Author Archives: dahubbz
Dr. Stone Episode 1 Review
After a pretty long haitus from anime reviews, Crunchyroll and Facebook have teamed up to pull me right back in. Dr. Stone is an ongoing anime based on the manga of the same name. The anime is done by the studio TMS and airs on both Crunchyroll and Funimation.
(I do not own the rights to any pictures used in this blog. All rights reserved to their respective owner)
Spoilers: This is a review of episode one. While there may be spoilers for episode 1, there’s no major spoilers for the series as a whole.
Plot: The idea here is that everyone on Earth gets turned to stone. Some 3,000 years later our two main characters breakthrough their stony exterior emerging to a world where forestry has now overrun the area. Thousands have died as their stone bodies have shattered or limbs have been severed off. Once our two main characters, Senku and Taiju reunite at the base of a river, the two go to work on how to bring the world back to the modern era.
Characters: This section is fairly easy, as they are the only two human beings alive at the moment. Senku is our green headed main character. He is a genius and the show makes that no secret. He has already begun working on a cure for the modern day stone age. I really think people who study psychology and character types would have a field day enjoying him. It’s not really revealed in the first episode, but later you will see he does not play judge, jury, or the hangman. He acts almost like neutral watcher. He wants to revive everyone. Good, bad, murderers, tax collectors, children, bums, it does not matter. I assume this is due to the fact that science really does not take sides. He’s just letting the process run it’s course.
Our next character is Taiju. Taiju is a bit more of a flat and uninteresting character. Now, that is in no way to say he a bad character. He kept himself motivated to live because he had a mission. Before the stone age struck, He was determined to tell his crush Yuzuriha, that he liked her. Of course, tragedy struck as both stone-crossed lovers were soon to be sealed in their rocky casing. But hey, his unwavering desire to confess his feelings for Yuzuriha worked because, well… It is an anime after all.
Now, I’m not sure if this a good or bad thing, but the show is super self-aware of the two character’s strength and weakness. Again the show is not shy about constantly reminding you Senku is an intellectual supreme while Taiju wouldn’t know the difference between a push or pull door even if they were labeled. As a result the show has a stereotypical, albeit funny, role system for the two. Senku comes up with ideas while Taiju goes to hunt down the ingredients needed. The two play off each other’s differences in a way that naturally progresses the plot while also being funny and enjoyable such as the grapes to wine scene for example.
The World: This is also easy. There essentially is no world to discuss here. Mother Nature has come to reclaim most of her land. Some statues have survived the test of nature and time, but they are few and far between. Animals, for some unknown reason, were spared the same crystallized fate the humans experienced, birds notwithstanding for some reason. This is part of the fun though. How will Senku and Taiju interact with animals? Will they find remains of old buildings they use to interact with? Are there others who have shattered their mold and now walk with the living again? How will the world react to a sudden rise in the human population again? Ultimately, the world right now is a blank canvas and I cannot wait to see how Dr. Stone splatters itself all over the page.
Racap: I knew this was the anime I wanted use to rekindle my spark. This premise sounded super enjoyable and I have not been disappointed. I’ve watched the first three episodes as of now and it really keeps getting better.
Action: While nonexistent in this episode. Episodes two and three do help deliver more of a punch.
Romance: Taiju clearly has a crush on Yuzuriha but you will have to keep watching to see if they end up together.
Plot: I came for the plot.
Characters: But I stayed for the characters.
The World: Empty and underdeveloped, but that isn’t exactly a bad thing.
Humor: A definite strength and high point of the show is the humor. For a pseudo-apocalyptic world, these two really don’t let that fact stop them from smiling or cutting up.
The Ending: The ending is great as we see they have possibly cracked the code for cracking open that hard outer shell.
Verdict: While this is episode one of a show that currently only has four episodes out, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the hype is there. It is going to be so fun to see what’s left of the world. If Senku and Taiju have shed their rock skin, whose to say other’s could not? How will differing viewpoints of Senku and people he resurrects clash? The world is currently empty which hurts this episode’s score but I think makes me more excited for the show as a whole.
Score: A solid 8.5 out of 10. Mostly, because there are still so many question marks that is hard to get a perfect score.
I will revisit this one once the season has wrapped up. So let me know what you guys think so far. What animes should I review next? Let me know down below.
Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!
Continued reading here!
ReLife Review
Food Wars Season One Review
My Hero Academia Review
Super Smash Bros Ultimate(And more Switch games!)
Hey guys. If you head to my youtube channel you can watch some content of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate and Let’s Go Eevee (Premiering today!) Here’s some links!
Wes Vs Jess Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Let’s Go Eevee is an LP while SSBU is us testing out the game.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for watching.
Have a great day!
Eevee and Pikachu Nintendo Switchs!?
Has anyone else seen this post on Serebii? That link will take you to the page where you can read about it yourself.
It looks amazing.
This was just a quick post I felt like sharing to get your guys opinions on this. Comment down below.
Thank you guy
A Hat in Time DLC comes out Thursday!
If you haven’t heard, A Hat in Time DLC comes out Thursday. Here’s some of the highlights:
A New Chapter- Of course one of the highlights is the addition of the latest chapter, Arctic Cruise. It is a brand new world to explore, which is always exciting. With that, comes brand new characters, time pieces, and hours to sink into the game.
New Game Mode “Death Wish”– I will be honest. This one is a little less obvious. It seems as if this mode wants you to play old levels with a twist or it will create small levels with challenges. These twist come in form of challenges. The one challenge seen on camera is beat the level in 8 minutes. If this is the case, than Gears for Breakfast added a whole new level of replayability.
A Hat in Time is Coming to the Switch– This is exciting for future me as I do not currently own a switch. I dont believe the release date has been announced, so keep an eye peeled.
Co-op is coming to A Hat In Time
Split screen co-op will be added for free to A Hat in Time come September 13th. This is amazing. This is coming at a time when Super Mario 64 online taught us these old retro games can be just as fun with multiplayer as singleplayer. From the trailer, it looks like they are opting for a vertical screen (line going up and down) instead of horizontal. This again, is just one of the many ways Gears added not only replayability, but a fresh spin on the original game. The best part is that this will always be free.
Important Takeaways:
The DLC launches September 13th.
The DLC will be free for 24 hours
$499 USD after 24 hours.
The Co-op feature is free anytime
Brand new stage and game mode.
Yes. I am very pumped.
Per usual, you can watch my channel for more updates and gameplay footage of A Hat in Time.
Here’s some of my recent A Hat in Time videos.
Thanks for reading! Have a great day.
A Hat in Time is apart of the Humble Monthly (3 games for $12)!
Been on the fence about A Hat in Time? For the next 17 days A Hat in Time will be included in the Humble Monthly. For $12 you will get A Hat in Time, Conan Exile, and the Escapist 2.
They are also running a deal called Pixel Perfect Platformer. Other games included in this sale are Yooka-Laylee, Rayman Origins, Limbo, and Cuphead.
Episode #1 of blind LP for Yooka-Laylee is on Youtube now!
Hey everyone. If you enjoy the video be sure to like, comment, and subscribe! Please, that would be so awesome! If you really enjoy it, try to share it on twitter, facebook, and any other forum you can think of. I’d really appreciate it and it would mean a lot to me.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and watch my video. You rock. Thank you for any help you can provide in advance! Have a great day everyone!
Top 5 Changes in Pokemon from Gen 1 to 2
Today, we will be diving into changes and additions made between the first 2 generations of Pokemon. This list is of my opinions and Id love to hear what you guys think are the best additions.
HM New Pokeballs. The Gen 2 Pokeballs have been the focal point of a past blog post. They are coming in as an Honorable Mention because, at the end of the day, they sadly were not that great. I watched a video discussing how half of these Pokeballs did not alter the catch rate like they claimed. Despite not living up to their hype, it was still Gamefreak flexing some creative muscles and trying to add some depth to a simple concept like the Pokeball. I still to this day have fond memories of this addition from the days of the anime.
#5 Making Legendary Pokemons apart of the story- Do not get me wrong, Mewtwo is awesome and is still the Macdaddy of legendary Pokemons. However, he is barely mentioned at all through the main story. In Gen 2, Suicune, Ho-oh, Lugia, and even Celebi come up in dialogue quite often. Ecruteak City is one of the more memorable towns in all of the Pokemon regions due to it being a big central location of the story. While I think legendaries did not hit their stride unto Hoenn, Gen 2 set a precedent for making the legendary Pokemon more of point to the story.
#4 Rematches- The deeper I get into this, the more I realize a “Features Generation 3 expanded on” is going to be an easy blog. Rematches were sorely missing from Generation 1. The reason this is a big deal is because it limited experience and money the player could earn. Beating other trainers dishes out the most experience and cash flow. Generation 2 introduced rematches. Thanks to the Pokegear, the player could receive random phone calls from trainers they have beaten in the past.
#3 Held Items- Pokemons holding items seems like a concept as old as the game itself. However, this feature was an addition added in Johto. They showcased this by having your starter hold a berry. Which was a nice touch in the early stages of the game. But this is not even the best example nor does it illustrate the role items have had. From using the experience share to help aid you in leveling up, to the choice items (scarf, band, sash). Later generations have even added Mega Stones, Z moves, and evolites. Needless to say, held items have become such a crucial part of the game.
#2 Genders- This extends to pokemons and trainers. In the Kanto days there was just one trainer Red. Also pokemons were genderless. In Generation 2 the world was introduced to a female trainer. While I am a Male Pokemon trainer, it would be foolish to not recognize the growing number of female trainers playing this awesome game. It’s only natural Pokemon would evolve to the point where we had female trainers represented in the game. Still, good on you Gamefreak for making this simple but much needed addition. As for pokemon’s gender, well we will get to that in the next point.
#1 Breeding- Breeding is and was the definition of a game changer! It introduced baby forms (Pichu, Magby, Elekid to name a few). Which was really it’s claim to fame in Gen 2. When later games added natures, evs, and ivs, breeding became paramount. It was at the forefront of any serious competitive team. Generation 2 also saw egg moves become a part of the game thanks to breeding. Some Pokemons could only learn a move by having that move passed down from the parent Pokemon. With different egg groups, exclusive egg moves, competitive breeding for perfect ivs and nature, and the introduction of baby Pokemons, I would have to give Breeding the number 1 spot on Top changes and additions from Gen 1 to 2!
Thanks for reading everybody!
Have a great day!
Video Game Review: A Hat in Time
A little less than a year ago, Gears for Breakfast released this little gem for the world to enjoy. And enjoy it I have. If you’ve never heard or seen A Hat in Time before, it is a 3-D action platformer made in the same vain as other classics such as Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie. The game is full of colorful level, giant worlds to explore, an overabundance of collectibles and some of the most engaging characters I have seen in a platformer.
My style of review is like having a casual conversation, so lets discuss what the game does right and wrong.
The Right
Exploration– This is one of the most important factors to me when determining the fun factor of a game. The game features 4 massive worlds plus a fifth level that is linear instead of a sandbox. Yes most games feature 10+ worlds, but the worlds you’ll find in A Hat in Time are vibrant, unique, and full of charm. Mafia Town is still a world I’ll load up and run around in to this day. The freedom of movement only aids this category as well. Featuring double jumps, aerial dashes, and wall climbing, the open worlds are super fun to traverse. It never gets old dashing around the levels.
Characters- I don’t always expect much from the supporting cast from platformers, however almost every character in this game is memorable and just adds to the personality that is A Hat is Time. The Snatcher is probably my favorite character, but the conductor and DJ Grooves rivalry, the alien-fearing Mafia, and the interesting antihero Mustache Girl, form a rainbow of charm that help carry the game.
Collectibles- Collectibles. You either love them or hate them. I think Gears for Breakfast absolutely nailed the collectibles that are hidden throughout the game. The collectibles are the Time Pieces (think stars from Super Mario), Pons (think coins from Super Mario) and Rift Tokens (I don’t really have a comparison, but its a second currency). Not collectibles per se, but there are several hats she can equip to give her powers. For example, she has a sprint cap that lets her move faster while say, the brewers cap gives her the ability to launch projectiles. There’s also dyes that change her costume color and style. I find this to be the perfect blend. There’s enough collectibles to help cover the level and motivate you to explore without making it feel like a chore. This really goes a long way in a game styled like this.
The Wrong
It is short… for now. 5 worlds and a nice hub world means the game is of fair length. However, as a gamer, you never want a game to end. However, the next wave of DLC/update says it roll out 2 new worlds. Of course I am looking forward to this. This small blemish may soon be erased.
Untapped Potential– When I was reading about the game, I remember reading about using the Time pieces to turn back time and such. It comes up from time to time, but it seems like its mostly in the background. This seems to be a story element and not a gameplay mechanic. I could be misremembering something, but it will feels like there were some time alerting mechanics they could have expanded upon.
Really, these are my only real complaints. The game is just a perfect blend of elements I love in video games. Anything else I say from here would just be reiterating earlier thoughts. If you played early platformers from the N64/Gamecube, PS1/PS2 era, you owe it to yourself to get this game. A Hat in Time is available on the steam store for just $29.99 and the PS4 and Xbox One for $29.99 as well. I’m not going to assign a score but just know this game is close to perfect. I keep fluctuating somewhere between 9 out of 10 to 10 out of 10. Yeah, it really is a great game.
Be on the look out for my youtube review on channel in the near future.
Thank you
Top 5 Characters to add to Super Smash Brothers Switch!
With E3 right around the corner, and a I am sure a Nintendo Direct will sneak out before than, we should probably discuss this topic before anymore leaks happen.
I will be doing the top 5 character’s I want added to smash as well as a few honorable mentions.
#5 Wonder Red (From Wonderful 101)
I recently did a Try Out Thursday a few weeks back for the Wonderful 101. I love this idea and I feel like he is on of the easiest locks for the new roster. 1 big reason is because his move set is easy enough because he is from a fighting game. His final smash could even be his super punch
.
The second reason is due to some hype and rumors of the Wonderful 101 coming to switch. Why not use Smash 5 as a launch pad for advertising the series. There was hype for this game, but due to the Wii U having bad sells not many people got to play this game. Porting it over to the switch just seems like common sense, and featuring the main protagonist seems natural.
#4 A new Pokemon character. (From the Pokemon Series)
This is a fun one to discuss. We could talk forever about which of the over 800 Pokemon will grace the newest roster. I, for one, would love for it to be a sneak peek into Gen 8. Heck, make a stage based off a new city. Another school of thought I’ve seen is a Gen 7 pokemon. These would be okemons from Sun and Moon. So I am going to give you guys my pick for a Gen 7 Pokemon. I’ll go with Tapu Koko for now. There is honestly 5 or so I could put in this spot (maybe an idea for another post?) but for now I’ll put Tapu KoKo
He is undoubtly one of the coolest Pokemons from the Alolan region. I am actually not sure how confident I am in this pick solely due to the fact that Pikachu will, without a doubt, be on the official roster.
I have a strange feeling this spot could be a Generation 1 Pokemon. The Kanto hype is real with Gamefreak and I am little worried they are trying to play it safe. What Kanto Pokemon would I give it to? Dragonite, of course.
In my opinion Dragon type has been the defining type for Pokemon (maybe psychic too). Yet, a dragon pokemon has yet to appear on the roster. He seems like a safe bet if they go with with a Kanto pokemon. Another prediction could be that Mewtwo is back without having to jump through the DLC hoop.
#3 Funky Kong (Donkey Kong Series notably Tropical Freeze)
Here’s another one like Wonder Red. They just ported Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze to the switch. One of the big add on’s is the Funky Mode. He is a really awesome character who just brings good vibes the second he hits the screen. Other than that I don’t have a whole lot to say. DK is one of their best selling games, Funky is a great character, and free advertisement. All this seems like a no brainer. Isn’t that right Funky
#2 The Champions (From Zelda: Breath of the Wild)
The Champions are from the latest Zelda game. They are really cool characters that all have their own personalities and attitudes. They feel like a call back to the sages from Ocarina of Time. It is kinda hard to imagine all four of them getting in, but I would assume they are popular enough to justify it.
Mipha (The Zora aka the red fish lady) is the character I think who has the hardest chance of getting added as she is healer. However, contrary I could see Link being granted all the champions powers. Mipha’s grace could reduce some of the precentage, Revali Gale could be Link’s recovery. Durak’s Protection could allow Link to reflect projectiles. Urbosa’s Fury could be his final smash.
Theres a couple of cool ways I could see them handling the Champions. One way or another, this is the safest of safe bets. They will be in the game whether they are roster characters or assist trophies.
Honorable mentions
Banjo Kazooie (From the Banjo Kazooie series)
Geno (From Super Mario RPG)
Knuckles (From the Sonic series)
I don’t have many memories with these characters. I’ve never owned any of their games really, but they are all either beloved or high level profile characters that would add charm and increase the wealth of characters on the roster. It seems like with each new Smash fan outcry increases for characters like Geno and Banjo.
#1 Hat Kid
Of course it is Hat Kid. I love her death and A Hat in Time has easily become a top 5 game in my eyes. Her umbrella would be her attack. She has a grapple for her recovery. She can equip badges in the game which gives her access to a scooter, a magnet like field to suck in items, and even the ability to kamehameha (for real). Characters always have alternative colors and costumes and Hat Kid lends herself perfectly to this as well. She has many hats which could serve as alternative costumes. She has the sprint cap which could make her run faster like the bunny hood. She has the brewer’s cap which could give her access to a projectile attack. She even has a time stop hat but that might be too powerful. All these hats could also simply be cosmetic in nature instead to simplify things. Either way, I see so much potential for the little Hat Kid that I hope she finds her way on the roster!
So that’s my top 5 characters I want added to smash. Who are yours? Let me know down in the comments.
Thanks for reading my post! Have a great day.
More post from me:
Manga Review: My Hero Academia
Games I want on the N64 Mini/Classic
Manga Monday: My Hero Academia Volume 1
Oh, boy. One of the mangas I was most hyped to get into and now it is here. Did it live up to my hype? Lets find out!
My Hero Academia was created by Kohei Horikoshi and distributed through Shonen Jump Comics.
Spoilers: Considering this is just Volume 1, not really.
Plot- In this version of the world, humans are born in a similar fashion to X-men. Kids have quirks which is the equivalent of super powers. Our main character, Izuku Midoriya, is quirkless. This obviously adds to his charm. He eventually inherits a very powerful quirk All For One (Which summons the dude in the cover. The one in the costume). From here, He joins the academy for super heroes.
Characters– Here’s the thing, I like all the characters. Its hard to go into depth since the manga introduces about 6 real players, but we do not dive into a lot of them. The two characters we delve into are Izuku Midoriya and Toshinori Yagi. Izuku is our main character (The other dude on the cover.). He has two defining moments. The first one is when he sacrifices time (to get points for his exam) to save Ochako Uraraka (another likable character). The other moment is when he stands up to Katsuki Bakugo (the school bully). These two scenes will make you root for Izuku throughout the manga. Toshinori on the other hand chooses to keep his identity relatively private. He is the former All Might (*reminder* that’s the name of the buff dude). He is reaching his limits as All-Might takes a toll on the body. He sees potential in Izuku and passes the All For One quirk down to Izuku.
The World– Again think X-men in Japan. It is a great idea. However, I don’t know how much of the world will be explored as the story centers around the academy. However, it definitely has potential with all the super heroes and villains running around.
Recap-
Action: You’d probably be surprised to find that there isn’t that much action. There are a few intense fightscenes, but right now it has been more of a “prove yourself” through trail-like events.
Romance– Izuku and Ochako have some potential flames, but nothing has really happened yet.
Plot- The plot has been engaging so far.
Characters– A+. All pretty good.
The World- Like a lot of Vol 1 reviews, it has not been flushed out yet.
Humor- Solid A.
Verdict– A near perfect introduction Manga. It showcases the potential for interesting characters, sly humor, possible love subplots, and intense action scenes. It serves as a great origin manga.
Score- 9 out of 10. Not too many bad things to say. It is not action in every panel, but it does offer a good bit of substance for a Shonen Jump. It does fall into the formulated “no one believes in you, grind, get stronger, become powerful” sequencing that has defined the genre since before I was born. If you can look past it being cliche at times, it is a great take on the genre and worth the read
Thank you for reading my review! Follow me here for more reviews as I will be reviewing Tokyo Ghoul soon and even revisiting Seven Deadly Sins with the second volume. I also do other reviews such as Anime and Video games as well as Top 5’s and discussion post! You can also subscribe to my Youtube channel here and follow me on Twitter here
More reading here:
ReLife Volume 1 Review
Games I want on the N64 Mini/Classic!
Da_Hubbz 