Psycho Pass:The Movie (Review)

Four years (2116AD) after the death of Shogo Makishima and the disappearance of Shinya Kōgami, the Japanese government has begun to export the Sibyl System technology to other countries, with plans to ultimately spread it throughout the world.

Psycho Pass: The Movie proves that there is a reason this franchise has been so popular these past five years. It's has great cases, storytelling and cyberpunk atmosphere can be compared to the legendary Ghost in The Shell. As stated in the synopsis above the Sibyl System has begun to reach other countries. This system is charged with keeping the peace. It uses extensive surveillance and biological monitoring to gauge the likelihood that individuals will commit a crime. The police use weapons called "Dominators" that is able to eliminate potential criminals before they act. However when Japan begins to spread the Sibyl System a group of terrorist called Seaun attack. This brings Inspector Akane Tsunemori on the job. Akane travels to Shambhala Float where the terrorists are seem to be hiding. Here she encounters an old ally Shinya Kogami but who side is he on.

Psycho Pass: The Movie is a fun, action packed ride with great set pieces. It also has a few heart warming scenes to make you feel for the people outside of Japan. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Akane arrives at Shambhala Float. As she is being taken to where she will stay, she sees poverty, military martial law and collars attach to people who are labeled criminals. The Sibyl System has arrived but not fully yet, so the Shambhala Float government uses their own means to deal with people. This naturally raises suspicion for Akane as she begins her investigation on not just the terrorist group but the government itself. Akane is a great protagonist to watch on screen. She is strong, stubborn but at the same time vulnerable in her moments alone. One thing I wish was explored more was that alone feeling she shows a little bit when her friend announces her marriage. She then goes home and you see taken a shower and then just sitting on the couch thinking about life. She thinks about maybe what could've been if she took another path. It's these quiet but brief moments that made me connect with her character. She also has a great chemistry with her former ally Shinya Kogami.

Fans will enjoy the different ideals that go back and forth between the two characters. One character is about order and doing what needs to be done. The other doesn't agree with the system and with the amount screentime both characters get its great to see that element. Overall the story is great but if you never seen the show you might be confused. The movie doesn't spend time to explain much of the already established world. Side characters that have development on the show don't really get much screentime. If you haven't watched the show be prepared to ask who is that person or what is that weapon.

The voice acting is great in both English and Japanese dub. Kate Oxley is wonderful as Akane and Robert McCollum plays a very driven but complex Shinya Kogami. As far as action goes the best scene are with a group of mercenaries. The scenes with then on screen is brutal and had me saying okay he's dead already stop stabbing him. If you want a good cyberpunk time check out Psycho Pass : The Movie which hits theaters for 2 days only on March 14th and 15th.

Final Grade 8.0/10: B-

Tokyo ESP Review

Story- Rinka is a normal Tokyo high-schooler with big dreams and a small income. She works a part-time job to support her and her single dad, but she yearns for the day she’ll get to loosen the strings on her pocketbook. Her ordinary life takes a turn for the extraordinary when she witnesses a penguin and a school of fish flying through the air. After one of the fish seems to pass through her, she wakes up in her apartment building with no clothes on and no memory of the strange phenomenon save for a mysterious ability to pass through solid objects. With her newfound powers, Rinka is about to learn just how transparent the world can be.

If anime had it's very own X-Men style type of show Tokyo ESP will probably be close to it.  Right from the opening sequence Tokyo ESP established a city in chaos. A city where people with unique abilities the Espers are terrorizing the humans. The Espers believe they are evolution and the new race of man and that they should rule over the humans. They are lead by a powerful Esper who simply known as The Professor. He has the power of illusion and he's very driven to see the end of humanity. However not all Espers feel this way. There are a small group of people who believe in peace, balance and harmony. This group is lead by Rinka a student who biggest worry was how she was going to support her family. It's not until Rinka discover she has been chosen as an Esper that her life and perspective changes. Rinka was an enjoyable protagonist to watch. Although I found her less compelling compare to other characters. If you compare her to the other characters Rinka is kind of the one note hero. The hero who is going to do what's right no matter what. She's stubborn and once her mind is made up that's it. While I did enjoy her arc of learning to be a hero I found the supporting cast and the antagonists more enjoyable. The reasons for this feeling is the supporting cast and antagonists have more deeper arcs that I think the audience will connect with more.

Tokyo ESP is a smart action anime. While there are plenty of battles to be seen in the show. The real battles come from within. As stated above the supporting cast and antagonists all have deeper arcs compare to our protagonist. Each character has some inner demon that they need to conquer before the shows conclusion. Characters like Ayumu who has a mother who is a politician that wages war against Espers. She hates Espers and thinks they should be eradicated. The problem with Ayumu situation is that he is an Esper and his mother doesn't know. Our big bad The Professor has a reason for his hatred for humanity. I won't spoil it but I love this overall theme of the importance of family, the effects of broken families and how one moment, one day can change everything. The show doesn't beat you over the head with its message of family and the importance of keeping your humanity. However it does get its point across through various characters and their personal demons. One of the most compelling narrative on the show is between Minami and Kyotaro. Minami is a big focal point because she is conflicted. She wants to support The Professor but she still has love for Kyotaro who has sided with Rinka. It's a conflicted narrative that pays off well in the end. Overall I was surprised by the narrative. I expected a funny, action anime instead I got a smart, compelling narrative with great characters.

Voice Acting: The English dub cast was well put together. Sarah Wiendheft as Rinka was great. She brought this strength to the character that connected with me. When Rinka is angry you feel it, when she's depressed, feeling defeated Sarah definitely let you hear it. Adam Dahlberg plays Kyotaro. Loved his performance in this. Kyotaro is really laid back, optimistic type of guy and I felt Adam really captured this smooth, suave character that also has conflicting values. Mallorie Rodak as Minami was a home run. Mallorie plays confliction very well. Every time she's on screen with Kyotaro you hear this strong stance but just a little crack of vulnerability in her voice which is Minami. My favorite character to watch was definitely The Professor played Jefferey Schmidt. You hear his voice as The Professor and you immediately say okay there's our bad guy. However he plays The Professor so well that I was actually cheering for him. The Professor is very persuasive, cunning and Jeffery voice capture that. It's hard to side with Rinka when you have this guy voice trying to convince you to join him. It's hard to say no to a guy like that. Finally one of my standout performance is Ayumu played by Morgan Berry. It's not easy to play a teenage boy and I thought capture Ayumu well. Deep enough to know it's a guy character and high enough to know he still going through puberty. My favorite scene is with Ayumu and his mother confrontation with the Espers. It's one of the character highlights and a moving scene. Japanese dub purists have no fear the English dub does the show justice and worthy of your watch.

Music & Animation: The soundtrack was good but not memorable. The background themes hit all the proper notes. I just wish there was more sad composition to capture more of the eternal struggle of the characters. Animation was great and enjoy the combination of CG with 2d which is the norm of anime these days. The action sequences were well placed, while other shows gave better action this one has hold his own. Just know that Minami steals the show.

Final Grade 8.5/10/B+: Tokyo ESP is an anime show to check out. Great compelling characters, strong performances. The ending leaves you wanting more and hopefully there will be more. The universe is now created and the team is assembled.

Bonus Note: The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack has some great commentaries on the episode. If you want a more in depth look on the show check that out.

“Fairy Tail” Mobile Game Announced

GameSamba, NGames Interactive Limited, and Funimation Entertainment have announced today that they are working with Kodansha to develop and publish an officially licensed mobile game based on the hit “Fairy Tail” franchise. The “Fairy Tail” game will be available in multiple languages worldwide on Android and iOS devices, and is expected to be released by the end of 2016.

“’Fairy Tail’ is one of our favorite franchises, and we look forward to working with NGames and Funimation to create a game fans will love,” said Scott Wong, President and Co-Founder of GameSamba.

The game will be a mobile RPG featuring a new side story that draws from the sequel series of the anime. Players will recruit and battle against their favorite characters from “Fairy Tail,” in order to form the most powerful team of wizards.

In addition to the new mobile game, GameSamba and Funimation previously announced an upcoming web-based free-to-play MMORPG based on “Fairy Tail.” NGames will also work with the two companies to help develop that title. The new mobile and web games will be independent of each other.

Netflix Brings New Original Anime Series, Perfect Bones, to Members Worldwide

Today Netflix announced, together with Production I.G, a groundbreaking deal that sees the upcoming original Anime series Perfect Bones to premiere only on Netflix. This marks the first ever original Anime title to debut all episodes simultaneously in 190 countries around the world.

Directed by Kazuto Nakazawa, the 12-episode series is set in the future where scientists have tried to breed the “perfect human” in hopes of keeping peace in the universe. After nearly achieving their goal through three children, the scientists send their “new humans” for further training where they are kidnapped by an evil organization set on using their powers to implement their own concept of a new world order.

“We are incredibly excited to work with Production I.G, who have worked on hit series such as Attack on Titanand Psycho-Pass, in bringing one of the most daring new Anime titles produced today to all Netflix members and Anime fans around the world,” said Erik Barmack, vice president of global content acquisition. “In an era where the Internet knows no bounds, we are proud to deliver high quality original Anime to fans all over the world, at the exact same time, no matter where they live whether it be Japan, France, Mexico, the US, and beyond.”

Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, President & CEO of Production I.G, said about the collaboration, “Among all the tv series and films Netflix offers, the titles I personally find the most amazing are Netflix originals. Production I.G is eager to present another impactful title brought through our creators’ passion and imagination. We’re very excited about Perfect Bones!”

Retro Animated X-Men series Debuts Today

Hey O&G Fans, Today the first retro animated X-men series by animator Joel Furtado premiered  the first episode, featuring Wolverine and Jean Grey vs a Sentinel. The series is inspired by the 90's X-men comic book and cartoon. Here is a look at the episode:
 

X-men: Danger Room Protocols - "Episode1: Part1" Disclaimer X-men: Danger Room Protocols and the following presentation is in no way affiliated with Marvel or Fox Studios. Characters remain the property and copyright of their respective owners.This is a fan series intended for private use only and not a commercial product.

KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world! Episode 1 Review

Gamer Kazuma dies in a freak accident, and is met in the afterlife by a crass goddess, Aqua. 

Konosuba - God's blessing on this wonderful world is an anime that might seem familiar to some based on  the influences from shows like Sword Art Online. However don't let the comparisons this show will get turn you off. This show is its own identity and pretty damn entertaining.

The main protagonists Satoru is a gamer who never really leaves the house. He just stays in the house and plays his favorite rpg games. When I was first introduced to Satoru I immediately asked myself. How many times are we're going get the no life otaku/gamer stereotype in these shows? Satoru seems to have no ambition, pretty much a loner and only lives for games. This type of character is simply becoming the normal in anime. Anyway Satoru decides to finally go outside but only to buy a limit edition copy of his next game. While on the way home he sees a girl is about to get hit by a car and pushes her out the way. As stated in the synopsis Satoru dies. He then is offered the chance to choose his afterlife. He can go to heaven,  go back to Earth or something else. That something else is fighting the Devil King in a parallel universe and having special powers. Satoru chooses the last choice and the story really begins. 

Konosuba really picks up once Satoru and his companion Aqua enter the new world. If you're a fan of RPG games you will like the nods of the format the anime has layed out. The show is viewed like playing an RPG. The characters enter the town, they talk to the people for information and go the Guild to register for a class or quest. This aspect made me ignore Satoru one note character and just allow myself to immerse with the story. The world is beautiful with different type of classes from mages, adventurers and more. Satoru gaming experience makes him a natural how to survive. However he learns he's not such a hotshot as he believes. This knowledge kind of dampens his ego a bit and forces him to train hard to level up.  I would say that his companion Aqua is a show stealer. Aqua is the goddess that met Satoru in the afterlife and offer him his afterlife choices. She is sarcastic, let's her status of goddess go to her head but really cares for people. Out of the two protagonists I will think the audience will be drawn to Aqua more. She's better written, has witty dialogue and has more charisma.  The animation looks great, the music is will make you feel like you're in a RPG and the voice acting delivers. The show is nothing new under the sun but it's still entertaining.

Final Grade 8.0/10

 

Aniplex of America Announces Your lie in April English Cast

Fans rejoiced as Aniplex of America announced today at their industry panel at OTAKON Vegas their plans to release the touching drama series Your lie in April (Japanese title: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso) on Blu-ray starting this March. The 22 episode anime series adaptation of the award-winning manga originally serialized by Kodansha will be released in 2 Blu-ray sets. Volume 1 is scheduled to be available on March 29th and Volume 2 on May 31st of this year. Pre-orders for both SKUs will begin next Monday (January 18th) on the official Your lie in April U.S. website (www.YourlieinApril.com).

Aniplex of America has also unveiled the English dub trailer confirming their cast members for the English version of the show. Under the direction of Patrick Seitz, the four main protagonists will be played by Max Mittelman (ALDNOAH.ZERO, Sword Art Online II) as Kousei Arima, Erica Lindbeck (ALDNOAH.ZERO, Sword Art Online II) as Kaori Miyazono, Erica Mendez (KILL la KILL, MAGI, Sword Art Online II) as Tsubaki Sawabe, and Kyle McCarley (DURARARA!!×2, Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works]) as Ryota Watari.)

Your lie in April is the anime adaptation of the manga series by Naoshi Arakawa originally serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine that won the 37th Kodansha Manga Award. Since its simulcast began in October of 2014, the anime series has taken the fan community by storm. Fans were captivated by the touching story of Kousei Arima and his struggle to overcome his trauma that stopped him from playing the piano after his mother’s passing. The story focuses on the youthful drama and romance surrounding Kousei, the eccentric violinist Kaori Miyazono and their close friends.

Aniplex of America’s announcement of the English dub project being greenlit was received extremely well by fans in the summer of 2015 and their Open Audition project with Bang Zoom! Entertainment was a great success at Anime Expo® 2015. Sawako Furuya, the producer of the English version of Your lie in April is looking forward to the long-awaited release. “We know that so many fans have been very supportive of this show and anxiously waiting for the English dub,” said Furuya, “We had an amazing team of actors and staff pouring their heart and soul into this project so I am very excited to finally be able to show them this masterpiece.” The English trailer is also available on the official website.