Shaman King (2021) First Impressions.

Well, this is interesting: I was expecting/hoping for/would have been fine with an uncut and subtitled release of the original, but instead; this anime is getting a full-on new adaptation directly from the manga. As a fan of the material and the previous anime, here are my first impressions on the 2021 version of Shaman King! The version I watched was the Japanese subtitled one (which I usually do when introducing myself to a new series); I will likely watch the dub later. So, let's get this started.

Promotional poster for the series.

While the original manga was not yet complete at the time of the original anime's airing; this one is a direct to manga adaptation. In many respects, watching the original is akin to watching the 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist; while watching this one is akin to watching Brotherhood.

With that in mind, the show does a decent job of staying true to the original manga. Though it's been a while since I've read it (especially the early chapters), I remember it quite well. The first episode, "The Boy Who Dances With Ghosts" does a good job of establishing the world, characters and the role of a shaman in the story. Though some commentators bemoaned the approach it took, I actually find this anime's fidelity to the manga and stark contrast to other series with a similar premise kind of refreshing. It's not like there are no dark moments, it's just this one uses them differently. 

Moving onto the second episode, "Another Shaman," it does a decent job of introducing Tao Ren, a rival Shaman and one of the first rivals of the series. Much like Vegeta, Hiei from YuYu Hakusho and many others; he starts out as antagonistic before later becoming an ally; and his partner Bason definitely makes an impression on some gangsters. "To show you the power of Bason- I CUT THIS CAR IN HALF!"

Anyway, after Yoh Asakura wins his first fight with Ren, we're introduced to his fiancee Anna Kyoyama; leading us into the events of the next episode, "Anna and Tao Jun." Admittedly, I was not expecting the confrontation would be this quick as a prelude to the first tournament arc, but I was kind of amused by the screening of "Lee Pyron" in "Strike of Fury" they took in during a training break. Name kind of reminds me of Darkstalkers.  Yoh's classmate Manta is also into Lee Pyron. Personally, I just saw the new Venom. Dune and Bond; working on getting tickets to Halloween Kills; but you do you. This also leads to another engagement with Ren's older sister Tao Jun, who happens to have Pyron as her spirit partner. Though, given the appearance resembles a Jiangshi, maybe it's more like Hsien-Ko than Pyron. I guess I must have Darkstalkers on my mind right now.

After that, the next episode is "Happy Place," where a local punk named "Wooden Sword" Ryu and his gang make a hideout in abandoned bowling alley known as "Funbari Bowling." He also unsuccessfully attempts to chide Anna for "living in sin" and come onto her; to no avail as he finds out about the arranged marriage and Anna turns Ryu down. Though, Yoh does at least buy Ryu a replacement wooden sword after the events of the previous episode. Again, I'm kind of surprised they accelerated Togakeroh's takeover of Ryu this quickly; but they do a solid job at showing why Ryu turns to a power he doesn't fully understand. Sure enough, Togakeroh takes the wheel; stabs Ryu's colleague "Muscle Punch;" and has a beef with Amidamaru. Of course, his attempts to blackmail him don't exactly work; but that doesn't matter as long as he has a shot at taking down Amidamaru. I would have liked to have seen him actually raid the museum for Harusume, but the ensuing fight does stay tonally close to the manga at the very least. Again, it's been a while since I've read these chapters; but once I saw what was going down, I did recognize these events.

Before I finish, one complaint I've sporadically seen and kind of have to scoff at is some questioning why this version hasn't taken more cues from modern takes... while simultaneously admitting they didn't read the manga. To which I respond: why would that be necessary? Personally, I like when a series can be revisited and more faithfully adapted when previous versions were limited by the time they came out (or, in the case of some versions of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure; considered such a travesty the publisher had them quite literally destroyed).

So, with that, let's wrap this up with episode 5; "Over Soul," in which Yoh is given a trial by Silva before he can enter the Shaman Fight. It picks up roughly where the previous episode left off, with Ryu temporarily staying at Yoh and Anna's place to make up for his transgressions. Harusume has also been reforged since then, but Yoh is now the one that must wield it (it's a plot thread I've seen before, but it works). Again, kind of surprised the first tournament arc is being set up this quick; but I am rather amused by Amidamaru sparring with the essence of his friend Mosuke. It gets a similar effect on me the memetic handshake in "Predator" does.

Overall, while this approach is not entirely what I was expecting; I do think this anime is a good adaptation at this stage on its own and as a fan of the original manga. I'm at least willing to see the remainder of this volume and the next course whenever it gets officially released. I just thought I would start this weeklong leadup to Halloween, since another anime I've been considering talking about didn't fare nearly as well. That's all for now, and take care everyone.

Chris Ayres dies at age 56.

It is with great sadness I report the death of Chris Ayres, who has succumbed to COPD at age 56. His girlfriend, voice actress Krystal LaPorte broke the news on Twitter. 

Ayres is best known as the most recent English voice actor for Frieza in the Dragon Ball franchise; and has also starred in series such as Fairy Tail and video games such as The Last Remnant.

As a fan of Ayres' work, I wish the best for his friends, family and fellow voice actors at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

Digimon Tamers: Runaway Locomon (2002) Revisited.

Before I get into this post, I honestly don't think the fallout of that table read this summer proves anything; much less the arguments that nobody is really making. Rather, it just proves that for the majority of fans of that series; it was a specific kind of followup that nobody really wanted, needed or asked for. Honestly, I didn't think Digimon Tamers needed a sequel, yet they keep trying anyway. The one silver lining to that black raincloud is that the disastrous script isn't canon; so my memories of the show will remain untarnished. That, and the writer has walked back his more divisive comments after fans reacted negatively toward the play.

This brings me to our subject today, the short film "Digimon Tamers: Runaway Locomon." It's been a while since I've seen it, and I only fairly recently found out it had an English dub that sees the cast reprise their roles (though it was recorded long after the anime itself dubbed its final episode). So, let's get to it.

Japanese promotional poster for the film.

While not feature-length, the film; much like the original pilot for Digimon Adventure; is an OVA with a larger animation budget than the show proper. Also, for some reason; the dub uses the Frontier opening, which I've previously stated would be more appropriate for a commercial jingle. I prefer the industrial metal sound of the Tamers dub theme; so let's play that instead.

Anyway, there are two major stories in this movie: one is the eponymous Locomon, who must be stopped from going rogue before he makes it to the Digital World; and the other story is one that is a more interesting one in many ways: Rika coming to terms with her father leaving her mother. It's admittedly not a bad idea to explore, but unfortunately; the movie doesn't do that much with it. I'm about to explain why.

At the same time, Takato and Henry are trying to plan a birthday celebration with her mother and grandmother; but Rika, predictably doesn't like being kept out of the loop. Of course, Takato is still trying to hide Guilmon inside a box like a discount Solid Snake; and another recurring problem with this movie is that none of the writing staff from the TV anime were involved, hence it being considered non-canon. Their argument is broken up by Locomon barreling through the station; springing the Tamers into action. (sighs) Kind of underwhelming given how the anime itself ended, feels kind of like a side story more than anything.

After digivolving to Growlmon, he and Takato start looking for a way to stop the train. While this is going on, Takato boards the beast in an attempt to slow it down; while Locomon just wants to run. That is something I just typed; and I once again lament how inconsistent this franchise's cinematic track record is.

Conveniently, Henry is with his little sister Suzy while all this is going on; and joins the effort to quell the chaos alongside Terriermon. The continuity of this film is also quite strange: Suzy has Lopmon with her, yet they don't seem to mention what they just went through in the digital world at all.

Takato realizes he needs to get to the engine to stop the train. Rika also sees Locomon from the hills and runs off toward it, with her opting to improvise when questioned about her plan by Renamon. This is another issue with the movie: even though this isn't something her character would normally do, they don't even delve into this behavior as unusual. I've made no secret of the fact that Rika is among my favorite characters in the franchise; so making her the focal point of this story should have been an easy win. Though I may not be as hard on this movie as I once was, unfortunately; that's not the case.

A digital zone opens in the sky (this movie was kind of ahead of the curve of using openings in the sky as a plot device); though I admit that I do kind of like this scene of Suzy, Terriermon and Lopmon riding on Henry's back. That is just simply adorable.

As the central control at the train station tries to figure out what's happening, Chief Yamaki enters the scene to take over. This movie may have a lot of issues, but hearing the audible chocolate of Steve Blum in the role is not one of them.

Anyway, Yamaki contacts his colleagues and manages to get ahold of Takato; giving him instructions on how to stop the train before it reaches the Digital Zone and a rundown of all the routes it's crossing. Admittedly, not a bad plan; and it is one detail that does show how their relationship has changed since the anime's start and this movie.

Beelzemon also offers an assist on his motorcycle; firing at the train with a shotgun! OK, movie, you get one, as he is my favorite Digimon after all.

The digital zone changes trajectory, and Yamaki now is working on trying to get the train back to the digital world before it can cause more harm! Elsewhere, Guardromon offers an assist to intercept the train with another engine! As previously-stated, the chronology of this movie is kind of weird. The fact Kenta and Kazu have partners, Suzy having Lopmon and other details kind of make me glad this isn't canon.

Less so, is how this film wastes a plot element which I think could have made for a really good story: exploring how Rika is dealing with the absence of her father. Her personality and attitude towards Digimon are both rooted in how he left home; and the day she realized he isn't coming back.

Anyway, the plan is to get off the train before it reaches the downtown area; but Rika; who got a whiff of something that leapt from Locomon's firebox has other ideas, swinging at Takato with a wrench! We're just about halfway through this thing; and I'm already wondering if she's going to be like the abridged Yugi and bust someone's kneecaps with it.

That said, this scene in Rika's memory is effective; especially with the song that she and her father used to sing before he left. This detail actually did make it into canon expanded universe material; and offers a glimpse of what this movie could have been.

Regrettably, the second half of the movie doesn't really reach that far; which has been a recurring issue with many stories involving Tamers made after the show's end. It's not quite like Young Hunters Leaping Through Time making Takato (among other series leads) a glorified Assist Trophy; but it still has this stock, "monster of the week" vibe to it.

Guilmon boards the train as Guardromon follows Locomon; and picks up Terriermon after dropping off Lopmon back with Suzy. I know that attitudes towards leaving someone her age alone are different on the other side of the pacific; but even in 2002, if I didn't know where my kid was; I'd probably have a heart attack. 

Guilmon busts down the back door with his flame breath; and Kenta comments that "he sure knows how to make an entrance." He sure does: watch him swooce right in.

Takato and Rika continue their brawl on top of the train, and Guilmon lets out another Pyro Sphere to get topside! With 10 minutes left, Rika starts sprouting spider legs from her back! ... I may have been going easy on this movie; but I'm not above admitting that's really dumb, especially after a previous story I looked at a while back,

This is actually the result of Parasimon, who is also attached to Locomon! Screw it- got other stuff I want to do on and off this blog and I'd rather not drag this out much more; so let's do this.

I will say this- the animation itself in this last fight sequence actually is pretty decent: not mind-blowing, but certainly not terrible either. Just wish the script was stronger is all.

Guilmon frees Rika; and the train is shifted to another junction point! Unfettered, Locomon turns into Grand Locomon! Gotta say- I actually like this design, and I would not object to owning a model of it if Bandai made one. That, and it reminds me of the album cover for Judas Priest's "Painkiller."

My usual joke about "Crazy Train" would have been way too obvious.

As it's a Mega level Digimon, the finale now revolves around trying to get the train to the digital world before it can cause further damage! It's also not a good sign when even Takato is mentioning how out of character Rika is right now. Renamon boards the train with her partner, and our heroes biomerge to send Grand Locomon back to the digital world! It was time for Locomon to leave: He had seen everything.

So, with the day saved; the film ends on Rika's birthday party; and though she's reluctant, we do close on her singing the song she sang with her father on her porch, reflecting on what has transpired.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Digimon Tamers; which still remains my favorite entry in the series after all this time. People have been speculating about a follow-up, but even though I intend to address this in the near future in greater detail; I don't think we need one. I certainly don't, and though this movie isn't the worst (it's at least better than the 2000 movie and that failed fan fiction masquerading as a script earlier this year); it still wastes a potentially good way to examine Rika's character and fails to live up to the pedigree of the TV anime. I'm not saying that it had to go as far as they went with Jeri's trauma and the denouement of the series; but this has been a recurring experience I've had with the franchise as a whole, and why I don't agree with it being the "better monster franchise." It has the potential to be better, and individual entries have been great; but that potential has more often that not, never been entirely realized. 

Given the disappointment of the 2020 reboot of Adventure (which I will also address in greater detail in the future), the distribution issues with the card game and Digimon Survive being delayed again till 2022 joining the compounding missteps I previously cataloged; Digimon is now a brand that doesn't automatically get me excited, and instead has to earn my trust with each new element. Ghost Game definitely has potential (I've seen the first two episodes and will know what to think after the third goes live); but in an anime landscape where it has to contend with the likes of One Piece, My Hero Academia and especially Demon Slayer (getting a 10% ratings share is quite impressive in this age anywhere), I can only hope it maintains its momentum. This also took a bit longer than I hoped, but I should have other posts hopefully out to you a bit quicker to help celebrate this spooky month. That's all for now, take care.

Pokémon: Secrets of the Jungle (EN) First Viewing Thoughts+ Zarude Encore

So, I just finished my first viewing of Pokémon: Secrets of the Jungle; here are my first viewing thoughts now that the English dub is streaming on Netflix.

First, I am pleased to say that my encore Zarude event has gone much smoother than the last time; since I was waiting to get mine for almost a year; and I finally got mine alongside a shiny Celebi. As I did before, I will be getting into some spoilers for the movie’s events; so this is your only warning to click away. So, let’s get started.

Overall, while not quite the breath of fresh air the last film Tetsuo Yajima (Origins, XY series) directed; I still consider it to be a good movie, and another worthwhile Pokémon movie all things considered. Though some of the CG vehicles are still a bit dodgy; the traditional animation is still incredible. The script, which Yajima co-wrote alongside series veteran Atsuhiro Tomioka does do a great job at conveying the themes of parenthood; childhood and identity.

I will get into greater detail about this in my full review; but this movie is still the opposite of “The Kanghaskhan Kid” in many respects. Notably; I was expecting the dub to cut the car accident that killed Koko’s parents, but they left it in. I guess the success of the Detective Pikachu movie helped with that; though it does give me some serious “Mission Report: December 16, 1991” flashbacks.

That said, the scene where Ash mentions his absent father is simple; yet incredibly effective for both the story and the franchise overall. I am satisfied with the result; and I look forward to telling you more in my full review later this year.

Though I am currently occupied with previous engagements on and offline; I will have my full review completed and ready to go out no later than Christmas Eve. That will be all for now, take care everyone.