Author: Ajay Stephens

I'm an English major who wants to be able to write ANYTHING. I am honored and grateful that Geekscape has given me the opportunity to be a part of their family.

Sorry, Do You Mean “Yaoi”?: Yuri on Ice Anime Review (No Spoilers)

by Ajay Stephens

Yuri on Ice is an enlightening tale of love, courage, and self discovery. This series manages to grab the audience by the feels and hit them hard with a heartwarming love story. Yuri on Ice can appeal to anyone because its depiction of love can be interpreted in many different ways. You don’t have to be a fan of figure skating or tall, sexy, silver haired Russians to enjoy this series.

STORY

Yuri on Ice follows 23 year old Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki as he recovers from a devastating loss at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. After his loss, Yuri loses his love for skating and faith within himself. With no motivation to keep skating, Yuri decides to retire. This is until the talented Russian pro figure skater, Victor Nikiforov, randomly appears and offers to be Yuri’s coach. Together the two work hard to prepare Yuri for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating.

As Yuri is preparing for the Grand Prix, he struggles through mental and emotional barriers. His loss last season traumatized him forcing him to create this mindset that he’s not good enough to be a skater anymore. The thought of failing causes crippling anxiety that overrides his love for skating. Victor notices these problems and does everything in his power to support Yuri. As the two embark on a journey of self discovery and a quest for love they come to realize that everything  they were longing for was right there in front of them.

MY THOUGHTS

This is my first yaoi anime and I had no idea that I would fall in love with the genre. This series was one of the most hyped up anime of the season. I usually stay away from such anime. But for some reason I decided to watch it and I don’t regret that decision. Yuri’s story hit home. I may not be a sexy figure skater but I do understand Yuri’s struggles. The emotional turmoil, the mental anguish are things that I and many people suffer through everyday. This anime helps an individual that is going through those things to realize that they are not alone. I highly recommend this anime, especially if you are going through a rough time.

On the technical side, in my opinion there should have been more than 12 episodes (why does anime have to be so expensive to make!?>_<). Despite there only being 12 episodes the pacing was actually good. I can’t say that about many anime with the same amount of episodes. The character development was amazing and the story (though it may have been “predictable” given the genre) was enjoyable. The animation was clean and fluid. The soundtrack was pure perfection. I can’t stop listening to it (please send help!). Everything about this anime fit in perfect harmony, yet I am unsatisfied. I need a season 2 pronto!

To address the Sub vs Dub battle, I would recommend dubbed. Let me explain. Yuri on Ice has a diverse cast of characters from all over the world and you can’t hear their accents in the subbed version. If you want to get the most out of the anime watch the dubbed version. To judge for yourself watch the first episode in sub and dub down below. I assure you that you’ll fall in love with the dubbed version.

https://youtu.be/WewsgJewJfw

https://youtu.be/rfYI5MwxnNc

Genre: Sports, Yaoi; Original run: October 5, 2016-December 21, 2016; Episodes: 12

What’s Next For ‘Overwatch’? Blizzard Shares 2017 Overview!

by Ajay Stephens

2016 has been a productive and successful year for Overwatch. Even though it’s only been out for seven months, Overwatch has revolutionized gaming. The Overwatch team at Blizzard has shown (and continues to show) dedication and passion for their creation. This love for the game has translated into the players and as a result created a supportive community. As the game continues to grow, it is questioned whether or not Overwatch can keep up with the momentum. Can Blizzard continue to build on an already Game of the Year? Here’s what Blizzard says to expect  in 2017:

In early 2017, Overwatch will be getting a new map called Oasis. Oasis is a control map equipped with jump pads for more versatile attacks. Blizzard also made it so the environment can kill you; they included moving cars!

There will be new season events, which means more skins!!! We have already experienced the awesomeness of the Summer Games, Halloween, and Holiday events, but this is just the beginning. We are getting more seasonal events but be aware that they are not all traditional; we may be getting something that we aren’t expecting.

Blizzard will also be working on new upgrades for the command wheel. These upgrades will allow the player to customize their command wheel. They will be able to add up to 4 voice lines, 4 emotes, and 4 sprays.

Another upgrade will be to the team chat. Players want other players to be on team chat because teamwork is an important element to winning games. So Blizzard will have a button that’ll encourage players to join team chat. Personally, I am not sure how they will implement this function or if it would work, but I am excited to see what they come up with.

Overwatch will be also getting new heroes, maps, and game modes. Unfortunately there isn’t any information on what types of new heroes and maps at the moment. One game mode Blizzard plans to expand on is custom games. They want to add a server browser that will help players find other players’ custom matches. This will be useful because you won’t have to wait for you friends to get online for you to enjoy a game with no rules.

Knowing Blizzard’s plan of action for 2017 has made me confident in their abilities and excited to what is to come. Hopefully theses additions will make an already Game of the Year a Game of the Generation.