Month: March 2008

Amish Otaku, Comics, Marvel

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born

This comic born of some of the best talent at Marvel and the dark mythos of Stephen King’s Dark Tower is one of the most visually stunning series I’ve seen in a while. It’s obvious a lot of work goes into the art and the story is lifted directly from King’s novels, so we’re given an impressive and expansive world to explore.

King works as creative director on the series with help from his long-time research assistant Robin Furth, so it has been held to a higher standard than some of the more notorious movie adaptations of his works (think Langoliers or Cujo). The script was adapted by Peter David, who has been writing for print, television and comics for years now, including work on Incredible Hulk and Babylon 5.

Considering David has worked extensively on expanding the ideas of others, it’s no surprise that he captures perfectly the dark tone and oppressive mood of King’s Midworld – the primary setting for The Dark Tower. Continue reading “Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born”

Daniel Allen
Amish Otaku, Nintendo, Video Games, Wii

Super Smash Bros. Brawl: The Wait is Over!

After nearly two years of waiting, the most anticipated Wii title to date has finally hit store shelves across America. Now that almost two weeks have gone by since it launched, everyone who wants to be playing it is.

For some people (myself included) the chance to play Super Smash Bros: Brawl came a little over a week after its initial release due to what Nintendo claims is a dirty lens. However, their top-notch repair team had my Wii back in my hands exactly seven days after it left and everything is running smoothly.

The first thing to mention about the newest member of the Super Smash Bros. franchise is that nothing of the general game mechanic has changed from Melee. In fact, the mechanics are so similar that you can play the game using your standard Game Cube controller with the same button set as the previous game. Continue reading “Super Smash Bros. Brawl: The Wait is Over!”

admin
Amish Otaku, PSP, Video Games

Patapon: March to the Rhythm of War

If Patapon had to be pigeon-holed into a genre, I suppose it would be considered a rhythm-based near-time-strategy seasoned liberally with devices from role-playing games such as customization, creation and item collection.

You play the leader of the Patapons, essentially black and white eyes organized into a tribal structure. As their leader, it’s up to you to guide the Patapons out of their exile and into “Earthend.” Who exiled the Patapons? The Zigatons, of course. And what exactly is at Earthend? “IT,” of course. The Patapons live in a very simple world. Continue reading “Patapon: March to the Rhythm of War”

admin
Amish Otaku, Manga

Pumpkin Scissors: They March Among the Midnight Glow

Ryotaro Iwanaga’s Pumpkin Scissors takes place in a war-torn and crippled world, in the wake of a cease-fire with little food, infrastructore or hope for a better future. Now that the long war with the Republic of Frost has ended, the Royal Empire has set up a special army unit dedicated solely to war relief and reconstruction – Imperial Army Section III: Pumpkin Scissors.

The unit is little more than an agent of propaganda run by a nobleman’s daughter, 2nd Lieutenant Alice L. Malvin, until she stumbles upon Corporal Randel Oland. Oland was once part of a group of secret military units called “The Invisible Nine.” His specific unit was the 901-ATT Anti Tank Trooper, the Gespenster Jägers – or Death March Troopers. He’s seen more combat than the whole of Section III combined. Continue reading “Pumpkin Scissors: They March Among the Midnight Glow”

admin
Amish Otaku, Anime

Ghost Hound

Production IG’s currently running anime, Ghost Hound, may start out slow but it more than makes up for this in its well-timed plot and cerebral story line. Interestingly, this story takes place in the present, more precisely the date in the episodes are congruent to the date they are currently being aired on Japanese television station Wowow.

The idea for this story came from Shirow Masamune, of Ghost in the Shell fame, over 20 years ago. Production IG announced the show to the public only last year, and it went to air this past October. You won’t find any cyberpunk in this story, although it’s still going to throw some science at you in the form of psychology and psychological terms, as well as a dose of Japanese folklore.

The story centers around three teenage boys – Taro, Makoto and Masayuki – with troubled pasts that allow them to leave their bodies and travel the Unseen World, and a girl – Miyako – who can see the creatures that reside in the Unseen World. Continue reading “Ghost Hound”

Daniel Allen
Amish Otaku, Manga

Hellsing Vol. 1

I first came across Hellsing at a game convention displayed next to uncountable other mangas outside the game room. I knew what type of stuff I liked – Crying Freeman, Sanctuary, Blade of the Immortal – and I wanted a new series to sink my teeth into (heh). This is what was handed to me.

The story revolves around the shadowy organization known as Hellsing. Their primary mission is to protect the Protestants of the United Kingdom from the armies of the underworld. Their primary weapon is an ancient and powerful vampire named Alucard who now fights for the Anglican Church. Continue reading “Hellsing Vol. 1”

Daniel Allen
Amish Otaku, Comics

World’s Finest: Superman and Batman WB Stores Exclusives

By Ahmad Chaudhary

For a little background information on why these DC top dogs are referred to as World’s Finest, they were the stars of the DC Comics series of the same name that ran from 1941 to 1986.

Nonetheless, these were not packaged together – or packaged at all, for that matter. All they had was a cardboard tag with a plastic tie around one of the appendages. Shortly before the global demise of the Warner Bros. Studio stores’ chain, I picked these up at the King of Prussia Mall back in 2001. They also had a Barbara Gordon Batgirl, a Robin and the Joker, all of which I was an idiot for not picking up, especially at only $9.99 each.

Of course at the time I wasn’t aware of any events that would cause the chain to implode almost overnight, those events being the merger of media titans Timer Warner (which owns Warner Bros, DC Comics and related properties) and Turner Broadcasting. Continue reading “World’s Finest: Superman and Batman WB Stores Exclusives”

admin2 Comments
Amish Otaku, Features

Yakuza: more than “Gungrave” and “GTO”

What do you think of when you hear the word Yakuza? Many people on this side of the Pacific kind of get a blank look – the concept goes right over their heads until you say, “You know, the Japanese Mafia…” and then suddenly: recognition! Explaining the Yakuza as the “Japanese Mafia” is also apparently an acceptable way of describing the crime syndicate in the American press; I don’t know why. It could just as easily be argued that the Italian crime syndicate (most commonly associated with the word mafia) is the “Italian Yakuza,” except the Italians “were here [in the USA] first” (or whatever); but, I digress.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Yakuza than GTO, Gungrave, Gokusen, Texhnolyze, and Black Lagoon can give you, or if you’ve played Yakuza and are curious about the tendency toward full-body tattoos, I suggest starting with Wikipedia and working your way up from there. (The Yakuza 3 game trailer is here, by the way.) Continue reading “Yakuza: more than “Gungrave” and “GTO””

V.E.