Reviews by Kyle Ellis

Persona 2: Batsu, is my favorite of the Persona series from Atlus. The games are extremely popular in Japan, but in America, they are barely known. It's unfortunate, because everything about the Persona RPG series is top-notch. The plot, the characters, the battle system, the demons, the setting...I was swept in completely.

Although I like Final Fantasy, I found Persona to be much more enthralling. However, it is also much longer, and moves more slowly than most RPGs. Persona's greatest strength is its characters. Especially in Batsu, the characters feel very real and easy to relate to.

The game starts out like a murder mystery, but soon it turns into something much deeper, living in the realms of mythology, religion, science fiction, and technology.

Aside from the elements of story, the battle and rumor systems are unlike any other game. Each character draws on various Personae for their powers, and these Personae can be improved through battle. Although not as key to the game as I would have liked, rumors that the player chooses can be spread that change the course of the game.

All in all, Persona is a very fun game. It moves a little slowly, is very time-consuming, and some battles are just MURDER, but the characters and plot make it completely worth the effort.

It's quite unbelievable how good this game is, the writing is amazing as it make you feel a whole lot of emotions, the cast is incredible and every single one of them are likable with their own set of problems that you have to solve through their social links and with the edition of golden there are a lot of new added scenes which makes the party to feel even more alive than the original p4 and most of their interactions are very funny and heartfelt to the point that it actually feels like these kids are your real friends which makes the ending all the more emotional when you know that you have to say goodbye to them.

10/10 One of the best in the series, characters, music, story, combat... They all stood the test of time so it's definitely a must buy, with the fact that now it's on steam you can easily pick it up and enjoy this masterpiece of a game.

Men in Black is great fun from start to finish. If you care to look past the rather ridiculous plot (only occasionally), this is hugely enjoyable. The cinematography is skillful likewise with the direction, and the special effects are wonderful. The script is irreverent, and there are some truly great performances. Will Smith proves here he CAN act, and Tommy Lee Jones as usual is marvellous. Both make a unique and hilarious double act. Then there is fine support from underrated actor Rip Torn and from Linda Fiorentino, who is a talented actress that hasn't earned herself a high acting profile yet. The finale is a little overblown, but you cannot deny this is a fun film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I will not deny that I am not particularly into swashbucklers that much, but I will be prepared to say that the Mask of Zorro is splendid entertainment. Antonio Banderas gives a very spirited performance as Alejandro, and the well-choreographed sword fights, beautiful score and witty screenplay allow Banderas to do what he does best. Anthony Hopkins is perfect as Don Diego, giving his character a sense of bitterness, sensitivity and vulnerability that make all his performances so endearing. In fact, this, Silence of the Lambs and The Elephant Man just go to show what a great actor Hopkins is; the only film he disappoints in is in Chaplin, where he played the rather unnecessary role of the fictional autobiographer. Catherine Zeta Jones is lovely beyond words as Elena, and Stuart Wilson plays his his-sable villain almost to perfection, but Matt Letscher as Captain Love isn't quite as threatening as he should be. The cinematography is very handsome, capturing perfectly the beautiful sets and costumes. The only other criticism I have of the movie, is its length, it's quite excessive. But I will say the explosive finale and spirited performances more than compensate, making it a very well-done and entertaining film. I wasn't as impressed with the sequel, the swordplay was more like slapstick and the plot was less involving and a little bloated. 8/10 for Mask of Zorro though. Bethany Cox

In the year 2022, thousands of people get trapped in a new virtual MMORPG (Mass Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) known as Sword Art Online. Where death normally causes you to respawn to a safe zone, Sword Art Online was reprogrammed to kill anyone who dies in the virtual world. The only way to exit the game, is to defeat the final boss. Eager to escape this virtual nightmare, a lone beta player called Kirito fights his way through each floor of the game; however, this lone wolf soon recognizes the need for companionship, and the cost for his freedom. In the end, SAO Season 1 was packed full of mythical virtual excitement, beautiful animation, wonderful orchestral pieces, and intriguing character development. Even if you never watch SAO Season 2, SAO Season 1 is a must see for any Anime enthusiast and deserves a solid 10.

Sword Art Online Season 2, brings us back to the mmo virtual world. However, unlike SAO Season 1, the first half of SA0 season 2 is primarily based on a gunslinger motif known as Gun Gale Online,

In a virtual world comprised of guns and bullets, Kirito, uses a female avatar whilst duel wielding a violet energy sword and a 5.7mm FN Five Seven handgun. Not long after his experiences in Alfheim Online, Kirito is asked to assist in finding a mysterious player called Death Gun who is targeting the best players in the game, and is some how killing them in the real world.

Though we reunite with some familiar characters in the past, GGO introduces a sexy sniper named Sinon who uses a PGM Ultima Ratio Hecate II which is a .50 caliber anti-material sniper rifle. As awesome as this season has been, it does lack a few of the intense emotional elements that made the first season so amazing. (Ex: The romance that developed between Kirito and Asuna, or the intense rage Kirito expressed to certain members of Laughing Coffin)

Upon the conclusion of SOA season 2 mid-season finale, we are brought back to Alfheim Online where we are reunited with everyone in Kirito's party from SOA season 1. After a brief 4 episodes, the remainder of the SAO season 2 focuses on an entirely new guild known as the "the sleeping knights" guild. In a desperate attempt to achieve the unachievable "the sleeping knights" request Asuna's help after assessing her combat skills in a duel against their strongest member Yuuki.

Growing up on anime, I have seen my fair share of classics, but the beautiful atmosphere, the breathtaking music, and the fantastic character development has quickly made SAO my favourite anime series. That being said, those who were a fan of SAO season 1 will notice an almost different atmosphere in SAO season 2. Personally I feel that SAO season 1 was better because the second half completely fed off the first half of the season. However, SAO season 2 had what appeared to be 4-5 parts. Although this introduces us to new characters, the plot felt a little scattered as it lacked the kind of consistency and the emotional build that was provided by SAO season 1. Overall, the second season of SAO was not fantastic, but I still believe it deserves a 7.

Warning: Spoilers
Protagonist Kousei Arima is a piano playing progeny; as he grew up is mother pressured him to play every note perfectly. This led him to be dubbed the 'human metronome'. When he is eleven his mother dies and he suffers a breakdown; no longer able to hear the notes he plays he stops playing the piano. Then, a couple of years later he meets Kaori Miyazono; a free spirited girl who plays the violin and she brings him back to music. Their styles are totally different; he plays every note exactly as it is written while she plays pieces as she wants to her deviations might not please competition judges but the audiences admire her passionate renditions. Over the course of the series Kousei must come to terms with his past as he accompanies Kaori then deal with her absence when it becomes apparent that she is seriously ill and if her operation is unsuccessful she could even die.

Every new season there will be several anime series that are full of clichés and interchangeable characters this is not one of those. This is one of those series that feels quite different and keeps anime so interesting. The use of classical music seems a little surprising at first but here it works so perfectly it seems obvious. The performance scenes are beautifully animated; capturing both the sound and emotion of the performance. The bitter sweet story is told in a way that the end is not obvious before the final episode. The characters are interesting; one can't help caring about Kousei, with his tragic past, and Kaori is an utter delight whose personality lights up the screen; especially when she is performing. While these two characters dominate the series they are supported by a good selection of secondary characters who also contribute nicely. The character designs are pretty good and the animation is stunning; especially during the musical scenes. Overall I'd certainly recommend this emotional series.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Anime like Dororo are so hard to come by. A 10/10 from beginning to end. The story contains samurai and demons, which is pretty common in the genre, but the execution of the story is what makes Dororo so good. The plot has so much depth to it, and it tells its story with great pacing. The main character, Hyakkimaru is so likable and empathetic, by far one of the easiest characters to cheer on for. And the art is dark and moody, which adds so much to the atmosphere. I can already tell that Dororo is going to become a classic, and it is for sure a 10/10 masterpiece.

I love this anime so much. The story is surprisingly well-planned and everything is just sooo good. Some characters might be neglected but that's tolerable. It's still my favourite anime.

Monster is an incredibly satisfying watch and rewards paying attention to smaller details. The story is intricately woven to make even the smallest advancements seem well worth it. The characters are all very well written and they all have a very distinct role in the story. Tension is built perfectly and the realm of safety doesn't apply to any of the characters. Monster successfully crafts one of the most engaging stories of all time and is one of my favorite anime of all time.

Aoashi is one of the best sports anime that is beginning to air in Spring 2022 and is similar to Blue Lock and Captain Tsubasa. The animation even looks professional because it is based on true manga stories. It describes how the youth of candidates becomes a beautiful kid in Japan. The casts of the characters sound perfect.