Anarchy In The Galaxy

Saturday, July 4, 2015

25 Days of Jojo’s - #22: Josuke Higashikata

(Fair warning: there will be spoilers abound in this series of posts, as I find there are major moments that define some of these characters late in their respective story arcs. So in the event that you have not yet read/watched a particular part of the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure storyline, you may wish to skip over certain entries.)

#22 - Josuke Higashikata: Despite all the Jojo’s of their respective parts taking center stage during the late teenage years or early twenties, Josuke is the only one to carry on a relatively normal teenage life during his story arc. A high school student living with his mother in the small town of Morioh, Josuke has grown up without a father, and gets into scuffles with any of his peers who would dare insult his prominent pompadour. At the same time, however, Josuke is mature beyond his years, preferring to talk rather than fight whenever possible, and acting as a sort of culmination of big brother, mentor, and good friend to his pals and allies, Koichi Hirose and Okuyasu Nijimura. He is the ringleader of Morioh’s would-be heroes and super sleuths, and his very existence is what brings Jotaro Kujoh to the town.

Unbeknowst to Josuke, he is part of the Joestar bloodline, being the son of Joseph Josetar. Their meeting is a bit uneasy at first, with Josuke feeling as though he has been abandoned by his father for years, but later feeling some sympathy towards the now aging and senile Joseph. Josuke certainly could have let his emotions get the better of him, could have held his grudge for the remainder of the search for local serial killer Yoshikage Kira. But instead he shows compassion and spends what time he can afford getting to know relatives Joseph and Jotaro.

Above all else, Josuke Higashikata is unquestionably among the most sincere and soft-hearted of the major protagonists, which seems to reflect positively on nearly everyone he encounters in Morioh. Local mangaka Rohan Kishibe, in all his brooding egotism, reluctantly lends his services to the search, and Yukako Yamigishi, a girl who was initially introduced as an antagonist with an unhealthy obsession over Koichi, discovers a sense of normalcy as well as friendship through the actions of Josuke and company. It only makes sense, then, that Josuke’s Stand, Crazy Diamond, is bestowed with powers of restoration, able to repair broken objects as swiftly as it can pummel them to bits.

Friday, July 3, 2015

25 Days of Jojo’s - #23: Robert Edward O. Speedwagon

#23 – Robert Edward O. Speedwagon: Speedwagon’s tale is something of a tragedy, considering that the success of his scientific and industrial organization, the self-titled Speedwagon Foundation, is not visibly apparent until after his death. Employees of the Speedwagon Foundation assist in nearly every part of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure post-Phantom Blood, helping to decipher the mysteries of the Pillar Men in Battle Tendency, airlifting Iggy to aid the Stardust Crusaders, and seeing that Noriaki Kakyoin receives the best possible medical attention following the injuries he sustained from his fight with N’Doul and his Stand, Geb. The Speedwagon Foundation even plays an integral role in combating Father Pucci’s schemes during the events of Stone Ocean.

Yet, for all the great work the Speedwagon Foundation has accomplished, it would be nothing without the man who started it. From humble beginnings as a street urchin who forged a deep level of respect for Jonathan Joestar and Will Zeppeli, to an aging bachelor who has sworn an oath of secrecy to Lisa Lisa regarding her past, Speedwagon is – above all else – a loyal ally and friend to the Joestar family. Speedwagon may not be the bravest fellow, and he may lack the mystic skills mastered by other major players in Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency, but the impact he has on the story at large aid heroes born after his time in ways both small and large.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

25 Days of Jojo’s - #24: Iggy

#24 – Iggy: The most reluctant member of the Stardust Crusaders, Iggy is captured in the alleys of New York City by the Speedwagon Foundation due to his exceptionally powerful, if not simplistic, Stand made of sand, The Fool. Iggy displays a general lack of desire to be in Egypt with Jotaro, Kakyoin, Joseph, and Avdol, but goes out of his way on more than a few occasions to terrorize Polnareff, ripping out large chunks of his hair and farting in his face. The two develop a comedic antagonistic relationship, and the only encouragement Iggy appears to have in staying with the Stardust Crusaders for the majority of their journey is coffee-flavored chewing gum, which he gleefully devours anytime it is offered to him.

However, following his intense near-death battle with Pet Shop, Iggy finds a reason to fight alongside the Stardust Crusaders, and vows to help stop Dio, if for no other reason than he is angry that the villain's winged guard gave him so much trouble. Upon entering Dio’s mansion, Iggy begins to follow the advice that Avdol and Polnareff give him, actually strategizing in this dangerous building instead of running off and doing whatever he pleases. While Iggy does ultimately perish in a battle with Vanilla Ice, he does manage to help expose the villain’s weaknesses, and saves Polnareff’s life so that he can continue on to fight Dio with Jotaro and the others.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

25 Days of Jojo’s - #25: Foo Fighters

This month I will be running a sort of ‘Christmas in July’ special series of articles. Much like with my holiday season posts, these will be delivered once per day, for the next twenty-five days, and will focus on my twenty-five personal favorite characters in the entirety of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, from the start of Phantom Blood up to the most current chapter of Jojolion. Fair warning: there will be spoilers abound in this series, as I find there are major moments that define some of these characters late in their respective story arcs. So in the event that you have not yet read/watched a particular part of the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure storyline, you may wish to skip over certain entries. With all the formalities out of the way, let’s begin with the twenty-fifth character on the list, Foo Fighters!

#25 – Foo Fighters: One of the more curious creations in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Foo Fighters is a Stand that formed out of the collective consciousness of a group of Plankton. With Pucci’s ability to seal Stands within compact discs, he opts to repurpose one of them as something of an experiment, which results in the creation of Foo Fighters. However, after a brief scuffle with Jolyne Kujoh and Ermes Costello, Foo Fighters realizes it does not have to do as Pucci desired simply because it had been instructed to do so. Foo Fighters then inhabits the body of a deceased inmate, and starts going by the shortened ‘F.F.’, developing a curious, child-like personality, but never sacrificing its ferocity in combat or determination to aid its friends.

Foo Fighters is frequently seen carrying a water bottle, drinking from it to keep its plankton makeup hydrated and healthy. Her personality walks a fine line between comedic relief and more-than-capable ally to Jolyne, Ermes, Weather Report, Emporio Alnino, and Narciso Anasui. Though Foo Fighters ultimately perishes shortly after escaping the Green Dolphin Street Prison with her friends, she is able to heal Anasui and help ensure their plans to revive Jotaro and Star Platinum are not halted. Despite Jolyne's insistence that they could recreate Foo Fighters, F.F. states that it would not be the same version of 'her', that she has memories all her own, and is glad to have lived to meet such great friends.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

3DS review: Animal Crossing: New Leaf

With each release that followed the Gamecube title, the Animal Crossing titles felt, to me, at least, more of expansions on a preexisting core game than full-fledged ‘new’ games. Animal Crossing: New Leaf follows this design of being more evolutionary than revolutionary, but makes a number of noteworthy strides that places it in territory well ahead of its predecessors. One of the most distinct changes is made apparent within the first ten minutes of gameplay – that, of course, being the degree of control players have over the design of their town. While the horizontal main street to the north will always play host to the museum, convenience store, clothing shop, post office, and other frequently-visited buildings, players can select from a handful of predetermined map layouts that will alter the position of the local river, the natural ramps that lead down to the beach, and the mayor’s office.

Once the geography of the town is determined, players can select just about any plot of land to claim for their own house, provided it fits the dimensions required for eventual expansions. From there, players assume the role of the town’s mayor, a responsibility which local secretary Isabelle assures the player is no mistake. As mayor, players have the ability to select construction projects recommended by their animal neighbors, ranging from new bridges, to a lighthouse, to a campground for temporary visitors, and even expansions and renovations to previously existing places on the main street hub north of town.

It is true that each previous Animal Crossing game placed heavy emphasis on understanding your town’s economy, and the worth of individual items in terms of both sales and application to your home or neighborly friends. However, everything in New Leaf costs money, from the more obvious clothing and furniture purchases, to expanding your home, to completing construction projects, to disposing of the odd boot or tin can that is reeled in from the river. It makes the early game more of a crawl than a walk, but a few days later and the game grants you all the freedoms of the previous games and then some. New Leaf adopts the same cartoonish proportions and bright colors of its predecessors, and the soundtrack is simply stated, but it certainly isn’t a game that is lacking in charm.

Whereas in previous Animal Crossing titles, the island was home to one unique inhabitant, New Leaf alters it purpose, offering tours as well as exotic fruits, insects, and sea creatures that can earn you more impressive financial returns than most of what can be caught within the villages. While the familiar fishing rod, shovel, axe, and bug net are present, so are watering cans to keep flowers healthy, slingshots to shoot down uncommon balloon-carried gifts, a stopwatch, and a megaphone. As a reward for catching a high number of fish and insects, the game even offers fishing rods and bug nets of particular colors that indicate the current completion status of your checklist.

As is only to expected, this latest entry offers a decent number of new neighbors and furniture sets on top of the preexisting pool of options. There are, however more outlets through which you can acquire different home decorations. You can also influence which neighbors stay in your town versus which ones move out with relative ease. Above all else, this Animal Crossing title makes the fruits of your labor more visibly obvious, with your town gradually transforming from a basic series of houses set in a forested area to a more fully-functional community with outdoor decorations and major landmarks.

Whether a result of hardware limitations or a general lack of inspired direction, the online components of both the DS’ Wild World and the Wii’s City Folk seemed half-baked. New Leaf, however, pushes the communal multiplayer aspect in directions that feel natural and fluid with the single player experience. In short, Animal Crossing: New Leaf makes a few tweaks here and there to offer more user-friendliness, adds enough new elements to stand out over its predecessors, and offers a full package that feels the part of a proper sequel to the Gamecube title that first introduced North American gamers to the series.

My rating: 8.5 (out of 10)