Friday, March 20, 2015

My Favorite Anime Series - Clannad and Clannad After Story

At first, I had every intention on making a Top 10 of my favorite anime today.  I had it all listed.  Even an honorable mention list!  As a result, some may have loved the list... but this also could tick off some people... then again, it's expected with these top *insert number* lists nowadays.  *sigh*  But, as I went on with it, and especially mentioning Clannad here (SPOILER ALERT: It's my favorite anime of all time!  I mean, I guess it isn't a spoiler when I plaster "My Favorite Anime" in the title...), I couldn't help but consider the idea of making this its own post.  In fact... well, you already know it by now, but I did do so!  So, here's the blog on Clannad and Clannad After Story.  Keep in mind that there are SPOILERS in this post, mostly on the story (nothing major to the point where it would spoil the major points of the story, but still).  So, if you are interested in watching this anime, researching on whether to watch it or not, then I say WATCH it!  I say this, because you will never really know how you feel about it until you watch a few episodes of any anime in general.  Besides, it's a great anime, and is at least worthy of given a shot!  So, on the spoilers... you have been warned.

Nagisa Furukawa (left) and Tomoya Okazaki (right).
Clannad tells about a guy named Tomoya Okazaki, who goes to school.  He lives with his father, who is an alcoholic and just has a pathetic nature to him.  Tomoya lost his mother when he was a kid, and never had a terrific relationship with his dad.  He hated school, and never really got around much.  He was also considered a delinquent.  In short, he didn't have much of a care in the world.  Then, on his way to school, he runs into a girl named Nagisa Furukawa, talking herself to go to school.  Her struggle in this is that she had to retake her senior year, and is nervous due to not having any friends at this point.  Tomoya, hearing her talking to herself on his way to school, responds to her, and walks on to school, with Nagisa following on with him.  After some time, they become friends, working up on reviving the drama club (Nagisa's idea).  This lead up to making new friends, new experiences, and so forth.  They succeed in reviving the drama club, and prepped a solo play that Nagisa had wanted to do.  Eventually, after the play, Tomoya mans up and asks Nagisa on a date, and they eventually start dating (daaaaaw).

Clannad After Stories takes place somewhat immediately after the events of Clannad.  Tomoya and the
others finish up high school at some point or another, and all go their separate ways... well, most of them.  Tomoya and Nagisa end up marrying, living together, and talk about having a child (which they do, naming her Ushio).  I'll end it there because any more mention will become major spoiler points for Clannad After Story.  Yeah, I know, I pretty much spoiled the ending to Clannad, but Clannad After Story has much more of a feel than anything I have seen, and as such, would rather have people watch it for themselves.  Just... you may need more than one tissue box.  That's all I am saying.

Youhei Sunohara (keft) and Tomoyo Sakagami (right).
The story of this anime was fantastic!  I was interested and emotionally eyeing on what was going to happen next.  It's does not have tons of action like most anime you see nowadays... but, maybe that's why this is my favorite anime.  Because it isn't over the top.  It has some fights, but most of it is focused on the story, emotion, character development, and drama (good drama, I might add).  Speaking of which, the fact that the fights are limited that it kinda makes me love the series even more.  A lot of popular anime series today consists of non-stop action and a lot of fighting (Attack On Titan, Dragon Ball Z, and Sword Art Online have quite a bit of fighting in it, which helps reinforce their popularity).  But with Clannad, which the main focus is the story and emotion rather than the fighting and who's the strongest in their series... this bumps it up as my favorite series ever.  Because the fighting isn't the most important.  No, what is is the characters and what's going on in their lives.  Their stories, and the story of Clannad as a whole.  It's all about that and the emotional tone of what the series holds. And, in addition, the diversity of the characters is incredible and unique with each one, whether serious (like with Kotomi Ichinose and Tomoyo Sakagami with their pasts) or or silly (like with Youhei Sunohara and his constant challenges against Tomoyo, all of which lead Sunohara being pumbled to the ground, flat out flying in the air, and so forth.   And  I can't forget one of the greatest fathers and mothers in anime history, Akio and Sanae Furukawa, Nagisa's parents.  They are silly and hilarious, but are so great because they are always there for Nagisa.).  Almost each character had something that made them unique and interesting, instead of making them so dull and boring.  Tomoya is somewhat dull, but that's who he is - a man who never really had many friends or people to look up to to begin with.  As such, it makes sense that his personality will be somewhat bland (and result in him being a delinquent at the beginning of the series).  Even so, he is still pretty funny and awesome enough for some to like him as a character (he is the main
Akio (right) and Sanae (left) Furukawa
Best.  Anime.  Parents.  Ever!
character after all)!  To reinforce his character somewhat, he has a selfless attitude (at times), and still strives to help others in need (which becomes important towards the end of Clannad After Stories).  Nagisa is easily emotional and always wants to help others, even if she doesn't know how.  She does get sickly very easily, which is why she was held back from graduating and other events.  Also, she has an obsession on the Dango Family.  Her parents are awesome.  I already said that, but I will say it again - her parents are awesome!  Why?  They are always doing something silly, like when Akio says something about Sanae's cooking (which is horrid), and she flat out cries and runs off, with Akio usually running after her apologizing and taking back what he said (while eating her terrible baked goods... dunno if I should call it "baked goods" when they usually taste terrible...).  In addition, regardless of the situation, they are ALWAYS there for Nagisa.  This development is explained in the anime too (which I will not mention in this post... but it is kinda sad, and makes sense why Akio and Sanae are always there for Nagisa).

Tomoya and Nagisa - DAAAAAAAAWWW!!!
It's funny, I don't mind spoiling that Tomoya and Nagisa end up together... but, it's kinda expected as you watch the series.  With points like Akio and Sanae's past with Nagisa and further in Clannad After Story, it's something that most of us don't want to spoil to our readers or listeners.  The story of Clannad and Clannad After Story is so good that you WANT people to watch it.  You WANT people to experience the story that you experienced.  Like with the Notebook: I had some people who wanted me to watch it because of how good it was... but, to me and others, Clannad and Clannad After Story blows movies and shows like that out of the park when it comes to story, comedy, and even romance.  Seriously, sex scenes and sloppy kisses are the norm in romance movies/shows... which, to me, is somewhat disappointing, since we think that's how relationships are at first.  Rarely do you see so much closeness between characters who's only real physical affection shown through the series is holding hands and hugs (*hint hint*), and even with that much, you sense a great deal amount of affection between the characters with that alone than characters who has a "romantic" kiss and get together only after a few days.  Why?  Because the character development is there for those characters.  You see their friendships grow to the point where you feel like they are ready to take their relationship up to the next level - not through kisses or sex, but because they created a bond that only by through getting to know one another and spending time with them can truly do.  Point is, this romantic comedy anime series isn't your normal typical romance comedy stuff.  The story is very unique and keeps those interested watching it to its ultimate conclusion!

Clannad - Group Photo!
And, it's not like the story and development of said story is all there is to it in the series.  The characters and their character development also reinforces the uniqueness and power of what the anime has to offer (as I have mentioned a few times so far).  You see Tomoya grow from being someone who doesn't care about his own future to actually doing something for himself and others.  Having a care for himself and the people he cares for.  Nagisa grows from someone who finds herself alone in a class that she was not really a part of at first (since her illness resulted in her falling behind a year in her school), not confident to begin with (she was really hesitant in reviving the drama club), and very shy to making a lot of friends, gaining quite the deal of confidence in what she says and does, and isn't as shy as she used to be (such as, like I mentioned earlier, making friends outside of her age group).  Nagisa is my favorite character in the series because I do relate to her in a way.  When I was younger, my confidence in myself was pretty low, I didn't have many real friends, and I was rather shy.  Now, I have more confidence in myself, a lot of friends I depend on, and my shyness has diminished.  People like characters depending on how much they relate to them.  Or at least, that's how it usually is, but it does make sense.  We love relating to people, whether it is in our favorite movies, shows, and even real life friends and family.  And in the Clannad series, there are a lot of characters with different personalities!  Another character with quite a bit of character growth (whether in the current time of Clannad or in their past before the events of Clannad) are characters like Kotomi Ichinose and Tomoyo Sakagami respectively.  It's really touching to see these characters grow and develop to people that you really like and are interested in.

Clannad Arranged Album "Mabinogi"
And what reinforces a great story with great characters?  Why the music of course!  The themes and soundtracks really added on to the emotion of the scene and what was going on, right down to the mark.  Music adds on to the suspense and emotion of the show, and the music score for this series was really well done!  Some of the music gives off some cheerful emotion, while other pieces is soothing and relaxing on a typical relaxing day.  However, a lot of the tracks I find are sorrowful, somber, and adds emotion to what's happening.  The music certainly helps add on to what's going on in the scene(s), and matches it point for point!  Perfect music composition to the story as a whole, in my personal opinion.  To help reinforce this statement, I bought the album Clannad Arranged Album "Mabinogi" by Hideki Higuchi on iTunes, and is certainly worth the purchase.  I always listen to it when relaxing (i.e. walking or reading), and even when I am studying.  Although it only has eight tracks, it justifies on how perfect the music is, whether in the anime or in real life events!

The anime as a whole was so incredible and emotional that I cried.  Angel Beats! made me cry too, and other movies and shows had that effect too, but this series was different!  When I said that at the beginning of this post that you will more likely need more than one tissue box... well, I meant it!  Seriously, especially in Clannad After Story, you're gonna need those tissue boxes!  When I first saw through this series, I cried so much that I needed that second... and even third tissue box!  I am not ashamed to admit this.  A real man does not cry?  I believe that it takes a real man to cry, as it is an emotion and a good one at that (crying reflects on sadness and happiness, and both are represented through the series).  After all, if Jesus Christ WEPT (John 11:35), then I would say it is okay to cry my friend(s)!  Anyway, the emotion is there.  It is real (well, kinda, but... you do get the point here, right?).

See Ushio crying?  Chances are,
you will be crying like that too!
Even with the incredible story it had... the characters, music, emotional tone... included with all that, what makes a series great is the end that it gives.  The closure, would it be good... or disappointing?  For Clannad and Clannad After Story, the conclusion of the series was satisfying for me.  That was my issue with a few of the anime I have seen.  Some ended abruptly, while others just had flat out bad endings.  However, with all that had happened through the entirety of Clannad, the way it concluded and ended was satisfying and worth it.  I feel like a lot of anime we see we don't want an end to because we want it to continue.  We want the adventure to never end.  Hope for something better.  And I admit, I am like that at times.  However, very few was I not only satisfied with how it ended, but satisfied and fine with the series being done for good.  With the manga, I liked how Rurouni Kenshin ended, and I am content and very much okay with leaving it to where the story ultimately ends because... well, it was a good ending and a fantastic closure with Kenshin's story and the other characters.  I feel like Kenshin's tale truly ends there, and I am very much content with that.  And with the anime, Clannad's ultimate conclusion was like that for me.  The story as a whole was incredible, and doesn't need a continuation.  Series like Sword Art Online and Dragon Ball Z, some of us fans don't want to see an end because we either grew up with it and don't want to see it end, or feel like there's no closure to it (and may never find that satisfying conclusion for said series).  It's hard, real hard, to have an end to a series that we hold so dear to our hearts... but, I feel like Clannad did that perfectly, and I am perfectly fine to never see a reboot of that series because of how well done it was!

Now, I talked A LOT about its pros... but, what about its cons?  What did I not like about it?  And so, I am going to be perfectly honest with myself and my readers here... nothing like that comes to mind!  The series had so many pros to it on my list that I couldn't come up with a con.  It's not raunchy in any way, the story was incredible, the characters are lovable, the music composition was enjoyable and soothing, and the ending was satisfying.  And even with the lack of fights and action, I feel like an anime series doesn't necessarily need something like that to be the most popular series around.  Clannad certainly didn't need much of it to make it so good, and I would certainly recommend anyone to try and watch it.

In conclusion, I loved Clannad!  Sure, I love video games, sword fights, over powered fighting, and such... I really do.  That's why I love anime series like Angel Beats!, Sword Art Online, and Dragon Ball Z... but, if there is one thing I focus on in the aspect of anything I watch, it is the story.  I felt like Clannad really did a fantastic job on that, and made most of the characters important in some way, shape, or form, as well as keeping the story interesting and intense.  It was the story, characters, plot, and music that made it my most favorite anime series of all time.  And I feel like that it will remain as my favorite anime for a very long time!  The same friend that introduced me to Angel Beats! introduced me to Clannad... and I am glad that he did!
Love Clannad.  Love Dragon Ball Z.  Love the photo! :)

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Fred Phelps' Death - Why We Should Not Celebrate It (Biblical Standpoint)

Fred Phelps’ death has definitely received a big impact on many people today – and not in a positive way either.  Now, I know some of you may be asking, “Phelps spoke of hatred and anger, causing grief and starting a group that followed that belief for years!  His words were poison!  How could his death not be a good thing?”  Yeah, the life he lead was certainly not of love – but of hate, which goes against what the Bible teaches when He tells us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (1 John 4:11, Matthew 5:43-44, Leviticus 19:18).  “God hates gays/fags”, “God hates soldiers”, “God hates rap music” (no joke)… the list goes on – all claiming that God “hates” these things, when in fact God does not hate them (specifically the sinner) at all (1 John 4:8, 4:16, 4:19; Romans 5:8).  God loves us, because God is love!
Now, with that said, I also want to make a point that despite of Fred Phelps’ hate towards sinners and his self-righteous behavior… we still should not celebrate his death!  In fact, I would have to say that Phelps’ death would come close to being as celebrated as when Osama Bin Laden’s death came to light to us.  Over-exaggerating?  Maybe, but the celebration of the death of a man is still there, whether it be Osama or Fred Phelps.  Yeah, the death of someone (Osama) who caused so much strife, war, and terror would become a good thing in terms of stopping the terror over all… but that still does not mean that we should have been celebrating it.  In God’s eyes, every sin (bar from one specific one) is equivalent.  1 Corinthians 6:9-10 lists some examples on the sins that will keep us from the Kingdom of Heaven.  Why do I point this out?  It’s because we ALL are guilty of some sin or another.
Based on the information I gathered, Westbro Baptist Church members (most at least) are self-righteous – people who think that are not sinners at all (perfect).  Naturally, they are wrong in this regard, as everyone has sinned in some part of their lives and, as a result, are not perfect (Romans 3:23).  Now, even so, we too are just as guilty as they are when it comes to sinning.  We too have sinned, whether it being drug addiction, love for money, lust, pornography, homosexuality... the list continues on, and we have fallen in some form of sin at some point in our lives.
As such, why should we celebrate a man’s death... a man that has caused a spread of hatred around others and falsely testified God’s Word… when we all have sinned ourselves?  Especially the Christian’s who are celebrating his death and speaking about it as if out of joy… that’s hate right there – hate for a man who spoke of hate.  I’ve already pointed out that God is love, and that as Christians we need to love our neighbor as ourselves… AND, we need to be able to forgive the sinner (Ephesians 4:32, Mark 11:25), no matter how hard that may be.  We should not celebrate his death… but feel sorry for the fact that he may not have repented when he was near death.  Chances are that he didn’t… but he may have.  If he did pray for forgiveness for these sins and truly wished to repent, then I say that’s great for a man who has preached and spoke of hate for so long, finally saw the error of his ways, repented at that moment of his death, and was finally truly at peace.  If not, then it’s a shame that he didn’t.
Let’s take a good look at ourselves, see the sins that we have caused (no matter the number or the amount of times we have sinned), and have faith in God to help us remove those sins and repent.  As such, by truly repenting, we may be able to help those who are struggling with their sin and needs a helping hand to guide them to Christ (Matthew 7:1-5).  If we each do that, then we may be able to lessen the hate in this world that we have let creep into our hearts for all of these years/decades/centuries, and follow the love that Jesus Christ has given us for so long, by paying for OUR sins through His death on the cross… so that we may have eternal life, for those who believe in Him and are faithful (John 3:16, Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24).  As such, because of what Christ has done for us, believers in Christ who commit to Him to the end will receive such a glorious gift that we don’t rightfully deserve… but God says that we are deserving of His love anyways.
In conclusion, I agree that Fred Phelps did not lead a life truly devoted to God.  He spoke of hate for not just the sin (which is right, since we should hate sin [Romans 12:9, Psalm 97:10]), but also spoke hatred at the sinners (which is wrong).  Even so, I personally believe that we should not celebrate his death, but focus on repenting ourselves, and leading a life of faith and agape love – the kind of faith and love that is so preached by Christ and throughout the Bible.  By living a life of true Christian love… we may be able to lessen the hatred in the world today.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Top 6 Favorite Super Smash Bros. Characters

And so, we have left the year of 2013 behind and started on a brand new year in 2014.  Many games are being looked forward to, and I personally am excited for the new Super Smash Bros. game that's coming out for the Wii U and the 3DS.

With that said, I am going to make a post on my top 6 favorite SSB characters (because 6 is better than 5... sometimes).  Now, these are my personal favorite characters to use in the SSB universe.  I will be deciding based from all 3 current SSB games to date.  Before we begin, here's a small 'honorable mention for those who I love to use, but didn't exactly make it to the Top 6:

  • Captain Falcon: Falcon Punch, speed, and his sweet moves!
  • Luigi: I like jumpers, and Luigi is no different.  He's also strong, but Luigi isn't the easiest character to use either.  But nonetheless, I can't deny that I love Mario's brother, whom I like more than Mario himself!
  • Bowser: Powerful, hard to K.O., and I love giant reptile monsters like him!
  • Lucario: One of my best (and favorite) Pokemon currently in the actual series, balanced, good movepool.
So there's our honorable mention... yeah, that's about it.  Well, let's begin with number six!

6. Toon Link
Not Young Link from Melee.  Toon Link from Brawl.  Why?  Simple.  I like this Link more.  Anyone who has read my favorite Zelda games page on my Blog know that Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda game to date, and since Toon Link is pretty much based from that Link... well, there ya go.  I love the cartoon design, as opposed to the real life looking design (not saying that I dislike it, just that I like the cartoon look more).  Also, I prefer the Master Sword's design from Wind Waker more personally.
Aside from design, I like his move set better than the other Links (effectively being only Link and Young Link).  He's light, can jump well, and still has ranged weaponry to work with (even though I feel like they are slower and lack some range as opposed to Adult Link).  His attacks hit hard (especially that down thrust of his, like every other Links has been), and that up thrust can K.O. pretty hard too.  I also like the fact that he can wall jump, and using the Hook Shot to get you back on the ledge is cool.  Not always good for recovery, but it looks neat!
If there's one thing that I would like to change from Toon Link is to replace his current shield with the Mirror Shield from WW, but that's about it.

5. Yoshi
Yoshi and I go back during the times of SSB.  He was always my default character until halfway through Melee onward.  Back when SSB and SSB Melee were among the few games I constantly played, I was really good with Yoshi.  I especially remembered when we had a 'Peddler's Market' thing going on at our school when I was in Jr. High, and there was a booth where SSB Melee was a big hit at the time.  It costed 50 cents to play, and you get to keep playing as long as your win each match.  Otherwise, you had to pay 50 cents to play another round.  I only had to pay the 50 cents until I had to be in class.  I was at my prime with Melee, and Yoshi was my default and best character for me to use.  A great jumper, and a heavy hitter.  No one could stop us!
With the boastful story done, now I can say that I am not as good as I once was, as I actually play a wide variety of games today (Nintendo games mainly still).  In fact, I have gotten rusty since I stopped playing Brawl regularly for a few years.  And as such, Yoshi isn't my best because of it, but he's on here for both still being a favorite, still one of my better characters, and just pure nostalgia.  Never underestimate the green happy dinosaur, because this guy can still hit very hard and has amazing jumping capabilities.

4. Ike
My third Fire Emblem game I have played was Path of Radiance, and it is one of my top 3 favorite games (along with Rekka no Ken and Awakening).  Ike was the main character of this game, and boy, did I like him.  He's a pretty awesome character and, unlike other main characters, is not of noble birth.  This alone sets him apart from the likes of Roy, Marth, Lyn, Ephraim, and so forth.  In fact, he is just a common mercenary... who so happens to be a main character in his respective game titles (PoR and Radiant Dawn).
Once I found out that he was going to be in Brawl, I couldn't help but be excited.  Once I got my hands on the game and played... I was happy!  While Ike isn't the fasted character to play with, he is a very strong and capable fighter.  Not only that, but he can move averagely quickly and isn't easily knocked out, especially if you know how to use him.  He became one of my default characters in Brawl.
Ike's strong, and it helps that he isn't terribly slow.  His special B moves are pretty sweet, and his Final Smash move is one of my personal favorites!  I only wished that his sword Ragnell would be able to fire ranged attacks, as it has that same capabilities in his FE titles.  Oh well, I'm just glad that he made it in Brawl as a playable character, and I enjoyed using him a lot (and still do today).

3. Pikachu
Pokemon is one of my favorite gaming titles to play, and Pikachu is one of my favorite Pokemon.  Not my most favorite, but I do like him.  He's had his moments in the anime, and is very popular.  Although, he isn't too terrific in his original gaming series, even with the help of the Light Ball item, it's great that the SSB universe has been incredibly kind to this yellow mouse, sometimes even considered 'broken'.
Pikachu may be very light and somewhat easily KO'ed, but his speed, great recovery, and heavy hitting power makes up for this.  A friend of mine used him all the time and was pretty good with him.  I see why he used Pikachu a lot, as he is very good.  I enjoy using him.
His electric attacks are dangerously tough, especially Thunder.  Quick Attack is such a great recovery, Thundershock has good priority, and that speed... I could repeat on with this, but I just enjoy using Pikachu a lot.  And besides, it would be wrong of a Pokemon fan like me not to use a Pokemon in the SSB universe.

2. Falco
Now, I could choose Fox here, but 'personally, I prefer the air'... sometimes.  Falco is really good with that.  He can jump really good, has good air control (at least I think so), and the fact that he can use good attacks in the air makes it worthwhile (not to mention that his blaster fires faster in the air).
Now, with land fighting it's almost no different.  Falco is really good on land too, as his attacks work nicely and hits hard!  And I like that he has a wide variety of utility moves to work with, suck as the Reflector (which I like that he kicks it, making it like a boomerang in Brawl), as it helps reflect projectiles and such, and his Falco Phantasm (great recovery, especially in Brawl).  The Fire Bird could still be better, but it works nonetheless.  And I do prefer his Blaster over Fox's, as his stuns the enemy.
Fox and Falco have their perks (examples being that Fox is fast and Falco jumps better), and between the two... I will always pick Falco!

1. Marth
This guy (and Roy) are what helped me get interested in the Fire Emblem series... and I am glad that it did!  Fire Emblem still remains as my favorite video game series to date!  I am glad that Marth and Roy came to America's SSB Melee, as it got players interested in the series too!  Now, with that said, why else is Marth my number one?
Needless to say, Marth is awesome!  In Melee, he works real well as a nicely balanced character.  He's fast, his attacks have good speed and priority, and his array of sword techniques is nice!  Dancing Blade has some great combos in there, provided you time them right.  Dolphin Slash makes for a decent recovery, and a very good attack.  His Shield Breaker sticks to the name.  After a full charge, it will break the opponent's shield regardless of how fully charged it is.  Not only that, but it hits real hard once fully charged!  And one of my personal favorites: Counter.  Just simply having your opponent's attack countered against him always brings joy to my heart!
I also like that Marth's blade, Falchion, is best when the tip of the blade is used.  As a fencer, I can attest and say that it suits my playing style, especially since nearly all of Marth's moves is based on sword attacks and techniques.
I honestly wish he was this good in his own Fire Emblem gaming titles.  I like his character, but he always seems to be weaker than some other good characters (it's such a shame that he can't promote).  But, he's still awesome, and is great in the SSB series so far.  I am excited to see how he turns out in the 4th installment!

So there's my top favorite SSB characters to date!  If you have personal favorites that are similar/different from mine, leave them in the comments below! :)

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Top 10 Favorite 1st Gen. Pokemon

With the release of Pokemon X and Y, I think it's time I give out my favorite Pokemon.  It's hard to just narrow it down to a simple "Top 10 Favorite Pokemon", since there are so many now.  So I'm going to categorize it down to a "Top 10 Favorite ___ Generation Pokemon" list, starting from 1st generation and working my way up to the 6th.

Before I get into it, each and every list will contain some/all of the following reasons on why said Pokemon will be my favorite:

  • Design: Most people's reasons for liking Pokemon.  I can't deny that some Pokemon are awesome by simply their design.
  • Usability: When I say this, what I will be referring to is how good they are in their respective games, whether the Video Game or the Trading Card Game (it'll normally come from the former though for my lists).  It sometimes goes to show that some Pokemon with just cool designs are deceiving sometimes...
  • Pokedex Entries: What many people overlook is the Pokemon's Pokedex entry.  Some Pokemon have actually pretty awesome Pokedex entries, especially some of the "lame ones".
  • Earned their "Gold Star": What this means is what did the Pokemon do for you.  We train hard for them and take care of them, but a good question is if they think the same for us.  With this, I will be talking about if the Pokemon has saved you from tight spots (i.e. you are about to lose against the Pokemon Champion), and they somehow pull it off.  This gets them their "Gold Star" award.
  • Memories/Stories: This will set them apart usually.  A strong Pokemon, a cool looking Pokemon, and an interesting Pokemon is cool and all, but a story is what gets people interested normally.  The name speaks for itself: what memories or stories you made with your favorite Pokemon.
With that said, now we can get into my Top 10 Favorite Pokemon... starting with the 1st Generation (Red, Blue, Yellow).  Let's get started!


10. Pidgeot
Pidgeot still holds the title of my most favorite bird Pokemon, even though it is not that good in the competitive field.  Still though, she has helped me in Pokemon Red and Yellow quite a number of times against a few Gym Leaders, especially when we were at the Elite 4 and against the Champion.  Bruno was a difficult adversary to take out, since his Pokemon does leave a dent on my team (Machamp is my worst enemy).  I normally try to keep my Pokemon team balanced, but if it weren't for Pidgeot there, I would have some troubles.  While Pidgeot can't take on Onix in the slightest, what she is able to do is take out the other Fighting Pokemon (Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Machamp).  Thanks to this advantage, she was incredible and a great help to my rise as the Pokemon champion.  Oh, and it's a she because that's what she was once Gold and Silver came out.
Pidgeot's design is pretty wicked too.  But then again, according to the Pokedex entries, it states in the 3rd Gen Pokedex that it has gorgeous glossy feathers.  Many trainers are so captivated by the beautiful feathers on its head that it compells them to choose Pidgeot as their Pokemon.  So we have been DECEIVED!  We were captivated by this Pokemon to choose it, and we never knew it... well, I guess.  Also, Pidgeot can fly at Mach 2 speeds... which, last I checked, is pretty darn fast!  And with the capabilities of seeing great distances while flying at 3,300 feet... I must say, that's a pretty impressive Pokemon there.
I saddens me that Pidgeot isn't useful in competitive, but it holds a spot in my Top 10.

9. Beedrill
While I agree that Scyther is an awesome looking bug Pokemon, I honestly have to say that with the 1st gen bugs, Beedrill is my favorite!  What makes him appear on this list is not because of his power (Scyther easily pushes Beedrill away from that), nor is it based on its ability to support the team members (Butterfree does that better).  What makes Beedrill awesome is that it has one heck of an awesome design.  Not only that, but it brought fear to many trainers (in the anime).  In fact, if a Beedrill were actually real in our world, I bet a lot of us would be terrified to approach it!  It resembles greatly of a wasp, which many people are afraid of, including me.  With those stingers for arms, I bet we would be very cautious when approaching one.  It's rather intimidating.
However, that aside, Beedrill serves little to no purpose in competitive.  It has a decent Attack stat of 90 (formerly 80), and the rest of its stats are low.  However, the upside to Beedrill is that it has Twineedle.  No, it's not that good of an attack, but it was its signature move (until Escavalier came along in 5th gen).  Also, back in Red, Blue, and Yellow, it had the niche of being one of the few Pokemon who can attack a Psychic Pokemon and deal super-effective damage on it with Twineedle or Pin Missle.  Sadly though, even back then, it had a hard life to live.
Beedrill's Pokedex entries are cool, as they fly in fast speeds and fly in swarms.  I like Pokemon that fight together as a team, and it makes sense for Beedrill, as some bugs work as teams.  They can take down any opponent with its powerful poison stingers.  Boy, I really wish that would of worked in the actual battles that Beedrill took part in.
Overall, I love Beedrill's design, and the Pokedex entry is somewhat cool... but I do wish that Beedrill would be great, competitive wise.  I would certainly love to use him.  Oh well, just glad that I own him still in my games (UPDATE: Mega Beedrill confirmed!  That is all!)!

8. Alakazam
Alakazam is pretty awesome looking.  I can never deny that Alakazam has an amazing design.  That mustache is the greatest mustache a Pokemon can own (in my opinion).
Also, Alakazam's usefulness is incredible.  He is still a top contender in today's metagame of competitive battling.  However, he truly shinned in the RBY era.  Why?  Well, to put it bluntly, it was the fact that it was a Psychic Pokemon.
The Psychic type was an OP typing on a Pokemon back in the day.  Not only was it immune to Ghost type attacks at the time (not saying much really, considering the amount of Ghost attacks back then), but the only thing that resisted it was its own Psychic brethren.  Alakazam dominated because of the mix of that, and solid stats to work with.  Also, with the OP of Psychic, it is no wonder why Alakazam was a top contender in the metagame of RBY.  It's sad that it doesn't hold that much presence today than it did back then.  But, he is still a solid Pokemon to use today.
Oh, and I cannot forget the new addition Alakazam has to its awesomeness: Mega Alakazam.  He has earned himself a beard comparable to Gandalf.  Very fast and strong, Mega Alakazam can leave dents the size of... well, big dents.  But, it's a shame that it isn't nearly as useful as the regular Alakazam is (in my opinion).  Magic Guard is just an incredible ability to have on him, and taking that away is somewhat misfortunate.  But still, the design is wicked, and those Base Stats on its Sp. Atk. and Speed is something that cannot be ignored!
Now, if it weren't for the stupid 4 move syndrome, Alakazam would be one of the best Pokemon in history.  The Pokedex entries state that Alakazam is so smart that it never forgets what it learns.  It can memorize anything.  If we took this in competitive, Alakazam could run so many sets alone.  And also... it is so smart that it can outperform a super-computer.  In addition, Alakazam's IQ is 5,000.  There should be no reason to not have this Pokemon in your team at all.  One final note is this: Alakazam holds its head up because its brain continues to grow, and as a result, the neck cannot support it alone.  This should further prove that Alakazam is incredibly smart and powerful.

7. Hitmonlee
Between the three "Hitmon" Pokemon, a fair majority of my friends like Hitmonchan.  I can see why, and he almost made it to mine too.  I like boxing, and he is a boxer.  Even so, when I come down and think about it, there's not much else that draws me to like Hitmonchan the most, as compared to Hitmonlee, who is my favorite of them all.
Hitmonlee's Pokedex entries state that he has a great sense of balance, and can kick in succession from any position.  In addition, Hitmonlee's kicks are as strong as a diamond, which is very tough and powerful.  Getting hit with one of those kicks could injure you very badly... or kill you, ya know, something like that.  And, to add on to his kicking prowess, his legs can stretch, giving his opponents a false sense of security when they first judge his kicks based on the length of his legs.  While these are cool and all, my main like for him comes more from how I use him competitively.
He hits hard, and has decent speed, but the way I use him is very risky, but can be very rewarding when used right.  Simply put, use Endure on a powerful attack.  You'll survive with 1 HP left, and then Hitmonlee will consume the Liechi Berry, which raises his Attack stage by 1 stage.  After that, Unburden (a Hidden Ability) will activate, which will double your Speed.  Afterwards, just go to town with Reversal (which has a 200 BP with 1 HP) for heavy hits, Knock Off to get rid of items when needed, as well as a counter against Ghost and Psychic types, and Mach Punch for getting rid of low HP threats (funny thing too that Hitmonlee can learn a punching move.  But this only adds on to how I like Hitmonlee over Hitmonchan).  It's a risk because stuff like Sandstorm, Hail, Extremespeed, and other moves like it will ruin Hitmonlee.  But, if you can pull it off, it can certainly save the game for you!

6. Slowbro
I have a soft spot for some derpy looking Pokemon.  And boy, Slowbro is a very dery looking Pokemon.  And I bet you are thinking to yourself - he is a very dumb Pokemon, right?  Well, let me prove you right!  Simply put, the Pokedex states that Slowbro is usually dimwitted.  So there you have it.  But, when the Shellder bites down on its tail, he becomes inspired.  Now, what that would do for it, I know not.  But, he does have some potential.  Some.  Also, here's a thought: If Shellder let go of Slowbro's tail and left it, would he revert back to Slowpoke?  I find that kinda funny, but who knows?  Also, his Mega looks very silly, and I love it!
My main favorite thing about this derpy pink Pokemon is how he battles.  Whether Mega or not, Slowbro is very useful.  I use them both very similarly, which is just a slow, specially offensive tank with great physical bulk.  In addition, he can patch up that Special Defense with Calm Mind to help tank Special hits better, as well as dealing more damage with Special Attacks (mine is usually Scald and Psyshock).  His last move, which I love the name for, is Slack Off (similar to Recover and Roost).  It suits Slowbro a lot, as he seems like a very chill Pokemon to me.  Regenerator is such a great ability for a tank, combined with Leftovers really helps in keeping Slowbro alive.  However, Mega-Slowbro benefits with an immense amount of physical bulk and Shell Armor, which negates Critical Hits.  Either way, Slowbro runs as a great tank that can handle the opposition, despite of how dimwitted and derpy looking he is!

5. Dragonite
I've always been a big fan of dragons when I was little, and I still am today.  In fact, so many people love dragons, each with their own reason.  Mine is because they are simply powerful, and have a mysterious background.  No one knows about their origins in most of their own worlds.
Dragonite hits this list, being the first of the dragon line in Pokemon history, sharing that along with Dratini and Dragonair (the evolutionary line of Dragonite).
It was not easy to get a Dragonite back in RBY, as the only ways to get one was either in the Game Corner, or in the Safari Zone (fishing with the Super Rod).  And even so, leveling it up to evolve took some time to get to.  Was it worth it?  Eh, to be honest, Dragonite wasn't too incredible.  I mean, it certainly was strong, but I felt like Lance used Dragonite better at the time.  However, come 2nd gen on, and it was better to be used, as Dragonite had a Dragon attack (that being Outrage) to actually use (Dragon Rage is a bad Dragon attack).  I felt like Dragonite truly shined in 5th gen, which is where my Tiki's life started in the competitive field.  Multiscale was a huge boon to Dragonite (reduces damage dealt to Dragonite by 50% when at full health).  That, combined with a good movepool, and you have a Pokemon that can take hits, set up, and sweep.  Dragonite's bane is Ice attacks normally, but Multiscale helps solve this problem a bit.
Now, most people see dragons more as giant, epic, intimidating creatures of unimaginable power!  Dragonite... is not that.  Epic, probably.  But, Dragonite is more "cute" and "innocent", if you ask me.  But, I also see it as a more magical creature too, which is what I see some dragons being.  I grew up with different kinds of dragons, not just one type.  Dragonite fits the more cute, fantasy, and magical type than the daunting and intimidating type.  In so, I really do like her the was she looks.
As for the Pokedex entries, Dragonite is a kind-hearted Pokemon, with intelligence matching that of a human's.  In addition, it makes its home in the sea, and can fly around the entire Earth in 16 hours.  While it isn't the best Pokedex entries out there, it's awesome to see a dragon that isn't focused on destruction, but more on being kind.

4. Chansey
Chansey does look like a cute Pokemon a little, but my reasons for liking her isn't based on design.  It's more on a combination on how good she is and with her Pokedex entries (with the latter being the main reason).
While Chansey's evolution is overall better than her stat-wise, Chansey can boast on having better Defenses than Blissey, once holding the Eviolite item.  This allows Chansey's Defense and Special Defense to increase by 50%.  This allows her to surpass Blissey defensively, easily.  How so, with Chansey's Defense being less durable than paper?  Well, with a Bold Nature on Chansey (+Defense, - Attack), plus 31 IV's on her Defense, as well as 252 Defense EV's added to that, that would bring her Defense to 119 at 100.  Pretty low, right?  Well, add Eviolite, and you have a total Defense of 178, which would eclipse Blissey's Defense (130).  And let's not forget her Special Defense.  With a Neutral Nature, 31 IV's in her Special Defense, and 252 EV's added to it, plus Eviolite, her Sp. Defense would be 463, surpasing Blissey's 369.  And this is not even a beneficial natured Chansey and Blissey.  So, with that, Chansey's Defensive capabilities easily surpass Blissey, thanks to the Eviolite.  It also helps that Chansey also has a very high HP stat, meaning that the EV spread doesn't even have to extend out to her HP stat at all, and you can just pour it all into her Defense (which needs it) and Special Defense.  However, she does lose the advantage in holding Leftovers and only having Seismic Toss as a reliable attack.  Even so, I found that 9 times out of 10 that the trade-in is worth it.  And besides, Chansey's usage in competitive is to wall, heal, and effect other Pokemon with status conditions (i.e. Thunder Wave and Toxic), or even just set up an entry hazard in the move Stealth Rocks.  Chansey's walling capabilities has potential, definitely.
Now, with that said, here's my main reason for liking Chansey - the Pokedex entries!  I like positive thinking, and Chansey comes from a line where that is its top priority.  For those of you who have never read the Pokedex entries for Chansey, do you know what that egg in its pouch is for?  Well, it's used for Chansey's signature move - Softboiled, a move that heals itself in battle, and used to heal allies outside of battle.  Yes, they eat the egg.  And Chansey produces these, daily.  Now, it's interesting to me how she is capable of doing this... but I will not judge, as these eggs are very nutritious, and very delicious.  I would be up for eating at least one of these eggs, providing that the Pokedex entries are true.  In addition, people will eat them, even if they had already lost their appetite.  However, Chansey will not give the eggs to those with evil in their hearts.  Chansey is also kind-natured, as in if they see an injured Pokemon, they will go to it and help it.  And lastly, Chansey are supposed to be very hard to find.  This is true with the Safari Zone back in RBY, but with the popularity of using Chansey and Blissey in competitive battling, I wouldn't be surprised to see a ton of them, with breeding being the only main way of getting perfect IV's for a Pokemon.  In addition, they are fast at running away, which further explains how hard they are to catch in the Safari Zone.
Chansey is definitely a great Pokemon in its own right, and has earned her high spot in my Top 10.

3. Machamp
Alakazam and Machamp are counterparts, in a sense.  Both reach their final evolution through trade, both have the same gender ratio of 75% male, 25% female.  They both are also opposites, with Machamp being physically powerful and can take hits moderately well, but they are somewhat slow.  While on the other hand, Alakazam is very strong Special Attack wise and very fast, but can't take hits very well.  Now, with that said, let me explain why I like Machamp over Alakazam.
First of all, the Fighting type is my favorite typing of a Pokemon (Psychic is 4th), so that narrows one part down between Machamp and Alakazam.  Also, simply put, I like power.  I am big with smarts and knowledge (hence Alakazam's reason for being on this Top 10), but I like to be more powerful and skilled in the ways of martial arts.  Machamp excels in this.  Thanks to his high Attack stat, a good physical move pool to run with, and an excellent ability in No Guard (which makes the powerful DynamicPunch 100% and always confuse the opponent), Machamp is certainly no slouch and can hold his own.  He's slow, that much is true.  But, he can take most hits rather well, and return in kind with powerful attacks.
Machamp's design is also awesome!  With four arms, and a tough build, his looks are certainly not deceiving.  But what makes me like Machamp even more is the Pokedex entries.  In just 2 seconds, Machamp can throw 1,000 punches.  That's 250 punches per arm.  That's fast!  But, fast hits mean nothing if he doesn't have the power to back it up.  Well, with only one arm, Machamp can move a mountain.  A MOUNTAIN!  You know how much an average mountain weighs?  ... I don't know, but I bet it is a lot!  Imagine how much he can move once he puts all four arms into action!  Now that's pure, raw physical strength right there!  And with those four arms, he can hit at a multitude of angles and even pin all of its foes limbs at once.  And with the amount of physical strength he has, it would be hard for the opponent to get out of that grip.  In addition, since he reacts more before he thinks, this tells me that he has good reflexes and reaction skills - perfect for a martial artist!  Speaking of martial artist, it also states that Machamp has learned and mastered every kind of martial art currently!  Now we have a Pokemon with fast punches, incredible strength, good reaction skills, four arms for coverage, and a master of every martial art!  Now that's incredible!  However, no Pokemon is perfect, as he can't do delicate work, as in he may break something delicate.  In other words, just keep him with fighting and other hard physical work, because that's all he can do.  But that's okay, since he likes to fight anyway.  And he is a very rash Pokemon and rushes in to fight without forethought at all... which while it is risky, it does suit him well... and I do like an aggressive Pokemon.
I currently have a Machamp who is in my main team fairly often.  I run into several Pokemon that needs Fighting type coverage, so my Machamp is my main man when it comes into this field (the others being Hitmonlee and Mega-Lucario).  I normally run a No Guard Machamp with the following moves: Dynamic Punch (which has great synergy with No Guard, giving the powerful attack a 100% hit rate and confusion chance), Stone Edge (once again, great with No Guard), Knock Off (for Psychic types and getting rid of items), and Bullet Punch (for priority when dealing with weaker threats).  The item of choice is normally Assault Vest, so that I have a fairly decent Special Wall out there that can deal massive damage regularly.  He usually does his job well for me in the competitive environment, and I am glad to have him part of my main team!
To finally put this part of my Top 10 to rest, Machamp was the very first Pokemon card I ever owned.  It came with the Pokemon Play It CD, which comes with a Pokemon TCG Deck, along with a CD where you learn the rules and play it (the lady's character model who teaches you the rules is creepy).   Sadly, I lost it years ago and never really found it.  However, I did get another one, and I certainly intend on keeping it.
Although Machamp does not have a Mega Evolution, he is still awesome and is one of my most favorite Fighting Type Pokemon.  He has the awesome design, great Pokedex entries, and is great in competitive battling.  Simple as that, gotta love the Champ!

2. Mewtwo
Here we are, with what is arguably known as the most powerful Pokemon of all time - Mewtwo!  Mewtwo is EASILY my most favorite Legendary Pokemon of all time.  Zapdos was my first Legendary Pokemon that I caught and used, but Mewtwo was harder in his own right.  For one, he hits fast and hard, and as such, was difficult to get down to low HP to catch with the Ultra Ball.  However, that alone wasn't the issue.  Even with getting it down to red and with a status condition, it was still hard to catch him... and it didn't help at all that Mewtwo knew Recover!  With all of these going for it, I would be tempted to catch it with the Master Ball... which I didn't at first.  I do now, when it get to getting its right nature and such, but back then, I took it upon myself on catching it without using the Master Ball.  Difficult, yes.  However, it was well worth it definitely.  It's sad nowadays that the Legendary Pokemon (some) are easier to catch from 4th gen on, but I won't complain about the catch rate being higher.  It was (and still is) a pain to catch Mewtwo and such, but it was well rewarding definitely.
Mewtwo's design is rather interesting.  Instead of many legendary Pokemon out there being some big, bad, and tough monsters, Mewtwo stands as a... I guess an alien of some sort.  He's still pretty tall, standing at 6'07", but not nearly as tall as the likes of Kyogre and Dialga.  However, height and weight does not define Mewtwo.  No, the sheer power Mewtwo holds is incredible!
Holding a Sp. Atk base stat of 154, he has the capability of capping it at a solid 447 (with benefiting nature)!  And this is not including his high base 130 Speed, which can cap at 394 (with benefiting nature).  Want to know what power is, then go face Mewtwo, because that power will destroy nearly everything in the game!  Before generation 5, the only solid counter against Mewtwo was Blissey, due to her high Sp. Defense... however, thanks to Game Freak's gift for Mewtwo in Psystrike (Mewtwo's new signature move), Blissey doesn't stand a chance.  Psystrike is a Psychic Base 100 Attack with 100% accuracy.  Including STAB, that's a solid 150 powered attack, that hits the opponent's Defense stat... which is Blissey's main weak point!  And Psystrike isn't Mewtwo's only option.  No, he has an attacking move pool that other Pokemon wish they had!  Mewtwo's options on what to use is very solid and beneficial for the clone!  In addition, he has a good boosting move in Calm Mind, as well as solid recovery in Recover!  Golly, the times I have faced this thing... nightmarish!  The times I used him... usually relieved!  Even in the current TCG Mewtwo is a top tier threat!
And to further add it on, Mewtwo was further blessed by Game Freak in the form of not one, but two Mega Evolutions!  It's scary enough without them too!  Mega Mewtwo X is strong and capable of dealing harsh, physical damage, whilist Mega Mewtwo Y (my favorite of the two) can deal an incredible amount of damage from its Special Attack stat (in addition, it gains more Speed).  Between the two Mega Mewtwo's and the original... you have a Pokemon with a lot of options, a lot of power, and a lot of presence on the Pokemon battlefield!
And Mewtwo isn't just cool in the video games.  In the anime, Mewtwo was cold, ruthless, and very cunning!  It was cool though how he had a change of heart (not to mention one of Pokemon's most memorable quotes ever... by Mewtwo naturally)!
Within Mewtwo's Pokedex entries gives us the hint that not only is Mewtwo powerful, but that power is put to use!  When created, the scientists that created him forgot to give him a warm, caring heart.  As a result, Mewtwo became the most savage Pokemon ever.  Mewtwo's only thoughts are to defeat his opponents, which makes Mewtwo ruthless, and pretty much the perfect Pokemon in terms of battles.  It does not hold back, unleashing its full powers when battling.  That is why Mewtwo usually remains motionless, conserving its energy until the fight... which, at that point (as I just mentioned earlier), he releases his full power and gives it his all.
Mewtwo not only defines us how truly powerful he is, but how ruthless (and kinda sad too, actually) of a Pokemon he is.  In real life, if you tried to "own" Mewtwo... well then, be prepared to be proven oh so wrong!

1. Charmander
To be honest, in almost every aspect, Mewtwo should be my favorite generation 1 Pokemon... but he isn't.  And no, it's not Charizard either (but he will get some good mention in this #1 spot, since he is the final evolved form).  No, it's Charmander that gets the spot.  Some of you may agree with me because he was the popular starter to choose from, while others may dislike it simply because Charizard is over-hyped... which I do agree.  However, my reasons for having Charmander as #1 is because of our adventures in Red.  Let me explain:
When I played through Red and Yellow for the first time, I decided to play Red all over again... except with a rule to follow by - only use Charmander.  No, not evolving him... keep him as a Charmander, train ONLY Charmander, and use ONLY Charmander!  I went with this rule, and boy... was it a challenge to go through!  With so much effort put into it... safe to say, we did it.  The biggest adversary, naturally, was the Elite 4 and - ESPECIALLY, the Champion (my rival, which was named Joe).  Yes, I had to use items... and good thing too.  Charmander was roughly 88 or so when we won it all.  The biggest challenge was Blastoise.  I can't explain why, but Charmander was able to take those Hydro Pumps, and deal some nice damage with his Seismic Toss attack.  I will never forget the victory we had together.  He is now in retirement, in Pokemon Stadium 2.
With that story aside, Charmander does have some use in competitive.  To be specific, the Little Cup.  Sure, he is outclassed by many Fire type Pokemon, but Charmander can run a Dragon Dance set fairly well.  I normally have him in my teams for the LC, and he has pulled through so far.  The little guy is strong at heart.
Another story, except recent.  In competitive, the only thing I dislike about it all is the breeding system.  It takes so much time, and I would rather just go out and use the Pokemon I got from the wild, trainer, etc... and go from there.  However, to keep up with everyone, I go into it too.  Thank goodness for the Wonder Trade and Global Trade system, as those who didn't make the cut go out to other trainers.  However, here's the thing: While doing this, I miraculously managed to hatch a Charmander with perfect IV's across the board (HP, Atk, Def, Sp Atk, Sp Def, and Speed... ALL OF THEM).  With getting... 3 to 5 perfect IV's being hard enough, I would never has expected this to ever happen.  And of all Pokemon to get it... Charmander pulled through once again.  I evolved him this time around to Charizard, who goes through with the Mega Y version.  I like Megazard X, don't get me wrong... but I find Y to be of more use to me as of now... not to mention that I can work my Sun team with him, once they come over from White 2 to Y.  The weather nerf is a blessing and a curse for me, but weather teams have never been my main selling point in competitive.  However, I am glad to see that Charizard is gaining something good for once (to be honest, he never was that good.  Charizard is overrated.  But, he is also arguably the most popular Pokemon among the fans, so it was nice of Game Freak to give Charizard these two amazing gifts to work with... he really wished to be a Dragon, and FINALLY got it!)!
Also, Charmander is adorable!  He is one of the cutest Pokemon I ever seen, in my opinion.  He is also tied as my favorite starter, where you'll learn about the other in the future ;)
We can also learn how a Charmander feels based on how the flame on its tail burns.  If it wavers, he is enjoying himself.  However, if he is angry, it burns fiercely!  What saddens me though is this: its life ends when the flame on the tip of its tail goes out.  Which means if I poured water on its tail, he dies.  While that would make sense, there is some proof that is not entirely true.  For example, in the anime, Charizard has fallen into water a time or so and has yet to perish.  Also, in Pokemon: The Origin, Red's Charizard fell into the water during his fight with Mewtwo, and still survived.  While this is applying on Charizard, Charizard has the same issue with Charmander, and as a result, should be related as such.  But, Charmander should still not be put near a large body of water... because, you know... Charmander is weak to water...
Anyway, Charmander earns his spot as my favorite because, simply put, nostalgia and the stories I made with him.  This goes to show to you that simply being the strongest Pokemon does not make you the most favorite ;)

So there's my Top 10 favorite 1st Gen... Kanto... Red/Blue/Yellow... Pokemon.  I'll be getting 2nd Gen soon.  So, what's YOUR favorite 1st generation Pokemon?  Leave them in the comments :)

Monday, September 9, 2013

Top 5 Favorite Legend of Zelda Games

With the remake of Wind Waker and a new Legend of Zelda game coming out soon, I thought I ought to do my next top 5 about my favorite LoZ games.  So... here's my top 5 favorite Legend of Zelda games!

5. Link to the Past
There are many who love Link to the Past.  In fact, some may hate this list already for it not being number 1.  Although Link to the Past is an incredible game (like nearly every other Legend of Zelda game), I didn't get "into" this game like others.  The amount of adventuring needed to be done was satisfying, and all of the things you could do was awesome.
The Light and Dark world split was a really nicely added feature into the game, making it much more challenging, and more adventures to be had.  It's a no wonder why so many people enjoyed this game so much, and it was no different to me.
Reason why it is not number 1 in my list MIGHT be because it has been a while since I last played it, but that might be it too.  With the newer Zelda games that came out, I just enjoyed them more, as well as what they had to offer.  However, that does not mean that Link to the Past is a game I would not go back on... just not AS often as others out there.

4. Ocarina of Time
Ocarina of Time not #1?  What is this madness?  I'm not mad, just... well, maybe I am.  But, that's not the main reason.  Ocarina of Time is an incredible game and step up since Link to the Past.  For one, it's a 3D Zelda game, and beautifully done.  The story?  Incredible!  The graphics?  Great!  The music?  Awesome!  It's a game that many Zelda fans love, and place it so high because of how great it was!  ... obviously, I am not as such.
I love this game for where you all can go to.  Each place felt like an adventure (otherwise, it wouldn't be a Zelda game), and a new challenge to overcome.  From collecting the Spiritual Stones to obtaining the Medallions and awakening the Sages to take out Ganondorf - all felt like a new challenge and... well, felt as if I were part of it.
Ocarina of Time had a lot to offer when it came out, and still does.  I mean, it was rereleased on the Nintendo 3DS, and I personally enjoyed it on that over the Nintendo 64 (mainly because I love Handheld consoles so much).  This goes to show just how popular the game was, and still is.

3. Twilight Princess
Now this might agitate others even further, but there are reasons why I do like Twilight Princess over Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time.  Put simply, I loved Hyrule for how it was, as well as all that you can do.  The items you get were great, and I enjoyed the music in it.
The biggest things I enjoyed in Twilight Princess were riding the Horse, and exploring Hyrule.  With the Horse, the mechanics for it were bigger, and served as an important part in the game.  For one, you have to ride your horse to take on the giant ogre monster thing ("insert name here"), and basically strive to knock him off of the bridge.  Not only that, but prior to that is simply taking out other enemies riding and shooting you with arrows.  And you're not using a bow as a sole weapon (like in Ocarina of Time).  What I hoped for in this game was to use my sword while riding... and that's what I got.  And boy, was I satisfied!
Exploring and adventure have always been a big thing for me!  It seemed like there were new places to go to - to explore!  Ocarina of Time had that, but I felt like Twilight Princess expanded that even further (hence why I love it so much).
Items are big too, and the few I loved were the Bow (especially bomb arrows and zooming like you were sniping), the Claw Shot (especially when you get two - man, that was awesome), and the Ball and Chain.  Traditional Zelda games received a giant hammer, but this took it a step up, and in a good way!  I loved using this item so much!  And you can still use it as a weapon afterwards (not as much as the sword, but it was still fun to bash enemies with).
And finally, you could gain more sword techniques, all of which I thought were unique, and awesome!  Originally, Link's main sword technique was the jump attack and the commonly known Spin Attack, but TP added more unique sword skills into that factor.  My favorites are the shield bash and helm splitter, the jump strike, and the mortal draw.
Overall, I felt like I was improving as the game progressed, and that there was more to be seen.  Like I said, Ocarina of Time had that, but I felt like Twilight Princess stepped up further on it!

2. Skyward Sword
In terms of story, Skyward Sword is my number 1 favorite in a Zelda game.  Obviously, not over all, but still!  The story was well put together, and incredibly interesting!  In addition, this took part before Hyrule came to be, so it was great to see how it all started!
Unlike in previous games, Zelda is best friends with Link, and a lot cooler too.  But my favorite has got to be Groose!  He's pretty much Link's "rival"... except Link doesn't view him as such.  Groose is kinda a bully to Link at first, but in time, they become better friends and Groose ends up becoming a key role in helping Link a few times.
This game was released on the Wii, so it would be obvious it would be motion controlled (like Twilight Princess)... and it was - except better!  With the introduction to the Wii Motion Plus, it made the gameplay feel fluent and "life like".  Swinging the Wiimote around may look a tad silly to others, but not to the gamer (at least me).  I loved it!  I felt like I was actually wielding the Master Sword and taking on evil head on!  Speaking of...
The best parts I thought were the development of the Master Sword and obtaining all of the Triforce!  It became something... more!  The sword you receive is the Goddess Sword, with a spirit residing in it named Fi, who will be your partner along the way (like Navi from Ocarina of Time and Midna from Twilight Princess).  The Goddess Sword will later be forged and become the Sword of Evil's Bane we now know as the Master Sword.  In addition, you will be searching for all three pieces of the Triforce, which was awesome!
Searching for these was one thing, but the story was pretty awesome and epic.  I wish I could traverse more like I could in TP, but the story alone was well worth it.  I especially enjoyed several of the bosses, especially the last boss!
The only thing I wish was added was more adventuring to be had, but the incredible story and controls more than make up for it!

1. Wind Waker
Now, I'm sure I know what some are thinking: "What the heck?  Why Wind Waker as #1?  It wasn't even that good!  All of that sailing, and..." blah blah blah.  Well, this is MY top 5 favorites, and it is my own opinion.
Yes, Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda game.  Some Zelda fans are not too... intrigued with the graphics and the colorful cartooney style of the game, but I am.  In fact, that kinda reflects my personality a bit... maybe that's why I like it so much?  I thought the style was a new and great step up from the former Zelda games, which were more "life like".
The land?  What land?  ... except for the islands, it consists mostly of fast oceans.  And, to be honest, was a new thing to us.  Some didn't like it (mainly because there were A LOT of sailing), but I didn't mind it as much.  In fact, I enjoyed it.  There was always a new place to go to (and treasure to find).  I love to just explore and experience new things, and that is what I got out of Wind Waker.  I like to keep my feet on the ground, but this is one of few games where I actually enjoyed being in the water.
The story and plot, I thought, were nice and awesome!  I enjoyed it, and all of the dungeons you had to go to (and some of the bosses were fun to fight against).  I always did wonder what happened to Hyrule... and you do (eventually).  The characters were pretty cool.  Some were silly, and in a good way (to me).
Speaking of characters, I always wondered if we would ever meet the King of Hyrule... well, we got that too.  And especially, later on in the game, you obtain the Master Sword... in its powerless form... but, you eventually go out and reawaken it, making it the Master Sword again... in it's full power to slay evildoers!
Aside from the Master Sword, the items you obtain are interesting and fun!  I especially like the Deku Leaf, the Skull Hammer, and the Mirror Shield.  The return of the Fire, Ice, Light arrows for the Bow was good too, since I loved using those kind of arrows in Ocarina of Time.
And after beating Ganondorf and all that good stuff, a second play through was to be had, and I liked it.  For 1, instead of playing in the traditional Link costume, you get to play the game in your Blue Crab Shirt and Orange Pants get up, and you obtain the Delux Picto Box when you start, which was awesome!
The only thing I did not like about Wind Waker was the tedious searching for the pieces of the Triforce of Courage.  It became a hassle to deal with, but it did not bump it down from #1 (I hope they fix that in the HD remake for the WiiU).  Speaking of... I am excited for that.  Just thought I throw that out there!

So that's my top 5 favorite Zelda games.  What's your favorite Zelda game?  I hope you leave it in the comments section (if anyone DOES comment... haha!).  So, uh... yeah, later!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

999: 9 Hours, 9 Doors, 9 People - Video Game Review (Nintendo DS)


Do you want to know how I got this game?  No?  Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway!  I was watching one of my favorite gaming channels to watch on Youtube (PeanutButterGamer), and on an episode of Minecraft Hardcore: Season 2, I heard the piece called Morphogenetic Sorrow, and I was intrigued.  I am sometimes drawn to video games based on the music, and this was no different.  I looked up the piece, and it directed me to the game we know as 9 Hours, 9 Doors, 9 People (I'll be referring it as 999 in short).

I looked at some reviews off of Amazon and such, and heard good about it.  I tend to lean towards adventure and fantasy games, but this one was definitely going to be different.  I was interested in it because it was more of a puzzle solving game - where you had to solve the puzzle to move on.  The catch was that your life was on the line in this game.  In addition, you had to make certain choices that would lead to different endings in the game.  And so, I was sold, and went to Gamestop to buy the game itself.

Before I dig into this review, I want to point this out - this game is rated M for Mature for a reason.  I do NOT recommend this game to people younger than 17.  I know that this means little to those today, but nonetheless... well, while I do like the game (spoiler alert), it is a pretty graphic game (the narration does go into great detail about the deaths, psyche of the characters, etc.), and it could affect some people's... mentality?  Dunno what word to really use, but it is quite emotional and effecting... so, just thought I throw that out there.

Now, with that said, I will do my utmost best not to spoil it at all.  You (Junpei) find yourself in a room that you have no recollection of knowing.  You find yourself wearing a watch-like band around your left wrist, with the number 5 on it.  You also discover the same number on the door that you see in the room with you, which won't open.  The window in the room breaks and water starts to poor out (where you figure you are in a ship).  You come to a situation where you have to escape (or else you're gonna drown).  Eventually, you remember what happened - that you were kidnapped by a disguised person (gas mask, hooded cloak).  Once you do figure out the puzzle and escape, you eventually find yourself in a big room, and find 8 other people joining you in the room.  You don't know any of them, except for one, who's name is Akane (a childhood friend you know).

After some time of attempting of opening doors and escaping, the mastermind of what's going on, who goes by the name of Zero, explains that he is the "host" of this game that the 9 will partake in, and will "go over" and explain "why" you are there.  The event is called the Nonary Game, and the objective is to go through the different numbered doors to find the door that will lead you out.  About the doors, there's a thing called the RED (Recognition Device), which you must use to open the doors.  How?  Simply by adding up the people's numbers that they have on their wrists (like the one you have, which is 5).  Only 3 to 5 people can verify their numbers on the RED, and if the number matches the door's number, then you can enter (it goes by digital root, which is the result of finding the sum of several digits until there is only a single digit remaining.  For example, let's say the door number is 9.  If you add the numbers 5 + 6 + 7, then you will get 18.  Then, you will then make 18 to 1 + 8, which will be 9, meaning that the door will open.  5 + 6 + 7 = 18 = 1 + 8 = 9.).  After the door opens, then you have to search for the DEAD (Deactivation Device), which looks just like the RED, except it is blue.  Once you enter (within 9 seconds.  Once 9 seconds pass, then the door shuts), you will hear a beeping noise.  If you do not verify the numbers again to the DEAD in under 81 seconds, the bomb inside of you will detonate, and you will explode.  In short, those who participate (verify their numbers for the RED) must enter, and those who enter must leave (verify their numbers on the DEAD).

The time limit is 9 hours, and if you have not escaped by then, then whoever is left in the ship will drown. 
After Zero's announcement and explanation, then the game begins.  Everyone then shows their numbers, and gives each other code names (except for you, which everyone knows your real name).  They are:
1: Ace
2: Snake
3: Santa
4: Clover
5: Junpei (You)
6: June (Akane)
7: Seven
8: Lotus
9: 9th Guy

What happens afterwards I will leave to you to find out, as I don't want to spoil any more of the game (it's plot and characters).

My thoughts?  Well, it's a lot of narrative and story, but in a GOOD way.  Heck, in a GREAT way.  I'll get to that in a minute though.  But first, let's talk about puzzles.  Each numbered door you go into, you have to solve about 1 to 2 puzzles... maybe more?  And to be honest, some of them are rather difficult to solve (at least to me).  If you do not cheat , then I almost guarantee you that you will feel pretty smart and accomplished on solving said puzzles.  I felt as such, and I don't get that kind of satisfaction much anymore except from a few games (such as the Phoenix Wright and Legend of Zelda series).  If there's one complaint I have about the puzzles is that there is no real time limit, you can take your time with the puzzles.  I was honestly expecting to have a certain time limit for each puzzle I was doing, especially if your life is on the line.  But, even without it, the puzzle's challenge itself is worth it.

Aside from puzzles, it's pretty much the story.  However, you do chose what doors you would like to go through, as well as how to respond on some topics and such.  Depending on your choices will determine the kind of endings you will get.  There's a number of "bad endings", one ending called the "safe ending" (which isn't technically a "bad ending"), and the one "true ending".  After your first complete playthrough, you get to save your "memories", which means that you can remember what choices you made and make different ones.  In addition, you can fast-forward through the dialogue (only ones you already have been through with), and a separate option within the menu to play the puzzles you have already done in the story mode.

The music was fantastic!  It felt like each piece fitted perfectly well on each scene you were in.  When the scene got spooky or creepy, the music fitted that tone.  When it got tense or exciting, the music was in unison with that scene.  I can not think of any better soundtracks to fit the atmosphere for 999 than what the composer created for the game.  He (Shinji Hosoe) did a fantastic job on the composition of the music.

My thoughts on the story overall?  I honestly got into it and LOVED it!  Especially the True Ending, which is well worth the work for.  When I say I got into it, I mean I got INTO it.  It was emotional, heartbreaking, and very well done.  You get to know the characters more in depth (The characters and their development throughout the game were phenomenal.  I really did like them, especially Seven, who was awesome (to me).  I also liked Junpei and Akane, who shared a deep bond towards one another, which will be very important later on in the game, especially for the True Ending.), and how all nine contestants for the Nonery Game connect to Zero.  The story is bind gripping, and interesting and emotional in every aspect of the word.  In fact, this has got to be one of the best stories I have ever played in a video game (if not the best on my list).

Here's my ratings:
Gameplay: 10/10
Music: 10/10
Graphics: 9/10
Story: 10/10
Overall: 9.5/10

In conclusion, if you are someone like me who mostly plays adventure games (or plays one particular that isn't mainly puzzle solving, deciding on a "certain" path, and a lot of story), then I STILL recommend getting (or trying out) this game (people who are 17 or older.  I did mention that I do NOT recommend this game to those younger than the game was intended for... yeah, I still stand by that statement.  Not forcing anyone not to get the game, but just FYI.).  Honestly, I made a "gamble" between getting this one game I have heard little of for $20, and another good game I have heard a lot about for $50, and I went for 999 (obviously).  I have no regrets, and I would play it over and over again... in "healthy" doses naturally.  The puzzles are great, the music's great, the characters (most) are great, and the story is phenomenal!

UPDATE: I just played through all of Virtue's Last Reward.  I will be posting a blog about my thoughts and experiences with the game in the near future.