Posted in

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 19 – It’s STILL all about the atmosphere.

Since the show still does a lot in terms of its world building and theming plus… y’know… the action in this week’s episode takes place just above Earth’s atmosphere but anyway…

Best episode of the series? Best episode of the series. In fact, it’s one of the best atmospheric battle episodes in the Gundam franchise. In fact it makes all the Dort downtime more than worth it, as the battle is pitched with very intensity and such sakuga. Everybody gets to be cool in this episode, protags and antags alike, and they milk this life-or-death struggle for all its got. It isn’t just Eugene taking control of TWO spaceships utilizing the Alaya-Vijyana System, it’s Galli-Galli and Ein vs. Mika and Shino as the former team tries to stop the latter from entering Earth (FINALLY!). Then it’s the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet’s turn when THEY try to stop Tekkadan. Everything is awesome here, and is performed with such unpredictability that once again, you fear for any potential deaths of our heroes, and yet are completely relieved everybody makes it out alive. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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

Batman & Robin Eternal #18 Review

In which Batman fights the Kool-Aid man’s star pupil.

 

As a new fight nears, in the past Mother sneers, and as the shroud disappears on dark deeds in past years, it all ends in tears. The shocking truth is revealed about Harper and Batman’s bungled gamble in the eighteenth installment of DC’s weekly Batman chronicle. Dick, Tim, Jason, and the rest are in the worst possible place for an outbreak of a virus that turns kids into killers, Mother ends up on top even while at rock bottom, there’s panic in the panic room, and… is that Poppy Ashmore in the tube next to Orphan? Huh. Anyway, a lot is revealed, some of it we didn’t even already know! (Like, apparently, Harper’s mom was part of her father’s criminal activity, albeit reluctantly.) 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•
Mechanicore – Tief Stürmer/Deep Striker Kit Review Part 2: Head and Torso (Steps 1 through 5)
Posted in

Mechanicore – Tief Stürmer/Deep Striker Kit Review Part 2: Head and Torso (Steps 1 through 5)

Welcome back to my multi-part review of the of Mechanicore’s 1/100 scale Tief Stürmer. In this section I’m going to review the head and primary torso components, sections 1 through 5.

Review Menu:

Common Issues

This is a quick list of the common issues on the build. They apply pretty much across the board and pop up so much that I’d probably go crazy trying to specifically mention each time it occurs throughout the build.

  • Beware pegs and holes with fitment issues. Whenever inserting pegs watch to make sure that the peg actually fit. Quite often they’re too large for the hole they’re supposed to go into. This can be resolved by a properly sized drill bit (use an hand held driver instead of an electric one, or be very careful, to avoid going through the other side of the piece) or with a fine round metal file to widen it from the inside out.
  • Beware pieces who’s sprue connection often coexists with an important piece. In other words, runners have been connected to the pieces themselves in areas that are also happen to be connection points to other parts of the kit. Never cut flush with the plastic to get it off the runner (which you shouldn’t be doing anyway. For the second cut, make sure you check out the part and how it’s going used to make sure you don’t lop off something important.
  • Beware pieces with subtle flashing around the connection points. Connection points may have subtle flashing issues that result in a poor fit. If something doesn’t quite work like it should, make sure this is not the case before proceeding. Use of a hobby knife is recommended to clean these areas up.

Build Notes

  • There are quite a few piece that really should be glued into place. Since I intend to go back and paint I’m holding things together with masking tape.
  • Because I’m going back and repainting I’m not applying any of the metal detail parts at this point. When I finish the build, and add them, I’ll add any additional thoughts regarding their application to this review.

The Head (Steps 1.1 – 1.3)

The head is the first part of the Tief Stürmer you build and it will quickly make you hate everything about the project. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
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•
Mechanicore – Tief Stürmer/Deep Striker Kit Review Part 1: Kit Introduction
Posted in

Mechanicore – Tief Stürmer/Deep Striker Kit Review Part 1: Kit Introduction

Welcome to my multi-part review of Mechanicore’s latest release, the 1/100 scale Tief Stürmer.

Late last year I finished the Elyn Hobby 1/100 scale Kshatriya. It was a mighty big challenge in part because there were only a few English reviews of the kit out there and just a handful of galleries with photos suitable as a build reference. None of them really went into detail about trouble areas so I knew something was headed my way, just not sure what. My hope for this mega review is to provide that aspect for folks looking to pick up and build the Tief Stürmer. In photos of the built, from the first folks to build the Stürmer, I noticed fitment issues and resulting cracks. With any luck I’ll run into issues like that so folks building their own will be better prepared. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
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•