Bleach Review: Friend 4

"Must not scream out in pain"

The fight between Bazz - B and Haschwalth comes to an end.

What an awesome fight, I tell you I really wish the anime would come back so we can watch it! This chapter we got a mix of Flashback and present day fight and in the Flashbacks we unfortunately didn't get to see any more Sternritter but it was still great none the less. Seems that Bazz - B didn't see Haschwalth for 3 years and has since been trying to fight him even though it is forbidden. Haschwalth does look more and act like his present day self however I got the feeling he was looking out for Bazz - B by refusing to fight him and then threatening Hubert. However in the fight in the present Haschwalth obviously doesn't care anymore as he seemingly kills Bazz - B after slicing his arm off. We got some awesome shots like when Bazz - B activated Burner Finger 4 and then 5, the fire looked epic and the whole movement with the two characters made this fight out to be really intense (which again is a shame it is not animated). It really is a sad end for Bazz - B, the way he grabbed his former friend's collar before collapsing and the way he said it isn't shameful to lose made me think he didn't mind it. What I mean is that in the Flashbacks we got to know that Bazz -B never got to fight Haschwalth but now that he has, he has accepted the loss. All in all this fight has been one of the best moments in the arc but I am looking forward to the Elite Sternritter taking on the Soul Reapers. Plus we got to learn Bazz - B's real name is Buzzard Black which actually sounds really cool.

Guess this is the end for Buzzard Black

Overall I am going to give this chapter a perfect score because I liked all of it, found no faults and I was a fitting conclusion to the fight.

SCORE: 10/10

Highlights: Flashbacks
                   Bazz - B vs. Haschwalth
                   Bazz- B's death was really sad and done well  

Bleach Review: The Twinned Twilight

"Time to BURN!"

Grimmjow continues to goad Askin into battle meanwhile Bazz - B and Haschwalth start their fight.

Now this is the kind of chapter I have been waiting for; getting right into the action and not being dragged down by long exposition of the current situation. First of the beginning of this chapter was so funny with Askin running away from Grimmjow because he wanted to sneak attack Ichigo's group rather than fight them head on. Of course Grimmjow gives chase and we get a bit of a teaser for a new move when his fingers transforms into claws; to me this looks like he is preparing a move similar to Desgarron even though he isn't in his Resurreccion. I am looking forward to seeing Grimmjow in a fight once again and I hope he has a lot of new power ups and maybe a second release form. As for Askin like my last review I really think this is a charade and he has yet to show his true, I think this because of the way he has been acting and his has been hyped up for ages but unlike Pepe I don't think we will be disappointed.

As for the later half of the chapter I was glad to see that Haschwalth actually got to fight Bazz - B and we got some really cool scenes of Haschwalth using his sword and Bazz - B using his Burner Fingers. There where three important things to take from this second half; one Uryu has actually entered the battle (probably going to fight Mayuri) but Haschwalth still does not trust him because he wanted a spy placed on him. Secondly it is revealed that Haschwalth actually takes over and gains the power when Yhwach sleeps, I did not expec thist because Bazz - B isn't just randomly attacking him, Bazz - B believes he can destroy Yhwach's power when it is transferred to Haschwalth. Thirdly we get the reveal that Bazz - B and Haschwalth where proper friends (a least Bazz - B thought so) because they gave each other nicknames and Bazz - B took it really personally when Yhwach used Auswahlen. Plus we got to know that Auswahlen takes way the survivor's Vollstandig so Bazz - B is already at a disadvantage in this fight but he must obviously have a plan or he wouldn't charge right in to battle.

What is this new move?

Overall after the slow pacing of the previous chapters this one was just so refreshing; we got some awesome fights set up and we could get a Bazz - B flashback next chapter. This is great because I want to know more about the Wandenreich, the Quinces and this friendship between Bazz - B and Haschwalth.

SCORE: 10/10

Highlights: Funny moments with Askin and Grimmjow
                   Haschwalth vs. Bazz - B/them being friends?
                   The fast pacing
                    Set up for Bazz - B flashback

Arrow Season Three: This Is Your Sword

"Going to be hard wearing green again after all this awesome black"

Oliver now finishes his training to become the next Ra's Al Ghul meanwhile Malcolm makes an offer to Team Arrow and Thea goes to see Roy.

I knew it, I knew that Oliver wasn't turned to the dark side and had his own plan to bring down the League though I did kind of see it coming. It is really cool that Oliver (working with Malcolm!) came up with this big secretive plan, so secretive that they couldn't tell Team Arrow however I wish they didn't reveal it so early. The reason for this is because all of the drama and tension that was built up last episode with Oliver being a villain is gone now because we know it was fake so soon. In my opinion it might have been better to leave the reveal until the end of this episode or the beginning of the finale where it is revealed Oliver managed to cure Team Arrow without their knowledge, obviously they are not going to be killed off just like that. However at the very least Diggle did not just forgive and forget Oliver and is still holding a lot of anger towards him for the events of last episode and I am glad he is. Diggle again had some great material to work with; feeling betrayed by his best friend by the way he punched that criminal or ignored Oliver's explanation, it is going to take some time to rebuild their trust and I will say again Diggle needs a costume! (He could have used one during the chase). Before I move on I want to mention the action sequence in the desert with Team Arrow because that was freaking awesome and probably the biggest fight they have done all season. It was just so cool with Malcolm kicking ass, Laurel showing off her improved skills, Katana slashing away and Felicity having that funny moment with her tablet though it was the only time I liked her this episode. Then of course there was ATOM having an aerial dog fight with that plane and the effects in Arrow just keep getting better and better.

As for everything else I am glad we got to see Katana in full costume and action now however I just feel kind of let down because she has barely been given any character development, we have mostly just seen her as a mother in the Flashbacks. Still the final fight between her and Maseo was done so well; the sword fight was epic and Maseo's death was really sad and I liked how Katana sung to him which mirrored the death of their son. Shame to see Maseo go but I feel that his death was handled perfectly and that his story is complete. As for the Flashbacks they where good but it is a shame we don't get to see General Shrieve as much as we should be he does seem like a good villain with the way he captured Oliver, Maseo and Tatsu. Then there was Thea's visit to Roy and that was alright; mostly just there as a break from the main plot but it gave those two a proper goodbye and Roy has now passed the torch to Thea. As for Nyssa it was kind of funny how she tired to kill Oliver but I kind of think she will be let in on Team Arrow's plan and fight her father with them in the finale. Finally as I mentioned above I didn't like Felicity that much in this which is something I have said lots of times before but I shall explain it now. CW hasn't done a good job with it's women characters in the Arrow/Flash universe; Thea is a whiny brat who gets so much time invested in her yet does not do anything, Laurel was made unlikable with her drinking and drugs (though I admit they have made her way better that I actually really like her now), Iris is supposed to be this reporter but doesn't feel like one, Caitlin just feels like she's just there sometimes for the sake of it and now Felicity is plain annoying. I know they probably wanted to give her character something more to work with than just the light hearted computer expert but this pairing with Oliver has been such a downer for her and she feels that her opinion has to matter for everything.

Overall a great set up for the finale with one of the best action sequences I have seen so far.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Team Arrow vs. the League
                   Diggle dealing with his anger towards Oliver
                   Maseo vs. Katana

Let - Downs: Oliver revealed to not be evil was too soon
                      Flashbacks remind me that General Shrieve could have been more of a major character


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/       

Anime Review: Sword Art Online

In the year 2022 the virtual reality game Sword Art Online has been released to the public who play the game by wearing the Nerve Gear which allows them to enter the fantasy world. Kazuto Kirigaya (who goes by the username Kirito) was a beta tester for SAO and is one of thousands of players who purchased a copy of the game. However soon after he enters he and the other players are trapped in SAO by it's creator and must complete the 100 floors of Aincrad to free themselves but it does not end there.

SPOILERS. I guess I shall start off by saying that as a hardcore gamer the idea of SAO really appealed to me when I first heard of it, I'll even go as far as saying that I wouldn't mind being trapped in SAO like Kirito lol. Because the first half and second half of the first season are set in fantasy worlds to me the anime kind of felt like a cross between World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy, however what really surprised me was how serious the entire anime was overall. Death plays a major role in the first half of the season so while this anime may seem colourful and fun in the description it really is a matter of life and death for the players. Then there is the second half and Kirito has to deal with some serious problems in the real world and the stuff in Alfhiem with Asuna and the 300 captured players deals with a lot of torture, mind control and potential taking over the world. I'm defiantly not saying that this is a bad thing because major consequences and a realistic tone despite it being about trapped in a game was something I wasn't expecting.

I do really like the settings for the first half and second half of the season because they both come with their own rules and experiences. Aincrad, as I mentioned above, is a death game and that issue is addressed a lot and through different ways; for example Kirito watches a lot of people die which drives him to become stronger and protect everyone but there are also insane players (Laughing Coffin) that ruthlessly murders other players. Then there is the levelling system which is an important factor for strength, there is the lack of magic so the game relies completely on melee combat and there is the 100 floors that must be conquered to finish the game. However what I didn't like was the pacing while the anime was set in Aincrad because months would pass in between each episode and the whole two years the players where stuck there is done in 14 episodes when the whole 25 episodes could have been dedicated to it (we could have seen more bosses or see Kirito go one quests for his massive funds and equipment which where all done off screen). As for Alfhiem it was quite different from Aincrad in a good way because we got magic, a new growth system and warring races of fairies. However because of Kirito's mission to save Asuna the warring fairies isn't addressed as much as I would have wanted but we got to spend some time in the real world which is something different from the SAO arc.

As for the character Kirito is a really likable protagonist; sure he starts off as a loner and a solo player and still mostly stays that way at the end but the majority of this anime (like 90%) of it is through his perspective and through all of his trials and experiences you get to see him grow as a character. What I really liked about him is that he is portrayed as this really invincible character because he is so good at games, he is a superior player to everyone and he knows it (he probably represents the unfair level system found in most MMORPG). The second protagonist is Asuna and she is a great, strong female lead for this anime and I really like the chemistry between her and Kirito and watching their relationship grow. However what I didn't like is that during the second half of the season she is this constant damsel in distress who gets caught in tentacles and is almost raped which is a real let down after she kicks a lot of ass while in Aincrad. There is Kirito's cousin Suguha who is a major character for the Alfhiem arc who mostly takes the place of Asuna and while she is likeable enough her feelings for Kirito created one annoying (and in my opinion unneeded) love triangle. Finally there is the secondary antagonist Sugo who takes the form of the Fairy King of Alfhiem and while we know his motives more than Kayaba the guy is a completely unlikable, perverted ass. Sure his master plan his kind of dark and elaborate (though generic for a villain) but he comes across as this whiny brat, I really did not like any of his perverted scenes with Asuna and there is no good or redeeming qualities about him whatsoever. There are a lot of secondary characters but I'm not going to go through them because of the rushed SAO arc they barely get any development and may only get one episode focused on them and that's it.

As for the animation what can I say; it looks absolutely specular! In my opinion probably the best looking anime that there is because there is no flaws in it at all. The worlds of Aincrad and Alfhiem are just really beautiful, well thought out and is full of bright colour which is in contrast the to death game that they are playing, while the real world is kind of grey and flat which like above I think is done on purpose to maybe show how the virtual world is better. Since the animation is just perfect the fight scenes are just so epic such as the bosses or Kirito's duel wielding and facing off against human foes in both games. Another thing that links with animation that I like is the interface they made that comes up in both games to inspect a character's skill, items etc. however it is not explained in much detail. For example we barely brush the surface of blacksmithing and equipment in Aincrad while in Alfhiem character creation was just random, we don't know how exactly a skill is increased and the not much Elf races is explored. Finally the soundtrack for the anime is just spot on; from the fights to great first opening and the perfect English voice cast!

Overall I highly recommend this anime for fans of video games and fantasy anime who want to see spectacular duels. I realize though that it is not for everyone because of it's rushed plot, that Kirito is too OP a character and that secondary character barely get any development. 

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Kirito and Asuna are great characters
                   Perfect animation which leads to some awesome fights
                   Really like the detail which is put into both games
                   Kirito's whole adventure through both games is just so great

Let - Downs: The time in Aincrad was just so rushed
Asuna not as good in the second half/Suguha forcing a love triangle on us/Sugo was just a bad villain
Especially in Alfhiem the mechanics of the game is barely touched upon/ secondary characters barely get any development

Arrow Season Three: The Climb

The Head of the Demon vs. Arrow

(Finally up to date with the Arrow episodes in the UK!!) The episode begins at Christmas with Arrow handing over a criminal to Quentin but is soon abducted by the League and Nyssa says he has 48 hours to hand over Sara's killer or the League will kill the citizens of Starling, Maseo is also there much to Arrow's surprise. Elsewhere Laurel tells Thea about Sara's death and Ray tells Felicity how his wife was killed in the Mirakuru army rampage which is why he felt guilty kissing her, in a Flashback Oliver tells Maseo the guy he tortured says an organization is making a virus called OMGEA. Felicity then finds out that the arrows which killed Sara has Oliver's DNA on them but Oliver thinks it is a plant by Malcolm however when Arrow and Arsenal find out he was in Starling the day Sara was killed they find out Thea was as well. Meanwhile Dinah arrives in Starling for Christmas and in a Flashback Maseo and Oliver find out OMEGA has already been stolen but when they question the thief finds out he doesn't remember stealing it. Ray then tells Felicity of his plans of shrinking technology and Dinah suspects Sara is dead which Laurel confirms but promises to avenge her. Ra's is then seen training meanwhile Arrow visits Thea to get answers but his shocked by her fighting skill and upset because more evidence points to her.

"Guess I should tell them both now..........or not"

Oliver then meets with Malcolm who says he drugged Thea to kill Sara and that he wants Oliver to have a trial by combat against Ra's to save her; this is good for Malcolm because if Ra's dies he is then free from killers sent by the League but if Oliver dies then no more Arrow. In a Flashback Maseo and Oliver arrive home to discover Tatsu has been captured by China White, in the present Oliver meets with Ra's and says he killed Sara so he can have the trial by combat. Oliver then says his goodbyes to everyone including a distraught Felicity who begs him to come back, later Ray shows Felicity his ATOM exo - suit which he will use to help the city and wants Felicity's help. The episode ends when Oliver who travels to the mountains to fight Ra's while being watched by both Nyssa and Maseo. Oliver puts up a fight but is overpowered and stabbed in the chest, Ra's kicks him off the mountain seemingly to his death.

Damn!

WOW! Now I really didn't expect the series to kill off the main character but it looks like they have and from what I have read on the internet since this episode aired Oliver really is dead. First off that was such an awesome fight between Oliver and Ra's because we really could use more sword fighting in Arrow and the sword play in this final fight was perfect; the way Ra's confidently says he will take Oliver's blades then killed him with them was epic. Next Ra's is such a great character now that we have seen more than two minutes of him and it is thanks to Matt Nable who does a awesome live action performance of him and I hope he appears again soon. Finally I am now positive that the Lazarus Pits exists because of Ra's comments that it has been 67 years since he last held a trial by combat and he doesn't look 67. I have really wanted to see the Lazarus Pits in live action and I hope they use it on Oliver to bring him back (and that he goes insane from it and becomes an antagonist for a while, haven't seen episodes past this one yet because they haven't aired in the UK) however I hope Arrow does not overuse it as well; use it once on the main character to bring him back is alright and letting Ra's use it repeatedly is alright because he does in the comics. However if they use it on every dead character it removes any fear of death in the series, for example even though Sara was a great character I think she needs to stay dead for Laurel to progress, plus her death had such an impact on the other characters and story.

Can't wait to see that suit

Malcolm continues to be such a great manipulator in the way he had Thea kill Sara so he can have Oliver fight Ra's for him, it was just such an masterful plan! It makes me wonder what plans he has install next however I guess I don't like the whole drug induced Thea to kill Sara part of the plan because after all the trouble that Oliver went through in the episode 'The Magician' in proving Malcolm was innocent it turns out it was basically him anyway. I just think it might have been better if it was an original character that killed Sara in the end because Thea being the culprit just felt underwhelming. We also finally get a look at Ray ATOM suit and even if it was a hologram it sure looked awesome and Felicity's reaction was priceless lol. Unfortunately I don't think we will see it for a while but they sure are building up a lot of hype for it and maybe he will help Team Arrow out with the League.

Maseo how could you!?

As for everything else the Flashbacks where really good with the inclusion of China White in the Flashback cast now and the threat of a virus super weapon. The sword fight from China White and Tatsu was also good however I hope that OMEGA doesn't appear in the present day because that would be too similar to Mirakuru. We also saw Maseo in the present which makes me think if Tatsu is dead (which I will be fine with) and even though he is part of the League he still seemed to show concern for Oliver, maybe he is the one to bring with back. Finally we got some good emotional moments from Dinah and Laurel however most of it was cheesy such as Dinah telling her to 'make them suffer' and that she 'had a feeling' something was wrong. Also now that Dinah and Thea know that Sara is dead that is basically almost all of the main cast so this whole keeping a secret from Quentin is just getting so stupid now and its barely a secret anymore.

"Been a while since I've been on the show"

Overall it was an awesome way to end the mid season and with Oliver dead we will get more of a focus on other characters for a while.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Ra's vs. Oliver which resulting in Oliver's death!
                   Malcolm's master plan
                   Ray's ATOM suit is coming along nicely
                   Oliver's goodbyes to everyone

Let - Downs: Didn't like overall that a drugged Thea was the culprit
                      Dinah and Laurel's dialogue
                      Keeping Sara's death from Quentin now is just pointless

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/

Arrow Season Three: Draw Back Your Bow

The definition of crazy right here

The episode begins in a Flashback and Arrow saves Carrie during the attacks of the Mirakuru army, in the present Arrow and Quentin find the corpse of Isaac who was killed with red - spade shaped arrows. In a Flashback Maseo tells everyone he has to go on a mission for A.R.G.U.S while in the present Ray asks Felicity to go to dinner with him to help close a deal with a client meanwhile Oliver is angry that that Felicity is spending more time with Ray and that Queen Consolidated has been renamed Palmer Technologies. Arrow and Diggle then go to an address hidden in the red arrow and find a shrine dedicated to Arrow and realizes the red spade is actually a heart, he then gets a call from Cupid who is clearly infatuated with him but also taunts him with a tied up mob boss. Thea is looking for DJs at The Verdant but is hounded by an annoying one meanwhile at the Arrowcave Roy is still haunted by the cop he killed but luckily Felicity finds out the identity of Cupid who was a former SWAT officer. In a Flashback Maseo has been gone for too long so Oliver and Tatsu go out to find him, in the present Arrow and Arsenal go to the location of the mob boss at a flouriest however Cupid gets the drop on Arsenal but Arrow manages to save him and the mob boss.

"I've sure attracted a real nut job here"

Arrow then later tracks down Carrie's old psychiatrist and gets more information on her mental state while Diggle talks to Felicity about what is going on between her, Ray and Oliver however Felicity says Oliver has the problem since he gave up on her. In a Flashback Oliver and Tatsu track down some Triad but get no answers, in the present Cupid learns from a hacker that the Arrow operates at The Verdant before killing him. Oliver learns that Cupid is at The Verdant so he calls her and she demands he meets him at the place she picks elsewhere Felicity gives an impressive speech to the mine owners Ray is meeting with. Arrow manages to defeat Cupid despite being almost run over by a train and then he hands her over to the Suicide Squad in hopes she can do some good, in a Flashback Maseo turns up safe and sound. Ray then thanks Felicity for her help and kisses her but seems to hesitate and walks away while at the Arrowcave Roy and Oliver decide to visit Diggle and his family for dinner. The episode ends with Digger Harkness AKA Captain Boomerang killing a man in an alley.



"Should have know she would have had handcuffs on her"

Got another great adaptation of an Arrow villain and this time it is the love obsessed psycho Cupid! They really did quite the good job of making her out to be incredibly crazy such as her stalking Arrow in the last episode and this one to her insane shrine of Arrow in her apartment; maybe this girl watched 'Play Misty for Me' a little too many times lol. I really like her costume and her heart shaped arrows was a really nice touch (they had it in the intro sequence!). Her fight was Arrow was good to watch, I mean she really was insane the way she was going to kill herself with Arrow, however I didn't like that Arsenal was taken out so easily however he is still getting over killing a cop. I'm glad that she is still alive and is now apart of the Suicide Squad; I hope we get to see them soon and that besides Cupid they have new members, they don't have to all be past Arrow villain they should introduce new ones.

My favourite Suicide Squad member!

As for everything else the Flashbacks where a lot better and Tatsu wasn't so annoying and actually used her katana. However I am still not enjoying it as much as the island since the ending with Maseo still alive was so underwhelming, he just appeared at the end safe and sound and said he just couldn't phone home for hours. I also liked the cute moments with Ray and Felicity and a pairing between them probably works more than any of the others we have seen so far, even Oliver and Felicity in my opinion (I mean you did hear how much he spent on that dress and necklace for her!). Lastly who the hell was that annoying DJ character? I mean honestly what a stuck up p***k! I don't know what purpose he was supposed to serve but I hope he doesn't appear on the series again. While we are on the subject of annoying characters, I know it was only one scene, but Cupid's old psychiatrist was damn annoying! Where does she get off talk to Arrow like that?

Sorry OliverxFelicity fans I'm more for RayxFelicity

Overall get episode and the ending scene with Captain Boomerang, one of my favourite villains and Suicide Squad members, was just awesome!     

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Cupid
                   Flashbacks got a bit better
                   Ray and Felicity

Let - Downs: Flashback ending was underwhelming
                      DJ and psychiatrist

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/

Revolution Season One: Ghosts

The war continues.

The episode begins with Danny's funeral and the rest of the characters look on however the good thing in moment of grief is that no more helicopters have come. At night Commander Ramsey thinks that it is best to regroup at another base and continue the fight like they have so far but Miles disagrees because he thinks will never win like that. Miles agrees to help the Rebels but believes he needs more seasoned men to help such as Jim Hudson (Malik Yoba) who was part of Miles's assassination plot against Monroe, Miles and Nora leave soon after to find him.

So.....why is it Aaron and Miles doing the digging?

Things between Rachael and Charlie are still tense because Charlie continues to fight with the Rebels even though Rachael does not want her to put herself in danger. Meanwhile Aaron is sorting through his stuff in his backpack and removes the two pendants he has but as he leaves the room the turn on. This is finally explained back in Philadelphia when Randall tells Monroe that he can remotely activate them and track where they are. Monroe is still suspicious of him but Randall promises him more pendants and scientists and more power than he can dream of.

Randall vs. Monroe, in a battle of wits

Miles and Nora manage to find out that Jim is living in a small town of Culpeper and they set off to find him though Nora is worried that the recent deaths and failures are affecting Miles. However they are followed by a Rebel traitor who tells them where they are heading to a Militia Captain named Deckert who then orders the Rebel killed. Back at the Rebel base Charlie and the Rebels she was with have returned from the raid and Rachael is worried when she notices her covered in blood.

Just kill her now Charlie, trust me you are better off without her

At Culpeper Miles and Nora find Jim who is now married to a woman named Sophie and is working as a librarian to forget about is past life with the Militia. Miles tries to convince Jim to help train the Rebels and fight but Jim is still angry that Miles never killed Monroe after all the planning they made and forces them to leave at gunpoint. At the Rebel base Rachael noticed wounds on Charlie's body and wants her to stop but Charlie insists she has no right to tell her what to do and that she wasn't there for her and Danny, Rachael then slaps her (B***h). Before anything else can be said however everyone notices at the bases hears the sound of approaching vehicles and they looks to see several Humvees coming towards them. Miles and Nora are leaving Culpeper but on the road the notice Deckert leading a Militia kill squad to the town, Miles then rushes on ahead and warns Jim who is furious that he may have to kill again.

All librarians are packing these days

The Rebels are evacuating their base and Charlie finds Rachael removing flash drives from the pendants and destroying them in a bowl of acid. Just then however Randall leads a team of Militia soldiers in the base, blocking of the exits for Charlie, Rachael and Aaron. Randall has a Flashback six years before The Blackout and we find out that he and his wife have just received news that their son Edward Flynn was killed in the line of duty. Rachael confesses that she and Ben worked for Randall at the Department of Defence and that they where working on a weapon before the power went out. Randall then uses a megaphone to say that he doesn't care that the pendants are destroyed but wants to take Rachael away.

Super epic entrance!

At Independence Hall Tom voices his concern that he does not trust Randall and Monroe agrees but says that everything is under control however Tom feels that he is being replaced. At the Rebel base several fire fights break out and Rachael is briefly captured and we have another Flashback a month before The Blackout where she and Ben are concerned about deploying the weapon in Peshawar but Randall doesn't care. Charlie and Aaron manage to free Rachael and they flee to the rendezvous point where the Rebels where going.

Watch out for crossbows guys

Back at Culpeper Jim, Miles and Nora manage to kill all the Militia but Jim's wife sees and is disturbed by what she saw. Jim says that Miles has ruined his life again but still decides to go with him and fight Monroe. They reunite with Charlie and the Rebels and Charlie apologies to Rachael for the stuff she said earlier. Later that night Aaron insists to Rachael that she tells him everything that she knows and she starts by telling him that there is a place called The Tower. The episode ends in a Flashback and Randall is sitting at the head of a table surrounded by others and in looking at a command team that is stationed at The Tower via video link on the night of The Blackout. Everyone looks uncertain and The Tower team asks if he wants to deploy the weapon and Randall, after looking down at his son's dog tags, orders the team to deploy.

Now time for the evil laugh

We are getting some answers now!

While obviously winding down from all of the man vs. helicopter action we had last episode, this one nonetheless delivers an awesome episode. Randall is now more involved in the plot than ever and I was surprised that we got a lot of back story information on him all ready. Looks like he really did turn Ben's project in to a weapon after all and he wanted it shutdown certain part of the Middle East for the American soldiers. Obviously the weapon must have been faulty after all because it must have breached it's containment field because it infected the entire world. However unlike Rachael I feel sorry for Randall because even if he did give the order to destroy the world, he did lose his son who was a soldier he just wanted to end the fighting.



"Time to lose your head"

Now as for Rachael she was a total b***h in this episode and really for slapping Charlie, Charlie was right she has no right whatsoever to act like a mother now and I hate that she tries to. Again she tries to make everything all about her in this episode and I can't see why Randall wants her because of how annoying it was fore Monroe. Also I don't get why the writers are making her out to be this extremely intelligent woman, she just doesn't come across has one only extremely arrogant and stupid.

"I just love my booze"

One other thing I didn't like about this episode was that the pendants where destroyed so easily, after ten episodes of them being so powerful and important two of them are just gone like that. Again another thing why I don't like Rachael she just dumped them in acid before discussing with anyone else, didn't wait to talk it over, didn't even answer Aaron's question about the flash drives. I know Randall was tracking them but they could have been a major advantage to the Rebels, they could have powered up their own helicopters or tanks for some pretty intense action but thanks to Rachael that isn't happening.

WTF!

Also from what I get with the small screen time with Tom is that he is not pleased with Randall being here at all. I am sure this is going to create some conflict between the two characters and maybe Tom might even start his take over of the Republic that was hinted at a while ago. Speaking about conflict we also get the inclusion of a new character, Jim Hudson, and I am really liking his character and I hope he takes an active part with the Rebels but he really doesn't seem to be on the best of terms with Miles at the end of the episode so we will see what happens there.

"All hail the Militia!"

Lastly the action sequences where as good as ever, its always great seeing sword fighting in Revolution and we got a lot of that in Culpeper. Also we might get even more now since Jim seems to be just as good with a blade as Miles and Monroe. Charlie also stood out a lot as well with taking down her fair share of Militia at the Rebel base; I don't enough crossbow as much as swords it was still great.

A waste, a damn waste

Overall this is a solid episode like the last one with some great action at the Rebel base and Culpeper and it was interesting that Randall got his own Flashbacks. Only real let downs was of course Rachael's entire attitude and that the Rebels won't be fighting with their own power thanks to two pendants being destroyed. Also I hope we find out more about this Tower soon because, from what the Flashback at the end implied, the source of The Blackout started there.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Action at the Rebel base and Culpeper
                   Introduction of Jim Hudson
                   Randall Flashbacks

Let - Downs: Rachael
                      Pendants being destroyed

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/

Revolution Season One: Nobody's Fault But Mine

Half way through the series now.

This episode begins with a Flashback five years after The Blackout where Miles, Monroe and their Militia are fighting in the ruins of Trenton, New Jersey in a what would later be known as the Trenton Campaign. Monroe jokes about how they would be forced to use swords soon because ammunition is running out but Miles is hurt. He tells Monroe to leave him but Monroe refuses sayings that if Miles dies he will die with him.


Joking about using sword; you got to love unintentional foreshadowing 

It then changes to the present and the group are moving through the streets of Philadelphia at night and Charlie is still feeling bad because of the knock to the head last episode. Miles manages to get them inside the house of an old friend of his when he was in the Militia and then leaves to group to find out where Danny is. In Impendence Hall Tom tells Monroe that Miles is likely in the city (because they found the body of Wheatley) and suggests he moves to their base in Boston for a while however Monroe refuses to run from Miles. Not long after that Charlie, Aaron and Nora are captured by Tom who guessed this was one of the few places Miles would try to hide them.

"All according to my plan"

Charlie is thrown in to cell away from the others, which her mother is also in as well and of course she is shocked to find her still alive. Rachael tries to explain but Charlie does not want to hear it because they need to escape and find Danny. Meanwhile Tom has Aaron and Nora in a separate place as bait for Miles to try and rescue. Tom also recognizes Aaron from computer magazines before The Blackout and says that even though he was a fan of his work, he is glad that a once millionaire is helpless at the hands of a once faceless paper - pusher.

How the tables have turned

Miles goes back to the house but notices the presence of Militia and instead goes to Tom's house before Tom gets back. He holds his sword to Julia's throat and demands that Aaron and Nora be brought to him, which Tom reluctantly leaves to do. Back in the cells Charlie and Rachael try to escape but are stopped by the arrival of Strausser who brings them to a beaten Danny. Monroe then orders Strausser to shot one of Rachael's children if she doesn't finish the amplifier that Jaffe was working on. Charlie insists that her mom shouldn't finish the amplifier for Monroe and even says to Strausser to kill her but Rachael breaks and says that she will complete it. Tom brings Aaron and Nora to Miles though he insists he cannot bring Charlie or Danny but says that they are being held at an old power plant, Miles then locks Tom and Julia in a closet before leaving.

"This is the first time your meeting me Charlie, you should be honoured"

The next morning Miles, Aaron and Nora make it to the power plant and find that it is heavily guarded, lucky for them Aaron knows where the back service tunnel is and Miles and Nora infiltrate it while Aaron stays outside with a bag of explosives to blow the front gate. In Monroe's office in the plant Baker asks Monroe if he can bring himself to kill Miles and we then have a Flashback two years before The Blackout. Turns out Monroe's parents and little sisters where killed by a drunk driver and Monroe is at their grave contemplating suicide however Miles shows up and convinces him out of it insisting that they are still brothers.

"Don't hog all the booze Bass"

Rachael then manages to complete the amplifier and at that time Charlie and Danny have escaped from their cell and Miles and Nora have gotten inside the plant and of course all hell breaks loose. After leaving Charlie and Danny with Nora, Miles goes after Rachael who has killed Strausser and after a tense reunion with Miles leaves with him. Baker however catches up with them but they both escape then come face to face with Monroe.

Now your using cover Charlie!

Miles tells Rachael to go and confronts Monroe himself and in a Flashback we see that the two of them have been friends since they where kids and that the Monroe 'M' actually stands for both of their names. Monroe asks Miles to re-join saying that it hasn't been the same since he left and that he will forgive him for trying to kill him. However Miles refuses believing that Monroe has gone too far and saying that he is nothing to him now, this enrages Monroe who draws his swords. After a truly epic clash they are interrupted by Baker and some Militia and Monroe orders them to kill Miles but he manages to escape. 

Like some epic boss battle

Outside the Aaron manages to blow the front gate and the group, which is all reunited, escapes from the plant. The episode ends with the group running across a grassy field but slowly turns around and stares at UH-1 'Huey' helicopter, imprinted with the Monroe emblem and equipped with an amplifier, takes off in the distance.

Yep you are all screwed

I guess the hunting for Danny arc is now fully over and the end of this episode indicts that that war between the group and a Monroe Republic with power has truly begun.

Now that was quite the awesome episode and that is that after nine episodes of the group making their way to the heart of the Republic they finally made it and it did not disappoint. I didn't expect it to be all fitted in to one episode, I thought they would spend one episode sneaking around the city but they only did that for barely the first half of the episode and they rest was an epic confrontation at the power plant.

They used this shot in the trailer

The first part with Tom capturing the group was really good however I thought it was resolved a bit too fast because Miles immediately found out about the ambush and threatened Tom's wife who then immediately frees Aaron and Nora. Also because Tom was then locked in a closet he was not part of the big showdown at the plant and that was a shame because I think he could have been great there. Maybe because Tom is one of my favourite characters but I wanted to have seen him involved in the latter half of the episode.

Even if it's powerful that is one ugly amplifier

Next is the action that happened inside of the plant and it was some of the best that Revolution has had so far. We got some awesome gun fighting with Charlie and when Miles and Nora first got in but what was truly a standout was the fight between Miles and Monroe. It has been really hyped of a major confrontation between these two characters and it lived up to it; we had them fighting over that rifle, Monroe dual wielding against Miles. It was all shot brilliantly, none of it looked fake and it was not some over the top, jumping all over the place sword fight. We also got more back story on the two of them and that Miles has refused Monroe's offer to re - join the Republic and I have to say that I side and sympathise more with Monroe. When his family was killed Monroe only had Miles and he just tired to kill him and then abandon him, Miles really has to take responsibly that he has influence Monroe in to who he is now.

You wasted your chance Miles

Finally we got a truly awesome shot of that helicopter at the end, it was really cool how they did it; hearing the blades whirl in the background, the group slowly realizing what it is and the look on their faces when they see a helicopter for the first time in fifteen years. One of the best reaction shots in the entire series, even more than when the light house was turned on.

"I haven't been idle these past fifteen years Miles"

Two things that I wished could have been different, and this first one is small, is that I wish we could have seen just a bit more of Philadelphia. As I mentioned above I didn't expect the infiltration of the city to be done in one episode so we didn't get a chance to see what the people are like there and just how the way of life is at the capital. Secondly (and again) Rachael does ruin parts of this episode for me because I can't believe she is the one to kill Strausser, I wanted him to go out a lot better than that I just hate it when Rachael kills people in the series. Its hard to explain but it just feels wrong and makes me hate her even more; like when she killed someone like Jaffe and I just wish someone like Charlie or Miles killed Strausser because they probably wouldn't have gloated over his corpse like she did.

Baker should defiantly have been in the series a lot more

Overall this is one of the best episodes of the series and a great mid season finale because they went on a break for a couple of months when this was airing.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Miles and Monroe confrontation
                   Showdown at the power plant
                   The shot of the helicopter at the end

Let - Downs: Tom not part of the second half
                      Strausser deserved a better death
                      Didn't see as much of Philadelphia as I would have liked

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: Verge On Vermillion

Another great Bleach chapter from inside the Royal Realm.

The chapter begins with Nimaiya saying that the real battle starts now but his sword shakes a little however he is still able to dodge an attack from Gerard. Gerard goes to attack again but he is taken down quickly by Nimaiya who slices open his back.



"You like my fountain of blood?"

Lille observes this clash and states that some kind of trick is at work here and it has something to do with the jelly like substance and why the Zanpakutō shook at the beginning. He fires at Nimaiya who slices the bullet in two and, shocked, fires more but they are all deflected. Before he can do anything else Nimaiya slices him almost in half.

Not Lille's shooting arm!

Pernida starts to do some attack however Nimaiya simply throws his sword through her head, retrieves it by jumping off her body and then slices Askin who survives this attack but Nimaiya doesn't give him a chance to do anything else and slices his neck.

Now that's pretty damn cold

Nimaiya then says that his sword, Sayabuse, is a failed creation and that it is so sharp that even blood slides off the blade. In fact a sheath can't even hold it which is why he carries it in the jelly substance and because no one else can use it that is why it "failed" but thanks Yhwach for the chance to use it. However he is interrupted by Askin who begins to stand up saying that because of his power, that he hates, he has survived but always feels that he is close to death.

Gross!

Finally got a proper fight here in the Royal Realm because the previous ones, as great as they where, was mainly the Zero Squad and the Sternritter showing off their powers.

This was such an epic chapter because of how badass Nimaiya was; he absolutely stole the chapter with his impressive sword play and the way he dispatched the elite Sternritter. This shows that even though Nimaiya does like to goof around, like when he was first introduced, when the s**t goes down he turns in to a demon. He showed no mercy to any one the Sternritter and he is probably the most deadly with a sword in Bleach like when he took out Pernida, ripped the sword from her head and immediately went for Askin. His sword is very impressive as well; it's basically a one hit one kill blade but the back story about how its a failed creation was really interesting and when Lille was saying there was I trick behind it I think he was just guessing and it was just Nimaiya's sword work.

Askin's like WTF

As for the Sternritter I really do not think that they are dead because they are supposed to be the Yhwach's elite guard and he wouldn't have brought them if they where going to be taken out that easily. Gerard for example is "The Miracle" so maybe he can perform miracles on the battlefield, for example maybe "It's a miracle that he survived that attack" so something like that. As for Pernida I am not even sure if she is even human and I have read some people's opinions that she may be a robot or even an alien. However they could also be saved by Askin's ability as well.

"You can't touch me"

Askin has been hyped up so much that next chapter is obviously his time to shine and we may even get to see what his ability is. It could be something as simply as that he can not die which is what he hinted at the end of the chapter but I like to think there is more there. He is "The Deathdealing" so maybe he can make deals with those about to meet death or are close to death but that is just speculation.

"Didn't I just say you can't touch me"

Overall this has really showed off Nimaiya as the greatest swordsman in the Zero squad and since he is my favourite member I am glad he got such an epic chapter. The art and the swordplay where all perfect and I am glad we got a fighting chapter and I can't wait for next weeks!

SCORE: 10/10 

TV Series Review: Game of Thrones Season Two

Now my loyal followers I shall now review Game of Thrones Season Two! This will contain MAJOR spoilers so it is advisable that you watch season one first or at the very least the book Clash of Kings that season two is based on.

Season two continues right after the events of season one; Ned Stark has been executed, the Lannisters have seized the power of the Iron Throne and Robb Stark has risen in rebellion. Meanwhile the recently deceased former King Robert Baratheon’s younger brothers Stannis and Renly have raised forces of their own and both claim to be the rightful heir to the throne. Renly (Gethin Anthony) is beloved by the people and has the entire power of the South behind him while Stannis (Stephen Dillane)is a seasoned commander and is assisted by a powerful sorceress from the East; Melisandre (Carice van Houten). However Balon Greyjoy (Patrick Malahide) ruler of the Iron Islands has declared the Iron Island’s independence form the Seven Kingdoms and starts warring in the North. Thus begins the War of the Five Kings.

I will start off by saying that Clash of Kings is a personal favourite of mine because it is the start of a major war between the great houses and once again is adapted brilliantly. Like the first book and season this one does not show the major battles (Except near the end which I will go into later), no, what George RR Martin does instead is show the strategies and schemes behind them but this time we are introduce to the horrors of war on the common folk. Even though some stuff has been dialled down from the book (like major rape and torture scenes) the still include a lot of stuff which I will go in to now. Also this series delves in to magic more than the first one did, I will just mention Shadow Babies and say that was one cool scene!

King’s Landing will always be my favourite setting in the books and the TV series maybe that is because it is where most of the scheming takes place and it is the seat of power.  We also have the subplot in Winterfell which are a major factor in why the second book is one of my favourites and that has a lot to do with Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and the Ironborn. I won’t spoil anything but I will say we get some damn great scenes with Theon and how he struggles with his loyalties. We also have Arya Stark and her journey to get home and even though I always thought that too much time was devoted to her (in the book and the series) it is with her that we see the effects on war and the brutally of soldiers and their leaders.

We also of course have the scenes with Jon Snow in the far North and Daenerys in Essos but if I am honest I have never been invested in their stories as much as the others. I know they both have a big fan base but I guess I just prefer to be where the major events are happening in the areas of King’s Landing and Winterfell; I just never got excited seeing Jon hiking in the mountains and I don’t care much for the Night’s Watch.

Also (and I know I might get some hate) but I have never liked Daenerys in the book or in the series and you might have already suspected this since I barely talked about her story in my last review. I know she has dragons but I just hate her damn superior attitude, I know she thinks she is the rightful Queen but she doesn’t do anything to prove it except relying on others and her dragons. Heck I admit I liked and felt a lot sorrier for her brother than I even did her.

Once again the cast of characters do a great job in this and we have some flawless new additions, my favourite being my favourite character in the whole story; Stannis. I have always been a massive supporter of Stannis in his fight for the throne and I think he is a really well written character. He is of course joined with another favourite of mine Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), I enjoyed reading his chapters and his scenes in the series are no different.

Now I will go in to a bit more detail on episode nine of the series, the Battle of Blackwater, so expect major spoilers. This is the battle between Stannis’s navy and the merger forces that are guarding King’s Landing. Even though it is not has long or massive as it is in the books (even though a whole episode is given to it which was a good move) I never expected it to be in the TV adaptation. I knew they could not have included all of it but what we still have is one of the best battles I have ever seen from a TV series or a film; it is violent and the fighting is so well done. Like in the books Tyrion is the one who leads and inspire the men to fight but what came as a surprise was the interaction between the Hound and Bronn (Jerome Flynn). I don’t think they talk to each other at all in the books but he they have some great scenes together whether it was the bar scene before the fighting or the fighting itself; they were great.

Overall this is probably my favourite season so far only let down by the uninteresting subplot of Jon and Daenerys but they do get better….

SCORE: 8/10