Pixels and Perspectives: Iwanta Iwata mentality

Hi folks,

So, in case you've been completely ignoring video game news and/or only get your news from me (which you haven't received for about a year…oops), The CEO of Nintendo Japan passed away. His name is Satoru Iwata. I'm not going to give you a logistical, statistically-driven analysis about his history, but I will simply sum up what he has done: He started off as a programmer, worked at HAL, then was responsible for everything Nintendo did from 2000- today.

Always looking forward!

What does that mean to me? Well, I was in junior high when Iwata became the head honcho at Nintendo. From that time until now, he was accredited for the Gamecube, Wii, Wii U, DS, and 3DS. To me, that translates that (with the exception of GBA) he spearheaded everything that Nintendo did and has done since my adolescence, which is INSANE to think about! I'll elaborate more on that later…

The biggest attribute that I love about Nintendo is the same thing that many people complain about: the constant need to change. I was always on my toes whenever I heard about what the next Nintendo system was going to do next. At that time, other voices would differ, calling Iwata's systems similar to one-trick ponies and gimmicky until the next system comes out. However, it always seemed as if those voices were silences when other companies would soon follow nintendo's "gimmick" after viewing the system's successes.

The games under Iwata's direction were no different than the systems in regards to innovation. He's the dude that looked at Mario and said," put a hose on his back! and now he's gotta clean the town!" Or," we need to make a puffball that eats a lot and fights a pirate penguin looking thing!". He even went so far as to play a game while spinning around in a chair and essentially making Warioware!

Don't bother him… He's 'making a game'.

So… going back to what Nintendo means to me. I can honestly say that there hasn't been a company in my life that has had as much of an impact on me as Nintendo. when I started adolescence, I got my Gamecube. When I graduated high school, I got my Wii. After I graduated college, I got my 3DS. I feel that I've grown up with Nintendo, and they have encouraged me to keep pushing boundaries. Keep think weird. Keep thinking of an aspect from multiple angles. Most importantly: Nintendo taught me not to worry about the competition and do your own thing.

Thank you, Satoru Iwata. Some might say… Iwanta be more like you.

At least this guy's proud of my joke.

Thank you,

Joey

2000 VIEWS!

Hi folks!

2,000 Views. I feel that that is a feat. However, how did I get that?

by making great content. Then… well, not posting for over a year. Oops.

I'll open more about it in a joint blog/podcast coming soon, but the gist is this: I was in a position that rid me of a social life, charisma, and overall sense of self that made me attractive in the first place.

However! I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. It was hard to think of my life before my hiatus, but now I'm gathering my self and screwing it all together again. First things first BESIDES being a realist (…I'm really not), I need to make content. and I will make ALL sorts of content in all categories!

Dramatization of the effects of Joemiroquai.

but really though, thank you and HANG ON! WE GOTTA GET DEM VIEWS!

Other Things Awesome #2: That Mac Guy Being Turned Into a Walrus (Review of Tusk).

Hi folks!

For those of you who don't know, I love podcasting. Not only do I do Joemiroquai, but I also run the Joemirocrew Podcast Network (link below). It is essentially a series of podcasts involving myself and my friends rambling about anything that's on our minds, from video games and media, to old times. Now, the reason why I started getting into podcasting is because of a certain podcast guru, Mr. Kevin Smith.

Some know him as the dude who got kicked off the plane, whereas others know him as that guy that is always on the Walking Dead marathon on AMC. Well, he is head of the SModcast podcast network, and on one of his flagship podcast SModcast (with producer pal Scott Mosier), there was an episode called the Walrus and the Carpenter, in which Scott and Kevin essentially created a premise of a movie off of a wacky Craiglist-esque post (link below). After loving that episode and hearing that it was actually going to be turned into a movie, I was super excited and ventured to the closest screening (about an hour away, in Davenport, IA) of Tusk.

It almost looks like the moon has a mustache.

Before the movie even started, I knew I was in good company. The theater was small (120) and the audience was even smaller (approx. 30), but walking into a theater of followers of SModco (SModomites? SModcastanets?) made me feel right at home. The premise of the story is unorthodox to say the least. It starts off with Justin Long (yep, the Mac guy) and Haley Joel Osment (yep, 6th sense kid who sees Bruce Willis all the time) recording a podcast on the Not See Party. The Not See Party's premise is that Wally Bryton (Long's character) goes and interviews people that are a little off, and brings the story back to Teddy (Osment's character) and they riff on the story from there. When Wally finds a video of The Kill Bill Kid (basing it off of the Star Wars Kid), He decides to go up to his home in Canada. When he finds out he was bullied to the extent of committing suicide, Wally goes to a bar and finds a peculiar post in the bathroom. The post consists of a man who wants to tell stories and has a lodge open for people to stay. He stops and grabs a drink from the Eh-to-Zedd on his way over, and when he asks where the Bifrost is (where the guy lives), the clerks say that it's Aboot two hours from there.

Mountie approved Canada humor right here!

When Wally arrives at the man's house, he is welcomed and is offered tea. During this time, the old man (played by Michael Parks) starts telling stories. Over time, Wally feels drugged and eventually passes out. When he wakes up, he hears more stories from the old man consisting of a Walrus. While he was stranded on an island, his only friend was a walrus. Because of this, he then asks," Is man truly a walrus at heart?" Well… I'm not going to cover the plot to the entire movie, but things spiral out of control, in the sense that, well, eventually Wally is converted into a full walrus, complete with the skin of other lodgers. After the walrus suit is revealed, well… the movie just goes frickin bananas from there. That's all I'm going to say.

Weirdly enough, this is the normal part of the movie.

OK. Done with the coverage, now to the positives. I gotta give it up to the one guy that truly keeps this movie alive: Michael Parks. His character is layered with stories, mysteries, and all-around craziness that it felt like you didn't know what to expect when he was on the scene. His character starts as a Renaissance Man, and over time you realize that he is just insane. Not only that, but Smith wrote that character so wonderfully that each of his stories were more gripping that the last. Not only was the writing for Parks done well, I also thought that overall the writing was done well. Smith combined a sense of dark humor and backed off on the stereotypical crude humor, and well… never thought I'd say this, but it's nice to see a well thought-out dick joke.

Critic approximation of a Kevin Smith movie.

In addition to Smith's writing, I feel that Tusk was also a step up in his role as a director. There was movement in the camera when there was a larger sense of action, whereas the camera remained stationary when characters were giving dialogue. Smith always as a cool way of just letting the characters go and not adding flashy camera angles or epic music to make up for what is happening. The untampered, raw appeal definitely goes in your head and sits there until you feel the exact same feeling that Smith was portraying.

Now, there are a couple of issues that I had with the movie. The good news is that Smith fleshes out the characters through dialogue. However, I will say that this movie is very dialogue heavy. Like, real heavy. Like, it's like eating a jar of peanut butter heavy. There was a monologue about 2/3s the way through the movie delivered by Guy LaPointe (who has a very interesting cameo), in which I was getting antsy for the next scene. I understand that the actor that played LaPointe was a move from left field, but his monologue firmly established in my mind that he is much better in action sequences than he is delivering exposition. Thankfully, most of the monologues are interesting and will keep you entertained, especially if it is delivered by Parks or if it the monologue by Wally's girlfriend Allie (played by Genesis Rodriguez).

The only other issue that I had with the movie is the role of Wally (Long). Although he has charisma and Long plays his role very well, I didn't know if the character himself was supposed to be likable. There are multiple flashbacks of him being self-centered and his girlfriend missing the old Wally. Over time, Wally pleads for forgiveness and says that he realizes how much he messed up. However, in the end I didn't know if Smith was aiming for a redemption story or a story focused on getting what you deserved. After thinking about it, maybe it's not about reaping what you sew… it's about being a frickin walrus!

Wilford Brimley needs NO costume.

Upon hearing that so far Tusk has only received a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, I was wondering the reasoning for the low score when I thought it was a good movie. As I thought about the things I laughed at and things I liked, I realized that a lot of those aspects were from various episodes of the SModco network. From seeing the "What! What!" shirts from Edumacation, to mentioning Ponder Rock, to seeing Ralph Garman finally having some lines, I realized that if someone isn't familiar with the SModco universe they may not receive the movie to its full effect. Smith has declared multiple times that he has already established his audience so there is no need to make things introductory. Not only that, but he is now making movies that he wants to see and not what the mainstream media wants to have created. Thankfully, Smith brings to life what those of us envisioned from The Walrus and the Carpenter, and I believe that dialogue and mixed characters aside, Tusk is the kind of movie that I want to see more of! I say go see it and you will not be disappointed!

Thank you,

Joey

Joemirocrew

https://soundcloud.com/joemirocrew

SModcast 259: The Walrus and the Carpenter

http://smodcast.com/episodes/the-walrus-and-the-carpenter/

Metal Cereal- Review: Xandria, Delain, Sonata Arctica at Mojoes, Joliet 9/17/14

Hi folks!

So, after a year hiatus, I finally saw something that made me want to be creative and start writing again. It took a band that I idolized for over a decade in addition to a couple of other great metal bands pouring their hearts out on stage for me to go," huh. I really need to start doing something with my life." so, now I've dusted off the old 'quai and here is a review of… well, you can read the title.

Foreshadowing: that face will come into play later.

So, I was waiting in line, right? I was looking down at my ticket, in addition to looking at the info for the VIP package that I also got because I'm a grown-ass man. My mind is flooding with Sonata Arcitca tunes in line! However, I haven't been to a live concert in about 5 years. Not only that, but I haven't raised the horns at a concert since I was 19 gosh-dang years old! Needless to say, when I was waiting in line, I realized I was far from my metal roots. I was in between the typical sasquatch dude you see at a concert (6'6", 4' broad, smelled like burnt cheese. You know the one.) and two old metal heads that decided to tell everyone around them about how much concert cred they have. Unfortunately, the two dude's claim to fame was hanging out in a bar with Geoff Tate, the lead singer of Queensryche… more like, take hold of the LAME am I right!?

I would've gone with Jet City NO-Man.

well, after a hour of waiting, It was finally time for the VIPers to head inside. Here's the deal: everybody got a poster and the band could sign it. In addition to that, we could take a picture with the band. However, there was a catch: we couldn't go behind the band. If we wanted a picture, we had to be in front of them due to tragic cases of bunny-ears in photos I presume. I wasn't complaining, but after I found that there was a frickin TABLE between the fan and the band, I was slightly rustled.

Waiting in line, I was going through all sorts of scenarios. What would they sound like? What will be their demeanor? I mean, I've never been in a meet and greet before! Let alone, one with one of my favorite bands. I took a breath and relaxed because I'm one of many fans here.Then, they come out to stand at the table. Ecstatic doesn't come close to describing how I felt! My first thought was,"WOW. IT'S THEM…" then followed by,"… AND THEY'RE REALLY SHORT." Like, 5'7ish. I'm not a tall guy, but I just imagined them in my mind like these giant icons of metal! For some reason, it calmed me down (I guess I have the size advantage…?).

The band seemed very humble. Although the only two original members of the band are the drummer (Tommy Portimo)and lead vocalist (Tony Kakko), the fans were excited to meet all of them. Horns were raised, middle fingers flew, and Tony had a pleasant conversation with the two girls in front of me after goofily posing for some pictures with them. I thought," psh, I may not be a girl, but hey he seems cool!"

There I was, face to face with the little big man himself, Tony Goddamn Kakko. I asked the most metal question to him: "Hello! How are you today?" nailed it. He smiled, nodded and replied," I am quite well, thank you." After peeing myself, a mini panic attack, and stressfarting, I asked him if I could get a picture with him… I mean, the earlier stuff didn't happen, but I do remember a very evident voice crack when I asked him. After he agreed and abiding by the bunny ear law, I had to lean and put on my most metal face.

Nailed it!

after looking at the picture, and what happened to the girls in front of me, I was kinda thrown off, but hey, I got the photo evidence that I met him! The rest of the band were very down to earth, and when I asked how they were, they were all doing alright… like I was anticipating some sort of mental breakdown or something. When I asked the keyboard player he said," I am quite ok." which for some reason stuck out to me… quite ok. Like, I'm SO present and accounted for. but anyway! I stood in the pit, and it was time for the first band: Xandria!

Judging by the clouds, they're much taller than Sonata Arctica!

Now this band is gonna be around for a while. I don't know much about them, nor do I really remember the setlist. I remember they played the more popular tunes that they have which aren't that many because they're fairly new (at least to napalm records). The band as a whole had a very interactive presence, by making eye contact while they play and getting the crowd riled up. What also impressed me was the lead singer (Dianne Van Giersbergen). She was enthusiastic about the music as well as being technically sound. Not only that, but she appeared as a larger-than-life figure, with a demeanor that said," HEY. I don't know what's more face melting: my sweet-ass beauty, or this sweet-ass band!" Unfortunately, they only played about 5-6 songs. However, I know that they left the crowd wanting more. After being appropriately warmed up, it was time for something I (hoped) could sink my teeth into: Delain!

Would you like your deep face in ivory, sour cream, or mashed potato?

If I had to sum up this band in one word, it would be… jiggly. Now, here's why. Dianne from Xandria was dressed fairly modestly, where the lead singer from Delain (Charlotte Wessels) wore a little bit more scandalous clothing. Although she had pants on, she had a see-through top that showed that she wasn't wearing a boobieholder. So, in addition to that… and she liked to jump around… and dance… I mean, the music was good! I think…

Visual approximation of half the crowd

but really though, the band behind Charlotte was very good! and Charlotte as a singer was very good. I'm not sure if Delain was my kind of metal though. I mean, sure the band was metal, but everything had kind of a superficial vibe. I also think that was added by the number of recordings. This was especially the case in one sing in which the lead singer harmonized with herself. I thought it would've been cool to hear the band harmonize instead, but hey, all in all I was head banging so they were doing something right. Now… the moment we were all waiting for: Sonata Arctica!

My visual approximation

They started off with The Wolves Die Young, which is the first single from their new album, Pariah's Child. This whipped the crowd into a frenzy like something crazy! Tony, despite being apathetic in my photo, put on a show from the start, using multiple hand motions and dramatic facial expressions to demonstrate what was happening in the music. After that, the band played Losing My Insanity from the band's 7th album Stones Grow Her Name. It gelled quite well with the overall vibe they were creating. Although they were building steam, the audience clicked with Tony after the announcement that they were planning on re-recording their first album Ecliptica and started playing My Land from that album. The setlist primarily bounced from Pariah's Child (Cloud Factory, What Did You Do in the War, Dad?, Blood, X Marks the Spot (in which the crowd flipped their lids over!)) and Ecliptica (My Land, Fullmoon, Kingdom for a Heart). The band's sophomore album, Silence, was also highlighted (Black Sheep, San Sebastian, Tallulah, Wolf and Raven). Only one song from Reckoning Night (Don't Say a Word) and The Days of Grays (Flag in the Ground)was performed.

Now, I didn't list it in order, but I want to focus on the actual performance side of things. I really don't know how else to say this: I wish I had the vocabulary to describe how passionate Sonata Arctica was with their music. This group, unlike Delain, didn't rely on recordings. The group came out and tore it up. Tony puts on an amazing performance, both technically and expressively. Every member of the band is technically sound, and I honestly wish that they made new music that pushed their technical skills even more. Albeit, Pariah's Child has plenty of technical moments, Each member of the band flexed their skills and it was nothing short of awesome! Needless to say, I screamed every word to every song and head banged as hard as I could.

All in all, I couldn't complain about the performance of any of the groups. Start listening to them now!



Thank you,

Joey

Metal Cereal: Darkwave Edition: As the Dark Against My Halo by The Cruxshadows.

"The world is forever changing,
Evolving, and growing.
Everything we know
Everything we love
Everything we believe in
Will change

Living is changing
Momentarily, everything will be re-imagined"

This is how the new album starts by The Cruxshadows. Let me give you a bit of personal history with this group. When I was in junior high, I always used to hang out with my brother and his friends and they would play a lot of games that would involve either one of two things. One game was the "What can Joey get away with because he's a kid?" game, and the other was video games... usually. Once in a while, though... we'd crank on The Matrix... and play Vampire: The Masquerade, which was like D&D but with vampires. It was so cool! However, the black cherry (because...everything has to be black.) on top of this was putting in the Succubus Club soundtrack, a 13 track CD that was the coolest, darkwaviest, undergroundiest synthpopiest music you'll ever hear. I love a lot of these bands on here that I want to cover at some point! However... there were two that really stood out to me and one of them was The Cruxshadows.

Don't judge... maybe their legs were cold but their stomachs were hot!

They're a truly unique band. Theyre the only band that I've seen in which dancers are full-time members of the band. They're the only band that has a dude with a headset mic climbing on the scenery and singing. Heck, their instrumentation consists of a guitar, a synth, two violins, a percussionist, and a lead singer. Not only that, but the other thing that stood out with them was the message that they were conveying. Many darkwave bands are known for depressing,haunting, even suicidal themes. The Cruxshadows has a different focus... one made of living, loving, being, and believing (...I took that straight from their symbol). So, obviously I'm going to like this album, but I have done my best to pull the rose-colored pieces of glass out of my ears and give this new album, As the Dark Against My Halo,  an honest review!

I want a big 3D version of this cover... so I can think this lady's lunging at me.

After the first track of," And I Believe" comes the synth heavy anthem of "Valkyrie". Right from the gate, they are holding nothing back. There's something to be noticed with the atmosphere of this song. The beat pounds into your heart, yet the lead singer Rogue's vocals feel whimsical, almost haunting. To me, this created a sense of having a pulse, but the bewilderment of wondering what you truly are. At this point, the pristine lyrical crafting comes out during the chorus and covers you like an aural blanket of relief, with the words...

"God knows
That Fate is armed with arrows
And she watches the battlefield"


I interpreted the lyrics as if Fate can attack at any moment, but someone knows of your dismay and will be there for you when Fate were to be so inclined to attack...UGHSOGOOD!  Let's move on before I get too deep in all this... Anyone think they get philosophical but realize they just sound stupid? Yeah I have that...

Anyways! As much as I would love to break down each track... I think I'm going to talk about the tracks that stood out to me the most. I'm not downtalking any of the songs on this album! Each of them have something to offer, from the mocking tone in Rogue's voice in "Sleepless" to the sacrifical tone of "Burning". However, there is one track that stood out the most on this: Quicksilver.

This song is actually an older tune from them. It topped a lot of charts and further established what they are about. I'll put it to you like this: If you don't like this song, you will NOT like the rest of this album. In my opinion, this is the closest thing we are going to get to an aural sentience of this band. Heavy beat? Check. Haunting lead vocals that fill you with hope? You got it. This has everything involving darkwave!

 I mean... can YOU pull off a suit and goggles? Maybe Rogue was riding sidecar to a wedding...

Another track that I feel stands out is the tune "Matchstick Girl". I say this because it stands out so much in contrast to the rest of the tracks. It starts off with a simple piano... then over time the intensity builds into a spellbinding tale of a girl trying desperately to stay alive. I'm going to be honest... I was so emotional listening to this track. It seems like they stripped what they were known for and put all of their resources into creating an atmosphere that leaves you cold and paralyzed. 

Get your kleenex ready... not like that, sicko.

 

The second half of the album carries the momentum from the first half into catchy, meaningful tunes such as Indivisible and Angelus Everlasting. What caught my attention throughout this album are the subtle differences in each track. From the superficial standpoint, it seems like a bunch of mid-tempo songs with violins, synthesizers, and lost of Hard Gs dropped. However, listening to it more... each song has a different feel. After Quicksilver plays and gets you riled up, the track Infinite Tear comes in and makes you think about yourself. Just when you are vulnerable, Matchstick Girl plays and brings to your knees... Throughout this album, there are broad themes of war and religion, but in the end of it all, this album is about believing in yourself and making yourself into what YOU want to be.

So, what's my conclusion to this? The Darkwave genre may not be for everyone, but I can say this one thing: If any band can warm you up to the genre, it's the Cruxshadows. They pour everything into their music and have created an adamant yet visibly hidden following around the world. Listen to Quicksilver and Matchstick Girl. If you don't like either one of those pieces of work, then well... no hard feelings. If you do like, I strongly recommend checking this band out!!

I hope you enjoyed this read! please check out my friends! geeksotroundtable.blogspot.com and please comment, follow, like, subscribe, do whatever!

Thank you,

Joey

Joenen Jump: Monster

Hello everyone! I've been busy this whole summer. With the combination of moving back home, leaving my job, finding a new job and getting to move again, life has been getting in front of Joemiroquai. Thankfully, things are somewhat winding down in a calm-before-the-storm sense and I had some time to ignore reality and find an anime that I have heard some reviewers say," there's so much hype around it! It deserves all the hype! I am the hype! HYPE!" This being said, I was skeptical and in that judgmental mentality, but so far my summer hasn't let me down. So after watching Monster's Inc. and Monsters University, I decided to kick back on a Monster energy and Watch Naoki Urusawa's Monster!

Starring 90s Trent Reznor

 

 Monster started off as a manga in the early 2000s and later turned into a series in 2004-2005. I could type more logistical information, but what I found important is that this is a type of anime called seinen, which literally translates to "young man". I personally haven't heard of this title before; I only know the basic anime labels that mean things are adult material. However, seinen animes are aimed at young men/men who are grown up/ men who like good anime. I say this because according to Wikipedia, other seinen titles include: Hellsing, Berserk, Battle Royale, Ghost in the Shell, and Elfen Lied. Because of these titles, I expected lots of blood, gore, fan service, and everything that anime is stereotyped.

 

 However...I was deceived. Instead of watching "Generic Guy Anime Episode I: Boobs" I found an enticing, alluring thriller that kept me hooked and wanting more. I wish people would just say that this show just has a feel of its own and try not to put labels on it. There were many things that make this series gripping for people that are looking for serious anime. Maybe it was the female characters that you can actually relate to and aren't as interesting as watching your fingernails grow. Maybe it's the fact that you can see every one of these things happen in real life. I feel that this series broke from the "seinen" brand that people have put on it because although it is entertainment, it is the kind of entertainment of watching multiple perspectives on an issue and how natural and forced events can effect the outcome rather than watching hulking male leads kill things because your animation studio is great and your plot writers are a bunch of canines who forgot how to dog.

for those who like pretty pictures and have no imagination.

The Plot

It starts off with Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a top of the line neurosurgeon in Dusseldorf, Germany in the 80s. Dr. Tenma has a lot of things going for him, but after a series of events in which his fiancee/daughter of the chief of staff/bitch says that human lives aren't equal and his soon to be father-in-law determines who Dr. Tenma works on, he realizes that he needs to make his own decisions and operate on the next person coming in: a little boy with a bullet wound in his head named Johan Liebert. Tenma saves the boy, and not only is Tenma in hot water, but three other doctors, one of them including the chief of staff, all wind up dead. Fast-forward nine years, and Tenma is doing well at the hospital when all of a sudden one of his patients start muddering about a monster who is going to take over the city. When that patient escapes to a construction site, Tenma chases the patient down and watches the patient get killed by the "monster" he was talking about, which turns out to be Johan Liebert, the boy he saved nine years prior. Because of Tenma giving him life before, he now goes on a journey to stop Johan from killing.

That being said, it has a relatively simple plot in the beginning: doctor saves kid, kid becomes serial killer. Over time, the plot becomes more developed and there are many events that contribute towards the development of the characters. Something else I really liked about this series is that there weren't plot twists in every episode, but rather a few large twists that change the focus entirely. Every episode adds little pieces to the overall atmosphere and come into play at a later point in time. However, I will say that there are a lot of little pieces: 74 to be exact. This is a lengthy anime, but they covered every single one of their points and left no stone unturned. Honestly, I've watched anime twice as long as this and walked away from them feeling unfulfilled *coughdragonballeverythingcough*

oh! is this the episode where Trunks is a little bitch?! I've seen this one!

The Characters

Oh my gosh, I can't rant about these characters enough. Every single character is fleshed out, realistic, and dynamic to the point that you can relate to them and know people that are like them. What I liked is that every character is justified for their actions. There is no," I did this because... reasons". Not only is there justification, but there is build up in episodes prior to those actions happening. I feel that that is something anime commonly misses; the idea of letting an idea fester for a few episodes rather than just trying to find quick execution. Something else that is here that isn't in a lot of anime? good female characters. Although there is only one female character that is fairly present (and really only one other one that pops in every now and again), the other female characters are well developed (MENTALLY) and honestly show more growth than the male characters. That is big to say, especially what happens through the series. I'll put the characters to you like this: in the end of the series, I liked every single character.

With that being said, there are a lot of characters. I mean a lot. Although each character is weaved in and out of the story seamlessly, there are many occurrences in which I said," hey it's that one guy from that one episode!" Thankfully, each character creates enough of an impact that he/she is hard to forget

The Presentation

At first, I thought there wasn't much to say about this aspect. However, as I think about it more I realize that Monster has an amazing presentation of realism and atmosphere.  From an animation aspect, it does really well in fulfilling the motions set out by the characters and FINALLY attach realistic facial expressions and not the typical anime faces. What impressed me was the atmosphere the Madhouse animation studio was able to build. there is an ample amount of shading and texture on the environment that everything looks sleek. The music tends to be a little repetitive, but it is used effectively to supplement the environment. The show's music is good... with the exception of the ending themes.

 

 For the first time, I think I heard music as aawkward as the composer looks...

The messages behind it all

Throughout the series, you see characters build friendships, become bitter enemies, and grow through the choices they have made. The two main messages behind it all (as it should be) is Tenma's downward spiral/obsession to stop Johan, and Johan's reasoning and background for the choices he made. There is a common theme of "What is a Monster?" throughout the entire series and it begs questions all the way until the very last scene. I wish I could rant about the messages more but I can tell you... they embrace a lot of things. From race, upbringing, nature vs. nuture, choices, frickin... everything. Hell, I was reflective when I watched the series, which is hard to do in a media where they try too hard to be philosophical.

Conclusion

This show is amazing. You should really invest the time to watch it, and get your friends to watch it so you all become better people. However... I think they should make a prequel to Monster. A show where Kenzo Tenma is struggling through relationships with girls and his parents and have some bubbly characters. and I think it should be called...

...
...

Monster High.

Thanks for reading!

Joey

P.S. Please subscribe, check out other stuff, and check out my friends stuff on geeksotroundtable.blogspot.com !

A Turkey, a Geekasaurus, and a Joemiroquai walk into a bar... and discuss one-hit wonders.