iZombie

By: Robert Murphy

Changing up the traditional ideas of classic movie monsters has been something that the 20^th century has been full of, whether it is with movies like Twilight or TV shows like Teen Wolf. And while looking at the title for this show you would know exactly what dynamic would be changed up this time around and that is with the time old blockbuster bad guy, zombies. This would prove to be a good thing though since shows like The Walking Dead have started to drain out what little is left of the whole zombie angle. The story is not unlike the one presented in Warm Bodies (another zombie film with a twist on how we perceive zombies) where seemingly perfect Liv Moore (Rose McIver and yes you heard me) goes to a casual boat party that goes very wrong when a new drug transformers people into brain craving undead, our protagonist included. In order to maintain her secret and keep those around her safe she pulls a complete 180 personality wise, giving up her promising internship as a medical surgeon, breaking things off with her future fiancé and getting a job as a medical examiner to supply herself with plenty of brains to munch on. However, eating the brains of murder victims has come at a price as Liv gets visions of the person’s life before they passed away and together with a surprisingly willing detective she helps solve their murders.

Right away the premise for the show made my eyebrows raise up and I thought that this could not be something I would enjoy watching. The show is loosely based off of a comic book series called iZombie where the twenty something hero solves crime by eating the brains of dead victims. The show however takes its own liberties from there so you won’t be spoiled much if you just so happened to have read the book and surprisingly I was hooked. The aptly named Liv Moore would prove to have a far richer afterlife than the life she was living before her skin turned pale and her hair turned white. When you see flashbacks to her life before she turned zombie she appeared to lead a dull sort of life where she did everything that was expected of her in life and never did anything outside of the ordinary. It stinks that the one time she does she winds up getting a cravings for cerebellum. Now though her character is a rich and interesting one to get invested in as she gains more than just memories from those she eats but also gains part of their personality traits and picks up little bits of interesting ways to go about life. The personality traits are usually fun little gimmicks for the particular episode, one being a pot head and another being an adrenaline junkie but each usually shapes Liv into a further interesting character.

The dialogue is just as fun and open as our main character as well. Zombies have plenty of stereotypes to exploit and gawk at especially when you now have a living breathing zombie taking brains and making salads out of them or putting them on pizza just to seem normal. Liv does lead a cushy life though as far as zombies go because most are probably not fortunate enough to have a medical background and get to settle in at a morgue job, this is in fact one of the big points for the stories villain. As Liv meets other zombies out there she sees just how good she has it as she hears about how hard it is to dig up a freshly dug grave in order to get the food you need to survive and not lose your mind. It's presented in a fun way somehow despite all of it's bleakness and that good hearted nature is one of the things I love about the show. 

As it was with the leading lady, most of the cast members supporting her throughout the story were virtually unknowns to me but if I’ve learned anything from watching so many shows that isn’t a bad thing. The first person to learn Liv’s secret was her boss Ravi Chakrabarti (Rahul Kohli) who discovers that she’s been looting the corpses of the bodies they work on. Rather than freak out though he becomes an unlikely ally and also starts to hopefully work towards a cure to change her back and give her a normal life again. It’s all just genetics after all so why can’t she be changed back. This is a nice touch to the story in which most things are insanely supernatural they still remain somewhat grounded. I say this knowing how crazy it is that the show is about Liv solving crimes by eating brains. Speaking of crime solving, the other top notch character to strike me is the insanely understanding Detective Clive Babinaux (Malcolm Goodwin) who goes along well when it comes to Liv claiming she knows about these murders because she is a psychic. What makes thing work more exceptionally for the story is that Babinaux doesn’t try and discover what secrets Liv is hiding and just accepts her abilities. Sure, he raises an eyebrow and asks how this petite and sickly looking girl can fight off guys half her size or survive being thrown thirty feet from a car but Liv gives him an excuse and he shrugs and accepts it. His character is hard not to love along with the cheeky British medical examiner Ravi.

Where I start to pull away from the story is with our grieving fiancé Major (Robert Buckley). Liv feels terrible about having to call things off with the hunkie dreamboat that she was soon to marry but I wouldn’t want to turn the person I care about into a zombie either, that might be more awkward than the break up. Things go progressively bad for his character though as he grieves for Liv but then finds a new axe to grind when he starts looking for missing kids at his trouble youth group. Our resident bad guy zombie and fortune seeking money man Blaine (David Anders) is taking kids off the street and killing them to feed his growing zombie army. He’s not aiming for world domination or anything, he just wants to live large and gain the respect he wasn’t getting as a small time drug dealer. 

Major has a big problem with this though and spends most of the show going vigilante and trying to take down these zombies which doesn’t get too interesting until his big finale "Blaine's World." His character just seems too bland and acts much like you would expect Liv’s character to act before she went zombie and it is hard to be invested with someone like that. Blaine makes a great adversary as the bad guy that you just hate to love and worms his way in and out of situation like a true sleazeball while he makes his new found fortune in the much needed brain market for zombies.

iZombie really is an unexpected win for the CW. There is plenty of quick witted banter between the characters and jokes at the expense of what you would expect a zombie to act like such as what is it like for them to eat when they have no nerves to taste, Liv’s new love for insanely hot foods being the answer. It’s a show that has fun with its admittedly dark concept and that’s what makes it run smoothly. Liv Moore and most of the other cast are also spot on throughout the series as well and I expect interesting things to come if another season is around the corner.

Good:

- Quick witted banter and dialogue

- Rose McIver as Liv is fantastic

- Other great supporting character such as Detective Babinaux

Bad:

- Not all the side characters spring to life such as Major

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Ghost Tears

By: Robert Murphy 

Never in all my years of watching Ghost in the Shell have I ever really seen the Major get involved with some sort of relationship but in the third Arise title, Ghost Tears, we see a new side to the person we thought we knew. Ghost Tears shows off a little bit of a romance angle this time around, along with the typical cyber crime future that our show is based in but if I've learned anything from the first two Arise chapters it's that things are not all the same anymore. The thing that hasn't changed though is there is always trouble for the Major and her team to route out and now that the team is actually starting to take shape, things may be looking up. Either way I was more than willing to find out for myself what was in store. 

Much of the story is center around the Major's love life, no matter where the plot seemed to go, her new lover was somehow being involved but this isn't too much of stretch seeing as the guy is an independent prosthetic maker and can have quite a bit to do for the Major, who hasn't quite gotten a budget for her and her team to spend on their cyborg bodies.  Whatever the case though it delves into an aspect of Ghost in the Shell that only gets hinted and touched on in the original show. Sex is far less intimate compared to what you can do in a world where you connect to one another and allow someone to feel what you feel and enter a world virtually created for yourselves. The Major trust her lover, Akira, to a point where she even lets him get close to her cyber brain which is a touchy subject for her as it is. It's an interesting part of this future to get into and one that I'm glad gets delved into a bit more as well as other subjects that came up this time around. At one point, the Major and Akira attend a wedding which on the surface looks normal but in actuality all of the members of the wedding are full cyborgs and their average ages were around seventy. This goes to show what kind of world cybernetics opens up for people especially the elderly who may regret or want to start again with what they've learned. 

This new side to the Major though brought me some problems, not the fact that the story has a more romantic angle to it or anything but for the simple fact that the Major doesn't act herself. Yes, I've already stated that Arise has many new concepts and angles working for it but the characters are inherently the same as they've always been but more than ever I saw the differences between the Major of Arise and the Major from the original Ghost in the Shell. She doesn't have the same calm demeanor that I've enjoyed so much in the past anymore, in fact the Major flies of the handle quite a few times in Ghost Tears and proves how much of a novice she is at this point. Her character almost feels like a spoiled brat part of the time and it is not a side that I liked seeing. 

What time is actually spent away from the Major's new relationship serves to put some key pieces into motion for the following and last episode of Arise. Faces from the first episode return such as the Major's old C.O. and her old unit who seem to be up to much more than working to serve their country. Then there is Togusa, he is put on an opposite but related case to the Major and her team and once again they collide. Togusa is another favorite of mine and he shows his stuff thoroughly throughout Ghost Tears as he helps different members of the Major's investigation without even realizing. Even though he is a "natural" and in many ways different from everyone else on her team, Togusa makes the case for good old fashion know how and is no slouch compared to the rest of the group. It's no wonder he gets asked to join, even though he answers in the most hilarious of ways ever when it comes up.  

Oh right, then there's the actual bad guys, how did I forget about them? Quite easily in fact, most of the action is short and uneventful or really I should say it was non-existent outside of the first confrontation at the beginning and the final concluding fights at the end. There is a mystery force behind the terrorist attack that occurred right off the bat that ends up linking to an old name from the past war. It's an interesting mystery that goes on and further brings up actions that were taken during the war which always stirs up something but everything isn't followed through strongly enough. The overall twist you will most likely see coming, just like the last episode but this time it was more intricate to the plot so it is a bit harder to shrug off this time around. The mystery was good but everything just felt lack luster in the execution.

Ghost Tears had many things going for it such as bringing Togusa into the fold and adding this final member to the Major's team as well as touching on some unique points of the cyber society that we find ourselves in with Ghost in the Shell. Also the setup for future events to come spurred me on to finish off the Arise series and see what the final chapter had in store. However, the plot line just wasn't up to snuff this time around with the lack luster twist and enemy story, the mystery grips you but it all falls rather short by the end of it. 

Good:

- Togusa coming back into the fold and his part to play in the case

- Interesting look into some of the aspects of cyber society and intimate relationships between people in it

- Setting up for the final chapter of the Arise series

Bad:

- Some tired cliches and the lack luster enemy plot line, despite the interesting mystery

- The Major's character is proving to be far too novice, yes she younger than her self in the original Ghost in the Shell but her actions are proving to be a bit childish

Scully Rating: 7.0 out of 10 

Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Ghost Pain

By: Robert Murphy 

This past year, the buzz about the new release for the Ghost in the Shell series left me wondering and wanting to now what was to come next for the show. With the American release for the first two chapters in the series finally coming out, my curiosity could finally be answered. Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Ghost Pain is the first part of this new venture and gives us a how new look and new face to the team we came to know over the years but the changes are not as severe as they may look at first glance. Although, while others may be shocked by the new look, it is something that I enjoyed as I watched this first chapter. 

Major Motoko Kusanagi appears with a younger looking face and presence than we are used to and while her shall we say "older" self is more in control, this younger presence hasn't quite learned the ropes just yet. The Major has just returned to Japan after hearing about the death of a former Lt. and close friend, she sets out to find the killer and solve the mystery behind the allegations he had surrounding him before his death. It felt effortless to jump into this cyber crime mystery, like slipping on a glove and that was something that made me love this first chapter. Not only this but the mystery itself is a rather good one, The Major doesn't have as many resources to work with as we've come to see before and the whole situation felt more like an undercover crime solving as she followed up on clues left by security cameras in one instance to follow the last known locations of the Lt.. It's more of a dangerous situation for her to move around and that's something that gave the story and edge I appreciated, the Major isn't so free at this point in time and it makes things much more difficult for her. 

This also obviously all takes place in a time before the formation of the Major's team as well but many of the big names and faces make their appearance. While the Major follows her own leads on the crime she finds that there are quite a few others looking for information and out to solve the murder themselves. Following their own leads, members of Section 9 meet one another on mostly by happenstance as they all come from different walks of life and having their own brand of skills. This is also nice to see in action because many times during the original show you don't fully see just how unique and strong the aspects of Section 9 are apart from the Major. The scene I particularly enjoyed was when all the mountain of information comes crashing down around her and her future team members and boss stand around her. It's a powerful moment in the story not only for her and the team but it further shows their abilities that are prominent here. 

As I mentioned earlier though, the Major has a different feel to her this time around and that's because she hasn't yet become the person viewers have seen her as before. It's not necessarily a weakness that I am talking about either, she is still the incredible fighter and expert hacker but she hasn't yet stood on her own quite yet. She also faces an actual weakness though in the story and that is an unknown pain and issue with her cyborg body. The "ghost pain" she experiences throughout the story hinders her on more than one occasion and she neither knows where it came from our what is causing it. It makes solving the crime even harder for her especially when trying to defend herself against her attackers but also the allegations she begins to face as well. Seeing her strength this early on though proves one a strong lead the Major has always been though and despite this negative aspect working against her, she still kicks serious tale throughout the episode. 

Things begin to take a trippy turn too once these attacks occur on her body, there is a serious question of what is real and whether or not the Major is at fault. Ghost in the Shell has always excelled at this sort of story telling, not being able to distinct reality from a false memory implanted inside of you. It's always a possibility in this cybernetic future as the Major shows off just how easily you can hack into something or someone, how can you fight when your eyes are hacked into? It's kind of a scary thought but a great aspect to this story as the Major suffers from something invading her body now and whether or not it has effected her in some way. 

What else can I say for Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Ghost Pain? The mystery and mind altering story is one that I thoroughly enjoyed watching and works well with the Ghost in the Shell style that I've seen in the past. The Major is also a different sort of character now, not completely but her new presence was an angle that worked for her and the story. Also, seeing new aspects for the future Section 9 team members was something of a surprise but a great one as we see new perspectives on their characters too. I feel like all the gripes or negative comments about the new look will disappear once viewers watch this first installment to Arise and I eagerly await watching the next installment.

Good:

- A edgy story/mystery

- New looks and aspects to not only the Major but other Section 9 members

- The reality questioning aspects to the Major's story line were trippy and fascinating to watch  

- The still present cybernetic and futuristic setting 

Bad:

- The question of whether this is a prequel or a whole new series may linger in the back of your minds 

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10 

"Good News Everyone!" Ghost in the Shell: First Connection

Zach Goodier

Link to Original Article: http://kotaku.com/this-might-be-the-ghost-in-the-shell-fps-youve-been-wai-1661040311?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow

It has been shown on Kotaku that a South Korean studio is working on a Ghost in the Shell game (trailer above).  It appears unconfirmed if the game will be available outside of South Korea, but I would expect at least a Japanese/North American port would be well worth the effort for the studio.  The game itself appears to be an online game, focusing on FPS-style combat with squad roles like combat, speed, stealth, support, etc.

I have some mixed feelings about this.  Although a GitS game sounds fantastic, being a fan of the franchise,  I don't think an FPS would do it any justice, since the franchise is based on not only the action, but well-imagined characters and a sophisticated story-line with philosophical themes.  If this turns into a destiny-style shooting gallery, it wouldn't really focus on what made the mange/anime... stand alone (pun intended).

I hope to see more, and perhaps some more context as to what specifically the game will offer.  Until then, I'll be on the edge of my seat and continuing to scour the net for info.