#Legion Reviews | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

queer-ragnelle · 17 days ago

Note

Oh, no, what happened in The Altar of the Legion? 😭

It was a very good book, 5/5 stars from me! But it's Arthurian, it's a tragedy. It was very satisfying though and I highly recommend it. Full spoiler break down and review of The Altar of the Legion by Farnham Bishop and Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur below. It's gonna be long.

It all takes place post-Camlann. King Arthur has been defeated and Owain mab Urien is now an old king of North Wales/Rheged. The story follows Owain's two children, Princess Gwenlian, a brave and courageous girl whom the court believes would make a great sovereign, and Prince Meriaduc, a jolly kid who fears the sight of blood and would rather be a minstrel than soldier and heir to the throne. The people of Wales require help from the last remaining Roman city in Britain as Owain's Ravens, his black-leather wearing fighters, have been reduced in numbers and can no longer combat the Saxons alone. However when Gwenlian falls ill, Meriaduc dons her gown to take her place as ambassador for Wales. During this time Meriaduc, as a princess, seems to develop complicated feelings about gender and the role a prince is supposed to play.

Every one loved the merry prince. But Meriaduc was fifteen, and at that age in King Owain's land a man must be a man. But this man, a king's son, chose to be a woman, and in that guise was even now about to enter Legionis Asa. All in the service of his hard-pressed country, it was true; and there was no doubt that a beautiful, high-spirited princess would have more influence than a prince who could not fight.

On top of that, Meriaduc doesn't merely enjoy the time spent passing as a woman, but fully embodies it, and seems to fall in love with Roman-Briton Drusus, a prefect of the last Roman city in Britain, although there are some half-hearted attempts to deny/prevent it.

Meriaduc, in the midst of his mischief, was feeling that sense of security and fraternal content the presence of Drusus inspired in him. The young prince did not want a love affair on his hands, messing up his more serious business.

This romantic nature of attraction is observed from multiple outside perspectives, including Niall, the Irish captain of the Ravens and the princess's escort, the only one aware of Meriaduc as Gwenlian.

Niall of the Sword, picking his teeth with a dagger, watched the two with open satisfaction. He saw and understood the prefect's ready sympathy, his interest in the pretended Gwenlian's beauty, touched to radiance as it was by the fire of patriotism. He saw the quick response of eye to eye, of smile to smile, of serious mood to serious mood; the spontaneous friendship of two young, wholesome souls.

This mutual romantic interest is so pronounced that Tullia, Drusus's cousin, becomes openly jealous, and teases him about the whole situation. His aunt Sophonsiba also doesn't like Gwenlian!Meriaduc flirting with her nephew. All of this Meriaduc noticed, found hilarious, and continued to exploit throughout the story.

The elf of mischief, never far from the surface of Meriaduc's soul, chuckled ever so softly. Was Tullia jealous of him?

And Drusus, for his part, defends Gwenlian!Meriaduc, even when she isn't there. He's a good guy! Calling out his aunt's racism!

He forced a patient smile. It was little use, he knew, to argue with Aunt Sophonisba. "The Princess Gwenlian is scarcely a skin-clad savage," he answered kindly. "But her eyes!" exclaimed his aunt. "And her manners! The girl is a little barbarian, affectedly trying to live up to her new surroundings. And I do not like the way she looks at you, Drusus. She is playing with you, twisting you about her finger, for the sake of your influence with the Senate. And you why, this very morning, the little Welsh flirt kept you so engrossed that Tullia spoke to you thrice without receiving an answer. You will break the child's heart." So that was it? Square chin raised, Drusus met his aunt's eyes almost angrily. "This is folly !" he exclaimed.

At last the honest and honorable Drusus decides to aid the Welsh even if the political powers and his family won't. Tullia argues against him, accusing Gwenlian!Meriaduc of bewitching him. Drusus won't hear it.

But Drusus, carried away by his own eagerness, was not to be checked. "The Quæstor dares not arrest me," he answered. "If he did so now, the troops would march on the city. I am no traitor, Tullia. I am a Roman Briton, one who loves his country and would see her follow the honorable course. If the Senate refuses to let me call for volunteers, I will proclaim myself dictator, seize the city, and form an alliance with King Owain." The curtains parted, revealing the supposed enchantress, flushed with excitement, in the doorway.

It's at this point Meriaduc completely loses the plot and the lines between the role of princess and truly embodying a woman in love begin to blur.

"I am sorry," said Drusus simply. He shrank from trying to understand his emotional cousin's conduct. "Tell her I will bring back a Saxon standard for her," he added. "That is a proper gift! " exclaimed Meriaduc, all Gwenlian again. "I wish you had made me such a promise." "I shall bring you a sword, red with Saxon blood," Drusus responded gallantly. It came so suddenly, Meriaduc staggered a step backward, caught Niall's glance with its message of "You see!" On that he straightened proudly, and smiled gratefully at Drusus — every inch a princess.

Anon they are simply in love I don't know what else to say. Just look. At this point the story finally gives us an Owain pov chapter. He misses his kids. :^( And tragically, he never gets to see them again, as he falls in battle with his men, unaware of Gwenlian's illness or that Meriaduc has succeeded in the mission too late to save their father.

However this is where things get really interesting because Gwenlian, recovered well enough from her illness, is now dressed as Meriaduc in an attempt to make it to the city and complete the mission she has no idea her brother has already followed through on. The group does catch word of this though, telling Meriaduc!Gwenlian that his sister, Gwenlian!Meriaduc, has made it safely to the city and rallied troops.

Deep was Gwenlian's wonder. Meriaduc? How could that be? Yet anything could be if Meriaduc were concerned. She decided to keep her own disguise till she met the pseudo-Gwenlian.

While Tullia continues to complain about Drusus and Gwenlian!Meriaduc's budding romance...

It irked her almost beyond endurance to live in the same house with the British girl, whose manners were so un-Roman, who seemed to take perverse pleasure in speaking of Drusus with familiar affection.

There’s toxic yuri potential here. By the way. Anyway Meriaduc!Gwenlian finally makes it there and the siblings reunite!

With cries of joy, the brother and sister were clasped in each other's arms. Tullia considerately withdrew. "Gwenlian!" breathed the one in woman's gown. "Meriaduc!" sobbed the one in mail. The disguised lad laid a finger on his lips. "Not so loud," he warned her." Here I am Gwenlian. And you, it appears, are Meriaduc! Let me look on myself." He held her at arm's length. "Not bad, Gwenlian; but I do you greater credit, I think." And he walked a few paces away from her, trailing Tullia's gown of blue and white across the green carpet of grass, with simple and entirely feminine grace. He turned, expectant of his sister's admiration. She tried to smile, but was too wrought up by the situation. "What shall we do? " she implored. Meriaduc returned swiftly to her, and took her protectingly in his arms. Gwenlian submitted, though the experience was new to her. But laughter had come again into her brother's eyes. "Saints, what a jest!" he whispered, against Gwenlian's hair. "Owain's son comes as Owain's daughter, and plays his part so well that Tullia Marciana is jealous! Owain's daughter comes as Owain's son —“ "But I cannot play the man, as you have played the woman, neither do I like it. I but did it for greater safety on the road. Why are you here at all, Meriaduc, and not with our father?"

I could write an essay about this page alone. The contrast of the evidentially cisgender Gwenlian, sobered by the gravity of impending war and unhappy living as a man, with the potentially transgender Meriaduc so euphoric from passing as a woman that it's somewhat overshadowed the original intent. Now you'd think here they could switch back. But Meriaduc insists it's safer for Gwenlian if they remain swapped. There's a creepy senator Ventidius who's been trying to hit on Gwenlian!Meriaduc that Meriaduc wants to protect her from. But considering the events that unfold later, I don't know that it really mattered, but the prince got to stay a princess just a bit longer than was strictly necessary.

"Gwenlian!" he said, and for a moment could say no more. "Gwenlian, for once you must be guided by me. I must still be Gwenlian; you must remain Meriaduc." "I will not I cannot," she replied. "We can explain to our friends here." "Blessed Saints!" replied Meriaduc, overcome. "We cannot, Gwenlian. We must go on as we are. I understand the situation. There are considerations. Oh—" desperately — "Ventidius is in love with you — with me — that is —" He collected himself. "You must be protected from him. That can be best done if I am Gwenlian."

So from here some political/battle stuff happens that is all interesting but less so to me than Gwenlian’s and Meriaduc’s storyline so in summary the politicians had been plotting with the Saxons and selling people into slavery (shocker) which Drusus and Niall uncover. One of the other British kings, a redhead like Drusus, is struck down so it gets back to the city that Drusus died although he didn’t. Fast forward to Drusus attempting to reenter the city, and the evil older politician Ventidius has is forcing Gwenlian!Meriaduc to marry him in exchange for men to supply Owain’s army. All of this culminates in Drusus riding his horse into the chapel and crashing the wedding.

Down toward them bounded a huge horse, backed by a tall rider in faded cloak and rusted mail. Beneath the raised visor of his helmet his eyes glared with unearthly fury. Awed and frightened, the crowd drew back to yield him room. They breathed the rider's name in running whispers, instinct with the horror of living men for the ghosts of the dead.

"Drusus!" "Drusus!" "Drusus!"

Then immediately after this…

"In the name of the Holy Trinity," [the bishop] called boldly, "I conjure you, if you be ghost of hell, go back to the fiend who sent you! But if ye be living man, then speak, Marcianus Drusus, and cease to perturb the holy sacrament of marriage!"

No sooner had the prefect's name rung out upon the startled ears of the group before the altar than they turned with one accord, to meet the blazing eyes of Drusus himself. Sophonisba shrieked. Tullia's proud, beautiful face turned white. But the graceful figure in the white linen of a bride, ran to meet him with a joyful cry, deep-throated and rich, and looked up at him with eyes which spoke unbounded relief and trust.

Drusus took the bride's hand and looked over her head at the bishop.

"I live," he answered, "by the grace of God and my good men! I live, to restore the honor of my people, and to prevent this unholy marriage!"

Chat Drusus came back from the dead to rescue Gwenlian!Meriaduc. I LOVE ARTHURIAN GHOST CHARACTERS/UNKILLABLE MFS!!!!!

But after this a battle ensues as Ventidius has the city police try to arrest Drusus for this. He and Niall start retaliating with swords but there are too many of them. Drusus is about to be killed when…

Niall had met his man with the edge; but before Drusus could disengage, the third was on him. Caught between the point and the pillar behind him, Drusus could only await the blow. As the short sword stabbed upward, the prefect thrust out one foot, dashed the blade aside with his greaved ankle, and drove his heel into his enemy's stomach.

A tense, slim figure in loose-hanging policeman's mail, clutching a policeman's short sword, hovered about Drusus, never striking with his weapon, but seeming ever ready. It was Meriaduc.

…….Meriaduc overcomes the fear of blood and changes back into the clothes of a man to rescue Drusus in return. And what does Gwenlian think of this?

Oh, why was the gay, the brilliant Meriaduc born under the necessity of being a soldier? She whose courage made her the darling of her people now trembled, and all but wept, in the grip of imagined terrors, and in despair of the helplessness of women.

Wow. It’s literally a tragedy that Meriaduc has to be a solider. It’s not something the prince takes any joy or pride in, and the princess knows this too. And only Niall knows they switched places, so after this, when Gwenlian dresses as herself, and Meriaduc resumes the princely role, it means that Drusus has effectively become a stranger. The little romance abruptly cuts off. Devastating. Worse still, after all that, Ventidius kidnaps Gwenlian and tries to flee by ship to Brittany only for Saxon pirates board the ship, kidnap the kidnapper and hold Gwenlian as hostage, but they burned the ship too. So by the time Drusus, Niall, and Meriaduc arrive, they have nothing but a handful of half-drowned men to fish out of the water. Winter is coming and they have no choice but to turn back.

"What will you do?"

"Put back to Bellerium. It is all we can do. But when the spring comes — then woe to Wessex!" The despairing eyes of the two Welshmen, tender youth and hardened soldier, strained across the dark waves to the burning Cygnus. Meriaduc wept.

"See, Niall," he said, "what comes of my trying to be a soldier! Would that I had not changed back into myself!"

Drusus overheard and thought the boy daft with grief.

All this and Meriaduc can turn to no one for comfort. I’m unwell. Drusus doesn’t know. He doesn’t know!!!

So Gwenlian and Ventidius are prisoners of war over the whole winter. They even have Owain’s sword kept on the wall as a trophy. It’s so messed up. Ultimately Drusus, Niall, and Meriaduc are able to make it to the Saxon kingdom, sinking a bunch of ships along the way, and Gwenlian is brought to the top of the castle and an exchange is arranged of her life for the Saxon prince’s. That part was crazy because Gwenlian was shouting down that the security of Wales was more important than her life, kill the enemy! But they didn’t rescue her and return to Britain.

After that, Gwenlian essentially assumes the role of Wales’ sovereign. Meriaduc is there here, but not as good at it as Gwenlian.

"Their homeland lies east," insisted Meriaduc.

Gwenlian was on her feet, asking to be heard.

"I remember," she said, "the words of Ceawlin to Ventidius, just before I was taken to Sorbiodunum. The traitor urged the king to move against Bellerium by sea, but Ceawlin refused, thinking he could crush you in the field. Now that they have taken ship together and sail west, there can be no doubt but that Ventidius has prevailed. Beaten in open battle, the Saxons have but one hope: to overwhelm Legionis Asa in your absence."

"You should have been a man and a soldier!" Drusus complimented her. None observed Meriaduc sigh at the dictator's words.

Meriaduc my darling that sigh speaks a thousand words. This lovesickness continues as they all return “home.”

The two bronze lamps still glowed at the portal of Drusus' house; and, with a gulp, Meriaduc regarded the façade with the affection of one who returns to his own loved home.

Goddamn Meriaduc. So from here, plans are made to combat the Saxons who are riding on the Roman town. Things turn extremely bad very fast because an earthquake happens and ruins all the plans of everyone. Gwenlian and Tullia are at home and buried under the rubble of the house. Gwenlian finds herself alive but trapped, and can feel blood seeping into her little alcove. Straight horror novel scenario.

Gwenlian awoke with a sense of strangling, to find herself in the dark. She was lying with aching shoulders on a mass of broken cement. Stretching out her hands, she felt about her and her heart sank. She was imprisoned, closed about with heaped-up timbers.

Her fingers groped about her prison. The house had fallen in upon her in such a way as to pen her in without crushing her. She was in a sort of tent of piled-up woodwork.

Tullia! Where were Tullia and Sophonisba? Had they too survived, or were they crushed under the ruins? She called again and again, but no answer came to her. Her fingers, fearfully exploring the peaks and hollows beneath her, touched something warm and wet. She screamed in horror.

As if she hasn’t suffered enough!! Meanwhile Drusus is trying to hold the bridge with the help of Niall and Meriaduc. Drusus is losing and pulled from his horse. He passes out right before the Saxon strikes and… this happens…

Drusus saw a dim vision of the Saxon's dagger hanging above him, and then saw and heard no more.

When his senses began to clear — he was being held and lifted in mid-air. His outstretched right leg touched something smooth and familiar — a saddle! They were lifting him on to his horse. Instinctively his knees gripped and his body straightened. The two who had helped him turned and sprang on their own mounts, as Drusus opened his eyes.

He looked to the left and saw that the wagon barrier had been burst apart and bent inward. Through the ever-widening gap poured the triumphant Saxons - and facing them, single-handed, stood the stripling Meriaduc! Niall of the Sword lay wounded unto death a few paces away. Meriaduc's shield was split, his crest shorn away, all his armor red with the blood that revolted him so. Yet he had held back an army long enough to save his friend, who in turn would save Wales — Britain.

Such was the thought in Meriaduc's heart as he stood there, fighting tensely, blindly, wildly — killing — hating it even in his frenzy, but doing it for Drusus and Britain. One instant Drusus saw him standing there, saw Niall struggle half to his feet and then sprawl, helpless, arms outstretched toward his prince, across a heap of dead and wounded Saxons. Then the barricade was swept utterly away by the onrushing heathen host, and the Captain of Ravens and Meriaduc of North Wales were no more. Drusus' heart heaved so that he could hardly breathe.

I knew it was coming. Of course it was. But… it still hurts. Sick and twisted authors!!!!!! I was really hoping Meriaduc might come back, but it didn’t happen. Ultimately Drusus ends up fighting Ventidius AGAIN because Venti pulled Gwenlian out of the wreckages of the house and is trying to kidnap her AGAIN but finally he dies for good.

Gwenlian and Drusus end up fleeing the city as the tsunami/flooding that comes as a result of the earthquake wipes out all the Saxons and the last of the town. They’re stuck on the peak of a hill with only a handful of people for days until a random boat comes along and rescues them. It ends on a slightly hopeful note as Drusus vows to retreat to Wales with Gwenlian and pick up Owain’s cause once more.

Anon I’m devastated. It was a very enjoyable read but I’m fantasizing about an alternate version in which Meriaduc and Drusus at least kiss. I might even write it who knows. ;^) So yeah life changing, I’m so glad I read it. I hope more people do and tell me there thoughts, especially since I cut down the plot quite a lot, entire characters omitted. But all of them were interesting so any thoughts subsequent readers have, I’d love to know! Okay that’s it. Have a good day anon.

#arthuriana #arthurian legend #arthurian mythology #welsh mythology #arthurian literature #the altar of the legion #farnham bishop #arthur gilchrist brodeur #sir owain #gwenlian #meriaduc #drusus #book review #ask #anonymous

7 notes · View notes

philicheesecake · 11 months ago

Text

First review is in! Thank you so much for your support dear reader!

#UL comics #unseen legion comics #indie comic #reviews

29 notes · View notes

lae-zels · 9 months ago

Text

courier, big mt's inheritor conspiring with robco's mr house is so incredibly disgusting i can't look away 👀 ❗❗❗

#my courier is a technophile and this is so toxic and delicious #nothing good is going to come of their partnership #im reviewing all the faction's endings and looking at their pros and cons is making me pull my hair out (not legion they can die miserably)#delete later #fallout: new vegas

7 notes · View notes

bestgamingitem · 29 days ago

Text

Lenovo Best 5 Gaming Laptop Reviews and Buying Guide

When it comes to gaming laptops, Lenovo is a trusted name that consistently delivers high-quality devices. With a solid range of models designed for gamers of all levels, Lenovo has earned its place among the top contenders in the gaming laptop market. In this blog post, we will review the Lenovo Best 5 Gaming Laptop options, provide insights on their features, performance, and offer a comprehensive buying guide to help you make the best decision.

1. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro stands out as one of the best gaming laptops in Lenovo's lineup. With its sleek design, powerful performance, and immersive display, this laptop delivers everything a gamer needs.

Performance

Equipped with the latest AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro handles demanding games with ease. Whether you're playing graphically intense titles or multitasking, this laptop ensures smooth gameplay and high frame rates. The 16GB of RAM ensures excellent multitasking capabilities, while the 512GB SSD offers fast loading times and plenty of storage for your games and media.

Display and Design

The 16-inch QHD display with a 165Hz refresh rate offers stunning visuals and sharp details. The 16:10 aspect ratio adds extra vertical space, which is perfect for both gaming and productivity tasks. Additionally, the Legion 5 Pro’s design features a sleek, minimalistic aesthetic that looks great in any setup. The backlit keyboard with RGB lighting adds a touch of style and enhances your gaming experience.

Battery Life and Cooling

With up to 8 hours of battery life under normal use, the Legion 5 Pro is a reliable companion for long gaming sessions. The advanced cooling system, known as Coldfront 3.0, ensures that the laptop remains cool and quiet even during the most intense gaming sessions.

2. Lenovo Legion 7i

For gamers looking for a more premium option, the Lenovo Legion 7i is an exceptional choice. Combining cutting-edge performance, a stunning display, and a sleek design, this laptop is ideal for those who demand the best.

Performance

The Legion 7i features the latest Intel Core i7-10870H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics. Whether you're playing the latest AAA titles or engaging in competitive esports, this laptop delivers outstanding performance. The 16GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking, and the 1TB SSD provides ample storage for all your gaming needs.

Display and Design

The 15.6-inch Full HD display boasts a 165Hz refresh rate and a 3ms response time, ensuring fluid visuals and rapid responsiveness. The Legion 7i also includes Dolby Vision HDR support, providing vivid colors and deeper contrast for an immersive gaming experience. The laptop's premium aluminum chassis is both sturdy and stylish, giving it a sleek and high-end feel.

Battery Life and Cooling

With a battery life of up to 7 hours, the Legion 7i offers solid longevity for gaming and general use. Lenovo’s advanced Legion Coldfront 2.0 thermal technology keeps the laptop cool and quiet, even during the most demanding gaming sessions. This system ensures consistent performance without thermal throttling.

3. Lenovo Legion 5i

The Lenovo Legion 5i is a more affordable yet powerful option for gamers who want solid performance without breaking the bank. It strikes a great balance between price and performance, making it a popular choice among budget-conscious gamers.

Performance

Powered by the Intel Core i7-10750H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics, the Lenovo Legion 5i offers great gaming performance. Although it doesn’t offer the same level of graphical performance as the more expensive models, it still runs modern games at high settings with smooth frame rates. With 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, this laptop provides a solid gaming experience for most users.

Display and Design

The Legion 5i features a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. While not as high as the 165Hz displays in the higher-end models, it still offers a smooth and responsive gaming experience. The design is sleek and professional, with a clean, matte finish. The keyboard has a backlight, but it’s not RGB like the higher-end models.

Battery Life and Cooling

The battery life on the Legion 5i is good, with up to 6 hours of use on a single charge. The cooling system is effective at keeping temperatures in check, and the laptop runs quietly, even under load. This is ideal for gamers who want a balance between performance and quiet operation.

4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4

While not traditionally considered a gaming laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 offers impressive performance that makes it a strong contender in the gaming world. With its premium build quality and powerful internals, this laptop can handle gaming with ease.

Performance

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is powered by the Intel Core i9-11950H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics. This combination offers incredible performance for gaming, video editing, and other demanding tasks. The 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD ensure that the laptop handles multitasking and storage with ease.

Display and Design

This laptop features a 16-inch 4K UHD+ display with Dolby Vision HDR, which offers stunning visuals with exceptional color accuracy. While it’s not a 165Hz gaming display, it’s more than capable of running most games at high settings. The X1 Extreme is housed in a sturdy, lightweight carbon fiber body, which gives it a premium, business-class feel.

Battery Life and Cooling

The battery life on the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is impressive, with up to 10 hours of use on a single charge. This is significantly higher than most gaming laptops. The cooling system is quiet and efficient, keeping the laptop’s temperatures under control during extended use.

5. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a great entry-level gaming laptop that offers solid performance for a more affordable price. It's an excellent choice for gamers who are just starting and want a budget-friendly yet capable machine.

Performance

The IdeaPad Gaming 3 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics. While it won’t deliver the highest frame rates in graphically demanding games, it still provides an enjoyable gaming experience at medium to high settings. With 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, the laptop offers decent performance for most casual gamers.

Display and Design

The 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 120Hz refresh rate provides smooth gameplay. The design is simple and functional, with a clean aesthetic that doesn’t scream “gaming laptop.” The keyboard is backlit, offering a nice touch for late-night gaming sessions.

Battery Life and Cooling

With up to 8 hours of battery life, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the longer-lasting options in the budget gaming laptop category. The cooling system keeps temperatures manageable, but it’s not as advanced as the higher-end models.

youtube

Buying Guide for Lenovo Best 5 Gaming Laptop

When purchasing a gaming laptop, there are several factors to consider. Here’s a quick guide to help you make an informed decision.

Performance

The performance of a gaming laptop is crucial for an enjoyable gaming experience. Look for laptops equipped with powerful processors, such as Intel Core i7 or i9, or AMD Ryzen 7. Additionally, choose laptops with dedicated graphics cards from NVIDIA (GeForce GTX or RTX) or AMD, as they will handle demanding games with ease.

Display

A high-refresh-rate display (120Hz or higher) is important for smooth and responsive gameplay. For a better experience, opt for a display with good color accuracy and HDR support. The screen size typically ranges from 15.6 to 16 inches, offering a balance between portability and immersion.

Battery Life

While gaming laptops are generally not known for their long battery life, choosing a laptop with good battery performance can be a game-changer for casual gamers who need portability. Look for laptops that offer at least 6-8 hours of use.

Cooling System

A strong cooling system is essential for maintaining performance during extended gaming sessions. Look for laptops with advanced cooling technologies, such as Lenovo's Coldfront system, to prevent thermal throttling and overheating.

Design and Build Quality

Gaming laptops are often bulky, but many models, including those from Lenovo, offer sleek designs without compromising performance. Consider the build quality and portability based on your preferences for gaming on the go.

Conclusion

Lenovo offers a diverse range of gaming laptops, each designed to meet the needs of different gamers. Whether you’re looking for high-end performance or a budget-friendly option, the Lenovo Best 5 Gaming Laptop lineup has something for everyone. The Lenovo Legion series offers premium performance, while the IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a great entry-level option. When making your choice, consider your specific gaming needs and preferences to find the perfect laptop for you.

#Lenovo Gaming Laptops #Best Gaming Laptops #Gaming Laptop Reviews #Lenovo Legion Laptops #Gaming Laptop Buying Guide #Youtube

2 notes · View notes

the-masked-reviewer · 7 months ago

Text

Iron Man 3 (2013) Review

potential spoilers ahead...

This movie is possibly my favorite Iron Man focused movie, don't make me choose. For the longest time, it was my overall favorite Marvel movie, hands down. Not sure it still holds that title, but it is certainly still high on the list.

The effects throughout the movie are well done. The Iron Legion (all the suits at the end of the movie) and the A.I.M. super soldiers are both great examples of how good this movie's effects were. The movie's soundtrack is also really good. Both the backing tracks and more noticeable songs are well chosen and add intensity or vulnerability to the scenes where they would apply.

Robert Downey Jr. is, as always, the perfect Tony Stark. He improvised so many of the defining lines for the character. RDJ was basically just being himself and managed to portray an amazing Tony Stark.

Tony's arc in this movie comes with so much needed growth. To fully understand the character journey he goes on, you do need to know what happened to him in The Avengers (2012) meaning at the very least you would need to watch 523 minutes, or as a normal person would say 8 hours and 43 minuets, and that's not counting any non-Iron Man movies that give further context to the 2012 movie. If you wanted to watch the movies that give even more context to the 2012 Avengers that watch time would jump by 2 movies, both with roughly 2 hours of runtime. His journey comes to a well deserved, narratively satisfying end in this movie. The decision for Tony to remove the Arc Reactor and settle into being a normal person again feels rightfully earned. Part of the reason I've always loved this one so much was that it gave the trilogy such a well deserved and satisfying ending.

#movie review #movies #marvel #mcu #marvel mcu #tony stark #pepper potts #iron man 3 #iron man #robert downey jr #james rhodes #iron patriot #iron legion

5 notes · View notes

lightningthunderstorm · 2 years ago

Text

Just finish LOSH and ngl it was slept on. The story was interesting af and i love how they got away with all of the murder,death and trauma.

idk if the animation crew did also work on Batman 2004 because they had pretty similar style and animation. It’s creative, dynamic and impactful. The choreography and camera work is accumulate.

Kell-El was an surprisingly good additional to the show. The idea of edgy Superman is tiring by now but i like how they handled it. It was not just for fun but rather a reasonable response to the environment he was grown up with.

My fav thing abt Kel is his fighting style : brutal and efficient. While Superman relied more on being impenetrable and could deliver heavy punches ( and he mainly just punched ). Kell fought with his whole body, even using the momentum of the previous move to power up the next.

You think fighting Superman is bad, imagine fighting a Superman who is born to choose violence, have duo daggers and live off survival mode.

P.S I need those flying and super speed ones do the whole “tornado spin move” more. It’s underused!

#opinion #tv series #review #dc comics #invincible #losh #losh 2006 #superman #kell el #legion of super heroes #tornado go bruh #fight scene #comic books #dcau

86 notes · View notes

themegachessatron · 10 months ago

Text

A Review of my time in Skyrim's Prisons (Featuring some followers): Castle Dour Dungeons

The dead speak! This is part six of my ongoing series reviewing the prison facilities in each of Skyrim's major cities. I'm sorry this one took longer than the others, I just came back from a place with very poor internet and could not post for a while.

In this chapter we examine the capital of Skyrim, Solitude. Expectations for the Castle Dour Dungeons are high given its location in the imperial and indeed national capital. I'm anxious to see if it lives up to such lofty expectations or falls short and gives the Stormcloaks another reason to hate Tullius' guts.

Upon entering my cell I was presented with a notably scarce décor. There is a table provided with seating for two and a single sleeping space (are they expecting us to have friends over for lunch?). Also supplied was an adequate lighting source, an additional chair off to the other side of the cell (for all one's third wheeling needs), a waste disposal bucket, multiple sacs into which things can be placed and a pile of hay which is presumably to act as sustenance in the event a steed ends up in here for horsing around the city. I had noticed that the southern-left wall appeared to have some faulty bricking installed which I have to consider a shortcoming of the maintenance of this facility. I was about to investigate further when I encountered an issue.

He keeps doing this. It's become a recurring issue. I am here to experience this prison fully from the perspective of a prisoner and yet Inigo insists on quickly releasing me at every turn. I had asked him this time why he paid my leave and how he had acquired the funding to do so, but he responded by saying that he hadn't paid any bail at all and refused to elaborate further. I'm scared. This Khajiit clearly knows something I don't which worries me deeply.

I at this point decided "to the Far Shores with it" and did the review at whatever way I so chose. Inigo made it clear that integrity was for the feeble anyway. I examined the central room outside my cell and was greeted with a truly breath-taking sight. Apart from some choice walling which I will elaborate on later, this building is simply magnificent in terms of architecture and structure. It's a sight to behold with expertly laid out cells and a torture chamber, a feature not seen in any other prisons so far. Though the presence of a torture chamber is likely motivated by the civil war, it can also function as an effective deterrent from any hopeful escape artists trying to free themselves or reach the belongings chest to retrieve their potions of vigorous well-being or the like. The layout and structural design of this facility puts every one previously reviewed to shame, with one exception.

This wall is frankly pathetic. It obviously stuck out from the moment I arrived and exposing it to so much as a minor gust fully collapsed a person-sized chunk of the wall leading to a potential escape route. Now, I'm hardly a qualified construction worker but this does not seem well put together at all and creates a myriad of issues, least of all giving prisoners an escape route. Falling bricks may not only put the safety of prisoners at risk but unattended bricks may be used as weaponry to attack innocents. This is simply shoddy and nothing else. I had expected better.

Following the resulting path led to a greater issue. This path goes directly to the prisoner belonging chest and leaves said chest fully exposed. Now admittedly the chest, like all belongings chests, is protected by a very strong lock but the point still stands that easy access is granted to prisoners who are afforded the luxury of retrieving their aforementioned potions of vigorous well-being to keep themselves in shape during the escape should an altercation break out. This opening, much like the faulty walling that created this escape route, is also the result of shoddy build quality and upkeep in Castle Dour. It may look impressive but it very evidently folds like a deck of cards.

Beyond this lay a very short trip to the exit out into the city through a sewer drain. This exit combines the worst elements of Dragonsreach Dungeon and Riften Jail to form an utterly uninspired and uninteresting route to escape that leaves little to make the escape feel special for the fleeing criminal. Still, I suppose beggars cannot be choosers when you are escaping prison.

Emerging from the drain onto the city streets reunited me with my team who, with the exception of the ever-unpredictable Inigo had decided not to partake in the bulk of this review. They had been fortunately spared from the events that led to my Solitude arrest which may or may not have involved getting up onto a stage in the middle of a public execution and singing a song about Goblins (A song which Jordan found particularly entertaining). What I had failed to account for during my following of the escape trail was the Imperial guard finding the wall hole during my escape and following it to chase me down under a new separate charge of destroying Imperial property. This was unexpected, but not unwelcome as it showed diligence in the Imperial guards which I hadn't expected from soldiers not out in the front lines of the war.

In closing, Castle Dour Dungeons were not quite what I had hoped they would be. I had expected a gold standard of quality and while they do excel in guardsman training, interior design and torture, they fall flat in furnishings of cells and structural integrity, two areas I had expected the very wealthy capital city to excel in.

Final score: Seven Potions of Vigorous Well-Being out of Ten Potions of Vigorous Well-Being

Thank you for reading this review. Next time we examine the opposing side of the civil war and see what Ulfric does with people who feel like being just a bit too kind to the Argonian dock workers.

PS: Don't expect another long gap between reviews. That was a one-off and regular service should resume.

#skyrim #tes v #tes v skyrim #skyrim prison review #inigo #inigo the brave #sofia skyrim #Castle Dour #Castle Dour Dungeon #solitude #Jordan the Reikling #lydia skyrim #cool jail #i'm so back #Collapsable walls #imperial legion #Why can't they make a decent wall?

5 notes · View notes

linyve · 4 months ago

Text

Day 20: Book you’ve read the most number of times

I am going to break the rules here and not use the book I have read the most number of times, but the series I have read the most times. It is actually quite a fun story about how I came across these books. They were recommended to me by one of my coworkers back in 2017 or 18. I started reading the first book and I really disliked the first 7 chapters, so much so that I let my co-worker know and…

View On WordPress

#30 Day Book Challenge #artifical intelligence #Bobiverse #book review #book reviews #Dennis E. Taylor #For We Are Many #Heaven&039;s River #Not Till We Are Lost #review #Science fiction #space probe #von Neumann probe #We Are Legion We Are Bob

4 notes · View notes

legionofmyth · 6 months ago

Text

Rifts Dimension Book #14: Thundercloud Galaxy: All the tech you’re NOT allowed!

🚀 Discover the advanced technology of the Thundercloud Galaxy in Rifts Dimension Book #14 by Palladium Books! From powerful spacecraft to innovative gadgets, explore the cutting-edge tech that defines this incredible galaxy. Watch now to delve into the futuristic world of Thundercloud Galaxy! #RiftsRPG #ThundercloudGalaxy #PalladiumBooks #TabletopRPG #SciFiFantasy #RPGTech #RolePlayingGames

Rifts Dimension Book #14: Thundercloud Galaxy Rifts Dimension Book 2: Phase World Explore the advanced and futuristic technology of the Thundercloud Galaxy from Rifts Dimension Book #14 by Palladium Books! 🚀 Discover the cutting-edge tech that powers this incredible dimension. Watch now to unlock the secrets of Thundercloud Galaxy’s technology! In this video, we delve into the sophisticated and…

2 notes · View notes

kamenstranger · 2 years ago

Text

Two years after my review of the first Heisei Gamera, it's time to jump back in and talk about the sequel. Following the success of 1995’s Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, the sequel was put into production soon afterwards, with an announcement made in November of ‘95. Much of the same creative team would return for the sequel, including Shusuke Kaneko in the director's chair, a new screenplay by Kazunori Ito, and Shinji Higuchi once again directing the special effects. Here’s the thing about Gamera 2’s story; it’s dead simple. I don’t mean that as an insult, but I can sum up the broad strokes by simply calling it a classic B-movie plot. In some ways that’s doing a disservice to the unique and captivating characteristics bestowed upon Legion, but otherwise it’s standard plot paying homage to classic sci-fi, most notably Ultra Q, with beats not dissimilar to the previous Gamera entry. However, much like its predecessor, Gamera 2’s brilliance lies in the presentation. There’s an initially slow yet well paced suspenseful build towards the mysterious creatures, what they are and how they operate, keeping the audience wondering what event will transpire next.

The film starts off in classic fashion with a strange meteor shower and bizarre lights, prompting the JSDF to respond to a particularly large impact creator. Troublingly, there’s no sign of the meteor.

We’re then properly introduced to our main protagonist Midori Honami (Miki Mizuno), a curator for the nearby Sapporo Science Center, who becomes involved with the JSDF’s puzzling case. Several more bizarre incidents take place, including one of the eeriest scenes as two bumbling security guards witness a strange creature consuming bottles inside a brewery. The only evidence left behind at the scene is silicon, indicating a possible diet for the creature.

Following the brewery incident, multiple underground fiber optics are destroyed, each attack creeping closer to Sapporo until 5 days later a subway is attacked by a number of monsters. Things escalate as Police arrive, which goes about as well as you’d expect. The dread continues to escalate as communications across the region are cut off, and a massive plant erupts from a building above the tunnels.

The JSDF intervenes shortly after, and once they rescue the subway survivors (the attacks upon whom seem random) they begin monitoring the colony and various forms of atmospheric changes, notably, the oxygen levels are rising dramatically, creating a toxic environment. Honami theorizes that the Legion and the plant are like Leaf-cutter ants colonizing fungus to survive. Ergo, you destroy one, the other will die with it in a symbiotic fashion. Furthermore, the purpose of the plant is called into question given that it’s not a food source. The more dire theory being that’s how the Legion spreads its colonies. I.e. What crashed in Hokkaido may have been a seed launched from such a plant. As such, the JSDF plans to destroy the structure before it can bloom. Because the Legion emits electromagnetic waves to communicate, Radios are largely useless in the surrounding area, leading to more basic forms for communications such as Morse Lamp. I find it notable that the film manages to incorporate a “fear of technology” angle without it being the technology itself being demonized or the threat as it often was in mid-late 90s media. Rather it's the loss of modern conveniences in a hyper modern city, it’s a concept that still holds up really well today. Additionally, the Legion see tech as a threat, as it’s discovered the subway victims all had phones, pagers, radios etc. This will be important later on.

Meanwhile, operations with the plant hit a snag; Oxygen levels have risen so dramatically that attempting to destroy the structure could be just as catastrophic as the flower blooming. A smaller explosion is set off which temporarily disrupts the flowing plant and the Legion, allowing radio communication to resume just in time to hear that Gamera has emerged from the sea and is headed towards Sapporo. Gamera arrives, inhales the excess oxygen, burns the flower, and rips it up by the roots. Thousands of Legion swarm and attack Gamera, who only manages to escape when the fiends are sent into a frenzy by a nearby Transformer. In the ensuing chaos, a larger winged Queen Legion emerges and escapes.

From here on the movie is in full swing. We’re given well needed breathers that keep the film from being suffocating, allowing us to reflect on the events at hand. But the pace is very brisk after Gamera shows up, and we’ve pretty much learned most of the mystery behind Legion, so now it’s about seeing how that knowledge can be applied to defeat them. The one last truly notable story piece that pops up is Asagi Kusanagi returning from the previous film. She is mentioned early on, showing that her story is known about if not widely believed. She appears a couple more times before finally crossing paths with Honami during an evacuation near an airport, just as a battle between Gamera and a now fully grown Legion Queen breaks out over a second flowering plant.

Asagi still has a connection to Gamera, which is both a great focal point of the film and also probably one of the few things I wish was handled better. As poignant as Kusanagi’s role is in this film, she’s barely featured and quite frankly it feels like more should’ve been done to emphasize her significance. I don’t know if they just couldn’t get Ayako Fujitani for more than they did, but it feels like they didn’t have her for long, as she’s in relatively few scenes. One thing I do like is that her connection is far weaker than the first film, which makes sense given that it was implied to be severed after Gyaos’ defeat. It’s questionable how much Asagi’s connection even remains, certainly not enough for Gamera’s injuries to reflect upon her as in the past, nor much to aid him in battle. The Legion Queen is victorious in their first fight and she burrows away. Gamera limps his way to the second flowering plant and manages to topple it over, but it still goes off causing a 6 mile explosion and carbonizing an already wounded Gamera.

In the coming days a vigil of sorts would form around Gamera, becoming something of a pilgrimage site for people hoping for Gamera’s revival, even harkening back to the Showa era’s “friend to all children” angle with families visiting the site.

Asagi remains by his side, still acting the role of priestess, and eventually catalyst. The religious parallels become more blatant when the gathering results in a formation of energy that revives Gamera. However, Asagi’s Magatama breaks apart, unquestionably severing her connection to Gamera, and his to Humanity.

After his revival, Gamera goes off for the climatic battles, a very minor subplot regarding the JSDF’s hesitancy to assist Gamera gets wrapped up when they ultimately fight alongside him against Legion (I can only assume this was a severely downplayed component due to the whole kerfuffle with the JSDF and Godzilla vs. Mothra) We get a few more character moments for our cast, and Gamera finally decimates the Legion Mother in spectacular fashion by demonstrating a power he’s never used before.

But it looks cool as shit. In the aftermath, Honami playfully, if ominously, theorizes that maybe Gamera didn’t save humanity so much as all life on earth, and they should be careful to never be seen as a threat.

And that’s pretty much all of Gamera 2’s story, it’s as simple as that. At an hour and thirty-six minutes long, there’s not much to go over, for better or worse.

You may have noticed I didn’t detail the characters the way I usually do, and that’s because I don’t have much to say about them. Midori Honami obviously gets the most focus. She’s very similar in character to Mayumi Nagamine from the previous film, with that sorta plucky go get’em attitude. She’s someone whose knowledge can be applied to the current situation, and her dynamic with the JSDF’s Hanatani (Tamotsu Ishibashi) isn’t that different from Mayumi’s with Yoshinari. It’s a starchy independent 90s woman of science paired with a well meaning military man. She has a couple of cute moments that reinforce her personality, such as refusing help getting down from a raised platform, but there’s not much to her than that. As for Hanatani, he has less to work with and I didn’t feel he was worth mentioning much.

Another character I’ve yet to mention is Obitsu (Mitsuru Fukikoshi) an engineer at NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) You may recognize Fukikoshi from Ryusoulger, or perhaps Takashi Miike’s Lesson of the Evil. He plays a supporting role here, but he’s probably the most interesting character just for his outside the box thinking. His best moment is near the climax of the film when Gamera is once again swarmed by Legion drones. Obitsu manages to get a power plant to divert a large chunk of their output to a series of nearby transformers, drawing the Legion away and saving Gamera. But that’s about all there is to say. Like the first film, the monsters are the real stars while the human cast moves the story along. The opening 45 minutes or so are the absolute best story wise. But I also think it’s fair to point out that outside those moments with Legion, most of the story beats are the same as the first film. Mysterious creatures require investigating, a woman of science & military man cross paths to solve said mystery, Gamera gets injured and is incapacitated until the final battle. In a way, it feels like a soft do-over of what the filmmakers wanted previously but couldn’t. So most of the story is repeated with a few original tidbits, and another excuse to prop up the big selling point: the Special effects.

Gamera GOTU had some of the most incredible miniature work at the time, blowing anything of the Heisei Godzilla era out of the water. So when we get to Gamera 2, there was a presumed expectation that they had to up the ante-- and they did.

Firstly, the team had much more creative freedom after the surprise success of the first film. Gamera underwent a redesign much more in line with what was originally intended for GOTU; sharper angles, sea turtle fins for a flight mode, and the elbow spikes are now permanently visible. It feels like a proper Heisei era design with all the kinks worked out, in much the same way ‘89 BioGoji is to ‘84 Goji. That’s even seen in the poster at the top, which feels more of the era by emulating Noriyoshi Ohrai’s style rather than a call back to the Showa Era.

The main body was mostly left unchanged, although redesigned dimensionally to better fit Akira Ohashi, taking over from both Manabe and Suzuki from the previous film. The biggest change to the design aside from the sculpt is the mechanical components being improved. Gamera’s eyes are much more expressive, and there’s a wider range of motion for the neck that would move along with Ohashi’s.

Likewise, they were free to incorporate an original monster, by far the best part of the movie. And Legion… What is there even left to say? The Soldiers are great, but the queen is one of the most fascinatingly intricate and unique designs. I have to commend the team for not only the sheer complexity of the aesthetic and size (requiring both Mizuho Yoshida and Toshinori Sasaki to operate) but still making good fight scenes centered around something that’s even more cumbersome than King Ghidorah (Although the soldiers pick up some the slack there) What’s even more amazing is how much of the suit was being worked on to the last minute, and I don’t mean before shooting. According to designer Fuyuki Shinada, they were constantly modifying the suit throughout, and if you look closely, you can see that the arms gain articulation as the film progresses. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a review that didn’t hold Legion as the pinnacle of Gamera 2’s assets. Although they’re far from the only highlight, the best visuals are often built around them. The suspense of the brewery attack, the subway scene that makes the soldiers look like they’re on the ceiling, the massive swarm that attacks Gamera. All of that makes 2 stick out from what otherwise would be a too familiar retread, and that care is seen throughout the film. One of the best examples of their love and attention to detail is when the first flower topples over. In just about any other film it would’ve simply fallen and pyrotechnics go off. But we see the roots of the plant tear through the snowy roads, because it would- and it looks amazing, which sums up a lot of the film. It’s just full of little touches like that.

Another would be the first Legion Queen battle. There are wonderful overhead shots of the monsters, Gamera’s shell gets a chunk taken out, but my favorite moment is where Gamera looks at the flower in the distance about to bloom, the camera pans to the flower, and the Legion Queen sidesteps to put herself between the flower and Gamera. So much personality conveyed in a few simple shots.

That said, there is one other area where the films SFX is rough, and that’s the CG…kinda. Frankly I don’t wanna spend too much time on this because A: It’s no worse than Spawn’s released a year later, and B: They only use it when they absolutely need to. It’s also worth pointing out that Gamera 2 was something of a transitional film for special effects. GOTU used composite and some CGI, while in 2 it’s the opposite, more CGI and almost no composites.

I’m kinda shocked at the stuff they don't use it for. When the hundreds of Legion soldiers crawl up Gamera, that’s CGI, of course. But then it transitions into a practical effect with hundreds of miniatures attached to the suit. Sure, it was probably cheaper than CGI at the time anyway, but it’s incredible that they pulled it off.

There’s also other areas where the CG is actually really great for the era, such as the light effects. The tone matching upon the Actors sells it. Honestly, I’m hard pressed to find any fault with the visuals because Gamera 2 is so much more polished than the previous entry. The one major criticism I would hold against the film’s visuals is how many night scenes there are. The first film was a bit more balanced with a slight skew towards day scenes. Here, the only day scene between the monsters in the airport- that’s it. While I do appreciate the contrast, it also makes it difficult to actually see finer details… which might’ve been intentional given the mechanical issues with Legion and the technological angle with CG looking far better in low light. That said, it’s still better lit than most modern modern Hollywood films. I can still see what’s happening. The fights are more interesting with Legion than Gyaos, scene transitions are better, the snowy environment is fairly unique for this medium and genre. Even the pacing of individual set pieces is better. I can overlook dark environments for all the other positives, which sorta leads into my final overall thoughts.

As much as I notice the flaws more than I did years ago when I first saw G2, it’s still a notable improvement over the first film. Even with some of the repeated character archetypes, it’s hard not to look at G2 as better in almost every other regard. Gamera 1 is by no means a bad film, I heaped a lot of praise on it. But if we compare it to the sequel, well, the first is a hell of a lot more clunky, if more fresh. Gamera 1 has a lot of moving parts for what it is with the whole Atlantis angle and having to explain Gamera in addition to the Gyaos, his connection to Asagi, the environmental angle, etc. Gamera 1 does a better job with the two main leads, but it’s also much rougher around the edges experience compared to Legion. G2 manages to capture the same mysterious aura the Gyaos had and even more so, while trimming out a lot of the awkwardness. Say what you will about the CGI, it’s aged, but I think that’s more forgivable than some of the opticals in 1 which was simply inexcusable for ‘95. You can tell certain aspects in the first film were rushed due to time, or were too ambitious. While that can make the first film more charming in its own way, G2 curbs many of those problems with the experience gained from the first go. You also don’t have anything as contrived as not knowing how to get their schoolgirl protagonist to the base of Mt. Fuji for an important scene, so just have a taxi driver manage to break through a military blockade. Everything is just more streamlined and better thought out in this sequel. It’s not perfect, of course, it sometimes feels like it strokes the JSDF a little too much, bordering on propaganda.

(This Salute and a stand off with a single Legion solider near the climax are perhaps the most embarrassing moments of the movie)

Still, I don’t think you can ask much more from a follow up than working out the kinks and then excelling in nearly all the parts that worked and then some. Gamera 2 is a fantastic sequel that, for whatever flaws it has, is ultimately better than the first and too fun to be down on. If I am allowed to make a very strange comparison, I would say it’s very much like Evil Dead 2. Sure, it’s basically the same plot as the first one, but everything is refined and has enough cool new shit that it doesn’t matter. And for the most part, that's how Gamera 2 was received in ‘96. It won a Seiun Award just like its predecessor, and (Controversially) the 17th Nihon SF Taishō Award. But those accolades sadly didn’t translate to ticket sales. While G2 made a respectable ¥700 million, 180 million more than GOTU, G2 had considerably more weight behind it. While I wasn’t able to find any solid numbers on the budget, we do know that it was more than the first, and Gamera 2 was Toho’s Big Summer release for July. By contrast, GOTU was dumped off in March and was considered to not have made as much as possible due to not courting the Theaters. So expectations were high for a sequel to hit the magical ¥1 Billion mark. I would argue that’s a slightly unrealistic goal for a Kaiju film at that time (outside Godzilla and Mothra). But the fact it only made 180 more than a film released in March, and a poorly distributed one at that, is pretty sad if not pathetic.

Nevertheless, the film made money and was critically well received, leading to a third and final entry. But while I won’t be jumping into that just yet, I do want to talk briefly about the legacy Gamera 2 left. I don’t think I can overstate how much Gamera 2 was a major touchstone for the Kaiju Genre. While that’s true for the whole trilogy, and I even touched upon something similar in GOTU in how much the Legendary Monsterverse took from it, I think it’s a bit more poetic here. Gamera 2 is an unabashed love letter to the Ultra series. You can draw a direct line from Ultra Q all the way to Gamera 2.

The kids who grew up with Ultraman were themselves becoming the next step in refining Japanese special effects, emulating concepts that were established, but doing them better, and eventually elevating the production standards of the franchise that inspired them. The entire time I was watching this for the review I kept thinking “This still looks amazing, but TsuPro is able to do the same if not significantly better nowadays” and that’s not a knock, this movie is nearly 27 years old, many of the artists went to work on Ultraman. But it’s also fitting that's how far things have come. Just like how the Ultra series was putting anything from the Godzilla films to shame because of Toho veterans and new blood, and then Gamera was doing better effects work than Heisei Godzilla. Now once again Television productions are far surpassing the level of detail that was once dominant and only possible in theatrical productions. I can see Gamera’s foot crash through a street and a bike topple over along with a phone booth shattering…and I can see the same thing 3-4 times better in an episode Ultraman Z. I think that’s wonderful. We're not done with the Ultraman comparisons, either. We'll be getting back to those when we get to Iris in Gamera 3.

And for those interested in checking out Gamera 2, annoyingly, it along with G3 were taken down from Tubi just as this was going up (GOTU is still up, oddly) Gamera 2 is (as of this posting) still available on Amazon Prime, along with the other two films. Of course there’s also a fantastic release by Arrow Video, both a Steel book of the trilogy, and a release containing the trilogy and Gamera The Brave. I highly recommend these sets, particularly the steel book, which tend to be pretty affordable. As for the next review, well, I had planned on getting to Gamera 3, but getting screen shots is too troublesome at the moment. Of course, the next big thing on everyone's mind is Shin Kamen Rider. I'm only going so say "We'll see" 7:00 showing on a Wednesdays is far from ideal, even for someone flexible. Regardless of whatever happens there, perhaps it's time to tackle another series...

#tokusatsu #gamera #kaiju #toho #daiei #attack of legion #review #sci fi

11 notes · View notes