Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

HEAVEN & EARTH: Finishing the Fight

Two words….”AT LAST!!!” Yes the second volume of the tagalized Naruto: Shipuudden adventures is coming…no word yet on the date but ABS-CBN personnel said it’s near…”Near” loosely translated, Malapit na! and that’s pretty good news for all of us anime fans….I mean for me I’ve seen the anime up till the fillers but to hear the tagalized version is still something else. It’s much relatable “Parang nagiging pinoy ang Naruto” and that’s important because for it to be successful it first needs to be relatable. That is the importance of the tagalized animes, which some fans take for granted.

So last time we saw Shipuudden in our small screen, Naruto and Team 7, with Sakura and Sai are on the Heaven and Earth Bridge facing the epitome of all villainy, the slithering Orochimaru. For those who don’t know Orochimaru is actually a figure of Japanese mythology, so is Jiraiya and Tsunade. I wont spoil the surprise of the mythological background but when you read it, it’s actually relatable to the Naruto universe. So anyway…back to the bridge…after the long wait (fortunately not as long as that finale episode of Voltes V or that fight with Vegetta in Dragonball Z) Team 7 and the rest of the Fire country are back hopefully for a longer period of time.

Now to treat all of you, later there will be a teaser posted here of the second season of Shipuudden.

Wait for the next news right here!

KINGDOM COME: Royal Intrigues & Spirit Warriors = Anime Soap Opera

Kiba starts out like any other anime…it’s in formula actually. Boy cannot relate with his own world, considered dangerous or misunderstood, then boy is transported to a world beyond his imagination, then boy discovers he has special powers far beyond those who inhabit the world he was thrown into and lastly, boy is given a mission to save that world…as I’ve said it’s anime formula.

But what sets Kiba apart is an adult take on that world. If you liked the movies Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, you’ll like Kiba…it has that, the intrigue and secrets of the royalties…and in this anime, there’s plenty to go around for there are seven kingdoms that make up the world of Tempura. Plus it’s underneath, it’s a soap opera.

But first let’s talk about Zed, yes Zed, you know, the white haired, troubled teen that was has the great spirit of Amil Gaoul inside of him. Zed starts off just like any other 15 year old anime boy…he’s tough and has the eagerness and temper that’ll get him killed…and within the 1st episode he almost did. But of course he is special…how special? Well we still need to find that one out for only half of the 52 episodes have been aired so far…but it’s getting interesting as to which side of which kingdom Zed will align himself to…because, in case you are not watching…Zed isn’t the troubled teen he once was. Now he’s more focused…more determined and now he knows what the bond friendships mean, especially the one he has with Roya, the 16 year old disciple of master Jiku who turned out to be a Task citizen, the place where “Shard Casters” go to die. But Zed didn’t turn his back on her (see, that’s growth!)


Now that we’ve covered the lead character of the series, let’s discuss why Kiba is not a waste of your afternoon time. The fantasy land that is Tempura has enough conflict brewing than if you combine Afghanistan, Sudan, and Gaza altogether. I mean seven kingdoms out to get each other’s throats, C’MON!!! plus you got this badass villain from the kingdom of Jimoto, Hugh who will stop at nothing to gain power. I mean this guy is so ruthless that after having the King of Jimoto, Bakkam marry him and Princess Rebecca he kills him for the spirit that he is keeping! Now that is great soap opera stuff…Tudors eat yer heart out!!!

Those are just the subplots wait till you get to the main plot…which we’ll discuss after the Holy Week.

See You Guys!