Scooby Doo on Zombie Island- Classic Animation Review

1969s ‘Scooby Doo! Where Are You?’ is a television animation milestone. Many children around the world watched the Hannah Barbara show over the years, mostly through syndication, and as a result it had constantly gained new generations of fans. It's impact on pop culture was vast too, from its oft-quoted, "I would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for you pesky kids" to "It's old man xyz" to popularising the chasing through different doors sequence, you know the one; the chaser is pursuing the chasee(s) as they enter through one door only to emerge from a different or opposite door.

The show was hot stuff and it was doing well but over the years it lost its lustre and when ‘A Pup Named Scooby Doo’, released in 1991, was not well received it looked like the end of Scooby Doo. Due to the popularity and relative cheapness of shows like ‘Power Rangers’, ‘Saved By the Bell’ and its live action ilk there was a lull in television animation in the mid to late 90s and Scooby Doo looked like it was going to join the limbo of syndicated satellite cartoon show for all posterity.

However, in 1998 the straight to VHS Scooby Doo on Zombie Island animated movie released and helped to revive the series, winning over a whole new legion of fans and reviving interest in the characters that has continued to this day.

Zombie Island is a bona-fide great story for our Mystery Incorporated team. Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, Velma, and Daphne reunite after a short time apart to investigate a bayou island said to be haunted by the ghost of the pirate Morgan Moonscar. However, the five find not only a deeper mystery on the island, but their first encounter with a genuine, deadly supernatural threat.

The film is beautifully animated with an anime art style, the characters remain true to their origin form but have been finessed to look slicker and cooler than the Hannah Barbara cheaper animation. The background art is stunning and adds to the creepy bayou atmosphere. The ghosts, zombies and cat creatures are all creepy and genuinely a bit unsettling, I'm not sure my 3 3/4 year old daughter would be able to handle the scares... and there are scares aplenty in this film.

The voice cast are excellent throughout and there is subtlety in their performances, it does keep you guessing as to who the true villain is, and unlike all other previous Scooby Doo episodes, there are REAL supernatural elements which is a real game changer in their animated world. The poptastic soundtrack is also pretty awesome and adds some levity to proceedings.

I love that Scooby Doo never really goes away, much like Alvin and the Chipmunks, every generation has their own Scooby that they love. I recently watched the entire 52 part Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated and loved it, calling it one of the best animated shows I’d ever seen, and I love that each person has their own opinion about the best Scooby Doo! Check this movie out though, it’s awesome!

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Complete Series 3 Review

LINK- Hilda Complete Series Review

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

Detention- Video Games As Art

Detention is a 2D survival horror adventure video game created and developed developer Red Candle Games. It is an atmospheric game and the setting of 1960’s Taiwan under Chinese martial law is an interesting one, especially when considering that it takes place during a storm after school when everyone else has gone home. There is a deep sense of unease that permeates the experience yet it is much better than most cheap jump scare fare… this slowly unravels in front of you and the psychological horror that emerges is more satisfying for it. At certain points it reminds me of Silent Hill 2 and Eternal Darkness, as you begin to understand more of the psychological state of the protagonist.

Detention is on sale on the Nintendo Switch and well worth the 4 quid or so for the 3 hour play time needed to complete the experience. I’m off now to research the Chinese occupation of Taiwan in the 1960s as this game has me proper intrigued about this time period.

Silver Surfer by Slott and Allred- Complete Comic Series Review

I'm a huge comic nerd and have been for over 30 years. Of course I've known of the Silver Surfer for many years, but he just wasn't a character I was that interested in... he just seemed a little, well, lame. I read a few of his comics back in the early 90s and found his brooding angsty vibe a bit too edgy for its own good. My only recent experience with the Silver Surfer was with the second Fantastic Four movie and that certainly didn't help to adhere him close to my heart. However, over the past couple of years I've been hearing people raving about the recent Dan Slott and Michael Allred run so I thought I'd give the Surfer another chance and by gosh I'm glad I did.

Over the course of 29 issues Slott's Surfer takes us on quite the journey. He still carries the weight of the worlds he helped destroy with Galactus on his shoulders, but with the help of young human Dawn Greenwood, he realises he must move forward and make amends for his past misdeeds.
The Surfer and Dawn are perfect travel companions and as their friendship grows through the various adventures you find yourself rooting for this couple. You see sides of the Surfer that are rarely explored (at least in my experience from his cartoon show and frequent guest appearances in other comics) as he often 'Silvers Down' to talk about the existential crises he often faces; how can he enjoy life when he has led so many to their doom? It's not all serious though, the entire run has goofy humour and silliness galore as the Dr Who influence is placed front and centre. Cases in point: After performing a tonsillectomy we have our hero take Dawn to the universe's best ice cream parlour, take her on (frequent) bathroom breaks and keeping her constantly fed and watered.

Silver Surfer by Slott and Allred

One of the most interesting storylines sees the Surfer confront his past sins and the 6 billion survivors of the many worlds he led Galactus to destroy on a new planet called Newhaven. He knows he must atone for this and seeks to offer an apology and help the survivors, when Galactus arrives... hungry for more planets and souls. What follows reminds me of the most recent incarnation of Battlestar Galactica, as the Silver Surfer and Dawn look for a new, safer home for the inhabitants of Newhaven, the space flotilla search for the Promised Land.
This arc is quite dramatic as Dawn realises the true nature of Surfers past but she forgives him and gets him to reflect on what little choice Galactus gave him, easing his conscience. After this drama, events seems to peater out and never quite achieve the sense of pathos I feel that it was striving for but it is an intriguing arc nonetheless as it offers the Surfer a redemptive arc and brings Dawn closer to Norrin Radd.

In the forth graphic novel Dawn and Norrin become a couple as Norrin chooses to save the culture of Earth from the Zenn-Lavians. It is a dramatic arc as Norrin understands what it is to be the last of your kind on an alien planet (much like Dr Who being the last Gallifrayan) as he is excommunicated from Zenn-La but is welcomed as a citizen of Earth. Dawn also meets her estranged mother but at her time of most need, Dawn is abandoned again. The forth graphic novel is full of high emotion and unresolved strands, showing how messy life can get.

For the final graphic novel collection, the Surfer and Dawn are very much in love and enjoying the different worlds. Dawn seeks high adventure and danger but it comes at a high cost when her father passes away whilst they are away on their escapades. Stricken by grief, they attempt to travel back in time but overshoot somewhat and end up at the birth of the current universe. As they are isolated, the Surfer creates a new world and spends his life with Dawn until she passes. Being immortal, he feigns growing older with her and it is here that the true moment of beauty and philosophy come into play; what does it mean to be human and what is the meaning of life?

The love between the Silver Surfer and Dawn Greenwood is well earned and slowly reveals itself ©Marvel

To hammer home the gravitas of Dawn's passing, the Surfer must watch the new (current) worlds events unfold in front of him and not interfere in any way, lest he affect the timeline. This is all very wibbly wobbly time wimey stuff a la Dr Who.

Over the course of 5 graphic novels, 29 issues, Slott and the Allred’s have created a momentous story arc for the Silver Surfer that joins the pantheon of the greats. The art style complements the writing and whilst not as detailed as the super shiny muscular versions from the 90's, it shares much with the cartoony but heartfelt look and feel of much of the Marvel Now imprint, things like Howard the Duck, Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel.

This version of the character makes the Silver Surfer more relatable and likeable than ever before. Dawn Greenwood is an excellently realised character who brings the humanity out of the Zenn-Lavian and the storylines are similar in style to the Kirby/Lee run. More than anything Slott's Silver Surfer has amazing storylines that ring with pathos and humanity and deserve to be read. This may not be your dad's Silver Surfer but it's a brilliant one that deserves to be appreciated.

LINK- Comics in the Classroom (article)

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 3- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 2- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 1- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: And So It Ends

LINK- The Moomins 80's Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- Inspector Gadget Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Sonic Mania Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack

LINK- Thomas Was Alone Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

LINK- Akira Soundtrack Vinyl Review

Sine Mora EX- Video Games As Art

Sine Mora EX is a side-scrolling shoot-'em-up that has a unique mechanic, you can slow down and speed up time. This comes in useful as the game is brutally challenging but beautifully presented.

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 4- Comic Review

Another Alita book and another change of pace as we settle on Erica and her life of villainy under Baron Muster. She assists Muster in his search for the Martian treasure and we find out that Erica is quite adept at solving puzzles and committing heinous acts of violence.

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 4

Young Yoko/ Alita is briefly mentioned and we see how she is settling into life at the Baumberg Mansion but this volume is really centred around Muster’s mission to find the secret Martian Tomb and the treasure within.

Muster is a comic book villain, all twirling moustache and cackling but in the very best sense. Just as you judge him as a power crazy monster a flashback on his youth shows his motivation and brings a bit of humanity into the proceedings.

The best aspect of this volume is the mystery around the cypher, which presents a puzzle for reader to solve. We learn about the Caeser Cypher and the importance of the book 'On War', its regular Dan Brown level stuff but does draw you in.

Battle Angel Alita Mars Chronicle is a thrill ride, you don't know where its taking you and can't predict what's coming up but by gum are you excited for what happens next. Kishiro has regained some of the momentum lost from Last Order but I hope we start to get some answers as to what the treasure is and what role Yoko/ Alita has to play in it.

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 3- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 2- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 1- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: And So It Ends

LINK- The Moomins 80's Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- Inspector Gadget Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Sonic Mania Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack

LINK- Thomas Was Alone Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

LINK- Akira Soundtrack Vinyl Review

Room To Dream- Book Review

Biographies are often too prescriptive and by the numbers, telling you facts that you could pick up online and through cursory looks online. On the other hand, autobiographies often miss out key events or facts to cast the subject in a better light, both often have that rose tinted glow of nostalgia without a deeper critique. History is reality distilled after all.

Room to Dream

It's for these reasons Louise Brooks, 1920s/ 30s silent movie star, said she wouldn't write her memoirs, she could not write the sexual truth about herself that would make her life worth reading, due to her inability to "unbuckle the Bible belt" and overcome her Midwestern upbringing.

With Room To Dream by Kristine McKenna and David Lynch, they have tried to get around this issue by creating an approach to life writing that combines biography with memoir. The result is an interesting combination of the facts, dates etc but with the added bonus of Lynch reflecting upon those times. Whilst not perfect, it does get around a lot of the issues mentioned before. Don't go into this expecting an insight into David Lynch's creative process or for explanations about his work, that all remains hidden and private, but what you do get is an interesting dialogue and snippets from the horses mouth of those reflections.

The biography/ memoir starts off by explaining Lynch's early life, an idealistic upbringing across many different states, due to his father's job working for the Department of Agriculture. We learn that Lynch enjoyed being part of the Boy Scouts of America and reached the highest rank of Eagle Scout. We also learn that he felt most at home in Boise, Idaho where he had many wonderful summers blowing things up and listening to Elvis Presley, who he greatly admired.


We are told how Lynch was a dreamer who saw darkness in the mundane and art was his way to present these to the world. Lynch emerges as an inherently curious child who needed to spread his wings and explore the seamier parts of life to truly live the 'art life.' We find that he was constantly chasing the next big idea or love interest. So far so normal for a biography but there are hints at the more complex character, one who had anger management issues until discovering transcendental meditation.

Room To Dream is an intriguing way to present a biography, however it does have an inherent problem in that McKenna cannot be as critical or as insightful about Lynch as she would otherwise have been. As she is co-authoring the book with the subject on hand I found that it feels very woolly and basic, with the chapter enhanced by Lynch's personal recollections. The book is well worth a read but be aware that it is a glowing account of the auteurs life and you are only seeing what he wants you to see.

LINK- Lulu In Hollywood (Louise Brooks’ essays) Book Review

Bagpuss Soundtrack Released

Smallfilms may not be a name that you are immediately familiar with but the works of founders Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin probably are: Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, the Clangers and Bagpuss. A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to visit a retrospective of the studio in London.

Since its birth in 1959 the works of Postgate and Firmin have delighted millions of fans across the world. The Bagpuss soundtrack release by Earth Recordings is a surprising but pleasant one. The children's classic stop motion show is 44 years old and, for many people, holds a special place in their heart. I never really got into the show, being born in 1981 but I have seen a few episodes and can see the charm. The newly mastered soundtrack by Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner, has been released on vinyl, CD and digital formats and contains 32 tracks with a mix of folk-music, ditties and improvised pieces. If that's your bag be quick to snap up the limited edition formats.

Jean Michel Jarre Equinoxe Infinity- Album Review

40 years ago Jean Michel Jarre released his fourth album, Equinoxe, and confirmed his place in music history as a trailblazer of electronic music. The 1978 follow up album to Oxygene further developed the sound and style that made Jarre's music instantly recognisable, reaching its zenith with Equinoxe 4 and 5.

And so, it is with much excitement that Jarre fans have waited for Equinoxe Infinity, a sequel proper with the strange Watchers featuring prominently, silent sentinels over the many decades...

Equinoxe Infinity contains ten brand new tracks (or movements) which closely mirror the progression of the original album, peals of thunder are interspersed with the soundscapes of running water.

The opening track, The Watchers, creates a sense of awe and wonder as it opens with the perfect mix of organic and digital sounds. The sound of flowing water is closely followed by a deep booming bass that is followed by a deep rhythm that seems to be approaching closer, until it gives way to a full on sci-fi soundscape... Almost as if the sentinels have awoken.

Track two, Flying Totems, introduces many of the sounds that Jarre that has become synonymous with. There are echoes of Industrial Revolutions part 2 as the piece flows and ebbs. There is a sense of pure joy and freedom, almost as if one were soaring through the sky. It's hard to describe but the sense of elation I get from this track is indescribable. One of Jarre's best in my opinion.

The third movement, Robots Don't Cry, is a more measured piece. It has a steady, almost metronomic melotron sound. A violin wends it's way through the whole thing that is surrounded by the airy sounds of Oxygene. It's an interesting track and a grower for sure, especially when the piano-like sounds come in near the middle of the piece.

The next two tracks, All The You Leave Behind and If The Wind Could Speak are a little more soundscapey, with watery burbles and splashes punctuated with some treated vocals, reminiscent of Zoolook.

One of the highlight of the album for me is track 6, Infinity. It is nothing short of a masterpiece from Jarre. It could feature in many Balearic clubs and be the sound of the Summer, albeit a Summer ruled by Ace of Base. It's so joyful and playful!

Tracks 7 and 8, Machines Are Learning and The Opening are short but strong tracks. Machines Are Learning features a driving rhythm punctuated with odd beeps, bloops and weird vocals. I like it and it reminds me of his older work but can't quite place my finger in it. The Opening meanwhile has a striking rhythm and aggressive synthy sound which I love.

Don't Look Back is track 9 and is quite unusual, starting with an aggressive cello-ish sound that is slowly built on to become softer but no less urgent.

The final track, Equinoxe Infinity, is a seven minute marvel reprising much of what has occurred on the album but with a tinge of wistfulness. Splashes of water merge with echoes that slowly build into a crescendo and a euphoric wall of sound.

Equinoxe Infinity is a thing of beauty.

At just under 40 minutes Equinoxe Infinity is a short but wonderful experience. There is always great danger in revisiting your past but here I feel that Jarre has added to the legacy of the origin work, much like with Oxygene 3 but more so here. Equinoxe Infinity is a much more cohesive album that Oxygene 3 and is probably one of my favourite Jarre albums ever. It is a beautiful and at times euphoric experience and what Jarre fan wouldn't want that?

Come one, come all to hear the return of the great master of electronica!

LINK- Planet Jarre Celebrates 50 Years of Jarre

LINK- Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene 3 Album Review

LINK- Jean Michel Jarre Electronica Vol. 2 Album Review

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power- Episode 1 Review

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a reboot of the 1985 series. The series is a modern reimagining of the character and world of Etheria, which is a good thing. He-Man and She-Ra are fondly remembered, however if you revisit both cartoons in this modern age you realise just how bad He-Man really is and how much better She-Ra was.

This modern take of She-Ra is written by Noelle Stevenson, author of The Lumberjanes and Nimona, both of which I love. She has a habit of creating plucky and interesting characters and so it is with this series.

Raised as an orphan, Adora/ She-Ra is a strong and willing fighter for the Horde, battling against the insurgent Princesses and looking to rule over Etheria in the name of Hordak. However, after retrieving the Sword of Protection from the Forbidden Forest her latent powers are revealed and her secret origins flash before her eyes.

As a first episode, 'The Sword part 1' has me invested. The characterisation of Stevenson's cast is excellent and the interplay between them is wonderful. There are some wonderful one-liners, ''Are you brain-damaged? Please don't be brain-damaged. Shadow Weaver will kill me.''

I am looking forward to seeing if this series lives up to its promise and will be providing a full series review soon but in the meantime, check out the first episode as it is a well done modern interpretation of a classic cartoon.

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 3- Comic Review

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle has shown great promise with volume 1 taking us back to Alita's origin as a young orphaned 80% cyborg child named Yoko living on the war-torn surface of Mars with her friend Erica. Volume 2 returned to the present and had Yoko and Erica fighting after 200 years spent apart. Volume 3 returns us to the past to flesh out the storyline of Yoko and Erica in more detail. Yukito Kishiro has always had a bleak view of the world and here it gets incredibly dark as we find out about Erica's family, the tragedy of her past and maybe her descent to the dark side. We find out how the pair were separated yet their destinies forever entwined.

After she is separated from Yoko, who finds her birth mother, Erica no longer has the positive balance in her life and so when the new big bad- Baron Muster, who sports a horrendous deformity which Kishiro seems to revel in drawing, is revealed it is quite simple to work out why Erica would turn on her friend and become a mercenary.

So overall, this volume introduces yet more characters and more sub-plots but doesn't bring a sense of closure to all the other plot threads, however we now know why Erica turned to the dark side after Yoko left.

This series is setting things up but I hope that it doesn't become like Last Order and drag for too long with incidental characters that go nowhere. At the moment though it succeeds in drawing me in and keeping me invested in this dystopian world.

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 3 continues the journey of Yoko/ Alita on.

Sailors Dream- Video Games As Art

Sailor's Dream is a peaceful narrative experience from Simigo. The only objective is to explore and satisfy your curiosity. You explore a variety of locations including ancient ruins, a windswept ship and an old lighthouse. As you explore the world you find pieces of memories that help you to create a narrative. The experience is beautifully realised and when I am a bit stressed or worried I find a quick dip into this app helps me calm right down. Check out some shots from my play through.

Okami Soundtrack on Vinyl Arrives

Okami is one of gamings most beautiful examples for the argument of video games as art. The imagery from the game is stunningly presented in a traditional Japanese brushstroke form and the music is a collection of traditional instruments and modern synthesizer sounds, recalling a dreamily imagined Japan that has never truly existed.

Data Discs recently sent out the pre-orders of the 4 disc pressing of the remastered soundtrack for the game and I received my copy a couple of days ago. Over the next few days I’ll have a listen and post my opinions here but in the meantime check out the pictures I’ve taken below and underneath more vinyl reviews of classic video game soundtracks, cartoons and retro television shows.

Good Grief, Charlie Brown Exhibition in London

Charlie Brown and Snoopy are iconic creations that are beloved all over the world. Creator Charles M. Schulz worked on the strip for over 50 years and created over 17, 000 strips in that time. It is easy to reduce the love of Snoopy and Charlie Brown to stuffed toys and the plethora of commercial products but it is worth remembering that the comic series is an existential piece of work, a reflective meditation on loneliness, defeat, and alienation. Seriously, if you read the comics you will find hard hitting truths and sharp observations on the human condition… it is a masterpiece of presenting truth, but through the mouth of babes.

Charlie Brown is an everyman, he rarely wins but he gives it his best!

Well, Somerset House have an exhibition celebrating the world of Peanuts running currently and I went along for the ride.

The whole exhibition is beautifully curated with many original strips alongside some personal effects of Schulz, such as his childhood baseball mitt, ice-skating boots as well as the stuff you'd expect from an artist such as his pencils, pens, papers etc.
Upstairs the cultural impact of Peanuts is looked at and there are many modern interpretations of the characters.
Overall, the exhibition is a wonderful celebration of this most singular and influential comic strip artist and worthy of your consideration. The exhibition runs until 3rd March 2019 and at a reasonable £14 entrance price, is worth a couple of hours of perusal.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub)- Complete Series Review

*Season 4 of The Mysterious Cities of Gold has aired. For the review click here*

The original Mysterious Cities of Gold series was a French- Japanese co-produced animation by DIC Entertainment and Studio Pierrot. The series premiered in Japan on NHK on 29 June 1982 and ran weekly for 39 episodes.
I first caught the series on BBC 1 in the early 80s and was beguiled by the mythical adventure story of a young Spanish boy named Esteban who joins a voyage to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold and his father. The impressive looking background art, sharply drawn characters, and the beautiful soundtrack kept me entranced throughout the whole series, becoming my favourite programme of all time. It was incredibly formative for me and introduced me to the wonders of the ancient world including the Incas, Aztecs, Atlantis and El Dorado. Even at the age of 37 I still regularly revisit the programme every year and I can attest to the fact that it still holds up as an impressive piece of work.

The scenery is stunning in MCOG.

The scenery is stunning in MCOG.

There had been talk of a second series for years and preliminary plans were laid but never materialised. However with the re-release of the series on DVD in 2008 and increased interest in the next part of the journey, the new series were finally put into production. Debuting on the Kix Channel in December 2014 the second series landed to mixed reviews.

At the end of the original series the children had only found one of the seven lost cities of gold, yet the conclusion was oddly satisfying in an open-ended way. Well, the second series was a continuation rather than a reboot and so the series picked up from the end of series one; The three children, Mendoza, Pedro and Sancho headed to China in search of the next lost city of gold and the truth about Esteban’s father.

On the whole I really did enjoy the second series but felt that it lacked the atmosphere and awe that was present in the original series. The voice actors were passable, however I did feel that Mendoza sounded angry or annoyed a lot of the time, a shift from his can-do attitude from the first series. Also the synth music from the discovery parts and key events made each new discovery super special. The music that dropped when the adventurers find the Solaris and Golden Condor still sends shivers down my spine. I felt that in the second series moments of emotive music and silence from the characters would have carried greater gravitas than the exposition from the characters. The second series took a while to get going, but after the first 10 or so episodes it did pick up and from episode 16 onwards it had those moment of awe and wonder, much like many moments from the original series.

And so, we get to series 3. I watched the complete 26 episode run in English dub and I have to say that it really continues the momentum from the second series forward, for the most part. The children travel to Japan to find the next city of gold and rescue Esteban's father, Antonios, from Zares/ Ambrosius. Along the way they make many new discoveries, including 2 more cities of gold (in Japan and Arabia), and grow as characters, but more on that later.
The episodes all move at a cracking pace overall, with the first lost city found after just 8 episodes, but the city of gold is spectacular, truly awe-inspiring and magical. The second city is again majestic and sent shivers down my spine but the series, whilst certainly better than series 2 is not as good as series 1 but it is pretty close in my opinion.

The main group of characters are more like the first series in that they are more consistent and less annoyed or cross, like Tao and Mendoza were often presented in series 2. The voice acting is better but it is somewhat strange to hear Mendoza say 'Blimey' at least 5 times throughout the whole series.


I also think the development of Zia as a strong female lead is good but do think they may have overpowered her, what with her ability to speak to animals, having foresight of key events and tragedies and telekinesis... That's quite an arc for any character let alone within 20 episodes! Her personality totally changes and at times it didn't feel like Zia at all. I understand about having strong female leads but when a new character, Laguerra (daughter of Dr Laguerra from series 1), is introduced she is the epitome of strong female lead, so what was the need to Girl Boss Zia, the usually quiet, thoughtful type? It feels very jarring.

It is after this that I feel it starts to unravel a little with the group breaking up for a really silly reason and there is a tacked on love story for Mendoza. However that doesn't detract from the rest of the series being phenomenal and awe inspiring in all the right places.

The discovery of the 3rd city is majestic and sent goosebumps all over me and the landscape artistry on show was painterly and masterful, complemented by a new score that pays homage to the original but does its own, more modern, thing. There are moments of peace and quiet where you can just appreciate the animation and music without the constant kinetic pacing of series 2 ruining certain reflective moments. For fans of the Golden Condor there are stunning scenes which often felt like Condor porn, as we see the beautiful machine flying against stunningly rendered backdrops.

Overall, series 3 of MCOG is a brilliant continuation of the epic animation. It reaches highs that rival even the original series but also lows (the group breaking up in Arabia) that make parts some of the worst in the shows history. It is a show that is well worth a watch and for fans of the original, you will not be (too) disappointed.

The Works of Mamoru Hosoda

Mamoru Hosoda is the visionary director of such influential films as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Wolf Children and Summer Wars. Last week I went to a free exhibition of his work in London and loved it. Below are some of the photos I took.

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 2- Comic Review

So, after 28 years we have reached the final arc of Alita’s story in Mars Chronicle but has it been worth the wait? I've spoken at length about how the initial 9 graphic novel run of Battle Angel Alita was one of the finest sci-fi tales of all time but the sequel, Last Order, was meandering and overlong at 19 graphic novels. The first volume of Mars Chronicle showed great promise, taking us back to Alita's origin as a young orphaned 80% cyborg child named Yoko living on the war-torn surface of Mars with her friend Erica.

This volume resumes in the present day, three years after the end of Last Order. We catch hints and references to some of the things that have been going on the last three years, like Alita doing some kind of work for the Jupiter government, but what kind if work is left a mystery.

The first half of the volume is about Alita meeting up again with her childhood friend Erica, who has become bitter towards her over the intervening years. Erica then attacks Alita, who tries to stop her and not harm her as she just wants some information.

The whole volume is an intriguing read as it reveals more about Alita’s past whilst also heaping new mysteries upon an already huge pile. I read Last Order a few years ago and so my memory of all the events are hazy but this storyline seems more cohesive and focused than Last Order.

The art style is just as great as ever and the fight scene between Erica and Alita is kinetically drawn and as high octane as you’d expect from Kishiro.

This is a promising story arc so far and I just hope that the author keeps it tight and focussed, as that was what made the original series so great.

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 1- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: And So It Ends

Sabrina: Graphic Novel Review

Sabrina by Nick Drnaso was longlisted for the Booker prize, the first for a graphic novel, and as such received much coverage and hype. I bought a copy a couple of days ago and read it over a couple of evenings and it was an unsettling experience.

Sabrina, the titular character of the novel, is an ordinary woman, who doesn't return home one night. Over the course of a couple of weeks videos are posted online and to various media outlets showing her gruesome murder. So far so trope-y, but what follows isn't a murder mystery but more of an examination of what happens in the aftermath of such a tragic event. It is a 'state of the nation' study on the current social and political climate where truth is flexible, fake news pervades and conspiracy theories about the Deep State are bandied around as facts.

In an age when the grieving parents of the various high school massacres are accused of being actors, #MeToo survivors of being mythomaniacs and news outlets of 'lugenpresse' (lying media) who do you trust?

In Sabrina, lives are put on hold as we follow the day to day events of friends and loved ones trying to deal with the loss. It is mundane, it is boring but life must go on for those people but what toll does it take to be constantly harangued, harried and pursued by the various factions each out for their pound of flesh?

The book is an excellent look into the age of the Internet and the hollowness that social media has brought on the masses. It speaks of the situation we currently find ourselves in and is chilling in its trajectory of world news items to hot takes to conspiracy theories to old news... The daily news cycle.

The art style was not to my liking but its simplicity and flatness did give it an eerie feel as the story is king here, it all works well. The flatness become more disconcerting the further you read into the novel and by the end you feel like you’ve run a marathon… it’s exhausting and traumatic, but in the best possible way.

It’s by no means the best graphic novel I’ve read, that’d be Maus or Blankets, but Sabrina is a book that definitely deserves the attention it is getting.

Nex Machina- Video Games As Art

Nex Machina is a twin stick shoot 'em up which was developed and published by Finnish studio Housemarque with some consultation with Eugene Jarvis, creator of classic arcade games Defender and Robotron 2084 and console favourite Smash TV. The game casts you as a protagonist armed with a laser gun charged with rescuing humans against an alien horde from a top down perspective. The game is very simple to understand but complex to master, much like their previous game Resogun. The game is beautiful to watch as it is running and whilst I am proud of capturing the images below from my gameplay, do yourself a favour and play the game to understand its majesty. 

The Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 Episode 1 Review

The series kicks off straight after the cliffhanger ending of series 2 with the group travelling to Japan to find the 3rd city of gold. Zares has kidnapped Esteban’s father Athanaos and promises to release him only upon the group finding the city, so time is of the essence. The children arrive at Kagoshima, a port town and try to find the city but find another relic made from orichalcum…
And so, with that the new series really kicks off at a cracking pace. It may be that the framing of images is more ciematic and sweeping or it may be that the soundtrack complements what is going on on the screen more but this series has already drawn me in much quicker than the 2nd series did.
The animation style, whilst different from the first series for obvious reasons, has grown on me and I haven’t seen the occasional weird animation glitches or odd character movements or shading that hindered parts of the second series.

This is a solid episode and I will continue to watch the series and hope to have a full series review very soon.

Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 Premieres in English!

Finally, after what seems like an infinite amount of time (about 2 years in actual fact) the Mysterious Cities of Gold season 3 has an english dub. The only problem is… it’s only showing on SBS On Demand in Australia. However, if you have a way to hide your VPN then you can watch it for free! I’m currently downloading the entire series and will provide a series review once I’ve watched it!

In the meantime, why not check out the new introduction and follow some of the other MCOG related links below!