The Next Generation

Last Saturday, I hied off to World Chicken along Katipunan to meet up with fellow grafictionists Elbert Or and Carl Vergara for a little Comics Workshop. The participants/organizers of the somewhat impromptu course in comic-making are all freshmen from Ateneo, about seven or so would-be komikeros and manga-kas maybe. I started off the workshop with some talk about the History of Local Comics- you know, from the debut of the first issue of Flashpoint to the time when comics legend Whilce Portacio came and saw the wellspring of talent brimming in Manila in the mid-90s, asking the many disparate comic crews and gangs to lay down their respective individual banners and go under the single name of Alamat Comics.

Funny thing was, all that history just flew over the young 'uns heads- judging from the Scooby Stares I got in return when asking them if they knew who Whilce Portacio was. It was only when I mentioned that he created Bishop and worked on the X-men that they suddenly went 'Aaaaah!'

Anyways, after my florid speech about challenging them to be creative, different and innovative, I gave over the floor to Carl, who immediately launched into a more sobering series of subjects which included publishing your comic, the prospects of self publishing and how to do comics professionally or semi-professionally even if you have no budget (which is usually likely). Afterwards, we had some questions and answers, and wrapped up the session with some rah-rah talk.

One or two kept notes, all were very attentive and interested, and it was fun to see such energetic youths wanting to tackle graphic storytelling even though they weren't Fine Arts students (I think they were in Business Management courses, for the most part). Certainly, El, Carl and I were one in wanting to impress our own enthusiasm and passion for doing comics to the next generation. While I still think I have quite a few more years of still doing comics, we need to plant the seeds whenever we can.

The sessions will most probably continue for the next several Saturdays, and I will most probably keep contributing as long as I am able. It will certainly help my own need to motivate myself, as I embark on my own comics projects after a long period of inactivity. Thankfully, it seems that I'll be quite busy in comics for the near future. Perhaps the youth and energy of the students is rubbing off on me. Heh.

Anyways, the quest to tell stories goes on. Back to the gutters then, peeps. Back into the gutters.

Boy in the Hood



This is a pic of an Executioner, another one of the opposition in Kai: Unkillable. The Executioner itself is an amorphous, black oily mass- somewhat like an octopus- which attaches itself to humans, covering their heads and in effect suffocating them to death. Thereafter, the black hood animates the body via electrical impulses sent through the corpse's brain and nerve endings. The Executioner's possessed body typically gets extreme strength and resistance to damage and injury... the only way to stop it is total destruction of the body or striking the creature off via decapitation. This gruesome being is typically sent in as an infiltrator or assassin, since it is highly intelligent and cunning.

I've more or less mapped out The Enemy in the upcoming Kai book, and what can I say... I like them. The Resident Evil-ish group that's churning out these monstrosities and undead horrors is calling itself Dark Avalon, and I'll be threshing them out further in the near future. I'll also be working on new personalities in the KALI side, so Kai won't be entirely alone in this bloody conflict. Later then...

I am Legion



Here's a first draft design of a Knight of the Rose, one of the enemies that Agent K will be facing off with in Kai: Unkillable. Part Tyrant from Resident Evil, part Witch King of Angmar, part Minaton from Sinbad and The Eye of the Tiger... and a bit of H.R. Giger's Alien. Those are four of the scariest baddies I've ever seen in movies or games- so I think the pedigree is good. As imposing as he might look though, this sweetie is actually little more than a footsoldier, albeit more independently-minded than the more feral cannon fodder to be encountered in the War against Undead Terrorism. The really powerful and scary baddies Kai and KALI will cross swords with will be more human-like, at least on the outside.

More to come soon as it happens. Heh.

Toothsome Treat



A couple of days ago, I passed by Megamall and bought myself a caramel apple from a little stall called Sofan Treats. I've long seen these gooey sweets on TV and elsewhere, and so when I got an opportunity to try one out, I went for it. Basically, it is what it is... a fresh apple dipped in caramel and then rolled in various sweets like candy sprinkles, marshmallows, Gummi shapes and whatever else there is on offer. It looks quite intimidating, and to be sure, it presents quite a bit of challenge to eat.
First of all, it's an apple, stuck on a stick, weighed down by the added sweets. Biting on it is difficult if you insist on holding it like a lollipop- you may either crack the stick or push the apple off it, sending your ball o' sweets tumbling to the ground. The best way to go is to support the apple from another side while you bite, preferably with a napkin to keep from soiling your hand on wet candy. I'd imagine kids' teeth would love the challenge.
Anyway, how does it taste? Well, it's an apple with caramel and candy. That's it. Yeah, it tastes kinda good, but you get tired of it fast, and I'd probably just eat the apple up to where there's caramel, and then discard the sweet-less core. Afterward eating the apple, I had a really big urge to run to the bathroom and brush my teeth.

It's an experience, I guess. I'm not craving another caramel apple, and I doubt I'll ever purchase one ever again, at least, not for myself. It's something to taste, at least, but not a good thing to make a part of my routine. Not like Krispy Kreme donuts. Nosiree. Heh.

Collection of Carnage


Terry Bogard and the gang's all back for more action.

My import copy of Garou-Densetsu Battle Archives 2 arrived today, to my pleasure. The PS2 disc collects the entire Real Bout series, which includes Real Bout Fatal Fury, Real Bout Fatal Fury Special and Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers. These games, IMO, were the pinnacle of fighting action, art and animation for SNK at one time... the one series I held in as high regard as much as the Street Fighter III games from Capcom.

SNK took their old Fatal Fury games and injected a whole lot of visual flair and personality. It's a great re-telling of the Saga of the Hungry Wolves- street fighter Terry Bogard, his ninja-trained brother Andy Bogard and their best friend, Muay Thai champion Joe Higashi- as they battle up the ladder to reach evil crime boss Geese Howard. Oh, and of course tagging along for the ride is SNK's sex symbol, the bouncy ninja Mai Shiranui and the rest of the colorful Real Bout crew.

The characters and designs are awesome, the gameplay addictive, fast and furious and the overall package just excellent for both action satisfaction and retro-gaming reminiscence. Along with my disc of Streetfighter III Third Strike, this game pretty much completes my Retro-Fighting Library, now all playable on the PS3. The past is now safe in the present and future of gaming. It's just so fun to be a gamer these days. Heh.

Comics Workshop

I've been invited by some students from Ateneo University to conduct a series of Comic Book Creation Seminars/Workshops through the summer. It's been a while since I spoke before people to share my comic experiences, so I readily agreed with the understanding that I could only give time during weekends given that I have a day job. Well, apparently the workshops will be pushing through on Saturdays, and will likely include myself, Elbert Or and Carl Vergara as speakers to hopefully help give prospective comic book creators and manga-kas in Ateneo a start in the fickle world of local comics and publishing.

Exact details are still a bit murky, as well as what exactly we have to work with- like, how many students will be coming, what they already know and what they expect to get out of this thing... all I know is that the venue will probably be at the Katipunan area, which is fine since it's just a stone's throw away from The Sanctum. I'll most probably stay up late cramming to do some visual aids and slides before the week is over.

This should be fun. Heh.

Separated at Birth?


Bloody familiar...

It hasn't escaped my attention that Saya, the jailbait teen vampire heroine of the Blood+ TV series bears a striking resemblance to my own Kai. Both are hot Asian babes, both have black hair cut boyishly short and both have awesome killing skillz. On the other hand, Saya looks a lot younger than Kai, though is actually a lot older. Saya is most often seen in a Japanese schoolgirl outfit and exclusively uses a katana soaked in her blood to kill evil Chiropteran beasts, while Kai has a thing for skimpy battle-bikinis and deals death to enemy agents and rival mercs with just her killer bod (most of the time). Saya is normally a bubbly, pleasant and normal teen, while Kai is more taciturn, mysterious and a loner. Still, the resemblance is quite striking and I found watching Saya in action to be very close to how I'd see Kai animated, if ever that happens someday. Pretty cool. I've already started downloading episodes for my own collection.

Oh, and it's only a coincidence that suddenly Kai is all blood-soaked and gore-covered, just like Saya tends to be after a fight. Really. Honest. Seriously. Heh. Moving on...

Tekken 6 Tidbits


Finally, the secret's out...

An interview with Namco producer Katsuhiro Harada has revealed some juicy facts about Tekken 6.

First off, the controversy about new character Leo's gender is now apparently over- Harada has officially stated that he's a SHE. Now, why Leo (or is it Leona?) would cross-dress or pretend to be a guy remains to be seen.

Next up, is usable customization items... It's already been seen in the trailer where Bryan Fury draws his shotgun and juggles an opponent. Well, all characters will have an 'item move', though not all will be as effective- for example, Anna's item move will be throwing her high heeled shoes at her opponent. Wild!

All characters will have new animations. In terms of gameplay, many will have gameplay tweaks and changes- Lei Wulong's laying-down stances will now play differently, and will play more similarly to characters like Lei Fei and Shun Di from VF5. Marshall Law will move more authentically as a Jeet Kun Do fighter.

The most drastic change will be to Yoshimitsu, whose storyline will involve his sword losing power- he'll have to master a couple of totally new fighting styles, including a Manji-style 'Kenjutsu' style. This will make him even more challenging to use, thus branding him an 'expert' character.

Tekken 6 looks like it's going to be loads of fun. I can't wait to see more of this game when it comes out later this year in arcades and in early 2008 on the PS3.

A Taste of India

It's FRIDAY the 13th, but so far it's been a pretty swell day. The Salt Miners all got together and went out to have lunch at a newly opened restaurant across the street, New Bombay. As you'd expect, it was all hot and spicy Indian food like Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Masala, Naan breads and other exotic dishes heavy with spices and tongue-searing tastes. My own order was Chicken Keema, which was diced boneless chicken in a spicy gracy. I ate it spread-like on hot and chewy-crispy pieces of buttered Naan bread, which was lovely. Afterwards, we all had a taste of Indian ice cream, which came spiced with stuff like saffron- I described it as tasting like an ice cream Lush would come out with. Part dessert, part perfume, but pleasant and odd in a nice way.

Given that we're always looking for good places to have a nice meal, we'll surely be back soon in New Bombay. Once can't live on Chinese, Japanese, Persian, Mexican and Convenience store cuisine all the time. Heh.

Bloodthirsty


Taking out Zombie Terrorists is a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.

Kai, a.k.a. Agent K, is coming back for more. Kinda-sorta-probably inspired by recent bloody-good, desensitizing fare like 300 and the upcoming Grindhouse is this new story with the sexy high-kicking femme fatale. A lethal cult of crazed killers is terrorizing the world- bloodthirsty murderers who wade through gunfire like it was spring rain, leaving only the grisly remains of their victims in their wake. There's room for only one death-proof assassin in the deadly game of international espionage, which brings Kai and the Amazon Assassins of KALI in direct confrontation with hordes of undead fanatics and their mysterious master. Who'll be left standing? We'll just have to see in Kai: Unkillable later this year.

Hopefully I'll get this book ready by the next Komikon (if there is one). For the most part I've hit the ground running with this one, so it looks and feels good. FINALLY... the MADman is back to comics. And boy, does it feel good. Heh.

Quality Time

I've been waiting for this. It's Holy Week, the second longest holiday break for us workers in the Philippines. This year, it's five days of sweet bliss and restful lolling around. I'll be of course using the time to catch up on sleep and play Virtua Fighter 5 on the PS3, but I hope to get some more substantial things done during the vacation.

Getting to work on KAI Issue One. Yep, you read that right. KAI, not K.I.A. Since Agent K got her name back at the end of the Anthology, a slight change in the title seemed fitting. As before though, Kai is still in the employ of the KALI mercenary organization, acting as their Prime Assassin and taking on various deadly missions. The new comic will be another anthology, looks like, with short and long stories, but I think I'll be doing most of the work this time around (save maybe for guest art pinups).

Trimming the Unread Comics Pile. Yeah, ever since I started collecting DC Comics' 52, I haven't read a SINGLE ISSUE. I can't stop collecting it, since I've already bought too many issues, so I will try to finally find out what this post-Infinite Crisis title is all about. Heheh...

Getting down with DIVX. I've been having a ball lately, downloading stuff with Bittorrent, but I haven't really watched that much. Ghost Hunt and Black Lagoon were only the first- I should get to watching the other anime titles I've acquired, like the fighting game-esque History's Strongest Disciple: Kenichi, Feudal Era-action Bakumatsu Kikanetsu Irohanihoheto (try saying that three times as fast as you can), sci-fi action title Coyote Ragtime Show and more. Then there are movies I've long wanted to see but haven't, like Monster House, Eragon and Nacho Libre.

And of course, I just need the time to just kick back. It's been a particularly stressful and hectic past month, what with TV shoots, the relatives migrating away and other stuff. This outlet to get all that baggage away is long overdue.

Who needs a frickin' beach? I just need The Sanctum. And some snacks. And some pens and paper. And my desk, DSL connection, my gaming consoles, comic books, PDA-Phone, DVD library and I'm all set.

Happy Holidays, everyone. Now kicking back.

Ghost Hunt


There's creepy fun to be had in Ghost Hunt.

I was able to watch several more episodes of the anime Ghost Hunt over the weekend. I've posted about this supernaturally-themed title before, but not yet in-depth. Based on a manga, Ghost Hunt is all about the investigations conducted by the
Shibuya Psychic Research Institute, a small but talented group of paranormal investigators/exorcists/troubleshooters who investigate creepy cases now abundant in modern-day Japan.
The core group is composted of Shibuya Kazuya, a somewhat aloof teenage genius who is both the Institute's boss and head investigator. Bringing up the rear is Mai Taniyama, a first-year high school student and ghost story-lover who is more or less forced to become a part-time worker for Shibuya to pay off for some equipment she damaged. Then there's Lin Koujo (or Rin), Shibuya's mysterious assistant who has his own set of talents and secrets.
While not really a part of the Institute, a group of psychically-talented individuals are regularly called in to help in investigations; Housho Takigawa is a laid-back, fun-loving monk who often acts as a protective big brother figure. Ayako Matsuzaki is a beautiful but often haughty self-proclaimed miko or priestess who has the tendency to blame each and every case on earth spirits. Masako Hara is a 16-year old spirit medium and celebrity, and finally there's 19-year old John Brown, a friendly Australian teenager who is also somehow a Catholic priest and exorcist.

Now, while Ghost Hunt seems to be an animated version of popular paranormal investigation shows, it IS still an anime so there's your touch of romantic tension between the earnest Mai and the distant Shibuya AKA 'Naru' (Mai's pet name for her boss is 'Naru', which is short for Narcissist). While Mai and Shibuya don't seem to get along that well, they clearly have a bond, particularly since Shibuya appears as a kind of guardian angel in Mai's precognitive dreams regularly during cases, and she's plainly attracted to the handsome but cold genius. Further complicating things is Masako, who also seems to be interested in Shibuya.
But for the most part, this is about ghosts and hauntings, and the anime does a good job of establishing a creepy atmosphere thanks to nicely haunting opening music, liberal use of chilly sound effects and multi-layered supernatural mysteries that start off small but escalate in seriousness and magnitude as the investigation stalks its toward the case's resolution.

Ghost Hunt is divided into story arcs, or 'Files' which go for about 3 to 4 episodes each in length- there's been only one single-shot story ('Ghost in the Park'), which is played more for humor and light for the most part. The majority of the series deals with cases that range from a couple of haunted houses to a high school crawling with curses to a secluded villa that bears a striking resemblance to the real-life Winchester Mansion.

This isn't Ghost Hunters, where the usual trace of the supernatural is few and far between- the anime takes license and there is pretty much no doubt that ghosts exist, along with stuff like telekinesis, psychic powers, spirit beings and even demonic beings. To combat any particularly dangerous attacks on the investigators, the exorcist members of the group, Housho, Ayako and John, are usually able to use their faith and skills to ward off spirits, giving Buddhism, Shinto and Christianity equal powers. Shibuya and Lin also seem to have their own talents, which are revealed as the series goes on.
The series is mostly seen from the eyes of Mai Taniyama herself, who starts off with apparently no powers but is eventually revealed to have some sort of exceptional sense for danger (found out when during a test she manages to get all 1000 attempts of an ESP test wrong). But even more than any latent psychic powers, Mai brings to the table her kindness, honesty and uncannily intuitive dreams... special gifts which even the cold Shibuya seems to appreciate every now and then.

Ghost Hunt is a title which enthusiasts of the supernatural should enjoy for the likeable characters, intriguing stories and well-directed, eerie atmosphere. It's not an action-packed title, and the story arcs have a very deliberate pace to them, but anyone liking this subject matter should like tagging along with the Shibuya Psychic Research team on their many cases, particularly the last couple of story arcs- The Blood-stained Labyrinth is so far my favorite and the creepiest so far.

The first and current season of Ghost Hunt ended at episode 25 this year, but the manga is still ongoing. Another season of ghosthunting with the SPR would be pretty cool, I'd say. There are tons of unanswered questions and issues still to be learned and revealed, and of course more mysteries and enigmas to be uncovered.

So for a dash of comedy, drama, mystery and a whole lot of spine-tingling chills, go out and hunt down this title at your favorite anime dealers in the Metro.

Power Hungry

Ever since I posted about Adam Warren's Empowered, I've been looking around for it, and so have some other people. Well, so far it's not yet available at any comic shop like Comic Quest. It has been ordered by Fully Booked, but there's no exact date when they'll have it in stock. I even went as far as looking at Amazon, but they have it ordered and not in stock. Then there's eBay, but I'm not that desperate yet.

Anyway, I hope this means that the book is popular- my cousing Jeremy chimed in that it sold out in three big comic stores in New York. This may bode well for the continuation of the series, and more trials and travails for poor, popular Emp. In any case, I should have the book eventually. Everything comes to he who waits. Heh.

Mad Love

Making headlines right now is the news about a man named Yang Quinji, who recently committed suicide in order to persuade Hong Kong star Andy Lau to spend quality time with his daughter, Yang Lijuan. Prior to this final gesture of fatherly love, the man also sold their family's house as well as ONE OF HIS KIDNEYS to support his daughter's new lifestyle as a fan and follower of the HK superstar.
Though his daughter was able to actually meet Lau, the man was unsatisfied with the shortness of the encounter, and afterwards jumped off a bridge to his death after leaving a long letter asking for Lau to meet with his daughter again.

On one hand, I have to say that the old man's fanatical devotion to his daughter's happiness is utterly incredible and supremely touching. On the other hand, this is perhaps one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Like, is that the worth of your father's frickin' life? A frickin' MEETING?

I hope the daughter's happy.

Moving on.

Guilty Pleasure


The latest from Adam Warren.

I'm a longtime fan of writer/artist Adam Warren, and so when I heard that he's coming out with a new original trade paperback graphic novel, I was pretty intrigued. Instead of another chapter of his more established Dirty Pair series, this latest opus is a totally new creation- Empowered.

Labelled as a 'sexy superhero comedy', Empowered is all about the trials and travails of a beautiful but seemingly perennially-on-the-losing-end C-list superheroine named, well, Empowered (or Emp for short). She's got the unlucky combination of having low self-esteem and a rather scandalously skin-tight supersuit which leaves NOTHING to the imagination. And while her suit does give her quite a few super powers like limited invulnerability and the ability 'to zap things', it more often than not malfunctions, leaving poor Emp in sticky and often embarrassing situations. Oh, and the suit also has a tendency to get ripped and torn off, leaving the girl all nubile, helpless and exposed. Ooh.

Thankfully, Emp has a few true friends to look out for her- Thugboy is her new boyfriend who ironically started off as one of her enemies 'on the job'. Then there's Ninjette, a hard-drinking videogame-addicted kunoichi. Ironically, Emp's friends are usually 'villains' (or at least, former minions), while the ones who cause her the most distress are usually the members of Emp's own superhero team, the Superhomeys (particularly her spellcasting 'comrade', Sista Spooky).



Instead of one big story, Empowered is apparently divided into a large number of smaller vignettes, anecdotes and tales, almost like strip cartoons. The art, while still at Warren's ridiculous level of detail, is scanned from Warren's original pencils so has a kind of sketchy look that still looks incredible and expressive thanks to the detail and texture of the lines. The sheer volume of pages- about 248 or so- promises a lot of fun reading.
Along with Warren's trademark art is his sharp dialogue and writing, which is brimming with satire, offbeat ideas and innuendo. Needless to say, with some raunchy situations and almost-nudity all about, this isn't a kiddie book by any measure.


There's a ninja girl in the comic? Well, I'm sold.

This apparently got released recently under Dark Horse, so hopefully it'll be available soon. I'll be sure to pick this one up when it arrives at Comic Quest or wherever and whenever I find it. Expect a review or something once I get my grubby paws on this one.

High Stakes Gamble


Daniel Craig steps into 007's well-worn shoes.

I finally got to watch Casino Royale a couple of nights ago at home, on luscious widescreen. I've had harsh words before for this new Bond, but I also mentioned that I would keep my mind open on this latest 007. So, did the studio's gamble pay off in spades, or did we get a Joker?

Set as a sort of 'restart' of the James Bond saga (instead of following the established mythos of the previous films), Casino Royale sees a brash James Bond (Daniel Craig) in action, just recently promoted to the elite Double-O status of 007. This Bond is a stone-faced, ice-cold killer, relentless and physical... in fact, he spends a great deal of the film just running. At least as much time running as he does driving. The start of the film sees a quite remarkable bit of parkour (the amazing 'free-running' sport where athletes do incredible leaps, shimmies and steps to get over ANY obstacle in their way) displayed by one of 007's targets. The long chase is thrilling and cool, though for the most part Casino Royale is more of a quiet Bond film, the majority of the 'action' taking place in a, well, Casino. Hence the title.

The first part of the film basically establishes the new Bond- a newly anointed killer in the service of MI-6. This early he's already gotten the attention of M (Dame Judie Dench, reprising her role from the later films), and not always in a good way. Bond is not above hacking into his own boss' security access to get the info he needs. However, he's a relentless son of a gun, as unyielding as a bloodhound when he's onto his prey. Eventually, he's formally assigned to take on Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a self-styled 'banker' to the world's terrorists. But this isn't a simple assassination... Bond has to engage the scarred Le Chiffre in a high-stakes game of poker, staking millions of the crown's money to clean out the house and force Le Chiffre to turn state witness against his terrorist clientele. Joining Bond on the mission is the ravishing Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), a smart and sassy Treasury Agent who just may be the one woman to melt the ice-cold OO7's heart.

This is a very unusual Bond film- it has some intense action, but for the most part is leisurely-paced. The villain and plot aren't world-beating, but it's fitting for a first-romp for the new 007, and I didn't find myself bored at any point in the film. Daniel Craig acquits himself very well as 007- as I have always said, he looks more like a villain than a Bond, but I accepted him in the role midway into the movie. He's intense and has perhaps the steeliest eyes of any Bond, and he looks quite imposing. Easily, I like him better than Timothy Dalton, who perhaps shares the same 'grumpy' Bond flavor, at first glance. In the end, I look forward to seeing him again in action.
As for the rest, what can be said? M is M, Judi Dench is as motherly and bossy as always; Eva Green is hypnotically beautiful and quite a character (though her final resolution seems a bit abrupt), while Le Chiffre is menacing for the time that he is onscreen.

There are quite a few standout qualities to this latest Bond- utterly beautiful settings (this is certainly one of the more glamorously-shot Bond films) in almost every frame, pretty intense and well-done action sequences, and a surprisingly effective new Bond. An intriguing new take on the classic spy/action title, and that's all a Bond fan can ask for right now- well, aside from having SPECTER back. But I'll take it and I'll like it. Heh.

Bon Voyage

Today was the day that my sister and her family flew off to find their new life and future abroad in Canada. A few years ago, I thought we'd have the good fortune of growing up near each other, with their house being built right next to the main family's house on the same lot. But thanks to the uneasy economic and political climate of the country, they eventually decided that, for the sake of their children, they needed to leave the Motherland.
Months passed before their papers were finally ready and we counted the days to their departure. As I posted earlier, last weekend was the last time we'd actually see them in person. Last night, the kids called their grandparents and had a short chat. My Dad and Mom were of course giving them advice as grandparents would- To be good in school, to never forget to speak Filipino, to always remember that their Lolo and Lola love them.

We're not a particularly sweet family- we just don't express it that much in words or even actions- but inside, our bond as a family has never been lacking. This was the last trial. My brother and his daughters left last year, and this year it's my sister's turn. Now it's just me and my parents left in the nest.

I'll miss the Saturdays when Lea and the kids come over, to just hang around. I'll miss the kids, incredibly enough- the two energetic boys, David and Michael, and my sister's princess Catherine, who will surely bloom into a heartbreaker soon. I never really had time to do anything more than set up the PS2 or show them new anime every so often. Still, it was fun while it lasted.

The next time I see them, probably it will be us visiting them in Canada, hopefully in the near future. I hope the kids won't be too old when I do, and I hope they still remember their weird uncle who loves videogames and anime.

Wherever you and your family goes, Lea, take care and I hope you find the success and good fortune you deserve. I'll see you again someday. God bless.

Working Weekend

This weekend was a blur of work as shooting went ahead for a new TV commercial. Our new spot required that we shoot in a mall, so we were only able to do so after mall hours... thus Friday found us setting up and rolling into the morning hours of the weekend. Only a few hours break found me having to get ready for the second day of the shoot, late Saturday into the wee hours of Sunday morning.

It was unfortunate though, that this weekend was also the last time we'd be seeing my sister Lea and her family in the near future. They're all migrating to Canada within the week, so that is a big downer. Having the pamangkins around the house on weekends was something everyone looked forward to, even though the kids would usually spend the hours playing PS2 or watching TV. On the good side, I was able to spend lunch with them and, when the service came to whisk me away to the shoot, I was able to give my sis, her hubbie and their kids a quick but heartfelt goodbye.

I would have liked to stay longer, but work called. Perhaps I should have stayed, in hindsight. I should have stayed and spent the last few hours with them, perhaps ate dinner with them and said farewell together with my parents. But what's done is done.

I can only console myself with the thought that e-mail and webcams can at least keep us communicating, but it won't be the same without them here.

But it's all for the best, of course. That's what counts.

Moving on.

Avatar News

Still no word on exactly when the third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender will begin, though a recent interview with the Avatar creators on Scifi.com revealed that Book of Fire is pretty much mapped out to the season's climactic finale, where Aang engages his fated nemesis Fire Lord Ozai in an exciting, fan-pleasing final confrontation. Judging from how Avatar has so far excelled in awesome fight and battle sequences, I just can't wait.

Local Nickelodeon has fortunately begun airing Second Season episodes of Avatar, so hopefully this is another sign that the next leg in the Avatar saga is coming very soon.

Sink or Swim


Revy and Rock from Black Lagoon.

I finally got to watch Black Lagoon in its entirety over the past couple of days that I've been stuck at home sick. Watching this gritty action anime has ups and downs, one 'up' being that I finally get to write another anime review!

Black Lagoon has so far seen 2 seasons, at 12 episodes each. It's basically about the exploits of the Lagoon Company- a small but exceptional band of delivery experts plying the dangerous mercenary trade in the waters and lands of Southeast Asia. Yep, OUR neck of the woods. While BL is supposedly set centrally in a fictional island within Thailand, places in the Philippines are regularly mentioned, and one episode even happens mostly in the war-torn island of Basilan.

Lagoon consists of Dutch, the big black brother never seen without his shades and fatigues who serves as the group leader and proprietor; computer whiz and Jewish-American Benny provides the occasional tech skill and hacker know-how; super semi-psycho gun-wielding Chinese American hottie Revy is the main muscle. Bringing up the rear is the ultimate fish-out-of-water, former Japanese salaryman Rokuro Oyajima AKA Rock. To make a long story short, Rock was a former hostage of the Lagoon crew, but ends up joining his captors after his former employers labelled him expendable in order to safeguard their unsavoury secrets. From there on, Rock abandons his corporate life of kissing up to higher ups and pen-pushing and casts his lot with the fickle but generally merry Lagoon gang in the sleazy city of Roanapur.
He never really becomes a pirate himself (insisting fervently to keep wearing his short-sleeved white shirt and tie) but works alongside them as an account manager, translator, occasional errand guy and negotiator. In a way, he acts as the human heart and often unwelcome conscience of the mercenary outfit, the only truly sane mind in a place where money, power and the gun hold sway over everyone and everything. For us, the viewers, he is the anchor to reality and morality. His earnest and principled character allows him to slowly change his dubious pals- including the volatile Revy- to the slightly better. It even allows him to gain a bit of a toehold with the more dangerous players in Roanapur, including the leader of the seemingly invincible Russian Mafia- scar-faced superbitch Balalaika.

The anime has a lot of action- pretty much happening when the Lagoon crew go up against rival pirates and gangs. While pretty few in number, the Lagoon gets by thanks mainly to the deadly talents of Revy, who wades into combat with her two Berettas blazing, somewhat resembling Lara Croft with her double-handed, somersaulting, run-and-gunning fighting style. On the other hand, Lara Croft probably doesn't fight with an insane grin and dilated pupils, but what the heck. Revi is literally a one-woman army, and seeing her walk into storms of bullets without a scratch on her flawless skin thankfully never really gets old thanks to the animators taking the effort to make every fight scene new.

One thing that you'll notice early on is that everyone in the series, from the main protagonists to recurring characters to one-time antagonists and cannon fodder- are criminals to some degree, from dubious hoods to truly black-hearted souls that would not be out of place in Goodfellas or The Godfather movies. Sure, the Lagoon crew themselves are sympathetic bastards- Benny really isn't too bad, and Dutch is a nice guy for the most part... but Revy, cute and attractive as she can be, is remorseless, cold and downright scary when she's in her killing moods- at least she seems to mellow out as the series runs. On the other front, while Balalaika and her army of former Soviet troops-turned-gangsters may be allies and sympathetic comrades one moment, they can also be chillingly brutal and bloodthirsty murderers the next. The occasional flashback and revelation may make these bad-asses slightly more human and interesting, but make no mistake- they'll be at your throat in an instant if you get mushy on them.

Blood flows in this series, and a lot of it- though usually it's despicable arseholes who get fragged- from backstabbing pirates to Neo-Nazis to slimy Mafiosi and Cartel soldiers.
The most 'fun' arc in Black Lagoon is definitely the 'Mad Dog Meido' storyline late into Season One, where the Lagoon crew are tasked by the Colombian Cartel to watch over a kidnapped young boy- the only son of a down-on-their-luck noble family in South America. It turns out that the boy's father can only afford one servant- a maid named Roberta who soon is revealed to be a cross between a French maid and The Terminator. When the seemingly unstoppable, glasses-wearing Roberta clashes with Revy... you do the math. In the end though, there's a tearful reunion and pretty much everyone goes home happy- something rare in this gritty series. The anime is careful to keep the action grounded, never really straying too far into frivolity or caricature. Violence is a way of life for these characters, and they thrive in it since they have accepted what they are- killers and soldiers in underworld wars. It's not pretty, but it's fascinating at least.

Pushing the series' color to it's darkest though is the series' most memorable story arc, the Second Season's Hansel and Gretel Arc, where Roanapur is terrorized by a pair of gothic, vampire-like child assassins. A brother and sister team of interchangeable identical twins with indeterminate gender (though for the most part we do consider Hansel male and Gretel female), these two young villains don't just kill, they butcher, and do so with ghastly brutality. Eventually, they meet their own bloody ends with the same level of violence at the hands of Balalaika's Russian mob, and even though they're presented plainly as horrific, irredeemably twisted killing machines, they're still kids- and kids getting shot and slaughtered is never something you enjoy seeing (unless you're a sicko).

In retrospect, while the idea of Goth-Loli munchkins running around slaughtering people may be something only an anime would cook up, the stark truth that child-soldiers is a reality is pointed out in the show, by Balalaika herself to her subordinates as they grimly hunt down the young murderers of their comrades.

Despite the obvious unsavoury aspect of the arc, it's easily one of the best in the series, and ends with a fittingly dramatic finale. I liked the emotion Rock showed when faced with the twisted life view and bleakness of the child-assassin he finds before him, and how he breaks down and hugs the demonic child in a valiant attempt to exorcise her evil away and somehow save her from her self-inflicted doom. There's horror shown here in Black Lagoon, but somehow they manage to inject, through a 'normal', humane character like Rock, a warmth that keeps the series from going totally off the deep end.

Unfortunately, more often than not, characters are set in their ways, unable to alter their path often to their own destruction. As was the case with the Twins, this is also the case with the tragic Yakuza princess Yukio, whom Rock encounters during the final major arc in the Second Season.

All said and done, I would recommend Black Lagoon to fans of serious action-drama with liberal fan service and quite a bit of blood and violence- something like an anime version of Bad Boys, save with no cops and all criminals. It's a very mature title with all greys- interesting characters you'd love to watch and see in action, but wouldn't want anywhere near your home. Not a frivolous title, and while there is humor, it's all grounded and gritty like few other shows. Definitely an action anime that's a cut above the usual, and a rewarding watch.

Like Rock, watching this anime is like a walk on the wildside, but we're glad that while we dabble with the shadows and shades of grey in the bullet-riddled world of Roanapur, we can always pull back and enjoy the sunlight afterwards. Check out Black Lagoon for yourself at your favorite anime dealers in the Metro.