The Promised Neverland – Season 1 (2019)

The Promised Neverland is based upon the manga series. The first season is 12 episodes long. It’s set in an orphanage where a bunch of young children are taken care off by “mother”. Emma and Norman are two of the oldest, and smartest, children in the orphanage. Everyone seems happy, being taken cared of and loved by mother, it seemed like the perfect place to grow up. Every so often, a child would leave as they would be adopted.

This is a bit of a spoiler, but the first episode sets up this happy tone before relentlessly and mercilessly crushing it. It’s quite a shock and a significant tonal change when the real premise was revealed. It can be nightmare fuel and it forever changes how you see things. That goes for the characters as well, with Emma, Norman, and their other friend, Ray, no aware of the truth and finding a way to escape.

It starts to become a battle of wits as the trio tries to find a way to escape, with everyone, while also not arousing suspicion. It’s a tense situation, and there’s a lot of bluffing and pretending that everything is okay. Then there are the curveballs, where even when the trio haven’t gotten a good grasp of their current situation yet, their enemy is a step ahead and creates more obstacles. It’s definitely not the type of anime you were expecting from just the key visuals or even the first half of the first episode alone.

Somehow, each episode has more unexpected developments and big revelations. We learn more about the orphanage, the outside world, the mother, what happens afterwards, how things are controlled etc. It’s impressive with its relentless pacing, even more so when you realise that everything is taking place in the same few areas: the house and the surrounding forests.

As the escape gets closer and closer, and bigger and bigger in scope, the characters who are part of the plan increases as well, but that also increases the risk. The anime makes you trust the characters but as Norman had mentioned to Emma, anyone could be a traitor and they need to be careful in order to outwit mother. This also leads to several creepier and scarier scenes, where it just gets under your skin, from the way a character may smile, to their body actions.

One of the key hooks is how the characters learn more about their predicament and how to properly plan to get out of it. They are effectively trapped in an isolated area, with a block on any sort of outside knowledge from coming in. They make do with what they have learnt (being some of what you would expect to be common knowledge and common sense) but it’s a momentous task. The anime manages to handle this aspect fairly well without stretching the viewer’s belief too much.

The first eight episodes, while decent, only serves as an appetiser for the last four episodes of the season. Those four episodes are something special as it rapidly amps up the ante and the pacing goes crazy. Time is compressed and so many things happen that the characters are forced to adapt, change, bring forward and postpone. It toys with your emotions, and it is unbelievable at how much it managed to make you care for the characters.

A common theme towards the end is how one controls their own destiny, even when it feels like they’ve lost all control. The characters have to decide on giving up or continue to fight the despair. The cycle of death that we’ve come to learn affects everyone, and this is made much more apparent in the season finale. Everyone that we know, they have been a part of this cycle, and deeply affected, in one way or another. It brings despair and also hope, and it is a very strong ending that also closes the loop. It reveals enough to be satisfying, but still keeps many things close to its heart for the future.

Overall, the first season of The Promised Neverland is fantastic. It already captures your attention from the very first episode with its unexpected twist and premise. Then it slowly escalates the situation until it blows the lid in the season finale, where we end up with a rollercoaster of a ride. The way it manages to allow you to get to know the characters, and then tearing them away from you, it’s done a great job. The best part is that this season is great as a standalone, while also leaving a great starting point for the next season.

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Toy Review: Transformers Generations Selects G2 Ramjet (Voyager)

Review:  #753

Name:  Ramjet

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Decepticon

Line:  Generations Selects

Year of Release:  2021

Size Class:  Voyager

Mold Status:  repaint of Earthrise Ramjet

JET MODE:

Generations Selects Ramjet is a G2 inspired redeco of Earthrise Ramjet, which itself was a remold of Earthrise Starscream.

Yes, this is a disgusting color scheme of neon blue and purple, but for some reason, it also has its own charms.

This is a good mold, and it is fairly substantial in size, above is a comparison against Voyager Siege Optimus.

There's quite a bit of undercarriage kibble, which is unfortunate.

The mold is heavily based upon the 2006 Classics version, so the gappy middle in jet mode remains, but otherwise, this is a pretty good jet mode.

The remolded thrusters and wings are nice, and while the colors are an acquired taste, at least this wasn't as limited and hard to get as the normal version.

TRANSFORMATION:

The figure is heavily inspired by the 2006 Classics figure, and as such, shares most of the transformation, which can be disappointing.  There are some improved steps, such as the arms but on the whole, it's fairly simple.  The legs extend from the back, then you can fold the arms out before the jet nose folds into the torso to fill out the chest, and you can reveal the head.

ROBOT MODE:

There's more remolding here with the larger knee pads and of course, the conehead.

Unlike Starscream, the wings are now situated on his legs, which can make the figure feel more cumbersome and kibbly.

The head sculpt is great, and he has the conehead, even though it isn't actually formed from the actual nose of the jet.

A quick size comparison with Siege Optimus, and a comparison with Earthrise Starscream to show off the differences in the mold.

Articulation is fine, with joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles.  He lacks waist articulation due to his transformation scheme, which is a shame.

However, the biggest shame is that despite all the other remolding, the designer couldn't find the budget to also remold the null-rays, which are of the thin variety rather than the thicker ones associated with Ramjet.

The larger kneepads and the wings on his legs give the illusion that his legs are more restricted in articulation, but this isn't exactly the case.

A good mold, even if once again, the colors can be an acquired taste, at least the higher abundance of black helps.

OVERALL:

This is a good mold, and the color scheme works surprisingly well given how much it really shouldn't work in theory.  This is by far the easier version of the mold to get so if you want at least a version of this, then this will probably be the one you won't pay through the nose for.

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Wataten!: An Angel Flew Down to Me (2019)

Wataten!: An Angel Flew Down to Me is an anime based upon the manga series. The season is twelve episodes long and it follows a pair of sisters. The elder sister is Miyako, who is a shy shut-in. While the younger sister is Hinata, a grade schooler who’s naturally loud and energetic as you’d expect of a kid that age. Hinata brings home one of her friends one day, Hana, and it’s at this point where Miyako’s passion is revealed.

Miyako is a shut-in mainly because she is interested in making cosplay costumes. She’s quite talented at it, but she doesn’t like wearing them herself. Seeing Hana, Miyako thinks that she is the perfect person to wear her costumes and thus the premise is born. Hana is freaked out at first, and it’s true, Miyako’s actions can be quite creepy. This is done for humor, but if Miyako wasn’t a girl but rather a guy, it probably wouldn’t go down quite as well.

Hinata idolizes her big sister Miyako, as many do when they’re at that age. It’s cute, although she also gets jealous or annoyed when she doesn’t get Miyako’s attention either, so it perfectly captures what’s important at that age. Miyako on the other hand is completely fixated on Hana at the expense of nearly everything else. Such a big focus is put on that aspect that it overshadows anything else. She can go too far at times with her actions, but seemingly also self-aware at times with how creepy or inappropriate it could look.

There are a few running gags, which are utilized well whenever they come up. A few other characters join, mainly Noa who is the sisters’ neighbor. Noa is eccentric in that she has been praised all her life with how cute she is, being the centre of attention so it comes as a shock when Miyako doesn’t fall to her charms as well. Again, due to the grade schooler age of most of the cast, their behavior, reactions and priorities feel natural. It's only Miyako who is out of the norm at times…

One of the best running gags is how self-aware some of the characters eventually get when they have a similar scenario happen to them. First was Hana where she realises that she was acting as creepily as Miyako when she ends up fussing over something. While for Miyako, that happens to her when she realises a “friend” had been obsessing over her. Miyako’s shyness and tendency to be anti-social is also constantly played for laughs, and at times, even cruelly made fun of. Her mother is worried of course, and it seems to play into the stereotyping of shut-ins a little bit too much though.

The three main grade schooler protagonists are fun, energetic, clever and just acts like their supposed age. It can be a wholesome anime when they fuss over something as serious as friendship, to other more inconsequential matters like presents. It nicely captures their short attention spans and straightforward personalities. There are several feelgood scenes where it is heart-warming at what the characters are worried and caring about, which can be really sweet to see. The colorful cutesy aesthetics really helps too.

While most of the season is pretty standard with its structure and events, the final episode felt like kind of a waste. This is because a big chunk of it was dedicated to the characters performing a play. While it was amusing given that it was a musical, it also meant that we get none of the humor that would usually be a part of the anime. There is also an OVA which shows off several shorts.

Overall, Wataten! An Angel Flew Down to Me is a fun anime that shows off what you’d expect grade schoolers to think are important. Initially it is kind of weird, and it never does completely throw off the creepy-ish vibe of Miyako being so fixated on Hana, but it tends to soften as the season goes on. Despite that, there is some quality jokes and gags, and the characters are likeable given their usual energetic behavior and interactions with each other.

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Lumines Remastered (PC)

Lumines Remastered is a remaster of the first game in the series that was originally for the PSP. It is a rhythm puzzle game that has an emphasis on the music being played. The gameplay, as with a lot of blocky puzzlers, is easy to pick up. Pieces comes in blocks made up of four squares, with two colors. You can move it left and right before dropping it down. The aim is to get four or more blocks of the same color, in a square or rectangular shape, whereby once the Time Line passes over, it’ll erase it and you score points.

The usual options such as being able to rotate the block before dropping the block is here. What sets this game apart is the music that plays, which suits the gameplay really well. As you score points, you’ll level up and the colors, music and speed (known as skins) will change. The tempo of the Time Line will shift, and you’ll have to adjust to the new parameters. This is because you have to take care of both the drop speed of the blocks, and the speed of the Time Line. If you have the situation where the drop speed of the blocks is high, while the Time Line is slow, then you’ll have trouble as the blocks will keep piling up. It’s an interesting dynamic.

You lose the game when the blocks fill up the screen and you can’t place anymore. The game has a variety of modes. The Basic Mode is the default and probably the best as it’s the classic gameplay with no other twists. The Basic Mode in this has you playing a game where you try and get to level 105. Unless you’ve played the game before, you won’t get there, but the urge to attempt again will have you going back. It’s really easy to spend 30 mins or an hour, in one round as you focus on the gameplay and music. While it can get hectic especially if you haven’t been clearing the blocks as much as you would like, it’s also a chill and relaxing game.

As you keep trying and trying, you’ll notice yourself getting better and more able to determine the best spots for certain block combinations. The first time you’ll clear Basic Mode will probably take you over an hour, but you’ll notice yourself chipping away at that time with each try. With the harder skins, you might change tactics and always keep an eye out for the next few blocks that are coming up so that you can plan ahead. This includes the chain blocks which can clear away a chain of the same colored blocks that it’s touching. It’s really satisfying when you manage to clear away your screen just when you think you might lose.

The other thing to lock out for is the Time Line and how it interacts with your blocks. As blocks only disappear as the Time Line passes over them, and there’s a delay with it disappearing, you need to be careful on when to drop your blocks. There will be plenty of times early on when you drop a block just as the Time Line passes over it so it clears away half the block, instead of the whole block, and it’ll throw you off.

Once you’ve cleared Basic Mode, it unlocks both Endless and Shuffle. Endless is just as the name suggests, where you keep playing until you lose, while Shuffle just has the skins come up in a different order. Both are nothing too drastically different compared to Basic. That said, it does suck when you’re deep within a game, and then you get a game over and have to start over from scratch. The other thing is that as you are playing through the game, it’ll unlock new avatars to use (but they’re aesthetics only) and new skins. The graphics of the game are colorful and vibrant, although at times they are deliberately colored in such a way that it can be hard to tell the colors apart.

Then there is Time Attack, where you are given a time limit and you need to clear away as many blocks as you can within that time limit. You can choose between 60 seconds, 180 seconds and 300 seconds. It’s actually quite a hectic mode as you need to focus on speed above everything else. Versus Mode is a head-to-head game against an opponent. You can play against the CPU, and as you clear lines, it’ll expand your play area while reducing you opponents. Sounds good in theory but once you are pushed into a smaller area, it can be hard to reverse course as you have less area to play with and chain combos with.

The remaining two modes are the meatier modes, they are Puzzle Mode and Mission Mode. Puzzle Mode has you arrange the blocks so that it forms the required shapes. It starts off easy like a star or a square, but it’ll eventually get into more difficult and elaborate shapes like a poodle. It’s really difficult as you still need to contend with the automatic dropping of the blocks as well as the time limit.

Mission Mode is similar in that there is an objective and sometimes a time limit. The objectives varies, once again starting off easy like clear all the blocks within one or two moves. However, it soon becomes very difficult. Clearing both Puzzl and Mission modes will add hours to the game, so there is a lot of content here to enjoy. That said, Challenge Mode will still probably be the mode that you’ll keep coming back into as there’s just no beating the default gameplay.

Overall, Lumines Remastered is the definitive version of the Lumines experience. It has pretty much all the modes that the series has added over the years and put on a fresh lick of paint. It looks and plays great, there is just something really soothing and addicting when you’re clearing away blocks with your visual and auditory senses being blasted. The game also highly recommended to be played with a controller capable of haptic feedback, because it adds yet another dimension to the gameplay.

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Laid-Back Camp - Season 2 (2021)

The second season of Laid-Back Camp (also known as YuruCamp) is 13 episodes long. This is a really chilled and relaxing anime that’s focused on a group of girls as they explore the hobby of camping. Just like the first season, it emphasizes the positives and fun of camping, from the different vistas and campsites to the different types of activities, or just having fun by yourself or with the company of good friends. It really inspires you to try out camping for yourself.

The anime focuses on two main characters, being Rin and Nadeshiko. Rin is a quiet girl who in the beginning had preferred to camp by herself, going to new campsites all the time. She did enjoyed camping with friends but also appreciates the different experience that solo camping provides, given the peace and quiet as well as the time to reflect. While Nadeshiko is an energetic girl who loves to eat. She had no experience with camping so had joined the school club, and with some guidance from Rin from time to time, she has gotten into the hobby.

The cast is rounded out by the two other club members, Aoi and Chiaki. They’re good friends and quickly befriends Nadeshiko as well when she had joined. The three of them explores the different types of camping gear together, and works hard to get the money to purchase them (albeit the cheaper versions). Finally, there is Ena, who is Rin’s friend. She isn’t part of the club and isn’t as addicted to camping as the others, but will join and encourage them.

The season starts off with showing us how Rin got into camping, and the novice mistakes she had made as well. Then it moves onto another big focus and that is with the characters making enough money to fund their camping gear, and their camping trips. They’re hardworking, and it really emphasizes what a wholesome anime this is. It’s leaning towards more slice-of-life with a big focus on camping but this isn’t a bad thing. The characters are so supportive and kind to each other, it can actually hurt with how good and wholesome they are.

You might have expected the first season to have gone through all of the combinations and scenarios already, and that it’ll just be the characters going to camping together for all of this season. You’ll be right to a degree, but it still manages to change things up with the characters mixing up in terms of who pairs with who when they go on a trip. This then plays into that’s group experience and gives rise to different types of issues. That is to say, this second season is still as interesting and varied as ever.

The characters branch out further in their camping trips. Thus it’s like a tourist spot documentary, where it shows some awesome destinations with beautiful and unique scenery. It really makes you want to go visit them yourself. This is in addition to the camping tips and tricks. It makes even the simple past times of sitting around and walking look like such fun. The preparation of various camp food is boiled down to be so simple and delicious, that it makes it achievable by even the inexperienced.

The humor throughout the season is done well as it doubles down on what it started back from the first season. Nadeshiko being such an airhead sometimes, especially when her gullibility is taken advantaged of, is hilarious. Although it starts to emphasize certain traits of the characters to the point where it’s their one and only defining trait, which can be detrimental to the character as a whole.

Similarly to the first season, it finishes up with a big camping trip with all the characters. It’s a perfect send off and ending, especially since it is so much fun to see the characters enjoy themselves as a group. They go about and tour a part of Japan, going through the tourist destinations. At this point, it w
as more of a road trip than a camping trip but it added a different, not unlikeable flavor, to the formula. It’s definitely a bit sad to get to the end of the last episode and realise that you have to say goodbye to the characters.

Overall, the second season of Laid-Back Camp can be said to be even better than the first. It has better animation and it widens its scope. It doesn’t just purely focus on the camping aspect anymore. While it’s still a large focus, there are other things to look forward to and to watch the characters do. It’s a really relaxing and wholesome anime to watch, especially since all the characters are so likeable and it has gained confidence in its own style of humor.

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