I have to say that this book review is long overdue.  I read World War Z back in January so it's been quite a while since I've picked it up and dabbled in its pages.  So, I'll try to keep this short or else I might end up mixing this review with other works...  Right!  On with the review!

I first passed this book in borders; the name caught my attention.  A world war, but what was the z for?  I soon found out that the z stood for zombies.  The premise sounded entriguing; a world besieged by zombies, where man fights a decade long war for survival.  It sounded like it came out of a George A. Romero film, and as funny as that thought was it was practically true.  Max Brooks, the author, took inspiration from the cult classic Romero films and applied the lore to his novel.  

The style of writing gave the novel a certain depth, and made it a chilling believable tale.  In the story, the author travels all around the world to meet survivors of the war.  These survivors then recount their experiences and their disparate stories paint the overall situation.  It's kind of like a puzzle/mystery/thriller story.

From the get-go I was immediately hooked; it starts off with a viral outbreak in China, referencing the three kingdoms [had to put this in because it was a personal interest of mine...], and then from there to all the different continents.  It also shows, though to a minimal extent, political dogmas of today.  The first 3 chapters were brilliant and I wasn't able to put it down.  I know alot of people overly use that expression but I've never ever truly felt it until I read this.  However, I say the first 3 chapters are brilliant, and yes they are, but the rest slowly evolved into an agonizing boring technical book of jargon, not interesting literature.  The ending was anti-climatic as well.  

Overall  it was very difficult for me to say whether this book was exceptionally brilliant or exceptionally poor.  It just didn't hold throughout.  I guess it was more of the zombie culture and the world war aspect that was so intriguing, and not necessarily Mr. Brooks' writing.  What I mean to say is that any one of us could have written this book and it would still sell like pancakes!  So to those that love zombies and dark, graphic story-telling have a look at the book the next time you're in your favorite bookstore.  If you do plan to get it, trust me, wait for it to come out in paperback.         

7.3 out of 10

Today was quite a day at the Jacob Javits center in west midtown.  I literally walked the width of Manhattan from my apartment on the east-side; it was well worth it.  When I arrived outside the convention center I was greeted with a super long line that curled all around the building.  I thought it would be a while before getting in, but the queue actually moved swiftly. 

Once inside, I was wondering what to do first!  I grabbed a free Rogue Galaxy bag [Oh yes!  Tons of free stuff!] and hit the show floors.  There were so many comic books, aisles filed with mountains of them.  It’s kind of sad that I haven’t been reading comics for at least a decade… so what the hell was I doing at a comic convention if I don't read comics?!  Well, there’s more than just that, there’s video games, anime, manga, etc.  Speaking of manga and anime, I got to meet Takashi Okazaki [the creator of Afro Samurai], Fuminori Kizaki [anime director], and Eric Calderon [co-producer].  They signed my poster [hehehe, another snagged free piece…], and I got a sneak peak [which most did not get!] at the first print of the manga!  Wow, did it look stunning!  I can’t wait until they release it here in North America… oops, I should have asked them if I could write the English version… oh well.  That was probably the highlight of my day.




Another cool part of the day was checking out the Playstation booths.  I got to play Rogue Galaxy and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops demos.  Both of which are titles I've been looking forward to and I was just as impressed, if not more, after playing them.  Rogue Galaxy plays out like Star Wars [for the story] meets Dynasty Warriors [for the game-play].  The game may not be very original, but it's got an ultra quick, action packed game-play that makes it really fun to play.  As for the PS3 booths, they were constantly packed so I only got to watch people play.  Though just being a spectator was exciting; after experiencing the surreal visuals of the PS3, the media was justified in saying "once you go HD, you never go back."  Shortly after checking out the PS3 booths, I was arrested by Storm Troopers [see picture below].  Lucky for me, they let me go on account of good behavior.  Free from the iron grasp of the Empire, I found myself eager to try out for an anime reporter contest were the winner is sent to a cover an anime convention in Tokyo.  I believe I made more of an ass out of myself in front of the camera [ala American Idol rejects], and would soon regret this decision!


At the end of the day, I decided to rest up and watch a special screening at the theater downstairs.  What was playing?  Well it was the premier showing of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society.  It was a beautiful film, with some spectacular visuals.  But for the most part, Ghost in the Shell, especially Stand Alone Complex, is full of non-stop techno-babble and confusing conspiracy theory.  Whether that’s good or bad, that’s for you to decide.  Personally, I liked this series when it first came out but with each newer title, the series is starting to lose its appeal.


The only downside to the show... I didn't get to meet Hayden Panettiere... boo hoo!

Originally, this entry was meant to be a pure review of the film, Cha no Aji by Katsuhito Ishii… but that was before some unforeseen complications distracted me from fully appreciating this film.  First off, I missed a huge chunk of the movie, about 30 minutes to be exact, due to arriving in the theater late.  By the time I figured out that I needed to get my ass down to the Imaginasian, the film was already starting and I was still in my apartment, 22 NYC blocks away.  Second, upon arriving in the theater late and un-wanting to bother people by walking in front of them as they watch, I decided to sit in the back.  What a big mistake.  Naturally, I was treated to a second show, two teens making slurping noises behind me.  Although it was hard to shake those occasional grunts from the back during the silent parts of the movie, those teens did make me feel a little comfortable, for at least someone near my age was watching this.  Well, they weren’t really watching per se… but anyway, with the rest of the crowd old enough to be my grandparents, I was starting to worry if my taste in movies were getting boring… or just becoming more mature?  Hmm, enough of the small talk, let’s get back to the film.  After all it’s what this entry is all about… right?

Like I’ve previously said, I missed the first 30 minutes, thus losing the initial context of the film and the introduction to each character.  I was left having to second guess everyone’s roles and the character’s relationships.  Overall, the process wasn’t too hard, the characters and the story were simple, in both good and bad ways.  Good, in the sense that characters were easy to understand, their motives, their feelings.  Bad in the sense that the over simplified nature of everything tended to make the experience… dragging, especially since the film is 143 minutes long.  However the point of the film was not to have a big action packed Hollywood blockbuster, Cha no Aji is just what the name implies, “the taste of tea”; appreciating the little things in life.

The film centers on the lives of a six member family living in a rural town north of Tokyo.  Nobuo and Yoshiko [Mom and Dad], Ayano [the uncle played by the cool Tadanobu Asano], Sachiko and Hajime [the kids], and grandpa… whom I can’t remember his name.  Their lives are purposely mundane in order to stay true to that theme of simplicity, though marked by their own personal endeavors.  Yoshiko is a budding cartoonist, Hajime is dealing with falling in love, and Ayano is working on recording Grandpa’s song.  And though these things may seem so ordinary, they’re probably the strongest parts of the story.  What the film does well is taking these ordinary stories and slowing down the pace to show things we might usually take for granted.  Like Grandpa flicking a chime just to hear the sound or little Sachiko who tries nearly everyday, to flip over a pole in the playground.  Like a game of Go between Hajime and Aoi, [Played by the cute Anna Tsuchiya] a game which Hajime took interest only to get closer to Aoi.  The old saying "stop and smell the roses" is befitting.

 

Overall this movie was nothing ground breaking, nor was it a waste.  It was well made, but I came into this after watching Naisu no Mori [another Katsuhito Ishii film] and I was expecting something just as wild.  What I found was a completely different film [but with a strikingly similar cast!].  Cha no Aji is quite a serious film, though it does have some Japanese quirkiness thrown into it [cue cosplayer photo shoot on a train and an ultra cheesy 70’s anime theme song].  I felt that this film was pretty good and I would watch it again, only because I didn’t have the pleasure of watching it completely and uninterrupted.  However, from what I saw, I feel that Naisu no Mori [Ishii’s other and latest film] is a film that is more of the “must see” variety, simply because it’s shocking, something that Cha no Aji lacks, though I suppose rightfully so.

And by the way, if you do plan to scavenge for a copy of this film and get to watch it… make sure you have a cup of green tea and savor every drop.

8.1 out of 10

Every time we watch our favorite animated series or play our favorite games, we are captivated by the characters we see and hear.  Sure we know what great artistic skill is needed to either draw animation or render 3d-models but what goes into what we hear?  What goes into great voice acting?   

I’ll be counting down my top 5 favorite voice actors, and will discuss why they are so great.  So sit back, relax, and be prepared because you might be surprised with who brings some of your favorite characters to life.

#5: Quinton Flynn

Quinton Flynn is remembered for voicing young, somewhat naïve, and annoying yet slick, male characters.  Probably his most famous role was starring as the rookie operative, Raiden, in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.  Before that, he’s been on several cartoons such as The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest [as Johnny Quest] and the Fantastic Four [as Johnny Storm a.k.a. the Human Torch].  Another big role for Flynn was voicing the troublesome Axel in Kingdom Hearts II with that unforgettably cool line: “Got it memorized?”  However this is where his talents begin to show limitations.  In all those roles mentioned above, his vocal range hardly changes and essentially he has been playing the same character with minor tweaks.  I honestly cannot remember any other significant characters [that he has done] with a uniquely stylized voice.  Although Flynn has a lack of versatility, he makes up for it with the strength of the one style he has [In fact it’s the sole reason why he is on this list!].  His voice is so memorable and appealing that he’s been able to get various roles using that one youthful, know-it-all voice.  I guess the old saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies.


   

On a side note his characters tend to get annoying.  Perhaps that’s not so much the fault of his voice rather it’s the characters nature that he brings out so well?  Anyhow, whatever it is I just have this itching urge to want to slap him!  Here’s some of his other work: Final Fantasy X - Isaaru, Bickson; Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Reno

#4: Phil LaMarr

Phil LaMarr is a former MadTV comedian, and it actually took me awhile to realize this [I haven’t watched Mad in a decade…].  When I found out he was in voice acting it was quite a surprise, I was never a fan of his until I heard his voice acting talents.  His roles as Vamp [Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty] and Reddas [Final Fantasy XII] really show how great he can manipulate his voice.  I remember that his voice wasn’t incredibly deep, but when he does Reddas or Vamp it has a mellow bass-like tone to it.  Other works of his include Hermes Conrad [Futurama] who is a sharp contrast from those two serious characters.  Phil LaMarr is also young Afro [Afro Samurai], I haven’t personally seen it but it’s an anime series I’m currently looking out for.

#3: Tara Strong

Ah, the representative of all things cute and cuddly, Tara Strong.  Who would’ve known that she got her start doing voices for the Care Bears! Hmm, actually that’s not such a surprise with her repertoire; just take a look at this list: Hello Kitty [Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater], Hip Koopa [Captain N & the Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3], Princess Clara and Toot Braunstein [Drawn Together], Timmy Turner [The Fairly Odd Parents], Dil Pickles [Rugrats], Bubbles [The Powerpuff Girls], Chloe [Madeline], Miyuki [Xenosaga III], and Rikku [Final Fantasy X/X-2]. What makes her good is that she represents a particular theme, the cutesy type, yet does so with not only one reading but varieties.  Flexibility and diversity, that’s the true hallmark of good voice talent.  However, the next few talents encapsulate this even better…

#2: Steven Jay Blum

Blum is one of those talents that just passes under the radar.  Most of his roles I couldn’t attribute to him simply because I didn’t know it was him!  Surprise is probably one of the best measurements for determining a good voice actor; if you can’t tell who’s the actor, then it means they know how to diversify and scramble their voice.  I think I’ll just run down a list and let you be surprised, okay?  Eikichi Onizuka [Great Teacher Onizuka], Spike Spiegel [Cowboy Bebop], Makoto Shishio [Rurouni Kenshin], Duero McFile [Vandread], T. Hawk [Street Fighter II], Ken [Street Fighter Alpha], Kou Leifoh [The Bouncer], Vincent Valentine [Dirge of Cerberus/Advent Children], Sun Jian and Xiahou Yuan [Dynasty Warriors 4 and 5], Ba’Gamnan [Final Fantasy XII], Ares [God of War], Canaan and Sellers [Xenosaga III], Wolverine and Omega Red [X-Men Legends]. Well… how’s that?

#1: John DiMaggio

This guy is my favorite of all.  Why you might ask? It’s because he surprises me so much I really couldn’t believe it.  The first time I heard of this guy [and the beginnings of my respect for vocal artistry] was in Final Fantasy X as Wakka and Kimahri.  I had no clue at all that he played as both of them.  Then when I got my hands on Final Fantasy XII, I found out he did Migelo [who I thought was Jeremy Irons…] and Gilgamesh [my favorite of all time!].  Again, I was so amazed!  While, writing up this article, I found out DiMaggio has even more tricks up his sleeve and my mind went spinning.  If you’re familiar with any of these characters you’ll know they’re nothing alike… it only amazes me even more.  Dr. Drakken [Kim Possible], Bender [Futurama], and General Grievous [Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume I].  The reason why he beats out Blum is that DiMaggio usually plays characters that don’t have previous fan bases unlike Blum [who does Ken, Vincent Valentine, Wolverine, etc.].  It’s the strength of DiMaggio’s voice that really captures people’s attention, rather than the added hype, which Blum may or may not be taking advantage of.
 

  

#0 [A Special Mention]: Hank Azaria

For the longest time I have been a Simpsons fan.  Even longer than that, I’ve been blind to the fact that the incredible personalities making up most of the town of Springfield are all brought to life by one man – Hank Azaria.  Apu, Moe, Chief Wiggum, the Comic book Guy, Lou, Carl, Dr. Nick, Snake, Bumblebee Man, Superintendent Chalmers, Professor Frink, Cletus, and Luigi.  All these characters are played by Azaria and it’s amazing how creative and diverse one person’s voice can be.  The reason why I didn’t include Azaria in the list is because, to me, he’s only really famous for those Simpsons characters.  He’s tried doing more acting than voice acting, and hasn’t been doing much voice acting in quite some time.  So, just as a tribute to a great actor who made me laugh and brainwashed me to memorize countless Simpsons episodes, you’re #0 Hank!