30 days of this “not eating anything from work” challenge and thankfully, I was off last night. As a result, I felt even more in control. I find it much easier to track what I eat to understand when I’m going overboard (or not) on my days off. This makes my days off the Easy Mode portion as I either make myself a meal or just hydrate. I also ended up reading some more A Game Of Thrones by George R. R. Martin before streaming more of the main story of Final Fantasy XVI.
I understand the critiques of this game as you’re only controlling one character and dynamics of gameplay feel very Devil May Cry-ish (then again, consider who the combat director of this entry was). I also enjoy how it borrows some elements of Martin’s work through some subtle and not-so-subtle references while bringing back the magical and fantastical elements that make this a Final Fantasy entry. To say that Annabella is more evil than Cersei Lannister is quite a statement but one I’m willing to sink all eleven toes on. I’m not a fan of a litany of side quests; this is due to many of them not giving you anything substantial in terms of reward. In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, when you do a side quest, it actually leads to substantial world building and rewards that will help you along the way substantially in one form or another whereas in FF17, not as much.
You’d also be surprised how less prone I am to my heavy eating temptations when I stream or play video games because most of the time I…will just drink water.
I’ll never understand how folks drink soda, 5 energy cans and a bag of Cheetos when gaming; it just doesn’t calculate.
I just finished watching the classic Fist of the North Star anime series. If you haven’t read the manga, this show is a great adaptation. If you only saw the anime film, you’re missing a lot of the story and important lore. I highly recommend this show. Created by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara, it’s the reason we have Berserk. It also led to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Vinland Saga, Double Dragon, and many other beloved shows and games.
Kenshiro’s journey is not just about love and revenge against Shin. It is also about standing up to Raoh’s attempt to be Ruler of Century’s End. It’s not just about overcoming an enslaving tyrant like Souther and preventing Kaioh’s evil reign. If Pete Cetera’s song “The Glory of Love” were an anime, it would be this one. The twist that the fighting style is powered by love highlights a story that, while brutal, embraces masculinity. This masculinity is driven by ideals like Beauty, Freedom, Truth, and Love. These themes are similar to those in Moulin Rouge.
If you want a story that demonstrates a man void of misogyny and sexism, this is it. Kenshiro is driven to restore nature in this post-apocalyptic world. He will not allow women, children, or the elderly to be enslaved. If you seek to shackle the populace with evil, he’ll stop at nothing to destroy you. It doesn’t matter if you share his bloodline. Even if you were his brother, Kenshiro’s fists are aimed at you if you embody oppression and suffering. Behind his brutal techniques lies a deep reservoir of love. He longs for people to be free. He wants them to experience love and embrace peace as a viable truth.
As old as this anime adaptation is, it has aged deceptively well. There are techniques and attacks that Kenshiro unleashed in the story that were decades ahead of their time. Goku’s Mastered Ultra Instinct in Dragon Ball Super manga? Kenshiro did it first. The way Jonathan Joestar, Lisa Lisa, young Joseph Joestar and the stands of every Joestar member’s fighting style? It’s got Kenshiro written all over.
If the ending indicates anything, and Fist of the North Star was as influential to Kentaro Miura as it seemed, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Berserk manga might conclude with the ultimate baddie going down. This includes Falconia, Godhand, and all. However, Guts might ride into the sunset and let Isidro take the mantle the way Kenshiro did with Bat. Kenshiro knew staying around Bat and Lin would attract endless fights. So, he rode off elsewhere to liberate other lands. This is seen in The New Fist of the North Star OVA. Isidro sees Guts like a big brother and looks up to him as such. Like Bat, Isidro isn’t as proficient or as strong in combat. He makes up for it in wit. He would be entrusted to help the entourage. Kenshiro entrusted Lin with Bat’s life as well as everyone else that has survived Kenshiro’s journey.
If Guts’ story in Berserk is about a boy thrusted into manhood. He is plagued with trauma, betrayal, and abuse. Despite these, he learns to persevere and heal. Kenshiro’s story in Fist of the North Star is a legend about a man who has persevered. He has not allowed the evils of this world to tarnish him. He does all this in the name of love. One man is riddled and has to claw his way into healing. The latter somehow ran through it all untarnished. It’s raw, it’s brutal but also beautiful.
If Berserk is my all-time favorite manga, Fist of the North Star might as well be right up there. Yes, the latter’s story is finished. The anime adaptation is both faithful and dated. But it’s glorious. I’m knee deep into Season 6 on CrunchyRoll. The lore dump you get regarding Kenshiro’s past was unexpected. I wasn’t prepared but it definitely explained a lot. There have been moments in the story where I understood why Buronson wanted Kentaro Miura on his team. If seasons 1-4 were a base game, 5-7 are most definitely good DLC. It definitely explains why Raoh believed himself to be the heir to the Divine Fist of the North Star. Toki possessed all the traits to be the heir but his sickness took away his qualification. Kenshiro showed glimpses of being the Prince that was Promised. Wait, I didn’t mean to make a Song of Ice and Fire reference but here we are. Kenshiro was foreshadowed as a kid to be the one. Darn, now I made a Matrix reference. The land of Asura is revealed. The split faction of Divine Fist and Lapis Lazuli adds weight to Kenshiro’s journey. This is because many of us remember Fist of the North Star up to Kenshiro’s stalemate with Raoh. Their first fight was revealed in the anime film. Many of us didn’t watch the anime series that adapted the manga to its entirety. The film left out a lot of plot development. It omitted consequences and the winds of things to come that Kenshiro would await.
As I indulged myself with Fist of the North Star, I spent hours working on FireFrei’s artwork. The novel’s initial draft has its chapter art inserted. However, inspiration struck to whip out my art tablet and pen. I got to work. I did Episode 1’s black ink tracing and now it comes down to coloring. This is where some degrees of OCD and perhaps ADHd kicks in. Manga artists typically keep it simple with just solid coloring and shading. However, I always feel compelled to etch and grind away digitally, just as I do physically. The main difference between my digital and physical approach is simply course correction. I also managed to learn how to make art as a backdrop for text on the Pages app. For me, that’s a game-changer as it’ll help with immersion in each chapter.
In last night’s work, I realized I am more comfortable with being a light novel author. I am unafraid to simply lean in on that format. Some authors are great at being mangaka. Some are brilliant comic book artists and authors while some are great artists or great authors. Being a light novel author helps me get the balance for what I know I’m skilled at. As far as chapter episode transferring and editing? I’m halfway through Episode 6. As a result, I was reminded how critical it is to where the journey of Emmanuel Lucifer goes. I promised myself that once I have everything on my Mac, I would write a chapter every month. From there, short or long, that’s how it will be until October comes around. This way, I can have it ready to complete artwork, final editing for publishing for the world to enjoy.
Triple H had said people should shut off the critic in themselves. They should just view as a fan and soak it all in. Then, go ahead and write a 1 page essay about everything you liked about it. Consider what could’ve been better before you go off. The good news is that this would hypothetically be Page 1. The bad news is that, due to WrestleMania being a 2 night affair, I’ll have to write a 2nd page.
The build between Jey and Gunther had been cooking, although the go-home Raw episode felt a tad dry. Regardless, the stage was set. My biggest issue this year was that the audience was misled. They believed that a Rumble winner would main event the PPV. They christened Jey as “Main Event Jey Uso” yet there he was opening the show. I haven’t witnessed this level of hype for a world title match in a while. It has been since WrestleMania 28. That was when Sheamus faced off against Daniel Bryan. Here we are and honestly, the match was underwhelming and for what it was, it ran too long. Gunther has more technical proficiency than what we saw and even Jey Use has shown growth as a performer. To see them not craft a 4 star match and just stick to the hits was underwhelming. I also found it absurd that Gunther tapped out so quickly. Jey wasn’t even squeezing like a boa constrictor.
New Day vs. War Raiders was alright but it…was better off being a pre-show match as MCMG vs. Street Profits would’ve served as the better match. Nothing flashy although Ivar almost reducing New Day into pancakes was hilarious.
Jade and Naomi had a good build and honestly, it was Jade’s best wrestling match to date. Naomi did great work with her and the match was neither too long or short. It was just right.
Jacob Fatu vs. LA Knight was one helluva banger! This match was easily a top billing match. From the start, Knight demonstrated his prowess as our US Champ. By the end, Jacob proved to the world that in a post-Bloodline WWE, he is that guy!
Once again, another match best for pre-show or just for TV…Grande Americano vs. Rey Fenix. Fenix losing upset me deeply. GA is a cringe gimmick. Unless there’s a long-term satisfying conclusion to that story, it’ll be a stain on Chad Gable’s career. It will reflect poorly on WWE toying with the cultural stigmas during this current presidency. I wanted GA to lose to Fenix. It would’ve given everyone in the arena a feel-good moment. That crap finish sucked the air out of the arena and you can see and feel it.
Tiffany vs. Charlotte. I may or may not get heat for my take but…but this match felt like a clinic. I enjoyed it. I was concerned for Flair as her knee brace looked loose from the start. It felt like a technical wrestling match. While not perfect, it was an even back and forth. Eventually, once Charlotte’s head hit that middle turnbuckle, it was most definitely Tiffy Time! Jey had a lot of hype compared to Charlotte as a Rumble winner. They could have created a WrestleMania VIII moment with a double main event. Jey Gunther should’ve gone 2nd to last. Tiffany vs. Charlotte could’ve opened instead.
Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns was absolute cinema from start to finish. Every move meant something. CM Punk’s debut package reflecting his journey, up to this moment, added to the weight of Punk main eventing. The drama regarding Paul Heyman, at the end was amazing. I wanted Roman to use the Guillotine Choke on someone. It had been a long time since I’d seen him use it an I missed seeing him use it. Seth executing Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter to absolute excellence was not in my bingo cards…and it made the moment look so good.
In a post-Milton era in Tampa, I reflect on my blessings and practice gratitude. Throughout the hurricane, I had power as if nothing had happened. Strangely, I had a more intense experience with Hurricane Ian. During this time, I’ve been gradually working my way through Persona 4 Golden. However, the experience has ranged from indifference at best to frustration at worst.
AI generated art fusing the style of Persona 4 Golden with Junji Ito.
The premise and story isn’t the issue. I feel like it tells a good story overall. My 1st issue is the pacing. That first arc is a drag. The 2nd is how little there is to do at the start. It continues to be minimal when you approach The Long Fog period. After experiencing the stellar Persona 5 Royal, this game feels dated. Persona 3 Reload also sets high expectations, which make this entry seem lacking.
Now the social commentary, predominantly with Kanji and Naoto, are possibly the strongest points you can have conversations about. Despite a game whose timeline is 2011-12, in 2024, the conversation can be more elaborate with everything we know today.
As far as gameplay mechanics, in retrospect, still solid. The follow-up attacks vary from single hit, multi-target to even insta-kills. The tag team attacks, depending who’s in the party, is introduced here in a way that we can truly appreciate. It would open the door to the tag team follow-ups in P5R, as well as the Showtime attacks.
I have one of the biggest gripes to this day about P4G. Some characters lack compatibility with their assigned Arcanas. Naoto doesn’t go with Fortune at all. Yosuke as Magician is surface-level at best. The Fox is a total waste of Hermit. Sayoko with Devil arcana chemistry falls off post-discussion of her scandal and gives more of a Hanged Man vibe. Ai is pitiful representing the Moon arcana. The Moon arcana would’ve served Naoki best. He is reserved, with emotions having him sink in like the very Cancer zodiac that arcana represents. The poor use of Arcana in respect to characters frustrated me to no end.
I also found myself not truly enjoying the OST the way I did with Persona 3 or 5. Time to Make History is the only song I actually like while the rest of the soundtrack, while not forgettable, lack any sense of excitement. When the OST of a game isn’t all that exciting for me, it ruins the vibe.
The themes of mystery and truth versus rumors are great. The concept of how it stares you in the face as your most suppressed self is also compelling. The execution is hindered by its harrowing slow pace. At times, you want to speed the process. There are moments where good dialogue would be best when excess points could be omitted. When narrowing down the main motives of the mystery murderer, only half of those points are worth addressing. The latter half of the estimates are very on the nose. I’ll go on to say that, like typical teenagers, the common sense isn’t there. SEES in Persona 3 seem distant, but they are in sync in their saga’s matters. Persona 5’s Phantom Thieves weaponize their trauma bonding. They save the world in defiance of the Demiurge. Persona 4’s Investigation Team are quickly close to each other like real friends. However, they remain far from the truth that stares at them.
As for other enjoyable elements of the game’s story, look no further than every member’s Persona being a Japanese deity. Then add their school’s name symbolizing 10 gods. The White Hare of Inaba by Cheryl Hamada is said to inspire Persona 4. I appreciate how Yu, our protagonist, arrives in town with Izanagi as his Persona. The final enemy is Izanagi’s sister-wife, Izanami. She’s been there the whole time, manipulating all the madness that the town of Inaba suffers. I also enjoyed a parallel in Persona 4 with an unlikely and unrelated story. It parallels Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable by Hirohiko Araki. They have the same yellow motif for its setting in a small town. Both involve a protagonist with a mighty being as its avatar of power. They both carry the element of mysterious murders, with its antagonist being around them the entire time.
Do I believe Persona 4 Golden is due for a remake like Persona 3 did? Yes! There are many holes that could be filled in retrospect. It could also make its NG+ cycle as good as P5R or P3R. Is the game bad? By no means! I just believe that, compared to its remade predecessor and its sequel, it hasn’t ages well and lacks balance. If it were me, I’d definitely rearrange some of the characters and their arcana story arcs. It would give a sense of congruence to them. In turn, it would enhance the meta aspect of the story. The lore would weave together more seamlessly. Even with a NG+ cycle, maxing out every Social Link in one playthrough is nearly impossible. I also find that it’s very challenging. That’s an issue P3 and P5 don’t have.
I hope you guys all enjoyed this review of my experience with the game. Eventually, my NG+ playthrough will be complete with a playlist, timestamps included, to facilitate the experience.
