I'm running behind with alot of things so I wish to catch up soon.
Ai has just moved to Animal Crossing village and Tom Nook is quick to put her to work, while trying to find her place in the village she befriends Rosie and Margie as they talk about their dreams, particularly aspiring fashion designer Margie.
Sadly Margie leaves the village leaving Ai in despair but reassured by her friends and a number of bottled messages, Ai will soon discover her calling.
This is Animal Crossing in it's most accurate form, I'm not kidding, this is the single most accurate video game adaption anime of all time, they leave nothing out, everything you regularly do in the game is on display, does that make it good? Simple do you like Animal Crossing? If yes, then this is perfect, if no, it passes for a harmless kids anime film which it means it really doesn't do anything spectacular, it just gives you Animal Crossing probably the least offensive video game on the planet.
Never released in English but easy to locate subtitled with the English names of the cast.
Final Verdict: A movie about a peaceful village of Animal People based on a game about a peaceful village of Animal People, what more do you want?
Post number 2, and this one is a top ten on popular franchises everyone loves but I hate; now to clarify, this doesn’t mean these franchises are bad just for whatever reason I just never got on with them.
Dishonourable mentions
Frozen: It’s outstayed its welcome for a good year and we need to move on but doesn’t make this list as it does look like Disney can move on from it.
Haruhi Suzumiya: I’ve always hated Haruhi Suzumiya and the impact to the fandom it brought with it; thankfully it’s faded out of Otaku culture.
Star Wars: Over saturating the market right now but I don’t hate it enough to be on this list.
10. Sword Art Online
Accel World was better and I hated the direction this show went after season 1.
9. Berserk/Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni/Elfen Lied
Having started my anime career in the ultra violence of the 80s, I feel that shows that showcase high violence and gore are only popular because of said gore not some of the deeper meanings these anime shows have which is a shame.
8. Bobs Burgers
I encourage any show that can take on the big three of South Park, Family Guy and the Simpsons and succeed, but not when the art style constantly makes all the characters look stoned.
7. Madoka Magica
I had a hard time warming up to this show and while yes it is very compelling and completely re-writes the genre but then so did Sailor Moon and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. And while it was very successful in its run, it doesn’t really change the current line up of sparkles, colours and optimism that most current generation Magical Girl shows are known for.
6. Steven Universe
I’ve brought this up before and try as I might, there are too many characters I don’t like in Steven Universe for me to really enjoy the show, again I stress that this isn’t the cartoon’s fault it’s just my taste in characters and the fact that I still think you can have a compelling story with just the Crystal Gems and not Steven Universe himself.
5. Grand Theft Auto
When I play open sandbox crime games I’d rather things weren’t taken so seriously which is why I stuck with Saints Row instead, again its taste and the fact that this game is so overhyped that I just can’t stand it.
4. Love Live
My hatred for Love Live is quite well known, an idol show that is nothing new, nothing groundbreaking, does everything tried and tested and is far worst in quality than many of its contemporaries is somehow one of the most popular anime in the entire world. WHY!?!?!
3. Transformers
I tried my best with this franchise, when I was young, when I was a teenager and in the last couple of years and I still don’t like Transformers. I only found two out of the god knows how many series in this franchise that I can sit and watch, and my optimism for the franchise has long died since the live action Michael Bay movies.
2. Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts
My relationship with Final Fantasy is very much love/hate, I can see myself getting invested in the games but not so much the stories or the overly broody leads they insist on bringing into the games.
As for Kingdom Hearts, I’m not pulling any punches with this one, I hate Sora. I can’t stand Sora as a character and when he’s the main character in an RPG, that’s a problem. I have no problem with the Disney aspect but the Final Fantasy aspect leaves me with a bad taste, it’s not even just Sora, the others are just as bad, in fact the only character I can tolerate is Aqua.
1. Legend of Zelda
20 years I’ve been trying to like Legend of Zelda but every Zelda game I’ve played and I’ve played quite a lot of them, I feel the games are deliberately trying to piss me off; it’s not that I’m bad with them it’s just that whoever designed them has this idea in their head that you’re supposed to already know what to do when you do the numerous puzzles in every game and it can easily add the hours into a game that by the end of the first hour you’re already sick and tired of it and you just want to give up yet every game yields a near perfect score from critics and I don’t know why, it’s like trying to defeat Silver the Hedgehog for the first time, only you have to do that on every god damn quest.
I'm back peeps, wishing I had more time to do reviews, hoping this one can jump start another run as I review Yo-Kai Watch.
Nate is a young boy who stumbles on a capsule machine which in turn frees the Yokai spirit Whisper, in return for helping him out and the fact that Nate can see these creatures called Yokai, sees Nate get rewarded the Yokai Watch, a device that can help find and see other Yokai, together Nate and Whisper capture different Yokai who cause problems in their town.
I'm not going to pull punches, this is simply a very, very Japanese Pokemon only without the epic journey and the dramatic battles; saying that, Yo-Kai Watch is very clever with it's plot. Essentially it takes the entirety of Japanese Folklore and applies it to a setting that essentially says that all lifes little niggling issues are caused by a Yokai, which actually clicked with Western Audiences particularly the already well versed anime crowd in the 20-35 age category, this is despite the fact that it's essentially the most Japanese of Anime to hit a mainstream cartoon channel.
It's not without problems, side characters are really, really bland, certain design choices can go from creative to surreal to run-out-of-ideas in a full season, there's more to Japanese spirits than just cats you know and Nate himself is not really that interesting. Dub is passable, only because Whisper has this bizarre accent that you cannot unhear.
Despite that, the anime is actually very good and as an ambassador and representitive for what is classed as mainstream anime in Japan, it's better than Sazae San, it's better than Doraemon, it's better than Crayon Shin Chan but nowhere near as good as Kochikame.
Final Verdict: It's doing a better job of advertising Japan than it's contemporaries, and while I wouldn't rate it the best anime to ever come out of Japan I certainly rate it high enough to warrant a watch.
I find it intriguing that Nintendo haven't made more of an effort to create more anime considering it's extensive catalog of franchises, this Tribute List gets to the issue of why some shows do work, should work and don't work.
First up is the anime that already exists moving to the ones that don't.
Pokemon Current Format
Yes Pokemon is still the cream of the Nintendo Anime Sundae, but it's been such a staple for so long that it needs a new direction or a new lead.
Rating: It's current season is boring and tedious and in desperate need of help.
Pokemon with a Different Plot and Protagonist
Again attempted with Red and teased a lot with the release of Black & White 2. This idea can work but needs to tread a different path to Ash Ketchum.
Rating: It can work and the current fanbase who have stuck with it deserve it for remaining loyal.
Pokemon with just the Pokemon
Teased with numerous times but it would mean giving them actual dialogue and that doesn't really make for a desirable series.
Rating: Keep this idea in the games as their script doesn't involve voiceovers.
Kirby
The show is pretty much what I expected of Kirby, there really isn't much else to add.
Rating: It doesn't need a comeback and I can accept what the anime it did release had.
Animal Crossing
It certainly works as a cutesy kids show but the Animal Crossing experience is very much dictated by it's players, which would mean giving a character the name Nanashi which translates as No Name in English should it go through with anything other than a movie.
Rating: Probably would work better without the human characters.
F-Zero
The problem this anime had is that they needed to make an anime only character to make the series happen. Strange considering there's at least 40 characters to work with and probably takes some edge off Captain Falcon's lead character status but I digress, what we did get was good enough and probably shouldn't be pursued again.
Rating: Doesn't need remaking unless you go for the Live Action route which would work.
Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem only managed an OVA during the 90s where every other second class game was trying to break into anime, but with such an extensive catalog of storylines it could easily try again especially with Awakening featuring personal favorite Lucina.
Rating: The OVA is hardly memorable but a full on series based on one of the major games is a sure fire winner.
Mario
Trialed as an OVA back in the early Mario franchise stages it's sad that it's produced several cartoons and a poor live action film but never attempted another anime. With a group of interesting characters now in the franchise and a history with enough to work with, a Mario anime is a no brainer.
Rating: Needs to happen if it hopes to stay relevant in this decade.
Legend of Zelda
Another one dipped in history but has too many things blocking it's release, for one thing, which game needs making into an Anime? Link would need voicing which went down soooo well the previous times and finally would it actually work with nothing to take from the character other than the same sword and shield and green costume?
Rating: This one is tougher than Mario as Link's lack of vocals don't really suit it for anime even if the environment does.
Metroid
Considering that everyone knows what Samus looks like now this franchise is almost a no brainer for anime adapting, it may even work as a live action, however it needs to decide whether or not it should have outside help for animating considering that Other M happened on the Wii and that wasn't a comfortable episode for Samus.
Rating: Yes it can work and should work but needs the right people to do it.
Starfox
Missing from the current era of animation is the animal sci-fi, left unclaimed when Bucky O'Hare stopped airing. There's enough to get this series off the ground but I doubt Japan would want to do it as it would actually work better Western made.
Rating: The west are better at animating Anthros so should make it instead of the Japanese.
Earthbound
This show has too much creepy to work as an anime, have you seen some of the stuff that comes out of this game? It doesn't help that the characters look far too close to Charlie Brown and Doraemon.
Rating: Too difficult to find a balance between the show's kid characters and the game's creepy mantra.
Warioware
Definitely works as a series of interesting shorts Looney Tunes style much like it's collection of ten second games.
Rating: This one works and certainly gives screentime to undervalued Warioware characters.
Donkey Kong
It didn't work as a cartoon, it didn't work in terrible CGI it won't work as an anime.
Rating: No just no. Moving on.
Other Nintendo Franchises.
Pikmin
Not a lot to work with.
Chibi Robo
As a collection of shorts yes but as a full series no.
Super Punch Out
Too much like Hajime no Ippo
Custom Robo Arena
Maybe but too much like Megaman to succeed.
Game & Watch
Works as a collection of shorts maybe.
Splatoon
Yes, looks like it could work surprisingly well.
Kid Icarus
Yes, yes, yes, yes, this franchise works the most as an anime, it's anime shorts prove it does, it has some of the best characters, funniest dialogue, most extensive universe to make an easy 52 Episode series. This is the franchise I really hope Nintendo haven't given up on since it's 3DS comeback, it's an amazing series that needs it's own anime. Make it happen Nintendo.
Rating: The post picture should prove my point. I also suggest watching Palutena's Revolting Dinner for an idea of how it should work.
Following on from reviewing a juggernaut like Frozen, lets dive into the archive and pick on a lost OVA Anime that was shown during the early days of the Mario Franchise, now this is a mouthful as the title is called Super Mario Bros: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!
The short film starts off with Mario playing a video game, yes kind of ironic that Video Game's greatest known character is a gamer himself. Then Princess Peach appears on the game and exits into Mario's world to try and escape Bowser's minions, Bowser follows and quickly dispatches Mario and takes Peach back into the game world with Peach leaving behind an Emerald jewel much like the one attached to her dress. Luigi wakes up thinking Mario just made up the whole confrontation but changes his tune when he realizes the jewel he has is real and tries to encourage Mario to go save Peach but with no way of knowing how.
The next day the brothers are working in their grocery store, yes the so called plumbers were not originally plumbers, but Mario is too bummed out to work but things change for them when a blue dog named Kibidango takes the gem which leads the brothers to the Mushroom Kingdom through a warp pipe disguised among regular pipes.
Upon arrival an old man named Kinoko Sennin explains the situation that Bowser had his proposal of marriage rejected and in return not only kidnapped Peach but turned the Mushroom people into bricks and plants, in order to complete this quest Mario needs to find the three mystical power-ups of a Mushroom, Star & Flower, meanwhile the money grabbing Luigi is just happy that he can keep any coin they collect and Kibidango comes with them.
From there they basically go through a typical Mario game beating all the enemies you see in the game while Bowser attempts to woo Princess Peach. At one point the brothers come across Toad of whom was freed from being turned into a coin looking strangely feminine complete with pink color palette, now since this film was released in 1986, Toad hadn't been made yet or at least not confirmed to exist back then, so this version would be considered Toad 1.0.
From there it continues like a proper Mario game right up until the final confrontation with Bowser which ends much in the same way as Mario 64 with Mario grabbing Bowser's tail and throwing him around. With the Koopa King dispatched, Mario gets rewarded with a kiss but then to his dismay, Kibidango turns into a Prince named Haru and ends up married to Peach as they were pre-engaged to do so. Even in the anime, Mario ends up with no Princess and from there Mario is told he's welcome back anytime if more rescuing is needed while Bowser ends up running the Mario Bros Grocery Store.
So ends Mario's only attempt at an Anime and to be honest, this is the closest thing you'll get to a proper retelling of the Mario games on tv screens and it predates those that followed it. Is it any good? It's okay considering the time period and how young the franchise was at the time, like I said, Toad had not been invented as a speaking character nor was there any sign of Yoshi and typically being Japanese only, Bowser was of course referred to as King Koopa, mind you some elements never came back like the so called Prince and Kinoko Sennin are never spoken of again in the franchise and pretty much all the designs kept evolving over the years until present day. The availability of this anime is scarce, even a fansub you'll struggle to find as the movie had a very limited VHS release and most fans know how increasingly difficult it is to find those; your only option is Youtube where one uploader has got the movie up as a raw but I'll leave the viewers to find it, there may be a couple of fan dubs and fan remasters but that's it.
Final Verdict: Even without subtitles it's very easy to follow but considering it's rarity, seeking it out is a task in vain, I still say watch it if only to look into Mario's past at it's earliest stages in establishing it's mythos.
