The Martian (2015): Review

THE MARTIAN (2015): REVIEW 

By Ruhudeen Ali

Hello Prisoners! Yes, I haven't posted in over a year. I almost forgot I even had this blog, quite honestly. Sadly, my busy schedule and lifestyle changes have made me forget how fun and therapeutic it is to write. Perhaps I was just waiting for the right occasion; in any case, it feels good to be writing again [enter The Martian.] Rarely do I watch media that elicits strong reactions from me, but after watching this film I had some thoughts and emotions to share.

*SPOILER ALERT* : If you did not watch the film or want anything spoiled for you, please do not read this review. You have been warned.

First off, I want to say that I did, in fact, enjoy this film- despite what may seem to appear. The film was riveting in a magical sense and the wonderment of watching a man survive the impossible was both uplifting/inspirational and at the same time great movie-making. Each obstacle Astronaut Mark Watney encountered was challenging and, by every stretch of the imagination, barely "premise-able" yet it was fun to watch humanity gather in unison, quite nobly, over a one-man rescue mission stranded on a desert planet over 50 - 250 million miles away. This film, in a nutshell, is a great feel-good film that celebrates the best in humanity and optimism, with a sprinkle of humor and adventure.
As a film that is viewed as a piece of fiction and story-telling, it hits all the marks.

However, the problem with this film begins when it purports to be based on realism (vis-a-vis science.) When the film wears the face of NASA and as its premise surmises a man can survive alone on an abandoned planet with dwindling resources for an extended period of time, seemingly immune to harsh terrain, climate, mental and physiological mishaps that occur on planet Earth, for example, are not very plausible. At all. Don't get me wrong, there are mishaps, but they are not insurmountable problems that the luckiest man on Mars (and probably Earth) cannot overcome and figure out thanks to his innate genius and superhuman abilities. If he were wearing a cape or if this were an anime, cartoon or even a puppet show I wouldn't be insulted, but its the fact that the film pitches the notion as semi-plausible that it begins to become an affront to our intelligence and, more importantly, our sensitivities as well.

Matt Damon is the happiest, cockiest stranded Martian I have ever seen. The film rarely allows us to see his vulnerabilities where we want to share our sympathies with him. At one point in the film after his makeshift farm goes to hell I was even saying 'thank you!' to myself that something believable finally happens. If the film had an inkling of realism, the mission would have ended in the first five minutes (oh wait, it did) but then it reignited into a fantasy of scientific masturbation and the underlying belief that we can conquer all - no humility nor acceptance of forces beyond our control. Scene after scene, whether on Mars or on Earth, the odds are always in Mark's favor. As much as I wanted to cheer him on, I got lost somewhere between all the jokes and heroic music, all the improbable resources, top minds collaborating, and common humanity displayed in the film, that I forgot I was watching the exact opposite of what really would happen if this were to happen to a man left-behind on Mars. And this is where the film crawled under my skin and touched a sensitive nerve.

The real planet Earth is plagued by unfathomable human tragedies on mass-scales that tragically get marginal interest and attention, if any at all. As humanity gathered in Times Square, Trafalgar Square and other human epicenters for the crew's triumphant return in the film, I could not help but think about the poor Syrian child refugees washing up on shores, borders being closed on millions of people with no where to go. Palestinians - among other nations- facing genocide and systematic terrorism; the rivers and oceans of blood that have been spilled over stupid wars, politics, ignorance, racism, human-trafficking, and every other ill of human society - the real issues worth addressing and people worth rescuing deserve SO MUCH MORE attention and ironically are so much more tangible and solvable than anything shown in this fictitious film. The fact that everybody came together in this film despite impossible odds to save this man, as if he were a savior of humanity, really upset me as to the actual reality of humanity. The film, shows humanity at its absolute best, but when we walk away from the screen we are reminded again of the harsh reality of life and the tragic true nature of humanity. Perhaps ironically, the film makes us (the viewer) the Martian when it comes to the solvable yet ignored problems of Earthlings. Because either I see Martians in real life ignoring Earthlings in the news or Earthlings turning their back on Martians in the media. In either case, I don't see any attempts to save the real and much more deserving Mark Watneys of this world let alone in another world. The only logical conclusion is that humanity is split between the privileged and the under-privileged and these two are alien to each other. In reality, the Mark Watneys of this world- much closer to home- still die and will continue to while nobody cares, and that's the hard truth.

Presentation/Story: 7/10
Characters: 4/10
Setting: 9/10
Music: 5/10
Value: 2/10
Quirks: 9/10 (+1)


THE GOOD: A story we can all "believe-in" to make ourselves feel better. Good story-telling.
THE BAD: Insults our intelligence and sense of realism.
THE UGLY: Awakens a sadness about the other missions Earthlings ignore that are much more pressing than saving Matt Damon...yet again.


Review: 4.7/10

Rurouni Kenshin (2012)

Before reviewing this film I should probably mention that I haven't seen a whole lot of anime-to-live-action film adaptations (well, I'm not sure how many there are out there to begin with...) but having said that, not only was it incredibly refreshing to see Rurouni Kenshin on the big screen but to see it done well! I have to say, it was a big surprise to see an anime converted to a live-action film this well. A big thank you to the producers of this film! That's not to say that there weren't critical points to address, but I'll start first with what I thought they did right. ***NOTE: THIS IS NOT A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW***

As a big fan of RK, I was elated to see Himura Kenshin come to life and I thought Takeru Sato did a near perfect job of rendering Kenshin in the flesh. What I liked about his portrayal was that he was somewhat stoic when reflective over his past as the Battousai but cheerful as the Rurouni when around the rest of the cast. Takeru-san also has that soft effeminate air to him that Kenshin does so he had the look and mannerisms down. He also shows the power and agility of the Battosai very well. I thought the balance was believable. The only scene I had some trouble understanding was the scene in which Kenshin (as the hitokiri battousai) murders Kiyosato (Tomoe's fiancee) and seems to be shivering afterwards. I take it that it wasn't the cold or the wound from the scar, but in the context of the film perhaps this was Kenshin's first assignment (and hence first assassination) and that's what made him feel sick. He could have also had a premonition that some bad omen was about to take place soon. In the OVA [Trust & Betrayal/Tsuiokuhen] he is shown more cold-blooded and unmoved. Anyways, I thought that was a subtle but interesting difference. All-in-all, I thought Kenshin was very well portrayed and I was happy with Takeru-san's rendition.

My next concern was Saito Hajime, who was played by Yosuke Eguchi and I must say, I was happy with his portrayal. It showed his dedication to justice, order, and his pride in the bushido code that is a big part of Saito's character (along with some spunk,) and is faithfully shown demeaning Kenshin's softer approach to defeating his enemies. It's hard to get Saito's look down perfectly but he actually did a very good job (I was happy enough with it to overlook the absence of the spider leg bangs.) The rest of the cast I thought was a very good fit - Kaoru (Emi Takei), Megumi (Yu Aoi) and Yahiko (who had a minor role.) Perhaps the only exception I'd say is the guy who played Sanosuke (Munetaka Aoki) as I thought they could've found someone better, but Sano is a brawler and to that end this guy portrays that aspect of him well. Lastly, I thought Koji Kikkawa's portrayal of Udo Jin-e was great.

As far as the plot goes, I actually thought it was nice how they condensed some sub-plots from the manga/TV series & used character substitutions that made sense in the framework of the film. For example, there was no Hiruma Gohei (fake battousai) but instead Takeda Kanryu was using Udo-Jin-e and the Oniwabanshu as hired bodyguards to protect his drug-ring. Another example was how Saito joins Kenshin in Kanryu's mansion instead of Hannya (because Hannya was Kenshin's opponent earlier on) which leads me to the most interesting amalgamation - the masked character of the Oniwabanshu (who we can presume was Hannya) had the look of Enishi but the fighting style of Aoshi (kodachi.) Hopefully in a future sequel they can bring the real Aoshi and Enishi as separate characters. Overall, the plot made sense and showed the difficulty that the characters of the old world had in adjusting to a new world.

The coolest aspect of the film was that nearly all the fighting scenes had actual swordplay as opposed to special effects, CGI or heavy-use of wires. That was impressive. Not only does it look fantastic, but it looks authentic. It gives you a sense of the true sword skill used by some of these characters. It's hard to pick which fight scene was the best because they were all enjoyable. The musical score was OK, not great but not bad either. There were some scenes where certain tracks were a little off-sounding or some scenes that maybe could have used some music, etc. But overall nothing that takes away from the film. The film's setting was nicely done, I felt like I was taken back to Meiji-era Japan, all the sets and costume designs were spot on.

What I enjoyed most about the film was just to see these loveable characters come to life for the first time in a believable way, in a story that works and was well-acted and well-made. I did not mind what little liberties they took in their efforts because I appreciated the overall effort and dedication to stay true to RK's roots- on that note, I think it did a fantastic job. It also sets up the possibility for a likely sequel(s) which is even more awesome and exciting. I'm really happy to see my favorite fictional hero finally brought to life on-screen in a way that did not disappoint me. I think every RK fan needs to see this film but especially to support its release - buy it and share it (I certainly intend to.) Even to those who are unfamiliar with RK, there is something there to offer as the film has a great deal of action and a fun, coherent story with likeable characters. I was really happy to see positive reviews and great reception and I hope this only lends to more support for future RK works. This is a great time to be an RK fan, that it is. ^_^


Presentation/Story: 8.5/10
Characters: 9.5/10
Setting: 10/10
Music: 6/10
Value: 10/10
Quirks: 2/10 (+8)


THE GOOD: A refreshing & delightful surprise! Great casting, good story, and set-up for future sequels - what more can an RK fan ask for!? Also a lot of fan service in this film. Finally we get to see these guys make it to the big screen! :D :D :D
THE BAD: What happens if they don't make a film based on the Kyoto-arc. (grrr...)
THE UGLY: What happens if they don't make a film based on the Jinchuu-arc. (grrrrrrrrrrrr....)


Review: 8.7/10

Cdrama Review - Three Kingdoms (2010)

WOW....

So I just finished watching this mammoth-size series, a whopping 95-episodes that took me literally one year to finish! And I thought NHK's Shinsengumi! was long (zhe jiushi taa shuo de.) Anyways, no really- wow...where do I even start? Well, the series begins with the period of unrest during the waning days of the Eastern Han dynasty with the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Han Emperor's call to protect the court, local warlords unite to suppress the rebellion and since, by that point, the Han were too weak to enforce their rule this led to a period of unrest between opposing warlords seeking dominion over the land. Ultimately warlords fought and united, merging into three major powers which would come to be known as the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Wu, & Shu. The drama begins (circa 189 A.D) and covers all relevant "history" up to the dismantling of the three kingdoms (circa 251 A.D) and what would become the beginning of the Jin Dynasty. I put "history" in quotations because its not 100% accurate information but a romanticized version based off of the famous historical novel by Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms - and I'm rather glad they did so (afterall we're watching a drama not a documentary!)

For those familiar with the folklore surrounding the three kingdoms era, you know well enough that the story shifts between many battles and historical events but focuses on the characters, or heroes [romanticized] of the prevailing three kingdoms. Therefore, in my review I'll mostly skip over the historical events in favor of the characters and settings. All major leads in this drama were exceptional from an acting standpoint, though I must admit I was at first put off by Liu Bei's [stylized Xuande] actor but then quickly realized (due to my own ignorance of the historical Liu Bei) that he was perfect for the role. I had another gripe with the actor who played Sima Yi [Zhongda] until about the last 10-15 episodes or so, then I realized he was amazing! Plus the actor who played Pang Tong [Shiyuan] was a bit annoying for some reason until his last mission. Standouts for me were the main leads- from the cunning and crafty Cao Cao [Mengde] to the virtuous and beneficent Liu Bei and his majestic and fearless brothers Guan Yu [Yunchang] and Zhang Fei [Yide] to the wise and discerning Sun Quan [Zhongmou], the gallant and pompous Lu Bu [Fengxian] the valiant and courageous Zhao Yun [Zilong], the brilliance and genius of Zhuge Liang [Kongming] juxtaposed to the intelligent and tactiful Zhou Yu [Gongjin], to the diplomatic and kind Lu Su [Zijing], and finally to the ever-patient and shrewd Sima Yi - each one of them was just right for their role and the acting was emotional and spot on. Bravo! Even the supporting cast was great- some of my favorite characters were actually the court ministers and generals who died along the way though most of them were loyal to their lords a few of them were not. My favorite among these were ministers Wang Yun [Zishi] Chen Gong [Gongtai], Lu Su, Xun Yu [Wenruo], Zhuge Jin [Ziyu] and generals Lu Meng [Ziming], and Sima Zhao [Zishang.] To me, this series was all about the characters and they delivered!

You would think that a drama about war for 95, 46-minute episodes would get boring and stale at various points but the producers and directors did an excellent job of pacing and each episode has some side-story that grabs your attention before you realize a major event occurs. This drama has a lot going on, obviously, because the cast of characters is huge there's never a dull moment in this drama. The music is also very good and fitting as well as the setting of the drama. You really begin to feel at some point that you've been immersed in some distant heroic age with all these warriors, heroes, and ministers, emperors and bashful women, the candles and lanterns lit at night, traditional chinese dress and mannerisms, simplicity of life, and horse-riding that goes on in this series (to name a few.) They did a wonderful job in that respect, but I will say that for a 95 episode series there aren't a whole lot of diverse settings, though the range that they have suffices. As a long-time fan of Dynasty Warriors (a series which itself is based off of three kingdoms' lore) I fell in love with this drama and it was actually my first Chinese drama and I was very impressed by the effort and care that went into it. Many of these characters are legends in Chinese folklore and some of them are even worshipped in temples and shrines. That is why I am focusing on mainly the characters in this review and I think the producers had the same idea in mind. In an age of chaos, heroes came from the corners of China to unite and vie for hegemony and rule, and the result is one fine and gripping story over the lives of countless heroes who sacrificed their lives for a greater cause of unity and peace for all.

I would say that if you like or are interested in anything related to the three kingdoms era of Chinese history then this is a must-watch for you! If you are interested in historical, period/war dramas then this is also a highly recommended series for you. The only major drawbacks I can think of is the length (as it took me a year to watch on my free time) but its possible to watch the entire series within a few months if you dedicate your time to it. Other than that, I honestly found this series very enjoyable and I count it among one of my favorite dramas, along with 1 Litre of Tears, and Shinsengumi! Cheers to the makers and thanks to uploaders and fansubbers! I would buy this if I came across it, I enjoyed it that much!


Presentation/Story: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Setting: 8/10
Music: 9/10
Value: 8.5/10
Quirks: 3.5/10 (+6.5)


THE GOOD: Great series! I also learned a lot of Chinese history and a few words in Mandarin like "da do do" (commander) "chu-gong" (my lord), "bi shia" (your majesty) "nu-oh" (yes sir), "way-kher" (why) "pi-fu" (imbecile) "fa-sur" (insolence) etc, etc.
THE BAD: It's too long for most people (zhe jiushi taa shuo de.)
THE UGLY: I would hate to think all those pot-roasted chickens they had on every table for every meal during the entire series went to waste (assuming they were real of course, as y'know, all things Chinese tend to be...ehem.) ...Yea. I think that last remark was "the ugly." [by the way, I was joking, I have nothing against the Chinese nor their products.] ^_^


Review: 8.5/10

Movie Review - Earthlings

Ok so its more of a documentary than it is a movie. It's a film about the gross, inhumane, and unethical treatment of animals within five major sectors of our economy: pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and medical research. The film makes the case that we as humans have become dependent on animals for our livelihood and it implies that we seriously need to re-evaluate our needs and wants; and see ourselves as equal, fellow members of the great race of Earthlings rather than as its masters. It uses the term "speciest" for one who, as would a racist or sexist, put the needs of their own species or group above that of another as well as assigning unequal rights based on group or species membership. Regardless of where you stand in-terms of Animal Rights, this film will SHOCK you, and it is not for the squeamish of heart due to its graphic nature.

Personally, I wasn't very big on Animal Rights prior to watching this. I didn't think twice about animal products nor did I give much thought to the sacrifices these animals make for us on so many levels. After watching this documentary, I have a new found respect for animals that I think is very much the driving point of the film. Seeking to make us connect ourselves with fellow Earthlings, and simulataneously realizing our own responsibility in the ecosystem, Earthlings presents the true side of man's beast within, and just how patient our fellow Earthlings have been with our species, despite our absolute reign of terror and monstrosity. It is meant to give us a wake up call and a choice. And whether or not you change yourself based on what you have seen, you will at least gain a new found respect for all life on Earth. Basically this is a must see for every single Earthling!

The Top 10 Greatest Video Games of All-Time

Ok so I was a bit nostalgic today (as I often tend to be) and for those of you who know me, know that I was born and bred on video games; always a favorite past-time of mine. So as I was going through my memory of all the games that I've played throughout my life - from the earliest days of Atari and Sega Master System to the current next-gen systems of Playstation 3 and XBox360 - I've finally compiled a list of my very own Top 10.

These Top 10 games have always been very close to me; in essence, these games defined my childhood and adolescence. Not only are they sheer entertainment on a scale never before seen (for their time,) but they also earned the spot of being timeless classics. Though there are easily hundreds of competitors for the Top 10 spots, these games were chosen not only for their amazing achievements and critical reception, but also for their genre-defining, convention-shaping, and of course, their sentimental value. What makes these games so special is that I can easily list many many other games that had almost the same lasting effect as these Top 10, but what makes these different from the rest is that, in addition to the awesome impact these games made, they also left many memories for a whole generation thirsting for remakes. So for whatever reasons of their own or for the influence they exhibited on the gaming industry at the time, each one of these is a classic only ignorant to those who have never held a controller before. Again, there were many other titles that came to mind for my Top 10 and I had to be cut-throat and take out some of my other favorite titles, but these definitely define the best of the best in every sense.

So without further ado, here are my Top 10 most treasured video games:

#10: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game



Well to be honest, it probably wasn't the greatest game of its era but it was up there with its production and presentation. But the main reason it made my list is because it was THE video game that got me into video games!! So for that alone it deserves a spot somewhere in the Top 10 out of respect. However, that's not to say this game isn't a good enough contender as a stand-alone. For its time, it was the best side-scrolling beat'em up in the arcades. In fact, it was probably the first of its kind to offer simultaneous four-player multi-playing. I remember the thrill of going to the arcade with my parents and my sister and brother just to play this game. Though my sister wasn't so into the arcades, my brother and I would race to get our hands on this one - and being that it was a childhood favorite of any creature under the age of 13 at the time - there was barely an opportunity to get in a coin or two. Looking back at the coin-up version, even in 2009 the visuals still manage to impress (or maybe its my childhood bias as this being the greatest game ever made!) Cowabunga dude!


#9: Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium

For those unfamiliar with the Phantasy Star series, it is sufficient to know that many consider it Sega's flagship RPG series (that is, Role-Playing Game.) The original Phantasy Star was released in 1988 here in the United States for the Sega Master System. It cost a whopping $90+ (considering this was back in the 80's that was roughly equivalent to $150+ for a video game today!!) But you know what? It was worth every penny! This game pushed the Master System's processor beyond anything anyone had ever seen at the time (which, granted, wasn't very much) but the sheer length of the game, the different worlds, the elaborate and engaging storyline, the characters, the music, the graphics - EVERYTHING was simply amazing!

Phantasy Star is widely regarded as one of the benchmark role-playing video games, and has been well-received by players since the time of its release and into the present. Electronic Gaming Monthly placed it at number 26 in their article "The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time,"[2] which puts it as the #2 RPG on the list, behind Phantasy Star Online at #21. - Wikipedia

Now we come to the 4th Edition in the series, which, in my opinion (as well as the opinion of millions of others) remains the best in the series. Considering that the PS series made major break-throughs and set many RPG conventions, PSIV outdid all of the achievements of its predecessor(s) and pushed the standard for the series beyond what it could ever retain. Sadly the PS series, although seeing some short-life breathed into it at the start of the decade, and despite its online play, has become a white-dwarf compared to its greatest product in PSIV.


The story revolves around a young hunter Chaz, who by an act of fate, is thrown into a cosmic clash between Light & Dark and the forces of Good vs. Evil. He uses the help of his friends made from across the Algo Solar System to fight this "Profound Darkness" and restores peace once again to the Algo. All-around fun, PSIV had innovative story-telling (using manga-cells to progress the story,) great graphics, excellent soundtrack, fun game-play, lovable characters, atmospheric environments, a great story line, and lasting replay value. That is a winning RPG!

Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium is almost universally praised by critics, whether established fans or newcomers to the series. It maintains an 85% rating on the aggregate site Game Rankings, where it is also the fifth highest ranking game for the Sega Genesis. Despite its few detractors, who mostly cite the considerable decrease in difficulty relative to the other games, it is the predominant favorite amongst fans of the series.[citation needed] It is also considered by series purists to be the definitive end of the series, as future games bearing the Phantasy Star name such as Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe have no direct relationship to the original games. - Wikipedia

#8: Shenmue

No matter what anyone has to say about Shenmue, they always agree on two things: that for its time, it was the most impressive graphical display ever seen. With an environment that was so atmospheric that you literally lost yourself - immersed yourself - in its own world.

Gaming Target, who gave the game a perfect 10/10 score, described Shenmue's visuals as "The greatest in-game graphics that have ever been seen for a console."[5] Even less favorable reviewers included strong praise for the game's visuals. RPG Fan...wrote "Shenmue is truly a benchmark game. The world and its complexity is flawless, easily the most impressive, real, and interactive world I've ever seen."[6] It was also voted number 25 on the GAME Greatest games of all time list in 2008. - Wikipedia

The other thing fans agreed on was the games amazing soundtrack. Personally, when I think of the best soundtracks in video game history there are many close contenders, but Shenmue has to be among the Top 5 best video game soundtracks, with the likes of Chrono Cross, Chrono Trigger, and Symphony of the Night. If Shenmue only had these two qualities alone it would've made for a great game, but as #8 on the chart, it has so much more to offer! Shenmue is a quest about a young man named Ryo Hazuki who sets out in search for the murderer of his father, a man named Lan Di. This quest becomes the premise of the entire game and takes you to places you never imagined you would go. The sheer scale of the world Shenmue had to offer was breath-taking and very engaging. Every day you would wake up in the game and feel like you were Ryo and the clock was ticking as your father's murderers were getting away. It's a crime drama action-adventure, and really the first of its kind. I have never seen such a dramatic game (with the possible exception of Metal Gear Solid perhaps) ever before in my life. This is Shenmue's greatest strength, its riveting storyline and its ability to totally suck you into its world. Despite the fact that many people criticized its lesser functions, this is still a game for the ages and truly deserve its recognition for changing the gaming industry.


#7:Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

In 1998, Symphony of the Night was awarded PlayStation Game of the Year by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[20] It was also ranked 4th place on EGM's 100 greatest games of all time, and the highest PS1 game on the list. It was also named Game of the Year by PSM in its list of the top ten games of 1997. It has made a number of "greatest game" lists, notably GameSpot's "The Greatest Games of All Time" list, being one of the first inductees.[21] It also placed 16th on IGN's "Top 100 Games of All Time"[22] and 18th in Game Informer's "Top 100 Video Games Ever".[23] It was nominated 25th best game of all time by Swedish game magazine Level, praising the game for its soundtrack and was named the best Castlevania game in the whole franchise. - Wikipedia

And even that doesn't sum up the incredible entertainment and fantastic bargain you get from this one little disc. With the arguable exception of Konami's ace-in-the-hole, Metal Gear Solid franchise, Castlevania is the most well-known franchise Konami has to offer. Competing against Capcom's rival side-scroller Megaman (Rockman,) Castlevania has consistently pushed the series and the genre to new lengths and with style I might add! If ever there was a threat to Capcom's hegemony throughout the years, it was due to Konami's Castlevania series. It was only a few years back that Capcom finally gave its own answer in the Devil May Cry series.


With that said, Castlevania SOTN is definitely the best in the series and totally dominates its competition in terms of game-play, style, atmosphere, soundtrack, and lasting value. You play as Alucard (Dracula's half-vampire half-mortal son) in the quest to rid the world of the accursed bloodline and to avenge the death of your mother by the hands of your own father. You travel through a castle that is truly enchanted and build your strengths along the way. Michiru Yamane composed a masterpiece for this game and all the fans can attest to the very poignant title of "Symphony of the Night" - In fact, in every sense of the phrase, the title itself is the best description for the game.

Quite possibly the best 2D action side scroller ever. - GameSpot

#6: Final Fantasy VII



1997 was a bad year for all other games and all other systems except the Sony Playstation simply for the existence of FFVII. The Final Fantasy series is the flagship RPG series that defines the genre itself and is Square-Enix's biggest gun to date. The mammoth franchise stretching what is now into its 13th official sequel (not counting the countless spin-offs over the years since the original) can look towards its 7th installment as the series' landmark mascot. Everything from the cast, to the story, to the world of FFVII - has all become something of its own sub-culture within the video gaming industry, sorta like how Lord of the Ring is with fans of fantasy. Nobuo Uematsu, the series' music composer always tends to outdo himself and his work in FFVII was nothing short of that. He created a very memorable soundtrack to a very memorable game. When people first played this game they were totally blown away by how grand this game was and how much work went into this labor of love. Aside from all its technical achievements, FFVII is an RPG contending with the best in terms of story, presentation, and lasting effect. In fact, it is often cited as one of the best RPGs ever made. So noteworthy is its acclaim that it is the first RPG to ever be made into a full-length film! (among other things)

The game received extremely favorable reviews from critics. GameSpot commented that "never before have technology, playability, and narrative combined as well as in Final Fantasy VII", expressing particular favor toward the game's graphics, audio, and story.[2] IGN's Jay Boor insisted the game's graphics were "light years beyond anything ever seen on the PlayStation", and regarded its battle system as its strongest point.[5] RPGamer praised the game's soundtrack both in variety and sheer volume, stating that "Uematsu has done his work exceptionally well" and "is perhaps at his best here".[66] In January 2005, it was selected by Electronic Gaming Monthly as sixth on their list of "the 10 most important games … that helped redefine the industry since … 1989". Citing its "beautiful cut-scenes and a deep, introspective narrative", they claimed that "Square’s game was … the first RPG to surpass, instead of copy, movie-like storytelling." In late 2007, Dengeki PlayStation named Final Fantasy VII as the "best story", "best RPG", and "best overall game" in their retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation.[67] - Wikipedia

#5: Street Fighter II: The World Warrior

For any kid alive during 1992 who testifies, each recalls the arrival of SFII as a frenzy that swept the nation like nothing they had ever seen before. SFII was the game that ushered-in the Capcom-era and made it the industry giant it is now, and according to sales figures, the original SFII remains Capcom's best selling game of all time. (Wikipedia) It was the first time people had to reserve or pre-order a video game before its official release date, though very common in today's time for big releases, this was something unheard of in those times. SFII was not only an amazing fighting game in every sense of the word, it also was the first fighting game of its genre to change the mechanics of fighting games by making special moves more difficult to execute; forever altering the fighting game genre and its many conventions. Ever since SFII's original release, Capcom has been at the forefront of the fighting game genre with SF as its flagship series. With each successive SF game that was released, Capcom was able to keep the SF-craze alive and continue pushing the genre in new directions which lead countless of other games to try to copy its formula but never quite getting it right. What makes SFII so special despite the many contenders for this spot is the fact that it made Capcom what it is. Without SFII its hard to picture Capcom being the industry juggernaut that it is now, let alone being the reason for the fighting game genre itself to remain on its toes and produce high-caliber competition for the SF series. It sounds like an exaggeration but we can really credit SFII for being the innovative masterpiece it was for its time to inspire hundreds of other fighting games fans of the genre have come to love over the years. We can only wait to see how its true-to-spirit descendant SFIV will be when it is released later this year for the next-gen consoles.

Guinness World Records awarded Street Fighter II three world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. These records are "First Fighting Game to Use Combos", "Most Cloned Fighting Game", and "Biggest-Selling Coin-Operated Fighting Game." The numerous home versions of the Street Fighter II are listed among Capcom's Platinum-class titles (games which have sold more than 1 million units worldwide). As of June 30, 2008, the SNES version of the original Street Fighter II is still the company's best-selling game, having sold more than 6.3 million units, followed by the SNES versions of Street Fighter II Turbo (4.1 million) and Super Street Fighter II (2 million), and the Genesis version of Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition (1.65 million).[1] - Wikipedia

#4: Metal Gear Solid: Tactical Espionage Action



As was implied earlier, if it weren't for Castlevania and Metal Gear Solid, there wouldn't be a Konami. The Metal Gear series is just about as old as Castlevania but the course of development for the series went from being your average 8-bit game on the NES to the multi-million dollar investment that it is today; leaving fans breathless and in awe by the amount of work put in each title. The vision that the series has for itself is truly stunning and in every sense of the word - revolutionary. If ever there was a genius in the gaming industry, it would be Hideo Kojima, putting aside his perfectionist ethic and painstaking attention to detail, Hideo makes some of the best, most clever, thought-provoking, and revolutionary games in the entire video game industry. The gift this man has bestowed on the Metal Gear series is visible from the start, and though each Metal Gear game outdid itself in virtually all categories - including last year's release of MGS4: Guns of the Patriots, which earned Gamespot's coveted score of a perfect 10 - there is something unique to be said about the first Metal Gear Solid.


First of all, it was the game that made all eyes turn towards Konami again, towards Hideo Kojima, and it gave new life to the fictional anti-hero "Solid Snake." MGS was the game that brought Metal Gear back in the minds of the people and even before its release it was already given "best game of the year award 1998!" So you can imagine the impact the finished version had on the whole gaming industry. Thanks to Hideo for creating such a masterpiece of story-telling, espionage, and down-right fun! In fact, it was so good that they had to remake the game for the next-gen consoles because it was that much in demand! And finally thanks to Hideo we will get to see the Metal Gear Solid series entering theaters hopefully later this year in 2009! I really hope MGS4 wasn't the end of this amazing and inspiring series.

Metal Gear Solid is often recognized for popularizing the stealth game genre. The idea of the player being unarmed and having to avoid being seen by enemies rather than fight them has been used in many games since. It is also sometimes acclaimed as being a film as much as a game due to the lengthy cut scenes and complicated storyline.In 2002 IGN's editors ranked it as the best PlayStation game ever. Writer for the site David Smith said that just the demo for the game had "more gameplay [in it] than in most finished titles". They also gave it the "Best Ending" and "Best Villain" awards.[92] In 2005, in placing it 19th on their list of "Top 100 Games", they said that it was "a game that truly felt like a movie", that the fights were "unique and innovative", and that it was "the founder of the stealth genre." Guinness World Records awarded Metal Gear Solid with a record for the "Most Innovative Use of a Video Game Controller" for the boss fight with Psycho Mantis in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008 edition. - Wikipedia

#3: Resident Evil




Resident Evil (or Biohazard) is truly a frightening game. When it was first released in 1996 there was talk of a "new type of game," and my brother had borrowed a friend's PS and copy of RE to show my sister and I just how scary this game was. Well, we made our way through the now classic & cheesy opening cut scene for the first time with quite a few laughs so I really didn't know what my brother was talking about. ::ENTER THE MANSION:: Creepy music starts to play, but thankfully the bad voice acting springs a nervous chuckle or two. That is, until you are left to move the character for the first time. That's when I started thinking "ok, so maybe this games a little freaky." Fast-forward a bit and the dialogues all over, you are given a beretta and left in the main hall of a mansion you have NO IDEA the sheer size of just yet, all you know is that the music playing is the scariest music you ever heard in a video game. The graphics are gorgeous, the setting is a little too unsettling, and your new found resident neighbors will soon scare the shit out of you - oh and then there's that dog jumping out the window for the first time SURPRISE! And that's when it finally hits you - you are not going to enjoy this experience, but that's only because a game has successfully, and for the very first time in history, made you believe you were in a real horror movie. And for that alone, Resident Evil deserves an amazing award. I lied actually, you will enjoy the experience - in fact, there are only a handful of games that ever come close to the caliber of finesse as Resident Evil - it's just that good! Though the series has grown with each game being a treasure on to its own you nonetheless find that with each successive RE game, you never do quite get the same sense of fear that you did from the first experience in the zombie world. Maybe because it's lost its novelty? Who knows, but the fact remains that this game is a marvelous achievement - so much in fact that they also remade it for the Gamecube and managed to outdue themselves yet again! Also, its got a cult-following because of the Hollywood films based off the games.

The success of the Resident Evil series has resulted in Guinness World Records awarding the series 8 world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. These records include Most Live-Action Movie Sequels, Action-Adventure Game with the Most Novelizations, and the dubious honor of Worst Game Dialogue Ever for the line "Here's a lockpick. It might be handy if you, the master of unlocking, take it with you". - Wikipedia

#2: Streets of Rage 2



Absolutely, positively, undoubtedly the greatest side-scrolling beat'em up (fighter) that has ever come into existence. Streets of Rage (Bare Knuckle) first came out in 1991 and already it raised the bar for beat'em ups so high that competitors literally..um, went out of business. To make matters worse, SOR2 came out the following year and totally changed the definition of what nirvana on a video game console was yet again; performing feats that still boggle the mind, like as to how a 16-bit sound card can produce the music that was coming out of this game. In fact, the music was so good that Yuzo Koshiro, by popular demand, had to go around DJ'ing and remixing the SOR soundtrack!! You can find videos of him on youtube actually. Yes, people jam to this soundtrack, and as a 12-year old kid I did precisely that as I went stage-through-stage beating up street thugs - man if ever a game glorified violence and chaos with a catchy beat, it was THIS game!! Aside from the obvious ways that SOR stormed the gaming industry it is sufficient to say that it set the standard so high that the beat'em up genre itself is actually DEAD thanks to it! Yes, it literally obliterated the contenders. How's that for rage? But sadly, though all three SOR games totally rocked ass, it has left the hardcore fan base wanting more...ever since 1994 - yea, so that kinda sucks. But that doesn't mean that loyal fans didn't find all sorts of ways to get their SOR-on; in fact, an entirely new remake was made back in '05 made entirely by fans! Why Sega doesn't wake up and realize they have some serious gems on their hands and make profit off of it is anyone's guess. They should just sell SOR & Shenmue to the highest bidder who is willing to actually make the fans happy ::growls:: Anyways, this game is so good I still play it every few months with my brother. Straight classic!


#1: Chrono Trigger

This is hands-down the single greatest RPG ever made. Since 1995, countless RPGs try to pull off the CT formula but fall way too short. Yet still they managed to do the impossible and make a sequel to a game that is absolutely peerless. Chrono Cross was an excellent sequel, GameSpot even gave it a perfect 10, a score they have only given to a handful of games ever, and say the cheesiest thing I've ever read off of their site: "Chrono Cross may not have had the largest budget, but it has the largest heart." - Gamespot. Ok..WHAT?? Have you people been so awestruck by a game that you lose your rational mind and make the cardinal sin of a critic and get your emotions all bundled up? Apparently so, and yes, I would agree. Chrono Cross was an amazing game in every respect, but the magnitude of its predecessor is unmatched. Sparing you all of the precious memories I have with this game, I will only say that there has yet to be a production that can come anywhere near Chrono Trigger in terms of plot, adventure, atmosphere, soundtrack, characters, fun, and nostalgia - it's simply impossible! But then again so is time travel..which is the premise of the game's story. Our young heroes are teleported to the future somehow (its story-related) and discover a terrible accident 400 years in the future and must go back in time, picking some interesting friends up from different epochs along the way, to stop the menace of Lavos once and for all. And as exciting as that sounds you haven't seen anything yet. This game will forever remain a timeless classic (no pun-intended) and wins my spot for #1 best game of all time.

Chrono Trigger has recently placed highly on all five of multimedia website IGN's "top 100 games of all time" lists—4th in 2002, 6th in early 2005, 13th in late 2005, 2nd in 2006, 18th in 2007, and 2nd in 2008.[63][64] GameSpot included Chrono Trigger in "The Greatest Games of All Time" list released in April 2006, and it also appeared as 28th on an "All Time Top 100" list in a poll conducted by Japanese magazine Famitsu the same year.[65][66] In 2004, Chrono Trigger finished runner up to Final Fantasy VII in the inaugural GameFAQs video game battle. In 2008, readers of Dengeki Online voted it the eighth best game ever made.[67] Nintendo Power's twentieth anniversary issue named it the fifth best Super Nintendo game. - Wikipedia

Well that's my Top 10, I know it was painfully long but I actually wrote this in one sitting and it took me a very long time! Feel free to post your feedback; either from people who have played these games or have a Top 10 of their own they would like to share. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did :)

Movie Review - Bigger, Stronger, Faster

This film is an excellent examination of the use of performance-enhancing drugs within American culture and how being "natural" at sports, competition, and war is not good enough anymore, and how America as a nation has become obsessed with winning at all costs. The film goes through the personal journey of Chris Bell and his other two brothers who grew up idolizing the heroic muscle-men who taught them to never cheat and to play by the rules, but as they got older they realized that their heroes were far from ideal and that "everybody cheats." The film presents both sides of the ethical perspective on whether or not steroid usage is ultimately okay, but leaves the viewer with a sense of being cheated by all the accomplishments that were awarded to these people who were on these enhancement drugs. By the end of the film you get a sense of how fake anything in front of a camera is and a frightening reality check on how far we are willing to push the envelope, and whether or not we will ever draw the line.


http://www.biggerstrongerfastermovie.com/

Here's the official trailer taken off the website:




**Mike Bell, (Chris Bell's older brother) actually passed away recently so the message of the film becomes even more powerful.

Anime Review - DeathNote

Finally! After watching this series for almost a year now, (by putting it off for several months at a time,) I've finally finished watching the last episode and all I can say is - WOW. Now I know what most of you are thinking - it must be THAT boring that he put it off for so long, but this past year's been insanely crazy. In all honesty it's anything but boring.

Deathnote is an intriguing psychological suspense-thriller; the first of its kind that I've ever seen (in anime,) and possibly the best of the bunch (if there is a sub-genre in fact.) Right from the beginning, the suspense keeps the anime rolling FAST until about 1/3 to mid-way, then it slows down for a bit, and picks right back up where it left off and goes out with a bang. Yes that is cliche, but its the way I like to describe this series and since it's my review I can say whatever I want!

The plot is what makes the series so interesting. One day a bored shinagami (death-god/angel) drops this notebook called "Deathnote" into the human world just for fun; shortly after, all hell (or heaven according to the wielder of the notebook) breaks loose. The notebook, "Deathnote" gives the holder of the book the power to kill anyone whose name is written down, provided they know the victim's face and full, real name. Enter Yagami Light, a high school student and genius whose fate it was to come across the book. After having learned of the powers of the book, through the instruction and assistance from the shinagami, Light-kun decides that the world, full of corrupt criminals and evil-doers, must be cleansed and purified and that he was chosen to fulfill this task. Using his genius to fulfill his purpose, Light starts eliminating the world's criminals one-by-one. The world comes to fear the iron-justice that is hidden behind the notebook. He will soon be known simply as "Kira." However, there is a party of people out to stop Kira and solve the mystery behind his identity. Just when it seems like Kira is unstoppable there appears one formidable enough to capture Kira and reveal his true identity - the Detective "L." What follows is an intense exchange of genius between the two as both rivals read and predict each others moves. Who will win? Kira or L? Has Kira truly met his match? Will he succeed in creating the new world he seeks? Will Kira ever be caught? Nearly every episode will leave you hanging with these questions until the very end!

This is an intelligent anime that gives the impression of a psychological clash between two super-human thinkers, just like two godly chess players going at it. The exchanges between Kira and L are very engaging and makes the viewer eager to see what happens next. Just how Kira escapes L, and how L responds keeps the pace going pretty well. Without revealing too much however, there is some use of supporting characters that is debatable and even questionable at times, yet somehow their importance plays out eventually so the anime does a decent job of tying up the loose ends. The music is good, a bit repetitive, but suites the mood of the anime pretty well. The characters are likeable, I especially admired Kira and L (how cool would it be if you could think as quickly and sharply as them?)

Despite many months of hiatus from this series, it was very interesting to watch and apparently its got quite a following, seeing as how it spawned at least 2 (maybe 3) live action films! The only criticism I would have of this anime is that it does drag-out a bit at times, and makes you wonder if some things were even necessary, but I guess that can't be helped. All-in-all it was an entertaining watch and I do recommend it for those who are curious to see this type of genre exhibited in an anime.

Story: 9/10
Presentation: 8.5/10
Characters: 8/10
Music: 6.5/10
Value: 8.5/10
Quirks: 5.5/10 (+4.5)

Review: 7.5/10

THE GOOD: Wow. Great story-telling! Psychologically thrilling and suspenseful
THE BAD: The slow moments make it seem all the more so from the otherwise fast pace
THE UGLY: Near, Mellow. Nuff said.

Jdrama Review - Ichi Rittoru no Namida (1 Liter of Tears)

Ok, for those of you who don't know what this is. 1 Liter of Tears (Ichi Rittoru no Namida) is a Japanese drama based off of a book (a diary more specifically,) by the same name. The diary is real and concerns the struggles and hardships in the life of Aya Kitou. When she was only 15, Aya was diagnosed with a very cruel and incurable disease - Spinocerebellar atrophy/ataxia. It is a degenerative, progressive disease that eventually immobolizes the victim utterly. The disease progressively deteriorates the cerebellum of its victims thus symptoms include visual impairments, poor distance judgment, poor balance, and eventually loss of mobility, speech, coordination, etc. As debilitating as it is, the disease only affects the physical body and not the mental abilities of its victims, thus making the victims (as others have put it,) "prisoners" within themselves. At the suggestion of her doctor, Aya began to keep a diary from the age of 15. Slowly she began to lose more and more bodily functions. Though her life became gradually more and more difficult, Aya continued to live a normal life until she was forced to attend rehabilitation. She kept writing in her diary until she could no longer hold a pen. She died at the age of 25. After she died, her diary was published and has sold over 18+ million copies in Japan and her story continues to touch and inspire millions of people across the world. This is the real life story of Aya Kitou (known as Aya Ikeuchi in the drama) and it is by far, the most compelling, saddest, and most touching dramas I have ever seen.

Never in my entire life have I watched something - anything - that's made me cry this much! From episode one down to the final episode, the tears only increased. This is the only series that actually made me have to get a tissue before watching an episode!! (can you just imagine that!? lol) I also could not watch more than one episode a day because it was too much on the eyes. By the end of the last episode, I had used up all of my tissues, my eyes hurt and were red and my beard was soaked! At times I even cried out loud. And the scariest thing is that I'm not even lying. (For those of you who know me you know this is not an easy feat!)

Ok so I know what you're thinking. Either I'm totally a wimp or this drama has something special about it. Well, I would argue the latter, but in case you have any doubts you should go see it for yourself! This drama is so touching, and even though its sad, it will leave you with a positive air about life and that just living itself is a miracle and a true blessing. This is one of those dramas that should make you look at your life and reconsider things. I was going through depression and generally just a strange time before I watched this, but after watching it, it gave me an appreciation for life and taking things for granted. It put my own problems in proper perspective and gave me an appreciation for the struggles that some people have to go through just to do the simple things that most of us do effortlessly. Most importantly, it taught me to have courage and face life's hardships no matter how difficult and impossible it may seem. All of these lessons may have hit closer to home because my mother also has a disability (which is another reason why I cried so much,) but I think it speaks to all people really.

The cast is phenomenal. Sawajiri Erika (Ikeuchi Aya) and Nishikido Ryo (Asou Haruto) both gave flawless performances, as well as the rest of the supporting cast. The warmth of the Ikeuchi family is so touching and their support for Aya is really admirable. The musical score is great. K's Only Human is a perfect fit for this drama and only adds to the emotion of the whole story and atmosphere. From its many lessons, to its touching moments, to the pain that Aya feels expressed through her diary, this is a straight tear-jerker from start to finish. This is one of those dramas that is destined to be a timeless classic for people of all ages to appreciate - a true masterpiece. I will definitely treasure this story for as long as I can. Thank you Aya-san for showing us the strength to live on.

Presentation/Story: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Setting: 9/10
Music: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Quirks: 0/10 (+10)


THE GOOD: WOW..Finally a drama that forces you to go see an optometrist after you've finished it! Only reason the setting gets a 9 is because there's no other category that could possibly be below a 10!
THE BAD: God forbid you run out of tissues!
THE UGLY: Your face in the mirror after an episode.


Review: 9.8/10

Jdrama Review - Long Vacation

Before commenting on the drama itself, its important to say a word on the significance this drama had over time. Long Vacation was first aired on Japanese TV in 1996, it was the first drama that Kimura Takuya worked in; heralding-in the "Kimutaku" craze that swept over Japan the following decade or so, often being regarded as a classic drama for this fact alone. For those who don't know, Kimura Takuya is widely regarded as one of Japan's top actors. And I must admit, this was the first drama of his that I've seen and though I can't say he's among the best just yet, I see the potential that people attribute to him. All of his dramas have been well-received and according to jdorama.com, he is voted as the number #1 actor in Jdrama. Kimura Takuya's performance in Long Vacation was pretty good, but then again so was the rest of the cast so it's hard to single-out any one actor in this drama.

Having said that, Long Vacation is a pretty solid drama. Great casting, good soundtrack, and a somewhat normal, everyday storyline. Though it was a bit slow-to-start, LV catches the interest of the viewer as the story progresses. The story revolves around a young pianist named Sena (Kimura Takuya) and Minami (Yamaguchi Tomoko) and how their platonic friendship slowly turns into romance. After being stood up by her husband-to-be on their wedding day, Minami has no choice but to go to her fiance's apartment, only to find that he has left the scene and she meets Sena, his roommate. Having no where to go she decides to stay with Sena until her fiance returns but slowly she realizes that he will never return. Sena allows her to stay as a sort of "long vacation" until she fixes her life back but the two of them grow close as friends while pursuing their own interests. The drama really picks up towards the end when they both realize just how much they liked each other after supposedly moving on.

In its favor, LV offers good & likeable cast of characters to the screen. Being a story revolving around a pianist, the soundtrack was pretty good (I wouldn't say amazing, but good.) Though I have to admit, I LOVE the opening song! The script, although I have both good and bad to say concerning it, was for the most part successful at making the drama feel less like a drama and more like real life. There was very little dramatic pauses or phrases here and there so when they did happen it felt all the more dramatic. The story itself wasn't too bad either and I think it tackles the issue of platonic friendships between men & women pretty well.

If I had to pick a downside to the drama, I would say its probably due to the believable-everyday feel of the dialogue within the script that both acted as something new and different yet at the same time made the drama feel a bit slow. It only really started to feel like an actual drama by around episode 8 or 9. For this reason it felt a bit dragged at parts but otherwise the good, casual acting on the part of the actors made it feel very believable and real (which was nice.) The characters themselves felt very real and therefore both likeable and annoying. That is good casting! In short, the script acted as a double-edged sword, both adding a new face to the drama and yet hurting it at the same time.

All-in-all, Long Vacation is enjoyable to watch. I plan on watching more of Kimura's dramas as I hear that the others are even better. There's also a rumor that Long Vacation 2 is in the works so if that's true, definitely pick this one up beforehand!

Presentation/Story: 8.5/10
Characters: 8.5/10
Setting: 7/10
Music: 7.5/10
Value: 9/10
Quirks: 4.5/10 (5.5)

THE GOOD: Who doesn't want to have a "Long Vacation" of their own? So romantic! ;p
THE BAD: Yea ok, that never happens in real life..does it?
THE UGLY: Yawwwwn! Oh wait, did i just miss the second half of the episode?

Review: 7.7/10

Jdrama Review - Taiyou no Uta (Song to the Sun)

Ok so I don't know if its better translated as "Ode to the Sun" or "Song to the Sun" but in anycase, this drama is good. It's about a girl who has XP, a [rare?] skin disease that prevents her from having any contact with sunlight. As a consequence, she becomes a "moon child;" living her life at night, helping her parents at their restaurant and writing music. Her story becomes intertwined with a young man who left music due to something in his past. But with time she changes him and he changes her. The two of them, along with friends, form a dream together of debuting their band only to be met with a stroke of tragedy.

Kaoru Amane (Sawajiri Erika) is both the character on-screen and the stage name for Erika's own musical career, as she wrote/performed the songs for this drama. Sawajiri Erika (the actress,) has a flair for tragedy. Many people compare this drama to her previous masterpiece, Ichi Rittoru no Namida* (1 Liter of Tears) in which she played another character who dies from a rare disease. The difference is that 1 Liter was based off of a true story and this drama is not. Also, if one watches 1 Liter first (like I did,) this drama seems kind of like a softer rehash. But in its credit, it is a good standalone drama and even if you've seen 1 Liter before it this drama still has a lot of different things to offer.

For one thing, the soundtrack is great and the setting is wonderful. There's something about living under the moon that is magical, mysterious, and even romantic; almost like giving off the sense of being in another world. The characters are fun and not too complex. The story is mainly driven by Kaoru and Kouji (Yamada Takayuki) but the supporting cast makes it more entertaining. If you're not into the really heavy and tragic types of drama, then you're better off watching this drama compared to 1 Liter. I enjoyed watching this one and I think the rest of you will too.

**Presentation/Story: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Setting: 8.5/10
Music: 10/10
Value: 7/10
***Quirks: 3/10 (+7)


THE GOOD: 1 Liter of Tears now in chewable form for kids - only with more romance & less tears. Erika Sawajiri's hotness. Erika Sawajiri's music. (did i mention the hotness?)
THE BAD: Good effort, but if I have to choose between Erika's two tragedies, I'll stick with 1 Liter of Tears thanks.
THE UGLY: That stupid reporter!!


Review: 7.9/10


FOOTNOTES -
* [see my review for Ichi Rittoru no Namida:]

** Presentation/Story is now grouped together because some dramas are based off of true stories so there's not much room for adding fictional elements all the time. This is where the importance of presentation comes into play and for the fictional stories it will be judged based on the plot.

*** this is a new category. I realized that if I keep to my previous scale most of the dramas will fall into a high-tier rating which would make me seem like a pansy of a critic :p So this category is basically everything thats wrong with the drama (in number form.) It is calculated arbitrarily like the others but when figured in to the final score it is added by the inverse of its score (e.g- quirks: 1/10 (+9) divided by all 6 other categories.

Jdrama Review - NHK's "Shinsengumi!"

NHK's 43rd Taiga* drama "Shinsengumi!" is perhaps the longest (or one of the longest) series I've ever seen. With 49, 46-minute episodes we're talking over 37.5 hours of Shinsengumi in total! That's a lot of samurai hack-n-slash you would think, but really the show was more about the brotherhood of the men who gathered under the Shinsengumi; men from all walks of life and the dreams they had under the flag. That's not to say that this drama didn't provide as an excellent source of historical knowledge.

Whether it is historically accurate or not, the drama gives one the impression of becoming a scholar of the late Edo period in Japanese history by the time one finishes watching the last episode. This is either exceptional production or truly research inspired. Either way, for anyone even remotely interested in the events of the late Edo period, or the Boshin War, or the Bakumatsu leading to the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the events leading up to the formation of the new Meiji government, this drama is a must see!!

Now that's the boring historical aspect of it. 99% of the people who watch this drama however, did not watch it for this purpose. The main characters of the drama (men under Kondo Isami's faction) are all likeable, simple and yet unique & gallant within their own right. In fact, there interactions together, the brotherhood, the jokes, the drama, the love interests, the sacrifices, the dreams, the battles, and their ultimate tragic end are what keeps this drama so entertaining and worth the whole 49 episode stretch. Much of the success of this chemistry is in the actors themselves who convincingly played the roles of their historic ghosts brought into light. Most noteworthy is Katori Shingo (Kondo Isami,) a member of SMAP - a Japanese teen idol singer. His otherwise silly, goofy, and metrosexual offstage aura is totally erased as Kondo Isami, and what an amazing portrayal! As a matter of fact, the same goes for the rest of the bunch who also happen to be teen idols. Watching the drama, you would never guess that these men aren't the archetypes of traditional Japanese manhood off-stage. I guess the Japanese are good at transformations (people who watch a lot of anime should catch the joke :D)

The only real drag about this drama is exactly that - the drag. If you don't immerse yourself in the world of late 19th century Edo and Kyoto Japan then perhaps this drama is not for you. But even for those who are intrigued from the start, some episodes between major story arcs can seem a bit long and dragged out, bordering on the unnecessary dare I say. But these short sightings are next to nilch compared to all the other elements that have been praised.

As exciting as a period or historical drama can get, that's what Shinsengumi! is. The music is great, the mood is inspiring, the setting is authentic, and the value is ever-lasting. In fact, most viewers say this is rated as the best taiga drama yet. Even if I weren't a fan of the Shinsengumi, I would agree.

Presentation/Story: 8.5/10
Characters: 10/10
Setting: 9/10
Music: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Quirks: 3.5/10 (+6.5)


THE GOOD: You can beat anyone's ass in Shinsengumi Jeopardy. Cool samurai top-knots & battles. Plenty of macho-humming-like tunes to inspire you to change the nation!
THE BAD: 49 EPISODES??? Really, I think 20 would have been more than ample.
THE UGLY: Seppuku/Hara-kiri!!! (self-inflicted suicide, bushido style) also did i mention the 49 episodes thing?


Review: 8.3/10



* FOOTNOTE - For those of you who are wondering what a "taiga drama" is, its basically a drama that centers on Japanese nationalist themes and usually concerning something within the history of traditional Japan.

** About the photo - The flag of the Shinsengumi. It contains the Japanese character "makoto," which would render in English something to the effect of "sincerity/integrity" & "fidelity." It was said to be the outstanding quality of their leader, Kondo Isami. Shinsengumi members upheld the motto of their flag as best they could with a strict bushido code (i.e- samurai code.) And it encouraged the group to exhibit all the virtues of true samurai ideals.