.hack Afterthoughts

Okay, so ever since I finished watching the somewhat anticlimactic ending of .hack//ROOTS, I decided to take matters into my own hands and find out what happened after that. Thank God for YouTube, and informative cutscenes. Anyway, the entire story of .hack//G.U. helps clear up a lot of issues left unfinished in ROOTS, but is still so confusing to the point I almost don't care. It seems like half of the characters in ROOTS/G.U. were being played by people who had been other characters in the previous .hack game quartet, but the biggest surprise was (spoiler here; highlight to read) Haseo, who was originally Sora. Sora--the idiot PKer who would kill those who refused to give him their member address. How did he ever grow up to be so noble? Endrance was less of a surprise once I learned he had an attachment to Mia and noticed he acted a lot like Elk. There were more, but if you're really interested I won't spoil it any further.

Frankly, I think the .hack universe is getting way too big. Nothing about it has ever really captured my interest as much as the first series, .hack//Sign did. Still, I enjoyed watching the cutscenes, mainly because I realized I recognized quite a few of the VAs.

The endings were quite fun, too: apparently Haseo (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) has the option to send a "Promise Card" to a member of his party, and depending on several factors in the game he can end up holding an in-game wedding, hit the town with a friend, or even find himself in a few...ah, strange situations. Each ending has the same thing in common: the romantic endings show the words "Forever In Love" before rolling the credits, while the platonic endings show "Best Wishes", but the key is to look for the two scene-specific CGs at the end, along with a sentence said by the character chosen. Some were quite touching, while others were hilariously frightening. Out of all the endings I watched, I picked the four best (in my opinion) scenes for your viewing pleasure.

1. Best Romantic Ending: Shino (Kari Wahlgren)
I'm sure there are folks out there who believed Haseo should have ended up with Atoli, Alkaid, or even Tabby, and there are endings for those people. But...no. It was obvious from the first episode who he really liked.


2. Best Platonic Ending: Bo (Erin Fitzgerald)
Adorable. That's all I have to say.


3. Best "Say What Now?" Ending: Endrance (Liam O'Brien)
Heh. Extra kudos to Liam for being able to do this scene with a straight face.


4. Most Bizarre Ending: Azure Balmung (Crispin Freeman)
Kind of surprising, considering he's just a spooky, shambling AI replica of the real Balmung. Start running, Haseo.


On a related side note, I also came across an interesting music video using footage from both Haruhi Suzumiya and a special .hack episode, the latter of which is only available in North America by purchasing the Limited Edition of .hack//Sign's 6th volume DVD. The episode featured characters from both .hack//Sign and the first .hack game quartet. It isn't considered canonical, but it's obviously a lot of fun. (Which means I really, really want to get it now.) At any rate, it may not make a whole lot of sense if you haven't seen both shows, but then...who cares?

And yes, Balmung really did just say "This shindig looks like the bomb-diggity." Enjoy.

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Now playing: 菅野よう子 - Heaven's Not Enough (feat. Steve Conte)
via FoxyTunes

Yes, But What Archetype Are You?

In one of the more animated (pun might be intended) anime discussions I've witnessed, it was suggested that someone's favorite characters may tend to fall in line with a particular archetype. In other words, if you find yourself choosing characters in various shows as your favorite and they all share something in common, you probably identify more closely with that trait than the traits possessed by other characters.

I'd given this some thought in the past, but never really sat down and made out a list of who I considered to be my truly "favorite" characters. Now that I have...I think there's a definite point to that discussion.

I present to you, in random order, my eight favorite anime characters. Let's play "Find the Archetype", shall we?

1. Amon, Witch Hunter Robin
Probably my first favorite anime character, since WHR and Wolf's Rain were the first two shows I was exposed to when I ventured back into the realm of animation. Part of an anti-witchcraft force, Amon trains the title character as his partner, and confronts the hidden truths behind the organization he works for.


2. Jin, Samurai Champloo
What we have here is a prime example of a wonderful, creatively written character left abandoned in an otherwise mediocre anime. Jin is probably the only bright spot in the show...relatively speaking. Forced to kill his dojo sensei and flee, he's technically one of the "last samurai" as the era is coming to an end.


3. Ran "Aya" Fujimiya, Knight Hunters/Eternity (Weiss Kreuz/Gluhen)
I've only seen the sequel, Knight Hunters Eternity, but "Aya" apparently has quite a history behind him--enough for me to list him as a favorite without having seen the original series. There were some copyright issues after the original Knight Hunters, which is why he looks quite different in Eternity (namely, brown hair in a braided ponytail rather than red); he's also an adult in Eternity, since several years have passed between the first and second series. And yes, there's a very good reason for the earring.


4. Alex Rowe, Last Exile
I didn't really think I would like Last Exile at first. But not only did I like it, I found myself fascinated by this character. Pilot-turned-marauder, Rowe lives only to exact revenge on the enemy who smiled as his friends died. How can you not love a character like that?


5. Tsuzuki, Descendants of Darkness (Yami No Matsuei)
Another representative of the "amazingly complex character in a confusing anime" category. Actually, the plot itself is very well done as the manga portrays it, but with only 13 episodes, the anime had to cram a lot of information into a short period of time. The result is a fast-paced ball of confusion, with occasional flashes of nothing less than sheer brilliance. Tsuzuki is a laid-back Shinigami (death god) with a voracious sweet tooth and a secret from when he was alive that could destroy him--and anyone in his path.


6. Haji, Blood +
Frankly I'm not sure there's a single girl out there who doesn't count him among their favorites (though their reasons probably vary.) The series itself was well done, except for the inordinate amount of violence and blood--although I suppose I should have seen it coming, considering the anime's title. Haji acts as the main character's chevalier, living through the long decades to help her fulfill her lethal vow while keeping silent about his own single desire (and generally being far too good to be real.) This video is different from the others; it was made by the show's creators both to showcase the animation as well as the classical piece that Haji usually plays.


7. Roy Mustang, Fullmetal Alchemist
It's my belief FMA became popular in the US mainly because Adult Swim featured it prominently for quite some time, just as it's doing with Bleach and (unfortunately) Death Note right now. In the beginning of the series Mustang seems harsh, arrogant and unusually demanding, but as the anime unfolds it becomes clear he has a reason for everything he does...and a past that can't leave him alone.


8. Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto
This one even surprised me. Naruto is still considered to be a show for children, but there's a great number of adults that enjoy it too. The reason's pretty simple: despite the focus on fighting and the annoying filler episodes, the main plot and several of the subplots have enough solidly written material to outdo the best primetime dramas on TV today. The same holds true for the characters, particularly Sasuke. As a foil for Naruto's character, going from bitter rival to teammate/best friend to sworn enemy and best friend (yes, at the same time) takes real talent to pull off, yet the anime's creators managed to do it--and do it well. Sasuke is the perfect example of what obsession taken to the extreme can do, and begs the question: what happens when you do all the wrong things for all the right reasons?


So, now that you've seen all eight characters, did you figure it out?

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Now playing: Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
via FoxyTunes

Alan Wake Postponed...Again...

It's beginning to look more and more like Alan Wake may not make it to an XBox near you.

You may remember my post last year about the game, originally planned for release on XBox 360, Playstation and PC until they signed an exclusive contract with Microsoft. It was announced as the next biggest survival horror game, but it was the billing as a "psychological thriller" that interested me.

But after being first unveiled in early 2005, its release date is continually being pushed off. For a long time the developers said to expect it in 2008, but yet again they've postponed it until 2009. You can read more about it here.

As Remedy Entertainment has said, they'll release it "when it's done". That's fine, but is it really worth spending an extra year to get those trees to look just right when the game itself may take two weeks to play?

My insatiable curiosity for suspense and clever plots that cheerfully drag you on a daytrip through Hell is slowly being replaced by irritation and overwhelming boredom. As other fans have already suggested, by the time this game comes out it may already fall woefully behind the games other developers have created to keep up with changing technology. Come on, Remedy: it may be the "best game ever to exist in the history of computerized entertainment"...but it's still just a game.

In the meantime, it's been suggested to me that I turn my sights to a suitable replacement for Alan Wake. It's called Overclocked: A History of Violence, released for the PC by Lighthouse Interactive a couple of months ago. According to those who have played it, what it lacks in updated sound and visuals it more than makes up for in actual plot and gameplay. You play Army psychiatrist David McNamara, called into the Staten Island Forensic Hospital on a case involving five individuals who were found wandering the streets of New York naked, screaming and each holding a gun. They don't remember anything, and it's up to David to figure out what happened. A warning in advance to those of you who don't like getting in over your head: as one game reviewer put it, "It's advisable not to go anywhere near Overclocked if you're looking for a game to cheer you up."

Will I play it? Honestly, I have no idea yet. There's too much going on in my life right now to decide that. But Overclocked does seem to fit my requirements: it's dark, suspenseful, a psychological thriller...and most importantly, available.

Trailer:

Outtakes, Anyone?

I'm taking a brief respite from my Broadway Gems series until I can find enough clips of good quality on YouTube to discuss the remaining shows. So, in the meantime, this post will feature another topic of interest.

I've always been fascinated by outtakes. Television, live theatre, animation--the spontaneity and humor behind such moments tend to remind us of our humanity in a lighthearted manner. It's just nice to see actors have some fun with their roles, bringing a certain insouciant element to their work where other professions don't always have the luxury. The ability to have fun and laugh at yourself is crucial to every performer's well-being, and I'm always grateful when the audience is allowed a glimpse into these moments.

YouTube has a number of such outtakes from various animes. You don't have to see the show to understand the outtakes; some of the scenes I've listed here are from shows I've barely heard of.

Weiss Kreuz/Knight Hunters:








Samurai Girl:


Princess Tutu:


Berserk:


Rorouni Kenshin:


Samurai Deeper Kyo:




Midori Days (WARNING--adult language):


Negima (WARNING--adult language):


Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok:



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Now playing: The Monkees - The Door into Summer
via FoxyTunes

Broadway Gems, pt. 5: Jekyll & Hyde

Many people may have already heard a particularly famous number from this musical without ever knowing where it came from. The show's composer, Frank Wildhorn, is the first American composer to have three shows running on Broadway at the same time (following in the footsteps of England's Andrew Lloyd Webber.) With a minimal set design and large ensemble, Jekyll & Hyde proved that the dark, gothic-themed musical was no longer solely the purveyance of British composers.

The show opened at the Plymouth Theatre on April 28, 1997, running almost four years. Despite its popularity and growing fan base, it was unable to make a profit by the time it closed on January 7, 2001. It earned four Tony nominations, and won the 1997 Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Robert Cuccioli) and Outstanding Set Design in a Musical.

Based on the classic horror novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, Jekyll & Hyde follows the efforts of scientist and humanitarian Henry Jekyll as he struggles to find a "cure" for man's darker nature, accidentally freeing his own instead. Taking certain liberties with Stevenson's tale, new characters are added to give the story more depth: Emma Carew, the daughter of Sir Danvers Carew and Jekyll's fiancee, embodying the very essence of the "proper" high-class Victorian era lady; Lucy Harris, a young prostitute who meets an embarrassed Jekyll when his friends drag him out for a night of "entertainment" and becomes Hyde's obsession; and Jekyll's father, a mental patient whom the scientist is determined to cure through his studies.

This show isn't as obscure as some of the other musicals I've covered, mainly because when David Hasselhoff briefly played the main role, one of the live performances was taped and preserved on DVD for consumer purchase. Unfortunately, while Hasselhoff can (sort of) act and (sort of) sing, he cannot act and sing at the same time. Thankfully, there's quite a bit of footage of another performer in the role (Rob Evan) who is not only a good actor and singer, but an all-around good person in general. Some of the footage comes from BarrieIngham.net (the website of the actor who portrayed Sir Danvers Carew), who doesn't want the YouTube videos actually embedded into other websites, so I'll simply place links to the videos for your perusal instead.

I normally try to keep musical numbers in the order they appear onstage; however, the footage from BarrieIngham.net makes that difficult, since more than one song is included in each clip. With that in mind, I'll do my best to lay it all out.

BarrieIngham.net clip #1: Includes "Introduction", "Facade" (lyrics), and the first half of "Governs Board Meeting"--all of which are self-explanatory. ("Lost In the Darkness" is supposed to come after the Introduction, but I couldn't find a quality sample.)

BarrieIngham.net clip #2: The second half of "Governs Board Meeting" (quick explanation--Mr. Stride was a former rival of Jekyll for Emma Carew's affections, which explains the animosity). Also features "The Engagement Party" with a slight glitch in the video, and "Letting Go", where Emma tries to ease her father's fear of her growing up.

This Is the Moment (lyrics): Jekyll decides to go ahead with his experiments regardless of the Board's decision, using himself as the subject. This is the song that everyone in the country has heard somewhere, even if they didn't know its origins. For a period of time it became the only song played at concerts, sporting events and any other occasion that required inspiring lyrics.

The Transformation (lyrics): Having made his decision Jekyll proceeds with the test, resulting in an "unexpected development".


Alive (lyrics): Freed of all conscience, Hyde revels in his power--and immediately seeks out Lucy Harris.


Someone Like You (lyrics): An injured Lucy visits Jekyll, who patches up her wounds inflicted by one "Edward Hyde". As he leaves, she ponders "what if". This clip features Linda Eder, the original Lucy Harris.


BarrieIngham.net clip #3: Features "Your Work and Nothing More" (also known as THE GREATEST QUARTET IN ANY MUSICAL EVER CREATED) and the first half of "Murder, Murder" (lyrics), where the citizens of London react at first to the Bishop of Basingstoke's murder, then a succession of others.

BarrieIngham.net clip #4: The second half of "Murder, Murder" and "The Wedding/Finale". You may want to pause the clip at the finale until you see the other clips; as I said, the layout is a little mixed up because these clips feature more than one song.

In His Eyes (lyrics): In opposite ends of the city, Emma and Lucy reflect on the man they each know as Jekyll.


Dangerous Game (lyrics): Hyde visits Lucy again, but she can't decide if she's repulsed by or attracted to his advances. (WARNING: a dark song for a dark show. Not for kids.)


Confrontation (lyrics): In the climax of the show, a nearly broken Jekyll faces his alter ego for a final showdown. (How this man was able to perform the song six times a week, I will never know.) You'll hear a brief reprisal of "Lost In the Darkness" beforehand as Jekyll speaks to the painting of his father.

Broadway Gems, pt. 4: Ragtime

Depending on your history with Broadway musicals, this show is either a highlight of your experience...or a footnote. For a brief time it brought back the era of sweeping, interconnected stories on a grand scale that could only be truly appreciated in a live setting. It also propelled the career of Brian Stokes Mitchell to new heights, making him one of Broadway's most popular leading men almost overnight.

Ragtime opened on January 18, 1998 at the newly renovated Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now known as the Hilton Theatre.) Reviews for the show were diametric in nature, but equally strong in opinion. Rumors about the astonishing multi-billion dollar budget and ostentatious design of the new palace-like Ford Center plagued production, culminating when Garth Drabinsky--the head of Livent and Ragtime's producer--filed for bankruptcy amidst governmental investigation. A popular but financially fruitless musical, Ragtime gave its last Broadway performance two years later on January 16, 2000.

Nominated for 12 Tony awards, Ragtime was pitted against Disney's The Lion King--with understandably disappointing results. It did, however, manage to net the awards for Best Actress in a Musical (Audra McDonald), Best Book, Best Original Music Score and Best Orchestrations.

Based on the 1975 novel of the same name by E. L. Doctorow, the musical (set in 1906) explores the lives of three socially disparate, yet inextricably connected families: the wealthy WASP-like family, known only as "Father" and "Mother", straining to keep up outward appearances as they fall apart from within; the struggling black musician, Coalhouse Walker Jr., doing his best to keep his girlfriend and new baby in his life; and Tateh, the Jewish immigrant who has come to America with little more than his daughter and the clothes on his back. Fate and conscience war with the fires of a changing nation, forging a new definition of what is "socially acceptable" at the turn of the century.

Despite its rather large cast size, the show has quickly become a favorite for regional theatres and even high schools to perform. Because of this, I was thankfully able to include a few quality clips.

Prologue (lyrics): This is the original Broadway cast performing at the 52nd Annual Tony Awards, including remarkable choreography that I've rarely had the opportunity to witness.


Goodbye My Love/Journey On (lyrics) (more lyrics): Mother sees Father off on yet another expedition, secretly wishing for the same freedom. Father, meanwhile, catches sight of an immigrant ship on its way into the New York harbor. (Note: ignore the few rude audience members that ocasionally can be heard.)


Crime of the Century (lyrics): Adding a slice of history to the show, the bawdy and risque Evelyn Nesbit recounts the courtroom trial of her lover's murder as she struts on the vaudeville stage. Younger Brother mistakenly believes he's fallen in love.


Henry Ford (lyrics): Wanting to clean up his life and win his sweetheart back, Coalhouse approaches Henry Ford to purchase a new Model T. (Note: the quality isn't what I'd call perfect, but it is a clip of the Broadway production.)



Your Daddy's Son (lyrics): Sarah tries to explain to her infant son why she tried to kill him by burying him in Mother's flower garden. While I tried to find a clip of a live production, none seemed able to match Audra's powerful voice for this intense number, so I chose a montage clip that features this song on the CD.


Gliding (lyrics):Tateh tries to comfort his traumatized daughter by showing her his handmade picture book, discovering that others might be interested in them as well.


Till We Reach That Day (lyrics): In the Act One finale, everyone reacts to Sarah's murder.



What A Game! (lyrics): In a failed attempt to bring some normalcy back into his son's life, Father takes him to a baseball game...not realizing this "civilized pastime" has changed as well.


Coalhouse's Soliloquy (lyrics): In an eerie echo of Sarah's earlier solo, Coalhouse turns his eyes from rebuilding his family to revenge and a warped sense of justice. (Note: soft audio.)


Back to Before (lyrics): Mother finally comes to realize that she, too, has changed, and grown beyond the boundaries she once accepted.


Make Them Hear You (lyrics): Coalhouse disbands his deadly gang, telling them to continue the fight for equality with words instead of guns.

Broadway Gems, pt. 3: Martin Guerre

The next musical in the series may be more well known for what didn't occur rather than what did. Originally touted as being the next epic "Mackintosh" Broadway show following in the steps of Les Miserables, Martin Guerre never actually made it to Broadway.

After opening in West End's Prince Edward Theatre on July 10, 1996 to reviews ranging from tepid to outright hostile, the show underwent a dramatic (no pun intended) rewrite that resulted in almost an entirely different libretto and a shift in character focus to explore the lead female role to a greater extent. Despite these changes, producers decided the show would not be ready for a Broadway opening and ended its run at L.A.'s Ahmanson Theatre in 2000. While it never had the chance to earn any Tony nominations, it did win the 1997 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

The story is based on a real-life case of identity theft in medieval France. In an era when Catholics and Protestants ended their arguments with bloodshed, the religious community of Artegat arranges a marriage between Martin Guerre and Bertrande de Rols, both pre-teens at the time. Too young and scared to be a husband, Martin won't consummate the marriage and runs away to fight the Huguenots. He's wounded saving his friend, Arnaud Du Thil, who promises to return to Artegat to tell Martin's wife of his fate.

Upon Arnaud's arrival, however, the villagers think he is Martin and invite him to return to the life he "left behind"--much to the chagrin of Guillaume, who's had his eye on Bertrande since childhood. Arnaud still plans to keep his word...until he meets Bertrande. When Guillaume questions his identity, a trial is called to determine who he really is. Further complications arise when we see that Martin is, in fact, still alive...

Religious intolerance and the effects of mass hysteria are the backdrop for this love triangle (er, square?), answering the age-old question once and for all--"what's in a name?"

As with the other shows in this series I recommend getting the CD. There are two versions: the 1996 UK opening cast, and the post-renovation libretto that almost made it to Broadway. I prefer the latter, as it seems to be more concise and focused in its approach, but I can't find many (or any) videos on YouTube to reflect the version I recommend. That said, here's one clip of the first solo to give you a feel for the overall tone in the show:

I'm Martin Guerre: Martin explains how and why he left Artegat.


Thankfully I did find some audio clips of songs on the Internet. You'll have to get the CD if you want to hear the rest of the songs. if for some reason the links below don't work, here's the page you can go to for them: http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1201966/a/Martin+Guerre+(1999).htm

Don't: Arnaud fights his feelings for Bertrande, who has fallen for him in place of a husband who never accepted her.

Holy Fight: Bertrande takes Arnaud to a secret Protestant meeting, where believers steel themselves for an impending clash with the town's Catholics.

Who?: With what I consider brilliant lyrics, the village idiot Benoit is called to the stand to reveal Arnaud's name and cleverly flips every word back at the accusers.

The Imposter Is Here: The judge and witnesses begin to question what the word "identity" really means.

Justice Will Be Done: Guillaume uses the tension between religious factions to wage war against Bertrande and her lover. On an ironic note, this song has often been compared to Enjolras' "Do You Hear The People Sing?" from Les Miserables, which isn't surprising considering both songs were done by the same composers. It's interesting to note, however, how two characters with similar fervor can have two drastically different purposes--one fighting for equality of the social classes, the other twisting truth to serve his own selfish ends.

The Burning: Guillaume sets his plan into motion as the Catholic villagers attack their Protestant neighbors.

The Killing: WARNING--don't listen if you don't want a hint as to the ending. Martin and Arnaud both confront Guillaume.

It's truly a shame this show never made it to the Great White Way. When compared to shows like "Hairspray" and "Legally Blonde" I think it would have brought back some much-needed quality to an ailing creative culture.