April 09, 2005
King of Beetles Mushiking : Legend of the Forest People Episode 1 - Popo's Departure
OP - Ikitekoso (kiroro) - a sappy little song with images of Popo running around adventuring, with nary a beetle in sight!
ED - Let's HappiecE Life! (3B LAB.*) - beetles crawling around the screen alongside a fairly boring Jpop song. Bleh.
Popo is one of the Forest People, tiny elf creatures who live (unsurprisingly) in a forest. His father left years ago, leaving him only with a rather large acorn which he wears around his neck (mmm, can you say "plot device"?). One day, a rather ugly creature babbling about black forests comes and starts destroying the forest, so Popo's mother turns into a flower to protect herself and the rest of the forest and bids Popo go and find his father and a way to save the forest. On his way, he is attacked by an evil caucasus beetle (you can tell, its eyes glow demonic red) but, thanks to the mysterious powers of the acorn, he summons an amazingly powerful beetle to fight for him. When it reappears later, though, it is as a tiny, annoyingly voiced beetle, who sets out with Popo on his journey.
Mushiking is apparently a massively popular arcade game in Singapore and Korea (and Japan, I'd assume, although I didn't see any Mushiking machines while I was there!) involving swiping cards for battling beetles. Quite why beetles are supposed to be so interesting I don't really know. Anyway, it's a show geared towards a fairly kiddie audience, airing at dinnertime in Japan, and it's very much that kind of thing (although with the requisite parental "death" that Japan seems to love so much).
While Mushiking is just a bit on the twee side for me, it does have some good points. It's far less "brash" than most shounen adventure shows, I think it's aimed more at a Pokemon crowd than, say, Naruto, as Popo is quite a quiet young hero. The artwork is quite washed out, but it adds a sort of peaceful atmosphere to the goings on, and the background music is occasionally quite good (I like the next episode preview stuff in particular). I guess it would work well as family viewing.
But still...CG beetles? The mind boggles. Not one I'll be following, methinks.
I love mushiking man!Although i have completed it(easy n hard)i love it stil!!I think its all the fights.It requires smarts and memory to play,making it challenging.anyways,you should try it too!seriously!
I have lots of extra skill cards.For newbies.prices depend on rarity.email me at blodyben@hotmail.com
Posted by: ben(now called benipajami) at May 13, 2005 12:51 PMfor info
balanced beetles:1)start with thier finishing attack.2)uses the same move after a draw. e.g draw is scissors,will use scissors in the next round.3)will try to counter back d move it just lost to.e.g lost to rock,will use paper in the next round.
aggresive:1)start with thier finishing attack.
2)uses a move to counter back the one it tied with.e.g check balanced.3)(attack)same as balanced.
defensive:1)starts with move to counter your finishing move.2)(tie)same as agressive,balanced.3)(attack)same as agressive,balanced.
REMEMBER OR WRIGHT IT DOWN
DUN FORGET IT IF U PLAY!!!
I Love this show hi to Princess and Miko man that's a whole story Wow!!! I can Wait
Posted by: Precious at August 28, 2005 10:41 AM