(This review may contain spoilers for the following games. If you have not played the game before, please exercise caution before viewing this post. You have been warned.)
The Tales series has always been one of my favorite RPG franchises, even with the lackluster titles as of late. That’s not to say of the newer titles are bad, but the series recently begun traversing a wildly different path which deviates from what made the series great to begin with. I’m greatly looking forward to playing Tales of Berseria, but in the mean time, let us look at a what started the franchise, a fantasy adventure which travels across centuries, Tales of Phantasia
(This review may contain spoilers for the following games. If you have not played the game before, please exercise caution before viewing this post. You have been warned.)
I’ve always been a giant SEGA fan, as my youth involved playing many games on the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and DreamCast. Of course, after the DreamCast I switched to Nintendo console, and today I attempt to relive my gaming life by playing games of all consoles and generations. However, one RPG game that continues to resonate with me is Skies of Arcadia for the DreamCast. I never got the chance to fully beat the game until recently, and upon completion, I feel the game remains under-praised and deserving of a re-release.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve last made a post here, and let me tell you, it’s not because I didn’t want to. Between issues with my health, money, and time, I haven’t been able to spare the time or energy to update this blog or the main site. However, I feel as I’m finally able to contribute again, and I’ll do my best to prevent such a situation from occurring again.
On that note, I’ve extended the blog to other members of Dowase. This used to be mainly a blog for my personal use, but I feel as though having others post their experiences will not only diversify posts on here, but also keep them blog from going unused for an extended period of time again.
In terms of anime, gaming, and other news, my life has been relatively slow in those aspects. I’ve not been able to watch or play too much this summer, and I even skipped out on AX for the first time in 5 years, due to monetary constraints. However, I feel as though this will change with Fall approaching fast. For the anime series I’m watching, I’m really only following Charlotte, Working!!!, and Monster Musume. I have a number of other series I want to watch, but that won’t be until I get the chance to get my computer and internet back to optimal speeds. I want to continue Ore Monogatari, and start on Rokka, Ranpo, and Sore ga Seiyuu. Hopefully I won’t be too disappointed by their progression!
Gaming-wise, I’ve really only been re-playing SA2, and going through Ranko Tsugihime’s Longest Day. I completed Earthbound for the first time, which really met with a mixed feeling for me. I know I ranted and raved about Splatoon in my previous post, and trust me, it’s a great game, but with the internet in my current location I can’t even play it without terrible lag, and that’s no fun. I’ll get back into it when I get sustainable internet again. All in all, I’ve not been doing too much on the gaming side.
That’s really all I have to say right now, as this was just a quick update on what’s happening. Dowase is going to be present at Saboten Con 2015, so if you happen to be going we’d all be happy to see you there!
Holy hell, where to begin… Let me start off by saying ever since the incident, I’ve been doing everything I can to catch back up with life. I can’t deny that I’m taking some stuff a bit too easy, but there’s only so much I can do and really, life always takes a toll on you when you work as hard as you can. Luckily, I don’t foresee any other problems occurring, especially with how smooth everything is falling into place at the moment. Of course, there’s always room for error, but I *want* Dowase and this blog to continue on a regular schedule, and I refuse to let this die like my other projects in the past. So many failures, and you start to realize that you can’t always do things you want, but things need to be done, and I want to start applying to things I know I can do, and not be distracted by what I cannot do.
In that vein, Dowase has been pretty good since we got ourselves a new member. Back in January, Mark joined the team as essentially PR and the most vocal one of the group, and as a result, we’ve definitely started to get more attention on the side of convention programming. Hopefully Danny and I can follow in his footsteps and start taking initiative ourselves, but regardless, I will continue to create fun and innovative panels for Arizona and potentially out-of-state conventions. Dowase Entertainment will be making an offical appearance at Phoenix Comicon 2015, with various panels, so please feel free to drop by and have a good time! Of course, if you have any issues or concerns with our programming, please feel free to let us know at the panel or by emailing me, and I will gladly take any suggestions or comments you have. I want our panels to be fun for everyone, and I take our job running panels very seriously. If you aren’t having a good time, we have failed, and that’s never a good thing.
On a lighter note of things, with school out of the way, I’ve been attempting to keep up with a number of anime, and it’s going… okay. I’m still behind by one or two episodes for each show, but I’m definitely in a better position that I was say, a year ago. Among those series, I’m watching Fate/Stay S2, Ore Monogatari, Plastic Memories, Hibike Euphonium, Show by Rock, Nisekoi S2, and others. It’s my first season actually watching this many shows as they air since I stopped back in 2012, and I love it. Other than anime, I’ve recently been playing the Fire Emblem series, a favorite of mine since I picked up Fire Emblem 7 years ago, and I’m loving every minute of it. In addition to Fire Emblem, Splatoon is a title I’m greatly looking forward to on the Wii U, and you can bet your ass that we will be playing it in our spare time at PCC.
(Oh, and I’ll be restarting the Month of Openings soon, completing with the remaining 10 days, so look forward to that!)
Anyways, this was meant to be a quick update on the state of things here, and I hope I got all my thoughts and opinions out. Of course, thanks for reading, and if you’re in the area, please come visit us at Phoenix Comicon!!
It’s been a little longer than expected to make a post, but better late than never, no? Regardless, a lot has happened these past few weeks, and a number of issues have presented themselves to me, giving me reason to doubt some current progressions I’ve been making. Fortunately, I believe that a quick recovery is in store, and activities will return to normal shortly.
In other news, I’ve been able to keep up with series such as Amagi Brilliant Park and Log Horizon S2, and I must say I am enjoying myself when it comes to the shows this season. Perhaps after the season is complete I will post some impressions, but I refuse to make any promises due to my terrible track record. =) Also, although this isn’t an anime, I recently watched RoosterTeeth’s RWBY series, and for a short little web series, I must say I had fun watching this show. The music is definitely the high point in the series, but everything else is great, provided one does not watch the series as an anime. While there are clearly styles reminiscent of anime, the show as a whole is its own species.
In terms of gaming, I’ve secured a Wii U this past month and I plan on catching up with Bayonetta 2 and other games I may have missed. However, in the mean time, I’m completing FF6 to remember why I enjoyed the game so much as a kid. At the moment, the game is meeting expectations. Pokemon will come after, and then perhaps some Tales of games.
This wasn’t going to be a big post. Just a little something until I finally have some more to add to this blog. Everyday activities, in a sense. Until next time,
-Ace
What an incredibly busy and odd summer! This was the first summer I’ve had where things weren’t really all set in stone, and I can’t say I’m necessarily a fan of that feeling. This summer was full of crazy and wacky shenanigans, and I’m honestly shocked I was able to get through this summer alive. Of course, I apologize about my lack of updates and what not, but I just haven’t had any time to discuss the crazy events that have been going on, and no anime or game has stuck out enough for me to write about the lasting impression. Perhaps that will change this season as it will be the first season of anime that I will be able to follow along as it airs! After the events of the past few years, I’ve been neglecting new anime and this is going to be a nice change a pace, so maybe I’ll be able to write up some opinions on these shows!
As for Dowase Entertainment and the various panels and conventions we’ve been to, there haven’t been too many events to talk about. Of course, Anime Expo 2014 was pretty interesting, but there were a lot of disappointing and lackluster events going on, and I really wasn’t too interested in a lot that was happening. While AX was my first anime convention back in 2010, I can’t say if I will be returning in 2015. There has to be a fantastic musical guest for me to return. Saboten Con 2014 was another event, and we held two panels for the convention. Both panels were fantastic, and I hope that everyone had a great time! The next convention planned is Kikori Con in Flagstaff, so I am really looking forward to that. Next year is going to be another wonderful year, so let’s see how much fun can be had in the coming conventions!!
Personally, I’ve been working my best to catch up on shows that I’ve missed this past year and a half. Watamote, Wizard Barristers, Engaged to the Unidentified, Love Live, and High School DxD NEW are among the series I’ve recently caught up on, and I’m really looking forward to series such as Psycho Pass, Black Bullet, and Hamatora S2. In terms of gaming, I had to put a pause on my gaming backlog because my anime backlog was just too massive. Of course, I do plan on playing Tales of Hearts R when it’s released and I’m looking forward to the new Smash! Other than that, the rest can wait until January, where I am to be caught up with series.
Well, that’s pretty much all that’s important, wrapped up in a nutshell. I anticipate writing more for this blog in the coming months, especially with school in session and whatnot. I’ve more a drive for it when I’m busy. So, look forward to the future!!
-Ace
(This review may contain spoilers for the following series. If you have not seen the series before, please exercise caution before viewing this post. You have been warned.)
This year has been a doozy, and I’m really happy with the opportunities that have arisen, as well as the awesome memories I’ve gained this past few months. Just recently was Aselia Con, located in Ft. Worth, TX. The convention’s all about the Tales of… series, and man it’s always a pleasure to go. Whilst I run the programming there, I really enjoy meeting and seeing everyone have a good time and enjoy themselves socialize with others who have played the Tales games as well. Meeting fans of the series is not that easy, and when you do you’re finally happy to meet those with the same interest as you. Not to mention there were a million and a half awesome cosplays, and I’ve honestly gotten it in my head that I can cosplay too. It’s going to take some time, but the cosplay’s will come soon enough!!
Aselia Con 2014 was amazing. I was given the opportunity to see so many people, whether they were people I’d met prior or people I’ve never met. The whole staff of Aselia is amazing, and really, the attendees are awesome as well. I’ve never been to a nice convention where everyone is there to have fun and nobody condescends anyone there. We’re all there to have a good time, and that’s why it’s spectacular. Karaoke was phenomenal, the fan programming was wonderful, and David Vincent was just the icing on the cake. When you have a small con like that, with people coming all over the world to visit, it’s just a beauty so indescribable that it puts one at a loss for words. I love everyone there, and I can’t wait until next year.
This weekend is Con-Nichiwa, and Dowase Entertainment will be there holding two panels, Name that Anime Tune! and Sig. of Anime OP/ED. Both are awesome panels and require some work to be done, but I can guarantee that I will do my best to make sure they sing. Come on down to Tucson if you’ve the time, and I greatly look forward to meeting you all there!
Lasting Impressions will be starting up again with the new shows. I know it’s been some time, but I haven’t been watching anime for the longest time. Just this year I’ve been catching up, and now that I’m finishing some series, I can start writing my final impressions on them again. I can also close the Initial Impressions posts I’ve started as I finish those series, and start new ones up again. I’m really happy to have the time and dedication to write these again, so please feel free to look forward to those in the future.
Thanks again for all your dedication and patience, and look forward to future content!!
Wow, time is really going by, and I’ve yet to catch my breath with all the crazy shenanigans going on lately. Not only do I have school and work, but events have been coming up in life that have severely impacted my activities with anime, manga, and gaming. Not to say it’s necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely not something I’m used to. Regardless, that’s why there hasn’t been a post on here for over a month, and why I’ve yet to add any new reviews or impressions. In other news, this weekend marks the very first ‘Tales of’ convention, taking place in Ft. Worth Texas! Aselia-Con will be giving fans of the Tales series a place to gather and share the love for this fantastic series, and Dowase will be there holding two panels. Come on down and check it out if you happen to be in the area, as it’ll be fun all around! Additionally, Dowase Entertainment will be attending Con-Nichiwa in Tucson, AZ on the weekend of the 22nd, so feel free to stop on by then and have some fun! It’ll just be the usual ‘Name that Anime Tune!’ panel, but it’ll be a lot of fun and I hope anyone who is going to the convention can make it and check us out!
In other news, I just completed Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the first time in my life. Well, kinda. I’ve beaten the game without collecting all the emeralds before, but only recently have I beaten the game with all the emeralds and in one sitting. I must say, Sonic 2 is a fantastic game, and I really understand now how people claim it to be the best in the series. I’ve always been the bigger fan on Sonic 3 and Knuckles, mainly because the game was just so damn fun and I have so many experiences with it. But, I can beat the game easily without even trying and getting all the emeralds just isn’t as rewarding anymore. When I finally beat that seventh special stage, I felt content. I felt like I had earned the right to play as Super Sonic, and the feeling was oh-so-satisfying. The Genesis Sonic games are the best in the franchise, and they will forever hold a place in my heart.
Well, it’s about time for me to head off. Have a fantastic time, and if ya happen to be in the Ft. Worth area, come visit Aselia-Con!
Modern Magic. A series that was okay, yet not necessarily memorable
Heyos Everyones!
It has been an incredible past few weeks, with changes to both my online and off-line life. Unfortunately, these past few weeks have left me quite behind on the current season’s status, but let me get a few things clear before I continue on.
First off, I will not be watching any new series until I have finished what is on my plate already. This seems fairly simple, but in addition to this, I also mean that I will continue the series that I have wanted to re-watch and “review” before I start on the previous season. Quite frankly, I don’t find much appeal to the new season of anime, especially with KyoAni crapping all over faithful fans and churning out generic crap every season. Once I get another show with quality animation and quality story, then I will finally begin watching their series again. I just find more fulfillment in the series of the past that I may have overlooked, so I feel it is finally time to watch them in all their glory.
With that out of the way, life in general has been quite simple and clear. Classes are going quite well, with a few minor setbacks and what-not, but I feel every semester will have some flaws. Gaming-wise, I purchased Ni no Kuni, which is an amazing game, and definitely deserves a play at least once in your life. The music is pure bliss, the gameplay is magic, and the story telling is phenomenal. On another note, I got my hands on Rewrite, the latest KEY novel to be released, and I am ready to have a good time on that ship.
For the conventions on this year., I have two scheduled and hopefully more planned. I can say that Dowase Entertainment will be in the Dallas area on March 14~March 18 for Aselia-Con, a Tales convention that will specialize in the Tales fandom. After that, we’ll be in Tucson, AZ for Con-Nichiwa 2013 between March 22~March 24. March is going to be a busy month, and I can’t wait to see what’ll come of the trip!
In regards to life, I think everything has been said, and updates will be made once time is alloted. I’ve got some little things planned, but nothing final yet, so look forward to that!
