Movie of the Month – October 2012

By Geeky Gem and @hmsbeefnuts

This has to have been one of my easier picks for movie of the month. I really like Bond movies and I have seen them all, no there is a similar argument between who is your favourite Bond as there is who is favourite Batman. I think all the gentleman that have played the secret agent have been fantastic.

However there is just something I love about Daniel Craig’s Bond that makes me watch Casino Royale over and over again and no it’s not because you see him in tight swimming trunks, although that scene is nice to watch. However I went a bit off track there, any way it has been a few years since Quantum of Solace came out and now Bond is back in Skyfall.

The plot for this movie is still very top-secret but what I can tell you is this Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As always for your veiwing pleasure here is the trailer for Skyfall.

Geeky Gem

Well what can I say? Skyfall looks fantastic, and I would have picked that too, but, there is another movie out this month, one with a protagonist with a particular set of skills, skills that guarantee that people are going to get fucked right up. Let me ask you a question, after the events of the brilliant Taken, what gangster in their right mind would seek revenge on Liam Neeson? Did they not watch the first film? Dude went bat shit crazy when they took his daughter. Well I’m not complaining, because this sequel, Taken 2 (Taken Again?), looks just as fun as the original. I expect Liam is kicking himself, because you know the old saying, ‘Take my daughter once, shame on you. Take my daughter twice…shame on me’, so you know Liam is going to be furious about the whole Taken thing again.

Who would win in a fight? Liam Neeson or Daniel Craig? My money is on the big Irish man, years of experience wins the day, although I’m sure Skyfall will win at the box office, there is room for both these guys this month I think. Unusual that we didn’t pick a horror based film too. What will Paranormal Activity 4 be like? I liked 3, and 1 and 2, so I’m not totally dismissing it out of hand, we will have to see. But for now, let Mr Neeson tell you what to watch this October…

Awesome Anime You Ought To Watch!

By Caelrona

Hi ya’ll! Caelrona here, and I am guest writing for All Geek to Me, mainly because GeekyGems is letting me. I thought about things to discuss, and eventually came back to Anime. Mainly because I love it, but also because GeekyGems mentioned she’d like to hear about some since she sticks mostly to Studio Ghibli. While Ghibli is a great animation studio, and Hayao Miyazaki should be revered like a god for his work, sometimes we want to watch something a little more kick-ass than a G-rated anime, no matter how amazing that G-rated anime may be. I am going to try and hit on some ass-kicking anime series that might not be too popular, but are definitely worth watching if you ever get the chance.

　

Claymore

 Claymore is an awesome anime, and an even better Manga. Awesome fighting chicks in Roman-esque armor, wielding gigantic broad swords (Hence the name ‘Claymore’) there isn’t much more you could ask for, except maybe man-eating monsters. Oh wait, it has that too! Also, tentacles. Sadly for fanboys, there is more ass-kicking than ass showing. That’s right, no fan service for you. So you won’t be getting tons of ridiculous panty shots, or cleavage (because oddly enough, these female warriors actually wear armor that might protect something!) but there will be plenty of gore, severed limbs, blood and bits.

It is based on a Manga by the same name, and follows the manga fairly closely as to the story line. The manga is currently at 22 Volumes, and the Anime at 26 episodes based on the first 11 volumes of Manga. The plot centers around a girl named Claire who is a member of the mysterious ‘Organization’ which created a fighting force known as Claymores. Claymores are half-human hybrids developed to fight man-eating shape shifting demons known as Yoma. The storyline follows Clare on her journey to avenge her mentor, Teresa who was killed by another Claymore for breaking one of the Claymore laws.

Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied is another amazing anime, but in a completely different way. This anime is nothing BUT fan service, carries an R rating and should not be watched around children for multiple reasons including horrible gore, death, dismemberment and lots of nakedness.

Elfen Lied is an anime based on a Manga of the same name. The manga is 12 Volumes long, and the Anime barely manages to top that with a total of 13 episodes.

It follows the story of a girl named Lucy. She is a Diclonius, a mutation with the only physical difference of small horn-like protrusions on their head. Oh, also they have wicked cool, totally invisible ‘psychic’ extra limbs (known as Vectors) that can move faster than sound and vibrate so quickly that they can slice through humans, doors, buildings and even deflect bullets. Not to mention, all known Diclonius are murdering rampaging crazies that tear random people limb from limb, even if they themselves are barely old enough to walk. Anyway, back to the storyline. The anime begins when Lucy breaks out of a containment facility and is found by a local boy named Kohta. However she is no longer Lucy, but Nyu; a split personality developed when she is hit in the head by a .50 BMG round during her escape. The storyline follows Lucy (now known as Nyu) and Kohta, revealing that they have a past that is not really all that pleasant. Blood and gore make screen time when the containment facility sends in other Diclonius to bring Lucy in. Do you think that Lucy goes quietly? Ha!

　

High School of the Dead

 High School of the Dead manages to make me a happier geek than any of the other Animes I have listed (or will) for one simple reason. It is about ZOMBIES. I don’t know about ya’ll, but I’ve had a thing for Zombies ever since I was a little girl, and an anime about zombies? My happiness level? It’s over 9000! Also, fanboys rejoice because there is so much fan service packed into these 12 episodes that it sometimes gets a bit ridiculous.

High School of the Dead is an anime based on a Manga by the same name (sensing a trend here?) The Manga has a total of 7 Volumes and is currently on Hiatus while the Anime has a total of 12 Episodes.

It follows the story of a group of typical high school kids in Japan, who happen to be at school when the zombie outbreak begins. Our hero of the story is Takashi Komuro, who haphazardly leads a group of fellow students (and the school nurse) out of the school and onto the city streets in hopes of finding their families. Of course, their main focus is surviving the waves of zombies who want to eat them all alive.

Kaze no Stigma

Kaze no Stigma isn’t nearly as kick-ass as any of the previous animes; but it certainly earns its place on the list with plenty of fights and some awesome elemental based magic. In fact, that is the main thing that makes this anime so much better than other similar anime out there. Wish you could wield fire, earth or air magic? Well this anime has all that, and some other seriously wicked magic as well, no ‘bending’ required.

Kaze no Stigma, also known as Stigma of the Wind, is an Anime based on a light novel by the same name and it being adapted to Manga. The light novel has 12 Volumes; the ongoing Manga currently has 2 Volumes while the Anime is 26 Episodes long.

Kaze no Stigma follows the life of Kazuma Yagami, a young punk of a Wind Magic user after he returns home after being banished. Why was he banished, you ask? Because his family, the highly elite Kannagi clan, are Fire Magic users, and he lost the duel to wield the highly sought after, super powerful Enraiha, a magical sword wielded by the clan heir. After his banishment he made a pact with the Wind Spirit King, becoming what is known as a Contractor – not just a mere Magic User, but a super powerful Magic User able to tap into all the Magic Spirits of their pact with the powers of that elemental Spirit King. His return is not all happy heartfelt family mush, however, as it turns out members of his family are being killed… by wind magic. Gee, who could possibly be their biggest suspect?

 

 Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School

Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School, more commonly known as Real Bout, is a kicking-ass-and-taking- names kind of anime, with a healthy (or maybe unhealthy?) dosage of fan service thrown in. Plenty of boobs, butts and panty shots here! It centers on a school where you don’t get suspended for fighting – you get graded for it!

Real Bout is an Anime, based on a light novel of the same name, and was adapted for Manga but sadly never finished. The light novel is 19 Volumes long, while the Manga only ran to 6 Volumes and the Anime tops out at 13 Episodes.

Real Bout follows the daily high school life of the vivacious red-head Ryoko Mitsurugi. However, Ryoko doesn’t go to your average high school. She attends Daimon High, and is the current K-fight champion. What’s a K-fight you ask? A K-fight is the school’s approach to settling disputes. Any dispute can be settled by an organized martial arts match known as the K-fight. Ryoko, the Samurai Girl, must contend with a stalker of a friend, crazy people who want to take her down for her title, an arch rival for their shared love interest, a hated nemesis, and.. Monsters. That’s right, monsters. Because a high school that organizes and grades martial arts matches isn’t awesome enough, it also has magic. Our heroine, Ryoko, finds a magical locket that transports her to an alternate universe where she battles crazy, powerful monsters in order to save a world known as Solvania.

　

Well, that’s all for today folks. Hope you liked my article, but if you didn’t then I hope you at least found an awesome, ass-kicking anime to watch when you get bored. Maybe if GeekyGems doesn’t disown me after this, I’ll do a follow-up with amazing Anime Movies, because sometimes you just want your daily anime dosage in the form of a movie instead of a series.

Caelrona, signing out!