Otaku Evolution

Otaku Evolution Episode 173 - Mid Year English Dub Review VI

More wrap-around material in this one. This will be the last one for a while, though I have plenty of ideas for that stuff. I wanted to do something with Ambassador Morran and thought I'd throw in the assassin Ravex as well, since I've barely used him. Here they're visiting Golex's people, the Lithos, for some reason. I'll get to that another time. After this, I want to concentrate more on the reviews themselves.

Speaking of the reviews, I'm glad I didn't have to suffer through too many lousy dubs in this half of the year. I didn't plan based on dub studios, just based on what I felt like reviewing or what I had time to review when I scheduled everything. I only have a tenuous schedule for the second half of the year, though I did name drop some of the things I'll be doing at the end of this video.

Otaku Evolution Episode 171 - Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound

The wraparound material this time covers some of the storyline I never completed in my Penguin Chronicles comic strip, involving Prince Cassus' previous airship, the Gaizu, among other things. I don't know why I'm so obsessed with completing it via these videos (as flashbacks), these are anime reviews, but I guess I just like toying around with the sprites and backgrounds. And the pre-opening credits bit is set to Shunsuke Kikuchi's "M742", or "The Suspensful Intermission".

DBZ Movie 9, Bojack Unbound, is probably my favorite of all the DBZ movies, or indeed DB movies overall. It's nothing deep or profound, but it features a lot of great elements, from its settings to the action to the music. It's not perfect, it's just my favorite.

Otaku Evolution Episode 170 - Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure

I thought I'd get back to the "storyline", or bookend material, this month, because the videos are pretty short. I know you probably just skip to the review portion (I'm glad anyone even bothers with that much), but I like doing this sort of thing now and then, because it allows me to play with more sprites. I love playing with my (and Rob's) sprites!
 
I have toyed with ideas I mentioned here about a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fanfic, but I feel like I'm getting a little too old to be writing anime fanfics. And yeah, I was going to do a separate video series, aside from Otaku Evolution, on the DC animated films that come out straight to DVD/Blu-Ray. I had a lot of things ready for it, too, like a rating system for each feature. I somehow just never got to it. Should I still do it? Eh.

Also, Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure, folks. It's a Dragon Ball movie. With Arale in it!

 

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Otaku Evolution Episode 169 - Venus Wars

I love Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, but a lot of what he makes, in terms of direction, is a bit wonky. I suppose the Gundam The Origin OVA is an exception, but don't think that's because he made the manga, because he did that for Venus Wars, too. I guess he just improved over time, because Venus Wars, a bit like the Crusher Joe movie, is kind of a mess. No, Venus Wars is especially a mess, just a lopsided, but gorgeous-looking wreck of a film that I want desperately to love. It certainly has nostalgic value to it, as it was one of the first anime movies I ever saw, back when it aired on the Sci-Fi Channel's Anime Saturday block.

Otaku Evolution Episode 168 - Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01

I have to be honest, there's not a whole lot to say about Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01. It's a very short, very straight-forward mecha action feature. And my approach to it? Basically a good, old-fashioned blow-by-blow of the unusual events that unfold. But I felt like I needed something relaxing and untaxing in the middle of 80s Month. Also, the 80s was so mecha-oriented, I had to put something mecha-related in this month.

You know, to get hyped to do this month's videos I watched a lot of 80s commercials on YouTube. There's a YouTube channel called Dave's Archives that has tons of collections of old commercials that are worth checking out. It had me singing that damn Mac Tonight song for nearly a week.


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Otaku Evolution Episode 167 - They Were Eleven

It's 80s Month! I'm pretty fond of doing this theme month, even if this month's specific offerings aren't exactly the greatest anime of all time. Yeah, I kind of cornered myself by already having covered most of my favorite 80s anime previously (Bubblegum Crisis, Gundam 0080, Royal Space Force, Patlabor, Char's Counterattack, The Fuma Conspiracy, and Night on the Galactic Railroad). But hey, They Were Eleven is decent enough, and I get to put on my 80s aesthetics again! Bitchin'.

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Otaku Evolution 166 - Serial Experiments Lain

Ah, Serial Experiments Lain. I still don't 100% know what's going on at all times in this one, though several watches has me getting the gist of it, or enough to speak on it as a reviewer. It's a noodle-scratcher, that's for sure, and was especially potent when I was still new to any anime that was more complicated than, say, Dragon Ball Z. It holds up pretty well, too, it's not just one of those shows that seemed complicated at the time and is now quaint. It still has things to say that are relevant to today's society. I like that. And I recommend seeing it or revisiting it.


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Otaku Evolution Episode 164 - Outlaw Star

So, this is the first episode of Otaku Evolution with the brand new opening. The new opening tune is "Hyperdrive" (the instrumental version) by Sebastian Forslund. The new ending music is "The End of All Things" by Niklas Johansson. I found the tracks on Epidemic Sound, a resource available to Channel Frederator producers, which I'm still able to access, despite my YT channel being demonetized because I wasn't getting enough views or subscriptions. They're royalty-free, but of course I'll make sure to credit whenever I can. They're both great pieces.

As for Outlaw Star, it's a fun show. I wouldn't put it in my top 20 anime, because in the end, it's kind of just a fun space adventure and not much else. Sure, it's well-done, but nothing really comes across as brilliant. That Caster Gun is great, though.

 

Otaku Evolution Episode 163 - Black Jack OVA (Episodes 5-6)

I have to be honest. I don't really care for this crop of Black Jack episodes.  There are too many unnecessary moving parts in them that prevented them from being good. At least the "Owl of San Merida" had an interesting premise with the disappearing bullet holes, but adding the drama of the civil war and the old man just felt too extra. The sixth episode was a big waste of time, with a giant middle finger as an ending. I miss drug cacti.


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Otaku Evolution Episode 162 - Record of Lodoss War

Can you believe Record of Lodoss War was based on a bunch of D&D sessions? Personally, I couldn't really get into D&D, despite my geeky nature. Too many stats, dice, etc. I do like it as a storytelling engine, but the downsides outweigh the advantages to me. Meanwhile, RoLW seems like a heavily edited series of sessions, because there's no way things went this smoothly.

I did, actually, play some GURPS RPGs, at some point. I couldn't navigate that if you asked me now, I'd have to refamiliarize myself with it, but it was pretty fun. I even ran a superhero game once, though it was a hot mess. I kind of miss those days.


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