Reviews

Posted in

Batman & Robin Eternal #20 Review

Dick snapped and finally murdered the characters that don’t fucking matter.

Master plans, eyes on hands, and the Son of Batman, in this twentieth issue of DC’s weekly Batman feature. The Battle of St. Hadrian’s continues as now even kids not even enrolled converge on the school to kill our heroes, and Dick and Cass have to handle a wild Harper, enraged and afraid by a combination of fear gas and the revelation her friend killed her mom. Helena has had just about enough of David Cain, Jason gives a little motivational speech, Tim tries to get a grip, Poppy has a fire whip, and a new player enters! read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 20 – A Wrong Kind of Soggy Biscuit

Gotta give this show some credit. Immediately after landing on Earth (and on an island paradise no less), the episode thrusts Tekkadan into more political intrigue, with a bit of character friction as a topping. Pretty darn nice of the show to do so, given after this we’ve only five episodes left and we needn’t spend an ENTIRE episode stranded on said island navel gazing about life and/or whether to fight.

This week we’re introduced to the strange Japanese man who appeared a couple of episodes back: Maganai Todonosuke, a former Arbrau prime minister in exile. While the talks with Kudelia and him go nowhere (predictably thanks to the exile part), we do learn more about Earth. Gjallarhorn seems not to have as much jurisdiction on Earth if this episode’s any indication. Unless you have some pull like that Carta lady in the last episode, or you’re the Oceanic Federation (IngSoc saves Tekkadan’s hide!), they sometimes will stay out of things. A neat, if short-lived, development as said Carta lady pulls some strings to set the stage for an island battle next episode. Other than that, hard to feel much about this part of the episode, since we don’t truly know if Todonosuke will be a boon or a burden to Tekkadan, either here or when he and Kudelia attend an important plenary session a few episodes down the line. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
Posted in

Batman & Robin Eternal #19 Review

Man, the Tumblr crowd’s getting rough.

School’s in session for spy kids with aggression and the cure is fear possession which leads Harper to an expression towards Cassandra’s past transgression all in this nineteenth issue of DC’s weekly Batman throwdown. Merry Old England has become a little less jovial when Mother’s Icthys virus brings out the killer in St. Hadrain’s already well-trained student bod, which means our heroes are either up to their necks in teenage girl fists or in the case of the teen heroes, now psychotically violent. Helena isn’t too pleased about the situation, either. She didn’t kill Mr. Minos only to lose her school to some frumpy old bag Johnny-come-lately supervillain with a Mommy Dearest gimmick, damn it. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Lupin III (2015) Episode JP 19 (Italy 20) Review

“Dragons Sleep Soundly”

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Just when he thought he was out, they pull him back in! Nix’s short-lived retirement dissolves when his boss, Gibons, forces him into a mission to retrieve a disc with a list of MI6 agents stolen by a mercenary named Fox. Fox is having trouble decoding the disc, and now both Nix and Lupin are looking to steal it from him. The world’s greatest thief is tired of having British intelligence on his back, and having the list would be a trump card. But MI6 is determined to either recover the disc or kill everyone reaching for it. Can Lupin beat the odds and get the list or will Fox kill him irst? Or will Nix? Or will…? When the Dragon Tail’s been stepped on, it’s bound to bite! read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Lupin III (2015) Episode JP 18 (Italy 19) Review

“The First Supper”

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Art is never finished, only abandoned! Strange portraits of the Lupin group, and even Rebecca, begin to appear on the side of buildings. Lupin is approached by both Nix and Inspector Zenigata in inquiry, but Lupin has only one idea: go to the Santa Maria delle Grazie Basilica. It is there where a several course feast has been prepared for them and even Nix’s boss at the MI6. As the meal is eaten, Lupin pieces together that this has something to do with Uraga’s research and British intelligence. But just who is their enigmatic host and what does he have planned for the diners in this holy abode? It’ll take a true Renaissance Man to uncover the truth in this matter!
  read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Lupin III (2015) Episode JP 17 (Italy 18) Review

“The Murdering Marionette”

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: A man named Greco holds a cultlike control of masses at his church, promising them justice by pronouncing the deaths of criminals who subsequently all end up dead. This time he says a final reckoning has come for the Lupin gang! The fearless foursome intend to take it to the pernicious priest, but they get caught in his trap and told that one of them is unknowingly his agent against the others. In the underground labyrinth, will Lupin’s crew succumb to paranoia? Who is the backstabber (boobstabber, really) in the gang? With the odds against them, they’ll need a bit of monkey business to win through! read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 18 – Conspirators’ Medley

As I predicted last time, Kudelia’s speech was effective enough to halt the WDoJ/Arianrhod’s impending assault. Mika’s reaction was also shown, and while still maintaining his usual stoic self, continues to be impressed by Kudelia’s resolve.

I was initially wary of this episode thanks to Daisuki’s rather unpromising preview synopsis:

“Tekkadan’s members attempt to leave the colonies behind and descend to Earth at last, but they miss their chance due to one last item of business in the colonies. They are contacted by someone who claims to be their supporter.” (emphasis mine) read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
Posted in

Batman & Robin Eternal #17 Review

“Shit, I knew I dropped the Batmobile’s keys somewhere around here.”

Mother is cuffed, Batman is roughed, Orphan is tough, and Harp’s in a huff in the seventeenth episode of DC’s weekly Batman escapade. We get more of the flashback to the past than ever with Batman’s bluff being exposed and a fight breaking out with Orphan that takes them into the nearby theater. Batman gives a speech that neither of his foes appreciate. And when we flash forward again, Harper inflitrate St. Hadren’s to personally interrogate David Cain, but he’s licking his chops to tell Harper of Cassandra’s dirty past deed. Oh, and Tim Drake and Jason Todd were in a panel somewhere in there, but who cares? The less of them the better, because we’re finally crawling out of the sewer with a far better issue than the past two. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Rebuild of Evangelion 3.33: You Can (Not) Redo Review

“You Can (Not) Redo”
 

(Spoiler-Free) Synopsis: The end of the world has begun! Shinji Ikari finds himself catapulted fourteen years from the last thing he remembers, triggering the Third Impact! Waking to a world that despises him, Shinji is torn in his loyalties, confused about his environment, and guilt-ridden by revelations.  In the depths of despair, he meets a young man named Kaworu Nagisa, who may be his salvation, or just lead to more tragedy! Will Shinji ever pilot an Eva unit again? Should he? The next phase of Instrumentality is set in motion and our hero will find that practice may not make perfect! read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 17 – Gjallarhorn Confirmed For Top-Tier Troll

 

I wonder if the true head of Earth and the main director of Gjallarhorn operations is a Lelouch-type figure, because what happens early in this episode is one big troll to nascent revolutionaries. You have these revolting union workers arming themselves with mobile suits, ready to take on the WDoJ (White Dick of Justice/Arianrhod), but it turns out all their weapons and systems, despite being shown the contrary, are inoperative. Thus it gives any and all WDoJ Mobile Suits suitable grounds for destroying them without hesitation. Shame we don’t have a Yazan-like madman pilot in the show (and the closest one, Kudel Kadel is dead), since he’d be kekking til he’s breathless. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•