Let's Review! Ultra Maniac

www.viz.com

Hello and yes, we are back to our schedule of reviewing various anime material. And in order to commemorate Women's month, I am going to review a Shojo anime that I enjoyed watching when I was very young. Ultra Maniac is based on the manga of the same name and is originally created by Wataru Yoshizumi. The show is produced by Ashi Productions (now Production Reed) and directed by Shin'ichi Masaki. The first time I saw this was in Animax. It aired right after Cardcaptor Sakura every weekday afternoon. Sometimes, I get too excited after one Cardcaptor Sakura episode to the point that I couldn't just turn off the television. So I ended up experimenting with other anime showing on Animax and Ultra Maniac was one of them. I got around to rewatching the whole thing recently, because there were some episodes that I missed when I was still watching on Animax. Plus it is women's month and I have never reviewed a Shojo anime in this blog yet, so why not?

Writer's Block: On Gamer/Geek Girls

For some odd reason, Gamer or Geeky girls create a huge buzz on the interweb. You see them on Tumblr, create fashion trends, or even on Youtube. And to be perfectly honest, I have no idea why they are such a big deal. From what I understand of social media's portrayal of them. they are the "rare-type-of-pokemon" girlfriend material for boys, simply because they understand the video game language and many other things. Now that's a bit strange for me. They're not really an endangered species. I have many friends who are gamer, geeky girls. Also, that very idea just became completely bizarre in a way that girls are suddenly pressured to look like gamers or just plain geeky. The question is why?

Recently, I saw this post on Facebook about the double standards that definitely made me decide to type this very post.

Facebook

If you are attracted to girls who like playing video games and read comics then that's more than okay. It means they're your type and there is nothing wrong with that. But in this case, we tend to forget that gamer girls are not a homogenous species. They're people and they are all different. Not every nerd of geek wears glasses, or looks like a cynical hipster. She may be this cute shy school girl who cosplays, but that does not automatically mean she's going to be perfect. Diversity does not exactly equate to perfection.To the people guilty of this ideology, don't expect nerdy or geeky girls to look like the one on the right. Every girl looks freakin' different, deal with it. And to the girls in the world who are bothered by this picture, never fear. You don't have to look like nerdy Tumblr girl just to look physically appealing or attractive. Just be yourself and don't pressure yourself to get those hipster Raybans everyone else is getting. In other words, don't pretend you look Geeky when you know deep down video games or anime isn't your thing. As you all know, pretending to be someone you're not was never a good idea.

The bottom line is that we all (and will) get judged like these two girls. No matter what happens, deliver whatever you have and give it all you got. Because not everyone in this world will hate you. And if they do, then it's time to reflect and find out what the heck is wrong with yourself. Don't give yourself a personality goal and try to be this rare-pokemon gamer girl. Be you.

Till the next post~

5 Problems That Only Filipino Geeks Will Understand

culturejpn.com

yashirokuru.blogspot.ocm

I noticed that I've been into List-related posts lately. However, this is something that I wanted to share for a very long time. If being an obsessed fan of *insert an incredibly long list of fandoms here* is hard, then being a Filipino fan is harder. Believe it or not, Doctor Who and Star Trek fans are also common around the Philippines. Although I haven't met much "Fandom" (I have an explanation as to why I came up with such a label) fans, the struggles we share are similar and very real. And I can assure you that having the "feels" trip is not the only problem we have.

geektyrant.com

1.) The Long-Distance Relationship Problem- I'm sure the Filipino Comic book (particularly Marvel and DC) fans can definitely relate to this post, especially since a great number of us were not able to attend the Comic Con at San Diego this year. To us, attending a Comic Con, witnessing a Q&A Panel, getting an autograph from an awesome author or graphic artist.... that's a dream for us. If not a dream, it is a rare opportunity. Most of the fandoms we love are admittedly from other countries and traveling is a luxury for most of us. I'm sure Filipinos who love One Direction or any band or singer can feel this too. But hey, at least concert tours never forget to pass my country. Yes, we do have conventions, but according to my friend a few months back, the experience is not the same. And its understandable if this is the best we can get since the Philippines is really far from most countries, particularly the countries that have the Harry Potter Universal Studios, the cast of Game of Thrones, J.K. Rowling, and DC/Marvel Stars in them.

airbitz.co

2.) The Accessibility Problem- This is somehow similar to the first problem, but this time I want to talk about the merchandise. Have you ever had this desire to buy something that is related to your fandoms? Like, you wanted your very own Lootcrate or your very own wand (and I am not just talking about any wand, I am talking about a Harry Potter wand)? I don't know how many times I have encountered this feeling and in spite of my parents' advice of being less materialistic, you can't easily shake the feeling of wanting even some Batman Merchandise. I got the same feeling when I realized that Zoella's book might not be sold here in the Philippines (which I would like to read, thank you very much). People buy these stuff to express how much support and love they give to their fandoms. As long as you have the money then you have the right to buy whatever you want. However, getting the right geek stuff is not that easy for us. Based on my experience of buying fandom merch, there are three ways. The first option is for Anime fans. You can buy your cosplay or Anime stuff in Comic Alley, which is a store mainly for Anime or the "kawaii" Stuff. Another way is to go to the conventions where they sell a whole lot of stuff that you can't easily find in stores. The final alternative is to search every inch of every mall in the metropolitan area.  But chances of getting something very authentic is--and I quote Tony Stark on this one-- twelve percent. That's kind of reasonable, simply because Geek things are not that popular in the Filipino Market. And even if they were, they won't come in cheap. Believe me, there are not much nearby Geek stores within my vicinity. The place where they sell actual comic books are miles and miles away from my place and you have to be a dedicated fan with a lot of cash to be able to get through such obstacles. Trust me, I got my Camp Half-Blood Shirt (which is something related to the Percy Jackson fandom) from someplace very far and I was extremely lucky to get my hands on it. 

3.) The Colonial Mentality Problem- I think this is a deep and touchy problem. We Filipinos are highly encouraged to be nationalistic, at least that's one of the many important lessons I had to learn during my elementary days. In other words, having the "Pinoy Pride" is a big deal for us. There are many abstract reasons why and I am sure that this is also the same case for other countries. We always had this issue that if you like something that is not of Filipino origin, then you are officially westernized. The Philippines is doomed in a sense that there are people who do not even notice what our country has to offer because we are so focused on many foreign things, tangible or intangible. As a Filipino, I actually feel bad that I am more knowledgeable about The Mortal Instruments series than Noli Me Tangere (don't get me wrong, though. I actually enjoyed reading the novels of Jose Rizal). And I am sure that I am not the only one who is feeling this way. Although the idea of Colonial Mentality sounds embarrassing and depressing, loving something foreign does not automatically mean that I love my country less. When I read Harry Potter, it does not mean that I abhor anything that is local. When I fangirl about the cast of Arrow, it does not mean that I completely forgot about where I come from. I love the Philippines very much and that is that. I admit, our country has gotten a truckload of foreign influences, but it's not entirely a bad thing. 

www.aniplogs.com

4.) The Anti-"Masa" Problem- Growing up, I encountered two kinds of people in my nation; the first group would be the geeks and fandom peeps that I grew up with, and the second group are people who are not so familiar with the geek interests and are more into the local pop culture, or commonly known as, "pang-masa". In the Philippines, the most common terms for these two respective groups are "Conyo" and "Jologs", however I honestly think these words are sort of vague for me, since I do not really consider myself as a Conyo. Back in high school, my circle of friends and I are not that familiar with the pang-masa culture. We were very content with our interests. Now that I am in college, I slowly became exposed to it, and my friends are very alienated by my interests. My high school friends, on the other hand, find anything in Filipino mass media extremely odd. I know some people who do not really want to dwell in that void because it is filled with romance, Wattpad love stories, and movies of infidelity that are sometimes sickening and honestly overrated. A close friend of mine claimed that she didn't really trust Filipino Media as much, simply because it's cheesy and not so interesting to her. Perhaps this is the reason why I am not so open to our pop culture. I am not really into the whole, "kilig" factor, dramas, and young love teams that they always come up with. Chemical Zeon, a very dear friend of mine and an all-around Geek blogger, shares his testimony about this matter:

"Whenever you talk to your friends, there is nothing you can hear other than the sound of sweet romantic coupley cutesy stuff that just makes you want to barf. Seriously, in all of my years as a student, nothing is more infuriating than having a poster outside a theater relate to you more than your friends ever could. It’s hard to live a geek’s life here in the Philippine’s when the only Batman these people know is Daniel Padilla, that DJ who everyone seems to like because of aesthetic. You can argue that Batman is a universally well known character, and I can argue that the only thing people know about him is he talks like he swallowed a 7-inch vibrator."

You can say that there is slight discrimination between the people who are into and not into the local pop culture. I have a friend who thought that Tumblr was a site for only rich and luxurious lot. Yes, I am serious. The Filipino Geeks are usually perceived as "intellectual aliens" who refuse to open up to something that is of the masses. While these so-called intellectual aliens would sometimes see the people who are into Anne Curtis or Kris Aquino as Jejemons (you may google the terms, if you are not familiar) with lowly tastes. Although it is not a major problem, the blurred lines are still there. 

flickr.com

5.) The Isolated Geek Problem- Again, this is somehow related to the previous problems mentioned. Geeks are also considered freaks or weirdos. Yes, such a problem is quite evident in the Philippines. Aside from appearing ignorant to mass media, Chemical Zeon once again shares:

"You tell your friends you’re a geek. You talk about the things you like. They try to change who you are, because the things you like aren’t normal. I don’t know if I’m the only one who experiences it, but I’ve been panned in-school a lot for opening books and reading them for fun. This is the Filipino Attitude that I would never understand, it’s as if social climbing is ingrained in our social system, that if we don’t climb it their way then we’re losers. What happened to liking something because you find it beautiful? Whatever happened to wearing something comfortable like my Superman Tee or Iron Man Backpack as opposed to wearing stuff that makes you look good according to the people around you?"

I am not so sure a majority of Filipino geeks are experiencing the same issue, but in high school, good friends of mine were bullied for just liking anime. Apparently in our little community, Anime was deemed as something weird (which is true, but who cares right?). But yes, it happens and I am sure anyone can relate to this.

And those are the five struggles we Pinoy Geeks have to face. Just so you know, these struggles are based on my experiences and observations. So I understand if you did not fully agree on this post. I would like to thank Chemical Zeon for sharing his thoughts. You may pay a visit to his website, where he talks about his fandoms and writes reviews for very interesting films. Hopefully this is enlightening and see you till the next post! 

Gotham Pilot Episode: First Look

Gotham is here (source)

As you all know the brand new show called, "Gotham" premiered it's very first episode this week. Basically kind of like an origin series for the notable characters of Gotham City. So far, the pilot starts with the murder of Batman's parents (of course). And guess who is working on the case? It's none other than our favorite commissioner, James Gordon and his partner, Harvey Bullock. From there, they encounter a few of Gotham's ultimate villains, namely Poison Ivy, Riddle, and Penguin. Since this is just the beginning, I'd like to share a few things regarding on some parts of the show.

Catwoman

Catwoman observing the Wayne Manor from a distance. (Source)

Catwoman was also featured--she happens to be the very first character to appear--but  like a ninja, she makes brief appearances every now and then. Specifically, whenever young Bruce is within the vicinity (yes, I can hear the SelinaXBruce fans rejoicing from a distance).

Personally, I am looking forward to her back story. I find it very interesting that they somehow connected her life to the murder of Bruce's parents. She was a witness, and this automatically gives her a connection to Bruce, somehow. And it gives the writers more reason to make her become more involved in the series.

Apart from that, I am dying to know how she ended up wandering around the streets and where she learned how to do those acrobat-like skills. However, the fact that she wears the same face whenever she is spotted at a place where Bruce is (Funeral, Wayne Manor), was not that impressive to me. I'm not sure if that's the facial expression you should have if you are following a boy you just saw after witnessing his parents getting killed (but then again, who can blame her? Young Bruce looks adorable!).

The Death of Thomas and Martha Wayne 

How it all began (source)

It's been quite a long time since the murder of Bruce's parents have become an important element to a Batman-related story. In most shows and movies, the only scoop we get from them is that...they were killed by a random mugger. But here in Gotham (and in the comics, obviously), it's implied that there's more to this. As mentioned earlier, the pilot episode revolves around James and Harvey solving the murder case of Bruce's parents. Although it's remains unresolved for now (thank you, Detective Bullock), the end tells us that this case is definitely not closed and that we will (hopefully) find more about the true killer of Thomas and Martha...and maybe we will know why.

Harvey Bullock and his "connections" 

Harvey Bullock (source)

Detective Bullock has these connections; connections that not everyone has and connections that can put your life in the line. Not only that, it's very clear that he's the type of guy who wants the job done, no matter what happens at the middle. Could it be that's the reason why he has mafia guys and mobsters as friends? At the end of the episode, I began to ask myself how is he connected to the likes of Fish Mooney and Carmine Falcone and why? Another intriguing character right here.

Penguin

Robin Lord Taylor truly captured the Penguin essence (source)

What will he do next?

Fish Mooney

Watching out for this character... (source)

Quite an odd name for a character, but it somehow works. Judging from the second name, it's safe to say that it's pretty easy to figure out what her motives in life are.

One thing I really like about DC is how they can make any character dangerous. At some point of any DC character's development, they will do only one thing that will make our jaws completely drop (may it be a badass moment, a high sex appeal, or something that can trigger your feels), Because of this, they become unforgettable, even if they are not part of the biggest of chunk of their respective plots. I know the same goes for most stories and fandoms, but DC has been quite consistent with this kind of thing, in my opinion.

Now, Mooney... I think the word dangerous is an understatement for her. If I could put a sign on her, I would seriously put a "Keep Out" sign--or any sign that has anything to do with avoidance and extreme caution, on her. Because, seriously, I think she's the main highlight of this episode for me, simply because she has this certain aura that can make your spinal cord shatter. It's implied that you can be friends with her, but you better watch it. Press the wrong buttons and you are officially screwed. Not only will you receive a bitchfit, but there's a high possibility that it will be the last bitchfit you will ever  have to experience.

I honestly do not know how to describe her. She's very unpredictable and it's been a long time I've encountered such a character. So I'm very intrigued and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Jada Pinkett Smith.

So far so good. Gotham is overall, very intriguing for me and I can't wait to see more from the characters, particularly the ones I mentioned. Personally, I recommend this show to Batman fans who are not too knowledgeable on the DC comics or to the fans who are just new to the whole Batman/DC fandom. It may not be exactly as accurate as the original, but it's a head start.

Let's Review! The Characters of Young Justice Part 1

The Team... almost

DC has been with me since childhood. The very first cartoon I actually watched was Batman. I became acquainted with Bruce, Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, Penguin, Joker, Poison Ivy, and many others. Actually my grandfather was more of a comic fan than I was, and he shared his knowledge of DC and Marvel to me. Anyway, as you can see... Marvel has taken over the media for quite some time and DC always end up in the shadows (because they're in the league of shadows...haha. Get it? Never mind). Although I have tried watching cartoons, shows, and movies (most definitely movies) of Marvel, I still find the stories of DC more interesting. So you could say I have developed a bias for DC, but that's not the whole point of this post. I only want to talk about my current DC obsession and that is Young Justice.

But just like most DC shows and films, this one flopped in terms of budget and/or earnings. The plot was very engaging and the characters are just beyond amazing. Don't make me start with the art style.. fine. The details are absolutely gorgeous. But I would like to focus on the characters of Young Justice, particularly The Team. They're a whole mixture of dark sides, hormones, quirkiness, and pure awesomeness. As much as I want to talk about the show as a whole, I'm afraid I will end up being very biased because I actually love everything about it. The only thing I really hate is the fact that it got cancelled! So to sound completely fair all throughout the post, I am going to give a character analysis (sort of) of the characters of Young Justice. But since there are so many characters, I will not discuss about all of them in one post. For now, I will discuss the initial members of The Team.

Note: The following post contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.

The Team (source)

Okay let me break it down for you; Young Justice is basically about the proteges (a.k.a. "sidekicks") of the original members of the Justice League. They are known as The Team, and let's say they are the like Junior Justice League, handling other missions that Wonder Woman (or any member from JL, for that matter) do not have time for. Eventually, they become officially enemies with members called The Light, which is basically just a group of DC's greatest villains. The show simply comprises of many missions, giving a fair focus on each character. But if you want a concrete version of the plot then you can either go here or just watch the show yourself. Hehe. 

Superboy/Conner Kent 

Superboy asking for a pet (source)

First Impression: Oh, wow. He is handsome. Gorgeous. MMM. However, he is as hot as his temper. Now where have I heard of a character like that before?
Evaluation: If you guys want to know his full personality, then you can sort of resemble him to Stitch. Like the cute blue alien, he is what you call a top secret experiment that possesses great strength. In Conner's case, he is basically a clone of Superman, only he can't really fly (awww). And just like Stitch, he has a terrible temper and he can be dangerous without even meaning to. But you do not see this side of him in every episode. Unlike Stitch, he already has a soft and vulnerable side. The moment he opened his eyes, he had this feeling in his gut that he was a complete rip-off of Superman. Not only that, he felt kind of lost along the way. A part of him wants to be as good as Clark Kent, but another part of him does not want Superman (perhaps because Clark completely shrugged him off in the beginning). But here, we can see that Conner is the kind of young person that needs guidance and total acceptance. When Conner nearly got tempted by Lex Luthor proves that what he actually desires is a role model. He just wanted someone to look up to, that's all. Someone who can teach him the ropes of his abilities. Someone to teach him everything, basically. I mean, come on. Why do you think he insists on watching a blank television? Why do you think he enjoyed M'gann's company? Let's not forget that Conner is a clone and episode one was the night he was born. He's the youngest of the group, so it's normal for him to have cute and innocent moments (i.e. adopting pets during mission). He's the baby and every baby needs a guardian or a parent. And as much as he did not want to admit in the beginning, he wanted Clark to guide and accept him. It's actually a good thing M'gann came into his life, otherwise we would see him have a tantrum in almost every episode.

The Development: So yes, he did get his role model. Superman started to train him and almost treated him like a son. And ironically, even though Conner is the youngest, he can mature pretty quick compared to most of the members of The Team. He had two years to change...the others basically had at least seventeen to twenty years. We can see this maturity when he explained the reason why he broke up with M'gann before Young Justice: Invasion. The reason may fill your heart with so much feels, but it's a valid reason. Also you will notice that his hot-temper has completely disappeared. In other words, he can control his strength without having to get angry or something. But his issue in season two was loneliness. Everyone (but M'gann) in The Team, were too busy to notice. Since... he didn't throw any tantrums like he used to. 

Miss Martian/M'gann M'orzz/Megan Morse

Her current martian form (source)

First Impression: HELLO MEGAN! Haha, another quirky female character that gets the guy. 

Evaluation: Well everything I know about M'gann are almost true..only most of the attributes I got right were actually just the tip of the iceberg. Her ultimate struggle was accepting herself. In the series, she's been hiding the fact that she was a white martian...and in their world, it's an equivalent to being a hobo...or something worse than that. Since she has the ability to also shapeshift, then she has more reason to hide her true identity. Her temporary appearance (both martian and resembles her favorite actress in an old eighties show she used to watch called, "Hello, Megan!". I can't help but feel that this happens in real life. There are some people out there who cover up their insecurities by making themselves look like the people they desire to look like (I hope that makes sense). To further bury the White Martian identity deeper, she had Conner. Now who wouldn't feel beautiful and awesome when a handsome boy suddenly goes crazy about you...or your current "not-really-yourself" appearance. 

The Development: We see major changes in Invasion. Her skills dramatically improved, and so did her attitude. She was no longer perky, but much more reserved. But did her fear of being an outcast left? Not really. And it is highly evident in her break-up with Conner. They had an argument,  and because she is scared that he will change his mind about her, she wanted him to forget about it...so she used her powers to make him forget. What made them call it quits had something to do with the fear of her not being accepted. This is where we learn that flaws and negativity are really hard to conquer. And with all this pain twisting her insides, she covers it up the same way she did in the first season, find a guy who thinks she's amazing and this is where Lagoon Boy comes in. Luckily, she realizes this when the second season was drawing to a close. Hello Megan! 

Robin/Nightwing/Dick Grayson

Robin or Nightwing? (source)

First Impression: Oh! We all know him. Everyone does! He is going to be the leader of The Team for sure!

Evaluation: Wow. He sucks at being a leader. It is quite understandable because he's been training with Batman for a very long time. The Bat family were not really used to the usual way of teamwork. For one thing, they just look at each other and they immediately know what to do. Robin was somehow expecting the same thing when The Team emerged, but he learned his lesson the hard way. When he accepted the fact that he couldn't lead, he had another issue. He was so sure that he was going to be the next Batman. That is, until he got a taste of an actual dangerous mission without the Bat. This made him realize that he was confident before because he had Bruce with him. He eventually learns what its really like to handle struggles with his own feet. When he said that he didn't want to be the Batman anymore, that's his way of saying, "I don't have to be the next Batman. I can't handle pressure the same way he does. I got to handle crap my own way. I have to be my own person. Being the Batman is too much." 

The Development: Dick's leadership skills were the major highlight in Young Justice: Invasion. And yes, he still sucks at being a leader. If his teammates were part of the Bat family, then it would not be much of a problem. But again, he was highly expecting everyone to be aware of what they are doing. To be more specific, he was expecting them to be fully aware about the risks in each mission they take. If the plan involves a high chance of many teammates dying or getting captured, then Dick still pushes through with it and makes it a point that they should put it in their heads that its a risky operation. He was also pulling the same card Aqualad used when he learned about a mole in their team during the first season. Dick never told anyone the real motive behind the plans they pull, only because he wanted the effect to be more realistic and believable to the eyes of the enemy. It is somehow a brilliant idea, but at the same time it is just way too risky, especially when The Team consists of  really young members. But a good thing about Dick's character is that he can admit his mistakes, and this has been evident since the first season when he turned the leader position to Aqualad and when he decided to temporarily leave The Team in the end. Apart from that, Dick still maintains his skills (which remain very exceptional), but becomes more serious (like dead serious) with his work ethic. But you can see that he's not trying very hard to be exactly like Batman. For one thing, he took a huge effort to make a completely different identity for himself. Hence the birth of Nightwing. So it's very easy to tell that he's Nightwing and not just some sidekick of Bruce Wayne. Dick actually treats each of the members of The Team fairly and acts as the official big brother to all of them (as seen when he approaches Tim). You barely see him in action, since he's the one doing most of the commanding. He even commands Batman...now that's a real wake-up call to me because that definitely means that Nightwing's a grown man and he's no longer his little Robin. 

Aqualad/Kalder'ahm

And I danced all night, with the best boyfriend ever! (source)

First  Impression: Of course there has to be a cool and calm character in this team. Must be a pacifist. 

Evaluation: Okay, so he's not completely calm. If there is one way to describe Aqualad, he's what you call, "the ideal boyfriend". He listens, calms you down, and gives you really good advice. If you can't picture him as a boyfriend, then you can almost resemble to a mother. He takes time understanding everyone and he never does irrational things on a whim. Aquaman trained him to be tranquil, humble, and to have high morals. This is what he embodies when he joins The Team. It's not hard to figure out why everyone prefer him as the leader in the first place. He sounds perfect for now, but he can't have everything. For one thing, he got rejected by the girl of his dreams...and he finds out the most painful way possible. Seeing her with another guy. But from this episode, you can tell how important love is to Aqualad. He was willing to give up his responsibilities for a girl. That's how intense his love is (now you can see why he can be a great boyfriend, I guess). Also, he is not entirely confident with the task given to him as leader. When he makes even the tiniest mistake, he ends up doubting himself to the point his self-esteem goes down. So yeah, he's that sensitive.
The Development: At least it is good to know that he can move on. Although we barely see Kalder in the second season, but there was supposed to be emphasis on his relationship with his father, who is Black Mamba (yes, he's a villain). Unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of that because he was unconscious for a while and season two focused on other characters. But if you must know, he remains the same.

Kid Flash/Wally West 

This basically sums him up

First Impression: Okay, we have the class clown....who think he's handsome, too. 

Evaluation: Well yes, he is the class clown, but not the typical class clown. First of all, he's very smart. He loves physics, for crying out loud. Why do you think he insisted in becoming a protege to The Flash. Another thing interesting about Wally is that he's very sentimental. He collects a souvenir for every mission. That's how much being part of something as huge as The Team means to him. But that's what he does during the first season. He just enjoys the thrill of working The Team and that's all. Since he's working with other people, the responsibility is not that big. But when he is given a certain task, that's when he completely understood the meaning of being responsible (episode when he had to bring a heart to a hospital, using his intense speed). But he got a complete understanding of his work when he started dating Artemis. 

The Development: In the first season, souvenirs were his love interests. But in season two, it is Artemis. From this, you are able to tell how his views of being a superhero changed. Wally no longer saw his work as a piece of thrill anymore. Although it was not fully explained in the series, Wally definitely left with Artemis simply because he wanted to have a normal life with her. It may seem like his case is similar to that of Kaldur'ahm's but not entirely. First of all, Artemis was also Kid Flash's teammate. He got to see her everyday, so it was not a problem. And when Wally argued with Nightwing about the plans, take note of what he says about Aqualad. He was scared that Aqualad might be a triple agent because his supposed motive for "joining the dark side" was because of the passing of Tula and we all know how much she means to Kaldur. Wally was terrified that Aqualad's love for Tula might make him officially change sides. Before season two's plot took course, Tula was not the only one who passed away. Jason Todd, the Robin before Tim Drake, also died (his grave is seen in season two). In short, The Team has suffered many losses. I'm sure that these deaths had a different impact on Wally. He was afraid the same thing would happen to him or Artemis, and that's when his views have changed. If Kaldur just wanted to be with Tula, Wally did not want to lose Artemis, and it is not hard to miss how adamant he is about not returning to something that would risk their lives. 

Artemis/Tigress/Artemis Lea Crock

Artemis showing her soft side (source)

First Impression: Who uses her first name as an alias. She does. 

Evaluation: Artemis is supposed to be the mysterious person of the group, but let's be honest...she fails at it. She came out of the blue and she makes secretive side too obvious for others to see, especially to Nightwing. But I guess that's not the whole emphasis on her personality. Out of all the characters, she had the darkest past. Just like Miss Martian, she was afraid that no one will accept he for who she is. Deep down, she wants to be a good person, but it wasn't easy for her because her family is full of criminals. And she does not want anyone else to know about that, which explains her secretive side. This also led her to being panicky and defensive, because the last thing she ever wanted to happen was to be found out. This defensiveness affected her feelings for Wally. She kept denying almost throughout the entire series that she did not like him (but this slowly subsides towards the end of the first season). In other words, being panicky and defensive has become a habit and this was seen in a couple of episodes (i.e. when she encountered Robin in Gotham; when she had to work with Robin to take down Red Tornado while the rest of their team were down). Aside from that, she is very similar to Wally. She loves fighting and she fights just for the thrill of it. Her only responsibility was keeping her secrets safe and that was it. In an episode where she goes on a girls' night out with Zatanna, you can see that fighting can calm her down. For her, fighting is almost like breathing. It's something that she couldn't let go easily. 

The Development: Everyone accepted her despite her family background, woohoo! She finally admitted to having feelings for Wally, yes! But she gave up fighting, boohoo. Although it is unclear how she agreed to Wally's proposition of quitting, but one thing's for sure...she missed fighting. So when The Team called for their assistance, she was the only who seemed willing to help out. It's possible that Wally agreed because mostly Artemis convinced him. But as the series progressed, Artemis slowly regretted this decision and she understood why Wally wanted to leave The Team. She just sacrificed a peaceful relationship, just for a thrilling mission. In Filipino, sayang. She somehow punishes herself by changing her identity to Tigress. This was her way of moving on. So, you go girl. 

That is it for my character analysis for each member of The Team. I will probably do another set of The Team next time (there are just so many of them!). And I will be definitely be doing this for another series/fandom again! But really guys, I definitely recommend this show to all of you. If you love DC, comics, or superheroes, and very complicated but thorough story lines, then this show is definitely for you. All the characters are amazing and you will have a hard time hating a single one (except for the villains, maybe). This can be an equivalent of a YA fiction, since almost everyone in this series are young and they go through teenage-related stuff as well. So please! Give this show a chance, I'm sure you will not be disappointed! 

Fangirl Moment: Wonder Woman Revealed!

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Hello again! As most of you know, the appearance of Wonder Woman for the upcoming film, "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" has been revealed during the San Diego Comic Con. And I must say, it must have been considered one of the golden moment for DC fans worldwide (aside from the 75th anniversary of Batman, maybe). I mean, it's been a long time since we all seen a remake of a live-action Wonder Woman, right? And personally, out of all the superheroes ever created, Wonder Woman deserves some major appreciation. She's the definition of nobility, strength, honor, and justice. Furthermore, her character development as a person is quite impressive. So I am very happy that she will be featured in the upcoming Batman/Superman film and I am thrilled that she will have her very own film in a few years. Although, I haven't seen how Gal Gadot acts, I am hoping that she will nail her role. The photo of her as the Amazon looks very promising. It was something I did not expect. First of all, it is not any random rendition of her past costumes, nor is it the one in New 52, but it is something very different. It's hard to make out the actual colors of her costume, but I definitely do not see the star-patterned  bottoms. Not that I'm against it though, I am actually very happy with her outfit here. It screams Amazonian and that's how it should be. The pattern on her armor is also beyond amazing, words cannot describe how in awe I am by the details. Right now, I am waiting for at least a teaser that will feature Gal as Wonder Woman, so everyone can have an idea on how her acting skills are (since that's the most important!). To be honest, I am looking forward for DC to take over the film industry next, because the stories of each superhero and villain (including anti-hero) have sooo much potential, plus they have a whole set of amazing characters! And don't you think it's about time for Marvel to rest and let DC take the lead? Tell me what you think!