Book Review: Steel on Target (The Buzzer War #1) - Kevin Ikenberry - Military Sci-Fi

I enjoyed so much of this book that I want to read the next two at least to fully commit.

This story is not easy in the beginning. There is a lot militarist jargon thrown and sometimes you get the feeling you are not understanding. As I've read the last 200 pages in a couple of days, the terminology became easier and that's why I Want to read the next two in the next few months so I don't lose myself.

In this book humanity has expanded throughout space and colonized other worlds. One of these worlds is invaded by an alien beings - sure look like Tyranids in some way or Zerg. Unfortunately that's something I was not very glad which was the lack of information we had on them. Maybe that's conscious but I didn't enjoy as I love to hear more about the factions and where we are. Aliens invaded and humanity throw some of our infantry against it - and they were massacred. Our main protagonist (Sandhurst) is saved by a tank regiment and taken back. Of course top dogs in the military want a spacescapegoat and so the solution is going into armour. He returns Earth where he quickly (a bit too quickly as we never really know if it took one day or three months) learn the art of tanks.

At the same time our other main protagonist Llewelyn is switching up as well. She is pilot and she understand that the air force needs to help more the infantry with CAS and having a good connection (via direct line) with them.

Everything I am saying here takes hundreds of page due to the politics in-between the armed forces and battle scenes.

I am not going to delve much more or else I would enter the spoiler territory but I enjoy they fighting back and how the new combination worked - to be fair reminds me of Hearts of Iron IV where everyone says CAS is king. And here in this world is the same thing. Without CAS the infantry suffers a lot.

Looking forward for the second one.

Anime Reviews: 08Th Ms Team; Gate, Golden Kamuy, Darling Terra, Formars, Hisone, Akame Ga Kill, Btoom!, Kill La Kill

Since I started on my current job (4 months ago) I've watch a lot of anime coming and going on the train and at home. They have been my salvation... And I've watch quite a few. Just to have a quick look since 01 May I've watch roughly 1098 animes and 112 tv episodes while in terms of movies only 12.

After all it's easy to watch a 23m anime than a 2 hours movie right? Besides the season ones I've  watch Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - my first Gundam story and I really enjoy it. A lot of action but mix with Romance and Politics. I understand now why people think it's on top ten Gundman shows to watch. There is no need to watch anything previously. The characters are really good -mainly the first two main characters on both sides of the war. After all this is anti-war story, no? There is also a small movie that you can watch easily afterwards and helps you enjoy even more the main story.

Now Gate: Thus the JSDF fought there. This show as rather interesting. While Gundman is anti-war this one is a bit of pro-war if you will. Not that they want to make war or something like that but you can see this anime really tries to give praise to Japan army forces. There is battles between japan special forces and russian/americans and of course the Japanese come on top. There is also the invasion of Japanese forces of another world. While japanese have tanks, helicopters and such - the others have knights and bows. Pretty one sided. At the same time we see the japanese as the good guys (even after massacring countless people). It's not bad mind you - I enjoy it. A different kind of Isekai with a more related main character (older not your typical 16/17 year old guy). Recommended but beware the nationalistic views. Some people will not enjoy it. While the 08th is more mature - Gate is more isekai.... with your typical loli, big brested and such girls... (not that much ecchi).

Speaking of War anime you've got Golden Kamuy as well but this one is different. Focus on our main protagonist and his Ainu female sidekick. There is a lof fighting scenes but the tone is very different comparing with the other two anime. This one, our main characters is a more chaotic neutral kind of character that only really wants the gold he is looking but as the episodes progress we get the impression he is falling of the Ainu girl. This show also tells us a bit of Hokaido and the Ainu people after the Russian - Japanese war. What people did to overcome that and the views of all factions. It was really good experience with a lot of interesting characters and battle scenes. The only problem was a bit repetitive at times... There is a second season in the making coming out in Winter 2019.

It seems I am making a war post... So let us continue with Sword Art Online: Gun Gale Online. A lot better than the parent's story which will have a third season - with 52 episodes.  This one focus on a online game of war, where people battle for top place. Unfortunally as the main series our main character is totally undefeated and this is quite boring. I don't enjoy shows were the main character is undefeated - Overlord is an exception. Nevertheless - watch it if you enjoy sword art online. Good fighting scenes but a bit boring after a while - after all almost no challenge exists...

Can we put here Darling in the Franx? I am not going to make a huge post like the youtubers made about this show. I enjoy it - period. BUT to me the last four episodes or so mess it all up. This show is Mechas and about children who are breed to fight with them. Good interaction between the characters and our main protagonist, unforttunally it suffers from direction. At times I thought nobody really knew what to make of it. Okay humanity was almost killed because it harvest Magna - people stop having children but being immortal although they made a Mecha that only function with one boy and one girl. There are a lot confusion, it seems a lot of different people wanted to put something but in the end messing it all... You can watch the Trigger and A1-Pictures probably having their own ideals... The ending with the aliens and that battle scenes were over the top (of bad). I didn't enjoy it.

Should you watch it? Although I enjoy it I wouldn't advice to anyone...

Terra Formars (season 1) - I watch it pretty rapidly but in the end I didn't enjoy it. Basically you've got people who have insects powers and they must go to Mars to get samples to cure earth people. There are a lot of fighting and dead. Almost every episode focus on a one or two characters who ended up being killed... a bit formulaic and something I've watch it before. Will watch second season but I don't believe it will improve.... bah. 

Hisone to Maso-tan is not a fighting anime but features the Japanese Air Force. It's more slice of life in my opinion and one of the best I've watch. The animation is quite good. I won't talk about it here but you've got slice of life & romance while there are some interesting action scenes. Watch it on netflix.

Akame ga Kill was really good. You've got a band of assassins that must overthrown the emperor.  There are a lof main characters and this anime is hailed as a good fighting anime but at the same time it uses a lot of character killing. But it's different from Terra Formars -  I think in a way it's saying that although you are fighting for freedom people will die eventually. They died and the deaths meant something - while in Formars is just for effect with nothing gain. I can advice other people to watch it. IT's more dark with a bit of comedy and ecchi (very  rare instances).

Then you've got Btoom!. This one is something I've already watch it called - Battle Royale. A buch of people that play a game called Btoom! are thrown into a island and must fight for survival. Unfortunally it's not that good or interesting  and it doesn't have a true ending - and will never have. The only redeeming feature, I am sorry to say like this was the girls boobs :)

Last but certainly the best is Kill la Kill.A Trigger show with a different kind of animation that I really enjoy. Totally different from everything else I've seen before. The story is awesome, the battle scenes truly epic and the our main characters are really interesting. If you have to watch one - this is it. One of the my favourite animes this year so far. I am really sorry it ended....

Now about the numbers - which I really enjoy.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team	(1996/1999)	12	8,09	8	Military, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Drama, Romance, Mecha	Sunrise
Gate: Thus the JSDF fought there (Season 1)	Summer 2015	12	7,88	8	Action, Military, Adventure, Fantasy	A-1 Pictures
Golden Kamuy (Season 1)	Spring 2018	12	7,7	8	Action, Adventure, Historical, Seinen	Geno Studio
Darling in the Franx	Winter 2018	24	7,67	7	Action, Drama, Mecha, Romance, Sci-Fi	A-1 Pictures, Trigger,
Terra Formars (season 1)	Fall 2014	12	7,13	6	Action, Sci-Fi, Space, Horror, Drama, Seinen	LIDENFILMS
Hisone to Maso-tan	Spring 2018	12	7,56	8	Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Military	Bones
Akame ga Kill	Summer 2014	24	7,78	8	Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen	White Fox
Btoom	Fall 2012	12	7,57	5	Action, Sci-Fi, Psychological, Seinen	Madhouse
Kill la Kill	Fall 2013	24	8,19	10	Action, Comedy, Super Power, Ecchi, School	Trigger

Here you go.. Let us hope I can make more...

Anime Review: Now and Then, Here and There (Fall 1999)

Now and then, Here and There is another "transported to another world" kind of anime. Probably one of the first to be made. Whereas the ones I've see have some comic relief, others have some challenges but nothing is very hard or difficult... am I making myself clear? Hmm I think the word I am trying to say is that most of all have not a dark theme. This one does... and does it a lot.

I am very torn of what to make of this... 
Did I enjoy it? Yes. 
Do I think the main character and all other characters are one dimensional? Again, yes.
Did I cry? Yes
Etc...

This show is one you watch and then you wanna curl up in your room and stare at the blank wall mumbling and cursing everything and everyone.

This show is dark that I can't even recommend it to anyone NEVERTHELESS is one I want to say It's my favorite. It's dark and gloomy and should not be watch to the faint of heart or people that are easily upset with the dark side of humanity.

You've got your main character Shu which is not an hero like most other "transported to another world" kind of guys. He wasn't given any super good weapon, intelligence or wits. No he is the same guy.

He is transported to another world after trying to save a your girl. From this moment on we realize he is not the "Hero" you expect. He is very happy, easy-going kind of guy who jumps immediatly into danger without thinking twice.

He is gone to another world and becomes another victim of a world gone mad and througouht the series he is almost broken several times (beaten physically and beaten psychologically) but due to his almost stubborness he refuses to fall to a state of hopelessness that much of the other characters are.

Each episode he is stairway into misery and anguish. From the first episode you know no-one is safe and by episode 3 I was cursing and cursing the evil guys. That's a new to me. Usually I preffer the evil guys instead of the good guys (mainly because the good guys are always the same white knight and the bad guys are more diverse and they are given a backstory to why they are evil...) 

In this Anime I must say I preffered Shu. He sees the glass always half-full instead of empty or broken for that matter. 

This is very hard to watch. We see children suffer and die. We see them fall into despair. We see them giving up hope and do evil things. 

Besides the atrocitous the main characters suffer, there are other characters who suffer as well. Rape, Starvation, Hummilation, murder, kidnapping, child labour and war-children... This is a soul-draining anime. This is anti-war anime. After watching this I must say I cried.

But not everything is good in this anime. The characters are one-dimensional (no-one "grows") with the experience. And Lord Hamdo? He is bat-shit crazy. I mean crazy as wacko. Sometimes he is talking with his swift voice of command but most of the times he is falling to despair screaming with everything and everyone.

You've also got Lala-Ru (the girl who can make water with her pendant but she is so distant that rarely you've watch her speak). She changes a bit mainly because of Shu personality but she is thousand years old and most of the time because of her power people abuse her.

You've got Sara that is a innocent girl that is also kidnap from "our" earth because she is very alike Lala-Ru. She loses her innocence both literal and metaphorical sense. Throughout the series she cannot cope with Shu unwavering resolve attacking his beliefs losing hope througouht the way. In the end we learn that she is pregnant (because of a rape) and she tries to commit suicide Again Shu comes out and says her word... Everything will be alright. Sometimes I want to spank him myself.

Then you've got Nabuca and Boo, two war-childs who kill and do awful things with the prospect of returning home someday. Throughout the series they often thing but rarely do the right thing. In the end Boo is killed protecting Nabuca (boo is around 5/6) and Nabuca afterwards is also killed doing the right thing... He is around 13 (?).

Then we've got Abelia. We never see her going against Hamdo's choices but she doesn't approve some of them. In the end after Hamdo is killed Abelia transports Shu back. We never learn about her fate. One thing that I did not enjoy was Why did she put with him? She could have killed him and probably the troopers would follow her instead. 

In terms of music, it's very dark ambient and througouht melancholic tunes.

In terms of art, well it was made in 1999 so it's very old from today standards but in my opinion no more worse than Captain Tsubasa or Dragon Ball. 

My thoughts

Story (Plot) 10/10
World Building 8/10
Character Building 4/10
Art/Animation 8/10
Sound 10/10
Enjoyment 10/10 (not that kind of enjoyment you are thinking)
Score Overall 10/10

Why give 10 stars when I didn't enjoy character building? Because it torn my heart out. It made me think, it made me suffer, it made me upset and sad. It made me realize how lucky my life is. It made me realize we are blessed with our lives (well at least I am). I always have been a optimistic guy but sometimes I fall... This anime made me feel like few have made me feel. It will always be a favorite...



I cannot in good faith recommend this anime to anyone. This is dark. Truly dark. Some people I know would break watching this even if they are "only" anime characters.

If you are ignoring me and going to watch it. Well good luck with that and I bet you will grow a bit. You will learn that humanity is capable of horrible things if they need or want to do it. 

In times, we were like this. Even now, there are people and countries who are almost savages, where the rule of the strong prevails. I cannot phantom other realities because this is my reality. I can read and learn but it's not the same you know? 

Watch it if you want. But you've been warned.

Anime Review: Schwarzesmarken (Winter 2016)

This is a twelve episode series and I must say, for certain, it didn't need any more or any less. I just ended seeing and I really, really enjoy it.

I know, it is not the best looking anime or the best written or with the best characterization but I enjoy it. The last four episodes I watch them in one day (and for me that's hard to happen).

So, what is anime about?

For what I've read this is a shared world with other anime / manga where an alien beings called BETA invaded earth. There is no need to read anything previsouly or afterwards because it is self-contained. As I said before I did not know it until the very end.

Btw, this universe is called Muv-Luv.

The setting is East Germany in 1983. The BETAS have been fighting from Asia to Europe and East Germany is the last step before arriving to the rest of West Europe (aka Free Countries). East Germany is a communist state  (as in the real life it was) and there are some power struggle within the STASI (state police) (it existed btw, it was called in english Ministry for State Security or in germany Ministerium für Staatssicherheit).

So this tale focus on a squadron of Mechas called 666th TSF Squadron "Schwarzesmarken" (Black Marks) and we are introduced to several characters... We've got Theodor Eberbach he has a deep hatred for the stasi since they killed his parents and took away his sister.
You've got Irisdina Bernhard, the CO of the 666th. She is hero but most people distrust her because she sold her brother to the Stasi. You've got Gretel Jecklen a commissar attached to 666th and several other fights like Anett Hosenfield, Inghild Bronikowski, Sylwia Krzasińska, Walter Kruger (Irisdina officer), Pham Thi Lan and in the first episode they get one new recruit hailing from the West called Katia Waldheim.
After several episodes we met Lise Hohenstein the long lost adopted sister of Theodor.

Sylvia, Lise, Anett, Irisdina, Theodor, Katia, Gretel, Pham and Walter

Basically the history is about the East Germany deciding what to do. Some support the idea that they should fight with the West and others thing that East Germany should stand alone (with the convert support of URSS).

There is a lot of fighting in the episodes but nothing that overshadows the anime. The story focus not with one character but several. First Theodor who must train Katia to 666th standards, then the appearence of Lise (his adopted sister) and to assert if she is to be trusted or if she works with the Stasi. Irisdina's story is more focus on her decisions as a leader and how to evade the Stasi but at the same time work with some people who wants to see the Stasi fell and the Two germany united. Katia is the third story because she is not only a refugee from the West but a daughter of a Hero Military General from East Germany who had thoughts of unified germany and she wants that.

So, what makes this anime good?
First of all, the theme. For a historian enthusiast this anime is a good exemple of a military state with a state police. There is a lot of backstage action with all political interests. There is room for some character building and tense situations. Btw, there is no nudity. Apart from some tight shirts from Irisdina or Sylwia the only scene that you can consider nudity is when Lise is nude and seduces Theodor. It is said afterwards that they had sex but nothing is seen on screen


Some spoilers ahead before my conclusion...

One of the aspects I enjoyed was the character grow of Theodor and his relation to Irisdina, Katia and Lise. He is tasked by Irisdina to find out if Lise is Stasi informant or not. Lise sleeps with him and he thinks she is not Stais but afterwards, when a coup of the Stasi is revealed, Lise betrays theodor and capture the entire squad. Afterwards he fights with her (with Mechas) and still he could not kill her. Pham Thi Lan says she still believe in Lise but Lise kill her and in the next encounter Theodor kills Lise. 

All of them had one goal, they work with Irisdina in her convert operation one way or the other, even the political commisar. All of them died, with the exception of Theodor and Katia, as they accomplish their goals. The two Germanies where united (as in real life but several years before). 

End of Spoilers

So why did I enjoy it? 

Because everything I've said before. It has action, history, characterization and I enjoy Irisdina and Theodor and most other characters. I like Lise because she was brainwashed by the Stasis. I like Beatrix Brehmer a childhood of Irisdina and now a Stasis leader. She later on becomes the facto-leader when she shots the current leader when she founds out that he is a Moscow KGB officer. She is not evil per se. Well, she is but she acknowledges that and have mix feelings. She thinks she is doing the right thing. On of the last episodes she says that she believes only a State Police of total control can stop the Stasi. Only when everybody works for the common good can East Germany stop the invasion of the BETA. This is a great question of political, social and personal interest.