Hero of the Week: Miroku

This week's hero is the perverted monk from the warring states era. I'm of course talking about the man with the wind tunnel, Miroku.



At this point, Miroku may be nothing more than a shallow archetype, but he was actually an original and refreshing character when Inuyasha started. A man of worship yet a pervert; not many can pull that off. His constant womanizing is a breath of fresh air and a nice change and pace from all the "KAGOME!" and "INUYASHA!" screaming.

He also has a pretty interesting power. With the ability to suck anything into his hand, he is somewhat overpowered, but seeing him one shot several enemies is definitely enjoyable. Too bad it goes so underused whenever Naraku's bullshit bugs make an appearance. Of course we can't blame bad plot progression on the character (I wouldn't be using a character from Inuyasha in that situation).

Anime Seasons: Winter 2009/2010

As the year comes to a close, news of the upcoming anime season makes its way onto the net. Take a look.



Honestly, I'm interested in literally nothing on that list. Maybe I'll check out Durarara!! but I'm not expecting much. Oh well, maybe next season will be better.

Hero of the Week: Battler Ushiromiya

This week's hero is the calculating and intelligent member of the Ushiromiya family. I'm talking about the witch denying protagonist of Umineko no naku Koro ni, Battler Ushiromiya.



As with most of the heroes from this segment, Battler's heroics are not immediately noticeable and may be questionable in the first place. Also like many of the heroes I have chosen, he is not typical by any means. In fact, the main reason I would call him a hero of sorts lies in his unwavering resolve (and stubbornness) rather than his actions.

Despite overwhelming evidence, Battler will not budge in his belief that witches and magic are nothing more than fantasy. While this may make him seem like the typical horror movie victim, he is actually far from it. Unbeknown to him, his disbelief is what is preventing the antagonist, Beatrice, from becoming a full-fledged witch. Ironically, he has gained a great deal of anti-magic powers because of this.

While he is unable to save his family for the majority of the series, his determination and attitude make him very likable and makes the audience not want to give up either. Even when a new "game" starts, his ability to "flip the chess board" gives Beatrice a run for her money on more than one occasion despite being a supernatural being.

While cliche in some ways, Battler is a refreshing and cocky character that fits the series perfectly. Definitely wouldn't be as entertaining without him.

Back From AC

Sorry about not updating with the Hero of the Week. I was at Atlantic City for the holidays. It should be up tonight or tomorrow.

MAD Time: Code Geass and Yu Yu Hakusho

Now here's an unlikely combination. Most fan-made opening crossovers at least make sense but this one is...well, it's pretty out there. Enjoyable nonetheless. Check it out.

Hero of the Week: Kazuma

This week's hero is the reckless "Shell Bullet" from the Lost Ground. I'm talking about one of the most dangerous alter user's on the planet, Kazuma.



I've made it quite clear why I like the hot-headed angry protagonist, so let's talk about Kazuma's other major draw; his ability. With an alloy imbued arm, he is the perfect embodiment of a severely underused ability; thrust. By disintegrating the fins on his shoulder, he can propel himself at ridiculous speeds. This is one of the more badass powers that exist, period.

While Kazuma's rivalry with the other protagonist, Ryuho, is nothing new, the presentation and content of the battles are incredibly entertaining. Nearing the scope of a DBZ battle, these two can cause so much devastation that you find yourself rooting for neither one. Of course at the beginning of the series, Kazuma is the easily the more likable one being the underdog and all while Ryuho is just a smug douche.

Cameron's Battle Angel Has a Script

With all the hype surrounding Avatar, you might have forgotten that James Cameron is also working on a live action adaptation of Battle Angel Alita. It seems the film already has a script and a year of design work. While I can't say I know much about the original, it is encouraging to know another Hollywood anime adaptation is coming along nicely. Good or bad, it will get a lot of coverage with Cameron being involved. I'll have more when we know a bit more.

Hero of the Week: Mugen

This week's hero is the breakdancing bad boy from the Edo period. Unconventional swordsman and co-protagonist of Samurai Champloo, I give you Mugen!



In a series about stylish break dancing swordsmanship and catchy hip-hop tunes, Mugen excels and almost epitomizes the themes conveyed. While Jin is also iconic for his role as the other protagonist, no one represents the soul of Samurai Champloo like Mugen. Of course this comes with many negative connotations. Womanizing, illiteracy, lack of intelligence; could you ask for a more perfect hip hop setup? Stereotype or not, Mugen is the personification of pre-hip hop era hip hop.

So his role works in the themes of the show, but how does he hold up as a character? Pretty damn good. His backstory is in line with the problem of Japan's closed country policy at the time and makes him more than just a "style over substance" throw away.

Let's not forget his fights. I'm not gonna lie; he has some of the most entertaining fights in the medium. Despite my apathy toward hip hop as a whole, I've always thought of break dancing as one of the most badass things you can do. Combine that with another badass thing humans can do (fighting) and you got yourself a double dose of unadulterated badassery.

While he never does settle his quarrel with Jin, he does grow as a person and doesn't die like the overall narrative would have you believe. It's nice to know history wasn't all boring.

Bakuman Getting Anime?

It seems slice-of-life series "Bakuman" may be getting an anime adaptation. From the duo that brought us psychological thriller, Death Note, Bakuman follows two teens as they attempt to get serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series is almost a fictional documentary detailing the workings of the Shonen Jump office and what it takes to get in. For me, it doesn't hold a candle to Death Note, but it's amusing enough to be excited for an adaptation like this. Let's hope it's handled well.

The Shonen Formula Part 7: You Are Special

Being a shonen protagonist is tough. They have to face countless enemies with supernatural abilities capable of decimating entire cities. Surely they can't compete without being "special". Yeah, we all get the standard "you are special in your own way" bull shit from our parents, but that's not the kind of "special" I'm talking about.

Even when looking past the human abilities of the protagonist, they still have something that gives them an edge in battle and sets them apart from the rest of humanity. If Goku wasn't a Sayian, he would never be able to fight on such a ridiculous level. Ichigo and Yusuke would not have so much spirit power without the help of their family ties. Naruto is an idiot but he can still fight on the level of S-class Ninjas due to his heritage and the fact he has a friggin demon inside his body. Even the seemingly normal boss of the Vongola family, Tsuna, is blessed with some random BS known as "hyper intuition".

Theoretically, this shouldn't be a problem. I mean, we're talking about super hero fantasy stuff here. However, this sometimes contradicts the themes of the series. Naruto can convince himself all he wants that the result of his power comes from hard work, but the fact of the matter is that he has the stamina to do a few years worth of training in a couple of hours thanks to a supernatural entity living in his body. Adding insult to injury, he has the blood of one of the best ninjas in the world, only adding to how misguided his resolve is. Edward Elric can spout nonsense about equivalent exchange being the rule of the world, but the fact is that he was born with the talent and intellect to succeed in alchemy far beyond the boundaries of a normal human.

Ignoring the themes, there is something that almost all shonen protagonists share when talking about their strength; they get it from their family. Goku, Naruto, Ichigo, Gon, Luffy, Tsuna, Yusuke, Jojo(s), Negi, Maka, Yoh. There is not a character in that list that isn't related in some way or another to a person of immense strength.

It may be cliche, but do you really want "Joe Blow" taking on hundreds of super villains without the means to defend himself? Okay, maybe that would be amusing for a little bit, but that's not how shonen works. Those special people are those that protect the world while entertaining us in the process. Normal is boring; that's just how it is.

Hero of the Week: Yusuke Urameshi

This week's hero is the hot blooded delinquent with a heart of gold. I could only be talking about the semi-misanthropic spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi.



Yusuke is an intriguing hero. While he has some of the traits of an anti-hero, he really doesn't take that archetype to the extreme. This is odd when you take into account his casual acceptance as a misanthrope. He still saves those in trouble and fights those that are dangerous. In a way, Yusuke is a the delinquent version of Goku. He won't hesitate in a fight at all but his friends still take priority.

Another interesting trait is Yusuke's abnormal yet inconsistently high luck. He would not have one several fights (most notably Rando's) had it not been for his ridiculous luck. Of course, that same luck lead to two exhausting battles in a row.

With his smack talking and clever use of signature techniques, Yusuke usually ends up with some entertaining fights. Yeah, the spirit gun may just be "generic beam attack number 3384" but at least he looks badass performing it. In fact, I would say the fight against Toguro is one of the best fights in Shonen Jump history.

Overall, Yusuke is the standard shonen hero before that archetype became generic. Still, his social incompatibility yet charismatic demeanor make him stand out. Like I always say, actions are greater than personality.

Toriyama's Next Series

The year ends on a high note as world renowned mangaka Akira Toriyama (Dragonball) releases a new series with the help of DNA²'s Masakazu Katsura known as "Jiya" in the Dec 10 issue of Young Jump. Yes, it is only a mini-series, but anything Toriyama does at this point is worth mentioning no matter how insignificant. I'll have updates when it actually releases.