Ar Tonelico... Rouge Galaxy

I finally own the much ballywhoed Playstation 2 console. I have been playing Ar Tonelico and Rouge Galaxy like crazy recently. I really did miss having fresh content last generation. Nintendo would be deemed mentally silly if they think they really supported the GCN (which is what I had for 4 years) Hopefully they properly support the Gamecube 1.5Wii. Anywho, cheers to anyone who like me picks up "smaller" titles like Ar Tonelico so that you can be a part of a "singular experience" that not everyone and their mama has been a part of...

"Crackdown" realeses in Japan...

Not only has the name been changed but the lead charachter has been drastically lightened

On to Videogames...

While browsing for pictures to include in this peice I came across an interesting posting about the Japanese Sony PSP game, LocRoco. hit the jump for the entire article www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=7221859&publicUs...

Anyway, what I walked away from the article was the fact that White Americans tend to embrace Japanese culture so deeply that to them, Japanese can do no wrong. The whole write-up was well thought out and interesting and yet, like so much of this cultural muck, Japan's racist misdoings are excused away under an "America is to blame" veneer. These same people would be the last folks to "blame" America for Japanese success, and yet when it comes to a world power's hatred for a people group, we must blame decades old bugsbunny-in-blackface cartoons. I would like people to look at this issue head-on. Stay with the issue. Noone wants to hear a bullshit history lesson while Japan is releasing vitriolic anti-black material.

A Character from a Japanese earthquake safety cartoon.

I love Japan too mr. blackface.

Anime is racist so are Videogames

I decided to post this for anyone who ever had a question regarding the topic of Race in Anime and Videogames. Because I think the whole Videogame and Anime/Manga world is much closer to our sphere than ever before, let me say this. Yes Virginia, Japan is racist. While a character like Usagi Tsuniko (from the ubiquitous Sailor Moon Series)exists as a native Japanese character [Series creator Naoko Takeuchi swears the young girls represent Normal Japanese girls] , as well as countless other Nordic lookalikes posing as native Japanese--Please dont make me pull a "first-new-episode-of-Family Guy-after-being-cancelled" naming of names--black charcters are relegated to old hollywood roles.

How could anyone forget Jiro's slave in the ninja masterpeice, Dagger's of Kamui. Anyway I've decided to post this little blurb for anyone that has ever googled the term "is Anime racist?" and found that stupid Animesuki forumn where braindead idiots defended Japanese exclusion of African Americans with brain rotty statements like this "There aren't alot of African Americans in Japan, so why would they include them in their shows?". For any mental Zombies out there; Japan has a 1% foriegn population. That means there are noooooo foreigners in public life in Japan not just Blacks. So, why does an anime/manga series like Chobits or Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z or Peach girl for Godsakes feature White leads posing as Japanese?

One would forgive me for being a bit accusatory here, simply because Anime, which when I was a kid was relegated to a few late night airings and was popular for comicbook dorks, has become a cheap ass way to fill saturday morning cartoon blocks without creating new content. Thus, young black kids have to watch these shows, and become fans of them and yet be totally excluded. That is of course unless a black kid is fond of the dark skinned mr. popo of Dragon ball Z fame. This is why I am totally against any simple answer to this. There is a deeper issue here. Who could forget Japan's former Prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's wonderful statements linking credit card debt and school failure rates to African Americans and hispancics? Does this attitude permeate Japanese culuture?


Japanese pop art alludes to a proposed greatness in being white--blond with traditional European looks--Why else would some of the only "Japanese looking" characters in anime (namely the Dragon Ball Z gang) transform into "Norwegians" in order to become "super" Saiyons. Or what of the strange moment in the Sailor Moon Comic where blond/blue Tokyo native Usagi Tsuniko refers to Japanese dead ringer, Rei Hino as "exotic"? While an anime series like Captain Harlocke floats beyond Japan within the scope of its story, thus characters in it could technically look like anything, a series like Peach Girl which features a hyper-tan, hyper-blond Japanese high-school protaganiste seem to tease the notion that "white is right". Commentators are entitled to their own opinions, but think before you post. The whole "Japan is a Homogenious population playing with hair/eye color to escape the sameness" argument is trite and makes no sense in this case.

I feel that in this case noone has stood up for the black kids. It is february.

What of videogames? Who hasn't seen the mamoth Playstation 2 wall in Gamestop stocked to the brim with Final Fantasy titles? We'll talk about that next time...

Britney Bald

Britney's Bald, Simpson's writing improves, Lost's doesn't.

Good Afternoon world. Happy President's day!

As a blogger I feel obligated to brake the news to you that one of America's favorite pop stars has gone slightly nuts. Britney Spears, known for her wild performances, barely there clothes and slightly-more-nasal-than-Christina singing style has gone and shaved her head. Some are saying this is a cry for help others are speachless. As for me, I still think that this girl needs to go to rehab. Stars these days are spiriling out of control--Anna Nicole anyone?--we need to stop watching from the sidelines. Write to these people's handlers, in this case Jive records, tell them that you won't buy records from this artist until they sit her down and help. I mean don't you people watch intervention?

Those Harvard trained chimps over at the Simpson's seem to be getting the message, your writing over the last few seasons has stunk up the Fox network! ----Did I just say that?---Sunday's episode seemed much more balanced with only half the flat jokes and a quarter of the spiriling punchlines. I can honestly say, with TCF'S Simpson's movie releasing later this year, I have a feeling that Mr. Murdoch has made quite sure that the rubes on the writing staff put the joints away and return to their caged cubicles. In other Animation Domination news--Whats the deal with family Guy not coming out againgst those green party preachers over at South Park? I mean, while SP is occasionally funny, its brand of left-wing Uber Pulpit politics are more suited to Stalinist Russia or Nancy Pelosi than Comedy Central. I refuse to watch a bunch of Garbage Pail Kids inspired Paper dolls preach at me. Family Guy is funnier on its worst day than South Park Except for the Sexual Harrasment Panda...he rocks.

Lost... The Island mystery that could, now Can't. Last week's Desmond centric episode sucked so much it belonged on set with Jenna Jemison. Last week's Desmond centric episode, showed that ABC truly doesn't mind plundering the series as long as viewership is up. This blog, which at one point did all Lost news now officially condemns the writing on the show as weak and the plots as vapid and anchorless. I'm sure we all await the "True return" of Lost.

Since I'm all moved over to the new Blogger I'll see y'all soon...

The cold, New Episodes of Lost and the end of sanity for Pirates.

Hey Blogerinos!

I can hardly believe that this is Philadelphia in February! I thought that all my non-carpooling and CFC use would have contributed to a warmer climate by now!! I guess I can't complain, because during the annual Klan Rally Mummer's Parade, in January the temperature was 70. I have a day off from work and I'm super excited about it. **Fingers are crossed that no one calls asking me to cover for them.** Anywhom, a few I'll nevers for your perusal.


I'll never Visit Boston becasue they suck and cant take a joke.

I'll never watch the Simpsons and laugh again because the writers are lame.

I'll never find a Wii in stores because Nintendo cant find enough Gamecubes to melt down and reshape.

I'll never spend another winter in Philly.

I'll never catch up with 24 since I missed 2 episodes...sniff sniff

Ciao.

I'm back from a "forced" retirement.

Hi Bloggers,

I'm Back and bloggier than ever. Correction...More Bloggier than ever. I have had this LOST blog for ages and now, Its no longer just a LOST blog. I like talking about funny stuff and other things than Just LOST! Also I think that the new season of the Island based drama happens to suck, blow and licks *alls. I mean, "Were on another Island?"...whoo hoo! "The rabbit wasn't dead?"...AHHHH now that's drama.
Anywho, Today I am happy to announce that the show will pick up where it left off (before the much ballywhooed, mid season "cliff hanger") next wednesday. Does anyone feel like the show started out like an in shape runner and has turned into the fat kid that loses his breath trying to wrestle open a bag of fritos? I will keep last season's posts up for all you slow readers among us.

Today I visited the spiritual Mecca for the shoppers in us all: King of Prussia Mall. You see, My old iPod earbuds totally rusted and I couldn't hear any music through them (Thanks to a sweaty daily4-mile run). I scoured the mall near my Job for Apple made earbuds, everyone is like "oh we dont sell first party Apple products...We do have the generic Sony branded ones though". I'm usually not a stickler for things like this but in this case, I feel like a Sony made earphone is to an iPod as a Fork is to soup. So I bit the bullet and headed to higher ground, in this case, the Apple store in the King of Prussia mall. When I pulled up to the huge oasis of Shopping in the northeast, I was reminded why people from as far away as north Hicktown pool their pig-farming money and plan bus trips to that big mall "up ta Philly". Any who, pulling open those double doors and entering the plaza is like being, in a sence allowed access to... well, heaven. I was immediately flooded with memories of splurging on 70-dollar-shirts and sneakers I didn't much need. I didn't exactly dart to the Apple store but when I got there, I was forced to plunk down 29 bucks for my apple made earbuds. When I handed the cashier my CC i couldn't help but think, If Apple can command prices like that, I must not be the only fellow with the same 3rd party hangup. It begs the question, is cornering the market good for an average fellow like myself?---More on the mall next time