Retro Game Friday: Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon

This week’s Retro Game Friday is a game I loved to play, but never could remember the name for until just a few weeks ago. It’s Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon!

Plot Synopsis: The protagonist of Mystical Ninja is Goemon, a hot-blooded, kiseru-wielding ninja with blue, bushy hair based loosely on the legendary thief Ishikawa Goemon. The lord of Oedo asks him to find those who maimed Oedo Castle. Goemon lives in Oedo Town and is friends with Ebisumaru, a strange, gluttonous fat man who wears a blue bandana. Ebisumaru is defined as lazy and perverted. Their kunai-throwing friend Sasuke is a mechanical ninja (made by the Wise Man of Iga) who enjoys hot baths and Japanese tea. Rounding out the heroes is Yae, a fierce sword-wielding kunoichi, who happens upon Goemon’s band in Zazen Town. The villains of the game hail from the organization Peach Mountain Shoguns and include a gang of four “weirdos” led by Spring Breeze Dancin’ (Danshin Harukaze) and Kitty Lily (Margaret Ranko). They intend to transform Japan into a stage for their talents.

Plot: Honestly I don’t remember the plot at all, and the plot synopsis above just makes me confused although with this game if you aren’t confused you’re not playing the correct game.

Gameplay: In what can only be called one of the weirdest games ever this game combines Action-Adventure with Giant Robots. Boss fights are fought using a giant robot to fight another giant robot. That’s about all I remember about the game. It was released a long time ago, so give me a break.

Music: It was probably the first time I heard “Japanese” music, and while I’ve grown to love Japanese Music in recent years, I thought it was just funny sounding back when I played this game.

Art: The art was great for it’s age, keep in mind that it was building off the success of Mario 64, it’s terrible looking now, but it was great then.

Overall: If you can find a version to play you ought to just give this game a quick whirl. It’s highly amusing.

For those who like: To laugh a bunch, Action-Adventure Games, Giant Robots.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Shoujo Saturday: Cosplay Animal by Sakou Watari

This week I’m covering a series I’ve sadly just started reading, but so far has been great. It’s Cosplay Animal by Sakou Watari.

Plot Synopsis: Rika is 19. She loves cosplaying, especially wearing high-school uniforms. On an online dating site, she meets a high school student, Hajime. He turns out to be her ideal guy and she meets him pretending to be still a high school student… Can this kind of relationship work?

Plot: For those who don’t know what Cosplay is it is short for Costume Play. It’s viewed as a pretty nerdy thing to do both here in America and in Japan, although it’s much nerdier in Japan. The plot so far is good, it doesn’t take any time at all dealing with Rika’s relationship with Hajime and doesn’t do any standard Romantic Comedy crap.

Characters: Rika is pretty clutzy, or at least it seems that way, but it makes her even cuter to read and I enjoy reading her thoughts and such. Hajime is a closed book so far though.

Art: The art is standard Shoujo fare, but it’s good.

Overall: If you enjoy romances without the rom-com crap you’ll love this series.

For those who like: Romance without the needless drama, Cute characters.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, or Cosplaying.

Anime Sunday: Tokyo Ravens

 

 

This week on Anime Sunday, I’m covering a Fall 2013 series. It’s Tokyo Ravens, an adaptation of a light novel series of the same name.

Plot Synopsis: In the “Great Disaster,” Japan has been thrown into chaos by onmyouji (Japanese Shinto magic users). Harutora Tsuchimikado was born into an onmyouji family, but has no power whatsoever. His estranged childhood friend appears one day to take him up on a promise he made long ago to become her shikigami (familiar).

Plot: The plot is pretty non-standard, although there is a love triangle in the first arc, that gets resolved by the end of the arc in rather brutal way. I actually enjoy the first three arcs of this story, although I lost interest during the fourth arc and stopped watching the series.

Characters: Harutora is a typical male lead, an idiot with brawn. I actually enjoy Natsume more than Harutora, as she is much more interesting as a female lead. Nothing more can be said without spoiling the plot.

Art: The art is very nice, but nothing along the lines of No Game No Life or Kyokai no Kanata.

Music: The soundtrack, opening, and ending themes are amazing and I enjoyed all of them equally.

Overall: This series is for those interested in some romance, but mostly lots of action.

For those who like: A bit of Romance, Plenty of action, Intense plot, Japanese Magic.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Anime Sunday: Strike The Blood

This week on Anime Sunday we are going over one of my favorite Fall 2013 Anime, Strike The Blood! Strike The Blood is an anime that is currently airing, as of this writing, on Fridays in Japan. It’s an adaptation of a light novel series written by Gakuto Mikumo.

Story Summary:  The Fourth Progenitor—That’s the world’s strongest vampire that should only exist in legends. Accompanied by twelve Kenjuu and spreading calamity, this phantom vampire appeared in Japan. For the observation and obliteration of this Fourth Progenitor, the government and Lion King Organization decided to dispatch an attack mage known as a Sword Shaman. However, for some reason, the one chosen for the observation was an apprentice Sword Shaman girl, Himeragi Yukina. Wielding the strongest anti-progenitor spirit spear, Yukina arrived at Demon District, Itogami City. What is the true identity of the Fourth Progenitor, Akatsuki Kojou, she encountered over there!?

Plot: Amazing, I actually cried during episode 3 for Yukina. I won’t spoil the plot too much, but it’s very good. This easily has one of the better plots of a battle series that I’ve seen in recent years.

Characters: Kojou looks pretty harmless, and he would like everyone to think that and leave him alone, of course the world just won’t do that. I actually like Yukina’s relationship with him as it’s not just a “love at first sight” sort of thing that you see all too often for series like this one. Speaking of Yukina she kicks some serious ass in just the first episode alone.

Art: Amazing, easily one of the most beautiful series of the past year, probably only behind Kyoukai no Kanata for me.

Music: Amazing, it gets the blood pumping in the right spots and sets up the tension in just the right spots. The music in episode 3 was particularly good, from what I remember. The opening and ending themes also are amazing, I actually enjoyed all 4 of them equally; something I usually don’t enjoy for any series, not even One Piece.

Overall: An amazing series that should suit any anime fan. Yes it has it’s fanservice moments, but they are never overdone.

For those who like: Kick ass leads, amazing plot, lots and lots of blood spilling, Fantabulous music.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above or fanservice of any kind whatsoever.