Sayonara, 2011 (I hate you)!

I want to be a Akihabara maid. I wish the Mayans would stop scaring us all.

Since it’s the end of the year I guess I’ll share a little on my thoughts about this year with everyone. And don’t worry, it doesn’t concern my everyday life dramas -I’ll spare you on that for now- but rather on what anime, dramas, music, and video games have brought us. Before heading on to the main subjects, let’s look back now on what happened on May.

This might be a bit awkward to talk about it, but it is rather inevitable since this was a big disaster that shook the entire world this year. I remember hearing about it at school in the morning: everyone was talking about it and were sincerely worried about the sort of the victims. But it was only after school that I had the chance to see what really happened with my own eyes – buildings that have crumbled to the ground because of the earthquake, a giant flood that covered everything in sight except for the roofs of houses, men and women crying for the lost of their friends and family…

What was even harder for me at that moment was that I had no idea if my Japanese family members were safe (Fortunately, they’re from Tokyo where nothing happened). The news didn’t help – once we heard about the nuclear crisis in Japan, journalists kept exaggerating the situation and continued worrying those concerned around the world that couldn’t do anything to help. May 2011 was beyond doubt a tough period for Japan until help arrived.

Today, the situation has of course gotten better, but the bitterness is still present. One of my wishes for next year is that the concerned Japanese will rapidly get back on their feet.

After getting that off my chest, let’s move on to something more joyful, shall we?

• Anime

This year’s anime was rather good this year, wasn’t it? Like always, there were a few disappointments (I’m looking at you, Aoi no Exorcist and [C]) we couldn’t avoid, but everything turned out well. What really marked me concerning anime were the summer and fall seasons since it was the first time I was able to comment, share and add my two cenz on the anime that were currently viewed by a big number of anime-bloggers — you could say I felt a bit at home because I got to join in on the fun with other bloggers.

• Dramas

While I have commented, impatiently waited, and criticized a lot of J-dramas this year (I am terribly sorry to the people I know on J-drama community sites), I have practically watched nothing that came out in 2011. I have viewed the first episode of Ouran High School Host Club after mercilessly criticizing the choice of cast, forgot to watch the episodes, did the same thing for Arakawa Under The Bridge (regardless of the presence of my Shun Oguri in the cast), and didn’t dare watch the remake of Hanakimi because I was still pissed that there was even a remake.

Now that I think about it, the J-dramas I just mentioned above are all adaptations of manga. Dear me :3

• Music

After anime, music really had an important place in my list this year. I looked forward to alot of great J-rock groups such as school food punishment and ONE OK ROCK, but their albums this year were unfortunately easy to forget and didn’t ‘wow’ me. Not their singles, of course! I have nothing to say about their singles this year.

In order to widen my repertoire in Asian music, I tried a little K-pop (for the fifth time) since the Hallyuu wave was impossible to miss. I’m happy to say that after a few failed tries of getting into it in the past, I’m now a new fan. IU, MBLAQ, GD and TOP, Super Junior and Girls’ Generation (not too sure) are now artists I listen to on my iPod. I still have yet to understand them in Korean though. Concerning other Japanese artists (I won’t mention all of them :P), I’m rather sad SAWA and Kanon Wakeshima didn’t release anything this year. And as for moumoon, I couldn’t get into their new material this year.

• Video Games

They could have made a better job with the graphics on Zelda. But then the story was good enough to make me forget.

I was personally very pleased with all the fantastic games that came out this year: Yakuza 4, Final Fantasy, Pokémon and the list goes on and on, however Skyward Sword was the big surprise for me at the end of the year. I shamefully admit that it is the first Zelda game I have ever played…Ever since I can remember, I already knew who Zelda and Link were and how they looked like, but I never had the curiosity to buy the game until an old friend of mine (and living Zelda encyclopedia) kept indirectly pressuring me about it. In the end, I spent a large amount of money just for the collector’s version and I have no regrets. Besides, playing the legendary bishonen Link and swinging a sword around isn’t something so unpleasant~!

Hm, I managed to ramble about my life somehow. I should really do something about that problem before it’s too late. Oh well.

Hope you don’t end up like them tonight. Happy New Year!

Phoenix Wright Is Never Wrong!

-“My name may be Wright, but that doesn’t mean that I always am! The game would make no sense if I was always right!”

/dies

I’ve always wanted to write that (I’m sorry for my lame puns).  Anyway, this is the awaited Phoenix Wright game review I’ve dreamed of doing ever since I’ve created this blog. I’m not confident of my writing, which is why it took so long for me get this out and say: “To heck with it, let me try at least once!”

For those who do not know this series that first came out on Game Boy Advance before being re-released on DS, Phoenix Wright is the story of a fresh new defense attorney who solves cases alongside his partner, Maya Fey, who is also the younger sister of Phoenix’s mentor, Mia Fey.

Look Nick, look! We’re playing ourselves! How cool is that?

I appreciate the game for its close resemblance to a visual novel game: You play as Phoenix and you walk around to find clues and interact with the other characters in order to get more information concerning the case you’re working on. Depending on the cases, you meet new characters: every one of them wacky and unique in their own way.

Being the scaredy-cat I am, the murder cases always freaked me out.

There’s also another segment that makes the game what it is: You play in court. I never thought that I would enjoy playing a game where you play in court, but the deep cases worthy of what you would find in a detective novel written by a true author keep you at the edge of your seat.

The court segment is the tricky part of the game: Make the right decisions, present the evidence at the right time, and figure out what the witness is hiding from you. Be careful, you don’t have many chances if you ever make an error.

Along with the first game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, there are two sequels to the game: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations. For the latter game, I truly applaud the developing plot in it where you find out more about the main characters’ dark pasts, but I won’t spoil you since there isn’t any fun in doing that :P

I want to be on Pheenie’s lap too~ And Edgeworth, don’t you point at me with that Wiimote!

The series also has spin-off games with Edgeworth, Phoenix’s rival and childhood friend, as the main character. I’ve heard the games have a segment similar to a game of chess, but I have yet to see it with my own eyes.

Along with the spin-offs came another title released on DS and Wii where you play a new defense attorney, Apollo Justice. Regardless of the good critics from Japan, the game isn’t very liked among the fans of Phoenix Wright that I’ve met. It’s disappointing, really. I like Apollo Justice and the new characters, though I have to admit I understand the main reason (and ultimate spoiler) why most fans are mad about it.

Apollo (the one in red) is so adorkable~

Luckily for the fans, a new game will be released soon (Unfortunately on 3DS), a crossover with the famous Professor Layton titled: Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright.

-insert gigglesnort-

I’ve read that the original creator of the Phoenix Wright games will be the one writing the scenario. This promises to be very interesting…

My notes: 

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: 8/10

A great introduction to a great series. I almost cried when I played the second case, and the fifth case was epic in every way.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All: 6.5/10

The least memorable game of the series regardless of the intriguing cases.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations: 9/10

The key to unlocking the dark pasts of Maya’s family and Phoenix’s life. A very, very recommended game. In this game you meet the best Phoenix Wright villain ever. Also, do not play this at night if you’re sensitive.