Bonus Post - Man At Arms is Amazing, You Should Be Watching It

There was a post on Joystiq that showed off, what was explained as "a guy making an 80-pound replica of the Buster Sword" (which is linked in the article, so it's not embedded above, but rather one of the neater projects from the same guy) but is in reality much much more.  This isn't just some guy who slapped together a thing that looked like the Buster Sword and was 'kind of cool, I guess'.  No, no, no, no, no, this is much much different.

The 'guy' is Tony Swatton and he is the subject of a youtube-based mini-show series called "Man at Arms".  The show, as you might expect given the context so far, is all about replicating weapons from pieces of fiction, be it movies, TV shows, comics or video games, but not only replicating them, but making them actual, viable weapons in their own right.  Every weapon this man forges using his 30 years of experience is an actual, honest, deadly weapon that just happens to be modeled after something that you see and can't fathom it as being an actual thing that is made to be like that.  Hilariously, in at least one, perhaps two of the episodes of the show, he makes something that's based off of a cheaply made thing you can order to display your fandom with, to have something that is -actually- what it's supposed to be.  Specifically, the example I'm thinking of is the Bat'leth from Star Trek, which is an incredibly dangerous piece.

Completely divorced from the fact that he's actually making weapons from games we recognize, like the mentioned Buster Sword and actually a Diamond Sword from Minecraft, or cartoons we enjoy like Finn's Golden Sword from Adventure Time, this is just a legitimately cool thing.  There's just something inherently cool about being able to watch a show about something being made from scratch, so you can see what it came from and how it ended up.  This goes the next level as not only is that thing being made something that is of extraordinary quality (from being forged correctly, with function in mind), but it's something that most of us generally have no idea on where we'd even start on making it.  For instance, I certainly didn't know that metal gets de-magnetized at 1,550 degrees Fahrenheit, but I know that now.  Or that, in the instance of Finn's sword, that tempering metal in a 385 degrees for five hours gives it a golden sheen.

Being that it's a new show, there are only a few episodes (as of this writing, there are 12), and the short-form grates on me a little, mostly because I want at least a half-hour dedicated to these episodes, or like 22 minutes with commercials because I would watch it on television, but it's definitely interesting.  I don't implore you guys to watch that many things, but this is one of those times where I'm going to have to insist.  Mostly because I'm sure none of you will blame me.

Caim's sword from Drakengard anyone?  ....anyone?  shit, it's just me, isn't it

The Legend of Korra is Pretty Great

I don't do cartoon posts very often - in fact this will be number two, where the first one was for the Regular Show (which is still pretty great, btw), and it's pretty indicative of how much I think of that show and now this one to devote some paragraphs to it.  Though, I should forewarn you, if you've not seen Avatar:  The Last Airbender (the series, not the mostly-terrible movie), then you may want to skip this post since A) it won't make sense and B) it'll spoil TLA which is by and large, pretty great as well.  Aside from the obligatory "kids will be kids" episode in the last book.  Really....really nonsensical.  Anyways, yes, as The Legend of Korra takes place after The Last Airbender, you'll sort of lose a few things in the process if you just jump into this.  So, yes, you have been warned.

Now, I really liked The Last Airbender, as it was pretty cool and did a real good job of balancing the wackiness of a cartoon series with the seriousness that the material deserved.  I won't recap the show, mainly because at this point I've concluded you either know it already, or have resigned yourself to confusion, so it's a little unnecessary anyway.  The last few episodes of The Last Airbender, which were actually sort of spliced together in movie-format were pretty friggin' amazing - it's hard thinking that anything in that same universe could really top it.  So when I heard about The Legend of Korra months and months ago, I could not share the excitement that my friends held.  'There's really nowhere to go but down', I thought.  'You don't need to sequelize something to make it better', I said.  So I didn't pay attention to it as the hype started to build closer and closer to it coming out.  And even when it came out, I gave it no real mind.  That was a couple weeks ago. 

I may have really underestimated everything about the show.  Not only the show itself, but the talents of the writers behind it, and the general voice and support talent involved.  With just three episodes down, I am excited for the Legend of Korra in a way that I haven't been throughout its entirety to the point up until the other day, and my mind has been completely changed on the prospect of it.  There is....something special to the show that I just can't quite put my finger on, but it's that same quality that attracted me to The Last Airbender in the first place, and I'm quite glad to see that it has persisted.  It's hard to tell just what it is, especially with only three episodes of it, but it really just exudes that certain thing that you really want.  It just makes me really look forward to seeing it unfold.

I will say that it is a little odd seeing the world of Avatar advanced 70 years as it has been in Korra, but for as odd as it is, it's also fairly cool.  It's quite steam-punk-ish in a sense, though at the same time, the technology seems to be on the cusp of transcending that, being that there's pretty much fully functional kick-ass motorcycles and sporting event fields with lights and buzzers and all sorts of neat things.  Still, working in a factory, charging a machine with Fire-bending (or the advanced form of using Lightning) is a viable option for work, and it still has a fairly 'classic' look to the way buildings have been designed and set up.  It sort of -is- kind of a weird schism in that aspect, especially with the real nature focus that's inherent in the Avatar world, but that combination really ends up working well, though how that's possible, I have no real idea.

I guess the only real weak point so far is the plot, without spoiling too much.  I mean, -again- three episodes in, but there's been a dramatic reveal of a potential big bad as well as an 'endgame option' sort of idea, so I don't think it's entirely too early to start thinking things up.  My problem with it, I guess, is that if you replace "bending" with "magic", then you have the plot for countless amounts of fantasy fiction, and that's just....what it is, I guess.  I always advocate that it's not the destination, however, but the journey and the road that takes you there that matters, and I'll stick by with that, but I'm not holding my breath for a plot-twist that -really- drives the story up.  I'd welcome such a thing openly, of course, and I almost have to think that it -will- happen, consider the show might be set up as the first, which means there's a lot left to it.  With any luck, it will, and I'll be able to write up something here gushing about it!

Misadventures in Bargain-Shopping: Vampire Diaries Season One

So, I haven't really mentioned it, but on Monday I did just as I said I would and indulged a little in all that Halloween could have offered.  While I didn't throw in Dead Space or a movie, I delved deep into the core rulebook of Vampire:  The Masquerades and really really started getting into the mindset of the game.  I figure the knowledge will likely go unused save for maybe making a character for the fun of it, but it's interesting to think of a game of that sorts that isn't Dungeons and Dragons (or Exalted, but I haven't really read into those either) and especially with such a lore that's been crafted for the game.  It's...quite impressive, really, how much effort they put into creating this real, detailed world while still leaving enough vagueness to allow everyone and anyone to really create just what they want to make.  Which is the point, of course.

But that's not the point of this post, as the point of this post is to talk about my growing interest in vampire things because of really getting into V:tM.  Now, I know it's fairly 'easy' to get into Vampire things nowadays as they're so mainstream it hurts, but as we are wont to do, we try and seek out the 'best', whether it's objective or to our tastes so that does add a little challenge, at least.  Vampire Diaries, as my good friend Saki-Chan assures me, is one of those things to seek out.  But don't take my efforts as an official endorsement of the product of course; I've yet to watch the first season (what I purchased....eventually) and likely won't for a week yet, as I'm waiting for a time when I can watch it along with Saki-Chan, since she's so mired in its collected knowledge already.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't even be making this post if the way in which I got it wasn't so hilariously counter to the last misadventures post I made, which was on purpose for that reason entirely.  Re-familiarize yourself with that experience before we go on; it makes it better I assure you.  So it all began Sunday night, after I'd put up the Halloween post, while I was talking to Saki-Chan and she, as she has done lately, was talking about the Vampire Diaries in an excited manner that mirrors much of my own when I'm going on about something I really enjoy.  While she's throwing out plot lines and character backstories, I'm taking it in as best as someone completely unfamiliar with the territory can (read:  not very well) but gain more and more of an interest in it.  Seeing as a trip out was in order the next day, I told myself I'd take a look around to see if the first season was on sale anywhere.  Not too far-fetched to imagine, right?  Vampire show being on sale on Halloween Day seems almost a given.

It was not, of course.  Interestingly enough, Target was selling the first season for $45, another store for $50, and neither were on sale.  It was a little odd, I thought that the price wasn't the same at two different stores, but it's hardly surprising, and as much as I trust Saki-Chan's judgment, I don't trust it enough to throw out $45 sight unseen.  To be fair, I don't trust -anyone's- judgment enough to throw out $45 sight unseen.  No offense, anyone who may be offended by this, I'm sure you can understand.  So, with that prospect out of the air, I decided simply to wait; a deal would come, I'm sure, or I would find a way to force one.  The latter, as you might suspect, happened.

The following day, the first of November (or the day that will forever be known as the day I spent $119.19 at GameStop, yet only walked out with a single game*, Uncharted 3) I was out and about once again and happened to land at Wal-Mart where I, again, checked to see what the price of Vampire Diaries Season 1 was there.  To my continued surprise, it was different there as well priced at $39.96 (or, for all intents and purposes, $40 a full $10 less than another local store) which was unfortunately still too much.  That's when my plan, bitter as it might have been to consider, began to form.  From the last misadventure, I still had a gift card from Best Buy with a slight amount of money on it burning a hole in my wallet, and it was at least worth a shot to see what they priced the show at.

Upon going into the store, I made a detour first to the Customer Service desk to find out just how much my gift card had on it.  There behind the counter was a girl who I'm going to call Victoria because I -think- that was her name, but I forget.  She was more than happy to help and, in very short order, I was informed the card still had $16.15 on it and with that in mind I went off to the Movies section.  Here, it was less surprising to see that the show was not on sale (the first season anyway), but the price of $45 made me a little more than annoyed.  Why couldn't it be $40, like at Wal-Mart.  I'm sure you can see the writing on the wall, but just then the idea struck me and I couldn't help but start to laugh at the reflective nature of it all.

Another visit to the Customer Service desk saw me asking Victoria if Best Buy's Price Match guarantee extended merely to sale items, or to the normal price of items and being informed that it was the latter.  So long as it wasn't from a store akin to Sam's Club (basically a store that sells bulk items and thus might have naturally lower prices) and the much-loathed "the competitor has to have it in stock" restriction was met, any price could be offered.  Having just been at Wal-Mart fifteen minutes prior, I knew it was there, well-stocked, and priced nicer, so I asked if she would set it up, and one call later to Wal-Mart to confirm what I already knew, she wrote out a note that guaranteed the price, asked me to get the set and take it up to the registers as per normal.

I'm having a hard time explaining it, but I'm sure you can just imagine what I was feeling at that moment, having such a pleasant experience in much the same circumstances as a previously terrible experience...it was a little strange.  Victoria's help was wonderful, however, and I was more than happy with my dealings with her and, as you might've already worked out I ended up walking out of Best Buy having only really spent $24 on the complete first season of Vampire Diaries, which is a fair enough price, I think.  I'll know more when I watch it, but if nothing else, I have this story of the journey no matter how I enjoy the outcome.  A story that can only make me laugh for reasons I can't quite place, and one that reassures me that there are still real bargains to be found out there if you work hard enough at them.