Murphy's Media Memories - M.A.N.T.I.S. (1 of 3): The TV Movie

This begins my look at the Live-Action MANTIS TV Movie and the Live-Action MANTIS TV series (all from 1994 - 1995). There are 3 distinctly different MANTIS universes, but to understand where I'm coming from, first I'll briefly summarize and explain the 2 Hour TV Movie, MANTIS. This is about a black, disabled, millionaire, scientist, superhero. No, wait, that's suppose to be a secret. Did I also forget to mention that it's 100% black actors (main characters) that deals with gang violence?

In the TV movie, you are learning about the MANTIS through a mortician and reporters eyes as they try to find out who this new mysterious 'superhero' is, while MANTIS tries to prevent a gang war and election fraud. It's much more exciting that I make it sound in that sentence.

BlipTV / YouTube / Vimeo

MMM - M.A.N.T.I.S. TV Movie from Shawn Padraic Murphy on Vimeo.

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Kidnap & Interrogate

      There are many ruined buildings on this side of the bridge. The Overseer’s have 2 people captured, and I free them. At one point I find a Weeper in his house and kill him, only to find his blood move up the walls and teleport to his desk. The Weeper’s blood defies the laws of physics.

      I get to Sokolov’s home, at which point I make a startling discovering; he has Overseers on duty with the music emitter which cancels out my magic powers. This is not good. I try not to kill anyone, but it only lasts until the 2nd floor hallway when there is no way to hide quick enough.

      Sokolov is in the Greenhouse on his roof. He doesn’t know who I am, but quickly temps me with money. I knock him unconscious. I read on his desk that a subject is going to die, and walk up the gate to put the Weeper out of it’s misery, only to find it’s actually a human! How depraved is Sokolov to be experimenting on live people? She cowers in the corner and thanks me, saying she needs rest before trying to escape, but I know she won’t be leaving here alive.

      I return home, and once I go to sleep and wake up, I find Emily in my room. She says she felt safe in here and asked if it was alright to be here. I told her she could go wherever she wants and she goes into the corner to read a book.

      I find Piero spying on Callista in the bathroom. I tell him I won’t report him if he stops, and he apologizes. I then accidentally walk into the bathroom (because I have to go into every room just to make sure nothing new has occurred) forgetting the reason he was staring through the keyhole in the first place. I tell Callista that it was an accident, then talk to her again and tell her I’ll leave, at which point she calls me a gentleman.

      Having gained so much money scattered around the city, I buy every upgrade form Piero, then start the Interrogation of Sokolov. Captain Havelock has a dumpster full of rats ready to unleash on Sokolov, but I instead ask Sokolov is he wants anything in return and find out he likes old alcohol. Luckily, I talk to Piero and find he has a rare liquor, but it’s expensive. He wants to know if there is another way, but I tell him this is important and that he should sell it to me. Sokolov is impressed by my manners and tells me the Lord Regent’s biggest financial backer is one of the three Boyle sisters, but he doesn’t know which one, as he only painted her from behind under unusual circumstances. Luckily, Sokolov says he was going to meet her in person for the first time at their annual party. I then make preparations to take her out in her own home.

      I talk more to Sokolov, and he says he knows I didn’t kill the Empress. Of course, he also hints that he knew the Empress intimately, and I wonder if he’s trying to mess with me. Before I make my way to the bed, I run into Cecelia, who gives me a key to an apartment across the street. She says I can hide there if anything ever happens. I know that something is going to happen.

Continue To "Mission 5 - Crashing The Party"

Return To: "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Crossing That Bridge"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Crossing That Bridge

      Samuel takes me to the far left of Kaldwin Bridge. The lights are so bright that not a single soul can go undetected on the other side. I need to deactivate the lights if I want to escape with Sokolov later. I swim along the entire area, but can find no ledges to get to and am instead attack by sea bass. I eventually have to dry off and make my way inside to a mine cart. I can’t wait to turn it on and go for a ride. I make sure to disable the men outside first so I can then enjoy my ride in piece.

      I next swoop under the stairs and then Blink across the river to a drawbridge. I pull the lever and it rises upward, going to a house with a Weeper. Why is this small bridge here? Anyway, I return and finally enter the district where people live on the bridge itself.

      I enjoy knocking out the noble and stealing his money, but he wasn’t that smart. He hid the combination to his safe on his paintings; that’s pretty brilliant, but he stated he did so in a journal right next to his safe. I wouldn’t have discovered the combination the first time, but no, he had to write down the exact order of the painting in his journal. Well, his fault is my gold and Bone Charm. Don’t really know why a noble would have one of these bone charms, though.

      I then find another Bone Charm, but the man who found it killed his brother for stealing it and stayed in the city (he was supposed to leave by boat) only because he felt he should after he found the bone charm. Since he built a shire, I am able to contact the Outsider. He informs me that Sokolov has tried to contact him, thinking that a certain spell or incantation will help him unlock the bone charm’s power, but he says Sokolov doesn’t have the ability to use that power. He would actually visit him, if he thought he was more interesting. The Outsider speaks so calmly, yet his bone charms obviously have a negative effect on people.

      I possess a dog, and get ready to attack a guard, but then find I can do no such action. I was really looking forward to ripping his body apart with the dog’s teeth. I instead climb as high as I can and jump down directly on him to kill him from above. I use his body to cushion my fall so I am not injured.

      Next, I grow tired of hiding like I’ve done every mission; I get spotted on purpose, and have 3 guards and 1 dog follow me around a corner, then I shoot them all with sleep darts. I then notice that 3 more guards stand still near an Arc Pylon. I climb the roof and toss a grenade into the middle of them, then watch as their bodies hilariously explode and toss themselves into the waters below.

      Next is the bridge. I am attacked by electricity bolts as soon as I enter from the Arc Pylon. What a devastating device; I lost nearly everything. I drink an elixir and remove the Whale Oil. However, on the next one, I reprogram it to attack the guards, but it isn’t attacking them, even though a guard is standing right there. I walk up to the guard, who freaks out at my ability to evade the Arc Pylon, but as soon as he draws his sword, he’s exterminated into ash. I guess the Arc Pylons base themselves on motion. I then make short work of the lights, ensuring my future escape.

      I climb on the hinges of the massive bridge in front of me until I can’t anymore, then Blink to the top and activate the crosswalk. I find a dead body at the top of the bridge, hording money; he’s obviously one of Slackjaw’s thugs. After I cross the walkway, I knock out a guard and place him on top of a box (the only one of the walkway) and HE FALLS THROUGH IT. I think for a minute that I’ve tossed him into the waters below, but then I still hear him snoring. I can’t pick him up anymore, and he’ll wake up trapped in a box.

      I rescue a guy who says he’s got some pearls for me if I’ll help him out. He also says he was just selling scrap. Yeah right, buddy; you’re Slackjaw’s man that was captured because I HEARD YOUR FELLOW GANG MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT IT. Actually, now that I think about it, I never saw your gang members corpses, which means the Arc Pylons got them. Anyway, I let him out and follow him, but soon we are stopped by River Crusts. These things; they look like flower pods, but quickly open up and spit green, acidic poison the burns my flesh. I instead chose to explore more, and find two thugs in a house guarding some pearls and other goods; I take them all. I return to the River Crusts to slow down time and take them out quickly with my gun. My jailed friend leads me to the house I had just plundered, and takes a drink from the water. He them immediately turns on me and starting blowing fire. What makes him think I was responsible? Yes, I was, but he has no evidence of this. If I can trick your entire organization into helping me after I’ve already poisoned your elixir and killed half of your gang, I’m pretty sure I should be able to feign innocence with this one guy. Either way, he’s dead now. Time to move on.

Continue To "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Kidnap & Interrogate"

Return To: "Mission 3.5: Repetition"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 3.5 - Repetition

      On the way home, I have a sudden feeling of dread; I left the door open in the basement when I left. What if other Weepers found their way into the basement and were able to go into our hideout and kill everyone while I was gone. What if, because of my oversight, I return to find all of my allies are now Weepers. Emily would have no followers and no way to claim the throne and I’d have just achieved a completely empty victory at getting her home.

      Again, I return to the Hell’s Pits, or whatever my base is called. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I can just tilt my head 45 degrees upward to read the sign, but whatever. Callista tells Emily she will be teaching Emily, and Emily wants to see her new quarters. I use my Heart to listen to Emily and hear the Heart say she has seen many dark actions and seeks comfort in childish things, but it never lasts. I also hope that I am not, in fact, HOLDING THE HEART OF HER DEAD MOTHER RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER and further killing her soul and outlook on humanity. Also, hopefully she doesn’t put together that I NOW POSSES THE ABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT KILLED HER MOTHER.

      Luckily, there are no charms that the Outsider decided to leave me today, for I was feeling rather tired of tracking them down and wanted a rest. I’m supposed to find Pendleton first, but, man, I might as well be tracking those bone charms again because it takes me 15 minutes to find him behind the tower. Couldn’t he have told Havelock where I should meet him?

      Interestingly, the maid now feels a little sad for Pendleton and wonders what it would be like to be with him; this from the same woman that thought it was a stupid idea to even think of marrying him.

      I try to show the rest of my allies my new powers of fake teleportation (I’m bending space to move faster, actually), but they all say, “Did I just faint.” I don’t have a lot of hope for this new regime should we succeed in overthrowing the Lord Regent. If my own allies are so close-minded to refuse to see what’s in front of their own eyes, how can they see what’s happening to the very people they will help to rule without making things worse?

      Pendleton is sad his brothers are gone, but says, “I suppose I’ll have to have children, or recognize one of my bastards,” nice guy. Then, he says, “This is a new beginning, I’ll make sure of that.” His words sound ominous. I hope that he isn’t using us to kill his brothers so he can take over their prestige and votes, and is, in fact, continuing to use us so that he can become the next Lord Regent. If it wasn’t for the audiographs of his diary that reveal more of his inner soul, I would have killed him right there rather than chance it (and made sure to kill his servant, too—I really hate that guy).

      I go to sleep and have a dream where I relive my escape from the prison without letting a single person spot me, and hear a small, bleep as I finish my mission. I wake up to find I have salivated all over my pillow. Better get to the next mission.

Continue To "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Crossing That Bridge"

Return To: Mission 3: Find Emily: Golden Cat Bathhouse

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 3 - Find Emily: Golden Cat Bathhouse

      I start on the streets, wondering where that hotel is that was supposed to be a shortcut, and instead sneak along the roads to a dead end near the canal and knock out a prostitute who was admiring the view. I climb up many air conditioners, listen to some guards, then knock out all the guards that are patrolling the rooftops.

      I find a back entrance once I climb over the roof and jump onto a balcony on the 2nd floor. Luckily, a noble and his ‘woman’ are passed out in front of me. I learn 3 guards into the room while I find under the fireplace, then kill then once they've given up the search and turned away from me. I later knock out two prostitutes and bring them back to the room as well, enjoying my safety. I find later that the bodies like to disappear, and wonder what happen to them. Oh well, their lives aren’t my problem.

      I then realize, that though I increased the number of Sleep Darts I could carry, I never actually bought any sleep darts (and only had 2 for the entire mission). I curse myself and slit the throat of a City Watch guard in front of me in anger.

      With all the hallways of the 2nd floor clear, I find a staircase that leads to some rooms. Along the way I’ve heard where the Pendleton’s are, but I was going to visit every room and kill them if I saw them, so it wasn’t really too much concern for that information, but luckily everyone thought they should state what room the Pendleton’s were in every other room I went to.

      I ignore all the rooms for now and go up the back stairs which only lead to the women's living quarters; they look like guard rooms of a noble's house. And then, surprisingly, I find that Emily is there! She is excited to see me and gives me a hug (though I had to take my mask off for a second so she'd know it was me. She says she’ll show me an easy way out. I tell her to wait as I explore the room next to her, but when I return, I find she hasn’t waited for me. Oh no! What if she’s killed along the way? I’ll have failed everything I promised to the Empress! I frantically run down the stairs, searching the 2nd floor for her. The heart doesn’t help either, telling me that I should stay close to her to make sure she doesn’t drown; thanks for rubbing it in my face. It isn’t until 10 minutes later that I return to the stairway to search again and notice the VIP sign; this leads to an area I hadn't explored, a back entrance I just remembered should lead back to the Distillery District where Granny Rags was wandering. With luck, I find her alive. She says she’ll be ok from here on out and that she knows the way. I am confident that, despite 8 city blocks of Weepers, City Watch guards, Bottle Street Gangs, and gun-torrent Watch Towers that she’ll definitely be safe; nope, definitely no need for me to escort her at all.

      I find myself getting annoyed at two women in the bathroom upon my return. I spot them staring at a mirror in a bathroom, doing their makeup. I try to sneak in, but as soon as creep along the wall, I bump into a glass cup that falls and shatters on the floor, causing them to turn and spot me. Both of them run away screaming for help. Since both of the 2nd & 1st floors are empty now, I don’t care. Let them try and find some help. Of course, I just realized that I didn't take out the guards in the garden. And, how was I able to sneak up on these women at all when they were looking at a mirror?

      I sneak along the outside ledge to Morgan Pendleton's location in the Ivory Room. I open his balcony door and try to lure him outside, but he never comes. I smash some windows, and he just stands around dumbfounded. Irritated, I leap up through the window to announce myself, hoping to scare him. However, Morgan Pendleton is waiting for me, and THROWS A DINNER PLATE AT MY HEAD WHICH KNOCKS ME OFF THE WINDOW AND INTO THE RIVERS BELOW. Yes, I am a highly trained sword-fighter, warrior, and assassin, and I almost got killed by a scrawny noble with no combat experience. Maybe I’m not cut out for this job.

      I burn with revenge. My blood boils at the satisfaction I know I will soon receive. Every climb from the street back up to his room is building to his death. I enter through the balcony door I left open and cut him to pieces, feeling glee in my revenge. I toss Pendleton into the waters below the same way he did to me, but his body gets caught on the railing and twists and contorts around it. I’m not a scientist, but I’m pretty sure physics don’t work this way. But, I do speed through the air and defy those same physics, so I try not to question the world god has made.

      His woman shrieks, and she stays still on the ground, and easy target to knock unconscious. No matter how angry I am, I know it's not here fault and that I shouldn't kill her; she’s just trying to make a living. Then, I remember she said no one helped her old boss as he screamed for hours, and seriously think about throwing her off the balcony to drown, but luckily my desire to kill the other Pendleton returns, and I leave her there with the emotional scars of having a man killed in front of her with his blood splattered all over her dress.

      I see guards approaching (didn’t I clear this hall?) and quickly return to close the door where Pendleton was and quickly teleport upstairs. I can hear people searching for me. I spot a guard on the balcony and quickly throw him off as I hear the voices behind me fanning out. Sorry, but my life trumps yours.

      The other Pendleton is talking about having his women dress up as someone he hates so he can ‘punish’ her. I’ll be glad when he’s dead. Though interestingly, I hear that there is a noble he hates because they have many crystal deposits under their land. I wonder who this person is?

      I return to the Artist’s house and open the safe, but I can’t find Slackjaw. I was going to give him the combination to the safe, after I had already plundered it first, of course, but I can’t find him at his desk. Oh, well.

      I then remember I forgot to collect the runes in the Bathhouse. Am I really going to go back after my mission is complete just for something that that I know will only make me feel slightly more powerful my gaining the ability to regenerate my health from water? Sigh. Yes, yes, I am.

      After going through the level again, getting the runes, then leaving the Golden Cat, and entering the first street, I find my previous actions rewarded: three guards are back on the street (magically), and I watch as each one is ripped apart by the Watch Tower I re-programmed. This technology thing is so undependable. I make my way to the Wall of Light, only to find it off. I was pretty sure it was on when I left for the Golden Cat. I walk through and find that the Whale Oil is empty. The guards were killed by my Watch Tower before they could start it up again, leaving me a straight path to the boat.

Continue To "Mission 3.5 - Repetition

Return To "Mission 3 - Find Emily: Revisit The Previous Level

2012 Thrift Store Buys: DVD / Blu-Ray / Video Games

Here are some 2 videos of my thrift store buys: the first video is for DVD & Blu-Rays, while the 2nd is Video Games.

Ninja Resurrection: The Disappointment (A Review & Rant) - It's NOT Ninja Scroll

I waited years for this?

Ninja Scroll (which, was just released on Blu-Ray this month) was an awesome action movie that I enjoyed as a kid, so when I saw Ninja Resurrection on VHS, I bought it as well.  I watched the first OVA, but the 2nd I never bought, so I never saw the conclusion.  I wouldn't know until college that Ninja Resurrection used the same font as Ninja Scroll to trick people into buying it, and that it was actually based on a series of novels and already had 3 Live Action films.  Despite this, I enjoyed the first Ninja Resurrection as an interesting set-up, was excited when I finally found the DVD of both OVA's at a Movie Stop for $5.00 this year, then greatly disappointed when I finally watched the 2nd OVA.

<center><strong>Ninja Resurrection:  OVA 1</strong></center>

Let's sum up Ninja Resurrection:  OVA 1.  We learn a long history lesson about historical figures (so that the anime can the nscrew with the history in any way it pleases); the only important thing from the narration is that there is a tale of a savior of God helping turn the people and land, but if he is stopped in any way, he could instead become the next Satan.  We see an army attacked a house, destroy the Virgin Mary statue inside, then shoot a boy to death who happened to enter.  That boy is seen my his friend Okho, who cries for his death, until it is revealed that he is alive; the bullet hit his cross.  Everyone comes out of hiding and believes it is a miracle, and the boys' cross glows with light and the Virgin Mary statue is magically re-created. 

Years Later, that same small boy (Shiro) is now the head of a farmer's movement that is fighting the local government (it's situated as Farmers = Good, Government = Bad).  Shiro tells his followers not to forget that the enemy is also dying, and that they are also suffering.  Later, he tells his mentor that he will surrender himself to the government because they are without food, and victory is now impossible.  However, his mentor tells him they must fight to the death, or everything they started will mean nothing.

Every attack the government makes fails.  At a meeting describing this by the general of the army, Jubei appears, stating he will go in.  He and four of his allies attach themselves onto a kite and decent into the castle on gliders (so, apparently, this is what really happened in local history [sarcasm]) and start killing everyone.  At one point, Jubie spots some children, wall walks past them, and continues running.  Later, they are spotted by Shiro's Mentor, who kills them (if you were watching this, this is totally obvious given his per chant for smiling malevolently when no one was looking).  With the defense down, the army is also able to get through.

Shiro meets Jubei on the roof and says he will kill himself if the women and children are protected.  Jubei agrees, but then Shiro's mentor shows up with the children's heads, telling Shiro that Jubei is not to be trusted.  Angered at Jubei's (supposed) lies, Shiro calls forth the power of good and forms a dragon out of ceiling tiles to fight Jubei.  This is where we see Shiro fall, as his anger comes lashing out, and his eyes glow with hatred which he has most likely never shown before (it is also unknown whether the power he got actually came from God or Satan).  After a long battle, Jubei uses the heads of the children to distract Shiro, and in a moment of hesitation, is able to kill Shiro and knock him back into the church.

There, however, Shiro's mentor appears with his childhood friend Ocho, and tells him to have sex with her so he can give birth to Satan.  Shiro is unable to stop the consummation, but it is assumed that Shiro will return as Satan, having given birth to himself.

The only problems with the first OVA is that you get back-story on the general Jubei talks to, for no reason whatsoever, as he is never seen again.  Also, Shiro is clearly the main character.  The OVA feels like a compressed story that hints at far greater things to come.

<center><strong>Ninja Ressurection:  OVA 2</strong></center>

I can't even begin to describe how completely annoyed I was at this.  The storytelling is off the wall, characters are raped (because it's 90's anime I suppose), people are killed, and not a single thing happens.  It ends on a cliffhanger.  This is a another set-up after the initial set-up.  What the hell kind of storytelling is this?

Before I start to sound like someone who has had their dreams crushed, I'll give you the synopsis.  First, Jubei is relaxing while two kids (a brother and sister [Onwei]) catch fish and play in the water.  Jubei suddenly remembers the two kids that were killed.  Their father returns and chastises the girl for being a tomboy, and his son for doing servant work.  Then, what follows is plot exposition (and this is in addition to the lengthily historical info that happens before the anime even starts).  Apparently, the local Shogun wants all girls of noble birth ages 15 - 22 to appear in his city, and I immediately realize it's for a virginal sacrifice.  After a long dinner scene, we cut to morning, where we see the female that cooked them dinner (Ohina) to be a fighter that defeats everyone around her.  She then spars with Onwei and they battle to a standstill.

Jubei trains everyone at this place, in case you are wondering.  He also wants to quit fighting.  He is now clearly the main character this time around.  Jubei's father and mentor train him in a flashback.  Jubei had just killed some men, and his Father/Mentor tells Jubei to attack him as if he is anyone else.  Jubei doesn't try to kill him, so Father/Mentor stakes him in the eye and tells him not to rely on strength alone, and that he used his knowledge that he would hold back to defeat him, then banishes Jubei.  Jubei doesn't like his lessons, but apparently agreed with them, because in the first OVA, he sticks out the heads of the children to distract Shiro to deal him a killing blow.

Also, why did Jubei kill Shiro?  Apparently it was because it was his duty, but it appears in the first OVA that he is almost a mercenary force or something.  It's not really explained.

Anyway, the good character set-up for Jubei's character is now pointless because Jubei in now removed from the rest of the OVA.  You heard me right:  the main character is gone from the rest of the story.  He sends Onwei (who clearly has a crush on Jubei) & Ohina off to the city, then leaves to investigate on his own, which also seems to mean, "I don't have anything to contribute to the plot anymore."  Hell, even Onwei & Ohina, who we have JUST ESTABLISHED, are gone from the rest of the OVA. 

The OVA does a total 180, as we see a guy who ran through the forest in OVA 1 then smile at the end as if he was a villian, now doing something unvillian like, drawing pictures of Buddha while surrounded by evil looking statues.  It's never explained what he is doing or why.

Then, we get a rape scene to introduce the evil demons.  Well, these aren't demons, they are 3 of the 6 masters of some fighting styles that are now evil for no reason whatsoever other than to show people that they are experienced badasses and that no one can touch.  I guess they are expected to be obstacles for Jubei to overcome and show that they are actually a viable threat, if he ever got to fight them.  One of the other demons (I don't care at all to name them or look them up, I really stopped caring at this point) kills a ninja who was spying on them, then is staked with multiple swords.  Instead of dying, we see the swords in his body push themselves out, while his intestines swirl up and cut people (yes, you heard me:  deadly killer intestines).  One of the ninja escapes, but it looks like he escapes because a third demon-ninja-fighting-style-master interfered.  Did they want him to get away?

That ninja reports to Jubei's Mentor/Father and we find that he still hates Jubei, but also thinks his follower is drunk for stating who the people that killed everyone were.

Next, onto a long and boring resurrection scene.  We see Ocho from OVA 1 give birth to Satan.  It's not pretty.  There is some smoke, some skin movements, some hair extending out of her body, and then it explodes (this takes over 10 minutes, by the way).  Shiro/Satan returns (I assume it's Shiro, he just sort of screams) and then gives his 3 followers a green glow of power (except for Shiro's old master, who just praises Satan and watches with glee the entire time).  We later see one of the follower demons that just powered up standing in the middle of a busy street festival, and then he starts killing everyone by cutting them up with his sword.  The other two followers do this as well.  People are killed for a few minutes, then the 3 fighting-style-not-zombies jump toward the screen, followed by Shiro/Satan; and then it just ends.

What the hell was this?  Why did you do a set-up of a set-up?  Why did you draw out the narrative of the resurrection for half of the entire OVA?  Why are the characters missing?  Why does this feel like 2 different writers when 1 writer is credited for both OVAs?  Why was this the last OVA?  The story is not continued anywhere, I checked.  On Wikipedia, the stories of the Live Action films are completely different (even though this is technically a sequel to one of them).  Also, Wikipedia, states that Ohiro is the girl that is raped.  If that's so, what was the point?  Why set her up as a fighter only to have her now dead?  And furthermore, where was Onwei if that was the case?  If the Demons are actual positive historical figures, were they corrupted?  If they are just lifeless husks, why do they have personalities and speech?  The characters were entirely pointless, as was the entire OVA itself.  Nothing is explained, not even Satan/Shiro's motivation or what he is.  Does Shiro have the powers of Satan?  Or, is he Satan's mindless Avatar?  Did his soul merge with Satan?  Why does he only grunt and scream?  How are we supposed to figure out what Satan/Shiro's plan are other than just killing everyone that exists?  The one thing that does get explained (the Sata/Shiro resurrection) is long and takes up way to much screen time.  At one point I realizes there was no way this would finish and I was already expecting a cliffhanger that would never be solved, but I was still pissed about it when it happened.

So, yeah, OVA 1 has potential, but OVA 2 destroyed every ounce of the potential it had.  I am not surprised that the next OVA was cancelled after this one came out, and after watching it, I'm glad I'm angry about it so that I don't care, otherwise, I'd be silently wishing for the remaining OVA's which would never come, which is a rant for another time.