Dr Magnanimus

Captain Earth: Episode 08-10 Review

There is a lot riding on this latest batch of episodes of Captain Earth, now that the second act is in mid-arc. The antagonists, having suffered major defeat by the newly-minted Midsummer’s Knights team led by “Captain Earth” Daichi, now seek to increase their own ranks by awakening more Kiltgang. Each episode introduces a new antagonist, as well as new challenges that put the heroes to the test and allow their individual skills to shine.

Suikoden II

Many years have passed since the Toran Liberation War transformed the Scarlet Moon Empire into the Toran Republic. To the north, the warring Kingdom of Highland recently entered a cease-fire truce with the allied City-States of Jowson. A young man and his life-long friend, Jowy Atreides, both former Highland soldiers, become victims in Prince Luca Blight’s conspiracy to resume the conflict and crush the vulnerable City-States. Having been chosen by the Rune of the Beginning, the two fated youths march towards destiny to reunite the politically-fractured Jowson alliance forces and confront the maniacal prince’s mad schemes of conquest and bloodshed.

Captain Earth: Episode 05-07 Review

The second act of Captain Earth has finally arrived. Although the major plot points are finally coming into focus in these latest episodes (i.e. lines between heroes and villains clearly drawn, backstories and explanations wrapped up, relationships established, etc.), it may be too little too late for the casual viewers who most likely lost interest already.

Captain Earth: Episode 02-04 Review

I would have expected a series about a gigantic planetary defender to promise a plethora of gut-wrenching space opera and/or exhilarating metal-on-metal battles four episodes in. What I got instead was snail-paced exposition, more enigmatic political intrigue, and less indication of when (or even if) that alleged Earth-threatening interstellar war was ever going to get underway.

LUFIA: CURSE OF THE SINISTRALS

The Nintendo DS is arguably one of the best modern handheld consoles for accommodating role-playing games. This can certainly be said for Neverland’s remake of the classic Lufia series, which has made good use of the system’s capabilities and then some.

Captain Earth: Episode 01 Review

Spring is here, and with a new season of anime comes new a opportunity for growth in the industry. The mecha genre has always been in the periphery of my circles of interest, even while acknowledging its essential contribution to the medium as it exists today.

Suikoden

The son of General Teo McDohl, the Scarlet Moon Empire’s greatest war hero, had always lived under the shadow of his father’s reputation. That all changed the day Teo was sent into battle in the north, leaving his son at home to start his own military career in his father’s absence. With the assistance and guidance of several family friends, the son dutifully went on several missions issued to him by his Imperial superiors. During these expeditions, however, it became apparent that the Empire had grown corrupt and oppressive towards the common subjects, and the son secretly questioned his allegiance. His misgivings would eventually lead to outright rebellion when he and his like-minded allies joined forces with an underground resistance group. Thus began their desperate war of independence to overthrow the powerful, tyrannical monarchy.