Tinkerbell

(tags DVD region 2, computer graphics, movie, 2008)

I was going to be stuck at home nursing a debilitating neck cramp with some proscribed painkillers, so I bought Tinkerbell (2009) the direct to retail product on DVD. Previously I picked up the CD music "inspired" by the movie, but that was back in 2008 at Tower Records in Kobe. The music was pretty and ethereal, but I admit it's not my everyday traveling music.

I am a sucker for computer-generated primary color meadows and nature. I'm also a dirty old man who questions/welcomes the hemline on CG characters. (Too short!/?) But let me highlight the best part of Tinkerbell: Tinkerbell's quick reconsideration and rejuvenation when the pixie dust fairy Terrance responds with "I am [proud to be just the pixie dust guy]". This scene not only conveys her wide thoughtfulness, but also her quick mind. It works so much better that the cutting room floor snippets that I saw from the "Bonus Material". Maybe this is not so subtle but I wasn't expecting the expression on Terrance's face and Tinkerbell's reaction to carry this moment.

The movie stylistic does more showing than telling. I loved that part where she rebuilds the music box ballerina (with the tooth piano making a sound while her expression turns to enlightenment). The best graphic has to be the sunset capturing her dance with the finished ballerina.

It's not to say that I did like the voices. I watched it in English and Tinkerbell's voice actress sounds great. Maybe when I get board I'll listen to it again in Japanese. There are two voice actresses on that side who are familiar.

The story has a deus ex machina and I hate those. Except I kept on thinking that Tinkerbell was going to bust out with duct-tape ala MacGyver, or the camera was going to start zooming onto her tools like in Army of Darkness. Scenes of creativity enrapture me.

Watching the rest of the material on the DVD and feeling the magic end made me think of buyer's remorse. So I went to the website to collect some wallpapers, and searched for the Internet reaction (mostly positive?). Oh gee, a Blu-ray version, but I don't need that yet. Oh a DS game, but it's so simplistic. Ack! The sequel adventures of Tinkerbell, yes I'll be looking forward to that.

Ikaruga for 400 Microsoft Xbox Live Points

(tags Xbox 360, Ikaruga, sale)

Ikaruga for 400 Microsoft Xbox Live Points. (1, 2) Only for Xbox Live Gold members.

I wonder what kind of non-owner would buy this game now. Really. Come on, if you have liked shmups you would have gotten this opinion-polarizing game by now. I just read the blog comments for the game worship, seriously.

DLC procrastination, averted for Jirachi

(tags Pokemon, DLC, Dual Screen)

Even at 9 PM at night, it was refreshing to sit in the outdoor patio at the local McDonalds. Though outside, I downloaded the free Jirachi Pokemon. (よぞらのジラーチ プレゼント).

The Pokemon Pearl cartridge was my second Pokemon soft. I tried my Pokemon Platinum and failed to download. I did pick up one more Pokemon soft, this time the Pokemon Diamond, but unfortunately there was no save data. So, let's start it up:

"Piyokun da ne?" Yes.

I'm currently try to progress enough to the point where I can download my second Jirachi. Luckily I have two DS consoles so I can move my higher level Pokemon over. But I can't control the high level ones because I have no badges. This is going to be slow.

I was not playing Dragon Quest IX

(tags game, Dual Screen, RPG, Kimi no Yuusha)

I did a rare thing today and played my DS during my lunch break at work. My immediate boss came up behind me to look at the game. I go "Huh?" because he never checks out my gaming during the other rare times.

Then today I finally catch up on my feeds and see the Dragon Quest IX release fury, including this whimsical tale. Huh, did not know.

Just now I put the two and two together. He probably thinks that I am playing DQ IX. I am going to tell him tomorrow that I ain't that Japanese.

How could I miss a Dragon Quest launch? Easy, I was meeting real gamers traveling thousands of kilometers just to meet me in person (ya right), and (more likely) to enjoy the Kansai area, especially Osaka Nipponbashi Den-Den Town. At least I learned something about PC Engines and the rarity of Bomberman '94. It was fun to share the passion of crusin' the area to track down old games, even stopping into Retro Gaming Revival multiple times. Greetz and howdy, gentlemen, thanks for stopping by.

dead pixel begone... please?

(tags Playstation Portable, hardware, failure)

I didn't buy my pre-ordered copy of Hatsune Miku (初音ミク －Project DIVA－) yet, but to prepare I bought another PSP. So oh yeah welcome to 2008, but unfortunately the PSP-2000 is used and it has a dead or stuck pixel right in the middle of the screen. It's black when the background is cyan, and invisible when it is lavender-purple. Oh no.

My first two PSPs didn't have any dead pixels, so I was expecting perfection.

Obviously the thing to do is to get knowledge and run the pixel exerciser video. It's been running for 10 minutes, but no change. Let's let the video run overnight. I hope I win.