KrisZ on Anime, Manga, Cosplay and Video Games

Titles Reviewed: Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally #1, Amnesia Labyrinth #1, and A Certain Scientific Railgun #1 Slather yourselves with the delicious goodness of Bite Sized Manga Reviews. I just finished an epic final exam for my Management Science class, so I have been very busy on my graduate school classes. Fall quarter starts at the end of September, so I have three weeks of vacation to mull around and do nothing, yeah right! On my docket I have work at my awesome job, a family gathering to attend, a concert with Gladys Knight, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Zion National Park, a Finance strategy meeting, Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Anime Expo Annual Staff Dinner. That is one heck of a vacation. Enough ranting and raving, here is Bite Sized Manga Reviews #2, featuring Nighmare of Nunnally, Amnesia Labyrinth, and A certain Scientific Railgun. Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally #1 Published By: Bandai Entertainment Cost: $10.99 This manga is a 5-volume spino...

While it was an awesome game, did it really deserve all those accolades? San Andreas was a better experience. Have you ever wondered why reviews in general tend to give higher scores than they used to? The reason why is because of a term used in academia called Grade Inflation . In academic terms, it is when better grades are given for comparable work over a given period of time. To apply it to anime, manga, video games, even movie reviews, it is when higher scores are given to a similar quality level of product. A video game that might get a score of 75% in the past is now being given a score of 85% now. I will explore grade inflation in how anime, manga, and video games are being rated now and I will give my readers some strategies to deal with grade inflation in modern reviews. Why is grade inflation happening? Part of the reason why grade inflation happens is because we the audience demand it. When it comes to a review of the newest anime, manga, or video game, people in...

Titles Reviewed: Fujimura-kun Mates (Import) #3 and K-On #3 I am really busy with Finals coming up in Grad School, so instead of posting my regular epic 2,000 word reviews or articles will post something a little shorter. I have a huge collection of manga, so this format would actually be a good way to get my thoughts online without spending countless hours writing detailed reviews on everything. Without further ado, here are my short reviews of Fujimura-kun Mates #3 and K-On #3 . Fujimura-kun mates #3 (Import) Published By: SquareEnix Cost: 456 yen The volume starts off with the girlfriend competition between Eriko, Subaru, and Shizuru to be Fujimura’s girlfriend. Not surprisingly, one of the funniest moments in the manga was the interaction between Fujurmura and student council president Shizuru, which results in her falling in a crazy pit. The manga is known for its tsukkomi-style humor, and volume 3 is strong with it. Eriko’s perverted sense of humor is the perfect foil, ...

Neptune and her little sister Nepgear (a reference to the Game Gear handheld console) The sequel to Hyperdimension Neptunia has been released in Japan, Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2. It is the sequel to the game that no one thought would ever be released in the USA, yet we got a release. Hyperdimension Neptunia fascinated many people because it was an interesting take on the console war by having each of the major game companies represented by a female character and because of its great character designs. I had the pleasure of buying the game during Anime Expo 2011, and I am one of the rare reviewers who thoroughly enjoyed the game . The game sold fairly well in Japan and a sequel was announced on April 12, 2011. As a person who enjoyed the experience of Hyperdimension Neptunia, I was intrigued by the announcement of the sequel.

Europe's biggest Game Convention has just finished streaming its Sony press conference. There wasn't any big announcements except two hardware announcements. New PSP Model - There will be a new PSP model that will be coming out for 99 euro. It looks like it will be smaller than the current PSP and it will not have wifi built in. Smaller internals, a price drop, and a smaller form factor does make sense. It is basically the PSP version of the Game Boy Advance Micro that was released close to when the DS came out. What I personally do not understand is that they took out wifi when much of PSP's functionality comes from wifi. It basically means that firmware updates cannot be done using the internet and that there will be no multiplayer games. PS3 Price Drop - The PS3 will be price dropped to 25000 yen, 250 Euro, and 250 dollars, effective immediately. Due to the recent rumors of a newer PS3 slim that is more efficient and cheaper to produce came the suggestion that ther...

A familiar face cosplaying as Haruhi Suzumiya Events and festivals highlight the culture of the people celebrating it. Anime Expo is a celebration of the rich culture of anime and manga in Japan and the United States. The Riverside Lunar Festival is a celebration of the rich history of the Riverside Asian culture. The oldest continuous ethnic event in the United States is Nisei Week, which has celebrated its 71st year. Nisei is the term used to describe second generation Japanese-Americans. As the culture changed, so has Nisei week to accommodate for the changes. There is an emphasis in traditional Japanese culture, but there is also a rise in aspects of popular Japanese culture, which comprises of JPOP, Anime, and Manga. Nisei week is a great event that showcases the new and the old, and it shows that they can be together in harmony. When determining what day to go, it was pretty much a toss-up between Saturday and Sunday. I originally planned to go to another event on Satur...

Have you ever looked through a gallery of a cosplay photographer and noticed that some pictures are different than the others? These different pictures may have a more interesting background, there may be a wider variety of poses, or there are more interesting angles. When looking at the photos there is something special about them that draws you in compared to the other photos. The reason why those photos look so nice compared to the vast majority of the photographer’s other work is because those different photos are a cosplay photoshoot. What makes a photoshoot so special? Why do they look better than a hallway shot? I will explore the world of photoshoots and explain why a cosplayer should have a couple of them for their favorite cosplay outfits. The “Hallway Shot” Before talking about photoshoots, I need to go a little into the hallway shot. A vast majority of cosplay pictures online are hallway shots. They are by no means the inferior version, but they are far more ubiquitous...

One of the eternal questions I always seem to see in cosplay forums is the question about choosing the right cosplay. Choosing the right cosplay for you is determined by a variety of factors, including sewing talent, body type compatibility, free time, personality compatibility, desire to be photographed, and many other factors. I can't tell you whether the cosplay you are doing is right for you, the person who is cosplaying is the ultimate judge of that, but I can provide you a framework to make the decision of choosing the right cosplay easier. Personal Sewing Skill - What is your level of skill in sewing? If you are very proficient and talented in sewing, there really is no boundary in what kind of outfit you can do. You are limited by your imagination. If you don't have any sewing talent (like me), what cosplay you do is determined more by your willingness to spend money to have the right outfit. A person with no sewing talent could save money if they have a family memb...

Angel Beats! Blu-Ray Review Animation Studio: P.A. Works Episodes: 13 episodes + OVA Director: Seiji Kishi Script: Jun Maeda Angel and Yuri Have you ever wondered what happened after you die? It is the question that has preoccupied humanity since the beginning of time. Angel Beats is an anime series whose central premise is what happens to teenagers after they die. Featuring rich animation, a great cast of characters, a captivating premise, and delightful music Angel Beats is one of the best anime series that is available on Blu-Ray in the United States. It takes what could hypothetically be a very dark and depressing premise and turns it on its head. The basic foundation of an unforgettable series is a good story, and Angel Beats is one of the best anime out there. The story starts with Otonashi waking up in a field next to a girl with a sniper rifle. She introduces herself as Yuri and proposes that he join her organization to combat an Angel. Confused at the situation, h...