How time flies! Today we're going back to where we began, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, to look at all the DLC packs that got released over the past year! Does it add more value and fun to the game, or is it a trainwreck that GRINDS the game to a halt?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

END MUSIC: "Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: The last of the Blue Mask era. The Carbon Fiber mask was actually supposed to debut here, but with the difficulty of the subject and the fast-approaching anniversary date, I didn't have enough time to perfect the intro animation, so I saved it for the next review.

I knew this was going to be the subject for the anniversary since I finished the first review, and saw announcements regarding the DLC as I was finishing it up. After finishing RWBY V6, I booted up the game just to quickly check how long it would take to complete the DLC packs, and by the time I hit Clarence and Shirley, I knew that this was going to take a while, and I had to drop everything else I had planned to cover to try to finish this as quickly as possible. Had the AI acted more or less like they had during my look at the base game, this likely would have been done quickly enough that I could have squeezed SAOAGGO into Mid-March as a lead-in to this. This clearly didn't happen. Blame the ArFA-Sys and the other idiots the game saddled me with.

The most puzzling thing about the DLC is how they were released. Three single-mission packs ranging from lackluster to frustrating were released, following a single nonsensical plot, but the final, better yet still frustrating pack has its own story. They all cost the same. Only Dissonance of the Nexus, the one that has more than one mission, was worth the price, and yet it has the most controller-snappingly difficult boss of them all (I might livestream my final push to actually beat it, though).

Is it the worst thing I've played? No, not at all. It's still based on the solid SAO:FB base game, so despite the difficulty spike, everything functions properly, and it's somewhat fun looking for what weapons, skills, etc that got added will get the job done. The new condo, despite how annoying it is to unlock and upgrade it, was a nice touch. The requests could have been a nice expansion of the Sinon AMR Tiamat mission, but they just spawn bosses or NPCs that can jeapordize already difficult missions.

The results are less bad than supremely disappointing.

Today, we're returning to the world of transforming weapons and colorful names with a look at RWBY Volume 6! Does this Volume fix the issues plaguing its predecessors, or does it let them get worse?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

END MUSIC: "Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: It's concerning that a show only has great seasons every three years. I can't even chalk it up to the writers thinking in trilogies, because this Volume technically ends in a cliffhanger. It's just an odd coincidence.

As good as the Volume turned out to be, though, I have to actually dock a point, the more I think about it, giving the Volume a still respectable 8/10, tied with Volume 3. It's one thing to have the villains not do much, or go on a side quest to set up their next plan, but in Volume 6, they do NOTHING. The worst villain continues to exist because reasons, because we can't just have Salem be a decent villain after her backstory was spilled, we need to have merchandise and fan-art worthy characters pretend to do something.

Adam was never a character I particularly cared about (his overcompensating edgelord design bugs me), but I can tell when something is inconsistent. He was clearly meant to be either a major threat or, at least from earlier on, a morally ambiguous character, but now he's just a caricature of a creepy abusive boyfriend. His short did little to add any sympathy to him, so he was just an overall waste of time and animation.

The backstory reveal was probably handled as well as it could have been, going the route of just having an episode dedicated to it, rather than either a wall of exposition or a knockoff World of Remnant section dedicated to it. The idea that Salem can't be killed seems to telegraph that she'll probably be brought down through diplomacy, but we'll see how that goes.

With how little they utilize Weiss in general, I wonder if she should just get a gaiden miniseries. She's the best, well-rounded character with a great power set and no character tics, yet she's almost always relegated to being a utility for fight scenes. If an Atlas-themed Volume doesn't use her, then the writers never will.

I have no opinion on the Vic Mignona situation. I haven't followed it very closely, and will likely continue to ignore it unless it causes serious issues in the series' future beyond Qrow getting a new VA. I review media, not people.

Today, we're wrapping up the Godzilla anime trilogy with Godzilla: The Planet Eater? Does it end with a satisfactory atomic blast, or a black hole of disappointment?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Ending Music: "Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: The last of the instances where I stayed up until 4 in the morning for the sole purpose of watching one of these and writing a script right then and there. I hoped that when I rewatched the whole trilogy the next day that my enjoyment of the film wasn't a result of the delirium of being up so late. Thankfully, the film did hold up under a sharper, more critical lens. The film is very light on beats, in that there are tons of scenes of humanoid characters explaining what's happening, rather than just letting the audience enjoy it (a problem shared with the same year's American release, the otherwise excellent Godzilla: King of the Monsters).

The ending still sticks out to me as being very poorly thought out, even if the poetic intent was there. By nature, humanity will find a way to advance, with or without nanometal, and thus made the final sacrifice feel like Urobutcher forgot to kill enough characters throughout the trilogy, and decided to make up for it with that particular death.

The lack of any proper development for anyone other than Haruo, Metphies, and to a strange extent, Yuko is a double-edged sword. On one hand, this practice means that the leads get more focus, but on the other hand, this means that all the side characters become little more than plot devices. The film doesn't even have Shin Godzilla's excuse that all the humans involved are meant to be a colony of plot devices to symbolize the entirety of Japan being the protagonist against the titular antagonist.

The film is still the most solid of the three, even though overall improvements could have been made to the trilogy at large.

Today, I'm looking at an ACE Academy mini-sequel called Kaori After Story! Is it worth getting yelled at, punched, and called a pervert again?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: "A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one." It's not exactly the ACE Academy sequel I was asking for, but this quick read was great. PixelFade games are their best when they focus on banter and comedy. There's barely a plot in this one at all, but it's clearly not the point of the game. The point is just a quick revisit to the ACE franchise, with the most memorable love interest in a starring role. That said though, this does mean that they probably need another writer on board in order to come up with a more solid story for future full-length games (I'm looking at you, Ethereal Enigma).

I find it odd that besides Shou's phone cameo and a couple of name drops, the events of ACE are barely brought up at all. No choices are acknowledged, not even whether or not you chose Kaori to begin with (although that could have potentially implied TWO messy breakups between the protagonist and his alternate choice and between Kaori and her offscreen replacement boyfriend, so the excuse that "This takes place after Kaori's route" was the best they could have done).

I've figured out which season would go with each of the other girls in their hypothetical After Stories.
Yuuna: Easter/Spring
Valerie: Summer
Mayu: Fall/Thanksgiving
Just my picks. Maybe others would think differently.

Merry Christmas (and other assorted holidays)! Today, I'm looking at the highly-anticipated Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch. Does it live up to the hype?

All music comes from the game.

ISABELLE GLITCHES:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flIPtE9rULU (GameXplain)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc8rfwA9zmQ (Master0fHyrule)

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: Yeah, I work on Christmas. Similar to Attack on Titan 2, most of the difficulties I had with this one came from the long campaign. That's not a strike against it, I'm impressed with World of Light's scale. I'm no fighting game expert, so I'm not familiar with terms like footsies or mixups, but I had fun with this game. If anything, it's because Smash Bros is my favorite fighting game franchise that I have trouble with that sort of stuff (for more traditional fighters, I like Mortal Kombat).

There is a way to unlock specific characters through unwritten "unlock trees", but I didn't know that while I was spending hours grinding Classic Mode.

That follow up...heh...I'm aware of a few updates that have happened since this review's release, namely Piranha Plant, Joker, the stage builder, among other things, and I'm probably just going to wait until all the DLC fighters are out, or the game otherwise stops getting updates.

For whatever reason, YouTube was freaking out that day, and wasn't showing the proper thumbnail for a while. The default choices were Gary Oldman, my derpy face with a bunch of amiibos, or my final score for the game.

Also, I guess super-quick thoughts on the other games.

64: Still holds a place in my heart as the first console game I've ever played, still holds up today despite some jankiness.
Melee: I like it as much as the next guy, but later games that have more characters and modes are objectively better.
Brawl: I agree with the community about its lack of speed and clunky gameplay, and while that does make it my least favorite by elimination, I don't hate it at all. I still had fun with it.
Wii U/3DS: Was my favorite before Ultimate. I spent a lot of time training amiibos in it. I loved the novelty of a portable Smash Bros, something only truly realized now with Ultimate.

Meanwhile, though, this game is still a ton of fun, and I'm glad I don't have to sort through the footage of it for a while.

Today, I'll be taking a look at the much-maligned Attack on Titan Live Action films. Do they really deserve the hate they get?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: I heard nothing but bad things about these movies. Personally, I was cautiously optimistic about them after seeing the first trailer. I never had any screenings in my area, then the bad reviews came out, and I forgot about it. I didn't even know there was a second one. About a while later, I finally watched them. The first one has a lot of good qualities (mainly the effects), but the general tone and atmosphere was just "Yup, this is a live-action adaptation made for money's sake". Then I watched the second. It doubled down on the weirdness that the first film had, but it worked to its benefit. I don't even mind Shikishima that much. The funniest part is that recent events in the manga make certain events in this movie make perfect sense. Changes in adaptations are fine if the changed aspects are more interesting as a result. Otherwise, everyone's acting seems better, the action is great (as long as ODM gear isn't involved), and, as one kind commenter put it, it's a pretty solid kaiju flick on its own.

A common complaint I saw is how the effects look cheesy. Well, yeah, they are to an extent (Titan Eren's head looks goofy), but I watch and enjoy stuff like this all the time, like Super Sentai and Godzilla, and all these effects are actually in front of the camera!

Are a lot of the criticisms volleyed at these films valid? Yes, but not nearly to the extent that these are awful, awful films. The first is just mediocre, and the second is underrated. I stand by both scores, and at the same time, wonder what the Hollywood version's going to look like.

Today, I'm taking a look at one of the worst parts of one of the best franchises, Bionicle The Game. This is normally where I'd pose a question as to its quality, but you can probably tell by the thumbnail that this is a trainwreck. Let me show you why.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

END MUSIC:
"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: The first purely Western review (excluding animesques). Part of the inspiration for the name of the channel and the logo was the Bionicle franchise. I followed it since the beginning, and loved it all the way through. This game, on the other hand, was the first indication to my 10-year-old mind that not all games are all that great. It couldn't get the story right, and didn't have fun gameplay like Bionicle Heroes to justify not getting it right. The graphics I didn't care much about back then, so I was taken aback by how horribly they've aged.

Strangely enough, I beat the Tahu Nuva level very quickly, if not on the first try back then. Gamecube games can't get updates, so it's not like EA/Argonaut could push an update that made the level impossible. I honestly have no idea what changed that made it so difficult.

I'm curious as to what would have happened if the game had time to be developed to completion. The original intent was to have all six Toa Mata and all six Toa Nuva plus Takanuva be playable. How would they do the levels in a way that the Nuva level isn't just a retread of the Mata level? Would on-rails only Toa Kopaka and Pohatu have gotten proper levels like the others? Would the story be told in the proper, canon way? Would they fill in that weird void in Onua's head? Who knows. The deadline was concrete, given how 2004 was a flashback to long before any of the events of the story told thus far, so unless development started at the beginning of 2003, I suspect Argonaut was in an Anthem situation where they wasted too much time, hit crunch time, and squeezed out this abomination. It's the same publisher, after all.

From what I've seen of the leaked and repaired beta for the cancelled Bionicle: Legend of Mata Nui game, that game, with incomplete assets and all, far outclasses this one. Sadly, I can't get my computer to run it. Strangely enough, Lego didn't want that game to be released because it "failed to meet their quality standards", but THIS game made it through?

Today, I'll be looking at one of my all-time favorite shows, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, in the form of a Top 10 list! This was originally uploaded to YouTube on October 23rd, 2018, my 25th birthday.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

End Music:
"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

SOURCES:
Twitter Trolling: https://www.4gamer.net/games/130/G013023/20110617067/

Darker and Bloodier: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-30/madoka-magica-writer-urobuchi-compares-plot-to-al-qaeda

All Deaths Final 1: http://ultrajumpegg.com/#/column/0004/0029/02

All Deaths Final 2: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2011-09-07/interview-atsuhiro-iwakami

Runes: https://wiki.puella-magi.net/Deciphering_the_runes

Remarks from the Future: This is the bar. This is the standard to which I hold all other anime I watch. This is the reason why I couldn't just do a normal review of it (along with just the simple desire to try something different).

10) This was the most external research that I had to do for a video. I knew all these facts already, but I had to find where I learned all of this to prove I wasn't making this up.
9) I don't have anything to add beyond I still haven't seen an anime with such a neat and crazy artstyle since this one.
8) I wonder how many people that never saw the show became unnerved at the border after seeing what this son of a bitch has done.
7) *Insert obligatory WATCH THE DAMN SHOW line here*
6) Kyubey is the snake from Adam and Eve (or simply the devil in general), Madoka is the messiah, Rebellion almost paints Homura as a Judas-type figure.
5) I still listen to this soundtrack on a regular basis.
4) In hindsight, it's actually hilarious that the show's ending is a palate cleanser for the rest of its own duration.
3) I thought of this literally just now (June 2019), but I wonder how well a Kyoko OVA would have gone. Her backstory had a good beginning, middle, end structure and had an even more darker nature than even Homura's backstory.
2) Your Lie in April, eat your heart out.
1) I probably also could have added "and the entirety of Episode 10" to the title of this one, but her name alone covers it well enough. My last words on her allude to me not liking how she was handled in Rebellion, but it's a little more complicated than that. I plan on covering Rebellion one day, so I'll let you know my exact thoughts then.

Today, I'm taking a look at Crystalline, PixelFade Studios' second visual novel! Will it's technical advancements make it better than its predecessor, or will the lackluster story ruin it?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

End Music:

"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: Y'know, I never expected this one to get as big as it did. I felt this one was rushed, because I had to get going on the Madoka video soon after this one. I definitely could have talked more about the aesthetics, in particular, beyond just the admittedly impressive Live 2D. The sprites, even if the designs are on the nose, are very well drawn and detailed.

A plot oversight comes to mind in hindsight. It's established that Leanna has been in the Mage Knight business for quite a while by the time the player arrives in Terra. Why is she so naive? Prudishness is one thing, lack of knowledge is another. Maybe that's why her folks weren't thrilled with her Mage Knight job.

My thoughts on Amelia came off a lot more harsh than I meant them to be. I dug the idea of the student wunderkind quite a bit, but the execution was lackluster. She served to give information. I didn't hate the character, but she was definitely my least favorite.

In the end, I still had a lot of fun with the game, even with its issues.

Today, I'm taking a look at Nintendo LABO's third release, the Vehicle Kit! I'll also be testing how it fares in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

END MUSIC:

"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: This was the first review in which I had to slam the brakes during production because an update was released, the update being the first instance (same as the Variety Kit's motorbike) where the LABO Toy-Cons are compatible with a game outside the LABO software, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

As for the kit proper, this was probably one of the most lopsided kits from the lot of them, in that one of the main Toy-Cons (the submarine) is used for one extremely limited purpose: accessibility to the tiny water areas of the adventure map. I can't bring myself to hate it for that because the build was a lot of fun, with the gears being a nice touch.

The flight stick, even if it's a simple build and looks rather boring, feels intuitive and natural. I'd like to see some of the eShop arcade releases use it.

On the ending: I hate Mario Kart Wii with a fiery passion. AWFUL AI, crappy graphics even for the Wii, and overpowered items. I like it less than SMK and Super Circuit.

Today, I'll be taking a look at the much-loved and much-maligned Darling in the Franxx! Will the show's message about the importance of love and communication shine through, or will the rehashes of other shows garble it into incomprehension?

MUSIC:

"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Cherry Blossom" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: The biggest reason for the delay of this one was just coming up with a script. After finishing the show, I was somehow more conflicted and confused than when I finished NGE, one of DarliFra's "influences". Days were spent staring blankly at my screen just trying to articulate my thoughts. That "WAIT WHAT" in the middle of the video is the microcosm. The show was going so well, balancing action, drama, comedy, and worldbuilding beautifully, but as soon as the worldbuilding and backstories started spiraling out of control, the rest of the show followed suit. It found a way to pace things way too quickly, to the point where splitting the show into separate seasons would have made the show more COHERENT, but not BETTER, because the beats of the second half (with the exception of Mitsuru and Kokoro's subplot) were disastrous.

I should have known I should have passed on this when I had to recap large swaths of the story just to explain what's wrong with it. That's how confusing this got. I had to BREAK MY FORMAT to do this. I guess that sort of speaks to how good all the aesthetic aspects of the show are.

My personal opinion of the show soured a bit because of all this, but not enough to officially dock points from it. The show really does have its strong points, but the fact that it couldn't be made of only strong points is a damn shame.

Today I'm looking at a visual novel called Ace Academy! Is this a fun mecha-flavored comedy, or do the anime tropes drag it down?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remarks from the Future: The first visual novel review, and what a visual novel it was. Is it fantastic plotwise? Not really. Ace Academy excels in comedy. I lost count of the instances where I laughed my ass off.

The most interesting part of the game is actually the metanarrative behind the game's development. Apparently, only Kaori and Yuuna were planned to be romanceable, but fulfilled stretch goals in the game's crowdfunding campaign meant that all the other girls got routes as well.

Out of both Pixelfade franchises, the ACE franchise is superior, and Pixelfade themselves thought so too, releasing the mini-sequel Kaori After Story shortly after Crystalline's full release. Despite that, this game begs for a true sequel, thanks to its memorable characters, surprising amount of worldbuilding, and great (if not occasionally reference-overloaded) humor.

Kaori After Story Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUCqCUGXalc&list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC&index=11&t=0s

Today I'm taking a look at Part 2 in the Anime Godzilla Trilogy, Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle. Does it improve on the last film, or does it justify the falling box office numbers in Japan?

END MUSIC:
"Robo-Western" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:
ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: I gave the film an extra point based on me realizing that giving it so much flak for simply not having enough monster action was short-sighted. Shin Godzilla had around the same amount of Godzilla screentime, and had the humans doing objectively less interesting things than the humanoid characters do here, and it's one of my favorite films in the series.

Not only that, but the film's themes grow beyond the "nature conquers all" theme from last time, coming close to the 1954 original's theme of "this weapon will kill Godzilla, but if we use it, will something worse happen?" This was the main reason why the film got better in my eyes during my trilogy rewatch during the production of the next and final entry in the series.

That said though, my issues with the film's pacing, lack of proper character development for anyone not named Haruo, and refusal to have MechaGodzilla wake up for even a few minutes, still stand.

Today I'm looking at an anthropromorphic analogue of everyone's daily work lives, Aggretsuko! This one's really popular nowadays, but what makes it good?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: This one's a show that speaks for itself. Red Panda gets crapped on all day for one reason or another, lets out her frustration through Karaoke. We've all been there. Season 2's coming out soon at the time of this writing, but honestly, unless it's head-and-shoulders better or shockingly worse than Season 2, I doubt I'm going to review it. I wouldn't want a review that amounts to "This one is good too." I look forward to watching it for myself, though.

Today, I'm taking a look at a Netflix-exclusive anime called A.I.C.O Incarnation! Can my ears survive the questionable dubbing?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: I often forget I even did this one. This show left no impression on me. My only objective for that episode slot was "A Netflix anime". I picked this one at random. Its animation and atmosphere were decent, but the only memorable part of this show is the iffy dubbing and the not-Tachikomas.

Today, I'll be taking a look at the sequel to the surprisingly good video game adaptation of Attack on Titan! Will it be as good as the original?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the future: Hoo, boy, this one was fun. A funny thing to say for a game that decided to be the first game again for the first several hours, isn't it? This really only aggravated me from a production standpoint, in that yes, the game was fun, and it changed just enough of the mechanics to make repeating the first season of the show's story not feel boring, but I had a video to make, and the game was taking WAY too long to complete. I would love to have tried more of the multiplayer modes, but without the ability to use bots or having friends that play these sorts of games, I'm out of luck.

Seriously, the ODM control change screwed me up WAY more than I let on in the video. It's like jumping with B in a Mario game.

Today, I'm returning to everybody's favorite sacred/punching bag franchise to take a look at last year's Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale!

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Music by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech
"Robo Western"

Remarks from the Future: I remember when the most I knew about this movie was from the Ordinal Scale banner in the SAO: Memory Defrag mobile game (micro-review of that: fun at first, got way too hard, way too quickly). I wish that was all I knew. A lot of marketing for SAO highlights when series creator Reki Kawahara is involved in the writing process, but most of what he's done ranges from mediocre to reprehensible. In spite of that, I always give anything I watch or play the benefit of the doubt. Ordinal Scale, along with having a fractured plot, nonsensical motivations, and shallow fanservice, commits the biggest crime in entertainment: being a complete bore. Awful can be funny. Excellent is self-explanatory. Boring offers nothing. I stand by my score.

Today, I'll be taking a look at Nintendo's return to it's pre-gaming roots, Nintendo LABO! This week I'll be covering the Variety Kit, a 5-in-one package that showcases different applications of the Joy-Cons and cardboard. This was showcased recently on Jimmy Fallon.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Music by Kevin Macleod of Incompetech
"Miami Viceroy"
"Sock Hop"
"Jaunty Gumption"
"Ready Aim Fire"
"Sapphire Isle"
"Neo Western"

Remarks from the Future: I honestly didn't think these kits would keep getting made beyond the second one, but apparently, they've resonated with enough people to convince Nintendo to keep making them. I personally love them, but they're kind of niche in terms of appeal. Not all kids have the patience to build the means of playing their video game.

The motion detection is motion detection, it's been around since the Wii, but pairing of the IR camera with reflective stickers is one of the coolest ideas I've seen Nintendo pull off.

The nice part of Nintendo's dedication to LABO is that they've begun implementing LABO functionality into other games. The kit's Motorbike can be used in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which I talk about in the review of the Vehicle Kit. Shame they haven't come up with another game that can use the piano.

Today, I'll be continuing my coverage of Nintendo LABO with Toy-Con 02, the Robot Kit! This is a standalone Toy-Con and game released separately from the Variety Kit.

PART 1 HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyeI3iaiJyY

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Music by Kevin Macleod of Incompetech
"Eighties Action"
"Cyborg Ninja"
"Pamgaea"
"Noise Attack"
"Robo-Western"

Remarks from the Future: This is the one kit that keeps trailing behind the others as more get released. That doesn't make it bad, per se, but it still makes it the least desirable of them all. Funny enough, between this and the Variety Kit at release, everyone was hyped over this one. The big problem with it is the price: $80 for one Toy-Con, with limited game modes, with no way to do multiplayer without spending ANOTHER $80. Sure, the Complete VR Kit is also $80, but that has six full Toy-Cons AND some bonus items! I'd still be interested to see if Nintendo gives compatibility updates for other games for this thing.

Also, this is currently the only appearance of my green screen wall. If I had gone with the biweekly schedule I use now, I definitely could have made those scenes look better. I haven't used it much since mostly because the subjects I cover don't really call for it, but it may well make its return in the near future.

Lastly, a noisemaker? Really?

Today, I'll be taking a look at a wacky show about restoring a theme park, Amagi Brilliant Park!

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: This was a response to the AICO review, in a way. My only criteria for the subject matter for this video was "something I actually like". I originally discovered this show in a meme compilation where I saw Sento shooting Tiramie (https://youtu.be/-bmZeSBHpG4). After watching it through, I knew it was rather underrated. It's a damn riot. It'd be nice to see a season 2, even though the ending doesn't really lend itself to that happening.

Side Note: I doubt I'll ever review Full Metal Panic, but I'll certainly watch it on my own time.

Today, I'll be taking a look at Rooster Teeth's RWBY! The less I try to figure out what to call it, the better.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:
ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: Does this make me one of the dreaded "RWBYtubers"? Probably not, given that I only have two videos dedicated to the subject as of June 2019. The way I see it, the sign that you truly love a show is when you can pick out the flaws in it, no matter how egregious, and still enjoy it. In which case, I say, as a big fan of this show, that RWBY is the most staggeringly inconsistent show I've ever seen. When it's great, it's fantastic (Volumes 3 and 6, moments in 4 and 1), but when it's bad, it's horrendous (Volumes 2 and 5, other moments in 1 and 4).

When I watched the trailers, I expected a moody action show, something it wouldn't truly deliver on until Volume 3. Until then, it was the romantic comedy that a startling portion of the fanbase feels it should be, something Volume 1 had shades of (though it fell more victim to western school tropes more than anything else), but Volume 2 stopped the plot to fully embrace. If Volume 3 wasn't what it turned out to be, I would have dropped the show. Since then, though, every season has improved on something. 4 overhauled the animation, 5, for all its problems, had some well-acted moments, and 6 managed to balance the darkness that V3 fans like and the banter and lighthearted nature of the first two seasons. It's this constant improvement that keeps me coming back even after some of the worst episodes. I wish the quality could stay consistent, though.

Today, I'm taking a look at Godzilla's first foray into the realm of anime in my review of Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters! Will the largest Godzilla ever made crush all expectations, or collapse under its own weight?

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su

Remarks from the Future: Ah, yes, the Big G's first major foray into the anime format. All things considered, it was as good of an introduction to a trilogy as it could be, balancing Godzilla action with the backstories and motivations of the three races. Notice how I didn't say characters. Aside from the hot-blooded Haruo and the enigmatic Metphies, none of the characters here stick out, to the point where I had trouble figuring out what characters' names were (something I didn't even realize until the third entry). The most bizarre character in hindsight was Yuko Tani. Here, she's offhandedly referred to as a childhood friend of Haruo's, though supplementary materials say that after Haruo's parents' demise, her grandfather adopted him. Here, Haruo and Yuko act like acquaintances at best, but by the next film, she's completely head-over-heels for him. I'm not saying the latter should have been the case here, but they could have had the two characters be somewhat more friendly with each other now, especially since Yuko becomes the catalyst for two major decisions that Haruo makes later on in the series. While there are a couple of signs in this film that foreshadow this development, they could VERY easily be mistaken for simple friendship.

Also, you can't market the film having the largest Godzilla ever and then suddenly have him be barely the size of his 1954 incarnation without the audience noticing something's up. The true reveal scene made it worth it I suppose.

Unlike the next film, I stand by this score, in that it was a solid trilogy starter, but not without its issues.

Today, I'll be taking a look at a surprisingly good game based on a controversial arc from a controversial anime, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet! My review of the DLC is already on YouTube, but I'll post it here soon enough.

Remarks from the Future: Those who have seen my review of this game's DLC, which came exactly a year after this one, may have thought I really don't like the game. That couldn't be further from the truth. I was hyped for this game, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was, especially compared to the only other game of the series I had played beforehand, Re:Hollow Fragment. In the moments when I was warming up and trying to get back into it for the DLC review, I remembered how fun it was. Yeah, I had issues with the AI here, but it was fairly competent when I shut off that one "Clapping" emote that the ArFA-Sys had. The graphics were solid, the gameplay was fun, the only problems really were the lackluster story, and lacking multiplayer (which has since improved a bit). I stand by the score I gave it in the review proper, but I'm willing to give it an extra point for fans of the franchise.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mechbladestudios/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MechBladeTweets

PLAYLISTS:

ANIME: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HQHnNL-1V8bgLgdLoiWPK9e

VIDEO GAMES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HSv30mJuu4JCSq4ys7IeBzC

MOVIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTAg10e_pJ_DsHS59Ttrjue

MARATHON: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDHg5f27n5HTXfiRQuHgfYUsm17SCV3su