made better with rice later that night :) mother fucking rice time!! I also think it is time for everyone to stop having kids so we can say 'fuck it' and drill this country into the fucking ground!!

How I Became a Min-Maxing, Number Crunching Point Whore

There comes a time in every gamer's career where he or she has an "ah ha" moment regarding the rules. What was once a collection of rough guidelines that were a little blurry around the edges finally snaps into clear focus, and you realize exactly what they are; building blocks. Once that realization is made, and you as a player realize how to fit them together in order to achieve the results you want, there's no unseeing it.



This is a story about my first time experiencing that.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

The Top Tenth of the Month: Street Fighting Man

TOP 10 CONTENDERS IN A (MOSTLY) HUMAN BAR BRAWL

THE CONCEPT: When you get a bunch of tough guys together and then fill said tough guys with booze something bad is bound to happen. But these aren't the super powered toughs they're just the regular Joes looking to blow off some steam and have a cold one. No one's packing weapons or gimmicks it's just a down and dirty brawl with the weapons at hand: bottles, bar stools, table legs and pool cues.


Grand Theft Auto V

* Number of Players: 1



Los Santos: a sprawling sun-soaked metropolis full of self-help gurus, starlets and fading celebrities, once the envy of the Western world, now struggling to stay afloat in an era of economic uncertainty and cheap reality TV. Amidst the turmoil, three very different criminals plot their own chances of survival and success: Franklin, a former street gangster, now looking for real opportunities and serious money; Michael, a professional ex-con whose retirement is a lot less rosy than he hoped it would be; and Trevor, a violent maniac driven by the chance of a cheap high and the next big score. Running out of options, the crew risks everything in a series of daring and dangerous heists that could set them up for life.

In One Week In Two Weeks

Next week sees the release of Elfquest: Final Quest, Deadly Class, All-New Invaders,and Empire Of The Dead, the new My Little Pony: Friends Forever (by ALEX DECAMPI and CARLA SPEED MCNEIL), Jack Hammer and Bad Ass.



While the week after brings us Furious, more Miracleman and Warheads

War on Planet Psychon

WAR ON PLANET PSYCHON

After working on my citadel tables the idea of what a war on Psychon might be like. Mostly as the background for adventures and for added scenery rather than to design a war mini game.So many remnants of ancient war remain laying around and citadels and bunkers are in part made to withstand war so I though it needs addressing.


d100 Doomed Immortals

Immortals are cursed or a curse on the world. If they come into your life trouble follows. While some immortals are just long lived these are doomed to live by gods. Some are reborn again to a new womb human or otherwise, some simply awake somewhere else if disintegrated. Many can be imprisoned or buried alive and await release to return to their quests. Some are of any gender you need.



D100 Doomed Immortals

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Tape surfaces of Sandy Hook shooter's call to radio show

Newtown, Connecticut school shooting gunman Adam Lanza



A year before the Sandy Hook school massacre, Adam Lanza, the shooter, apparently called into an Oregon college radio station to talk about a chimpanzee that had gone on a rampage in Connecticut, comparing the animal to 'a teenage mall shooter.'

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Winter 2014 Anime Season Overview Week 2

(Shows Covered - Nobunagun, Buddy Complex, D-Frag, Ch nibyDemo Koi ga Shitai! Ren (2nd season), Noragami, Pupipo!, The Pilot's Love Song,Tokyo Ravens and Tonari no Seki-kun)



These are the shows I've watched this past week and how I order them. Each link leads to my episodic write-up of the relevant show. Now, I have too many shows, so I'm going to be dropping shows each and every week until I'm fine with the amount of shows I have left, so keep reading for summaries of new shows, how the shows stack up against one another, Saturday will have the other half of the week's crop, and which shows are being dropped this week (2-3 shows, most likely)

The Aftermath of TI3: Analyzing the Meta

With the third international behind us and Alliance taking their place at the top of the podium, now seems like a good time to look back at what we have learned from the tournament and what it means for the Dota 2 metagame.



As the teams descended upon Seattle and the group stages got underway it was clear from the opening day that the players had their favourite Heroes - such as Visage and Weaver. These heroes had strong showings early in the competition with over 50 games each in the group stages alone. This isn't surprising, as both heroes were gaining momentum prior to the event. Weavers early game aggression and unmatched survivability due to Time Lapse made him the perfect pick for early pressure; with teams such as Na'vi and Fnatic taking full advantage of this in the first few days. Weavers dominance was only overshadowed by the dark wings of Visage who despite being banned 62 times was only overlooked 11 times throughout the tournament's 158 games. Visage's ability to deal insane amounts of damage during early game engagements with Soul Assumption made him a prime candidate for aggressive tri-lanes allowing teams to quickly assert their dominance, even before he gains his menacing Familiars at level 6.

Space Shot (Playstation)

Horizontal

Checkpoints OFF

1 Difficulty level

Gungrave [Animated Series]

This is a series I need to find time to rewatch as it has a constant dark presence over your typical quiet hero protagonist. It is similar to Berserk as far as personality and the theme it aims for. From the creators of Trigun I can see their style in some of the concept design. A worthwhile series that stands well on its own separate from Trigun.



Brandon Heat and his friend Harry are orphans on the streets surviving by thieving and other means. They soon gain the attention of high rise gangsters and gradually move up the chain of command. Throughout the series we see their friendship tested and evolve to become something neither of them truly saw coming. Betrayal is the main theme, but the series also includes survival through gaining power and the question of how long before it finally corrupts.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Rewind: Berserk

I've debated featuring Berserk for several weeks now. Each time, I backed down before I could even type the title. Why? If I'm completely honest with myself, I realize it's shame. I watched something I shouldn't have.



Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I shouldn't have watched Berserk just because I'm a Christian. Yes, it's explicit, but sometimes, truths can be shown better in something rated TV-MA than TV-G. Nor am I passing any other sort of judgement on Berserk, good or bad... partially because it's been too long since I watched it. I'm just relating my experience, take it or leave it.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.

WWE Main Event (1/9): Kaitlyn's Final WWE Match

WWE MAIN EVENT: 1/9/14



R-Truth, Xavier Woods, and The Funkadactyls make their way to the ring dancing and Truth singing.

Nyotai-ka Manga Review

NYOTAI-KA IS A COMEDY ECCHI MANGA ABOUT A GUY

NAMED MAKOTO WHO DECIDED IT WOULD BE AMUSING TO

TROLL AN ONLINE DATING SITE AS A G.I.R.L. . THIS WINDS UP

Best Anime Series (Contains Spoilers)

* BERSERK (9.5/10)



Our hero, Guts, is unsure of his purpose, until he meets the charismatic Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries and whose grandiose plans include conquering the world. He also encounters Casca, Griffith's loyal, female subordinate. After joining Griffith's group, Guts believes he's found a true friend in Griffith. But Griffith seems to have a different perspective on friendship. Feeling unappreciated, Guts leaves Griffith and the group to seek out his destiny. What follows is a poignant tale of loss and betrayal. While watching the relationship between Guts, Griffith and Casca unfold, my emotions ran the gamut. In the end, I was left speechless. Berserk starts off choppy, and the ending is unfinished. However, its profound impact destroys any negatives.