Knee Slapping Party

I'm a pretty big fan of Japanese Animation (Anime) and I've seen a lot of titles. According to my Anime News Network account, I've seen all of 158 shows, movies, and OAVs and at least some part of 53 others. The only drawback to having seen so many titles is that finding more good and interesting titles is a bit of a scavenger hunt, only you don't know what to look for until you've found it. When I'm looking for a new title to watch/follow, I'll usually stalk the BBSs and a few high profile blogs to see what the latest buzz is about.

A few days ago, I ran across some talks about this title, "Slap Up Party: Arad Senki."

The show primarily follows a demon knight named Baron who has a curse known as a demon arm. This gives him incredible strength, but has the chance of turning him into a monster if he pushes it too hard in a fight. So far in the storyline (episode 3), he is accompanied by a party of adventurers including a lecherous gun user, a big boobed martial arts girl, and a mini mage girl.

The genre of the anime could be described as an adventure/comedy/action, and is pretty safe for all ages. The animation of the show is very well done and although the character design is a little cartoony, they are very lifelike and constantly humorous. The jokes consist mainly of gags and mostly result from the different character's interactions.

This show blends together action and humor in an interesting way that is not seen in many anime. There are plenty of "cool" moments, like when Baron uses a wind-type blast attack almost hitting a comrade. This causes the companion immediately freaks out in a comedic nature and as a result instantly sparks viewer laughter. Likewise, Slap Up Party has an interesting way of being serious at some moments and completely humorous at others. In both cases, the show is interesting enough to keep watching and there is rarely a dull moment.
The commercial break cutscenes are done chibi style (characters are drawn in a child-like manner) which is nothing new, but adds variation to the show. Although the scene is accompanied by a simple gag, it still manages to solicit some laughter. One really entertaining aspect of the show is it's ending song and credits animation. The animators took the show's concept and plot and translated it into a 8-bit graphics animation and created what looks like an old school Nintendo game. The music, although it has a voice track, is reminiscent of the synthetic track that shipped with many titles back in the day including the NES Mario and Zelda. The ending sequence brings a positive feeling of nostalgia and the song is hard to get out of one's head, though in a good way.



Check out this new show on you not-so-local Japanese television station, YouTube, or torrent site.

Super Woes

It's no secret that I have been watching a lot of Superman related media the past month or so. A friend of mine turned me on to Smallville and out of curiosity I branched out to practically all other Superman related paraphernalia including comic books, graphic novels, TV shows, movies, and shorts.

This brought me to writing this blog and what will be known as my first of many "Worst Lists."

Here are the runner ups:

Smallville

Some would argue that the show is one of the best delineations of the comic than any other moving picture representation. I would disagree. What's different in this rendition of the classic superhero? Well for starters, Smallville is now in its eighth season and still no super suit. Now, I don't really want to see a grown man in tights and a cape, but there has to be something better than putting Tom Welling in a blue shirt that is two sizes too small and an off-hue red jean jacket. Sometimes, they even mix it up and throw on a blue jean jacket instead! Horrible. What else is different?

• Lois Lane is now played by a flabby stripper who makes it her business to date virtually every other male character (save Lex) and single handedly force me to spam the mute button.
• Lana Lang in the comic book is Superman's high school sweetheart and in the movie Superman 3 she is superman's girlfriend. In Smallville, however, Ms. Lang (played by Kristin Kreuk) is actually Clark's bleeding vagina, and is the cause of much discontent. She also steals much of the show's airtime in the first 7 seasons, drawing the viewer into useless subplots that are nothing more than a ploy to engage the young female viewers. Don't even get me started on the 'She's a witch' plotline.
• Chloe Sullivan is a new character to the franchise and created solely for Smallville. The character is more of a Lois Lane then the actual show's Lois Lane and in the first 6 seasons remains a constant reminder of why some of us don't keep in touch with our high school 'friends.' In Season 7 and 8 however, she becomes a love interest for a young Jimmy Olsen.
• In the comic book Jimmy Olsen is a young photographer that teams up with Lois to get the latest scoops. In Smallville he is now played by what appears to be a middle schooler, but somehow remains to be one of the most realistic and authentic characters.
• Oliver Queen/Green Arrow is not a mainstay in the Superman series, but many will notice his credits on the JLA comic franchise. Smallville highlights a unique character that although screams homosexuality, seems to constantly fall in and out of love with the ever single/slutty Lois Lane.

The show is built on a foundation of 1/4 trendy bullshit and 3/4 teenage angst, even though the characters supposedly left high school 4 seasons (years) ago.

Superman and the Mole Men

Circa 1951, and in Black and White, Superman is transferred to the silver screen for one of the first times. The plot consists of Clark and Lois traveling to a small town (name unimportant) to write a story on the world's deepest oil well (plot unimportant). Peril hits the town (and story) as the drilling strikes a secret cavern where the Mole Men live. After many an angry town mob sequences and ugly monster rebellions ensue, Superman is forced to play monkey in the middle and saves a Mole Man before taking the brunt of a ray gun and punching out a townsman stating "it's better than you deserve."

Unlike any of its predecessors and successors, there is no comedic flair to the movie and it is acted with an almost laughable seriousness. The Mole Men, the source of much paranoia for the movie, are seen as furry monsters with bald heads and posses the ability to touch something and make it luminescent at night. OoOoOoooo.... Scary... This of course sends the town into sheer peril and sparks a riot. Classic SciFi response, right?

It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman
A short-lived Broadway musical and later straight-to-TV movie, the musical follows Max Menkin... Wait, what? Who? The character doesn't exist in the comic and oddly enough is the main character to this travesty. Max is an egotistical Daily Planet reporter who's envy of Superman manifests into hatred.

The main villain of the musical is Dr. Abner Sedgwick, a nothing new/interesting character that takes the place of the Lex Luther persona... Rumors are that the creators of the musical didn't want to pay DC for the rights to use the Lex Luther character... and rightly so, on Broadway, the musical was a complete bust.

In what is supposed to be a comedic approach to the role of Superman, it is hardly about Superman at all. The only comedic responses derived from this are how bad the music, script, and acting are.

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
What do you get when combine bad writing with bad acting? This show.

Dean Cain's "Slater" (see Saved by the Bell) version of Superman includes all the pitfalls and woes of the Superman Franchise: A gay man in pastels. From his high pitched voice to his awkward cod piece, Cain creates a unique rendition that is better watched with eyes and ears covered.

Lex Luther is no longer bald, instead supporting an ugly shock of dirty brown/red hair. His almost lewd fixation with Alexander the Great is still in full swing and as a bonus he gets a trained falcon sidekick that kills pigeons.

Teri Hatcher, as Lois Lane, reminds me more of a cousin then a love interest for Clark Kent, which doesn't hinder their marriage plans... Her physical "hotness," however, is the only redeeming side of the show, and is in fact the only positive trait that comes to mind.

That being said...

There are so many choices, but like the hit movie Highlander, there can be only one.

And the Winner (loser) is....

It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman

Who doesn't want to see Superman sing while battling generic Chinese acrobats (played by Caucasians) and lying on the couch for a psychiatry session? At least the others were mildly entertaining.

Two words: Epic Failure.

Power Movements and Power Burgers

Tuesdays are usually my biggest workout day of the week. It's when I like to do all my heavy lifting and really hit every major muscle.

Why Tuesday?

Most people do their Monday, Wednesday, Friday weight routines, and then switch to cardio on their off days. Even if they don't, the benches are usually open at the gyms I visit, because that M, W, F routine is their chest day. So on Tuesdays, most gym-goers are on their back or leg routine. With any luck, half of my needed equipment is open.

I like to lift ultra heavy one day a week and really push my limits. This builds strength no matter what phase of workout I am in, and if I'm in a rut, it tends to break me out of it. This also prevents burnout and boredom from interfering with my normal routine.

Today's workout goes something like this:

• Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
• Squats
  
• Flat Dumbbell Chest Press
• Straight-Leg Deadlifts
• Lat Pull Downs
• Hamstring curls
• T-Bar Rows
• Calf Presses
• Single arm Bent-over rows (lawn mowers)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above-mentioned workouts, I recommend Arnold Schwarzenegger's The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (just don't look at any of the Lee Priest pictures). The book is really great for beginners and pros alike, and it's an interesting read. For shits and giggles, I weighed the book and found it to be just over 6 pounds, which would make it the Ah-nold in a sea of girly-man books.

After that workout, I'll feel pretty pumped up, but if I'm not maxed out, I'll finish up the routine with a three workout rotation of push-ups, pull-ups, and lunges. I'll keep doing the rotation until exhaustion.

By this time, I'm ready for some fuel, and I'll usually chug a light protein shake, just to get a little protein, but mainly to help rehydrate, and then I'll cook dinner.

After a good workout like that, I like to treat myself to some good protein and some great vegetables. For this I pull my recipe from Gregg Avedon's Muscle Chow, and a personal favorite recipe of mine, the "Power Burger." It is easy to make and relatively fast once you get the hang of it.

Power Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Extra-lean ground beef
• 1 tbs Sunflower seeds
• 1 tbs finely chopped onion
• 1 tbs finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup toasted wheat germ
• 4 whole grain burger buns
• And, whatever toppings you need for the burgers, lettuce tomato, cheese, etc.

Step 1: Preheat a grill or skillet to medium-low
Step 2: Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl, and add all the ingredients except the wheat germ and buns. Knead with your hands until everything is well mixed.
Step 3: Form into 4 patties. Roll the patties in the wheat germ until they're covered.
Step 4: Grill or pan-fry for 8 to 10 minutes for medium or 14 to 18 minutes for well-done.
Step 5: Place each burger on a bun. Top the burger with your toppings.

Makes 4 servings.

I'll usually add on some Vegetable-packed Israeli Couscous and another vegetable like Baked Asparagus, both found in the Muscle Chow cook book, and packed with nutrients and muscle building enzymes.

After a huge workout and a feast like this one, I'm usually revitalized both mentally and physically.

Are we having fun yet!

Party Down is a TV show that premiered this March on Starz.

According to the Starz website synopsis, "Party Down is about a group of struggling dreamers who are stuck working for tips while waiting for their big break. As employees of the L.A. catering company “Party Down,” these misfits mingle with guests at everything from sweet sixteen parties to the most lavish Hollywood soirees." That sounds about right, if you replace "mingle" with "meddle" and "soirees" with "disasters."

The show follows the ragtag group of washed-up and never-was actors as they work parties that often end in complete disaster. Their fearless leader, Mr. Ron Donald, is beyond clueless but never loses sight of his dream to open his own restaurant, 'Soup Or Crackers' (ultra cheesy pun here "Super Crackers"). Each episode highlights a cameo appearance from an otherwise out of work and real-life actor, which only adds to the absurdity. The cameos are not enough to spark a divine interest in the show, but it definitely brings me back for more. The subject matter is almost always mature with an abundance of swearing, adult situations, and at times nudity (female and male). This show is definitely not for kids.


One particular highlight to the show is its characters. Every interaction between the creepy nerd writer, Roman Debeers, and the trendy emo asshole, Kyle Bradway, yields a ridiculous clash of the titans and a lot of laughter. My favorite character has to be the washed-up beer commercial actor, Henry Pollard, who generally plays the straight man and usually gets swept up in the commotion. Other highlights include the charmingly confused Constance Carmell, and the negativist siren Casey Klein.

The actors portraying the characters are not only believable, but also highly engaging. The troupe combines for a group effort not shared in many comedies (with exception to Arrested Development). Adam Scott and Ken Marino, arguably the lead actors do an amazing job of subtly propelling their characters to the foreground of each scene and all eyes are on them, even when you want to look away (if you've seen the adult after party episode you'll know what I mean). Jane Lynch pulls the audience in with her dramatic flair and delivers every line perfectly while Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, and Lizzy Caplan raise the bar with solid performances.

The show itself has a similar feel to Curb Your Enthusiasm in that it is slow paced and its humor is methodical. Its characters are much like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, utterly clueless, yet somehow functional. While it shares many traits with other shows, Party Down breaks the mold and creates a unique comedic experience that has me laughing hysterically. I can't wait to see more of this show.

You can catch up on past episodes from its first season on the Starz website: Party Down on Starz

Opening Credits

Welcome to my blog Shared Universe!

My mission for this blog is to provide an outlet for all the activities that my friends and I share. There will be reviews and commentary on TV shows, Anime Series, Movies, Video Games, Books, Magazines, News, Politics, Religion, and more.

The goal of which will be to inform, entertain, and alienate you the reader and if possible, gain fame, fortune, and a fair amount of comments. Ok, I'll just be happy if I get the comments.

I'm sharing my universe because, hey, sharing means caring.