"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" Review

After this, no one can ever say I'm not a man of my word. Most likely by now you've seen at least a commercial for the show "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." I'm an animator so I attempt to give all animations a chance, but My Little Pony didn't have anything to interest me. As a kid I never played with the toys or watched the old show. As an adult I was annoyed that the toys were sleeked down to appear more "sexy." So when my friend Zach became obsessed (I'm talking image tagging, fan comic making, shrine in his closet obsessed) with this show I really couldn't understand why. That being said, I agreed to watch one episode, chosen by him, and give him my 100% unbiased opinion of it. Zach and his friend Alex agreed I should watch episode 15, "Feeling Pinkie Keen."

This story is about a pony named Pinkie Pie who has the ability to make predictions via twitches on her body. Another Pony named Twilight doesn't believe in this ability because there is no scientific explanation. Essentially it is a metaphor for faith versus science. It covers all the necessary bases to tell the story without going too deep. It's perfect for children and ends with a solid moral, though parents who believe in science over faith might not like it.

I love traditional and tradigital 2D animation. When the animators take time to draw frame by frame each image the whole thing just flows better. So watching these flash based motion tween style animations just feels lazy by comparison. Having only the person talking move while the others just react isn't good. It's not how real life works, people don't just stop all motion but blinking.

On that note, this is a great example of the detailed work that can be done in flash. When it's moving the animation flows smoothly and there are enough replacement pieces for each character to have subtle and over the top expressions. It does save time and in the end will help later seasons be produced faster. This type of animation isn't my cup of tea but, like the Erin esurance commercials before it, I can really appreciate when this technique is used right.

The design is...it's my little pony's...do I really need to say more? It's cute, brightly colored and adorable. The characters designs aren't doing anything girl based toys or cartoons haven't done before. What is really great about the design is the background images. They are almost always jam packed with unique objects making them full of life. The few occasions the backgrounds become empty that life is drained away. It's not a show stopper, but it's noticeable.

Each character has a unique voice that matches their individual personalities, but they do come off as overly stereotyped. The farmer sounds like a classic cow girl and the Pinkie Pie is the sitcom "blond." There isn't anything inappropriate or unsafe about what you'll hear. Each line feels like something someone would really say, but doesn't become too complicated to alienate children. What really makes this simple dialogue work is the voice actors energy. Without them this script would be a lot blander.

Although there is some entertaining wit, many of the greatest laughs are from physical humor. Whether it be a exaggerated expression or a Loony Toons style anvil drop, you'll be hard pressed not to laugh at least once.

Over All:
B+
This show is perfect for little kids, and by comparison to shows like Flapjack, Hanna Montana, Adventure Time, and most the kids shows out there right now, this is a shinning gem. It will be one of the shows that 20 years from now college kids will be talking about having watched as kids, like how my generation discusses Spiderman. Will I watch this show again? No, but if I had kids I would want them to watch it and gain some simple morals with fun stories. It's the kind of show parents can watch with their children and not feel like their brains are melting. They might even get a few moments out of it themselves.

And now to you Zach, fine, your right. It wasn't as bad as it looked, but your over the top obsession with it is...well over the top. I guess, like the Naruto anime, we'll just have to disagree. Now if they do a My Little Pony: Apocalypse Pony season, maybe we can talk.

Free Comic Book Day

Rabidly approaching is free comic book day...well not rapidly...at a normal speed really...whatever, this Saturday is free comic book day! This day always brings me to the question, WHY THE HELL DON'T MORE PEOPLE READ COMIC BOOKS?!?!

Seriously, everyone I know loves super hero movies and knows/loves the characters. Who didn't play and adore Batman: Arkham Asylum? Who doesn't love great art work and amazing fights with heart gripping stories? So it seems only logical that everyone would love comic books, yet many comic stores are going out of business and sales of real paper comics are going down. So for ten years now they've just been handing out comics for free once a year!

Also, digital comics are killing classic comic book stores...come on, having a nice book always feels better than some hard plastic contraption. And you don't risk losing all your comics from a virus or having your identity stolen when you spend cash at a store. Sure they take up space, but it's worth it!

So everyone get out there on Sat and support your local comic store!

Project Cafe Attacks

As many people out there know, the Playstation Network went down on the 19th as a result of external intrusion. This has created a very wide spread panic because on Monday it was revealed that the hackers who have caused this issue could have taken private information such as Names, Addresses and Passwords. Sony has done their "best" to fix the situation, up security and get federal investigations to find what information was taken. This concerns me because I'm a huge PS3 fan and have owned my system from day one! Luckily the lack of online play hasn't affected my gaming cause I tend to go solo anyway, but still, I want my private information safe.

Many theories have come out about the invasion, including the newly added Steam connection and hacker terrorist getting revenge on Sony. This has led FBI to investigate several people, Law suits towards Sony and even a U.S. Senator to address the issue. What people haven't mentioned much was a Security Warning that appeared on Xbox 360's and the sudden "un-banning" of blocked 360 accounts. Sure, Microsoft is claiming their in control and these issues aren't nearly as devastating as what's happening with Sony, but we can't just ignore this as a happenstance! These attacks could be connected and there's only one logical explanation...THE Wii 2!

Nintendo's recently announced system has been reported to out powering even the PS3 and was said to change gaming. We all assumed this meant some brand new gimmick, but what if Nintendo went too far this time? What if they made a sentient system? It would make sense that during its testing it would destroy the competition so only it could shine. It's taking PSN information so it can locate any customers it will need to control. It's showing Microsoft they aren't the super power they pretend to be. It's putting its rivals in their places before it even appears on shelves.

At E3 Nintendo may not just be announcing a new system, they may be announcing our new ruler!

3DS Review

That's right, I choked out the 250 dollars to get a 3DS, and I don't regret it! So lets address the obvious question first, does the 3D work without glasses? Hell freakin yes! The extra depth adds to gameplay in a surprisingly significant way, making it easier to judge attacks. But as many have said, there is a sweet spot you have to be in to view this effect, but it's not as small as most seem to think. You can view it from a comfortable distance without trouble. The only issue is you can't tilt you head. For any other system this wouldn't be a problem, but for portables that is an issue. This is far from a deal breaker when the effect is this good and can be turned off if you don't like it.

Another major addition is enhanced wireless, which may not seem like a big growth in this day and age, but the last DS could barely communicate with half the routers out there. This one makes it simple to get updates and will eventually have a full internet browser.

They also added a joystiq which makes motion so much smoother. With the option of playing old DS games with it as well you can more smoothly control even you classic titles. It's a standard on console systems that hasn't seen enough light in the portable world. There are still two screens, one touch and one 3D, and both have enhanced clearness compared to past systems.

Another great addition is street pass, a feature created to promote friendship and playing together. While your 3DS is in sleep mode you carry it with you and it communicates with other 3DS owners. It automatically swaps data and gives you the chance to gain bonuses from being social. While in sleep mode the built in pedometer counts you steps to and rewards you with coins towards games.

The software that's packed in is great fun. There's the standard mii maker from the Wii, but this time you can use a camera to create a more accurate adaptation. Face Raiders steals an image of your friends and allows you to shoot at them in a first person star fox style game. The 3D camera allows you to, you guessed it, take 3D pictures. Mii Plaza allows you to gather other peoples miis via street pass and play games with them. And last but far from least, AR cards allow you to turn your kitchen table into a game of mini golf or a battle against a enraged dragon.

The only big issue with the system is the battery life. It last around 4 to 5 hours and can be extended by lowering the brightness and turning off the 3D effect, but still this is a problem. If your creating a portable system it needs to last more than a few hours for those long road trips. Nintendo seems to be aware of the issue cause the back panel of the system can be removed to replace the battery. This implies there may be new batteries in the future.

The 3D works, the built in software is great, and it's a great enhancement from the previous system. Once a upgraded battery is released this system could be perfect.

Total Eclipso of Story!

So I finally got a copy of Eclipso, Hero and Villain in ONE MAN! It's an old DC comic from the 1960's about a man who when exposed to an eclipse (or any time light gets blocked by anything) he becomes Eclipso, the embodiment of evil! This character has become the butt of many of Tim and my jokes. Upon researching him I learned that later on in his comic book career he gained the power to transform other super powered people into eclipsed versions of themselves...which means villains. In his early life though, he becomes a villain and fights Bruce Gordon, his human alter ego. But come on, Bruce Gordon? Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon...seriously DC, new names!

Alright, so just from the premise, this is a ridiculous comic book. I mean really...how often do you have an eclipse so that he can even become Eclipso? And burst of light transforms him back...so trap yourself in a box and have someone shine a flashlight on you at the point you turn. Problem solved...but this world has more eclipses and random things that are "like an eclipse" that Bruce turns into Eclipso ever issue. And here's the kicker, you feel like you're missing information. Eclipso appears because of an unplanned eclipse, but luckily the last time he was here he hid his costume near by...cause he knew where Bruce would be week before? How? Can he see the future?

Now let's sum up the story of just one issue for you, and maybe you'll see why this is a joke of a comic! First few pages Bruce and his girlfriend are taking a vacation, and somehow she now knows that he is also Eclipso and they say they'll explain that next issue. A little odd, but moving on. They learn that his girlfriends father created a plant growth serum and it is spreading around an island so they are kidnapped to fix it. Bruce goes to crop dust the plants and fix the problem but gets attached by a giant robot then is attacked by his captor and learns that he is the Nazi villain who unleashed the plant growth. Then an eclipse happens and Bruce becomes Eclipso (but don't worry, his costume was hidden in Bruce's suitcase) and is saved by the Nazi, and is shown the master plan. That plan involved growing birds into giant monsters he can control. Eclipso doesn't like this so he steals he black diamand (which everyone seems to have) and attacks him, but a flash of light turns him back into Bruce so he's captured. The Nazi apparently knew Eclipso and Bruce were one and the same. The Nazi tries to run away and leave the captured Bruce, but because his makeup was running he gets mistaken for Eclipso, gets shot dead and Bruce gets freed.....ALL OF THIS IN 13 PAGES!

And this villain has come back to battle the justice league in a new short series...Old school comics are fun aren't they?

Prototype in Disaster

So I've tried to be accepting of all video games over the years. Even the most flawed games can have there up sides. Take Brutal Legend for example. This game starts out amazing but gradually gets a bit worse as poorly planned real time strategy aspects get added. It has many random glitches and some of the controls don't feel fine tuned. In the end, it's still a great game. The humor is amazing and after all is said and done you're left craving more. Somehow this amazing video game doesn't get a sequel regardless of a large fan base and great reviews.
On the opposite end of the review spectrum is games like Dynasty Warriors. After years of rehashing the same game with only better graphics, more characters and minor changes the reviews have fallen apart. Most of the games barely break the 50% rating and many fail at that. At the same time those games have a huge fan following and can be greatly enjoyed for mindless fun. As a result they get sequels upon sequels because of the money they bring in.
I thought I'd finally figured out how the gaming world worked, but then games like Prototype start to appear. Fairly recently they announced Prototype 2, but under what basis? The game had average to poor reviews and made average money for the creators. So where is the value in creating a sequel and not spending the money on something new?
Let me just say, I enjoyed the beginning of Prototype. Running around the city and destroying everything was a blast. There's barely any slow intro, your just thrown into a chaotic world and expected to battle. Each new power excited me, but around the half way point that quickly falls apart. The games challenge level sky rockets, but the controls and gameplay don't follow. You start spending 90% of your time running away to heal or get undetected just to run back, punch and enemy once and do it all over again. Even though your powers are constantly growing, you end up using objects and military weapons to do most of your fighting. What's the point in being a big super biological weapon if you're not going to use your powers?
The only redeeming factor is when everything is over and you've beaten the game you can return to simply running around and doing what you want, but even that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth cause I now understand all the flaws. Who can run straight up a wall but the second you try to go sideways you get unstable and go crazy directions?
I'm disappointed in the game creators and I'm more disappointed in DC for putting their name in this. I mean it's story is barely there and what is there is generic and predictable. You'd think a comic book company with years of experience would have stopped them at the drawing board and said "ok, we're out."
Now it's getting a sequel while great games like Brutal Legend, Zone of the Enders, and The World Ends With You are left twiddling their thumbs hoping their directors will come back to them some day. It's just frustrating!