Author: Eiji Otsuka

Illustrator: Housui Yamazaki

Genre: horror, mystery, seinen

Published by: Kadokawa Shoten (Japanese), Dark Horse Comics (English)

Age Appropriate: ADULTS ONLY (gore and nudity)

Bloody Mess Meter: 8-10 (What does this mean?)

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Strange?  Certainly.  Unique?  Without a doubt.  Created by the man behind MPD Psycho, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is a trip into the bizarre and the supernatural.

What if you passed away without fulfilling a final wish, or died under suspicious circumstances and no one could (or wanted to) prove it?  Well this is Kurosagi’s business; taking on clients, (the deceased), and using their various skills to try to fulfill those desires and solve whatever mysteries that unwittingly entails.  Suicides, dismembered limbs, parasites, serial killers, and even aliens are all just a taste of the story arcs that await you in this amazing series.  Also, as a fun side note, each volume’s chapters are themed after song titles by various Japanese pop singers.

The team.  First we have Karatsu, an itako, meaning he can speak to the death- well, technically, they speak through him.  Next is Sasaki, founder and information gatherer of the group with contacts and hacking skills to spare.  Numata is a dowser, unable to find a drop of water but, he can find a dead body (or body parts) anywhere.  Then there is Makino, the sweet-faced embalmer who learned her trade in America, and whose personal style is always cute and sometimes a little gothic.  Finally, Kata is a somewhat shy, nerdy young man who claims to channel an alien intelligence through the sock puppet that always sits on one hand.  Kere Ellis is the foul-mouthed alien in question who chooses to speak through him, using the sock puppet as a physical vessel to visit Earth.

One of my personal favorite characters is very closed tied to Karatsu, the itako, but I would prefer to leave you with a general sense of mystery as to his identity.  Discovering who he is is part of the thrill of the experience of Kurosagi for me.  I will, however, leave you with a name: Yaichi.

An eclectic and engaging cast of characters mixes with highly original and often unsettling stories to create a fascinating and disturbing reading experience that you won’t be able to put down.  If you don’t already have a taste for the gory and unusual, I wouldn’t recommend this series for you.  If you enjoy something a little different and don’t mind dead, decaying, and sometimes naked bodies, give Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service a try.

They aren’t the white stork that brings you into this world; they are the black heron, Kurosagi, that takes you out of it.

Best known as Tara on Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, Amber Benson has done so much since her Buffy days that it’s hard to believe. Earlier this year she released the second novel in her Calliope Reaper-Jones series and has been busy on the indie film festival circuits promoting her new film, co-directed with Adam Busch (also of Buffy fame), Drones. She acts, she writes, she even directs. Is there anything this woman can’t do? But the real question is… did she like 40-Year Old Virgin?

The Last Doctor: I recently saw the trailer for your new film, Drones.

Amber Benson: It’s a really good movie. I’m really proud of it. We have a very Freaks and Geeks heavy cast.

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That was actually one of the things I noticed about it. Did you watch Freaks and Geeks when it aired?

Of course, yeah.

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Are you a Jud Apatow fan?

Yeah, yeah, I do like Jud Apatow’s stuff.

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So it may be about aliens but it doesn’t have the flashy sci-fi effects. For you, what makes a film sci-fi?

Well with Drones what makes it a sci-fi film instead of just a regular office comedy is the fact that there may or may not be aliens in the office. And not of the illegal kind! More of the outer space kind. But with Drones we wanted to leave people to make up their own minds.  By the end of the film, you’re like “are there really aliens?” You know, you’ve been stuck in an office with these people for so long and they are just so odd, you know, that they may be pretending. We want people to walk away questioning if it’s real or not. You know?

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What was it like to co-direct?

It was really fun. Adam is really good at working with actors and I love bossing crew around. (laughs) So I would work with the DP (Director of Photography) to set up the shots and Adam would work on motivation with the actors. And we were shooting in such a small amount of time, we shot in 14 days, there really wasn’t time. Having both of us there made it possible to do it. There wasn’t time for one person to do everything.  We really did need each other to do these separate things so that everything was covered.

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As an actor is it harder for you to direct or do you feel that you have a better understanding?

I think as an actor I’ve been on sets so I’m comfortable walking on to a set and I want everyone to have a good time because those are always the sets that I enjoyed the most, where the cast and the crew get on and it’s not about rushing to get this thing done and everyone is stressed out. It’s more about enjoying the process. And if I hadn’t had the experience of being an actor and working on sets, I probably would have been freaked out about it because I knew what I was getting into. I think it does make you a better director because you’re aware of what actors go through; you’re a little more compassionate towards them.

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The cast of Freaks and Geeks are amazing actors. When you were doing the casting for Drones, did you have them come in an audition or did you just know who fit who?

Adam and I are part of this 40’s radio send off, like cabaret kind of show called The Thrilling Adventure Show (http://thrillingadventurehour.com/Show.html). And they do it at Largo once a month. If you’re around, you should definitely come, it’s a lot of fun. But the guys that wrote Drones, Acker and Blacker, write this Thrilling Adventure Show.

Like I said, it’s like a 40’s adventure show send off. There’s a marshal from Mars, is one of the episodes, and there’s a spooky Nick and Nora Charles-like episode. It’s just a lot of fun so a lot of actors from Drones where actually actors in The Thrilling Adventure Show: Samm Levine and Dave Gruber Allen and Marc Evan Jackson. So we already knew who we wanted to cast and the writers had a lot of the actors in mind. So yeah it was written for them and then Adam and I both fans of Jonathan Woodward from Buffy so we were like “he’s in, he’s our man.”

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You’ve worked in the sci-fi and supernatural genres. Do you believe that these genres serve as a means to explore what it means to be human?

I think what’s so great about sci-fi and fantasy is that you can deal with big ticket issues without getting up on a soapbox and preaching at people. I think that’s the beauty of sci-fi, it’s why I enjoy it. Like you read Stranger in a Strange Land and it’s like “oh, this is like the Christ story told from this sort of sci-fi perspective” and the exanimation of humanity and what the masses are looking for and what they are willing to accept. And it’s interesting. I think that we can examine ourselves through science fiction, you know, we can explore our humanity.

Are they aliens? Or aren't they?

So what separates us from the monsters?

Not very much. I think there’s a little of a monster inside all of us. And I think that’s the struggle of being human, to fight the bad side that’s inside of ourselves, you know, to struggle to be better people. It’s very easy to let the monster take over.

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Is that what you want to explore?

Yeah, I’m always curious to explore that. When I write and when I direct, I’m always attracted to stories that aren’t just, you know, kind of fluffy. They do have something going on underneath.

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Obviously Joss Whedon does a lot with that. He always has that story beneath the story subtly coming through. Did you always like that approach or did it come from working with him?

I think you are always inspired by working with brilliant people and he’s definitely a brilliant creator/director/writer. I’m sure it had something to do with him, my continuing on and doing all this other stuff.

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Do you feel that being a part of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and having that exposure allowed you to continue to do this?

Oh yeah. I feel that without Buffy, I wouldn’t write books or make movies or if I had it would have been later on. I think Buffy opened a lot of doors for me and, you know, I’m very grateful that I was a part of it.

Amber Benson Official Blog / Drones Official Site

Mike Oliver: Cold Fusion is Einstein’s theory based on the creation of high energy through a natural medium. ColdFusion is the creation of high energy generated through the intense alternative music of 4 young, highly motivated musicians.

How does the concept of Cold Fusion sever as your concept for your music?

We chose the name ColdFusion because it best represented the type of rock music we create. Even our ballads have an intense underlying energy. When you listen you can feel the pounding of the throbs of energy bursts as they explode.

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Why should people check you out?

If you’re looking to explode, we’d be the band you’d check out. We don’t just get on stage and head bang… it’s an all-out war played out right in front of you. No one stands at our shows, everyone jumps in! If you want to sit back and enjoy a concert, we are not the band to see.

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Do you have any musical influences that you just wouldn’t be the same without, both as a band and as individuals?

Nirvana started it all with a dash of Stabbing Westward and a toss in of Hoobastank.

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How would your mom describe your music?

She likes it! My mom is an original rocker so she’s all into our sound and describes it as “hard driving, hard rock” which is her terminology from the 60s.

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I admit, I’m a huge sucker for crowns. Mix them with skulls and I’m sold. How did you come up with the band’s logo?

It was created by our graphic artist. We went through about 30 designs and finally all agreed on the current one.

Tell me about performing as part of Dane Cook’s Tourgasm. How did you become a part of that?

Our licensing agent called and said that Dane Cook personally chose our song “On My Own” to be in his first HBO series called “Tourgasm”. Now, did he really call and say he personally wanted us? Our agent only knows, but it makes a good story, ha!

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I’m not familiar with the Warped Tour Time Capsule you mention on your MySpace. Could you tell us what it is as what you contributed?

The Warped tour display was in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame for about a year, then was placed entirely into a time capsule which will be opened around 2015 or so. What did we contribute? Our CDs, all access Warped Tour passes, autographed promo photo, lyrics, CF T-shirt and an autographed condom. Don’t even begin to ask about the condom ha!

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How many cities would you say you have played so far? And what was the highlight?

Wow, good question. I’ll have to say maybe 500? 2 highlights: Japan and NYC! We did a 11-stop tour of Japan and the whole entire experience was awesome! NYC was just damn exciting!! We play a lot in the southwest, so it was an entirely different type of experience.

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Your international debut was in Japan. What was that experience like, both as visitors to a foreign country and as a band performance? Did you make any new friends?

Exciting from the get-go which started in the middle of the night in Phoenix, AZ. We traveled to LAX and amidst massive luggage and confusion, finally made it to Japan. Our road manager there was entirely too nice and patient. Shows are much more formal and at first we were intimated and quite frankly we played like sh*t. We finally realized we just needed to be ourselves and then there was … magic! Made a lot of friends with the other bands, connected with a lot of fans and by the end of the tour we had groupies following us to the airport. Wow! It was amazing and we hope to go back soon!

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Where do you want to go next?

Do you mean country? Easy… Canada! Weird, because it’s so close, but we heard the fans are awesome there!!

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Do you feel the band has grown over time? What is the next step in your evolution?

Of course. The minute you stand still, you die. Next step is creating and focusing more on the music and hoping to hit a huge commercial cord and bring in millions of dollars and live happily ever after in our own private castles ha!

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Do you guys have any personal weaknesses? Girls with brown eyes, cookie dough ice cream, hyperactive pug puppies?

A.D.D. — what did you say again?

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What do you hope people will say after one of your life performances?

Damn, I’m tired…

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How about after two?

I may never walk again…

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And what can we expect form you this year?

Better and ever-changing new music to pound your ear drums to death.

Official MySpace

Ever wondered what it would like to own a independent label in Japan? Starting from the ground up, singer/songwriter Kiryu created his own record company in order to support the artist he believes need and deserve the support. Last month, Kiryu took the time to talk with The Last Doctor about why he created the label, how he works with, and what he thinks of the current trends in Japan.

The Last Doctor: We’re you a fan of Doctor Who prior to your casting as Jake?

Andrew Hayden-Smith: I wasn’t a huge fan and when I got the part I decided to do a bit of research, so I watched the first series of the new series and really, really enjoyed it.

And a friend of mine, he’s a big fan, gave me some of the older episodes to watch as well, so I do have a bit of a background. I would say that now, after being on it, I definitely watch the new series as it comes out and I have become a big fan.

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So what is it like to be part of the Doctor Who universe?

Oh, I’m very proud to be part of it. Cause it is like one big happy family. The fans, the best fans a TV show has, the loyalty is amazing. So it’s incredible.

And you like coming to events like this?

Yeah, it’s great fun. I remember some faces as well and it’s nice to see the same people around. Yeah, they’re always fun to do. You can meet the fans, of course, it’s nice to get feedback and see what they think of the show.

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And what do you think of characters like Captain Jack Harkness?

I think they’re great characters. They’re so energetic. They bring a lot of action to the show and more excitement, so we definitely need them.

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What do you have coming up this year?

I’m in talks with a new sci-fi series, which is in its early stages but hopefully we’re going to start filming that later this year.

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Are you a fan of sci-fi?

I do like sci-fi. I wouldn’t say I’m that much of a fan but yeah, I’ve worked with it quite a bit. I’ve grown to like it. I definitely think it’s the most fun genre to work in.

So I’m looking forward to it.

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Do you enjoy the anything is possible aspect of it?

Yeah, I think so. And of course, it’s exciting to play a character that could come back at any moment. He’s not stuck. Anything can happen.

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So what do you think would happen if Jake did come back to Doctor Who?

I’d like to see him, it’s been a few years, so maybe a little more in charge than he was. Take control a little bit more, have his own army.

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And now with Mickey back in his own reality, Jake probably is on his own.

Yeah, right, of course. But I would have liked to see Mickey and Jake really do some good.

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So what was it like to work with the Cybermen?

My first day was in a big field where there were a lot of them at once. Yeah, it was a lot of fun. We would take breaks in between takes and talk with them, they would leave their helmets on. It was pretty interesting.

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Did you ever try one of the helmets on?

I didn’t actually. Because you had to get screwed into them, so there really wasn’t much time to do. But I know it was Noel’s birthday and there were 10 cybermen heads made and they surprised him with an 11th head as a present for him. So I’m a little bit jealous about that as well.

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What do you think of Russell T Davies’ policy of all ethnicities and sexualities being present in the new series?

I think it’s great that he’s managed to bring it into the mainstream. It’s the biggest program on British television. So to do that does a lot for sexuality and things like that. It can only be a positive thing, really, to bring it onto mainstream television.

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And do you think the future of the world is Captain Jack?

Oh yeah, definitely, I think so. Yeah, absolutely.

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Are you ready for Steven Moffat’s takeover?

Yeah, I’ll be very interested to see what goes on and what he does with it. Russell T Davies was obviously incredible so I’ll be interested to see what he does. And to see what Matt Smith does with the Doctor, as well.

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So you are excited?

Yeah. I can’t wait! Very excited.

The Last Doctor: The Sarah Jane Adventures Roundtable panel was quite interesting.

Tommy Knight: That was quite fun. I didn’t know half the things they were talking about. I’m not too up on the whole Who history and many of the questions were “oh, are you going to bring back the thing and thing.” And I’m sitting there like “oh I don’t know what to say.” So I was quiet for most of it. I enjoyed it, though.

So what do you think about the suggestion that John Barrowman, aka Captain Jack Harkness, guest star in an story?

I would love it. I met him a couple of times; we film right next to where Torchwood and Who film and I saw him there. But he’s an absolute barrel of laughs. You know, the man’s a legend. So yeah I loved to have him come on.

Is there anyone else from the recent Doctor Who series you’d like to see come over to The Sarah Jane Adventures?

I’d like a couple of the monsters to come on. I really love the Adipose. They are the coolest things. They were so cute! And I’ve love for them to come along. I really do. I really want my own one, which would be awesome, and yeah. But yeah… I don’t know.. I really want Matt Smith to come on, the next doctor. I don’t know how he’s going to do but I want him already.

So you want to be a future companion of the Eleventh Doctor?

That would be awesome. That would be awesome… but that’s a dream which, you know, I won’t get my hopes up for, as awesome as it would be.

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Are you excited for the future of The Sarah Jane Adventures?

We’re just starting to film another one. I think on the 28th of March. I’m going up to Cardiff with Danny (Anthony) and Anjli (Mohindra) and we’re going to be doing series four, which we are so excited for. And we’re going to have so much fun doing that. It’s going to be really good. I’m really excited for it.

According the Roundtable panel, you really want the writers to add in some romance.

Oh yeah, I’m down for anything. It’s all a laugh, isn’t it?

Are there any themes you are hoping to explore?

I really want to be evil. A little while ago, like a month back, I had a part in The Bill. I played a gang rapist.

Really?

Yeah. And you know what? It was so much fun. I really loved it. And people said I had done a better performance than I had done for most of Luke. Which I was really pleased with that response. So I really want to do that. The auditions and things that I get for evil people, I think a lot of times people think I’m too nice, you know? I’m working on it.

You would think that would help you. To have the nice guy suddenly be bad.

Yeah but… (laughs) I’m working on it, trying to be like a really, really foul person. I’m not too great at it yet.

Still too nice?

Yeah, yeah… Oh well. (laughs)

Apart from The Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who, want are you really looking forward to doing?

I really want to go and study medicine.

Medicine?

Yeah, definitely. Definitely. That is… I really want to be a pediatrician when I’m older. That’s something I’ve wanted ever since I was a wee little lad. I have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that but it’s as long as I can remember, wanting to be a pediatrician.

So you really love kids?

Yeah, and I’ve always had a big interest in medicine. It was actually just sort of like makes sense.

With The Sarah Jane Adventures geared more towards children, is that why the show appeals to you?

It’s really nice. I’ve done a couple of conventions, like two or three, back home in England and it’s so amazing the amount of children. Cause, like, this (Gallifrey One) is very adult orientated, which I love, but back home they are a lot more child orientated. Parents bring their kids along and the kids are so excited to see you… you know? Yeah. So I do a lot for children’s charities and things like that.

Are they any main charities that you support?

Demelza House. I’ve worked a lot for them. It’s a children’s hospice, for children in need back in England. I do a lot for them. I’ve done two conventions now where everything I’ve gotten from it, I’ve donated to them. I try to help them out as much as I can. I go down to see them sometimes as well.

Do you really enjoy meeting the kids that watch you on TV? What is their reaction to meeting you?

It’s nice. I think sometimes they expect me to be quite awesome and then they meet me and I’m, you know. I don’t know if it’s that bad… (laughs) But some people presume I’m going to be Luke, but I’m rather normal. But, yeah… No, it’s really nice. When they’re so happy, you know, it does make you happy. To any fan, if you meet them and they are happy, it gives you a little warmth inside.

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Have you seen the little Daleks running around?

The little guys are the cutest things! I was coming down the elevator, he’s mum was like strapping his little nozzle on to his arm, and he’s got is little hat on… Ah… I melted. I melted inside. It was so cute.

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And with that sentiment, Tommy had to run off and join his mum but it wasn’t long before he was back in the lobby, meeting fans and posing for photos.

More interviews from Gallifrey One – Blackjack 21 to come!

Should Tommy be the next companion? Post your thoughts here!

Game Title: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES

Developer: ATLUS

Genre: turn-based roleplaying, simulation

Age Appropriate: 17+ (Rated M by the ESRB)

Bloody Mess Meter: 6/10 (What does this mean?)

What can I say about Persona 3?

How about: OMG FRAK U I HAD THAT SH*T GODDAMNED SHADOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In all seriousness, I fell in love with this game pretty quickly, and I admit to having a thing for Shin Megami Tensei in general.  The anime cutscenes and almost cute way the characters are presented is just one facade to lure you into a false sense of security.  For all it’s funny, scratch that, hilarious, and sweet moments, at its core, Persona 3 has a deep, gritty storyline with twists and turns you’ll want to follow all the way to the end.  And then some, for those of you who pick of the FES version of the game, like me, will receive not only a bit of extra content in the main game- like extra personae- but an entire separate chunk, a mini-sequel of sorts, packaged with “The Journey” called “The Answer”.  I can’t go into too much detail, due to how spoilerific that would get, but I’ll put it to you this way: Beating the game is one of the most satisfying exploits I’ve completed in a long time, it wrapped up, things fell into place, but nonetheless I was left with a feeling of, “What? Wait–!”  And so, “The Answer” is there to answer (harhar) the call of players who want to know more, who aren’t satisfied with not knowing what happens next.

(I’ll be an honest little article author right now, I haven’t even started on “The Answer” yet, but I am not entirely uninformed as to its contents.)

Persona 3 melds a now beloved formula of turn-based RPG and sims.  You’re a student, you have to go to school, you meet people, make friends, make girlfriends, get days off to have fun at the beach and film festivals.  But at night, you set out to battle in the ever-changing labyrinth tower that is Tartarus during a time known as the “Dark Hour”.  This is a time that sits between the normal hours of the clock on your nightstand, normal folks are transmogrified into coffins and are made entirely unaware to it, while persona users are free to roam and fight shadows.  Of course, being the main character, you are not tied down to one persona, you have the wild card element your teammates lack.  You can even switch personas mid-battle, (to a point, once per turn).  Persona fusions allow you to make new and powerful new personas- as long as you’re a high enough level to handle it, don’t think at Level 25 they’re going to let you make a Level 30 persona yet.  And those social links you nuture during the day give the personas you fuse extra power, level them up even further and give them new abilities.

Oh and did I mention that you can get sick?  Oh yes, tired, sick, run around Tartarus too long, or spend too many nights in a row studying and you can find yourself and your teammates looking rather pale.  Take a sick teammate into battle and they’ll leave the first chance they get, and will remain ill even longer.  Just a little R&R is all you need to recover, but when you’re cramming for finals, or are trying to grind in preparation for a boss, its a definite inconvenience.

In the beginning, how fast your teammates get tired tends to rub you the wrong way pretty quick, but don’t worry, in the future you’ll be grinding so much your eyes might want to pop out of your head and plead for mercy.  Mine about did.  There are two methods to grinding- the usual, well, I’m not strong enough for this battle yet, lemme level up a little; and seeing how far you can stand to max yourself out before the final battle.  For me, the recommended minimum level in my guide for the final boss of the entire game was 74, and I was at 90.  Indeed, I clocked plenty of extra hours, beat The Reaper himself (those Velvet Room/Elizabeth requests will kill ya sometimes), and unlocked the secret dungeon of Tatarus known as Monad.  But it meant I was a high enough level to carry Messiah into the final battle, and let me tell you, that’s one sexy Almighty wielding persona.

Some of my favorite features of the game include:

• The personal achievement meter you keep that shows how leveled you are in academics, charm, and courage.  See that social link over there?  Can’t talk to them until your charm is higher.  See that seedy hangout?  Can’t go in until your courage is maxed.  Once you max everything in the game, you are a charismatic badass genius.  No wonder everyone wants to be your friend.
• The little outfits you can gain through some of Elizabeth’s Requests.  Maid outfits, bathing suits, winter attire, all amusing little extras to take your teammates into battle wearing.
• The tarot theme.  All of your socal links are themed by the different arcana, personas fall into each of those arcana, and shuffles you receive at the end of battles can up your money, experience, heal you, or even give you a new persona.  All of the boss battles you fight are also arcana themed and it makes for some interesting creatures.

The whole game is smooth and complex, and very enjoyable despite the inevitable handful of times you throw your controller at the TV and walk away screaming because you died one battle before you were about to save.  I’ve noticed in my internet surfing that a lot of Shin Megami Tensei fans seem to rate the Persona games higher than the Devil Summoner games but lower than Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga.  I can agree to a certain extent, but Persona 3 is still the first one I’ve actually finished, (there I admitted it).  I tend to leave a lot of RPG’s unfinished, or sitting around the last boss battle.  Sometimes its a time constraint, or a distraction, I tend to need a break from the turn-based world.  Sometimes I get to the end and whether I come close to killing the final boss or not I find myself going, “Well, I basically did it, I’ll come back to this later” and then I don’t.

With Persona 3, the closer and closer I got to the end, the more and more willing I was to push through, grind, destroy shadow after shadow, max link after link, for hours and hours so I could truly beat it.  Nothing else would satisfy my need for a Persona fix.  Such a weight lifted off my shoulders to see that final boss fall… but then came the epilogue.  Guess I better get cracking on “The Answer”.

Do you have a favorite persona or social link?  A favorite tactic for beating The Reaper?  Are you planning on buying the portable version that comes out in this July in the U.S.?  (I know I am- female protagonist for the win!)  Let us know by leaving a comment!

He’s worked with some of the best actors the UK has to offer, from Doctor Who’s David Tennant and John Simm to Gerard Butler, and some Americans as well, but does this perpetual baddie get any love? Well, maybe not looking like his character in 300. Is he just misunderstood? Taking a look back at his most well-known work (were those 300 abs CGI?) and the friends he made (or didn’t make) as well as looking to the future with his directorial debut in Break Clause, Andrew Tiernan took some time to answer awe-inspiring (well, maybe not) questions from The Last Doctor. Perhaps he can be the last Dalek? Or at least the Malcolm McDowell for the new generation.

Best known as Ephialtes in 300, Andrew is no stranger to playing characters on the wrong side of good. In fact, he prefers them.

The Last Doctor: As you know we are called The Last Doctor so I have to ask what was it like to work with the man himself David Tennant in The Quatermass Experiment?

Andrew Tiernan: We were doing a live TV transmission of The Quatermass Experiment, he was playing a doctor funnily enough, and it was just at that time that he found out he was going to play The Doctor. In fact, when he got the call, we were just about to rehearse a scene together on camera. I knew he’d got something big, so I asked him jokingly, “What was that?  Did you get the Batman role?” and he replied; “Kind of.” We did the scene and then he told me the news. Then we just carried on making Quatermass, he was totally into that at that time, as he was a fan of Nigel Kneale’s work, so it was a great honour for all of us to be working on that. But David never let the pressure of taking that role get in the way of his work at the time.

You’ve also worked with another man well known in the Doctor Who universe, John Simm. What is it like acting opposite a man who truly embodies every character he takes on?

Last time I saw John was a year or two ago when he was chasing after me in the street in Soho, shouting, Andy, Andy!! Needless to say, I wasn’t wearing Speedos at the time. He’d seen me in a play, I was trying to get out of there quick, but he dragged me back to the bar. Another great guy to work with.

As someone with a film studies degree, I also have to ask: what was it like working with Roman Polanski?

I loved working with Roman, he up’d my game, and I just wish that I‘d had more. You want to work with people like him forever. He has a great command on set and he knows what he wants and you trust that because he’s a true genius. In The Pianist he had me running round the studio before the scene and as I got to the door of the set, he’d be there grating ice on me for the snow effect, to make it look as realistic as possible. He was very much a hands on director.

After filming a movie like 300, what was it like to actually watch it? What was it like to see yourself with all the prosthetics?

I’d seen bits of the movie when they were putting the score on at Abbey Road, so I had a feel for the film and how it was going to look and was very excited about it. I’d also had the privilege of seeing the trailer online and other campaigns and they were very exciting to see, before it had even come out. It is a spectacular film, and it is cool to see myself as that character, sometimes I say to myself; “I swear I was in that movie, I swear”. It does seem to have taken a life of its own, and it looks so much different to how it looked on set. I never thought I’d be signing action figures of myself. Weird, huh?

Did you get a chance to read the graphic novel? If so, what was your impression of the visuals found there?

Oh yes. Many times. I had it with me at all times during the shoot. It was a great reference. I have always been a fan of Frank Miller’s comic work; Dark Knight Returns, Electra Assassin, Daredevil, the lot. Zack Snyder would have it to hand too as far as I remember. The artwork is wonderful. When Zack and I met, we looked through it together and he explained what he wanted to do.

I recently wrote a blog about the series premiere of Spartacus Blood and Sand, which utilizes many of the same visual techniques of 300. Have you seen it? Do you think these kinds of visuals are going to pop up more and more with the success of 300?

I haven’t seen that production. Those kinds of visuals are cool if used sparingly and not overdone. I find watching some movies you can always tell when the effects are utilized. 300 got it right in the less is more department and only using blue screen for the sky. But saying that, I really enjoyed District 9.

On another note about CGI; I’m always being asked of 300 if the six packs were CGI or myself for that matter. Just to set the record straight, the six packs were real, and I was not wearing a CGI suit like Andy Serkis wore in Lord of the Rings. I was in a full body prosthetic suit made up of over twenty pieces which had to be glued together, then spray painted, which required me to be shaved from head to toe, I had to endure 10-12 hour make-up sessions each time I was filming.  Believe you me, I wish it had been CGI!  And no, I didn’t sleep during the process. Ha ha.

The only part of me that was ever CGI’d in the post-production was the false eye, they had to match up its movement to my real eye. And that is the only reason that the special FX make-up was disqualified from Oscar nominations.

And because someone told me to ask you this: what was it like working with Gerard Butler?

You tell that someone, that he’s a…. Fine actor. I don’t recall meeting him much. I was so heavily sedated for the pain from the suit, so it’s a bit of a blur for me. I think he thought I was CGI most of the time. When I wasn’t in the make-up, I would go up to him and the guy playing Xerxes and they’d start to cry and call security, cause they didn’t recognize me. I had to calm them down, and once they realized it was me, they were okay, and they’d tell the guards to un-cuff me, but I’ll tell you one thing about him, he never allowed me to be a Spartan, couldn’t raise me shield high enough! I coulda been at the front of the Phalanx!

And how awkward was it to film the scene when Ephialtes first enters Xerxes’ camp?

I was covered in glue and foam for 30 hours during that time (after the application of 10-12 hours). Which I was I told doesn’t break any laws. But when you’re making a movie no one questions that. And if you do, they’ll come in with a big bat and make it awkward for ya…ha ha.

It was an odd experience having scantily clad women and men draping themselves around me, and that goat guy, he used to freak me out, he was like the devil or something. And watch out those goddamn monkeys bite. All I remember is that I was the centre of attention for that day and a few girls were being very friendly and kind, bear in mind I looked like Sloth from The Goonies. After we finished, I went into make-up to get the suit off, and when I leaving to go home as me, I saw some of the girls who I had been talking to all day hanging about waiting for their cabs home, so as I walked past I said “Hi!” and gave them a wave, expecting to have a little chat with them and I got the ‘Who the hell are you?’ look. I realized at that time, of course! They’ve never seen me out of the suit, so I just carried on walking.

It was quite a lonely shoot for me, as I didn’t have the camaraderie that the Spartans enjoyed, I was made to feel like Ephialtes, an outsider. But at least I had the prosthetic make-up boys such as; Shaun Smith, Leon Laderach and Lennie Macdonald, and my driver; Spiros, to keep me company. They all got me through that make-up hell.

You have now been in three shows that seem to have had every single British actor at some point: The Bill, Midsomer Murders, and Casualty. These shows also serve as staples of British drama and have been on for several years. What was it like to work on each show, with such a long history?

Everyone does those programmes at some point. It’s always odd as a guest on those shows because you come in for a week or two and then you go away, and you’re working with actors who have been there for years. It’s tricky, as you don’t know the characters’ back-stories too well, unless you watch it regularly, but you don’t want to offend anyone, but I’m always putting my foot in it and asking questions that I probably shouldn’t.

Is there a show you really want a shot at?

Not really. I would have liked to have done ‘The Wire’ or ‘The Sopranos’ but they’re finished now. I would like to do a ‘Doctor Who’ baddie at some point, but I haven’t been offered it yet. I could play a Dalek!

How’s your American accent?

It’s getting better all the time.

Tell us a bit about your latest projects, Luther and Stone’s War.

Stone’s War was a very interesting project and I would love to see it released. Apparently it’s now called War of the Dead. It was such a great project to be involved in; I just hope that they can sort out whatever it is that is holding up the release cause I’ve heard it’s very good.

I recently completed filming on BBC’s new crime drama Luther starring Idris Elba who played Stringer Bell in The Wire so I was quite excited about working with him. Then there is Bernard Rose’s film Mr. Nice which is due to come out next month, it’s being premiered at South by Southwest in Texas.

I have been doing some of my own projects.  I got into writing a number of years ago. I decided to get off my ass and start doing it for myself so I’ve gotten into production.

I’m just in post-production on my Directorial debut, a film called; Break Clause it’s a modern film noir thriller based in London in the lead up to the Olympic Games in 2012. I had a great cast to work with which included; Lorraine Stanley, Shona McWilliams, Richard Grimes, Joe Egan, Mark Wingett and Perry Benson.  Also Ace Bhatti, who is in the Sarah Jane Chronicles came in and did a bit for us. I managed to get Nick Reynolds (Alabama 3) and Ted Rose to create a score for it and it sounds brilliant. I pulled in a lot of favours to get people in, and they’ve all been great.  I’m very excited about Break Clause and getting it out there.

What is your opinion regarding the current vampire craze?  And how is Britain doing it better?

I like my vampires gritty, not glamorous.  Klaus Kinski and the original Nosferatu, the one out of Salem’s Lot, they were really scary vampires. I really liked Let The Right One In as it felt real. I have always been a fan of films like George A Romero’s  Martin and Abel Ferrera’s The Addiction. Is Britain doing it better? I should ask you that, I don’t really know.

Do you find that the supernatural and horror genres allow us to take a closer look at ourselves and what it means to be human?

No. I think John Cassavetes movies make us do that. I think horror, gore and shock is about escapism. It takes us away from the reality of evil in life itself. In order to feel fear while knowing you’re safe, maybe.

How do you go about creating the characters you play, like 300’s Ephialtes?

It depends on the part. Some research if required. Ephialtes just came when I was in the make-up. I didn’t think about it too much. Left myself alone, sometimes that’s the best way.  Sometimes you just feel the way the character does, with Ephialtes, I certainly felt rejected at that time and I don’t know if it came from people’s behaviour towards me or me just feeling like that because of the part I was playing and the script. Whatever it was, I used it.

Sometimes you can get weeks to months to prepare for a role, but what happens to me a lot of the time is that I’m called up at the last minute to play a part, so I get a few days notice.  The situation is usually this: they can’t get the actor they want to do it, or an actor has pulled out at the last minute, and sometimes I get that call.  And I have to pull it out the bag for them quickly.

Is there a type of character that you feel you’re strongest portraying?

Bad guys, loners, weirdoes. Ha ha. I’ve been typecast a lot as those types of people, so I guess that I must play them well. Though my friends think I should do comedy. I would like to play a normal guy a bit more often. I’ve always been known as a character actor and I like that best. I like to transform.

The UK is very different from the US when it comes to acting.  For example, most British actors actually study their craft.  What do you feel drama school study gives as actor such as yourself?

I studied at the Drama Centre London where John Simm trained. We were trained in an American way with Reuven Adiv who taught at the Actors Studio in New York, teaching the Russian Stanislavski method. Drama study set me up for the future definitely. Study throughout life is important too, be it reading, researching or even watching films. You never stop learning. I find that many US actors continue to go class even when they are well established, whereas a lot of British actors tend to stop after Drama School and maybe just read instead and do their own study.

What has been your most challenging role so far?

Life.

Andrew Tiernan Official Site

Before I begin the story, let me give you a little preface…

In the days of old Japan, there was a popular tradition in the heat of summer called Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai (百物語怪談会) or, A Gathering of 100 Ghostly Tales.  As the sun set, 100 candles would be placed in a circle, and each person would share a story, from the ghoulish and famous to the more personal encounters.  With the end of each tale, the speaker would douse a candle, bringing the darkness of night closer and closer upon the group, tension rising.  A sort of ritual of evocation, the game was said to call out to the spirits of the dead to join the players.  When the final light vanished, something or someone terrible would be waiting in the dark for them.

And so, my own personal, more extended version of the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai begins; I do hope you’re ready.  This is not a game for the faint of heart.

Today’s story was chosen for the occasion of Valentine’s Day, though anyone looking for the (bitter)sweet and delicious should keep away.  This is a cautionary tale.

Our story begins long ago, on the first night of Obon, (a Buddhist festival to honor the spirits of one’s departed ancestors).  A poor widowed samurai named Ogiwara Shinnojo sat out on his porch, watching the setting sun with a heart that felt oh, so alone.  Out of the coming night, much to the man’s surprise, came a beautiful young woman and her maid, carrying a lantern emblazoned with a peony crest.  The pair came near to speak with him, and an instant attraction was ignited between himself and that young woman he came to know as Otsuyu.  Their meeting was brief, but Otsuyu promised to return.

Each following night, she came to his porch, always shadowed by her maid, and the peony lantern.  As the relationship between Ogiwara and Otsuyu progressed, he began to invite her inside and soon enough, she took to sleeping with him.  Ogiwara was happy.  Otsuyu was happy.  And so this continued for many nights until a suspicious neighbor came to snoop, to see what had been keeping Ogiwara up all night, causing him to sleep through most of the day.

The elderly man made his way over to the samurai’s home, peeking in through a hole in the wooden wall.  Within moments, he ran screaming, horrified, from the house.  The sight that had met him was terrifying and unexpected: Ogiwara entwined passionately with a skeleton, bits of rotting flesh and long strands of raven hair the only discernable proof that it had ever been alive.

The next day, the neighbor brought a Buddhist priest to Ogiwara’s door, confronting him and warning him to the danger his soul was now facing, dallying with the dead as he was.  The widowed man took this to heart, and with the priest’s help he surrounded his home with sutras on slips of paper called ofuda, designed to protect against the supernatural.

Soon enough, night fell again over Ogiwara’s home, and here came the familiar pair, the beautiful Otsuyu and her maid, walking along with their peony lantern.  As they arrived, they began to wail and cry, unable to come any further than the front steps.  They pleaded with Ogiwara to let them in, oh please oh please oh please.

Ogiwara resisted.

But then, the next night, they came again, and again the next, and again the next, pleading, sobbing, wearing down the samurai’s resistance.  Finally, one fated night, Ogiwara stepped out of his house, unable to deny his beloved Otsuyu any longer, and came to her side…

The next morning, he was nowhere to be found.  Friends came to his home, searched the grounds extensively, then spread out through the village and beyond, with no luck.  Not a single sign of him.  The old man, Ogiwara’s neighbor, came to them and gave the strange suggestion that they might try the cemetery.

Within the old graveyard, they found the resting place of a woman who had died young, Otsuyu, and her maid.  Upon the crypts they now opened was that same peony crest that had accompanied the pair on their nightly visits.  Inside they found their friend, Ogiwara, his corpse twisted around his skeletal lover.

Or so they say.

Douse the first candle, our game has officially begun.

Most of us are very familiar with the computerized music of the video game industry, quirky and repetitious and the kind of stuff that gets stuck in your head for months on end, especially if you play the game night and day for weeks straight. But what happens when you start incorporating the best elements of Japanese pop into the background music and theme songs of video games? V-pop! Well, video game pop anyway. In our first Behind the Scenes feature, The Last Doctor asks Swinging Popsicle bassist Hironobu Hirata about his work with video games and how he plans to bring a brand new sound to gamers around the world.

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How did you get involve with video games?

There were some fans of Swinging Popsicle at a video game company called ‘Nitroplus’.

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How did you specifically get involved with SUMAGA `Star Mine Girl?

The Director of SUMAGA said to me, “This game needs a pop sound. It’s you!” I think he was going to bring a brand new pop sound into the video game scene.

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How many video game projects have you be involved with?

Only two: ‘SUMAGA Star Mine Girl ‘ and ‘SUMAGA Special ‘. SUMAGA was the first work in game music for me. I am scheduled to work on two new games by Nitroplus this year.

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What kind of music to do produce for video games?

I tried to make a sound that was not like a video game. I kept it in mind to make the music that has a human feeling. Almost all video game music is machine-made music. I avoided the performance of machines as much as possible. I do not use MIDI actually. I really play most of it.

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How much of the game to do see before you create the music?

I have not played video games before. But it is good for me to make music for SUMAGA. Because SUMAGA needed that pop sound that is not influenced by video game music. The director of SUMAGA told me the concept, the situation and the characters thoroughly many times. So I could do it.

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How do you usually come up with ideas?

The idea comes out of everyday life, like if I feel like going on a trip somewhere every day. So I was able to make about 60 BGM (background music).

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Do the game’s creators give you any input?

Yes, a lot! The game’s creators have the definite image. They sometimes said “No” to some songs. I rewrote them many times. However, their “No” is exciting for me.

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Are there any elements that you use within a single game?

I keep it in mind so that it is music that someone can hum. It is just like having a sense of closeness to the music.

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Do you use themes for specific characters or environments?

Yes. Regarding BGM, the director gave me an explanation. He has a deep knowledge of music. Then we discussed its tempo, key, the organization of musical instruments, effects. I materialize it.

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Do you try to create music that is different from typical background music?

Yes. But I do not understand the typical background music. A video game music creator is basically different from a pop music creator. The venues are different, and correct answers in music are different too. Pop music makes correct answers themselves.

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The theme for SUMAGA~Star Mine Girl is “(a) SLOW STAR”. How did you come up with the theme?

I thought it needed a real drum sound that is simple and strong. And also needs beautiful male chorus in close relation to female vocal. I only cook when the material becomes complete.

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And how did you come up with “Perfect Loop,” the theme for SUMAGA SPECIAL?

I wrote this song imagining what the fans would want to hear after ‘(a)SLOW STAR’. It was like solving the puzzle.

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Do the theme songs somehow incorporate the plot of the game?

Lyrics must have very little necessity of expression to the game content. Because when theme song plays at the ending of the game, it should be a moving song.

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Between SUMAGA `Star Mine Girl and SUMAGA SPECIAL, do they share any similar qualities?

Yes, I have. We tried to bring high quality pop music into game music. Not computer music but a shiny pure pop sound. It was a new challenge for Swinging Popsicle. Video game music scene is different from the usual music scene (for example Rock, Pop, Hip Hop). Video game players are proud of their culture. This is a part of OTAKU culture. OTAKU culture is pure and honest. We are honored to be welcomed by Otaku.

www.swinging-popsicle.com ¦ www.nitroplususa.com

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A Korean Cover of “Perfect Loop”