V-Day 2K13// Warm Bodies [Review]// Nana To Kaoru

Image copyright AkiaTomiyo (r//w[g])

Well nettaversers, it's that time of year where you either have a loved/liked one to call a "valentine" or you complain about how the holiday is usuless and you just want it to be SAD (singles awareness day).... or you're one of the neutral parties who could care less either way. Anywhosills, Happy V-day to you regardless. In order to add some R//W[G] to this "holiday" I've decided to do a few things with this post. The first one being a mini-review of Warm Bodies that I got to see yesterday with my Valentine despite an incident that almost ruined my perfectly planned day. Second is a manga feature of Nana to Kaoru.

Image copyright Summit Entertainment

Theater Release Date: Feb 1st, 2013

Run Time: 1hr 38min

Type: Young Adult Novel Adaptation

Synopsis: After R (a highly unusual zombie) saves Julie from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world.

I was really looking forward to this film despite my not liking this whole zombie surge that has been around lately. Summit Entertainment has been making strides in the movie industry lately. With the Twilight Saga being over, I was wondering if they'd try and branch out to broader audiences. It seemed like they were trying to do so with Red Ridding Hood but that movie was aimed much at the same audience. While Warm Bodies is based on a young adult novel, the content it much darker and much goreier at points... but does that add any broader appeal?

Yes and no. While zombies have next to nothing to do with teenage romance, in this movie romance plays a bit part in causing a change to those who were once %100 human. The source material for this series was a YA novel, and those tend to have to have romance in them. Rarely is there none.

The film contained some really nice comedic moments, my favorite being later on in the film which would be spoilers so I will not really go into them. The zombie effects may not have been on par with the Walking Dead, but the bonies weren't all that great... seems like Summit still has budget troubles. Hehe. Also the music was interesting...

Overall, if you're a fan of stuff like Twilight, Red Riding Hood, The Hunger Games- basically if you don't mind cheesy teen romances but with a mix of zombies; go ahead and check this out. Otherwise wait until you can rent it for little over a dollar (or even go to the $1 movies instead) because this movie really limits its audience.

Review rating:

***.5

((different take on the whole zombie genre, but there is not much here for real zombie enthusiasts and those looking for more than a teen romance))

 

Image copyright Ryuta Amazume

I really wish this manga would come out in English. I could give so many less cares about it being an S&M manga because while that is a main focus this is not the violent or looked down upon S&M... you know what, check out this Weekly Manga Recap from thatguywiththeglasses.com (I never new the same website that had Nostalgia Critic covered manga as well till I was browsing the site last week) it really explained how I feel about the series.

Type: Japanese Manga

Genre(s): comedy, romance, ecchi, seinin, school

# of Chapters: 87+

Synopsis: 

Kaoru is a 17-year-old virgin who has an S&M fetish. He has always dreamt about an SM relationship with his childhood friend Nana, who is looked upon as perfect and is always the target of boys' eyes. Their relationship has somewhat deteriorated through the years, due to them hanging out with different people and because Kaoru is not taking his education too seriously. One day though, Kaoru's mother gives some of his S&M toys to Nana for safekeeping. Nana finds the leather one-piece that Kaoru bought and tries it on but accidentally locks herself in it and doesn't have the key! Kaoru frees her of the one-piece, but then Nana realizes she may like Kaoru's hobby more than she thought. Subsequently, the two of them start engaging in so-called "breathers". These breathers are intended to relieve Nana of stress that originates from her attempts at keeping her grades and name perfect.