ANIME SHOWCASE: "One Punch Man"

     What can I say about this anime except; wow! One-Punch Man is the breath of fresh air the anime community has been waiting for. It's filled to the brim with personality, and has a fun new take of the fighting anime scene. It's about a hero known as Saitama, and he defeats ALL of his opponents in just ONE PUNCH. Literally, every time. It's hilarious, action packed, and full of surprises. Lets dive in and take a closer look!

     First off, the opening theme is fantastic. With most anime you listen to the theme once and skip it before every episode, but not this one. I listened to this song EVERY EPISODE. Its ability to get you pumped along with the added epic imagery from the show gets you really in the mood for some fists flying. I added it to my workout playlist and I'm always excited when the song comes on. Not many themes have done this for me in the past, but One Punch Man has certainly succeeded in that regard.

     Another one of my favorite things about the show is its main hero Saitama. He is perfect as the hero in this story because he's an actual hero. He doesn't do it for the fame or the glory like the other members of the Hero Association. From day one his goal has solely been to help people and save the day. My fear was that he'd suffer from what I like to call the "Superman Syndrome". This is where a hero is so unbelievably powerful that you stop worrying about him and care less and less because you know he's just going to win anyway.
     Saitama is ridiculously strong in every way, but the thing that keeps you watching is his quest for a true fight. Since he has trained so hard to become strong he has bested everyone he fights before the match has even started. This depresses him, but also makes him work harder to find that one opponent who doesn't go down. You, as the viewer, continue to worry about the day when he actually meets his match and is in real danger. Until that day though, he'll just blast away everyone. I love his optimism, his drive, and his sense of humor in even the most hostile of situations. But he's not the only stellar character.

     Our hero exists in a world constantly plagued by monsters. So much so that the government has created a special group known as the Hero Association. This group contains heroes of every caliber, and they are rated from C to S in order to gauge the problems that arise. C class heroes mostly fight street crime, while S heroes would take on enormous creatures or intergalactic conflicts. Like I said, these are every day occurrences, and most of them are horrifying to say the least.
     Every episode is self contained and has a new issue that arises each time. I really commend this show for taking these super complex plots and condensing them into thirty minute episodes. Some of the stories they introduce would be milked by other anime and spread out over seasons, but One Punch Man deals with them each time. That really excites me because I can't wait to see what they do each episode, but I also fear that they could run out of ideas faster that way too. Only time will tell with that though.

     This show has a very colorful cast of characters. One of which is Genos, the human cyborg on a quest to defeat the crazy robot who killed his family and destroyed his town. After witnessing Saitama in action for the first time, Genos pledges to be his disciple and wishes to learn all of his secrets and become stronger. He's constantly surprised by his master, and takes notes at every turn.
     Another fun character is the faster than light ninja, Sonic. Sonic is not really a "good guy" per se. He honestly has it out for Saitama and tries to kill him more than once. But his character is so interesting, and makes you want to learn more about him every time he appears.
     There are a ton more characters, but I don't want to list anymore for fear of ruining jokes or surprises. Though there are way too many to list honestly.

     There have been a dozen moments so far where I'm on the edge of my seat during this show. Brutally real fights between monsters and regular humans make you tense up every time. I haven't seen characters this fragile since Attack On Titan. Injuries hurt, and people go down hard in this show. But that's what make the victories so much sweeter when they pull through. The humor throughout had me giggling the whole time. The writers do an excellent job of combining tense moments with very subtle jokes and laughs to give you a rest.
     The series is currently only at nine episodes, so there's plenty to watch and enjoy with much more to come. I'm excited every Monday when I hop on and see what Saitama has been up to, or see who is fighting who. There's time to join in the fun, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
     Thanks for reading otakus!

-Otaku Anonymous

Link to watch existing episodes: http://www.hulu.com/onepunch-man

Link to video version of showcase: https://youtu.be/LAgf8vSYuLA

ANIME SHOWCASE: "The Asterisk War"

     [SING FIRST LINE] Now this is a story all about Ayato got transferred to a new school, and he got caught spying on a naked girl, but it's all a misunderstanding yet he'll still get hit for it. Yeah, this is another one of those common tropes in anime that have been INCREDIBLY ABUSED TO DEATH! The Asterisk War suffers from a ton of commonly abused tropes that drive me up a wall, but I'm here to let you know why you should still check it out anyways. It's got romance, action, internal spying, politics between academies, and crazy fights. What's not to like?

     The opening part of the show starts with an intense battle between a young girl, and an intimidating armor clad man. Each of them are launching attacks at each other and using large weapons called Ogre Lux that look very similar to lightsabers. It ends with the girl enduring a fatal blow and bleeding out on the ground. She whispers out "I'm sorry Ayato" and it ends. From there we get launched into an interesting sci fi world with a lot to catch up on.

     Long story short, there are six academies that have a competition between their strongest students every year. The schools are all on a large island city called Asterisk. The competition is broadcast worldwide and the victors are promised fame, wealth, and their deepest wish granted. All of the students at the academies are from the "Starpulse Generation" and are gifted with special powers and abilities. These vary from strength, to magic, to super speed, to many more. We're then introduced to our heroes Ayato and Julis, two students at the Seidoukan Academy. The school's record in the competition hasn't been the best recently, and they're throwing everything they have into the ring this year.

     Ayato has just transferred to the school to uncover the mystery surrounding his sister's disappearance five years prior. Her records have been deleted, and so has her attendance. The only information he has is the record of the ogre lux she checked out. With her lux in hand, and his impressive skills behind it, he's determined to discover what happened to her. He is fierce with a lux, and his abilities are far better than the average student. He's also kind, selfless, and will stop at nothing to protect the things he loves.

     Our other hero, Julis, is a princess from a western European country. She's ranked 5th on the school's roster, and uses incredibly powerful fire based attacks. She is determined to win the competition and take home the prize money for all of the underfunded orphanages in her country to keep them open. She is very standoffish at first, but Ayato is the only one she seems to warm up to. Her skills are backed by immense passion and will to win, while she can be very delicate and girly at times too.

     Like I said before, this show suffers from a ton of overdone anime cliches. The angry female lead, the bumbling hero who stares death in the face but can't look at boobs, the animated journalist, the sexual student body president, and many more. But that's not all it has to offer.
     The art is fantastic and everything looks beautiful. Fight scenes are really engaging and have some unique moments that we haven't really seen before. Our characters, despite being tropes, are done well and you care about them.

     All in all, The Asterisk War is a good time and you won't regret checking it out. As long as you can look past all the times you'll say "Seen it" throughout the first couple episodes, then it's truly a fun anime. Some of the best moments involve the mysteries and espionage between the multiple academies, and watching the characters try to figure out what's happening. Several moments had me on edge and left me scrambling to move to the next episode.
     The show is only at its seventh episode, so you have plenty of time to catch up and be ready for the season finale!
     Thanks for reading otakus! :D

-Otaku Anonymous

Link to watch all episodes: http://www.crunchyroll.com/the-asterisk-war

ANIME SHOWCASE: "Kampfer"

     Three words: supernatural, female, fighters. If that didn't instantly sell you, then allow me to explain a bit further. Kampfer takes the whole "mortal kombat women" thing, and adds in a dash of gender swap drama, with a pinch of teen romance. This recipe creates one of the most entertaining and funny anime I've had the privilege of viewing. The characters are interesting, the fighting is exciting, and the comedy is really hilarious at times. Still interested? Lets take a look further shall we? (Spoilers: FAN SERVICE INBOUND)

     The story revolves around our protagonist Natsuru (blue hair), an unlikely hero who happens to be a Kampfer. What's a Kampfer you ask? It's an elite fighter chosen by a mysterious group known as the Moderators. These moderators select people to compete against each other and fight to the death using special skills and abilities. The only rule is that Kampfers can only be women, but that's a problem for Natsuru because he's a GUY!
     Kampfers also have to wear Oath Bracelets to show they are involved, and they glow when the wearer is about to transform. Each fighter has their own alter ego that they morph into during a fight. Most of them are completely different than their regular persona. Natsuru's persona for instance is a tall, voluptuous, fire wielding woman. Not his typical self as you'd expect.

     As you can probably imagine, this entire situation is quite a shock for him at first. But just when things couldn't get much worse, other Kampfers start coming from everywhere to kill him and move him out of the competition. This makes going to school and acting normal pretty difficult.
     It starts to get really comical though when Natsuru saves his school crush from getting killed in the crossfire, which in turn causes her to have feelings towards his female form! This can make for some hilarious moments, especially when he's in the process of transforming at random.

     Besides transforming at any moment without control, our hero also faces another challenge. He doesn't want to kill anyone or fight. He even attempt save the lives of his enemies even after they just tried to kill him moments before. This makes his character very likable, and gives him an interesting Achilles heel while in a confrontation.

     My favorite moments are when the other fighters start to transform as well, causing drastic changes in a few of them. Akane (red hair) is one of the best. Her usual self is a quiet and shy nerdy girl, while her alter form is a spirited loud mouth with anger issues and a gun. Some other pivotal characters change as well, but I won't spoil them for fear of ruining the surprise.
     I do have to bring up the fan service, however. It's not as bad as you'd expect from a show like this. The romance between the characters is fairly tame, and there aren't really boobs bouncing all over the screen all the time. If you like that kind of thing, I can totally understand why, but most of the time I just find it distracting. So it was nice to see minimal use in this show.

     This isn't going to be one of those anime that teaches you a life lesson, is going for an Oscar, or actively tries to make you cry. It's just a fun and out of the ordinary story that any anime lover could enjoy. The art style is fantastic, vibrant colors, unique characters, comedy, action, and some love thrown in. What's not to like?!
     A simple show for when you're in a fun mood. If you find the time, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a watch. You won't regret it.
     Thanks for reading otakus! :D

-Otaku Anonymous

Link to Episode 1: http://www.hulu.com/search?q=kampfer

OTAKU REVIEWS: "Mad Max"

     With any unexpected box office hit comes a not so unexpected video game tie in to milk off the success. In the case of Mad Max however, you might be pleasantly surprised with what you get. The wonderful people at Warner Bros. and AVALANCHE Studios (the same folks behind the Just Cause series) have brought us this open world RPG style wasteland with a new welcomed twist. Lets take a look shall we?

     In the opening cut-scenes of the game we are given a glimpse of Max's life before the blast through live action footage. Max has thoughts on the past as he races through the sand being followed close behind by three pursuers. We look on as he skillfully removes each of his followers with his excellent driving and marksmanship. He is then blindsided by more foes, and their apparent leader Scrotus, a large beast of a man, who proceeds to beat Max with his own gun.
     But our badass hero won't go down so easy. He leaps on Scrotus' truck and strikes him with his own chainsaw directly in the head. This results in Max being stranded with nothing, left to forage on whatever he can find. This is where we get to take control.

     The first thing you'll notice about the game is its controls. I've never played a game with such odd button placements. For instance, the jump action is the left trigger instead of say A or X. Those layouts can easily be fixed just by going to the menu though, which I would strongly recommend doing.
     Secondly you'll notice how gorgeous this game looks. I was shocked at how beautiful the colors and lighting effects were from the beginning. The trailers DO NOT do this game justice with its visuals. I played on PC and messed around with the display settings to really enhance the experience, but they are equally as impressive on XBOX and PS4.
     And the third thing is that the game unfortunately doesn't come with a multiplayer mode. How amazing would it be to wreck havoc across the salt with your friends in your own custom vehicles?! I was disappointed to see that at first, but the single player experience really makes up for it.

     Right off the bat you are introduced to some unique characters that you will see throughout the game. The most important being a hunchback by the name of Chumbucket. Chum is a "blackfinger" who idolizes you as a saint and dedicates his life to you and his Magnum Opus. The MO he's been working on for a long time is supposed to be his greatest achievement and will be shared with you. He will also create new equipment, repair your vehicle on the fly if it's been damaged, and will deliver your car whenever you ask.
     Because of this you have the great opportunity to design and level up the vehicles how you see fit. Starting with the body, engine, exhaust, etc. While designing your ride, you can also design your Max too. You can equip new gear, change his hair style, and upgrade your weapons. This makes each experience have your own unique look and feel.

     Now that you've made everything look the way you want, it's time to take them out on the open road. This is where the game really shines; its combat. The fighting and car demolitions are very fun and exciting. You can smash into nearby raiders, charge head long into a outpost and destroy it from the inside out, or you can tear down towers with your harpoon cable. All of which are entertaining and extremely funny to watch for those with a twisted sense of humor like me.

     Aside from worrying about raiders and the occasional crazy, you'll also have to keep track of your supplies. Food, water, ammo, and even gasoline all have a purpose and need monitoring while you explore the salt. Food and water restore your health and fitness, while gasoline powers your vehicles. Luckily, if your car runs out of fuel it won't come to a screeching stop. It will become sluggish and just drive very slowly.
     The other most import collectible is scrap. Scrap is used to upgrade your vehicle and gear. You'll find yourself literally scavenging like a mad man to find as much as possible to get all of the cool add ons.

     After sinking a little over twelve hours into this game I still haven't made a dent in its vast open world. With a massive map, dozens of objectives, a compelling story, and a lot of action to put the cherry on top. I was very pleased with how this game turned out in the end. I would be lying if I said I didn't think it would be just another movie game flop like its many many predecessors. But after seeing it and playing it for myself, I can honestly say I would recommend this to anybody looking for something new and fun this year to get their hands on. Especially if you're as big a fan of the Mad Max franchise as I am. So head to your nearest store and take this game for a spin!
     Thanks for reading everyone!
-Otaku Anonymous

SCORE: 8.5 Out of 10!!!
PLATFORMS: PC, PS4, and XBOX ONE

SHOWCASE: "Justice League: Gods & Monsters"

     Just when you thought the comic universe was running out of stories, this tale slips through the cracks and really shines on. From the same creators as Batman: Animated Series, Justice League, Superman, and many more, comes an original story featuring some familiar characters.
     Justice League: Gods & Monsters is an alternate universe plot line where many things we know about the DC world are turned completely upside down. Lets touch on each of them one at a time shall we?

     We're introduced to our heroes Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Except each of them have an interesting twist. They are not their normal selves. Superman for instance lands in a desert rather than a crop field. He is rescued by a young Hispanic migrant couple. He goes by the name Hernan Guerra instead of Clark Kent, and he also wears a much darker suit than the symbol of his people. In this universe, General Zod interrupts Jor-El as he's about to send Superman's escape pod and in doing so puts his own DNA into the chamber. That's right. Superman is General Zod's son.

     You think that's crazy? What if I told you that Batman is NOT Bruce Wayne? Here, Dr. Kirk Langstrom, otherwise known as the villain Man-Bat, has a slightly different outcome with his serum. After a human test on himself in order to cure his illness, he inadvertently turns himself into a real life vampire! Or as he might call it, a Batman. Enhanced speed, inhuman strength, and a taste for blood are now apart of our classic hero's belt now.

     Another off the wall change is the fact that Wonder Woman is NOT Diana. She is instead the princess Bekka, granddaughter to the powerful Highfather. She has an incredibly detailed, and amazing new background in the movie that I don't want to spoil at all in this. You just have to watch it to see what this woman is all about. Two gigantic differences between this Wonder Woman and the original are their weapons and worldly outlooks. Instead of a lasso, Bekka wields a very powerful sword that can pierce anything and can teleport her at will. (I need this weapon in my life.) Bekka also differs from Diana in her outlook on men, for she wasn't born on a female only amazonian island. These two differences make her a very unique and fun character to watch develop.

     The biggest, and most controversial, change in this universe are the heroes interactions with enemies. They have zero hesitation in killing and brutally attacking their opponents. Wonder Woman slices them, Superman pierces them with heat vision, and Batman bites their throats and drinks their blood. This is an extreme alteration from what many fans are accustomed to, including myself. But I actually like this change. It's so interesting to see these characters let loose and have zero restrictions when dealing with villains. Their decisions seem to have even more weight when they involve taking lives rather than sparing them.

     The central plot focuses on our Justice League investigating the deaths of a few well known scientists, and some close friends. Bits of evidence gathered at each crime scene seems to implicate our heroes as the supposed murders of each of these people. With the world already torn on their continued existence in the first place, these hits seem to be the work of someone trying to turn everyone against them. Our heroes go on the hunt to find whoever is issuing these hits, and stop them before the world attempts to put them down for good.

     After viewing this movie multiple times I can honestly say it's one of my new favorites. New takes on classic faces, an original plot, and a unique universe to center on really keeps your attention throughout the whole film. There are also numerous breaks in between the intense fight scenes filled with character backstory and development. Plus there's a pretty awesome twist that I honestly didn't see coming. This movie is oozing with style, heartbreak, and was a much needed breathe of fresh air. I recommend this to any DC fan, or any fan of well done animated movies. And if movies aren't really your thing, they released a stand alone comic series as well to read more.
     Please give this one a view! Thanks for reading!

-Otaku Anonymous

OTAKU REVIEWS: "Rocket League"

     With a new month comes another new list of releases for our beloved gaming platforms. And this time we were blessed on our PC's and PS4's with a brand new jet fueled title known as Rocket League. The sequel to the popular Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars! I can honestly say I've never fallen in love with a new game so quickly. The best way I can describe it is the most high budget mobile soccer game ever, but just because I say "mobile" doesn't mean it's just a casual phone game. Lets take a quick look shall we?

     The first thing I want to talk about is the customization. It's so simple, yet so awesome. You can create your own personal vehicle from an extensive list of wheels, car bodies, smoke trails, and even hats! Any time I get to make my own version of something in a game always makes me happy.
     You can unlock even more items for customization just by playing the game. You don't have to do crazy tasks like in a lot of other games. You just play and they will unlock eventually.

     Once you're finished making your car, it's onto the game. The objective of this game is to take you rocket powered super car and play the most intense game of soccer imaginable and score goals against the enemy team. You have a couple different play modes when you first start. You can play an Exhibition, which is your standard single match choice. If you want a challenge you can start a Season, which is where you do an offline tournament against AI Bots to be the ultimate League Champion.

     Then of course there's the Online play. Through various efforts I managed to get online for about a dozen matches, and when I wasn't getting disconnected I was having an absolute blast. Matches get very competitive, and it's always a level playing field due to all the vehicles not having ability modifiers. So anyone can hop in at any time and have a ball!

     The game looks very visually appealing. With bright neon colors, and a bunch of incredibly well designed arenas to play on. You can't take your eyes away as you zip your car around the field, chasing the ball with everyone on your team.

     All of the actions in this game are very satisfying as well. Whenever you score a goal, the net explodes and launches all nearby players into the stratosphere! The boost you get from the fuel laying around lets you blast off at top speed, leaving a trail of bright colors or effects behind you. And if you collide with another player during that boost, they explode in a brilliant display of car parts and smoke. You really feel everything you do, and you feel like a rock star when you do it.

     Unfortunately, this game has had a VERY rough start. Due to extreme hype over the game, the small studio behind this excellent game have been overloaded and cannot keep up with the player base. I have been keeping up with their social media updates so I can monitor their progress, but as of this review it appears that they are close to working out all of the pending issues. Online play will not be perfect for at least a week or so, but you can still play all of the other modes for the time being to unlock your cosmetics.

     Despite the recent issues, I have still enjoyed myself immensely. The overall game is very simple. Anyone from small kids, to grown adults can pick this up and enjoy themselves. Plus it's not a game you have to devote your life to in order to get the full experience. There are currently rumors spreading that Rocket League has been confirmed as a new ESports addition, and that it will be played on a competitive level. With Major League Gaming careers on the horizon, all of the content day one, and with new DLC and support promised by its developers, I cannot wait to see where this title goes in the near future. The game is currently FREE on PS+, and $20 on Steam.
   
     I recommend this game to anybody, and I'm pleased to award it my first top score on this site! My top score doesn't mean the game is perfect, but I consider it to be an absolute must own for anyone who plays video games.
     Thank you so much for reading everyone, and I hope you enjoyed the review!
-Otaku Anonymous

Score: 10 out of 10!!! EPICNESS

OTAKU REVIEWS: "Batman: Arkham Knight"

     After Arkham City hit the scene I thought the Arkham series was closed and done. With that unreal twist ending, and the amazing open world batman experience. How on earth could they top that?! But, developers back in 2014 surprised us with this launch title. They claimed that everything has come to this. The third and FINAL installment in the series. So I thought I'd take a look at the much anticipated, Batman: Arkham Knight!

     Just like in the previous Batman titles, the whole villain gang has come out to play. Some of our heroes most iconic villains are running wild in the streets of Gotham after The Scarecrow issues a mass warning to all of its residents. Now that the streets are empty, they are quickly being refilled by toxic gases and ravenous baddies. And the only thing standing between them and the city is YOU.

     The very first thing I noticed was Batman's new makeover. The new bat suit looks fantastic! The armor plates, the mechanical look, the mask. It all looks very cool, and very Batman.

     The suit also comes with many of the gadgets we've come to love from the series. Explosive gel, batarangs, batcaw, and many more. A new addition to that list is the Remote, which has a massive companion. The freaking BATMOBILE.

     This monstrous piece of hardware is by far the highlight of the entire game. There is nothing cooler than speeding through the city at top speed while fighting in chase scenes, firing a 60 MM cannon at tanks, and launching a hook to drive up walls. You heard me. Driving up walls is in the game.
     All of these new toys are amazing, and you'll need every single one of them to stop the latest threat to Batman and his city.

     A new player has hit the scene of Gotham, and he goes by the name "Arkham Knight". He's ruthless, tactical, wealthy, and scariest of all; he hates Batman's guts. Him and Scarecrow have teamed up, along with Knight's huge army of soldiers, to finally bring down the bat.

     When this character was announced there was so much speculation as to his identity. Who is he? Where is he from? Is he even a HE? All of those things crossed my mind as well, but the big thing I thought was just how cool and original he looks. His mask and armor seem to mirror Batman's, but the Knight has definitely cut out the bat look and replaced it with full on mercenary appeal. He means business when he shows up, and his set up tells you just that.

     With all these villains coming out to play, you'll have to bring some friends. Oracle, Robin, Jim, Fox, and a few others will be at your disposal throughout the game. Providing you intelligence, gear, and the occasional funny joke. All of the characters and villains are lively, and their voice acting is wonderfully done.

     Another feature is the new leveling system. You still earn experience by completing objectives and from fighting enemies, but the skill tree has become more customizable and detailed with every installment is the series. Your Batman is YOUR Batman, and you really feel the upgrades the second you equip them. Whether it be more defense against guns, greater speed while fighting, or extra combos to perform.
     All of these upgrades just added more to the already famous Arkham combat system. Which in my opinion has been perfected in this title. Everything is polished, refocused, and faster.

     You may also upgrade the batmobile and its weapons as well. That was very exciting, and added and extra challenge to the game in terms of choice and availability.
   
     Some issues I had with the game were pretty nominal. The occasional frame rate drop, or clipping through an object when I was moving to frantically or fast. But the game as a whole was incredibly solid. Unfortunately for PC gamer, they experienced a lot worse than that. Warner Bros has since then offered refunds and are currently working on resolving the issues with the PC version and have been providing constant updates. Until it's fixed I would advise picking it up on console instead.

     After playing it I can honestly say this game is the definitive Batman experience. If you're a fan of the bat, or just enjoy a fantastically put together game, then I would strongly recommend picking up Batman: Arkham Knight. Thanks for reading!!!

Score: "9 out of 10" - PLEASE GET THIS GAME!!!

-Otaku Anonymous