Legend of Zelda Manga - From Ocarina to Sages

Legend of Zelda – Ocarina to Ages
In 2000, two talented characters created a manga based on Nintendo’s ™ Legend of Zelda series. The combination of A. Honda & S. Nagano forming Akira Himekawa delivered unique storytelling like no other team before. I remember first playing Ocarina of Time many years ago, and wondered if a manga was ever based around that same world. Playing the adventure, and reading It are two completely different worlds.

+Hyrule versus the other side+
Astonished to find out more about this amazing duo, I did some homework on how many projects they’ve worked on together over the years. Oddly enough they’ve done Pokemon, Final Fantasy, and many more. Although they keep the core concept of each story, they interpret the journey in their own unique way. (I think they might even wrote a Sonic comic sometime ago.

No matter what language, or background, Zelda defines many generations. With the Nintendo 64 console it through away tons of boundaries with the in-game engine, character design, and music. But the images within the guide on how to proceed past the first mission had tons of awesome artwork. Oddly enough Himekawa was the team behind all of it. Who knew?

+When art tells its own story+
I honestly feel that video games on their own can’t cover everything in detail. But there is so much to cover in a short period, indulging with words and images takes you back to playing the game. Possibly covering territory you never thought about, or read somewhere in fanfiction. (hey it does exist, and some go way out there) But in this manga serialized series, it retains the key parts of each chapter and works oh so well.

Plus the art covers the time unraveling segment of the game in a solid fashion. Literally feeling as if the entire world changed before your very eyes. Seven years in-game felt like a blink, but in printed form it becomes a feeling of dread and worry, its not the same when playing OoT. Adding to the fact that Link carries so many emotions that the artists felt with every turn. (We all experience our own feelings with our play through of the adventure). I absolutely love this aspect of storytelling and glad to share more with you fellow readers.

Wrapping up where the TARDIS left off

Wrapping up Where the Tardis Left Off
(Part 2)

Good day Russell, back again after reading the great adventure that was “The Final Chapter”. I actually had a chat with my mom and dad about the book. Brought a grin to my dad’s face; because he knows quite a bit about the series. And my mom actually recalled “The End of Time”, carried a sniffle. It was the last time that we would have watched Who with my grandma. Sadly we lost my grandmother to Alzheimers + Dimentia, a scary mix that she had for a short time. But plenty of memories… and it all started with a new Who.

Onto more positive topics:
1) How not to write a story: I have attended a few classes to grasp on the functionality of writing. I still scratch my head on how some grade “what they think” is honest writing. There is some bizarre level of understanding here stateside I do not know I will ever get a hold of.

2) Character: It is truly something how the Who-verse has grounded itself on so many levels. In addition to each actor’s portrayal always leaves something of himself behind, when the next Doctor takes the mantle (or suit) so to speak. Reading the last segment of the book, I could only imagine as your heart sank when David signed off, and Matt being a gentleman about stepping into the Tardis for the next few years.

3) Time: I don’t think many ask often enough “Which Doctor Who actor held the character role the longest?” For our generation, I feel that David did the character justice. I sank through some of the episodes from past Who adventures… Wow I just can’t imagine how fans felt back then. Its astonishing what transmissions were like, with Baker, Davison, etc..

2013 – The Doctors Assemble: 50 years and still youthful as ever! (I meant Who, I’m 28 just to clarify) When I read that in the book, I felt a grin on my face emerge. Seeing how much advertising has appeared on the web, and the official DW website.

*speaking of cliff notes, I turned in a small teaser for Iron Man 3 awhile back. I asked some of the writers in an email “Why can’t Pepper Potts save Tony for a change? Rose did it!” Just this morning during Good Morning America, the teaser came up on the telly revealing what she is capable of donning a suit. I can’t reveal just yet, but it was inspiring just to turn that in. Even Stan Lee might blush at the thought.  To be honest, you are one of the very few people that know about that easter egg.

Hey I went off topic, sorry about that. It feels weird when I finish reading a book, even one about Doctor Who. It is like the book is only a small part of a whole. I can’t imagine how putting together the rebirth must have been like, down in words.




Oh, and Torchwood is another story, turns out my parents loved it as well. I was able to find the series via our local library. Viewed series one, two, Children of Earth, and Miracle Day. I have been keeping up with the web any time I get a chance. Just to see if anything new is going on with that series, I do hope it continues in some format. Or even bringing Torchwood back, with Matt Smith’s journey. Could be fun!

Anything can happen! And lo, David and Matt together again! (plus fellow companions) I still smile every time I see Billie playing Rose again. Recently we lost the Ponds, sniff loved them so. Its interesting to see who you gave the reigns to, Moffatt is something else. Oh, I wonder if Craig Ferguson might even get to invite you, Matt (with a Stetson hat) and David (and more friends!) on his Late Late Show as guests. It would be an awesome party! What a better way to celebrate 50 years of a franchise brought back from the dead?

Its 8:40am, and I’m writing to a friend about a series who wrote for it. How awesome is that?
I was wondering, any chance you’ll be working on more books like “The Last Chapter”? I really enjoyed that way of sharing your experiences during those seasons. All the best.

(End of Part 2)

Doctor Who - The Final Chapter

Doctor Who – The Writers Tale – The Final Chapter
A book regarding the last bits of Russell T. Davies work on Doctor Who Series 4.
2008 – 2010

Note: I am writing this review a bit differently, it hits close to my dear heart. Not just because I am a fellow Whovian, but part of a generation that has regarded change in storytelling.  It might feel like a conversation piece, yet worthwhile. Might even say it’s a thank you letter instead.

Dear old friend,
I am a third generation Whovian, my grandmother adopted the moniker when the first few transmissions hit stateside airwaves. Oddly enough tradition carried on towards my mom and dad. Turns out there is a bit more than just time itself.

Where do I fit in? I represent a part of time, and space whereupon storytelling began to change. I was part of the 80’s, a fragment where we saw robots interchange from being vehicles, to plumbers fighting supersized monsters and using powers. I never quite understood where It all came from, just pure imagination I gathered. But these were all based on ideas, compromise, computations, and ideological thoughts that made storytelling work.

I gathered myself as I made it through grade school, wondering if there were others like me. Interested in the same interactions, not just of characters, but beyond science fiction. Lo and behold, years later does the truth reveal itself. Doctor Who, was one of those series that has stood the test of time.

I have been reading, The Final Chapter for several days now. Although it may be a borrowed copy from my local library, I pen in every day I can to indulge the lost tales many fans never grasped before. Some bits were controversial, others were never used, or tales were skewered to make things work.

To tell the truth, I think the same idea goes behind video games as well. I look through my crazy collection of titles, and seeing how they’ve changed over the years. Stateside, our congressman still go bonkers over the “interactive violence” and “loss of integrity”. Hmm.. Doctor Who and Torchwood faced tons of arguments because not everything could be comprehended within its airtime or censorship gets in the way.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not writing that video games as a storytelling bit of art form don’t make me feel emotions. Not at all. Every title I have indulged myself into, I feel lost in Metroid wondering if I should avoid this place. Or in Devil May Cry, trying not to get cornered by a bunch of monsters. Or Tomb Raider, where every turn leads to danger and excitement! With Doctor Who, every segment breaks down to one thing, connecting with the viewer, with the writer’s heart beating every second. And if that fails somewhere, its as if the writer just had a heart attack, or it skipped  a beat.

Speaking of things that change, I remember the day when “Journey’s End”, and “The End of Time” aired stateside when Sci-Fi Channel helmed the rights. My mom pondered “No not my favorite doctor!”” Waaah!!”” *She wailed for days after watching the regeneration scene. I was so glad that we had a box of tissues, even my grandma (when she was still with us) even jarred a tear. Bless her heart.  I can’t believe how long ago that’s been. It is as if it were yesterday.

Going through my music playlist, I think about that Muse track playing when everything was about to end for David Tennant’s run as Doctor Who. I still get the chills every time I hear that track. I just lose myself into the song. It feels like a trance, where it all falls apart. It was scary and exciting.

Making it through the book, I find out I have made it near pg.400. I usually never read a 600 pg thesis that makes me take the time out of everyday just to indulge. I take breaks sometimes, playing a game for a bit, just to gather my thoughts on how interwoven interactive entertainment has always been to me.

Recently, I watched Series Seven – Part One with my mom and dad. They enjoyed the episodes, but sadly it fell short on 5 episodes. Distribution with this series is tough, I understand why the costs drove you bonkers during your time with the series. Even now, with the advent of more content being online.  To be truthful, I like having a disc in a player, just to hear it whir knowing its alive.

Listening to BT’s “These Humble Machines” album. Writing more words down, trying to come up with a conclusion to this letter / review. Its so hard to wrap words into a project. I do hope that life is treating you well. From a fellow Whovian to another. Take care friend.

(End of Part 1)

Transformers Season 3+4

Transformers Season 3 + 4

*Word of warning, be sure to watch the TF 85’ film before you start viewing this season.

Taking place after the TF film, the two sides find themselves at odds across the stars. With the Decepticons stuck on a scrap heap of a planet, and the Autobots staying on Earth. With no leadership, the Decepticons forge a truce amongst the newcomers where trust has yet to be earned. Check that, the Autobots went off planet to celebrate their victory.

Mixing up with new adventures, plus new foes, things get even more interesting for one more epic  season. To tell the truth, I actually don’t remember some of these episodes from the 3^rd season. So it feels fresh to this longtime TF fan.

*The Five Faces of Darkness:
This five part mini-series catches viewers up on everything that’s happened so far. And explores beyond Earth where both sides find themselves working together like never before.  Finding out that their new leaders may be more than they bargained for. *Plus Unicron’s noggin becomes a key vessel for a few old adversaries. And the return of Galvatron , which leads to some factions within the Decepticons brotherhood.


Quintessons – A bizarre being with various faces on all sides. A supernatural being: capable of diagnosing any sort of decision by changing its face or personality. By far one of the most interesting character designs throughout the entire series. Further into season 3, its explored that they were the creators of both Autobot and Decepticon. These supernatural beings have unique abilities, and were sent away to vast realms that are hidden within the walls of Cybertron.


Plus Rodimus decisions really change the offset of how both the Autobots and Decepticons view one another. I do like him as their leader, even after the film’s dramatic wrap up, (that would be the 85’ film wth Unicron as the main villain, and Megatron succumbing to the “great power” and becoming Galvatron. Correct that, there are losses on both sides, especially with identities becoming totally rewritten no longer who they used to be.


Cybertron: What do we really know about the planet?
From season 1+2, it isn’t quite explored with the Autobots at first. Somehow its off limits to Sparkplug and Spike. After the film, then it becomes acceptable to its human inhabitants. What’s even more interesting about the planet is the connection it has with other planets and realms. It is not quite clear how or why these portals exist, but Cybertron itself is a gigantic puzzle box.


Given even more space exploration, Season 3+4 feel completely than the past series altogether. Be advised that it may be a head scratcher on some segments for those who didn’t see the film before hand. And they even hit some mature themes that they weren’t capable of before. This last season proves watching a series years later does clarify things a bit with age.

Another huge change in the storytelling is that both sides lose allies. In the past, it used to be a big “no-no” in American TV. It was quite rare that some characters were “axed” for a newcomer. With TF season 3, it became apparent that they knew the audience was maturing, but also that they wanted more unique adventures of their favorite heroes and villains. Rodimus wanting to be the best leader, second to Optimus. However, Galvatron is a nightmarish foe than he used to be as his former self, Megatron.

Plus the animation style also gained even more quality given the movie dynamic grasped heart strings. It was also pretty rare that the style, both hand drawn and some cg were used together. Within season 3 there are darker designs, adverse colors, and tons of dynamic character battles than in the past. Including the focus on origins of both sides, including how the parallels worlds collided In the first place.  For a wrap up season, they really went out of their way to grab even more attention.


Packaging both 3&4 was a strange move, but at least it saves on production costs. But it wraps up the series pretty nicely, with the quite short 4^th season. On the back, it says three episodes, oddly enough I actually never saw the entire season, so it is pretty fresh to me. Add to that, Season 4 was actually unheard of for many fans like myself, unless you were part of the hardcore crowd of fans. Transformers may have ended with 3 main seasons stateside. However with the 2007 film branching all sorts of new sagas, the series is still growing strong.

Transformers Season Two

Transformers Season 2
4 Disc Set

After the defeat of the Decepticons, the Autobots had some leeway from fighting the bad guys. Sadly peace does not last for long, as Megatron and his armada bounce back from defeat. No longer just a team, but even more recruits join the opposing forces, including pushing some of their opponents to figure out where their trust actually lies.

Highlights on key episodes:

Dinobot Island - An Dinobots origin tale unfolds in two parts. From finding a lost island, and helping the new guys to get used to being on home base. And juggling control, since they still retain some of their wild qualities based on the creatures they were copied from.

Enter the Nightbird -
The Master Builders -
The God Gambit -

Extra notes to share:
Starscream – We actually learn about his scientific prowess, his IQ level, and attitude towards the defiance of the opposing team. Actually, he puts Optimus in high regard, even though they come from opposing sides. Including: taking the helm as leader of scouting teams.

Mirage – Which side is he really on? There are some moments in key episodes where he seems to be slipping in judgment. But he does come through in the end. Except confusing some of his comrades in the long run.

Megatron – Who knew the bad guy actually cared? There are many occasions where he takes a stand by his allies, or under control to fight for his side. It all comes down to a brotherhood, even on opposing sides somehow they come together. What drove him to be a villain all along is a quest for power. But it is also what gets him in trouble for his efforts.

Optimus – Although he is the leader of the Autobots, he can still make mistakes and learn from them. I think a lot of fans put that aside, whenever they think of the character. And it is not because of his leadership, that is excellent. There are just some boundaries throughout this second season that prove that Optimus was always self-conscience of everyone before himself. Even more fun, is the notion that he puts his trust towards Megatron in some situations.


The intro sequence is a bit more action packed than the first season. Plus it goes  by so fast, its best not to blink. I actually forgot how much went into the intro, on tv it was just the logo. Time seems to have treated this series pretty well. 

Transformers Season One

TF Season 1
Hasbro + Sunbow Productions
25^th Anniversary Edition

Way Back When -
Back in the 80’s, a certain series changed the way everyone saw robots and toys. In the past Mobile Suit Gundam and Macross defined what Japan saw in the Mecha genre. In the 80’s, it was Transformers for us kids. Taking us on adventures with: Optimus Prime & his Autobots versus Megatron & the Decepticons. It last for four seasons stateside, then became more of an overseas series. But what it did for viewers here, was a glimpse of fun story telling, plus life lessons that actually taught its viewers diverse lessons in life. (Yup, cartoons that made its viewers think about every day decisions.)

What’s inside the collection?
Remastered episodes of the complete first season, with higher quality audio + picture. Triple Change: A documentary about the series journey from television, toys, comics, and films. Scripts from various key episodes, classic PSA’s, and commercials.

More Than Meets the Eye -
Amazing as it was back in the 80’s, the series has aged surprisingly well. Back then it dazzled us with its hand drawn technique, compared to current shows that ditched hand drawn for CG designs. Honestly it makes me miss that type of style in animation. Oddly enough I actually forgot about how short each episode really was. Clocking in at 20+, and break segments, it never loses flow from start to finish.

I admit I was one of those fans as a kid who had a neat collection of the toyline. But it was scary how expensive some of them were, and still are. Some are valuable with prices of $100+ value as of late. Who knew that something from the 80’s could be priceless today?

With three films (including the original from the tv series). Transformers gained an audience from all sides of the world. Plus the comics cover classic generations tales, and new sagas that keep things fresh for all ages.

Overall, rewatching the classic season that started it all makes me an even more humble viewer with fond memories. If you were a fan of the classic days of animation and a TF fan, totally worth watching again. Or if you are a new fan, welcome new friends, you are in for a treat.

Doctor Who - Series 7 Part One Review

Doctor Who Series 7 – Part 1
2012-2013 BBC Worldwide

Being on an adventure with trusted friends has always been the Doctors one true mission. When it comes to survival, he puts his life on the line so that they may not ever have to risk theirs. But for this Doctor it could be the last time he might be with a certain set of friends. Amy and Rory, these two trusted companions have been beside Doctor No.11 for some time, and found many journeys worth travelling. Setting foot on an uncertain future, with unknown ways of getting back home.

Coming across various familiar faces: including a branch of Daleks, that seek the aid of the Doctor. From a crossover with taking humans hosts, to unknown forces that can cross time barriers. Wherever he may go, the Ponds go along with him. There is even uncharted territory that becomes its own tale. What if there was a day that the Doctor couldn’t leave Earth (or the current time stream?)

The storytelling style is always clever, and even more darker than before. Where there is a twist, there is another turn. Facing the great vastness of time and space alone has always been a challenge. But this unique team can take any concept and make it work so well. Sadly, this a two disc set with only 5 episodes. However there is a bundle of goodies worthwhile for all Whovians, young and old.

A Day in Pond Life, Before the Daleks Asylum, The Science of Doctor Who, and Comic Con Panel.
Overall, Series Seven – Part One is an awesome beginning of a whole new chapter for Doctor No.11
Who knows where he may wind up next!?

Official BBC Doctor Who site http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006q2x0