Posted on by Alexander Case

Anime Review: Soul Eater

Shounen fight anime and manga, in the past few decades, has developed a very definite style from Dragonball (and Dragonball Z) on – no matter the tone, the series tend to have a bright color palette for both characters and for the overall visual style of the series. Things might get dark and stormy in bits with narrative and tonal weight, but the colors for the characters themselves will maintain that color. You’re never going to see Naruto, for example, putting on an all black traditional ninja outfit for a really serious or dramatic mission. This gives Soul Eater a visual edge that really makes it stand out from the pack. Read more

Posted on by Alexander Case

Book Review: Aetna Adrift

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author for purposes of review.

When I received Aetna Adrift from the author, Erik Wecks, at OryCon last year, I saw that the book was a prequel to another series of books that he’d put out – his Pax Imperium series. Before I accepted the book, I asked if he considered the book to be a decent jumping point to this series. He said it was. I was a little unsure, but I accepted the book anyway. The good news is that the book is. It starts on a rough foot, but once it really gets going, it makes for an enjoyable read. Read more

Posted on by Alexander Case

Puzzle Quest Rundown!

Puzzle Quest for the DS, PSP, and Consoles was a game that changed how the match-three puzzle game worked considerably by making it competitive – leading to a variety of clones that took that framework and attached various licenses to it, and released the games on Steam, Mobile, or both as free-to-play titles. I’ve had an opportunity to play two of the licensed Puzzle Quest games, and one clone, so here’s an opportunity to give my thoughts on Marvel Puzzle Quest, Magic Puzzle Quest, and WWE Champions. Read more

Posted on by Alexander Case

Anime Review: Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya (Season 1)

The Fate universe has, in the works I’ve reviewed thus far, has generally formed a cohesive narrative whole – with the exception of clear comedic side-stories that are deliberately intended to be outside continuity like Carnival Phantasm. Others have adapted alternate routes of the visual novels that are part of Type-Moon’s Nasuverse (like Fate/Stay Night mostly adapting the Fate route and Unlimited Blade Works adapting that route). Fate/Prisma Illya is a true alternate take on the Fate Universe. Read more

Posted on by Alexander Case

Movie Review: Samurai Cop

It would be reductive to say that Samurai Cop was is what you should expect from a film from the late ’80s, and early ’90s titled Samurai Cop. Reductive, and not entirely accurate. Not because the film is better than that description would imply – but because the film is actually worse. Read more