Popcultureoverdosed - Popculture Overdose - Tumblr Blog

Jojolands Chapter 2 Review- The Japanese Man on Hawaii Island

This chapter has a slower pace than the previous one but still brings up some interesting tidbits that will surely be developed on. Chapter two begins with Jodio conducting a drug trade with a college girl, but he's suspicious about her true nature. Those suspicions turn out to be true when she reveals herself as an undercover cop. Jodio and Paco are busted and even more surprising is the return of two cops from the first chapter. I'm surprised Jodio didn't kill them despite how bloodlusted he was. A small piece of dialogue even implies he intentionally didn't kill them. I also find it weird they made a complete recovery in seemingly only a few days after they got brutalized so badly.

It's like everyone in Jojo has weird regeneration superpowers that never get commented on. The mustached cop is back to being the creepy bastard he is by telling Jodio how much he's looking forward to molesting him. Araki must be extra wild in this part cause this is two consecutive chapters of sexual assault right off the bat. Jodip doesn't let the cops phase him and he simply uses November Rain to wash away the drugs on hand.

We get a small scene where Jodio thinks back to the time he took a psychological evaluation at school and was diagnosed as a psychopath. This makes me extra confident he'll end up being a villain near the end of the series. Jodio is the most cold-blooded Joestar and has no remorse for what he does. His actions are even viler from a Japanese perspective which has a huge stigma against drugs. Either Jodio will realize he's a bastard and have a change of heart or go completely off the deep end. I'm excited to see either scenario play out cause it was be disappointing to have him remain the thug that he is.

Remember that crazy hotdog-loving wetsuit-wearing drug addict from before? He has a name and it's Usagi Aloha'oe. Usagi certainly stands out the most from the other characters due to his quirky yet laid-back personality and weird fashion sense( it's Jojo so that's not saying much but still). The gang travels to where the Japanese tourist lives and that's when Usagi pops out his stand: Matte Kudasai. I at first thought this was a rare Japanese song reference but it's actually from King Crimson. A King Crimson reference in an alternate universe version of Golden Wind? I'm calling it now, if Jodio doesn't turn evil then Usagi will turn out to be a traitor. I'm only half serious but it would be interesting for there to be a traitor in part when that was originally supposed to be Fugo's role. Matte Kudasai has the interesting ability of cloning an object if another person wishes for it. I love how everyone has stands perfectly suited to pulling off a heist. Even Jodio's stand can be used to wash away evidence and makes me think he'll serve as a crime scene cleaner.

At the tail end of this chapter comes quite possibly the biggest plot twist introduced in the sbr universe continuity. The Japanese tourist is none other than Rohan Kisbe! I can not exaggerate how unexpected this was. This may be an alternate universe Rohan but he looks exactly like his original universe self; something unprecedented among the other counterparts. This being the original Rohan would be even more insane yet fun. Rohan being in the new universe could explain why newer Thus spoke Rohan chapters are set in modern times despite that conflicting with part 4's setting. If that's the case, this is some Oda-level foreshadowing from Araki. I seriously hope Rohan met up with Josuke and Yasuho during the time skip. This could set them up to be heroic antagonists who face off against Jodio's gang. The drama just keeps getting better.

Jojolands Chapter 1 Review- The Mechanism

If someone had told me a few months ago that part 9 would be GTA with stands, I'm not sure if I would laugh or just dance with joy. Probably both. Jojolands  is already off to a strong start with probably the best first chapter out of any part. Readers quickly get introduced to Jodio and their sibling Dragona getting accosted by police that then delves into sexual assault. Jodio doesn't tolerate this at all and he breaks out his stand to wreck some havoc. November Rain is the name of the stand and it appears that he can manipulate water to create crushing raindrops. That's a cool ability but seems way too cut and dry for a protagonist stand. It's probably just an application of its true ability. 

Jodio is without a doubt the most amoral Joestar thus far. He has no issue with severely beating cops(potentially killing them), stealing cars, and selling drugs to teens. All of this establishes him as a weird alternate universe counterpart to Giorno. Jodio's ruthlessness will take some getting used to so I'm hoping he eventually gets character development that makes him more noble. He's a cool guy but very punchable at the same time. Kinda like how Johnny was at the beginning of part 7. He also seems to be very hedonistic since he wants to get rich simply for the sake of it. He's a true gangster at heart. I also want to talk about Dragona who's easily the biggest highlight of the chapter. Despite their feminine appearance, Jodio calls them his brother. Jodio monologues how Dragona has always been into women's fashion and even got injections to expand their breaststroke. This implies Dragona could possibly be trans or nonbinary. The original Japanese version doesn't even use gendered pronouns to address them but all three translations( you know a manga is hyper when three different people translate it) uses male pronouns. I feel that using gender neutral pronouns for now is the wisest decision. I'm curious to see where Dragona's gender identity will lead but then again, Araki is infamous for never elaborating on important plot points. Here's to hoping he doesn't screw them over.

Near the middle to end of the chapter we are introduced to the primary objective: stealing a 24 carat blue diamond from a Japanese tourist. To assist in this mission they are joined by Paco, a kleptomaniac with some seriously sticky fingers and an unnamed character in a wetsuit who buys drugs from Jodio. Yeah, this part has a lot going on for it. It fills me with excitement just imagining how this heist will play out. The narration implies things will go horribly wrong and piques my interest even more. It's important to not that all the stands seen thus far are non-humanoid and only Jodio was one suited for combat. This makes me believe there'll be an even lesser focus on battles than in Jojolion and will focus more on tactical espionage. It's a fun change of pace but I'm seriously missing  the powerhouse stand battles we used to get. Overall, Jojolands is destined to be a captivating new installment of JoJo.

Sayonara Shinjuku

The girl stood on the edge of the skyscraper. Her heart was etched in darkness like the night sky above. She looked down upon the apathetic citizens of Shinjuku as they went about their boring lives.

Salarymen rushing to catch the last train.

Drunken vagrants hassling for change.

Nightwalkers bringing their clients into love hotels.

" What a drag." She muttered.

Up until a week ago, her life was normal.

Up until a week ago, she had no reason to die.

But now?

Her feet were almost off the edge.

Her body balance was supported only by her heels.

" Goodbye Shinjuku. I don't need you anymore and I'm sure you feel the same way about me. Oh. I'm sure you won't be missed either." The girl said while staring at her stomach.

The father discarded them with a callousness she thought impossible. He had fed her so many expert lies about love and commitment. She dutifully kept their relationship secret from students and faculty just like he insisted. "They're jealous of our love. They'll try to tear us apart," he told her.

She thought she was doing right by her lover. He repaid her affection with bruise marks and crumpled dollar bills. The girl wondered if she would make it on the news after this. That would make it impossible for her to be ignored. An ideal ending.

With one final step, her body plummeted.

The lights and sounds of the city all became a blur.

In a moment, she would become red splatter.

She'd be forgotten by the next morning.

No more regrets.

No more bitter sentiments.

All she had left were the memories of one week prior.

Remembering what was Lost: My Dragalia Lost Experience

My time with Dragalia Lost wasn't as long as I wished it could be. I knew about the game since its launch, but my low quality phone at the time made it almost impossible to play. It felt like a tragedy since the concept of forging bonds with dragons pulled me in like everyone else. It wasn't until the fall of last year I played the game consistently after upgrading my phone. For a while, it seemed like I found my daily routine. I'd login every day for daily challenges, linger on the main menu to hear my units chat it up, fall in love with adventurer stories, and bob my head to epic boss music. All was going well until news of the end of service struck the community.

To say we were all shocked is a huge understatement. An important part of our lives was about to join the graveyard of forever lost video games. With news of Dl's impending doom, I was forced to reflect on my experience with the title and came to a surprising conclusion: Dragalia Lost is easily one of my favourite games of all time.

I don't usually talk about video games on this blog, but Dragalia Lost holds a special place in my heart for being the most fun I've had with a mobile game. It hit all of that boxes that other gacha games struggle to keep up with.

It's impossible to talk about DL Without mentioning Daoko. Whether players are chilling on the home screen, slaying a deadly boss or summoning beloved units, Daoko's pop vocals are bound to be heard. Even some of the instrumental tracks are remixes of her other songs. Her songs fit the game perfectly as they invoke the feeling of a light-hearted and fun-filled adventure. The pop score helps DL stand out from other games which usually use European orchestral music. It gives the game an oddly fitting contemporary atmosphere. Ryusei Toshi and CRASHER remain iconic tunes that gets players into the thrill of a good ol' boss battle.

While on the topic of the sound department, the English voice acting deserves special mention. Ocean Productions was in charge of the voices and that makes DL an incredibly rare case of a Canadian dubbed anime game. Each voice was a breath of fresh air that fit the characters like a glove. Special mention goes to Brian Drummond as Zhu Baije, Tabitha St Germain as Althemia, Richard Ian cox as Ranzal, and Mark Oliver as Hawk.

My only complaint is that the English audio lacks fully voiced dialogue. That could've gone a long way to making the game more immersive.

Pokemon TCG artist Naoki Saito brought his A game with the art design. Most of the characters have highly rememberable designs done in a vibrant pop art style. Character portraits were always a delight to look at due to how much they popped out on the screen. Each adventurer has a unique appearance highly distinct from each other and full of personality. The fun expressive style really added to the Saturday morning cartoon feel of the game. The user interface also has a nice sleek look to it that made navigating menus anything but a chore. While the chibi graphics can seem overly minimalistic at first, that simplicity prevents the game from feeling dated and instead gave it everlasting appeal.

It may seem disingenuous to review a game without mentioning gameplay but there's not much I can say in that department. DL's isometric action RPG style made it stand out from other games on the market even with its very limited attack system. It wasn't the most immersive combat system I've experienced, but it always kept me back for more and never left me bored.

The implementation of skip tickets and auto-loop was a godsend for grinding and made it overall stress-free. I didn't have to waste hours of time just to upgrade a single character. Just hit the auto button and step away from the phone for a while. Seriously, more games need to follow this method instead of making maxing out units so tiresome. The Co-op raid battles also deserve special mention since it was so fun seeing strangers come together to beat a particularly arduous boss. There were several times I relied on Co-op to clear stages because the difficulty is no joke at times. This was especially true for the MARVELOUS final boss Xenos which can easily last half an hour. Now that's how you go out with a bang.

Last but certainly not least is the story. It starts off simple enough with Euden performing his princely duty of forming a dragonpact; the main draw of the game. Then the game added layers of complexity with Zethia's dark doppelganger and the King's sudden evil disposition. The carefree prince now has to save his kingdom from his treacherous family with an even greater threat looming in the background. The beginning of rbe story was a bit slow at first, but there were enough plot twists and burning questions to keep me fully invested. I so was not prepared for the time travel shenanigans and social commentary on classism/privilege the mid-game story brought.

And that's only what the main campaign brings to the table. Dragalia has several event stories that heavily build on the robust lore and characterization players love so much. Certain events like Faith Forsaken, Fractured Futures and Advent of the Origin even serve as epilogues to plot points made in the main story. I will admit that there were FAR too many beach themed events for my liking. This game had great slice-of-life moments but it'll be too soon if I ever see another beach adventure in a mobile game.

Finally, it would be irremissible of me not to mention the vocabularian localization provided by 8-4. Character dialogue is stuffed to the gills with personality and colloquialisms you wouldn't expect from this game at first glance. It's guaranteed you learned a few new vocab words after playing the game. Seriously, some of these characters talk like they eat thesaurus' for breakfast. That's when they're too busy spouting meme worthy dialogue at least.

Dragalia may be lost, but I'll never forget the incredible memories I made along the way.

Magical Girl Raising Project Volume 1 Review : Dare to be Magical

Magical girls sure have it rough these days. It seems like gory death battles and agonizing despair is all they ever find themselves in. That's what schoolgirl Koyuki Himekawa learns after her favorite app game turns her into a real magical girl.

The concept of magical girls in a death game was something that immediately hooked me because it involved two genres I love. There are not enough dark Mahou shojo stories in the world and it's incredibly rare to have one as a light novel. The greatest strength of mgrp is the fact it's written from multiple perspectives. This allows readers to see how each girl copes with their grim reality and feel suspense as alliances and betrayals are born. Cranberry became my favorite character due to her sadistic lust for battle and expert use of her sound manipulation magic. La Pucelle is a close second due to his heroic bravery.

It would be impossible to talk about the characters without mentioning their stunning designs and creative abilities. Artist Maruino brought out her A game with her eye-catching costume designs. Ripple has a weird ninja/swimsuit fusion going on and Hardgore Alice looks like a gothic doll. Their abilities are also unique compared to the usual superpowers you see in fiction. Weiss' ability to conjure walls anywhere stood out for being surprisingly more useful than you'd expect.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel despite already watching the anime twice. The prose is written in a concise style that made reading a brisk experience free of filler. This brisk writing style leads to the story's main weakness of the fights being far too short. The battles often end as soon as they begin while the characters get killed off before readers get to know them. One fight happened entirely offscreen which I found to be sloppy writing. Later novels in the series thankfully rectify this by adding more details and characterization.

I definitely recommend this series for any reader in a battle royale or magical girl.

Verdict- Recommended. Stay magical.

Don't forget to watch video review of juni taisen on YouTube

We are Water Protectors picture book

Review

I stumbled upon this book in the best way possible. I was strolling through the park basking in the nature when I saw that my library was doing a story walk. It was my first exposure to a story walk and its such a brilliant idea. Each page of this book was displayed around the park walking trail.

This picture book is less of a story and more of a call to action. It informs readers we are all born from water and we must protect it from the black snake known as oil. It's important to note that this was written in response to the Dakoto access pipeline protests. The native American population of Dakoto rebelled against the construction of this pipeline due to the damage it would cause to the water supply and cultural sites.

Author Carole Lindstrom urges readers to cherish water while educating us on its cultural significance to the Ojibwe people. Water is characterized as a nurturing force that gives us all life. It is our duty to keep water safe and protect the defenseless inhabitants of this world. Michaela Goade does a phenomenal job captivating the eyes with her breathtaking drawings.

This is an important lesson for everyone to learn because environmentalism isn't taken seriously enough. There's so much harm being done to the planet every day and we need to take a stand. We are water protectors feels like a folktale that should be passed down for generations upon generations. Do your part and save this planet.

Juni Taisen Novel Mini Review

Like many Nisioisin series that aren't Monogatari, Juni Taisen is often overlooked by the public. There was a little fanfare when the anime came out a few years back before it was quickly forgotten. Is it even a story that deserves to stand the test of time?

JT's biggest pro is also its biggest con: the inner monologues. Readers only have a short time to get attached to the characters before they're abruptly killed by their opponent. This means that the writing is curt instead of the extensive roundabout dialogue Nisioisin is known for. I greatly prefer this writing style and it made for a brisk read. There wasn't any filler and everything was straight to the point. Though some characters were definitely less interesting than others, I felt that each one made a strong impact with the limited time they had.

My favorites are Inounoshishi due to her haughty attitude and Uuma for being a socially awkward beefcake. I just really love muscular guys, especially when they're shy.

The incredibly short battles was the only major flaw besides from the minimal characterization. It's a battle royale story so the fights should be the highlight but in here they're more of an afterthought. They don't even last a page. I'd be more disappointed if I wasn't already familiar with the author's penchant for anti climax. With Medaka Box as proof, Nisio can write inpreessuve battles when he wants to. C'est la vie.

Give this book a read if you enjoy character introspection and don't mind a battle royale without all the cool battles.

Falsified Romance

The city of Brooklyn was coated in a thick layer of snow. School was closed, harsh winds were blowing and people wanted nothing more than to stay inside. Despite the cruel weather, Aria called Maxine over to her apartment to have a private chat. They only had so much time before Aria’s mom would return home. Maxine hung her snow-covered jacket by the door and met Aria in her bedroom.

“ You sounded really tense on the phone. Is everything ok?” Maxine asked.

Aria nervously paced around the room and looked at Maxine with moist eyes. “ No. Not really. I never expected this to happen but”- Aria paused to catch her breath-” I'm pregnant and Shawn is the father.”Aria wasn’t sure how she found the strength to say those words but she did.

Maxine’s eyes flared up before immediately slapping Aria across the face. Everyone nearby could hear the crack of the slap and some even turned on their phone cameras anticipating a fight. Aria slowly rubbed her cheek and tried to keep her temper in check. She didn't want to fight her friend. She knew it would only make things even worse.

“What happened to you Aria? We used to make fun of the type of girls who get knocked up in high school and promised not to end up like them. You were never a saint- nobody in this neighborhood is- but you were still better than who you are now. You know your mom can’t afford this baby and she’ll kill you if she finds out. Why would you be so stupid? It's not like I don't understand why you did it. I get it. Shawn is this charming guy with all this money and one day he has his eyes set on you. You probably thought he’d be your ticket outta here. Sorry to say this, but guys like him won't take you too far. You're only entertainment for him. He can find girls like you anywhere."

Aria rolled her eyes with her hands placed firmly on her hips.

“You wouldn't understand because you're still living the life I left behind. I don't need to fight other girls and steal their money like we used to do. Ever since Shawn and I met, he’s been taking care of me and mom even though she doesn't know anything. He loves me and protects me. I can't give him up for anything. I admit the pregnancy was definitely a mistake. We used protection so I have no idea how this happened.”

“Is this the same Shawn who disappeared as soon as he found out you were pregnant? Or maybe it's the other Shawn who’s been sleeping with other girls your entire relationship. He doesn't love you, Aria. You're just another girl he can play with and everyone can see it but you. Grow up!”

“ let's end things right here. If we keep talking we’ll end up fighting and I definitely don’t want that happening. Get outta here and give me some room to myself. I know you're trying to help me out but you’ve said too much.” Aria said.

“ Fine, I'll leave. If something  goes wrong don't come running to me for help.”

Maxine grabbed her coat and slammed the door behind her. Aria watched her walk away from her window as Maxine turned to look at her for a brief moment. There was too much distance to say for certain, but, Aria could've sworn she saw Maxine cry. Aria lay on her reflecting on the argument that ensued. She was angry yet she couldn't help feeling that she was in the wrong. She knew Shawn was a dangerous guy to hook up with but he was the first man that said he loved her. There was no father in her life to say those words and the boys in the neighborhood had lust for any female to cross their path. 

'Maybe I can still talk things out with him. If he really loves me, he won’t leave me to suffer like this. I’ll prove to Maxine she was wrong'.Even as the words entered her mind, Aria doubted that her situation would have such an easy solution. After about an hour of self-reflection, Aria put on her winter clothes and left her apartment. She would go to Shawn’s hideout and finally settle everything. When Aria boarded the bus, she reflected on everything Maxine said again. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew she really had changed. Growing up poor with a single mother, Aria had a reason to be angry since day one. She hated seeing her mom work so hard just to barely get by. She was exactly like the other moms in their housing project. Slaving away for nothing.

'I can't end up like her', Aria would often think to herself.  She'd rather be a criminal who stole from the wealthy than busting her back as a nurse in a local hospital with nothing to show for it. Being a blue-collared worker meant supporting a government that couldn't care less about you. Thieves are simply taking what’s due to them. The government loved to make life harder for poor people so it was only natural they pay the system back in kind.

It was that ideology that led her to Shawn. She was in a store, looking to grab some things off the shelves and run. There was barely anything left in the fridge at home and Aria's mom could only patiently wait for her next check. It was her first time shoplifting in a different neighborhood so she was anxious and out of place. She awkwardly stood in front of an aisle of food, her wobbling arms outstretched.  Before Aria could make a move she felt a big hand grab her by the shoulder.

“It’s too late to do any stealing. You've already made it too hot with all that fidgeting you did earlier. I know a good spot we can go to.”

Aria was prepared to be reprimanded by the store manager but instead, she got advice from local thug Shawn. The two hit it off smoothly after that. Shawn would get her fancy gifts she would show off to the girls in her gang. The fancy clothes and jewelry let everybody know that Aria was Shawn’s property. She wasn’t that “violent girl living in the projects” anymore. She felt special and was finally living a life worth living.

Shawn had moments where he could be terrifying though. There were days when he would get so angry and make Aria feel degraded. He would get into these moods where he couldn't help but insult Aria while reminding her where she came from. She had known about the other girls in his life but never came to terms with it. Yes, Shawn had fooled around with a countless amount of girls but Aria wanted to believe she was the special one. Delusions could only go so far, however. This insecurity would burrow in her mind and eat away at her self-esteem.

Aria could feel the dread building in her soul as she entered the old worn down brownstone. It was an ocean of snow outside yet this place felt colder than any winter to grace Brooklyn. Her ebony seemed to grow paler with every second she spent outside. Her nose was immediately assaulted with the stench of beer and weed. The floorboards looked like the entire city took turns stomping on them and the walls had more crack than the actual drug on the floor. Aria usually took pride in her Gucci jacket over her Armani Exchange sweater but now she just wanted to rip it off. It was the same reaction meat lovers have when they see slaughterhouses. They like the product but not how it's made. Aria glanced at the neat rows of white powder lined up to the sides. The same substance that paid for her wardrobe. She tiptoed up the stairs but it did any good. The loud creaky stairs were practically alarm bells. As soon as she hit the first step her eyes locked with Shawn, standing at the end of the hallway. A solid minute of absolute silence.

Shawn used to have a fire in his eyes that could fill most girls with warmth. The flame had long since kindled and it was an icy stare. They both knew what had to be said but the words were too shy to come out.

“We… we have to do something about this baby.” Aria’s voice was barely a whisper.

“YOU have to do something. I already told you I don't want nothing with that bastard child. You made your choice so don't try to bring me into it.”

“Excuse me?!?! We both played a part in this mess so don't you even dare play innocent. I need the abortion money.”

 Shawn traced his fingers across his temple, massaging the veins on the brink of bursting.

 “Look, you already pissed me off the other day coming out of nowhere talking about you pregnant. I don’t need you begging me for money.”

“It wasn’t the other day, it was two weeks ago! That’s how long you’ve been ignoring me. You need to take care of this baby. You know I can barely afford to take care of myself. Come with me to the hospital and pretend to be my dad so I can get this abortion already. I’m done with all the BS you’ve been giving me.” Said Aria

“Why you acting like I’m the only one who made this child? You’re the one who decided to get pregnant! We used protection and everything. You probably put a hole in the rubber to suck some more money outta me. The only thing girls in this neighborhood ever want is want is my money.”

Aria wanted to smack him but knew full well Shawn wouldn’t think twice about knocking her out. “I fell” wouldn’t get by her mom the second time.

“You’re taking care of this baby one way or another. All of this,” Aria said while pointing to the copious amounts of drugs, “is gonna get you in jail. I’ll keep quiet if you do me a small favor. Just something a would-be dad is supposed to do.

Shawn’s fists clenched as his cold stare morphed into a scowl. The fire’s back. Aria felt the walls close in as her ex leaped like a lion hunting prey. His massive hands gripped her by the collar and slammed her to the wall.

“I’ve had enough of all this baby drama. We’re done so stop trying to be part of my life. I’m gonna give you a real good reason to keep quiet. You ain't ever gon' open that shit talking mouth again.”

The air froze over when the police slammed open the front doors of the abandoned apartment. Men in blue came marching up the raggedy steps and now it was Shawn’s turn to be pinned down. Aria was stunned not by the police but at the sight of her mom and Maxine walking up the steps.

“She knows everything,” Maxine said with an apologetic look. It had barely been an hour since the fight yet Maxine still helped. 

“What kind of man are you? Alone in an apartment with a girl barely half your age.” One of the cops said as Shawn struggled with his cuffs.

Aria soon felt a warm embrace from her mom as she hugged with all her strength. Aliyah’s tears rolled down her daughter’s neck.

“I’m sorry mom. I’m sorry for everything. I ruined everything.”

"No, Aria, you didn’t. That man manipulated and abused you. It’s not your fault.  It’s not going to be easy but we can get through this. We’re taking this to court and suing him for everything he has.”

Aria shook her head. “Mom, you know we don’t have the money for a lawyer.”

“Yes, we do honey. The government will force the money out of him no matter what happens. Let’s just focus on you right now.”

The world outside was a harsh winter wonderland but with her mom and Maxine by her side, Aria felt true warmth for the first time in a while.

The days following the disaster flew by like the winter winds. Aliyah expressed her disappointment and anger at her daughter’s recklessness but was ultimately glad she was safe. The government Aria hated so much had siphoned the much-needed money out of Shawn who was currently rotting in jail with a statutory rape charge. Aria didn't understand the seriousness of the crime at the moment because she never felt assaulted but she know he had manipulated her.

There was still the dilemma of keeping the baby or getting an abortion. She didn't want anything to remind her of Shawn but killing something that was inside her seemed so harsh. After thinking about it, she realized she saw a pregnancy movie where the mom gets an abortion. The mom usually either gets talked out of it or is the one who shoots down the idea. The media is biased that way. There was no point in going through the pain of childbirth only to give the baby away so abortion was the bitter pill she would swallow.

When the procedure was done, Aria and her mom cried for what seemed like hours. Tears of joy for everything being over and tears of sadness for it having to come this far. Aliyah introduced aria to a support group in her hospital. It was for teenage victims of sexual assault and abuse. Aria was at first hesitant as she wanted to put everything behind her. Aliyah assured her that talking about the crisis she endured was the best way to move on. Aria reluctantly agreed and entered the program.

At first, it felt awkward talking to strangers about her life but with time it felt natural. She hadn’t realized how disturbing and cruel Shawn was until she looked at him with a retrospective. She wanted to cry her eyes out but didn’t want to look pathetic. Being part of the group let Aria see she was a victim and there were a lot of other girls who shared her pain. What’s more, is that every girl there had their own ambition. Some wanted to be fashion designers and others wanted to be singers. Aria never put much thought into what she wanted to be but now she had an idea. There are so many people in the world who feel directionless and abused just like she had been. She wanted to help those people and stop them from making the dumb choices she made. Whether she be a therapist, motivational speaker, or psychologist, Aria would heal the mental scars of those she met.

Why Metamorphosis haunts so many readers

Every few years there comes a hentai that breaks the Internet and this manga is no exception. Titles like Bible Black and Euphoria disgusted many with the levels of depravity they indulged in. Metamorphosis is much tamer by comparison but it is still a tale that will leave readers shocked.

Metamorphosis feels like a story that could happen anywhere. Saki Yoshida is an average girl who desperately wants to be loved. Her naive perception of what true love is sends her on a downward spiral of sex, drugs, and abuse. Her boyfriend Hayato only used her for her body and the money she brought in. Her friends slut-shame and ditch her at the drop of a hat. Even her parents end up doing the worst to her. Everyone in Saki's life exists only to drag her deeper into depravity.

ShindoL captured the hearts of readers in a way thag most hentai can't. Many simply accept the problematic misogyny of hentai to be a staple of the genre and don't think twice about it. Metamorphosis is unique in that most readers have expressed sympathy for the trauma Saki suffered and condemned all of her abusers; a far cry from the usual response hentai readers have. Metamorphosis is viewed as more than just porn and is treated with the same level of maturity as any other story.

In essence, Metamorphosis is a grim coming of age story that highlights how drugs and naivety can lead to someone's downfall. The pain Saki endured was so visceral that many argue that the manga is torture porn and it's hard to refute that. If you're in the mood for a manga that takes a bitter look at the darkness of humanity, this is for you.

I've finally made a patreon so here goes nothing. It's always been my dream to become a full time writer and this is a great way to get my foot in the door. If you enjoy my stories or just want to help a struggling writer, please donate.

Patreon

Popculture Overdose is creating Short stories and reviews | Patreon

Become a patron of Popculture Overdose today: Get access to exclusive content and experiences on the world’s largest membership platform for

My Worth

A mediocre man will take all

Of your kindness

Of your passion

Of your beauty

Without returning a fraction of your love.

Only talk to men who become intoxicated by your essence and compliment your being.

Kiznaiver Fanfic- Empty Heart

Katsuhira often stayed up on the fringes of midnight while questioning what it was like to be normal:

To feel pain and emotion just like anyone else.

The ability to empathize with others was robbed from him several years prior by the very girl who often stirred his heart. Though his soul has grown cold, the flames that girl ignited in him never fully dwindled.

He wondered if this was the same feeling that Chidori clung to so desperately. Katsuhira was often confused by her antics, but he even noticed she treated him differently than she did anyone else. Perhaps he held the same place in her heart as "that girl" held in his.

Katsuhira endeavored to understand what semblance of emotion Chidori sparked in him. He yearned to know her pain and experience it as vividly as she did. Pain is what draws people together. Pain is what unites them into an inseparable bond. He would bleed for her just as she bled for him.

Giant Robo: The Day My Boredom Died.

Wanna know something that never gets old? Saving the world from a league of supervillains with the power of an Egyptian giant robot and super-powered individuals! That's the premise of the Giant Robo OVA and oh boy is the execution glorious.

This seven episode series details the inexplicably badass adventures of Daisaku and the Experts of Justice as they face off against Big Fire, a secret society bent of world domination. With all the hamminess and ludicrous fight scenes, Giant Robo often feels like a Saturday morning cartoon with Hollywood movie levels of scale. Subtlety isn't a concept here. Everything is loud and in your face, just the way I like it.

The ensemble cast of characters is also incredibly endearing. Daisuku is an idyllic kid hero, Ginrei is a smooth operator who knows how to get what she wants, and chief Chugo is a suave piece of sexy eye candy that's the highlight of the entire ova for me. Big fire consists of villains who have so much fun being evil you can't bring yourself to hate them. A special mention goes to Alberto with his butt shaped hairdo who is as pompous as he is cool. Even his crony knows how to kick ass and give the heroes a threat. It's hard to believe that all of these characters are taken from Mitsuteru's Yokoyama various manga series cause this is the most organic(and badass) crossover I've ever seen.

Giant Robo is a retro-futurist masterpiece that combines everything awesome about the mecha genre.

LOOKING BACK ON BEYBLADE BURST

Beyblade was never a show I've had much affinity for. I briefly caught a glimpse of the first gen on jetix and would play the metal fusion saga in the background while I relaxed during my middle school summer break. I never thought much about beyblade because ,well, it's a show about spinning tops. A guy like me was too busy watching shows about kids saving the world with the power of mystical monsters and friendship to give beyblade anymore than an afterthought. Who could blame me?

It wasn't until the Burst saga came out that I gave the franchise a genuine chance. It was a brand new season without the 100+ episodes of the other sagas to keep track of. It was the fresh start this seasoned anime watcher needed. Burst instantly caught my attention by being more grounded to reality than the other seasons. Yeah, the guy who loves cheesy over the top campy anime wants realism in his kids show. My problem with the metal saga is that it tool itself way too seriously with how ludicrous the stakes got. Those kids were destroying boulders and crap with those tops! The laughably bad voice acting certainly didn't help matters.

Burst takes in a much more muted approach with it mainly being about kids having fun and the bonds they make. There's still tournaments, but the fate of the world isn't at stake and Ginka's screechy voice isn't grating on my ears. This slice of life approach makes it easier to get invested in the story while making the characters more relatable. The characterization is a bit too flat in some aspects but at least Beyblade treats its characters better than futurecard buddy fight ever did.

I'm currently on the Rise season and I'm still enjoying the burst saga as my comfort show. I will admit the switch to LA-based voice acting starting with Turbo was very disheartening as someone who loves Canadian anime dubs. We seriously get to see those nowadays. I ended up enjoying the seasons so much that I went out to buy five Beyblades of my own, something that would've been unthinkable a few years ago.

What spurred this post on was my late realization that Beyblade burst DB is the final season of the saga. I haven't gotten to watching it yet, but nothing about its promotional material gives off the aura of a final season. This leaves me to believe that burst has been canceled. It's a crying shame if that's the case because corporate apathy is a death sentence for any merchandise-driven product. It's unknown how long it'll be before another beyblade series comes out if at all.

Until then, I'm gonna enjoy the remaining episodes and have fun watching those adorable bladers.

3! 2! 1!

LET IT RIP!!!

Shojo Tsubaki and Anime Exploitation

The stage is set in the 1920s of Japan. Midori is without parents and selling flowers is her only source of income. Poor and destitute, Midori readily accepts Mr. Arashi's offer to join his circus; completely unaware of the horror to come.

Shojo Tsubaki is a story thoroughly drenched in controversy. You'll hardly find a conversation that doesn't revolve around how disturbing and grotesque it is. It's not unwarranted seeing as how the bulk of the story is about Midori suffering. The girl seriously has it rough: Dead parents, dirt poor, deprived peers, added alliteration. Seriously messed up stuff. Any moment of happiness she finds is quickly eclipsed by another traumatic experience.

This is essentially an exploitation film in anime format. Some will argue that " Shojo Tsubaki is actually super deep and it's a reflection of the darkness of humanity!" And that's where I call bs. You could make that argument about literally every piece of torture porn under the sun. If the purpose was to expose humanity's darkness, the manga shoots itself in the foot by being so voyeuristic about everything. Suehiro Maruo's involvement with the eroguro movement provides the clearest perspective on what this manga was about. He's simply the type of man who loves to combine the macabre with heavy sexual themes.

Midori truly is one of the most pitiable manga heroines out there. She suffers abuse throughout almost every moment of her narrative and the tale ends with her completely alone in the world. It was as if the universe itself conspired to torment her. One positive to come out of this tragedy is Tokuriji Muchisate. He's a despicable rapist like the other circus freaks but his character design is just so striking. It's a simple yet effective take on mummies and the traditional Japanese military uniform.

In essence, Shojo Tsubaki is not a fun read or watch. I usually enjoy the surreal works of Suehiro Maruo but he really dialed the nihilism up to 11 with this one.

Use your voice poem

Never dull the edge of your voice for deafened ears

Instead, sharpen it to pierce through any and all silence

Let there be no quarter for those who try to stifle your words

Because your voice is so much more than a caged bird

Nature's Legacy

To be melanated is to be brown

Brown like the most fertile of soil

Brown like the tallest of mountains

Melanin is a tresure

A treasure bestowed upon the chosen

A bronze legacy worth more than any gold

Mother Nature, she made us in her beauty

Beauty that could never be replicated

Beauty that leaves the entire world in awe

One of Junji's Ito's best titles comes in the form of a manga one-shot without any supernatural elements. It is the simple story of a girl who can compel others to commit suicide with her voice alone.

Morimoto isn't a girl who has any reason to kill herself. She recently confessed to her crush who reciprocated her feeling so why then did she take her own life? The answer lies with the mysterious stranger known as Kumagaya

She approached Morimoto one day to express her love of the devil's logic philosophy. Readers are never shown what this philosophy is about besides from it worshipping death. The exclusion of Kumagaya's conversation leads one to hypothesize what on earth she could've said to make Morimoto commit suicide in less than an hour.

Kumagaya proved herself to be a highly dangerous Junji Ito antagonist even without supernatural powers or body horror. She's a grim example of the power that words can have over people.

I wanted to be Hurt by Love Manga Review

This is a manga I found increasingly hard to write a review for the more I thought about it. While the initial few chapters and overall quality of the story is indeed above average, this manga includes a scene that has completely soured my enjoyment of the series and all potential readers should be warned before reading this: The protagonist hires a group of men to rape her bully. More of that will be discussed later in the review.

Kanae has it rough. The harsh treatment she receives from her "friends" reminds her of her severe bullying history and Kanae's mother talks down to her like garbage for not being an exemplary student. Even her brother hates her because he feels that his mom forces him to study extensively to make up for Kanae's mediocrity.

The only light of hope in her life comes in the form of Hiroshi, a cute baseball player she develops a crush on after meeting him at a mixer. This crush on him turns into a domino effect of drama and degradation.

This manga is in many ways a spiritual successor to Metamorphasis by ShindoL. Both featured troubled socially awkward girls plagued by abuse and bullying. The problem is that Kanae becomes less sympathetic as the story progresses. The first chapter already establishes her being a teen prostitute and getting angry at Hiroshi when he becomes concerned for her. It's implied she chose this lifestyle on her own rather than getting roped into the profession like Saki from Metamorphasis.

The manga keeps showing vignettes of how bad Kanae's life is, but readers are never given the full details. We aren't shown enough of her backstory to understand why she is the way she is. We know that her current friends are fake as hell and her family hates her, but it feels like more bark than bite.

Seeing the mental breakdowns of the characters as they confront their own trauma is certainly a highlight. Even Ichika, the previously mentioned bully, gets her sympathy points. Speaking of which, let's talk about her and the downfall of the manga.

Ichika got into a messy love triangle with Kanae because she also had a crush on Hiroshi. Ichika bullied Kanae into backing off from Hiroshi and that infuriated Kanae. She used her connections to get a group of men to abduct and rape Ichika while Kanae watched the whole thing with sadistic joy. That scene was godawful. Ichika may have been a horrible person, but nobody deserves to be raped. Kanae becomes much more morally repulsive than her own bully. Because of that one scene, I can't give this manga a high review.

Kanae somehow become the worst character in the story with her constant self victimization and sociopathic tendencies. She doesn't care who she hurts as long as she gets her happiness.

It was such a shame the manga ruined itself by going down that route because it was a compelling teen drama before that infamous scene. Kanae is far too much a two faced detestable character to care for and I'm not even sure if I went to continue reading this manga. It is because of this vileness that the manga indulged in, I cannot recommend this manga. It is simply too sickening.

How Yuki Hayashi Captured the Soul of Shaman King

It's no secret that Shaman King takes inspiration from a conglomerate of different cultures. You have the Ainu warrior Horohoro, the Itako Ana, the Taoist Ren, and many other characters of various heritage. With all these influences, how does one properly compose a soundtrack to compliment the themes of the manga?

Simple: Include everything.

Yuki Hayashi brings the cultural aspect of the series to the forefront with his experimental soundtrack.

Let us start with the main theme titled [SHAMAN KING]. The song begins with religious chanting only to be followed by traditional Japanese sounds and Yuki's signature triumphant orchestral score. This immediately establishes the vibe for the entire show; a story entrenched in the past and one based around spirituality.

[ Vorpal Dance] is the perfect complement to the angry Chinese brat that is Tao Ren. It's an aggressive rock tune accompanied by a Chinese flute tune that signifies Ren's brashness and his nobility. Despite the aggressive sound of the track, it still has a heroic feel to it which references Ren's softer side he usually keeps locked away.

Taking a break from tbe cultural aspects for a moment, we have [ Avalanche] which is unofficially Ryu's theme. It's a braggadocious( that's a word you don't see every day) rap-rock song that screams confidence and bravado. Its early 2000's feel holds a special place in my heart.

There's also [ Yoh Yoh!!], a laid-back hip-hop beat that somehow manages to organically add samisen guitar strings. It's the perfect compliment to Yoh Asakura's tranquil aura.

There are a lot more songs to be discussed but I'm not familiar enough with breaking down music to do it justice. Yuki Hayashi did a phenomenal job incorporating the thematic energy of shaman king into his music. Each song feels like it's telling a story rather than being background noise. The soundtrack shows why it's important for a composer to understand the project they're working on so that the music can work in tandem with the narrative.

Modern Colonization

You turn our castles into Capitalistic towers

You turn our language into cheap imitations

You turn our communities into forgotten laments

You turn our future into phantasmal dreams

This is the game you have played for generations upon generations

Destroying lands and desecrating cultures all in the name of your conquest of vanity

You oppressor; you colonizer

How long will you stand in envy

Of our heritage

Of our legacy

Of our culture

Of our skin color

Of our existence?

Never in your anger and your spite shall you ever obtain even a fraction of the beauty Mother Nature has gifted upon us

Though you may burn at your self-appointed stake, you shall never possess the eyes of a victim

We are the future you fear

We are th rebels you fail to silence

We are the Capital you shall never obtain.

Shaman King 2021 lets down its fans

The pacing of Shaman king 2021 is quite honestly an extreme detriment to the narrative. The complete edition of the manga boasts a hefty 300 chapters yet the current adaptation is slated for a mere 52 episodes. It's insulting how the producers shot away any hopes of this being a promising adaptation right off the bat.

The early episodes had a nasty habit of adapting far too many chapters in one episode; sometimes even going up to 8 chapters. That's practically an entire volume of content with little in the way for proper character development. Battles are often resolved in the same episode they are introduced while every other battle anime lets episodes end on cliffhangers to increase tension. The later episodes thankfully slow things down a little, but the characters still treat each other with a level of familiarity that would only feel natural to manga readers.

A good example of rushed pacing hindering the narrative is when Lyserg joins the X-Laws. The original manga gave Lyserg time to ruminate about his friendship with Yoh and would it meant turning his back on the others. The 2021 version makes Lyserg seem incredibly shallow for leaving the team the first opportunity he got with barely any emotional tension to be seen.

Osorezan Revoir seems to be the only arc to avert this problem. The anime afforded four episodes to adapt a two-volume arc. This resulted in a beloved story arc having the breathing room to completely tell its tale with full emotional impact. Shaman King at its core is a contemplative series. It is a narrative-driven by clashing ideologies and characters contemplating their place in life. Even the small slice-of-life moments of the manga enhance this theme. Rushing through these events as if it's a marathon is a complete disservice to what Shaman King is about.

Shaman King should have never been restricted to 52 episodes at all. That's nowhere near enough time to properly adapt the full story. The cheap animation isn't helping matters either. It's clear that zero soul(pun intended) was put into adapting iconic scenes; often resorting to still images or using the absolute bare minimum of movement required for any given scene. Shaman king may not be a flashy series like Kimetsu no Yaiba which needs glorious animation to mask its uniform mediocrity, but that still doesn't take away from the fact that battle series need solid animation to have a good impact. The character interactions are already hindered due to the rushed pace; the least we fans deserve is some decent action.

I still enjoy the 2021 anime for what it's worth, but it is painfully apparent that it has failed to bring the manga justice. My only hope is that Shaman King one day receives a console game from a passionate developer like cyberconnect2.

Did Urbance Fail to Deliver on its promises?

What is one to do in a world where sex is outlawed and the genders are separated from each other? That is the driving question of Urbance, a Kickstarter animated pilot that unfortunately never took off.

There's a fatal STD called E1 that originally only transferred through hetero sex before it mutated to also affect homo sex. Don't look at me sideways if that description sounds a little silly. That's literally how the narration puts it.

A premise like this leads to tons of questions. Does E1 only activate when ejaculation happens or is it the act of sex itself? What's stopping the characters from wearing condoms? Its also not explained why the division between sexes still exists when E1 takes effect in both hetero and homo sex.

The characters rebel against this ban by going to secret nightclubs where their state-mandated trackers are disabled and take a drug known as Ndorphin which can artificially simulate sex. Some people still hunger for real sex even at the cost of their lives. It doesn't take long for the Mediators to crackdown on the party and then all hell breaks loose.

Urbance's greatest feature is its visuals. The scenery is absolutely stunning with its vivid neon details and graffiti aesthetics that harken back to Jet Set Radio and Motorcity. In fact, Hideki Naganuma is a fan of the Urbance Facebook page. The pilot also does a good job of making its hip-hop influences readily known. Steambot, the animation producer of Urbance, even got anime studio Yapiko to help its production. The cast is dominated by black people; most of whom are wearing hip-hop-styled clothing. It's an interesting example of black people being center stage in scifi animation when they hardly get represented in that genre at all. The only downside is that all of the voice actors were white even though casting POC actors should be the absolute bare minimum for diverse media.

With a successful Kickstarter and a highly acclaimed pilot, Urbance seemed destined for greatness. So what happened? Nothing. That's what happened. The creators let this IP remain dormant despite the promise of not only a full episode but also a complete series to go along with it. The only official products to be produced were an artbook that went out of print years ago and a mediocre card game on steam that plays like an old Newgrounds web browser. Who even asked for a card game? The gameplay seen in the official footage was uninspired and doesn't seem to continue the conflict in the pilot.

This problem is unfortunately common with Kickstarter campaigns. Kickstarter doesn't enforce its content creators to make good on their promises so nothing is stopping these people from running off with donations. It is honestly scrummy that creators would just build up people's hype for Urbance and refuse to deliver on it. Not helping matters is how the official steambot and urbance website got shut down with no explanation. This kind of behavior is so unprofessional and should not be tolerated.

Before we end off, let's address the criticism this show, I mean, pilot faced and the current status of Urbance. A small but vocal minority of people have alleged that Urbance is racist and LGBT phobic with very little evidence to back up their claims. I see no way how on earth this show could be perceived as racist unless you think urban street life is "problematic", which in itself is a racist mentality to have. The LGBT phobic claim arose from how the premise completely ignores how gay individuals and nonbinary people are affected by the gender divide. While it is true that this is a narrative that SHOULD discuss how LGBT members are harmed by the sex ban, it's kinda hard to address those themes with a seven-minute pilot. People acted as if it was a finished product.

Another misconception is that Urbance is an example of a persecution flip where straight people are the oppressed ones and homosexuality is the norm. Some have also called the story an allegory to the HIV/aids panic which spread mass fear concerning gay people. I think people are looking at things the wrong way and trying to make it seem like straight people are co-opting the struggles LGBT members face and making it about them. Heterosexuality isn't taboo in urbance nor do straight people face any discrimination. Sex itself is what's banned and this ban also applies to gay people. I also don't know where this being gay is the norm claim came from because separating the sexes wouldn't just magically turn people gay. Did people even watch the first minute of the pilot?

With all that said, Urbance is a story that would benefit greatly from exploring LGBT themes. What was the attitude concerning gay people before/directly after E1 mutated and how do people who don't fall into the gender binary cope with the ban? I'm especially interested in how intersex people are treated in the Urbance world. It's interesting to note that Kenz refers to himself as an ace, a slang term for asexuals. I'm not sure if the producers were aware of this because Kenz quickly shows attraction to a girl in the club.

As of January 2022, Urbance shows all signs of being a canceled project. The years of radio silence are a grim reminder of the fate of far too many crowdfunded projects. Whatever sliver of hope Urbance has comes from one of its creators, Joel Dos Reis Viegas. His most recent Instagram posts depict comic-style images of urbance. When asked by a fan about the status of the show, he replied that there were legal issues and a comic will be made to start things fresh.

Two takeaways from this: The producers should've discussed the legal issues YEARS ago instead of giving fans false hope. We have to deal with radio silence for years on end but apparently, the legal issues didn't stop them from making a thrashy card game. Second of all, I can't stay hopeful that Urbance can revive as a comic at this point. It's clear that the production team isn't good at commitment and following through with promises. The comic is still clearly in the planning stages, making the future of Urbance as for away as it ever was.