Bleach Review: BABY, HOLD YOUR HAND 6 (Waiting For Love)

"I'm back!"

Nemu's succeeds in severely damaging Pernida however the Left Arm is not ready to go down just yet meanwhile someone from the past haunts Mayuri.

I think I'll will first talk about the biggest WTF moment in this chapter and that was the return of my favourite Espada, Szayelaporro Granz! Now I am getting a bit carried away because Szayelaporro is dead but it is such a genius was for Kubo to have him return as a vision to taunt Mayuri. I loved this moment because it made sense since it goes back to Szayelaporro and Mayuri's opposing views on perfection because Mayrui thought that Nemu was perfect something he said he hated while fighting Szayelaporro. Plus I like this throwback to a old fight because it shows that it actually meant something and that Szayelaporro left a lasting impression on Mayuri, unlike characters like Byakuya who doesn't seem to care about his old fights again after his has won them. A shocker is that it seems Nemu is defiantly dead now which some of us saw coming with her recent flashbacks and development = but I didn't expect it to be really gruesome! This is thanks to Pernida who is one of the most gruesome, creepy and disgusting villains in Bleach with the way it killed Nemu, tired to eat her remains and grew eyes all over it's severed parts. However I am not liking the end of this chapter because Nemu's regenerative powers which is causing Pernida to explode was just too convenient of a way for it to be defeated. Now I do see this fight being over now because I don't see how much longer it can go on after this but it was just as cheap way to end it.

So Pernida has a tongue now?  

Overall this chapter gets high praise for bringing back Szayelaporro the way it did and if this is the end of Pernida we defiantly need a Flashback or two showing how the Left Arm became like this.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: The return of Szayelaporro
                   The gruesome scenes with Pernida

Let - Downs: Pernida's defeat is just too convenient

The Strain Season Two: By Any Means

Eph and Nora use their test subjects to try and fight the vampire virus meanwhile Abraham searches through his notes for an ancient book that may help and that he tried to find before.

Season Two continues strong with another great episode! This one had some more focused plots with the characters which I will now get into now. Firstly Eph and Nora had a real task to do this episode with time with their test subjects to find a way to beat the vampires which was better than the majority of Eph's plot last week dealing with his alcoholism. Their scenes made for a good watch; them trying to hard to combat an impossible virus yet dealing with the issue of whether putting their test subjects through all this pain is worth it? You can see Eph and Nora really struggling with the things they had to do, like Eph strapping down the male one so he doesn't kill himself, but it looks like they may have a break through. Another good interaction between two characters where Fet and Dutch who had an awesome scene blowing up the vampires with grenades and then taking a break from everything with a swim (I tell you that pool did not block everything!). I like this romantic subplot between these two because it was rushed or forced but has been developed really well. However one I am not so sure of is between Palmer and Coco; I do like Coco and Palmer's speech scene was really good but I'm just not sure where this could really go. Palmer doesn't seem like he'll switch sides and Coco may end up just as cannon fodder in end or a sacrifice Palmer has to make if she finds out about the vampires.

As for everything else the best parts about this episode where the Flashbacks involving Abraham and finding out he actually has a past with Palmer! I enjoyed the Flashbacks last season and this one was just as good when a young Palmer asks Abraham to find the silver can from the former Nazi scientist. It had a really cool chase scene, we got to have the origin of how Abraham got the cane and it was interesting to find out Palmer and Abraham did know each other. I wonder if more Flashbacks will involve Abraham searching for the book even though we know he already failed (maybe we'll see him explore temples and caves like Indiana Jones lol). We also got some scenes with Kelly and her new Feeler Vampire and I got to say those things are damn creepy like something out of Silent Hill or Resident Evil (the old classic ones of course), shame we didn't get more scenes with them but I hope the characters will battle them soon. Finally I am again annoyed with Eph's son Zach and again it probably has to do with the new casting; the old one was really good but this new one comes off as just a whiny brat who can only show anger.

Overall this episode may have only had one action scene in the present day but made up for it with some strong scenes for it's characters and a great Flashback arc.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Eph and Nora's time with their test subjects
                   The moments with Fet and Dutch
                   The Flashbacks
                   Got to see more of the new Feeler Vampires

Let - Downs: Zach still annoys me
                      Not sure Palmer and Coco's relationship can really go anywhere

The Strain Season Two: BK, NY

Ephram and the gang continue the fight against the Vampire threat in a chaotic New York however the Master recruits more to his ranks.

As I mentioned before I wished I could have reviewed Season One but I am glad I have the time now to review this season. It episode starts off with a Flashback not about Abraham (though he was in it as a child) but of the origins of the Master and it was quite the surprise because I didn't think we will get it this early. I liked the way it was done too; with Abraham's grandmother telling it, it felt like a fairytale. We also learn that the Master seems to have to find new bodies when the time comes and I bet he wants to try take over one of bodies in Eph's group. It is also not just the Flashbacks but in the present Abraham runs in to The Born (those Vampire SWAT guys) and the Ancients and from what I heard it seems like the Master is a rogue Ancient. I like that there are different factions of the Vampires but I doubt these Ancients are the good guys, they probably have their own plans that Abraham, Eph and the rest will have to deal with when the time comes. As for the rest of the villains we didn't see much of Eichorst which is a shame but he did turn the blind kids into Vampires and Kelly into one like him that keeps their mind. Now obviously this is to hurt Eph but I wonder if Kelly will try to fight it or just be plan evil now?

As for the good guys I was actually surprised they stayed in NY because I thought the finale of Season One was them leaving it but no they just went to the Bronx lol. Now I guess it did kind of slow done a bit when focused on the human characters but not for long and I did enjoy the interactions such as Eph and Nora discussing a cure or vaccine and between Fet and Abraham. However some was a bit awkward like Eph talking to his son Zach about Kelly because I thought the kid already understood his mom was lost but we have to go through this angry denial and I can't say I really like the new casting either. I am also not sure how I feels about Palmer's new relationship with Coco; it seemed a bit out of place and she is probably there to make Palmer feel regret about his actions in the future but we'll see since it could be good. Finally I am pleased that the action and gore is back like the gruesome scene where the Ancients fed on that poor guy or action heavy fight at he storage lockers. As with Season One a highlight with The Strain is it's awesome actions scenes with guns and swords and I would have been disappointed if the gore wasn't as high as this or wouldn't have been able to take it seriously.

Overall a strong start to Season Two, it had a few problems with it's pace and human drama but those are small.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Origins of the Master and the Ancients
                   Awesome action scenes (storage lockers) and gruesome moments
                   Some great interactions between the characters however....

Let - Downs: ......some where a bit off like with Eph and his kid
                      Pacing could have been tweaked a bit

Bleach Review: BABY, HOLD YOUR HAND 2

Not a very pretty Bankai

Though Pernida has taken some serious damage it refuses to give up the fight so Mayuri reveals a new ability of his Bankai

Back with a Bleach review and before I start I want to say I did manage to read the two chapters on holiday and finding out that Pernida was the Left Arm of the Soul King was a big WTF moments. It has also been a really awesome fight so far with Mayuri (my favourite Captain) kicking some serious ass! On with this chapter it just continues the fight but with some surprising twists with the most obvious one being a new form to Mayuri's Bankai; Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo: Makai Fukuin Shotai. Having a modified Bankai that can adapt to the enemy does sound OP but it is so typical of Mayuri and the new Jizo bursting through the fat thing's stomach was really disgusting lol. As for Pernida that thing just refuses to go down and even have some disgusting shots as well such as pulling off it's own fingers to make new fingers and hands (I don't know how the anime is going to adapt this with it's censoring lol). We also get some more back story on the hands and a shot of a younger Mayuri studying up on the Soul King's arms which was interesting. All in all the chapters feels short but that is typical of ones that just involves fighting and I don't think this is it for Pernida which Nemu seems to agree with, with her stare at the end.

Bleach has made an Alien reference!

Overall another great addition to the Mayrui vs. Pernida fight and probably one of my favourites this arc. What I really like about this fight is how Mayuri is taking a more active role in the fighting like he did with Uryu.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Mayuri's modified Bankai
                   The awesome fight
                   Some great disgusting shots with Mayuri's Banaki and Perndia

Let - Downs: Felt short

Bleach Review: Sensitive Monster

"What the hell is that thing up to?"

Kenpachi and Mayuri continue to fight Pernida however they begin to struggle against her Compulsory powers.

Wow now this chapter really ups the gore quite a bit but I guess that couldn't be helped with the kind of power Pernida has. As before I am liking the teaming up between Kenpachi and Mayuri and their different approaches to fighting but I also liked that they treat each other as comrades such as Mayuri getting Nemu to heal Kenpachi's arm or paralyzing him. Starting with Kenpachi he gets completely wreaked in this fight by first having to rip off his own arm off and then getting both his legs twisted (which is where the massive amounts of gore come in). I always like seeing Kenpachi fight but Pernida is defiantly not the opponent for straight up attacks which is where Mayuri steps in. I've always thought Mayuri is one of the most dangerous Captains with his quick ability to analyse an enemy's power and counter it; he saved Kenpachi by paralyzing the rest of his body with his Ashisogi Jizo, which we get to see a new power from! Mayuri then completely owns the fight by figuring out that Pernida's power relies on her nerves entering her opponent's body however I doubt that it is going to be that easy as Pernida seems to be finally ripping off her robe. As for Pernida I do find her to be a really interesting character and her power is awesome and gory but I am finding it too similar to Barragan's Respira for my liking (like how Kenpachi had to rip off his arm before it can consume his whole body). Plus while an explanation to her power is good and makes sense for a Quincy I swear she didn't seem to have this nerve limitation before, she used to just point and whisper so has Kubo changed her powers? Finally I did like the quick banter between Nemu, Ikkaku and Yumichika and I hope they step in to fight soon.

Time for Mayuri to own this fight!

Overall a solid fight chapter and while Mayuri has got the upper hand now I think Pernida will probably turn it around in a chapter or two.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Kenpachi fighting and the gory wreck he became
                   Mayuri owning the fight
                   All the shots with Pernida because she is awesome to see

Let - Downs: Too similar to the fight with Barragan
                       Has Pernida's power changed?    

Gotham Season One: The Anvil Or The Hammer

"Soon everything shall be mine!"

Gordon and Bullock close in on the Ogre as he mentally tortures Barbara meanwhile Bruce infiltrates Wayne Enterprises and discovers a dark secret about his father.

 

Well this is the end of the Ogre Arc and the villain himself and while it is a damn shame he had to go because he was so good I think he left a lasting impression. I just really liked his mind games that he played with Barbara; he didn't inflict much physical damage on her but he still broke her down. I also liked how the Ogre was killed because he was really brutal seeing his head snap back as he was shot (just one example of how graphic this episode was with it's gore) and his fight with Gordon was great. Of course like always Barbara was a real let down because her whole subplot with the Ogre didn't really lead anywhere in the end and that she actually chose her parents to die was just sick, even if she did hate them. I know she obviously has been through a lot but with this latest development she is being really unredeemable and she just keeps getting worse and worse. The writers just don't know what to do with her and I hope she soon gets written out of the show and Leslie stays as Gordon's love interest because as I said before she is way better. Plus I knew they wouldn't show any bondage stuff between Ogre and Barbara so it was pointless teasing in last episode but I was surprised by how much we saw in the brothel with Bullock which was such a funny scene lol.

From what I hear this is still sexier than what was in the Fifty Shades of Grey film, lol

As for everything else again Penguin shows that his plans are always more elaborate then we think with his plan to actually kill Falcone than Maroni; how he used the hit men was really unexpected and now he has started the gang war he wanted. Maroni was always great in this episode (though he always is when he is on screen) and the scene where he is shooting Falcone's men with his gang in slow motion was done really well. Then there is Nygma trying to dispose of the cop's body which like the Ogre's death and the severed head was really graphic than I would have thought and it was amusing that he hurled the body through the GCPD! I am really liking his moments with Kringle because I think the relationship between them has been developed well which might be because it has been happening for a lot of episodes now. You know I have read some opinions online that some believe Kringle may become the Nygma's sidekick when he becomes the Riddler kind of like Harley and The Joker and I think giving the Riddler a female partner would be a nice twist to his character. Speaking of the Riddler it was so awesome that Nygma actually left a clue in the letter to Kringle because that is what he does with his victims in the comics and it felt like a real first step towards the Riddler in Gotham. Finally there is Bruce's subplot which didn't really have that big of a revelation because it was kind of obvious his father must have known about the companies' shady dealing to  some degree however it was worth it all for the debut of Lucius Fox and I hope we see more of him because he is a great character to work with.

"I get to got to all the best places"

Overall I great end to the Ogre Arc and I am expecting big things for the finale next week now that we have got a gang war.

 

SCORE: 8/10

 

Highlights: Gordon vs. The Ogre/Bullock at the brothel

                   Penguin's hidden plan/the moments with Maroni

                   Debut of Lucius Fox

 

Let - Downs: Again Barbara because I just hate her and everything she does

 

       

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/   

The Strain Season One Review

"Want to see what's under my hood?"

Here is a show I so wanted to do episode reviews but never got round to it, a Vampire/Horror TV series based on the novel by Guillermo del Toro. I immensely enjoyed Season One and the biggest pull for me was how it portrayed vampires; dark and disturbing, none of that Twilight s**t. I am a massive fan of vampire fiction in film and I find Twilight to be the biggest insult to it, in my opinion the best vampires are Bela Lugsoi, Gary Oldman and Christopher Lee - they did a good job of portraying Dracula has a tragic, mysterious figure yet still scary and powerful. Examples of really great modern telling's of vampires are Stakeland (one of my favourite films), John Carpenter's Vampires, Underworld and Blade to name a few. I am glad that The Strain decided to take the Blade route because I enjoyed Blade's version that Vampires are like a disease yet they are intelligent and have their own secret society. SPOILERS BELOW!

I just wanted to make this quick so to save time I will just list some of the good points and bad points of Season One and give an overall score at the end. I admit I am probably going to miss a lot of stuff that I want to mention, especially for the good points.

Good

The Characters: I honestly don't think there is a single character or casting that I dislike in this entire series, everyone from Eph to Nora, Eichhorst to Gus; they have just been  freaking awesome. A real standout goes to David Bradley as Abraham; the guy is the oldest character but he is such a badass with his silver sword and everyone turns to him for wisdom.

Doesn't hold back on the violence and gore: Either when it's fight the vampires or slicing them open we enjoy a gore fest! Anything lower than what they shown and I would have been disappointed.  

Character Deaths: Maybe not on the same level as Game of Thrones but this series isn't afraid to kill off some of it's characters even though most of them I admit aren't the main cast but are well developed secondary characters.

"The Creatures of the Night" episode: Probably the best episode of the season, it was when most of the main cast where trapped in a gas station surrounded by vampires. We got some great action and tension but what made this episode stand out was that it only focused on this setting and characters and didn't change to any other subplot. It is refreshing when a TV show does this, for example Game of Thrones ninth episode of a season does it because it gives it a chance to focus on one particular event.

The pacing/settings: I liked how we got to see NY slowly descend into chaos because of the outbreak and lack of phones/internet. It was portrayed really well and I liked how messed up the city got shown by the homeless, broken down streets, looting etc.   

Bad

Some characters where underdeveloped while others weren't compelling enough: I feel that some of the characters deserved a lot more screen time and backstory; for example the Ancients and their commandos where awesome but only served as a teaser for Season two. Then there is Palmer and his head of security Cross, I wanted to know more of the relationship between those two and maybe more of Palmer's history of how here turned to vampires to save his life. Then there where some characters who had too much screen time to develop their stories but they weren't that interesting like Nora and her mother or Eph's wife and the problems with they had and with her boyfriend, I still liked them though.

Some storylines didn't go anywhere or could have been expanded: I think the four survivor's on the plane where going to turn into Masters but instead they just turned into regular vampires. It was great seeing four from different walks of life deal with their symptoms but three of them just die shortly after. For example the wife of one of the survivors killed someone to feed her husband and I thought she would continue to do that for a awhile until she had to be stopped by the group but then she killed herself next episode.

There you have it, just a quick review of the first season because it's Easter Sunday and I'm mostly just relaxing. Only two for the bad list but that is because The Strain is a great TV series and I am looking forward to Season Two. I would have really liked to review each episode of Season One but with everything else I have to review now I just can't fit it in, luckily I think Season Two is airing when Arrow and Flash are on break so plenty of time for that. 

SCORE: 8/10 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/ 

Bleach Review: The Dark Arm

"I was just one day from retirement"

Shunsui has now completely freed Aizen who tires to convince him to use his powers for the Soul Society meanwhile in the Royal Palace Yhwach tries to stop Mimihagi but Ichigo steps in.

If your wondering why I didn't review last chapter that is because I was really busy but I was incredibly disappointed in it anyway. I would have given it 10/10 for the reveal of Aizen alone but the majority of the chapter had to waste a lot of time with Urahara and the rest. As for this chapter it was a lot better because we got to see more of Aizen and Shunsui while we didn't waste several pages on Urahara's group doing absolutely nothing to advance the story (besides Ukitake) like they have been for a while. I really enjoyed the banter between Aizen and Shunsui because despite being in prison Aizen is still being his usual self, like not asking to be released and acting like he could care less if he is. It seems at the end that he will go because it is implied that he hates Yhwach even more than the Soul Reapers, which would also explain why he turned down the offer to work with him before. Two things that was really interesting was that the suit Aizen his in only contains his powers not remove them which is great because if he does fight in the future he will be at full power right away. Secondly because the fingers of that guard literally disintegrated when he got close to Aizen I'm guessing that Aizen his still a transcendent being thanks to the Hogyoku that is still in him; remember it only started to reject him at the end it didn't leave him. As for the rest of the chapter Ichigo and Yhwach have a pretty cool confrontation but it wasted time with Ichigo going on about how he protects peoples (like he always does) and Yhwach still talking about Ichigo's Quincy blood but only vaguely but hopefully we will get a proper fight next chapter.

This was really cool

This review may have seemed short but that is because I don't find much to talk about them; I mean Yhwach stabbed the Soul King quite a while ago and yet the story hasn't really progressed much at all. Plus why aren't the rest of Ichigo's group doing anything and where the hell are the Elite Sternritters?

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Long Live Lord Aizen!!!!!!
                   The stuff that happens with Aizen and Shunsui
                   Ichigo stopping Yhwach

Let - Downs: Ichigo and Yhwach waste time talk on stuff we already know
                      Where are the rest of Ichigo and Yhwach forces?

Gotham Season One: Penguin's Umbrella

The episode begins with Fish finding out that Cobblepot is still alive and ordering her men to get Gordon, meanwhile at GCPD Gordon is punched by Bullock for letting Cobblepot live and refuses to help him against Falcone. He then goes to his apartment and knocks out two of Fish's men who held Barbara hostage and then makes sure she got on the next bus out of Gotham. Fish then expresses her displeasure at Falcone for Cobblepot still being alive and Gordon's betrayal but Falcone says he will let Victor Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan) handle Gordon. Zsasz later arrives at the GCPD with two hitwomen and the other cops abandon Gordon, a shootout follows; Gordon is injured but is rescued by Montoya and Crispus however Zsasz then kills another cop and marks the kill on his body.

"Time for my debut"

While Gordon gets treated for his wounds at a university Fish visits Maroni to convince him to hand Cobblepot over but is unsuccessful. In retaliation one of Fish's men block one of Maroni's shipments however Cobblepot says he knows how to hit back at Falcone, Gordon later visits Bruce to say sorry that he could die before finding his parent's murderer. Cobblepot later leads Maroni's men on a raid at one of Falcone's places (also killing one of Fish's allies) and then kills one of Maroni's men who never liked him much. Falcone and Maroni then meet and agree to stop the fighting and Falcone even allows Maroni to keep Cobblepot, Gordon is then preparing to arrest the Mayor and Falcone and Bullock even arrives to help.

Honestly why does Fish have to be there

Gordon and Bullock apprehend the Mayor and then goes to Falcone's manor to arrest him however Falcone reveals that Zsasz has kidnapped Barbara. Bullock thinks he is lying but it turns out to be true but then, surprising everyone, Falcone allows the three of them to live believing Gordon will one day realize that he is right. The next day Cobblepot meets with Falcone who says everything has went as planned. In a Flashback it is revealed that on the day Cobblepot was to be shot by Gordon, he and Falcone made a plan for him to be a spy in Maroni's family after Cobblepot revealed Fish is making moves against him.

"It would be cool if I had a gun in this umbrella"

Finally we have Cobblepot's master plan revealed, I just knew it was something more than siding with Maroni, and that he is working with Falcone all along. It was all really clever and shows just how smart Cobblepot is with people; how he knew Gordon would most likely let him live, the best ways to earn Maroni's trust and bribing Maroni's men to kill to one who hated him. I guess everyone saying that Falcone is getting weak has just been proven wrong since the reason he always acts so calm is because of his plan with Cobblepot. I hope that since Falcone is actually aware that Fish is plotting against him all along that he and Cobblepot will take her out soon. Speaking of Fish she was alright that past few episodes but this one really just made me hate her again. I don't know why she thinks she should be the next Don because in my opinion she just acts like a damn child with her outbursts and she isn't as smart as she thinks either when showing how eager she was to get Cobblepot. Plus her stupid voice and expressions are back during the part when she threatened Cobblepot; I really hope that they kill her off soon and that Cobblepot beats the hell out of her or stabs her a lot.

"If we are going to die I'm getting laid first"

However the best part of the episode was the arrival of Victor Zsasz and the shootout that followed. Zsasz's introduction was by far the strongest out of all the comic characters and I am really liking the casting as well. Anthony Carrigan nailed the creepiness of Zsasz and he really, really looks like a younger version of him and I am glad they kept his habit of tallying his kills on his body. The shootout between him and Gordon was awesome too because it was so intense and he had Gordon on the ropes. I definitely want to see more of Zsasz in the series and his two hitwomen sidekicks as well, those two where a pretty cool addition.

Wow, there was a time Zsasz only killed twenty - eight people?

Other quick mentions is that I am glad Montoya and Crispus have sided with Gordon and if they keep this up they could become alright characters. I also liked Gordon's determination in this to seek justice even though the odds are against him and the cops abandoned him (kind of shows how cowardly the police are in Gotham) and I'm glad that Bullock joined him; like I said I am sure that Gordon has grown on him. Barbara is getting to become a good character now because even though she was used against Gordon by Falcone I will say it was brave of her to try and pled with him however I just hope they just stay away now from the Barbara/Montoya because that was just stupid. The moments when Falcone said he had Barbara was done well because I honestly thought he was bluffing until he showed her. Despite kidnapping Barbara I keep hoping that Gordon will soon see that Falcone is the lesser evil in Gotham because unlike Fish and Maroni he honestly seems to care more for peace, order and business.

Yeah the Penguin rules these streets!

Last thing to mention is that something that annoyed me (besides Fish) is that there is going to be no big mob war anytime soon. There was quite the build up to it for ages now but Falcone and Maroni seemed to have made peace and Gordon has now backed off. Gordon obviously isn't going to stop but I don't think he is going to try anything like this drastic for a while and Falcone isn't going to go to war when he has a mole with Maroni.

Overall this was a great episode and a real standout with the great arrival of another comic villain and that Cobblepot and Falcone seem to be playing everyone.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Reveal of Cobblepot and Falcone working together
                   Victor Zsasz
                   Some great shootouts

Let - Downs: Fish
                      Seems to be no gang war now after so much build up

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/   

Gotham Season One: Selina Kyle

The episode begins with Bruce purposely burning his hand however Alfred quickly puts a stop to it. In the streets of Gotham several homeless kids are kidnapped by a man and a woman, one gets away, a homeless war veteran is shot and this is witnessed by Selina Kyle. In the morning Gordon and Bullock investigate the scene and then question the kid who escape; Bullock is sceptical but the kid argues that more and more street kids have been disappearing. Meanwhile nine miles from Gotham, Cobblepot gets a ride from two guys but kills one of them when they call him a Penguin. At the GCPD Nygma confirms the kid's story when he finds traces of knock out drug his system, Captain Sarah Essen (Zabryna Guevara) puts Gordon and Bullock on the case but tells them to keep the press out of it.

She knows not to accept food from strangers

At Fish's club Falcone has Fish's recent 'lover' beaten up over the allegations that she has been making moves against him while Crispus and Montoya question Cobblepot's mother about her son's disappearance. Gordon and Bullock ask Fish about the kids disappearing and she only says that there is a buyer for them overseas, later Barbara anonymously phones the newspaper when Gordon admits his frustrated with not be able to warn Gotham. Gordon and Bullock later go to a facility that stocks the knock out drug and gets into a fire fight with Patty and Doug; the ones abducting the kids. While those two get away they manage to rescue the kids recently taken. Mayor Aubrey James (Richard Kind) announces that all street kids will be under the care of juvenile services but Gordon is furious because it really means clearing Gotham of street kids and sending them to juvenile prison without a trial.

"Hope no one shoots my hat off"

Selina is one of the kids rounded up to go to juvenile but their bus gets hijacked by Patty and Doug. Gordon and Bullock question the manager of the drug facility and succeeds in getting a description of the vehicle the kidnappers use. Patty and Doug prepare the kids to be taken to the Dollmaker but Selina escapes and Gordon and Bullock arrive to arrest everyone. Gordon then goes to Bruce to discuss recent events and Cobblepot is later seen trying to get money from the rich parents of one of the passengers in the car he was in but is unsuccessful. The episode ends with Selina telling Gordon that if he lets her go she will tell him what she saw the night the Wayne's where murdered.

"GIVE ME THE MONEY!"

Great follow up to the Pilot episode, I like it when the next episode continues to be strong, and it focuses on Selina Kyle which is what I wanted. First let me point out that once again they are not so subtle with characters from the comics because I was annoyed that they call Selina, Cat in this. It just bothers me that as if the fact that she is a thief and likes cats isn't enough they have to call her Cat, this is probably for people who don't know much about the comic but still there was no need. Moving on from that I am really liking Camren Bicondova she is such a great actress; so energetic as Selina, really like her attitude when dealing with the cops and I really liked how she tired to comfort the one kid about scratching out an enemies eyes and then doing the same thing to the guard and that was pretty gory.

Wayne manor must only have that one room because its the only one we see

Got some good gun fights involving the villains in this episode, Patty and Doug, however I kind of found them a bit too goofy. I just couldn't take them that seriously because even though what they where doing was serious they kind of felt like comic relief. However I really like the mention of the Dollmaker in this because in the comics he is usually portrayed as a gifted surgeon who makes dolls from the body parts of his victims. I know the Arrow already had their version of the Dollmaker but I hope Gotham's version, if he does appear, is closer to the comics.

"Arrest all the kids in Gotham, that's my policy"

I also liked that this episode introduced another one of Gotham's problems which is it's homeless kids, last episode was police corruption. Gotham is almost like a character itself with a whole mess of problems so I look forward to seeing them addressing more of it's issues later on. Also even though it wasn't a huge part Cobblepot remains as great as usual and probably the best character in the series. His change in attitude sure is terrifying; the way he joked with the people who offered him a lift one second but slices the neck of one of them the next just because they called him Penguin. We also got to see is mother in this episode and she was pretty weird I must admit lol.

Maybe she went too far.....cool though

Something I didn't like was the them just putting characters in this when there wasn't any need for it. Even if I did like Fish I don't think she had to be in this episode, the same with Barbara because both of their roles didn't feel too important and they where barely in it for long. They don't have to show every one of their main cast in every episode so I hope they don't force them on us in all the future ones.

"If a puppet asks us to play a game then we are screwed"

Overall I did like this episode because of we got to see more of Selina but I wished Bruce could have got a chance to interact with her because I thought when he said he wanted to help be might have got more involved.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Selina Kyle
                   Reference to the Dollmaker
                   Cobblepot scenes are always great

Let - Downs: Didn't like Patty and Doug too much
                      Some characters didn't have to be involved in this episode

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/    

Film Review: Battle Royale

Finally thought I'd get round to reviewing one of my all time favourite Japanese film and manga/comic adaptions; Battle Royale. Very minor SPOILERS because this is just a quick review, a break from Resident Evil you can say.

Battle Royale is about how the Japanese Government have given up on their youth after 800,000 students walked out of school and created the BR act. The BR act allows the government to chose a random class and pit the students in a game against each other called Battle Royale where they have to fight to the death. They are stranded on a vast island with a wide range of weapons and are equipped with collars around their necks that will explode if there are any who refuse to compete or if there is no winner after three days. The story follows Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Noriko Nakagawa (Aki Maeda) two students who wish to get off the island but must face their fellow students and their former teacher Kitano (Takeshi Kitano) who is running this year's Battle Royale.

One of my favourite film villains of all time!

As many of you already know Battle Royale is based off the manga of the same name by Koushun Takami. The manga is known for it's extreme violence but for touching on the themes of love, psychology and loyalty to name a few. It raises the question of what we would do in the same situation, especially if we where 15 year old students as well? I have read the manga and while I can say there are quite a few differences the film is still a near perfect adaption and the only real major cuts where some character back story and small events.

Yep I'm having nightmares tonight

We have some great cast of characters in this film and almost all of them are from the manga but before I go on I'll just get it out of the way that the acting is some of the best I've seen, you've got some great protagonists and even a lot of the support cast is great as well. However I think what makes Battle Royale stand out is its great antagonists because of how damn psychotic they are. My favourite being of course the mute Kazuo Kiriyama (Masanobu Ando), the guy just look really cool his portrayal is creepy. Some of my favourite scenes in the film is when he attacks the main characters and his theme plays in the background at the same time. Tatsuya Fujiwara and Aki Maeda are two great leads and I really like their refusal to play the game and that they don't waver in that conviction; they don't become like Kiriyama. However that is left to Shogo Kawada (Taro Yamamoto) a good guy but a badass who doesn't mind the killing and it's interesting learning how he fits into the story. Lastly quick mention to two other great characters; Kuo Shibasaki who plays secondary antagonist Mitsuko Souma and Takeshi Kitano who plays the creepy Kitano.

"You two where so damn unlucky with your weapons"

Now as for the action in this it is something else; the amount of gore and action in this is really high so it's not for younger audiences but it is dialled down a bit from what I have seen in the manga. The action in this is all really fun to watch as well, it's so fast paced and choreographed so well that wish it didn't have to end. I myself really like it when films don't hold back like this because I hate censorship I films and hate it when people complain about the level of violence, which was some of the criticism that this film received.

"That's what you get for interrupting me!"

I guess there is that much else to say about this film maybe that's because its an adaption and the only thing you have to really say if it did a good job to the source material or not (it did). As proof that this film is probably one of the greatest creation of all time just look at the legacy it has left; Quentin Tarantino has said that this was the one film he wished he could have directed and it influenced Kill Bill. Then there is Hunger Games and I don't care what anyone says the s**t books and the films are nothing more than watered down rip - offs of Battle Royale!!

"Hopefully nobody will attack me when I'm this injured"

Overall this is one of my favourite films or all time and I recommend it to everyone not just anime/manga fans.

SCORE: 10/10

You can find all of the great screenshots I used right here;

http://ladymanson.com/ShadowofReflection/home.php

Anime Review: Attack on Titan



Back again but this time with another anime review and I don't think I have done one of these since my review of Sword Art Online (might redo that one since I after re - watched it and I am having second thoughts about my verdict). This review will be on the anime that everyone has been talking about; Attack on Titan. Minor Spoilers.

Attack on Titan is set one hundred years after a race of giant humanoid creatures called Titans suddenly appeared and brought the human race to the brink of extinction. Titans come in many sizes (the tallest being 15 metres) and they live only to devour humans without any mercy. While they lack intelligence they are extremely strong and are near invincible, they cannot be destroyed by any method except by slicing off a small area on the back of their necks. Humanity has been forced to retreat behind three massive 50 metre walls that have blocked off the Titans but have also isolated what is left of the humans from the rest of the wall. The main protagonist is Eren Yeager who dreams of seeing the world beyond the walls and hopes to one day kill every last Titan.

Now I just had to watch it because everyone I talked to was going crazy over this series and after watching it myself I can understand why. This a really unique and dark story that is unlike any others that are out there; it combines horror, supernatural, action all mixed in a medieval kind of setting.

First off lets talk about the Titans, the creatures that I am sure was the main attraction for most viewers of the series. At first you would not think that these slow moving giants with low intelligence would pose any threat to the characters but that all changed in the second half of the first episode when we get to see what the Titans are capable of. These things are brutal, strong and completely single minded about wiping out humanity and not only that but I have watched the anime and read the manga and even though we get some answers the Titans are still shrouded in mystery. This is just one example among many that makes you want to keep on watching the series.

I will also talk about the animation and music now because these two points also connect with the Titans. Another thing that is great about the Titans is the many, many faces that the artists give them ranging from comedic to down right creepy. For example who wasn't creep out the first time you saw the face of the Smiling Titan? It is these faces which to me almost have a kind of strange attraction to the Titans, you just cannot take your eyes off them in the scenes.
Also, you might have noticed but around the Titans and human characters there is a black line that separates them from the background. I have not seen anything like this before but it really makes the characters stand out, it even makes them look even more animated.
As for the music it is all great, we got a lot of orchestral soundtracks in here that blend well with the situations on and the music for the main intro is just awesome. Once again during the first episode when you see the Titans devouring humans and what the Smiling Titan is doing, it really makes you feel like all is lost.



However this anime isn't just about doom and gloom because the action can be really over the top when it wants to be. This comes in the form of the manoeuvring gear, along with a pair of swords, that the characters use to reach to the back of the Titan's neck. While this does make for some great action sequences, watching the humans take on giants with swords, some of this can look a bit silly. An example of this is when Eren rushing towards the Titans in episode five and his weaving about between the buildings. I have read the manga so I know that that scene is mostly over done so while it does work on the screen I cannot help but thinking that Eren should have been splattered on a wall.
But when the fighting does get started it is edge of your seat good and it is really dark because of the gruesome death scenes that the humans suffer. This is not for the faint of heart but those who like a lot of blood in their action will be glad here. Not to spoiler too much but in the series we also get some unusual Titans who attack each other which is some of the best moments in the anime.
 My favourite part, and arc, is with the Female Titan. She is so badass that she is also my favourite Titan,  she is just epic when I read the manga and it was great seeing her in the anime. Glad that they managed to include that arc before they ended the first season.

Now if I am going to be completely honest if I had to pick something that nagged me during the series is my lack of liking for the three main characters. Eren Yeager is a decent protagonist but I just find his outbursts of slaughtering the Titans to be annoying at times, he is good but defiantly not my favourite. Armin just gets on my nerves sometimes because he is a wimp for the most part who has yet to kill a single Titan, I know he is the brains of the group but I just can't find myself to like him. However the one who bothers me the most is Mikasa who is the biggest b***h since Rachel from Revolution in my opinion. She is portrayed as this ultimate fighter who is an expert at slaying Titans but they have made her too flawless at it that it lowers the danger of the Titans. Also her complete obsession with Eren does go overboard most of the time, I know he saved her life but her complete single mindedness with Eren (and her willingness to kill anyone and disobey the rules for him) is just not enjoyable to watch but frustrating. There are however a lot of great side characters such as Reiner, Bertolt, Annie, Levi and Zoe just to name a few.

Overall this a near perfect anime and a perfect adaption to a great manga.

9/10

Manga Review: Gantz



Back again with another review, been awhile but I have been really busy. This time however I have decided to review and entire manga series, so unlike my Bleach fight reviews I will be talking about the whole story. Also thought I'd say that I won't be reviewing the Gantz anime because even though I do like it and got it on DVD it does not even compare to the manga because of its low animation quality and just terrible original arc they added in the end. I will try and keep this spoiler free for you because going in to too much depth would just take forever to cover.

The story of Gantz follows the main protagonist Kei Kurono who, while waiting for the train, runs in to his old childhood friend Masaru Kato. However while trying to save a homeless person who fell in to the train tracks they are both run over and seemingly killed but they suddenly awaken in a small apartment overlooking Tokyo Tower. There are several other individuals in this apartment who also claim to have died or been killed but the most strange things that are going on is that they cannot leave the apartment and there is a mysterious black ball in the centre of the room called Gantz. After some time this ball plays old exercise music and shows them an imagine of an alien they have to defeat, it then opens up to reveal futuristic weapons and combat suits and sends them on their mission to various places in Japan. We now follow Kei as he battles numerous aliens and deals with the dangers during these missions and its strict rules and still trying to live a life as a high school student.

What really drew me in to this series is its really violent and serious tones compared to other manga. You see I am a massive Horror/Sci - Fi fan (Alien, Predator, Event Horizon; to name a few) and I am also a big anime/manga fan so I really wanted to find a series that is like the films I watched. That is when I found Gantz, it is exactly what I was looking for and it has not disappointed me at all.

Now I have to say that this series is not for everyone because it is really not for the faint of heart, when I said it was violent I mean it is VIOLENT. The aliens that the characters face are serious monsters who kill them in some pretty gruesome ways and vise versa because they are also being hunted by the characters, from humans and aliens alike you will see guts flying, severed limbs and even some rapes. But it is not just the violence there is also a high level of sex and nudity throughout it (95% of it from the female characters) not just some simple fan service you get in other manga. However do not take this as me trying to put you off the series because like I mentioned earlier this is something I had been trying to find.

I love the story structure in this manga because the story arcs is basically the missions the characters get from Gantz and they can be either short or very long depending on how many aliens they face and their difficulty. It is always interesting to see what design Hiroya Oku (the writer and artist of Gantz) can come up with next, so you look forward to every mission. But the down time between the missions are just as good as we see the characters try and cope with their normal lives. Thought I'd mention that my favourite story arcs in this the Osaka arc and the final Katastrophe arc.

This manga also deals a lot with the theme of death because this like Game of Thrones anyone, even the main characters, can die. Death will claim characters you were even not expecting so there is always the impending threat that your favourite character could be next on the chopping block. I find this really refreshing in a manga series because even though I am a huge fan of the Bleach and Naruto manga you don't feel any threat to the main characters at all because it seems their creators don't want to part with them and sometimes come up with ridiculous ways to keep them from dying.

As for the characters there is a wide array of them each with their own personalities and stories that can appeal to everyone. Take Kei for example he is not like other main protagonists from manga; he is a self - centred, uncaring, sex obsessed high school student which doesn't seem typical for main character traits in my experience. However as the series goes own we see his personality mature and he does find it in him to care about other (though he still is obsessed with sex and girls). There are many more to choose from such as Kato the natural leader, Izumi the sword wielding murderer, Nishi the loner who cares only for himself and many others. Now I have read some criticism before that the majority of the female characters in Gantz are only there to have sex, be naked and fall in love with male ones too easily and while this is a fair view I don't 100% agree with it. Take the two main females Kishimoto and Reika, yes they do have a lot of fan service scenes (Kishimoto for example arrives in chapter three completely nude and that is not the only time as the series progresses) however they are still their own characters with interesting story arcs and they are still badass when it comes to the fighting.

The art in this is also something that really makes it stand out from other manga because it is done using 3D imagining, especially for the backgrounds. It also has a really realistic art style for the character and alien designs which really helps with the horror and goriness of it.

This serious has thirty seven volumes so it is not too short and not too long and it is well worth you reading everyone of them. Overall I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes science fiction, horror and thriller and doesn't mind high levels of gore and sex. While this is a series that may not be for everyone it is definitely one of my favourites and is so unique that I am giving it a perfect score.

SCORE: 10/10

On another note I really hope this series is made in to a live action series for film, I know it has two Japanese live action films but I am talking about American films. Now before you argue against it I already know that America has so far mostly been bloody terrible at adapting manga (Dragon Ball and Last Airbender) however I truly feel like Gantz is something that could work if done right and I am not saying this lightly.