Friday, November 29, 2019

Green Phoenix - Remembering My Little Pony

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic logo - 2017.svgOn the 12th of October, 2019, the series finale of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic aired, ending a nine year run of the show. While this will most certainly not be the last we see of My Little Ponies on television, especially given the cultural presence and impact of the bronies, Generation 4 has come to an end.

With ten seasons, multiple television movies and spin-offs, online video shorts, two feature length films (one in production now), and millions upon millions of hours of fan-created content, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is leaving behind a magnificent cultural legacy, one that will likely go down on the level of Star Trek or Lord of the Rings on its cultural and fan impact.

With that in mind, and with my own membership within the Brony fandom, I felt that a wonderful tribute I could give to the show which has done so much for me would be to reminisce about the show, the fandom that was born from it, and the impact that My Little Pony had upon my life in general.

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Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

News: Pokemon Global Link Shuts Down in 2020

After a decade of service, starting with the Black and White games in 2010, the Pokemon Global Link will be shutting down February 24, 2020.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Charinko Hero (Nintendo Gamecube) Review.



For many ages now, the schoolyard kids have argued about which kid's superheroes could beat up the other kid's superheroes.  Goku Vs. Superman.  Spiderman Vs. Batman.  Angry Video Game Nerd Vs. Nostalgia Critic.  (Although I don't know why kids would be watching them.)  All these (and many more) have been the topic of many recess time debates.  Today I tackle a verses topic that got turned into a video game.  Ultraman Vs. Kamen Rider.  I wonder how this will turn out?  This is Charinko Hero for the Nintendo Gamecube.  (Click on "Read More" to read the full review.)


Sunday, November 24, 2019

Red Prime Shard: Steven Universe Future Intro Pre-Thoughts & Promo-Thoughts



So the final series for Steven Universe titled Steven Universe Future was announced some time ago and it got a lot of us excited and curious for how this series would conclude.  We were first shown the intro for this series, and just recently, a promo came out.  I’m going to analyze the intro first, then analyze the promo to see how things may differ from my original thoughts and what was true to them.


Friday, November 22, 2019

Green Phoenix - Dragonheart Review

Dragonheart ver1.jpgLast week we covered 1998's Godzilla, directed by Roland Emmerich. I gave a very...colorful opinion on that film (especially given my love of the Godzilla franchise and Kaiju films in general). With that in mind, lets take a look at a film that on the surface should suffer from all the same flaws, but due to some very different circumstances and motivations behind the scene, comes off much stronger and remembered far more fondly.

Originally set up as "The Skin Game with a dragon in it...Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", Dragonheart was a film which could've been the great Fantasy film that Hollywood was waiting for. The film that The Lord of the Rings would eventually become. In another universe, this film could've been directed by Richard Donner or Kenneth Branagh, but instead fell into the lap of Rob Cohen.

As I looked into the background and production of Dragonheart, what we got instead was a film where greed and studio politics kneecapped the final product yet could not completely destroy the heart behind the original story.

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

VR Troopers Episode 13 Review - Dogmatic Change



We finally get a serious topic in today's episode of VR Troopers. Ryan Steele wants to convert to Hinduism. Oh, sorry, it ain't that kind of dogmatic change. Kaitlin wants to write an article about the local dog pound to encourage adoptions. Carl Ziktor, because he can, decides to mutate a dog so it can terrorize the town...and maybe curb future dog adoptions? It sounds like a pretty bad thing for Ziktor to do, so let us find out how the VR Troopers can stop it.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Red Diamond: Super Sentai World - Summary/Review



Here is an unexpected thing to be so easily available, a short 10 minute Super Sentai film that was shown in Amusement Parks and Special events nationwide in Japan back in 1994. Five different Sentai teams join up, with Kakuranger being the current at the time. It was shown as a triple feature along with Kamen Rider World and Toei Hero Daishugō, two other short films. Based on that, it can be easy to assume this flick was more for the events surrounding it than the actual film itself. However, just for the sake of morbid curiosity, let's click "read more" and take a look at whatever this will be.


Tuesday, November 19, 2019

News: New Pokemon Games Spark Backlash Amongst Fans

News: New Pokemon Games Spark Backlash Amongst Fans

From National Dex cuts, reused models of Pokemon from the 3DS era of games, to poor visual quality and even allegations of SS using the Switch's NAND as extra RAM (causing "bad batch" Switch consoles to brick), the new Pokemon games have seemingly not lived up to many gamer's representations of what a "good" Pokemon game really is.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Kamen Rider: The Bike Race (Playstation 1) Review. Simple Character 2000 Series Vol. 3



Finally! I am reviewing something from the greatest video game series of all time!  Yes, this is the Simple Series where you can get quality games for dirt cheap.  Okay, we are talking about a different kind of quality here.  A quality that's best described as being so bad that it's good.  There are a few exceptions though as some of the games in this series are really, really good.  Will this game be one of them?  This is Kamen Rider - The Bike Race and it is volume three of the Simple Character 2000 Series.  (Click on "Read More" to read the full review.)

Friday, November 15, 2019

Green Phoenix - Godzilla (1998) Review

Godzilla (1998 Movie Poster).jpgGodzilla is without a doubt the most famous movie monster of all time. With a consistent film release since his premiere in 1954's Godzilla. The nuclear powered dinosaur has appeared in 35 feature films and numerous television shows and comic books. And while the current iteration of the "King of the Monsters", produced by Legendary Pictures, has reintroduced Japan's most famous kaiju to American audiences, there was an earlier attempt to reimagine Godzilla for American audiences.

In the wake of films like Jurassic Park, with its groundbreaking use of CGI, there was a proliferation of CG-heavy monster and disaster movies that characterized the "Dark Age of Cinema". Big of effects, but oftentimes light on story, this period would see Godzilla return with a controversial new-look but a surprisingly familiar story.

But maybe a little too familiar.

From the directorial mind behind Independence Day, 1998's Godzilla would be the film that killed Godzilla to the majority of western audiences for nearly a decade. Despite a magnificent marketing campaign, the lack of original story, compelling characters, and effects that failed to wow due to their sheer ubiquity during this period of blockbuster cinema left Godzilla a dull, plodding, and even mean-spirited mess that is still mocked to this day in the US and especially Japan.


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Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Gekisou Sentai Carranger Ep. 1: Fighting for Traffic Safety - Summary/Review



This season was a real let down in Power Rangers, but that's not the case in Super Sentai. What we have here is a season that took a step back from the constant serious and dark writing that the older Sentai were known for and focused more on comedy with a driving safety theme. Gekisou Sentai, or Racing Squadron. Yup, some even refer to this season as a spoof. So, let's click "read more" and take a look at the first episode.


Monday, November 11, 2019

Jissen Pachi Slot Hisshoho Single: Kamen Rider & Gallop (Playstation 1) Review.


Today, I went gambling with Kamen Rider and a horse in this slot machine simulator for Sony's PlayStation.  This is Jissen Pachi Slot Hisshoho Single: Kamen Rider & Gallop.  (Try saying that name three times without blinking.)  (Click on "Read More" to read the review.)


Friday, November 8, 2019

Green Phoenix - The Saga of Tanya the Evil Review

Image result for saga of tanya the evilAs many of you might be aware, I am a man of many varied passions. I tremendously enjoy alternate history and the exploration and analysis of history in general. I also am a fan of, if a little picky about, anime and the fantasy and science fiction genres.

So imagine my surprise when I am introduced to a series like Youjo Senkai, more commonly known by its English title The Saga of Tanya the Evil. A series based on the light novels by Carlo Zen and adapted by some former Madhouse animators, directors, and producers, The Saga of Tanya the Evil is available for viewing on Crunchyroll.

While I have watched and do enjoy the English sub, I will using the English dub for the review of the series (as I feel it is of comparable quality). I will also be taking a look at the recently released film in my analysis of the series, as it effectively plays the role of the second season.

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Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Red Diamond: My top 10 Best Incarnations of Power Rangers



Here is a countdown I feel needs to be gotten out of the way. There is a lot of diversity when it comes to "best" seasons of Power Rangers, but this list is purely my opinion. Many people and websites will disagree and that is perfectly fine. One note, rather than "season", I'm listing "incarnations" because some have multiple seasons and this makes it easier. So, click "read more" and let's go.


Monday, November 4, 2019

Grass Cutter - Mutated Lawns (Playstation Vita) Review.


Have you ever wanted to play a game that's based on your fantasy of mowing peoples lawns for a buck, while your best friend's attractive mother brings you a nice tall cold glass of lemonade?  Well, this game is kinda like that, but without your best friend's sexy mother.  This is Grass Cutter for the Sony PlayStation Vita of all things.  Will this game be a blast or will it be less fun than watching grass grow?  It's a Sometimes You game, so it's bound to be one of those two things.  (Click on "Read More" to read the full review.)

Friday, November 1, 2019

Green Phoenix - The Monolith Monsters Review

The Monolith Monsters.jpgA few weeks back, I did a review of the 1977 killer car horror film The Car. Just like that film, I came across this week's movie through the hosted horror-comedy show Svengoolie (check out his website here).

And much like that film, I was absolutely enthralled by a film that represented the absolute best of a "so bad, it's good" kind of B-movie horror.

Released in 1957 by Universal-International, The Monolith Monsters is goofy, campy, and wholly ridiculous in both its premise and execution. And it was considered just as much back when it was first made as well.

But just like The Car, I found myself innately drawn to rather unknown black-and-white science fiction film from the Golden Age of B-Movies.

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