When I first picked up this book I was really looking forward to Simon May’s experiences living and working in Japan as a professor at the prestigious Tokyo University or Todai. He gives you the feel of a person looking at the Japanese culture and interactions though a microscope. He is a witty nature to him, and has had some very funny experiences but this novel lacked the feel that the reader is part of the experience. I always felt that he was some what detached from his experience and so I felt detached from everything that was taking place. It does give a very good incite into the small culture ideals and actions of the Japanese and some window into their thoughts. Still I was expecting a more humorous book with the hectic of life in Japan, but it was more as if you were looking in through a window then experiencing it. It did provide a very good perspective into the Japanese culture but I had higher expectations in regards to the entertainment.
Link: Amazon
Rating:
TMNT was released at the same time as the movie and has some relevance to it. This is one of those games that you get but you have to be into the whole thing to enjoy it in the first place. This game revolves around your skills in controlling each of the ninja turtles (Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello). It involves lots of acrobatics and fighting skills to get used to the game. It is a combination of a race and how fast can you beat the “foot” soldiers. The whole point is to follow the story line and enjoy the whole thing. There is a bit of repetitiveness in it but I still found it very enjoyable. What is different is your ability to switch characters in mid-missions, also the ability to use cooperative acrobatics and attacks, what is important throughout th game is timing your actions and that helps you to complete the game. If you aren’t into these types of Action games that avoid this game because once you complete it there isn’t much to it, but I found it really enjoyable while playing the whole game. It is relatively easy compared to other action games, and I finished in 4 hours and 10 minutes over a couple of days.
Rating:
This is Rihanna’s 3rd Album and I have been looking forward to it for a while now since she did well with her 2nd album. Well I have to say that it was a wait well worth it. She did really well with this album and the type of music she has incorporated into it. There is a mix of dance and hip hop in her style, and she mixes it up with a few other songs which I like. There are a few songs which I’m not much of a fan of, but overall her album is great and I enjoy just popping it in for a long drive and listening to the whole drive. Its the type of music that when you listen to it makes you want to move, you tap your feet, you nod your head, that sort of thing, and if her music can make you do that and enjoy the whole CD then I think its one hell of album.
Check out the Rihanna ft. Jay Z – Umbrella Video
Link: Amazon
Rating:
Plot Summary: Folks, meet Takashi Kamiyama. Enrolled at Cromartie High, where everybody is a delinquent, Kamiyama is apparently the only non-delinquent in the school. Logically, therefore, he must be the toughest in his class – by the rather twisted logic that only a really tough rabbit would lie down with lions. Thus begins a story that parodies every cliché of tough-guy anime that you’ve ever heard of, and some you haven’t. Oh, and Freddie Mercury is in it, too.
This is an odd anime since its story line revolves around other anime’s story line. Its about Takashi Kamiyama who is a good student enrolled in a delinquent school, and each of one those students has a story but Kamiyama just wants to study and they all start forming different groups in the school. Some of them get tied up with Kamiyama because they find him to be different. This whole anime revolves around cliche’s and copying parts of other animes and makes fun of them. The animation itself is very different and this just makes things funnier and funnier. Its a weird funny anime which is different then most, and either you like it or don’t. Each episode is only 12 minutes long and its supposed to be short and sweet. This anime isn’t for everyone but I found it hilarious and I really enjoyed it.
Link: AnimeNewsNetwork
Review:
This movie is from Simon Pegg who also did Shaun of the Dead, it is a story of a ace Police Officer from London moved to the most peaceful town in the United Kingdom. Simon Pegg plays this cop and is obssessed with being a Police Officer, he knows nothing but being a Police Officer. The way he goes about things in this movie is great, and the comedy slowly builds up. He is relocated to this strange but peaceful town and things seem odd to him, and his partner is the same partner from Shaun of the Dead. Things keep on getting stranger and stranger with the accidents taking place in this town and he is the only one that sees something in the patter, his partner is complete idiot and its fun watching. The movie is a little longer then I expected, but very entertaining, this is purely British comedy that crosses borders, and it is one of the most entertaining movies I have seen in awhile and its a really worth seeing, when the pace picks up it just keeps getting funnier.
Link: IMDB
Review:
Plot Summary: Fifteen years in the future, by high-level scientific power, a violent battle takes place between Lacrima, that protects humanity, and Shangri-La, that plans the annihilation of all space-time. The key to stopping Shangri-La’s invasion is a mysterious object known as “the Dragon’s Torque.” A group known as the Dragon Cavalry is being sent through space and time to find it. In the present, twelve-year old Haruka and her friend Yuu are contemplating running away from home when they meet a member of the Dragon Cavalry named Karasu (Crow). He believes that Haruka has the Dragon’s Torque and claims to be Yuu from fifteen years in the future.
There is a battle taking place between Lacrima and Shangri-La which is 15 years in the future, but in the current time Haruka and Yuu are enjoying themselves and living their lives. Karasu is fighting Shangri-La and the key to stopping Shangri-La is with the Dragon Torque. It turns out that Haruka is the Dragon Torque in her time space and Karasu finds this time space. Lacrima needs to sacrifice Haruka to stop Shangri-La and Karasu is torn in the beginning helping Lacrima and protecting Haruka, and Yuu is determined to protect Haruka. The anime starts off a bit confusing and as time passes you start piecing things together, whats confusing is that the anime bases its story on the theory that there are multiple instances of a person because there are different timespaces which is a confusing thought to start off with. The graphics of the anime itself is different, and the its a well thought out story but sometimes I think it is was a little stretched out, but overall a very enjoyable anime.
Link: AnimeNewsNetwork
Rating:
Morgan Freeman plays the role of contract killer, and John Cusack is father trying to protect his son. Due to unforseen circumstances Freeman runs into Cusack while he is in custody of the local law enforcement. Freeman is trying to get his kill and Cusack has him under custody while Freeman’s men are chasing them. I was looking forward to the movie since I really like Morgan Freeman, but I really disappointed by the movie. It wasn’t anything special and at times it was boring, the story line was a little unrealistic, I expected more from Morgan Freeman.
Link: IMDB
Review:
This is the first animated movie for Hell Boy with the Paranormal team facing some interesting adversaries and demons. This time Hellboy is drawn to Japan to fight a very old curse and he has to return himself to reality as well as destroy the demons in the sword. The animation is well done, and the story line is very good for the first movie based on the comic book. If you think you might enjoy an animated version of the movie but with a different story line then this movie is for you.
Link:Amazon
Rating:
I picked this up from Tumi in London about four months ago now, and I have to say I’m extremely happy with it. At first I thought I could use it for different laptops, and maybe a phone. It was a little steep in price but I didn’t mind it too much since I knew I was going to make use of it. And now since my original power adapter burnt out it is what I am using, and I wish I used it before since it is so good.
Positives:
- Very Slim
- Universal (120V/240V)
- Plugs for Europe, Asia, and US
- Tips for:
- Toshiba
- IBM
- Compaq
- Panasonic
- Hitachi
- Acer
- Fujitsu-Seimans
- Sony
- Blackberry
- Motorola
- USB (Small Side)
- It folds into a nice foldable pouch
Negatives:
- A bit pricey
Link: Tumi
Price: £160 (Pounds)
Plot Summary: In the future, life between the digital and physical world has been blurred. The boundary of technology and humanity has been stretched beyond imagination with lives being led in both the electronic and physical worlds. With the melding of man and machine – a new cybernetic level of existence is being created – An existence that continues to redefine mankind.
Public Security Section 9 has managed to come back together after the Laughing Man incident and this time under a new administration. Things are tight around Section 9 and the eye is now on them, with tensions building up in Japan between the Japanese the Refugees. Incidents starting taking place calling themselves The Individual 11 and their goal is to free the refugees using their own tactics. There is more happening here then meets the eye, and this time the Major and Bato have it up to their necks. This is a mind blowing anime where they kept the story line fresh and the action is amazing. With Ghost in the Shell 2nd Gig the animation is set a bar so high very few will be able to reach it. They have done the story and animation justice with the 2nd series of Ghost in the Shell, unlike the first one you feel a little bit more connection to Section 9 and its team since you get a bit of their history. When you watch it you go through it in one sitting, its amazing you won’t get enough. I was disappointed when the show ended since I want to see more, and I’m hoping at some point they will make another series of Ghost in the Shell.
Link: AnimeNewsNetwork
Rating:
