Influence or Coincidence

Recently I did a review for Ergo Proxy. Upon searching the web for box art I came across this:

Being the Evanescence fan that I am, I found the similarities between Amy Lee on the cover of Fallen and Re-l very interesting. I have no idea if the character designers had Amy Lee in mind or if they even know who she is, but with many American influences as I have stated in my review such as American band Radiohead for the ending theme song, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. What is your take on it?

For those who don't know Ergo Proxy premiered in Japan on February 25, 2006 and Fallen was released on March 4, 2003.

Ergo Proxy Anime Review

In a world where people and androids are born and made for a purpose to be an active and useful member of society, what happens when that purpose is taken away?

Ergo Proxy is a darker set, science fiction anime with a color pallet to match. It has Gothic and cyberpunk influences as well as an apocalyptic theme. At times I feel like I'm not watching an Anime at all. The characters have English names, most if not all the writing is in English and while their eyes are larger compared to their nose and mouths, they are not the traditional wide, round eyes that have become synonymous with anime. Even the title song is in English, with an ending theme by American rock band Radiohead.

English influences aside, Ergo Proxy has a great story without any current nationalities involved. In a post apocalyptic world where robots serve their human masters and God like creatures called Proxies are hidden from the every day citizens in Romdo, Re-l (pronounced Rielle) is an investigator looking into recent murders with her AutoReiv (android) Iggy when she encounters a monster. This sets things into motion for Re-l, which she can no longer take back the knowledge that she has gained. Another main character in the series is Vincent Law who is an immigrant to Romdo and has lost his memories. When he meets up with Re-l they both embark on a journey to discover the answers that they are both looking for.

Because of the dark tones and feel, many if not all of the characters in this anime are struggling with some sort of inner turmoil. Many themes are set on finding the true meaning of oneself, even in a society that has people born for a purpose. Many questions are brought up, but few answers are given as they are questions which one must look within themselves to answer. Many people can relate to the characters in this way as we are all searching for our own raison d'être (reason for being).

Throughout the anime we see a lot of mute colors with little exceptions when a city is said to be lively and thriving. In one instant  Vincent is taken to a man's tower, who has saved him from a burning city. It overlooks the city that the man governs. The city is bright and thriving with lots of light colors, but as we discover that is not the case. With a flick of a switch the city is shown for what it really is: dark and crumbling with no one left. The colors play a key role in the feel of this anime, which I find important to point out.

Overall I find this anime to have important themes about one's raison d'être. But it is also entertaining with a sense of mystery and a variety of action scenes. Each character takes you on their own journey not focusing to heavily on one to give you a full sense of this world as all the pieces of their lives come together representing human kind. Mystery lovers will enjoy Ergo Proxy as it has much to discover.

Weekend Watch: Mod Nation Racers

ModNation Racers is a racing game for the PS3 and the PSP all about customization. This game lets you customize your avatar, your car and creating your own tracks. Even their website allows a certain level of customization. Go ahead and check it out for yourself: http://www.modnation.com/en_us/index/. This game shares the Play, Share, Create mentality as LittleBigPlanet. ModNation Racers comes out on May 25, 2010. This game is already out in Europe.

Google goes Pac Man

Today Google is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Pac-Man by changing up their logo in their normal fashion. What's not so normal is that this logo is a playable mini game of Pac-Man. As a gamer and someone who has a Bachelors in Communications with a concentration in digital media this excites me. If only more logos were this fun! Also it's noteworthy to say that if you play for a second time in a row and press the "Insert Coin" button Ms. Pac-Man will also appear in the logo allowing two players buy using the WADS keys or for a talented gamer to play both as once.

Weekend Watch: Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption is the latest game that is coming out from famed studio Rockstar, who has created the best selling but controversial Grand Theft Auto series. It is a spiritual sequel of sorts of Red Dead Revolver. It is a sandbox styled game with a Spaghetti Western theme. Players will take the role of John Marston who is free to explore the world of Red Dead Redemption. His actions will affect an in game morality system such as robbing and looting people or non-lethally taking down outlaws. This will in turn affect how the NPCs around will react to Jonh. It also features a third-person shooting perspective and period-accurate weapons. Red Dead Redemption is out this Tuesday May 18th for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles Anime Review

Magical powers, the ability to travel to new dimensions, a small fuzzy rabbit-like creature and an unspoken love that transcends them all. All that and more comes packaged in this 52 episode anime series.

Tsubasa is a heart warming tale about two friends, Sakura and Syaoran, who have been together since childhood on the verge of sharing their true feelings for each other when something mysterious happens. Sakura's memories are spread out through dimensions and without them she will die. Syaoran steps up and makes a deal with Yūko, also known as the Dimensional Witch among other things, to allow him and fellow travels to make the jump from one dimension to the next with the help of Mokona, a cute, rabbit-like creature with 108 special talents including dimensional travel. However for their wish of dimensional travel to be granted they must give up what is most important to them. In Syaoran's case he must give up all the memories Sakura has of him. So no matter how many memories she regains she will never remember Syaoran.

The story is filled with sorrow and laughter, which balance each other quite nicely. Sakura's loss memories play the largest role in the teams troubles, but the determination and strength they carry with them helps them over come each hardship they encounter in each new world. Add in a couple comic relief characters and you have yourself a story that touches your heart as well as your funny bone.  However the story doesm't end here and leaves you with their quest incomplete, which has you yearning for more. Where this can normally be a bad thing, they do not disappoint with a movie and a few OVAs to keep you busy for a long time.

The art style for Tsubasa is done in the usual style with great detail and beautiful scenery. With dimensional travel possible there are many different places for the characters to travel to, so the worlds and backgrounds are always changing, keeping it fresh and a pleasure for the eyes. The one thing I did notice though was that after watching this you will certainly want to watch the movie and OVAs to continue on with the story. However after watching Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles the Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom I noticed a bit of different styles as well as costume changes which took me out of the world a bit. The artwork in the movie is still nothing to stick your nose up at it, but it would have been nice to keep the same style.

While the visuals draw your eyes into all new worlds of magic and mystery, the music orchestrate the true feelings and natures of the place. Some of it is very peaceful, while other pieces show the true malice of a character. All of it fits very nicely together giving you the feeling of the epic adventure that was bestowed upon the characters.

I highly recommend Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles. It has a great story and characters you can really become attached to. As the main characters bonds forms between themselves you feel as though a bond between them and yourself are also forming. You grow with the characters and their relationships. They generally become characters you care about. Plus there is so much story here with hours of entertainment. The story doesn't get old and has you craving more, which they kindly deliver.

Portal

Portal is free on Steam for both PC and Mac users until May 24th, so if you want a piece of one of gamings most acclaimed titles, you'd be wise to hop onto Steam and download it now.