Sorry for the delay in updates. I am looking for a new place to stay. The current one I’m living in is so far from my work that my brain goes dry by the time I get home. (Only have time to sleep before I wake up at 4AM actually. I manage to squeeze in the anime and video games during my short breaks.) In any case, I am supposed to be working on the following titles:

• Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (game in progress)
  Notes: So many things to explore that there are times when I just get tired. The sub quests are killing me. Also, I’ve always hated those flying Medusa heads, since the very first Castlevania back in the Family Computer (NES) days.
• Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (game in progress)
  Notes: Wonky dual screen usage. I hate the controls. It’s like the makers couldn’t decide whether to create a tactics game or an RPG. I know there have been games like these…but they have been presented on a BIGGER screen and navigation isn’t such a bitch. If you’re not careful with this one, the battle ground might turn into one big confusing mess.
• Death Note (done watching, review in progress)
  Notes: Plot holes galore! But it’s so addictive, that I couldn’t stop plopping DVDs into my player until I was done with the series.
• Hana Kimi Manga (done reading)
  Notes: Butterflies in my stomach. ‘Nuff said.
• Crying Freeman Manga (still reading)
  Notes: My gawd, this story can get hilarious sometimes. I can see now that the anime was very loyal to the manga…even the parts that have gotten waaay too ridiculous.

I’ll start writing again once I’m settled in. I’m still out hunting apartments during free days. I hope I find it before I also start taking my entrance exams for my Ph.D. Wish me luck!

I could not remember a recent time that I had enjoyed a game this much. I thought I had become too old for video games, but as it turns out, I just love old school games more than the soul-less ones available in the market today. Front Mission for the Nintendo DS, alternatively titled Front Mission: The First, is actually a port from the PSX game, which also happens to be a remake of the very first Front Mission released for the SNES. It wasn’t as if the game was remade from scratch. Square, at that time, took a decade-old game, revived, repackaged and added a whole new wing to it. While Front Mission retained most of its original gameplay, artwork and animation, it offered a different side to the original story.

The very first release solely consisted of Royd’s campaign. Royd is a mercenary working to expand the O.C.U. territory. Kevin’s campaign, which focuses on the U.C.S.’s viewpoint, is an add-on. As of this writing, I had already finished Royd’s path and I am halfway through Kevin’s.

Now that I have explained its origins, I suppose I have already painted an opening towards expectations. FM1, looks-wise, is no way near the sophistication of later installations. This is a twelve-year-old game we’re talking about, so you’d see slow animations, isometric 3D, and highly simplistic terrains. The cover artwork is vintage Yoshitaka Amano but the insides are as regular as 2D avatars can get.

And yet I’ve become addicted.

While the plot tends to get absurd sometimes (I ended up laughing about what happened to the Royd’s girlfriend instead of sympathizing), one can’t really say that it lacks originality. The characters are relatable, even if the two protagonists are total sweethearts. They’re tough fighters, but they’re made of absolute mush. There’s not much characterization to delve into, but that’s typical of an early 90s video game. You’ll actually see a huge difference when you play Kevin’s storyline, though. His team mates are much more…talkative. And supportive. This is because there are additional options to your menu when you play Kevin. Instead of just hanging out at bars, like in Royd’s path, you also get to hang out with your team in the barracks. I was also surprised to see 3DCG FMVs in Kevin’s story. You don’t see that in Royd’s. Probably because Kevin’s didn’t come out until the 2003 remake and newer technology had been used.

The gameplay may not be as complex as Front Mission 3’s, since this is older, but it was riveting. I could not put it down. Despite my qualms about rifles being wrongly categorized as short-ranged weapons, I didn’t really care. Shotguns were my favorite in FM3 but rifles and machine guns in FM1 rock! To give you an idea as to how simple Front Mission battle system goes, I’d like to ask: Have you ever played Final Fantasy Tactics? Well, it’s nearly the same thing, except this one’s sci-fi and that one’s fantasy. There are no linking systems ala Front Mission 4. This is a simple turn-based tactics game where you gang up on your enemies till they all blow up. Your strategies would, however, depend on how well you customize your wanzers, how you balance your team, and how well your individual pilots specialize in much needed skills.

The difficulty settings between the two campaigns are as stark as night and day. Royd’s is manageable enough, with equal parts easy, equal parts normal, and equal parts difficult. Kevin’s, on the other hand, is really for more veteran players. I was already on the 9th mission when I realized that my Christmas/New Year vacation will be over soon and that I won’t be able to see the end of Kevin’s journey if I didn’t restart on Easy Mode (0.5x). That 9th mission was taking too long to accomplish as the enemy wanzers were twice as strong, twice as buff, outnumbered my team, and can shoot my limbs off in one round. If I were to go on a slowly-but-surely pace, my break would be up before I knew it. Switching to Easy Mode cut my time in half. My only complaint is that it’s so ridiculously easy, I could cry. (I wanted “Easy”, not “God” mode!) Nevertheless, I find this to be a very minor problem, since I had officially finished the game anyway and just wanted to see what the other side had to say.

Another minor complaint is the New Game+. It takes you back to the campaign you originally chose, without asking you if you want to try the other one. It would’ve been nicer to have some of the newer wanzer parts on Kevin’s game instead of having to select 0.5x Mode. New Game+ on Royd, even using the hardest difficulty level, is just plain cheesy.

Would I recommend it? If you’re Asian, I’d give you a resounding YES. I noticed that Front Mission titles don’t appeal to people outside of Japan or of Asia. Americans and Europeans are more into Advanced Wars. I’d say that I don’t want to compare. I love Front Mission. ‘Nuff said.

PLAYER STATUS:
DIFFICULTY: Extremely Easy - Extremely Difficult
COMPLETION TIME: 34:59 hours (Royd Campaign) 10:05 (Kevin Campaign)
HIGHEST LEVEL ACHIEVED: 34 Royd Campaign, 24 Kevin Campaign
RATINGS: Gameplay 9; Battle 9; Story 8; Visuals 8; Characters 9; Sounds 7; Replay Value 10

Genre: Role Playing Game / Tactics
Platform: Nintendo DS, Playstation
Credits: 2003 Square Enix Co. Ltd. Screenshots and images courtesy of Amazon.Com and Squaresoft

Cover Description:
Front Mission focuses on the conflict over Huffman Island, located in the neutral zone between two superpowers known as the Oceania Cooperative Union (O.C.U.) and the Unified Continental States (U.C.S.). Tensions between the O.C.U. and the U.C.S. spark the First Huffman Conflict in 2070, a two-year war ending with a ceasefire agreement that divides the island into two territories. After many years of relative peace, the sudden destruction of a U.C.S. military factory triggers the Second Huffman Conflict in 2090. Experience the war from the perspective of Royd Clive, the leader of the O.C.U. mercenary outfit “Canyon Crows”, or Kevin Greenfield, the commanding officer of the U.C.S. Special Forces squad “Black Hounds.” Battle through missions against wanzers, tanks, attack helicopters, and giant mobile weapon platforms, and unravel the true motives behind the war over Huffman Island.

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So sorry I wasn’t able to update for this week. Was supposed to write manga reviews for Crying Freeman (this is much more graphic than its anime rendition) and Hana Kimi.

Y’see, I had been working on reviving the fanfiction archive, which has always been one of my favorite sections of this site… well, actually, it used to be part of Hentai Neko and only featured mature fics. This time around, I’ve installed security measures for those who are underage. I’ve also included new kid-friendly categories.

Just to list the new features available:

• New layout (in accordance with the Otaku Fridge’s theme for 2007)
• New categories
• Anti-bot filters
• Ability to challenge another fic author with your own fic
• Collaborations
• More editing powers for authors (you can delete undesirable reviews)
• And so much more…I get confused with the features already

Some of the sections are still being debugged (like new author registrations can’t be processed yet and the index page is rather skewed) so please bear with me.

Anyhoo, I lead you to the new fanfiction archive:
http://fiction.otakufridge.com

I first saw Witchblade on an online banner advertisement that boasted of an American TV series based on a comic book. I never did get to read the comic book, nor did I get the chance to actually see the TV series. It was a shame because I’m fond of supernatural action flicks. Somebody told me that the TV series sucked, though.

I was quite surprised to find that Gonzo picked it up for animation. I had misgivings at first, thinking that this would be yet another angst-ridden teen vehicle and I’ve long since outgrown that phase. I am from an older generation of anime fans that often wonder when animators will realize that there’s a more mature demographic (READ: the ones with actual money to spend for this hobby) out there. I was not disappointed.

As can be expected of Gonzo, the production values are top notch. One look at the DVD covers is enough to make you gasp in awe. The artwork is nothing short of exquisite and the animation is flawless. A lot can be said of great choreography and fight scenes, too. Witchblade will never let you down when it comes to that aspect.

The true power of this anime, however, is in its character development. Sure, the plot is quite predictable. I had been guessing every step of the way and my guesses have always been correct. (Of course, that can be attributed to the fact that I’ve seen over a thousand animated titles and nothing these days can be considered original.) Nevertheless, Witchblade has brought me to many various kinds of highs and lows. The mother-daughter tandem of Amaha and Rihoko draw people (and monster machines) from different walks of life. On one hand, they have outrageously merry neighbors that border on eccentric. Watch out for the customary Gonzo swimsuit episode as this is where most of the fun is. On the other hand, they’re surrounded by political intrigues and power struggles by vainglorious organizations that wish to seize the infamous Witchblade for their own selfish purposes. Whatever angle the camera is aiming at, whichever company or division you’re rooting for, you’re bound to find a character that inspires you. You just might find yourself laughing uproariously in one moment, then stifling an anguished sob the next. I, for one, shed buckets of tears over one character, Reina, whose screenshot I wasn’t able to take.

The ending is elegantly bittersweet. I don’t quite know if it’s positive or negative. I’m feeling kind of sad that I’ve finished the series, the same kind of sadness I’ve felt over Berserk’s conclusion. It does, however, leave a lot of material for fan fiction writers to tinker with.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 9; Story 9; Characters 10; Sounds 8

Genre: Action / Supernatural
Parental Guidance Recommended
Credits: Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner, Yoshimitsu Ohashi, Top Cow Productions Inc., Gonzo, SKY Perfect Well Think Co., Ltd.

Amazon.Com Product Description:
To Kill, To Live, To Love, To Die…

The destiny of the Witchblade continues…

Based on the popular comic book by Top Cow Productions.

Masane Amaha is a woman on the fringe of society, but her strange destiny was written ages past. She has been chosen from the anonymous depths of history, a fresh host for the coveted artifact known as the Witchblade.

The raw power of conquering armies courses through her veins, the taste of death sweet on her lips. Naked aggression with brutal birth in the fires of eternal lust for battle.

Struggling to build a life her daughter, with no memory of the past and no clue as to her future, Masane Amaha will be forever scarred by her salvation…

And many will step forward to see it.

(24 episodes)

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Since I’m still in the middle of finishing a series, it would be quite difficult for me to come up with a fresh review this week. But I noticed that my other site contains other Japanese products ranging from snacks to cosmetics to J-Pop music. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to review my favorites like Pocari Sweat (super life saver, if you ask me!), Shu Uemura (which I already reviewed at Coolay), green tea bars (yum!), and artists like Hiraku Utada and Ayumi Hamasaki (both also covered space at Coolay).

Anyway, if it pushes through, I’d like to start with Pocari Sweat, of course. But only if you guys want to see that in here and are too lazy to visit another site for it. I am so in love with that drink, I can’t help but sing it praises.

Since I just rented this title, I had no idea what The Cat Returns had in store for me…other than that it’s another Studio Ghibli production. So it came as a surprise when I found out that this is actually related to Whisper of the Heart. No wonder Muta and Baron looked awfully familiar!

The Cat Returns, however, had a very different feel from all the previous Miyazaki or Ghibli productions that I’ve seen, which was why I forgave myself for not seeing the connection between this and Whisper of the Heart. The artwork isn’t as bright and shiny as Howl’s Moving Castle or Spirited Away and the not-so-cute-but-cute-in-a-way heroine is nowhere to be seen. How shall I put it? The colors are lighter, more subdued, and Haru, our protagonist, has a sharper, goofier edge to her. Plus, I’ve never seen a Ghibli male character — with the possible exception of Howl — look as beautiful as Haru’s crush.

Now the story’s pacing is another thing altogether. Things are fast and slow at the same time. What I mean by this is that, I’ve been so used to so many events happening in every Ghibli title that you feel like you’ve really been whisked away. The Cat Returns didn’t have the same action-packed turn of events that its predecessors did, but I feel like it all happened so abruptly. You hop from one world to the next, totaling three different worlds, in a snap. In other words: it felt short.

This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy this movie. On the contrary, I find it completely fun and entertaining. English dubbing is pretty good. Kudos to the Disney team for making it so. More than that, the characters are a hoot. Haru is a klutz and is always confused. Her mother is playful enough to tease her in the mornings, when Haru wakes up too late to savor breakfast. I remember laughing uproariously as Muta gets into scrapes because of his uncontrollable love for food. His light banter with the crow Toto can be hilarious as well, as these two can utter the most quotable of quotes. The Cat King, on the other hand, is so whacked one would think that he dove into a vat of ionized water. So is that assistant of his, who just handles everything with a permanent smile plastered on his chubby face, disasters notwithstanding.

Ah, but who can forget the Baron von Gikkingen? Is it possible to develop a huge infatuation for a statue that turned into a real, talking cat? Halfway through the anime, I was already crushing on him. He masters the art of coolness. Completely unruffled in the face of danger, he generally makes things look easy. What female heart would not skip a beat? I’m pretty sure some other girls would feel the same way once they see him in action.

Truth be told, though, what got me engrossed is the fact that there are lots of cats here. I love cats, in all shapes and sizes. That the mangaka was able to draw out their many quirks, in many forms, impressed me. Even with a low score of 8 — since I usually give Ghibli productions 9s or 10s — I would definitely recommend The Cat Returns. It’s just the right amount of absurdity and silliness. We definitely need these once in a while. I only wish the adventure could have gone on a little bit longer.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 8; Story 8; Characters 10; Sounds 7

Genre: Fantasy
All Ages
2002 Hiroyuki Morita (director), Aoi Hiiragi (manga author), Studio Ghibli
Executive Producers: Hayao Miyazaki, Hideyuki Takai, Hironori Aihara, Koji Hoshino, Seiichiro Ujiie, Takeyoshi Matsushita, Toshio Miyagawa
Producer: Toshio Suzuki

Amazon.Com Product Description
From the creators of the Academy Award(R) winning SPIRITED AWAY (Best Animated Feature Film, 2002) comes the visually stunning THE CAT RETURNS, a spectacular animated journey to a world of magic and adventure. Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat, and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she ever imagined. The Cat King rewards her good deed with a flurry of presents, including a very shocking proposal of marriage to his son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world and her destiny is uncertain. To change her fate, she’ll need to learn to believe in herself and appreciate her everyday life. Featuring the sensational voice talents of Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Tim Curry, and Elliot Gould, THE CAT RETURNS is a magical animated adventure that will delight and inspire everyone.

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WARNING: This is the first hentai title that I’ve seen in over a year. And because I now belong to the Academe, mustering any sense of objectivity will be difficult. What I’m about to say isn’t going to be nice…

I chanted the words, “It’s fiction! It’s fiction!” in my head over and over while I was viewing this. Not just because I’m not into teacher-student relationships, for obvious reasons, but also because you’re forced to kill your brain cells when faced with h-anime such as this.

The first episode was actually promising, I must admit. Despite the fact that the students were cruel and that Keiko was a schemer, I actually thought that the ring leader, Koh, would be transformed by an overwhelming feeling of tenderness for Miyuki. Or something to that effect. His bullying ends in episode 1, but that’s only because episode 2 had a completely different story line. In episode 2, a higher authority takes over the role of master torturer and pimp. More stupid scenarios take place right before the yawning begins. Nothing here is remotely original, they just repackaged it in a more disgusting manner.

(I don’t think I need to elaborate why it’s stupid for a teacher to allow herself to be used like that in the name of “helping the students”. You’ve read enough from my rants against blackmail themes. What baffles me is why Miyuki doesn’t just quit and live in the red light district so that she could earn more. I have never seen her teach in this anime anyway, but I always see something plugged up her ass. She might as well get paid for it. So if I were in Miyuki’s shoes and the ugly Headmaster Sugai threatened to fire me if I didn’t sleep with him, I’d probably just laugh in his face and move to Ginza pronto.)

Forgive me if I prefer to use the word “hentai” and won’t even use the word “erotic” because really…any sense of eroticism flew out the window the moment I saw Professor Miyuki shit her brains out.

Yep, you read right. This is the new generation of hentai, people. Tentacles are now considered outdated, because human excrement is in. Whoever is making up these things seriously needs to get laid. It gets hilarious after this, because one of the later characters actually had his penis injected with silicone to make it lumpy in different areas. It’s not always outlandish, though. There are bouts of normalcy here and there, if you can consider threesomes and bondage normal. All in all, the only good thing I can say about Xtra Credit is that at least they’re a little less detailed when it comes to the fuglier men.

I don’t even know why they attempted to put a story in there about Miyuki’s fiancé and Koh’s reaction about this news. The writers didn’t pull through, anyway. An ending where Miyuki slits her throat or turns into a full-time whore would’ve been a bit more dramatic, given Miyuki’s background.

Sigh. I told you I’d ruin this for you.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 9; Story 4; Characters 4; Sounds 5; Ecchi Level 10