Anime Review: No Game No Life

Produced by: Madhouse

Manga and Art by: Yū Kamiya

Anime available in: Crunchyroll

By Aliraluna

Review:

 No Game No Life is the story of the hikikomori siblings Shiro and Sora.  They have become urban legends not only because of their mysterious gamer name “[   ]” (blank), but more importantly because they have never lost a game. One day, after defeating 1,200 players, they receive an email from an unknown sender with a question: “Have you two siblings ever felt like you were born in the wrong world?” While Sora is wondering how does this person knows they are siblings, he notices a link which leads them to a chess game. After winning, they receive another email with questions such as; what they would do if there was a world with clear rules and goals, and their answer is that if there’s a world like that then they were born on the wrong world. Suddenly, they are transported/reborn in Tet’s world, a world in which everything is decided by games and ten pledges. Sora decides that they will save Imanity and conquer the world in order to challenge again the last God, Tet.

What are the ten pledges? The ten pledges were made by Tet when he was named the One True God after winning in the eternal war in which the old gods and their creations fought for the right to be the One True God. In order for these pledges to apply, the players need to raise their hands and say “Aschente”.

Characters Overview:

)    Sora: Older brother of Shiro, he’s eighteen years old. He’s excellent at analyzing the opponent’s expressions and next movements; he also seems to be good at love games. He has maroon hair and red eyes; he’s tall and thin and wears a shirt that says “I heart (love) Humanity”.

2   Shiro: She’s eleven years old and is excellent with calculations; she knows about twenty languages and can learn a new one in fifteen minutes. Seems to be excellent in chess and shooting games. Has long pale blue hair, red eyes and wear a purple sailor uniform.

      Stephanie Dola: She’s eighteen years old and was a princess in the Imanity kingdom. She has short red hair with a blue flower, blue eyes and wears an elegant dress. She’s naïve, very social and can make friends very easy. She also handles Imanity state affairs… and makes good cookies.

Thoughts:

 This anime is by far one of the best I have ever seen. I adore the colors, the characters and of course the plot. Even if I’m not a gamer I can still enjoy the amazing story and understand some references through the story, like the game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. My favorite character is the adorable genius Shiro because I adore her personality and her amazing abilities in the games. Hope you enjoy it because this anime is AWESOME!

Yiynova MSP19U Review

By Silent J   

I asked a fellow artist friend if he knew of an alternative to a Cintiq tablet, so he sent me an Amazon link of Yiynova MSP19U. Even though it’s way cheaper than a Cintiq, I wasn't sure if I should risk buying it for the price. I was bestowed, later on that same day with a sign by fate, my tax rebate check came in. So I had to choose: spend my new fortune on ridiculous amounts of junk food or get this monitor. The idea of clogging my arteries was tempting, but I decided to buy the MSP19U. 

The Yiynova MSP19U 19” LCD tablet monitor has a resolution of 1440” x 900”, while in the back a stand allows for either complete verticality or nearly horizontal viewing angles, but rotation is not possible. It’s easy to operate and the installation is easy, just insert the CD and follow the instructions (it’s recommended to install the software before connecting the monitor). Plugging the monitor was easy too, technically you just need a USB and VGA port. In my case I have a MacBook and they don't have VGA ports. So if you have a Mac or a laptop without a port, then you should get a VGA adapter, which may cost you around $36.

The pen is an energy saving stylus that requires AAA batteries (included). It turns off automatically when not in use and activates automatically when you tap the screen. It also has a blue light battery indicator.

How’s it working out? I used it on Photoshop CS5 and it worked perfectly. The pen is pressure sensitive, so every stroke you make will feel like you’re drawing with a real brush or pen. If it doesn't feel right you can always go to the tablet settings to customize the pen’s pressure. It lags slightly between your pen strokes and the monitor, but that’s something even Cintiq tablets have. 

My master piece so far

The best part of this hardware is the price. A Cintiq 22” HD costs $1,999, the Yiynova MSP19U is only $612. With the Yiynova MSP19U you get performance as good as a Cintiq at a 72% less price. I’ve been playing around with its features for a week now and I don’t regret my decision. If you interested in buying a tablet monitor, but your budget is too slim to purchase a Cintiq I highly recommend getting a Yiynova MSP19U. 

  

Seriously though, this is what I really did

                                                     

Anime review: Magi: the Labyrinth of Magic/ Magi: The Kingdom of Magic

Anime produced by: A-1 Pictures

Story and art by: Shinobu Ohtaka

By Aliraluna

My review:

The story begins with a blue haired boy named Aladdin, who demands to know what he is, but the djinn he asks, called Ugo, can’t say the answer. Instead, he offers Aladdin a wish. Later, Aladdin meets Alibaba, a young servant trying to get rich, while eating all the watermelons Alibaba was supposed to take care of. At Alibaba’s house, he explains to Aladdin that fourteen years ago, strange magical structures called Dungeons started appearing around the world, and that whoever could clear the dungeons would gain power and wealth, such as gold, jewelry and magical items, the things that Alibaba needs. Alibaba also mentions that the best items are the metal djinn vessels. At the streets, they see a girl with an enormous basket of fruits, and she has chains in her feet, a symbol of being a slave. She notices they are looking at her feet, and while trying to hide the chains, she stumbles onto the ground. Aladdin doesn’t like the way Alibaba’s master treats her, and decides to call Ugo to scare them. Afterwards, an accident occurs in the desert while trying to deliver wine, and the powers of Aladdin are seen again: the enormous Ugo and his magic turban that transforms into a magic carpet, since he can actually fly! After witnessing this this, Alibaba feels that Aladdin could help him complete the dungeons, and the two decide to become friends, along with the girl, who’s name is Morgiana. After some adventures, they decide to part ways for training, and in doing so they find many risks, and gain experiences and knowledge by working hard. But will this help them when a dark, secret organization attacks them?

My thoughts:

   

The first thing I liked about this anime was the setting. As someone from the Caribbean, it made me happy to see an environment that I can identify with, including high temperatures, the forests, the caves, the ocean, and much more. My favorite characters are Aladdin, Ugo and Titus. The story is fantastic with many lessons, such as never giving up, friendship, how to defeat your past, and how to move on. My favorite part is when the three main characters were training during season two, especially Aladdin, as he went to a school of magic, where he meets Titus. The plot is really good, and I can’t wait to know more about Aladdin and Sinbad’s past, and about the secret organization. Aladdin and Alibaba also change over the course of the story, becoming more mature and determined. In my opinion, Alibaba’s task will be more difficult for him for two reasons: his past, and the fact that he can’t summon his djinn. Will he be able to learn how? Find out!