Kratos With Goblet

Kratos holding the goblet dropped by Hera in God of War III.

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Dante Alighieri of Dante's Inferno

Dante Alighieri of Dante's Inferno video game.

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Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

Four infamous "pretty boys" are given an opportunity by their landlady to rent the mansion for free if they succeed in turning her niece into a lady. Takano Kyohei, Oda Takenaga, Toyama, Yukinojo, and Morii Ranmaru have their hands full trying to persuade Nakahara Sunako to forget the rejection she got from a guy and to abandon her creepy playthings. Unlike the radiant boys, Sunako is gloomy and antisocial. They will soon discover however that there is more to her than her looks.

This 25-episode comedy series has plenty of funny scenes and a bit of romance. Exaggeration is used to deliver funny lines; Sunako is almost always in her chibi form except in more somber scenes. This is a bit distracting  but this is used to distinguish her contented and happy side from her gloomy personality. The romance part is just a bonus and a few hints are given, so do not expect any progress in that part.

Although not stated explicitly, the characters' issue is all about beauty. Kyohei has good looks but like Sunako's dark aura which repels people, it has become a burden for his part. People become obsessed with him that they resort to harassment. It has become so serious that his family even rejected him. Sunako on the other hand, thinks the pursuit of beauty is a waste of time. People also reject her but for different reasons from Kyohei. She doesn't need other people's approval however because she's happy with who she is; moreover she is loved by the people who know her. For both Kyohei and Sunako beauty is just an issue of people accepting them for who they are and looking past that physical aspect.

This series is a great watch if you're looking for something light and funny.

Rating: 6 out of 10

A History of Art for Beginners and Students: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture by Clara Erskine Clement

As the title of the book says, it discusses the evolution of art over the centuries. The author divided the book into five major sections, namely; Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Ancient Greece and Italy, and Medieval Painting. There is some useful information on the styles or "schools of art" that flourished in particular places or periods.

The types of art and architecture were discussed briefly but the author left out so many things and focused on the lives of the artists instead. There is also very little information in the first three chapters and the author has a tendency to insert her own observations and opinions of the works of the artists that it can hardly be called a history book. The lives of the artists, particularly those from the medieval period are interesting, but the author uses the same pattern in recounting their lives and works. Her accounts of the location of the artworks also take up too much space and defeat the purpose of the book. Besides Egypt, Assyria and Babylon there is no mention of art in other parts of the world. The author focused only on western art. The title is misleading and the book itself is a disappointment although there still are plenty of helpful material for the study of history of art.

Rating: 4 out of 10

RunWay Beat

 

Beat Mizorogi, a jolly high school student with an infectious smile, inspires his new classmates by organizing a fashion show in what would be the school's last festival. Besides helping his new friends Mei, Wanda, Miki, and Anna he was able to inspire his father and rekindle the love for fashion designing. Not everything about Beat's life however was all glam and smiles. His determination to complete the fashion show and to pursue his dreams of becoming a designer are tested when he learns of his girlfriend's condition and when his designs are copied by a clothing company. 

   

RunWay Beat is a story of courage, friendship, and determination to pursue whatever it is that makes one happy. There is a bit of romance but it is not explored in the movie. The main characters are typical high school students but Beat's positive nature makes their friendship interesting. Beat is friendly, optimistic, and positive about everything yet he is tempered by experience. He is not a loud, boisterous character as you would normally expect from a character like him in a movie about young adults. The fashion show near the end of the movie is a bonus. Nevertheless the outcome is predictable and Mei's character is overshadowed by Beat even if the story is told from her point of view. Still, it's good movie for light viewing. And who wouldn't like Beat's infectious smile? 

Rating: 6 out of 10 

***

Cast: 
Koji Seto as Biito (Beat) Mizorogi
Nanami Sakuraba as Mei Tsukamoto
Mirei Kiritani as Miki Tachibana
Imalu as Anna Akikawa
Kei Tanaka as Satoru Inuda or Wanda
Michiko Kichise as Hayato Mizorogi's assistant
Seiichi Tanabe as Hayato Mizorogi

Directed by: Kentaro Otani
Based on the novel Runway Beat by Maha Harada

Reign of Assassins

A former member of the assassin group Dark Stone finds her peaceful married life in danger of being taken away from her when the group finally discovers her whereabouts. Drizzle, whose new name is Zeng Jing, not only has to fight for her husband's, Jiang Ah-sheng, safety but has to take up the sword one last time to confront her past and sever her connections with the group.

Dark Stone is looking for the remains of a Buddhist monk believed to make its possessor the most skillful in martial arts. At the beginning of the movie, Dark Stone members managed to get hold of one half of the remains by slaying Minister Zhang and his family. However Drizzle ran away with the remains and was pursued since then by the other members.

When she is finally located by Dark Stone, Drizzle agrees to help Cao Feng, the gang's leader, to get the other half of the remains from another group and to restore the other in her possession in exchange for her freedom and her husband's safety. It is not an easy deal and she barely escapes Cao Feng.

Her misfortune does not end there however when she finds out that the husband she's trying to protect also has secrets.

The sword fights were done well, but that's not the only great part about the movie. Drizzle's character and motivation were highlighted making it easier for the viewer to empathize with her need to start over. Moreover, Zeng Jing and Jiang Ah-sheng's romance added an excellent twist near the end of the movie. Her time with the monk Wisdom (after she ran away with the remains) might have started the path to change but her love for her husband strengthened that resolve.

Although it may seem absurd that a group of very skilled fighters would fight over a corpse, it will make sense when Cao Feng reveals his reasons --- which was probably why Drizzle ran away with it in the first place.

It is easy to appreciate Zeng Jing and Jiang Ah-sheng because their characters were established at the beginning of the story. Their romance is also endearing. Ah-sheng's revelations anticipates a tension-filled conclusion of their relationship. I watched it expecting great fight scenes but I enjoyed it more for the characters.

Rating: 10 out of 10

***

Cast:

Michelle Yeoh as Zeng Jing or Drizzle
Jung Woo-sung as Jiang Ah-sheng

Dark Stone members:
Wang Xueqi as Cao Feng
Barbie Hsu as Turquoise Leaf
Shawn Yue as Lei Bin
Leon Dai as the Magician

Directed by: Su Chao-pin and John Woo

Alexander the Great by Jacob Abbott

In most history books, Alexander the Great is portrayed as the invincible conqueror who died when he was at his prime. Those same books however do not show readers the bigger picture. They don't tell us about Alexander's childhood, his motivations in his campaigns, and the kind of people he was surrounded with. The books only highlight his successful battles but the not the person behind one of the largest empires ever created. In Alexander the Great, Jacob Abbott not only tells the story of how a talented heir to the Macedonian throne became the hegemon of the Hellenic league and lord of Asia but of his character as a leader, a benefactor, and a merciless foe.

Abbott provides a background of Alexander's immediate family and the political climate in which he grew up.  Other books only highlight the fact that he was one of Aristotle's pupils but there were more people who influenced his ideas and motivations. His campaigns in Greece and against the Persian Empire and its environs are told in colorful, narrative detail. Abbott not only recounted Alexander's victories but also examined the conqueror's character, his behavior towards his allies and foes, and the changes in his attitude at every campaign.

I must caution the reader however with some inconsistencies. At the beginning of the book, Abbott mentioned the Romans when describing the Greeks. Also, a detailed narrative of the invasion of a part of India was not included. Keep in mind that there might be information here that was not verified or there might be gaps that were filled in by the author to make a coherent, flowing narration of events. The author also included his opinions on Alexander's character and therefore I don't recommend this book as a basis for facts about Alexander's life.

Despite the inconsistencies, the author tried to keep the story cohesive as much as possible and he did a good job narrating and describing the battles.

Rating: 7 out of 10