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Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen – Episode 23 Review

Episode 23, "Incoming! Mechanical Beast Baron Ashura"



*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The scientists at Photon Power Lab complete Sayaka’s new robot, Venus A. In the surrounding excitement, Kouji gets closer to Sayaka. Dr. Hell’s forces attack Japan’s military and the Mazinger Corp are busy. The Lab puts up a forcefield bubble. Boss and his cronies paint his own robot, the Boss Borot. The Mazinger Corp are confronted by Ashura’s robot. Kouji, Shiro, and Kabuto visit Juuzo’s grave, where a hologram of Dr. Hell appears to offer a chance at settling everything with a fight between the Mazinger and Ashura’s robot. Sayaka attacks in the Venus A, but it does no damage to Ashura’s machine, and she is subdued. Boss, his group, and Shiro want Kouji to accept the duel, despite it going against Tsubasa’s plans, but he promises Sayaka he’ll stick to whatever Tsubasa has in mind. However, the morning after spending time with her, Kouji heads off to the duel in the Mazinger. read more

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Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 19 Review

Episode 19, "A Formidable New Enemy! Emperor of the Universe, Freeza" or, "Everybody Freaks The Fuck Out"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: As Gohan, Kuririn, and Bulma travel to Namek on Kami’s spaceship, Vegeta’s pod arrives on a planet owned by his boss, Freeza, and is treated for his injuries in a heal tank. After recovering, Vegeta is informed by Kiwi, a henchmen of Freeza, that Freeza is on his way to Namek for the Dragon Balls, which he heard about over Vegeta’s scouter. Eager to beat Freeza to them, Vegeta takes off, with Kiwi in pursuit. Arriving on Namek, Gohan, Kuririn, and Bulma find the atmosphere suitable, and Bulma detects Dragon Balls using her radar. Vegeta arrives on Namek, as does Kiwi. Meanwhile, Freeza and his henchmen, Zarbon and Dodoria, are at a Namekian village. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 26 Review

Episode 26, "Reunion"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: While unsuccessfully trying to battle Envy, Edward comes to a realization, and halts the fight with the promise of returning himself, Envy, and Ling back to the real world. Back at Central, Scar and Mei follow Alphonse and Gluttony in underground passages. Edward decides to do a human transmutation on himself to open the real Doors of Truth, and use Envy’s Philosopher’s Stone to send everyone back. He also reveals his realization that whoever made the homunculi used Xerxes’ people to transmute a Philosopher’s Stone centuries before. In Central HQ, Bradley relates to Roy the story of his childhood and becoming Wrath. Back in the darkness, Edward activates an alchemy array and goes through the Gate, finding himself face-to-face with Alphonse’s withering body. As the gate reopens to pull him out, he promises to return some day. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Episode 25 Review

Episode 25, "The Door of Darkness"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Edward and Ling wander around the inside of Gluttony, looking for an exit. After hearing her story, Scar helps Mei look for Xaio Mei. Envy appears before Ed and Ling, explaining that they are inside a fake version of the Gate/Doors of Truth, and there is no way to escape. Envy reveals that he was the one who started the Ishbal war by disguising himself as a soldier and shooting a child, prompting Edward’s rage. After being hit, Envy transforms into a giant monster, his true form. Back at Central HQ, Bradley explains that he could never have a weakness that Roy could exploit, and has Roy’s subordinates reassigned, with Riza under him directly. Alphonse convinces Gluttony to take him to his creator, who, to his surprise, is in Central City. read more

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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