Month: July 2014

“Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord” Coming To Europe This November

Published by Frank Inglese

NIS America, in association with ATLUS, has today announced that their critically acclaimed tactical RPG/visual novel “Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord” will be making it’s way over to Europe on the 13th of November this year for the PlayStation 3! this is fantastic news seeing as how loved this title is over in Japan. The game features a fantasy-style story that has players follow the story of a young man named Hamilcar Barca, a lover and somewhat of a fighter that discovers a hidden evil within himself after seeing a poor innocent girl killed by the Empire he’s come to trust. Going into a rage that can only be quelled by the spilling of wicked blood, Hamilcar sets off on an incredible journey to free his people from the grasp of tyranny. Along the way he’ll come into contact with odd and interesting creatures all of which have their own reasons to follow him on his journey for freedom. Be they human, beast or even God, Hamilcar accepts them for who they …

“The Last – Naruto The Movie” – Very First Teaser Ad

Published by Frank Inglese

The very first teaser ad for the upcoming Naruto movie titled “The Last” aired last night in Japan after an episode of the much loved ‘Naruto Shippuden’ Anime series and although the trailer is short, it still is worth watching seeing as we get our first animated glance at the older and more serious version of series hero Naruto. The video itself is entirely in Japan, as you can imagine, but luckily the narrator doesn’t actually say a great deal…at least, he doesn’t say what isn’t already known by avid Naruto fans following the news of this movie. “The Last” is a film that is being developed and released as a part of the Naruto 15th anniversary celebration period and will feature a storyline written by the series creator himself Masashi Kishimoto. A lot of the film’s hype is spurred on by the ‘new’ Naruto who appears to be older and less rambunctious than his younger counterpart. So far, no actual story regarding the new movie has been divulged but my assumption is that we’ll …

“Digimon All-Star Rumble” Announced For The West

Published by Frank Inglese

This is absolutely amazing! For so long now ‘Digimon’ fans have been begging video game publishing companies like Namco Bandai to bring some sort of ‘Digimon’ game over to the West and finally they’ve answered our call with the announcement of a brand-new ‘Digital Monsters’ video game title that will actually be made available in both North America and Europe! Yosha! The newly-announced brawler title is called ‘Digimon All-Star Rumble’ and is somewhat reminiscent of the PlayStation classic ‘Digimon Rumble Arena’ a game I bought, loved and sorely miss to this day. The fighting game will feature a 4-player battle system that’ll have you and three of your best ‘Digi-Pals’ going head-to-head-to-head-to-head in the first ever “Digimon Evolution Tournament”. The game’s story is quite simple but seeing as it IS a fighting title I don’t think it necessarily has to have a story: The ‘Digital World’ is finally at peace. ‘Digimon’ are living in harmony and the forces of evil are nowhere to be seen, though…the ‘Digimon’ still long to take the next step in …

Sheik Brings The Noise In The Latest “Hyrule Warriors” Character Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s nothing more beautiful than the soft melodies of a harp. There’s nothing more deadly than a shinobi-type assassin ready for the kill. Mix those two things together and you’ve got yourself one hell of a badass gameplay trailer! Last week Tecmo Koei games introduced us, once again, to the mysteriously fierce assassin known only as ‘Sheik’…that is, for those of you who don’t know her true identity. She came to us originally as a bunch of screenshots that showcased her moveset well but left a great deal to the imagination…that’s all changed now thanks to a new trailer for ‘Hyrule Warriors’ that shows off her cut-throat fighting style. She also plays some music which is nice for the enemies to hear before they’re put to their deaths. Rest in pieces. This Wii U exclusive is soon to be hitting up local video game store shelves in Europe on the 19th of September and after that in North America on the 26th of September. It’s only just around the corner. -30-

Heads Up, European Gamers! “Shin Megami Tensei IV” Is On It’s Way!

Published by Frank Inglese

Finally! It’s situations like this that make European gamers feel a little left out. North America and Japan get everything and we’re left here in the dark! No, no, no, I’m being silly. If you think about it properly Europe has been getting a couple games here and there before North America so I shouldn’t be complaining about things like this. You see, reader, I jumped the gun a little above because Europe has been waiting for ATLUS’ ‘Shin Megami Tensei IV’ for what seems like ages at this point in time! Well, it’s only been just over a year, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been longing to get our hands on this beauty of a game! ‘Shin Megami Tensei IV’ follows the story of a young samurai named Flynn. He, alongside his other samurai pals, are tasked with ridding the world of demons and they do this by using their amazing Bushido-style teachings. This game has received quite a positive reception in it’s time being available to the public and it’s made European …

“Digimon: Digital Monsters” Season Two Collection Review

Published by Frank Inglese

The sad truth is that, no matter what one does, evil will always be lurking within the darkness of shadows. The voices in our heads tell us to stand tall against adversity no matter how many times it tries to get you down and the only way to truly survive is to listen to those words and do as described. Never let the forces of negativity get you down. Always rise up time and time again because no matter how many battles you win, there will always be another just around the corner and this is all to evident for the cast of ‘Digimon: Digital Monsters’ who, after conquering the Dark Masters in the first season of the Anime, return alongside a group of other young ‘DigiDestined’ to save the ‘Digital World’ like they did all those years ago. Unfortunately this time they’ll be fighting a force much more formidable than the last. It has been three years since the events of the first season and we now follow a new group of ‘DigiDestined’ as …

Science SARU Reveals the Animations Techniques Behind Ping Pong the Animation

Published by Kane Bugeja

Now, if anyone out there has caught even a glimpse of Ping Pong the Animation, they’ll know that it possesses a very distinct visual style. In response to fan interest in just how such imagery is created, Masaaki Yuasa and Eunyoung Choi, founders of Studio SARU, posted a video showcasing some of the work that goes into creating a scene. Some people asked us about our special animation technique in the Ping Pong TV series. In this short video you can see the “insides” of two scenes we worked on for the show. Animators developed a new digital technique, in order to get slow movements, turnings and big zooms, that would have been very difficult in hand drawn animation. So check out the brief video and witness the process that brings Ping Pong to life in all its individualistic glory.   -30-

A Certain Magical Index II Dub Cast Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

Shortly following the announcement that A Certain Magical Index II Part One (Episodes 1-13) shall be receiving a home release slated for October 14th, FUNimation detailed the English cast: Agnese Sanctis: Alex Moore Angelene: Kristin Sutton Awaki Musujime: Bryn Apprill Charles Conder: Ed Baylock Lidvia Lorenzetti: Rachel Robinson Lucia: Lauren Landa Oriana Thomson: Jennifer Green Orsola Aquinas: Mallorie Rodack Ouma Yamisaka: Bob Carter Saiji Tatemiya: Bob Carter Seiri Fukiyose: Skyler McIntosh Tushim: Haley Esposito Uragami: Andrea Freyberg When science and sorcery clash, the result is explosive in this sequel to A Certain Magical Index from the studio that brought you Shakugan no Shana! The Book of the Law—an encoded grimoire containing catastrophic magic—has been stolen, so naturally Kamijo, Index, and a few familiar faces join in the crusade to protect the one nun who can decipher the powerful text. But as the group battles church sects and holy assassins, they realize that discovering who their true enemy is may be more difficult than saving the sister. Meanwhile, an organization known as the Science Society resurrects …

Watamote English Dub Cast Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

Popularity. It’s a dangerous game that people play. To appeal to the masses and earn renown throughout school, work, the world et cetera, et cetera, ad infinitum. But regardless of the inherent social perils, some still wish to take part… At the tender age of 15, Kuroki Tomoko has already dated dozens and dozens of boys and she’s easily the most popular girl around! The only problem is that absolutely none of that is real, and her perfect world exists only via dating games and romance shows. In fact, the sad truth is that she gets tongue tied just talking to people, and throughout middle school she’s only had one actual friend. All of this makes Kuroki’s entrance into the social pressure cooker of high school a new and special kind of hell. While Kuroki desperately wants to be popular, she’s actually worse off than she would be if she was completely clueless as to how to go about it. After all, the things that work in “otome” games rarely play out the same way in …

Parasyte Anime Cast and Staff Revealed

Published by Kane Bugeja

The manga takes place in a world where alien beings called Parasites come to Earth and start taking over humans by entering in through their noses and ears and attaching themselves to their brains. One alien called Migi is only able to take over high school student Shinichi Izumi’s right arm, and is unable to control Shinichi completely. Migi and Shinichi learn to co-exist, and the two battle other Parasites who see humans only as food. Well that pretty much sums it up doesn’t it? Based on Hitoshi Iwaaki’s sci-fi horror manga, an anime version entitled Kiseiju: Sei no Kakuritsu will soon be upon us. As such, details have been released regarding the cast and staff of the series. So why not learn the names of the people behind Parasyte? That way you’ll know who to blame/thank for the bizarre imagery presented to you… Cast: Shinichi Izumi: Nobunaga Shimazaki (Date A Live, Free!) Migi: Aya Hirano (Fairy Tail, Death Note) Satomi Murano: Kana Hanazawa (Tokyo Ghoul, Persona 4: The Golden Animation) Staff: Director: Kenichi Shimizu …

Buy Your Very Own Flame-Flame Fruit

Published by Kane Bugeja

Who doesn’t want powers? The ability to do something cool like, for instance, controlling fire. Well now you can be slightly closer to your dream…very slightly. Ok, so it might not actually work like in One Piece, but you can now purchase a replica of Portgas D. Ace’s Flame-Flame Fruit (Mera Mera no Mi). The fruit measures in at approximately 150 mm in diameter, making it a fairly sizeable addition to your anime merchandise collection…or your fruit bowl. The replica itself costs 3,240 yen and ships in December, giving you plenty of time to decide just how badly you want a Devil Fruit of your own. Disclaimer: Do. Not. Eat. Seriously, you won’t gain dominion over fire. Best case scenario you just wind up with a bad taste in your mouth. Worst case scenario… -30-

Cast Announced for Live Action Attack on Titan Films

Published by Kane Bugeja

Much earlier in the year, fans of a certain series featuring Titans of varying sizes were treated to a glimpse of just how terrifying these creatures would be in real life…along with how safe they would be if driving a Subaru Forester. In addition to tokusatsu effects guru Shinji Higuchi, the man behind said advertisement, Yusuke Watanabe and Tomohiro Machiyama have been announced as script writers. Said script will be supervised by the manga creator himself Hajime Isayama, who is said to have in mind a new story, fightening new enemy and, perhaps more importantly, new characters. This fact has served to quell the theories that the previously announced Haruma Miura would play Eren on the big screen. That being said, information regarding whom each actor will play has not been confirmed, so anything is possible at this point. The cast announced thus far is as follows: Haruma Miura (Kimi No Todoke) Hiroki Hasegawa (the upcoming live-action Jellyfish Princess, Why Don’t You Play in Hell) Kiko Mizuhara (Norwegian Wood, Helter Skelter) Kanata Hongō (Prince of …

Steins;Gate Showcases Three More Characters in Their 20s

Published by Kane Bugeja

Thou hath not read wrong fellow Future Gadgeteers, everybody’s favourite mad scientist shall return with companions in tow via a novel known as Steins;Gate: The Committee of Antimatter. Said medium will feature the post-grad lives of the temporally knowledgeable cast, revealing what each character is up to now…in the future…of the past. Having already depicted Okube, Makise, Daru, Mayuri and Nae, this new batch of images give us a glimpse of Ruka (shrine miko and now college student…a dude), Faris (maid cafe superstar, naturally) and Moeka (writer for Arc Rewrite, worker at Braun Tube Worshop, still not very verbal. Unfortunately for fans, and somewhat ironic given the series subject matter, The Committee of Antimatter has been pushed back from an August 29th release to September 25th. Though an English release will be even later still. Oh well, in the meantime I guess all we can do is enjoy the images we have and wait patiently for the future. El Psy Congroo. -30-

One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X – First Screenshots Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Last week a brand-new ‘One Piece’ action title for the Nintendo 3DS was announced and with it came a whole bunch of hype and a community of Anime fans feeling nothing but pure excitement. The game, titled ‘One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X’, is a super stylish brawler title that pits players against players in a way much like the favored ‘Super Smash Bros.’ series. The new game will feature over fifty of your favorite ‘One Piece’ characters, each with their own unique movesets and special techniques that you must master so you can truly become King of the Pirates! Ganbarion, the developers of this new game, unveiled the teaser site for the game just a few days ago and today we’ve been given our very first look at the game through a set of four screenshots that were released by the developer. The new title truly does like similar to that of ‘Super Smash Bros.’ but hopefully audiences will look past it’s similarities and enjoy it for what I can imagine it will be; …

Japan Cracks Down On Illegal Distributors With The Anime and Manga Anti-Piracy Initiative

Published by Frank Inglese

The internet is a wonderful tool, one that fortunate enough people can utilize in many different ways, many of which has proven to make life much easier for individuals across globe. It is an invisible force that connects the world and, for the most part, it is used for good rather than evil but sometimes, well…sometimes people abuse what they have instead of appreciating it for what it is. Piracy is a huge contemporary issue that seems to plague this generation moreso than any other before. Publishers are distributing their products digitally now so you can watch the latest episodes of your favorite shows or listen to the most recent albums of your desired artists without even getting out of your chair. This is fantastic, but it seems like a bunch of people tend to want more than that…they want it for free. This is where the theoretical problem of new-age piracy becomes a reality. Anime and Manga, one of Japan’s biggest industries, is by far the most affected by digital banditry and the government …

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods Gets New “Trailer”

Published by Kane Bugeja

People say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…but that can be boring sometimes. After all, why be sincere when you can poke fun at something? Following this train of thought, I present to you the latest offering of Mega64. Commissioned by FUNimation themselves, this video takes the form of a live action trailer, showcasing all the great points of Dragon Ball Z. Like power ups, training sequences…ummm…even more power ups. You kinda just have to watch it. Trust me, if you didn’t want to see Battle of the Gods before… -30-

Monster Hunter 4 – Capcom Reveals Weapon Design Contest Winner

Published by Frank Inglese

It was a while back and you may not remember but Capcom started up their very own weapon design contest for their upcoming video game release ‘Monster Hunter 4’. Though the game has already been released in Japan, Capcom decided that they would give their Western hunters a chance to be immortalized in the next big hunting title. The contest was opened up to designers from both North America and Europe with a European winner being announced a while back. This Hunting Horn titled, ‘The Emperor’s Speech, was designed to resemble a pig sitting on a throne which oinked when used. The winner from North America’s weapon design took a different route, trading comedy for ‘badassitude’, for lack of a better word. This glaive-type weapon is titled ‘Clockwork Contraption’ and comes with it’s very own robotic beetle…if having a huge steampunk spear wasn’t cool enough for you. This weapon will feature in the Western release of the game, alongside ‘The Emperor’s Speech’, which will get a release in North America and Europe on the Nintendo …

Be The Hero You Want To Be! Link’s Equipment Confirmed For Monster Hunter 4 Western Release

Published by Frank Inglese

You know, reader, I actually hunt monsters for a living. Yeah, I actually do…in my mind, but that doesn’t mean it is any less real! OK…it kind of does, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t dream of one day being a world-renowned monster hunter! Ok…it kind of does. Luckily for dreamers like myself longing to take down the beats of mythology, there’s a video game called series called ‘Monster Hunter’ by industry royalty Capcom and it’s latest iteration, simply titled ‘Monster Hunter 4’, features an armor and weapon set that’s quite familiar. Nintendo and Capcom have come together once again to bring S-Rank hunters something very special and immeasurable exciting. It was just announced that hunters outside of Japan will be able to get their hands on an equipment set for their character that almost perfectly resembles the ‘Hero of Time’ himself, good ol’ Link. Now hard-core fans of the series will know that this was announced for Japanese versions of the game long ago but now they will feature on Western version of the …

Osamu Tezuka’s ‘Mysterious Underground Men’ Wins Eisner Award

Published by Luke Halliday

Osamu Tezuka has won yet another award posthumously, this time it is the Eisner Award and it goes to the newly released English version of his 1948 classic The Mysterious Underground Men. The God of Manga claimed that this work was where he believed he had his first success. The manga is now fully released in colour and it is no surprise that it has already won an award. Tezuka’s special brand of story-telling has a strong basis in its examination of humanity at it’s core and The Mysterious Underground Men is said to be one of his finest endeavors in that pursuit. It won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material. The Mysterious Underground Men tells the story of Mimio the talking rabbit, as he struggles to prove his humanity while helping his friends save Earth from an invasion of angry humanoid ants. It is not surprising to see that nearly 70 years since its original release that Osamu Tezuka’s work can still be as ground-breaking today as they were back …

The Seven Deadly Sins Anime Gets Trailer, Teases Some Sins

Published by Luke Halliday

The upcoming anime adaptation of the epic medieval fantasy manga The Seven Deadly Sins has received its first teaser trailer thanks to Aniplex. The trailer highlights a number of the titular ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ in their animated form and boy oh boy do they look deadly, baby! The series revolves around Meliodas a young man who owns a tavern on top of a giant pigs back. He being a former member of the legendary warriors known as the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ decides to help a young princess save her Kingdom from the forces of evil. The Seven Deadly Sins anime series is slated to air starting the 8th of October. Little else is known about the anime production at this time so stay tuned for that information. In the mean time check out the trailer below and enjoy. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x227xg0_nanatsu-no-taizai-cm-hd_shortfilms -30-

“Hyrule Warriors” Character Recap Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Here’s something to think about, reader: I, as a man who writes about things like video games all the time, sometimes find it hard to keep up to date with every single information update regarding new titles, especially in this day and age where developers and publishers are more than happy to bombard us with as many screenshots and gameplay trailers as possible. Though, as a writer, my job is to scour the internet and catch up on everything I possibly can before moving on to something else. Tecmo Koei games have, over the weekend, done people like me a serious solid with the release of a new ‘Hyrule Warriors’ trailer that actually compresses each and every one of the character introduction/spotlight videos into one awesome piece of ‘Legend of Zelda’ footage that will both bring you up to date on all the characters that will feature in the game as well as making you immeasurable excited for the pure awesomeness to come! Link, Zelda, Impa, Midna, Lana, Agitha, Fi, Ruto, Darunia and Sheik, the …

Multiplayer “Tag Climax Mode” Announced For Bayonetta 2

Published by Frank Inglese

Playing games alone can be pretty…lonely. It is even worse when the video game you’re playing happens to be one of the best to ever grace the industry! It’s like torture not being able to actively share the experience with a friend. Torture, I say! It delights me to bring you the news that Platinum has today revealed that there will be a co-op/multiplayer mode in their upcoming video game sequel ‘Bayonetta 2’ where you and a friend can team up to fight hordes of enemies or some seriously powerful boss-types. This feature titled ‘Tag Climax’ Mode’ will allow you to choose from a whole bunch of environments and battles from the game’s story to play on with a friend but you must first reach the points of those particular environments and battles on your own before they become available to play as a duo. This is the same for characters, weapons and equipable accessories. Basically the more into the story you are, the more you can do in multiplayer mode. Each stage, which are …

Square Enix Offers Pre-Order Bonus For “Kindgom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix”

Published by Frank Inglese

If it’s wasn’t already clear, hopefully this will make you all realize that Square Enix absolutely love their fans! It was today announced that those of you who are willing to pre-order Square Enix’s upcoming video game release ‘Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix’ will be getting the Limited Edition version of the game for absolutely nothing. Isn’t that just…just…just awesome!? Australian and New Zealand gamers, head into your local video game store and pre-order the next ‘Kingdom Hearts’ title right now! Putting money down on a standard version of the game will land yourself a Limited Edition version so long as you just pre-order it. Super easy! For the devoted followers of the KINGDOM HEARTS series, Square Enix, Ltd. today announced the Limited Edition for KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX. Fans that pre-order the Standard Edition of the game at participating ANZ retailers will receive a free upgrade to the Limited Edition (while stocks last), which includes an exclusive and extremely rare Disney collectible pin badge featuring Sora and Mickey Mouse. – Square Enix Kingdom …

Extended Teaser Trailer For New “Dragon Ball Z” 2015 Film Is Pretty Damn Heavy

Published by Frank Inglese

“The worst wish in history. Now, despair begins.” is the quote that ends the newly-released teaser trailer for the upcoming ‘Dragon Ball Z’ movie which has no title as of right now but has been simply referred to as ‘Dragon Ball Z 2015’ by fans and reporters. Not surprising in any way, this new ‘DBZ’ movie has piqued the interest of many Anime fans around the world. Series creator Akira Toriyama has previously come out and explained to the masses that he will be spending a great deal of his time over the coming year focused on the production of the film. It will feature a storyline he originally wanted to showcase in the original run of the Manga/Anime but which unfortunately fell to the wayside. This has gotten many people excited, simply knowing the legendary Mangaka will have as much ‘pull’ as humanly possible in regards to this new film. Others, however, only wish to ‘badmouth’ the industry loyal and focus strictly on the few failures of his career rather than the countless successes. …

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies Poster Seems…Familiar

Published by Kane Bugeja

In preparation for San Diego Comic-Con, a new poster was released showcasing the final instalment in the Hobbit trilogy. Now I’m not here to start a Battle of Five Armies, but there’s certainly no denying that said poster bears an uncanny resemblance to an image anime fans know all too well. Just in case you couldn’t pick it, this tweet by Brian Ruh puts the posters in question side by side. So, what do you think? Is this just a coincidence? Or perhaps anime inspires the West more than people think. Either way one thing is clear: Omni-Directional Mobility Gear is way cooler than a bow and arrow. lang=”en”>At first glance I thought the new Hobbit poster was Attack on Titan fan art pic.twitter.com/TAr2AphFM5 — Brian Ruh (@animeresearch) July 24, 2014 -30-

“Mega Man Battle Network” Wii U Release Date Revealed

Published by Frank Inglese

Megaman.EXE is absolutely a program I’d love to have on my personal computer but, unfortunately, something that amazing has yet to have been developed though I’m hoping that some sort of P.E.T-style device will be put out on the market sometime in the near future. Now if you have no idea what I’m talking about, that’s ok, it just means you’re not a fan of the surprisingly highly-popular ‘Mega Man’ spinoff video game series ‘Battle Network’. This series takes ‘Mega Man’ and makes it entirely digital in ways somewhat reminiscent of the ‘Digimon’ franchise. Unlike the original line of ‘Mega Man’ titles, this series of GameBoy Advanced/Nintendo DS games this follows a version of Mega Man who isn’t quite a robot boy but he IS a pivotal part of a wave of futuristic technology that is sweeping the world. So in some ways he’s the same old Mega Man, just with a new twist. Follow the story of Lan, a young boy who must fight the forces of WWW (World Three) in order to save …

What if Tetsuya Nomura Designed Batman?

Published by Kane Bugeja

An interesting question if you ask me…and one that shall no longer remain unanswered. That’s right, final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts designer Tetsuya Nomura has thrown his talents into the DC realm and put his own personal spin on the Dark Knight. Celebrating 75 years of Batman, the design has been utilised to create a Variant Play Arts Kai figure. Though no price has been set at this point, I’m positive that fans will be more than happy to purchase this intimidating take on the Caped Crusader. -30-

New Batch of “Hyrule Warriors” Screenshots Introduce Us To “Ocarina Of Time” Greats

Published by Frank Inglese

  For a game like ‘Hyrule Warriors’ to stand out as another fantastic high-octane action title, it needs to have a cast of highly-likable, bad-ass characters…well, if anything, it has that and so much more! Three new characters for the upcoming game were revealed but a week ago through Japan’s ‘Famitsu’ magazine, you may know them, they each play somewhat pivotal roles in the ‘LoZ’ Nintendo 64 classic ‘Ocarina of Time’: Sheik the mysterious assassin, Darunia the Goron warrior and Princess Ruto the Zora beauty were all announced as playable characters but with their announcement came no real show of just what it is they will be able to do in-game, well…that’s all changed now thanks to Tecmo Koei’s latest batch of ‘Hyrule Warriors’ screenshots. These new images focus on each of the newly-announced characters and shows them in true HD, taking down enemies left, right and center. The way it should be! This Wii U exclusive is set to hit Japan this August, which will be followed up by a European release on the …

Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed Reveals Two New English Trailers

Published by Kane Bugeja

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard about the vampire hunting game that shows a little something extra. If not, I’m talking about Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed, wherein players must rid blood sucking foes of their pesky clothing so that the sun may perform its vampire eradicating duty. See, the logic checks out…at least, that’s what I’ll keep telling myself. Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed tells the story of a young man named Nanashi who was lured into a trap and transformed into one of the walking undead. Lucky enough to be spared the worst of his fate by the kiss of a mysterious Synthister hunter named Shizuku, Nanashi is sworn to rid Akihabara of the Synthister threat. Together with the rest of his companions in an organization unofficially dubbed the “Akiba Freedom Fighters,” Nanashi and Shizuku must uncover the truth behind the Synthister plague and save Akiba from being overrun by their kind. So if this is the kind of game that piques your interest, check out the two brand new English trailers …

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – Marie Character Spotlight Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

The ‘Hollow Forest’s Tsundere Poet’ Marie is back in the spotlight once more now that ATLUS have released the first official battle trailer for the newly announced character! If you missed it; Marie, of ‘Persona 4 Golden’ fame, was recently announced as a DLC character for the upcoming ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ fighting game. Armed with a magical bag and fighting alongside her Persona companion Kaguya, Marie is absolutely a force to be reckoned with! A week ago ATLUS released screenshots of the young lady in action but this week we’ve got something one hundred times better. We’ve got some actual footage, baby! She has a quirky moveset that blends well into her more serious side with her special move being, well…you’ll see. ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ is set for a release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this Autumn/Fall in North America and in Europe sometime after that. -30-

Set Sail With “One Piece: Super Grand Battle X” Just Announced For The Nintendo 3DS

Published by Frank Inglese

Here I was, settling in, enjoying my copy of ‘One Piece: Unlimited World Red’, thinking to myself; “wow…life can’t get much better than this”. I jump onto the computer to see if any work is to be done and I come across a piece of news straight from Japan’s ‘Jump’ magazine announcing a brand-new ‘One Piece’ video game titled ‘Super Grand Battle X’ for the Nintendo 3DS. I haven’t even been able to finish ‘Unlimited World Red’ and already I’ve been given something to even more excited about! I’m so full of joy that I’m actually on the verge of being angry. ‘One Piece’, why do you haunt me so! The announcement of the upcoming game comes in the form of a magazine scan from, as mentioned above, ‘Jump’ magazine. The scan shows the ‘Straw Hat’ crew in all their chibi glory and also happens to feature some screenshots from the game itself and they look to be sticking with the ‘Super Deformed’ style. Players will be able to choose from 85 of their favorite …

New Macross Anime in the Works

Published by Luke Halliday

Macross fans get ready to get excited because news has come in that a new Macross anime project is in the planning stages. The recent Macross Frontier rebroadcast in Japan confirmed a new series had been green-lit but now the new series is finally in the works. During an interview with Mantan Web, Shoji Kawamori, the franchise’s co-creator, confirmed that the upcoming project is in the planning stages and he has begun working on it. While he didn’t reveal much in the way of plot for the new series he did confirm that the role of music has been worked out for the new series, what exactly that may be however is anyone’s guess at this point. Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming Macross anime project as it comes to light. -30-

“Persona 4: The Animation” Series Collection Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Life is a fickle and unforeseeable force. Many people throughout the years have tried to grasp destiny in all it’s unpredictable glory but have failed to be able to bend and shape it at their will. This is something that may, for all intents and purposes, be impossible but that doesn’t mean anything bad for us in the world of the living. Day by day we live our lives, not knowing what is around the corner but all the while hoping it is something good. If it is destiny’s desire for you to do something, chances are, you are going to do it. Now put aside beliefs for just a moment and try to imagine a world filled with lives dictated by an immeasurable force. This force manipulates each and every one of us ever so slightly. It’s tender, so much so that it doesn’t even seem like it is there but it is and it’s walking with you hand-in-hand down a path you must take. There may be many splits in this metaphorical path …

Medicom Toys Unveils Kill la Kill, Girls und Panzer and Evangelion Figures

Published by Kane Bugeja

Medicom Toys Real Action Hero line has recently announced three new figures set for a 2015 release. Said figures hail from the series Girls und Panzer, Kill la Kill and Neon Genesis Evangelion and present Miho Nishizumi, Satsuki Kiryuin and Unit 13 respectively. Miho Nishizumi (Girls und Panzer) Sculptor: Akeji, PERFECT-STUDIO Clothes: Mieko Akimoto Size: Approx. 300mm Price: 25,488 yen [Contents] -Main figure -Expression parts x 3 types -Front hair parts x 2 types -Optional parts (tako horn, binoculars, bag, bokorare bear Boko, tank cake, flower accessory and lottery card from the tournament selection) -Hand parts (2 patterns) -Articulated figure stand Satsuki Kiryuin (Kill la Kill) Sculptor: Akeji, PERFECT-STUDIO Clothes production: Mieko Akimoto Size: Approx. 270mm Price: 23,760 yen [Contents] -Main figure -Expression parts -Eye parts -Weapon part “Bakuzan” -Articulated figure stand [Initial Production Limited Bonus] -Shouting face part EVA-13 (Neon Genesis Evangelion) Sculptor: PERFECT-STUDIO Clothes: Yumiko Noda (SOUing) Size: Approx. 390mm Price: 43,200 yen [Contents] -Main figure -Spear x 2 -Arm parts -Bit parts and stand -Hand parts -Articulated figure stand -30-

The Last Naruto the Movie Set for December Release

Published by Kane Bugeja

That’s right ninja fans. According to issue 35 of Weekly Shonen Jump, a “new era” of Naruto is about to begin. Headed by a few colour pages, the issue reveals that a new movie entitled The Last Naruto the Movie (official translation pending) due out on December 6th. Brief sketches of the titular character reveal a more mature look with a stern face and shorter haircut than what is usually seen. No details have yet been released regarding the plot of the movie, though a countdown website has been created, so new can’t be too far away. In the meantime, check out the teaser images and let the theories spawn within your mind as to just what will happen in The Last Naruto the Movie. lang=”en”> 昨日19（土）発売「週刊少年ジャンプ」34号に、7/28（月）発売「週刊少年ジャンプ」35号にて「NARUTO-ナルトｰ」超重大発表アリ!!と告知が。テレビ東京HIRO　http://t.co/zMiSpEDERC　http://t.co/4kNMxEifdi — 劇場版NARUTO-ナルト-【公式】 (@naruto_movie) July 20, 2014 -30-

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – Junpei, Yukari and Rise English Character Spotlight Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

“Ta da da da! Level up!” – ATLUS has today released three short trailers for their upcoming action/brawler title ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’, each of which showcases another of the already-announced characters, this time in full English audio! Junpei Iori, Yukabe Takeba and Rise Kujikawa each star in their own character spotlight trailers today and they are looking dang fierce! They sound good too! With legendary voice actors like Vic Mignogna thrown into the cast, it is hard not to appreciate just how fantastic the English dub of the game sounds. Each of these characters will return in the new game, older, wiser and with more fight experience than you can poke a stick at. The game is set for a North American release this Fall/Autumn with a European one to follow but seeing as the N. American version is region free, Euro gamers can go ahead and get it the same day. The game ill be released for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems. The three trailers are below so watch and enjoy! …

North America To Get A PS4 Release Of “Akiba’s Trip: Undead And Undressed”

Published by Frank Inglese

Ohohoho! What do we have here? A saucy little update on the upcoming action/adventure sequel “Akiba’s Strip: Undead and Undressed” that has the game supposedly hitting the PlayStation 4 in North America like it has already done in Japan. This…is…fantastic! Originally the game was just announced to be getting a release on both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita which isn’t at all a bad thing, we were just glad to be getting it, but now it has been revealed that North America too will be able to play this ultra sexy, ultra stylish game in it’s full HD glory on the PlayStation 4. If you’ve no idea what this game is, allow me to explain: You play as a young man named Nanashi who has recently been…killed. Well not killed, it’s more like he’s become a zombie but not the type of zombie you see in cheesy 80s films, he’s kind of just no longer alive, yet still kind of alive. It’s a little confusing but bare with me as we hack and slash …

Europe To Get a Retail Release Of “Freedom Wars”

Published by Frank Inglese

Originally announced as only getting a digital PlayStation Network release in Europe, Sony Computer Entertainment has come out today and announced that ‘Freedom Wars’ will be getting a retail release outside of Japan. European gamers, now you can have ‘Freedom Wars’ on your shelves next to all the other fantastic PlayStation Vita video game covers. The game will still be hitting Europe digitally for those of you who prefer to keep each and every one of your games on the console but will now also be literally hitting local shelves. This is all thanks to a high amount of public interest. Fred Dutton, SCEE Blog Manager, announced this particular piece of news by referring to the large amount of people voicing their opinions on the previously digital-only release for the game. Mr. Dutton stated that there are many gamers outside of Japan that would love to see this game physically and, well…Sony Computer Entertainment see’s what the people want and gives it too them. Clearly. Sony has yet to announce a Western release date for …

Celebrate The Music Of “Final Fantasy VII” With The New Trailer For “Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call”

Published by Frank Inglese

I’ll be honest with you, reader; ‘Final Fantasy VII’ is really the only video game from the series that I actually know about in, somewhat, great detail. It isn’t that the series never piqued my interest, it is simply that I’m a product of my environment and, while growing up, it was never really saturated with the ‘Final Fantasy’ series. Now, as an adult, I feel as though I’m too separated from the series to get into it now…but I still love me some ‘Final Fantasy VII’ which somehow impacted my video game-playing life like no other storyline from the franchise. Square Enix has today released the third episode of ‘The Legacy of Music’ a trailer-style video series that basically focuses on one of the ‘FF’ games featured in the upcoming ‘Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call’ Nintendo 3DS title and this time around it just so happens to showcase some of the music from the high-acclaimed ‘Final Fantasy VII’. The video, of which you can see just below, takes the audience on a short ride …

“Dark Souls II” – “Crown Of The Sunken King” DLC Now Available

Published by Frank Inglese

Every once in a while, games like “Dark Souls” come around and shake up the video game world as we know it, sending players in to frenzy of constant death and frustrating addiction. As those players get closer to actually finishing the game, it’s developers decide to release a DLC that hooks them back in for more hours of terror and confusing enjoyment. This is the beauty of the DLC pack; just as you think you’re about to leave a game behind, you’re given something to entice you to keep playing. Japanese developers FromSoftware alongside Bandai Namco Games have today announced that the first of the DLC trilogy for the highly-addictive fantasy title ‘Dark Souls II’ titled ‘Crown Of The Sunken King’ is available to download on all consoles where the game can be played. Including Steam. This new DLC adds a whole bunch of content to the already terrifyingly long video game and kicks off a new storyline that will span over three DLC releases. Head to the PlayStation Network, Xbox Marketplace or Steam …

Dragon Ball Z 2015 Film Nets First Teaser Trailer

Published by Kane Bugeja

Who doesn’t love Dragon Ball Z? I suppose if you answered “Me” to that question this news isn’t for you. But for the rest of us who love to see the Saiyans duke it out against aliens of increasing strength, it’s time to get excited for 2015. Having personally created the original concept, screenplay and character designs of the film, Akira Toriyama is rather excited about his latest offering. Claiming that he is “fussing over the smallest dialogue lines”, Toriyama promises that the 2015 film will be “utterly funny”. Toriyama has even noted that his first manga editor has praised him on his work thus far, something that he is said to rarely do. So if Toriyama is o amped about it, I look forward to see exactly how this film plays out. For the briefest of glimpses, check out the teaser below (courtesy of Fuji TV’s morning program Mezamashi TV). -30-

Persona Q Intro Movie Revealed Alongside North American Release Date

Published by Kane Bugeja

Good news Persona fans, specifically those living in North America. ATLUS has just announced when the series latest instalment will hit your 3DS: November 25th. Ok, so maybe it’s not right around the corner, but at least now there’s a date to mark on the calender. But if your spirits are particularly down about having to wait, check out the intro movie. That’ll put a bounce in your step for sure. Persona Q is a first-person dungeon crawling RPG adventure that combines the casts of the hit ATLUS games Persona 3 andPersona 4in a brand new story. Not only is Persona Q the first new RPG in the Persona franchise since 2008, but it is also marks the first time a Persona game will release on a Nintendo platform. The Persona development team joined forces with the Etrian Odyssey development team to create a true fusion of the two franchises – Persona Q features the map-making and first person exploration from Etrian games and fuses it with the character development, combat, and motifs of the Persona …

Maoyu Series Collection Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Ah fantasy. The realm of knights and dragons, angels and demons, humans and…some other type of creature. But we all know those stories inside and out. A champion arises, braving countless foes until they storm the villain’s castle and conquer evil…but then what? With no villains left to stand against, what does good do? More importantly, what happens to the world itself? Meet the Hero, a nameless protagonist who is on his way to defeat the likewise nameless Demon King. However, our Hero is slightly taken aback when, instead of stumbling into a horrible, terror inspiring beast, he finds a cute girl. But appearances are deceptive in this world of fantasy, as the girl reveals herself to be none other than the Demon King. However, rather than attempting to attack the Hero, she merely provides a cheerful hello and explains her desire to have a calm discussion with him. Not exactly you’re traditional clash between good and evil. As the Demon King reveals her notions regarding war, the Hero comes to see her as more …

The True Master Of The Fist! New ‘Hyrule Warriors’ Trailer Showcases Link’s Power Gloves

Published by Frank Inglese

What’s better than a magical sword wielded by countless heroes throughout time? Good question! There’s only one real answer: Big gloves. Well, not just ‘big’ gloves…damn big gloves! Powerful gauntlets of pure brawn that grant the wearer imaginable strength while at the same time making them look as formidable as humanly possible. Today Tecmo Koei games released a brand-new showcase trailer for their upcoming ‘Hyrule Warriors’ game that just so happens to feature the hero of time Link with his new weapons; the Power Gloves. Link sheathes his sword for the time being and puts on a pair of these titanic gauntlets as he shows us he’s not too afraid of some literal hand-to-hand combat. See Link destroy hordes of enemies with nothing but brute force in the latest trailer for the upcoming game which is set for an exclusive release on the Wii U this September on the 19th for Europe and the 26th for North America. Check out the trailer just below. Hyrule Warriors – Power Gloves Trailer: -30-

It’s Time To Robattle With A Newly Released Duo Of Medabots 8 Trailers!

Published by Frank Inglese

The future is here, Medababy! Have ever wanted to have your own robot friend that you could care for, customise, polish up and then send into battle against other possibly-deadly robots? I know I have! The next in the series’ line of video games, ‘Medabots 8’ is about to be released in Japan to one heck of an amazing critical reception. Even though the franchise has died off over here in the West, it is still going strong in Japan with a massive fanbase that just keeps demanding more games. Two new gameplay videos were just released and both focus entirely on the battle system of the new pair of games that are quite reminiscent of previous ‘Medabots’ titles but with little tweaks and changes to make the combat mechanics smoother and more enjoyable. Players will be able to have their robot pals target specific body parts of their opponents. Utilizing this properly will have you take out an enemy’s best weapon or their legs to slow them down or their torso for some huge …

“Mighty No.9” July Update Gameplay Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

The second Kickstarter campaign for Keiji Inafune’s ‘Might No.9’ is going very strong and that’s no surprise seeing as how damn well the first campaign went. As a sign of good faith, ‘Comcept’ (Inafune’s own video game development company) have just released a new trailer for the upcoming ‘Megaman’ spiritual successor. This two minute long piece of footage was posted to basically show just how well the development of the game is going, proving to backers that their money is being put to good use. Not that anyone every doubted that. It’s just what makes Inafune and his crew some of the best contemporary video game developers around. Follow Beck again as he blasts, smashes and dashes his way through countless enemies. It’s only a short video but if you’re a die-hard fan of Mr. Inafune’s work, like me, you’ll be happy to see more of the new ‘blue bomber’. As an added bonus, the Kickstarter page was also updated with a bunch of great art from fans around the world. Click Here to head …

Nippon Ichi Software’s Greeting Card Possibly Features First Image Of “Disgaea 5”

Published by Frank Inglese

Twitter is wonderful! You must understand this! It isn’t just ‘another social media site’ at all. It is something that constantly surprises and delights. With the click of a link you could be sent on an adventure like no other. Personal information is at your fingertips and, so long as there are still good-hearted world citizens using it, I will continue to recommend Twitter to everyone I meet! The fantastic Twitter user GILGAMESH501XX yesterday ‘Tweeted’ out a picture of a NIS (Nippon Ichi Software) greeting card, sent out to some lucky people as a nice, warm, Summer salutation. Gilgamesh, as I will call him, noticed something interesting about the image featured on this greeting card; the characters shown aren’t that familiar but the way they look, now…that’s a different story. https://twitter.com/GILGAMESH501XX/status/490437511638839296 At first glance they simply seem like typical ‘Disgaea’ characters with the most prominent of the group looking quite similar to each of the previous game’s protagonists. Like some sort of incredibly protagonist fusion, but I’m not exactly sure that’s what it is. The …

“Danganronpa: Another Episode” Official Website Update Information

Published by Frank Inglese

How would you deal with a robot bear uprising? Hide in a corner until you’re inevitably found and killed or stand tall and fight back against the fuzzy force that oppresses you?! I would probably go with the ‘hide in corner’ option but in the recently announced ‘Danganronpa’ third-person shooter title ‘Another Episode’, you don’t really have a choice. Set in between the games ‘Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc’ and ‘Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair’, this game tells the story of Komaru Naegi as she fights to survive in the now-apocalyptic Towa City. The forces of Monokuma, the series antagonist, have risen up and taken hold of the once peaceful city, killing all those who stand their ground. Spike Chunsoft, Japanese video game developer, have today updated the official website for the game revealing more information regarding the new characters which were showcased in the latest issue of Japan’s ‘Famitsu’ magazine and explaining more about the odd but affective weapon of the game’s hero. Komaru, as you may already know, wields a weapon made specifically to take …

There’s A New Saiyan In Town! “Dragon Ball: Xenoverse” Screenshots Showcase Future Saiyan Warrior

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s a heavy burden that comes with the option of time travel but if you had the ability to speed back through time, helping out the ‘good guys’ in each and every situation of conflict, would you not do so? There’s a new character that has been ‘shown’ to be quite pivotal in the upcoming ‘Dragon Ball: Xenoverse’ fighting game published by the wonderful Bandai Namco Games, and he just so happens to be a time traveler. He has been described as a ‘mysterious figure’ who journey through the timeline of the ‘Dragon Ball’ universe, aiding in the battle against benevolent forces hell-bent on destroying all that is good. In other words; every single antagonist from the ‘Dragon Ball’ series. Playing as this ‘mysterious future warrior’, you will take part in every single fate-deciding battle from the highly-acclaimed Shonen series. You will fight alongside each of the ‘Z Fighters’, helping them along the way and most likely changing certain outcomes including their inevitable deaths along the way. As much as we know about this ‘mysterious …

Madman Entertainment Anime Acquisitions From AVCon 2014

Published by Frank Inglese

Amidst the festivities of Adelaide’s Anime & Video Convention, Madman Entertainment announced four new acquisitions set to grace your collections sometime in the near future. Three of the four are older Anime series’/movies with the fourth being a brand-new acquisition set to be released sometime in the near future though no specific release date has been described as of yet. Both volumes IX and X of ‘Hellsing Ultimate’, the ‘Ninja Scroll’ Anime movie and ‘Ghost In The Shell: 25th Anniversary Edition’ will be hitting local shelves this November. As for new Anime acquisitions, it is ‘Senran Kagura’ that Madman has recently picked up. Though no specifics regarding the release of the series have been divulged you can expect to see it sometime in the near future. “Hellsing Ultimate” Volumes IX and X:   Finally! We will release these much-anticipated volumes in November. The rogue vampire Alucard is the Hellsing Organization’s deadliest instrument in its mission to protect the British Empire from satanic ghouls and Nazi freaks. Though he is not alone in his assault on …

15th Anniversary Special Edition Digivice Unveiled

Published by Frank Inglese

A week or so ago Bandai released a teaser image on their premium online store that depicted two coloured silhouettes with a familiar shape. ‘Digimon’ fans the net over were quick to jump onto the idea that this ‘teaser’ depicted the original two ‘Digivices’ from the first season of the Anime series, one belonging to team leader Taichi ‘Tai’ Kamiya and the other belonging to the black sheep of the group Yamato ‘Matt’ Ishida. The teaser page on the website described this particular release as something older fans will remember but with certain features that are fresh, new and sure to get them excited. Today Bandai have updated their premium online store to no longer show a simple teaser image but the actual product itself and it’s exactly what we were all thinking…though it is still immeasurably exciting! This item is, for all intents and purposes, a re-release of the original ‘Digivice’ which you may remember featured in the first season of the long-running series. While looking almost exactly the same as they did fifteen …

Hanabee Announce 6 New Titles at AVCon, Including Valvrave and Watamote!

Published by Luke Halliday

Hanabee Entertainment have made some major announcements at AVCon over the weekend. They have confirmed that they have acquired the license to the following anime series: Valvrave the Liberator – DVD & Blu-Ray, 12 Episodes Subtitled Only, October 1st, 2014. Watamote – DVD & Blu-Ray, 12 Episodes Dubbed and Subbed, October 1st, 2014. Kasukimonogatari – DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack, 5 Episodes, October 1st, 2014. Rail Wars – Simulcasting on Hanabee.com, Episode 1-2 streaming live, July 21st, 2014. Fate Kaleid Season 2 – Simulcasting on Hanabee.com, 10 Episodes in total, Season 1 to come in future. Aldnoah.Zero – Simulcasting on Hanabee.com, Episode 1-2 streaming live, July 21st, 2014. This is certainly an impressive line-up of title acquisitions! It is great to see Hanabee pushing the boundaries with their streaming service bringing down some major titles for Australian anime fans. Stay tuned for more information on Hanabee and their acquisitions as it surfaces. -30-

“Digimon: Digital Monsters” Season One Collection Review

Published by Frank Inglese

As a new man, barely in his twenties, I find myself looking forward to the future with hope in my heart and ambition coursing through my veins. With a positive outlook and an energetic disposition, day by day my anticipation and excitement of what is to come grows stronger but I constantly catch myself in daydreams of the past. Younger, better days. Times when the bulk of my focus was centered on a tiny, square, brick-like toy that had to do no more than ‘beep’ to get my attention. The days of the ‘virtual pet’; they were good ones indeed. The original ‘Digimon’ ‘V-Pets’, as they’re called, were basically Tamagotchis with ‘machismo’. You didn’t give your virtual pet a bow to wear or a ball to play with, that’s not how you train a killer! From the moment a ‘Digimon’ hatches it is put into rigorous training; shooting bubbles at punching bags or having to fight it’s own body double. Being a sequence of digital lines on a tiny screen is hard, especially when you’re …

Toradora! Complete Series Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

It’s that classic story. Boy meets girl, girl inadvertently reveals her feelings for boy’s friend, boy in turn reveals feelings for girl’s friend, boy and girl conspire to set each other up with said friends and bam presto everybody lives happily ever after…what could possibly go wrong? Ryuji Takasu is one of the kindest, most mature highschoolers you’ll ever meet, sure he’s a bit oblivious, but nobody’s perfect. Unfortunately for Ryuji however, he looks like his father, causing him to possess an intimidating visage that causes others to immediately dub him a delinquent. Though students will often forget said fear when another particularly infamous student crosses their path. Diminutive in stature and with a temper even shorter still, Aisaka Taiga has come to bear the title Palmtop Tiger. After misplacing a love letter for Kitamura (Ryuji’s friend) into Ryuji’s schoolbag, Taiga breaks into Ryuji’s house at night in order to retrieve her embarrassing declaration. But wouldn’t you know, one thing leads to another and the two wind up revealing to each other that they are in …

‘Terror in Resonance’ First Impressions

Published by Luke Halliday

Whenever the name Shinichiro Watanabe is attached to an anime project you know that it will no doubt be something that you should be watching and after the first episode of his latest work Terror in Resonance, it isn’t any wonder why Watanabe and the series that he directs are so critically acclaimed. It is because they resonate with viewers. These series find a way of burrowing into the deepest reaches of our hearts and striking a chord with our souls. Watanabe understands human feeling better than any anime director and he puts on show for the world to see. Terror in Resonance kicks things off with a bang (literally in fact) and it feels like a Watanabe series from the get go. There is a lot of questions raised in this first episode and little to no answers given, but that is just fine, because Terror in Resonance looks to take its time exploring its world and characters before it hits the nitty gritty, which is of course a staple of Watanabe’s work. His …

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair for PS Vita gets Release Date and Trailer

Published by Luke Halliday

NIS America have today confirmed the release date for the upcoming PS Vita title Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. The game is said to be slated for a release on September 12th, 2014. Alongside the announcement of the release date, NIS America also dropped a brand new trailer for Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair to build up some hype for the upcoming game. The game follows on from the success of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc the first game in the series. Check out the trailer below and say Goodbye to Despair. With this title the future certainly is beginning to look brighter for the struggling PS Vita which has unfortunately struggled to find its footing in the handheld market since its launch back in 2012. It is great to see that companies such as NIS America are supporting the platform with great titles such as this. -30-

SnapThirty Presents: SnapCast Episode 2 – “The Problem with Penguins/SnapKane: Kane Gets Snapped

Published by Kane Bugeja

  In this episode, Kane, Frank and Luke discuss the new anime of the Summer season and the noticeable lack of penguins within Tokyo ESP. As the episode progresses, talk turns Kane and the multiple anime characters who bear a resemblance to him…before devolving into a brief bout of snaps, quips and references. Hitman Reborn! also gets a mention, so there’s that to. Plus, for those looking for a slightly more intelligent conversation (very slightly mind you), the guys also chat about the impact “camera work” can have in a series.   Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – SnapCast Episode 1 – SnapCast Episode 2 – “The Problem with Penguins/SnapKane: Kane Gets Snapped” You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here -30-

Big Hero 6 – New Trailer Released + Manga Series Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

‘Big Hero 6’, for those of you unaware, is a newly-announced Disney movie based off a Marvel comic from many years ago. Despite it clearly being a Western concept, the setting for ‘Big Hero 6’ is laced with Japanese-style visuals and themes so I believe it has earnt it’s place somewhere within the nation’s pop culture world. Back in May we were delivered the very first trailer for the film but it was looked at as more of a teaser trailer than anything else with no actual story being outlined within. Today though, not only do we have the first official trailer for the movie but we also have a confirmed cast list and some news regarding an actual Manga adaptation of the film. The trailer semi-introduces the main antagonist of the film who I will simply refer to as ‘Kabuki Mask’, seeing as that is basically what he’s called throughout the trailer. The film is actually looking to be brilliant! Alongside the release of the new trailer comes news of Manga adaptation of the …

Next Nippon Ichi Software Video Game Title Teased By Countdown Site

Published by Frank Inglese

There are certain things companies can do in this industry to raise hype: Some choose to release trailers of their new games, others decide to simply advertise that there will be a new game but there are a special few that, well…they just like to tease fans. Nippon Ichi Software, also known more commonly as NIS, have today launched a website that is essentially counting down to an the announcement of their ‘next big thing’. The website, which you can check out by Clicking Here, is pretty bare bones when it comes to actual information. Really, it’s just well-composed photograph of a a beautiful woman of oriental background in traditional garb holding a PlayStation Vita. Next to her is what looks to be a chest of gold, as you can clearly see in the picture above. This website will be updated every day at exactly 12:00am (Japanese time). Whether or not the ‘update’ will just bring about another picture similar to the last or some actual information on the title is beyond me at this …

“Hyrule Warriors” – Second Princess Zelda Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

The lovely princess is back in all her kick-arse glory! Tecmo Koei has today released another Zelda-centric character trailer for their upcoming Wii U exclusive ‘Hyrule Warriors’ and I must say she is looking damn fierce! The difference between this trailer and the last? Well did the glamorous princess wield the ‘Wind Waker’ in the last trailer? No, I didn’t think so, but she does in this one! Take control of the wind as you slice your way through hordes of enemies with Princess Zelda, the lovely heroine that is ultimately as cool and powerful as the hero Link. That doesn’t surprise me though, the game IS named after her so really she should be the best out of all the characters. The new trailer shows off all her moves as she dishes out some smack down to all the canon fodder standing in her way. It goes for about a minute and a half and is sure to scratch your ‘Hyrule Warriors’ itch. The game is set for a release in Japan on the …

‘Fatal Frame: The Black-Haired Shrine Maiden’ gets Trailer and gets Scary!

Published by Luke Halliday

A new trailer for the upcoming Fatal Frame video-game has made it’s way online and boy oh boy is it spooky! The game is titled Fatal Frame: The Black-Haired Shrine Maiden and is coming exclusive to the Wii U, implementing the Wii U GamePad into the game’s iconic photography gameplay. The game looks scary as all hell and will no doubt be a must-play game for Wii U owners. You can check out the trailer for Fatal Frame: The Black-Haired Shrine Maiden below. Are you afraid of the dark? Because my friend, with Fatal Frame you are heading into the heart of it. -30-

Viz Media Previews Sailor Moon Dub with Talking Cat doing some talking

Published by Luke Halliday

 Ahead of the upcoming release of their English language dub of the classic magical girl anime series Sailor Moon, Viz Media have released yet another preview video for the dub, this time focusing on Luna the magical talking cat. Luna is of course the mentor of Sailor Moon, being the one to awaken Usagi’s moon prism powers and also guiding her on her journey to fight the forces of evil by moonlight. The preview clip focuses on their initial introduction where Luna grants Usagi the aforementioned moon prism powers. Check out the preview video below to see a talking cat talk about things to a ditsy teenage girl who is destined to become a magical sailor scout that will save the world and all of that jazz. Sounds like a fun Saturday night to me. -30-

One Piece: Unlimited World Red – “Quest For Money” Paid DLC Announced

Published by Frank Inglese

Ah yes, the pirate’s life surely is the life for me. You’re off the land, journeying the sea, man, life is pretty free. The pirate’s life…wow, what a life to lead. Bandai Namco Games today announced the first paid DLC for their newly-released ‘One Piece’ multi-platform title ‘Unlimited World Red’ and the ironic thing is that you’ll be paying real money for a mission called ‘Quest For Money’. The mission will have you and your merry band of pirates running about searching for a treasure you could never imagine, not even in your wildest dreams! Is it the treasure of ‘One Piece’? Is this Gol D. Roger’s treasure?! No, but it is a pretty awesome booty to chase…’booty’, is that the right word? From what Namco Bandai have said, you and your friends will be searching for “a massive treasure…of at least a handful of berries”. So…maybe not a ‘massive’ treasure but one that you’ll at least have fun trying to find…right? No, all jokes aside, this DLC sounds like a whole bunch of fun …

What if Blade Runner was an Anime? It Might Look a Little Like This!

Published by Luke Halliday

When you look at the countless sci-fi anime series over the years, it is hard to argue the influence of Blade Runner, the film based upon Philip K. Dick’s legendary story Do Android’s Dream of Electric Sheep?. In fact there has been enough series influenced by the film and original story that an anime fan by the name of Chris Kessler was able to recreate the trailer for Blade Runner using anime footage from the 90s. It has been a dream of many anime fans to see Blade Runner in anime form and while series like Psycho-Pass come quite close to the same sort of feeling that Blade Runner had, this fan-made trailer brings the film into the realm of anime to amazing effect. Check it out below for a look at what could have been. While the fan-made trailer is quite a spectacle it is highly unlikely that Blade Runner will ever get an anime series adaptation, sadly those chances seem to be lost in time like… tears in the rain. -30-

Person 4 Arena Ultimax – Teddie and Elizabeth Spotlight Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Two new trailers for ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’?! Oh man! I’m about to go BEAR-zerk! ATLUS has today released two new character spotlight trailers for their upcoming fighting game sequel and they just so happen to focus on ‘Persona 3’s’ Elizabeth and ‘Persona 4’s’ Teddie who is also known as Kuma in Japan. Yesterday brought some screenshots of the newly announced character ‘Marie’ in all her fighting game glory but today we’re to focus on these two fan favorite characters, both of which are making a return to the arena. The two videos are short but they show us everything we need: Elizabeth is, once again, accompanied by the Persona Thanatos who you may know actually belongs to the protagonist character of ‘Persona 3’. Fans all over the web have spoken out in protest at the fact that Makoto Yuki isn’t featured as a playable character in the new game but I suppose we all should take solace in the fact that at least Elizabeth is still partnered up with Thanatos. That’s as close as …

JFF Encore – Revisting Japan’s Finest Films

Published by Luke Halliday

This past week, Sydney-siders were lucky enough to get a gander at the Japan Foundation’s Japanese Film Festival Encore showings, or more simply known as JFF Encore. The theme of this special event was the Japanese Academy Awards, meaning that each film screening as part of JFF Encore was at one point in time a recipient of the prestigious Academy Award for Best Film. JFF Encore took place at Event Cinemas on George St in Sydney, showcased were a plethora of incredible films all of which highlighted the diverse styles that are a trademark of Japanese cinema. Whether it be emotional drama, feel-good family comedies or intellectual explorations of the very fabric of societal structures, there was a bit of everything on show here and it truly goes to show how remarkably deep the creative well is in Japan for film. All of the films on show here have been a part of the main Japanese Film Festival over the years and received a second showing as part of the Encore event. On show were …

Always~ Sunset on Third Street Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing. It shows us where we once were and how far we have come since then. Always~ Sunset on Third Street is a film that shows us where Japan once was and how far it has come since. It is a nostalgic trip into the ‘good old days’ of Japan in it’s post-war boom but that isn’t all that Always~ is about. At its very core, Always~ Sunset on Third Street explores the nature of family and the importance of it. Set beneath the shadow of the Tokyo Tower construction, Always~ follows the inhabitants of the titular Third Street in Tokyo. In particular focus are the Suzuki family with their Suzuki Auto Mobile company and the washed-up writer Chagawa. Through both of these people we see that family bonds can be stronger than blood. Effortlessly weaving two countering plot-lines, Always~ follows two kids who find family in the most unexpected of places – on Third Street. The first of which is the relationship that forms between the has-been writer Chagawa and the …

Freedom Wars – Update Details Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Do you remember a couple of weeks ago when certain news regarding Japanese gamers finding ‘Freedom Wars’ too hard was floating around the web? Do you remember when video game producer Junichi Yoshizawa came out and said that the development team were currently working on an update to fix the difficulty problem? You do?! Well it doesn’t actually matter because this update has absolutely nothing to do with the aforementioned bug. Japan’s ‘Famitsu’ magazine recently posted an information page up on their online publication which both announces and details a massive update for the game. Now, as mentioned, this update does nothing about the insane difficulty level but it does add a couple extra features that will surely boost overall gameplay value for the Sony Computer Entertainment title. The new update will add the ‘Internet Co-Op Play’ feature which will allow players to do exactly that; play matches over the internet with anyone around the world rather than just through ad-hoc. Don’t stress if you’re more of a ‘close proximity’ gamer because the ad-hoc multiplayer …

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – ‘Mysterious Boy’, ‘Eater’ and New Character Yuuko Introduced

Published by Frank Inglese

The digital world of the ‘Digimon’ franchise seems as though it’s a pretty straightforward plane of existence: It’s data precisely engineered to produce the monsters and environments that populate the world. What we tend to forget is that, much like real programs, the digital world can sometimes come across certain problems and I’m not just talking about the ‘Virus-type’ Digimon that exist in the digital world, I’m speaking of course about glitches. Famitsu’s online publication has released a couple of screenshots and some general descriptions for two new ‘apparitions’ that will be appearing within the upcoming game’s digital world. The ‘Mysterious Boy’ and the ‘Eater’, both of which are the sources for their own urban legends, are two glitches in the overall digital system said to be the cause of death and/or disappearance for many digital monsters and humans wandering too far down into the depth of the digital world. The ‘Mysterious Boy’, as he’s so blatantly titled, is a ghostly figure that appears before wanderers and essentially signifies their disconnection from the real world …

Medaka Box Abnormal Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Medaka Box is a series that draws its plot, and title, from a humble suggestion box. Medak Box Abonormal on the other hand…not as much. Instead, we focus on the new titular word: Abnormal. Continuing on from Medaka’s previous defiance of the Disciplinary Committee, we are treated to a well versed shonen trope: new enemies. Not only that, but new enemies that completely outclass all who have come before. This is gonna be one heck of a fight. Having recovered from the rather substantial injuries gained during her fight with Unzen, Medaka is back at school and raring to help out her fellow students. Unfortunately for our prodigious protagonist, Unzen’s defeat has left a vacant seat in the illustrious Class 13, a collection of the most powerful students attending Sandbox Academy. Needless to say, there are a few other students who desire said position and decide the best way to prove themselves is to challenge Medaka directly. Though from previous experience you’d expect her to stand head and shoulders above any challenger, Medaka finds herself …

Sailor Moon dub previewed by Viz Media, bun-head gets schooled by Tuxedo Mask

Published by Luke Halliday

Viz Media have just released a preview for their English language dub of the legendary magical girl anime series Sailor Moon and as you would expect Tuxedo Mask is as suave as ever and Usagi is as much of a silly goose as ever. Sailor Moon tells the tale of the Sailor Scouts in their seemingly unending battle against demonic creatures that battle under the light of the moon in the dark of night. It pioneered the magical girl genre and to this day retains a rabid fandom known as ‘Moonies’. The dub stars Stephanie Sheh as Usagi/Sailor Moon and Robbie Daymond as Mamoru/Tuxedo Mask. Check it out below to take a gander at the Viz Media dub of Sailor Moon. -30-

Marie Announced As DLC Character For “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax” [UPDATE]

Published by Frank Inglese

I never expected a roster addition like this…I’m not sure anyone did! It was announced today through Japan’s ‘Famitsu’ magazine that the new addition to the ‘Persona’ series who was introduced to fans through the ‘Persona 4 Golden’ PlayStation Vita title will be made available as a DLC character soon after the release of the upcoming ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ fighting game. I’m sure you all already know who it is I’m referring to seeing as it is in the title but I’ll say it once more just to drive home the point: Marie of ‘Persona 4’ has been announced as the next playable character to join the already extensive roster and fans of the series the world over could not be more excited! I know I am! The punky young girl with the mostly-blue outfit will join her new friends in the arena for what is looking to be one hell of a massive ‘Persona’ brawl. Much like ‘Felix The Cat’, Marie is armed with a bottomless bag from which she can pull all …

Parasyte manga’s live-action film adaptation invades Planet Earth with new trailer

Published by Luke Halliday

The trailer for the live-action adaptation of the legendary shonen manga series Parasyte has made its way online and as such the alien invasion of Planet Earth has officially begun. Parasyte of course tells the tale of a high school student who becomes the host of an alien parasite which mistakenly attaches itself to his hand rather than to his brain. Through a bizarre series of events the two come to work together as they fight to save mankind from the invading forces, one parasitic alien invader at a time. Check out the trailer for the live-action Parasyte film below. Get ready for your body to get invaded, baby! -30-

Madman Entertainment August Anime Release Highlights

Published by Frank Inglese

Hey, Aussie pop culture fans! Are you in the need for some new Anime releases? Yes!? Well it’s your lucky day because Madman Entertainment have got you covered! Today the Australian distribution company sent out their monthly release bulletin board for August and thanks to that I’ve been able to compile a small list of Anime items that will sure to have you occupied for the month of August. Not to give anything away but…they’re damn good releases! Madman Entertainment have been providing Australia with Anime, Cartoons, Series’ and Movies for quite a while now so make sure you support them the only way you can; by buying their products! For any more information or just to check out their product catalog, head to their official site by Clicking Here. Now, onto the releases! Each of the listed items will be getting an Australia-wide release on the 20th of August. Code:Breaker – Series Collection Synopsis: Riding the bus one day, Sakurakouji Sakura looks out the window to see people being burned alive with a blue …

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call Legacy of Music Episode 2 Trailer Released

Published by Kane Bugeja

Listen well Final Fantasy Fanatics because your next instalment of Theatrhythm is just around the corner. Owing to this, Square Enix has released a new trailer to showcase some of the new tunes that lie behind the curtain. Focusing on an earlier era of finality, said trailer focuses on FFIV-FFVI, with a little snippet of Mystic Quest thrown in at the end. Enjoy! The 16 bit debut of FINAL FANTASY was heralded by FINAL FANTASY IV, which showed to the world that that an RPG could tell a compelling and powerful story. This game and those that followed introduced a host of multi-faceted characters that faced real-world choices and consequences along their journeys. The Active Time Battle system also made its first appearance in this generation, giving a more real-time feel to the combat. Musically, some of the franchise’s most memorable themes made their debut, including Battle on the Big Bridge, which has had many triumphant series returns in a variety of styles. -30-

Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign Volume 1 Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Taking a look at pop culture nowadays, you may realise that the monster genre is rather widespread…much like the viruses that usually exist within them. But, wherever a virus is lacking, some monstrous race will take footing and plague humanity. Seraph of the End likes both of these ideas. Thus begins a story that features both, the effect of which are…less than beneficial on mankind. Roughly four years ago, a terrible virus spread throughout the world. Going the extra mile in specific cruelty, only children below the age of 13 were immune to infection. As such, the world lost its guiding force and children were rendered parentless…then the vampires came. With no way to defend themselves, the children were stolen away by these monsters, to live as a continuous source of blood. Thus we arrive in the present, wherein we meet Yuichiro, a plucky young boy with an unyielding desire to slaughter his vampiric oppressors and free his fellow orphans from the shackles of servitude. Of course, lacking the power to do so, he is …

Fullmetal Alchemist (3-in-1) Volume 1 Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

If you’ve ever picked up a manga, chances are high that you’ve heard the name Fullmetal Alchemist, and for good reason. Not specific to this review in particular, Fullmetal is widely regarded as a pinnacle of the medium. So carry this knowledge with you as we take a trip back to where it all began, following the story of two brothers attempting to fix their mistake. Their horrible, ungodly mistake… Teachings that do not speak of pain have no meaning…because humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. Such is the world of Fullmetal Alchemist, wherein this teaching permeates not only those who dwell within its confines, but the power which they wield: Alchemy. A science that strides beyond humanity and into the domain of God. Transmuting the component elements of existence into whatever one desires, so long as the product’s composition is equivalent to that of it’s precursor. Those who bear said power utilise their gifts for the betterment of humanity…or join the military and weaponise their talent. Regardless of their choice, there remains …

“Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed” Is Coming To Europe!

Published by Frank Inglese

‘Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed’ is an odd yet immeasurably popular game that has gained quite a great deal of positive reception in the West as of late and guess what? It’s going to be making it’s way over to Europe very soon thanks to ‘NIS America’! You play as a young man named Nanashi who has recently been…killed. Well not killed, it’s more like he’s become a zombie but not the type of zombie you see in cheesy 80s films, he’s kind of just no longer alive, yet still kind of alive. It’s a little confusing but bare with me as we hack and slash our way through it. Before fully succumbing to the darkness, Nanashi is saved by a young maiden who just so happens to work for an organization called the ‘Akiba Freedom Fighters’ who have dedicated their lives to stopping the vampire invasion one blood-sucker at a time. As Nanashi, you join the ‘Freedom Fighters’ and help in their mission to rid Akihabara of it’s vampire problem. These vampires, or ‘Synthesizers’, …

New “Dragon Ball Z” Anime Movie Announced For 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Here’s the deal; if you’re not excited about the prospect of a brand-new ‘Dragon Ball Z’ movie, especially after seeing ‘Battle Of Gods’, I’m sorry but I don’t think we can be friends. Not that being my friend is a privilege of any kind.This particular piece of news was not meant to be officially released until Saturday where it will feature in the new issue of Shueisha’s ‘V Jump’ magazine but thanks to an unknown citizen of this great world ‘DBZ’ fans were given the announcement early by almost a full week! Coming next Spring, as part of the ‘Golden Week’ celebrations, a new ‘Dragon Ball Z’ movie will be released. Akira Toriyama, the series’ creator himself, has done a great deal of work for this movie with him being credited for the overall story concept, script and character design of who I’m assuming are some new friends and foes to be introduced in the upcoming film. The movie will feature an entirely new story much like that of ‘Battle Of Gods’ but something a …

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Trailer Shows Gym Leaders, Pika-Cosplay and New Mega

Published by Kane Bugeja

Is everyone still excited for Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire? I know I am. Should you be amongst those who have let news of the Hoenn remakes drift into the periphery of your thoughts, Nintendo has released yet another trailer showcasing snippets of the upcoming remakes. I’ll start with the big news: Pikachu Cosplay. I mean, if there’s one thing that has been sorely lacking from Pokemon, it’s costumes right? Though screenshots express said costumed mouse in the Pokemon Amie function, there has been no specifics given as to the limitations of these outfits. Due to Hoenn being the region that first brought us Pokemon Contests, along with a seemingly related sentence in the trailer, it wouldn’t be that far of a stretch to imagine cosplay will be ramped up a notch in these games. We also do not know if it is only specific Pokemon who will have the ability to dress up, or if there are any other costumes. After all, each screenshot released thus far specifically features a female Pikachu, one would …

Rebirth Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Life is by no means a simple endeavour. Rife with unforeseeable complications and seemingly insurmountable odds, it is no wonder that people develop their own unique methods to cope. However, should one’s attempt to clutch normalcy become a detriment to others, just how far can the ideals of compassion and understanding be stretched? Rebirth tests this within all of us. Forcing us to bear witness to the positives of an inconceivably negative act. Nonomiya Kiwako has by no means lived what would be considered an ordinary life. Having been intimately involved with a married man, she was convinced by her lover to abort the child that had resulted, in hopes of having another at a more opportune time. However, the procedure left Kiwako unable to conceive, shattering her dreams of a family. Compounded by the fact that her love had returned to father a child with his wife, her sadness is understandable, regardless of the ethics of her actions. Gripped by her melancholy, Kiwako visits the house of her love, only to discover that they had …

Key of Life Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Sometimes life doesn’t play out quite the way you thought it would. Dreams will only take you so far, especially if you lack the resolve to follow through with them. Unfortunately this is something that Takeshi Sakurai knows all too well. Down on his luck and planning to end it all, he happens upon a coupon for a bathhouse and decides to venture out of his apartment. But surely this one simple outing will not be a memorable one…right? Wrong. Whilst storing his “possessions” into a locker, Sakurai notices that a particularly well dressed individual has also decided to visit the bathhouse, placing his noticeably full wallet in a locker near his own. As if the universe itself was mocking him. However, this chance encounter becomes a turning point in both the lives of Sakurai and said individual (henceforth known as Kondo). After an unfortunate accident involving a bar of soap, Kondo is rendered unconscious after a truly spectacular fall. It is during the ensuing commotion that Sakurai decides to perform a little “locker key switcheroo” …

“Fire Emblem: Awakening” Stars Join The New “Super Smash Bros.” Roster Alongside Veteran Fighter Captain Falcon

Published by Frank Inglese

We’ve been waiting for some new characters to be announced for the upcoming party brawler ‘Super Smash Bros.’ for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, well here they are! Nintendo, through a live streaming event, released a brand-new character introduction trailer for the upcoming fighting game but, to the delight of audiences around the world, it wasn’t a trailer only introducing a single character like the teaser for this stream detailed…no, we got something much more than that! Lucina, Robin AND Captain Falcon have now been confirmed as playable characters for the new game! Robin, in case you are a little confused as to who this actually is, is the main character from the ‘Fire Emblem: Awakening” game. This character is one that you customize to your liking, making it look however you want it to and naming it after yourself, if you so wish. He/She alongside the game’s mysterious protagonist Lucina will come together for ‘Smash Bros.’ to fight the forces of evil on whatever stage it is they choose…also, Captain Falcon who puts …

“Super Hero Generation” Gets A Bunch More Screenshots and A Confirmed Character List

Published by Frank Inglese

Bandai Namco, you’re magnificent! A few weeks ago Bandai Namco announced a brand-new crossover title called ‘Super Hero Generation’ that came alongside a couple of screenshots just to whet our appetite (Click Here). This game brings together the universes of ‘Kamen Rider’, ‘Gundam’ and ‘Ultraman’ into one action-packed tactical RPG the likes of which we haven’t seen since ‘Project X Zone’ which, in my personal opinion, was an extremely under-appreciated game but I’m not here to talk about ‘Project X Zone’, I’m here to deliver you a whole bunch of new screenshots for the upcoming superhero-centric title and that’s exactly what I’ll do! Below you’ll be able to see a gallery of all the newly-released screenshots courtesy of Bandai Namco Games but before you head down there I urge you to keep reading as the game’s publisher has also revealed a list of confirmed characters so far and they are as follows: Gundam: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Mobile Suit Gundam AGE: Memory of Eden Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Mobile Suit Gundam …

Tekken 7 Announcement Trailer Unveiled

Published by Frank Inglese

Well who saw this one coming? Probably a great deal of fighting fans in the world who were moreso hoping for a new ‘Tekken’ game rather than simply anticipating. It was announced at this year’s Evolution Championship Series (a.k.a ‘EVO’) that ‘Tekken 7’ is now in development and has been for a little while at this point in time. Alongside the announcement came the teaser trailer for the upcoming fighter which, unfortunately, showed absolutely nothing of the actual game but set up a pretty serious storyline. Now the teaser does happen to feature the words ‘the final battle’ quite close to the end but I’m not so sure this will be the last ‘Tekken’ game. It’s a series that has lasted this long, I highly doubt it is going anywhere anytime soon. The game is supposedly being created through the Unreal Engine 4 which game producer Katsuhiro Harada had a little bit to say about: The power and flexibility means that we can focus our efforts on making Tekken 7 the best possible game without …

“When The Last Sword Is Drawn” Review

Published by Frank Inglese

What exactly does a good Samurai fight for? His master? His land? His country, even? I’m sure there’s plenty of reasons for men to take up arms against each other but none more pure than that of Yoshimura Konichiro, a masterful Samurai from a small town who travels inland to join the powerful ranks of the Shinsengumi. The true protagonist of ‘When The Last Sword Is Drawn’, Yoshimura is a man of honour though he comes across as a money-hungry freeloader. That couldn’t be further from the truth, Yoshimura is a family man who has taken up a job as part of the Shinsengumi simply to feed his family. What he does is for love and I truly think that’s what makes HIM a legendary Samurai warrior. Told in a series of flashbacks, ‘When The Last Sword Is Drawn’ follows Yoshimura as he joins the special police force and eventually takes place in a large-scale battle which unfortunately leads to his death. A fellow Shinsengumi member, a man called Saito Hajime, many years after the …

“Confessions” Review

Published by Frank Inglese

The saying goes; ‘no parent should ever outlive their child’ and for Junior high school teacher Yuko Moriguchi, this was a reality that she must now live in for the rest of her days. Being a single parent in the modern world of teaching, her husband stricken by HIV/AIDS, Mrs. Moriguchi was in constant state of battle. Doing her best to care for her daughter while also continuing to be the outstanding civil servant she has worked so hard to become. Manami, her daughter, was lucky to have been born into a family with a strong matriarch like Yuko Moriguchi. Through tough times and hardship, Yuko stood tall in the hopes that she could raise her daughter in much the same way a ‘regular’ family could. It was hard for the dedicated teacher, having to bring Manami to parent-teacher interviews and late-night work sessions. Manami was a happy young girl thanks to Yuko’s dedication. Because of his disease, Manami’s father was unable to be near her and spent his life with her at a distance. …

The Kirishima Thing Review

Published by Luke Halliday

What happens when the coolest kid in school one day disappears without a word? How does the school react to his absence? Does the social hierarchy crumble or does life go on unaffected? These are the questions that The Kirishima Thing ponders through its exploration into the very fabric of society and the structures by which we are all bound. Set within an ordinary Japanese high school, The Kirishima Thing explores the school’s social standings from all perspectives, implementing an innovative non-linear story-telling structure, jumping about to different views at different times. All of which highlights the astonishing unraveling of a society without its leader. Kirishima is a character whose presence hangs over the film from start to finish albeit while the character himself may or may not have ever been on screen at all. His place atop the social hierarchy is evident, almost all of the students have some kind of connection with him or rely on him in one way or another, they need him so much that it almost verges on a …

SMASH! is Just Around the Corner!

Published by Kane Bugeja

It’s time to put on your Saturday/Sunday best and grab your wallets Pop Culture fans because SMASH! is almost upon us once again. Taking a shift in location from last year, all of your anime and manga needs can now be found at Rosehill Gardens, on August 9th-10th (the aforementioned Saturday/Sunday). Clocking in with over 170 vendors, this eighth iteration of SMASH! is set to be bigger than ever. Fans will (as always) have the opportunity to show off their cosplay outfits on the main stage, perhaps even taking part in one of the two competitions to be held during the weekend: the annual Madman Cosplay Competition and the Australian Preliminary Competition of World Cosplay Summit 2015. Such fans may also be pleased to note that cosplay superstar Reika will also be gracing SMASH! this year, drawing a greater focus to this constructive endeavour of fandom than ever before. Though even if you’re not expressly into cosplay, you will by no means be disappointed. With all the panels, shops, workshops, cafes and anything else anime/manga related, …

Mighty No.9 – “Beck Springs Into Action” Videos Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Keiji Inafune and his team over at Inti Creates never leave their fans wanting for too long. It was only last week that we were given some awesome news regarding the MIghty No.9 animated series and the beginning of another Kickstarter campaign, as part of that campaign we have today been given a closer look at just what it is that Beck can do with a series of videos all falling under the title; “Beck Springs Into Action”. Inafune and Co have released four clips, each of which running for exactly thirty seven seconds, just enough time to Beck to strut his stuff and show us just how formidable a hero he truly is. See Beck run, jump, dash and smash enemies in some of the flashiest ways. The blue bomber would be proud of his spiritual successor…it almost makes me…want to cry. Below we’ve provided all four of the videos so head down there to check them out. ‘Might No.9’ isn’t set for a release until sometime next year so there’s still a long …

Making Up For Lost Time – Frank Plays The “Pokemon Trading Card Game” (3DS)

Published by Frank Inglese

  Reader, I don’t know about you but my friends and I used to be Pokemon card masters. We never actually played the proper game but we did buy at least one booster pack a week. A game we used to call ‘flips’ spread across the playground like a plague. It was a simple game where two combatants would go head-to-head, with each of the players would play with one of their own cards. The aim of the game was to flip both cards and have them land the same way up. This would result in you taking both the cards. It was our form of gambling back then. We used to bet our best cards and the winner would always walk away with a pocket full of another child’s precious Pokemon. I remember the bigger kids in my life actually playing the TCG (Trading Card Game) and, from the view of a small child, they were Gods among men. Never once did I try to learn how to play this game, I just stuck …

SnapThirty Presents: SnapCast Special Edition – “One Piece: Unlimited World Red”

Published by Kane Bugeja

  In this bonus SnapCast, Frank and Kane (also Luke) play One Piece: Unlimited World Red. Talk naturally centres on One Piece and the ins and outs of a world populated by pirates. The guys talk favourite characters, plot intricacies and ponder the details of the elusive One Piece itself….then get distracted by a Dragon. So sit back, relax and (hopefully) enjoy three guys playing a beat-em-up about plundering, beast slaying and mice catching. For a more in depth look at One Piece: Unlimited World Red, check out Luke’s review here.   Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – SnapCast Special Edition – “One Piece: Unlimited World Red” You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here -30-

Space Dandy and Honey in Excellent Model Form

Published by Kane Bugeja

What’s that Space Dandy fans? You like merchandise? Have you checked out Be@rbrick Dandy yet? What, you want more? Well have you come to the right place. After the unbridled chaos that featured in Space Dandy’s triumphant Season 2 return, it might be time to dial it back a little bit and enjoy two characters from the good ol’ fashioned timeline we all know and love…regardless of whether or not we all understand it. I of course speak of the titular hero himself (Dandy) and his favourite waitress in the whole universe: Honey, the one again, off again helper to the crew of the Aloha Oe. For “just” 9,720 or 9,990 yen respectively, you can be the proud owner of either Dandy or Honey. The MegaHouse Excellent Models measure in at 20cm (1/8th scale) and will ship in October. Each figure also features alternate arms and expressions, so you can mix it up whenever the mood strikes you. But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words…so enjoy the following 20,000 word epic…21,000 if …

Pokemon Trading Card Game Now Available On The European Nintendo eShop

Published by Frank Inglese

Time to dust off my Nintendo 3DS and get back into the swing of handheld gaming because Nintendo has today re-released the old-school ‘Pokemon Trading Card Game’ as Virtual Console classic. This new/old title has just been made available through the European eShop. It was first released in the West back in 2000, a time where I was too young to understand real strategy and instead chose to buy booster packs of Pokemon cards simply because they looked cool. I never had the intention of playing the actual TCG (Trading Card Game) which meant that this particular game went right over my head. What I simply child I was. With the re-release going for a measly $6.50, it was hard for me to pass up the chance to make up for lost time. The game does actually have any contemporary editions, it is essentially just a port and I think that’s perfectly fine. It has an 8mb download size and will take you no more than ten seconds to download so there’s no real reason …

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax To Be Region Free Upon American Release + New Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

  I’m all fired up for this news because, believe it or not, I was burned once before by the original ‘Persona 4 Arena’ region-locked system and I’m so excited to see that the American version of the ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ game will be entirely region-free. Do you know what this means? It means as long as you have an American PlayStation Network account you can download and play the game as soon as it is released no matter where you live in the world. This is brilliant news for European gamers like myself who were unable to get the first game at the same time as our American counterparts . We live in a world where the ‘global village’ is a reality, not just something we learned in school as a part of the English class curriculum. No longer do friends have to be located in the same street to be able to play together, the world’s citizens are all connected and now we can all get up to some hardcore brawlin’ thanks …

“Super Hero Generation” – First Screenshots Released

Published by Frank Inglese

I’m somewhat ashamed to admit this but I actually have no experience with the ‘Kamen Rider’, ‘Ultraman’ and ‘Gundam’ series’ but the prospect of a crossover video game between the three got me excited enough to want to write about it! While I’ve never actually experienced any material in regards to the three series’, I have heard a great deal about them and, like a true pop culture freak, I’ve done my research. Bandai Namco announced this game not too long ago, it is called ‘Super Hero Generation’ and it looks to be a tactical RPG-type game that features some incredible looking cinematic action sequences. Famitsu, the Japanese video game magazine, has today posted online five screenshots for the newly-announced game. This images are the first we’re seeing of the crossover title and, while focusing on what looks to be action sequences, it does give us somewhat of an idea of just exactly how this game is played. Unicorn Gundam, Ultraman Ginga and Kamen Rider Wizard take center stage for their very own screenshots but …

Mega Metagross Reveiled For Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

Published by Frank Inglese

Let me be honest; we all knew this was coming, what we didn’t know was when it’d be coming. New scans, courtesy of the Japanese ‘CoroCoro’ magazine, have today revealed the next Pokemon to obtain itself a ‘Mega Evolution’ and that Pokemon is none other than the mighty Metagross! A whopping tank-like creature, Metagross is an intelligent Pokemon that knows how to use it’s brute strength to pin down it’s prey and devour them with it’s jaws of steel of which are located almost underneath it’s body. With a nice type combination of ‘Steel’ and ‘Psychic’, Metagross is a force to be reckoned with and now it has unlocked the power to evolve once more making it a force of nature no other Pokemon can stand against. Though laced with glare, these scans allow us to clearly see just what a behemoth this already-devastating Pokemon has become. Though no real info about the evolution itself was divulged, we do know that it belongs to Steven Stone and that his particular ‘Mega Stone’ is located on …

Digital Devil Saga Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Age is a demon we must all face, the same can be said about Digital Devil Saga, the PlayStation 2 Shin Megami Tensei RPG. Now a decade since it’s initial Japanese release date, Digital Devil Saga thoroughly shows its age, but it still has a wicked sense of style that stands in defiance of the hands of time. Here we are with the digital PSN re-release of Digital Devil Saga and the game invites a new generation into The Junkyard for a devilish journey they are likely not to forget. Digital Devil Saga takes place within The Junkyard, a desolate wasteland that serves as the battleground for the war between a multitude of tribes all vying for ascension to ‘Nirvana’. During a troubled battle between tribes, Serph and his companions become ‘infected’ by a strange force. Shortly after they each gain the ability to transform into devils, from there the battle for ‘Nirvana’ takes a hellish turn. Seeing how these characters deal with the situation they have found themselves in makes for some very compelling …

Madman licenses Tokyo ESP, simulcasting on AnimeLab

Published by Luke Halliday

Madman Entertainment have acquired the license for the brand new anime series Tokyo ESP, a series from the creator of GAI-REI-ZERO, Hajime Segawa. Madman further confirmed that they will be simulcasting the series on their AnimeLab streaming service starting at 3.30am July 11th, 2014. Tokyo ESP follows a girl named Rinka who through a fateful bizarre encounter with a penguin awakens psychic powers known as ESP. She quickly discovers that there are more people in Tokyo who have ESP, some who use it for good and some who use it for evil. A home video release for Tokyo ESP has been confirmed with details to come in the future. Be sure to stay tuned to AnimeLab.com to catch the first episode of Tokyo ESP when it drops tomorrow.

Sydney, Australia Shown In “Free! Eternal Summer” Ending Sequence

Published by Frank Inglese

You know, reader, us Sydney (Australia) citizens have a lot to be proud of: We live in a beautiful city with some amazing sights to see and some lovely people to meet but now, well…now we’ve got a connection to the Anime ‘Free!’ and that basically outdoes everything I just described. I’m going to go ahead and assume that if you’re reading this than you know exactly what ‘Free!’ is…right? Well, ok, for those of you who are unaware of one of the Anime world’s biggest contemporary series’; ‘Free!’ is an Anime about swimming…yep, that’s pretty much it. The series features a cast of quirky characters, all of which have their own reasons as to why they love swimming and when I say ‘love’ swimming, I mean ‘love‘ swimming. You get it? ‘Free! Eternal Summer’ is the second series of the Anime and it happens to feature an ending sequence populated by images of the main cast enjoying a bit of time out of the pool. The sublime thing about the ‘Free!’ ending is that …