Toy Review: Digivolving Spirits 06 Atlur Kabuterimon

Review:  #491
Name:  Atlur Kabuterimon
Brand:  Digivolving Spirits
Year of Release:  2018
Variations:  none

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS:

Atlur Kabuterimon is the sixth figure in the Digivolving Spirits line, combining both Tentomon and Atlur Kabuterimon.

Also known as MegaKabuterimon in the English dub, he comes in the standard box with the red theme color.

TENTOMON:

The rookie form is Tentomon and unlike previous figures in the line, the rookie form is every bit as poseable as the Mega form.

The main negative here are the dark blue circles on his back since they don't really fix into place, you will sometimes accidentally dislodge it so it doesn't sit flush when handling him.

The head is on a limited joint that can spin around.  This is a really nice form with plenty of paint applications.

Above is a quick comparison against a Transformers Deluxe and Tentomon has a lot more mass and heft to him.

The front pair of limbs have both elbow and shoulder joints, while the second pair is more limited (unless you want to fully extend it) with only a hinge at the shoulder.  The legs have hips and knee joints.  The end result is a really poseable figure, you just have to be careful to make sure his center of gravity isn't too high.

The last gimmick is that the wings open up, however, this does reveal some of the Atlur Kabuterimon parts from the behind.  He comes with a small clear stand to keep him balanced.

A surprisingly excellent Rookie form.

TRANSFORMATION:

Tentomon is every bit the shellformer you'd expect BUT, he is an excellently designed shellformer.  Previous figures in the line has painful and fiddling transformations but Tentomon is smooth and feels much more polished.  Interestingly, the figure pretty much inverts between modes so in Atlur Kabuterimon mode, the Tentomon parts are now within the shell.

ATLUR KABUTERIMON:

As good as Tentomon was, Atlur Kabuterimon is even better.

He is one of the figures that manages to hide pretty much all the parts from the other form really well, a nature of the shellformer design but impressive nonetheless.

The mouth can open and close but due to transformation, unfortunately his head is fixed.  Still, the sculpting is amazing.

He gains quite a bit of height thanks to the longer legs.

Articulation is one of Atlur Kabuterimon's strongest points.  The arms are naturally super flexible with the first pair of limbs having four joints in total and the second pair having three joints.

The legs are no slouch either with hips, knees and ankle joints.  The large feet helps stabilize the figure a lot.

Atlur Kabuterimon reuses the small clear stand (but with a different attachment part) to help keep him balanced in some of the more precarious poses.

The diecast is not as obvious but parts of his chest, horn and the jewel on his back are diecast.  It adds considerable weight to him.

A fantastic figure that not only looks well but plays well too.

OVERALL:

Now, if only all the figures in the line was as well built as Atlur Kabuterimon.  He is pretty one of the best in the line in terms of stability, engineering and the two distinct forms with very limited kibble in either one.  He is definitely worth the full admission price.

----------------------------------------------

For other toy reviews, have a look at this page.

The Interview (2014)

The Interview stars James Franco as Dave Skylark and Seth Rogen as Aaron Rapaport, a talk show host and producer, respectively.  In the hopes of improving their credibility, they managed to score an interview the the leader of the reclusive nation, North Korea, Kim Jong-un.  With their unprecedented access, they are tasked by the CIA to carry out an assassination plan.  The Interview is supposed to be a comedy and so you cut it some slack in the realism and common sense department.  Unfortunately, while there were a number of scenes with potential for some hilarious dialogue and actions, it ends up devolving into predictable jokes and gags.  You would sit there expecting a well used piece of toilet humor or sexual innuendo while at the same time hoping that it would defy your expectation, and it fails.  There is a slightly brighter spot in the plot when Skylark is show how friend Kim could be, and how easily you could have been mislead by propaganda.  The ending threw everything out with over the top gunfights and an exaggerated escape sequence.  In the end, The Interview falls flat with too few jokes that actually work.

Book Review: Blood Money

Review:  #825
Title:  Blood Money
Series:  Alpha Force - 7th book
Author:  Chris Ryan
Comments:  Chris Ryan presents another solid story with the Alpha Force, this time volunteering in India.  It starts off innocently enough, with Alpha Force helping to build a school for a small village but it soon takes a sinister (and uncomfortable turn).  The theme of this novel is organ donators, in particular, kidney donations from live donors.  The author has spent some time in various sections in describing the effects of the illness, the procedures for tests and the operation, all of which may make you feel uncomfortable if you are not a fan of bodily harm.  The scope of the plot may not be as large as previous novels but it feels a lot more personal.  You feel that the characters have their hands full in trying to use their skills to blend in, particularly in an unfamiliar country.  There are various points where the tension is high and you are hoping that things will not go wrong for the characters, and this is what makes it addictive.  While the ending felt somewhat rushed and overly idealistic, Blood Money is a great mix of humor and thriller.
Rating:  7/10

K-On! (2009)

The first season of K-On! is a 12+1 episode anime adaption of the four-panel comic manga.  It is a slice-of-life comedy series based upon the protagonist's time in a light music club in high school.  The next wave of freshman is starting in high school and it is club recruiting time.  Unfortunately, for the pair Mio and Ritsu, the light music club is on the verge of closing due to the last students graduating.  In order to keep it open, they need to recruit two more members within the next few weeks.

The third member willing comes, being Tsumugi, often referred to as Mugi by other characters.  With Mio playing bass and Ritsu the drums, Mugi handles the keyboard.  Mugi is obviously on a different league compared to the other characters being more refined and clueless to "normal" things such as fast food (aka she is rich).  The fourth and final member, who is also the main protagonist, is Yui.  Yui is instantly portrayed as airheaded, clumsy and easily distracted.  Despite this, the dynamic between the characters work and Yui is quite funny with her antics.  Yui initially wants to join the light music club through misunderstandings since she can't even play a music instrument.  She ends up staying for the food and is convinced to learn the guitar.

Ritsu and Yui gets along really well, since they both are a bit of a klutz (Yui more so).  The anime takes the time to develop the dynamic between the characters, allowing them to become more natural as a team.  There is a sense of friendship and camaraderie between them.  The group goes on trips together, as well as finding out an interesting past to their teacher (which ends up being quite funny and useful at the same time).

If you thought the group of four was going to stay that way then you'll be wrong.  Time actually passes and the group continues onto second year and thus now has the task of recruiting more members for their club.  At the same time, we are introduced to Yui's sister, Ui.  Ui seems like the perfect pair to Yui and the dynamic between the two is excellent.  From how Yui forgets about things to Ui picking up the slack, being the mature one of the two.  It shows Ui in a positive light and she fights well with the rest of the characters.

One of the funniest episodes comes late into the season when the new club member is getting accustomed to how the Light Music Club works.  It gives a fantastic perspective on how an outsider might interpret the dynamics of the group, particularly since it doesn't seem like they practice at all, but just have tea and eat cake.  The new club member may seem like they are starting to become an outcast, and it does bring a smile to your face when everyone else makes an effort to welcome and include her.  This is also the point when you recognize each character's individual quirks and personalities, and how the anime plays around with it.

K-On! first and foremost focuses on the slice-of-life aspect, and the light music aspect second.  Despite that, when the song performances come around, they are enjoyable and great to watch.  This is because it manages to depict the effort that some of the characters have put in, and they work well as a team.  The ending to the series doesn't provide a clear resolution to anything, as something felt missing and it just kind of ended.  Nevertheless, the last episode was decent in how the group approached their performance.

Overall K-On! is a lot of fun. It has a relaxing slice-of-life with characters (Yui's airheadness is quite endearing, and the close relationship between she and her sister is adorable).  The music theme tying the events together work really well, with a great balance between this aspect and slice-of-life, leading to a funny and appealing anime.

-----------------------------------------

For other anime reviews, have a look at this page.

Kirby's Dream Land (Game Boy)

Kirby's Dream Land is the first game in the Kirby series, setting a lot of the series' staples (while there are notable improvements in later games, you'll be surprised at how at its core, the first game has many of the same gameplay elements).  Released for the Game Boy, the game is in monochrome.  The game's premise is only explained in the physical manual since the game starts up with Kirby thrown straight into the first level.  Basically, King Dedede has stolen all the food in Dream Land and as the residents are at a loss on what to do, Kirby volunteers to go and get it all back.

The game is a platformer.  Since the Game Boy only had a d-pad and two buttons (in addition to the Start and Select button which aren't used), the controls are simple.  Kirby can suck in enemies and spit them back out again.  The other button is used for jumping and while Kirby can float, you have to use the Up button in order to do it.  This can lend to some awkward moments when you're trying to avoid the flying enemies but is a tad bit too slow.  Kirby's significant ability of swallowing the enemy and copying their abilities isn't implemented in this game.  While Kirby can still swallow the enemy, this doesn't do anything except allow Kirby to float again.  The closest thing we get are power ups which temporarily give Kirby some additional abilities like spitting fire.  Interestingly, a lot of the game's enemies become staples in the series, with only minimal design changes.

As a 2D sidescrolling adventure, the aim of each stage is to reach the end while avoiding or defeating all of the enemies.  While most enemies can be defeated, some are invincible and it's all you can do to dodge them.  Kirby has a health bar and once it is all gone, then you start again from the beginning of that segment.  Kirby has a finite amount of lives and to offset the fact that you don't have to redo the whole level if you die, you actually can't save anywhere at all within the game.  There aren't any collectibles to find but you are able to find health packs and extra lives.  There are various doorways in each segment which lead to different areas and even shortcuts.

Not being able to save isn't a huge problem when the game is so easy.  Furthermore, it is extremely short.  Comprised of five stages, you can get to the credits in around 45 minutes on a first playthrough blind.  You can speed through the stages much quicker the second time around.  There is a high score counter but the game doesn't save any of your previous scores so it feels kind of moot.  The game mechanic of sucking and spitting out enemies is refreshing and different compared to other platformers at the time.  As well as the ability to float and interesting (if predictable) boss battles makes this game enjoyable.  The music is simple but charming.  Considering that this is a Game Boy game, it looks fantastic.

Don't think you can pack the game away after one playthrough because you then get a button input sequence to unlock Extra Mode.  This mode drastically increases the difficulty while using the same level layouts.  There are new enemy types, they move faster and are more frequent.  It's quite a challenge as the bosses have new attacks too.  You have to work through the levels slower and more methodically.  This makes the first playthrough feel like a tutorial and that this is the real game.  Overall, despite the replayability, Kirby's Dream Land is still a really short game.  The gameplay is simple at its core but fun enough to keep it going.  It's worthwhile just to see how Kirby started as a series.

---------------------------------------------------

For other game reviews, have a look at this page.

Toy Review: Digivolving Spirits 04 Angewomon

Review:  #490
Name:  Angewomon
Brand:  Digivolving Spirits
Year of Release:  2018
Variations:  none

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS:

The fourth in the Digivolving Spirits line is Tailmon (known as Gatomon in the English dub) / Angewomon, and she comes in a pink box.

While the box is fully enclosed, it is filled with pretty artwork and stock photos.

TAILMON (GATOMON):

The Champion form of Angewomon is Tailmon, and from the front, she looks decent.

However, from the back, you can see that Angewomon's arms and hands are exposed.

Unfortunately, the articulation is extremely limited here.  The elbows can bend forward 90 degrees and you get a little bit of movement thanks to the ankles, but they do not look natural if you bend them too far.  The head is fixed due to transformation.

A quick comparison with a Transformer, Tailmon is roughly the size of a Deluxe but thanks to the diecast, she is very hefty.

Also a quick comparison to the other Rookie Digimon of the line, Tailmon is much slimmer.

Tailmon is good as a display piece but static in nature.

TRANSFORMATION:

This is easily the weakest in the line so far, the transformation from Tailmon to Angewomon (and even worse, from Angewomon to Tailmon) is annoying.  The section containing the wings are on a separate piece and this actually detaches very easily, so it'll constantly fall off and you're better off just leaving it off until the very end.  Tailmon's arms become Angewomon's arms and raiment, while Angemon's legs unfold from within Tailmon's body.  Everything else becomes the backpack / angelic wings.

ANGEWOMON:

Stock photos showed an amazing figure that perfectly captured the design.

In hand, it's a whole different matter.  Looking from behind, you can see that Tailmon was basically a shell and this is now a mess of panels forming the wings.

The head is on a balljoint and it looks really nice.  However, Angewomon has hair on balljoints and they are susceptible to just falling off at the slightest touch.

As mentioned briefly in the transformation section, the backpack is a separate piece that detaches.  It pegs so loosely to Angewomon's waist that it constantly falls off and is a massive pain when trying to pose her.

Here's her with Stinger again for the size comparison, she gains a bit of height but slims down a lot more.

And now the comparison with the other Mega Digimon.

Angewomon relies on her backpack in order to stand since her feet are too unstable (she is on high heels).  The way the bottom two wings are sculpted inside the plastic is passable.

Have fun trying to pose her though because apart from pieces falling off, she doesn't have that many useful joints.

Her legs are easily the most poseable (thanks to having to fold upon themselves to fit inside Tailmon) with balljointed hips, double jointed knees and hinged ankles.

He arms fail quite a bit since the pink raiment pieces are permanently attached to her hand and cripples it.  Otherwise, she has balljointd shoulders, hinged elbows and wrist swivels.

There's a bit of diecast on the figure, notable her ankle ring, Tailmon's tail ring and the metallic part of her head and breast.

Once you managed to get her into a pose that you're satisfied with Angewomon looks great, otherwise, she is not fun to play with.

OVERALL:

Angewomon is one of the weakest figure in the line so far.  This is because she is annoyingly unstable as Angewomon.  The fact that the designer did not bother to mold the peg in such a way that the backpack can stay on is a massive flaw.  She isn't worth the full priced premium but is worthwhile if you can get her at a (not insignificant) discount.

---------------------------------------------

For other reviews, have a look at this page.