I've always been a major fan of Ico and still believe it to be Ueda's best work. Don't get me wrong, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian are masterpieces, but something about the quiet solitude of Ico stands out to me, especially with the phenomenal sound design. The abandoned castle setting too still feels amazing even after all this time.
After hearing it in the 3rd and 4th episodes of Katanagatari, I can't get enough of this track. I never would've thought to hear Lo-Fi hip hop in Katanagatari and yet, it just fits. Such a vibe track!
Now a third into the Katanagatari series and it’s already one of my favorites. The amount of beautiful writing Isin brings to the world of Katanagatari is staggering, especially in episode 3. The art style too. Never ceases to be eye catching and easy on the eyes at the same time.
Just began watching Katanagatari last night. Really love the art style White Fox uses in it. Very eye catching. Love Isin's writing so far, though I will say it's far different from his writing in Monogatari. Monogatari based its dialogue more around conversations and concepts whereas Katanagatari places its story and lore as the focus in the dialogue. Definitely interesting to see Isin taking his writing and putting it in a completely different genre.
Hello Everyone!
For the last year, I have steadily been building a blog where I discuss Film, Video games, Anime, and TV, media which I have a deep passion and interest in. I wish to contribute to the discussion and writing on these mediums as I hope to continue with my personal writing and writing with a keen eye on analysis, storytelling, and constructive criticism.
For those interested in reading my pieces on titles in these mediums, click on the link to see more: https://writingcreativelyandpassionately.com/frames-digital-worlds/
Also, for those who wish to give any advice or suggestions on how I can improve my blog, feel free to leave a comment. I hope to share some of my future posts occasionally in the future.
Thank you and glad to be a part of this community!
Hello everyone! As a fan of the Monogatari series which is very dialogue heavy, I'm looking for an anime which is similar in the vein of that series. I know of Katanagatari which I've heard is very similar and still plan to watch, but I love to know if anyone has any other recommendations. Thanks!
[Witch Hat Atelier] >!Qifrey's spell!<
Can I just say how astounded I was by the animation during [Witch Hat Atelier] >!Qifrey's spell?!< Absolutely stunning! I can't imagine how long it took Bug Films to animate that 2 minute sequence.
Also just a perfect episode in terms of pacing and character development.
Can I just say how insane the animation during Qifrey's spell casting was?! I can't imagine how long it took the animators at Bug Films to animate that 2 minute sequence. Just incredible!
Episode 5 was also just a perfect episode in pacing and character development.
Image source: https://goombastomp.com/the-bold-experiment-of-flower-sun-and-rain/
Just yesterday I posted my longer piece on my replay of Flower, Sun, and Rain. Having some days to think about it after finishing, I still stand by this title being Suda51's best work in the way he switches darkness for light in both narrative and atmosphere while still retaining his style and direction. For much as FSR may be a mystery, it's actually the personal journey of a man coming to terms with who he is and accepting himself despite the strange and frustrating situation he finds himself in. Though the gameplay may be somewhat tedious, it perfectly fits with the laid back feel and if anything, it grew on me far more this time around.
For those interested in reading more on my thoughts, head over to my post via the link: https://writingcreativelyandpassionately.com/flower-sun-and-rain-replay-revisiting-suda51s-beautifully-surreal-time-loop-journey/
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagrant_Story
Wondering if there are any fans of Vagrant Story.
Played it through for the first time a few months ago and it's probably one of my favorite JPRGs in terms of ambition, from the story to the graphics and especially the mechanics. I can definitely say that I haven't grasped every single aspect of its gameplay, especially the crafting. I Found Vagrant Story so captivating that I wrote a piece on my blog about it.
What Yatsumi Matsuno and Squaresoft were able to pull off with this title is astounding to this day. Definitely a genre-defining and console-defining game!
Looking to discover more PS1 horror titles after getting through the original Silent Hill and Resident Evil a few months back. I might be retrying Parasite Eve as I enjoyed the modern day NYC setting and its take on science fiction horror.
Would love to hear any recommendations for other titles.
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower,_Sun,_and_Rain
Well, I just got done replaying Flower, Sun, and Rain last night after playing through it a few years ago.
I still stand by my opinion that this is arguably Suda51's best game. In terms of gameplay, this is one of his weaker titles given how tedious it becomes to walk from one place to another, but the fact he makes fun of the gameplay loop as FSR continues on makes it more bearable. I also think the concept of every puzzle being based around numbers is done pretty well.
It's the atmosphere and story where FSR truly shines. This is easily one of Suda's funniest and hopeful games which makes it a nice change from the darker themes and moods he creates in his other games. The way he constantly makes fun of the game itself while breaking the 4th wall never gets old. And the way FSR connects back to The Silver Case and foreshadows the events of Killer7? Chef's kiss.
Definitely plan to write more on FSR in my spare time so stay tuned!