Farewell, HIM, My Lovable Music Nerds

Three days ago I caught wind of HIM calling it quits this year. They're holding one last tour across the globe to celebrate 26 years of music spanning eight albums, dozens of singles, and a bunch of bonus albums with remixes, live performances, and music videos. If I can make it to any of the shows in the US, that'd be great. If not... well... once is better than never, right?

To be honest, I'm not entirely shocked they're breaking up. It's been a few years since Tears on Tape's release, and I was concerned that it was playing a bit too much on the safe - if not stale - side. The lineup had not changed in over a decade until Gas left a few years ago. Without any major updates, I was waiting patiently, only to learn from one of my internet friends from Finland about this recent development.

I... I think I'm ok with this. I will never claim they're the best band to ever live. Not by a long shot.  I'm an unapologetic fangirl for this band, and Ville Valo raised my standards for men above and beyond the realm of reality, but I'm not stupid.

HIM were a goofy, strange band with an eclectic, diverse, and dynamic style that works wonderfully for some and fails disastrously for others. Scared moral guardians took His Infernal Majesty from their early days way too seriously (hell, even my own parents did at first, funnily enough), and a legion of fans came around thanks to Bam Margera's fanboy-ism going to insane levels in the early to mid 2000s. And, yes, some of the more intense fragments of the goth fans did sometimes get melodramatic about the band to the point that serious music critics could barely take HIM seriously. And most of all, some of Ville's lyrics are cringe-inducing in how corny, lame, intense, and sappy they can be; Razorblade Romance, even with its vibrant, migraine-splitting pink cover, is audio candy so sweet that you'll get diabetes and need a limb or two amputated before the halfway mark.

Despite all of that, they're my favorite band. They're my goofy, pseudo-goth band with their melodramatic brand of "love metal".

I literally fell in love with their music on Valentine's Day in my freshman year of high school. I pre-ordered two of their albums, both of which arrived at the very moments I needed them most: leaving school early due to illness, only for snow to cancel school the next day, and returning home from college to find items to help me complete my final assignment in an art course. They were the first concert I ever went to, and I was fuming when Ville came out on stage with his curly hair completely chopped off; I saved my babysitting money for tickets, and I bought my fingerless gloves, a sweatshirt, and a shirt that I still hold onto. They made me feel like a normal high school girl when I feared I felt too different, having pictures of Ville Valo cover the inside door of my locker, crushing hard on the tall, dark-haired baritone, and listening to all of their albums inside and out until I nearly memorized the lyrics to every single song. I was so happy to love a band that sounded as great live as they did in the studio, something that seems so rare for some reason. And I cannot stress how much I admire Ville Valo for being a singer and multi-instrumentalist as well as a songwriter in rock and metal, another unfortunate rarity these days.

HIM helped me endure period cramps that would leave me bedridden for two days. They inspired me to expand my taste in music further by listening to their influencers, including Type O Negative and Black Sabbath. They helped fuel some of my passion for writing, and they helped me focus on my long, overdone Persona 3 fanfic. They had fun with their art, making me laugh over interviews and live performance recordings throughout the years. They burned a big hole in my wallet that I proud of. They shined a little light on a country many people overlook due to them being so far north in the cold, and I wanted to learn more about Finland's language, culture, and art almost as much as anime made me fascinated in Japan. They taught me to not take my interests and opinions too seriously when others disagreed with me. They let me cry and be vulnerable when my parents divorced, when I left home for college, when I moved out of my mom's house, when I panicked about grades, when I searched for a job, and when I struggled with my confused feelings about love.

March 26, 2010, the day I lived a full life.

HIM helped me grow up. HIM made me a stronger person. HIM is a warm blanket that I have outgrown and has holes in it from overuse, but they always brought me joy when I needed them. I laughed and cried over a group of men I will never meet because their talents and abilities as artists created something beautiful and unique that can never be replaced.

And now... they're gone.

More than them breaking up and moving on to other projects, I lament how short those seven years of my being a fan were. There is no new album to look forward to anymore. It feels strange, eerie, like a sudden death of a friend. I'll miss HIM. I'll miss them so much. I will continue to treasure their music, and one day, I will have a heartagram tattoo in my skin. Every music fan has a group or song that means the world to them. HIM meant still means the world to me.

Ville, Linde, Mige, Burton, and Gas, godspeed, you adorable music nerds. Good luck to everything you boys do in joy and sorrow. Thank you.

*sniff* ... I managed this much without crying, and I'm failing. Shit, their music makes me wanna cry all the time now.
Damn it, I need to laugh.

I am so glad I saved all of these images on my computer over the years. XD

Haha, I love you, boys.

*cries*

Fun, Madness, and Fanfiction: Jan 2017 Update

Yesterday marked the end of an era. Today, an 70-year-old offspring of a human and an orangutang is sworn in as presidency in America's great capital with almost no heavy traffic, no Hollywood celebrities in sight, protests galore, an uncrowded broken subway system, and venues canceling events due to lack of interest in today's humiliating festivities.

God bless America.

At least now people are starting to wake up and fight back, which makes the world feel slightly less crazy than it already is. 2017 is starting off better than last year, so I'm trying to stay positive. Having John Oliver and Bill Maher back on air as soon as there done with their breaks will help tremendously. The non-profit I work for is planning to write up an open letter to keep certain conversations about issues going. And Chelsea Manning will be free in May, which is the best news to start off this year.

Anywho.

Gaming-wise, I'm pretty lax with the six games - including Tales of Zestiria, Hatsune Miku Project Diva X, and Bloodborne - I have for my Playstation 4 Pro. They're barely helping me get by until Mass Effect Andromeda and Persona 5 (the delay to add in dual audio and the drama that it caused baffled me more than anything), but now that I'm in love with Dragon Age, I am now in agony until the fourth game comes out.

(Thankfully I'm not foaming at the mouth and, AOS is right, but I am still annoyed.)

Music-wise, I got a Spotify account. I've been bored of my own personal music library and I'm too broke to buy CDs and iTunes gift cards at the moment, so this is a fair compromise. Since it's been years since I last heard them, I've been listening to more Moonspell, Eisbrecher, Pain, and Tristania. HIM is still touring, thank goodness, but waiting for their ninth album is also killing me. I guess since I'm not making much money, this means I can afford to wait until I jump onto another job with a higher wage. Until then, going back down memory lane when I listened to music on Pandora has reminded me that there are still great bands out there if you look hard enough.

Movie-wise, I saw Rogue One with my dad, and we enjoyed it immensely. Otherwise I have not seen many films as of late. Netflix's library hasn't enamored me either besides A Series of Unfortunate Events. I grew up reading the books, and while I don't remember much from them, the show does touch ideas that I remembered enjoying from the books. Part of me still likes the 2004 film, but this series has caught my attention, and I will stick with it. Not much else has kept my attention long enough anyway.

Oh, and I finally just started posting my Persona 3 fanfic.

Yep. It's about time, honestly. I did angst and torture myself over it for years now.

As of this post, only three chapters are up, but I will try to post new chapters up weekly. This also gives me time to polish up the laster chapters as I tie the last knots of the plot since I'm literally at the tail end of the story. Feel free to check it out.

Yep, I am so feeling the love right now. I think I should focus on writing something constructive -

"Ar dirthan'as ir elgara, ma'sula e'var vhenan."

...

I do not like bald eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam I Am.

My Love-Hate Relationship with Nintendo

The internet was full of talks about E3... three weeks ago. Rather than add to it, I'd rather talk about something that has bothered me for the past year or so. Or perhaps it's always bugged me and I had no idea how to articulate my thoughts on the topic. I try not to piss people off, but often I fail miserably. Thus, I will apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings, but I am not sorry for yelling at the company that made the first gaming console I ever owned.

Celebrate with Nostalgia: February 2014 Update

今天是情人节！(1)

Happy Valentine's Day to those who celebrate it! For the rest of you, happy February 14! Or... February 15 if you're in Asia... or Europe... 'cause by the time I'm posting this... yeah, never mind.

Just goofing around. Listening to music. Preferring blue to red...

Thankfully I am becoming less and less bothered about this particular day of the year. The pressure to have a boyfriend and give out cards to people just because you have to doesn't exist much anymore. Or maybe I hang out with too many people who think that way. Regardless, the fact I'm letting some things roll off my back is a sign of maturing. The superior being(s) know(s) I'm neurotic over everything else.

Other than indulging too much in my music listening, I'm continuing to cool off from my last project here. Nothing else needs to be said about that for a long time. Let me move to other things... like one of the most controversial games of 2012. Or one of the most underrated games of 2013. Or TV shows who use Marilyn Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" for their pilot episode. (BTW, The Following is pretty awesome. Nothing beats House, but crazy cultists are pretty whacky too.)

Where the Heck Were You, Fangirl?

Long time, no update! :)

I'm currently studying for my midterm exams, but I have some time for this. :)
So... what have I been up to?

Another Piece of Art Finished

Right before I went off to college, I had my last weekend art lesson, which I had attended for nearly seven years. Typically I work on a big project and it takes many months to finish. My last piece was extremely detailed, and a bit annoying.

When I visited home, my mom had it framed and it looks amazing. I forgot my camera, and all I had were photos of it I took right after my last lesson.

Acrylic paint. I tried watercolor at first, but it ended in failure. Ever since I was a young kid, I always hated watercolor painting. Thankfully after the change, I was able to complete this. :)

Living on my Own...

I have settled in reletively fine. Even though I never had siblings, my roommate and I get along pretty well. We snark, bicker, joke around, all that fun stuff.

The puppy hates waking up, shit happens, and the bed is unmade.
A perfect morning sight! 

Our room is evenly separated so we each have our own side. Sadly, though, things can get... messy. My side is presentable enough, but sometimes its hard to enter the room sometimes, you know? She has a lot more things than I do and has a hard time finding a place to put everything. She tries to not let it get too out of control, so I don't let it bug me.

Food on the other hand... my roommate and I keep getting so much food because some people think we are starving and have no access to nutrition. And apparently some think I'm losing weight... so they give me Oreos. =_='

The only place where I can be sloppy.

Socially, I'm doing a lot better than I expected. No wonder people hate high school so much, college is so much better! I get along with a good number of the girls on my floor pretty well. I have several people to hang out with in case person A or B is in a meeting or is studying. While I've been pretty low-key with certain activities, I'm trying to stabilize everything that is manditory to my staying in the institution. Socialization always came second or third, and I keep it that way.

Nearly everyone I know loves this poster. It's got so much charm to it! 

"If you've got human chorionic gonadotropin in your system, produced by the newly forming placenta - well, by golly, you're knocked up!"

Still Obsessed with That Overrated Sci-Fi Drama?

ABSOLUTELY.

When I went home a few weeks ago, I quickly bought the Leviathan downloadable content and immediately played it. I was tired of waiting for it and I was completely satisfied. Since then, I have been rereading the Mass Effect wiki site's articles and discussion pages. Even TvTropes is an addicting wonderland, and it has a TON of ME notes and topics to read for HOURS.

These daily activities have made my PS3 withdrawal more unbearable.

Meanwhile, Mass Effect 2's soundtrack has been purchased from iTunes to my library recently, and I had ME3's free with the collector's edition of the game. Now, I'm thinking of buying an N7 sweatshirt from BioWare's website. Better get to it.

me wantz badly... $_@

You know how girls are obsessive with things like shoes or make-up and want a massive collection? That's me with scarves and sweatshirts (I have a HIM sweatshirt that's near the end of its life and a scarf.) You can never run out and they keep you warm. ^_^

Also... I am so psyched for the Mass Effect Trilogy. I can play ME1 on my PS3!! No need to tweak my computer!! XD

Pandora Has Yet Another Box

I made a separate Pandora account not too long ago, so I can experiment with different stations. You can only have about 100 stations, and my old account has somewhere between 50 and 60. As away for me to start from scratch, I've been trying out fun., a-ha, and a 90's pop station. Though "Some Nights" is an awesome song, fun. is just a "meh" band. Maybe it's because they have some association with Paramore, a band I happen to despise.

After being stuck with a bunch of different people for nearly two months, I'm starting to go back to things I enjoyed as a kid. Heck, we all pretty much feel like kids. My roommate was sick the other day and watched shows on the Disney Channel and The Lizzy McGuire Movie. Some of us bought stuffed animals, hoola-hoops, even *NYNSC CDs. Heck, I found a few people who actually liked Hillary Duff when they were younger! (This one admits to still liking her music... >.<)

There's one thing I have learned while here, this world is a lot smaller than I thought. o_O


Now, though, I have to go back to studying for my midterm exams. It's not fun. :/
But I am still alive, guys. I'm still alive... :)

'Multi-Dimensional: Sonic Adventure 2 Original Sound Track'

Sonic Adventure 2 has no idea how lucky it was. By some divine intervention, it was nearly as well received - by [certain] fans and critics - as it's elder brother. To this day, the Adventure games are hailed as the best 3D Sonic games ever made. And music is no exception.

How does this stand to SA1's masterpiece?

...alright.

This may take a bit of explaining.

"Way to the Base"

I have a great attachment this soundtrack purely for nostalgic reasons. Sonic Adventure 2 was my first game in the franchise, and when I heard the main riff for the title screen, fireworks exploded in my poor childish mind. The rest of the music in the game was all uphill and glorious from then on out. I heard these tracks so often I could burst out into air guitars or nonsensical humming while walking down the street.

Boss: "Masters of the Desert"

Very much like SA1's soundtrack there is a decent bit of variety... though not as much. There is a greater emphasis on the action stages for each of the six playable characters. Sonic has the awesome rock music that bleeds attitude. Tracks for Tails may at times sound like Sonic's, but they tend to be more melodic and lighthearted. Shadow's can best be described as edgy and dark while flipping between rock and techno. More interestingly, the music for Eggman is electronic and atmospheric, making this the only time when the villain had fitting themes.

Boss: "For True Story"

Other than the main theme, the ever legendary "Live and Learn", some of the tracks have singing. This is mostly reserved for Sonic and Shadow, such as in "Supporting Me", "Rhythm and Balance", and "Escape from the City". The lyrics are nothing special and yet not horrible. It's more than likely you will not be able to hear them well when playing Sonic Adventure 2 or the soundtrack itself. This effort feels a bit half-baked: the sound team tries something new to the music, yet they don't have the guts to jump headfirst into the pool. Especially "Deeper", where a good chunk of the song was cut out in the game because someone used "damn" casually. Then the game is noted for "mild lyrics" when you can't hear crap. Genius.

"That's the Way I Like It"

Speaking of which... I skipped over the rap for Knuckles and jazz for Rouge because their music is very hit or miss. There are the one or two entertaining tracks, but a good chunk of the selection is more unlistenable now than in the good old days. Thankfully Knuckles' gets less obnoxious after "Kick the Rock!" Yet while I may sit back and laugh at the hilarity, many of you may have the urge to pop your eardrums. (My poor dad suffered through it... that was a long road trip...) It's a guilty pleasure, I guess. As for Rouge... "I'm a Spy" is generic... that's about it.

"Bright Sound"

It's good that there's an emphasis on music during action stages as opposed to events. Many gamers tend to skip cutscenes and will not remember tracks if a new one is used for every video between gameplay. In this case you are more likely to find these songs memorable, regardless of the tolerance level, because of their being used more than once. There are only 10 event songs here, one of which is broken into pieces but flows beautifully. Future Sonic games - especially Sonic 2006 - need to learn a lot from "3 Black Noises". It pretty much sums up Shadow's story as well as the entire plot in general.

Boss: "-GUN- Mobile"

Though I love that Sonic Adventure 2's soundtrack is more rock-oriented than it's elder brother, overall it's quite rigid, repetitive, and uneven. There are many fantastic songs here, but there are just as many that fall flat. Part of the problem is that every character has his or her own theme, which only represents the bare minimum of their corresponding genres. You can hear loads of better rap, rock, jazz, techno, and electronic music.

"Space Trip Steps"

At the least this is still a generally decent listen. This soundtrack is overall far less versitle than SA1's, while still having some very memorable songs. (How could I ever forget "Vengeance Is Mine", one of the most remixed songs in this entire franchise?) This is for fans of SA2 hands down. As much as I'd love to bring all of the best to the table, give these featured tracks a spin. In terms of accessibility, I think Sonic Adventure was far more forgiving and consistent.

"Scramble for the Core"

Lastly, I suggest playing the soundtrack on shuffle. The list forces you to listen to all of the characters' themes at once (ex: all of Sonic's, then all of Tails, then Knuckles, etc.), which annoyed me to the point of completely reorganizing the list on my iTunes.

Pros

- lots of memorable action stage music

- music for the Chao gardens are refreshing

- Live and Learn. PERIOD.

- event tracks well composed

Cons

- the rap and jazzy tracks can be painful or boring

- track listing is very repetitive and frustrating

- 60 tracks feels longer than SA1's 69

Despite it's flaws, due to it's age and it's video game-ish wackiness, Multi-Dimensional is still worth giving a try. Want to do it the legal way? Play Sonic Adventure 2. :P

3 out of 5

"3 Black Noises"

Why Avoid 4Kids' English Dub of Sonic X?

Because you will want to kill yourself.

I would have loved to have gone into tons of detail on this, but I would have never completed my review of the show. The extreme cases can best be noticed visually. However, there are several that go deeper than that. So from the hilarious and obvious, the confusing and silly, and the insulting, I present a fraction of what you will endure in the English version of Sonic X. I wish I could have found so much more in a more organized fashion, but 4Kids has a tendency to delete anything "copyrighted."

Exhibit A: Imagery

1:04 - Good kids won't study or try this at home.

1:11 - You mean I'm not a good kid?

1:37 - G.U.N. stands for "Guardian Union of Nations" *facepalm* RESEARCH!!

1:47 - Egg Emperor Eggman Robo E-99

Exhibit B: Death

Admittedly, this might show my bias towards Shadow, but this is one of the biggest contrasts between the Japanese and English versions. Maria was essential to the whole plot of Sonic Adventure 2. Her death is the reason the whole story even unfolded and why Shadow is deemed an "emo" by the general public! Thanks, 4Kids!

In my defense, however, this is a universal problem in all of the other shows. One Piece took the brunt of it head-on. But I digress...

Yes! Maria never died! She was NEVER shot and killed! The whole revenge plot was just a silly, whiny, overdramatic bitch fest over being "taken away" by the boogeyman! Remember: death does not exist, kids!

The English version starts at about 5:00 just in case not understanding Japanese just hurts. Basically though, Molly is killed and Shadow avenges her. After they built her grave, Rouge asks Shadow if he reacted so strongly because Molly reminded him of Maria. He, however, denies this.

"She's off on another adventure." That's a load of crap. "Well, yeah I liked her. She's a good kid." Since when did Jason Griffith portray his half-jackass and half-crybaby Shadow as being open and honest?! And after that stupid edit?! CONSISTENCY!!!!! *rapidly beats head against laptop*

Exhibit C: Voice Acting and Dialogue

If the earlier clips didn't make your ears bleed, then you are made of steel. Otherwise, enjoy more!

At least this was reasonable...

The corny jokes... the emotion (or lack there of)... *groans*
And yes. This is one of the least annoying ones...

must... resist... urge... to... harm... Jason Griffith... *brain explodes*

Exhibit D: Deleted Scenes

4Kids must nitpick over every silly joke.

OH NO! IT'S X-RATED! DELETE, DELETE!!!!!

=_='

If they had such a problem with a bit of a girl's daydream, I'd love to see 4Kids take a stab at an anime romantic comedy...

Vector trying [and failing] in his plans to get two characters together. Don't we all do that to our friends with their silly crushes? So why get rid of it in this show? Are you allergic to romance or something?!

And the Finale:

The sub-dub comparison starts at about 7:30.

Sonic X was not as butchered as other anime 4Kids picked up, but every single one suffered from some form of stupid edits and censors that can annoy. You might argue that these shows are meant for kids; HOWEVER, that is not true for their original Japanese versions. It's one thing to make some changes for cultural reasons. Japan is known to let sexual tension, blood, and violence slide (heck, Rouge made an S&M joke at one point.) But to completely deconstruct beyond recognition is too much. To change names, alter plot details, emphasize words awkwardly, add different music, and remove emotion in dramatic moments...

I think you get the idea.

Here are other examples of mentioned edits from various shows 4Kids picked up.

2:09-2:22 - they are ONIGIRI!! Rice balls wrapped in nori seaweed and dried, salty umeboshi plums!! NOT JELLY DONUTS!

2:25-4:07 - "We're friends... I guess I'll shoot... but I'll be sad...ish" :'(

4:08-6:33 - "I CAN'T KILL YOU! I LOVE YOU!!" TT-TT

6:43 - Jason Griffith... singing? ZOMFG, NO!! MOMMY, MAKE IT STOP!! TT.TT *shoots self*

7:40 - Dan Green!! No! Save yourself from this humiliation!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looks like I should stop beating the ashes of the corpse of a dead horse. If you were able to put up with me this whole time, I will love you forever. ^_^

'Sonic Adventure: Original Sound Track'



Why, oh, why must a physical copy be over $100?!

I never considered seriously listening to video game soundtracks. Heck, I never payed much attention to music in any video game. Is it because the mind is so focused on the distracting graphics or the difficult gameplay that one has no chance to care?

Well, I must thank that darned blue hedgehog who forced me to stop and listen.

Sonic Adventure is nearly fourteen years old, and I can see you sticking your noses in the air and saying, "Hmph! The 90's?! How ancient!" If so, then you deserved to be punched. And shot. And smashed by a hammer. And homing attacked. Repetedly.

But yes, there are some tracks that sound kinda dated. Music in most of today's games don't sound like this anymore. Though a far cry from traditional bleeps and bloops from a Gameboy, Sega Genesis and their siblings and parents, this ain't polished electronic noise. Yes, there are some electronic tracks, but the majority of the music here is rock... and a tinge of hip hop... and jazz. Just a tinge... *squirms*

Some may argue that Sonic Adventure is the cream of the crop in terms of any game in the franchise post-1997. Well, in a way, these folks are right. This soundtrack is has the most variety with - truly - most songs not sounding identical. Every track complements its use in the game and sets the mood perfectly. With "The Dreamy Stage" you feel like you are in a casino, in "Tricky Maze" you wander in the dangerous ruins of an ancient civilization, and with "Red Hot Skull" you can almost feel like you're burning up near lava.

Even simple tracks like "Sadness" or "Happiness" are so genuine, it really affects you, especially when playing the game. As dark and emotional as others have been, not many Sonic games gave more heartbreaking tunes over something dramatic. Not even "Reflection" from Sonic Adventure 2 could top "Sadness."

The main problem is to cover an entire soundtrack with 69 songs that differ from each other so much. Those provided barely represent a third of the pie. But as a few honorable mentions, "Station Square," "Twinkle Circuit," "Mystic Ruin," and "ZERO the Chase-master" are some of the many that are too nostalgic to forget.

Fans of Sonic Adventure should definitely take the time to sit back and recall some of the best music this franchise has offered. Not to single everyone else out, but listening alone is nowhere near as rewarding as experiencing the game. However, that cannot stop you from giving these babies a chance. At the least you might hear some melodies that remind you of music you enjoy. Heck, even "Trickery Way" sounds like a demo from The Birthday Massacre!

Though my childhood is rushing back too quickly for my poor emotional heart, I leave you with this: Sonic Adventure: Original Sound Track is long, but entertaining for road trips or any form of time-consuming travel. It has a good mix of electronic rock, rave, orchestral, jazz, and other fun stuff to keep even the most ADD person to not be bored. At the end of the day it all comes down to preference and experience. The choice between playing the game or not makes all the difference.

Pros: Strong :D
- versatile styles fitting various themes
- universal and easy on the ears
- far, far, FAR from repetitive

Cons: Moderate :/
- sixty nine tracks on two disks = over two hours long
- accessible more to those who played game

4 out of 5

And as a bonus. The track playing to one of the most memorable moments in Sonic games.
Too bad I don't have that exact clip. :P

'Sonic X'

Found on mobianlegends.com
"Goodnight! Have sweet dreams!"

Uh oh.

It's bad enough that the Sonic fanbase is split into so many factions and the last thing we needed is yet ANOTHER show. In terms of likability the very general consensus appears to be that The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog was a drug-induced wonderland, Sonic the Hedgehog (aka Sonic SatAM) was epic and short-lived, Sonic Underground was denied for its stupidity, and Sonic X was "meh." Yet in the world where only my opinion matters [but is ignored anyway], this was amazing... depending on the version.


Sonic X is a three season, 78 episode anime that debuted in 2003 and still airs in Europe and North America. With it being an undead zombie outside Japan, easily it can be considered as the most popular and successful Sonic show ever made. Seeing how much video game shows and movies are crucified for being absolute crap, this really is a gem. Depending on the version.

Yes, it really matters if you watch it in Japanese or in English.

The English version, dubbed by the Intergalactic Empire of Evil known as 4Kids Entertainment, is despised by many. If you watch it, prepare for the abysmal voice acting (Shadow, Rouge, and most of the human characters are the worst), horrible script with confusing details, and absolutely no death at all! And since the plot of Sonic Adventure 2 was adapted into this show, the once well-executed drama is completely childish, stupid and pointless. That's nothing in comparison to other cases. Worst of all, so much was censored or altered for the sake of Sonic X being "appropriate for children."

sonic.wikia.com
*Gasp!* A grave?! Oh, God!
The children will be traumatized
by the concept of DEATH!

• The writting is severely thumbed down to stupid puns, braindead common sense, and annoying tantrums by characters that had no such abuse in the Japanese version. (Shadow is significantly more "emo" in this version. "MARIAAAAA!!! T-T")
• The once decent dialogue has been completely deconstructed and built up to have little to no resemblence to the original. (Oh I don't know where to begin... how about from start to finish?!)
• Certain scenes were eliminated outright for being too "violent," "mature," or "depressing." (two minor character deaths were completely eliminated and poorly handled)
• Some of these edits are so obvious that many characters have completely different personalities. (Sonic is far more incompetent, Amy's more of a bitch, etc.)
• Must I repeat the voice actors suck? (Dan Green as Knuckles was a tolerable, but unfitting exception. And don't get me started on Jason Griffith...) 

In comparasion, the Japanese version is uncut and is much easier to follow. The adaptations of Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 are very faithful and translate very well. This version of Sonic X makes fun of itself and repeatedly demolishes the fourth wall; yet it gets serious in the most appropriate events. Despite my not knowing a lick of the Japanese, the voice actors give believable and natural performances across the board. From a technical standpoint, this version is far more mature, honest, and open then its sophomoric counterpart.

sonic.wikia.com
Amy shall destroy all Mary Sues.

HOWEVER, both versions have a large problem. Sonic X is a decent piece of fanfiction: it has good ideas behind it, but the execution is lackluster. Character development tends to be an alien concept in more recent Sonic games and thankfully this show attempt to bring it back. Still, the cast is all over the place in terms of quality. The general human cast is practically useless and forgettable and it crosses in both languages. Only Sonic and the gang are the most likable overall with interesting interactions and conflicts. As for the human kid Chris? Typical Mary Sue in a piece of fanfiction who wants the fabrics of imagination come to life and befriend them.

sonic.wikia.com
Is it worth saving these humans?

When one puts this next to other anime, Sonic X is pretty bland and uninteresting. In a way this is an anime that doesn't quite seem like an anime. Season one is a chore to watch with Filler Episode Syndrome until everything picks up from then on out. Some plot lines are left hanging and episode 78 leaves a gaping hole inside. The animation is generic overall with some CGI effects and a low budget finish at the end. Numerous anime series are like that; however, Sonic X is toned down enough for those new to the style can be headache-free.

At the end of the day I strongly recommend every English-speaker to sit down and learn to read subtitles and watch the superior version of this show. Your intelligence will thank you for it. Sonic fans might enjoy the few music samples from the Adventure games that appear at times, otherwise it's up to them. As for the casual viewer, this show is not horrible, but not great.

sonic.wikia.com
Yes, Sonic, there are giant mecha in your show.

4Kids, thanks for introducing this to me when I was young, but man you love to kill any anime you get your hands on, do you? No wonder otaku and other anime fans avoid anything licensed by you.

Just take this as an introduction into anime. The action is decent enough in this overhyped but entertaining ride. And as a show based on a video game series, this ain't bad.

2.8 out of 5

Fangirl's Mini Shots: Sonic Games

Because I can never seem to have any organized thoughts about a particular series of... anything, why not I do so now? With that darned blue hedgehog still in my mind I might as well make my opinion of certain aspects of the Sonic franchise. It might clear up some of the mess from a crappy review made this year, as well as set up any later reviews or rants. When it comes to Rants From a Fangirl, I have no clue where the heck my mind will wander next month. @_@

Just as a quick note, I hopped on the Sonic bandwagon right before Sonic Heroes in 2004. Therefore I am more familiar with "modern Sonic" and the gang.

With that out of the way... begin:

It took skill to save all the critters from the evil Eggman!

It's pretty embarrassing to be a casual fan but have never played the game that started it all. (The mini game version in Sonic Adventure does not count.) And as an owner of a Gamecube, I have no excuse to not buy Sonic Mega Collection. Better dash to it!

Sonic and pals at one of their happiest and finest!

Yay, the game that marked the beginning of the 3D era! Supposedly it's the only one handled right. Character-wise, this is absolutely true: Adventure made me fall in love with the cast. Gameplay-wise, this is the most memorable, albeit slightly dated.

Back when the reflection was not solely a piece of reusable "fanservice."

Being the first Sonic game I ever played, Adventure 2 is tightly knit to my heart. The addictive Chao Gardens, the awesome soundtrack, and Shadow. ...Okay, the Fangirl confesses: it was just Shadow and his story. Still, this was just as fun as its elder brother, even if the gameplay was polarized and split into three styles. These were my good old days...

And thus the bullcrap continues to pile up...

Love to hate it and hate to love it. The only game in this series I have lost all interest to beat. Everything is a humongous pile of "meh." Some cool new characters were thrown in, but severely underused. The gameplay was so repetitive I wanted to throw my controller at my TV. And poor amnesiac Shadow forgot to die. I call bull.

THE "SERIOUS BUSINESS" ATTITUDE IS OVER 9000!!!
That joke's so old...

Say hello to the unkempt black sheep no one will ever stop bitching about. I freaking love Shadow the Hedgehog for the amazing variety in level designs, soundtrack, and storylines (think somewhat-kinda on the lines of Higurashi.) Sadly I cannot defend how the execution was confusing and messy. Even though I now think it would have been fine if Shadow died in SA2, this game gave his story a satisfying resolution. This was the last time a Sonic character ever had decent development though. *sad*

Another hedgehog with a human friend? REALLY?!

Four words: HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?! Glitchy, stupid, buggy, sloppy, glitchy, insulting, broken, pretentious, glitchy, and depressing. It's pretty damn sad that Sonic is the most useless and incompetent part of this game. He pretty much lets his human-phobic rival and a telekinetic kid be the true heroes! The only good thing? "Dreams of an Absolution."

Did I forget to say this game is glitchy? And Elise? REALLY?! Even Maria wasn't as pointless!

Day + speed - entertainment = BAD.

Sonic Unleashed is yet another hair-and-spike-ball of "meh." Say goodbye to whatever made the 3D games likable. This is the Eat Me, Drink Me of the Sonic games: a degraded, disappointing model of what was decent. The 2D gameplay fails to impress and the Daytime stages are mind-numbingly boring. At least the Nighttime stages gave me the chance to let out my frustration! The Warehog - though a stupid concept - was actually fun!

Yet another adventure to stop Baldy McNosehair...
by saving alien critters!

A much better effort to appeal to the classics, but still missed the mark. The music is a bit too cookie-cutter and repetitive, even for very polished, electronic pop. But... so... pwetty... @o@ The dialogue in the Wii version is so hilarious I cried many times. AND NEW VOICE ACTORS! *waves goodbye to 4Kids cast*

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Now that you're all tired out from this topic...

SOMETHING UNRELATED!!!

You're welcome.

Next Post

20 years of animals on speed. Oh boy...

ZOMFG....

I told ya. I'm so literal. :)

Instead of Halloween consuming my life, a spiky blue hedgehog and his anthropomorphic escaped inmates from a Japanese zoo are bending reality. I swear, I'm not lying! T-T

Despite that I invested some time in Halloween-related videos via the last post. That's not much, but I have been feeling really "meh" lately. On the bright side, I further fulfilled my life as a vampire fan by finally watching Interview with the Vampire and Daybreakers (Hallelujah to emos with no sparkles!) Going down memory lane, I re-watched the Distressed Watcher's Marilyn Manson's Spooky Donut. And dad and I watched The Thing... the "prequel." Oh the enjoyment from laughing, nitpicking, and reminiscing.

Let's see you sitting on your butt writing
suicidal essays, you damn laid-back hedgehog!

Life seemed to start to get pretty spooky...

... until that pesky hedgehog ruined my life!

On the bright side, I feel like a kid when I really need it. Applying to colleges has fried my nerves beyond overcooked-dead. And I still have more applications to fill out in case I get rejected. Must seek refuge with my Gamecube...

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EDIT: Halloween plans were a minor failure on my end. But I got to show off my "costume" to my best friend and hung out at her place. I might post up my pics if I get to it. XD

Music Mood (unrelated to anything):

'Inuyasha'

(CREDIT: to the owners... you know how it goes...)

RANK: 4 out of 5 <-- the alpha of long shonen anime

When Kagome discovers a well that transports her to feudal era Japan, she unwittingly frees a half-demon, Inuyasha, and shatters the sacred Jewel of Four Souls. Now they must work together to restore the jewel before it falls into the wrong hands...

(From an ad in a manga released by VIZ media.)

Another anime that goes on for what seems like an eternity? Oh, darn. Shonen anime and manga are zombies, products of an incurable disease in which there is no end. Poor direction, useless characters, humungous plot holes, horrendous development, cheap deus ex machina tricks, and insulting cliches plague these series. The Big Shonen Three, my nickname for Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece, are perfect examples: all doubters have been forewarned by this anime fan.

So if I watch another ungodly long series again with such putrid garbage, and if I beat myself senseless a billion and one times over a little conflict, then - *pauses and leaves*

*returns after watching 167 episodes...* For the love of Oreos and milk, I have found a diamond amongst a sea of sewage!! Diamonds aren't exactly my thing, but I digress... Time to get to the point.

After spending many fun, wasteful years waiting for Naruto to actually progress, Inuyasha truly is a lifesaver. For everything the Big Shonen Three fail at, Inuyasha does it so well it takes the entire bakery instead of a slice of cake. For one thing, only one main villain of the show creates a huge spiderweb of schemes and no other characters ever replace him as the "big bad" *gasp!* At the same time, nearly every reoccurring character is caught in the web and is forced to deal with their situation in some way. Almost all the characters that develop are - dare I say it - NEEDED, even for a short while. Then, the adventures along the way contain some silly shenanigans, but each episode reveals even the tiniest piece of relevance to the overall story.

And the fight scenes? Say hello to straightforward battles with rare flashback moments, generally quick action, and occasional bickering. The average length of fights can be estimated to seven minutes, usually occurring at the end of each episode. But in the case of episodes split into multiple parts, many battles can occur at once and usually end in a modest amount of time. Even when flashbacks happen, they are short and sweet. Inuyasha succeeds by creating episodic adventures with good pacing in twenty minutes, leaving you satisfied in knowing you won't watch six episodes of nothing but a slow, painful battle.

Furthermore, unlike the Big Shonen Three, the main cast of Inuyasha is memorable, unique, relevant, and are not cardboard thin. Each character has a reasonable range of skills instead of possessing hundreds of abilities, and each person has a chance to prove themselves. Personalities vary greatly, especially with the main characters: Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. This factor as well as the ever-changing environment provide various situations when they, as well as other friends and rivals, all clash. As a bonus, their running gags never seem to get old. I might never be able to tell my dog to "sit" ever again without a huge grin on my face. (Even now I can't help it: XD)

Additional praise goes to the music in the show. Though I found it annoying at first, I always knew "Change the World" long before I watched Inuyasha. Now I love it; however, there are even better opening and ending themes that are worth listening to. Other themes and background music are also very enjoyable, but most importantly, fitting to the scenes.

What ultimately brings down the series' quality is the length. Filler and fanservice might both be foreign concepts to the show, but some episodes have content seen as irrelevant, needed only to make the plot slow down or move in a circle. Sadly, Inuyasha does suffer with one "slow" quality the Big Shonen Three all possess. Some conflicts drag on for an extraordinary number of episodes, especially when a solution can be found in five minutes. The finest example is that one particular love triangle, in which most fans want Kikyo permanently, surely, and safely dead. The worst part of that painfully long drama is not that Kikyo is like a cockroach after a nuclear explosion, but that Inuyasha is indecisive and oblivious. Sure, the end of that conflict is predictable as hell and easy to tell in one look, but the race from start to finish can be torturous.

Perhaps the show's greatest flaw is that despite how well paced each episode is as a whole, the entire show still feels somewhat sluggish. The worst part is that at the final episode, Inuyasha is still not over and many conflicts are still unresolved. Oh, crap. I forgot that The Final Act is the last part of the series. Another 26 episodes ain't that bad. Now if only the dub will be released soon...

Yet, I cannot help but love this show. Ever since I first heard of it back in 2005, I always wanted to watch it when it aired on Adult Swim, but I was too young to stay up late. Just the other week I miraculously rediscovered this childhood dream during my ongoing anime phase. After the time I spent, throwing tantrums, screaming at my computer screen, and laughing until I cried, Inuyasha was absolutely worth the wait. This might have been the best long anime series I have ever seen... so far.

Inuyasha should have been more regarded in Japan for one reason: creators need to learn to not make stupidly long anime that go nowhere. This was probably the best effort they made at this point....

August Update '11

Not dead but aging. XD

Since my last post, I've been going down memory lane and playing some of the few Sonic games I own as well as watching reviews of the more recent stuff. I have a new found appreciation for having just a Gamecube and PS2: thank the superior being(s) I can't play the latest... trash.

But now that I think about it, almost everything I typically enjoy has reached a downhill slope in overall entertainment. It kinda makes me question if it's because of where I am at in my life or because I'm getting jaded. If it's the later, I need to keep child-like curiosity and nostalgia close to my heart. Sure, finding new things and researching them can be fun (at least for me), but I have to look back at what I really used to enjoy two years, five years, even ten years ago. This extends to anything I may have left on the back shelf, completely blanketed in thick, fluffy dust bunnies.

Maybe I should have a month where I rant about nothing about nostalgic things for me... I dunno.

I'm near the end of readjusting to my real house again after DC, but many ideas are flowing through my mind. I hope to get photos up this weekend, though I just planned to make a tiny, flimsy poster for my room. Plus there's a story I want to write, but since creativity is backed up due to severe writer's block, I'm practicing writing on random Word docs. I have books to read for school too. Looks like Fangirl needs to prioritize...

Now that my way of saying "long time no post" is done... adios, readers... if any remain to exist...

'Moonlight'

(CREDIT: to the creator)

RANK: 4 out of 5 <- I miss 2007... *sniffles*

Vampire month seems to be more on reviews than actual rants. Maybe I'll do one right after this one. So, onto Moonlight.

This show is the very reason I have disliked CBS for the past three years. All thanks to them, they didn't pay their writers well enough to prevent the writer's strike that put this great show in its premature grave. I know that it's silly to be angry at a company for cancelling a show that can be valued subjectively. Because a wise man once said that "to carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee", wasting time by not getting over what has happened is pointless. Well, thankfully I am not allergic to a foolish bee that commited suicide because he doesn't like my negative feelings.

Let me miss the depressingly nostalgic, good old days of watching Ghost Whisperer and Moonlight on Friday nights. *sigh*

Despite the glory I give it, Moonlight was a flawed show. The first few episodes for the most part had weak plots and the dialogue was "meh". But I still watched them because I saw the potential that it had to tell a great story with a unique and interesting vampire mythology. The show doesn't start off painfully slow, especially when Mick for the most part is smooth and charismatic, unlike one vampire from another show that has the social skills of a toddler...

Speaking of which, now that I have dived into the Buffyverse, I can now say that Moonlight has ripped off of Angel in countless ways. Main character has a thing for blondes? Check. Issues with the ex? Check. Vampire trying to help people to make their eternities less boring? Check. Private investigator? Check. Tall, dark, brooding, and handsome? Double check. Not knowing how to deal with a vampire/human romance? Triple check. Getting food from hospitals and IV bags rather than humans? Quadruple check. Refusing to drink blood from the human lover? - Okay, you get the idea.

And I think David Greenwalt was a part of the staff at one point in the show's creation...

HOWEVER. Unlike Angel, which brings demon elements from the Buffyverse, Moonlight is heavily vampire-oriented. Almost every case Mick picks up has something to do with his kind, and though he islotaes himself from the "way of life," he still has plenty of contacts (his wealthy friend and mentor Josef, computer hacker Logan, autopsy worker Guillermo, etc.) In that sense, the show has a more professional and mature air to it, allowing one to skip some of the awkward beginnings and dive right into making the characters interesting.

And have no fear, Beth Turner is NOT much of a Mary-Sue human love interest. If only the show wasn't cancelled, Mick and Beth's relationship might have been one of the best vampire/human romances; there is no "destiny" crap; just two people who work together when their jobs allow it and happen to become friends and then fall in love. No bullshit attached. XD

The show overall: cool vampire mythology, decent special effects, fun characters (*JcOoSuEgFh!*), and an overall plot that had so much potential. Because the show feels a bit incomplete, especially after the introduction of the lawyer guy at the end, I give Moonlight a solid 4. But I would still recommend checking it out.

RIP, great series. Unlike some people - my parents - I have stuck with you from the beginning to the end. You will be dearly missed. :'(