Ghost in the Shell (2017) [+] Live-action version of the Japanese anime. In future Tokyo robots and cybernetics abound but Major Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson) is unique as a brain in a cyber body, the first of her kind. She is part of Section Nine, a Japanese counter-terrorist unit. The latest case involves Kuze (Michael Carmen Pitt), a cyber hacker with unnaturally good skills and who is murdering all scientists involved in a secret project which turns out to be the secret project that created Mira. This leads to the terrible secret of Mira's creation… Not the first time I've seen this film though I apparently didn't review it before. Seems like a fine version of Ghost in the Shell with lots of action, cyber tech, and a cyberpunk sort of plot (though Ghost in the Shell is not cyberpunk). Both Chief Aramaki ("Beat" Takeshi Kitano) and Batou (Pilou Asbæk) have significant roles and the rest of Section Nine is there but very minor.

Side Quest (2025) [/] Four episode comedy anthology series set in the Mythic Quest universe. (1) Lead artist (Derek Waters) is hounded by Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney) to do work whilst on vacation but it endangers his relationship with long time girlfriend Maude (Anna Konkle). (2) At an African-American small comic book store the patrons fight over the one copy of the new Mythic Quest comic book. (3) A young cellist (Annamarie Kasper, who is also a cellist) is hired by her idol conductor as he produces a Mythic Quest symphony but as the performances go on she starts losing her ability to feel the music. (4) A group of college-age friends embark on their last Mythic Quest series of raids as their social dynamics and issues lead them to break up, for the better… Episode two was the best because of the comic book shop vibe. Episode four was next best since you never really see Mythic Quest the MMO being played in the series.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2023) [-] and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (2025) [-] Spanish-language series based on Jules Verne novels. The concept is that what Verne wrote was real but in an alternate Verne Dimension. 150 years later his descendants are tasked with protecting the Verne Dimension and keeping it secret from the rest of humanity. This is a more kids-centered story where Diego (Sebastián García Huerta) is a descendant and he and his friends discover the secret and although unwelcome they help grandmother Pola (Margarita Rosa de Francisco) deal with the crisis in each mini-series. Comedy is provided by Pompilio Calderón (Óscar Jaenada), a descendant of Verne's nemesis, and Pompilio's mechanical parrot Claudio (Mauricio "El Diablito" Barrientos). Each mini-series does follow a lot of the same elements in the novels (though I'm not that familiar with the novels) but the plots are still fairly simplistic and the kids are annoyingly rebellious. I watched this for the great promo picture featuring Paty Cantú as Admiral Nemo (though only appearing in 4 episodes).

Masterpieced (2023) [/] Apple Arcade jigsaw puzzle game. Unlike Jigsaw Puzzle+ which tries to recreate assembling a puzzle on a big table this one tries to take advantage of the medium. You have to modes, one is the art and the other is words from the artist about the art, so you can try assembling part of the puzzle as art and then switch to continue assembling as text or go back and forth. Another difference is the art starts out very faded and grayscale. As you put in pieces the pieces all the assembled pieces briefly show their full color then fade a bit and as you assemble more and more when the pieces fade they don't fade as far. Not having color does it make it hard as you rely on shapes a lot but then when the puzzle gets hard for shapes the colors by then are good enough you can match by colors. Good implementation though I think I prefer the massive jigsaw puzzles of Jigsaw Puzzle+. These are significant but instead of 100 x 100 more like 12 x 12 which is challenging but not overly challenging.

Izakaya Mai, San Mateo - Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes) [-] Never had Okonomiyaki before and it’s not an experience I want to repeat. “Japanese pancakes. Crispy outside Japanese pancake made with wheat flour, egg, seafood mix, fish cakes, veggies with topped of okonomiyaki sauce, sesame seed and fish flakes. Ramen noodle on top (optional).” I guess it doesn’t taste that bad but it is a light taste. The “pancake” part is a bit too insubstantial for my tastes.