January 2011
1 post
18 tags
Shonen Smackdown: Nakama
Introduction
Friends;how many of us have them? I’m talking bout friends; ones we can depend on. Friends is a word we use everyday. Most of the time, we use it in the wrong way. Now you can look the word up again and again but the dictionary doesn’t know the meaning of friends…
As many of you may have guessed from that...
December 2010
1 post
12 tags
Shonen Smackdown: The Villains
Introduction
As we discovered in our last installment of Shonen Smackdown: Return of Jafar, the heroes of shonen manga tend to be more powerful than any character in any story that isn’t written by H.P. Lovecraft (but I think Naruto v. Cthulhu would be a close match). The worlds of Bleach, Naruto and One Piece are populated by outstanding...
November 2010
3 posts
8 tags
The Reviewing of of Haruhi Suzumiya
Introduction
PICTURED: Five Normal Teenagers. Totally Not Lying
If someone served me a large bowl of warm cookie dough, I probably wouldn’t complain (oh, hang on, I’m going somewhere). After all, if cold cookie dough is second only to frosting out of the can as the...
9 tags
Shonen Smackdown: The Heroes
Introduction
German literary visionary and author of Faust Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was once quoted as saying that “a shonen series is only as good as the kid swinging the sword.” Goethe is considered a central part of German literature and his status as a visionary is made more incredible given the fact that he died about 150 years...
11 tags
Game Review: Persona 3 vs Persona 4
Introduction
Let me preface this review by saying one thing; I love both of these games. So very, very much.
I admit, I never thought I’d find true love in a JRPG ever again. I thought The World Ends With You would herald in a new renaissance for JRPG’s on the DS but Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days fell flat and didn’t provide the...
October 2010
3 posts
21 tags
Shonen Smackdown: It Has Begun...
Introduction
“…yea, and it was writ that Akira Toriyama ascended to the heavens, cloaked in the resplendent majesty of Super Sayin Level 7 and withdrew from the world of Shonen Manga to let his protegees fight for the crown he left behind… ”
Book of the most Sacred Mangaka: Chapter 5, Verses i-iv
I’m not going...
6 tags
Manga Review: A Guy's Look at Ouran High School...
Introduction
Last time I checked (and I check every morning) I am a man and I, like many men below thirty, strive to be as manly as possible. A real hard drinking, weight lifting, bar fighting, football playing, bear wrestling, alligator surfing he-man to shame Prince Adam and the Masters of the Universe (+1 obscure 80’s reference). All...
6 tags
Dear Readers,
Hello, my name is Benjamin and I’m…an undercover otaku.
HI BEN…
This may sound weird to say introducing a video game and anime blog; after all, the neat little description box up there mentions that I should probably be doing homework instead of writing anime reviews but I feel like “undercover” is the operative word here.
See, with the exception of my...
