Sean Akizuki's Fantasy Critic

It's no secret that I purposely skipped watching Dragon Ball Super nor do I intend to rewatch all the Dragon Ball episodes. My argument is usually because it's gone too long and it can be easy to get lost. I'd like to focus on how Frieza became a fanservice villain because of his popularity. True, there can be moments when Frieza is often pitted against his Movie Only brother Cooler whose fifth form is theoretically more powerful. However, one can't argue that Frieza has become a fanservice villain throughout the years. Frieza was finally defeated during the Namek Saga. What happened next was that Frieza became a fanservice of sorts. Cameos here, cameos there. It seems Frieza was simply given cameos because of how popular the villain has become.  Frieza's popularity might be why he also made non-canon movie appearances. Cooler's own concept was already a contradiction of sorts. The events in  Cooler's Revenge and Return of Cooler can't fit in. Cooler is...

Interview With the Vampire was my awakening -- at only 10 years old! I'd watch horror movies to prove myself not to be a sissy. There have been many horrifying deaths but none so horrible as the mortal woman on stage. The Theatre Des Vampires is described in the Vampire Chronicles where vampires perform mock plays.  According to the Vampire Chronicles Wiki - we can read this description of the theater but take it with a grain of salt: Théâtre des Vampires is a theater in Temple du Boulevard in Paris. It was once owned by Renaud. As a mortal, Lestat de Lioncourt worked there, first as a cleaner and stagehand, and eventually as an actor. His most famous role was Lelio, the hero of the play The Romance of Lelio and Isabella. Lestat's friend and lover, Nicolas de Lenfent, also worked there as a violinist. Lestat's acting skills and beauty eventually caught the attention of Magnus, an old vampire looking for a worthy mortal to pass on his Dark Gift. Magnus abducted Lestat while...

  I could go ahead and b*tch all day about the super-duper crazy AI of this game. Yes, finally played  Mortal Kombat II at home using the Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks adventure game. Okay, it's no secret that I don't play the first eight games anymore . I'm still mad at Netherream Studios for not remastering Mortal Kombat (2011) because it's practically the beast. I'm probably among the few who think the game didn't age well. Interestingly, Tekken had its first game released also in 1994. Tekken managed to influence Mortal Kombat  and MK (2011)'s new attack scheme is obvious! The first game Mortal Kombat (1994) didn't really age well even if Goro became more popular than Kintaro. The game introduced 12 characters and started to ramp up the engine. It also demoted Shang Tsung and Reptile to extra. Shang Tsung was practically OP during the first three games. I'm glad that Shang Tsung can only morph into the opponent in later games. The game introduced ...

I've finally finished Seiki Ninja Jiraiya which translates into World Ninja War Jiraiya . I'd like to say it's one weird series because Japanese is hardly spoken. It's full of strange executions such as when non-Japanese characters are played by JAPANESE actors. I can easily accept the Yamaji family (and Takumi Hashimoto was there as Manabu). Takumi was only 16 years old when he played Boi in Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger   - making him only 12 years old when he played Manabu.  It can explain why some people never got unmasked at all! It would be awkward especially since some of the ninjas are descendants of Western characters such as Billy the Kid or a descendant of the Crusaders. There's also Turkish ninjas and it's one strange series. Sure, I'm already used to defying logic in Tokusatsu such as dealing with Super Sentai having giant Megazord battles every week, how often the MOTWs explode in the city (and Dimensional Warrior Spielban introduced the one-shot won...

Certainly, a lot of editing was done for a short film for children but there's still some stuff that somehow got Crap Past the Radar. Anybody who watched Hercules: The Legendary Journeys may think it sucks or it has been watered down. Yes, this Hercules was created but I prefer it over the Disney version. However, we must realize that alterations from the original myth (which was way more messed up) exist. Also, it's amazing that both Jetlag's production AND Hercules: The Legendary Journeys were in 1995. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys came out on January 16 and the Jetlag adaptation came out on February 6, 1995. I think a downside of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is that it took a long time for Hera to show up. Also, it's never explained why Hera hated Hercules more than any bastard children of Zeus. Was it because Zeus messed up his lineage with Io and that Perseus' mother was also a descendant of Zeus and then so was Alcmene in the myths? Take note that messy...

Today is May 4th also called Star Wars Day . I'd like to give some tribute to one of the most-developed villains in movie history - Darth Sidious aka Emperor Palpatine. Some people back then debated if Palpatine was Sidious. However, it's plain obvious by the chin or by the voice that Palpatine IS Darth Sidious. Palpatine's conversation with the Trade Federation hinted that its members knew they were hired by a senator. The boldness of the Trade Federation may be a result of them knowing that Darth Sidious was really Palpatine. I even think Grevious took extra caution so as not to harm Palpatine during the "kidnapping". Palpatine's unusual bravado in The Clone Wars was too obviously a staged kidnapping. Before the novel Darth Plagueis was released (which I think was a bad plot twist or not) - Palpatine was definitely that hidden malignant presence. In fact, Count Dooku even mentioned to Obi-Wan Kenobi that the Senate was already under the control of the Dark ...

I remember watching Batman (1966) and the short-lived The Adventures of Batman . After that, there's Batman: The Animated Series . Okay,  I'm in the minority of Batman x Poison Ivy shippers . However, Batman: TAS started to show signs that Batman and Catwoman could get together. As an adult, seeing the cast of Batman (1966) can be amusing. I remember not liking the late Eartha Kitt's portrayal of Catwoman in contrast to Julie Newmar. The late Adam West still remains iconic to me. Even with every new Batman that popped out in every new Batman movie - I believe Adam did the best portrayal. I still admire Michael Keaton and Val Kilmer. George Clooney probably got tarnished in that awful Batman and Robin movie. Seeing Adam even in his older age - he's aged so well. Adam, like his character Batman, was a player . What could've been done was this. In Birds of Prey - Batman and Catwoman even had a daughter named Helena Kyle Wayne aka Huntress. The DCAU could've given B...