Anime Review: Aldnoah Zero Season 2

I was a bit disappointed with the first half of Aldnoah Zero, especially since I didn't know it had a second half (it ended with a cliffhanger).  However, after seeing the second part of the series,  I'm happy to say that Aldnoah Zero is one of the better series I've seen this year.

The first season of Aldnoah Zero (Episode 1-12) was basically the setup phase of the story, detailing the relationship and history between Earth and Mars (or Vers, as they called themselves).  Earth is technologically backwards by virtue of Mars having possession of Aldnoah Drive technology (or their ability to construct super-robots, as opposed to the rather pedestrian terran mechs).

This first part also introduced us to the protagonist Inaho Kaizuka, boy genius with the emotional range of a doorknob and Slaine Troyard, Terran punching bag of the Versian nobility.  My dissatisfaction with the first half of this series lies was due to how one-dimensional these two characters were.  Thankfully this was mere setup and the second season more than made up for the lackluster start.

And boy, the second season exceeded all expectations: the relationship between Inaho and Slaine blossomed from mere 'acquaintances' to an intense rivalry reminiscent of the Amuro Ray and Char Aznable of the original Gundam series.

While some of the secondary characters (including Princess Seylum) were given enough airtime for their chacters to develop, the meat of the series lies with Inaho and Slaine's development: their motives and the actions and the consequences thereof were explored in detail; so much so that this is probably one of the more character oriented series I've seen this year.  

The art and animation are top notch, which isn't surprising as the first season was up there in terms of both.  But much as it was enjoyable to see Inaho and Slaine's mechs go at it, their respective stories is the highlight of the series for me.

I highly recommend this series, especially if seen in its entirety.  The interpersonal conflict between the two lead characters and the mech fights alone are worth the time you spend; having a half-decent storyline is icing on the cake.  If you love mech genres, then this one's a no brainer.

Verdict: 5/5 Must see!

Details:
Genre: Mecha, Politics
No. of Episodes: 12 (Second Season)
Date Aired: January to March, 2015

Movie Review: Poltergeist (2015)

I went to see Poltergeist thinking it was a horror movie; I was sorely disappointed.  Even compared to the latest Insidious (the third part), which set a pretty low bar as far as American scare-fests go, Poltergeist was even less scary.  Sure, there were some jump-from-your-seat moments, often involving loud noises and hands over children's shoulders.  There were some semi-disturbing imageries but the inclusion of numerous CG effects really detracted from the visceral aspects of more practical-oriented (read as: cheap) effects (think the first Insidious, or the first Paranormal Activity).

However, if you think of Poltergeist as a suburban Sci-Fi / Light-horror genre mashup, it becomes a bit more palatable.

I never really like it when horror films over-explain themselves; sometimes the scariest things are things implied by the filmmakers, as opposed to something spoon-fed.  This is why Japanese or Asian horror in general works for me: they don't give a too-too elaborate backstory, scary shit just happens, deal with it!  I remember having to shower with my eyes open for months on end or not looking at my monitor's reflection (back in the days of CRT monitors) because I might see something that I did not want to see, or feel a hand helping me shampoo my hair.  I fed my own scares, and it left me scarred and scared years down the line.

Poltergeist spoon feeds you: everything has an explanation; everything happens for a reason; everything has a step-by-step guide towards solving the issue at hand.  This attitude is very American in my view, as opposed to the usual Asian attitude of "lets just get the fuck out of here".

I've never seen the original Poltergeist in its entirety; I seem to associate it with a scene where, after chewing a drumstick, this guy tasted something wrong with his midnight snack and ended up looking down towards his maggot encrusted piece of chicken.  This scared me enough to keep me away from breaded chicken drumsticks for a few years (hey, I was a kid then).  I remember the TV part and some kids and something something something happened and, well, let me just say that I'm not sure how much this 'reboot' stuck to the original in terms of story.  But I do believe that the original Poltergeist was also a a Sci-Fi / horror mashup, since they seem to stick with the idea that ghosts or entities have physically explainable (and even repeatable) manifestations.

Even with the sci-fi angle, I find it hard to recommend spending 250 pesos of your money and watching it in a moviehouse -- it's just not worth it.  As a rental though, it might be good enough, or maybe via iFlix, should they decide to carry it.

Verdict: 1/5 Don't bother.

Details:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1029360/
Notable Actors: That guy from Moon
Release date: June 24, 2015
Seen at: Eastwood Cinemawalk

Anime Review: Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance)

It took me a while to finish watching Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance); there was always something more flashy and seemingly more fun to watch and it remained in my queue for quite a long time.  Having determined to finish my backlog before tackling newer titles, I forced myself to re-start this series once more.

ZnT tackles the theme of terrorism at its core; while Japan is hardly a place you think of when it comes to terrorist attacks, it is hardly a stranger to such events.  Of course, in the traditional anime way, you get kids involved, though this also has precedence in real life.

As the series progresses, the unique premise gets diluted by your typical anime tropes: boy geniuses, grudges from the past, high school kids save the world.  This isn't really as bad as it sounds, but I can't help but feel that the series went a bit downhill from the rather promising start.

Still, I love the art and the animation was top notch.  The pacing was good and the thriller aspect of the story kept me watching (even after I'm done with my elliptical session).  Interpersonal drama and a few lighter moments kept things from getting too dark and dreary, and the ending was satisfactory.

All in all, this series is worth your time.  It's not bad, in fact, it's above average.  I just can't help but feel that this series would've been so much more if it dared to risk more during the latter stages.

Verdict:
3.5/5 - Well worth your time

Details:
Title: Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance)
Genre: Realistic, Action Thriller, High School
Date Aired: July to September, 2014

Number of Episodes: 11

Food Review: Family Mart Agedashi Tofu Meal

Thank God I was able to take pics of this delightful meal; the guard told me (while in the process of taking pics to be uploaded to Fitbit) that I was not allowed to take pics of their food.  I didn't argue, but I'm guessing that he seems to be under the misapprehension that taking pics inside the store is the same as taking pics of the store.

In any case, having just devoured my meal (I was taking pics of the other meal in the ref), I was in a good mood and didn't argue the finer points of Family Mart policy (besides, I'm not sure if anyone ever won an argument with a security guard, short of one person or the other getting beaten up with an ugly stick).  Thankfully, I took pics before I finished my Agedashi Tofu Meal and, as you can see above, it looks pretty edible.

Serving Size
Now, my main reason for choosing this meal is two-fold: 1, it costs a reasonable amount of calories (424), 2, it had the most amount of proteins (18 grams).  My other choice was the Hainanese Chicken, and it was literally a few slivers of chicken with brownish rice; the tofu meal was significantly substantial in comparison.  The rice portion was a bit on the lean side though, probably in an attempt to keep the calorie count a bit lower.

Taste

The Agedashi Tofu tasted pretty good, and relatively faithful to the ones you encounter in Japanese Restaurants.  It came with meat (pork, I assume) and some spring onions.  It had mushrooms as well, which I managed to enjoy.  The rice was fragrant and is of higher quality compared to the over-the-counter ones you can buy.  Given the proportions of tofu VS rice, you could probably order another ball of rice and still have enough tofu to go with it.

One tip though, if you're bothered by cold spots in the middle of your tofu due to the uneven heating, you might want to ask the staff to heat the meal a bit longer.

Conclusion

At 150 pesos per tray, it's beyond my normal budget for daily meals.  However, given the taste and generous serving, I think this is just about worth your money.  There are a number of other options in this Fresh n' Lite series but they're all equally expensive.  The addition of nutritional information is a big plus (and selling point), but ultimately, this product will sell due to the taste and general health-iness, especially compared to other offerings.

I've seen a number of 'premium' meals in 7-11, and I'm hoping to try them out soon.  As it is, the Agedashi Tofu Meal will be part of my go-to meal rotation.

Verdict: 4/5 Expensive, but worth it!