2023 | Otaku No Culture | Page 33 Of 61

Decarnation and Dealing with Gloria’s Inner Demons Coming to Life…

The colourful visuals, juxtaposed with Decarnation’s unsettling themes, create a pervasive sense of unease and dread.

Now available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

Decarnation, developed by Atelier QDB and published by Shiro Unlimited, takes players to the vibrant setting of Paris in 1990. The game follows Gloria, a cabaret dancer who finds herself at a turning point in her life, grappling with deteriorating relationships, a struggling career, and dwindling self-esteem. However, her fortunes change when she receives an intriguing offer from a mysterious benefactor. Is this proposal her long-awaited lucky break, or something far more sinister?

This game invites players to explore both real and mental environments as you uncover details that shed light on the intricate web of Gloria’s life. The game weaves some heavy themes such as depression, aging, and self-worth into the narrative to create a compelling mosaic of how complex life can be when faced with significant changes.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Reflections on Season One Before The Debut of Two

In Canada, Star Trek Strange New Worlds is now available on #homevideo and we can binge watch and offer some analysis on it!

Star Trek Strange New Worlds Season One 4K Sleeve — **Pick up Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Amazon USA**

Season Two Begins on June 15, 2023

Arriving just in time before the season two debut of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the 4K release of season one! It got delayed in Canada, but for those wanting to get caught up before the broadcast of the next season on Paramount Prime, now’s the time!

In what I am preparing for is to remind myself of the continuing story arcs that matter, which also includes what’s happening with Mr. Spock and T’Pring. While that relationship is official, just what this science officer feels for Nurse Chapel has been something of an unusual thorn. I can’t wait to see where this love triangle goes in season two. While “Spock Amok” is a precursor to the penultimate “Amok Time,” just what his feelings are is uncertain. And there’s a lot to read into this update to Spock’s Journey (Ethen Peck). To borrow upon a popular song title, People are Strange, indeed.

However, the real standout is “The Elysian Kingdom.” It’s very familiar, where not only Star Trek’s “Metamorphosis” may have provided the inspiration for its genesis but also there’s Deep Space 9’s “Rumpelstiltskin,” where energy beings are wandering the galaxy and giving hope to those wanting their dreams fulfilled. Had there been a director’s commentary, I’m sure what’s said might suggest a connection and evolution of this cloud entity! What I offer are merely guesses, especially when concerning a series that likes to connect the dots more often than not. Continue reading “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Reflections on Season One Before The Debut of Two”

How Many Super Mario Bros. Movie Home Video Varients Are There?

Now on #homevideo is Illumination Entertainment and #Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Movie! And we got the deets on the extras.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime
For a detailed movie review, please check out our review here.

The best way to power-up with the home video release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is to check online for which outer package looks best on the shelf. There are steelbook editions (featuring Toad on the case; Best Buy), lenticular packaging (Target) and even a star-shaped tin (Walmart, online only). Unfortunately, it doesn’t light up otherwise I would’ve had it on preorder once I knew about it.

There might also be regional variants, but for me, when all I want is the motion picture and the bonus features, the standard 4K and Blu-ray issue holds.

I’m sure that when the planned series is over with, there’ll be a mega set in the shape of the golden power up box or Zelda’s chest. Nintendo is now developing the latter with Illumination Entertainment. That’ll be exciting, and it’s safe to say these properties won’t cross over! After these two flagship titles are out, along with the much anticipated Yoshi and perhaps also Starfox, an ultimate release is what I’m patiently waiting for. Fans of long running IPs never grow tired of playing or watching their favourite heroes embark on new adventures.

Super Mario Bros. Movie Walmart Tin

Alternatively, had all the Super Mario Bros. releases included a coupon code for Nintendo owners to redeem, I’d be tempted to collect them all. Whether what’s offered by doing so is enough for a discount for a videogame or a digital wallpaper is ultimately up to Nintendo to decide.

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When Worlds Collide in Heroes of the Golden Mask Proves to be a Headscratcher

Here’s hoping the animated take, Heroes of the Golden Maskm will inspire John Wilson to finish his book series that insired the film.

Heroes of the Golden Mask Movie Poster When the only people who can save Ancient China are the Heroes of the Golden Mask, and one of them has fallen, who else can the royal family turn to? Apparently, it’ll take bringing a Yankee to the Imperial Court to fill in the gap! Curiously, this world also needs the assistance of a Mayan warrior and a soldier from Atlantis too. The big question I had was to wonder why a film that’s set in this past would feature warriors from other cultures?

I’m sure Chinese producers were happy that a novel exists to explore how the masks discovered in Sanxingdui might have been used, but to toss in ideas taken from many Ancient Alien theories–including that all these past cultures communicated with one another–is mystery. Anyone who’s seen the exhibit might make this connection too. Maybe that’s what original author John Wilson penned when writing his book, The Ruined City (The Golden Mask Book 1, Amazon link). I haven’t read it, but after watching this film, I definitely want to pick up a copy.

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Transformers. When The Rise of the Beasts Must Help and More Than Meets the Unicron!

Just how much of a threat are The Rise of the Beasts, or should that be Maximals vs Unicron? #transformers #moviereview #hasbro

Transformers Rise of the Beasts Movie Poster Paramount Pictures

Ever since I saw Transformers The Movie back in 1986, my love for Unicron only grew! To learn that he’s the big threat in Rise of the Beasts only got me excited, and since I knew this ancient threat is tough to take down, some new warriors must be borne!

In the original, various Cybertronian factions worked together to sever this giant’s link to his robotic self. As a result, his spirit would always linger. His head looms over Cybertron as a reminder of how he simply lays sleeping. To bring some of that omnipresence in Rise of the Beasts is a highlight and Steven Caple Jr. certainly delivers what we both adored from the animated film!

However, to show just how nasty this intergalactic level threat truly is can be tough. Short of using artificial intelligence to bring Orson Welles’ voice back, Colman Domingo has big shoes to fill! What’s presented is very satisfactory. But to show why he matters to the Maximals, the new robot guardians of the peace, is part-way explained, even though it breaks the original canon.

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Danger, Danger, Miles Morales! There’s Trouble All Across the Spider-Verse!

Not everyone will have watched Marvel’s What If series which explains how many worlds exist in Across the Spider-Verse, and one nexus point concerns Miles Morales and canon events which define the foundation of how this omniverse continues.

Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Movie Poster To answer the joke of what happens when one Spider-Man disappears from the multiverse, another version will simply take his place! Across the Spider-Verse, just how many of this hero we meet requires putting the film on pause and counting every iteration presented to audiences! That’s what I wanted to do when this action got really baffling, and this movie is not just about Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore).

Well, technically, it is about this version and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld). Both are having daddy issues. Regarding what these two have to measure up to is what parents want for their kids. This angle is at the heart of the film, and it’s wonderfully defined when they finally have the talk.

And there’s also all that glitz which makes watching this film a pop culture explosion of Andy Warhol, Leonardo da Vinci and many other post-modern artists put into a blender. But the range of styles don’t end there. There’s flourishes of Norman W. Marsh’s Detective Dan and much more. To name all the artistic influences would be tough, and I’m certain that amongst all the names who have drawn the wall-crawler, I’m still searching for a moment Todd McFarlane’s signature style is splashed all over.

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