Happy new year everyone! It's now 2019 and, like many, I'm glad to see the back of 2018. For me, it was a year of endurance. There was a ton of bad luck, sadness and grief, but I learnt how to do two things: 1) Honestly deal with my emotions and 2) Get back up and carry on. So I've decided to write this blog post about the games, comics, animations etc. that I've truly enjoyed. They were able to lift my spirits in times of darkness, and even inspire me to pick up my pen and start drawing again.
I've appreciated all the creators behind the work this year and am truly thankful for their efforts. If they were able to brighten up my year, then I'm sure they can make others happy too. So, without further ado, here's the entertainment that brought joy to my life in 2018... Some of which were released years prior.
I've appreciated all the creators behind the work this year and am truly thankful for their efforts. If they were able to brighten up my year, then I'm sure they can make others happy too. So, without further ado, here's the entertainment that brought joy to my life in 2018... Some of which were released years prior.
Detroit: Become Human
A typical outcome for me. Playing Connor as a lawful android was just too irresistible! I had trouble putting Detroit: Become Human as my number one game of the year... It has been slated across the games industry as "frustrating", "flawed" and words I shan't repeat, but outside of the industry, players seemed to really enjoy it. David Cage gets a lot wrong, but he's also one of the few AAA developers doing something different... things that seems to get ignored. Beyond: Two Souls had a good chunk of it dedicated to homelessness, and Detroit has a good chunk of it dedicated to motherhood. When does that happen in AAA games? Kara's story is about her wish to become a mother, and it's lovely to see this from a non-biological point-of-view, too. Kara simply wants to be there for Alice and it's wonderful to play a caring role in such a big budget game (I just wish Alice was a little more likeable!).
Kara's story was also slated for its poor depiction of domestic violence, which I won't go into, but I'm just grateful that there's even a depiction at all. Seeing video games attempt to tackle heavy content is better than nothing. It can help mature the medium in a way that films and books do. Depictions like this can also highlight issues in our society and perhaps even get something to change for the better. Maybe I am being too optimistic, but I believe hiding domestic violence behind closed doors keeps it there.
The game is split into three character stories, and whilst I appreciated Kara's, my favourite was Connor's. His part of the game is full of choices and has real stakes in what you do. It feels like it matters so because of the chemistry between Connor and his lieutenant, Hank. They start off with their differences but slowly begin to understand one another, yet screw up and one of them could end up dead.
Both actors played their roles perfectly and raised the game enough for it to be my number one. I even drew fan art for the first time in two years! And I still want to draw more, but you know, work!
If all you've read about Detroit: Become Human is negative and you decided not to play it, please just play it for the performances of Connor and Hank. They're something special and it's no wonder there's a ton of fan art being drawn, even today.
Kara's story was also slated for its poor depiction of domestic violence, which I won't go into, but I'm just grateful that there's even a depiction at all. Seeing video games attempt to tackle heavy content is better than nothing. It can help mature the medium in a way that films and books do. Depictions like this can also highlight issues in our society and perhaps even get something to change for the better. Maybe I am being too optimistic, but I believe hiding domestic violence behind closed doors keeps it there.
The game is split into three character stories, and whilst I appreciated Kara's, my favourite was Connor's. His part of the game is full of choices and has real stakes in what you do. It feels like it matters so because of the chemistry between Connor and his lieutenant, Hank. They start off with their differences but slowly begin to understand one another, yet screw up and one of them could end up dead.
Both actors played their roles perfectly and raised the game enough for it to be my number one. I even drew fan art for the first time in two years! And I still want to draw more, but you know, work!
If all you've read about Detroit: Become Human is negative and you decided not to play it, please just play it for the performances of Connor and Hank. They're something special and it's no wonder there's a ton of fan art being drawn, even today.
Genital Jousting
Genital Jousting really caught me by surprise and I haven't even played the multiplayer yet (which is the bulk of the game!). The reason it's on my list is the story mode, which is only an hour long, but what a perfect hour of story-telling it is.
You play as a penis called John who is a dick, in more ways than one. Being forced to play an immoral character is usually frustrating, but with Genital Jousting, I found it well-balanced. Though I'm not male, I felt connected to the character. I knew people like John growing up, and he seemed surprisingly real whilst being a literal dick.
The story revolves around John finding a date for his high school reunion. I don't want to spoil it, but it ends up becoming a serious tale about toxic masculinity and entitlement. The world tells John he has to be hard, not soft, and not express his sad emotions. How amazing that a game full of penises can tell such a story! When I create my stories, I feel that I am preaching to the choir and not finding a new audience who'll appreciate the intent, but by using penises and keeping the humorous tone, Genital Jousting finds the right audience who would probably never play such a narrative. Not only is is well executed and enjoyable, Genital Jousting's story mode definitely impressed me and you should check it out if you haven't.
You play as a penis called John who is a dick, in more ways than one. Being forced to play an immoral character is usually frustrating, but with Genital Jousting, I found it well-balanced. Though I'm not male, I felt connected to the character. I knew people like John growing up, and he seemed surprisingly real whilst being a literal dick.
The story revolves around John finding a date for his high school reunion. I don't want to spoil it, but it ends up becoming a serious tale about toxic masculinity and entitlement. The world tells John he has to be hard, not soft, and not express his sad emotions. How amazing that a game full of penises can tell such a story! When I create my stories, I feel that I am preaching to the choir and not finding a new audience who'll appreciate the intent, but by using penises and keeping the humorous tone, Genital Jousting finds the right audience who would probably never play such a narrative. Not only is is well executed and enjoyable, Genital Jousting's story mode definitely impressed me and you should check it out if you haven't.
The world tells John he has got to be hard, not soft.
Descending stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
Konatsu is much more relatable in the manga. If you follow me on social media, you're probably not surprised to see Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju in my list; it was my anime of 2017, after all. In 2018, though, I began reading the manga and wow... I can see why it got an anime adaptation (and, more recently, a live-action adaptation, which I've yet to watch!).
The manga definitely starts off slower than the anime (which was already slow), spending much longer introducing characters and settings, and it only really kicks off at the end of book 1, when Yakumo begins his story about Sukeroku. However, the drawings and depth of the characters feels much stronger in the manga than the anime, I guess because you spend more time with them. I felt more connected to Konatsu than Yakumo, who feels even more spooky than he does in the anime. It's just a shame that the rakugo parts do not deliver as well on paper, though that was to be expected without Akira Ishida's performance.
I am only up to book 4, but it's a great addition for any rakugo fan. The anime's pacing felt off at times, rushing certain parts of character development, but the manga makes up for that in spades. I look forward to reading the rest in the coming months.
The manga definitely starts off slower than the anime (which was already slow), spending much longer introducing characters and settings, and it only really kicks off at the end of book 1, when Yakumo begins his story about Sukeroku. However, the drawings and depth of the characters feels much stronger in the manga than the anime, I guess because you spend more time with them. I felt more connected to Konatsu than Yakumo, who feels even more spooky than he does in the anime. It's just a shame that the rakugo parts do not deliver as well on paper, though that was to be expected without Akira Ishida's performance.
I am only up to book 4, but it's a great addition for any rakugo fan. The anime's pacing felt off at times, rushing certain parts of character development, but the manga makes up for that in spades. I look forward to reading the rest in the coming months.
Florence
What a wonderfully perfect game Florence is! It's another short story experience that's worth every penny. No words are spoken throughout the whole game, and yet, it's probably one of the best narrative games I have ever played. I walked away from it wishing I was smart enough to make anything like it.
The story follows Florence, a young woman who falls in love with a cello player. You play her life at all stages of their relationship, and the game uses simple puzzles to get across what the couple are going through. Again, I do not want to spoil it so just go and download it. It's available on iOS and Android and well reviewed across the board.
The story follows Florence, a young woman who falls in love with a cello player. You play her life at all stages of their relationship, and the game uses simple puzzles to get across what the couple are going through. Again, I do not want to spoil it so just go and download it. It's available on iOS and Android and well reviewed across the board.
The colourful, simple art-style is a delight.
Steven Universe
I adore Pearl! Yup, I've been obsessed with Steven Universe over the last few months. I know it's been out for many years (and recommended to me dozens of times) but I wasn't convinced and, hence, didn't make time for it, but when I saw the first season available on Netflix, I thought I'd give it a go. An episode is only 10 minutes long, after all...
Well, after episode one, I stopped watching it for nearly a month. I wasn't hooked and didn't believe it'd do anything different to impress me... Oh, how wrong I was! I gave it another go and must have been around 4-5 episodes in when I caught the bug and couldn't stop binging them.
In episode 12, Steven sings "Giant Woman" which screams his love of all things feminine. It's so surprising for a boy to be that way, though the more time spent with Steven, the more you see that's just how he is. He's often seen wearing a dress, heels, crying or hugging everyone.
The show is full of amazing songs and I've found myself learning the lyrics to all of them... and I don't really like musicals at all. I even have the soundtrack on vinyl, too.
Like Sailor Moon, the protagonist's main power is love, but unlike Sailor Moon, Steven Universe actually feels like the show is powered by love. I've felt so much warmth and happiness watching the show that I've often cried at just how wonderful it is.
I'm almost glad I put off Steven Universe for so many years. I really needed a show like it in 2018. It helped me find the kind words to love and support myself, and, once again, I felt inspired to pick up my pen and draw some fan art. I'm so excited to see the next episodes arriving later this month!
Well, after episode one, I stopped watching it for nearly a month. I wasn't hooked and didn't believe it'd do anything different to impress me... Oh, how wrong I was! I gave it another go and must have been around 4-5 episodes in when I caught the bug and couldn't stop binging them.
In episode 12, Steven sings "Giant Woman" which screams his love of all things feminine. It's so surprising for a boy to be that way, though the more time spent with Steven, the more you see that's just how he is. He's often seen wearing a dress, heels, crying or hugging everyone.
The show is full of amazing songs and I've found myself learning the lyrics to all of them... and I don't really like musicals at all. I even have the soundtrack on vinyl, too.
Like Sailor Moon, the protagonist's main power is love, but unlike Sailor Moon, Steven Universe actually feels like the show is powered by love. I've felt so much warmth and happiness watching the show that I've often cried at just how wonderful it is.
I'm almost glad I put off Steven Universe for so many years. I really needed a show like it in 2018. It helped me find the kind words to love and support myself, and, once again, I felt inspired to pick up my pen and draw some fan art. I'm so excited to see the next episodes arriving later this month!
Tokyo Tarareba Girls
The J-Drama is brighter than the manga. I started reading Tokyo Tarareba Girls online after I finished Princess Jellyfish (which is superb, by the way). Compared to Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls is much darker and realistic, but still hilarious. Akiko Higashimura's comedic timing is as perfect as ever, with the feeling that she isn't holding back from what she wants to say. I found this brutal honestly one of the best things about Tokyo Tarareba Girls, and its surprisingly relatable characters.
Sadly, I could only read a few volumes before struggling to access more, but I soon discovered the J-Drama available online! I binged the whole thing whilst I was unwell over Summer and it made me feel so much better. The casting choice and acting were great, though the story had been changed quite a bit from the manga. This was disappointing at first, but I soon got into the flow of it. As with Descending Stories, I think I prefer taking my time with the manga than watching the show, but it's great to have both!
Now, I have the first manga book on my shelf and I've ordered the next two books! The rest are being published later in 2019 so I'll be picking those up too. It's so nice to see stories of middle-aged women and their woes. If you like Bridget Jones or Sex in the City, you should check out Tokyo Tarareba Girls.
Sadly, I could only read a few volumes before struggling to access more, but I soon discovered the J-Drama available online! I binged the whole thing whilst I was unwell over Summer and it made me feel so much better. The casting choice and acting were great, though the story had been changed quite a bit from the manga. This was disappointing at first, but I soon got into the flow of it. As with Descending Stories, I think I prefer taking my time with the manga than watching the show, but it's great to have both!
Now, I have the first manga book on my shelf and I've ordered the next two books! The rest are being published later in 2019 so I'll be picking those up too. It's so nice to see stories of middle-aged women and their woes. If you like Bridget Jones or Sex in the City, you should check out Tokyo Tarareba Girls.
Solanin
"Is that my job?" Oh my goodness, Solanin! I adored Solanin! So much that I watched the live-action film, too (and can't stop singing the theme song!).
In 2017, I read Inio Asano's very bleak and brutal Goodnight Punpun. Despite its dark themes and cruelty, I really enjoyed it, though it's certainly not an easy read. With Solanin, I didn't know what to expect, but I bought it for its female protagonist, positive reviews and because I enjoyed Punpun so much.
Well, I loved Solanin even more. I'm not fond of depressing stories, but Solanin makes something beautiful out of something mundane and human. Somehow, Asano turns it into a heartwarming story about love. It's hard to talk about Solanin without spoiling it, so I won't.
There's nothing particularly special about the cast – they're people like you and me, but as Asano's strength lies in realistic depictions of humans, they're done brilliantly.
The live-action film, like Tokyo Tarareba Girls drama, was perfectly cast and acted. I have a few issues with the direction; it can be a little ham-fisted at times, but the story remains true to the manga without missing out on too much. Asian Kung-Fu Generation helped with the soundtrack, but nicely left "Solanin" to Rotti at the end of the movie. Their performance out-shined Asian Kung-Fu Generation's and captured the emotions felt throughout the story so, so well. I was crying by the end, along with the audience in the movie. If you like indie music or ever played in a band, read/ watch Solanin, you'll love it!
In 2017, I read Inio Asano's very bleak and brutal Goodnight Punpun. Despite its dark themes and cruelty, I really enjoyed it, though it's certainly not an easy read. With Solanin, I didn't know what to expect, but I bought it for its female protagonist, positive reviews and because I enjoyed Punpun so much.
Well, I loved Solanin even more. I'm not fond of depressing stories, but Solanin makes something beautiful out of something mundane and human. Somehow, Asano turns it into a heartwarming story about love. It's hard to talk about Solanin without spoiling it, so I won't.
There's nothing particularly special about the cast – they're people like you and me, but as Asano's strength lies in realistic depictions of humans, they're done brilliantly.
The live-action film, like Tokyo Tarareba Girls drama, was perfectly cast and acted. I have a few issues with the direction; it can be a little ham-fisted at times, but the story remains true to the manga without missing out on too much. Asian Kung-Fu Generation helped with the soundtrack, but nicely left "Solanin" to Rotti at the end of the movie. Their performance out-shined Asian Kung-Fu Generation's and captured the emotions felt throughout the story so, so well. I was crying by the end, along with the audience in the movie. If you like indie music or ever played in a band, read/ watch Solanin, you'll love it!
Katamari Damacy Reroll
Of course this is here, I love Katamari! However, I never fully played Katamari Damacy as it didn't officially released in Europe. I remember playing the Japanese version on a cracked PS2 back in the day, and then stumbled across We Love Katamari in Gamestation a few years later, which I, of course, picked up in a heartbeat. Therefore, I spent most of my time with We Love Katamari and never really got to play the original, so you can imagine my excitement when Katamari Damacy Reroll got announced for Nintendo Switch... I was going insane! Even when its release date was scheduled the same day as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I couldn't think of anything else. I immediately picked it up as I'd really been waiting to play it since 2004, making it my most anticipated game ever! I just hoped that it'd live up to my expectations and be a fair port of the original. Luckily it did, although it's definitely a smaller game than I thought it'd be, compared to We Love Katamari that I played over and over again, that is.
I'm now hoping for the sequel to come to Nintendo Switch, too. After We Love Katamari, I just couldn't get into the series anymore. Something quirky about the originals was missing, obviously Keita Takahashi himself, though I look forward to (hopefully) playing Wattam later this year.
I'm now hoping for the sequel to come to Nintendo Switch, too. After We Love Katamari, I just couldn't get into the series anymore. Something quirky about the originals was missing, obviously Keita Takahashi himself, though I look forward to (hopefully) playing Wattam later this year.
Roll up the world! This game is such a constant joy!
celeste
Loving and accepting all sides of yourself. Here's one that I didn't actually play myself (urk!), though I watched my fiancé play through the whole thing. Celeste is a platformer by Matt Makes Games, who made Towerfall, one of my all-time favourite multiplayer games. Celeste uses a similar controls and a pixel art style like Towerfall, but houses a deep, emotional journey of Madeline, the main character. She suffers from anxiety and is constantly confronted with it as she ascends the mountain.
The soundtrack is superb and we already own it on vinyl! But, I must say, Celeste excels at almost everything: from music to UI to narrative. I found loads of little things inspiring, so despite how much I dislike platformers, I'm going to give Celeste a go myself. I've really no excuse with all the accessibility options it has!
The soundtrack is superb and we already own it on vinyl! But, I must say, Celeste excels at almost everything: from music to UI to narrative. I found loads of little things inspiring, so despite how much I dislike platformers, I'm going to give Celeste a go myself. I've really no excuse with all the accessibility options it has!
The Night is Short Walk on Girl
Flat shading makes for a wonderful animation. My favourite night of 2018 was spent watching The Night is Short, Walk on Girl at Nippon Connection in Frankfurt. The showing started after 10pm, which is way too late for my 31 year old self to concentrate on a movie, however, it was actually quite incredible. The early Summer evening, in a small, indie cinema sipping drinks was the perfect atmosphere to enjoy this movie.
I'd previously watched Masaaki Yuasa's Lu Over The Wall (for it's name alone), which felt like a cross between Splatoon and Ponyo, but, you know... if Ponyo was good. He certainly has a unique, refreshing style which would appeal to people who don't even like anime. I've yet to watch Devilman Crybaby, but it's on my list!
Anyway, The Night is Short follows a girl on a long night of drinking and bumping into a bunch of eccentric characters. It's not unlike Alice in Wonderland; trippy but also funny. Like Lu Over The Wall, the animation is beautiful to watch. I think my only issue with the film was the trailer... It was marketed as though the man (her senpai) was the main character and the only plot was about him confessing his feelings to her. Watching it, this felt more like a sub-plot to the girl and her wacky adventure... which was so much better than the stereotypical, straight romance film advertised.
The Night is Short is fresh and exciting and worth you checking out, whether you're a film or animation fan, or just a weeb like me. Asian Kung-Fu generation also make another appearance ;-)
I'd previously watched Masaaki Yuasa's Lu Over The Wall (for it's name alone), which felt like a cross between Splatoon and Ponyo, but, you know... if Ponyo was good. He certainly has a unique, refreshing style which would appeal to people who don't even like anime. I've yet to watch Devilman Crybaby, but it's on my list!
Anyway, The Night is Short follows a girl on a long night of drinking and bumping into a bunch of eccentric characters. It's not unlike Alice in Wonderland; trippy but also funny. Like Lu Over The Wall, the animation is beautiful to watch. I think my only issue with the film was the trailer... It was marketed as though the man (her senpai) was the main character and the only plot was about him confessing his feelings to her. Watching it, this felt more like a sub-plot to the girl and her wacky adventure... which was so much better than the stereotypical, straight romance film advertised.
The Night is Short is fresh and exciting and worth you checking out, whether you're a film or animation fan, or just a weeb like me. Asian Kung-Fu generation also make another appearance ;-)
Aggretsuko
RAGE! After watching Aggretsuko, I was telling everyone to go and watch it. Seriously, just for the intro music alone!
I'd heard about the cute, little red panda from Sanrio but wasn't sure if I'd like her or not. After all, Gudetama is my spirit egg and who else could come close? Well, now I don't know who I like more... I relate so much with Retsuko; being quiet, pushed around, insecure and never being able to say no, meanwhile diverting her rage into karaoke booths, screaming death metal. Living as Retsuko isn't particularly healthy, but because of her outlet and supportive friends, she's able to get by.
Aggretsuko, like Tokyo Tarareba Girls, is both hillarious and dark. There are some deep cuts in there, especially for office workers or female members of staff. What's so nice is the support Retsuko receives from Gori and Washimi. They help Retsuko open up and help change things in the office. This undoubtedly causes conflict, but helps Retsuko in the long run. I wish everyone had had the support they both give to Retsuko.
There's even some romance in the show which continues into the Christmas Special. All I'll say is: Haida is best boy. He's such a cute little hyena punk!
I'd heard about the cute, little red panda from Sanrio but wasn't sure if I'd like her or not. After all, Gudetama is my spirit egg and who else could come close? Well, now I don't know who I like more... I relate so much with Retsuko; being quiet, pushed around, insecure and never being able to say no, meanwhile diverting her rage into karaoke booths, screaming death metal. Living as Retsuko isn't particularly healthy, but because of her outlet and supportive friends, she's able to get by.
Aggretsuko, like Tokyo Tarareba Girls, is both hillarious and dark. There are some deep cuts in there, especially for office workers or female members of staff. What's so nice is the support Retsuko receives from Gori and Washimi. They help Retsuko open up and help change things in the office. This undoubtedly causes conflict, but helps Retsuko in the long run. I wish everyone had had the support they both give to Retsuko.
There's even some romance in the show which continues into the Christmas Special. All I'll say is: Haida is best boy. He's such a cute little hyena punk!
Tetris Effect
Finally, at the end of my list is Tetris Effect. I literally only got around to playing it on 30th December, but wanted to add it because it's so beautiful and entrancing. I even want to buy a PSVR now just for this one game (and maybe Neko Atsume VR...).
So far, I've only played through the levels on beginner. Some stand out to me more than others (usually the ones with vocals) but each level has its charm. I'm not hugely into the XP-point thing going on, but it doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the game. I'm looking forward to spending more time on the different modes and playing it when I just need to time out from the world.
Until then, I think I'll listen to the soundtrack as I get back to work!
So far, I've only played through the levels on beginner. Some stand out to me more than others (usually the ones with vocals) but each level has its charm. I'm not hugely into the XP-point thing going on, but it doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the game. I'm looking forward to spending more time on the different modes and playing it when I just need to time out from the world.
Until then, I think I'll listen to the soundtrack as I get back to work!
Tetris + Whales + Dolphins somehow works...
I really didn't expect this blog post to end up this long, haha! Even though 2018 didn't live up to 2017's year of games and anime, I've certainly had a lot of fun. There's still a load of things I didn't get around to... Gris, Moss and Subnautica come to mind, but I'll catch up on those soon. I'm excited to see what else 2019 brings. Hopefully, more Steven Universe, Aggretsuko, a Yuri on Ice movie and *cough* We Love Katamari on Nintendo Switch. Actually, as I was writing this post, I learnt that exciting news is on the way for Detroit: Become Human. I can only hope it's Hank and Connor DLC... It's a big wish, but I can dream, right?
Now, I'm back to working on Memories. I had a few story ideas over the Christmas holidays and want to streamline the game, so I'll be focussing on editing over the next few weeks before continuing with the artwork.
I'm not really bothering with resolutions this year, only that I want to reduce my time on social media (particularly Facebook, which I've already deleted off my phone) and spend more time finishing Memories, exercising and playing with my dog. I see 2019 being a difficult but rewarding year, and hopefully things will start looking a little brighter as I approach 2020. Until then, it's heads down and work, work, work! Take care all :)
Now, I'm back to working on Memories. I had a few story ideas over the Christmas holidays and want to streamline the game, so I'll be focussing on editing over the next few weeks before continuing with the artwork.
I'm not really bothering with resolutions this year, only that I want to reduce my time on social media (particularly Facebook, which I've already deleted off my phone) and spend more time finishing Memories, exercising and playing with my dog. I see 2019 being a difficult but rewarding year, and hopefully things will start looking a little brighter as I approach 2020. Until then, it's heads down and work, work, work! Take care all :)