Stark Raving Mad

The Sounds of Gaming 8-Bit Tunes in Orchestral S...

2007-03-17T20:32:00.000+08:00

The Sounds of Gaming

8-Bit Tunes in Orchestral Sound.

How much have videogames grown from their humble beginnings? These days, the videogame industry makes more money than Hollywood, and the origins of the gaming world are currently the topic of Discovery Channel's I, Videogame series. Here's another way of showing how the kids of yesterday are now today's adults and videogames are part and parcel of their being. Here's a nice video of the Videogames Live Orchestra, which plays classic videogame music as part of their repertoire. Nice stuff!

Marvelous pianist Martin Leung performs a beautiful medley of the music from Final Fantasy.

Metal Gear Solid's epic score gets the Orchestral treatment.

Super Mario Brothers!!!

Gibberish There are two kinds of local comics f...

2007-03-16T11:02:00.000+08:00

Gibberish

There are two kinds of local comics for me. One is the exceptionally good kind- those that are well-written, have great art and stories which push the envelope. Thankfully there are a lot of these- Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan is thoroughly unusual and refreshing. The recent issues of Cast impress with the gorgeous art of Arnold Arre greatly helping the long-running series along. However, for every well-written, well-illustrated and exciting piece of local grafiction, there always seems to be a counterflow- an antithesis. Comics that make your eyes pop and have you laughing for all the wrong reasons.

That's where Necomics Fables and Neocomics Epics fall under. I've posted about these titles before- and I wasn't very encouraging about them, since I found their art amateurish and inconsistent, the stories and titles of both anthology books as derivative of other anime and videogames as they come and the writing plagued by bad grammar and panelling. Well, I picked up the latest issues (Issue 3 of both titles) recently, and I have to say- THEY HAVE GOTTEN WORSE.

The art is still inconsistent and has the quality of fan art; which may be good for appearing in fan art pages but NOT for the whole comic. Production value is bumped up by full color pages, but the art is so bad, it just doesn't matter. But never mind that again, every character is derived from pretty much every manga/anime/videogame stereotype and cliche out there (androgynous bishonens with fur-lined jackets and girls (or cross-dressers!) in skimpy Japanese sailor outfits is the norm), the panelling and structure of every page is such that often you CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON. Honestly, even reading slowly we just could not comprehend what the heck the stories were all about. Usually nothing is happening in any page of consequence- just seemingly random duels of both verbal and physical nature were blowing out for some reason, and characters were greeting and meeting here and there, spouting dialogue that tries to sound anime or manga-ish (lots of '...' ) but fails every time.

And the writing... My GOSH. A lot of pages are freaky displays of horrible grammar. It's so funny, it's fricking sad. You can't figure out what's going on, you can't identify or distinguish characters, you can't tell what they're trying to say or what's happening from one page to the next.

Okay, so they're bad. What can they do to improve?

First, never mind getting artists who can draw well- just get artists who can tell a visual story, since the current artists can't draw two panels which communicate coherent thought.

Second, get writers with good, or at least comprehensible stories because so far ALL the stories are cliched carbon copies of existing stuff. Worse, they're cliched copies that makes no sense, or waste tons of pages and panels without really saying anything.

Third, get an Editor because the sad excuse of one that they are using CAN'T DO HIS JOB FOR SHIT. This incompetence is leading to the proliferation of bad grammar in our youth. SERIOUSLY. Too many kids and young people can't speak or write straight english already. Let's not be part of the problem.

It's stuff like this that really gets my grain. BUT, on the bright side, as bad as they are, there is a positive in all this for me- nothing inspires me to make comics again more than badly-done comics. So if I produce a new issue sooner rather than later, I can thank the Neo Crew for that, at least.

Moving on... Moving on...

True Asian Horror Last night, I watched the secon...

2007-03-15T11:46:00.000+08:00

True Asian Horror

Last night, I watched the second episode of the True Asian Horror specials on Discovery Channel. I think it's an offshoot of the series True Horror hosted by Anthony Stewart Head since Giles is also narrating this show. TAS focuses mainly on the recent wave of Asian horror films that are taking cinemas all over the world by storm. The first episode took up mainly Japanese films like Ringu, Ju On and Audition, with a smatter of Korean films like Phone and Tale of Two Sisters.
This week's episode took up the films from Southeast Asia, namely the creepy The Eye, Shutter and this Indonesian film about a cursed/possessed doll (forgot the name).

Lots of creepy footage and scary shit, but the most chilling thing that I took away from the show was the realization that while we, the Philippines, have a great wealth of scary myths, legends, beliefs and other creepy old wives' tales, we still haven't been able to produce a world-class creepy horror film like our nearby neighbors in Hong Kong, Bangkok or Indonesia. Perhaps the problem is with the current crop of directors and writers (and to an extent, actors)- apparently none of them have that vision or idea or concept of scaring people aside from piling on prosthetics, cheap CG and tired shock tactics.

A really creepy and scary horror film need not slather on the gore, nor does it require a big budget or anything we don't already have, as seen by how other Asian directors have gone about stuff. I won't venture to say that I know what needs to be done to make a good horror film- it's about the farthest thing from my stuff- but I do enjoy good horror flicks every now and then, and it just frustrates me that we don't have our own Ringu or Eye or Shutter. Just too bad. Let's see some good scares, people. Do we have what it takes or don't we?

Bleach Blanched Part One My current favorite anim...

2007-03-14T10:26:00.000+08:00

Bleach Blanched Part One

My current favorite anime, Bleach, has it all. This ongoing series about supernaturally-gifted humans caught up in a war between powerful forces in the spirit world has cool and likeable characters, exciting fight scenes, humor, drama, a bit of horror, a bit of romance, dashes of intrigue. What it doesn't have, however, is a clear reason WHY THE HECK IT'S CALLED 'BLEACH'. Well, there have been many speculations. One is that 'bleach' refers to the bright orange-colored hair of lead hero Ichigo Kurosaki. One of my favorite notions that the title actually means 'Breach' (Japanese don't have L's), which makes sense since this series is all about travelling through dimensions. But, in the end, the reason behind the title seems to be a pretty silly one. Apparently, manga-ka Tite Kubo noted in one interview that he is a big fan of the band Nirvana, and thus named the series after his idols' first album (and then later made up the thing about it all being about Ichigo's hair). So there. GYAH!

Anyway, moving on. One of the most important factors for me liking anime is, of course, characters. Bleach, to put it lightly, has plenty. There are, of course, the main heroes- Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki.

Ichigo Kurosaki is the bad-ass, tough-talking, brawling hero. He's got a couple of standout features- one, his orange hair (which is natural, and which gets him often into fights with arseholes), and another, his ability to see ghosts (think, the Sixth Sense). There's a third feature- which isn't a standout- and that's his selfless kindness- something not everyone sees past Ichigo's often scowling face. But nope, Ichigo isn't just a warfreak- he's a warfreak with a heart of gold, always ready to go out of his way to defend anyone getting bullied, or to give a lonely ghost an offering of flowers. That coupled with a will that can break swords makes him the perfect warrior.
Scratch that- he's not at all perfect with his bonafide stubborn streak, but then who is? The fact is, Ichigo's a cool bad-ass and a great hero to follow through this series. Whatever doesn't kill Ichigo only makes him stronger- frighteningly stronger. And it doesn't look like he'll be kicking the bucket anytime soon.

Rukia Kuchiki is the lead heroine, and Ichigo's partner. A slim, petite girl with dark, moody eyes and trademark bangs running across her face, Rukia has a 'Goth' girl attitude which is a refreshing break from the usual genki anime heroine. She's most often serious and bossy, which is a natural fit to reign in the stubborn Ichigo. But aside from the wise and experienced shinigami (death god) warrior, there are goofy sides to Rukia- such as her affinity for cute things, and her insistence on explaining the workings of the spirit world using (badly-drawn) sketches of bunnies and teddy bears (Ichigo's reactions to Rukia's 'art' is a running gag in the series).

Contrary to most anime pair-ups, Rukia and Ichigo aren't romantically connected... at least, not yet. From the very beginning, it wasn't love at first sight (Ichigo's first act toward Rukia is kicking her in the butt). But as they become linked by fate and forced to fight together against the evil spirits of the afterlife, respect and a deep understanding of the other develops; and both are willing to die for the other because of that bond. Whenever one or the other is in a funk or a deep pit of despair, they can always rely on the other to headbutt, kick and slap them back to their senses. Now if that isn't a great partnership, I don't know what is.

Sado Yasutora or 'Chad' is a gentle giant from Mexico. Chad is physically impressive (able to walk away from being hit by a falling STEEL GIRDER), but is inversely as kind as a saint. Chad was taught by his beloved, late grandfather to use his strength to protect others, and he does so- even if it means getting hurt himself. Ichigo and Chad promised to watch each others' backs, and have been best friends ever since. Like Ichigo, he has supernatural powers which manifest themselves early in the series thanks to his continual contact with Ichigo and the growing number of evil spirits in the area. These powers take the form of a cool armored arm which can shoot energy blasts- a nifty power to have when battling evil Hollows.

Orihime Inoue fills in the slot for the upbeat, beautiful but ditzy heroine. Her odd imagination and taste in food are running gags in the show, but this lovely, kind girl is tempered by tragedy in her past. While initialy repelled by Ichigo's tough looks, something deeper evolves as her encounters with him and Rukia continue. Eventually, she gains her own powers- making her a bit of a magical heroine herself. While more of a healer and protector than a fighter thanks to her gentle demeanor, her will and inner strength would do any warrior proud. And damn, does she have a great rack. Heh.

Finally, there's Uryu Ishida, a snobbish intellectual who quickly reveals himself to be a Quincy, a race of humans who battle evil spirits and a rival to the shinigami. While at first at odds with Ichigo, he soon becomes a firm ally even if he is probably unwilling to admit it. Like everyone else, he has his serious side, that of a calm, calculating spirit-archer, and his goofy side- being the odd guy in the craft club who wields a damn fine needle and thread.

This is the main cast of Bleach, and you'll quickly grow to love each and every one of these guys and girls. Aside from them, there's a literal army of supporting characters whom you'll get to know in this addicting series, like Ichigo's oddball family and friends in Karakura High School, the weird crew at the Uruhara Shop and of course, the many Captains, Lieutenants and Warriors of the shinigami Gotei 13- easily the most diverse collection of bad-ass samurai death gods around. So try to get yourselves episodes from your favorite anime shop and get ready for action-packed, humor-sprinkled sword-slashing, ghost-fighting action.

Mobile TV Recently, local Telecom giant Smart Com...

2007-03-09T10:51:00.000+08:00

Mobile TV

Recently, local Telecom giant Smart Communications showed off what will probably be the Philippines' first Mobile TV service. According to Smart, Pinoy phoners will soon be able to watch streaming television on their mobile phones through DVB-H, or Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld. DVB-H is a radio-like signal which works a bit like actual TV signals, and can be received by several handsets- such as the Nokia N92. Supposedly, this mobile TV has better video quality than analog and can be controlled by the user. The N92 even apparently allows you to record mobile TV to your SD card, which is pretty slick.

According to Smart, channels available will include Cable channels like CNN, BBC, Jack TV, CNBC, MTV, Fashion TV, Basketball TV and others. I dare say that this is pretty much a no-brainer; I mean, who would pay for the local crap that passes for free TV? Give me Discovery Channel,

Am I interested? To tell you the truth, I am intrigued. It would be pretty cool to just bring out your mobile and immediately watch Discovery Channel or Animax. Real-time media is different from stored media content you load onto your mobile yourself, but both have their perks. If the service was very affordable, had great reception. ease of use and has the channels I want, I'd get this. However, I would need a mobile that can still have the features I have today (MPEG/MP4 video, large memory storage) along with the mobile TV. And there's also the fact that I'm a Globe subscriber, and switching to Smart just for this isn't practical. I'll probably have to wait for Globe's equivalent service.

It's intriguing, but not world-changing... yet. For now, I'm happy with my stored anime, movies, videos and music. Mobile TV may seem to be a novelty at best right now, but darn... being able to just bust out your phone to watch the news, a movie or a show that's playing right now on real TV is pretty neat. We'll just have to wait and see how this progresses, I guess.

300 Gerard Butler as Leonidas, the most Bad-Ass ...

2007-03-08T23:02:00.000+08:00

300

Gerard Butler as Leonidas, the most Bad-Ass Warrior King in History.

The first time I saw the trailer for 300, I was at once hit by hungry anticipation and quiet dread. I mean, this movie looked like the most awesome thing since LOTR, but then again, how could it possibly live up to the magnificent taste this little morsel gave us? Could the final film truly deliver what the trailer promised? Few movies really did. Well, I've finally seen the film myself and I have to say... YES. It frickin' does deliver.

Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller based on the real-life Battle of Thermopylae, 300 isn't going to win points for realism or accuracy to ancient history, nor will it win any points with hardline Eastern/Asian/African/Ethnic groups- the 'bad guys' in the film after all are from Asia and 'everywhere else' aside from Greece. But then again, the Persian Empire in the film doesn't as much resemble real-life history as much as they do the Forces of Mordor. I mean, you've got masked Immortals standing in for Orcs and Uruk-hai, grotesque giant warriors substituting for Rock Trolls and even some War Elephants making for sawed-off Mumakils. Like the visual style of the graphic novel, 300 is told in solid, broad strokes telling of the classic theme of the few facing the many, men standing for their freedom and their loved ones even in the face of overwhelming odds. In that way, it's universal and less about nationalities or race and more about one's devotion to his or her country, loved ones and principles.

History and Fantasy mix to form one bloody good epic.

Now, after all that mushness aside, 300 just KICKS ARSE. And does it again and again. Gerard Butler rules the screen as Leonidas, the Spartan king who looks into the face of death with both eyes wide open. Behind him are 300 bad-asses; mostly nameless and faceless death-dealers save for a couple of recognizable faces- David Wenham once again dons armor (albeit a lot less than he wore before as Faramir in LOTR) as Dilios; Vincent Regan as the Spartan Captain, last seen with sandals and sword in the Brad Pitt-starrer Troy. There are a couple more notable Spartans- the guy who gives the classic "Then we'll fight in the shade" line, and the Captain's inexperienced son, Astinus.
While mostly about bad-ass men, the home front is the battlefield for one bad-ass woman; Queen Gorgo, played by Lena Heady. While she's no warrior, she does shed her share of blood in the movie, in perhaps one of the most satisfying scenes in the flick.

Lay off the drinks to keep from missing any striking moments.

Visually, this film is a unique visual experience. Filmed fully against green-screen backdrops and rendered in CG, the film evokes indeed a graphic novel, even more so than Sin City did a couple of years ago. Slow motion cuts to Fast Motion and back again is often used to punctuates scenes like a comic book, in widescreen (as the comic does), and the many battle scenes are both in seen in grand scale and in close, with long scenes of choreographed brutality that will have you holding your breath as you watch in thrilled silence. Yes, there is blood and plenty of it, quite a few decapitations and limbs flying... but thankfully it's more stylized than gory or excessive. These many scenes of violence along with sensuality and grotesque images are amazing for us adults and grownups, but young kids will probably have nightmares, so keep 'em away.

In the end, I came away from the movie exhilirated and satisfied... not something you'd expect given that there is a fixed and inescapable ending to this battle- however, the final scene has that glorious Braveheart-ish tone to it, just nowhere near as sad and about a hundred times more bad-ass. I wanna see this flick again. My score for this flick? 300!!!

Grab your buds. Find the best theater you can get to and watch this on the big screen. And get ready for one hell of a ride.

Bleached Ichigo and Rukia from Bleach. The anim...

2007-03-05T11:03:00.000+08:00

Bleached

Ichigo and Rukia from Bleach.

The anime series Bleach isn't really new- it's been around for a while (the series is, at last count, on it's 116th episode). However, it's only this past weekend that I was actually able to hunker down and watch the episodes- and you know what? It's a pretty cool show. Took me long enough though to find that out.
Bleach is about the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki, a gruff and tough-talking but generally well-meaning orange-haired Japanese teenager who can, apparently, see ghosts. One day, his path crosses with that of Rukia Kuchiki, a shinigami, or 'Death God'- a being tasked with the responsibiliity of ferrying souls from the real world to the afterlife (a place called 'Soul Society') and defending humans from malevolent beings called 'Hollows'. While searching for a Hollow, Rukia enters Ichigo's room and gets injured when the Hollow attacks, attracted by Ichigo's great spiritual energy. To save his life, Rukia transfers her powers to Ichigo, turning him into a Shinigami and thus beginning their adventures together.

What first starts out as a 'ghostbusters'-type anime except with samurai swords soon turns into a more complex saga as more characters enter the fray- Ichigo's family and friends soon develop powers of their own (or reveal themselves to be more than they seem to be), and the world of Soul Society and the many Death Gods is explored. Ichigo steadily becomes more powerful as a Death God, growing in power as he and Rukia and their comrades both in the human and Soul Society worlds continue to battle various evil forces that threaten the balance between the worlds.

Bleach is my current anime fave, since Naruto Shippuuden is still beginning and the action/animation kinda disappointing. I'll be surely watching this whenever I have time at home (or if I can load episodes on my mobile). 36 down- 80 more to go. Heh.

Resurrected Game Back from the grave to the PS3....

2007-03-03T23:54:00.000+08:00

Resurrected Game

Back from the grave to the PS3.

Last night, Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection became available for download on the US Playstation Network Store. The game comes with 1080p-scaled graphics, a playable boss (Jinpachi, whom I'll probably never touch) and... that's about it. The game has a few modes- Arcade, which is your usual ladder match to the final boss, Ghost Mode, which puts you in a never-ending string of fights against various CPU A.I.-controlled fighters (much like the Kumite/Quest mode in VF5 and the PSP version of Tekken 5), a VS Mode and a Gallery Mode for viewing CG movies (of which there are just three) and a bunch of Tekken art, all of which you have to unlock using game money you earn while playing.

Well, I downloaded the game and it's right now in my PS3's Hard Drive, and I'm quite happy with it. Yes, it's a pretty bare-bones affair, but hey- it's only a 20-dollar download (you'll need a credit card and an account in the PSN Network), and it looks quite nice on the HDTV. Not as good as Virtua Fighter 5, but hell- what is? It's a better-than-arcade-perfect translation for the home of a pretty excellent fighter (albeit one that has been out for several years), and that will satisfy fighting game fans like myself. At the very least, it's a nice game to chew when I need a break from VF5. And a nice little reminder that Namco-Bandai owes us PS3 gamers Tekken 6.

Spicy Hot Something to look forward to: Satoshi ...

2007-03-03T10:52:00.000+08:00

Spicy Hot

Something to look forward to: Satoshi Kon's Paprika.

Here's a trailer to the latest work of visionary anime director Satoshi Kon. It's all about attractive 29-year old Atsuko Chiba, a doctor in the cutting-edge field of psychotherapy. A new invention can now allow scientists to enter the actual dreams of patients, in order to discover what's behind their anxieties and neurosis... or to totally destroy that person's mind. When one of these devices is stolen and people start dreaming themselves into absolute madness, the task of saving mankind from falling prey to literal nightmares is Atsuko's stunning alter ego- a vibrant, 18-year old 'dream detective' named Paprika.

What can I say except, this looks totally AWESOME, which is exactly what I expect from Satoshi Kon. The animation looks off the wall and the premise of entering dreams should make for some creepy-fascinating-far out seemingly imagery. I can't wait to see this, as I have enjoyed Kon's past works like Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent. Official trailers for the US release can be viewed at the official movie site. The movie is due out in US theaters in late May 2006.

Truncated Oscars Is it just me, or is this year's...

2007-02-28T21:55:00.000+08:00

Truncated Oscars

Is it just me, or is this year's Oscars the WORST when it comes to videoclips? I mean, when you watch the presentation of nominees for the various acting awards, the clips are like, 3-second one-line snippets. Whatever happened to the clips that actually gave you a sense of that person's performance? Is it because of the premium on airtime? I watch the awards mainly for the clips, darn it.

I also didn't like Ellen Degeneres' stint as host- there seems to be a lot of dead air in between her gags, and it just feels like a bigger version of how she does her own show. Her schtick seems like adlibbing her way through the night, which was entertaining to a point, but it got kinda old fast as the spontaneity wasn't quite there- it was just awkward and silly. But to be fair, EVERYONE seemed to be off, everyone fumbling with dialogue or spiels and off-kilter jokes. One particularly weird moment was when the Devil Wears Prada girls did a gag with Meryl Streep in the audience, and it was just... off. Whatever. In any case- this year's Academy Awards- the most awkwardly-scripted and executed Oscars in recent memory for me. Not even worth remembering.

Well, I haven't watched many movies lately, and incredibly enough, none of this year's big winners (not even in the animation films). So maybe that's why I'm kinda off on the awards. Maybe it just means I have to get back to watching movies. And soon. Sigh.

The 'e' in eBay stands for... ...EEEEVIL... That'...

2007-02-28T19:56:00.000+08:00

The 'e' in eBay stands for...

...EEEEVIL... That's the best word I can describe to this conglomeration of temptation that resides in the worldwide web. It dangles all these wonderful toys and things before your eyes... and then lets you so easily purchase these said toys and things with simple presses of a button (oh, and the existence of a verified PayPal account)... EVIL I tell you... I walked away from all of this a long time ago. But like the mafia... they just pulled me back IN... Aaaaaaah... Credit sapped... money vanishing... but wonderful toys... so wonderful...

Astonishing One of the few comic titles I am stil...

2007-02-28T11:58:00.000+08:00

Astonishing

One of the few comic titles I am still collecting AND reading immediately is Astonishing X-men by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday. The writing of every issue is trademark Whedon, with sharp, snappy dialogue and gorgeous art that is ripe with great facial expressions to hard-hitting action. For a series that gets pretty serious and bleak at times, things can suddenly go in a totally different direction in a heartbeat, and I also found myself laughing out loud at several points in some really good gags and humorous moments. I really love the return of Colossus, having Kitty Pryde be a kick-arse heroine and the portrayals of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast and Wolverine. Love the new character of Hisako AKA Armor.

The arc, and Whedon's run with the series will apparently end with issue 24, but I hope that he continues with the title (and Cassaday with him) indefinitely. This book is just that good. I seriously want to emulate the writing and characterization in Astonishing- it's so entertaining and tight. I guess I should really seriously consider actually writing SCRIPTS for my comics. Heh.

Paper Cuts If you're a fan or watch the Inu Yasha...

2007-02-26T15:58:00.000+08:00

Paper Cuts

If you're a fan or watch the Inu Yasha series, there are some SPOILERS ahead in case you haven't been keeping up with the manga.

While I'm more of a fan of the anime version of Rumiko Takahashi's Inu Yasha (the anime ended quite some time ago at episode 167), I did make it a point to look at updates to the manga online... at least until about a year ago. Imagine my surprise to check out Wikipedia on some charactes only to find out that there have been a couple of significant character deaths in the ongoing fantasy-adventure series.

Gone long after her time.

The more important recent death is Kikyo, the undead miko/priestess and ancestor of series' female protagonist Kagome Higurashi and former lover of Inu Yasha. After several close calls throughout the series, Kikyo finally, truly bites it after losing to her longtime nemesis Naraku, ultimately failing in her extended mission to try and stop the demon lord and his designs on the Shikon No Tama (Sacred Jewel). While this is a heavy blow to Inu Yasha, Kikyo is able to share a final moment with her first love before she finally gives up the ghost, her soul finally departing for the heavens amidst a promise to protect her beloved even after her (second) death.
The second significant death is Kanna, the child-like Youkai of Nihility who has been around for quite a long time (even longer than my personal fave, Kagura), a silent but very menacing presence. In recent issues of the manga, she stepped up her attack on the heroes, but finally succumbs after an extended battle. While she has been dismissed as soulless and totally obedient to her master, Naraku, her final parting message to Kagome- a revelation of what can destroy Naraku- reveals that there was more to her than met the eye.

I have to say though that neither death really affects me as much as Kagura's did years ago- Kikyo's a surprise, but I can't really feel bad for her seeing as how she's been dead for years anyway and this is actually a release for her- her absence though from now on in the series will surely have a big effect on things from now on, as she won't be the 'ace in the hole' for Inu and the gang. As for Kanna- well, as an enemy character you know she was going to die sometime- she went as understated as she lived, and that was at least fitting.
With Kikyo's death, the Inu Yasha manga is surely headed for it's finish, though Takahashi has stated that she wishes the series to progress and even surpass the 500-chapter mark (it's just shy of 480 as of now). Further anime installments have been speculated, but none yet confirmed. I'll probably try to grab the manga if I can soon, seeing as how things seem to be moving significantly. I want to see this story finished, at least. I wanna see how it all ends...

Pinoy Comics on the Tube Here's a snippet from ...

2007-02-24T21:10:00.000+08:00

Pinoy Comics on the Tube

Here's a snippet from a feature on Hero TV's G3 about Nautilus Comics. It has appearances of Jaime Bautista's Cast, the Siglo series, Arnold Arre's Andong Agimat and an appearance of my own K.I.A. comic! I really want to get started on comics again, and I will... soon. Very soon! Just stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can check out my Comicspace Page, where I've uploaded pages of a lot of my past comics works- nothing new, really, but we'll fix that up soon.

Naruto Shippuden From a pervy ninja kid to a gro...

2007-02-24T12:09:00.000+08:00

Naruto Shippuden

From a pervy ninja kid to a grown-up pervy ninja!

I was able to watch the first three episodes of Naruto Shippuden last night. This is the Second Stage of the ninja-themed action-fantasy series, set about five years after the end of the last 'real' storyline of the title. When I mean 'real', I mean based on the original manga story on which Naruto is based- from episode 120 or so onwards, the anime diverges into dreaded 'filler' storylines and sidequests that really have little or nothing to do with the main plotlines. Fillers usually occur when the anime catches up to the manga version, so to give the manga time to finish, the animators go on their own paths... which is not always good. Particularly horrible filler episodes were resposible for the downfall of the Rurouni Kenshin anime (Black Knights... Feng Shui Assassins... Agh...), and could have also brought down even this mega-popular series.

I mean, delving into stuff like the backstories and experiences of the other ninja characters in Naruto isn't half bad, really- but when Naruto and company start fighting Ninja Cooks out to get his favorite Noodle Kiosk Chef, it's really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Well anyway, after the original Naruto anime reached episode 220, the Naruto Shippuden series finally started, getting back onto the real nitty-gritty of the main plot.
Set several years after Sasuke Uchiha left Konoha Village to train with the evil Orochimaru, Shippuden sees a grown-up Naruto Uzumaki coming home after a prolonged training period with legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. In his absence, the other Gennin have not been idle. Sakura Haruno particularly has become a force to be reckoned with, not only having superior medical talents but the monstrous strength of her teacher, legendary Sannin and current Konoha Hokage, Tsunade. Everyone else has also been promoted to Chunnin, or even Jounin rank... leaving poor Naruto the only one who is still a lowly Gennin. To get them ready, Sakura and Naruto are immediately sent into a challenging test of skill... and they'll need all their new powers in the trials ahead. Far away, in the Village of the Sand, the evil Akatsuki are already moving, seeking to capture the Tailed Beasts to use for their own purposes... and their first target is Gaara of the Desert...

Watching Shippuden was a mixed bag- I love this world and the characters, and the story and action is tops. There's even a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor as the Shippuden characters occasionally interact with their younger, original series versions during chapter breaks. However, the animation of the episodes is a bit disappointing- in fact, it's downright embarrassing at parts and nowhere near the quality of the original series. Also- another thing that is consistent with the original series- it looks like the action is going to be dragged out as always. In the first three episodes, little really happens. It really gets you pumped to watch the next installment, but darn- I wish they were able to squeeze in more in each episode. Oh well.

As I said, I'm neck-deep into Naruto already, and thankfully I haven't really watched many fillers to get tired of this title. This will hopefully make up for in innovative action and cool plots and characters where it is lacking right now in animation quality.

Now to get back to my ninja training...

Aftermath SPOILER WARNING Okay. I got to read Ci...

2007-02-22T14:24:00.000+08:00

Aftermath

SPOILER WARNING

Okay. I got to read Civil War #7 last night and my first reaction was... WTF?

WHERE did those guys come from?? Heroes clashing left and right, people getting their HEADS caved in, power blasts flaring all around and a bunch of police and firemen appear out of nowhere to save Tony Stark's butt? EH? Man, after 9/11 these firemen and police are just stepping up to the fore, aren't they? Pretty hokey to me but what the heck. The art in the issue was consistent and cool, though I was kinda disappointed that the visual in the previous post was actually the cover, and not an interior panel. All in all a satsfactory end to the Civil War storyline- not exactly the slam-bang ending I would have wanted, but it'll do.

That said, the new status quo is intriguing and I guess there was really no way to go aside from here. I can only hope it translates well to future issues.

War's End Marvel Comics' Civil War event has be...

2007-02-21T16:49:00.000+08:00

War's End

Marvel Comics' Civil War event has been a great ride for me, easily the best thing to happen to comics since... well, since Secret Wars. Yeah, I liked Infinite Crisis over at DC, but the resulting 52 series and the fiasco of One Year Later confusion came off a bit heavy-handed. Yeah, I'm collecting 52 and will hopefully read it all once it's complete, but for instant gratification and hard-hitting action and great art, Civil War delivers. While it was pretty clear that Cap and the Anti-registration Side are the more 'heroic' and have that underdog vibe that us Pinoys love, I must admit that I actually find some of Iron Man's arguments not too hard to swallow. Well, no matter which side wins, it's pretty sure that this issue about Super Hero Registration won't rest in peace after this issue, but will continue to work it's way throughout the Marvel Universe of titles. I have to admit I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

In the meantime, if that single panel above is any indication, Civil War #7 should be pretty awesome. I can't wait to get my hands on my copy (tomorrow, damn it). War may be hell, but darn... this war was pretty cool.

Virtua Fighter 5 Review Beating people up has ne...

2007-02-21T14:02:00.000+08:00

Virtua Fighter 5 Review

Beating people up has never been this beautiful.

Virtua Fighter 5 is finally on the PS3, and fighting game enthusiasts can now enjoy the elite of beat �em ups outside of Japan arcades. But to enjoy VF5 at it�s fullest, you�ll need not only a PS3 but a good, big-screen HDTV as well. But even if the price of admission may be a bit steep, fighting game fans won�t regret a thing once this beauty is running in 720p hi-def loveliness before their eyes. This game truly LOOKS like a big budget brawler. Thankfully though, it also plays like one.
VF5 will be embraced by those who already love the series as perhaps the pinnacle of home brawlers. For those coming in fresh to VF, this is a deep, technical fighter that rewards practice and dedication. A few glaring flaws keep VF5 from being the end-all, be-all of fighters, but this is still one impressive title that is a genuine reason to get a PS3.

The small but slam-tastic newcomer El Blaze is sure to be a favorite.

Graphics
No game looks as �Next-Gen� (well, now-gen) as Virtua Fighter 5. It positively leaves every other fighting game in the dust in terms of looks, particularly with the character models. The fighters are the best yet in terms of lifelike detail, texture and complexity, and this is fitting since the game truly focuses on the fighters themselves. Characters like Shun and Lau are wrinkled and leathery, while babes like Aoi and Pai look like they can star in soap commercials. While not as expansive or interactive as in other games, the stages are awash with detail and bright color. More than one stage shows off cool effects, like individual cherry blossom petals in the Shrine Stage, reflective floors in the Mansion or impressive water ripples in the Ruins Stage.
The fighters also animate pretty much perfectly at a rock-solid frame rate, with fluid martial arts moves and satisfyingly painful reactions to various hits. Fabric and clothing also animate convincingly, even looking damp when a character gets splashed in water.

Gameplay
In terms of fighting action, VF5 is the best of a series that has made realistic fighting it�s main strength. No fireballs or super moves- just painful blows, bone-breaking grapples and dangerous-looking throws that are more or less grounded in real world martial arts. With just three buttons and the joystick, you have access to literally hundreds of moves and combos.
While you can play a shallow game of just blocking and striking hard and fast, the game truly rewards players who take the effort to learn more advanced techniques like evades, throw-escapes, counters, juggles, guaranteed moves and so forth. It will definitely require a lot of practice, but you will see the fruits of your labors with amazing matches and satisfying victories.
What�s great overall about the VF fighting system (and which fans will stand by against) is the game�s balance and fluidity- there isn�t an overwhelming emphasis on counters or dialed-in combos. There are 17 unique fighters and martial arts styles to choose, each with strengths and weaknesses you have to master and compensate for respectively. For the most part though, the best thing about VF5 is that it is far more accessible and playable particularly for newcomers to the game than previous installments. But as always, skill and practice is rewarded- the more you put into this game, the more you get out of it.

Whether you're using slippery ninja Kage or graceful dancing girl Aoi, the balanced gameplay gives every player an even playing field.

That said, in terms of modes, VF5 is, unfortunately, pretty basic. There�s no Story Mode (everything plot-wise about VF is handled off-game) at all, with just a basic Arcade Mode and VS Mode for starters. The Dojo or Training Mode is adequate, but not as helpful or deep as it could have been- more options or a bit more user-friendly options (like the ability to have the CPU demo any of the many moves) would have improved the Dojo a lot. Finally, the VF TV mode is just a glorified Watch Mode which has very limited use or appeal.

The Quest Mode will surely be the single player�s activity for the most part, letting you travel through a virtual Tokyo and challenge various A.I. opponents of varying levels. Success is rewarded with gold and various emblems and items. Still, it�s pretty basic as well- all you pretty much need to do is just beat everyone you find, with no variation of parameters or goals.
VF5�s Customize Mode is much improved from the previous games, and easily impresses as the best implementation so far of this feature. You can give your character a personal touch, radically changing their appearance with dozens and dozens of clothing variants, hairstyles, items and options. But while the fan service in VF has certainly been ramped up (all the girls have been �sexed up�), every option and customization is still in line with each character�s style and the game�s relatively conservative stance� if you want bikini fighters, there�s always DOA.

Shiny, sexy Dural is unlockable as a playable character by beating the game with every other character.

Sound
The sounds in VF5 are a mixed bag- each stage comes with an accompanying tune that sets the atmosphere well but is may not appeal to some. You�ll either like it or not, but none of it is bad at least.
The sound effects are the same sounds from previous VF games. Hits like major kicks or big pounce attacks slam hard, while stuff like Akira�s deadly moves boom out like thunder. It�s all impressive and cool, and gives powerful attacks a lot more emphasis.

The voices are mostly well-done, though English lines are often funny if not totally hilarious. The most painful voice samples though belong not to the fighters but to the optional English Commentary, which I prefer turned off due to the seemingly bored, flat and off-kilter delivery.

Replayability and Fun Factor
There are 17 unique fighters to choose from, and it will take hours to even begin to get good with any single one. The single player game is long if you dedicate yourself to unlocking every item and beating every A.I. opponent in the Quest Mode. However, this game shines in VS, one-on-one play with two human players. It�s a big glaring fault though that VF5 has no online capability- no online play is fine, but it would have made VF5 that much more enjoyable and rewarding if you could update the game with new moves and items like the arcade version, or if you could post replay data online to show off your best matches. More modes as well and more detailed options wouldn�t have hurt at all.
That said, there�s more than enough deep, satisfying fighting action here for any beat �em up fan, and that at least is where VF5�s strengths count the most.

Final Word
Virtua Fighter 5 is without a doubt the most beautiful-looking and playing fighter out right now for a home console. With the best graphics and animation around, challenging and deep fighting action that only gets better as you do, VF5 is truly a champion among fighters and finally, a great reason to get a PS3 and enter the world of HD next-gen gaming.

Schooltime Shipping Yes, it's finally happened.....

2007-02-19T11:53:00.000+08:00

Schooltime Shipping

Yes, it's finally happened... Avatar goes Super-Deformed.

Yet another entry into the series of little feature 'appetizers' for in preparation for the Third Season of Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted over the weekend. It's an anime-style short entitled Schooltime Shipping, and features SD (Super Deformed) versions of Aang, Katara, Zuko and a lot of the Avatar Gang in a silly, school situation comedy. Three more shorts will supposedly follow in the following weeks/months, again to keep fans of Avatar marginally sated as they wait for the next installment of the mega-popular fantasy-adventure series.

Another development is the confirmation of the new voice actor for Uncle Iroh, Greg Baldwin, who replaces the late Mako.

To check out "Schooltime Shipping", go here. The password is 'KOH'.

Stockpile One of the cooler things I've been able...

2007-02-19T00:52:00.000+08:00

Stockpile

One of the cooler things I've been able to do recently is collect piles of stuff. Piles of games, piles and piles and piles of comics and piles of DVDs and downloaded shows. The only thing is, I haven't really had time to really start on enjoying a lot of them. Scratch that... Almost all of them. I've been collecting the whole 52 series from DC, and I haven't read a single issue. That goes as well for several other titles I'm still collecting. On the digital front, I've been downloading stuff like crazy and I haven't been able to watch any yet, like Heroes and a truckload of anime.

Well, that's gonna change. I'm gonna start actually looking at the stuff I'm downloading and buying. Just this night, I popped in the creepy series Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. I really should have gotten into this series earlier, seeing as how I am really interested by the premise of ghosts and the supernatural. Anyway, GS is all about a girl who can see ghosts, often being approached by spirits for aid in 'crossing over'. Yep, it's pretty much "The Sixth Sense" the Series, but with a babe instead of a little kid. The pilot episode has humor, creepy moments and freaky bits... and of course, moments of sadness. I think I like it, and I'll probably keep watching it. It'll be a good thing to see while I'm waiting for the next episode of Ghost Hunters.

Six Namco finally shows off its Big Gun. After ...

2007-02-16T18:26:00.000+08:00

Six

Namco finally shows off its Big Gun.

After mucking about and giving its last installment a Dark Resurrection, Namco-Bandai's Tekken series finally moves on to a REAL sequel. The first time we saw signs of the sixth King of Iron Fist Tournament, it was just a CG 'concept' teaser. The second was an underwhelming trailer with graphics that really didn't impress at all (especially when placed side by side with graphics from competition like Virtua Fighter 5). But now, in a late-breaking development, Tekken 6 has finally reared it's not-at-all-ugly head from development mirk, to show up online in the form of a nifty official website, showing off two brand new characters, some screens and a slick trailer.

Hey! It's Vaan from Final Fantasy XII!

At first glance, Tekken 6 looks really slick, but once you give the trailer a closer look, some things are apparent. For starters, there are CG pre-rendered images along with the actual gameplay stuff. While the actual in-game character models are improved a bit from Tekken 5- mainly by being more rounded and smooth, and sporting lots of nice detail particularly with clothing- it's not a big departure from the last Tekken. There's that bit of 'plasticky skin' syndrome, as well as the usual lifeless eyes.
In short, it's better than before, but actually still inferior to the character models in the competition, AKA Virtua Fighter 5. I think it's mainly a bit of the details of character sculpting- faces are kinda iffy, and even females have HUGE hands. Perhaps it's the 'Tekken-ish' style of being a bit cartoony, still at work. Basically, it's still Tekken, for better or worse. As for animations, that is still up in the air. I hope that Namco went the extra mile and re-did their animations instead of recycling the same movements they've been using since Tekken Tag Tournamnet. We'll just have to see how this pans out when more gameplay footage is revealed.

Zafina brings her slinky fighting style to the table.

As for the new characters so far revealed- Leo looks like he just stepped off the Final Fantasy boat, with his blonde hair and effeminate looks. His overall look brings to mind Rock Howard from Fatal Fury; he definitely has this 'lone hero' feel- is he a new main character? As for fighting style, it's some kind of karate, not unlike Jin's. Probably the most intriguing thing about Leo though is... is he really a SHE? There's a growing suspicion among gamers that Leo just might be a girl in disguise. If so, this is probably a first in fighting games...
The second new face, Zafina, is a sexy female who sports predictably little clothing and, like Lili before her, a fighting style that's about as authentic and probable as Using the Force. She seems to slither, curling up in impossible twists and having some dangerous-looking special effects accompanying some of her major blows (though this may be shared by all the characters). Still, I can't complain about her looks. You can never have enough hot Tekken babes. Never. Heh.

Tekken 6 will supposedly feature the biggest character roster in the series, so Leo and Zafina won't be the last new fighters we'll see. Another feature is Character Customization, which will allow you to totally alter your character's look- the trailer shows Asuka transforming into a wild, punk ninja hybrid, while Gun Jack is seen with various parts that make him look like a humanoid tank. Hopefully Namco will take a page from Sega's book for some really cool and sexy custom characters. As for the actual fighting, I wasn't able to see much to judge whether Namco just recycled their animations again or if things are totally new. We'll just have to wait and see, but I'll just say that I'm hopeful. And I'll also say I want to see Soul Calibur IV too.

The website says that Tekken 6 will be out '2007', so we can only hope that Namco doesn't take too long to bring out this much-awaited new brawler. Let's see if it holds a candle to the reigning PS3 fighting champ. Round two in the battle of next-gen fighting juggernauts has begun.

To see what the next-gen of Tekken looks like, go to The Official Tekken 6 Website.

Home Arcade My new toy, the Hori Real Arcade Pro...

2007-02-16T00:06:00.000+08:00

Home Arcade

My new toy, the Hori Real Arcade Pro Stick 3, with a Sixaxis controller as a size reference.

My first-ever specialized game accessory ever, an arcade-style stick controller called the Hori Real Arcade Pro Stick 3 (say that 3 times), arrived early today. Of course, the first thing I did once I got back home from work was plug it into the ol' PS3 and start playing Virtua Fighter 5. The stick works well, with a nice feel- though I have to admit it took a bit getting used to. Some characters seemed to take easily to being controlled by the stick, while some took a bit more work.
I should be getting used to the thing soon after a day or two of use. I'm still quite amazed at the size of the thing- it's quite substantial, able to cover up my whole lap with its size. It will be interesting to see how my VF5 game improves with this bad boy. Another thing this may be kinda cool to use with would be for driving games- the responsiveness seems to work well there. I should try to use this thing at every opportunity to get my money's worth from it. But what the heck- live a little, my friend always said. Heh.

Let loose the Cogs of War Though I may be neck-...

2007-02-14T14:55:00.000+08:00

Let loose the Cogs of War

Though I may be neck-deep into Virtua Fighter 5 on the PS3 these days, I got a bit of time to take a break from hand-to-hand martial arts combat and get into some relaxingly bloody firefights on my Xbox360. The game on point, Epic Games' gritty and bleak futuristic tactical third-person shooter, Gears of War.
Now, ever since it's release last November, GOW has been carving a name for itself as perhaps the Xbox360's best game- never mind Oblivion or Halo 2 or whatever... this game suddenly spread like wildfire, seemingly overnight becoming Microsoft's BFG in the war with Sony and the PS3. I got into this title late (not really a fan of shooters), but even just a couple of hours in, I can tell why.

Gears of War is set in the future, on a human-colonized planet called Sera. After a devastating war, mankind further gets pushed near total extinction during the event known as "Emergence Day", when a race of subterranean creatures known as The Locust Horde invade the surface. Ranging from brutish humanoid warriors to gigantic insect-like monsters, the Locust all have but one goal- to wipe out humanity from the face of the planet. The player takes the role of Marcus Fenix(who bears a striking resemblance to WWE Superstar Batista), a disgraced former soldier who is drafted back into the fray as the conflict reaches a turning point. With just your old friend Domingo Santiago or 'Dom', and two other members of the crack Delta Squad, you're tasked to save your race through a bloody, action-packed, multi-part campaign. Think Platoon or Full Metal Jacket meets Independence Day/War of the Worlds with a smattering of Starship Troopers and you get GOW.

What separates GOW from being a simple FPS (First-person Shooter) is that it is mainly played in Third Person, switching only to your characters' perspective when firing your weapon. A big part of the gameplay (in fact, integral to it) is the use of team tactics and cover. It is imperative to find cover and snipe at enemies from safe or at least less-dangerous vantage points, and to move into positions to outmaneuver your crafty enemies. Rushing in like Rambo is a no deal- you have to take things smartly, duck-and-shoot, roll-and-shoot, hide and outsmart the Locust as often as you'll face them. This is because for the most part you'll often be outnumbered and even outsized, and even short exposure to open enemy fire will result in death. Luckily, the game's intuitive controls make going from cover-to-cover easy, (everything is done with just one button) and soon after you begin the game you'll be moving like a seasoned vet in no time. Also important, and a minigame in itself, is the simple act of reloading your weapon. Press the reload button at the right time when an onscreen meter flashes and you'll reload extra fast- miss your mark and your weapon will jam for a bit, which just may be the difference between life or death. Ouch.

Visually, the game looks quite amazing- easily the 360's best-looking game, and it even outdos most PS3 games as well. Whether it's on standard TVs or HD TVs, GOW looks smashing, with hyper-detailed character models and environments communicating perfectly a ravaged earth being fought over tooth and nail by human and monster. That translates to sound as well, with guttural bellows and grunts mixing with your characters' cusses and cries, over rapid gunfire and explosions. War may be hell, but it's damn interesting to hear.

There are two images I'll easily remember of GOW right off the bat- seeing your character do a 'roadie run', where the camera takes a behind-and-beneath the character point-of-view as he makes a mad dash for the next bit of cover; it captures perfectly the look and feel of a handheld camera, as if some unseen war correspondent was hobbling behind Fenix as he runs. It's an iconic image that just characterizes this game perfectly.
The other trademark GOW image is that of taking out an enemy (or getting taken out yourself) with a CHAINSAW- GOW's answer to bayonets. It's gory (blood splattering everywhere) and messy but quite satisfying (heh). I'm just a few hours into the game and I have to say I'm impressed. I think I'll be seeing this Game of the Year to the end. I still hold Oblivion to be my favorite 360 game so far, but GOW is right up there with it.

If you get yourself an Xbox360, make sure this one's locked and loaded in the package.

Fetching a Stick Even though I was able to get ...

2007-02-14T00:50:00.000+08:00

Fetching a Stick

Even though I was able to get my copy of Virtua Fighter 5 several days ago (and have been enjoying myself immensely ever since), a little mishap prevented me from turning The Sanctum into an arcade. The specially-made Virtua Stick High Grade arcade-style controllers made by Sega specially for VF5 turned out to have a defect, causing their recall from production and an indefinite hold on any release. And so, I was up a creek without a stick. For a while, I decided to forget about getting an arcade stick, but really- the Sixaxis controller, while adequate, isn't the best thing to use with VF5's motions. Even some moves, like simple evades (just tapping up or down on the pad) is difficult, which is really cramping my style. And so, I decided to think about getting a stick again.

This time, I'm getting the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 Stick, which came out about the same time VF5 did. It's the other PS3 arcade-style stick controller released recently, and it's supposedly quite durable and of very high quality. What the heck. It's not like I'm going to spend my dough on an expensive Valentine's Day date or anything. Heh.

Sticking it to the Opponent I just made perhaps t...

2007-02-03T19:09:00.000+08:00

Sticking it to the Opponent

I just made perhaps the purchase that pretty much proves that I am OBSESSED with Virtua Fighter 5. It's the Virtua Stick High Grade, an arcade-style, arcade-quality controller made specially for the PS3 by Sega for use with it's upcoming high profile beat 'em up sequel. You can order the thing along with a copy of VF5 at a nice reduced price, so I ended up cancelling my previous preorder for just the game and went for the combo offer.
I'm a bit giddy... It's my first real game accessory ever- never bought a wheel or Guncon myself in all my years of gaming. On the good side, I should be able to use the thing for other fighters in the future, perhaps even on the Xbox360. So I'll try to get my money's worth of fighting action from it.

So now, The Sanctum really is turning into an arcade, complete with Hi-def LCD TV, PS3, latest hottest fighting game and a frickin' joystick controller. I'm counting the darn hours away to this game, which is set for release in Asia and Japan later this week on February 8. If nothing goes wrong and FedEx continues it's winning streak with me, I should be enjoying a Virtua Fighting Weekend very soon.