Hi all and salutations! I know, I know, I'm already starting another anime without finishing up Mermaid Melody. Yet, it's not as flaky as you may think (even though it probably is -.-). This one has been preying on my mind for the past few years and I have just gotten the opportunity to watch it, so I just couldn't pass it up.
Pretty Cure (or Futari wa Pretty Cure) is the first in a long line of series and spin offs. The series focuses on two girls named Nagisa Misumi and Honoka Yukishiro who are chosen by fairies of the Garden of Light, Mipple and Mepple, to defend their world against the Dark Zone as the Emmisaries of Light: Cure Black and Cure White.
So far, I've watched five episodes and still am on pretty neutral ground when it comes to continuing the series. It's different, though I'm finding it very hard to see why it got so many spin offs and sequels.
I enjoy the fact that the series incoprates more shonen-like fight scenes instead of the normal pretty twirly flips (not that I mind them of course). Mascots Mipple and Mepple have to be the cutest things to date in the mahou shoujo biz. Yet, Mepple comes off as a bit bossy and somewhat of a brat, kinda like a certain Cyberian we all know and love (*eyes Alto*). I also found it enjoyable and different that there was no knight in shining armor waiting for either of them with a safety net. Hopefully I can still say that toward the end of the series. It's also convenient and very strategic that neither girl has a weapon, just a finishing attack. So, no tripping and fumbling that scepter in a pinch.
Some of the things that I did not enjoy about the series was that the magic the girls possessed seemed a little haphazard to me. So far, I think I'm catching onto the theme of duality, yet I felt there could have been more done than just using black and white thunder. Maybe I'm a little old school and enjoy the organization Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura, and Tokyo MewMew bring with the elements and each individual possessing a different strength. As long as we're on the subject of powers, I felt the henshin was quite lackluster and, anyone that knows me personally knows, I'm a stickler for henshin. If I don't get goose-pimply from your phrase or battle cry, I'm not gonna have too much of a reason to stay and watch the rest of the series.
This seems to be another series that might be on my "watch later" list, because it's just not sending me. I'll try to watch a few more episodes and see where my attentions go after that. It's the weekend, so I should have ample time! If you've watched the series, let me know what you thought. I'd love to hear from you!
~DJ Melody
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Space Channel 5 Space Reporter Ulala: Patron Saint of Dance
Hey folks, it's me Melody! Sorry it's been so long since my last post, but lots have been going on. I managed to get into high school now and have high hopes for this new year! So many events to party at, so much kandi to collect, and so many video games to collect and play.
Speaking of video games, I just recently got hooked on this super old, but still super cute game called Space Channel 5 Part 2. Maybe you old school gamers remember playing the first one and remember the awesome fun you had. It's basically a music video game where you play as Ulala, a space reporter, and have to copy a sequence of moves in time to music. A similar game is Parappa the Rapper if you guys remember playing that game as well. Think of a high intensity battle of Simon-Says where "the entire universe depends on your funky moves" (Fuse, Ep. 3).
In Part 2, the fun doesn't stop and you get to meet some old friends as well as play different instruments and sing karaoke, sorta.
I've spent over 10 hours on this game and am absolutely in LOVE with it. And, after careful deliberating, I have come to a conclusion the Ulala is definitely a magical girl and super cool one at that. Reasons?:
Bass says those are very flimsy reasons to dub her an official mahou shoujo and says that she's a normal heroine all her own. I think she's avoiding the obvious. Alto says that she reminds him of SwiChaCha, the Patron Cyber Muse of Dance back in Eternia, which is totally off subject, though I've seen a picture of her and they do look fairly similar. Er... well, I digress (big word from Harmony). What do you guys think? For those that have played the game, do you think she's awesome enough to be deemed a magical girl or am I looking too far into it? I'd totally love to hear your thoughts!
~DJ Melody
Speaking of video games, I just recently got hooked on this super old, but still super cute game called Space Channel 5 Part 2. Maybe you old school gamers remember playing the first one and remember the awesome fun you had. It's basically a music video game where you play as Ulala, a space reporter, and have to copy a sequence of moves in time to music. A similar game is Parappa the Rapper if you guys remember playing that game as well. Think of a high intensity battle of Simon-Says where "the entire universe depends on your funky moves" (Fuse, Ep. 3).
In Part 2, the fun doesn't stop and you get to meet some old friends as well as play different instruments and sing karaoke, sorta.
I've spent over 10 hours on this game and am absolutely in LOVE with it. And, after careful deliberating, I have come to a conclusion the Ulala is definitely a magical girl and super cool one at that. Reasons?:
- Her magical weapon is a microphone that changes into a ray gun
- Her catchphrase "Super Successful Rescue" is, well, catchy
- While without a henshin sequence, she does have an ample wardrobe that allows her to work undercover in awesome style
- She saves the universe with a flare that only so few possess.
Bass says those are very flimsy reasons to dub her an official mahou shoujo and says that she's a normal heroine all her own. I think she's avoiding the obvious. Alto says that she reminds him of SwiChaCha, the Patron Cyber Muse of Dance back in Eternia, which is totally off subject, though I've seen a picture of her and they do look fairly similar. Er... well, I digress (big word from Harmony). What do you guys think? For those that have played the game, do you think she's awesome enough to be deemed a magical girl or am I looking too far into it? I'd totally love to hear your thoughts!
~DJ Melody
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Glowing Attack Action!: The Skeleton of the Mahou Shoujo Attack
Salutations and felicitations one and all! My name is DJ Harmony. I have logged onto this blog as a sincere promise to my good friend Melody with hopes of bringing a more scientific approach to the mahou shoujo perspective. *adjust glasses* And I am here to discuss my favorite part of being a magical girl and that henshin and attacks.
As you may already know, henshin is the transformation sequence that occurs when the average mahou shoujo changes into her alter ego. Both henshin and attacks are access through a special password or phrase that is called in order for the event to take place. Yet, believe it or not, there is a basic structure set to these phrases. Not too many people think about it when they call out the henshin of their favorite magical girl, but their is a certain sequence that most attacks and henshin follow in order for them to work. But, fret not, for I will walk you through the basics of constructing you own henshin or attack phrase!
Now, it really isn't all that difficult. It only takes a simple grasp of grammar (noun, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, etc.) and a basic break down of a given phrase. Let's start with Sailor Moon's henshin, "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
As you may already know, henshin is the transformation sequence that occurs when the average mahou shoujo changes into her alter ego. Both henshin and attacks are access through a special password or phrase that is called in order for the event to take place. Yet, believe it or not, there is a basic structure set to these phrases. Not too many people think about it when they call out the henshin of their favorite magical girl, but their is a certain sequence that most attacks and henshin follow in order for them to work. But, fret not, for I will walk you through the basics of constructing you own henshin or attack phrase!
Now, it really isn't all that difficult. It only takes a simple grasp of grammar (noun, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, etc.) and a basic break down of a given phrase. Let's start with Sailor Moon's henshin, "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
(noun) + (adjective) + (noun) + (verb)
Did you notice that? When broken down and simplified, it demonstrates the basic formula used for henshin, kind of like P= l + l + w + w. Though it doesn't differ from a normal grammatical phrase, it is more symbolic than saying "Went to the park." Let's look at an attack phrase. We'll use a few from various animes since the formula can vary:
"Emerald Typhoon!"
"Azure Cyclone!"
(noun) + (noun)
"Ribbon Strawberry Check!"
"Mercury Aqua Mirage!"
(noun) + (noun) + (verb or noun)
"Saint Mirror Bridal Flash!"
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"
(noun) + (noun) + (adjective) + (verb)
or
(noun) + (noun) + (noun) + (verb)
While it doesn't differ too much from the henshin phrase, the attack phrase can be as short and concise or as elaborate and lengthy as you want it to be. In some series, you can judge the attack strength by the length of the phrase. Though, when creating your own mahou shoujo henshin/ attack phrase keep in mind that it's more than formulas, it is also about imagination! A good noun and verb relationship always makes it sound good and if you manage to through in a nifty adjective, you've got yourself a too-cool-for-school phrase.
If you still need some help putting together a phrase for yourself, Seventh Sanctum - Anime has a generator that can help you. You just put in the type of entity or elements your attacks consist of and it spouts out a plethora of different things! Try it, you might like it! Please feel free to leave your comments and findings if you have anything to share!
Well, I must be off. Though I am not taking summer school, I must wake up fresh to attend a lecture of the History of Algebra and It's Impact on Humanity. I hear it's simply scintillating! Take care!
-.+.-DJ Harmony
(noun) + (adjective) + (noun) + (verb)
Did you notice that? When broken down and simplified, it demonstrates the basic formula used for henshin, kind of like P= l + l + w + w. Though it doesn't differ from a normal grammatical phrase, it is more symbolic than saying "Went to the park." Let's look at an attack phrase. We'll use a few from various animes since the formula can vary:
"Emerald Typhoon!"
"Azure Cyclone!"
(noun) + (noun)
"Ribbon Strawberry Check!"
"Mercury Aqua Mirage!"
(noun) + (noun) + (verb or noun)
"Saint Mirror Bridal Flash!"
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"
(noun) + (noun) + (adjective) + (verb)
or
(noun) + (noun) + (noun) + (verb)
While it doesn't differ too much from the henshin phrase, the attack phrase can be as short and concise or as elaborate and lengthy as you want it to be. In some series, you can judge the attack strength by the length of the phrase. Though, when creating your own mahou shoujo henshin/ attack phrase keep in mind that it's more than formulas, it is also about imagination! A good noun and verb relationship always makes it sound good and if you manage to through in a nifty adjective, you've got yourself a too-cool-for-school phrase.
If you still need some help putting together a phrase for yourself, Seventh Sanctum - Anime has a generator that can help you. You just put in the type of entity or elements your attacks consist of and it spouts out a plethora of different things! Try it, you might like it! Please feel free to leave your comments and findings if you have anything to share!
Well, I must be off. Though I am not taking summer school, I must wake up fresh to attend a lecture of the History of Algebra and It's Impact on Humanity. I hear it's simply scintillating! Take care!
-.+.-DJ Harmony
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Mermaid Melody Review #1
Ugh, summer school really blows. It doesn't help that this creeper named Ken happens to be in my class. Apparently he didn't quite pass either and now he spends all lunch period being weird and telling me how much in love with me he is. Yeah, me and the rest of the girls in class. Ewww!
But, I didn't write to complain about summer school. I'm totally excited! I was over at a friend's house and she got me into this one mahou shoujo called Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch. Well, you can only imagine how ecstatic I was to hear of a totally cool music orientated magical girl and I watched it with high hopes. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. It's absolutely adorable, and tons of henshin. I stayed up most of the night and little into the morning watching the first fifteen episodes. Gosh, I love this anime!
The Mermaid Princesses have awesome battle songs that are super catchy, though, by the time I managed to learn the first song, they came up with a new one. I was a little miffed about that. Their idol outfits are gaudily cute. I mean, I, personally, would not wear them, but they make super cute mahou shoujo uniforms! And Kaito, the object of Lucia's affections, while not all that cute, is a definite change from the normal mahou shoujo boyfriend: he's a bit clueless, but he's not always after her trying to save her, making Lucia appear to be a little more capable to do her job.
I really can't wait to start watching more of this anime, though I'm a little annoyed that I have wait another week before I can, Rhythm is really getting on my hiney on this studying thing. At least I have Harmony here to tutor me. Though I find it quite unfair how she's so much younger than me, but knows so much. Well, I won't let it bother me and go and study!
~DJ Melody
But, I didn't write to complain about summer school. I'm totally excited! I was over at a friend's house and she got me into this one mahou shoujo called Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch. Well, you can only imagine how ecstatic I was to hear of a totally cool music orientated magical girl and I watched it with high hopes. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. It's absolutely adorable, and tons of henshin. I stayed up most of the night and little into the morning watching the first fifteen episodes. Gosh, I love this anime!
Lucia, Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific Ocean, sets out to land to find the boy she saved from a shipwreck seven years before the beginning of the story, to whom she had entrusted with her pink pearl. She eventually finds the boy: a surfer named Kaito Dōmoto. But as the human form Lucia assumed, named Lucia Nanami, bears very little resemblance to her mermaid form, Kaito cannot recognize her. She cannot tell Kaito who she really is; otherwise, according to mermaid folklore, she would turn into bubbles. She tries to convince Kaito into figuring out who she really is (since the legend does not say anything about the other person discovering a mermaid's true identity by himself).
At the same time, Lucia has been told that a group of water demons or suiyō (水妖) have invaded the marine world and she must gather the six other Mermaid Princesses and their pearls to bring back the legendary goddess, Aqua Regina, to stop them. To fulfill this, she joins forces with Hanon and Rina, Mermaid Princesses who came up to dry land, use their pearls, turn into singing idols, and use their voices as an offensive power. (Wikipedia)
The Mermaid Princesses have awesome battle songs that are super catchy, though, by the time I managed to learn the first song, they came up with a new one. I was a little miffed about that. Their idol outfits are gaudily cute. I mean, I, personally, would not wear them, but they make super cute mahou shoujo uniforms! And Kaito, the object of Lucia's affections, while not all that cute, is a definite change from the normal mahou shoujo boyfriend: he's a bit clueless, but he's not always after her trying to save her, making Lucia appear to be a little more capable to do her job.
I really can't wait to start watching more of this anime, though I'm a little annoyed that I have wait another week before I can, Rhythm is really getting on my hiney on this studying thing. At least I have Harmony here to tutor me. Though I find it quite unfair how she's so much younger than me, but knows so much. Well, I won't let it bother me and go and study!
~DJ Melody
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Magical Disaster!
It's been a couple days since I last posted, only for the fact that I have to go to summer school. I've been moping around the house for the longest time. *sighs* So much for summertime freedom and raves. Now my schedules gonna be busier than ever! *sniffles*
Anywho, while I was in economics class the other day, my teacher was talking about how much the country spends on military persons and defenses along with those high-tech gadgets and stuff. I couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't it be more economical to have a handful of magical girls as opposed to four different types of militaries?"
Think about it, magical girls themselves are one woman armies. We don't cost that much to feed or keep happy (give us some sweets and a super cute boyfriend and we're pretty much good to go). The destruction is usually kept to a minimum (stardust and hearts don't cause entire building to crumble.. usually) and there really is not cost to deploying us (we could teleport or just fly there).
Though, I suppose we have are cons as well, such as the occasional bad hair day or break up...
But really, don't you think it's a little more economical to own a few magical girls instead of hoards of beefy army guys? I'm love to hear why you would think why... or why not!
~DJ Melody
Anywho, while I was in economics class the other day, my teacher was talking about how much the country spends on military persons and defenses along with those high-tech gadgets and stuff. I couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't it be more economical to have a handful of magical girls as opposed to four different types of militaries?"
Think about it, magical girls themselves are one woman armies. We don't cost that much to feed or keep happy (give us some sweets and a super cute boyfriend and we're pretty much good to go). The destruction is usually kept to a minimum (stardust and hearts don't cause entire building to crumble.. usually) and there really is not cost to deploying us (we could teleport or just fly there).
Though, I suppose we have are cons as well, such as the occasional bad hair day or break up...
But really, don't you think it's a little more economical to own a few magical girls instead of hoards of beefy army guys? I'm love to hear why you would think why... or why not!
~DJ Melody
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Wedding Peach Review
It's the Sunday of summer vacation and I thought I'd celebrate by having a mahou shoujo marathon of one particular anime in particular. I chose to watch Wedding Peach amongst the mass collections of anime on the internet. I'm beginning to think perhaps I should have chosen something a little more... interesting.
Wedding Peach was another one of those animes that I had overlooked during the time Sailor Moon came out. I hadn't heard to much about it and I used to see the manga on the same shelves as Magic Knight Rayearth and Peach Girl. Yet, when I heard it was a magical girl anime, I thought I'd give it a shot.
In Wedding Peach (or Ai Tenshi Densetsu Wedingu Pīchi), there are three known worlds--the human world, the angel world, and the devil world. The evil queen Raindevilla yearns to destroy the angel world with help or her many devil minions. The goddess Aphrodite sends an angel to the human world, Limone, to summon three love angels in the form of three school girls, Momoko Hanasaki, Yuri Tanima, and Hinagiku Tamano, who together become Angel Lilly, Angel Daisy, and Wedding Peach. The three girls must fight to overcome the evils of the devils, as well as their own lives, and restore peace to the angel world by gathering all pieces of the Sacred Four Somethings (or Saint Something Four) (Anime News Network).
While most mahou shoujo plots seem pretty superficial upon a simple read of a summary, after watching the first 10-15 episodes, the anime still remained flat and shallow to me. What you see is pretty much what you get. To be honest and as objective as humanly possible, it just seemed like a really bad Sailor Moon rip-off, no to mention the anime art looked incredibly similar. It had an abundance of henshin, which, of course, I liked, yet it was what most people dread and cringe when they think about magical girl anime.
You maybe wondering about in what ways I see this anime to be a Sailor Moon knock-off. Well, for example, Momoko, the main character, is incredibly similar to Usagi in the sense that she's a bit of a crybaby, boy-crazy and a bit irresponsible. I'm sorry, but I think there is only room for one annoying mahou shoujo heroine and Sailor Moon has already filled it (I promise, crybaby and flakiness are not prerequisites for being a mahou shoujo). Also, Wedding Peach's two different forms (her bride form and her fighter form) are quite similar to Sailor Moon's princess form and senshi for, but what makes it even more annoying is that she can do it any time she wants, dulling any kind of symbolic significance either form has (having two different forms, again, is not prerequisite). The need for people's energy and manipulating them is something both anime's villainess' share, but dubbing it Love Energy was a little too corny for me.
I can't say there was very much I liked about it, except for the idea for the Saint Something Four artifacts which comes from the whole wedding-good luck-ritual thing: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I thought that was a super cute idea. Jama-P, the Love Angel's official magical pal, is really cute, before and after he's purified. I feel kinda bad how he gets knocked around though.
To be honest, I really don't feel interested enough in it to actually finish the series. It's become extremely predictable (as far as mahou shoujo goes, so that's kinda saying something) and I haven't even read the manga. So, since I'm pretty sure how it's gonna end, I think 15 episodes under my belt is good for now. Who knows, maybe I'll go back to finishing it some time later.
Give me your comments and/or arguments, be nice though (especially if you're a defending fan)! I really wanna hear your thoughts!
Wedding Peach was another one of those animes that I had overlooked during the time Sailor Moon came out. I hadn't heard to much about it and I used to see the manga on the same shelves as Magic Knight Rayearth and Peach Girl. Yet, when I heard it was a magical girl anime, I thought I'd give it a shot.
In Wedding Peach (or Ai Tenshi Densetsu Wedingu Pīchi), there are three known worlds--the human world, the angel world, and the devil world. The evil queen Raindevilla yearns to destroy the angel world with help or her many devil minions. The goddess Aphrodite sends an angel to the human world, Limone, to summon three love angels in the form of three school girls, Momoko Hanasaki, Yuri Tanima, and Hinagiku Tamano, who together become Angel Lilly, Angel Daisy, and Wedding Peach. The three girls must fight to overcome the evils of the devils, as well as their own lives, and restore peace to the angel world by gathering all pieces of the Sacred Four Somethings (or Saint Something Four) (Anime News Network).
While most mahou shoujo plots seem pretty superficial upon a simple read of a summary, after watching the first 10-15 episodes, the anime still remained flat and shallow to me. What you see is pretty much what you get. To be honest and as objective as humanly possible, it just seemed like a really bad Sailor Moon rip-off, no to mention the anime art looked incredibly similar. It had an abundance of henshin, which, of course, I liked, yet it was what most people dread and cringe when they think about magical girl anime.
You maybe wondering about in what ways I see this anime to be a Sailor Moon knock-off. Well, for example, Momoko, the main character, is incredibly similar to Usagi in the sense that she's a bit of a crybaby, boy-crazy and a bit irresponsible. I'm sorry, but I think there is only room for one annoying mahou shoujo heroine and Sailor Moon has already filled it (I promise, crybaby and flakiness are not prerequisites for being a mahou shoujo). Also, Wedding Peach's two different forms (her bride form and her fighter form) are quite similar to Sailor Moon's princess form and senshi for, but what makes it even more annoying is that she can do it any time she wants, dulling any kind of symbolic significance either form has (having two different forms, again, is not prerequisite). The need for people's energy and manipulating them is something both anime's villainess' share, but dubbing it Love Energy was a little too corny for me.
I can't say there was very much I liked about it, except for the idea for the Saint Something Four artifacts which comes from the whole wedding-good luck-ritual thing: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I thought that was a super cute idea. Jama-P, the Love Angel's official magical pal, is really cute, before and after he's purified. I feel kinda bad how he gets knocked around though.
To be honest, I really don't feel interested enough in it to actually finish the series. It's become extremely predictable (as far as mahou shoujo goes, so that's kinda saying something) and I haven't even read the manga. So, since I'm pretty sure how it's gonna end, I think 15 episodes under my belt is good for now. Who knows, maybe I'll go back to finishing it some time later.
Give me your comments and/or arguments, be nice though (especially if you're a defending fan)! I really wanna hear your thoughts!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Magic Knight Rayearth: Review #2
Yay, exams are finally over and I can go back to posting normally! I hope you enjoyed DJ Rhythm's blurbs and thoughts on yuri. She usually knows more stuff about that than I do. Probably because she's so much older and worldly than I am. At least, that's what I keep being told.
Anywho, I just finally finished watching Magic Knight Rayearth and I must say, it was extremely odd. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable, it was just... odd. I think it was the use of mecha as Rune-Gods that threw me off. And boy were there alot of mecha! I keep trying to remind myself that I was watching a mahou shoujo and not Gundam 00. Yet, the mechanical fights were certainly something! I enjoyed them immensely.
As for the characters, I seemed to have grown very fond of only a few of them and the others I didn't very much care for. For example, I loved the diversity of those that came to invade Cephiro. Yet, the constant heroic antics of the boys for the Magic Knights became somewhat bothersome and boring. I know, I know, it's what they do, but I couldn't help being bored with it. Eagle was so awesome and kicked so much butt! Alcyone and Princess Emeraude I could've done without. I'm not a big fan of being so haplessly in love that you don't care about the world around you, especially the way they used the whole frail damsel-in-distress motif.
Oh, and before I forget, is it just me or does Lantis and Prince Endymion (Sailor Moon) look alot alike to you:
Lantis
Prince Endymion
*scratches head* It was bugging me the whole time and I wondered if anyone else noticed the similarities. Either way, we all know who the cooler one is, of course! *draws hearts around Lantis*
Anywho, I gotta go, but if you have any comments, please make your voice heard! you know I'd love to hear anything you have to say! :3
~DJ Melody
Anywho, I just finally finished watching Magic Knight Rayearth and I must say, it was extremely odd. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable, it was just... odd. I think it was the use of mecha as Rune-Gods that threw me off. And boy were there alot of mecha! I keep trying to remind myself that I was watching a mahou shoujo and not Gundam 00. Yet, the mechanical fights were certainly something! I enjoyed them immensely.
As for the characters, I seemed to have grown very fond of only a few of them and the others I didn't very much care for. For example, I loved the diversity of those that came to invade Cephiro. Yet, the constant heroic antics of the boys for the Magic Knights became somewhat bothersome and boring. I know, I know, it's what they do, but I couldn't help being bored with it. Eagle was so awesome and kicked so much butt! Alcyone and Princess Emeraude I could've done without. I'm not a big fan of being so haplessly in love that you don't care about the world around you, especially the way they used the whole frail damsel-in-distress motif.
Oh, and before I forget, is it just me or does Lantis and Prince Endymion (Sailor Moon) look alot alike to you:
Lantis
Prince Endymion
*scratches head* It was bugging me the whole time and I wondered if anyone else noticed the similarities. Either way, we all know who the cooler one is, of course! *draws hearts around Lantis*
Anywho, I gotta go, but if you have any comments, please make your voice heard! you know I'd love to hear anything you have to say! :3
~DJ Melody
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