BoVD is one book that I have been waiting for for a while. In general, the book is well written, and the layout is great.

However...why did they slap a "Mature Rating" label on the book, when some of the material can pass off as PG-13??

While some folks might be squeamish if I go into "specifics," some parts of the book has me a tad urked.

For example, some of the rules on Torture are vague. I just have to wonder, what exactly happens to someone who get's blinded by having their eyes gouged out? And the issues about slavery would make any Sadomachosist giggle like a schoolgirl.

Also, I've noticed the book only has guidelines on evil, but doesn't go into detail about how to run Evil Campaigns. Are we still in that PC stigma with the Bible Thumpers, hmmm??

And some monsters in the book...could've been shafted to Monster Manual II.

Also, if this is a "Mature Readers Only" book, then what about subjects like Monster Crossbreeding (for lack of a better word)? What would happen if a Gnoll Tribe captured a harem of Elven Maidens and..."did the deed?" Do we get Catgirls, Werewolves...what??

And correct me if i'm wrong, but some parts of the book seem to have been [borrowed]the pages of "The Complete Guide to Unlawful Carnal Knowledge," the infamous guide of lore that "introduced" a few things that spiced up many games.

I gave it 4 stars because I commend the fact that Wizards had the guts to produce such a book. Why it's not 5...perhaps they could've hired folks who knew the material, not just hackmead it??

Reading the Lords of Darkness Book is a trip into the bad side of a realm that seems to hold more than they're implying.

Much of the literature is a "inside look" if you will of many organizations of FR, and I found that while WOTC has exelled in many, several areas of the book seem to lack. Much like the Monster Manual, the Drow has been severely "underinformed" of their background info (Focusing on the Above-Ground Drow of the House Jaelre really doesn't "represent" the Drow that well IMHO).

Also, some of these "Groups" (Particularly Beholders and other references to particular "Races") only seem to have been "thrown in" as filler. While it would have been prudent on just focusing on House Jaelre,did WOTC have to throw in the entire Drow Patheon for kicks and give short blurbs? Or Mind Flayers?? I would've been content on buying another book about the "Evil" Races of FR fleshed out more throughly. I seriously doubt Mind Flayers could be a "Organization" like some of the other groups in the book.

Of course, WOTC does provide some great material for any campaign, but then again, how they present the information is abit clunky at times.

I enjoy many of the maps for some of the Organizations and whatnot, but others left me scratching my head. Is II 2 or 11?? Also, some of the sidebars are placed like as they meant to intrude on my reading...

The real money's worth is in the pictures. Gorgeous rengerings here and there; thought, more drawings would've been abit more worth it, as WOTC has lacked showing a few here and there...

...

For those who aren't in the know, Macross Plus was "distributed" 2 ways; the entire movie here and 4 seperate video tapes. I bought Part 4 first, then only got the Subtitled Movie later on.

To be honest, both tapes average a neutral in my mind; while Part 4 has abit more "Footage" and some different sequences (I have no idea why) plus had "Pulse" and a somewhat longer version of "Information High" (And it seemed to match flawlessly with the film in Part 4; in the Movie, it was clunky, didn't seem to mathc the film, and was shorter).

The Movie looked like classic anime; it looked old, played out very well, and offered a better cut than the Part 4 I have. Plus, the sequence on the Movie with "Information High" looked abit more spectatular with it's difference sequence that followed the begining of the concert scence on Earth.

But then again, I grew-up watching Part 4, so, I dunno; they both pretty much are both okay by each other.

Cost wise?? Perhaps I should buy parts 1 to 3 and see the differences!!

While set in the future, Cowboy Bebop somehow seems to mirror today's problems and put them in either a quirky light or in a surprisingly funny way, This is no exception.

"Brain Scratch" eriely mirrors the problems Japan has with the Aum Shiryku Cult that pretty much made themseleves infamous with a few events I rather not go into detail about. However, the episode also deals with the subject, thought it's not apparent, of the problems with "Organized Religion." Some folks can point out that Chrisitanity was a Cult before it attained Religious Status (And yes, I am an Atheist...a Skeptical Atheist, not Militant) and the same problems that plague it as well.

"Hard Luck Woman" sees a turning point in two of the characters...well, three, if you consider Faye Valentine coming to terms with her past. All in all, it sets the stage for what's to come...but i'm not one to tell...perhaps the depature of the two mirrors what's to come next....a male and a female...

Much like Japanese Anime, Final Fantasy: TSW suffers on the approach from how Japanese Filmamkers sometimes approaches material dealing with something of a Philosophical Nature. Usually, American Audiances aren't too accustomed to the plot, and so, they feel like the movie is confusing. This is edvident if you look at folks who watch Ghost in the Shell and Princess Mononoke who are either aren't "in the scence" or really don't have the basic grasp of understanding the concept of the films.

FF deals with several occuring themes; The Brashness of the Military, Questioning Gaia Theories, and a few others I can't figure out right now. Don't really expect this film to be action, because while there are a few action shots, most of it goes into grossingly philosophical detail only a college might wanna dwell into.

They do alot of questioning about Gaia and "her" existance. "If I take a gun and shoot, not only i'm making a hole, i'm hurting the Earth?" Perhaps. Who knows? That's the basis of Philosophical Debate.

I rated the movie merely on the basis of philosophical and other reasons. While it's a first, don't really expect action or the like.

As for the revolutionary tactics...FF

In a previous review of another suppliment just like this, I complained how these guides lack certain factors...well, i've been right all along. Sorta.

For staters, the Class Guides produced by WOTC seem to be follwing a set guideline; emphasis on how to play, throw in some Prestige Classes nobody will (rarely) use, include the basics and some grossly powerful junk, and some mediocore to passable artwork, and you have a guide.

While I like to be refreshed with how to play, and be given pointers, could there be more to these guides? Maybe.

Why not go beyond the typical Human or Halfling Rogue or Elven Bard? Why is it the typical races that are introduced to us in the Basic Manuals the exact steriotypes as in the guide?? Why not a diversity? No Satyr Bards?? Drow Rogues?? Where is the information in adapting the classes to some of the creatures in the Monster Manual?? Nearly all the manuals never make the effort to present such material.

As for Prestige Classes...somehow, there seems to be no effort in trying to make a passable Prestige Class for us DM's. I have yet to see one that I could throw into my Campaigns. I end up making my own, culling from Historical Sources. Already, I have maybe 3 covering Clerics and 2 covering Fighters. Any chance I could get a job at Wizards??

The Items: other than the basic stuff you might find on the Bards and Rogues, the rest seem to be overpowered a/or underpowered. There seems to be no balance, and whatever is listed always seems to be stuff you would only put if you can't figure out what to do. Sometimes, it's not worth it to even dump into some treasure Hoard.

Spells: while I like some new stuff, some are just plain...useless. There a joke!! Okay, these are for Bards, but c'mon, does it have be THAT insulting?? Leading a band of Monsters would raise some flags with anybody...not to mention freak out the Populace.

I strictly buy these only for Reference Purposes...nothing more, My assumption is that WOTC makes them to be Strictly REFERENCE books, and probably the intended purpose.

I recommend that these books be bought as reference, and nothing more. Unless Wizards has some plans to add some incentive thought to future references...God help us if they try to make a suppliment on Vampires...

[NOTE: Considering that the storyline has been dealt with ad nausem, I'll try to highlight the more "Philosophical" points of the Movie]

Hailed as a piece with no equal, "GitS" provides the viewer with both a Visually Stimulating Picture coupled with a more Mentally Irritating Storyline that could possibly cause you to think of the Philosophy of Machines and Souls.

Probably drawing upon the question "Do machines dream of electric Sheep?," the film raises the question about machines being sentinant lifeforms like us, with a soul, and rational thought. It also dwells into the ethics of technology, and how it quietly inflitrates society and in time, subvertly takes control. (The quote in the begining of the film highlights this point somewhat.)

The main chracter, Major Motoko Kusanagi, deals with questions concerning her body. She is nothing more than a Cyborg Body with very few of her "original" bodyparts left from her previous body. She begins to doubt her existance, and even her limits, trying to find answers to her questions. But she does find some solace in the main "villan" in the film, which leads to a very intense debate that couldn't have been written finer by a Professor at some Ivy League College in Philosophy.

This film provides something for everyone; Girls with Guns, Intense Action Scences, and for the Academics, questions concerning Machines and Souls, Ethics of Technology, and I think a debate on Evolution. In fact, some Professors use this film (And others) for their classes.

I suggest you try to watch both sides, as both seem to interact with each other. Who knows, perhaps you can learn something from a cartoon?

The only reason why I got the Album was because of Toonami's Midnight Run Episode where they Showed all 4 Daft Punk Videos and all 3 Gorillaz Videos.

Upon seeing their seamless music on the videos, I bought the CD, and was instantly hooked on the smooth music that sound futuristic, yet is easy to handle.

A nice CD, only wish they would release the Videos on tape, instead of my lowly VHS copy sitting at home right now...

I expected the suppliment to be a good resource to MAKE NPC's...instead, much if it is hashed together people that I wouldn't put in any of my campaigns even if I was desperate enough!!

And a little pet peeve of mine; whenever I open a book, I expect at least DECENT pictures that portray the characters (like in Forgotten Realms...well, not all of them) or at least a caption telling me what's in the picture. Okay, I can see the "Iconic Character" NPC's in the back, like Lidda and Krusk and can identify them, but the rest...some I had to guess who was who (The Circle of Green being a prime example...i'm still trying to figure out which female is which).

And, I know this is a "Basic" suppliment, but was the budget for the book artwork that bad?? Looks like the "Iconic Characters" chapter blew the budget, while the rest are hardly recognizeable. And why the small ammount of pictures? The Iconic Characters would've been worth it for the pictures alone; seems they shafted the Elves, Half-Elves and two of the three "Religious" characters for the others. The others...from passable to pure...pure...you get the point.

Only buy if your desperate...

I can't really say for sure, but this book seems to be woefully overpriced for the stuff they "present."

Other than standard FR fare (Gensai and such), and some new Dragons, the rest seems to be a mix of "Cool" to "What the heck were they thinking?"

Seems only the "Kitties" (Spectral Panther, Wemic, and Quaggoth) are worth to add, but the rest (Firenewt?? WTF??) are bland or don't add really nothing new to the field.

A suplliment that is best left on the store shelf...but, that's my opinion, I could be wrong...