Demi-chan wa Kataritai (Re-Watch) (Merry Days of Anime 2022)

This will be the last series I re-watch this December. Upon finishing Dance Dance Danseur a few days ago, my heart randomly leapt out of the chest and pointed at this darling series that I haven’t seen since mid-2017. Figuring there was nothing to lose (except for the overall score), I went back to watch Demi-chan wa Kataritai.

Have you ever encountered something that feels tailor-made for you? This series seems to fit that description for me. Upon first viewing, I liked it quite a bit, though my original post is still smugly within an atmosphere of “I have to be an objective, snarky anime critic to stand out.” Still, I saw the signs of something deeper—a connection bridging who I would eventually become to the gentleness of this series’ writing. Watching it again now, I think I have a better understanding of why this invigorates me so.

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Thoughts on Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Now what kind of Nintendo-centric blog writer would I be if I didn’t comment on the good ol’ pink ball of innocence? Kirby got his first fully dedicated 3D adventure in the form of Forgotten Land—yes, that is not a lie. After thirty years of life, this game, which released last month, is his first fully-fledged 3D adventure. All others were either 2D sidescrollers or 3D spin-offs.

A momentous occasion, indeed! Does this little cutie have what it takes to join his Nintendo costars in revolutionizing the 3D platforming space? In hindsight, I would certainly hope so given all that Nintendo has worked on prior. But you never know!

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Day Eleven: Ernest & Celestine (March of the Movies 2022)

I’m not sure if this is embarrassing to admit, but I didn’t have any fascination with live-action media until the age of twelve or so. Until that point, outside a very rare screening of Spider-Man in theaters (I think?), I only cared about cartoons. (This included anime; I just didn’t care to distinguish them.) What company was the best at producing animated films at this time? And still continues to be the primary source? Disney.

My current age is 28. The youthful days of a preference for animation over live-action has significantly dissipated. Not to imply that I don’t care for animation anymore, only that I’m more than willing to watch real people in stories. Still, it’s always nice to veer back into the medium that I used to absorb so heavily. And looking at the cover image for Ernest & Celestine—a film I had never heard of prior to today—I was reminded of those days yet again.

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Recommended List of Indie Games #1

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This is not going to be a typical post for The Visualist’s Veranda.

Over the years, I’ve become more acclimated to the world of indie games, due primarily to my experience working for KeenGamer. There’s something about the spirit of a really good indie game that makes me enjoy the video game medium even more, particularly seeing first-hand the passion and commitment needed to make something so time-consuming and daunting. Thus, I decided I wanted to make a collection of all the great indie games I’ve played in the last few years, whether for review or not, and chronicle them in a handy, link-heavy package. Because I really enjoy shilling. Continue reading “Recommended List of Indie Games #1”