*Volunteer Positions* While evaluating the state of the Gaming Journalism scene, I noticed that we at Real Otaku Gamer has a unique approach when covering geek/otaku culture. As the site gets restructured and we go into our 3rd year, we are looking to create opportunities that will help the site become more robust and varied with coverage. Real Otaku Gamer has a global vision, we accept writers from all over the world.
These new job positions are going to help Real Otaku Gamer become more organized and develop a bigger community so we can grow as a brand. These positions are volunteer only as we are a small site. As we grow so will the sponsors and hopefully revenue.
IF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POSITIONS, Email us at feedback@realotakugamer.com
These New Positions are as follows:
1. Community Manager: You will be taking care of the daily running of the site. You will work along side the Editor in Chief and other Admins on the site with promoting the site and helping build a brand. You must have good communication skills.
2.Marketing and PR: You will be responsible for all Public Relations with companies and the community. You must have good communication skills and be able to relate to people of a number of levels. You will also run contests and giveaways.
3.Managing Editor: You will work closely with all staff to make sure the posts we produce, are up to our standards.
4.Social Media Manager: You will be in charge of growing our social networking presence. You will be working close to the senior staff.
5. Assistant to Editor in Chief: You will assist the E.I.C. in the daily running of the site.
6.Advertising and Promotion: contact us for more details.
7.Art Director: contact us for more details.
8.Podcast Producer/Editor: contact us for more details.
9.Video Producer/Editor :contact us for more details.
Now, the next few positions are for the Real Otaku Gamer Specialists. These positions are dedicated for people who want to cover a specific genre/category. This is where your inner Otaku can really shine.
1. PC
2. Mobile/Tablet
3. Tech
4. Anime
5. Manga
6. Comics
7. Nintendo
8. Sony
9. Microsoft
10. Movies/Television
11. Asian Cinema
12.Indie Games
13.Toys/models and Merchandise
14.Convention Coverage
15.Cosplay and Cosplay Culture
To apply for these positions, you must first submit a writing sample and once the sample is approved, submit an small essay telling us why we should pick you for the job you are interested in. An essay is not necessary for all positions. Deadline to have the samples submitted is May 20th, 2013. We must have all essays in my May 17th. Send the Essays and Samples to feedback@realotakugamer.com.
If you have any questions about any of the positions and their responsibilities, just email us at feedback@realotakugamer.com or go to the Twitter and Facebook pages. Thanks you for your time.
Capcom wanted to reboot the Devil May Cry games to bring in new life and a new crowd into Dante’s universe. Sarah, who hasn’t played all the way through any of the previous DMC games, enjoyed this game as a newcomer. I, on the other hand, played all of the other games and really enjoyed the series. I must admit, I was one of those people who threw a temper tantrum when I heard about the reboot and saw the new Dante. But I wanted to give this game a fair shake, so how does DMC hold up to a fan of the original? It has its ups and downs, but overall it’s a solid game that original fans should play.
PLOT
This retelling of DMC brings back first big baddy of the series, Mundus, as the Demon overlord who killed Dante’s mother and imprisoned his Father for all eternity. No longer half demon, but half demon and half angel, Dante is recruited by his long lost brother Vergil to take down Mundus and free humanity while hacking and slashing every demon in Limbo along the way. One of the best things of this story is the relationship between Dante, Vergil, and Kat. Dante comes off as punkish and uncaring at first and through Kat finds something worth fighting for. Vergil and Dante really feel like brothers here, I really loved the little banter they had closer to the end of the game one upping each other by saying how they are stronger or smarter than the other. Mundus, however, felt really bland as a villain. He has more personality than in the original game, but it’s still very cookie cutter villain. The story is pretty predictable and not great but was able to create some pretty tense cut scenes which I never saw in any of the original DMCs. But the biggest issue I had, and maybe it’s because I’m a fan of the original, was Dante. Dante was a punk and a smart ass, not emo, and that’s perfectly fine. Yet a lot of his quips fell flat. It felt like Ninja Theory couldn’t decide if they wanted their Dante to be his own man or harp back to the original. His dialogue lacked the charm it felt like it was going for. Overall, the story wasn’t great but still good.
Design
DMC takes place in Limbo, a parallel world where the demons reside. Levels are impressive, with ever changing landscapes and the world literally trying to kill you. It makes for some fun platforming action. My favorite had to have been the club level, which looks like every raver’s dream. Yet it seems that near the end, the developers ran out of ideas and fall back on some contrive and all too familiar level design. The graphics are good and flow smoothly. I didn’t run into any lag, which is important for a combat game that moves this quickly. There were a few times when textures took a while to pop up during cut scenes but that rarely happened. Overall a great looking game
Combat
The most important aspect of any Devil May Cry game is the combat, and it shines here. You will get access to five weapons and 3 guns over the course of the game, all of which you can switch to on the fly. This can make for some crazy combos. While the initial combat is easy enough for newcomers to grasp, veterans can appreciate the depth of the hack-n-slash of DMC. And with the new emphasis on air combo and juggling, you can literally fly upward and off the screen if you time all your moves right. Fans of the hack-n-slash genre will enjoy this game. A problem I ran into is that when you finally unlock your devil trigger, the ability to slow down time and fling all your enemies in the air to do extra damage, it takes so long to build up the meter that it becomes almost unusable. Not a huge issue but still an annoyance. After each play through you unlock more difficult settings that remix the enemies you run into and with some settings making you die in one hit. This provides moderate replayability reserved only for the most serious of DMC fans.
Rating
Overall this game hits many of the marks it sets out to hit, while not a perfect game, its still solid and a “Hell” of a lot of fun. See what I did there? Yes, this is a different Dante and a different DMC but long time fans should give this game a try before making their decision, you may be surprised in how much you like it. I give this DMC: Devil May Cry 8 out of 10
Ahh Ohayocon…a yearly convention held in Columbus, OH that lasts for three days that is the culmination of several people who enjoy anime, gaming and anything nerdy. I am an Ohayocon faithful who will attend the event every year. Memories are made for myself and others in an overall fun weekend.
I do enjoying anime but I enjoying gaming a hell of a lot more. Getting to spend time with several people in the gaming department is always a treat. I do enjoy playing in fun little tournaments along with just playing games for fun. There’s nothing like playing Dance Central with a complete stranger and being able to laugh afterwards.
Then there is the Mystery Tournament. It is practically an Ohayocon ritual that is held by the Gaming Department’s head operator “Gex”. It’s a blast to play old good/bad games once a year in a competition format…it’s indescribable. The hype environment
and electrifying atmosphere can leave one winded.
Kratos & Scorpion
Other than the gaming department there is the awesome dance/rave that occurs every Friday and Saturday evening. It consumes people and makes everyone feel so energized. Its awesome to say the least.
And of course there are the panels which can be hit and miss. Fortunately they are more often on than off. They range from simple “how to” panels to strictly 18+ filth.
There seems to be a little something for everyone.
I have been a frequent Ohayocon attendee for the past 3-4 years and each time I’ve gone its been rather enjoyable. I would like to thank everyone who makes this event as awesome as it is and to all the awesome people I’ve encountered.
If you haven’t experienced Ohayocon and you live in the midwest, I would highly recommend going to it in 2014.
*The Featured picture is from voodooodollycosplay.tumblr.com Please check out the pics.
Summer Wars is a mere three years old, but its sheer anime geek value warrants a fond look back. For those who never got around to seeking it out on Bluray, DVD, or a special screening at the local arthouse theater, now is as good a time as any to get the crystal clear Bluray (take note of the string of accolades across the top of the disc case, including the 2010 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year). Have faith in such a purchase—it has substantial reviewability.
Mamoru Hosoda, who is responsible for Summer Wars’ storyline and directing, is probably (hopefully) more well-known to ROG readers for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), than for his early work on the Digimon Adventure series and the sixth One Piece movie. He brings to this film a kinetic stylishness that excels in the action sequences, propels the abundant scenes depicting large Japanese family dynamics, and knows just how much to quail itself for some truly dramatic flourishes.
King Kazuma and Love Machine do epic battle. (It’s cooler than it sounds.)
The film’s protagonist is Kenji Koiso—a likeable, but ultimately generic anime high schooler (scrawny, insecure, prone to arousal-induced nose bleeds, but a whiz when it comes to generating computer code). Plucked from his comfort zone in the school’s computer lab, Kenji is recruited by area hottie, Natsuki Shinohara, to accompany her on a trip to Ueda to celebrate her grandma’s 90th birthday with her whole litany of family members. Kenji, of course, abides, but is horrified to soon discover that he’s being used. Natsuki pretends he’s her fiancé when introducing him to her grandmother, Sakae.
Kenji can’t help but forgive such a ruse, given that Sakae proves to be what is likely the most easily loveable old lady ever dropped into an anime, and Natsuki only wanted to make her proud by bringing home a would-be husband. Equal parts cantankerous senior citizen and wistful sage with a fun-loving, youthful spirit, it soon becomes clear that Sakae is practically the family’s demigod. She’s universally revered for her wisdom, compassion, know-how, and flexible ability to fill-in for all the missing supportive figures in each family member’s life. All but one, that is. Adopted son, Wabisuke, had a falling out with the beloved old lady, and he still holds a grudge. We’ll get to him later.
You’ll wish Sakae was your grandmother as soon as you hear her talk.
With all this calibrated sentimentality in place, Summer Wars is just as much an action movie. Seemingly the entire population is caught up in the happenings of a virtual world called OZ. Kenji happens to be a moderator and major player in the inner workings of OZ. These virtual reality scenes are where the film really hits its aesthetic stride. OZ is a sort of netherworld consisting of a white expanse of empty space in which a complex network construct floats. Each OZ member has a cartoonish avatar that resides in the construct and interacts with other members, sort of like The Sims meets Facebook. Multiple battles take place in this space, borrowing the spirit of Pokémon or World of Warcraft as concentrated nerds pound out commands on their keyboards to animate their avatar warriors.
When an anonymous person texts Kenji a long string of code, he intuitively cracks it and sends a response. In doing so, he unknowingly unleashes mass chaos within OZ, threatening the accounts of millions. In this middle act, the film’s stakes start to mount in both the virtual and material realms. The malicious hacker, Love Machine, has an evil avatar, reminiscent of Deadmau5 in appearance. As he starts to wreak havoc in OZ, killing off avatars and deconstructing code, tension builds amongst the family gathering when Wabisuke shows up for a late birthday wish. An argument breaks out and we start to see what it is like when someone challenges Sakae.
The climax won’t be spoiled here, but it manages be mostly suspenseful, unexpected, visually engaging, and an inventive merging of the real and virtual plot threads. Most importantly of all, it is inclusive of the entire cast and each of its members’ personal strengths. It thrives on the film’s persistent appreciation of familial importance, but never really dips into sappy territory. Due to a heartbreaking event midway through the film, the ending also has an emotional resonance that couples nicely with its final showdown in OZ.
Kenji, caught in the grasp of his usual facial expression.
All in all, Summer Wars achieves a multi-layered showmanship that encompasses the drama, action, artistry, and humor of a well-rounded anime. In making its virtual/material split both dichotomous and codependent, it explores the nature of modern human interaction in a world where people can create artificial identities and relationships with international strangers just as easily as they can have lasting bonds with the friends and family around them. It also questions the wisdom of investing so much faith and reliance in the effectiveness of technology and social networking. The real world hangs in the balance just as much as the world of OZ, and it becomes apparent how far removed the characters are from their reality. At the same time, the film counters the cold sheen of OZ with the comforting traditional Japanese estate the family lives in. Can the two realms coexist? We can only hope.
Ubisoft has recently come out with the next installment in the blockbuster series Assassin’s Creed, with Assassin’s Creed III. This time, they are moving towards the modern era of Gunpowder and ditching the era of Knights on Horseback and Cavalry charges. The time of Altair and Ezio has closed, and the next chapter opens with Connor or by his Mohawk name, Ratonhnhaké:ton, the next Assassin to make the rank of Master Assassin. Side note: If someone can say that name correctly, without cheating, I’ll give you a whole dollar… I’m kidding. The story of Connor, doesn’t start with him per say, but gives you his back-story and his reasons for becoming an Assassin.
The story is amazing, weaved together with the events focusing on and around, the American Revolution. You will meet famous heroes from the time, like George Washington, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and many more; the men who, stood up and fought against the tyranny of the English Crown. The story will have you engrossed and wanting to see the war from Connor’s eyes. But with a story being weaved, there’s always a loose stitch or two. The first stitch that comes loose from the story, is the beginning of the game, which many have deemed slow. But once you’re through that rough patch, it picks up. Desmond, the other “main” character of the story is intact and the real world is once again, delegated to a small confines of a cave this time in Upstate New York, working with his father, Shaun, and Rebecca. You do venture out of the cave for various reasons, and see Desmond Parkour, just like his ancestors before him, but these are to get the story in the real World, continuing on towards the Doomsday Apocalypse, of a massive solar flare that will destroy Earth on December 21st, 2012 mentioned by the First Civilization. Also, in Assassin’s Creed storytelling style, you’ll be cursing the screen at moments that happen or being confused as hell from something that just transpired. I won’t spoil anything story related, but I personally believe from the arc of the story, the historical background its set in, the cast of characters that play a role, and Connor’s beliefs and philosophies clashing, makes it the better of the 5 games, thus far.
The gameplay is right up the alley of any returning vet of the Assassin’s series. Quick kills, visceral combos and the always fun assassination moves from the tops of building, and for the first time, trees. I’m being serious, you can kill from the tree tops, and use the amazingly fun, Rope Dart; nothing like getting the drop in on some Redcoats. And another great action added to AC3, was the human shield ability. You’ll be in mid-combat and the yellow warning arrows will appear and you quickly grab a Redcoat and go right back on the offensive once the salvo is done. Even if this is your first time playing an AC game, the controls won’t be foreign to you, easy to pick up and play. But I highly recommend playing the previous titles with Altair and Ezio, just for the wonderful stories. Your playground ranges from Boston, New York, the Frontier between the two, and the Homestead. In sheer size of the first three maps, mainly the Frontier, you’ll notice they are bigger than the previous games cities, and also, you’ll wander and get lost for hours, because I did.
They additionally added the Hunting to the mix, allowing you to hunt woodland creatures to your delight or dismay, PETA I’m looking at you. At this point of the game, I’m at sequence 7, with 43% of a complete game, and my play time is around 17 hrs., 43 mins, and some odd seconds. You’ll get your play time and monies worth, if you’re a completionist. But most of that time, may be attributed to getting lost in the Frontier and stalking wildlife from tree tops. AC3 also added a new naval aspect, and it doesn’t disappoint. You will man the ship Aquila, and she is stubborn giant of a ship, and she will damage any and everything. The controls are easy to pick up, with a very simplified control scheme for speed, firing cannons, both port and starboard, by looking in that direction. And my personal favorite… Ramming! No better joy than, ramming directly into the bow and coming alongside and fire your port side cannons. That sounds rather… I’ll leave it at that.
Hehe… Awesome!
Just like in previous Assassin’s Creed, you have a ton of side quests and mission. As previously mentioned the naval missions, and starting and building of your Homestead off of the Frontier. This entails person finding and gathering a group, by doing various find this person or help this person with a task. They also have just a few clubs instead of every single guild has 20 challenges, that you know, most won’t do or say this, “I can’t do that.”, or best yet, “Seriously, this is impossible.” Also, the recruiting Assassin’s to the Brotherhood is simpler than previous incarnations. For instance, you’ll do a mission while in either Boston or New York, and it doesn’t lock you into it, it’s normally roaming Redcoats forcibly recruiting the young or beat these thugs shaking down harbor vendors. And your Assassins are no longer leveled up, and sent off to lands to hold and have to do a process of swapping them, in and out, and they die from something stupid, like falling from a building, when they’re with you. But this time, you send them off, they complete the mission, and they come back victorious or defeated, and no one dies.
The multiplayer follows the, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and that’s not a bad thing in the case of AC3. All the modes return for the kill one, get killed two seconds later. Fast-paced mode of Simple Deathmatch, no perks or abilities, you see everybody no matter what, and just kill each other. The normal Deathmatch with perks and abilities and multiple copies of the player avatar is still there for your stalking and blending pleasures. Team Objectives gets a new mode in domination, think 3 zones, fighting and defending, highest score wins. It’s quite fun when you have a team communicating, and not senselessly running around as if it’s just another game of team Deathmatch. It’s a personal pet peeve of mine. And even the newer game mode, which is Wolf Pack. How can I explain it, think of it as a team game, but wanting to be top Templar in the mode, but the more reckless you are, the lower the kill score, but the more kills done at the same time, more points. Also, the more points you get, the more time you earn and you have to achieve sequences by earning points, and big points later in the sequences.
its going to be a cold and Bloody day
Assassin’s Creed graphically, wasn’t always O MY GOD! But they do it right for what they have in the Anvil Next Engine. From the in-game cutscenes to the water in the naval missions, and they look great. But the bushes… well they look like they are from previous Gens for the wilderness. But the city landscape are detailed and rendered amazing. We all know, that AC was never really known for their graphics, it’s been the gameplay. That’s my personal opinion, take it or leave it. At one point, and I’ll specifically mention this, draw distance, is amazing. There’s a Lighthouse in the Frontier, and to climb to the top of it and just look around, it simply amazing. With the new addition of Captaining a warship, from the most awkward angle, behind the wheel, the sea when it’s calm or when it’s rough and you can be destroyed by a rogue wave. It’s simply amazing and awesome. When you see it, you’ll say they put their time into making this part of the game, and hopefully something to stay. But not all games can have amazing graphics or even remotely good graphics without hiccups. The AI will one more than one occasion will wig out and do the most bizarre things with their bodies, like become a contortionist, just from the waist down. Or while you’re riding your horse, at full gallop or spurring it on, you’ll hit invisible walls. They’ll randomly pop up at the most inopportune moment, like having a minute thirty to get to Concord from Lexington.
Everything isn’t golden in Assassin’s Creed III as you would think it is. Don’t ever walk through the Frontier, at night, while not on horse, or you’ll get attacked by every wolf, bobcat, bear, or elk, in the World. As people nowadays, want to do everything and complete everything, so they can either platinum or 1000 point a game, this one has that, but the biggest aggressor, is the optional task attached to the story missions. For example, Air Assassinate a Grenadier… What in the World does a Grenadier look like? Oh and to add to it, don’t get caught on a ship in the middle of the bay. I’ll leave you with that lovely picture of constant restarts and rising blood pressure. The AI isn’t completely dumb, allowing you to wade into every group of Redcoats and leave unscathed, like you were never there, but it’s not above the point of chasing you, with a large group, and falling into the Boston Harbor to die, and meet Davey Jones. A personal gripe, when you’re doing homestead missions that have you talking to some of your townsfolk, nobody moves their arms or does anything human like. They stand there bobbing back and forth and talk, but like I said, personal gripe.
To me personally, Assassin’s Creed III, delivers on everything an Assassin’s game is supposed to be. Fixes on the short fall of predecessors, and even continues some of them as well. I’m looking at you horse, and riding to every incident due to the fact that, the fast travel is just as far. But I digress, the game flows after stumbling slightly over the beginning story, it captivates you into the story of Connor and the Order and shaping the future during the American Revolution, and all the while, looking cool. A solid entry into the Assassin’s Creed series, and I believe, the new hero Connor, can stand with Altair and Ezio in the annals of the Order. Even the story outside the Animus, with Desmond and company is still adds to the overall pieces of the story, as the clock for them, keeps ticking closer to December 21st, 2012.
This convention is a can’t miss for geeks in Miami! The convention prides itself as an anime convention, but has expanded to include many fandoms including gaming, tabletop, and American pop culture. Panels to suit any tastes are abundant, but there are too many to cover. So all you need to know is yours truly will be hosting ROG panels the Saturday and Sunday of the con. Freebies will be given out to the lovely people who attend so I suggest you all come and enjoy yourselves, you might get something.
Saturday
10-11 AM: The Birthday Panel
7:30-8 PM: Otaku on a Budget
Sunday
1:30-3 PM: The History of Vocaloids
One of the main events this year is a new Masquerade Ball that will be held the Friday of the weekend. Saturday will also be host to a pool party and a cosplay contest, and while Sunday is the shortest day in convention time, it usually is the most relaxed one, perfect after two days of excitement so you can just lay back, chill with other fans and perhaps catch a few panels. Mizucon 2012 will be fun, so plan your days ahead of time to make the most of what it has to offer and just have fun!
The list of all the panels and events that will occur can be seen here.
This Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the opening night of the My Little Pony Project 2012 LA charitable art exhibit at the Toy Art Gallery. The exhibit is inspired, of course, by Hasbro’sMy Little Pony.
The My Little Pony Project 2012 is a year long GLOBAL celebration in honor of the theme “Friendship is Magic”. Artists from LA, NYC and Tokyo all had a hand in creating one-of-a-kind ponies to raise money for charity.
The opening night included the project charity ponies, 18″ MY LITTLE PONY figures designed by international fine artists, and a pop-up shop by WeLoveFine.
Toy Art Gallery also joined forces with JapanLA, Joyrich and Munky King, and to host a pony treasure hunt, which, I sadly, did not get to in time to participate in.
It may shock anyone unfamiliar with the new My Little Pony culture that has sprung up, but the line to get in started hours before the gallery opened and, by the time I left Toy Art Gallery to head for JapanLA, was stretched around the end of the block. So many men and women came together to celebrate, from guys in punk rock gear and all black ensembles to delicate ladies costumed as unicorns to bemused mothers toting around sons and daughters.
the line started half a block earlier and wrapped around the block!
Even Perez Hilton got in on the magic… in his… special way.
In all the event was a very eye-opening experience for me. So many different people could relate with the super-simple pony themes: friendship, magic and art. Who is a brony? Who is a pegasister? Who is the real pony otaku? The answer is much less stereotypical than you might think!
(ps there is a SarahTheRebel spotting around 2:27 and again around 4:14)
The event was done very well and kudos to the team who coordinated it. There were free cakeballs (as many as you could eat!) a free bar (with sodas for the kids) and an awesome DJ. Overall I was just very impressed. Not many events have the amount of positive energy this one had. But I guess that’s just all that magical friendship floating around!
I’m excited to see how much money this actually raises for charity.
Check out the full artist list and the photo gallery below!
Featured artists:
6%DOKIDOKI
64 Colors
Ana Bagayan
Angry Woebots
Blamo (Mikie Graham)
Blythe (Junie Moon)
Chikuwaemil
COPE2
DABS & MYLA
Eimi
HIME+YOU
Indie *on view at Munky King.
Jillian Kate
J*RYU
Julie West
Kano
Lisa Alisa
Luke Chueh
Madoka Kinoshita
Martin Hsu
Mark Mothersbaugh
Miso
Miss Kika
Onch Movement
Perez Hilton
Shojono Tomo
Sket One
Spank! *on view at JapanLA.
TOUMA
According to an article on Kotaku, one creative modder has made a Pokemon mod for Borderlands.
The mod allows players to fire a grenade that looks like a Pokéball and releases a skag to fight at your side. Which skag you ask? Well you actually can choose one of ten variants.
I’mma let you finish, but this mod is the greatest mod of all time. Of all time. Disagree? Which mod do you think is the greatest mod ever for a video game? Let us know in the comments!
This event, held yearly at the Morikami Gardens in Delray Beach, isn’t your regular convention. As an attraction for residents that prides itself in providing an insight on Japanese culture, it kept cos-players and anime fans in a separate area; as to allow regular guests to enjoy events such as traditional tea ceremonies, and shopping for things unrelated to anime or manga in peace. The Pikachu Stage was where all the panels, anime vendors, and dealers were all held, under one big tent, that provided nice shade and a con like atmosphere. However, the park’s beauty, in addition to its museum and the other activities, had everyone roaming and getting along. The costume contest brought a bigger crowd than expected. There were more people crowding around the chairs standing up than those sitting down, and surprisingly many of those people were just regular Joes interested in the wide array of costumes seen around. The costume contest went on for a long time, because of the many cosplayers present went with an intent to compete. Yet it was disappointing how many of the competitors modeled too fast for those taking pictures to get a good shot. Especially from the distance some were taken, given of how beautiful and detailed some of their costumes were. Hatsume Fair didn’t provide much in the way of otaku oriented entertainment, but the few ones given were very decent and educational. It also was a convention that had many cos-players and a laid back atmosphere that opened opportunities to meet more people. But what makes it very special, is that it all takes place in a beautiful place reminiscent of the traditional Japanese culture I’ve come to love just because of its uniqueness and rich history. All in all, I would definitely attend Hatsume Fair again, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to attend a con in a Japanese atmosphere.
With a new year in full swing, it’s time for us to step back and assess our faults and weaknesses, as well as how we can improve ourselves. However, if you’re making the same old resolutions year after year and nothing’s changing maybe it’s time to make some new resolutions. So instead of promising to lose weight or get a boyfriend/girlfriend (again), it’s time for some REAL change. Here are my recommendations.
1. Watch an anime a day: By that I mean watch an episode everyday. The busy person needs a chance to relax, and a 30 minute break is a good way to recharge and get back into action. Plus, if you have more free time or nothing to do, instead of wasting time scrolling through Facebook you can do something you actually enjoy. Plus most of the time, it’s FREE! Funimation and Anime Network have YouTube channels you can watch entire seasons of anime from, with sub and dub options and sometimes high definition. And if there’s something you can’t find, some libraries have many anime options.
Those are just the DVDs that make up an entire season. And all the ones available are nothing compared to legal anime on Youtube.
2. Read a manga per week: Don’t forget about manga! Read a manga in your free time or before going to bed. Surprisingly, some libraries have a wide selection of manga, mostly really popular manga but also some lesser known but nonetheless great manga. Or pay homage to the culture and buy some for yourself.
3. A change of clothes: By that I mean if you’ve worn the same shirts for more than three years, it’s time to buy some new ones. With Internet shopping and after Christmas sales it’s easy to overload on pop culture and video game shirts without breaking the bank.
HA! Obscure references.
4. Redo your room: Buy posters of your fave anime characters. Get some shelves to display those figurines. Arrange your video game collection and get those clothes off the floor. And maybe let some natural light in before you forget natural light exists.
I would post a picture of my real room, but I don't want to traumatize innocent people.
5. Go to a real life nerdy event once a month: You only live once, so make this the year you begin truly breaking out of your shell. By going somewhere where people like you are gathered, you open yourself up to new encounters. Plus you have fun! When I began participating in the nerd scene, I realized how much I was missing out on, and I wanted to tell everyone I knew they had to get out there. So get out there and attend conventions, Nerdcore concerts, zombie walks, collectibles shows, the possibilities are endless! Look for events on social media, check out events other nerdy friends talk about, check out the Animecon website to look for cons, Google for events, whatever you do just do it. This might just become the best promise you’ve ever made to yourself, but you won’t know until you’ve tried it.
The joys of living. I'm in there, somewhere.
Happy New Year everyone! I truly hope the next year is your best and following also, on behalf of everyone here at Real Otaku Gamer.
