Whats Crackling?

Okay its an unusual way to start this post, but if you were me trying to explain how March went, I would have to hit you with a bat – I’ll let you think about it. Hectic is an understatement. Let me just say that I’m regaining my composer. The muse that I usually foray my discussions with had a bleeding holiday, as of April Fools Day, at three o’clock – that is depends where in the world you live in- my muse returns with full force. Thus the snappy post title.

Review time… This review is from the last week of March, where I watch a movie and a manga TV Series. Where did I watch these movies and manga TV series? It is simple and I did a search and by the posts title it is a good clue – Crackle dot com – where else.

You can sign up or sign in with your Facebook account or simply watch the movie, TV series, internet shows or trailers. However be prepared to watch one minute ads which repeat and when the show or movie is half or to the end an extra ad of 30 seconds. Apart from that I found a better online streaming site of movies. I urge you explore and enjoy.

So without further to do I’ll review these:

Rorouni Kenshin (Samurai X)

Details – 94 episodes in 3 seasons

Plot

Kenshin the wanderer was once a legendary swordsman in Japan, in the Takugawa period and Japans change to the Meiji period. Kenshin known as Battousai the Slasher wanted to forego his past and stand for peace. With his tell sign of the X, on his left cheek of his face; he is faced with pass enemies and new ones which he uses his reversed sword for protection. He meets a woman who sees more than what is on the surface when he helps her. She is a master of a Dojo where she seeks students but finds then with Kenshin. The meeting of the students also come with their own problems, where Kenshin seems to step in to help to protect.

Overview

Battousai the slasher was a real person in Japan’s history but was not as the fame Kenshin in this manga or anime.  As you get to watch each episode with some clarity of plot each episode runs about 22 to 30 minutes. Each episode is from its start introduces the main characters in Kenshin’s travel in Kyoto. From the first season its the story of Kenshin and his past and the friends he meet alone the way. In the second episode he meets a young pick-pocket whom was under a gangs influence and he steps in to help. Of course the woman known as Kaoru of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo takes the boy as her pupil after victory of the gang. Of course each episode may not be over for the character who comes to the dojo.

It is one theme of this manga for me which was said in each episode, To help and protect people. Also there was more than one theme; like using a weapon such as a sword for protection. Thus that is why Kenshin uses a reversed edge sword. Even though a sword is for killing; Kenshin also use the sword for protection and peace. Imagine you were in a feudal society and you swore never to use the sword for killing – this manga is exactly the portrayal of Samurai X. Feeling that peace is the answer to all things, pulls Kenshin to grow into a better person. In the 94 episodes, Kenshin finds love, happiness, friendships and most importantly standing up for the beliefs he learnt after being the Slasher.

The second season sees Kenshin in a fight against the royalists of the Takugawa period against the government of Meiji Period and a renegade slasher second to Battousai who engages in the governments demise. Kenshin saves the government from the renegade slashers’ dominion of Japan.

Third season is about the Feng Shui. Of course its about the Chi or Ki or force of where the place of objects are placed in harmony. Well,  Takugawa planned Edo as he placed the city’s map in line of harmony. But that harmony is gone since the Meiji Government interceded the change. But three hundred years before the Takugawa made the city maps , there were two clans aptly named wind and water, waged war and water won.

Kenshin always seemed to be in the middle of every torment comes to the people. His creed of protection was his only sense  and his style of fighting propelled him to almost superhuman status. As you get to know the reasons there is one thing that the Meiji government think of Kenshin as a hero and icon.  Of course its easy to get into the feel of the period and it is easy to understand the people of Japan  through manga.

Astroboy was my first manga I watch long ago and over the years I watch many others and each of them had the same sense as this manga series I watch- Peace, love and most of all friendship and respect of others.  ♠♠♠♠♠

The Breed

Details at Crackle dot com also a R rated movie.

Plot

Set in a future where vampires and humans are trying to live together. A rogue vampire kills an agent of the NSA , the partner follows the leads with the best Vampire police Adrian Paul. Together with Bai Ling to find the vampire killer.

Overview

It felt like an alternative earth where vampires come out of the closet in the future world where communists rule the world. The NSA has an agent learning about the Vampire world through the best detective of the Vampire police. The vampires live in a ghetto called Serenity. Adrian Paul had lived through the  the second world war and was made into a vampire by the vampire who wanted to come out to the humans. Of course, the problem was at the time the humans and one particular vampire were skeptical about the coming out.

I like the story plot in a way it was not horror per say, but it did have speculative fiction to draw a person in. In the opening scene was the most that was horror and then the rest was like a future crime investigation which almost looked like the matrix. Love the computers which were looking like the old cathode ray tube television set with mono screen and typewriters connecting to an unseen hard drive unit. But it also had paperwork. A weird sense of communism that held and governed; and mostly see how advances seen through a communist ideals. Even though, the plot on Crackle was different to mine it did pull you to watch it.

Of course, watching it at first I thought it was very unusual and weird, but I always give the benefit of the doubt and see it for as it is. YES it was a good watch in a weird way. If you like weird and bizarre movies then this is for you. Ultimately it is a good plot and an interesting to watch. ♠♠♠♠

Keep watching here…