"Yukianesa...ACTIVATE!!!" (Late Post #6)

My Mitsubishi Lancer, OZ Rally Edition
Named Yukianesa (Yuki for short)

About a month and a half months ago, my Teggy, whom I've lovingly named Ophelia, had finally given up her last breath (metaphorically speaking). I've been thinking of buying a newer car (thanks to my co-worker letting drive his Mini-Cooper). So I've working hard and saving up extra money for that newer car, and had also decided to sell Ophelia for cheap (since she became barely drivable). 

So, for the past month, with the help of a friend, we had scoured the earth (or 5 cities, but who's counting?) looking for a used car that can be bought for no more than $7,000 cash (I'm a struggling university student, so I don't have the "luxury" of having a lease - not that I would want one, but that's a different story for another day). 

The search zigzagged us from various models of cars. We had begun with MINI Coopers (r50 or r53) but the majority of the vehicles were automatic transmission (this is bad because many MINI's with A/T tend to fail sooner than those with Manual Transmission). So many Coopers were dismissed, with the exception of three we found that were M/T. However, all three had major problems (one had electrical problems, another needed obscure sensors to be replaced, and the best priced Cooper had transmission problems - the transmission keeps slipping out the 5th gear, which would be a major problem on the highway and in my wallet).

After Coopers, we began to search for Scion Tc's and Acura RSX's with M/T, but that search was fruitless. We found a great Tc at a dealership, but in the end, the dealer was such a tool. He was, essentially, more eager to sell the car for what it was, and it just made me uncomfortable to make a sale with him, so I left that dealership and never looked back.

Then, after that, we stumbled across Mazda Miatas. Those little cars looked fun to drive, but I realized that it just wouldn't be practical to buy one. However, when I have the money to buy one, I most definitely will for my weekend trips to wherever. 

And lastly, the Mitsubishi that I now have, was a surprising find. We found this in a hole-in-the-wall used car dealership. We looked at it, we test drove it, and we negotiated the price. It's surprising to realize that I have a Lancer - it just wasn't something I wasn't expecting to own. I'm quite happy with it. As it's my own bizarre custom to name my pieces of technocrap (and a car is technocrap), I've been thinking of what to call my Lancer. Then it dawned on me. 

Jin Kisaragi, as portrayed in
BlazBlue: ChronoPhantasma
Yukianesa is Jin's weapon

Yukianesa. The name dawned on me since my brother and I have been playing BlazBlue: ChronoPhantasma over the summer. The name comes from Jin's Nox Nyctores weapon called Mucro Algesco: Yukianesa, which resembles a Japanese sword. Now here's where it gets pretty cool. Yukianesa's most interesting characteristic is that it can amplify its owner's state of mind, making even the coldest personalities passionate and on the verge of a psychotic breakdown, like Jin Kisaragi himself. Furthermore, unlike a real sword, Yukianesa's blade is made of permafrost from the water particles in the atmosphere fused with seithr. The blade can freeze just about anything in seconds! How cool is that?! I know, I'm a nerd. Hence, why I've decided to call my Mitsubishi Lancer "Yukianesa," since it's such a badass weapon in the BB universe.

"The Hero of the Winds" (Late Post #5)

One of the more subtle highlights of my summer was revisiting a modern Zelda classic, The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker (HD). Since GameCubes are outdated (but totally retro in a die-hard fandom kind of way), my brother got his hands on the Windwaker re-release (since the software came along with his Zelda Limited Edition Wii-U). In a span of 16 days or so (at 2 hour intervals with work sprinkled in between), I completed the game, and it was a fantastic voyage (for both the GC and Wii-U). 

Playing the Windwaker all over again was fantastic. The HD edition really brought out the vibrant colors of the Windwaker world, in such a way that you couldn't help but take a moment to just see the world (or the ocean...mostly the ocean, though). Perhaps the best (and subtle) surprise is the fact that there's now a Swift Sail! The sail allows the wind to automatically change direction as you sail about the sea and the King of Red Lions flies across the ocean, too. Some other changes are minor, such where some treasure maps/heart pieces are found, but nonetheless it's a beautifully restored game to the highest standard.

As far as the story went, it was all a blur in my first voyage. I thought I was rescuing Aryll and now I'm looking for the Master Sword to fight Ganon?! What gives?, would be my overall impression of my first time around. Now, as an adult, it all makes sense now (doesn't always as an adult? Although, there will always be some things that can't be ever understood.)  Since I mostly played the game for fun rather than be complete the game (including a second-run through via Hero Mode), my brother gave me some backlash for not trying to get everything the game had to offer (I was missing 2 heart pieces for a another heart, 6 entire hearts, the Hero's Armor, a bottle, and a crap load of treasure maps), calling me lazy. Whatever. I'm happy to have played the game, for what it is, and as it's often said (or so I think): The journey IS the destination. 

"Blaze" It Up! (Late Post #4)

Key Characters in BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

Over the summer, I've had the pleasure of diving into the "BlazBlue" universe, as I call it. So far, BlazBlue has been expanded through 3 main entries (Calamity Trigger, Continuum Shift, and ChronoPhantasma, respectively). With each new game that's released, new character are introduced, as well as both the overall main story and each character's backstory (for both new and veteran fighters) become more elaborated (as it should be). Since the BlazBlue universe has gotten considerably bigger (through spinoffs, an anime series, and supplemental novel and manga publishings), there's just too much info to share on this one blog post, but click here and it'll take you to BlazBlue's wiki page. All pertinent info can be found here.

 BlazBlue, in short, is a 2D J-Fighter, mixing elements from Capcom's classic Street Fighter and Marvel v. Capcom series, as well as a personal favorite series, Killer Instinct. BlazBlue, like KI, requires much time and patience to learn (let alone master), since much of the action is fast-paced.

What I've been enjoying most lately has been the game's soundtrack. It's difficult to label the genre (there's nothing wrong with that - a soundtrack with many flavors is greatly appreciated), but I'd say it's mostly hard rock/speed metal with melodic and symphonic elements infused in each music. However, the Chronophantasma remakes (marked by "ii") are full of surprises. So while, I'm not currently playing the games at the moment (damn you, adult responsibilities), at least I have to the soundtrack to drool over.

Here is Noel Vermillion's Bullet Dance II, from BB:CP:

Here is Jin Kisaragi's Lust SIN II, also from BB:CP: