Mason

I really like the way the story has developed, and it's all started from the much more down to earth level of civilian hobbiests. While I'm at odds with liking Fuego's aesthetics, I do appreciate how the action is much more tense because the rider isn't protected by more than flak armour. I suppose I like this show for some of the same reasons I liked the Patlabor series, but the story is somewhat more mature (albeit it does still involve some very archetypal animé villains).

Also, when you compare this to Viper's Creed you really see how much a story loses when it gives more thought to its tech than its characters.

FOLDGASM!

Fantastic, thanks so much, I'm really looking forward to this model, and these are the clearest pics yet.

That Brocken looks excellent.

No pics of the X-10?

I have to pre-order one of those Hannibals, the operable cockpit seals the deal.

[snip]

If these lyrics have any significance to Galaxy's plans it contains the intention of unifying all of the Protoculture's children at the cost of the Vajra.

While the normal Aimo lyrics is more on harmony and coexistence.

Galaxy intends to create a new Stellar Republic.

So, Leon and Grace/Galaxy are pulling an Ozymandias, and creating the villain to unite protoculture's children, and Richard Piller wants to unite the galaxy physically while the Galaxy wants to do the same, emotionally.

BatMANUEL, that's who!

I made my wife laugh out loud when I pointed out to her that the guy playing the mayor also played Batmanuel in THE TICK... I kinda figured somebody in casting had a weird sense of humor!

To the Manuelmobile!!!

I cracked up when he first showed up.

Was anyone else thinking that the scene where

was a lot like Major Kusanagi receiving a live feed from Ishikawa and the Tachikomas?

EDIT: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25681350/

I think they'd want to re-invent a classic character, and Bane just doesn't fit that profile.

I agree with eugimon, the villains have to reflect an aspect of Batman/Wayne, or else they're just walking devices that lack depth.

I'm not a fan of seeing the Penguin come back, as I think Penguin and Catwoman were done perfectly by Burton, but Carry's Riddler is laughable enough to be forgotten, as was Tommy Lee Jones' Two-Face.

These are all the reasons why I think Batman's next villain will be another super-hero, now he has to fight to keep the freaks out of Gotham in order that the "Dents" can restore legitimate governance to the city. Maybe I'm just too eager to see Batman zap Superman with several billion volts from the city's power supply.

Maybe it will be Catwoman after all.

I loved it, saw it in IMAX and it was totally worth it.

I'm really curious about who the villain will be for the next film

Some thoughts on the next film:

Set in and based on Arkham Asylum which could be a hunt for a

that we never actually see.

Batman vs. Superman, I don't know how this could be pulled off in any other way than in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, but it seems implausible but not impossible.

Thematically, though, I get the impression that the next film will be centred around elections. We've now had a taste of the light and dark sides of terrorism in Batman Begins, and the struggle of the hero to pass the mantle or become the villain

This leads me to believe that the themes are climbing higher in the levels of government, which has me thinking elections. We'll see though, these are just trains of thought attempting to extrapolate the next logical focus of the Batman from the last two Nolan films.

I think any chance that we'll see Bane is completely ridiculous. Poison Ivy, and Mister Freeze also seem too flamboyant for Nolan, but a version of the Riddler seems possible, if not perhaps a little to close to the Joker.

Killer Croc doesn't seem deep enough a character, Clayface is too surreal, but Penguin might make a comeback.

Kotobukiya JGSDF Hellhound released.

http://kemur16.exblog.jp/7697816/

Much smaller than I expected.

Okay, I see the HAL X-10 and Helldiver in that link, are they available to buy anywhere? I need an X-10.

Toronto, Canada

Sure they have tons of questions to him

/Speculation mode ON

but with Ranaria's death and Mikhail out of the team, he'll join the skull squadron

Speaking of Mikhail, is rather convenient that he is out for Grace, since is a fact that he realized that Sheryl's ill was caused by the pills that she was giving her

/Speculation mode OFF

It also opens up a new love triangle between Brera, Alto, and Ranka, seeing that Alto has taken greater interest in Ranka since ep 13.

They look like a virus for me (I studied biology early in my career)... I think I heard something about a virus earlier in the series...

I think they'd be considered "phages"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm.../Tevenphage.svg

So they'd inject the crystals into other organisms with the intent of transforming them or destroying them. Ranka could be carrying the catalyst for transforming humans into Vajra, or perhaps the means of destroying the Vajra.