Author: Trafficblast

The first 13 episodes of the Shaman King reboot are now streaming on Netflix.

Much of the 2021 version of Shaman King can be boiled down to “too little, too late.” The manga may have once been a popular alternative to the Big Three, offering a different kind of hero to Naturo, Ichigo, or Luffy, with a laidback protagonist in a horror-inspired world full of ghouls and spirits. But in 2021, anything that could have made the show stand out feels like a duller version of better-made series. It doesn’t help that the animation itself feels like a throwback to early ’00s anime — and not in a good way. If you are a fan of the manga, the show’s extremely faithful adaptation should be a delightful walk down memory lane, but for newcomers, the show leaves a lot to be desired.

Shaman King started out as a Weekly Shonen Jump manga written by Hiroyuki Takei, and it was first adapted back in 2001 — a time before Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist, or Bleach, but after Dragon Ball Z had completed its run. It’s easy to see why a manga that never broke out as much as One Piece or Naruto could find a huge audience by beating its competitors’ anime adaptations. Though the 2001 adaptation was well-received, it quickly caught up to the manga and started telling its own original story. So when Netflix announced a new anime remake, there was reason to rejoice, as Shaman King fans could get the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood treatment, a show that revisited the story after the manga was completed to great success.

The problem is that, just like FMA: Brotherhood, Shaman King’s first few episodes assume you’re familiar with the first adaptation, so it rushes through through the initial story way too quickly. It follows 13-year-old Yoh Asakura, a boy who can see ghosts and comes from a long line of shamans. He aspires to participate in a grand tournament that only takes place every 500 years in order to become the Shaman King, so he can live the rest of his days free of worries. From the opening scene, we’re given mountains of information without a single moment to breathe. An ancient prophecy about an evil spirit swiftly gives way to the introduction of main characters, something that keeps happening every 15 minutes or so for the duration of the 13 episodes available on Netflix.

In making the adaptation more faithful to the manga, Shaman King got rid of filler episodes — arguably the two most hated words for anime fans next to “CG animation” — but in the process, it seems to have forgotten that a lack of plot advancement does not equal filler. Without moments to take it all in, the show finds no other way to convey information (and there is a lot of it!) than exposition-heavy conversations where characters explain to one another things they should already know. Worse yet, though the show features some interesting mythology and power systems, they are not nearly as complex or thought-out as something like Hunter x Hunter, making the endless explanations a colossal waste of time when many viewers are way ahead of the characters most of the time.

What little actual story we do get is quite entertaining. Yoh is different enough from Deku, Tanjiro, or Yuji Itadori to make his story interesting, while Ren’s backstory is reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender in the best possible way. Yoh’s laidback attitude is particularly fun to see play out during fight scenes, as he tries his best to come out on top without putting in too much of an effort. Sadly, we rarely see full fight sequences play out. The animation by Studio Bridge tends to over-rely on still frames, speed lines, or simply cutting to black right at the moment of impact.

In some ways, it is kind of nostalgic, and fits with the rest of the anime, which feels like a time capsule to the early ’00s, where anime characters had more cartoonish designs and loud, over-the-top humor. The character designs, in particular, feel like they’re from another era, with exaggerated body proportions and one character that looks like a Funko figure.

Still, while the new Shaman King tries to recapture the magic of the manga, the story feels too aged to stand out among the dozens of other shows currently airing, and the rushed pacing and lackluster animation don’t help. If you’re a fan, or looking for a throwback battle shonen anime, you might get some enjoyment out of Shaman King, but even then, you might be better off watching an actual ’00s battle shonen anime.

We could all be better about some things, like using our time productively or taking our privacy more seriously. Life has a tendency of getting in the way of those goals. Thankfully, with just one purchase, you can take a major step toward self-improvement and securing your data. Right now, you can buy a lifetime subscription to Keepsolid VPN and learning two languages on uTalk for only $30. That’s a solid 89% off the usual price for both of $283.

Learning a new language can seem like an intimidating feat, but if you’ve ever wanted to get a new one under your belt, uTalk makes it easy and accessible. By utilizing native speakers, uTalk’s programs train you how to use practical words and phrases that you’ll be able to use out in the world in no time at all. Choose from over 140 languages, learn from any device, and dip in and out of the up to 180 hours of content available for a language. Actualfluency.com’s review called uTalk’s lessons “fun and engaging,” so don’t worry about the process feeling like too much of a chore.

Even polyglots aren’t immune to the perils of insecure data. But that’s where the second half of this combo deal, a lifetime subscription to Keepsolid VPN Premium, factors in. Your account will allow you to anonymously browse the web from almost anywhere in the world with Wi-Fi from whichever of your devices you please. With no ISPs or digital criminals interfering with your data, you’ll be able to surf without fear of throttling, stolen data, or your favorite streaming platform being region locked.

Time to make the “mature adult” move and permanently knock two things off your ever-growing to-do list by snagging this limited-time offer. It’s not every day a lifetime of uTalk and Keepsolid VPN comes around for just $30.

Prices subject to change.

With life today feeling like a perpetual state of uncertainty and conflicting information, the need to get away from it all on a vacation has never been higher. Unfortunately, those aforementioned problems plaguing day-to-day life often also seep into the travel booking experience. Worse still, keeping your data secure while abroad is a whole other can of worms. Fortunately, TravelHacker Premium and Keepsolid VPN solve all these issues and many more. Right now, you can purchase a lifetime subscription to both for a staggering 97% off. That’s a $5199 value for just $150.

TravelHacker has made a name for itself in recent years as a site that uncovers and helps to book the best airfare deals to safe, pandemic-friendly destinations. Its algorithms scour the web for specials and sales in 124 countries and 3,800+ airports worldwide that Google Flights could never find such as “error fares.” Setting up an account can be done in as little as two minutes. With unlimited access to the site, app, and all their features, you can set and forget alerts for specific routes and regions, then sit back and watch the deals flow in. Once you’re ready to book something, you can do so directly through your preferred booking website like Kiwi or Skyscanner.

Once you’re all set on a destination getaway, you’ll still need a way to protect your data while there. That’s where Keepsolid VPN, an equally reputable product, comes in. With your Unlimited lifetime account covering multiple devices, you’ll be able to surf any public or private wi-fi with peace of mind that hackers, ISPs, and governments won’t be able to track your data. Even better, a VPN prevents pesky speed limits or throttling while you’re online. It also region-unlocks all your favorite streaming platforms.

So what are you waiting for? Get yourself ready for a safe and secure vacation with this amazing deal and snag a lifetime of TravelHacker Premium and Keepsolid VPN for just $150.

Prices subject to change.

Whether you’re looking for an exciting new career change, or simply want to boost your earning potential, learning Google DevOps and blockchain development is one of the most lucrative skills you can have right now. In fact, the average salary for a blockchain developer in the U.S. is $154,550 a year, while the average Google DevOps salary is a massive $213,000 annually.

If you like the sound of those figures, we have some even better news: right now, you can train in those in-demand specialisms in your own time, from anywhere with The Google DevOps & Blockchain Developer Bundle, a complete elearning bootcamp that is on sale for $29.99 right now. With eight different courses included in the bundle, that works out to less than $4 a course.

Throughout the training, you’ll learn essential skills for some of the fastest-growing specialism in tech today over the course of more than 30 hours of hands-on training.

For example, in the course DevOps Fundamentals, you’ll learn why DevOps is so essential today, as well as learning all the basics and best practices of the industry. Then, you’ll be set up with training for a variety of in-demand industry certifications, including Google Cloud Platform Certification Training, Certified Blockchain Solutions Architect training, and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer training, to name a few.

The courses in this bundle are taught by ITU Online Training, which has specialized in providing on-demand online IT training since 2012 and has taught over 650,000 students, over 200 companies, and over 50 public entities. In the process, it has picked up a ton of industry awards, including the Best in Biz Awards and the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.

Take the first step to becoming a six-figure blockchain developer today with The Google DevOps & Blockchain Developer Bundle, on sale now with 96% off, for $29.99 (regular price $792).

Whether you want to take your electronics skills to the next level or want a fun new project to impress your friends with, ESP32 is ideal. The powerful microcontroller is an excellent choice for electronics projects as not only does it integrate with several hardware components and cloud services, but it also has Bluetooth and WiFi functionality, and an accessible IoT module design well suited to beginners – plus, it’s more affordable than other microcontroller kits, like Arduino boards.

The training to learn ESP32 is even more affordable right now, too. That’s because we’ve found The Ultimate ESP32 Course Bundle on sale for just $49.99 – that’s a 75% discount off the regular price of $200. With four hands-on courses and a master eBook included in this bumper bundle, that works out to less than $10 per course or book.

With this bundle, you’ll get more than 35 hours of expert tuition to teach you everything you need to know to hone your electronics skills and start turning your ideas into actual platforms, right away. You’ll also get lifetime access to it all, so you can learn at your own pace and return to refresh your skills whenever you like.

You’ll start with the course ESP32 for Busy People, where you’ll get a complete intro to what ESP32 is and its various modules, before using the ESP32 GPIOs to work with simple components like LEDs, as well as drive peripherals like displays, sensors, and motors.

Later, in the course MicroPython with the ESP32, you’ll take your skills to a higher level by using MicroPython with the ESP32 to program gadgets that include displays, motors, switches, and communications.

Every course in this masterclass is taught by Peter Dalmaris, an electrical and computer engineer with a Ph.D., and the founder of Tech Explorations, which specializes in teaching electronics fans to make their own awesome gadgets. As well as a “couple of Masters” (no big deal), Dalmaris has also earned a highly impressive 4.6/5 instructor rating from his previous students.

Take the first step to becoming an electronics master today with The Ultimate ESP32 Course Bundle, on sale with 75% off now for $49.99 (regular price $200).

Ever feel like you just don’t know what to watch next? Not sure which streaming platform to sign up to for the best selection of movies? Or, perhaps you feel like you’ve literally watched all of Netflix over the past year.

The secret to never being short of an epic new show to watch is with innovative new apps and online tools, like the SelectTV streaming app, which gives you easy access to a massive library of shows, movies, and live TV, all in one place. With this, you can also forget the high prices you’d expect from signing up to a ton of TV services, as today we’ve found a bundle of a lifetime subscription to SelectTV, plus a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited on sale for just $99 – that’s an 85% discount off the regular price of $677.

With this top-rated bundle of tools, you’ll be set with incredible TV, movies, and live events to watch for life.

The SelectTV Streaming App, usually $478.80, organizes all of the web’s entertainment into the world’s most comprehensive digital media guide – giving you easy access to more than 500,000 different movies and TV shows. This innovative guide is essential for streaming online, as it searches, updates, and manages over 2 million video links every day. The result? Less time searching and more time watching.

Then, to really take your entertainment experience to the next level, you’ll pair it with a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited, which would usually cost $199 alone. With a robust VPN by your side, you’ll be able to bypass region restrictions and enjoy total internet and streaming freedom, unlocking international streaming services and sites forever. In addition to unrestricted content, VPN Unlimited will also allow you anonymous browsing, with totally secure online activity – keeping your private information protected, even when using public Wi-Fi.

VPN Unlimited also comes extremely highly recommended. It has won the PC Mag award for Top VPN, the Editor’s Pick Award by Software Informer and has been named Laptop Review Pro’s Best VPN for Laptop. Users love it too, with an impressive 4.3/5 stars on TrustPilot.

Start streaming unrestricted content for life with The SelectTV + KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Lifetime Subscription Bundle, on sale with 85% off now for $99 (regular price $677).