'Free!', Male Beauty, and Fanservice

OH, GOD DAMN IT, 2017, STOP KICKING ME IN MY OVERLY ANALYTICAL AND CYNICAL ASS WITH STUPID SHIT I'M SUPPOSED TO HATE! THESE STRANGE FEELS BURNING IN MY HEART HURT LIKE A MOTHERFU--

*clears throat*

Well, that was very undignified of me. My apologies.

Despite the obnoxious recent track record of consuming media that has pushed me beyond the comfort zone I maintained for much of my life, I don't feel particularly conflicted or violated in any psychological manner in regards to Free!. Thank whatever deity or deities that do or do not exist for that reprieve.

Over the course of a week  last month, I have marathoned Free! with its two seasons, handful of OVAs, and prequel film. After trying to have no expectations for the series' quality, I found myself really enjoying Free!. And felt feels. Felt enough feels that I laughed. And cried. Good to know that I'm still a woman.

That's the short story. The long story requires me to go back to 2012, when a little known Hollywood film caused a bit of controversy in some circles thanks to some good old double standards regarding good old fanservice.

'Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Vol 2'

Three years. I've been biting my nails in anticipation for this book for three bloody years.

And now I have to wait for the translation of volume three. And this book ends on an even more nerve-wrecking note than volume one. I love this book so much that my anxiety for volume three's translation and publication might kill me.

While it has been a long time since I last thought of the five-volumed Quantum Devil Saga and its spiritual older brother the Digital Devil Saga duology, I easily jumped back into the narrative and world without feeling like a day passed since I last read about Serph, the Embryon, and the denizens of the mysterious Junkyard. I rarely felt that connected to a story's world, and I cannot praise everyone involved in the games and this book series enough.

Before reading further, I suggest checking out my thoughts on Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Vol 1 from 2014. Also, as I went down memory lane to prepare for this post, I remembered Kevin Frane informing me that the guys at Bento Books read my review of volume one and liked it. Supposedly. I-I'm still kinda in denial about it. *fans self to prevent fainting*

Anywho, enough about silly me. SPOILERS AHOY!

'Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Vol. 1'

There have been numerous reasons my blog hasn't been updated lately, and this is one of them. For the past several months, I have been really, really excited for this book. I sat on pins and needles, watched a few interviews with the translator Kevin Frane, helped hold a small contest to promote the book, and pre-ordered this as soon as I could. Now that I finished it in just a day a week ago, I have no regrets.

Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner is a five-volume novelization of a story Yu Godai created when approached to create a scenario for Digital Devil Saga. Though she didn't work with Atlus long enough to finish her work for the RPG (although she is still credited), she planned to write her own version of the story, as it was her original idea. The fact Quantum exists has fans of the Megami Tensei franchise who adored Digital Devil Saga squeezing with delight.

And it's translated into English. Well, volume one at least, thanks to translator Kevin Frane and Bento Books. Since I want the other four volumes released outside of Japan as soon as possible, I owe it to myself to stand on my podium and rant away on this tiny little blog.

Spoiler: I really, really, REALLY love this book. And some spoilers are here, sort of.

'Mass Effect 2' Part IV

Duh-na-na-na-na-na, Duh-na-na-na-na-na, Duh-na-na-duh-na-na-duh-na-na-duh-na-na-duh-na-na-duh-na-na-duh-na-na-na...

DUH-NA-NA-DUH!

You have obtained Part 4 of the Mass Effect 2 review! To read this post, click the "see more" link if viewing on the main page. Otherwise, scroll down. Remember to keep your eyes on the screen. But don't forget to take breaks, or else your eyes will melt and you will suffer killer headaches! - Love, Nintendo.

... wait.

In all seriousness I actually like doing these posts. I put so much time ranting about the characters here that I realized how much I retained from the superior being(s) know how many times I played this game. The Mass Effect Wiki is mainly a reference to make sure I don't miss a few details. And if I even so much as make a minuscule error, I might gain a Douchey McNitpick! ... I don't want that. At all. PLEASE.

Anywho.

I kissed the characters I love, hugged the misfits, sent Thane a lawsuit for being one of the worst fathers in video games, and mocked the mediocrity of Legion.

While I fight off the inevitable horde of angry fans worldwide, let's finish this!

'Tears on Tape'

After nearly killing myself over a stupid video game, I'm ecstatic that I could cast aside some of the worst thoughts to finally greet my favorite band's new album back in April. I remember greeting Screamworks around Valentine's of 2011 with universe-destroying period cramps that made me leave school early. (Men are so lucky...) When I checked the mail, my massive limited edition purchase sat there and my bloody angry mood crumbled into dust. Not a few hours later, a snow storm came and I had an extra day off to enjoy the awesome music.

This time, similar luck happened. I desperately NEEDED the sweatshirt I got in my preorder for my final art project. And the weekend I come home to get my things for it? Thanks for being a loyal Fangirl, me! ^_^

... But this has nothing to do with the quality of the album at all, does it?

And so, how is HIM's eighth studio album, Tears on Tape?

For one, I love the cover art. It's so bizarre with the lyrics of the chorus to "Tears on Tape" written in cryptic symbols, Malachim to be exact, within the snake. That and the heartagram surrounded by a heptagram and the abstract tiles... Oh, I can squee over this band forever and bore everyone else on the planet!

I'm done gushing... for now. ...Maybe.

... But the drummer is healthy again after that really scary nerve damage in his wrists from repetitive stress! Yay! Thank the superior being(s) he recovered before the band considered breaking up! :D

...Darn it. Shutting up. >.<

'Persona 3' Part V

*sips pomegranate tea*

... Note to self: never, ever, ever read Persona 3 fan fiction. Never again. Ever.

This has to be the worst game I have ever played. The story, the characters, the gameplay, the fans, the fanfiction, EVERYTHING related to this game deserves to be destroyed. If only there was an appropriate punishment worthy of this abomination of a game's existence! All thanks to Atlus, they owe me four trillion yen in tissues for P3P's New Game Plus ending alone! That's not even covering all the other non-Shinji relates moments in the game! Yukari's dad! Junpei and Chidori! Takeharu Kirijo! New Years Eve!

Why on earth did I play this game?! ...Oh, right, a bunch of other traumatized folks on the internet recommended it to me so I could join in the parade of misery. There... there are just no words...

That's it. I made it this far. There have been a few moments when I came very close to slicing my jugular open. Instead I threw a tantrum because I have self control! Today, I will end this review once and for all! I will not falter this time! Watch me!!

'Fullmetal Alchemist'... in General

 I can hear it already: "Fangirl, do mean the 2003 series or Brotherhood?" Fans get into arguments about which one is better. Others just want a clarification since the two versions go in polar opposite directions by the end. Because of this I didn't want to cover Fullmetal Alchemist right away. As of this post I still have not finished watching either show (at about 30 episodes in the first series and 32 in the second.) So consider this a premature, "superficial" review/analysis of the two shows.

"Superficial" in the sense that I will not nitpick every nook and cranny of both versions. Furthermore, several aspects of each will be glossed over.

However, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has the advantage since it closely follows the manga, which I read in its entirety. Maybe about halfway through this, you might already know which adaptation I like the most. Regardless, I will try to mention what aspects of each show were well executed.

'Finally Free'

(CREDIT: fully deserved to Bentley Jones)

RANK: 4.7 out of 5 <-- Just... WOW!!

Electronic music confuses me. This is a sign that I have to dive deeper and recognize the difference between the various subgenres it contains. However, repetition, simple beats, auto-tune, and multiple layers of electronic noise often tend to be very hit-or-miss. Some acts make music that sounds fine with such elements (Hellogoodbye, Julien-K, etc.) and others make eardrums explode (Kesha, Lil Wayne, etc.) With such a thin line to walk on, does Bentley Jones hang on or fall into a pit?

From the above rank he obviously does it right.

My first experience with his music was "Dreams of an Absolution", credited as Lee Brotherton, as a character theme from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). Despite the amount of auto-tune that drives me up the wall, there was something that captured the spirit of Silver as a character. The song almost screamed out raw a emotion I often don't expect from electronic tracks. Completely enchanted, I began immediate research and within 48 hours I bought two of his albums. Instead of jumping the gun, I jumped across the face of the Earth sixty times.

As far as Finally Free goes, it tested my overall doubt for electronic music. I honestly do not know 100% if it is "overproduced" or bathed in auto-tune, but Bentley Jones did not completely hide behind an artificial wall. There are several tracks that are beautifully performed and tempt me to not say anything objectively wrong with them. So I guess that means they... moved me? *gasp!* Some heartbreakingly pretty tracks like "Waiting for Clouds" and "Birdcage" tried to appeal to my "dead" feminine side. (Looks like HIM needs to keep this guy on their radar...) I guess this proved to me that electronic music can be as emotional and touching as anything "more genuine" with "real" instruments and singing.

According to a letter written on his website, Bentley worked on this record entirely all by himself, without a record company telling him what to do. EVERYTHING. That's really gutsy and impressive.

Of course, to keep my reputation as an immature unprofessional reviewer, I have to make some criticism. First, don't think you'll fall in love with it immediately. As a hard rock and heavy metal chick, this was absolutely true for me. Finally Free grew on me modestly after a few listens, when I had to bring out my younger pop-loving self inside. At least a few tracks use some rock elements and orchestration pieces to keep a sense of variety. Next, I can't say Bentley stands out completely as a singer. I watched some live clips of him on Youtube and he has a very nice and strong voice, but at a first listen, he might not stand out in the ears of most. This album might be the most honest work he's ever done, but it does not show one thing that makes him very interesting as an artist. Wait until I tackle TRANS//LATION 2...

What I will say though is that the ninth song sounds a bit silly in the verses. I'll bet it was done on purpose, but this - more than a few others - really sounds like a J-pop act. It's interesting, but strange.

Yet, just like Escape the Fate's self titled album, Finally Free is yet another oasis in my dry spell of jadedness. With only one song that screams "evil girl" ("ST4LK3R"), no song sounds artificial and fake, in lyrics and performance. Because there are only nine songs (not including two/three bonus tracks) I cannot provide too many links to spoil the album for anyone. But seriously, if you like electronic music that might give you a sensation of flying [free - bad pun XD], I seriously recommend this album. No, I recommend this to anyone who is curious.

I strongly admire Ben-chan's honesty and effort in this album; it makes me wonder how many musicians would do something like this... Pop, but yet not very popular - practically unknown! Geez, Bentley Jones confuses me greatly... 4.7 out of 5 since I can't think of a honest rank. My music tastes have been put into question... maybe this is a sign...!

'Clannad'

(CREDIT: to the makers.)

Rank: 4.9 out of 5 <-- ...

Okazaki Tomoya is a delinquent who finds life dull and believes he'll never amount to anything. Along with his friend Sunohara, he skips school and plans to waste his high school days away. One day while walking to school, Tomoya passes Nagisa Furukawa muttering quietly to herself. Without warning she exclaims "Anpan!" (a popular Japanese food) in self-motivation which catches Tomoya's attention. Soon after, they become friends at school. Tomoya learns Nagisa has been held back a year due to a severe illness and that her dream is to revive the school's drama club. Claiming he has nothing better to do, he decides to help her achieve this goal along with the help of four other girls.
As Tomoya spends more time with the girls, he learns more about them and their problems. As he attempts to help each girl overcome her respective obstacle, he begins to realize life isn't as dull as he once thought.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]

This show was far more brutal than Ef - A Tale of Memories. Clannad is such an emotionally stimulating clusterfuck that I have died of dehydration. I have lost the ability to cry...

And I HATE THIS SHOW. TT-TT

So yeah. Here it goes. I might as well break everything down into categories for the sake of covering a two-season anime.

CHARACTERS: Clannad does have a lot of characters in stereotypical roles (a punching bag, a lolita, a shy girl, a sweet girl, etc), yet they still come off as endearing. Each character has at least some development and relevance despite the large cast. Each arc focuses on one of the friends Tomoya makes through the end of his high school life; however, the delivery is a hit or miss. One of the biggest offenders is Fuko's arc which took up nearly half of the first season. Although it was the only time when I considered dropping the show, the slow pacing was not easy to sit through. Otherwise, the stories are taken care of very well, although some characters have not much screen time ever again.

Hands down, I liked Tomoya the most. He's blunt, cynical, and loves to pull pranks every now and then (wait... that's like me kinda... o_O.) He is a love or hate sort of guy and many don't like him for his distance from his dad and how Tomoya is willing to help his friends but not his dad. As someone who is going through family difficulty, I can understand his unwillingness to deal with his issues. I loved him the most in Clannad: After Story, where he matures so much and becomes a very strong protagonist despite his double whammy downfall near the end...

Nagisa, on the other hand, is Tohru Honda... minus the strength and the "fixing up" duty: they are placed all on Tomoya. Nagisa is a decent character, but she is significantly weaker and is quite needy. Sometimes I felt that Tomoya should have stopped taking care of her like a lost puppy. Though she gets stronger and more confident, she still feels like a passive Tohru Honda for no reason. In fact, all the characters - except Tomoya a good chunk of the time - is passive. I forgot how many times an "'I'm sorry!' 'It's okay!'" moment occurred in 50 episodes!

PLOT: Have a box of tissues with you. Clannad is very emotional roller coaster ride, even to the point that you become numb in a time when you should be bawling your eyes out. It's very annoying, especially near the end of Clannad: After Story, when Tomoya is in the darkest moment in his life. To sum it up, I was so stuffed from the appetizers that I had little room to enjoy the main meal. At least I threw a teary-eyed hissy fit at episode 21; oh, the foul language that the neighbor's heard at 3 in the morning... But since Arkada marked that scene as the 2nd saddest moment in anime... I should have been better prepared.

Despite the fact that some arcs are not well paced, and some characters have a far better story than others, Clannad does well in delivery on an emotional level. So much so that I can't really critique it to the fullest; I can agree that this show is manipulative with emotions, but I still gave a crap anyway. Just like me with Naruto.

ART: Fluid and beautiful! Despite the "moe" character designs of the females, everyone moves naturally. In After Story, we get to see Tomoya fight a gang member, and hands down that scene was executed far better than one in any action anime I have seen. Even in the "parallel world" where there is a young girl and a robot, everything felt so real and not stiff and choppy. Otherwise, not much can be said here. It's not groundbreaking, but it was truly a new experience for me.

SOUND: The opening songs of both seasons are wonderful; I have "Megumeru" on my iPod and "Toki wo Kizamu Uta" fits season two in a bittersweet way. The ending songs are okay, with "Dango Daikazoku" as a strong highlight. That song appears many times as an instrumental in some sweet scenes and is sung a few times by some characters in After Story. Background music was fitting and noticeable, but nothing award-winning.

As for voice acting... I stuck with the English dub, which was done well. You could go with Japanese subtitles or English dub depending on what you stick with because you can't go wrong. But be warned that the dub started off pretty shaky at first, but things settled down relatively and quickly.

Overall, Clannad has some rehashed story elements, but is delivered in a very emotional fashion to make you love it or hate it. I'm tempted to call it a masterpiece in its own way, but at the end of the day, I felt it was realistic at first with cynical Tomoya, but the show progressed into an idealistic fashion. Honestly, that was why I loved Ef - A Tale of Memories so much; it was surreal and trippy at times, but the events and interactions were realistic. Despite that, on a subjective level, I want give Clannad a 6 out of 5 for my expectations being blown out of the water. But my objective side would probably rate this as a 3.8. So I'll compromise the two by giving Clannad... a 4.9 out of 5.

Geez, this show makes Titanic look like a comedy... I gotta stop giving these romance stories high praise. Dammit...

'Escape the Fate'

A music review? *gasp*

(CREDIT: to Escape the Fate... obviously.)

Rank: 4.5 out of 5 <-- best new album I bought in a while

Either I have found no good music lately, or every act in the universe is on the downward path. In a time when music continues to disappoint me more and more, this new album truly is an oasis.

I might have said so earlier, but I can't say I love Escape the Fate. Yet I have bought every single CD they have released. The only band where I invested that much time and dedication is HIM for obvious reasons, so it feels kinda odd. These guys are not high on my list of favorite artists, but I think they are climbing in the ranks quickly.

Escape the Fate's self-titled album is by far their most mature at this point, if stripping whines away and replacing them with singing and screaming can be deemed "mature." Regardless, it's a relief to not hear Craig whine pitifully like he did in "Something" and "Ashley" from This War is Ours. Thankfully this third album has screaming all throughout from beginning to end, unlike in the previous record when it begins in "The Flood" - the halfway mark.

One of the best things of the album is how dark and eerie it is. Songs such as "Massacre" or "Lost in Darkness" can fit in pretty well on a horror film soundtrack. Some songs before could be seen as gruesome, but in the case of "Lost in Darkness" the lyrics are far more disturbing than those in "My Apocalypse" from their debut album. In fact, I can almost imagine it fitting a Higurashi anime music video... If you want a heavy, dark album to check out, feel free to jump all over this one. Though they are "post-hardcore", this current Escape the Fate pleases the Fangirl and her heavy metal and goth rock loving soul.

Really, I can't say anything really objectively positive here. I can best sum this up as epic and intense; I am also pissed that I only spent $7.00 on it at Target. I would have paid $14.00 for this if I could.

The main issue I have, however, might just be a fabric of my imagination, but at some points, Escape the Fate began to sound like Marilyn Manson. At the very least, "City of Sin" sounds too much like "mOBSCENE" in beat, rhythm, the chorus, and the chant right after the chorus. Feel free to compare if you'd like to, or play the "mOBSCENE" music video on mute and play "City of Sin" over it.

Like almost every record there are a few skippable or forgettable tracks here such as "Day of Wreckoning", otherwise, Escape the Fate is a solid album. It seems that this was the album in which Craig has proved to be a great vocalist for the band after Ronnie's issues. A fine example of this is "World Around Me," a ballad far better than This War Is Ours' "Harder Than You Know," a whiny pity fest in comparison. If only such a great feat was accomplished in the previous record... oh well, better late than never. By far this is the most impressive record this band has released to date and I really recommend it to fans of this genre of rock/metal/punk... oh just check out the linkies. :P

Back to playing this nonstop again. After a small spell of dull music, I am glad this album pumped my spirits back up. Yay. ^_^

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Part 2

Double review of Buffy Season 5 and Angel Season 1! :P

(CREDIT: to Joss Whedon... the creator)

Rank: 2.5 out of 5 <- dear God in heaven...

Remember when I said that seasons 2 and 3 were my favorites because they made the characters lovable? Well... many have came close to going out via the guillotine. To be honest, I don't completely know why I disliked this season. It couldn't have been Angel: I watched his spin-off along with this so I'm not detoxing... Cordelia? Nah, she's in Angel and is treated better... Oz? Giles? Xander? Anya? Hmm... how about those four? Though not much could have been said about the plot of season 3, at least there was one enemy to care about. This time around, by the time Riley and Buffy are a couple, all care for anything went "bye bye."

Characters were deprived beyond belief. Giles was ignored 80% of the time; Xander felt more useless than he might actually be; and Anya was worse off in the development department then Angel was in season 1. And as interested as I am in Tara, I still couldn't help but mourn the fact that Oz left the gang for good, leaving me with three quarters of a season to suffer through. Minus these guys, I could only find comfort and amusement from Spike and Willow. That's it.

More complaints flying in at the horizon. Although Riley is sweet, nice, and a good guy, I can't help but find him to be annoying. I'm not saying this because I find Angel and Spike to be better because of their "conditions," but they had something interesting to offer, wether its humor, usefulness, or their own identities. Despite being in the military, Riley is the normal guy Buffy wanted... a nervous, passive, uninteresting dork. You have no idea how happily amused I was when the testosterone fight over Buffy happened in "The Yoko Factor."

Maybe it's because I lack the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship experience, but Buffy was so emotionally and physically clingy to Riley that Buffy and Angel looked coldly heartless and distant. What a world...

Once I get past my tears over the characters, I cared less about the entire plot, which was a total waste of potential. Having no invested interest in characters often equates to having no concern for conflict. The Initiative attempted but failed at being a "conspiring" project under the government; the "monsters of the week" were lame; and Adam was an interesting villain (compared to the Mayor) with poor initial set up.

A lot of complaining? Yep. This was a boring season. OBVIOUSLY.

But there were some decent episodes like "Hush" (the Gentlemen are freaky!), "Fear, Itself," "The Yoko Factor," "Restless," and "Who Are You." "Pangs" could have introduced a better monster of the week, but I can't complain if there was a crossover with Angel. *sigh* I think I am detoxing...

On one hand, I can't say this season is horrible since it was still watchable enough for me to stay with the show. However, it's disappointing when one skips two episodes because he/she has no patience for the slow pacing. So I'll just leave this at a 2.5.

(CREDIT: created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt)

RANK: 4.3 out of 5 <- awkward, but hilarious

Those three words sum this up pretty accurately.

Seriously, what better way to start the first episode than this: a 247 year old vampire is at a bar (oh boy...), fairly drunk and bummed about his failed relationship with Buffy (*pinches bridge of nose*), stops a bunch of vampires from feeding on two women, and storms off in a gloom back to his apartment. (*cringes at the awkwardness*) A half-demon with prophetic vision named Doyle follows him and tells the vampire to get his act together and take advantage of his abilities by helping people. The obnoxious whiney gi - I meant Cordelia-

is also in Los Angeles and teams up with Angel and Doyle by forming their own private investigation agency.

Might I add that the first two episodes are pretty painful to sit through? All three of these guys are so socially awkward that even a wallflower would be thankful for planting her roots in deep. On one hand, a new series needs to find its sense of direction, so strange scripting and the like are understandable; even in the story, each character has their own insecurities and socializing isn't their specialties. But as far as first impressions go, the first two episodes dampened my hopes for Angel. And then Spike appears in episode 3. His priceless entrance saved me from discarding the show, which does get better soon after. (SPOILER!) Things improved so much that Doyle's death in "Hero" made me cry. (I hate you Joss Whedon!! T-T)

As mentioned in the above review, Angel surpassed Buffy overall. The new characters, such as Linsey and Gunn, were fascinating, and old, Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley, developed from their previously restrained selves from the main show into complex identities. Because of this, the plot and conflict held interest so tightly that I would often play two episodes in a row instead of playing this and Buffy simultaneously. There are loads of pop culture references thanks to Cordy, but the humor was executed really well, reminding me of the first three Buffy seasons.

My favorite episodes? "Rm w/a Vu" and "I've Got You Under my Skin" since I'm a sucker for exorcisms... "Sense and Sensitivity" with the epidemic caused by the talking stick (a long and hilarious story)... "The Prodigal" and "Eternity" for Angelus (ah, good times)... and "Sanctuary" for Angel's way of saying "This is my show, Buffy, and I don't need your help!"

Just don't get me started on "I Will Remember You." I am still shaking in anger and sadness from it.

Without a doubt, Angel gets a 4.3 for helping me stay sane from the boring main show. But if only the beginning started off a bit less rocky, I could have given this season a 4.8.

So imagine that. A spinoff was more enjoyable than the main show. Let's see what Season 5 and Season 2 bring...

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Part 1

Well, here I am, a 90's child, and I never, ever watched this series... until almost a month ago.

For those who read my entry on the reboot plans, one can safely assume that I have become a big fan rather quickly. As of now, I have just started Season 5 of Buffy and Season 2 of Angel. Because I don't want to make individual posts for each separate season I finish, I will review a few in one, just so you aren't overwhelmed by the number of Buffy posts. :)

And as usual, credit to the owners.

Season 1

Rank: 4 out of 5

Hands down, this is probably the corniest season when it comes to special effects; anyone can see that the small budget flashed bright on the empty backroad at midnight. But for what is was, these 12 episodes handled every necessary element to telling a story very well. The first few episodes failed to disappoint despite the art of slowly introducing the universe so the viewer can invest time and give a crap. Getting into Buffy was fun for me because of the things I don't see often in entertainment: witty dialogue, compelling characters, and great dry, tongue-in-cheek humor. (Do you realize how seriously underrated dry humor is? Even my friends don't get it... -_-)

Pros? The main monsters in each episode are all interesting and not what I'd ever expect. Sadly, the badass monsters start to fade away by season 3. *sniff* But fortunately, the overall pacing and storytelling were very well executed, which continues throughout. I have fallen for more plot twists in the first two seasons of this show than any other. And might I add that Xander is hilarious, Willow is awesome, Giles is cool, and Angel is awkwardly cute? XD

Cons? Every character developed in fairly small, but reasonable steps... except Angel. Once episode seven played, I had almost had no idea how two episodes ago he and Buffy were "eh" and then magnets happened to pull them together in one scene. Then by episode 12, Giles mentions how "poetic" it was that a "vampire [is] in love with a Slayer." *snickers* Okay, show. If you call undeveloped and unexplained romantic magnetism happening in such a short time without showing any sure connection between them... go ahead and continue that "poetic" stuff. Gimme a barf bag.

Fortunately, that didn't take away the fact that this season was very impressive; furthermore, the vampire mythology was very interesting.

Season 2

Rank: 5 out of 5

Yeeeeeeeeeaaah... just to get it out of the way.... I'm a Buffy/Angel fangirl. XD

I can't remember there being a boring episode in this season. Some things were annoying (Cordelia is definitely NOT an exception,) but many new characters made things a load of fun. Without a doubt, Spike is easily one of the most impressive; his humor never fails to make my lungs sore, and his overall being steals the spotlight in every shot, every scene, every episode. Drusilla is insane, but dangerous and beautiful in a way I can't really explain. Like Spike, she stands out in her own way.

But the character I loved the most? Angel.

Sure, in the first half of the season, he develops, but still at an underwhelming rate: for crying out loud, he practically has a one-track mind. But once his curse breaks? Oh man, there were times when he out-Spiked Spike. Angelus was the guy I loved to hate as he tortured Buffy and her friends (I still am shocked over that scene in "Passion" when he speaks to Joyce, even though I saw it coming.) But the very scene I loved the most? In "Becoming Part 1" he tries to awaken a monster... and fails. He's not a guy to piss off, and it didn't help that Spike predictably had something to say.

This season was a hell of a roller coaster ride for everyone. By the end of season 2, the characters really grew into interesting and real people (or demons in some cases.) The monsters were still creative for the most part. But the Big Bads (aka the biggest villians) were easily the most enjoyable compared to the others from the first four seasons.

Only drawback? Things got a bit too melodramatic at times. Well, blame a blonde and her 245 year old vampire boyfriend. But man, those were fun times...

Season 3

Rank: 4.8 out of 5

Probably my second favorite, Season 3 relied a lot more on conflict between characters, developing them into being far more three-dimensional. The drama is finally taken in a more serious fashion as previous relationships matured (like Buffy and Angel no longer clinging to each other every two seconds...) There were so many episodes dedicated to certain characters that the Big Bad sat at the back of the shelf, collecting dust until one of the main characters betrays everyone.Because of the excessive emphasis on the cast, the villains barely satisfy. Even the Master from Season 1 had better screen time than the Mayor. Otherwise, nothing new and exciting turned the world upside down: it's just Buffy and the gang finishing senior year of high school.

Pros? Again, the plot runs slowly, but characters shine bright here. Xander gets his own episode, "The Zeppo," while it mocks the cliches in the series (everyone arguing about the apocalypse and who should be the sacrifice was a scream.) Oz grows to be such a likable member of the gang that he becomes the only rope of sanity to go through part of Season 4 (my hopes were too high.) Faith, the new Slayer, is... well, a bitch; at least Cordelia is tolerable, but still useless. Spike makes a hilariously brief appearance.

But for what plot there was, by the time we get to "The Prom" the gang's changing relationships are depressing, but enjoyable. Hand down, by "Graduation, Part 2," if you bonded with any characters at all, this episode gets emotional.

And of course, the season could have been better with character development if the Mayor and Mr. Trick were better established. But at least Faith is interesting despite my dislike for her.

OVERALL:

In general, the show constantly makes fun of the cliches in horror films, especially when the usual plot devices come along (EX: bad guys talking while torturing someone; taunting in battle; holding someone hostage; etc.) Humor, drama, horror, vampires that don't stray too far from what's commonly accepted... so why not? From these seasons combined, I'll give Buffy the Vampire Slayer a 4.5 out of 5.

Onto reviewing Season 4... *groans*

'Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, Chapters 1-13

Try saying that title five times in one breath. :P

(CREDIT: to owner. Music by HIM. You get the idea...)

Rank: 4.5 out of 5 <- a Valentine's Day treat

Just because I had this urge to celebrate it's being out for one year, I am excited to play nothing but my favorite band's music on Valentine's Day, and I must change from the explosive previous post to a more uplifting one... I present to you... Screamworks, the album that might as well been my gift for being a fan for one year.

Tenebris wrote a review of this last year, so maybe I'm copying her again, but I want to add my few cents. Though I disagree with her view on the album, I finally have the guts to admit, after many months of confusion, that HIM truely fell a few steps back. However, I am not completely sure why, so I have no idea what rank I want to give this right now. Maybe by the end I will know.

The good news is that this was the first HIM album without Ville consuming a drop from a beer bottle. Being sober for almost three years now, he looks and sounds better than ever (something we all needed after the last album.) Screamworks in a way represents his returning on a lighter path, though still pessimistic. Hence the line, "here's to the pain, the light of the oncoming train" from the epic "Ode to Solitude."

But before I transform into a drooling female fangirl praising and blabbering about Ville until you want to punch your monitor.... THE ALBUM ITSELF:

This sounds more like the old HIM again. After the more mainstream Dark Light with no Linde guitar solo action and the depressing Venus Doom, however with badass and epic instrumentals, this is the more melodic (Deep Shadows), melancholic (Love Metal), and energenic (Razerblade... but nowhere near as nausiating *wink, wink*) sound. "In Venere Veritas" is "The Funeral of Hearts" if it was a cheery celebration on a pirate ship; more upbeat, but a little morbid lyrically. Meanwhile "Love, the Hardest Way" reminds me a lot of Razorblade Romance, as blasphemous as it might sound to some. "In the Arms of Rain," hands down is one of the best songs on Screamworks, made me happy with a good old "WTF" moment in the beginning; and "Ode to Solitude" is badass and epic, almost like many tracks on Venus Doom. As a whole, the majority of the songs were very well written and performed.

Heck, even my dad really liked this CD.

But now the critiquing time. After viewing the Heartagram Boards and reading on which songs fans liked and disliked, I can think that several fans might agree that the album hits a rough road near the end. To be specific, "Shatter Me with Hope." By far, I have seen more complaints about this song than any other ("Acoustic Funeral" and the two singles come next,) and I agree with them. Something felt "off" about that as well as the afterward songs until the last track. The pacing seemed forced, lifeless, and rather dull. Most times I listen to the first nine songs then skip to the last one, which is a very royal, unexpected treat. But honestly, this is the first HIM album when I frequently want to skip tracks. Perhaps if the songs were arranged in a different order, the overall pacing wouldn't have declined. But really, I am no genius in this.

Another complaint? Ville. *gasp* *dodges projectiles from outraged fangirls*

Yeah. I honestly think that Ville, although thankfully in better health, chose to try a bit of screaming this time (not like Cradle of Filth or even Linkin Park, thank God. O_O) Some songs, like "Disarm Me" and "In the Arms of Rain," were fine with the experimenting, but other times, especially in "Shatter Me with Hope," I wanted him to put duck tape on his mouth. Plus, is it just me, or is 65% of the album nothing but vocals? I think the longest instrumental break is maybe 10 seconds long. Not that such a thing is horrible...

Anyway, I knew this would happen someday, so I'm not too upset, but it still feels odd. Like a kid realizing his idols do not possess invincible powers after all.

Overall, the reception was very positive, but sales... were embarassingly bad. People knew the music, but weren't buying the product. And the band was so excited and hoped it would sell too...

Hmm. This might hint for a later topic on the music industry...

For sure, this is a highly recommended listen. Screamworks is more accessible than Razorblade Romance, though it lacks the "originality" and overall satisfaction that older fans miss so much (you know how it is.) On the other hand this is more enjoyable than Dark Light in my opinion. Like hard rock with 80's influence? Try this out.

Time to celebrate Singles Awareness Day with my favorite band. :)

And to all the fans, Happy Heartagram Day!!!

'Meds'

(CREDIT: to Placebo. not the girl with no musical talent. :P)

Rank: 4.999999999999999999999999999999/5 <--almost ....="">

Well, it might be blasphemous to some that this album has a higher rank than Ozzy's Scream, but I'm Fangirl, an opinionated witch who doesn't care what half the world thinks of her. :P (If you are a first-time viewer, have no fear, I am not heartless all the time.)

There are some types of rock bands that I'm not a huge fan of. Take Radiohead, Coldplay, or Muse, they might have a few good songs, but their sounds are a bit too repetitive, lifeless, bland, or inflexible. A few more examples, but I'm trying to get into more, are The Killers, 30 Seconds to Mars, Interpol, and Placebo. There's something about their music that I just can't really get into, and I am yet to know what it exactly is. But for a chick like me who doesn't like them too much, I'm surprised I like this album a lot. In fact, no. I hate that it's not longer.

Meds was a random chance for me, and I'm glad that this is far better than I thought. I enjoy every song on this album and that is a rarity unless the band's name is a pronoun. In fact, my experience with Meds was like those with HIM: some songs were just unpredictable and there were a few moments, especially a "WTF?" one, when I was caught off guard.

Fortunately, this album made a deeper crack into my doubts for Placebo. The music can be repetitive, such as "Drag" and "Post Blue", but you can tell the difference between the chorus and the verse, something many songs can often fail at. But thankfully, every song sounds different (compare "Blind" and "Broken Promise".) Nothing annoys me more than those two issues, and Meds has neither. Even Brian Molko's vocals didn't bother me as much as I originally anticipated. Maybe it's one of those things that one must get used to.

I really have little complaints about this record except what I said before: IT'S NOT LONG ENOUGH.

The edition I have is the US re-release with 15 songs, including the cover of "Running Up That Hill." I think Tenebris mentioned that cover in a past post, and I agree with her. Look it up as soon as possible. If you like rock music at all, I highly recommend checking out Placebo. It's nowhere near as scary as some of the other music I review here. :)

I highly doubt I'll ever be as lucky as I was this time, so maybe I should actually do more research so the next purchase doesn't make me regret giving this album praise.

'Razorblade Romance'

(CREDIT: Truely not mine. Obviously.)

My Rank: 4.3 out of 5 <- THE PINK BURNS ME EYES!

The first time I saw this album, I was ready to puke my organs out. The first listen wasn't so bad... but the nausia remained.

Yes, Razorblade Romance is obnoxious in many ways. It's bright. It's PINK. The music remindes one of eating hard candy. The love songs are so corny you want to shoot Cupid with a bazooka. And Ville Valo... WHY look so ridiculous?! The worst part is... this album is lovable.

It's like that loud class clown who does the stupidest things to get people to pay attention to his joke. But at least, the joke makes the majority of the class genuinely laugh until they cry. And no, Razorblade Romance is not that fantastic, but it's kinda hard to think badly of it.

Let's re-examine the formula this album is based on: Cliche love songs to make the females' hearts flutter? CHECK. A singer whose charisma and voice make the estrogen rise at dangerous levels? CHECK. A product whose appearance screams "Look at me!" to passerby? CHECK. A rock band that plays their instruments well enough to bring wine to make the cheese taste better? Well, a friend of mine on Pandora once commented that one of the songs off this record had badass riffs and lyrics that made vomit slightly rise to his throat. So I guess that's another CHECK.

So yeah. This record is a cocktail of [a very small amount of] goth, hard rock, love, the 80's, and glam. And a song that sounds like a rip off of Bon Jovi. ...and high fructose corn syrup.

Because listening to this is like having a really fruity, tart, and strong non-alcoholic drink at a resteraunt, Razorblade Romance should not be a first purchase for anyone interested in HIM. At least, that's just me talking. Any HIM fan I have seen as said this is the band at their peak (which is true in terms of record sales and European popularity,) but this is a wilder side of HIM I was not ready for when I was a new fan. If my one Pandora friend only listened to HIM songs off this album, he might have ran away like the plague was coming. So if you are one who doesn't like to be surprised too much... avoid this for now. Razorblade Romance is best as a second or third HIM purchase.

Some highlights I'd like to name are "Razorblade Kiss," "Death Is in Love with Us," "Join Me in Death," and "Right Here in My Arms." The singles are definately worth checking out though... but prepared for the look of "Join Me in Death..." that one is... interesting.

If you ask me, this is the HIM album I listen to the LEAST. I love it, since I love each record almost equally, but this is not one I would talk too much about. It's like a place I'd only visit every once in a while, but my mind is too preoccupied by other things. When life gets too busy, sometimes I need that insane clown to scream, "LOOK AT ME, FANGIRL!!!" for me to laugh for a while...

'Out of the Dark'

(CREDIT to owner, for it is not mine.)
My Rank : 4.5 out of 5 <- cheesy sometimes, but still amazing

For a band I found out of the blue a while back, I think I got lucky. Back when I wanted to buy a Negative album on Amazon (and got depressed by the insanely high price), the suggestions section listed this album. So what the heck, I clicked the link to read more about them and try out a few song previews. Next, I looked them up on Youtube and enjoyed "Undying Dreams" so much that I HAD to buy this album. Again, I was lucky that I found a good band.

This is probably one of the best albums I got as a Christmas gift. This album is immature since it being the first album; but like Evanescence's Origin, Breaking Benjamin's Saturate, and Three Days Grace's self-titled, Out of the Dark is cheesy and awkward in some places, but the flow remains and keeps you interested. In fact, I find this album better than the three mentioned.

The songs flow from one to another fairly well, the lyrics are well written, the mood fits my dark soul nicely, and it's an almost-solid rock album. The guitars are impressive (and by my standards, that means they are superior that Epica's repetitive mess pre-Design Your Universe,) the keyboards are really cool (especially in "Rainheart," which gave me a "wtf?!" moment that few bands can do,) and I enjoy Juha Kylmänen's voice very much. Maybe I like Out of the Dark so much because it reminds me of HIM in many ways, but that doesn't matter too much since I don't get any hints of Reflexion stealing anything. If the music sounds good, listen to it. ^_^

The mood is gothic and dark, but not so much that it's Dommin or Diminished 7 dark. This is the dark that HIM and some of the 69 Eyes do quite well. Scandinavian melancholy, perhaps? Essentially goth wouldn't be the best label for Out of the Dark, but such fans would enjoy it if you won't mind more rock. If this appeals to you, check them out at least. Even if you're just a rock fan, this is still a high recommendation to you. A fan of HIM (Greatest Lovesongs or Love Metal era), perhaps? This is a definite "give it a go" as well.

My next goal: buy Dead to the Past, Blind for Tomorrow and Edge...

Fangirl and the Death of Her Childhood...

...just kidding...

(CREDITS: to the owner. not mine, obviously.)

My Rank: 4.75 out of 5 <- THE FILM SERIES HAS BEEN REDEEMED!!!!!!!

If any Harry Potter fans have read my last entry and want to shoot me, please do not because I have not added my two cents about the first part of this film! It will be a long eight or so months before we finally weep until we die of dehydration. I want to be a part of that group thank you! Anyway, this is it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One.

Part One of the End of My Childhood is more like it...

After seeing it twice already - *dodges thrown objects* - with my friends at midnight and my dad earlier today, I think I can easily make a more sturdy opinion since now the excitement has worn down. For the most part, this film left me wonderfully satisfied. The Harry Potter I grew up with remained intact with no disappointment. The casting is, and has always been, superb; actors were phenomenally top-notch; and the world was perfectly real... except the train.

The film has some flaws due to some altered scenes (though fairly minor) and just by the obvious fact that no one can fully recreate the world from the books to a film adaptation. Even Lord of the Rings couldn't do it. Nothing bothered me except the Hogwarts Express. I understand that the Death Eater stood in from of it to slow it down, but the train appeared to be moving at five miles per hour. It's not a huge concern and maybe it's just me, but whatever.

From my perspective, even from the first viewing, the movie went at a faster pace than the previous films. This lasted two-and-a-half hours and nothing slowed down to the point of boredom for me. Though that might be because I'm such a huge fan anyway. But for some odd reason, despite that the camping time took at least 60% of the movie, everything was put together well enough for the pacing to be just right.

What I find ironic is that David Yates, who directed this amazing adaptation, is the same guy who screwed up the last two Harry Potter movies. From my friends and others, people had more problems with The Order of the Phoenix because so much plot was removed and re-editted from the 750-800+ paged book. But honestly, The Half-Blood Prince was far worse due to the complete emphasis of the romances between the characters and the lack of attention to the plot. Thankfully, I won't kill David Yates - yet - after making DHP1 so accurate to the parts taken from the novel.

Obviously the film is very dark, serious, and dreary, but comic relief is not a stranger. Everyone at the midnight showing roared with laughter; the audience today laughed as well. Even my dad, who never read the books but seen every film to date, laughed quite a bit. Best of all, he never fell asleep (the years in the military did that to him.)

Best parts? The Seven Harrys; George "snooping in;" the Ministry of Magic; and Dobby (that all by itself is making me laugh right now). I won't spoil everything else. XD

At this point, you're either a Harry Potter fan or not. Or at least, you like the story from the films or books or not. So honestly, WATCH IT. Any person who happens to read this and never gave the series a try and want to... read the books, or catch up on the other films. Just as a warning, you have to wait until July 2011 for the final part. I'm very annoyed by this, but on the other hand, I have eight months to enjoy my childhood while it still lasts.

It seems it was only yesterday when I went to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in November of 2001. Nine years later, I just watched half of the seventh and final film. Excuse me as I run to my battered and old Harry Potter books and cry...

Review of 'Infinity on High' by Fall Out Boy

(Credit to owners and Fall Out Boy. It's not mine.)

My Rank: 4.5 out of 5 -> It Sucks When You Borrow Something Awesome That Isn't Yours

Yep. I am guilty. But before you set my ass on fire for saying that a Fall Out Boy album is good, allow me to explain...

Whatever the drama and politics are about this band, I have no idea about them and I don't really care. Pete Wentz? Not hot. Not interesting. Have him all you want ladies. Their break-up? Doesn't concern me much, but I truly am depressed that Paramore had to replace them in terms of annoyance. Hayley's band might have only one okay song on a sucky movie soundtrack, but at least FOB has an album worth buying.

About three years ago, my cousin and I switched CDs that we wanted to try out. As she got two of mine, I got two of hers, and this was one of them. At that time, I enjoyed "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" so much that it was a song that I was dying for. I was so into it that I thought of giving FOB a try, especially since my expansion of music taste was still young. After listening in its entirety, this is one CD I regret not buying.

The urge to review this just came up recently since I felt I haven't listened to this album in a long time. Good thing I get to let it out now on this lovely blog. :)

As a lover of rock music, this is overrated, but it does deserve some of its credit. Each song brings a different image to mind based on the elements in the music (a chorus on "Hum Hallelujah" or a riot-esque anthem in "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race.") Every album has that kind of thing going on, but for some reason, Fall Out Boy does it and stay interesting until the end. There are several favorites of mine: "Thriller," which has a pretty cool intro and outro spoken by Jay-Z (who'd da thunk?); "I'm Like a Lawyer... (Me and You)" for it starting bland and slow and then building up to this melancholic, epic chorus; "Don't You Know...?" for it being catchy and fun (which I normally avoid like the plague); and "You're Crashing..."

Yes, I shortened all the titles since they are insanely long. Especially this one...

"I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me and You)" <- and it's not my favorite because the title is the longest on the album.

However, no matter how much I enjoy this album, Fall Out Boy was always overrated. But I had to give them credit for getting me to really like an album. To this day, I still have to thank them, even if I never will be reputable as a "true metalhead" or whatever people think of me. (Someone once said I was a goth... another an emo...)

Anyway, is this album buyable? I say so if you are a fan of pop rock or alternative rock music. Not willing to give it a try since it's FOB? That's fine. I recommend to at least give one of their five singles off this a try.

This album sits next to Meteora when it comes to solid alternative rock albums that I can listen to from start to finish. I'll continue to remember how much I enjoyed this album for a few days. Maybe I'll buy this album the next time I'm in FYE. :)

My last words... REMEMBER: Emo ain't a scene... "it's a goddamn arms race"! :P

Review of 'Scream' by Ozzy Osbourne

(Not mine. Credit due to owner. Found on Wikipedia.)
My Rank: 4.8 out of 5 = a perfect reason to buy another Ozzy CD

Okay, I confess, this is the first Ozzy CD I ever purchased, and I'm not a fan of the man either (yet)! HOWEVER, I will say that this sits right next to HIM's Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice on the shelf of the Best Albums I bought this year. This is all the more reason to check out even more of his music.

I first heard of Ozzy's music on one of my stations on Pandora Internet Radio, and I added him to my Metallica/Black Sabbath station. Then when I saw his newest song "Let Me Hear You Scream," I was hooked. Next thing I knew, I was at Barnes and Nobel in Washington DC, where I put down the Marilyn Manson CD I considered buying and bought this. And good Lord it was worth it. Playing the album 5 times in a row and letting my dad try it out right away showed an excitement I haven't had since I bought Linkin Park's Meteora.

Despite being a heavy metal fan since December 2006, I am still a naive child in this genre. I can't honestly say that this album will please long-time Ozzy fans, because I just got into him months ago and I just bought his latest CD. But I will say that even at 61, this man still makes badass music. A heavy metal legend who is still that awesome has to leave every currently-boring modern metal band in deep mortification.

The highlights I'd like to mention are "Let It Die," probably the BEST song to start an album with BADASS guitars; "Life Won't Wait for You," a hope booster for me; "Diggin' Me Down," a heavy, booming, loud, badass song on epic proportions; "Time," a track I wan't expecting; and "Crucify." Also, the last track "I Love You All" is so anti-climatic that it's hilarious. And though I need every album to have a soft, ballad-like moment to relax, for some reason, Scream really has none of that, but I was so awed and impressed that I didn't care at all.

Overall, I have no complaints for this album. My last words are that if I never became a HIM fan and realized that Ville is a Black Sabbath and Ozzy fanboy, I'd never give this great legend a try. Wether it's Mr. Osbourne's best or not, this left me wanting to buy another one of his albums.

For heavy metal fans, this is a must buy. If someone is too cowardly to buy an older album by Ozzy or even Black Sabbath, then pick this masterpiece up RIGHT AWAY. This is at least a first step.

If I get into Ozzy enough, I wonder if I'll pick up his autobiography...