Mei (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
northernwings) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
paradisamemes2013-07-23 02:25 pm
northernwings) wrote in paradisamemes2013-07-23 02:25 pm
Canon-Sharing Meme
And for the first time in her RPing career, Mei posts a meme with the return of none other than the...
Canon-Sharing Meme
Tired of being the only one who knows how awesome your canon is? Tired of being canon-blind to everyone else's? Well, this is the meme for you.
In the subject line of your comment, list the canon's name, and then in the body, give us some really awesome moments so we can see just what makes your canon tick. If it's a video game, link some playthrough videos. If it's a TV show/movie, maybe there's some episodes/clips available online for free! If it's literature, a comic book, a graphic novel, or manga, you could link to previews, scans, or summaries. Whatever floats your boat, really! Just try to keep things as spoiler free as possible, or provide warnings in the subject line or so forth.
Also, as some of us have slow connection speeds, please link you tube videos rather than embed them.
(Those of us with older dinky computers also appreciate that.)
Check out last year's if you're staring blankly at this post and wondering what's going on!
Now go forth, have fun, and lure people tothe Dark Side your canons!
Tired of being the only one who knows how awesome your canon is? Tired of being canon-blind to everyone else's? Well, this is the meme for you.
In the subject line of your comment, list the canon's name, and then in the body, give us some really awesome moments so we can see just what makes your canon tick. If it's a video game, link some playthrough videos. If it's a TV show/movie, maybe there's some episodes/clips available online for free! If it's literature, a comic book, a graphic novel, or manga, you could link to previews, scans, or summaries. Whatever floats your boat, really! Just try to keep things as spoiler free as possible, or provide warnings in the subject line or so forth.
Also, as some of us have slow connection speeds, please link you tube videos rather than embed them.
(Those of us with older dinky computers also appreciate that.)
Check out last year's if you're staring blankly at this post and wondering what's going on!
Now go forth, have fun, and lure people to
The Walking Dead: The Game (Telltale)
NON-SPOILER TRAILER HERE
WIKI LINK
An episodic game set in the Walking Dead unniverse. You play as Lee Everett, a survivor in the zombie outbreak, who comes across a little girl called Clementine, who he tries to protect through the end of the world, while meeting other pockets of humanity clinging onto life. This game is a point and click adventure, with a heavy emphasis on building and maintaining relationships with fellow surivours. In this game choices really do matter. You will have to make decisions which will have big consequences, not just in gameplay but how your fellow survivours will percieve you. If you don’t have their backs in a matter, they will remember this and be less inclined to help you in the future when you need them, if you help them out, they reward you with their loyalty. You fail to save someone? Your fellow group members will question you about it, they may even hold a grudge.
It’s for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, iOS and OS X system and you can watch it all on you tube, though due to the game mechanics, remember that often no two lets plays are the same. The game can change with the slightest decision, it’s AWESOME. It’s currently got one season (consisting of 5 episodes), with a bridging DLC to prepare for the second season coming this fall.
A warning, this game is emotionally brutal. Because the whole point is to create relationships with other characters in the game, you become emotionally invested in them, and this game pulls no punches in taking characters out. It’s SO worth a play, even if you’re not a big fan of zombie fiction, but have a box of tissues on standby. Though it’s based in the same world as the comic book and TV series, you don’t need to be familiar with either to play and enjoy this game, I sure knew diddly squat about the canon before playing it and I got on fine. If you like point and click adventures, and a strong character driven story, this is the game for you!
Good Omens
Co-written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, this is a hilarious tale following a race to find the elven year old Antichrist in order to prevent him from destroying the world. Or, in some cases, to ensure that it happens.
It has a ensemble cast of the most unlikely heroes; a demon, an angel (who just happen to be BEST FRIENDS), a witch, two witchfinders and an elderly hooker who happens to be a precog on her days off. Also featured are the Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse, and four kids known collectively as the Them. There's also a Hellhound named Dog. He's a terrier.
I can't recommend it enough, it's a very clever read that pokes fun at everything from religion to famous rock bands. It's about 400 pages long, and can be found pretty much anywhere. It's on Google Books right here.
Ace Combat
The three games of the Playstation 2 generation were the most revoluntionary for games of the flight sim genre, starting with 04, followed by 5 and Zero. For being a flight sim, these games had fantastic stories to tell (these aren't your testosterone-filled "AWW YEAH LET'S BLOW SHIT UP WITH POORLY WRITTEN DIALOGUE" games), and these particular games are generally held as the 'main three' to most fans. The one thing every AC title has in common is that you're a pilot that starts off as a nobody, but your excelling in your missions makes you the most renowned pilot in their respective air forces. In other words, you're always THE badass. Today, we'll be talking about...
"Time to dive into the fireworks!"
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War was the third and final title of the PS2 generation, and was a prequel to Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. You play as Cipher, a mercenary hired by the Republic of Ustio to take part in the Belkan War, and leader of the Ustio Air Force 6th Air Division, 66th Air Force Unit "Galm". You and your mercenary buddies are the last line of defense for Ustio, who has been occupied almost entirely by the armed forces of the Belkan Federation. Flying alongside you on your wing is the hotshot mercenary pilot "Solo Wing Pixy" as you two prove just how important you are to the Ustio military as you, as Cipher, almost single-handedly drive back the forces of Belka and taking the war right onto their own soil. You're so badass, you even pick up the title "Demon Lord of the Round Table" along the way. Zero is the first and only game in the series to have a karma gauge disguised as the "Ace Style" where whether you fly as a Mercenary, Soldier or Knight Ace, it can determine different dialogue in missions as well as giving you different Ace Squadrons to fight.
Outside of proving how batshit crazy Belka is with their superweapons, flying fortresses and superjets, Ace Combat Zero is a story of "friendship and betrayal" as composer Keiki Kobayashi put it. I'll let Brett Thompson of the Osean Broadcasting Company give you the history of the war itself with the Prologue movie. The game's story is presented through Thompson as he's doing a documentary on the Belkan War ten years after, and he got interviews with the aces that Cipher had met.
The game also has really freaking super awesome music. But that's to be said of the other titles as well.
TL;DR: ACE COMBAT ZERO IS REALLY FREAKING AWESOME, YOU SHOULD PICK UP THE GAME OR WATCH THE SUPPLIED PLAYTHROUGH BELOW.
fyi, the European PS2 generation had different names from their American and Japanese counterparts. Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies was Ace Combat: Distant Thunder in Europe, The Unsung War was Squadron Leader and Zero was simply The Belkan War. I don't know why either.
Also 04 is the best in the series, closely followed by Zero.~LINKS~!
Trailer! - If you don't think this is one of the coolest trailers ever, you're wrong.
Another trailer! - Because one badass trailer wasn't enough.
Playthrough! - The player plays as a Mercenary Ace (the "Evil" side of the karma gauge) but the playlist supplies alternatives to certain parts of missions to show the Ace squadrons of the other Styles.
There's also the wiki but it's kind of derpy at times.
And in closing, I end it on this note: Pixy is a dick.
I said I wouldn't write a novel. I wrote a novel. WHOOPS SORRY.
Excerpt
The table in front of the two of them was covered with bottles.
"The point is," said Crowley, "the point is. The point is." He tried to focus on Aziraphale.
"The point is," he said, and tried to think of a point.
"The point I'm trying to make," he said, brightening, "is the dolphins. That's my point."
"Kind of fish," said Aziraphale.
"Nononono," said Crowley, shaking a finger. "'S mammal. Your actual mammal. Difference is-" Crowley waded through the swamp of his mind and tried to remember the difference. "Difference is, they-"
"Mate out of water?" volunteered Aziraphale.
Crowley's brow furrowed. "Don't think so. Pretty sure that's not it. Something about their young. Whatever." He pulled himself together. "The point is. The point is. Their brains."
He reached for a bottle.
"What about their brains?" said the angel.
"Big brains. That's my point. Size of. Size of. Size of damn big brains. And then there's the whales. Brain city, take it from me. Whole damn sea full of brains."
"Kraken," said Aziraphale, staring moodily into his glass.
Crowley gave him the long cool look of someone who has just had a girder dropped in front of his train of thought.
"Uh?"
"Great big bugger," said Aziraphale. "Sleepeth beneath the thunders of the upper deep. Under loads of huge and unnumbered polypol-polipo-bloody great seaweeds, you know. Supposed to rise to the surface right at the end, when the sea boils."
"Yeah?"
"Fact."
"There you are, then," said Crowley, sitting back. "Whole sea bubbling, poor old dolphins so much seafood gumbo, no one giving a damn. Same with gorillas. Whoops, they say, sky gone all red, stars crashing to ground, what they putting in the bananas these days? And then-"
"They make nests, you know, gorillas," said the angel, pouring another drink and managing to hit the glass on the third go.
"Nah."
"God's truth. Saw a film. Nests."
"That's birds," said Crowley.
"Nests," insisted Aziraphale.
Crowley decided not to argue the point.
"There you are then," he said. "All creatures great and smoke. I mean small. Great and small. Lot of them with brains. And then, bazamm."
"But you're part of it," said Aziraphale. "You tempt people. You're good at it."
Crowley thumped his glass on the table. "That's different. They don't have to say yes. That the ineffable bit, right? Your side made it up. You've got to keep testing people. But not to destruction."
"All right. All right. I don't like it any more than you, but I told you. I can't disod-disoy-not do what I'm told. 'M a'nangel.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
And occasionally drunken hedgehogs exploding into spiked balls of death.
Yeah, this is not the most ridiculous thing that happens in this series by far. It's a finished shonen manga that's 409 chapters in length which features an adorable, derpy loser of a boy who, come to find out within the first few chapters of the manga... is actually the last living heir to the most powerful family of the Mafia. Naturally this leads to his life being filled with far too much crazy and danger for his liking.
The series started out as a crack manga that parodied other shonen mangas, so the characters, especially the ones that get introduced in the beginning are ridiculously quirky and endearing. ... actually almost all the characters in this manga are quirky in some way. If you want a taste, there's: the baseball head that takes naivety to the extreme, a bomber who will chew anyone out but has an unhealthy hero worship of the protagonist, a cow suit-wearing crybaby who can turn himself into older versions of himself with a bazooka, and not to mention the mafia hitman baby who serves as Tsuna's tutor and puts him through absolutely ridiculous and extreme situations in order to prepare him for his role as a Mafia boss. Also, said mafia hitman baby regularly engages in cosplay, and can communicate with bugs. This does not even put a dent in all the weird and quirky characters this manga has.
It's a long read and some of the arcs kind of stretch on (lol future arc) but it's so worth it to meet the characters and watch their development. Not to mention, the people who rp in the fandom are fantastic. It's not overly popular like it used to be so I think the haters have left, for the most part, and now I play with people who are so amazingly creative and wonderful and make you fall even more in love with the characters you already loved and make you fall in love with characters who you never batted an eye at. We're a small group, but they're awesome people, seriously. <3
And here, have a gif:
Percy Jackson & The Olympians/Heroes of Olympus
Heroes of Olympus takes place a few months later. This time Roman mythology is added to the mix. The story is told in third person with dividing viewpoints between three characters.
Until you get to Mark of Athena.Basically if you like ancient mythology mixed with the modern day, you'll love this book series! And don't watch the movie, it's horribly misrepresenting.
Discworld - Monstrous Regiment
The books are also grouped as 'series', a guide of which can be seen here. It's missing the last few novels, but is otherwise correct and up-to-date. Now that might look terrifying, as by god it's a lot of books. But you can honestly start reading anywhere you like, as the books are designed to let you start at pretty much any point (though some of the later ones are a little harder to get into without backstory). I've been reading these books for 20 years and have yet to read them all in order.
Now, onto Monstrous Regiment, which is the book Maladict hails from. MR is a stand-alone book following the story of Polly Perks, a young girl who secretly joins the army of her woman-hating country in order to track down her older brother to bring him safely home. She does this by pretending she's a man. As the novel progresses, she slowly starts to realise that almost everyone else in her regiment DID THE SAME THING. Hilarity ensues.
While being a comedy (as all Discworld novels are) this one also tackles the issues of war, sexism and basically being yourself and allowing others the same privilege. It's a bit like Mulan meets Joan of Ark - with an added vampire, igor and troll.
Excerpt
She narrowed her eyes. This stupid fool in front of her, a man making one long eyebrow do the work of two, was serving them slops and foul vinegar just before they marched off to war -
"Thith beer," said Igor, on her right, "tathteth of horthe pith."
Polly stood back. Even in a bar like this, that was killing talk.
"Oh, you'd know, would you?" said the barman, looming over the boy. "Drunk horse piss, have you?"
"Yeth," said Igor.
The barman stuck a fist in front of Igor's face. "Now you listen to me, you lisping little - "
A slim black arm appeared with amazing speed and a pale hand caught the man's wrist. The one eyebrow contorted in sudden agony.
"Now, it's like this," said Maladict calmly. "We're soldiers of the Duchess, agreed? Just say 'aargh'."
He must have squeezed. The man groaned.
"Thank you. And you're serving up as beer a liquid best described as foul water," Maladict went on in the same level, conversational tone. "I, of course, don't drink... horse piss, but I have a highly developed sense of smell, and really would prefer not to list aloud the things I can smell in this murk, so we'll just say 'rat droppings' and leave it at that, shall we? Just whimper. Good man." At the end of the bar, one of the new recruits threw up. The barman's fingers had gone white. Maladict nodded with satisfaction.
"Incapacitating a soldier of her grace in wartime is a treasonable offence," he said. He leaned forward. "Punishable, of course, by... death." Maladict pronounced the word with a certain delight. "However, if there happened to be another barrel of beer around the place, you know, good stuff, the stuff you'd keep for your friends if you had any friends, then I'm sure we can forget this little incident. Now, I'm going to let go of your wrist. I can tell by your eyebrow that you are a thinker, and if you're thinking of rushing back in here with a big stick, I'd like you to think about this instead: I'd like you to think about this black ribbon I'm wearing. Know what it means, do you?"
The barman winced, and mumbled: "Temp'rance League..."
"Right! Well done!" said Maladict. "And one more thought for you, if you've got room. I've only taken a pledge not to drink human blood. It doesn't mean I can't kick you in the fork so hard you suddenly go deaf."
He released his grip. The barman slowly straightened up. Under the bar he would have a short wooden club, Polly knew. Every bar had one. Even her father had one. It was a great help, he said, in times of worry and confusion. She saw the fingers of the usable hand twitch.
"Don't," she said. "I think he means it."
The barman relaxed. "Bit of a misunderstanding there, gents," he mumbled. "Got the wrong barrel in. No offence meant." He shuffled off, his hand almost visibly throbbing.
"I only thaid it wath horthe pith," said Igor.
"He won't cause trouble," said Polly to Maladict. "He'll be your friend from now on. He's worked out he can't beat you so he's going to be your best mate."
Maladict subjected her to a thoughtful stare. "I know that," he said. "How do you?"
"I used to work in an inn," said Polly, feeling her heart begin to beat faster, as it always did when the lies lined up. "You learn to read people."
"What did you do in the inn?"
"Barman."
"There's another inn in this hole, is there?"
"Oh no, I'm not from round here."
Polly groaned at the sound of her own voice, and waited for the question: "Then why come here to join up?" It didn't come. Instead, Maladict just shrugged and said, "I shouldn't think anyone is from round here."
A couple more new recruits arrived at the bar. They had the same look - sheepish, a bit defiant, in clothes that didn't fit well. Eyebrow reappeared with a small keg, which he laid reverentially on a stand and gently tapped. He pulled a genuine pewter tankard from under the bar, filled it, and timorously proffered it to Maladict.
"Igor?" said the vampire, waving it away.
"I'll thtick with the horthe pith, if it'th all the thame to you," said Igor. He looked around in the sudden silence. "Look, I never thaid I didn't like it," said Igor. He pushed his mug across the sticky bar. "Thame again?"
Supernatural
Simultaneously dark and campy, brimming with obscure references, and bursting with talented cast members. Does not cut corners on the budget for fake blood and pushes the network guidelines for content to the max. (Let's just say that if this show was on HBO, it would make Game of Thrones look like a soap opera.)
Above all, family is the heart of the story. Over the years (Going on season 9 now, holy cow!) you see brothers Sam and Dean Winchester criss-cross the backroads of America in Dean's black '67 Impala, blasting the best of classic rock and carrying on the family business of saving people and hunting the things that go bump in the night. The story expands from a focus on their family's personal tragedy to much bigger problems as they find themselves tangling with demons and eventually angels, as well. It becomes more and more about standing up for free will and challenging the idea of destiny, but never loses focus on the family relationships that drive the characters.
The brilliant acting and writing really hits home, and it can be heart-wrenchingly tragic or gut-bustingly hilarious. THE FEELS ARE STRONG WITH THIS ONE.
A Little Snow Fairy Sugar
The story follows Saga, a young girl living in the quaint town of Muhlenberg. Saga is a nice but unusually mature student who plans out every part of her day. Between school and her part time job, she's always on the go. Saga has been working hard to buy a piano that she loves. Her life is busy but good. Orderly.
That is until Saga runs into a tiny snow fairy that only she can see.
The fairy Sugar is learning to be a season fairy. Season fairies control the weather in the Human World using magical musical instruments. In order to become a proper season fairy, Sugar must live in the Human World until her training is complete. Thanks to a strange turn of events, Sugar moves in with Saga, throwing Saga's schedule and life off course. Between the season fairies and Saga's classmates, the two of them have many adventures and mishaps while they slowly work past their differences.
A Little Snow Fairy Sugar is an adorable and often silly series that ranges from rot your teeth out cute to outright heart-wrenching. (Really. Not even kidding. I'd keep tissues nearby, just in case.) It looks at the joys and trials of developing friendships, especially ones between people with very different personalities. You get to watch as two characters grow to like each other and change each others' lives for the better.
The show also has absolutely beautiful music. Seriously, even if you don't think the show sounds like your thing, listen to the music. You'll be glad you did.
Tl;dr: CUTE SERIES WITH FAIRIES AND GREAT MUSIC. I highly recommend.
ALSO
Watch the first episode HERE (English Dub). The Japanese version is slightly better, but the English episodes are all on Youtube, so that's probably an easier way to start.
Classic car + Classic tunes from 1x10 (no spoilers)
Sibling Rivalry from 2x15 (no spoilers)
Exerpt from The Titan's Curse
The soil erupted. I stepped back nervously.
In each spot where a tooth had been planted, a creature was struggling out of the dirt. The first of them said:
"Mew?"
It was a kitten. A little orange tabby with stripes like a tiger. Then another appeared, until there were about a dozen, rolling around and playing in the dirt.
Everyone stared at them in disbelief. The General said, "What is this? Cute cuddly kittens? Where did you find these teeth?"
Detective Conan
Plus, its really a great story with tons of amazing characters all by itself. The story moves seamlessly from mystery to romance to humor to suspense to tragedy.
This clip gives a good introduction to the series.
A moment of romantic angst.
Everyone likes to troll Conan.
Conan forever fails at understanding girls.
Conan's life, seriously. He really needs a full time bodyguard.
Conan has the best rival
Battle strategies don't really work for love
And again, Conan has the best rival.
Dark is Rising Sequence
All of the books are absolutely full of the most fascinating takes on British folklore. Herne the Hunter shows up as a character, as do a grab bag of characters from Arthurian legends. And they are all written beautifully.
Will, who shows up in the second book, is one of the main characters throughout the book. He is an Old One, born to fight the last of the battle against a force called the Dark. He goes on quests to reunite the great magicalartifacts of the Light. In later books he becomes best friend and guide to Arthur's son, Bran. Just as his master Merriman was to Arthur, long ago when Merriman called himself Merlin.
Re: Dark is Rising Sequence
"It is a burden," Merriman said. "Make no mistake about that. Any great gift or power or talent is a burden, and this more than any, and you will often long to be free of it. But there is nothing to be done. If you were born with the gift, then you must serve it, and nothing in this world or out of it may stand in the way of that service, because that is why you were born and that is the law. And it is just as well, young Will, that you have only a glimmering of an idea of the gift that is in you, for until the final ordeals of learning are over you will be in great danger. And the less you know of the meaning of your power, the better able it will be to protect you, as it has done for the last ten years."
He gazed at the fire for a moment, frowning. I will tell you only this: that you are one of the Old Ones, the first to have been born for five hundred years, and the last. And like all such you are bound by nature to devote yourself to the long struggle between the Light and the Dark. Your birth, Will, completed a circle that has been growing for four thousand years in every oldest part of this land: the circle of the Old Ones. Now that you have come into your power, your task is to make that circle indestructible."
The rhythms of his voice, which had been rising and falling in an increasingly formal pattern, changed subtly into a kind of chanted battle cry; a call, Will thought suddenly, with a chill tightening his skin, to things beyond the great hall and beyond the time of the calling. "For the Dark, the Dark is rising. The Walker is abroad, the Rider is riding; they have woken, the Dark is Rising. And the last of the Circle is come to claim his own, and the circles must now all be joined. The white horse must go to the Hunter, and the river take the valley; there must be fire on the mountain, fire under the stone, fire over the sea. Fire to burn away the Dark, for the Dark, the Dark is rising!"
Danny Phantom
Ah, what to say about this series. Its ridiculous at times, filled with eccentric characters, weird science, and terrible puns. And yet it is genuinely touching at times. Couldn't find many clips, so I'll just link the first episode here.
Mystery Meat
And a few clips
One seriously crazed up fruitloop
Yes, THAT christmas episode
Some random clips
Danny has the mst reliable friends
the infamous fakeout makeout
Persona 4
Persona 4 written by Lyndsey and Mimi.
As for Tomb Raider, it's set in the same world as ours. So you're living in the canon! \o/ Yay.
Archie Comics Megaman
Classic Series Lore in a minute!
Honestly I could go on about the series for a long hours; the games are fun with catchy music, interesting characters, and really defined the platforming genre. The comic is a fun for all ages, it has a nice little balance between action, plot and character building, it really brought new life to a series that hasn't seen a lot of action in a few years now.
And well instead of provide an example of how great the series is, today I'm just going to give it to you via some handy mediafire links! Isn't that just great?
Issues 1-4 (Let the Games Begin)
Issues 5-8 (Time Keeps Slipping)
Issues 9-12 (Return of Doctor Wily)
Issues 13-16 (Spirit Ex Machina)
Issues 17-20 (Rock of Ages)
Issues 21-23 (Breaking Point)
Worlds Collide Part 1
Worlds Collide Part 2
Worlds Collide Part 3
And you may want to check out The Megas who do some pretty neat music based off the games.
Pump Up The Volume
Made and set in 1990, it's basically an anthem to free speech, self-discovery, self-expression, the right to live your life the way you want, the fact that High School Sucks, and the enduring power of connecting to people instead of hiding in a shell for your entire life.
Pictured: Miss Paige Woodward sets the gold standard for microwave explosions ... until Zelos puts a cell phone in Paradisa's, of course.
It's a 90s high school movie, so be prepared for a certain level of cheese, and teenagers being played by people in their 20s, as well as loads and loads of opportunities to say "WHAT THE HELL IS S/HE WEARING". Our Hero Mark is not exempt from this rule, either, but he makes up for that by spending a decent chunk of his screen time taking off his shirt for no reason. Also: Seth Green has a cameo, as does his Amazing 90s Mullet.
To whet your whistle, here's a link to the trailer, featuring a song that most people who've been in Para for the last couple years are probably sick of by now.
The whole shebang, last I checked, can be streamed online here, with one rule attached: if you have a Plurk, you liveplurk that shit and ping me so I can watch you flail, because I love watching people react to this movie.
James Bond (Reboot) - Especially Skyfall
They are about Daniel Craig being a fucking badass. There's an overarching plot to the first two. Casino Royale is a straight-up remake which is pretty true to the original book, and makes a poker tournament MUCH better fodder for an action movie than most people would anticipate... while Quantum of Solace picks up exactly where it left off, with 007 out for revenge and more information on the secret organization that made things go pear-shaped in Royale. Quantum is the weakest of the three movies - mostly due to its villain, and not for lack of trying - but it's still entertaining and worth a go.
Skyfall is the newest of the three, and this mun's personal favorite Because Of Reasons And Feelings. It's both a love letter to everything that was good and awesome about the old-school movies, and a way of bringing everything full circle. I can't flail about it enough here, and I certainly don't want to spoil it all, but this movie is full of amazing things whether you're completely new to the concept of James Bond or not.
Basic premise: James Bond's boss made some Bad Life Decisions in the past in regards to The Big Bad, who was basically James Bond: Beta Version. Said Big Bad has finally decided to come back and kick her ass for it, and it does not go well for many involved. There's a lot of really heavy thematic stuff here about duty, honor, mistakes, torch-passing, and the old vs. the new ... but there is also a scene with a fucking train coming through a roof, a really awesome rooftop chase scene, A Bit With A Komodo Dragon That Is Funny As Hell, and the best house-rigging since Macaulay Culkin did it in Home Alone. Oh and also the opening credits are gorgeous even without Adele, which is saying something.
So, basically, fun for the whole family. Free cyanide teeth for the kids. Bring your friends.
Tales of Vesperia
elfkrityan with a clothing allergy (Judith), and a fishy archer (the smell comes off him in waves) (Raven). In the Japanese version of the game, a random pirate girl (Patty), and Yuri's best friend joins up -Yes. Best friends
They deal with problems like WHY THE HELL ARE THE NOBLES AND THE KNIGHTS NOT PROTECTING PEOPLE, WHO STOLE MY DAMN WELL, and WHY DOES THIS FLAMING TURKEY CALL YOUR HEALER A POISON. Themes of this game are "What is Justice" and "How do you punish people who are able to twist the law to suit them", which sounds as cheerful as you can expect from having your protagonist in batman's colors-
This is straight to the beginning of the game, exposition and all- Please note that this is a Tales game, which means there are monsters eating things in the opening, and that Yuri's voice is likely to be familiar to many people. and here is Duke
The first minute of this is a lovely example of what kind of person Yuri is.
And the respect your protag has for doors.
That playthrough skips minor battles, which makes it quite a bit shorter than otherwise c:
TRAILER
JUDI DENCH: /MIC DROP
no subject
Excerpt:
The Miyazaki movie of the same name is loosely based on the book, but simplifies a lot of themes in favor of latching on to a sort of anti-war allegory. They're both enjoyable, but entirely different animals, and if you've only seen the movie, I advocate tracking down the book. It's young adult fiction, so it's a quick read, too!
Young Wizards
I say that I will use the Art for nothing but the service of that Life. I will guard growth and ease pain. I will fight to preserve what grows and lives well in its own way; and I will change no object or creature unless its growth and life, or that of the system of which it is part, are threatened. To these ends, in the practice of my Art, I will put aside fear for courage, and death for life, when it is right to do so -- till Universe's end."
This is the Oath that all wizards must take... one that will change their lives, and those around them, forever. Young Wizards is an ongoing series of young adult books by fantasy/sci-fi writer Diane Duane. It is about a group of young wizards who fight dark powers and work on slowing down errantry. While also getting through school, of course. There books possibly shaped me more than any other series out there, and they are definitely worth a look. Here's why...
This series has such a colorful array of characters which somehow Duane manages to make at least 90% of them likeable. She digs deep into their different backgrounds to give each person and species his/her/its own mindset... and there are A LOT of sentient species. Wizardry is not just limited to humans. In fact, wizards can talk to practically anything. That's how their wizardry works. They understand trees, dogs, rocks, cars, and kitchen appliences to name a few. And that doesn't even cover alien species!
Young Wizards was written by a geek for geeks, and it shows. Were you the type of kid who read books all the time, even outside school? (Especially outside school?) Did you love sci-fi or comic books or any nerdy/geeky thing, despite the hardships? Are you passionate about learning things, whether or not you like school? If the answer is yes to any of these, this series was made for you. Many of the characters love to learn or love the same series we do. There are cultural references EVERYWHERE from Star Wars to Star Trek to LOTR to Sherlock to superhero comics… the DOCTOR ACTUALLY SHOWS UP ONCE, OK? IT'S AWESOME.
If you answered no to the above questions, guess what, this book may still be for you. Because the writing feels so meaningful. Duane mixes the wonder and joy of fantasy with the challenges of real life. The fight of good versus evil is not so clear cut, but instead placed in a world of grays. Some of the subjects she addresses are heavy, and sometimes it hurts, but in a good way. Things are not easy for the characters, yet you still leave filled with hope.
Quick warning: Characters die. A lot. But it’s all right because of Timeheart, and Duane is fantastic at writing character deaths.
TL;DR: READ THESE BOOKS, YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID. This series is the best thing ever and I cannot recommend it enough. Especially if you like epic fights, mythology, sci-fi, fantastic characters, ladies kicking butt, exc.
no subject
The Doctrine of Labyrinths
A four book fantasy series centered around the charming, though frequently cruel, wizard Felix Harrowgate and his only slightly less damaged half-brother Mildmay, both of which struggle to overcome their terrible pasts and get along, and often making things much much worse in process. The books are written entirely in first person, alternating between the two main characters, and a third, in the last two books. Each voice is incredibly distinct from the other and gives you a different viewpoint, from Felix's eloquent descriptions, to Mildmay's rambling, sarcastic, and profanity-laced style of story-telling.
I have a short excerpt on Felix's journal, here. (minor spoilers within)
This is not your mother's fantasy setting. DoL turns the whole genre on it's side, largely on purpose. The majority of the series takes place in the city of Mélusine, which is something like Venice, New Orleans, and Dickens' London all mashed up together, where wizards are the ruling class, and the Lower City lives under the shadow of their fortress, the Mirador. The city itself is rife with strange gods, secret magic, and catacombs full of black market trade.
To be fair, the series is very very dark and full of really mature themes and some topics that might be triggery (including torture, death, rape, and blatant m/m scenes)
Still, it's a beautifully rich and very emotional ride that I basically love to pieces.
If you're interested in reading them, I've managed to locate text versions of the books in some dark corner of the interwebs (though the later version get a little wonky in translation).
*Melusine, *The Virtu, *The Mirador, *Corambis
Young Wizards Reading List
So You Want to Be A Wizard
Where it all begins...
Deep Wizardry
Beach trip! What fun... if wizards ever really got holidays.
High Wizardry
Dairine's book! Technology and sci-fi galore! Kinda like if Tron and all the space odysseys you know of combined.
A Wizard Abroad
Let's take a trip to Ireland! Hope you like tea.
A Wizard's Dilemma
Everything hurts, and I’m still not over it.
A Wizard Alone
Characters (and you) recover from book 5.
Wizard's Holiday
Have I mentioned wizards never get holidays?
Wizards at War
Why can't the universe need saving some time other than spring break?
A Wizard of Mars
There is no life on Mars. Nope. None at all.
Games Wizards Play
UPCOMING. Not released yet, but SOON. Maybe.
Please?There are also a number of short stories and an adult tie-in series called Feline Wizards, where the story follows a team of cats working in Grand Central Station. That's right. Cat wizards.
And it's only three books long! (The Book of Night With Moon, To Visit the Queen/On Her Majesty’s Wizardly Service, and The Big Meow)
Re: The Walking Dead: The Game (Telltale)
Dangan Ronpa
...ah.
Dangan Ronpa (which can be translated as "Bullet Refute" or "Bullet Rebuttal") is a PSP mystery game that was originally released in 2010. The game originally had no presence at all outside of Japan, and was believed would never gain much of a western following outside of niche imports... that is until about a year and a half ago, when a user on the Something Awful forums, orenronen, decided to do a Let's Play of the game, all while translating it single handedly. From there, the rest is history.
The constant comparison made about the game is that it's a mix of Battle Royale (or even the Hunger Games) and Phoenix Wright, although tbh I would compare it a bit more to Umineko no Naku Koro ni, with a big heaping dash of Madoka Magica (as the game's main theme is in fact HOPE vs DESPAIR). The premise is 15 kids with different exceptional talents (Idol, Programmer, Gambler, Baseball Player, Fortune Teller, etc etc) are invited to a school that only accepts the most talented in their fields: Hope's Peak Academy. However they find themselves trapped in the school instead, with all the doors and windows bolted shut with steel panels, and security cameras watching their every move. A sadistic robotic bear called Monokuma/Monobear soon appears, claiming to be their headmaster, and tells them that there is only one way to escape the school.
Kill one of your class mates and get away with it.
Whenever a murder happens a trial also occurs, where the students have to try and figure out who the murderer was. If they guess right, then the murderer gets executed in a very elaborate and personalized manner. But if the students are wrong then all of them are killed while the murderer escapes to the outside world.
Dark premise aside, the game's true strength is its cast of quirky characters, many of whom subvert a lot of tropes and expectations and who also HAVE A TENDENCY TO RIP YOUR HEART OUT AND STOMP ON IT (DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT MONDO OOWADA AND KIYOTAKA ISHIMARU OR SAKURA OOGAMI OH MY FUCKING GOD). Some of them are as two-dimensional as they initially appear but most of the cast may legitimately surprise you. It also has a FANTASTIC mastermind.
A vita updated version of the first game has now been officially been licensed for American and European release by NISA (AND I AM EXCITED AS HECK) so expect that in early 2014! If anyone who has a vita could please buy the game I would greatly appreciate it as it was previously believed this game would never make any money AT ALL in the west and we want to prove that wrong in order to eventually get the sequel over here!
Speaking of, Dangan Ronpa has a sequel game called Super Dangan Ronpa 2, a prequel novel called Dangan Ronpa Zero, and an alternate universe novel called Dangan Ronpa IF (an alternate scenario where NO ONE DIED). Earlier this month the anime adaptation of the first game also began airing (done by the same director who did the Persona 4 anime).
WHERE TO GET INTO THE DANGLES:
If you don't want to wait for the official release (or don't have a Vita), here's where to get into DR!
The Let's Play that started it all. Now archived on the LP archives so no more pesky paywalls! Oren's translation is far from perfect (Hacker for Chihiro is off for instance) but at its base level it's sufficient and pretty darn good for a guy whose first language is neither English or Japanese.
Project Zetsubou's Fantranslation Patch. Would rather play the game yourself? WELP THERE'S A FAN PATCH FOR THAT (that was released only a few days before the official localization announcement I should add). It's... okay I really hate this translation HAHA there's a lot of awkward and stupid liberties taken and some of it is actually kind of OOC for some characters. There's a lot of effort put into it though???
IF YOU LIVE IN AMERICA you can watch Funimation's official subs of the anime for free right here!! (
if you're not in america i recommend unlimited translation works' fansubs)Re: Dark is Rising Sequence
Re: Pump Up The Volume
Yes people. watch the movie. It's awesome and amazing.
Wait now I wonder if Paige has any WTF is she wearing? outfits? Because she's soooooooo perfect.
Excerpt from A Wizard Alone
Nita looked at the desk. It was covered in tinfoil. On the foil and on a subsidiary bed of newspaper rested what appeared to be a model volcano sculpted out of wet papier-mâché. The volcano was extremely broad and flat, of the shield type, and Nita recognized it immediately.
“How does it look?” Dairine said.
“Not bad,” Nita said. “What’s it for?”
“We’re doing a geology unit in our science class.”
Nita raised her eyebrows. “Bending the rules a little, Dari?” she said. “That’s Olympus Mons. It hardly counts as geology.”
“Okay, areology, then.” Dairine sat there wiping her hands on a towel.
“It looks a little bare right now,” Nita said.
Her sister turned a look of withering scorn on her. Spot cocked one eye in Nita’s direction as if to suggest that she asked for this. “Of course it looks a little bare,” Dairine said. “I have to paint it first. My real project for today is constructing an airbrush out of nothing but wizardry.”
“Sounds like a moderate challenge,” Nita said.
“And when the volcano’s done, I’m going to make it blow up in class,” Dairine said.
Nita’s eyes widened slightly at the first image that occurred to her.
“With lycopodium powder,” Dairine said, more scornfully than before, if that was possible. “Sheesh, Neets.”
VIDEOS, MUSIC AND STUFF
Videos!
Translation of the demo (done by Zetsubou Project, part 1). This is just to show what the trials are like. THE VICTIM IN THE DEMO IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE IN THE ACTUAL GAME SO NO SPOILERS HERE. (be careful looking at the related videos though)
(ALSO YOU CAN HEAR CHIHIRO IN THE DEMO EHEHEHE)
Anime opening
The infamous first execution, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 1 but this spoiler is kind of a little well known and it's still worth linking if just to show the game's style.
ok i just really liked this part in the first ep of the anime ISHIMARU PLEASE (
this is the canonmate i want the most because i adore him help)MUSIC because I fucking love the music, DR has great music, the soundtrack was done by Masafumi Takada, who you might know best for his work on No More Heroes, Godhand and killer7!
Mr. Monokuma's Extracurricular Lesson
Miss Monomi's Practice Lesson (a.k.a. MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE DFKJGBFJK)
Supplementary Lessons for the Unlucky
Box 16
Thousand Knocks (a.k.a. the first execution theme)
New World Order
Aaaaand, I'll just end this with a fan thing because it's either this or the canon screenshot of boys being on fire and being ridiculous while one is half naked and ripped as fuck. v(. w .)v
Angelic Layer
That's it. That's the show.
(Only not really. That's only part of it.)Angelic Layer is a series by the infamous manga group CLAMP, their first attempt at a shonen series back in 1999. The manga ran five volumes from 1999 to 2001, and it got a 26-episode anime adaptation in late 2001. The story revolves around Misaki Suzuhara, a 12-year-old girl who just arrived in Tokyo to live with her aunt while she attends middle school there at Eriol Academy. Upon her arrival in Tokyo, she sees footage of a match of the game Angelic Layer, which took the nation by storm. The game involved robotic dolls - called 'Angels' - competing on a specialized area known as the Layer, doing combat ranging from regular individual matches to full-blown tournaments.
Misaki takes up the game almost immediately, under the guidance and teachings of Ichiro "Icchan" Mihara and soon gains renown as the "Miracle Rookie" along with her speed-emphasized angel known as Hikaru.
The series is essentially one big tournament arch whilst Misaki fights her way through the game's regional and national tournaments. The manga and anime have a number of differences, including that the manga was clearly centering on the fights in the tournament, while the anime actually takes time to expand on characters that had virtually no backstory in the manga. The anime also expanded and added additional fights, as well as even changed the outcome of one of the final fights in the manga. There were also several changes outside of the fights.
Also, in the manga, there's only one male angel. And one male deus. The anime increases this number to a whopping four male angels and two male deuses (and three of those angels is owned by the second deus), Oooooooooo!
The manga was originally released in English in the US by TokyoPop starting in 2002, and was rereleased in two omnibus books by Dark Horse Comics in 2012.
Aaaaaand LINKS!
Watch the anime! - This site only has the dub, which while jarring on occasion, it's still pretty decent for its time.
Read the manga! - Although this is just a scanlation and neither the official TokyoPop or Dark Horse releases, and it's really derpy as times (and I haven't read it in its entirety) so if you don't mind jarring grammar/spelling issues, it won't be so bad?
Re: Ace Combat
Flying again to nuke your mother fucking land yeah
Bel-ka! (FUCK YEAH!)
What are you gonna do when we come for you now
Fuck yeah!
Excalibur! (FUCK YEAH!)
Hresvelgr! (FUCK YEAH!)
Falken! (FUCK YEAH!)
Morgan! (FUCK YEAH!)
V2s! (FUCK YEAH!)
Grunder! (FUCK YEAH!)
Demon Lord! (FUCK YEAH!)
Larry Foulke! (F-fuck yeah?) ♪
no subject
Meanwhile Pixy wants to know why he's the one that got the question mark there.no subject
Which reminds me, I need to make you icons...
no subject
no subject
• If the idea of picking up a book with a graphic rape scene 50 pages in turns you off, this is not the series for you. Scenes of both Felix and Mildmay being raped occur within the books, while other major characters (Gideon among them) are heavily implied to have been raped in the past. This series includes a shit-ton of rape, and I would feel guilty if you went in unaware of that fact.
• The secondary characters in the series tend to be really great! Obviously, I have a great fondness for Gideon Thraxios, Felix's erstwhile lover and Kekropian runaway. And you've also met poor, sickly Thamuris. But there's also Mehitabel, stage actress thrown into a bunch of political shit she did not ask for, sunshine! And Kay, that...guy from Corambis! Other people like him, idgi! More importantly, Corbie, a smart-talking street girl who's Felix's eventual protege! Ginevra, Mildmay's erstwhile lover whose headstrong naivete becomes her downfall! And other people, too, but a lot of them are characters I don't really give a damn about, like Stephen and Shannon Teverius (Teveriae? lol).
• When Monette touches on religion within the books, it tends to be pretty interesting--at least to me, idk. Both Mildmay and Gideon are religious, albeit in vastly different ways, and the belief systems in the various cultures are pretty neat.
• Expect the books to be rather leisurely in places. They're a fun ride, and the stuff she focuses on can be really interesting, but I can't pretend that Monette's a good plotter.
• Monette loves old-fashioned creepy shit--her other most famous works are Lovecraftian horror. (And you should read those, too, go out and pick up The Bone Key.) So if you like ghost stories and creepy old structures and mysteries that might not end up explained the whole way? You're going to find a lot to love here.
• Keep in mind while reading that Word of God states Felix is bipolar in a world that doesn't have any idea what that means! I think it really informs one's reading of him (and in a sad way, poor Felix). D: Another Word of God thing to know is that the vast majority of Mélusinians are dark-skinned, making fishbelly-white Felix and Mildmay stick way the hell out, but it doesn't necessarily come across clearly within the text itself.
• I don't want to varnish the books into high-falutin' capital-L Literature, but they are fun reads with good ideas to offer. If you have spare time and especially if you have an interest in fantasy in general. If you like foul-mouthed ex-assassins and sassy peacock wizards, you will also probably like this book.
I have basically every scene with Gideon c/p-ed into his journal in case I ever have to reference one, because fuck you, I do what I want. XD And if you'd like ebook copies of any of the books...well, I'm not saying I have them (/whistles), but you should probably contact me.
Possibly the greatest love story ever told on screen.
Re: Dark is Rising Sequence
no subject
no subject
no subject
It's like he only just realises how suggestive it was but doesn't really give a shit.
The Cabin in the woods.
The set-up is your basic horror movie storyline, Five friends stay in a secluded cabin and bad things happen blah blah It's been done before right? Actually the movie doesn't start with the five friends, it starts with two computer technicians called Sitterson and Hadley starting what looks like another ordinary day at work for them. One of them is getting coffee whilst the other bitches about their wife’s current baby obsession.
During the stereotypical horror movie scenes (Such as the friends meeting the creepy gas station attendant who warns them about the house they're going to or when the friends start partying unaware of the dangers that lurk in the forest.) we keep switching back to Sitterson, Hadley and a few other co-workers who are watching them on monitors. Again I can't really say much more without spoiling it but the humour is strong and it's an interesting take on such a formulaic genre.
How to have a conference call.