Nier: Automata Japanese RPG Thoughts(2017)

   Nier: Automa is a action RPG game that was released in 2017 as a sequel to another game titled Nier. The game was created by popular developer Square Enix and was hugely popular in Japan at the time of release. In America, the game also was met with good reception but mixed reviews across the board. I honestly took a long time to play this game because reviews said how hard the game play was which turned me off a little bit. Somehow I finally got around to playing this game way latter on.


   Two androids are commanded under a a group called Project Yorha; who were created after the human race was forced to live on the moon when the earth was overrun with machines. It's Yorha's mission to fight for mankind by destroying every machine that threatens earth. GLORY TO MANKIND!!!!!

   Let's go back to what I said about the gameplay of Nier: Automata being difficult. There's certain aspects of the game that might throw players for a loop. One major example was how the game gives the player no manual for how the game mechanics work. You're just thrown into this game and told to press a few buttons. Other than that, Automata gives you no clues on all the vast features that are available. Players are then forced the face a hard starter boss at the beginning of the game. You will honestly have the play this battle a couple of times to get the hang of what to do to win. I wish that this game would have given a bit more warnings of how abilities  work. Abilities are give in the form of chips that you have to stack together for your character to use in battle. All the combat is in real time for a fun fast experience. Weapons are found as you explore, plus they can be upgraded at a camp in the game. I ran into about two boss fights throughout the whole game that made me want to rip the hair out of my head. Even just put down the game for good because all hope seemed lost. Latter on I would beat the boss after switching up my skill chips. Nier isn't always being on a high level, game play is also about making sure you are ready equipment wise. You have a little robot friend for a reason…. USE HIM TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITIES. Some parts of the game pair you with a partner like other games. It makes battles feel better but doesn't really change the difficulty. The air battles in the spaceships are a love hate relationship for me. I enjoyed some of the battles while other take a long time to complete. Not to mention the idea of skill chips applies to these kinds of battles as well however, the game doesn't tell you this. You have to figure it out on your own and until you do, you will probably die a lot of times. If you die any other time, you lose all of the chips you had so you have to backtrack to where you died to touch your android corpse. I wish the game wouldn't let you learn the hard way. I guess there's a charm in a game being created like this. Some smart ass somewhere is probably bragging about how easy the game was or games need to be challenging to be fun. Please miss me with your one sided views. I want a equally balanced difficulty in a game. Not too hard, not too easy if it can be. Nier: Automata can be really hard at some points in the game, then really fun when you get a firm grasp on the gameplay.

   The world of Nier: Automata is promoted like it is this big vast place that you will get to transverse during gameplay. When players first see the ruined earth, everything does look very vast but as you play the game you learn that this is a different story. Players go to enough places to call it a full game, just don't expect a huge adventure since it won't happen. Everything about the world actually felt closed in to me. Not to mention you have to play the game more than once to get all the endings so you have to see the same places several times. Should even discuss how you fight different bosses that look like the same boss toward the end of the game? I was disappointed…. I'm not going to lie. Only saving grace is that you see things through different character's eyes.  The graphics look good none the less…. Like every other Square Enix game.

   Automata's story is an overall sad one. In fact, I would call the plot a beauty in sadness. Especially when you realize that nothing is what it seems. Each character grows on you as you realize that something is off. You just don't know what and the secret is a very upsetting one. 9S is the character that has the most personality and sucks as a playable character. 2B is the starting character that you play as the most until….. you don't. I won't spoil the game but there's a lo of faces of the story to cover. Pretty much to the point that the game doesn't cover everything neatly….




   One would guess that's where the novels come in. I'm going to be honest. Long Story Short summarizes the game in a short formate during each chapter while Short Story Long expands on parts of the story the game didn't quite cover but hinted at during game play. If you want to revisit the story  in a novel format, then take Long Story Short for what it is. The only new content in this novel is the new perspectives of the character's Adam and Eve which it was nice to learn more about their characters. Short Story long goes deep into the backstory of the character's that the game only hints at. I felt more connected to the characters after reading this second novel. A ton of information is given about the original story in general. You will realize why the characters act the way that they do after readying Short Story Long. I recommend playing the game before reading either one of this novels. The game will set you in the right frame of mind when reading the novels.

   Nier: Automata's gameplay and story are an A+ in my book. Yes, the game has some problems with difficulty and recycling some boss designs but the effect this game's story has on you will linger on after you beat the game. You will want to learn more about Nier's world through the novels too.

 

Killing For The Prosecution(検察側の罪人) Japanese Film Thoughts(2018)

    Killing For The Prosecution is a 2018 film that was based off Shizukui Shusuke's novel of the same name. The film was directed and rewritten by Harada Masato while for the first time ever Johny's Associates actors Kazunari Ninomiya and Takuya Kimura(Blade of the Immortal) had the opportunity to act together. No one saw this joint project coming so it caused a lot of buzz in Japan at the time of release. Nino is still very much loved in Japan as Takuya tries to find his footing again after loosing fans because of legendary group SMAP's disbandment. Yoshitaka Yuriko(Story of Yonosuke, GANTZ, Midsummer Formula) also costars in the film with Matsushige Yutaka.




  A young public prosecutor gets to work with another prosecutor who he sees  as his idol. When he us assigned to work with the man, he finds that many of his ideologies changed from what he though he believed causing the two men to but heads. They still mange to work together on violent murder cases until one case connects back to the lead prosecutor while the young prosecutor tries to prove there's a chance of innocence in the case.

   Killing For The Prosecution has a ton of bad reviews online. These reviews ALMOST  stopped me from buying this film because many people had bad things to say. In the end, I trusted myself and bought the film anyway. Nino never is in bad films for the most part….. Moving on, Killing For The Prosecution is far from being a grand masterpiece without flaws. Oh, there are a lot of flaws that clearly are placed in this film on purpose. Well, except t for the sloppy time change at the beginning of the film that could have been executed better in my opinion. I do agree with some comments people had in their reviews. For example, the film really does feel like a drama special Japanese TV dramas have before or after a drama airs just for promotion but some reviews had me under the impression that this film was going to unfold like a big debate where the characters sit discussing what they want to do without actually doing anything. Boy was I wrong. There contains a good amount of dialogue that was made to be exciting due to the performances. We all have to take a goof look at ourselves to remember those times we sat watching anime series such as Death Note where ninety nine percent of the action was Light thinking what his next move would be. It sometimes took a while for him to take action however, the fun came in at the thrill of waiting for him to finally act. Killing For The Prosecution has the exact thrill that builds up inside the viewer who watches the two prosecutors go head to head. Things take a serious left turn off a dark road which there was no turning back from. What really tripped me out was how people made this film out to be boring. So much is there for you to stick your teeth into. Even the end was perfect to me. It wasn't left hanging….. That right there was a harsh reality of life. Life will pull the rug out from under you and kick you in the gut at the same time. You just have to build a thick skin against the punches. Long story short, I enjoyed Killing For The Prosecution more than what I thought I would. MUCH more than I thought I would.

    The acting from Nino and Takuya made this film by a landslide. Any problems the story had were overlooked once the focus goes to the two main characters. They're scenes together ooze out a strong building tension that makes you focus more on what is being said between them. It was cool to see Nino act with an actor who was on the same level as him ability wise. I know he must have had a lot of fun. Takuya's acting is so forceful in this film that I thought he might over take Nino performance but our little Petter Pan boy who never ages held his own in all those scenes. His character goes though a change in his desperation that Nino conveys so well. Takuya's gaze can shoot daggers at a person. I also noticed how sharp his gaze can be in other stuff his been in. All the cast does very well too, though these two still the show. From strange murderers to sneaky Prosecutors, These characters are so crafty when you think about it.

  The way in which the cameraman decided to shoot some scenes from up above and far away gave viewers a new take on the action. Especially during the forest scene. Nothing else looks too different other than that. Many shots used in this film are similar to courtroom dramas/movies you would see anywhere. Only thing I can remember that caught my eye was the angles used in some scenes.

   Fans of Nino will like this film. He's fantastic just like in his other productions. The script isn't bad but wouldn't be as good without Nino and Takuya. Killing For The Prosecution makes me want to go revisit the Death Note series again.[INSERT ME LAUGHING.]

 

Pentagon(펜타곤) - Genie: us Mini Album Thoughts(Kpop)

   I was contemplating before writing this post if I wanted to make posts about the Kpop albums that I had bought over the past few months. I know I'm never on time so I'm trying to be just a little on time when posting currently. Especially since I haven't even listened to these CDs myself yet. I finally got around to listening to Genie: us by Pentagon today. These boys are one of the few new generation Kpop groups that I got into right as I found them. Not many other newer groups catch my attention like their music did with or without E dawn(I kind of became a fan as his era was ending with the group so yeah…). Pentagon was originally the result of a boyband creator show called Pentagon maker that I cared nothing about. The band has had a pretty successful career- not nationwide famous quite yet but they make top ten on the charts in Korea at least. They have yet to win on a music show either. Let's hope that comes into their grasp soon enough.

Track List:
01. 신토불이
02. Lost Paradise (Hip Hop Unit)
03. 그 순간 그때까지 (Ballad Unit)
04. 에일리언
05. 봄눈
06. Round 1 (Bonus Track)

   Genie: us wasn't an album that I had high expectations for. Wait. let me rephrase this sentence. I didn't have much standards for this album being constant as a full body of work. Yeah… That was better, right?  E Dawn was kicked out(?) of the group one or two release ago and he was Pentagon's main producer to most of their fandom's knowledge. Though all of the members can write their own songs which makes Pentagon's message such a tasteful one to swallow. Tracks from the past to the present have shown Pentagon create a kind of rebellion when it comes to the norm of what Kpop songs are about. These boys actually write about disobeying the rules in order to create a life that you and you alone control. I was very surprised when listening to their older song such as Naughty Boy because the lyrics so bluntly spell out being your own person no matter what anyone thinks of you. Genie: Us continues the same atmosphere only Pentagon grows smarter with each release. The album separates the group into two units, called the rap unit and the ballad unit. I mean they have nine members in the group… More than enough to make this happen. Lost in Paradise was a favorite of mine when I heard the deepness of the vocalist singing the chorus. Male vocalist that have deep voices always interest me. The ballad unit's track did a very good job of not sounding like any old ballad track that was stuck on to the album because the producers felt like there had to be one included. It was a good pop ballad that didn't put a downer on the album but instead kept the energetic flow going even as a slower song. The title track sets the whole mini album off as just a dance number that shows an even balance of dance rhythm mixed together with solid vocals. The album as a whole final product came out in different layers that are diverse for listeners. Genie: us is strictly a Kpop record that keeps the genre more exciting for the future.

   There's even more English lines in this album. I also notice that Kpop songs are becoming more and more relaxed with being ranchy low key. I'm not complaining in anyway shape or form but Pentagon might not want to b saying that "I don't give a fuck" in songs that already are telling people to be outside of the norm that South Korean culture sets up for them. What was funny is how the lyrics in the booklet change the word "fuck" to "aw"! [INSERT ME LAUGHING.] I always felt that Pentagon never wins on music shows because their lyrics are so out there in comparison to what Korean society is use to. The group has plenty of love songs to balance things out however, their love songs even have a hint of rebellion in them. At least Pentagon's albums making the top ten on the chart shows that South Korean youths's mindsets are changing drastically as we speak. E dawn was a bad influence on Pentagon and I love every bit of this.

   Genie: us might be their best work to date as a full mini album. Mostly due to the fact that I didn't skip any songs while I was listening. That says a lot since I'm not easy to please.

Cafe Funiculi Funicula(コーヒーが冷めないうちに) Japanese Film Thoughts

   Cafe Funiculi Funicula is a 2018 live action film based off of the novel written by Kawaguchi Toshikazu. Tsukahara Ayuko directed the story brought to the big screen while Okudera Satoko reworked the content for a script. The film stars, Arimura Kasumi( I Am Hero, Flying Colors), Ito Kentaro, Fukami Motoki, Yoshida Yo, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Matsushige Yutaka, and many more. As of last year, ten million tickets were sold in Japan for this film.




   People visit a little coffee cafe at the corner of a little alley because a rumor goes around that if you sit in a certain seat in the cafe, you can travel back in time. There are rules to the time travel though. You must not leave the cafe. You can't change what has already happened in the present. You must drink your coffee before it gets cold or you will be trapped in that time period.

   Cafe Funiculi Funicula isn't extraordinary story telling be any means. I'm not sure how good the original story in novel formate turned out but this film pretty music uses the same mechanics that drive other supposed "tear jerker" movies…. Especially Japanese emotional drama inspired films. It doesn't take much to make me cry if the script is smart about what it's doing. Most of the film is deliver in a batch of stories that deal with each customer coming to the cafe to re-vist a time in the past that they regret. These stories aren't amazingly told in a award winning way. In fact, one is just as simple as the one after the other. Not to say that these subplots are a deal breaker for the film, It's the opposite but nothing about these stories are anything new for viewers who have dappled in Japanese cinema before. Things in this film unfold so ordinary that comparisons to the hit drama/films Midnight Diner kept popping up in my mind. Both films use the same methods for story telling and a big portion of the film is spent in the dinner discussion character problems around a cup of coffee. Watching Funiculi is uneventful while still getting to the meat of the situation. Even with all that I just said, Funiculi still kept my interest through the entire film. I believe is was because it has that warmth of humanity that Midnight Diner was a master at crafting into food for viewers. This film's job is to make you feel SOMETHING before the credits roll and it does accomplish this feat…. well, unless you're just a cold hearted person. Feeling the message that it's alright to live the best you can after making mistakes was a great relatable connector for me. I enjoyed the later half of the film the most out of all of what I saw.

   The performances were good. Not anything to rave about but the cast do well with what they were given. I'm satisfied but also not super impressed. None of the cast is as fault here. This is what happens when you are given a script as an actor/actress that has no real leg room to expand on the character's growth. Arimura wasn't given too much of a challenge playing this character since it's familiar ground for her. That was kind of disappointing to me.

    Some of the sequences are epic to watch. For instance, the sunrise in the scene where the male lead is taking pictures. Purple skies are everything!  Also, the time traveling scenes are very well done. I loved the whole set up of these  scenes with the water and the pictures representing different periods in time. Plus the main character does get to leave the walls of the Cafe, which shocked me a little bit. [INSERT ME LAUGHING.]

   Cafe Funiculi Funicula isn't a god awful film. Depending what you're looking for, the film might hit in all the right places. It's pretty much a time traveling version of Midnight Dinner… If you haven't seen Midnight Diner then I strongly advise you check it out before watching this film.

高爾宣 OSN - #OSNRAP Album Thoughts(C-rap)

   I wish I knew more about this rapper but I don't have a lot of information. What I do know is that I found one of his music videos and became a fan of his instantly. Then I found that he released a full length album which as a recently seduced fan, I had to give a listen to. #OSNRAP seems to be his first album after he started releasing singles last year. Some of the singles were received better than others from the public. OSN gives off an American or oversea Chinese vibe too. Perhaps he was born outside of China.

Track List:
1.        Without You (2:56)                
2.        Run Away (3:29)                
3.        Why You Gonna Lie (2:54)                
4.        最後一次 (2:46)                
5.        Be Alright (3:22)                
6.        Everybody Bounce (2:40)                
7.        Benz Booty feat. SOWUT (2:34)                
8.        No Play (3:09)                
9.        Old Me (3:59)                
10.      Without You (acoustic version) feat. 陳忻玥 (3:24)



   OSN's first album's sound is sent from a category of youth that brings a whole lot of problems because your too young to know how to mange life. At least that's what I get from what OSN constantly raps about. He fits his music in various layers of music dimension according to how he what he has experienced in his life. The fun times bring a hip hop party atmosphere to his music as can be listened to in the track Everybody Bounce which caters to the underground Hip Hop scene well. OSN has became more well know for the songs Why You Gonna Lie and Without You which have more mainstream appeal because these tracks shift between rap and pop. Plus OSN smoothly sings the choruses of these songs like he could be in the TF Boys(popular Chinese Boyband) if he wanted to. What I'm saying basically is OSN has found the method to become popular while shouting that he takes part in the nitty gritty rappers club. #OSNRAP could be a message to people in itself to notify people that he's a legit rapper. I'm not sure about his musical background before this album. The release continues to be very moldable into new forms of pop music though. No Play is a electric hip hop pop track being the sole opposite of the track called runaway who gave a pop acoustic sound. All the while OSN never loses that essence of youth as a 21 year old recounting his memories. I know we can expect more from this talented guy in the future. I'm all for it since I play Why You Gonna Lie none stopped.



   What interested me the most when I first hear OSN was the perfect balance of singing and Rapping. He's doing what Ph-1 is doing musically in Korea right now. I've got to wonder if OSN was singing before he decided to rap. He has the of mastery of balance for both forms: one that someone only gets from dappling in both. I can't wait to hear more of whats up his sleeves. Also, Having a female sing the chorus in Without you was genius to me. Love how it made the track sound on the album.

   I would recommend OSN to people who want to get into Chinese(Mandarin) Rappers. He's fairly new but is becoming a raising star fast. Probably because he doesn't rap like anyone else out in Taiwan right now.