All the Right Notes: Glass Mask

I am blessed with some fantastic friends.  Friends that recommend equally fantastic shows for me to check out.  I am not here to beat down bad shows, movies, etc. and point out all their faults.  I'm not even here to necessarily point out faults in things I like.  Because quite honestly, I dislike wasting my time on poor stories.  Anytime I bring up a praise or a criticism, I always try to make some sort of point with it.

Because what I really set out to do with these reviews is to learn.  The best way to learn is through observation.  Therefore, what better way to learn about storytelling than by observing the good and bad in the movies and TV shows that I watch and comics and stories that I read?

Sometimes, it can be difficult to come up with an angle to really focus on when I write a review.  This is why I don't write reviews on everything that I read and watch.

I did not have this problem, however, with the most recent anime I watched  consumed titled Glass Mask.  Actually, quite the opposite.  Because quite honestly, the show is just so damn good that the most difficult thing was determining the most interesting aspect to focus on.  Obviously, I eventually succeeded.

What aspect of storytelling can be learned from Glass Mask?  Check out the review after the break to find out!

The main cast from left to right: Masumi Hayami, Ayumi Himekawa, Maya Kitajima, Chigusa Tsukikage

Rory's Story Cube Adventures: The Arrow

Recently, I acquired a really awesome little game called Rory's Story Cubes.  I was at a game store in Washington, DC., and after playing one game with them immediately knew I had to buy them.

You can check out the website, but basically you roll dice with various pictures on them, and use whatever pictures come up to make a story.  (I have the basic pack and the Actions expansion pack; there is a new expansion pack called Voyages, but I don't think it's available in the US yet.)

Playing with these story cubes is an insane amount of fun, and actually surprisingly challenging.  The basic set-up has you creating a story from nine rolled dice, which lends itself to three dice for the beginning, middle, and end of the story, while also bearing in mind that classic English class chart of Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.

I've decided to start a new sort of series on this blog called "Rory's Story Cube Adventures."  Anytime I happen to play with Rory's Story Cubes, if I come up with a story I find amusing or neat in some way, I'll post it for you all to enjoy!

These dice are also fantastic, I think, for writers who are perhaps experiencing writer's block and just need something to push their mind out of the box or rut they're currently in.  As an artist, I've found one of the best ways to overcome artist's block is to completely change up my style via different color palettes, canvas sizes, subject matters, etc., and such practices would likely work for writers as well!

So let's get on to my first story in "Rory's Story Cube Adventures" that I have entitled "The Arrow."

In future segments, if possible I'll include what pictures I used to come up with the story, but I didn't think of it in time for this one.

----

The Arrow
by Annamarie C. Mickey
Created with Rory's Story Cubes (Basic and Action packs)

Once upon a time, there was a young man who was very depressed.  His life just didn't seem to be going anywhere, and he wasn't sure what he wanted to pursue.  One day, while he was walking to his very regular and very boring day job, he was suddenly stopped by a strange creature--a strange creature coming out of his shadow!  The creature introduced himself as Alan and said that he had been accused of a crime of which he was innocent in his world.  Alan continued to explain that the young man had been chosen to testify at his court hearing.  Before the young man could protest, he was suddenly (and painfully) yanked out of his world in a flash of bright light.

When the young man could see again, he was in a vast room.  Strange symbols were written all across the floors and walls.  In front of him, sitting behind a very high desk, was a distinguished and wise-looking creature.  The creature--presumably a judge of some sort--told the young man that he had been chosen to rule on the guilt or innocence of Alan.  He explained that, in their world, such matters were decided by outsiders who had no knowledge of the people, circumstances, or situation, because it was only through such pure unbiased minds that the truth could be discerned.

The wise creature told the young man to pick up the bow and arrow that laid at his feet.  Far across the wide room, down two long rows of creatures sitting and watching attentively, was a faraway target.  The judge explained that the young man's arrow would determine Alan's fate; a bulls-eye would signify innocence, whereas anything else would signify guilt.

Taking a breath, the young man took up the bow and arrow.  Although his fingers shook slightly, he found it was easy to string the arrow, although he had never used a bow in his life.  In a long moment, he slowly pulled back the arrow.  Gazing at the target, Alan felt the arrow fly from his fingers.  It soared straight and true down the aisle, embedding itself squarely in the center of the target.

Amongst the cheers and shouts of the creatures, the young man heard the judge cry, "It has been decided!  Alan is innocent!"  In the next moment, the world suddenly dissipated, and before he could catch his breath, the young man was back on the sidewalk in his own world, the bow gone from his hands.

He could never explain why, but somehow the ordeal changed the young man.  For once in his life, he felt that he knew where he wanted to go and who he wanted to become.  And eventually, after much study and hard work, he earned a reputation as one of the finest defense attorneys ever to grace the court system.

The End

All the Right Notes: Occult Academy

...or, an alternative title: How bad pacing can ruin a story.

When crafting a story in any medium, there are many aspects that must be addressed in order for that story to be successful.  Plot, characters, dialogue, and depending on the medium, animation, design, music score, etc.  There are plenty of good stories that satisfy--at least to a basic degree--most of these requirements.  Coming up a bit short on a few of them doesn't always ruin a story.  A good story can still have problems.

There are instances, however, when one aspect of a story can be so poorly done that it can change the image of the entire tale and completely ruin it.

A recent anime I checked out, Occult Academy, is the victim of such folly.

On the surface, I thought I would enjoy Occult Academy.  The art style is clean and detailed; it is well-animated, has a pleasant enough score, and its characters are initially compelling and enjoyable.

Halfway through the episodes, however, my opinion had completely changed, and I believe I can chalk it up to one sole reason (a reason you may have gathered from the fancy alternative title to this review).

Check out the rest of the review after the break!

Stop being so gorgeous, Occult Academy, you haven't earned the right!