Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" Part 3

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Amazon)

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Goodreads)

*Spoiler*

I have finished the final quarter of this book, and I am happy to say that it was the most entertaining part of the novel. The good news is that it wraps up in a way that makes me want to read the sequel, "The Third Kingdom."

In the last quarter of this book, we learn a few things. We learn that the machine seems to be controlled by someone, most likely Hannis Arc. It attempts to help Richard by telling him things outside of the "prophecy" that it is being forced to say. At the end of the book, we also discover that what the machine told Richard actually saved both his and Kahlan's life.

The final quarter of this book is mostly Richard's pursuit of Kahlan. We learn during this pursuit that the hounds are not real, just something that a person sees when influenced by the Hedge Maid. After Kahlan's mad fever dash to Kharga Trace, Richard finally catches up to her as the Hedge Maid is preparing to do some unspeakable things to her, most likely aiming to turn her into some sort of wraith or undead being. On a positive note for Kahlan, at least she is able to free Henrik. Richard manages to destroy the Hedge Maid by cutting open her mouth, severing the leather cord. He is able to save his and Kahlan's life by plugging both of their ears with cloth, but they are both still affected by the sound of the Hedge Maid's death and knocked unconscious.

Upon his escape from Kharga Trace, Henrik is able to locate Zedd, Nicci, Cara, Benjamin and the others and let them know where both Richard and Kahlan are. Ultimately, the final quarter of this book was the best quarter and is leaving me excited for the sequel,"The Third Kingdom." Look for the reviews for that book soon as I start to read it next.

Overall, I give this book a 4/5 with the ending being entertaining enough to make it worth the read, especially considering the availability of a sequel.

Thanks for reading.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 22

Attack on Titan Episode 22 (Crunchyroll)

Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version) - Attack On Titan

"The Defeated/The 57th Expedition, Part 6"

09/07/2013

*Spoiler*

This episode we start with Mikasa and Levi chasing the female Titan. She has captured Eren and is running away with him in her mouth. The real question is why does she want Eren alive? This entire plan of chasing down Eren while he was outside the walls was to capture him and then do what?

Before the female Titan can escape though, Levi and Mikasa catch up to her and work together to immobilize her. Levi is absolutely amazing using the maneuvering gear. We even get some slow-motion action for his attacks on the Titan. If you thought that Mikasa was fast, then you haven't seen anything yet.

During the fight, Levi manages to save Mikasa's life. She was going to fall for the same trick that most of Levi's squad did, by being baiting into attacking the Titan's neck. Levi managed to hurt his leg badly during the fight saving Mikasa, although you wouldn't know it from the way that he continues to fight and walk afterward. Also, I think that this fight settles the question of whether Mikasa or Levi is stronger. The answer is Levi. Not only are his skills more honed and precise from years of practice, but he also keeps a cool head and can make quick and hard decisions. I think that saving Mikasa's life has settled this argument...for now.

Ultimately, the two of them free Eren from the Titan and head back with him along with the rest of the Scout Regiment. As they make their way back, the show manages to make you feel absolutely terrible by letting you see from the perspective of the waiting family members knowing that so many of them won't be coming home. You also get to see many of the living scouts having to handle the bodies of their dead comrades. Just horrible.

On the way back to town they have to ditch the bodies as two scouts attracted a group of Titans to follow them after the two had gone back against strict orders to try and get their friend's body. One of the two died in the process, the other was saved by ditching the bodies. Now the scouts cannot even provide a proper burial for their friends or provide the closure of a funeral ceremony for the families.

I think that of all of the sadness in this episode, the worst is Levi. Not only did he lose his entire squad, but he lost Petra. After they arrive back in town, you learn from Petra's father that she had planned to marry Levi. Just wow...I don't know how you survive in this absolutely brutal world.

The episode ends with learning that Eren will be handed over. The Scout Regiment has failed. What will happen to Eren now? He looks so fragile. Will he survive being handed over to the Military Police? What's going to happen?

Preview: Armin seems to have figured out who the female Titan is. Is it Annie as I've suspected all along? The preview makes it seem that way!

Stay tuned and find out.

Fall 2013: Top 5 Anime Series

Fall 2013 Anime Full Lineup

09/06/2013

So, the new Fall anime season is here. You can check out the entire lineup by clicking the link above. Below I will highlight my top 5 anime to watch for Fall 2013.

Gundam Build Fighters (GBF):

This is the the latest Gundam series since Gundam AGE released in 2011. So this should definitely fill a hole in every Gundam fan's heart who has been waiting for the next series. GBF will be releasing on October 7. I would say that I'm most excited about this series because I love the Gundam franchise. Not too much is known about the plot at this point, but Gundam is a very consistent franchise. Rarely does a Gundam series miss the mark, in my opinion, although it can happen. We'll just have to watch and find out.

Pupa:

If there were not a Gundam series releasing this Fall, Pupa would be at the top of this list. I've never read the manga, but I've heard some great things about it. I'm very excited for this one. The atmosphere and art style look dark. I am hoping for a series similar in feel to Attack on Titan and/or Berserk. Pupa will release later this Fall. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a great one.

Hajime no Ippo Rising [Season 3]:

Hajime no Ippo is one of my favorite anime series of all time, and I read the manga every single week, as you know if you follow my blog. If it's one of my favorites of all time, then why is this not higher on my list? Well, the answer is simple, I've already read all of the story that will take place in this series in the manga. With the surprise gone, it is hard to rate this number one. With that said, I'm still hyped to see some epic fights and to hear some of the best music in anime. HnI will air in October.

Yowamushi Pedal (YP):

This anime is a dark horse for me this season as far as being something worth watching. If you knew me personally, you would know that I enjoy cycling. I have a lot of friends that enjoy it even more than I do, so I hear about it frequently. With that background, you can see why I may want to check out an anime that is about riding. Now, whether or not the story turns out to be interesting enough to keep watching, you never know, anything is possible. After all, there have been other sports anime in the past that I didn't think I'd be interested in even though I like the sport person, i.e. Prince of Tennis, but I was. YP will release in October.

Pokémon XY:

This made the list, but only just barely. Why did I bother to list it at all? Well, I am a huge fan of the video games, but only slightly a fan of the anime series and movies. However, I'm itching to learn more about the new Generation 6 Pokémon, and this show should provide some more background for them. I will probably catch some episodes here or there while I'm playing through X & Y. Pokémon XY will release October 17, five days after the games.

Well, those are my top 5 anime series for Fall 2013. What do you think? These are not my opinion on the "best" 5 anime series of the year, but rather the top series that I'm interested in watching. Do you agree or disagree with any of my choices? If so, please let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading.

*Credit for the Banner at the top of the post and the list of Fall 2013 Anime goes to Zana over at Neregate.com. Please be sure to check out neregate.com and let Zana know directly how much you appreciate the hard work in putting together that amazing resource.*

Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirit) Chapter 1027

Hajime no Ippo (Wikipedia)

Weekly Shōnen Magazine (Japanese Website)

"A Visible Inevitability"

09/05/2013

*Spoiler*

The title for this chapter sounds extremely ominous for Itagaki. The title applies directly to Itagaki's ability to still see the punches coming from Imai, but his inability to dodge them, thus "Visible Inevitability." However, I'd like to propose another theory. I think this is also an indication that it is visible to everyone else watching the fight that it is inevitable that Itagaki will lose.

He has made several mistakes leading up to the fight in not training as seriously for Imai as he should have. He is also making mistakes here during the fight. He is trying to duke it out with Imai in the corner, and that is a huge mistake. Itagaki does not have the power nor the endurance to get into an in-fight with Imai. Even Takamura is worried for him, and you know that spells trouble since Takamura isn't usually too concerned with what the "small fries" are doing.

Itagaki has even lowered his guard to taunt Imai in. This is another mistake. Itagaki lands a solid uppercut using a counter, but he simply doesn't have the power to knock Imai back, let alone knock him down. Imai simply keeps pushing him forward, trapping him in the corner. At this point, Itagaki should just fall to his butt on the mat, take the down and the lost points and allow the fight to reset in the center of the ring. If he were to do that, he could still have a chance to win this fight.

It doesn't look like that's going to happen nor does it look like he will escape the corner. Things are looking bad for "Chronos." Will he lose this fight? It sure seems like he will.

Keep reading and find out.

P.S. I've included a link below where you can pick up the Hajime no Ippo anime in advance of Season 3 coming out this fall. Unfortunately, I do not think that the manga been released in the United States, so I don't have any link for that.

Hajime no Ippo Anime (Amazon)

Pokemon Direct 09/04/2013

Pokemon Direct 09/04/2013 (Video)

Pokemon X & Y (Homepage)

09/05/2013

Yesterday, Nintendo & Pokémon released a special "Pokémon Direct." The video link is above. It lasts about twenty minutes. If you have the time, be sure to check it out. If not, then read my recap of the video down below.

*Recap*

The first part of the video walks you through the previous games and all of the generations of Pokémon up to this point. The real updates are once we finally reach the new generation, X & Y.

Pokémon Bank
Pokémon Bank will be a 3DS app that enables could storage of your Pokémon. It will have 100 boxes worth of storage which equals 3,000 Pokémon!! It will also feature extensive search options, that will let you easily browse your massive Pokémon collection. This is an amazing feature, one that they've actually had the idea for since Pokémon Crystal. You've seen precursors to this with previous Pokémon storage solutions such as Pokémon Box for Ruby & Sapphire using Nintendo Gamecube as well as My Pokémon Ranch on Nintendo Wii. However, this will be the first time that the storage is available in the cloud and can be accessed by any X or Y game.

So, what is the downside to this fantastic feature? Well, since the Pokémon will be stored in the cloud, there will need to be continual maintenance and operational costs for the feature, so there will be an annual charge. They did not specify how much the service will be in the video, but I've heard from some people that the amount will be 500¥ per year, so I'm not sure what the official U.S. Dollar price will be.

We've seen this trend emerging of additional fees for additional features in the past, i.e. Pokémon Dream Radar. Both Nintendo and Pokémon realize that with the level of apps and digital downloads available, there is more money to be made other than the release of the game.

Poké Transfer
Poké Transfer will be an additional 3DS app that you will gain access to after downloading Pokémon Bank. Poké Transfer will allow you to put in a copy of Pokémon White, Black, White 2 or Black 2 into a 3DS console and transfer your Pokémon to your Pokémon Bank account. This will allow you to make transfers using only 1 3DS console, which is a relief for those of us that only own one. From Pokémon Bank you can then transfer all of your previous generation Pokémon to X or Y. The feature seems amazing, and I was fervently hoping for a way to transfer massive amounts of Pokémon at one time in X & Y. Since I've played every game from every generation up to this point, I have more Pokémon than can fit on even two regular cartridges.

This is such an amazing app, so what's the downside? At first, I didn't even realize it, but this will be the very first time that you will not be able to transfer Pokémon from previous games without paying an additional fee. This has been a basic part of every previous generation to an extent, and this will mark the first time we'll have to pay for it. I'm fine with additional payments for additional services, such as Pokémon Bank, but I don't like the move to charge for something that has been included in games up to this point.

Starters
In addition to choosing from Chespin, Fennekin & Froakie (who you will get from your friend) you will also choose one of the original three starters (Bulbusaur, Charmander & Squirtle) from the Professor. This marks the first time you'll get two starter Pokémon.

Mega-Evolutions
We learned a little more about Mega-Evolutions in the video. The trainer will use a "Mega-Ring" (which actually looks like a bracelet) and this will communicate with the "Mega Stone" that the Pokémon is holding to trigger the Mega-Evolution. Your heart will pour into the Pokémon for this to happen. Is it possible that Mega-Evolution is tied to the bond with the trainer in some way? We'll have to wait and find out.

X & Y Limited Edition Consoles
This is what I was looking for more than anything else in this video. They will release two limited edition Pokémon 3DS XL consoles in North American and Europe. There will be a Red console and a Blue console. The release date for both consoles is September 27, 2013. This is in addition to the two limited edition consoles that will be available in Japan, the Blue for the general public and the Gold only found at Pokémon Centers. There is a possible downside for the U.S. & European consoles though as they will not include copies of the games like the Japanese consoles will. This may bother some people but not others.

*Summary*

Now that I know that there will be limited editions of the consoles, I've already headed over to Amazon and reserved the games. Since the announcement just took place, it looks like the consoles are not yet listed on Amazon. I'll update this post once they are live. I've provided the links below for both of the games.

Naruto Chapter 645

Naruto (Wikipedia)

Weekly Shōnen Jump (Japanese Website)

"Two Powers..!!"

09/05/2013

*Spoiler*

In this week's chapter we get to see Naruto and his father, Minato, bonding even more. But more importantly, we get to see them fighting together. That's what everyone has been waiting for since Naruto the manga started. Minato has now been around for several chapters, but this chapter spent a lot of time highlighting their fighting together, especially their use of Senjutsu.

We discover that only Senjutsu seems to be effective against Obito. That is very fortunate for the "good guys" as Naruto is able to use sage techniques. Now, Naruto and Minato can combine their attacks against Obito to actually have an effective weapon. Also, we learn another important thing this chapter, it is possible for Naruto to use both Senjutsu and Kurama's chakra simultaneously. Naruto only had difficulty doing both before because Kurama was jealous and didn't want to share his chakra with Naruto if Naruto was using Senjutsu at the time.

I must say, Naruto's and Kurama's relationship together is hilarious, adding some comedic relief in this very, very long ninja war. Kurama can act upset, but he obviously cares a lot about Naruto after all of their time spent together.

So, what does a combination of Kurama's chakra from both Minato and Naruto plus Senjutsu equal? Well, a joint Naruto-Minato Senjutsu/Kurama Chakra powered Rasengan (try saying that three times fast). It is a strong attack, but Obito still manages to block it with his very powerful black shield.

One odd thing about the chapter is Minato's reaction to fighting alongside Naruto. He compares it to the feelings he had when fighting with his wife. Now, I don't have a son, but I wonder if I would feel the same nostalgia that I felt when with my wife. I mean, maybe it's possible? But I doubt it.

Anyway, we come to the end of this chapter with Naruto and Minato creating a joint Senjutsu filled Bijudama. At the same time Obito has begun the Infinite Tsukuyomi! Will their attack hit in time? Will the entire world be stuck in Genjutsu forever?

Come back next week and find out!

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" Part 2

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Amazon)

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Goodreads)

09/05/2013

I am now just over 75% through the book. I have been reading very slowly for two reasons. First, I was playing catch up with the anime "Attack on Titan." If you haven't done so already, be sure to read my latest episode review here. The second reason I've been reading so slow is because this book has very slow pacing. I will get into that more below.

*Spoiler*

The good news is that once you reach the middle of the book, the main villain is finally revealed. This greatly helps the story start to come together. It finally has meat on it. I don't know how much longer I could have survived hearing the word "prophecy" without a physical being behind it. However, just because Hannis Arc is introduced, don't think for a second that you're going to escape the word "prophecy" from now on. Oh no, it will continue throughout the rest of the book, I'm sure. It may very well carry through the rest of the series. It almost makes you wonder if Goodkind had a bad run-in with a fortune teller or something before he decided to start this series.

But as a side, at least the villain is revealed, and he appears to be very deadly. His description is rather terrifying when seen from Henrik's point of view. The tattoos are rather disorienting, and I'm sure they serve as Hannis' source of power in some way, especially the backwards nine which of course is a reference to Goodkind's earlier book "The Law of Nines" (which is on sale over on Amazon, if you haven't picked it up yet.) Hannis also has the ability to kill the wraiths that the Hedge Maid controls, so he has a multitude of abilities.

We also see Kahlan's increased illness, especially after whatever the Hedge Maid has done to her. How that will play out will greatly affect Richard's decisions in the future, I have no doubt.

Finally, we also see a great deal of court gossip amongst the rulers, all of which are obsessed with prophecy. To me, it just feels that they've lost faith in Richard far too fast to make this book believable. He beat Jagang and the entire old world empire, and now they think he belongs to the Keeper of the Underworld after like 3 days in his palace? It seems a stretch.

All in all, the third quarter of this book has been much better than the first half. I still believe it is worth picking up especially since it is over on Amazon for a bargain price. I know Goodkind's writing enough to know that the story will have to improve soon. I've heard great things about the sequel,"The Third Kingdom." So I'm looking forward to reading that next.

Come back soon for my review/reaction to the conclusion of the novel.

One Piece Chapter 720

One Piece (Wikipedia)

Weekly Shōnen Jump (Japanese Website)

"Prisoner Gladiators"

09/04/2013

*Spoiler*

So, now we have the results for the first three blocks:

A - "Champion" Jesus Burgess, from Blackbeard's Crew
B - "Cannibal" Bartolomeo, the Super Rookie
C - "Lucy" (Luffy)

Block D will soon have the fight to determine its champion, but there will be a delay due to Luffy's last fight destroying the ring. Pretty convenient for them though to have a spare ring available. I wonder if the ring that has happened before?

Cavendish continues his vendetta against Luffy, after finding out Luffy's true identity, and attacks him in the hall. Cavendish is extremely jealous of Luffy's fame and also hates him and all of the other Super Rookies from the "Worst Generation" aka the 11 Supernovas. Nothing much comes of the fight and eventually Luffy runs off with Rebecca, who helps him hide.

We get a little bit of information on Bartolomeo's personality, which is actually quite funny. Apparently he is Luffy's biggest fan. I'd go so far as to call him a "fanboy," since he's such a big fan of Luffy's that he can't even bring himself to speak with him face-to-face.

As Luffy escapes, we get a little confrontation with Burgess who has Blackbeard on the Den Den Mushi. Of course Burgess and Blackbeard simply harass Luffy after discovering his true identity. They plan to lay claim to Ace's devil fruit. Can Luffy stop them?

Two more things are revealed in this chapter. First, that Rebecca, after failing to kill Luffy, is basically a prisoner of the colosseum. She, along with other wounded gladiators, are kept prisoner until they can win 1,000 battles. That, of course, is impossible, so they are essentially kept as prisoners and forced to fight until they die. It appears that this is not the way it used to work before Doflamingo. That's why Rebecca wants the devil fruit, to have the power needed to defeat Doflamingo. We also learn that Rebecca knows the toy soldier, Mr. Soldier. Clearly they have/had some kind of relationship. Maybe she knew him when he was still a man?

That was a long chapter. What will happen next? Will Luffy help the gladiators? Who will win Block D?

Keep reading and find out.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 21

Attack on Titan Episode 21 (Funimation)

Attack on Titan Episode 21 (Crunchyroll)

Iron Hammer/The 57th Expedition, Part 5 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Iron Hammer/The 57th Expedition, Part 5"

09/03/2013

*Spoiler*

Some episodes in a series stick out more than others, this is one of those episodes. We have had episodes in the past that had no action, just story setup. This is the opposite. This episode was all action, gut-wrenching action, from start to finish.

We learn that the female human inside the Titan escaped using her maneuvering gear by hiding in all of the steam from the Titan's dissolving body. She seems to be far more adept at the transformation than Eren is. In fact, Erwin has this observation as well. It was a mistake to use Eren, who is very new to Titan transformations, as the sample for all of their tests. This female Titan can keep her gear with her inside the Titan, harden her body and even have strength to leave the Titan body with full motion and then transform a second time. That is leaps and bounds above where Eren is right now.

There are a few more observations about who the Titan would have to be, since it would have needed to be someone who saw Eren transformed in Trost. I continue to believe that it is Annie, just given the limited amount of people it could reasonably be, plus the blond hair, as I've said before. I've made sure to actively avoid anything spoiler-wise online, since I know the manga is far ahead of this point and may have already revealed her true identity.

We learn here that trusting your team may not always be for the best. Had Eren chosen to fight originally, they may very well have won. Imagine the female Titan trying to fight Titan-Eren along with Levi and the full squad? They probably would have been able to incapacitate her at the very least. Eren realizes that too late though. He chose to hold his power in check until it was too late to help the Levi squad. The entire squad is decimated, other than Captain Levi himself.

As Eren and the female Titan fight, it is obvious that she has the advantage in speed and control. Eren seems to have more power, but for how long the fight lasts, he only lands one solid blow and loses his jaw in the process. She then cuts his head off and bites him out of the neck. If you're looking for a show with graphic content, you have found it.

Mikasa arrives just in time to see Eren being taken. She gives chase and even manages to land several blows, causing the Titan to fall to her knees. She is just so fast. It is amazing. The problem though is that ability to harden the skin. Mikasa can't cut through it. Levi shows up as well and they both start to follow the Titan as she turns to run again. She seems to be tiring, so Levi and Mikasa may wait until the moment is right to strike. These are arguably the two strongest human fighters, so we may see what the human limitation is against a human-Titan.

Preview: Mikasa and Levi vs. the female Titan. Who will live and who will die?

Stay tuned.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 20

Attack on Titan Episode 20 (Funimation)

Attack on Titan Episode 20 (Crunchyroll)

Erwin Smith / The 57th Expedition, Pt. 4 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Erwin Smith/The 57th Expedition, Part 4"

09/03/2013

*Spoiler*

Every time that I see a new Titan, it is still very disgusting. These guys are the definition of "grotesque." The way they are crawling up the trees trying to get to the humans is very disturbing. The show does a great job of keeping you feeling creeped out along the way. Not only are they gross, but some of them have the ability to learn, like climbing trees. That is just great, isn't it? Overall, the feeling you have for humanity's survival is pretty low. Not to mention that we have no idea how many total Titans there are out there in the world.

As I said before, Jean and Armin make a great team. Jean has figured out the reason for the expedition, not only that, he has solved the puzzle about why it was kept secret. There is a spy. That spy in the ranks is the Titan, so Erwin couldn't risk revealing the details to all of the soldiers. Pretty smart. Also, that spy is the one that killed the two captured Titans. Armin also understands that the mission was worth the cost in human life. You have to be willing to make tough choices and to make sacrifices if you will make any gains in this brutal world of the Titans.

We also learn about the weapons developed to capture Titans. Of course they come from Hange. It would be strange if they didn't, right?

Capturing the Titan may not have really accomplished anything though. The soldiers' swords can't penetrate the skin, and as they attempt to use explosives, too many Titans begin to show up, summoned by the female Titan's scream. As Sasha pointed out, it was the sound of a cornered animal with nothing to lose. This is getting very dangerous. The Titans arrive and eat the female Titan body (disgusting). Of course, the person inside escapes and is now chasing after Eren in human form using the maneuvering device and disguised as a regular soldier.

Levi is told by Erwin to refill his blades and gas. He knows what is coming.

We close by saying goodbye to Gunther. What a brutal death, but at least it was quick.

Preview: The capture has failed. The female Titan appears before Eren again. I doubt he will have any choice but to fight in Titan form this time as well.

Stay tuned and see for yourself.

Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirit) Chapter 1026

Hajime no Ippo (Wikipedia)

Weekly Shōnen Magazine (Japanese Website)

"Grind"

09/02/2013

*Spoiler*

So, this chapter is pretty short by Ippo standards. Not a lot happens except for one major event: Imai & Itagaki have a dual exchange with powerful blows.

Itagaki takes a massive punch to the body while Imai takes an uppercut to the chin. Itagaki had already taken a heavy body blow at the beginning of the fight, so this may really mount some lasting damage. Also, if you look at both of the fighters, who benefits more from a dual exchange? The answer is obviously Imai.

This sort of corner slug-fest is exactly what Imai wanted. Itagaki played right into it by allowing himself to get trapped.

Will Itagaki pull this one out, or will Imai, the in-fighter, get the upset?

Keep reading and find out.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 19

Attack on Titan Episode 19 (Funimation)

Attack on Titan Episode 19 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 19 (Hulu)

Bite/The 57th Expedition, Part 3 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Bite/The 57th Expedition, Part 3"

09/02/2013

I am back from a day's worth of loading up on food with family. It was a great holiday, but let's get back into Attack on Titan. I'm dying to get caught up with the currently airing episodes.

*Spoiler*

My reaction to most of the episode was, Why?! Why keep running?! Eren spends most of the episode ticked off that they keep leaving their comrades to die without helping them. Captain Levi will not stop, and he won't explain why he won't stop either. I think the fact that he won't explain why they can't stop is what frustrates Eren the most. Ultimately, they keep running, and then...

Flashback Time. No anime is complete without flashback episodes.

We see that during the time Eren spent training with Levi's squad, they discovered a way to stop Eren in Titan form without killing him, by maiming him and cutting him out of the nape of the Titan neck. So, the good news is in theory they could stop a rampaging Titan Eren. The bad news? He could very well kill the entire Levi squad. The human-Titans are much stronger and more intelligent than your average Titans.

During the flashback you get more Hange experiments. She is just plain odd. She loves her experiments too much, as I've said before. We do learn something useful though, Eren couldn't simply transform at will when told to. It seems as if he needs a clear goal as well as the self-inflicted harm. Eren finds this out by accidentally partially transforming during mealtime. Levi has some real killers on his squad. They almost kill Eren. Thankfully Levi saved him. Finally, they all apologize to Eren though. It has to be hard to be in their shoes. This is very new territory for them.

Back to the present.

Why didn't they stop running? Well, to lead the female Titan into a trap, of course. Erwin had it set up the whole time, and Levi must have known about it as well. I think Levi was the only one though, from everyone else's reactions. The real question though is how Erwin knew this would happen. This was no coincidence. We finally discover the reason for the whole expedition. What will happen now that the Titan is caught?

Preview: They attempt to reveal her identity, but....?!

Stay tuned.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 18

Attack on Titan Episode 18 (Funimation)

Attack on Titan Episode 18 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 18 (Hulu)

Forest of Giant Trees / The 57th Expedition, Pt. 2 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Forest of Giant Trees/The 57th Expedition, Part 2"

09/02/2013

*Spoiler*

Jean, Armin and Reiner survived the female Titan. That in itself is a miracle. However, Jean's horse ran away, and now the three of them are stuck with only one mount. This puts the group in a tough position. Only two people can ride a horse, so at least one person will be left behind.

They try a flare out of desperation, and just as they are about to leave Armin behind, Christa shows up to save the day. She has not one but two extra horses with her, including Jean's escapee. You get a little bit of comedy with the three teenage boys reacting to Christa, from thinking she's a savior to wanting to marry her. Teenage boy hormones shine through.

This episode the female Titan continues to rampage through the Scout Regiment. Nothing can stop her. Three soldiers set an ambush for her, and it fails completely. She is simply too intelligent and too fast. She is also extremely brutal.

The center of the Scout Regiment enters the "Forest of Giant Trees." The trees look really amazing. They resemble the redwood forests from our world. The real question is, why did Erwin have them enter the forest like this? It's almost like this has been planned from the beginning. They even go so far as to have the rest of the Scout Regiment guarding the forest so the other Titans won't go in and disturb whatever is going on inside.

It appears that no one other than Levi may know what is going on. I will say that Armin is very intuitive though. He is already starting to put together the puzzle of what Erwin is thinking, although he doesn't know the details, of course.

The episode ends with a very terrifying chase scene. Every time you think the show has run out of ways to make you tense, they find a new way. The music is a very nice tough. It makes the environment feel pretty psychotic. We end with Levi saying to cover your ears. What will he do?

Preview: Will Eren transform and fight, or will he trust his fellow soldiers?

Let's stay tuned and see what happens next.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 17

Attack on Titan Episode 17 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 17 (Hulu)

Female Titan / The 57th Expedition, Pt. 1 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Female Titan/The 57th Expedition, Part 1"

09/01/2013

*Spoiler*

It is time to see what is beyond the wall. I will tell you this; it is very frightening. Fighting Titans without the aid of buildings is just too scary. Just when you think that this show couldn't take you to another level of stress, it can. Watching the characters being chased by a Titan crawling on all fours like a spider while they are fleeing on horses is very nerve-wracking. No wonder they say you'd have to be crazy to join the Scout Regiment.

You do get a little comedy thrown in though. This show is good about throwing in the laughs here or there to lighten the mood. After all, this is one of the most consistently dark anime series that I've ever watched. I loved the line, "Don't wet your pants, Armin." Good one Jean.

The special effects on the horse-ride chases and the display of the battle formation are really topnotch. They are very excellent for being a TV series and not a feature length film.

The hero of this episode is Armin, yet again. He is very intelligent and able to think on his feet. With very little information and in a high stress scenario, he is able to figure out that the female Titan that appeared is really a human-Titan like Eren.

Jean also has a strong performance in the episode. He is consistently growing by the episode. His leadership skills are constantly improving. Armin and Jean make a fantastic team. With the combined leadership and planning skills, they are quite remarkable. They get paired with Reiner, who has tremendous skills himself. Reiner has been overshadowed by Mikasa and Levi, but he is a great fighter as well. His escape from the female Titan was epic.

The three of them stalled her long enough, or so they thought. But at the end of the episode she charged off. Has she figured out Eren's location? And who is this female Titan? It has to be someone that recognizes Armin (which is why she didn't kill him). My money is on Annie (terrific fighter, violent, blond hair, etc. It all fits).

Preview: The female Titan finds Eren. What will happen?

Stay tuned.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 16

Attack on Titan Episode 16 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 16 (Hulu)

What Should I Do Now / Eve of the Counteroffensive, Pt. 3 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"What Should I Do Now/Eve of the Counteroffensive, Part 3"

09/01/2013

*Spoiler*

Episode 16 finds us with the new cadets needing to choose which force they will join: Scout Regiment, Garrison Regiment or Military Police. As we know from earlier episodes, only the top 10 cadets are able to join the Military Police, so that leaves the majority of them with the choice between the Scout or Garrison Regiments.

With every passing episode, my admiration for Jean grows. He is showing tremendous courage in the face of fear. He remembers seeing Marco, his close friend, laying dead in the street, yet he chooses to face his fears, rather than run away. Jean is serving as a source of inspiration for the other cadets. No doubt he had some influence on the others that decided to join the Scout Regiment with him.

Meanwhile, Annie is just too mysterious. She is just very odd and very suspicious. Despite her time spent with Eren training him in the martial arts when they were cadets, I still don't trust her. Hard to tell what she's thinking.

Another suspicious character is Erwin. What is this man thinking? He announced to all the cadets the existence of Eren's basement as well as its significance. What does he stand to gain by doing that? Even the other commanders in the Scout Regiment have no idea what he's planning. What is the reason for this exercise beyond the wall? Is there really a purpose for this?

As a final thought, I really enjoy the new opening theme.

Preview for next episode: a female Titan! What?!

Stay tuned.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 15

Attack on Titan Episode 15 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 15 (Hulu)

Special Tactical Force / Eve of the Counteroffensive, Pt. 2 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Special Tactical Force/Eve of the Counteroffensive, Part 2"

09/01/2013

*Spoiler*

Now that Eren belongs to the Scout Regiment, they have taken him somewhere farther away from most of the humans, so he can work to control his Titan abilities. At the start of the episode, they arrive at a very large and very beautiful castle. It used to be the headquarters for the Scout Regiment, but being far away from the wall and from the river has made it not a very practical place from which to scout.

Of course, Levi has everyone cleaning from the first moment they arrive. His level of cleanliness would be a pain to deal with in real life, but it makes for entertaining television. It also really adds depth to his character. While we're speaking of Captain Levi, we get a little hint about his background. His days working on the black market are definitely something that we hope to hear more about in the future.

We also really get to delve into Hange's character this episode. She is very, very strange. Her obsession with the captured Titans, even to the extent of giving them names, is very odd. She even assigns them personalities. Despite being an effective researcher, she may have suffered too much trauma in her past fighting the Titans. She does not seem to be all there.

The episode ends with a twist, as this series has a habit of doing. You discover that the two captured Titans have been killed. That is very unfortunate, as the research from them was starting to show results. For example, Titans draw their energy from sunlight. I also wonder if Hange will be able to recover from this trauma. She seems to have come unhinged.

Finally, we are left to wonder what Erwin is really up to. What does he mean when he talks to Eren at the end of the episode? What is he secretly planning?

Let's all stay tuned. I know I will.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 14

Attack on Titan Episode 14 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 14 (Hulu)

Still Can’t Look Him in the Eye / Eve of the Counteroffensive, Pt. 1 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Still Can't Look Him in the Eye/Eve of the Counteroffensive, Part 1"

09/01/2013

Let me say two things before I review the episode. First, I'm sorry that I haven't updated as quickly. My sister gave birth recently to my first nephew, so I've been spending a lot of time at their place helping them out. Second, I will not have a post for episode 13.5. I'm watching these episodes after they've already aired in hopes of catching up to the current ones, which are currently at 21, I believe. If I had been current at the time, I may have watched the recap episode, but since I watched the first 13 episodes in a 5 day period, I didn't feel there was any need.

*Spoiler*

Episode 14 really showcases the inability of humankind to get along. Even in the face of extinction, every faction of humanity wants to get its own way. People are so unreasonable when they are afraid. You would hope that more people would think like General Pixis and use whatever means necessary to achieve victory and survival. That is not the case in this fictional world, and I feel that it would not be the case in our real world either, even in the face of total destruction.

Even the Scout Regiment, which I sincerely like up to this point, had to resort to fear and violence to sway the crown in Eren's favor. Even then, the victory feels short-lived. How long will the military allow Eren to stay with the Scout Regiment without further demonstration of the benefit he will bring to mankind's efforts? That is a crucial question in this series.

Eren continues to grow with each episode. I'm glad to see that he is smart and thinks quickly on his feet. A show can start to feel old very, very quickly if the main character is dumb, as I've pointed out before.

A final thought: when Mikasa saw Levi hurting Eren like he was, she was extremely upset. Who wins in a fight between Mikasa and Levi? Who is stronger? I hope we can find out someday, one way or the other.

Stay tuned for more exciting episodes.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 13

Attack on Titan Episode 13 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 13 (Hulu)

Primal Desire / Attack On Trost, Pt. 9 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Primal Desire/Attack on Trost, Part 9"

08/31/2013

*Spoiler*

I am really enjoying the way that Eren's personal philosophy is growing maturing. He is starting to pile up some pretty great quotes. Everyone is born free in this world, if there are people that deny that, then you need to fight to protect that freedom. It doesn't matter if it is a Titan or another human challenging that freedom that you have.

This episode mostly focuses on Eren's struggle to carry the boulder over to block off the hole in the gate. With a lot of protection (and sacrifices) from his fellow soldiers, he is able to accomplish his goal. For the very first time, mankind has beaten the Titans. Let the wings of freedom soar (Scout Regiment).

After Eren successfully blocks the gate, the Scout Regiment arrives. Captain Levi is really amazing. Of course, his character is a neat freak, so it's funny to see him interacting with Titan blood after he kills them. It seems as if Eren will be able to join the Scout Regiment, which has been his dream since he was a boy. I'm glad. He's had a rough life. Of course, so has every other human up to this point except for maybe the ultra-wealthy and the royalty in the interior.

I sure hope they can make their way over to the basement soon. What could be down there?

Let's stay tuned and find out.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 12

Attack on Titan Episode 12 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 12 (Hulu)

Flaw / Attack on Trost Part 8 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Flaw/Attack on Trost, Part 8"

08/31/2013

Last night and this morning I had a mini-marathon of Attack on Titan. I'm trying to get caught up to what is currently airing, so I can start writing as the episode comes out each week. Here we go with episode 12.

*Spoiler*

This episode has the "classic anime mind trap." Essentially, Eren is stuck inside of his Titan self, and can't seem to get out. This also happens pretty frequently in fantasy books as well. Eren was show a false reality, with his mother still alive and his family altogether, including Mikasa. Of course, it wasn't real, but the episode focused on him trying to escape it while others fought and died around him to protect him.

Armin is really the hero of this episode. He manages to convince Mikasa to leave Eren alone with him. That's amazing in itself, since Mikasa has become quite the hovering older sister. He also sticks with Eren the whole time and finally is able to reach through to him.

A lot of characters really stepped up in this episode. You had Jean keeping his cool even though his gear malfunctioned. General Pixis stuck with the plan despite the early red smoke. He appears to be a better and better commander each episode that we see him. The commander for the elite troops protecting Eren also did a great job and stayed with him.

The episode had very little action, and all of that coming in just the final minutes, but that's alright. This was an episode examining if Eren could control his Titan self. For that reason, I think it will set up things in the future, especially with how he attacked Mikasa.

Of course, we are left with another cliffhanger at the episode's end. What will happen now that Eren has control? We will have to wait and find out.

Stay tuned.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 11

Attack on Titan Episode 11 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 11 (Hulu)

Idol / Attack On Trost, Pt. 7 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"Idol/Attack on Trost, Part 7"

08/30/2013

*Spoiler*

So, in this episode we did not have a lot of action. Alright, actually we didn't have any action, but that's alright. This episode was all about character development. We saw a few new things about our main characters.

Eren: We saw him grow more confident and accept the role that he's been given with very little complaining. Even though they seemed to harass him quite a bit in the episode, he took it well and stayed focused on what he would need to do.

Armin: I like the way he is growing. He is gaining maturity and confidence. There are few things more difficult to deal with than a prominent character that spends most of his time doubting himself to the point of whining constantly and becoming incapacitated.

Mikasa: I don't like how clingy she has become to Eren, especially after being eaten by that Titan back a few episodes ago. I also don't like that at the last minute she was assigned to the elite team to accompany Eren. I'm hoping she bounces back soon and becomes that rock-solid character that we grew to like from the earlier episodes.

General Pixis: This guy is awesome. He gave a fantastically motivational speech. "I hate losing more than anything." Pretty great stuff. Here's hoping that his mission to reclaim Trost will succeed.

There was a slight twist at the ending with Eren striking out at Mikasa. I have a feeling though that Eren will get it back under control quickly in the next episode.

"There is a limit to how much we can motivate by fear." Let's all cross our fingers that they'll be able to motivate with a little bit of hope and success after this operation.

Stay tuned.

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Episode 10

Attack on Titan Episode 10 (Crunchyroll)

Attack on Titan Episode 10 (Hulu)

The Response / Attack On Trost, Pt. 6 - Attack On Titan, Season 1 (Original Japanese Version)

"The Response/Attack on Trost, Part 6"

08/29/2013

So, I've decided to expand the blog to also include anime and manga, since I spend my remaining free time watching and reading them, respectively. Right now I'm watching a few shows, so I'll include them as well as my thoughts for the manga series that I'm reading. Naturally, these posts will include spoilers. Otherwise, how would we discuss the series?

*Spoiler*

So, in this episode Eren saves both Armin and Mikasa by partially transforming into a Titan and protecting them both from cannon fire. The effect was nice, however, I would like to point out that they had about a five minute conversation during the span of twenty seconds that elapsed in the show. Classic "anime time warp" (think DBZ fights).

Finally, General Pixis shows up to save the day and remove "Captain Meth," as they call him online, from command. Now, the next step is to see if Eren can move the boulder to seal off the town and let the humans retake the town.

Stay tuned to find out.

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" Part 1

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Amazon)

Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Goodreads)

08/29/2013

Hello, and welcome to my first post for this new blog. In this blog, I will be discussing science fiction and fantasy books and short stories that I'm currently reading. I hope that you enjoy it.

At the moment, I am reading Terry Goodkind's "The Omen Machine" (Link Above). You can look at this novel in two ways, either as book number twelve in the "Sword of Truth" saga, or as book number one in the "Richard and Kahlan" series. I am about halfway through the book, and I'm inclined to go with the latter. So far, the writing seems drastically different than the "Sword of Truth" novels. The characters seem shallow, and the story feels rushed. 

However, with that being said, it is not an entirely terrible read up to this point. Also, Goodkind is one of my favorite authors, so I'm not willing to give up on his work at this point. I will definitely finish this book as well as "The Third Kingdom" after that. I think that he has earned my loyalty to see where he will take the characters in this world, since I enjoyed the first eleven books so much.

Here is to hoping that the story picks up from here. Come back soon to read my take on the second half of the novel.