Moomin Valley Soundtrack

I am beyond excited or the new animated Moomin Valley series, which is due to air over Easter. I have a love for the Moomins as many of you may know. I've discussed the Moomins multiple times before, when talking about the 80s stop motion animation, the recent vinyl soundtrack release and the exhibition at the Southbank Centre. What many people may not know is that my love for the Moomins is all pretty recent. When the Japanese animated show came out in the early 90s I was already too old for the show and was busy being edgy with the X Men cartoon. No, my love for the Moomins came in the mid 2000s with the release of the comics. Tove Jansson's comics were published in the 1950s in the Evening Standard and it was here that the characters became popular, however the collected volumes weren't released until 2006. As a comic collector I noticed the first 4 volumes on sale and decided to buy the set and it was here that the whimsical stories with heart and street philosophy entered my life. I fell in love with these hippo-like creatures that spouted aphorisms and enjoyed the simple things in life.

The new series will have a star studded album and will be released on CD, streaming platforms and on vinyl. I look forward to buying a vinyl album but which one? Now that’s a tough choice!

The track list is below:

  1. ‘I’M FAR AWAY’ (THEME SONG) BY MØ

  2. ‘STARLIGHT’ PERFORMED BY ALMA

  3. ‘SUMMER DAY’ PERFORMED BY TOM ODELL

  4. ‘BACK TO THE CAVE’ PERFORMED BY COLONEL SUNS

  5. ‘LOVE ME WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART’ PERFORMED BY DELILAH MONTAGU

  6. ‘HOME AGAIN’ PERFORMED BY FIRST AID KIT

  7. ‘THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE FOREST’ PERFORMED BY EMILIANA TORRINI AND THE COLORIST ORCHESTRA

  8. ‘HOME’ PERFORMED BY JOSEF SALVAT

  9. ‘ALL SMALL BEASTS SHOULD HAVE BOWS IN THEIR TAILS’ PERFORMED BY ELLINOORA

  10. ‘FREE SPIRIT’ PERFORMED BY JOSEF SALVAT

  11. ‘COUNTRY AIR’ PERFORMED BY SOAK

  12. ‘BY YOUR SIDE’ PERFORMED BY MELLAH

  13. ‘IN BLUE’ PERFORMED BY DECLAN MCKENNA

  14. ‘NORTHERN LIGHTS PERFORMED BY MØ

  15. ‘READY NOW’ PERFORMED BY DODIE

  16. ‘THE AUTHOR’ PERFORMED BY ROOSBERG

Bizenghast- Complete Series Comic Review

Bizenghast is a gothic manga-influenced comic series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow, who won the chance to pitch the concept after placing in Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga competition. The 8 part graphic novel series was published from 2004 to 2012, the final part being released after a lengthy 2 year gap due to complications with the publisher.

I got on the ground floor with the graphic novel in 2004 and got the first 7 as they were released but the final one took me many years to pick up. Due to its small print run and Tokyopop’s financial complications as it wound down its business, the comparative rarity meant that the book was changing hands at ridiculous prices. I remember seeing it for £79 on Amazon second hand and it was a similar situation in other market places. However, I finally managed to get part 8 for a reasonable price (£17) recently and so used this opportunity to revisit the whole series again. So, was it worth the 15 year wait to get closure?

It took me many years but I managed to finish the whole series and complete my collection.

The story is intriguing and typical teen gothic horror fare but with a lolita fashion flourish:
In the mysterious town of Bizenghast a young orphaned teenage girl named Dinah lives with her aunt after the death of her parents. After trespassing in an ancient mausoleum, Dinah is tasked, alongside her friend Vincent, to return each night and free the ghosts within the building. After 10 ghosts are freed Dinah is assisted by tower guardians, Edaniel and Edrear. As the series moves on Dinah realises that there may be more to Bizenghast and its history than meets the eye, and its all tied to the curious Addie Clark and a strange incident that occurred many years ago.

Over the course of the series, there is the typical monster of the week format but the larger narrative arc in novel 3 changes the story and the feel of the story becomes much darker, violent and bloody. The death if a prominent character changes the mood of the series considerably and it becomes a study of death and the effects it can have on the living, covering the 5 stages of grief.

The series is a horror tale told well, with nightmarish creatures that terrify and haunt your dreams softened with beautifully intricate gothic lolita designs. The artwork lurches from stunning to workaday, sometimes feeling distinctly amateurish but the whole Burton-esque vibe is there. The story unfolds well and while in some places it can drag, as a whole it comes together in a suitable spectacular if sombre ending.
The long wait wasn't worth it in my opinion but enjoyed as is, Bizenghast is a solid story told well but with a few pieces of clunky dialogue and pacing issues. It is well worth a read though.

Alita: Battle Angel- Film Review

29 years after the source material first came out, Alita: Battle Angel has finally hit the theatres. I’ve been a HUGE fan of the series since its release in 1990 and over time have waited with bated breath for James Cameron, Mr Terminator/ Aliens/ Titanic/ Avatar to release the film he had optioned for sooo very long. With the success of Avatar, Cameron became too busy and passed the task onto Robert Rodriguez, a great/ good director with a variable success rate. I was concerned when the film was pushed back from its December release date and the trailers, while exciting, had me concerned. The online backlash *sigh* against the size of Alita’s eyes had me concerned that people were sharpening their knives for the film… so with some trepidation I kept away from all review, reports and social media on the film to see it fresh and uninfluenced, and I’m glad I did.

For those not in the know Battle Angel Alita is an ongoing manga comic book series that is a masterful piece of sci-fi. The story tells the dark tale of Alita, a young cyborg girl who is discovered broken but with her brain intact by Dr Daisuke Ido. Ido is delighted with his find and takes Alita to his home and repairs her. Over time there develops a father-daughter bond but Alita has amnesia and is unhappy as she wants to find out more about her mysterious past. Over time she learns that she knows the powerful 'Panzer Kurst' fighting technique and enters the Motorball Tournament, a Running Man/ Rollerball style gauntlet filled with cyborgs and other hideous mechanical marvels.

Over the course of the first 4 graphic novels Alita enters and becomes the champion of Motorball. The other 5 graphic novels see Alita try to live a ‘normal’ civilian life but life has other plans and there are plots to overthrow the floating city and bring equity to the Scrapyard… all pretty heady stuff!

Trying to fit over 1000 pages of comics into 2 hours would not be possible or advisable and so the film covers the first 3 graphic novels. The first 5 minutes of the movie whizz along at a cracking pace and the whole film moves from set-piece to set-piece effortlessly.

The first two series of Alita… clocking in at over 2000 pages easily!

The first two series of Alita… clocking in at over 2000 pages easily!

My heart soared with joy at seeing the scenes I'd imagined in my head for many years play out so spectacularly on the big screen. The scrapyard was bathed in a dirty golden glow as Ido finds Alita's broken body, her head and chest intact. The world of the scrapyard and the mysterious floating city of Zalem is beautifully realised, being one of the best cityscapes since Valarian, Blade Runner 2049 or Ghost in the Shell. The enlarges eyes of Alita drew initial criticism but within the first minute or so they just... blend in. When you have people with cyborg bodies roaming around slightly enlarges eyes on a robot girl seem less jarring, there isn't the uncanny valley that I and many others were worried about.

The fact that the United Republics of Mars - Earth conflict from much of Last Order and Mars Chronicle (the second and third Alita series) is mentioned is a nice inclusion for longtime fans as that’s a pretty deep cut, however it is covered well, as is the Panzer Kunst and Berserker Body. Without heavy exposition the concepts and background are explained, this is good work indeed, especially from a writing team not known for good scripting.

The love story doesn't always work as Rosa Salazar (Alita) is a much stronger actor that Keean Johnson (love interest, Hugo) in this film but the film works for me, not as an apologist for bad manga and anime conversions but generally as a bold sci-fi film. It is the best manga conversion so far and granted the bar was low but as a long time Alita fan (29 years) I was extremely happy with the end result.

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

Hilda- Comic Series Review

The Hilda graphic novel books by Luke Pearson are stories about a young blue-haired girl named Hilda. She lives in the mountains, surrounded by fantastical mythical creatures, with her mother and Twigg, her pet deerfox. Hilda is an adventurer and explorer who wants to understand her world and over the course of 5 books (so far as of early 2019) has lots of fun and exciting adventures. With each event Hilda learns something, often something profound for someone so small like what it is to be lonely, how easy it is to be unkind to animals, why rituals are important to many and how we can make the world a better place by working together.

There are 5 Hilda books so far.

In the first book, Hilda and the Troll, we find out about Hilda's world. Her passion for exploring, understanding the world and art lead to a grand adventure in which she realises that her prejudices led her to treat a creature in an unethical way. She learns from her mistake and grows as a person and that is what these stories are about... having flaws, learning from mistakes and growing to be a better person.

In Hilda and the Midnight Giant, the second book, Hilda helps a lost mountain giant find his friend after many millenia alone. Hilda meets the hidden smallfolk on her way and discovers that the invisible hidden folk have been disturbed by the presence of her and her mother in the mountains. The ending for this book is particularly profound and beautiful and is all about the effect we have on the world without even realising. Heady stuff indeed for a 'kids' comic. The weirdness and slight tinge of unease reminds me of Over The Garden Wall or even Frankenweenie.

The books look like the cartoon series from Netflix from book 4 onwards.

The books look like the cartoon series from Netflix from book 4 onwards.

After the events of book 2, Hilda and her mother leave their cabin and move to the city of Trollberg. Hilda then adapts to life in an urban setting, meeting new people and the complexities that brings. She begins to understand the beauty that can exist in the city and develops friendships through the Sparrow Scouts group she joins and it is here that the main thrust of the graphic novels is pushed forward with each novel being an amazing and whimsical adventure. There are elves, stone giants, a Thunderbird and even a hell hound thrown in the mix... it all ends up making sense as the world is a tapestry of stories and characters, all building towards a cohesive whole. The final book released in mid 2018, Hilda and the Stone Forest, ends on a real cliffhanger and fans of the series have been waiting many years for the continuation. The next book, Hilda and the Mountain King, is slated for release in late 2019 and I can't wait.

The 5 books are amazing and show Pearson’s evolution over the 5 years since the creation of the character. The first 3 books have wonderful if stylishly sketchy art but from book 4 onwards it is more cartoon like and more akin to the wonderful Netflix show. The colour palette is beautiful at conveying the mood and the panel organisation more fluent as the book series progresses.

The first 3 Hilda books have a sketchy art style… it’s beautifully stylised!

By book 4 the art style is more akin to a cartoon.

I must also mention how inclusive the series is, with a multicultural cast represented especially in Trollberg, the main town. The fact that Hilda herself is a girl is also a plus as it is rare for many comics to have positive young female role models. My 4 year old daughter looks up to Hilda but she is represented well and isn't perfect, being cheeky and selfish as kids (and adults) are wont to be. Hilda is a brilliant series and should be treasured by fans of the comic medium.

LINK- Comics in the Classroom

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

Vintage Arcade Finds In The Wild

Arcades have changed a lot over time and, even though they are not as prevalent as they once were, there are many arcades machines that exist in the wild. Often they are found in the most random of places. Here I'm sharing a few machines that I’ve found on my journeys. It's interesting where some of these machines end up. As I find more I'll add them to this page.

This Sega Weighing Machine is a Teignmouth Pier, I tried it but it didn't work… either that or my big behind broke the machine!

I love the woodgrain on this Super Nudge Gambler machine.

I went to a campsite in Devon and found this in the rec room... four classic games in one wonderful machine.

A staple of cinema complexes in the early to mid-90’s

I wonder how many hands have been on this piece of sweet kit.

I’m off the charts baby…. at least that’s what my wife tells me ;)

I found this iconic machine at the Trago Shopping Park in Devon. What a beaut! The machine next door is a bit of a classic too.

This Scud Race machine was at the Woodlands Park in Devon and was a welcome surprise in the softplay area.

I don’t even know this game but always did like an old light gun game back in the day.

Gunblade NY Arcade

Another light gun game I didn’t know of.

I found this old beauty in a pub in Newton Abbot. It wasn’t on unfortunately.

This is a bit of a classic and I remember seeing it in my youth in a few places.

This is the first time I’ve seen this legendary game in the wild

I do love these old electro-mechanical machines.

My Life Described Through Video Game Titles

I like to play video game and on occasion I think about aspects of my life and put them to video game titles. It’s like opening a box of Pringles, once you pop you can’t stop and over the course of a few hours I can often come up with loads. Often they hit me at the weirdest times; going for a walk with the kids, cooking roast dinner, on the toilet…

Anyways, have a look at what I’ve come up with and think of your own too!

(Please note that these are all said tongue firmly in cheek and no offence is meant.)

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Living in Barking

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Getting home at night from Barking Station

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Saying goodbye to my asian family

(as opposed to spending hours on the doorstep)

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Leaving secondary school at the same time as the other local secondary

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Parents bring up prospective arranged marriage to some random Auntie’s niece

Getting married

Getting married

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Telling the wife that she needs to calm down during an argument

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Having kids

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Retiring early and having a good pension as a teacher in Britain

Being a millennial and trying to get on the property ladder

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Being a millennial and trying to get on the property ladder during Brexit

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Passing my driving test after 60+ lessons and driving a 2008 Honda Jazz (in 2019)

Astro Bot- Video Games As Art

I’ve been a big advocate for VR and especially PSVR. We have used many games and experiences in lessons and it always goes down well but for your average person, VR isn’t a thing that’s going to stick… it’s like 3D telly… something that comes out cyclically but never sticks. However, sometimes a proof of concept comes out and shows people how amazing a new piece of kit can be and this is exactly what Astro Bot is. Much like how Mario 64 showed how 3D worlds could be realised, Astro Bot shows how VR can be used effectively to create an amazing game that couldn’t exist in any other way. The screenshots I’ve taken on my playthrough don’t do it justice, you really have to play it to understand how much of a game changer it is.

Shikhondo- Video Games As Art

I’ve always liked shoot ‘em ups… no, not first person gun games (although some are alright) but space ship shooting aliens. They've always held a special place in my heart as once the enemy patterns are learnt and memorised you can look like a boss completing a game. I have a vivid memory of playing Rtype at Heathrow airport and getting to level 3, that huge base ship.
Unfortunately over the last few years bullet hell games have taken over, I like them as I feel zen-like when I play them but they are not the same as traditional shoot 'em ups. Bullet hell games, especially the ones that have made their way West in the last few years on console including Deathsmile and Akai Katana have a place but they do feel stagnant compared to Dodonpachi and Ikaruga, the true exciting innovators of bullet hell. But generally bullet hell games have a different feel and mechanics and so it is with Shikhondo. The game looks pretty but is a bit of a soulless affair. Enjoy the images and grab the game when it’s on sale.

Lost In Harmony- Video Games As Art

We live in an interesting time in video gaming. We have the big hitters providing us with the spectacle and set-pieces but there are smaller developers who are trying unusual or experimental things. One of the latter is Lost in Harmony by Digixart, an endless runner and rhythm game but not…

Lost in Harmony is the story of a young boy name Kaito and his best friend, Aya, who is being treated for cancer. After texting Kaito falls off to sleep and the game comes into play in which you control the two skateboarding towards the screen in a variety of gradually more outlandish backgrounds, reflecting the fact that Aya may not make it.

The game is fine, nothing much to write about, but the music is sublime in places. Wyclef Jean produces a track ‘Lost in Time’ and it is a joy. Check out the game but definitely listen to the track!

Being An Elder Statesman of Gaming

Recently, I turned 38 and it dawned on me… I’m approaching 40 and what used to be called ‘middle-aged.’ Now amongst my father’s generation middle-aged meant they’d take up a hobby, usually golfing, tinkering with old cars or going through some form of a mid-life crisis but for me I’m not sure what it will entail.

As many people of my generation approach 40 we are less likely to own our own homes and so we have this weird stage of ‘man-baby’ males who are not on the properly ladder or even settled on what they want to do in life. I’m lucky as I’m a teacher and happy to be so (most of the time), married with a wife and two kids and I’m kinda on the property ladder. What middle-aged means to me is not new hobbies but an old one, the constant I’ve had since I was about 5 years old… gaming. I play a couple of hours of games most days and it shows no sign of abating. Even when people said that having children would put a dent in my gaming it really didn’t and hasn’t. Now I know this doesn’t reflect well on my parenting skills but I only play games when my wife and children are in bed and never during their waking day so it’s all good and healthy.

I have been reflecting though; will I be playing games when I’m proper old and crinkly? Will I plug in the Nintendo Holocube, Xbox Infinity, PlayStation 69 or Spectrum Revival II in my mancave and play some Final Fantasy 42, Zelda: The Kazoo of Space Time or Half Life 3. I don’t know but I hope so. However, I could become more reflective and look back and finally play the games of my formative years, Dizzy, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or Mario Bros. 3. It’s what the older generation do isn’t it? Look back with nostalgia on past glories and milestones.

Whatever the case, I’m sure I’ll be a gamer until my (probably arthritic) body gives out or my spirit is crushed through the constant talk of Brexit… whichever comes first!

Geek Chic

You hear about people wearing their heart on their sleeve, I wear my love of computer games on my t-shirts. Whilst teaching in Cambodia I got some t-shirts screen printed of the games I really like. Here are a few of the tops I got made.

Shadow of the Colossus

Metroid

Toon Link: Windwaker

Samus Aran from Metroid

Samus Aran from Metroid

Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus

I got this Limbo inspired bag made in Cambodia... it lasted 5 years but finally has given up the ghost.

A close up of the boy figure on the bag.

SOMA- Video Games As Art

SOMA is a horror game by Frictional, the studio that brought us Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Penumbra, both staples of annoying YouTube screaming teen vids. However, rather than just offering jump scares, SOMA is a deep game about personal identity. “Soma” is Greek for “body”, and over the course of the game you consider what it means to be ‘human.’

The world of SOMA is beautifully realised and well worth a look. It reminded me of a more industrial Rapture, and that’s no bad thing.

What's the Deal With Achievements and Trophies?

I’ve been a gamer ever since I was about knee-high to a grasshopper. I remember our local video shop in East Ham, England renting out VHS tapes when one day it got in arcades. The flashing lights of the Space Invaders sit down cabinet and the marquee and cabinet art of Pac-Man are ingrained in my mind; I was mesmerised by this new world and have been ever since. What appealed to me, beyond the art and flashing lights, was the promise of mastery. The first few 10p coins would go in and I’d die quickly, get myself stuck in a corner or get blasted in a blink of an eye. However, with practise and perseverance I’d get better and make progress. I played for fun, knowing that there were no rewards or trophies but just for the sheer joy of it.

Nowadays, whilst progressing through a game I’m bombarded with ‘Achievements’ that mean very little. Fine, some show progress through a game and that in itself is a reward but the lack of purpose of trophies seems like a missed opportunity. It seems to me like there was something grander planned but then it devolved into a simple trophy progress bar instead, a tick list of busywork.

I loved Assassins Creed II but the feather collecting was a pain in the ass!

The pointlessness of trophies has turned me off to ‘Achievements’ and it’s vacuousness. Most egregious for me was the feather collecting in Assassins Creed II, and I loved that game.

I know that game designers build these in to prolong play of their game, but at a time when streaming services, movies, music, books etc are available to us and we are living through a real golden age of television I find some ‘Achievements’ aggravating and time consuming. I'm a bit of a completist and once I start a game it is very rare for me to not finish it but I’ve never ‘Platinum-ed’ (100%) a game since the trophy system came into place and have no interest to as often it means little more than collecting random doodads. I know some games gate content until certain trophies are achieved but this is rare in most titles.

What if with certain trophies you got digital rewards, such as OSTs, avatars, themes and maybe discounts? I’m not some old man shouting at the moon but do feel that the games industry is missing a trick here. So, what do you think? Let me know!

Trine 2- Video Games As Art

Trine 2 is a sidescrolling game of action, puzzles and platforming. You play as one of the three heroes (a Knight, Magician and Thief) and make your way through fantastical worlds to restore peace to the land. What makes the game a joy to play is the ability to change characters on the fly; each of the characters possesses their own unique abilities and strengths, which you must use to overcome obstacles and progress through the lands.

The game looks gorgeous and the lighting is stunning, almost painterly in its airbrushed glory. Considering it is a 2012 game the art style still really holds up.

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 5- Comic Review

With volume 5 we are given more insight into Baron Muster, a true comic book villain; all twirling moustache and cackling but in the very best sense. The previous volume had us judge him as a power crazy monster, however a flashback to his youth shows his motivation and brings a bit of humanity into the proceedings. His descent into madness and mania is operatic and tragic but is interspersed with the darkest of humour that Kishiro does so well. He goes full Cronenberg and the body horror is truly grotesque.

We get a little more information on Alita’s origins but yet again, they remain shrouded in mystery as her ‘birth’ is anything but normal. I won’t spoil it here but it Kishiro sure knows how to keep people on tenter hooks.

Vol. 5 goes into deep Martian lore.

Vol. 5 goes into deep Martian lore.

Valiant Hearts- Video Games As Art

Valiant Hearts is a puzzle adventure set in World War I. The game follows 4 different story plots and interconnect and weave in and out of each other to create a grand and affecting narrative about the horrors of war. What sets the game apart is not only the art style, which is admittedly amazing, but the fact that the game is densely packed with facts and trivia about the Great War. At 4 hours or so, the game doesn’t overstay its welcome but it will linger in your memory long after you put the controller down.

Kamiko- Video Games As Art

Kamiko is a top down action game in the vein of the original Legend of Zelda and Gauntlet. You can play as one of three divine maidens: Yamato has a giant sword, Uzume has a bow and arrow and Hinome has a dagger and shield combo. In the game you play through four levels which consist of easy to solve puzzles involving sliding blocks, buttons, orbs and keys. The game is download only on Nintendo Switch and is usually on sale for a few pounds but is well worth the hour or so play time, just to appreciate the beautiful pixel art graphics.

The Clangers Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin were giants of British animation, creating Bagpuss, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine and, of course, The Clangers. With their stop motion animation studio, Smallfilms, they have delighted legions of fans young and old over the last 50 or so years. Part of the charm of Smallfilms was the craftsy handmade products they made, and that could also be reflected in the magical music. I've already discussed that the Bagpuss Soundtrack had recently been released on vinyl but far more exciting for me is the recent re-release of the out of print Clangers Original Television Music by Vernon Elliot.

The music is from the original 26 episode run of the series from 1969, which was recorded in a local Kentish village hall. 50 years after their initial recording, these pieces of music have lost none of their wonder and charm. The Clangers soundtrack remains a seminal work piece of work, not just of children’s television, but of music as a whole. Composer Elliot's contribution to The Clangers was great as he created a warm and recognisable soundscape in an alien world. Listening to the music away from the show you can appreciate the craftsmanship that went onto the compositions; it is all beautifully minimalist performed mostly on a bassoon (in which Elliot was an expert) and a clarinet, harp, glockenspiel and flute. Highlights for me include Music, Cloud and Music of the Spheres as they are all very unique soundscape pieces that stand on their own.

The Clangers Soundtrack is a wonderful album that can be appreciated for its music in isolation from the show and is highly recommended.

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

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power- Complete Series Review

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix is a modern reimagining of the classic ’80s Filmation series. She-Ra is a part of the He-Man universe and so holds a place in many fans’ hearts, and as expected this has led to many debates about the redesign of the characters. Some arguments seem to be reasonable, like some complaining about the more cartoony super deformed art style, or the redesign of She-Ra herself, but some seem purposely argumentative and toxic like why there is a wider LGBTQ and minority ethnic representation on the show and why She-Ra herself is less 'feminine' .
So, away from the Twitter frenzy what is the show like?

The character redesigns have led to many online discussions, unfortunately not all have been healthy. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power ©Netflix, NBC

Well, I did like the design of the '80s show but the new art style is great too. I am a big fan of Noelle Stevenson (the creator and lead writer of the show), who has created the amazing Nimona and Lumberjanes graphic novels, and her art style feels modern and stylised like Steven Universe. I don't understand why this seems to be an issue when many cartoons have been drawn in a more simplistic style compared to what they were years ago, after all, Phineas and Ferb, Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball and Over the Garden Wall are all brilliant but less detailed and 'realistic' when compared to '80s fare such as He-Man, TMNT, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, MASK or GI Joe. However, what is inarguable and beyond dispute is that the storylines, dialogue and characterisation in the new She-Ra show is much better than in its predecessor. In a medium which has been hegemonic in portraying white characters and often sexualised females, the recent wave of real world representations in cartoons is exciting and the fact that it is backed up by engaging stories not just meant to sell toys is brilliant.

The story itself is classic hero fare: Adora is a cadet in the Fright Zone and a part of the Horde, who are trying to wipe out the 'evil' Princesses. However, after a joy riding accident in the Whispering Woods with her friend Catra, Adora finds the Sword of Power and has visions of She-Ra and the First Ones.
Adora is captured by Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon and Bow and realises that the Horde are evil and that the Princesses aren't a guerilla force but actually just peaceful rulers of their respective lands. Over the course of a few episodes Adora transforms and aims to unite the Princess Alliance that once fought the Horde but ultimately failed and fell apart.

So, as I stated before, the usual Hero's Journey fare. But what really helps set this apart from many shows of its peers is the snappy dialogue and characterisation. From episode 10 of onwards the show goes deep into lore and it is genuinely exciting to see the battle between Adora/ She-ra and Catra as they realise that they want different things in life yet their paths are inextricably and destructively linked.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is an excellent 13 part animated series with a lot of heart. It may not please all previous fans of the show but as a father of a 3 3/4 year old daughter I can honestly say that it is wonderful to have a show that has a strong female lead that isn't wearing questionable clothing or revealing too much skin. The Heroes Journey is a universal tale and in She-Ra it is a tale told well.

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

LINK- Ms Marvel Can Change the World

LINK- 13th Doctor Revealed

LINK- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 2 Review

Gris- Video Games As Art

Gris is a stunningly beautiful game, probably one of the most gorgeous games I have ever played. The game is a puzzle-platformer set in an alternate reality where ancient ruins, fragile metalwork and iridescent woods are metaphors for the protagonists state of mind. The visual are like a huge canvas filled with dazzling details, that why there are so many images here as each could be a work of art in its own right. Check out and enjoy the images.