Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch

As you may know I really love the Little Mermaid. When I heard that there was anime about it, at first I was rather skeptical due the fact that its Japan for one, and two they added a magical girl component to it. Though I was skeptical at first, I will say I was thoroughly impressed with the Japanese anime version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid, though its not quite that.

The story follows Nanami Lucia, the Pink Mermais Princess and Princess of the North Pacific Ocean, has come to land to look for her pearl that would officially make her a princess at the coming of age ceremony. Without it, she can't sing that well, and she isn't a princess. She gave it to a boy that she saved from a ship (Hey sound familiar). The boy, Doumotou Kaito, has some how saved the pearl all this time, and Lucia gets it back.

Later, she is joined by Hanon, the Blue Pearl Princess and Princess of the South Atlantic Ocean, and Rina( sometimes written Lina), The Green Pearl Princess and the Princess of the South Atlantic to help defend land and ocean against the evil Gaito. Their weapon? Their voices that can (temporarily) vanquish the minions sent by Gaito.

There is one thing I will not hesitate to comaplin about this anime and that is the transformation sequences from human to Idol or from mermaid to idol. Like most Mahou Shoujo, or magical girl anime, they take way to freaking long! After they finally transformed, it was sort of what was the point? Also, about mid point in the series, they gained an extended transformation sequence. Basically, it took about five minutes out of a twenty-three minute episode, and I don't mind its sometimes, but they somewhat recycled animation for transformation sequences.

Like every other Mahou Shoujo anime, it follows a basic plot line and very episodic. It would be like bad guys appear, girls transform, sing, and then bad guys are vanquished for the time being. At least unlike Tokyo Mew Mew, it doesnt get repetitive every episode but the plot develops over the course of the anime, where as Tokyo Mew Mew, the plot is at the beginning and the end, with maybe a bit in the middle, but nothing too important. The songs sung during the time they are vanquishing the bad guys actually grew on me as the series went on. I'm still now singing them under my breath, and the rhythms for the songs are very catchy.

But here's the thing about fighting and singing I don't understand: Who says that one type of music is "good" while the other is "evil?" When you meet the Black Beauty Sisters, they also use song as their attacks. While their songs are ruled as evil, I still found their songs to be catchy. Also, it seems that the Black Beauty Sisters' songs could vanquish the Princess to the Depths of the Ocean, though as many times as the Princesses have sung, why didn't they banish Gaito's minions? Are they "too good" and they can't permanently vanquish them?

Now, don't get me wrong, I really do love this anime, but the physical inconsistencies of it make go Wait, what? For example, the Princesses turn into mermaids when they are splashed with water or get wet, but if that were true, the how come they can go out int he rain just fine, but be scared of a boy with a water gun? Also, in one episode, Lucia is buried in about six inches of snow, she still stays in human form, even though snow is very cold and solid water, and not to even mention that it would melt once it touches Lucia's skin, unless mermaids run at a freezing temperature.

The other mermaid, I'm sad to say, do not get much screen time what so ever. The Yellow Pearl Princess, Coco, and the Indigo Pearl Princess, Noelle are captured in Gaito's Castle (which moves) and they don't come in untul the very end. The Purple Pearl Princess, Karen, pops in and out, but when she sings with the three main Princesses, Lucia, Rina, and Hanon, she seems like a side character. That's the other thing that slightly annoyed me was the Lucia, Hanon and Rina took up most if not all the screen time while singing. The other princesses are never shown, and never heard. I know that they were singing together, but when they got close to each princess, her voice slightly stood out. With the later princesses, I could no longer tell this distinction.

Character development had to last through fifty-two episodes, so it was slow at times. It wasn't Tokyo Mew Mew slow, due to the fact that each episode it seemed something actually happened and it wasn't some episodic plot line that got repetitve. Although it might have seemed episodic at points, the points eventually add up to a master point, like Hanon's crush Mitsuki Tarou.

The art of the anime was fluffy, like any mahou shoujo anime should be. It is fluid and well made for its time, since the anime came out in 2002. The one thing that irked me about the art was the fact Lucia has huge boobs and such a narrow waist.  The transformation scenes were fluid, and even though they took up too much time out of the anime, they were necessary in order to beat the bad guys. I just wish they could have abridged the  extended version.

Overall, even though I might complain a lot about the anime, it was a truly good watch. If you're looking for mermaids, music, and a memorable anime, then Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch is the one for you!

The Muppet's Movie

It seems lately in the movie industry that they have been making seemingly kids movies, but the undertones are aimed directly at adults, or at least teenagers, The Muppet's Movie is no exception to this trend. Even though the Muppet's is a childhood classic for those kids like me, there are some obvious adult undertones to the movie, those that provided laughs, and some made me go What were the creators on?

The movie starts out with Gary and his muppet "brother" Walter growing up. While Walter stays the same height, Gary grows taller, though they are still close as, well, brothers. Now, this sadly bothers me a bit. Gary still is attached to his muppet, even when he is about thirty or forty, and this relationship kind of continues through out the movie.

After the growing up preview, we are then brought to modern day California, with Gary, now a teacher of an overly studious group of kids, and his girlfriend, Mary, also a teacher, are planning on going to Los Angeles for their anniversary. Gary invites his brother without his girl friends approval first, because Gary thinks that they could go see the Muppet's set, because like me and a lot of other kids, he grew up on the Muppets. After a musical number, ending hilariously in "They're finally gone" from the other people involved in the number, they board the bus to Los Angeles.

When they get there, they go directly to the Muppet studio, much to Mary's disdain. But instead of it being glamorous and shiny like it was on the tapes Walter had watched, it was abandoned and run down. On the tour, Walter strays from the group and goes into Kermit's office, where a guy named Richman and his goonies  are talking with the two old men about selling the set because they claim they want to make a musem, and that if the Muppets wanted to stop them, then they would have to raise 10 million dollars. Now, the two old men plow straight through the fourth wall, or they reference the audience directly, by implying they not only ruined plot for the audience, but also implying that half the audience is dead.

When the two old men walk away, Richman reveals that there is oil under the set, and that he wants to demolish it, and the only way the Muppets can stop him is if they buy the property back. luckily, Walter was there to overhear the plan to demolish the building. He then goes to his brother, who is currently more hung up on this astonishing plot point than the subplot of his girlfriend. yes, this is a "kids" movie, so of course the girlfriend takes back seat. While they go to find Kermit, who is hiding in plain sight, with the gates even having pictures of him and Mrs. Piggy, Kermit actually comes up behind them when they are at his house. They actually make him look like a God to Walter, which prompts typical fan-boy like reaction, and he faints, just to wake up in Kermit's house.

After telling Kermit the antagonist's plan, they decide to recruit the crew, starting with Ozzy, the joke-ster Muppet, who is singing at a club with imitations of the Muppets, the Moopets. Originality in naming, perhaps not, but these things scream evil, especially the Pig. next they recruit Gonzo, the hooked nose, pink spandex wearing Muppet, who has successfully started his plumbing company, though he nukes the company and strips out of his formal attire to the Pink spandex super hero uniform. They recruit the gang through a montage, and whats even funnier is that they even say the quickest way to do it is through a montage. After they have gotten everyone except Mrs. piggy, they decide to "travel by map" to Paris. I will admit, the idea is ingenious, due the the fact that when most most movies they usually abridge travel time to, well, a map.

When they find Mrs. Piggy, she refuses to join them, because she is happy with her life in Paris. Though the first attempt fails, she eventually decides to join them. When she does join them, she finds that they had gotten a stand in for her, and Mrs. Piggy then proceeds to fight the fake one.

When they finally get around to raising the money for the set, they have to jump through hoops trying to get a network deal, due the fact they aren't that popular anymore. Actually, I think this sort of reflects on real life, due the fact that if I went up to a kid, and said who is your favorite Muppet, they would probably give me a strange look and ask me who are the Muppets. This point is further exaggerated by the chart of the in group, and that the Muppets are way out there in never ever land, where no one knows them. They do manage to score a deal, and then the insanity ensues. What type of insanity, you're going to have to go see this movie, because it is worth every penny of a movie ticket

This movie I will praise for the comedic genius and musical numbers. The music was very Mary Poppins like, though I thoroughly enjoyed it because the music touched on everything from going on a vacation, to being all alone on your anniversary. They were catchy, and one of them had a hilarious end. The comedy had me laughing, like for example when they steam rolled through the fourth wall, and also they implied that tying up people for money is alright. (Which it is).

This weekend, or sometime while it's still in theaters, I highly recommend that you take you and your family to see this masterpiece of a movie, because you will not be disappointed, and it will be every penny well spent.

Kohls: Black Friday Advert

Today, I saw one of the scariest things I have ever seen: A song that is so horrible, that it made me want to tear my ears off, has been made into an advertisement. That's right, Friday, most disliked song on the planet, as voted on Youtube, has been made into a Black Friday advertisement. While the song might not be the best written song (in facts it's one of the worse) in the world, why Kohls had to use this song for their advertisement, I will never understand. Also, along with the ear raping melody and lyrics, the visuals in the commercial are disturbing to me.

First the commercial starts of with a typical young blonde waking up while its still dark out, like with any other black Friday ad, except she then starts singing in a horribly familiar tune. She then complains about wanting a coffee, which then prompts the next event that I find the most controversial part of the add: Though I think she was referencing the coffee when she said "Not today," but when she said that line, she pushed an old lady out of the way. Now, I know that Black Friday is a mad house, no matter the store you go to. But in this advertisement, it's like they are promoting  pushing people in lines at Black Friday Madness, and thus prompting violence at the events. I think Kohls has missed all the people getting trampled in recents years, due to the storming of the stores for the great black Friday deals. The Commercial then proceeds to got on the musical number, like any other (horribly) written commercial.

The other problem with this commercial I have is, of course, the song its self. They managed to not make it as whiney pitched as the original, due to its a woman in her twenties singing, and not some talent-less thirteen year old girl singing it. But, non the less, why the had to rip off that mess of a song, I have to wonder. Why are they trying to give her more fame than she already does not deserve. It's an annoying song, and come this holiday season, I will most likely hear the song over and over again, loosing a tiny bit more to my soul each time.

All I have to say to shoppers this holiday season is be careful, don't get trampled, don't trample, and avoid Rebecca Black's song at all costs. It tortures bloggers everywhere, and not just bloggers, everyone is tortured by it, due to the awful auto-tune and horrible lyrics.

Fall 2011 Anime Season:Impressions

Every new season of anime brings forth for me joy and excitement. It allows me to kick back, enjoy some cartoons that aren't meant for children, and provide me with entertainment when I can't sleep. Though the season is only half over, I feel it necessary to review some of the series that are airing because honestly, some of them are actually pretty good this year. True, there is ecchi, which is anime soft core porn, and maybe a bit of mystery, they bring me entertainment none the less. 


(Note: Done Alphabetically) 


Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai 

I'll admit, the first thing that attracted me to this anime was not only the theme, which is something kind of close to me, but also the moe-like art. It follows a boy named Hasegawa Kodoka, a half-British transfer student who makes all the wrong impressions due to his hair color and expressions, thought the thing he really wants is friends. Mikazuki Yozora is in a similar boat, though she is not misinterpreted as molesting the female student body, though she has an imaginary friend to compensate for lack of friends. Kashiwazaki Sena is the girl who appears popular, but has no true friends. The anime revolves around Kodaka joining the club Yozora created in order to help people make friends.  Along the way, genius, perverted girl Siguma Rika, and girly-boy Kusonuki Yukimura join, all in order to try and make friends. They all get along pretty well,though Sena and Yozora have a love/hate relationship, tending more to the hate, I think deep down they're very good friends. 
With this anime, I'm impressed I'll have to admit. The art style is fluid and happy. The comedy is funny, like Sena's idea of making friends is making friends with the virtual girls in games. (Hey, Kami nomi anyone?) Also, Yozora constantly calling Sena "meat," referring to her noticeably larger chest size, is also funny. For any one that wants to kick backa nd watch an anime bout how friendship works, and for a bit of moe and comedy, I highly recommend this one. 


C³ 
Who doesn't love a loli? A loli with a history of torturing people, just turning up on your doorstep, mailed from your dad? Well, thats what happened to Yachi Haruaki, average boy, suddenly thrown into a world of cursed object because a cursed cube that can take human form named Fear showed up on his door step. Now, at first Fear seems normal, barely managing house chores while Haruaki is at school, though when angered she can use her cube to use about thirty different torture devices. Muramasa Konoha, a girl who can change into a sword, and Ueno Kirika join the cast and form, you guessed it, a harem. 
With this anime, I honestly don't know whether or not to be impressed. The art style and story presentation is very similar to that of SHAFT, basically a mind fuck/trip. The story is progressing a bit too slowly as well, but since there is a loli, i think I can manage. Also, I want to know why the objects are cursed. Over all, a good watch (for the loli).


Chihayafuru
Karuta, the game of one hundred poems. This anime follows the story of a girl trying to become the world master at karuta, because quite frankly, no one outside of Japan played the game. She makes a club for it, and it trying to get people to join it, though its a rough journey. Her goal is to play with a boy named Arata, the boy that taught her how to play. The story has not progressed a lot, though it is holding my interest.
What attracted me to this was the art. It's very shoujou, and very happy. Also, the prospect about learning about a new game also enthralled me. However, I will complain that most of the stuff in the anime makes no sense to me, though I think that the Japanese are considering that Americans are watching the anime, because bit by bit, the game is being explained. But, the thing I'm wondering is how exactly  do you play? They have been shown throwing cards around, and all. Seriously, how the hell do you play this game?


Maji de Watashi ni Koi ni Shinasai
Two words are sufficient enough to describe this anime: Mind Fuck. Yep, that's what this anime is. It starts off serious, but then degrades to penis jokes. In fact, the "synopsis" is very misleading. It should be shortened to "We start off serious but don't worry boys, you will get your fan service plus a bunch of penis jokes." But otherwise, the art style is good. You have some girls with big boobs,a nd some with out the boobs. Also, the personalities of the girls are well diversed, from the quiet one, to the one that likes to beat people up. The main guy, Yamato, is a laugh. At one point, he basically whips it out, and makes a girl faint. He is actually thr source of the humor for me, not the girls( for once).




Maken-ki

If Maji de was Mind Fuck, then Maken-ki is mind rape.It's about this boy who get into a school for basically magic users, except he can't use it. (Maburaho anyone?) The girls all kick ass, and he is the defenseless one, except the girls need protecting against his perverted-ness. They fight with these things called "Maken" which I have no idea what the hell they are. Are they a spirit, or they a part of the soul? Also, what are the different classes that they keep mentioning? Also, it's another case of the females falling head over heels for the male lead for no apparent reason, even though he has zero personality, besides being a pervert. 
Character wise, I actually like none of them. Takeru is a pervert, and an ugly one at that. Seriously, who designs characters like that? Inaho, the big boobed fiancee that pops up at the beginning is annoying. Yes, I like kitty mouth face, but her face seems to be stuck in one. its ugly, and old. Himegami has the most personality in my mind, in fact she kind of has none. She's not fighting directly for the guy, but she is still part of his harem. Basically, she's the tsundere of the harem. Haruko is the child friend essentially, so I think she will automatically win. To be honest, the design of the characters is ugly, because in my mind, the girls have too much curves and boobs. Here's the rule for anime: If it looks like a D, it's an A. 


Mashiro-iro Symphony: Color of Lovers
A guy at an all girls school that recently went co-ed. Could this produce laughter, seriousness, or could it produce a train wreck of a mess? Honestly, even at the mid-way point of the season, I still don't know what to think about this anime. Since it's an eroge adaption, I was expecting basically a flop due to those types of anime being usually a flop. But, with this one, I'm not sure. The art work is fluid, but the story is sort of not there. True, it's a slice of life where the male lead is trying to win the hearts of the of the girls, or more or less make the girls accept him, due Shingo being male. But, it seems that is lost somewhere along the line,. 
Honestly, for this anime, I was praying it would be funny co-ed, like Seitokai Yakuindomo, though I am sort of disappointed at the humor. It has its cutesy moments, though it it just mainly just the journeys of the cast and their interactions with the main characters. To be honest, it's just another anime, though its just a good way to kill time.  


Shinraku?! Ika Musume

She back, and invading land for those stupid humans polluting her waters! That's right! Ika Musume is back, and still hell bent on invading land. The squid girl never succeeds in any of her plans, but it's still fun to watch her try. In the second season, we follow more of her daily journeys. True, while she doesn't succeed in invading land properly, she does end up learning about humans, and what we do. True, everyone finds her adorable, but warning: shes still out to invade land.
The art style is that of the first season, so not much change. The humor, though sometimes is lost on me. Some episodes make me laugh, while others were like, ok whats the point. The opening theme actually grew on me a bit. At first, I was opposed to it, as a lover of the original opening, but then I recognized that the second one is just as catchy.   


UN-GO

In recent times, I have actually enjoyed detective anime. They provide thriler, suspense, and usually very good art. seeing the newest series coming from Bones, I got really excited due the fact that that it was produced by them, and their previous detective anime, Gosick, was epic. I will admit, the story is odd in Un-Go, for its about the "Defeated Dective," due the fact that the the head detective guy, Kaishou Rinroko, is credited with solving all the cases. Shinjuurou Yuuki, and his assistant, Inga, go about solving the cases in unusual ways, due the fact Inga can force the truth for one question out of one person. However, Kaishou recieves all the credit.
This anime to me is basically a modern version of Kuroshitsuji. Where as Kuroshitsuji is set in Victorian Era, UN-GO is set in modern times. Also, UN-GO so far is very strange because right now, I want to know where Inga comes from, and why can't she stay loli? 


Working'!!

Most of us who are old enough to work have jobs that are arduous, and that grind our nerves. Those annoying co-workers, the stuff that doesn't go right, the horrible and rude customers, those all components of a job. However in Working'!!, the co-workers seems to all get along, and there aren't any rude customers, and while not everything goes right, it seems moat thing do go right. In the second season of Working!!, it follows the same slice of life/comedy as the first season. Inami Ahiru is still scared of men, Takanashi is still fond of cute things,and only pays attention to only loli, and none to the girl that has affections for him, Kyouko still doesn't do anything except eat through the restaurants food stock; Souma is still in everyone's business, and  Satou is still torturing the underlings. 
The comedy style is much like the first season, though I wish they would get on with it. Seriously, hurry up Takanashi and realize that Inami likes you. Hopefully this can provide me with more laughs in the future and get on with it. The one other thing I will praise Working'!! on besides the humor, is the opening song. The song from the first season was catchy, and they somehow mangaed to make it catchier in the second. 

Pirates Of THe Carrabean IV-On Stranger Tides

Pirates series has to be among the darkest things Disney has produced. Although, over the years, we have come to love Jack Sparrow for his crazy antics, verging on the line of insane and brilliant. We have watched him battle various enemies, such as Captain Barbossa, and other crazy villains. The sheer insanity of it (and perhaps a few Johnny Depp fan-girls) has brought the series billions of dollars, and it has won the hearts of people everywhere. The fourth installment of the pirates movies is no different from the other three, bringing about insanity, super-natural beings, comedy,pirates and improv schemes that always seem to according to plan.

In beginning of the movie, Captain Jack Sparrow is supposed to be going up on trail for crimes of piracy, where in turn, Gibbs is actually taken in for Jack Sparrow. The judge then proceeds to convict him, but you can notice it is Jack Sparrow. Gibbs is then taken out, and you see the Jack had tied up the real judge and stolen his wig. Also, Jack joins Gibbs in the carriage, believing that they are going to a get away location, though as it turns out, the driver is a traitor, because they are then surrounded by the British Troops.

They bring Jack Sparrow to the hall of a great important British official, where you also find out that Captain Barbossa is now playing for the British. They offer him a great deal: a ship and crew, though at the expense that he would not be able to captain the ship. Jack then escapes, though not forgetting of the delicious cake things (Too be honest, it looked like a macaroon though I'm not sure). I will give Jack Sparrow credit where it's due: He can get him self out of any situation with pure luck and maybe a bit of genius.

Along the way, he meets up with a woman that he had some previous engagement as, though posing as him to get crew for her ship. The woman is Angelica, who is Black Beard's daughter. She wants to team up with him in order to find the fountain of youth, as you may know, grants the user eternal youth. The only twist is that you must gain the years of life from another person with the exchange of the water in the goblets, one with a mermaid tear, and the one without.

Jack Sparrow gets captured and he is then thrust upon Black Beard's ship. Also on the ship, it a captive mersonary named Phillip Swift. Now, I'll be honest, they treat him like shit through out the entire movie. You first meet him tied up on the mast of Black Beard's ship. He gets stabbed a few times, and just when you think he should be dead, he is alive again. Black Beard and his crew want to capture a mermaid, for the tear is essential for granting the eternal youth. They send a crew out to see on a little life boat, and then shine man made light on them, because apparently mermaids are attracted to man made light. In about an hour, and the mermaids are at the boat.  They try to lure the men to their deaths, because they will take a man to the deepest part of the ocean and then eat his soul. The original plan fails, though one mermaid is trapped in the rubble. She is then captured and then lugged around in a case of water, because they want a fresh mermiad tear.

As paths are crossed, and alliances are made, the movie provides an interesting watch. I'll even admit to it being on par with the first movie, and the third movie. It provided entertainment, and for once, I didn't have to deal with the romance between Will and Elizabeth, because their arc is over, because this movie is more or less a spin off, and centers around Jack Sparrow. It provided many laughs and the plot schemes are amazing, and I think that it is worth the buy.

One of the few complaints I had about the movie was that the whole fountain of youth thing. It's just bizarre, and then when they finally find it, the Spanish, who have been searching for it the entire time like they were in real history, show up. They are shown a few times through out the movie, though they just kind of show up, and go away. Along with the Spanish, the method of the gaining the youth. I thought that it was supposed to be that you take a few sips, and done. I guess this is just an interesting spin on the myth, though it seems stupid.

The other thing I didn't like about the Movie was that they kept trying to kill Phillip Swift. He gets stabbed repeatedly, and should have been dead from the start. Also, the romance between him and the mermaid, who he eventually dubbed Syrena, was sort of ok, but it felt rushed. I say more mermaid time, and less time on Phillip Swift getting stabbed, and moaning in pain.

Overall, this movie is a must buy/download. (Yes, for a pirate movie I highly recommend pirating)  It is probably one of the best pirates movies, even though there is only if there is only four of them. There is a possibility of a sequel, thought the end sort of completes it, even though it leaves a few open ends in regards to Phillip. I say go for it, because if you're a pirates fan and crave more Jack Sparrow, you will not regret sitting down and watching it.

E-Readers: Ruining the Reading Experience

Everyone enjoys a good book. The turning of the pages, the new book smell, the printed ink; all componets of a good read. But it seems now, with the technology of the Kindle, the Nook, and other E-Readers like it now threaten the traditional reading experience. They make even reading go digital. Though going digital maybe cheaper, and the new trened now, I believe that reading should be kept to the pages of a book, and not the digital pages of a Kindle.
For me personally, I feel like I cannot connect with the digital pages of a Kindle. They seem so cold, uninviting, and heartless, while the pages of a real book are warm, tender, and caring. Reading on a Kindle makes me no be able to connect with the book, no matter how good the book may be. The turning of the page keeps me on edge, like what will happen next, while clicking the heartless buttons on a Kindle.

I'll be the first to admit, the technology of the Kindle is pretty awesome. Some models show each page in a non harsh way that is easy on your eyes, due to no back lights, or the thing that makes screens glow. The glow of a computer screen makes it hard for me to read manga online for hours at at a time, though the Kindle screen is easy for my eyes. Although no backlighting is great, I am sometimes left in the dark about what I'm supposed to use at night in order to read the Kindle. For a book, the answer is simple, just use a flash light, or a screen with back lighting, or in extreme cases, candle light. But for a Kindle, the question arises: Can I use a flashlight to read it, or will it act weird, like using a flashlight to see on an LCD screen?

Along with the fact of I cannot connect with the book, I like the feeling of being able to mark my place in a book by dog earing the pages. Even though it's a great debate among readers whether you should dog ear or not, I believe in it. However, with a Kindle, you have to rely on the fact that it will keep your place for you, and that someone will not mess up your spot. True, people can do that with real books, but you can always tell the last place it was marked because of the way the page was bent. With digital marking, there is no way to trace the last page you were on.

One of the reasons I am encouraged to get a Kindle (Which I won't) is due to the fact books take up space. Let's face it: People who love to read usually have book cases filled with books. (In my case manga) I like the feeling of having those books over run my house because I know I can lend them out to people, and usually get them back in prime condition. With a Kindle, you can't lend those books out without lending out the whole system, and if you do that, you're out of books to read. Although there is a chance someone would steal your books, I believe the chance with a Kindle is higher because it is a more expensive, newer piece of technology, and electronic.

Also, my biggest complaint about the Kindle (unless they have upgrades this with newer models) is that it can't   read manga, or Japanese comic books. As an otaku, I'll admit to the fact I have more manga books than real books on my book case, they over run my house, and I read them constantly. With the original Kindle, you can't load manga to it, and I think that it would be slightly awkward to read it. Would you press the buttons to the right to go "forward" in the book, or to the left to keep with traditional page turning? Also, since the Kindle does not display color, the color pages which I love so dearly would probably not be able to be shown.

Albeit all my complaints about the Kindle, and E-Readers, I will give them one positive thing: They make books affordable because you don't have to pay for the ink, the paper, the publisher, and other stuff required in making the book. The digitalization of the book makes it cheaper, and usually a book will cost about three or four dollars, a good idea for any of us going through hard economic times, which it feels like all of us are.

The Kindle is a revolutionary idea of taking books, and making them digital, but in that movement, i feel like some of the meaning behind reading is lost. You can read how ever you want though, whether is be a book or a Kindle, as long as you read, then you are just making your self better, though I prefer books.

Tower Heist

In recent times, it seems that money scams are more and more common. They're juicy, press filled, and have to deal with the financial woes of those that they hurt, much like today's world. Along with scams, are people wanting to get even with those scammers, even if it isn't exactly legal. Tower Heist is a movie about a rich person profiting by scamming his "servants" and profiting from it, and the "servants" wanting to get even.

The movie starts off with Arthur Shaw, a wealthy business man,playing against one of his hotel staff, Josh Kovacs, in a game of online chess. As Kovacs arrives at work, he meets up with Shaw, who then tells him check mate, referring to the game.When Kovacs enters the hotel, you meet the other members of the cast, such as Lester, the doorman, Odessa, the maid from Jamaica, Enrique, the new guy at the hotel, Mr. Fitzhugh, the resident evictee, and Charlie, the guy that doesn't know anything about the people he serves. The job of Kovacs and the staff is to make sure the residents are happy, by complimenting them, bring them food, and cleaning their rooms and such.
Along the line, the FBI comes in and bust Shaw for stealing money, and for investment scams. Lester, along with many of the other employees, had invested all of their money with Shaw, with the promise of tripling their funds, has just lost everything. Lester actually tried to commit suicide, which prompted Kovacs to do something about the lost money. He then goes up into Shaw's apartment and proceeds to beat the crap out of the car, before getting him let go from the staff.
Kovacs thhen gathers a gang of people to break into Shaws penthouse apartment, which at this point in the movie, Shaw has returned to under house arrest. Along with Shaw being in the apartment, it is now guarded by two FBI agents, and video cameras. Kovacs enlists the help of Fitzhugh, the evictee and also a genius mathematician, Enrique, the new hired person,Charlie, the guy along for the ride, and Slide, the crook from the same neighborhood as Kovacs. They first start off by showing Slide that they can steal, so Slide challenges them to steal $50 worth of stuff from the mall.
Along the way, Kovacs meets up with the FBI agent in charge of the case, Agent Denham. She provides Kovacs with footage of him beating the car that was in Shaw's living room, but before that they go out and get some drinks. She tells him that the court date for Shaw had been changed to the same day as the Macy's Parade.
Before breaking into the pent house, they recruited Odessa, who can break into just about any safe, which they suspect there being a safe in the pent house with the money in it. They go in the hotel during the parade, while the whole staff is admiring the Snoopy Float, because they're infatuated with the beloved Peanuts character.
After they break into the Penthouse, the rest is for you to watch, because I will not spoil a majority of the good part of the movie.
All in all, it was a good movie, though I will admit that there were a few too many sex jokes. Also, since Eddie Murphy is in it,I guess I expected something funnier, but it was funny non the less. Also, the ending made me derp a bit, just because its like, wait, what? In the movie, some of the stuff that was pulled off was probably improbable, but I guess since this is Hollywood, physics, timing, planning and those things don't have to make since, as long as it sells. But, I will give you a hint, the ending is happy.

Justin Beiber's Baby: Is it a Scam?

In recent news, in case if you haven't heard, there are allegations that Justin Beiber fathered a baby when he was 16. Beiber has denied this allegation, though there is still some suspicion going on. So, what is going on here?
A woman by the name of Mariah Yeater, a 20 year old woman from California, claims that Justin Beiber, then 16, had sex with her back stage when she was 19. She was on the front row, and security randomly picked her to go back stage. Somewhere along the line, she got pregnant, whether by Beiber or not, but now claims the baby is his. Also, for Yeater's baby, there is no father listed on the Birth certificate.
So, what could this mean for Yeater and Beiber? For one, if this allegation is true, Yeater basically admitted to statutory rape, which is an adult, usually qualified as 18 or over, having sex with a minor. In California, where to alleged act took place, it is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18, and punishment for the act can vary on the circumstances. In cases where the older person is less than 3 years older, then it is just a misdemeanor, which is punishable up to a year in county jail in California.  Secondly, I believe this will give Justin Beiber even more publicity, even more than his girlfriend, Selena Gomez is giving him. I mean honestly. the kid hasn't released an album since 2010, even though one is planned for release later this year. All the headlines you hear about him are not how he reached the number one spot on a chart, or that he is going on tour. You hear bout paterneity tests and him going on dates with his girlfriend.

As for Yeater, no matter the outcome, she will loose legally. If the baby is in fact Justin Beiber's, she could be convicted of statutory rape. Also, Beiber could have to pay child support fines. If the baby is not his, then Yeater could be convicted of slander.Along with that though, Yeater is trying to press charges against Beiber, for the birth of her son, which she claims cost her $25,000, because she is uninsured and is unemployed. She is also on Food stamps, as she was when she got the front row tickets to Beibers show.
All in all, I think this was a publicity stunt for Yeater, who needs money, and apparently some attention too. Also, I think that Beiber is using this stunt in order to make more money for hims self. Actually, this does not hurt him, unless the baby turns out to be his. But the only thing that he would have to do is pay child support charges. Also, I think that if it is his baby, then there might be some rocky waters between him and Gomez, due the fact she is waiting for marriage for sex, and that he is waiting for the right person.
In reality, this case spells trouble for all parties involved. The only winning situation, socially and legally, is if the child was his, and he admitted to having consensual sex with Yeater, and that Gomez accepts the fact that he messed up big time.

Toy Story 3-All Grown Up

It seems the big movie trend is continuing, even in the Disney and Pixar Universe. This time it was Toy Story that got it's second sequel. While the sequel wasn't bad, I will give Disney/Pixar credit: they made the story more impacting than the other two, and even made some of it down right creepy.
The story this time actually is Andy, the main kid going off to college. For some reason he has kept his childhood toys, because who doesn't feel a bit of nostalgia growing up. They show him growing up the way we sometimes see our selves grow up: through the mom's video camera. But finally we get to the big day: Andy is grown up, going off to college. His mom makes him clean out his room, stating that everything must either go into attic, donated, or thrown away. Andy decides to put the majority of the crew in the attic, and only taking Woody, our beloved cowboy, to college with him. However, Buzz and the gang were put in trash bags to be put in the attic, but due to a screw up, they end up on the garbage curb. They then end up at a daycare, and they're greeted by Lotso, a big cuddly stuffed bear. Also, they're greeted by Ken, with whom Barbie, donated by Molly, immediately falls in love with. There is a multitude coming to greet them, all of them friendly.
Woody was able to get out, in order to go to college with Andy, while leaving Buzz and the gang there. The longer Buzz and the gang stay there, the less friendly everyone seems. Everyone is basically held hostage there by Lotso and his minions.
One of the most memorable momeents in the movie is when Buzz Lightyear starts speaking in Spanish. It was kinda like Was that prgrammed in there the entire time? It was first brought about on meme boards, and now, its one of the funnier moments in the movie. Every time he talked, there was Mexican music playing, and he started being all romantic( Not like Buzz at all). He speaks only in Spanish, but luckily for you monolengual English speakers, there are subtitles.
 I feel like the creators knew somehow that the original audience, people around the ages of 14-19 would be watching, due to the tone of the film. One of the creepier scenes in the movie was a group of the Daycare toys playing roulette with one of the animal sound toys, the one where you pull the lever and the arrow spins and it plays the animal sound it lands on. Buzz then intrudes on them, and they hold him hostage. Also, the tone of the movie is way darker than the first two, even though the message is sort of the same. The reoccurring theme in all of the movies is sort of abandoment, though in this movie they took it to a whole new level, and even a creepy level at that. It was sort of like if they didn't get rescued, then they would die.(Wait, is that even  possible)
The ending to the movie is not what you would expect. They make it so the ending has you on the edge of your seat at the climax. Also, the resolution almost made me wanna cry. I won't spoil anything for you,but for all of you who grew up on Toy Story, I think you will enjoy the last (hopefully) installment of the series.