2015 Year End Top 10: the not so good

So now everything this past year was perfect.
Some things were downright terrible
This will cover everything (or at least games and Anime cause i didn't read any books that pissed me off this year)

Also i have 10 things... i can make top ten lists after all~

ok... everything is my personal opinion, i'm not saying anything is bad just that it didn't do it for me.

Onto the list.

10. Kurenai

During last years Rightstuf sale i took a risk with some cheaper titles that had interestign concepts.
Yeah i remember why i try shows out first now.
This show has a neat concept, guy has a demonic arm and works as a bit of a... odd jobs/mercenary type thing.
He's forced to protect this rich girl and it's about how she learns what it means to be less fortunate and he learns how to care for something instead of destroy it.
oh wait... no that was the better version i wrote in my head.
i mean she does have to live like a poor person... but he doesn't grow at all and just protects her... then cause it's Japan the girl falls in love with him (did i mention she's like... 8) and even though he says "yeah i'm waiting till your older" we end the series with nothing gained and just wasted potential.

9. Kuroko's Basketball

I don't tend to enjoy sports anime because they almost always get over powered and they have to win forthe plot to progress and they start naming moves and it's just so stupid.
But Kuroko was different... the music was amazing, they weren't overpowered and the moved went un-named.
that was until... the pass that only Kuroko can do was performed...
and it all went down from there.
The show became all about the Generation of miracles... games became 6-7 episodes long
the powers got dumber and dumber and the titular character was being left in the dust.
By the end of the final season i had to wait for the show to finish and just marathon it to get it over and done with.
it was painful... but i was so close to the end i didn't want to give up.
i kinda wish i just walked away.
oh well... Haikyuu wont do this to me will it?
will... it?

8. Nisekoi:

... it was pointless.
the plot didn't progress at all and just added silly unnecessary characters.
Like i get it's a  harem show but... things still need to move forward at some point.

7. Plastic Memories
I enjoyed elements of the show but part of me wishes it pushed it's concept a bit more... it has some fairly thought provoking scenes and does little to nothing with it. so this show isn't bad i'm just disappointed it wasn't better.

6. Parasyte -The Maxim-

this show is awesome rigth up until the end where it gets preachy and stupid and once again... completely tosses away a neat concept.
this is more my issue with zombie/parasyte story types in general because in the end... to have a satisfying conclusion you either have to get rid of the problem or kill everyone off in a blase of glory.
another show that dealt with this type of theme did a good job of ending on a final yet somewhat ambiguous note... parasyte just couldn't pull it off.
plus some of the design choices or rules just... seem incredibly convenient where it's almost to the point of taking away any sense of fear you may have for any character.
So if you do watch it... don't watch the final episode... you'll thank me.

5. The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan

We got this instead of a third season of Melancholy of haruhi Suzumiya.
Yeah i was a bit sad about it then but i figured it may be neat being in the other timeline.
until i realized not only do i not really enjoy Yuki x kyon... i really don't enjoy it when everything thats interesting about Yuki is taken away.
they took away all of her personality.... which is amazing cause her whole thing is she seems emotionless even though she really isn't.
I'm just sad... i want them to animate certain things... i want the ski lodge story....
I want to meet Kyons old odd friend thats been hinted at.
i want the final scene of the book animated... i want it so badly
and we are never going to get it
so getting this spinoff was just like a bunch of paper cuts really close together while lemon juice and salt is being rubbed into them.
and also nothing happens and it's all pointless so..... theres that too.

4. Blood Blockade Battlefront

I wanted this show cause damn that intro song is pretty... i really enjoy Bump of Chicken.
At best the show is a mediocre pointless anime trying so hard to be deep but showing is has nothing under the surface.
At worst it's a waste of time cause again... nothing is accomplished... you think something is but then the last scene says NOPE...
I don't get why this happens so often... why are some shows hell bent on wasting our time.
However Hello, world is really really pretty.

3. Charlotte

I am more sure then ever that Key/Visual Arts peaked with Clannad.
they had never done anything that good before (though i do like Kanon 2006) and all their titles after have been mediocre.
This one however crossed a line with me.
Spoilers: not all the characters survive.
this is something i tend to like in a show since most shows have characters covered in plot armor.
However this one particular thing happens after they don't survive and it actually triggered a part of my brain that i didn't realize would react that way... I just flew into a blind rage.
I nearly dropped the show then and there but i was pretty far into it.
but ever since that moment i was angry with the show... annoyed that it brought out such pure anger in me.... it made the rest of the shows rushed plot just an irritating nag of "i have better shit to do with my time".
stuff that could have been done in another 13 episodes is done in about 2 or 3.
I was happy when the show ended... and i honestly don't know if i'll ever watch a new Key/visual arts show.
But hey at least Clannad is stil lreally good (and actually better having watched it as both a highschooler and an adult)

2. Brandish

A falcom game?! on my top ten Not good things?!
well i would have put Ys6 here but... i needed it for the other list...
I barely got to play this... because apparently random dungeons + insta death traps + roguelike elements = Anxiety through the roof.
in the second 'area' there was a hallway with buttons and some would shoot arrows and on released a boulder and i had to guess.
plus monsters trying to kill me.
anyways i guessed wrong, and the stress of trying to get away and failing coupled with insta death plus really not giving a shit about the story pushed me into a mild Anxiety attack and i knew i could never play the game again.
I wanted to like it but hey... i helped by giving them my money... i don't need to stress.

*deep sigh* and the most irritating annoying disappointing thing this past year was!

1. Sailor Moon Crystal

So... while Sailor moon wasn't my first anime (Dragon Ball was) it's the one that stuck with me the most.
I loved it, i would run home from school just to make it in time (cause school ended at 3:15 and it was on at 3:30 and i live 15-20 mins away on my short little legs)
So when they announced they were making more i was happy.
and then it came out as a retelling that followed the manga i was less happy cause the manga is really rushed.
Still when it came out oh boy i was a ball of joy.
and then the transformation sequence happened... and i knew this wasn't going to be a good time.
still i held onto hope!
then the other scouts started to show up... completely devoid of any personality past being the smart one, the psychic one, the strong one and the pretty one.
they added nothing to the story, had no character and all had equally terrible transformations scenes.
couple that with the countless times that Usagi said Mamoru or Tuxedo Kamen... and the completely pointlessness of everything as we wait for sailor moon to stop whining and attack.
it was like the show was actively trying to beat up my childhood.
but the thing is... i still have the original uncut DVDs
it was the fix boxset i ever purchased and i adored every second of it.
it still exists... my childhood is still intact (well... mostly)
so even though this show is a blatant cash grab i'm still glad it exists... because it reminds me of the good times.
and yeah i'll cave and watch next chunck of crystal... maybe the girls wil lactualyl get some personality....
ha ha ha no probably not.


But honestly 2015 wasn't that bad as far as games and anime are concerned (at least for me) and i hope everyone has a Happy New Year.

2015 Year End Top 10(ish): Games

Only one problem.... i didn't play 10 games.

So some ground rules.
I beat these games, anything i dropped will be on my next list depicting the worst/most annoying things of the year.

other then that... this should be much easier then the other list.

7. Ys VI: Arc of Napishtim

I love Ys.
I do not like Ys 6.
But i figured when it came out on GoG i figured... maybe i was wrong when i borrowed Ys 6 from a friend and threw my controller.
more then once.
so i bought it... and while the Trails of Alma are not in this version (YAY) the game is still the weakest one in the series.
the bosses are lame and the music, while decent, is nothing special.
So yeah it's last on the list... because the rest of the series is so much better... and has no long jump command...

6. Luminous Arc 2

So i put this game down years ago
but i wanted to beat some of my back log so i pulled it out and found out i was only 3 or 4 fights from the end.
It's a bit of a mixed bag as far as music and strategy goes. it's not a bad game... it's also not the best game out there... i'm not surprised we didn't get the other luminous arc games. (though i wouldn't mind playing them)
i would tell you the plot but... uh... i don't remember.

5. Atelier Shallie

I was quite disappointed in this game... it was supposed to be the end to the dusk sea trilogy... i was hoping for some closure.
but between the lack of any closure, lack of some key game mechanics (the time mechanic specifically) and generally unlikable characters... i didn't even want to finish this game... let alone play the other campaign.
maybe The Plus version will be better.
it's got Logy so thats already an improvment.
i didn't hate the game... but was not as enjoyable as the rest of the series.
but still better then Meruru. so thats something.
i would say the whole dusk sea trilogy is a wash but... logy... logy's story was great... just play Escha & Logy Plus when it comes here.

4. Atelier Rorona Plus

I really enjoyed this... i know a bit of a jump from the other Atelier game.
it's not as good as Totori but as the start of the Arland it is really enjoyable.
now i get to wait for the new one to come out with a plus version... cause the plus versions are always better.
The story is about Rorona, who is running a new Atelier because her lazy master is too busy sleeping to do any work.

3. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

This game is unforgiving, the lack of being able to rescue or double move on a horse changes the strategy.  However i adore this series and even though this game frustrated younger me who wished to save everyone... this went rather well.
The story is simple and much like many other Fire Emblem but i'm glad i have finally beat this one.
Now i just have to beat the Wii Fire emblem and i'll have beaten them all until the new one arrives..
wish me luck because the console fire emblems are brutal.

EDIT 2.5 Splatoon

I didn't have this in my log of games i beat cause... it's a multiplayer games... you don't really beat those.
I am terrible at Shooter type games and even worse at multiplayer titles but i really got into splatoon and even got pretty good at it.
i haven't played in a while due to other games taking up my time but if you want to add me as a friend and play let me know! user name Raichana (cause i'm super duper creative like that) 

Ok so now we come to an impass.

3 weeks ago i knew what my number 1 was
then i played another game...
and now i've been thinking.
does the thing i waited 4 years for, a game that made me cry by simply playing an instrument... and game that consumed an entire week of my life... a game i personally thank the Loc. team for bringing over... still trump a game that bends genre and what a video game can be.

 Yes... yes it can.

2. Undertale

The hype for this game is a blessing and a curse.
I would have never heard of it or tried it if not for the hype... but the hype (and comparisons to earthbound) also drove me away.
Let's plays are the only reason i game this game a chance. when i saw that this game had shoot em up type combat... and an amazing soundtrack... i figured i could push aside the hype and give it a chance.
I'm so glad i did.
it's not long... but going into the game mostly blind was a joy.
a lot of people harp on certain aspects of the story... i think thats kinda silly... the game doesn't harp on them... it treats everything as completely normal and it's wonderful for that reason.
I said it in my ramble and i'll say it here... i hope there are more games like this in the future... i hope that this game is seen as somewhat important in the future. It may not be... the haters who have never played the game may eventually bury this... but i enjoyed every moment... it will stick with me.

Which leaves...

1. Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

And no one was surprised. At least not if you know me.
Having the other end of that cliffhanger finally resolved was wonderful.
and now that i'm playing Cold Steel (which i may add to this list if i get it done in time) i'm enjoying even more of SC.
The amount of times this game made me sob... Falcom needs to stop making me emotionally attached to certain instruments. It was worth the wait.
the wait was agonizing... and i was sure it would never come but i'm so happy it has.
it also introduced my new fav character Kevin.
who is the protagonist of Trails in the Sky The Third.
a game that we are most likely never going to see.
and my heart is broken... but i'm thankful for what we have... (but i'm greedy and want Zero no kiseki and Ao no kiseki and Nayuta no Kiseki and also Tokyo Xanadu [i'd be amazed if we don't get this one] ... just all the falcom)
I said it in my ramble and even got a reply but i'll say it again here where i know they wont read.
Thank you to everyone who worked to localize this game, the writing is spot on perfection and i just adored every moment. I hope you continue to do amazing work and from the bottom of my heart... Thank you Thank you Thank you.

Now i'm off to play cold steel... (well hopefully, who knows today has been a bit crazy)
Happy new year everyone...
I enjoyed 2015, here's hoping 2016 is even better!

2015 Year End Top 10(ish): Anime

Looks like i can finally work on some of these seeing as all my shows are over except a handful that go into next year and do not qualify for this list.

Also this has been the hardest top ten i have ever done.

Ground Rules:
All shows were watched Legally on Crunchyroll or Funimation or Daisuki, if your fav show isn't on the list it probably didn't come to either of those Sites... or i may have just not enjoyed it...

All of the shows on this list were finished by me in 2015... this doesn't limit the list to 2015 shows only... watched a lot of older stuff as well.

i'm going over 10... cause this year was actually full of stellar titles.



Honourable Mentions:

Trails in the Sky: Animation

While it's probably the most inaccurate title... as it only covers the first half of the second game (and completely leaves out the best character) i still had fun... just not enough for it to hit the numbered part of the list.
This i bought on DVD from Sentai~

The List:

18. Cute High Earth Defence Club LOVE!

I adored this show, the concept of magical boys was done so well and the humor was on point.
But the reason this is in the last place on the list is simple.
The company that is distributing it in North America is charging 70+ for 4 episode 'special edition'
except it's not a special edition because there is no Regular edition THEREFOR the special edition IS the regular edition...
but that aside i would never pay 70 for 4 episodes.
Season 1 of Haruhi Suzumiya came close to that honestly but in the end i always got the sets on sale.
It kills me knowing i will never own this show (unless the company which is stupid enough to think a japanese price scale will work in north america gets it's head out of it's ass and prices based on what we have determined market value)
I understand why Aniplex pulled this kind of pricing for madoka magica (which i would love to own but no... not for that price)... but pony canyon is in for a world of hurt if they think this show has that kind of pull (same goes for Rokka which is at best a fun but mediocre show)
Happy we are getting season 2... upset it'll never be on my shelf. therefor last.
You can watching on Crunchyroll.

17. Wagnaria!!! (Working!!!)

This show has probably the slowest moving plot of any show i've enjoyed... but this past season was great with an amazing amount of growth.
I'm so sad that it's coming to an end... one final special to end it all.  wait... it's aired...
guess i jumped the gun on this.
Okay, now that i've watched it I am happy, very cute final episode... btu i can't put this any higher since i needed to be in a certain mood to even watch it... still loved it.
I believe all three seasons are available on crunchyroll.

16. Summer Wars

There were so many good shows this year that would feel kinda bad for putting this much higher.
I loved this movie, it's probably my fav of this director (though the girl who leaped through time is stellar as well.) So yeah go see it, i wish i could put it higher but i can't.
I do love how it shows technology as something that can be used to bond with different generation instead of fearing it.
Got the Bluray from Funimation... i do think it's on their website but only view able if you are a subscriber.

15. Mononoke

A Visually Stunning Anime that should be watched at least once if you can stomach some of the themes.
Again this would be higher but i'm still upset about that final episode. But the art and music still make it one of the best shows i've seen all year.
I would describe it but... a medicine seller does stuff.... the art is lovely... thats all i've got.
You can watch it on Crunchyroll

14. School Live!

Rarely do i watch a show simply because of a neat concept but i thoroughly enjoyed this show. I went in expecting a terrible show about Moe girls in a club (where they never leave the school hence the title) and i ended up with a wonderful show about moe girls in a club (ok there is more to it but check it out for yourself if you want!)
You can watch this on Crunchyroll.

13. Kamisama Kiss 2

I love Paranormal mixing with Current times... and i love romantic comedies (at least in anime) so smash the two together and it's bound to be a good time. I mean who doesn't love the story of a human turned God falling in love with her familiar...
However this feel like a middle season... and i know we will eventually get more so yay for cuteness (and a better intro song) but still fairly low on the list. '
You can watch it on Funimation

12. Death Parade

The intro to this show is addicting... also doesn't tell you about the show at all.
and interestign concept animated beautifully with a heart wrenching ending that still has stuck with me.
However... and i guess this is a bit of a spoiler... but oh well.. i get a bit annoyed with shows that don't have much progression. yes plot happened but where they are at the end is not very different from the start. yes they grew but... it doesn't really matter?
it's tough... still that ending... *sniffle*
You can watch it on Funimation

11. Gangsta.

I never expected to watch this show... the intro is full of scantily clad girls and drugs and needles and just felt super dark and gritty which i don't tend to like since people forget dark =/= mature.
But after watching the first episode and seeing it was much more then a show about a seedy town with a horrible class system... it was also about being able to lead a normal live (or hell be better then normal) when some people may think you have a disability... it shows in so many ways how it wasn't a disability at all.
it's not higher cause it just ends
and then the studio filed for bankruptcy.
I will eventually pick up the manga but having this show end and then reading that the company had vanished too... that was probably the most heartbreaking event this year.
Anyways you can watch it on Funimation.... They did a simuldub so that probably means they are putting out the Bluray eventually... otherwise if they aren't who knows how long the license will last.

10. Dance With Devils

My mind was blown when this reverse harem turned out to be a musical.
and yeah not all the music is great but a lot of it is really enjoyable.
But it didn't stop there, it wasn't afraid to push the boundaries for what a show primarily targeted at girls can be.
There is a lot of blood and gore.
Not everyone survives the series and no one is brought back through the power of friendship or love (despite there being literal devils to make deals with)
It is still pretty fresh in my mind, maybe if this had ended months ago it would be lower but these year end things always have to deal with time.
You can watch it on Funimation.

Ok see now we get to the problem.
if any of the following shows were in a separate year from each other... they could all possibly be my number 1 pick.
but they all ended up in 2015... so this is going to be fun.

9. Is it Wrong to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon

Uh... this would be higher but.. i guess going on the anime alone it does leave some key world details that the novel goes in depth... and the cliffhanger ending is a bit of a FU but i'm sure that'll be resolved in another season.
The main thing about this show is that the title is terrible and doesn't do the show justice at all... the novel actually answers the titles question in the first line. "it's a terrible idea to pick up girls in a dungeon"
The show focuses around Bell, a new adventurer who seems to be growing abnormally fast.
It is a harem show in the fact that Bell, unwittingly, woos many a lady but it never goes anywhere because Bell is far too innocent (in the anime... in the book his mind goes there but he never shows it)
But yeah despite the stupid title the show is good and not as fanservicy as you would expect.
You can see it on Crunchyroll and the novels are available from Yen Press (i got them on ebook)

8. My Teen Romantic Comedy is SNAFU Too!!

This... this is harder then it's ever been.
This show... i know a lot of people find the main character a bit too depressing... but honestly i get him... i get why he acts that way and i've acted similar ways myself.
This show connected on a level this season that i didn't expect.
I cried a lot... not even when sad things happened... just seeing the reaction to his actions and feeling my heart break.
And yet it's so low on this list.... this year sucks... it was too good.
Watch it on Crunchroll

7. Seraph of the End

When i fist watched this show i figured i would bail pretty early.
I don't like vampires, the potential for being OP was just too real.
then i heard the music and the first words out of my mouth were "dammit this is going to be my fav show this season"
and it was one of them... yeah a lot of people find Yuu and Mika's relationship a bit close but whatever... people can't seperate love of ones family for love then thats their problem...
not saying it wont have a chance of going that way later i'm just saying wait till it actually happens.
Why so low? the endings to episodes were... well cliffhanger-y and i can only smash my head into my desk so many times and swear at my monitor so many times before i get a little annoyed.
Great show though.
Watch both seasons (vampire reign and Battle of Nagoya) on Funimation

Looking at the remaining ones on the short list.... oh this is going to hurt.

6. Durarara x2

Oh it hurts.
uh...
well it's not as well designed in it's non-linear-ness as season one... and... uh... Orihaya isn't in it nearly enough... and it's technically not even done... we've only had 2.1 and 2.2.... 2.3 is in january.
so... i guess that means it can be lower on the list
just... go watch it on cruchyroll... it has both dub and subs (i prefer the sub personally... ryuugamine sounds so wooden)

5. Yona of the Dawn

The show is amazing, i was worried i wouldn't enjoy this type of story since it's obviously a big epic journey type story and those sometimes lose their point and get dull.
Not this show, the music, the characters, all so well realized.
However the final isn't found till the end of the season... and with no second season in sight i have to be super nitpicky.
This year is killing me...
watch it on Crunchyroll AND Funimation

4. Your Lie In April

The hell is up with this year.
Ok, this show has the most accurate depictions of PTSD and Anxeity... watching this show made my heart ache... i felt so connected to the main character and watching them struggle through their trauma made me want to push myself a bit more.
The main character desperately wants to play but his trauma stops him from playing which feeds into his anxiety which feeds into his trauma... however a girl who plays a violin comes by his side and convinces him to keep playing even while she's dealing with her own trauma.
The animation is some of the best i have ever seen, the story is heartbreaking and thinking about it is making me tear up and i cannot believe that it's not the best show i've seen.
why... uh...
because when i look at the other titles i can't put this above the others?
it's a little slow at the start too i guess.
such a good show.
Watch it on Crunchyroll.

only a few more... i can do this..

3. My LOVE Story!!

this show warms my heart, i love it.
Takeo is just about the manliest man man to ever man... and his best friend Suna is the popular boy that everyone loves and no one likes poor little (huge) Takeo.
One day he helps stop a groper and the girl he helps ends up really liking him... and it's just adorable.
It's also not a "will they wont they" for the entire season...  they get together very early... and it just so sweet and cute.
Also i love the idea that Suna may like Takeo but you know... respects the way that he doesn't swing that way and just wants his best friend to be happy. (not confirmed but... look how he smiles and remembers everything about him... so adorable)
i hope we get more.... but i do have 5 more volumes of the manga headed to my door... so yeah... there is that.
Watch it on Chruchyroll, it's so much fun.

2. Snow White with the Red Hair

I made my friend marathon this show... and despite the terrible intro song the show is practically perfect.
Shirayuki rocks, never feels like a damsel in distress (despite the numerous kidnappings/ imprisonments)
It's a smart show with an adorable romantic plot that deals with issues like Class and possibly figuring out who may just be trying to use Zen position as prince.
another season airs in january... i am looking forward to it.
i hope the manga gets licensed soon so i can own that.
i love this show
but i love one show just a hair more.
watch this on Funimation.

*deep breath*
Surprise to no one

1. Noragami: Aragoto

This season was amazing, yes it had some cliffhanger-y endings much like seraph... i don't care, the pacing was great the characters were wonderful and grow so much in 13 episodes.
i need a season 3
i need it now.
Yato is a god who is charing 5 yens for any type of job... but in the past he was a god of calamity. However with his new Shinki Yukine and a human girl whose spirit escapes her body he menages to grow and cut ties to his past.
Much like my love story... i also have a ton of noragami manga coming my way so i wont have to wait (unless they are at the same point and then i will cry)
Hiroshi Kamiya is great as Yato.
Yukine is pure adorable and we finally learn more about Bishamon
also that intro
just when you think it's over there is more.
i love this show.
i love all these shows
Anime in 2015 was just so good.
watch this on Funimation

and that't it
it was hard... you could probably ask me when i'm in a different mood and this order may be completely different
but one thing is true... there were no shortage of amazing titles... even if some of those titles were long and stupid.
Here's to 2015... hope you can live up to my hopes! (read as Natsume Yuujinchou 5 please?)

Next... Games!
then The worst/most annoying things

should be fun

Seraph of the End: Battle in Nagoya

Not quite as trollish of an ending as last season... but they still threw up an "the end" splash artwork when we are obviously no where near the end.

I enjoyed this season, it felt a bit rushed in places and some characters aren't as well developed as i would like but that comes naturally to stories where the line between good and bad is so thin.

So if you liked season one, then this is a good follow up.

if you are curious about the show it's like is Blue exorcist and Attack on titan had a baby... and i'm not just saying that cause all three share the same composer

I look forward to season 3 even if it may be a while before we get it.

but for now i have one more show to finish and then i think i can start on some top tens (at least for anime, games i'm holding out till the last second)

Noragami: Aragoto

That is possibly the most cruel end to a season i have ever seen...
oh well guess it's time to catch up on the manga.

Last time this aired i know it was one of my fav shows, this season season is even better.
We learn more about Yato, Yukine grows up a little and Hiyori continues to cement herself as a crucial component to the story.

I love this show.
I can't say it any more clearly then that.

If you are curious it's best to watch season 1, Funimation has it on their site for free.

Merry Christmas!

Dance with Devils

At the start of every season i try to watch every show.

When i saw there was a reverse harem with such pretty art i got a little hopeful... even though the last one *glares at amnesia* i watched made me want to yell from the rooftops on how..... not cool 90% of the shit in it was... i still had hopes.
I hoped the realtionships wouldn't be abusive/rape-y
i hoped there would be no "i'm kidnapping you to protect you and the child like clothing is just cause we were childhood friends and i wanna go back to that time and this cage isn't that bad and i only drugged your food a few times"
...
*cough*
i also hoped there would be no "don't come near me i may kill you, oh no i'm hurt, why did you come i told you not to"
*glare*
and finally my final wish was no insect since nothing gets me more angry then making incest a thing.

Well other then kidnapping someone for their protection and putting them in a cage to keep them from leaving your protection... .seriously how can people think that's romantic... how can that be the most popular ship
HOW.
*pant*
sorry just... amnesia broke me.

Anyways i was delightfully surprised when Dance with Devils turns into a musical.
A MUSICAL.
a reverse harem musical that had nothing to do with pop groups.
I was so happy (even if the songs are... not alwasy great but still enjoyable)
and the brother is a potential ship...
DAMMIT.
he also has the best design.

Back to the point this show is far better then it has any right to be.
it's a reverse harem in the sense that there are multiple guys... theres only ever one that she likes which is really nice.
She also has a name, it's Ritsuka.. it's said a lot.... which is better then a certain other show where the character doesn't even have a name.

The thing i like best about this (other then pretty art and music~) is the fact that she is never helpless. despite being powerless she is constantly choosing her own destiny.
sure in the beggining she's a little on the too stupid to live on the harem spectrum because she's told "vampires and demons want to kidnap you" and she constantly goes "oh i'll just follow this mysterious person... what could go wrong?!" but that only happens.... once per guy so... i can deal with that i guess.

the other thing i love about this is for a shoujo title... it's dark. Characters die and don't come back, fountains of blood everywhere and thats really refreshing.
too many times do we get this sugary sweet does he love me or not story and this is not like that at all cause there are bigger things to deal with.

I kinda hope theres another season... have no idea how they would pull that off but i would love to see more with all these characters.

So yeah i enjoyed.

went fro mbeing a bit of a guilty pleasure to one of the better shows this season (that didn't try to kill me with cliffhagers like some other titles)

I believe Osomatsu san finished on monday... holidays have made things nuts but i'll probably get that all caught up tomorrow.
Friday is Noragami.
Saturday is Seraph (assuming that they aren;t taking a week or two off for holidays)
and Haikyuu and Utawarerumono and conitnueing into next season... there wasn't much in fall 2015 but at least i enjoyed everything i stuck with.

Disgaea 5

Every time a Disgaea comes out i get excited... which is a little odd.

For ages my favorite one has been the first... and the game is barely any different then it was when it was on PS2.
Still every time i get giddy and look forward to funtimes with a new protagonist.

if i list which ones i liked the most it would be

4. Disgaea 2
3. Disgaea 3
2. Disgaea 4
1. Disgaea 1

Currently i haven't played much of Disgaea D2 (for whatever reason i'm finding it hard to get into... but that is a ramble for another time) so it's not on the list yet.

So where does Disgaea 5 land? i'm not 100% sure myself... it either ties for first or just narrowly beats it.

But to discuss why i like it so much i have to spoil the normal ending (and i guess good ending) for disgaea 1.

So if you just want a straight recommendation, it doesn't do much different from the previous games but it is the longest one and the story is really well done.

ok... from here on, spoiler time (for disgaea 1, i'll try not to spoil this)

I've told this story before but oh well, it works.

Back when i was 13 i was playing Dungeons and Dragons for the first time, we were waiting for one of the party members who was a little late and when he got there he mentioned he had found a copy of a game and just had to buy it and thats why he was like.

I had just recently bought my PS2, i only had a handful of games but the game he pulled out looked so interesting. It was Disgaea.
Too bad there was a catch. it was already out of print and a bit of a limited release.
So getting my hands on it wouldn't be easy. still i looked forward to the day i would own it and in the mean time got La Pucelle Tactics since that had just recently come out.

i still haven't beaten that game... i need to restart the whole thing... *cry*

anyways putting that aside.

Shortly after i did manage to find it in the store but in the time it took for me to go home, get my money and get back it had sold.
About a year later i did mangae to buy it and i played through and without knowing i accidently killed a party member which put me on route for the normal ending.

NOW... SERIOUS SPOILER TIME
Last chance.

Ok.
So at the end of Disgaea you go through Celestia and make it to the Seraph and he turns one of my best characters.... into a flower.
I just stared blankly at the screen... this is the SECOND time i picked the ONE character who would be useless in the final fight (or in La Pucell Tactics most of the game) in a NIS game.
I was so mad
I wanted that Seraph dead.
then he kicked my ass.
... so then i trained up my Ninja and they pretty much soloed the fight cause... Ninjas were a little Over powered in the original game.

At the end of the fight Seraph is face down in a pool of his own pixelated blood.
And Laharl looks at the flower and realizes all rage, all this hatred, killing the thing one who made his life hell.. it didn't actually accomplish anything.
The character is still a flower.
No amount of blooshed will change that.
Instead he decides to sacrifice himself in order to give her back life since thats the only thing that will facilitate a miracle.

I Sobbed, it was just such a powerful character moment (plus i cry easily). it showed how much Laharl grew over the course of the game.
and it was only the NORMAL ending.
the GOOD ending must be great.

...
Yeah about that... same thing but instead at the end of the fight no blood.
Laharl gets ready to sacrifice himself but Seraph jumps up and is all "hey just kidding, just a big test, he changes the character back but slightly different then before and everyone is happy"
it's a good ending... but i preferred the overall sadder ending.

NOW we can finally talk about Disgaea 5.

Killia at the start of the game is like Laharl at the end of 1.
He has lost the one he loves and has to deal with the reality that no amount of anger, hatred or revenge will bring her back... he just wants to stop others from suffering like he has.
The second i realized we would be extrapolating on my fav plot point from the first game i was all smiles.

Killia is probably the most toned down of all the Disgaea protagoists... his biggest gimmick is his love of eating. Personally... i'm kind of glad... The more gimmicky the character the less i liked them (hence why disgaea 2 is so low... still a good game but easily the weakest).

The sprites look lovely... the extra detail that the PS4 allows is well used..... but honestly... other then length and detail the game could beon ps2 no problem... it's still the same game (i'm ok with that but if the game never endeared you before... this probably wont change anything)

I do plan on doing some post game stuff... also only 6 endings? depending on criteria i could probably accomplish that... granted i just looked it up and it's like... 5 bad ends and a normal end.
make sense considering this game is a [spoiler]
but yeah we'll see... it's technically the only ps4 game i own (for now)

HOWEVER
Trails of Cold Steel Arrived on my doorstep this morning... so there goes the rest of my week.
what do you mean christmas is in a few days,,, and i'm in charge of 90% of the baking.
... but cold steel *whimper*

Well yeah... i loved this game... one day i'll decide if if like is as much or more then disgaea one.. but i do whole heartily recommend it*

*if you like Disgaea or Nippon Ichi Software games.

ok... getting close to the end of the year, almost time for year end top tens (may be more or less then ten for certain categories)

Undertale

Going to be completely honest for a minute.

Normally as i'm playing/reading/watching things i tend to write these in my head so i know what point i wanted to hit on.

But now that i have beaten the game... those things i thought about aren't the things i want to talk about here... so this will be fragmented... but also spoiler free.... so yay.

Okay so you probably don't need one more person gushing about how good this game is... So i'll keep the gushing short.

This game is really good.
This is one of the most interesting games i have ever played.
I hope History looks back on this game as being important... cause i personally think it is.
If you don't like it, thats fine... it's not for everyone.
but the way it uses the medium to transcend aspect of 'gameplay' is truly fascinating and i hope we see more games from Toby Fox since they obviously have a lot to offer.

ok... now onto the part i had written in my head before beating the game.

Let'sPlays.
a lot of people Hate lets plays... they think it's foolish to watch someone else play a game... they feel like it's taking away sales from the gamecause fewer people are actually playing and more are just watching.

Personally i enjoy Lets Plays, always have...
two reasons.
1. great background noise, because i live with an extremely noisy autistic brother i get more then a little antsy when things are quiet (since quiet tends to mean 'someone' is up to no good)
2. I am EXTREMELY picky when it comes to games... meaning that there are a whole bunch of games i will never play because i don't find them fun and lets plays allow me a chance to experience the story and music... it's the same reason i watch speed runs (that and glitches fascinate me)

however there is a third reason that is happening more often.
3. I see a game that originally i figured i would enjoy but decide to give a chance due to a lets play.

This is one of those games.
See when it first came out everyone kept on saying "it's like a new Earthbound!"
That along with all the hype really made me want to stay far far away.

*deep breath* for you see... i am one of those Heathens who doesn't like Earthbound.
I don't hate it.... but on multiple occasions i have tried to play it and ever time i just feel drained from the complete lack of fun i'm having.
So comparing this game to a game i cannot get into... yeah it wasn't a good time.

But then i saw FraserAgar (Video Games Awesome) doing a (for lack of a better term) lets play and i decided "well if i'm not going to play... i may as well enjoy the story and stop having tumblr talk about/spoil it without any context.

I laughed so hard at the comedy.
The gameplay was so intriguing... i expected it to be turn based (and it is) but it's more like a bullet hell game (which i have always loved even if i'm terrible at them)
The characters were wonderful.
the fact that you can play it different ways and get completely different turn outs.
choices that actually matter.
and that feeling that the game knows more then it lets on.

However Fraser only does these episodes occasionally... and i'm bad at waiting...
so i went to Super Beard Bros...
i was loving it until they did something that actually brought tears to my eyes.
i was crying over a game i had never played... all because i knew the outcome could be different....
Then pushing up roses uploaded a part.... and i was like "yes... good.... but.... i'm tired of watching others play this... i want to play this the way i would play it.... plus that music is so good"
so i bought the game and the soundtrack.

Currently i have only completed the pacifist run.... i don't know if i have it in me to do the other run now that i have gotten to know all these characters.

But everything aside i hope we get more games like this.
Games that push the genre.
Games that make you care.
Games that can be funny one second and heartbreaking the next.
Games that aren't afraid to call us out on our shit.
Games that fill us with determination... not just in game but in the real world...
this was made by (practically) one person.
if that doesn't fill you with determination... i don't know what will.

I know a lot of people bash this game... but i also know a lot of those people haven't actually played it... so please... before you get turned away by the hype or hate if the idea of a 5ish hour turn based bullet hell puzzle comedy game sounds at all interesting to you give it a shot.
I know i'm glad i did.

Persona 4: Dancing all Night First Impression

I have always had a soft spot for Rhythm games. Ever since i was young i would always pounce on the chance to play them.

So when the team that was working on persona announced they they were making a rhythm game full of persona 4 music handled by a lot of the same people who worked on project Diva i was all over that.

I had been importing Project diva since day one and i really enjoyed the series... another Rhythm game on my Vita would be a welcome edition.

Then i saw the gameplay and immediately started to worry.

1. The layout was hard for me to read, especially the blue scratches... i barely noticed them till it's nearly time to hit it.

2. it completely ignores the right and square button yet still ads a gimmick (the skratches)

3. lots of remixes... since the game focuses on p4 it's a little limited to the song library.

4. That Price tag.

So certain game companies are really bad for pricing games rediculously high... Atlus has been guilty of this for years.

I believe the standard edition would cost (in Canada) 65 bucks.... for a Vita game...
if you wanted the fancy edition that was 100.

I am cheap... and i tend to buy handheld games around the 30 buck mark (though i'll go up to 50 if i want the title... wont be happy about it but i will) and for special editions i'll go as high as 70 IF the features are worth it and i love the game.

so needless to say i didn't get the game right away cause... i couldn't justify that price for a game i was already a little worried about.

Last Friday the special Edition went on sale for 30 bucks.
i haven't insta bought something that quickly in a long time.

It arrived yesterday night and i spent a chunk of today unlocking all the song.

1. yeah i was right... the layout is hard to read and those damn scratches almost always get missed.

2. the lack of two buttons isn't upsetting but it does remove a little of the fun.

3. so many remxes but other then a few most are pretty enjoyable.

But there was one thing i didn't notice when i was watching gameplay versus playing the game.

If there is a 'unison' note that goes across the middle followed imedately by a normal note... it's really hard to read.
it;s like... notes on top of notes... my brain just falls out my ear.

so i ask... why not, instead of having stars, the letter U or the Letter H to tell us what the notes are.... have the symbol i'm supposed to hit.
like... i can do hard songs in p.diva... which is a much harder game then this but i am failing miserably in hard mode.
and thats funny because normal mode was a breeze, far too easy.
i can't imagine the harder mode after this.

I'm sure as i play more it'll click but right now i have some frustrations.
granted a lot was made better by setting scratches to triggers and turning the brightness all the way down (it pretty much is nessicary to be able to see the notes.... i mean Half the movies in the back have yellow backgrounds and the star notes are yellow... who figured that was a good idea?)
But there are still two things that make me sad.

1. I like the songs... but so many remixes... this could have been a game that spanned all the persona music... or hell all the SMT catalogue... but they kept to this one game and kinda screwed themselves.

2. The beats feel off.... or more accurately... when you hit the button there is either a delay or the acceptance of when the button was hit is off... again going to p.diva the first one had this timing issue too... they fixed it in later titles but i don't think this spin off should get another title. it's just a little annoying to constantly be thinking "i know the game is telling me to hit in at this point... but what beat of the song is it actually following so i can do it to that"

so yeah... i don't know... i don't regret the purchase at all... but yeah i wish it just had straight ripped off Project Diva's UI.

actually one last thing... the meter telling you if you passed of failed... i really hate that meter... it doesn't mean anything and i never feel like i'm progressing... at least P.diva gave a percentage.
I have failed songs with 5 misses in this game... i do not get it.

still... lets see if i just need to get good.