Top and Bottom Anime of 2016

Note: This will be my second attempt at writing this as Blogger is sometimes a huge pile of crap. Apparently hitting CTRL+Z too many times without any edits in the history will delete your entire post. Why? Why indeed.

We come, finally, to the last list of the year. Anime! Glorious anime. If you know me well then you know I love animation. So it should be no surprise that I am making a list for it too. The only downside is that you have to read it; but that's only a downside for you. Shall we start?

I decided to shorten this up a bit since the Video Game list proved to be really long. It helps to keep things snappier, right? Anyways, the farther down the respective list the item is, the more it is liked/loathed. Honorable mentions are all good but are in no particular order.

Top and Bottom? Games of 2016

This is a bit more long-winded than I thought it would be. Mostly because I played more than I thought I did. Again, this is stuff I played this year and the stuff I liked more, or disliked, is farther down the respective list. Luckily, there was not that much I played that stank this year. That's always a plus.

It also bears mentioning that all of these games are available on PC; Steam or GOG.

Just a side note: I stuck Visual Novels into their own category and they are all solid likes. They are mostly narrative, though, so I didn't feel it was right to include them with the more interactive media.

Read it in chunks if you have to but it is mandatory to finish by the end of the year. It's best to force it on others as a punishment.

Top and Bottom Movies of 2016

*Disclaimer-This only accounts for movies I have seen/experienced for the first time in 2016. Many of these are new movies but they are not necessarily. Also, I did not write about literally everything I watched. And, for a while there was a bit of a lull where I did not write about anything(been busy and lazy). Regardless, here's a useless list of garbage. The further down the list it is the more I enjoyed it; or, in the case of the latter category, loathed it.

The Cat Lady - Game Review

The Caty Lady is a very melancholic game. That needs to be said immediately. The game opens on the protagonist, Susan Ashworth, committing suicide in her home. This begins a very bizarre journey where we see exactly what kind of disgusting beasts humans can be and why, exactly, Susan was so ready to end her own life. Along the way there are plenty of puzzles to be solved and decisions to be made!

Update!

So, why has this been so barren lately? Honestly, I have been a bit out of sorts. There's been a lot going on and I'm trying to iron out some things IRL.

Will I come back and start to add things again? Oh, ya, probably. I enjoy writing but I have to be in the mood for it and it is just hard to motivate myself lately. I have a bunch of stuff I could probably talk about, though.

That's all for now. I might push something out for the heck of it in a few days. :D

Koihime Enbu - Simple Character Notes

Just search for the character/assist you want. I would like to add links but the site has been fussy and I can't figure it out.

Notes: Things labeled as invincible means, almost universally, on startup only. It is intended to be used as a reversal option. Also, despite how some of them look, all 6Bs are invincible to lows and are labeled as such. Anything in brackets [5C] means it needs to be held.

As always, if anything needs to be added/removed/corrected, please let me know and I shall amend it.

Updated: December 8, 2016-Revised a lot of text. Added and removed things where necessary. Added Assist section. Cleaned up the formatting a bit.

Maria Holic - Manga Review - Volumes: 1-6

Publisher: Tokyopop
Purchased: Rightstuf

Maria Holic is a story about a girl who dislikes boys so much she was willing to transfer to an all girls school to get away from them. Our "heroine", Kanako Miyamae, not only dislikes boys(they literally give her hives on contact), she loves girls! Upon reaching her so-called paradise, she encounters a snarky maid followed by her retainer Mariya Shidou. Mariya welcomes Kanako to the school and through skillful conversation uncovers Kanako's dirty secret. Before parting ways, Mariya manages a sneaky kiss on Kanako. Oddly, Kanako notices some hives. What in the....?

Having set up a meeting later, to tour the school with Mariya, Kanako sets out in search for her. After running across Mariya and her maid in the closet she notices that Mariya is not all she seemed to be. In fact, Mariya is not even a girl. Mariya is a guy! A cross-dressing guy! He's also mean and cruel!

Having accidentally revealed Mariya's secret, Kanako finds herself suddenly roommates with Mariya. It looks like things are going to get interesting.

A quick preface: I picked this bundle up on sale a while ago. Almost a year? I did not read it right away since I had other literary obligations(The Lord of the Rings trilogy). This group of books has also been out for a very long time, though; since 2011 in fact.

fault - milestone two side:above - Visual Novel Review

Price: $15
Platform: PC(Steam)
Developer: Alice in Dissonance
Publisher: Sekai Project
DLC: Sort of(OST and Art Book)
Microtransactions: None

Note: This is a direct sequel to fault - milestone one. If you have not yet experienced that story, then please, for your own sake, go read that insdtea. I assure you you will make it back here again.

We pick up immediately where we left off in milestone one with Melano appearing out of nowhere and Selphine acting strangely. Ritona is forced to use something garish to try and gain an advantage in the situation. However, after this tense moment, Melano shows some tricks of her own. Tricks that are completely out of the scope of everyone's imagination.

USB Controller Stuck on Player 2 (PC) - Possible Fix

For no reason my PS2(DirectInput) pad switched from Player 1 and 2 to Player 2 and 3 on my PC Fighting Games. The Logitech F310(XInput) pad has never had any issues at all. I connect my PS2 pad to my PC via a 2-port USB hub. Why did this occur? I have no idea at all. It just happened one day. How did I fix it? Well, read on and maybe it will help you to resolve your problem!

Now, what worked for me was a variety of things. I did some research on it but none of the solutions solved the issue. Fortunately, I stumbled on to something that did bear fruit.

Manchurian Candidate (2004) - Movie Review

Duration: 2h 9m
Watched: TV(Unedited)

The Manchurian Candidate follows up with a couple of soldiers after a traumatic incident in the Gulf War. The unit was taken by surprise by the enemy and suffered a couple of casualties. Despite the chaos Sergeant Raymond Shaw took over command from his CO, who was rendered unconscious, and led his unit to safety. Or so everyone is led to believe. Even though everyone of the survivors knows this story to be true, they still have their doubts; seeing the same bizarre dreams repeatedly with astounding accuracy. Surely it could just be PTSD?

Corpse Party - Game Review

Platform: PC
Supplied: GOG
Developer: Team GrisGris
Publisher: XSEED Games
DLC/Microtransactions: Nothing

Corpse Party is a Puzzle/Adventure/Horror game set in a grisly school. A group of friends and classmates want to make sure they remain friends forever. To do so, they decide to perform a simple friendship charm. Well, unfortunately for them, things do not go as planned and they are thrown into a hellish world of death and decay. With things like traps, ghosts, lunatics, and even starvation as obstacles, their very survival is at stake!

Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code - Game Review

Price: $25
Platform: PC/Steam
Developer: French Bread
Publisher: Arc System Works
DLC: None

Melty Blood is a fast paced fighting game set in the Tsukihime universe. If you are familiar with that, then you might know what kind of characters to expect. The game offers basic modes as well as a very functional Network mode to take your skills online and compete with other players. It has just about all you need as far as graphics and performance options. Overall, this is a very complete experience.

Why is this so late you ask? Would you believe me if I said I completely forgot about it?

Kurokami - Random Thoughts

Kurokami is a story I came onto randomly while searching for potential low-price gems in RightStuf's clearance section. It had two volumes, each were priced reasonably low and the story premise sounded bizarre. A world based on "Luck" and everyone had 2 other lookalikes in addition to themselves to keep the "Luck" balanced. If they met, some nasty stuff happened. It seemed like a perfect random title to grab.

Dragonar Academy - Anime Review

Duration: 12 episodes
Published: Funimation
Supplied: Blurays purchased via RightStuf

Dragonar Academy is set in a world where many people have the fortune to be "Breeders". People who are specifically marked with a "Star Brand" to show that they will one day give birth to a dragon. Dragons are a key component in this society and they are held in extremely high regard. We follow one such breeder, Ash Blake, who has yet to give birth to his personal dragon companion.

Steins;Gate - Visual Novel Review

Played: PS3
Price: Varies by platform
Developer: MAGES.INC
DLC: None
Genre: Visual Novel

*Note: This is on Steam! Check it out.

Rintaro Okabe attends a conference on time travel, only to find out that it is a farce. However, after witnessing the aftermath of a brutal murder he is shocked to his very core. An innocent text message sent from his phone regarding the murder inadvertently changes the course of human history. His message somehow went into the past!

Random PC Hard Hang/Freezing - Possible Fix

Once upon a time I had major PC freezing issues.

Hardware
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97
CPU: AMD FX-6100 Zambezi 6-core 3.3GHz
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD7850
RAM: 12GBs Crucial
(All other hardware was superfluous and was ruled out through meticulous troubleshooting methods)

Operating System
Windows 8/8.1

When I first built this PC I had absolutely no problems with it. Over time, with updates and changing the OS from XP-64bit to Windows 8 something changed. I occasionally would get random hard hangs while running video/gaming content. A problem like this was extremely hard to diagnose but through an iron will and a ton of time I was able to figure it out.

UEFI BIOS Navigation Problems and Possible Fix

I ran into a bizarre issue when going into the BIOS settings on my ASUS M5A97 motherboard. The mouse was stuck in the corner and would not move. The keyboard was also noticeably lacking in functionality.

This had never happened to me before so I was completely baffled. The issue seemed to be power being drawn from the mobo through USB. After unplugging 2 items it responded immediately.

I have had numerous issues with USB power in the past while running the OS but I never ran into it while cruising the BIOS.

If you run into this problem, try unplugging a few items. It's a simple fix that might just work.

Battleborn - Game Review

Developer: Gearbox
Publisher: 2k
Microtransactions: Yes
Version: PC
Supplied: purchased through Humble Bundle

Update 8/23/2016: I added a few bits having played it some more.
Update 9/14/2016: Cleaned up some grammar.

Battleborn is a game where a large group of wacky characters come together to tackle certain objectives in PvE or PvP environments. There are a lot of heroes from which to choose who all play in a variety of ways and fill varying roles. It's you and 4 others for PvE challenges and a 5v5 game in PvP; level up as you take out the baddies. The 3 game modes for PvP are Incursion, Meltdown, and Capture.

House of the Dead - Movie Review

Duration: Too Long
Watched: Bootleg(It happens when you can't find a legit copy.)

The party of the century is happening on a remote island, for some reason. A bunch of early-twenties aged people missed the boat so they have to enlist the aid of a random sailor of some sort. Initially they refuse to help until the price is right. Avoiding the cops, they depart and eventually make contact with the island. However, not all is well here as people are missing and there seems to be no trace of them.

Star Trek: Beyond - Movie Review

Duration: ~2hrs
Watched: Theater

We pretty much jump right into this story with Kirk and crew a little over halfway into their 5yr Mission. Fortunately, they are up for a break on the brand new Yorktown Station. Shortly after arrival, an out of control pod of some description is picked up by the station with some awful news regarding a lost ship and crew in an uncharted nebula. The Enterprise is dispatched to figure out exactly what happened. What awaits beyond the cloud?

When They Cry - Rei - Anime Review

Duration: 5 episodes
Supplied: Purchased via RighStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

*Note: Absolutely do not watch this if you have not yet watched the first two parts of the series.

We are back, once again, in tiny Hinamizawa with Keiichi and Co. Things should all be back to normal, right? Well, they are, for the most part. Having fun with your friends at the swimming pool is a great way to celebrate a hard-fought victory against fate itself. However, after being careless things start to go awry once again. Will there be a way out this time?

Burger Review?

Ya....why not? I just had the "pleasure" to eat one of Burger King's A-1 burgers. I have gotta say, it was kind of bland. It was literally a couple of pieces of bacon on 2 meat patties with a slice of cheese. Oh ya, there was some A-1 sauce on it too but I could barely tell. It barely diverges from a regular bacon cheeseburger.

I would say my first experience with this burger was somewhat disappointing. There is definitely a lot to consume overall(it was quite large) but the flavor just was not popping. Maybe it needed more sauce or something? I don't know.

I would try it again hoping it would be better the second time but I am not sure I would recommend it based on my initial impression. It was barely okay; totally forgettable.

Dark Souls - Some Thoughts

I have recently been playing a lot of Dark Souls on the PC. Having finished up Demon's Souls a while ago I can see a lot of quality of life improvements. No more item burden is a huge one. Overall, it is a lot better on the convenience factor. However, it is not all peaches and cream.

Under Night In-Birth: Exe Late - System Mechanics

As promised, here is the full text document of everything discussed in the video. If there is anything I forgot, please alert me and I will amend it. I think it is pretty thorough, however. It even contains things that are missing from the Wiki.

The Asterisk War - Anime Review

Duration: 24 Episodes
Watched: Crunchyroll
Published: Aniplex

Introduction
Ayato is a regular guy who gets in over his head far too easily. His first day he manages to earn the ire of one of the school's most powerful casters. Fortunately, he's a formidable warrior. He came to Asterisk to try and find out what has happened to his older sister, who turned up missing a few years before. It certainly will not be easy, though, as there seems to be a lot more going on behind the scenes than anyone would have believed.

Fantastic 4 - Movie Review

Duration: 1h 47m
Supplied: Redbox

The Short
Do not bother. It is bad. As bad as you may have heard.

The Long
Regardless of whether or not you know anything about the Fantastic 4 is irrelevant going into this movie. This story takes a young Reed Richards and has him building a teleporter. He takes it to the Science Fair a little while later and proves it works with a live demonstration. Unfortunately, he gets disqualified but is noticed by Franklin Storm who is at a random school Science Fair for some reason. A full scholarship later and we have the start of our movie.

Flightplan - Movie Review

Duration: 1h 38m
Watched: Trapped in a moving coffin!

Kyle Pratt is flying home to bury the body of her husband. Accompanying her on the trip is her 6yr old daughter Julia. Shortly after the flight starts, Kyle awakes to find that her daughter Julia is missing and no one seems to know anything about it. In fact, No one remembers seeing her at all. What is going on?

The Familiar of Zero - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

Louise is a terrible mage. Everything she tries to do magically results in a disaster; usually an explosion. When it comes time for all 2nd year magic students to summon their life-long magical familiars, everyone is understandably on edge when it's Louise's turn to begin the ritual. While all the other students ended up with some sort of animal familiar, Louise is not so fortunate. She manages to summon a totally average human male; Saito Hiraga. Forced to keep him as her familiar, shenanigans ensue.

Dream Eater Merry - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

In a universe where dreams are a lot more integrated into the fabric of existence we can experience whole new levels of nightmares. Yumeji Fujiwara has a unique ability; he can tell exactly what kind of dream you are going to have and his accuracy is terrifying! Yumeji, unfortunately, has been having recurring nightmares about cats and has no idea why. His dreams and reality eventually collide when he meets a strange girl named Merry who is looking for answers of her own.

When They Cry - Kai

Duration: 24 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentain Filmworks

Note: If you have not yet seen When They Cry - Season 1, then I suggest you do not bother reading this until you have. As with anything I write on horror, though, this will be rather brief.

Welcome back to Hinamizawa! The place where terrible things happen to nice people; repeatedly. If you are looking for more then you have come to the right place!

This second installment is in-addition-to the first. If you have not seen the first season, then stop yourself right now and watch it first.

Leviathan - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks


In Leviathan we are in the world of Aquafall. A meteorite descends to the surface unleashing untold hoards of monster-like insects known as Lucasites, which in turn release drones known as Toripu. To deal with this threat, the Fairy, Syrup, travels to enlist the help of eager young heroes to form the Aquafall Defense. In this we get to meet our trio of heroines who all just happen to be named after giant beasts of Nordic mythology; Leviathan, Bahamut, and Jormungandr . Oh, wait, they can actually transform and take on dragon characteristics? And they wield different styles of magic? Ya, sure, let's see what this is about!

Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya - Anime Review

Duration: 11 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

*Note: This series is a completely isolated spinoff and any prior knowledge about anything in the Fate universe is absolutely unnecessary.

Oh, another series in the Fate universe. Hey, this is a little different. It has some similar characters but sentient magic wands and Magical Girls? What is going on here?

Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya is a spinoff of the traditional Fate series and it stars Illyasviel Von Einzbern as its main protagonist. She ends up accidentally coming into contact with a strange, and pushy, magic wand. Being transformed into a Magical Girl was a total accident; what's the worst that could happen? Maybe it is better that we do not ask that....

Canaan - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Bluray purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

Canaan is set in Shanghai, China and is focused on the titular Canaan and her relationships with others; good or bad. Canaan is a top-tier assassin due to her advanced synesthesia. It allows her to discern many things that other people simply cannot. There are a lot of things happening: things like murder, terrorism, biological warfare, revenge, and assassinations. There is a little bit of everything and potentially something for everyone.

Random Stuff

I haven't been watching anything really "new to me" lately so I haven't posted much. However, that is not to say that I have not been idle and not watching or experiencing anything. So let's go over some of that shall we?

Another Me: Okay, this one WAS new to me, but it was shit. This is a horror story(I think?) starring Sophie Turner(you know her as Sansa Stark if you watch Game of Thrones), which is initially what drew me to watch it in the first place. Unfortunately, the plot is extremely lackluster, and the characters were bland and barely developed any personality at all. It also had a subplot that didn't really go anywhere exciting. Overall, I would give this a miss.

Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Tairan - Anime Review

Duration: 12 Episodes + 1 OVA
Supplied: DVDs purchased via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks

Here we are again in the third installment of the Koihime Musou series. In this season we discover a high ranking Lord is cursed and is slowly turning into a cat! They end up seeking the help of none other than Aisha and her group of bizarre characters. If you have made it this far you basically know what to expect. Why would you want it any other way?

Ant Man - Movie Review

Duration: 117m
Supplied: DVD produced via RedBox

Join newly reformed criminal Scott Lang as he falls ass-first into a crazy plot to save the world. Scott accidentally gets involved in a scheme to do some corporate sabotage after he comes into contact with the Ant Man suit. Interestingly enough, it turns out his particular skill set will be useful after all. Being able to shrink down to the size of an ant, and control literal ants themselves, it can only be the start of a wacky adventure!

Random Thoughts - Melty Blood: AACC Steam Edition

Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code launched on Steam not even 3 full weeks ago(at the time of this writing) and the online community is already a total ghost town. With such an anticipated launch for such a vaunted classic fighting game, it seems like this would be a total impossibility. Unfortunately, reality is much more unkind than most people would like to accept. So how did this happen? I suspect there are at least 2 main reasons: Old "pro" players at the game and hyperbolic discrediting of the game's online viability.

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc - Game Review

Price: $30
Developer: Spike Chunsoft, Abstraction Games
DLC: Not that I am aware
Genre: Visual Novel

Hope's Peak Academy is a school for only the ultimate students. So when Makoto gets accepted, he is shocked. He won a lottery and was deemed the Ultimate Lucky Student. Upon arriving at the school he blacks out and wakes up in a random empty classroom. Shortly after some initial exploration he meets a lot of other students in the exact same predicament. They are unable to leave the school due to it being completely locked down. They are soon after approached by a strange bear named Monokuma. He tells them that the only way out is to graduate, and that graduation requires the students to kill each other.

From the New World - Anime Review

Duration: 25 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Rightstuf
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Released: March 15, 2014

From the New World follows a group of children throughout many years of their lives. Their society is seemingly simplistic, if not intentionally archaic. However, one thing certainly stands out, and it is that everyone who lives there is able to utilize Psychokinesis(PK). As the kids explore they discover things that raise a lot of questions about their culture, its history, and the world at large. There is much more at stake than anyone could possibly realize.

Shiki - Anime Review

Shiki - Anime Review

Duration: 22+2
Supplied: Purchased Blurays via Rightstuf
Published: Funimation
Release: October 27th, 2010(originally by Aniplex)

Our story this time is set in a mountain-valley town called Sotoba. It is surrounded on 3 sides by wooded mountains and it is quite secluded. It is a small town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone and secrets and gossip are the main sources of entertainment. However, once a sickness starts to spread around the town people begin to worry. Even worse, the mortality rate for the illness is quite high. Things only seem to be accelerating too.

Shiki is yet another horror series that I picked up. I have been on a horror binge lately and just could not refuse. I thought this one might put me off but I decided on trying it anyways. I am glad that I did! I will not talk too much about the main theme but viewers will pick up on it right away. It is not complicated in the least but I hate giving too much away.

Melty Blood: AACC - Notes

A list of the stuff I wrote down for Melty Blood so I could do a demonstration video on it. It is NOT all-inclusive and exhaustive. However, it's a decent chunk of the mechanics and how different moons differentiate themselves. If there are errors I can easily rectify them. Just let me know!

I have made some corrections as of December 29, 2016

Shin Koihime Musou - Anime Review

Shin Koihime Musou - Anime Review

Duration: 12 Episodes + 1 OVA
Supplied: Purchased DVDs via RightStuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks
Released: March 1, 2011

We are back again with another installment of Koihime Musou! Our lovely heroines are back to undertake another journey with newcomer Ryuubi. Her sword and identity had been stolen during the events in the first season and she is looking to reclaim her lost weapon. Unfortunately, the sword seems to have legs and wanders from place to place. In this season we get to see actual sorcery as well as the possible birth of what we know now as musical idols!

fault - milestone one - Visual Novel Review

fault - milestone one - Visual Novel Review

Supplied: Steam
Price: $15
Released: August 9, 2013

I have never much been one to read for recreation so it comes as a surprise, even to me, that I am here now writing this. Blind purchases do sometimes pay off do they not? This is also the very first Visual Novel I have ever completed. Also keep in mind this is a Kinetic Novel so there is very little interaction with the player.

We open up this story with an assassination attempt by some insurgents against the monarchy of the kingdom. Forced to flee in an unconventional manner our protagonists end up some place that is both unexpected and almost inconceivable.

When They Cry - Anime Review

When They Cry - Anime Review

Duration: 26 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Rightstuf
Published: Sentai Filmworks
Released: March 15, 2016(this print)

Welcome to the sleepy little town of Hinamizawa. Nestled in a mountain valley, not a lot really happens in this place. Keiichi just recently moved here and is adjusting to the new rural lifestyle. Fortunately, Keiichi manages to become friends with some of his classmates. Through chance meetings and sarcastic comments, things are unwittingly discovered about Hinamizawa that people do not really like to discuss. Digging further into this mystery is where our story begins.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed - Game Review

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed - Game Review

Genre: Hack and Slash/Action
Developer: Idea Factory, Compile Heart, Tamsoft
Released: March 21, 2016
Price: $30 USD
Supplied: Steam
DLC: Yes, but very minor

Most people that know me, know that I am a pretty big fan of the Hyperdimension Neptunia(HDN) series. When I saw this game, a Vita port no less, pop up on Steam, I was excited instantly. Not owning a Vita, I was not privy to certain titles in one of my favorite series. This trend, fortunately, seems to be coming to an end as more and more of these games are ending up on PC.

The point of this game is to complete a bunch of quests so that the journalist that accompany the party, Dengekiko and Famitsu, can write a positive article about all the CPUs and CPU candidates. It's all pretty straightforward from there. Rest assured, the journalists are playable characters!

Another - Anime Review

Another - Anime Review

Duration: 12 Episodes
Watched: Crunchyroll
Published: Sentai Filmworks
Released: July 30, 2013 Locally

Another is a horror story which involves protagonist Kouichi Sakakibara. After moving from Tokyo to Yomiyama for the year, he attends the infamous Yomi North middle school. Being a newbie and an outsider, Kouichi does not understand what is going on with his fellow classmates or why certain things are happening. One thing, though, is for certain. Something is definitely not being discussed despite it obviously being on everyone's mind.

Koihime Musou - Anime Review

Koihime Musou - Anime Review

Duration: 12 Episodes + 1 OVA
Watched: Crunchyroll
Published: Sentai Filmworks
Released: January 4, 2011 Locally

I am a person who likes to know as much about things as possible in regards to lore and backstory. When I purchased the fighting games Koihime Enbu, it was mostly because I wanted to play around with the game's mechanics. However, I discovered there was actually 3 seasons worth of anime based on this series. It was basically a no-brainer to dive in and see what was the cause of a fairly unique and awesome fighting game.

In this particular adventure we follow Aisha(Kan'u), a traveling martial artist who is on an adventure throughout ancient China. Almost every episode is a new basic plot with new characters but the main themes of friendship, duty, and honor, remain the same. Aisha meets a lot of different types of people and shares quality adventures with most of them.

Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts

Update: Wow this moved along way faster than the book did. There's so much missing! However, to keep up the pace most of the stuff dropped is the bits of traveling. I especially like the higher detail segments to the Kraken and Bridge sequences. Overall, I think the spirit is kept more or less intact. Now to start reading The Two Towers!

Having finished reading(for the first time) Fellowship of the Ring, I decided to, then, watch the movie and compare the two. I must say the differences are quite profound and I only got through half of the film so far. The pacing is entirely different as well. I have not seen the movie in so many years either and having read the source material it is a very striking contrast.

I look forward to seeing the rest and comparing it as well. Nothing has really been a deal breaker as I understand movies have to be much more fluid and fast-paced. Hell, it still clocks in at 3 hours!

Yamada's First Time: B Gata H Kei - Anime Review

Yamada's First Time: B Gata H Kei - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Righstuf
Publisher: Funimation
Released: January 31, 2012 locally

Yamada is no ordinary high school girl. She has plans. Big plans. She wants to realize her goal of banging 100 guys but there is something in her way. She does not want to disappoint anyone by not having any experience so she first has to get rid of her cherry. To do that she sets her sights on an unassuming and ordinary guy. This series is all about being unable to properly communicate or convey emotions and just how disastrous those misunderstandings can become.

The Witch - Movie Review

The Witch - Movie Review

Duration: 93m
Watched: Theater

I am not really sure what exactly to say about this movie. I, and two of my friends, went to see this on the recommendation of another friend. The story revolves around an early American settler family in New England and their plight to survive in the frontier. The title is The Witch. How bad could it be?

AKB0048 Season 2 - Anime Review

AKB0048 Season 2 - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Rightstuf
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Released: February 4, 2014 locally

00 is back for even more music, dancing, and spreading of joy. We pick up almost as soon as we left off in Season 1. We finally end up getting some kind of antagonist this time, besides the rather formless DES, in the form of the Zodiac Corporation. Their goal is to find out exactly what it is that makes the idols as magnificent as they are. Does 00 still have what it takes to be the best rogue entertainment group out there?

Demon's Souls - Game Review

Demon's Souls - Game Review

Genre: RPG
Developer: From Software
Released: A long time ago
Price: Probably cheap by now
Supplied: Bought used back in the day
DLC: Nope

This is the game that started it all for me and many other people. So why am I now here and writing this? Simple, I replayed through the entire game just recently and had some thoughts to share on it. I have played it all the way through to a platinum trophy in the past and decided to give it another whirl in anticipation for the launch of Dark Souls 3 in a few weeks.

Much of the game's overall design and theme does not change between games but there are a lot of small differences which impact the quality of the experience. Things such as stats being removed or added and other quality of life changes for the better through iteration.

AKB0048 Season 1 - Anime Review

AKB0048 Season 1 - Anime Review

Duration: 13 Episodes
Supplied: Blurays purchased via Rightstuf
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Released: September 3, 2013 locally

AKB0048(00 from here) is about an interplanetary musical idol super-group. They also moonlight as guerilla combatants on the side because some planets have entertainment bans of varying levels. 00 does not despair at this, though, as they want to bring joy and excitement to people all over the galaxy, regardless of conditions. Getting into trouble is just part of the job!

A Million Ways to Die in the West - Movie Review

A Million Ways to Die in the West - Movie Review

Duration: 2hrs
Watched: TV

I recorded this a while ago on my DVR but never got around to watching it until now. However, had I known what I was about to watch, I would not have bothered.

This opens up with our "protagonist" Albert Stark, who is a sheep farmer(yes really) out in the old western town of Old Stump. It seems harmless enough at first but it quickly degenerates into nothing substantive.

Sailor Moon R - Anime Review

Sailor Moon R - Anime Review

Duration: 43 Episodes

Supplied: Purchased Blu-rays via Rightstuf

Publisher: Viz Media
Released: September 14, 2015(part 1) and  October 27, 2015(part 2) locally

Sailor Moon is back at it again in this second installment of the classic re-release and re-dub of the original series! This set covers 2 arcs. The first arc, and probably the one I enjoyed more, despite its shorter duration, covers 2 aliens, Ail and An, who have come to steal energy from humanity to revive their twisted tree of life. The second arc, which covers the bulk of the episodes, follows the Black Moon Clan. These people come from the future and are trying to corrupt certain sections of the city in order to destroy the future. How will the Guardians deal with these baddies?

Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist - Anime Review

Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist - Anime Review

Duration: 12 episodes
Supplied: Third Party
Released: July-September 2015

Shimoneta is an interesting series. It's a hypothetical world where censorship has completely run amok. In fact, it is so ludicrous, that young people are completely incapable of understanding different feelings they have in regards to various situations. Human reproduction is also something that is so taboo that it is not discussed anywhere because it might lead people down a path of lesser morality.

How is this all enforced?  Why, with collars of course! Any bad behavior or language will instantly alert the Decency Squad. A police-like force set up to handle any and all matters pertaining to morality.

Koihime Enbu - Game Review

Koihime Enbu - Game Review

Genre: Fighting
Developer: UNKNOWN GAMES, M2 Co., LTD
Released: January 28, 2016, May 19, 2016 for PC
Price: $57/40USD
Supplied: Imported via Yesasia.com
DLC: None

Update -December 6, 2016: This game is now available locally on Steam as well as being available for import on PS3/4. I also cleaned up some of the language and edited things to be more correct. I also added some points about the PC version noted with an asterisk(*).

Introduction
What is this game you ask? Why this is a 4-button fighting game based on an anime/visual novel about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms lore starring pretty ladies in place of all the men. Aesthetics aside, this is a very stripped down fighting game experience. That bare-bones sensation is felt elsewhere as well with the menus and interface being about as basic as possible. What does it offer and what are its mechanics? Well, let's dig in!

Koihime Enbu Menu Translations JP > EN

This was done using my limited knowledge of Hiragana and Katakana.  Some things are missing unfortunately and I am not sure what.  While I am familiar with training mode options, some of the effects elude me.  What is here will get you by, though.  I hope at least!

Updated: December 6, 2016-I filled in the rest of the blanks. I actually forgot I had this document, woops! It's all better now for those of you who manage to come across a console version of the game!

Main Menu

-Scenario

-Arcade

-Local Versus

-Network

-Training

-Replay

-Gallery

-Controls

-Basic Options

     Screen Size

     BGM

     SE

     Dialogue

     Install

Sega Going Overboard on YouTube, Still

Sega Going Overboard on YouTube, Still

*Update* I re-recorded an Arcade Mode session to see if the game's intro was causing the flag.  I did a test with a clip I pushed out from my Hitbox channel and it has yet to be flagged.  The previous flag came 3 minutes after the video was finished rendering on YouTube.  We'll see how this goes.

Well, I really wanted to upload a gameplay video of Melty Blood today.  It is getting an official local release on PC later this year.  I did a run on Arcade Mode with Akiha and uploaded it and waited until today to set all the details and make it public.  I was hoping to spread some excitement about the game, what little it might have been.

It was claimed by Sega before it ever went public.  It was only a Content ID, but that is not point.  I love sharing replays with people in many different games and this just has me worried.

I guess you do not want anyone not already in-the-know to find out about your games right Sega?  Great way to advertise.  Screw with people trying to do you a favor.  That will win over all their hearts.

This is just so disappointing.

Lunar Legend Tsukihime - Anime Review

Lunar Legend Tsukihime - Anime Review

Duration: 12 episodes

Supplied: Purchased DVDs via Rightstuf

Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Released: January 20, 2009

As someone who has just recently become interested in the Melty Blood fighting game, having a lacking of source material was a bit annoying.  Sure these things are rather trivial in regards to fighters and their mechanics, however, I still like to know a bit about the characters and the universe they share.  The base material is, apparently, a visual novel.  This makes adaptation to an animated series potentially troublesome.

Nikita - TV Series Review

Nikita - TV Series Review

Duration: 73 episodes
Publisher: Warner Bros.

Supplied: Bought Blu-Rays on Amazon

I have always been a pretty big fan of the James Bond series of movies.  The outrageous plots, crazy stunts, cool gadgets, and many other things are all a lot of fun.  Nikita is a show that is basically like a television version of James Bond.  I do not want to really compare everything in this show with James Bond so I will end that here.  However, all the correct building blocks are in place for any fan of the genre to find enjoyment.

This show originally aired on the CW, which is where I first saw it.  Unfortunately due to whatever reasons I cannot remember, I was unable to follow it as closely as I would have liked.  Fast forward to now and having the entire series at arm's reach with Blu-ray and I can finish, finally, what I started and enjoyed a few years ago.

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel - Game Review

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel - Game Review

Genre: Fighting
Developer: Examu
Released: February 2, 2016

Price: $30/40 - PS3/PS4
Supplied: Purchased via PSN
DLC: Yes - 2 characters and a costume pack - DLC characters are free for the first month

Introduction
I must confess that I do not know very much about any of the licensed characters in this game from Nitroplus.  However, this is a fighting game, and an affordable one to boot, and I felt compelled to check it out.  My first impressions are that it definitely feels a lot like other games pushed out from Developer: Examu who is most well known for its Arcana Heart series.

We get 12 characters default + 2DLC as well as 20 assists.  Each Assist varies in function and its usefulness will change based on the character chosen.  They also have little stars on their portraits to show which partners are recommended for your chosen character.  The Assist's primary function seems to be combo extension for the player to do the really punishing and bone crushing damage.  Oh yeah, did I mention the damage in this game is extremely excessive?  It can scale to hilarious amounts.  Almost to the point that it invalidates the concept of Life-Leads.  Players can also die from chip it seems.

Each character gets a default 18-color palettes to choose from which is not too shabby at all.  Also, the announcer stood out to me because of how totally goofy it sounds.

This game opens up with Super Sonico and her band-mates jamming.  It has a fully animated sequence and the song is fully voiced and it introduces all of the characters in the game.  When you get to the main menu you get a further introduction from Sonico herself.  This alone is a pretty nice touch of flavor that shows a lot of love from the developers.

Nitroplus Blasterz Demo

I do have a video ripped straight from my Hitbox channel that showcases a bit of the game.  It's not complete coverage but it might give you an idea if this game is for you, or not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN2NOQaNAgI

Nitroplus purchase!

I purchased Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel today.  I will do a full review of it when I have had some more time to experience the gameplay as thoroughly as possible.  My first impressions are that there's a lot to like and a lot to dislike.  I'll be more specific in the full article.  Stay tuned.

Melty Blood - Akiha Tohno - Full Moon

Melty Blood - Akiha Tohno - Full Moon

Full Moon

Notable - Running up to the opponent switches sides with them.  High pressure and mix-up potential.  Standard throw drops opponent in front of Akiha.

Normals:

5A - Quick swipe.  Short-range.  Even on block.

2A - Short-range poke.  Low.  Positive on block.

5B - Short-range downward swipe.  Moves Akiha forward a little.  Chargeable.  Slightly negative on block.

[5B] - Short-range downward swipe.  Moves Akiha forward a little.  3-hits.  All hits can be jump canceled on hit only.  Positive on block

2B - Downward swipe.  Low.  Slightly negative on block.

5C - Long-range slash.  Pushes Akiha back a lot on block.  Negative on block.

2C - Long-range slash.  Knocks opponent down.  Negative on block.

[2C] - Long-range slash.  Knocks up and is a hard knockdown.  Slightly negative on block.

3C - Upward Slash.  Useful as an anti-air.  Tall hitbox.  Knocks opponent up.  Negative on block.

j.A - Forward chop.  Poor air-to-ground hitbox.

j.B - Downward slash.  Great downward air-to-ground hitbox.  Great jump-in.  Overhead.

j.C - Downward kick.  Decent air-to-ground hitbox.  Shorter hitbox than j.B.  Overhead.

Specials:

236A - Saw attack right in front of Akiha.  4-hits.  Slow startup.  Positive on block.

236B - Saw attack right in front and above Akiha.  4-hits.  Slow startup.  Positive on block.

236C - Bigger saw attack right in front of Akiha.  7-hits.  Slow startup.  Positive on block.  Not invincible.

623A - Upward-angled attack.  Launches opponent.  Can be followed-up in corner.  Can be used for an anti-air.  Negative on block.

623B - Upward-angled attack.  2-hits.  Slighly higher angle than A-version.  Slightly slower startup.  Launches opponent.  Can be followed up in midscreen or corner.  Can be used for an anti-air.  Positive on block.

623C - Upward-angled attack.  6-hits.  Same angle as B-version.  Launches opponent.  Can be used for an anti-air.  Very negative on block.  Very invincible.

214A - Forward aerial buzzsaw attack.  4-hits.  Can pass over crouching opponent in midscreen.Positive on block.

214B - Forward aerial buzzsaw attack.  4-hits.  Overhead.  Jumps farther than A-version.  Does more damage than A-version.  Can pass over crouching opponent in midscreen.  Negative on block.

214C - Forward aerial buzzsaw attack.  4-hits.  Overhead.  Jumps farther than A-version but shorter than B-version.  Does more damage than B-version.  Can pass over crouching opponent in midscreen.  Negative on block.  Not invincible.

22A - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Knocks down.  Slightly negative on block.

22B - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Slightly slower than A-version.  Knocks down.  Positive on block.

2C - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Much larger hitbox.  Knocks opponent up.  Slightly negative on block.  Not invincible.

j.236A - Saw attack right in front of Akiha.  4-hits.  Moves Akiha away from opponent.

j.236B - Saw attack right in front of Akiha.  4-hits.  Moves Akiha away from opponent.

j.236C - Bigger saw attack right in front of Akiha.  7-hits.  Moves Akiha towards opponent.  Not invinicible.

63214C - Command grab.  Swaps sides with opponent.  Low damage.

41236C - Powerful command grab.  Point-blank hitbox.  Small explosion for decent damage if the grab does not connect.  Very invincible.  Negative on block and does not hit crouching.

Melty Blood - Akiha Tohno - Half Moon

Melty Blood - Akiha Tohno - Half Moon

Half Moon

Notable -  Very fast character.  Can close in quickly.  No jumping specials.  Fewer overall options than Crescent Moon.  Standard throw drops opponent in front of Akiha.

Normals:

5A - Short-range kick.  Low.  Fairly positive on block.

2A - Medium-range jab.  Slightly negative on block.

5B - Medium-range kick.  Low.  Slightly negative on block.

6B - Medium-range chop.  Negative on block.

2B - Downward swipe.  Low.  Negative on block.

5C - Long-range slash.  2-hits.  Negative on block.

6C - Standing forward kick.  Negative on block.

2C - Sweep.  Low.  Moves Akiha forward a little.  Knocks down.  Negative on block.

j.A - Forward chop.  Poor air-to-ground hitbox.  Not an overhead.

j.B - Downward slash.  Great downward air-to-ground hitbox.  Great jump-in.  Overhead.

j.C - Heel Kick.  Good air-to-ground hitbox.  Great jump-in.  Overhead.

j.[C] - Floats a little bit making it harder to land on grounded opponents.  Overhead.

Specials:

236A - Jumping long-range attack.  2-hits.  Slightly upward trajectory.  Misses crouching.  Moves Akiha back a little.  Slightly negative on block.

236B - Jumping long-range attack.  2-hits.  Slightly downward trajectory.  Hits crouching.  Moves Akiha back a lot.  Slightly negative on block.

236C - Jumping long-range attack.  6-hits.  Slightly downard trajectory but not as much as B version.  Misses crouching entirely unless at range.  At range it only hits crouching twice.  Moves Akiha back a little.  Can be followed-up if close.  Very positive on block.

623A - Upward-angled attack.  Launches opponent.  Can be used as an anti-air.  Can be followed-up on counter-hit.  Extremely poor starter.  Negative on block.

623B - Upward-angled attack.  2-hits.  Slighly higher angle than A version.  Slightly slower startup.  Launches opponent.  Can be used for an anti-air.  Can be followed-up in the corner.  Slightly positive on block.

623C - Upward-angled attack.  6-hits.  Same angle as B version.  Can be used as an anti-air.  Very invincible.  Very negative on block.

214A - Delayed ground-eruption right in front of Akiha.  Launches opponent.

214B - Delayed ground-eruption far in front of Akiha.  Launches opponent.

214C - Delayed ground-eruption very far in front of Akiha.  Launches opponent.  Does not use meter.

22A - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Knocks down.  Slightly negative on block.

22B - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Slightly slower than A version.  Knocks down.  Positive on block.

22C - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Knocks up.  Slightly negative on block.

63214C - Command grab.  Swaps sides with opponent.  Low damage.

41236C - Powerful command grab.  Point-blank hitbox.  Small explosion for decent damage if the grab does not connect.  Very invincible.  Negative on block and does not hit crouching.

Heroes: Reborn

I finished up watching Heroes: Reborn just now.  I am not really sure what to make of it.  It started off okay but then the plot started to come apart more and more.  I am not really sure how I feel about the finished product.  It reminded me a lot of the main series and that is not really a good thing.  I like the idea of the series but maybe it should have stayed buried?

*****Spoiler Ahead*****

Also, what is with the ending?  I thought this was supposed to finish off the series in some kind of proper, yet dramatic, fashion?  The twins get some kind of Tarot Cards and Angela says it's from their father and he's coming(in some sinister fashion).  This implies there will be more.  Was Peter not the father?  Why is Peter now implied as being some kind of evil?

Melty Blood - Akiha Tohno - Crescent Moon

Melty Blood - Akiha Tohno - Crescent Moon

Crescent Moon:

Notable - No jumping specials.  Fewer overall options than Crescent and Full Moon.  Standard throw drops opponent in front of Akiha.

Normals:

5A - Short-range kick.  Low.  Fairly positive on block.

2A - Medium-range jab.  Slightly negative on block.

5B - Medium-range kick.  Low.  Slightly negative on block.

6B - Medium-range chop.  Negative on block.

2B - Downward swipe.  Low.  Negative on block.

5C - Long-range slash.  2-hits.  Negative on block.

6C - Standing forward kick.  Negative on block.

2C - Sweep.  Low.  Moves Akiha forward a little.  Knocks down.  Negative on block.

j.A - Forward chop.  Poor air-to-ground hitbox.  Not an overhead.

j.B - Downward slash.  Great downward air-to-ground hitbox.  Great jump-in.  Overhead.

j.C - Heel Kick.  Good air-to-ground hitbox.  Great jump-in.  Overhead.

j.[C] - Floats a little bit making it harder to land on grounded opponents.  Overhead.

Specials:

236A - Jumping long-range attack.  2-hits.  Slightly upward trajectory.  Misses crouching.  Moves Akiha back a little.  Slightly negative on block.

236B - Jumping long-range attack.  2-hits.  Slightly downward trajectory.  Hits crouching.  Moves Akiha back a lot.  Slightly negative on block.

236C - Jumping long-range attack.  6-hits.  Slightly downard trajectory but not as much as B-version.  Misses crouching entirely unless at range.  At range it only hits crouching twice.  Moves Akiha back a little.  Can be followed-up if close.  Very positive on block.

623A - Upward-angled attack.  Launches opponent.  Can be used as an anti-air.  Can be followed-up on counter-hit.  Extremely poor starter.  Negative on block.

623B - Upward-angled attack.  2-hits.  Slighly higher angle than A-version.  Slightly slower startup.  Launches opponent.  Can be used for an anti-air.  Can be followed-up in the corner.  Slightly positive on block.

623C - Upward-angled attack.  6-hits.  Same angle as B-version.  Launches opponent.  Longer reach than A and B-versions.  Can be used as an anti-air.  Very invincible.  Very negative on block.

214A - Delayed ground-eruption right in front of Akiha.  Launches opponent.

214B - Delayed ground-eruption far in front of Akiha.  Launches opponent.

214C - Delayed ground-eruption very far in front of Akiha.  Launches opponent.  Does not use meter.

22A - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Knocks down.  Slightly negative on block.

22B - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Slightly slower than A-version.  Knocks down.  Positive on block.

22C - Area attack around Akiha.  Low.  Much larger hitbox.  Knocks opponent up.  Slightly negative on block.

63214C - Command grab.  Swaps sides with opponent.  Low damage.

41236C - Powerful command grab.  Point-blank hitbox.  Small explosion for decent damage if the grab does not connect.  Very invincible.  Negative on block and does not hit crouching.

Next MB Project

I think I am going to get started on my next character study in Melty Blood.  I should have at least one of the moons up later today at latest.

Early Game Thoughts

Some early thoughts on Ghost in the Shell First Assault:

Head-shots seem to happen very randomly.  They appear to be 1-hit kills.

Crouching is basically a free head-shot for your opponent.  It's good for being quiet but it sucks for trying to hold capture points.

Grenades are not able to be cooked as far as I can tell.  They are pretty useless most of the time.  Useful for keeping enemies trapped in a hallway for a few moments at least.

Character abilities can definitely be useful or near-useless depending on the game mode.  Since there was a bonus for playing the new character Maven, I went ahead and unlocked her with my level 3 operative unlock bonus.  She has a pretty awesome shield that hides things from view.  Unfortunately that does not work very well in Terminal Conquest since the game mode is running back and forth down a map a long way.  It's very hard to set that up and be effective(not impossible but challenging).  In Team Deathmatch, however, that barrier proved to be excellent for long range sniper cover.  I think, for now, I will stick with Motoko in Terminal Conquest and Demolition if I can help it.  The stealth is more universally applicable to me and my teammates.

Ghost in the Shell: SAC First Assault Beta

I bought into the Early Access Beta build of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault.  I usually do not bother with Early Access but this game was surprisingly affordable and it is based on an IP that I adore.  It also has all of the original English cast reprising their roles!

I have very limited experience with FPS games on PC but I have, so far, had quite a bit of fun with it.  It does play a bit choppy for the moment but it's nothing I have not dealt with in other games.  Not that that makes it okay but it is what it is for the moment.  Hopefully it will improve closer to its official release.  I also might have to rearrange the controls.  Not sure I dig the default scheme.  It's fairly standard but it just feels clunky to me.

Divergent: Insurgent - Movie Review

Divergent: Insurgent - Movie Review

Title: Divergent: Insurgent
Watched: Television(uncut)
Duration: A bit over 2hrs

This movie picks up shortly after the end of the first movie with Tris, Four, and company, on the run.  They were allowed sanctuary with the Amity faction provided that they do not disturb the peace.  Dauntless uncovers a secret artifact that was being kept hidden in Abnegation.

Surprisingly, most of the major(and minor) players from the original film are present as well as being played by the original actors.  This definitely helps with continuity between the two films.  There is a much bigger emphasis on plot this time since most of the heavy lifting on character development was already done with the first movie.  There are not really many new characters that are introduced save one that's notable.  Even they are not granted an abundance of character development.

The contrasting setting between advanced technology and run-down city is still an interesting one to me.  It is sort of serene in a way to see nature reclaiming so much of what mankind has built and abandoned.  This is an interesting take on the dystopian aesthetic.  I suppose it is similar to the Hunger Games in that regard.  Outside of this, very little is interesting.  The music I barely noticed and have now forgotten.  The effects were all right but nothing that is truly amazing.  About the most noticeable change in the movie was Shailene Woodley cutting her hair(and it looked pretty good).

Overall, I did not hate this movie.  It was entertaining enough, even if the plot could be seen cresting the horizon thousands of miles away.  I have literally no exposure to the book series so I have no idea how they compare in that regard, but I will definitely wait and watch the third movie when it is released.  I only just have to hope that it will not be released in two parts like everything else seems to be lately.

*Recommended if you liked the first one.*

Melty Blood - Satsuki Yumizuka - Full Moon

 Melty Blood - Satsuki Yumizuka - Full Moon

I noticed even more differences between the three on this variant.  Different attacks, different properties on similar attacks, and even different frame data.  They are like 3 different characters with the same skin.  I kind of wish they were all one character, though, since there's something to love about each one!

Full Moon:

Notable - Extremely poor air-juggling ability.  Standard throw tosses enemy in the air.  No unblockable meterless grabs.

Normals:

5A - Short range kick, low.  Positive on block.

2A - Short range poke, low.  Positive on block.

5B - Short shoulder charge, moves Satsuki forward a little bit.  Slightly negative on block.

2B - Standard horizontal punch.  Not a low.  Slightly positive on block.

5C - Downward chop, moves Satsuki forward slightly, chargeable.  Charge moves forward a tiny bit more and does more damage.  Not an overhead, not even when charged.  Charge gives a low ground bounce on hit.  Even on block without charge, slightly positive with charge.

2C - Sweep low. 2hits, 2nd hit knocks down.  Chargeable(3 hits, 2automatic, more damage).

3C - Forward slide, low, causes knockdown, chargeable.  Charge goes farther and knocks way higher, very far reach, does more damage.  Cannot jump cancel on hit.  Very negative on block without charge but slightly negative with charge.

j.A - Horizontal jab, bad hitbox, overhead.

j.B - Decent hitbox, overhead.

j.C - Chargeable, overhead.  Best jump-in  Does slightly more damage while charged and ground bounces.  Charge can be jump canceled on on hit or block.

Specials:

236A - Hopping command grab, cannot combo excet on counter-hit, blockable, chargeable.  Charge cancels grab.  Throws opponent behind Satsuki.  Decent hitbox.  Slightly negative on block.

236B - Hopping command grab, cannot combo, blockable, chargeable, can be follwed-up.  Decent hitbox.  Positive on block.

236C - Hopping command grab, cannot combo excet on counter-hit, blockable, ground bounces.  Decent hitbox.  Negative on block.  Not invincible.

623A - Uppercut/ground-to-air collider grab, can combo, fast, chargeable.  Not sure what causes grab vs. uppercut.  Charging drops opponent in front of Satsuki for oki, otherwise she throws them in the opposite direction for slightly more damage.

623B - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo, slightly slower than A version, chargeable, can be followed-up.  Charging/not charging does the same as the A version.  Can be followed-up on charge.

623C - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo, ground bounces.  Not invincible.

214A - Quick attack, moves Satsuki forward a good amount.  Charging cancels attack.  Can be jump-canceled only on hit.  Negative on block.

214B - Slower than the A variant, overhead, ground bounce, chargeable.  Charge does more damage, wall slams instead, and is jump-cancelable on hit or block.  Slightly negative on block without charge very negative on block without jump-canceling.

214C - Wall slams opponent(almost corner to corner), not an overhead.  Slightly negative on block.  Not invincible.

421A - Ground-to-air jump-grab, good close hitbox.  Ground bounces.  Can't follow up.

421B - Ground-to-air jump-grab, reaches much further up but doesn't work as well close up.  Ground bounces.  Can't follow up.

421C - Ground-to-air jump-grab,same range as B version and same problem close up.  Ground bounces, can't be followed up, but oki is possible.  Not invincible.

22A - Ground-based projectile.  Slightly negative on block regardless of distance.  Negative on block.

22B - Ground-based projectile, launches opponents low.  Very negative on block.

22C - Ground-based projectile, launches opponents low, 5-hits.  Hard(impossible?) to follow up outside a counter-hit.  Very negative on block.  Not invincible.

41236C - Powerful command grab for 100-meter, fast and good range, Max Heat only. Powered version is Blood Heat only.  Unblockable.  Lunges very far.  Invincible on startup.

63214C - Command grab.  Unblockable.  Short hitbox.  100-meter.  Super fast.  Not invincible.

Melty Blood - Satsuki Yumizuka - Half Moon

Melty Blood - Satsuki Yumizuka - Half Moon

I finished up all my findings on the Half-Moon variant.  I even discovered some new stuff and updated my previous post on the Crescent-Moon.  I also learned there are a lot of differences between these two characters.  They may look similar but they have some very different shenanigans.

Half Moon:

Notable - Can air juggle.  Can jump cancel all aerial attacks on hit or block except charged j.B.  Standard throw puts opponent on the ground.  Does not have any version of the 421X Slam Dunk attack.

Normals:

5A - Short range slap.  Hits crouching at full distance.  Even on block.

2A - Short range, low.  Even-ish on block, maybe even slightly negative.

5B - Swipe.  Moves forward a fair bit.  Very negative on block.

2B - Standard horizontal punch.  Not a low.  Slightly positive on block.

5C - Downward chop, moves Satsuki forward slightly, chargeable.  Charge moves forward a tiny bit more and does more damage.  Not an overhead, not even when charged.  Charge gives a low ground bounce on hit.  Slightly negative on block without charge, with charge it is even on block.

2C - Sweep low. 2hits, 2nd hit knocks down.  Chargeable(3 hits, 2automatic, more damage).  Very negative on block without charge, with charge it becomes positive on block.

3C - Forward slide, low, causes knockdown.  Charge goes farther and knocks way higher, very far reach, does more damage.  Cannot jump cancel on hit.  Very negative on block without charge, with charge it is less negative but still bad.

j.A - Poor air-to-ground hitbox.  Not an overhead.

j.B - Decent hitbox, overhead, chargeable.  Charge version is very active and ground bounces.  Cannot jump cancel on hit or block.

j.C - Chargeable, overhead.  Best jump-in  Does slightly more damage while charged and ground bounces.

Specials:

236A - Sliding command grab, can combo, blockable.  Can grab aerial opponents low to the ground.   Large hitbox.  Negative on block.

236B - Sliding command grab, can't combo, unblockable, slides further than A version, can be followed-up.  Large hitbox.  Not invincible.

236C - Sliding command grab, can combo on counter-hit, blockable, ground bounces.  Can grab aerial opponents low to the ground.  Huge hitbox.  Negative on block.  Invincible on startup.

623A - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo.  Drops opponent in front of Satsuki.

623B - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo, slightly slower than A version, can be followed-up.  Drops opponent in front of Satsuki.

623C - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo, ground bounces.  Not invincible.

214A - Quick attack, moves Satsuki forward a good amount.  Can be jump-canceled only on hit.  VERY POSITIVE ON BLOCK.

214B - Slower than the A variant, overhead, ground bounce.  Positive on block.

214C - Wall slams opponent(almost corner to corner).  Not invincible.  Slightly negative on block.

22A - Ground-based projectile.  Slightly negative on block regardless of distance.

22B - Ground-based projectile, launches opponents low.  Very negative on block.

22C - Ground-based projectile, launches opponents low, 5-hits.  Hard(impossible?) to follow up outside a counter-hit.  Not invincible.  VERY POSITIVE on block.

41236C - Powerful command grab for 100-meter, fast and good range.  Unblockable.  Lunges very far.  Invincible on startup.

63214C - Command grab.  Unblockable.  Short hitbox.  100-meter.  Super fast.  Not invincible.

Melty Blood - Satsuki Yumizuka - Crescent Moon

Melty Blood - Satsuki Yumizuka - Crescent Moon

This is what I could discover regarding Satsuki Yumizuka's Crescent-Moon variant in relatively short-order.  This is probably not an exhaustive list and some of this may be wrong but I am not able to 100% test everything.  This also does not include any potential properties gained through Counter-Hits.  I will follow this up with Half-Moon and Full-moon in due time.

Crescent Moon:

Notable - Extremely poor air-to-ground pressuring ability.  Cannot jump-cancel any aerial jump-ins on block.  Standard throw tosses enemy in the air.  Command grabs offer no movement bonuses.

Normals:

5A - Long reach. Hits crouching close only.  Maybe a decent anti-air?  Even on block.

2A - Long Reach. Not a low.  Slightly negative on block.

5B - Swipe.  Moves forward a fair bit.  Very negative on block.

2B - Standard horizontal punch.  Not a low.  Slightly positive on block.

5C - Ground pound.  Chargeable(gains overhead and ground-bounce properties, more damage).  Very negative on block with and without charge

2C - Sweep, low. 2hits, 2nd hit knocks down.  Chargeable(3 hits, 2automatic, more damage).  Negative on block without charge, positive with charge.

3C - Forward slide, low, causes knockdown, chargeable.  Charge goes farther and knocks way higher, very far reach, does more damage.  Cannot jump cancel on hit.  Very negative on block without charge but slightly negative with charge.

j.A - Poor air-to-ground hitbox.  Not an overhead.

j.B - Decent hitbox, overhead.

j.C - Chargeable, overhead.  Best jump-in.  Does slightly more damage while charged and ground bounces.  Charge can be jump canceled on hit or block.


Specials:

236A - Command grab, can combo, blockable.  Large hitbox.  Negative on block. 

236B - Command grab, can't combo, unblockable, can be followed-up.  Not Invincible at all.

236C - Command grab, can combo, blockable.  Has a ground bounce.  HUGE HITBOX.  Very Negative on block.  Not invincible on startup but seems to be right after.

623A - Uppercut/ground-to-air collider grab, can combo, fast, chargeable.  Not sure what causes grab vs. uppercut.  Charging drops opponent in front of Satsuki for oki, otherwise she throws them in the opposite direction for slightly more damage.

623B - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo, slightly slower than A version, chargeable, can be followed up.  Charging/not charging does the same as the A version.

623C - Ground-to-Air collider grab, can combo, ground bounces.  Not invincible.

214A - Quick attack, moves Satsuki forward a good amount.  Charging cancels attack.  Can be jump-canceled only on hit.  Negative on block.

214B - Slower than the A variant, overhead, ground bounce, chargeable.  Charge does more damage, wall slams instead, and is jump-cancelable on hit or block.  Slightly negative on block without charge very negative without jump-canceling.

214C - Wall slams opponent(almost corner to corner), not an overhead.  Slightly negative on block regardless of distance.  Not invincible at all.

421A - Ground-to-air jump-grab, good close hitbox.  Ground bounces.  Can't follow up.

421B - Ground-to-air jump-grab, reaches much further up but doesn't work as well close up.  Ground bounces.  Can't follow up.

421C - Ground-to-air jump-grab,same range as B version and same problem close up.  Ground bounces, can't be followed up, but oki is possible.  Invincible on startup.

22A - Ground Pound, launches enemy high.  Super negative on block.

22B - Ground Pound, launches enemy low. 2-hits, more damage.  Super negative on block.

22C - Ground Pound, wall slams.  Can be followed up.  Huge hitbox.  Suuuuuper negative on block.

41236C - Powerful command grab for 100-meter, fast and good range, Max Heat only. Powered version is Blood Heat only.  Unblockable.  Lunges very far.  Invincible on startup.

63214C - Command grab.  Unblockable.  Short hitbox.  100-meter.  Super fast, not invincible.

Fighting Game Update

 Fighting Game Update

Currently I am in the process of learning a brand new game(to me) which is Melty Blood.  If you do not know of this game, it is the predecessor to Under Night In-Birth from French Bread.  The two play very similar.

Anyways, I am currently in the process of taking notes for a couple of the characters(Satsuki and then probably one of the Akihas).  I am not able to find a whole lot of information about the game, that is too my liking, so I am digging it all up on my own!  It might be difficult to figure out the nuances of the defensive mechanics until I actually play some live matches but I will do my best.

The reason I am doing this is because Melty Blood will get its first, actual, local release of the game on Steam in a few months.  I hope to be well versed in the game by then so I can help out anyone that is newer and might want to learn a few tricks! :)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Movie Review

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Movie Review

Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Watched: Theater

Duration: A bit over 2 hours

Years after the close of Episode 6 we come to another galactic conflict due to the instability of the remnants of the now-defunct Galactic Empire.  The Empire is now replaced with The First Order, an entity every bit as evil as its predecessor.  Possibly even more-so.  The Rebellion opposes The First Order and seeks to undo its evil.  This is where we are at when our story starts.

The cast of this movie was truly spot-on.  I think they did a tremendous job on picking the actors to fill in the new slots.  From new to old, everyone seems to pull their own weight and they all seem utterly believable in their respective roles.  Not everyone gets equal screen time to really shine, however, but there are 2 more movies(at least) in the works to help out with this.  Most viewers really do not need a ton more back story on the older cast from the original trilogy.  They are as familiar as ever and we feel like we picked up right after the last adventure.

As for some miscellaneous notes: The grand orchestral score of this movie feels right at home and is instantly familiar.  The sound effects on everything are perfect and have amazing impact.  The sound on some of the heavy blasters is particularly satisfying.  I did not have any issues with the lighting anywhere and was able to easily identify everything.  They also had a great attention to detail.  They even included heat waves from the jet engines of the TIE fighters!  The CGI was blended virtually seamlessly.  They spared no expense to quote John Hammond from Jurassic Park.

There is plenty of excitement at just the right times to keep people engaged and invested in the characters and their story.  Nothing felt boring at all or felt like it went on way too long.  It is very consistent and in the right amounts.  The touches of humor were pleasant and not done in excess like "wink wink remember this thing?". 

In conclusion, this movie was phenomenal.  This is coming from someone who had the entire movie spoiled for them ahead of time.  It was very engaging and well paced from the outset.  The entire universe felt totally organic and believable.  My only real grievance would be a couple of points with some amazing plot convenience.  I want to give a special shout-out to the melee combat sequences.  They felt fairly realistic and had some serious weight to them, making them all-the-more tense.  They did not overdo the light sabers either!  It plays it safe but that is not always a bad thing.  This genuinely felt like a Star Wars movie and J. J. Abrams should very much be commended for this.

*Highly Recommended*

Rokka: -Braves of the Six Flowers- - Anime Review

Rokka: -Braves of the Six Flowers- - Anime Review

Title: Rokka: -Braves of the Six Flowers-

Watched: Crunchyroll

Duration: 12 episodes

This was a really fun series for me.  The premise is that a Demon King/God is on the verge of revival and he must be put down yet again.  Every time such an event occurs, 6 Braves are chosen by an ancient god who divided up its power to bless those would-be heroes.  Fortunately for everyone, they all know where this Demon is going to revive so they all head in that direction.  They all eventually meet up with one another, however, there is a problem.  There are 7 Braves gathered.  One is a fake.  Everyone is a suspect.

I must confess that I did not really like the protagonist through most of this series.  He immediately comes off as arrogant and pompous by declaring himself the "Strongest Man in the World".  Fortunately for me this initial annoyance was eventually washed away with further character development.  The rest of the cast is a myriad of different types: Assassin, Loyal Knight, Princess, Sniper, Little Girl, and Angry Woman.  They all have very different personalities and abilities making everyone feel unique.

The plot unfolds in a very fair manner for viewers.  We learn things about the situation as our heroes discover them.  One could guess aimlessly at who the impostor is, but it would be very hard to discern who the guilty party actually is until the very end.  I think they did a pretty good job keeping the clues obscure enough so that they would not be so easily discovered.

To sum up, I enjoyed this quite a bit.  It was a departure from a lot of the Highschool-based stuff we tend to see a lot.  I love medieval and fantasy settings and this definitely made me want to learn a lot more about its universe and lore.  I hope to see more of it at some point.

*Highly Recommended*

Starting out

Hey, I started a Web Log(Blog).  I plan to review media as I take it in, be it movies, games, anime, books, whatever.  Release dates do not matter as everything is new to me the first time.

This is mostly just a test post.