Tag Archives: watch

Series Reviews

Blue Period: The stressful and inspiring anime about getting into art school

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I just watched Blue Period on Netflix and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It can be a bit pretensions and cheesy when it comes to its obsession with the artistic method, but the themes it deals with and the story it tells make up for it. If you enjoy slice-of-life anime and enjoy art even a little, this is a great series to get into.

Yamaguchi is a rough character who is good at school but feels unfulfilled by his lack of ambitions. He discovers his love for art almost by accident when he is made to join the art club. For the first time in his life, he feels the threads of ambition forming within him. He sets his eyes on one of the hardest art programs in Japan and puts all his time and efforts toward making it happen. But the path to art school won’t be easy. Yamaguchi has never taken art seriously and must learn the skills many have taken years to perfect in a shorter amount of time. Will Yamaguchi’s hard work and passion be enough to get him into art school?

Blue Period is a stressful anime that will often deal with themes of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Consider how big of a trigger these themes are for you before watching this anime. Blue Period handles these themes respectfully and successfully captures the mounting stress of trying to get into a very competitive field. By the end of the series, I felt relief that the whole process was over, even though I wasn’t the one taking the test or trying to get into art school. This is a clear testament to how good the storytelling is. 

Watching the physical, mental, and emotional toll the process is on the characters makes this anime hard to watch at times. The close the characters get to the exam, the darker the anime gets. This anime can be draining, but it is also inspiring to watch Yamaguchi grow through the process.

What I love most about this anime is that Yamaguchi isn’t a genius at the start of the anime. He has to learn skills that people either have naturally or have had years to learn. He will fail at times, but always learns and grows from these failures. Despite how tough he may seem about everything else, he has low self-esteem in his art. Most of the tension that exists in this series is from Yamaguchi’s apprehension. Is he really good enough for art school when there are so many talented people? What makes him more qualified than any of the other applicants? Watching Yamaguchi live with this anxiety and depression is hard, but it makes his growth inspiring to watch. 

If you are looking for new anime to watch, Blue Period is a solid one to get into. The story is cool, the characters are memorable, and it makes getting into art school seem exciting. It is a little too stressful to watch if you are just trying to relax on your day off, but the journey is worth it. Go check out this short series on Netflix.

There is English dubbing available, but I could only find the Japanese trailer. The English dub is solid.

Board Games and TCGs

The upcoming Pokémon set, Paradox Rift, just got some spoilers!

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I know it is a little early for these since this set won’t be releasing til after Pokemon 151, but there is no shame in getting excited. With Worlds happening now, I am sure we will get a few more reveals before the weekend is out. I’ll do my best to catch it and report it when I can. If you enjoy these updates, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with your friends!

Froslass ex

Ability: Je Ne Sais Quoi
If this Pokémon in the Active Spot and is Knocked Out, flip a coin. If heads, your opponent takes 1 fewer Prize card.

[W][W] Frost Bullet: 140 damage. This attack does 20 damage to 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)

Snorunt

[W] Ice Shard: 10+ damage. If your opponent’s Active Pokémon is a [F] Pokémon, this attack does 30 more damage.

Garchomp ex

[F] Hydro Lander: 160 damage. Attach up to 3 Basic [F] Energy from your discard pile to your Benched Pokémon in any way you like.

[C][C] Sonic Dive: Discard 2 Energy from this Pokémon. This attack does 120 damage to 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)

Groudon

[C] Overflowing Power: Attach a Basic [F] Energy from your hand to 1 of your Pokémon.

[F][F][C] Magma Purge: 60x damage. You may discard up to 4 Energy from your Pokémon. This attack does 60 damage for each card discarded in this way.

Gible

[F] Bite: 20 damage.

Gabite

[F] Power Blast: 50 damage. Discard an Energy from this Pokémon.

Rika

Look at the top 4 cards of your deck and put 2 of them into your hand. Shuffle the other cards and put them on the bottom of your deck.

Larry

Flip a coin. If heads, search your deck for up to 2 Pokémon, reveal them, and put them into your hand. If tails, search your deck for a Basic Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

Technical Machine: Blindside

The Pokémon this card is attached to can use the attack on this card. (You still need the necessary Energy to use this attack.) If this card is attached to 1 of your Pokémon, discard it at the end of the turn.

[C][C][C] Blindside: This attack does 100 damage to 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon that has any damage counters on it. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)

Technical Machine: Turbo Energize

The Pokémon this card is attached to can use the attack on this card. (You still need the necessary Energy to use this attack.) If this card is attached to 1 of your Pokémon, discard it at the end of the turn.

[C] Turbo Energize: Search your deck for up to 2 Basic Energy cards and attach them to your Benched Pokémon in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck.

Board Games and TCGs, Series Reviews

The first episode of Path to the Peak is out now, and its super cute!

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I just wanted to remind everyone that the first episode of Path to the Peak is up on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. Path to the Peak is a short miniseries that follows a young girl, Ava, who discovers her love for the Pokémon TCG and her journey to be the best. The art style and tone are cute, and the animation is fantastic. It is too early to tell how good the story is, but I am enjoying it so far. It is a short episode, only 10 mins long, so you have nothing to lose.

I’ve been playing a lot of Pokemon TCG, and with Worlds happening right now and the Obsidian Flames release, I am a very happy boy. I might be a little biased, but I am excited to see where this series goes. What did you think of the first episode?

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Mobile Suite Gundam U.C. Engage is coming to Android and IOS. Preregister today!

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If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. You can also buy me a coffee

Preregistration for the mobile game Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage is now open for Android and IOS devices. This Gotcha game brings over 200 classic characters and mobile suits to a tactical game that might be pretty cool if you are a Gundam fan. I’ve already seen a few characters I will be chasing at launch.

The game looks like an auto battler, as most Gotcha games often are, but you have control over where your Gundam are placed on the field each round. The animation isn’t the most exciting I’ve seen in a Gundam game, but I’ll take what I can get. Most of the strategy I assume will come down to what suit and pilot you have on your team, their level, and the gear have. RNG is always most of the fun for these games, and I can only hope that the pull rates aren’t predatory and the story is good. This game promises a unique story set in the universe, and it seems to have some solid voice acting. I’ll have to try the game out first, but I have seen enough to spark some interest. 

I am still looking for a Gotcha game that will replace Dragalia Lost. This is coming to me at a time when I am super into Gundam. I have a couple of Gunpla kits I am working on and have been slowly making my way through The Witch From Mercury. Go check it out on YouTube if you already haven’t.

I’m excited to try out anything that will give me Gundam, especially if it is free. I’ve already registered and will be playing at launch. Stay tuned for my full review then. Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage is scheduled for release on October 25th. 

There is currently a preregistration event going on, so make sure you sign up to earn some pretty cool perks at launch. 100,000 preregistrations will score users with a UR Gundam and 3,000 diamonds, enough to pull 10 times from the Unit Assembly.

  • 10,000 preregistrations: 100 diamonds
  • 30,000 preregistrations: 200 diamonds
  • 50,000 preregistrations: 400 diamonds
  • 80,000 preregistrations: 800 diamonds

Based on the picture and all the promotional videos, I can assume it is the RX 78-2 Gundam is the SR unit we’ll be getting.

Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage will be available on both Android and IOS devices. Don’t forget to follow them on Facebook to stay up on all the news.

Series Reviews

Romantic Killer: The cute reverse harem that I didn’t plan on loving

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If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. You can also buy me a coffee

If you haven’t watched Romantic Killer on Netflix, I strongly recommend you do so now. This series should at the very least be on your watch list, especially if you like anime. Romantic Killer is a cute anime with a lot of heart and exactly what you need if you are looking for comforting anime.

Anzu is a girl obsessed with video games with no intentions or time to find love. Unfortunately for her, a wizard appears and uses their powers to make her life into a dating sim. Anzu suddenly finds herself surrounded by hot guys and forced into situations that will decide her romantic future. Will this wizard succeed in their mission to help Anzu find love, or is she really as incapable of falling in love as she believes she is?

This series was originally intended as background noise as I built my gunpla kit. But my gunpla went unfinished as I quickly became absorbed into Romantic Killer’s silly and quirky plot. This series has a delightfully charming story with fun characters and a vibrant art style. I love how resistant Anzu is to the situation, but she is still willing to learn and grow from it. I love the awkward and hilarious situations the wizard puts her in. The only thing I don’t like about this series is that there isn’t an end yet, and I need to know what happens. I don’t want to get too detailed with this review because there is a bit of mystery to the plot that leads to its heartwarming resolution. The resolution and how all the pieces of the narrative connect is what makes this series special. I’ll admit that some of the plot points are a little forced, but it doesn’t matter when the result is this cute. I should go without saying that I love this anime. 

Regardless of what you think of anime, you should watch Romantic Killer at least once. It is cute, dumb, and very entertaining. It can be slow, especially during setup, but it is worth the journey. If you have Netflix and need something fun and comforting to watch, this is your answer.

I couldn’t find the trailer in English, but there is English dubbing and it is solid.  

Board Games and TCGs, gaming news, Pokemon TCG

Pokemon Presents Recap: August 8th

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Pokemon Presents showcase had a few exciting announcements for games, anime, and the upcoming championship in Yokohama this weekend. I’ll go over the highlights I am most excited about in case you missed it, but you should watch the whole thing if you have the time. There were a few announcements for the gotcha games and Pokemon Go that I won’t be going over because I don’t play those.

Pokemon Worlds Championship

The Pokemon Worlds Championship is this weekend, and it marks an exciting week in the world of Pokemon. The tournament will run from August 11-13, so make sure you tune in on Twitch to watch some exciting competition. Check out the official page for the complete schedule.

The week will also be full of cool Pokemon related events around Yokohama that you should definitely check out if you are heading to worlds. Check out the official page for full details, but here’s a map to get you excited:

And if you are going to Worlds, don’t forget to reserve your slot to shop at the Pokemon Center. There will be a lot of cute and exclusive items that are going to go want to get your hands on, like this cute little Pikachu that is only available at worlds.

I’ll probably be watching some of the Pokemon TCG coverage, but I might just watch a little bit of everything. Good luck to the folks competing, and hope everyone going has a blast!

Path To the Peak Premiere

Worlds will also make the premier of a short animated series, Path to the Peak. The first episode will have a special screening at Worlds, but you can watch it on the official Pokemon YouTube channel on August 11.

The series will follow Ava as she rises in the ranks in the world of competitive Pokemon TCG. This is probably the announcement that has me that got me the most excited. I love the animation and art style, and the story seems super cute. I like that this series comes at a time where I am super into Pokemon TCG, but I am probably no where near as good as Ava. Check out the sneak peak below and tune in on Friday!

Pokemon Horizons

We also got to see a sneak peak for the new Pokemon Horizons Series with the new protagonist and I can’t put to words how excited I am. The animation and art style are amazing, and the world is unique and beautiful. I can only hope that this series doesn’t feel as rushed as Ultimate Journeys did. I hadn’t decided on watching it until I saw the preview. I’ve got the time stamp below for your convenience. There is no date revealed yet for the English dub yet, but I am excited either way!

Paldea Winds

We also got the announcement for Paldea Winds, another webseries coming to us on September 6, 2023. You can watch it on the official Pokemon YouTube, so make sure you follow to say up to date. Paldea Winds follows three students, Ohara, Aliquis, and Hohma, on their adventures through Paldea. It looks pretty cool at least from the trailer, I just hope its better they don’t mess it up like the Digimon web novel.

Scarlet and Violet DLC

If you’ve been playing Scarlet and Violet, there were a few announcements you should be aware of. Most importantly, make sure you go claim your Mew using code:

GETY0URMEW

The Get Mew and Mewtwo event is live now until September 18th. Players can add Mew to their team with the special code GETY0URMEW in the mystery gift menu. Players will also be able to challenge Mewtwo in a special Tera Raid Battle event that will run from August 31 – September 17th. Make sure you don’t miss out on these exclusive Pokemon because they look sick!

We also got to see the first part the upcoming DLC, The Teal Mask, coming out on September 13. The area will bring with it a new area with a new school, characters, and Pokemon. There will also be new story where they investigate the mysteries behind an old Kitakami folktale. I have Violet, but never got around to play it. It might be a great time to for my first play through as I get ready for the DLC.

Final thoughts and Misc. Announcents

This was a very exciting showcase. I can’t wait for the anime to drop, and I might come around to play some of the games. Don’t forget that the Obsidian Flames expansion comes out on August 10th. Its release is certainly shaking up the meta, and there are some cards I wouldn’t mind chasing. The new season of ranked starts on Pokemon TCG live, so make sure you finish up your battle pass and make your last minute climb. I just filled up my battle pass yesterday and love the full art cards I was able to pull. If you have a Switch, you will also be able to play Pokemon Stadium 2 and the Pokemon Trading Card Game on the virtual console if you have a subscription. If you’ve been enjoying these updates, don’t forget to do the things!

gaming news

Songs of Silence closed beta sign ups are now open

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Signups for the Songs of Silence closed beta for PC, which goes live on August 14th, are now open. Sign up to test out what looks to be a beautiful and unique strategy game for PC and console. Song of Silence promises to be a story-rich game, with a fantastic soundtrack, and competitive multiplayer.

Play as a young queen in search of a safe place for her people in story mode, or fight online in a competitive multiplayer mode.

Combat is turn-based. It looks like you can summon units or cast spells using cards. It reminds me a bit of a game like a clash royal, but with a bigger field to play with. Players will have control of a hero who will have unique abilities to help their armies earn their victories. They will also have access to 1000’s units, spells, and unique heroes for almost limitless combinations.

The closed beta will have three biomes available: The Light Side, The Dark Side, and the Silence. Each biome comes with a unique landscape, factions, and units. It is a great time to try the game out if you are interested in the game. Keep in mind, the beta will be rough and unfinished, so don’t judge it too harshly if you get in. The beta exists to test the game so that the devs can make it better at release, not as a demo for the actual product. I’ve already signed up and am now waiting to see if I get in. Make sure you join the official discord to stay up to date on all the news, and don’t forget to add it to your wishlist.

Songs of Silence is a very pretty game , and with Hitoshi Sakimoto as a composer, the soundtrack is going to be amazing! I am warming up to strategy games, and this one looked manageable enough for my skill level. I will be receiving my review copy when the game comes out, so stay tuned for that!

Don’t forget to like, follow, and share this with your friends. 

Movie Reviews

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a fun but cheesy live action adaptation of a pretty cool concept that should at least be on your watch list

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My first exposure to Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is the live-action movie on Netflix, and absolutely love it. I understand the stigma behind live-action adaptations, but if you ignore the source material, it works. Zom 100:Bucket List of the Dead is a quirky and cute road trip comedy about a zombie apocalypse that should at least be on your watch list.

Akira believes he’s gotten his dream job after graduation but discovers he works for an exploitative company that has no problem working him to the bone. Akira spends the next year of his life as a zombie for his company, working tirelessly at a job he hates. Luckily for Akira, there is a zombie outbreak to free him from his misery. For the first time since he started his job, he is free to do whatever he wants, and he plans not to waste this new freedom. Akira makes a bucket list of the 100 things he wants to do before he turns into a zombie and sets off to complete it.

I love the contrast between the corporate life Akira had and the one he has in the apocalypse. Akira will often remember how miserable he was before the zombie outbreak and use that as motivation to live his life to the fullest. It is a very unique take on the genre because the story isn’t about a group of people simply surviving, but rather a quirky road trip comedy of people learning how to live.

The live-action movie is incredibly over the top and cheesy, but it gives the movie its charm. The tone is silly, the action is over the top, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the story is cute. I love the references to Super Sentai and how exaggerated the action scenes are. The music they choose for the action scenes made this movie for me. If you want to watch a fun cheesy movie and enjoy some cool JPop, watch this movie. 

I love this movie and have already watched it a few times. I recommend you check it out in the original Japanese, but the English dubbing is a solid option for enjoying this movie. If you a cheesy road trip comedy with a solid story, this is a cute one with a lot of charm. I don’t know how it compares to the source material, but intend to soon. You can stream  Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead on Netflix.

video game reviews

Viewfinder is One of the best puzzle games you need to play

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If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. You can also buy me a coffee

I was sent Viewfinder as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions.

Viewfinder is a first-person puzzle game for PC and PS5 where you solve puzzles using pictures to manipulate the world around you. A group of scientists created a virtual world where they worked on solving the world’s problems. It is believed that hidden somewhere in this world is a machine that can solve the negative effects of climate change. You are sent into this world to find this machine and any other secrets that can benefit humanity. What secrets will you uncover within this virtual labyrinth?

I got to play Viewfinder at this year’s GDC and have been excited for its release since. This game is as fun as I remembered and surpassed all of my expectations. If you are in the market for a relaxing and fun puzzle game, Viewfinder is your answer. The game has an interesting story, unique mechanics, a fantastic soundtrack, and a beautiful world to explore. This is one of the few games where I went out of my way to collect every bit of story I could from the notes, recordings, and journal entries.

The puzzles in this game are manageable and extremely creative. I had a ton of fun solving the puzzles because of how much flexibility there is for each solution. To solve a puzzle in Viewfinder, you use photos to manipulate the room around you. For example, you can use a picture of a side of a building to make a ramp to get you somewhere high, or you can use the same picture to make a bridge. How you use these pictures and solve the puzzles is up to you. Each puzzle feels open to multiple solutions, and watching the world change as I solved the puzzles was really cool to see. I am blown away by how creative the puzzles and mechanics are. You need to play this game to appreciate how much love and hard work was put into it.

My main complaint with this game is that it felt a little short. I was either having too much fun, or I am really good at puzzles because I felt like I breezed through this game. My other complaint is that some of the filters make pictures harder to see when placing them. The filters are optional, and therefore not a deal breaker.

Viewfinder is a fantastic puzzle game for players who are looking for something with a beautiful atmosphere, a solid story, and innovative mechanics. You can grab your copy of Viewfinder on Steam or PlayStation for $24.99. There is also a demo on Steam if you’d like to try it out first. This is one of the best games I’ve played this year, and I would argue that you will think the same.

Board Games and TCGs, digimon tcg

This week on the Digimon TCG: August 6th

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It wasn’t a super eventful week. The Versus Royal Knight Set just came out so I am not surprised. We did get this months store championship promos revealed, and they look pretty cool. I am very tempted to build a deck and try to make it to locals. Don’t forget to follow, like, comment, and share this with your friends!

Versus Royal Knights Gold Cards

I know I Have already showed these off, but look how cool they look all together.

These are going to look beautiful in a binder. I am never lucky enough to pull these, but I hope you are. Check your LGS to see if they carry Digimon, or pick some up at TCG Player if you don’t have one.

August Store Championship Promo Cards

This month’s promos are looking pretty cool. I hope this brings more people to locals and into the hobby. I want this game to be popular enough so that I can play online like I do with Pokemon.

Premium Bandai Preorder: Dioboromon Playmat Set

Preorders for the Dioboromon set are up on Premium Bandai until August 27. Make sure you put your orders in if you play Diaboromon, or just enjoy the artwork. These cards look sick! You get a play mat, a play set of the 2 new alt cards, and 5 tokens for $50. That’s a pretty good deal for what you’re getting.