The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Big Eyes, Small Mouth

Just in time for the release of Big Eyes, Small Mouth Second Edition (to be released Very Soon Now), here's a review of the FIRST Edition. Really timely, eh? Anyway, the book is well laid out and has pretty darned good art for a small press product. The writing is very clear and easy to read, something that cannot be said for some RPGs nowadays.

Big Eyes, Small Mouth bills itself as a Universal Japanese Anime Roleplaying Game and it does indeed live up to that claim. The small (6" X 9", 96 pages) has everything you need to create anime characters and run them in a game...except for a setting to run them in. For that, you'll need to buy one of the excellent worldbooks that Guardians of Order has to offer. But I'm getting away from my review subject here. Back to BESM.

The rules are elegant, easy to learn and so flexible that you'll look at other allegedly flexible rules and sneer. The Tri Stat System, as you might have guessed, uses only three stats: Body, Mind and Soul. Points are allocated by rolling 2D6, adding 10 and splitting them among the stats. No stat can be lower that 1 or higher than 12 and only one stat can be at 12. Dead simple. Next comes attributes, defects, possesions and BINGO, you have a completed character. Just add some character concept and background info and you are ready to rock and roll.

Combat and other actions are handled in a manner just as elegant and flexible as character creation. After rolling iniative, you roll equal to or less than your characters Attack or Defense Value and badda bing badda boom, you hit or keep from being hit, as the case may be. And since BESM is slanted towards the cinematic/dramatic, you can give your attacks really cool names, like "Exploding Fist of the Dragon" or "Spinning Lotus Kick" or something equally anime/martial arts sounding. The Combat chapter also includes the ever popular weapons and armor lists, as well as information on mental combat and other types of actions.

Although BESM does not contain a setting for characters to adventure in, it does contain some tasty info about roleplaying in an anime world. Add to that an anime glossary, bibliography and listing of online resources and you have a really good jumping off point for otakuhood. (Otaku means "Anime Fan")

Before I finish this review, I 'd like to point out something to those of you who aren't really into anime roleplaying: the Tri Stat System is a very good little GENERIC rpg system. Faster and cleaner than GURPS, Hero or Palladium by a country mile and just as good as FUDGE, in my opinion. It is well worth the cover price, although you may want to wait fo the second edition to come out.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Big Eyes, Small Mouth
Author: Mark C Mackinnon Category: game Company/Publisher: Guardians Of Order Line: Big Eyes, Small Mouth Cost: $13.95 Page count: 96 Capsule Review by Doc Cross on 06/07/00. Genre tags: Anime Generic sponsored by	Big Eyes, Small Mouth Just in time for the release of Big Eyes, Small Mouth Second Edition (to be released Very Soon Now), here's a review of the FIRST Edition. Really timely, eh? Anyway, the book is well laid out and has pretty darned good art for a small press product. The writing is very clear and easy to read, something that cannot be said for some RPGs nowadays. Big Eyes, Small Mouth bills itself as a Universal Japanese Anime Roleplaying Game and it does indeed live up to that claim. The small (6" X 9", 96 pages) has everything you need to create anime characters and run them in a game...except for a setting to run them in. For that, you'll need to buy one of the excellent worldbooks that Guardians of Order has to offer. But I'm getting away from my review subject here. Back to BESM. The rules are elegant, easy to learn and so flexible that you'll look at other allegedly flexible rules and sneer. The Tri Stat System, as you might have guessed, uses only three stats: Body, Mind and Soul. Points are allocated by rolling 2D6, adding 10 and splitting them among the stats. No stat can be lower that 1 or higher than 12 and only one stat can be at 12. Dead simple. Next comes attributes, defects, possesions and BINGO, you have a completed character. Just add some character concept and background info and you are ready to rock and roll. Combat and other actions are handled in a manner just as elegant and flexible as character creation. After rolling iniative, you roll equal to or less than your characters Attack or Defense Value and badda bing badda boom, you hit or keep from being hit, as the case may be. And since BESM is slanted towards the cinematic/dramatic, you can give your attacks really cool names, like "Exploding Fist of the Dragon" or "Spinning Lotus Kick" or something equally anime/martial arts sounding. The Combat chapter also includes the ever popular weapons and armor lists, as well as information on mental combat and other types of actions. Although BESM does not contain a setting for characters to adventure in, it does contain some tasty info about roleplaying in an anime world. Add to that an anime glossary, bibliography and listing of online resources and you have a really good jumping off point for otakuhood. (Otaku means "Anime Fan") Before I finish this review, I 'd like to point out something to those of you who aren't really into anime roleplaying: the Tri Stat System is a very good little GENERIC rpg system. Faster and cleaner than GURPS, Hero or Palladium by a country mile and just as good as FUDGE, in my opinion. It is well worth the cover price, although you may want to wait fo the second edition to come out. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)