Mortal Kombat X

That's right friends, Mortal Kombat X is due to come out in 2015. So more than likely it will be Xbox One and Playstation 4 and if the graphics in the trailer are in game than holy cow you can sign me right up to kick ass. I miss playing Mortal Kombat till wee hours in the night with my friends. Fuck you Rain. Anyway before you watch, nice going in choosing Sub-Zero and Scorpion; two of the most iconic characters in the franchise and in my opinion a lot cooler match up than Liu Kang (undead body or spirit possessing Liu Kang) and Shang Tsung. However, as a biased person I was very sadden to see Sub-Zero get his ass handed to him by Scorpion and if this trailer is in game play graphics than no button mashing bitches. Just pure unadulterated combos and split second strategy and maneuvers. So that means knowing what your characters moves are, the opponent character's skill set and the player's skill level. The fight between Sub-Zero and Scorpion is dark and the Mortal Kombat tournament is not for the fainthearted. Also can anyone see the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' allusion in this with both characters acting as avatars of their element. Now for the music.....I liked it actually. I know a lot of people would scream blasphemy but come on that beat lends itself to the dark and bloody battle between two eternal foes. For me, the beat gets me into a dark and serious mood and allows me to feel that both combatants are deadly serious and will go to any length to kill each other. Then Wiz khalifa cadence with his lyrics gets the adrenaline pumping in my veins, the song makes me both calm and hyper and I understand that this is the state that both Sub-Zero and Scorpion find themselves in. Nicely done producers. Also I will commend the writers of the song for making allusions to the MK games in the franchise within the lyrics. The only problem I have is the portion of the song where Wiz Khalifa speeds up his delivery of lyrics but the hand to hand combat isn't as fast pace to match. I know the producers wanted to highlight the motion capture brilliance of the live martial artists and their skill but it sent me off kilter at that moment in the trailer. All and all I anticipate this game eagerly and this trailer better have been in game play graphics or otherwise you will have hell to pay.

Once Upon A Dream

So for my latest sojourn to the movies, I watched Disney's Maleficent. Of course there were cringe worthy acting from even the adult actors but the story telling was decent. The most note worthy, was true love's kiss. The powers that be inside Disney have taken to reading the exposes that take a hard look at the media's role in our western society and particularly their role in an ever changing and expanding culture. Fairy tales were meant to provide instruction and provide ideals for members of that particular society should strive towards. However with the advent of individualism and the changing landscape of human society, these ideals if set into stone only provide a schism between the past and the future especially for such human tenements such as, sexuality, gender roles, familial roles, and the role of the part within a whole. So Disney taking established fairy tales and reforging them into weapons for cultural idealism has both been a blessing and a curse for western society. However, they are learning rather rapidly that their movies can no longer stay in the realm of pure fantasy and that they have a responsibility to their audience as agents of cultural realism. So with this new found direction for Disney we have such movies as The Frog Princess, Brave, Frozen, The Pirates of Caribbean: AT WORLD'S END and now Maleficent that are redefining our understanding of cultural ideals and for that I applaud them. As a side note, I am ignoring the motivation for profit.

How about Game of Thrones

As with everyone, I have been swept up into Game of Thrones but I will say that I have read the "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the many novellas included in that universe and I find myself in awe at my level masochism. I love you GRRM but my heart can only take so much. Even characters that are my most hated and most respected have died. GRRM shows that for every action in reality there is an opposite reaction and everything you put out there reverberates sometimes to the determinant of the castor of the stones. Honorable Ned Stark, got his head cut off because even honor does not always save. Ned's honorable logical against Joffery's illogical madness do not mesh at all. "Stand amongst the ashes of a trillion dead souls and ask the ghosts if honour matters." (Javik, Mass Effect) Tywin with all his Machiavellian outlook and with the help of the less able members of House Lannister (Cersei) has ensured the downfall of his house at the hands of his own son. Dany in all her Mary Sue-ness and dragons will not help her when she declines into madness trying to achieve the ideal in Slaver's Bay. I commend her and everything but the cities of Essos save maybe Bravoos (city started by former slaves of Valyria) will unite to destroy her and take her dragons. The road to perdition is paved with good intentions. Now I can't wait for the next book and the next two episodes of this season, important people are going to come back and important people are going to die, it is all relative. Also on a side note for the next episode, since Brienne is off to see the wizard (Thoros of Myr), I hope the show does justice to the flying monkeys (Brotherhood without Banners) and the wicked witch of the West (Lady Stoneheart) and I fully expect to see some Frey's defy gravity by their necks. If you would like to learn more and or keep track of the sheer amount of characters within these books, check out A wiki of Ice and Fire.

So I am trying to return to studying but that is proving to be pretty hard. I promised a list of my favorite animes. Tell me what you think of them. If you want to know about these animes/mangas go to wikipedia. I know sometimes it can be stupid and fucked up but hey I do mild research before I decide to actually read/watch an anime or manga.

07 Ghost

.Hack//(series)

Aa! Megumi-sama

Air Gear

Angel Sanctuary

Asura Crying

Avatar: The Last Air bender (I know not an anime but hey this is where I list it.

Ayashi no Ceres

Big O

Black Blood Brothers

Black Lagoon- Not for the faint of heart

Bleach- Awesome!!!!

Blood- Fantastical!!!!

Blue Seed

Cardcaptor Sakura

Chromed Shelled Regios

Claymore

Code Geass

Count Cain

Cowboy Bebop- I don't know about Keanu playing spike for the English live action movie.

D. Gray Man

Dance in the Vampire Bund

Darkstalkers 

Death Note

Devil may Cry- and yes Dante is my ultimate favorite bishounen. I own three game consoles just to play his games.

Elemental Gelade

Elfen Lied

Eye Shield 21

Fairy Tail

Fatal Fury

Fooly Cooly

Fushigi Yuugi-

Fullmetal Alchemist

Gatchaman- This anime is so damn old. If you are older than 25 you will know this as G-force.

Gestalt

Ghost in the Shell

Gintama- This is one of the funniest animes/mangas around especially when Gin-chan is making fun of Ichigo.

Grave of the Fireflies- I know not an anime but an animated movie based on the novel. Beautiful and endearing for anyone wanting to see the true after effects of war.

Gundam Wing- I only liked this version of the Gundam series.

Hachimitsu no Hana

Hakuouki Shinsegumi Kitan

Hellsing- Alucard

Howl's Moving Castle- I know another animated movie

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

Inuyasha- Yes I started watching this when it was on Adult Swim soooo many years ago. 

Jyou Oh Sei

Kaikan Phrase

Katekyo Hitman Reborn

Kyou Kara Maoh

Maburaho

Magic Knight Rayearth

Matantei Detective Loki Ragnarok

Monster Princess

Murder Princess

Nabari no Ou

Naruto

Negima

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Nurarihyon no Mago

Paranoia Agent- This show makes me feel kind of insane

Princess Mononoke

Ranma ½ 

Red vs. Blue- I know not an anime but hey this is where I group this series. I love every minute of this series. Go to roosterteeth.com to watch them.

Revolutionary Girl Utena

RG Veda- Clamp’s first official debut manga I AM A HUGE FAN OF CLAMP.

Rockman- or dun dun duh MEGAMAN

Rosario + Vampire

S-cryed

Sailor Moon

Saint Seiya

Saiunkoku Monogatari

Samurai Champloo

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei- another funny manga/anime but in the sense of tongue-in-cheek inside jokes.

Sekirei

Seikon no Quasar- Ecchi comic that has become my guilty pleasure.

Shinzo

Samurai Champloo

Shaman King

Spirited Away- I know another animated movie.

Sohryuden- has a great story and bonus art is done by Clamp.

Sorcerer Hunters

Soul Eater

Tales of Symphonia

Tears to Tiara

Tenchi

Tenijho Tenge

The Record of a Fallen Vampire

The Rose of Versailles

The Snow Queen

Tokyo Bablyon

Transformers- 80s version and Beast Wars

Trigun

Trinity Blood- I wish someone would end this manga already

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

Vampire Hunter D

Vampire Knight

Vampire Princess Miyu

Vision of Escaflowne- the lullaby from the movie is one of my favorite songs.

Yu Gi Oh- I only liked the original. No I did not play the card game so don't ask.

Wedding Peach

Wrath of the Ninja- animated movie that was fantastic.

X/1999- CLAMP PLEASE END THIS ONE I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

XxxHOLIC


So there you have it guys. If you guys want to suggest a few new ones let me know. Next time is a list of books I have read and my faves will be highlighted.

The Red Queen

Update 2010

Wow its been a long time since I updated. Two years. Well, I graduated in December of '09. Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology (Cultural Anthropology was my main focus but I love every aspect of Anthropology) and Political Science. You may ask me if I am using them right now nearly nine months after graduating. The answer would be NO. Not because I can't find a job that uses my degree, but because I am going to join the Air Force. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! I know some of you will think that is betraying my ideals but have I ever said anything about being or not being a war monger. I view it as a learning experience, since regular life for me is dull and full of anger (for those of you that know me personally). Well since I had to fit four/eight for two bacholar's degrees into two years, I had to completely eliminate my personal life. Since I am free now I have now started to balance my life out. I have starting studying for the AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test). No enlisted life for this chick. No offense to any of the enlisted military people but since I made the effort for college degrees, why not use it? I was also told in early 2009 that I would have to lose about 50 pounds in order to join. I know impossible. However, i am pleased to announce that I am not at 171 lbs since starting my ultra strict diet, or meat and vegetables and exercise regiment in the hot Florida sun. Skin cancer, I know. Anyway, if my first plan does not pan out and I am rejected by the counsel (I feel like I am trying to apply to the Skull and Crossbones society, which I have no doubt that several members are on the board), I am studying for the GRE in order to attend a wonderful, magnificent, prestigious graduate school. My third plan in case the first two fail, I am also scouring the net for a decent job with enough money ( in this horrible economy). Anyway we will see. I have also gotten up to date with my many, many animes; mangas; comic books; fanfiction; writings; novels; video games; art; family matters; drinking; bar hopping; club hopping; boyfriends; friends with benefits; music; tv shows; celebrities; friends; community matters; political matters and my most favorite past time Movies. Yes I think I have seen a movie every weekend for the past nine months. Now it is time to update my blog and be off to my goal towards becoming the most interesting person in the world.

Wish me luck,

The Red Queen


P.S. Becoming the most interesting person in the world. How very arrogant and hubristic of me, I know. I can't help it I am a LEO after all. But I also have ADD and the attention span of fly, which is contradicting considering some of my hobbies. But the overall trait, that rules everything in my life and never is satiated is MY UNHOLY THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE. As you can see from my tag line at the top. Anyway updates soon on their way. I will provide a list of books, movies, music, tv shows, animes, mangas, comic books, video games, activities that I have engaged in these past nine months. Ja matane mina.

Bureaucracies

Why Bureaucracies Have Become Almost Impossible To Deal With

Let me start off with a little story. My friend recently has decided to go on vacation outside of the country. He noticed that he did not have a passport. So he inquired on the official travel guide. Two things you must know, first he is an adopted child who was born in a foreign country. Secondly his adopted father is extremely notorious for not stepping up to responsibility. Now this is where these things get interesting. Under the child citizenship Act of 2000, since he was under the age of eighteen, he was granted citizenship. Now when we went to inquiry about the procedures on how to obtain a passport, we called certain area many of which had never heard of this act. When we called the passport hub they explained to us that some areas would not know this about this act. They answered "just give them anything so that they will be able to send off the application." Now when we went to apply for the passport. This gentleman proceeded to tell us that he would need to have my friend's father's id, however as I proceeded to explain to him, he does not need to have his father's id or proof of citizenship because currently my friend is over the age of 18. All he needed was his adoption papers; proof of legal entrance into the country with his old name; and his current id with his new name and passport pictures. The man answered me back and said that you can't pick and choose things you don't like in the act. Now this is interesting because as person older than 18 they would not ask you for your parent's ID. Now why would this change all he needs are the things on the list. Then what made me feel really angry was the fact that he later proceeded to ask me if I was an immigration lawyer. First off all lawyers are people trained in the interpretation of the law and persuasive arguments. Laws are written so that regular Joe's would be able to understand and follow them. If they weren't we would not have the option to represent ourselves and everyone would have a law degree once they graduated from high school. Then maybe intelligence would not be going down every generation. Now I understand his ignorance of the law however there is no need to attack me. Being a postal worker does not make you an automatic expert on the interpretation of the law it just makes you more pron to going postal.

Jaa matene.....Learning Japanese my fifth language.

The Mummy Returns Again

Kiss Me....Mr. O'Connell

While I admit that I am a huge fan of the mummy arc, the latest addition was not my most favorite. It was nice done. Everyone looked like perfect replicas of someone from the 40s. The content director certainly did his/her job. The first issue that I have with the movie is the replacement of the original Evey. I loved Rachel Weisz. I really didn't enjoy the newest addition. Jonathon has always been my favorite and he is as funny as always. Brandon Frasier looks very good without a shirt on. I don't miss the days of Enscino Man, even if that is one of my favorite movies with him. He was wonderful in this movie as always. Jet Li awesome as always. Michele Yo awesome as always. One thing that I noticed was that there is a scene in the movie at the beginning that is straight out of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. You will know which one I am talking about and no it is not the scene of the fight for the Green Destiny Sword. One of the best problems that I have with this movie that it was rushed. They moved from one plot point to the next. Well thats it for me don't forget leave a comment with your visit.