Ghost Hound after episode 17

After seeing episode seventeen, a theory spontaneously came to my mind. What if the creation of biooids produced spirits as well? Because all of the “attributes” of the biooids are removed, as said by Masayuki’s father, these spirits are devoid of consciousness. But suppose somehow these spirits can be controlled by programming, artificial consciousness, so to speak. What Reika, or perhaps more generally the whole Dai Nippon Bio research facility, is researching and developing is the ability to control spirits. What exactly is the method is still opaque, but it could explain why Masayuki while in ghost mode could see what Reika’s assistant was typing on the computer. If one regards that the head of a soul represents the consciousness of the entity, it would make sense why the spirits that attacked him lacked heads. Those specters were of the biooids. The practical application of controllable spirits is clear: they make excellent spies, ethereal maneuverability, and near perfect invisibility, except for those very rare few who can see the other world, or those who can project. This idea has some support from the tidbit in episode fifteen about the dead industrial spy and the research facility being important to Japan’s national interests. If this whole theory is not nonsense, how it ties up in the grand scheme of things in Ghost Hound remains to be solved.

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei after episode 06

Every episode of Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei other than the first really contains three separate anecdotes based on a theme, a format similar to the first season. I am enjoying this second season in the same manner as the first. The first ending sequence of Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei had some really attractive artwork, and thus is far superior than the second. In the first story of episode four it was said that people tend to be drawn away from the main point. I would say this phenomenon is especially elicited by the show. The numerous references and peculiar background happenings (eg. the floating umbrella) compete for your attention that when paid, is drawn away from whatever dialogues characters might be engaged in. So frequently I find myself rewinding a scene while watching both Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei seasons.
The people behind this series knows sex sells. The evidence comes from the panty shots of Kaere Kimura that occur almost randomly. Also, there is a slightly sexualized direction that accentuates physical feminine charms. Harumi Fujiyoshi preparing for a bath in episode three, Kiri Komori’s body shot and swimsuit in episode four, the sudden cut to the sensual lips of the college student next door in the very beginning of episode five, Rin’s posture while entering the cardboard hideout, are just some examples. Fortunately, it is not overbearing, so as a healthy man such things are “extraneous interest”.

Ghost Hound after episode 15

In the beginning I said hated Masayuki. He once bullied a student to death, and later he saved Michio Hoshino from bullying. How much he redeemed himself depends on how close Michio Hoshino was to suicide. Unless Michio Hoshino was at the verge of ending it all, Masayuki ’s burden remains, although lessened. I still dislike him, but I dislike him less. His smug smiles annoys me to no end.
It is more than just our protagonists who are psychologically troubled, their families are disturbed too. Masayuki has an unfaithful father and a mother obsessed with video games. Tarou has a mother who is unable move on from the death of her daughter. And the worst off is perhaps Makoto, whose parents are not even there for him. Miyako has a single father, although that is not necessary a severe family issue. Of course, this is only a correlation, and says nothing about causality. Except for Tarou, who we know his and his family’s problems can be attributed to the kidnapping incident. One can speculate however…
After episode fifteen, things are slowly but surely happening. Tarou psychiatric sessions are having an effect, if at least on the psychologist’s side. Details of Tarou’s memory of the kidnapping are being revealed. It is likely that all the subplots, the spiritual world, the kidnapping incident, Makoto’s parents, and the research being done are related to each other in some way.

Tough Love from Dr. Mona Berciu

Last Friday I wrote my midterm for Phys455 (Statistical Mechanics). Even though I could not fully solve the first problem (of two), I thought it was a reasonable exam. I have this regrettable habit of realizing my mistakes or figuring out the solution shortly after walking out the exam, and this exam was no exception. Anyways, this Monday our professor, Dr. Mona Berciu, walked in holding a stack of marked exams. Except for a slight hint of a poor mood, she lectured as usual until five minutes before class ended. And then it got ugly.
Her first sentence was something along the lines of “This marks for this midterm was shameful.” This elicited some chuckles from a few students who thought she was joking. But then she went on to say such things as, and I’m paraphrasing a few highlights here: “The math needed here were fairly simple. I’m not asking you to do Bessel Functions or stuff like that, and considering you guys are already in your fourth and fifth year, your performances here were shameful.” “When I was marking this, I came this close to handing in my resignation papers because the marks were this poor.” So after she used the word “shameful” about a dozen times and berated us for about five minutes, we were free to grab our exams, and we did so with a heavy gloom.
This is far from the first time where I was insulted, but this is the first time I have ever seen a professor lose her temper, and directing her anger unabashedly at students. Obviously she cares for our class, otherwise why would she get emotional over us? There are professors who are completely disinterested in their students and would not bother them one bit if the whole class was failing. Indeed, it is a plus that we have professor who cares instead of one who does not. However, how she acted was unprofessional, and unbefitting for someone in an esteemed position such as a professor. Today she apologized, and essentially summed up what I thought of her. I guess we are not her favorite class anymore…unless we ace the finals.

Computer Games I am Looking Forward to – March 2008

About a year and a half ago I was still waiting for a wave of big games to be released. Now, these titles are part of my collection of computer games. Some of these games such as Team Fortress 2 and UT3 are still on my current palate of computer games that I play. There are always new stuff on the horizon, and here is my list of computer titles I am anticipating the most:

Alan Awake – From the same people who made the Max Payne series (which I loved). When I first saw the cover story in the Computer Gaming World magazine, I was immediately ensnared by the premise. The protagonist that one plays is a writer who apparently begins experience the things he writes. This psychological thriller has the potential to craft a very immersive world and story.

Duke Nukem Forever – I have been waiting for this game since I was a pasty faced nerd in middle school! Spending over a decade in development, everyone including myself thought Duke Nukem Forever was vaporware, until the trailer was recently released. I was just as shocked as the rest of the computer gaming world. But I must say, Duke Nukem’s lines sounded pretty lame in the trailer. Duke Nukem’s attitude never goes out of style right? Right? Well, if the final product allows me to literally kick alien butt with my boots I will be happy.

Starcraft II – This name is as big as it gets. Starcraft is arguably one of the most seminal games of all time. Starcraft has a huge presence in Korea, where Starcraft competition is almost akin to a sport. The Protoss is given more new units than the other races, which worries me a bit. But I am sure Blizzard will maintain the impeccable balance between the races as in the first game. I am definitely excited, and I am a FPS fan.

There are other games that commands lesser amounts of my attention such as Fallout 3, Far Cry 2, Spore, and American McGee’s Grimm Tales (hope that will be as fun as his Alice was).