Song : 李克勤 - 紅日

Another nice song for time of crisis, please don't mind Hacken's costume then...

"Unknown"

Was driving, phone rings. There's no number, just "Unknown". I know where is it from, an update alas?

Yeah, update, but not exactly the one that I hope. I can take rejection, I hope for good news, but the update provide neither this.

There is some changes, intake is not on May, maybe June, or there are chances to be July, so, I will still have to wait. Wait again? I did not voiced it out, for I know their limit. Even they do not know. Wait, which means I have more free time, more opportunity, but money get lesser.

Was thinking if should get a temp job, but if it is a full time temp job, what happen if I need to go for interview? Was hoping they can give me a more definitive answer, if rejected, at least there is no hope on this line. If I really get it, but have to wait for a month or two to start, then I can get some temp job just to kill time and make some money.

But now it is still uncertain. I don't like uncertainty. I want everything within my control, my expectation, my plan, my grasp. Sigh, but certainly this month is not my month. Funny, according to Chinese astrology, the year of Rooster will not be a good year for those born in the year of Rooster. This year is not Rooster, but this month is the month I was born. Will my birth month be a bad month for me as well? Don't know for sure.

Last day of April, hope that May will bring better news. Until then, keep the finger cross, and live my days happily. For, I think I am a rather optimistic person, even though I always think I am not. The more I review my action my mentality in this crisis, I found that I am. Just that I hate the trouble solving crisis. Problem is not my what I dislike, I just dislike the trouble I must get into to solve it.

Tokusatsu in Review 01 - Kamen Rider Black (1987 - 1988)

Kamen Rider Black is the eighth Kamen Rider series and the eleventh rider. It was made and broadcast in the late 80s. At one typical evening when I was in Standard 5, my brother and I accidentally stumble across this remarkable series. I remember still the episode that I first watched wad the one with the Cactus Mutant as the monster-of-the-week, and it is the eleventh episode. From then one, I developed an ongoing interest with this tokusatsu series.

Kamen Rider Black, non-geek-fans in Malaysia will know him as Baja Hitam.

The seven series prior to Black, I can't find their respective DVDs now, but I do able to get their feature movies that somehow shed some light on how their series will looks like. The DVDs for riders after Black are easier to get. Therefore, although limited, but still I can make some comparisons and comments.

Black is the first rider that does not wears a scarf. Probably scarf is no longer fashionable in the 80s, or somehow the producer realize it is not practical at all for a fighter. The series was made three years after the TV special or pilot highlighting the birth of Kamen Rider ZX, that for certain reason failed to developed into a series.

Although the series still retain a few typical Showa riders' convention, but in a lot of ways it is very different. The first being the rider's design. There is absolutely no trace of fabric in the costume, all is either latex, foam or plastic, unlike the 10 riders before him, where their costumes are combinations of sports attire as based with armour and gloves and boots. Black is a pure cyborg design, with neatness like a ninja, suggesting efficiency and not at all campy. Black also has two batter motorcycle where he use interchangeably, depending on the nature of the battle he is in.

Black, and his riders, Road Sector and Battle Hopper.

And like a typical rider story, there is also an evil rider, but not an exact evil twin of the main rider, but a totally different one. He is Shadowmoon, who ultimately becomes the leader of the evil cult Gorgom. So, Shadowmoon is not just a plot device of only one or two episodes as in the other series, but he is also the central of the story. Reason being he is the adopted brother of Black.

This twist, where the ultimate villain is the hero's brother may not be a special plot in any adventure story, but it is the breakthrough for rider series. The rider we have here no longer launch a personal crusade to save the world and being a boy scout, but his main motivation is to save his brother from the dark side. This conflict give the titular character more depth, and the series thus becomes more grim and dark in nature.

The villain Shadowmoon is also one of the best design rider / villain. In fact I found him look as cool as Darth Vader, and to a great extend, cooler than a metal hero made by Hollywood in the 80s - Robocop. Where Black is sleek, flexible and hyper kinetic, Shadowmoon is majestic, elegant and calm. Yet, being a brainwash supervillain, he is badass and has no mercy.

Shadowmoon, you will cherish every scene he is in.

The evil organization behind all the chaos this time is not a typical organization, but an ancient evil cult, run by three priest, where their ultimate vision is to dominate the world and serve the Creation King a post that supposedly being held by either Black or Shadowmoon after they duel to death. But just like typical Showa rider, Black escaped before he managed to be brainwashed, and thus, the priests have no choice but to let Shadowmoon to be the sole candidate to assume the role. In this cult there is also a character named Birugenia, and ancient warrior that has eyed for the role of Creation King but was not favored. He will sometimes be the allied, but for most of the time the rival for the priests, in his agenda to destroy Black.

Three High Priest - Bishium, Darom and Baraom with Lizard Mutant and Birugenia. Three round pictures below is the Priests' Grand Mutant Form.

Although this Gorgom cult still employ the typical monster-of-the-week plan but unlike the previous evil organization, Gorgom has no campy gimmick. There is no Dr Death or Baron Blood or Captain Chaos, but just three high priest, a rouge warrior and a capable candidate for Creation King. The monsters they have, are based on the theme of animals, insects and plants.

Although the series is filled with quite a number of plot holes, typical to tokusatsu series, but its overall more adult themed, the effective music score, the atmosphere, special effect, fight choreography, production design and the absence of prominent annoying kid in the main cast made it one of the best Kamen Rider series.

But too bad, its popularity gave it a direct sequel, where Black is upgraded into the first multiform Kamen Rider - Kamen Rider Black RX. Black RX series has back step into a campy series, and the main character has become almost moronic. Where Black ends in an almost apocalypse Japan and Shadowmoon ended up presumed dead, Black RX pick up with the main character being a carefree and bland character. There is no inner conflict, and he is but a typical do good fella.

Another blow is, the existence of Black RX means the design of Black will not be used anymore. If can, really hope there will be a feature where Black RX has to be modified back into Black permanently...

Song : Soler - 風的季節

翻唱徐小鳳名曲．

要．不要

她不要我已經快要兩年(或多)了吧. 那麼久了, 單身依然. 在這失業的時候, 都不知道是好是壞. 好是少個人擔心. 壞呢, 沒人可談心. 雖然有朋友, 不過對我來說, 我比較喜歡每次見朋友都是歡歡樂樂開開心心的度過. 不喜歡整班人在那兒唉聲嘆氣的.

交個女朋友有多難?應該是不難的. 難, 是難在遇到一個真正合適. 不過遇到後真正的煩惱才開始. 要如何追求? 要如何讓彼此更了解對方? 對上一個, 雖說過程還算容易, 不過都有夠費心思的. 覺得男女關係, 也真太累人了. 想想, 還是別去官好. 上面自然有安排, 我忙甚麼著? 其實都不是那麼急著要, 只是想改變改變生活方式還滿好玩一下的哈哈!

發現相同年齡的女生都開始追求較踏實的將來. 她們開始越來越現實了. 而我, 到現在都是那樣, 為了我自己而活, 喜歡玩, 逍遙自在的. 或與朋友飲酒唱歌大吃大喝的, 或獨自暢飲看書深思到處遊蕩. 說到這, 發現其實我都不是很需要女朋友, 那到底為甚麼會在想呢? 也許看見友人每個成對成雙各忙各的, 有時候悶得慌想找個人說說話做個伴. 那起不是只想找個隨時待命的伴侶罷了嗎? 不行不行! 這樣的想法, 我是沒資格有女朋友的. 回想以前, 沒的時候滿期待, 有了又懷念單身的自由. 到底我想怎樣?

不得要領, 還是那句船到橋頭自然直, 所謂的緣份來時不通的自然會通. 苦苦思索, 倒不如殺那覺悟!
哈哈哈哈!

失業記之胡言亂語

天氣酷熱, 讓人懷念躲在冷氣辦公室裡上班的日子.
就是因為太熱, 在自己家的房子裡, 不得不開冷氣空調.
也就是因為得開冷氣, 又用電腦一整天的, 還滿吃電的.
所以只得到出流浪, 到有冷氣的地方走走看看坐坐.
知道傍晚, 太陽要下山了, 才回家.
晚間雖然還是熱, 但比白天好的多.
沖個涼, 吃晚餐然後就盯著電視,
或看無聊的節目, 或看DVD.
看到午夜, 回房上網一會兒, 才就寢.
明天, 又是一天的無聊.
友人約了星期五搞生鍋, 但原星期五下大雨, 吃生鍋才過癮.
五月一日是公共假期, 對這個失業者來說, 毫無意義.
五月二日小白臉的演唱會.他的專輯裡的好歌與垃圾的比例是3:7.
只是偶像, 不是歌手.
看的可能只是特技排場造型.
聽的可能只是噪音.
誰去看的, 祝你好運.

失業記之流浪漢

失業第二十九天, 如常的, 十點多睡醒.
洗刷後, 看完報紙, 再在家上上網, 就出來了.
若沒有面試甚麼的, 就到處走走.
或商場逛逛, 或到書店遊覽到處流浪.
不過大多數時候, 都會選擇一間或幾間咖啡店坐坐看看書.
一天就這麼平平談談的度過.
看中的工, 還在等著消息.
雖說滿樂觀的, 不過還難免忐忑不安.
舊同事問起, 都回答靜觀其變吧, 不用那麼的緊張.
話雖如此, 但看見戶口裡的數目越來越小, 要不緊張, 談可容易.
船到橋頭自然直, 對自己講了無數次, 但本性沒耐性的我, 要靜下來還真不容易.
唯有看看書, 買買東西來轉移我的注意力.
把時間,心思等花在平時上班時我沒時間沒力氣去好好享受的物事.
那些都是要用到錢的. 而錢, 是我傷腦筋的其中一樣事.
自知洗腳不抹腳, 有多少花多少.
還好已作了些安排, 好讓未來兩個月還能共車.
不經一番寒徹骨,哪得梅花撲鼻香.
既來之則安之, 難得消遙, 還不消遙個夠?

Song : 陳奕迅 - 七百年後

陳奕迅 - 七百年後



曲：柳重言
詞：林若寧
編:柳重言
監:柳重言/DavyChan/CY/陳奕迅

你那太空艙 能夠發出金色的光

我廢置一方 抬頭便會為你守望

一天天催迫生活在現代化

繽紛星空拋低我寄存繁榮垃圾崗

多得你原諒我骯臟 送你破黑膠

廉價發出歌聲依稀 送你破燈泡

便宜地照亮你天地

一箱卡式帶一直沒落仍能回味

那套舊文藝戲

生生不息的凄美愛情逾越物質跨過世紀

文明能壓碎 情懷不衰

無論枯乾山水

舊時年月投入垃圾里

你我一起同居

仍然能送你 兒時玩具

老地方抱著一起安睡

七百年 潮流里

瞬息過去 棄置那棵花

容我帶它的根歸家

送你這棵花 來懷念已逝去初夏

漆黑的星體花葉樹木無從留下

你會在流淚嗎

花開的沙丘滋養我們貧窮地方優美似畫

文明能壓碎 情懷不衰

無論枯乾山水

舊時年月投入垃圾里

你我一起同居

仍然能送你 兒時玩具

老地方抱著一起安睡

七百年 潮流里

建筑統統破碎

天天進化熱潮已記不起

用霓虹去建設歡喜

雖則你我被每粒星唾棄

我們貧乏卻去到金禧

文明能壓碎 情懷不衰

無論枯乾山水

舊時年月投入垃圾里

你我一起同居

仍然能送你 兒時玩具

老地方抱著一起安睡

七百年 隨年歲

記憶老去

仍然有你的忠心愛侶

Bond In Review # 01: Dr No (1962)

Dr No, being the first of the long running James Bond film franchise was released in 1962, starred Sean Connery as James Bond 007, licenced to kill. Being the first, Dr No has set the overall tone, style and convention not only for James Bond films, but spy movie as a general. We are all to well on how a Bond films will look like now, but when Dr No was first released in 1962, it was first of its kind and the reputation this franchise has now is not that easy to get.

Being the definitive Bond, how many actually knows that in all his Bond films, Connery was wearing a toupee all along?

The film starts with the iconic gun barrel sequence, but for the first few films, the 'Bond' in this sequence is not played by Connery, but his stunt double. This is not followed by an opening sequence, but jump right to the stylized opening montage and credits. After the credits, we get the story. The plot is simple, Bond is to investigate a certain attack to a British secret service base in Jamaica and over the events of the film, uncover the evil plot of Dr No.

Although Dr Evil from Austin Power is a direct parody of Blofeld, but in the first movie, one of his costume is a parody of Dr No.

The titular character, Dr No, being a high ranking officer of evil organization SPECTRE is not a typical mad scientist, but rather an intelligent, suave villain, that still can be physically dangerous, for he has a pair of ultra strong hands made of metal. This evil, intelligent and polite villain with a certain degree of physical imperfectness will be a based on almost all main Bond villain to come.

Dr No also operates in a highly secretive, protected based or lair which is design by the legendary Ken Adam. Unlike those cheap B-movie villain lair, Adam's design is so futuristic (for that time), simple, sleek and eerie in a classy way. He actually set the bar on how Bond films should looks like.

This film also introduce the concept of Bond girls, even though it is rather apparent that the filmmaker trying to give Bond a permanent love interest in the form of Silvia Trench. In fact, it can be said that it is Trench that inspired the famous line "Bond, James Bond". In their first encounter, when is asked for her name, Trench replied Bond with "Trench, Silvia Trench" which Bond follow suit. The most iconic Bond girl in Dr No is of course, Honey Ryder played by Ursula Andress, although her role has nothing to do or contribute to the overall plot. Just that her entrance to the film is so sexy and iconic and rouses the sexual fantasy of the viewers. Other than this two, there is another two Bond girls, which are the hench-women for Dr No. One is a clumsy photographer and another one is a Miss Taro which Bond promptly seduce and have sex with.

Halle Berry pays a homage to Andress entrance scene in Die Another Day, apart from the bigger boobs, Berry lose, pathetically.

Connery as Bond is the best Bond, although Daniel Craig is catching up. Apart from the look and physique, Connery before this film is nothing like Bond, and it is director Terence Young's effort and training that transform the rough Connery into this suave and classy cold blooded assassin. One this special about Dr No is it features one of the most cold blooded murder done by Bond. Before he have Craig as the blunt instrument, Connery's Bond cold-bloodedly shoot an armless (finished his ammunition) evil henchman after forcing some information from him at gun point. This scene actually reminds the viewers that regardless how glamorous and flamboyant Bond is, he is still a cold blooded secret agent who mission always comes first and there is really no room for mercy.

Dr No, no stupid gag like Moore, no invisible cars, no too dumb concept to destroy the world but yes to all elements that makes a spy movie, action thriller and fantasy adventure. If got the chance, watch this!

Song : Ray Charles - You Don't Know Me

Michael Buble's version also nice...

失業第二十四天

這星期一到四都為了去面試而到處奔波.累,真累!
還好星期五沒甚麼幹的.大樂!
起床後,突然興起,就隨便的打掃一下房間.
春節到現在,都好幾個月了.
雖說偶爾有掃兩掃,
但看著灰塵在桌上一型成一片薄薄的一層灰毛,實在不是味道.
只好動起來模個乾淨.看來還能頂個三四個月.
把一些就舊功課紙,舊雜誌,玩具紙箱整理後,送去在循環中心.
順道到市中心吃個海南雞飯.
吧生的雞飯與PJKL的大不同.
這幾年來都是在PJ吃多,很少在吧生吃雞飯了.
甚麼不是,新開的,一家比一家難吃.
小時後吃的味道,現在只有幾家老字號的做的出.
拜四面試回家後順道在市中心的"國香"吃過一頓.
味道不錯,讓我想起吧生的雞飯曾經有多麼的好吃.大喜!
今天把東西送到再循環中心後,
有再去飽餐一頓,又到星巴克喝咖啡三看倪匡的極短篇集.
一天,就這樣優哉悠哉的愉快度過了...

Tales of Unemployment

Well, another week and I am officially unemployed for a month. Third week of unemployment, attended several interviews, assessments, rejected a couple of offers, that either too stingy or sucks in terms of job or environment or location, got one rejection, mostly because they want fresh grads, which is relatively cheaper.

Job hunting is a boring process, the only fun part for me is the interview part. I like to get to know new people, but I am shy (really) to start a conversation with stranger, but in interview, it is different. We already have a standard topic, which is I trying to sell myself and they want to know more about what I am selling.

So despite I'm putting my bet on a certain opportunity that I am really interested in, but can only give me an update by end of the month, I still seek for other possibility. Apart of giving the power to choose, an extra option, those interview session will also plays a part in killing those free time that I have tonnes now.

Yeah, for now I still think meeting strangers and chat in a job interview is more safer than starting a conversation with random stranger (that I find interesting / attractive) in a restaurant or bus stop (I seldom take bus now). Always wonder, what will they think if I simply just start talking to them? Maybe I should try and see what really on their mind...

Video : Footage of Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen

This is just insanely awesome~! Can't wait for it's release!!!

Decepticon - Classic Megatron

Was toying with the idea of buying this Megatron in eBay, along with Optimus of the same product line, but one day rayauing in a shopping mall, saw this. What a surprise. I saw the fat and short movie version of Jazz as well in the same day, but really can't talk myself into buying it (at least for now) and opt for this instead.

It is a Takara Tomy version, so better pain job and some chrome job as well.

Megtron unboxed, the wings give him a majestic and more evil look. Big Decepticon logo on his arm canon, a smart update for the classic character.

Yeah, this pose is campy.

Another angle of the campy pose.

The existence of the wings somehow made the figure hard to balance.

It really does have the G1 spirit in it. Considering the Encore version, which Megatron is still a Walther.

While Bond is still faithful to his Walther, Megatron is now a pseudo sci-fi gun.

The color scheme of the gun makes it fit to be a prop for Ultraman series.

April 12th 2009

April 12th, my birthday. Still in my twenties, ha.

This must be my weirdest birthday so far. I never really celebrate all my birthday, but still this is the first time I go tomb sweeping for Qingming on my birthday.

Slept at 3 after a lackluster tea session with friend and re-watch a couple episodes of Romance of The Three Kingdoms (in case you don't know, this is NOT a love story) and up at 6, but luckily, I don't have to drive, and better still when we no longer go all the way deep in KL to some old fashion cemetery. Both my grandpa and grandma have been cremated and placed in Qian Fo Shi (Temple of A Thousand Buddha, but somehow the established translation is Chin Foot Sze, temple of chin and foot?), so we do not need to go all the way deep into some bushes with bugs and mud. Althought the temple is still rather old, but it is an easier task.

Post tomb sweeping, my parents and the uncles aunties have decided to pay a visit to their cousin and off we go to Cheras. We had a lunch there, and I spent all the time listening to their long old stories as well as some political commentaries. Well, those are not cheap kopitiam talk, but really deep and intelligent, better than the gossip my mum repeats with her sisters.

The journey home is even fun, raining cats and dogs as if the sky had burito and chili plus tom yam last night, but rather suit the Qingming occasion.

清明時節雨紛紛
路上行人欲斷魂
借問酒家何處有
牧童遙指杏花村

-杜牧

Day has not end yet, tomorrow although still do not have a job, but it's time to really start hunting. Wish me luck, comrades~!

Review V2 : The Ravages of Time

Another entry for The Ravages of Time.

The last volume is number 34, we are still in the early stage of the Three Kingdoms saga. Lu Bu has just died and now the focal point will be Sun Ce and his demise. Still, it will be a not-so-short way there.

Lu Bu, in the comic, is not as stupid as depicted in the novel, even his plea for life at the very end of his life is a plan. What is the use of reputation when one is dead? As long as you life, there will still be a chance.

This comic series and evoked my interest in the Three Kingdoms again, and thus, I started to re-watch the Chinese made TV series. In the series, it is just around 20th episodes and Sun Ce already dead. Looks like this comic progress slower than the already slow plot Chinese series.

But what to do, it is the magic of this comic series. A single battle in the original historical text, or even the highly fictionalized novel or the TV series, may only occupied one chapter or a scene, but in this comic series, it can span for a few volume. Reason being, the author took the same liberty as the author of The Romance of The Three Kingdoms novel to add more dramatic twist and character development in it. Thus, even if it is a small battle in history, or even in the novel, the comic writer gives it depth and made it exciting.

The one-eyed guy was an assassin, who later become Zhao Yun, his is not partial blind despite the eye patch; the long hair guy next to him is his boss Sima Yi, the main character of this comic and the far fight pretty lady is Xiao Meng, later known as Diao Zhan. He is an eunuch.

With each chapter, each volume, each battle, we get more insight of what may be playing in the characters' minds and how our perception of certain characters may be wrong or misled by the highly popular novel version of it. As a matter of fact, The Romance of Three Kingdoms is biased and derived a lot from the historical Chronicles of The Three Kingdoms. Since the novel can be written in such inaccuracy, why not a modern comic writer do the same? And the best thing is, he does it better~!

Diao Chan, the ultimate woman in the story, who being of one of the main course of dispute between Lu Bu and his foster father Dong Zuo was an eunuch, means this two dude is fighting for an Ah-Gua.

Left is Guan Yu, looks rather 'normal', moustache Jesus lookalike is Liu Bei and the opera mask is Zhang Fei, the protagonist I hated most in the novel but one of my favourite character in this comic. In the comic, he is also an established artist. Character design of him partially due to there is no actual historical record on how he actually looks like. The typical description of him are based to the popular novel. Seriously, if he really acts like in the novel, he should be dead since chapter zero.

Dong Zuo is not as stupid as depicted in the novel, and overall, almost none of the character in the comic is really stupid. It is always mentioned in the comic that there is no bad emperors or kings, all one to be good and serve his subject, it is just the propaganda from the rebel in order to justify their act, and a way historian makes every change of dynasty acceptable. History, is still depends on who is in charge.

Reading this comic, makes me think, how true is everything in the news? How true is our textbooks? Our history? All is written by human with his or her point of view, and as human, one can never ever really be objective.

6 out of the 8 Enigmas from the school that produces tacticians. Zhuge-liang, not pictured in number 7 while number 8 is still not revealed. The first one Yuan Fang, is an original fiction character.

Song : 郑中基 - 有种

Nice motivational song for time of crisis...

郑中基 - 有种


郑中基 - 有种 (行运超人电影主题曲)
曲：陈辉阳 词：林夕 编：陈辉阳

＊时来运到 天下无敌 天生有种总有用
无论场地软硬 长与短途 同样向前冲
难捱便有冲动 趁机表现 谁及我英勇
未必要做强者 称霸最强 是我不怕痛＊

＠时来运到 天下无敌 即使最终得个梦
无论成败最后 能够开怀 才是至成功
沿途越有希望 才越有望 谁及我相信
幸福要问自己 不必强求 运气会赠送＠

假使很低 不怕去到了谷底
似只蚂蚁 奋勇攀石亦壮丽
万花出于污泥 世界亦细
但我心 深不见底

＃好的东西 定能留低
我信最尾 我还未毁
我放得低 拿着更觉矜贵
笑对乱世 难道我会失礼＃

repeat　＊＃＊＠

Review - Dragonball Evolution

So, second of unemployment, I watched the second movie in my "Must Watch" list for 2009- the Hollywood made Dragonball Evolution, based on the manga series Dragonball by Akira Toriyama.

Well, since the announcement of this production and throughout the process, the leaked pictures, the official trailers and stuff, this movie has been the central attention of all anime and DB fans. While most Watchmen fans got excited when they see the pictures how faithful the director frame the shoot for Watchmen movie, fans of DB was shocked and sigh at every new Dragonball Evolution brought us. Reason being, like the Hollywood Godzilla, this is almost DINO - Dragonball In Name Only.

Goku, the naive amnesia Saiyan fighter in the original manga and anime, is now a stereotypical Hollywood teen movie's teenager. He is now a cliche "The One" with very powerful skill but never allowed to show of and being the laughing stalk of other common stereotypical rich high school kids. Well, put it this way, his profile more like Goten or his descendant in one of a TV special production. Goten, at the very end of the manga is a rather spoiled brat along with Trunks, while the descendant in the TV special is constantly bullied by his schoolmate and have his potential unlocked at the very end with the help of his granny and his friends.

The hard-to-make-friend-Goku

Is it so hard to write a lead who the main interest is to fight and get better in fighting? Who the only interest other than fighting is eating? Who is not romantic and does not even know what marriage is (and in early teenage years doesn't even know how to differentiate girls from guys). Screw you Hollywood!!!

If Roshi really looks like him, he won't be a pervert, he'll be a pimp.

Granpa Gohan, annoyingly still alive, and is not killed by the Oozaru Goku. One of the interesting sub plot in the original manga is the revealing of the truth behind Granpa Gohan's death. Muten Roshi, played by Chow Yun-Fatt, although a fun performance and to a certain extend rather close to the original, is ruin by half-hearted character design. The symbolic of Roshi, the Turtle Hermit is that he is old, damn old and have live for damn bloody long. At least give him some white hair so that we know this is the guy that trained Granpa Gohan before.

The cast of Dragon's Balls and Bulma Briefless...I mean Yamcha and Bulma

Yamcha looks like a porn actor, which the look is never important, since in porn the camera will either focus on the action and the expression of the female actor. Bulma, the source of eye candy and "fan service" in the manga is played by a bithcy looking girl with a bithcy performance. Hey, she's the daughter of the super large corporation's owner, she can be spoiled, but not like a whore like bitch. Worst part is, being the sexiest and hottest character in the manga, this movie Bulma show even less skin then Chi-chi. And Chi-chi, who is more memorable as the traditional mother, is now the hottest in the movie. This probably is the only nice thing to watch in the movie.

I used to hate Chi-chi in the manga, after she became a mother, but who can hate this?

Piccolo...sigh sigh sigh. Where's the tentacles, and the pointy ears? This is just a guy in a green mask (remember The Mask?)and a black body suit. The prominent characteristic of a Nameck is the ability to stretch all his limbs and this is never presented. But the portrayal is majestic enough to have the Evil Lord feel. Despite the lousy character design again, this Piccolo is actually add some depth to the original character. If there will be a sequel, I hope the same guy will play him again and hopefully Lord Kami will be written in.

Lucky the sword is only in promo poster, he still fights unarmed in the movie.

Actionwise, this is till not hyper kinetic enough. I was expecting at least something like the end fight in Matrix Revolution, if not something better. But still, action rather not so elaborated and we won't get the kick like we used to when watching the anime or playing the game. I miss the atmosphere when the characters are charging their Ki and all the debris starting to floating around, and in a flash they dash towards each other, exchanging super fast blow and one gets an upper hand, delivers a heavy blow sending the opponent speeding towards the rocky mountain, hit through it and everything gets dusty....The atomic boom like disaster we saw in the trailer is not the outcome of a fight, but just a pre-cog vision, boring and disappointing.

No, this is not the outcome of Goku and Piccolo exchanging Ki blast, this is a quasi T2 Apocalypsepre-cog vision.

Overall this is a fun popcorn movie to watch. We'll find a lot of cliche in it, but cliche works on popcorn movie, especially when tonnes of effects and action take place. The fact that it is a Dragonball movie will give you a mindset that this take place not in this world, so we need no reason for whatever technology or geography or scientific issue presented in this movie. But being a Dragonball movie, it will also effect you acceptance to this movie, where we tend to compare.

While the manga Goku learn Kamehameha naturally, this Goku needs sex as encouragement.

A word of advice, to enjoy this movie, take it as a alternate universe for Dragonball, or a special movie where Goku get reincarnated into another universe thanks to Pilaf making a wish using the Dark Dragonball again. Just do not expect it to be a true translation (not even a little) from manga to film, you will end up crying in the theater. Alternate universe, this is how I enjoyed this film.

In the first day of 量地...

So, the first day of unemployment has just ended, well so far, no special feeling, just like having a break, and is glad to be able to have a break.

If my calculation is right, I will starting to feel bad when after three weeks I still have no new job, by then I should have be extremely boring, and tired of break. But now, at least until this weekend, I will do nothing productive, not even my homework for the career consultant session. I'll do it on Sunday, but until then, just be a human size parasite for a few days.

Yet, this few days will not be totally waster, like today, I manage to return my Thinkpad's carrying case to the IT department, have a dinner with some pitiful ex colleague still stranded in the deserted office hustling in the cold and dead silence office, which literally, if someone farts, the whole office will gotta hear it. The lunch was a superb one, nice Char Siew some friend has recommended, but can't take too much. Somehow, the flesh part is not so fleshy. The char siew is so tender that it has no to usual chewiness most overcooked meat has. If it can be a little bid more chewy, then it's perfect.

I also manage to get back the cheque for my season parking's deposit, but since I lost the car sticker (I remember throwing it away when cleaning up for CNY, bad CNY~!) I have to pay them back RM 15. But I still got 90 something out of it.

And just a few minutes after I left my home to Damansara, some agency called to schedule a 'discussion' for a certain Sales Support role. Since, it is a 'discussion' it is OK for me to be there in T-shirt and a boring color pants (why I buy it anyway?). It turns out that it is still like some sort of interview with a guai-lou some more. This role I never have any experience with, but I think it will put more weights on future CV, as well as burden and pressure if I'm assuming this role. Anyway, we'll see.

Really hope to get the job in The Gardens, really a very nice venue. It's near to Midvalley megamall, which basically has everything I need, Comic-mart, Anime Tech, Toys R' Us, JJ, MPH, Borders, Red Box, Speedy and even the barber shop I frequented. Speaking about barber, just have my hair cut, now looks like a fat walking toothbrush, with black brush, made of organic charcoal.

So, what will tomorrow will be? Don't know, maybe an early bird to catch a movie? I heard Dragonball Evolution is bad, but still, am curious about it. Maybe I'll get it and have a review here later...