Reviews

Posted in

Willis Sears Tower vs. John Hancock Center: Which Attraction Reigns Supreme?


(click on most of the images in this article to view their larger cousins)

Much to my surprise, Chicago is quite the awesome city, rivaling NYC in many ways. I first visited it for work a few months back and decided to take a short vacation and explore the downtown area. There’s a lot to see and do, more so than my meager four days allowed for. My first time out there I did most of the touristy things, including a visit to two of Chicago’s most recognizable landmarks, the John Hancock Center and the Sears Tower. Err, Willis Tower as it’s now called. Both offer some of the best views of the city, looking down. After visiting each skyscraper the question arose, is it worth visiting both? If not, which one is the preferred stop? read more

Falldogby Falldog•
Posted in

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 24 Review

Episode 24, "Inside the Belly"

 *****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Gluttony goes on a rampage, trying to devour Roy into his eye Gate. Roy manages to escape with Riza in a car, taking Ran Fan with her, while Ed, Al, and Ling stay behind to fight. Envy arrives to retrieve Gluttony, but a new fight begins, and Gluttony accidently swallows Ed, Ling, and Envy. Roy attempts to enlist the help of General Raven at Central HQ, but it’s revealed that he and a number of high military officers are in on the homunculi’s plans, and the Fuhrer appears before him. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya – Episode 28 Review

Episode 28, "The Sighs of Haruhi Suzumiya (Part 5)"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Haruhi decides to use a cat behind Yuki’s apartment for the movie. After a day of shooting, Kyon and the others discover the cat can talk, but discourage it from doing so. Deciding that Haruhi’s imagination is running wild and causing reality to change, they decide it’s necessary to get Haruhi to admit the contents of the movie are fictional. The next day, Mikuru tells Kyon that her group’s interpretation of Haruhi is different from Itsuki’s group. Yuki tells Kyon that her own assertions would be impossible for him to confirm. As strange things continue to occur, Itsuki meets with Kyon to discuss the different views between the groups and asking for Kyon’s help to contain Haruhi’s power. Filming ends, and Haruhi and Kyon stay in the clubhouse over night to edit it together. They fall asleep and wake up the next morning, the movie mysteriously finished. In the end, it turns out that Kyon convinced Haruhi to do a disclaimer at the end of the movie that denounces the events as ficticious. Everything returns to normal. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 23 Review

Episode 23, "The Girl on the Battlefield"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Ling, with Ranfan on his back, tries his best to evade Fuhrer King Bradley while Gluttony is sent after Scar. Ed leaves Winry to the MPs and goes off to help Alphonse. Gluttony arrives to eat Scar, beating him up. Bradley sees that Ranfan has cut her own arm off to throw him off. Ling arrives on the scene with Gluttony and Scar and with Ed’s help, binds him. Ling escapes from the scene with the help of Hawkeye, but insists on picking up his aide. Mei helps Scar escape, but loses track of her panda, Xaio Mei, who Alphonse picks up. Ed and Al see Winry off at the train station, Ed promising to make her cry tears of joy next time. Roy picks the brothers up and takes them to a house where Doctor Knox treats Ranfan. As they argue over what to do with Gluttony, the homunculus overhears Roy’s name, and enraged by Lust’s death, transforms and destroys part of the house. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen – Episode 22 Review

Episode 22, "Dreams! Ashura’s Sleeping Cocoon!"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Dr. Hell contemplates the final battle and is confronted by Duke Gorgon, who mysteriously disappears. It is revealed that Pygman traded places with Ashura during the scramble to get Ashura after his disappearance. At the Kurogane residence, Boss’s lackies try to convince Kouji that Boss needs his own robot to pilot. Akokuji agrees and says he’ll take care of it. When Ashura awakes from dreams of the past, he/she tries to kill his/herself, but cannot. Dr. Hell has put a suggestion in Ashura that prevents him/her from taking his/her life as long as he is alive. Then Dr. Hell reveals that he’s made a special mecha for Ashura and sends him/her, Pygman, and Brocken to attack the Photon Power Labs. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya – Episode 27 Review

Episode 27, "The Sighs of Haruhi Suzumiya (Part 4)"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Haruhi moves the filming of the movie to a closed off area at a lake, where she puts a new contact in Mikuru’s eye. Yuki once again tackles her. Haruhi’s next plan includes throwing Mikuru into the lake. Seeing that Mikuru may get a cold, Tsuruya suggests they take her to her house to change. Haruhi hatches a plan with Tsuruya to get Mikuru to respond better, which includes spiking her drink. Noticing Mikuru’s drunkeness during filming, and Haruhi’s continued mistreatment of her, Kyon objects to Haruhi’s methods, prompting a loud argument. Enraged, Kyon pulls his hand back to hit Haruhi, but Itsuki grabs his arm and prevents it. Haruhi is exasperated by Kyon’s insubordination and the filming stops. In private, Itsuki points out how Haruhi has continue to change reality. The next day, while with Taniguchi and Kunakeda, Kyon realizes that he prefers Haruhi’s activeness to the passive nature of everyone else, and tells her that they should make the film as good as possible. Happy to hear him support her, Haruhi cheers up. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 22 Review

Episode 22, "The Distant Backside"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Wrath and Gluttony attack Ling and Ranfan. They attempt to get away thanks to a flash grenade, but Wrath reveals his homunculus eye. Meanwhile, Winry notices people talking about Ed and Al’s fight with Scar on her way back from visiting the grave of Maes Hughes, and runs off towards the scene. Edward brings up Scar’s murder of Winry’s parents just as she arrives, which prompts Winry to break down and point a gun at Scar. Scar flashes back to the war of Ishbal, when his brother was trying to learn Xingese alchemy to bring peace, while some other Ishbalans wanted to use it to counteract the State Alchemists. Scar’s family is attacked by Kimbley and most are killed. Scar’s brother sacrifices his arm for his brother. Scar awakes i a rage, killing the Amestrian doctors treating him, and, his brother’s research with him, vowing vengeance. Back in the present, Alphonse moves Scar away from the scene. Edward talks Winry down from her revenge and she holds onto him as she cries. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen – Episode 21 Review

Episode 21, "Grudge! The Longest Day at Kurogane House: Part 3"

 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Tsubasa summons the arm of Zeus from its hiding spot- the Japanium ore pile underneath the Photon Power Labs. The pilot of Energer Z is revealed to be Count Brocken, who activates its self-destruct program to combat the arm. Thanks to a computer program on board the Mazinger, Kouji is able to use the power of Zeus’s arm to destroy the Energer Z. To protect herself from being targeted, Tsubasa invites detectives from across Japan to protect her at the Kurogane House, along with the returning Kurogane Five. Also returning is Akokuji, who brings with him a reprogrammed Gamia, as well as news that the real Kenzo Kabuto is still alive. As they prepare for the upcoming battle, Dr. Hell attacks with Bardos Island itself. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya – Episode 26 Review

Episode 26, "The Sighs of Haruhi Suzumiya (Part 3)"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Haruhi decides that Mikuru’s character needs to fire a beam from her lense-colored eye. However, during filming, Mikuru fires a real blast that Yuki narrowly blocks from hitting Kyon. Not noticing, Haruhi moves onto preperation to the next scene, but Kyon, Yuki, and Itsuki discuss what occured, concluding that Haruhi wished it to happen, so it did. Haruhi decides that the movie needs more characters, and has Kyon bring his friends, Taniguchi and Kunikida, to the next filming. Mikuru’s friend Tsuruya is also invited. Haruhi tells everyone that they’ll be filming by Itsuki’s house next. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•
Posted in

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 21 Review

Episode 21, "The Fool’s Progress"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Edward and Alphonse visit Roy in the hospital and exchange information. Havoc reveals to Roy that his legs are paralyzed from his injury from Lust. Roy sends Breda to find Doctor Marcoh, but he’s gone. Edward is warned that Scar is in town and makes a plan with the Xingese to capture a homunculi by luring out Scar. Making himself known around town, Ed attracts Scar’s attention. The homunculi, Wrath and Gluttony, come to get Scar, but they’re confronted by the Xingese. read more

Penguin Truthby Penguin Truth•