A recent interview that mentioned the series creator of Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama, stated that he had about three more years of stories until the manga will be finished. Isayama said currently 60% of the story has been told. But what does it mean? How much more Attack on Titan can the fans expect? What does this mean for the manga and anime?
At the time of the interview the most recent chapter of the manga was 73. With this only being 60% of the actual story that means the story mathematically needs to run at least 122 more chapters. Going back to Hajime’s original claim, in which he said it would take three years to finish the series, this seems about right. Still, the series has been coming out at a biweekly schedule which makes three more years of manga equal about 78 chapters total. Let’s do an average, and say the series will wrap up in 76 more chapters. Looks like the fans reading the manga are going to have a lot to look forward to in the future.
What will fans have to look forward to when more manga gets turned into an anime? Going back to the 25 episodes of the anime and comparing it to the 34 chapters of manga it was based on, shows that about 1.36 chapters are made into one episode. Using math again shows it will take about 56 more episodes of anime to show the entire story in animated form. Basically, about two extended seasons of anime back to back.
Will fans ever get to see more Titan killing in animated form? It’s almost a certainty at this point. Since the anime’s initial ending – 2 live action films – have been released, and a more comical series called Attack on Titan: Junior High will be released this fall. There has also been extensive rumors of a second season of the anime coming out in 2016 but there has yet to be a trailer. Based on this math, it will take at least 50 episodes to properly tell the story to its fullest. More than enough episodes to satisfy the fanbase with all the Titan fighting action they can handle.
One of the most common things I hear about being a movie critic is “ It must be really great to see all those great movies.” Well, they aren’t all great, and some of these pictures are just downright infuriating. One benefit to having endured such sensory nightmares is that they are generally easy to write about; it’s the ones that are just head and shoulders above all other films. I sometimes will run into a problem when I’m writing about films that are just somewhere in that middle range of not horrific or simply amazing. Take today for example, I’m going to take on the monumental task of proving to you why you should check out a movie about that is essentially about the 1972 Chess Championships in Reykjavik, Iceland. What was that … oh … you would rather relive trigonometry than to watch a film about the 1972 Chess Championships? I don’t blame you. But this was no ordinary Championship match.
In a world reeling from Vietnam and Watergate, we all were glued to the television as Russian Chess Master Boris Spassky was challenged by the young upstart Brooklyn native, Bobby Fischer. Boris Spassky was, by all accounts, a machine, and would just destroy all players who dared challenged him. Bobby Fischer was brash, bold, and full of bravado-the type of person that was loathed by the Russians and was adored by the American public. This match became such a sensation it was covered by all major news outlets and broadcast live on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. This match was not about chess but national pride.
Edward Zwick’s Pawn Sacrifice delivers a very conventional biopic detailing Fischer’s upbringing and his rise through the chess ranks. Zwick is determined to focus the attention on the one-on-one aspect of a chess match, and does so by incorporating a ton of quick two shots of play on the board as well as the players hitting that timer after each move. I was certainly hoping that Zwick would spend more time delving into the serious mental deterioration that Fischer was undergoing during this time. If you remember (you probably don’t), Fischer actually didn’t show for one of his matches because he didn’t want to come out of this room, afraid spies were on his case. Zwick does touch on Fischer’s mental issues sporadically, but the effort can be only be described as touching the surface of what was a deep pool of material. Zwick misses an opportunity to take this movie to new heights.
What stands out most of all about Pawn Sacrifice is that it’s billed as one thing and it’s actually something completely different. If you were to go on to Google and type in the words “Pawn Sacrifice,” you would see that this movie is billed as a biopic of Bobby Fischer. In reality there is so little that we actually do learn about Bobby Fischer and his idiosyncrasies that you leave thinking something very different. Sixty percent of the film centers around that one chess match. Zwick delivers a conventional biopic when he does delve into the story of Fischer, yet there was nothing conventional about Bobby Fischer.
I enjoyed watching Pawn Sacrifice. I don’t find anything thing wrong with the final product. I feel if Zwick had delivered what was advertised he could have had a movie that was a powerhouse during awards season; instead it amounts to simply a “good” film. To put this in chess terms … Pawn Sacrifice is a check but not a checkmate.
In taking a look at Lily Tomlin’s career, I was astounded to learn that she had only been nominated for an Academy Award one time. If you take a second and account for all of the great films she has been in over the span of her time in show business, one time just doesn’t seem right. Well, baring a catastrophic failure in the voting process, Lily Tomlin will receive her second nomination for acting’s greatest honor for her work in the film Grandma.
In Grandma, the 76 year-old Tomlin plays a poetry writing, weed- smoking, credit-card cutting, bohemian with a cunning wit and insistence to share exactly what’s on her mind no matter who she ticks off. Not many could pull off this role and do so with a tinge of humor, heartfelt poignancy, and even kindness but Tomlin is in her element here. The role would appear to be perfect for Tomlin as if it was written with her in mind (according to Director Paul Weitz it was).
It’s not every grandma that would be willing to go on a road-trip, with her teen granddaughter in tow, hitting up old friends and lovers for money to help pay for the young woman’s abortion. Grandma is not about the morality of abortion but more about the empowerment of women of all ages and beliefs. You would think with how perfect this role is for Tomlin that she somehow had a hand in writing it but it was Paul Weitz who crafted a flawed person who’s acerbic tone seems to always get in the way. Elle (Tomlin) is foul mouthed, has a horrific temper, and has not an ounce of forgiveness in her, and yet this movie centers around forgiveness. Elle summed up her character perfectly when she said, “I like being old because young people are stupid.”
You are lead to believe in the beginning that this movie is going to be about Sage (Julia Garner) and her journey through dealing with a terrible moment in her life. In reality, the only journey we are witness to is the one Elle (Tomlin) takes through memory lane as she searches for the money to help her granddaughter. Whether it’s the apologies that are in order for Elle’s ex played by Sam Elliot or for the daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) whom she hardly ever speaks to, or to the girlfriend (Judy Greer) she just broke up with- the life lessons in Grandma are valuable and authentic.
Despite her curmudgeonly ways, Elle (Tomlin) is the type of women who will do whatever it takes to help her family, even it means whacking a teen boy with a hockey stick in a sensitive area or taking a punch from a 5th grader. The realism in this film is such that it was as if I was watching a family drama unfold in my neighborhood.
Grandma is a crowning moment for Lily Tomlin’s career. I can’t say that the other actors in this film did anything special. If anything, they were just pieces in Tomlin’s symphony of acting brilliance. One of the great things about seeing the quantity of movies that I get to see (and believe me … I see a great quantity), is that when you see an actor’s shining moment it’s obvious. I remember last November watching Julianne Moore in Still Alice, and knowing from that moment that she was going to be at least nominated if not win an Academy Award for her portrayal of Alice. Today, history repeats itself as I know the Lily Tomlin will at least get an Oscar nomination for this film. The Academy rewards brilliance and Tomlin illuminated the screen in this role.
If you have been one of the people watching Monster Musume this season and just can’t seem to get enough of it, well DMM, the folks behind the KanColle browser game, will allow gamers to run their own home for hosting “Interspecies Cultural Exchange Act” monster girls. The site for this spin-off to Okayado’sMonster Musume manga and this season’s anime has been updated with new screenshots of the game, housing all new never before seen monster girls. The online browser game will be available on Windows 8/10 Internet Explorer and Chrome, along with Mac OS Safari.
Heres a jump to the site that will be hosting the game once available. It also gives a good idea of what gameplay may be like.
“The you in you isn’t the you you think is in you.” –Satoshi Kon Satoshi Kon was known for many things, subjective reality, mentally broken characters, and fluid visuals. He loved using skewed perspectives and messing with the continuity, Kon loved making his audience just as confused as his characters. Kon was also known for making a darn good movie, Magnetic Rose, is one such film.
Satoshi Kon’s involvement in Magnetic Rose might seem pretty small at first. It’s based on a story that isn’t his own, neither did he direct it, his only involvement was writing the script of the adaptation. Many might then dismiss the movie, thinking his influence was no more than in Roujin-Z. But unlike Roujin-Z, or the other projects Kon had little involvement with, Magnetic Rose is a Kon film through and through.
For those of you that haven’t watch the film (which you really ought to do), the synopsis is as follows: “Two space travelers following a distress signal are drawn into a magnificent world created by one woman’s memories.” (Source) The rest of this article is rife with spoilers, so I really encourage you to familiarize yourself with this story (hopefully by watching it).
Story
In order to truly diagnose a story with Kon-syndrome it needs to meet three criteria.
The first is that it must feature Subjective Reality in someway. This is something Magnetic Rose features prominently. Both Heintz and Miguel fall prey to holograms that imitate another reality, be it a party, romance, or family.
Second, it must have a subtext about society, usually condemning it’s very own audience. This also, Magnetic Rose has no trouble with. The hologram realities we see are clearly the representations of a fantasy. Heintz fantasizes about his family, Miguel a true romance, and Eva her past. The movie scolds those who allow themselves to fall into their fantasies. Those who give up their actual life for their fantasy.
Miguel jumps headfirst into his fantasy, blissfully ignoring his true reality. Ignorantly seeing Eva, his love, dance with him in the field, while in reality all he does is slosh in the water.
Eva takes this a step farther, surrounding herself with luxurious decorations, memorials to her accomplishments, even killing her fiance when threatened with change, and ultimately, shutting herself out from society, to live out the rest of her days reliving her past.
The actions of Heintz gives us hope, as he is able to overcome a large majority of his fantasy and warns the crew of the chaos surrounding him. But even Heintz couldn’t fully escape. He was unable to shoot the statue of his daughter, he leapt off the house after her falling hologram, he cried and embraced the deceased ‘body’ of little Emily. Heintz couldn’t make it back to the ship, Emily’s ‘death’ held him back, and brought him to his demise.
Thirdly, it must have dramatic and thematic heft. Which I’d argue Magnetic Rose also has, as explored in the character descriptions above. The movie fully addresses those who try to escape their life. All major forms of daydreaming are represented, Heintz’s fantasy lies in a real world group, his family, who are held back due to his responsibilities. Eva longs for who she used to be, the ‘good ol days,’ to such an extent that she denies who she is now. Miguel longed for what he could not have, he wanted a true and pure love, but had issues staying loyal in actual relationships.
An interesting, and seemingly inconsistent, aspect of Magnetic Rose lies in the holograms. Sometimes they are physical, other times just a hologram. Why do they work one way sometimes, and another later?
There are two particular scenes with really give light into the otherwise confusing question. The first is Miguel kissing Eva, her, and his surroundings, are nothing but holograms. But we see them kiss and dance, and Miguel picks a rose for her.
The second is when Heintz is mourning over his daughter. At first we see his hands go right through her shoulders, forbidding him from truly touching his daughter. But later on we see Heintz pick Emily up and cradle her in his arms. What’s going on here?
The moment Heintz and Miguel physically interact with a hologram is the moment they truly believe. When they forget reality, and instead focus on fantasy. Miguel is particularly susceptible, accepting his new reality almost immediately. Heintz lasted longer, it took the ‘death’ of Emily to break him. When he saw the blood ooze out of her ear, he was faced with the thought of living without her, Heintz was then fully immersed in his sorrow.
Another interesting touch, which took me a while to realize, was that twice in the film, the entire environment is ‘painted’ over by holograms. This happens after a touch of the piano. Considering the holograms are of Eva’s fantasy, perhaps it represents the role music had in her fantasy. The person she wanted to stay as, was the famous singer, known for her music. The moment Eva lost her voice might mark the moment she felt dissatisfied with her life. Eva didn’t want to be an Eva without music, it made up a huge portion of her identity.
Art
The opening shot really surprised me, it was far more beautiful than I had remembered. The art style as a whole really aged well. It may not have aged long (released in 1995), I seem to remember even Perfect Blue and other anime from that time being somewhat grainy and under-detailed. However, Magnetic Rose still looks stunning, it doesn’t seem to have aged a bit, for the most part.
The movie did show its age a couple of times, when it did it was very jarring. Some of the larger structures were built in poorly done CG, with a very choppy frame rate as well. Thankfully this didn’t happen often, and wasn’t onscreen for too long.
Sound
The music in Magnetic Rose is simple stunning, which isn’t a surprise considering Yoko Kanno is responsible for it. One track in particular, titled “Cosmos” was a standout. It’s used towards the beginning of the movie when the S.O.S. is first heard. But I encourage you to listen to it on its own. It has a hauntingly broken vocal track, along with daunting and repetitive bass line until a synth takes stage about halfway through.
Music aside, the acting seems to be fine (it’s hard to tell when it’s in another language), but some sound effects sounded decidedly old and cheap.
Conclusion
Magnetic Rose is simply a fantastic movie, a great start for Kon’s career. This movie sets the bar for Kon’s upcoming films in themes, animation, and music. When you consider the fact that this is a lower tier film of his, you know it’s only going to get better.
Kon loved challenging his viewers to make sense of what’s happening, and consider their own perspectives, his movies may seem cynical and pessimistic, but underneath there lies a layer of vain hope. “With feelings of gratitude for all that is good in this world, I put down my pen. Now excuse me, I have to go.” –Satoshi Kon
As we inch ever so close to the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, filming is already underway for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in London, England. Just like most dedicated Star Wars fans, I’m always searching for the latest tid bit of information about any of the films. Well, I happen to come across these snapshots from the set of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. What do you guys think about these photos?
In week 10 of its release Ant-Man earned $936,000 at the box office to give the film a domestic gross of $177,586,846 and possession of 10th place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe passing Captain America: The First Avengers‘ $176,654,505.
Marvel films typically stay in theaters for 16 weeks, with lack of a competitive film market Ant-Man continues to draw movie goers. The under-sized hero now has an outside shot at $180 million, but that would take a marketing push by Marvel Studios as the film is playing in less than 1000 theaters in the states.
I, as a viewer of AGT, am a very hard person to please. I imagine if I were an America’s Got Talent judge I’d have more haters than Pierce Morgan could ever dream. I pride myself in my ability to predict how far an act will make it before the end of their audition, with a pretty good success rate. But your act, has surpassed my expectations, and forced me to humble myself. And I’d like to share why, which will take a bit of explaining.
Even though America’s Got Talent is a reality TV show, I have found a couple cliches that show up just about every year. You have the Child Singer Act (usually opera), the Video Dance Group Act (usually electronic), the Poor Middle Aged Singer Act (usually country), the Animal Act (usually dogs), the Novelty Act (usu- actually, it’s different every time), and the most common, the Pity Act.
The Pity Act is a semi-talented act voted through more so for their story, than actual talent. They usually are poor, have a sick relative, are gay, or disabled in someway*.
I also have that shirt, it’s a nice shirt
So when you walked on stage and said, “I-I’m a c-comedian.” I was 100% sure that you were this year’s Pity Act. I mean, of course you are, your disability directly conflicts with your act, your act is a way of ‘coping’ with your disability, and your package tells a very sad yet hopeful story. You check all of the boxes.
But then you started. Your jokes, while small in quantity, made up for it in quality. I laughed more and harder at your two minutes of screen time, then I’ll laugh during a half-hour sitcom.
It didn’t stop there though, every subsequent time we saw you it got better. Even when you got to Radio City Musical Hall, your second performance on AGT, after that I was a legitimate fan.
Not only was your stutter not annoying (kind of important when your job is to talk), it improved the delivery of a lot of your jokes. You took your disability (should I keep calling it that?), joked about it (showing comfort), overcame it itself (showing effort), and then used it to your advantage (showing talent). I hope you understand just how amazing that is. Benjamin Yonattan didn’t do that. He never fully overcame his blindness, and certainly didn’t use it to improve his act. That is what separates you from the traditional Pity Act.
That doesn’t mean that I think America got it wrong and that you should have won. Ultimately, Paul Zerdin was the better act, but it was not an easy decision. You certainly deserved second place, the 1% margin is larger than what it should have been.
Even if you didn’t get the million dollars and a guaranteed Vegas show, you got something even better. Respect, I, along with many other people as well, have a major respect for you and what you do. Because of you, I’ve learned to give the Pity Acts the benefit of the doubt. You, Drew Lynch, the stuttering comedian, have earned my respect, and another fan. Which is more than what Gary Vider can say.
In conclusion, keep up the good work. I’ve seen a lot of people who aren’t as appreciative of your act. But I suggest you deal with them like you have already.
A couple of months ago, while visiting the US Senate, I saw a young boy walking around wearing a Survey Corps jacket as if it was the latest fashion. It was only then that I fully comprehended the impact that Attack on Titan has had on our popular conscience and the latest generation of anime/manga fans. The popularity of Attack on Titan in the West is a phenomenon not seen since Dragon Ball mania of the early 2000s.
For those of you unfamiliar with the series, the manga is set in a world dominated by colossal creatures known as Titans; humanoid giants whose only goal is seemingly to feast on humans and leave destruction in their wake. To protect themselves, humans construct a number of walls in order to keep the Titans a bay. Outside the walls, members of the military’s Survey Corp explore the world outside seeking to find a way to driving the Titans back for good. Eren Jaeger, a young man who saw his mother die at the hands of the Titans, joins the Survey Corps along with his friends Armin and Mikasa. Together they fight to re-establish mankind’s dominance as a vast world of intrigue begins to reveal itself to them.
The opening chapters of the series establish a bleak tone reminiscent of The Walking Dead, but rather than being a straight up survival story, Attack on Titan appropriate walks the line between political thriller and horror. Many of the characters possess the ability to transform into Titans themselves and naturally, there are those who use their powers to fight the Titans and those who seek to want to bring humanity to its knees. Eren is revealed to possess such abilities which become a cause of tension within the human world, with some seeing him as a sleeper agent and others as humanity’s last hope. The origins of these powers and the true nature of the Titans has been the source of much speculation. As the Uprising Arc continues, the latest volume of the series begins to address some of those lingering mysteries.
It would be unfair to go into the specifics of the story found within this particular volume as there is a lot of pay-off to past plot threads in this volume. The current volume takes place in the aftermath of a military coup d’etat and Eren falling into the hands of Rod Reiss. What becomes quickly apparent is that that Eren’s captor intend on having the son pay for the sins of the father. Each characater be they protagonist, antagonist or somewhat in-between has their own unique voice and invokes emotions in the reader. Certain characters and the Machiavellian concepts they espouse are truly terrifying. Rod Reiss is an example of a character’s whose madness is tangible, he is someone who makes the reader fear for those around him. The series is full of characters who truly reflect humanity at its best and its worst. They are relatable because they feel like real characters even, and arguably especially, when they are despicable. Attack on Titan shows you the impact tragedy and war has on the human psyche and the lengths people will go to in order to survive or gain power.
Despite being a monthly publication in its original format, the art of Attack on Titan has been known to dip in quality from time to time. Thankfully, the series has seemed to avoided such a fate over the last few volumes and the art within Volume 16 is some of best the series has to offer. Action scenes are portrayed with the speed and intensity they deserve, with panels flowing seamlessly together. Hajime Isayama makes economic use of each panel, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Each impact and clash reverberates through the page and into the reader. It takes a real talent to be able to make an audience feel like a blade is piercing them as much as it is the characters. The imagery is often gruesome and horrifying, but its ability to strike the reader is remarkably. Even its quieter moments,Isayama manages to toy with our emotions through his art, whether its the Eren beginning to dire nature of his circumstances as he struggles in captivity or a simple moment of understanding between Levy and Mikasa. We feel they pain and their struggles become our own. Titan designs are still thoroughly unsettling, but they are demonstrative of art that is unlike anything else on stores shelves.
Pace wise, this is one of the slower volumes, but given what has come before it feels like it has earned the chance to slow down and be reflective on both the characters and world it has built. That is not to say the volume is devoid of action, the very contrary is the case and the fight scenes are as sublimely executed as ever. It must be said that they do take a backseat in this volume and the story is all the better for it. While at times it could be said that the plot of Attack on Titan has stagnated, this volume answers a lot of questions. Volume 16, like any good work of fiction, leaves us with the hunger of a Titan.
Those of you new to the series will find themselves with a lot to take in this volume. They would be better served turning elsewhere and catching up in time for the release of Volume 17 in December. For long-time series fans, they are in for a treat because Volume 16 is some of the finest work Hajima Isayama has put out.
A review copy was kindly provided by the publisher; Kodansha Comics.
Doctor Who is one of the longest running sci-fi TV series, running for over 50 years and one of Britain’s greatest television exports. The show was revived 10 years ago and is about to enter into ninth season and has become one of the BBC’s most popular show. Since the revival the show has seen The Doctor face foes old and new and stop numerous threats to both Earth and the Universe as a whole.
The new version of Doctor Who was designed to appear to newcomers to the series as well as longtime fans. Since I became of a fan because of the new version of the series I will look the ten best episodes from the modern era.
10. The Doctor’s Wife
The Season 6 episode “The Doctor’s Wife” was guest written by Neil Gaiman, a man best known for writing Stardust, Coraline and The Sandman and his episode was awarded the 2011 Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation and the Best Dramatic Presentation at the 2012 Hugo Awards.
This episode sees The Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams receiving a distress call from a Time Lord and enter into a rift between Universes to try and save him or her. Where they end up is a void made up from trash and space debris where a group of people have salvaged a living from the junk. Also with them is an eccentric woman called Idris who pretty much jumps on The Doctor when she first sees him.
What made this episode such a delight was Suranne Jones’ performance as Idris, a unhinged woman who is completely batty and has a mysterious connection to The Doctor. Jones was fantastic, letting out her inner Helena Bonham Carter and injected a lot of humor in the episode. Gaiman’s written ensure that was a balance of drama and comedy and references the history of the show.
9. Into the Dalek
Ben Wheatley is considered a directing hot prospect in the UK, making the cult hits Kill List and A Field in England. So it was a coup for the producers when they got Wheatley to direct the first two episodes of Season 8. The best of the pair is the second episode “Into the Dalek” which is basically a Doctor Who version of The Fantastic Voyage.
This episode sees The Twelfth Doctor come to the aid of one of his mortal enemies, a Dalek who has been captured by humans. The Dalek claims to hate his own race and wants to help the Doctor to defeat them: but the Dalek which The Doctor calls Rusty has a radiation leak and a team needs to be shrunk to treat it. The team have to race against time as Rusty’s immune system and an impending action by The Daleks.
Series 8 has been considered a disappointment by Doctor Who with episodes like “Kill the Moon” and “In the Forest of the Night” being produced. “Into the Dalek” is a much stronger offering and the best episode so far with Peter Capaldi’s run as The Doctor. He was much more confidence in his second episode that saw him being much better as a more serious, darker Doctor as he confronts Rusty with all the atrocities the Daleks have committed. Though Capaldi still has a little bit of fun as The Doctor, before he took the role Capaldi was best known for the political satire The Thick of It.
8. Utopia
“Utopia” was the first part of a three part finale of the third series of Doctor Who, bringing together both Doctor Who and its spin-off Touchwood. When in Cardiff recharging the TARDIS Captain Jack Harkness finds the Doctor and Martha Jones and attempts to meet them. But because Jack is an anomaly in time the TARDIS ends up taking the trio to end of the universe. In this dark future all the stars have died and all that is a ragtag band of humans lead by Professor Yana (Derek Jacobi). Yana believes humanity’s only hope is a fabled Utopia, but need a rocket ship to take them there.
“Utopia” was a darker episode in the series, both thematically and literally, showing a universe which is dying and has humanity look for any kind of hope it can in this grim world. Even worst many other humans have resorted to cannibalism to survive and devolved into a creature known as The Futurekind. It was the best part of the Season 3 finale.
7. The Christmas Invasion
“The Christmas Invasion” was the first Christmas special in the modern era of Doctor Who and the best. The episode is simple enough, an alien race called the Sycorax are preparing to invade Earth, starting with London. But complicating matters is The Doctor’s recent regeneration that has rendered unconscious. Without his help it is left to Rose Tyler, her mum Jackie and Rose’s boyfriend Mickey to stop the aliens along with the Prime Minister Harriet Jones.
“The Christmas Invasion” was a great start for David Tennant’s tenure as a The Doctor, showing himself to be a ruthless Doctor when needs be, yet having better comedic timing then Christopher Eccleston: it was a great little moment when he told Jackie to shut up. The episode also had a great visual of all the windows on The Gherkin smashing, using classic model world to achieve it. Though the episode was set at Christmas its storyline could would have been the same whenever it was set; other Christmas Specials have become too forced, shoehorning the Christmas stories, setting and iconography.
6. The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit The Doctor has faced off against many deadly foes over his thousand year life and in the 2006 two-parter “The Impossible Planet” and “The Satan Pit” he has to take on the embodiment of evil. Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Krop Tor. Some may call him Satan. Or Lucifer. Or the King of Despair. The Deathless Prince. The Bringer of Night.
The Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler arrive on the planet of Krop Tor, a planet that is orbiting a black hole where a scientific expedition have landed. On the planet are ruins in an language that even the TARDIS cannot translate and a mysterious force that possesses the expedition’s archaeologist and the alien servants, The Ood. The Doctor end up going to center of the planet to retrieve the TARDIS and to find a huge chained up beast that may be there since the beginning of time, while Rose and the rest of the expedition have run away from the possessed Ood and get away from the planet before it is pulled into the black hole.
“The Impossible Planet” and “The Satan Pit” was an excellent pairing of episodes that showed a tougher look at space travel in the Doctor Who universe, that there is a hard grind, had a great speech by The Ood and The Ood were revisited in future episode. The episodes were atmospheric with its sense of dread, particularly “The Impossible Planet” section.
5. Doomsday
“Doomsday” is the second part of the Season 2 finale, an episode that saw two of The Doctor’s greatest enemies appear in the same episode and go to war, using London as their battleground. Picking off where previous episode, “Army of Ghosts” left off, the Cybermen have invaded Earth from a parallel version of Earth, following four elite Daleks who hid from the Time War in Void Ship, a ship where time and space stops around it. Even worst the Daleks have a device called the Genesis Ark that if the Daleks can find a way to open it could lead to rebirth of the Dalek race and all the inter-dimensional travel has been having adverse effects on the different worlds.
On a pure fan experience it was gleeful to see to iconic two villains in the series having to do battle, even if it was one sided towards Dalek and was a very satisfying finale, being more grand and spectacular then “The Parting of Ways” (which was a solid episode). It was Billie Piper last appearance as Rose Tyler as a season regular; media speculation at the time believed Rose was going to be killed off.
“Doomsday” along with “Army of Ghosts” was nominated for a Hugo Award and had 8.22 million viewers in the UK. The storyline regarding the negative effects of characters jumping was a reference to Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy and the author said he was flattered by reference.
4. The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone
“The Time of Angels” and “Flesh and Stone” was the first two-parter during Matt Smith’s run as the Doctor and reintroduced a popular new enemy to the series and expanding on their mythology about them.
The Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond arrive on the planet of Alfava Metraxis when River Song left them a message for them to come to the planet. With River is a group of soldiers known as clerics who have captured by a Weeping Angel. But the capture of Weeping Angel leads to a chain of events that could awaken the species and put the whole universe in jeopardy.
This two-parter made The Weeping Angels into an even bigger threat then they already were like watching them on a camera will end up creating another and they straight up murder people instead of sending them back in time and having the ability to absorb radiation to give them all the energy they need. The episodes expands on the relationship between The Doctor and River, gave Amy her fear of The Weeping Angels who presence are a constant danger to her and set in motion the Season 5 storyline of cracks in the universe wipe everything it absorbs from existence. The episodes also had some excellent visuals, from the decaying Angels slowly surrounding The Doctor and his companions and the clerics battling them. “The Time of Angels” ended with one of Smith’s best speeches as The Doctor.
3. Day of the Doctor “Day of the Doctor” was the 50th anniversary special that united Matt Smith and David Tennant and introduce John Hurt as The War Doctor. Made as a tribute to all things Doctor Who it was an event of episode, with mini-episode tie-ins, one of them giving Paul McGann a proper send off as The Doctor, united two popular Doctors, has a cameo from a popular former Doctor, gave us our first glimpse of Peter Capaldi as The Doctor, tied up a plotline involving the Time War and set up a future arc. It was a treat for fans old and new.
The special episode sees the Gallifreyan stronghold of Arcadia about to fall to the Daleks and the War Doctor being prepared to wipe out both the Time Lords and the Daleks to end the Time War. In the 16th Century the Tenth Doctor is in a relationship with Queen Elizabeth I while also tracking down in the Zygons and in modern London the Eleventh Doctor discovers a painting the Zygons trying to invade Earth from the past. All three Doctors unite in Elizabethan England to stop both the Zygon and find a way to save Gallifrey.
The episode was filmed in 3D and was one of the last shows to be shown on the defunct BBC 3D and broadcast in cinemas as well as on television. It also introduced the character Osgood who quickly became fans favorite. It was a highpoint for Smith’s Doctor because his final episode was a huge disappointment.
2. Dalek
The 2005 episode “Dalek” was the first episode in the modern version Doctor Who faced his oldest nemesis, The Daleks, genetically engineered abominations that feel nothing but hate and survive in battle armor.
Set in the then-future of 2012 The TARDIS takes The Ninth Doctor and Rose to a secret underground bunker of Henry Van Stanton, American billionaire who has a huge collection of alien artefacts, including a head of Cyberman the Doctor defeated in 1975. Van Stanton’s latest acquisition, a live alien, has become the centrepiece of his collection and his scientists are trying to get the being out of its metal casting. But when Rose accidently frees the last known Dalek and it starts killing everyone in sight, aiming to break out of the bunker. The Doctor has to face an enemy he thought was extinct and his own personal demons.
“Dalek” played to Christopher Eccleston strengths as he shows a darker side to The Doctor, showing his willingness to his break his own cardinal rules with his willingness to kill creature and face up to the fact his sacrifice of his own race during The Time War could have been for nothing. The episode was a great antidote to the previous two-parter, “Aliens of London” and “World War Three” that had The Doctor an alien race that disguised themselves as overweight people with flatulence problems.
The episode was nominated for the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form at the 2006 Hugo Awards.
1. Blink The 2007 episode “Blink” is often considered one of the best episode of modern Doctor Who era and the best Doctor-lite episode. Written by Steven Moffiat the episode sees the introduction of one of the most iconic enemies The Doctor, The Weeping Angels, one of the oldest beings in the universe who feed on the life force on other creatures. As The Doctor says they kill people with gently because they send their victims back in time and they live their lives in the past. But The Weeping Angels are cursed with being locked in stone if anyone sees them, moving only when no nobody is looking, leading to creepy visual of the Angels coming towards someone when lights in a room turn on and off.
Carey Mulligan stars as Sally Sparrow, a young woman who is thrust into a battle against The Weeping Angels when her best friend becomes a victim of these. The Doctor and Martha are stuck in the 1960s without the TARDIS. The pair leaves clues and advise for Sally in the form of DVD Easter Eggs and she has to race to send the TARDIS back to The Doctor before The Weeping Angels can stop her.
What makes the episode so remarkable the Moffat’s writing and Hettie MacDonald’s direction. They created a fantastic monster for The Doctor to face, having great visuals and Moffat was ability to seamlessly weave The Doctor’s message to Sally’s reaction. Mulligan was considered by fans as a perfect candidate to become The Doctor’s companion.
“Blink” was an award winning episode, it won the BAFTA Craft and BAFTA Cymru Awards for Best Writing, the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form and The Constellation Award for Best Female Performance for Mulligan. The episode was voted the second best Doctor Who story by reader Doctor Who Magazine.
Pace wise, this is one of the slower volumes, but given what has come before it feels like it has earned the chance to slow down and be reflective on both the characters and world it has built. That is not to say the volume is devoid of action, the very contrary is the case and the fight scenes are as sublimely executed as ever. It must be said that they do take a backseat in this volume and the story is all the better for it. While at times it could be said that the plot of Attack on Titan has stagnated, this volume answers a lot of questions. Volume 16, like any good work of fiction, leaves us with the hunger of a Titan.
