What I'm Knee-Deep in Right Now P.II

Alas, here we are! A whole week since my last post and I am still present, digitally and mentally, here, to provide you, my reader, with things I'm currently entrenched in. Things I'm engaging in, wondering about, maybe even eating (which is a great idea for a future Knee-Deep, actually, now that I think about it...)! Here is this week's helping, this healthy portion, set aside for you, my dear reader.

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Minna de Mamotte Hime no Tokemeki Rhapsody (Protect Me Knight 2) by Ancient

can you tell i figured out how to make bank?

Let's get the most obscure out of the way first, though that isn't to say it's the least of this list! What a title, what a game. Protect Me Knight 2 is a sequel to the equally obscure Xbox 360 Marketplace Download exclusive Protect Me Knight (that is a mouthful, but I'm not sure what exactly you're supposed to call the Xbox 360 exclusive downloads since they're hardly ever talked about (at least in my corner of the universe)). The basic idea of both games is Interactive Tower Defense Action; you have a princess (instead of a tower) whom you protect by way of setting up barricades and running around the map, fighting creatures and their respective spawn points to end the level. Once all creatures are defeated the level ends, and you can use resources gathered in battle to purchase and upgrade any number of exciting power-ups and weaponry, unique to each of the six classes that you can play as within the game.

It's stupid charming and if my rudimentary Japanese was any better I'd be able to enjoy the other (apparently) wonderful facet of the game: its self-aware dialogue. The game is (once more, apparently) very much aware of its overcooked "Damsel in Distress" theme and makes light of it on many occasions throughout the game's story. I'm sure that it is incredible—I want it to be incredible, especially since this game is rumored to be in the midst of localization [citation needed] and would make a fine penny in the hall of Recent-Retro-Reimaginings that games like Mighty Gunvolt and Shovel Knight have ~plowed~ already. (that was the best shovel-knighty pun I could summon from the deep...) The design of the game parodies the Famicom system (Nintendo Entertainment System for us Americans) from pixelated graphics and chiptuney music, all the way down to fabricated screen-tear and the boot-up requiring you to blow on the digital "cartridge" (via 3DS mic) in order to start the game........ so like if a game that requires you to rend the 4th wall to boot it up doesn't convince you that this is spectacular, then I really have no idea what I can do to help you.

For those who have access to a Japanese 3DS, and roughly 8 bucks, I would very highly recommend this game! And I wouldn't worry about understanding any Japanese at all (though chances are you know a little given you'd have to own a system), as the game is extremely clever with visual cues and has very straight-forward, engrossing gameplay that will teach you trial-by-error. You'll have plenty of time to learn as the game, out of its whopping 100 levels (not to mention unlimited access to user-created QR code maps you can download), has roughly 15-20 levels that let you ease into the action before the Real Grind happens. If you are interested, here's the QR code (--- >) to take you to the eShop page, and here's the wiki you can use to find basic info (albeit in Japanese) on the game. If you have any other questions regarding the game, maybe I can help! Shout out in the comments or hit me up on twitter!

Black Mirror by Charlie Brooker

biggest flaw: they missed a wonderful opportunity to use
Arcade Fire's hot single for the intro...

Here's one that's a little different in tone from pretty much everything else that'll be included in this post... and pretty much any post on here (except for maybe that chunk I wrote about 2666...). Black Mirror is a British television series that started in late 2011. It has two seasons, and it's messed up! It's real messed up. But in the very satisfying sense... well, I guess it depends on how you define "satisfying" and what kinds of things "satisfy" you. As someone who's a little concerned about the desensitization of violence and morality, it's refreshing to see that Charlie Brooker (creator of the series) shares in those concerns, though it may be presented in a way that's a mite too abrasive for some.

The best way I can describe it is "Mature, Modern Twilight Zone". Each episode is its own vignette, following a set of characters who interact with a particular idea or situation that may mirror something similar to issues in our own world. Though they are obviously exaggerated to a degree, the point made is salient and sometimes heavy-handed, but justly so. You walk away from each episode wondering if the outcome was the "best" outcome, thinking what you would have done differently, pondering what the "right" thing to do would have been in such morally ambiguous situations. This is the one show that I feel it important to explain a bit of the first episode in order to entice (or possibly, warn) folks who might be interested in diving in.

The first episode begins with the Prime Minister being woken up to a state of emergency: a terrorist has captured a princess and uploads his ransom video to Youtube (it's impossible to take down, it spreads through the entire world; everyone knows), along with his peculiar demand. If the Prime Minister wants to see the princess returned in one piece (and hopefully, alive) he must have "relations" with a pig on the most popular public television channel, live. The question arises, "Should he do it? Is her life worth the horrifying action required to save it?" That's only the first five minutes of the 45 minute episode, what follows is the tension that gives Black Mirror its namesake; we question ourselves, looking into a black mirror to discern what we think is the "right" thing to do.

As I said, not recommended for all! I could only handle one episode at a time of the first season (there are 3 episodes per season, and currently two seasons and a Christmas Special (oh joy)), and each one had its own message that caused me no small amount of anxiety throughout. But, if you can stand it, I do think that the over-arching messages are worth wading through. It is very important to be aware of ideologies that seem harmless now and could come to consume us as a culture in time (I'm looking at you, episode 3!!). The season finale of season 1 was incredible, and I think the best episode I've yet seen. It's all on Netflix, so check it out if that's your jam. Though if you're not interested, I think Breaking Bad is still up, and that's a more palatable dose of moral ambiguity for most.

Starting Point 1979-1996 by Hayao Miyazaki

a self-portrait of the artist, a beautiful man 

Ha! HA! You were probably sitting there going, "Dang, he talked about a weird game and an invasive TV show, but at least he didn't bring Miyazaki into anOTHER post!"

Looks like the joke's on you; I basically worship this guy. But for serious, I just finished this book of essays and interviews written by Hayao Miyazaki himself (well, I mean, he didn't write his own interviews, but semantics), and I'm an enlightened creature. I've been thinking on it for a while now, and I have come to the conclusion that Miyazaki's animated films are fiercely rivaled by his own writing. Whether it's the spectacular, unbelievable, incomparable, jaw-dropping, divorce-causing manga-behemoth Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, or his musings on environmental issues and the purpose of mankind, he's a babbling fount of succinct (and oft times offensive) wisdom.

Starting Point follows Miyazaki's life via essays and interviews from 1979 through 1996 (as the title suggests). At first I thought it would merely be thoughts he had on certain films he made, maybe even some extended discussion on the complex themes that layer his repertoire, but I quickly found that this was only a small portion of what was written. The book is filled to the brim with interviews about his thoughts on Japanese animation, how the Japanese interact with nature, and even contains some colored scans old sketchbooks that he worked on during different films and productions he was a part of.

If you're a fan, a big fan, owning this is simply a must. He is one of the most brutally honest, kind men I've ever read of (and I hope to some day meet [cries]), and this book is an absolute treasure. I still reread certain portions when I feel down in the dumps. Among my favorites are the times when he goes to elementary schools to talk to kids about pursuing their dreams, or gives lectures at aspiring artists in college. I've also begun Turning Point this week and am eager to continue to learn from this modern prophet, this ascetic monk.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Vento Aureo (Part 5) by Hirohiko Araki

Ah, yes, Jojo... well, actually, this time it's "Giogio"....

This is a particularly odd thing for me to review given that it's a portion of a gigantic series that's been ongoing for years, the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure series. So this portion has a prerequisite, more or less, of having read up to/past this point in the manga. But! But if you're merely interested, I have plenty things to opine over and won't really spoil the plot.

For one thing, and I won't tarry to get this out in the open, I wasn't the biggest fan of this arc. Jojo is a really delightful manga, one of my favorite in years, that seems to only get better and better with every new "part" in the series. Phantom Blood, the first part, starts off pretty shakey. Some weird art, some weird dialogue, and some weird plot points lead to an overall "weird" experience. But oh, oh, oh man how good it gets. Though you may not have read any of Jojo, mangaka Araki's style is one that you've likely noticed elsewhere. For example, if you're a fan of the Super Smash Brothers series, you may notice a very flamboyant masculinity about the character Captain Falcon. Masahiro Sakurai, the director of Smash, is quite the fan of the series! Captain Falcon's entire move-set would be not be unfamiliar in a chapter of the series.

That is to say, it's over the top. People with special powers, "Stands", similar to familiars or auras, do battle with one another in fantastic circumstances with maximum flamboyance and style. And it's incredible. It's very difficult to describe, so if you get a chance please check it out! It isn't the equivalent of fine literature, and probably wouldn't be considered for the Criterion Collection in film-talk, but it doesn't strive to be those things; Jojo is ridiculous for ridiculous' sake, and does that superbly. It is reading for pure entertainment, and lives up to its namesake. As for the anime (beginning with the third part of the series), I'm afraid I cannot vouch for it. Aside from the fact that I haven't watched it, what I have seen has not been nearly as lustrous as the manga. The animation seems somewhat dried out compared to Araki's usually detailed style.

check out the coal-smudges that passed as shadowing back in early part 1...
dark times

But I digress, il Vento Aureo! Well... well it wasn't so hot, in my humblest opinion. Usually each arc focuses on a new "Jojo" character, this arc's being "Giorno", a handsome Italian lad. Throughout the their journey we get to know the main character and grow attached them and their motley crew. As they progress, fighting other Stand users, learning each others' strengths and weaknesses, a natural chemistry, or camaraderie, binds the reader to the pages, making it very difficult to put down. It only took a couple weeks for me to read the thousands of pages of the first four parts! But Giorno's adventure lacks what made the others' so appealing: character.

Giorno, though a very interesting character (with heavy teases throughout the beginning to possible plot-twists/reveals), does not seem to be the star of his own story. His thoughts are often kept to himself, the reader is never let in. During battle sequences we see only what is necessary to know as the partially omniscient audience, nothing more. We don't get an idea of his personality other than that he is a very calm, collected individual. The friends he makes seem to have more facets than he does, and are ultimately what cause you to continue reading. At the end of this portion I find it very hard to put my finger down on what, exactly, I liked about it. The art style became more busy than the previous entries, and unfortunately the translation I was reading seemed to grow cruder from the middle til the end.

Though it is necessary reading for any fan of the Jojo series, I would daresay it pales compared to its predecessor Diamond is Unbreakable, or Part 4. Josuke &co. hunting down serial killers in suburban Japan, a fully realized design, and extremely lovable characters made for an unforgettable experience, and I only wish the best for Giorno as I continue to forge on to Part 6, Stone Ocean.

Evangelion Rebuild tetralogy

Shinji looks cool in this picture, but trust me:
he's not

So, like, if you don't know what Evangelion is at this point, you've either made a conscious effort to avoid it, really enjoy it, really really enjoy it, or openly revile it. There's not really any other way to feel about it, that's just the way it is. Though not completely new in its genre as a mecha anime, it does offer something that wasn't so popular at its debut in the early 90's: a healthy dose of nihilism. Well, maybe. I wasn't really cognizant of anime trends in the 90's, but one cannot deny that this was one of the more popular to make use of kabbalistic themes.

Though, I don't really wanna talk about the television series. Though the cornerstone, creator Hideaki Anno stated that it was created for another generation. He has in recent years ordered a cease-fire for production of the original anime, and began to reproduce the anime for a newer generation, with a more succinct storyline and trajectory, wrapping itself up in four films. A tetralogy. With this, he seeks to accomplish what he sought to with the advent of Shinji's oedipal complex and other characters' freudian slip-ups.

As of right now, the first three films are out there, in the wild, for people to watch, with the fourth on its way this year (2015 being the same year that the world ended in the original anime... whoa, whoa??! whoa!!!!). In order to mentally prepare myself for what will be probably the most confusing thing I willingly put myself through this year, I decided to rewatch the second and third films back to back. I didn't bother with the first as it was basically the first two thirds of the television series, of which I've already watched several times in recent history for my senior thesis (wow humble brag no big deal I wrote about anime for my senior thesis). What followed was nearly 3 hours of pure mind-numbing confusion.

very very very prettyyyyy

It must be said that one of my favorite things about Evangelion isn't actually the watching of the films (though the animation in the films is incredible and worthy of checking out on its own ^^look at dat gif^^), but reading about the films after watching them. Because there aren't concrete details ever in the show, the fan speculation is out the wazzooooo online, and it's one hell of a beast. Where the television series may have a more palpable (debatable) series of themes that people can analyze, the as-of-yet finished tetralogy is still ample for discussion and has even more cryptic ideologies at play than the television series could have ever hoped to achieve (one of the fundamental reasons being that the manpower required to animate Anno's current vision for the world would have been superhuman to accomplish in the 90's). The films cover much more territory in a much shorter span of time (which has its ups and downs), and seems to be held together by a much stronger sense of self. A lot of unhappiness with the television series lies in the fact that, during the middle of the series, Anno had a serious bout of depression that caused him to alter, noticeably so, the direction of the show. It is somewhat clunky, and leads to an (unfortunately for some) unsatisfying end.

I am a big fan of Evangelion, and I'm also a real big fan of Anno. Anno has spoken out quite a bit about the over-commercialization of anime (and other faults with consumerism, especially with the Japanese people post-Bubble Economy), and Evangelion being one of the biggest (if not the biggest) commercial rackets for anime figurines and merchandizing just seems to play into this "performance art" piece, if you will. (Recently his crew at Gainax worked on a short animation called ME!ME!ME!, which heavily contributes to these ideas. It is definitely worth checking out, but be forewarned: it is definitely definitely definitely NSFW.) However, I want to be careful. I'm not really well-versed enough in this area to talk with too much authority, but the PBS Idea Channel dudes did some mad talks on this and how the television series could be an incredible take on the "Death of the Author" discussion. It's only five minutes (the other half is answering questions), so check it out!

All that being said, if you have seen the show and are nonplussed but originally wanted to enjoy it, maybe check out the films. Condensing the plot, making it more understandable (to a degree), and taking the focus away from Shinji's annoying inner-monologues adjusts the trajectory of their scope to a much more meaningful end. 3.0, the third film, takes the series to territory never tread before (though dragging at parts) and has set up the finale to Evangelion as either the most spectacular accomplishment or failure ever seen in anime. If anything, it's some of the best animation for technology that exists. Geez, I could watch those guys hop in and out of EVA suits, cuing up holographic computer programs for the rest of my life. But I guess we'll see soon enough, come the final film's release this 2015.

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That about wraps up all I wanted to talk about what I was doing this week... I did a lot... and there's even some stuff I didn't mention. I guess this is one of the perks to having the attention span of a dead cat. But I've prattled on long enough, and if you've made it this far with me: thank you.

Thank you for listening to me talk about anime and video games and violent shows and cute old men. To think that I could get anyone on Earth to do that... the internet really is magic.

Please join me next week as I try to do the same thing all over again with different things! If you hate my flawed interpretations of Evangelion, let me know in the comments! If you love my obsession with older Japanese men, send me a message letting me know I'm not alone! And if I scarred you for life with Black Mirror, please contact my lawyer.

What I'm Knee-Deep in Right Now

I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to write about here, on my Umpteenth Blog, but my last blog-post got some decent feedback and more attention than anything else I've ever written for the anonymous Internet Mass, so I thought I'd start a small series of posts to talk about what sorts of things I'm doing (specifically with things like books, movies, games, music, caribou hunting, etc.), what sorts of things I'm currently "knee-deep" in [oh whoa that's what the title is! wow!!]. I use the really weird phrase "knee-deep" to insinuate that maybe whatever I'm currently invested in might not be so interesting as much as something I'm having to dredge through... But maybe that won't be the case? We'll see?? And hopefully these posts will take advantage of my poor attention span and convict me to spend more time being thoughtful about what I'm interacting with. In the spirit of that other post [shameless link], I will try to be brief and use my words carefully to express what I'm thinking about that Thing.

So here's hoping it's not terrible and that you guys will be encouraged to return on the weekly basis I'm aiming for (very ambitious, yes, mmhmm)! If not to keep up with Me, then maybe to find out about really cool things that exist out there for You and Me! Anyway, here goes.

Takagi Masakatsu - The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (Original Soundtrack)

(Oooh, look, I embedded a post from my own Tumblr! The world is truly truly Big and Magical.)
I mentioned in my previous post [another shameless link--have you read this post yet???] that one of my favorite films of 2014 was "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness", a wonderful documentary following the final year of production on another wonderful film, but did I mention much about the scoring of the film? Maybe a little. But I was bashful to talk about something so beautiful without getting a better chance to listen to it as a separate entity. It has just been released and boy oh boy oh boy I highly recommend checking this out if you're into doing Literally Anything While Listening to Music.

Takagi Masakatsu might be familiar to you if you saw 2012's Wolf Children, as he did the scoring for that too. Somewhat of an eccentric, Masakatsu is a somewhat of a secretive musician. Lord knows it was difficult for me to find him in the first place, and waiting for his album to release (missing several dates) was tantamount to torture, but alas here he is in all his glory. The track I chose is somewhat of a flagship for the album, as though the name itself didn't give you that idea. Beautiful piano melodies that make you feel as though you're sitting in Ghibli's veranda garden, sunlight filtering through the gingko leaves onto your slightly unbuttoned shirt, giving you that "devil-may-care" look, as you drift in and out of a good ol' snooze... that's what this album is. Easily worth the $10. I highly recommend it, it's my favorite, let it be your favorite too, please, yes, okay, alright!!

If you like it, here's his SoundCloud and his website, both of which are intermittently updated when he feels the need to do that.

Ni no Kuni DS - Level-5

wow look at that don't you feel the need to get in on that, gosh wow!

Keeping with the Ghibli theme, this has been something I've been working through for about a week now—and it's been ever so loverlyy (sp?? ). For those not savvy, this is the latest joint effort between Studio Ghibli and a Video Game Company (Level-5), the previous (and only other) being this ~wonderful~ artistic interpretation of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, wherein you are Nausicaä's Mehve and fly around shooting the sacred flying Ohmu. Please, please, please tell me you cringed. That was supposed to make you cringe if you have seen the film/read the manga and don't have shell-shock.

whoa! am i seeing double??!! well actually you are, it's okay, sorry

I digress. Basically, Ghibli worked on the visuals and the arts and the cools that fill this game to the very brim and all that runneth over into our own reality. [beat] If my attempt at creative writing there didn't make much sense, that was to say that they made a real-life Companion Book of sorts to accompany the game, a Wizard's Companion as it's called, which you could use to read up on the magic creatures, items, and spells (which you could draw on the touch screen to cast!!!). Filled with different illustrations, and its own magical language, the book itself justifies the rough $30 it costs to import it. Which brings me to an unfortunate truth if you are reading this blog in English and are, sadly, limited to that language... the DS version of the game, the only version that includes the physical book, was only ever released in Japan. The PS3 version boasts impressive cel-shaded visuals and is worth considering if you MUST understand the game/want to read the book in English, but Level-5 unfortunately could not justify the localization/publication costs to make a physical book and resorted to a glorified PDF of sorts which you could control with the dual-shock analog sticks. [audible shivers run down your spine]

All that being said, I don't really understand a lot of Japanese (but I'm learning!!!!!) and am able to get by just fine! There are several guides online that you can find to  help guide you as well if you need, but a lot of the game is really self-explanatory thanks to a lot of (really well-designed) visual cues. Though you might argue that the PS3 would be the better version to play, being in your own respective language/region, let me remind you that you could play both and have different experiences due to various plot differences and entirely different gameplay elements. Where the PS3 version could be likened to Final Fantasy XII's battle system, the DS's could be just as well likened to early Dragon Quests (both, obviously, with their own twists). And the art in the DS's version is also really, really, really worth checking out.

Anyway, I've said too much. It's good, I'm about 8 hours in and really enjoying it.


What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

I'm a bit predictable if you've read any of my other posts (there's only one, and it's this one), so seeing Ghibli and Murakami on the same page shouldn't be that surprising to you (and hopefully this is something that will not be so frequently stated in the future, maybe I can shrug the shackles of these incredible influences). But this one is very different from his other books, as it's not fiction at all! Rather a nonfictional chat about creative processes and Stuff. If you've ever read a Murakami book before (if you haven't you should because he's the best omg), then remember how he depicts everyday life. It's simple, relaxing, patterned, and oddly satisfying to read. This book is basically his philosophies on how to live like that; how to eat white fish and vegetables, why it's important to keep in shape through daily exercise, how to think well. That last thing is something I've been wondering on for a while now, and it's a treat to hear someone, whose writing I so admire, talk at length about.

He talks a lot about running, which is his running metaphor throughout the book (hehehehe), and shows excerpts from articles and books he's written that exemplify the qualities discussed. If you're like me and looking to find your nook in life, to find that comfortable pattern that suits you best and ultimately works to make you Better, then you should probably check this book out. It's pretty short, I'm 3/4s of the way through after about two days of light reading, so it's not much of a commitment! Though if you plan on applying some of his thoughts to your lifestyle, it could become much more of a commitment. Maybe, maybe even ~life-changing~.

Anyway, I think I've written enough for one week. Hopefully I'll get back to you next week (probs Friday, I want this to be a Friday thingy) with other things I'm enjoying or destroying. If you liked this post/the idea behind it, let me know! If you don't wanna hear about my opinions any more, then, well, yeah, lemme know about that too, but let me down easy. Thaaanks.

Media I've Consumed for the Better: 2014 Edition

I've never really written a "best of" thing for any years in particular, but now that I've been ejected from the education system I thought I'd try to crystallize as much of my tastes as I can before society reverts my mind to mush. I rewrote this about three times and used to have about four paragraphs for each item, but I think one of my greatest flaws is spending paragraphs where sentences will suffice. So here's what I thought of some stuff in 2014 (note: not all of this stuff came out in 2014, I just got around to it in that year)

Books 

• 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
  One of the most jarring novels I've ever read. Grasping the reader in one hand like a dilapidated Barbie doll, Bolaño forces you to kiss the contents of his other hand: a slimy Marimo of innate depravity and consummate evil. Though the metaphor may be, he does not do so amateurishly, and he does not mince his words. Weighing in at nearly 900 pages, he hardly concludes his agonizing account of the human condition... but can anyone succinctly tie-up the story that's been told since time began? [beat]
• The Works of Haruki Murakami (with particular attention to 1Q84 and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle)
  I'm sorta cheating here, but it's mainly because I just discovered him this year. His catalog of works largely deals with similar subject matter, with themes like purpose, jazz, and swimming. It's hard to explain just what about him is so intoxicating, especially when the two books I've highlighted are some of his more "fantastic" novels, but if I had to nail it down it would be the way that he portrays the mundane. Chopping cucumbers, washing laundry, walking... and his taste in music is impeccable. Murakami has replaced Borges as My Current Favorite Author, and I figure he'll hoard the position for quite a while.
• Milky Way Railroad/Night on the Galactic Railway by Kenji Miyazawa
  Electronic squirrels, an ominous neon Jesus, and an interstellar train able to visits space birds that can be condensed into delicious cakes... Oh, and it's a really swell story on top of it all. Miyazawa was a big deal in Japan for his children's stories, and it's no wonder with bizarre fantasies like this. Covering the basics of life, death, and Whatever's Next, Miyazawa lays a lot out for kids to think about at such a carefree stage in their life. These are issues that I'm very sensitive towards, and feel everyone should be thoughtful about in how we talk to children. But he does so subtly. What Miyazawa says is hardly frightening, rather hopeful and lighthearted. One doesn't find themselves despairing (unless they think hard about the [actually very mature] ending), but filled with wonder and a burning desire to live (and try those space bird cakes).

Games

• Dark Souls
  Well, I don't actually think Dark Souls was a very good game (I was quite fanatical about it for a time), but I find it worth mentioning. I found it difficult and thought that because I could make such hurtles, that I could steam in frustration for hours before accomplishing something that should not have been so mindlessly difficult.. because of that I thought I was having "fun", because I was part of some elite group that was "in the know" for some ridiculously difficult game that most people did not finish. A hard game does not a good game make. Ghosts 'n Goblins is not fun, but a lot of people who spent money on that quarter-munching arcade game think so because of all the money they shoveled into that greasy machine (or because they are simply sadomasochistic). Dark Souls' difficulty did not justify the horrible amount of time I spent on it. Coming to that realization was the benefit that this game gave me. For me, games are a small respite from this world, and I don't want that area of my life to become a chore or ridiculous badge of honor. While I do recognize some Rad Ideas the game proposes, I'm just not into it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  (p.s. Dark Souls 2 was better, but I didn't really touch that in 2014, so see you next year)

  

  "Let me love you!"

• Captain Toad
  It is a simple, straightforward puzzle game wherein you control a cubic microcosm upon which the adorable Captain can tromp. Three of the four face buttons do the same thing (either cause you to run while in movement, or make an adorable noise when stationary). One button is dedicated to turning your headlamp on or off (largely aesthetic, but I mean that's incredible). The rest of the buttons don't really do anything at all. And that's... really it. You can't jump, you could hardly call your running more than a trot, and each level has the same goal: collect the three optional glittery jewels and grab a star to bring the level to a close.  Solving the puzzles wasn't so much about collecting the various items for me as it was exploring the nooks and crannies of these wonderfully self-contained worlds. Many moments had me go "AWWWW" and "NOOOOOO THAT'S CUTE" and "WAHHHHH". Anyway, check it out if you can. 10/10.

Perfect napping game.

Music

• Earthling by David Bowie
  Why didn't anybody tell me about this album. You guys are messed up and thanks to you I'm about 17 years late to this party... But probably for the better, as this is a great album to listen to once you've graduated college, capturing quite a bit of that fresh societal angst. Shout out to "I'm Afraid of Americans" for summing up the last few months of 2014, and "The Last Thing You Should Do" for making me feel the most insecure I've felt since middle school. I needed this album and it happened across my path just in the nick of time.

• Piano Concerto No. 2 & Paganini Rhapsody by Rachmaninov (performance by Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Gyorgy Lehel & Jenő Jandó)
  These four songs belong together in the After Life, on repeat, while we go about our Celestial Duties, planting trees (see final review) and building the foundations for a new civilization that lives in Perfection under the beautiful New Sun in the glittering Sparkle Snow that blankets the Wonder Earth that's been wrought from the Grimy Maw of the Yucky World We Live On Now.

Television and Film

• True Detective
  Gritty and wonderful. I don't wanna talk too much about it because it's spectacular and worth your time, no matter who you are. Maybe it's a little graphic for you... well that's too bad because you're missin' out. It's the climax of the McConaughaissance, and you will be hard-pressed to find more hard-boiled television than this. But if you know me at all, you'll have heard about this a million times by now. Do yourself a favor and don't let time become a flat circle for your life.
• The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness
  An incredible look at the every-day life of animator, director, and producer Hayao Miyazaki, specifically during the last year of work on my [undocumented] Favorite Film of 2013, The Wind Rises. If you're into him, then you have to check it out. If not, probably don't. It's slow, very slow. But to any fan, every second drips with wonderfully gelatinous gold. Miyazaki-san is a wellspring of wisdom, as well as one of the more handsome abysses of cynicism you'll ever see.

• Only Yesterday (Japanese: おもひでぽろぽろ lit. Omohide Poro Poro, "Memories Come Tumbling Down")
  What better way to begin the last semester of your collegiate experience but by watching an animated film that focuses on a woman who wonders if she's living the life she wanted to live when she was a more idealistic youth? I can't think of any better way to start than that. Too bad it was too late in my schooling to drop everything for the simpler lifestyle that I've found my soul to long for in these recent years. My grievances aside, Only Yesterday is a very important animated film, and it's a crime that it was never released stateside. However, you can find subtitled versions of it online, if you look hard enough... Isao Takahata, mentor to aforementioned Hayao Miyazaki, captures the mundane in such a familiar and magical way that I BEG you, reader, to watch the film and see for yourself as your soul is unfolded in front of you. His film captures purity and sincerity in a way I've never seen before.. it's pretty cool.
• The Man Who Planted Trees by Frederic Back
  The most moving film I saw this year was on Youtube for free. You won't find it anywhere else, unless you have access to a French DVD player (and a thorough knowledge of the language), so in a way you luck out being able to see it at all. A short animated film based on a shorter story of the same name, the story follows a young man who becomes fascinated by an ethereal older gentleman who plants trees. What Happens Next Will Astound You. Unfortunately, like some of my other recommendations, this one is very difficult to explain without spoiling, and I count on you, reader, to watch this short film if just for the facts that it's FREE and I'm LINKING IT RIGHT HERE:

Well that about sums up what I can remember... You can comment here, or wherever I shared this thing, if there's anything you have to say. Lemme know if you'd like to hear more opinions about things I like (or didn't like!). It's okay if you don't, this is the internet after all--it's not like we're trying to foster relationships here! Ha!


POST POST SCRIPT: I was a fool and forgot to even mention my one true love MANGA. Because I forgot (and have much more to talk about since I read a loooooot of manga in 2014), I'm only gonna give two lil baby reviews of things that were the most spectacular of 2014 for me.

Touch by Mitsuru Adachi
Touch was one of the best manga I've ever read, and rivaled the last "one of the best manga I've ever read" of the same author, Cross Game. I think the best way to explain it is the way I did in 2013 and 2014 (when I read Cross Game and Touch, respectively):

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is just that: bizarre. Each part (there's 8) travels from Generation to Generation of the Joestar Family while they duke it out against evil in whatever cool, hip, new manifestation their bizarre family super power blood takes form. It's fun action manga, and there was a metric ton of it, and now I don't really know what to do with myself... I'll leave you with some of my favorite caps from the comic. (also: blogger has awful image grouping capacities, so I apologize in advance for the garbage heap style guide following this text)