Review: Power Rangers Zeo

Favourite Ranger: Tanya Sloan, The Yellow Zeo Ranger

Favourite Villain: Archerina

Favourite Episode: "A Mystery to Me"

Least Favourite Ranger: Rocky DeSantos, The Blue Zeo Ranger

Least Favourite Villain: Prince Sprocket

Least Favourite Episode: "For Cryin' Out Loud"

When a band of robotic conquerers known as the Machine Empire set their sights on Earth, it's up to the Power Rangers to stop them. With their new powers and a new Ranger, they are re-energized and ready to take on their biggest challenge yet.

As iconic as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was, its follow-up Power Rangers Zeo proved itself to be of a higher quality in both storytelling and tone. Where the original series struggled to find its identity, Zeo finds a happy medium between camp and seriousness. It borrows almost exclusively from Chouriki Sentai Ohranger, which saves it from disconnects with costuming and odd Zord usage. Aside from that, Zeo isn't quite as scattershot as its predecessor and should be applauded for taking its time with its narratives. There are numerous overarching plots in this series, many of which help character development.

Two of the major storylines for this series include the introduction of Tommy's brother David and the mystery of the Gold Zeo Ranger. The latter becomes a recurring plot point that unfolds over the course of several episodes. The decision to keep the identity of the Gold Zeo Ranger secret was brilliant and enabled the writers to include several red herrings. This keeps the audience guessing, although the eventual reveal was a touch underwhelming.

Beyond the improvement in writing, Power Rangers Zeo featured stronger characterization in comparison to the past season and a half of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Tanya Sloan, Aisha's replacement as the Yellow Ranger, is a standout. She's smart, she's funny and she's a pretty darn good singer. In fact, Tanya's singing talents were utilized in a couple episodes. Similarly, both Kat and Rocky receive more attention than they previously had. Kat is characterized as a perfectionist and athlete who harbours secret feelings for Tommy, while Rocky is seen as much more impetuous and immature. The Zeo line-up may not be quite as distinct as the original five from the first series, but there's a chemistry there that makes them believable as a team and as friends.

Even though the heroes are the stars of the show, the villains prove themselves to be worthy of praise as well. As a whole, the Machine Empire is much more menacing than the more generic Evil Space Aliens led by Rita and Lord Zedd. The designs are a little clunky, but their oppressive regime and distinguishable personalities make up for that. Where Rita and Zedd's bunch were portrayed as bumbling fools, King Mondo and Queen Machina have much more capable help. From the bratty Prince Sprocket to the scheming Prince Gasket, there's much more diversity with the antagonists this time around.

Taken as a whole, Power Rangers Zeo is arguably of a much higher quality than its predecessor. The writing is tighter, the characters are distinctive and the tone is much more cohesive. Broken down, there are several subpar episodes that are questionably written, but the overall aesthetic of the series allows the franchise to take on a more layered way of telling its stories. While it may be often forgotten amongst the other entries in the franchise, Zeo was groundbreaking at the time and it really helped to continue the legacy of the Power Rangers from remaining stagnant. For that, Zeo deserves more love than it gets. 

(As a side note, I think the Zeo/Ohranger costumes are some of the best design-wise. They're pretty snazzy.)

Review: Justice League Dark Vol. 2 - The Books of Magic

When Constantine and his band of magical misfits are recruited by a government organization for a rescue mission, they uncover an artifact that will reveal the location of the ancient Books of Magic. These legendary tomes are said to hold the very essence of magic, which means that this ragtag Justice League must find them before anyone else can.

Justice League Dark Volume 2: The Books of Magic collects issues #7-13, 0 of the titular series and Justice League Dark Annual #1, written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Mikel Janin.

Picking up right where the previous volume left off, Constantine and his allies are pulled into a conflict agains the vampire Cain after the death of the vampiric champion Andrew Bennett. In these two issues, the Justice League Dark dukes it out against a horde of vampires in the muddy streets of Gotham City.

The inclusion of these issues is both exciting and frustrating. Peter Milligan handles the writing, penning some incredible action, while Admira Wijaya and Daniel Sampere knock it out of the park with their art. The cameos of Batgirl and Batman are a nice touch as well. On the downside, the story itself is disjointed. These are two pieces of a larger crossover and, since the conclusion isn't found in this volume, this means that the narrative goes unresolved.

Canadian writer Jeff Lemire takes the reigns following this crossover, beginning the epic "Books of Magic" storyline. This multi-part narrative sees the aforementioned Justice League Dark battling it out against Felix Faust for control of the map to the location of the Books of Magic. Where Milligan struggled to give the characters depth and the story scope, Lemire provides snappy dialogue and a fantastic globe-trotting adventure.

Reading Lemire's work here is truly like watching a movie. His cinematic sensibilities allow the story to unfold like a great adventure film, giving readers the feel of an Indiana Jones epic with a twist of Harry Potter. Beyond the story itself, Lemire excels at writing the characters. He digs deep with Constantine, giving him a layered and complex personality that translates well in his dialogue. He also seems to understand Zatanna in a way that allows her to be that much more captivating as a character. He allows her to become the heart of the team without forcing it. New addition Black Orchid is also a welcome change to the team's dynamic. Her aggressiveness and take-no-prisoners attitude is refreshing in contrast to the more laissez-faire attitude of the others.

Another major plus in this trade paperback's favour is Mikel Janin's art. In the previous volume, his work often felt stiff and traced. However, his work is vastly improved here. The characters, Zatanna especially, are so much more expressive and truly pop out of the page. He is also to be praised for his composition, as he isn't afraid to try out different layouts and perspectives, as well as putting together some rather impressive action scenes.

As a whole, Justice League Dark Vol. 2: The Books of Magic is practically flawless. The characters are vividly written and the art is both whimsical and gritty. Still, the inclusion of the "Rise of the Vampires" issues feel unnecessary as they have very little bearing on the rest of the collection. 

Furthermore, Lemire inundates readers with the introductions of new characters. While it was understandable for him to replace the newly departed Mindwarp and Shade (good riddance!), the introductions of Steve Trevor, Dr. Mist, Felix Faust, Black Orchid, Tim Hunter, Nick Nero, Frankenstein and Amethyst become tedious and overwhelming. He really could have gotten away with trimming the cast a little.

That said, it's really hard not to love this collection. The storytelling is impeccable and cinematic in nearly every sense of the word, the characters are relatable and Lemire gives this team a true presence within the DC Universe. For fans of the supernatural or adventure stories, this collection will not disappoint.

RATING: A

Review: Ayumi Hamasaki, Asia Tour 2007 A ~Tour of Secret~

In the spring of 2007, J-Pop superstar Ayumi Hamasaki embarked on a groundbreaking tour that would see her performing outside of her native country for the first time for an arena tour. With stops in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, she made waves for delighting audiences in Asia with her elaborate costumes and charismatic stage persona.

From her first note to her final thank you, Asia Tour 2007 A ~Tour of Secret~ chronicles her journey and the entirety of her Fukuoka show.

Descending from a glittering swing, Ayumi Hamasaki appears dressed in a gothic burlesque showgirl ensemble while singing her hit song "evolution" during the show's opening. This brief 18th century-inspired segment features the dancers in stylized period costumes and includes a rendition of her I am… era single "UNITE!" Though not nearly as spectacular as previous arena tour entrances, the choreography and staging is impeccable, while her vocals are completely on-point.

After a brisk video interlude, Hamasaki rises onto the stage in a giant metal cage alongside her female dancers to perform "1 LOVE." As one of the standout songs from Secret, this rock-laced track is rendered with high energy and maximum sex appeal. From her golden bodice to her convincing sensuality, Hamasaki makes this performance one of the most memorable from the show. She follows this with another highlight from Secret, "until that Day…" 

Unfortunately, this section borrows heavily from her previous concerts. "1 LOVE" recycles the staging from the caged segment from her 2002 arena tour, while "until that Day…" feels vaguely reminiscent of the choreography for "my name's WOMEN" from her 2005 arena tour.

Switching from the previous segment's rock vibe, Hamasaki continues the show with a string of ballads. While wearing a mint green dress with floral embellishments, she sings "M" and the LOVEppears single "appears." Sadly, this section is fairly forgettable. The fashion isn't overly impressive and the choice of older songs was a bit of a misstep.

Thankfully, her follow-up "part of Me" and "Secret" offer fans some much-needed new material. Hamasaki is draped in gorgeous silken fabrics and belts out the most affecting songs of the show, while her dancers help to tell a story of yearning through their choreography. This segment is quite possibly the most memorable of the concert.

As the show draws to a close, Hamasaki returns to her more high octane catalogue and stuns with a brilliant performance of "kiss o' kill." This gothic rock song sees the pint-sized singer belting it out in a silver outfit, while her Phantom of the Opera-esque background dancers chase after her. After the song's bridge, she appears floating on a metal cross. Once more, she's seen recycling from previous shows. For fans of Hamasaki's concerts, they'll remember her singing on a cross for her 2005-2006 Countdown Live performance.

She concludes the main show with a trio of older hits while dressed in a glittering showgirl ensemble. This section is glitzy and fun, borrowing a little inspiration from the seminal movie musical Moulin Rouge!. The closing number "Boys & Girls" brings down the house and is a definite highlight. It's easy to see why it's one of her most performed tracks, as she gives it her all and gets the audience singing from the top of their lungs.

Despite sharing the title of her eighth studio album, Tour of Secret comes across more like a greatest hits show than a concert promoting any one album. It eschews material from her two previous albums (MY STORY and (miss)understood), in favour of relying mostly on songs from LOVEppears, Duty and I am…. In total, only four of Secret's full length songs made it onto the setlist. It's a disappointment that nearly sinks this tour. Fans have seen her perform much of this concert's setlist many times over and, to this day, Secret remains one of the most underrepresented albums on tour. 

This isn't the only problem that plagues the setlist, seeing as it's almost overwhelmingly rock-inspired. The vast majority of the songs sung are her rock tracks, which makes Tour of Secret one of her only tours that lacks a definitive "cute" segment displaying her infectious pop music.

With its recycling of previous staging and lacklustre setlist, Tour of Secret is one of Ayumi Hamasaki's least memorable arena tours. In fact, it feels more like one of her smaller scale Countdown shows given the simpler sets and choreography. Even still, it's hard to fault Hamasaki given how incredible she is as a performer, especially when she's wearing such gorgeous costuming.

RATING: B-

Review: Ayumi Hamasaki, GUILTY

In 2008, Ayumi Hamasaki kicked off the year with the release of her ninth full-length studio album GUILTY. This rock-tinged record served as a de facto sequel to its predecessor Secret and featured the best-selling ballad "Together When…" Despite the success of its singles, GUILTY was the J-Pop superstar's first album not to debut at the top of the charts. Even still, it went on to be certified Double Platinum.

Much like Secret, GUILTY is a carefully curated collection of rock tracks paired with a health sprinkling of upbeat pop songs. It is structured brilliantly, placing the headbangers at the start and transitioning towards the more sugary-sweet tracks at the end.

Consistency and cohesion are just two words that describe GUILTY's sound. The opening trifecta of rock-inflenced songs is powerful, with "talking' 2 myself" standing particularly strong. Its guitar-heavy composition and instrumental breakdown, paired with Hamasaki's hearty vocals, make it one of her best rock efforts to date.

As the album transitions towards its sweeter pop songs, we get the affecting ballad "fated." It is less orchestral than previous love songs performed by Hamasaki, relying on electric guitars and drums rather than piano and strings. This helps it to stand out amongst her rather impressive oeuvre of ballads. Her airy vocals are perfectly laid out against the mellow rock arrangement. 

Interestingly, it is immediately followed by the more traditionally composed ballad "Together When…" Its piano-led arrangement builds towards a spectacular rock-laced finish. Though not one of her most memorable love songs, Hamasaki is still to be commended for being able to dish out such polished ballads this far into her career.

GUILTY concludes with a friendlier sound, which is kicked off by the playful pop track "glitter." Bouncy and sweet, it is a quintessential feel-good summer song. However, it is the penultimate song "MY ALL" that takes the cake. With its powerful and meaningful lyrics, as well as its incredibly catchy melody, it serves as the album's most notable standout. It should really be no wonder as to why the song has gone on to become one of Hamasaki's most favoured encore performances.

It's hard not to love GUILTY. It is one of Hamasaki's most cohesive albums and plays flawlessly from start to finish, thanks to its solid structure and unified sound. It helps that the album features only ten full-length songs, with the rest of the tracks being interludes. This prevents dragging and shows a greater attention to detail on Hamasaki's part, as there isn't a single instance of filler. For me, this is personally one of my favourite albums of hers and it comes highly recommended for all types of music fans.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING: "talkin' 2 myself," "fated," "Together When…," "glitter," "MY ALL"

RATING: A

Ranking Rihanna's Albums

Following her modest debut in 2005, Rihanna has gone on to become a bonafide superstar. In just ten short years, she has released seven studio albums and has achieved ten #1 singles as a leading artist on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Since the Barbadian singer has rightly earned her place in the pantheon of music icons, it should be no surprise that fans are waiting with bated breath for her follow-up to the Platinum certified Unapologetic.

In anticipation of her eighth studio album, this entry takes a look at her studio releases thus far and ranks them from worst to best.

07. Music of the Sun (2005)

Singles: "Pon de Replay," "If It's Lovin' that You Want"

While her debut effort may have been kicked off with the club hit "Pon de Replay," much of Music of the Sun is tragically bland and relies heavily on presenting Rihanna as a distinctly Caribbean artist. The songs themselves are all fairly tame and were appropriate for the then-teenage singer. There are a few catchy tracks like "Music of the Sun" and "That La, La, La," but it's really no surprise as to why Rihanna hasn't performed any material off of her freshman album since her Good Girl Gone Bad Tour.

06. A Girl Like Me (2006)

Singles: "SOS," Unfaithful," "We Ride," "Break It Off"

Much like its predecessor, A Girl Like Me is heavily influenced by reggae and Rihanna's Barbadian heritage. That said, it diverges in its pop sensibilities and mature subject matter. The lead single "SOS" brilliantly samples the '80s classic "Tainted Love," turning the infectious pop hit into a modern club track. Meanwhile, the album's second single "Unfaithful" presented Rihanna as more of a risk-taker by tackling the subject of infidelity in a mostly orchestral power ballad. The song reached #1 in Canada and was certified Platinum in the United States, thus becoming her signature ballad until the phenomenal "Stay" was released in 2013. Still, the album's strong singles merely buoyed the otherwise recycling of Music of the Sun's sound.

05. Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)

Singles: "Umbrella," "Shut Up and Drive," "Hate That I Love You," "Don't Stop the Music," "Rehab"

Armed with an edgy makeover and the Grammy Award winning lead single "Umbrella," Rihanna propelled herself into the stratosphere with her third album Good Girl Gone Bad. A marked improvement over its predecessors, the album featured a more radio-friendly on pop hits like "Don't Stop the Music" and the rock-tinged "Shut Up and Drive." Non-single tracks like the sassy "Breaking Dishes" and the titular "Good Girl Gone Bad" proved that Rihanna was a multi-faceted singer worthy of her stature. Unfortunately, Good Girl Gone Bad is sunk by an overabundance of forgettable filler.

That said, it's worth mentioning that the album's re-release helped Rihanna score two additional #1 hits with "Disturbia" and "Take a Bow." It's just too bad the tracks weren't on the initial release.

04. Talk That Talk (2011)

Singles: "We Found Love," "You da One," "Talk That Talk," "Birthday Cake," "Where Have You Been," "Cockiness (I Love It) Remix"

In many ways, Talk That Talk is quintessentially Rihanna. It masterfully blends the genres of pop, R&B and reggae in a series of sultry tracks that showcase her unique vocals. From the maddening ear candy that is "We Found Love" to the cleverly written "Cockiness (I Love It)," Rihanna delivers one of her strongest and most cohesive works with the album. While the album will perhaps be overshadowed by the overwhelming success of its lead single, it is refreshing in its lack of filler and should be appreciated for its stirring ballads "We All Want Love" and "Farewell."

03. Rated R (2009)

Singles: "Russian Roulette," "Hard," "Wait Your Turn," "Rude Boy," "Rockstar 101," "Te Amo"

Released in the wake of her highly publicized split from Chris Brown, Rated R offers a wide range of edgy rock-tinged tracks that tackle the difficult subjects of abuse and love gone awry. Songs like "Russian Roulette," "Stupid in Love" and "Cold Case Love" are dark ballads, driven by raw emotion and mature lyrics. As its title would suggest, Rated R gave fans a glimpse of a much darker side of the superstar's life and presented her as a true artist, free from the strings of her record label. 

Despite its nearly overwhelming haunting atmosphere, Rated R is diversified by the presence of the dance club-friendly "Rude Boy" and the homoerotic "Te Amo." This helps to prevent the album from dragging, creating a more well-rounded approach to what would otherwise be considered a concept album.

02. Loud (2010)

Singles: "Only Girl (In the World)," "What's My Name?," "Raining Men," "S&M," "Man Down," "California King Bed," "Cheers (Drink to That)"

Eschewing the rock-tinged sound of its predecessor, Loud is a celebratory and colourful masterpiece that embraces Rihanna's status as a popstar. From the club-thumping "Only Girl (In the World)" to the insanely infectious "What's My Name?," the album is light on filler and heavy on catchy hooks. Loud showcases Rihanna's confidence as a vocalist and a performer, giving birth to three #1 singles. 

It should really be no surprise that the album was nominated for the prestigious Album of the Year award at the Grammys.

01. Unapologetic (2012)

Singles: "Diamonds," "Stay," "Pour It Up," "Loveeeeeee Song," "Right Now," "What Now," "Jump"

From its provocative cover to its lyrical content, everything about Unapologetic is brash and defiant. It is musically ambitious, blending just about every genre Rihanna has ever toyed with into one album. From the David Guetta-helmed opening tack "Phresh Off the Runway" to the reggae-influenced "No Love Allowed," Unapologetic plays like a best of compilation. It includes many memorable gems like the powerful rock ballad "What Now" to the haunting "Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary," as well along with the career-defining monster smashes "Diamonds" and "Stay." 

Unapologetic became Rihanna's very first number one album and earned her two Grammys, including Best Urban Contemporary Album. If this album proves anything, it's that her follow-up has a lot to live up to.

Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Season 3

Favourite Ranger: Kimberly Hart, The Pink Power Ranger

Favourite Villain: Lord Zedd

Favourite Episode: "Ninja Quest" (Parts I-IV)

Least Favourite Ranger: Rocky DeSantos, The Red Power Ranger

Least Favourite Villain: Rito Revolto

Least Favourite Episode: "Attack of the 60' Bulk"

With the arrival of Rita Repulsa's brother Rito Revolto, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers find themselves outmatched. To combat this new threat, they must search out a powerful ally to help them in their quest to defeat their latest enemy.

The first half of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers features some of the strongest storytelling in the history of the series. The opening three-parter "A Friend in Need" is notable for the crossover with the short-lived Masked Rider series and posits the Rangers in space. The different setting and usage of alternate antagonists is a nice change of pace. Similarly, the "Ninja Quest" saga is equally as satisfying since it changes the status quo of the series. The introduction of new costumes, Zords and enemies reinvigorates the narrative, opening up new possibilities for storytelling. Additionally, Bulk and Skull's transition into becoming police officers is a nice progression for them, showing viewers just how far they've come since their days as the school bullies.

Unfortunately, the season loses steam shortly after the departure of fan-favourite Kimberly Hart. Without her grounding presence on the show, it becomes clear that the team lacks cohesion and the chemistry between the cast members is a little off. While Kat is a surprisingly nice addition, she lacks the bubbly personality that made the Pink Ranger so loveable. Even still, Kat's arc of villain-turned-hero is a nice homage to Tommy's introduction into the show and her character is shown to have more depth than the previous Ranger replacements.

Where the season truly loses its way is during the Alien Rangers miniseries. This poorly conceived storyline sees the main cast being transformed into children and features the introduction of a group of Power Rangers from another planet to pick up the slack. Intended to be aquatic in nature, these new heroes can't survive without hydration. They speak through garbled audio filters and are made up with cheap looking masks. This is in stark contrast to their Ranger identities, which are ninja-inspired. They lack personalities and are altogether quite forgettable. At the same time, it's tragic that they didn't use more of the footage from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger throughout the season. Truthfully, they should have eschewed the Alien Rangers arc and instead used their costumes as alternate looks for the main Rangers.

Overall, the conclusion of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers era ends rather disappointingly. The Alien Rangers arc is incredibly underwhelming and the misuse of the Ninja Sentai Kakuranger footage proved to be an obvious missed opportunity. Nevertheless, the efforts made to move the series along through the departure of old characters and the introductions of new ones are commendable. Kat's potential and the new direction with which they've taken Bulk and Skull help prevent this season from being a total loss.