James

[color=#707875]A.I. is one of my favourite movies. It is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen, to be honest. It left a great impression on me. Really, everything about it impressed me. The dialogue is great throughout, the movie is visually beautiful (some simply amazing shots -- remember when David was standing there and his mother closed the door on him?) And the acting is superb. The movie would not have been as amazing without Haley Joel Osment -- he is the best child performer I think I've ever seen, at least in many years. Compare him to another child actor like the kid who played Anakin in Star Wars...and there is [i]no [/i]comparison. lol A lot of people that I've spoken to seemed to be disappointed by the ending. But I think it is one of the most beautiful endings I have ever seen in any film. [spoiler]Spending one final day with his mother, where she did nothing but pay attention to him...it was very, very moving for me. I really related to it, because I have a strong connection to my own mother. It was so bittersweet, too. He had an amazing day with her, but it was the last time he'd ever be able to see her again. It was just incredible. It's one of the few movies that has moved me to tears; especially when the she told David that she loves him and that she always has. At that point, he was satisfied. That's all he wanted; to be loved by his mother.[/spoiler] So that's my basic thought on the film. I enjoyed the fairytale additions; I thought that they were particularly noteable, considering the context of the film (ie: humans being capable of "belief" and robots not...except David, anyway). One thing did bother me though. [spoiler]When David's mother took him to the forest to get rid of him -- I thought that was [i]awfully [/i]cruel. I don't care how much you don't want the child; putting anyone through that is terrible, especially a child. Of course, David is a machine and therefore that possibly buffers the mother's emotions a little. "He's just a robot." But look at his reaction when he knows what's going on...he's terrified and shocked. Who wouldn't be shocked, to find out that their mother wants to abandon them? That's a crushing thought that I hope nobody ever has to experience. Regardless of whether or not David was a robot, the fact remains that once the mother initiated his emotion toward her (by doing the code sequence), she established a connection between herself and David that can never be broken, until death. For [i]anyone [/i]to dump someone else like that -- especially someone who looks at you as their parent -- is beyond comprehension for me. So, I found it odd that someone would do that. But maybe it's just me. I think that in terms of the story though, it works, because we're talking about the whole human versus mecha thing. David's father even reminds his mother that their son is just wires and metal behind those eyes and that face. So the whole situation makes sense in that context, but I still personally can't understand how a mother could do that to what is essentially her child.[/spoiler] Anyway, it's cool to see that you enjoyed the movie. It is actually something I should buy...you've reminded me now. It should be my next DVD purchase.[/color]

[color=#707875]But again, aren't we somewhat comparing apples and oranges? I mean, I love both Wind Waker and MP. And it's true that both are adventure games. But I think that the intent is a critical point here, especially if you go back and compare the Metroid series with the Zelda series. Apart from raw gameplay differences, Metroid has always been a dark game, with a sense of solitude and maybe loneliness. I think it's true that Zelda is the more expressive game, but I'm wondering what opportunities Metroid has to be expressive in that same way. I find Metroid Prime to be a highly expressive game, but in different ways to The Wind Waker. The environment in MP itself is highly expressive; just look at those little plants that shake when you get near them (I forget their names). And if you read log entries from both the Chozo and the Space Pirates, you come across noticeable differences in attitude and philosophy. I know that lately I've been getting into this whole "you can't compare these two games" thing...but I feel that even with Zelda and Metroid Prime, you have two games that are aiming for noticeably different effects on the player (and perhaps different players altogether). So while I can appreciate what MP does, based on its intention, I can also appreciate that Zelda is going for a certain style/feeling and that it does this very well. But because both games have somewhat different intentions, I find it hard to directly compare them. But then again, there's always going to be a subjective element, in terms of saying that you like one game more than another, regardless of genre. I mean, I like Metroid Prime a hell of a lot more than Onimusha -- but it would be unfair to actually suggest that the two games are competitors, because they're completely different. People who are into what Onimusha is trying to do, will probably love it more than I do. [/color]

[color=#707875]My most memorable dream in recent times involves Keanu Reeves. But I won't fill you in on the details... Other than that, I used to have a recurring dream when I was little. It involved a witch chasing me toward the edge of a cliff...where I would always jump. And I'd wake up as I was falling. It always happened the same way and I had it many, many times. Also, have you ever had that common dream where your teeth are falling out? Apparently a lot of people have that one. I hate that dream. V_V[/color]

[color=#707875]One of the biggest problems with this whole issue is the "junk science" out there -- I agree on that aspect. I've plugged it before, but I strongly recommend that those interested in the subject (religious or otherwise) read a book titled "Telling Lies for God", by an Australian geologist, Ian Plimer. The forward for the book is actually written by a former Sydney Archbishop...[i]so[/i], it's [i]not [/i]at all an anti-religion or anti-Christian book. In fact, the archbishop goes into some length to discuss the problems with "creation science" and how it harms religion more than helps it. He also talks about the need to be both ethical and intellectually honest (the latter of which is especially important). It's a great read, because it goes into very specific detail about both creation science groups (and examples of intellectual dishonesty and "junk science"), as well as specifically debunking various creationist explanations about the planet's development, by contrasting them against current geological knowledge. It would actually be a great book to talk about in the context of this overall discussion. And, I think it would make religious people in general feel far more at ease with the concept of their own beliefs gelling quite well with science -- but without the junk science that creationist organizations put forward.[/color]

[color=#707875]Guys, let's try not to include the dirtier comebacks, for obvious reasons. I'm looking at you when I say that, Vegitto4. ~_^[/color]

[QUOTE=Dan L] What can not be disputed is that things change. Fossils and history, and experiments, have already proven that. What [i]can[/i] be disputed is the degree to which things do change. Shinji's "missing link" point is half correct. There is no "missing link" as such- the majority of the chain is missing, and only a few links have been found. The reason people refer to a "missing link" in evolution is that the fossils which have been found, all tend to be clumped around certain species. [/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Yep, this is something that further underlines what I was saying above. Although there are debates around the specifics of how it works and so on, there is no debate that evolution (on some level) does exist. As I mentioned earlier, the Catholic church has already accepted this reality, because there comes a point where you can no longer ignore scientific evidence. Having said that, creation is a totally different point in my view. I don't think that [i]anyone [/i]knows the true story of creation. On the one hand, it is clear that there are very few scientific explanations for creation (although recent studies on the "big bang theory" have had some very fruitful results; you may have read about this if you're an avid news follower). But at the same time, the Biblical story of creation is very quaint. I've talked about it before (the idea that man came from woman, when biologically, it's the other way around), as well as the timing issues, and the great flood...and all sorts of things that just don't gel with geology and other scientific studies. So, I find it acceptable that there are people on both sides of the coin who can come up with their own ideas about how the Earth was created and how life began. However, for me personally...I can honestly tell you that I don't know, and nobody [i]really [/i]knows. I think it will be a long time, with a lot more research, before anyone conclusively knows for sure. I am definitely open to whatever answers come up as research advances on that subject.[/color]

[color=#707875]I think what BlueYoshi is saying is that the core of the Metroid experience relates to exploration and story, as opposed to boss fights. Although, it's true to say that bosses have always been a significant ingredient in the Metroid games. So, in that sense, I think you can draw that comparison between MP and Halo -- if only to demonstrate that they are totally different games. But again, it's very hard to compare games that really are on opposite ends of the video game spectrum.[/color]

[color=#707875]The Rock? ~_^ Okay...lessee if I can come up with a tough one. Little Women Super Mario Bros. The Movie Mermaid[/color]

[QUOTE=Falkon]Heh, blood helps me relax. My worst fear is the United States government and Bush 0.o hes more deadly than you think Oh, yeah, and n00bs[/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Oh for god's sake. If Bush is your worst fear, then you have a very cushy lifestyle. I also find your second comment highly ironic. Anyway, it's hard to think of my "worst fear" off the top of my head. I would have to say though, I think my worst fear is my mother dying. There is nobody in this world who understands me as thoroughly as she; and we are very similar people in general. I think she is really responsible for giving me a lot of confidence in myself (or at least, more confidence than I'd otherwise have had). So, whenever she is gone, I really have no idea how I'm going to handle it. I just can't imagine it. Part of me is worried that it will really have a really serious negative impact. It's actually kind of scary to think about that -- because of all things, I think it's the only thing that could truly make me lose my mind completely. There are really no fears that compare to that, in my mind. I feel that if she is around, I can [i]always [/i]handle whatever comes my way, no matter how terrible it may be. [/color]

[quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1']I just want to see what other people think. And my whole point, Gelgoog, was that a physical trait cannot, or should not, be passable to other generations. And some forms of evolution have no sense...unless there is a controlling force. Considering the slowness of evolution, a bat's, now useful appendages, would have been useless for many generations. Unless there is something else at work, designing and planning. As such ~_^.[/size][/quote] [color=#707875]And then there are genetic mutations and so on. There are many concepts and many explanations. But I would say that science knows more about evolution than you may first think. The problem that I see, is that sometimes if science doesn't automatically know "everything" about a certain subject, people will say something like "Oh, well, there's [i]science [/i]for you." But really, if you want to get realistic, you'd have to say that science is really the only way that we have certainty about most things. If the laws of physics weren't correct, your car wouldn't work, nor would a plane or a boat. We wouldn't be able to travel in space, either. I think, in this regard, people take science for granted. The idea that science knows so little about evolution is an idea that stems from ignorance of the scientific research that has gone into evolution over many years. But also...the idea that science is opposite to religion is not really true. Sure, science debunks a lot of religious theories about how the world developed -- but that's a given. Thousands of years ago, mankind also thought that the planet was flat and the center of the universe. It's logical that as we learn more, we actually change our ideas about things. However, I can say that there are [i]many[/i] scientists who are also religious. But while they have a sense of religion, they do not "presume the answer and try to fit the evidence to match that answer". Science works the other way around -- you start with evidence and you strive towards an answer. Religion tends to start with an answer and then attempts to force/create facts to fit a square peg into a round hole, as it were. The cool thing about science (and the reason that it has continued to develop and provide us with many very concrete facts about our world), is that [i]nothing [/i]is automatically presumed. If someone comes up with contrary evidence, it is considered and researched. And in many cases, a theory will change as a result of superior new evidence. See what I mean? There is a certain flexibility, that will always ensure that knowledge develops, rather than receeds. I think that this philosophy is important in the context of this discussion. And it's a good way of illustrating that you can be a person of great faith in God, [i]without [/i]compromising your ethics in science, by not simply deciding on a conclusion without evidence. I mean, you can always seek new evidence and be open to new conclusions, rather than making a decision at the start and then seeking only the evidence that fits your constructed idea. I hope that makes sense. But that is something that really relates to the philosophies behind research. Fundamentally, none of us here are qualified when it comes to talking about evolution in great scientific detail. And, to some degree, I think that will always render this kind of discussion moot. However, it's fine to discuss one's own beliefs. In fact, I think we've had several threads like that before...and [i]most [/i]of them were pretty civil.[/color]

[color=#707875]Whether or not her sister has a brain tumor...there is no excuse for her to be nasty to you. And there's definitely no excuse for her to go after someone else's boyfriend. Talking with her might help, in the sense that you can be honest with her and tell her that she's behaving in a hurtful way. I don't know if you've spoken to her directly, but it may help -- a lot of people are quite content to avoid issues like that, but doing so only makes it worse. I somewhat agree with Bean, at least as far as saying that you don't deserve that kind of treatment. If she was doing it before her sister's brain tumor became apparent...then that lends even more weight to the idea that you should drop her. I wouldn't normally suggest doing something like that, but really, there's only so much we can do to mend fences, you know? Sometimes, if you are being treated like crap by someone (especially a friend), you have to protect yourself and decide that you are more valuable than that. This sometimes means making decisions that involve disassociating yourself with someone. Might be something to consider here.[/color]

[color=#707875]I tend to agree with Sciros here. It's absolutely clear that evolution actually exists - you only have to look at the fossil record to see that. But having said that, there are obviously many things about it that mankind doesn't understand. The same can be said of genetics; advances have been made within the last ten years that have dramatically increased our understanding, far beyond what we knew even ten or fifteen years ago. I mean, there are many examples of this. It's the same with the human brain too. There are many things that we know about it, based on research. But at the same time, mankind doesn't yet completely understand how the brain functions (obviously, if we did, we'd be able to cure a lot more brain-related diseases). In regard to what Shinji said, there are some factual errors there. If you look at the fossil record, you'll find that there's plenty of evidence of evolution occurring in many different species (including human beings). This whole "missing link" thing is a bit of a misnoma, in the sense that I think people hinge far too much on it -- it's like saying that if you are missing one link in a clear evolutionary chain with a particular species, your whole theory goes out the window. But for one thing, the fossil record is pretty darn full as it is (and there is clear, irrefutable evidence of species evolving over multiple generations), but moreover, things like carbon dating have helped to further piece that chain together. Part of the problem with discussion about this topic is that many people are ignorant about it. I mean, I find that people who try to refute evolution often misinterpret what is being said about it. Nobody is trying to actually deny the existence of God -- that is a totally seperate issue -- the only thing people are doing, is saying that there are longterm genetic changes that occur from generation to generation. Sciros's comment about people getting taller is a great example; go to a town that is thousands of years old, and you'll often find that doorways are much smaller than they are today, for example. Clearly, genes that have been passed down from generation to generation have created a longterm change/trend. Also, in regard to what Shinji said about evolution related to adaption...if religion teaches us that God put living things here in one state and that they never changed, then religion is wrong in that sense. There are mountains and mountains of scientific data, over more than one hundred years, to refute that. [i]However[/i], we do know that genes pass down from one generation to the next. We know that children take on certain characteristics of their parents, for example. We also know that genetic diseases can be passed down as well, which can create longterm changes. If you were to say that God created living things, with the ability to pass on their genes as they reproduced, then I think you're getting into more plausible territory. In that sense, I think you can have your cake and eat it too. And there are plenty of people in that category. But in terms of evolution itself, like I've said...those who are critical of it [i]generally[/i] do not understand it on any level. This is self-evident, because people who are trained in any kind of medicine must have some knowledge of evolution -- many of these fields of science would not exist without a basis in that knowledge. So...that's all I'd say about it really. Evolution and God [i]do not[/i] have to be mutually exclusive. Even the Catholic church officially recognises that evolution is a reality (and they made this declaration quite some time ago, mind you). I feel that these comments should preface any discussion on evolution, because if you look at previous threads on the subject, people invariably get defensive when there is no need to do so. And in addition, I have never seen anyone post in these threads who knows a great deal about evolution (including me) -- quite often, these threads end up like that one about the Blair Witch movie, and whether or not it was real. In other words, you get a lot of mixed messages, off-topic statements and assumptions presented as fact. So if the discussion is to continue, we must be aware of those factors. And I would urge the Moderators to keep a watch on that sort of thing.[/color]

[color=#707875]If you want to stage battles, the best thing to do would be to use the Battle Arena (located near the bottom of OtakuBoards). But please be aware of the specific rules in Battle Arena, regarding post quality and sparring guidelines.[/color]

[color=#707875]Yeah, there is no actual connection between I, Robot and The Matrix in terms of the movies. But many movies (from Matrix, to Terminator, to 2001) tend to somehow revolve around the idea of machines and/or A.I. versus humans. Of course, each movie has a different specific take on that concept, though. I am just hoping that the movie lives up to the original stories -- it has a great director though, so that is at least a good sign. Edit: Ugh, I thought that this was the original thread, sans-impressions. But Syk3's impressions seem relatively positive, nonetheless. In any event, I'll be checking out the movie whenever it opens here. I am not sure on the date for local release, though.[/color]

[QUOTE=Mad Acer] anyways, I'd say the best moment was when thebubblegumman was drawing all the staffers, he was the ******* man. Combat Carl was also the man. [/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Yes! Good ol' Clay Jones. Very cool guy. We used to chat about Nintendo (and life in general) all the time. I will never forget his awesome comics on theOtaku.com. I spoke to him a few months after he retired from theOtaku...but I haven't seen him in well over a year now. It'd be cool to see him again. I would love to see his comics make a triumphant return on theOtaku.com. ~_^[/color]

[color=#707875]Could you upload your avatar on to OtakuBoards here (as an attachment on your next post), so that I can take a look? It might be a memory or dimensions issue.[/color]

[quote name='Shinken'] If the main character does what he does to himself at the end, how would he manage to go into the past to do so in the first place? [/quote] [color=#707875][spoiler]Because The Butterfly Effect essentially deals with "multiple dimensions", or "multiple universes". So rather than time being on one linear path, there are mutiple strands of time. The idea is a pretty common one, as I've mentioned earlier. Each time the main character does something, it basically creates a new strand of time -- a "what if" scenario. If you remember that episode of The Simpsons, where Homer keeps going back in time with the toaster and doing different things, with different results occurring in the "present"...that's kind of what The Butterfly Effect is doing. So he keeps going back to those same situations and doing things differently, which significantly effects the couse of his life in the future. It's just like mutiple "what if" scenarios.[/color][/spoiler]

[color=#707875]Dragon Warrior might be sexy...but is he sexier than PiroMunkie? I'm not sure. Piro [i]is [/i]pretty sexy, afterall. I think I'm really an undecided voter. You're both going to have to do whatever you can to convince me to support your side. (Oh yeah ~_^) Oh, and, that's a pretty cool animation, Piro. 'bout time someone put the man-with-the-stick in his place. Your avatar and banner is insanely cool, too...as you know.[/color]

[QUOTE=lonewolf228] Same whit metroid the story saves it.(Mostly anyways.......)[/QUOTE] [color=#707875]The story is what saves it? o_O; Metroid Prime is the first game on GameCube to truly make me say "wow" out loud. That is how much of an impact this game has had in general, I think. Whether you're talking about the amazing control system, or the insanely cool levels, or the beautifully intricate aesthetic details...everything about Metroid Prime is dripping with quality. If you can't appreciate the artistry in the game, that's fine. And sure, the story is definitely a major part of it. But Metroid is (and has always been) about exploration and isolation...it's always been about giving you a sense of wonder as you explore alien worlds. It's a very unique game. All you have to do is go back and read the reviews of the game when it was released, to get a sense of how massive MP's impact was in the industry. So yeah, even without a story at all, Metroid Prime is all about good old-fashioned quality gameplay. I'm not sure if you were implying otherwise, but yeah...I'm not sure if the comparison to Final Fantasy is accurate. Metroid Prime definitely wouldn't be repetitive or boring without story. I mean, it's boring if you don't appreciate the extreme detail and love that went into it...but I guess that possibly relates back to what you said anyway. Who knows.[/color]

[color=#707875]The actual concept is really old; there have been a million movies that do the whole "you can't mess with time" thing. But having said that, my opinion on this movie is mixed. The performances were all fine and stuff. And the story was just fine. But somehow, I came out of the movies thinking "Did I really enjoy this movie?" I say that because frankly, I felt quite emotionally drained at the end. [spoiler]No matter what the main character does, he ends up in a bad situation for the most part.[/spoiler] Sure, that's kinda the point -- don't mess with time, you can't change the past, and so on. But still...some aspects of the movie were quite brutal and shocking, at least in terms of what they implied. I think that the acting supported this though; the performances were fairly appropriate. Aston Kutcher (I am probably misspelling his name) was surprisingly good in my view. I've only ever seen him act like a doofus/idiot/funny guy. Seeing him do something serious was pretty refreshing. I think he has potential, in terms of being a pretty serious actor in the future, if that's what he'd like to do. So yeah, it was a while since I've seen it now...and I'd have to see it again to really get that fresh effect from it. In general though, I don't think it was necessarily a [i]bad [/i]movie. It made me [i]feel [/i]bad in some respects. It's like Silent Hill or something -- beautifully crafted game, but it's so scary and traumatic that you wonder if it's really "entertainment" or punishment. ~_^[/color]

[color=#707875]Members cannot delete their own accounts. Only senior staff (Team Leaders, Charles, Justin, Adam and myself) are able to do it. Did you want yours removed? Or did you want a name change?[/color]

[color=#707875][size=2]Okay, I've made my decision on both characters. But before I mention who I've chosen, I want to take some time to critique the entries that I've received. All of you -- without exception -- have put in a massive amount of effort here. So you deserve more than a simple "you're in, you're out" type of response. I'm going to tell you what I liked and what I didn't like about your posts, to give you a good idea of my own thinking. But also, this advice may help you in your future writing efforts. Please note: I'm going to be [b]brutally honest[/b] in my opinions. But the criticism will definitely be [b]constructive[/b]. ~_^ If nothing else, I hope it helps you in your future RPG efforts. [u][b]JJRiddler[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b] I like the idea of a bow and arrow; nice and old fashioned. As for the machete...I'm not so sure. The actual weapon is a cool idea, but the whole rubbery blade thing doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I can't quite imagine how that would look, or if it'd work. [b]Appearance:[/b] Seems logical enough, but there's no attachment. [b]Sample:[/b] All in all, I thought that your sample was "good". It was reasonably well written (though you overused words like "threw" and "thud", which hurt it). I guess the bigger problem I had was that the sample really wasn't doing anything terribly interesting. Hanzo goes and kills a man, the police catch up with him, he speeds away in an Audi and escapes, with the cops thinking he's dead. While I was reading it, it just felt a little dry and it had a sense of "been there, done that". Not to say that the cliches aren't worthwhile, it's just that they probably need really strong writing to support them. In this case, I just felt that everything was "so-so". Good, but not great. I did like your use of the sidebar though. It was good to see that you were the first person to use it (and that you jumped in right away with HTML). [u][b]Zidargh[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b] There are two main points I'd make about this part of your sign-up. The actual weapon is a pretty reasonable idea, but what makes it far more plausible is the philosophy behind the absence of guns -- I particularly liked that aspect. It was definitely a worthy inclusion. [b][b]Appearance[/b]:[/b] I like your description of Hanzo in general. It seems logical, and it seems in-character. Although saying that he seems out of place makes little sense to me, considering that the vast majority of Japanese don't dress like pop-culture icons. Nonetheless, I think it's solid and it works. [b]Sample:[/b] The main thing I liked about your sample was that it related directly to Hanzo's career. I also like the fact that you portrayed Hanzo as a demanding teacher -- not that I was necessarily expecting this, but it came through well. There are a couple of things I disliked though. Firstly, Hanzo says that he's sending another "pawn" to Adam -- bear in mind that Hanzo trains the best assassins in the world. I would imagine that Hanzo-trained assassins were a cut above the rest. Also, at the end he says that his family's disgrace will be ended at this rate. The only problem I have with that is that Hanzo's career itself is what makes him and his father a disagrace to their family name. Whether or not they succeed in their "life of crime" probably doesn't have much bearing on their family's disgrace (other than to make it worse). All in all, it was a pretty good sign-up. Your writing was a little over-complicated at times, which hurt the flow. But I [i]did [/i]like the fact that you referenced Persona and that you attempted to link your character to the main story -- good job there. [u][b]ColourDeaf[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b] Looks pretty adequate to me; doesn't ramble on forever, but includes enough of a description for me to have an idea of what you're talking about. [b]Appearance:[/b] I think that your actual ideas come out really well. The problem is that your writing seems a little bit rushed at times (which I'll elaborate on with your sample). But sometimes the wording comes across quite well. There isn't much more for me to say about the appearance you've chosen; it seems fine enough, other than writing quality issues being there. [b]Sample:[/b] "He rolled the cigarette with the skill of a terminal nicotine addict." - Awesome opening line. Caught my attention immediately. In general, I think that your sample was very well written. You didn't over-describe things, but you also went slightly what was beyond being necessary. I like the fact that Hattori is somewhat philosophical (but also nasty) and I like the fact that he both slapped his victim with the book...and then pointed it at him, as he spoke. Again, you haven't gone into too much detail -- you haven't bogged down the writing. But you've given me a really good impression of how this might look. Of course, like before, I think that you could benefit from touching this up a bit. It'd be nice to see a little bit more care being taken in general -- but that's a somewhat minor complaint. I think that your sign-up works well though. I'm not quite sure that what you included in the left column was so important or relevant to the rest of the post...but, overall, it came across quite well to me. [b][u][b]ReFlux[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] I like the fact that you linked this section with concepts about danger of kidnapping and so on. That was a nice touch -- and it was very logical/relevant. In regard to weapons, pictures would have been fine. Although I appreciate the level of detail here...I think it's unnecessary. In other words, I don't need encyclopedia descriptions of weapons; I only need to know what they look like. It's more important to talk about the relationship between the character and his/her weapons, as opposed to the weapons themselves (although, I do like the information you've included in the sidebar relating to Kyoko and her weapons - that kinda stuff is more what I'm looking for). [b]Appearance:[/b] This section came off as being fairly adequate, although I think there's an unnecessary amount of text here. A more concise approach would have been welcome. [b]Origin of The Daughter:[/b] I didn't ask for this field. So, in writing it, you are kind of taking a significant risk -- I've provided you with some concrete information about this character, so you risk contradicting that (and the stuff included in Volume 1), if you aren't careful. The first problem I noticed was that you mentioned that Yasuo was a white-coloured businessman. I'm not sure if you are implying that he is caucasian, but Yasuo has been portrayed as a Japanese underground figure in Volume 1. So, that's a factual inaccuracy. I like what you've included about Kyoko's mother - that was a positive element. I think it's possible that Kyoko's relationship with her father is overstated a bit, at least in the early stages. I'm also wondering why Adam would kill Kyoko's mother. Also, you mention that Yasuo distanced himself from Kyoko due to concern for her personal safety. Yet, this is the same man that had allowed Adam to rape her as punishment. [b]Sample:[/b] I like the sample you've provided. I think that you've accurately portrayed Kyoko here. At least, you have a strong interpretation of her. The only thing that jumps out at me right now is the title of "Snake Charmer". That is appropriate, but it's lifted directly from Kill Bill, which is something that I don't really want to see. So that would probably have to be changed. In all though, I think that your sample works out quite well. The only thing I'd say in terms of criticism, is that there isn't anything particularly innovative or different here. Of course, I don't want people to innovate just for innovation's sake. But, I think you could have drafted a more original character. Still, having said that, you've definitely provided some significant background to her and you've also attempted to explain why she does what she does. Good stuff. [b][u][/b][/u] [u][b][/b][/u] [u][b][b]Bio[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] Nice photo and a solid reasoning behind the choice. No complaints with this part of it. [b]Appearance:[/b] Not bad. The picture is good and the clothing seems adequate. Although, it would have been nice to see something a little more unique - but nonetheless, I have no major complaints. [b]Sample:[/b] Very nice sample here. Excellent use of the left column; perhaps the best I've seen in the thread. Also, the writing is very clear and well presented -- the good English definitely helps the piece. The only thing is, I finish reading the sample and I kind of wonder who this character is and why they'd want Hanzo to stop dealing with Adam. Understandably, this is just a writing sample though. But I don't know if you had the intention of linking it to the main story or not. The fight was well written, but it could possibly have been a bit more concise (although, I do understand that you've tried to write it from the point of view of a particular character, so what is essentially a "quick fight" would seem longer when we know what the character is thinking at every moment). All-in-all, a solid effort. Great use of the left navigation bar, as mentioned. And I'm especially pleased that you decided to use music. Although, the music you chose...I don't know how appropriate it is for the scene, considering that it's the type of music you'd hear in a bar (and in an American bar, at that). But perhaps I'm just missing something there, which could very well be the case. [b][/b] [b][u][b]Alan[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] The writing here is fine, but I did notice one thing early on; Yasuo died at the hands of Joshua, not Jamie. Not a huge problem, but it all factors in. The logic behind the taser works well (particularly the concept of keeping someone alive), but I'm not sure how relevant it is in a story that is kind of reflecting campy kung fu flicks. The boomerang really stood out to me -- I was thinking "what the hell?" when I first read about it. In some respects, it seems totally nonsensical to me, especially in the context of this story. But on the other hand, I can imagine it making for some awesome battles. The problem with both weapons, though, is that they possibly don't allow for very much "direct fighting" if you know what I mean. The taser is close-range and wouldn't work well against a sword. The boomerang is great at long range -- and [i]possibly [/i]good at close range. But I'm not sure how well it'd work against a sword. Nonetheless, this is a good effort. [b]Appearance:[/b] Pretty good. I like the fact that she has blue eyes. Everything else seems in order, except that Kyoko wouldn't wear a Geisha costume; that's a bit like a crime boss wearing a nun's habit. A Geisha costume is designed for a Geisha, so it isn't something that anyone can wear. Also, Geisha costumes are specifically designed for the individual, and the ornaments in the hair represent the "level" that the Geisha has reached. So, that's just a factual thing -- unless you'd done research on Geisha, you wouldn't know. So that's okay, I just thought I'd point it out, for the sake of the critique. [b]Sample:[/b] This part seems fine to me. You've portrayed her in a very specific way and you've kept it consistent. Fairly good use of English, though there are some grammatical/pacing problems in various places. But it's nothing serious -- the overall piece works pretty well I'd say. I like the fact that you included a car chase of sorts, without going into [i]too [/i]much detail on the driving mechanics. I mean, you kept it based around the narrative, which is good. [b][/b] [b][u][b]Dragon Warrior[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] Seems fine to me. Nice variety and a pretty good reasoning for the weapons you have chosen. [b]Age:[/b] There isn't anything particularly wrong with his age, but he's probably too young. Afterall, Hattori Hanzo is supposed to be the most famous/popular assassin trainer in Japan. A 25 year old is a baby, in relative terms, compared to the people he's training. [b][/b] [b][b]Appearance[/b]:[/b] Asian mobster? The clothing you've described seems very much like an American mobster of the 30's, to me. I'm not sure how appropriate that is for a blade-wielding assassin trainer. I like the inclusion of the eye-patch, even though it's somewhat stereotypical. Overall, not bad -- I [i]can [/i]see it working, but my initial reaction to it makes me think that there are some questionable elements there. [b]Sample:[/b] In general, I felt that your sample was a little too long. Remember that I'm looking for quality of writing, not quantity of writing. The basic elements are quite simple, but in some places I feel that you've been a little over-descriptive. There are also some language issues (ie: "neither" should be "either") and when I read "He had to of since his smile grew more generous than ever before", I had no idea what it meant. I had to re-read it. There are a few lines like that throughout your sample. So those are the more technical points. In terms of substance, there are a few specific things that I found to be niggling. Like for example, the fact that Hanzo has a "holy cross" that makes him feel more confident. I'm not sure how logical that is, considering that this guy is basically a legendary Japanese swordsman. If anything, he'd be shintoist or buddhist, right? Also, in this sample, you have chosen to emphasize Hanzo's skills with a gun - particularly a somewhat proprietary firearm (the umbrella gun idea and so on). Although it's reasonable that an assassin would use guns as well as swords, I'm not sure how suitable that is for Hattori Hanzo himself. I mean, again, this guy is a legendary Japanese swordsman/assassin. While your interpretation isn't entirely unreasonable, I feel that the emphasis isn't quite right in the sample. I'm also not quite sure about Hanzo's obviously-Christian religious leanings, as combined with his profession and his ethnic and cultural origin. I noticed this particularly in the left-column paragraph you included at the end. So, I like what you did with the left column. I think you fleshed things out quite a lot there. But overall, I'm concerned with the fact that it was unnecessarily drawn-out and that you've crafted Hanzo as basically a 30's American mobster, rather than a Japanese assassin trainer. [b][u][b]Mimmi[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] Nice choice of weapons here. It's something feminine, but also something crafty and deadly. Good pictures, too. [b]Appearance:[/b] I think that this section was well written and pretty logical too. [b]Sample:[/b] Very good submission. It wasn't too long; it was concise and to-the-point. It also related directly to an incident that had occurred between The Daughter and Adam. If I had to nitpick, I'd only say that the way you put a space between some punctuation and words (ie: "Question mark like this ?") is very jarring to me. In any other venue, it is fine. But in terms of a story where you want the words to flow nicely, it tends to break my attention "out of the moment", because it isn't correct English. But again, I'm nitpicking (which is what I'm doing with every single submission here). All-in-all, I'm quite impressed by your submission. Also, you used the music correctly and you chose a very appropriate track for this piece. Excellent job on that. [b][u][b]Ouka[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] Nice choice of weapons, and great pictures too. Very good. [b]Appearance:[/b] Very nice description and some great pictures there too. The only part I didn't like was the "cutting" aspect. Maybe I've just been reading too many teen cutting threads in Otaku Lounge. ~_^ [b]Sample:[/b] Quite a good sample. In some places it comes off as being a bit rambly and that can make it a bit confusing at times. But generally I liked it and felt that it was appropriate. The ending was a little weaker than the beginning, but it generally worked pretty well. [b][/b] [b][u][b]Bean[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] You didn't include this field, which was a required field. [b]Appearance:[/b] Same as above. Although you did include a slight description of Kyoko in your sample, but nevertheless, it's a required field. [b]Sample:[/b] I really liked the sample itself. It was well-written and had a strong sense of cohesion about it. The dialogue was also pretty good and pretty relevant/suitable. Your use of the left column was also fairly strong. However, the fact that you submitted your sign-up as an image and [i]not [/i]in HTML...that's a problem. It's a problem because, if you were to post in the RPG, it would be unreasonable to post a giant image every time you want to use HTML. You know? It takes forever to download on a narrowband modem and it doesn't give you the kind of flexibility that HTML provides (ie: linking to a song in the soundtrack and so on). The fact that your sign-up kind of fails/misses so many critical points is worrying. But on the other hand, the sample is concise and very well written. You like putting me in a difficult situation, don't you? [b][u][b]Ben[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] Looks pretty good to me. Plenty of detail and some great pictures. [b]Appearance:[/b] Seems logical enough. [b]Sample:[/b] Good sample; it was great that you included Yasuo and that you provided some further insight into the relationship between himself and Kyoko. I like the fact that you gave Kyoko a reason to be loyal to her father, even though he obviously treated her terribly. So yeah, I was quite happy with this. [b][/b] [b][u][b]Burori[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b][/b] Your choice of weapons was definitely interesting. I can imagine the baseball thing being pretty cool. But I agree that a second weapon is needed; a baseball alone is possibly not aggressive enough. In regard to what you said about Hanzo wanting to go after Adam...it's interesting that you interpreted it that way. I had not pictured Hanzo as being particularly anti-Adam, at least, Hanzo himself had been the man that had trained many who worked for Adam. As we know, Hanzo had a "business relationship" with Adam. But it must be known that I didn't specify whether or not Adam had done Hanzo wrong or anything...so that was open to interpretation. Most people here have suggested that Hanzo was working with Adam and that the pair hadn't really had a falling out. So your interpretation was different, which is good. [b]Appearance:[/b] Unfortunately, none of your images work. So I don't know what he looks like. [b]Sample:[/b] I must point out one clarification here. It was my intention to suggest that Yoichi Hanzo was Hattori Hanzo's [i]father[/i], not his brother. Yoichi was the first to train assassins -- so he was the one that started it all. The suggestion is that this process began a while ago, and that Hattori is merely continuing it to this day. However, I also did mention that Yoichi had two brothers, who did what their parents had wanted them to do. But there's one important fact to note here; Hiroyuki Hanzo is listed as being Hattori's "great great grandfather". This means that Yoichi Hanzo is, by default, Hattori's "great grandfather". So there are two entire generations between Yoichi and Hattori. The fact that you have missed this point kind of tells me that you didn't read the Playable Character page very carefully. And with something like this, coming in halfway on an RPG...that's kinda a problem. Anyway, the actual piece was relatively good. The writing could defintiely be tightened up in some places, but overall I think it was a good effort. If you take anything from this critique, let it be the knowledge that reading the sign-up form thoroughly is really important. Mostly, you probably won't be dealing with something that is quite as elaborate as this RPG. However, this RPG's story isn't terribly complex; some RPGs on here have insane amounts of detail (Piro's Brave Fencer RPG comes to mind), and these RPGs really require that their participants remain aware of everything that is going on. [b][u][b]Malkav[/b][/u] [b]Weapon of Choice[/b]:[/b] I really like the fact that you've coloured the information about her weapon with references to popular rumors and so on. The fact that she's named her sword, and that it all relates back to her own personality is a cool element. [b]Appearance:[/b] One thing that struck me here was the mention of a suit. And immediately, I began thinking of the Crazy 88 and the suits in Reservoir Dogs. I don't know if you intended to make this connection, but it works to your favor. I can imagine Kyoko dressing like one of the gangsters in Reservoir Dogs, in terms of the actual suit...with the trenchcoat over the top. Combine that with her blonde hair and blue eyes (which would look very startling on a Japanese girl), and you have a pretty unique and frightening character. Cool stuff. [b]Sample:[/b] This was a really cool sample, plain and simple. In some cases, I was a bit iffy about dialogue...but like every critique I am making here, these criticisms are an exercise in nit-picking. So what did I like specifically? Well, I liked the fact that her relationship with Chiaki was more than just a "lesbian love affair". In general, I think it's easy to make a female character a lesbian, if you want to inject shock value. However, you have approached this in a very unique way. You have attempted to add some depth to this relationship, by essentially portraying Kyoko as an abusive spouse; she's someone with a very loving side, who appreciates beauty...but she is also a terrifying human being at times. Even those closest to her cannot trust her at all times. And, she doesn't come across as being "crazy for crazy's sake" -- she isn't crazy as such; her behavior is based on her history and the relationship with her father. It's almost like she has a severe insecurity, because she hates not being in control and she wants to kind of [i]force [/i]Chiaki to love her and be loyal. You could say that she is repeating her father's mistakes, which is highly appropriate for the story. I had also pictured Kyoko as being a wildcard of sorts -- quiet at one moment, crazed the next. But not only that; I had imagined that she wouldn't necessarily be strictly "anti-Adam". Of course, she [i]is [/i]anti-Adam...but she's also against anyone who would appear to be taking away her power, or posing any kind of a threat to her. I can see her being a very interesting character. So, now for the moment of truth. ~_^ [center][/size][i][font=Verdana][size=2]Malkav is[/size][/font][/i][/center] [center][font=Verdana][size=4]"THE DAUGHTER"[/size][/font][/center] [center][i][font=Verdana][size=2][/size][/font][/i] [/center] [center][i][font=Verdana][size=2]ColourDeaf is[/size][/font][/i][/center] [center][font=Verdana][size=4]HATTORI HANZO[/size][/font][/center] [font=Verdana][size=2] [/size][/font] [left][font=Verdana][size=2]And there you have it.[/size][/font][/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2][/size][/font] [/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2]At this point, I want to ask [b]all[/b] participants of Kill Adam to tell me what links they'd like me to put up on the cast links page at the official site. You can have maybe four or five links to whatever you like (your myO, your own personal site, or any other site).[/size][/font][/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2][/size][/font] [/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2]Please PM me so that I can create a list of links to go up there. [/size][/font][/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2][/size][/font] [/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2]Congrats to those who got in. To those who didn't, you should all know that your sign-ups were amazing and that in the end, it came down to the little things that really stood out.[/size][/font][/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2][/size][/font] [/left] [left][font=Verdana][size=2]I hope that my little critiques help you in some form and I hope that you enjoyed writing your sign-ups. ^_^[/size][/font][/color][/left]

[QUOTE=Mad Acer]That ****'s ****** up and you all know it is. I always make fun of them. I don't know if it's right, but I don't care.[/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Aw, and you were being so well-behaved lately, too. I think the old rule applies; if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Pretty simple. OtakuBoards doesn't allow for pointless baiting/flaming/etc. Let's use our brains, people. If you don't like the topic, don't participate.[/color]

[quote name='Burori']Anime League. Remeber the five somewhat sparrers that flooded the threads with bio's that neverended almost. Man was that funny to watch heat up.[/quote] [color=#707875]Oh. I don't remember that. When did it happen? I assume a Moderator/Team Leader cleaned it up over time, 'cause I never heard about it. But then again, I don't frequent BA.[/color]

[quote name='G/S/B Master][color=slategray][size=1][font=Century Gothic]Why was Zeh/Tasis banned? That was the one moment that I missed :(. I looked through his posts and saw nothign wrong... Hmm.[/font][/size'][/color][/quote] [color=#707875]He was doing mean things to members. That's all I'll say; I'm sure the guy is rehabilitated now.[/color] [quote name='Burori']Do you mean AL or AE? If you meant AE then let us not forget that funny time when AL flooded the Battle arena with posts that took three sections to fill lol. Took a good month to clean all that up... Ah memories.[/quote] [color=#707875]What is "AL"? It's funny that OtakuBoards has such a rich history. Version 7 has had a more "grown up" atmosphere...which has meant that we don't get many colourful things happening anymore. Well, nothing [i]bad [/i]anyway -- the only truly interesting stuff these days involves the big RPGs and the various debates, competitions, etc... Although, that guy who posted the gory images...I think he has left a mark for some of us. But it's definitely not something I will ever look back on as being funny/interesting. Actually, it's quite cruel to allow people to unwittingly see stuff like that (especially if it's something they really don't want to see). Ah well. Thankfully the vast majority of the members weren't subjected to that. And I'm glad -- no kids/teens should be witness to that kind of stuff.[/color]