Random thought of the Day

It suddenly occurs to me, that moving into a house with four other like-minded game/anime geeks may not have been the smartest of moves ever. Especially once we got the interweb hooked up. Anythin remotely resembling the productivity I may once have had has been shot to hell.

If I'm not playing something or watching something with the guys, I'm playing or watching something I've got off someone. I usually don't hit the sack until at least 5am. It's madness!

And yet I love it, and I get away with it cos I don't have to start work till 3.

Insert Fonz noise here :)

Random Rant - Rurouni Kenshin

A few of the guys at work are into Naruto and Bleach and, as I seem to have something of a reputation as an anime nut (can't imagine why), they asked me if I could recommend anything similar. Rurouni Kenshin immediately came to mind, as it's one of my favourite series and a fine example of the shonen genre. The trouble is, it starts off a bit slow, and doesn't get really good until about thirty episodes in, and after another thirty suddenly turns crap. When it's good, it's bloody amazing, but for people brought up on newer, slicker anime it might feel like a bit of a chore to sit through - particularly as it's now ten years old.

If you've never heard of it, it's the story of a swordsman named Kenshin, formerly one of Japan's most renowned of assassins during the civil war. Once the war was over, he swore to never again take another life, and so wanders the country with his reverse-bladed katana, righting wrongs and searching for a way to atone for all his sins. The manga was created by Nobuhiko Watsuki, originally published in 1994, and has since acquired rather a large fanbase around the world due to its tight story, interesting characters and cool swordfights.

While the majority of the first 26 episodes (known as the Tokyo arc) is largely true to the manga, with a lot of scene setting and character building, it does also have a number of filler episodes, generally well below par. It's this slow start that seems to put most newcomers off (because, let’s face it, kids today have the attention span of a gnat. Much like myself). The Kyoto arc is what everyone remembers, and really is shonen anime at its best. After that though, and things just go straight to hell. Because the manga was still going at that point, there wasn't enough material to continue adapting, and so they decided to make stuff up until the manga was complete. The trouble is, the 30 or so episodes of filler that they came up with was so bad, that everyone just lost interest, and the series was cancelled before the final arc (Jinchuu, or Revenge) of the manga could be animated. Which is a terrible shame, as it is great stuff.

Here in the UK, we've had the best, the worst, and the distinctly average of the animated Kenshins, released under then name Saumrai X (I won't go into why, or how much I dislike the name here). Although I'd love to see a domestic release of the series, I can't see it happening for a variety of reasons. For one, it's damned long - the whole thing clocks at 95 episodes, and even though the last third is dire, it would still have to be brought out for the completists. For another, it's a bit dated, and doesn't have the same immediate impact as more recent and shinier releases, and it'd take a very brave company to take such a risk with it now. But anyway, here's what we have got:-

• Trust and Betrayal (TsuiokuHen) is a direct adaptation of one of the best sections of the manga, set before the series and detailing how Kenshin became one of Japan's most feared assassins. The long and short of it is that it's simply amazing, boasting incredible animation, a brilliant soundtrack, and excellent direction, and should be on every self-respecting anime fan's Big List of Stuff to See. Near the top.

• Samurai X: The Motion Picture is your typical anime spin-off movie deal - that is to say, it takes the characters you know and love and sticks them in a standalone story that never quite lives up to the originals. It's entertaining enough, but as a Kenshin story it's rather weak, and is often seen as a feature-length filler episode. Treat it as such.

• Reflection (SeiosouHen) is utter garbage. Supposedly the true final ending to the Kenshin saga, it's essentially a glorified recap epsiode, with newly animated takes on familiar scenes, and some new bits set after the manga has finished. Thing is, if you haven't read all of the manga, you're not going to have a clue what's going on, as it jumps around so quickly and randomly that it's difficult to keep up. Bits of the Jinchuu arc pop up, including Kenshins final fight with Enishi - but if you haven't read it, you won't know who the hell he is, or the significance behind their battle. It also completely undermines the ending Watsuki-san gave it Although it looks and sounds great, it is a massive missed opportunity and a huge let-down for the very fans it was created for.

If you want the complete story though, Viz have been releasing the Rurouni Kenshin manga in the UK, and it's arguably one of the best titles currently available. If you want to experience Kenshin in its purest form, this is where you want to go. At 28 volumes, it’s quite a commitment to make, but it can be found even in large chains such as Waterstones for around £5 a book.

So, I hear you cry, where do I start? The short answer is; it depends. If you want to see Rurouni Kenshin at its best and most complete, read the manga. All twenty-eight volumes of it. If you want to watch the animated stuff in the truest order, watch the first 62 episodes of the TV series (there are a few filler episodes here and there, but most of it is true to the source material), then watch Tsuikohuen. Ignore everything else. Some will suggest watching TsuiokuHen first, as it’s set before the series, but I feel that doing so sort of destroys the mystery behind Kenshin’s background.

Oh, and yeah, the guys at work loved it – even though they found the first arc a bit of a struggle to sit through, the Kyoto Arc more than made up for it. I dunno, kids today, eh?

The Not-So Beautiful Game

It's that time again. Every four years, players from all over the world come together to compete for greatness and world recognition - to prove who is the best. No, I'm not talking about some Street Fighter competition, or even a clichéd shonen anime plotline. It's the World Cup, ladies and gentlemen, and I'm already sick of it.

Much of the problem stems from the fact that I'm a Scotsman living in the Greater London Area. There are a hell of a lot of St George flags around, being hung from windows, attached to cars, even worn - they're everywhere. While I'm all for national pride and such, as an outsider it is somewhat overwhelming - and unwelcoming. The thing is, in a city with such a massively wide variety of inhabitants coming from all over the world, I've rarely seen any other flags flying. I can't help but wonder if there's an element of fear to this - English fans do have something of a reputation, after all. A packed pub on match day becomes little more than a monkey pen when England scores. The press is hardly helping matters, with the tabloids covered in England flags and outdated slogans and slang. Couple that with the current political situation and you have a breeding ground for national and racial hostility – hardly the friendly rivalry that FIFA intended.

The other thing that irritates me is English fans blind insistence that the team is going to come back in with the cup, simply because they did it before. Yes, England won the World Cup. Once. Forty years ago. Let it go, move on. Accept the fact that the team is not as good as you'd like to think - how many times have they qualified only by relying on the results of other groups now? There's an air of arrogance to many an English attitude because of this lone victory, and it seems that most supporters don't like to acknowledge the fact that England often don't make it past the third round. There also seems to be a lot of uncertainty with the squad itself, and all I've been hearing about recently is Rooney (despite my attempts to avoid hearing about it). If everyone is pinning their hopes on a player that may not even be fit to play, then what chance do the rest of them have? It certainly can't be helping their confidence much.

It's true that my being Scottish plays a part in my not supporting England, but not as large as you might suspect. I don't hate England, I'm not just bitter about Scotland not even qualifying (largely because I'm not surprised – I’ve never had that much faith in my national side). Even though they’re the only British team in the event, I’m not going to support them - attitudes will have to change before my support can be earned. And unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon. Instead, I'll be quietly rooting for the underdogs - South Korea. They earned my support with their great attitude towards the game four years ago, and I’d love to see them do well again this time.

Anime Overload

It's no secret that I'm a big anime fan, but I must admit that, since moving down to Staines massif, I haven't been keeping up quite as much as I used to. There are two reasons for this; for one, anime is a rather expensive hobby, particularly for those of us that are broke. Living in the Greater London area is costly at the best of times, but couple that with a games tester's wage (not the stuff of legends, I assure you), and you're lucky if you're left with enough for a months provisions, transport and other general amenities.

The other reason is that eight months down the line (damn, has it been that long already?) and I still don't have a home internet connection. Yeah, I know, it's the 21st century and all that. But between the uncertainties of my chosen profession and my landlord, I find myself not wanting to sign a minimum contract I may not be able to access or pay for, should I need to move or find myself looking for work again.

It's strange then, that in the last couple of weeks I've found myself watching just as much anime as I used to. It's very odd - I almost can't fit it all in.

Last August I started writing for Anime UK News, contributing to features and writing the odd article here and there (well, much of it is the same stuff you find here, except with pretty pictures). Now I also find myself regularly reviewing anime DVDs - watch them a couple of times, then write an opinion of them and give it a score. If this sounds easy, it's actually not - it's proving something of a challenge to keep things fresh and interesting on a regular basis, as is giving each title a score that I feel is justified. Then there's the sheer quantity of stuff I have to look at - it's averaging about six DVDs a month, each of which can take a couple of days to view properly. Madness!

If that wasn't bad enough, I had the chance to download more stuff while I was back north of the border for Easter, giving me a chance to play catch up on some of the stuff I've been missing (oh, how I've missed you, Yakitate!! Japan). There's a growing pile of as-yet unwatched DVDs still fresh in their plastic seal that keep crying out for my attention. And now, the guys at work have introduced me to Hajime no Ippo - I watch a few episodes and I'm suddenly hooked. Cheers guys, now I'm never going to get any bloody work done :P

It's almost too much. And yet I'm loving it. I'd almost forgotten how much I liked anime, and coming back to it after all this time seems to have relit the spark. I'm enjoying all the writing I now find myself doing, developing my style and improving my skills a bit more, even despite the late nights and frequent writers block. Somehow I've even found time to squeeze this in, perhaps as more of a reminder that this blog does still exist than anything else. You never know, I just may update a bit more than every blue moon. That'd be a nice change, wouldn't it?

The Thought Process of a Street Fighter

The moment we get a break at work, at least three different fighting games can be heard booting up across the room. While Tekken 5 and Dead or Alive 4 are newer, flashier and shinier, most of us prefer old-skool 2D games, with at least two versions of Street Fighter going at the same time. While I and a few others usually play Capcom Vs SNK 2, the guys in the other room prefer Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. Somewhere down the line we found ourselves being challenged to a 3v3 on CVS. We won. Then we returned the favour on 3S. They won. Now we have semi-regular bouts on each others game of choice, and each week we all get a little better at the other game.

I haven't been playing 3rd Stike very long, but know about enough to get by. My opponent has been playing it for a while, and actually knows what he's doing. We're now into the third round of a 'friendly'; I'm using Remy, "a slightly crappier version of Guile with longer legs," with whom I have precious little experience; I'm squared off against my opponent's favourite character, Akuma. Remy is a bit low on health, and a couple of hits will finish him off. On the other hand, Akuma is still pretty healthy, but a good super to the face should even things out.

Of course, it's at this moment Akuma decides to launch a fireball, and immediately follow it with a super version. Taking into account size, velocity and remaining health, I realise my options are few; try to jump over it, block and hope for the best, or attempt to parry the whole thing.

To parry effectively, a player must have good reflexes, anticipation, timing, an understanding of the game mechanics, characters and moves, and balls of steel. If you've seen the infamous Daigo video, that's how it's done. Needless to say, I possess none of these qualities. I decide to have a go anyway.

0.00 seconds: Akuma launches a fireball, immediately followed by his super fireball. Remy stands and watches.
0:50 seconds: "Shit shit, whaddo I do? No way I can avoid it now. Parry? No way I'll be able to do that. It'll chip me even if I block it... Aw hell, it's getting closer... "
0:90 seconds: "Sod it."
1.00 seconds: Parry.
1:10 seconds: "Sweet Jesus Effin H C! It worked! Quickly you fool, do it again!"
1.50 seconds: Parry.
1.60 seconds: "I did it again! I'm getting the hang of this!"
2.00 seconds: Parry. Parry.
2.60 seconds: "Yeah! I rock!"
3.00 seconds: Smack.
3.10 seconds: "Ah. Shit."
3.50 seconds: Smack smack smack, KO!
3:60 seconds: "Bugger."

Panic kicked in, and halfway through I mis-timed the parry. It was damned impressive while it lasted, but it seems I suddenly remembered I am not Daigo after all, and what the hell was I thinking? So yeah, it didn't quite work. But it almost did.

I almost got away with it. Maybe next time :)