Recent Releases

Episode 74 of Critical Role was assigned a title late - "Path of Brass." The following episode had a title when it was posted so probably a minor hiccup. I haven't really paid attention while watching either of them, maybe because of it being the fire plane or because Keyleth is my new Cheesy Gordita. I paid attention to the next one, though (mostly), since it was a big fight.

The next arc of Thrilling Intent is called The Harpy's Nest. No one was added to the intro, even though Colvin is now the bar's bouncer. Firi went with the group on whatever secret job Thog had found for them. I don't really like her, though, but maybe this arc will change my mind. Karol (Tales of Vesperia) was filling in a monster book too, but I didn't like him that much either. I liked Ilen from The Big War arc.

I looked at the RWBY manga. I couldn't really get into it because it just didn't sound like how they talk. I'm probably still going to read it, though. I wonder if volumes 2 and 3 got dubbed in Japanese and/or are available on YouTube. As far as I know, only three episodes from volume one survived.

Hetalia the World Twinkle dub came out. It was pretty amazing - they even mentioned Brexit in the last OVA. I also checked out AppMon recently. At first I thought it was stupid and annoying, but it had some good references. I liked the newest Pokemon movie with Volcanion. While the opening song was terrible, the end credits song was spot-on. Team Rocket was great too, though it would have been even better if they could have their own Megas since they actually have bonds with their Pokemon. Another nitpick is how Ash kept changing outfits while the shackle was still around his waist. I have yet to watch the Sun and Moon episodes subbed or dubbed, but I am current with the Generations episodes.

On the Precipice

This past week's episode of Critical Role had no episode title. A decent one would've been "The City of Brass" since that's where they went. I wonder if they're not going to do episode titles anymore or they just decided to skip it this time. They were in the Fire Plane, but in Connecticut the Brass City is Waterbury.

Pumpkin Spice Life was a let-down after the Cheerios in that it was weak in flavor by comparison. Count Chocula had an overwhelming win, carrying 44 states (Boo Berry with 6 and Frankenberry only popular in Montana).

I had a dream that there was a Birth By Sleep game in which you played as Lea. He was trying to save Isa from being possessed by Xehanort. Then for some reason it became a crossover with Yu-Gi-Oh!. I don't think I'll ever be able to finish the Haunted Mansion storyline I was writing, but I did start a Sleepy Hollow storyline for Zexion. I may add more of an epilogue later but this is what I have for now:

    Zexion was sent to explore a world called Sleepy Hollow. Just a coincidence, he thought to himself, thinking about a story his master used to read to him. When he arrived, however, he became less and less convinced of that. As he crossed a small bridge over a stream, he heard the sound of galloping hooves behind him. He expertly ducked out of the way and hid so that he would not be noticed. His breathing temporarily stopped when he saw that the rider of the horse had no head and carried a jack o'lantern with him.
    It actually happened! he realized, finally getting his breath. As he continued to watch, Heartless trailed after the Headless Horseman. "Can't say I'm surprised," he muttered. This was the reason he'd been sent here, but he couldn't do anything about the Heartless on his own; a Keyblade was necessary to capture the hearts, or else the Heartless would just come back. He raised his arm to summon the corridor of darkness, but something stopped him from leaving. He remembered a sense of injustice he'd felt at the end of the story when Ichabod was run out of town by the Horseman.
    No, that's not... He shook his head, trying to wipe away the memory; he was unsuccessful. Even as a child, he'd seen right through the Horseman's disguise. It was Brom Bones, a bully of a man who donned the guise of the Horseman to eliminate his rivals. Zexion didn't particularly like Ichabod, but something deep down told him to intervene. It goes against our instructions. During the explorations of newly accessible worlds, the members of the Organization were not to interfere with the residents therein. Interfering with the histories of past worlds was also frowned upon, but that rule fell by the wayside if it was in line with the Organization's plans - Xemnas' plans. If Zexion helped Ichabod by unmasking Brom, he'd be changing the story. But...

    "That's it? The bad guy wins?" young Ienzo had asked when the story was over.
    "There's a life lesson in that. The good guys don't always win," Ansem had said solemnly.

    Zexion was conflicted, unable to shake it. "If I let Ichabod be run out of town and then unmask Brom in front of everyone, history won't change and Brom won't be able to hurt anyone else," he concluded. He decided to scout ahead to see where the Heartless had gone.
    By the time he arrived at the village proper, the Heartless were attacking the townspeople. Zexion made as many of them as he could disappear. Then he heard the galloping of hooves again. This time it was Ichabod, and the Horseman wasn't far behind. Zexion followed them, making sure his hood stayed up. He knew where they were going, so he bamfed back to the bridge.
    Right on cue. He watched as the Headless Horseman threw the jack o'lantern at Ichabod. It spooked the horse, which bucked Ichabod off. Zexion caught his breath as the Horseman closed in on Ichabod and pulled out a knife. "No!" Before he knew what he was doing, Zexion was diverting the Horseman's attention. The Horseman paused long enough to look in Zexion's direction, and Zexion made him disappear too - into his Lexicon.
    Ichabod was still sprawled on the ground. Zexion didn't give a damn whether or not Ichabod was happy as long as history was intact and he was still alive. "Get out of here!" Zexion urged.
    "But...the Horseman...You..." Ichabod shakily pointed a finger at the Lexicon.
    "I don't know how long it will hold him back. Flee!" Zexion pretended to struggle with the book, making it look like the Horseman could force his way out at any moment. Ichabod scrambled to his feet and ran after his horse.
    And now... Zexion returned to the village, where the townspeople were regrouping. Without a word, Zexion opened the Lexicon and produced the Horseman. The townspeople began to panic again, but Zexion yanked off the Horseman's head covering to reveal Brom Bones. There was a collective gasp and rapid murmuring among the crowd. Two people stepped forward to arrest Brom. During all the commotion, Zexion disappeared into the darkness. For all they knew, he was a ghost.

    "What are you smiling about?" Vexen asked him when he returned.
    "Oh, nothing," Zexion replied mysteriously.
    Vexen scowled. "Is that what you're going to write in your report? Nothing?"
    "I'm going to write it. There were Heartless, after all."
    "Fantastic. Though I don't see how that would make you happy." Vexen eyed him suspiciously.
    "Off the record, I consider it a personal victory." Zexion hurried off before Vexen could ask any more questions.
    He included the basics in his report. There were Heartless following around a person with darkness in his heart. He'd played by the rules and didn't engage with the townspeople (except for Ichabod, but Zexion didn't count him). He made no mention of what he'd done, as that hadn't affected the Organization's goals. Brom would still be there, heart filled with darkness, and the Heartless would undoubtedly return.
    Zexion lay down in his bed. He was certain that the book had said that Ichabod had fled, and he'd made sure it stayed that way. However, he didn't have the book with him now, so he couldn't say for sure. "Maybe I misremembered. Maybe I just wanted him to get away," he hypothesized. No. Master Ansem wouldn't have read it to me if the main character had been murdered. The day's events had almost seemed like destiny. He'd changed the story, but only slightly and to suit his needs. Ichabod is alive because of me. Brom is in jail because of me. Would the story in that book change, or...?
    He wondered what other worlds had been written about in books and who the people were that wrote them. What if we end up being written about in a book? Who would write it? Our story hasn't ended yet. Zexion didn't know how this would all end, if Xemnas would get his way or if it would truly benefit the rest of them. Who would even read such a book? I doubt history will remember us kindly. He sighed and switched off the light, resolving to turn in the report in the morning.

Disappointments

After three years of working on other things, Goldpanner jumped ahead in the Dream Drop Distance story to bring us the translation of Sora's last chapter (in which he asks the important questions but also treats his Dream Eater like a Yoshi). However, this will also be the last one produced, as Yen Press is putting out the official localizations. So far the translated versions of Kingdom Hearts One and Chain of Memories have been published in the last two years, and there still aren't release dates for the Birth By Sleep books, which are the only ones I care about at this point (okay, and Riku's side of Dream Drop Distance). Well, after three years of nothing, I guess another three years or so won't be that bad - wait, of course it will.

For some reason, whenever I try to go to Taco Bell for breakfast, they haven't been serving it. I keep going before 11, but there's never anyone around or at the registers. Last time they didn't even have the breakfast menu flipped over and were only making food for the dive thru. No one acknowledged my presence at all. What they need is an all-day breakfast option if they're still doing breakfast at all (they're open early enough, so what's going on?). PM Crunchwraps aren't the same with "beef" instead of eggs and a hash brown. I even missed out on free taco day because I was sick in bed with a migraine.

The next Alpha and Omega video is about a deep freeze. That was also the title of the last installment of The Land Before Time series I saw before my brother and I grew out of it. We've both donated towards saving the wolves, but not because of this series (unless the proceeds of the DVDs go to the foundation as well, then that too). I'm just keeping at reviewing these things out of morbid curiosity. I kind of wish they would stop. It's gone on far longer than it had any right to from a creative standpoint.

Fewer Blurbs

Last week my store was selling pumpkin-filled powdered sugar donuts (also lemon and blueberry), but when I got one it was underwhelming. Normally, our bakery's donuts are more saturated than Dunkin Donuts', but I'm willing to risk the calories when I'm this desperate. Still, baked goods tend to sell out pretty early in the day, so by the time I get to what's left they're pretty stale and the filling doesn't taste as good (if there was much of it to begin with). We also seem to have sold out of Nestle products. The nice thing about working at a grocery store is the employee discount, but there really isn't much left after your shift is done, and you stand there starving while everyone else buys their food (or maybe it's just me).

The MLP season finale was pretty good. There would've been a riot if they had reformed Chrysalis, but starting a revolt made sense, especially if Thorax was offering the other Changelings a way never to be hungry again - it worked with Scar and the hyenas. The Homestuck epilogue came out, too, and while it wasn't exactly what I wanted, it was better than nothing. The Big War arc of Thrilling Intent finally concluded. I can't wait to see what's next.

Continuing his Dawn of the New World playthrough, my boyfriend acquired an earth monster named Riku, a harpy named May (close enough, as Sheena is actually voiced by Megan Hollingshead), and a skeleton with the same name as me. As for Telltale Batman, the only real difference the choice at the end of episode 2 made was whether or not Selina would continue to try to romance you and whether or not Harvey looked like Two-Face as he starts to go mad either way. Harvey may not have liked the idea of Selina and Bruce together (whether they actually were or not), but Travis was practically giddy over Vex and Percy getting together in Critical Role. Also, Lady Kima is here to smash things and eat chicken, and she's all out of chicken. Grog understandably still has a thing for her, and Allura was sad when they told her about Tiberius.

A Few Quick Blurbs

I haven't had a lot of time lately, so I probably didn't do as good a job with the latest Alpha and Omega review. That dance number would've been a big-lipped alligator moment if it didn't get used as a plot point instead. It was definitely the weirdest installment, but I still think the clipshow one was the worst. That being said, the Halloween clipshow for Dino Charge was done well, as it was last year. It even tried to include everyone, even though the main five were once again in the spotlight.

I will probably not get the pumpkin marshmallows after all (I was going to put them in hot chocolate, but they are way too big and it would take too long to finish the bag, and it's just way too much sugar). I did, however, get a candy bar that was "pumpkin latte" flavored, but it didn't taste like coffee at all. It tasted like pumpkin and white chocolate, which was far less appealing. The Butterfinger skull I bought was much better but smooth instead of crunchy. I'm not sure if I'll end up getting any more candy for various reasons (sugar being one of them), but if I do I might be looking for some holiday-themed version of a Crunch or Krackle.

Thrilling Intent animated the part of the final battle when they beat Xin, by tabletopping no less. There was a reference to Persona when Markus, Gregor, Ashe, and Kier teamed up to do it - the four of them in a beat-em-up screen like when the entire party beats up an enemy. My boyfriend has been re-playing Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World. Names and voice actors from the Persona series have been popping up in it. Not surprisingly, so have the names Aqua, Ventus, and Terra (two Centurions and a monster).

Teen Titans Go! has resorted to abridging the old series (I hope it's just a one-off but there could be more). Since it's a parody series to begin with, I can't really say it's wrong. However, it does feel like an incredibly lazy move, much like when 4Kids did a similar thing with their dubbing. It's a move that screams "This is what you like, right? Right?!"

That Time Again

The sixth Alpha and Omega feature, Dino Digs, came out on my brother's birthday back in May, so I thought I'd review it before the next one is due to come out next month. It has been named the worst one in the series by both fans and critics, though critics were more lenient with it. Let's start with the cover. The back cover says they have to stop a T-Rex from being excavated and coming to life. There's a T-Rex on the front cover, so it doesn't look like they succeeded (and indeed they did not). But why, you ask? Because magic exists in this universe apparently, and they sure as hell don't explain it (though they try, sort of). The environmental message of this installment is about wolves being relocated to man-made dens or "wolf suburbia." It's made ridiculous (not to mention there's a shoe-horned in dance number) and they go back to the wild at the end even though there are predators who want them dead (though I suppose the appearance of magic dinosaurs required a truce of sorts). If you want to watch dinosaurs revived by magic, just watch Power Rangers Dino Charge. I really can't compliment the actors enough, especially the guy who plays Heckyll.

I drew another piece of Critical Role fan art, in which Ghost Tiberius reminds Vax about what he'd said about Kynan in the first place. That's just an element I added to the part where Kynan stabs Keyleth and Ripley kills Percy; Tiberius was never directly mentioned again after his death (not by name anyway), but his presence was necessary a la Homestuck and DBZ Abridged. "I warned you about the boy, Vax. I told ya, dog."/"Shut up, ghost of Tiberius." As for Thrilling Intent, I love how Kier and Thog have just had it with this war.

This month's issue of Cardcaptor Sakura 3 had very nice artwork. Still lots of secrecy for seemingly no reason from both Syaoran and Touya. It also sounds like whatever is happening is purposefully redoing Sakura's journey of gathering the cards. Water has become Aqua.

I had to go to Wal-Mart to get the pumpkin Cheerios, and all they had was family-size. You can really taste the cloves and pumpkin puree.

Giving In

A couple of weeks ago, I caved and gave into the pumpkin spice. I bought the Pop-Tarts and the Twinkies. They are so delicious. It's still hot and humid where I live, but the watermelon gum I still have has lost its appeal (probably because it started melting in my purse it was so hot this summer). I don't think I'll be getting the pumpkin gum if that comes back, and I'd really rather not get pumpkin marshmallows, even though I will probably give in to that too. I was on board with the pumpkin Cheerios, but they were sold out when I went shopping after work, as per usual. I'm not interested in pumpkin Special K (I tried the apple cinnamon and wasn't impressed), and I forget if I tried pumpkin Life already. I haven't tried the Cheeto Chicken Fries yet, probably won't, but for all their Cheeto dusting, why can't they bring back the Shake-em-up Fries?

I finally gave in and signed up for Pottermore. I'm a Gryffindor (wanted to be a Ravenclaw) and a Pukwudgie (which I'm assuming is the American equivalent of a Gryffindor), so I suppose I'm a Hermione as opposed to a Luna. I have a cherrywood wand with a unicorn hair core that is 10 3/4 inches long and bendable. My patronus is a dolphin (in my fan fics I have a lynx but I'll take it). Being a Gryffindor, for me, is like being a Green Lantern. I keep getting that result too when I'd rather be a Blue Lantern. Compassion is pretty important to me.

I liked Calluna's review of Digimon Cyber Sleuth. I like how she keeps bringing up Persona in her reviews (and even in her guest appearance in Linkara's Pokemon Omicron videos recently - which actually inspired me to draw Ienzo with a Litwick). The best parts were the little skits, like when she finds a lost object for her Tanemon plushie literally on the other side of the room to replicate one of the earlier side quests. I loved the fake flashback to her eleven-year-old self crying and covering her Gatomon plushie's eyes as she's watching Wizardmon die in the anime. That's why it was so satisfying when she got a Wizardmon in the game. She broke down the game pretty concisely and demonstrated why it's better than Pokemon Go.

This time there were five more Digimon Tri episodes released. I didn't have a problem with it for the most part except for the fact that none of my questions were answered. The person masquerading as the Digimon Emperor turned out to be Jennai (or is also masquerading as Jennai). Derek Stephen Prince wasn't listed for it on imdb, so I'm assuming they're going to use young Jennai's voice actor (or it just hasn't been updated yet). I didn't trust Himekawa. I'm not sure what she's up to or how she does what she does, but I didn't think she was dangerous. As usual, the Digimon parts were great (especially Gatomon) and the only thing that continues to hold it back is the half-baked plot.