Xenosaga: The Series

Xenosaga: The Series is an all too faithful anime version of the video game Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht (The Will To Power). Although it does gloss over many of the plot points from the original game and changes some of the character personalities, the main thrust of the story remains unchanged and the anime is much the worse for it. It often feels rushed and hurried, while the video game felt far more cinematic. Some of the changes bring new depth to characters that were after thoughts in the video game. Virgil is given time to grow and to find redemption by the end of the series. The Kirshwasser is given a far bigger part and a far better treatment as well.

The very existence of the human species is being threatened by the Gnosis, an inter-dimensional group of aliens who are hostile to all human life. To combat this threat, Shion Uzuki helps create KOS-MOS, an anti-gnosis weapon in the form of a female android. When the ship she is on is attacked by Gnosis, KOS-MOS is awakened to protect her creator. Although the ship is destroyed, and other ship called the Elsa saves her along with characters Alan and Virgil. On the ship are Ziggy and Momo, a cyborg and a 100-series observational realian (a artificial human) designed to detect and combat the Gnosis threat. She also carries what is called ‘the y-data’, research material from her creator. The y-data is coveted both by the Federation, who want her back, and an organization called UTIC. Much of the story is based around a strange marriage between western religious metaphors and basic Nietzchean philosophy, which is usually represented by a religious symbol here and there and German names (and maybe a sprinkling of Will to Power and all that jazz).

The main difference between the video game and the anime is in the characters. This is where the anime both rises and falls. On one hand certain characters are given far more room to grow than they did in the video game. Virgil, who is killed off in the first act of the video game, stays with the group for most of the anime. The Cherenkov character, however, is given a few lines and quietly dies off screen. Which is sad since he was a fairly sympathetic character, even though he betrayed the main characters.

The Kirshwasser, the predecessor to the 100-series, is perhaps given the best treatment by the anime. You couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards her need for love, a connection to the real world, and her desire for a will of her own. The series would have been better served if it had focused more on the realians and KOS-MOS and what they represent, rather than on all of this religious mumbo-jumbo that’s barely given any depth at all. The idea of a disposable citizen is an interesting concept and it’s a shame that they don’t develop it any further in the anime. The best parts are where they are trying to deal with the morality and justice of creating a second class of citizens. What that would mean for the type of compromises we would need to make and the psychology of last years model that is pushed aside for the next update. Even a few stand alone episodes focusing on the realians and their place in the world would have improved the anime immensely.

The animation, for the most part is pretty piss poor. The only characters that look somewhat interesting are Shion and Momo. For some reason the animation seems to favor their characters more than the others. The rest are at best forgettable and at worse just awful. The music is also pretty bad. The end credit song is one of those j-pop songs that you never want to hear again and the title sequence song is an easily forgettable orchestral oohs and ahs that is meant to be quasi-religious. Even ‘The Song of Nephilim”, which was a pretty unsettling piece in the video game, is lacking any punch. For the most part, however, the voice acting is pretty good.

In the end I’m not sure whom this anime is for. The fans of the anime may watch it, but they’re going to complain about it mercilessly. And anime fans may also watch it, but will invariably compare it to much better space operatic anime. It’s not horrible and there are some very nice bits hidden through out the series, and the last two episodes are probably the best of the entire series. But two really great episodes don’t save an entire series from being dull, uninteresting, and a missed opportunity. It’s watchable, you’ll enjoy parts of it, but it’s not rewatchable.

But is it for kids?

For older kids, maybe. But there’s a lot of violence and questionable language for this to be appropriate for a younger audience. There is quite a bit of death as well. Not to mention one of the main villains, Albedo, as a somewhat unhealthy obsession with the Kirshwasser. Honestly I don’t know who this anime is for. On one hand the subject material is fairly adult, but it’s animated to appeal for a younger audience.

I would have loved to have watched an anime that explored the realian’s more; what place they have in our society, the ethics of creating biomechanical slaves, how they interact in our society and the different view points of their existence. Or maybe even delve a bit more into the Miltian Conflict. Or, and here’s a crazy idea. Between the second and third game there’s a lot of back-story we’re not told. Why not tell us that story?

If you’re a fan I’d check it out on Netflix and watch the last two episodes. Otherwise, you’re safe to give this one a pass.

Batman: Under the Red Hood

WARNING: In most reviews I try to avoid spoilers about story and plot. But I think most people reading this review will probably already know the ins and outs of the plot, so I’m not going to bother. But fair warning, this review will be full of spoiler information.

I was far more impressed by Batman: Under the Red Hood than I thought I would be. Especially considering that it is based on two of the most controversial story arcs in DC history, the death of Jason Todd and the rebirth of Jason Todd. Yet somehow director Brandon Vietti and writer Judd Winick are able to make it all work. Beyond all expectations this movie is quit a well-crafted exploration into what it means to be Batman and the sacrifices he makes.

For those of you who have no background in comic books or recent editorial decisions at DC, here’s a quick review of some of the events leading to this movie. In the eighties the original Robin, Dick Grayson, grows up, becomes a character named Nightwing, and becomes a hero in his own right. Jason Todd, a streetwise punk, becomes Bruce Wayne’s ward and Batman’s sidekick, Robin. The character was not well received by fans and DC thought it would be a neat idea for fans to decide whether he lived or died through a phone-in vote. A slight majority of fans wanted to see him dead, so the Joker killed him. Although it may not have been handled well, it did ad a darker edge to the legacy of Batman, and it did serve as an example that death was sometimes more than just a minor inconvenience in the DC universe. But then, in 2005, DC made the dubious decision to bring Jason Todd back as the Red Hood; a psychopathic villain who was out to get those he felt wronged him. Mainly, the Joker and the Batman. Neither of these events was considered high points for DC by the fans and the character has continued to be the least popular character of the DC universe. I don’t really know too much about either events so I’m not really qualified to give an opinion.

But what I can tell you is that in the movie it works. Somehow they blend the humor of the animated series, with the darkness of The Dark Knight movie, and the science fiction/fantasy elements of the comic book into a very compelling story. The plot remains largely the same; the Joker kills Jason Todd, Todd is brought back to life through Ra’s al Ghuls Lazarus pits (not sure if this is in the comic book), and then wreaks bloody vengeance against the Joker and Batman through the use of a complicated game of cat and mouse and a very involved game of chess, with the Black Mask and the various criminal elements being the chess pieces. All of this leads to a final confrontation with the Red Hood, the Joker, and the Batman. Jason feels that Batman should have killed the Joker for killing him, while Batman asserts that there are some roads that he cannot travel.

A lot of fans were worried that they weren’t using the same voice actors from the original series. I certainly agree that the original voice actors were pretty awesome. Kevin Conroy’s Batman was neither too campy nor too serious and Mark Hamill’s Joker was equal parts charm and malevolence. Even though these voice actors make different choices in their portrayals, I’d say they did as well as a job as the original cast. Bruce Greenwoods Batman is a wonderfully tortured crime fighter who keeps his family at a distance in case they are hurt like Jason. Although his Batman may walk up to the line, he certainly doesn’t cross it. Always keeping his moral center in check. And John Di Maggio’s Joker is absolutely fantastic. I would even say that it’s better than Hammil’s. He just brings a wonderful level of gleeful violence to the role.

The best way to describe this film is as a bridge between the animated series and the more recent Batman movies. It’s both a realistic crime drama and a high science/fantasy thriller with dark undertones. They go a long way of explaining why Batman can’t kill and portraying the Red Hood both as a credible villain and a sympathetic character. Although it’s not a perfect adaptation, they certainly did an admiral job given their source material. My only real disappointment with this film is the lack luster special features. All they really are is a collection of trailers for other DC projects. The least they could do is give me a interview or even a commentary. Or how about a retrospective on the comic book and fans reactions? Based on the special features alone I’d almost say that this is more a rental than a buy.

But is it for kids?

I know what you’re saying, ‘of course it’s not for kids, and anyone can see that!’ and that’s absolutely true. But in many peoples minds comic books and cartoons are for children and they may think that this might be appropriate for kids. It is not. It’s brutal, violent, and very bloody. The issues raised are not ones that children are going to understand or really need to be introduced to. If your child is in his teens this might be acceptable for him or her. Otherwise I’d introduce them to either the original Batman or the new Batman: The Bold and the Brave. They’re a bit more accessible for them and are still enjoyable for adults.

Batman has three modes; the detective, the dark avenger, and the madcap adventurer. Young children are probably more than ok with the Batman as detective or madcap adventurer. But the dark avenger is more of a teenager/adult character and is not meant for children of a certain age in my opinion.

Pokemon Black and White (Best Wishes) Episodes 1-5

Summary

So if you’re a kid, or a parent, or one of those sad adult man-child’s like myself who actually likes this kind of stuff then you probably already know what Pokemon are. But for those who are not familiar, the Pokemon franchise began in 1996 with the release of the first Pokemon games, Pokemon Red and Blue. The idea was that you would collect, raise, and battle creatures called Pokémon. Along the way you would collect gym badges, trade and battle Pokemon with other players, and try and ‘catch them all’. The idea was simple, revolutionary in some ways, and a hit.

A cartoon was soon to follow and man, was it stupid. To be fair the video game it was based on had the slimmest of plots. You capture Pokemon, battle bad guys, and win the Pokemon League. The end. So it’s not like they were working with grade A story telling material. The plot is simple, the animation shoddy, and the English dub annoying as heck. But the cartoon was also a big hit. I probably wouldn’t be far too off if I said this was the longest running cartoon series in recent history. It started in 1997 and shows no signs of stopping.

Episode 1 ‘In the Shadow of Zekrom!’

The new Pokemon Black and White is based loosely upon the new Pokemon game for the DS. At the start of the first episode we see Ash getting ready for a trip to the Unova region with his mom and Professor Oak, the man who first gave him Pikachu. Unbeknownst to them (but knownst to us) Team Rocket is also coming to the Unova region.

During a Team Rocket attack a mysterious pokemon attacks Team Rocket and Pikachu is caught in the crossfire’s. While Ash and Trip, a new trainer, battle Ash discovers that Pikachu can no longer perform electric attacks.

Episode 2 ‘Enter Iris and Axew!’

Thanks to an intervention by Zekrom Pikachu can now perform electric attacks again. He decides to explore Unova further and gain the gym badges required to compete in the Unova League. Along the way he meets Iris and Axew. Team Rocket take brief possession of Pikachu and Axew, only for an Oshowat to step in and save them both. Ash also captures a Pidove.

Episode 3 ‘A Sandile Gusher of Change!’

Oshowat joins the team as Ash and Iris investigate the strange behavior of a group of Sandiles; who seem to be targeting a resort spa. Later they discover that they are trying to save human and pokemon alike from a geyser that threatens to boil the residents if they don’t leave.

Episode 4 ‘The Battle Club and Tepig’s Choice!’

To help prepare Ash for his upcoming battle, Iris introduces him to the Battle Club, a way for trainers to battle each other and gain strength. Unfortunately the Battle Club has problems of its own as a strange pokemon is raiding their supplies and Team Rocket makes an appearance as well. The strange pokemon turns out to be a Tepig and decides to join Ash on his quest.

Episode 5 ‘Triple Leaders, Team Threats’

Ash and Iris finally reach Striden City and the first Gym, which turns out to be restaurant/host club. The gym leaders are waiters at the restaurant/gym. Ash only has to defeat one to get the gym badge but decides to defeat two out of three. For some reason he wants to use pokemon type’s that have a disadvantage against his opponents Pokemon. He’s won one, and lost one. The end of the episode has him battling his last opponent Cilan. While this is going on Team Rocket gets orders to investigate ‘Future Energy’.

The Review

The last thing I expected to write for my first review is that the new Pokemon series is actually not that bad. I’m certainly not saying that it’s great, far from it. But I see a marked improvement in quality from past incarnations of this never going to die franchise. But then again there are recurring problems that still irk me.

By no means is this a work of Saturday Morning mastery. Ash’s English dub still bugs me and there are a couple of things that just don’t make that much sense when you think about it. For instance, there is no way Ash should be able to lose to a new trainer, even if Pikachu can’t use any electric attacks. Nor should Ash still be ten. And sure, time flows differently on cartoons. I understand that. But come on, they’re telling me he’s traveled to four separate regions, won about 24 gym battles, participated in several pokemon league battles in those regions, and all of this happened before his eleventh birthday?! Why exactly do we always need him as the main character anyway? Why not hand it over to whoever is the current main character of whatever game is out at the moment? I suppose we do need a common character to thread these different Pokemon cartoons together and he could be very popular in Japan.

But there are still strong elements to be found in Pokemon Black and White. For one thing Team Rocket has finally been given an upgrade. They are a far more believable threat than before. Instead of blindly following Ash and friends around trying to capture Pikachu yet again, they seem to be working towards a specific goal. Nor are they nearly as stupid as before either. They still keep the tradition of flowery introductions every time they interact with the main characters, which doesn’t work quite as well now that they’re a legitimate threat, but it’s still a marked improvement.

The weakest elements of Pokémon are the episodes that focus on the pokemon battles themselves. I’ve never found battles for the sake of battles to be particularly interesting. Where I think the show is far more interesting and fun is when the characters pokemon battle towards some sort of plot resolution. For instance, in the 3^rd episode, A Sandile Gusher of Change, the characters must use their pokemons abilities to save some wild pokemon against a hot geyser, saving them from the boiling water. This is far more interesting then watching an episode long battle. I just don’t have that much invested in the battle to care all that much.

Like I said, it’s not great by any means, but it is fun and fairly harmless.

But is it for Kids?

Yes. Although I suppose some parents may object to the level of violence in this show, it is fairly harmless. As long as you understand that this is an attempt to sell your kids toys and video games I see no reason why your kids shouldn’t be able to watch this.

Kids won’t learn much except for the value of friendship, respect, etc. etc. Basically stuff they’d learn from a billion other children programs. But I don’t think it’ll damage them either. It’s harmless fun and in my opinion that’s just as important.